Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
A & E Still Going with "Jacksons" Reality Show
"The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty" will be a six-part mini-series that begins airing on A & E December 13 @9/8 central. Not sure how to feel about this move. But I've always wanted to learn "The Moonwalk". And guess what, here's how...
My question is, why can't they let This is It be, you know, it? Michael's rehearsal film has already made motion picture history as the highest grossing concert film of all time. Here are the numbers, as of November 9, 2009. It's also the #1 album in America and in 16 other countries.
And I guess the answer is, with numbers like that, Hollywood can't resist milking it for more. Maybe they're right. I'm just saying...watching the Jackson dynasty, post Michael, isn't something I want to see.
My question is, why can't they let This is It be, you know, it? Michael's rehearsal film has already made motion picture history as the highest grossing concert film of all time. Here are the numbers, as of November 9, 2009. It's also the #1 album in America and in 16 other countries.
And I guess the answer is, with numbers like that, Hollywood can't resist milking it for more. Maybe they're right. I'm just saying...watching the Jackson dynasty, post Michael, isn't something I want to see.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Twenty Years... After The Fall
There is almost nothing left of the Berlin Wall. AFTER THE FALL, a documentary produced in 2008, is a portrait of Berlin that recounts the story of the creation and disappearance of the most absurd of constructions: the Berlin Wall.
A compelling, well-balanced look at a fractured culture finding its way back to wholeness. It's beautifully shot and edited and punctuated by audio and visual dissonance. Some of the metaphors don't quite work but overall the filmmaker successfully gives us a body of conflicting perspectives that collectively resemble the recovery of a singular soul.
Happy anniversary Berlin.
A compelling, well-balanced look at a fractured culture finding its way back to wholeness. It's beautifully shot and edited and punctuated by audio and visual dissonance. Some of the metaphors don't quite work but overall the filmmaker successfully gives us a body of conflicting perspectives that collectively resemble the recovery of a singular soul.
Happy anniversary Berlin.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Impressions of Paranormal Activity
Finally saw Paranormal Activity last night and was amazed in spite of my skepticism. After all, how scary could an amateur film that cost $15,000 to produce really be? I came away with some very distinct impressions that I'll leave with you here. If you haven't seen it yet...
Impression number one...you don't need a complicated, highly structured plot to make a scary movie. Paranormal's storyline is an exercise in simplicity. When I was at Universal, we made a little film called Meet the Fockers and learned that lesson for the comedy genre. People just want to have fun. If you take a funny situation and escalate the comedy, you can have a winner.
From an analytical standpoint, Paranormal lacks shading and catharsis but that hasn't hurt it at the box office and most people don't seem to mind the absence of these elements. The faux "news update a la Blair Witch Project" bookend device brackets the film with suprising success.
Impression number two...Writer/director/editor Oren Peli has made a high concept movie on an extreme low budget. It's easy to get your head around and all about the experience. Some people have referred to it as minimalist filmmaking but they don't know what "minimalism" in the film world actually means. It's not minimalist at all. It's pure formula. And it works, even when you know it's hokey. Just place this structural grid (from Robert McKee's book) over the script for proof.
Impression number three...the audience involvement in the picture was AS important and impressive as the film itself. We are living in an interactive environment. Paranormal is a visceral experience that is best seen in a theatre. Outstanding plus because the DVD market has crashed.
The studio obviously picked up on the interactive quality of the film (which I believe is partly due to the "home movie" look and feel of the film) too because it literally became their marketing plan. If you go to this website you too can be a part of "the phenomenon".
Impression number four...As much as I hate to admit it, you don't need a musical score to make a successful feature film either. The only sounds other than dialogue in the entire film are the sound FX. Even those are very primitive. Amazing. That said, I will say that I missed the musical texture of a score and believe it would've filled some of the moments that got a little slow. Having someone like James Horner score the sequel would be a very welcome addition.
So what are you waiting for? It doesn't have to be that complicated. I'm willing to bet that all the studios will be more open to this type of submission now that Paranormal Activity has proven itself at the box office. Here are the US domestic box office numbers as of Nov. 6 2009 (this was initially only released in 12 theatres for the first three of its six week run so far and is now in 2,558 theatres)
BTW, A sequel is on the way.
Impression number one...you don't need a complicated, highly structured plot to make a scary movie. Paranormal's storyline is an exercise in simplicity. When I was at Universal, we made a little film called Meet the Fockers and learned that lesson for the comedy genre. People just want to have fun. If you take a funny situation and escalate the comedy, you can have a winner.
From an analytical standpoint, Paranormal lacks shading and catharsis but that hasn't hurt it at the box office and most people don't seem to mind the absence of these elements. The faux "news update a la Blair Witch Project" bookend device brackets the film with suprising success.
Impression number two...Writer/director/editor Oren Peli has made a high concept movie on an extreme low budget. It's easy to get your head around and all about the experience. Some people have referred to it as minimalist filmmaking but they don't know what "minimalism" in the film world actually means. It's not minimalist at all. It's pure formula. And it works, even when you know it's hokey. Just place this structural grid (from Robert McKee's book) over the script for proof.
