Lunchbox Movies - Blogs

Lunchbox Movies-Your Online Movie Theatre We're here to change the world. Not braggin'--just saying.

Zacuto camera shootout

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:27:00 +0000

Okay kids, I just ran across this terrific video of Zacuto's 2010 camera shootout comparing film cameras to DSLR cameras for use in filmmaking.  It's a must watch for anyone thinking of shooting indie films.  The level of detail and thought that went into the tests is amazing.  Great job Zacuto, thanks for providing this information.  Some great tips on lighting and things to watch out for while shooting with DSLRs.

Walking Dead

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:52:00 +0000

I know we all love the indies, but we have to give props to the great production team at The Walking Dead.  They are starting up season 2 and just released these photos on their website.  The production team is terrific.  Photo links here.

Made a film? There's an App for that.

Wed, 18 May 2011 13:52:00 +0000

Our friends at Film Threat have put together some excellent information on creating Apps for your film.  It's really great information and there is a transcript of the Twitter panel discussion.

Access the webpage at http://www.filmthreat.com/features/34231/.

Check it out, if you try it, let us know your experience.

AMC's The Walking Dead: Flu Factor 7/10

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:59:00 +0000

Zombie shows

We have to rave a second about The Walking Dead.  AMC's new series based on the comic book of the same name by Image Comics.  It's a world stricken by a zombie apocalypse.  We here at Lunchbox Movies have to give the first episode a 7/10 on our Flu Factor movie rating system.  Our Flu Factor systems takes into account:
1.  How long does a movie stay with you?  It can be the style or the message, editing or music.  How long after the credits roll do you carry the movie around with you.
2.  How easy is it to catch again?  The worst movies are the ones that you only want to watch once, sometimes not even once.  When experiencing a good story you should look forward to exploring all the layers to that story.
3.  How easy is it to share with others?  By recommending a movie to strangers without a shared point of reference, your credibility is stepping out onto a shaky ledge.  You might want to have some conviction about your judgment before inflicting them on others.
For The Walking Dead we think the show was beautifully filmed and edited.  The music and special effects (practical and CGI) were terrific and realistic.  The characters were, at least on the introduction, likable.  The story was not overly burdened with exposition on how, why and WTF?  Just enough to let you in, not too much boring dialog on the philosophical meanings, and none of the characters did the incredibly insulting, "what do you mean, what's a zombie?" As if George Romero was born in another dimension.  
All in all we can't wait for the next episode.  Well done AMC (http://www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/) and Valhalla Motion Pictures (www.valhallamotionpictures.com).  We look forward to the next episode.

Dragoncon 2010

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:12:00 +0000

Dragoncon

Another DragonCon has passed us by. Even though we attend for the film track which highlights independent films, filmmakers and "how to" seminars, our guilty pleasures are attending some of the panels of shows like Farscape, Firefly, BSG, Adult Swim, or retro shows like Lost in Space.  Hearing behind-the-scenes stories and actor's accounts of production challenges, Divas and Egomaniacs is like the best day on "One Life to Live", uberdrama. 

Who could pass up the chance to see Summer or Morena (or any Firefly actor for that matter), Kevin Sorbo, or the cast of Farscape?  Say "Hi" to Richard Hatch in the hallway, or watch Virginia Hey walk through the Marriott bar admiring the costumes of the attendees.

Btw, for sheer entertainment value who do you think is the best, Ben Browder or Nathan Fillion?  Either way you are a winner.

So as "Cons" go, DragonCon gets one thumbs up from us (of a possible two, unless you have been in an industrial accident, then we mean no offense), they do have some strikes against them.  The registration/badge process is a minimum 3 hours whether you order in advance or buy the day of the event.  So we give them an "F" for processing people into the show.  The volunteers are generally nice and helpful, although many of them have the same condescending attitude of Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons.  Some are down-right militant.  Seeing some of the attitudes of the people at the con, I suppose it would be easy to lose your cool.
  So, our recommendation is, disregard the expense and the crowds, the madness and mayhem.  If you EVER get the chance to attend DragonCon, take it!  At least once in your life.  Also, look around your area for other festivals, attend if you can, beyond tickets at the theatre, support our storytellers and they will be around to entertain and amuse us for many years to come.

