» Posts Tagged ‘filmmaking’
Director Jack Perez (Some Guy Who Kills People, Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus) has been making low-budget films for quite some time, and just a few months ago he sat down with the great people over at Film Courage to discuss the process of making movies and which are the best films to watch to help you learn the craft of filmmaking. Check out the list below, and be sure to head on down to the comments and add any that have helped you learn the craft. More »
J.J. Abrams made a name for himself in television, but he’s become been one of the biggest film directors in Hollywood thanks to giant movies like Mission: Impossible III and the Star Trek reboot. Recently he sat down with BAFTA Guru to talk about his career, what his father told him before going to college, and his advice for aspiring filmmakers. Click through to check it out. More »
Derek Cianfrance Breaks Down Scenes from 'The Place Beyond the Pines'
Derek Cianfrance’s followup to the extraordinary Blue Valentine comes in the form of a three act Shakespearian crime drama, The Place Beyond the Pines. Collider goes behind the scenes with the director to discuss the filmmaking and break down a few scenes, discussing camera placement, character choices, working with ‘movie stars’ and blending a performance together across many different takes. Hit the jump for the video and analysis: More »
Janusz Kaminski & Julian Schnabel on Creating New Conventions for 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'
DP/30 brings us some of the most casual yet penetrating interviews with filmmaking talent, and this one pushes that envelope even more. In the format of a roundtable lunchtime chat in sunny Southern California, the creative crew behind The Diving Bell and the Butterfly exposes their approach to material that had no precedent, the perks of making the film outside the United States, and creating new conventions where none existed. Hit the jump to watch the 30 minute segment: More »
What Happens When a Hurricane Hits Your Indie Film? A Chat with 'Lily & Kat' Director Micael Preysler
Director Micael Preysler had a unique set of circumstances for making his debut feature film, going from the creation of a simple teaser to the now nearly completed film. Hurricane Sandy proved to be a challenging obstacle, hitting the film’s 16 day shoot right in the middle, destroying key locations and making transportation impossible. Read on to get the full scoop, see how they rose to the challenges, and watch the new theatrical trailer for Lily & Kat: More »
We recently shared commentary from Ridley Scott in which he acknowledged that filmmaking is indeed a business and a commercial industry — and more often than not, it’s an expensive one. As such, filmmakers are expected to put theater-going tushes in seats, one way or another, proverbial or otherwise. Now, director Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) describes a trend he feels is making movies too safe, family-friendly, and overall unchallenging — robbing cinema of mature, adult-oriented films. He calls this trend the ‘Pixarification’ of movies, and the added box office bankability that comes with it may or may not be a motivating factor. Click through to hear Boyle’s interesting take on this state of cinema below. More »
Watch Spike Lee's Behind the Scenes Footage for 'Do the Right Thing'
Some awesome relics from the past continue to float to the internet’s surface, and this series of videos goes behind the scenes on Spike Lee’s 1989 breakout film Do the Right Thing, which constitutes a day (the hottest day) in the life of a community in Brooklyn. Spike brought a small camera along to document the development of the actors, and provides a candid look into the heart of the independent filmmaking process. Hit the jump to watch all three videos: More »
DIY Co-Directors Talk About Their First Feature Film Experience 'Hills Green'
In between their 9-5 jobs, filmmakers Ryan C. Glover and Krista Dzialoszynski have been working diligently on their feature film debut Hills Green, and after several years are proud to say it’s finally complete. It’s a story about two friends’ escape to the country to discover what their relationship is made of, and is brought to life with the power of real-life nostalgia. The duo is now set for the film’s Canadian premiere at the ReelHeART International Film Festival on June 24th in Toronto. Hit the jump for the trailer and our interview with the first-time feature filmmakers: More »
This is a guest post by filmmaker Jeremy Engle.
