Ok...now, I don’t often get charged up to write something about a film in here, but I keep getting this overwhelming uncontrollable serge in my brain, in the last forty eight hours its happened a few times, so here I am. Its bothering me when I go into conversation with my mother and father about the film in question I just felt somewhat heart broken.
The movie was Broken Flowers Directed by Jim Jarmusch...
...and I really, really loved it. And I find their thoughts (my parents) on the film to be somewhat staggering, it's furthermore incredible that a film can reveal these things...reveal things about peoples characters it such a clear way that you did not know about prior to this.
We follow this character called Don Johnston through the entire film...and through the entire film the man doesn’t do *anything* nasty to *anybody* ...at all...not *one* single thing. Now...granted we don’t know much about his past or much about him either...we don’t know if he suffers from depression or anything much really. All we really know is that he is fifty six years old, and appears to have had what seems to be about six or seven girlfriends over a very long time period.
Both my mother and my father said he was not a nice person and a womaniser...
But... it’s a pretty long period of time gone by here for Don Johnston...and we don’t have very much information to go on at all, as to how long he's spent with each woman. We do however get to see what each one of them is like for a little bit.
They’re only opinions though, and I have to accept that. But I’m shocked and saddened by the lack of empathy in my parents towards this Don Johnston character.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Monday, 13 October 2008
A BRANCH THAT I SAW STICKING UP IN THE FLOODED BURN
So I went down there again to see what the experience would be like a second time. I took the camera this time, its always a completely different experience when your with you camera because your not really looking at the environment constantly...you stop walking, stand there and fiddle about with your camera...looking through your camera a lot I really don’t think that you see very much...it's disjointed and one thing becomes two.
I spotted this branch though, sticking out of the very fast flowing burn. Which really hypnotised me...very hard to describe this (no I’m not on drugs...lol)...the footage I got doesn’t really it justice...watching it with your own eyes completely different experience, but I’ll post it anyway. It gets interesting at the end of this clip.
I spotted this branch though, sticking out of the very fast flowing burn. Which really hypnotised me...very hard to describe this (no I’m not on drugs...lol)...the footage I got doesn’t really it justice...watching it with your own eyes completely different experience, but I’ll post it anyway. It gets interesting at the end of this clip.
THAT THING WHERE YOU HAVE A PROFOUND OUT OF THE BLUE EXPERIENCE
So it was time for a coffee, made with milk in the sauce pan, I’d not had one of these in a long time, and now getting the hang of it a lot better than previous times, because I now know to put in extra amount of coffee (it’s instant coffee, but heck the results are actually really good) in there.
I wander around the house looking out of the various windows at the flood.
I wander outside...
I see my dad waxing the car...yes, waxing the car. He tells me that its good to do this once in a while, maybe twice a decade. He had also washed the car and water had run down the hill and round the corner of the house. Round there, there’s sand bags that seem to have burst open, there’s this small mound of sand. The rain has created some beautiful almost alien landscapes in the sand.
I decide to walk closer to the flood. Its really pretty spectacular. I think that you have to have a photo here of how it looks
Coffee cup
I put down the coffee cup, because I was not going to take that with me. I put it at the base of a tree. Now that looked odd seeing it outside...my favourite cup and all, which normally never goes outside. But furthermore here I think its because I don’t go outside much either.
NOTE: ok, this photo below is a re-enactment of what happened, I’m not awfully happy about the photo, I think it could be much better...it’s the same tree I put it next to though, and the coffee cup had not been washed, so what we’re getting here is sort of authentic... : O )
Climbing the barbed wire fence
Really quite tricky this, the best place to do it is at a bit with some padding round the barb wire, there also this log on the other side, but it was all wet and slippery as hell. As I’m doing it I’m thinking “what the f**k am I doing here, this is really dangerous” but, I think with the weight distribution across my foot this was going to be OK, and *was* OK.
I wander across field and down to where its flooded, to note I’m wearing my shoes that aren’t so good for walking in whilst doing all of this, but, I seem to have a problem with my feet at the moment as I’m always tripping up...these shoes definitely make things worse though I think. The ground s a bit uneven and the grass is very long and wet. You have to go down a steep hill to where it can only be described as one big bog...its like lord of the rings with the dead people in the water (always liked that part).
NOTE: photo will be uploaded when the camera is recharged.
Down there on what is the outskirts of where I live is really quite interesting because there’s new houses being built in the flood plain...they raise up at the end of what is a very flat bit of land...its well, a flood plain, but yeah I love how bogs look, I love that grass that sticks up. There’s a very surreal quality though when walking about down there.
The return journey home I see five pheasants, beautiful creatures they are, I love the way they run, one of them ran quite close past me... because when climbing back up the hill i was hidden by the...hill...so they didn't spot me...usually they fly off, but these ones seemed calmer than normal.
I climb fence again and see the coffee cup sitting there, I pick it up and then walk back up to the house and round by the sand to see my dads not there anymore...its eerily quiet.
Now various different people (and a ongoing stream of people throughout my life)...who...perhaps don’t know me very well have often commented and said to me “are you on drugs?” ...well I can assure you I’m not on any drugs and never have been...all I can say is this... I’ve felt...well I’ve taken long to obtain the word for this, but I eventually found it, I feel that I have a hyperawareness thing going on. Now, I think this is brought out of me perhaps by myself not going outside very often...or maybe it was just special because of the flooding, a bit like when it snows perhaps. I’ve always found water to be fascinating stuff mind you.
I’m always reminded of what Steven Spielberg said about 2001...he said something along the lines of this... “no, no you don’t have to be on drugs to watch this, the movie IS the drug.” now, I feel exactly like that when walking around outside sometimes.
I wander around the house looking out of the various windows at the flood.
I wander outside...
I see my dad waxing the car...yes, waxing the car. He tells me that its good to do this once in a while, maybe twice a decade. He had also washed the car and water had run down the hill and round the corner of the house. Round there, there’s sand bags that seem to have burst open, there’s this small mound of sand. The rain has created some beautiful almost alien landscapes in the sand.
I decide to walk closer to the flood. Its really pretty spectacular. I think that you have to have a photo here of how it looks
Coffee cup
I put down the coffee cup, because I was not going to take that with me. I put it at the base of a tree. Now that looked odd seeing it outside...my favourite cup and all, which normally never goes outside. But furthermore here I think its because I don’t go outside much either.
NOTE: ok, this photo below is a re-enactment of what happened, I’m not awfully happy about the photo, I think it could be much better...it’s the same tree I put it next to though, and the coffee cup had not been washed, so what we’re getting here is sort of authentic... : O )
Climbing the barbed wire fence
Really quite tricky this, the best place to do it is at a bit with some padding round the barb wire, there also this log on the other side, but it was all wet and slippery as hell. As I’m doing it I’m thinking “what the f**k am I doing here, this is really dangerous” but, I think with the weight distribution across my foot this was going to be OK, and *was* OK.
I wander across field and down to where its flooded, to note I’m wearing my shoes that aren’t so good for walking in whilst doing all of this, but, I seem to have a problem with my feet at the moment as I’m always tripping up...these shoes definitely make things worse though I think. The ground s a bit uneven and the grass is very long and wet. You have to go down a steep hill to where it can only be described as one big bog...its like lord of the rings with the dead people in the water (always liked that part).