How To Get Started In Film

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:38:00 +0000

Independent films

Recently I participated in a forum discussion about the best ways to get started in film.  The information was so good, I saved and summarized the discussion.  Many thanks to all who participated.  I hope you find the information helpful.

Keep in mind that many of us used different paths to get to where you want to be, and you'll have to find the one that's right for you.

  1. There are many different types of jobs required on the set. The most obvious are director, DP/Cinematographer, sound, grip, gaffer, special effects and Production Assistant (PA). There is make-up, hair and costume. There are the less obvious types of jobs like line producer, 1st AD, accountants, catering, greens keeper, animal wranglers, carpenters, painters, transport, props and dozens of others. There are also many varied pre-production and post-production skills that are not obvious and may be worth checking out.  Being on a film set is not glamorous, it's just another job that is a crazy mixture of hard work, boredom, stress and fun. Some folks thrive on it, others can't stand it.
  2. Where to look.  Well of course start with the LunchBox Movies Forum and Resources pages.  But also check these resources:
       - www.Linkedin.com
       - www.shootingpeople.org - originally a UK forum they have since opened up in several places in the US
       - www.mandy.com - an international film/tv/media job board
       - www.Meetup.com - good regional resources
       - www.indeed.com - job board
       - www.craigslist.com Make sure it's legit, there’s a lot of crap on there.
       - Film Festivals, especially with short film competitions like www.48hourfilm.com/
  3. Find the local film office, (check the Resources page on this website for links and phone numbers). Get a copy of the 411 for that area. Look up Production Coordinators. Call all of them and tell them you want to P.A. Let them know that you have a great attitude and you want to learn, but mostly have a great attitude. You will get work if there is work. Once you start to P.A., you will learn enough to figure out what you really like in the business and then you can specialize.
4. Join a local film society it could open up opportunities.
  4. What to do once you find something:  Network, network, network. And more networking.
  5. Volunteer.  Entry and sustainability in the film business is about networking and relationships.  You make good friends and good contacts. Don’t assume you will get paid, ask.  Most low budget productions give you credit, a copy of the finished film and maybe feed you.  Don’t assume you will do just one job.  You may be asked to do lots of different things on a set.  Don’t assume if you are getting paid that the crew is allowed to treat you badly.  Sometimes people confuse a daily rate for a deed to your soul.  You will need a positive attitude if you want to network, but that is no excuse for rude behavior by a director, or AD.

  6. The best pieces of advice are:
       - Show up early
       - Be prepared
       - Work your tail off
       - Don't BS; if you don't know, ask
       - Always be willing to go above and beyond the call...
       - Don't burn bridges
       - Don't pass up opportunities
       - Have plenty of business cards and network, network, network
  7. Try making your own film. Buy/rent/borrow a camera. Put an ad in the local classifieds. Prepare lunch.  If you can’t pay, at least feed people. Use a MAC or PC set up for film editing. This is fun! and keeps you thinking.
  8. Schools are great, but 10 commercials, short films or music videos on your resume can get you more attention than just a shiny new film degree.
  9. As your IMDB resume grows, you can work your way up. Pick projects that sound like they actually have promise, if you can find some, but either way experience is experience. Film school is a good path, but real world experience is better. John Ford and Alfred Hitchcock never went to film school.  When you're done with one or 2 indie films, try a couple pro sets.
  10. Getting onto a film set is more likely if you KNOW someone and they LIKE working with you. If you work well with others, and work really hard, people will remember you and contact you when there is an upcoming shoot. Its the CONTACTS you make and some lifelong friends as well. 
   Don't overstate your abilities, say exactly what you know and what you don't. Here are the qualities filmmakers look for to be in a production:
       - Be on time
       - Be a straight-shooter
       - Be reliable
       - Be dependable
       - Be low-maintenance
       - Be a self-starter
       - Have a positive, enthusiastic attitude
       - Helps if you're a fun person to be around
       - Ask questions if you don't know something about a task
       - Try to avoid making the same mistake twice
Now get out there and tell some stories!!!


