A Moon Brothers Film...

Interconnectedness of Story World

2012-01-18T19:53:00.000-05:00

A movie is first and foremost a story. While real life is not known for always making sense, it's different for movies. The viewer expects a movie to make sense... For everything in the story to make sense within the framework of the story.

So, good movies try to keep this in mind... There is an interconnectedness of the story world.

Everything from props to setting to costume to plot. They all there to augment story. Let's take for our example the movie Strangers on a Train (1951).

The movie revolves around a murder plot. When you first meet the murder victim, we see her wearing glasses. Now, she's not your stereotypical bookish librarian by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, she's portrayed as just the opposite. Which makes the choice of having her wear thick glasses seem odd.

But it's no mistake. Those glasses play their own part in the story. First as a tool of the filmmaker in showing the murder (see photo); but later also -- and more importantly -- in the party scene (won't give the story away here; watch the movie).

So, when a script is still in the writing stage, the screenwriter must keep all these details in mind. One change can very well affect the rest of the movie. Change a plot point on page 10 and you may have a problem on page 79. (Get rid of those glasses, and you have to fix the later scenes.)

The fictional world of the story must be internally consistent. A plot hole could very well break the spell of the story.

Film Course Coming to Niagara Falls

2012-01-12T13:02:00.000-05:00

Some Quick Facts at a Glance:
-- a 7-week seminar -- February 6 to March 19, 2012
-- Monday evenings, beginning at 6 pm (3 hour class)
-- Will present a comprehensive theoretical overview of the filmmaking process
-- Course Objective: to provide a foundational sense of how filmmaking positions function and interact with each other
-- Topics include: The History of Film, Production, Pre-Production, the Creative Process, the Visual Cinematographic and the Audio sound-scape component of filmmaking, finally Post-Production the art of editing, distribution, etc.
-- at Transitions College in Niagara Falls, Ontario

To register, call Transitions College

905-358-7760

TRANSITIONS COLLEGE
of Business & Career Studies -- Niagara Falls Campus
4635 Queen Street, Niagara Falls, Ontario
http://www.transitionscollege.ca

Can't view the video above? Go to our youtube channel: http://youtu.be/c8yU4D75eYI

From Flop to Christmas Classic

2011-12-21T11:16:00.036-05:00

You'll be hard-pressed to find a Christmas Top Ten movie list without It's a Wonderful Life on it.

However, when It's a Wonderful Life first came out in the theatres in 1946, it didn't do very well at the box office. (Okay, it wasn't really what you'd call a flop. It did make over $3 million, but that was not enough to recoup what it cost to make the movie.)

Blame it on the Christmas weather (it was released on Dec 20th). Blame on the people who thought it was "too dark" for a Christmas movie (the movie does open with an attempted suicide).

It's one of those films that would have been lost in some film vault.

Except for one thing.

The film fell into the public domain. Television picked it up and played it every Christmas season in the 1970s and 80s...

Making the movie a Christmas classic.

Ray Bradbury's Interpretation

2011-12-14T14:11:00.000-05:00

When it comes to storytelling, everybody's an expert.

That's what author Ray Bradbury found out. And he didn't particularly like it when others began telling him what his stories meant. Or what they should mean...

The occasion was an assembly at UCLA where Bradbury was asked to speak. When the students began to insist that his book, the famed Fahrenheit 451, is about government censorship, Bradbury just got up and walked out.

Anyone in creative work deals with interpretation. What does the shark represent in Jaws? What about the feather in Forrest Gump? Or the fact that To Kill a Mockingbird was filmed in black and white?

Bradbury's reaction to those students was basically to dismiss the reader's interpretation. (Or at least dismiss such interpretations when the readers are so egotistical to insist to the author's face what the author meant, when said author denies trying to convey that message.)

The question is, can someone get something out of a movie that the filmmaker didn't intend? Well, it's done all the time. Probably because different things don't always mean the same to everybody. Director Spike Lee is often quoted as saying: "A lot of times you get credit for stuff in your movies you didn't intend to be there."

That just the way things are.

[Photo by pcorreia]

Plot Holes and the Icebox Syndrome

2011-12-07T18:02:00.000-05:00

Ever heard of the Icebox Syndrome?

Alfred Hitchcock talked about it in this way: It has to do when a movie has a plot hole. In other words, something in the plot doesn't really make sense.

Here's how Hitchcock explained it all:

"I leave [plot] holes in my films deliberately, so that the following scenario can take place in countless homes. The man of the house gets out of bed in the middle of the night, and goes down stairs and takes a chicken leg out of the icebox. His wife follows him down and asks what he's doing. 'You know,' he says, 'there's a hole in that film we saw tonight.' 'No there isn't' she says, and they fall to arguing. As a result of which they go to see it again."

This explanation is the filmmaker's dream, right? (That way, there's no need to worry about plot holes ever again!)

Of course, this tongue-in-cheek "Icebox Syndrome" was really just classic Hitchcock deflection of criticism toward his movies. But, if you think about it, every film has some sort of plot hole... Even if it's just part of the back story behind the movie being watched. These are information "holes" the audience has to fill in themselves. It's not necessarily a bad thing.

It's just that some holes are just bigger than others. The key is to make sure the plot holes that do exist don't detract too much from the movie. What Hitchcock had going for him is that, even with plot holes, people still enjoyed his movies.

Cartoons and Moviemaking

2011-11-30T14:32:00.000-05:00

Animated movies can be a great tool for filmmakers...

Here's what writer/director David Mamet says about it:

"Cartoons are very good to watch--are much better to watch, for people who want to direct, than movies... It wasn't any more expensive to draw it from a high angle or from a long angle. They didn't have to keep actors late to draw a hundred people rather than one person... Everything was based on imagination."

No, we aren't animators (at least we haven't tried tackling that yet.) But we'll agree that cartoons, animated movies, and graphic novels all prove to be great inspiration when it comes down to moviemaking.

[Photo by docpop]

No "Think" Gags

2011-11-23T11:26:00.003-05:00

Mack Sennett was the name behind those famous Keystone Cops. And in the early days of silent film, he was the undisputed king of comedy.

And Mack Sennett had one rule for his gag writers: No "think" gags allowed.

The explanation went something like this: When the audience is thinking, they can't be laughing. (Mack Sennett obviously did not believe in multitasking.)

The punchline of the joke has to be a gut reaction. And if you're being forced to think about it... you'll probably miss the joke. Which is the whole idea behind slapstick comedy. When you see that cream pie, you know that it's gonna end up in someone's face. And usually the face of someone serious, like the President of the United States, or the old lady librarian.

A young Frank Capra spent some of his early filmmaking days working for Sennett. In his autobiography, when he discussed this phase of his career, he pointed out a flip side that is also true: "When the audience is laughing, they can't be thinking."

A Funny Way to be Serious

2011-11-16T12:34:00.000-05:00

Film mogul, Sam Goldwyn, is often quoted as saying: "If you want to send a message, use Western Union."

Which basically is saying that movies have no other point than to entertain. And when most people think of a movie that is made for pure entertainment, they probably think of comedy, right?

Well, there does seem to be a plethora of comedies that would certainly fit nicely into this category.

However, for every proverb there is an anti-proverb; and every quote has an "anti-quote"... Actor Peter Ustinov is quoted as saying: "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious."

Ustinov has a point. You can deal with a serious or solemn topic in a comedy. (Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove comes to mind.)

But Goldwyn's point is that most people don't want to equate movies with sitting in a classroom. If there's an obvious "lesson to be learned", than they'd rather be somewhere else. On the other hand, there are people who want movies to be more than just plain fluff.

A good movie will work on various levels... Like the aforementioned Dr. Strangelove (1964). As a political satire, it's trying to make a point about the very serious topic of nuclear warfare. On the other hand, you can enjoy the movie for its pure entertainment.

The best of both worlds.

[Photo by Peter Lee]

Location Scouting

2011-11-10T14:56:00.000-05:00

Just a few photos from our location scouting last week... (We're currently in pre-production for a new feature film.)

Keeping the Window Out of Frame

2011-10-27T12:17:00.001-04:00

Framing a shot acts much like the frame around a piece of artwork on your wall.

However, in the case of movies, the artwork is (usually) moving. Even though the frame has to move, still it's there.

This can definitely be a good thing when you're actually making a movie. Sometimes, your filming location may not be perfect. And while it may not be ideal, with a little creative framing, you can make it work.

On one of our film shoots, our location was a church with a lot of stained glass windows. During pre-production, we noticed that one of the windows had been boarded up. As it turned out, the church was doing some renovation work on the old windows.

No problem. But since we didn't need the "boarded-up-window look" for this scene, we had to figure out angles that avoided showing that particular window.

The crazy thing was that when we went back to film there a week or so later, the original boarded-up window had been fixed. But the window next to it was now boarded up!

Adjustments had to be made for some slightly different camera positions to avoid filming the new boarded-up window. (At that point, we did ask if they would halt the window-beautification project for the duration of our filming. They did.)

Frankly, it doesn't really matter what's outside of the frame of the camera. Nobody will ever see that. That's the magic of filmmaking. You create a reality out what makes it into frame...

Sometimes, it just might take a little creativity.

Dunnville in a Pickle

2011-10-12T17:02:00.000-04:00

One of the documentaries we're working on...

The Camera Lies, You Know

2011-10-05T18:14:00.004-04:00

When it came to understanding the camera, Hitchcock was a master.

He had all sorts of tricks up his sleeve. But sometimes the people working with him didn't understand his "sleight of hand".

There's a story about one actor who learned this while on set. The film was Shadow of a Doubt (1943). The scene: a family dinner.

At one point, one of the actors is supposed to rise in reaction to another character. Hitchcock told him to do this abruptly. The actor did, pushing off his chair and stepping back.

HITCHCOCK
That's all right, Hume, but rise and step in.

ACTOR
Toward Teresa?

HITCHCOCK
Yes, step in and lean forward.

ACTOR
But she's just said something very offensive.

HITCHCOCK
I know.

ACTOR
But... yes, sir.

Thinking this direction was "completely false", when Hitchcock asked for another take, the actor repeated the original movement by stepping back.

HITCHCOCK
You've done it wrong again.

ACTOR
I know. I'm terribly sorry. It just feels so uncomfortable.

HITCHCOCK
There's no law that says actors have to be
comfortable. Step back if you like--but then
we'll have a comfortable actor without a head.

Finally, the actor did it Hitchcock's way.

HITCHCOCK
Come and see the rushes... You'll never know
which way you stepped. The camera lies, you
know--not always, but sometimes. You have to
learn to accommodate it when it does.

[Original Photo by fredpanassac]

Charlie Brown Teachers

2011-09-28T11:01:00.001-04:00

Know what a Charlie Brown Teacher is?

Here's a definition from the Urban Dictionary:

Refers to the "whaa-whaa-whaa" trombone effect from old Peanuts TV specials, indicating when an adult was speaking.

When Charlie Brown's teacher speaks, you don't know what she is saying.

But, the fact is, it doesn't really matter. We understand the gist of it from the reaction or one-sided dialogue of Charlie Brown or Linus or Peppermint Patty (or which ever member of the Peanuts gang is in trouble).

