What beautiful scenery. Fantastic talent. Wow, check out the cinematography….Awesome ….. Oh, what’d he say?
I’ve watched my fair share of indie films and judging by the DVD shelf that just crashed to earth, perhaps collected a few too many. So when my movie arrived fresh from purchase I did not expect the sound to, well…. stink. (Is this mix grammatically and spiritually excusable in a blog? Dunno. I am throwing down the gauntlet and forging ahead anyway with my complaint, err, um – point! Yes, I meant to say point.)
Sound demands as much consideration as other elements. As a movie watcher I can comment freely: rain should sound exactly like rain and church bells should never sound like a cell phone ringtone. People tend to snicker in places where sentiment was the intention. How to affect quality sound is another matter and a topic best left to the experts, which I am clearly not. Heaven knows the sound police found blunders in my little student (aka free) film.
What I know for sure is that quality sound is not achieved by wishing for it or hocus pocus. I’ll have to leave my soapbox now (my minute rice is burning) and I’ll sign off with a helpful link which could be called: How to Make Sound for a Movie 101. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuJR1ND2CDM
Why pay grad school when there’s YouTube?
~Peace,
Tina
Many talented filmmakers have contributed their work to RIFF 2010. Fortunately for us, I was able to catch up with Sean Christensen the director of one of our amazing animated entries, The Sandwich Movie. He was most generous with his time. Enjoy!
TINA: If my memory serves, I believe Fan Mail was a student entry last year. Have you graduated from film school or what is your status?
SEAN: I am proud to say that I have since graduated film school. I walked this past May in 2010 at San Francisco State University. Fan Mail was my last official student short.
TINA: This year’s RIFF entry, The Sandwich Movie, made me laugh. It’s definitely a unique tale. What inspired you to make a movie about this subject? Was it your favorite family story or did you make it up?
SEAN: It may sound simplistic to a fault, but I’ve always found inspiration in daily life because so much of it is spent counting the minutes in-between: You’re either waiting for something to happen or praying that something doesn’t. Alfred Hitchcock once famously quipped that “Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” In my work, I’ve found that I’ve mined those exact same “dull bits” to produce stories that have resonated on an emotional/dramatic level with my audiences. It’s in those moments of reflection, those dead spaces, where the mind naturally spins around and around to keep itself busy – examining the texture of the popcorn ceiling, or noticing a fly crawling on the rim of a coffee cup; Before long, it starts to create stories and imagines worlds to either find deep meaning or to simply entertain itself while passing the time.
With my film The Sandwich Movie, it came from one of those family stories that just always stuck around. One of those bizarre details of life that just gets stuck in your head: “Do you remember the time when…” That sort of thing. When production began, I made sure to remind my sister, who narrated the story, to just tell it. No acting, just straight – that way the audience would feel as if they were truly listening in. The film then naturally took on the shape of a warm memory, as if the audience becomes a part of my family for that moment in time – like we’re all gathered around a campfire or on a road trip, passing the time with a silly story. It’s that childlike fascination that never goes away, the same type that I’ve tried to capture in The Sandwich Movie. And it’s all real too, 100%.
TINA: You have a clever knack for taking a simple subject and turning it into an interesting tale. What inspired you to write? Have you been writing long?
SEAN: Writing is something that’s just always come naturally to me. I don’t know where it comes from, but I find myself constantly talking to myself or writing sentences or descriptions about the things that I see around me every day. It’s like my heartbeat; it has its own rhythm that steadily works on its own. In terms of what “inspires” me, I can never tell because my mind is fed so much information on a daily basis, I can never tell what’s going to come out. I can only aspire to tell the types of stories that I would want to engage with – stories that are identifiable, natural and respectful of the audience’s intelligence and life experience. I would much rather spend time with a story that challenges and compels me to search for the answers within myself than to have them served to me as nicely-wrapped and packaged.
TINA: I think it would be cool to know which famous filmmakers inspire you.
SEAN: Honestly, I’ve seen so many movies it’s hard to pull one out of memory as defining. I think I’m more inspired by the fact that movies actually get made! I can tell you my favorite film of 2010 so far: Toy Story 3. Absolutely amazing. I’m also really looking forward to seeing what the Coen Brothers do with True Grit later on this year.
TINA: Even a short takes a lot of work and animation is no walk in the park. Please tell us a little about making The Sandwich Movie.
SEAN: Since I was a little boy I’ve always drawn, constantly doodling and sketching. My sister and I would make picture books for our parents and create our own cast of cartoon characters that inhabited them, and funny enough, looking back I can see that those were the first “films” that I ever made. Instead of comic books, which traditionally utilize panels and sections within the same page to divide and tell a story, I would instead use the entire sheet of paper for each drawing, or “shot.” When I go back and flip through them today, I can see that I was trying to create a string of single images that you absorb one at a time, which constitutes the basic grammar of filmmaking and animation.
