IndieTalk - Indie Film Forum - Blogs http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php Filmmaking Forum - Filmmakers Forum - Video Forum - Cinematography Forum - Screenwriting Forum en Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:09:16 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.indietalk.com/images/indietalk/misc/rss.jpg IndieTalk - Indie Film Forum - Blogs http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php Back on the Feet Again http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=85 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:48:22 GMT I used to say that I could lose my legs and I'd still be able to function in the world and earn a living. But the last year taught me otherwise.

I am coming up on my first year anniversary of a pretty nasty leg break (see earlier blog entry). I can't say I am 100% rehabilitated yet despite my best efforts. I am no longer hindered, but by no means optimal. It's a lengthy process.

And the same goes for my writing - no longer hindered, but by no means optimal. It's a lengthy process.

I enjoy watching Hank Moody (Californication) because he reminds me that I am not the only one struggling with the blank page. Not knowing how to write is no longer the problem. Surely I can write. But can I write well? Have I moved beyond the shortcomings of my first feature? Perhaps that's the perfectionist in me. Over analysis stifles creativity. Truth is, I'll never know unless I just suck it up and finish writing another feature script. Lord knows I'm getting good at starting them. I've started seven.

I've spent the last year going beyond structure and format and am trying to once again grasp the fundamentals of good, visual storytelling. I am a visual thinker, so theoretically writing a visual story should come easy, right? I am also learning how best to engage the reader on an emotional level, the same way a filmmaker elicits emotional responses in an audience. After all, if it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage.

But seeing an image in your head is one thing. Effectively translating that vision into descriptive writing to paint that vision verbatim into the mind of a reader is another. The more vivid, the better. But most books on screenwriting don't cover these fundamentals. And I've probably read (or am still reading) all of them. No joke. For descriptive writing, you need to get out of the structure and format rut and go back to the basics of creative writing. You won't find these books in the Film/TV section. And that's where I've spent most of my time over the years.

Physical rehabilitation often means going back to the beginning and in some cases literally learning to walk again. The same goes for writing. If you break the cycle, you have to go back to basics. Get that groove back. Write in a blog, a journal, write a love letter or a poem. Find something to do that reconnects with what got you interested in writing in the first place.

Last year, I broke my right leg. And in some strange parallel, it appears I broke my right brain. I understand intimately now why children can create such amazing works of abstract art. They are uninhibited by fear of failure, by second guessing, by the voices of their peers in their heads telling them "that ain't right". Therapists will tell you to hug your inner child. I should find mine and embrace him.

It's time again to fire the candles and light the incense. The inspirations lie in a world within our world, brought forth by mental magic and incantation. That was my ritual twenty years ago, summoning my muse whom I had named "Athnamas", giving her berth through the candle's flickering light and dancing shadows. I'd visualize her alighting on my shoulder, eager to whisper the secrets of the universe in my ear. She had the brownish wings of a bat but was a slender nymphet in all other respects with long, flowing red hair and young, delicate features. Her white nightgown kept hidden the rest of her femininity, but as spectral winds played at her hair and the silk of her gown, I could catch an occasional glimpse that she was, indeed, a mature woman despite being a mere eleven inches tall. She would look at me with wide, knowing eyes that had infinite black depth, and these often served as passageways for my mind to wander. I'd return from them and see the wry smile on her pink lips reminding me that I needed to stop daydreaming and keep writing. She was my writing companion. Oh, how I've missed her.

:cool: ]]> VPTurner http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=85 <![CDATA[CWF [Buying Equipment]]]> http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=84 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:21:01 GMT Costa's Weekly Fix

Buying Equipment


[Disclaimer: The following entry includes thoughts & opinions from my personal experiences and do not reflect the opinions of IndieTalk or any of it's affiliates in any way.]



This seems to be a big issue in the indie film making world; Should you buy or rent equipment?


There are different levels of film making, from the first time director, to the Hollywood director. And each of these stages command something different, depending on how experienced you are in film.

If you have never shot a film, or have shot a few small things with friends on a consumer camera for fun, and would like to start taking film making more seriously...

I'd say buy some basic equipment.

Which?

-A basic prosumer camera, nothing fancy.
-A cheap tripod
-Maybe an extra battery.

For lighting, use some house hold lamps, or go out and buy a few $5 clamp lights.

For sound, well, some might disagree with me hear, but just go with your on-board mic for right now. Your first films arn't going to be any good, it's just the way it works. Don't worry about spending money on a camera that supports a mic input, or buying a mic/boom pole etc.


'I'm not a first time director and I'm trying to make some festival worthy shorts' This is what I call stage 2.

Now you want to use some cheaper prosumer camera to shoot your first 'real' film on. And you realize you'll need sound gear and lighting. But do you buy the camera? or rent it? The DVX100 is only $2,000 on Ebay and I have that money, why not buy it? A $50 mic, I can afford that!

Here is where it gets tougher. This is the breaking point of if you should or shouldn't.

If you want to be a director, I would tell you not to buy equipment. At this stage, you are hiring the crew, and can easily hire a DP with a camera for very cheap who is also looking for experience. My first short I hired a DP with an HVX200 and small package (Sticks, batteries, P2 card, etc) for $125/day for a 3 day shoot. TO rent an HVX200 is around $150/day.

If you buy, you'll be stuck with shooting on a cheaper camera for multiple shoots when you could have rented or hired for cheaper.

**TIP: Rental houses are open Mon. - Fri. and will give you a 'weekend deal' if you rent Friday - Monday. You pay 1 days worth of rental for 3 days.


When you hire a DP or Sound mixer or the crew and are paying them a low pay for their equipment, they are more likely to stick to the project and take it more seriously then someone you arn't paying and are giving them cheaper gear to use.


After you get past this stage and are making shorts for thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, you wont even consider buying equipment as a Director/Producer. You can rent a RED for about $500/day. For a 5 day shoot that's $2,500. TO buy it is $40K-$65K.

