nofilmschool » interview

'Palindromes' DP Tom Richmond: 'The Grammar of Filmmaking is a Good Place to Start'

Micah Van Hove — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:46:15 +0000

Here’s another awesome Craft Truck interview to munch on. Cinematographer Tom Richmond, who has shot some insane movies with the likes of Todd Solondz, Roger Avary, and James Gray, puts emphasis on composition and understanding that photography in a film is its own language. They discuss the grammar of the language and why working with directors is more akin to being a “Detective of Photography.” Hit the jump for the full interview: (more…)

Noah Baumbach on 'Frances Ha': Podcast with Marc Maron & the Scene That Took 42 Takes

Micah Van Hove — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:57:49 +0000

Noah Baumbach is a filmmaker whose character-driven narratives often find great depth out of simplicity, and his latest film Frances Ha pushes that sensibility even further. Shot digitally in black and white and lensed by Sam Levy, Baumbach notoriously did thirty or forty takes for many scenes in the film, in the hopes of finding “the one shot that tells the story.” Marc Maron recently gave an excellent podcast interview with Baumbach, going in-depth about his previous films, his path to becoming a filmmaker and his approach to creating a contemporary digital black and white film with Frances Ha. Hit the jump for the audio interview and watch the scene that took 42 takes. (more…)

Eight Down, Five to Go: A Look Inside Horror Anthology 'Bloody Cuts' with Series Producer Ben Franklin

Mar Belle — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:00:55 +0000

Back in July, UK horror anthology project Blood Cuts reminded us that bedtime stories sometimes contain much more terror than comfort with fifth entry in the series, gothic fairytale Suckablood. More frights, blood and gore have followed since, bringing us now to the eighth chilling instalment, Don’t Move. We get our fright on and talk to Series Producer Ben Franklin about the challenges of upping the Blood Cuts ante with each release after the jump. Join us, if you dare… (more…)

Shane Hurlbut's Kino Flo Interviews: 'In Order to Be a Great Shooter, You Have to Understand Light'

Dave Kendricken — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:42:44 +0000

There are several exciting new lighting revolutions in development these days, namely LED and plasma fixtures. The first such high-output/low-footprint alternative lighting technology — all but perfected for the performance needed in high-end film production — came about twenty-five years ago, with the advent of Kino Flo Lighting Systems. Kino Flo isn’t the only manufacturer pushing alternative lighting solutions with filmmaking in mind, but its name is still nearly synonymous with the technology it helped revolutionize. Check out an excellent interview below from Shane Hurlbut, ASC, with Kino Flo founder and president Frieder Hochheim to hear about how it all began and about how the company plans on lending its namesake to some of those new revolutions in lighting, too. (more…)

Introducing BitTorrent Bundle: Pioneering Decentralized Digital Distribution & Marketing

Micah Van Hove — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:17 +0000

BitTorrent, a tech company whose name is commonly and incorrectly associated with pirating, has been running a legitimate business since 2004 with over 2 million pieces of licensed content in the BitTorrent download manager, which serves more than 170 million people monthly. The company is now beginning to launch a new endeavor to empower those in the content creation business. BitTorrent Bundle provide a way for creators large and small to have all the advantages of the peer-to-peer protocol while also maintaining control over their content by creating ‘gates’ that must be unlocked by the consumer. We had a chance to chat with Matt Mason, VP of Marketing at BitTorrent, who is very impassioned about what this new publishing platform could potentially mean for creators. Read on for the interview and get the full scoop: (more…)

Derek Cianfrance Breaks Down Scenes from 'The Place Beyond the Pines'

Micah Van Hove — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:23:52 +0000

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'

Micah Van Hove — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:28:07 +0000

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

Micah Van Hove — Wed, 08 May 2013 08:21:55 +0000

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…)

Ridley Scott Reflects on Beginnings, Breaking Into the Industry, and Using Too Much Smoke

Dave Kendricken — Sun, 05 May 2013 03:42:50 +0000

We are fortunate enough to live in a day and age in which the words of prolific and eclectic filmmaking talents come readily and often. We’ve already heard from working cinematographers such as Roger Deakins and Blue Valentine DP Andrij Parekh, as well as friends of nofilmschool Ryan E. Walters and Timur Civan. We’ve also heard from directors such as Steven Soderberg and Ridley Scott – and all of this is just to name a few. Now, we have a few more valuable words from Sir Ridley — this time discussing everything from his breakthrough into the industry, his experience in learning how to work with actors, and honing a highly sensitive visual eye. Click through to hear these words and more from “the director who uses too much smoke!” (more…)

DIY Co-Directors Talk About Their First Feature Film Experience 'Hills Green'

Micah Van Hove — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:18:21 +0000

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…)

Director of Photography Timur Civan on How They Made MōVI's Jaw-Dropping Debut Film

Ryan Koo — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:14 +0000

Perhaps the biggest story at NAB this year was Freefly Systems’ steadicam-esque gyro gimbal MōVI, which we’ve covered several times. The Vincent Laforet-directed debut film was DP’d by nofilmschool friend Timur Civan, and at NAB I had a chance to sit down with Timur briefly to chat about how they shot the debut video, how the Canon 1D C behaved, how the MōVI might affect the steadicam market, and what impact it might have on filmmaking in general. (more…)

