Why comic book movies are dominating the Hollywood Box Office

For those of you who know me, you are probably not at all surprised by the fact that I chose to write my first post on this blog about comic book movies. If you do not know me yet, hello my name is Lindsay Koenig and I am a huge nerd. But according to the Hollywood summer box office, I'm not alone.

This summer Marvel Studios, owned by Disney, released a film based on a little known comic book called Guardians of the Galaxy. This was considered a pretty big risk for the studio because unlike previous films they'd released such as Captain America or Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy was not a popular comic book series. Not only this, but Guardians was by far the most "comic book like" of all their previous films; featuring a colorful cast of alien characters such as a talking tree and raccoon. The studio had no way of knowing if this quirky film would make any money at the box office.

But Marvel Studios needn't have worried. The film opened with a whooping 95 million dollars in it's opening weekend. Not only that but it has since made over 251 million dollars and has secured it's place as the top grossing film of the summer and is on track to be the highest grossing film of the year.

Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't the only comic book film to roll in the dough this year, however.
In fact, 4 of the top 10 grossing films of 2014 are comic book movies. Here's a look at some of the other big money makers.

Amazing Spiderman 2

Released May 2, 2014

$202 Million 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Released May 22

$232 Million

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Released April 4th

$259 Million 

So what is it about comic book films that makes them so successful? And why are some studio's comic book movies more successful than others?

To figure this out I'm going to start with the most successful studio out of the many currently producing comic book movies: the Disney owned Marvel Studios.

Back in 2008, Marvel Studios released it's first film. Iron Man became the first in what would become one of the most successful film series of all time. Iron Man was a huge hit not only with audiences, but also with critics. Before 2008 (which also featured the success of Warner Brothers comic book flick The Dark Knight) comic book films were looked at as a bit of a joke, or one notes without much depth to them other than actors in spandex fighting bad guys. 

What made Iron Man so unique, and I believe ultimately so successful, is that there is much more to the film than it's action and explosions.

Firstly, the main character of the film is flawed. Tony Stark feels like a real person, not the typical "do-gooder, responsible hero" type character one might except from a children's cartoon series. Because Tony Stark feels like a real person it is easy for the audience to relate to him and become invested in his story. I would argue that Marvel does an excellent job of making all their heroes seem like real people with real flaws, problems, and emotions. It would be easy for a larger than life character like Iron Man or Captain America to slip into something like a caricature, but these films do a great job of grounding their heroes and making them accessible to the audiences.  

Secondly, something that I found hugely important to the success of a film such as Iron Man, is the respect for the source material. While many might find the subject matter to be a bit of a joke, or something silly or goofy (see the Batman films outside of the Dark Knight Trilogy); Marvel Studios has been extremely respectful to it's source material. There is an element of seriousness to Iron Man and the other Marvel films, even when events on screen would seem far fetched in real life. The stakes are real for these characters, which makes it real for the audience. If you don't understand what I'm getting at think about it this way, Iron Man doesn't make "boom" "pow" nosies when he is fighting bad guys, does he?

Thirdly, and what I would argue most importantly, is that Iron Man deals with issues that are relevant to our world and society today. Within the first few minutes of the film our main character is captured by terrorists. Not only this, but Tony Stark's character arc involves him dealing with the fact that his company not only sold weapons to the American Military but also to terrorist groups, and Stark realizing his responsibility for what his company has done. These plot lines hit pretty close to home, especially in a world where terrorism is such a prevalent issue. By tackling such topics, Iron Man becomes more than just a movie about a superhero.

Since Iron Man, many other comic book flicks have tackled important societal and emotional issues. Iron Man 3 dealt with anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder, while Captain America: The Winter Solider had a heavy political subplot about government and power. Even Guardians of the Galaxy, for all it's crazy space shenanigans, contained undertones about loss and dealing with grief. 

Marvel Studios isn't the only studios whose comic book films deal with issues outside of what might be excepted for the average Hollywood action flick. 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise deals largely with the way society treats minorities, while Warners Brother's Dark Knight films focus on issues such as terrorism and corruption.

These are just a few of the many reasons I believe comic book movies have been so successful in recent years, and why they continue to dominate the box office. I can only open that other genres start to pick up on what makes these films so successful. If every popcorn flick was as good as the average comic book film, Hollywood would be in good shape.

enliven

I remember sitting on our living room floor in Japan, drawing out Disney characters while the Little Mermaid was playing. At that time, that was my favorite movie. I never called a fork, fork. Instead, I would argue with waiters and anyone else who questioned me that it was simply called a dingle hopper. Animation movies and T.V shows were the things that I lived for. Growing up in Japan opened my eyes to all the anime cartoons and how magnificent the colors and artwork that came from these shows were. But there was one particular artist who was more than just an artist and a phenomenal storyteller who changed my life. His name is Hayao Miyazaki.

Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke

No one questions his abilities; he's proven time and time again that there's something about animation that takes us into another realm. The characters in his films all have this unique background, and they're characters that leave a lasting impression on almost anyone who sees the films. Growing up as a military child and moving so often, I never got the experience of having friends for more than two to three years. Miyazaki's films were like outlets for me to travel into another world with strange creatures, that it didn't really bother me (or I hardly noticed) that having friends was something I needed. Being so young at the time, re-drawing the characters from his films and running outside chasing after the Susuwatari was all that I really cared about.

Susuwatari

Although growing up will all his films impacted my younger life, Princess Mononoke is THE film that made me decide to pursue a career in the film industry. I honestly had no idea what I was going to do after high school. I loved to draw, but I never thought my skills qualified enough for college level. I sort of just started sinking into this dark void and felt like I was going to follow my father's footsteps and join the military as well. That, was my final decision. I plopped in a Miyazaki film trying to cheer myself up, and that's when my mind began to tell me something different. Now that I was older, I was able to understand his films. I watched Princess Mononoke and began to see the story line and feel emotions I didn't feel as a child watching the film before. I thought to myself, "I want to do that." I didn't really know what I meant by that, but I just knew I wanted to be doing something that could make people think. I wanted to create characters that people never even imagined before, but can relate to. I wanted people to wonder in their minds, what if the world was like that?

Never did I think growing up that a couple imaginary creatures could help me make a decision that would impact the rest of my life.

Kodama

The Great Gambino

Okay so maybe I'm not talking about THE Great Gambino but I do want to talk about a man some may know as Childish Gambino (a stage moniker) and others may know as Donald Glover. The man can do anything he wants.

He's a rapper:

(Bonfire music video, directed by Derrick Comedy alumn Dan Eckman)

With two certified gold singles (Heartbeat and 3005) Glover raps under the name Childish Gambino.

A writer:

(30 Rock)

After working on Derrick Comedy, he gained attention, and became a writer with occasional cameos on Tina Fey's hit show, 30 Rock. He later left the show to pursue his acting career.

An actor:

(Community)

“Usually, when writers tell you they want to pursue performing, you want to tell them to keep their day jobs. But with Donald, I had to agree that his talent, youth and handsomeness were not to be wasted sitting on my living room floor.”  - Tina Fey

And a comedian:

(From his standup, Weirdo)

This clip explains the internet campaign that began with one fan suggesting on an online message board that Donald would make a good spiderman. This seemingly harmless opinion led to an internet sensation revolving around arguments of the race of spiderman and ended with Andrew Garfield getting the role. Don't worry though, they worked it out.

(Picture tweeted by Glover with the message, "Talked it out")

This story does have a happy ending. Writer, Brian Bendis, released a comic about a year later with a black spiderman, saying he had the idea before the whole "Donald for Spiderman" debacle, but that it did influence his choices for the character.

Now that character, known as Miles Morales, is appearing on Ultimate Spiderman, a Disney Channel cartoon adaptation of the Marvel comics. Miles Morales is a half black, half latino prepubescent who takes over for Peter Parker, and IS TO BE VOICED BY DONALD GLOVER.

And as a bonus heres a Derrick Comedy sketch about film school and a crazy ex-boyfriend played by Donald Glover:

As a second bonus here is Tina Fey rapping on Childish Gambino's album Royalty:

Alex Buono and SNL's Djesus Uncrossed

Like many of you, Saturday Night Live has always been one of my favorite shows on television. I've always been amazed at how the cast, crew, and writers can assemble a full live show in only a week. However, in recent years, filmed segments have become more and more prevalent on the show, with the rise of The Lonely Island's digital shorts and other pre-taped skits. These segments also interest me for a couple of reasons: they almost always perfectly capture the tone of what they're trying to parody; they excellently utilize the hosts and other special celebrity guests; and they have amazing production value for the short amount of time they're assembled in. As a fan of these skits, I was thrilled earlier in the year to discover the personal blog of Alex Buono, the DP for SNL's film unit. My favorite post of his details the production of Season 38's Djesus Uncrossed sketch, a parody of Tarantino's Django Unchained, starring that film's Christoph Waltz.

The blog post details the full production of the sketch, from Buono receiving the script at 9am on Thursday morning to the finished sketch airing around midnight on Saturday night. Some highlights include insight into a location scouting process where shooting was to begin the next day, the insane shooting timeline required by SNL's tight production schedule (the crew never shot with Christoph Waltz during the day), and the specifics of aping Tarantino's distinctive visual style from a cinematographer's standpoint. This specific sketch required the use of a crane to capture the cinematography of Bob Richardson, Tarantino's go-to DP, which is a rarity for SNL. Buono's entire blog offers insight into the kind of work that goes into a high-stakes, high-pressure production job. The technical advice throughout the blog is invaluable, and it also gives you a real sense of how crazy a real-world shooting schedule actually is. Below you'll find links to the Djesus blog post, the main link to the blog, and the finished sketch!

http://www.alex-buono.com/

http://www.alex-buono.com/how-we-did-it-snl-djesus-uncrossed/

WARNING: The violence in this is pretty cartoonish, but you may not want to watch it if you're squeamish.

DJesus Uncrossed (Saturday Night Live) from razorgrind on Vimeo.

THE EPIDEMIC THAT IS SWEEPING THE NATION

Ladies and gentleman, we as a nation of media consumers are faced with a new and deadly threat to the enjoyment of that consumption free from guilt. This threat is known by one name and one name only: HATE WATCHING!! (insert ominous bum, bum, bum). This describes the behavior of someone who consumes something that might not like/agree with and then will run to their blogs, twitter feeds, Facebook, and other forms of media just to complain or critique how much they hated what they just saw. This phenomenon is not only just confined to the more banal forms of social media however, as it has begun to see more and more prominence in the main-stream"gotcha" media, as Sarah Palin would say,  and is seen as a valid and legitimate type of reporting. In my post I want to focus on the television show SMASH!, an erstwhile NBC series about Broadway competition and fame, because it is a particularly egregious example of the kind of hate watching tactics that I am referring to. Beyond that I would like to discuss the Miley Cyrus 2013 VMA incident, as well as the If You Seek Amy controversy as they will help to underscore the point that I am trying to make.

SMASH! SEASON 2 CAST 

(From Left to Right: Anjelica Houston, Andy Mientus, Jeremy Jordan, Katherine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Leslie Odom, Jr., Megan Hilty, Krysta Rodriguez, Christian Borle, Debra Messing, and, Jennifer Hudson)

SMASH!: THE SHOW THAT WASN'T 

Even though I loved SMASH! I will be the first to admit that it was not without its share of problems. It was replete with a bacchanalia of fantasy induced musical numbers that made little sense to the plot that was happening around it, which only served to jar an already dissatisfied audience. Below you will see two examples...

THE 20th CENTURY FOX MAMBO: A NUMBER THAT WOULD APPEAR IN BOMBSHELL

This is The 20th Century Fox Mambo which was originally seen on the second episode of the first season of SMASH!, entitled "The Callbacks." This song occurs as Katherine McPhee's character, Karen Cartwright, vies with Megan Hilty's character, Ivy Lynn, in the final callback for the role of Marilyn in the workshop. We see Karen in her call back for Marilyn and originally she begins the number performing it as just as herself with some minimal props that are created from every day things such as a broom and a swivel chair. However, about half way through the number, we are hit with the first of many fantasy sequences that the series would become known for, as Karen transforms into Marilyn and performs the rest of the number as her. This kind of disjunctive plot upset many of the already alienated viewers who felt that this kind of fantasy hurt the already poorly written story. Below is another example of things even further in decline.... 

A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS: A FANTASY BOLLYWOOD SEQUENCE

A Thousand and One Nights was originally seen in the twelfth episode, entitled "Publicity" in which Karen and Karen's boyfriend, Dev meet Rebecca Duvall, a famous movie star who was courted to play Marilyn, and Dev and Rebecca begin to argue about which one of them is better for Karen, which on its face is absurd but we will get to script and character problems in the next paragraph. Anyways, in an effort to escape the "awkward" (and I mean that both in the real and meta sense), Karen turns to a television that is playing a Bollywood movie and then snaps into some elaborate Bollywood dance sequence. The problem that this sequence presented is that all the main characters were present in Karen's fantasy but some of them, like Julia Houston's son, but she had never ever had a scene with and consequently had never met.    

