Flies are buzzing round my head

Big fish eat the little ones...big fish eat the little ones

not my problem, give me some

new script

More best of stuff tomorrow...in the meantime, I went location scounting with Josh over the weekend, and on the ride over managed to do some research for the screenplay I will write this semester. I posted a tid-bit for my last few scripts, so here's one for this - Clicky.

The Best of 2005 - Art Direction and Costume Design

King Kong - Simon Bright and Dan Hennah/Terry Ryan

Upon viewing Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man, you will see a cold and realistic portrayal of the Great Depression, as it really was – grimy, desolate, tattered and patchy. When he set out to direct King Kong, Peter Jackson took a different approach. Taking these images of depression and hard times, art directors Simon Bright and Dan Hennah fashioned an image of 1933 that was less about reality and more about grandeur. From the obnoxiously yellow taxicabs, to the street-corners packed with boarded-up theaters, King Kong is a film with an artistic flair that aims to create a cinematic filter for our viewing of that time. With the Lucas/Spielberg stylized jungle and the rickety old steam freighter, Kong’s visual atmosphere practically screams “ADVENTURE!” It’s more about the serialized version then the correct version. And yet, in artistically defining the look of this film, Jackson sought out a few key items that rooted the fantastic nature of the film in a dose of reality. The camera used by Black’s Denham is an authentic Bell & Howell 2709 – the same camera used in the original Kong film. Look closely at the movie posters on the New York streets and you will see original one-sheets for “East of Borneo” and “The Mummy”. Even when the good guys break out heavy weapons, they break out Tommy guns that might as well be missing from the set of Dick Tracey. Every minor detail, set and object was directed to lean to a more fantastic, colorful slant.

And so was the costume design. The costumes in this film fit their particular characters, and each makes a statement about those characters. Brody’s drab vests and herringbone coats define him as a playwright. The freighter crew’s raggedy frock and black overcoats (with sailor caps) speak of their mercenary nature. And Black’s shyster fedoras complement his wheel spinning as much as his mischievous eyebrows do.
The art direction and costume design of King Kong is remarkable because it set out with a very specific goal in mind – one that clearly benefited the highly visual nature of the film. It set out not just to recreate an era, but also to create the director’s vision of that era.

The Best of 2005 - Sound Design and Sound Editing

Batman Begins - David Evans, Stefan Henrix and Peter Lindsay

There is a fantastic moment in Batman Begins where Bruce Wayne faces off against his trainer and quasi-sensei, Henri Ducard, on a frozen lake. It is a sequence that works because you can literally “hear” the ice moving underneath them. The sound of the earth changing, a deep rumble, stands as a sonic complement to the change Wayne himself is going through. Later on, less subtle sound effects come into play. We have the sublime “poof” of the shadow organization’s gunpowder, the echoed and scattered rasp of the Scarecrow’s drug enhanced voice and the thoroughly satisfying roar of the Batmobile. The sound in Batman Begins excels because it creates an atmosphere that builds upon Nolan’s concept of hyperrealism. Very few sound effects in the film are inconceivable. Most are simply augmentations of sounds that exist in the real world. But their lush, enhanced bombast helps bring the world of Batman into a realm that is just out of reality’s grasp. And yet each sound is designed to complement the story.
Additionally, the sound editing complements these sounds, making full utilization of them at the most appropriate moments. When the Batmobile revs into and out of frame, the roar of its engines passes us by as well. The horrific screech of bats, the sound of Wayne’s secret fear, only cuts in at the most unexpected of moments. And it is sharp enough to unnerve the audience, as Wayne himself is unnerved.
While other films also succeeded in creating unique soundscapes (War of the Worlds in particular), Batman Begins succeeded in creating a colorful, defined atmosphere that was articulated in every shot, every breath. Plug some earphones in and close your eyes, because Batman Begins is a fine accomplishment in both sound and sound editing.

