Movie Monday

Parents often ask me, "What movies out there are ok for my kids to watch?" However, recommending movies is hard, because everyone has unique standards and guidelines for their own families, and every family has children of different ages.

So, instead of just reviewing and recommending films, I've also tried to provide the Movie Rating, and links for a Content Review article, Movie Trailer, and the Movie Website when I could find the information. You can find the list of films here on my blog at the "Family Favorite Feature Films" page under the "Movie Resources" tab.

Starting next week I'll be posting about one of the films every Monday! Some are "Christian films," and some aren't, some are new releases, some are old. If anyone has a film they have a question about, think should be added to the list, or would like to see a review about in general, please leave me a comment or send me a note via the contact page.

If you know of someone that would find this information to be helpful, you can use the links directly below to share this blog post via Twitter, Facebook, Email...etc.

Be sure to come back next Monday and let the Movie Mondays begin!!

Why Won't the Director Trust Me?

A Message to Editors

Written by Rob Ashe

"Why it's really hard for low budget directors to trust you"

“I think editors know so much about how to tell a story with pictures, … It’s such an important facet of becoming a film director to know how footage can be controlled and manipulated.”
Martin Scorsese

People starting out in the post production business as editors usually have the same complaint. They wonder why they are not being “trusted” with the material. They seem themselves as the person who will make the piece great. The running back who will run the football pass the goal line. Here is the problem with that mind-set.

Directing is REALLY hard.

Imagine if you spent the last ten years writing a script for a short film. You toiled over all the small details, the story, the characters arc. You raised money by maxing out credit cards. You borrowed from your parents and other distant and cold, mean relatives. You wrangled together a cast that may or may not have that one actor who is doing you a favor that could possibly land the film in a position to be seen. You find a way to make the props happen. You find a way to get your characters costumes which probably came from a thrift store. You shoot the thing at all hours of the night with a crew that probably doesn’t share your passion for the project because it’s your baby, it’s your life’s blood. It’s your chance and being somebody.

Now imagine that you have to hand over all your footage to someone sitting on a computer and they are the ones who get to decide whether or not your film is going to be any good?

Have a little empathy. Earn their trust by ensuring them that you are on their side. This is accomplished by always helping them get to where they need their piece to be.

I promise to only bold four more words.

The bottom line my young editing learner (huh?) is that you have to realize that it is not your piece. Your position on the project exists because either the director needs to execute their vision or they need you to interpret what was shot in a way that gets them to their destination. This is your job. If you want to direct. Go direct.

But make sure you hire an editor. I hear they are good at helping make your piece better. My bolding is complete.
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Article Source
Article by Rob Ashe



Should I Use an Editor?

A Message to Directors

Written by Peter John Ross

Should you edit your own movie? This is a question I think needs to be asked more often. Some of the great directors never edit their own films and others do. Kevin Smith and Robert Rodriguez famously edit their own material, as does James Cameron, but he usually is on a team of editors with him. Steven Spielberg never edits his own films and relies on Michael Kahn as he has for 35 years with only 2 exceptions in his feature film career. Why would you want to work with an editor?

I cite as an example a single scene from Star Wars A New Hope from 1977. The scene where Luke and the droids are sitting with Ben Kenobi in his house. In the script and in the shoot, the scene started with R2D2 showing off the hologram of Princess Leia saying “Help Me Obi Wan Kenobi” and then they talk about the Clone Wars. Do you remember this scene? During post production, editor Paul Hirsch looked at this and told George “I don’t think this is right. You have the princess begging for help and saying her ship was under attack, and THEN you have Ben and Luke talking casually about his father and going on about historical things. I think we need to reverse this because once you see this hologram, they need to be in a hurry and get on with the story…” and George agreed.

As a writer/director, sometimes you are so close to the material you lose sight of how the audience will view it. Simple mistakes like this might slip past the goalie if you are creating in a vacuum. Paul Hirsch won an Oscar ™ for Star Wars by the way…Editing is the process of possibly fixing mistakes and re-motivating characters. It’s a 3rd chance, after the script (1st) and the shoot (2nd).

They call editing the Final Re-Write for a reason.
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Article Source
Article by Peter John Ross

Experience Studios Film Contest!

