The edit is coming along nicely, i have my rough cuts of each epidode done, and i feel they only need neatening up in certain areas, and a bed of sound put underneath just to lift it up a little.
I also need to put my background images on the greenscreen, but i am leaving that till last so that i dont render everything, and then make a tiny adjusment and have to render it all again.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Monday, 5 December 2011
Major Project - filming
Today i am going to be filming using a green screen. It will be the first time i have used a green screen so i am looking forward to it and hoping that it turns out well!
Friday, 2 December 2011
Major Project Film Reviews
Warrior
Tom Hardy has paved his way to being one of the brightest talents from England over the past few years, and again he doesn’t disappoint with a performance of a tough cage fighter with a dark past. He shows good skill at playing an emotionally damaged fighting brute in Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior, which is similar to David Russel’s Fighter, but with more fighting, and instead of boxing it is mixed martial arts. Warrior follows the redemptive journeys of 2 brothers (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) and their estranged father (Nick Nolte). There are no prizes for guessing where the film will end up, especially as it is given away in the trailer, however, the real mystery lies in who will end up victorious between the brothers, and also what Hardys characters secret is. There are touching scenes a plenty, with Hardy, Edgerton and Nolte at their best. If you are a fan of UFC or fighting in general, or just want an easy, enjoyable watch then this is the film for you. 8/10
30 minutes or less
I have a rule of thumb, and that is that if the trailer for a film is funny, then the film probably won’t be, as was the case for the hangover. And that was the case for this film, with most of the jokes already stale as they were used in the trailer. Considering this film sees Jesse Eisenberg teaming up with director Ruben Fleischer in the follow up to Fleischer’s hit film “Zombieland”, it is a disappointment. For a film that had potential to be extremely funny, with comic actors Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride and Nick Swardson, it is let down by Fleischer’s lacklustre script. Not really worth the watch unless you have nothing else to do. 4/10
Twilight breaking dawn
There are no surprises from the latest instalment of the twilight “saga”, wooden script, cringe worthy acting and Taylor Lautner taking his top off within the first thirty seconds. Kristen Stewart manages to add some entirely unintentional comedy to proceedings, by playing Bella completely sour faced and miserable, while asking her new husband, Edward “Why can’t you see how perfectly happy I am?”. Poor acting and scripting aside, this film seems to have moved away from its teen friendly predecessors, and more towards a horror film, considering the central conflict in the film is an 18 year old being destroyed by the vampire-human spawn that is growing inside her. If youre a fan of the series then nothing I can say will stop you from going to see this movie, and if you haven’t seen one of the twilight films yet, chances are you don’t plan to. 4/10
50/50
it’s a film about cancer for people who don’t like films about cancer. That is to say that the audience is entirely different to other films about people with terminal cancer, which is to be expected seeing as Seth Rogan is involved. It’s a more mature performance than we are used to from Rogan, after films such as Pineapple Express, but its still funny, and that’s what makes it great. Too often people go into making films like this scared of making a joke every now and then, and maybe what sets this apart is because a lot of what happens is true. The screenwriter, Will Reiser was diagnosed with cancer at 24 years old, and Seth Rogan is his friend. Rogan, as usual, delivers impeccable comic timing, and doesn’t disappoint in the more serious scenes, and joseph gordan levitt turns in a brilliant performance as the cancer stricken young lead. If there’s one thing you do this week, go and see this film! 9/10
Moneyball
People will see this as just another sports film about the plight of the underdog, and expect it to include an ill timed injury to the teams star player, or a last minute win for the team in a championship game. In fact, Moneyball has neither of these, and does not revolve around the game itself, but more the facts and figures, and the way that Billy Beane and his rag tag bunch of misfits who changed the way teams choose their players. It is easy to tell that Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay, as the nature of the film is similar to that of The Social Network. There are no triumphant arm punches, or smugness at what the team achieve, but instead they reflect on what they have done to the modern game of baseball. If you enjoyed the social network, or have read the book that this film is based on, you will probably enjoy this film, but if you are looking for a movie about the struggle of the underdog to win, you will probably be more suited to Remember the Titans or Friday Night Lights. 8/10
Tom Hardy has paved his way to being one of the brightest talents from England over the past few years, and again he doesn’t disappoint with a performance of a tough cage fighter with a dark past. He shows good skill at playing an emotionally damaged fighting brute in Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior, which is similar to David Russel’s Fighter, but with more fighting, and instead of boxing it is mixed martial arts. Warrior follows the redemptive journeys of 2 brothers (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) and their estranged father (Nick Nolte). There are no prizes for guessing where the film will end up, especially as it is given away in the trailer, however, the real mystery lies in who will end up victorious between the brothers, and also what Hardys characters secret is. There are touching scenes a plenty, with Hardy, Edgerton and Nolte at their best. If you are a fan of UFC or fighting in general, or just want an easy, enjoyable watch then this is the film for you. 8/10
30 minutes or less
I have a rule of thumb, and that is that if the trailer for a film is funny, then the film probably won’t be, as was the case for the hangover. And that was the case for this film, with most of the jokes already stale as they were used in the trailer. Considering this film sees Jesse Eisenberg teaming up with director Ruben Fleischer in the follow up to Fleischer’s hit film “Zombieland”, it is a disappointment. For a film that had potential to be extremely funny, with comic actors Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride and Nick Swardson, it is let down by Fleischer’s lacklustre script. Not really worth the watch unless you have nothing else to do. 4/10
Twilight breaking dawn
There are no surprises from the latest instalment of the twilight “saga”, wooden script, cringe worthy acting and Taylor Lautner taking his top off within the first thirty seconds. Kristen Stewart manages to add some entirely unintentional comedy to proceedings, by playing Bella completely sour faced and miserable, while asking her new husband, Edward “Why can’t you see how perfectly happy I am?”. Poor acting and scripting aside, this film seems to have moved away from its teen friendly predecessors, and more towards a horror film, considering the central conflict in the film is an 18 year old being destroyed by the vampire-human spawn that is growing inside her. If youre a fan of the series then nothing I can say will stop you from going to see this movie, and if you haven’t seen one of the twilight films yet, chances are you don’t plan to. 4/10
50/50
it’s a film about cancer for people who don’t like films about cancer. That is to say that the audience is entirely different to other films about people with terminal cancer, which is to be expected seeing as Seth Rogan is involved. It’s a more mature performance than we are used to from Rogan, after films such as Pineapple Express, but its still funny, and that’s what makes it great. Too often people go into making films like this scared of making a joke every now and then, and maybe what sets this apart is because a lot of what happens is true. The screenwriter, Will Reiser was diagnosed with cancer at 24 years old, and Seth Rogan is his friend. Rogan, as usual, delivers impeccable comic timing, and doesn’t disappoint in the more serious scenes, and joseph gordan levitt turns in a brilliant performance as the cancer stricken young lead. If there’s one thing you do this week, go and see this film! 9/10
Moneyball
People will see this as just another sports film about the plight of the underdog, and expect it to include an ill timed injury to the teams star player, or a last minute win for the team in a championship game. In fact, Moneyball has neither of these, and does not revolve around the game itself, but more the facts and figures, and the way that Billy Beane and his rag tag bunch of misfits who changed the way teams choose their players. It is easy to tell that Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay, as the nature of the film is similar to that of The Social Network. There are no triumphant arm punches, or smugness at what the team achieve, but instead they reflect on what they have done to the modern game of baseball. If you enjoyed the social network, or have read the book that this film is based on, you will probably enjoy this film, but if you are looking for a movie about the struggle of the underdog to win, you will probably be more suited to Remember the Titans or Friday Night Lights. 8/10
Major Project Music Reviews
Example, Playing in the shadows
This is the third album from Example, and it should see him established as a chart topper for some time to come. He mixes many different styles of music, from the title track which opens with an acoustic guitar, to the ballad like “lying to yourself”, and the clatter of “skies don’t lie” or the dubstep influenced “changed the way you kissed me”, this truly is an album with a song for anyone. He seems to have accepted that dubstep made his music popular, and has incorporated this into his new album, while also keeping the character of his songs which fans have come to love. He takes a darker view on modern day society, saying in “stay awake” that “if we don’t kill ourselves, we’ll be the leaders of a messed up generation”. A cracking third album from an artist with a bright future… just so long as he doesn’t disappear into the shadows. 8/10
Nero Welcome Reality
It’s commercial dubstep, not that that’s inherently a bad thing, but for the proper dubstep fans, this is not something they will be interested in. “crush on you” seems to have almost entirely arbitrary wob wobs in which don’t aid the track in any way, sense or form, and just makes for an uncomfortable listening expeience. All is not lost for Nero, with there being the makings of what could be a promising future, with the chart topping “promises” being the better of the songs on the album, and also the one that takes itself away from the dubstep genre of the other songs. Not bad for a first album attempt, but could have been much better. It is almost like listening to a poor mans Pendulum. 5/10
Ed Sheeran +
From a young man with such integrity and refusal to sell out comes an album that is highly anticipated by the fanbase that he has worked so hard to manufacture. After playing 312 gigs in 2009 and releasing numerous EP’s without any record label backing, Sheeran got his mainstream recognition this year, and released his debut album “+”. With songs that his fans will be familiar with from previous EP’s such as The A Team, a tale about a homeless, drug addicted prostitute that was inspired by a young girl he met at a homeless shelter, the album is sure to be a hit with his already huge fanbase. With a revamped version of his autobiographical “You need me, I don’t need you” Ed reminds us that he is going to stay true to his roots, and will always write his own songs – “don’t need another wordsmith to make my tunes sell” and that he won’t bow to the consumerist nature of the pop industry – “VO5 wax for my ginger hair”. If you are already a fan of the young singer songwriter, then you’ll like this album, and if you’re not a fan already then you may well be after hearing this album! 7/10
Kasabian – Velociraptor
When asked why they decided to name the album “Velociraptor”, the boys from kasabian replied that “velociraptors used to hunt in packs of four… they were the rock and roll band of the dinosaurs”. It is that sort of answer and mentality that makes them so popular, as you can feel the fun that the band has while making their songs, and this fun is obvious in their fourth studio album. although it is obvious that the group enjoyed making this album, it is slightly more orthodox than we have come to expect, with songs such as “lets roll like we used to” sounding like it could have come from the last shadow puppets, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it isn’t the unique sound that we have come to associate from Kasabian. 7/10
Rizzle Kicks – Stereo Typical
From a duo that spent their early days messing around with Ed Sheeran, remixing his songs and just generally having a laugh comes a debut album that is a barrel of fun. Considering they are both only 20, they are bound to appeal to a younger audience as they address topics that are popular with people their age. Talking about losing the desire to become a fireman after being old enough to buy a cider can, and loving “summer like Rachel bilson”. These are things that teenagers are able to relate to, and therefore the songs are likely to appeal to them. As with most albums there are a couple of tracks that could be lost without being missed too much, such as Demolition Man, but for the most part the album is full of songs that are enjoyable, which is some feat considering there are 14 songs on the album. although not groundbreaking music, this album will have you nodding your head and singing along, and sometimes that’s all you want. 7/10
