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The Beatles and “Let It Be,” 6 March 1970
Gordon Thompson's monthly music post....
Settling the Scores: 2010 Oscar Music Predictions
Kathryn Kalinak makes her predictions for the 2010 Oscar "Original Score" category, and a chance to submit your guesses....
Friday Procrastination: Link Love
What Rebecca has been reading....
Murder and the Boston Massacre
In honor of the anniversary of the Boston Massacre, Richard Archer defends his belief that the Boston Massacre was in fact a purposeful killing by British soldiers....
Limerick – Podictionary Word of the Day
The podictionary word of the week is "limerick"....
A look back at the late Michael Foot's career in quotations....
Movie Poster Addict
Every once in a while I encounter a poster that creates in my mind a great curiosity as to what exactly people could possibly be thinking when they designed it. This is one of those posters. So I was very glad to see that EW has the answer to that...
So far I have failed to understand exactly why they are remaking The Wolfman. As I understand the original (and its sequels) is to this day remembered for the transformation scenes, which were memorable for the time. Well, we certainly can do a much more incredible transformation scene nowadays, but...
By now any discussion of the adequacy of the Avatar posters as a marketing instrument have been rendered useless. The film is big. It will make lots of money. Whether the posters helped that a little or made the path to the top a little harder is of little importance. A...
Catching Up With 2009 : Iron Man 2
So, to recap, the poster campaign for the first Iron Man was basically a bunch of teasers showing how cool the suit was followed by a couple of final posters in a sort of Star Wars style with a lot of things happening. Despite these differences the sell was clear,...
Posting should resume shortly. Lots of catching up to do. Apparently people don’t just stop making posters when I’m not writing about them. Weird. I’m also starting to work through the e-mail backlog. Slowly. Very slowly. So, if you sent me an e-mail, expect an answer, but don’t hold your breath....
Just a quick note to let you all know that I haven’t abandoned the blog. Unfortunately I have been dealing with some family issues which have kept me from giving the blog any time at all. Hopefully everything will be back to normal soon and I will resume posting early...
WiseKwai's Blogs
Wise Kwai's Bangkok DVD Reviews
A look at the legal DVDs released in Thailand....
Wise Kwai's Bangkok Cinema Scene
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Grazing on movies and pop culture....
Blog supplemental...
News and views on the cinema of Thailand....
Coffee and Celluloid
Film School – Triumphs and Failures [Podcast]
Film School - Episode 3 Daniel, a prospective Film School student and aspiring cinematographer, asks Andrew, Cherie, Carlos and I questions about our FSU Film School experience, thoughts on film school in general, and post film school choices. For more on Film School, be sure to check out FSU Film School Q&As. Remember to subscribe...
How to Figure the True Cost of a Kickstarter Project
Focus of Project The first big question is do I got for all the money I actually need (to film, edit, and send to festivals) or focus the project on one specific event, and take it one step at a time, with future projects for different stages of the production....
Behavior Patterns of Kickstarter Funders
This is a precursor to a post I’m writing on how to figure out the true cost of a Kickstarter Project (using my recently posted project as an experiment). I was curious to see what funding levels got the most response, so I’d know which area to put the most attention...
Who the hell are you? I’m a 25 year old filmmaker. I went to the FSU Film School and graduated with a BFA in film production. I live in Miami and try to keep busy. I work primarily as an editor and TV producer for a show called ArtStreet, which airs...
I want to briefly touch on two fundraising websites/programs because I’ll be writing a lot more about them soon (at least on Kickstarter). Since I just mentioned Kickstarter, I’ll start there. We briefly talked about this in the last podcast, but just in case you missed it, Kickstarter is a site...
Feature Film Editing and Kickstarter [Podcast]
Episode 2 Andrew, Cherie, Carlos and I gathered around the kitchen table over ice cream last week as we discussed the editing process of Cherie’s first movie, No Matter What, and a Kickstarter project I’m about to post. Expect to hear a lot more about both subjects in the future. Remember to...
