Stuff in the mailbox

A shame I don't know anyone who sounds like Rod Sterling...

I picked up the above two DVDs yesterday. Actually, I went to get Spider-Man 2 and happened across Hero. I didn't know it came out as well. I already have the Asian version, but none of the special features are in English or subtitled. I can't wait to see them again.

I haven't had the chance to pick up Owen's new album yet, perhaps I will this Saturday, when he performs at The Modified. That's right, if you live in Phoenix and I know you...I expect to see you there.

Cover

Check it out, Ray just finished the cover on Outside In. If you didn't know better you could almost swear this was a movie by some talented director.

Lazy, Forgetful

I had planned to post all about my San Francisco trip, but I've given up. Too lazy and I've forgotten what we did. Sure, the details aren't important, but, I've had to put it off too long. In fact, I just now uploaded my Colorado trip pictures. Check 'em out: http://photos.yahoo.com/gbloyer.

Final Cut

Final cut of my commercial: Done

Final cut of my films: Done late next week

Success!

Hey, I'm already posting more. Someone else has been posting too...

10 and 9

10: Napoleon Dynamite

The film Napoleon Dynamite represents a range of opinions that is varied at best. Many hail it as the essential independent film of this generation; a masterful blend of style, oddity and uniqueness that remains a staple for the indie genre. Others simply label it as “a funny movie”, nothing more.
Napoleon Dynamite on the other hand stands as an essential film character for our generation. Whereas half of the characters expressed on this list will be taken from films that are much older then I, Napoleon stands as a character that was birthed under the cultural views and influence of our time. He’s a mixture of two ideals that have been revisited over the past few years. One being that kitsch is good, the other being “you guys are retarded”. Regarding kitsch - style and dress from the 80’s and 70’s has become fair game, and often preferable. With television like that 70’s show and Freaks and Geeks, Napoleon is the end product of a catalyst developed throughout the thread of the past few years. Bold ties, Afros, decidedly dorky glasses, he is the reestablishment of an old time fashioned after the needs of our current era.

His character on the other hand is unique and confused. The tagline to the film, “He's out to prove he's got nothing to prove”, seems to sum up the general feelings shared by many today. His spun tales of wolverines and unicorns are so unbelievable that he couldn’t possibly stand a chance of misleading us. His character is unique in the sense that he rivals in the unique. Ironically, he may also be a slandering of the unique, simply because of how he dresses and how he acts. Napoleon’s hit and miss, unassuming verbiage smacks of dialect expressed by younger kids throughout the mid 90’s. Such outlandish expressions as “You guys are retarded!” still manage to pop up every now and then.

But what earns him iconic status has been his assimilation into modern quotation. I hear people quoting Napoleon Dynamite all of the time. Sure, it gets a little old, but at least it’s taken some of the heat off Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Napoleon may have cemented himself in our minds through visual appearance and character, but his dialect earns him the label of “cinematic icon”.

9: HAL

Voiced by Douglas Rain, HAL represents the first time a cinematic character has stood for the “all seeing eye” in a film. Beforehand, most characters were probably stationed in the physical realm, but his character is unique in the sense that he has no physical body to speak of. He’s iconic however, due to his glowing red eye.
An interesting thing could be drawn from the bright orange (and later on blazing red) glow of that eye. One of the deepest held convictions behind humanity is that the further along we progress with technology, the more emotionless we become. The film’s astronauts are a true representation of this fear. Kubrick decided to shoot them in cold blues and dull grays for most of the film, and their personalities leave little for the viewer to take interest in. Ironically, the humans seemed to throw their emotions upon their technology when they progress beyond needing them. HAL is thus jealous, possessive, begging and aggressive. He is the raw and unadulterated emotion that humanity has come to forget. It is only later on in the film when Dave is threatened with death that his instincts for survival decide to kick in. Wisely, Kubrick begins to shoot Dave in bright oranges and yellows to heighten the emotional intensity of rediscovering humanity’s core.
HAL stands as the catalyst for this event, and his iconic status has elevated him into numerous pop culture references and jokes. Today he is the first image that comes to our mind when we think of Artificial Intelligence, and he is probably one of the more memorable characters taken out of a Kubrick film. Interestingly, David, the boy robot from Kubrick’s final work, A.I. was originally planned to be HAL in the early stages of life. Although the idea was tantalizing, it’s good that Kubrick left HAL alone in the confines of 2001. HAL was an iconic creation from the get go, and he remains one to this day.

The 10 most iconic film characters (in Brock’s mind)

I think that I’ve proven myself unable to post on a regular basis. I’ll go for days, sometimes weeks on end without a single post, and then, as if a thief in the night, I explode with a flurry of posts out of nowhere. That’s probably not very fulfilling or enjoyable on my part. So, I’m going to have to give myself a bit of an incentive to post every day of this week. I’m going to compose a blank list for myself to fill in (and for you to read).
This list was inspired by the recent Rolling Stone list, “The 20 Most Iconic Rockers of All Time”. Instead, I will be delving into the 10 most iconic film characters…in my mind. Every day this week, I will unleash two new characters upon you unsuspecting bloggers. By the end of the week we ought to have 10. But first, let me establish a few rules for myself:

• Character is based on visual appeal, performance, and cohesive mixing of the two. In other words, visual appearance and action must reflect, and hopefully be an extension of the character derived from within the performance. The film character logically then must be established cinematically. And cinematically means both visually, and in terms favorable to the fictional narrative.

• The characters must be chosen from a pallet that favors both the popular, and the obscure. In other words, I can’t just pick a bunch of famous movie icons simply because I know everyone will recognize them. I’m not going to be throwing down Bogart characters or referencing Marilyn Monroe from “Some Like it Hot”. The characters have to be unique, iconic, and maybe even a little bit obscure.

• The character may overrule my personal distaste for the film he or she appears in. So if I love a character, but dislike a film, then that character has the right to overrule my distaste of the film and be established on the list regardless of my personal feelings. If I love the character and the performance, then so be it.

• Everything else is fair game. “All is fair in love, war…and motion pictures.”

Tomorrow we’ll kick it off with 10 and 9 on the list.

Prime

Transformers, robots in disguise!

The Albino(s)

The third and final teacher in my production block is Icelandic. When she first walked into the classroom a week or two ago I was struck by a number of things about her. But I was mostly struck by her hilariously weird personality. She's just crazy. Anyway, she's got us writing an outside paper on film editing, and while she allowed us to make our own choices over what we would view, she strongly recommended we come to the school and watch an Icelandic film she was hosting for the public: Nói albinói.
I could name a number of films that I'd love to take a bite at, films with unique and bizarre editing styles. Buuuuut...she was not only strongly recommending we see this Icelandic film, she was also offering extra credit to any film student who showed up. I couldn't resist. So, I took in the Icelandic film Noi Albinoi, a story not unlike many previous stories about alienation and social isolation.

I won't spew out another review, I promise, but I thought it was funny how remarkably similar Noi is to other misunderstood protagonists. Like say...Edward Scissorhands? Or maybe even...Powder? I hadn't noticed how similar all of these outcasts were to one another! Pasty, white, somber, and often bald. And who can forget how such characters happen to attract the very pretty "ideal girl" that other characters in the film are unable to woo. But they always happen to loose her in the end.
I liked Noi though. Nowhere near as much as Edward Scissorhands, but it was a nice film. Oh yeah, the editing was very cool, the music was great and I liked the cinematography.

Superb style.

Incredible Unbreakable

This morning was the first morning I can remember when I didn't open my eyes and feel...sadness. - Unbreakable

Job depression is a common theme often explored in Superhero stories. This theme is especially prominent in current superhero drama popularized on the big screen. The breakthrough case seemed to come from M. Night Shyamalan's 2000 film, Unbreakable. Here was a story about a man discovering the vast, superhero-like powers within himself and the underlying evil present within others. Shyamalan's character of David Dunn is a petty and unsatisfied man. In scenes capitulated throughout the film we discover that Dunn is deeply dissatisfied with his wife, his job, and life in general. When the film’s co-star presents a solution to him, David Dunn's life seems to rise up from the disillusioned ashes embodied by his workplace and family troubles. He discovers at the end of the film that saving lives is his true calling, and that his life sequence was merely an attempt to find his true calling: that of a protector.
Pixar Animation Studio's new film, The Incredibles, takes up this theme and expands upon it after the fact. Picture a film years after David Dunn has set aside his green smock. Imagine a film where he has retired from his life of protection. Picture a film where the solution to his depression is already imminent, yet relief is held in suspension by opposing forces. And picture a film a little bit lighter hearted. Piece all of these elements together and you just might get Pixar’s The Incredibles, a story about retired superhero Bob Parr and his dysfunctional, repressed family.
Bob Parr, much like David Dunn, has a need in life. He has the need to protect others. His incredible strength (ironically, much like Dunn's strength in Unbreakable) drives Parr to seek out and ensure the safety of others. But here's the real twist: Parr and other superheroes are placed under deep restriction by the government. After a hairy lawsuit depicted in the beginning of the film, Superheroes like Parr were deemed unsafe and suppressed by the government into normal, suburban lives. It is within this premise that we begin to explore a character story similar to Shyamalan's. Bob Parr has a need in life. And while he has the advantage of knowing what that need is, he is unable to fulfill it. Dryly underscored like a mid-life crisis, Parr’s needs send him off on a quest to help a mysterious organization. As wacky as the premise sounds, watching it unfold is even more fun.