This is the third album from Example, and it should see him established as a chart topper for some time to come. He mixes many different styles of music, from the title track which opens with an acoustic guitar, to the ballad like “lying to yourself”, and the clatter of “skies don’t lie” or the dubstep influenced “changed the way you kissed me”, this truly is an album with a song for anyone. He seems to have accepted that dubstep made his music popular, and has incorporated this into his new album, while also keeping the character of his songs which fans have come to love. He takes a darker view on modern day society, saying in “stay awake” that “if we don’t kill ourselves, we’ll be the leaders of a messed up generation”. A cracking third album from an artist with a bright future… just so long as he doesn’t disappear into the shadows. 8/10
Nero Welcome Reality
It’s commercial dubstep, not that that’s inherently a bad thing, but for the proper dubstep fans, this is not something they will be interested in. “crush on you” seems to have almost entirely arbitrary wob wobs in which don’t aid the track in any way, sense or form, and just makes for an uncomfortable listening expeience. All is not lost for Nero, with there being the makings of what could be a promising future, with the chart topping “promises” being the better of the songs on the album, and also the one that takes itself away from the dubstep genre of the other songs. Not bad for a first album attempt, but could have been much better. It is almost like listening to a poor mans Pendulum. 5/10
Ed Sheeran +
From a young man with such integrity and refusal to sell out comes an album that is highly anticipated by the fanbase that he has worked so hard to manufacture. After playing 312 gigs in 2009 and releasing numerous EP’s without any record label backing, Sheeran got his mainstream recognition this year, and released his debut album “+”. With songs that his fans will be familiar with from previous EP’s such as The A Team, a tale about a homeless, drug addicted prostitute that was inspired by a young girl he met at a homeless shelter, the album is sure to be a hit with his already huge fanbase. With a revamped version of his autobiographical “You need me, I don’t need you” Ed reminds us that he is going to stay true to his roots, and will always write his own songs – “don’t need another wordsmith to make my tunes sell” and that he won’t bow to the consumerist nature of the pop industry – “VO5 wax for my ginger hair”. If you are already a fan of the young singer songwriter, then you’ll like this album, and if you’re not a fan already then you may well be after hearing this album! 7/10
Kasabian – Velociraptor
When asked why they decided to name the album “Velociraptor”, the boys from kasabian replied that “velociraptors used to hunt in packs of four… they were the rock and roll band of the dinosaurs”. It is that sort of answer and mentality that makes them so popular, as you can feel the fun that the band has while making their songs, and this fun is obvious in their fourth studio album. although it is obvious that the group enjoyed making this album, it is slightly more orthodox than we have come to expect, with songs such as “lets roll like we used to” sounding like it could have come from the last shadow puppets, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it isn’t the unique sound that we have come to associate from Kasabian. 7/10
Rizzle Kicks – Stereo Typical
From a duo that spent their early days messing around with Ed Sheeran, remixing his songs and just generally having a laugh comes a debut album that is a barrel of fun. Considering they are both only 20, they are bound to appeal to a younger audience as they address topics that are popular with people their age. Talking about losing the desire to become a fireman after being old enough to buy a cider can, and loving “summer like Rachel bilson”. These are things that teenagers are able to relate to, and therefore the songs are likely to appeal to them. As with most albums there are a couple of tracks that could be lost without being missed too much, such as Demolition Man, but for the most part the album is full of songs that are enjoyable, which is some feat considering there are 14 songs on the album. although not groundbreaking music, this album will have you nodding your head and singing along, and sometimes that’s all you want. 7/10
Major Project Games Reviews
Fifa 12
This years edition of fifa has taken away from the spectacular imitation of the game that we have come to know, love, and sometimes loathe, and instead replace the extravagant over head kicks with realistic passing and defending, and bring the game to life. The new impact engine adds the occasional comedy moment to the game, with bigger players sending the small players into a somersault which results in them on the floor. The impact engine does, however, make for more realistic shoulder to shoulder challenges, as it takes into account the stature of the two competing players and gives a realistic winner. Many a controller has been broken due to the computer scoring in the last minute with their only shot of the game, resulting in a draw. Sometimes they deserve it, other times it feels like the computer has fixed the game. Fifa is still plagued by the usual problems, with players slowing down mid run when they are selected, and free kicks are almost entirely arbitrary with no two being the same, no matter the player, aim or power of kick. Overall, if you like football it will be the game for you, and if you don’t like football then why are you watching!?
8/10
FM 12
There isn’t much difference between fm 12 and 11, apart from the updated database and improved 3d game engine. The database has every player under the sun, with lifelike attributes. For instance, Theo Walcott will happily dance past defenders but will rarely whip a decent ball into the box if he’s on the wing, but if he’s played on the shoulder of the last defender then his lightning speed will take him clean through on goal and should see him snatch a goal or two. The 3d engine still feels like a work in progress but is still much more impressive than last years model. It still looks old, almost like virtua soccer did back in the day. The game also struggles with loading, as there is such a vast amount of data that the game needs to sift through, and our friends at SI Games still haven’t found a way to do the loading in the background! Worth the upgrade from 2011 if only for the updated database. 8/10
Batman Arkham City
With such an improvement on batmans last outing in Arkham Asylum, there aren’t enough superlatives I can use to describe just how good this game is. It keeps everything that made Asylum great, and adds to it to make it better! Instead of being a linear narrative, where the player is forced to complete missions with nothing else to occupy him, Arkham City has an expansive map, and side missions which allow the player to progress through the main storyline at their own pace. This means hours more play time, which also means hours more fun! The only thing that I feel is missing is some online multiplayer content, but that is only a minor flaw in what is otherwise an outstanding game 9/10
Uncharted 3
Naughty Dog have outdone themselves with Nathan Drakes latest adventure, having improved on Uncharted 2, which itself was an improvement on the initial game of the series. It is in essence the same game, revolving around climbing walls and taking cover during gun fights, before popping out when the enemy is reloading, and blowing their head off, but there is also the unpredictable nature of what will happen next. The storyline has evolved from the betrayal and twist format from the first two games, meaning that this time round Uncharted has a fresher feel to it. There is comedy from the well recorded voice of Drake, who as usual comes up with some hilarious one liners while completing tasks. The multiplayer function has been improved since uncharted 2, in which it felt like it had been stuck on just for the hell of it, this time it feels well thought out and extremely enjoyable. 10/10
COD 3
This might as well just be Modern Warfare 1 for all the difference it makes. It is just another call of duty game, set in the modern day. playing as the usual characters from the modern warfare franchise, you either make your way to a given waypoint, and kill everyone in your way, or you follow someone to a waypoint, and kill everyone in your way. Occasionally, this is broken up by being in control of a big gun on the side of a car or helicopter, and you make your way to a certain place, and kill everyone in your way. At the beginning it feels like they are trying to make headlines for the sake of making headlines, by giving the option of skipping some content as it may be offensive to some players. This content is the blowing up of an American family in London, and happens as you control the father in the family, filming your son, and as you move closer there is an explosion. It just feels unnecessary! If you are after a war game, either get one of the older modern warfares and save some money, or buy Battlefield 3. 6/10
This years edition of fifa has taken away from the spectacular imitation of the game that we have come to know, love, and sometimes loathe, and instead replace the extravagant over head kicks with realistic passing and defending, and bring the game to life. The new impact engine adds the occasional comedy moment to the game, with bigger players sending the small players into a somersault which results in them on the floor. The impact engine does, however, make for more realistic shoulder to shoulder challenges, as it takes into account the stature of the two competing players and gives a realistic winner. Many a controller has been broken due to the computer scoring in the last minute with their only shot of the game, resulting in a draw. Sometimes they deserve it, other times it feels like the computer has fixed the game. Fifa is still plagued by the usual problems, with players slowing down mid run when they are selected, and free kicks are almost entirely arbitrary with no two being the same, no matter the player, aim or power of kick. Overall, if you like football it will be the game for you, and if you don’t like football then why are you watching!?
8/10
FM 12
There isn’t much difference between fm 12 and 11, apart from the updated database and improved 3d game engine. The database has every player under the sun, with lifelike attributes. For instance, Theo Walcott will happily dance past defenders but will rarely whip a decent ball into the box if he’s on the wing, but if he’s played on the shoulder of the last defender then his lightning speed will take him clean through on goal and should see him snatch a goal or two. The 3d engine still feels like a work in progress but is still much more impressive than last years model. It still looks old, almost like virtua soccer did back in the day. The game also struggles with loading, as there is such a vast amount of data that the game needs to sift through, and our friends at SI Games still haven’t found a way to do the loading in the background! Worth the upgrade from 2011 if only for the updated database. 8/10
Batman Arkham City
With such an improvement on batmans last outing in Arkham Asylum, there aren’t enough superlatives I can use to describe just how good this game is. It keeps everything that made Asylum great, and adds to it to make it better! Instead of being a linear narrative, where the player is forced to complete missions with nothing else to occupy him, Arkham City has an expansive map, and side missions which allow the player to progress through the main storyline at their own pace. This means hours more play time, which also means hours more fun! The only thing that I feel is missing is some online multiplayer content, but that is only a minor flaw in what is otherwise an outstanding game 9/10
Uncharted 3
Naughty Dog have outdone themselves with Nathan Drakes latest adventure, having improved on Uncharted 2, which itself was an improvement on the initial game of the series. It is in essence the same game, revolving around climbing walls and taking cover during gun fights, before popping out when the enemy is reloading, and blowing their head off, but there is also the unpredictable nature of what will happen next. The storyline has evolved from the betrayal and twist format from the first two games, meaning that this time round Uncharted has a fresher feel to it. There is comedy from the well recorded voice of Drake, who as usual comes up with some hilarious one liners while completing tasks. The multiplayer function has been improved since uncharted 2, in which it felt like it had been stuck on just for the hell of it, this time it feels well thought out and extremely enjoyable. 10/10
COD 3
This might as well just be Modern Warfare 1 for all the difference it makes. It is just another call of duty game, set in the modern day. playing as the usual characters from the modern warfare franchise, you either make your way to a given waypoint, and kill everyone in your way, or you follow someone to a waypoint, and kill everyone in your way. Occasionally, this is broken up by being in control of a big gun on the side of a car or helicopter, and you make your way to a certain place, and kill everyone in your way. At the beginning it feels like they are trying to make headlines for the sake of making headlines, by giving the option of skipping some content as it may be offensive to some players. This content is the blowing up of an American family in London, and happens as you control the father in the family, filming your son, and as you move closer there is an explosion. It just feels unnecessary! If you are after a war game, either get one of the older modern warfares and save some money, or buy Battlefield 3. 6/10
Major Project Reviews
I have gone over the minute required of my reviews, but this should not be a bad thing s it will give me leeway with what i can include, and make it easier in the sense that i wont be struggling to fill a minute, more struggling to cut down to a minute.