Your production just got a lot better from renting didn't it?


If you know you want to be a DP or Mixer or other tech crew member, here is a short list of equipment usually associated with that position. (I.E. A DP is usually hired with his camera)

DP - Camera Package (Including Camera, sticks, batteries, Media cards, adapters, follow focus, field monitor, etc)
Steady Op. - Steady cam rig
1st AC - Lens kit, AC belt, slate
Sound Mixer - Mixer, Boom pole, various mics, lavs, blimp, etc
Gaffer - Lighting package, Truck, Gaff belt (Lighting package doesn't have to be owned, nor does truck)
Key Grip - Grip belt, Grip-ology, truck (Grip-ology doesn't have to be owned, nor does truck
H/MUA - MUA belt, various make-up supplys, hairdryer, curler, etc
2nd AD - Laptop, clipboard, printer
Wardrobe - Clothing rack, hangers, plastic covers, etc
ETC

Sometimes you'll find deals on things that are worth it to own, i.e. Walkies, Smart Slate, etc.


Hope this helps some of you starting film makers.


Remember to Leave a comment down below so I know there's enough interest to keep posting!

Costa's Weekly Fix - Every Monday. ]]> CDCosta http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=84 <![CDATA[CWF [Walkie Etiquette]]]> http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=83 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:57:15 GMT Costa's Weekly Fix

Walkie Etiquette


[Disclaimer: The following entry includes thoughts & opinions from my personal experiences and do not reflect the opinions of IndieTalk or any of it's affiliates in any way.]



You might be thinking; 'When is this going to be useful? Why would I need proper etiquette on a walkie?'.

In film making, Walkies are used across the board, from small indie sets, all the way up to Hollywood. You'll need to get used to walkies, and how to use them, because, they will be around you while your in the film biz. I'll be going through the basics, and telling you why things are that way.


Walkies are used for fast communication among a large group of people. The purpose of walkie etiquette is to keep things clear, fast, and simple, to be most efficient. There is nothing worse then being on a set and half the people don't know how to properly talk on a walkie, it's frustrating, and inefficient.

Below are a few basic terms when using a walkie:

-"Walkie Check"
(This is said when first turning on your walkie. Someone will reply with 'Good Check' which means your mic is working)

-"Bill for Joe"
('Bill' being your name, for , 'Joe' the name of the person you are wanting to communicate with. Of course you replace Bill and Joe with the actual names of the people)

-"Go for Joe"
(When someone calls for you, you will respond with "Go for [your name]". This indicates you've heard their request to speak and are listening)

-"Standby"
('Standby' is used when someone tries to communicate with you but you are currently to busy to reply, you simple say "Standby")

-"What's your 20", "Where's his 20"
('20' simply means location. Asking where someones 20 is, is simply asking where they are, or where something is.)

-"Eyes on Joe", "Eyes on Gaff tape"
('Eyes on' is used when your looking for something. Saying 'Eyes on Joe' means anyone who hears that should communicate if they see Joe. Same goes for items)

-"10-1" "10-100"
(Although this falls under more then just walkie etiquette and is more a common set etiquette. '10-1' or '10-100' simple means your going to the bathroom.)

-"Someone's queuing"
('queing is when someone inserts there headphone/mic jack after turning on their walkie. This causes the mic to be turned constantly on even though your not pressing the talk button.)
*Note: Queing is very agravating for everyone listening to it, and they can hear everything your saying, so be careful.
*Note: When you are queuing, you can't hear it, only everyone else. So if someone says 'Someone's QueuingaggravatingqueuingQueuing" and you can't hear it; it's you. Simple turning off your walkie and turning it back on will stop it.

-"Switch to 2" - "Switching" - "on 2"
('Switch to [insert channel #]' is asking someone to switch to a different channel, used when needing to communicate a long message. The person being ask would reply 'Switching' to let them know you heard and are doing so. Then when they are on the new channel will say "On [Channel #]" to let them know they are there and listening)

-"Copy That"
(One of the more important simple terms. 'Copy' or 'Copy that' means you've understood the communication.)

-"Hot brick" - "dead brick"
('Hot brick' means a fully charged walkie battery. 'Dead brick' means a dead one.)

-"Going off Walkie"
(This simply means you are putting down your walkie and wont be able to communicate)

-"Breaker Breaker"
(This is used for interrupting a communication with an important message)

-"Negative Ghost Rider"
(Ok, so this might not be proper, but usually isn't frowned upon on smaller sets. 'Negative Ghost Rider' means 'No'. Coming from the movie 'Top Gun')

Why do you need to say 'Bill for joe' instead of 'Joe'?

Simple. If you don't state your name, the person wont know who they are talking to, and will have to ask. This wastes time which is inefficient.


Every little thing, no matter how useless it seems, has a reason. Usually to be more efficient and cut down on someone having to ask questions.



Depending on the size of the crew, there will be multiple channels. So there will be one for Grip crew, one for Electric crew, one for transo crew, one for production crew, and so on.

These should be listed on the back of the call sheet on the crew side. Usually will look something like this:

1-Transpo 2-Production 3-Grip 4-Lighting 5-camera and so on. The number represents the channel those crew are on.



So now you'll be steps ahead of lots of people who are starting out on film sets. You wont sound like the new guy, and will sound professional.

Remember to 'Yay' or 'Nay' this weekly fix, leave a comment down below, or a question if it directly relates to this topic.

Comment & Subscribe to keep CWF alive!

Costa's Weekly Fix [CWF]- Every Monday! ]]> CDCosta http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=83 <![CDATA[CWF [So You Want to be a Film Maker, Huh?]]]> http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=82 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:38:44 GMT Costa's Weekly Fix

So you want to be a filmmaker, huh?

[Disclaimer: The following entry includes thoughts & opinions from my personal experiences and do not reflect the opinions of IndieTalk or any of it's affiliates in any way.]