School

Today was my first day back at the school since last semester. Should be a good year. It did get off to a rocky start...but the routine will smooth itself out. Hopefully it is interesting. I did see many members of my "SCC crew", and they were happy to see me around the campus. Many of the regulars (Jayme from 'Outside In', Chad from 'The Subject', Brandon from 'Pantomiming') want in on Filmic, so that's cool. I told them it was a war film, and they all lit up. And then I told them, "it's not about war though". So now they're confused. When they read the screenplay, they won't be.

Another Year, Another Day...

The first post on this blog of 2006. A little late, sure. But really, just another day passed. Somehow, though, I feel that it'll be a big year.

Moms against Radiohead

Consider this the most outrageous story of the year.

All I can say is that Josh has a tape with every notable Radiohead b-side up to OK Computer...it's too late to save him.

Post from...

...Marco's house!!! Ahhh-hahahahahaha. Gonna shoot a scene for a new film here this sunday. Marco is going to even be in the film, as well as Moxie Moehtar. Two staples of our acting catalogue.

Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm posting late and I'm posting at Marco's house. I'm collecting different places to post from.

That's it...that's where I'll shoot my picture

Gasp! Has pre-production begun? On what?

King Long

A complaint I read frequently from film critics: “Why doesn’t Steven Spielberg make films like he used to? You know, fun films with great action sequences!”

What these individuals fail to grasp is that we now have Peter Jackson to make those films for us. Yes, picking up Spielberg’s slack, Jackson’s latest endeavor is King Kong, a film people have been talking about, dreaming about and gossiping about for the last month or so. I in particular was interested in this film, both because of the visuals and because of the choice of Jackson as the director. I must admit, I found myself wondering how Kong would have developed if another director had tackled it. After finally viewing the film I concluded that while such a take may have been interesting, it probably would not be as unique and visceral as Jackson’s.

When viewing Kong, one can’t help but get the feeling that Jackson is a guy who loves to make movies. Just look at the scenery! He’s taken a world of Saturday Morning Serial adventure, mixed it with the vaudeville whimsy of the 1930’s and thrown in his own brand of cinematic tension to create a world that is really fun to visit.
The streets of New York glow with hypertension: riot patrol officers and repossession men take away material belongings, theaters pockmark every corner on the street, and honest citizens don’t accuse other people of being terrorists…no, they call them “Bolshevik’s”. It’s a glimpse of the 1930’s that is both familiar and outrageous. Yes, among the congested streets and smoky projection rooms, you’ll find Jackson winking right back at you. Some directors might have chosen to place this modern retelling of Kong, like Jackson has, in the very time in which the original was made. I doubt that few would have added as much character and color though as he has. He has really created a fine world to populate with his actors.
And among these thespians we have Jack Black who plays Carl Denham, Naomi Watts who plays Ann Darrow, Adrian Brody who plays Jack Driscoll and Andy Serkis who plays Kong himself.

Now, I must admit, I had a hard time understanding the slant of some performances at first. For example - Watts plays Darrow with such “gee-golly!” earnestness that she could disarm a tank. Black is of such fanatic desperation, such deceit, that I immediately forgot that films like “Orange County” even existed. Simply put, it’s hard to get used to these characters…at first. But then one remembers that this is merely an additional layer of the world Jackson has created. Black’s Denham and Watt’s Darrow are exactly the kind of people who might populate a New York like this.
One can’t help but wonder however, if the over the top caricatures of Darrow and Denham influenced Adrian Brody’s interpretation of Jack Driscoll, a playwright turned weary screenwriter on Denham’s latest picture. Driscoll is really the only straightforward character of the movie. Not overtly funny, nor arrogant, Driscoll is just a little bowled over by Black’s Denham and a little heartsick over Watts’ Darrow. And as a result of taking his character without any slant, Brody gives us a nice little “in” to the movie…that is, until Kong arrives.
Serkis should get the most praise. He created the movements, expressions and gestures of Kong through computer capturing technology. What’s most remarkable though about his work and the work of the animators helping him to create Kong, is that they not only created a GIANT MONKEY…but they created a giant monkey with a soul. There is actually personality and charm to Kong. Even more remarkable are the exchanges between Kong and Watts. Despite the impersonal barrier of technology, there is something very personal in the moments between Kong and Darrow. You really believe that she feels for him and he for her. I think that some of the credit goes to Serkis, who created a Kong with a heart. But most of the credit goes to Watts for being able to act with a blue screen and make it seem real. So many actors have fallen flat when presented with the obstacle of blue screen. And it’s no wonder why; actors have to use their imagination to create the inner-life of their characters, relying upon the physical set and other actors to motivate their outer-life. Watts manages to create both the inner-life and the outer-life in her moments with Kong, and she does it with great feeling and emotion.

