Based on a popular insult from a strict principal of the film Back to the Future, I decided to take the moniker of "Film Slacker" and make something of myself. In the digital age, there are many new avenues to go about it now and new ways to connect with resources and people. I will cover film making in general, which can include reviews, interviews and personal opinions.
Where I go, there are no roads.
Besides just the camera equipment, props are another asset that tends to suck out a lot of the available budget. When you are making a simple modern drama film, props are not that big of a deal since anything at home will work. Once the films goes into either sci-fi or horror however, that is when things get complicated. Futuristic props or monsters and gore can be incredibly tricky and things simply bought from a costume store just do not cut it. Thus we get into DIY territory. Whether you are actually skilled in craftsmanship or are simply dedicated to the project, filmmakers end up just making their props. Even cardboard can be turned into something awesome.
Cardboard Man
Why Do It?
The choices available to you at the time are to buy the props, hire someone else to make the props, or make them yourself. Depending on what you need, the first two options can get pretty pricey. Also there is no guarantee that what you try to buy will live up to what you want.
A principle of making films is to think of it as a magic trick. With science fiction movie props particularly, a lot of props that look futuristic are everyday objects. Don't believe me? Take a look at Nerf guns. When I was a kid Nerf guns looked more like this:
Nowadays they look like this:
Look at that and tell me that does not look like a sci-fi gun. With enough ingenuity and some paint, you can end up with some pretty cool looking science fiction guns. Hollywood has been doing this sort of thing for years. Only now do everyday people have the resources to pull something off similar to that.
So maybe you just plain stink at making it. That's okay too. There's bound to be someone you know who can help make something you need. Part of the reason why making a prop is preferable is that it will be personal to you. Instead of a generic prop, it will have your own flair.
Grab the duct tape and raid the recyclables. Go and get making.
For the longest time, it was believed that you had to go to a film school if you wanted to learn how to make films. Over the years as technology advanced to where it is at now, this sentiment is no longer set in stone. Instead of learning from solely teachers and books, people can go on the internet and find what they need. However that is not to say schools are completely out of date. It truly depends on each person, so the options must be weighed out if film school should be considered.
It Is Not for Everyone
Film school is the same for any sort of education at a college level; it is not for everyone. That is not to say someone is not smart enough to attend a school. People have different ways to go about things and sometimes school just does not work for them. For example, I knew a talented cinematographer from my freshman year in college. Near the end of that year, he told me he would be dropping out. It was certainly not due to a lack of skill or knowledge; he was one of the most informed people about film that I knew. He explained to me that he felt like he would be wasting his time and parent's money to stay there for the next few years. Instead he planned to make it out on his own. While I did not follow that path, I knew that he would probably do fine enough on his own.
What Do You Want to Get Out of It?
For those who think film school is a good place to go to cruise through college, head out the door. Of many fields, films is certainly the most difficult and labor intensive. If you are looking for that easy A, it will not be here. People who also want to go here for the hope of a career with a lot of money should look elsewhere. Film jobs can be sporadic and if you intend to support yourself only though film, it can get as bad as barely living paycheck to paycheck. Granted this is the same with any job, but getting jobs related to film is more or less a crapshoot.
People generally want to go to film school in order to learn how to make a film. There may be hundreds of books and videos out there, but nothing quite beats having a professor to actually teach you how to go about it. Depending on the school, it can also be a great place to get your hands on various equipment that is used in the business.
My film program actually had various studios, editing suites, and an equipment cage that offered cameras, microphones, tripods, and everything else an independent filmmaker could use. As long as you were not docked from the cage, a student could rent any sort of equipment to make whatever they please. The usual restriction was that the person could not make any money off of what they filmed; which is fair since the equipment is there for purely educational purposes.
What film school can offer you besides an education is a chance to network. Many famous filmmakers now were actually classmates at the same film schools. Not everyone can be good at everything, so it is good to talk and make friends with various people with different skills; sometimes you know someone who is good with sound and in exchange you can help them with filmming. Outside of classes, there are also the occasional internships and trips to film studios. Connections mean a lot in the business and sometimes your college can get you inside a film studio and meet executives. Experience will be your best teacher, and film schools can offer you the chance to get those experiences.
What Should I be Doing if I Go?
When you get out of school and take clients, most of the time you end up working on projects that they want. This leaves you with little to no time to make your own passion project. During your time at film school. you should go nuts and make exactly what you want. Do you want to have an senseless action movie? Make it! A suspenseful thriller that boggles the mind? Go for it. This is the place where you will have access to equipment and people more readily available than you will ever have outside the campus. Do not let insecurities or criticism from your peers stop you from trying. If they do not like your work, take the criticism and use the time to make it better.
All in all, it should always be your choice. If school is not in the cards, that is okay. Art can be accomplished, no matter what you have. Lack of resources become less of a limitation and more of a challenge to greatness in the mind of an artist.
Control the Image
For the most part, no one wants to be the jerk. You don't like it when people are mean to you, so you try not to act like it to others. Thus when it comes to filmmaking, the first instinct is to make sure you are on everyone's good side. The truth is, however, that that is a mistake if you want to make a film true to your vision. I am not saying be mean to your crew because you should always treat them with respect. What I mean to say is you cannot act like everyone's friend on set. You are the director and have to make sure you are getting what you want out of the crew.