However, Charles Schultz not the first or only one to use this technique. Another Charlie -- a guy with the last name of Chaplin -- did something very similar (pre-dating the Peanuts gang, of course) in his City Lights (1931).

Take a look at the opening scene:

You don't need to know the exact words the City Official and the Lady with the Flowers. Just by the setting and their actions, you know what is happening.

In Chaplin's case, this was probably his attempt at thumbing his nose at the brand new talkies that were taking Hollywood by storm. In his Little Tramp movies, you didn't need dialogue to make the movie.

As Chaplin (and even the teachers of Charlie Brown) prove, sometimes the spoken word isn't always necessary.

[Photo by: Forty Two]

Breaking the Fourth Wall

2011-09-21T11:36:00.069-04:00

The Fourth Wall originally applied to theatre... that "invisible wall" that separates the audience from the characters living within a world made up of the other three walls of the stage.

In a movie, the fourth wall is the camera lens.

The characters never seem to notice that they're being watched. Even the movie viewer is hardly aware of the fourth wall.

When watching the characters in that favorite spy drama, we usually don't consider that the top secret plans are being overheard a bunch of people sitting in theatre seats. Top secret plans that could threaten all of civilization.

And that's because we've bought into the idea that film is (usually) supposed to imitate life. Since most people do not have a camera following them around -- outside of reality television -- that invisible wall is accepted and even taken for granted. It's the norm.

But that doesn't mean that the fourth wall cannot be broken.

Shakespeare did it with the aside. You know, when the character momentarily turns to the audience with a little comment. Usually done for comedic effect.

And so it is with breaking the fourth wall in movies. It's a wink at the camera. And it's tricky to do it right. It can be too intrusive, as if it were breaking the spell of the story.

But sometimes it works very well. Like when Ferris Buehler does it for his Day Off. Woody Allen has also done it. And Mel Brooks. Any others?

[Photo by: B.Mayer]

It Can be Filmed

2011-09-16T13:05:00.004-04:00

"If it can be written or thought, it can be filmed."

Stanley Kubrick

This quote is a little on the optimistic side, especially when it comes to indie filmmaking. The budget doesn't always allow for expensive CGI effects.

But it's not always about a costly way to film something. It's about finding a creative way to do it.

And that's a challenge to drive anyone involved in the film industry.

[Photo by: Adam Jarmon Brown]

Hitchcock on Coverage

2011-09-08T09:37:00.001-04:00

Hitchcock rarely resorted to "camera coverage".

Coverage refers to the convention of starting a scene with a Master Shot... something like in a live theatre performance where the audience gets to view the entire scene once the curtain goes up.

But in filmmaking, we get to go closer. So, coverage will then shift to a Medium Shot, then cut to the Close-ups of the characters. That's the traditional way to get camera coverage.

But when Alfred Hitchcock was making his movies, he didn't always do that. Often, he'd do the exact opposite; toss convention to the wind by opening with the big head and then close with the Master Shot. For the time, it was unconventional. But it obviously worked, because his films are still studied and considered to be some of the best out there. A lot of today's filmmakers have adopted this style and made it another option when shooting a scene.

The lesson. In filmmaking, don't always go with the textbook way of doing things. Getting traditional camera coverage isn't necessarily bad. Maybe it works best for the film. But the filmmaker shouldn't be afraid to mix things up a bit.

[Photo by: Iguana Jo]

The Best Raise Bugs Bunny Ever Got

2011-08-31T14:05:00.002-04:00

In his autobiography, voice actor Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny, etc.) tells about "the best raise I ever got was the one I didn't get."

Here's how the story goes: He and his wife decide it's time to ask the boss for a raise. Never his strong suit -- to ask for money -- but he practices his little speech then goes to the boss.

He asks for the raise. The answer is... "No." The reason? "Insufficient profits."

But before Mel Blanc leaves, he tries one more tactic: "Well, if you won't give me a raise, how about at least giving me a screen credit."

Now, a little history here. This was a bold request. At the time, voice actors NEVER got screen credit. They got paid for their work, but that was the end of the story. The boss's response to Mel: "Credit? Who ever heard of a voice-man getting a screen credit?"

Even so, the boss actually agreed. It'd be no extra money out of his budget. And he probably wanted to keep Bugs Bunny happy. Ever after, Mel Blanc's name was listed in the credits as "Voice Characterizations by Mel Blanc"

We'll let Mel take it from here:

"Once talent agents discovered Mel Blanc was the man behind Porky, Daffy, and the nascent Bugs Bunny, I received a bounty of offers from other studios, as well as from radio shows. Opportunities were plentiful, I even had to turn some down. At one point in the mid-1940s, in addition to voicing Warner Bros. animated films, I was on eighteen trans-continental programs a week and bringing home two thousand dollars a week."

Not bad for a guy who didn't actually get "the raise" he was asking for.

Some Poison in the Coffee

2011-08-24T12:12:00.009-04:00

Suspense and Surprise. What's the difference?

With suspense, the audience knows something that the character doesn't know. We're just waiting to see how the character responds.

Let's take for our example... a mug of coffee that has just been poisoned. We know the girl has put poison in the guy's coffee, but the guy is unaware of this life-threatening fact. We watch the guy go about some mundane activities. He butters a slice of toast, and takes a bite. So far, he ignores the coffee. Suspense makes us wonder: when is he going to reach for that cup?

Surprise is different. For surprise to work, it's got to be a surprise for both the character involved as well as for the viewer. Surprise can also be harder to achieve. For it to work, it really does have to be a plot twist.

So, which one is better? Well, think of it this way. Surprise only works once. And it usually only works for a couple of seconds.

On the other hand, you can have suspense that lasts 15 minutes. Depending on story, the screenwriter should think twice about sacrificing suspense for the little moment of surprise.

[Photo by life serial]

What's the Buzz, Jeff?

2011-08-17T11:08:00.072-04:00

Jeff Stewart's been getting a lot of press recently for his award win at the Manhattan Film Festival for the role of Jakob in Under Jakob's Ladder. Here are some of the articles...

BBC News
Ex-Bill star Stewart says winning award 'extraordinary'
   » Read the Article

Daily Mail
The Bill's Reg set for Hollywood stardom after winning best actor award
   » Read the Article

The Sun
How Reg Hollis became a Film Star
   » Read the Article

TVGuide
From The Bill to Hollywood
   » Read the Article

Sky News
The Bill star set for Hollywood
   » Read the Article

The Guardian
The Bill's Reg Hollis actor wins US award for Soviet-era film
   » Read the Article

Daily Echo
Southampton actor Jeff Stewart star hot property in Hollywood
   » Read the Article

Most of the articles have some great shots of Jeff sporting his "Jakob" beard, or variations of the beard. To the point where some people who have commented on the articles are asking Jeff to lose the beard. Which, by the way, he already has. These are old photos. We did, after all, shoot this film in 2009. As you can see in the photo above (taken at the premiere of Under Jakob's Ladder at the Manhattan Film Festival), Jeff Stewart is once again beard-less.

At least for now.

Shadow and Light

2011-08-10T11:30:00.003-04:00

When it comes to lighting a shot in filmmaking, it's not just the light that matters.

Remember the shadows, too. You don't want all light. (Then again, all dark would be, well, too dark.)

It means that you may have to stray from conventional three-point lighting. That works if you want to make sure everything and everyone can be seen by the viewer. But that doesn't always take the mood of the scene into account.

In our movie, Under Jakob's Ladder, it was prison lighting for us. We needed plenty of shadow. But also enough light to create the right kind of mood. In fact, lighting will do that for you... change the mood of scene. And you want to get the mood just right.

Dark and light. Strike a good balance and you've got a good shot.

Two Awards for JAKOB

2011-08-03T13:14:00.000-04:00

In case you don't yet know...

Under Jakob's Ladder received two awards last Sunday at the Awards Ceremony for the 2011 Manhattan Film Festival: for 'Best Film - Period Piece' and for 'Best Actor' (Jeff Stewart in the role of Jakob).

Congratulations to all our cast and crew. Filmmaking is a collaboration and we couldn't have made this film without you.

Also, our thanks to the Manhattan Film Festival team for all their hard work.

You can read more on this by going to our website...

Monday Screening

2011-07-31T13:22:00.000-04:00

Another round of snapshots from last week's screening of Under Jakob's Ladder at the Manhattan Film Festival on Monday, July 25th...

The screening was held at Symphony Space on Broadway.

Sal Rendino (Bruno) and Armen Garo (Serzhant).

Armen Garo (Serzhant), Michael Werner (Martin), Diane Hupcey (Props Mistress), Peter Iasillo, Jr. (Vovik), with a photo of Susanna Klumpenhouwer (Costumes).

Stass Klassen (David), Armen Garo (Serzhant), Jill Munoz (Production Manager), Roberto Munoz (Producer), Victoria Bundonis (Rachel).

Quentin McCuiston (Yasha), Gustav Bodor (Gustav), and Armen Garo (Serzhant).

Jeff Stewart (Jakob), Mike Connell (Dimitri), Stass Klassen (David), and Armen Garo (Serzhant).

Diane Hupcey (Props) and Beth Franklin (2nd Camera Assistant).

The screening room.

Victoria Bundonis (Rachel), Peter Iasillo, Jr. (Vovik), Sal Rendino (Bruno),
Jeff Stewart (Jakob), Chloe Roe (Marta), and Stass Klassen (David).

Stephan Amenta (Young Nikolai), Bill Bartus (Johann), Matthew R. Staley (Karl),
Quentin McCuiston (Yasha), Alexandra Tejeda Rieloff (Emma).

P.S. Anybody like to share photos? Please do so at our Facebook page. Go to: http://www.facebook.com/underjakobsladder

Sunday Screening

2011-07-31T13:18:00.003-04:00

Some snapshots from last week's screening of Under Jakob's Ladder at the Manhattan Film Festival on Sunday, July 24th...

The location at Producers Club on W.44th Street...

Jeff Stewart (Jakob) in front of the theatre.

Jeff Stewart (Jakob) greets Ken Jennings (Oigen).

Philip Willingham (Ivan), Jeff Stewart (Jakob), and Ken Jennings (Oigen).

Jason Catron (Otto) holds up a Manhattan Film Festival t-shirt.

Philip Willingham (Ivan).

Ken Jennings (Oigen) and Roberto Munoz (Producer).

More Drama

2011-07-21T18:17:00.018-04:00

We didn't realize that when we wrote that last blog post that we should have written "To Be Continued..." at the bottom. Yes, we've got more drama to report on.

Here's what you need to know. If you have tickets for the Mon, July 25th screenings (either the 7:00 pm or 9:00 pm show) of Under Jakob's Ladder, this will affect you.

It will also affect anyone who still wants to buy tickets to the Monday screenings. The good news is that we're being moved into a bigger theatre at Symphony Space on Broadway. This means there are more seats. Which means that tickets for Monday are available and ON SALE...

