As most of you know, i'm about to make a movie based on the short stories i wrote called The Dyke Chronicles...i'm all set to go...i have the cast, the crew, the camera and equipment, the locations and most importantly: the money.

I have a month left for pre-production and we start shooting at the end of November...hoping to be done by Christmas..that's my goal anyway...this is a feature film (so far approx 80 min). One of my tasks over the next two week is to figure out what i want my film to look like. I'm basically the director AND the cinematographer...(besides the fact that i'm starring in it playing myself)

I need y'all to help me compile a list of films/DVDs i should rent in order to study the following things:

interesting camera angles
unique use of lighting
creative editing
unusual ways to frame a shot

*or any DVDs with excellent commentary by the director and/or cinematographer going into detail about the technical aspects of the film...not just stuff about the actors

*or any film with a very low budget but high quality of production values (i.e. El Mariachi)

*or any film with a great score...one that works perfectly with the film and almost becomes a character in the film..

please list the film in the subject line, then list the reasons why you think the film would be helpful to me and exactly what i should look for when watching it....

Thank you soooo much in advance...

Damali

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

but i'll take a shot:

>I need y'all to help me compile a list of films/DVDs i
>should rent in order to study the following things:
>
>interesting camera angles

T-Men and Raw Deal: two classic noirs directed by Anthony Mann and shot by the great John Alton. In fact, get on to IMDB, search John Alton and take a look at about any film he shot. I also recommend you take a look at the book her authored, “Painting with Light”

“The Sweet Smell of Success” – shot by James Wong Howe.

All of Ozu’s films (and by extension, Takeshi Kitano’s) are interesting study pieces as well

Darren Aronofsky’s too

I don’t care what anybody says… I’m a fan of Hype Williams. I mean, sure Belly was poorly written and acted, but I thought it was well shot. And I’m a sucker for things that look good

Also check out all the Coens Brothers’ films, particularly Raising Arizona and Barton Fink

And the Pang Brothers’ “Bangkok Dangerous”… visually stunning!

Oh… and before I forget, you MUST see the film “I Am Cuba”!

>unique use of lighting

see above

>creative editing

>unusual ways to frame a shot

you know… I put all that visual stuff in the same package. So again, see above. Also, see Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s flicks and Scorsese's "Raging Bull"

>*or any DVDs with excellent commentary by the director
>and/or cinematographer going into detail about the technical
>aspects of the film...not just stuff about the actors

Wes Anderson and Darren Aronofsky are pretty good with this. I think Soderbergh, too. I’ll think of some more

>*or any film with a very low budget but high quality of
>production values (i.e. El Mariachi)

Versus, Die Bad

>please list the film in the subject line, then list the
>reasons why you think the film would be helpful to me and
>exactly what i should look for when watching it....

oops. I guess I did this wrong

_____________________

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

and you did just fine

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

Barry Sonnenfeld has a pretty good talk about lighting/camera work on the Miller's Crossing DVD, he talks about a few of the movies he did for the Coens...its a featurette, i'm not sure if he does a full commentary track or not.



...this is a sickness...

As usual, AFKAP did a lot, but here goes:

>interesting camera angles

Let's see, Godard is a must see. While I don't dig his work much now, the camera angles are great. Also, try watching some of Wan Kar-Wai's films (in particularly Chungking Express). And Kubrick was great with the understated but supportive angles. Also, Scorsese's ultimately overlooked Casino has some incredible work.

>unique use of lighting

Spike Lee's use of lighting, esp. in Do the Right Thing, is actually brilliant and significant.

>creative editing
Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry has editing that was kind of gimmicky (hence he only used that style for that film), but was ultimately perfect for the film, and the only instance I can think of where the editing was pretty much used as an extension of the main character's personality. Also, it's a much lesser movie, but the recent Spun movie had pretty amazing use of editing to really nail down the manic feeling of the subject drug. Also gimmicky, but also effective.

>unusual ways to frame a shot
Go back to Hitchcock.