The Incredibles has earned a plethora of kindly reviews, and it deserves every one of them. It's a tremendous piece that was written and directed by Brad Bird, whose other achievements include The Iron Giant and a renowned run on The Simpson’s. Bird's characters have flair unlike any other Pixar creation to date. Brimming with Superhero clichés and subtle irony, these characters inhabit a world that manages to poke fun at the Superhero archetype without succumbing to the tasteless mockery exhibited by past films. And yet, part of the reason why the film remains so successful in that regard is because the story itself seems crafted with a true reverence for the genre.
It's obvious from the commercials and teasers that this is a piece unlike any other Pixar story to date. Other films from the studio were obviously crafted under a particular atmosphere. This atmosphere follows a rule that promises great fun to kids, while at the same time throwing off a few subtle winks to the adult viewer. It was a remarkable technique that made many of the studio's films, from Monster's Inc. to the essential Toy Story 2, unforgettable. While The Incredibles seems to roughly follow this technique, the film also seems to be running along a different line of development.
I must say that it gives off a malicious air at times. There's no doubt about that. Moreover, it seems to be underlying with a snickering type of humor that almost feels as if it could rub off as offensively to one viewer as it might charmingly for another. It's a sharper film, and that's why it works.
I think the film’s abrasive characters contribute part of this sharpness. Truly, the only likeable character in the film is Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible. He's good-natured and genuinely pitiful most of the time. The other characters, including Parr's wife, and the film's villain, Syndrome, all exert an air of arrogance. In some cases many of the characters are even dislikeable. And this is what makes them so brilliant; Parr's wife is a perfectionist and a snob. Syndrome is a whiner and a snotty showoff. Even the family’s child, Dash, acts like a pretentious, competitive little brat. This sharpness expressed by the film's characters sets it apart from other Pixar films.
Arguably, the only character of questionable popularity in previous Pixar efforts was Kevin Spacey's character in the film A Bug's Life. And yet his performance is one of the most memorable for me. In my personal opinion, this edginess places The Incredibles second only to Toy Story 2. Brimming with nostalgia trips (like the classical James Bond designed island in the film) and a varying story archetype, Brad Bird has created a film that succeeds without completely pandering to the Pixar mission statement. I wouldn't question Pixar's films in any way, but this is the first one that attempts to set itself apart from the pack, and it pays off tremendously.

Now that I've spilled some of my thoughts regarding the film, I wanted to wax nostalgia for a moment about one of the film's voice over actors, Jason Lee. Lee plays the films' villain, Syndrome. His character is truly a maniacal performance that I'd equate with Kevin Spacey's in A Bug's Life. Lee's performance was especially notable for me however, because of his past. Lee is a skateboarding legend. He first broke onto the scene in the early 90's by mastering the 360 flip. Lee was part of the movement that shaped skateboarding into what it is today. He even appeared in the legendary skateboard video, Blind Video Days, directed by none other then Spike Jonze. Lee has kind of popped in and out of the indie film scene over the years, but I find him most memorable for his impact on the skateboarding culture. I was glad to see (or rather, hear) him in the film.

Driftwood

Gabe here, popping my head in.

I enjoyed the Firebird Band show. I think I like the CD. The problem is that their first CD had a lot of guitar, very minimal electro elements. In fact, the only electro element about it was the drum machine. Since I'm mainly a guitar-oriented person, I'm very dissapointed off-the-bat, since the new album is mainly "electro rock" with very little guitar.

Also, I'm a big fan of Chris Broach's voice. It's very prominent and raw on the old CD. On the new one, it's often layered with an effect. On some songs, if I didn't know who I was listening to, I wouldn't have known it was Broach.

However, I don't dislike the album, and there are a couple songs that stand out that I like very much. I just have to get used to the departure from the earlier sound.

I'm currently writing a short script based on Pinocchio, entitled Driftwood. I don't know if I can do this without violating copyright issues, but it is a loosely based, darker version. I was full of visions at the Firebird Band show and I spewed them off to Brock. This included greeting cards such as "Thank you for the monkeys."

Yo

Hey all, what's new? I'm gonna post something long tomorrow. A few reviews and stuff...things that I saw and listened to and I need to comment upon.

For one, I'm listening to this new Firebird Band album, and so far I'm liking it a lot. It's waaaaay more electronic then their first effort, but I've always been a fan of the synth. I think there's only one song with an actual guitar in it. I'll give you a review, but I likes it.

Anyone catch Modest Mouse on SNL last night? I meant to watch it, but well...I was at the show. Bah.

-Brock

Another poster for you

Here it is, the official Charlie and the Chocolate Factory poster.

I think it's fair to say that Depp's Wonka looks completely unlike Wilder's. Which is cool.

Such a tease...

Here's a teaser for one of the films I was cinematographer on:

Soon, the world will know the Truth...

04:60:7:28 - New post enters frame

Tonight I have to log in the timecode on my first film and prepare the second to send out to lab and telecine. Oh boy.

I mUst be LoOsiNg my mInD...

ManScare

MANSCARE!

The Face of Music

I went to the feedback forum at the Edge 103.9 office last night. Eight of the ten invited made it. Something happened that I should have foreseen. Those that were there, cared about music in general. Who else would make the effort? The majority audience of the Edge, was grossly misrepresented. And that’s a good thing. I don’t have any backing stats, but it is my educated guess that the main Edge listener is your High School teenager. I don’t think there was anyone under 20 at the forum and they were all male. In fact, I’d say a couple of them were in their early 30s.

The forum was moderated by someone from L.A., not affiliated with the Edge. We started by filling out a survey, with questions very similar to a previous on-line survey. Then the moderator asked for our answers and we discussed. Everyone there was for more variety and less “big hit” repetition. However, most everyone there felt the Edge was close to be being a great station, not much more to change. One of my answers stated that the Edge “was definitely better than before, but still needed a long way to go.” He came back to me and asked my why and how. I stated that the Edge is playing more of a variety of songs, but that the majority of the bands played are still on corporate record labels and it would be great to hear more independent bands. I also mentioned that my fat CD case is still 95% filled with bands that aren’t played anywhere on the radio. He asked what my top three current CDs were and I mentioned a few and no one had heard of them. He mentioned that I seemed knowledgeable of the independent scene and asked how I stay up on that. I just said “Internet, word-of-mouth, and concerts.”

So, it all went pretty well. I got a free CD out of it also. I think we’ll have a decent FM radio station here in Phoenix. As long as they have enough listeners that advertisers will still want to spend money. Will we have the perfect station? Most likely never. In order for that to happen, it’d have to be privately financed or at a college. And there are some colleges that have awesome stations.

Peel Pictures & Audio

BBC News has a cool feature on John Peel with pictures and audio.

Synch it up!

If you haven't already heard by now, on last weekend's Saturday Night Live, there was a technical difficulty with Ashlee Simpson's second performance. The wrong vocal track came on for her to sing, or lip synch, along to. Oops! If you didn't get the pleasure of seeing her awkward moment, catch it here.

There have been all kinds of excuses coming out since the incident, from her, her record company, even her father. The big one being that she lost her voice before the show due to acid reflux.

Apparently it was the drummer's job to play the track. I don't know if he messed up, sabotaged it, or the machine messed up, but the record company will probably can him as a scapegoat. I love it when pop stars are exposed for what they are...puppets.

Radio Revolution

Years back, about nine or ten, there was an AM radio station in Phoenix that was kick-butt. It was called The Q. I even remember the call letters, KUKQ, 1060 AM. They played a plethora of independent, punk, ska, and other music. How cool was it? Go to the link and check the Nov/Dec '91 playlist. It lists "Rhinoceros" by The Smashing Pumpkins. It was were I discovered some new bands that shaped my CD collection, like Jawbreaker, Sublime, Fugazi and more. They even had a weekly program were they played some new music, and had the listeners help pick the new song. Then it died.

One of the current local radio stations, The Edge 103.9, was your average, "play all the hits the kids love" radio station. Then, probably due to some corporate cut-backs, it was dropped. It then resurfaced with a new frequency (106.3 was the original) and new ownership. It was now independently operated! They were touting the phrase "independent radio." We were then blessed by independent music flowing through the air waves, right? Wrong. The playlist didn't change one bit! We got to hear the same old crap. I believe it had to do with the fact that the program director was a former manager, or something, from the old Edge. She still had the same mentality.

