Happy belated new year to everyone I haven't said this to already. I really should write more but I've been lazy over this holiday season. Anyways, I'm currently in Krakow, Poland visiting a good friend of mine. Interesting to note 500 years ago after the Reformation where newly Prodestant nations expelled their Jewish populations, thus causing Jews to seek refuge in Krakow, turning it into a centre for Judaism in Europe. Then over the course of six years during WWII, it was all wiped out, thanks to the Nazi Genocide. Today it's estimated the total Jewish population of Krakow stands at 100. What drives people to commit such horrible acts? Hard to believe looking at Krakow today.
On a brighter note, I spent the last few days visiting every church in town, visiting Krakow University where Copernicus studied and drinking in Polish nightclubs. I'm addicted to travelling and what it has to offer -no everyday responsibilities, meeting new people and ultimate freedom. Some decry the relative instability of this lifestyle but is it really that bad, compared to a stable, bourgeois mercantile life? You decide for yourself.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Friday, December 29, 2006
The £6300 Question Answered
The term at LFS wrapped nearly three weeks ago, having work on two 16mm black and white films as focus puller (person who adjusts the focus on a deep field shot) and editor. Great experiences, though I can't say the money spent was entirely justified, nor the thought of being over $120,000 US in debt by the time I graduate with uncertain prospects about my career has prompted me to withdrawl from the school.
Let's face it, everything I've learned here I can get back at home for little or no cost, plus real world experience of doing it prove to be more valuable than an environment of academic protection, for myself anyway. Still, I can't advocate one way or the other about the necessity of film school, though I tend to agree with Kevin Smith when he said they're good for cinematographers, technicans and historians, but direction and writing, while can be taught the basics, are specific skill sets that you either have the talent for or not. DV Guru posted an article here on 10 reasons you shouldn't go to film school, citing the availability of low cost digital video technology to Netflix to filmmakers such as Tarantino didn't attend. However, the article correctly points out nobody can make the decision for you on attending, rather it depends on your needs and learning styles. While law and medicine require degrees to practise, art has been a field humans have accelled in with or without schooling. On the flip side, the article has a link to another advocating 10 reasons you should go to film school. Each article contains reader responses with varying opinion.
Personally, I feel that doing things like my passion for travelling will enrich my life more, providing the seeds for stories as movie projects. Technical aspects are best learned at my own pace rather than in a rigid academic structure where you may not even get the chance to DP, direct or edit. Who wants to hold a boom microphone pissing away £6300? You can make your own movie with that budget (albeit varying quality of course). Some people will disagree and think I'm stupid but whatever, I'll be the first to admit I'm a failed director if things don't work out. Then I'll step out of the limelight and become a librarian or whatever else. I have enough interests in life to keep me occupied which is how it should be. There's more to life than one singular pursuit.
Having said all this, I'll go to work on my own independent projects.
Let's face it, everything I've learned here I can get back at home for little or no cost, plus real world experience of doing it prove to be more valuable than an environment of academic protection, for myself anyway. Still, I can't advocate one way or the other about the necessity of film school, though I tend to agree with Kevin Smith when he said they're good for cinematographers, technicans and historians, but direction and writing, while can be taught the basics, are specific skill sets that you either have the talent for or not. DV Guru posted an article here on 10 reasons you shouldn't go to film school, citing the availability of low cost digital video technology to Netflix to filmmakers such as Tarantino didn't attend. However, the article correctly points out nobody can make the decision for you on attending, rather it depends on your needs and learning styles. While law and medicine require degrees to practise, art has been a field humans have accelled in with or without schooling. On the flip side, the article has a link to another advocating 10 reasons you should go to film school. Each article contains reader responses with varying opinion.
Personally, I feel that doing things like my passion for travelling will enrich my life more, providing the seeds for stories as movie projects. Technical aspects are best learned at my own pace rather than in a rigid academic structure where you may not even get the chance to DP, direct or edit. Who wants to hold a boom microphone pissing away £6300? You can make your own movie with that budget (albeit varying quality of course). Some people will disagree and think I'm stupid but whatever, I'll be the first to admit I'm a failed director if things don't work out. Then I'll step out of the limelight and become a librarian or whatever else. I have enough interests in life to keep me occupied which is how it should be. There's more to life than one singular pursuit.
Having said all this, I'll go to work on my own independent projects.
Monday, October 30, 2006
The £6300 Question
The cost of one term at London Film School is £6300. There are six terms in all you must attend in order to obtain a master's degree in filmmaking. With this kind of money, you might as well make a film instead of paying an entity telling you how to make it. Agreed or not? This entry might as well serve as a debate over if going to film school is necessary. Write away folks.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The Architect and the Revolutionary
Revolutionaries unite! The Turntable Cafe, a series of monthly themed events hosted by the South Bank Centre and resident music artists Saint Etienne present two documentaries on class warfare:
I Remember Architecture
Directed by Patrick Keiller
Friday, 20th October, 8pm
Tickets £7.50
The Purcell Room in the South Bank Centre
Post-screening discussion to follow
The film will examine the following issues.
