I've been quiet around here, but for a good reason. Besides chipping away at some feature script ideas, I've been locked in as Production Designer on an upcoming film called "Medeas." It's shooting about 3 weeks from now in the LA area.
This will mark my first time ever in LA, so it's pretty exciting that I get to show up with a job instead of a beggar's bowl. The shoot runs a few weeks longer than the average indie (I'll be out there for about two months, much to the chagrin of my cat and house plants). I'll be posting photos and anecdotes as often as possible, though Producers tend to be fairly protective of creative content before a movie is released so they're sure to be free of spoiler-ish details.
The project will be directed by Andrea Pallaoro, a very nice Italian dude, who's been making me watch all sorts of movies during our research that I'd normally never watch. I also get to reunite with Caity Birmingham, who designed the film I worked on earlier this year for Stephen Cone (Black Box).
More soon.
June 2, 2012
May 4, 2012
Found Object: "Indie Game: The Movie"
This documentary looks incredible. The video game industry has a lot in common with film (both being tricky blends of art and science), and it shouldn't come as a surprise that technology has, to a degree, democratized their industry as much as mine. Besides looking slick, this movie also features music from the amazing Jim Guthrie, creator of the soundtrack to the mesmerizing Sword & Sworcery EP.
April 21, 2012
New Photos: Bear In Heaven (Chicago - April 18th, 2012)
Bear In Heaven (Chicago - April 18th, 2012), a set on Flickr.
I took as many pictures as I could, but I wasn't there in any official capacity so I couldn't afford to be too pushy. Seeing these all together definitely gives me an itch to try out more live band photography, though.
April 16, 2012
The Pulitzer.
Huge, huge, huge congrats to Matt Bors, friend of oneonetwothree and finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in editorial cartooning. It seems like only last week I was trying to spread the good word about this relatively unknown cartoonist...
Matt, along with folks like Brian McFadden, Jen Sorensen, Ted Rall, Ruben Bolling, and Tom Tomorrow, have made huge inroads over the years towards the mainstream acceptance of "alternative" style cartooning as a voice in journalism. Substantive questions, criticism, and satire are woefully absent in most of the media's output these days, and it's been a huge relief to see that vacuum filled with progressive cartoonists.
Rather than focusing on hackneyed visual metaphors and topical mash-ups found in the editorial cartoons of yore, it seems editorial cartooning has (thankfully) started to shift towards ideas that have as much depth, breadth, and thought as any 1,000 word editorial. All this has occurred while TV news is moving in the opposite direction, trading journalistic integrity with corporate profit, sensationalism, mediocrity, and pundit-culture.
Matt's work can be found here. Also, for those that missed it, here is Matt discussing his work while visiting Chicago in May of 2011:
Matt, along with folks like Brian McFadden, Jen Sorensen, Ted Rall, Ruben Bolling, and Tom Tomorrow, have made huge inroads over the years towards the mainstream acceptance of "alternative" style cartooning as a voice in journalism. Substantive questions, criticism, and satire are woefully absent in most of the media's output these days, and it's been a huge relief to see that vacuum filled with progressive cartoonists.
Rather than focusing on hackneyed visual metaphors and topical mash-ups found in the editorial cartoons of yore, it seems editorial cartooning has (thankfully) started to shift towards ideas that have as much depth, breadth, and thought as any 1,000 word editorial. All this has occurred while TV news is moving in the opposite direction, trading journalistic integrity with corporate profit, sensationalism, mediocrity, and pundit-culture.
Matt's work can be found here. Also, for those that missed it, here is Matt discussing his work while visiting Chicago in May of 2011:
April 12, 2012
Found Object: "Blow Out Sale"
This is a great short film. Besides being funny (and not in that smarmy, trying-too-hard, yuckity-yuck way that most internet shorts employ), it earns every beat, doesn't overstay it's welcome, and still communicates a plot with subtext.
April 9, 2012
New Work: Dialogues - Matt Bors, Editorial Cartoonist
Last May, Matt visited Chicago to speak at a conference called "Art in War," through Columbia College Chicago. We had already worked together on the poster for my short movie Forget Me Not, and I thought I'd seize the chance to get him on camera, in person, while he was here. We filmed the whole piece in my living room and kitchen.