The Film is Your Idea... Not Anyone Else's
You have to make sure you idea is being shot and this was a lesson I learned from experience. I had a cameraman who was very good at getting certain shots. However he was the more artistic type who would take as long as it would take to get the shot. The problem with that is we only have so many hours in the schedule.
On the first day, I let him do his thing. Looking back on it, it was a pretty bad rookie mistake. We fell behind tremendously and if it wasn't for my producer at the time, I might not have realized soon enough the effects of what was going on. Also there were certain shots that I would not have wanted. It looked good artistically, but I felt as though the shots did not have the same weight to tell the story. The next day, I made sure to push him forward. I did my best to not sound angry, but I was stern enough to mention we were running out of time. Luckily for me, he was understanding so there was no tension between us during and after production.
No one likes to be "that" guy. The one barking orders and making people angry at him. Still if you want the film done the way you want it, sometimes you got to make those choices. You can't be everyone's friend on set, but you HAVE to be a good director.
Do not panic... One of the many mantras that filmmakers have been taught. I try to remind myself every time I am shooting something. It makes sense after all. If I waste time panicking, I have less time to actually fix things. Unfortunately I am also the type of person to fixate on whether or not I left the gas stove on, despite checking it numerous times. Considering this, filmmaking is probably not the best path I should take. Still I find it to be my calling, so I am willing to take the stress... The unbelievable, heartbreaking amount of stress.
Picture this if you will. Imagine you are on the last shoot of your senior project. What is to be shot today will be what holds the film together in editing. It is also shot during one of the last days in fall and the place you are at has winter sucker punch you when you least expect it. The scene has to be during the fall, but snow tends to ruin that illusion.
At times like this, everything you want to go right will probably go wrong... As the responsible director, I got onto set first. It was an overcast day and the forecast said there would not be any rain. So far so good. My crew arrives, and by that I mean two people, and it all seems to be on track... Then it dawns on me that my cameraman is not there. Do not panic...Do not panic...
You overslept?! Reallly!?? Of all days, today!!!!? Now granted this was not said during my phone call, but I certainly felt that. Breathe. Just breathe. After about 30 minutes of pretending not to try and destroy my car in anger, my cameraman arrived. The actors arrived soon after and production moved ahead. Five shots down. Seven shots down. I think we might pull this off.
I just had to have that thought... Just when my guard was down, Mother
Nature cold clocked me. In the middle of the shoot, snow flurries
started to fall. Maybe... just maybe they were too small to see in the
camera... Bang! The snow fell harder. I sent back the actors to the cars
to warm up while I contemplated what to do. In full view of my crew, I
started to prey to whatever deity figure would listen to me. I just need
to get this out of the way. PLEASE!!!!
It kept snowing for a good 20 minutes. Just then, the flakes started to get weaker. They were just light enough to be invisible in the camera. This is as good as it will get, so we are doing this. I called for the actors and we got down to business. Heaven knows when it will snow harder again, so it was a race against time where the deadline was more or less unknown. Only one thing mattered...Get the shot!
And cut! After 5 hours of stress and fighting mother nature...the last possible shots needed were done. I thanked everyone involved and helped pack up the equipment. Now off to months and months of editing and color correcting... That, however, is for another time.
The filmmaking world has an old saying: "it's not what you know, but who you know". In other words, if you know the right people then talent does not matter as much. On one hand, it shows the unfortunate truth that the wrong people can often get positions that they are not qualified for. However this phrase also demonstrates the importance of networking. Making a film is a team effort and it is incredibly hard to create one if you don't have a team to begin with. If there is a skill set you don't know, it's best to know someone who does.
What Can You Offer?
Starting out, you need to find out what your strengths are. While you may be well-rounded in skills, it is best to have one particular talent. For example, you are really good with sound mixing or color correcting. It is even better if the skill you are advertising is something you actually enjoy doing, since for you it will seem less like a job. In my case, my talent is in fight choreography. I can take people with little to no skill and make them look dangerous.
Test Out the Waters
If there is a local film group around you, don't be afraid to contact them. Most people who start out don't mind doing collaborations for they offer good experience; at the very least, they would appreciate the extra crew members. One of my first instances of this involved the now defunct IndyMogul. When they showed one of my videos on their show, they expressed interest in working with me. I found out they were in the area, so I sent a message saying I wanted to work with them too. Soon enough, I made two episodes for their show.
Learn to Mingle
While it is convenient to contact people via the internet, sometimes a face-to-face provides a better opportunity. Be willing to go to film festivals or other film gatherings to promote yourself. Keep a demo reel handy, work on a 60 second pitch, and sell yourself as a person who is destined for greatness.
Whether it is extra people to work with or a distributor, you are going to have to find others in order to make a film work. Brush up on your people skills, print those business cards, and take chances. Rarely does opportunity come to you, so you must go to it.
Every Story Has a Beginning...
When I started out making martial arts films on my own, I barely had a clue as to what I was supposed to do. Also being a big guy, I was not that confident in my abilities to perform in front of the camera. This changed when I found a guy named Joey Min online. Here I was worrying about my size while this guy, who was slightly bigger than me, was making videos left and right. His speed and technique were excellent and his fight scenes were good. Joey Min inspired me and is now a good friend, so I wanted others to know who sparked my call to action.