>*or any film with a very low budget but high quality of
>production values (i.e. El Mariachi)
>
Try Linklatter's Slacker (not to be confused with new version)

>*or any film with a great score...one that works perfectly
>with the film and almost becomes a character in the film..

Films by Anthony Minghella, in particular The English Patient and The Talented Mister Ripley. Gabriel Yared's scores flesh out the story, and definitely become a kind of character in itself. As far as soundtrack, I won't go into Tarantino, but the most effective in my memory is again Wan Kar-Wai, in all I've seen he makes hands down the best use of a soundtrack in his movies.

To sum up, try:

Chungking Express
English Patient
Casino
Deconstructing Harry
Spun
Rope
Slacker
Do the Right Thing
Breathless
Talented Mr. Ripley

1Love,
Shuggy

my favorite contemporary filmmaker?

also, i should mention Trainspotting in all the above categories, as well displaying how to weave a bunch of short stories into a (more or less) cohesive narrative

also, check out a Korean film called Nowhere to Hide (dir. Lee Myung-Se); it's widely available in the States and is on Showtime almost every night. its plot is insignificant, and it might be a bit gimmicky, but it covers most of the categories in your post, too

_____________________

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

Eraserhead and films by Guy Maddin are well worth looking into. Very ambitious films made on low budgets.

_
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4TztqYaemt0
http://preptimeposse.blogspot.com/

_____________________

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

A movie!????
YOU!!??
Girl, I wish you alllllllll the success in the world.

As far as your question,... um...... Afkap and that other dude pretty much covered it. BTW, I like visual candy, so "Belly" is a good reference tool and Spike Lee's "He Got Game" or "Girl 6" (I know, I know.... its not even edited properly, but the colors in that movie! Word!)

The score should be eclectic and full of emotion.

And, all I can say is.... I wanna be among the first to see it.

~the end was yesturday~

~the end was yesturday~
http://www.livetheatregang.com/shaquan_young.htm

and yes i'll have lots of original music for the score...

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

on the desperado/el mariachi split dvd Robert Rodrigues has two short docs on making films for cheap. Basically he talks about how to get the best quality shot for the least amount of cash. Actually, regardless of how you feel about the movies the commentary for desperado is one of the best i've heard from a director, he lets you know how and why he did everything and since it all revolves around a low budget it may help.



...this is a sickness...

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

all about how he managed to make it with such a low budget film, ive heard its really good. You might want to check it out.
Sydney Lumets book Making Movies is apparently a great resource as well.

_
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4TztqYaemt0
http://preptimeposse.blogspot.com/

I'm just saying, I'm not trying to be a smartass or anything, but if you really want the film to be good and you don't want folks to look at your film like "Why are there are these arbitrary camera and editing effects" then get someone who has a talented vision to do that creative stuff for you. The last thing you want is to lose your effectiveness by distracting your audience with a faked style.

Just trying to help.

Now, back to the rock I crawled out from under.

§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§

Gotta love the !

"Life is just a lie with an 'F' in it/and death is definite."
~Sage Francis

"The clouds ran away, opened up the sky/And one by one I watched every constellation die./And there I was frozen, standin in my backyard/Face to face, eye to eye, starin at the last star./I should've known, walked all the way home/To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone."
~Slug

§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§

=


OG OKP.
I don't come around as often but I check in now & then.

I mean, starring, directing, and DPing? PLus I assume you are a producer and writer. That is too much. Without proper training, your product might come off as "all over the place" or "trying to do too much."



Now, back to the rock I crawled out from under.

§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§

Gotta love the !

"Life is just a lie with an 'F' in it/and death is definite."
~Sage Francis

"The clouds ran away, opened up the sky/And one by one I watched every constellation die./And there I was frozen, standin in my backyard/Face to face, eye to eye, starin at the last star./I should've known, walked all the way home/To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone."
~Slug

§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§

=


OG OKP.
I don't come around as often but I check in now & then.