Short Films Awards Festivals List

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:29:00 +0000

Academy award


If you think your short film is Academy Award material, there are some rules and requirements you should review before hitting the festival circuit.  According to the Academy, “Short films may become eligible for awards consideration if they win a best-in-category award at a competitive film festival”.  So don't forget to include these festivals in your release timeline.  Click here for the current list of festivals for all you Oscar-chasing short film story tellers.  And good luck, now get out there and tell a story. 



Our favorite Tweets--right now anyway, we're ADD

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Nathan fillion

Okay so lots of ways to waste time today, especially with twitter.com.  Here's a couple of our current favorites, I say current 'cause we're ADD... but we tweet 'cause... "A Man's Gotta Do What a Man's Gotta Do..."
@nathanfillion "It costs nothing to say something kind. Even less to shut up altogether."  we say, Captain Tight Pants--you rock.
@screenrant  "Opinionated TV and movie news - without the sugar coating" we say, good stuff, get you some.
@aots  "The Official Attack of the Show Twitter Feed"  Olivia Munn and oh, that other dude, too.  okay so, if you don't mind the potty mouth, @oliviamunn, "Olivia Munn, vigilante super hero and novelty pen collector."
@thatkevinsmith "It begins with me covered in sperm, trapped in my old man's balls. Then, suddenly... ESCAPE!" enough said.
@doubleedgefilms "Indie Film Production Co. who brought you Spin and now fighting to bring you INK."  This movie rocks.
well, of course @lunchboxmovies  "Your Online Movie Theatre. Yeah, we're here to change the world!" not bragging, just saying...

Ink. Flu Factor 8/10

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Indie films


What the hell is the flu factor?  Simple.  The Lunchbox Movies rating system.  We describe movies in our rating system by three factors.
1.  How long does a movie stay with you?  It can be the style or the message, editing or music.  How long after the credits roll do you carry the movie around with you.
2.  How easy is it to catch again?  The worst movies are the ones that you only want to watch once, sometimes not even once.  When experiencing a good story you should look forward to exploring all the layers to that story.
3.  How easy is it to share with others?  By recommending a movie to strangers without a shared point of reference, your credibility is stepping out onto a shaky ledge.  You might want to have some conviction about your judgment before inflicting them on others.

Now on to Ink.  After reading a review in Filmmaker magazine, we feel especially sympathetic towards the filmmakers.  They have spent a large amount of time, effort, and money by Indie standards and are currently promoting their film.  Even going so far as to use the torrents to distribute outside the normal channels.

The film is amazing visually and extremely engaging from a story and character standpoint. "An 8-year-old becomes a pawn in a metaphysical war being fought between the forces of light and darkness in this visually outrageous indie thriller.  Kidnapped by a large, strange creature known as Ink, the girl is taken through a labyrinth world of dream states while those who love her fight to bring her back into the real world and bring salvation to her desperate father."

The score, editing and visual effects are all very well done and support the cinematography to help create an excellent fantasy movie.  One of our favorite things about this movie is the lack of exposition.  The story tells itself without long, wordy narratives. Congratulations to the filmmakers and entire production crew.  For more information on Ink: http://www.doubleedgefilms.com/

Talent and Location Releases

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:07:00 +0000

Indie films

It is important to obtain a talent release from your actors before starting production.  The talent release is a legal document stating that the performer gives you the right to use his/her image and voice in your productions.  Sometimes a separate release is required for anything outside of the production, like promotional, trailers, website, etc.  So clarify that with your talent.  Especially if you are using someone with a "name" brand. 

The release protects you if the actor has a melt down and storms off your project.  Not saying this can't happen with anyone, but a production person is easier to replace and pick up where you left off.  If you have to reshoot someone's part everyone has to come together and reshoots are bad for morale.  Also if an your talent complain because their lines were cut after the editing, or you shot them on their "bad" side, then you are protected from a lawsuit.

Children also need a release from parent or legal guardian, and you should fully explain ahead of time to both if the production will have adult situations or language in the script, and how you intend to work with the minor in that situation.  Assign someone to handle the releases that is not overwhelmed or shy around talent, hand them a list of everyone they need releases from and make sure to have your own copies, should your assistant get a high paying job in Hollywood and run off.