Fast forward 11 months, and that conversation is finally edited and assembled. Weirdly, our meeting coincided with the day that Osama Bin Laden was killed, which meant seeing an editorial cartoonist process a major news event in real time. The comic we see him completing in the video is one that had already been slated for completion before Bin Laden's death, but it serves as a rare glimpse into the creative process of someone who typically works alone.
April 6, 2012
The Hungriest Games.
According to reports, Gary Ross will not be returning to direct the sequels.
Phew!
I hate to dump on the guy who gave birth to Pleasantville, but Ross was easily the weakest link in The Hunger Games (look at the chariot scene: If that didn't have swelling music behind it, would you have even known to think of it as a "powerful" moment for the characters or the story? It was awwwwwwkward).
He now joins the pantheon of filmmakers like Chris Columbus: Those whose softball, mediocre bullshit helped launch a franchise for more interesting directors to shine.
Phew!
I hate to dump on the guy who gave birth to Pleasantville, but Ross was easily the weakest link in The Hunger Games (look at the chariot scene: If that didn't have swelling music behind it, would you have even known to think of it as a "powerful" moment for the characters or the story? It was awwwwwwkward).
He now joins the pantheon of filmmakers like Chris Columbus: Those whose softball, mediocre bullshit helped launch a franchise for more interesting directors to shine.
April 2, 2012
Peter Dinklage.
I have a list of actors in the back of my mind that I would stop at nothing to work with (or more specifically, to direct). Usually what puts them there, besides being really talented, is that they're criminally underrated. They're people I want to see more from, and while I'd certainly love to be the person to make that happen, I also just like to watch them work.
Some were at least in a big film or TV show for awhile (like Lauren Ambrose or Bradley Whitford), but then that's about it. For all the work they're surely doing, they just don't seem to penetrate the white noise generated by entertainment media. I think that's a damn shame.
When I saw The Station Agent, I was a projectionist and I was paid to watch it. I honestly never would have made a point to see it otherwise, and yet now it's one of my favorite movies. I've now spent years mulling over how terrible it is that an actor like Peter Dinklage isn't handed awesome roles on a silver platter. Then Game of Thrones happened, and I felt much better about the state of the world where he's concerned.
All this is just lead-up to an awesome interview with Mr. Dinklage, which you should read. He's starting to get his due, which by my estimation means the world is this much closer to making sense.
Some were at least in a big film or TV show for awhile (like Lauren Ambrose or Bradley Whitford), but then that's about it. For all the work they're surely doing, they just don't seem to penetrate the white noise generated by entertainment media. I think that's a damn shame.
When I saw The Station Agent, I was a projectionist and I was paid to watch it. I honestly never would have made a point to see it otherwise, and yet now it's one of my favorite movies. I've now spent years mulling over how terrible it is that an actor like Peter Dinklage isn't handed awesome roles on a silver platter. Then Game of Thrones happened, and I felt much better about the state of the world where he's concerned.
All this is just lead-up to an awesome interview with Mr. Dinklage, which you should read. He's starting to get his due, which by my estimation means the world is this much closer to making sense.
March 28, 2012
Moments In Corporate Stupidity: Adobe Edition.
I would like to think of Adobe as a reasonably well-run company, though apparently that isn't true.
Rather than rest on their laurels, following the influx of new customers for their Adobe Premiere editing software, they've decided to get proactive. That is, proactively driving away a different segment of customers from Flash (one of their ubiquitous and hugely popular products).
Adobe recently decided to levy a fee towards companies that use Flash to make products that in turn make money (games, mobile apps, etc). According to Adobe, this move will somehow encourage innovation. As CNET notes, however, it's unclear how charging money for a product that was until very recently free will work to Adobe's benefit. It's more likely this means Adobe haven't learned anything from the last 20+ years of internet commerce.
Here's a good rule I would adopt if I ran a huge tech company: when using a product feels more like a penalty than a reward, even if that feeling is merely perception, expect people to find other products to use. Just look at companies like Final Draft, who want to charge hefty fees to use their customer support services, and yet are seeing increasing numbers of rival companies claiming market share. Or Canon, who are releasing a slew of new HDSLRs that fail to solve problems in existing models, yet cost more money.