None of this will really help you make a good film.

"Interesting" camera angles, lighting, any of that, needs to be motivated by the story you are trying to tell.

While all the films mentioned are good to study and will help inform your film vocabulary, trying to mimic any technique you see in them will certainly backfire if you chose them because of how they work in those movies.

One of the most annoying and easy to spot markings of an amateur is "cool" shots that immediately evoke thoughts of the movies they were borrowed from.

As you are so close to production, it's really too late to simply build a vocabulary in your mind and hope something you come across applies to your film. Studying these films will definitely make you a better filmmaker in the long run, but will have little benefit for you in the short term -- and is more likely to damage your film (whether by giving you ideas you can't fully execute, unmotivated shots or lighting design, or just by making it look pretentious.)

What would be a more useful exercise would be for you to tell something more about the story you're doing, or specific scenes you're trying to plan, and then people suggest movies to look at for that purpose.

For example (and these aren't great examples), if you were to say that you wanted to movie to have a light, summer-y feel, we could recommend a movies that have that feel. Recommendations could be based on the color scheme (I don't know...SOUL FOOD popped into my head) or the lighting. If you said you wanted the movie or a scene to have a claustrophobic feel, you could see PANIC ROOM or something like that. If you said you were going for alienation, I would recommend IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE or DENISE CALLS UP or something. But if I were to simply say look at IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE because it had some cool shots and lighting in it, trying to mimic something from that movie wouldn't useful to you.

RED
Ora et labora

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

The best professor I ever had back in my school dayswas a guy who only put the grade on a paper, with no comments. He then collected the best papers and kept them in his office, and handed out the rest. He would say "If anyone wants to know why they didn't get a better grade, come into my office and read the best papers. Then you'll know."

Yes, if you're a tool, then you will simply watch movies and steal from them. If you actually want to become a good film maker, you'll watch movies that were reccommended for certain key elements, and LEARN from those movies.

It doesn't mean copy how so and so shot such and such.

I'd almost say there's a greater chance of making a derivative movie if the poster followed your method. In that instance, he/she risks heavily retreading some other film maker's path. The original way, at least there's a wider breadth of source film to go by, and she can apply it her own way to her own movie.

1Love,
Shuggy

cuz i had no intention of copying anything...simply seeing how other quality films used lighting, sound, camera angles and editing to tell their story then figuring out how to tell mine...and then conveying my ideas and thoughts to the rest of crew who will actually be doing the lighting, sound etc...

maybe the way i worded my post made it sound like i want to see some cool shit then copy it but that's not what i meant.

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

I certainly didn't mean to imply that you were just going to copy stuff from movies.

I sincerely wish you the best, and my post went along with that. I believe that if you tell people here more about the story you're trying to tell, we (or they) can give you more pointed advice on which movies to check out in the limited time you have.

I am speaking from my experience as a writer, filmmaker and film student. So while you may get different advice, mine certainly has your best interest at heart.

One of hardest things about learning anything new is figuring out which conflicting piece of advice to take.

Good luck.

RED
Ora et labora

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

I know no one said anything about mimicking. I know about watching and studying movies.

However, if you're two months or less out from shooting, it's a little late to take a scattershot approach to film studies. All the movies listed in this thread do good things that any filmmaker should study. Telling someone who is just about to go shoot, and without knowing anything about what they are shooting, that they should go watch CHUNKING EXPRESS or some other good movie, really isn't much help. It doesn't have to be damaging, but mimicking -- intentionally or inadvertantly -- is a real danger. Either way, it's not as helpful as it should be.

Look at it this way. If you want to be a history expert, people can recommend books on a wide range of subjects, covering a wide range of periods, and if you study them all, you will definitely become an expert on history. No question about it. But if you have a test next week on the French Revolution, it would be pointless to say "here's some great history book to study" in the hopes that something applies to what that you're doing, which is what this whole thread is doing. You'll learn a lot by reading those books, but if you're under the gun (which you are, if you're two months from your start date) it's not an efficient use of time, and it could fill your head with a lot of extraneous information.