The Sandwich Movie was the first film that I animated completely on my own from the ground-up. Every single element was either cut out from magazines and newspapers or hand-drawn and scanned in one-at-a-time to create this world. It was a wonderful, complex challenge – like being that same little boy again making picture books with his sister. Now, that’s not to say that the experience was without stress and anxiety, it had plenty of that, but the process of re-discovering your childhood instincts of storytelling and fascination with shapes and colors was exhilarating and very revealing to me as a filmmaker.
TINA: Thank you, Sean. You have definitely given us a nice insight to the mind of a filmmaker. Can you give us a little scoop on what you are working on right now? What is your next venture?
SEAN: All of my projects are keep a secret from the press until they’re released, nothing personal!
TINA: O.K. That’s understandable. Your fans though would like to follow you work and I understand that you won’t be able to make it to RIFF 2010 so I’d like to pass on some vital information. If a fan wanted a copy of say, Fan Mail or The Sandwich Movie, how would they do that?
SEAN: I’m still learning about promoting and getting my work out there the best I can. Technology is moving so fast and influencing the way people receive information and media at an even faster rate, so it’s just a matter of keeping up and learning how to change. I’ve always loved showcasing my films at festivals and art museums in front of live audiences, nothing beats that. For now, people can visit www.squareonecinema.com to learn more about my work, watch some of it online, and contact me. Don’t be shy!
~Peace,
Tina
Rainy Saturdays are a good excuse to watch old movies. Good Will Hunting proved to be a good choice this weekend. It is also a great example of using a long take to good effect.
The long take is not used as frequently as other emotionally manipulative shots but when it is the audience’s attention gets grabbed. It’s a bold move and arguably the riskiest. What is the attention span of the average teenager? For that matter, what is the attention span of our entirely impatient McCulture? I would be afraid to find out.
Will and his psychiatrist talk and talk and this easily could have backfired. It does work but I wonder why director Gus Van Sant felt this was the best way to convey all that information. Aside from The Untouchables and Citizen Kane, I could not recollect too many long shots.
With a fair amount of Googling I developed a list of directors who routinely favor the long shot. Familiar names include:
Martin Scorsese Alfred Hitchcock
Quentin Tarantino Paul Thomas Anderson
Brian DePalma Orson Wells
Glad I didn’t place any bets that the long take isn’t popular. So, it seems I should remember more scenes with the long take. Better go watch more movies.
~Peace
Tina
With RIFF 2010 approaching fast, I thought it only fair to interview a few more of the animated characters featured this year. Fortunately, I was able to catch up the star of The Mouse That Soared and he was most generous with his time. I hope you will enjoy getting to know him as much as I did.
me: Mr. Mouse, I really appreciate your seeing me on such short notice. We are really excited that you are coming to RIFF 2010.
Mr. Mouse: No, problem. Anything for the fans.
me: I understand this was your first time working with director Kyle Bell. Can you tell us a little about that?
Mr. Mouse: Oh, Kyle is wonderful. Really cares about the actors, you know? Nothing but praise from me although there were a few scenes that didn’t really capture my best side.
me: I have heard that happens. What I’d really like to ask is….
Mr. Mouse: Do I smell cheese?
me: I don’t have cheese.
Mr. Mouse: Crackers? Really love those.
me: I don’t have crackers. Listen, I….
Mr. Mouse: How about pie? Rutabaga is my favorite you know.
me: I am sorry. I don’t have pie. Perhaps we can expense something for you but first I’d really like to talk about your work. Can you do a little flying for me and let me take some promotional pictures?
Mr. Mouse: Oh, I’d love to fly right now but I can’t. It’s counter to the terms in my contract.
me: Excuse me? That is what you do isn’t it, fly?! You are The Mouse That Soared after all.
Mr. Mouse: Yes, but that’s just it. I’m a professional. Can’t go around giving it away for free when people pay to see me fly, now can I? It’s not like my amateur days when I could just fly wherever and whenever I pleased.
me: I see.
Mr. Mouse: Well, now I have responsibilities. I have people to feed. There’s my agent and my publicist, masseuse, and manicurist to think of. I can’t go around flying for my own edification.
me: Your own what? For a little mouse you certainly seem to have quite the extensive vocabulary.
