"But having a really good understanding of history, literature, psychology, sciences - is very, very important to actually being able to make movies. "
George Lucas
George Lucas
Friday, July 13, 2012
Film Crew Slang
Reality shows are usually placed in one of 2 categories:
Low Concept- Shows that are straight up without a twist. Think "American Pickers".
High Concept- Shows that have a twist, a hybrid element that has never been done before. Imagine taking the "Bachelorette" Tools and putting them in a gladiator ring to fight it out "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" style. " Hmmm...I like it. "2 men enter, 1 man leaves...with a rose."
The term "High Concept" does not indicate superiority or more intellectual content. In fact, high concept are often the really dumb ones. (That I watch anyhow!)
Low Concept- Shows that are straight up without a twist. Think "American Pickers".
High Concept- Shows that have a twist, a hybrid element that has never been done before. Imagine taking the "Bachelorette" Tools and putting them in a gladiator ring to fight it out "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" style. " Hmmm...I like it. "2 men enter, 1 man leaves...with a rose."
The term "High Concept" does not indicate superiority or more intellectual content. In fact, high concept are often the really dumb ones. (That I watch anyhow!)
This video from artist McLean Fahnestock is really impressive. In honor of the end of the Space Shuttle program he created a piece that shows all 135 launches at once. It's ending is poignant.
Courtesy of Jalopnik.com
http://jalopnik.com/5924110/watch-all-135-space-shuttle-launches-at-once
Courtesy of Jalopnik.com
http://jalopnik.com/5924110/watch-all-135-space-shuttle-launches-at-once
Monday, July 2, 2012
Hays Code Breaker
In 1931, a set of standardized guidelines of what was and
was not considered acceptable in movies was introduced---this was commonly
known as the Hays Code. There were no penalties for disobeying it, thus it was
mostly ignored. Soon, however, religious groups pressured producers to conform
their films to the Hays Code. In 1934, the
Production Code Administration Office was established. Every script now had to
be approved by the Hays office before it could be produced. From then on, producers
took the Production Code seriously. The code lasted until 1968 when it was
replaced by the MPAA rating system.
1. Law defeated
2. Inside of thigh exposed
3. Lace lingerie showing
4. Dead Man
5. Narcotics
6. Drinking
7. Exposed bosom
8. Gambling
9. Pointing a gun
10. Tommy Gun
Attributed: http://coilhouse.net/2010/02/one-vintage-photo-that-broke-ten-mpaa-rules/
Quotes
"If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats
always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat
and drop it?"
Steven Wright
Film Crew Slang
Advance Schedule: Next week's or the next couple of weeks (or even next month's) planned work is on a film's advance schedule. It's a list that each department (camera, lighting, sound etc.) can look at in order to plan ahead, usually for big ticket rentals like cranes, helicopters, cars and extras.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Pick of the Week
The King of Comedy (1985)- Rupert Pupkin (Robert Deniro) wants to be a famous comedian/talk show host. He believes that he will be a hit if he can just get an appearance on Jerry Langford's (Jerry Lewis) popular late night talk show. Unsuccessful in his attempts, he enlists the help of Langford obsessed friend Masha to stalk and kidnap the famous T.V. show host in order to perform his act in a "private audition". Martin Scorcese directed this strange tale of obsession, desperation and psychosis. Deniro is brilliant as a man who cannot distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. He wants to BE Jerry. Nothing will get in his way. Comedian Jerry Lewis shines as the powerful Hollywood television host.
Radio Talk
"Go to 2"- On a film set, channel 1 on your Walkie-Talkie is exclusively for the production orders.
If you need to have a side conversation, the etiquette is to tell the person that you want to talk with to "go to 2". It means change to channel 2 for a conversation. You could also send them to any other unused channel but channel 2 is often reserved just for this circumstance. When the conversation is over, the person who said go to 2 must remind the other person to switch back to the production channel by saying "Back to 1".
If you need to have a side conversation, the etiquette is to tell the person that you want to talk with to "go to 2". It means change to channel 2 for a conversation. You could also send them to any other unused channel but channel 2 is often reserved just for this circumstance. When the conversation is over, the person who said go to 2 must remind the other person to switch back to the production channel by saying "Back to 1".