NOTE: photo will be uploaded when the camera is recharged.
Down there on what is the outskirts of where I live is really quite interesting because there’s new houses being built in the flood plain...they raise up at the end of what is a very flat bit of land...its well, a flood plain, but yeah I love how bogs look, I love that grass that sticks up. There’s a very surreal quality though when walking about down there.
The return journey home I see five pheasants, beautiful creatures they are, I love the way they run, one of them ran quite close past me... because when climbing back up the hill i was hidden by the...hill...so they didn't spot me...usually they fly off, but these ones seemed calmer than normal.
I climb fence again and see the coffee cup sitting there, I pick it up and then walk back up to the house and round by the sand to see my dads not there anymore...its eerily quiet.
Now various different people (and a ongoing stream of people throughout my life)...who...perhaps don’t know me very well have often commented and said to me “are you on drugs?” ...well I can assure you I’m not on any drugs and never have been...all I can say is this... I’ve felt...well I’ve taken long to obtain the word for this, but I eventually found it, I feel that I have a hyperawareness thing going on. Now, I think this is brought out of me perhaps by myself not going outside very often...or maybe it was just special because of the flooding, a bit like when it snows perhaps. I’ve always found water to be fascinating stuff mind you.
I’m always reminded of what Steven Spielberg said about 2001...he said something along the lines of this... “no, no you don’t have to be on drugs to watch this, the movie IS the drug.” now, I feel exactly like that when walking around outside sometimes.
Friday, 22 August 2008
THE TRIP TO THE DENTAL HYGIENIST
My god, you couldn’t get much more different when you compare it to the trip with the dentist. A different section of the town...nobody in the waiting room, female dental hygienist with female assistant...very pleasant towards me, no questions asked about what it is you do for a living, and some genuinely funny moments in the reclining dental chair unit. After this we ended up going by foot through the high street of the town I was in...it was crammed full of people, my god, incredibly narrow high street and huge amounts of people...this is quite a experience if your use to only seeing two people. Cannot begin to say how beautiful the architecture is in these old british towns too...it just oozes character and they’re such solid well made buildings...its stunning stuff.
My driving also has not been used in busy towns like this in some time now, and so that at times for me can be quite scary, kind of a mixture of scary and exciting...but I cant tell you how much I hate three lane roundabouts, always have though.
My driving also has not been used in busy towns like this in some time now, and so that at times for me can be quite scary, kind of a mixture of scary and exciting...but I cant tell you how much I hate three lane roundabouts, always have though.
Thursday, 7 August 2008
THE TRIP TO THE DENTIST
I may be registered self employed...but, I’ve not had any paid work in over three years now, but then, I've turned down some major things...should I have turned them down?...well this is the question...it's best not to think about that stuff...or is it?
I’ve just been to the dentist where he asked me...“what is it you do?”...I said “errr...wellll...I’m self employed...I...um...do animations” he said “oh right, who have you done animations for?”...I said...”I um...well I do them for myself...I’ve er...I’ve not actually done any paid freelance work in over three years now” then there was a silence and possibly a glare at me... and then nothing was said about it at all as it's very difficult having conversations at the dentist with your mouth open.
My dad then paid for the bill...
I walked out of that dentist and felt very down...and see myself as a failed artist and possibly even a failure as a person. I honestly came out of there feeling really quite rough emotionally, I felt like maybe it's wrong to be living in your parents cellar...that I should really leave home and get a job...that my focus has gone down the wrong path...the thing is my parents aren’t really normal parents, they have no problem at all with me living at home. That’s not really a normal reaction from parents.
The thing is, I don’t really help myself, this journey to the dentist was the weirdest thing, I felt overwhelmed...I live in a very remote part of Scotland and never see anybody my own age...but I do like the peace and quiet of the countryside...I can honestly say that it helps the process of making films...but sometimes the gap between going into the city becomes quite big, and well, you start to forget what its like there...I was looking out the window, there was so many people in the streets, and such a HUGE number of cars...couples holding hands, mums with kids in push buggys. And women!...hot looking women. I’m at the window of my dads car thinking “wow, look at that!”
The communication with the dentist was the first time I’d spoken to anybody who wasn’t my parents in quite some time (we’re talking months here) and I don’t think I dealt with it very well.
I’ve just been to the dentist where he asked me...“what is it you do?”...I said “errr...wellll...I’m self employed...I...um...do animations” he said “oh right, who have you done animations for?”...I said...”I um...well I do them for myself...I’ve er...I’ve not actually done any paid freelance work in over three years now” then there was a silence and possibly a glare at me... and then nothing was said about it at all as it's very difficult having conversations at the dentist with your mouth open.
My dad then paid for the bill...
I walked out of that dentist and felt very down...and see myself as a failed artist and possibly even a failure as a person. I honestly came out of there feeling really quite rough emotionally, I felt like maybe it's wrong to be living in your parents cellar...that I should really leave home and get a job...that my focus has gone down the wrong path...the thing is my parents aren’t really normal parents, they have no problem at all with me living at home. That’s not really a normal reaction from parents.
The thing is, I don’t really help myself, this journey to the dentist was the weirdest thing, I felt overwhelmed...I live in a very remote part of Scotland and never see anybody my own age...but I do like the peace and quiet of the countryside...I can honestly say that it helps the process of making films...but sometimes the gap between going into the city becomes quite big, and well, you start to forget what its like there...I was looking out the window, there was so many people in the streets, and such a HUGE number of cars...couples holding hands, mums with kids in push buggys. And women!...hot looking women. I’m at the window of my dads car thinking “wow, look at that!”
The communication with the dentist was the first time I’d spoken to anybody who wasn’t my parents in quite some time (we’re talking months here) and I don’t think I dealt with it very well.
Monday, 4 August 2008
DOCTOR WHO - YES, THE 1996 TELEVISION FILM DIRECTED BY GEOFFREY SAX
Ok, I have to say something here, every now and again I have to confess my love for the TV film in 1996 that brought Dr Who back. He was back, and would go onto our TV screen for a one off little film, and not come back until 2005.
It was Paul McGann as the doctor, and a great job he did too...and honestly, I thought the piece was very good. I would be, how old?...fifteen I think?...
It was a beautifully lit, shot and directed bit of fun science fiction. Ok, it felt a bit James Cameron-ie at times perhaps, perhaps it looked a bit like ER at times?...or even felt a little Luc Besson-ie...but I mean is that such a bad thing?...no. not that I’m saying you shouldn’t strive for originality...lol. Hmm, there’s a bit of a conflict there for sure...but your gonna get influenced by the filmmakers work you love, there’s no doubt that that happens.
The TV movie also had it's faults...but to me, it was far far better than what came in-between 2005-2008...and it was a complete tragedy that more wasn't made with McGann and this setup. There was a lot of pontential here indeed.
