Tom Abrams Directing Workshop
The Workshop is finally done and it was a great experience. 3 days of pure creative space where it was all about ideas and film making. The purpose of the workshop was to explore ways to identify and bring out the underlying or subtextual meaning of their story by focusing on mise-en-scene ("things in the scene"). The workshop was conducted by
Tom Abrams and it turned out to be an awesome experience mainly because Tom is a wonderful teacher and he had such a relaxed way of going about sharing his knowledge and bringing out the best in all participants. One of the things that struck me in the workshop was that film making in general is about perseverance. There were film makers in the workshop who had been developing their projects for close to five years and it is only now that it is coming to some kind of fruition.
Paolo Rotondo, Damon Fepulea'i, Rene Naufahu, James Blick
Susan Nemec, Megan Ritchie, Michael Bennett, Emma Hinton
Roseanne Liang, Simone Horrocks, Kim Gunter, Dan Salmon, James Barr
Tom Abrams, Susan Nemec, Megan Ritchie
Kirsty Cameron, Kirsten Green, Belinda Schmid, Brice Varan, Robert George
Mise-en-scene - shadows and darkness :-)
Drinks after the workshopThe workshop was really beneficial as it explored how we could add sub-text and meaning to scenes without beating the audiences to death with the obvious, by doing simple things. There were about 22 film makers in the room and it was great sharing the creative space with everyone. The difference between a selected participant and an observer was that the selected participants put some scenes from the script up for workshop - they were projects that were in the advanced stage of development or fairly further in their writing stage. While the participants had some projects in development but not to the point where they were ready to be workshopped. Other than that it was all the same and it was a great platform to discuss ideas. There were so many points in the workshop where a simple sentence from someone would trigger off a thought process about my own film and I would quickly note it down before I lost the chain of thought. This workshop couldn't have come at a better time - I picked up so much from the workshop that I am going to try and implement in the next draft of 'REJECTED'.
Overall I am just about recovering from the workshop period but still feeling really elated because of all the ideas and creativity bouncing around in the ether. I'll sign off for now.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Directing
Long Long Week
The Tom Abrams Directing workshop that I have been attending over the past couple of days has been fantastic and we have one more day to go. The best part of the whole exercise (besides the actual workshop itself) is meeting so many film makers at the same spot. More on that in the next post.
I have had no break between the last working week and the coming one {because of the above mentioned workshop}. I go straight back to work on Tuesday - so it is going to be an extended stretch of work.
That's me for now.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Directing
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Well almost nothing.
Amit
Labels: Random
Weekends
Every weekend that I am free is a mixed blessing. I love catching up on my sleep and just recuperating from a full-on week as I tend to work smart and hard and long {just the fact and no exaggerations} but at the same time I hate being trapped inside, doing nothing over the stretch of 2 days. It is not that I am short of things to do - I have plenty of reading to catch up on and then there are the ongoing projects but somehow I am bored with the nothingness of the occassion.
Dr. Mamea {nee Nurse Mamea} jokingly {or maybe in all seriousness} said that it might either be the winter blues or depression. I would discount depression outright because I am generally a positive person and I try and see the good side of things rather than the bad side. So that leaves the option of it being a symptom of winter blues. I am not totally sold on the idea but it seems to be the only concrete thing to go off at the moment. Or maybe I am becoming the person I don't want to become.
Turbulent times for sure.
Next week is going to be choke-a-block with so many things. We are talking some very long 17 hour days for atleast the next 8 days starting Monday. I am looking forward to it with muted excitement.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Random
Soundtrack
The Dark Knight soundtrack is fantastic and the only way to describe it would be that it is consistently surprising and moving. The best way to listen to it is on a good set of headphones where you can hear all the tiny instruments that can cause chills down your spine or send your mind soaring. Needless to say the score is epic. You can listen to the soundtrack online for free
HERE but since these are low-quality mp3's you can't really get a feel for the clarity and delicateness of the instruments used in the individual pieces.
I tried Astanga yoga yesterday evening for the first time and needless to say it was exhausting, challenging but good. I don't think I have sweat that much in that short amount of time in recent times. And it was good that I lasted the entire session, so i'll definitely go back again.
