The Genre Director - SEEING IS BELIEVING IN ACTION SCENES: A HAIR’S BREADTH ESCAPE - BIKES RULE!
September 29, 2009
For those budding action directors out there, I offer some thoughts to spark internal debate.
I’m in favor of quick cutting, but against turning a fight scene into a blizzard of telephoto images. My cinema brain likes to process fast, but in order to maximize my enjoyment of the sequence, my information organizer needs to be reminded regularly of the spatial relationships between participants. The framing must also take into account that invisible proscenium arch through which we tend to see our daily lives. We need to step back, if only for a flash, to the standpoint of the witness. The prevailing wisdom is to keep the audience inside the action for maximum involvement. I believe this only works with the support of interwoven images that show the participants head to toe engaged in a brief dynamic movement across the frame. The close quarters style has been in vogue for a while, perhaps geared to capturing the attention span of gamers. But I think audiences sometimes can be just as riveted by a sustained action being depicted in one shot. Take a look at this duel between a road bike on the freeway and a police car.
Not the outcome the Skycam team expected, and all in one shot. Leaving aside issues of common sense and endangering law enforcement officers, let’s just focus on how we would consider staging this scene if it was on tomorrow’s call sheet. If Eastwood, Scorcese, Spielberg or Cameron told the studio that they would shoot it all in one shot, the studio would say fine. Wonderful. Any way you want.
And a Oner could be great. Particularly if the star could match the speed of the miscreant road biker while peddling neck and neck with the cop car - looks about 35 miles per hour. (My son Eric can, but it takes months of training). A helicopter shot would start framed on the biker and the car viewed from in front. Dialogue would take place between the cop and the rider, proving that it’s REALLY THE STAR ON THAT BIKE. Then the camera would pull back to the wide angle we see in the news clip. When the star’s bike disappears behind the truck, a stunt double would seamlessly take his place, having got up to speed like a relay runner hidden by the truck. The baton of illusion thus passed, the stunt double takes on the most dangerous riding, escaping by a whisker as the big rig causes the unfortunate police officers a mountain of paperwork. The chopper cam homes in on the rider’s face. VFX then replaces the green mask on the stunt rider’s face with the digitally captured face of the star. Big gasp from the audience. It looked like the star REALLY did that!
The studio would probably say to a neophyte director offering such a shot, “Nah, probably won’t work. Safer to cover it, then we’ll decide in editing.” (Note the “We’ll decide..” btw). It’s a valid point of view. But if you cover it merely functionally, they won’t vote in favor of the master shot approach because it is obviously more dramatic. Likely as not, they’ll use what you give them and regard you as unimaginative. So you better give them coverage up the wazoo. Every conceivable angle. Camera platforms on the bike forward and backwards. (See BMX BANDITS) And so on. Once you get into detail, you find, more and more, you have to show cause and effect. Your shots have to reveal the “Why” of things. Like why was the big rig driver distracted and failed to see the cop car coming before he turned? A cell phone argument with his ex-wife? An invasion of killer bees? Or zombies…Now, you’re talking. (Personal clue. “The nature of Monkey was irrepressible.”) Anyway, this is the smotherage approach. Both could be equally impactful in different ways. Which do you favor? I am about to start the “where to use the wide shot?” debate with myself as I start editing ARCTIC BLAST next week.
This clip was sent to me by my son Eric. (You saw him at the end of the BMX Mall chase sequence getting hooked on bikes.) Forgive a moment of parental pride. Film and Family are my equal passions. I greatly admire Eric’s commitment to a green economy. To interested customers at Wheel World in Culver City, to which he bikes 9 miles each day, he advocates replacing the car with the bike for short journeys. Good for your cardio vascular, good for your savings, good for the environment. Last week, two customers felt motivated to post nice reviews of their shopping experience on line at YELP.COM. Here’s one.
“Wheel World Is A Spinning Sensation!!!
