Yesterday was one year since my friend Amanda died. Hard to believe that a year has passed, and still harder to believe that she has in fact gone. Acceptance will come with time. Understanding, I am really not sure....
I felt really sad yesterday, imagining the suffering she went through, the grief of her family. I felt angry again that someone as good as her had to die so young. Only 34 years old.
I miss her so much, it really hurts. I have her photo on my fridge, and each time I see her I smile, but inside I also feel really sad. A mixed bag of emotions.
I just hope I never forget the times we spent together. My fear is that over time, I'll start to forget the moments we shared. This year I've not kept in physical contact with mutual friends we had. Possibly a defence mechanism on my part, part of the denial I have. There was 4 of us, who were close at uni - Monty lives in SF now, and Rani is still here in Sydney. In some ways, it's easier for me, that we don't see each other, even though the healthier thing is for us to stay in touch more often and support each other.
When Amanda died, this sounds so corny, but a part of me changed. This past year has really been a confusing one for me. The future is so uncertain now. Tomorrow everything could change. I can't see any point in dwelling on trivialities, and nor can I understand or accept the selfishness of others.
After suffering severe headaches, dizziness and nausea myself for the past 1.5 months, my CT scan this morning came up clear. Relieving news. The test revealed a sinus problem, which was not unexpected.
However, I still miss Amanda, and wish that things were different.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Saturday, December 03, 2005
So much to do, so little time!
All week, I've had what feels like tension headaches or perhaps it is sinus pain, that has made me feel a bit discombobulated (love that word) and out of sorts. I think much of it is related to the amount of work I have to do before my trip OS. It's all good though, but I just have so much to fit in these next few weeks that I might go a bit stir crazy....
The Bat Mitzvah video was "locked-off" on Wednesday afternoon. BIG YAY. "Locked-off" means that the edit I have done with the low-resolution images and dodgey graphics and effects I add into the program has been approved by the client, and it's on to the next stage with the "online edit" where everything I have done is re-created at high resolution with the finished effects etc. Can't believe I've spent over 3 weeks on what is essentially someone's home video. Pete at work, is the compositor finishing the project, so I will have to sort of oversee that as well. Thank god, Jon is involved as the designer, so he can supervise it as well....
Started editing a short film during the week called "Checkpoint", which is one of those government funded films. Script is really good, about racial tension and has some known actors in it including Alex Dimitriades, Kate Raison and Brett Stiller. Going to spend most of my time next week on it, so that's good. I'm a bit nervous however, as I've never worked with the director and I always get butterflies on new collaborations. The coverage for the film looks a bit sparse though, as they had some shocking wet weather days last week on the shoot, plus some of the actors arrived late which blew out the schedule.
Officially, I've got 4 jobs to complete before Christmas - a corporate video for Bluescope Steel (snore), some more Smackdonalds campains for the UK market, a funny commercial for Triple M Melbourne, and a charity job for The Buttery, a drug and alcoholic rehab centre based in Byron Bay. I'm looking forward to that one, as it's with a new director I worked with a few weeks ago, and he's come back to me. Snaps for Andy!
Also, my good mate Pete is making a short film for Tropfest, so I have to cut that before I go on holidays! Awmygawdd.....don't know how the fluck I'm gonna fit it in....but I will :) It's such a great script, and up until "Checkpoint" this week, I had not edited any drama at all this year so......
Something else fell into my lap the other day. I got a call from someone who used to work at film school, asking me if I was interested in and available to re-edit a low-budget feature film. I won't say what film it is, but it's been sitting on the shelf for quite some time after it received a significant amount of publicity while it was being shot. They had allocated 2 weeks to re-edit this film at another facility, with an insulting editing salary. I told them that I was interested however, although I wouldn't be available until next year.....Even though it turns out I was recommended by someone I trust, I'm a bit hesitant because if they are asking for a re-edit, there must be something wrong with the film. Could be a case of trying to polish a turd......But the experience could be fantastic, and if I end up re-cutting the film brilliantly, and it gets released and does reasonably well....well, who knows what it could do for my future prospects?
The Bat Mitzvah video was "locked-off" on Wednesday afternoon. BIG YAY. "Locked-off" means that the edit I have done with the low-resolution images and dodgey graphics and effects I add into the program has been approved by the client, and it's on to the next stage with the "online edit" where everything I have done is re-created at high resolution with the finished effects etc. Can't believe I've spent over 3 weeks on what is essentially someone's home video. Pete at work, is the compositor finishing the project, so I will have to sort of oversee that as well. Thank god, Jon is involved as the designer, so he can supervise it as well....
Started editing a short film during the week called "Checkpoint", which is one of those government funded films. Script is really good, about racial tension and has some known actors in it including Alex Dimitriades, Kate Raison and Brett Stiller. Going to spend most of my time next week on it, so that's good. I'm a bit nervous however, as I've never worked with the director and I always get butterflies on new collaborations. The coverage for the film looks a bit sparse though, as they had some shocking wet weather days last week on the shoot, plus some of the actors arrived late which blew out the schedule.
Officially, I've got 4 jobs to complete before Christmas - a corporate video for Bluescope Steel (snore), some more Smackdonalds campains for the UK market, a funny commercial for Triple M Melbourne, and a charity job for The Buttery, a drug and alcoholic rehab centre based in Byron Bay. I'm looking forward to that one, as it's with a new director I worked with a few weeks ago, and he's come back to me. Snaps for Andy!
Also, my good mate Pete is making a short film for Tropfest, so I have to cut that before I go on holidays! Awmygawdd.....don't know how the fluck I'm gonna fit it in....but I will :) It's such a great script, and up until "Checkpoint" this week, I had not edited any drama at all this year so......
Something else fell into my lap the other day. I got a call from someone who used to work at film school, asking me if I was interested in and available to re-edit a low-budget feature film. I won't say what film it is, but it's been sitting on the shelf for quite some time after it received a significant amount of publicity while it was being shot. They had allocated 2 weeks to re-edit this film at another facility, with an insulting editing salary. I told them that I was interested however, although I wouldn't be available until next year.....Even though it turns out I was recommended by someone I trust, I'm a bit hesitant because if they are asking for a re-edit, there must be something wrong with the film. Could be a case of trying to polish a turd......But the experience could be fantastic, and if I end up re-cutting the film brilliantly, and it gets released and does reasonably well....well, who knows what it could do for my future prospects?
Monday, November 28, 2005
Thumbsucking and Sniffing
I saw "Thumbsucker" yesterday and it's probably just as well that I knew NOTHING about it prior, because I think I would have liked it even less than I did. It's basically a "coming-of-age" type film with the lead character, 17 yr old Justin having to deal with his thumbsucking tendencies. That's not his problem though, as the major iss-ewe is that everyone else, including his family think he is wierd. He ends up being misdiagnosed with ADD, and given courses in Ritalin which miraculously and humorously transforms him into a high school debating wiz. There are several other twists and turns in this film, and I actually quite enjoyed the ending.