Monday, July 25, 2011
Venue: Symphony Space - NEW
Address: 2537 Broadway, NYC
Time of Screening: 7 pm and 9 pm

Yes, you can still get tickets (while they last)... Go to http://underjakobsladder.com

OR

To buy tickets for:

Sunday, July 24, 2011 -- 9 pm
at the Producers Club -- http://www.screenbooker.com/events/view/113/t09c7ht948

Monday, July 25, 2011 -- 7 pm
at Symphony Space -- http://www.screenbooker.com/events/view/161/t09c7ht948

Monday, July 25, 2011 -- 9 pm
at Symphony Space -- http://www.screenbooker.com/events/view/162/t09c7ht948

We look forward to seeing you there!

Drama and the Third Show

2011-07-14T09:15:00.000-04:00

Yes, we've always known that Under Jakob's Ladder is a drama. But we never planned to have all this drama surrounding the third screening of the movie at the Manhattan Film Festival on Sunday, July 24th. But, it's happened.

Here's a play-by-play:

MONDAY -- JULY 11TH...

19:37
Email arrives explaining that no venue could be found for a screening on Fri, July 29th. That idea has to be scrapped. Do we agree to a screening on Sun, July 24th instead?

TUESDAY -- JULY 12TH...

07:20
We send an email to the festival saying we're agreeable to the switch in dates to do a screening on Sunday.

10:43
Email arrives saying that we're good to go. The theatre at Symphony Space is booked and tickets are on sale.

10:55
We update the information on our website, blog, etc.

12:02
We begin to send out press releases.

21:00
We send out our newsletters to alert people of the change in date.

Now the drama begins...

WEDNESDAY -- JULY 13TH...

17:32
Email arrives telling us there's been a mix-up. They're trying to fix it on their end. They will let us know.

17:59
We email the festival telling them to keep us posted. And asking what will happen to the people who've already bought tickets.

18:01
We begin getting emails asking about what is happening to our screening? They can't get tickets. (We respond by telling them what we've been told.)

18:40
Email arrives from the festival saying that they are still waiting for confirmation calls. Also that Screenbooker will contact the people who already bought tickets. They apologize for the mix-up.

19:17
Another email from the festival arrives saying that they were making the venue switch to the Producers Club on W. 44th Street. Still waiting for confirmation on everything. Again, they apologize for the mix-up.

20:29
We send off an email asking if the time had been changed to 9:00 pm.

20:46
The festival confirms that the screening will be at 9:00 pm.

END OF DRAMA

We hope.

So, in a nutshell, here's the information about the screening on Sunday, July 24th.

Venue: Producers Club
Address: 358 West 44th Street, NYC
Date of Screening: Sunday, July 24, 2011
Time of Screening: 9 pm

You can still get tickets. Get them while they last. Go to http://underjakobsladder.com

OR

You can go directly to Screenbooker.

Third Screening on July 24th

2011-07-12T11:22:00.005-04:00

Tickets for the third screening of the feature film Under Jakob's Ladder at the Manhattan Film Festival are now ON SALE...

Date: Sunday, July 24th
Theatre: ~~Symphony Space~~
~~2537 Broadway, New York, NY~~
Show: ~~7:30 pm~~

Correction (7/14/2011)
Date: Sunday, July 24th
Theatre: Producers Club
358 West 44th Street, New York, NY
Show: 9:00 pm

Click here to buy your tickets...

Or go to: http://www.screenbooker.com/events/view/113/t09c7ht948

The festival is less than two weeks away... Get your tickets now!

P.S. Notice a switch in dates? The festival organizers were unable to secure a theatre for the Friday, so they decided to go with Sunday, July 24th. Hope that switch works for your schedules, folks!

Cutting the Crate

2011-07-06T12:30:00.002-04:00

The idea for this post has been around for quite awhile. It was supposed to be published originally entitled: "Fixing the Crate". You'll see why the title got changed.

Back when we were writing the screenplay for Under Jakob's Ladder, we wanted to show our main character, Jakob, at various stages of his life. Obviously, there would the main timeline that revolved around the prison.

Now, we also wrote in flashbacks, beginning with twenty years earlier when Jakob plays a chess grandmaster before the days of the Soviet regime. Other flashbacks included his days as Teacher in the village, especially focusing on the day he is removed by the Soviet authorities and replaced by a "younger, better teacher" (read: "communist teacher").

Yet other scenes depicted Jakob's unhappiness over having his teaching position stripped from him. (This movie is based on a true story, and that aspect -- i.e. Jakob's frustration -- is very much part of the true story.) One of the ways we attempted to show this was with the "Jakob Fixes a Crate" scene.

(Actually, while we were working on the script, we went back and forth between having him fix a stool to fixing a fence to mending a hole in the barn. It didn't really matter what he had to fix. The whole point of the scene was to show that Jakob is not a handyman. Once we were on the set with actor Jeff Stewart, we had to settle on something. So, we found a crate, banged it up a bit and had him attempt to fix that.)

So, here Jakob is, in front of his house, with a bunch of school children running past... (a reminder of the fact that he's no longer a teacher). The action line was pretty simple. Jakob bangs the hammer down, accidentally hitting his thumb. A not-happy Jakob goes inside to vent his frustration.

Here's the thing. Sometimes what you think will work (hey, it works on the paper of a screenplay), doesn't work exactly the same way on the screen.

When we were editing this section together, we realized that part of it had to go. Editing is all about the tough choices to be made. Keep only that which helps the story move along. This sequence had to be pared down. And that can be hard, particularly since we spent hours -- both on set and in the editing room -- trying to get all the footage just right.

It's not an easy decision to let it drop into the abyss of the cutting room floor. Yet, that's filmmaking. The overall story trumps everything.

So, instead of fixing the crate, we had to cut the crate.

One, Two... Three Screenings

2011-06-29T12:14:00.001-04:00

Well, a week or so ago, we sold out our second screening for Under Jakob's Ladder at the Manhattan Film Festival. That's right. There are no more tickets left. Not a single one.

Except that...

The festival contacted us and is putting together a day of encore screenings. That means that Jakob will be getting a third screening! (Note: They're still working on all the details. But it looks like the date will be Friday, July 29th. Time TBD. Venue TBD.)

Keep an eye on things by visiting our website or the Under Jakob's Ladder ticket page. Of course, we'll also keep you posted via this blog.

[ If you can't see those links, go to: http://www.screenbooker.com/events/view/113/t09c7ht948 ]

[Photo by stagewhisper]

Every Story is its Own Expedition

2011-06-22T11:05:00.009-04:00

"One of the great things about being a director as a life choice is that it can never be mastered. Every story is its own kind of expedition, with its own set of challenges."
-- Ron Howard

That's true not just of directors but of filmmaking in general. You're always learning something new. Each movie is unique and different enough to keep you on your toes.

And that keeps life interesting.

[Photo: On the set of Under Jakob's Ladder]

A Row of Lights

2011-06-15T12:37:00.017-04:00

Just a quick entry this week... A shot of the lights used on the film set of Under Jakob's Ladder... all lined up and ready to go. Now all we need is the camera and the action!

Tea Time on Set

2011-06-08T12:36:00.007-04:00

With British actor Jeff Stewart on set, no one should be surprised that we were drinking tea when we filmed Under Jakob's Ladder.

However, that wasn't the only tea on set. The other kind of tea on set was courtesy of our props department. (Thanks to Diane.) That tea was supposed to be the "balanda" for the prisoners. Now, to be sure, balanda is NOT tea. We just used tea to give our watery soup some color. Not sure what balanda is? It's actually a soup that's got the main ingredient of water -- and not much else. It was the primary diet of prisoners during the Soviet times.

Not to be outdone by props, the costume department made their fair share of tea, too. (Right, Susanna?) Hours must have been spent on tea-dying our whites. The camera doesn't like bright white colors, so it's best to use off-white. A great way to accomplish this is through tea-dying all your white fabric.

If Jeff's reading this, he's probably left about now to make himself a cup a tea. Actually, come to think of it, maybe that's not a bad idea...

[Photo by joakima2]

Marta

2011-05-30T09:01:00.005-04:00

The real Marta
1927-2011

Jakob's granddaughter was present the night Jakob was taken in 1938. She never saw him again. One of her greatest wishes was to be reunited with her grandfather. At the age of 84, she has finally made that journey to a place where there is no mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Sold Out in Five Days

2011-05-25T09:11:00.021-04:00

The screening for Under Jakob's Ladder is still two months away. And we've already sold out the 7:00 pm screening of the movie at the Manhattan Film Festival. In five days, no less. Wow.

We've sold out shows before. Just not 2 months ahead of time. In fact, it seems that it over-sold. (The festival's going to have to figure that one out.)

In any case, the Manhattan Film Festival emailed to tell us that there was nothing scheduled after our screening. Would we agree to open up that slot with a second screening of our movie?

We didn't say no.

So, the bad new is this. If you wanted to come to the 7:00 show on Monday, July 25th, sorry, we're SOLD OUT.

But, there's good news. You still have another chance to buy tickets for the 9:00 show.

Tickets are STILL available for...
Click here to get your tickets
Date: Monday, July 25th
Time: 9:00 pm
Price: $12

Or go to our website at: http://www.cubecity.org/tickets.htm

[Photo by holisticmonkey]

Tickets for JAKOB Screening

2011-05-18T17:22:00.003-04:00

Tickets for UNDER JAKOB'S LADDER at the Manhattan Film Festival are now on sale...

Date: Monday, July 25th
Time: 7:00 pm
Price: $12

Click here to buy your tickets...

Or go to: http://www.screenbooker.com/events/view/113/t09c7ht948

Out of Frame

2011-05-18T11:43:00.002-04:00

"Cinema is a matter of what's in the frame
and what's out." -- Martin Scorsese

In other words, what's shown is important. And what's not shown can be just as important.

Think of Jaws (1975). For most of the movie, you never see the shark. The shark stays outside the camera frame. But, it works really well. It's actually scarier this way. You see the girl swimming. You see her reaction. You know what's going to happen.

There are lots of ways to convey what's happening on screen without actually showing it. Sometimes music is helpful. (Again, think of Jaws.)

Or sound effects. Walt Disney knew this when he killed off Bambi's mother. He doesn't actually show her death. But that single gunshot tells us everything we need to know. And it's a pretty traumatic scene.

Sometimes our imaginations are the best tool in a filmmaker's pocket.

[Photo by gr jones]

JAKOB Coming to NYC

2011-05-11T11:04:00.009-04:00

For those of you who haven't heard yet...

Mark your calendars for the end of July. Because our feature film, UNDER JAKOB'S LADDER, will be screened at the Manhattan Film Festival. The dates of the festival are July 22-31.

We still haven't been told the exact date that our movie will be shown. So, stay tuned... we'll let you know.

To visit the Official Website of UNDER JAKOB'S LADDER, go to: http://www.underjakobsladder.com.

Or connect with us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/underjakobsladder

[Photo by Spacing Magazine]

Essential to the Phone Call

2011-05-04T18:34:00.001-04:00

When writing a screenplay, it's important to write only what's essential to the story.

This can be a challenge. Probably because we are used to our day being sequential. Take, for example, our morning ritual. We wake up each morning. We get out of bed. We eat (or don't eat) breakfast. But in a story, is it really necessary to relate all these steps? The answer is... No. Unless, of course, they are key to the plot.