So I’ve never felt compelled to ever right a review for a business before (nor for that matter, ever engage myself in so shamelessly cheesy and rather embarrassing phrasing that is that above tagline) and never thought I ever would. However, that being said, I’d never been as impressed with service than I was today and just have to give a shout-out, so here it is:
I walked my sad little flat bike into Wheel World today to get a tube for the rear tire. And right away, I became more blown away than my tire with the WW crew! … Namely a super-bright cyclin’-savvy associate named Eric. He not only led me to what i needed for the repair, but he went out and fixed it all up for me, thoroughly and enthusiastically showing me every step along the way. It was like a crash-course in biking by what can only appear to be the Yoda of cycling himself! I mean, this guy really knows his stuff - giving me tips on biking, safety, repairs, and tons more useful details. And even more so appealing than his down-right geniusness, he was so passionate about it. It’s so refreshing to go into a business and not only get beyond-belief customer care, but encounter someone who is not only an expert, but really and trully loves and cares about their field.
Prior to today, I was the cycler that was counting the days till I could afford a car and chuck the bike (even fantasizing about how it would feel to back over the thing seven or eight times in a gleeful psychotic rage prior to setting it ablaze in a massive fire). Now I gotta say, if bike-people are marginally close to being half as cool as Eric, I just may take it up as a hobby and forget the car. Hey, I’ll save a bit of the ozone and get some exercise while I’m at it. … Hmm maybe that’s why they’re so chill … the endorphins or something?…
So in closing - two wheels up to Wheel World (and esp my guy Eric!)!! And a call to all you bike people, and even the bike haters out on the congested freeway spitting out emissions as we speak (formerly yours truly). Get out to Wheel World and on the road as a part of what I’m calling the “out-with-four-on-w/-two-wheel” revolution!
A genuine statement of thanks, not a plant. It’s the sort of thing that gives me hope for the future of my son’s generation as they face the increasing problems of our planet. I am lucky enough to feel passionate about what I do. I hope everyone can find something to be passionate about in what they do. That’s not easy in the sales and service industries in which so many people work to satisfy an often disgruntled and impatient public. The key is always to seek out the positive in the experience, magnify it, disregard the negative as much as possible. And recognize the essential nobility of service even when it’s not appreciated. I try to apply those principles to the film making process. So to all those at the lower end of the pay scale: the PAs and ADs, the camera dudes, grips and electrics, locations, set dec, make up and hair, catering and craft service, and so on - thank you for working so hard to make ARCTIC BLAST such a successful shoot.
Tags: , Movie Theatre, Movie, Film, Movie Bloggers
The Standby Painter - Mr. Van Sant, May I Call You ‘Gus’?
September 28, 2009
It looks like Gus Van Sant is really and truly going to make his latest film happen up here in Oregon. I had planned to interview a friend of mine, Jerry Alden Deal, about his progress with completing his “totally independent digital feature film”, Dreams Awake, which we filmed during …
Tags: Movie Bloggers, Oscars, Movie, Movie, Filmmaking
The Storyboard Artist - BACK SO SOON?
September 23, 2009
Well, in the last month I have been working with my buddy, Erik White on his first feature film, THE LOTTERY TICKET. I’ve gotten a few very needed weeks of work.
This year has been extremely up and down with HUGE valleys of no work at all.
Most of my work has been long distance. Erik will come back to LA from Atlanta, where the film is being prepped, and we’ll go over a scene at his place or a Starbucks.
Then, I go home and do a quick sketch.
My work on this show has only been sketchy, as they have a limited budget and have a number of extended scenes Erik would like boarded.
It took a week for me to stop being anal and to loosen up the storyboards. Being neat and fine can work against SPEED.
I found just the right “brush” in my Storyboard Pro program that made the drawings a LOT faster. This “brush” has the thick and thin feel of an actually brush, so I was much more relaxed while drawing.
My work wraps in a few days and I need to get a long term feature.
My mind has been on work, money and writing. Not blogging. Sorry folks.
Tags: Television, Director, Film, Actor, Movie
The Casting Director - What about the Children?
September 23, 2009
So, I am (was, who knows!) casting a film that is supposed to shoot in Iowa on October 19th . However, the Governor of Iowa has suspended the tax credit program to films being shoot in Iowa:
“Last week, allegations of misconduct emerged surrounding the tax credits. Those allegations include the purchase of luxury vehicles that were not associated with film production; filmmakers claiming payments for themselves for multiple jobs; poor record keeping; contracts that were changed to increase tax credits sought after they had already gone through an approval process; and reliance on vendors from outside Iowa.