Can you please introduce yourself and what you do?
My name is Joey Min and I am a indie filmmaker / action choreographer. When did you start making films and what kind?
I started making films when I was 16 and they were usually martial art
videos. Though martial arts was an easy topic to translate onto film, I
found myself doing other genres, from comedy to romance.
What do you like about martial arts films?
What I love about martial arts is not the application of techniques, but
more on the concept of the movement of the human body. If there is such
a thing as poetry in motion, martial arts is definitely my example. Now
apply that to choreography and you have the amazing motion of technical
mastery of one's body in a deadly dance of duel (aka it's badass to
watch martial art masters fight each other).
What martial arts styles do you know?
My main style is Shaolin Kung Fu for 20 years.
Senkotiros, a Filipino Martial Art, translated as "the 5 strikes," and focuses on single stick fighting, for 12 years.
Kyokushin-Kai Karate for 10 years.
Hakkyoku Ken, a Japanese interpretation to the Chinese style Bajiquan, for 8 years.
Bajiquan, for 5 years.
What
do you think about film making today considering the technology now
available?
Filmmaking is definitely easier for someone to get into, but of course,
the mastery is still difficult. Digital filmmaking reduces the time of
process of filmmaking, so practice of the craft is much more accessible. Are there people you look up to in the field?
Since I am an action filmmaker, I usually looked up to previous action
filmmakers and choreographers, like Lau Kar Leung or Yuen Woo Ping, but I
also appreciate the work of directors like Edgar Wright, who I consider
to be one of the great visionaries of visual storytelling and uses both imagery
and auditory techniques to immerse someone into their films.
What is the hardest part about your craft?
If we're talking about the process, then pre-production is the hill that
I loathe. Planning for filmmaking can help you, but those who are privy
to it will tell you that nothing goes to plan. Sometimes I feel that I
need to force the start of projects, even the big ones. What is your dream project?
My dream project is to create a great romantic martial arts action
comedy. Then again, that might change... since basically, what I'm doing
at the moment would be what I consider to be my dream project. Any advice for people trying the same thing?
Like martial arts, the only wasted movement is the ones not taken. If
you are to pursue this art form, then do what you feel is right. It's an
art form that is ever evolving that freely expresses the visions of its
creators. Don't stop filming.
If you are interested in seeing more of his work, please visit his YouTube channel.
Film and video games have had an interesting relationship for a few decades. At first, it was never really considered that video games could be adapted into feature-length films. The most popular game around at one point was Pac-Man and there is no story to that arcade classic that could possible carry an hour long film. However as time passed on, technology improved and video game creators became more ambitious. Better tools meant the ability to add a story to the game play. With this added story, Hollywood now saw an opportunity to make more money. What resulted was a film genre that tended to bring disappointment for everyone: moviegoers and fans of the games.
Regarded as THE worst of this genre. (IMDB)
Fall of the Mushroom Kingdom
Even if you are not familiar with video games, you are at least somewhat familiar with the character of Mario from Super Mario Bros. The premise of the game is simple: it is about an Italian plumber who has to save a princess from a dinosaur/turtle. Because of its popularity, Hollywood saw a chance to make a quick buck. The film was a disaster. Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, the leads of the film, hated the experience and would often get drunk to get through filming. Although it was one of the first live-action adaptations of a video game, it certainly was not the best. In fact it would be more accurate to say it set the stage for how bad these films can be.
Why Do These Films Mostly Fail?
A film from the infamous Uwe Boll, known for his video game adaptations.
It should be noted that how you enjoy these two media is fundamentally different. A film you watch passively while a video game allows for interaction; as such changing one to the other takes away how the material would have been enjoyed in the first place. One of the biggest reasons why these movies do not work is because the ones who make it do not understand the source material. By straying away from the source material, you alienate the fans (the target audience). Since there is not enough effort put into understanding the video game, the same lack of effort would occur toward making the film competent. Case in point would be Street Fighter: The Movie.
The game Street Fighter 2 had the simple premise of being a fighting tournament with Ryu, a karate master from Japan, as the main protagonist and M. Bison as the final boss. The film abandoned that concept completely and made the main character Guile, an American. It also shoved in too many characters from the game for the sake of fan service, and thus you could not care about any of the characters. While today it is enjoyed as 90's cheese, at the time of its release it was a big disappointment..
Are There Any Good Ones?
There have certainly been more misses than hits, but good video game movies do exist. I will warn you that your mileage may vary. If you do not like the video games adapted, then it is likely you may not enjoy these movies. Nevertheless, here are some of my choices:
Mortal Kombat- Considered by many to be one of the best video game adaptations. What this movie does right over Street Fighter: The Movie is focus on fewer characters and keep the central premise alive. It is a fighting game about a tournament, so it was a movie about a tournament. While it is PG-13 compared to its gory origins, for the most part it stays faithful and is a fun time.
Tomb Raider- Starring Angelina Jolie, this film was another faithful adaptation that knew what it was. Tomb Raider was about a woman who was a modern day treasure hunter, thus the movie followed the same route. It had entertaining action and Jolie certainly had fun with the role.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time- What makes this interesting is the fact that this was made by Disney as another attempt to re-create the Pirates of the Caribbean magic. Although it did not do so, it certainly did not bomb completely. It is certainly a competent film and the effects with time manipulation is interesting enough to take a chance on it.
