Topping off my list I'm going to start with a movie you haven't seen most likely because of poor advertising-
Snow Falling On Cedars - Apparently they thought that because it was masterfully shot, emotionally written and skillfully put together that the world wouldn't want to see it. This must have been when they must have decided to market it as a touching and dripping love story that spans the ages- its not- if anything its a Courtroom movie with loving undertones. The following is how it was advertised-
This is what the movie is really like- (its 6 minutes long but very good I promise)
The next movie I'm throwing at you is a foreign film that I PROMISE you haven't heard of (unless I've told you about it)
Flickering Lights (Blinkende lygter) - The darkest comedy I have ever seen- also one of the most uplifting movies as well; A Danish film about a band of best friends and criminals turning their lives around while opening a restaurant. FANTASTIC! (this clip doesn't have subtitles- but it still works)
Okay- we're rolling now. Next- You haven't heard of this one because you never browse the video shelves... I mean seriously browse the video shelves...jerk.
Happy, Texas - Steve Zahn is one of two escaped cons who have to pretend to be a couple of gay, little miss junior pageant planners in a small town in Texas - ENOUGH said.
The Way of the Gun - if you liked No Country for Old Men but want an ending. This is the movie for you- with a lovely cameo from Sarah Silverman (if you don't like her- you'll LOVE this cameo) Gun is that kind of movie that if released this year- well- watch it... (WARNING: this scene is a little brutal)
Dog Soldiers - Have you ever walked through the Horror section of your local blockbuster, just- making fun of the different titles and concepts of the RIDICULOUS movies gracing its shelves? Well, I used to- I also used to rent a movie just because I thought it was going to be terrible...
That is how I saw Dog Soldiers. Let me tell you something- This was one of the best cinematic mistakes I have ever made- this British produced film is one of the most solid pieces of independent film making I have ever seen - I LOVE LOVE LOVE the screenplay for this one actually... (I'm sorry- this trailer does NOT do the film any justice... but its all I could find)
Well- that's my short list- I'll continue this- soon.
The Greatest Movies You've Never Seen...
Sunset/Death - A synopsis
We're trying for investment on a film- here is a synopsis:
When a common "mindset" becomes a reality, Grady, an everyman, is left isolated and guilty
What does life matter to a person inflicted with the internal perspective of insignificance?
I know I haven't written in a long long time- so- tell me what you think!
I've decided to go on a walk. Its cold and there's a light snow. A man drives by and gives me a funny look- As I walk it becomes harder and harder to move my legs, as if I'm walking up a steep hill- my legs become tired- its so hard to move by the end that I have to use fences, lamposts and treest to continue forward (but this is only this bad as I'm finding out the news)
I then get a text message from Kyle Fotheringham that states "The girl it seems you want to marry is standing right next to me and it seems she wants to marry the guy she's with, and lake seems to be light as a feather because of it". The last bit confuses me mildly- then there is a follow up text that says "I meant Jake not lake seems to be light as a feather because of it" (predictive text messed up his name apparently)
So I call Kyle, there's lots of noise in the background- and music. I ask "So she's acting like she's married to Jake?" Kyle says "Yes, she's flirting with him and there's continual sexual references" I say "She's not kissing him is she?" "Oh no- yea she is" comes the very Kyle-like reply.
"Oh- excuse me, I'll call you right back" My voice is calm, quick. I'm filled with heart-broken rage.
I call her immediately- Under her breath as if she's talking to me but doesn't want me to hear, but I do, she mutters "Would you just leave me alone?" then "yeah?" the same music and noise fills the background.
"Kyle just told me everything" I say. "So, why would I care?" she replies.
I recount what he said very fast so she can't interrupt. My legs work now, I've found a field of rare white orchids- my fist wraps around the stem of one and proceeds to destroy it- my voice feels a bit shaky, panicked and stressed.
When I finish, without any thought or regard to what I had just said, she finishes the conversation- "Okay, well I'll see you later then?"
"No- what!?" I'm in an Orchard. Destroyed orchid in my hand.
"Goodbye!" Her voice is exceptionally cheerful. My pain is unimaginable.
I wake up.
I send you the text.
I can't get back to sleep.
This Year's Goal:
I need to Direct a movie.
Not a short.
Not a music video.
Not even a television episode.
A movie.
From the moment I discovered movies- which was before I can even remember- I'm sure I was still just a baby- I've wanted to work in film...
I never wanted to be a fireman, astronaut, policeman or even cowboy. I wanted to make movies. (even though for a few months after seeing the movie Jurassic Park I was interested in Paleontology as a 'back-up'...but I digress-)
When I was 11 I decided on my first career path: Stuntman. I took Karate, I taught myself to tumble, to take a punch, to throw a punch- by the time I was 14 I could run up walls and do a back flip (I'm probably too "pleasantly plump" now, but when I get back into shape!).