The allegations have led to resignations from the top two officials at the Iowa Department of Economic Development and the firing of Wheeler, who was running the tax credit program almost single-handedly. Culver also suspended the tax credits while an investigation takes place.” (http://iowaindependent.com/20038/with-or-without-abuse-value-of-iowa-film-incentives-difficult-to-measure)
The suspension of the tax credits is still in effect, keeping in limbo several productions from starting pre-production. In our case, actors have been offered roles and are negotiating to be in the films. Week’s worth of casting work is now in jeopardy and the livelihoods of hundreds of potential crew in Iowa is in limbo.
Insert me…wanting a cocktail right about now…
Last night I saw Annette Bening in “Medea” at UCLA/Live. I really, really, really wanted to be enthralled and engaged in her performance. I have seen Diana Rigg and Fiona Shaw in this role in the past and it truly is one of the great roles in the theater for any actress to play. The audience appreciated the production with a standing ovation at the end and I think that if you have never seen “Medea,” this version would be interesting to experience. Ms. Bening has certainly become the “Grande Dame” of the Los Angeles theater scene, which is great, because L.A certainly needs a theater diva, and after all, it lights a fire of excitement in L.A to have someone like her getting audiences to go to the theater. I hope she continues to inspire more productions…we do have some great actors in L.A!
Tags: Television, Actor, Director, Movie, Movie
The Production Manager - A Better Tomorrow
September 21, 2009
The other day I asked, what’s all the brouhaha about Leno? And one of you kind people out there was kind enough to answer.
It seems that because NBC have replaced 5 hours usually reserved for scripted shows with a cheaper format, all the people who would have worked on the 5 different shows are now out of work. There are those who might point out that it means job security and consistent work for the people who do work on Leno or that relocating Conan brought more jobs to the west coast while putting East coasters out of work and that changing from scripted to reality has already pushed a whole lot of people out of work already. These are all true points but not really relevant right now.
The sad truth is that it looks as though there will be a lot less work available in broadcasting in the future, so what is going to happen to those who don’t make the cut? By rights it should be that the best workers remain in work while those who are differently able are cut out. The truth is more likely to be that those who are best connected and those who are able to turn in projects on miniscule budgets are going to make the cut while everyone else, talented and deserving or not will be pushed out.
It can be very hard to consider giving up on production but it is starting to look more and more like ‘an expensive hobby’ as unemployed television freelancers now refer to their once glittering careers. A producer I know back home who has filmed the world over twice, is now 4 months out of work with nothing on the horizon.
On the reality front, it’s not all doom and gloom. Just last night I was at a wedding between two industry people and met a producer who is still moving from job to job without a breath between them (oh how I remember those days), while her editor boyfriend goes from MTV to RDF to Granada and beyond. So people out there are still gainfully employed and PAs I hear are in hot demand. But there don’t seem to be very many jobs for reality Production Managers and Line Producers at the moment.
While reality producers are still very much in demand, the support staff is considered more of a luxury. This is evidenced by a job I saw advertised online this week for a production coordinator to pull together 7 days of filming in LA and Chicago managing both locations in person. That’s pretty much insane. You can see already that this poor coordinator will be on location in one place, spend their entire time setting up the next shoot, arrive to the second location exhausted and work 7 straight days with no over time and what will overall amount to less than a minimum hourly wage, once the number of hours worked are factored in.
That really does seem to be the future – and the reality for some – of working in television. I am used to doubling up or tripling up on shows and know how wearing the pressure and stress of managing every little detail of up to 40 or 50 episodes or web clips at a time can be on a production manager.
That’s why I’m waiting to see what happens in the next couple of months with production. While I’d be sad to give it up, the thought of running myself into the ground covering multiple productions, without a coordinator and taking on way too much in a bid to save a couple of thousand dollars is worse. If that sounds far fetched I’ve actually experienced this, overseeing two multi episodic shows shooting across the country requiring extensive travel without a coordinator for either show not to mention overseeing post at the same time.