Dialogue Greatness
Mr. Madison what you've just said is one of
the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your
rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could
be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber
for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy
on your soul.
Billy Madison (1995) Starring Adam Sandler
Billy Madison (1995) Starring Adam Sandler
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Film Crew Slang
Stand-by Scenic: A member of the Art Department on a film, whose main job is to be ready at all times to touch up the set with paint, wax, varnish and all sorts of materials. They may also be referred to as a Scenic Artist.
Update-Canon C500 4K presentation here in Orlando.
More on :
Save this date - June 27th, 2012 for Canon C500 4K presentation here in Orlando. My friends from Canon will be bringing the 4K films shot on the C500 to show - Location to be announced later - thinking Winter Park. Possibly a special guest, and maybe some hands on time with the camera!
TUESDAY June 26, 2012 7:00PM (1900 hrs) at the Regal Cinemas in Winter Park, FL
510 North Orlando Avenue, Winter Park, FL - (407) 628-0035 - Map
Save this date - June 27th, 2012 for Canon C500 4K presentation here in Orlando. My friends from Canon will be bringing the 4K films shot on the C500 to show - Location to be announced later - thinking Winter Park. Possibly a special guest, and maybe some hands on time with the camera!
TUESDAY June 26, 2012 7:00PM (1900 hrs) at the Regal Cinemas in Winter Park, FL
510 North Orlando Avenue, Winter Park, FL - (407) 628-0035 - Map
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Quotes
"A Hard Day's Night" (1964)- John Lennon being interviewed by a reporter after The Beatles U.S. first concert tour:
Reporter: Tell me, how did you find America?
John Lennon: Turned left at Greenland.
Reporter: Tell me, how did you find America?
John Lennon: Turned left at Greenland.
Film Crew Slang
Clean Entrance- Actors walk into the camera's view from outside the frame in the beginning of a shot.
Clean Exit- Actors walk out of the camera frame at the end of a shot.
Clean Entrance/Exit provide editing options in the editing room. They also can re-enforce screen direction to the audience and make it more "real". Many new filmmakers ignore this simple tip and end up locking themselves into a limited series of cuts in the edit. This limited cut can confuse/disorient the audience or simply be regarded as poor filmmaking technique.
Clean Exit- Actors walk out of the camera frame at the end of a shot.
Clean Entrance/Exit provide editing options in the editing room. They also can re-enforce screen direction to the audience and make it more "real". Many new filmmakers ignore this simple tip and end up locking themselves into a limited series of cuts in the edit. This limited cut can confuse/disorient the audience or simply be regarded as poor filmmaking technique.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Dialogue Greatness
Monty Python & the Holy Grail (1975)- Directed by Terry Gilliam
King Arthur (Graham Chapman) is on his quest for the grail when he comes upon peasants. (Michael Palin as Dennis & Terry Jones speaking in a high pitched voice as a woman.)
King Arthur (Graham Chapman) is on his quest for the grail when he comes upon peasants. (Michael Palin as Dennis & Terry Jones speaking in a high pitched voice as a woman.)
Woman: Oh. How do you do?
King Arthur: How do you do, good lady? I am Arthur, King of the Britons. Whose
castle is that?
Woman: King of the who?
King Arthur: King of the Britons.
Woman: Who are the Britons?
King Arthur: Well, we all are. We are all Britons. And I am your king.
Woman: I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.
Dennis: You'rw foolin' yourself! We're living in a dictatorship. A
self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working class...
Woman: Oh, there you go bringing class into it again.
Dennis: Well, that's what it's all about! If only people would...
King Arthur: Please, please, good people, I am in haste. Who lives in that
castle?
Woman: No one lives there.
Woman: No one lives there.
King Arthur: Then who is your lord?
Woman: We don't have a lord.
Dennis: I told you, we're an anarco-sydicalist commune. We take it in turns to
be a sort of executive officer for the week...
King Arthur: Yes...