A MEME ABOUT DEBRA MESSING'S CHARACTER JULIA HOUSTON'S LOVE OF SCARVES 

Which is a perfect segue way into my final point about the reason why SMASH! ended up not fairing well as a series is because the way the characters were written and a general abandonment of any human emotion coming from the characters. Basically, peoples main contentions with the show where that the characters felt wooden and that there was very little continued advancement of them.   

Behind the scenes the problems were many, with jealousy, feelings of betrayal, and, fights crept in and ultimately ended up sabotaging what the pilot indicated to be a successful, cutting edge, musical television show. If you want to find the gossip about it I recommend that you Google it because I refuse to engage with people that want to use this as fodder to claim I hate SMASH!, because in fact I don't. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all involved in the series and what it was able to accomplish.    

THE HATE WATCHERS RESPOND

I am going to keep this very brief because I don't want to give them a ton more attention but after SMASH! became train wreck in the eyes of it viewers people began to create scathing and rather hilarious reviews about their opinions of SMASH! as a series. Again you can look these up for yourself because I don't want to be responsible for continuing to propagate them but this negativity often overshadowed the legacy that the show has left behind it. 

THE LEGACY OF SMASH!

BOMBSHELL: A FICTIONAL MUSICAL CREATED IN SEASON 1 AND CONTINUED IN SEASON 2 ABOUT THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARILYN MONROE

HIT LIST: A FICTIONAL MUSICAL CREATED IN THE SECOND SEASON ABOUT THE PRICE AND COST OF FAME IN THE MODERN ERA

Regardless of whatever hate may be out there about SMASH! I want to take this opportunity to express my opinion of what SMASH! has meant to me and the legacy that this sadly short lived series has left behind. The first thing that is important to remember is that this was not a realistic portrayal of what Broadway is (I'm looking at you learning an entire aerial silk routine the day before a performance) because it is television. If you are looking for a realistic portrayal of what Broadway is you might want to become a Broadway star and live that life, or even better yet go see a Broadway show because that will be packed with all the Broadway realism that your heart desires.  

  THE DIVA (A HIT LIST CHARACTER) PERFORMING REACH FOR ME ON AERIAL SILK

Secondly, this show helped to boost exposure and audience knowledge of what a Broadway musical and what the creation of a musical looks like. This is tremendously pivotal because you are helping inspire people to pursue a passion or educating people about a career in theatre. 

Finally, this show left behind two extremely great original new musicals in its wake, Hit List, and Bombshell. Hit List has seen a concert debut at 54 Below under the eyes of Ms. Jennifer Tepper, the newly appointed head of programming at the venue and there are talks being held to do a concert for Bombshell as well. Additionally, I have written a full version of Hit List and hope to take it to Broadway one day. 

PROMO POSTER FOR THE CONCERT OF HIT LIST WITH STARS KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ, ANDY MIENTUS, AND JEREMY JORDAN

MILEYGATE

On a related note to hate watching, Miley Cyrus' performance at the 2013 VMA's, or Video Music Awards as it is known, bears speaking of because it relates to a larger issue in our culture. Miley Cyrus obviously was being provocative when she did this...

And this... 

But I am about to blow your minds with what I am about to say next. Are you ready? Are you really ready? You sure? Ok then, well here I go. 

IT WAS 100% HER RIGHT TO DO THIS! 

That is not me giving her permission or saying that I agree with what she did, this is me saying that she is a grown woman who is capable of behaving in a fashion she chooses. She doesn't need your approval to do whatever she is going to do. In fact, what bothered me more then her shoving a foam finger around her crotch, or grinding up on Robin Thicke was the people that said the day after, "I had to sit through that trash." NO!!! YOU DIDN'T!!! You could have gotten your lazy butt out of your chair, grabbed the remote, and CHANGED THE CHANEL!!!! (Gasp*, such a revolutionary idea, I know). No one is forcing you to watch this, you chose to watch her do what she did and so you have about zero right to the complain how much you didn't like it because you didn't take the obvious step to correct your discomfort.   

IF YOU SEEK AMY

BRITNEY SPEARS' CIRCUS TOUR PROMO POSTER

If You Seek Amy was a song that appeared on American pop singer's, Britney Spears' album entitled Circus. The title is obviously provocative and shocking and up to the Britney standard of selling sex but I am not going to tell you flat out what the title is, I'll leave that one up to your imagination. Needless to say, controversy ensued when a mother in New Zealand gave the song to her daughter of seven who proceeded to run around saying the title. The mother then got mad because there was no parental advisory sticker on the song. I am going to keep this really simple and just get right to the bottom  line, (1) Britney Spears is not responsible for raising your kids or making music for them, (2) you as a responsible parent should know that Britney Spears isn't appropriate for a seven year old to begin with and then with that knowledge not give the song to them.  