It's not a bad film by any means. But I felt disappointed for many reasons. One is the casting, which is pretty off-key in my opinion. It looks "impressive" - Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'onofrio, Vince Vaughn, Keanu Reeves and Benjamin Bratt, but I think the characters would have been more believable had they not cast relatively well-known actors. Tilda Swinton, as good an actress as she is, I find very hard to believe as a suburban american mom. She's too elegant! And I can't help imagining her as Orlando.....
It's a bit of a shame, because the parents are pretty interesting in this film. Usually their stories are ignored in coming-of-age type films, but I think it would have been more succesful if the director had cast unknowns.
Another thing I found really irritating, was the camera work in "Thumbsucker". Nearly every shot kinda floated across the screen, which I found really distracting and obvious. Don't know what the point was, but it really gave me the shits.
I also found the score to be really off-putting. Most of it was the Polyphonic Spree, and a bit of Eliot Smith. But I found it really grating at times.
Whilst thinking about the film this morning on the way to work, I was reminded of my own habit of sniffing when I was a wee fella. By that, I don't mean sniffing glue or chroming, but just this little habit I had for about a year of sniffing like my nose was dripping or something. Not that it was. I think I sniffed throughout the 4th grade, it would be happen every second or so! At the time I was totally unaware of this quirk, but it drove Mum insane. She would often ask if anyone I sat next to in Primary school complained about my sniffing. Of course, 8 yr old boys don't care, so my sniffing lasted for quite a while :)
At some point it stopped, but I don't even remember when or how. I wonder why it even began?
It's not a bad film by any means. But I felt disappointed for many reasons. One is the casting, which is pretty off-key in my opinion. It looks "impressive" - Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'onofrio, Vince Vaughn, Keanu Reeves and Benjamin Bratt, but I think the characters would have been more believable had they not cast relatively well-known actors. Tilda Swinton, as good an actress as she is, I find very hard to believe as a suburban american mom. She's too elegant! And I can't help imagining her as Orlando.....
It's a bit of a shame, because the parents are pretty interesting in this film. Usually their stories are ignored in coming-of-age type films, but I think it would have been more succesful if the director had cast unknowns.
Another thing I found really irritating, was the camera work in "Thumbsucker". Nearly every shot kinda floated across the screen, which I found really distracting and obvious. Don't know what the point was, but it really gave me the shits.
I also found the score to be really off-putting. Most of it was the Polyphonic Spree, and a bit of Eliot Smith. But I found it really grating at times.
Whilst thinking about the film this morning on the way to work, I was reminded of my own habit of sniffing when I was a wee fella. By that, I don't mean sniffing glue or chroming, but just this little habit I had for about a year of sniffing like my nose was dripping or something. Not that it was. I think I sniffed throughout the 4th grade, it would be happen every second or so! At the time I was totally unaware of this quirk, but it drove Mum insane. She would often ask if anyone I sat next to in Primary school complained about my sniffing. Of course, 8 yr old boys don't care, so my sniffing lasted for quite a while :)
At some point it stopped, but I don't even remember when or how. I wonder why it even began?
Saturday, November 26, 2005
I made someone cry last week
The Bat Mitzvah video is chugging along quite nicely....it's probably been 3 weeks since I started it. Yay, I am back in the land of longform drama. Sort of.
Anyway, young Jon at work is the apprentice designer working with me on this, and we've had fun collaborating on the jewish princess's home video. The dad came in on Tuesday morning to have a squizz, and while the video was playing on my computer, I snuck a peak in his direction and saw tears rolling down his face! He turned to us after it finished playing. Said that he loved it rah rah rah.......Snaps for Andy and Jon!!!!
I told Angus, the producer at work who put me on this job how the dad reacted, and he said "That's why I wanted you to edit it! I knew you could make him cry and get all emotional you big queen! You've got the emotional and romantic sensibility to create that type of video!" (NOT his EXACT words, but you catch my drift...besides, a bit rich being called a queen from dear Angus! There's actually 3 of us poofs at work - Gus, who takes the 40something senior position, yours truly covers the 30somethings - although LOVELY Sandra our new receptionist told me she thought I was 26! :) - and young Jon, who is the baby at 22. Oh there's also Grant, our IT guy who comes in now and then - he's late 30s I think, and is probably reading this entry...Hello Grant)
Anyway, not sure how I should take his comments *laugh*, particularly the romantic bit, as all of that crap seems to have been drained from my being thanks to He-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless :)
Speaking of soppy video montages, I need to get my arse into gear and begin my niece's Christmas video!
Anyway, young Jon at work is the apprentice designer working with me on this, and we've had fun collaborating on the jewish princess's home video. The dad came in on Tuesday morning to have a squizz, and while the video was playing on my computer, I snuck a peak in his direction and saw tears rolling down his face! He turned to us after it finished playing. Said that he loved it rah rah rah.......Snaps for Andy and Jon!!!!
I told Angus, the producer at work who put me on this job how the dad reacted, and he said "That's why I wanted you to edit it! I knew you could make him cry and get all emotional you big queen! You've got the emotional and romantic sensibility to create that type of video!" (NOT his EXACT words, but you catch my drift...besides, a bit rich being called a queen from dear Angus! There's actually 3 of us poofs at work - Gus, who takes the 40something senior position, yours truly covers the 30somethings - although LOVELY Sandra our new receptionist told me she thought I was 26! :) - and young Jon, who is the baby at 22. Oh there's also Grant, our IT guy who comes in now and then - he's late 30s I think, and is probably reading this entry...Hello Grant)
Anyway, not sure how I should take his comments *laugh*, particularly the romantic bit, as all of that crap seems to have been drained from my being thanks to He-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless :)
Speaking of soppy video montages, I need to get my arse into gear and begin my niece's Christmas video!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
4-Eyed Piece of Shit
That's what I was called tonight, as I left work and was walking towards my car to drive home.
At around 8.15pm I could see an old man walking in the opposite direction to me, and he was muttering to himself quite loudly. As I got closer, I heard him say something about "Fucken Kiefer Sutherland in 24...." (!) and I thought to myself, "damn - I should have crossed the road (even though my car is just metres away)". I also wondered what he was going on about, in regards to Keifer..........So anyway, as he passed me I tried to avoid eye contact but it was like watching a car crash and I could see he was already looking in my direction, and as we passed he said something like "Yearrrhhhh, you too you farkan 4-eyed poice of shit mutter mutter....". I could see he was one of the locals from the housing commission terraces around my work, quite possibly intoxicated, so I decided to ignore him.
It's the first time, I've copped abuse from a local resident since I re-joined the company I work at. About 6 years ago, I was spat at by a local from their balcony as I walked past below towards work. The sprog didn't hit me - thank god - but I knew it was aimed at me because I heard a voice say "Fuck off back to your own country". When I looked up to see who it was, they had gone back inside their terrace.
These slurs are quite rare these days (compared with what I copped at school on a daily basis), and in fact, tonight I was half-expecting the old guy to throw in a "gook" or "chink" reference, but he didn't. He just attacked my lack of perfect vision.
Anyway, as I drove past him, down the street, I opened my window and yelled out "Get fucked!!!!". He heard me too.
