Made a hamster sized contribution to this feature film but it was enjoyable. Check out ETIENNE! at www.hamstermovie.com. Going big in Vegas!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Etienne!
Made a hamster sized contribution to this feature film but it was enjoyable. Check out ETIENNE! at www.hamstermovie.com. Going big in Vegas!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saying goodbye to my old car - in my dream
Another weird dream. It started out with this sleazy restaurant owner that bought a an old run down place that had a specific name and logo that I couldn't remember. From there it somehow transitioned to me in some kind of contest where a bunch of medical practitioners (doctors and nurses) gathered in some kind of parking structure where I parked my old Infiniti G20 car (which I recently sold in reality). After everyone parked we all filed into some big cave like building where we were being locked into for a period of time - a month or so. It was kind of a social experiment like survivor where we were all supposed to live with each other and either help or compete for food, clothing, etc. So the 1st thing they throw at us is this huge cement truck full of ice cream and they put some hill-billy in distributing amongst the people. While everyone got just a small cup full, this hill-billy and his friends got cup after cup of this ice cream and so everyone was just got raving made to have this ice cream. That's when I noticed the logo on the side of the cement tuck was the same as the logo on the old restaurant, only the bottom was scratched out to say "Ice Cream." so as if it was some kind of flashback sequence, I went back to the beginning of the dream and over-heard this sleazy restaurant owner confess that he made up this survival game to create demand for his newly branded ice cream.
Then, I kind of flash out of that story and into me and my sister watching the ice cream restaurant story unfold on TV. After a few minutes I get bored and leave my sister to watch the show alone. I head for the parking garage to visit my Infiniti car and for some reason decide it would be a good idea to cut through the concrete floor of the parking structure around my car. After a few minutes I had this imperfect circle around my car and the next thing I knew there's a rumble and the Infiniti falls down to the level below smashing a Nissan 300Z car below it. Now in my dream, this was an unexpected result and I messed up my car along with someone else's. The guy who bought the car was supposed to pick up the car next Tuesday (in reality that's when he supposed to really pick up my car) and now he's not going to want to pay the full price with all this damage. So I'm freaking out and then this French guy starts complaining to me at the other end of the parking lot about how I've cut holes in the parking garage floor before and because of me they building owner had to re-route the water pipes because of the damages I caused. and then i realized in my dream that this was only a dream, so I reassured the French guy that none of this actually happened and woke up.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Che Part 1
Just saw Che Part 1 (of 2). Very much a biopic if I've seen one. It had the same tone as the "Fidel" biopic that aired a few years back on HBO (I think it was) - a mix of Che's UN speech inter cut with the Cuban revolution. At times it moves slow but I appreciate how the film avoids spectacle by letting the character breathe and talk and contemplate. In which case I suppose it's marathon running time can somewhat be justified. It's interesting how unnoticeable Soderberg is in this film - the film could have easily passed as an import from an under appreciated foreign filmmaker. Of course Del Toro couldn't have been anymore perfect for the role. From scene to scene there is no anticipation of plot but rather the feeling of history unfolding which is what fascinated me (my wife said the film seemed interesting but she quietly lost interest a quarter of the way through). So I wouldn't say this film is for everyone.
Look forward to seeing the other half. Interestingly the film was shot on the digital RED camera (although some scenes seemed to have been treated to look like 16mm). Celluloid would seem like the logical choice for such a gritty biography like Che but the in watching the film, there is no distracting qualities that come through from it's digital acquisition. It actually looks quite good.
A Quick Round of Movie Reviews
Dark Knight on Bluray - Friggin amazing as it seamlessly switches from full screen 16:9 (IMAX scenes) to widescreen matted.
Speed Racer - I liked it, but it seems like the rest of the world hates it.
The Lookout - A decent thriller if Memento was never made. Good performances.
Clerks 2 - I realized I was never into Clerks 1 but I've been listening to Kevin Smith's Smodcast and that's one hilariously random rant about gay sex, ass kicking, Nazi's, religion... you name it.
The Bank Job - If you expect the Transporter you won't get it - an exceedingly average film.
Rocky Balboa - I thought I could appreciate this film but I think it falls flat, at least Rambo had gratuitous violence.
Red Belt - Interesting film but the dialogue is weirded and surreal, the actors speak in simple sentences and repeat what they say. Maybe it's a Mammet thing.
Journey to the Center of the Earth - I should have known better than to rent this garbage.
Starship Troopers 3: Maurader - A friend's recommendation, yeah it's bad - the bad kind of bad. If you have Casper Van Deen listed as the main actor yet only really makes a guest appearance, you got one big pile of dung.
Paranoid Park - I thought I could appreciate this one too especially with Doyle behind the camera (and in front of it) but there wasn't enough in it to intrigue me.
Hellboy II - It was OK. Good effects and imaginative but it didn't seem to have any relevance - it didn't make me think or love or hate or feel... Hellboy I was kind of the same experience for me.
Tekkon Kinkreet - Very cool animated style and world. A kind of an evolved Akira story.
Speed Racer - I liked it, but it seems like the rest of the world hates it.
