Monday, February 28, 2005

Be Cool...

...or go home.

Thank you for the names. A certain sister of mine doesn't think ghosts in movies have "normal" names. So, just to set the record straight...1) Gothika: Rachel Parsons. 2) Ghost: Sam Wheat. 3) Ghost Ship: Katie Hargrove. There, normal enough? Oh, right...the ghost thing...okay now that I'm pretty much definitely gonna use this story, I suppose I can tell you all what it's about- this guy and girl are all in love and crap, and she dies. He spends a lot of time and energy keeping her in his life even though she's gone, and in a high emotional point he ends up at her grave and she kinda comes to him in a vision, or as a ghost, or however you want to interpret it. Music swells, camera pulls back, cut to resolution.

Some of the suggested names are names I've used for characters in other works I've done, such as China Attacks or the William Steel series, and I don't think I want to repeat names yet. But thanks for the ideas, they really helped me get thinking; I'm gonna start out with Joseph Leroy Calvin and Maria Sadie Lawrence. Joe and Maria. They're really very meaningful, if only to me. It's like my adopted Grandfather used to say...Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Enough.

I accomplished something this past February that I haven't done in quite some time. I averaged one movie a day! Horray! I slipped in Chariots of Fire today, along with The Lady Eve for my American Film class. My professor is taking us to a local theatre for a tour and a movie, Be Cool, so I have to watch Get Shorty again this week before Friday. I expect that on the tour we'll learn all about how a projector works...oh joy. Maybe I should lead it. Well, time to go work on my character backstories. Keep it, yo.

Best in Show...

...goes to:

Allow me to begin by saying that it's currrently snowing for the 77th time since I got here...and what a coincidence, because the 77th Annual Academy Awards were just on!

Congratulations to Jamie, Clint, Morgan, Hilary, Brad, and Cate. No congrats for me, as I only got 7 right this year. Some of which I guessed blindly because I hadn't even seen them. And sorry to my Baby- I'm not too big on shout-outs on here, but Natalie- your day will come. I'll be there with you someday. Good job presenting, though. I'd also like to thank Chris Rock for not being vulgar, but easy on the political bashings. Aviator "sweeps" with 5/10 wins. Sorry, Scorscese, perhaps another five nominations or so and you'll bring one home. Best dressed goes to Kate Winslet for her...dress. It was pretty. See? http://www.oscar.com/oscarnight/redcarpet/34540.html. Beyoncé takes runner up, and let's not forget my Baby: www.oscar.com/oscarnight/redcarpet/34509.html. Next year, let's please try to get through a show without Julia Roberts. Very funny sneaking her in at the end there.

All else is going swimmingly, please give me names for my characters. Something normal, please, Ellynne. Man and woman, 30-ish let's say. They're deeply in love, she dies. Be creative. Peace out. Keep it, yo.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Better Luck Tomorrow...

...on taking today's trip.

Recent events have led me to find that I have the opportunity to see two more Oscar noms. before the awards. Motorcycle Diaries is on DVD, and Being Julia is playing somewhere across state. So I'll be off to Flint tomorrow (that would be Michael Moore's hometown) to see that. I was going to go tonight, but apparently there is more than one "Flint," and the one I thought it was in is closer to Lansing. The one I have to go to is much beyond that. But anyway, I'll get to see them both, which is good, cuz between the two there's like five nominations. So yeah.

Things are pretty quiet around here, just doin' homework and crap. I saw Donnie Darko finally (director's cut), and enjoyed it very much. I think I need to read up on some of the symbolism, as I don't think I understood some of, but I liked the movie as a whole. I wanted to watch it with the director's commentary that includes Kevin Smith, but didn't have a chance to...perhaps someday.

I'm still learning lotsa crap, so at least there will be a few sporadic scenes in WS3 that are better than the rest. Oh and I need two names for characters in my screenplay- a guy and a girl. Someone give me good names. It almost feels wrong to be writing something new, as I've spent so much time with WS series characters in my head...I feel like Bandit should be after them or something. Keep it, yo.

Monday, February 21, 2005

Short Cuts...

...are still valid.