Screenwriter John August mentioned this in a recent blog post... How in the movies, phone conversations are cut to the bare minimum; to the point where nobody actually takes the time to say "goodbye". The person just hangs up the phone. Why? Because the typical way we say goodbye on the telephone would take up valuable screentime. And usually, saying goodbye does not affect the plot of the movie.

Avoid the unnecessary. Condense time. That's the magic of the movies.

"Nobody will ever notice that. Filmmaking is not about the tiny details. It's about the big picture." -- Ed Wood

[Photo by Matti Mattila]

The (Dreaded) Silent Role

2011-04-27T11:05:00.051-04:00

While greats like Charlie Chaplin reveled in the "Silent Role", it is a role most actors try to avoid.

However, sometimes a silent role can be more desirable than most people realize. Getting back to Chaplin... he could do a lot without speaking a single word. Even in his own talkies, like Limelight (1952). Yes, his character speaks. But there are some great moments when the best stuff is all in the body language.

Another great "silent" role comes from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939): The President of the Senate, played by actor Harry Carey.

Before Carey signed on to play the role, other famous character actors were first offered this role. However, they turned it down because of one thing: the lack of dialogue.

No one realized quite how Director Frank Capra would make this role into one of the more memorable characters in the entire film! Watch the movie and you'll notice the number of lines is decidedly on the low side. However, it was such a good role that Harry Carey actually received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor!

And then there's Dumbo (1941). Dumbo says nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everything comes through his facial expressions. Especially those eyes.

Ah, but you could say that that was seventy years ago... Things have changed. It worked for Chaplin. It worked for Dumbo (who's a cartoon, don't forget). But would it work for movies today? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it depends on the role. It's gotta still be believable and work within the movie world.

It's certainly a challenge we filmmakers can take up. To create some good "silent role" characters worth their weight in gold. A role that no actor should ever dread playing.

Chaplin's World of Sound

2011-04-20T11:35:00.001-04:00

Charlie Chaplin became world famous in the era of pantomime. When movies were silent. (Even now, most people would probably be able to recognize his "Little Tramp".)

But, Chaplin had trouble when the reality of sound came to the movies. (Here's one of our old blog posts about how he didn't like all the sound gear needed to make a talkie.)

Once the Jazz Singer (1927) came out, all the studios were scrambling to come out with their own talkies. But not Charlie... His next two films -- The Circus (1928) and City Lights (1931) -- remained as silent films. The King of Pantomime couldn't make the switch. At least, not yet...

Then Chaplin released a film called Modern Times in 1936. When he began filming, Chaplin experimented with recording dialogue. But, ultimately he was unhappy with the results. So he abandoned -- yet again -- the idea of making a talkie. However, he did concede in a couple ways.

Modern Times is a movie about machines... And how machines are controlling our lives. The only "dialogue" in the movie comes from machines. The factory-owner barks out commands on a Star-Trek-like console (before Star Trek was even invented!). And there's the pre-recorded demonstration of the machine designed to feed the factory workers in an efficient manner.

By the end of the movie, Chaplin does something interesting. His Tramp "speaks" -- or rather sings -- for the first time on camera.

Yet it's not quite as straight forward as all that. Chaplin has another trick up his sleeve.

We've come to the part of the plot where the Tramp has finally obtained a job as a singing waiter. He's not very good at the waiter part and his boss tells him (via intertitle) that he better be a good singer. Then, while the Tramp prepares to go on stage for his turn, we get to watch and hear a snippet of the other singing waiters. The anticipation is building up to the Tramp's turn on stage. And here's where Chaplin thumbs his nose at us. (SPOILER!) The song is in gibberish. The Tramp has forgotten the words to the song he's supposed to sing. So... he makes up nonsense words.

And it works. For his audience in the movie world. And for us, the audience watching the movie. Even if we don't exactly understand what he's singing, we get the gist of the song. And the song is a delight to watch. (If you haven't seen it, watch the movie.)

This movie was the first time people heard the Little Tramp's voice. It was also the last time. Chaplin never made another movie featuring his well-beloved character.

[Photo by /pitzyper!]

Never Too Much B-roll

2011-04-13T11:20:00.005-04:00

What exactly is b-roll?

Let's begin with what b-roll is not. In documentaries, you usually film interviews with various people. B-roll is not the interview.

But if a documentary was just one interview subject after another, things might get boring. Do we (the audience) really want to watch a bunch of talking heads? That's where b-roll comes in. B-roll is the footage that you use to cutaway from the talking head.

B-roll is the footage of the professor writing on a white board in the lecture hall. It's the man and woman strolling down the garden path with their dog. It's the author sitting in the library, reading a book. It's the baker pulling bread out of the oven. It's the kid looking for seashells at the beach.

Get the picture?

And that's pretty much it. Picture. (Sound often doesn't really matter.)

One reason for b-roll is because people don't usually speak in nice sound bytes. Interviews can be long and unwieldy. A question is asked, and the answer sometimes needs a little bit of editing. Not because anyone has any intention to change the meaning of the interviewee's words, but to clarify their response. That means there'll be a cut. And because continuity won't match, you may wish to cut away to something else. That's where b-roll come in! This kind of footage can be used to cover up those edit points.

B-roll can also be used to clarify what the speaker is talking about. If an interviewee is talking about how the dog saved their life, you could show footage of the person interacting with the dog. Sometimes, it can also be used for symbolic meaning -- like rain on a windowpane to represent a feeling of sadness or depression.

No one wants to watch a documentary of one talking head talking right after another talking head. You need b-roll. And lots of it. There probably isn't an editor alive that ever claimed to have "too much" b-roll.

[Photo by tallpomlin]

April Showers Bring...

2011-04-08T11:21:00.003-04:00

...A new look for the blog!

Yes, we decided it was time that the blog got some re-arranging. Hopefully it's a little less cluttered. And the white background is supposed to be easier on the eyes when it comes to reading the actual blog posts.

Leave a comment and tell us what you think! Like it? (Good. We like to hear that.) Hate it? (Is there any feature you miss? It's not too late to bring it back.) It doesn't look good in your browser? (Let us know so we can tweak it. We've tested the look in Firefox, Explorer, and Safari.)

By the way, if you're reading this in your email, please come on over and have a look at the "New Look" for 2011. http://amoonbrothersfilm.blogspot.com

[Photo by: bigcityal]

The Other 39 Minutes

2011-04-06T11:34:00.007-04:00

"When a documentary filmmaker... suggests that there has been a shooting ratio of 40 hours to every one hour of finished film, that doesn't mean that the other 39 are bad."

So says documentarian Ken Burns.

Anyone who's made a documentary will tell you that you tend to accumulate a lot of footage. You need to! Interviews and b-roll take up space. And when most of what you're shooting is NOT scripted, you're never quite sure what you're going to get.

Okay, so you usually have some sort of idea of where you want to go with your documentary before you begin filming. However, things can change. People can say or do things that take you in a slightly different direction.

One of the hardest things in editing a documentary is to figure out what NOT to put into the movie.

Ken Burns is right. It's not that it's bad footage. It's just that the documentary can be only so long. And you really should only use footage that helps move your story along.

So, what does happen to the other 39 minutes?

Unfortunately, onto the cutting room floor they go. (Although, in the age of DVDs, there's a little thing called Outtakes. So, some of those lucky minutes just might find new life there.)

Porky Pig was a Method Actor

2011-03-30T11:46:00.005-04:00

There are all sorts of actors out there. One type is the method actor. That's the actor who becomes the character they are playing.

Believe it or not, Porky Pig was a method actor.

Or at least his voice was. That is Mel Blanc, the man who supplied the voices for Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, and pretty much every other Warner Bros. cartoon character.

Mel Blanc tells the story of his "audition" for the role of Porky in his autobiography That's Not All Folks. In the book, he recalls asking for a few days to research the role... The reason? "You know, Leon, method acting," he said to Looney Tunes producer, Leon Schlesinger.

Then, Mel Blanc drove out to a pig farm and gained permission from the owner to spend time with his pigs. "Once satisfied that I could translate a stout-bodied omnivore's grunt into a comical voice, I headed back to the office, to demonstrate for my boss the fruits of my intensive probe."

He gave Schlesinger what would become standard Porky Pig fare: "Bye-b--, uh-bye-b--, so lo--, uh-so lo--, auf Wiede--, auf Wiede-- Toodle-loo! ... Th-- uh-th-- uh-th-- that's all, folks!"

All that time with the pigs paid off! Mel Blanc got the job.

But as he was leaving...

LEON SCHLESINGER
Just one more thing, Mel.

MEL BLANC
Yes, Leon?

LEON SCHLESINGER
Go home and take a bath, will you?

Just Facts and Drama

2011-03-23T11:36:00.001-04:00

Exactly what is a documentary film?

Filmmaker Pare Lorentz defines a documentary film as "a factual film which is dramatic."

When most people think of documentaries, they probably think of the following: The kind of films made by Ken Burns (you know, the guy behind The Civil War (1990) and Baseball (1994); the kind you'd watch on PBS or Biography.) Or maybe Leni Riefenstahl (of Nazi propaganda films like Triumph of the Will). And most likely, they'd add Michael Moore to the list (his documentaries are basically political commentary -- Roger and Me (1989), Bowling for Columbine (2002), and a whole lot more!). Or perhaps Morgan Spurlock (of Supersize Me (2004) fame).

If you take Lorentz's definition -- that all a documentary needs is facts and drama -- then some of these don't quite match up. Maybe they have lots of drama, but aren't so factual. Or some might argue that the facts line up neatly, but... well... they find the film not dramatic enough for their tastes.

Yet, perhaps it's not really a bad thing to have different approaches to documentaries. A fan of Michael Moore may not necessarily get into a Ken Burns documentary, but there are plenty of Ken Burns fans out there, awaiting his next epic. Some people can't stomach Michael Moore's tactics, but may really like... well, you get the picture.

But wait! These are not the only documentary filmmakers out there!

There are a lot of other documentaries... On a whole slough of topics, in a variety of different styles. With plenty of facts and drama.

Just not necessarily always together in the same film.

Quit Throwing the Good Stuff Away

2011-03-16T15:50:00.001-04:00

As legend has it, Walt Disney wander his studio long after everyone else had gone home. The reason? To take a look at the work of his animators... even to the point of going through their waste paper baskets.

There is a story where an animator came to work in the morning to find a crumbled sheet that had been rescued from the trash with this message from the boss scrawled on it: "Quit throwing the good stuff away!"

Sometimes, we too take heed of Disney's advice.

Some of our current film projects are documentaries. Editing documentaries are a little different than doing feature films. With a documentary, you're usually not working with a hard and fast script. And when you're filming, you never know exactly quite what you're going to get.

So, in the editing room, that means there's a lot of footage to wade through. Some of it is great. Some is good. And then there's the footage doesn't seem to be very useful to the project at hand. The trick is to figure which footage is gold, and which is not.

Sometimes, you go back and discover the good stuff has been "thrown away"...

Luckily, since all the editing these days takes place on computer, it's not like the trash gets emptied out until the project is completed.

Sometimes you know the footage exists; but the key is to find it again!

Speak the Language of Composers

2011-03-09T11:09:00.003-05:00

...and Get the Music You Need

This is a Guest Post by Adam A. Johnson of SFXsource.com. If you would like to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

So you've taken the plunge and secured a music composer to write a score for your new film, video, animation, or documentary. Congratulations! You now have the opportunity to have a piece of music written for your project that perfectly matches your artistic vision.

