Resolution and revolution

Wednesday morning we had out Production Safety meeting - imperative that all team members attend. Sophie was absent. Betsy Pollock had spoken to her, details hazy but it seems that a friend has been in an accident and they can't be moved for a couple of weeks - unlikely that Sophie will be back for our production.



In the afternoon we watched 'Across the Universe' followed by a Q&A with the Director Julie Taymor. She was a very impressive woman - sharp, intelligent and punchy. Alas for me the film wasn't my cup of tea. Thought all the singers sounded like Ewan McGregor. But enjoyed the Q&A. We are certainly spoilt at teh AFI with such amazing exposure to film makers.





Afterwards there was a screening of Adaptation - Charlie Kaufman - followed by a discussion of the film moderated by James Hosney. Fascinating class - looking forward to the film slated for the next year which include Rosemary's Baby, China Town, 12 monkeys, Blue Vlevet etc

Evening found out that we have been granted permission to approach a new producer for She Cried Alive - so looking forward to moving on with the production. Real sense of disappointment and betrayal but great relief within the group that we can move on. Key aim now is to find someone we can trust and so avoid the previous dilemman.

Heaven knows I am miserable now....

Phenomenal evening..........Morrissey at the Palladium



I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way ?
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Oh, of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way ?
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

There's a club, if you'd like to go
You could meet somebody who really loves you
So you go, and you stand on your own
And you leave on your own
And you go home, and you cry
And you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
Well, when exactly do you mean ?
See I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way ?
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does



Went along with Raphael (Dir)

Monday and Tuesday on set.

Kyle (Dir) - ran the Chicago marathon on Saturday so sneaked in a few zeds when he could!



The trial of a Production Designer - Beth Van Dam.

Evening - still no sign of Sophie. Everyone has tried calling and e mailing but no contact. Rumour has it that a family member has died. So hopefull everything is OK. AFI is trying to contact her.

The 'Projectionist'

Saturday to Tuesday spent on sent on a cycle project called 'the Projectionist'

The core team was:

Producer - La Monde Byrd
Director - Christy Rubenstein
Writer - Bradford Fullerton
Cinematographer - Kevin Cannon
Production Design - Beth Van Dam



La Monde kindly arranged 3.30 am call times for Saturday and Sunday! For the first two days we shot in the Vista on Sunset - beautiful 'Egyptianesque' cinema.



Lal Monde Byrd deep in paper work



Ethan Ransom - sound mixer



Bryan Croes - PA



The 'Actors'



Christy



Kevin



Christy



Katie Goldstein - Camera



Bradford



Victor - who runs the Vista



A crowded projection booth!



Makeup.



Popped on to Kip Pastor and Andrew Speiler's shoot.



A pensive Bradford - watching his words come alive



Brian the first AD



And on to Matt and Vlaentina's shoot - Tal perched high in the Gods!



Alex Lee



Camera crew



Raphael

Friday no show.

Spent Friday morning in the libraray working on a rewrite of 'Wage Slave' Spent most of the time gasing with Nick Sinnott which proved fun. So we headed off for a great sushi lunch. He used to work for George Lucas and so shared a number of funny stories of what it was like to work at Skywalker Ranch.

Afternoon had coffee with Gina Kelly and we discussed the stories we were interested in writing. So a full day of coffee!

Early evening cinematography class with Bill Dill, ASC. He was straight, professional and laid out teh ground rules. Very interesting class. Key comments included:

'We don't cover a scene we reveal a scene.'

"You will always find a way to do what you want to do. So when you hear I wanted to but couldn't it won't wash."

"In quality architecture you should know where the bathroom is" - Bob Boyle

The close up is like the word 'very' used sparingly it has dramatic results, used frequently it becomes redundant.

The final thing which was said....and I am delighted it has finally been voiced.....is all the bootcamp films were crap, there is no way round this, they were rubbish. If you paid $10 for a ticket you would want a refund. And to cap it all there is nothing worse than crap we justify!

Evening tried contacting Sophie as received an e mail from Sophie on Wednesday saying she had to head off to New Orleans at short notice. Tried calling and e mailing, received a text saying she would call but have heard nothing. Seems she didn't turn up for any of her producing lessons on Friday. Hope she is OK. She is meant to be crewing for La Monde this weekend but he hasn't heard anything either.

Thursday directing classes start

OK so I have now started using photos I am taking on my iPhone - little low res but nonetheless workable.

