A Cake of Tremendous Power

Wednesday was a pretty good day. I traveled to East Lansing to meet with a few ex-professors of mine and my mentor, Brian. I was invited to sit in on his class on movie marketing, which was pretty interesting. Next week, I'll get to go and participate in a video conference with a rather large movie marketing mogul out in Los Angeles. I've got to make sure to make a good and memorable impression with him, seeing as he is a prospective employer of mine.

I also met with my video production professor, Bob. He went over my trailers and resume reels with me and gave me a few critiques, which were helpful. I was supposed to meet with a third professor, but we failed to get in touch.

I also bumped into my former employer at Michigan State. I had been editing some footage for him about undergraduate research, but they had to cut me loose after I graduated. He kept asking me if I was coming back for graduate school because he has some projects that he wants me to cut for him, but I can't get hired if I'm not a student there. Grad school really isn't in my plans, though. He did tell me to look at ESPN's website and check out their work opportunities. Apparently, they have a ton of positions available.

My plan now is teetering more toward leaving on May 3rd for California. I'm pretty sure I can get a production assistant job, at the very least, but I'm hoping for an assistant editing job to get started. Until then, I've got to start making more movies. You'll be seeing a lot more short films coming from me in the near future, but much shorter ones.

Shoot Em Up is the most kick ass movie I've ever seen and it's not even done yet

I made some changes to the trailer. Which do you prefer?

Claire de Lune

After another toll-taking day at work, I passed out on my couch for three hours. During that time, I had intended to edit the trailer for "Brief," but sleep won the battle. Fortunately for me, and those of you looking forward to the trailer's debut, I have trouble sleeping if I nap during the day. I've been up for the last few hours putting some finishing touches on the trailer and VOILA! Here it is! It's up for your viewing enjoyment. I discovered how to do the effect from the latest gatorade commercial on FCP, so I went ahead and put that to use in this little piece. Try and find it (it's insanely obvious). I hope you guys dig it, but tell me what you think.

In other news, I contacted another film production company in Detroit and inquired about any professional opportunities they may have for me. They are into giving Detroit a new and better image, one that's more realistic, less fabled, and more beneficial to the city. Here's one of their sites. While there, check out the Model D and the Metromode pages.

Occupation: Worker

No filming got done this weekend. In fact, very little video production stuff got done this weekend, short of coming close to finishing the "Brief" trailer. Shit, I didn't even go and see "In Bruges" like I was supposed to. I'll have to go see it some time this week and give you the review then.

One thing that did get accomplished was the creation of a concept for a new video. Alex proposed that we shoot an action film trailer for a movie we plan on calling "Slow Hand." Here are some of the thoughts that are behind it:
-The action hero is a guitar player, nicknamed "Slow Hand," (Clapton-like), who kills people with his bare hands.
-His specialty move is a slow moving punch that is strong as all get out.
-The villain has his gf kidnapped and is holding her hostage, Slow Hand has to rescue her.

We worked out more stuff, but that's the gist of it.

I Need More Allowance

Work is work, as you know, but I at least further edited some video today. The editing is coming well, as the trailer looks more and more legit and my resume reel is looking better by the day. I'm pleased to announce some of the following statements:

Even though I just recently got a job as a cook, I've been finding job opportunities up the wazoo. I've just started working at M&E's, but I was instructed the other day to apply at the gym where I work out. Not only that, but I'm in contact with two Michigan film production groups: the group that runs the Metro D film website and apparently have reason to believe I'll be interviewing with the Michigan Film Commission shortly. Hopefully, I get that job and can quit my old/new one. I need to start doing work in my line of interest as opposed to some place to pay the rent and costs.

By the end of this week, you readers will either have:
-My resume reel video
-My "Brief" trailer
or
-My newest short film

Any combination of the three is also possible. I hope you guys stay posted. I'm going to add new links to my links section by the end of the week, as well, which Mike was so kind as to supply me with. One of them is just fantastic as far as film making is concerned.

I Can Wear My Pants Extra Low Tonight

Today was a long day in the old kitchen. I had a nice 7 hour shift, came home, ate, and fell asleep for a few hours. I awoke, ate immediately, went to the gym, then came home and ate again. I'm even hungry right now.

I tried to get some work done on the "Brief" trailer, but I just couldn't stay awake during it. Maybe it's that there aren't any movies on demand decent enough for me to want to watch again or watch for the first time, maybe it's that I had a long day at work, but I've just been in a foul mood. Foul moods don't usually help me get good work done in the video world, so maybe it's good that I didn't do much of anything in this newest trailer.

What I did get to do, though, was locate where "In Bruges" (a new UK flick) will be playing in Michigan. Here's a trailer for it (trailer obsession). Jeremy was none too impressed, but I've heard from a few sources that it's pretty dern sweet. I'm going to see it tomorrow, please await review.

Bamboleo

Today was my first day of work in the kitchen of Max & Erma's. It was thoroughly intense, but it will be good for me to not only pass the time, but raise some funds for my pilgrimage to the city of angels.

Back to video news...
I'm editing a trailer for "Brief: the Story of Blood Boil." Why am I editing trailers for projects I've already filmed and cut, you may ask. The reason for these post-production trailers is that one of the company's I'm thinking about applying for a job with (and my best lead, actually) cuts movie trailers. I've cut two trailers thus far ("El Seedo Darko" as seen below, and "The Empty," which I'll post in this blog), and I'm hoping that the one for "Brief" will be my best.