This close to starting a film, a filmmaker needs to focus. Be very specific. Think in terms of the story being told, and how you want to tell it. Ideally, you would reach into your memory for previously stored information on film history and technique, but you should always be adding to that. Use it to think of how your story can be told. What effect you want to go for, and how certain cinematic techniques achieve that effect.

If you think this is the wrong way to go about it, I'd suggest you read up about the processes of Scorcese or Spielberg. They've spoken at length about watching specific films before the go into production with an eye for capturing specific moods or emotions. Wes Anderson has spoken on this as well at length. And it's not just watching other films. Wong Kar Wai spoke of the specific music and photography he studied before (and during) filming of IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.

All great directors, and even mediocre ones, get together with their cinematographers during preproduction and talk about, then watch, specific movies that they feel capture the types of emotions, tell the types of stories, use the types of lighting techniques, that they want to utilize on their upcoming projects. They discuss the type of story they have and how they want it to look and feel, and then they focus their research of styles and techniques that can help them achieve that.

Simply looking at a bunch of great movies, while certainly useful in the long run, won't do much for you for a project that's right around the corner.

RED
Ora et labora

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

>Simply looking at a bunch of great movies, while certainly
>useful in the long run, won't do much for you for a project
>that's right around the corner.

that's not necessarily true. Maybe in theory but the one thing i've learned about making movies is that just about anything can be done if you apply yourself. and that includes watching a bunch of great movies and having it help you with a project that's right around the corner. you just never know...

even if it won't help it won't hurt either. i'm spending my own money to tell a story that i want to tell. if the average person thinks its crappy, so what. you'll probably never see it in a movie theater anyway...and i'm not expecting to make any money from it. Its a learning experience and nothing more...not saying i don't want to be as good as possible, cuz i do. But like alot of filmmakers who never went to film school (and are proud of it) i'd like to find my own way (with some help, of course) the first time before i learn how its all "supposed" to be done...

d

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

>that's not necessarily true. Maybe in theory but the one
>thing i've learned about making movies is that just about
>anything can be done if you apply yourself. and that
>includes watching a bunch of great movies and having it help
>you with a project that's right around the corner. you just
>never know...

...but I will say, with complete respect, that the opposite is true, that what you are saying is the theory and I'm talking about how it works in practice. Yes, anything can be done if you apply yourself. But I was questioning what it is you want to apply yourself to. Or, to put it another way, would you rather focus on specific things that can give you specific results, or do you want to go with something that might give results but "you just never know?"


>even if it won't help it won't hurt either.

I don't expect it to hurt you. If nothing else, it will certainly help in the long run. And your willingness to learn as much as possible is a great thing and will take you far. I was simply trying suggesting that a more focused approach would yield more beneficial results in the short term. Not that the other way won't work or won't be helpful, but what I talked about would be more helpful. Frankly, I don't understand the resistance. It would be less work, less time watching random (but good movies). It would force you to think about your story in new and different ways. Even if you find no other movies to study, it would ensure you are as prepared as possible to tell your story visually when you step onto the set.

i'm spending my
>own money to tell a story that i want to tell. if the
>average person thinks its crappy, so what. you'll probably
>never see it in a movie theater anyway...and i'm not
>expecting to make any money from it. Its a learning
>experience and nothing more...not saying i don't want to be
>as good as possible, cuz i do. But like alot of filmmakers
>who never went to film school (and are proud of it) i'd like
>to find my own way (with some help, of course) the first
>time before i learn how its all "supposed" to be done...
>
>d

All that is great and I'm not in anyway trying to discourage that. It's how I started. I didn't go to film school (and I'm proud of that fact). I've taken a couple classes here and there since, but for the most part I've learned by doing, by studying, and by seeking out the advice of those who have done what was trying to do. And the filmmakers I've met, the ones who do this low-budget, for-the-love type stuff have all been adamant about trying to help other people learn from their experience. "Don't make the mistakes I made" is usually the theme.