These movies are nothing to close to Oscar worthy. Nevertheless, the good ones at least entertain and that is what film should be able to do: provide a slight escape from the norm.
For the most part, any performance in a film requires a level of talent from the actors on screen. If a performance is not convincing enough, the illusion is lost; the same thing can be said for an action scene. The amount of athleticism and skill required to pull off a fight scene is expected to be high. However, the truth is that what makes a great fight performance involves the camera and how certain moves are done. While this post will not teach how to perform a fight scene entirely, it will touch base on key aspects that make it look convincing.
It Is True...From A Certain Point of View
It should be understood that what a camera sees and what human eyes see will usually be very different. Because a person has two eyes, there is the ability to see depth. Since the camera only has one lens, it will flatten the image and make it harder to distinguish distance between objects that are near and far from the camera.
As such, you can use this "flaw" when hitting someone. The top priority is safety, so by using effective camera angles the illusion of a strike can be accomplished. For example, here is a shot of me about to punch someone.
It looks like we are face to face against each other, but here is the truth.
No matter how far I swing, I should not be able to hit him. However, the most important thing is to have proper timing between both performers. If the one being hit reacts too late or too early, then it looks fake. The sweet spot for when to move is when a strike swings within the width of your nose. This window of opportunity is pretty small, so it is highly recommended you practice with your partner. Both fighters make each other look better.
It Does Not Have to Hurt to Look Like It
People today may notice a disparity between real MMA fights and a fight from a movie. Fights with real martial artists tend to throw punches and kicks that do not look as powerful as one seen in films. The reason for this goes back to the camera. Because a camera cannot distinguish depth, an actor would have to exaggerate their movements in order to look powerful on screen. Fighters do not do this so they will not telegraph their moves to their opponents. A punch for fighting will look like this:
A fight scene punch will look like this :
At first glance, the second punch looks to have more energy than the first one. This is because the whole shoulder is moving along with the punch. I also swing wider than I should to emphasize the hook punch. If this is done during a real fight, my opponent would know exactly when I would be swinging.
All in all, technique and ability is important for a fight scene. However, that is only half the battle. The proper camera angle and right amount of exaggeration can make it look better. The only way anyone can get better at this is to simply keep practicing. So get out there and film.
For a while now, films have been using a first-person perspective more frequently. This can be seen in numerous "found footage" films and various GoPro videos all over Youtube. Part of the reason why there is a sudden explosion of first- person videos has to do with the technology. GoPro cameras are light, portable, and have great image quality to allow for the simulation of being in first-person, such as in a fight scene.
While it is more or less a gimmick, it is still a fascinating new way to present film. Recently a writer from Film School Rejects wrote a post about this particular trick. In his article Why Are Movies Shot Fully In “First-Person POV” Such a Bad Idea?, Chris Campbell admitted that while it will be entertaining, first-person POV just does not work in the way people think.
His main argument is that people commonly think that using this perspective makes them feel like they are the protagonist. The problem is that film is a passive experience and so these films are more like being strapped to the back of the hero instead of being the hero. For the most part, I agree with his main idea. I recall the usual reaction to first-person videos being, "it's like a video game". Video games allows actual interaction and thus more sense of control. As Campbell mentions, these are times in which one medium is trying to be something it is not.
What I would disagree on would be some of the words he uses. First off, the title of the article comes off as too harsh against the film technique. The writer himself admits that it can create worthwhile experiences, so having a title calling it a "bad idea" will give the wrong impression. Also he says that these "first-person" moments should be called second-person cinema, which I disagree on solely for technical purposes. When mentioning second-person perspective, I would think it takes from the point of view of other people looking at the main person.
Nevertheless, it is a good simple article that addresses a recent trend with film and Youtube videos.
A short while ago, I posted about an edit I made for a Wikipedia article. The article in question was for the Hong Kong film My Young Auntie. The summary was good, however I felt as though it should have more information. Thus I took it upon myself to add a little bit more to the synopsis. Upon checking the revision history, no one else has made an edit since then.
There are certainly reasons why it may not been touched. One reason may be because other editors thought what I wrote was good enough for this article. Regardless of why, it feels nice to be uncontested about this topic for the time being.
In a previous blog post, I mentioned how Buster Keaton signed a contract to MGM. If we were to look at modern filmmaking and Buster Keaton's style of filmmaking, it can be understandable why these two things clashed. The film industry as we know it today focuses on having a script and staying within a budget. Buster Keaton did not care how much money it would take to create a film, because he wanted to make it the way he wanted. He also did not use scripts, even in his feature-length films, and would often make up his stunts on the spot. For example in the film Three Ages, there is a famous scene where he makes a jump across a rooftop.
He did not make the jump. (tumblr.com)
He missed, hit the wall of the building, and fell into a safety net below. When he saw the footage, he actually incorporated the mishap into a different, more elaborate stunt all together; he would fall through awnings, hang on a pipe, swing through a window, go down a fireman's pole, and end up on a firetruck leaving the station.
