Glad I don't have to listen to myself speak on a daily basis

Oh my, haven't blogged for awhile so this might be a long one.

First off!

Last week I went to Guerrilla Shorts at Hyde Park picture house. It was really good. Nice to see other shorts and how they are put together. What I took from it was that short films don't try to tell a full story, but a section from a story. Like a couple of scene pulled out of a feature. It's a bi-monthly event so keep your eyes peeled for it because it needs the support. They also take submissions visit there myspace.

Righto

I've been reading loads of books about short film making, digital film making, well, anything and everything about film making and how you can achieve good cinema on the cheap. I think that's what I really want to do with my career, make good films with super low budgets. I like finding cheapo ways of doing stuff. MAKING SHORT FILMS was a good read with some nice tips and there is a couple of copies in the college library. Digital Film making by Mike Figgis is great, bought that on play.com for £7. Also, I've reading a load of scripts. its really helped me write one.

Anyway

Major project. WOW, its going great. We've really hit the floor running. We need to be though because were aiming really high. I've been playing the role of writer and producer so far. Were taking little steps at a time. I finished the screenplay today and Graeme as tidied up my appalling spelling and grammer, plus added and changed some of the action and dialogue for the better. I think we've made a really good team and work hard at it. We was on Skype all weekend mainly arguing or taken the piss, but we also sorted a lot out. The wonders of technology saving me bus fairs. If only we could get it set up in college! I wouldn't have to leave my bedroom.

I went to see a location on Monday, not sure if it'll work, but I was on the phone to Kieran the manager of Subculture (night club in Leeds) this evening and he seemed ok for us to film there, which would work. So all being well that is one location down!

What else

I tried doing a video blog on the weekend for this major project, but its harder than I thought. I'm not that pleasing to listen to, glad I don't have to listen to myself speak on a daily basis, sorry friends! Would still really like to do a Video Diary, so i'll stick at it.

Not sure if there is anything else I've done that I should report. ermmmm...

No thats it.

Asked a question to the guy thats produced the latest Bond movie.

I attend the Industry weekend at Bradford film festival. I found most of the talks helpful, and some of them seemed like the speakers of the panels just wanted to give themselves a pat on the back.

The talks confirmed a lot of what i've been thinking for the last year. Don't wait around for somebody to tell you to make a film, pick up a camera and just go make one.

Overall, good weekend, got to meet some interesting people, the writer of Donkey Punch, asked a question to Jim Clark, a question to the guy thats produced the latest Bond movie and is one of the heads at Eon. 

Plus got to hear some good tips!

...and a jeep!

I've been in contact with Gio, he runs and organises the G.I Joe animation festival. I've told him that I am going to submit a short this year, but couldn't find some cheap Joe's. Gio has kindly enough offered to send me some, along with some props and a jeep.

This really adds the pressure to make something good!

Looking forward to the challenge. 

I didn't think it was as good as BENJAMIN BUTTON.

I went to go see the WATCHMEN last night...



It was better than I thought, but I wasn't expecting much!

It did have it's problems, I've never read the graphic novels/comic books, so I didn't have anything to compare it too. At a wild guess, I bet the comic books are complex, because the film definitely was for it's running time. They should have split it into two films. As I was sat at home it felt like my head was spinning trying to think about film, Trying to remember characters names and what it was actually about.

The Watchmen story kind of got summed up in the title sequence with a few picture (maybe a bit more, can't remember). They should have explained Who are the Watchmen a little more. It was definitely a film for the fans and a commercial cinema goer will not understand it.

However, The effects are good enough to keep you wowing at the screen and the sound track is very good.



I didn't think it was as good as BENJAMIN BUTTON, which i saw last week.

Guns, blood and death...

Mat (animation) told me about this, It's The THING (movie) but made with G.I Joe's.

The tiny sets are amazing!

I've had a little look at a few G.I Joe animations as research for the G.I.J festival, there all very similar. In which I mean guns, blood and death... many having zombie's in them. I can see why zombie's are cool, and if it hadn't been done i'd do it too.

I think i'll try taking a different approach, not sure how yet...

Exactly one minute short film.

I found out about www.theoneminutes.org competition. The idea behind it is you have exactly one minute duration for your short. The website is pretty strange to navigate around and there are different competition you can enter, but it doesn't tell you what each competition is...

I am definitely going to enter it.

There are loads of shorts to watch, but here are two I found interesting.

SNOOZE.

BEACH.

Just need some G.I Joe's.

I'd really like to enter this G.I Joe festival, each year they hold a film festival with shorts created with... yeah, G.I Joe's! I have a friend that has entered it for the last few years. It's another reason to to get story boarding!

Here is the LINK.

It looks pretty funny, well worth doing. Just need some G.I Joe's and a Idea!
Anybody wanting to calibrate give me a shout.

Have a look round the website there is some great little short, but you have to find the links.
Also YouTube G.I Joe animation and you'll find loads.