The (racist?) things you’d find in Japantown

Came across these interesting items the other day while wandering around San Francisco’s Japantown. Most notably a strange little figurine on a keychain.

Directing: What I’ve Learned So Far, Part 3

On Story and Screenwriting:

It is said that there’s only a handful of stories that can be told, and all stories told are variants of these.  While I don’t know if that’s 100% true, it is very difficult to find variety these days in movies, books, games, etc.  What keeps us going back to the theatre is how the stories are told.  If it’s a romantic comedy, it’s usually something along the lines of Boy Meets Girl, Boy Embarrasses Himself Trying To Get Girl, or something like that.  However, each person telling this story has their own unique way of telling it.  Annie Hall is different from, say, The 40-Year-Old-Virgin, but on paper they might seem like similar movies.  Don’t focus on creating a unique story, focus on telling your story well. Remember, whatever idea you have, most likely its already been done.

Screenwriting is different from other types of writing in that the style and format are always in flux, and there’s not really room for detail.  Before you sit down at your computer to write a screenplay, you must learn the format. A screenwriting book that teaches format is a good place to start, and there are tons of websites that have screenplays available to read.  Be warned, however, that many ‘published’ screenplays on the Net could be shooting scripts, which have their own format and are not to be used as ’spec’ scripts, which is what you write when you want to sell your story.  Another good step is to invest in screenwriting software, or plugins for Word (or your word processor of choice) that will format for you.  Keep in mind that not every program is perfect and you must pay attention to make sure the formatting is correct. Screenplay format is so important, many agents, executives, producers, etc. will not even bother reading the rest of the story (no matter how good it is) if the format is bad.

This book by David Trottier is a great place to learn format

As I mentioned before, you don’t have room for lyrical, Nobel Prize-winning prose in a screenplay. Be concise, get to the point.  If there’s a fight scene in your story, don’t explain exactly how one character fights, and the movement they make.  That’s boring.  Honestly, I have this problem when reading books.  For example, I was reading The Bourne Identity and Robert Ludlum has a habit of describing, in specific detail, how the characters fight.  This leg moved this way, so-and-so’s arm swung that way, blah blah blah.  That style of writing bored me so much that I couldn’t finish the book (I do mean to, one day).  In screenwriting, a simple “They fight” is all you might need.  Let the director and choreographer worry about the details.  In other places, such as descriptions of settings, details also need to be to-the-point.  If your scene takes place in a jungle, don’t go into detail about the sweat dripping down the characters’ faces, or how the midday sun beat down upon them and baked their skin.  Just set it up as, “They trek across a hot, sweaty jungle” or something to that effect.

If you’re a director, or a producer, consider going to someone else to write your screenplay.  You could have an amazing idea, but you may write poorly; in that case, having a professional (or as close to ‘professional’ as you can get) writing it will probably be your best bet.  Just like with editing, doing everything yourself may cause you to lose sight of what’s important in the story. You may get attached to certain scenes or lines, and may be wary of removing them in rewrites, even if it may seem necessary.

The Final Draft series of screenwriting software is among the best.

As for story structure, most people go with the Three Act Structure.  It’s concise, simple, and most successful movies follow this, like Star Wars and Jurassic Park.  There are some that don’t go this route, which is fine (Raiders of the Lost Ark is said to have more than four acts), but I would advise against it for first-timers.  Remember, you must learn the rules first before you can break them. Another thing to remember is that all stories must have conflict.  I’d even go so far as to say that it is impossible to tell a worthwhile story and not have conflict.  Whether it’s Good Guy vs Bad Guy, or Good Guy vs Himself, or whatever, the main character must want something and there are forces at work against him.

Recently, Christian Bale was asked how the filmmakers got him to be a part of the new Terminator Salvation movie.  He said that the script had to be so good that it could be performed without fancy visuals and still tell a compelling story.  Apparently, the script he read was good enough to meet this criteria, and he’s now the new John Connor of the franchise.  This should be true for all movies.  In the rehearsal process, a table read is usually done so that everyone involved (cast, director, producer, writer, etc) can hear the lines spoken out loud and to fix any problems before formal rehearsals get underway.  During the table read, there is not fancy CG imagery or editing, it’s just the actors and their lines.  The story must make sense when told from this point of view.  If the actors alone can’t tell the story, there’s something wrong with the script.