Cinematographer Sam Levy on Motivation: 'It's Just a Feeling'

Micah Van Hove — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:13:16 +0000

From Wendy and Lucy to The Romantics, Sam Levy’s work as a cinematographer is marked with naturalism and attention to character blocking. Here he sits down with Craft Truck to discuss his work, how he began as an assistant and lensed his first feature film on a standard def Mini DV camera. Hit the jump to learn more and to watch the full interview: (more…)

Legendary Cinematographer Gordon Willis Reminds Us: 'There is No Formula'

Micah Van Hove — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:00:07 +0000

Craft Truck is on a winning tear, recently releasing some of the best interviews with cinematographers in recent memory, and this one is no exception. Gordon Willis, the “Prince of Darkness” and a master of light, sits down with Jeff Glickman to discuss his work as a cinematographer, his working relationship with Woody Allen and Francis Ford Coppola. Though Willis is retired, his mark has been deeply felt by anyone who loves movies. Ask any working cinematographer today, chances are they’ve been influenced by Gordy. Hit the jump for the 2-part interview: (more…)

The Film Made by More Than 5000 People: Nicolás Alcalá Talks About His Transmedia Project 'The Cosmonaut'

V Renée — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:04:08 +0000

Have Nicolás Alcalá and his team at Riot Cinema Collective discovered the future of filmmaking? After learning what steps these filmmakers, based out of Madrid, took to get their project, The Cosmonaut (para los hispanohablantes, El Cosmonauta), made you might say “yes”. This film is a transmediatic experience that has broken all the world’s crowdfunding records by raising €130,000 in 3 days. On May 14th the film will be available to view for free. However, with an investment of €5 to €50 (about $6.55 to $65.46) you can purchase the “K-Pass” to gain access to tons of extras: 32 additional web episodes, mockumentary, a “secret newsletter”, and the opportunity to copy, remix, and distribute the film as you wish.”The Film Made by More Than 5000 People” is, in fact, not only a film, but an experience; an experience created, had, and shared by thousands of people all over the world. (more…)

With One Day to Prepare, Krisp Films Brings Us 'Paradise City': a Documentary About Love & Happiness on the Streets

V Renée — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:30:10 +0000

Filmmaker, editor, and creator of Krisp Films, Kriston Johnson granted a short interview to nofilmschool about his project, Paradise City: a short documentary about homelessness, addiction, but ultimately love and happiness. The film follows a young homeless couple, “Christina” and “Papi,” as they shed light on what it’s like for them to live in the City of Brotherly Love. Watch the full film below and jump down for the interview: (more…)

Director Antonio Campos Talks About Finding 'The Right Amount of Perfect & Sloppy'

Micah Van Hove — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:00:21 +0000

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…)

Cinematographer Wolfgang Held Explores the Ethics of Vérité: 'The Camera is a Catalyst'

Micah Van Hove — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:02:16 +0000

Craft Truck brings us another great candid interview, this time with cinematographer Wolfgang Held. Wolfgang has shot countless films over the past 20 years, from documentaries, to commercials, to narratives. He is perhaps best know for his vérité work, ranging from the social labor of love Children Underground, to the cult Metallica doc Some Kind of Monster, to Bruno (whatever that is). Hit the jump to hear Wolfgang discuss vérité filmmaking in the digital age, his favorite focal lengths, and the undercover shenanigans of working with Sacha Baron Cohen: (more…)

How to Get People to See Your Short Film Online with Vimeo Curator & SotW Co-Founder Jason Sondhi

Mar Belle — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:48:37 +0000

If you’re a regular reader you’ll be aware that work featured on Short of the Week sometimes makes its way to our pages. In fact, if you spend anytime at all watching shorts online, it’s highly likely that SotW co-founder & Vimeo staff curator Jason Sondhi was (in)directly responsible for some of that work making its way to you. As filmmakers looking to find an audience for your work, I’m sure there are several questions you’d love to put to Jason, both in his curatorial role and as a producer who launched The Thomas Beale Cipher to 170K online views (now over 500K). Well, during a recent stop in Québec at the REGARD festival, Jason sat down for a 25 minute chat about his work at SotW and Vimeo: (more…)

How to Make Your First Film Halfway Across the World with No Money and Get Picked Up by Oscilloscope

Oakley Anderson-Moore — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:31:50 +0000

It’s the stuff of dreams. Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq started out on a no-budget journey to make their first film about one man, a non-proselytizing humanitarian in Pakistan named Edhi. The film, These Birds Walk, just premiered at SXSW to sold out crowds, with Oscilloscope Laboratories coming on board in their first-ever producing role; the film will probably play in theaters later this year. Our Q&A follows. (more…)

'Frozen River' DP Reed Morano on Shooting Movies: 'It's Not for You, It's for Someone Else'

Joe Marine — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:15:26 +0000

There was quite a bit of back and forth regarding the role of the DP on a recent post about Andrij Parekh, much to the surprise of myself and a few others. The DP is one of the most important people on a production. The real purpose of the last post was to hear from a working professional that the cinematographer has to be a collaborator and must serve the story. Now we’ve got another Craft Truck interview from Jeff Glickman, this time with Reed Morano, the director of photography on Frozen River. In the video below, Reed talks about her process and her career, and how she’s risen up through the ranks. (more…)