NoFilmSchool » tv

Shawn Ryan on Writing for the Screen: 'Lead as Interesting a Life as Possible'

Koo — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:19:30 +0000

Shawn Ryan, creator of The Shield and now The Chicago Code, is probably the best-known filmmaker to graduate from my alma mater, Middlebury College. Shawn broke into the industry after writing “thirteen or fourteen spec scripts,” a testament to his drive as a writer. In a pair of interviews I found myself reading and watching recently, Shawn gives excellent advice for aspiring writers. The first interview is ~~actually by a classmate of mine, Astri von Arbin Ahlander~~ conducted by Evan Dumouchel, who asked Shawn, “What advice would you give to young people as they develop their craft?”: (more…)

What Will the TV of the Future Look Like? Updates for Google TV and Rumors about Apple TV

Koo — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:43:43 +0000

When I originally wrote, “Google TV is what independent filmmakers have been waiting for,” in retrospect I forgot the “is” at the beginning of the sentence and the question mark at the end. So far the answer to that question has been, admittedly and unfortunately, a resounding “no” — so much so that, despite being sent a Google TV by Google (in part because of writing that article), I still haven’t set it up. But when it comes to independent film distribution, the TV is the final frontier, and whether or not Google TV version 1 made an impact, version 2 is currently rolling out this week and looks to improve things significantly. Oh, and rumors are flying that Apple is apparently getting into the TV game for real (the current Apple TV is nothing more than a hobby). (more…)

A Brief History of Television

Koo — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:36:24 +0000

How we watch TV is changing every day, with cable TV subscribers cutting the cord in droves. But do you ever wonder how we got to this point, where commercial TV broadcasters (in the US) are afforded free access to the airwaves — despite the fact that few of us would ever argue that they’re focused on providing a community service? Ars Technica has a good series of feature articles that explore the history — and future — of television. Looking to the former, does FCC commisioner Newton Minow’s famous 1961 speech still ring true? (more…)

David Mamet on Drama (a Memo to 'The Unit' Writers)

Koo — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 21:21:05 +0000

This is an oldie but goodie. David Mamet wrote an impassioned memo to his writers on the now-cancelled show The Unit, laying out some principles of good dramatic writing. He wants three questions answered for every scene: “1) WHO WANTS WHAT? 2) WHAT HAPPENS IF [THEY] DON’T GET IT? 3) WHY NOW?” The memo also includes a few putdowns aimed at studio executives, and is a good read — and yes, he wrote it in ALL CAPS to stress the importance of what he was saying: (more…)

The DIY Creative Class Goes Mainstream: The Neistat Brothers on HBO

Koo — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:51:28 +0000

I caught the new show from the Neistat Brothers on HBO On Demand the other night and found myself sucked in by the decidedly low-fi, autobiographical chapters. The show is appropriately named The Neistat Brothers, because that’s what it’s about: them. Them and their creative process, which ascribes to a total NYC/DIY aesthetic. Because of its use of indie music and first-person narrative, but also due to the DIY nature of the production, the show reminds me a lot of the terrific Four Eyed Monsters podcast, which was about the making of the DIY feature Four Eyed Monsters — the difference is, Neistat Brothers has no associated feature film attached. It’s just about the Neistats, who are fellow graduates of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces (class of 2006, in their case). Normally I’d find a show about a show — which is essentially what it is — to be solipsistic and navel-gazing, but the brothers work it out. (more…)

Watch the full House finale here (shot on a 5d Mark II)

Koo — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:35:02 +0000

The season finale of House was famously shot on a DSLR, specifically the 5d Mark II. FOX doesn’t post full episodes online until 8 days after they air on TV, which is why the season finale hasn’t been available anywhere — until now. Here’s the DSLR-shot episode in full:

The Wire: 100 Greatest Quotes?

Koo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:36:40 +0000

I’m only posting this because I love The Wire, but really you could pull a thousand individual quotes from the show and it wouldn’t do it justice. The issue with this compendium is it focuses on the gully street slang that is, yes, a large part of The Wire — but a large part that is balanced out by profound cultural critiques and real, humanized characters. (more…)