Dennis: ...but all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a
special bi-weekly meeting...
King Arthur: Yes I see...
Dennis: ...by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs...
King Arthur: Be quiet!
Dennis: ...but by a two thirds majority in the case of...
King Arthur: Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
Woman: Order, eh? Who does he think he is?
And the Angels Sang...
Canon C500 Cinema Camera 4K Screening- Director of Photography and Full Sail Instructor James Neihouse just announced the below:
I will pass along updates as I get them. Rumor has it that the location is at the Regal Cinema in Winter Park Village. The C500 is a 4k (4096 x 2060 pixel) camera in both PL and EF mounts. The beauty is it's cost at approximately $30,000. This digital cinema camera may truly put feature filmmaking into our hands at a staggeringly low cost compared to other 4k capable cameras. I suggest that you stay tuned and keep June 27 in mind.
Save this date - June 27th, 2012 for Canon C500 4K presentation here in
Orlando. My friends from Canon will be bringing the 4K films shot on the
C500 to show - Location to be announced later - thinking Winter Park.
Possibly a special guest, and maybe some hands on time with the camera!
Mark your calendars now! Stay tuned for updates.
I will pass along updates as I get them. Rumor has it that the location is at the Regal Cinema in Winter Park Village. The C500 is a 4k (4096 x 2060 pixel) camera in both PL and EF mounts. The beauty is it's cost at approximately $30,000. This digital cinema camera may truly put feature filmmaking into our hands at a staggeringly low cost compared to other 4k capable cameras. I suggest that you stay tuned and keep June 27 in mind.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Cross Country Student Filmmaker
A young man from Kodiak Alaska has just started out on a 6000 mile bike trek to Key West, Florida. John is an interesting person. He is also quite motivated. I don't personally know John, but I was a judge for the 2012 Creative Minds Scholarship in which he was a winner. His essay and application materials were quite good, but what struck me is the short film he sent in. Yes, it is creative and entertaining but that's not what struck me. There are many creative and entertaining students that I know.The effort, planning and time it took to produce his film is what shows throughout the piece. As a filmmaker, I appreciate the persistence it takes to work out the many logistics and less "glamorous" details and refinements to truly create a fine production. I believe that John will not only complete his trek but come away with life lessons to be envied and great material for his documentary. Mind you, this guy hasn't even started film school yet! He just recently graduated high school. So check out his blog and support him in any way you can. http://johnsamericabiketour.blogspot.com/
Filmmakers are a community.
Filmmakers are a community.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Pick of the Week
Raising Arizona (1987) is an early Coen Brothers film and the first to really show off their gift for comedy. Ex-con "Hi" (Nicolas Cage) and ex-cop "Edwina" (Holly Hunter) are desperate for a child of their own. Unable to conceive, they decide that a local wealthy couple with quintuplets can afford to give up a child. Hi and Ed abduct the baby. In doing so, they get much more from life than they bargained for. Look for great performances by an ensemble cast including Dan Goodman, William Forsyth, Francis McDormand and former heavy weight boxer Tex Cobb. Any fan of "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou" will surely see the roots in this weird and wonderful predecessor.
Best Scene: The bank robbery.
Best Scene: The bank robbery.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Dialogue Greatness
Caddyshack (1980) Carl (Bill Murray) talking about having been a caddy for the Dalai Lama:
"So we finish 18 and he's gonna stiff me. And I
say, 'Hey, Lama! Hey! How about a little something, you know, for the
effort, you know.' And he says, 'Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but
when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total
consciousness.' So I got that going for me, which is nice."Film Crew Slang
"Kill the Houselights"- When lighting a set, one of the first things to do is to "Kill the Houselights". Turn off any overhead lights, regular lamps etc. Then the electric dept. (lighting crew) can light without any stray light contaminating the set.
Electrics, Electricians, Electric Department- Film speak for the Lighting crew on a film. The head Electric is the Gaffer. His foreman is know as the Best Boy Electric. Their crew are Electrics. They are also called "Juicers".
