About a Frame

The grand transition. Day 1

Last week I returned from filming in Haiti and I was ready to give everything up in my life and move there for some time to shoot. Since my employer only hired me to do a short doc (really short, at this point it’s looking like it’ll be a solid ten, if that) I felt that to tell the story I wanted to tell I needed to develop things a little more. Also, the terms I had cut when I got the job were that I owned rights to the footage… but I would soon learn there was a clause. I couldn’t tell the story I wanted because, like in so many other things I’ve produced, my employer did not want me to push the envelope. In this occasion I can honestly say the envelope NEEDS to be pushed. My heart, was officially broken.

I wanted to push because what I was capturing was a human rights violation of monstrous proportions and I felt like I could have delivered a solid hour that would have ignited a fire inside anyone who watched it. I fought, kicked and screamed but was turned away and in the end I asked the powers that be to do everything in their means to help those I wanted to try and help with my camera. I stated that if by January I did not see some action that I would come back and film on my own, without their permission or access. For legal reasons I cannot tell you what this was but as soon as I get a thumbs up on releasing a teaser I cut about the topic at hand I will make it public and share with you all.

My return after such an emotional event was less than grand. I was in New York and I missed home. It was cloudy, rainy, and cold, just the way I like it, and seeing my friends and several colleagues made me want to return even more. I had a phenomenal conversation with my good friend and director Tim Hotchner where I came to the conclusion that I needed to branch out and execute on my scripted ideas as well. I needed to be able to control the narrative if I were to deliver the message I wanted. But, this takes time and experience… and time, and more experience. At least to do it well. I was in a shitty mood and in need of change.

I have been listening to the new Monsters Of Folk album religiously and, like many albums and songs, my mind can’t help but wonder and create little stories to certain songs. Some songs really ignite little stories in my head, and the more I listen to the song the more refined the ‘cut’ in my mind becomes. It’s great, it’s like a creative palate that has no limit.

Ruben Blades has this song called Pedro Navaja that since I was a little boy I’ve wanted to make a music video for. It’s a story about a Puerto Rican immigrant in the Bronx who becomes a thug and gets killed by a prostitute he tries to mug. Both the prostitute and Pedro die in the scuffle and a drunk homeless man finds their dead bodies and takes their money and walks away singing ‘La vida te da sorpresas, sorpresas te da la vida’ (Life will surprise you).

So with this passion for music and the visuals that some songs arouse in me, why not give music videos a shot? This is the type of change I need! Besides, those who read the blog know my obsession with music videos and basically it was music videos that got me into Film/Tv in the first place. Yes, music videos are a struggling medium, yes, I’ll starve to death trying to make any money doing it (most likely) but the feeling created in a music video, the length of a song, and the collaboration with musicians to create individual pieces of art, individual stories seems like such a great place to grow creatively. I don’t want to just shoot bands jamming, I want to (someday) do some Jamie Thraves, john Landis type of epic music videos. Stories that make the viewer feel like they’re the guy on the Maxell ads.

The trick is, how do I get my foot in the door? I need to network and learn what in the world I’m getting my self into. Once I figure that out find someone who will mentor me… hmm…

I started today by helping a lighting director friend of mine do a pretty big PSA with a ton of celebrities for the NAACP. It was great but it made me realize one thing: I need to get my tech chops back. I am fucking LAME when it comes to lighting, it took me about ten minutes to build/patch two kinos…Lord help me! And, if the Gods ever grace me with their love and A) hook me up with a director willing to mentor me B) give me a shot to direct C)get me a big enough budget to do a proper video… I better be able to translate to my crew what it is that I need from a technical standpoint to execute on a vision.

Baby steps. And today was a humbling one. Luckily the vibe on set was super mellow and the tech director took the time to help me and give me some refreshers.

But this was not enough, I got some tricks up my sleeve that I hope will expedite my climbing up the ladder to use very soon, and I’ll share that in the next entry.

Call me a crazy fool, but here goes nothing. Less money, for sure, more creative flex, you bet!

Enjoy one of my all time favorite directors and photographers, the incredible talented Mr. Chris Milk for Audioslaves ‘Doesn’t Remind Me.’ The man is good and apparently a super nice down to earth cat too. Maybe I can tag along with you for sometime Mr. Milk? Please!

Even the funny guys are down with using media for change.

Something’s in the air.

An apology to Mr. Perry.

I’m one of those haters who was scratching his head about Tyler Perry. I didn’t get him, so I dismissed him, and his purpose. I was so ignorant I managed to do the before mentioned without even watching one of his movies or TV shows.

