Backyard FX

Erik's Production Vidblog - 10/13/08

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:55:40 EDT

Erik's Production Vidblog 10/4/08 from Indy Mogul on Vimeo.

Erik's Production Vidblog - 10/4/08

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:41:38 EDT

Erik's Production Vidblog 10/4/08 from Indy Mogul on Vimeo.

Find out what the next BFX project is!

Erik's Production Vidblog - 9/26/08

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:32:14 EDT

Erik's Production Vidblog 9-26-08 from Indy Mogul on Vimeo.

Another little teaser video getting you excited about what is coming up for Indy Mogul!

I like these Vidblogs. I might have to do them more regular like. What do you think?

Build Plans: How to plan a fight scene

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:19:07 EDT

How to plan a fight scene

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the technical blog for Episode #17 (Kung Fu). I had the honor of working with Justin and John from Westhavenbrook on this one. This will be a very short technically blog considering we didn't actually build anything. I will try my best to write down and organize the wisdom John and Justin bestowed on me. Send in your butt kicking videos and remember you can submit your project ideas here!

Shopping List (what you'll need)

Some friends.
(Preferably in good shape and able to flips.)
Prop weapons (optional).
(Believe it or not the night sticks in our test film were real, DO NOT try that at home.)
A safe place to "fight".
(Backyards are great, but big open fields are even better.)
Plenty of water.
(Don't mess around with this, if you're outside shooting a fight scene BRING WATER!)
Loose or stretch clothing.
(Doing high kicks in tight jeans can be a real pain...literally.)

The plan

The difference between having a successful fight scene instead of 5 minutes of unwatchable crap is a PLAN. Know where your fights is going to start and where it is going to end. Plan out the moves and storyboard if you can. At the very least have a shot list.

Example: "Erik is running at John, who looks bored and unimpressed. Erik throws a right cross at John who dodges it and punches Erik in the ribs with his left hand. Erik doubles over in pain, then spins around and tries to backhand John in the face, but John blocks it."

Obviously, you can simplify this even more. As long as you have some kind of road map to where the fight is going.

The structure

So you're sitting down to plan you fight scene, but need some pointers on what type of moves you should use and in what order. Well, John explained to me that the fight should progress like a story. Be very observant of pacing. Have a beginning, middle and end. Save your coolest moves for the end.

The shoot

Now that you have a plan, some friends and water, it's time to shoot. Shoot it in chronological order and from lots of different angles. We seriously only had a few moves per camera angle. This will assure your finished product is not boring to watch, and require you to only memorize a few moves at a time. Actions scenes are all about movement of combatants and movement of camera. Justin had a great saying, "Have the camera be a third person in the fight". While your actors are practicing the moves have your camera person moving all around, trying different angles and movements. In a way the camera person needs to have there own choreography.

The timing

Out of all the things I learned from John and Justin, I found the counting method the most interesting. So your fight is already broken down to 2-5 moves per camera angle. Assign a number to each move. The director/camera person calls the numbers out and the actors perform each move at that specific beat. This helps the camera person time his movements to the fighters and helps remind the fighters of their moves.

Editing and sound FX

Since you already have this whole scene mapped out on paper or storyboards editing it should be easy right? Maybe not, but just remember that a successful fight scene is just like a successful "anything" scene. It has to have good pacing and substance. The last thing you're going to add in post production is your sound fx. Sound is always important, but IMMENSELY important in a fight scene. Soundtrack Pro and most other sound editors will have a decent library of punching and fights fx's. You can find some free sound fx at The Freesound Project and SpinXpress. Or you can just make your own. Try smacking different things together in front of you camcorders microphone. Maybe that perfect punching sound fx is nothing more then you smacking a cold steak with big wooden spoon. EXPERIMENT!

Conclusion

Just have fun and be careful. The guys from Westhavenbrook are totally self taught. You and your friends don't have to be black belts to make a cool fight scene.

Check out this build in action, from Episode 17 of Backyard FX

Writing descriptions that work for actors and money...

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:24:52 EDT

One of the keys to writing a screenplay that you can sell to your money folks and actors is having good descriptions of people and places. Sounds obvious - I know. All screenplays have some text that describes the main characters and important locations. The more scripts that I work on, the more I have come to realize that a good writer must dance a fine line between brevity and (in some cases) poetry. Most times you will only have two lines to "sell" your main character and opening locations. Time and time again I see people describing sunsets, intricate clothing and in general stuff that has no place in screenplays. Everybody knows what a ‘beautiful sunrise’ looks like. It takes ONLY two words to describe it. Any more than those two words is a waste and ultimately will add needless bulk to your story.

One of my favorite commercial screenwriters is Brian Helgeland - mostly because of his adaptations L.A. Confidential , Mystic River and Man On Fire. Regardless of whether or not you like these movies - there is always a lot to learn from working writers like Helgeland. In many respects he is the master of the lean and mean description. His prose is sparse and evocative. He writes locations with an incisive brevity, but his character descriptions are perhaps his most skillful display of the craft…

Here is how Helgeland describes CREASY - the mercenary/bodyguard in Man On Fire (played by Denzel Washington)…

"As a 747 is towed by in the background, a MAN strides at us. CREASY. Even in movement, he has a stillness, an air of isolation. He’s set apart from other living things.

He wears dark sunglasses, carries a well-worn leather bag. Inscrutable. Disconnected. A bit frightening. The discipline of a soldier. The independence of a gunslinger."

In my opinion - the four lines above are a paradoxically perfect character description. We learn how Creasy moves, how he looks and most importantly the kind of man he is. Note the use of incomplete sentences and single words to punctuate the description and give it bite. Simple, evocative prose that is lean and mean - at the same time almost poetic.

Similarly in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, Bob (played by Bill Murray) is merely described as…

"BOB (late-forties), tired and depressed, leans against a little doily, staring out of the window."

Again, lean and mean with focus on an emotional state. No frills here and that’s what you want. No frills descriptions.

Charlie Kaufman writes longer and slightly more involved descriptions, but they still fit that lean and mean pattern. His prose is transparent, yet broad. From BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, I particularly like the description of Maxine (played by Katherine Keener)...