What are the effects of the digital economy on property values worldwide?
It is possible to keep modest or even dilipidated housing stock affordable?
Is social housing feasible in a globalised economy? Are the proponents of social housing able to keep their utopian values amongst the pressures of the real estate market?
The other film is appropriate as the Venezuelan elections are approaching
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Directed by Kim Bartley & Donnacha O'Briain
Sunday, 22 October, 7pm
Tickets £6.00
Purcell Room, South Bank Centre
Executive Producer Rod Stoneman will take part in the post-film Q&A session.
This controversial documentary is a first hand account of the failed coup against President Hugo Chavez and the ensuing media coverage of outside sources. Some questions to consider are as follows:
Why is the US hostile towards Chavez? Is he a serious communist threat or is the US threatened by Chavez's refusal to let the US dominate oil production in Venezuela? Did the US, particularly the CIA have hand in the attempted coup?
Did media coverage in and out of Venezuela report objectively or were they after a specific agenda? Also did the filmmakers themselves lend a specific bias towards the film?
For more information, visit the Royal Festival Hall at www.rfh.org.uk or call the main switchboard at 0870 380 4300. Ticket reservations may be done online or at 0870 380 0400.
I Remember Architecture
Directed by Patrick Keiller
Friday, 20th October, 8pm
Tickets £7.50
The Purcell Room in the South Bank Centre
Post-screening discussion to follow
The film will examine the following issues.
What are the effects of the digital economy on property values worldwide?
It is possible to keep modest or even dilipidated housing stock affordable?
Is social housing feasible in a globalised economy? Are the proponents of social housing able to keep their utopian values amongst the pressures of the real estate market?
The other film is appropriate as the Venezuelan elections are approaching
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Directed by Kim Bartley & Donnacha O'Briain
Sunday, 22 October, 7pm
Tickets £6.00
Purcell Room, South Bank Centre
Executive Producer Rod Stoneman will take part in the post-film Q&A session.
This controversial documentary is a first hand account of the failed coup against President Hugo Chavez and the ensuing media coverage of outside sources. Some questions to consider are as follows:
Why is the US hostile towards Chavez? Is he a serious communist threat or is the US threatened by Chavez's refusal to let the US dominate oil production in Venezuela? Did the US, particularly the CIA have hand in the attempted coup?
Did media coverage in and out of Venezuela report objectively or were they after a specific agenda? Also did the filmmakers themselves lend a specific bias towards the film?
For more information, visit the Royal Festival Hall at www.rfh.org.uk or call the main switchboard at 0870 380 4300. Ticket reservations may be done online or at 0870 380 0400.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Reel Politik
It's only the first trimester of film school and people are already showing their egos by insisting on their need to have their scripts produced, to direct or both. I find this to be unnecessary and a hinderance to the production process. This has proven to be true with choosing scripts and assigning key crew positions amongst all units in my class. Many people took it personally they were not given their preferred choice of crew position or their scripts chosen. People who did not get the chance to direct this term took it hard but what's the big deal? In the next Trimester everybody directs and will also get to direct for their graduation films. It's too bad people can't see beyond the first term, acting like this is it.
There's also much pretension in that students want to create outright masterpieces because they want to avoid the mistakes of past first-term students. Easier said than done folks. They need to remember the two 16mm silent black-and-white films are EXERCISES in mastering basic moviemaking techinques. Who cares what your experience level is prior to the school -going back to square one is essential in knowning how to work together as a filmmaking team, deal with it.
I personally was the only one in my group who did not want to direct, instead choosing to edit and camera assist. I view every position whether it's being a runner, camera operator, designer a valuable learning opportunity in understanding how a film works. I would argue that anybody can direct, good or bad and that working in other positions makes for a better director in the future. Start small, then work your way up. Being the directing hot shot of the school is not an indicator of future success in the real world. What gets a successful film made is a matter of business smarts and talent (if you have it, there's plenty of successful hacks).
School politics is an unfortunate aspect of creating a film, understandably since their will never be an opportunity to create an impressive showreel of short films to use as resume fodder (that will inevitably shame you years later). Cynically speaking, what's produced out of film schools is nothing more than mental masturbation of wannabe students who think their sending an important message to society (that nobody ever sees). Realistically speaking, being able to direct or have your script used gives you more of an opportunity to develop your craft, yet none of this matters upon graduation.