This is just an update to let the China Attacks readers know I posted chapter 3...it's short, but it was just sitting there, so I figured I'd get it posted. Not tryin' to cheat ya, just lotsa stuff to work on these days, so I don't know when I'll get the next one up. Wow look, it's my record for shortest post! Keep it, yo.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Oscar...

...is on his way!

The time has come for me to post my hopes and expectations for the 77th Annual Academy Awards. Choices were difficult this year, as there seems to be no clear frontrunner or award sweeper (for details, see 2002's Chicago and 2003's Return of the King). So without further ado...

X= What I hope will win.
O= What I expect will win.

BEST ACTOR:
X= Jamie Foxx-Ray
O= Jamie Foxx-Ray

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
X= Jamie Foxx-Collateral
O= Clive Owen-Closer

BEST ACTRESS:
X= Hilary Swank-Million Dollar Baby
O= Imelda Staunton-Vera Drake

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
X= Natalie Portman-Closer
O= Sophie Okonedo-Hotel Rwanda

ANIMATED FEATURE:
X= The Incredibles
O= The Incredibles

ART DIRECTION:
X= The Phantom of the Opera
O= The Phantom of the Opera

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
X= The Passion of the Christ
O= The Phantom of the Opera

COSTUME DESIGN:
X= Troy
O= Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

DIRECTING:
X= The Aviator
O= Ray

DOCUMENTARY:
X= Super Size Me
O= Born into Brothels

EDITING:
X= Finding Neverland
O= Ray

FOREIGN:
X= The Sea Inside
O= The Sea Inside

MAKEUP:
X= The Passion of the Christ
O= The Passion of the Christ

ORIGINAL SCORE:
X= The Passion of the Christ
O= Finding Neverland

ORIGINAL SONG:
X= "Learn To Be Lonely" - Phantom of the Opera
O= "Learn To Be Lonely" - Phantom of the Opera

BEST PICTURE:
X= Finding Neverland
O= Ray

SOUND EDITING:
X= The Polar Express
O= The Incredibles

SOUND MIXING:
X= Spider-Man 2
O= Ray

VISUAL EFFECTS:
X= Spider-Man 2
O= Spider-Man 2

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
X= Finding Neverland
O= Million Dollar Baby

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
X= Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
O= The Aviator

Not included here are the nominations for any of the shorts, as I haven't seen any of them. My only blind guess on here is for Best Foreign Film, but I've heard buzz about The Sea Inside, so I'm goin' with that one. How many did I get right? We'll see on Feb. 27th. Keep it, yo.

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Life is Beautiful...

...to an optimist.

So check out this totally new and improved Bugs Bunny...http://www.nypost.com/commentary/22021.htm...oh wait, did I say improved? I meant CRAP FOR CRAP!

So I've decided that this whole CVN thing isn't for me. Aside from the fact that I went to help set up for Airband 3 1/2 hours before Airband happened, then was officially assigned to sit and "watch the CVN stuff," I'm really more into film, not video. Sooo yeah, I don't think I'm gonna go to CVN anymore. We'll see.

A few of the people from Innovators want me to make them a good video from the footage we took that day. I really wish my computer played sound. I can get footage sound to play from Adobe, but it only plays through my camera. So it's very quiet. Gr.

We're working on composition in shots for Video Production II. I have to get a few people and shoot some footage that looks nice. I found this one set of double doors with thin windows that have like screening in the glass, so I thought I might take p.o.v. shots through the windows...?

And since I can hear sound through my camera, I suppose I really can start editing WS3. Which means I have to get a hard drive. I found a 160 Gig external for like $125, so I might do that. After watching WS 1 and 2 again and explaining some of it to Joe, it kind of renewed my desire to work on it. I wonder if I can do any filming over spring break. Enough for now. Keep it, yo.

Friday, February 18, 2005

As Good as it Gets...

...it could always be better.

I really don't have much to say today, I'm just trying to keep connected with all y'all. So the M3 guy and his gf watched WS 1 and 2 with me tonight...they seemed substantially impressed, mostly I think with the amount of work that went into it vs. its quality. I'm kinda glad I haven't seen them for a while, it kinda makes for a sense of "newness" when I watch them after a long time. Anywho...