"...his eyes rest momentarily on Maxine. She is in her late 20's with close cropped balck hair. Her eyes are opaque, her face expressionless, her countenance trance-like."

Writing good descriptions distills the essence of character, time and place with the utmost simplicity...

Right now I am reading and re-reading Being John Malkovich to retain my own sense of brevity and the absurd.

Ghostlight Digital

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:00:00 EDT

When my eyes met Ghostlight, I knew that I had new friends. With talents ranging from direction, cinematography, editing, graphics/fx and DVD authoring, these two brothers are sure to inspire the inner Indy Mogul inside us all.

As the Internet and the ensuing technologies and information grow, everything becomes more accessible. What 10 years ago would cost millions to create, is now being done with the wave of a mouse (but don't let me discredit the amount of work and talent put forth by Ghostlight and their contemporaries).

Hopefully, this video has left you speechless, but not thoughtless. My intent is to pass on a video that has inspired me to attempt some of this gracious coolness in the same way that it was passed on to me.

So ... WATCH WATCH WATCH ... and learn. Watch Backyard FX and Indy Mogul Extra and learn as much as you can. Watch videos like this to get inspired and discover some cool ways of doing crazy effects on your own. And then when you're ready, create a how-to video and share it with everyone here. Someone will be inspired by YOUR video and the cycle will begin again. And the Internet video community will thrive! Death to Hollywood!

Meet Duplo

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 10:17:40 EDT

Jessica Cameron=Duplo

There's not much you can say about artists that they don't say in their work. Especially when you're writing underneath a video of the person explaining themselves, and why they do what they do. So, I guess all I have left is my humble opinion.

And IN my humble opinion, Jessica's work exemplifies what Vimeo is, and obviously, the people at Vimeo agree. It's off the cuff, it's simple and it's fun. It invites you into a little world free from the imaginary worries of "real life." And as the flagship video artist of Vimeo, Duplo's videos promote an idea that the Vimeo community proudly stands by. I don't think there's a word for it, but it's a good-natured feeling. It's something you won't find on YouTube.

So, make sure you check out Duplo's videos, because maybe you'll be inspired and turn them off to go create some of your own. Or maybe you'll watch a few more and let your mind wander. Or maybe, just maybe ... you'll move to New York City and the rest will be catalogued in Web-browser history!

Get Cultured: This Week's Special Screenings

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:24:01 EDT

Summer is winding down and so are all the really great outdoor events scattered throughout the boroughs. While everyone else is going down to "the shore" for the long weekend, celebrate your New York-ness by sipping some brews on a rooftop and catching a great flick.

Everybody's favorite, "The Princess Bride," plays at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park on Aug. 30 as part of the Movies With a View, Brooklyn Bridge Park series. Mix with the hipsters at the Rooftop Films series this week as it shows the doc "Dan Asher: Near Life Experience" on Aug. 31 and "low-fi narrative freak-out" "La Devocion" on Sept. 1. And for a more cultured outing, head to Long Island City for a night of movies, music and dancing as the Outdoor Cinema 2007 series celebrates Brazilian culture with the doc "This is Bossa Nova" and Istanbul (not Constantinople) with "Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul" on Aug. 29.

Don't feel like dealing with the late-August mosquitoes feasting on your tasty blood? Retreat indoors at one of the many art house theaters in the city. Get cultured on cinema's past as Anthology Film Archives screens the absurdist 1941 musical "Hellzapoppin' "on Sept. 1 or visit the Goethe-Institut when they screen Fassbinder's film "Bremen Freedom" on Sept. 2.

And to see where its headed, head over to the IFC Film Center for The World According to Shorts 2007 series (10 shorts from seven countries on Aug. 30) or for The New Talkies: Generation DIY for a slew of flicks from Mumblecore's finest (Aug. 29 to Sept. 4). Got a more eccentric palate? MoMA is screening film schoolers' favorite, "Pi," on Aug. 29, as well as shorts from Miranda July, Laurie Anderson and others and digital works from folks like Cory Arcangel, and Takeshi Murata on Aug. 30.

Reel Q&A: Anish Savjani

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:25:41 EDT

Amid the outcry over Mumblecore's overwhelming "whiteness" (until now), it seems as though Anish Savjani has been forgotten. Sure, he isn't one of the lost 20-somethings in front of the camera or the one framing shots behind it, but he has been a big part in making some of these films a reality, as a producer.

In an interview with Eugene Hernandez over at IndieWire, Savjani discusses his past, present and future in filmmaking.

Savjani began his career as a DGA trainee on mainstream hits like "The Sopranos," "Law & Order: SVU" and "The Manchurian Candidate" (which found him working as an assistant to prolific producer Scott Rudin). In 2005, he formed FilmScience, and later worked with friends and busy indy producers Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy on "Gretchen" and "Old Joy."

Now Savjani finds himself in the midst of the mumblecore movement, having produced "Hannah Takes the Stairs" and now working on Joe Swanberg's next, "Nights and Weekends," as well as three other indies. He is also exploring the future of distribution.

"Models are shifting … It would be foolish to say that I am [only] in the feature-film business. We are in the content business."

And distributing and marketing that content to a wider audience via platforms like iTunes and B-Side will be Savjani's next challenge.

Have you created the right package ... ?

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:44:57 EDT

The constant issue for the indie filmmaker is the search for cash. You can raise money from equity investors. You can even put the whole thing on a credit card. One way or another, though — it might actually be smarter to find a way to sell your movie before it's made and raise cash against the sale. There are two kinds of people that can help you in that respect: the foreign-sales agent and the producer's rep.

Whether you go with an "agent" or a "rep," they will try to do the same thing — pre-sell your movie at the various markets like AFM in the Los Angeles area in February, Marché International du Film, or MIF, in Cannes in May, and Mercato Internazionale Filme e Documentario, or MIFED, in Milan in October.

Before you get to that stage, however — there will be talk of your "package." This is basically your movie (for want of a better word) in proposal form for display and sales purposes. There are certain ingredients that you will need in your package, regardless of what your movie is about or its genre.