Since this usually involves a financial investment, you want to make sure that you get the most out of your composer. And even if the composer is working for free, you want the best sound for your film possible.

After working with multiple directors, producers, and film editors, I can attest that there are effective and efficient ways to optimize this musical endeavor. Composers, like all people, have different personalities and different methods to their work flow. But, there are consistencies that you as the producer can address which will get you what you need: killer music for your project that precisely expresses the theme and emotions of your work. By communicating with your composer correctly from start to finish, you will achieve great music for your film.

Pre-production
Many filmmakers tend to think of music as part of the post-production phase of filmmaking, but this is a terrible mistake. By pushing musical considerations to the end of the process, one will certainly rush the composer. This can result in uninspired music, shoddy musical production, and frankly, not enough music. Make sure to begin your composer search at the same time you are seeking actors, locations, etc. This will allow you to find a composer early enough to lend enough time to nail down exactly what you need musically.

Pre-production with a composer is the "meet and greet" phase. Even if you've worked with the composer before, it is time for him/her to "meet and greet" your new project and vision.

This is the time to communicate exactly what you are looking for and to set your composer down the right path. At this point, some filmmakers may feel they lack the proper terminology or methods to describe what they need. Others have tons to say, which is perfectly fine. Either way, I always tell clients to speak in their own words. Composers do not need to hear any special musical vocabulary to understand your vision. Simply use descriptive terms to describe the music you need, such as "organic," "scary," "romantic," "funny," etc. A good composer should be able to begin envisioning the music you are seeking. And this is the point during pre-production for the composer to "see" what you "see."

In addition to a couple dozen verbal descriptions of the music you want, examples of similar musical pieces always helps a composer tremendously. By suggesting a pre-existing score by another composer, or a track by a favorite band, the composer immediately gains a wealth of knowledge about your tastes and musical desires. Example tracks define tempo, mood, and instrumentation and provide great inspiration for your composer as they begin the arduous task of creating custom music for you.

Production
If you have correctly taken care of business during pre-production with your composer, then they will be working on various demos and mock ups for the score during the production phase. This is when the meat of the music will be made. This should be a time of back and forth in which the composer submits many rough sketches and you provide clear feedback on what works and what does not.

For a composer, hearing that a demo does not work is as valuable as hearing that it does. They now know what not to do, which helps whittle down the infinite possibilities for the score. No need to be fearful during this stage of hurting the composer's feelings or not being sure if you like the music or not. A professional composer will welcome your constructive criticism.

And, trust your ears. If you aren't inspired, or at least intrigued, by what you are hearing, say so directly. (But tactfully of course.)

This back and forth process of evaluating demos and molding the music to your vision will result in a some tasty tracks for your film.

Post-production
As with the visual aspects of filmmaking, post-production for composers is a time of editing and keeping the good and throwing out the bad.

At this point, the bulk of the music should have been made and tweaks to the tracks in terms of melody or instrumentation are in order. In addition, as the picture begins to be locked, the composer can fix the length of each track to particular scenes and even being to write to the frames themselves.

Although, this brings up an important point. If you are going to request a very specific time length for a particular piece of the score, do not request this unless you are 100% certain that the picture is locked. It can be very frustrating for a musician to rework a piece of music from 1:23 down to 1:07, for example, only to have the scene length change again to 1:14.

For the musicians and sound designers, this type of specific frame-by-frame editing is the final step in the filmmaking process. Post-production, in essence, should be the easiest and most pleasing part of the music composition as both the composer and producer being to see their hard work come together.

In sum, start early with the music. Don't wait until the last minute, because like anything in life, you'll get poor results. Starting early will give good breathing room for the musical ideas to grow and for multiple re-edits to occur. Be clear and confident with your communication with the composer. The more descriptors and examples you provide, the more accurate the musical result will be.

About our Guest Blogger...
ADAM A. JOHNSON is a music composer and sound designer who owns and operates the SFXsource.com Sound Effects and Royalty Free Music Library as well as music services company Architect of Sound™.

A Jakob Interview | Part 3

2011-03-02T11:14:00.001-05:00

And last but not least: Part 3. To round out our short interview series about our upcoming feature film, Under Jakob's Ladder. (Missed Part 1 & 2? Click here to view Part 1 and Part 2.)

If you can't view the embedded video... You can go to youtube and watch it on our channel there.

P.S. Tell us what you think about it. Leave a comment below. Or you can always pop over to youtube to rate this video or leave a comment...

A Jakob Interview | Part 2

2011-02-23T09:10:00.006-05:00

So... As promised, here's Part 2 of the short interview series about our upcoming feature film, Under Jakob's Ladder. (Missed Part 1? Click here to view it.)

If you can't view the embedded video... You can go to youtube and watch it on our channel there.

P.S. Tell us what you think about it. Leave a comment below. Or you can always pop over to youtube to rate this video or leave a comment...

A Jakob Interview | Part 1

2011-02-16T08:53:00.005-05:00

We've put together a short interview series about our upcoming feature film, Under Jakob's Ladder. This is Part 1 of the interview with producer and screenwriter, Roberto Munoz...

If you can't view the embedded video... You can go to youtube and watch it on our channel there.

P.S. Watch for Parts 2 & 3, coming soon! (to be posted here over the next couple of weeks.)

5 Pitfalls of a Remake

2011-02-09T11:49:00.002-05:00

Have you ever thought much about movie remakes? How many of them have you actually really enjoyed?

Often when people talk about a remake of a particularly beloved film, they usually say something like "Why did they have to spoil a great movie?"

Remakes don't usually have a good reputation. So, why do they exist?

Oftentimes, it seems that a remake exists to update the story. For example, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) is a heist movie that takes place in -- can you believe this? -- the 1970s. So, it's a bit dated. Not in a bad way. But certainly in a 1970s way. The updated version of the movie came out in 2009.

Pitfall #1 - The Need to Update the Technology
This one assumes that modern audiences just won't be able to understand what life was like back in the 1970s.

Since thirty years years after the original, the folks in Hollywood decide the story needs to be updated. In the original movie, the transit police (i.e. the good guys) have no clue what was happening in the hijacked subway train. The hijackers were equally blind to what was going on above ground. This actually works to the hero's benefit. Police Officer Garber is able to stall for time. It also keeps him ignorant to the hijacker's identities, which is key to the final scene when he's searching door-to-door.

In the remake, they make a point to give Ryder (i.e. the bad guy) internet access. This also applies to a laptop that just happens to have its webcam eye on the subway car. A particular plot point that, when it comes down to it, doesn't really have a point.

Pitfall #2 - Retooling Character Traits
Now, let's compare the performances of the leads. You got some great actors in the original. How do you top it? Well, you get equally good (or at least well-known) actors for the remake. You might even do a little retooling with the character traits.

Cool and calculating Robert Shaw (as Mr. Blue, the leader of the hijackers) vs. the loose-cannon, John Travolta (same character, but called Ryder in the remake). Denzel Washington's character (2009's Garber) gets some shades of gray with a backstory involving a bribery. Walter Matthau (1974's Garber) has his foibles, but is clearly the hero.

How do Washington and Travolta compare with Matthau and Shaw? Well, sometimes it's a matter of personal preference.

Pitfall #3 - Getting Rid of Supporting Actors
In addition to the lead actors, sometimes a remake will lessen the importance of a supporting role. In this case, the motorman-turned-hijacker. In the remake, he's killed off halfway through the movie. In the original, he gets a lot more screentime. In fact, it's his story that closes the movie.

Pitfall #4 - Trying to Find Deep Meaning
This is a heist movie, plain and simple. And the 1974 version treated it as such with a dash of comedy.

The remake sought to find deeper meaning in the story by trying to psychoanalyse the characters. The whole bribery subplot illustrates this. Did the hero (Garber, played by Denzel Washington), or did he not, take the bribe?? The movie doesn't really answer that question. This ambiguity actually puts Garber more or less on the same level as the bad guy, Ryder. Because it isn't clear on what really happened, the audience can make the assumption that it isn't that important to the story. (Take it out, and you wouldn't miss it.)

In the original, the bad guy (Robert Shaw) and his methodical calculations aren't given backstory. And, it works. The main thrust of this movie is, will Garber (Walter Matthau) foil the hijackers? Or will the hijackers succeed? Simple enough. It works.

Pitfall #5 - Relying on a Cookie Cutter Ending
The remake often will fall into the we-need-more-explosions pitfall. While the movie tries hard to bring meaning to the actions of Ryder/Garber, it also decides to use the cookie-cutter ending of most action movies. Add a car chase. Get actors running after each other on a bridge. These are all rather predictable and rather over-used in the industry.

In the original, there's the element of chase, but it's more low-key. What's interesting is that Robert Shaw's story does not close the movie. All the hijackers are dead, except one. And he's the motorman. We know his identity, but Matthau's Garber does not. So, the tension's pretty high when they come face to face... But we won't spoil the ending (in case you haven't seen it).

These are just some of the pitfalls that many remakes face. Do you agree? Have you come across a remake that defies these pitfalls?

The Theme of Character

2011-02-02T11:17:00.004-05:00

We all know movies have themes, right?

But have you considered that characters inside of movies can also have their own themes? Take, for instance, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). The story takes place in a psychiatric facility. Jack Nicholson's character, McMurphy, represents freedom. Nurse Ratched symbolizes the repression experienced by the psychiatric patients.

This is beautifully illustrated in the scene where McMurphy wants to watch the ballgame on TV. In her classic dictatorial style, Nurse Ratched says no. No matter what argument he gives.

And there's nothing McMurphy can do about it.

Except there is. Staring at the blank screen of the TV, he suddenly gets an idea. McMurphy starts to make up a play-by-play for an imaginary ballgame. The other patients come in to see what the fuss is about. Gradually they pick up the spirit of the "game". Cheering. Yelling. Enjoying themselves as if they were really watching the ballgame on TV.

And there's nothing Nurse Ratched can really do about it.

When Surprise becomes Dramatic Irony

2011-01-26T12:41:00.008-05:00

In an earlier blog post, we talked about the use of surprise in filmmaking. We mentioned that maybe surprise isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Surprise is related to mystery. Think about a birthday package. If you genuinely don't know what's in the box -- and it turns out to be something you really want -- than that surprise becomes memorable and effective.

And yet, it only lasts for a moment.

You can never truly re-live that moment of surprise. Same goes with movies. Once you know the secret, it's no longer a surprise. (Unless you have a very bad memory and can't remember anything.)

Now, that doesn't mean a movie that uses the element of surprise is necessarily bad. There are very good movies that use surprise. It's just that if you were to watch the movie a second time, that particular scene is no longer operating in the same way.

For example, when you re-watch The Empire Strikes Back for the second, third, fourth (or you fill in the blank) time, you will never experience the I-can't-believe-it!-Darth-Vader-is-Luke's-father! moment again.

No, instead of surprise, it now becomes tension. Or rather, dramatic irony.

We know the secret. In the movie, Luke doesn't know it. Even in Star Wars, the whole Ben Kenobi line about how Vader murdered Luke's father brings new meaning after you've watched all three of the original trilogy.