Of course this is not legal advice, and each state has it's own laws.  You can contact a state's film commission for specifics on releases.  A list of all state film commissions is conveniently located for you on the lunchboxmovies.com website under "Resources".

Sample releases you might need:
  • General Release which should be used for non-actors.
  • Talent Release or Performer Release which should be used with professional actors and models.
  • Minor Release which must be signed by a parent or legal guardian of a minor (the legal age varies from state to state).
  • Materials Release is used for obtaining permission to use photographs, video, film or other media which may be copyrighted or owned by others.
  • Location Release when you wish to photograph, videotape or record property which you do not own.

Solid Sound Resources

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Independent films

These sites were recommended by Hunter Cressall as affordable resources for sound.  As we all know the first thing that can peg your movie as a low budget is sound quality.  So check out these sites for some low cost alternatives when you get to the editing room.

Sound Effects, Music Libraries and Music Loops Resources:
The Music Bakery:    http://musicbakery.com/
Partners in Rhyme:    www.partnersinrhyme.com
Sound Effects Company:    http://soundfx.com/
SoundSnap:     www.soundsnap.com

MovieMaker Magazine A Must See

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Indie films

At Lunchbox Movies, we are always trying to share excellent resources with you.  There are several magazines worth the ridiculously expensive cover price you pay.
This one is a solid 5/5 stars on our scale of value versus price versus Godzilla.  If you are in production, odds are you have something, or a couple of somethings, you are good at and have experience in doing.  If you are an actor, maybe you understand cameras, and lighting.  If you are a screenwriter, you may understand story boarding.  This edition of MovieMaker magazine, the Complete Guide to Making Movies 2009, is a great primer and introduction to all the other areas you need to consider as a filmmaker.  Even if you have someone lined up to handle Marketing for you, there is an overview section with some really good information you might not have considered.
The whole point to filmmaking is telling a good story.  Okay, that and a good craft services table and wrap party.  But even in telling your story there are things to consider outside of the actual film.  Get the magazine, find an old copy, see if they have it in the library.  Read it on their website www.moviemaker.com if you can.  If you don't have time to research or read a book (ask your parents kiddies, these are old school Kindles or iPhone apps), this magazine is great to keep around for those times life hands you little vacations.  DMV lines, Doctor's office waiting room, really boring sex, etc...

The chapters include:
  • Screenwriting
  • Development & Pre-Production
  • Production
  • Post-Production
  • Exhibition & Promotion
So enjoy.  We hope you find it helpful in your quest.

Backstage Manager Survival Kit

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:40:00 +0000

Behind the scenes

There are a few things you need as a PA or Backstage Manager.



Coffee- necessary.  Usually as a background production person you will need to be on-site long before and long after any talent arrives.  Substitute your caffeine product of choice.  Achieving absolute equilibrium is important, quit just before the shakes, or emergency bathroom sprints, especially during mic checks.
A solid flashlight- necessary.  Help musicians find their places while house lights are down, check production notes, check the eyes of backstage crew for redness (optional).  Have backup batteries.  If you can get a flashlight with a colored glass, red or blue, it can be less noticeable but still useful.
Sharpie- necessary.  Please do not color mustaches on talent while they are sleeping between sets.  You can use it on production crew, because they won't be on stage.  Use for labeling, touching up black material or nicks in stage areas or risers.
Gaff Tape- necessary.  This could be a whole subtopic.  Size, color,  uses.  Black, grey, reflective, chroma, thick, thin.  Repair drapes, Actor's marks (microphones, risers, etc), manage cables or if any of the PAs get out of control because of caffeine overdose (see caffeine above).
Space -necessary.  Carve out your own space.  Pee around it in a circle to mark it as yours.  It can be a table, chair, corner.  Use it to keep your production notes, extra water, a mirror for the talent to check themselves out.  BTW, this is a great way to get them to stop telling you the 3 hour story of their last casting call.  Just hand them a small mirror and say, "you have something in your teeth".  Then when they are distracted, offer to get them a water and off you go.  If you can get a clamp anywhere light with a low watt red bulb, it will also come in handy.
Headset- necessary.  Any production where you have to communicate offline with a production team should have a decent set of walkies.  If you do this for a while, get a couple of different headsets of your own.  Make sure they have an adapter for standard plugs (4 pin XML, 5 pin XML, etc).  Single muff and dual muff headsets depending on how much noise you need to drown out.  They get heavy and sweaty after a while, so the lighter the set the better for long periods.