Before I begin, I am going to assume a few things to save time.

-Common Film Abbreviations (DP, AD, DOF, AC, SAG, etc)
-Common Film Lingo (Strike, Stinger, Dirt, Dolly, Boom, etc)

If you come across a word you don't know, you can always google it. There are vast numbers of sites that lists common film terms, just google 'Film Lingo' or 'Film Terms'


Because there isn't any true place to start being that everyones film journey is different, I'm going to start off with an assumed situation;

You are either in High school or a recent grad with an interest in film. You are wondering what is the best step to take? Film school? Just shoot a short? Should I buy my own Equipment? Should I rent it?


Probably one of the most debatable subjects: Film school, or no Film School.


If you are in High school, or you just graduated High school, you should consider Film School. -But for the right reasons-

-Your family will be able to help you get loans
-You have a scholarship
-You live outside of a large city (LA, NYC, Orlando, Chicago, etc)
-You learn everything you can, and make as many contacts as you can.

There is a pretty close ratio of those who have gone on to Direct A-list talent who went to film school, to those who did not.


You will most likely only learn for your first 2 years in Film school, the rest is up to your own experiences. (Getting on student sets, shooting your film projects, etc.)



But if I don't go to school, how will I learn?

It's going to be a lot harder if you don't go to school, and know little to nothing about film making. But there's some upsides:

-You will learn Fast.
-You will work on a variety of projects from different schools, and indie filmmakers.
-You will save up wards of $100,000-$200,000 in debt.
-You will learn Fast.

The thing about working on student sets going to film school is; You work with mostly the same people, which can be a good thing, but your stuck in a 'box'. You work on the same types of films, with the same people, over and over. You don't get a good taste of what sets are actually like.


The most important thing is; getting yourself out there.

You need to push yourself to get on sets, even if they are student sets. Try to get on student sets as a PA, or Boom op. Learn from them.

ASK QUESTIONS.

Asking questions is how you will get a lot of your technical knowledge. Pay attention, do your best, make contacts, make sure they can see you are not a slacker.

Not going to school means your going to be a freelancer of sorts. You will always be looking for that next gig.-And you will be working for free most of the time-

Keep going until you feel like you have a good knowledge of things, and then shooting your own short will come.



If you don't live in a big city, and can't go to film school; Move.

Move to the closet city, or right outside it, this will up your odds of finding gigs. Search craigslists, or mandy, or other local ads in your area. Make friends, tell them you would be happy to work on their next film, or if they work or hear of anything coming up.

You are not going to get major studio jobs with no experience, not even as a PA. It's incredibly hard especially if you don't have any contacts.


What about internships?

Some internships can be good, but most are not. You work for free or next to nothing a couple days a week for a few months, and will only learn a tad bit, and most of them are office based.

The intern will end, they will say 'Thanks' and now your out 3 months you could have gotten on-set experience from.

I'm not saying they're all bad,(A DP friend of mine had no job, was out of money to pay rent, and his Free internship just so happened to loose a staff member and moved him up to a paying position) they are just not a good first choice.


I'm going to leave you on one more thought.

Decide what you want to do,(Direct, produce, DP, etc) then choose a second thing you'd like to do.

This will help in 2 ways; You won't always be doing your main focus on set, especially if your a director. And the film industry is very hard, and you most likely wont become what your striving for; a second goal is always good.


"Four Hundred new FILM STUDENTS turn eager faces to the senior PROFESSOR, who rises to speak.

PROFESSOR
Put up your hands if you want to direct.

Four hundred film students put up their hands.

PROFESSOR
Now everyone put down them down except one.

Four hundred film students don't know what to do.
He pauses before the kill.

PROFESSOR
And that's if your lucky."

-WHAT THEY DON'T TEACH YOU at FILM SCHOOL

You want to be able to fill your resume with a bunch of AD experience, or a bunch of Gaffing experience, and not a little bit of everything.

People want to know that you are good at what you do, that's what you do, and that's how you'll get payed gigs.

Make Contacts.

Do you want to hire someone with 5 1st AD credits, or someone with a 1st AD credit, a boom cred, PA, Grip, Gaff credit?


If you have any questions DIRECTLY relating to what was said, please feel free to ask, I will be going into other topics, so save those questions for that article :)*

Leave a 'Yay' or 'Nay' Down below! & Subscribe if you like! ]]> CDCosta http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=82 Cyber Nation http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=81 Fri, 22 May 2009 05:56:30 GMT Cybernation: The state or act of being cybernated or automated. The year was 1990. I was 22. I had already spent several years looking out the figurative window to Hollywood. That was my dream, my destiny. I wanted to be a part of the magic. But like any magic trick, once you know the secret,... Cybernation: The state or act of being cybernated or automated.

The year was 1990. I was 22. I had already spent several years looking out the figurative window to Hollywood. That was my dream, my destiny. I wanted to be a part of the magic. But like any magic trick, once you know the secret, what's behind the curtain or hidden beneath the stage, it has a tendency to lose its allure. The mystery is solved, so the pursuit of understanding ends.

Or does it?

When I studied acting in high school and college, I had a more profound respect for the actors in the movies. When I studied special effects in my late teens, early twenties, some of that wonder and intrigue from my early days watching Indiana Jones and Luke Skywalker was lost to me. And today after 20 years in the computer industry, ten of which specializing in 3D rendering hardware and digital video, I know intimately what lies beneath the cute animation and colorful textures of Nemo and his underwater world. But through all this study and breaking down of barriers to the unknown, there was still yet another mystery: the art of visual storytelling.