When you’re writing a student film or a low-budget indie flick, consider your budget beforehand. Don’t write a Hollywood action movie if your budget is $50 and you can’t get access to fancy equipment.  Locations are also something to thing about; a 15-minute short doesn’t need 30 different locations.  If possible, keep your locations to a bare minimum needed to tell the story.  Usually, that’s enough.  Also, don’t cram in a dozen different characters.  The less speaking roles, the better, since this will make casting and shooting go by much smoother, and more unnecessary speaking parts may confuse the audience.

Although, in Hollywood, screenwriters are treated as second-class-citizens, that doesn’t mean your story must be treated this way.  As a director, this is your version of someone else’s story.  Even if you wrote the story yourself, consider what looks best on screen.  Remember, filmmaking is, above all, a visual medium for telling tales.  If it looks good on paper, but for whatever reason, it doesn’t work on screen, it must be changed or it must be removed.  There’s an old saying in Hollywood, “You can make a bad movie from a good script, but you can’t make a good movie from a bad script.” This is 100% true.  Even the most ridiculous premise for a story may have just the visual punch needed to make a good movie.

(images from Amazon.com)

Directing: What I’ve Learned So Far, Part 2 – On Crew

Directing: What I’ve Learned So Far, Part 2

On Crew:

Assemble your crew early, and do it carefully.  As a director, you should understand that you can’t, and shouldn’t, do everything by yourself.  Your primary resonsibility on the set is to the actors.  Everyone else on the crew has another boss, the actors have you. So, in order to make sure your vision comes across clearly in the movie, you have to make sure your crew knows what they’re doing since you won’t be able to micromanage every aspect of the process.  Just like with actors, passion comes first; a less-skilled cameraman that is enthusiastic about the project might be more beneficial than an experienced cameraman who may not give a damn about your vision.

On the set, the director is like the American president.  Just like with any commander-in-chief, they have a cabinet of officials to help them out.  The first person you should look to hire is an assistant director.  The AD is like your Chief of Staff, they’ll help you set your agenda for the day, manage your resources, boss around the production assistants, and keep you on schedule.  You worry about telling the story, they worry about the time it takes to tell it.  I’ve worked with one AD who took my watch from me so I wouldn’t constantly be looking at it.  To my surprise, it was very helpful, as I was more focused on talking to the actors and the other crew, while he would let me know what our time looked like.  The title “assistant director” is a bit misleading, as generally the AD doesn’t do any directing; it should be more like “director’s assistant”.

On the set of the Academy of Art short "Chop Chop Silly Billy"

In order to make your movie look good visually, you’ll need a strong cinematographer.  The Director of Photography is responsible for the look of the movie, and everything visual within the frame, minus the acting, should be approved of by the DP.  To continue with the Presidential Cabinet analogy, your DP is like your Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  The Chairman works closely with the other Joint Chiefs from different branches of the military; on the set, the DP is in charge of the grips, gaffers, electricians, cameramen etc., plus they work closely with the set designers, costumers, make-up artists, etc.  If the AD is spending his or her time yelling at PA’s and chasing after runners, the DP will generally be by the director’s side during filming, making sure everything the lens sees is exactly what the DP and the director wants.  Because of the responsibility given to the DP, the director must trust them completely; in a perfect world, the director should never touch a camera (save for looking through the viewfinder or something), let the cameraman handle the the movement, and the DP is their boss.

The producer is, in the current Hollywood studio system, the head honcho of the production.  They have a hand in assembling the creative team (which includes the director), managing the budget, overseeing the marketing campaign, and finally the home video release.  It is said that the producer is the main driving force behind a project, which is true in many cases, as the producer is the one that finds the project and gathers the talent needed to make it.  In Hollywood, projects are started when producers buy scripts, then finds the director needed to make it happen.  In indie and student-level film-making, the producer is like the blocker to the director’s running back.  If there’s an issue, the producer’s job is to intercept it before it becomes a problem for the director. On the set, directors have enough food on their plate, and any more would potentially have a negative impact on the director’s performance, akin to a stomach problem.  Producers must also be good in talking to people, as they are the ones who will have to deal with getting locations, permits, free stuff (like food), etc.