The Lookout - A decent thriller if Memento was never made. Good performances.
Clerks 2 - I realized I was never into Clerks 1 but I've been listening to Kevin Smith's Smodcast and that's one hilariously random rant about gay sex, ass kicking, Nazi's, religion... you name it.
The Bank Job - If you expect the Transporter you won't get it - an exceedingly average film.
Rocky Balboa - I thought I could appreciate this film but I think it falls flat, at least Rambo had gratuitous violence.
Red Belt - Interesting film but the dialogue is weirded and surreal, the actors speak in simple sentences and repeat what they say. Maybe it's a Mammet thing.
Journey to the Center of the Earth - I should have known better than to rent this garbage.
Starship Troopers 3: Maurader - A friend's recommendation, yeah it's bad - the bad kind of bad. If you have Casper Van Deen listed as the main actor yet only really makes a guest appearance, you got one big pile of dung.
Paranoid Park - I thought I could appreciate this one too especially with Doyle behind the camera (and in front of it) but there wasn't enough in it to intrigue me.
Hellboy II - It was OK. Good effects and imaginative but it didn't seem to have any relevance - it didn't make me think or love or hate or feel... Hellboy I was kind of the same experience for me.
Tekkon Kinkreet - Very cool animated style and world. A kind of an evolved Akira story.
Books to Write With
In the spirit of encouraging writing, here are some book recommendations for writing:
"Screenplay" by Sid Field - The classic handbook to the 3 Act screenplay, a must for any tool kit.
"Screenwriter's Bible" by David Trottier - I Like this book because it introduces a plot structure driven by critical events that define and/or drives your character(s).
"20 Master Plots" by Ronald B. Tobias - I've had this one for almost a decade! This is where I learned the importance in balancing the triangle of relationships between characters and when I'm stuck plotting a story, I reference this book to get ideas on where to go.
"Story" by Robert McKee - If it can inspire Charlie Kaufman then it's good enough for me. If anything I learned that a great writer makes decisions whereas an inept writer avoids such responsibility.
"On Writing" by Stephen King - A seamless narrative of how he became to be and how he puts print to page. He claims that if you want to write, you got to read - a lot. The King reads something like 80 books in a year.
Here's a curve ball for you,
"Love Signs" by Linda Goodman - Now before you laugh your ass off, you know you yourself or someone close to you has identified with horoscopes on one level or another. This is simply because horoscopes are a time tested study of patterns and character. And if you think it's all fiction - well then that's exactly what we're writing, fiction. This book is a great reference on how your characters might interact with each other... and if you want to go one step further and use this book for your love life, well then that's just none of my business.
So there you go. You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Sam
"Screenplay" by Sid Field - The classic handbook to the 3 Act screenplay, a must for any tool kit.
"Screenwriter's Bible" by David Trottier - I Like this book because it introduces a plot structure driven by critical events that define and/or drives your character(s).
"20 Master Plots" by Ronald B. Tobias - I've had this one for almost a decade! This is where I learned the importance in balancing the triangle of relationships between characters and when I'm stuck plotting a story, I reference this book to get ideas on where to go.
"Story" by Robert McKee - If it can inspire Charlie Kaufman then it's good enough for me. If anything I learned that a great writer makes decisions whereas an inept writer avoids such responsibility.
"On Writing" by Stephen King - A seamless narrative of how he became to be and how he puts print to page. He claims that if you want to write, you got to read - a lot. The King reads something like 80 books in a year.
Here's a curve ball for you,
"Love Signs" by Linda Goodman - Now before you laugh your ass off, you know you yourself or someone close to you has identified with horoscopes on one level or another. This is simply because horoscopes are a time tested study of patterns and character. And if you think it's all fiction - well then that's exactly what we're writing, fiction. This book is a great reference on how your characters might interact with each other... and if you want to go one step further and use this book for your love life, well then that's just none of my business.
So there you go. You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Sam
Monday, July 14, 2008
Deja Vu
Tony Scott is such a great visceral filmmaker. Just saw the film "Deja Vu," which I hadn't heard much about in my circles, and I really liked the concept from the pretense of creating a window into the past via a "Google Street View" type extrapolation of visual data to the unfolding (or at least the ambition) of a greater theme with fate and free-will - there's even hints of religeous and/or spiritual thought. Of coarse there are issues with the climax in how Denzel takes it one step further than seeing into the past but when it's all wrapped up (and you've let yourself believe a little), it makes for a nice package. And view the making of the film reinvigorated the aspiring the technical director in me - the youth that studied the movements of visual filmmaking greats like Cameron and Fincher. The inspired ideas that spawn the use of all matters of technilogical advancements in any and all fields to realize a visual story point. The ability to see beyond the ever widening scope of digital possibilty and bring back the visceral feel of practical effects and, in turn, mixing up the right combination of the two.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sleep Walker
I am all about control - control of the environment around me and control of myself and my emotions. So it becomes very unnerving to me when I loose a sense of control but at times it can be a funny and yet fascinating phenomena to recount. In this particular case I'm talking about sleep walking. My earliest memories are of my sister when we were kids way back when. I was watching TV with my dad late at night - unbeknown to my mom of course - when my sister suddenly appeared in the flashing glow of the TV. My dad and I questioned my sister but she was completely in a daze, not just sleepy and walking but sleep walking. After a few minutes idling she promptly turned around and returned to bed. The next morning she remembered nothing. I laughed at her total lack of control and baulked at such a thing ever happening to me. Low and behold so many years later my version sleep walking would manifest itself from extreme stress and lack of sleep.
The 1st two cases were when I and my good friends Robert Scott and Sean Lavin flew off to South America to shoot a documentary. In short, our travels got stressful at times - some of the toughest challenges I had ever faced. Tough in that the problems were much bigger than me, and I was completely out of my comfort zone - out of my element. There was nothing I could do about the Bolivian strike, the impoverished peoples, the road blockades, the rioting - I had absolutely no ability to either fix it or get a way from it. So in our time stuck in this small town the three of us were sleeping in a cramped room when I had this dream of chasing Sean down the narrow corridor of the train we had road into Bolivia, the "Tren de Muerta." Bodies of people were strewn all over the ground as I desperately crawled over them to try and keep up with Sean. Finally I reached out and started to scream Sean's name. After the third or fourth call I realized I was calling out loud from bed, disturbing the peace of the room and subsequently waking Sean and Scotty. When they asked if I was OK, I simply laughed in embarrassment and fell back into my sleep. In hind sight the laugh might have sounded somewhat sadistic because I never responded to Sean's calls after I woke him. The next morning I was stupid enough to bring up the incident, reminding Sean and Scotty of something they would have otherwise never remembered.
The second incident was well after we made it into Peru, but by then I had faced a humiliating and horrific bout of dysentery. As usual we all occupied a small room but in my dream I was now outside the train trying to get in. As I approached the door to the train, the massive machine began to move so I paced with the moving door and yelled to my companions to open up. As the train moved faster I became more and more desperate so I knocked on the train door when I suddenly realized I was out of bed and knocking on the room door. Once again I laughed at myself and went back to bed. And once again I was stupid enough to mention it to my companeros who would have otherwise remembered nothing. But they were good sports about the whole incident - I was genuinely concerned that I was going out of my mind. But then that would be the last of my sleepwalking for awhile. So many years later I would walk again, only this time the incidents were much more involved and that much more peculiar.
The 1st two cases were when I and my good friends Robert Scott and Sean Lavin flew off to South America to shoot a documentary. In short, our travels got stressful at times - some of the toughest challenges I had ever faced. Tough in that the problems were much bigger than me, and I was completely out of my comfort zone - out of my element. There was nothing I could do about the Bolivian strike, the impoverished peoples, the road blockades, the rioting - I had absolutely no ability to either fix it or get a way from it. So in our time stuck in this small town the three of us were sleeping in a cramped room when I had this dream of chasing Sean down the narrow corridor of the train we had road into Bolivia, the "Tren de Muerta." Bodies of people were strewn all over the ground as I desperately crawled over them to try and keep up with Sean. Finally I reached out and started to scream Sean's name. After the third or fourth call I realized I was calling out loud from bed, disturbing the peace of the room and subsequently waking Sean and Scotty. When they asked if I was OK, I simply laughed in embarrassment and fell back into my sleep. In hind sight the laugh might have sounded somewhat sadistic because I never responded to Sean's calls after I woke him. The next morning I was stupid enough to bring up the incident, reminding Sean and Scotty of something they would have otherwise never remembered.
The second incident was well after we made it into Peru, but by then I had faced a humiliating and horrific bout of dysentery. As usual we all occupied a small room but in my dream I was now outside the train trying to get in. As I approached the door to the train, the massive machine began to move so I paced with the moving door and yelled to my companions to open up. As the train moved faster I became more and more desperate so I knocked on the train door when I suddenly realized I was out of bed and knocking on the room door. Once again I laughed at myself and went back to bed. And once again I was stupid enough to mention it to my companeros who would have otherwise remembered nothing. But they were good sports about the whole incident - I was genuinely concerned that I was going out of my mind. But then that would be the last of my sleepwalking for awhile. So many years later I would walk again, only this time the incidents were much more involved and that much more peculiar.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Rory Kelly Haunts Us
A really random Rory Kelly sighting on YouTube... While the video does
have less to do with R. Kelly than the title implies, the clips brings
back the "rush" of being in his class. The person that posted the
video obviously has issues with his CSULB experience.
have less to do with R. Kelly than the title implies, the clips brings
back the "rush" of being in his class. The person that posted the
video obviously has issues with his CSULB experience.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ASs9IXnq2ns&mode=related&search=
Still no peep from Rory on my letter of recommendation to AFI...
holding my breath... turning blue...
