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Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Jason Reitman | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Trust your script. It's easy to fall in love with something that's "set funny." Trust the document that made you want to make the film, even if you wrote it yourself. (No comments yet)

Second Chances

Writer-director Laurie Collyer explores her past in Sherrybaby

by Jason Guerrasio | Published Feb. 3, 2007

After coping with the loss of childhood friends from overdoses and prison, writer-director Laurie Collyer let out her aggression the only way she knew how-through movies. Gaining recognition for her gritty documentary Nuyorican Dream in 1999, Collyer quickly began work on her first screenplay, Sherrybaby, to explore the deep-seeded issues of her past. (No comments yet)

In True Indie Fashion

Editor-turned-director Curtiss Clayton strikes out on his own with Daniel "Lemony Snicket" Handler's script, Rick

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

You'd think that after 20 years in the business, making movies would only get easier. But as editor-turned-director Curtiss Clayton discovered with his directorial debut, the dark dramedy Rick, all the experience in the world cannot protect you from The Laws of Indie Moviemaking. (No comments yet)

Make Them Laugh-Then Make Them Think

Director Jason Reitman says Thank You For Smoking

by Lily Percy | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Since its premiere at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, Jason Reitman’s Thank You For Smoking has been acquiring the kind of overwhelming buzz that is often associated with great moviemaking success stories. MM recently spoke with Reitman about perseverance, his father Ivan’s good name and the harsh reality check that is IMDB. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned As A Moviemaker

by Amy Duddleston | Published Feb. 3, 2007

If you're lucky to be cutting the film while they're still shooting, and you feel like you're missing a shot that would help you to make a scene or transition better, go and ask the director for it. Nine times out of 10, they'll be glad you did. Cutaways and establishing shots are usually the first things to get scratched off of the day's shot list as time grinds down, but if you really feel you need something, go for it. (No comments yet)

Screening Movies with a Message

The Oxford International Festival of Films distinguishes itself from the pack

by Lily Percy | Published Feb. 3, 2007

In a world where new film festivals sprout up faster than bad Michael Bay films, the Oxford International Festival of Films is distinguishing itself with one simple but distinct approach: Films with a message. As the city of dreaming spires gears up for this year's event, MM spoke with OIFF's festival director Patricia Terrell about why one need look no further than Oxford, England to find the very best in cinema. (No comments yet)

Stuck in the Middle

Amy Duddleston balances the demands of the editing room

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Duddleston has collaborated with some of the independent world's most well-known names, including Gus Van Sant and Lisa Cholodenko. Here, Duddleston speaks with MM about the misconceptions of the profession, how to play the industry game and how it all started with Revenge of the Nerds. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Chris Tellefsen | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Don't over cut. If a project goes on too long in post it gets a smell on it that won't go away. (No comments yet)

Everything is Unlaminated

Editor Chris Tellefsen likes to keep it spontaneous

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

From rap music to survivalists, bullet-proof clothing to porn conventions, you name it and moviemaker Chris Tellefsen has probably edited it. Fresh off the success of Capote, and finishing up James Foley’s Perfect Stranger, MM talked to Tellefsen about his place in the independent film movement and why less is always more. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Russell Gewirtz | Published Feb. 3, 2007

People make it to the top of this business because they refuse to compromise or settle for less than the best finished product. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned As A Moviemaker

by Jim Taylor | Published Feb. 3, 2007

The biggest thing is persistence and really sticking to it. It seems to take anybody I know 10 years to really get started. (No comments yet)

Brains, Balls and Luck

Russell Gewirtz hits the big time with Inside Man

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

At first blush you may think that screenwriter Russell Gewirtz is the luckiest man alive… and you might be right! Originally written as a spec script, Inside Man is now one of the year’s biggest hits, thanks to taut direction by Spike Lee and an all-star cast that includes Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen. MM caught up with the screenwriting world’s most promising newcomer to discuss what makes a classic crime-drama and why it pays to live a little first. (No comments yet)

Everyday Heroes

Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne team up again for Sideways

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Beginning with 1996's Citizen Ruth, Taylor and Payne have penned some of the most critically acclaimed scripts of the last 10 years, including Sideways, (a film that has already swept every critical and industry award list and is a surefire Oscar contender), Election and About Schmidt. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by David Jacobson | Published Feb. 3, 2007

