Tales Of Hollywood - Ray Harryhausen Lunch

Tales of Hollywood - Ray Harryhausen Lunch

In 1983, I was working "Ghostbusters" and "2010," for Boss Film, and the stop-motion guys were fun to lunch with. They had done some of the best stop-motion anywhere. Phil Tippett, Jon Berg, Randall William Cook, Jim Aupperle, and some others. 

They were very funny guys, and I was was very pleased to be in their company. I was fresh off an animated clay movie in Portland, and my 35mm Seattle feature, now I was building 65mm camera equipment in Hollywood. 

My friend Jerry Jeffress had told me Ray Harryhausen had a unique way of speaking, and Jerry could imitate it perfectly. He was great at it. So, I could mimic Jerry imitating Ray, which I did to the amusement of the stop-motion guys at lunchtime.

To my surprise, they ALL could imitate Ray's speaking voice! It was clear they loved him. He was their hero, the reason they got started animating. That was fun! 

In the next couple of days, some amazing things happened. A magazine writer asked if I could do a favor. Ray Harryhausen was in town, and could I take him to lunch? And then bring him to Showscan, where the writer also worked, to see the Showscan demo presentation? 

(Showscan was a 65mm 60fps system, at Doug Trumbull's company near Boss Film). 

Then Mr. Harryhausen would be interviewed for the magazine. Did I say yes? Yes, indeed! 

I picked up Mr. Harryhausen, and we chatted a bit. I took him to the restaurant, where the stop-motion guys were. I asked if we could surprise someone, and he grinned yes. As he waited outside for a minute, I went in. 

"Guys, our last lunchtime, my Ray Harryhausen imitation wasn't very good. I've been working on it, and it's better. I want to show it to you. I just need a moment to prepare." What a setup. Such eager, expectant faces.

I went outside, and sent Ray back in. Hubbub! Tumult! Somebody yelled "Sam, that's a fantastic imitation!" And that was a fantastic lunch.



2010
Boss Film
Showscan
Ghostbusters
Sam Longoria
Doug Trumbull
Clay Animation
Ray Harryhausen
Tales of Hollywood
Stop-Motion Animation

Independent Film - New Faces of Sundance

Independent Film - New Faces of Sundance

New wind blowing at Sundance.

New generation of younger and more multi-cultural independent film, more of a global slant. Fewer goateed twenty-somethings moaning about their family, and how bad life is.

And THAT'S worth it, isn't it?

Catch up on the changing world of Sundance 2009.


Independent Film - New Faces of Sundance

independent film

film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
passion for cinema
digital filmmaking handbook

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Film School To Make Independent Film?

Film Production - Do You Need Film School To Make An Independent Film?

Anthony Watkins is an accomplished filmmaker from Mount Vernon, Washington, who attended film school in Vancouver, BC. That required Anthony, a U.S. citizen, to commute for hours every day, over the US/Canada border. The distance didn't bother him, for Anthony knew he'd only be doing it a short while.

"It was a good film school, but I only went there long enough to learn how to operate a movie camera, and light a movie set. As soon as I learned that, I was done with film school. After I quit, I started raising money, and then I started shooting my own feature movie."

How has it worked out for him? Anthony has completed two feature films, "Counseling Day" and "Mall Robbers." Both movies are feature-length, shot on film, and they premiered in Anthony's hometown movie theatre, complete with tuxedoes and limousines.

Anthony is putting finishing touches on the script for his next film, the third in what he calls his "Seattle Trilogy." That film is titled "Diary of a Jerk," and will be in production in 2009, to be completed in 2010.

What became of his first two features? Anthony says they are selling briskly on DVD. Anthony distributes them on eBay, and through his direct-response website. http://mallrobbers.com

That's unusual in the world of independent film, which yearns hopelessly for nationwide distribution. "Going Hollywood" usually means getting a studio job, and that means having a college filmmaking degree.

"College's expected there," Anthony says. "Film studio workers in Los Angeles must have a degree, because their competition has one." Anthony did attend college, but not to get a filmmaking degree.

How did he do it?

"I just got started," he shrugs. "Practically anything you need to know is in a book somewhere, or a class, or a filmmaking seminar. Then all you do is put what you've read to use. That's the secret, taking action."

Anthony has a strong do-it-yourself attitude, and tries to help other filmmakers, by including a "making of" documentary DVD in each of his DVD movies. "I do it to give back what I've learned. I'm grateful for the help I got, when I was starting out."

Would he do it the same way today, were he starting over?

"Absolutely," Anthony says, "Only I would quit film school sooner. If I'd stayed there any longer, I might have missed being a real filmmaker." Then turns back to his work, designing another shot for his next movie.

For further information, contact Anthony Watkins at http://dominionpictures.com


film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
passion for cinema
digital filmmaking handbook

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Vintage Movie Camera For Film Production?

Filmmaking - Vintage Movie Camera For Film Production?

Patents from 1926 adorn the side of a classic Mitchell studio camera, legally protecting the design of its internal gears and sprockets.

1926 was a long time ago, and that camera is an antique. Could it still be used, in today's modern film production?

Yes, and in fact, many are. No modern movie camera is more precise than those classic pin-registered film movements. They really knew how to build them in 1926, and the cameras still work, millions of feet of film later.