As I explored the various jobs available in the film industry during my teens, I was also exploring myself. What did I want to do with my life? Where did I want to go? Producer, director, actor, special effects artist, miniature model maker, cinematographer? What did I know well enough to break in? Well, not much. I had a background in construction, but I hadn't mastered it. I had a background in drawing and painting and model making, but I was still a novice relatively speaking. I did some acting to the point where I could hold my own on stage, but I certainly didn't look like Harrison Ford or have the physique of Arnold Swarzenegger. So what was the one thing that always stuck with me no matter what? What was the one area I could fall back on if nothing else? Writing. That had to be it. That was my ticket. If I could become a skilled writer, I could literally write my ticket into Hollywood.

Or so I thought.

Book after book, hour after hour, dollar after dollar spent on computer equipment and writing materials, I toiled to create my cinematic masterpiece on paper. The first draft took about 6 months and was 118 pages. It had a three act structure thanks to Syd Field, rhythmic pacing, proper formatting, and a definitive beginning, middle and end. I thought I had nailed it.

Cyber Nation, a play on Alien Nation, another popular film and television series of the time, was about a homicide detective on the trail to discover the secret behind a cybernetic appendage found at a disastrous and deadly crime scene. His journey would take him into the world of my antagonist, a narcissistic entrepreneur who believed that the perfect society, the perfect human, was a melding of man and machine. The story played out as a Dirty Harry meets The Terminator buddy cop film, a mixture of several Hollywood influences of the 1970s and 1980s. I even put the words at the top of the title page I thought should appear on the poster:


“Frank Morrison has received a hand from the Cybernetics Industry.
He just doesn’t know who, or what, it belongs to.

He’s about to find out.”


I thought I had something everyone wanted to see.

I was wrong.

While Cyber Nation got the attention of a few Hollywood agencies, I did not have a sellable script. My writing style and presentation of the material got decent marks. So what was missing? First of all, the collective unconscious is a nasty bitch who will stab you with a rusty fishing knife when you least expect it. And not having a solid understanding of why films work on an emotional level crippled the story. Don’t get me wrong, It was a fun read. Even today, it’s a fun read when I pull it off the shelf for nostalgia. I suppose that’s a testament to my writing style; there must be some raw talent lurking in these fingertips. But every element, every character, every situation was a cliché. I didn’t realize it then. Today, however, I can name every single movie and character who influenced the writing. And the key prop, the cybernetic hand, was that bitch with the rusty fishing knife. I had no idea Terminator II was in pre-production with that very same key influence driving the mystery and motivating the story. How could I know? I wasn’t plugged in.

Dejected, I moved into other aspects of life, trying to find my bread and butter because I refused to be a starving artist. The reality written on rejection letter after rejection letter told me I still had a long road ahead of me. Ironically, I found a solid niche in computer technology having grown up in Silicon Valley with a computer operating mom and an electronics engineering step dad. It was a latent skill that I tapped during the rest of my twenties to become the successful computer engineer I am today. I vowed to make a six figure income by thirty five, and I did it. Good for me. Now what? That nagging feeling, that passion, that fire burning deep down below still beckoned. Hollywood still called to me. The figurative window was still there, albeit a bit clouded and dirty. Well, it’s time to clean the window.

Book after book, hour after hour, dollar after dollar spent on writing materials in order to create the next great cinematic masterpiece on phosphor, I am at it again. I am breaking down the mysteries of the art of visceral storytelling and emotional impact, at least two of the key areas missing from the first attempt. Is there still a chance for failure? Absolutely. Except now, almost twenty years later, art imitates life. The computer and I are one. I am plugged in. Man and machine have melded.

I am cybernated.

So the journey continues. I have one completed feature script under my belt, one completed short, and about seven other feature scripts lurking in the back of my mind. Feature number two is in the drafting stage. It's a horror/thriller, a departure from the first script which was a sci-fi action thriller. I will of course return to sci-fi again because I have a firm foundation in actual science and technology now, but I need to diversify. I enjoy horror, too. And this script might actually have a budget within reach of someone looking for a new writer. But I can't stop there. My revised plan is to have at least five completed feature scripts before again making contact with the agencies. They need to know that I am serious this time. I need to prove it to myself, too.

The year is 2009. I am about to turn 41 in July. And today, my new life begins. In my late twenties, I set a specific goal to achieve by the time I hit 35, and I achieved it. Today, I set one for 45: the sale of a feature script.

Now I need to tackle that other nasty bitch: procrastination. Anyone have a rusty fishing knife I can borrow? ]]> VPTurner http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=81 Break a Leg? http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=80 Thu, 14 May 2009 14:41:04 GMT Whoever said breaking a leg was the right thing to do when pursuing your passion really needs to have his head examined. Because it took breaking my leg to get me back in here. You see, I got sidetracked for the last several months. I was supposed to be writing another feature script, but Santa was... Whoever said breaking a leg was the right thing to do when pursuing your passion really needs to have his head examined. Because it took breaking my leg to get me back in here. You see, I got sidetracked for the last several months. I was supposed to be writing another feature script, but Santa was good to me last December and allowed me to park a nice, practically new Corvette Z06 in my garage. And this car consumed me, mind, body and spirit.



How sad is that? Does one often trade one passion for another? I apparently do. Often. No wonder I'm 40 and still unproduced.

I spent every waking moment thinking about this car, going to car shows, reading car forums, researching modifications (I guess 500+ horses isn't enough :weird:), and just driving it around as much as possible. I have never truly had a love affair with a car until this one came into my life. What a pathetic excuse to stop writing, huh?

Fast forward from December, 2008, to April, 2009. I roll into our driveway riding shotgun in my daily driver Honda Accord, wife at the wheel. Seems I had one margarita too many. I had to give up the keys. Wife tells me I need to roll up the garden hose because we'll get a nastygram from the Home Owner's Association. I apparently left it out after rinsing the kayak earlier on the heels of yet another salt water fishing adventure. Our HOA doesn't like the "lived in" look and wants everything in its place. So I reluctantly comply with my wife's urgings to wrap the garden hose even though it's 10:00 PM. Well, long story short, what can happen when you combine a slippery, wet drainage slope, fifty feet of garden hose, limited visibility, and a couple of really strong margaritas?