Many filmmakers are weary of casting real teenagers, particularly non-professional ones, in their movies. And for good reason: You can’t shoot long hours, if you film during the school year, you need to get them tutors, and there’s tons of extra paperwork. And I haven’t even mentioned the parents. For many, teenage actors just add up to too many headaches. More »
Rambling On With Directors, an Insightful Round Table With Today's Prominent Independents
There seems to be an influx of great candid discussions with some of the most interesting working filmmakers today — one of the awesome benefits of having more people with cameras out in the wild. Produced by Shoebox Pictures and Filmmaker Magazine, moderator Russell Costanzo sits down with Craig Zobel, Alex Karpovsky, Ry Russo-Young and Antonio Campos to discuss some of the important questions that directors face, starting with the big one: “Why do you direct?” Watch the full piece after the jump: More »
Director Antonio Campos Talks About Finding 'The Right Amount of Perfect & Sloppy'
Ever wondered what was going through the director’s head as they set up on a shot? Antonio Campos, a filmmaker on the forefront of American independent film, sits down with Filmmaker Magazine to discuss his process and aesthetic method. Here they look at some scenes from Campos’s latest film Simon Killer, and break down the filmmaking in terms of composition, intent, and performance. Hit the jump to watch the full interview: More »
John Hawkes is one of those actors who slides under most people’s radar, even though he somehow manages to be in just about everything. I first became aware of his acting prowess with his eerie portrayal of a cult leader in Sean Durkin’s haunting character study, Martha Marcy May Marlene. Since then, I’ve noticed him in about a gazillion different films (that’s the actual number), and I’ve come to greatly appreciate him as one of a few fantastic character actors working today. He’s even been nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the meth-addled antagonist in the indie hit, Winter’s Bone. Hawkes recently wrote a short piece for MovieMaker Magazine about his seven tips for surviving in the film industry, and needless to say, the seasoned veteran has some fantastic advice for up and coming filmmakers. More »
The iPhone and app store is constantly evolving into an important tool for independent filmmakers. From camera manuals, to slates, to light meters, the versatility and ease of the device has impacted just about every filmmaker I know — and it’s here to stay. There are countless iPhone apps out there that can make life on location easier, all without breaking the bank. Click through to check out three that I use regularly. More »
The meaning of the term “cinema” has changed greatly during the history of moving pictures. For a long time, “cinema” was synonymous with “theater,” which implied that both terms were so connected that they became one and the same. Now, with the advent of digital downloads, streaming video, and even DVDs/Blu-rays, cinema, especially independent cinema, is no longer tied to the theater experience. What does this mean for the state of cinema? Producer Christine Vachon (Kids, Boys Don’t Cry, I’m Not There) gave the State of Cinema Address at the 2011 San Francisco International Film Festival and dug into this topic. Check out the video below: More »
Beasts of the Southern Wild is one beast of a movie. Produced by a bunch of old buddies that formed the loose collective Court 13 (which also produced Death to the Tinman), and directed by Behn Zeitlin, the film demonstrates the potential of independent films, as well as revealing its influence on audiences today. In the IFP Q&A video embedded below, the producers of the film go into detail explaining just how demanding and ambitious every phase of production was, and how the team managed to come out the other side with the movie we see today. Based on that video, we’ve got a list of five potential obstacles that could have derailed the film, but actually ended up working in its favor. More »
Filmmaking is a logistical nightmare. This much we know to be true. Every department has to be on top of its game and meeting its deadlines, and the entire cast and crew has to be in-sync for a set to work properly. With so many independent, yet crucial variables that have to come together in seamless fashion, it’s amazing that people are as successful as they are making films. But that’s not to say that things don’t occasionally go terribly and utterly wrong, and that’s just what happened today to a production that I’m DP’ing. Read on for both the story, and what my production team and me are doing about it. More »
While Hollywood is attempting to dive back into a franchise whose best movies were arguably over 30 years ago, the approach taken by The Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner can apply not just to future Star Wars films, but to anyone making anything that requires a suspension of disbelief. A French journalist named Michael Parbot had virtually limitless access to the production, and it’s only now that we have a more complete version of the documentary he produced in 1980. There are some fantastic and candid moments from some of the cast as well as the crew, and even if you are not a Star Wars fan, there are plenty of tidbits about storytelling and filmmaking that apply just as equally today. More »
Edward Burns, director of Nice Guy Johnny and Newlyweds (his newest is The Fitzgerald Family Christmas), has been around independent filmmaking for nearly 20 years, and he always seems to find new ways of reinventing himself and figuring out different ways to tell stories that matter to him. The great thing about the DSLR revolution is that it has put professional-looking images within reach of almost anyone. You can now spend a few hundred dollars on a camera and it will get you quite a bit of the way there, and let you focus on everything else to make the best movie possible. In an interview with Sheri Candler, and in the online Q&A session below, Edward Burns talks about his career, low-budget filmmaking, screenwriting, and how it’s possible to make movies cheaply. More »
Many of you reading this site might want to work in feature films at some point, and even if you have, that doesn’t mean it’s the only creative game in town. There is plenty of work out there in the form of non-profit videos, many of which can be rewarding personally (of course, you may also only be interested working in the realm of non-fiction). While it might look like making a documentary on the surface, there are plenty of key differences between the two forms. Sebastian Lindstrom, from What Took You So Long?, sent over this video that takes you inside the non-profit video, and gives some pointers and examples to help you make the best film possible. More »
This is a guest post by Cinematographer Ryan E. Walters.
So, you’ve decided to quit your day job and venture into the exciting world of freelance work, where you get every day off, you set your own hours, and life is always enjoyable? At least that is how it feels as you sit behind your desk finishing out the remainder of your two-week notice. It is true, there are many perks to living life in the freelance world. However, it is not for the faint of heart, as it brings with it a whole new set of struggles. In what follows, I’m going to give you seven tips on how to succeed in the world of freelance, so that those struggles will be fewer and easier to bear. More »
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