Prediction: Adobe can expect a short-term influx of cash ($$$!), followed by a wide spread adoption of HTML 5 (cue image of Monopoly guy pulling out empty pockets).
This has been today's Moment in Corporate Stupidity.
Rather than rest on their laurels, following the influx of new customers for their Adobe Premiere editing software, they've decided to get proactive. That is, proactively driving away a different segment of customers from Flash (one of their ubiquitous and hugely popular products).
Adobe recently decided to levy a fee towards companies that use Flash to make products that in turn make money (games, mobile apps, etc). According to Adobe, this move will somehow encourage innovation. As CNET notes, however, it's unclear how charging money for a product that was until very recently free will work to Adobe's benefit. It's more likely this means Adobe haven't learned anything from the last 20+ years of internet commerce.
Here's a good rule I would adopt if I ran a huge tech company: when using a product feels more like a penalty than a reward, even if that feeling is merely perception, expect people to find other products to use. Just look at companies like Final Draft, who want to charge hefty fees to use their customer support services, and yet are seeing increasing numbers of rival companies claiming market share. Or Canon, who are releasing a slew of new HDSLRs that fail to solve problems in existing models, yet cost more money.
Prediction: Adobe can expect a short-term influx of cash ($$$!), followed by a wide spread adoption of HTML 5 (cue image of Monopoly guy pulling out empty pockets).
This has been today's Moment in Corporate Stupidity.
March 19, 2012
Found Object: "Time To Dance" by The Shoes
This has been making the rounds lately, and rightfully so. It's creepy, cinematic, and marvelously executed. While it uses fairly popular techniques for music videos (frenetic editing, violence, star power, etc.), there's something about this that transcends its components, and does it better than any video I've seen in recent memory.
Weirdly, the song itself doesn't fade in until about 2 minutes after the video starts, which somehow adds to the creepiness of the main character.
Weirdly, the song itself doesn't fade in until about 2 minutes after the video starts, which somehow adds to the creepiness of the main character.
The Shoes 'Time To Dance' from Somesuch & Co. on Vimeo.
Directed by Daniel Wolfe
March 17, 2012
Found Object: "Paradoxical Planes"
I would love to see this kind of visual technique applied in a narrative film. It reminds me of movies like "Delicatessen" or "Fight Club," where playing with the horizon line of a composition disorients or manipulates the audience. Simply awesome.
More from Callum Cooper can be found here.
More from Callum Cooper can be found here.
March 15, 2012
That's A Wrap.
I did something a little different this time around. During Production on "Black Box" I decided to take pictures of the people making the movie, instead of trying to capture the movie itself. Hipstamatic helped keep things simple and creative, and injected a bit of serendipity into the process. I've put up my favorites on Flickr.
Black Box, a set on Flickr.
February 20, 2012
Found Object: "Black Box"
It looks like the very talented Shane Simmons will be making periodic behind-the-scenes videos for the movie I'm Art Directing. Here's a little teaser:
Ready. from Shane Simmons on Vimeo.
February 19, 2012
Black Box Day 0.
Tomorrow is the first day of production on Stephen Cone's film Black Box. I'll be insanely busy until mid March, but will hopefully get a chance to post photos regularly (in addition to the inside jokes that I'll mistakenly think anyone other than the crew will give a shit about).
Though now that I think about it, I'm still sorting through 6,000 photos I took while on Light Years in November. Yikes.
What is it called when it takes longer to process a thing than the thing took in the first place? There should be a word for that.
Though now that I think about it, I'm still sorting through 6,000 photos I took while on Light Years in November. Yikes.
What is it called when it takes longer to process a thing than the thing took in the first place? There should be a word for that.
February 9, 2012
Projects
This isn't exactly film related, but it's an excuse to mention one of my new favorite Chicago businesses, The Rebuilding Exchange.
It's a green salvage company, which also has workshops and job training. Its two warehouses are chock full of insanely awesome stuff, all reclaimed from demolished or rehabbed buildings around Chicago. It's a great example of how green companies don't have to be impractical, and it's a great resources for those of us in the independent film community.