Shooting the Academy of Art short "It Isn't Working", Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Diane Baker co-instructing

In post-production, you’re going to spend lots of time with your editor.  In general, I’d say it’s unwise to edit your own movie, as you may be too attached to certain shots or scenes that aren’t needed (a lot of student filmmakers make the mistake of writing, directing, and editing their movie.  Not that it’s always a problem, but very few are actually good at doing all three, especially writing).  As with your DP, you must make sure you let the editor know what you want, but don’t be hovering over their shoulder all the time.  You do not want to be that guy.  The art of editing motion pictures has its own set of rules, and while it benefits the project overall if the director knew those rules, it’s the job of the editor to enact them.  Let them do a cut the way they see it, then work from there.  Make sure you give them plenty of time before a final cut is due, in order to experiment and to see what works best for the story.

Of course, there’s bound to be problems.  I’ve seen more shoots deteriorate due to conflicts with other crew members than because of anything else.  You must listen to your crew, because they have a different perspective on the project than you do.  If there’s a specific shot you want, and your DP or AD is telling you it may not be wise to get it (due to time constraints, or the necessity of the shot as it relates to story), take it into consideration.  It’s similar to working with actors: try it how they want it, then try it how you want it.  If time isn’t a luxury (which it often isn’t), it’s time to make some touch decisions.  Ultimately, it’s your vision, as director, that is guiding the movie, so you have to make sure each and every crew member, no matter their position on the totem pole, understands it.  As Sun Tzu once said, “If the orders are not clear, it is the fault of the general.”

Directing: What I’ve Learned So Far, Part 1 – On Actors

Directing: What I’ve Learned So Far, Part 3 – On Story and Screenwriting

Directing: What I’ve Learned So Far, Part 1

On Actors:

If an actor has trouble committing to an audition, they’ll probably have trouble committing to the actual shoots.  If you can’t get them to go to an audition, drop ‘em (I don’t mean knock them down, just take them out of consideration for the role).  It doesn’t matter how talented they are, professionalism is the key.  When you actually begin principle photography, and the actor you begged to go to the audition, doesn’t show up on time (or ever), you’ll be kicking yourself in the butt.  Better to go with a ‘less talented’ actor that will commit; maybe you have a chance to showing off your true directing skill by actually working with the actor to get the performance you want.

Movie-making is like a relationship: it’s all about sacrifice and meeting others half way.  If you have an idea for a character, and the actor portraying that character has a totally different idea, it’s time to collaborate.  Effective collaboration means listening.  Take time to understand what the actor wants, then in detail describe what you want.  Be willing to try the scene how the actor wants to try it, and make sure you get a take the way you want it.  However, a portrayal of a character must be consistent throughout the movie, so there’s a good chance the actor might disagree with how the character should be played for the entire piece.  One of you needs to concede.  As director, it’s your vision that is the primary creative force in the project, so, unfortunately for the actor, your idea of the character must take priority.  But, don’t be a dick about it; the actor must still understand where you are coming from, regardless of whether they agree or not, so make sure your are ‘directing’ your actor appropriately.

Have the answers.  Essentially, this means knowing your script inside and out.  Everyone is going to have questions, especially actors.  You’d better have an answer.  If an actor has a question about, say, his or her motivation during a scene, you need to know why that scene is there, why the actors are saying what they’re saying, and, most importantly, what the characters want.  This can be achieved by studying your script and taking copious amount of notes.

Make sure you take time to hold auditions, and unless your friends are talented actors, try not to cast people you are close to just because you need someone to play a part.  During the audition, test the actor to see if they take direction well.  If they are reading a side, or have a monologue prepared, ask them questions.  Quiz them on the character and the decisions they’ve made.  Then, ask them to try it another way, to make a different choice.  See if their performance has changed, and ask them if they liked the new way better.  Anyone can memorize lines, good actors can play a role well and the talented actors are the ones that can adapt and take direction.