I could be realistically and safely hit by cars at 15 and the joy of staging realistic looking 'brawls' in parking lots and shopping malls never really left me until after high school.
I had been working, since I was 12 for a small video game company known as Shoqwave Multimedia (THANK YOU the internet archive for showing it from when I worked there... check out what it is today at www.shoqwave.com)
My job was to create interesting and unique backdrops for levels on a video game being made in the tradition of Myst and Riven.
Well, one day- the owner of the company handed me a video tape with all of our works cut to music. really cheesy slide-show presentation style- but what captured my attention was not how much better my backdrops were than anyone else's- but the fact that he had put it together on a Computer. He had EDITED A MOVIE ON A COMPUTER!
That's the moment I decided what I wanted to be- I didn't know it yet- but I had decided it.
Shortly after that I was in high school- I was 16 and I was taking a classe in the multimedia- just to get me close to the editing stations- it wasn't long before I rarely left the editing room-
In fact, don't tell my parents, but I would oft miss my classes to cut together a short film or PSA or to watch a movie on the big screen in the corner- which was in essence- my big screen.
I spent the majority of my senior year cutting the graduation video behind a castle of Dr. Pepper cans in a dark corner of the room... I spent so much time there they practically gave me a key!
Hell, I met my first official girlfriend in that editing lab. My first exposure to Napster and free music was there. Live television and broadcast news- Editing with headphones- even my first rival spawned from that noisy little room-
That room of Apple Computer's is where I learned to make movies. Its where I taught myself the technical side of film.
The first film I ever edited was- without a doubt- crap. There were maybe 5 different camera angles in the film- But- I'm thankful for the film- it was a HUGE learning experience-
how? how could you have learned from crap? you ask. I'll tell you.
The first lesson I ever learned as an editor was simple: You can't edit something if there's nothing to edit.
We had 5 shots that went in order from beginning of movie to end. Not a whole lot to edit together- not something that'd really build my editing muscle- So- the next project we did- I made sure we got more coverage- stuff to play with at the editing bench. Different angles etc.
This film was also crap. But this time I recognized that the new coverage was there- but it didn't cut together well because it didn't look right- it wasn't framed properly... which taught me as a camera man- over time- with practice- how to do that!
Every project taught me something new and became a platform to practice what I'd already learned: "hey- its framed well but the acting is weird-" so I learned eventually how to get a performance- "I've got a performance, but what they're saying is off-" it helped my writing. "what they're saying is right- but I can't hear it" -fixed the sound.
It has gone on like this for years- Lighting, sound, camera, acting, writing, art direction, costume- its how I learned to make movies. Every new skill building into a sort of mountain shaped skill set- with editing being my base...
It wasn't until just recently- within the last few years- that I realized I wasn't building a mountain towards being a good film maker per say... I was putting the tools together to tell a good story. All the pieces of a puzzle creating the big picture-
8 years ago, I decided I was going to be storyteller. I didn't know it until now. But I had decided it.
So, this year, and I mean this year- I want to direct a movie- not a short- not a music video- not even an episode of TV.
A movie.
Something new...
Work on a Reality Show
This year has been an interesting one for me in the professional world. I went through a dry spell of almost 6 months without work. I had to get myself a ‘real’ job to pay the bills.
Then all of the sudden- I started getting hit with work left and right... ALL at the same time- First some really good friends of mine who had been working on a documentary were thrown the funding to shoot two infomercials, I was hired immediately as camera op. and editor- then, the owner of my job decided to start throwing me Assitant Director work on a couple of international commercial shoots he was doing... shortly after he was hired to head up production on the reality show- which, he almost immediately hired me to run camera on.
The point being- One of the main things I’ve noticed about the film/television industry is that- no matter what level you’re at- Work is sporadic. Work is hard to find, unless you know someone and is constantly changing: each of the jobs I had were completely different pay grades for almost the exact same amount of work.
November 6, 2007, 5:00 am. I had been up the entire night working on the first cut of an infomercial in order to have it done before I hopped in a van that would drive me to the airport which would be departing from Salt Lake City and flying to San Diego with a layover in Vegas.
I finished the cut, burned it to DVD, dropped it into the producers mailbox and drove home to pack my bags for the 2 weeks to come. I was going on a cruise. This wasn’t any old cruise though, this was an all expense paid 8 day ride on a cramped boat with 300-400 drunk, rich, 20-30 year old’s, ‘celebrating’ the summer of work they had completed, selling door-to-door for an upstart security systems company... A company who also happened to be funding a ‘reality’ based television competition designed basically as a ‘publicity stunt’ to boost sales and more importantly- recruit salesman.
Things began as normal- as soon as we reached the Vegas airport I was handed an envelope with a per diem (which I later realized, was paid for out of the producers pocket, not the production budget)- we hopped on the plane and made it to San Diego where immediately off the plane the cameras were unloaded and filming had begun- B roll of the airport- contestants loading onto buses. etc.