WBL Edit
I have spent the last few days editing my wbl film, and have finished it.
Having said that i would make a 3 minute video for them, i found i had too much information that i wanted to fit in, so had to make the choice to exclude some of the clips. it was not an easy decision to make, as everything that giles was saying was interesting, and i didn't want to leave anything out. in the end i got there and i am happy with the end result.
I have given a copy to the council and they are now in the process of getting it onto their youtube channel, and when it is on there, i shall upload it to here as well.
I enjoyed this edit more than previous ones, i'm not sure why but i didnt get bored of watching the same footage over and over and over and over.
Having said that i would make a 3 minute video for them, i found i had too much information that i wanted to fit in, so had to make the choice to exclude some of the clips. it was not an easy decision to make, as everything that giles was saying was interesting, and i didn't want to leave anything out. in the end i got there and i am happy with the end result.
I have given a copy to the council and they are now in the process of getting it onto their youtube channel, and when it is on there, i shall upload it to here as well.
I enjoyed this edit more than previous ones, i'm not sure why but i didnt get bored of watching the same footage over and over and over and over.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
WBL Shoot
I did my shoot for wbl this morning and i think (hope) it went really well, Giles already had experience in front of a camera, having done things for the news before, and therefore had a good idea of what i needed from him in terms of positioning and where to look - ie, not at the camera.
i feel i got some good cutaways and did a couple of takes of each bit of him talking at different shot sizes so as to ensure i had enough material for the edit.
I had thought it might be a bit awkward directing someone that much older than me, but he was very easy to talk to and keen to make it as good as possible.
I'm looking forward to how it all comes out!
i feel i got some good cutaways and did a couple of takes of each bit of him talking at different shot sizes so as to ensure i had enough material for the edit.
I had thought it might be a bit awkward directing someone that much older than me, but he was very easy to talk to and keen to make it as good as possible.
I'm looking forward to how it all comes out!
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
WBL Progress
I have filmed the exterior shots of the museum, in order to set up for the main part of the film, which i will be shooting over the next couple of days.
As well as filming parts of the museum, i will be partially trying to raise money for the museum by using a slogan "I Love Mummy", in relation to the Mummy that the museum is home to.
As well as filming parts of the museum, i will be partially trying to raise money for the museum by using a slogan "I Love Mummy", in relation to the Mummy that the museum is home to.
WBL
I met with the man who will be doing the voice over and presenting for my video about the museum. He is not what you would expect from someone who works in a museum, which is exactly why i chose him.
He has a shaven head, lots of piercings and is covered in tattoos. He also has the ability to make everything realy interesting, through his knowledge of all the items, and also the story behind them he realy manages to bring everything to life.
I hope to translate this into the film, and really inspire a sense of intrigue into the audience so that people will be more inclined to visit the museum.
He has a shaven head, lots of piercings and is covered in tattoos. He also has the ability to make everything realy interesting, through his knowledge of all the items, and also the story behind them he realy manages to bring everything to life.
I hope to translate this into the film, and really inspire a sense of intrigue into the audience so that people will be more inclined to visit the museum.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Major Project - Idea Development
I have written my 15 reviews, and will upload them onto her when i have typed them up.
Also, after speaking to Helen, i have dropped the gadgets aspect of my review show, leaving just music, games and films, as these are more uniform as a group, and leave me with more room for a title for the show, which at the moment is "Total Entertainment".
Also, after speaking to Helen, i have dropped the gadgets aspect of my review show, leaving just music, games and films, as these are more uniform as a group, and leave me with more room for a title for the show, which at the moment is "Total Entertainment".
Monday, 17 October 2011
Major Project - Idea Development
I have mocked up on paint (i cant use photoshop) what i imagine my show to be set out like.
I imagine the total film logo to be rotating so that it scrolls between the names of the different magazines.
I imagine the total film logo to be rotating so that it scrolls between the names of the different magazines.
Major Project - Research
After countless searches for review videos, i have finally found a website that does reviews in short video form.
http://www.pluggedin.com/videos.aspx
The reviews they do are set out in the form that i was thinking of for minem with the presenter to the side, with a backdrop and footage of the item being reviewed in the corner.
http://www.pluggedin.com/videos.aspx
The reviews they do are set out in the form that i was thinking of for minem with the presenter to the side, with a backdrop and footage of the item being reviewed in the corner.
WBL Research
Maidstone Museum was established in 1858 and now houses over 660,000 artefacts and specimens. They are outstanding in their diversity and quality and some are of national and even international importance. The work of collectors, staff and benefactors over 145 years has created an overwhelmingly rich and diverse collection of far greater than regional significance.
Chillington Manor
The Museum’s central core consists of Chillington Manor, an Elizabethan manor house built in 1562. The Great Hall and the Withdrawing Room date from that period but the Cloisters and Long Gallery (restored around 1870) are survivals from an earlier Tudor building. Between 1698 and 1743 a substantial wing was added to the rear of the Elizabethan building. This was the building which was bequeathed to the town by Thomas Charles, a surgeon and antiquarian, in 1855. Three years later Maidstone Museum and Library was opened, its first curator being Charles' close friend, Edward Pretty. More galleries were soon added to house the growing collections.
East Wing
On the eastern side a new wing was added in 1869 and extended in 1889 to accommodate the Bentlif Art Gallery. This was funded by Samuel Bentlif in honour of his brother George (he also donated over 200 hundred paintings), and was enlarged again in 1924.
West Wing
On the western side a new wing, made possible by donations from Julius Brenchley, was built 1873. The Victoria Gallery, housing the town’s library, was built between 1897 and 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. In 1977 a fire damaged much of the upper floors in the West Wing and 18th century extension.
Chillington Manor
The Museum’s central core consists of Chillington Manor, an Elizabethan manor house built in 1562. The Great Hall and the Withdrawing Room date from that period but the Cloisters and Long Gallery (restored around 1870) are survivals from an earlier Tudor building. Between 1698 and 1743 a substantial wing was added to the rear of the Elizabethan building. This was the building which was bequeathed to the town by Thomas Charles, a surgeon and antiquarian, in 1855. Three years later Maidstone Museum and Library was opened, its first curator being Charles' close friend, Edward Pretty. More galleries were soon added to house the growing collections.
East Wing
On the eastern side a new wing was added in 1869 and extended in 1889 to accommodate the Bentlif Art Gallery. This was funded by Samuel Bentlif in honour of his brother George (he also donated over 200 hundred paintings), and was enlarged again in 1924.
West Wing
On the western side a new wing, made possible by donations from Julius Brenchley, was built 1873. The Victoria Gallery, housing the town’s library, was built between 1897 and 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. In 1977 a fire damaged much of the upper floors in the West Wing and 18th century extension.
WBL research
Here is a video that the natural history museum in london made in order to help raise money
WBL - Commission
I have been commissioned to make a video for Maidstone Borough Council, which they would like to promote the Museum in Maidstone, and also Mote Park.
I think the way to go about this is, for want of a better word, to make it as "hip" as possible, in an attempt to target younger people and get them interested in the museum.
As the museum have a new wing, i will not give too much away so as to create an air of intrigue around what will be in there.
I will talk to the curator (i think that's the right word) in order to understand the history of the museum better.
With regard to Mote Park i'm not entirely sure how to go about it, so more on that when i've had a bit more time to think about it.
I think the way to go about this is, for want of a better word, to make it as "hip" as possible, in an attempt to target younger people and get them interested in the museum.
As the museum have a new wing, i will not give too much away so as to create an air of intrigue around what will be in there.
I will talk to the curator (i think that's the right word) in order to understand the history of the museum better.
With regard to Mote Park i'm not entirely sure how to go about it, so more on that when i've had a bit more time to think about it.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
WBL
I've had a about 15 different phonecalls to the KM in the last 4 days, each time being passed onto someone different, or having to leave answerphone messages. Even when i returned a call from someone who had phoned me, they didn't know who i was, and passed me on again. Then i got an email from someone from the KM asking me for my cv, even though i had already handed it into the offices in maidstone, so i sent them that but havent heard back from them.
I've now given up on the KM as I am of the understanding that Maidstone Borough Council would like to comission me to create a film for them, and i am currently communicating with them about this.
It's all been one big palava with one problem after another, but hopefully this will be the end of it and it'll all be over soon!
I've now given up on the KM as I am of the understanding that Maidstone Borough Council would like to comission me to create a film for them, and i am currently communicating with them about this.
It's all been one big palava with one problem after another, but hopefully this will be the end of it and it'll all be over soon!
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
WBL
I have discovered the fickle world of media commissions, one minute someone is really willing to do something, then the next they decide they can't be bothered. This has left me in a pickle, as i am now looking for some work experience again. Have contacted both Maidstone Hospital Radio and KMFM, along with the Kent Messenger but so far have not heard back from the KM.
Unfortunately Hospital Radio emailed me back on the day to let me know that they cannot offer work experience. Going to chase up KM to see if they can!
Unfortunately Hospital Radio emailed me back on the day to let me know that they cannot offer work experience. Going to chase up KM to see if they can!
WBL - Problems
I'm having trouble arranging with Charlie a time when he can film at the beach, as there is always a reason for him to not be able to do it. I try ringing him but he doesn't answer his phone, presumably because he knows what i am going to say, but he can't be bothered to put the effort into the making of it.
Monday, 3 October 2011
Major Project - Research
Future plc is an international special-interest media group that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR). Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today they have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events for people who are passionate about their interests. They hold market-leading positions in games, film, music, technology, cycling, automotive and crafts.
The biggest-selling magazines include T3, Total Film, Classic Rock, Guitar World, and Official Xbox Magazine. Websites include GamesRadar.com, BikeRadar.com, TechRadar.com, MusicRadar.com, PhotoRadar.com and Cyclingnews.com
Future sells 3.2 million magazines each month; attracting more than 23 million unique visitors to websites; and hosting 27 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports or syndicates publications to 90 countries internationally, making them the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines.
