Waiting 2B Scene

Tag: Film

  • Comedy: One of Your Top Ten Comedy Moments?

    Okay today I would love to hear from you: of all the comedy sequences you have ever seen in film (and/or television), what would be one of your favourites? I know it’s a touch call – but I’m sure you can work something out. Let’s say it is something that would make it into your top ten?

    I have been pondering on this for a few days now, and honestly – I would be hard-pressed to leave this scene out of my list: it is Evan Baxter’s first day as news anchor in Bruce Almighty – and things go awry at he hands of Bruce.. There is so much to enjoy about Steve Carell’s performance! Sure, there’s more that could be spoken of – but this one was certainly a top ten moment for me.

  • How To: Stop Frame Animation (Stop-Motion/Claymation)

    So today’s video how-to one was of personal interest to me, as one of my international colleagues asked the question about whether we could try to pull together a claymation clip for one of our up-and-coming projects. I had no idea… and even though my production manager was reluctant, at least we were given the green light to explore the idea, which was great news!

    So how do you go about trying something you know nothing about? You learn about it. And if you have ever wondered how to do stop frame animation, then I hope this video will be as useful to you as it has been to me this week.

  • Video Essay: Directed By Christopher Nolan (Malko)

    As I wrote recently, I have been reading William Goldman’s book, “Which Lie Did I Tell: More Adventures In The Screen Trade”… a consequence of the reading has been to dull the sheen of the apparent super-powers that directors like Christopher Nolan have always seemed to possess. With that being said – great directors are very much a Ring Master at the Cinema Circus. We all know that there is no show without the talent (everyone from the screen writers, the cinematographers, the sound designers, the actors, and everyone else in between). Likewise, the Cinema Circus must have a Ring Master that can pull it all together and offer the audience as seamless a production as possible.

    Thus today I would like to share a video essay put together by a young Ukrainian videographer, Nikita Malko. Even though it falls into that trap of glorifying Nolan alone amongst his talented crew – it is still a fun little montage.

    https://vimeo.com/134932028

  • Music Video Montage: Uptown Funk (Draper)

    Okay, so what happens when a person takes 3 months to mix together a whole host – ergo, 280!!! – of Hollywood films and catchphrases with one of the hottest songs of 2014-2015? This awesome piece of mashup goodness – it’s gonna funk you up!

  • Video Essay: How to Be Tom Cruise (Schneider & Britnell)

    Today’s post is a link to a fun little video montage made by Burger Fiction that explores some of the tips and tricks that have gone into the making of US Government operative Ethan Hunt. It is very well done, and you’ll enjoy it I’m sure.

    https://vimeo.com/134655198

  • How To: Slate Like a Pro

    Continuing my series of resource links, today I want to share an excellent how to by the Rocket Jump Film School team.

    That moment when your first slate arrives can be pretty exciting. Suddenly you feel a little more professional, you know (well I did). But I had no idea whether there were some common practices when it came to slating. And if you were like me, then those first takes seemed more like an excuse to clap our slates at random intervals rather than being of practical use for the shoot.

    Thank goodness they are more than just a fun item to keep on set for the amusement of the crew though. And in this how to, RJFS break down some simple pointers to help you slate a little bit more like a pro. Enjoy!

  • Video: INCEPT OUT (Carvajal)

    It has been a couple of days since my last post: there was a small emergency at home, so I had been waylaid – but I am back! And to bring in the awesomeness, I wanted to share a short fresh clip with you that I really love.

    Made by Nelson Carvajal, please enjoy this trailer mashup of Inception with Pixar’s latest hit Inside Out. It’s rather good! 🙂

  • Video Essay: That’s Just Too Much Johnson Welles!

    Continuing my series of resource links, today I want to share a short video essay that interestingly brings to light the more humble beginnings of Orson Welles.

    74-years after crafting a picture that tells a simple, subtle story that works brilliantly in capturing our attention from the first frame onwards, Orson Welles still inspires. And for many cinephiles, the greatness of Citizen Kane is inextricably linked to the fact that the masterpiece was Welles’ debut work. Even so, whether it was his first or thirteenth film – there ought to be no disagreement that it stands as one of the most arresting films ever produced.

    Having said that, Welles did in fact have pre-Kane films.  The relatively recent 2014 surfacing of his 1938 work Too Much Johnson is an excellent case in point. Though somewhat rudimentary – we can see elements of the master technician practising his craft at least 3-years before Kane’s release. The work also does a lot to dispel the occasional assertion that Welles was a cinematic naif unschooled in the basic grammar of film. Oh, there is so much that may be discussed about this… but rather than bore you with my own verbage, let me rather introduce you to this little video essay by Kevin B. Lee on the whole matter.

    https://vimeo.com/103837463

    Note:  allow me to add this – I find it absolutely fascinating that the surviving film elements of Too Much Johnson somehow ended up in an Italian warehouse before being acquired by the USA’s National Film Preservation Foundation! It is almost as fascinating as the man himself!

  • Top Ten: Films About Nostalgia

    Today I wanted to hit pause on my resource posts so that I could indulge in a staple of trashy tabloid journalism and YouTube videos – a Top Ten List!

    This is a list I stumbled upon over at Hollywood.com: Back in the Good Old Days — Films About Nostalgia. What a great idea for a top ten! Now if you click on the link, you’ll get the full breakdown – but for those who think it will be a case of TLDR, then fear not – I have the short version right here for you!

    10. The World’s End.
    9. Midnight In Paris.
    8. Dazed and Confused.
    7. Pleasantville.
    6. Sunset Boulevard.
    5. High Fidelity.
    4. Citizen Kane.
    3. The Sandlot.
    2. The Artist.
    1. Hugo.

    So, what do you think – do you agree with their list? Is there a case for other nostalgic films to bust a move, or is it as unassailable as MC Hammer?