Producin

As the producer, I want to be able to get whatever needs Josh would want for his vision for our music video.  The song we have the rights to is “Midnight Worker” by Chance’s End, and our initial location was the Burney Center; however, that location didn’t work out because it really didn’t satisfy the look we were going for.  Another plan of attack is to hopefully rent out a classroom and/or film at the abandoned meat-packing factory in Leland.  Also, I’ve provided the video with the appropriate talent.  The budget for the video is also something that is my responsibility; however, we unfortunately have no budget for this film.  I really want this video to turn out well so making sure everyone is on the same page is key.

            That being said, communication in our group is lacking. We all need to work on expressing what we need or what is going on.  Right off the bat, not all of us were on the same page in regards to what the final video should look like.  Also, the specific job titles have become muddled in some areas.  In order for this shoot to run smoothly, everyone needs to be able to know their positions and act accordingly.  The downside of school projects is that you can’t pick your crew nor fire anyone… which is just another learning exercise through the assignment.

            From this point, I need to focus on getting another location ASAP.  Also, I need to come up with a new shooting schedule that works with everyone’s schedule as best as possible.  I want to make sure things go smoothly from here on out. 

Art Houses and Microcinemas

The art house article was pretty interesting. Film festivals are the new art houses for the most part. I think it would be super fun to go to an art house and see the way it functions. Also, pointing out the differences in art houses, festivals, and traditional movie theaters would be a good interest too.  I like that each art house had its own “vibe” and experience. That makes them each very personal and quirky. However, I feel like this could make them less appealing to bigger audiences.  Are they cutting back their demographic? Perhaps… but I think that this is bringing in the audience or demographic that they really want there.  

Film Community-ity-ity

I have definitely come to realize the pattern of film as a community through out the presentations. I feel like almost everyone has been like “oh yeah, he/she was good friends with my guy…” when a new presenter first addresses his or her subject.  This just goes to show how important it is to be a part of the film community and network, make friends, and be a good contributor to film.  The point is the bounce ideas back and forth, to have a sense of community, and to utilize other filmmakers and friends for areas that you might not have as much experience or pull.  I think it is part of a good filmmaker’s job to think laterally. Ok, maybe I can’t do everything for myself, but I do know people that would be perfect for these jobs. Let’s call them.  It is the idea of the whole “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” concept. It’s a great tool to utilize. Overall, it is just exciting to think about becoming and being part of this system that is also something that you love to do.  This film based arena that we’re getting into is not just a job but something that we all love to do (hopefully).  That being said, it’s exciting to think about working with tons of different people, making contacts, utilizing those contacts or vice versa, and basically building the connectivity in the film industry. The people that we’ve learned about so far have for the most part been in it for the love of it, not the money or to be snotty. I’m sure they enjoyed being part of this film based ecosystem and tried to build it as much as possible.

Film Shooting Experiences

            First off, I’d like to say that I really enjoy shooting on film.  I always have.  This assignment is really fun because you can shoot whatever you want as well as get to see the differences in f-stops on the same picture.  One thing that stuck with me from this project is a conversation between Whitney and me.  We were going to shoot the reality shots, and I kept suggesting to take nature shots.  Whitney was the one to suggest the road and other manmade items.  This stuck with me because as simple as it sounds, my mind was geared to think, “ok…reality: nature” when actually manmade things can be just as beautiful and interesting.  The idea of viewing things as new and outside of their normal world or occupation is a practice that I’d like to always continue to work on. That being said, I really like the picture Jessica took of the fire hydrant in the midst of a tree infested background. The mix of nature and industrial is super interesting, especially since both items featured in the picture have the same shape. The juxtaposition of it catches your eye while giving you a new perspective on the positioning of the fire hydrant. It’s almost surreal.