The two shorts I've been working on the last couple of months, Burdened and Snapshots have been locked, picture-wise. There are still some minor tweaks to be done with sound, and both currently feature temp. scores, but it's getting pretty close. Of course, as I mentioned in an earlier post, music is the lifeblood of these shorts, and I can't wait to have the complete finished product.
I've already submitted rough cuts of these shorts to the LA International Film Festival. Maybe I'm in over my head, b/c this is a pretty big festival, but I figured I might as well try. I'm also looking at a number of smaller festivals which might give me a better shot at being screened. Exciting times!
I'm also 8 pages into writing the first draft of my next short, which will be the most ambitious of anything I've done yet. N0, there's no explosions, fancy special effects, or epic landscapes, but there will be dialogue! I spent about a week outlining the major beats of the story before I started writing, and I'm excited to have a finished draft within the next week. It's a story that features a number of more personal elements when compared to my other works.
All right, that's all the updates for now. Back to work!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Filming on Location
While scoring on my new short, Burdened, is currently in progress, I got a chance to shoot another short film while I'm at home. I wrote this new short (currently untitled) specifically to produce while back home, taking advantage of our beautiful outdoors. It's a more optimistic and lighter story than Burdened, so it'll let me showcase a wider range of emotions and try something different.
I did a hectic but fun guerrila style shoot on Wednesday afternoon with the generous help of a few friends, and a couple of hours of pick-ups yesterday w/ my sister's assistance. Shockingly, we finished the majority of the shooting in a handful of hours, with wrap coming JUST as the sun was about to go down. My small cast/crew were helpful and really easy to work with, which helped me a lot considering how much I had to get done. I couldn't have asked for a better shoot day:
Now, I'm diving head first into editing. This short is looking like it's going to be about 5 minutes, just like Burdened. The most difficult part may be color correction, as a lot of the shots range in consistency due to the brutal sunlight. But the magic of Final Cut Pro and Magic Bullet will come through... I hope. Updates on progress coming soon!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Top 10 of 2008
Now that 2008 has come and gone, I can reflect on the ten films I consider represent the best in filmmaking. I'm not sure if I find these films the "best" of the year, or if they are my favorites... the list is probably a weird marriage of both. Keep in mind that I probably haven't come close to seeing every single movie released last year, but these are the ones that stuck with me...
10) Gran Torino: If this is Clint Eastwood's swan song (as an actor), he went out with a bang. The movie isn't perfect, with some iffy dialogue and one-dimensional antagonists. But Eastwood's simple yet confident direction and lead performance makes this film feel more important than it might be.
9) Revolutionary Road: Yes, it's Kate and Leo reuniting after 11 years... but the brutally honest and tragic portrayal of their characters and relationship makes being on the Titanic seem like a more pleasant experience. Not an easy film to sit through, but the two lead performances are absolutely spectacular.
8) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Stunning visuals and aging effects, but more importantly, a film about people who seem real. David Fincher may have seemed an odd choice for the subject matter, but he's crafted the most humanizing and touching film of his career. The film does run long with no real plot, but the examination of life and death is something everyone can relate to.
7) Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Consistently hysterical but with a heart. The whole film is perfectly cast and well-written. One of the best of the Apatow-produced flicks so far.
6) Iron Man: Who would have guessed that a movie based on a C-level comic book hero starring an unbankable/troubled star and directed by "Pete" from Friends would end up being so good. Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast as Tony Stark, with his supporting cast providing solid performances. From start to finish, it's popcorn entertainment at its best.
5) Frost/Nixon: I don't usually care for Ron Howard's pictures, but this one seemed different from the others. The subject matter was compelling, and the two leads did a phenomenal job inhabiting their characters. For a film whose bulk is composed of two men talking, you'd be surprised how engaged and on the edge of your seat you'll find yourself.
4) The Wrestler: This film holds a special place with me because of it's frank and honest portrayal of professional wrestling, which I am an avid fan of. Simple, yet stunningly effect, thanks in majority to Mickey Rourke's oscar-caliber performance. He seriously owns this film and gives it his all.
3) Wall-E: Pixar are among the best in the world when it comes to telling stories with images, and Wall-E may be their crowning achievement thus far. A simple story that somehow manages to draw you in and keep you stuck in its world. Add in compelling characters, commentary on the state of the world, and huge entertainment value, you have one of the best pictures of the year.
2) Slumdog Millionaire: A film that has everything. You'll find yourself laughing, scared, sad, elated, and just about every other emotion during this two hour ride. Danny Boyle's directing style doesn't seem like it would mesh well with this story, but it surprisingly does, creating a visually arresting film with a hero that you can't help but root for.