I really loved the inside of the Tardis, and how it looked warm and comfortable to live in...I have a thing for old Persian carpets and so on though. but I really liked the direction, editing and McGann's performance.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
THE BIG WIN DIRECTED BY MARC CRASTE
Oh...my...god. I just cant even form sentences as to how extremely good this little animation is. I’ve only JUST found it now and watched it for the first time. I think that’s what happens when you don’t go to the cinema or watch the TV, because this must have been a cinema advert...and dear lord, it must have been incredible to see on the big screen. I’ve just this minute watched it about five times in a row.
You have to write about these things when you see them. I’m always very sceptical when it comes to CG, because I make a big thing of it looking so perfect...I don't have a problem here because the characters are extreamly stylised, and that's where I feel all animation belongs...the whole "lets go for photo realism" has never worked in animation. This piece really looks beautiful and has made full use of the raytracing...this is what its all about. The team has pushed forward on the technical side so that it is on par with the artistic side, a very powerful thing and i think i feel that as a animator myself, I've never come close to being able to make what I want.
The ideas in here are wonderful, the entire concept is first rate and the part where the character turns a mouth from being a unhappy smile to a happy smile on that cousin itt style character was very funny...it is genius.
The song used was excellent, this to me, pushes it forward to be a five star piece...this and the wonderful humour in it...and the fact that its a technical marvel too.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
STANELY KUBRICK'S BOXES
Saw the premiere of this on More4 as part of the Kubrick season and absolutely loved it...except the bits where they decided to put a photograph into each frame (that’s 25 frames in a second, so imagine that playing for sometimes what seemed like over five seconds) (this really hurts your head and I hate it) (they also did it with Event Horizon)...but apart from that I was sitting there with a massive grin on my face. At last we get a decent documentary that’s fresh and interesting.
Jon Ronson has done a great job with this.
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Jon Ronson has done a great job with this.
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Sunday, 13 July 2008
VOCMAG
I was just going through old files here looking at my old sites and how I use to have my portfolio….and came across a CV of mine that had VOCMAG on it...they very nicely once featured me on their site...and possibly it may be a real magazine?...I really don’t know, I had COMPLETELY forgotten about this, and way back when it happened they sent me a email saying that it would be nice if I would put a link to their site on my site. I did do that, but eventually I did away with having links on my site.
Their site seems to have changed a little bit, but I always thought it was a awesome website full of extremely good work...I was of course, very honoured to be on there ...and, at the time with these things, you get very excited about it...eventually though, you just forget completely about it ever happening and revert back to your “my work is crap” state.
But...what does happen, is, that you are reminded by it somehow at some point as you go through old things...and it is a nice feeling, you also look at how you once had your portfolio site. I really did have it drastically different back then. Hmmm.
Here's a link to their site though >> [click here]
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Their site seems to have changed a little bit, but I always thought it was a awesome website full of extremely good work...I was of course, very honoured to be on there ...and, at the time with these things, you get very excited about it...eventually though, you just forget completely about it ever happening and revert back to your “my work is crap” state.
But...what does happen, is, that you are reminded by it somehow at some point as you go through old things...and it is a nice feeling, you also look at how you once had your portfolio site. I really did have it drastically different back then. Hmmm.
Here's a link to their site though >> [click here]
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Sunday, 6 July 2008
FUMITO UEDA'S NEW GAME FOR PS3
This was a while back now, but a good friend of mine directed me to a still from Fumito Ueda's New Game. I'm a big huge fan of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus and strongly believe them to be two of the best computer games ever made.
So this got me excited, kept meaning to post about this one.
So this got me excited, kept meaning to post about this one.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Some Thoughts
[EDIT]
Had to take down what I'd written here because well...it was a complete and total nonsence.
[EDIT/]
Had to take down what I'd written here because well...it was a complete and total nonsence.
[EDIT/]
Monday, 23 June 2008
That business with the next door neighbour
I don’t want to be guilty of not reporting the positive news here, and well...I didn’t report what happened with the next door neighbour...well, I did write something out but lost it and never got around to re writing it until now.
Basically, everything got sorted out and is now cool. There was never any mention of the letter, but then that’s ok...don’t know if the letter is something I should have written out or not, but felt that I had to...and things are ok about it, so there we go. (this was months ago now though)
Basically, everything got sorted out and is now cool. There was never any mention of the letter, but then that’s ok...don’t know if the letter is something I should have written out or not, but felt that I had to...and things are ok about it, so there we go. (this was months ago now though)
Monday, 2 June 2008
I Didn’t Get to Where I am Today by Thinking
This quote is from C.J. who is the managing director of Sunshine Desserts in the classic comedy television show The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin made in 1976 to 1979.
This one I find very interesting, so I’ve written some things on how it could be interpreted.
1) Too much thinking and not enough action can lead to not getting much done.
2) It can also mean that progress can be made sometimes by spreading yourself out, fast decision making on multiple fronts. Fast unending persistence. This is definitely how C.J. got to be directing manager...I think a good example of this is when a person sends out say a letter to 200 people, or a DVD. When, and if, you were to do this, you would just do it, and there would be possible outcomes happen, as a result.
3) I wouldn’t really ever tell somebody not stop thinking, as I think it’s healthy...some problems need a long think, and people vary in thought process speed. Putting down something and coming back to it after a bit of a think can help a lot.
4) Dwelling on the negative to the point of stopping what you are doing entirely and losing years to it. This is a big no no.
5) Something that has cropped up in my life is this thing where a artist will put down something mid way...say it’s a painting, the painting is taken off the easel, and put up against a wall and left unfinished for six months or even three years...the artist returns to it after this time with a fresh perspective or new ideas entirely. Now you could say that this was some form of attention deficit...but it was perhaps something that was just done, and not thought about...it was just done.
This one I find very interesting, so I’ve written some things on how it could be interpreted.
1) Too much thinking and not enough action can lead to not getting much done.
2) It can also mean that progress can be made sometimes by spreading yourself out, fast decision making on multiple fronts. Fast unending persistence. This is definitely how C.J. got to be directing manager...I think a good example of this is when a person sends out say a letter to 200 people, or a DVD. When, and if, you were to do this, you would just do it, and there would be possible outcomes happen, as a result.
3) I wouldn’t really ever tell somebody not stop thinking, as I think it’s healthy...some problems need a long think, and people vary in thought process speed. Putting down something and coming back to it after a bit of a think can help a lot.
4) Dwelling on the negative to the point of stopping what you are doing entirely and losing years to it. This is a big no no.
5) Something that has cropped up in my life is this thing where a artist will put down something mid way...say it’s a painting, the painting is taken off the easel, and put up against a wall and left unfinished for six months or even three years...the artist returns to it after this time with a fresh perspective or new ideas entirely. Now you could say that this was some form of attention deficit...but it was perhaps something that was just done, and not thought about...it was just done.
Single Artist Getting Into a Mess
My studio was in a extreme mess and I just didn’t realise how bad the floor was until today, the toilet was pretty bad too, I’m not normally somebody to let the toilet get like that, so today had to attack all of that. If your single and don’t have anybody round very often and get addicted to making these animations and lose sight of the time / days / months this seems to happen.
I’m also very tired, it feels like somebody is crushing my brain.
