This has been a long time coming!
Archive for March, 2011
Um yeah it’s mine
Thursday, March 24th, 2011Talib Kweli and Stones Throw are Classic!
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
MED – Classic feat Talib Kweli from Stones Throw on Vimeo.
As you all know Stones Throw is my favorite label. This is because they take chances and are not afraid to make non ring tone music. This is important because it reminds me why I started liking hip hop in the first place. Kweli is in rare form in this music video. His verse starts at 1:15. Check it out!
Mos Def is Classic is this video too!
Source Code is another Avatar movie. Geez!
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011“Source Code” is cinemas most recent manifestation of its infatuation with Avatars. Hollywood’s Avatar infatuation has been going on for decades now and it’s no surprise why; people just like to imagine themselves as others. All story telling, regardless of form, exists to quench our desire to imagine ourselves as others. We get satisfaction from putting ourselves in the characters shoes and judging their actions versus our own and this is the overriding entertainment value of cinema. Avatar stories take this desire further by adding one or more dimensions, because not only do we put ourselves in the characters shoes, but the character is directly putting his or herself into another characters shoes and so on. I am an avid fan of these movies and therefore it pains me when a good idea goes to waste via poor execution. The “Source Code” trailer makes me nervous. I’ll reserve judgment till after I see it.
Best Avatar Films
Total Recall
Matrix
Inception
Avatar (execution off the charts plus Zoe Saldana was in it)
Good Idea, Bad Execution Avatar Films
Surrogates (so unfortunate)
We’ll see where “Source Code” fits in.
Source Code
Auteurism is not dead.
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011Just look at the above trailer for Super 8. One glance at it and you can immediately tell it’s a Spielberg film (he produced it). Now, I love Spielberg for nostalgia’s sake but the fact that J.J Abrams directed it turns my nostalgia into pure excitement. The fact I can tell it’s a Spielberg film without having to see his name (especially when he didn’t direct it) proves Autuerism still exists in Hollywood. Stay tuned.
Top 5 reasons HDSLR has changed filmmaking!
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011A while back I blogged about HDSLR filmmaking being for real and that blog post was primarily about the fact that real cinematography lenses were being made for the camera. BUT now after having shot a couple of projects on a 7D and prepping a few others, everyone in community knows it’s here to stay, at least until the XL3HD comes out. Here are the top 5 reasons HDSLRs are game changing.
1) Price: But not for the reasons you think. Lots of people think that just because the camera is cheap that you can make a movie for cheap but these people have obviously never made a movie. The reason price is such a game changer is because it allows people better tools to develop their craft with. When you’re developing your craft you are often shooting with no crew and having a HDSLR in your arsenal unlocks so much more creative potential.
2) Size: Matters! The form factor of the camera lends itself to applications that were virtually impossible with a traditional film or video camera. Being able to throw the camera around and squeeze it into tight spaces opens up more creativity.
3) Dynamic Range: Dynamic range is off the charts. Especially with the 5D.. It hasn’t caught up to film yet but the gap is closing.
4) Professional Adoption: This is huge. Professionals have validated the tools and have also provided tutorials and lectures on its strengths and weaknesses including the jello effect.
5) Location fees. Hmmm The line is blurring if you’re shooting MOS and don’t require a crazy rig. I’ll let you make the conclusion. lol
3D Sucks! Embrace It
Friday, March 11th, 2011
I have a love/hate relationship with 3D. As an artist, 3D’s potential is exciting because it gives filmmakers additional faculty in which to shape story and emotion. Filmmakers (especially indie’s) should embrace this technology and move it forward from the mainstream trickery it has always been. This will happen naturally once the tools (both on the distribution and production sides) become less cumbersome and cost prohibitive. There also are a few monumental technology breakthroughs that we’ll need to solve the inherent problems with 3D. We can solve the technological problems but not if the artists and scientists are not pushing the envelope. Filmmakers and scientist please stand up!
As a consumer I hate 3D. What’s up with the glasses, headaches, higher ticket costs and software emulated 3D that looks like crap? I want my money back.
Gotta love the ingenuity but here’s how not to solve the technology problems.
Red Camera 3D rig. Handhold that? Yeah right.
Eye Balls and Cinema
Thursday, March 10th, 2011
There Will Be Blood with gaze locations of 11 viewers from TheDIEMProject on Vimeo.
The above video tracks where viewers eyes go while watching a clip from “There Will be Blood”. The circle reps where the viewer is looking and the size of the circle is time. This will come as no surprise to those in the community (filmmakers, artists etc.) but what is interesting are the lone eyeballs that DON’T follow where we expect them to. What’s up with this? Are they daydreaming? Uninterested? Are they seeing the virgin Mary in the shadows where no one else can? It’s baffling to me.
Eyeball Track (in this order)
1) Movement
2) Light
3) Convergence (Line or Space)
4) Faces
Wong Kar Wei and Hip Hop
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
I’m almost certain celebrated filmmaker Wong Kar Wei has never been associated with Hip Hop, but that changes today. Yes I said it, Wong Kar Wei is Hip Hop and here are the top three reasons why.
1) Wong Kar Wei is gangsta: He doesn’t shoot from a script yet his films are full of compelling drama. That takes guts, ego and bravado. All traits of Hip Hop and of auteurism.
2) Wong Kar Wei is classic: He is the second wave of the French New Wave cinema movement. His films will have a place in the world film canon. Classic is Hip Hop.
3) Wong Kar Wei is political: But not in an overt way. His films often deal with Hong Kong’s Chinese identity since they were only very recently given back to China. Hip Hop is always political.
Not familiar with Wei’s work? Be sure to check out “In the Mood for Love”, “Chungking Express” and “Fallen Angels”.