So the advice I give is not film school theory. It's nothing you will read in any textbook, probably wouldn't hear it in any class. It's from practical, real life experience, from people who have made movies in the same way you're trying to do it. You don't have to agree with it, don't have to follow it. I just ask that understand where it's coming from.

It's coming from right where you are now.

RED
Ora et labora

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

and i didn't mean to come off as resistant to your advice. i should have said earlier that i do appreciate your help because its true. i've taken everything everyone has said on here and given it equal weight...

so a heartfelt thank you goes out to you. and if there's ever anything i can do to help you, don't hesitate to contact me...seriously

and to actually respond to your suggestion: i want the film to be bright and colorful and a little wacky in tone..offbeat...especially the music...being that it will be shot in the wintertime that might prove a little difficult..but i guess we'll see...
d

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

One of the most annoying and easy to spot markings of an amateur is "cool" shots that immediately evoke thoughts of the movies they were borrowed from.

Agreed. The 1st thing I thought of when I read this was Justin Lin's Better Luck Tommorow. The film had potential but it was terrible cuz it tried 2 have style (which ended up being gimmicky) & no substance.

They talk alot about camera angles

.

looked good in particular.

As a first time film maker i advise you to keep it basic. Make sure you follow basic rules like 1) no jump cuts and 2) don't cross the 180 degree line, 3) always have a master shot 4) get lots of B reel footage, and so on (which is covered in that link). Once in a while do something that you think might be cool, but keep it to a minimum and focus rather on making a solid and fluid film. If you do that, then you have a better chance at making a film that is watchable and respectable.


Now, back to the rock I crawled out from under.

§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§

Gotta love the !

"Life is just a lie with an 'F' in it/and death is definite."
~Sage Francis

"The clouds ran away, opened up the sky/And one by one I watched every constellation die./And there I was frozen, standin in my backyard/Face to face, eye to eye, starin at the last star./I should've known, walked all the way home/To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone."
~Slug

§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§¤¤¤¤§

=


OG OKP.
I don't come around as often but I check in now & then.

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

Akira Kurosawa's movies are absolutely necessary for any filmmaker. Scorsese, too.

Rent (or better yet, buy) Seven Samurai and Taxi Driver.

For commentary, Kevin Smith films can't be beat. Clerks would be the best for you.

Boondock Saints has good editing and worked well with a low budget.

Evil Dead is excellent. Read Bruce Campbell's book, "Confessions of a B-Movie Actor" for a look into the production of an independent movie. It might help you avoid some of the common problems that exist in production.

Good luck!

-----------

Radio Free Comedy
Sunday 11-1PM
http://werw.syr.edu

-Are you shooting on DV or film?
-If film, 16mm or 35mm?
-If DV, what kind of camera are you using?
-Will the film be shot in B&W or color?

Outside of these questions, since this sounds very much like a DIY flick, it would be useful to watch some French New Wave flicks. Someone mentioned Godard before, but Truffaut and Agnes Varda are also helpful in making sophisticated films with minimal resources.

Since you mention that you are the director and cinematographer, as well as the star, it would be helpful to watch some of Woody Allen's early work to see how he does it. I know that someone mentioned _Deconstructing Harry_, but watching a film like _Bananas_ or _Manhattan_ would be helpful in seeing how he uses mise-en-scene and other filmic elements to tell the story.

Also, it would be good to know a little more about what your film is about. You did say that it is based on a series of short stories, so will your film be a series of vignettes, or are all the stories converged into one unified narrative? And is this a comedy or drama? I think that this question is important because the tone of your film will largely determine the camera angles, the pace of editing, and the lighting that you use.

I apologize if I reiterated what anyone said before, but I just wanted to ask these questions (and make some comments) so that I could get a better sense of what you're trying to do with this film.