Worked from home on the video story board and catching up on blog. Been feeling a little down the last week so off the boil on the blog. But now as we move more into productions, classes increase and also started work on next scripts mood is back to 100%

We had a great lesson with Rob Spera today. This guy is tough and straight down the line. 2pm sharp - doors locked. A number of our colleagues tried to get in but were denied. Finally came in at the break - there is certainly no messing around.

Rob trained with Sandy Meisner - he has directed a whole host of plays, TV and films. The weekly session for the next year will be split into two. First half will be acting the second half film craft. The aim of the course is to develop directing skills for feature films - not TV etc.

So a number of key questions came up:

When watching a film are we moved by the film or the film making? The aim is to make decisions that aren't redundant or obvious.

The aim is to make 2+2=5

So the example Rob used was when Nixon left office. He was at his lowest ebb, hated by the public, considered a liar and cheat. So teh obvious choice would be to show a broken man, and yet he walked out to the helicopter turned and gave the victory sign. It was just so unexpected and powerful. So in this case:

hated by public + victory sign = 5

We then did a couple of exercises on visual story telling through body language - referenced the Desmond Morris book 'Manwatching' as a strong source for non verbal communication.

Make it simple in execution and complex in meaning.

Real life is a terrible excuse for bad drama.

Playing against what is happening - for example at the end of Harry Met Sally her last line is 'I hate you Harry' and yet you know they are in love!

OK small things like lying - how about shaking your head as you say I love you, or closing your eyes when you say I love you, or scratching your nose etc - it can all be played and is readable.

Postural echo - copying people we like, miroring.

In the end we were warned that this is a tough profession, the majority of us wouldn't make it. His class is important, do not miss it. Most importantly he is there to not make us good, not to make us better or OK, but for us to be great.



Rushed across town for a BAFT LA newcomers interview with Julia Verdin (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0893845/) who has produced 27 film including 'Merchant of Venice' and Stander.



Next class was with Jim McBride. Here we analysed a number of scenes from Hitchcock's 'Notorious' looking at POV and narrative choice. Fabulous film.



This weekend I am boom swinging for Christina (Dir) and La Monde (Pro) - so we had a simple production meeting to run over the plan for the four days. Lots of early starts approaching!!!



Kyle Smith (Dir) will be running the Chicago marathon this w/e



Ethan Ransom (Scr) will be sound mixing for the four days.

40th Anniversary Screening - the big day

Spent the morning with Jeff an Fanshen acting out a 'video storyboard' for 'She Cried Alive'.

Afternoon a lecture by Joe Pichirallo a creative producer who has worked primarily in the studio system in the independent arena. He was originally a journalist who then studied scriptwriting at the AFI for a year before moving into production.




Then it was time for the big event. The 40th Anniversary screenings. I saw 'Star Wars' which was introduced by George Lucas - flanked by two stormtroopers! I was bang in the middle of the front row and this straight in front of the big man himself!! What an evening. Others saw Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Sly Stallone etc. We all then retired to the local english pub to chew the cud.

Back to school.

Monday kicked off with a rather unispiring lecture on sound and what not to do, then went into a short lecture on script supervising. Afternoon production meeting with Neil Canton (producer of 'Back to the Future' and 'Witches of Eastwick') Really very few comments about the script - we took this as a good sign.




Jeff's hidden acting talent.



Tuesday and we started location scouting. Sophie led us to the United Pacific Studios near downtown LA. Set in a rough industrial area. It quickly became apparent that the studio was set up to make 'Adult Films' - the sets included a locker room, shower room, prison cell, strip bar, bedroom, the bosses office etc!!!







Back to college for the second half of the cinematography review - our scene was well recieved.




Christine No (Pro) Bret Combden (Dir)



Ethan Ransom (Scr)



Stephen Milam (Scr)



Cager Thompson (Scr)



Jihanne Tatankai (Cin) and Jeff Bierman (Cin)



Bartosz Pawlowski (Cin)



Brett Combden (Dir)



Dan Adlerstein (Cin)



Marina Stabile (Pro) and Mariscela Mendez (Cin)



Tal LAzar (Cin)




Steohen Lighthill (Head of Cinematography)





Gina Kelly (Scr)



Todd Banzhal (Cin) and Nina Varano (Cin)



Benji Bakshi (Cin)



Jeff Powers