Then, a few months ago, The Edge didn't have DJs blabbing, and they started playing a variety of songs not heard in a while. Then, every once in a while, an announcement from the new owner would play, asking listeners to call or email him, giving him feedback on what they wanted from their local independent radio station. They even had a feedback form to fill out on the website. After a few weeks, the DJs came back on and the format had changed a little. It's better, still a long way from great, but it is better than before. They don't repeat songs as often, and they play some songs from the alternative/grunge era, plus some good 80's songs as well.

I signed up for their "Insiders" email list. Early this week they sent out an email, saying that the first 10 people to reply, would be invited to the station to discuss more ways they can improve. I'm one of the ten. Tonight, at 8:00 PM, I go to The Edge and let my/our voice be heard. I hope I'm not alone. I don't want to contend with 9 teens wanting their pop-punk back. I'll let you know how it goes.

The Everlasting Blogstopper

It’s quickly becoming that time of year again… Yes, for many movie fanatics, the winter season is a beloved period of time in which many get to view great (or awful) films for the very first time. Moreover, moviegoers get a chance to check out preview material for new and upcoming films, like Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”.
Ah yes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Do you remember when Gabe first mentioned that film on the blog? I do, and I also remember how interested I was to learn that Johnny Depp was chosen for the role of the enigmatic candy maker, Willy Wonka. I was equally astonished to hear about Burton’s plans for the film in the coming months, like his inclination to tell the story from a darker vantage point. My appetite was further whetted by the rumored plotline for the film: a tragic tale about Wonka’s fall from grace. Even more telling was the fact that Depp himself cast the character of Charlie with a good friend of his, Freddie Highmore. The original film itself serves as the catalyst for the boiling cesspools of interest inherit in this new adaptation. And since people are greatly interested in seeing how Burton approaches the remake of this film, they’ve also become curious about what the new characters will look like, namely Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka.

Photographer Darren Goff managed to snag a very rough headshot of Depp as Wonka. It’s not very telling but it does confirm the suspicion that Depp would be a gloomier, wicked version of Wilder’s classic character.


Now here’s where my issue with the film comes into play. Whenever someone begins describing Depp’s Wonka as a more sinister version of Wilder’s Wonka, I can’t help but roll my eyes. I can completely understand Burton’s desire to bring out some of the darker subject matter inherit in Wonka’s psyche. And there should be no question that Depp is one of the few actors who could pull the character off without stepping on Wilder’s toes. But my beef lies in the fact that writers and critics often downplay Wilder’s sinister nature in their praise of Johnny Depp’s characterization. Personally, I thought Wilder’s performance was deeply sinister, wicked and even a little bit frightening. If I had to outline some of the creepiest performances I’ve ever seen, I’d count Wilder’s Wonka as one of the top few. It wasn’t a brilliant performance because he was seeping with edgy subject matter and was beheld in a sinister manifestation. It was brilliant because Wilder let so many of those darker connotations go unsaid. It was a mastery of understatement. Wonka was unaccountable for his actions in many ways and his egotistical and childlike personality made the performance special. It was a subtle piece
I sincerely hope that Depp isn’t just tacking his performance with the “a more sinister approach” label. Defining it that way is like adding sugar to Pepsi. It’s overkill, and it’s the fastest way to proving that Wilder may have been the only man to capture the character perfectly. At least, that’s just how I see it.

Just Peelin'

Broncos embarassed on MNF. I saw it coming.

John Peel, famous for his "Peel Sessions" has passed away. I have the sudden urge now to pull out the Smashing Pumpkins' Peel Sessions.

Today, right after work, I'm dropping off "The Glove Box" to the Phoenix Film Project. Here we come.

I can feel

Just last night I was feeling a little bit depressed for various reasons. I think more then anything I was coming down from the extreme pressure and stress related to the final three films I shot this weekend for Scottsdale Community College. Unfortunately, I was asked to be cinematographer on all three films, and in some cases asked to do a little bit more. It was a very stressful and trying situation for me and I spent many a moment thinking to myself, “I really wish I was hanging out with my friends right now or doing something else”. Thankfully, that was the last batch. Unless I film something with Gabe and Josh, I’m done putting my eye through a diopter for the rest of the year.
But like I said, the pressure, my required presence and the anti-climatic letdown after the shoot all served to dampen my spirits. I ended up spending the rest of the evening listening to the last two songs on Grandaddy’s Sumday, ‘The Warming Sun’ and‘ The Final Push to the Sum’. They’re not terribly dour songs, just vaguely self-critical. And when I get depressed I seem to self-criticize.


However, there is a beacon of hope. Yes, there is something else behind this shell of blank-eyed youth. Something driving his visage throughout the glum and sun-drenched dust of this week’s harshness. The Glove Box. Oh yes, I’ve been waiting for quite some time to see the final cut put together by Gabe and Josh, and very soon the wait will be over. This Thursday at the Valley Art Theater I’ll (hopefully) get a chance to see their final product on the big screen, along with a plethora of other short films put together by local visionaries. Just last night Gabe told me that they extended the submission deadline for the contest, which only serves to prove just how big Phoenix’s local film scene has gotten. And it’s a close-knit community as well. When I was filming one of the student films, an actor on the set began chatting with the crew about the contest and mentioned that he put together a film with none-other then our former screenwriting teacher. What a hoot! The premise he described sounded very cool as well. So I’m looking forward to that.
I guess the other thing that has begun to lift my spirits has been the recent acquisition of freedom: freedom from work, freedom from commitments, and freedom from student films. Now I can spend the rest of the year editing my own work and focusing my mind upon whatever subject I choose. Sure, papers will be due, and I’ll have to attend class, but that stuff is null in comparison. I think I’m most looking forward to getting to work on my next screenplay. And I’m also pleased to be able to spend time with my friends and family.

Oh yes, and I’ll get to blog more. Right? That’s got to be an upside.

On a side-note, I checked out that new U2 song Vertigo today. Yeah, I actually bought it from iTunes just because of their commercial hype. But get this: I actually liked it. I didn’t love it, but I thought it was a great deal better then anything found on their previous album “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. In answer to your question, no, I didn’t pay for that self-indulgent tripe. My cousin burned it for me. But I was still equally dissatisfied by their lurid tunes and glitter-littered pop rock. This new song Vertigo is a little bit better and a little bit more like my favorite U2 tune, "Sunday Bloody Sunday". But then again, I’m not a big fan of U2. My appreciation for them comes about because of borrowing War from Gabe and realizing that some of my favorite bands, like Radiohead, borrowed a great deal from the Irish group.
Moving on…

I’m anxiously looking forward to checking out Ted Leo’s new album, “Shake the Sheets”. It hasn’t gotten very favorable reviews, but I’ll decide for myself if it’s a valid Leo album.

And that’s that.

DVD Format War

News on the ongoing format war. It's looking like the blue laser technology may win out.

Who's Your Daddy?

Poor Pedro.

Yes, it's true. My wife's pregnant with a due date of April 8th. Just about everyone has known for a while. I felt weird blogging about it, so I haven't. But plenty of people have baby watch blogs, I'm sure. Will I? Heck no. But I'll make the announcement.

Miscellaneous

The Broncos and their #1 defense stifled the Raiders. It's a good day anytime the Raiders lose.

Jandek makes his first ever appearance.

I feel like I'm in the film industry with The Glove Box, starring in Brock's movie and filming i hate you when you're pregnant for Alex at The Modified. It's fun seeing him once or twice, but anymore than that... My wife hates that name for obvious reasons.

My wife and I bought a new stove. I'm excited. Now to see if I can properly blame the old stove for bad bakes.

We've been experiencing wonderful weather in Phoenix this week. It is for that reason I don't want to work.

Stuff

I haven't looked at Second Nature's website in a long time, but when I was just now scrolling through the news I saw that Rocky Votolato's new album comes out Spring 2005. And it's called "Makers". Great!

Side note: I got my first film back from the lab. Now I get to edit it.

My second film

So I shot my second film today, with Gabe and my crew, at Postal Connections of America. I'm waaaaaaayyy too tired to type up a long post, or think of anything meaningful, but I felt that Gabe did a really good job. Especially since we were filming on cue, with very little rehearsal in between shots. We did do many takes of various shots however, especially complex ones, so I hope I sated Gabe's acting desire. Either way, he did a great job, and so did the store's manager. Yeah, the store's manager, Fred, was in the film. It's an inside joke within an inside joke, but for a guy who had never read the script and only knew the basic outline, he played the part very well. It was an honor to shoot in his store, especially since so many other mailbox rental stores turned me away.

So the film will either be called The Other Side, or, perhaps the more dynamic, Outside In. You kind of have to understand the story to understand the titles...but I'll explain it later.