BROTHER_DONTE
misterbrother@aol.com

"CHILDREN OF GOD?" by Muhibb Dyer

While we argue over religion,
children's arguments in the streets
result in untimely deaths.

While we fight over the Bible and the Qu'ran,
children are fighting for their lives,
in courtrooms where they face
hundreds of years.

While we debate over Allah and Jehovah,
children debate over whether to go to school
or sell dope.

How many souls will we lose,
while we concentrate on who's doctrine
is the most just?

When will we recognize that the devil's work
is being done to perfection
while we argue, fuss, fight
and ignore the responsibility
we have to our children

For this, we all will be held accountable,
and on that day,
the way we worshipped him
will be less significant.

From the 2003 12-month calendar "The Children are Crying."

For more information, e-mail thechildrenarecrying@hotmail.com

More on "The Children are Crying" calendar:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/Metro/jan03/110295.asp

More on the Milwaukee poetry scene:
http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/music/jan03/109313.asp

Check out local hip-hop/spoken word act BLACK ELEPHANT at:
http://www.kairocom.com

BROTHER_DONTE
mcfaddendonte@gmail.com

A profile on Milwaukee's poetry scene:
http://www.mkeonline.com/story.asp?id=333698

More about yours truly:
http://www.myspace.com/mcfaddendonte

>-Are you shooting on DV or film?
>-If film, 16mm or 35mm?
>-If DV, what kind of camera are you using?
>-Will the film be shot in B&W or color?
>
>Outside of these questions, since this sounds very much like
>a DIY flick, it would be useful to watch some French New
>Wave flicks. Someone mentioned Godard before, but Truffaut
>and Agnes Varda are also helpful in making sophisticated
>films with minimal resources.
>
>Since you mention that you are the director and
>cinematographer, as well as the star, it would be helpful to
>watch some of Woody Allen's early work to see how he does
>it. I know that someone mentioned _Deconstructing Harry_,
>but watching a film like _Bananas_ or _Manhattan_ would be
>helpful in seeing how he uses mise-en-scene and other filmic
>elements to tell the story.
>
>Also, it would be good to know a little more about what your
>film is about. You did say that it is based on a series of
>short stories, so will your film be a series of vignettes,
>or are all the stories converged into one unified narrative?

yes one unified narrative...or so i hope...

its a comedy/drama about a bisexual woman trying to find love...or something like it..

d
>

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

Comedy/drama

So do you want it to be a lighthearted, quick-paced flick, or something that's very moody?

If so, watching some Wes Anderson flicks would be useful. He does some really cool things with space and minimal editing. As a matter of fact, all of his films are straight cut from beginning to end.

I hope you find this useful (as for my other comments).

BROTHER_DONTE
misterbrother@aol.com

"REUNION" by Muhibb Dyer

Grandma's macaroni and cheese, hot rolls,
a can of Miller Lite over a game of Bid Whist
on a sunny day forever in our memories
where kids with spaghetti stained shirts
get their diapers changed
in between playing in the sandbox
and the drunk uncle once again tells everybody
he ain't they family no more!

Earth, Wind and Fire and Jay-Z play simultaneously,
old folks "bop"
and young folks "drop it like it's hot"
and church folk tell both of them
they're going to hell.

But even still we laugh together,
pray together, and accept everybody
from the gay cousin
to the white in-laws who married in
to Muhammad (even though we still call him Larry),
we are still blood, still tradition, still culture,
still generations of strength whose legacy
will continue 'til the end of time.

Reunited.

From the 2003 12-month calendar "The Children are Crying."

For more information, e-mail thechildrenarecrying@hotmail.com

More on "The Children are Crying" calendar:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/Metro/jan03/110295.asp

More on the Milwaukee poetry scene:
http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/music/jan03/109313.asp

Check out local hip-hop/spoken word act BLACK ELEPHANT at:
http://www.kairocom.com

BROTHER_DONTE
mcfaddendonte@gmail.com

A profile on Milwaukee's poetry scene:
http://www.mkeonline.com/story.asp?id=333698

More about yours truly:
http://www.myspace.com/mcfaddendonte

I just turned someone else on to this website www.2-pop.com

It's a site mostly geared to filmmaking using Final Cut Pro editing equipment, but they have forums specifically for using the Panasonic cameras. It's worth a check.