Somebody once said a very wise thing (James Russell) “One person Isn’t meant to make an entire film on their own” but I still to this day don’t know or see how I’m going to form a team with no money, I spose really that horrendous doubt problem of mine should be stamped on and I should really try and get a grant from one of the film places that offers money to people like me. I was, in the past, actually there at a presentation of one of those companies, and had the damned form in my hand, and just didn’t fill it in...what is it I’m not happy about with regards to that exactly?...I honestly don’t know, I perhaps was not ready at that point and wanted to learn more on my own for a couple more years.
Another thing that happened today was I noticed a thing I wanted to go to, has been and gone, it was on the Saturday night. Now I was all...”oh that’s ages off, that’s two months away” and there it is past!...damn...lol
But on the good side of things, the animation is going very, very well.
I’m also very tired, it feels like somebody is crushing my brain.
Somebody once said a very wise thing (James Russell) “One person Isn’t meant to make an entire film on their own” but I still to this day don’t know or see how I’m going to form a team with no money, I spose really that horrendous doubt problem of mine should be stamped on and I should really try and get a grant from one of the film places that offers money to people like me. I was, in the past, actually there at a presentation of one of those companies, and had the damned form in my hand, and just didn’t fill it in...what is it I’m not happy about with regards to that exactly?...I honestly don’t know, I perhaps was not ready at that point and wanted to learn more on my own for a couple more years.
Another thing that happened today was I noticed a thing I wanted to go to, has been and gone, it was on the Saturday night. Now I was all...”oh that’s ages off, that’s two months away” and there it is past!...damn...lol
But on the good side of things, the animation is going very, very well.
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Speaking to a old friend
Speaking to a very good, very close online friend who I’d not spoken to in ages (for a few reasons, mainly cutting down on messenger in a big way) brought out a very interesting personal look at myself, as it always seems to do. The following is taken from this conversation and I’ve added some stuff to it.
I’ve been a bit all over the place in the last two weeks lost the focus a bit but I seem to have got it back again. I speak to another filmmaker through forums who seems to help me, though only I can help me. But the thing is that this guy doesn't know all the facts really, I mean the way I live, this situation, is bound to cause problems, there’s a awful lot on my plate.
To be honest though here...I have highs and lows on some things. The highs are me in my studio getting to the point in my animation where I suddenly go "yes, this is working!...this is WORTH it!" the lows are when I suddenly realise that the years have gone by and I've missed out on other types of happyness...a sort of missing out of other fun, having a second girlfriend (and no thats not two at once...LOL), enjoying life with other people the same age as me and having a laugh, going to the cinema, going to the pub, playing pool. I get so into making films though that this has gone out the window, the time is and has gone past unbelivably fast, and while I'm only reminded of these other types of happiness occasionally I am pretty happy...i tend to forget and go back to making my film. The city life you see was full of too many distrations I think...I've also always been sombody who gets addicted to things very easyly, there was too much alcahhol drinking and socialising done by me when I was there in the city. of course its all about disapline. I think though that living on your own (which I was doing at the time) was tough, and perhaps if there was more purpose (which there most definitely is now that I know I'm a director (at the time I didn't really)(in fact finding out that I was seemed to be tough to cope with also)
As your changing your life, a momentary change can do this, evoke a blip of depression, one day of big change can get you quite down suddenly. It’s hard to explain but its to do with one day of interaction with people outside of your own world (of which you've got use to being in for months) its like...."oh look some people"...and..."oh I'm having a good time OUT of my own little world". you go back home and bang it hits you, that your missing people in your life...It gets down to my love of people, which you forget about if you don’t stick your head up once in a while.
I now force myself to go out there basically, because the more I don’t interact with people the worse it is when you come to interacting with them. Very important that you make yourself do these things.
But there’s this horrible thing going on with people not liking long hair out in the world...that happens. They seem to fear it. But then I do have quite striking eyes, by that I mean that they perhaps intimidate people, so its perhaps a combination of my eyes and hair that’s causing some problems.
I’ve been a bit all over the place in the last two weeks lost the focus a bit but I seem to have got it back again. I speak to another filmmaker through forums who seems to help me, though only I can help me. But the thing is that this guy doesn't know all the facts really, I mean the way I live, this situation, is bound to cause problems, there’s a awful lot on my plate.
To be honest though here...I have highs and lows on some things. The highs are me in my studio getting to the point in my animation where I suddenly go "yes, this is working!...this is WORTH it!" the lows are when I suddenly realise that the years have gone by and I've missed out on other types of happyness...a sort of missing out of other fun, having a second girlfriend (and no thats not two at once...LOL), enjoying life with other people the same age as me and having a laugh, going to the cinema, going to the pub, playing pool. I get so into making films though that this has gone out the window, the time is and has gone past unbelivably fast, and while I'm only reminded of these other types of happiness occasionally I am pretty happy...i tend to forget and go back to making my film. The city life you see was full of too many distrations I think...I've also always been sombody who gets addicted to things very easyly, there was too much alcahhol drinking and socialising done by me when I was there in the city. of course its all about disapline. I think though that living on your own (which I was doing at the time) was tough, and perhaps if there was more purpose (which there most definitely is now that I know I'm a director (at the time I didn't really)(in fact finding out that I was seemed to be tough to cope with also)
As your changing your life, a momentary change can do this, evoke a blip of depression, one day of big change can get you quite down suddenly. It’s hard to explain but its to do with one day of interaction with people outside of your own world (of which you've got use to being in for months) its like...."oh look some people"...and..."oh I'm having a good time OUT of my own little world". you go back home and bang it hits you, that your missing people in your life...It gets down to my love of people, which you forget about if you don’t stick your head up once in a while.
I now force myself to go out there basically, because the more I don’t interact with people the worse it is when you come to interacting with them. Very important that you make yourself do these things.
But there’s this horrible thing going on with people not liking long hair out in the world...that happens. They seem to fear it. But then I do have quite striking eyes, by that I mean that they perhaps intimidate people, so its perhaps a combination of my eyes and hair that’s causing some problems.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
The Rocket-Man log book of 2002-2003
I've been doing a lot of tidying up recently and going through old stuff. I found the Rocket-Man logbook that I did in 2002, but I've not opened it up yet.
Rocket-man was the first animation I directed in my third year at college, it was a point in my life where it was confirmed to me, that this is what I’m meant to do in life. I’m not really one that’s very good with words really, but that’s the only way I can describe it, it was like what they call, a single moment of clarity.
The photo cannot be seen without this bit of text, so definitely a case for the text accompanying the photo, being essential here, the two cannot exist on their own.
Now you may think, well why?...why photo this?...and well I may or may not be able to really cover it properly...for a stranger to look at this photo it would mean nothing?...well it might not actually, it shows dust build up on a book and desk. As humans we’re fighting a constant war on dust build up, but I tend to forget about time, the hours each day go by so extremely fast that I just simply don’t dust very often in certain areas of the room. But you then look at it and think “shit me look at that!, a lot of time has gone by hasn’t it?” the dust is another way of measuring time.