This is probably why Star Wars fans keep coming back to these movies. They weren't just about the surprise or shock of the moment. A movie should be enjoyed on different levels. An element of surprise should be able to morph nicely into dramatic irony.

[Photo via flikr, courtesy of lawndart]

The Surprise Ending

2011-01-19T12:35:00.002-05:00

The surprise ending in a movie can be a good thing. Audiences like surprises. Far too often, movies are too predictable, we applaud when a filmmaker succeeds in creating a genuine plot twist that upends what is expected.

But, bringing the surprise factor to a movie is not easy. Practically everything's been done before.

One movie that is known for its surprise ending is Planet of the Apes (1968). For the entire movie, Charlton Heston (and by default, the audience) thinks he's on some distant planet. But the surprise is in the final reveal: a deteriorating Statue of Liberty... (He was on Earth the whole time!)

Perhaps one of the problems that comes with the surprise ending is that eventually enough people talk about it that it's no longer a surprise. Take a look at the recent DVD cover for the movie (see image on right). It completely gives away the whole secret. The 1968 poster did not do this (image on left).

And it's not just audiences. In the case of The Planet of the Apes, its secret has become part of popular culture. Perhaps you can blame parodies like the episode of The Simpsons where they make a musical based on this movie.

In a case such as this, you can certainly argue that surprise isn't always ideal.

Any thoughts as to whether or not you think the surprise ending is worth it?

Conflict is to Drama...

2011-01-12T11:58:00.001-05:00

Conflict is to drama what water is to fish.

Or another way to think about it is that it has something to do with Newton's 3rd law. (That's the one that says that every action has an equal reaction). Too much peace and serenity in a story, and it turns into boredom.

Unfortunately, some films have taken this idea to the level where every scene has to have a chase or an explosion. But does that mean that every movie has to be about bombs blowing up? (We wrote a similar post about this.) If it did, we'd miss out on a lot of good movie plots.

Conflict doesn't have to be manifest in explosions. Yes, it may, but it isn't mandatory. Conflict can be with oneself, with others who are nearby, against a diabolical system. (Yes, even with giant robots who intend to blow up the universe, if that's the genre you're going for).

That's not to say that explosions are bad. It's just to say that sometimes an explosion can be metaphorical.

When story comes second after special effects, it shows.

[Photo via flikr, courtesy of felt is the fabric]

The Backstory of Star Wars

2011-01-05T13:01:00.002-05:00

If you think about it, the Star Wars prequels are basically just backstory.

In fact, one could argue that they are actually unnecessary backstory. In essence, there's really nothing new learned in the prequels that we didn't already know from the original trilogy.

The original trilogy handles backstory just fine. Little by little, the old jedi, Ben Kanobi, tells Luke who Darth Vader really is... that Vader is responsible for the death of Luke's father.

But then, when we think we have him all figured out, there's a plot twist in the second movie (Empire Strikes Back): the revelation that Vader actually is Luke's father. It just adds another detail to our understanding of the backstory. Add to that yet another plot twist that comes out in the third movie.

The problem that the prequels had, especially for those who were around when the original trilogy came out, is this: Our imagination is so strong, usually it's hard to top. We put together the clues to form the full backstory in our minds.

Put the two trilogies back-to-back, and you'll find that there are little inconsistencies. Backstory and story don't quite match, especially regarding the reasons and circumstances surrounding the turn of Anakin Skywalker to the dark side.

Yes, the special effects in the prequels blow away the effects in the original.

But, this is one case where too much backstory is not always a good thing.

Quotable Thursday | Midnight

2010-12-30T11:51:00.004-05:00

"An optimist stays up until midnight
to see the new year in. A pessimist stays
up to make sure the old year leaves."
Bill Vaughn

[Photo via flikr courtesy of Stephen Cannon]

It's All in the Backstory

2010-12-28T12:45:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year when everyone starts looking back over the past year. And that got us thinking about backstory.

Just as in real life, people have a past, so do characters who populate a movie world. And that past (or backstory) will affect what they do in the story. Whether we realize it or no, every character in a movie has a backstory. But it primarily affects the main characters.

Characters who only show up for a limited amount of screen-time are often written as stereotypes or cliches. Why? Because a cliche allows the audience to supply a ready backstory in their own mind for them.

But, you don't want the main character to be a stereotype. You want round characters who do surprising things to hold our attention. That's where backstory may come in.

A character's past affects how that character may or may not react to a situation. It may be revealed in various ways; through flashbacks, narration, or dialogue. But the key to using backstory is to know when to reveal the backstory. All at once? A bit here and a bit there?

We have found that when it comes to backstory, we often write it into an early draft of a screenplay, using overt dialogue or flashbacks. Then, once we're comfortable that that information is part of our character's past, the dialogue/flashback is tweaked and rewritten to be leaner and less obvious.

However, occasionally an overt reference to backstory is left in the script because we're not sure if we will need it or not. It is filmed, but then it is often taken out during the edit. Sometimes it's better NOT to know too much backstory. We can get caught up in a backstory when we need to focus on the actual story.

Which is why there's that old adage about not dwelling too much on the past...

Quotable Thursday | As the Angels Give

2010-12-23T11:11:00.007-05:00

"If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should
cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend,
that would be giving as the angels give."
George MacDonald
(1824-1905)

[Photo courtesy of Mogens Engelund]

Where's that Laughter Coming From, Charlie Brown?

2010-12-21T12:13:00.001-05:00

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) is one of the longest-running Christmas specials aired each year on television.

It was the first time that Charles Schulz's Peanuts gang made it off the comic strip to the small screen. It was done on a shoestring budget, which meant there were glitches. The animation was also somewhat choppy. The executives at CBS were worried. The special was going to break a lot of the accepted "rules" of children's animated holiday specials...

This included the decision to use the voices of real children (as opposed to adult actors who could sound like children); and a jazzy soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi.

And Charles Schulz was adamant that there be no laugh track. He figured the kids watching should know if something was funny enough. They didn't need to be told.

CBS executives were particularly nervous when Charles Schulz also insisted on using the final narration by Linus on the true meaning of Christmas (which used words straight out the Bible).

But, as it turns out, sometimes executives get nervous about the wrong things.

When the Christmas special was aired, it was a hit. It went on to win an Emmy. And, even though it's 45 years old this year, the program is still aired annually and has become a Christmas classic.

Sometimes you never know when something will work. For the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, Schulz stood by what he wanted for the show.

And it paid off.

Quotable Thursday | More Comfortable

2010-12-16T11:08:00.006-05:00

"We do not err because truth is difficult
to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because
this is more comfortable."
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
(1918-2008)

[Photo via flikr, courtesy of NoMoreHours]

MOS Revealed

2010-12-14T12:03:00.000-05:00

We mentioned the term MOS in our posts from the past couple of weeks. We realized that some of you may not know what this means. Well, when you film "MOS", it means you aren't capturing sound as you film. It's the visual without the audio.

But why "MOS"? Well, the film historians will say it stands for "Mit Out Sound" (because of some German director couldn't pronounce his w's). Others have claimed that it stands for "Mute on Slate."

Then again, maybe it stands for something else altogether! Here's a list of the Top Seven Alternative Meanings for MOS:

Managing Only Silence
Move onto Silence
Muted-Only Solutions
Missing our Sound-Tech
Manage Optimum Silence
Miracle of Silence
Mic on Strike

And that's MOS for you.

Quotable Thursday | Consider the Postage Stamp

2010-12-09T11:27:00.002-05:00

"Consider the postage stamp:
its usefulness consists in the ability to
stick to one thing till it gets there."
Josh Billings

A Problem Called Battery

2010-12-07T12:05:00.005-05:00

So... what ever happened on that day the battery for our boom mic gave out?

Our first reaction was to buy some time while our sound guys figured out a solution to the buzzing noise created by the dying battery. We shot all the MOS scenes that were scheduled for that location; scenes that didn't require dialogue, and hence, didn't require a microphone.

But then we started to run out of those scenes. Fortunately, our catering people were able to be flexible enough to provide our hour-long lunch early.

Meanwhile, we sent off several teams to try to locate a new battery for the boom mic. We had someone scouring the internet. Someone else started calling stores to see if they carried this type of battery.

Out of the blue, we called a battery store somewhere out on Long Island.

And suddenly, from that simple call, we had our solution—without having to purchase this specialty battery!

The answer? (Now, listen up you aspiring filmmakers, in case you ever run into the same dilemma.)

The solution involved taping together a series of... hearing aid batteries. Something we were able to pick up at the local drug store. At first, we were skeptical. But trying it out, the new improvised battery worked beyond our hopes.

And suddenly, we were back on track, ready for filming.

Quotable Thursday | Parking Places

2010-12-02T11:42:00.001-05:00

"The road to success is dotted
with many tempting parking places."
Author Unknown

Charlie Chaplin Sound

2010-11-30T12:32:00.003-05:00

Sound is part of our movie experience these days. And good sound is important to that experience, although it's not something you usually notice. (Unless it's bad sound.)

And bad sound can be a filmmaker's nightmare. We know how true this is... on our first feature film, when we discovered the importance of a single battery.

The battery in our boom mic was dying. Just replace the battery! Problem fixed. Right?

Wrong. There was a problem we hadn't anticipated. That this very battery wasn't just any old, ordinary, buy-it-at-the-corner-store battery. Nope. It was so specialized that no store in all of New York City had a replacement! (We would have had to order it from the company. Not good, since we were filming on a tight schedule.)

That day was enough to make us wish we were back in the days when films were silent!

And speaking of the silent film era, there's a story about Charlie Chaplin's first visit to a sound stage. This is what he observed:

"Men geared like warriors from Mars sat with earphones while the actors performed with microphones hovering over them like fishing rods. It was all very complicated and depressing. How could anyone be creative with all that junk around them?"

Okay, so maybe it just takes some time to get used to... You really can be creative with all the "fishing rods" and "junk" around. You just have to work a little harder. And, of course, it helps if your batteries are not misbehaving...

And when that happens, it's nice to be able to fall back on a few scenes that can be shot MOS...

P.S. Curious about what happened the day our battery gave out? Well... That's a long story...

Quotable Thursday | A Thankful Heart

2010-11-25T11:40:00.004-05:00

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest
virtue, but the parent of all other virtues."
Cicero
(106-46 BC)

An Award Ceremony

2010-11-23T09:52:00.001-05:00

Here are some photos that document that Under Jakob's Ladder received a Redemptive Storyteller Award for 2010...

A programme listing the movie...

An acceptance speech... (They said to limit it to 3 minutes.)

An award. Which, apparently, was produced by the same people who produce Mr. Oscar... You know, the golden, bald, shiny guy.

A bunch of filmmakers gathered for an official picture. Except that this is an "unofficial" version of the official picture.

Quotable Thursday | Impossible Things

2010-11-18T11:20:00.001-05:00

"Difficult things take a long time,
impossible things a little longer."
André A. Jackson

Blogging in the Future

2010-11-16T11:02:00.007-05:00

By the time you read this...

It will be Tuesday, November 16th.

And this post will NOT be in the publishing queue anymore.