The following 8 days consisted of a few things... Early mornings, long days, sunburns, late nights, early mornings, long days sunburns, etc. etc.
The boat was cramped and we had to keep all our equipment with us at all times. 6lbs camera (we shot on the Canon XH A1, perhaps the worst camera I have ever worked with) 30lbs of lenses, tape, batteries, lenses, tripod, etc. We would follow contestants from one end of the boat to the other, from the bottom to the top decks.
Crew wise we had: 3 production coordinators to keep track of what was being filmed, 4 camera operators to capture the image and 8 producers to make sure that all that work was actually getting done. Pretty much a normal production.
As for the production- that was a really interesting process... one of the most interesting I’ve been on: Diva attitudes would shift shooting schedules and cause drama- which although good for the screen, was hell for us as cameramen. For THREE days in a row we had early morning call, be set up for the big ‘welcome’ shoot and for THREE days in a row, contestants would flake out, assuming they were too good for the show.
With only one day off the entire time- I slowly came to a realization and vowed never to go on a cruise again.
But I digress, There were two days ashore- one of which was my day off, the other- which was supposed to actually be a second day off but at the last minute it was decided to be a shooting day- but a minimal one. One camera per group.
I drew the short straw.
Meanwhile, those 8 producers I was referred to had no idea which group of them were in charge- see, there were 3 production companies involved in the filming of this production, One, was the company that was hired out of Utah that hired the second company that hired me, the third company was a company out of New York (they did that reality show about putting pageant winners in the same house).
Now, they finally came together on the boat and they ALL assumed that the other company was in charge. So for an entire week, I sat and watched as each group waited to receive orders so I, in turn, could be told what to do.
For that first week- us camera men and our boss made the decisions- we’re the only reason anything got shot. The only reason.
Anyway, the cruise finally ended and we prepped for the elimination rounds, see- I found out part way through the cruise that the hours, literally HOURS of footage we had shot would be cut down to an entire half episode (the episodes were only going to be half hour episodes)... I don’t know about anyone else- but- there’s getting enough coverage- and there’s getting FAR FAR FAR too much coverage.
The cruise ended- we’re preparing for elimination rounds. This is the point that we brought Paul Varela on to shoot- and I know for a fact that he’s got his own unique take on the experience- the elimination rounds were 2 days, two different contests. The first was a door-to-door sales contest; The 3 contestants to sell the least product- were eliminated. This was the day that really brought a few things to head... for one, there was the moral issue that a number of us camera operators had with the concept of door-to-door sales. Its something that has always made me a bit uncomfortable, something I as a person would never do and have vowed never to do. But, I was hired to do a job- I couldn’t really take a moral look at it. I mean, I’M not the one driving a useless product on someone who doesn’t even need it in the first place. I’M not the one being pushy and rude and repetitive and an annoyance to people who are just trying to enjoy their afternoon. I’m not involved, I’m a fly on the wall, right?
So, the question was- would I be able to look past my little annoyances and do a job? How much do I care about success?
The answer? Not enough to break my values, but enough to choke down my complaints and whines and to just do it.
I love film too much to let stupid people ruin it for me.
The second contest was a philanthropy contest. THIS was considerably easier to do- we followed some of the best salesman in the world as they trod from their comfort zones and helped people in need- It was actually quite heart warming- quite amazing what they pulled off. I guess it goes to show that, if you weather the storm- you’re bound to see blue skies.
All in all it was a good experience. I learned a TON. I met good people. I made a connection that will turn out to be INVALUABLE in the future (all I can say is:”HBO television series”)- It was a job that has generated a numerous amount of other jobs. It was worth it.
Anyway, to make a long story short- The whole production, the whole process- it was controlled chaos. Pretty much a normal production.
It's 100% official...
HUZAH!: The dollar has now actually become stronger- its fluctuating- but this photo says its more!
PREVIOUS POST: Never thought I'd see the day- but the Canadian dollar is now worth more (slightly) than the American dollar...
conversion rates from www.xe.com
Finding time when you have nothing but...
The ashen radiance of his computer monitor converts his already pale skin to an almost flat white.
Thin red veins erode the edges of his eyes and his fingers curl as if they're holding a tennis ball, the tips brushing the the alphanumeric keys beneath.
Nervously his right leg bounces up and down in an erratic cadence, keeping time with the gratuitous firing of synapses playing out within his skull.
To an outside observer he may as well have been in a prolonged and inescapable bout of writers block- but, deep in the recesses of his mind he was burning through idea after idea.
So many things, so many thoughts, so many inner dialogues were playing simultaneously that his external shell, all but the leg, had frozen-
He forgets to breathe. His racing mind comes to a halt when the brains stem takes control and forces a breath into his lungs.
Mildly embarrassed by the little grunt he let out, he looks about the room.
He's alone.
He finds the clock in the corner of his screen- work had been over twenty minutes.