Items that are crucial to your package:

I) THE SCRIPT

When including the script in your package &madsh; no fancy covers or illustrative art &madsh; unless you have had a professional design a poster. And even then, use mock-up posters at your peril. Included with the script should be a punchy one-page synopsis &madsh; written in the style of sales copy (like you might find on the back of a DVD). If you don’t have a character breakdown &madsh; write one. Beside the description of each character, you should include the names of the actors you are considering.

II) FINANCE PLAN

This can be as simple as the "top-sheet" of a budget, or a more detailed breakdown of how you intend to raise finances. By including something of this kind, you will show finance/sales people that you are serious and have considered the financial aspect of your project. Obviously, there is a huge difference between trying to raise $10k and $1M. But going in, the people that you are trying to "sell" will need to know what sort of money you are talking about. So be bold, but realistic.

III) THE DIRECTOR

Include a bio/credentials pitch on the director. If he or she has credits &madsh; great. List them and write up a short description of each, highlighting his or her's value and creativity. If he or she has no credits &madsh; write up a creative bio for this person that details what they bring to the project. For instance, if you are making a movie about house painters, it might help that your newbie director was a house painter for five years. Talk this person up. Give him or her confidence. Make him or her seem like a good choice to people you approach.

IV) THE CAST

Ideally, this might include somebody who has been in movies. If you have anybody of note &madsh; this is a big plus. Include the actor's filmographies, bios and Letters of intent &madsh; if you have been smart enough to get them. The more interesting your cast seems &madsh; the closer you can get to finance and distribution.

V) THE CREW

Do you have a track record as a producer? Does the writer or cameraman or composer have credits? Include details about the behind-the-scenes people. This will bring credibility to your package and re-enforce that you CAN actually make a movie and deliver.

Well there you have it. One through five. It sounds simple &madsh; but there are many shades of gray and levels in packages.

Just make sure it makes sense and that you proofread it.

For further ideas on film finance you might try the following books:

Filmmaker's Guide to Business Plans

Finance for Indie Filmmakers

43 Ways to Finance your Film

30 Second Film School: 3-Point Lighting

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:46:48 EDT

Photo from The Complete Eejit's Guide to Filmmaking.

Even if you're shooting on a tiny budget, you should still consider the advantages of using a professional lighting kit. It could be the determining factor in making a good scene look great.

The basic lighting setup for shooting film or video consists of just three lights: a key, a fill and a back.

The key light serves as the primary light source in your scene and is used to simulate natural light. It is usually set up parallel to the camera, elevated a few feet and facing your subject at a 30- to 45-degree angle.

Unfortunately, the key creates shadows across your subject's face. You can soften this effect by using a fill light — a less powerful light placed opposite the key at camera height — pointed at a 30- to 45-degree angle. To make sure the resulting image isn't washed-out and flat, the key is often bounced off a reflector. A handy tool to have on set, a reflector is basically just a piece of silver-white or gold-white (great for warming skin tones) fabric stretched over a frame. Purchasing one will cost around $70, but making one is cheap and easy — just grab a large piece of cardboard and some aluminum foil.

Finally, the back light is set above and behind your subject in order to outline and separate them from the background. To get the correct effect, make sure the back light isn't streaming directly into the camera lens.

From this basic setup, feel free to experiment and explore by adding or subtracting, softening or hardening your lights in order to create different effects and set different moods.

For a more in-depth look on three-point lighting, click here.

For rental houses in your area, click here.

Take the Next Step: DocFest 2007

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:14:28 EDT

The Paley Center for Media's annual DocFest returns from Oct. 24 to Nov. 2 in NYC. The venerable fest will boast an impressive lineup of premiere and classic docs from the genre's biggest names, bolstered by an introduction and question-and-answer session with all the filmmakers.

To supplement the screenings, the fest also hosts numerous workshops and special events, notably the Pitch Workshop. Now open for entries, the workshop will bring together TV execs and producers of nonfiction work to discuss creating, producing and pitching a doc. They will also evaluate the concept and presentation of five filmmakers' pitches. The winner of the pitch competition not only gets invaluable advice, but $5,000 toward completing the doc. To be one of the lucky five, submit detailed info on the concept and history of your work in progress, along with a 10-minute DVD of footage, by Sept. 15. For more info on DocFest, go here.

Build Plans: How to make a big f@%king gun

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:41:08 EDT

How to make a big, f@%king gun

by Erik Beck

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the technical blog for Episode #16 (BFG laser). Another awesome viewer submitted request. Send in your laser-filled videos and remember you can submit your project ideas here!

Shopping List

Plastic CD rack.
(This cheap, flimsy thing must have made a horrible CD raft, but it made an awesome frame for our blaster.)

Big and little water bottle.
(Check out the video, all these plastic water bottles have interesting textures and patterns.)
Two old plastic thermoses.
(Again, this very cheap, used piece of plastic has cool textures.)
A thermos cap.
(Or so I think. I saw this orange piece of plastic on the shelf at Urban Ore and thought: "That's the barrel tip of my blaster!")
A slide projector.
(I used this, because it has a big lens on one end, and I thought it would look cool as a high-tech targeting computer.)
The pistol grip from an old camera.
(Another lucky find at Urban Ore.)
Spray paint.
(Silver, black and copper.)

The gun

This was one of the quickest and most satisfying builds. What I should have done first was attach the pistol grip to the end of the CD rack frame. I foolishly saved this for last, which made it much harder. So the first thing you should do is screw the pistol grip (which already had mount holes) to the frame.

Next, remove all the straps and handles off the water bottles and thermoses. Wipe them down, because glue doesn't work well on dirty surfaces. Flipping the CD rack over, start sticking the bottles in place. Then using A LOT of hot glue, secure the bottles to the frame and each other.

The paint job is very similar to the Jetpack episode. Start with a base coat of silver. Then do a very light, speckled coat of black. This should create a really nice, textured, weathered-metal look; like a real working weapon, as opposed to a super shiny "Star Wars" type weapon. I also painted one of the water bottles and the projector thing copper, then gave it the same light coat of black.

The last step is gluing the remaining water bottle and the "targeting computer" to the top of the blaster.

The bells and whistles

So as I said in the episode, you're going to need more then a hunk of plastic to make a movie. You're going to need some computer graphics. For muzzles, flares and explosions, check out Detonation Films. For lasers, blasts and other fancy moving graphics you really need a program like Apple Motion, Adobe After Effects or Photoshop. There are lots of ways to make lasers; here are a few links I found with helpful tutorials.