NPR Topics: Arts & Life
Johnny Weir On Skating Fashion And 'Man Cleavage'
On last weeks' show, we made some jokes about figure skating ... and figure skating outfits. And, boy, did we hear about it. We'd like to make amends, so we've invited U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir to explain the black-and-pink corset number he wore during his Olympics short program....
Actor Tony Shalhoub Plays 'Not My Job'
Tony is probably best known for playing the obsessive compulsive detective on the TV show Monk. So in true "Not My Job" fashion, we're going to ask him three questions about nuns....
Space Tourist Launches Into Book
When Anousheh Ansari was a little girl in Tehran, she used to sleep on her family's balcony and look up at the stars as they twinkled over Mt. Damavand. In 2006, she became the first self-funded woman to fly on the International Space Station. She talks to host...
Red Carpet Awaits The Star In The 'Eco-Dress'
At the Oscars this year, one star will grace the red carpet with an "eco-dress."...
All-Nighter With The Bard Gives Students The 'Shakes'
The clock is ticking at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. At a small Tudor-esque cottage on the campus of the women's college, students are attempting to read all the works of Shakespeare in 24 hours. They're calling the reading marathon "24 Shakes." Host Scott Simon speaks with Ashley Gramolini, president...
China Expected To Leave Itself Out Of Oscars
The film China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province is up for an Oscar in the Best Documentary Short category, but in China, all mention of the documentary has been censored. It's expected that China will omit that category when it airs the Oscars. Scott Simon speaks with...
Hollywood.com - Recent News
"Before we start, I'd just like to announce there is no God." Host EDDIE IZZARD opened the Independent Spirit Awards with a religious joke. ...
"We'd call it Son of Precious; keep the original cast... but Precious and her mother are now touring the hipster burlesque circuit as a mother/daughter go-go act. Precious has another baby, but this time it's a light-skinned boy and she reveals the father is Justin Timberlake. The tyke becomes Lil...
BEN STILLER presented the Best Feature award at Friday night's (05Mar10) Independent Spirit Awards as three scantily-clad "independent porn stars" simulated sex just feet from him onstage at the L.A. Live venue in Los Angeles. ...
"It's really an understatement to call her my better half. She's the greatest woman I've ever met and it's an honour to be your husband." WOODY HARRELSON heaps praise on his wife Laura Louie in his Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles on...
DEMI MOORE will present the Oscars' emotional look back at the stars who passed away in the last year at the Academy Awards on Sunday (07Mar10). The actress starred opposite Patrick Swayze, who died in 2009, in Ghost. ...
Scott's Baywatch audition nightmare
American Pie star Seann William Scott had a taste of the best and worst of Hollywood life upon his arrival in Los Angeles from his native Minnesota - he was mugged and stripped of his shirt and shoes on his way to a Baywatch audition. ...
IGN Movies
Rumor mill? You better be right about this one. Or else... (shakes fist). It's been known for quite some time that G4's Olivia Munn has a role in this May's Iron Man 2. And now, FanboyWEB.com is reporting that it knows who Munn will play: Scarlet Witch. ...
It's time again for IGN Movies to put together our predictions for not just who we think will win the Oscars but also who we think should win. And remember, we'll be updating this feature with the results as the winners are announced on Sunday night, so check back during...
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Red Band Trailer Premiere: Harry Brown
Michael Caine returns to his badass roots in this action thriller. ...
Rewind Theater: Prince of Persia
Go deeper into the new trailer for The Sands of Time, as IGN's Eric Moro and Matt Casamassina dissect the preview. ...
IGN's exclusive video goes behind-the-scenes and talks to creator Mark Millar, director Matthew Vaughn and star Aaron Johnson about the world's newest superhero. ...
Late Mag
"Four Works" is a chair come workstation designed by Danish Studio Four Design. For those that do most of their work or browsing from a laptop this is a nice solution to get you out from behind a restrictive desk. The chair also features plenty of storage, power sockets and an integral...