Contest Announcement: Click Here
Contest Rules: Click Here

Navigating History: Egypt

Western Conservatory is pleased to announce the Navigating History Project, a video series designed to teach history, geography, and current affairs to a young Christian audience. In order to maximize the teaching power of the series, the video episodes will be streamed live as they are produced to viewers who will have the ability to interact with the filmmakers as they travel to remote locations around the world. This “hands on” approach to the subject matter will provide viewers with as much of the unfiltered perspective of global travel as possible from the comfort of their own homes.

To accomplish this, small teams of young filmmakers will travel to those countries that are the best examples of cultural and historic influence to create short video episodes on a tight deadline. Unlike television shows where hosts are shot and edited by invisible camera teams, every aspect of production and travel will be visible to those watching from home, as every member of the team serves both on-camera and as production staff.

This first season of Navigating History will begin broadcasting from Egypt on the 1st of December, 2010. Egypt is an ideal location for the first season, since it has such a rich history and pivotal position in Middle Eastern politics. The wide array of topics that Egypt presents and the stunning visual backdrop that it provides makes it a perfect starting point, and it is likely that no other destination best encapsulates the vision for the project as a whole. More about the Egypt expedition.

Navigating History: EGYPT - WEBSITE

RED Scarlet

This is the very first public footage of a working Red Scarlet Fixed Lens camera.

Rust - Movie Review

A former pastor who walked away from his calling returns to his small hometown to discover that a mysterious fire tragically struck a local family. When he learns that his childhood friend is implicated in starting the fire, he sets out on a mission to find the truth….and in the process, rediscovers his faith.

A unique story of friendship and calling, Rust is a mystery that will leave you seeking the power of grace, the beauty in sacrifice, and the hope of faith renewed. Rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for thematic material, some disturbing images, smoking and mild language.

RUST may well be Corbin Bernsen's most personal project to date. Funded by and set in the real-life Canadian town of Kipling, Saskatchewan (and featuring local citizens in prominent roles), RUST was inspired by the spiritual journey that Corbin has been traveling since his father's death in 2008.

Watch the MOVIE TRAILER

MY REVIEW: I was pleasantly surprised by this film and it's strong message of finding hope and peace only in Christ. While I don't agree with every viewpoint given in the film, I was very impressed by Bernsens overall message. As I watched the opening credits, I realized that the actor (Corbin Bernsen) seen on the front cover not only acted in this film, but was also the Writer/Director. When a "Hollywood Actor" puts time and effort into making their own film that espouses a Christian worldview...it says a lot about what they really believe is important.

The mystery in the story is done quite well and will have you guessing through to the end! The acting is so-so mainly due to the fact that most of the cast is comprised of local members of the small town community where the movie was filmed, so it's no surprise that Mr. Bernsen stands out from the rest. This movie is definitely worth watching, and since it's available to rent for a $1 via Redbox (find it here) there really isn't any reason to pass this one up!

Visit the MOVIE WEBSITE

I received this DVD free from Provident Films as part of their marketing program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Free "not a fan." Episode Now Online

fan: an enthusiastic admirer.

Are there moments in your life where you feel like you are just blending in?
Are you just part of the audience?

Are there times when you wish you could really engage in your life?
Maybe you want to really take a stand for something.

Maybe what you really need is to be a follower and not a fan.

Maybe it’s time to do something.

Show the world that you are a follower and not a fan. In the Gospels Jesus never seemed too interested in fans.  He was looking for followers. Not just any follower though…

completely. committed. follower.

Not a Fan is a six week small group discipleship study comprised of six 30min lessons of cinematic story telling.

You can watch the 5th episode for free HERE.

Learning the Basics - Pt. 3

Several years ago Digital Juice produced several training series for the web called DJTV. It covered topics ranging from Audio, Tech Info, and Filmmaking Basics. One of the shows I enjoyed the most was "Cutting Class" by Chris Gates.

Cutting Class

More often than not, the edits in your sequences need to seamlessly flow, and not distract from the big picture. In this episode, Chris "Ace" Gates, looks at the decision making process and covers some basic training for camouflaging your cuts.

Topics range from Color Correction, Scene Transitions, ADR, Blending Modes,Tips for Text, Green Screen, and more! Chris "Ace" Gates shares some simple but effective editing tips and techniques for utilizing mattes and masks to build multi-layered composites.

Here is a link to watch all the Cutting Class videos, be sure to start with the first video on page 1, for some reason it has all the episodes listed with the last one first.

WATCH CUTTING CLASS