Yep. You guessed it.



So here I sit, stuck on wife and doctor imposed house arrest because it was my right leg I so eloquently trashed and, thus, I am not allowed to drive. It looks like I'm trapped eight to ten weeks total without the ability to drive my vehicular passion. So what can I do? What should I do?

Right! I need to write! So what the hell am I doing back in here? I need to write, right? Okay, fine! Off I go... :cool: ]]> VPTurner http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=80 Updates http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=73 Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:13:26 GMT So, what's going on with me?

Well, my Metastatic Carcinoid is still there in my body, making me feel weak and giving me enough pain to spend my days in bed begging for the pain to go away. I lay there and shake uncontrollably unable to pick up the camera and turn it on. I fear my days as a filmmaker have passed me by.

I'm no longer employed thanks to my cancer but at least I'm receiving disability so there's money coming in.

All in all, I get to check Indietalk.com only once a week or so (apologies!!!) but I'm still alive, dammit! I'm going to pick up this camera and shoot ONE MORE film before I disappear. You wait and see! ]]> Loud Orange Cat http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=73 <![CDATA[New short..."What happened to the Drug War?"]]> http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=72 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:40:59 GMT I did a new short on the DEA and the lack of drug enforcement policy coming out from either party or candidate. It seems to me as if a billion dollar industry should get some attention from the presidential candidates. Something of interest; as Joe Friday says, I just put the facts into a... I did a new short on the DEA and the lack of drug enforcement policy coming out from either party or candidate. It seems to me as if a billion dollar industry should get some attention from the presidential candidates.

Something of interest; as Joe Friday says, I just put the facts into a documentary, trying to hide my own feelings and opinions. But for every one of my documentaries that revolve around the Presidential race and issues associated with the race, I always get a beating from someone on one of the sides. Why? They can't fight the facts. The facts are the facts. I don't present opinions of any kind as facts (something that a lot of "modern" documentaries do over and over and over!) I have done, "experts say", but I can give you the experts, and you can find the experts on your own. And if you don't like my experts, then find your own and prove mine wrong. But why does a "side" always assume that the presentation of facts is an attack against them, unless they don't like the facts?

The funny thing is that one the first documentary, I dealt with congress and the lack of leadership there. I praised a Democrat turned Independent (who is in the position he is in because the Democrats in Congress allowed him to keep his position as Chairman... a gutsy and smart move on their part), and a Republican for conducting important hearings. I said bad things about a Republican Senator, as well as an entire House committee (both Republicans and Democrats). Here's the criticism, "Fear mongering at its finest. Blame the democrats & absolve the republicans is the underlying message." I had another say that they didn't "get" the connection between terrorists having nuclear weapons, and Iran being close to developing nuclear weapon grade material. I guess a lot of people missed Iran's hate for the U.S. and support for terrorist groups (openly!).

A week later, Senator Obama did a 30 second commercial saying that he was concerned with the same issues that I brought up in my short. Did he or his people see my short and respond? I very much doubt it, but it is quite interesting.

My second one didn't get many comments, good or bad. But a week or so after it came out ("attacking the fact that candidates for President continue to get paid for jobs that they don't do...Senators and Governors...Republicans and Democrats), both candidates decided that they "needed" to go back to D.C. to do their jobs as Senators, over the economic "bailout" bill. Did they see my short and respond? I doubt it.

Now my latest about the drug war...well a friend sent word to an independent web site that "represents" the people of DEA, that I did the short. It's sort of a bulletin board, but you can't post directly, you have to go through this guy named Phill Coleman. Well this is the response:

"This is not a "short film" by someone "starting a film career". This is a political statement in an election season. It is also anonymously produced.
With the exception of the voiceover name there are no attributes for producer, contact information, political affiliation. It deliberately
skirts the 523 regulation by citing both candidates but obviously targeting one. In other words, it is a garage-made 'hit job' made by a Republican who is unhappy with McCain but overtly anti-Obama. Tell the guy who made this
'short film' he needs to re-do his film to make it declarative and not weasel-worded. Viewers aren't fools. The producer of this 'short film'
shouldn't treat viewers as if they were fools.


-- DEA Watch
The Voice of the Drug Enforcement Agent
deawatch.com

Main: http://members.aol.com/deawatch/dea.htm
Daily Reports: http://members.aol.com/deawatch/daily.htm"

Excuse me? Just because I didn't support who he wants to win the election (and he admits that I didn't support the other guy either!) he calls it a "Hit job". In addition to the other "facts" that he presented that are not true or at the very least are his opinions, he rambles and insults me and my work, because the truth is not what he wants to hear. So this guy practices censorship, based solely on his opinion. Yet he has the audacity to claim to be the voice of DEA agents.

What's the deal with that? What's the deal with all these people who attack based solely on nothing but their prejudice, refusing to even deal with the facts. I just don't get it. Facts aren't part of the equation anymore. It's all about the lie...the bigger the better. Attack someone on their work based upon your dislike of the facts. I can take criticism, but at least admit that your opinion is your opinion, and not fact. Tell me you hate my work. Don't censor it though. Did he show that anything that was in my short was untrue? No. Just opinions and garbage. I deal with the facts, and get attacked on opinion.

I guess no one told me that making documentaries would be a piece of cake.

Chris ]]> cibao http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=72 Latest short Documentary http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=71 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:58:24 GMT While I was watching the news one night I realized that there were a bunch of people who were looking for new jobs, but their old job was staying open for them, and paying them to boot. They at best, were doing the least they could do at their regular job, and at worst were doing absolutely... While I was watching the news one night I realized that there were a bunch of people who were looking for new jobs, but their old job was staying open for them, and paying them to boot. They at best, were doing the least they could do at their regular job, and at worst were doing absolutely nothing.