Grips- Grips are the brothers and sisters of the Electrics. While Electrics handle lighting gear and power, Grips handle a variety of rigging jobs. It includes shading lights with a variety of grip gear; operating camera dollies & cranes; rigging cameras to just about anything (cars, trains, roller coasters, trees etc.); and building or rigging anything that we need to complete the shots. They are part mad scientist, part construction worker. If you remember the 1980's show "Mac Guyver" you may consider Grips to be the real life Mac Guyver. The head of the Grip department is the Key Grip. The foreman is the Best Boy Grip. The others are Grips. They are also referred to as Hammers.
A lot of people incorrectly refer to both crews as Grips. Or incorrectly refer to all of the electrics as "Gaffers". Learn the roles, it will help you to better understand the process of filmmaking.
Professional Union crews traditionally have clearly defined differences as Grips and Electrics. It gets a bit muddled on non-union and low-budget gigs because they may not be able to afford the classic distinction.
Both Electric and Grip Department are under the supervision of the D.P. (Director of Photography or Cinematographer). In the United Kingdom the D.P. is referred to as the Lighting Cameraman. Same job, different title.
As a filmmaker, you will run into situations where there are several versions of film slang for the same thing. Be open minded on set and ASK! If you tell someone, "I was taught that this is a widget not a gidget, you're wrong!", you might just get kicked in the teeth. You also reveal ignorance instead of desire to understand.
Electrics, Electricians, Electric Department- Film speak for the Lighting crew on a film. The head Electric is the Gaffer. His foreman is know as the Best Boy Electric. Their crew are Electrics. They are also called "Juicers".
Grips- Grips are the brothers and sisters of the Electrics. While Electrics handle lighting gear and power, Grips handle a variety of rigging jobs. It includes shading lights with a variety of grip gear; operating camera dollies & cranes; rigging cameras to just about anything (cars, trains, roller coasters, trees etc.); and building or rigging anything that we need to complete the shots. They are part mad scientist, part construction worker. If you remember the 1980's show "Mac Guyver" you may consider Grips to be the real life Mac Guyver. The head of the Grip department is the Key Grip. The foreman is the Best Boy Grip. The others are Grips. They are also referred to as Hammers.
A lot of people incorrectly refer to both crews as Grips. Or incorrectly refer to all of the electrics as "Gaffers". Learn the roles, it will help you to better understand the process of filmmaking.
Professional Union crews traditionally have clearly defined differences as Grips and Electrics. It gets a bit muddled on non-union and low-budget gigs because they may not be able to afford the classic distinction.
Both Electric and Grip Department are under the supervision of the D.P. (Director of Photography or Cinematographer). In the United Kingdom the D.P. is referred to as the Lighting Cameraman. Same job, different title.
As a filmmaker, you will run into situations where there are several versions of film slang for the same thing. Be open minded on set and ASK! If you tell someone, "I was taught that this is a widget not a gidget, you're wrong!", you might just get kicked in the teeth. You also reveal ignorance instead of desire to understand.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Misconceptions in Film
Product Placement is a way in which companies buy advertising
space in a film for their client's products. It also is a way for a producer to fund
some film production costs. Obvious examples include: Reese's Pieces in Spielberg's "E.T. The Extraterrestrial"; Popeye's Chicken in Adam Sandler's "Little Nicky"; and the all time king of shameless product placement ...Michael Bay hawking General Motors products and several others in "Transformers".
The Misconception: Students often think that if they place a product very prominently in their film that it may entice product placement payments. Wrong. It could actually get you in legal trouble. A deal has to be struck with the advertiser prior to using it in your film. They protect the image and associations of their products very carefully. What if parts of the film are offensive to the client or the client's perception of their demographic of customers? You have to solicit them and cut a deal contractually. Also, film festivals may have strict rules about copyright.
The Misconception: Students often think that if they place a product very prominently in their film that it may entice product placement payments. Wrong. It could actually get you in legal trouble. A deal has to be struck with the advertiser prior to using it in your film. They protect the image and associations of their products very carefully. What if parts of the film are offensive to the client or the client's perception of their demographic of customers? You have to solicit them and cut a deal contractually. Also, film festivals may have strict rules about copyright.
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