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Saturday, April 15, 2006 |
Kurosawa's son opens film school. International News: Two-year degree course will be offered -- Hisao Kurosawa has launched the Akira Kurosawa School for filmmakers in Tokyo. It's named after his father, the late helmer. [Variety.com]
1:29:11 AM 
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'Wristcutters' wows Gen Art Festival. Film Festivals: Fest Briefs -- Helmer Goran Dukic's "Wristcutters: A Love Story" won the top prize at the 11th annual Gen Art Film Festival in Gotham this week. Helmer received $10,000 prize as part of the honor. "Wristcutters" is a warped road-trip comedy starring Patrick Fugit. [Variety.com - Film Festivals]
1:28:53 AM
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O'Reilly guide to running Boot Camp. Mark Frauenfelder:
O'Reilly is selling a PDF for $8 that takes you through the process of installing Windows XP on a Mac.
 Running Boot Camp guides you step-by-step through the entire installation process, including upgrading your Mac's Firmware, creating the Macintosh Drivers CD to make XP work properly with your Mac's hardware, and using the Boot Camp Assistant to partition your hard drive and install Windows XP. You'll also learn how to avoid common pitfalls (such as previously partitioned drives and wrong disk permissions). And finally, you'll find out which Mac functions don't work in XP and which XP features backfire on a Mac. With this invaluable guide at your side, you'll finish configuring your dual-boot Mac in as little as two hours, avoiding numerous hazards and annoyances along the way. Link [Boing Boing]
1:27:52 AM
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Thursday, April 13, 2006 |
 Contemporary Zambian Music, Images & Film
To get into the rhythm of the country, I've been asking Jabbes to share contemporary Zambian music. I'm particularly fond a song called KAYA by Danny. In Jamaica, "kaya" can be slang for pot (as in when Bob Marley sang, got to have kaya now) but in Zambia, the translation is "I don't know." Give a listen ... I hear the singer may be touring the U.S. in the next year ... if everything gets approved and worked out.
The also sent a link to a site with Stephen Robinson Photos of Zambia. There are some really beautiful images on this site of some of the most beautiful waterfalls, plains and animals in Zambia.
We've started the process of getting approvals for bringing the equipment into the country to shoot the feature and the documentary. I'm eager to see how long this takes. They want to encourage the film industry to come to Zambia to film (given the images on Stephen Robinson's site, one could get some remarkable footage) -- depending on what it takes to get approvals. So, I'll keep you posted on what it takes to make it happen.
8:10:35 AM
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Tuesday, April 11, 2006 |
A few more preliminary thoughts on the Texas Shootout A FEW MORE THOUGHTS THE NEXT MORNING, and again, this is ALL PRELIMINARY, disclaimer disclaimer, without true side by side tests, etc.
The lesser compression artifacts (it is still noisy, however) on the HVX200 puts the COMPRESSION in a different class than the HDV based cameras, not the overall quality.
Thinking about the three mid-price cameras - the HVX200, the GY-HD100U, the XL H1 - they are - Mike Curtis [HD For Indies]
11:36:02 PM
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Sunday, April 9, 2006 |
Do-It-Yourself $14 Steadicam
It's all over the internet and was even featured on MAKE MAGAZINE but another great Do-It-Yourself tool is Johnny Chung Lee's $14 Steadicam. Since the primary goal of a steadicam is to stabilize footage and minimize movement, you can't build this tool out of PVC pipe! You need the weight to settle down "human jitteriness." Lee's device is down-and-dirty but effective with practice.
 On Lee's steadicam, the side handle is used to stabilize side-to-side rocking. The vertical shaking is pretty much dampened by the weight. Don't expect this thing to perform miracles, you have to practice using your arms and body to create a smooth motion. Watch your hands while you walk, and see how level you can keep them relative to the ground. Watching the shadow of your hands on a sunny say is an easy way to isolate thier movement. Keep your legs bent and learn how to "glide". ??WARNING: Improper or irresponsible use of a steadycam can quickly result in the destruction of your equipment and/or injury to yourself and others. Be careful, watch where you are going, pay attention to where you are swinging your camera.
10:59:34 PM
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Do-It-Yourself Dolly & Stabilizer
I'm on the budget filmmaking kick again. On SOFTWEIGH.COM, I found three really good tools for getting motion in independent MOTION PICTURES. The PVC Dolly, Camera Stabilizer and Boom Jib are my favorites in the bunch. I've used the PVC dolly many times before and found it to be very effective (and inexpensive). I love the Boom Jib shots although I have yet to build one.
Here's what you need :
Some 40 mm PVC pipe
2 x "T" pieces
8 x skateboard wheels
4 x right-angle brackets
4 x 100mmx100mmx50mm timber
1 x 30mmx30mm timber
2 x threaded rods and nuts
A few wood screws
Simply bolt the wheels onto the brackets and fasten onto the block of wood with a hole thru the center. You need a total of 4 sets. Make up a "T" shaped PVC frame using the pipe so it's slightly larger than your tripod. Cut the 30mmx30mm timber into short lengths and drill a hole the same size as the threaded rod thru them. These are pushed onto the rod that goes thru the PVC pipe to keep it balanced and centered. Bolt everything together and make 3 holes in the pipe frame so your tripod drops into them. Refer to the site for the instructions on the other items.