The biggest-selling magazines include T3, Total Film, Classic Rock, Guitar World, and Official Xbox Magazine. Websites include GamesRadar.com, BikeRadar.com, TechRadar.com, MusicRadar.com, PhotoRadar.com and Cyclingnews.com
Future sells 3.2 million magazines each month; attracting more than 23 million unique visitors to websites; and hosting 27 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports or syndicates publications to 90 countries internationally, making them the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines.
Major Project - Research
All of the Future PLC websites seem to follow the same basic layout, in order to show uniformity to the brand. This gives me a good idea of what the site for my reviews should look like, or alternatively I could go in a completely different direction with the layout and style of the site in order to add a freshness to the brand. This could include reviewing things that the magazines would not normally consider, such as underground music or unheard of films or singers, therefore bringing them to the public eye.
Major Project - Research
Here is a screenshot of the Total Film website, which I like, as it is well set out and easily navigatable, with all the different sections of the site well set out in tabs at the top of the page
Major Project - Idea Development
After speaking to simon, he has agreed with my initial concerns about doing the reviews for zoo, in that it would seem almost immature and therefore I have decided to change my broadcast partner to Future PLC, the company behind magazines such as Total Film, PC Gamer and Future Music.
Here is a list of all the magazines, websites and events that they have for their music, film, technology and games branches of the company;
Technology:
Magazines:
.net
3D World
Computer Arts
Computer Arts Projects
Digital Camera
Hi-Fi Choice
Home Cinema Choice
ImagineFX
Linux Format
MacFormat
PC Format
PC Plus
PhotoPlus
Photoshop Focus Guides
T3
Tap!
What Laptop
What Satellite and Digital TV
Windows: The Official Magazine
Mac|Life
Maximum PC
Maximum Tech
Websites:
techradar.com
3dworldmag.com
computerarts.co.uk
hifichoice.co.uk
homecinemachoice.com
imaginefx.com
macformat.co.uk
maclife.com
maximumpc.com
netmag.co.uk
officialwindowsmagazine.com
pcformat.co.uk
pcplus.co.uk
photoradar.com
t3.com
tapmag.co.uk
tuxradar.com
whatlaptop.co.uk
Events:
Computer Arts Graduate Showcase
Home Cinema Choice Awards
T3 Gadget Awards
What Laptop Awards
Digital Artist Awards
Digital Camera Photographer of the Year
.net Awards
TechRadar Phone Awards
Games:
Magazines:
Edge
GamesMaster
Girl Gamer
Nitro
NGamer
Official Nintendo Magazine
Playstation: Official Magazine
PC Gamer
PSM3
Xbox World 360
Xbox 360: The Official Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
Nintendo Power
World of Warcraft: The Magazine
Websites:
gamesradar.com
computerandvideogames.com
next-gen.biz
nintendopower.com
officialnintendomagazine.co.uk
oxm.co.uk
oxmonline.com
pcgamer.com
Events:
Golden Joystick Awards
Music:
Magazines:
Classic Rock
Classic Rock Prog
Computer Music
Future Music
Guitar Aficionado (US)
Guitar Legends (US)
Guitar Techniques
Guitar World (US)
Guitarist
Guitarist (Australia)
Metal Hammer
Revolver (US)
Rhythm
Total Guitar
Websites:
musicradar.com
classicrockmagazine.com
guitaraficionado.com
guitarworld.com
metalhammer.co.uk
metalkult.com
revolvermag.com
Events:
Classic Rock Roll of Honour
Metal Hammer Golden Gods
Classic Rock Tours
High Voltage Festival
Hammerfest
Metal Hammer Live Tours
Revolver: 2010 Rockstar Energy
Mayhem Festival (US)
Golden Gods Awards (US)
Film:
Magazines:
Comic Heroes
DVD & Blu-ray Review
Odeon magazine
SFX
SKY Movies
Total Film
Websites:
dvdreview.co.uk
sfx.co.uk
totalfilm.com
I am going to brainstorm using the names of their magazines and websites in order to come up with the name for my review show and website.
Here is a list of all the magazines, websites and events that they have for their music, film, technology and games branches of the company;
Technology:
Magazines:
.net
3D World
Computer Arts
Computer Arts Projects
Digital Camera
Hi-Fi Choice
Home Cinema Choice
ImagineFX
Linux Format
MacFormat
PC Format
PC Plus
PhotoPlus
Photoshop Focus Guides
T3
Tap!
What Laptop
What Satellite and Digital TV
Windows: The Official Magazine
Mac|Life
Maximum PC
Maximum Tech
Websites:
techradar.com
3dworldmag.com
computerarts.co.uk
hifichoice.co.uk
homecinemachoice.com
imaginefx.com
macformat.co.uk
maclife.com
maximumpc.com
netmag.co.uk
officialwindowsmagazine.com
pcformat.co.uk
pcplus.co.uk
photoradar.com
t3.com
tapmag.co.uk
tuxradar.com
whatlaptop.co.uk
Events:
Computer Arts Graduate Showcase
Home Cinema Choice Awards
T3 Gadget Awards
What Laptop Awards
Digital Artist Awards
Digital Camera Photographer of the Year
.net Awards
TechRadar Phone Awards
Games:
Magazines:
Edge
GamesMaster
Girl Gamer
Nitro
NGamer
Official Nintendo Magazine
Playstation: Official Magazine
PC Gamer
PSM3
Xbox World 360
Xbox 360: The Official Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
Nintendo Power
World of Warcraft: The Magazine
Websites:
gamesradar.com
computerandvideogames.com
next-gen.biz
nintendopower.com
officialnintendomagazine.co.uk
oxm.co.uk
oxmonline.com
pcgamer.com
Events:
Golden Joystick Awards
Music:
Magazines:
Classic Rock
Classic Rock Prog
Computer Music
Future Music
Guitar Aficionado (US)
Guitar Legends (US)
Guitar Techniques
Guitar World (US)
Guitarist
Guitarist (Australia)
Metal Hammer
Revolver (US)
Rhythm
Total Guitar
Websites:
musicradar.com
classicrockmagazine.com
guitaraficionado.com
guitarworld.com
metalhammer.co.uk
metalkult.com
revolvermag.com
Events:
Classic Rock Roll of Honour
Metal Hammer Golden Gods
Classic Rock Tours
High Voltage Festival
Hammerfest
Metal Hammer Live Tours
Revolver: 2010 Rockstar Energy
Mayhem Festival (US)
Golden Gods Awards (US)
Film:
Magazines:
Comic Heroes
DVD & Blu-ray Review
Odeon magazine
SFX
SKY Movies
Total Film
Websites:
dvdreview.co.uk
sfx.co.uk
totalfilm.com
I am going to brainstorm using the names of their magazines and websites in order to come up with the name for my review show and website.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Major Project - Idea Development
I made some headway today after talking to Simon. I decided that my reviews will be made for Zoo Magazine, and the title will be "The RestZOOm Review", hosted by an attractive lady.
I also emailed Zoo Magazine to tell them about my project, and ask whether there was any advice they could offer me, and whether the idea was something they would be interested in.
I also emailed Zoo Magazine to tell them about my project, and ask whether there was any advice they could offer me, and whether the idea was something they would be interested in.
WBL Idea Development
For the music video, Charlie would like to start with a shot of him sitting on a beach, watching the sun rise, similar to this video
Then, when the drums kick in, he wants a cut to black, followed by strobe lighting and people dancing in a club environment, similar to this
Then, when the drums kick in, he wants a cut to black, followed by strobe lighting and people dancing in a club environment, similar to this
Friday, 16 September 2011
Major Project - Idea Development
So i've decided not to run with the sketch show as i think it will prove to be too difficult to have sketches that are funny enough, and that retain interest for a prolonged period of time. Instead of this, i have now decided that i would like to run with Dylans idea of reviews.
I plan for there to be 15 one minute reviews, about various topics ranging from film to games to gadgets. Ideally i would like the broadcasting partner to be either Zoo or Nuts magasine websites, as these have a specific demographic who would likely be interested in the types of things i would be reviewing.
In terms of casting, i would like one person to do all the reviews, and i think for it to work with the website, it would have to be a stereotypically blokey bloke, or an attractive woman.
With regard to the location, i would like to have it in a kind of studio set up, with the background including the logo/branding of the broadcast partner, and potentially somewhere that readers/viewers of the magasine would associate with that magasine.
I plan for there to be 15 one minute reviews, about various topics ranging from film to games to gadgets. Ideally i would like the broadcasting partner to be either Zoo or Nuts magasine websites, as these have a specific demographic who would likely be interested in the types of things i would be reviewing.
In terms of casting, i would like one person to do all the reviews, and i think for it to work with the website, it would have to be a stereotypically blokey bloke, or an attractive woman.
With regard to the location, i would like to have it in a kind of studio set up, with the background including the logo/branding of the broadcast partner, and potentially somewhere that readers/viewers of the magasine would associate with that magasine.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
WBL Idea Development
Had a meeting with Charlie today, and discussed how he wants the video to look, and what he wants to be in it. He seems to have a very clear idea of content and style, which is good as it gives us a place to start from, instead of just being a case of wanting a video, but not having put any thought into it.
Thursday, 8 September 2011
WBL Idea Development
I am going to be making a music video for a dubstep track by Charlie Malloy, who is a regular DJ at source bar, and also set up his own record label in 2008. He recently signed a contract with a distribution agency, and also had an interview on bbc radio about emerging music in kent.
His label is called Dubstrict Records, and its website is http://www.dubstrictrecords.co.uk/#
I'm looking forward to the challenge of making a music video as it different to what i have done before, and hopefully it will be a fun challenge!
His label is called Dubstrict Records, and its website is http://www.dubstrictrecords.co.uk/#
I'm looking forward to the challenge of making a music video as it different to what i have done before, and hopefully it will be a fun challenge!
Major Project - Idea Development
After discussing my idea for a sketch show with Simon today, i think it is going to be very difficult to produce something that is funny, and different to the other sketch shows that are out there. Especially as it seems to me that the newer the sketch show, the less funny it is!
This potentially means a change of plan for me. I liked Dylans idea for short reviews of things, ie films, phone apps, games etc.
This potentially means a change of plan for me. I liked Dylans idea for short reviews of things, ie films, phone apps, games etc.
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
FMP - Research Excercise
Today we were set the task of making a one minute film as research for the FMP, Dylan and I made a review of "The Inbetweeners Movie" and filmed it in a toilet as it was a bad review and we thought that having it in a toilet would exaggerate the poor nature of the film.
I learnt that it can be difficult to cut down to a certain time, so it is necessary to be ruthless with the footage as it was essential to meet the one minute time restraint.