FINAL THOUGHTS

So what is the conclusion/moral to this post: 

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING DON'T WATCH/CONSUME THAT VERY THING JUST TO GO AROUND SPREADING HATE ABOUT IT! 

When Will Film Die?

How many movies in a theatre have you seen in the past year that were shot on film? You could probably count them out on one hand. And at this point everyone knows why that is. Money, money, and more money. With the cost of everything else that is squeezed into a film production it is easy to understand why cutting something that is so expensive is reasonable. Digital movies are cheaper, most times easier to make, and way easier to manipulate in post production. The fact that cinema is dead is nothing new but the question is whether film stock will disappear forever?

 

The simple answer is no. Film is what created this industry and art form into what it is today. And with all the signs of film dying out it may look like it but the fact of the matter is that film will always have it's place. In a similar way to painting you can see the evolution of the materials used to create that art. Using acrylic paint does not mean that your painting is any better than a painting with oil paint. It is just different. And like movies that choice is made because of cost or the personal preference of the filmmaker. The way I see it is that without digital their would be a lot less films and a lot less films means a lot less stories. And who wants that? I don't care what you make your film on or what type of camera you used, just make a film. 

I will not lie and say that you will see a lot of film in the future of Hollywood but with enough money or power their will always be analog. Directors like Chris Nolan, J.J. Abrams, and Quentin Tarantino have fought through the Hollywood main stream to support film. And even in July banned together with the help of their respected studios to support Kodak in it's effort to continue the production of film stock. Nolan and Tarantino have been behind film since the start of their careers and Abrams is currently shooting Star Wars: Episode VII on 35 mm. Hollywood will and always be a business and it's not a surprise why you will rarely see a movie shot on film in a AMC or Regal. In a way it's sad to see less and less of film but always remember that its out there. And movies will always be made. 

Check out the story below:

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Quentin-Tarantino-Chris-Nolan-J-J-Abrams-Save-Film-From-Extinction-66537.html

Long Live the B-Movie

I'm finally back on campus...back for another semester, another year of college life and all the challenges, stress and struggles that come with it. I find myself transitioning into the IC flow once again and with the first day of classes now over, the summer's relaxation seems distant. Last night offered a nice opportunity, though. It was a chance to become immersed in the atmosphere of a film favorite one last time without the bothersome reminders of deadlines and upcoming assignments hanging over my head. I had a 9am, but my materials were all together and I had nothing better to do, so I figured why not pick something fun and practice some cinematic meditation. Naturally, my choice was Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II.

Now, Evil Dead II was never a film I expected to love. It's a bloody, zany horror comedy with extensive practical effects work and a wild, untamed energy. The film is relentless in its commitment to the weird and outlandish, the demented dark humor and the gory kills. Prior to this summer, the world of 80's horror schlock was not one I was familiar with. Stubbornly holding onto my Criterion collection and the ponderous art house cinema I treasured, there was something about that era/genre mix that made me uneasy. The addiction to foreign art house film is overstated, as I am not one to shy away from the occasional blockbuster (Guardians of the Galaxy, anyone?) or hesitate to revel in some unabashedly comedic cheese (I'm looking at you, Coming to America). Still, 80's b-horror was an untapped area for me and I wanted to finally give it a shot.

The power of camp compels you!

Fright Night was the beginning of my little endeavor. Not a perfect film, but perfectly entertaining for what it is. Vampires, flamboyant hair styles, an 80's dance club and Roddy McDowall. All good fun, but I was only scraping the surface. Next came the gut-busting Re-Animator, the ridiculously unintelligent The Stuff and the comic book come to life, Creepshow. It all crescendoed in my first viewing of Evil Dead II. The film was mad. Limbs were flying. Cartoonish blood geysers everywhere. Bruce Campbell gets into a life-or-death scuffle with his freshly possessed right hand and a mounted deer head comes alive and laughs hysterically as all the other objects in the room follow suit. 

Taxidermy has never been so lifelike.