Anyhoo, like I said, Gabe did a bang-up job. He took the day off from work, and I owe him money for stamps. But he was great. I knew he would be perfect for the part. My first film, Pantomiming, had a very happy-go-lucky character. So I knew right off the bat that I wanted my next character to be a little darker, a little more disturbed. Gabe was the first actor that popped into my head for the role. He's edgier then previous actors I've worked with. It seems like there's something going on inside his head in every scene, and we're only privy to little glimpses of it. So, he turned around a fantastic performance. Visually, I'm happy with the film as well. We pulled off a few technical/experimental exposures and shots that I was a little too timid to try on my first film. I hope it paid off for this story.

So that's that.

1st run

I got off my team's first film shoot about two hours ago. Overall, I think it was productive, but I'm going to be reading up and studying hard before my shoot next week. You can tell who had experience on the set and who didn't. I just hope it was a good learning experience for those who haven't gotten a chance to work with the equipment before, and I know it solidified a few of the things I had a grasp of. Now I just want to keep increasing and strengthening my knowledge. The more the better.

Something familiar...

Yeah, we'll do something biiiig for the 1000th post. It'll take us a while to get there, but we'll have plenty of time to plan.

I've got nothing important to say, but feast your eyes on this. It's the Episode III teaser poster. After watching the A New Hope DVD, this new poster seems especially potent.

Smile

Oh, man! The 500th post was supposed to have been marked with a special post. Brock, you blew it. Just kidding man! Your "Onward and Upward" post was the 500th. Way to go. We'll do something big on 1000.

Speaking of Pet Sounds, Smile was released last week, almost 40 years later. It’s the album that was supposed to have been the grandiose follow-up to Pet Sounds. Issues came up, Brian Wilson went mental, and the album was shelved. The album became mythical, legendary. Boots started popping up everywhere through the years. What was recorded was released in much later years, but without Brian Wilson’s supervision.

So, recently Brian Wilson decided to revisit Smile. But instead of working with the originally recorded material, he decided to redo the whole thing. Not to change it so much, but to have freshly recorded sounds. One major drawback to this, is his voice. It’s definitely not the same. His backup group “The Wondermints” did do a great job in carrying the high notes and harmonies, but it’s just not the same as when it was Wilson and company in their peak.

I haven’t had the chance to listen to all of it at a decent volume yet, so, once I do, maybe I’ll review it. Already, though, it has its high points.

Tid-bits

Long post 'morrow...

-Blogger says we've got 503 posts. Right on! Congrads Gabe! We've obviously had plenty of success with this blog. Thanks to everyone who reads it and comments on it too.

-So Billy Corgan is done with his new album. I hope, hope, hope it's good. I really like the Pumpkins stuff, but I'm not a huge fan of Zwan. He seems really angry as of late (thanks to his ex-bandmates) so maybe this new album will be a little edgier then Zwan.

-Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney are recording an album together I guess. That's neat. I heard they did a song together, but that it was terrible. Still...I got interested in McCartney's songwriting a few months ago, and I know Gabe's a Pet Sounds nut; hopefully this will live up to our tastes.

-So I hear that Josh saw the Forgotten, and he thought the camerawork was a little shaky. Gabe saw The Bourne Supremacy and he thought the same thing. What is it with shaky camerawork and Hollywood these days? It doesn't work folks. I think they're either (a) Trying to get that "indie" look in their films or (b) like Josh said, using the shots to underscore the confusion felt by the story's characters.

(a) Trying to get the "indie" look is a bad idea. Major motion pictures have resources at their fingertips that I'll probably never be able to touch. They should enjoy them and make the movies look good so I have something to look forward to. (b) You can convey confusion in ways less annoying.

-I'm lovin' the new Star Wars DVDs. They're great. Yeah, they are also lacking in a lot of ways, but it's Star Wars. No, let me rephrase that, it's GOOD Star Wars. The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones are good for fun and all...but the old movies were the best. I'm really glad they're finally on DVD.

-Also, I picked up that Weezer DVD. I hear their new album is "done" as well. Well, done as in the recording is done. Who knows if Rivers will reject this one as well?

-Brock

Post It Up, Peeps!

It has been quiet around the blog front. I have been pretty busy at work, plus I don’t have much worthwhile tidbits to blog about.

Brock, I read your review on the new The Moon is No More album. Sorry, I happened to see it in our blog as a draft. I was like “hmm, what’s this?” I hope you don’t feel violated. I thought it was a great review and you should post it. I don’t think Josh and Jeremy will feel bad that you trashed it. KIDDING! It was actually a pretty glowing review.

I do want to record a song and post it. I’m tired of not having one under my belt. I’m sort of a perfectionist when it comes to writing a song. I’ve had many ideas and I’ve started a few in the past, including a Modest Mouse cover. But I always find something I don’t like and trash it. Even if it’s just a minor “strummed the strings a little funky” thing, I get rid of it. I really need to let go. I’m going to try hard. I may even have something by Monday. Stay tuned. Any advice from you seasoned writer/recorders?

Go/No Go

It's been unusually quiet around the blogs this week. I think everyone's either busy with work or school or life and no one has had the time to post much of anything. I did write up a lengthy review of Josh and Jeremy's Jeffery L. Allen that I wanted to post, but I'm not sure if it's the most honorable of things to do. (I didn't think of that when writing it, I just tend to write reviews out of habit). Either way, it's a good album. It's been in pretty heavy rotation in my CD player for the last few weeks. You should check it out when it's released.

Congratulate Yourselves

Jeffery L. Allen - Album Review

When I first began compiling my thoughts about Jeffery L. Allen, I questioned if I should even be writing a review of the album. Two friends of mine recorded Allen after all. Don’t get me wrong; it wasn’t that I feared upsetting them with what I had to say. Rather, I questioned my own personal abilities as a critic and a writer to objectively review their material. I had laid down sharp standards for the likes of Radiohead, Modest Mouse and the Beastie Boys. But I also didn’t personally know any of those artists. Josh and Jeremy are two guys who I talk to regularly online (and in Josh’s case, regularly see in Phoenix). I consider them good friends, I enjoy their blog, and I think they’re nice guys. Regardless of what quality the band lends itself to, crappy or not, I considered that I might not be able to offer anything truly constructive about their album as a result of that friendship. Thus, I decided to pose even higher standards upon my two friends. If I had been critical about the Beastie Boys, I’d be even harder on Jeremy and Josh. If I’d critiqued Modest Mouse, I’d question every little hook and beat The Moon is No More threw my way. In short, I’d run my friends through the strainer.

And in spite of it all, I ended up enjoying the album anyway.

Yes, The Moon is No More delivered on their long awaited first album with a unique tale about divorce, dissolution and the depression that follows. Beforehand, 727 records could boast about groups like Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl. Now, the label’s two co-founders have something of their own to boast about.
The large part of that boasting has to do with the band’s unique storytelling methods, which sharply follow the arc of the album’s character, Jeffery L. Allen. Allen’s story (and two other stories the band has yet to release) adapt from Moon’s inspired lyricist Jeremy Provost’s book Sans Hands. Because of this source material the record follows a tight narrative structure. And while the music is enjoyable on its own, the key to really appreciating the songs (and on a larger scale, the band) lies in following the story they weave. Thankfully, it’s not a hard story to follow. Side A is labeled “husband & wife” and side B goes by “parents and children”, giving us a substantial clue into the album’s theme. Family dissolution. And neither of the band’s contributors offers a sugarcoated peak into this family’s tragedy. Instead, they seem to prolong and heighten the pain experienced by Allen and his progeny, focusing special attention on the younger victims of the divorce (after all, it’s the children who hurt the most). In the album’s grand scheme of things the band has taken the jaws-of-life and ripped apart the shell of a tortured and grievous family. Their bed of lies, addictions and ultimately regrets are showered out with a healthy dose of self-contempt, and we’re there to witness it all.
There are some strong moralities to take away from these songs as well. In “It’s the Children Who Hurt the Most: Part II”, the lyrics mournfully throw out lines like “drew up a prenup, thought it would cure all” and “though indefinitely ruined, we’ll be paying generously, you’ll find an end, the best of therapy”. Elsewhere, the band repeats what seems to be the album’s magic word “try” in lyrics like “when all else fails, try avoidance”. Jeremy Provost is especially skilled at reversing substandard, prepackaged phrases humanity has collected in a less then conventional fashion. With clever bits of dialect like “we’ve sowed what we’ve reaped”, you’ll be reading and rereading the album’s lyrics for any other nuggets of wisdom.
Yet, even though the story and lyrics receive well-earned praise, the music also deserves some mentioning

Yes, the music: Understand that I’m not trying to put anyone down here, but for a pair of brothers who run a self-founded record label, the music is surprisingly proficient. Odd, but proficient.
Yet perhaps the peculiarity inherit in Jeffery L. Allen contributes to its likeability. There’s a great juxtaposing of characters gathered within the album’s confines. But part of what keeps those characters together is the singularly bizarre, yet logical structure of its songwriting. More often then not we’re treated to weepy acoustic ballads, but occasionally we get a few upbeat, electrically sizzling rockers. (Not that I’m going to keep talking about the lyrics, but you should really make sure you follow the narrative structure in these instances to make sure you’re not fooled by the song’s poppy tempo.) Edgier moments like these are an interesting glimpse into the band’s electronic persona. But the real winners of Jeffery L. Allen (musically at least) come in the form of the band’s slower, toned down laments. “It’s the Children Who Hurt the Most: Part II” is one of the finest examples of this languid, careful brilliance. In songs like these, the band shows their greatest promise, hinting at an anticipated future of songwriting that can only move upward and onward. Ironically though, it’s one of the earliest compositions Josh and Jeremy Provost put together that holds the most weight.
“Come and Gone”, the album’s second track provides the perfect smash cut from the jaggedness of the album’s opener and also serves to nicely sum up the dilemma faced by our leading protagonist, Allen. I could go on and on about the levels of meaning and impact the song has on the album as a whole, but I can’t waste precious words when I should simply be listening. It’s just a brilliant little song. Like most artists waxing nostalgia about their own work, Josh and Jeremy Provost are likely to downplay the song’s significance. One could note its considerable age. In all truthfulness though, this song, along with several others, offer a glimpse into the great promise this project holds. If these softer laments prove to be the band’s most convincing efforts, The Moon is No More could look forward to a prolific songwriting career.