To get a particularly difficult shot, it's not uncommon for visual effects cameramen to dust off a trusty 35mm Mitchell GC, NC, or BNC film camera. To alter time, fast or slow, just add a stop-motion or high-speed motor.

Build the camera on its rig, set the focus, aperture, shutter, and tachometer. Now you can shoot a cartoon, stop- or slow-motion movie sequence. Just like movie cameramen have been doing for a century.

There is much recent talk about new digital movie cameras. Filmmakers line up at seminars and shows, just to see one. Nevertheless, digital cameras still only provide 6% of the footage for feature movies. 94% of movies still are on film.

Digital standards are still evolving, and reliability and ruggedness are still hit-or-miss for digital cameras. Film cameras are tested and reliable, at 10k of resolution, compared to digital's 2-4k.

Hollywood Manuals is a website that offers out-of-print and hard-to-find technical manuals for vintage movie cameras and projectors.

Arriflex, Bell & Howell Eyemo, Cameraflex / Cineflex, DeVry, Mitchell BNC, GC, HS, and S35R vintage movie cameras and projectors are among those represented.

film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
digital filmmaking handbook


© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Film Production - Mini DV or HD Camcorder? Make your Independent Movie!

Film Production - Mini DV OR HD Camcorder? Make Your Independent Movie!

Filmmaker Anthony Watkins shot his two feature movies (2003's "Counseling Day," and 2008's "Mall Robbers") on Super 16mm film, but admits other people's movies might get done faster if they'd use readily-available digital movie gear, in Mini DV or HD camcorder formats .

Anthony has bought and/or built camera dollies and film equipment, to support and move his film cameras through their shots and sequences. So he appreciates the new digital formats can be lighter and less unwieldy for transport and use.

Anthony loves the look of film, and Super 16mm is cheaper and easier than industry-standard 35mm film, so that's what he shoots.

Once shot, Anthony's film is digitally scanned into computer files, which he edits on his Apple G5 workstation, with his Final Cut Pro HD editing software.

Anthony's veteran comments and information are included on his "Making Of" DVD, included in his new feature film "Mall Robbers."

You can learn film production and where to rent movie gear and film equipment, and how to make your own indie film.

Discover secrets of film financing, as you secure your own film funding for your independent movie.

"Mall Robbers" was shot in 35 nights, in a suburban mall in Washington State. A wild slapstick comedy, about three groups of witless robbers, who break into the same mall on the same night. Matching wits (or lack) with them is the alert, uniformed Mall Security Force.

Laugh your head off, and discover how Super 16mm or 35mm film, or Mini DV or HD camcorder digital formats, can help you make your own independent movie.

film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
digital filmmaking handbook


© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Filmmaking - Do you know MoCo?

Filmmaking - Do you know MoCo?

I got my start in the movie business waaay back,
making computer-controlled "robot cameras,"
when "motion control" was all the rage in filmmaking.
(1970s.)

Now it's "MoCo," and it's still around, and it still
makes impossible shots happen. Very cool.

One of the great MoCo players is Bill Tondreau.
If you're in visual effects, you know who I'm talkin'
about.

I met Bill on "Ghostbusters," as he made his motion
controller jog the Boss Film 65mm Oxberry around,
after I'd rebuilt and motorized it.

Bill's software made steppers make musical tones,
on their travels. I got so I could play tunes on it.
(Challenge was to play the tune without driving the
camera into the wall, or the light box.)

About Bill, I can only say, what an interesting guy.

Here's Bill's great MoCo page, from his outstanding site.

Hope you enjoy it,

Sam

film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
digital filmmaking handbook


© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Filmmaking Gear - Film Synchronizer

Filmmaking Gear - Film Synchronizer

When you're shooting real film, and you need the magnetic sound film to match up to the picture film time-wise, sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. You need...the machine.

Although you'll probably be cutting the sound on a digital workstation, you might see a venerable "film synchronizer" or "sync block," on a shelf somewhere in your editing facility, because they're still useful for measuring print length, and comparing exact length or duration of any two pieces of picture or sound film.

A film synchronizer is a blocky aluminum casting, usually painted green or silver, some are black. A common shaft on bearings supports 1 to 8 sprocket wheels, called "gangs," each a foot in circumference, with keeper rollers that clamp down, and keep the film on the sprocket teeth. The gangs can be coupled or decoupled from the shaft, and so can rotate independently of one another.

65mm film has 12.8 frames per foot, 35mm has 16 frames per foot, 16mm has 40 frames per foot, Super 8mm has 72 frames per foot, Regular 8mm has 80 frames per foot, so each turn of the synchronizer's shaft moves the film one foot, and is geared to a mechanical counter, which displays how many rotations (feet) have gone by.

Yes, they're still made, and new they're thousands of dollars. You can find shiny brand-new ones at good old Christy's Editorial, or EEP (Editorial Equipment Parts.)

I can remember how much of my early filmmaking training was geared (pardon) toward learning how to use, borrowing, renting, or finally buying, a film synchronizer.

It was a lot, and they were soooo expensive, hundreds of dollars then, and now I see used film synchronizers cheap on eBay, and like much film equipment, I've bought at least one of each film gauge.

Film gear still works fine, and this current topsy-turvy situation, where heavy metal quality is cheaper than junky ephemeral digital gear, somehow feels rich.

Sam Longoria

film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
digital filmmaking handbook

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved