Mad About Modo
I love the Knoll brothers. No, they're not a musical group, like the Neville Brothers. They're the whizzes behind Adobe Photoshop and Knoll Light Factory. They've done amazing things in the world of digital visuals. Brother Thomas created the digital editing program that has become a verb in the common lexicon. People (even Ross and Chandler on FRIENDS) talk about how they "photoshopped the image." Brother John is an award-winning visual effects guy who also did a program that adds light effects to still photos and motion footage. I enjoy going to the Luxology site to look at the Image Gallery. Luxology created modo (now on version 3.01), an extraordinary modeling, texturing and rendering tool. On the site, there's actually an image John Knoll modeled for the film APOLLO 11. There's even a rave endorsement. That's not too shabby. If only there were an animation component in it ... until they can get that integrated, I'm hanging with Maya ... although I'm sure they're feeling the pressure of the modo competition.
I had a great day! Sometimes, life is just fun. Today was one of those days. (It wasn't as good as Marion Cotillard's day but more on that later.) So, I got up at the crack of dawn to grab what I needed for a quick trip to LA (heaven forbid that I would pull it together the day before). I was at the airport by 8:15 for my 9:30 flight (not bad for me). Heavy rains in LA gave us a 30-minute runway delay but I just caught up on some reading so I didn't really mind. 
Then, my meeting with Zimbabwean-born filmmaker Eunice / Tafadzwa. There's something so rewarding about sitting around discussing film with someone who understands the love of making films that make a difference. To talk about the greater idea of film as an art form, as a medium that can change minds, as a catalyst that can change the world. I shared the details of the Zambian film projects. We discussed all of the other African-made or African-themed films that we loved. THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, HOTEL RWANDA, THE CONSTANT GARDENER, CATCH A FIRE and BLOOD DIAMOND were all discussed in the feature arena. The DARFUR film, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK, LOST BOYS OF SUDAN and WAR/DANCE popped into the documentary discussion. We talked about the possibility of future projects and went over the script structure for one of the projects. 
There's a chance I'll be going to Singapore at the end of April to shoot video for a fellow putting together a non-fiction DVD. It would be my first opportunity to shoot in Asia. Last year, there was a potential China documentary that fell through so I won't be counting my chickens until they hatch. I've been doing quite a big of research on Singapore. Not a very large country, it used to be part of Malaysia. Originally it was a valuable trading port that was part of the British empire. Later, it became part of Malaysia and then, in 1965, separated. Listed as a democratic republic, it has been ruled by a single party since independence. It could be fun and interesting. I read that three bloggers were fined for SEDITION (that is writing or saying things that upset people, they can be true things ... the point isn't whether or not they're true but whether or not they're upsetting). I understand they still CANE people in Singapore, too. So, I'm going to have to be on my best behavior ... IF the project comes through.
On Sunday, I'll be meeting with the director of the Zimbabwe projects. I am really excited about those two films but am unsure how it's all going to work out. There's been a growing interest by production companies and distributors about this project. We're going to sit down and talk about the script, strategies and schedules. The Zambia projects started in January of 2006 and we shot in August 2006. So, to be at the end of February and still hoping for a summer shoot is scary to me. Especially given the current political situation in Zimbabwe and we don't have in country contacts like we did in Zambia. (If you follow this blog, you know that we still had numerous challenges and collapses with logistics ... and that was WITH in-country support ... so, unless some significant support comes in, it looks like summer 2009 to me.)
Director Gavin Hood augmented the story with equally powerful elements. Of course, the acting is terrific. The visual aesthetic is stunning. The cinematography, art design, production design, costuming and make-up were woven into a symphony of compelling beauty. And, one of the most amazing and powerful elements of all is the music, the score. I absolutely love the music. A bit of research revealed that the composers were 
Jordan says, "Animation life is also good. I work part time at Avalanche, Disney's game studio in SLC, as a work builder (modeling, texturing, and game play set-up). I'm finishing producing a short animation mentored by Pixar. Two of my classmates/friends just got accepted as interns. So I am hopeful that there is an opportunity there for me, too." Jordan has a 
My inclination would be to shoot in Zambia over South Africa because, in our experience, Zambia was so much safer. That was over a year and one-half ago so things may have changed but that was initial thought. And, maybe, it's just that I favor Zambia and would like them to get the film business. Besides, it's just across the border from Zimbabwe.
We grew up in a generation where one is always trying to do good, trying to do the "right" thing, trying to make a difference in the world. Touch the world in a positive way. We had made the decision that, no matter what, we were going to make sure both films got done and distributed so that the Zambian actors could share their work with the world and the Crew could share their experience through the doc. By the end of February, we will have both films ready for the audio mix and distribution. Of course, we'll begin with the festival circuit. I do think audiences will want to see Zambia's first effort. 
As I mentioned, Pamela Jo turned 50 last week. I love birthdays for a number of reasons. An odd reason is that I enjoy astrology. It's an amusing pastime, doing a number of complex calculations to ascertain where the planets were located at one's birth and finding where they are now. Gauging the planetary relationships and relative influence they have upon on another, that's where the signs and portents can be found. Every year, I have a solar return chart done to see what the following year is supposed to bring. Friends have always said "you're such an intelligent, savvy human being, why do you get your chart done?" The illusion of certainty, I say, the illusion of certainty.
First released on October 2, 1987, Kathryn Bigelow's 
We came within two scenes of finishing our latest screenplay this week, so we've given ourselves permission to go out and play. There's a neighborhood Halloween party, so at least one of us will be dancing in the streets tonight. We sent our current script, COYOTE out to a few trusted industry pals and got some tres enthusiastic responses. To be honest, we're eager to get started on the next script, an updating of sorts of 
In spite of all that, what made us feel all grown up? Some little lines and numbers. This week we received our first ISBN numbers. We can officially sell our products through Baker & Taylor, Amazon, Borders and almost anywhere else you can name in the world. Seems like a silly thing, but for us to have our own bar code is…well… pretty cool. 
It's a sophisticated piece of software. Recently, however, my son turned me onto 
First, an apology for being so lax about blogging. I'm trying to get back in the swing and generate more information about independent films, independent filmmaking, animation and visual arts. A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about Other People's Money or, even better, filmmaking grants! If you're looking for funding, you might want to start with this list!
So many other things had been done so accurately and so well, I couldn't believe they would alter the date of her death so severely. Margaret (who was only two years older than Henry) died five years AFTER Anne Boleyn was beheaded. In the ninth episode of the series, Princess Margaret is consumed by consumption before Henry and Anne have even married. I can't figure out why they felt compelled to do that. It does not seem like was necessary for the drama. There were enough other things going on with Wolsey, Cromwell and the Suffolk Triumvirate. Now, I find myself double-checking all of the other facts.
The film stars Natalie Portman as Anne and Scarlett Johansson as Mary with Eric Bana playing the young Henry. Spanish actress Ana Torrent will appear as Queen Catherine. I'm anticipating an excellent script. The orginal material was adapted by Peter Morgan, the screenwriter who wrote THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (which helped Forest Whitaker earn the Best Actor Academy Award) and THE QUEEN (which helped Helen Mirren earn the Best Actress Academy Award). According to IMDb, the film was shot on the Panavision Genesis HD Camera in numerous locations in England (including Kent, Dover, Cornwall and Wiltshire).