By the time the credits rolled, I knew I had just seen an instant favorite. The film didn't take itself too seriously and had the best balance of horror and comedy that I'd ever seen. The one-liners were goofy, the story was strung out and yet, there was something endearing about it. This wasn't the end of the horror-thon, though. Twenty films (including the dreadful Maximum Overdrive and Galaxy of Terror) would be viewed before my movie intake went back to normal, but none would reach the heights of Evil Dead II.

Don't worry, I'm getting there!

So, patient reader, why is it that I have gone to the trouble of sharing my adventures in the 80's campiness of ghosts and ghouls, monsters and slashers? It's because today we talked about passions. What do we want to do? What makes us happy? I've recently had my doubts about filmmaking. I question my abilities. Am I up to it? Is it genuinely enjoyable?

Peter Jackson, circa 1991

Perhaps I should pair Peter Jackson's Dead Alive (AKA Braindead) with Evil Dead II on this point. Here are two films that convey an excitement, a zest for filmmaking in every frame. With the energy, the tone and the sheer creativity of visual effects, scenario setups and comedy, they showcase a go-for-broke mentality and no matter how bizarre the subject matter is, one can't help but admire the spirit of these two directors. I'm not the only one that saw past the gore and bad taste, as Raimi was given the chance to direct the Spider-Man trilogy and Jackson went on to make Lord of the Rings. Noticeable passion kickstarting flourishing careers and more ambitious projects.

Not bad, Mr. Jackson.

Watching Evil Dead II again reminded me of the fervor that can come with filmmaking (even under extreme budget constraints). I won't necessarily be breaking into the realm of b-horror this semester, but I aim to recapture the same passion that was expressed in so many of the 80's horror flicks I viewed this summer. For all their indulgences and gross-out tactics, these movies represent a level of creative commitment and raw enthusiasm that is often missing from today's soulless studio tentpoles and pandering, end-of-the year Oscar bait.

Long live the B-movie!

180 Rule in Film

So there is this rule in film that is called the 180 rule (I don't follow rules!). For people who do not know what the 180 rule is or just want a refresher on what exactly the rule is, I have the perfect blog for you!

In film making, the 180-degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters, and by keeping the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene, the first character is always frame rightof the second character, who is then always frame left of the first. The camera passing over the axis is called jumping the line or crossing the line.

There are a couple of times though that the 180 rule can work to your advantage! 

Pitfalls

The imaginary line allows viewers to orient themselves with the position and direction of action in a scene. If a shot after the original shot in a sequence is located on the opposite side of the 180-degree line, then it is called a "reverse cut." Reverse cuts disorient the viewer by presenting an opposing viewpoint of the action in a scene and consequently altering the perspective of the action and the spatial orientation established in the original shot. 

Solutions

There are a variety of ways to avoid confusion related to crossing the line due to particular situations caused by actions or situations in a scene that would necessitate breaking the 180-degree line.

Prevention

Either alter the movement in a scene, or set up the cameras on one side of the scene so that all the shots reflect the view from that side of the 180-degree line.

Camera Arch move

One way to allow for crossing the line is to have several shots with the camera arching from one side of the line to the other during the scene. That shot can be used to orient the audience to the fact that we are looking at the scene from another angle. In the case of movement, if a character is seen walking into frame from behind on the left side walking towards a building corner on the right, as they walk around the corner of the building, the camera can catch them coming towards the camera on the other side of the building entering the frame from the left side and then walk straight at the camera and then exit the left side of the frame.

Buffer shot

To minimize the "jolt" between shots in a sequence on either sides of the 180-degree line, shoot a "buffer shot" along the 180-degree line separating each side. This lets the viewer visually comprehend the change in viewpoint expressed in the sequence.

The 180 rule is REALLY important, everyone but me needs to follow it!

8 Things I Learned From Making A Short Film

This is it... Last blog post of the year. I'm not saying I've looked forward to this day since the first blog post, but... yeah. Just kidding, Arturo (please don't fail me)! I had a lot of fun with my last blog post (100% because of the GIFs), and since we're nearing towards the final days of Fiction Field I, I felt like wrapping things off with some valuable lessons I've learned, assisted by the power of moving images. So here we go.

8 Things I Learned From Making A Short Film

1. Choose Your Positions Wisely

You're finally in your groups, and it's time to decide what you're going to contribute to the film. STOP. Before you go volunteering for a position, think. How much work do I actually want to do? Do I want to be responsible for the failure of this film? Do I know anything about lights? Am I organized enough to catch every single continuity issue there is? Thankfully, each member of my team were equally competent in their positions and we learned a lot along the way. But, looking back, I probably shouldn't have volunteered for three positions. Although it was extremely rewarding, I don't think I've ever been this exhausted in my entire life.