As for the story of Kong, it’s pretty much the same as the original film. This version is told with such cunning and suspense however, that it remains viewable as a completely different piece. You’ll still get screams out of every moment of terror, laughter out of every bit of humor. What’s more, Jackson has added some genuine dilemmas to motivate each character. Denham has to complete his picture. Darrow has to find work. And Driscoll has to get Darrow back from Kong. There are plenty of character arcs interwoven into the story to make this film a dense venture.
There are problems with this film however…problems that tend to make me reluctant to pursue a second viewing (for the moment). Foremost among these flaws is the incredible running time of the film: 3+ hours. Jackson pulled 3+ hours off before, with Fellowship of the Ring, but he has a rougher time making the movie pass as smoothly here. It gets tricky right around the second act, when Denham and his crew arrived at the infamous Skull Island, home of Kong and the location of the second act. The island, while terrifying (and aided by a fantastic running parallel to Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”) ends up becoming nothing more then a broken record of action sequences.
At times, the movie also feels a little overdone. There’s a fantastic T-Rex/Kong fight at the middle of the film that is spectacular and moving…for the first 5-minutes. By the time Kong and the Rexes are fighting down a Cliffside though, trading blows in-between the vines and tumbling rocks, it all becomes a little much. Many action sequences in the film tend to suffer from this problem. They become so grandiose and epic that you end up feeling burned out very quickly. The most enjoyable sequence for me was a car chase through the streets of New York with Kong hot on the heels of Brody.
In his bloated length and action however, Jackson seems to ironically mirror the hubris of his own character, Denham, who ends up exploiting Kong in a way that takes the word “gaudy” to a new level. Jackson is every bit the Carl Denham, standing in front of a curtain, bludgeoning us with the fireworks, dinosaurs and gigantic gorillas that awaits us on the other side.

Ultimately, King Kong is a fantastic adventure film, with strong performances, great cinematography and superb direction. But it’s just such a commitment. I really did enjoy this movie and its characters; but I can’t help but feel that I might have enjoyed them a little more had they left me wanting more.

That’s a trick Jackson hasn’t mastered yet.

Goodbye and Good Riddance

And here I thought that King Kong would be the one movie I'd be most excited to talk about...and then Gabe and I saw Good Night and Good Luck. Expect a review of this film in addition to a Kong review, tomorrow.

Until then...

-Brock H.

Makin' Movies

I’ve got two films that I need to review before the week is out – Aeon Flux and King Kong. Expect the Kong review before the Flux review, because, well…quite frankly Kong comes closer to meeting its mark then Flux does. And I’d rather write about that film.
I do want to talk a little bit about Flux though, especially since it is science fiction. I’ve been taking note of science fictions lately, ever since I saw Primer with Josh and Angie. I can’t remember what was said exactly, but Josh and I both agreed we wanted to do another science fiction film. So, I’ve been casually taking note of science fiction films, be they good or bad. Flux has a distinct flaw in it that actually crops up in a lot of science fiction movies, a flaw I’d like for us to avoid in any future sci-fi we do. But, more later…

I finally managed to pick up Catch Me If You Can on DVD, easily one of my favorite Spielberg films. I can’t believe I never got this film, but I watched it last week when I was lying around the house, recovering from having my wisdom teeth out. I think what I like about it is how tight the narrative is. The art direction editing is also very tight. Maybe I’ll write a review for that film as well.

