Archive for May, 2006

Review: Casanova

Published by Administrator May 28th, 2006 in Film School, Movie Reviews and Storytelling. 0 Comments

Heath Legder and Sienna Miller in CasanovaI can see Heath Ledger’s agent pitching Casanova. It was a real short pitch too: “Do this and everyone will forget about the gay cowbows!”

Tough luck. It seems Casanova barely reached 11M at the box office while Brokeback Mountain hit 8 times that. So I guess Heath will remain a gay cowboy in the public eye.

Back to the movie: the story is twisted in worst possible way. First of all, it relies on mistaken identities. Second, it takes the Casanova as we know it and kills it in the title sequence. Enter the new-and-improved Casanova, castrated beyond recognition. I think I know what’s the next project Casanova’s screenwriters are working on: Hitler, friend of Jews (working title).

Now, my irony is probably lost on a movie like this. In terms of performances: Jeremy Irons is a mess (see Merlin’s Apprentice); Heath is still not convincingly heterosexual; Sienna is so-so but at least she looks good. The rest of the cast still need to live UP to being a “support’ stuff.

If you don’t trust me, listen to Ebert:

Casanova was such a genuinely fascinating person, so tireless, seductive, brilliant, revolutionary and daring, that Hallstrom’s “Casanova” hardly does him justice. He was a magician, an author, a lawyer, the secretary to a cardinal, a politician, a violinist, invented the national lottery, was a spy and a diplomat, and has been played by Bela Lugosi, Donald Sutherland, Peter O’Toole and now by Heath Ledger, whose other current film, Brokeback Mountain, has him playing a gay cowboy, a role which eluded Casanova only because cowboys hadn’t been invented yet.

For the last several years, every period movie I see makes me go back to Barry Lyndon with a vengeance. This one is no exception. At least there Barry manages to seduce Lady Lyndon with a single (albeit long) look.

Info: The Producers
United States, 2005
Running Length: 1:48
Cast: Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Oliver Platt, Jeremy Irons
Director: Lasse Hallström
Producer: Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Leslie Holleran
Screenplay: Jeffrey Hatcher and Kimberly Simi
Cinematography: Oliver Stapleton
Music: Alexandre Desplat

The Devil’s Miner

Published by Administrator May 25th, 2006 in Film School, Storytelling and Video Production. 2 Comments

A friend of mine recommended The Devil’s Miner and I definitely plan to see it. It’s a documentary about Basilio Vargas, a Bolivian child miner. It’s like a cross between citizen journalism and gonzo journalism. Kief Davidson, director, says:

The challenge for THE DEVIL’S MINER was finding a young boy who could carry and narrate a feature-length film. We hired a former miner and local guide who introduced us to a dozen families. The Vargas family was the first on his list and we were immediately captivated with Basilio’s positive energy, intelligence and articulate speech.

The Devil's Miner - documentary about a Bolivian child minerFrom a filmmaker’s perspective, there were some important technical challenges like lighting and cameras. I’m still trying to figure out from the photo if they are using an HD cam or not. It looks like a Sony FX1 with some accessories :

In the claustrophobic tunnels, we shot with a small-format digital camera. Anything larger would have been impossible. The miners’ open-flame carbon lamps were used as the main source of lighting…

You can visit The Devil’s Miner official site where there’s a trailer and plenty of information about the documenary. You can also order the DVD.

Winners - Tribeca Film Festival 2006

Published by Administrator May 20th, 2006 in Film School and News bits. 1 Comment

Tribeca doesn’t have much in the way of history and this is a good thing as the winners are often overlooked movies. Here’s this year’s crop:

Tristán Bauer’s - Iluminados por El Fuego (Blessed by Fire) - gets the the Best Narrative Feature Award. The Best Actor award goes to Jürgen Vogel for his portrayal of a rapits in the German drama Der Freie Wille (The Free Will).

The Best Actress award goes to Eastern Europe - Eva Holubová for Ucastici Zajezdu (Holdiay Makers). I might have to check a few Czech torrent sites to see if anyone has it.

Poster: Ralph Fiennes

Published by Administrator May 14th, 2006 in Film School and News bits. 2 Comments

Ralph Fiennes in The English PatientAfter I reviewed The Constant Gardener, I decided to go through a few poster sites.

Th reason: I’m thinking of starting a “Great Movies” category on the site. This naturally led me to check what posters I can find from The English Patient.

Tough luck. In a movie famed for it’s amazing cinematography (and editing for that matter), this is the only semi-good poster I found.

I think at least 90% of Ralph’s sexiness derives from the fact he’s constantly writing something. That’s some important motivation for would-be authors: writing’s sexy.

If you want to make your woman happy, grab it now!