Impression number three...the audience involvement in the picture was AS important and impressive as the film itself. We are living in an interactive environment. Paranormal is a visceral experience that is best seen in a theatre. Outstanding plus because the DVD market has crashed.
The studio obviously picked up on the interactive quality of the film (which I believe is partly due to the "home movie" look and feel of the film) too because it literally became their marketing plan. If you go to this website you too can be a part of "the phenomenon".
Impression number four...As much as I hate to admit it, you don't need a musical score to make a successful feature film either. The only sounds other than dialogue in the entire film are the sound FX. Even those are very primitive. Amazing. That said, I will say that I missed the musical texture of a score and believe it would've filled some of the moments that got a little slow. Having someone like James Horner score the sequel would be a very welcome addition.
So what are you waiting for? It doesn't have to be that complicated. I'm willing to bet that all the studios will be more open to this type of submission now that Paranormal Activity has proven itself at the box office. Here are the US domestic box office numbers as of Nov. 6 2009 (this was initially only released in 12 theatres for the first three of its six week run so far and is now in 2,558 theatres)
BTW, A sequel is on the way.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Little Comic Relief on Movie Logic
I was doodling around the Twitterverse this morning when I came across a very funny list of comical observations from Emmy award winning director Jon Cassar. Jon is now working on his first feature film for DreamWorks called Motorcade, an action-thriller in pre-production here in L.A. BTW, if you need a script girl...:)A little clarification here, Jon didn't author all of these. Some come from a pre-existing list that inspired him to sort of riff on with some of his own ideas in an on-going "tweet-series"). Thanks Jon for your insights into some embarassing secrets of the screentrade and whoever else wrote/compiled the list. File this under "movie-logic"... I've included the latest three at the end. So far What We Learn From The Movies boasts 30 oddly logical witticisms and still counting...here's hoping he keeps them coming.
What We Learn From the Movies
1. Large, loft-style apartments in New York City are well within the price range of most people - whether they are employed or not.
2. At least one of a pair of identical twins is born evil.
3. Should you decide to defuse a bomb, don't worry which wire to cut. You will always choose the right one.
4. Most laptop computers are powerful enough to override the communications system of any invading alien society.
5. It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts - your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors.
6. When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in your bedroom will still be clearly visible, just slightly bluish.
7. If you are blonde and pretty, it is possible to become a world expert on nuclear fission at the age of 22.
8. Honest and hard working policemen are traditionally gunned down three days before their retirement.
9. Rather than wasting bullets, megalomaniacs prefer to kill their archenemies using complicated machinery involving fuses, pulley systems, deadly gasses, lasers, and man-eating sharks, which will allow their captives at least 20 minutes to escape.
10. During all police investigations, it will be necessary to visit a strip club at least once.
11. All beds have special L-shaped cover sheets that reach up to the armpit level on a woman but only to waist level on the man lying beside her.
12. All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread.
13. It's easy for anyone to land a plane providing there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.
14. Once applied, lipstick will never rub off-even while scuba diving.
15. You're very likely to survive any battle in any war unless you make the mistake of showing someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.
16. Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German or Russian officer, it will not be necessary to speak the language. A German or Russian accent will do. (It used to be an English accent for the German).
17. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris.
18. A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.
19. If a large pane of glass is visible, someone will be thrown through it before long.
20. If staying in a haunted house, women should investigate any strange noises in their most revealing underwear.
21. Word processors never display a cursor on screen but will always say: Enter Password Now.
22. Even when driving down a perfectly straight road, it is necessary to turn the steering wheel vigorously from left to right every few moments.
23. All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readouts so you know exactly when they're going to go off.
24. A detective can only solve a case once he has been suspended from duty.
25. If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you meet will know all the steps.
26. Police departments give their officers personality tests to make sure they are deliberately assigned a partner who is their total opposite.
27. When they are alone, all foreign military officers prefer to speak to each other in English.
# # #
Here are the most recent tweets that take the list up to #30 this morning...
28. Children, in no way whatsoever, look like their parents or their siblings
29. If a crazed psychopath is chasing you, you should always stop and look behind you to see if he still is there.
30. Even if your life is in danger and you're being chased, there's still time to start a romantic relationsip with a total stranger.
ALL GOOD TO KNOW IF YOU'RE WRITING A FEATURE AND WANT TO SELL IT IN HOLLYWOOD!
P.S. Just learned that Jon has gotten so much buzz from this little project he's got another series on the way. It's the 2.0 version.Good show! To follow this thread, visit his website here.
Monday, November 2, 2009
There's a New Cat in Town
English animator/director Simon Tofield put out a new cartoon short on YouTube a few weeks ago in celebration of his first book - which is available now worldwide! Gotta love it...
Here's one of the first, it's called 'Cat Man Do'
My kitty actually did a version of this this morning. There's a feature film percolating here...Anybody got an idea for the script?
Here's one of the first, it's called 'Cat Man Do'
My kitty actually did a version of this this morning. There's a feature film percolating here...Anybody got an idea for the script?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween!