But yes, it’s a bit of a selfish photo I think also. It reminds me of college, and well, I really enjoyed college at times. I loved the pressure of the assignments and the people, and like I say its where I really focused in on being a filmmaker. So that in itself, to me, is a moment that’s like the beginning of something. So I spose this book is the birth of it all.
Rocket-man was the first animation I directed in my third year at college, it was a point in my life where it was confirmed to me, that this is what I’m meant to do in life. I’m not really one that’s very good with words really, but that’s the only way I can describe it, it was like what they call, a single moment of clarity.
The photo cannot be seen without this bit of text, so definitely a case for the text accompanying the photo, being essential here, the two cannot exist on their own.
Now you may think, well why?...why photo this?...and well I may or may not be able to really cover it properly...for a stranger to look at this photo it would mean nothing?...well it might not actually, it shows dust build up on a book and desk. As humans we’re fighting a constant war on dust build up, but I tend to forget about time, the hours each day go by so extremely fast that I just simply don’t dust very often in certain areas of the room. But you then look at it and think “shit me look at that!, a lot of time has gone by hasn’t it?” the dust is another way of measuring time.
But yes, it’s a bit of a selfish photo I think also. It reminds me of college, and well, I really enjoyed college at times. I loved the pressure of the assignments and the people, and like I say its where I really focused in on being a filmmaker. So that in itself, to me, is a moment that’s like the beginning of something. So I spose this book is the birth of it all.
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
EMAILING PEOPLE YOU DON’T KNOW VERY WELL - WITH LONG EXPLANATIONS ON MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 5 MONTHS:
This is all about my next door neighbour, who possibly MIGHT think that my cheese has fallen off my cracker. Personally, I felt that there was this build up of misunderstanding, but I think I’ve screwed things up further, My mother is right, I shouldn’t have sent anything...but I was just wanting some large communication / pouring out of mind - of how I feel, to be written down and sent out, there is so much misunderstanding in the world, its huge. I thought maybe it would help, and I hope it has. But I have this horrible feeling that it hasn’t.
I've just today started to read about the self-fulfilling prophecy, which I think is maybe what this is?...which is upsetting, I must learn to relax though, and not worry too much about what has happened.
I think past events go towards my problem. And as a good friend of mine said to me recently, I try very very hard, a lot of the time to be understood because of my past.
The thing is that while it’s a big deal to me, its very possible that it may not be a big deal to them. Its further possible that they may not even remember most of what it is your going on about...we just don’t know. My life is so very low key that every time I go outside and interact with people, I come back and remember the entire thing with a lot of detail.
This is the third time that its happened. The first was a girl at college, the second was the South West Scottish Screen Commissioner and now the next door neighbour. Well actually the South West Scottish Screen Commissioner was getting a bit of a blasts of personal problems on the production of my film, it was something that I didn’t need to write out to him, but maybe because I have no social life, I feel the urge to write out problems in long letters as there’s no other way to get it out of you, except for in a blog. But maybe a letter to a single individual is more immediate, no, that doesn’t make sense, emailing a letter with your problems to a stranger doesn’t make any sense at all...I don’t think altogether a good thing because its probably out of context for the person at the other end.
But I think what I mean here is that with a blog you feel nobody is reading it, and with letter, you know that what your writing out is going to be read at least once.
I've just today started to read about the self-fulfilling prophecy, which I think is maybe what this is?...which is upsetting, I must learn to relax though, and not worry too much about what has happened.
I think past events go towards my problem. And as a good friend of mine said to me recently, I try very very hard, a lot of the time to be understood because of my past.
The thing is that while it’s a big deal to me, its very possible that it may not be a big deal to them. Its further possible that they may not even remember most of what it is your going on about...we just don’t know. My life is so very low key that every time I go outside and interact with people, I come back and remember the entire thing with a lot of detail.
This is the third time that its happened. The first was a girl at college, the second was the South West Scottish Screen Commissioner and now the next door neighbour. Well actually the South West Scottish Screen Commissioner was getting a bit of a blasts of personal problems on the production of my film, it was something that I didn’t need to write out to him, but maybe because I have no social life, I feel the urge to write out problems in long letters as there’s no other way to get it out of you, except for in a blog. But maybe a letter to a single individual is more immediate, no, that doesn’t make sense, emailing a letter with your problems to a stranger doesn’t make any sense at all...I don’t think altogether a good thing because its probably out of context for the person at the other end.
But I think what I mean here is that with a blog you feel nobody is reading it, and with letter, you know that what your writing out is going to be read at least once.
Filmmaking
Anybody who knows me....will know, that I don't storyboard any of my animations.
Film school will tell you that it is Treatment then Script then Storyboard then Animatic then Animation...then Post. I find that order to be next to impossible to sit in a chair and do, and for anyone who’s reading this and hasn’t made a film themselves, don’t be fooled into thinking that those teachings are concrete and that there’s no other way...there’s PLENTY of other ways, it's ONE way of doing it, that works for some and doesn’t work for others.
If your sat there at home and are trying to make a film this way and are really struggling to do it (in the film school order)...your NOT alone...and don't let them PROSELYTIZE you...
OTHER WAYS TO MAKE A FILM:
Some people write a little scene then stop and go out and film it / animate it...then stop...then write something which is completely not related to the first scene and move onto creating *that* immediately. More ideas may then come to you to fill in the gap. How did this character end up here?...What happened in-between these very far apart scenes?...you may find yourself thinking of things as you are creating...very much a percolating process.
Some people think purely in images and ideas....and have to get those images and ideas out their head straight away...when you are on a roll with it i think you have to act.
Some people find that by writing or even drawing a big old drawing of the end shot of the story first, you can then start to work backwards on how things ended up getting to that point. Writing the start of your story is not always the answer.
Some people write about what they’ve experienced in recent life, that can be just about anything and can be very effective. Even you can go the Werner Herzog route and set out walking six hundred miles then write about what you saw and make it into a film...or even take your camera with you on that journey.
Film school will tell you that it is Treatment then Script then Storyboard then Animatic then Animation...then Post. I find that order to be next to impossible to sit in a chair and do, and for anyone who’s reading this and hasn’t made a film themselves, don’t be fooled into thinking that those teachings are concrete and that there’s no other way...there’s PLENTY of other ways, it's ONE way of doing it, that works for some and doesn’t work for others.
If your sat there at home and are trying to make a film this way and are really struggling to do it (in the film school order)...your NOT alone...and don't let them PROSELYTIZE you...
OTHER WAYS TO MAKE A FILM:
Some people write a little scene then stop and go out and film it / animate it...then stop...then write something which is completely not related to the first scene and move onto creating *that* immediately. More ideas may then come to you to fill in the gap. How did this character end up here?...What happened in-between these very far apart scenes?...you may find yourself thinking of things as you are creating...very much a percolating process.
Some people think purely in images and ideas....and have to get those images and ideas out their head straight away...when you are on a roll with it i think you have to act.
Some people find that by writing or even drawing a big old drawing of the end shot of the story first, you can then start to work backwards on how things ended up getting to that point. Writing the start of your story is not always the answer.