Neat film-strip tutorial on using Photoshop for making lasers

Some good stuff over at Creative Cow

Wow, I couldn't find as many laser tutorials as I thought. I'll keep looking and add them above, but we just might have to buckle down and make a Weekend Extra on Lasers. If you know how to make lasers why not make a video tutorial and send it in. You'll get "mad Indy Mogul cred!"

Check out this build in action, from Episode 16 of Backyard FX

Required Reading: jumping off bridges

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:00:00 EDT

There is a great interview with Kat Candler up at The Austin Chronicle. More than a plug of her latest project, the award-winning indy filmmaker gives a detailed account of the trials of touring fests with an independent film and the nightmare that often in distribution.

It began at South by Southwest 2006 with a screening of Candler's "Jumping off bridges."

It drew a standing ovation and the subsequent question-and-answer session was riddled with stories from audience members who identified with the narrative feature's tale of a mother's suicide, a father's grief and the effect it all had on a group of teenagers. But how do you market such a downer of a film?

Distributors didn't know and, thus, wouldn't pick up "Jumping." What followed was a trial-by-fire tour of small theaters and universities with help from local mental-health organizations (the film's most dedicated audience), and self distribution through New Day Films, a cooperative distriubtor specializing in films with a focus on social issues.

With the first DVDs being released October 1st, "Jumping" has become a good model for struggling filmmakers' in distribution hell, and Candler is an engaging guide.

Read the details on "Jumping off bridges" journey here.

A.D.D. Post #2

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:37:23 EDT

Documentarian Robert Greenberg has teamed with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders to launch a viral video campaign against the Fox News Channel. By utilizing video culled straight from Fox News programming, FOX ATTACKS! aims to show that the Murdoch-run news monopoly is, as Sanders states in an article from the AP, "simply a propaganda machine for the Republican Party and the Bush administration." A three-minute mash-up video and open letter are the site's foundations, urging bipartisan news outlets as well as the American public to not be bullied by Fox and follow it down the road to war again as the focus shifts from Iraq to Iran. However, some critics are saying Greenberg and his compatriots are guilty of just as much propagandizing as their enemies. Decide for yourself.

For some reason, I enjoy reading (and writing about) David Lynch even though I don’t particularly enjoy his films. Perhaps it's his ardent dedication to independent film. Or maybe it's the way his sensibilities lie somewhere between quirkiness and eccentricity. For whatever reason, I found Lynch's interview with MTV (of all places) a rather good read. The auteur discusses such topics as his new found love for digital film-making, Hollywood blockbusters (David Lynch saw "Bourne?"), and the DVD release of "Inland Empire," chock full of bonus features — an unprecedented move for the filmmaker. And for an extra dose of Lynch's certain je nai c'est quoi, check out the daily weather reports over at his well-maintained home page.

Speaking of quirk, there is a great article in the September issue of The Atlantic. Titled "Quirked Around," Michael Hirschorn expounds on his feelings on the "odd but not too odd" genre of movies, art, comedy and even radio shows that is captivating our generation. As a self-professed lover of the quirk, I can be protective of the Wes Andersons and Ira Glasses who make up my usual entertainment. However, Hirschorn presents a rather balanced critique, with a thorough, but concise, look at quirk's luminaries and their work. It's worth a read whether you view the whole genre as ironic posturing or think reading McSweeney's Lists are a hilarious way to kill time.

A Producer’s project Vs. a Director’s project…

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 01:43:10 EDT

As an Indy Mogul, or Low-Budget Filmmaker, you might come to a project from a number of angles. Maybe you wrote the script and are trying to attach money and talent. Maybe you're a director who is trying to package a script that you like. If you are a multi-hyphenate writer-director-producer, read no further. However, if like me, you're a writer/producer, then you might reach a point when you are asked the following question …

Is this a producer's project or a director's project?

What the question basically breaks down to is an issue of control; not necessarily who signs the checks. That part will be obvious. What we are talking about is creative control and who is the leader or the spokesperson or figurehead.

In ideal situations you will be able to attach a director who not only has creative vision, but can talk to actors and money people and generally "sell" your project to whoever comes along. In that happy scenario, your movie becomes a director's project. Maybe you're the director anyway, so attaching elements and talking-it-up is no problem.

The flip-side of that is also pretty simple. You are the producer and it is your smart mouth that has managed to attract and sign up a director. You are doing the same with money folks and actors, simply bringing the director out when necessary so that all concerned will be happy to work with him or her. If that is the case, then your movie is a producer's project.

Sometimes you will have no choice in the matter. Maybe a more powerful producer hires you as director, but you know it's his (or her) show. Maybe, as often happens, you as producer hire a first-time director. You know he’ll be great when it comes to shooting and working with the actors on set -– but as far as "closing" anybody and getting their letter of intent -– he's just can't talk good enough of a game. And yes, it is a game. As much as talent and money may be wooed by a great script or a great director -– somebody has to actually sit there and do the wooing.

Back to the question at hand: Is this a producer's project or a director's project? Why is that important?

Well, to make your movie, you will have to spend some money. Usually that means raising money. OK, in Mumblecore that might only be $50. Still, somebody has to put up the $50 and somebody has to talk the actors (or should I say your buddies) into showing up.

You see where I'm going with this? Yes? Regardless of whether you're heading for Sundance or Slamdance or Raindance -- somebody has to take the reigns. Somebody has to take charge, make decisions and talk people into doing what needs to be done. If that's the director -– great. It's the director's project and he or she will not just set the tone of the movie but the tone of pre-production and post-production. If the director, for whatever reason, is ill-equipped or unwilling to set that tone, totally, then the producer must do so and it becomes a producer's project.

I know many of you might be annoyed with where I've gone with this. But if you're honest, you will know or have experienced the reality of it. Yes. Filmmaking is a collaborative art, but there has to be checks and balances for that someone has to take responsibility. So ask yourself now –- is yours a producer's or director's project? Answer truthfully and stick to that answer. Remember -- you need to get your project done. It can't be done in half measure or with unrealistic compromises. Forget the auteur theory or the tyrannical mogul. Be like the Dalai Lama -- formless, yet single-minded. Now answer honestly –- who's in charge of your project, the director or producer?