Additional:  Paper towels, or cleaning rag, tissues, breath mints (don't be shy about sharing), sharp pocket knife, aspirin, your own camera (make sure it's okay to take photos, don't use a flash if you can help it, you have access to some amazing moments, like this one where Mike was tuning his guitar as the lighting crew was testing their timing). 
Dark rubber sole comfortable shoes.  Bring the flip flops to change after, but don't wear them during productions.
A sense of humor.  Absolutely a must.  If you can't laugh and have a good time, no one will feel comfortable around you.  Your job is to take care of the small things so talent doesn't have to, so they can do their job.  Stay humble, stay helpful or you don't get invited back.

Film Festival Resources

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Screenwriting competition

If you are considering submitting your film to festivals, or entering your script in any of the hundreds of competitions available, these 3 sites might give you a good place to start.

www.withoutabox.com offers filmmakers access to major channels for promoting and distributing their work.  Sign up, check out the festivals by deadline, type or just browse.

Wikipedia.com  Search for:  List of film festivals  This will give you links to a great number of international film festivals.

www.filmfestivals.com gives you links and articles on the different festival options, some reviews and helpful articles.

Intellectual Property Registration quick overview

In most countries, a document, work, or creative project such as a motion picture screenplay is automatically copywritten at its creation and by placing the author's name, date and the word 'copyright' or the legally accepted symbol © you are declaring the copyright.

But this does not "CYA" in case of litigation or a credit arbitration. And neither does posting yourself a copy of your work through registered or recorded delivery (you could send yourself an empty envelope and put something in after, so it's not really considered proof). In reality, the only way to prove ownership of a work is through independent documentary evidence of date and time of registration.  So do your own legwork and register a copy of your scripts before submitting.

If you are looking for more information or an agent, a great place to start is the Writers Guild of America.  www.wga.org

Okay?  So go tell some stories, already.

DIY Low Cost Chroma Green Paint

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Green screen

Any green screen productions are already factoring in extra work and post production time.  But to save a little "green" we found a relatively inexpensive substitute for Chroma paint.


Get thee to Lowe's Hardware, select a Flat Interior Latex paint (whatever is your personal taste, and yes, if you actually eat the paint, you are a tard) and give them the following numbers.  103-4Y   113-1Y  1145Y32  Base 4.  As with any DIY advice you find on the web, do a small batch, then perform some testing.  Test it on wood, cardboard, get a cheap canvas painter's drop cloth to see how it works on cloth, get a roll of butcher paper and paint some of that.   You will want to read on lighting greenscreens effectively, see this link to Lowell lighting for their guide to studio versus on-site lighting challenges  (if you are ADD, then youtube search something like Walter Graff's video on lighting techniques), because if it is done improperly it WILL cause additional delays in post production and your name will be cursed by your effects team on a daily basis.  Be sure that your wardrobe  and props takes the greenscreen into effect.  Obviously don't use green wardrobe, but some colors absorb the green light bouncing from the screen causing a halo effect which makes it harder to separate in post production.  See Jonas Hummelstrand's checklist for some really good tips.
Also, we've found that Design Master Holiday Green 717 spray paint is a reasonable substitute for chroma green spray paint for those hard to reach places.  Also do a search for some Chroma Gaff tape, get a couple of wide rolls.  Okay, that's a "primer" on "going green" with your production.  Now get out there and tell a story! 

Image courtesy of Highland Rogue Films


Top Five Shorts Made Into Features

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:22:00 +0000

District 9

The Holy Grail of short films is to get the nod from major studios to make a feature.  Great time, effort and money are poured into short films as a way for filmmakers to showcase their ideas and talents.  In the past filmmakers have only used short films as a business card or a proof of concept with no monetary returns.  LunchBox Movies is going to change all that, so be sure to sign up for our launch announcement on the main page at www.lunchboxmovies.com for more information. 
In the meantime, keep those great ideas coming.  Keep telling stories in unique and visionary ways.

