Tulalip Film Festival

Filmmaking - Film Festivals and Seminars

I am honored and delighted to be teaching filmmaking up at the Tulalip Education Center, and jurying at the Tulalip Film Festival, all this week.

The class is going to be fun. We'll be making a whole little movie, stem to stern, using what's available, with a dedicated newbie crew.

In the festival, there'll be a screening of the selected films at the Historic Theatre in Everett WA.

Daniel Jones and Stephen Jimenez are running things at the college.

They're such nice and knowledgeable guys, the students are receptive and enthusiastic, there's good press, and I'm talking about my favorite topic.

It couldn't be better.



Ramon Murillo dances in regalia, as Randy George sings.
Photo: Sam Longoria







Update: We got our movie done, screened some 20 films, gave out a bunch of awards at our awards ceremony. It was great, and I'm happy to have done it. Here's what the papers said.

My thanks to Robin Carneen and her great radio show, the "NAMAPAHH First People's Radio" broadcast.

Robin interviewed me and Ramon Murillo, native artist and dancer from our film, at the festival.

Robin also interviewed Daniel and Stephen, and Daniel and his wife Lena, and their creative sons, Derek and Aaron Jones.

Filmmaking

In Praise Of Warren Miller

Filmmaking - Movie Mogul Dept.

Who are the moving movers in the movie biz?
Sam Goldwyn, Robert Altman, Stanley Kubrick,
Federico Fellini, Louis Buñuel?

They're great, I love 'em, but sometimes I just
want to see snow.

I nominate Warren Miller
as - what else - the ultimate mogul.

Filmmaking

Last Year for SD - Past The Half Mark

As you might know from earlier entries in this blog,
2006 is the last year of broadcast for Standard
Definition (SD) television.

The NTSC raster scan shrinks to a dot on
31 December 2006, only 5 months hence.

Come New Year 2007, it's a brave new world
of High Definition television. (HDTV)

Shows have been broadcast sporadically in HD,
but from now on, participation is mandatory.
You will make HD. That's the official word.

It's possible the FCC might change its collective mind,
but I wouldn't count on it. Especially if you make
video to pay the rent.

What do you need to get started?

For the past 10 years, video production means "computers."
HD means "more computers," and "bigger-faster" ones, too.

Here's a FREE white paper that explains
what kind of integrated computer system
you need to make HD properly.

Filmmaking

Film Finance: Arrow In Your Quiver

Filmmaking - Film Finance

As I get really close to release of my book,
"Secrets Of Raising Money For Your Movie,"
you really should be doing some prep work.

One of the things you should be working on,
no matter what size of your film, is writing
out a solid Business Plan.

Here's an article about Business Plans,
as they relate to filmmaking, and I hope
you take the time to read it.

Don't get the idea it must be complex!
A Business Plan is just a list of the business
events you want to happen, in the order they
should happen, for you to be successful.

Whatever you write down, that's what you get.
Simple? Yes.

Do Prospects and Investors want to see a
Business Plan? Yes. Will they give you the
money if you don't have one? Probably not.

Here's a hint for you:
"We'll just enter the film into some festivals,
and see what happens," is NOT a Business Plan.


Filmmaking

Shooting 24p HD

Filmmaking - Shooting 24p HD

A concise reference for shooting 24p HD,
when you need one. Bon Appetit!

Filmmaking

Epic Wide Screen

Filmmaking - Wide screen

The image should be strong and clear and bright,
the sound should be clear and undistorted and loud!

The picture should have no weird, electronic, dithery
image noise, and it should be just like looking out
a window. It should be a special circumstance, not
just looking at tv and talking to your friends.

Throw those noisy talkers out! Now show me a movie
worthy of my undivided attention. A big movie. An
entertaining movie. A wide movie. Ahh...Widescreen.

Filmmaking

Filmmaking Game Explained

Filmmaking - Process

It is quite possible to be a filmmaker for years
and years, and still never quite know the
filmmaking process.

If you read this article, you'll know process,
and so have a chance to win the game.

Filmmaking

Film Reborn From Paper

Filmmaking - Paper Rebirth

If you have thousands of feet of 35mm negative
fading away, or you've read about how most of
the world's movies from 1894 - 1915 only exist
as paper negatives, here's a heartbreaking story
of redemption and renewal, with a happy ending.