Sam
Friday, July 13, 2007
Dreams
Another dream that is somewhat strange and surreal. I've been into zombie movies for a little bit even though apocalyptic visions are not high on my list of likes. In this dream I (or the character through which I see everything) is hurled into some dark alley with a handful of others that I don't specifically remember faces - a guy or two, a woman, a girl. We're all trying to navigate these back alleys of brick and shadow and we're trying to figure out who's a zombie and who's not. At this point the zombies are slow moving and they don't seem to be interested in sucking brains or anything. In one case we approached a security gate with a few zombies dragging there feet on the other end chasing a man. The man approaches the gate and begs for us to help him but we can't get the gate open and for one reason or another we kind of thought he was one of them and didn't try our hardest to get him out. So the dream is a bit spotty as I'm forgetting what happened. I do remember joining an older man and his wife on a roof and we look out over this nondescript plaza of this nondescript town and see that there are a lot more zombies than we thought. Once in a while we saw them chase a regular person but for some reason our interest was in the city hall of sorts that looked like an old museum of sorts. To be continued.... explosions, fight with construction worker.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Been wondering the same thing over and over again - why am I not writing? So why not kill a few words here. But instead of complaining about what's preventing me from commiting to the page or debating philosphical BS about what writing's all about (like I'm starting to do now) I'll just shoot the shit about whatever. Saw Blood Diamond today. Been waiting to get that DVD from my Blockbuster cue. I'm a fan of Edward Zwick's films - Legends of the Fall is a favorite as it makes me want to head on out to the mountains of Montana and rough it with the brothers I've never had. I must say that when I heard Leonardo Decaprio's South African accented voice in the trailer I was skeptical about him pulling off a convincing character. But I think he nailed it. There are things that bothered me, like the coicidence of Solomon's son becoming a rebel under the same man that enslaved Solomon. It would
have been easier to swallow if his son was recruited at same time Solomon got captured. A small issue
have been easier to swallow if his son was recruited at same time Solomon got captured. A small issue
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Been wondering the same thing over and over again - why am I not writing? So why not kill a few words here. But instead of complaining about what's preventing me from commiting to the page or debating philosphical BS about what writing's all about (like I'm starting to do now) I'll just shoot the shit about whatever. Saw Blood Diamond today. Been waiting to get that DVD from my Blockbuster cue. I'm a fan of Edward Zwick's films - Legends of the Fall is a favorite as it makes me want to head on out to the mountains of Montana and rough it with the brothers I've never had. I must say that when I heard Leonardo Decaprio's South African accented voice in the trailer I was skeptical about him pulling off a convincing character. But I think he nailed it. There are things that bothered me, like the coicidence of Solomon's son becoming a rebel under the same man that enslaved Solomon. It would
have been easier to swallow if his son was recruited at same time Solomon got captured. A small issue
have been easier to swallow if his son was recruited at same time Solomon got captured. A small issue
This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit
www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getpix.
To learn how you can record videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getflix.
To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required. Visit www.apple.com/quicktime/download to download the free player or upgrade your existing QuickTime� Player. Note: During the download
process when asked to choose an installation type (Minimum, Recommended or Custom), select Minimum for faster download.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
On Writing
According to Stephen King in his book, "On Writing":
- Art is not the life-support system to life, it's the other way
around. He says this in the context of having your writing desk in the
corner of a room rather than in the center.
- Creating a good story is like digging up a fossil - you try and
uncover something that already exists as complete as you can with your
set of tools.
- To be a good writer, you must read a lot and write a lot.
I suppose I should write out more key points as I re-read the book
("On Writing" is one of the few books I'm reading a 2nd time). More to
come I'm sure.
Sam
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Newport Beach to Feel the "Effect"
If you missed the DGA showing of “The Richter Effect,” now is your chance to catch it at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The short film will show in the Cal State University Long Beach Showcase 4/26/2007 at 7:30 pm in the Edwards Island Cinemas - Cox Theater. As always I want to thank my cast and crew for making the film happen and I’m glad to see that collaborative energy propel us unto bigger and brighter endeavors, together.
'The Richter Effect' will appear in the following in the order shown:
Program CSULB Showcase
'The TV Broke' Contact - Gerson Sanginitto sanginitto@hotmail.com
'One Sister' Contact - Michelle Gevoian mwridir@earthlink.net
'Bee Golden' Contact - Ryan Silveira rsilveira@gmail.com
'West of Glory' Contact - Daniel Kinsbursky offhollywoodprod@aol.com
'
'The Unobtrusive Plot' Contact - Gregory Crosby LBMovieMaker@hotmail.com
'The Richter Effect' Contact - Sam Yano sky@skysyndicate.com
'Each Other' Contact - Roger Melvin jmelvinjr@hotmail.com
'Orizuru' Contact - Junya Sakino div-pictures@swissinfo.org
Ad Infinitum,
Sam K. Yano
Director, “The Richter Effect”
CREDITS AND THANK YOUS:
CAST
Sean P. Lavin, Father
- My brother in arms, from the beginning to our undiscovered end.
Lezli Alley, Mother
- Lezli swooped in and saved me in the last moments of casting, meeting and beating my expectations for her role.
Connor Webb, Danny
- Connor kept the production light with his charming smile and curious nature – he reminded me of why I never want to grow up.