And school is out for the semester, thankfully. Took my Avid final yesterday and I was outta there. I have to work on some films over the break though, do some research, pre-writing…and if we manage, Gabe and I want to shoot a movie. I can smell MOC Year 2 just around the corner…

A Visit From Hollywood

Today we had lunch with some of Rebekah's family, including her mom's cousin, Glen Scantlebury, who's edited some big name films. I gave him a DVD with the Matter of Chance films. Hopefully he'll get a kick out of them.

Routine Sickness

I thought I'd post something, even if it's nothing. Not a whole lot going on. The job's a lot less busy now, which is good. Money's been tight, though, since Rebekah went part-time. So I've done some side jobs.

Right now everyone's sick. First it was Bekah. She's just getting over it. Then Zoe, and I think she's starting to get over it. I'm in the middle of it. I know Brock was sick recently. Are you over it, Brock? It's probably running the gamut in his family too.

Cartoon's are a pain to keep doing. So, I pretty much dropped that. Perhaps you'll see one now and again on special occasions.

Quit

I just got off the phone with the director of the Advanced Production shoot (which I attended last weekend). I had to let her know that I quit and that she would have to find a replacement. I gotta say, I don't feel terribly good, but it had to be done. Last weekend, the shoot was an organizational hell. She didn't know what she was doing and she over-worked the entire crew. To top things off, she didn't provide the crew with very much food or downtime. We were there for 11 hours and we worked all 11 hours.
The final nail came when she failed to recognize the efforts of everyone who was involved in the shoot. She posted special thanks on the film's webpage to the cast of the film and the location providers, but she failed to highlight the efforts of key members of the crew. For example, she failed to recognize Brandon Steed, the nagra operator who basically put his cushy job at the Mac store in danger just so he could help her with sound. She failed to recognize the efforts of her DP, Jayme Schere and she failed to recognize the efforts of her script supervisor, who basically walked away from a very organized and promising shoot just to help out on this one. And then, just yesterday, the director shoots out an e-mail to everyone informing them that a 5th day will be added to the shoot. And here's the kicker...the burden of the camera crew falls on Brock and I. Yep, her AC's, DP and gaffer quit...so she was planning on having me fill in just about every roll on the camera crew. That wasn't gonna fly. So I quit.
This shoot has provided me with two valuable lessons: (1) Don't use the school equipment for your projects and (2)don't alienate your crew.

Your inside is out and your outside is in

Here's a late post for you...

I put the finishing touches on my new edit for "Outside In" today. I forgot why I wanted to make that film, and months after I had made it I found myself really disliking it, but after re-editing it I mentally said to myself: "Oh, riiiiight". It's just a silly film and that's why I had so much fun with it originally.

New points on this edit:

-Letter CU re-shot: on digital. Otherwise, without a good, clear closeup of the letter, the entire film is pointless.

-Monster revelation: the monster revelation sequence is quite a bit different now...the original edit had the dolly-back frame kick into an undercrank when the monster was revealed. Now, it starts off with an overcrank, moves into an undercrank and then eases back in to an overcrank. Lemme be more clear - it goes slow-mo, then fast, then back to slow-mo.

-Tossed out footage re-used: a lot of footage that I threw out on the original edit I use in this one, including lots of cut-aways.

-Cuts to black eliminated: Now, instead of the cuts to black scattered throughout the film, we have cuts to telecine color-correction. I really like this.

Getting experience

Hello all,

How have things been? I realize it's been quite a while since my last post, and I do apologize for that. I must say that this has been a very hectic semester. And that's quite potent when you consider that I'm not shooting any personal projects this semester…just writing and editing. Much of this stress and time consumption comes from the number of classes I've taken and the learning curve I've experienced in some of those classes. Avid editing in particular feels like one of those classes that are really giving me a run for my money.
The interesting thing about this semester however is the knowledge it has provided me with. Most of this knowledge relates to upcoming projects I plan to film with Josh and Gabe. For example, in producing I've learned how to make a business plan to attract potential investors to my films. Since a number of our movies currently in development (Castro, Everlast, etc...) are much longer then the typical 3-minute Screen Wars short, and because they have numerous production details that are far too expensive for us lowly peons to cover with our own wallets...attracting investors will be a key part to producing the next batch of MOC projects.

