December 2009
5 posts
Golden Globes 2010 Nominations →
So the Golden Globe nominations were announced today. I’d say there wasn’t one surprise in the bunch but maybe I’m just jaded.
Okay, no, I take that back. I was surprised to see Sandra…
Paranormal Activity →
Somewhere between THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CLOVERFIELD lies this movie…
…and that’s not necessarily a bad place to be. Yes, many folk want to tear it down (sorta me too) but…
FCP Rig of the Day →
Check it out, I’m the rig of the day.
Thanks Final Cutters.
Derek Cianfrance Stalks Me →
No, not really.
Well, sorta.
First, yesterday, Sundance announced their line up. I looked at it, thought “you gotta be in it to win it” and bounced within 30 seconds. What can I say, I…
Spirit Awards 2010 Nominations →
The Spirit Awards were announced yesterday and I’d say there were few surprises. Still, that’s just me. This IndieWire writer was surprised 10 times. I was going to discuss the nominations but…
November 2009
6 posts
Where The Wild Things Are →
Why do I end up on the outside of these things? Apparently this might be the most divisive movie of the year.
I think I can understand why there’s such an uproar. This is an incredibly…
The Road →
Okay, I know THE ROAD doesn’t open until tomorrow but I saw it way back at The FIlmmaker Forum by Film Independent. I know I’m gonna incur much wrath for this but I have a one…
DIY Days LA 2009: Wrap Up →
“Welcome to the future. Nothing is as it was. Everything is new so no one knows anything.”
In a sense, that was the working thesis for the recent DIY Days in Los Angeles. I’m not bashing the…
DIY Days LA 2009: Getting Ready →
Tonight The Workbook Project is sponsoring DIY Days in Downtown Los Angeles.
Did you just think that I spoke Klingon? Allow me to decipher. The Workbook Project is the brainchild of
The Informant! →
Is a comedy still a comedy if it’s only happening in the main character’s head? What if we aren’t allowed in that character’s head? The answer, at least in regards to this film, is “no.”
Do You Remember OCCUPIED? →
This tiny film recently celebrated an anniversary.
For all the insiders, do you remember your 2-minute film? Do you remember your shoot? Please share.
October 2009
5 posts
Help Me Promote You →
If you’ve been keeping up with my posts, you know I’m looking for small shooting/editing gigs. I was recently put in contact with a San Francisco based company that primarily produces short videos…
The Mobile Editor →
Times are tough. Jobs are scarce. You probably know someone that hasn’t worked at all this year. For those of us lucky enough to still have jobs, there’s a good chance we’re working at reduced pay…
Portable Idiot Box →
Okay, let me just admit this: I read Nikki Finke.
Now, if you read her site recently and managed to shove past all the industry rumors and executive swaps there was a tiny story reporting…
Let’s Get Meta Bitches! →
Good news: Film Independent saw my blog post/review of last weekend’s Filmmaker Forum and not only did they repost my blog (click image to see more)
They also put me on the…
Filmmaker Forum 2009 →
This past weekend I attended the 2009 Filmmaker Forum, an examination of the ever changing face of independent film hosted by Film Independent. What follows is a fuzzy recounting of my…
September 2009
7 posts
It’s Not Easy Keying Green →
Tips on how to properly key green from an expert.
BTW, I don’t use the software mentioned so I don’t endorse it.
Bruno →
Note: I caught this at a brewpub theater in Portland that also serves cajun tater tots so my review may be skewed by salty deliciousness washed down by malted barley goodness.
This film, while…
Hybrid Distribution Sucks! →
There, I said it.
Why?
Because I got into filmmaking to make films, not to market/distribute/sell films but that’s the new game and you gotta play to win so sign me up.
If you’re confused, here’s…
You Will Read My F**king Script! →
Everyone is buzzing about this Village Voice article. Why? I think it’s because in the age of Reality TV Celebutantes sex tapes we love watching idiots make asses of themselves but let’s…
I Am Amazon →
And for those that are curious, here is my Amazon spec.
Allow me an indulgence as I send a big shout-out to Dan Billet, Karina Bustillos, Curtiss Frisle and Michael…
“No” Means “Try Harder” →
Before I get bombarded by some womyns group, let me assure you that 1) my momma raised a good boy and 2) I’m talking about perseverance in the film industry.
I know it’s frowned upon to share…
My Summer 2009 →
As the summer of 2009 draws to a close, allow me a few minutes to look back at what I did for my summer vacation.
Vacation? Bull! I worked my ass off this summer (and I managed to have some fun,…
August 2009
9 posts
Directing the Scene: That’s a Wrap! →
The shoot was a success. We got a lot of good coverage with plenty for the editor to work with. It’s a 2-minute scene and we shot 80 minutes; if they can’t dig something out of a 40:1 ratio…
Directing the Scene: T-Minus 1 →
If yesterday was about making a list, today is about checking it twice. Today is about charging the batteries, testing the mixer and microphones, going over the plan with my DP (I wish we…
Directing the Scene: T-Minus 2 →
List, list, list. A film’s prep, no matter how long or short, is dominated by lists. Today I made a couple.
First, I made a shot list from my crude storyboards. It breaks down like this: each actor…
Directing the Scene: T-Minus 3 →
Today was all about preliminary visuals.
First, the shooting style. It’s all about long lenses either hand-held or very lose on the tripod. I don’t think we’ll be snapping the zoom ala …
Casting a +10 Social Media Spell →
A few posts ago I mentioned that my weekend vlog shoot was part of a multi-medium project, what’s more popularly referred to as transmedia narrative… ugh, I hate that word. It makes me…
Directing the Scene: T-Minus 4 →
Today was our first (and only) rehearsal before shooting. We got the script into good shape but didn’t fine tune the beats; I find it’s best to save that for when we’re on set, especially…
Indie vs. Independent →
So f**king funny because it’s so damn true.
Thank goodness someone took a jab at JUNO and (500) DAYS OF SUMMER and that pretentious use of parentheses.
Directing the Scene: T-Minus 5 →
I was recently asked to direct a scene for an actor’s reel. I thought I’d take this opportunity to document my process.
Some facts about the gig:
I didn’t write the scene but we can rewrite it as…
Go Vlog Yourself! →
I’m directing a series of vlogs this weekend that serve as part of a larger multi-narrative, multi-medium project. I love the overall idea but when I think of a narrative vlog, the one that comes…