:)
At around 8.15pm I could see an old man walking in the opposite direction to me, and he was muttering to himself quite loudly. As I got closer, I heard him say something about "Fucken Kiefer Sutherland in 24...." (!) and I thought to myself, "damn - I should have crossed the road (even though my car is just metres away)". I also wondered what he was going on about, in regards to Keifer..........So anyway, as he passed me I tried to avoid eye contact but it was like watching a car crash and I could see he was already looking in my direction, and as we passed he said something like "Yearrrhhhh, you too you farkan 4-eyed poice of shit mutter mutter....". I could see he was one of the locals from the housing commission terraces around my work, quite possibly intoxicated, so I decided to ignore him.
It's the first time, I've copped abuse from a local resident since I re-joined the company I work at. About 6 years ago, I was spat at by a local from their balcony as I walked past below towards work. The sprog didn't hit me - thank god - but I knew it was aimed at me because I heard a voice say "Fuck off back to your own country". When I looked up to see who it was, they had gone back inside their terrace.
These slurs are quite rare these days (compared with what I copped at school on a daily basis), and in fact, tonight I was half-expecting the old guy to throw in a "gook" or "chink" reference, but he didn't. He just attacked my lack of perfect vision.
Anyway, as I drove past him, down the street, I opened my window and yelled out "Get fucked!!!!". He heard me too.
:)
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Bar Mitzvah
this is quite funny, but really a bit stressful, as the next job i have is to edit a a 3 minute video for a 12 year old girl's Bar Mitzvah video!!!!!
the job is a proper-paying gig at work, as the client is some bigwig with lots of $$$ to pay for a professional video to be made for her.
now the stressful thing is that I have to wade through 26 hours of home video footage!!!!! yikes!!!!!
and edit that down to an emotional 3 minute piece on the girl's first 11 years!!!!
and I have 1 week to do it!!!!
thankyou, I might go into cardiac arrest right now....
the job is a proper-paying gig at work, as the client is some bigwig with lots of $$$ to pay for a professional video to be made for her.
now the stressful thing is that I have to wade through 26 hours of home video footage!!!!! yikes!!!!!
and edit that down to an emotional 3 minute piece on the girl's first 11 years!!!!
and I have 1 week to do it!!!!
thankyou, I might go into cardiac arrest right now....
Monday, October 17, 2005
Rough Day
...is the title of Paulini's new single. I worked on it over the weekend, and it's looking great (as far as mainstream commercial music videos go). it's pretty amazing what the directors have done with the shamefully miniscule budget they were given.
i think the music video is going to be promo'd on Idol in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for Paulini to make an appearance on the show.
She and her not-so-ungoodlooking music rep Tom came by on Saturday afternoon to have a look at the edit, and they were both stoked, although Paulini's first comment was that she felt "wierd" looking at it. I asked her why, and she replied that she wasn't used to seeing herself like that in a music video - you will see what I mean :) By the way, Paulini was really sweet. She's a good Christian girl, as Jon the director told me.....very pleasant and polite, and also very warm and quite funny. Can't believe she's only 23, as it was her birthday last week...
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Naarrrrrrniaaahhhhhhh
So I am supposed to be editing these McDonald's commercials which were originally for that fucked up nation called USA, and these re-edits I am doing are for Europe, and the client is in the UK so everything is being done via remote again. I've been editing madly (I use that term loosely) this past week, earning a shitload of $$$ for my company which for some reason is still cheap as chips for the UK client. Strange!
So the guys from the UK have come in this morning, to oversee this silly job, and 2 more camPAINS I am editing for the next 3 weeks. They are anomalies in the advertising industry, in that they are actually NICE people. They liked what I had done so far, so we mpged the edits to the UK client today with little fuss.
The only change they requested from me was that I look at replacing a shot of some kid eating a french frie, with a shot of another kid eating a nugget, as Maccas now is of the opinion that nuggets are healthier than french fries and they want to avoid promoting kids eating french fries. like WTF? aren't they cooked in the same revolting oil? what's funny is that the kids in this shoot, clearly don't really like McDonalds, so the little girl eating the nugget has this EW look on her face in all the takes she does haha. But then again, I think this little girl is a bit strange, because in another shot she is also dipping her piece of apple into some sauce that I AM POSITIVE is for the nugget :O FURTHERMORE, everyone who has come into my room has asked "Is that kid a boy or a girl?"
Anyway, the title of this blog entry derives from the fact that these Maccas ads are promoting the new Narnia movie, along with the usual crappy toys that come "free" with the McHappy meals. Now I used to be a big fan of Narnia, and the agency guys promised me that they would send over the film on DVD, because I might have to edit in some of the footage for the UK versions of the ads. This is because, there is concern from the client that the commercial might look like it is suggesting that if you buy a McHappy meal, that you will be transported into the world of Narnia and never come out!!!! Just kidding, I made up that last bit. But there is concern that the wrong idea is being presented........Hello? this is advertising. is the "truth" ever conveyed? i mean, what they should be doing is casting really unhealthy people in their ads, like massively overweight people (not Paulini!) or people with kidney or liver problems from eating so much McDonalds like that guy in that documentary.
Well I did write at the start of this blog, that the agency guys are cool, but I take it all back, because they have just handed to me a DVD of Narnia TRAILERS and scene excerpts and I am not happy Jan because I wanted the whole shebang! I think I will have to surreptiously edit in single frames of gay porn, or even worse, some images of healthy food (!) into these ads.....
So the guys from the UK have come in this morning, to oversee this silly job, and 2 more camPAINS I am editing for the next 3 weeks. They are anomalies in the advertising industry, in that they are actually NICE people. They liked what I had done so far, so we mpged the edits to the UK client today with little fuss.
The only change they requested from me was that I look at replacing a shot of some kid eating a french frie, with a shot of another kid eating a nugget, as Maccas now is of the opinion that nuggets are healthier than french fries and they want to avoid promoting kids eating french fries. like WTF? aren't they cooked in the same revolting oil? what's funny is that the kids in this shoot, clearly don't really like McDonalds, so the little girl eating the nugget has this EW look on her face in all the takes she does haha. But then again, I think this little girl is a bit strange, because in another shot she is also dipping her piece of apple into some sauce that I AM POSITIVE is for the nugget :O FURTHERMORE, everyone who has come into my room has asked "Is that kid a boy or a girl?"
Anyway, the title of this blog entry derives from the fact that these Maccas ads are promoting the new Narnia movie, along with the usual crappy toys that come "free" with the McHappy meals. Now I used to be a big fan of Narnia, and the agency guys promised me that they would send over the film on DVD, because I might have to edit in some of the footage for the UK versions of the ads. This is because, there is concern from the client that the commercial might look like it is suggesting that if you buy a McHappy meal, that you will be transported into the world of Narnia and never come out!!!! Just kidding, I made up that last bit. But there is concern that the wrong idea is being presented........Hello? this is advertising. is the "truth" ever conveyed? i mean, what they should be doing is casting really unhealthy people in their ads, like massively overweight people (not Paulini!) or people with kidney or liver problems from eating so much McDonalds like that guy in that documentary.
Well I did write at the start of this blog, that the agency guys are cool, but I take it all back, because they have just handed to me a DVD of Narnia TRAILERS and scene excerpts and I am not happy Jan because I wanted the whole shebang! I think I will have to surreptiously edit in single frames of gay porn, or even worse, some images of healthy food (!) into these ads.....