It even has a hero.

Filmmaking

A Great Online Sound Effects Library.

Filmmaking - Free Sound Effects

Thanks for the kind words for my movie sound article.

Some whiners email me, to say that good sound is
"too expensive."

You know what's expensive? A movie that you spend
a year or more making, and it still has sucky sound.

Do you know that movie sound is at least 75% of the
film experience? That's the illusion that your movie
is a cohesive whole, and not just a patchwork of various
picture and sound pieces. It comes from good music,
good sound, and a good mix.

How do you get good sound?

First, you need to record good sound.
Second, you replace any bad sound.
Third, you put in hard effects for your
effects tracks, and...

What? Sound effects is the expensive part?
Nonsense!
Here's a great free sound resource.

Filmmaking

Seeing Red

Filmmaking - Digital Cinema

Red is looking interesting, from a design standpoint,
and how it will operate, and the underlying story
of how it came to be.

Discover them all, as
NAB Ted Schilowitz Introduces the
RED Digital Cinema Camera

Filmmaking

In Praise Of Timothy Carey

Filmmaking - There Was A Man Dept.



The first day I visited Universal Pictures in 1978, I met a legendary actor at the studio commissary. Timothy Carey. I went up to talk with him.

He didn't look as he did in the movies, but I sure recognized him. Whatever quality he had on the screen floated around him like a wraith. You know what I mean.

He was the crazed horse sniper in "The Killing," delivering lines through his teeth like an insane Kirk Douglas parody, working out the details of his grisly shooting job, all the while lovingly scratching a puppy.

He was the condemned French soldier in Kubrick's "Paths Of Glory," set unfairly to die before the firing squad. His cellmate says a roach in their cell will outlive them, and Carey crushes the insect, commenting "Now you've got the edge on him."

Later, as they march helplessly to the firing squad, Carey improvises his own forlorn dialogue, to tremendously moving effect. He was one of only a few actors Kubrick would allow to do that.

I talked to Tim Carey quite a while. He was very friendly and didn't mind. He really made my day. We talked about movie acting and Stanley Kubrick and Marlon Brando and Frank Zappa and Jack Nicholson and the indy feature movies Tim made with his own money.

Then we had to go. It was time for my appointment. He was at Universal to do some other business.

He raised and trained attack dogs now, and gave me his business card for his dog-training company "K-9 Attack Dogs." It was in my wallet for a long time, and then on my bulletin board, (next to Stanley Kubrick's phone number). I called Mr. Carey a couple of times, he was always nice, even though I wasn't in the dog market.

I'm so glad I met him, he was an original. What a character in real life, and when the cameras started rolling, always completely perfect for the screen. Every movie he was in, he stole the frame, no matter who else was in it. Kirk Douglas, Marlon Brando, anybody. What a career.

And talk about chutzpah - he once climbed over the Fox studio wall - in a suit of armor - to get an audition for "Prince Valiant." Can't beat that. Lots of people have been influenced by him. I know I have.

Quentin Tarentino's script for "Reservoir Dogs" is dedicated to a list of influences. Timothy Carey heads that list.

Timothy Carey, I salute you.

Filmmaking

Red Attracts Attention

Filmmaking - Digital Camera

Here's that world's most talked-about movie camera,
finally revealed. "Red" attracts a lot of attention.

Super35mm sensor area, 4k scan, Mega megapixels at 60fps,
a digital cameraman's dream come true.

Check out Red.

Filmmaking

They Want to Review Your Movie

Filmmaking - Film Magazine

AIVF, the association of independent video
and filmmakers, wants to review your movie.

Their magazine, The Independent, seeks recent
works by AIVF members to review for the DVD
section of The Independent's July issue.

Please send your DVD to this address by May 5, 2006:

Shana Liebman
Editor in Chief
The Independent
AIVF
304 Hudson St 6th fl
New York NY 10013 USA

To join AIVF, click here.

Learn about AIVF.

Filmmaking

Be A Big Hit In Japan!

Filmmaking - Film Festival

It's time to enter the 9th Kyoto International
Student Film & Video Festival.

This is a big-time student film festival in Japan,
and they invite you to submit your best work.