Coming up: Part 2 – On Crew

Brian’s Big Adventure

Helping my friend move.

Almost Good Samaritan

I was in San Fran today spending time with a friend of mine whom I haven’t spent much time with in the past few weeks, usually because of school and helping people move and stuff like that.  Anyway, I was on my way home via BART (my car hates me for driving up and down San Fran hills with an extra hundred or so pounds of other peoples’ stuff) and I step off at the San Leandro station just in time to see a fight spill out of the train and onto the platform.  I don’t know what was going on, all I know is that it involved a young woman and an older man.

At first I thought that since the train is stopped and people are getting off, one of those people might be the one involved, meaning the fights over because now the two parties are separated.  Not so.  Both parties had now exited the train and as I was getting on the escalator, I see the older man do something and knock down the other girl.  So, me and this other dude blocked the entrance to the escalator to keep the man from running away like a pussy.  Then the girl gets up and basically charges at him, and I do my best to keep the two away from each other.  Unfortunately, I also had in my hand a book I was borrowing from this same friend I visited and she’s very particular about the condition of her books, so I felt bad because it was getting a little bent.

Anyway, they were going at it and I knew that if I stepped aside, this old dude would get his ass handed to him by this younger woman who was about more than half his age and had way more fight in her.  Plus, she was backed up by a couple of her friends (another woman and a man), so for the sake of the older man, I did my best to intervene.  The only thing I really remember saying was, “Hey!” about five or six times.

So, now the two parties had cooled slightly and the older man was getting on the down escalator, but they were still yelling obsceneties at each other.  Then, someone yelled, “I’m gonna call the fucking cops!”, and the older man stopped at the ticket-taking machines.  I thought that maybe the machines didn’t work, but they did.  He just stopped and maybe he was going to wait for the police.  Then, he went through the ticket machines and, like a pussy,  bolted for the exit just as a BART cop came.  While the cop was talking to some of the other witnesses, I gave chase (as much ‘chase’ as I can get while only wearing flip-flops) and saw the man run to the opposite end of the parking lot, too far for me to catch up to him.  OK, in truth I probably could have, but it would have been very painful on my feet.  Then the two friends of the girl came behind me and asked me if I’d seen him.  I pointed in the direction of the parking lot and they ran.  I saw them a minute later, empty-handed.  Too bad.

I felt a little bad because I probably should have stayed to give a statement to the police, and maybe I could have caught the guy if I followed him more closely or if I had ran after him when I got outside.  But, it was cold (it’s upper 50’s at night and I’m wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops), I was tired, and hungry.  So, I’m going to give myself a pat on the back for at least breaking up the fight.  In all honesty, I maybe should have let the young woman kick this dude’s ass.  He probably deserved it.

Breathe a Sigh of Relief

One school year down, one and a half more to go.

Last Thursday I finished my second semester of graduate school, marking the end of my first full year here at the Academy. I posted something earlier that was basically a rant against some of the annoying (and downright stupid) school policies. While those problems still exist, I am slightly more hopeful for my future here at school than I was three months ago.

What I’ve noticed about the students that are ‘making it’ (that is, actually going out and making short movies) is that they’ve been able to network effectively. While I’ve been able to maintain contact and develop friendships with students in a variety of fields (editing, set design, visual effects, etc), I’ve yet to make use of their skills. This semester put me more behind a book than a camera, reading on filmmaking rather than making films, but toward the end of the semester I’ve found myself helping other people with their projects, occasionally as an actor if no one else was available, and sometimes as a cinematographer and cameraman. What this means is that my friends have been making better use of me than I have of them.

Next semester, and hopefully this summer, will be different. While many of my ideas will require some planning, I’m confident that I can finish a couple of short projects by the end of the calendar year, and hopefully they’ll be good enough to add to my reel. Right now, I’m still stuck between choosing directing and editing as my career path. I feel very comfortable behind a computer chopping footage up and turning it into a movie. I’m now very proficient in both Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro (they are both extremely similar) and am learning to integrate the many program’s in Adobe’s Creative Suite as well as learning Avid. However, the acting process is something that fascinates me, and taking that directing class last semester, taught by someone with a theatre directing background, really opened my eyes to directing a performance versus directing the camera. The latter is more the responsibility of the cinematographer anyway.