BY CYNDI GREENING, PHOENIX, USA – I spoke with filmmaker (and former student) Kohl Glass today about his adventures in Los Angeles since his short film screened at Sundance 2007. He talked about the meetings he's been taking, the offers he's been getting, how it's going with his managers. It's all so interesting. Another friend, Lucas (an actor) is going through the process of finding a manager and representation. We also got talking about another former student, Jake Parker, the wonderfully talented 
They have formed Cha cha cha, a production partnership debuting with Universal Pictures and its Focus Features International unit for financing, international sales and distribution on an upcoming slate of five films. The new projects include directorial efforts for all three men, as well as new films from writer/directors Carlos Cuaron (Alfonso's brother, co-author of Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN) and Rodrigo Garcia (
Well, today I noticed online that Linda Cardellini ("Velma" on the live action Scooby Doo films) is set to star opposite Paul Walker in HEAVEN PROJECT, an indie drama being directed by John Glenn. The story follows an ex-con who is sentenced to death and wakes up from his lethal injection in a small Oregon town. Working as a groundskeeper for a mental hospital, he is told he was given a second chance by God but questions whether he ever really died. 
That's where the industry is." I explain that my teaching job is at a college in Mesa (which is not in LA or NYC) and that he was growing up in PHX (which kept me there) and I was always a little bit afraid to move in case I wasn't talented enough to make it. Now, after he's grown, I've grown accustomed to a substantial paycheck which makes it challenging to consider any options besides continuing down the teaching path. The "golden handcuffs are on, the mortgage must be paid. 
I was just as crazy about 
Further research in my email archive revealed that the grants announcment was made on May 2nd. Holy cow, May 2nd. With that announcement, we knew that a six-person crew could go but, by that point, we had 18 students who wanted to spend an unpaid month in Africa helping to shoot the feature (and companion documentary). We pushed out shoot date back to give ourselves more time for fundraising. To be honest, last summer was just a blur. And yet, the pace of the summer seems GLACIAL in comparison to how quickly the time passed in Zambia. That month simply evaporated.
After five years at Sundance, programmer 
The first couple of screenplays I wrote, I used a typewriter. It was insanely difficult. Then I found something that would work on my computer. It was a $3000 computer that ran at a whopping 3MHz (that's NOT a typo). The software was called Movie Master and I loved it. It made it so much easier!! It was great for screenwriting AND could also do character and scene breakdowns. I found it very user friendly but I must have been in the minority. It faded from popularity and was not available within a couple of years.
I got a GREAT night sleep last night. Alec stayed in so I wasn't worrying about him all night. I went to bed early and woke up refreshed and feeling better. The day started out with notification from 
Shortly after reading that, I hopped a plane to Burbank to meet with Sundance alum, Kathy Busby. A senior vice president of production at New Line Cinema, Kathy graciously agreed to meet with me and listened to my pitch about the Zambia films. She shared her thoughts about the strengths of the projects (good title, good media kit, good concept) and offered her thoughts on how to make the project as successful as possible. She shared that her experience at Sundance was one of the most rewarding and wonderful experiences of her life. She said being included in the Producers Conference would help the film more than any words of advice she could offer. Creative, accomplished and modest.
I've been watching some phenomenal field footage for an indpendent documentary. As is typical, the director and I started talking about equipment. We both agreed that the equipment doesn't make the film BUT better equipment does give you a better chance at success. He's using the Panasonic P2 because of the speedy workflow. The footage is beautiful but the price of capture cards and storage makes it a less optimal choice for the Zambian shoot. So, we're back to the HVR-Z1U and DVX-100A. It will be much easier for us to get tapes back. 
One of the things I'm most surprised at is the quality of the audio on this documentary footage. We shot several Spotlight Promos for MCC. The audio was incredibly difficult to clean up. We used a couple of shotgun microphones with wind shields but it was still difficult. This filmmaker was an advocate of the 
One of the great things about working in a creative field is that you meet so many creative, talented people. Today, we met Colin Boyd , film critic and radio host of 
As I blogged yesterday, the MCC IP Grants were announced yesterday and the Zambian films were funded. In the last 24 hours, the films have taken on a whole new life. Today, the graphic artist completed the logos and visual identities for the two films. The graphic identities are different yet related because of their logical link. The feature film, BAD TIMING is the story of Chiku, a Zambian social activist who has an "indiscretion" shortly before his wedding. His bride, Mutinta, is horrified at the post-wedding celebration when the police arrest her groom. Accused of rape, Chiku's watches as both his personal and professional worlds crumble. A tale of failure, forgiveness and redemption, BAD TIMING reveals the lives of contemporary Zambians.