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
It's true - I am the Idol Whore
just got confirmation for the Paulini music video.
to "anonymous", i hope you enjoy this photo of Paulini in THAT outfit :)
Friday, September 30, 2005
Killer Jellyfish and Dracula Skies
I'm sitting here over at Emerald City, a post-production facility in Darlinghurst, where they are finishing the Nokia China spots. The ads are looking good, they have done heaps of work, but there's heaps more to do! Jon says the client in China has been a nightmare, coming back with these crazy comments when they've emailed them mpegs of works-in-progress.
She's said things like "The jellyfish look too dangerous, like they could kill" and "The skies are too Dracula-like". Like WTF????
Client feedback is always great fun to hear......*laugh*
She's said things like "The jellyfish look too dangerous, like they could kill" and "The skies are too Dracula-like". Like WTF????
Client feedback is always great fun to hear......*laugh*
Thursday, September 29, 2005
I am the Idol Slut
Just got word that i might be editing yet another Oz Idol music clip soon....after my efforts on Levi and Guy this past year...
This time it's for Paulini, the beautiful Fijian-Australian singer who copped the infamous "You should lose some pounds or wear more appropriate outfits" remark from Dicko. I hope she comes into my edit suite at some point, as she was a fave of mine from series 1.
When Guy was going to come in, the young girlies at work all got dressed up to impress.....unfortunately, he didn't make an appearance, as he had um "touring duties", in Newcastle!!!!
Friday, September 23, 2005
Grade Entry
Well I am sitting here at a grading session. It's Friday afternoon, the weekend is on the horizon. Yay!
Now attending the colour grade is one of the more boring aspects of my job. For those that do not know - and I imagine there's many of you - a grading session involves transferring the film negative back onto videotape again, but manipulating/accentuating the colours of the image for the final product. Prior to this process, when I begin the edit, the footage is transferred without any colour grading, so I am pretty much working with flat images that look like shit! The reason being that the transfer process from film to videotape is bloody expensive, and requires our company to outsource another company who has the specialist equipment (named a telecine chain) to do this.
So this Nokia China commercial I edited has been approved yesterday, and now we are colour grading the shots that are used, one by one to the director's artistic vision, so that it all looks good. The company we are at is called Cutting Edge, in Chippendale, and I'm going to be here for a few more hours, as this process is time-consuming!!! I suppose my role is both creative and technical. Creative in the sense that I also have some input into the look of the images, and can drop my 2 cents worth into the discussion about the colour grade. Technical, in that I need to make sure that all the shots we chose in the edit are all there (!), and to oversee any issues that might affect the next process, which is the online session (finishing the commercial at high resolution).
This ad is looking good so far. It was shot day-for-night, and some of the shoots you would swear were shot at nighttime. Stunning images on a lake....I'll have to post some frames up when we are finished....
Now attending the colour grade is one of the more boring aspects of my job. For those that do not know - and I imagine there's many of you - a grading session involves transferring the film negative back onto videotape again, but manipulating/accentuating the colours of the image for the final product. Prior to this process, when I begin the edit, the footage is transferred without any colour grading, so I am pretty much working with flat images that look like shit! The reason being that the transfer process from film to videotape is bloody expensive, and requires our company to outsource another company who has the specialist equipment (named a telecine chain) to do this.
So this Nokia China commercial I edited has been approved yesterday, and now we are colour grading the shots that are used, one by one to the director's artistic vision, so that it all looks good. The company we are at is called Cutting Edge, in Chippendale, and I'm going to be here for a few more hours, as this process is time-consuming!!! I suppose my role is both creative and technical. Creative in the sense that I also have some input into the look of the images, and can drop my 2 cents worth into the discussion about the colour grade. Technical, in that I need to make sure that all the shots we chose in the edit are all there (!), and to oversee any issues that might affect the next process, which is the online session (finishing the commercial at high resolution).
This ad is looking good so far. It was shot day-for-night, and some of the shoots you would swear were shot at nighttime. Stunning images on a lake....I'll have to post some frames up when we are finished....
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Plug
My mate Bill is a t-shirt designer, and one of his t-shirts was worn by Cate Blanchett in the film "Little Fish". She wears the "Pisces" design...check out his website www.meettyrone.com
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Wo hen hao....
(I am very busy).
Seems like I am flavour of the month with the Chinese clients (surprise, surprise)!!!!!
I am just in the middle of a Nokia mobile phone job for China, waiting for the agency to arrive this afternoon to check out the edits. It's a very sweet commercial, set on a lake at night with a young couple swapping text messages on their shiny new Nokia mobile phones, so as not to disturb the glowing jellyfish in the water. There's a few visual effects, some 3D jellyfish to be created. It's all shot day-for-night by the same cinematographer who shot "Little Fish. They had a horrible wet and rainy shoot day last Friday, so we will have to fix up quite a few shots as far as the look goes....Anyway, I think the ad is going to turn out very nicely, and I am hoping to put it on my showreel, as it won't air in Oz........
Jonathan (Director) and Brooke (Producer) are absolutely delightful to work with (and nooooooo I am not sucking up, they will not be reading this as I did not send them my blog details). It's so nice to work with creative people who are polite and appreciative, and are heaps of fun to work with. Jonathan, Brooke and myself all like the same TV shows *laugh*, so it's always fun to catch up and have a laugh over a job...
Seems like I am flavour of the month with the Chinese clients (surprise, surprise)!!!!!
I am just in the middle of a Nokia mobile phone job for China, waiting for the agency to arrive this afternoon to check out the edits. It's a very sweet commercial, set on a lake at night with a young couple swapping text messages on their shiny new Nokia mobile phones, so as not to disturb the glowing jellyfish in the water. There's a few visual effects, some 3D jellyfish to be created. It's all shot day-for-night by the same cinematographer who shot "Little Fish. They had a horrible wet and rainy shoot day last Friday, so we will have to fix up quite a few shots as far as the look goes....Anyway, I think the ad is going to turn out very nicely, and I am hoping to put it on my showreel, as it won't air in Oz........
Jonathan (Director) and Brooke (Producer) are absolutely delightful to work with (and nooooooo I am not sucking up, they will not be reading this as I did not send them my blog details). It's so nice to work with creative people who are polite and appreciative, and are heaps of fun to work with. Jonathan, Brooke and myself all like the same TV shows *laugh*, so it's always fun to catch up and have a laugh over a job...
Monday, September 12, 2005
Little Fish
I watched the new aussie film "Little Fish" yesterday and it just blew me away. It's been a LONG time I have seen an Australian film which tugged at my emotions like that did. It's a very impressive film, very heartbreaking and sad.
There are soooo many excellent scenes in this film. One scene in particular, in the middle of the film, is very powerful. What impressed me was how simple this scene is executed - brilliantly performed by Cate Blanchett, simple coverage, and a perfectly chosen song in "Flame Trees". I suppose this all comes down to very intelligent direction by Rowan Woods. I don't want to spoil anymore about this scene!