No financier, production company, studio cares if you went to film school, hold a degree in filmmaking, or even how much experience you have. All that matters is if you have a great script that has the potential to make money. Yes, this sounds harsh but moviemaking is a business first and foremost. Talent is a given, either you have it or don't so it's great if you have artistic merit AND material that sells. There's plenty -Spike Lee, Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola to name a few.
So you might ask then, if I know all this, why am I here at film school? I am here to improve my film craft and to really see where my real strengths lie in filmmaking, if I have any real talent and if it's a business I want to be in. If not, then I'll gladly exit the business and head off to library school or whatever else. At least I can say I tried.
There's also much pretension in that students want to create outright masterpieces because they want to avoid the mistakes of past first-term students. Easier said than done folks. They need to remember the two 16mm silent black-and-white films are EXERCISES in mastering basic moviemaking techinques. Who cares what your experience level is prior to the school -going back to square one is essential in knowning how to work together as a filmmaking team, deal with it.
I personally was the only one in my group who did not want to direct, instead choosing to edit and camera assist. I view every position whether it's being a runner, camera operator, designer a valuable learning opportunity in understanding how a film works. I would argue that anybody can direct, good or bad and that working in other positions makes for a better director in the future. Start small, then work your way up. Being the directing hot shot of the school is not an indicator of future success in the real world. What gets a successful film made is a matter of business smarts and talent (if you have it, there's plenty of successful hacks).
School politics is an unfortunate aspect of creating a film, understandably since their will never be an opportunity to create an impressive showreel of short films to use as resume fodder (that will inevitably shame you years later). Cynically speaking, what's produced out of film schools is nothing more than mental masturbation of wannabe students who think their sending an important message to society (that nobody ever sees). Realistically speaking, being able to direct or have your script used gives you more of an opportunity to develop your craft, yet none of this matters upon graduation.
No financier, production company, studio cares if you went to film school, hold a degree in filmmaking, or even how much experience you have. All that matters is if you have a great script that has the potential to make money. Yes, this sounds harsh but moviemaking is a business first and foremost. Talent is a given, either you have it or don't so it's great if you have artistic merit AND material that sells. There's plenty -Spike Lee, Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola to name a few.
So you might ask then, if I know all this, why am I here at film school? I am here to improve my film craft and to really see where my real strengths lie in filmmaking, if I have any real talent and if it's a business I want to be in. If not, then I'll gladly exit the business and head off to library school or whatever else. At least I can say I tried.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Saturday, October 07, 2006
What's your screenplay about? Better yet, your short (emphasis added) screenplay about? To this I challenge you readers of this weblog to create and write your own script of no less than 3 pages, especially to those who have never attempted such a feat. Many aspiring writers speak of the difficulties in cutting their teeth on feature-length scripts but struggle more with the short form.
So why is this? A feature-length must have a story and allow room for exposition, however good or bad the screenplay. A short doesn't necessary require a story, but must get its message across very quickly, whatever the sketch, stunt etc. Often, screenwriters will create scenarios or performance pieces they assume the public will pick up on. This is a bad assumption since writing is a solitary, though not always activity, forgetting that other people many not understand your way of thinking. Please keep this in mind and don't become a snob of being the "misunderstood artist", a very tired cliche reeking of self-indulgence.
Wanna find tools to inspire? No, you don't necessarily have to find your way into an obscure alleyway into some underground avante-garde movie house Look no further than your standard TV commericals. They get the point across in 30 seconds or less about selling you their product. But it is how they approach it through sketches and scenarios that packs a punch. Check out http://www.archive.org for well-made US propaganda shorts. Hilarious, albeit dated concepts that are nonetheless well written and directed.
If you are serious about attempting a short script, please post a message in the comment (no outlines or "I have an idea... blah blah blah) area about your completed screenplay and I may consider reading it. Get that great story on paper.
So why is this? A feature-length must have a story and allow room for exposition, however good or bad the screenplay. A short doesn't necessary require a story, but must get its message across very quickly, whatever the sketch, stunt etc. Often, screenwriters will create scenarios or performance pieces they assume the public will pick up on. This is a bad assumption since writing is a solitary, though not always activity, forgetting that other people many not understand your way of thinking. Please keep this in mind and don't become a snob of being the "misunderstood artist", a very tired cliche reeking of self-indulgence.
Wanna find tools to inspire? No, you don't necessarily have to find your way into an obscure alleyway into some underground avante-garde movie house Look no further than your standard TV commericals. They get the point across in 30 seconds or less about selling you their product. But it is how they approach it through sketches and scenarios that packs a punch. Check out http://www.archive.org for well-made US propaganda shorts. Hilarious, albeit dated concepts that are nonetheless well written and directed.
If you are serious about attempting a short script, please post a message in the comment (no outlines or "I have an idea... blah blah blah) area about your completed screenplay and I may consider reading it. Get that great story on paper.
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