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Davey

NFS Score 164 (Sophomore)
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Article Comment – James Cameron and Denis Villeneuve Tell You What Movies Look Like in the Future

Dune actually didn't feel epic at all.

The 1st act was so gorgeous but so completely hollow. It wasn't until after the dessert, indirect-murder scene until the movie even began to become remotely human.

Lots of very poorly delivered performances and apathetic dialogue, "Desert Power", jesus that was corny.

In an adaptation, the biggest bifurcation is either an attempt at interpretation, or a faithful adaptation, villeneuve never commited to either one, osciallating back and forth, and what occured on screen was a completely visually-arresting, but emotionally haphazard 1st act, and an improved but still rocky 2nd, before a finally competent 3rd act prior to a cliffhangar (tv anyone?), there were beautiful moments mixed with poorly executed scenes/buy-in/poorly-earned emotions.

Of course there were many cinematically gorgeous scenes, even some daring choices that paid off very well, to those I tip my cap. However the movie suffers from the same golden-handcuffs that many of these ~2010s+ films: absolutely stunning visuals (I don't watch Marvel films but from the few passing glimpses, it's apparent the raw visual power that modern hollywood film studios have at their fingertips, compared to just two decades ago), but always coming up short on character dev, emotional depth, and story-telling (as TV/Streaming Series have certainly become more filmic, film/cinema has equally become more TV-series/middle-brow).

I'm not saying Dune is no challenge as a film, and maybe Jodowrowsky said it best, it is simply "unfilmable", but Villeneuve has talent, he had money, and he had great material, and it was ensnaringly mediocre.

1 year ago
Article Comment – The $4 Upgrade You Should Be Giving to All of Your Gear Bags

Very much agree.

I would go even further from making your life easier, to making the process a totally enjoyable experience.

Because filmmaking has been such a cost-prohibitive art-form (and let's face it, a Millionaire-driven business), people forget just how much "craftsmanship" in any given art is just as much about the "pleasure" of the process-of-making-something as is the "pleasure" of the final product that's sold, shown, played, published.

The only other art-form that immediately comes to mind as initially cost prohibitive as film may have been (though film towers in comparison), is classical music (where "serious" instruments start at $3K and go all the way into hundreds of thousands of dollars), and again, there, you will find an astonishing lack of pleasure-in-the-process of musicianship in the classical music training culture (it's remarkably business-driven). But the polar opposite is true in the non-classical music culture, from my experiences, around the world, i.e. folk-music, punk, electronic, house, rap, etc.

You want to be challenged by the art, not the gear.

(and of course, they're not mutually exclusive, but that's the exception)

7 years ago
Article Comment – This Fully Adjustable Blackbird Car Rig Can Become Any CG Car You Want It to Be

Maybe I missed it, but how do they solve for the light and reflections coming onto the car from different light sources?

7 years ago
Boards Comment – Werner Herzog’s FREE Filmmaking MasterClass

The internet has allowed for people to sell-out in amazing ways.

Not that I don't respect the hell out of Herzog, and not that I will stop respecting him, but due to the power of the internet to provide access to the masses of people (most importantly their pocket-book), our relationship with otherwise respected figures is now bought and sold.

I can't say if it's Herzog driving the ship himself, or if someone showed him what the payday would look like, but either way, once you see the $$$$$ figures that you could have in your bank account, it's hard to turn down (just like Hollywood stars who go into a blockbuster or un-funny comedy once they see all the zeroes on the check).

First, highly-skilled specialists often make for THE WORST teachers/educators. Second, "teaching" and "learning" can absolutely NOT happen remotely, nor within the framework of a "course". Teaching is a dynamic volley back and forth of interaction, assessment, and communication between multliple actors, requiring personal one-to-one evaluation. This is why apprenticeships have existed for 1000s of years. And why mammals raise and teach their young by modeling. It's as old as time, as inescapable and involuntary as your pupil narrowing in reaction to bright light. You will never change that. "Education is not a one way transmission of information. But universities/K-12/establishment education wouldn't have you believe that. They make too much money/possess too much mass-control to let that illusion go away. Which is why we are on the edge of an education bubble as we speak.

Pro-tip for post-modernity/modernity, if they have to advertise for it, it's a shiiit product and you should steer clear.

The information is all there already, for free.

(bigger hint: the internet doesn't have even close to "everything", 1000s of books in the library that you cannot even FIND, let alone buy, in physical locations and prints)

7 years ago
Article Comment – The Artistic Philosophy of Andrei Tarkovsky's Poetic Filmmaking

I've often heard the exact same sentiments also said about Nietzsche.

He means anything to anybody.

7 years ago
Article Comment – The Short Film is Dead: Time for the Emerging Filmmaker to Get a New Calling Card

Totally agree.

"If there was a clear path to artistic and/or commercial success, then everybody would be taking it."

There isn't. Whether you want to be an artist, or a businessman.

Ya just makes your arts and takes your chances....

No internet article or philosophical debate is going to settle that question.

Makers make. "Experts, pundits, scribes," talk.

7 years ago

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How to Make Money as a Cinematographer

How to Make Money as a Cinematographer

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