Some useful literary resources or books you might read:

"From Reel to Deal ... " by Dov S-S Simens

"Independent Feature Film Production ... " by Gregory Goodell

"Rebel Without A Crew ... " by Robert Rodriguez

On The Lot: Episode 16 (The Season Finale)

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 15:35:25 EDT

Well, this is what it finally comes down to. After 12,000 submissions, several cuts and weeks of competition, it’s time for the final cut. The three remaining contestants are: Jason Epperson, Will Bigham and Adam Stein.

After last weeks disappointing first part of the finale, you would have expected this week to step it up a notch. Well, this week did step it up a notch, but if you know anything about turning up the volume, a notch barely does a thing.

The episode started wasting time by playing a bunch of that useless, "look how far they’ve come" mumbo jumbo. We were greeted by the kicked-off contestants, and shown three of their films. Rather than showing the films that got the contestants on the show, or getting to know them more, we were given old films once again. Come on Fox, we all know you shoot hours of behind-the-scenes footage, you have 12,000 short films at your disposal and dozens of other possibilities. Come on Fox, stop recycling and give us something new.

After about an hour of lollygalling, they finally eliminated one of the contestants. It was Adam Stein. Somewhat disappointing, but not all that much of a surprise. It’s best to leave it to Mr. Southern and The Family Boy. Stein got a round of applause, and some praise, so it was not all bad. Of course the final elimination was stretched to the final possible second.

In the end, Bigham ended up winning, which was a nice surprise. Watching Epperson speak to Spielberg just doesn’t seem right. But I can’t help feel sorry for the guy. When it was announced Will won, there was an honest look of shock and disappointment on his face. It got me started thinking that I’ve probably been too hard on Jason. While he’s never really known how to defend his films, and I’ve never been a fan, he’s probably a nice person. Reality shows alter perceptions, and "On The Lot" is no expectation. It’s easy to get caught up in how a show portrays someone over a couple months, but we have to remember that we only see about 5 percent of what they are really like.

After winning, Will hopped in a Ford and headed to "the lot," to be greeted by Spielberg. It was not hard to see that the thing was overly set up and scripted, but still, it was a treat nonetheless.

So that’s a wrap. Now the only thing left to do is wait and see what the contestants do now that they’re not on the show. Whether it’s an Adam Stein Web series, a Will Bigham feature, or even the Kenny Luby-Adrianna Costa sex tape, it’s all possible. Now, it’s important to mention that Will only won a million-dollar development deal. In no way does this certify that he will get a film made or released.

The funniest part of the episode was the constant referral to the episode as the "season finale." For all you filmmakers who are getting your shorts ready for the next season, you may want to forget about it. The show's ratings didn’t warrant the show to finish its first season, so a second would be a suicide mission for Fox. Don’t let this get you down though. Finish those shorts!

All in all, "On the Lot" was a fun ride. From actually hearing about the show to submitting something to the show, to watching it start to finish. While the show ended up something of a disappointment, we’ll probably only see a filmmaking show in this style once, so I suppose we should be grateful. How often do we get to see a new project from a filmmaker on a weekly basis? Say what you want, but the show was fun, and that’s quite a compliment when referring to network TV.

Festivous: Your Weekend Plans

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:00:00 EDT

We lucky New Yorkers are usually spoiled with a plethora of options to occupy our weekends. And August 24-26 is no different, with two independent film festivals begging for our attendance.

First up is The Bushwick Film Festival presenting 15 "creepy, stinky, distasteful, offensive, C-line, avant-garde, experimental, saucy" underground features and shorts at several arts-centered venues throughout the warehouse-riddled Bushwick neighborhood. Come for the dialogue between emerging filmmakers of the absurd, stay for the free wine, beer and hors d'oeuvres (or is it the other way around?). For the screening schedule and other info, visit the BFF homepage.

Not a fan of the L train? Head down to the Financial District instead for the American Cinematic Experience Film Festival. This yearly fest aims to distinguish itself by screening only American-made independent films, with a soft spot for oft-ignored video art, and by rounding out its program with live music and guest speaker Caveh Zahedi (I am a Sex Addict). An extension of the River to River Festival, the ACE Fest also donates a percentage of all ticket sales to The New York Foundation for the Arts. You can find tickets and more information at the fest's Web site.

So get out there, New Yorkers, and support your local film festival.

Reviews & News: blip.tv

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:38:19 EDT

Everyone take a deep breath and repeat after me: There is life for your films beyond YouTube, and it can be found at blip.tv. Now in its second year, the video-sharing service is enjoying a surge in popularity and it’s about time you jumped on the bandwagon.

Blip.tv was designed for user-generated video with a focus on episodic content rather than the viral video that floods similar sites. What really sets blip.tv apart from its competitors, however, is the plethora of options it offers its users who are serious about getting their work seen throughout the Web, prompting filmmaker Scott Solary to tout the site as “the closest thing to one-stop shopping for your Web uploading and distribution needs.” Beyond free hosting, the site also allows users to upload audio or video in numerous formats (QuickTime, MPEG, DivX, mp3 and more) at a max size of 1GB. Once uploaded, content appears immediately both on its destination site as well as on the user’s personal homepage at [username].blip.tv. Distribution becomes easier and more lucrative for the DIY set with cut-and-paste HTML and RSS feeds for cross-posting your content, and an opt-in advertising program splits revenue 50/50. Named by the Webbys as the Best Broadband Web site of 2007, blip.tv appears to be growing, adding new features such as pro accounts that offer mp3 audio podcasts, Apple TV and iPod compatibility, timed publishing and quicker transcoding.

If you’re looking to get your hours and hours of hard work away from the pixelated dregs of other hosting sites, give blip.tv a try.

Festivous: New York Korean Film Festival

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:21:42 EDT

The seventh annual New York Korean Film Festival kicked off yesterday with its biggest program yet (check out the promo trailer below). Running through Sept. 2, the Korea Society has curated a diverse fest with screenings throughout the city and special panel discussions with filmmakers.