Brooke DeBetties, Melissa
- Professional through and through, talented as well as dedicated beyond her years – a rare find to live and learn by.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Adam Amberden
- He managed to hit every curve ball I threw at him during production. And he just makes me laugh by being himself. Thanks Adam!
CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
Matt Dow
- Another homerun hitter. He backed all my plays no matter how ridiculous – Matt is the ultimate “Fixer” because he just made things work without even breaking a sweat.
ASSISTANT CAMERA
Anne Caballero
- When comes to camera positioning and framing, you either got it or you don’t – Anne’s got it… and then some!
GAFFER
José Sanchez
- Mister suave! When Sanchez speaks everything is just smooth and cool. Like a warming shot of tequila.
Archie Arenas
- When Archie smiles, it could be good or it could be bad, but at least you’ll know you can laugh about it later.
GRIPS
Michael Rossetti
- There ain’t anyone that knows their production stuff like the Rossetti – he’s scary that way. Nuff said.
Lester Corpuz
- Mister nice. You just can’t go wrong with this guy – calm, collected – I dare anyone to claim that they don’t like Lester. Lester’s cool.
SOUND
ReyRonald Pineda
- Yeah… um, if there’s anyone I can easily blame for things going wrong on set, Rey would be the perfect scapegoat. But the guy has a heart of gold and he’s a really good friend. So I can only blame myself for liking the guy too much. Thanks Rey.
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Glenda Sherrell
- Always there with a winning enthusiasm. Thanks Glenda!
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
David Philip Miller – Thanks David!
Nicholas Pasqua – Nice guy. Thanks Nick!
Miho Shindo – I ended up marrying this PA.
MAKE-UP
Jennifer Kroll
- What is “The Richter Effect”? Well great performances framed by great makeup.
CATERING
Diane Timmons
IT Catering
- The food was good – Diane took good care of us and you know there’s nothing better than a hot meal after working your butt off.
EDITING BY
Sam K. Yano
- I wouldn’t trust my baby with anyone else.
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Rory Kelly
- The man, the myth, the legend. The god-father of my film production education.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
REVIEWS
FILM REVIEW
FILM: The Unknown Street
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/11265
RATING: 3.5 / 5
FILM: The Unknown Street
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/11265
RATING: 3.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: This documentary certainly has a heart and the imagery
is tragically beautiful in it's exotic locals and textured reality. It
also represents a unique perspective where the filmmaker himself is
very much a part of his message - the theme of surviving on limited
resources but thriving on altruism and the drive to achieve in
life/film making.
WHAT I SUGGEST: As I've commented on other documentaries, the key to
conveying your message is credibility. You are relying too much on the
sentimentality of your audience (how your audience feels about your
subject) rather than your characters/subjects evoking their own
sentiments.
The imagery you present goes a long way in establishing your
credibility but go one step farther - break the silence of these
people, get that camera up close and personal. Nice work.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Hero Hero
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/13970
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Playful photography and music. The performances and
locations exuded a wonderfully deep sense of New York / Brooklyn
culture.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The boy got lost in the shuffle - he could have
contributed to the end.
Fun film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/20882
Saturday, March 10, 2007
FILM REVIEWS
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Broken Doll Director's Cut
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
8941
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Great opening graphics and photography give this film a unique style that pays homage to the psychological horror thrillers of old - very Hitchcock.
WHAT I SUGGEST: Ambient sound went in and out and the poor, hollow quality of the camera clicks and spoken words disrupted the experience.
Very curious film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: THE THING UNDER MY BED
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
10270
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Great opening shot that establishes a freaky character. There are some genuinely tense moments when the "boogey man" pop in and out of the frame. Kinetic photography.
WHAT I SUGGEST: Some of the shots were too dark to follow the action. The film does well to exploit some moments of surprise but it never mixes up the formula and the film ultimately does nothing satisfying with each time it catches your attention.
Nice make up job - the old man is certainly freaky.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: POPCORN DREAMS
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
2557
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Very smooth, cinematic photography with stylized lighting and set design that supported the narrative. Playful music selection.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The end is a bit anticlimactic despite the moral of the story - because the film is so stylized and fantasy centric there is an expectation of a bigger than life ending. But the film's end is more or less a "real-life" irony which seemingly contradicts its look and feel.
Nice film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Beans on Wheels - 3
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
29135
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Quirky film with some funny, almost disturbing, images (and audio). Some shots had a unique look and feel (like when the wheel chair bound woman was rolling through a disaster of a house - good stuff).
WHAT I SUGGEST: The quality of the photography was very inconsistent. Some of the ambient noise became really distracting.
Sad, yes. Funny, yes!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: MY WALLET
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
15693
RATING: 3.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Like a well adapted live action Looney Tunes cartoon. Some great comical timing and action, interesting shot selection, and some funny impromptu moments.
WHAT I SUGGEST: As great as some of action camera work was, the quality was inconsistent and most of the sound was not clear or the levels were uneven.