Nevertheless, I did say I would be critical with my friends. And even though they surpassed my expectations, any casual listener could pick out a few minor gripes here and there. A few of the songs for example tend to run a bit too short. It’s not that they’re bad. If anything, the disappointment is a testament to what kind of grip the band places upon its listeners. The quick cut-off leaves the listener wanting more. The unique music and Jeremy’s trademark lyrics manage to overwhelm such miniscule problems however and serve to make the album something more then it’s smallest flaws. When the final track ends and the disc stops spinning you realize that Jeffery L. Allen is a tale of human tragedy and ignorance. It’s about ego and scars that can only heal with time. It’s a tribute to the human experience, and it’s a mockery of everything that attempts to romanticize the human experience. Jeffery L. Allen isn’t an album; it’s a person you know. Just don’t try and avoid him.

Onward and upward

At 4:00 AM this morning I wrapped up filming on my first short film at Scottsdale Community College, Pantomiming. To say it was arduous would be saying it in the least. It was a very difficult film to make and it was very trying because I'm still struggling to learn the roles of the director and the roles of the other crew members. For example: when confronted with a technical problem in the look of the film, the various department heads would come to me and ask me what the shot had to look like and what the visual elements were. Instead of telling them about the vision I saw in my head I started telling them how to fix the problems they were experiencing. "Well, take it down a stop, increase the focal length" and so on. It was an interesting shoot because I got to experience for the first time what a director does in the traditional Hollywood studio sense. Which is work with the actors. A director telling the lighting crew how to solve a problem doesn't work apparently, even if the director knows how to fix the problem. That's a hard lesson to learn because I feel like if I know how to fix the problem, then I should be able to speak freely. There were a few clashes here and there. A few times I could see a problem coming down the pipeline and I would bring it to teacher’s attention, and she would merely say "Brock don't worry about it". When the problem finally manifested itself I was stuck telling her "when I see a problem, regardless of where it is, I'm going to point it out, because now it's screwing me up." Still, it all came together quite well. It was a learning experience for me on many different levels. I had to learn what people expect from a director, and I got to learn what the director should expect from himself. Namely, if you can control things within your field of vision and within what's happening on the set, do it. Don't listen to the traditional "Hollywood" roles. That method of working is fine within a certain extent, but when problems start to arise it becomes very difficult to solve problems unless you've got your own method worked out.

So now I've begun thinking about post-production; the editing of the film, the various color corrections and the DVD. Oh yes, the DVD. I want to mention that before I end this post because I think this DVD (and the one I'll devise for my second student film) is going to be really great.
For Pantomiming, I had a member of my crew on the set with a video camera taping the entire filming of the short. I don't know how much footage he ended up with, but I think it'd be safe to say we've got 30 minutes of documentary style "behind the scenes" coverage. 30 minutes...for a 3-minute film. If that weren't enough, I had a photographer there documenting the entire process. So when I finish the DVD, there will be a plethora of special features.

Here's what I'm planning:

Audio Commentaries

The Director's Team Commentary:

Commentary with,

-Brock Brown, Director
-Jon Paullin, Assistant Director
-Chad Einwalter, Director of Photography

The Gaffer's Team Commentary:

Commentary with,

-Leon Cowan, Gaffer
-Cory Barnes, Lighting Crew 1
-James Petersma, Lighting Crew 2
-Marty Murawski, Lighting Crew 3
-Tom Robinson, Lighting Crew 4

30 Minute Documentary

Behind the Scenes Production Stills

Outtakes

Original Actor Audition Tapes

If it all works out in post-production, I should be able to have all of those things on the DVD.

So, I'm glad it's done. Now I move on to the next short. I'm not gonna talk about that one though, because I think I talked the process to death with this one. But hey, guess what? Gabe will be playing the starring role in the next film. Crazy, huh? This will be some more experience for him to test out his budding actor skills. Here's to that flick.

-Brock

Promised to the Night

There I’m standing in a dirty and claustrophobic elevator, standing next to Gabe, his wife and my brother Parker, when this lady in a business suit and sneakers squeezes in. I’m not kidding you; she was wearing a grey suit, very empowering, with a pair of what looked like jogging sneakers. An odd combination. I must admit however that she was a perceptive one. She caught on to the mood of the night soon enough. “Quite a big show they’re having over there” she said, in reference to the Mesa Amphitheater. Gabe informed her that it was the Pixies paying, to which, she surprisingly replied, “No kidding? Frank Black, right?” For a nighttime businesswoman in sneakers, this girl knew her music. We all smiled immediately and nodded. Yeah, it was Frank Black we were going to see. “Long time coming, huh?” she asked. It was an outright crackup.
Yeah, it’s been a long time coming, especially for fans of the rock group. The Pixies called it quits years ago due to disagreements between Frank Black and Kim Deal and have only recently joined back together. During their departure, the band’s reputation grew notorious within the music industry. The likes of Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke and Isaac Brock extolled the virtues of the outlandish musicians in their absence, and the public only grew fonder of them. Songs like “Tromp Le Mond” and “Velouria” were popularized in tributes pieced together by Weezer and Braid while their most infamous song, “Where Is My Mind”, grew into a slow burning classic. When the band announced their reunion earlier this year, sheer pandemonium resulted.
Following a mini-tour in small-time Canadian and American cities, the Pixies culminated their grand reunion in a show-stopping performance at the 2004 Coachella Festival. I was there. Gabe was there. And we both knew that we had to see them again when they came to Phoenix.
So there we were, on our way to the show helmed by Frank Black and his cohorts. By the time we arrived the band had just launched into their set, which was a powerful combination of old and even older material. Classics that swept the Coachella Festival were met with great response at the Mesa Amphitheater. The band broke out songs like “Here Comes Your Man”, “Monkey Gone to Heaven” and “Velouria” to sate the responsive crowd. But much to my pleasure, they also dished out a few songs they hadn’t played at Coachella, songs like “Subbacultcha”, “Is She Weird”, “River Euphrates” and “Planet of Sound”. And there were a few rarities to characterize the set as well (like “In Heaven” “The Holiday Song” and “Winterlong”).

Thanks to Black’s onstage persona and the musicianship of his band mates, it was an energetic and lively show. As good as Coachella? Probably not. But part of the reason why Coachella was so good was because it was their grand reentrance into the music scene. By the time they hit the Mesa Amphitheater, everyone knew that they were probably going to stay together and record a brand new album. Everyone had seen them on the cover of Spin or read about them on Pitchfork. Yes, if their performance at the Mesa Amphitheater proved anything, it’s that the Pixies are here to stay.

On a related note, I just wanted to mention how cool the Mesa Amphitheater was. I’d never been there before. But Gabe and Rebeckah were right in telling me that it was a great venue. Not a bad seat in the house. In fact, it kind of reminded me of one of my favorite venues, the Coors Amphitheater in San Diego. Definitely the kind of place you want to see a band at.

Relive the Reunion

There's a very good quality recording of Braid's reunion show in Champaign at The Highdive at Cloak and Dagger Media. Get it here.

There's also a feature with David Bazan.

Blissful Colorado

OK, I’m back. My sweet, sweet vacation is over. I’m just now posting about it because I had a pile of work to do upon my return. Welcome back me. Total fish count: 9.

My wife, Rebekah, and I had a grand ol’ time in Colorado. We were enveloped in perfect weather and beautiful scenery. We caught up on much needed relaxation.

We first headed to the mile-high city, Denver, where we would catch the Sunday night NFL match between the Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs. This was our second trip to the stadium, but our first for a regular season game. The two teams are heated division rivals, which greatly added to the anticipation and excitement of the game. The game did not disappoint. It was a close one until the fourth quarter when the Broncos pulled ahead for good.