I remember when it was all the rage to have a phone with interchangeable covers (anyone else have a Nokia 3310?!). All of a sudden you didn’t have to have the bog standard black or silver; you could be an individual and choose a decorative cover that reflected your personality...
Cheung played by Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers, Infernal Affairs, Fulltime Killer), is a man whose cancer is in the advanced stages, with a maximum of 4 weeks to live. Cheung however has a few scores left to settle and does not intend to sit around and pass into...
Berry Weight - Music for Imaginary Movies
Instrumentalists/producers/DJs: Apewok & Stab from Canada and Switzerland respectivly combine to form Berry Weight. They came to prominence after winning a remix competition held by Downtempo heavyweight Wax Tailor. Their remix of his track Positively Inclined was featured on the track's release. With a sound that they describe as "electro-organic-space-jazz"...
Berry Weight Ft. Astrid Engberg - Equations
Video for Berry Weight's "Equations" which features vocalist Astrid Engberg. The track is featured on their album Music for Imaginary Movies which is out now. www.berryweight.com | MySpace | Twitter | SoundCloud You can listen to the full LP here Share | Read More From LateMag tags: downtempo, music video, trip hop ...
Maya Hansen Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week Feb 2010
These images are from Maya Hensen’s collection shown at Cebile’s Madrid Fashion Week. The playful collection caught my eye because of the juxtaposition of the heavy metal/rock influences combined with the elegant gowns and masterful corsetry – her signature item of clothing throughout all her collections. What is particularly special about...
ScreenCrave.com - Passionate about movies
Scott Caan Cast in Hawaii Five-O Remake
Book’em Danno! Once that order is given, Scott Caan will approach the criminal with handcuffs and take him to be processed. According to THR, Caan has landed a role on the new CBS revamp of “Hawaii Five-O” as Danny “Danno” Williams. He’ll be joining “Lost’s” Daniel Dae Kim as Detective...
NBC Renews The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec, Community
It’s just been announced that NBC will renew their current Thursday night line up for another season. From 8-10 PM, they will continue to air “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Community,” and “Parks and Recreation.” “Parks and Rec” was already green lit for a third season less than a month ago,...
No Captain America for Scott Porter or Michael Cassidy
Last week the shortlist of actors in the running for the title role in Marvel’s Captain America was revealed and two of the contenders are already out of the casting race. According to several reports, Scott Porter and Michael Cassidy won’t be starring in The First Avenger: Captain America or...
Robert De Niro Returning For Midnight Run Sequel
Head for the hills, two time Oscar winner Robert De Niro has decided to ruin a film that brought so many of us joy and laughter. According to Deadline Hollywood, the legendary actor will reprise his role as Jack Walsh in Midnight Run 2. The 1988 Martin Brest flick is...
The Office: Season 6 Episode 16 and 17: The Delivery – TV Review
“The Office” goes where no previous episode has gone before…the delivery room (Jan doesn’t count because…well, she just doesn’t) as Pam goes into labor and hilarity ensues. Last night we got a two parter entitled, “The Delivery,” and the big question is did it deliver on the laughs? In some instances...
Box Office Predictions: Will Alice in Wonderland Break a 100 Million?
Normally for our box office predictions, there’s a fight for number one, but with Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton’s highly anticipated Disney masterpiece starring the much loved Johnny Depp, popular up-and-comer Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and more, competing against an un-advertised cop thriller Brooklyn’s Finest, it’s safe...
AlwaysWatching.net - Keeping an eye on the hottest in film and television.
Unraveling the Mysteries of "Lost": How Does the Show End?
The following article is an amalgamation of various ideas put forth by Matt Grippi, Chase Doerr, Garrett Kennedy and myself. It consists of my theory about the events of Lost's final season. If you're not interested in having it potentially spoiled for you, stop reading now. read more...
Beating a Dead Horse: A Visual Comparison of the Racially Confused Casting in "The Last Airbender"
Much ado has been made about the casting of white actors in the upcoming film adaptation of the Nickelodeon TV show, Avatar: The Last Airbender.read more...