I finished transcribing the dialog list for FIVE on Sunday and it was a satisfying feeling. I mailed it off to the finnish distributor, so that they can now translate it into finnish subtitles. I also adopted a couple of Orangutans - which basically means that I have paid for upkeep of 2 of our closest primate relatives being taken care for by
The Australian Orangutan Project. We share 97% of our genetic make up with these gentle creatures and yet we have driven them to extinction. The thing is that individuals can make a difference - even a small step taken by you can add up to big things in the bigger scheme of things. A lot of times it is our complacency and inaction that can make things worse. So yeah instead of debating too much about it, I went ahead and supported a cause.
Well that's really me for now.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Conservation, Five, Music, Random
Frontier(s)
A week just flew away and I have no idea where it disappeared. It has been crazy busy at my end. At work - my boss has gone to China for Olympics coverage, which means that I've picked up some of his duties and this is along with my normal job schedule. So needless to say my brain usually turns to mush by afternoon while juggling various things and making sure that nothing falls over. Hopefully it will be a lot easier from next week since I know what to expect.
I have been talking to a few film makers for VUDU and I have managed to get firm commitments from 6 film makers, which is exciting. I also bit the bullet and went and saw an entertainment lawyer so that a proper contract can be drafted for agreement between Unkreative Artists and the film makers. So more news on that once the contract is finalized and signed between the parties.
I had a comprehensive eye test at
Optometry School's public clinic and I almost had a big scare when the supervisor who was overseeing the student optometrist's work came in after the tests to do some more tests and mentioned that they were worried that I might have glaucoma. It turned out that everything else about my eyes is healthy, so they think it is highly unlikely that I have glaucoma. I have however been recommended to wear reading glasses if I want to stop my eyes from getting strained over extended periods. I am tossing and turning the thought in my head and I think I might get myself a set of reading glasses just to try them out. If I don't like it then I can always discontinue their use.
Frontier(s) was a real shocker of a movie. It was ultra violent and extremely sadistic. It had my guts churning in a fair few places and the easiest way to describe it would be to take 'Hostel' and multiply it by 5. I think I am over this genre - it is not horror as much as it is sadistic violence.
In other non-significant news - I have put my head down and trying to finish off the dialog list for 'FIVE' over this weekend, so I can deliver it to the Finnish distributor of the movie. It is harder than you think, especially when a good chunk of the dialogue was improvised and chopped and changed on location. I spent almost 5 hours on it till now and I am 35 minutes into the movie. Another 40 minutes odd of movie to transcribe. :-)
That's really it from me for now.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Five, Movies, TVNZ, Video on Demand, VUDU
Let The Dark Knight In
'
Let the Right One In' was a beautifully shot Swedish movie and it is a coming of age flick rolled into a vampire movie genre. There is some fantastic work from the kids, who make it so believable and the setting itself adds to the charms of the movie. It is slow and melancholic but it never feels boring. Worth checking it out if it gets released in cinemas or comes to a DVD store near you.
I watched '
The Dark Knight' on the imax screen . It is a crime drama more than anything else and it is brilliant for most part. Heath Ledger lights up the screen everytime the Joker comes on and it is nice work from everyone else. And the city feels so real. To me the only weak point was the 2-face aspect which could have done with a little more 'turn to the dark side' syndrome. A must watch regardless. I had sore eyes coming out of the movie because there is so much information to take in when you are watching it on a massive screen. I might go and see it on a regular screen again, just so I can get some distance between the screen and me to enjoy the movie fully. Needless to say you have to watch this movie on the big screen to appreciate it.
Unkreative Artists has signed a deal with
VUDU, to provide not only it's two movies for US VOD but also to provide more feature length kiwi docos and dramas to them. This is an exciting development as it means more exposure to kiwi movies overseas and I get to be a part of making things happen. More details on this as in coming weeks but if you are a local film maker who wants to gain access to the US market for relatively no cost should drop me a
mail. I have started contacting film makers whose work I enjoyed and now just preparing the press release and all other stuff to take this wider.