The corresponding documentary, VOICE OF AN AFRICAN NATION is already deep into production. The documentary is about the making of the first feature film in Zambia. It's also about cross-cultural experiences and international partnerships. The film follows Jabbes as he acquires the skills and resources in the U.S. in the hopes of helping to establish the film industry in his country while making a story of modern Zambians. 
I spent twelve (12) hours this weekend teaching Maya and had a great time. Four instructors and two students worked diligently all weekend on mastering modeling, animating and rendering. They worked in Polygons, NURBs and SubDs. With the exception of a failure to Batch Render, they experienced much success. I directed them to some of my favorite 3D sites, 
Over the weekend, I caught the independent film 
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.
Jeff Geerling has posted an effective, economical how-to on his website for building 
I've spent the weekend working on the Proposals for Jason's film about the homeless and my two Zambian films. 
After years of using the 
I am learning so much about Zambia since I started this project. According to the Zambian Tourism board, it is the land of the legendary African walking safari, location of the Earth's biggest waterfall, the wild Zambezi River, breath-taking lakes and wetlands, a profusion of birds, abundant wildlife, and raw, pulsating wilderness, all in one friendly country. Acknowledged as one of the safest countries in the world to visit, Zambia's people live in peace and harmony. The wildlife is diverse and the country is blessed with 17 waterfalls including the spectacular Victoria Falls.
In addition to editing commercials ("little movies"), the Subvoyant folks edit a lot of music videos. In his spare time (trust me, he doesn't have much to spare ... it's already after midnight), he's editing a Mopreme Shakur film tentatively titled KILLING BORROWED TIME. 
James Stewart Blackton was a "Lightning Sketch Artist" in Vaudeville billed as "The Komikal Kartoonist". Inspired by Thomas Edison's recent invention of moving pictures, Blackton teamed with Albert E. Smith to form the first movie studio, Biograph Films.
Though I'll study at GNOMON and NYFA when I get back, my focus from June until October will be supporting and documenting the first dramatic narrative film to be produced in Zambia. That's right, Zambia. I'm as surprised as anyone. It was certainly nothing I ever thought would appear in my life.
When I got back from the Sundance Film Festival this year, Jabbes came to ask for my support. He is returning to Zambia in June to shoot his film. He asked me to executive produce the film. I agreed to get on board and I'm really excited about the possibility of helping Jabbes create the first film from AND about his country. I'm on board to support the creation of the first Zambian film about Zambian culture by a Zambian. As an art teacher, I am eager to bring a unique voice and vision from an unrepresented culture to the world stage. 
Matt is a terrific artist, illustrator, photographer and filmmaker. He's done some memorable portraits of folks like Tom Waits, Queen Latifah, David Letterman, Courtney Love, and Marilyn Manson. You may recall that Matt has produced music videos for Peter Gabriel, U2, REM, Tracy Chapman, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Ice-T, Metallica, David Byrne and Joni Mitchell.
It must be fabulous in their house! Their whole lives are about art. The conversations at the dinner table must be fantastic. No doubt they've collaborated intellectually on numerous projects. (Lord knows we're always talking about our latest projects around the house.) Anyway, they did a book together. Lisa wrote and Matt illustrated the children's book MY BEAUTIFUL CHILD. In her review of their book, School Librarian, J. Mckee (Pittsburgh, PA) says, "Within its spare text and quiet illustrations lies the powerful message of teaching a child to appreciate the simple things in life through a parent's unselfish love. This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read." As you can tell by the images on the post, they're pretty talented people and their work is all around you.
If you have stuffed your face for Thanksgiving and need to lose that Turkey tire, then I suggest you spend the weekend making a dolly. Here are the links you will need:
Two sites do have complete plans for building your own mini35 setup! 