Airband is tomorrow night, so I'll be running cords and running errands and running whatever else. That should be fun, at least I get a T-shirt and free admission out of it.

So we watched a 1929 German film in World Cinema the other day. I was kind of surprised, I think it was made with the same kind of sincerity as films nowadays. I guess I just expected worse. I don't think it made much of a statement, so much as told a sad story, but alas.

I have one more movie to watch before the Oscars, so I'm in good shape for that- granted Blockbuster hurries the crap up and gets some copies of Ray in (they only have like 42 copies...Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? I bet Hollywood guaranteed it.

Ellynne says they show all the Oscar-nominated shorts and documentaries out there in NY. I'm so frickin' jealous. I'd be all up ons if I were out there.

Oh yeah, I was gonna post my first big paper. We had to review a 2004 mainstream film for my American Film class, and I was impressed with how much more I got out of it after researching a bit and really picking it apart. I don't feel like going back to my room to get my disk, so I'll try to post that eventually. Just so all y'all can see what I'm up to out here.

Well, I've gotta finish some crap. Keep it, yo.

Saturday, February 12, 2005

EDTV...

...without the "ED."

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night Maxxketeers! I'm "currently" filming Innovators, so if this is short it means I had to go fast. The topic is basically "We're gonna build some new buildings...give us ideas!" So the 10 students we're following around are talking all about that...it takes a lot not to be like, "Why don't you ______?" Anyway, it's a different experience to film reality stuff. I always want to say, "Can you two sit closer," or "I need better lighting for this shot." Anyway, it's interesting.

I couldn't get to sleep last night- it went kind of like, Try to sleep/eat something/try to sleep/do push-ups/try to sleep/play Xbox Live/try to sleep. So I got about four hours of sleep. But so far so good, I just know I'm gonna be tired tomorrow.

I ran my screenplay idea past a few people, they say it's a pretty powerful idea, so I just have to work out the details so it actually works. Now I need to figure out a five-minute short for Video Production II. Seriously, this place is gonna run me clean out of ideas.

I have two more movies to watch- Maria Full of Grace and Ray- after which I'll post my preferences/guesses for the Oscars. Few more days. Keep it, yo.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Out of Time...

...for anything but movies!

Let's see, where were we? Oh yeah. So I got in touch with the M3 Productions guy, and I helped them all record voice-overs on Sunday. Monday night, CVN meets, which is the Calvin Video Network, and they're just a big group that films stuff. I signed up to film The Innovaters this Saturday (like The Apprentice, only with college students), and Airband in a few weeks (a bunch of people in pretend bands; apparently it's a pretty big deal). Then there's this new group that just started meeting tonight, and they're focused more on acting and directing then shooting videos. And Chris (a CVN guy) asked me to help with lighting and stuff on Thursday night for a video that's going to play during Airband. Whew. So...yikes.

Cortana (my computer) is working now, thanks to Kyle, except suddenly it doesn't play sounds or music. So I still can't edit, but at least I can write papers and stuff in the comfort of my own...of our own apartment. Speaking of writing...

I got an idea for a (short) script for my screenwriting class. I was hoping to do feature-length, but this sounds like an interesting idea, so it'll probably end up 30 pages like he wants. I'm tempted to go into it, but I want to get it underway first. If it works, I'll let y'all read it. Enough for now. I have more extra credit to work on and reading to do and Halo to play. Keep it, yo.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Cold Mountain...

...no really, I'm running out of title ideas.

Greetings from Grandrapidsville. Quick note- notice my address change in case you wrote it down from the last post. In addition, I'll be moving to a brand-spankin-new apartment (I hope it doesn't include spankings...or brandings) a week from Saturday. I think my address will change again to Epsilon 24...I'll keep you posted.

I got in touch with the guy who runs this little production company around here- M3 Productions (tentative name). They're currently working on training videos for a little cash so they can make some short films to send to filmfests. I'm gonna go to a meeting of thiers on Sunday. He said their ultimate goal is something like providing Christian-based films for little or no cost to the consumer. He also said that with the way God has been blessing their journey, he knows M3 will be big. Props.