I learnt that it can be difficult to cut down to a certain time, so it is necessary to be ruthless with the footage as it was essential to meet the one minute time restraint.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Harry Potter - A Eulogy
It starts out so promisingly. A sinister introduction to the final film of the franchise, showing the students marching through the grounds of the once great Hogwarts. Once a safe home from home for many, the Hogwarts in this instalment is a quick reminder of how far in his quest against Voldemort Harry has come. With the castle surrounded by Dementors, there seems to be little hope that the Dark Lord could be defeated.
And that's where the enjoyment finished for me. I wish I could watch the film without constantly thinking "this is wrong" or "this wasn't in the book", but I couldn't, and that may be what ruined it for me.
I won't list the faults; instead I will focus upon the positive aspects of David Yates' final foray into Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Gringotts et al.
The performance of Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall, plays the leader of the Hogwarts staff rebellion against Voldemort with gleeful abandon, declaring "I've always wanted to use that spell" after bringing the statues surrounding Hogwarts to life.
Helena Bonham Carter, as usual, plays an incredibly evil Bellatrix Lestrange, and also quite a convincing Hermione under the influence of Polyjuice Potion.
Emma Watson also shows her skills as a fine young actress, and as usual her prowess as an actress far surpasses fellow Horcrux hunters Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. That being said, although not the best actors in the world, Radcliffe and Grint have come on leaps and bounds since their woefully wooden performances from the initial outing to Hogwarts in the “Philosophers Stone”.
The film does benefit from being back inside the familiar grounds of Hogwarts, with a sense of purpose and meaning. The film feels like it knows where it is going, as opposed to the almost meandering first instalment, which suffered through seeming to lack urgency.
I will mention some of the changes the film made from the book, as I feel it necessary to bring these to light, particularly the omissions the film makers made.
Harry announcing himself to everybody, including Snape, in the Great Hall did not occur in the book, and I’m not entirely sure as to why they have changed how he exposed his return to Hogwarts to McGonagall. The only reason I can think is that the film makers did not want to show Harry using an unforgivable curse such as the cruciatus curse, although they did show him using the imperius curse in Gringotts, and therefore I decided that this cannot be the reason.
Also, if they were trying to tug on audience heartstrings towards the end of the film by including Harry apologising to Lupin for his death following the recent arrival of his son, surely the sensible thing to do would be to have included the part of the book where Lupin arrives at Shell Cottage at the beginning and announces the birth of a baby son, and asks Harry to be Godfather.
The ending of the film let me down as well, due to the change in how Harry reveals that he is not dead. Why it was necessary for Harry to jump from Hagrid’s arms and then run through the castle instead of protecting his friends and loved ones from the Death Eaters, I will never know. All it makes me think is that the film makers wanted Harry to seem like he was scared and running away from Voldemort, as opposed to the courageous Harry in the book.
I will accept that there are parts of the book that would not have translated into film as well, for example the fight scene between Mrs Weasley and Bellatrix Lestrange. As the majority of the action in the book is thought, and therefore not a time consuming part of the film.
I was disappointed in the film as I have read the book, and although all the films have strayed from J K Rowling’s original narrative, this is the film that I was most disappointed in. It is a case of if you haven’t read the book then you can’t miss what you never knew, but if you were an avid reader of the books then you may find yourself in the same boat as me.
And that's where the enjoyment finished for me. I wish I could watch the film without constantly thinking "this is wrong" or "this wasn't in the book", but I couldn't, and that may be what ruined it for me.
I won't list the faults; instead I will focus upon the positive aspects of David Yates' final foray into Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Gringotts et al.
The performance of Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall, plays the leader of the Hogwarts staff rebellion against Voldemort with gleeful abandon, declaring "I've always wanted to use that spell" after bringing the statues surrounding Hogwarts to life.
Helena Bonham Carter, as usual, plays an incredibly evil Bellatrix Lestrange, and also quite a convincing Hermione under the influence of Polyjuice Potion.
Emma Watson also shows her skills as a fine young actress, and as usual her prowess as an actress far surpasses fellow Horcrux hunters Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. That being said, although not the best actors in the world, Radcliffe and Grint have come on leaps and bounds since their woefully wooden performances from the initial outing to Hogwarts in the “Philosophers Stone”.
The film does benefit from being back inside the familiar grounds of Hogwarts, with a sense of purpose and meaning. The film feels like it knows where it is going, as opposed to the almost meandering first instalment, which suffered through seeming to lack urgency.
I will mention some of the changes the film made from the book, as I feel it necessary to bring these to light, particularly the omissions the film makers made.
Harry announcing himself to everybody, including Snape, in the Great Hall did not occur in the book, and I’m not entirely sure as to why they have changed how he exposed his return to Hogwarts to McGonagall. The only reason I can think is that the film makers did not want to show Harry using an unforgivable curse such as the cruciatus curse, although they did show him using the imperius curse in Gringotts, and therefore I decided that this cannot be the reason.
Also, if they were trying to tug on audience heartstrings towards the end of the film by including Harry apologising to Lupin for his death following the recent arrival of his son, surely the sensible thing to do would be to have included the part of the book where Lupin arrives at Shell Cottage at the beginning and announces the birth of a baby son, and asks Harry to be Godfather.
The ending of the film let me down as well, due to the change in how Harry reveals that he is not dead. Why it was necessary for Harry to jump from Hagrid’s arms and then run through the castle instead of protecting his friends and loved ones from the Death Eaters, I will never know. All it makes me think is that the film makers wanted Harry to seem like he was scared and running away from Voldemort, as opposed to the courageous Harry in the book.
I will accept that there are parts of the book that would not have translated into film as well, for example the fight scene between Mrs Weasley and Bellatrix Lestrange. As the majority of the action in the book is thought, and therefore not a time consuming part of the film.
I was disappointed in the film as I have read the book, and although all the films have strayed from J K Rowling’s original narrative, this is the film that I was most disappointed in. It is a case of if you haven’t read the book then you can’t miss what you never knew, but if you were an avid reader of the books then you may find yourself in the same boat as me.
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Transformers 3
Among the many films i have watched so far this summer was Transformers 3. Having enjoyed the first film, and thought the second was a bit shoddy to say the least, i had mixed anticipations for this installment, but thought that the replacement of Megan Fox coulsn't be too bad a thing as it opened up the oppurtunity for somebody else to try and fill in her for somewhat wooden performances.
Sadly this was not the case. Despite being easy on the eye, Rosie Huntington-Whitely is every bit the bad actress that Megan Fox is.
The film itself was almost definitely better than the second, as there was more character development and just a better storyline in general. I appreciate that "Revenge of the Fallen" may have suffered due to the writers strike, but the fact remains that the film was relatively poor.
All in all it does exactly what is says on the tin, its a summer blockbuster with big ass robots that turn into cars, planes, tanks, and snakes.
If there is a fourth Transformers in the pipeline, i think we should buy the copyright for "Trans4mers" as a quick money making scheme!
Sadly this was not the case. Despite being easy on the eye, Rosie Huntington-Whitely is every bit the bad actress that Megan Fox is.
The film itself was almost definitely better than the second, as there was more character development and just a better storyline in general. I appreciate that "Revenge of the Fallen" may have suffered due to the writers strike, but the fact remains that the film was relatively poor.
All in all it does exactly what is says on the tin, its a summer blockbuster with big ass robots that turn into cars, planes, tanks, and snakes.
If there is a fourth Transformers in the pipeline, i think we should buy the copyright for "Trans4mers" as a quick money making scheme!
Monday, 23 May 2011
Done and Dusting
So we did it. We made a telly programme all of our own! Dylan and Will are in the process of editing it, and i'm sure i speak for everyone else when i say i cant wait to see the end result!
Also having discovered that Al Murray was hosting a kind of pub quiz/game show on Dave that was starting this week, we were concerned it may look as though we had copied him slightly, but after it aired last night, i think its safe to say that we made a better show than his "Compete for the meat"... Somebody better give Dave a call and show them!
A big thankyou to CATF and everybody at the studios for making it possible!
Also having discovered that Al Murray was hosting a kind of pub quiz/game show on Dave that was starting this week, we were concerned it may look as though we had copied him slightly, but after it aired last night, i think its safe to say that we made a better show than his "Compete for the meat"... Somebody better give Dave a call and show them!
A big thankyou to CATF and everybody at the studios for making it possible!
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Editing VT
I'm editing the VT for the fox, and have discovered that it wont be as good as the one for the dog and gun because we haven't got as good shots for this one as we did for the dog and gun. Because the pub was full of people when we went there to film, we were less able to manoeuvre around for the best shots, which has impeded the quality of the VT.
Hopefully i'll make the best of it though.
Hopefully i'll make the best of it though.
Practise makes perfect?
We had a day in the studio and gallery yesterday with a short 5 minute script, with the first years on cameras and as stand ins.
Although being a good experience being in the gallery and on the vision mixing equipment, the day kind of knocked my confidence as i hadn't been worried about it, but after pressing the wrong buttons multiple times im a bit more apprehensive. Hopefully i'll be able to get better before next thursday, although theres not a lot of time for me to practise.
Although being a good experience being in the gallery and on the vision mixing equipment, the day kind of knocked my confidence as i hadn't been worried about it, but after pressing the wrong buttons multiple times im a bit more apprehensive. Hopefully i'll be able to get better before next thursday, although theres not a lot of time for me to practise.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Sergent Script-a-lot
Dylan has been hard at work getting a script together, which i have just had a read through, and it looks really good!
Really looking forward to seeing it all come together, and especially looking forward to mixing vision on record day!
Really looking forward to seeing it all come together, and especially looking forward to mixing vision on record day!
Dog and Gunning
Casey, Will and I went along to the Dog and Gun during the week to film our VT for their team, and the lovely landlady let us in before opening as that was the only time the team were available. The team is a complete contrast to that of the The Fox, but "Lord" Trotsky is very funny and makes for an excellent team member and captain!
I also met our presenter, Ant, for the first time and thought he was really good too, also discovered that we have a lot in common as we went to the same primary and secondary schools, even if he is a little older than me.
I also met our presenter, Ant, for the first time and thought he was really good too, also discovered that we have a lot in common as we went to the same primary and secondary schools, even if he is a little older than me.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Foxy Shoot
We shot the VT for The Fox on monday, and it went quite well. The pub was full of characters which should be a good thing for if they come down to support their team on shoot day!
Will did a good job as director/producer in that he kept the team members briefed and informed of what he wanted them to do, and also that he explained that any retakes we had to do where because of something we werent happy with (light/sound/tightness of shot) and that it wasnt that they hadnt said their piece right. He also helped me as camera man as he had a detailed shot list and knew what he wanted me to film, which should also help for the next shoot at the DOg and Gun, as i will be better prepared for what i need to shoot.