There was a (more sensible) time when you would have had two coordinators, two PMs and two weeks to shoot a bi-state shoot. A coordinator in each place to oversee the shoot, organize the details and be on hand to manage the PAs, keep the schedule on track, dole out the cash, collect the clearances and make sure the projects are fully permitted when the police come to pay the set a visit.
It’s very easy to over look the role of the Production Manager and coordinators but this is a false economy. Not only are we masters of logistics and research, able to source whatever the production needs at a moment’s notice usually in the middle of nowhere. We keep the projects on budget and there has never been a more pertinent time for that particular skill to be put to good use. We’re also masters of the legal minefield of broadcasting compliance, the last line of defense between a production company and a law suit.
Very recently the Alexa Chung show on MTV in the US was pulled from airing in the UK on the day of transmission from airing due to ‘clearance issues’. And every PM in the land rolled their eyes.
Fortunately I’ve been asked to teach a class on the production office to a group of young hopeful PA’s. It feels good knowing I can instill some of the basics while they’re still at the impressionable stage.
Maybe one day in the future a PM won’t have to pull a program out of the online because someone neglected to get a signed appearance release from the interviewee filmed standing next to a Star Wars poster with Nirvana playing in the background… Well a Production Manager can dream can’t they?
Tags: Filmmaker, Movie Bloggers, Filmmaking, Actor, Movie Theatre
The Manager - Let’s Get Visual: Getting Creative to Sell Your Script
September 19, 2009
If you are reading the “trades” or deadlinehollywood.com you will see that the recession isn’t quite over for studios. Because yes, while movie attendance is up, studios are still taking the stance that they don’t have money and might never have money again. In fact, Universal said today that the studio is out of money this year to fund development.
But there will always be money for great material - in fact, I just sold a script to a buyer - you just have to get more creative with how you excite people about your project and help give them the motivation to buy it.
How did I sell the script in this climate? Here is my secret:
Get visual! Today is the age of immediate gratification and executives want to see exactly what it is they are buying. Help them! Be creative and give them something visual that will get them excited about your project.
I almost always provide a visual aid to go with whatever project I am selling. Sometimes it is simply a visual aid with pictures and graphs of movies that have done well in that genre. Sometimes it is a sample poster.
Sometimes it is a page depicting possible merchandising opportunities for the project. Sometimes it is character and scene sketches. For an animation project, I will often have my clients put together a 30-second clip.
Whatever the project is, I always try to pair a visual presentation with it because this gives buyers something to look at.
For the script I just sold I put together a packet of graphs, posters and merchandising opportunities and this got everyone excited — enough so that they bought the project and are looking towards a spring shoot.
So get visual to help sell your project!
Tags: Movie Bloggers, Film Industry, Filmmaking, Movie,
The Hollywood Career Coach - WHAT WILL YOU ACCOMPLISH BEFORE THE NEXT STRIKE?
September 17, 2009
IT’S GETTING WEIRD IN HERE
There’s never been a weirder time in the entertainment industry than the past 2 years. I’m not going to recount it here, if you’re reading these words you know.
But I’ve been hearing two different trains of thought among aspiring and seasoned professionals.
HELLO, GOODBYE
One group says “I’m moving out of Los Angeles because nothing’s been happening for me the past few years.”
But other group is saying “I’ve got another 18 months before the next strike starts. Now’s the time to make an extra effort to accelerate my career before the industry slows down again.”
Of course, there’s no guarantee that there will be a strike, and no guarantee that things won’t get somehow get worse in the next few months.
BUT HERE’S MY PREDICTION
The Film and TV industries will continue to make and sell product and some breakthrough hits will revitalize production and distribution.
TV production will somehow survive, possibly thrive and certainly reinvent itself and features will be rejuvenated by a new generation of indies. (Filmmakers and financing entities.)
So each of us will have to access different parts of our skill set to address different needs of the market and different ways to make a living to make different projects for different audiences that will be seen and promoted in different ways.
BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT
The question is: What’s YOUR plan?
What’s your project?
What career changing product, plan or strategy will you put into play in the next 6 months that will elevate you to where you want to be when the tide rises and all ships rise in the next 18 months?