UPDATED: 11/7/09 Neil Gaiman's latest novel The Graveyard Book just nominated for a Carnegie Medal. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Snagged this spooky gourd from Neil Gaiman's online journal. It was carved in honor of his book-turned-film Coraline. Cool huh? I love Mr. Gaiman's work. He's got a new book out called The Graveyard Book (a great time to be promoting it, BTW) that I'm willing to bet will soon be a movie. It's about a young boy who's raised by the ghosts and goblins and ghouls in the graveyard where he lives. The question is, will he be able to meet the challenges of the "real" world?
The Auteurs (the world's first online cinema for "legit" filmmakers worldwide) is also hosting a special scary movie weekend. If you've got nothing else planned, click here to visit the site and watch some vintage classics for FREE!
This is a photo from the Onibaba Festival. Onibaba is a Buddhist folktale that was made into a horror film in Japan in 1964. It was directed by Kaneto Shindo and is one of the rare independent films you can watch free at the Auteurs site today.
In many cultures it is believed that on this night, the veil between the living and the dead is thinner than at any other time. That's why the common tradition that all cultures share is an honoring of the spirit world. Our neighbors in Mexico today celebrate Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Catholics, of course, recognize tomorrow as All Souls Day or All Saints Day.
Some years ago when I was living in Hawaii, I attended a Bon Festival, which is a Japanese version of the Festival of the Dead. They are on a lunar calendar so the celebration/dance usually takes place in July/August. We met on the beach at a Buddhist Temple. There were candlelit paper lanterns all around and a beautiful altar filled with fresh cut flowers and island fruits. Entire families particiated in a folk dance called the Bon Dance.
Incense was burning and there was much activity as the faithful prepared a ritual called Toro Nagashi, a moment when floating candlelit paper lanterns that hold the spirts of our ancestors are sent back to the "otherworld". At the climax of the ritual, the boats were set free on the waves with their fires gleaming under the stars and reflecting off the water. We watched until they disappeared. It was one of the most beautiful rituals I've ever attended.
I found a commericalized version of the Toro Nagashi ceremony on YouTube. Here you can even see a few moments of hula, another of my beloved dances.
It turns out that about 10 years ago some of the leaders in Honolulu decided to combine the celebration of Memorial Day with Toro Nagashi - in honor of those lost in WWII. It has become a very popular tradition now. Here is a commemorative video that gives an idea of the worldwide response to the ritual.
There is a rich story tradition behind all of these. And that is yet another great reason to explore the many avenues of the holiday. Many of the producers and film execs I've known consider it essential for writers and story development folks to immerse themselves in all kinds of cultural research. So have a great night. And who knows? You may just stumble on an idea for your next story.
Snagged this spooky gourd from Neil Gaiman's online journal. It was carved in honor of his book-turned-film Coraline. Cool huh? I love Mr. Gaiman's work. He's got a new book out called The Graveyard Book (a great time to be promoting it, BTW) that I'm willing to bet will soon be a movie. It's about a young boy who's raised by the ghosts and goblins and ghouls in the graveyard where he lives. The question is, will he be able to meet the challenges of the "real" world? The Auteurs (the world's first online cinema for "legit" filmmakers worldwide) is also hosting a special scary movie weekend. If you've got nothing else planned, click here to visit the site and watch some vintage classics for FREE!
This is a photo from the Onibaba Festival. Onibaba is a Buddhist folktale that was made into a horror film in Japan in 1964. It was directed by Kaneto Shindo and is one of the rare independent films you can watch free at the Auteurs site today. In many cultures it is believed that on this night, the veil between the living and the dead is thinner than at any other time. That's why the common tradition that all cultures share is an honoring of the spirit world. Our neighbors in Mexico today celebrate Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Catholics, of course, recognize tomorrow as All Souls Day or All Saints Day.
Some years ago when I was living in Hawaii, I attended a Bon Festival, which is a Japanese version of the Festival of the Dead. They are on a lunar calendar so the celebration/dance usually takes place in July/August. We met on the beach at a Buddhist Temple. There were candlelit paper lanterns all around and a beautiful altar filled with fresh cut flowers and island fruits. Entire families particiated in a folk dance called the Bon Dance.
Incense was burning and there was much activity as the faithful prepared a ritual called Toro Nagashi, a moment when floating candlelit paper lanterns that hold the spirts of our ancestors are sent back to the "otherworld". At the climax of the ritual, the boats were set free on the waves with their fires gleaming under the stars and reflecting off the water. We watched until they disappeared. It was one of the most beautiful rituals I've ever attended.
I found a commericalized version of the Toro Nagashi ceremony on YouTube. Here you can even see a few moments of hula, another of my beloved dances.
It turns out that about 10 years ago some of the leaders in Honolulu decided to combine the celebration of Memorial Day with Toro Nagashi - in honor of those lost in WWII. It has become a very popular tradition now. Here is a commemorative video that gives an idea of the worldwide response to the ritual.
There is a rich story tradition behind all of these. And that is yet another great reason to explore the many avenues of the holiday. Many of the producers and film execs I've known consider it essential for writers and story development folks to immerse themselves in all kinds of cultural research. So have a great night. And who knows? You may just stumble on an idea for your next story.
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