Those people are many of the candidates who ran, or are running for President. A couple of Governors, and a bunch of Senators and Congresspeople. Regular people don't get that kind of treatment. Heck, the Pentagon just opened their memorial for 9-11. The news said, "Any Government employees who work at or near the Pentagon are encouraged to take the day off." Take the day off - using their vacation time! Yet these congress people (who I might add make the most money in the Government - the law requires that) wander around New Hampshire and Iowa for months, if not years, and they don't take "vacation" time. They just get paid.

Talk about Corruption!

Anyway, I made a short film based on that. You can find "The Best Job in Town" on youtube or Crackle. As I was doing the film, I decided that I needed to have a second production company - one for "fiction", and one for "fact". My new company? Joe Friday Productions - "Just the facts, Ma'am."

I'm going to keep plugging away at it. I've got a lot of ideas, and I'm just going to do the shorts until I start on a feature length Documentary.

Sort of a fire sale of my brain. "Everything must go!!"

Chris
Joe Friday Productions
a Division of The Three Little Figs ]]> cibao http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=71 Back to Basics challenge http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=70 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:25:03 GMT Well, they finally came out with 5 potential winners on the IFC Back to Basics Challenge...mine wasn't one of the 5. I thought that I really had a chance with it, but I guess I didn't. I did get a nice e-mail that I've gotten too many times before, that said it was a hard decision, as there were so many great works available to them, but they decided that mine wasn't in the top 5. They "asked" me to keep an eye out, and try again.

I don't think that I've entered a festival or written to an Agent, or entered a contest without that message being sent to me! I guess I'd be insulted if they wrote, "We thought that your film sucked, and just because you think that what we picked couldn't hold a candle to your work, just shows how crappy your stuff is! Love and Kisses, the judges!" But it's sort of like a band-aid. Rip it off quickly, cause either way it's going to hurt. Make it quick and you'll get over it faster.

Another contest I entered, the WGBH contest, you presented a pitch for a 3 minute documentary about the election. My pitch was about the Mortgage Crisis, and how everybody was concerned with those who couldn't afford their houses. I said that they were all looking at the problem through a microscope, and failing to see that the problem wasn't those who were losing their homes, as they GENERALLY couldn't afford the house when the bought it, and it wasn't about the banks that were fools to give them the loans in the first place, it was about the middle class, who were losing their savings because of the drop in the housing values. The middle class was quickly getting to the place where they could never move again, as their house would force them into bankruptcy, so transfers or promotions or even new jobs were becoming an impossibility.

Well, instead of picking my pitch, they picked ten others, to include two that were similar, one about an old guy who changed his name legally to Uncle Sam, and another old guy who claims that your vote is worthless, and it isn't even worth your time to vote. I guess that it isn't surprising...listening to an old guy rant is always better than listening to someone trying to look out for the middle class (which is most of the electorate I might add). I even had a producer of one of the other pitches post a comment on mine, saying that I should win, as I was one of the few entries that followed the directions, and I had a truly interesting and important subject.

I guess the point is that film making isn't always fair. Heck, most of the time life isn't fair. You can only stick to your guns, and keep trying your best, and hope for that break. I just hope that my break doesn't come when I'm 90 years old (probably dead for 5 years at that time!) and too old to enjoy it!

Chris ]]> cibao http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=70 There you have it! http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=69 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:51:21 GMT All this time that I've been on (and off) of IndieTalk, and I never really paid attention to the blog portion of the site. Sort of missing. Instead of just reading posts, I could have put out my thoughts and feelings too! What a deal!

I have jumped into film making now, and am trying to start out slowly (though not as slow as when I had a "real" job). I've got upwards of 7 feature scripts finished, 4 novels, one treatment, with a pilot script for a sitcom, as well as one feature film (check it out on Amazon...The Fig Garden). I've thought about getting an Agent, and putting all of that on the market, but for a lot of reasons (I guess) that isn't working out very well (I'm sure that I'll go into detail at another time).

But what I'm trying to do now is go forward with some documentaries that I've been thinking about doing. One of them is about the threat of nuclear terrorism (you can see the 3 minute documentary on you tube...The Real Threat... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X9d6sKeI6w
I entered that into a IFC back to basics contest, and though it's been over for a couple of weeks now, they still haven't listed the winners...so MAYBE I still have a chance. But I intend on using the prize (If I win of course!) to make it into a feature film. The funny thing about the film is (like there could be something funny about the potential of nuclear terrorism!) that I tried to be apolitical when I did the film. It's not pro Republican - As a matter of fact I personally call out a Republican Senator. It's not pro Democrat - though a week or so after I posted the film on YouTube and other sites, Senator Obama came out with a commercial saying how he understood the threat, and was working to ensure that the threat would disappear...I'm not kidding! But Democrats and other forms of Liberals seem to hate my guts, as any mention of terrorism is a vote for President Bush I guess. I've been attacked by Liberals who basically either call me a Republican/Bush flag waver, or just a nut who made it all up. These are the same people I'm sure who take Michael Moore and Al Gore as the readers of the gospel!!

GO FIGURE!

Chris ]]> cibao http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=69 The economist and the indie filmmaker meet... http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=67 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:07:51 GMT Hi, I'm Kneko Burney, the founder & CEO of Eyesoda.com, a new social networking, streaming site that brings indie fimmakers and the folks that love their films together.

My "day job" is as a market strategist for high-tech companies, where I spend my time conducting market research, developing complex models of a variety of markets and exploring the behavior of key customer segments. I love that kind of stuff. I am, for crying out loud, an economist by training.

But, as much as I am quantitative, I am a lover of film. Actually, watching movies is the only time my mind stops calculating equations of some sort. Instead, little brain starts dreaming and embracing the possibility and/or the reality of the film that I'm watching.

As such, Eyesoda.com is really a personal quest and a living daydream for me. I truly believe that the main stream media has too mcuh control on the images and archetypes that are embedded in our social consciousness. The only counter to this is independent film. Okay, that sounds melodramatic, but it's true.