During his time with MGM, Keaton was forced to use a stunt double for the more dangerous stunts. The company wanted to protect their investment, but Keaton wanted to do the stunts himself because he believed the stuntmen do not get laughs. The sound pictures were not the usual level of comedy he performed, so he grew frustrated. What made this worse was the fact that these films made more money than his earlier films did. Thus he would start drinking and begin to show up on set hung over. Eleanor Norris, his third wife who was 23 years younger than him, was what helped stopped his heavy drinking and got his career back together.
(findagrave.com)
Rise
After spending some time putting himself back together, Buster Keaton found success in an up and coming medium: television. Television had the live audience, which he loved because it was like back in his vaudeville days. His old gags from his past films found new life on television.
When James Mason, an actor, bought Buster Keaton's old house, he found film reels that were once thought to be lost. He was able to save them and thus introduce Keaton's gags to a new generation. In 1965, he was invited to the Venice Film Festival and received a standing ovation for five minutes.
Buster Keaton hit rock bottom and hit it hard. However, he surprised the world by picking himself up and doing what he loved to do.
In this field, as with many other professions, the best teacher of film making is experience. No amount of theory or lectures can improve a skill like going through the trenches of film production. Of course, from my own personal experience, suddenly just starting on this path is quite daunting to say the least. Suddenly you have a lot more questions, such as how to make a film and why certain cameras work better than others. In the digital age we live in, you are more than likely to find filmmaking tutorials. As such, here are a few examples that I have used in the past.
Although it has ended its programing, Indy Mogul was the one place an up-and-coming filmmaker could go to. Ranging from prop building tutorials to camera techniques, Indy Mogul had it all. There are no longer any new videos that will be released, but there are still plenty of videos available to see.
(wikipedia.org)
Another tutorial place to hit would be Film Riot. The format of each episode would be to present a comedy sketch that would include a tutorial or technique taught in the same episode. Besides teaching filmmakers how to do things, it would also provide challenges to its viewers to encourage film making. For example, one challenge was to create a scene reminiscent of Spielberg.
Extra Knowledge
Like the two websites above, Film Maker IQ provides tutorials for films. However not only do they address how to perform certain film techniques, but they also address why it should be done so. The website also provides brief history lessons about the film industry, such as the history of popcorn as a movie snack.
These places are a great way to start learning if you have trouble. However your perfect film cannot be made unless you take action. Thus, take that first step.
When you think of a person who does their own stunts in movies, one name that would pop up would be Jackie Chan. However another name should come to mind, considering this individual inspired Jackie Chan himself; that name would be Buster Keaton.
While he was most likely not as well known as Charlie Chaplin, he delivered laughs and jaw dropping stunts to boot. Keaton's athleticism and work ethic when it came to making films was something you would almost never see again.
Humble Beginnings
Before people went to the movies, the entertainment would come from vaudeville. In layman's terms, vaudeville was a theater variety show. The shows would have multiple acts that have no relation to one another: musicians, magicians, singers, dancers, acrobats, etc.
At the age of three, Buster started to perform with this parents in vaudeville acts. They were mostly comedy sketches in which Buster would act up and his father would retaliate by throwing him around. This was when he learned how to fall safely. As would many future film stars of the era, this vaudeville star moved on to films.
The Man with the Stone Face
Buster Keaton's trademark was to keep a deadpan face no matter what was happening to him. Fly out a window? Deadpan. Face an avalanche of rocks? Deadpan. When he was younger, he realized that peoplelaughed harder when he did this, so he stayed in that character.
His first film was with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in the film Butcher Boy. He introduced himself to the world by getting stuck on molasses and getting pelted by a flour bag.
Soon afterward, Buster Keaton began to make his own films such as Steamboat Bill, Jr. The Electric House, and Sherlock, Jr. As seen below is his most famous stunt involving a house.
Keep in mind that was a real, solid part of the house. If it missed, he probably would have died. Despite the danger and the abuse he put himself through, he loved his craft. The story goes that he would tell his crew "keep shooting unless I yell cut or I'm dead."
Unfortunately for his career, it took a swan dive during the sound era. Now the problem was not necessarily his voice, which actually was well suited for film. His real mistake was signing a contract with MGM in which he lost his creative freedom. The Camera Man would be the last film of his style.
Despite this sad ending, Buster Keaton is still influential to this day. Many sight gags of his seem to creep up in modern day. When you find the time, go and look for his films. It is worth your time.
Whether it is seeing a T-Rex come to life in front of our eyes or seeing our billionth explosion on screen, special effects have a special place in film. It is one of many tools of the trade that allows a filmmaker to create an illusion to their liking. When done well, the audience is taken to a place not thought possible; done poorly and popcorn bombards the silver screen. Even if most effects are done digitally, the principle of having effects at all is key to creating a whole new world. One question may come to mind as you are reading this... Who is this old dude here?
What the title above refers to is specifically the visual aspect of film. Images that tell the viewer about something without a character or narrator saying anything. For example, we as the viewers will notice something different such as the frame suddenly tilted at an angle.
Not to mention the placement of certain props, people, or
the camera in different spots.
Sometimes this is simply done for the sake of style.
However GREAT films manipulate visual aspects in order to alter the story how they want it to be. One example of an alteration would be the dutch angle.
As seen here in Batman from 1966.