Regardless of what I pick, I know that the school has the means to excel at either one. The only issue is being able to make use of everything the school supplies, which is a fault of the school’s sometimes ridiculous equipment policies, more than a fault of the students. But for now, I can breathe a sigh of relief. My first year has gone by without a major hitch, and my grades are still intact (!). Oh, and I’ve managed to enjoy myself and not go buck-wild and drink myself to death. I guess memories of eyeglasses flying off my face has scared me into keeping my drinking to a bare minimum, much to the dissapointment of others. My future seems slightly clearer than it did when I arrived last July.

I Hate Stupid People

After 9/11, there are certain expectations when it comes to the behavior of passengers on airplanes. Specifically, don’t screw around. This guy here is an asshole and needs to be fined whatever the law allows. No, I don’t believe there has ever been a case where a plane dropped out of the sky due to a cell phone, and I do know that there is an airline company that is going to allow passengers to use their cell phone during a flight, but rules are still the rules. Southwest is still banning the use of cell phones while the plane is operating (ie takeoff, landings, and flights), so this moron needs to abide by the rules.

And this ‘Kiss my ass’ comment? He should have been slapped around by the steward(ess) and the other passengers. Grade A Dumbass.

clipped from www.dallasnews.com Dallas police met a Southwest Airlines plane at Dallas Love Field on Monday after flight staff reported that a passenger refused to stop using his mobile phone during the flight. Joe David Jones, 50, was cited for disorderly conduct, Dallas police said. The incident occurred during a Southwest flight from Austin to Dallas. “After multiple requests, the flight attendants were not successful in getting the passenger to get off the phone,” said Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King. � According to a Dallas police report, flight attendants had asked Mr. Jones to turn off his cell phone and he responded with, “Kiss my —.” When asked again, he stated, “Kiss my —. Not happening,” the report said. He remained on the phone for about 20 minutes. The pilot radioed the incident to the Love Field tower and Dallas police were notified. Officers met Mr. Jones at the gate and he continued to “exhibit disorderly conduct,” police said.

War Protesters

For the longest time, I’ve refrained from posting anything political on my blogs, aside from my rant on the Westboro Baptist Church. Now I guess I just can’t help it.

Earlier this evening, I was eating dinner and watching the news. A story came up regarding this group of war protesters who got in trouble because they protested at an Easter mass at the Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. There was this question of whether or not the protesters should face jail time for what they did. While I can’t say they should or shouldn’t, since I don’t know all the details regarding their felony charges or potential misdemeanor charges, I can say that I am 100% for them getting some sort of punishment. But you might say, “Hey, you’re allowed to protest; it’s a right given to us by the Constitution.” Yes, you’d be correct.

Here’s my feelings on war protesters, as I have come to experience them, considering I live near, and go to school in, the most liberal city in the country. The saying goes, “You’re rights end where my rights begin.” I totally agree with that. See, the kids that were protesting in Chicago chose a church, which is a place of worship. I am a believer in a separation of Church and State, and I dissaprove of a church being used for political purposes during services. These bunch of kids start interrupting the Easter Mass, squirt fake blood all over themselves (as well getting some of the church goers) and make a whole bunch of fuss. Then they start complaining when they are escorted out of the building and the police are called.

I don’t go to church to hear someone spew political ideology at me, regardless of whether it’s coming from a priest or a member of the congregation or an outsider that barges in. I know, the Catholic Church does have its hand in politics, such as the pro-life movement and being against war in general, but the priests and the laypeople that run the churches I’ve attended are smart enough to not make a political statement during mass. I consider myself pro-life, but I would be extremely agitated if the priest used an entire sermon to go on and on about how abortion is evil, should be abolished, etc. That’s not why I go to church (almost) every Sunday.