Oh ignorant me.

It’s funny that I bump into this 60 minute piece while I’m on this vibe of figuring out how to deliver a bigger message, an inspiring, empowering message without getting preachy, making sure I’m telling a good story and, most importantly, making sure I’m entertaining.

I’m a firm believer after watching the piece above that Tyler Perry is doing just that, his way. All we have to do, even if we don’t enjoy his movies, is to give the boy from New Orleans a shot.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman is at the top of my netflix cue.

Check out the piece above.

The inspiring ‘we-can-change-the-world-with-TV-and-movies’ blog continues.

Tomorrow is my first day of ‘heading into film’. Standby for that entry.

PS: Kids, do NOT use Byron Pitts as an example for how to interview…. NEVER. Look up Ed Bradley, Charlie Rose, or for someone more young/engaging Strombolopolous instead.

Funding-

You know, there are so many incredible young filmmakers, with strong ideas, skills, and true desires for their stories to come to fruition. But one thing that has always, and will always, be a principal hurdle and their greatest hinderance is money.

Every year thousands upon thousands of movies, like the one you see above, are made. I know people who live off of these ‘B’ movies and make an incredible living. How, or better yet, why are these movies being funded??? Why are they being made?? Is it really that difficult to realize how bad this movie is… I feel like these things are made to clutter up gas stations, or is it just me? I’ve never even seen these on daytime cable tv.

I don’t really have much of an argument or a point but I just wanted to share the above for a few reasons:

1. Kudos to whoever managed to wrangle enough money to make this…or should I say ‘shame on you?’

2. I don’t know any of you reading this but like everyone on the planet you probably have an idea for a movie. Well my friends, your idea is better than this one, and I haven’t even heard it. So you deserve to have your idea about flying llamas come to reality.

Somewhere in the afterlife Orson Welles is overly pissed that he didn’t finish ‘The Other Side Of The Wind’ due to lack of funding while these yahoos get to make sharks that take down airplanes… shit, it’s a cruel world. 

An Ode To Pt 5- Russell Brownley

As you all may or may not know I have a slight obsession with board films (skate, surf, snow). Out of all categories surfing DP’s are perhaps the most talented due to surf film traditions that haven’t changed since the 50’s. The use of old 16mm bolex cameras for that ‘true’ surf feel, shooting at ridiculous frame rates to catch drops of water flying through the air, using white outs or film burns as transitions, and a million other technical details I won’t bore you with… Yet, surf filmmakers generally stay within their circles and rarely break out into other areas of production, despite their innate skills.

Recently a friend introduced me to Russell Brownley. Russell is relatively young as a surf DP (considering some guys shoot until their bodies can no longer do the job) but I feel like I have found a diamond on the rough since this guys footage keeps blowing me away more and more and he wants to break away from the surf world. Not only that, Russell is as down to earth as they come and hungry to tell stories that matter about the human (and inhuman) condition.

I’ve worked with guys like Kenny Woo and David Finch and these guys travel with trucks full of gear, varicams, arriflex super 16’s, etc to achieve what Russell does with an HVX and his natural surroundings. On the other hand it was David Finch who told me that it doesn’t matter how much gear you got if you don’t have an eye for your shot… I guess Russell has one hell of a fucking eye.

Above is the reel to his company ‘the wuss productions’. Check more of his stuff on his vimeo here.

Russ, looking forward to doing some beautiful productions with you brother. This my friends is what a DP (and to that effect an editor) shoots like. Intuitive, good composition, smart use of natural light and clean transitions (uses his tripod! Kids, use your f*ing tripods!!)

The future is bright.

Italian Shorts

I feel awful for not having said hello in sometime. But alas, I survived Ice Road truckers. not my fondest production experience but learned a lot of what to NOT do in production and continued to learn more about the ugly side of producing in LA.

In any case, I’m back, have internet access  (hooray!) and will continue to share some beautiful things like the short film above. Made by Daniele Napolitano an Italian photographer.

He used 45000 stills from his canon EOS. It gives the short an awesome texture (love how he isn’t afraid to go out of focus on some of the wides) however, what really wins with this is the clever feel good story, more of a feel good moment really but many of us have felt something similar to this I’m sure and I think he knows that.

He doesn’t complicate things, keeps it simple and pretty. Sometimes that’s what it’s all about.Looking forward to seeing what else this photog does in the future.

PS: The vimeo link above might die on you so try clicking on Daniele’s name, it’ll take you directly to the short in his site.