2. Always Pick Comedy

Just kidding. But seriously, really think about the type of movie you want to make before you decide. Think you can handle talking about suicide, murder and depression for four months? Are you sure? You can try as hard as you might to crack jokes on set, but trust me, it'll start to weigh you down.

In the end, you might have something that will leave an impact in your audience, but be prepared to accidentally become the most morbid person in your creative writing class.

3. Don't Do Anything Embarrassing

This, unfortunately, is inevitable. But if you can avoid it, try. On a film set, inside jokes at the expense of others is a long, grueling experience. Extremely hilarious when it's someone else, maybe not so much when it's you. If you do something worthy of your ridicule, you can be almost certain that you're going to hear about it every single day, of every single shoot.

It's one of the only things that keeps the group together and no one kills anyone. So maybe think twice before you clap the slate in the actress' ear, or don't lose your pants the night before a shoot. But if you do, thank you for your sacrifice for the cause.

4. Birthdays Don't Matter

Prepare for your best friends, roommates or parents to hate you if their birthday happens to fall during production season. Doesn't matter if they're Jesus, thou shalt not party on a shoot night.

But hey, if it's your or a crew member's birthday, cake on set is ALWAYS appreciated.

Thanks for being born, Paul.

5. Take Lots of Naps

All nighters are going to happen. More than once. When post production rolls around, you're going to forget what going to bed before the sun comes up feels like. The only good thing about this is that your other professors may let you slide on a few assignments due to your new zombie-like nature.

So if you have a chance to fit in a nap, take it. Squeeze in an hour in between classes, or put your head down at the library for a few minutes during a study break. Doesn't matter where, but trust me, you'll need it.

6. Keep Your Cool

Tension will thicken and tempers will rise. This is what happens when seven extremely different personalities are forced to work together for four months straight, running low on sleep, food and sanity. If you are a producer or director, it is especially important for you to keep calm during these times. People are going to snap and mental breakdowns will happen, and as tempting as it is to join in the anger and misery, you have to pull through and mediate the situations.

The storm will pass, and when it does, you'll be in a much better place if you didn't punch your crew members in the face.

7. Make Sure You Like Pizza

This will be your diet for the next few months or so. Maybe you'll get some bagels and coffee in the morning on a good day, but most likely it will be frozen pizza from the night before. So suck it up, and accept the cheesy goodness that is shitty delivery pizza.

8. Appreciate Your Crew Members

Your crew is like your family. Probably more so since you spend way more time with them than anyone else. Everything you do affects the group, and you can't do much without them. And just like family, they may get on your nerves, and you'll most likely get on theirs, but at the end of the day you have to love them. This semester, I had one of the greatest groups I could ask for. I made so many friends and memories, and created something I was truly proud of. Without them, this semester could have gone horribly wrong, and I thank each of them for not kicking me out (yet). Shout out to the members of Team Falcon (Patricia, Paul, Amelia, Kelly, Mike and David) for all of the hours and hard work that you put in and sacrificing their lives to create a twenty minute short film about butterflies. I love you all!

Now all we have to do is survive the premiere...

"I'm Shmacked"

     In honor of tomorrow being the holiday known as Kendall day and the fact that I have completely run out of things to talk about for these blogs I'm going to discuss the "I'm Shmacked" film crew. I'm Shmacked is a group of people that travel from college to college and record and document the parties. As you may know two years ago they came to Ithaca College's end of the year celebration known as Kendall Day.

Warning: Arturo you may not be 

happy with what you see

     The I'm Shmacked crew creates a lot of controversy in its wake. Everyone knows that most college students drink and party, but usually it is not documented to such an extent. One of the big fears is that if a student is captured in one of these videos how would that affect their future employment goals. If a potential employer sees you in one of these videos would that be cause for them to not hire you. However there are many students that are not worried about being discovered in one of the videos because their name is not tagged in it and would never come up in a Google search of them. 

     A possibly more serious concern is the possibility that when students hear about the crew coming to their school does that make them more likely to act wild in a way to be the most exciting video. That very thing is possibly what happened at the University of Delaware. Cops say that the arrival of the I'm Shmacked crew turned what would have been a peaceful Monday night into a "near riot".

     Some students also voiced their concern that after seeing these videos colleges may be forced to crack down on their drinking and parting policy to counter public outcry.   

The End...

