Here's a quick blog.
So, I've recently started making YOUTUBE videos, at the moment just two film reviews.
This all started because I follow a few guys on youtube who review various pop culture from over the years. I've always fancied giving it ago, but could never find an area to share my views. Also my confidence in front of the camera isn't as strong has my usual self, dunno way.
Anyway, I decided to give it ago by scripting a film review and recording my voice. This seems to work fine, although my feedback so far has been to maybe have a few pieces to camera to break it up and keep attention. This is not what I wanted to do, but as I've been recording my voice I feel you comfortable talking, so maybe I'll be better in front of a camera.
So far I've really enjoyed making these little videos, but I feel you need to find a niche audience. There are loads of people reviewing mainstream films, If you search for mine on youtube 100's come up.
With this is mind I think I'm going to give something else ago. More of a documentary style about films.
At the moment I have started scripting a pice about 1980's cinema, with this being a era I'm fond of I thought it would be a good start.
Have a look at my videos and leave me some feedback. http://www.youtube.com/JamesGWall
CHEERS
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
John Hughes Teen Movie extraordinaire.
This is a short blog about John Hughes Teen Movie extraordinaire.Today I'm paying my respect to 80's Writer, Producer and Directing maestro John Hughes, creator of the "Brat Pack"
I've just finished watching Sixteen Candles, it's a simple film, but fun on so many levels.
When I was younger, from the tender age of 4 onwards I can remember enjoying JH films. Weird Science, The Great Outdoors, Uncle Buck and Home Alone were amongst my favorites. And even now has an adult I still love those movies and as I've grown up I've gone back to his other classics, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, Planes Trains and Automobiles and loads more.
JH tapped into a creative output that was acceptable for all the family, kids, teens and adults and thats very rare, the only other thing that springs to mind that also does this is The Simpsons.
JH made several teen movies, and these are my favorite JH films, the best being Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He managed to make these movies funny and cool without being rude and crude, like the teen movies of today. His choice of cast are perfect for their parts, and he probably saved Anthony Michael Hall from a lot of bullying. I actually think Anthony Michael Hall is cool from JH films, and that saying something, because Anthony Michael Hall is the biggest looking geek on the planet.
JH must be a big influence on many directors/producers working now, two that spring to mind are Judd Apatow and Kevin Smith. You can clearly see JH style rubbed off into their films. JH also influenced the famously known "Frat Pack" including Owen Wilson, Ben Stiler, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell and the rest.I have a lot to thank JH, he caught my love of films at a early age and his clever filmmaking has brought me laughter as adult. For this I salute JOHN HUGHES!
It's a real shame that after the 80's his career went to shit. However John, you still made the 80's look cool and not many people could do that.
JOHN HUGHES IMdb LINK
My images found on GOOGLE
This blog has inspired me to do a series of video blogs on 80's cinema. Also I recently did a Video Review of Public Enemies, youtube LINK
Monday, 20 July 2009
Surprisingly Marley & Me was good...
Surprisingly Marley & Me was good...
It was shot really well, Now, I know you expect a big studio movie like Marley & Me to be able to make a film look pretty...
I watched Gran Torino recently and thought the cinematography on that was excellent and I didn't think I'd see a picture that good for awhile, but to my surprise Marley & Me was shot really good. I think I've stressed that point now, but it's a aspect of film that people ignore, you notices the effects, costumes, acting and so on, but the cinematographer or DOP doesn't get enough recognition.
Usually the praise goes to the Actors and then the Director and thats about where it stops, as far as the average movie buff/goer notices. I'm not saying I can reel off loads of great DOP's, because I can't, but I like to give credit when due. Because a Actor or Director even the film would be nothing without these guys. The Actors can act and the Director can direct, but that would be nothing if there wasn't somebody setting up the shot, pulling the lighting together and composing it all.
Tim Burton always gets lots of credit for how good his films look. He has these fantastic looking sets and costumes, and the lighting and colours are always great, but wait, that isn't Tim Burtons job, granted it may be his vision, but it isn't just him that makes his film look the way they do. Filmmaking is a team effort. And that shouldn't be forgotten.
Right, back to Marley & Me.
So I've pointed out it looked very nice. And then maybe went of track a little.
