I just think this is important to see because most of the time, they try to keep it away from us.

If you can't read it go here.

Note that this is almost 9 years old but still is the top hit if you want to check out this kind of information. What do you suppose they're doing behind all those closed doors?

There has been a silence on all things criticizing the big media corporations, those who control information and our access to it. I know it's off topic, but it needs some attention.

Here's an interesting article from 1997. 1997!

Ok, and a more recent article that will blow your mind. Did you know all of this stuff?

For those of you yet to be introduced to the phenomenon:

EARTH

What began on Discovery as Planet Earth has become a feature film event. I haven't yet seen the film, but the series was mind-blowing and it looks like their going to use some of the same footage.

If you haven't heard anything about it yet, I beg you, please go see it. I wish it wasn't being produced by Disney, but I think it's important nonetheless.

We take for granted the rest of the beings on this planet, especially now that we've isolated ourselves inside the world of the web.

Go outside, play in the sun, pet a dog and check out this film.

You know there's nothing good on TV anyway!

Some of the work people are doing at this school is amazing.

I've had the benefit of being in the editing labs at UNC for the past couple of weeks, investing myself in cutting our 16 mm film which I was Co-DP (Director of Photography). Being up there, I've been exposed to a large body of student films that range from "what the hell" to "holy shit" on the cool-o-meter.

This time in our lives in when we really get to do creative things because they are coming from within us, not because someone is telling us to do them. I'm really looking forward to what the future holds for our generation.

Hopefully (HOPE being the key word of our times), we can change the system. I've heard a good bit of talk about a revolution happening soon and I can't wait to be a part of it.

Things are no doubt crumbling to the ground around us. If there's someone responsible, it can only be the system. We can say human error has brought us to this point (greed, specifically), but the system perpetuates that human error and makes it desirable and easily accessible.

I'm not just talking about film now, but about everything. If, as a unified generation, we can refuse to compromise, things will have to change.

Oh, let me get off my soapbox, sorry.

What kind of films do you like?

Is it pretentious of me to call them films?

Can films actually change the world or am I blind?

Am I crazy for trying to enter a world that epitomizes nearly everything I think is wrong with the world?

Key question: Am I crazy?

These are the sorts of questions that bother me when I'm lying in bed trying to sleep. If there's anyone out there who knows the answer, I figure the internet is the best place to reach them.

My friend Taylor recently did a film project on Deus ex Machina and how we might've created it/him/her within the web.

So, here's my call. Let's see if it works.

David Lynch has this idea that ideas are like fish.

You can check out the video to see what he means, but if it doesn't quite make things clear for you, let me see what I can do.

Lynch has directed some of my favorite films, so I developed an interest in him a while back.

He is deeply into Transcendental Meditation and claims to be able to open his mind to his imagination at any time through the process. The mind, he claims, is like an ocean full of thought where things swim by without your control. The ideas are there, you just have to reach out and grab them.

Some people might just write him off as a loony, but I myself have a deep passion invested in investigating that "ocean".

If you watch Lynch's films, you get a look inside his mind. Anyone who can do what he does must be on to something.

For those experimental film fans - check out Inland Empire, it'll blow you away.

I've got great respect for Tarantino. He does what I dream of doing - writing and directing his own films.

Not many people get to do that, but because of his determination and talent, he opened the door for himself. Others like that are The Coen Brothers and... well the rest are slipping my mind. But that just tells you how few and far between these people are.

Those that find success succeed not only commercially but artistically as well, a feat that inspires me daily.

So anyway, to the point, here's an interview with Tarantino about writing. He's a pretty interesting cat.

For those too busy to check out the whole thing, here's a snippet to bait you into it:

How did Kill Bill originate?

It's coming from, in it's basic form, all of these different revenge genre movies that I was jumping off from. The Bride could easily be this cowboy character from this spaghetti western. She could easily by Angela Mao character Deep Thrust or Broken Oath. There's two characters that Japanese actress Meiko Kaji played. One was a character named Scorpion. She did about four movies with that, and she did a great revenge samurai movie called Lady Snowblood. She could be that character. You could keep going down the whole list, but she falls in that whole long line of hell bent for revenge characters.

How much did you revisit these movies when you were writing?

Well, they had a tremendous amount of influence because I own all of those movies. Not these beautiful, Technicolor restoration prints, but like, my seventh generation bootlegs from New York's 42nd Chamber of Shao Lin in Time Square. That's where I had them all, and when I was writing this movie, I had the fortunate fun of being able to watch at least one Shaw Brothers movie a day, if not three, and the reason I was doing it is that I wanted to immerse myself so much in that style of filmmaking so that the things that they did would be second nature to me. It would be my style of filmmaking as far as this movie was concerned. I wouldn't have to think about it. I wouldn't have to be self conscious about it. I would've just known exactly how they woulddone it and I would decide do I want to do that too? Get that comfortable with the zoom because no one does zooms anymore, not like that. I wanted to get that comfortable with it and it worked so well that, to me, during that entire year, the movies that were coming out of Hollywood were like these weird artistic, fringe movies. I was like someone who lived in Hong Kong in the ‘70's. When you thought of movies, you thought of Kung Fu movies. The Shaw Brothers, the Shaw Scope Logo and then, the Feature Presentation thing which I grew up watching, I always hear that tune before a movie starts. That just lets you know right away where I'm coming from and just sit back and have a good time and know from whence this came.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE!!!

I love films that explore the imagination. I just stumbled across this today and am excited beyond belief.

Tell me you grew up with this book too.

I am personally convinced that this man is the greatest actor of our time.

Now I know this is a popular opinion, but I think that many of those that claim it don't understand the full extent of his talent.

If you don't know much about Daniel Day Lewis, check THIS out.

Can't seem to find reality anywhere.

I had a conversation with a Documentarian the other day about an idea to make fictional stories have more weight... you know, like REALITY.

This all stems from my Full Frame experience, which I've gotta tell you, was rather life changing.

We came up with the idea of mixing our two genres, perhaps by using footage from reality to tell "Hollywood" type tales. Not that I want to tell those types of stories. It was just a conversation.

But then, freakily, Walt Disney comes up. The man himself.

When you go back and watch Bambi, notice the attention to realism. Then watch Planet Earth and see the personalities that each individual animal has.

Now go and check out Disney's Animal Stories.

Can't say I knew the man, but I don't get good impressions about him. That being said - what an ingenious idea!

I then turned to my Documentarian friend and offered a suggestion, "isn't that what narrative filmmaking is?"

To this he replies: "No"

After some thought, I agreed. Hollywood stories are lies - for the most part.

But a film I saw at the Festival: Carmen Meets Borat, was not. But it played out like it was written. That film has inspired me to work with reality.

Though don't get me wrong, I still think fiction is a good way to write to a "message", but however effective it may be, it can't hold a candle to reality.

I'm a hypocrite though. My next project is Sci-fi.

Check this breakdown out (Spec script sales in 2008).  

What do  you suppose that means?

According to various sources, there have been 23 spec script sales so far this year.

A spec script is what every writer dreams of selling.

It short for, as you might've guessed, a speculative screenplay.  This means an original concept, original story, original script.  For example, Juno.

The reason this is a big deal (besides the crazy amount of money the screenwriter makes), is that these purchases are examples of studios taking risks.  While they might be similar to old material, they are still original ideas, not Terminator 4.

The more specs that are sold in any given year, the more power the artist has.  Last year, 88 were sold.  So, for 3 1/2 months into 2009, 23 isn't that bad of a figure.  

Keep in mind that this doesn't mean they will all be produced - that's another matter entirely. 

Hopefully these numbers will continue to go up.  Fingers crossed!

Peace. 

THE AMERICAN INDEPENDENT (CINEMA)

Film eras move in decades. It usually goes something like this - artists in control, studios in control, artists in control, studios in control. Why?

Well, it's a pretty simple dynamic. People get fed up with drama-rom-coms and demand new, more innovative material. This puts the power back in the hands of the filmmaker.

This new and inventive material then becomes profitable because, you know, it's good, and studios jump on the chance to finance it. It then goes capitalist, spouting things like "if it's worked before, let it work again," and the artist gets squashed (or forced to make films like Indiana Jones IV).

People, who are a damn sight smarter than Disney thinks they are, get tired of this again and the cycle repeats.

Believe it or not, those guys we blame for the "blockbuster" era (it started with Jaws) were actually independent filmmakers at one time. They flourished in one of those "artists in control" periods but eventually fell victim to the big 'ol $.

However: hope!

I believe we are currently in a state of flux, where power is changing hands. And in the digital age, I think we might just be able to hold on! It is up to 'we, the people,' to 'have it our way'.

I encourage you (and myself, damn it) to be an active member in the community, film or otherwise. Get your voice heard.

Let's be independent again!

Peace.

A little pot humor for all those fans out there.  Not only is this impressive technically, but it nails what this "spoof" film would look like.  I almost want them to make it now!

It's Full Frame Folks!

This weekend, I had the extraordinary pleasure of watching brand spankin' new documentaries in Durham, NC.

I'll tell you what, it was a rollercoaster.

Literally, 3 films on thursday, 4 on friday, 6 on saturday and 4 on sunday. Whew!

Documentary filmmaking has opened my eyes to the possibilities of film. This is probably somewhat excited by the high I'm feeling right now from watching so many, but I don't think my enthusiasm is anywhere near decay.

I saw things that shocked me, surprised me, moved me and made me roll with laughter - and it was all REAL.

As a narrative film enthusiast, you might only imagine what a shock to my system this was. Not that I didn't understand the power of the Doc - I'd just never been exposed to them in this way before.

Here's a list of what will (or most definitely SHOULD) blow up.

The Cove

Burma VJ

The Yes Men Fix The World

and my personal favorite, though you can't find much info about it - Carmen Meets Borat

I believe that The Cove will be this years An Inconvenient Truth, except it's better. Much better.

If you're down with awareness, give these films a look.

Peace.