For the purposes of the TV show Batman, the dutch angle was used to
demonstrate the villains as crooked. Get it?
Different colors in the film also help sell the type of film you are about to watch. Going to see a summer blockbuster? Expect blue and orange color schemes
Pick a movie. Any movie.
So what is the point of all these tidbits? Well human beings tend to notice when certain things are different than how they were before.
If stuff is written here, you would think this was a quote or something pretty important.
Anything slightly off orunusual will catch our EYE. With the mindset that everything seen in the film has meaning,
it's just as possible
to think that a difference in location or angle
will tell us something more about the stories or the characters in front of us.
Granted it does not always work or seem very OBVIOUS!!!!!!!!!! But the best ones are films that can pulls these off without you noticing them...just like a magician....
Anyone who attended college should be familiar with a concept known as Murphy's law. For those not familiar with it, the law basically states that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. If you were in college as a filmmaker, like I was, Murphy's law scaredyou almost every waking moment. To complete a film, a lot of factors need to work in your favor: securing a location, having the equipment working, hiring all the actors, etc. However if one part goes wrong, the whole thing potentially falls apart; for me this happened numerous times.
Outside of college and making films, Murphy's law has yet to leave me alone. The worst will bite you in the butt when you don't look, so it's best to know how to deal with it.
Do Not Panic
The most repetitive piece of advice you will receive, but it is true none the less. For example, I had a film shoot today. The location of the short film was supposed to be in a quarry. It was scouted in advance and appeared to be a sure thing. Then on the day of shooting, the gate leading to the quarry was locked.
(deviantart.net)
One option was to cancel everything since we lost the location. However everything else was planned meticulous, so there was a general agreement that we would not just scrap the shoot so easily. With calmer heads, we were able to discover a different location nearby that we were just as familiar with. It turned out to benefit us the most since no one bothered us throughout the entire shoot.
Panicking is a natural and understandable reaction. The problem is that nothing is fixed once you finished having a freak out. As hard as it is, you have to buck up. Think less of why it went wrong and more of how to get it right.
Improvise
As I mentioned before, our crew was able to think of the the new location at the last minute. Many great inventions were created as a result of an accident. While it is a pretty annoying setback, you may be able to make something great with whatever you have left.
Cut Your Losses
Even if you spent hours writing a scene, practiced lines, and set up a shot, sometimes parts need to be cut out. Going back to the film shoot, there was a fight scene involved and a lot of choreography was involved. However this was an outdoor shoot and sunlight was fading. The plan was that by the end of that day, all the fighting had to be shot; another day in the future would be used to shoot dialogue. Although time was spent a day earlier rehearsing, the fight ended up having to be cut shorter. This added stress on me because not only did it had to be shorter, it still had to make sense with the story order. As frustrating as it was to cut what I put time into making, I knew it had to be done to complete something.
Murphy's law will never leave me alone as far as I can see it. However, I plan to keep these three principles in my mind every time it decides to rear its ugly head.
Best Fight Scenes of Recent Time and All Time
There is something about a fight scene that really gets the blood pumping. Maybe it is just the visceral nature in us all or we just appreciate and admire the skills that are demonstrated. Regardless of the reason, a well done fight scene is something to be appreciated. Unfortunately there has been a recent trend in blockbusters lately that have brought down the quality of action. Whether it is too much use of shakycam or too much CGI, the quality has suffered.
Nevertheless, certain movies still remember how to shoot a proper fight scene. The following list will be divided into two portions. The first list will deal with fight scenes from recent time while the second list will tackle fight scenes from different time periods. The choices made will not be limited to films from the United States and everything mentioned is based on personal preference in no particular order. While it should be obvious, be aware of potential spoilers ahead.
You have been warned. (http://levynewsnetwork.files.wordpress.com)
Best Fight Scenes of Recent Time:
Rurouni Kenshin (2012)- One vs. Many
When it comes to a live-action adaptation of a comic book or cartoon, the results are usually disastrous.This adaptation of the popular Japanese comic, however, proves itself to be an exception. While all the fights in the film are enjoyable, it is the first fight that helps set the tone of the movie. The main character, Kenshin, fighting against a gang demonstrates efficiency, grace, and ferocity in his fighting. Any fan of the comic will be filled with glee while casual movie goers will find an entertaining film.
Skyfall (2012)- Train Fight
To have a list and notinclude James Bond would be a crime. The Bond film series have a standard of action and the most recent iteration of the franchise lives up to that reputation. Here Bond is fighting a bad guy for a hard-drive that will be relevant later in the film. The choreography is not pretty, but it does not need to be. The danger of fighting on top of a train without using green screen only adds to the excitement.
Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013)- Final Fight Scene
The following scene will spoil the ending of the film.Unless you are martial arts movie junkie, chances you may not be familiar with this film. Despite the lack of a theatrical release, Ninja: Shadow of a Tear displays great fighting that seems to be lacking in Hollywood. What separates this film from others in the category is the abilities of the actors in the film. Every flip kick or fall is most likely performed by the actors. Scenes are played out in longer segments as opposed to rapid editing.