Finding the Common Ground: Fun Facts About the 82nd Academy Award Nominees
In a surprise twist, this year's Academy Award nominations are less terrible than usual. In lieu of an article explaining why that is though (read: I don't care enough to write one), here are some random observations and bits of trivia that have no useful bearing on anything that matters. Best...
What makes a good trailer? I suspect most people would submit the obvious; it should make you want to see the movie. As far as I'm concerned, that's only one-third of the equation. Yes, it should (1) make you want to see the movie, but it should do so (2)...
16 Short Films Turned Feature Films (And the Filmmakers Who Made it Happen)
Full Disclosure: This is a sponsored feature for the movie "9", which hits DVD and Blu-ray on Dec 29. The author was granted complete creative control over the topic and content, so long as it related to said movie. To avoid any potential conflict of interest, no opinions in regards...
Unraveling the Mysteries of "Lost": What Happens After the Bomb Goes Off?
read more...
Best Movies by Farr
It's exceedingly strange how a person like me, who literally lives for movies, can recoil at the most visible, storied event intended to celebrate the very best of them. I have to ask myself: if I were caught up in......
Where Is Lee Marvin When We Really Need Him?
Lee Marvin, tough character actor turned unlikely (and equally tough) movie star, would have turned eighty-six a couple of weeks back, but of course that event will go largely unnoticed. We lost him over twenty years ago to a heart......
Jeff Bridges and the Grizzling of the All-American Boy
Watching the grizzled Jeff Bridges in the immensely satisfying "Crazy Heart" (2009), a film shot in just twenty-four days, you witness a seasoned actor come into a role he was born to play, a role he inhabits as naturally as......
Why "Avatar" Should Not Win Best Picture
It seems like more of the same -or worse- at the Academy Awards this season. With Oscars coverage continuing its five year-plus struggle with uneven formats, rotating guest-hosts, and sheer over-length, what does the Academy decide to do? Add, not......
When the French Spiced Up Film: Rohmer, Truffaut, Godard and Cahiers Du Cinema
I happened to meet recently with a film student from Paris who wondered why so few Americans attended a certain French film festival held recently in New York City. My somewhat involved response came with some brief historical perspective, which......
A Sampling of Top Winter Sports Movies
In my recent research on sports movies, I've been keeping a rough mental tally of which athletic endeavors adapt most readily and successfully to feature films. Topping the list is boxing, no big surprise since the sport embodies the inherent......
Tim Ryan's Reel Hawaii
“DANNO” BOOKED WITH ACTOR SCOTT CAAN
Book ‘em Scotty! With just a few days before filming of the Hawaii-Five-O pilot begins Monday on Oahu, the final member of the team has been hired… The crucial role of Danny “Danno” Williams will be taken on by actor Scott Caan (above and below), son of actor James Caan. This...
SANDLER’S PRETEND WIFE NOW CALLED JUST GO WITH IT
NICOLE KIDMAN IN CAMEO? As previously noted in Reel News, Columbia Pictures has cast Nicole Kidman, model Brooklyn Decker and Dave Matthews in supporting roles for the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy now called Just Go With It, previously known as Pretend Wife… According to sources, Kidman who plays Rea Ann Devlin will take an...
DESCENDANTS SET TO FILM MARCH 15 ON OAHU
U’s BATTLESHIP HAWAII FILMED POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER? CBS NIXES ANY MEDIA COVERAGE OF HAWAII FIVE-0 PILOT! The much anticipated feature film Descendants starring George Clooney and Academy Award winning director Alexander Payne (above) begins some seven weeks of filming on Oahu March 15…The film from a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings and...
HAWAII FIVE-0 CASTING WINDING DOWN; GRACE PARK NEWEST ADDITION
BUT WHO WILL PORTRAY THE ICONIC DANNO? James MacArthur will not make even a cameo in the pilot. The actor tells Reel Hawaii “I have nothing to do with the new show. I hope it is a big hit for all concerned. The state could sure use it”… Battlestar Galactica’s Grace Park...