Mr. Mouse: Professional entertainers like myself have a lot of time on our hands in between takes. I read Nietzsche.
me: Nietzsche. Great. Well, um. That sounds super but I think the film fans really just want to see you fly at RIFF 2010…
Mr. Mouse: Please don’t tell me you are one of those people – prejudice toward the Rodent Reading Reform Movement. You seem like a nice lady and that would really hurt my feelings.
me: Look, I really don’t want to talk politics. I know everyone is glad you are coming this year and we will be looking for you at RIFF 2010. Gotta go now. See you there! (exit stage right)
Mr. Mouse: (yelling) O.K. but will there be pie?
~Peace,
Tina
Well, not exactly. The music of Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields defies the conventions of any established category. They create their own. Last night’s screening of Strange Powers, was a good time and educational.
I want to clarify that I don’t mean ‘educational’ in the stoic sense that one says, ‘yeah, I learned something’ on an occasion like leaving a really bad job, for example. I mean more like horizon broadening, learning that a CD full of songs about a middle-aged woman’s declaration of revenge on all the skinny young things could actually be good. Pretty cool even.
Like a fun house mirror, perspectives change with the angles. Stephin Merritt as a songwriter is decidedly different – but I liked him.
All in all a good evening and a pretty full house. Ramping up for RIFF 2010….ya’ll come!
~Peace,
Tina
I’m really wowed by the animated movies showing at RIFF this year. Some really exceptional talent went into making these films so I thought I’d start by talking to the director of Pigeon Impossible, Lucas Martell.
me: Knock, knock, knock
Mr. Pigeon: Yeah, who’s there?
me: Hello. My name is Tina and I’m a blogger for RIFF….
Mr. Pigeon: The what?
me: The Rappahannock Independent Film Festival where your movie is playing this year and …uh, like wow! It’s you. You’re the pigeon from Pigeon Impossible and you talk! Awesome, but uh….well you don’t talk in the movie and like…
Mr. Pigeon: I’m an actor sweetheart. You do know that movies aren’t real, don’t you?
me: Sure, I do but it’s animation and… well, I actually came to interview Lucas Martell, the director.
Mr. Pigeon: You’re better off talking to me. I’m the star you know. Directors come and go but it’s the talent that makes the film.
me: Right. Well, Mr. Pigeon – do you know when he’ll be back or where he is?
Mr. Pigeon: He’s someplace else. Listen, you might as well come in. I’ve got a lot to say and this is great apartment. It has a nice view of the park.
me: I’ll bet that’s handy. Wow, a fountain in the dining room – that’s different. Mr. Pigeon I’d like to ask…
Mr. Pigeon: Don’t be so formal. “Star” will do. I’m really a modest kind of guy.
me: I get that. Well, um… my questions were actually meant for the director but can you tell me more about your acting career?
Mr. Pigeon: That’s simple. It’s a fortunate combination of skill and craft. (Lights cigarette) I practice the Stanislavsky method.
me: Smoking isn’t good for your health you know.
Mr. Pigeon: Have you seen my work? I do all my own stunts, baby, so don’t preach at me. I live on the edge.
me: Right. Well, I just want to say good luck at RIFF. You’ve got some steep competition after all. Tell Lucas I stopped by and…
Mr. Pigeon: Competition? Ha! I laugh at competition. What you got?
me: RIFF 2010 has a number of great animation films. There’s Death Row Diet, Prayers for Peace, Beltius, and The Sandwich Movie and…..
Mr. Pigeon: SANDWICH MOVIE?? Sounds cheesy to me! I think a pistol packing pigeon is pretty special and I’m telling you we are coming to win, baby!
me: Please don’t get your feathers ruffled and would you mind not sitting on my shoulder? This is my RIFF 2010 t-shirt and it’s something special.
Mr. Pigeon: Is that popcorn on your breath?
me: No, it isn’t and I really have to go now. (exit stage right)
Mr. Pigeon: “Hasta la vista, baby!”
~Peace,
Tina
This weekend I had the opportunity to visit an indie film lover’s landmark, our countries longest continuously operating art cinema, The Paris in New York City. Sandwiched between The Plaza and Bergdorf Goodman’s, this grand dam’s marquee faces Central Park and has premiered the best independent films since 1948.
Debuting in the United States this weekend, Jan Kounen’s Coco and Igor is indeed a thing of beauty. My expectations were high as lead Mads Mikkelsen seems never to choose a bad script or deliver anything less than a stellar performance. Like the woman herself, this romantic drama was a composition in elegance and style.
Portraying the affair between two 19th century superstars, composer Igor Stravinsky and Coco Chanel, the film picks up where Anne Fontaine’s academy award nominee Coco Before Chanel leaves off in the life of fashion mogul and business magnate Coco Chanel. Perhaps channeling Chanel as she is the face of the brand in France, Anna Mouglalis’ portrayal is poignant and sexy.