Will did a good job as director/producer in that he kept the team members briefed and informed of what he wanted them to do, and also that he explained that any retakes we had to do where because of something we werent happy with (light/sound/tightness of shot) and that it wasnt that they hadnt said their piece right. He also helped me as camera man as he had a detailed shot list and knew what he wanted me to film, which should also help for the next shoot at the DOg and Gun, as i will be better prepared for what i need to shoot.
Friday, 15 April 2011
The News
Went to watch the south eastern news being broadcast yesterday. Although the news wasn't overly interesting, the experience was! It was really good getting to see the gallery in action, and how calm everybody stayed even though there was a couple of little mistakes made.
I doubt the atmosphere in our gallery will be anywhere near similar to theirs!
I doubt the atmosphere in our gallery will be anywhere near similar to theirs!
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Vt shoots
We had a productive day today (go team!) we tested twister and decided how we want that which is good, and we then told the caft people what we want from then. We also arranged a vt shoot for Monday at the fox which is nice especially as we are hoping to be able to shoot the other vt on either tuesday or Wednesday. Must remember to make sure everything is set to SD!!!
Trip to tonbridge wells tomorow to watch a live recording which will be informative
Trip to tonbridge wells tomorow to watch a live recording which will be informative
Thursday, 7 April 2011
As live
We've now pretty much got everybody sorted for our team members and hosts, with the exception of the barmaid/co host. Two teams, one from the Dog and Gun pub, and the other from The Fox.
We are scripting up VT scripts, and planning the filming of them, as well as talking about getting our presenter down to meet with potential barmaids to see if they have good chemistry and have an audition together.
We are scripting up VT scripts, and planning the filming of them, as well as talking about getting our presenter down to meet with potential barmaids to see if they have good chemistry and have an audition together.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
As live
Now that the bulk of the work for fiction is out of the way, we are making good headway with as live. Having phoned round pubs in maidstone we have got a list of times to go and meet people who might be interested/interesting, so this week our nights are filled with visiting pubs for quizes and meeting people, what a shame! We also went to a pub yesterday called The Fox, and spoke to the landlady who said that there are people in the pool teams that would make good characters, and that the A and B teams are playing each other on monday, so we are going to go down and meet them then.
On the presenter front, Will has put a casting call on Mandy and already recieved a couple of emails from people who are interested. Also, Dylan, Will and I were thinking of approaching Vic and Bob's team on the off chance that they either may be willing to help us, or know of someone who might.
On the presenter front, Will has put a casting call on Mandy and already recieved a couple of emails from people who are interested. Also, Dylan, Will and I were thinking of approaching Vic and Bob's team on the off chance that they either may be willing to help us, or know of someone who might.
Beer Pong
Yesterday we tried, tested and filmed beer pong for the as live unit, here is the footage that shows how much fun we found it, and how good we were!
Fiction Trailer
This is the trailer i made for my fiction adaptation unit, i decided to keep Danny Trejo's character of the drug baron without the name as i feel it makes the character seem more sinister.
Fiction crew
Director - Martin McDonagh (In Bruges)
Producer - G Mac Brown (The Departed)
Editors - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall (The Social Network)
Director of Photography - Wally Pfister (The Prestige)
Sound Editor - Wylie Stateman (Inglourious Basterds)
Costume - Sandy Powell (Shutter Island)
Music - John Murphy (28 Days Later)
Producer - G Mac Brown (The Departed)
Editors - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall (The Social Network)
Director of Photography - Wally Pfister (The Prestige)
Sound Editor - Wylie Stateman (Inglourious Basterds)
Costume - Sandy Powell (Shutter Island)
Music - John Murphy (28 Days Later)
Fiction cast
Mary Maloney - Sarah Michelle Gellar
Patrick Maloney - Topher Grace
Drug Baron - Danny Trejo
Patrick Maloney - Topher Grace
Drug Baron - Danny Trejo
Monday, 28 March 2011
Friday, 25 March 2011
As live research trip
On Tuesday, i took a trip to the Riverside Studios in London to watch the recording of Russel Howards Good News, besides it being hilarious it was a good insight into the filming of a tv programme. There were 5 cameras for just one man which seemed like a lot, but i suppose is normal. It was interesting to watch the screens hanging from the ceiling as they were showing which shots the vision mixer was putting up. Also there was a minor technical fault when one of the VT's didn't play properly.
At the end of the show Russel had to do pick ups of what he had either done wrong or that needed to be amended, which he seemed fairly annoyed with because there was a lot of them, one of which had been dropped from the show in the first place.
At the end of the show Russel had to do pick ups of what he had either done wrong or that needed to be amended, which he seemed fairly annoyed with because there was a lot of them, one of which had been dropped from the show in the first place.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Gallery Day
We spent a day in the studio with Hans today, which was a great help! Cat and I got to sit in the gallery and practise our jobs which gave me a chance to come to terms with the vision mixing equipment, and the opportunity to experiment with all the different fades and effects. I really enjoyed it and it is something i would quite like to do some more of. The experience alleviated most of my fears of pressing the wrong button, but it will be good to get some practise in with 6 cameras as opposed to just the two we had today.
Monday, 14 March 2011
As live production roles
We got told our production roles for the as live project today, i was given Research/Camera Operator for the VT's/VT editing for before the shoot day, with my shoot role being Vision Mixer. I'm not too worried about shooting and editing the VT's but mixing the vision is a bit daunting! Hopefully it's a lot easier than i imagine and we wont just end up watching a programme full of shots of the back of peoples heads because ive pressed the wrong button!
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
The other 100 greatest movie insults
0’05 - Dumb & Dumber, His Girl Friday, Harry Potter 3, One-Eyed Jacks, Coming to America
0’33 - Happy Gilmore, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Vertical Limit, Cool Runnings, Big Jake
1’00 - Home Alone, The Hangover, Animal House, Duck Soup, Liar Liar
1’30 - Matilda, It Happened One Night, Anchorman, Full Metal Jacket, The Nutty Professor
2’02 - Rhinestone, The Nutty Professor, Bull Durham
2’30 - War Games, Caddyshack, Aliens, Tommy Boy, Ace in the Hole
3’00 - The Women, The Nutty Professor, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Scarface, The Breakfast Club
3’27 - The Little Rascals, It’s a Wonderful Life, Aladdin, Network, She’s All That
4’01 - Highlander, Of Human Bondage, Nine to Five, Erin Brockovich
4’34 - Clueless, Dumb & Dumber, The Silence of the Lambs, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Sweet Smell of Success
5’00 - Good Morning Vietnam, Biloxi Blues, A League of Their Own, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Monkey Business
5’29 - Duck Soup, Home Alone, The Ref, Point Break
5’59 - Repo Man, Revenge of the Nerds, South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut, Hamlet 2, Heathers, Chasing Amy, Closer, Anchorman
6’30 - Shaft, Back to the Future, Coming to America, Fried Green Tomatoes, Planet of the Apes, Stand By Me, Snatch, Wet Hot American Summer
7’01 - Bad Santa, Barfly, The Exorcist, White Men Can’t Jump, Horse Feathers, E.T., Heartbreak Ridge, The Blues Brothers
7’32 - A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Training Day, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Full Metal Jacket, White Men Can’t Jump
7’57 - Hook, Flatliners, Hook,
8’30 - Nine Months, Six Pack, Hook, The Maltese Falcon
8’59 - Liar Liar, You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man, The Graduate
9’33 - Swimming with Sharks, The Long Good Friday, Pink Flamingos
10’06 - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
The 100 greatest movie insults
0’00 - Roxanne, Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Gleaming the Cube, The Princess Bride, A Fish Called Wanda, Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Casino, Three Amigos, A Clockwork Orange
1’05 - Dolemite, Glengarry Glen Ross, Bad Santa, The Witches of Eastwick, The Big Lebowski, In Bruges, Full Metal Jacket, There Will Be Blood
2’05 - Toy Story, Casablanca, Encino Man, The Women, Predator, Army of Darkness, They Live, Uncle Buck, Big Trouble in Little China, New Jack City, Billy Madison
3’00 - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Departed, Carlito’s Way, In the Loop, Glengarry Glen Ross, Stand By Me, Grosse Pointe Blank, Duck Soup, Caddyshack, Planes Trains & Automobiles
4’00 - South Park, Napoleon Dynamite, Mean Girls, The Breakfast Club, As Good as It Gets, The 6th Day, Step Brothers, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Full Metal Jacket, City Slickers, Road House, True Grit, Shot Circuit
5’00 - Raging Bull, The Usual Suspects, Snatch, Caddyshack, The Last Boy Scout, Ghostbusters, The Sandlot, As Good as It Gets
6’00 - 48 Hrs, In Bruges, Silver Streak, Glengarry Glen Ross, A Fish Called Wanda, Goodfellas, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Mist, Trading Places
7’00 - The Warriors, Point Break, Gangs of New York, Reservoir Dogs, The Breakfast Club, The Cowboys, Full Metal Jacket, Dodgeball, Donnie Darko, Scarface, The Good the Bad and the Ugly
8’00 - Anchorman, Tropic Thunder, Sexy Beast, In the Loop, Get Shorty, Blazing Saddles, The Way of the Gun, Blade: Trinity, Clerks, The Boondock Saints, The Exorcist, What About Bob?, Weird Science
9’00 - Con Air, True Romance, In the Loop, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Lake Placid, The Front, Gone with the Wind
Monday, 7 March 2011
The Pub Game Presenter
I was having a little look on starnow for a potential presenter for the show, and found a couple of people, one of them is this gent, Brian Croucher - http://www.starnow.com/briancroucher. I would post a picture from his profile but i cant work out how to copy the thing! He has a lot of experience in acting roles, just have a look at his imdb page - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0189468/
Another one i found, who has little experience is Barry Philpott - http://www.starnow.com/rustyford. I can imagine him playing a pub landlord which is good.
Another one i found, who has little experience is Barry Philpott - http://www.starnow.com/rustyford. I can imagine him playing a pub landlord which is good.
Help for adapting fiction
This is from the ehow on how to adapt a novel to feature length film, i know lamb to the slaughter is a short story, but the principle is still the same
1, Determine whether the novel you want to adapt contains enough stimulating visual content. For example, are there lots of action sequences in different locales or are the characters mostly engaged in long conversations/reminiscences around a kitchen table? Film is all about action, movement, and contrast - not about a succession of talking heads in a static setting.
2, Identify who the target audience would be if this book were turned into a movie. Does the subject matter have widespread commercial appeal or is it on a topic that has a fairly narrow focus? Consider movies you've already seen that are similar to the one you want to write and jot down notes of what made them so memorable.