The other thing I've been attuned to lately is the various formats available in the film market...HD, MiniDV, 16mm, Super 16 and 35mm. I bring this point up because I plan to shoot my next two projects on film, if possible. This will probably mean that I will have to attract an investor. And if investors get involved, I'm sure they will support our efforts to maximize our visual potential.
However, there is the possibility that shooting on 35mm film will be far too expensive and burdensome for our investors. If that is the case, then we will need to be well informed of the other gauges and formats available to us. Josh will be the cinematographer on Everlast (the film I would like to use 35mm for), and I’m sure he’s able to consider numerous positives and negatives with regards to each format. I need to bone up on this knowledge however. In doing so, I've found myself flirting with the idea of shooting Everlast on Super 16. If 35mm becomes a pipe dream, Super 16 may be an alternative. I must say though, considering the user-friendly nature of various Super 16 products, shooting on Super 16 may become more then just an alternative – it may become the preference.

Some great links for Super 16 are as follows:

Aaton's website devoted to Super 16 and Super 35 products - If we do shoot on Super 16, I will probably go with an Aaton camera because of its maneuverability and easy magazine loading. We probably won’t be able to get a huge camera in on the fight scenes, and these smaller cameras are less imposing for the actors. They seem easy to deal with as well…The A-Minima takes 200 ft. daylight spools, so we can change mags quickly and efficiently on the set.

Kodak's website on Super 16 in the current HD marketplace - Gabe might find this to be an interesting article. It notes that many of HDTV's current projects are shot on Super 16 and then mastered to HD. The article does note a discrepancy in Super 16 for daylight exterior shots, but this discrepancy was found in 1996.

And finally...

Kodak's modest dictionary of Super 16 cameras - The information here isn't very detailed, but at least it gives you an idea of the current Super 16 cameras on the market, plus standard 16 cams that have been modified to support the Super 16 format.

I think another reason for my recent investigation into the Super 16 format comes from recent reports I have gotten about the quality of equipment currently accessible to students at my school. Next semester, I will be shooting my portfolio piece at the college, a 15-30 minute film with sync sound (for those curious, it is a war film much like Apocalypse Now or Platoon). I do have the option to record it on digital, but since this is my last real film project at the school, I would like to go out on film. Unfortunately, friends who have had access recently to the cameras and equipment for the portfolio class have reported a serious problem with quality. Lenses are banged up, scratched and difficult to manipulate. Magazines and cameras are worn and used beyond the point of repair, etc. Even more telling - groups of students who work in the equipment facility at the school shot their final projects this semester on cameras rented outside of the school.
I think with the problems I've had in the past (most notably with the Arri 16s on The Subject), the notion of shooting my final project on another badly worn camera is stomach churning.
I want one thing to be optimal on this final film: image quality. I don't want to deal with equipment that is difficult to shoot on, and I don’t want to get back a telecine that looks like it was recorded with a projector on a stucco wall. I’ve noticed that when these problems happen, when the basic fundamental image quality deteriorates, my contribution to the aesthetic quality of the story deteriorates as well. And I refuse to allow that on my next two films. When locations are falling through and my brains are leaking out through my nose, I can be comforted by the idea that at least my camera works…
On a related note: this Saturday, I will be stepping in as 1st AC on a portfolio project (I will be working with an old chum, Jayme Scherer). Obviously, this is a perfect opportunity for me to study the quality of the school's equipment. I'll be handling it all day, so I'll be able to get a fair idea if it is up to snuff.

Anyway, that's what's been running through my head lately. I'll try and post more often...I have to say; I've really enjoyed Gabe's comics. They've been a fond throwback to when I first met Gabe. I remember looking through his notebooks back then and finding all kinds of comics he drew that I found hilarious (they didn’t make sense, but they were brilliance!)

Castro

Charlie