I had hoped to be getting a little editing done on WS3, but my comp's still out of order. I'm gonna take it to Best Buy on Friday. Although by the time this semester is over, I wonder if I'm even gonna want to finish it- everything I learn makes me shake my head at what I've done. I knew this was going to happen.

My movie watching is going well, though. We're even watching Casablanca in Screenwriting. I've seen Central Station, House of Flying Daggers, A Very Long Engagement, Million Dollar Baby, and half of a French documentary about garbagepicking. That last one wasn't so great. There was a highschool kid at Celebration Cinemas tonight who had rented out a theatre to show a movie he made. I watched the first minute or so before my movie started. "Kill Bill and Ted." (The second film by Jared[?] something something). Started with opening credits to a Kill Bill song and let into a black kid and a white kid driving down the street...that should sound familiar. I wanted to stick around and meet him/encourage him, but to no avail.

So that's that for now. Oh, and I need an idea for my screenplay. Give me ideas. And nothing about catching frogs against conscience.

Keep it, yo.

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

50 First Dates...

...I wish.

Greetings Maxxketeers! In honor of this, my 50th post, I come to you live from Grand Rapids, Michigan! Things are running along gleefully. I've gained a girlfriend, lost 25 lbs., and cured cancer!

Okay seriously, though. My comp. has decided not to work for the time being- something about my video card or monitor cord, I'm not quite sure. It's taken me this long to find out how to even get onto one of these computer lab computers, make a password, and gain access to the Internet. My ID swipe card has also just today (keep in mind I've been here five days) decided to let me into my apartment complex and/or gain me food-eating privelages. The "Help Desk," by the way, refused to fix any computer-related issues I was having. Great Help. Oh and I like how these people sign thier students up for classes without asking the students. So yeah, they're real together out here. Enough.

I saw Million Dollar Baby tonight, which was great fun since I haven't seen a movie in like a week. All my professors are awesome, and the classes are gonna be really cool. And the best part- I'm actually required to watch two movies a week. How sweet is that? Well, in case you were wondering, it's very sweet. Laundry is free, the food is good, and Pepsi has soda control on the campus. Most of my roommates are cool, even though I share nothing in common with them, and I'm trying to get ahold of a guy who runs a student-run film thing around campus. People say he's always looking for people. Apparently they're renovating my apartment building, one room at a time, and I think they're supposed to get the whole thing done by the end of the semester. So like half way through I might move to a much nicer room. And/or have poster-hanging space. We'll see.

I'm taking American Film, World Cinema, Screenwriting, and Video Production II. I had to beg my way into a few of those, but I figured if I didn't get all four classes I wanted, there was no point in me being here. I had half a mind to threaten to leave! Ha ha. But anyway, it's 15 credits, so I'll have plenty of movie watching to d- I mean, plenty of work to do. I'm set.

Crap, I just remembered- I missed National Hugging Day.

I think Best Buy closes at 7 out here. I went to get an Ethernet cable and their doors were locked. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

There was this one girl that I passed on campus who said Hi to me. I think I'll marry her. No, I don't know her name or how to find her. Give it time, will ya?

I'm gonna need lotsa ideas for scripts and short films, so if any of you come up with something clever, don't hesitate to send it my way. I feel a *bit* behind with not having taken Video Production I, so I need to impress them all with my ideas. Or your ideas, whichever come first. Books for all my classes were only like $200, oh plus a $75 fee for VPII. OH and get this- I'm walking down the hall in the COM building, and there's a bench piled with books about filmmaking with a note "FREE BOOKS." Yoink. Three days a week, my first class isn't until 1:30 either. T/Th 10:30. I think I'm gonna get fat though.

Bored yet?

Oh yeah, in case any of you were looking for the next chapter of China Attacks, be patient. It takes a while to write one of those, and I hate this computer lab crap. I know you're all desperate to find out how Rebecca got their boss to let John go along, but don't worry...all in good time.

Well, it's been a trip, I hope this was good enough to warrant another 50 posts. If my computer ever gets working I'll be on more often to update.

CONTACT INFO.!!!

Epsilon 34
3475
Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49549

616-526-0220. Cell not working.

Keep it, yo.