Here’s our top five favorites for shorts made into features.
#5 Some Folks Call It A Sling Blade (Short; 1994) and Sling Blade (Feature; 1996)
#4 Sin City (Short; 2005) and Sin City (Feature; 2005)
#3 La Jetée (Short; 1962) and 12 Monkeys (Feature; 1995)
#2 Alive In Joburg (Short; 2005) and District 9 (Feature; 2009)
#1 9 (Short; 2005) and 9 (Feature; 2009)

How to Finance Your Film

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:16:00 +0000

How to books

We ran across these two articles on NewEnglandFilm.com about financing your film. Definitely worth reading over if you are a first time filmmaker, there are even some ideas in it for you old timers out there.

How to Finance Your Independent Film: Part 1

How to Finance Your Independent Film: Part 2

Also see our book recommendations below for From Reel to Deal by Dov S-S Simens, which is a great resource for all indie filmmakers.

Happy Hunting!

Dragoncon Update

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Dragoncon


I have to give a shout out to Dragoncon this year. Attending the Independent Film Track gives us all access to some really good panels and they have really beefed up the short film showings. The films are broken down into animation, zombie, and other categories. There are panels with the filmmakers, one I was able to attend had Gary and Jason Shumway for their fantastic Sci-Fi short Enigma. Also at the panel was Michael David Lynch for his short film Burden. The hour long panel gave a great insight into indie filmmaking and the challenges both films faced to get created. Congratulations to all the filmmakers who exhibited at Dragoncon this year.
The rest of the track had topics like: Camera Technologies; How to do Digital Filmmaking; and Is Main Stream Media Dying?
One panel that was especially well done was Sci-Fi Sets on the Cheap, by Hunter Cressall and Jeffrey J. Ello. Great information for practical and virtual set building if you are considering a Sci-Fi film. Throw in several thousand people dressed up as your favorite character from anime, movies and comics and it makes for a pretty good time.
If you want a true taste of Dragoncon, the organizers were trying to break the World Record for Michael Jackson's Thriller dance, check out this video about 30 seconds into the video and you will get an insight into what Dragoncon is about.

Festival list for March 2009

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:27:00 +0000

Screenwriting competition

Without a box has released a list of screen writing competitions and film festivals. Check out the list here.

Withoutabox offers filmmakers access to major channels for promoting and distributing their work. An account is free, but entering most competitions does come with a fee. Still, it's a great resource for upcoming festivals and they do keep you up to date on what is coming up. They list more than 3000 worldwide film festivals.

Happy Hunting!

Call for extras Wed March 4th- Get Low

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:19:00 +0000

Extras

Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek movie looking for extras. Call at 5 am EST.

Visit http://www.getlowextras.com/index.html for details on how to be an extra.

DIY Spiderlight

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:08:00 +0000

DIY


My indie filmmaker friend Michael sent me a really cool link recently. It's a pretty decent idea for putting together a DIY (Do It Yourself)Spiderlight. Now understand there are entire sub-cultures in the low budget film industry devoted to just what you can DIY vs rent or purchase. The most horrific example for me: on one film the Director wanted to make DIY actors to save on the food budget, makeup, wardrobe, etc. It was a really terrific idea, but ended up being just a bunch of plucked turkeys dressed up with doll clothes, after a few hours under the lights it didn't smell so good. So don't skimp on your actors. Meat puppets don't work nearly as hard (mostly).

Anyway back to Michael's link. The DIY light is definitely worth trying. Michael suggests adding individual switches to each light to really be able to control the light flow. Thanks to Alexandre Campagna for posting these instructions. Check out Alexandre's other blogs for additional still photography tips.

Must Read Books for filmmakers

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:16:00 +0000

How to books

Three recommendations for some light reading for new (and you old fogie) filmmakers.

The first is a comprehensive book on the "how to" for creating your film. From Reel to Deal: Everything You Need to Create a Successful Independent Film
by Dov S-S Simens.