They'll be showing winners 20-27 October 2006, and want
to discover student independent film masterpieces, both
in Japan and beyond.

Festival competition is open to ALL STUDENTS regardless of
age or nationality. KISFVF2006 welcomes all films of all
styles and genres, and looks forward to world-wide entries.

Entries will only be accepted until Monday 15 May 2006,
and must arrive in Japan by then.

Check out the KISFVF2006 website for details of
entry requirements.

http://www.kisfvf.com
kisfvf2006@hotmail.com
+81-75-353-9430


Filmmaking

Opt In

Filmmaking - Options

So you have a story, and you want to play the
Hollywood Game. To attract Producers, and sell
your property, for the most money you can.

Usually, somebody comes up with Option money.
Here's a quick intro - how the game is played.

Filmmaking

Movie Sound

Filmmaking - Film and Video Sound.

The difference between a good indy movie
and a bad indy movie is usually its sound track.

Generally, film sound in a "real" movie is lush
and rich, and that indy video sound, well, sucks.

Doesn't have to be that way. Learn to fix it.

Filmmaking

Ultrasonic Splicer

Filmmaking - Equipment

35mm splicer uses high-frequency sound to weld
the ends of the dense, strong polyester film.

What the Editor has welded, let no man put asunder.
Find it, use it!

Filmmaking

Digital Highways

Filmmaking - Quality

It's funny. You make one little comment about
digital, which, though fast and inexpensive,
isn't yet in many ways as good as film,
and the complaining starts.

Filmmaking

Easter Movies

Filmmaking - Easter Movies



Quick! What's the best Jesus movie in Wyler widescreen, with the ultimate chariot race?

Yes, it's "Ben-Hur," which is what I named my childhood pet, my cat Ben, after he surprised us all by having kittens.

Tomorrow's Easter, and here are
my favorite Jesus movies.

None of them feature bunnies or easter baskets, unless such are in "Jesus Christ, Superstar," or "Godspell," which I happily avoid, so I wouldn't know.

This isn't Jesus the hippie philosopher, or Jesus the singing clown, of those epics. This is Jesus the Son of God, saviour of all mankind.

Mankind seems to resist being saved, and just look at the world.
Jesus has his work cut out for him. Go Jesus!

The list is hit-or-miss, but don't miss "Ben-Hur." Enjoy the breathtaking 11-minute chariot race, watch for Betsy Hale's dad as Gaspar the friendly Wise Man, and listen for my favorite line from "Ben-Hur:"

"If Judah Ben-Hur, none of this would have happened!"
(Isn't that a great line? If only it was actually in the movie.)

"Ben-Hur" is about Jesus, they talk about Him all the time, but you never actually see His face.

If you don't know, yesterday was Good Friday, today is Good Saturday, tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

Easter commemorates a noted Jew, who was persecuted right into the ground, yet returned to have the last laugh.

Hope you are the same.

Happy Easter!


Filmmaking

Format: 70mm

Filmmaking - 70mm

I seem to say this often, but not strongly enough - if you haven't seen 70mm, shot from 65mm film negative, you really don't know what a quality image is. You've never seen one.

Tv and digital video are just barely enough to get their information to you, and HD is better. 35mm film is the bare minimum that makes you forget you're watching a movie.

VistaVision is what it claims to be, "Motion Picture Hi-Fidelity," but 65/70mm, in all its forms, is the real deal.

I've seen many digital projection formats, at the Hollywood ETC digital theatre, and they are wonderful, but...

I saw a screening of the "do re mi" scene from "The Sound of Music," at the Academy's Hollywood's Linwood Dunn Theatre (named for my mentor, Linwood G. Dunn ASC), that blew all the other stuff right off the screen.

5 minutes later, I knew I'd never really seen "The Sound of Music." The beautiful face of a 25-year-old Julie Andrews, apparently floating inches from your own, as she sings and dances, the clarity of the image (and her skin) is absolutely flawless. No comparison, next case.

Learn about 70mm, and seek it out.
5-perf, 8-perf, Todd-AO, Dynavision, Showscan, IMAX. Do what you have to, find it where and when you can, because it is the best. Movie quality just doesn't get any better.

Filmmaking