Some people write about what they’ve experienced in recent life, that can be just about anything and can be very effective. Even you can go the Werner Herzog route and set out walking six hundred miles then write about what you saw and make it into a film...or even take your camera with you on that journey.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
The Three Answers
Now this is something I find interesting. In art your going to come up against a question at some point, somebody is going to ask you…“what do you think of this?”, wiether that be a painting, film trailer, short film, book, play etc...you can say “Yes, I love it” or you can say “No, I don’t like that” or you can answer “I don’t know, give me some time to think about that”...all of which are honest answers. But the third answer is quite often taken very badly by the person who asked the question, almost as if they feel its a negative answer...when its actually as honest a answer as the other two. Why is this?…
“I don’t know” isn’t a immediate answer...there’s uncertainty in it...uncertainty often leads to negative thought?...I wonder why that is?
People have to understand that there’s a constant change going on, likes and dislikes are changing over a long time period in peoples minds, some people change their mind by getting use to something that they didn’t INITIALLY like over time and vice versa. There’s such vast detail in some stuff, that your brain cant take it all in at once, so one viewing really isn’t enough, and we should learn to understand that. It's hard nowadays avoiding the hype engine, I keep falling victim to that one myself, and for all things…at the end of the day, I also keep assuming, when I shouldn’t, but we’re human, we make mistakes.
It’s been a quest of mine now for about four years to try and understand the human race a bit better as best I can in the circumstances that I’m in, I’ve met a lot of extreme people in my time...is there a automatic thing in all people that pushes them towards the negative?...or am I simply falling victim to assumption and am guilty of a sweeping statement...after all... I’ve not met very many people in my life.
To go further with this, the News on the television reports bad things about 95% of the time, people remain to still watch it, I'm not saying we should be apathetic, its good to take a interest in world affairs, but apparently in the past there was a news channel that reported 95% positive stories, and it was shut down due to low ratings.
What I reckon people take a certain security perhaps in the bad news thing...it’s the “there’s always somebody worse off than myself” thing.
“I don’t know” isn’t a immediate answer...there’s uncertainty in it...uncertainty often leads to negative thought?...I wonder why that is?
People have to understand that there’s a constant change going on, likes and dislikes are changing over a long time period in peoples minds, some people change their mind by getting use to something that they didn’t INITIALLY like over time and vice versa. There’s such vast detail in some stuff, that your brain cant take it all in at once, so one viewing really isn’t enough, and we should learn to understand that. It's hard nowadays avoiding the hype engine, I keep falling victim to that one myself, and for all things…at the end of the day, I also keep assuming, when I shouldn’t, but we’re human, we make mistakes.
It’s been a quest of mine now for about four years to try and understand the human race a bit better as best I can in the circumstances that I’m in, I’ve met a lot of extreme people in my time...is there a automatic thing in all people that pushes them towards the negative?...or am I simply falling victim to assumption and am guilty of a sweeping statement...after all... I’ve not met very many people in my life.
To go further with this, the News on the television reports bad things about 95% of the time, people remain to still watch it, I'm not saying we should be apathetic, its good to take a interest in world affairs, but apparently in the past there was a news channel that reported 95% positive stories, and it was shut down due to low ratings.
What I reckon people take a certain security perhaps in the bad news thing...it’s the “there’s always somebody worse off than myself” thing.
Saturday, 16 February 2008
FAN EDIT: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
This has to be posted really, I was really very impressed by it, and it shows you just how two edits can be so drastically different...the power of editing huh.
edited by triklops
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edited by triklops
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Thursday, 14 February 2008
TRAILER: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Woah...where the heck does one start here on this!?!?!?!
It’s really really really really not looking like Douglas Slocombe did the cinematography...and I mean he DIDN’T so I mean it WONT?...is it meant to???...well, they said that they would try...but I mean lets face it, trying to emulate Douglas Slocombe is going to be very tricky?...yes?...no?...your going to have agendas and so on...OR…if Janusz Kaminski and Speilebrg try to EMULATE Douglas Slocombe what we’ll GET is something thats not Janusz Kaminski or Douglas Slocombe...but a new look....OR Janusz Kaminski has been influenced by Andrew Lesnie OR Speilebrg has been influenced by Peter Jackson….OR George Lucas has been influenced by Jackon and Andrew Lesnie...what is going on??
TRAILER IS OUT OF CONTEXT?
This doesn’t feel like a Spielberg movie...right, so, I'm sure it will when it gets here?...when we see it in context it will...because it IS going to have long takes. I know Spielberg and I know that he always has long takes, when we see the final its going to feel very different from this trailer.
Moving onto something else...Is it a experimental film?...it could be?...we don’t know. It feels like it is a bit. Reason I say that is because of the direction of some of the shots...its got strong, would say, stronger emphasis on comic book than normal seen there in that warehouse stuff.
It also looks like its graded. Some of it is very contrasty for a Indiana Jones film.
I love the look of some of the shots very much, that very brief explosion shot in the jungle sure doesn’t look like CG which is GREAT...LOVE THAT. Loving the look of that....loving the bullets hitting the crates shot….and the waterfall looks amazing. I don’t like the swing with the whip on the lamp shade and crash into the front of the truck with the pause and him speaking to himself for a number of reasons, I don’t know if its CG or not but it FEELS like CG, it feels like the second he jumps from the crates they have merged it with a CG stuntman, to me it feels incredibly fake...and to me personally, my personal opinion on this is unfortunately that I didn’t really want to see that kind of merging. The is however a LOT of miniature work in this trailer too. And its looking absolutely GREAT, all that pyramid stuff and the staircase with the steps that are sliding into the walls looks incredible.
But I do love the hat sitting on the ground and it being put on...though it all feels like a completely new style?...which we have to accept and get use to. This is Janusz Kaminski and Steven Speilberg doing their thing...quite possibly doing a experimental thing...and we have to respect that.
CONCLUSION:
This is OUT of context...this is short rapid fire edited shots that are out of context. I will say this though, it feels very modern. It also feels like its been influenced by King Kong, I know that George Lucas loved King Kong so that is entirely possible. It feels like they just decided to do their own thing here, that’s very stand alone from the first three, go with they’re own cinematography style, and use a massive budget. We have to respect this and accept this.
I’m actually very very excited for the film, particularly about that jungle bit with the jeeps and that explosion. I can't wait to see how the full sequence plays out.
WATERFALLS:
The waterfall shot is truly beautiful and I do believe is 100% real. If they have added anything to that to make it a slightly more fictional place...like painted in something...they have done a truly amazing job.
STAIRCASE:
I love it, absolutely love it, I’m very excited about there being water at the bottom too, I don’t know what it is but I love scenes with water. I was truly over the moon when I saw that behind the scenes shot of them wading around in water.
PETROL EXPLOSION IN THE JUNGLE NEXT TO TANK THING:
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS...and to me feels 100% real. The colour on that shot is superb, the greens of the jungle and the reds of the fire ball / smoke. It really feels like 1) we are in a real jungle. 2) It’s a real petrol explosion...reminiscent of past that we know and love from say Raiders.