The second I picked up after walking out of my first independent film casting call as Director of Photography. $30 Film School, Second Edition
by Michael W Dean.

The third is the Cinder-fella story of Roberto Rodriguez (you should know who that is) and what he went through to complete El Mariachi, which lead to Desperado. Can't really pick which one I prefer. The first is a low-budget masterpiece (especially after reading the BTS of how he pulled it off with one light and a standard tape recorder), the second has Salma Hayek and lots more explosions. So it's a toss up. Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player
by Roberto Rodriguez.


Buy them or check them out from the library, but spend the time.

A couple of quick tips from my experiences:
1. Have entertainment for all extras, especially if you can't afford to feed them, so they can keep busy waiting for all the zombie makeup to be applied and for the Director to be done throwing tantrums, so you can get them all on set.

2. Shoot all makeup/extra scenes at the same time, or back to back. Makeup melts and people don't come back for re shoots.

3. Have early AM production meetings with all crew so they know what to expect for the day. Don't try to shoot a zombie documentary, it won't work. Your crew should meet very early to work out the day.

4. Have assistants for the Director, DP and AD. They should be some kind of EMT or work in the field of psychology if at all possible, so they already understand stress and psychiatric meltdowns.

and last but not least...

5. For (insert your preferred Deity)'s sake, please feed your people. Try not to schedule extras around lunchtime, you will have to feed them too or they will disappear. Shoot them in the AM or PM before dinner. If you can't pay, at least keep them hydrated and warn them ahead of time to bring their own food. Cranky actors are even MORE difficult, I mean that in a loving and kind way.

Vincent Laforent’s REVERIE, shot with Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:31:00 +0000

Reverie

So I was chatting with a documentary filmmaker recently and we were discussing the Red, and upcoming Scarlet. He flew off around the room and grabbed someone's laptop. "Hold it, you gotta see this." After a quick search, he showed me Vincent Laforent’s REVERIE, shot with Canon EOS 5D Mark II. See it throught the Canon website: http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2326

Also worth a look is the BTS for the video.

Now obviously, do your own research, but for the sticker price of $2,700 (body only) to get a camera with 21.1 Megapixels stills and the ability to shoot at full 1080 resolution at 30fps, is very interesting.

So there are some challenges. Sound capture, limited clip size. The specifications say 1920 x 1080 (16:9) up to 12 Min. Workflow questions. But the interchangeable lenses and control you get for such a low price make it worth looking into as an option for guerilla filmmakers. And of course this sets another bar for HD film and the tools available to us as filmmakers. Hopefully someone is already working on jumping over that bar, and bringing the next clever idea.

See Digital Photography Review for additional details:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08091705canon_5dmarkii.asp

Holy @%^&

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:50:00 +0000

Film competition

Okay Coldplay is having a video contest:

http://www.coldplay.com/lostcontest.html

The last thing I should do is tell you that Coldplay is having a video contest at http://www.coldplay.com/lostcontest.html because the less people that enter, the better of a chance I have of winning at http://www.coldplay.com/lostcontest.html

So please disregard this blog, citizen, go about your normal business and whatever you do, DO NOT VISIT: http://www.coldplay.com/lostcontest.html

Thank you. We now return you to your normal broadcast station...

(place tinfoil hat on your head)

Self-reliant film

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Filmmaker resources

Just got an email from an actor, Justin, with the following link. I'll add it to the growing list of really useful sites we're constantly updating.

www.selfreliantfilm.com

Looks like a really good online resource. So the next time you have a couple of minutes to kill, nose through the site.

There's everything from iPhone apps for filmmakers to DIY Film articles to Festival Advice for Filmmakers.

Enjoy!
LunchBoxMovies.com rocks!

LunchBox Movies Pick

[Image: Man Alive]

Man Alive

Views:
10
  • 4/5 Stars

Even the last man on the face of the ear...

What is Lunchbox Movies?

LunchBox Movies is an online movie theatre that showcases films from around the world. Our creators have harnessed an impressive array of ideas and made them a reality. LunchBox is creating an environment for filmmakers outside the traditional distribution model-one where they can effortlessly connect with viewers around the world.