How many African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, women, gays & lesbians, transgender and disabled-Americans see themselves portrayed with dignity in Hollywood on a consistent basis? And, this is just a small portion of the list - it goes on and on. Independent film has been the outlet for these audiences since it's beginning in the 50's and continues to be an outlet for the marginalized, as well as for the folks the just see the world differently than the mainstream.

I celebrate the "minority" and the "outsider" and the "experimentalist" and the folks that have the guts the walk their own path. Yeah, I celebrate the "Independent."

Okay - I'm off my soapbox. Once I get started it's hard to stop. I look forward to your comments. From here on out, I'll be talking about my experiences as an Internet Entrepreneur trying to do something new. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures and failures and I hope you'll support what I'm trying to do.

warm regards,

kneko. ]]> kneko http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=67 The Riverside Saginaw Film Festival and my documentary short! http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=66 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:17:21 GMT Thursday:

I got back from my film screening somewhere around 1:30pm. The screening started at 11:00am today. I resigned myself last week to not having anyone show up to this screening. Everyone I know works and I don't know one musician who doesn't have a day job. So, even though my friends from the band wanted to be at the screening, they all had to work. I could hardly fault anyone because of it. It was cool, my mother was there to see it, she was excited.

When I got there I saw friends of mine standing outside and I stopped for a few minutes to chat then went in. There were more people at Pit & Balcony Theater than I expected to be there considering it was a work day. I assumed that these were the filmmakers, but all filmmakers were asked to come to the front and take a bow. There were only 3 of us, so there were more people to see these short films than I thought I was going to be there.

Just before the film started, we were all given a ballot page and asked to vote for one film in 3 categories: narrative, experimental and documentary. Mine was the only documentary of the nine films in the showcase, six narratives, 2 experimental and my doc. The next showcase would not be until Saturday. That showcase had two documentaries and I would be up against those as well so I hoped I would be able to go. I had made plans to go to the Carnival Of Chaos in Stanton Michigan to see if I could drum up some more business. The Carnival Of Chaos is a 3 day metal music festival and I was thinking that maybe some of those bands could use a documentary as well.

I was calm right until my film ran. I saw my first shot of my documentary and all of a sudden I was nervous and kind of fidgety throughout the airing. What was great though, was that the documentary seemed to be well received by those who saw it. I was pretty happy about that. A couple of girls got up and left right after my film was over, but they made a point to tell me that they liked it before they left. Very cool.

Friday:

I had two workshops to attend. The first one was on filmmaking on a micro-budget. I was interesting, but I was hoping to find out more about finding funding, convincing people to give you money, maybe the best things to do when writing a proposal because whether you are looking for grants or investors, you still need to write an effective proposal. The workshop for the most part talked about actors and the Screen Actors Guild. Well, there were some interesting things there, but alot of what was discussed in the 'micro-budget' area were things that I had researched, but I did appreciate the speakers. One of the speakers was a woman named Chase Masterson. She has been an actor in Hollywood for quite a while and most people would remember her as Leta, the Dabo girl on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Anyway, it was an interesting workshop, but for filmmakers at the level we are at, not too practical. A micro budget to them was $200,000 dollars. Do you have any idea how many films I could make with that as an independent? I think that maybe I should begin saying I am a 'guerilla filmmaker'. Guerilla filmmaking is an actual term that basically means that you get your film made in whatever fashion you can. You figure out how to build a crane, not buy a crane, you make camera lights, not purchase an expensive light kit. If you don't have help, you do it yourself and you do this until you have the money to get the better things and improve your equipment and find help.

I also attended a documentary film workshop, which sadly I was the only attendee. The good news was that the workshop became very informal and I talked with the filmmaker about what projects he had worked on what worked, what didn't and found that he was about where I am in filmmaking. This was cool because the one thing about Michigan filmmakers is that none of us know each other. This is something that is going to have to change if we are going to be a part of the Michigan filmmaking boom that we feel is about to happen.

The bad thing was this: one of the filmmakers movies could not be shown. There was a problem with the equipment or the DVD itself, but for whatever reason, there were so many digital hits that after three tries they had to give up on showing it. For a filmmaker, especially a new filmmaker, that is a disaster. It is every bit as important for your film to be shown as it is to win something when you are at this level.

I know what it is like to not have your film shown because of technical stuff so I know how he felt. I sat with the guy and we talked about our projects while they tried to fix the DVD player and the computer, but to no avail. I felt bad for him because I have had the same thing happen to me. Its a terrible let down to have things not work for your film.



Sunday:

We got to the award ceremony just before the awards were announced. There was the Audience Prize and the Jury Prize which is a jury of your peers. Then they screened the winners so that people could see them a second time which was cool.

A friend of mine, Maggie Patton (Media Hero) won a Jury Award for her film "Shooters: Get The Picture". She was there this afternoon and I was glad to see her. I had forgotten how good her film was and how much I liked the camera shots in it. Especially when I was thinking that some of my camera work was a bit shakier than I remembered when I was editing the project. But I know how to fix that and will be working on that asap.....

And how did I do in the Riverside Saginaw Film Festival short film contest?

How does Jury Selection Best Documentary Film grab you! :woohoo:

My intent is to always do better than the last project I did. I am looking forward to the project I am working on now. I think my shots are alittle better and I have some interesting video opportunities on tape and I look forward to the post production work I'll have to do for it.

But for now, Yay! I won best documentary film at the Riverside Saginaw Film Festival!