THOUGHTS IN THE MIND GATHERED OVER THE DAYS BROUGHT TO PAPER ON FEBRUARY 17TH:
February 14th trailer was such a array of different shots, I was just totally stunned in my chair with all the styles that I saw in it...I mean at times it feels like its Sam Raimi / Bill Pope (whip swing on light) and at other times it feels like its Peter Jackson / Andrew Lesnie (opening shot and jeeps near cliff shot) then suddenly it feels like its definitely Spielberg / Janusz Kaminski (petrol explosion in jungle)...(which I will add looks very real and extremely nice). It actually reminded me of The Phantom Menace fire ball scene, you know the one?...where the ships go into the fire?...most of the space scenes in The Phantom Menace looked incredible because it was miniatures and real fire. So in essence I was subconsciously there with George Lucas / David Tattersall...BUT the way that the camera is raised as the fire ball goes up I have to say is very very Janusz Kaminski Saving Private Ryan.
Only way I can see / come up with and explain / theorise / speculate is that George Lucas has directed some of it...I know for sure that he was very taken by King Kong when he saw it, at its New York premiere...and I know that sometimes they do direct sequences in each other movies.
Also a shock to me was that it looks like its been digitally graded. Something I did not expect at all.
INDY SWINGING ON THE LIGHT SHADE BIT:
What has to be stated here is that all art is subjective. Some people really don’t mind computer generated effects...they love it, and some really are very much against...add into this, that some people don’t even see what’s computer generated and what isn’t...but some people do, and it bothers them. I personally would never do a CG merging of real live action crossing over into CG stuntman (that was very much a individual big stunt)...ie CG Harrison Ford himself, and put it slap bang in the centre stage / centre of the shot...which LOOKS like what has happened on this whip swing on light shot...that shot FEELS like its been done like that. It may NOT be CG, but to me personally, my personal opinion on this is...that...it IS cg..(may be wrong) (just my speculation)
Now that will bother some, and not bother others...its controversial, of course its controversial. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (at this stage in the speculation) is looking very stand alone...completely new look going on here.
The reasons that the people are against CG are that it takes out that random element, that random human element, it becomes far too smooth, precise, the computer just renders out the animation perfectly along the key frames and to some people, we instantly almost subconsciously spot it straight away. What your looking at is so smooth and I would add even that it almost takes out the suspense too, it takes out the danger of the stunt. Again this is very controversial. None of us want stunt men to end up dead, we all want things to be safe, but you cant deny the fact that when we see the real thing, its all the more impressive...you go “holy crap, that guy really DID jump from that horse to that truck” and it was DANGEROUS. Something to be in awe about...a spectacle.
I’m not saying that we cant be in awe about CG, we can, we occasionally get something that is very impressive like say Gollum for example or Davy Jones.
KEEPING CG SUBTLE:
It’s controversial again...what constitutes as subtle will vary from person to person. I myself have NO PROBLEMS with CG being used the way it has been in quite a few films now, where we see a explosion of fire hitting men, engulfing them in fire. I’ve seen a lot of shots like that, that have worked extremely well over the last fifteen years...maybe because they are usually silhouettes because the light is behind them and also perhaps, because it all happens so fast in a explosion.
Sometimes real things look like cg or a miniature, and sometimes cg things look real or a miniature...it varies greatly. The mordern TV Battle Star Galitica series, the CG in that, for the space ships, is simply AMAZING.
FURTHER ANALYSIS ON THE SHOT:
You know, this is a strange one...I’m beginning to feel that it is indeed real...OR, extremely good CG...it is of course (if it is indeed CG) the very latest CG from Industrial Light and Magic (they have after all created the AMAZING Davy Jones and so things are getting quite interesting) ... but sadly I cant view it on this computer at high res at a decent frame rate. It's very odd how the whip disappears into the computer generated lamp shade also.
It’s really really really really not looking like Douglas Slocombe did the cinematography...and I mean he DIDN’T so I mean it WONT?...is it meant to???...well, they said that they would try...but I mean lets face it, trying to emulate Douglas Slocombe is going to be very tricky?...yes?...no?...your going to have agendas and so on...OR…if Janusz Kaminski and Speilebrg try to EMULATE Douglas Slocombe what we’ll GET is something thats not Janusz Kaminski or Douglas Slocombe...but a new look....OR Janusz Kaminski has been influenced by Andrew Lesnie OR Speilebrg has been influenced by Peter Jackson….OR George Lucas has been influenced by Jackon and Andrew Lesnie...what is going on??
TRAILER IS OUT OF CONTEXT?
This doesn’t feel like a Spielberg movie...right, so, I'm sure it will when it gets here?...when we see it in context it will...because it IS going to have long takes. I know Spielberg and I know that he always has long takes, when we see the final its going to feel very different from this trailer.
Moving onto something else...Is it a experimental film?...it could be?...we don’t know. It feels like it is a bit. Reason I say that is because of the direction of some of the shots...its got strong, would say, stronger emphasis on comic book than normal seen there in that warehouse stuff.
It also looks like its graded. Some of it is very contrasty for a Indiana Jones film.
I love the look of some of the shots very much, that very brief explosion shot in the jungle sure doesn’t look like CG which is GREAT...LOVE THAT. Loving the look of that....loving the bullets hitting the crates shot….and the waterfall looks amazing. I don’t like the swing with the whip on the lamp shade and crash into the front of the truck with the pause and him speaking to himself for a number of reasons, I don’t know if its CG or not but it FEELS like CG, it feels like the second he jumps from the crates they have merged it with a CG stuntman, to me it feels incredibly fake...and to me personally, my personal opinion on this is unfortunately that I didn’t really want to see that kind of merging. The is however a LOT of miniature work in this trailer too. And its looking absolutely GREAT, all that pyramid stuff and the staircase with the steps that are sliding into the walls looks incredible.
But I do love the hat sitting on the ground and it being put on...though it all feels like a completely new style?...which we have to accept and get use to. This is Janusz Kaminski and Steven Speilberg doing their thing...quite possibly doing a experimental thing...and we have to respect that.
CONCLUSION:
This is OUT of context...this is short rapid fire edited shots that are out of context. I will say this though, it feels very modern. It also feels like its been influenced by King Kong, I know that George Lucas loved King Kong so that is entirely possible. It feels like they just decided to do their own thing here, that’s very stand alone from the first three, go with they’re own cinematography style, and use a massive budget. We have to respect this and accept this.
I’m actually very very excited for the film, particularly about that jungle bit with the jeeps and that explosion. I can't wait to see how the full sequence plays out.
WATERFALLS:
The waterfall shot is truly beautiful and I do believe is 100% real. If they have added anything to that to make it a slightly more fictional place...like painted in something...they have done a truly amazing job.
STAIRCASE:
I love it, absolutely love it, I’m very excited about there being water at the bottom too, I don’t know what it is but I love scenes with water. I was truly over the moon when I saw that behind the scenes shot of them wading around in water.
PETROL EXPLOSION IN THE JUNGLE NEXT TO TANK THING:
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS...and to me feels 100% real. The colour on that shot is superb, the greens of the jungle and the reds of the fire ball / smoke. It really feels like 1) we are in a real jungle. 2) It’s a real petrol explosion...reminiscent of past that we know and love from say Raiders.
