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Editing…..the next step
At last ‘One’ is in the can and the job of editing can be continued. Its been a journey and a half, for such a simple story…however as I have learned there is no such thing in film making. However I have a genius in the editing room and he is called Josh Hodson (above), over worked and under paid (in my case not paid at all). Whatever the result of the finished film, I want to give a hearty thanks to all at ATP media and the cast and crew of ‘One’ . Christian , Arash , Josh , Jacob , Ian and Ben and Dee. I promise guys there will be money for the next one.
On the last straight
Well the shooting of ‘One’ went well despite sad circumstances (are prayers are with you) beyond my control and others……. Still the shoot was good, and a trailer has been created by the talented ‘Mr Hodson’ (above) So we move onto editing the short, my spirits are (so far) very good.
Behind Blue Eyes
Fast Eddie Felson , the iconic character brought to life by Paul Newman in ‘The Hustler’ and latter on in ‘The Colour of Money’, a hustling pool shark who could have just been just another smug anti hero if not for the subtle performance given by Paul Newman one of the greatest actors to grace the screen. Behind his blues eyes, you could have humour, sadness and and in some cases danger. This was acting at its very best, as an actor Newman could speak volumes without opening his mouth. Fast Eddie is one of his best performances, a powerhouse of a character with his hunger for the game matched only by loneliness. Traits he brought forward with the wisdom of time to the older version of Eddie in ‘The Colour of Money’. This was an excellent match with Tom Cruise’s smug and child like character of Vince. Fast Eddie in the hands of Newman was truly a ‘Student of Human Moves’.
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Sod it- Ill just do it myself.
There comes a time in every film makers life, where he has to not bother with the wanabes and the industry professtionals, and just get a camera and shoot something. Life is to short. One location, a couple of cast (gifted amauters), and just create. Im at that point. Ive had enough. Bollocks to them…you know who Im talking about.
Its ok not being cool : Looking at Almost Famous
Lester Bangs (Phillip Seymour Hoffman): That’s because we’re uncool. And while women will always be a problem for us, most of the great art in the world is about that very same problem. Good-looking people don’t have any spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we’re smarter.
Almost Famous came at the beginning of the millennium and its message is never clearer as it is today. Cameron Crowes love letter to the 70’s and the love of music is as relevant now as it was when it first appeared. In the 11 years that brought us big brother, x-factor , Lester Bangs rail against the cool sings out like a clear blue morning. I’ve never been cool . I have tried ever since I noticed there that the earth wasn’t just divided up between male and female ,but also the cool and uncool. Hey I’ve only just given up fighting that battle, it only took 28 years.
It’s the journey that William Miller makes in the film. From trying to fit in, up to the point of just being honest to himself and his art. Yes it’s a cliché…but hey its a good one don’t you think?
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Lets Shoot This Fucker!!!!
Its 12:28 21st May 2011. Hey the camera man hasnt turned up and is uncontactable at the present time. But the actor did bless him. Anyway hes got a camera, a tripod and a mike. So withen the hour film will be turning. I WONT BE BEATEN……In the words of Bela Lugosi LETS SHOOT THIS FUCKER!!!!!
What a different 6 and bit months make …4584 liitle hours
Yes folks that’s how long it takes to try and make a short film, baring crew, cast availability, and a parent breaking his collar bone (don’t climb trees Dad)it’s been a long trek from November 2010 to May 2011. And yet I am two weeks away from shooting the rest of this sucker with no guarantee of actually doing it. Maybe I should give up (I won’t) because either I’m stupid , mad or don’t know when to take no for an answer (this has similarities with my relationships with women). Still unless this film issues me with a restraining order……. I carry on. I still need 1 Actress and three actors (extras)….Im not worried.
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Cinema Paradiso : A love letter.
I fell in love with cinema as a child, just like the Toto character in Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1988 film Cinema Paradiso. Recently and at the time some critics resented the films simplicity and naive view of childhood, but let me tell you they missed the point, falling in love with any kind of art form as a child has never been more accurately portrayed.
Most of my strongest memories and most precious moments have taken place at the cinema. Most of those moments concerned my father, the man who introduced me to the magic. Those early years of seeing films like Bambi, and Peter Pan with my father, to those double bills of Disney live action films such as ‘Twenty Thousands Leagues Under The Sea’ and the Herbie movies.
At the time I was entranced but didn’t have an understanding of what the magic was doing. As with many of my generation it was ‘Star Wars’ that set the passion alight, a trip to the Art Deco Cinema in St Albans one Friday night with my father sealed the deal, thanks to George Lucas (the first and last time those words will leave my lips).
It started something, I realised talented men and women waved the wands, people made this magic. Even at the age and ten and eleven, my critical facilities were forming. I remember standing outside the once ABC cinema in Luton with my father looking at the poster of the film we were about to see the 1976 remake of King Kong, a Dino De Laurentis production ( Ill miss Dino that cinematic Quioxte). It had a 100 ft Kong astride both of the twin towers in daylight, with Jessica Lange in one hand and a destroyed fighter jet in the other. The film however had a 40ft Kong, jumping between the towers in the dark and swatting huey helicopters. Some of these magicians were charlatans and con men.
But these passions were powerful and perhaps I began to keep an open mind about films. But the magic was birthed, it was set, unfortunately I was not as courageous as Toto, I didn’t have an Alfredo to drive me out from Luton and pursue my dreams, maybe life would be have different by now. I say to young people now, get out and don’t ever look back. Still its love affair that has lasted, and maybe cinema has affected how I’ve seen and reacted to the world, it’s made me a naive romantic especially with women, and made me see the world through celluloid eyes instead of more wiser realistic ones ……still it’s who I am and that is that.
A look at Cronos
Let The Right One In , looked at the relationship between a young boy and on the surface a vampire little girl of indetermidate age. Del Toro had ‘Cronos’ . Which pre dates Let The Right One In by over a decade.
The realtionship is between in the case of Cronos that of Grandfather and Granddaughter. Despite its trappings as a horror film, Del Toro has managed to create a film about faimly and its continued strength despite the horror and the greed that atempt to destroy it. A masterpiece
New Season part Deux
Well the pitch nearly got onto the short list, if I had added a few lines here and a few line there, well the story would have been different. Still the traveller goes on , in the form of ONE the middle part of the trilogy. Had a chat with my collaborator Josh and we have started making plans for the end of the month.
I need actors and few props and alternative interior location just case the man from Del Hope Church he say no. We work for nothing, we play the game for the games sake. And the truth is I friggin love it.
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