RED
Ora et labora

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

I'd check out any of these Wong Kar-Wai films:

Chungking Express
Fallen Angels
Happy Together
In The Mood For Love

Wong's DP, Christopher Doyle, makes every image absolutely gorgeous...the angles, the lighting, the movement...it's fantastic. Doyle also shot The Quiet American and Rabbit-Proof Fence fairly recently...both films are sexy as all hell.

Amores Perros has some great handheld shots...something you might wanna look into if you're unsure about framing.

And, if you can find it, check out the Korean film Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance...very few cuts, very little movement, unlike anything I've seen.

I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT...Irreversible. Just go rent the film, see for yourself. In-fucking-sane. You'll love the way it was shot.

- Dan

finally someone else who has seen this great film!

_____________________

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

>I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT...Irreversible. Just go rent the
>film, see for yourself. In-fucking-sane. You'll love the
>way it was shot.

Careful now. There are a few good shots in that film but overall Gaspar Noe's style is all over the place. Some of the camera angles are str8 up nauseating & some of the material that is being shot is downright disturbing. Just a warning.

>
>I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT...Irreversible. Just go rent the
>film, see for yourself. In-fucking-sane. You'll love the
>way it was shot.

it was a series of long takes. that was great...i really like long takes alot. Besides the fact that its economical, it just makes the film look more seamless...i hope i can pull off a few of them...it'll just take good rehearsals to get the take right

the camera spinning on the green grass made me dizzy tho...i had to close my eyes

and Monica Belluci...speechless..

d

"I'm quite the town freak, which satisfies" - Holly Hunter in The Piano

::: The Feature Film coming soon on Full Circle Pictures

"i do more for both our communities than you'll ever know." - Heinz
"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

and study them to find out where they went wrong. Watching good movies for inspiration is great, but you learn how to make a good movie by knowing how not to make a bad one.

_
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4TztqYaemt0
http://preptimeposse.blogspot.com/

Scorsese and PTA have a talent for almost turning camera movements into storytelling devices, and Kar-Wai/Doyle...i mean damn, what can I say about them, everything their camera touches becomes beautiful beyond words

Save Our Sonics!
http://www.saveoursonics.org/

Particularly "Pather Panchali" which was the first film of the "Apu Trilogy".....Ray never directed a film ever, nor did his camerman shoot a single scene before.

The "Apu Trilogy" is being released on DVD next week!!!
----

One of the most visually stunning movies of all time, and my favorite movie to date. There are so many layers to this movie it demands multiple viewings..

Like you said how the soundtrack can be a character in the movie, the cinematography can be a few cahraacters in this movie.

Also, as AFKAP said, check I Am Cuba. It is unique and beautiful.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
who are you









really

I personally fell asleep during Daughters of the Dust.

It was just too too boring.

Sure the landscapes were beautiful and all...

But that was the only 'life' I found in the movie.

Sorry to dis your fav film.

1Love,
Shuggy

I am sure you looked at this, but check out 13 Conversations about One things - its as close to a flawlessly made movie as you will see.

Also, check out Kirosawa's Roshomon - Unlike new directors, he obviously holds his shots for much longer, which worked in this movie since it was a retelling of stories (I dont know what your stories are like, but the way he uses different shots for different retellings is an idea that I think too many moviemakers forget)


"A true revolution of values will lay hand on the world order and say of war, "This way of settling differences is not just." A nation that continues year and year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. -MLK Jr.

We live in an era of politics where the choice is not between the lesser of two evils but the evil of two lessers.
-Michael Moore

"A true revolution of values will lay hand on the world order and say of war, "This way of settling differences is not just." A nation that continues year and year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching sp