The rest of the cast is good, except for Sam Neil - I can't stand him! He is so overrated! How he has found success is beyond me! I don't find him particularly convincing in ANYTHING. He is like Nicole Kidman *laugh*
I went with Angela to see the movie in Leichhardt, and as always we had a good time :) But Ang, if you're reading this, why the hell did you have to bring up "Weekend at Bernie's"???????? You know what I'm talking about ;P. Ang and I also wandered down to the JB Hifi, and omigod it has a fantastic collection of DVDs, and some good sales too....
Do yourself a favour, and go see "Little Fish" asap.
There are soooo many excellent scenes in this film. One scene in particular, in the middle of the film, is very powerful. What impressed me was how simple this scene is executed - brilliantly performed by Cate Blanchett, simple coverage, and a perfectly chosen song in "Flame Trees". I suppose this all comes down to very intelligent direction by Rowan Woods. I don't want to spoil anymore about this scene!
The rest of the cast is good, except for Sam Neil - I can't stand him! He is so overrated! How he has found success is beyond me! I don't find him particularly convincing in ANYTHING. He is like Nicole Kidman *laugh*
I went with Angela to see the movie in Leichhardt, and as always we had a good time :) But Ang, if you're reading this, why the hell did you have to bring up "Weekend at Bernie's"???????? You know what I'm talking about ;P. Ang and I also wandered down to the JB Hifi, and omigod it has a fantastic collection of DVDs, and some good sales too....
Do yourself a favour, and go see "Little Fish" asap.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Ni Hao Ma?
My next editing job is for Ebay China (yikes!), a big job for a big client and big director (yikes!). I'm actually helping my boss Danny on this one. He is editing the humungous 60 sec spot, and I'm cutting the 2 x 15 second ads. They all have visual effects in them, cityscapes created etc....well, the 60 second ad does! But I've just found out that the 2 ads I am editing will have 100% dialogue in Mandarin (Danny's doesn't, it's all voice-over). How the f@#k am I going to understand what they are saying?!!
Actually, I've edited something in another language before....Hindi actually, and it's quite fun to work on a non-English speaking script. You start to pick up words, and the ends of sentences are naturally points of reference for lines...
It's also quite amazing how it's possible to pick up on the bad performances. Fluffed lines are obvious, but you can actually judge bad acting or a bad delivery of a line in the actor's eyes and facial expressions. I'm not saying that it's easy, but it certainly is possible.
I remember reading an article on "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and how the American editor Tim Squires found the Mandarin dialogue scenes the most challenging to edit (as opposed to the frenetic fight sequences), simply because he doesn't understand Mandarin. (I suspect he also had some difficulties, considering that Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-Fat are not Mandarin speakers themselves.)
Fingers crossed on this one. I'm looking forward to brushing up on my Mandarin skills. Zaijin!
Actually, I've edited something in another language before....Hindi actually, and it's quite fun to work on a non-English speaking script. You start to pick up words, and the ends of sentences are naturally points of reference for lines...
It's also quite amazing how it's possible to pick up on the bad performances. Fluffed lines are obvious, but you can actually judge bad acting or a bad delivery of a line in the actor's eyes and facial expressions. I'm not saying that it's easy, but it certainly is possible.
I remember reading an article on "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and how the American editor Tim Squires found the Mandarin dialogue scenes the most challenging to edit (as opposed to the frenetic fight sequences), simply because he doesn't understand Mandarin. (I suspect he also had some difficulties, considering that Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-Fat are not Mandarin speakers themselves.)
Fingers crossed on this one. I'm looking forward to brushing up on my Mandarin skills. Zaijin!
Tennis Anyone?
US Open starts today.......go Maria Sharapova! go Roger Federer! go Olivier Rochus (see pic), the cutest and shortest (165cm) male tennis player on the tour!
Unfortunately, those scummy free-to-air networks aren't going to show any of this tournment- the world's noisiest, rudest tennis tourney.
The Mole
I'm sorry, I'm not usually an overly critical type of person but I just have to write something scathing about the new series of "The Mole" which started last Thursday night. Now anyone who knows me well, knows how much I loved the previous 4 series. Some may also remember that my favourite contestant was Beverley in the first series. Now Bev was a 60something old biddy who was hilarious and kept stuffing up the challenges bigtime, which made everyone consider her to be the perfect Mole. Alas, poor ol' Bev was not the Mole and she got eliminated half way through the series.
And who can forget the last series when Petrina (who was the Mole) got herself deliberately eliminated off the show, as a tactical manouvre to rid herself of suspicion. Of course, it was probably the producers' idea for her to kick herself off, but I thought it was brilliant. They got her back on the show (another twist ooooh) by letting her pay her way back in by taking money out of the winner's kitty. As you can imagine this did not endear herself at all to the other players. Sucked in to them :)
Well back to my criticisms, because they have changed the format of the show for 2005. They now have the annoyingly ubiquitious Tom Williams as the host and he just sucks at it massively. The actor Grant Bowler was the previous host of the first 4 series - he was terrific, he really got into the role as the host. He had this sinister air about him, really quite "espionagey" and threatening. But he also knew when to be funny, and warm to the contestants. Grant was bloody sexy as well :) He was my "Channel 7 boyfriend" before Keifer Sutherland in "24" *laugh*
So now we have Mr Chippie, who can't string 2 words together without laughing as he did on the first show. He made mistakes! And giggled! And wore a bad pink/purple shirt!
They have also "devised" a Survivor-esque elimation segment, which is recorded live in Martin Place. Bad idea. Bad idea. Tom tried to create some drama by asking the contestants some "probing" questions about each other, in an effort to get them to bitch and whinge. The contestants answers came off as pathetic. Don't they know they need the footage edited carefully to create the drama???? You need to cut in quick, sly looks, sighs, rolling eyes........it's near impossible to capture and switch to those moments live....
So, the live aspect definitely needs some fine-tuning! When Josh, the rock singer, got eliminated, they did his interview in a foyer in Martin Place. He was still talking when they shoved him onto the street! It was hilarious! You could still hear him talking when they cut back to McChippie
On the plus side, is that one of my assistant editors is now on the show. Nat quit working with us a few months ago, after finding out she had been cast as one of the 12 contestants on The Mole. It was fun watching her the other night, interesting to see how she has been portrayed. Nat wasn't that featured in the first episode (Heidi the "Socialite" and Liz the "former pro surfer" got the most airtime), but it was cool to see her big laugh and I think we got one great sarcastic comment from her when Liz stupidly asked "Is a snow-cave like a house?". Nat threw back "No babe, it's a CAVE. Made out of snow" and rolled her eyes. I'm hoping we get more fantastic Nat moments like that....
Anyway, even though this new series of The Mole is looking pretty dismal, I will still be watching every Thursday night :)
And who can forget the last series when Petrina (who was the Mole) got herself deliberately eliminated off the show, as a tactical manouvre to rid herself of suspicion. Of course, it was probably the producers' idea for her to kick herself off, but I thought it was brilliant. They got her back on the show (another twist ooooh) by letting her pay her way back in by taking money out of the winner's kitty. As you can imagine this did not endear herself at all to the other players. Sucked in to them :)
Well back to my criticisms, because they have changed the format of the show for 2005. They now have the annoyingly ubiquitious Tom Williams as the host and he just sucks at it massively. The actor Grant Bowler was the previous host of the first 4 series - he was terrific, he really got into the role as the host. He had this sinister air about him, really quite "espionagey" and threatening. But he also knew when to be funny, and warm to the contestants. Grant was bloody sexy as well :) He was my "Channel 7 boyfriend" before Keifer Sutherland in "24" *laugh*
So now we have Mr Chippie, who can't string 2 words together without laughing as he did on the first show. He made mistakes! And giggled! And wore a bad pink/purple shirt!