Great work! Looks like this film was fun to make.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: creasy
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
20493
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Fantastic photography - well lit and composed. The performances were sincere and hit the right dramatic tone. I can appreciate the angle of the story - not the typical anti-pharmaceutical big-business scenario but of someone caught in between.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The main speech verged on melodrama simply because it ran too long and pushed in too close when the true intimacy between the character and audience should have been during the last shot of Creasy visiting the grave.
Great looking film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
FILM: Broken Doll Director's Cut
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
8941
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Great opening graphics and photography give this film a unique style that pays homage to the psychological horror thrillers of old - very Hitchcock.
WHAT I SUGGEST: Ambient sound went in and out and the poor, hollow quality of the camera clicks and spoken words disrupted the experience.
Very curious film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: THE THING UNDER MY BED
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
10270
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Great opening shot that establishes a freaky character. There are some genuinely tense moments when the "boogey man" pop in and out of the frame. Kinetic photography.
WHAT I SUGGEST: Some of the shots were too dark to follow the action. The film does well to exploit some moments of surprise but it never mixes up the formula and the film ultimately does nothing satisfying with each time it catches your attention.
Nice make up job - the old man is certainly freaky.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: POPCORN DREAMS
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
2557
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Very smooth, cinematic photography with stylized lighting and set design that supported the narrative. Playful music selection.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The end is a bit anticlimactic despite the moral of the story - because the film is so stylized and fantasy centric there is an expectation of a bigger than life ending. But the film's end is more or less a "real-life" irony which seemingly contradicts its look and feel.
Nice film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Beans on Wheels - 3
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
29135
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Quirky film with some funny, almost disturbing, images (and audio). Some shots had a unique look and feel (like when the wheel chair bound woman was rolling through a disaster of a house - good stuff).
WHAT I SUGGEST: The quality of the photography was very inconsistent. Some of the ambient noise became really distracting.
Sad, yes. Funny, yes!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: MY WALLET
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
15693
RATING: 3.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Like a well adapted live action Looney Tunes cartoon. Some great comical timing and action, interesting shot selection, and some funny impromptu moments.
WHAT I SUGGEST: As great as some of action camera work was, the quality was inconsistent and most of the sound was not clear or the levels were uneven.
Great work! Looks like this film was fun to make.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: creasy
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
20493
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Fantastic photography - well lit and composed. The performances were sincere and hit the right dramatic tone. I can appreciate the angle of the story - not the typical anti-pharmaceutical big-business scenario but of someone caught in between.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The main speech verged on melodrama simply because it ran too long and pushed in too close when the true intimacy between the character and audience should have been during the last shot of Creasy visiting the grave.
Great looking film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
Friday, March 09, 2007
BUDDHA AND THE HECKLER - RESPONSE TO A REVIEW OF GUNPLAY
SKYGUY: Who said anything about GUNPLAY being a "gangsta" flick? I said this film was based on the writings of Dashiell Hammett - look it up. It sounded like you had something intelligent to say about some of the shots and editing but then you tripped up on your own ego and I didn't understand the point you were trying to make - were you trying to say that the use of the guns didn't fulfill your expectations of the ending? The ending was suppose to be somewhat comical, if not, unexpected. So let me tell you a story in response to your attitude towards my film and me:
When Buddha was speaking to a group of people one day, a heckler interrupted him with a barrage of disrespectful insults. This continued for days until finally Buddha ask the man a simple question in the form of a short anecdote: If you were to give someone a gift and they were to refuse to accept that gift, then to whom does that gift belong? The heckler responded by saying that the unaccepted gift would belong to the person giving the gift. Then Buddha asked: Then if you were to give me your insults and I were to refuse to accept those insults, then to whom do those insults belong? The heckler could not respond.
Thanks for watching mdduke, and you're right - it should be 1 luv. So BLEEP you and I'll be sure to check your film out ; )
mdduke | Mar 08, 2007
CUZ this was the worst want to be gangsta flick I have seen in some time. It doesn't look like this is the genre for U, I don't know whether to blame U or the actors for this BLEEP. Any body that knows what a gun is knows that when the barrel is exposed like it was that means the clip is empty. What was the purpose for him taking it out to look at it, was it because U were trying to add suspense? Well let me be the first to tell you all that did was further add to the disappointment of that 5:46 minute waste time. The way you placed all the frames together was not the problem, it was just the concept and story line. Leave the genre to the people that know about gun play CUZ that BLEEP was a motha BLEEPin GUN SHAME. Change the title to "gun lame," it would suit your film better!
1 luv & may God B wit U CUz!
PS if U look at my film U will see doing some comical things with my heater. But best believe I can break that chrome BLEEP down blind folded! The BLEEP I was doing wit my BLEEP was 4 kicks, and not to be taken serious. U need to put your film under comedy CUZ dat BLEEP was a riot!
When Buddha was speaking to a group of people one day, a heckler interrupted him with a barrage of disrespectful insults. This continued for days until finally Buddha ask the man a simple question in the form of a short anecdote: If you were to give someone a gift and they were to refuse to accept that gift, then to whom does that gift belong? The heckler responded by saying that the unaccepted gift would belong to the person giving the gift. Then Buddha asked: Then if you were to give me your insults and I were to refuse to accept those insults, then to whom do those insults belong? The heckler could not respond.