Seeing as it's going to be Easter Sunday this weekend, my brother Alex will be home from school for a few days. Frank probably will, as well. That being said, I plan on writing and producing a silly little short over the next few days (to be shot on miniDV as opposed to DVCAM and HDV, meaning the video quality will be a bit lower, sorry). I'll post it as soon as it's done.

El Seedo Darko

Here's the real deal:

The Bank Job = Solid

Just saw "The Bank Job" tonight with Jimmy and Eaves tonight. It was pretty flippin' sweet. Go see it.

I just finished cutting a teaser/trailer for "El Seedo Darko." Here's a link for it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJqa3eLVHVQ

Hell, here's the video.

They be like LUDA; I be like....yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Gotta give mad props to Mike Sklut for the shot out on the ever so popular vafrous. The world of video brings us nothing new today. I thought a lot about what kind of film I want to shoot in the near future. After watching "Snatch" for the millionth time last night, I came to the conclusion that I could actually shoot a movie equally well (quality-wise) and cut one equally as well as it was done. However, the main problem still exists: I need a movie concept that good. "Snatch" is a fantastic flick for several purposes: a) the story line; b) the acting; c) short frame cuts; d) the screenwriting (dialog primarily). Let me break it down for you.

a) the story line.
The difference between good films and Hollywood blockbusters lies primarily in the story line of the movie. Big hit movies in the box office, such as "Transformers" and "Jumper" have terrible stories and only succeed because of CGI and good advertising. When you watch "Snatch," you're actually captivated by the story and it leads an interesting path and doesn't have a predictable, formated, typical kind of shoot-em-up ending. The easiest way to pick this out, in most movies ("Snatch" included) is the sign of several different characters having their own stories and having them all weave together. In some movies, you have two or three character groups like that and you're pleased. "Snatch" has a good four or five. It's fantastic.

b) the acting.
You've got Brad Pitt playing a pikey and doing a damn good job of it. Jason Statham playing a boxing promoter, but he's not as American badass as he is in films like, "The Transporter," "Crank," and "War," just to name a few. I actually like his style of acting much more in this movie than those others named. Other characters, like Avi, Doug the Head, Bullet Tooth Tony, Brick Top, Tommy, Sol., Vincent, Tyrone, all of 'em...they're very well acted and very believable.

c) short frame cuts.
What I mean by this is the cutting done within one-take static shots where a few frames are removed. An example of this is at the very end when Doug the Head is inspecting the 84 karat diamond brought in by Turkish and Tommy. The editor cuts the shot several times without changing the view. The best part about these cuts are when the speed of the shots are varied (sped up or slowed down). If you want to see good editing, all you have to do is watch the title sequence of that movie. Pure art.

d) the screenwriting.
Does the dialog sound forced? Is it interesting? Does it flow well? Does it sound natural? Need I type more?

I really have high hopes to film a movie in London some day, mainly because of the influence I received from "Snatch" and "Lock Stock 'n Two Smokin' Barrels." When I come up with an idea worthy of producing, I'll be sure to let you know.

As for right now, I have an interview at Max & Erma's tomorrow morning at 9am. I need to get a job so I can afford my voyage out to LA. I had to lie a little and tell them that I expected to stick around for at least a year, but I was only fudging the details slightly...

Beware the Ides of March

Do you know why you are to beware the ides of March. Fortunately for us, we are not Julius, so we need not fear death. Merely fear the start of another blog: mine. Actually, there's nothing really to fear from it. We are, as my good friend and fellow blogger, Mike Sklut, discussed with me earlier today, in the age of blogs. Clearly, it has its benefits and its drawbacks. However, it's probably not a bad idea to let you faithful readers and followers of my exploits know where I'm headed and what I'm up to. This blog, unlike much you've read from me in the past, will be more of a look at my professional world and my videos. I'll still give you an update or two about any spectacular stories I may experience, but this really isn't what this blog is for. So, without further ado, let's begin.


I've spent the last week filling out paperwork and submitting films to the Waterfront Film Festival. This is kind of a big deal for me. Here's a quote from wikipedia about the event:
"Ranked as one of the top five film festivals in the world by the Screen Actors Guild Magazine, the Waterfront Film Festival draws thousands of movie lovers and filmmakers to the small resort town of Saugatuck." If I get even one film out of the three I submitted (El Seedo Darko, Goth-Am City, and Brief: the Story of Blood Boil) selected, it'll be a big success in the world of Slam O'Clock Productions. The selection alone will be the single most important thing on my resume, so I'm really hoping we get in. I've cut and re-cut and re-cut El Seedo Darko and Brief lord knows how many times over the last few months to prep them for this event. The final cut of each piece isn't even online yet. I'm going to wait to post them on the webpage I'm in the pre-production stage of creating.

As far as new films are concerned, SO is working waiting for the weather to clear up just a tad to film our latest project, code named "Run, Harry, Run" (meaning that's not actually what we're calling it, but that's what we refer to it as. It's a dramatic, non-comedic film that is going to require fantastic aesthetics in order to come out the way we hope for it. The story line is, essentially, I wake up, find my girlfriend is leaving me, I have to run to the bus station to catch her before she gets there, but I'm held up by a series of obstacles. In all fairness, it doesn't sound all that interesting from that description, but I have a vision for it and expect big things.

I'm formulating some other short film ideas that are a little more outrageous, but no solid ideas have come to be as of yet. Stay tuned for more.