Best Fight Scenes of All Time
The Matrix (1999)-Neo vs. Agent Smith
Despite its lackluster sequels and all the parodies that came out soon after, The Matrix changed the game in Hollywood. This was one of the first moments in which a Western film company used Eastern action sentiments so prominently. What also makes this a good fight is that instead of just stopping the story, the fight scene continues it. We see Neo's physical struggle to live up to his destiny.
Way of the Dragon (1974)- Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris
If current audiences watches this fight scene, they may be put off by what appears to be an outdated style. While it may look silly to some now, this fight was revolutionary for its time and is a classic. Many fights during this period either looked too dance-like or too slow. This Bruce Lee fight cranked up the speed and the power of the fighters. Plus it brought Chuck Norris into the limelight.
Wheels on Meals (1984)- Jackie Chan vs. Benny "the Jet" Urquidez
Considered by many to be one of the best fight scenes ever filmed. The choreography is top-notch and the speed is incredible. Jackie Chan tends to fight numerous opponents or fighters who out class him significantly. This is one of those fights in which he is toe-to-toe with his opponent. His opponent, Benny "the Jet" is a real life kickboxing champion and his skills shine in this scene. If you look closely at one point, Benny is able to blow out the candles with the speed of his kick; no trick photography.
Hopefully all these clips got your heart racing, or at the very least gave you some enjoyment. All films can be found on DVD or online, so if you want to see the full thing, go right ahead. Nuke up of some popcorn and enjoy.
The Do's and Don'ts of Making a Independent Film
As with any profession, there are things that you should do when making a film and things that you should avoid doing. None of what I am about to say is necessarily going to apply for every single filmmaker out there. What I am going to mention is all based on my personal experiences from various film shoots; whether they were my own or others.
What you should do:
If you are the director, stay in control. The old saying, "too many cooks spoil the soup" applies on a film set as well. While you should be open to any suggestion and criticism, the director should still make the final call. If control if given to too many people, the whole project and crawl to a stop.
Make a schedule and stick to it. For the most part, the crew and cast may be volunteering their free time in order to help you. Having a schedule keeps everything in order and puts people's mind at ease knowing all their efforts are according to plan. Also unless you know people are willing to stay, stick to the end time regardless of how much you finish.
Expect the worst and hope for the best. Things will go wrong when you least expect them to. Actors will not show up, equipment fails, or you get kicked out of a location. Regardless it is always best to plan for these eventualities; have a back up for the back up. If you do have the right circumstances for the moment, pray it stays that way.
What you don't do:
Take anything personal. A lot of egos can clash when making a film. Some feel like their decision should be prominent while others feel as though they cannot be heard. The common goal everyone should have is to make the best film that they can.
Be self-indulgent. A film is a group effort. Without many parts, it does not work.
Wait to solve the problem. A common thought would be to fix certain lighting issues and such in post. Not only is that very lazy, but there is not guarantee that it will even be fixed in post. If something can be done in that moment, it should be done.
Are the more do's and don'ts of film making? Most definitely. However, these I believe are some of the most important things to keep aware of while making a film. Happy trails!
The Shaw Brothers film My Young Auntie is one of my personal favorite kung fu films. In a way, we can consider it Hong Kong's version of My Fair Lady. While more of a comedy than an a standard kung fu film, I still found myself enjoying it as much as the first time I saw it.
Combination of beauty and skill. (http://docfilms.uchicago.edu)
Just for the sake of curiosity, I went onto Wikipedia to see if there was an article posted about the film.
A young female martial-arts champion, Cheng Tai-nun (Kara Hui)
marries an elderly landowner so the old man can keep his estate from
falling into the greedy and unscrupulous hands of his brother Yu
Yung-Sheng (Wang Lung Wei). Tai-nun inherits his estate when he dies, and is soon in Canton, staying with her older nephew by marriage, Yu Cheng-chuan (Lau Kar Leung), and his son Yu Tao (Hsiao Ho).
When the traditional and conservative Tai-nun, a woman from the
provinces, runs into the modern and Westernized Yu Tao for the first
time, the sparks fly and a clash of egos begins. Meanwhile, the evil
brother steals the deed to the dead husband's estate. Tai-nun and Yu Tao
go to get the deed back and are beaten and held hostage by Yung-Sheng
and his experts. Its then up to Yu Cheng-chuan and his brothers to
rescue them.
While the synopsis on the wiki page did summarize the story more or less, I felt that a little more detail could be added. Thus I expanded on the plot by adding the additional two paragraphs.
A young female martial-arts champion, Cheng Tai-nun (Kara Hui)
marries an elderly landowner so the old man can keep his estate from
falling into the greedy and unscrupulous hands of his brother Yu
Yung-Sheng (Wang Lung Wei). Tai-nun inherits his estate when he dies, and is soon in Canton, staying with her older nephew by marriage, Yu Cheng-chuan (Lau Kar Leung), and his son Yu Tao (Hsiao Ho).
When the traditional and conservative Tai-nun, a woman from the
provinces, runs into the modern and Westernized Yu Tao for the first
time, the sparks fly and a clash of egos begins.
Their conflict eventually leads to Yu Tao inviting Tai-nun to a
costume party in hopes of embarrassing her in public. When the two get
into trouble and Cheng-chuan needs to bail them out, the evil brother
takes this opportunity to steal the deed to the dead husband's estate.