ADAM SANDLER’S PRETEND WIFE TO FILM ON MAUI 5 WEEKS; 4 ON KAUAI
JUST IN! ABC’s Modern Family comedy series will film an episode on Maui March 6-13 bringing with it a Los Angeles crew of about 55-60 with the rest being Hawaii-based hires. The hotel where the hotel will be based also will be used in the program…Modern Family has an ensemble...
/Film
30th Annual Razzie Award Winners Announced
The Golden Raspberry Award Foundation have announced the "dis-hours" for the year in film that was 2009. Michael Bay and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the big "winner", taking home three awards: Worst Screenplay (Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci must be proud), Worst Director and the not so coveted...
Weekend Weirdness Review: John Carpenter’s Elvis Starring Kurt Russell
Weekend Weirdness' favorite J.C. directed a nearly three hour epic about The King starring his main man Snake Plissken, and yet the project felt like it was on the verge of being forgotten by younger generations. How could this occur when the movie in question, John Carpenter's Elvis, is arguably a...
Sin Nombre Director Cary Fukunaga Describes His Musical
We might be closing in on the musical for people who don't like musicals (which will do until we find an outright cure for their curious condition). Over the last couple of years, Sin Nombre director Cary Funkunaga has been working on "a musical or an opera of some kind" with...
Knight and Day Release Moves Up One Week
The new Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz action comedy Knight and Day was originally scheduled to be released on Friday, July 2, 2010, putting it up as counterprogramming against The Last Airbender and to some degree, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (which drops the following Wednesday). Variety now has word that the film...
Precious Sweeps the 25th Independent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards might not be as popular as other awards ceremonies such as the Golden Globes and the Oscars, but I'm a huge fan of nonetheless. One of the key elements of eligibility for the Spirit Awards is that nominated films don't have to have played in a...
Rian Johnson Directed an Upcoming Episode of Breaking Bad: Season 3
One of my most anticipated television events of the year is the arrival of Breaking Bad: Season 3. The AMC original series, created by Vince Gilligan, has gone from strength to strength and cemented itself as one of the best shows on television (and, I would argue, one of the...
ComingSoon.net - 30 most recent stories
Alice in Wonderland Scores Record Opening for Burton
Yesterday, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney Pictures) set a new benchmark for the director by grossing an estimated $41 million in a single day (including Thursday night midnights) in conventional, Digital 3D and IMAX 3D theaters. It might just miss the Top 10 for opening days,...
NBC Picks Up Its Thursday-Night Comedies
NBC announced Friday that it has picked up its Thursday-night comedies "30 Rock," "The Office" and "Community" for the 2010-11 season. The renewals follow the previously-announced green light for "Parks and Recreation" on Thursdays. The full announcement: NBC has renewed three more of its Thursday-night comedies - "30 Rock"...
20th Century Fox to Make Multiple Kids Big
20th Century Fox has bought a pitch from writers Adam Cole-Kelly & Sam Pittman titled Premature Maturation that puts an ensemble spin on the concept behind the hit 1988 Tom Hanks comedy. Risky Business reports that the project will likely get a new title. It follows a...
De Niro Reprising Walsh in Midnight Run 2
Universal Pictures is developing a sequel to Midnight Run , the 1988 action-comedy that starred Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Here's synopsis for the original: Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) is a tough ex-cop turned bounty hunter. Jonathan 'The Duke' Mardukas (Charles Grodin) is a sensitive accountant...
Fringe Renewed for Third Season
Entertainment Weekly reports that Fox has renewed "Fringe" for a third season. J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are behind the show, which stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown and Jasika Nicole. "Fringe" has been averaging 7.6 million viewers in its tough Thursday slot and...
Precious Sweeps the Spirit Awards
The 25th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were held last night in Los Angeles at the LA Live theater, and Lee Daniel's Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire was the big winner with five awards. It won for Best Feature, Daniels took home Best...