I’M SERIOUS
Starting thinking or talking about it. Get in a group, talk to like-minded creative people, book a session with me. Whatever. Get started. Now.
Be bold. Be inventive. Be creative. Be ambitious and fiscally responsible.
Word a little harder. Work a lot differently. Get better organized. Access your intuition? Dream more. Sleep and exercise more. Say yes to the things that get you excited. Say no to the people and projects that make you miserable.
DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY
Read some different magazines. Revive a lost project.
Brainstorm new ideas with new people.
Work with a partner if you’re used to working alone. Work alone of you’re used to working with a partner. Do both if you’re used to doing one.
Go to a financing workshop. Go to a dream workshop.
Get a stupid day job. Quit your stupid day job. Join a men’s group or a women’s
group. Find a community. Create a tribe.
DECAF? HI-TEST?
Drink stronger coffee. Change to decaf. Go to an accupuncturist. Go to Acapulco. Travel where they speak with an accent.
Sell your car. Decorate your bike. Ride the bus. Talk to a stranger at a coffee shop. Go to burning man. (OK, next year.)
THE HORROR
Watch 15 horror movies in 10 days. Write a romantic comedy in 21 days. Design an iPhone app in 5 days.
See a Broadway show and adapt it as a web series.
Ask a family member about their past. Tell a friend about your future.
Make up an insane plan to transform your career, Hollywood and the world in the next 18 months.
Watch it happen in your mind’s eye. Then figure out the first step.
And I’m not just a remote observer of this moment in time.
I’ve got my own big 18 month plan too. I’m living the same program. You’ll hear about it when it’s time.
BUT THE CHALLENGE IS ON
Bold move or Die. (Professionally that is.)
Let me know your project and your plan.
-db
——-
SEPT SCHMOOZE AND MEET-UP:
“MEETUP” - 9/22 - 7:00 PM
I’ve been experimenting with a new from of schmooze this summer, almost by accident.
I’m doing a two-hour facilitated career strategy event. I’ll facilitate a small group (10 max) of entertainment industry professionals to define their current goals, share and react to current opportunities and then commit to a new action to get you there.
The old schmooze format was freewheeling and you could show up and leave at at any time. The “meet up” is designed for you to show up at 7:00 PM and stay engaged till 9:00.
You must RSVP on the Meet Up Site and pay a $20 fee in advance. There are a few spots open at the moment. GO HERE to RSVP.
http://www.meetup.com/Hollywood-Job-Hunt-and-Networking-Group/
OLD SCHOOL SCHMOOZE - 9/29
No RSVP. Come when you can. Trust the forces of randomness and synchronicity. Meet cool creative professionals. Be pleasantly surprised.
SCHMOOZE:
Please join me at my schmooze/hang/networking event. It’s my way of connecting my clients, friends and other interested professionals working in the creative industries and to meet up and chill out.
DATE/TIME - Wednesday Sept 30th - 7:00 - 9:00 pm.
LOCATION: The Literati Café in Brentwood.
12081 Wilshire Blvd (At Bundy) Parking available in the back. (310.231.7484)
Directions/Map here: http://www.literaticafe.com/directions.php
SOCIAL NETWORKING?
Find me online at:
Linked In:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrownstein
http://www.facebook.com/davidbrownstein
http://twitter.com/hollywoodcoach
http://www.hollywoodcoaching.com
http://www.meetup.com/Hollywood-Job-Hunt-and-Networking-Group/
and the Original Literati Schmooze on 9/30.
It’s not for everyone, but I’m helping first time Showrunners and TV producers get their team running smoothly. Check this link for more. http://hollywoodcoaching.com/newshowrunner.html
Here’s what Jeff Davis (Creator/Executive Producer of Criminal Minds) said:
“I found myself going from writing scripts in a coffee shop one day to producing a television show in the blink of an eye,” he said.
He described the difference as “working with 100 people, finding myself swamped with questions and having to become a leader when you’ve hardly been doing it on your own.”