They have also "devised" a Survivor-esque elimation segment, which is recorded live in Martin Place. Bad idea. Bad idea. Tom tried to create some drama by asking the contestants some "probing" questions about each other, in an effort to get them to bitch and whinge. The contestants answers came off as pathetic. Don't they know they need the footage edited carefully to create the drama???? You need to cut in quick, sly looks, sighs, rolling eyes........it's near impossible to capture and switch to those moments live....
So, the live aspect definitely needs some fine-tuning! When Josh, the rock singer, got eliminated, they did his interview in a foyer in Martin Place. He was still talking when they shoved him onto the street! It was hilarious! You could still hear him talking when they cut back to McChippie
On the plus side, is that one of my assistant editors is now on the show. Nat quit working with us a few months ago, after finding out she had been cast as one of the 12 contestants on The Mole. It was fun watching her the other night, interesting to see how she has been portrayed. Nat wasn't that featured in the first episode (Heidi the "Socialite" and Liz the "former pro surfer" got the most airtime), but it was cool to see her big laugh and I think we got one great sarcastic comment from her when Liz stupidly asked "Is a snow-cave like a house?". Nat threw back "No babe, it's a CAVE. Made out of snow" and rolled her eyes. I'm hoping we get more fantastic Nat moments like that....
Anyway, even though this new series of The Mole is looking pretty dismal, I will still be watching every Thursday night :)
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Shiney Happy People
I'm guessing that you are wondering what the above picture is. Well it's not a photo of alien lifeform on Mars, it's not my arse and it's not a club stamp which will allow me to re-enter Arq or Stonewall and glows-in-the-dark and takes ages to wash off.
It's a smiley stamp that my 2 year old niece kindly gave me the other night on the back of my hand. Call me sentimental, but when she took my hand in her own little hands and stamped me without asking if I even wanted it, I felt really touched and my heart swelled with pride at her sweet gesture. Awwwwwwwwwwww......
It's definitely moments like these which make me feel so happy that life is good, and that innocence is wonderful.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Run, Baby Run
Is there anything better than beginning the day with a run? I've been running since the year began, and it's another good way to start the day, apart from a swim. I've noticed how crappy and shitty I feel the mornings when I don't do any exercise. I get into work, and I feel all tense and stressed, and I've barely sat in front of the computer or begun work with my clients *laugh*
When I run/swim, I feel great and there's a definite bounce in my step and I feel like I'm ready to tackle the day! Oh Joy!
I've come to realise that I quite enjoy exercise. But I just hate sweating. Ew. Even when you swim, you sweat I've discovered. It's more noticeable once you get out of the pool though.
I am thinking of doing the City to Surf run next year *laugh*. I think I will be "thinking" of doing it this same time next year.
My parents walked it once, a few years ago. I think it took them over 4 hours, and they were one of the last ones to finish. So proud of them!!!!!!
When I run/swim, I feel great and there's a definite bounce in my step and I feel like I'm ready to tackle the day! Oh Joy!
I've come to realise that I quite enjoy exercise. But I just hate sweating. Ew. Even when you swim, you sweat I've discovered. It's more noticeable once you get out of the pool though.
I am thinking of doing the City to Surf run next year *laugh*. I think I will be "thinking" of doing it this same time next year.
My parents walked it once, a few years ago. I think it took them over 4 hours, and they were one of the last ones to finish. So proud of them!!!!!!
Friday, August 12, 2005
"Kaze Wo Atsumete" by Happy End
I just found the Japanese lyrics and English translation for this cool song. It featured in one of my favourite movies of recent years "Lost In Translation". Anyway, it's a really sweet song, which first came out in 1970 from Happy End, a Japanese folk band.
I've liked the song for a while now, because of it's sweet melody and a sentiment I could only imagine was innocent.
Well, tonight I found the English translation of the lyrics...
As I was walking down a towering alley
In the outskirts of the city
I saw beyond the blotched fog
A streetcar still sluggish from sleep
Crossing over the sea
(Chorus)
That's why I want to gather the wind (under my wings)
Gather the wind (under my wings)
And run across the blue sky.
As I passed through a beautiful sunrise
I saw beyond the empty-looking breakwater
A city with its day-colored sails up
Moored in the port
(Repeat Chorus)
When I was killing time one morning
At an empty coffee shop
I saw through the cracked glass
The rustling of the high-rises' silken clothes
Brushing on the sidewalk
(Repeat Chorus)
Makes no sense to me, but I still love the song ;)
I've liked the song for a while now, because of it's sweet melody and a sentiment I could only imagine was innocent.
Well, tonight I found the English translation of the lyrics...
As I was walking down a towering alley
In the outskirts of the city
I saw beyond the blotched fog
A streetcar still sluggish from sleep
Crossing over the sea
(Chorus)
That's why I want to gather the wind (under my wings)
Gather the wind (under my wings)
And run across the blue sky.
As I passed through a beautiful sunrise
I saw beyond the empty-looking breakwater
A city with its day-colored sails up
Moored in the port
(Repeat Chorus)
When I was killing time one morning
At an empty coffee shop
I saw through the cracked glass
The rustling of the high-rises' silken clothes
Brushing on the sidewalk
(Repeat Chorus)
Makes no sense to me, but I still love the song ;)
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Burpday Nonchalance
it's my birthday today, and i'm feeling a bit "woteva" about it all. i have turned 31 (eek!) which is possibly the main reason why today feels pretty much like any day. long gone are those times when i would feel eager during the weeks leading up this day. so strange. i used to organise parties, or dinners, group outings to "Putt Putt Golf", picnics, yum cha....but this year i couldn't be arsed!
i've got some nice family things organised for me today and tonight, and some dear friends have asked me to do stuff, but on those occassions work has prevented me from being able to :( in fact, i would be working right now *laugh* but i refused to, so I'll be going in tomorrow (sunday).
yes, i've now become my father when it comes to these events.....he doesn't care too much about these things, and doesn't want presents or attention. his attitude with his own birthdays, father's days and christmases has always been "Be nice to me EVERY day of the year, and I'll be a happy man". Such a wise man...
by the way, i am totally aware of the irony of me posting a blog about the birthday i don't care about.
;-)
i've got some nice family things organised for me today and tonight, and some dear friends have asked me to do stuff, but on those occassions work has prevented me from being able to :( in fact, i would be working right now *laugh* but i refused to, so I'll be going in tomorrow (sunday).
yes, i've now become my father when it comes to these events.....he doesn't care too much about these things, and doesn't want presents or attention. his attitude with his own birthdays, father's days and christmases has always been "Be nice to me EVERY day of the year, and I'll be a happy man". Such a wise man...
by the way, i am totally aware of the irony of me posting a blog about the birthday i don't care about.