If Wong Kar-Wai is the beginning and end of your Asian film education, start out with the four-film retrospective of Im Kwon-taek, the “art-house auteur” who has directed 100 films in the past 45 years. Also worth your time is the Korean Horror Nights series, a two-night marathon of chilling flicks playing at Cinema Village, as well as the question-and-answer session on the Korean Wave of pop-culture films with director Kim Yong Hwa (200 Pound Beauty) on Thursday. And if your wallet is a little too light to check out the 16 contemporary Korean films in the main program, the Short Film section of the fest on 8/30 screens 14 eclectic shorts by indy filmmakers for free!

For more info on tickets, times, venues and more, visit the NYKFF website.

Reviews & News: Moby Morricone?

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:14:38 EDT

Even though he was the first artist to have a whole album commercially licensed (not to mention that grating Gwen Stefani duet), Moby has made a move that will likely increase his presence in film. Over on his personal Web site, the electronic music impresario has a section titled “moby gratis” where indie and student filmmakers can find that perfect piece of ambient sound for their project. No stranger to working with film (he has created music for Tomorrow Never Dies, Heat and Joe’s Apartment), Moby has generously posted tracks from his discography as well as unreleased material to listen to and download for free, with no licensing fees for use as long as its "being used in a non-commercial or non-profit film, video or short." And if you do use it for a commercial project, Moby will donate all money to the Humane Society. With more than tracks varying in length, mood and sound already posted, you could have an internationally acclaimed artist score your next flick.

A.D.D. Post #1

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EDT

I love finding what-if and could-have-been movie lists on the internet. They’re the perfect antidote to sitting in the office and waiting for the clock to run out. Incidentally, I just found a couple gems over at Twitch and Cracked that examine five unfilmable novels and who should direct them and the 10 best films Hollywood put the kibosh on, respectively. C’mon, it’s almost 6 p.m.; you weren’t going to do anything else anyway.

Hannah Takes the Stairs! Hannah Takes the Stairs! Hannah Takes the Stairs! If I read one more thing about "Hannah Takes the Stairs," I think I’m going to scream. Share in my misery and learn more about the indy, produced, directed and starring several members of the Mumblecore crew, before it’s released here on Aug. 22. I’d give you links to notable articles but there’s just too many –- you’re better off Google-ing it.

To be honest, I never thought of Indian films outside the bombastic Bollywood mega-productions. But independent filmmaker Sujewa Ekanayake piqued my interest Wednesday when he blogged about Satyajit Ray, an Indian filmmaker who made more than 36 years for the art-house set. Ray’s films are described as showing "a diversity of moods, techniques, and genres -- comedy, satire, fantasy, and tragedy." Usually, "he made realistic films but he also experimented with surrealist devices and fantasy." Overall, "Ray was deeply concerned with the social identity of his characters. He believed that behavior of people emerges from their existence in a particular place and time in a particular social context. This was and is largely ignored in most popular Indian song-and-dance films." Sounds to me like a search for his films is a worthwhile endeavor.

Take the Next Step: Documentaries

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:00:00 EDT

Attention all documentarians: IFP Documentary Rough Cut Lab is accepting entries for its 2007 program, running from Nov. 6 to Nov. 9 in NYC. Now in its second year, the program teams 10 docs and their novice creators with experienced professionals to explore post-production possibilities and prepare the piece for festival submission. The submission deadline is Sept. 10.

Afraid you won’t make the cut? Head down to SoHo House on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to talk with the experienced panelists of Industry Connect: Film Fest Strategy. Learn from their advice and personal experiences on how best to strategize your first foray into film fests.

And if you’re still in the planning stages, check out Nick Dawson’s blurb on three docs shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. While LYNCH will inspire you with its stylistic journey through the creation of David Lynch’s Inland Empire, the latter two (Run, Granny, Run and What Would Jesus Buy?) will provide some cautionary notes to work from. Good luck.

On Filmmaking: An Interview with Tim Kinsella

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:03:22 EDT

Tim Kinsella, of influential indy bands Cap 'n' Jazz and Joan of Arc, has taken time off from the volatile music industry to explore the just-as-precarious film industry. His feature film debut, Orchard Vale (see trailer below), an experimental examination of a band of outsiders after the breakdown of civilization, opened the 14^th Chicago Underground Film Festival (and became popular enough to warrant a second screening).

An interview with Kinsella exploring post production, the difference between songwriting and filmmaking, modern apocalypse, and the importance of keeping your day job to “free up mental space” is an in-depth look at a real DIY film production, and can be found at Movie City Indie. It’s a bit lengthy, but worth reading for Kinsella’s insight into making a super low-budget film happen, as well as for his creative process. For example, on collaboration:

"For me, finding the right collaborators is the single most important aspect of any creative venture. We may both have blind spots that obscure 90 percent of each of our vision, but then focusing on the same thing, even if those blind spots overlap halfway, we’re still both now aware of 15 percent instead of 10 percent."

And on setting the film’s mood:

“Keeping time and space constantly ambiguous seemed vital to any tension we hoped to create. We didn’t want to attempt to show this tension, but more to create a strange time/space hanging there as if the frame were a cage and the tension was creeping in from outside the frame.”

The whole article can be found here.

The trailer can be found here.

Vimeo Vid of the Day, "The Moustache Montage" by Justin Johnson

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:30:24 EDT

The Moustache Montage from justin and Vimeo.

A young man finds an idol in one cool gent's facial hair, and is compelled to grow some of his own.

Recently, we found out that our Sony HDV camera does true slow motion. And of course, if anyone suggests we shoot in normal speed anymore, they are promptly told not to interfere with our artistic visions. And rightfully so.

Our first project using this was our "Moustache Montage" created for filmfights.com, which is a Web site where every few weeks, a topic is picked and filmmakers from all around the world send in their videos and review those they're up against. I really think every Indy Moguler should check out filmfights; where Erik Beck, Justin Johnson (director/editor of this piece and driving force behind Indy Mogul), and myself become aquainted with one another, along with tons of other FilmFighters who are all successfully pursuing their dreams of being involved in video/film. And speaking for most, if not all FilmFighters, we really developed our skills through the great community of FilmFights, where unlike YouTube, our videos are given respect and reviewed to help make us better at our skill, not to insult us.