10:47:00 PM
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Do-It-Yourself GreenScreen
 Jeff Geerling has posted an effective, economical how-to on his website for building GuerillaGreenScreen or BudgetBlueScreen using PVC pipe for the frame and either paper or fabric for the screen. The estimated cost is $16.03, not including tools (hacksaw and PVC pipe cutter).
The tools you can use for keying include Photoshop, AfterEffects, Final Cut Pro and, my personal favorite, Shake. The trick to getting an effective key is even lighting with no shadows unless you're very skilled with making garbage mattes and holdout mattes! Additionally, you'll do much better if your digital video camcorder has 3 CCDs (charged couple devices) or the new, high end CMOS with 4:4:4: or at least 4:2:2 color compression. If the camera can't capture sufficient color data, you're not going to be able to pull it out very effectively (for example, you may notice the "green spill" on Jeff's Photoshop background replacement).
If you want to understand color, I strongly recommend listening to the podcast with HD for Indies Mike Curtis on digital color. It's excellent.
10:15:27 PM
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Wednesday, April 5, 2006 |
Deep Throat said it best, "Follow the money." Filmmaking is a game of following the funding until you've got enough to get your project made. This post spotlights two important independent film funding sources.
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
90 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Tel 212-687-4470
Fax 212-697-3278
http://www.gf.org
Email: fellowships@gf.org
The Fellowships are awarded to men and women who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts. The Foundation consults with distinguished scholars and artists regarding the accomplishments and promise of the applicants and presents this evidence to the Committee of Selection. Appointments are ordinarily made for one year, and in no instance for a period shorter than six consecutive months.
The amounts of the grants will be adjusted to the needs of the Fellows, considering their other resources and the purpose and scope of their plans. Members of the teaching profession receiving sabbatical leave on full or part salary are eligible for appointment, as are holders of other Fellowships and of appointments at research centers. In 2005 the Foundation awarded 186 United States and Canadian Fellowships for a total of $7,112,000 (an average grant of $38,236). There were 3,008 applicants. Application Forms for the 2006 Fellowship competitions will become available in July 2005.
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
501 York Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: 415-356 8383
Fax: 415-356 8391
http://www.itvs.org
Email: itvs@itvs.org
ITVS funds, distributes and promotes new programs made by independent producers primarily, but not exclusively, for public television. ITVS favors proposals that present a diverse range of subjects, viewpoints and forms that complement and challenge existing public television offerings. Their web site provides information about producing for ITVS, including funding applications, articles and tips.
All U.S. production funding requests must be submitted in accordance with ITVS Funding Guidelines. For ITVS International funding (IMDF) see Key Guidelines and other information below. We encourage you to fill out your applications online. The online application will be available two months prior to each funding deadline. Note: You may apply to only one ITVS funding initiative per round.
2:48:51 AM
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Tuesday, April 4, 2006 |
Could I Be Any Busier?
 I've got to tell you that I truly feel like the people in this video! I don't know if I could possibly fit one more thing on my very full plate! There's that old saying about a busy person getting things done but, heck, there's also that saying about the straw and the camel's back. So, here's what's up for me ...
First and foremost, school always looms large in the picture. Lots of classes, the Annual Student Art Show, capital requests, budgets, schedules, extra projects. When I was growing up, I recall my Dad reminding us to do our best or not do anything at all. I always took that to heart but it sure doesn't leave much middle ground.
Then, there's the Zambia film. I met with Jabbes this evening and was really pleased to hear about how the story resolves. He had been struggling with how to end the film and, at one point, had said he might leave it open-ended with no resolution at all. I was horrified and encouraged him to make sure that Chiku makes a choice (nothing worse than an indecisive hero). Anyway, after two days of suffering with a headache, he found the ending and I really love it. Of course, I can't divulge it but I am very, very happy. It makes the script even stronger.
Related to the Zambia film is the funding quest. I've now made connections with and spoken with people in Zambia. We've discussed logistics and support. Things are looking very good. While we're in Zambia (after the film is complete), we plan on teaching digital filmmaking and production. It looks like we may be able to get some editing systems and cameras donated to leave behind for Zambian film artists. Jabbes said it was a great contribution to his country.
Tribeca is coming up and I'm so eager for the festival. It should be amazing! I'll get to spend time with Alec (which I am really looking forward to ... I haven't seen him for quite some time now) and maybe, just maybe, I'll finally get to Shopsins! Of course, blogging is incredibly important and rests atop another of the spinning plates. As hard as I work, I'd think I'd be a millionaire by now. Guess I'll have to be content with the contribution of good deeds.
11:58:36 PM
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Thursday, March 30, 2006 |
Animation & Film at BYU
Since I have so many students who go to Brigham Young University after they complete their studies at MCC, I am getting quite familiar with their program. Both their film and animation programs look quite impressive. Some of the student productions have won prestigious awards and their graduates are doing quite well! I found a wonderful animated short that they're working on called OUT ON A LIMB. They've got character sketches, environments, animatics and support materials online.
Since I've studied in Mexico (twice), I love the idea of a story from a piñata's point of view! Not to mention, when I was in sixth grade, my family took a trip to California. We crossed the border to Tijuana and misplaced my younger brother for a short while. (Fortunately, we found him under a table.) My mom bought a piñata that she wanted to bring home. There was no room in the car. There was some suggestion about tying it to the roof of the car but Dad said it would be shredded in seconds. So, we left it behind.
11:25:19 PM
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© Copyright 2006 Cyndi Greening.
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