This is such a great idea! I'm sure there are variations on the concept, but this one is pretty wonderful. I think it's a Photron cam they used for the high speed? I can't be positive.
I operated on this16mm Arri SR2 feature film, directed by Brian Jun, which tells of a true & controversial story that took place in 80's small town Iowa. It premiered this weekend on the Life Time Movie Channel. We shot it over the course of 18 days in LA and 3 additional days in Illinois. It meant getting to work with the fantastic John Savage who is full of, um, spunk as well as Gabriel Mann, Mark Pellegrino, Jennifer Finnigan, and Eliza Dushku. We shot the main stunts in the WB back lot out there and had a really great crew! Check out the website to know more about the story of this corrupt small town police department.
I watched this very compelling documentary "Guys and Dolls" a couple years back and odds are if we've had more than 5 conversations I've mentioned it in some depth to you. Well the site I found it on initially is defunct, but I found this fairly testy site and the doc. Granted this site just links you to Youtube where the doc is in pieces, but if you can deal with the inconvenience it's really fascinating.
I recently rewatched "Michael Clayton" for this short I'm shooting, which is also a sort of deception, twistsandturns type. I always seem to forget how good an actor George Clooney is. He's solid, subtle, and always sexy. I don't mean sexy in an overt, trying too hard, working out too much way. I mean reaaal sex appeal that comes from investing in your character and the subtle depths that lie within. It doesn't, of course, hurt that he is an attractive man, but there is more than one way to be attractive, people. He just happens to bring a lot to the table.
He is also a smart man, as he chooses to team up with Robert Elswit often, sometimes on his own accord, other times, by association. He is one of my favorite modern cinematographers...and he is probably one of yours too, you just may not know it:
Good Night and Good Luck Duplicity
Boogie Nights The Men Who Stare at Goats
There Will Be Blood Syriana
Punch-Drunk Love 8MM
Redbelt Magnolia Waterland
A very cute short shot with all natural light, except the interiors with the little girl using Kinos, on the F3 with Zeiss G.O. 1.4s...without Nanoflash so 4:2:0. Holds up extremely well, in this presentation format. I'm slated to shoot a short in the next few weeks and am leaning heavily towards this camera for its quality, ease of use, and affordability. And it comes with the brown paper mache man!! No. Just kidding.
" The audience has to understand that if the film is going to have any meaning for them. If they are going to empathize with the characters, they have to visualize the process of concentration involved in making every move. "
When the line between something good and something bad or just sub-par is so fine, I think that this sentiment is so true. The genius is in the proper execution of the subtleties.
I am always inspired by the Polish brothers and namely David Mullen...last night I dreamt in Northfork mode, which was dark and wondrous...I wish I could always dream as beautifully as DM shoots.
With spring upon us and the return of some warmth to my bones, I set to explore my new(ish) neighborhood. We have a huge, outstanding library. I found a great, comprehensive book on James Wong Howe (whose real name is Wong Tung Jim...and came known as the former due to a 1st grade teacher's mix up...or probably her concerted effort to Americanize his name) which made me wanna rewatch one of his last (& one of my favorite) films, Hud*. It's breathtaking and always invokes a feeling of "I wanna make things!" from me. Plus, Paul Newman plays evil in it...and who can't eat that up?
*Note, I did not watch it from this youtube posting. It would be too shameful to do so.