Then we were off to Steamboat Springs, a ski resort community. Thanks to Rebekah’s Aunt and Uncle, they provided us a stay at their condo free of charge. You can’t beat that. There’s a long stretch of the I-70 freeway that goes right through the Rockies. It’s surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Plus, you get to drive through one mountain via the Eisenhower Tunnel. Fun.

Steamboat Springs is only 42 miles from where I was born and lived for 14 years. Despite living that close, I’ve only been to Steamboat previously a handful of times. Too bad, since it’s much nicer than Craig.

We visited a couple of lakes, one in which I fished. I mainly fished out of the Yampa River, though. There I caught 6 Rainbow Trout. At the lake I caught two Cutthroat Trout and one at a river in Durango on the way back. It happened to be behind our motel there so I thought “what the heck, I’ll fish it.” They were all very small but I caught a nice fat Rainbow that was around 10 inches.

The weather was mostly in the mid 70s. One day it was in the low 60s and that night’s low dipped down to the 30s. Crisp! One of my favorite things I did there, besides fish, was to sit outside on the patio at night and drink hot chocolate in a t-shirt and shorts.

On the way back we took the Million Dollar Highway through the San Juan Skyway. Spectacular views there. Oh, the trees were changing colors so that added to everything.

We coudln't pass up the Four Corners either. It's the only place in the U.S. where you can be in four states all at the same time!

Well, I could go on and on. I took a ton of pictures. Once I get them back I’ll post them up somewhere for all to see. They’ll tell the rest of the story.

Tonight

Tonight the Pixies are playing. And I've got film class. Quick decision: I'm going to the Pixies.

I mean, nothing's due really. Our storyboards are, but I already showed mine to the teacher weeks ago. If I don't show up with the storyboards, it's not like she's going to say "well gee, Brock must have decided not to do the work". And it's The Pixies. I planned on going to this show months ago.

I'll just go to class tomorrow.

-Brock

Return

I think Gabe and Rebekah got back from their trip today. I hope the rest of their trip went well.

Pushed back

I hear that Beck just pushed back the release date of his new album from October 25th to early 2005. Boo I say, boo.

Kirby

Hey everyone,

I know it's been a long time since I've written a post, and I apologize for that. It's just that I've been quite busy, and things haven't been going too terribly well lately. Today was the first day I felt like I wanted to get online and write a post. And I feel bad at the same time because this post will probably sound a little self-indulgent to some of you, but let's just get it over with.

Like I said, things hadn't been going spectacularly. When I last left off I had chosen the San Carlos as my location for Pantomiming and I was gathering everything together in preparation for filming. But after that, things began to take a turn for the worse. It all started out last Tuesday when my location manager, Lee, came into class with some bad news about the San Carlos. He informed me that they were absolutely fine with me filming there. But he also told me that they were currently putting in a new handrail all around the sidewalk. (Why they’re doing it, I have no idea.) The thing is, while I had their cooperation, I couldn’t use the location. This new railing system would completely ruin my shots and make use of a dolly utterly impossible.
So the San Carlos was out. To top things off, one of the program supervisors was beginning to show concern over the amount of light we'd need in order to properly expose the film. I've stated time and time again, Pantomiming is supposed to be black and white; it's a tribute to silent film and the perfection it reached. The problem is that all film types have a certain Exposure Index (EI). Black and white film for 16 mil' (in our price range I believe) can only shoot up to 200 EI's, which is just terrible for a nighttime shoot. The program supervisor practically begged me to consider shooting on color film because we could get up to 800 EI's out of it. He adamantly stated that I could turn the film black and white in postproduction and he'd make sure it still had the look and visual feel I wanted. Using his advice as my guide, I agreed to shoot on color and turn the film black and white in postproduction.
There will still lighting concerns though, and in order to address them (and solve the San Carlos debacle) we had to go out and find a new street corner.
So we found one on the corner of the AT&T building in downtown Phoenix. It was getting decent readings on the light meter and it fit the look of the street corner I saw in my head, so I decided to submit it. But AT&T decided against it. They were displeased for various reasons about my wanting to shoot on their corner. Moreover, some of our shots required that we position the camera in the streets. In order to do that, the city insisted we hire two cops to block the streets off and patrol the area. What’s more, the Phoenix Film Commission informed me that they had to make sure no major events where happening downtown during the eve of our shoot. They'd need a week to get back to us. With the cops, AT&T and the Phoenix Film Commission looming over my shoulder, I decided that the school would probably want to cancel the project. To make matters worse, I had just gotten off a sinus infection a few days earlier and was infected by a second cold. I was sick, my movie was falling apart, and I had a casting call I had to attend on Friday.
Morale was low, my crew was depressed, and I felt horrible.
Somehow, I managed to keep a straight face. I confined myself to my house and attempted to get better the day before the casting call. I still entertained some hope that at the very least, the casting call could produce some viable talent for the school to use in the future. Apparently, my casting director struck a deal with a major talent agency here in Phoenix. He agreed that we'd give his actors an exclusive first look if he provided the school with plenty of talent willing to do student films. I considered that if the school was worried about my film, they also had to be giddy with this great new connection we had snagged them.
But none of that changed my outlook for the film. I was unbearably grim. I thought to myself, "no matter how great the students think my script is, no matter who believes in my story, there's nothing that can get this film back on its feet in time for our deadline".

And then I met the Mime.

My casting director had been jumping through hoops all week to find a professional mime for the film. He'd contacted all of the major drama schools and universities in the valley, investigated agencies, and even scoped out private entertainers. The result was coming into contact with a drama teacher at ASU (I think) who had studied pantomiming for years. He was very interested in my project and considered doing it himself (even though he wasn't any spring chicken). I was greatly pleased, but when I arrived at the casting call I found out that this elder mime wouldn't be able to make it. He was sending over one of his finest students instead. This student, a pantomime by the name of Kirby, was infamous in Phoenix mime circles. He's the mythical, untouchable performer of the Phoenix mime world, a virtual unicorn. I stepped out of the studio we were using to do a few things and when I stepped back inside there he was. Six foot three, lanky and articulate. It was obvious by my first glance alone that he was the pantomime I had heard so much about.
And then we got to see him perform. I should add that anything I say about his performance would be a drastic understatement. I couldn't praise his brilliance enough. He started out his little performance by getting trapped inside an invisible room. He eventually found a ladder out of the room, climbed to the top of a building and crossed a high wire to the other side. Then, he pulled an umbrella out of his pocket and jumped off the building only to land inside yet another imprisonment. Finally, he found a way out, picked up his invisible box, and with great effort, set it down next to our desk.
It was incredible.
The various issues plaguing me about the location melted away and I knew right then and there that this movie would be shot, and it would be one heck of a ride.
The actresses auditioning for other parts were obviously intimidated by Kirby's brilliant performance. Still, many of them managed to interact with him quite nicely. I think more then anything he brought out charisma and humor in my other actors that even they didn't know they had. What's more, he began offering me ideas and insight about the story that made my visual gags and plotline even more hilarious and expressive. We had only known each other a short period of time and already we were working as actor and director to propel my character into something very real, something very tangible and unique.

After that I managed to work out the location issues with my teacher. There's a place on campus behind the soccer court that looks like a seedy downtown district. Students have used it time and time again in their films, and we decided that it would be the best place to shoot the movie. This way I don’t have to worry about all of the underlying issues and difficulties attached to shooting in downtown Phoenix.
All in all, I don't feel any better, and I hate the fact that I've been too sick to do little else then go to school, but I think things are back on track. We had a little hiccup, but my teacher told me that it's my right of passage. I say, let's get to work.

Delightful

Well, we're having a very fun and relaxing time here in Steamboat Springs, CO. Rained yesterday. Did some fishing. Fish count is at five. Small, but fighters. We trek back on Friday. See you soon!

Greetings from Denver

We arrived safe and sound in Denver around 4:40 PM. The weather's nice (80s) and we're excited to be here. Well, Internet usage is kind of pricey here, so I'm leaving. I'll be back when I have more worthwhile news. Tomorrow night - Broncos game!!

Traveling

Peeping in here. I'm in Gallup, New Mexico, on my way to Colorado. I'll try to blog when I get the chance. Catch me on TV, tomorrow night on ESPN as part of the furious crowd of Broncos' fans!

The Line Must be Drawn Here

I should give you a longer explanation: I had my production meetings tonight, and everyone’s extremely pleased with the pace the film’s developing at. I’ve finished my overhead setups, drawn out my storyboards, and listed my shot commands. The DP told me that I made his job extremely painless. We’ve sketched out several locations, and tomorrow the DP will be visiting them and locking down the final location by Sunday. Tomorrow I’ll begin work on the casting. And for the icing on the cake, the art department enjoys my creative pulse, but values the freedom I give them. And yet, there are a few issues I’m worried about.
I feel like such a tramp. I’m in a student filmmaker’s class and already industry politics are factoring into the choices that are being made on the set. It isn’t without reason though. Already, rumblings are circulating amongst my crew that Pantomiming is going to be one ambitious film for a first-year student. I’m not trying to brag, I’m just saying I’ve got a vision. Although a fixed budget has been laid down by the program director, I’ve been utilizing everything at my fingertips to ensure this film has the visual power and impact it deserves.
But like I said, politics have come into play, and I’m not sure I like it.
The majority of these politics center around a little disagreement the teacher and I had about material in my script. I’ll spare you from the full details of this disagreement, but it ended in me changing the script to accommodate the teacher’s wishes. It’s the age-old battle of industry verses art. No big deal. If the film gets shot, then I’m happy. It’s just a few changes, I told myself, no one will mind.