I found that when you think you're done editing you can always cut out another 20 minutes (as long as your film is not 90 minutes when you first get that feeling). (No comments yet)

Full Sails Ahead

Orlando's Full Sail looks toward the future

by Michelle Devereaux | Published Feb. 3, 2007

It's got the term "Real World Education" in its name for a reason: Full Sail is all about training aspiring moviemakers to get out there and work once they've graduated. Here David Franko, Full Sail's program director for film, gets to the heart of the school's mission. (3 comments)

Auteur Seeks Complex Character

Writer-Director David Jacobson tackles complex characters in Down in the Valley

by Lily Percy | Published Feb. 3, 2007

First gaining attention with 2002’s Dahmer, a brilliant character study depicting the life of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, writer-director David Jacobson secured his position as a new and important voice in independent cinema with three Independent Spirit Award nominations. Now, with Down in the Valley, Jacobson is crossing character lines once again. Jacobson spoke with MM about working why test screenings do more harm than good and the joy that lies in writing characters that cannot be easily pinned down. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Andy Garcia | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Budgets have never scared me as an actor or as a director or as a producer. I've worked on movies that cost $3 million and I've worked on movies with larger budgets. It's just the question about whether one feels the emotional connection to the material and the need to tell that story. I think a lot of movies have very large budgets because they're mismanaged and have indulgent qualities that don't need to happen. Lower budget doesn't mean lower quality. Look at the movies that were celebrated at the Oscars. (No comments yet)

For Love or Country

After 16 years, Andy Garcia brings The Lost City to life

by Jason Guerrasio | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Though he’s considered one of the most talented actors of his generation, bringing The Lost City to life was no easy task for Andy Garcia. A project 16 years in the making, the quadruple threat producer-director-actor-composer took time out from working on the film’s soundtrack to speak with MM about bringing his passion project to the screen and directing his first feature. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Brent Roske | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Making movies and television is impossible, and if you do finish a project it will probably be terrible. (No comments yet)

Chasing Emmy

Director Brent Roske takes on TV-online

by Lily Percy | Published Feb. 3, 2007

What do you get when you take Angelina Jolie's body double, sexy female detectives, a who-dunnit murder mystery and combine them to form a Web-based episodic series? Evidently, an Emmy-nominated online show. Breaking new ground and boldly going where few NBC employees have gone before, director Brent Roske tells MM why shooting with an online format (and audience) in mind is surprisingly liberating. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Dana Glauberman | Published Feb. 3, 2007

If you're not too tired, it can clear your mind and get some frustrations out. You also won't feel so bad about sitting in front of a computer screen all day long! (No comments yet)

Reflections of a Puzzlemaker

Editor Dana Glauberman believes in the power of images

by Lily Percy | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Making movies aside, the most important job of any film school student is to forge strong relationships in the business, so that once they’re out in the “real world,” finding a place in the industry won’t be such a daunting task. At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, 50 film school students were lucky enough to get a little networking help from one of the biggest names in the moviemaking software business when Adobe paired them up with some of the biggest names in the world of editing—for a week-long celebration of all things editing. (1 comment)

Parlez Vous Adobe?

Adobe offers film students an all-access pass at Cannes

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Making movies aside, the most important job of any film school student is to forge strong relationships in the business, so that once they're out in the "real world," finding a place in the industry won't be such a daunting task. At this year's Cannes Film Festival, 50 film school students were lucky enough to get a little networking help from one of the biggest names in the moviemaking software business when Adobe paired them up with some of the biggest names in the world of editing-for a week-long celebration of all things editing. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Phedon Papamichael | Published Feb. 3, 2007

I don't think of myself as a cinematographer or director. I think of myself as a filmmaker. When you're working on a studio picture, you are an element of this big machine with a function that is much more defined. There are places in Europe where cinematographers are considered the country's greatest filmmakers, more so than directors. They are considered the true artists. But usually it's a collaborative effort. I feel like I have a job as the cinematographer, but I'll still direct if it's a film I'm interested in. (No comments yet)

A Tale of Two Johns

John Cassavetes and Johnny Cash have helped cement DP Phedon Papamichael's place in Hollywood

by Bob Fisher | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Athens-born cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, ASC made his first trip to the United States at the age of four when his father was the art director on John Cassavetes’ Faces. And it was Cassavetes who encouraged him to move to New York 15 years later “to shoot his next picture,” after seeing some of his still photography. Though still in the dawn of his career, Papamichael has already compiled an impressive and eclectic list of narrative credits including Phenomenon, The Million Dollar Hotel, Sideways, The Weather Man, Walk the Line and the upcoming The Pursuit of Happyness. (6 comments)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Jason Smilovic | Published Feb. 3, 2007