Email: budget camera for a documentary

Published by Administrator May 13th, 2006 in Digital Technology, HD Cameras and Video Production. 6 Comments

I got another email asking me info about cameras. Here’s the email and the reply:

Hi, my name is Steve and I really like your blog. I was wondering if I could ask you a question. I want to make a documentary, mostly talking heads, nothing extravagant, which could then be distributed if well liked. (By the way, I have little experience with film - I just think I can do a good job). Could you recommend what videocam I should buy. I was looking at these choices:


1) Sony HDR-FX1
2) Sony HVR-A1U (Sony HC1’s big brother)
3) Sony HDR-HC3 (Sony HC1’s little brother)
4) Panasonic AG-DVX100 (HVX200’s famous predecessor)

Could you recommned which one would be a good choice?

First off, you’ve got some excellent cameras on your list. I’ve been a SONY fan for years and I’ve never been disappointed with the results I get from them. I’ve been disappointed with both Canon (XL1S, GL2) and JVC in terms of the actual video look that I get. Panasonic has been a so-so (considering I never used their 24p).

SonyHVR-A1UMoving on to the cameras. All but the DVX100 are HDV cams which will shoot in 1080i. If you feel your documentary has a chance to be shown in HD, go for one of the three SONY’s. Besides, DVX100 24p mode will not be of any specific advantage to you since you’ll be shooting a documentary.

Of the three Sony cams, I have used the FX1 which produces excellent video, even in low-light situations. If you already have a lighting kit, this won’t be a big consideration. If you don’t, getting a more sensitive camera is a must - FX1 is definitely the way to go.

Number two on my list is the new Sony HVR-A1U. It’s a based on Sony HC1 but offers additional features, including a shotgun mic that could be VERY handy when shooting dialogue on a budget. I believe you can get it for below $2,000, so that’s the budget choice.

Keep in mind though that depending on the people you interview, a bigger cam will make a better impression. You’ll be seen as a pro rather than an amateur. People have no respect for handicams (HC3 is TOO small for my taste).

If you need to switch between PAL and NTSC and you need a “big” cam that also has professional audio, I suggest you “upgrade” to Sony Z1U. It has a $4,500 price tag attached to it though.

Happy shooting and let me know how it goes!

Hollywood gets BitTorrent

Published by Administrator May 9th, 2006 in Digital Technology, Film School and News bits. 0 Comments

It usually takes a while for some industries to warm up to new distribution methods. It comes as no surprise that Hollywood has finally realized that “if you can’t beat them, join them” holds true.

Bittorrent creator - Bram CohenWarner Brothers sat on the negotiating table - opposite of Bram Cohen, who created BitTorrent. It’s certainly ironic that that bittorent was credited as being the single most important vehicle for pirated movies to go around the globe in hours, if not minutes. BW says:

Under the deal, announced May 9, Warner Brothers will distribute and sell over 200 Warner Brothers movies and TV programs through the file-sharing program BitTorrent. Titles range from new movie releases Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to hoary TV chestnuts like Dukes of Hazzard and Babylon 5. While final pricing and timing is yet to be decided, the programs are expected to go on sale this summer, and TV shows could cost as little as $1 per download. BitTorrent “has such a huge audience that we frankly need to convert over to legitimate buyers of our products. We felt we have to do things like this…so that consumers [have] the ability to buy and use our products the way they want to,” says Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

The genie is out of the bottle, if you ask me. With so many alternative torrent clients and a myriad of trackers, I doubt a lot of people will choose the paid version of a program. It will all come down to ease of use, quality, and naturally, price (DRM could be a big part of the equation too).

James Bond teaser

Published by Administrator May 3rd, 2006 in News bits and Storytelling. 3 Comments

The new James Bond is back. You can view the teaser below. Casino Royale should be out in November.

Enjoy!

Conan or Red Sonja

Published by Administrator May 1st, 2006 in Film School, News bits and Storytelling. 0 Comments

Red SonjaBarely a week has passed since I posted about another Conan installment. Due to emancipation (no doubt), it seems that actually Red Sonja has a better chance to get a sequel.

Here’s the official bit of news:

One of the bestselling indie comic books available is coming to the silver screen. Red Sonja, a sword-and-sorcery comic book from Dynamite Entertainment, has been green lit with a production budget north of $25 million.

Hmm, I really hope they haven’t contacted Brigitte Nielson for this one. Let me think for a moment, who’s best suited for the role of a hack-and-slash Barbarian … I got it. Charlize Theron. Aeon Flux sucked but what the hell. If she’s not available, it has to be either Scarlett Johansson or Keira Knightly. See, I give the producers a choice.

Recommended Gear

More Links