Variety.com
Disney yanks WABC off Cablevision
TV News: Action comes less than 24 hours before Oscars -- ABC went dark Saturday night on New York-area Cablevision systems. ...
'Alice' tops box office with $41 million
Film News: Disney pic on track to record breaking weekend -- Disney scored big on Friday with their debut of Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," taking in an estimated $41 million on 3,728 screens. ...
A 'Precious' night at Indie Spirit Awards
Front Page: Pic wins five kudos including best feature prize -- "Precious" dominated the Independent Spirit Awards, copping five trophies including best feature, director, actress, supporting actress and first screenplay. ...
'Knight & Day' moves up a week
Front Page: Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz starrer will hit theaters on June 25 -- Twentieth Century Fox is moving up the release of Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz starrer "Knight & Day." ...
Entertainment Industry & the Economy: Massive MGM Mirage complex aims to revitalize Las Vegas -- Talk about rolling the dice. In December, MGM Mirage opened CityCenter in Las Vegas, a massive 18 million-square-foot complex built on the Strip with an eye-popping pricetag of $8.5 billion. ...
Shows work hard to draw audiences
Las Vegas Destination Guide: Cirque du Soleil remains dominant force as Las Vegas entertainment -- Live entertainment has often been a stabilizing force in the fluctuating Las Vegas economy, adapting quickly to radical changes in the market and rolling out splashy and popular new acts, conveying confidence that a rebound...
Movie Crunch
Matt Damon David Letterman Late Show March 5 Interview (Video)
Matt Damon sits down with David Letterman in this March 5 Late Show interview video clip. Damon, as always, seems like the super nicest guy. Ever....
Toy Story 3 Movie Poster (Pic)
Awww, check out the Toy Story 3 movie poster – the gang’s all there (plus some new toys!)! Toy Story 3 opens in theaters and IMAX 3D on June 18....
The Smurfs Movie: Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Neil Patrick Harris, Alan Cumming on Board
An update on casting for The Smurfs movie… Jonathan Winters will voice Papa Smurf, with George Lopez, Katy Perry and Alan Cumming joining the cast as well as Neil Patrick Harris. Neil Patrick Harris will be a live-action character, with the others providing voices for the animated Smurfs. Smurfy!...
Johnny Depp Movie Clip Mashup (Video)
Watch this fun Johnny Depp movie clip mashup video from Moviefone.com – the many accents and ramblings that add to his roles while seemingly communicating so little....
Dakota Fanning, Kristen Stewart Sing “Cherry Bomb,” The Runaways (Video)
Listen to Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart sing “Cherry Bomb” from The Runaways in this video clip. Whatcha think?...
Gilligan’s Island Movie in the Works?
Whoa, little buddy – is it true that a Gilligan’s Island movie is in the works? It appears so, as Variety reports that Warners and Atlas Entertainment have begun development on a Gilligan’s Island flick, although no word on casting or release date just yet. The Gilligan’s Island TV series ran...
HOLLYWOOD ACTOR PREP by Dana Kaminski
Fake Oscar® Art Installation On Runyon Canyon
Worse, it's a skeleton. With a quote inscribed: "Beauty Is A Snip Away". On Runyon Canyon. Apparently it's an art installation from an English artist, commenting on the Oscars. [photo] Guerrilla Girls billboard, too. [photo] [[...Just a partial post. If interested in seeing the entire post, & media...CLICK on the TITLE.]] ...
Depp, Burton, Cast, Trailer :: Acting + ‘Alice’
Whole lotta Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, 'Alice' videos goin' on...With a 1993 interview at the end... [[...Just a partial post. If interested in seeing the entire post, & media...CLICK on the TITLE.]] ...
Johnny Depp Plays Guitar, With A Great Band, For Haiti
Johnny Depp, as part of a Blues Band with Shane McGowan and others, played electric guitar. Here's the music video to raise money for Haiti...'I Put A Spell On You' . [[...Just a partial post. If interested in seeing the entire post, & media...CLICK on the TITLE.]] ...