Tai-nun and Yu Tao reach out to their extended family and ask for their
help to retrieve the deed back. Although the family members agree, it
becomes apparent that Yu Cheng-chuan and his brothers may be too old to
help.
Tai-nun and Yu Tao decide to go get the deed back themselves and work
together to infiltrate the evil brother’s estate. Although they fight
bravely, they are eventually outnumbered. Tai-nun is held hostage while
Yu Tao is able to escape. With the help of his father and uncles, Yu Tao
is able to help Tai-nun and the deed is given back to its rightful
owner. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Young_Auntie)
Only time will tell if someone else expands on what I wrote... Maybe they will even delete everything I wrote all together.
What was one of the last blockbusters you have seen in theaters? For me, it was Guardians of the Galaxy. With talking racoons, space battles, and fantastic characters, what's not to love about it? So how much did it cost to create this film? $170 million. For the most part, even the cheapest Hollywood film would cost a few million. However because of advances in technology today, anyone is capable of making a film as long as they have ingenuity, the will, and a camera.
Even this can get the job done. (walmart.com)
What is Guerrilla Filmmaking?
More or less it is a form in independent filmmaking that is defined by its low budget, small crew, and possible lack of props. If a permit for a location cannot be afforded, the crew would sneak in and shoot anyway. It is based in passion and with the desire to do whatever it takes to get the right shot. Here are a few things to have when guerrilla filmmaking.
The Camera: The Essential Tool
While being the most important part, the camera can also be the most expensive. If you do not have access to a video camera, ask your friends if you could borrow theirs. Nevertheless there are numerous, affordable options in camcorders nowadays. It all depends on how high you want the video quality and how much data you can record on.
Also most smartphones have a high quality camera included, so your cell phone can shoot the movie if you are really desperate. However since the phone is light, expect the footage to come out very shaky if done handheld. Invest in a tripod if you do decide to go this route.
(http://www.rakuten.co.jp)
The Crew and Actors... or Your Best Friends
More likely than not the ones to help you make the film are going to be your friends. Always keep in mind that they are volunteering to help you and are not getting paid. Treat your crew memberswith respect.
There are numerous sites online where someone can find an actor to work for free. The usual requirements is a copy of the film for their demo reel, which should be easy enough. However, it is courtesy to give them a free meal and reimburse gas money if they need it. A good reputation goes a long way.
Pizza is usually a safe choice for a meal. (http://www.followthecoin.com)
Props and Locations? Who Needs Them?!
Depending on the story of the film, you need to be very clever in terms of props. Sometimes it can be as easy as going to a thrift shop. Other times it can involve a lot of glue and duct tape. Creativity and imagination are key. Mores time than not a prop can look cheesy or clumsy, but sometimes that can be used to an advantage and give a film its own flair.
Unless the film requires it, try to shoot outside your own house. It is surprising how willing most people are in terms of lending a space for a film. For the most part, as long as you keep them in the loop and tell them what you are filming, most will say yes. The worst thing people could say is 'no', so it never hurts to ask. Just remember to respect the property and leave it as good as you found it.
Yeah, this location would be way too good to get for a guerrilla film. (http://magnumn3.org)
Putting It All Together
Editing used to be much trickier since the process itself was costly. Since everything is digital, a computer can do everything you need. All computers should have a basic video editor to cut shots together: iMovie and Windows Movie Maker. If you want to upgrade from that, you can buy an editing program like Adobe Premiere Elements ($59.99). This is a more affordable option in comparison to its older, more professional brother ($999.999 for Educational License).
It hurts me too...(http://paydayloancook.com)
A filmmaker does not just wait to be surrounded by the right circumstances to make a film. He or she should be able to make a film whenever they can and however they can. If you have a story and you have an idea, go make that movie.
(Disclaimer: While I know Eric Jacobus, I will be as fair as possible when reviewing this short film.)
I can attest to being one of many people who is not a big fan of action movies that have come out of Hollywood in recent years. Awkward editing, overuse of shaky cam, and poor choice of camera angles have taken the joy out of some action movies. Luckily for the action junkie, the internet is loaded with numerous content created by independent filmmakers. Eric Jacobus' Rope-A-Dope is one of those action short films that should not be overlooked.
(http://i.ytimg.com)
In a nutshell, the short film is a mix of Bill Murray's GroundhogDay and martial arts. In more detail, the story follows a Dope (played by Eric Jacobus) who gets knocked out by martial arts thugs. He realizes that he keeps repeating the same day after being knocked out, so he does his best to prepare for the fight for his fate... Which is to not repeat the same stupid day.
The film does not have any spoken dialogue and mostly relies on the soundtrack, sound effects, and body language of the actors. The humor is very slapstick and the jokes usually hit their marks. Since this story essentially deals with time travel, there can be nitpicking when it comes to the story. However this is not the type of short film that needs to be dissected; it is just one to be enjoyed.
The action is pretty top notch for an independent production and everyone gets their chance to shine. The fight scenes can give Hollywood a run for its money and Eric Jacobus' physical prowess is quite impressive to say the least.
If you are an action film lover, casual or hardcore, you
will find enjoyment in this video. Even a casual viewer should find some
entertainment with Rope-A-Dope. After watching the film, give your support for the channel. Indy work thrives on support.