3, Identify whether the book is plot-driven or character-driven. To be successful, a movie's storyline needs to be driven by the actions of characters who are forced to confront their internal fears/flaws and make choices in response to an external threat. In turn, the players undergo a character arc - the transformation from who they were at the start to who they become by the end. It's their own actions that push the story forward. In contrast, the characters in a story driven by plot are in a reactive - as opposed to proactive - mode. Natural disasters and war epics fall into this category because it's the event itself that is calling all the shots.
4, Identify the core conflict of the novel. This can be a challenge in a 400+ page novel and/or one that spans multiple generations. The reason is that the average length of a screenplay is 110 pages and must establish within its first 10 pages the central conflict that will drive the entire story. You also need to ask yourself what is original and filmworthy about the core premise. For instance, "Will Joe win Cynthia's heart?" isn't as unique as "Will paraplegic Dave overcome his fear of sharks and compete successfully in the surfing competition?"
5, Identify the protagonist and the antagonist in the novel. It is generally through the protagonist's point of view we learn what is at stake and what risks will need to be taken in the pursuit of reward, revenge, or escape. Equally important is an adversary who will stop at nothing to thwart the hero's attempts to reach his goal. If the novel is missing either of these elements, it may not be a good candidate for adaptation.
6, Break the novel down into a one page synopsis with a definitive first act, second act, and third act.
7, Research whether the subject matter has been done before in a movie. A good place to start is with the Internet Movie Database which allows you to conduct searches on plots (i.e., vampires) as well as appearances of historical figures (i.e., George Armstrong Custer) in previously produced movies.
8, Determine whether the rights are available to adapt an existing work to the medium of film. If, for example, it is someone's novel other than one you wrote yourself, you will need to contact the author, the author's agent, or the publisher and inquire about the film rights. For unpublished journals written by your own relatives or ancestors, you only need to ensure that the material in question won't harm or slander individuals close to the subject matter. Books that have long been out of circulation are easier properties to adapt to a new medium, but unfortunately, also beg the question, "So why hasn't anyone pounced on this already?"
9, Be prepared to pay a price for the right to adapt someone else's novel within a specified period of time. This is called an option agreement and basically means that the writer is "renting" the project to you with the mutual understanding that no one else will be given that privilege as long as you are working toward turning it into a polished script. An entertainment law attorney can walk you through the process or you can go to resource sites such as Canadian FIlm Maker and download the appropriate forms as Adobe Acrobat files.
10, Take a screenwriting class at your local college or invest in some screenwriting how-to books if this is new territory for you. Publishers such as Michael Wiese Productions offer a full array of reference books specifically targeted to film and television.
11, Purchase a screenwriting software program such as Final Draft. Screenwriting follows very strict formatting rules and you want your finished product to look as professional as possible.
12, Start your screenplay in the right place. The right place isn't necessarily going to be the very first scene in the book, especially if it's a book that's slow to get off the ground. Start your screenplay with an inciting incident that will immediately hook an audience's attention or tease them with a provocative question. Compared to the book itself, this particular scene may not happen until page 135, but that doesn't matter - what matters is a strong opening that sets everything in motion.
13, Think "minimalist" when writing. Unlike a novel that can spend pages and pages describing the details of a woodland vista, a screenplay is all about brevity. In other words: EXT. FOREST - MORNING. Everything else is left up to the discretion of the director, the cinematographer, the set designer, etc.
14, Write only that which is filmable. While a novel can go to great lengths telling us what a character is thinking, imagining, pondering, remembering, etc., we can only know these things in a movie if these thoughts are spoken out loud or conveyed through physical actions, facial expressions, and/or nuance.
15, Understand that dialogue in print is not always going to sound exactly the same as dialogue spoken out loud. Characters in novels tend to speak more eloquently, use less slang, and talk in complete sentences. Don't think for a minute you can simply lift all the conversations verbatin from a novel and use them in your screenplay as is. Recruit friends to read your lines out loud for you so you can evaluate whether it sounds natural or stilted.
16, Eliminate extraneous scenes from the novel that don't advance the plot or reveal new dimensions of character. In a 400+ page novel, this means that almost 300 pages of "stuff" won't make it to the silver screen.
1, Determine whether the novel you want to adapt contains enough stimulating visual content. For example, are there lots of action sequences in different locales or are the characters mostly engaged in long conversations/reminiscences around a kitchen table? Film is all about action, movement, and contrast - not about a succession of talking heads in a static setting.
2, Identify who the target audience would be if this book were turned into a movie. Does the subject matter have widespread commercial appeal or is it on a topic that has a fairly narrow focus? Consider movies you've already seen that are similar to the one you want to write and jot down notes of what made them so memorable.
3, Identify whether the book is plot-driven or character-driven. To be successful, a movie's storyline needs to be driven by the actions of characters who are forced to confront their internal fears/flaws and make choices in response to an external threat. In turn, the players undergo a character arc - the transformation from who they were at the start to who they become by the end. It's their own actions that push the story forward. In contrast, the characters in a story driven by plot are in a reactive - as opposed to proactive - mode. Natural disasters and war epics fall into this category because it's the event itself that is calling all the shots.
4, Identify the core conflict of the novel. This can be a challenge in a 400+ page novel and/or one that spans multiple generations. The reason is that the average length of a screenplay is 110 pages and must establish within its first 10 pages the central conflict that will drive the entire story. You also need to ask yourself what is original and filmworthy about the core premise. For instance, "Will Joe win Cynthia's heart?" isn't as unique as "Will paraplegic Dave overcome his fear of sharks and compete successfully in the surfing competition?"
5, Identify the protagonist and the antagonist in the novel. It is generally through the protagonist's point of view we learn what is at stake and what risks will need to be taken in the pursuit of reward, revenge, or escape. Equally important is an adversary who will stop at nothing to thwart the hero's attempts to reach his goal. If the novel is missing either of these elements, it may not be a good candidate for adaptation.
6, Break the novel down into a one page synopsis with a definitive first act, second act, and third act.
7, Research whether the subject matter has been done before in a movie. A good place to start is with the Internet Movie Database which allows you to conduct searches on plots (i.e., vampires) as well as appearances of historical figures (i.e., George Armstrong Custer) in previously produced movies.
8, Determine whether the rights are available to adapt an existing work to the medium of film. If, for example, it is someone's novel other than one you wrote yourself, you will need to contact the author, the author's agent, or the publisher and inquire about the film rights. For unpublished journals written by your own relatives or ancestors, you only need to ensure that the material in question won't harm or slander individuals close to the subject matter. Books that have long been out of circulation are easier properties to adapt to a new medium, but unfortunately, also beg the question, "So why hasn't anyone pounced on this already?"
9, Be prepared to pay a price for the right to adapt someone else's novel within a specified period of time. This is called an option agreement and basically means that the writer is "renting" the project to you with the mutual understanding that no one else will be given that privilege as long as you are working toward turning it into a polished script. An entertainment law attorney can walk you through the process or you can go to resource sites such as Canadian FIlm Maker and download the appropriate forms as Adobe Acrobat files.
10, Take a screenwriting class at your local college or invest in some screenwriting how-to books if this is new territory for you. Publishers such as Michael Wiese Productions offer a full array of reference books specifically targeted to film and television.
11, Purchase a screenwriting software program such as Final Draft. Screenwriting follows very strict formatting rules and you want your finished product to look as professional as possible.
12, Start your screenplay in the right place. The right place isn't necessarily going to be the very first scene in the book, especially if it's a book that's slow to get off the ground. Start your screenplay with an inciting incident that will immediately hook an audience's attention or tease them with a provocative question. Compared to the book itself, this particular scene may not happen until page 135, but that doesn't matter - what matters is a strong opening that sets everything in motion.
13, Think "minimalist" when writing. Unlike a novel that can spend pages and pages describing the details of a woodland vista, a screenplay is all about brevity. In other words: EXT. FOREST - MORNING. Everything else is left up to the discretion of the director, the cinematographer, the set designer, etc.
14, Write only that which is filmable. While a novel can go to great lengths telling us what a character is thinking, imagining, pondering, remembering, etc., we can only know these things in a movie if these thoughts are spoken out loud or conveyed through physical actions, facial expressions, and/or nuance.
15, Understand that dialogue in print is not always going to sound exactly the same as dialogue spoken out loud. Characters in novels tend to speak more eloquently, use less slang, and talk in complete sentences. Don't think for a minute you can simply lift all the conversations verbatin from a novel and use them in your screenplay as is. Recruit friends to read your lines out loud for you so you can evaluate whether it sounds natural or stilted.
16, Eliminate extraneous scenes from the novel that don't advance the plot or reveal new dimensions of character. In a 400+ page novel, this means that almost 300 pages of "stuff" won't make it to the silver screen.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Just Go With It
Adam Sandler seems to be getting back to his old best with his new romcom, combining slapstick with childish humour, and not forgetting of course the extremely attractive leading ladies in Jennifer Aniston and Brooklyn Decker. Sandler seems to have realised that he is at his best when acting like a child, as with Billy Madison.
Again teaming up with Dennis Dugan, the pair create another feel good movie, which anyone can enjoy, as long as they don’t mind watching a grown man doing silly voices and a barking hand, among other things. That being said, a film which includes a sheep receiving SheePR and the Heimlich manoeuvre can’t be all bad.
It’s nothing new in terms of formula from Sandler, following the premise of the majority of his other films. All in all, if you don’t like his films, you more than likely won’t like this. However, it does include Aniston in a bikini, so if you’re a fan of bikinis you might like to see it!
Again teaming up with Dennis Dugan, the pair create another feel good movie, which anyone can enjoy, as long as they don’t mind watching a grown man doing silly voices and a barking hand, among other things. That being said, a film which includes a sheep receiving SheePR and the Heimlich manoeuvre can’t be all bad.
It’s nothing new in terms of formula from Sandler, following the premise of the majority of his other films. All in all, if you don’t like his films, you more than likely won’t like this. However, it does include Aniston in a bikini, so if you’re a fan of bikinis you might like to see it!
Unstoppable
Interesting up to a point, but extremely dragged out and it feels it. I had relatively high hopes for this film, and maybe that proved to be its downfall. Ninety minutes of two men in a train talking and trying to stop another speeding train quickly becomes dull.
Other than the obvious tension of whether they will stop the train or not (which isn’t really tension as it seems fairly obvious what the outcome will be), they try to create some around the main character, played by Chris Pine, in that he has split from his girlfriend and she is applying for custody of his child. This tension is then completely ruined at the end of the film when he becomes the hero by stopping the train, and she forgives him.
Another pitfall for the plot in my opinion, is that when they stop the train, Chris Pine’s character jumps onto a truck which drives him to the front of the train, and he jumps back onto the train and pulls the brake. Why couldn’t they have got someone else to do that an hour before the end of the film!? I understand it wouldn’t have been much of a film in that case, but it would make more sense.