It is hard to believe that the week is already over. Got 3 more movies to watch and then it is the end of the movie watching mania for the year. There is a weather forecast for extreme storms over the weekend in Auckland and I am not looking forward to the weather even though I am looking forward to a little bit of rest and sanity.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Movies, Video on Demand, VUDU
In Bruges
'In Bruges' turned out to be a real fun experience. This is the first time I have liked Colin Farrell in any film role. And Brendan Gleeson is all class. The movie made me want to go to Bruges. It is a fantastic journey with these two hitmen. It is a real good watch. Definitely worth seeing.
The other movie that I watched was a spanish horror called '
The Orphanage' - it has brilliant cinematography and mood build up plus perfect pacing of the story. And the story is nicely tied up together and the scares work mainly because of the suspense and the build up. It is again worth a watch. It is good having seen 2 good films after 3 pretty mediocre ones.
Things that I hate when in a movie theatre (and which I have encountered during the film festival screenings):
> Person next to you having a conversation with their partner in a normal voice, about aspects of the story while the movie is still going on.
> Person in front of you rocking back and forth in their seat, which takes your focus away from the screen as you are constantly looking at the back of their head while trying to read the sub-titles.
> Person sitting next to you talking to the characters in the movie and telling them what to do.
> Person sitting in front of you laughing out really loud to show off to their new girl friend that they really enjoyed that moment and then seeking approval if their laugh was right.
> Person next to you texting while the movie is screening.
Yeah, if you are one of those people then please be considerate to others watching the movie as well. That's my moan for the day.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Movies, NZ Film Festival
The Devil came on horseback
The Devil Came on Horseback is a first hand account about the genocides in Sudan. It is a rivetting read and it is a book you can't put down despite the horror of what you are reading. The detailed observations just fills your mind and imagination with dread about the atrocities that humans are capable of inflicting on each other. I finished the book in 3 days flat - so you can say it is a must read.
I saw '
Timecrimes' earlier today and it is a hard one to review - I didn't enjoy it because I could see what was coming next - the plot was pretty predictable for being a time travel movie. There is some dark humor in there but enough to tide you through the movie- I am not sure. I scored a free ticket to '
Teeth' from Claire and it was another movie that was part of 'Incredible Strange Film Festival'. It was cringe worthy in many places but ultimately as a movie it never really goes anywhere tangible - it is basically a high concept low budget film.
This weekend is going into reading the first revision of Rejected, to get an idea of what are the points I can see for streamlining the story further in draft-2. That's me for now.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Books, Movies, NZ Film Festival
Taxi to the dark side
'
Taxi to the dark side' is a hard hitting doco on the frightening aspects of torture and US methods of interrogation while carrying out their war on terror. It is well balanced, well researched and ultimately well told. It is very relevant in today's times where the general population is becoming more and more apathetic to everything around them. It is socially relevant and is an unflinching look at the truth. It is definitely worth the admission price and more. Watching the movie was a pain in the neck though - literally - because of the seat I got - 3 rows from the front in the left corner.
I caught up with some of my old ex south seas classmates last night. Juliet, Ryan, Sarah, Gayle and a couple of their friends. We went to Gyoza King in Ponsonby and the food was scrumptious but as usual my only complaint about japanese food is that they eat and serve very small quantities.
Gayle, Sarah and Me 
Ryan, Juliet, Charlotte and Gayle
Ryan and Juliet
I went and saw his movie '
Pop Skull' earlier tonight with Annaliese (another friend whom I hadn't caught up with in ages), Lance and Craig (Anna's friend) and it was an interesting movie - trippy, some very cool visuals and nice build up of tension. Plus I finally managed to say hi to Adam Wingard, the director of the movie (since I am his host contact) and I'll be catching up with him tomorrow. No matter what my aspirations are as a director - it is always inspiring seeing a low budget indie movie on the big screen. For me it signifies hope.
Got a couple of movies to watch tomorrow.
Till later,
Amit
Labels: Movies, NZ Film Festival, Party
Paolo Rotondo, Damon Fepulea'i, Rene Naufahu, James Blick
Susan Nemec, Megan Ritchie, Michael Bennett, Emma Hinton
Roseanne Liang, Simone Horrocks, Kim Gunter, Dan Salmon, James Barr
Tom Abrams, Susan Nemec, Megan Ritchie
Kirsty Cameron, Kirsten Green, Belinda Schmid, Brice Varan, Robert George
Mise-en-scene - shadows and darkness :-)
Drinks after the workshop