Opening with the 1913 Paris premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and the riot it caused, the fiery temperaments of two 19th century icons are introduced. The passionate affair and pheromones came later.
With all due respect to the extraordinary talents of Yelena Morozova and her gifted cast mates, what makes this film truly noteworthy is the skilled director. My emotions were prodded and driven by the choice of angles and shots that allowed an intimacy with the characters that felt like life. Stylistic choices captured the tiniest nuances that fleshed out the characters and made me feel like I was peeking in a window.
The loan of Chanel’s country villa and some elegant clothes from the House of Chanel certainly adds to the magic. Filmmaking though is an art and needs more than beautiful scenery or talented actors. Great films are made by filmmakers with a vision and the masterfulness to bring it to life. Art cinemas like The Paris give us a place to showcase our dreams.
See you at RIFF 2010.
Peace,
Tina
I can’t believe they made it an acronym. Well, maybe I can. I’ve been a Washingtonian for a long time and acronyms are a separate language here.
Thinking about the early days of filmmaking when the term ‘independent film’ was an oxymoron, the old tired phrase “everything old is new again came to mind.” Being the googler I am, I googled. Yeesh.
Independent filmmakers are the originals. They shared a vision and started the star struck streak movie lovers share. With good fortune and the aid of restoration angels, some of the treasures from the earliest days of filmmaking can still be seen. No small miracle considering that nitrate film of the era was extremely flammable and mishandling led to missing body parts. Not pretty.
Two German gems of expressionist storytelling from the 1920’s silent era are now available on DVD. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is critically hailed as a masterpiece, having one of the first known plot twist. Whether the choice of labeling is horror or psychological thriller, much is left to the audience to decide.
Fritz Lang’s Metropolis is a mammoth futuristic movie that must have hired half of Berlin’s 1927 population. 38,000 extras were employed to portray the workers of an envisioned 2026 city. Comparing the scenery with our modern Batman movies is eerie.
The entire message that screenwriters Thea von Harbou and her husband Lang intended may be lost to time. Edited and reedited, their futuristic commentary on the lives of the haves vs. have nots met with mixed reviews and the original 153 minute length was jeered. There’s a critic on every corner.
Art fans will recognize Modernism and Art Deco in the set designs of both.
EOINA.
~Peace, Tina
Last week I read a review of an independent filmmaker’s work that completely missed the mark. The reviewer gave himself away with the comment, “Why does he continue to make these weird films?”
Clearly better suited to review the fashion statements and nuisances of Pink Panther II, the writer just did not get it. The definition of art house film weighed on my mind all week so here is my take:
- Art films are principally made by independent filmmakers. They are often made for art’s sake rather than aspiring to mass distribution goals or the multi-million dollar commercial market expectations of mainstream cinema. Reference: Pink Panther II.
- Art films appeal to a niche market. The writer/director has something to say to the world. A certain degree of intelligence is expected from viewers. The writer/director is aware that this expectation may not be met but strives for it nonetheless.
- Art films are more apt to suffer sales and distribution difficulties due to misguided, inexperienced, or blatantly untalented reviewers.
It takes a lot of work to make a movie (yes, even a bad movie) and while not everyone will love every film, reviews should still be cognizant that someone’s heart and soul went into the making thereof. When critiquing someone else’s soul: Tread Respectfully.
~Peace,
Tina
Finally, my copy of Vahilla Rising arrived. A visceral film by acclaimed director Nicolas Winding Refn, Vahilla Rising is hard to tag with the usual cinematic labels because there are many things this epic tale is not. What it is though, unquestionable and resolutely, is outside the box. This film is no cookie-cutter imitation/feel-good formula script.
I am not a fan of violent movies. Clockwork Orange and the like generally do not rate on my radar, but I am fascinated by a good imagination and originality. Refn delivers both. Following his career I’ve seen some remarkable work and while I wouldn’t attempt to pin my own label on this filmmaker, it’s generally safe to say the weak of stomach shouldn’t plan a post-movie lunch.
The ending moved me. I sat digesting the haunting man vs. nature imagery and it struck me that this is what is so great about independent films. Independent films tell unique stories. It’s as simple as that.
Art must out whether it appeals to a niche market or the masses. Perhaps this film will play in mainstream theaters but I doubt it. As I said, this one does not fit the formula the big guys tend to like. It is, however, a cinematic composition of unusual savagery and beauty that I never would have experienced without the unconquerable spirit that drives independent films.
~Peace,
Tina