I wouldn’t recommend watching this, it isn’t worth the time or effort, and if I’m honest you’d probably get more satisfaction out of watching Eastenders.
Other than the obvious tension of whether they will stop the train or not (which isn’t really tension as it seems fairly obvious what the outcome will be), they try to create some around the main character, played by Chris Pine, in that he has split from his girlfriend and she is applying for custody of his child. This tension is then completely ruined at the end of the film when he becomes the hero by stopping the train, and she forgives him.
Another pitfall for the plot in my opinion, is that when they stop the train, Chris Pine’s character jumps onto a truck which drives him to the front of the train, and he jumps back onto the train and pulls the brake. Why couldn’t they have got someone else to do that an hour before the end of the film!? I understand it wouldn’t have been much of a film in that case, but it would make more sense.
I wouldn’t recommend watching this, it isn’t worth the time or effort, and if I’m honest you’d probably get more satisfaction out of watching Eastenders.
Monday, 21 February 2011
The Blind Side
This is the story of Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy who take in a homeless teenage African-American, Michael "Big Mike" Oher. Michael has no idea who his father is and his mother is a drug addict. Michael has had little formal education and few skills to help him learn. Leigh Anne soon takes charge however, as is her nature, ensuring that the young man has every opportunity to succeed. When he expresses an interest in football, she goes all out to help him, including giving the coach a few ideas on how best to use Michael's skills. They not only provide him with a loving home, but hire a tutor to help him improve his grades to the point where he would qualify for an NCAA Division I athletic scholarship. Oher was a first round NFL pick in 2009 for the Baltimore Ravens.
It only dawned on me halfway through the film that i recognised the name Michael Oher, and that this was infact a true story about how he came to play in the NFL, but i was already enjoying it, so the fact that it was true only served to enhance my interest!
Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron who play Leigh Anne Tuohy and Mike Oher respectively both played their roles very well, presumably why Bullock won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
That aside, the movie really evokes the sense of lonliness that Mike Oher suffered as a teen in school, and the drastic change the Tuohy's had on his life.
It only dawned on me halfway through the film that i recognised the name Michael Oher, and that this was infact a true story about how he came to play in the NFL, but i was already enjoying it, so the fact that it was true only served to enhance my interest!
Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron who play Leigh Anne Tuohy and Mike Oher respectively both played their roles very well, presumably why Bullock won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
That aside, the movie really evokes the sense of lonliness that Mike Oher suffered as a teen in school, and the drastic change the Tuohy's had on his life.
Friday, 4 February 2011
As live idea
Ive had an idea for the as live briefing.
It would be similar to mastermind, in that each contestant would pick a specialist subject. These specialist subjects are then put into a hat and drawn out at random by the contestant who's turn it is.
There would be three rounds, the first of which would be a general knowledge buzzer round, and at the end of the round "lifelines" (such as phone a friend, ask an expert.. i havent thought about all of them just yet) would be awarded to the players, with the person with the lowest score getting more.
Not really got an idea for the second round.
The third round would then be the "specialist round" where, one by one, contestants would answer questions to do with the specialist subject that they pulled from the hat, against the clock. If the contestant gets a question wrong, the clock stops and the question is handed over to the other contestants to answer on a buzzer. The lifelines that have been aquired throughout the show would be used in this round, ie, the contestant uld ask an expert if they do not know the answer.
As with all good quiz shows, the winner would be the person with the highest score at the end of the quiz.
It would be similar to mastermind, in that each contestant would pick a specialist subject. These specialist subjects are then put into a hat and drawn out at random by the contestant who's turn it is.
There would be three rounds, the first of which would be a general knowledge buzzer round, and at the end of the round "lifelines" (such as phone a friend, ask an expert.. i havent thought about all of them just yet) would be awarded to the players, with the person with the lowest score getting more.
Not really got an idea for the second round.
The third round would then be the "specialist round" where, one by one, contestants would answer questions to do with the specialist subject that they pulled from the hat, against the clock. If the contestant gets a question wrong, the clock stops and the question is handed over to the other contestants to answer on a buzzer. The lifelines that have been aquired throughout the show would be used in this round, ie, the contestant uld ask an expert if they do not know the answer.
As with all good quiz shows, the winner would be the person with the highest score at the end of the quiz.
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Thursday, 20 January 2011
127 Hours
"There is no force on earth more powerful than the will to live"
That is the last line from the trailer for this biopic about Aron Ralston, and how true that proves to be in this case.
In my opinion James Franco deserves an unbelievable amount of credit for his role as Ralston. Being able to hold the screen on your own for the best part of an hour is not easy, but he conveys the struggle and downward spiral into almost insanity excellently.
The real Aron Ralston has only showed his video diaries from his days trapped in the Blue John canyon to close friends and family, but James Franco and Danny Boyle were allowed to see them for the purposes of making the movie as real as possible. Ralston himself says that the film is as close to a documentary as possible while still being a drama.
At just over an hour and a half long, i didnt think it felt particularly long or drawn out, as the time passed quickly. However, if it had been longer i think it may have lost people's interest as there is only so many ways to show a man losing his mind while being stuck in the same location.
Possibly one of my favourite scenes from a film for a very long time comes when Franco is making a video recording while pretending his is on a radio show. The clever use of camera work and voice acting making it clear when it is Aron the mountain climber talking, or when it is the host of the show. He is self depricating and humble, apologising to his mother for not answering the phone to her and admitting he would not be in that situation if he had told someone where he was, calling himself a "hard hero". This scene serves to show how low his mentality has sunk, and also that he is changing because of the situation he finds himself in.
My major issue with the film is the overuse of split screen. I didn't think it necessary, effective or even good to watch! With this in mind, 127 hours is still an emotional drama which is well worth the watch.
Here's an interview with the real Ralston about the moment he realised how to chop his arm off
That is the last line from the trailer for this biopic about Aron Ralston, and how true that proves to be in this case.
In my opinion James Franco deserves an unbelievable amount of credit for his role as Ralston. Being able to hold the screen on your own for the best part of an hour is not easy, but he conveys the struggle and downward spiral into almost insanity excellently.
The real Aron Ralston has only showed his video diaries from his days trapped in the Blue John canyon to close friends and family, but James Franco and Danny Boyle were allowed to see them for the purposes of making the movie as real as possible. Ralston himself says that the film is as close to a documentary as possible while still being a drama.
At just over an hour and a half long, i didnt think it felt particularly long or drawn out, as the time passed quickly. However, if it had been longer i think it may have lost people's interest as there is only so many ways to show a man losing his mind while being stuck in the same location.
Possibly one of my favourite scenes from a film for a very long time comes when Franco is making a video recording while pretending his is on a radio show. The clever use of camera work and voice acting making it clear when it is Aron the mountain climber talking, or when it is the host of the show. He is self depricating and humble, apologising to his mother for not answering the phone to her and admitting he would not be in that situation if he had told someone where he was, calling himself a "hard hero". This scene serves to show how low his mentality has sunk, and also that he is changing because of the situation he finds himself in.
My major issue with the film is the overuse of split screen. I didn't think it necessary, effective or even good to watch! With this in mind, 127 hours is still an emotional drama which is well worth the watch.
Here's an interview with the real Ralston about the moment he realised how to chop his arm off
The next three days
I watched this last week, so thought it was about time that i sat down and wrote about it.
The Next Three Days is the about the story of a man (Russel Crowe) whos wife (Elizabeth Banks) has been arrested on suspicion of murdering her boss following an argument at work. Crowe's character then sets about proving her innocence, but as this fails due to the overwhelming evidence against her, he sets out to break her out of prison. Seeking the advice of a criminal (Liam Neeson) who has escaped prison 7 times, he learns how quickly the police can shut off roads, intersections, train stations and airports.
Elizabeth Banks shows her potential for a leading lady with a convincing performance of a woman who has lost everything. We see her go from being a loving mother and wife, who takes a photo of her family every morning before work, to being a shadow of her former self as she is locked in prison, with a son who doesn't talk to her, and a husband who blames himself for their son being bulleyed at school.
Crowe is equally successful in his role as the husband who is desperate to free his wife from prison, so much so that he risks his own freedom to do so. Throwing caution out of the window he too loses his way from being a good father, to just being someone with one goal, regardless of the consequences.
Liam Neeson, although only a short cameo, plays the part of an escaped criminal excellently. His dark performance serves to enhance the desperate nature of Crowe's endeavour.
My major complaint with this film is that it felt long at just over 2 hours long, with parts of the story feeling dragged out and unnecessary. Also i had a numb ass by the end, but i'll put that more down to the rubbish chairs of Odeon rather than the film!
Overall it was a good film, if a little long.
The Next Three Days is the about the story of a man (Russel Crowe) whos wife (Elizabeth Banks) has been arrested on suspicion of murdering her boss following an argument at work. Crowe's character then sets about proving her innocence, but as this fails due to the overwhelming evidence against her, he sets out to break her out of prison. Seeking the advice of a criminal (Liam Neeson) who has escaped prison 7 times, he learns how quickly the police can shut off roads, intersections, train stations and airports.
Elizabeth Banks shows her potential for a leading lady with a convincing performance of a woman who has lost everything. We see her go from being a loving mother and wife, who takes a photo of her family every morning before work, to being a shadow of her former self as she is locked in prison, with a son who doesn't talk to her, and a husband who blames himself for their son being bulleyed at school.
Crowe is equally successful in his role as the husband who is desperate to free his wife from prison, so much so that he risks his own freedom to do so. Throwing caution out of the window he too loses his way from being a good father, to just being someone with one goal, regardless of the consequences.
Liam Neeson, although only a short cameo, plays the part of an escaped criminal excellently. His dark performance serves to enhance the desperate nature of Crowe's endeavour.
My major complaint with this film is that it felt long at just over 2 hours long, with parts of the story feeling dragged out and unnecessary. Also i had a numb ass by the end, but i'll put that more down to the rubbish chairs of Odeon rather than the film!
Overall it was a good film, if a little long.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
The Movie Game
I was at the pub earlier, and we were talking about films when someone suggested that we play the movie game. Basically, this entails one person naming an actor or actress, and then going round the group each naming a film that the person has been in. Sequels, prequels and animations not allowed!
It's surprisingly fun and addictive, and gets you thinking about films that you may not have watched for a long time, not watched at all, or never even heard of!
Just a bit of fun, but thought i'd share it, because sharing is caring. And lord knows i care.
It's surprisingly fun and addictive, and gets you thinking about films that you may not have watched for a long time, not watched at all, or never even heard of!
Just a bit of fun, but thought i'd share it, because sharing is caring. And lord knows i care.
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