We’re stoked. We don’t know what to think so we’re just enjoying it. We admit that our juices flowing again. A new script is waiting to be made. Our schedules for the rest of the year are kickin but….
2011?
We shall see.
If you can make it, we’d love to see you at the screening. We miss your glorious faces.
“In the Name of the Father” has numerous memorable scenes but this one stands out. It takes place right after Gisseppe Conlan, the father of Daniel Day-Lewis’s character, dies in prison. Both are innocent and spent several years in prison together. The constraints of prison prevent the rest of the inmates from paying their respects in the normal way, i.e. attending a funeral service or visiting a grave. So they figure out another way.
In DIY filmmaking (or any art where the funds are lacking), you will have constraints. But you have to realize that they force you to create in a new way. As stressful as this may be, I believe it’s one of the fastest way to produce something remarkable. I mean, what are you more likely to remember – a funeral service or what you saw in the film clip? If those boys aren’t in jail, you would never see that amazing scene.
Your limitations will only expand your horizon if you keep moving forward. Do it.
I saw “Smoke” several years ago and this scene still haunts me. Or inspires me – it matters the day. Everyone can learn from Auggie and his photography project. His life’s work may seem simplistic but look a little deeper. The importance and complexity of his project shines throughout the scene.
This is Auggie’s corner. He doesn’t care what anybody says. He lives and works here, so he is going to document it for the world. Many (including William Hurt) question the importance of a city street corner. This doesn’t phase Auggie in the slightest. The corner has a special place in his heart and he wants to share it. His passion, his corner.
But the thing that gets me is the unexpected emotional reaction of William Hurt’s character. He sees this mundane project and then gets cold-clocked by the thing. You need to soak this in. One of the most amazing and rewarding thing about creating is that you have no idea how it will affect people. A friend of mine enjoyed “Sweet Damnation” because the characters resembled her crew from college. It made her happy to think about that time of her life again.
Cool stuff people. Check out “Smoke.” Then do your thing.
This video is killer with no filler. And that get-up is so much cooler than a brand new Fender. It’s not a slick, mass produced guitar. Rather, it’s a homegrown, junkyard ball-buster. Completely original and inspiring.
Thinking about your art, are you willing to scour the scraps or dig in the dirt to find your masterpiece? Or are you stuck in the rut of looking for the nicest Fender guitars? The people that scowl or laugh at Jack’s guitar are completely out of the creative loop while they think they’re at the center of it. Don’t go there. Play in the mud. Seek out the junkyards and bring the elements back to life.
I first watched the infamous Leroy Jenkins video a month ago. I’m only 5 years late! I can see why it’s an international phenomenon. Hell, it’s become a philosophy, similar to the “do the opposite” philosophy. It’s harmless enough but there are a few lessons in this hilarious video. To perpetuate this silly phenomenon, here’s a couple thoughts about filmmaking and the actions of Mr. Jenkins.
How Leeroy Will Elevate Your Game You can sense the “paralysis by analysis” in the nerd discussion. The various situations and strategies were laughable. Somebody do something! If you analyze all the pitfalls of filmmaking, you will never make a movie. Ever. Rely on your instincts and get in the arena. I don’t care how many books you’ve read, you will never know how to make a film unless you do it. People are inspired by Leroy. Do the same with your filmmaking. Rub some dirt on it and get back in there!
How Leeroy Will Sink Your Ship If this video represented a movie set, Leroy would come out of nowhere, grab a camera and shout “Action!” I love spontaneity but your film would suck. You have to respect the process. Make sure you love the script. Create a shot list. Do some rehearsal. Don’t spend years on this stuff, but do it justice. If you can’t wait to turn the camera on, film the pre-production process. Laying the foundation is different than planning for every possible pitfall. Know the difference.
The recent extended weekend ironically did not produce more time for Mike and I to record the radio show. We will be a day late so look for episode #17 on Wednesday. In honor of the Vanish code, we will be falling on our swords. In the meantime , please enjoy this killer performance from my good friend Thia Gonzales. Show some cube!
The writing’s on the wall. The elephant’s in the room. Yes kids, I got a bee in my bonnet and it’s about to drive the spike. Inspiration is running rampant in the DIY world but the bullshit clouds are blocking the sun.Classism is alive and well in our little filmmaking town. I suppose it was inevitable. Alright, let me catch my breath. Watch the following clip from “Good Will Hunting” while thinking about this scenario: The main players in the scene are DIY filmmakers.
You may not think the DIY spectrum includes filmmakers from both sides of the tracks but I beg to differ. Take the pompous cake boy in the clip. He flaunts the status symbol of taking his future family on a sky trip. Now imagine a filmmaker flaunting the status symbol of going to a VIP party at the Sundance Film Festival.
Let’s go even deeper. The cake boy believes that dishing out a ton of cash to Harvard makes him a professional and paying only minor library fees makes someone an amateur. I see the same thing with filmmaking equipment and software. If a filmmaker uses an expensive camera and a “pro” editing software, then they are professional filmmakers. Using the lower version makes you an amateur.
Complete bullshit.
Your audience isn’t going to laugh, cry or be inspired by your expensive film equipment. The whole thing is about telling a good story.
The best things are left unsaid. Silence is deafening. Terror comes from what you don’t see.
Whether you call it minimalism or laziness, subtracting elements from your movie can be powerful. (And if you’re a DIY filmmaker, it’s more affordable!)
For an example, let’s take a look at this scene from “Road to Perdition.” Pay special attention to what’s not in the scene.
The following is my list of missing elements:
No visual of the shooter; only the flashes from the gun barrel.
No sounds of gunshots during the massacre.
No screams of the dying men.
No movement from Paul Newman’s character as the gunshots blaze.
Only one line of dialogue! But it’s so good that it sums up the theme of the whole movie.
No shot of Paul Newman getting shot and falling to the ground. You only follow the eyes of Tom Hanks.
The missing elements were the source of the scene’s power, and made it one of the great ones in recent memory. A friend of mine who is against violence in movies thought this scene was beautiful. WTFF!
With our Vanish films, we visually allude more than we directly show. We love the contribution of the audience. Their imagination creates a more powerful visual than we could ever afford.
So what do you think? Feeling like doing any math with your movies?
Miller’s Crossing is my favorite movie. I remember the gas station where I rented it and the amazing experience that followed. By the end of my first viewing, I could explain about three of the 75 things that occurred. I was clueless. But I knew the film was seeping into my pores as I thought about it. Since then, I’ve seen the film at least 50 times. I can recite the opening scene by heart. It’s damn near a part of my identity.
Why was I intrigued in my confusion? Imagine witnessing a fascinating chain of events without any context, leaving it up to you to gather all the pieces of the puzzle and figure it out. Essentially, the film required an investment on my part. I couldn’t be a bystander, waiting to be spoon-fed The film graciously presented a mystery where the characters often knew more than I did. What a killer change of pace!
Here’s the definition for “spoon-feed” in the Merriam dictionary:
1. to feed by means of a spoon.
2. to present (information) so completely as to preclude independent thought
3. the end of “Minority Report.”
OK, so I’m adding a little of my own definition to #3. But seriously! Nothing like a long voiceover exposition for all you morons out there! Ugh. It had great momentum up until that point.
So think about your movie. Are you spoon-feeding? Or are you utilizing the independent thought of your audience?
I know which movie I’m watching. How about you? Let us know in the comments.