I can't say Marley & Me was on top of the list of films I have to watch, but I rented it out to cheer up my girlfriend, I also watched Confessions of a Shopaholic in the same day. Ha, and Bruno, but that one was for me. And it was exceptionally funny, I haven't laughed like that at a film in a long, long time. I actually thought it was better than Borat, and I really enjoyed Borat, so that saying something.
Anyway, kinda going of track again (**stay focus James**). So, I wasn't really looking forward to watching Marley & Me, and we watched it quite late that night, which meant we had to have the TV really quiet so that we didn't wake anybody up. Which really pisses me off, because I like to watch my movies nice and loud, even if it is only Marley & Me, when that dog barks I want it to sound like its on my lap. Usually I wait till everybody is asleep then plug my headphones in! Thats a little tip for you. But it does mean you have to wait awhile to watch what you want and can create a rather strange sleeping habit. It's the price to pay for good sound though.
So, I can't comment on the sound quality and if you read my last blog you'll understand how much the sound means to me. What I will comment on is the story and acting. I wasn't looking forward to watching Marley & Me, but everyone kept saying it'll make you cry, so I was a little intrigued, but if someone says it'll make you cry and it has a dog in it they've kind of given the story away. Dogs in films don't have a good record, but a dying dog makes a good flick, Turner and Hooch for example. K9, is another.
What I did find good was the onscreen relationship between Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. I have a soft spot for both these actors and I don't know why. I think I like Owen Wilson because everything he says sound like he telling you a secret, a little whisper. And I grow up on a TV diet of Friends, so much of my Teen life was spent with Rachel and the gang.
Wilson and Aniston worked really well together, you expect a relationship like theirs to have grown over time, and it's shocking to realise that this is there first film together.
Aniston is a actor I think is underrated. Being part of a popular TV show is always going to be hard to escape, especially hard to escape the character they played. I think all the cast of Friends have been typecast since the death of the show, but Aniston I felt was the only one that had talent to make it into the movies. But as I say she has played similar parts in most of her films. However, Maybe its not just her, but also the audience, seeing her as one character for 10 years (probably more with the amounts of repeats) its hard imagining her as anybody else.
Over all I thought Marley & Me was a decent enough film, Although predictable I got to know the three lead characters (including the dog) enough to want to find out what happened next. Thats all I'm asking for with a film of this type, the well acted parts, a great supporting role from Alan Arkin, the beautiful cinematography and some comedic moments were all added extras.
The film was about 20 minutes longer than it should have been, The actual running time was 2 hours, which is probably standard nowadays, but I prefer my comedy dramas to be a hour and half to a hour and forty five mins tops. There were definitely 15 minutes that could have been cut here and there, and that would have made the film smoother and even more enjoyable.
I think another reason why I tolerated the film was because Owen Wilson's character took up a columnist job at the newspaper he worked at and his funny, but realistic take on life became very popular amongst the readers. When I finished my A-levels I really fancied doing my own column in a student magazine about life as a student, and I sent a sample column to many magazines. I think all of them came back saying "you have a talent for this style writing, but most people only want to read about what celebrities are getting up to, not somebody they don't know" Which is fair enough. However, that connection I had with OW's character made it more compelling for me.
This made me think about my own writing, if you feel closer to characters you can emotionally connect with does this make a better film? Is that why when stand up comedians poke fun at life we all find it hilarious. Because we connected with it, we are imagining our selfs doing what they are saying, or remembering when we may have already done it.
Many questions being asked, all growing from a late night viewing of Marley & Me, strange how things can effect you. I wonder if the book is any better?
It was shot really well, Now, I know you expect a big studio movie like Marley & Me to be able to make a film look pretty...
I watched Gran Torino recently and thought the cinematography on that was excellent and I didn't think I'd see a picture that good for awhile, but to my surprise Marley & Me was shot really good. I think I've stressed that point now, but it's a aspect of film that people ignore, you notices the effects, costumes, acting and so on, but the cinematographer or DOP doesn't get enough recognition.
Usually the praise goes to the Actors and then the Director and thats about where it stops, as far as the average movie buff/goer notices. I'm not saying I can reel off loads of great DOP's, because I can't, but I like to give credit when due. Because a Actor or Director even the film would be nothing without these guys. The Actors can act and the Director can direct, but that would be nothing if there wasn't somebody setting up the shot, pulling the lighting together and composing it all.