-- spinner :cool: ]]> spinner http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=66 <![CDATA[Steve's Current Film- 4/16/2008]]> http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=65 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:51:22 GMT YEAH!!! Carnevil is done! We finally shot the film on April 5, and I just got done editing Sunday night. Once I get SKFilms.net up and running, I'll be sure to link you guys up so you can watch the twelve minute thriller/ SAW wanna-be. I'm very happy with it for my first film that I tried to be pro with, but there are still a TON of errors that I now would never let happen again. I think it was more of a learning experience for me than anything, and hey- I loved it. Can't wait to start the script for my next horror flick, (maybe I'll start that today...) but my main focus I think 'till summer break (June 5th yeah 35 school days not including finals, which I hopefully won't have to take if I passed the OGTs) will be (in no order) 1. Grades 2. Creating and uploading stuff for my Turbosquid account and 3. Write that next script!!!


Thats all for now,

Steve :cool:
 ]]> Filmmaker516 http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=65 <![CDATA[Robert De Niro, "HIDE AND SEEK" and sucky horror films PART 2]]> http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=64 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:23:44 GMT My second observation, however, is this: Even with the twist of this film, it was riddled with all the horror movie cliches you could shake a stick at, which is why I HATE HORROR FILMS! Remember the original SCREAM, when the guy goes through all the horror film cliches to show how whenever... My second observation, however, is this: Even with the twist of this film, it was riddled with all the horror movie cliches you could shake a stick at, which is why I HATE HORROR FILMS!

Remember the original SCREAM, when the guy goes through all the horror film cliches to show how whenever someone does this, they die? The fact that the cliche can be parodied, means it is over done. The cliches are in most horror films, not just HIDE AND SEEK, which handled the situation well enough to find a surprising ending. However, case in point:

There is someone in the house. What do you do?
You run UPSTAIRS so that you are cornered. What are you going to do up there? Jump out the window? Geeez!

You are home alone. Do you check all the doors and windows?
I do. Just the cost of being in America. Thieves sometimes break into homes to rob them. Make sure you are safe and locked in at night. But what do horror movies do? No one checks the house or closes a curtain. EVERYONE knows you are alone and can get into your UNLOCKED home. And then to get away, you run UPSTAIRS!!! (heavy sigh...)

Hey! Does ANYONE have a car that RUNS??? Do you have KEYS? Where are they?
Dammit, I know where my keys are at any given time and I don’t have to go through the whole house to find them. Plus, I have one of those thing-eys where all you have to do is point it at the car and the car is open. I am in the car and I am locking the door.

Hey! the killer is banging on the hood of my car and my windows! Firstly, my windows are up. Secondly, I am IN A CAR. Hmmm....man vs. car? GAME OVER. Let’s see how badassed you are against a couple of tons of Detroit steel, B*tch! Forward or reverse? Its a victim’s market and the killer goes SQUISH.

The killer is chasing you, you run.
Well, okay, I couldn’t run from my house to the end of the block, but the tight, toned little blonde who only weighs 120lbs? Come on. And in these health conscious days, alot of people go running. Just once I want to see someone outrun that big-assed serial killer. Remember the guys in THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE? And I think I can’t run?

Okay, so you’re running, you twist your ankle and fall, you can’t get up and run.
Gee, I’ve NEVER seen this before. I hope he catches you and eats you, you little....

BTW,For 5 years, I commuted 88 miles to work and didn’t get off of work until midnight. That is at least an hour and a half of driving. At night. Past huge fields, corn, beans or otherwise, with one house on the land and not another house for miles. That is a horror story just waiting to happen. That is how people DISAPPEAR. I have never run out of gas on that commute. Ever. And in the event that I did, I have a nice little attitude adjuster in the form of a 18 inch lead pipe on the floor of my car. Hey, I’m a girl, I drive at night sometimes, you can’t be too careful.

The killer drops his gun. The victim has the gun with finger on trigger. Now what?
People say that they hate it when people talk back to the screen. I do, too, but here’s the thing: The character has been terrorized by the killer for an hour. EVERYBODY is dead except you, who the killer has tried to kill twice already. Join me, won’t you, as I scream at the screen: SHOOT HIM ALREADY!!!

Okay. THIS TIME you shoot the killer. Now what?
Well, of course you are tired. Much to tired to plug the sonofab*tch again. By all means, you deserve a rest. Have a seat, catch your breath. Make sure your back is to the killer and sit down in the cave you shot him in. Don’t leave the cave, just relax, why, we know he’s dead, right? BANG HEAD HERE.

By the way, I am at a point where I am beginning to tire of terrorizing children. Its just dirty pool and its too easy. Leave the kids alone.

Well, then now there’s no movie. Or is there?

Sure, there is, somewhere. At least the 8 FILMS TO DIE FOR series is trying to do something different. I submit to you PENNY DREADFUL. Yeah, okay, the escaped mental patient, the person going off alone and the twisted ankle, but here we have a person who has a phobia about being in a car. The threat is outside the car. What do you do? Uh, THAT is something I haven’t seen before, that looks like an original thought to me.

The point is to start challenging what we think is scary. I have read posts on other sites saying: we don’t have a woods near us. SO WHAT? BIG DEAL! There are other places where people are supposed to be careful when they are alone, not just the woods. How about making something that isn’t scary, frightening? Challenge our moral thinking or common sense. That is what Stephen King does. That’s why he’s scary.

Maybe I am finding it hard to relate to the character in this way. I mean, the reason why any film works is because on some level you can relate to the characters and suspend plausibility. I guess I can't do that with horror films anymore. I used to be able to.

At some point, and maybe I am already there, people are going to hit the wall. When that happens, there will be alot of people demanding more from horror films than just the cat in the cupboard or faces in a mirror. I know that the cliche is why the movie works, just give me a fresh look at the cliche. Anybody seen the film AUDITION? I still haven’t seen the film HOSTEL but I hear its pretty good with a satisfying ending. Just DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, for pete’s sake! A good freak out beats a bad cliche any day. I want to watch a scary film that doesn’t make me roll my eyes and say:not again.

C’MON, SOMEBODY! Give me a reason to be scared! :scared: :D ]]> spinner http://www.indietalk.com/blog.php?b=64