Thanks for watching mdduke, and you're right - it should be 1 luv. So BLEEP you and I'll be sure to check your film out ; )
mdduke | Mar 08, 2007
CUZ this was the worst want to be gangsta flick I have seen in some time. It doesn't look like this is the genre for U, I don't know whether to blame U or the actors for this BLEEP. Any body that knows what a gun is knows that when the barrel is exposed like it was that means the clip is empty. What was the purpose for him taking it out to look at it, was it because U were trying to add suspense? Well let me be the first to tell you all that did was further add to the disappointment of that 5:46 minute waste time. The way you placed all the frames together was not the problem, it was just the concept and story line. Leave the genre to the people that know about gun play CUZ that BLEEP was a motha BLEEPin GUN SHAME. Change the title to "gun lame," it would suit your film better!
1 luv & may God B wit U CUz!
PS if U look at my film U will see doing some comical things with my heater. But best believe I can break that chrome BLEEP down blind folded! The BLEEP I was doing wit my BLEEP was 4 kicks, and not to be taken serious. U need to put your film under comedy CUZ dat BLEEP was a riot!
RESPONSES TO GUNPLAY REVIEWS
SKYGUY: Yes, I tried very hard to telegraph everything - some found it
to be too much and others didn't get it at all. I tried to find that
sweet spot of subtlety without being too abstract about my ideas -
then again, I tend to lean towards the commercial sensibility of
wanting to explicate everything. I learn balance with every film I
make. And I back my actors up 100% - there's always room for
improvement but they did a bang-up job for me on set and on screen.
to be too much and others didn't get it at all. I tried to find that
sweet spot of subtlety without being too abstract about my ideas -
then again, I tend to lean towards the commercial sensibility of
wanting to explicate everything. I learn balance with every film I
make. And I back my actors up 100% - there's always room for
improvement but they did a bang-up job for me on set and on screen.
behindtheart | Mar 09, 2007
The acting was? You tryed to hard telagraphing evreything. So
pradictable. I cant spell . The style it was shot in was nice it had a
look. leave somthing to think about. Paint an abstract and let the
breath find the truth.
__________
SKYGUY: Thanks Hitman_1942! Omitting dialog was a big help in being
able to shoot the coverage I wanted in the time I had. Most don't
realize that the quality of audio, especially dialog, can really make
or break a film. I'll be sure to check out your film. Thanks again for
watching.
Hitman_1942 | Mar 04, 2007
That was actually kinda funny. I liked the animation you did while he
was throwing the gun. I should start making movies where nobody talks
then they won't have to worry about messing up their lines.
Check out The Habit
http://films.thelot.com/films/20947
__________
SKYGUY: Thanks for recognizing the music! That's all scored by Isaac
Agyeman - really nice guy. We worked hard on getting the right sound
going through several themes and styles. I really do like dealing with
cinematography - it plays an important role in telling my stories. But
directing is the grand challenge. Directing is so abstract in the ways
you can approach it that I am drawn by its mystery. Thanks for
watching!
maxtone | Mar 04, 2007
The audio on intro was a little low.
Though I didn't fully understand project - you get an "A+" for the
MUSIC. It was AWESOME! Love those beats.
You had some very FABULOUS shots though. Lighting was good too. You
have a GREAT EYE for details. Just work on the script more. I know it
was challenging without dialogue.
Good luck.
__________
SKYGUY: I like me a good, in depth, story as well. But this was more
of an exercise in plotting and fast action. Hopefully my latest film
and my future films will show more of my strength in story. I've also
started a story writing excersize on my blog should you care to check
it out:
http://community.thelot.com/blogs/skyguy
Thanks for the review!
ouneoas | Mar 04, 2007
Nice job on the shot selection and the music( I really liked it).
There were times where the fast motion to regular motion shots were a
little to much. And I agree with maxtone that your story isn't really
there, not to say thats a bad thing per say, just my preference. All
in all nice job and good luck. Thanks for the review.
__________
Thanks Victor! My latest short, "The Richter Effect," has more dialog
and will be showing at the Newport Beach Film Festival. You can catch
the teaser here:
http://www.skysyndicate.com/samdemo/media.htm
Thanks for the kind review!
victorpeceno | Mar 04, 2007
Good music
i miss dialogue but even without it
it is entertainning
good job
__________
SKYGUY: I'm glad the end worked for you - it's been a topic of debate
but I'm happy with the ending I decided to go with. Thanks for
dropping by.
jrhndrsn | Mar 04, 2007
The music throughout the film really carried the suspense. The guns
were used in an unexpected way.
__________
SKYGUY: Why you're welcome! And have another drink on me!
baddsully | Mar 04, 2007
hello. thank you. and good luck.
yeah, i'm drunk on a sunday. and?