1) The Dark Knight: What else can be said about Christopher Nolan's crime masterpiece? A truly epic film that will question your own values and continually haunt you. The film transcends the "comic book" genre and establishes itself as a mature, thought-provoking piece of art that only gets better with subsequent viewings.
10) Gran Torino: If this is Clint Eastwood's swan song (as an actor), he went out with a bang. The movie isn't perfect, with some iffy dialogue and one-dimensional antagonists. But Eastwood's simple yet confident direction and lead performance makes this film feel more important than it might be.
9) Revolutionary Road: Yes, it's Kate and Leo reuniting after 11 years... but the brutally honest and tragic portrayal of their characters and relationship makes being on the Titanic seem like a more pleasant experience. Not an easy film to sit through, but the two lead performances are absolutely spectacular.
8) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Stunning visuals and aging effects, but more importantly, a film about people who seem real. David Fincher may have seemed an odd choice for the subject matter, but he's crafted the most humanizing and touching film of his career. The film does run long with no real plot, but the examination of life and death is something everyone can relate to.
7) Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Consistently hysterical but with a heart. The whole film is perfectly cast and well-written. One of the best of the Apatow-produced flicks so far.
6) Iron Man: Who would have guessed that a movie based on a C-level comic book hero starring an unbankable/troubled star and directed by "Pete" from Friends would end up being so good. Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast as Tony Stark, with his supporting cast providing solid performances. From start to finish, it's popcorn entertainment at its best.
5) Frost/Nixon: I don't usually care for Ron Howard's pictures, but this one seemed different from the others. The subject matter was compelling, and the two leads did a phenomenal job inhabiting their characters. For a film whose bulk is composed of two men talking, you'd be surprised how engaged and on the edge of your seat you'll find yourself.
4) The Wrestler: This film holds a special place with me because of it's frank and honest portrayal of professional wrestling, which I am an avid fan of. Simple, yet stunningly effect, thanks in majority to Mickey Rourke's oscar-caliber performance. He seriously owns this film and gives it his all.
3) Wall-E: Pixar are among the best in the world when it comes to telling stories with images, and Wall-E may be their crowning achievement thus far. A simple story that somehow manages to draw you in and keep you stuck in its world. Add in compelling characters, commentary on the state of the world, and huge entertainment value, you have one of the best pictures of the year.
2) Slumdog Millionaire: A film that has everything. You'll find yourself laughing, scared, sad, elated, and just about every other emotion during this two hour ride. Danny Boyle's directing style doesn't seem like it would mesh well with this story, but it surprisingly does, creating a visually arresting film with a hero that you can't help but root for.
1) The Dark Knight: What else can be said about Christopher Nolan's crime masterpiece? A truly epic film that will question your own values and continually haunt you. The film transcends the "comic book" genre and establishes itself as a mature, thought-provoking piece of art that only gets better with subsequent viewings.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Music is Key
Shooting on my new short Burdened is 98% completed. The film just needs three quick insert shots that are VITAL to the story that I didn't get a chance to get before the winter break. Here's just a couple of quick stills from another day of shooting a few weeks ago:
I'm currently working on scoring the short, with my good friend Jeff back here in Hawaii graciously accepting the task. He's great with music, and a MASTER on the guitar. Seriously, his ear was made for music. We just had a spotting session today and talked through the majority of what we need to do, and even started with some samples. I'm excited to hear what he comes up with (the stuff he's already played for me has been awesome) as music, especially in this short (which is essentially a silent film) is the backbone of most films.
Barring any unusual circumstances, I also plan to quickly shoot another short this week while I'm at home. I wrote the script specifically to take advantage of some of the gorgeous beaches we have here in Hawaii. It's also lighter in tone than Burdened, so it'll be nice to have a change of pace.
I'm currently working on scoring the short, with my good friend Jeff back here in Hawaii graciously accepting the task. He's great with music, and a MASTER on the guitar. Seriously, his ear was made for music. We just had a spotting session today and talked through the majority of what we need to do, and even started with some samples. I'm excited to hear what he comes up with (the stuff he's already played for me has been awesome) as music, especially in this short (which is essentially a silent film) is the backbone of most films.
Barring any unusual circumstances, I also plan to quickly shoot another short this week while I'm at home. I wrote the script specifically to take advantage of some of the gorgeous beaches we have here in Hawaii. It's also lighter in tone than Burdened, so it'll be nice to have a change of pace.
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