Tim Burton always gets lots of credit for how good his films look. He has these fantastic looking sets and costumes, and the lighting and colours are always great, but wait, that isn't Tim Burtons job, granted it may be his vision, but it isn't just him that makes his film look the way they do. Filmmaking is a team effort. And that shouldn't be forgotten.
Right, back to Marley & Me.
So I've pointed out it looked very nice. And then maybe went of track a little.
I can't say Marley & Me was on top of the list of films I have to watch, but I rented it out to cheer up my girlfriend, I also watched Confessions of a Shopaholic in the same day. Ha, and Bruno, but that one was for me. And it was exceptionally funny, I haven't laughed like that at a film in a long, long time. I actually thought it was better than Borat, and I really enjoyed Borat, so that saying something.
Anyway, kinda going of track again (**stay focus James**). So, I wasn't really looking forward to watching Marley & Me, and we watched it quite late that night, which meant we had to have the TV really quiet so that we didn't wake anybody up. Which really pisses me off, because I like to watch my movies nice and loud, even if it is only Marley & Me, when that dog barks I want it to sound like its on my lap. Usually I wait till everybody is asleep then plug my headphones in! Thats a little tip for you. But it does mean you have to wait awhile to watch what you want and can create a rather strange sleeping habit. It's the price to pay for good sound though.
So, I can't comment on the sound quality and if you read my last blog you'll understand how much the sound means to me. What I will comment on is the story and acting. I wasn't looking forward to watching Marley & Me, but everyone kept saying it'll make you cry, so I was a little intrigued, but if someone says it'll make you cry and it has a dog in it they've kind of given the story away. Dogs in films don't have a good record, but a dying dog makes a good flick, Turner and Hooch for example. K9, is another.
What I did find good was the onscreen relationship between Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. I have a soft spot for both these actors and I don't know why. I think I like Owen Wilson because everything he says sound like he telling you a secret, a little whisper. And I grow up on a TV diet of Friends, so much of my Teen life was spent with Rachel and the gang.
Wilson and Aniston worked really well together, you expect a relationship like theirs to have grown over time, and it's shocking to realise that this is there first film together.
Aniston is a actor I think is underrated. Being part of a popular TV show is always going to be hard to escape, especially hard to escape the character they played. I think all the cast of Friends have been typecast since the death of the show, but Aniston I felt was the only one that had talent to make it into the movies. But as I say she has played similar parts in most of her films. However, Maybe its not just her, but also the audience, seeing her as one character for 10 years (probably more with the amounts of repeats) its hard imagining her as anybody else.
Over all I thought Marley & Me was a decent enough film, Although predictable I got to know the three lead characters (including the dog) enough to want to find out what happened next. Thats all I'm asking for with a film of this type, the well acted parts, a great supporting role from Alan Arkin, the beautiful cinematography and some comedic moments were all added extras.
The film was about 20 minutes longer than it should have been, The actual running time was 2 hours, which is probably standard nowadays, but I prefer my comedy dramas to be a hour and half to a hour and forty five mins tops. There were definitely 15 minutes that could have been cut here and there, and that would have made the film smoother and even more enjoyable.
I think another reason why I tolerated the film was because Owen Wilson's character took up a columnist job at the newspaper he worked at and his funny, but realistic take on life became very popular amongst the readers. When I finished my A-levels I really fancied doing my own column in a student magazine about life as a student, and I sent a sample column to many magazines. I think all of them came back saying "you have a talent for this style writing, but most people only want to read about what celebrities are getting up to, not somebody they don't know" Which is fair enough. However, that connection I had with OW's character made it more compelling for me.
This made me think about my own writing, if you feel closer to characters you can emotionally connect with does this make a better film? Is that why when stand up comedians poke fun at life we all find it hilarious. Because we connected with it, we are imagining our selfs doing what they are saying, or remembering when we may have already done it.
Many questions being asked, all growing from a late night viewing of Marley & Me, strange how things can effect you. I wonder if the book is any better?
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Sound Tracks.
Why do I start many blogs of with this phrase.