So, I hope you have as much fun watching this and we did making it. And I really hope you visit FilmFights and enter the next fight, you will meet great people and learn a ton!

Build Plans: How to make a fake hand

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:07:30 EDT

How to make a fake hand

by Jerry Rizzo & Erik Beck

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the technical blog for Episode#15 (fake hands). Direct from New York City!

Shopping List

16 lbs. plaster of paris.
(8 lbs for the top half, 8 for the bottom. )
BFX ballistics gel.
(Check out this Weekend Extra for more details.)
Liquid latex.
(In a flesh tone.)
Caulk.
(Does not need to be adhesive.)
Petroleum Jelly.
(As a de-molding agent. You could also use cooking spray.)
Duct tape.
(I'm going to stop listing this because you should always have some ready.)
A cardboard box.
(To add some "fleshyness" to the face.)

The mold

This process takes several stages, but is fairly simple. First cut a notch in one end of the box. Then tape up the bottom and sides.

Next mix up half your plaster, which should be about 8 lbs for a hand mold. As mentioned by Jared, use a little more water then recommended. Cover your subjects entire hand and arm (anything going into the plaster) with petroleum jelly. Now pour your plaster into the bo. It should be about 3-4 inches deep. Place the bottom half of your hand into the plaster and rock it back and forth to get it to sink in. Don't put your hand too deep into the plaster.

After about 15-20 minutes you should be able to remove your hand. Shortly after this the mold with start to get very warm. This is normal.

Once the bottom half is dry, you can move to the top half. Apply more petroleum jelly to the bottom mold and your actors hand. Mix up some more plaster and place hand back into mold. Pour the new plaster over your hand and the bottom mold. Wait the some amount of time for this layer to dry.

Now very carefully lift the top half mold. The top half of the mold can very easily crack when being separated. Once your actors hand is free you should leave both halves of your new hand mold to dry for another hour.

The hand

Now that you have a bad ass hand mold, making a hand is pretty simple. You could use this mold to make a fake hand out of anything you want, but I recommend using some DIY ballistics gel. Before you add anything you need to prep the mold. Clean out any debris that is inside you mold. Aplly cooking spray or more petroleum jelly to the inside of the hand mold. Now apply some caulk to the outside of the one half of the mold.

Now seal the mold and, using the some cardboard box, and duct tape close both halves of the mold together tightly. Allow for the caulk to dry. Now you're ready for the fleshy filling.

Pour ballistics gel into mold and refrigerate. If you used enough de-molding agent, after the gel has set you should be able to pull the hand out of the mold in one piece. The final step is to paint on a few layers of liquid latex "skin".

Conclusion

This process may take some trial and error. The good news though, is that the whole thing doesn't cost much money. Also, once you have a really good mold, you can make many hands from the some mold. Another cool thing is that you can use this same process to mold other objects or body parts.

Check out this build in action, from Episode 15 of Backyard FX

All Abuzz: Mumblecore

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:13:52 EDT

Wikipedia defines Mumblecore as “an independent filmmaking movement characterized by ultra-low budget production, focus on personal relationships between twenty-somethings, improvised scripts, and non-professional actors.” With lengthy articles appearing in both the New York Times and the Village Voice (as well as countless blogs), I describe it as the unavoidable next big thing (whether the filmmakers themselves like it or not).

The term was first coined by at a bar during South by South West in 2005, the same festival that gave birth to the movement by championing their films, thus forging friendships between the filmmakers. Says Jay Duplass (The Puffy Chair) in an article from Filmmaker Magazine, “It was Joe Swanberg’s first festival ever, I think, with Kissing on the Mouth, and (Andrew) Bujalski was there with Funny Ha Ha, and us and the Four Eyed Monsters crew. Then we spent the whole year on the festival circuit, which meant [Mark and I] never saw our actual friends, but we were hanging out with Joe and Andrew and everyone else every single weekend at a different festival.” From then on, the filmmakers worked together on numerous projects, creating a web so intricate it makes the Ben Stiller and Judd Apatow filmmaking clubs look puny.

Are these films providing an unabashed look at the intricacies of our generation’s relationships or is it another load of hipster B.S.? Find out for yourself at “An Evening with Generation DIY”, a moderated discussion at NYC’s SoHo Apple store on Thursday 8/23 from 7PM-8PM. Then head over to the IFC Center’s film series “The New Talkies: Generation DIY” which runs from this Wednesday through September 4^th. I’ll see you there.

The almost-definitive pictoral representation of Mumblecore courtesy Aaron Hillis' fantastic blog.

Production 101: Film Distribution

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:04:40 EDT

Over at Renew Media’s invaluable new blog, RE:Sources, film advisor Rachel Gordon discusses the pros and cons of self distribution in two articles. An important decision that needs to be made by any filmmaker wishing to move beyond YouTube, Gordon shares her experiences working in the “non-theatrical world” and what it entails.

On one hand, independent filmmakers are generally a tight-knit group who “talk on listservs, give each other advice in email rings, program fascinating conferences, webinars and discussions,” Gordon relays. And once you build support within the group, they won’t hesitate to share your information (and movie) and inquire after your next project.

However, self distribution takes a large investment of both time and money. Says Gordon, “getting your packaging together, weighing production quotes of DVDs, creating a website and setting up your fulfillment and payment options can take time, patience and follow up.”

Although it isn’t an exact science, the ins and outs of self distribution can be learned. I suggest reading the two articles chronologically. Self-distribution – when is it the right choice? to start with, followed by Distribution Choices: My Two Cents. It will hopefully give you something to think about, and point you in the right direction when distribution becomes a reality for your film.

A pictoral primer on film distribution from HowStuffWorks.

My Roomie the Bagel

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:43:04 EDT

(NJFILMCORE.COM) My Roomie the Bagel TRAILER from njfilmcore and Vimeo.

Now there's Indie filmmaking, and then there's Indy filmmaking. What's the difference? Well, one has an "ie" at the end and the other a "y". And you'd be surprised how big of a difference that that makes. But there's more to it then spelling. "Indie" filmmakers wouldn't touch a project if the budget weren't over $100, 000 (although I doubt they'd do anything for under a million).