One day, when there's real interactivity, it will be just like life, with stories generating themselves. People will be getting online, and some guy will decide to shoot some other guy. Suddenly, a thriller exists. (No comments yet)

Slevinth Heaven

Screenwriter Jason Smilovic on Lucky Number Slevin

by KJ Doughton | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Here's the set-up: You're the son of a New York video store owner, proclaiming to your mom, "I'm gonna make it as a screenwriter." Using her unconditional support as fuel, you fire up the ol' laptop and churn out more words per minute than Mavis Beacon can track. Suddenly, multiple production teams jump on board. Paul McGuigan, director of the cult hit Gangster No. 1, joins the team. To seal this sweet deal, Sir Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis sign on. Things become exciting. This is the life of screenwriter Jason Smilovic. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Donal Logue | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Gone with the Wind in the morning and The Dukes of Hazzard just before wrap. You can't take way too much time with stuff-you have to pick and choose what your vital scenes are to get done because you have a finite time to get them done in (unless you're Stanley Kubrick). (No comments yet)

The Dark Side of the Circus Performer

Donal Logue goes from comedic supporting actor to dramatic scene-stealer in The Groomsmen

by Lily Percy | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Donal Logue has one of those faces-the kind that you'll spot in a movie or on TV and immediately think, "Hey, that guy looks familiar." There's a reason for that. With more than 60 film and TV roles to his credit, including this month's The Groomsmen, Logue is proving that he is a leading man's worst nightmare-a rare character actor who, even in the smallest of parts and armed only with wit and charm, can upstage the star. (1 comment)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Chen Kaige | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Soundstages are more reliable than Mother Nature. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Alan Oxman | Published Feb. 3, 2007

When you're in the editing room at want to scream at the DP, sound guy, boom operator, AD, script supervisor… etc., try to have sympathy for them. People on set aren't making mistakes expressly for the purpose of making your life difficult. It's hard to know what they were going through that day, but it's more than likely that they were under intense pressure and time constraints-all while having been sleep-deprived, hungry and cold. This leads to piece of advice #2. (No comments yet)

Dirty Pretty Things

Award-winning editor-and founder of The Edit Center-Alan Oxman encourages students to get their hands dirty

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

It’s one thing to sit at a computer and learn how to edit a film; it’s an entirely different thing to do it at The Edit Center. Founded by two-time Emmy Award-winning editor Alan Oxman, whose credits include Douglas Keeve’s Unzipped, Todd Solondz’s Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness and Storytelling and Michael Ian Black’s The Pleasure of Your Company, The Edit Center does away with stuffy lectures and instead puts its students in the driver’s seat on real indie films. (No comments yet)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Matthew Waynee | Published Feb. 3, 2007

Build your foundation with the basics: Read folk stories, fairy tales, ancient plays, Shakespeare and mythology (and not just Greek and Roman-explore Chinese, African and Native American myths as well). Each offers a unique perspective on the world and the human condition and could be the foundation for your next big idea. (No comments yet)

Novel Scribe

Screenwriter Matthew Waynee explores the Unknown

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published Feb. 3, 2007

What would you do if you woke up chained inside a dungeon and couldn't remember anything about how you got there or what you had done? You could be a good guy or a bad guy, a hero or a traitor. In that moment of unknown terror, what would you do? These are the questions that screenwriter Matthew Waynee explores in his new film, Unknown. (1 comment)

Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

by Frank Coraci | Published Feb. 3, 2007

If you can shed your ego and get other people to help you, you all benefit more in the end. I think that could be applied to anything in life. But the good thing as the director is that you get so much of the credit in the end anyway. (No comments yet)

Page 13 of 16 pages « First < 11 12 13 14 15 > Last »

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Video Views Pick: Wanted

The editors of VIDEO VIEWS magazine pick Wanted, based on the Mark Millar graphic novel, as the best new DVD this week. Featuring eight bonus featurettes and a cast that includes James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman, home video watchers can't go wrong.

Posted 12.3.08 | Video Views Pick | 1 comment