THOUGHTS IN THE MIND GATHERED OVER THE DAYS BROUGHT TO PAPER ON FEBRUARY 17TH:
February 14th trailer was such a array of different shots, I was just totally stunned in my chair with all the styles that I saw in it...I mean at times it feels like its Sam Raimi / Bill Pope (whip swing on light) and at other times it feels like its Peter Jackson / Andrew Lesnie (opening shot and jeeps near cliff shot) then suddenly it feels like its definitely Spielberg / Janusz Kaminski (petrol explosion in jungle)...(which I will add looks very real and extremely nice). It actually reminded me of The Phantom Menace fire ball scene, you know the one?...where the ships go into the fire?...most of the space scenes in The Phantom Menace looked incredible because it was miniatures and real fire. So in essence I was subconsciously there with George Lucas / David Tattersall...BUT the way that the camera is raised as the fire ball goes up I have to say is very very Janusz Kaminski Saving Private Ryan.
Only way I can see / come up with and explain / theorise / speculate is that George Lucas has directed some of it...I know for sure that he was very taken by King Kong when he saw it, at its New York premiere...and I know that sometimes they do direct sequences in each other movies.
Also a shock to me was that it looks like its been digitally graded. Something I did not expect at all.
INDY SWINGING ON THE LIGHT SHADE BIT:
What has to be stated here is that all art is subjective. Some people really don’t mind computer generated effects...they love it, and some really are very much against...add into this, that some people don’t even see what’s computer generated and what isn’t...but some people do, and it bothers them. I personally would never do a CG merging of real live action crossing over into CG stuntman (that was very much a individual big stunt)...ie CG Harrison Ford himself, and put it slap bang in the centre stage / centre of the shot...which LOOKS like what has happened on this whip swing on light shot...that shot FEELS like its been done like that. It may NOT be CG, but to me personally, my personal opinion on this is...that...it IS cg..(may be wrong) (just my speculation)
Now that will bother some, and not bother others...its controversial, of course its controversial. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (at this stage in the speculation) is looking very stand alone...completely new look going on here.
The reasons that the people are against CG are that it takes out that random element, that random human element, it becomes far too smooth, precise, the computer just renders out the animation perfectly along the key frames and to some people, we instantly almost subconsciously spot it straight away. What your looking at is so smooth and I would add even that it almost takes out the suspense too, it takes out the danger of the stunt. Again this is very controversial. None of us want stunt men to end up dead, we all want things to be safe, but you cant deny the fact that when we see the real thing, its all the more impressive...you go “holy crap, that guy really DID jump from that horse to that truck” and it was DANGEROUS. Something to be in awe about...a spectacle.
I’m not saying that we cant be in awe about CG, we can, we occasionally get something that is very impressive like say Gollum for example or Davy Jones.
KEEPING CG SUBTLE:
It’s controversial again...what constitutes as subtle will vary from person to person. I myself have NO PROBLEMS with CG being used the way it has been in quite a few films now, where we see a explosion of fire hitting men, engulfing them in fire. I’ve seen a lot of shots like that, that have worked extremely well over the last fifteen years...maybe because they are usually silhouettes because the light is behind them and also perhaps, because it all happens so fast in a explosion.
Sometimes real things look like cg or a miniature, and sometimes cg things look real or a miniature...it varies greatly. The mordern TV Battle Star Galitica series, the CG in that, for the space ships, is simply AMAZING.
FURTHER ANALYSIS ON THE SHOT:
You know, this is a strange one...I’m beginning to feel that it is indeed real...OR, extremely good CG...it is of course (if it is indeed CG) the very latest CG from Industrial Light and Magic (they have after all created the AMAZING Davy Jones and so things are getting quite interesting) ... but sadly I cant view it on this computer at high res at a decent frame rate. It's very odd how the whip disappears into the computer generated lamp shade also.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Hugh Fleming's Painting
Wow, things are getting very busy on the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull publicity campaign, I think today has been the biggest in terms of photographs of the film and this wonderful wondrful cover has come out too, I have to say I really like this one...beautifully done!...its the best one to date out of the four that have been done and i love the blues and reds in this.
I have to say also, that I love the traditional things that a film like this is bringing to us all...traditional paintings...miniatures and matte painting for the film itself. Just great. Exciting time for the obsessive cinema geek...lol
I have to say also, that I love the traditional things that a film like this is bringing to us all...traditional paintings...miniatures and matte painting for the film itself. Just great. Exciting time for the obsessive cinema geek...lol
Friday, 8 February 2008
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
It's getting nearer...and the trailer will be here soon too. I've now seen about fifteen photos from the set and the three posters, I have to say that I'm still worried about this movie...we're just not going to know though, untill we see it.
Sunday, 29 July 2007
OMG Stanley, they’re ruining your films...(Warner better release open matte versions or this is BAD)
I really hope this isn’t true...but I’ve read that new HD DVD of The Shining is going to be released in 16:9 widescreen and not the open matte 4:3...This is a complete outrage, and for people like me who are use to viewing it in 4:3 to trim the top and bottom off upsets me...wiether Kubrick himself wanted it this way or not nobody seems to know. The shots are so stunningly beautiful in full frame though, and now these people dont have Mr Kubrick to say what he wants done, it looks like it might get cropped.
Stanley Kubrick's reoccuring 1.33:1 decision, without a doubt has had a major influence on me, I think about it all the time now as I’m setting up my shots. I even stopped doing my animations in 2.35:1 and started to do them all in 1.25:1, and i was really adamant about 2.35:1 there too for a long time.
Lets hope that they launch both versions of his movies that have been done this way...for me its a crime not to.
Below you can see (by clicking on it)(urge you to click on it) the beautiful use of the ratio with equally beautiful natural daylight….at least I presume its naturally daylight, it may not be?...
Stanley Kubrick's reoccuring 1.33:1 decision, without a doubt has had a major influence on me, I think about it all the time now as I’m setting up my shots. I even stopped doing my animations in 2.35:1 and started to do them all in 1.25:1, and i was really adamant about 2.35:1 there too for a long time.
Lets hope that they launch both versions of his movies that have been done this way...for me its a crime not to.
Below you can see (by clicking on it)(urge you to click on it) the beautiful use of the ratio with equally beautiful natural daylight….at least I presume its naturally daylight, it may not be?...
Thursday, 26 July 2007
More hurt
Hurt hurt hurt...one of these situations where theres just endless amounts of hurt...do nothing in a attempt to be peaceful and it is misunderstood as a attack...it is NOT a attack...why is it wrong to take a bit of time away...to think. I spose mind you maybe communication should perhaps not go down fully the way it has...it should be stated that you want time on your own to think...maybe?...maybe that is it. And I shouldn’t say what I want to say at the moment, its not the right time to say it...I believe in not speaking when people are going through important times in their life...happy times in their life...what right do I have to come in and make them unhappy with what I would write (which would happen I think) there is however nothing spiteful in what I have to say...there was however (I feel) something spiteful in what I witnessed the other day. I am not going to move though, however hurt, angry and upset I am I refuse to do it. I’m a considerate person and refuse refuse to talk at this time...I mean I see history and the importance of things as they happen.
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