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
RESPONSES TO GUNPLAY REVIEWS
SKYGUY: Thanks for the review behindtheart. The performances actors
definitely more caricatures than "real" peoples - like stylized
comicbook characters. Your film is very unique amongst the other film
on The Lot - defintely worth checking out by others.
definitely more caricatures than "real" peoples - like stylized
comicbook characters. Your film is very unique amongst the other film
on The Lot - defintely worth checking out by others.
behindtheart | Mar 03, 2007
When the film started I was taken back by the acting Then I thought
maybe it's over the top on purpose. I liked that it had a styl and a
pace. And it ende up being a fun film. I think you have potential as a
director. Ive seen a hand full of film on here that I loved Im a vey
hard cell. No one looks at my film its hard to find but if you have a
chace to see somthing very very out of the box that will touch your
spirit please take a look. good luck
__________
SKYGUY: Thanks for checking GUNPLAY out!
schwartzman | Mar 04, 2007
Liked it.
__________
SKYGUY: I totaly agree that stylized dialog would have been great -
I'm big fan of the film "Brick" which was based on Dashiell Hammett's
style of writing but in a contemporary highschool setting. My film was
defintely an excersize in style and for the sake of getting all the
angles and shots I wanted I opted to omit dialog. Thanks cool review
Steven!
steven_scott | Mar 04, 2007
Cool strobe effect. Has that slightly rotoscopic Waking Life look at
times. It'd be cool to see that developed a bit more, to stylize it to
the point of creating a totally new effect. Really, really like the
tilting, ever-shifting camera angles. The acting was a bit cheesy,
especially the girl. Choice of casting is dubious. I can't really
believe these people as gun-wielding bad guys. The perfect choice of
music to keep the energy going, since there's no dialogue. Speaking
of...I would love to see this with just a string of sexy one-liners,
almost like Beat Era poets, passed from one character to another, like
b*tchslaps. Really smart dialogue, though, or else forget it. Overall,
quite enjoyed it.
__________
SKYGUY: I can agree that the action is drawn out but that is
essentially the point of GUNPLAY - the most powerful aspect of a gun
is it's threat of force and not the actual flash-bang. Using that
theme, I tried to think of an interesting paradox that played with
what a gun can do besides just shoot someone.
Timothywen | Mar 04, 2007
Nice, the editting a too drawn out for my taste . but different
strokes for different folks
Mine is hard boiled type. alot of shoot em up type
please see http://films.thelot.com/films/30945
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
REVIEWS
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Meat Pie
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
14449
RATING: 3.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Music and matching edits did well to create an energized thrill ride - that 1st shot got me to jump. Fast paced, some great action and effects - the campiness made it fun.
WHAT I SUGGEST: I thought the performances didn't need to be as campy as they were. The last few shots were too dark.
An unexpected fun film with some great effects action.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Jackson Horn - A Mystery of Errors
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
29868
RATING: 2.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Good production value in some of the scenes. The final scene had some good moments of drama, a sense that something was unfolding.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The performances seemed very rehearsed and story a bit unclear. The music seemly fit the moods from scene to scene but lacked a common theme/thread to bind the whole film.
Great effort!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: TERMINAL
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
13447
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: A familiar premise is used with a nice variety of sequences to generate a genuine interest is what will ultimately happen. The performances were decent.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The overall production between lightning, camera, and editing needed a little polishing. The film does a great job building up to the end but the end itself flat-lined in originality.
A very hot button issue film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: SPIRIT RIDE
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
30212
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: This film is very lyrical in it's presentation. This is yet another enigma of a film that haunts my sensibilities - its a good thing.
WHAT I SUGGEST: I can't say I fully understood the narrative but the images and music work in concert to evoke a range of emotions that are not soon forgotten.
Very unique amongst the films on The Lot.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
FILM: Meat Pie
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
14449
RATING: 3.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Music and matching edits did well to create an energized thrill ride - that 1st shot got me to jump. Fast paced, some great action and effects - the campiness made it fun.
WHAT I SUGGEST: I thought the performances didn't need to be as campy as they were. The last few shots were too dark.
An unexpected fun film with some great effects action.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: Jackson Horn - A Mystery of Errors
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
29868
RATING: 2.5 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: Good production value in some of the scenes. The final scene had some good moments of drama, a sense that something was unfolding.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The performances seemed very rehearsed and story a bit unclear. The music seemly fit the moods from scene to scene but lacked a common theme/thread to bind the whole film.
Great effort!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: TERMINAL
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
13447
RATING: 3 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: A familiar premise is used with a nice variety of sequences to generate a genuine interest is what will ultimately happen. The performances were decent.
WHAT I SUGGEST: The overall production between lightning, camera, and editing needed a little polishing. The film does a great job building up to the end but the end itself flat-lined in originality.
A very hot button issue film!
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
__________
FILM REVIEW
FILM: SPIRIT RIDE
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/
30212
RATING: 4 / 5
WHAT I LIKED: This film is very lyrical in it's presentation. This is yet another enigma of a film that haunts my sensibilities - its a good thing.
WHAT I SUGGEST: I can't say I fully understood the narrative but the images and music work in concert to evoke a range of emotions that are not soon forgotten.
Very unique amongst the films on The Lot.
When the chase is cut short, the guns come out to play! Check out GUNPLAY!
http://films.thelot.com/films/
20882
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