The Semester is Done

To end off the year the capstone class once again ventured to the Titan Traverse. The classes original idea was that all we were going to be doing was coming down to Westminster’s intramural gym and climb the rock wall. Wow what a shock we were in for. It should of came as no surprise that the Traverse people had a lot more then that planned for us. Starting out we played a game that involves being able to communicate with a blindfolded partner to toss objects at other blindfolded people. I really did poorly at communicating with my partner because I could not stop laughing long enough.
Moving on we had a 40 yrd- dash seems simple enough, then they blindfolded us. The whole point was ‘how does one react when going into the unknown. Some just dove in and made it all the way without other problems, others not so much. Though incredibly comical to watch, and frightful to do, I think the message was somewhat lost.
Now for the real challenge, we had to cross an obstacle course of cinder blocks by using only planks of wood. We did not do to well. Once we started moving we worked all right with each other, but I think there was a lack of communication, and willingness to listen to each other to work efficiently. But with a bit of help we were able to get across the maze (after they gave us another piece of wood to help out).
We then proceeded to the climbing wall. Everybody made it up, and if someone fell they did not stop but just got back on the wall and climbed all the way to the top.
With wobbly limbs the group finished up and came together. The Traverse people discussed with us how ‘well we did,’ and that going into the world outside of college you just have to push threw, and any other saying you can think of that works. Personally I enjoy this kind of stuff, and I think it helps bring people together. But one more semester is done and I am ready to graduate.

Crossing Paths

Sky Yaple’s senior capstone project “On the Verge,” Delt with advertisement spanning across media: from the use of television to internet, and what not. Convergence is what this is called. And I thought to myself, “self how does, and can this relate to me?” Well it is simple really, advertisement is a way to create a buzz about a product. My product happens to be a film. The more people talk about a product well the more people know about it and in theory the more people that will want to use it.
With a lot of film festivals they require a media kit when you submit your film. Including stickers maybe t-shirts, rub on tattoos, anything. Also some require a website for the film. Film festivals are forcing convergence, which is not a bad thing. It once again creates outlets for others to view the product. The problem is being creative with this.
Every MAJOR BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE known to man has teamed up and advertised their film at a fast food restaurant. I remember when I was a kid I would beg my dad to take me to Burger King to get a “last action hero” whopper combo, just for the cool cup. Its old, I honestly think that people don’t care about what is on their cups just children. But watching nip/tuck during the attack of “the carver” (a character that would cut the corner of the mouths of his victims to disfigure them) the carver had a myspace website, that as soon as it was announced people jumped on that site like it the 70’s and polyester was going out of style. It was an instant success. So I need to take a step back and think of how this will help me. I have a website (its for class and there isn’t much on it but my endless rambling). But using my media packet in some creative way will help.

Call Me a Worrier

The biggest problem that I have noticed with student filmmakers, is money. There just isn’t any. And though a limitation on money can bread creativity it also has a lot of negative effects as well. These negative effects are scaring the living death out of me. My budget consist of maybe 20$ to shoot a 15 minute story. That means that I cannot pay anyone to help, act or for equipment. Which means that its time to beg borrow, and if necessary beg a lot more. I have noticed with trying to work with finding locations for shooting people are incredibly willing to work with you, same thing with businesses. It seems that smaller locally owned shops love to help as long as your not a inconvenience to them, but larger stores are all about the money and sometimes 30some odd phone calls still were not enough.
It one of the shots it calls for a delivery truck to drive by, I worked for Two men and a Truck on and off for about 2 years now figured it would not be a problem. Called, and called and called, and called some more, and finally spoke with someone. Though I have no money and it’s a student film and I was an employee there I still have to buy likeness rights and whatnot for them which was at an outrageous price.
Also talent and crew. Once again NO MONEY, begging people to help me. Its easier getting tech people then talent. But I’m not as scared at having a guy who is helping with lighting or sound or something show up because there is a way to get around and work with what we have. I’m scared to death of people not showing up. I can have all the tech people in the world and with no talent I have nothing to film. With no money the only thing that can be promised is an ego boost and hopefully that will be enough. All these what ifs are floating around in my mind and frankly they scare me. Partly it would be a lot different if it was something that I was just shooting, but I need this to graduate, and I want to be done so yeah. I think the biggest thing is that I need to figure out some type of incentive for everybody, and I am open for ideas.

How hard is art

Film is the most difficult medium of art to work with. With painting you just have a canvas and paint and its deigned to be seen, music its to be heard, but film crosses boundaries and encompassing sight and sound to tell a story. And with doing that there are so many things that can go wrong. But what makes a good film? I don’t think that question can be answered with just one answer; I think that it is collaboration on many different aspects.
First there needs to be a good story. Without a story people just simply don’t care. A film can’t look gorgeous and doesn’t say anything (Transformers). There has to be emotion and people need to be able to relate to what the characters are going threw. There has to be that bond.
Next I think that the next important aspect is the visual elements have to be entertaining. Transformers did a great job of making a great looking film. But its not enough, you have to be able to toss in a good story (Minority report).
Acting, cheesy acting just kills anything that can happen. Art is a reflection of life and so it needs to be done well. There are always exceptions to this thought though. In very stylistic films cheesy acting works. In the movie Secondhand Lion the main character is retelling of past events, the acting was corny but looked great.
The biggest thing is sound. Sound is so important to film. One screw up and it can kill great films. And it is so simple to mess up sound, if lips don’t match what people are saying. If there is a constant annoying hum, if the sound effects and music don’t fit, if the people are to soft and the audience has to strain to hear, or if its to loud. And the list goes on and on. Bad sound can kill a film instantly. But good sound can create moods and feelings and make the film that much better. Requiem for a Dream used sound to help create a sense of chaos and panic. To me those our (generally) the four major things that will make or break a movie. The most important is sound, talk to anyone in film and they will harp on sound. The hardest thing to get (with no money) is acting. Being able to mold all of the different aspects is what makes film such a hard art form.

Medium is the message

According to Marshall McLuhan, a communication theorist, the Medium is the message. What does that mean, simple, what is being said is not as important as how it is being said. Take it a step farther, ‘I love you’ If you plaster those words on a billboard it is a general statement for everybody to see. Those same words typed on a personal letter, it can seem cold. Again a personal handwritten letter with I love you, it shows time and caring. The message is the same but the Medium changes how we think about it.
Why am I talking about this? Again simple question to be answered film is shot at ‘wide screen’ format, television is not. Film works for wide battles and landscapes and huge action sequences, television works for close shots. I’m filming a movie, would my message be better served on television or film?
It depends on what I want my audience to take away from the film. Saving Private Ryan, was beat out by Shakespeare in Love for best picture. Booth well done movies, the difference is the Medium. Most academy judges view films at their home, or in an office and not a theater. Saving Private Ryan is a war epic that works well on a theater, Shakespeare is a love story and a more personal for of entertainment (television) works better for the film.