As it turns out, I was wrong.

So far the entire film crew has been extremely dissatisfied with the changes the teacher has asked me to make on my script. Apparently, as I waited outside with the other finalists the night of the competition, the teacher informed the class that they could make any changes they like and polish the script until it suited their means. And even though she hasn’t forced me to do anything I haven’t wanted to do, the ugly word has already begun to circulate among my crew about her changes: censorship. The film program is already buzzing with the feeling of mutiny and most of the students feel I’ve been wronged in some way. I just want the movie to be shot, and I’ve communicated that to them. But the truly scary thing is how unconfident the class feels about their teacher. The thing that gets to me is that it isn’t her class anymore…it’s my crew. I’ve pulled an Ender’s Game so to speak. They’ve all rallied behind me and begun to form a little coalition for my cause. I guess I should be thankful they’re bonding with me. In fact, I should be outright pleased that they want to support me and do everything in their power to see my vision fulfilled. I just hope I can spare the school from an internal conflict in the process. I’ve just got to make it to the 25th. If I can hold the insurrection off until then, things will be peachy.

Rebellion

I just came back from my first two production meetings (smooshed into one), and already the crew is behind me and wants to rebel against the theacher over a few fine points her and I disagree upon. Wuh-oh. "Hold on" I told them, "do your job, and we'll be cool, I'll handle it.".

Heh,

-Brock

Back-lots

So last night I went location scouting with my Location Manager (Lee) for our short film, Pantomiming. We didn’t stay out too long, (I think he was giving me subtle hints that his wife wanted him back home at a decent hour) but we managed to pick out a few locations that were suitable for the film’s backdrop. The thing about Pantomiming is that the story completely unfolds on one location: a grimy little street corner plastered in trash with a brick wall dominating the background. I thought finding a street corner like that in downtown Phoenix would be relatively easy, but once we got down there we weren’t sure where to go to look for it. We ended up just cruising around looking for something suitable. We ended up finding a Bank 1 made completely out of brickwork. Red brickwork. It isn’t a street corner per say, but if you shoot on the side of the building where the bank’s sign is out of the way, and where the automatic tellers aren’t visible, then it looks like one. So shoot me, I’m shooting a bank for a street corner. It’s not like I’m filming in Toronto and then passing it off as New York.
The other location we found in the downtown area was this back alleyway to an art supply store. It wasn’t as perfect as the bank’s brick wall, but it was grimy and edgy looking. In the end I think we’re going to go with the bank back-lot. But I’ve been wracking my brain today trying to think of something that might be as good if not better then the bank. The bank back lot looks exactly like the street corner I see in my head, but you know…always the perfectionist. What about Copper Square? Maybe.
We also went down by the Bank 1 Ballpark, but that was a total loss. I want a brickwork street corner, not a modern street corner.
At any rate, I think I’ve got my camera set-ups figured out for the shoot. (A camera set-up is an overhead view of the location with the various camera positions and cast members mapped out. It’s like a director’s morbid version of Risk.)

Now here’s where things could get interesting: I think I may have to work on a second script to carry over into the rest of the program. Pantomiming will be filmed on September 25th, which means I can’t carry it over into my next class. Thankfully, I’ve got a second idea on the backburner that could work…

The only thing I haven’t had to worry about for the project thus far has been the music. It’s going to be Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl for sure. No other band has the character and personality needed for this film. I think I've even got the song picked out.

That was that, this is this

Modest Mouse posted their new video for Ocean Breathes Salty on their website. It's about an odd little kid with glasses who discovers Isaac Brock in a bird suit with a broken wing. One of the best moments of the video shows the little kid nursing Brock back to health. It's...odd. There's some nice use of colors and wide-angle shots too.

Passion of the Mime

This morning was absolutely sublime. I sat inside the corridor before my Biology classroom reading material out of Nine Stories, and no one had any idea who I was. No one even noticed me. That sense of animosity, that feeling that I didn’t even matter in the grand scheme of things was outright intoxicating and absolutely essential for my good mental health. You see; I take my biology class at a completely different college then the one I take my film production classes at. At my day-college I’m just some kid who hangs around the laboratories. To the girl who sat across from me as I built plastic molecules, I was just a sheepish little boy. But when I had to step up before the entire class on Tuesday night I ceased being that sheepish boy and became Brock H. Brown the auteur. And it was outright frightening.
Characterizing and articulating my thoughts and feelings regarding this (now school sponsored) project has been difficult. Of course, I could begin by first describing the overwhelming feeling of ecstasy I experienced when I was given this distinction. In fact, I could even go back a little bit and describe how satisfied I was to be recognized among the four class “finalists”. But more likely, I’m better off highlighting the surreal disposition I held myself in the following morning. “Did that just happen?”
Maybe I’d be better off describing how inept I’ve suddenly become at articulating my artistic and creative impulses. (I could tell you that it’s because I no longer feel like one of the “alienated ones”, that it’s as if I no longer have a right to muster indignation in my work anymore) I could describe all of these feelings and feel wrong for stating them because in the end, I have no right to complain. Moreover, it’s just a stupid student project.
But it’s gotten me thinking none the less; especially when I had to stand up in front of the entire class and hunch over a podium judging how much each student is worth to the school’s project. That age-old adage of how disenfranchised artists often end up falling prey to the woes of the spotlight is true.
It’s just awkward, but in a completely new sense. Before, I had to look up to speak to my fellow classmates. Now, they look down. And I apologize, but to have a girl repeatedly tell you “she’s happy she didn’t have to sleep with anyone to get on the project” is just creepy.
Anyway, I’m sorry. Enough ranting. It’s just stifling: Tuesday night I sat on a bench and had this great talk with a fellow classmate about ‘his vision’. He told me about all of these great skate videos he filmed; about the great locations he’s found and about how much fun he has making films. And then 20 minutes later I stood in front of the class and told him he wasn’t right for the job of DP while the teacher looked on approvingly.
When that happened I pulled a Thom Yorke, I mentally checked out of the hotel so to speak. "I’m not here, this isn’t happening."
English with Marco is comparatively better. It’s a droll subject, but it’s nice to be in a class where I don’t have to ‘hire’ anyone.

Nevertheless, my creative interest in the project hasn’t diminished in the slightest. I spent all day today looking up pictures of actors so I could visualize my characters. And I’ve also snatched photographs by famous artists in order to shade the look of the film.
Back when Gabe, Rebeckah, Alex and I visited the Getty museum in California, we saw a great exhibit of ‘genius photographers’. By tracking down that exhibit online, I’ve been able to find plenty of inspiration for the imagery of my short.

Yeah, I’m a little taken back by the experience. But I’m also excited to begin working on my film. I wanted Gabe and I to have a bigger presence in the Phoenix film society; maybe this is our doorway.

Marketing: A Passion of Jesus?

Merchants in the temple, making money. This time they’ve moved Jesus into the merchant booths, marketing him. I ventured into Best Buy today during my lunch. What blasphemy burned my eye sockets? Jesus for sale. Everywhere. Not just Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ, but everything in the past that related to Jesus or religion. The Greatest Story Ever Told – on sale. Ten Commandments – on sale. Jesus Christ Superstar – on sale. Touched by an Angel – on sale.

The worst part of it? You can buy The Passion of the Christ, packaged with two cans of Coca Cola’s C2, a free issue of Sports Illustrated or Entertainment Weekly, free CD-Rs, and some money saving coupons!

Lord have mercy.

Official Selection

So here we go? My short film, Pantomiming was chosen as the class project.

Postless

It's been over a week since I've posted! What a loser I am. I just haven't been able to think of much to post about. Let's see what I can come up with.

Well, I purchased some stuff. Jeff Buckley - Grace: Legacy Edition was one. It's a double CD, DVD set. The first being the original album remastered. The second being some Grace session songs. "Forget Her" on that disc was a previously unreleased track. I like it a lot. Apparently it's being released as a single. I couldn't figure out what station would play it. Something The Zone would've played a few years ago. I'm not so sure now. They've changed too much.

The DVD has an updated EPK and four music videos from Grace.

I also ordered Dr. Strangelove and Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography. Summary:

Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.

Then, for the right price, I'm hoping to get something to make a little noise with.

A Reminder

Just a little note for everyone...be sure to check out "The Study of Leonard Hughes" blog. Josh posted his Five Sad Things EP summary a little while back and I still plan on putting something up today.