Here's a project I recently finished for my apartment:
It's a green salvage company, which also has workshops and job training. Its two warehouses are chock full of insanely awesome stuff, all reclaimed from demolished or rehabbed buildings around Chicago. It's a great example of how green companies don't have to be impractical, and it's a great resources for those of us in the independent film community.
Here's a project I recently finished for my apartment:
February 6, 2012
Domains.
It won't be reflected on the site for a little while, but I've finally secured the license to www.oneonetwothree.com. A nice person by the name of Jason sold it to me out of the blue, and asked a very reasonable price considering how badly I had wanted it.
Originally the .net domain was a result of my not owning the .com iteration, and I begrudgingly took .net as a fall-back (let's face it, going for the more complicated "oneonetwothreeproductions.com" or some such thing would have been a terrible idea).
Now I've grown a bit attached to my .net home, and I think I may keep things redirected here after all.
Originally the .net domain was a result of my not owning the .com iteration, and I begrudgingly took .net as a fall-back (let's face it, going for the more complicated "oneonetwothreeproductions.com" or some such thing would have been a terrible idea).
Now I've grown a bit attached to my .net home, and I think I may keep things redirected here after all.
February 1, 2012
Final Cut, No!
A small update in the saga that is Final Cut Pro, from Gizmodo.
I suppose these changes are 100% beneficial, though as a few comments already mentioned, it's still not enough to draw Pro customers. No source monitor, a wacky timeline, and far too many pointless limitations (not to mention the necessity for workarounds for basic features like EDL support)
Even if the above features were available at launch, the resulting uproar would have been similar. It's no secret that the Pro market is a harsh mistress. Still, as a freelancer I'm happy to use FCP 7, am reluctant to adopt a new software, and don't see the need for change any time in 2012. Hopefully by year's end there will be some more robust changes to FCPX, such that it's worth editing an indie feature or music video. Otherwise I know where a chunk of my tax return is going in February of 2013.
I suppose these changes are 100% beneficial, though as a few comments already mentioned, it's still not enough to draw Pro customers. No source monitor, a wacky timeline, and far too many pointless limitations (not to mention the necessity for workarounds for basic features like EDL support)
Even if the above features were available at launch, the resulting uproar would have been similar. It's no secret that the Pro market is a harsh mistress. Still, as a freelancer I'm happy to use FCP 7, am reluctant to adopt a new software, and don't see the need for change any time in 2012. Hopefully by year's end there will be some more robust changes to FCPX, such that it's worth editing an indie feature or music video. Otherwise I know where a chunk of my tax return is going in February of 2013.
January 31, 2012
2012
While still hoping to finish a video originally slated for the end of 2011, I've already got the next 7 weeks or so of my life figured out:
Looks like I'll be Art Directing the latest Stephen Cone feature (his 3rd or 4th feature, depending on who you ask). I'll be working with Caity Birmingham, who's the biggest rock star I know in the art world. I've been good friends with Stephen for years, but this will be the first time my schedule and his schedule have allowed for us to work full time on the same project. I'm definitely, incredibly excited.
The project is called "Black Box," and the script is great.
The crew thus far is an insanely high concentration of some of my favorite people from Columbia College, as well as a few folks I've met along the way in the freelance world. If I'm scarce around here, you'll know why.
Also: I can't post my pictures from Light Years just yet, as that'd risk spoilers and marketing problems down the line, but they'll go up as soon as I'm able.
Looks like I'll be Art Directing the latest Stephen Cone feature (his 3rd or 4th feature, depending on who you ask). I'll be working with Caity Birmingham, who's the biggest rock star I know in the art world. I've been good friends with Stephen for years, but this will be the first time my schedule and his schedule have allowed for us to work full time on the same project. I'm definitely, incredibly excited.
The project is called "Black Box," and the script is great.
The crew thus far is an insanely high concentration of some of my favorite people from Columbia College, as well as a few folks I've met along the way in the freelance world. If I'm scarce around here, you'll know why.
Also: I can't post my pictures from Light Years just yet, as that'd risk spoilers and marketing problems down the line, but they'll go up as soon as I'm able.
