I've been spending a significant amount of time writing recently. More and more ideas for short screenplays have been popping in my head faster than I can outline/write them. I currently have three shorts close to being done (after several drafts each) that I hope to shoot soon. They sort of increase in ambitiousness: the first is a horror, the second is a drama, and the third is a romance (and drama too I guess). I think I mentioned a couple of them in previous blogs. Writing has become easier as I work on it more, but I am by no means skilled. In fact, I'd say I'm pretty unskilled. My dialogue feels unpolished and I tend to think too realistic/get focused on minutia. But hey, practice makes perfect, right?
The hardest part about writing (once the basic outline gets pounded out) is knowing when you're done. I think the answer is that it never is. There will always be second guesses and room for improvement, but you have to work on something until you're satisfied with it... until you're convinced that it's the best work you could do given whatever particular circumstances you're under. It drives me crazy!
Nothing against writing, but I'm looking forward to shooting these things already. I tend to be more energized and excited by the visual aspects of film. Of course, I still have a lot of prep to do for each one before I can turn on my camera but I'm really excited about how these projects are coming along. I already have at least one more short in my head that I haven't put down on paper that will be more "fun" than all my other shorts. I look at making these shorts as my own personal film school. I know these films won't change the world and probably won't even be particularly good, but as long as I can try out new things and learn from my mistakes, I'll be satisfied.
In addition to this, I've been rewatching a number of films from the past. Most of them I've seen, but don't remember too well. So far this week I've caught Brokeback Mountain, The Blair Witch Project, and Reservoir Dogs. I've got The Usual Suspects and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976 version) up on my queue next.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Top 10 of 2008 in Motion... and Quick Update
A short video counting down my Top 10 films of last year. The text version (along w/ brief explanations) can be found a few posts down. This was just something I did for fun.
I finished first drafts of TWO shorts last week and got some great feedback. Spending this week revising them. They are definitely the most ambitious screenplays I've written yet, which will make shooting them fun... NOT.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Updates
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!
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 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.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Working on a new short
Currently working on a new short, done with 2 days of shooting. I'm very pleased with the results so far and can't wait to finish shooting/editing. If things go according to plan, shooting will be completely done by Sunday and I'll spend the next week or so editing. Sound mixing is turning out to be the most difficult part of the process this time around.
I'm even more excited to get my good friend Jeff to write the score while I'm back home for the winter. If the final product ends how I hope, I'm thinking of entering it into a few short film festivals!
For now, enjoy a couple of production stills (click on 'em for a larger version):
I'm even more excited to get my good friend Jeff to write the score while I'm back home for the winter. If the final product ends how I hope, I'm thinking of entering it into a few short film festivals!
For now, enjoy a couple of production stills (click on 'em for a larger version):
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