Submit

Man, this heat is getting really old, really fast. I stood outside after my Biology class this morning and it felt like a thousand degrees were melting away my skin and burning my hair ashen. Hopefully it’ll cool down soon. Last year I think the heat lasted until mid-October.

So tonight I’ll be taking my first big test in Pre-Production. I have to define the elements of the Canon Scoopic and be knowledgeable about its technical capabilities. It’s not going to be too difficult, but a few of the terms and definitions tend to sway awfully close to one another. Hence, my biggest fear is confusing one aspect of the camera, like the focal plane, with another, such as the film plane.
Also noteworthy about tonight’s film class is that we’ll be introducing our scripts for our personal short film project. Each script is supposed to be around 3 minutes in length and since we’ll be shooting on non-sync cameras, there won’t be any dialogue. I’ve decided to go for a Keystone cop approach with my short film by playing up the silent angle. Hopefully, the class likes my script, because the story the students pick as “the best” gets completely funded and sponsored by the school. A free ride? Yes please.

On September 1st the Phoenix Film Festival will begin accepting submissions for short films and screenplays. They haven’t posted the complete rules yet, but as you probably know “I’m Not Crazy” is automatically submitted to the festival. I think Gabe and I talked about working on another one to submit as well, but we haven’t decided on anything definite yet. And if I get my student short finished on time, I plan to submit that one too.
But what’s especially noteworthy about the festival (to me anyway) is the screenwriting submission. Make no mistake; I’m going to submit another script this year. It’ll be a completely new story that I’ll begin researching and writing at the end of September. If it turns out to be half decent then chances are it’ll replace “Last Rights with Johnny Bosocw” for the 2005 festival/contest circuit. Johnny had a good run, but I can’t submit him to all the same contests again next year.

Nameless Post

Hey everyone, what’s new?

It’s been quite some time since my last post, and I apologize for that. If I had both the time and the energy to post more, I guarantee you I would. But, I promise to try my best to make up for the lost time. In fact, I’m going to attempt posting every single day this week. If I’ve got a minute to spare, you’ve just earned yourself a new post.

Anyway, we had a good weekend around these parts. Saturday night, Gabe, Josh and I (and a host of other people) saw Hero at the new Cine Capri. It was amazing. Gabe had shown me Hero months ago, and more recently we introduced it to Josh. Since we all liked the film and wanted to experience it on the big screen, we decided to spend Saturday night in support of Jet Li’s greatest Kung-Fu masterpiece. In short, it was worthwhile to see it at the Cine Capri (but also a bit disappointing). A couple of things I admire about Hero are the performances and the visual brilliance of the film. The performances are of special note since all the actors deliver deliciously bitter, selfish and even poetic portrayals of their characters. Tony Leung Chiu Wai of Wong Kar Wai fame gives my second favorite performance of the film. Playing off the stoic nature of his character Broken Sword, Leung also happens to deliver a solid dose of heartfelt emotion in his role. Any other actor could have left the character as a simplistic “higher then high” master of the sword. But Leung made his role distinctive and immediately separated it from Jet Li’s torrid character, “Nameless”.
That would be my favorite performance of the film. Why? I like it simply because of how anguished and conflicted Li plays his nameless warrior. Where Broken Sword has empathy for the warrior who lays down his weapon, Nameless only seeks to sate the bitterness in his heart. All the other performances are masterfully played and well-executed as well, but I can’t extol them all.

The other aspect of the film I regularly enjoy is its sheer visceral power. The camera set-ups, shots, use of color and frame speeds make this a film a thousand times more visual then any Kung-Fu film to date. Truly, Yimou Zhang was obsessed with the visuals possible for a film like this. (I think my favorite moment is in the ‘Chess House’. The angles and slow-motion really play up the rainfall trickling down and exemplify the ‘lyrical nature’ of martial arts and music.)

I have to admit though that it was also a bit disappointing due to the translation and transfer of the original movie. Gabe mentioned to me during the film that the colors looked a bit darker and the film a little bit grainy. I began to notice this too. As for the translation… well, it left much to be desired. They seemed to take out the poetic nature of the dialogue, and the story even felt a little dumbed down for American consumption. It’s a fantastic movie, don’t get me wrong, but they seemed to loose a plethora of small visual and story qualities in the American release.

I was glad to see it though. I had a long week. As I mentioned earlier, this was my first week back in school. It was good, and the classes were in many cases quite easy, but the sheer amount of homework the teachers assigned quelled my enthusiasm. I’m overjoyed to be busy, but at the same time I long for my lethargy.

Getting back to movies, I’ve been adding plenty of ‘new favorites’ to my DVD collection recently. Just a few weeks ago I purchased my latest favorite film of all time (tied with A New Hope) ‘The Graduate’. And last night I snagged a copy of Dr. Strangelove. I haven’t watched ‘The Graduate’ yet, but I did watch Dr. Strangelove today, and I appreciated it even more since the last time I viewed it. It’s truly a remarkable piece of cinema. Also noteworthy is the fact that it seems even more applicable to today then it may have been ten years ago.

That’s all I can say for now. I’ll post my write-up for my short story “Blood on the Golden Shores” tomorrow. Also, anything else that seems to come to mind will surely be mentioned right here.

Ta ta,

Brock

Blood Bath

Gabe and I are posting it up over at Leonard Hughes today. Speaking of which, Blood on the Golden Shores is finally up. I'll put up some notes and thoughts about the story in a little bit. Read it and then stay tuned for my discourse.

Boot Camp

This morning I got my first kick of the Fall Semester. As many of our readers may recall, I’m a college student who likes to ramble about his college rumblings from time to time. These rumblings were put on hold over the summer as I went on trips with friends and family to see bands and visit amusement parks. But today the fun came to an end. That’s right; today I entered myself once more into the halls of learning for the fall semester of college. And I couldn’t be happier. Why anyone would be happy in a school environment is beyond some people’s comprehension, but I’m simply more satisfied with learning. I feel sated, alleviated, and to some extent, that I’m being put to good use. Now don’t assume that I’m sniffing my nose at summer writing. Scripting and writing little stories for myself is still a primary form of self-enjoyment, but it’s nice to be making progress in school.
What’s even nicer is that after this semester I will have “cleared the breaking point” so to speak. Most, (and maybe even all) of my prerequisite courses will have been completed at the end of this semester and I’ll have done away with the core film classes (or as Scottsdale likes to refer to them, the “Boot Camp”).


Class breakdown:

Biology 100 – The study of life; examination of basic scientific principles; a crash course in chemistry: Biology 100 promises to be all of these things. At least, that’s what the introduction to my textbook says. Either way, I’m greatly looking forward to this class, as I’ve always been fascinated by science. True, I’ve spent most of my time devoted to the pursuits of literati, but like all geeks, I enjoy learning about molecules and atoms from time to time.

English 102 – A subject I enjoy all too well. English 102 is a course that I neglected to take back in 2003 because I suspected that English 101 was all that was needed to satisfy my prerequisites in this field. Apparently, I was wrong. Either way, I’ll be taking this class with Marco this semester. Marco had previously taken English 101 and wanted to take 102, and so I thought to myself, “what the heck, at least we’ll have fun”.

Boot Camp: Pre-Production/Production/Post-Production – The real meat and potatoes of my college experience. I’ve been building up to these courses for a year now. This is the unhindered, unadulterated study of the mechanics of filmmaking. Everything, from storyboards, to scripts, to call sheets, to the actual filming is covered from the ground up in this course. The classes are sequenced to mimic the production of a film. I’ll start off this month by developing an idea for a short film, scripting it, storyboarding it, and bringing it together to prepare for actual shooting.

Off the Beaten Path

I think Josh and Jeremy hit upon a good topic to discuss – how or what lead us to liking more than what we were being fed by the radio.

I don’t remember exactly what started me in the new direction, but Alex and Rebekah played a big part. They weren’t listening to anything that wasn’t already being played on the radio, but one day they made a couple purchases based on someone’s recommendation. I don’t know who that was, but I’d have to thank them as well. The newly acquired albums were Where You Been by Dinosaur Jr., and Juandice by Lucy’s Fur Coat.

Juandice immediately became their album of the moment, and with good reason. They hailed from San Diego (I think), but they played a hard, southern-style rock that was a lot of fun. Alex and Rebekah hadn’t even touched Where You Been so I decided to borrow it. Man, I’ll never forget the moment I first listened to it. The very first chord hit me like a freight train. Then there was his voice. The deep, nasally depression that was J Mascis.

Then there were the Smashing Pumpkins. That was due to Alex and Rebekah, and hearing “Disarm” on the radio. I’ve listened to Siamese Dream probably more times than any other album I’ve ever owned. I’d put that one on repeat before going to bed. I did that many a night.

Another song that hit me hard the first time I heard it was “Stars” by Hum. That one I heard on the radio. Hum took me many places.

I can go on and on, but those were the big ones.