Well, after many sleepless nights, stressful mornings, and seemingly endless nights of shooting and production, it's with great excitement I welcome the end of the semester.  My team and I have worked tirelessly for months on our film Black Butterfly, and I cannot wait to see all of our hard work pay off.

I knew Fiction Field was going to be a challenge, but it was more than just many hours of hard work on a school project.  This course pushed me far outside my comfort zone, placing me in positions of authority I wasn't quite sure I could handle at first.  Arturo's expectations seemed impossible at times, and I didn't want to disappoint.  Despite my shaken confidence, my group remained supportive and encouraging throughout the production.  Every one of us had something valuable to contribute every shoot.  The overall open-minded atmosphere among us allowed our ideas to flourish fully and received critique positively.

Black Butterfly is more than a final project to us; we gave our all every day, constantly striving to improve and refine the film.  I appreciate the honest feedback from my fellow peers and classmates, as well as from Arturo.  Criticism is difficult to give and receive, and I am grateful to have honest peers with my best interest at heart.  While we remained competitive with each other, we didn't let that taint our relationships.  Many friendships were formed during the semester, and everyone's willingness to help others was truly admirable.

Thank you to everyone and anyone who assisted in the creation of Black Butterfly.  Our cast and crew sacrificed many hours of their time to help us make something great.  Their dedication never ceased to amaze me, and didn't go unnoticed among my teammates. We never would've been able to have such a wonderful experience without the generous donations of friends, family, and others who believed in our innovations.  Thank you to everyone who provided honest, genuine feedback in hopes of our improvement.  Lastly, a huge thank you to Arturo and my teammates, Meghan, Patricia, Kelly, Paul, Mike, and Dave.  As cliche as it may sound, you have each taught me something valuable.  Thank you for challenging me to better myself each shoot, and I hope you all had a great of an experience as I did. You're all so talented, and it was truly an honor to have worked with each of you!

Two Masters Talking

So after last week's gratuitously long blog post, I will attempt to keep it concise this week. One of my favorite film directors of all time is Martin Scorsese. Another one of my favorite directors of all time is Paul Thomas Anderson. And lo and behold, here is a talk between them!

In terms of people I look to learn from on a variety of levels (Writing, composition, camera movement, kinetic nature of editing), there are few film makers I try harder to aspire to. Any words from these men (I'd listen to these guys rattle off their grocery list) are gems of insight and it is amazing that there is video of a talk of them speaking with each other. So watch it and learn!!!

"Wind reel and print"

Well, it has come to that time of the semester here at Ithaca College when things start to get a little hectic with finals, finding a ride home, re-shoots, laundry, Kendall day, figuring out textbook rental return dates etc. Living in the college world, these stressors are supposed to be taking over my life, However, while working on my Fiction Field Production class short movie assignment, I quickly found out that "Manage Your Time 101" should be offered and be a requirement for all Parkies, if not every student in college.My experience working with my crew was one I will never forget. It was my first time writing for this type of assignment, and also taking on the job of Script Supervisor, never did I ever think that I would be in the local supermarket passed midnight on a school night. I wasn't expecting the amount of time I was about to spend with my classmates outside of out normal classroom setting. I wasn't sure how well we would all get along, if our ideas would even work well together, or if I even felt comfortable sharing my ideas aloud.

 I quickly had a reality check at our first shoot when it was 2:30am on a Monday night, cigarette smoke clouded the living room from our countless takes of cigarette puffs, and I realized that at that moment, this was what I came to college for. This is what I am meant to be doing. I then didn't even want to imagine where else I would be if i weren't in that clogged up smoky living room.

It always amazes me when its the end of the semester and in some of my classes, I maybe know the persons name who is is sitting next to me, the professors name, and thats about it. In others, I know everyone, everyone knows me, I am invested, and overall enjoy my time spent in the classroom. In this class, on the first day I knew about half of everyones names solely from being in classes with them in a previous semester. Once our "teams" were made for our movies, I had two ways of approaching the situation. One, I let my position be assigned to me, don't put too much opinion, and just flow. Or two, speak my mind, let my personality make its way out, and genuinely enjoy my time working with these 7 other people until the semesters over. Im happy that I chose the second route, because what came out of working with those 7 other people, was so freaking cool. I had no idea the amount of talent I was surrounded by, and if I was just open to it, I could learn a lot from these kids. Not only were we able to work together, share our ideas, and produce an amazing short film. We were able to have fun, and work as friends We created awesome memories together, and some pretty amazing friendships that I will forever be grateful for.