"Haven't blogged in awhile"
So I'll say sorry Graeme, I bet it's hard getting through the week with out reading one of these bad boy blogs.
Righto, Sound Tracks.
I've been buying soundtracks recently, mainly ones that have been scored / composed for the film.
I'm a great believer in music in film, I truly think it's the difference between a good film and a great one. If you put a superb soundtrack to a terrible movie, it would probably make it look good. However, if it was the other way round horrid sound to beautiful pictures, the film would be poor.
Take Star Wars, The theme music by John Williams (he also did the whole film, but just think about the theme) , It is incredible, sounds massive, exciting, inspiring and your only watching some yellow text scroll up a starry nights sky. It sets the tone for the entire film. Without that music would Star Wars be this big? Well, I can't answer that, but when you ask someone about Star Wars they usually hum the Darth Vader Theme.
John Williams also did Jaws, now is Jaws that good? or is it that the Theme music is genius!
I listen to the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack earlier by Danny Elfman, It was amazing. I always new it was great and have been banging on about it for years. But listening to it by itself made me appreciate even more. I felt every mood and feeling of the film, it made my hairs stand on end and without sounding like a sissy it even moved me (close to tears).
I've decided to by a classical album, one with various well known pieces on. A fan of classical music would probably laugh at it, like I do when somebody tell me they like Nirvana and start singing "smell like teen spirit", not really a fan, just like the well known stuff.
But with a lot of film scores being big bang classical music I thought I'd open up to the whole genre, start with the popular pieces and if I like it then delve further in.
I'm hoping it will make me think about my own filmmaking. The final song on THE PAYOFF, (short film I recently made) is a piece of music by a good friend of mine. He didn't actually write it for the film, he was just writing it at the time I asked him. The piece actually worked better than I could ever imagine. It even think it made me understand the scene better, I don't know why that is because I wrote the dam think. But as Brandy is walking out and Billy is considering his options, I can see and hear and feel the pain they are both going through.
Strange.
I think i'll leave that one there for now.
I recently did a video review of Public Enemies on my YouTube page. I'll post it up on here once this blog as had time to digest.
"Haven't blogged in awhile"
So I'll say sorry Graeme, I bet it's hard getting through the week with out reading one of these bad boy blogs.
Righto, Sound Tracks.
I've been buying soundtracks recently, mainly ones that have been scored / composed for the film.
I'm a great believer in music in film, I truly think it's the difference between a good film and a great one. If you put a superb soundtrack to a terrible movie, it would probably make it look good. However, if it was the other way round horrid sound to beautiful pictures, the film would be poor.
Take Star Wars, The theme music by John Williams (he also did the whole film, but just think about the theme) , It is incredible, sounds massive, exciting, inspiring and your only watching some yellow text scroll up a starry nights sky. It sets the tone for the entire film. Without that music would Star Wars be this big? Well, I can't answer that, but when you ask someone about Star Wars they usually hum the Darth Vader Theme.
John Williams also did Jaws, now is Jaws that good? or is it that the Theme music is genius!
I listen to the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack earlier by Danny Elfman, It was amazing. I always new it was great and have been banging on about it for years. But listening to it by itself made me appreciate even more. I felt every mood and feeling of the film, it made my hairs stand on end and without sounding like a sissy it even moved me (close to tears).
I've decided to by a classical album, one with various well known pieces on. A fan of classical music would probably laugh at it, like I do when somebody tell me they like Nirvana and start singing "smell like teen spirit", not really a fan, just like the well known stuff.
But with a lot of film scores being big bang classical music I thought I'd open up to the whole genre, start with the popular pieces and if I like it then delve further in.
I'm hoping it will make me think about my own filmmaking. The final song on THE PAYOFF, (short film I recently made) is a piece of music by a good friend of mine. He didn't actually write it for the film, he was just writing it at the time I asked him. The piece actually worked better than I could ever imagine. It even think it made me understand the scene better, I don't know why that is because I wrote the dam think. But as Brandy is walking out and Billy is considering his options, I can see and hear and feel the pain they are both going through.
Strange.
I think i'll leave that one there for now.
I recently did a video review of Public Enemies on my YouTube page. I'll post it up on here once this blog as had time to digest.
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