Fitness Trainers With An Actor Specialty
One of the things that they have developed is a way to get actors ready for award show season. They have specific exercises for posture, and teach how to stand when on the red carpet. I went and filmed them talking about it. [[...Just a partial post. If interested in seeing...
Actress Anna Kendrick :: Up In The Air’s Natalie
Anna Kendricks describes her acting career breaks, and how she works as an actress, also: --Surviving the difficulties of an acting profession --Having had this Oscar-Nominated role written for her, and Twilight! --The ol' stage vs film question --Staying candid and authentic while doing all that... [[...Just a partial post. If interested in seeing the...
Illiterary Fiction
Film and TV Grammar is Like Body Language
Movies are made up of individual shots stitched together to convey something. In stories they convey what happens and in what order. In film things do not just happen, there is also the way these things are seen. The camera can be put in any number of positions and pointed...
Filmmaker Local Acting Resources You Overlook
Filmmakers not situated in major filmmaking areas are at a disadvantage in certain ways. Camera and lighting rental places will not be as plentiful, skilled crew members will be hard to come by, and screen actors fill not be waiting tables at every restaurant. There are realities of regional filmmaking...
Why Filmmakers Use Makeup on Actors
Many beginning filmmakers overlook makeup and get by for a long time without it. Thought makeup is not a requisite for fine filmmaking, it is a tool you should be familiar with. In real life we are used to makeup being use for one purpose and mostly by women: to...
Low Budget Film Sound Recorders
Films can be ruined with unintentionally poor sound. If dialogue is unintelligible, so will the film be. We all know recording good sound is important, but the confluence of lack of experience and the variety of devices compounds the situation. Often we hear about expensive, difficult to obtain machinery that...
Why Movie Directors Avoid Overcast Filmmaking
Image by Jobe Cinematography can be a confusing subject for a non-technical director. There are f-stops, shutter speeds, ISO ratings, and foot candles involved, so it can get overwhelming. Often a director has a trusted cinematographer that handles this part of the filmmaking for them. This person knows the gear...
Image by absoblogginlutely Every movie director will have a specialty. Some directors pay more attention to the performances, some to production design, some put all the emphasis on the camera work. No matter what the differences may be amongst film directors, the one thing that will ultimately lead to their...
scanners
And the Muriel™ for the Oscar™ for Best Picture goes to...
In case you didn't know, the top five Muriel Awards for Best Picture of 2009 are: 1) Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" 2) Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" 3) Wes Anderson's "Fantastic Mr. Fox" 4) Joel & Ethan Coen's "A......
How Bigelow delivers more bang for your buck
I'm not particularly fond of the snatch-and-grab, shaky-cam style Kathryn Bigelow employs in "The Hurt Locker" -- or those fusillades of twitchy, punch-in and recoil zooms, either -- but I got past it pretty quickly. Unlike many other films......
Young Haven Hamilton: A Poem by Henry Gibson
Here's the late, beloved Henry Gibson on my favorite sitcom, "The Dick Van Dyke Show," in 1966. (When I grow up, I still want to be Rob Petrie.) On "Laugh-In" (1968-1971), he was known for his recitations, which began......
Oh dear, who's killed film criticism this week?
"Movie criticism of the elevated sort, as practiced over the past half-century by James Agee and Manny Farber, Andrew Sarris and Pauline Kael, J. Hoberman and Dave Kehr... is an endangered species..." -- Richard Corliss, Film Comment, 1990 Good......
Artifice and truth: From Mean Streets to Shutter Island
No modern director is more in love with the artifice of filmmaking than Martin Scorsese, or more overt in his expression of it. From the "drunk-cam" in "Mean Streets" (1973) to the self-consciously stylized performances in films like "Raging......
The Rube Goldberg contraption in this OK Go video for "This Too Shall Pass" is one of the best visual metaphors I've seen for the way a well-put-together movie works. If something misfires or doesn't go right, the cumulative......