Enter Erik X. Raj, Robert Rodriguez for the internet video community. For years, Erik has been making videos and even appeared on MTV's TRL for one of his quick video clips, the style he is best known for under the name of North Awesometon Bears on the kind of budget that could be used to pay rent for a summer vacation at the Jersey shore, and screened it at Stockton College, ironically enough, on the sunny shorline of southern New Jersey.

Now Erik has followed Awesometon with "My Roomie the Bagel", a tale of a rebel Confederate, his bagel of a roomate, Captain America, Death, Jesus, 50 cent, Dr. Information, and tons of other characters from pop culture and others invented by Raj, but all equally lovable. Pulling a cast from all over the internet; Jake Strunk of "On Rye LTD" and Mark from sickanimation.com (who also contributes an awesome theme song) and with support from his great circle of friends, Erik filled the Clearview Cinema in Red Bank, NJ (home to NJ native Kevin Smith).

Doing what NJFilmcore does best, we were all sucked into this magnificent world for roughly an hour, where all the preconcieved ideas of what a movie should be were thrown out and replaced with a surplus of photos of cute kittens. It was great to see a full theatre supporting real independent filmmaking at free screening as opposed to wasting $15 (or how ever much a movie ticket costs these days) on a movie you've already seen a million times over.

On The Lot: Episode 15 (Fox Television)

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:21:10 EDT

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems hard to believe that On The Lot is ending. Maybe it’s because everything has come full circle. It’s been over a year since the show was first announced, so I guess you could say it’s finally come full circle. Whatever you have to say about the show, it’s been a good experience nonetheless. No, it didn’t provide the learning experience that HBO’s Project Greenlight, IFC’s Film School, or an audio commentary on just about every film on DVD. Hell, you could even argue that the film’s produced on the show were not any good. But, the show did provide a chance, and a spotlight, unlike anything else. It’s not typical for filmmakers to be put into the spotlight, as they are a hard sell. On The Lot failed because of this. You can profit on many types of people, but a filmmaker is not one of them.

Now, with the show’s terrible ratings, it’s fairly clear we won’t see another season. But then again, television works in mysterious ways. With some re-working, the show may be given another chance. If it does, it’s safe to see that we will probably see a better variety of films and filmmakers. But with time constraints, censors, and necessary ratings safety, a show like On The Lot will never work. Filmmaking is only interesting to one group of people, and that’s filmmakers. Even then, there’s a limit. There’s only a certain amount of anxiety, yelling, and chaos one can withstand. It’s safe to say that with most art, the result is far more interesting than the artist.

All right, so let’s get to the amazing fantastic finale we’ve been waiting for. Well wait just a second, because first, some business had to be taken care of. Yes, one of the four filmmakers had to go home, or wherever one goes after they’ve been eliminated from a reality television show. To no surprise, Sam Friedlander was eliminated, leaving Jason Epperson, Will Bigham, and Adam Stein.

Now that all that drama is over with, we can get to the episode. Fox really must have dug out their wallets for this one, because it’s one you surely won’t forget. I assume all the producers found in their wallets were Kenny Luby’s House Painting business cards, because this was a finale barely worth mentioning. There were no new films, no inspirational tales of how the contestants got on the show, just two old films from each contestant. Oh wait, Jason Epperson cried. Surely that’s worth keeping your television on for.

Considering nobody wants to read another review of each film, I’m just about done here. I suppose I should mention who I think should win the big prize, or who will win the big prize, but I think you already know. Will Bigham should win, and probably will. He’s just too loveable for anyone to say no to. If he’s got competition, it’s from Epperson and the Southern United States.

Considering there was really no reason to read this review, and I feel bad writing about nothing, I’ll give you a treat. Or judging by the reviews it got, a hard to sit through waste of time. Here is the link to the film I submitted to On The Lot. It will probably make me look like a contradicting asshole, considering the harshness I put on other contestants films, but what the hell.

Vimeo Vid of the Day, "Red Iceblock Melting Outside Timelapse" by Jaymis

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:10:51 EDT

Red Iceblock Melting Outside Timelapse from Jaymis and Vimeo.

A timelapse of a red iceblock (popsicle) melting in the sun. Shot on a Pentax *ist DS with 50mm F1.4 lens.

Timelapses are always pretty cool. But I like this one, especially, for a plethora of reasons. The first frame you see before you play the video showcases a few of my reasons. The depth-of-field is really mesmorizing and how it plays with the richness of the blue, green, and red...it's as if my eyes are licking the icepop and my mind is tasting it.

And as the first person to comment on the video over at Vimeo mentioned, the translucentness of the icepop at the end is just extremely cool. I could come up with another dorky simile, but I think "extremely cool" works just fine.

30 Second Film School: How To Use a Light Meter

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:53:49 EDT

During my tenure at film school I never seemed to be able to fully comprehend taking a light meter reading (thankfully, I became a screenwriting major). While most DIY-ers are shooting digital with internal meters, knowing how to set up a shot using a light meter is a must if you want to move onto professional film making.

First you need to know the terms: “Film speed” is a number given to film stock to indicate its sensitivity to light. The higher the film speed number (or ISO rating) the higher the sensitivity to light, which in turn means the coarser the grain and the lower the sensitivity to detail (and vice versa). Set the ISO number on your light meter so that it will see the light the same as the film in your camera.

Then there is the “shutter speed”, a number that signifies how long the shutter is opened to let light onto the film. It’s measured in fractions of a second because it calculates both the opening of the shutter to expose the film and the closing of the shutter to advance to the next frame – two movements per frame and thirty frames per second gives you a shutter speed of 1/60. Get it?

Once both values are set on the meter you’re ready for the reading. The most basic meter is the incident, which measures the light from the source before it bounces of another surface. You take the reading from the front of your subject with the dome facing the main light source or the camera. Once the button is pressed, the meter takes an average of the light and shadow values giving you an f-stop value which will inform your aperture setting. In the end you’ll have a well-balanced picture that really represents your overall mastery of all things film (or you won’t look like a dork on a film set).

Can't understand my babble? Industry pro Bill Holshevnikoff might be able to serve you better with his in-depth analysis of the subject.