And while I’m on the subject of war protesters, I guess I’ll bring up the recent events that happened in Berkeley. Speaking specifically about Code Pink and the other protesters that were there and not about war protesters in general, I just want to say, “FUCK YOU, ASSHOLES.” The Associated Press ran a story (which I can’t seem to find) about the protests and they had a quote from one of the protesters. It basically said something to the effect of “We aren’t protesting the Marines, we are just against what they were recruited to do.” Call me a fucking idealist, but I was under the assumption that the Marines, along with every other branch of our military, were recruited to defend our freedoms. I know, that’s a pretty broad thing to say, defending our freedoms. But it’s true. They’ve been doing it since before a bunch of guys in Philly signed a piece of paper called the Declaration of Independence.

Anyway, when the protests in Berkeley were in full swing, every single local news station in the Bay Area was reporting on them. I remember one interview with a shop owner that has a business in the same area as the Marine recruiting office. He basically wasn’t happy about the protests (and eventual counter-protests), not because of political reasons, but because the protests were held practically in front of his store and disrupted his business. I completely agree with him.

You have the right to protest. If you feel strongly about anything, like the war in Iraq, go ahead and say something. You are given a right (paid for by our men and women in uniform), as a citizen of this country, to speak out against anything that you consider wrong or unjust. I just ask that you be knowledgeable about it and don’t just take your cues from some pundit on CNN or Fox or any other news outlet; that you do it in a peaceful and respectul manner that does not in any way disrupt anyone else (that includes blocking the fucking street and disrupting the traffic in San Francisco, assholes. It’s called a sidewalk, use it. This goes for those PETA assholes that march around Norfolk, sometimes blocking traffic because the fucking circus is in town); and that you are prepared to deal with any consequences, good or bad. Don’t talk shit like you know something and then act all hurt because someone gets upset with you.

Anyway, about Code Pink, the other Berkeley protesters, and the rest of the Berkeley City Council that wrote the letter to the Marines. I find it to be very disgraceful. I think the phrase “military predators” was used, and shit like that just infuriates me. Also, on the link above, the picture on the website features some protester with a sign that reads: Join the Marines. Travel to exotic lands. Meet exciting and unusual people AND KILL THEM. To me, that’s just as bad as those crazy people from the Westboro Baptist Church praying for IEDs to blow up our soldiers. People that say shit like this, I believe, don’t deserve to be protected by our military. You have a right to say it, but considering the language that the protesters used, and the choice of words in the letter written by the Berkeley City Council to the Marine recruiting office, I don’t believe there’s any way to defend that kind of ideology.

This also says something about the Marines, as well. Even though these people are verbally spitting on them, they will, at a moment’s notice, defend the protesters and their right to free speech, even though that same right is used to make libelous and slanderous comments about the Corps itself. The Marines are “Always Faithful”, which is always true.

I am glad that the Marines refused to pack up. I am proud of what they do (which, contrary to what some have said, isn’t killing people) and what they and the rest of the U.S. military stand for. My being here and attaining citizenship is a product of the military and I’m thankful each day. I have friends and relatives that have served, and are serving, in the military (including one of my cousins that I live with, who is a Marine) and language used by the protesters in Berkeley and the city council offends me on a personal level.

Semper Fi, you hippie motherfuckers.

(images from CNN.com, ChicagoTribune.com, myownside.com)

Californicated…wait that sounds dirty

Having lived in California for a little more than half a year, I’ve noticed a change in my speech pattern.  Back in VA, I never used to swear unless I get mad at the traffic or I’m playing a video game.  Also, my use of the word ‘Due’ was kept to a bare minimum, usually to describe a person I didn’t know (“This dude was in the bank today…”)

Just the other day, I noticed that I swear a little more than I used to, generally for descriptions of events or actions, and often with ’Dude’ in the beginning (“Dude, that’s fucked up”, or “That was some crazy ass bullshit, dude”).

The worst offender, though, is in the phrase ’Hella’. For example, I was describing to my cousin the line I saw in front of Best Buy when I picked up Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and I said, “There was hella people there, dude!” I can also be heard complaining about school, saying, “This class is hella stupid.”Apparently, people who really are from California will occasionally use the term ’Hecka’ in place of ’Hella’. So far, I haven’t used that term, only because it doesn’t “roll off the tongue” like ’Hella’ does. But time will tell.

Anyway, I’d better get my ass back to the East Coast, where people spoke normally. I haven’t heard Y’all used in months.