;-)
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Exhaustipated
Well it's Saturday finally, and I've pretty much just woken up after a really deep, long-craved-for sleep. It's been a crazy 4 weeks workwise, and these days I so look forward to having no commitments on the weekend. Let me see what projects I've been working on this past week in my iCal...
I edited a lingerie commercial (!) and finished that last week for Warners (they've never done advertising here in oz), then a charity job for WaterAid (www.wateraid.org.au). i edited 2 x 60 second ads, and a 30 second spot. I think they should be on the website soon, so keep checking...pretty funny stuff, but guaranteed to make you think about the tragic state of water in developing countries. Mojo, the ad agency who wrote the campaign, apparently consider these WaterAid spots the best thing they have done all year :)
Then on Thursday and Friday I worked on a Ford commercial, adding some news shots into the campaign that's been on air since last year. you know the one with the Alex Lloyd song "Amazing" with all the 3D visual effects with buildings turning into sand. Looked like a simple job, but usually those ones that appear simple can be the trickiest...
of course, the "Staria" promos have been going on, and the illustrator Roger came in on Friday to have a meeting with us, and he pretty much said "It's good, but I think the script is really awful", which is what I anticipated he would say, so I suggested he re-write Staria's lines since he has been writing them for over 20 years and knows what would come out of Staria's mouth. Geez, the criticism kinda hurt, but only cos I get frustrated when people cannot be diplomatic about it i.e. launching straight into the negatives, rather than complimenting you on the positives, or at least thanking you for all the hard work you've done in the first place. but anyway...this is something I enounter ALL the time in this industry I find, and it's kinda depressing aye....
so yes, I've also been working on this music video for "Rekindle" - and it's actually a re-edit because the 2 directors were not happy with the edit that was being done in Melbourne for the past 6 months. so i've spent my free spare hours working on that as well this week, and it's kinda wierd and trippy music video, a bit David Lynchian, and they love what i've done with the footage they threw at me. Yesterday it was really cool to hear one of the directors Nicholas say "Thanks so much, you've really captured what Scott and I wanted to achieve, this basic idea we sort of had, that was not coming through the previous edit at all, so thanks heaps." that was really nice to hear, sort of made up for the bit of a downer I was feeling from the other job.
And the next 2 weeks are gonna be just as crazy my producer Vanessa tells me, with a Telstra comedy spot perhaps happening for me with a director I've never worked with before (scarey), and maybe a Foxtel job, and then a confirmed web short film for Roses Only, which may go to cinema. That job looks really cool, as it will all be shot vignette style, kinda like the beginning of "Amelie" i think....hopefully lots of room for creativity and some fun sequences to edit.
"Staria" will continue all the way up to October, with the 3D department downstairs now building the models for Staria on their whizz-bang computers, and they look really cool, although i think they are trying hard not to make her look like a porn star! I think the promo has the potential to be kinda cool - will be interesting to see if the concept goes ahead, and we begin making a series! not sure what my involvement will be if a series goes ahead....
yay my laundry is now done.
I edited a lingerie commercial (!) and finished that last week for Warners (they've never done advertising here in oz), then a charity job for WaterAid (www.wateraid.org.au). i edited 2 x 60 second ads, and a 30 second spot. I think they should be on the website soon, so keep checking...pretty funny stuff, but guaranteed to make you think about the tragic state of water in developing countries. Mojo, the ad agency who wrote the campaign, apparently consider these WaterAid spots the best thing they have done all year :)
Then on Thursday and Friday I worked on a Ford commercial, adding some news shots into the campaign that's been on air since last year. you know the one with the Alex Lloyd song "Amazing" with all the 3D visual effects with buildings turning into sand. Looked like a simple job, but usually those ones that appear simple can be the trickiest...
of course, the "Staria" promos have been going on, and the illustrator Roger came in on Friday to have a meeting with us, and he pretty much said "It's good, but I think the script is really awful", which is what I anticipated he would say, so I suggested he re-write Staria's lines since he has been writing them for over 20 years and knows what would come out of Staria's mouth. Geez, the criticism kinda hurt, but only cos I get frustrated when people cannot be diplomatic about it i.e. launching straight into the negatives, rather than complimenting you on the positives, or at least thanking you for all the hard work you've done in the first place. but anyway...this is something I enounter ALL the time in this industry I find, and it's kinda depressing aye....
so yes, I've also been working on this music video for "Rekindle" - and it's actually a re-edit because the 2 directors were not happy with the edit that was being done in Melbourne for the past 6 months. so i've spent my free spare hours working on that as well this week, and it's kinda wierd and trippy music video, a bit David Lynchian, and they love what i've done with the footage they threw at me. Yesterday it was really cool to hear one of the directors Nicholas say "Thanks so much, you've really captured what Scott and I wanted to achieve, this basic idea we sort of had, that was not coming through the previous edit at all, so thanks heaps." that was really nice to hear, sort of made up for the bit of a downer I was feeling from the other job.
And the next 2 weeks are gonna be just as crazy my producer Vanessa tells me, with a Telstra comedy spot perhaps happening for me with a director I've never worked with before (scarey), and maybe a Foxtel job, and then a confirmed web short film for Roses Only, which may go to cinema. That job looks really cool, as it will all be shot vignette style, kinda like the beginning of "Amelie" i think....hopefully lots of room for creativity and some fun sequences to edit.
"Staria" will continue all the way up to October, with the 3D department downstairs now building the models for Staria on their whizz-bang computers, and they look really cool, although i think they are trying hard not to make her look like a porn star! I think the promo has the potential to be kinda cool - will be interesting to see if the concept goes ahead, and we begin making a series! not sure what my involvement will be if a series goes ahead....
yay my laundry is now done.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Staria
A few weeks ago I was given an interesting project by my boss. It was to create a promo for Staria, a comic strip character that has been around for over 20 years in Australia and published in the Daily Telegraph. She's a "space babe" in the vein of Barbarella. You can see that she has considerable "assets". She's got a good sense of humour, and considerable combat skills - she gets to fight baddies and monsters!
The purpose of the promo is to introduce Staria as a potential cartoon for release on TV. I've got no idea if there is a market for such a show, but then again I noticed that "Stripperella" (based on Pamela Anderson) is now airing on free-to-air TV.
So the promo I was asked to cut had to introduce Staria, her side-kicks, and a couple of villains and monsters - whilst maintaining the mood and style of the original comic strip. I had access to 5 full stories, from which I could choose the black and white animation cells for the promo. I was to write a script, record a guide voice track and put it all the selected cells together! Once my offline edit was approved, it would be recreated by our 3D department, in order to finish the promo as a full moving colour animation.
Anyway, this has been an ongoing project for me, to fit in amongst everything else I do at work, and it's been a really challenging and fun exercise! The most hilarious thing was editing in the characters' lines, and I credit one of my editing assistants Nat who took full charge of this and cast various work colleagues in the roles! She got young Nicoletta to voice Staria and she did a superb job even though she was not convinced she could do it! Nat also does a killer Russian-slash-French accent for one of the female villains...let me know if you require such a voice talent....