But, it was at one time. Because this is currently being written ahead of schedule. And it will be published automatically on Tuesday. (We originally thought to post some photos of the Awards ceremony for today's post. But that probably won't happen until next Tuesday, the 23rd.)

Actually, in case you're wondering, most of our blog posts are written early and put into queue. Some posts are even begun, saved as draft, and published A) never; B) not until a year or so later; C) only after a severe re-write.

Come to think of it, blog posts are kind of like screenplays. Only shorter.

Quotable Thursday | Anything in Life

2010-11-11T11:11:00.002-05:00

"Anything in life worth having is worth working for."
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), attributed

How Many Miles to Virginia?

2010-11-09T18:49:00.002-05:00

What's in Virginia? Well, we have to pick up an award for our feature film, Under Jakob's Ladder. At the Redemptive Film Festival in Virginia Beach, VA. The Award Ceremony is this weekend.

We leave Wednesday. Or Thursday. Or something like that. We've got the maps and the GPS. We're set.

Now, all that's left is... to pack.

Quotable Thursday | Let's Pretend

2010-11-04T11:56:00.002-04:00

"I don't use any particular method. I'm from
the 'let's pretend' school of acting."
Harrison Ford

How to Reach 10,000

2010-11-02T11:25:00.003-04:00

Dear JAKOB family and friends:

This is an open letter. It's about Under Jakob's Ladder, and Facebook, and the number 10,000.

First, a few questions. Do you know how many friends do you have on Facebook? How many of them are fans of Under Jakob's Ladder? Are YOU a fan, yet?

We're currently in talks with a couple film distribution companies about the movie's release (both here and overseas). We'd love to impress them with our Facebook Fan Count.

Our goal is to reach 10,000 fans.

We've got a bit of a ways to go. Which means we need your help!

So, if you're not connected to our Under Jakob's Ladder page, then please, by all means, click "Like" below...

Done it? Thanks!

If we get to 10,000 fans, we'll organize an "Unofficial Preview" of the movie in Manhattan. That's right... you'll have the chance to view the entire movie.

Now, let's get up to 10,000 fans...

Sincerely,
The Moon Brothers

P.S. The question is, how quickly can this be done? Let's get as many people as we can to click on the button below.

(Can't see the "Like" button? Then go to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/underjakobsladder. You'll find the "Like" button at the top of the page.)

Quotable Thursday | What's on the Screen

2010-10-28T11:48:00.001-04:00

"What you see on the set does not matter.
All that matters is what you see on the screen."
F. W. Murnau [German Film Director]
(1888-1931)

[Photo attribution: Min Master]

Bicyles, War Rooms, and Breakfast at Tiffany's

2010-10-26T12:48:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, movies can make things seem so REAL.

There are people who, on a trip to NYC, expect to find that breakfast is served at Tiffany's.

There are people who ask to see the basement at Alamo. Hoping to find Pee Wee's red bike there, perchance? There are actually signs posted to remind that the Alamo is site where a lot of people died. (In other words, don't ask about the bike!)

And then there is the story (or, urban legend?) of the newly-elected President Ronald Reagan... who, during a tour of the White House, asked to see the War Room; only to be disappointed when he was informed that such a room does NOT exist. (Maybe Reagan could have had Stanley Kubrick design a War Room while he was in office, and get Peter Sellars to play the part of Dr. Strangelove.)

Yes, Hollywood can be pretty persuasive.

However, who was it that said that you can fool all the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time?...

[Photo courtesy of cpmanda]

Quotable Thursday | State of Confusion

2010-10-21T11:51:00.001-04:00

"I pretty much try to stay in a constant state of confusion
just because of the expression it leaves on my face."
Johnny Depp

The Ticking Bomb

2010-10-19T13:53:00.009-04:00

Storytelling needs to be compelling. It needs something that makes you want to find out what comes next.

And that something is a little thing called suspense.

Alfred Hitchcock was known as the Master of Suspense, and for good reason. But suspense can be a tricky thing. For example, here's what it's not: when a bomb go off in a movie, but takes the audience by complete surprise... this is actually not suspense.

To add suspense, Hitchcock would say you need to let the audience in on a bit of information (i.e. that there's a bomb ticking away, about to explode). And that's what causes tension for the viewer... What is the hero of the story going to do? Will they figure it out in time?

Of course, the suspense doesn't have to be a physical bomb. (Wouldn't all movies be lacking something if a bomb-threat were involved in every plot line?) But, think of the "ticking bomb" here as a metaphor.

So, let's go to another example from one of Hitchcock's movies... one without an actual bomb: Vertigo (1958). (Warning: there are SPOILERS in this example for those of you who haven't seen this movie.)

The "ticking bomb" in this case is the end revelation that Judy and Madeleine are the same girl. The movie actually gives this away much earlier than it does in the original book (although Jimmy Stewart's character is left in the dark until the very end). Hitchcock reveals his reasoning for this: "I put myself into the place of the little child, sitting on its mother's knee, being told a story. When Mother pauses in telling the child the story, the child always says, 'Mummy, what comes next?'" (from an interview with Truffaut)

Hitchcock goes on to explain that even though everyone was shocked that he wanted to ruin the surprise ending of the book -- that Judy is Madeleine -- he thought it more to his purpose to let the audience in on the secret. Going back to the little child analogy: The kid, knowing this secret, would then ask his mother, "And Stewart doesn't know it, does he? What will he do when he finds out about it?"

Every story needs some sort of what-comes-next-mummy. Otherwise, it's bound to lose its audience. No, not that all movies should be suspense thrillers like the ones Hitchcock put out.

And yet, it's something to keep in mind. Screenwriters: Find a "ticking bomb" for your story.

[Photo courtesy of VSmithUK]

Quotable Thursday | Life Without Courage

2010-10-14T12:20:00.001-04:00

"What would life be if we
had no courage to attempt anything?"
Vincent van Gogh

(Well, hopefully we would not be missing an ear.)

The Art of Danger

2010-10-12T12:11:00.003-04:00

Who would deny that stunt work in movies can be dangerous? Which is why few actors do their own stunts. Or, rather, why the insurance companies won't let certain actors do their own stunts.

Here a short list of a few unfortunate events involving stunt work:

The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) was burned in the scene where she vanishes from Munchkinland in a cloud of smoke in The Wizard of Oz (1939). And it was the actress who did her own "stunt". (Note: In the finished movie, they did not use this take. Instead, they used was an earlier take where you can see the smoke is released a tad early -- which is why they had asked for another take in the first place.)
In the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), actor Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) was known for doing his own stunts. Director Peter Jackson dubbed him one of the "Walking Wounded" since he sustained some fairly serious injuries during filming.
Unfortunately, there are also stuntman who have died on set. For example, the stunt pilot who crashed his plane in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). (The movie is dedicated to his memory.)
And who of recent years can forget hearing about the tragedy that befell Brandon Lee, killed in a stunt involving a gun during the filming of The Crow (1994).

And yet audiences crave stunts.

Okay, so while we don't have any big car chases or people jumping off mountains -- including stunt disasters -- in our upcoming feature film Under Jakob's Ladder. But the movie did require a few of its own "stunts".

A while ago, we posted an interview with our stunt coordinator, Matthew R. Staley... In that interview, we decided to save some of the interview questions for a later blog post. Well, this is a blog post. And this is later...

We asked him about how he goes about preparing for a stunt.

Matthew's answer:

"Though science is frequently involved, preparing a stunt is still very much an art. Every script is different and presents its own unique challenges. It is all-too-easy to write a line in a script without having to give thought to the difficulty involved of actually visually achieving it onscreen (i.e. "The hero leaps to safety just in time as the helicopter explodes above him"). It is up to the Stunt Coordinator to devise a way to safely and believably achieve a physical action that a writer has written and that a director wants to shoot a certain way."

Of course, that is just our problem... as script writers. It is easy to write in a stunt. It's much harder to get that stunt safely performed.

And yet there are people who thrive on the potential danger. Mind you, these stunts are well thought out. Matthew was very safety-conscious on set. The key of a stunt is to make it look dangerous, not actually be dangerous.

When asked if there was any stunt he hasn't yet done, but would love to do... this was his answer:

"I have been very fortunate to have performed a variety of different stunts over the years. But if a script called for me to perform a high fall while on fire or roll a car, I certain wouldn't turn the opportunity down!"

Maybe that's something to consider for our next movie!

Quotable Thursday | Thankful for Laughter

2010-10-07T12:17:00.006-04:00

"I am thankful for laughter,
except when milk comes out of my nose."
Woody Allen

[Photo courtesy of NickPiggott]

New Paul Maier DVD from CubeCity

2010-10-04T12:31:00.003-04:00

Here's one of our latest DVD projects, an eight-part seminar, by Dr. Paul Maier, that we filmed in May and edited over the spring/summer. It's called Christianity and the Competition and is comparison of the various world religions.

We've posted a trailer to youtube, which you can watch below:

» Click here to find out more about the DVD.

» Click here to order the DVD.

Or go to http://www.tobiascom.com

*Note: if you're having trouble viewing the trailer, please follow this link...

Quotable Thursday | A Thin Line

2010-09-30T12:16:00.014-04:00

"There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt."
Erma Bombeck

(Note: You probably wouldn't think a setting of a comic strip could survive in a Soviet prison camp. But as Ms. Bombeck so kindly points out, comedy and tragedy are close relatives. So, for those of you who missed the latest installment of the UNDER JAKOB'S LADDER comic strip -- #4 to be exact -- please join Jakob, Yasha, and the prisoners... Click here to view the comic strip.)

[Photo of masks courtesy of Phil W. Shirley]

Redemptive Storyteller Film Award

2010-09-28T11:08:00.003-04:00

Well, folks...

We are pleased to let you know that our upcoming feature film, UNDER JAKOB'S LADDER, has won a Redemptive Storyteller Award! The award ceremony will be held in November at the Redemptive Film Festival in Virginia Beach, VA.

The name of the award fits in pretty well with the nature of our film; as it (the movie) relates to forgiveness and reconciliation!

You can see what the award looks like in the photo. (No, we did not get three awards. Just one. And no, we don't actually have the award yet since the award ceremony isn't until November.)

More details about the film festival to follow the closer we get to the event...

Click here to our press release...

Quotable Thursday | Film is Like Music

2010-09-23T12:11:00.006-04:00

"A film is -- or should be -- more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later."
-- Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999)

[Photo courtesy of minds-eye]

Why Call it a Movie Trailer?

2010-09-21T14:06:00.001-04:00

Did you ever wonder why we refer to movie trailers as "trailers"?

A trailer is supposed to "trail" things, right? Like the trailer trails behind the truck. (Try saying that five times fast!) So, isn't it kinda odd to say we watch movie trailers BEFORE the feature movie begins?

So... then, why do we call it a movie trailer?

Here's what we dug up. Apparently, back in 1966, an executive at Paramount told the L.A. Times this story about the "first trailer" which screened at a New York amusement park in 1912:

"One of the concessions hung up a white sheet and showed the serial 'The Adventures of Kathlyn.' At the end of the reel Kathlyn was thrown in the lion's den. After this 'trailed' a piece of film asking 'Does she escape the lion's pit? See next week's thrilling chapter!' Hence, the word 'trailer,' an advertisement for a coming picture."