“With a rare capacity to unearth the roots of problems both professional and personal, David helps you devise a battle plan for your life”
Tags: Film Blog, Oscars, Movie, Television, Movie
The Standby Painter - On Location, or, It’s Beautiful in Hell
September 16, 2009
“On location” means different things to different people. If you have a family and a sweet little nest back home, being on location is a necessary evil, one you have to suffer through, sneaking back home on long weekends or flying your loved ones or significant other out to be …
Tags: Film Industry, Movie, Film, Actor, Movie Bloggers
The Production Manager - Good advice is rare
September 15, 2009
Can someone please explain to me the brouhaha about Jay Leno moving from 11.30 to 10pm. I understand this is a change but is programming so centered around ratings that a change in protocol incites editorial after editorial (this one included)?
In response to the recession and challenges of the job market I am moving in two different but oddly complimentary directions.
The first is a move necessitated by circumstance, towards short form projects that seem to be a bit more accessible and a refreshing change from multi part series.
After the 3 days shoot the week before last I’ve spent the last few days bidding for a promo shoot for a well known cable provider. It’s an extremely undemanding shoot – compared to working in reality anyhow – with extremely lucrative rewards and totally worth my while considering it’s a one camera one location 4 hour shoot that takes about a day or two to set up.
At the same time I’m getting into or trying to move into community oriented documentary production. It’s an area crying out for investment of time from media professionals with a conscience. And you wouldn’t believe how many organizations there are dedicated to telling local community stories and teaching young kids how to tell their own stories. It’s a satisfying but financially unrewarding field.
When I first started out and will still trying to ‘make it’ in production, an established BBC chap took pity on my begging emails for advice and offered me what turned out to be the truest piece of advice I ever got in all my time in media. He told me entertainment is financially lucrative but soulless, drama is also lucrative but challenging and slow, documentary is rewarding but not financially. He then told me to pick one and follow it.
It was good advice although I have dabbled in each of these fields and it turns out he was absolutely correct about each of them. Goodness knows what he’d say about reality (please drop off your personal life at the door).
Tags: Filmmaker, Film Industry, Actor, Film, Movie Theatre
The Manager - Help Yourself and Others by Writing the Best Screenplay Ever
September 11, 2009
The following Village Voice article by Josh Olson (screenwriter of Academy Award nominee A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE) has been making the rounds among Hollywood.
If you haven’t read it, click on the link and read it before you go on reading my blog post:
http://tinyurl.com/m8a5u
And while the article is pretty harsh I do understand his point. EVERYONE in the world wants to be a screenwriter. No really. I have traveled all over the world and no matter where I am or who I am talking with — people all have a great story that they swear would be an amazing movie.
True story: My business partner and I were staying at a friend’s apartment in New York. And after a week we were on a friendly nod basis with the night doorman. Somehow he found out that we repped writers, and lo and behold he sent us his script — something about an Estonian kidnapping (or some other Slavic country).
This brings me to my point: As managers our time is our most valuable resource. There are only so many hours in the day, and with 25 clients …. there is very little free time.
Or think about it this way: I have to read all the scripts my clients send me, plus the scripts that are sent to them for their writing and directing consideration, plus scripts from all my friends who have possible clients for me.
If you saw the stacks and stacks of scripts next to my bed you would understand why it’s very hard to read scripts from people I don’t know. However, sometimes I will agree to read a script from someone who I have just met.
But do yourself a favor — MAKE IT THE BEST SCRIPT EVER. Take the time to really give yourself the best shot. Have your friends read it and give you notes. And when they are satisfied with it, take it to a professional reader to get it an unbiased opinion.
Your script can always improve, and if you are going to give it to someone who works in the industry, first make sure it is up to professional standards.
Because not only are you hurting yourself, but you are hurting the next person. I promise you, if the treatment Josh Olson read was AMAZING, he would be more inclined to read the next person’s treatment. Instead, he is now not going to read anyone’s.
Which is exactly why we have a strict submission policy that scripts have to get covered first by the coverage service we know and trust. And if a script gets a recommend, the coverage services will pass it on to me. But if the script doesn’t get a recommend, I have saved myself valuable time by not reading a bad script.
If you want to be a working writer in Hollywood and are going to ask someone to read your script, it is your job to make it the best possible script in the world.
Tags: Filmmaker, Oscars, Film, Actor, Movie