The producer who has commissioned this through my work, was thrilled with the offline edit last week, and now we have a meeting with the original illustrator Roger this Thursday. I really hope he likes it. I can imagine it would be quite scarey for him, seeing his creation come to life in the video format. Fingers crossed.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
The Best Film I've Seen This Year
Last night I saw "Tarnation" for the second time at the Dendy Newtown with a friend Ian. I saw it a few weeks ago at the Sydney Film Festival with Vera, and we were both blown away!
It's such an amazing documentary, totally original and personal and heartbreaking and the first time I saw it I was on the verge of tears. This is by far the best film I have seen all year, and the second viewing last night was equally rewarding as the first. The film is essentially a self-portrait, with director Jonathan Caouette bravely documenting the first 31 years of his life and his relationship with his mentally ill mother, Renne. What a troubled life, filled with tragedy, hurt and love. I really recommend that you see it!
"Tarnation" is constructed from years and years of family stills and home movie footage that Caouette took as a young boy and young man. All of the footage is amazing to watch. There's a scene of Caouette as an 11 year old, delivering one of many "testimonies" to camera. The character he is playing is a battered Texan wife, and it's both unsettling and hilarious to watch him as an child deliver a monologue to his video camera about being beaten by her drunk husband amongst other nasty things. This sort of stuff is priceless, and just something that you could never script.
One of the funniest scenes is of Jonathan and his high-school boyfriend directing a school play of David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" in the late 1980s. They decided to turn it into a musical using only Marianne Faithful songs! I think you have to see the scene to appreciate how side-splittingly funny it is.
The scenes with his mother Renee are really heartbreaking. Her story is very tragic, as she suffered emotional and physical abuse from her parents, was also institutionalized as a young age, and given electric shock treatment. Even though I found her scenes to be really difficult to watch, I thought she was incredibly brave and her beautiful personality still shone through the pain and sadness.
Apparently the film was edited on iMovie for $218 (US), but I suspect this is a bit of a marketing ploy. I mean, it certainly looks like the editing was started on iMovie - I checked iMovie on my lappy, and recognised some of the effects hehe - but I am sure Jonathan would have received lots of help from professionals. In fact, there is a professional editor credited as well as half a dozen or so assistant editors!
I was really impressed with his music choices, which had some beautiful original pieces by someone called Max Avery Lichtenstein. In fact, I'm listening to some of that now - it's got some really lovely guitar and piano bits in those tracks. Totally gorgeous, makes me want to cry. There's also a bit of Cocteau Twins, Marianne Faithful, Dolly Parton (!) and Glenn Campbell.
I was so inspired watching "Tarnation" - I think I will have to see it again :)
Check out the website http://www.i-saw-tarnation.com/
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Pat and Stick's Homemade Ice Cream
Well I just HAD to share this with you. It's a photo I took of this ice-cream-biscuit-cake thing I ate at The Lab last wednesday. The chef came around with a little basket offering these treats to clients, and it was totally yumsville.
Apparently these are made in Surry Hills, and there were other flavours like Double Chocolate and Cafe Latte.....I was going to save it and take it back to work for our receptionist Jemma (she always asks me to bring something back for her from The Lab!). I thought about it for like 3 seconds and then went "Naaaaaahhhhh, it's going to melt on the way back, so I suppose I should eat it now!"
Both Scott - the director of the commercial I edited - and I were so impressed that we took picies of the tantalising desserts before we scoffed them.
I love the packaging - I wonder if "Pat" and "Stick" look like that. It's so retro.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Margaret Cho made me cry
Last night I went to see Margaret Cho with some friends - Angela, Boon, Eden and Jonathan - at the Enmore Theatre. And what a fantastic night it was. I had only seen bits and pieces of her comedy routines, mainly when Ang was watching them on DVD's at home, and laughing her arse off. Well Margaret was just brilliant I thought, so wickedly funny and political and rude.
During the show, she kept apologising on behalf of America, and how fucked up that country has become. Very ironic considering that across town Greg Araki would have been introducing his new film "Mysterious Skin" at the Valhalla, which has gotten under the skin of the moral crusaders The Australian Family Association and the Festival of Light. Both have lobbied to have his film banned, which is an outrage, when you consider all the violent films that pass our censors. Ok, gee, I didn't really want to get on the soapbox with this blog thing...
Anyway, Margaret did these uncanny impersonations of Zhang Ziyi, the beautiful young Chinese actress who was in "Crouching Tiger..." and "House Of Flying Daggers", and Bjork when she went pyscho at that airport terminal a few years ago. Margaret also sang like Bjork..."Human Behaviour"...which was just so bloody funny that Angela and I were practically pissing our pants as well.
After the show we then rushed and bought our Margaret Cho t-shirts (in military green with Margaret as Che Guevara!) and tried to rest our jaws and cheeks from all the laughing. So if you see me wearing my Margaret Cho t-shirt, you know how I got it.
During the show, she kept apologising on behalf of America, and how fucked up that country has become. Very ironic considering that across town Greg Araki would have been introducing his new film "Mysterious Skin" at the Valhalla, which has gotten under the skin of the moral crusaders The Australian Family Association and the Festival of Light. Both have lobbied to have his film banned, which is an outrage, when you consider all the violent films that pass our censors. Ok, gee, I didn't really want to get on the soapbox with this blog thing...
Anyway, Margaret did these uncanny impersonations of Zhang Ziyi, the beautiful young Chinese actress who was in "Crouching Tiger..." and "House Of Flying Daggers", and Bjork when she went pyscho at that airport terminal a few years ago. Margaret also sang like Bjork..."Human Behaviour"...which was just so bloody funny that Angela and I were practically pissing our pants as well.
After the show we then rushed and bought our Margaret Cho t-shirts (in military green with Margaret as Che Guevara!) and tried to rest our jaws and cheeks from all the laughing. So if you see me wearing my Margaret Cho t-shirt, you know how I got it.
First ever blog
Welcome to my first posting!
I've been inspired by my friends Monty and Eden who have created very entertaining blogs of their own.
So I guess I'd like to share with you, my friends and family, some thoughts about "stuff" and maybe even some pictures, as I seem to be a bit short on time these days to catch up with everyone in the flesh. Hmmmmm, a bit of a contradiction there I suppose, since I can afford the time to add to this blog, but what the hey...
Anyway, I hope you find my blog interesting, and if you don't, then fine, just go easy on the abuse please ;)
And I will let you know upfront that my spelling and grammer are going to be shocking, so please forgive me!
Please feel free to add comments of course, even if it's to hassle me....I'm used to it!
I've been inspired by my friends Monty and Eden who have created very entertaining blogs of their own.
So I guess I'd like to share with you, my friends and family, some thoughts about "stuff" and maybe even some pictures, as I seem to be a bit short on time these days to catch up with everyone in the flesh. Hmmmmm, a bit of a contradiction there I suppose, since I can afford the time to add to this blog, but what the hey...
Anyway, I hope you find my blog interesting, and if you don't, then fine, just go easy on the abuse please ;)
And I will let you know upfront that my spelling and grammer are going to be shocking, so please forgive me!
Please feel free to add comments of course, even if it's to hassle me....I'm used to it!
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