Of course, that would work very well for a serial cliffhanger.

But as history moves on, trailers became useful to more than just for those types of movies. In essence, a trailer is just an advertisement. And movie theatres (as well as the studios) wanted people to actually watch the trailers.

That's when some brilliant entrepreneur must have realized that people tend to leave once the movie is over. "Hey, the movie's done. Time to go!"

However, put the movie trailer BEFORE the movie... now you have an audience.

Think about it. Would you sit AFTER the movie's done to watch a bunch of movie trailers? Nah, you got more important things to do. On the other hand, how often have you allowed yourself to sit through movie trailers (often for movies you don't really care to see) just because you're forced to wait to watch the newest Lord of the Rings movie? You may not like it, but you'll wait.

P.S. Sometimes movie trailers are called "previews", or "coming attractions". Both of those seem to make a lot of sense. But still the name "trailer" has stuck. Really, when was the last time you asked a friend, "Did you see the preview on the internet for the new [FILL IN THE BLANK] movie?!" Probably not. Probably you called it a movie trailer... like everybody else.

[Photo courtesy of chidorian]

Quotable Thursday | Opening New Doors

2010-09-16T14:43:00.004-04:00

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
-- Walt Disney (1901-1966)

[Photo courtesy of Conductive]

Set up and Payoff

2010-09-14T12:47:00.003-04:00

Movies are full of them... the setup and the payoff.

It's the part in a film that introduces a person (or object or piece of information) that seems to have little significance to the story. The audience shouldn't see it coming, yet it is significant enough so that the audience will remember it. That's the setup.

The payoff happens when that seemingly insignificant information becomes a very important plot point.

In The Wizard of Oz (1939), think of how the ruby slippers are set up as being very important. The reason originally given by Glinda to Dorothy is that if she takes the slippers off, she'll "be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch of the West." However, by the end of movie, Dorothy finds that these same ruby slippers are the key to getting her back to Kansas! There's your payoff.

Another classic case in point: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). Remember the scene when Jack Nicholson is showing off to the other guys in the psychiatric institute? He boasts that he can lift this huge marble water fountain. Of course, he can't; it's too heavy. On first viewing, it just seems like a great little scene meant to show the sheer audacity of the Jack Nicholson character. However, it's really meant to be a setup.

Now to the very end of the movie, when the big Native American patient escapes from the asylum... How? By lifting that same marble water fountain (the one that wouldn't budge for Jack Nicholson). But this guy not only can lift the thing, he throws it through a window and is able to escape from the asylum.

What if this final scene hadn't been set up with that earlier scene? Well, we wouldn't have been amazed at the sheer strength of the guy. (When Jack tried, we realized how heavy the thing was.)

For more on setups and payoffs, try reading these:
Plants and Payoffs
Set Up and Payoff

Quotable Thursdays

2010-09-09T11:58:00.003-04:00

We're planning to have a regular feature on this blog that has to do with quotes and quotations. Hence "Quotable Thursdays".

So, to kick it off, here are some quotes on... well, quotes...

And why not begin with the oft-quoted Ben Franklin! [pictured right]

"I have heard that nothing gives an Author so great Pleasure, as to find his Works respectfully quoted by other learned Authors." -- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

"I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself." -- Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)

"A proper collection of quotations is the whole world digested." -- Terri Guillemets

"People will accept your idea much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first." -- David H. Comins

A Little Banjo Music

2010-09-07T11:49:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was Labor Day. Which means we had to spend at least part of the day doing some sort of labor, right?

How about a little work in the recording studio... In this case, recording a little music with "Jed" and his banjo... for one of the film projects we're working on.

How did you spend your Labor Day weekend?

Straying from the Truth

2010-09-01T12:02:00.003-04:00

Some more thoughts on artifice and truth. (This post is really a continuation of last week's post.)

Screenwriter William Goldman, in his book Which Lie Did I Tell, says: "What is genuinely heroic in life many not work for film. It simply, as they say, won't shoot." Goldman goes on to tell a story how he personally once saved a kid from drowning. "In real life it was extraordinary. On film, nothing." (p.80-83)

In his book, he then recounts how he came across a heart-chilling true story of the heroic John Henry Patterson -- a man who hunted down and killed two man-eating lions in East Africa. "It took him nine months, but he got the first [lion]."

(Look at the photo... That's one of the lions.)

Then, after patiently waiting up in a tree, Patterson got the second lion.

What kind of movie would that have been? As Goldman put it: "For nine months he sits in a tree? Wow. For nine months, his plans mostly suck? Whoopee. For nine months he fails?"

In movie-making, sometimes you have to stray from the truth a bit. Shrink a time line. Meld several people into one character. Add a character to help move the story along.

But the key is this; you also need to remain true to the essence of the historical event or person. If you as the filmmaker can do that, than the movie based-on-a-true- story -- although you may have strayed from the truth -- will be truthful in the way that art is truthful.

(By the way, that's why historical movies tend to use the term "based" on a true story. As opposed to proclaiming: "A true story" or "This movie is 100% accurate in its historical depictions. Learn your history from us!")

Truth in Historical Movies

2010-08-24T16:01:00.002-04:00

How important is truth in a movie? Especially a movie based on history?

Take The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). One distraught viewer of the movie made this comment on the IMDb movie forums:

"There was a time that I really thought that this movie was excellent. I had given it a 9 star rating. That was before I watched a special on the History Channel with interviews with survivors. I have never watched this movie again, changed my rating to one star, and threw away the VHS tape that I had..."

That one-star rating is a pity. What this person failed to take into account is that the greatness of this movie doesn't lie in the precise facts of the historical setting.

Or, as Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote:

"Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures."

Art is contrived; there's no way around that. The trick is to artistically hide this fact. In a movie like The Bridge on the River Kwai, the story rides between the poles of both fact and fiction. This particular story is really more just a historical document about an event during World War 2. It's about how one man's greatest strength is also his greatest weakness.

A movie's purpose is to tell an engaging story. A great movie both tells an engaging story and strives to communicate a truth.

[Photo courtesy of Dave W. Clarke]

It's Comic Time | #3

2010-08-16T11:41:00.002-04:00

Yes, Comic #3 is officially released!

There are two locations for this episode.

The first setting is Jakob's home back in the village. (That's Jakob's granddaughter, Marta, in the pic to your right).

The second location? You've probably guessed it... The prison. A place where Jakob and his fellow prisoners await their "trial" before being shipped off to a work camp in Siberia.

And as YOU wait for the release of the movie, we hope you enjoy Lizzie's third installment of the Under Jakob's Ladder Comic Strip!

» Read the full comic at our website

If you can't see the link above, please go to...
http://www.cubecity.org/ujl_comic3.htm

P.S. Once again, we thank Lizzie Hupcey for all her hard work!

What it Takes to be a Filmmaker

2010-08-11T17:09:00.001-04:00

A filmmaking quote for this week's blog post...

"My three Ps: passion, patience, perseverance. You have to do this if you've got to be a filmmaker."
-- Robert Wise

Character Sketch

2010-08-03T15:56:00.001-04:00

We are surrounded by a lot of talented people. Here are some sketches of some of the characters from UNDER JAKOB'S LADDER... done by one of our film crew, Jerald Johnson.

Jakob (played by Jeff Stewart). How could we not begin with Jakob? The teacher...

Nikolai (played by Christopher Elliott). Watch out for those piercing eyes.

Bruno (played by Sal Rendino). You can never be quite certain what's going on in his mind.

Wait! There are more sketches... You can go to our Facebook page where we've uploaded all eight of the characters that Jerald sketched. (If you can't see the link, go to http://bit.ly/jakob_facebookfanpg)

Thanks, Jerald. The sketches look great!

What Makes a Cliché?

2010-07-27T12:48:00.003-04:00

A cliché is basically a stereotype for words; a pithy or cute saying. And for writers, this advice is often given: Don't use clichés!

But sometimes, that's like trying to avoid the plague. (Although, in our day and age, it's not like we have a lot plague going around. Unless you count the hazardous Swine Flu pandemic of 2009-2010. But that's water under the bridge.)

While clichés are here, there, and everywhere, here's something to think about:

Clichés usually begin as brilliant insights.

That's why we repeat them. They really only become clichéd through overuse.

Well, that's all, folks! We're busy as beavers. But now it's your turn. Do you have a favorite cliché? Or the cliché you most love to hate? (Tell us in the comments below. Remember, there's no time like the present.)

By the way, in preparing for this post we came across a cliché-finding website. Try it: http://www.westegg.com/cliche/

P.S. See the photo above? Bonus points to anyone who can guess the cliché it represents!

[Photo courtesy of tripleman]

Tell an Old Joke Day

2010-07-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

It's Tell an Old Joke Day...

Here's a joke to go with the Soviet theme (because of our upcoming movie Under Jakob's Ladder).

A flock of sheep are stopped by frontier guards at the Russo-Finnish border. "Why do you wish to leave Russia?" the guards ask them. "It's the Secret Police," reply the terrified sheep. "The order has come to arrest all elephants."

"But you aren't elephants!" the guards point out.

"Try telling that to the Secret Police!"

The Essence of Cinema...

2010-07-20T20:45:00.001-04:00

Just a quick editing quote for this week's blog post...

"The essence of cinema is editing. It's the combination of what can be extraordinary images of people during emotional moments, or images in a general sense, put together in a kind of alchemy."
-- Francis Ford Coppola

Nightmare at the Movies

2010-07-13T12:04:00.003-04:00

You sit down in a crowded movie theatre. You've paid your money. You've been anticipating this movie and you can't wait for it to begin. The previews are finally over and you settle into your seat when...

A cell phone rings.

It's not your cell phone. It belongs to the guy next to you. How do you know this? Because he actually answers the phone. And then proceeds to talk. All the while, you are trying to concentrate on the movie!

Finally, he hangs up. But, unfortunately, the "nightmare at the movies" has begun. As the couple behind you begin a running commentary on the entire movie, the teen in front of you begins texting. While it's true that she's not saying a word, that bright little screen can be very distracting.

What do you do?

However, this kind of behavior from some moviegoers isn't all that new... Even back in the 1920s, during the heyday of silent films, they had problems! Okay, so they didn't have cell phones back then. But, they did have to deal with different issues.

Since silent films are, well, silent. No sound means no dialogue. Okay, there was a little dialogue, but it was all on title cards. Nothing audible. Still, moviegoers complained about the patron who decided they would read each title as it came on screen.

In fact, in Kansas City, the theatre owners thought this was such a problem that they asked a young Walt Disney -- before the days of Mickey -- to create short cartoons to address this issue. Disney created several of his Laugh-O-Grams to feature a comical professor who would slam a mallet on the head of title readers; or would release a trapdoor that would chute them to the street.

Do you have any nightmare stories that you've endured at the movies? Share your experiences in the comments below...

Summer Reading

2010-07-06T12:21:00.001-04:00

What's on our summer reading list?

Well, the photo is giving it away. But, just in case you can't see the photo, it's of Barry Hampe's Making Documentary Films and Videos. (Which really is a "practical guide" to planning, filming, and editing documentaries.)

What's on your list?