WHITE THUNDER Production Portfolio

Production Portfolio
IB Film HL
Session: May 2013
Rationale
I chose to do White Thunder because I really wanted to make a cheesy movie and experiment
with the lost art of zooms. I think that lowballing rather than super serious can be quite an
advantage with the audience. I also notice it is easier to get a reaction from the audience if you
make them laugh rather than feel bad or emotional, and my bitter reaction to my last super
serious film, the bitter tragedy of it being comedic to the audience. After seeing the film black
dynamite, I knew what I had to do for my next film.
Word Count 100

Trailer
It is a rational trailer. First, I set open framed shots in the beginning to create questions in the
viewer. The car shots and mechanized sound effects represented speed, and the zooms
accentuate fast feelings. Afterwards, I introduce Thunder and his qualities such as violent, being
a “loose cannon” and needing a partner. Panama is introduced characteristics of being cocky.
Using Andy, we establish that they are both cops down on their luck. A shot of Panama and
Thunder disagree on musical taste explains their relationship, and ending shots conclude the
bad guy’s role, Dragon Wang.
Word Count 98

Written Commentary for White Thunder
I had always wanted to do a really fun film. I had made a White Thunder short before, and
I wanted a to expand on the character. Once my co produced project Epic Roll , I knew that a
comedic cheesy fun film was something I had to make. The idea for White Thunder came from
my love of Buddy cop movies and the recent explosion of parody blaxploitation and cheesy 70’s
parodies. The plot itself is a cliched buddy cop story, present in many films from Rush Hour to
Running Scared to Bad Boys. They would always begin with introduction to the characters, how
they were forced to conform to each other, find how different they were, mess up, take the case
into their own hands, and become friends. And thus our plot was created as so.

The script began as a treatment that was created at the end of sophomore year basically
outlining the events that would transpire in the full version of White Thunder. A short “pilot
episode” screentest proving ground for the show was shot later that year but not a full version.
With the help of 3 different screenwriters, a continuous edit and a 2nd draft, we completed the
majority of the major scenes, and I was very happy with actually having a almost full script by
the time of actual production, unlike many of my other productions. Unique characters would end
up being the most important part of this film, rather that could have been an intimate relationship
between Panama and Thunder. For better or for worse, this was the influence Jonathan Nievera
brought onto the project, and this would lead to the notorious marketing campaign. My “dual
meaning backhand” blunt style of writing was somewhat present in this project, as in the intro
scene, which was loosely scripted. For example, Thunder says “ Stop being a pansy, Jet. You
know I love you...” which at first glance is not inherently obvious, but under tighter scrutiny is
clearly recognized. The script was a marvelous thing, it created not only cohesion and efficiency,
but direction on the project., and was very beneficial.

Setting the film as a period piece was really a challenge with this film. Having to amass
the wardrobe, sets, props and even vehicles for such a large project was quite an undertaking,
but I think it was a really good learning experience. Even behind the scenes our film was a period
piece; This type of practical effect, home movie blockbuster production harkens back to the 70’s
Super 8 genre style filmmaking usually identified with Spielberg’s early works, and homaged to in
the film Super 8. To that end, each character in our film was uniquely characterized by their
wardrobe and choice of props. For example, White Thunder uses a large .45 Colt, and Panama
Jack uses a small, almost insignificant .22 revolver. Thunder is a brash and hulking fighter,as
well as speaker, whose large and flamboyant style may not actually relate to his actual
effectiveness. Panama, on the other hand, is a small and sly guy, he can hide his secrets until
he wants to strike. However, most of the Panama direct characterization didn't make it through
the first few drafts, and his character is very flat, letting the script focus more and Thunder’s
epiphany. Dreyfus has suspenders to suggest his maturity and wisdom, and the “Other Buddy
Cops” wear Hawaiian shirts not only to address the era, but to also suggest their laid back
nature, contrasting with their reactions later, creating ironic comedy. Dragon Wang Chan wields
a large, blunted sword to suggest his way of getting things done; he is a doppelganger to
Thunder, in the egotistical sense, he is the dark side of Thunder, brutal, blunt, and violent. The
setting of the film was important as well, many of the assorted sets we tried our best to adapt it
to be period acceptable or try to not face the camera towards such things as flatscreens and
cars. Modern cars are however a major error in the film, but are very luckily very subtle. The
choice of Penn School seemed to fit with it’s Cold War Era Architecture, the rest of the locations
were time period anonymous. The use of cars in films seems to be ramping up. Our usage of a
the 1976 red Chevelle was a little different. Because our car was restricted by time, driver, and
the fact that it was old, we decided to go with the green screen route rather than practical.
Conversely, practical effects were an interesting but briefly used in our film. The blood spurts
were created from a air compressor and fake blood in surgical tubing, clogged at the end with a cut piece of a rubber glove. The dummy was a old scuba suit, filed for hours upon hours with newspaper “salvaged” from the neighborhood, and the head was an equally laborious process. I wrapped Jon’s head in an old cloth, and then duct taped its crevices (of course with breathing holes) , and filled with newspaper as well. It was promptly thrown from the roof as a test.

My job on the film was Cinematographer. I really wanted to experiment with zooms in this
project, a sort of underused art. In my research, I found the reason that zooms were so prevalent
in the 70’s was because they had just reached the mass market and were now “new”. Films
during the era had used so many zooms to simply show off their new technology, but as a result,
prime lenses not being used and smaller aperture of zooms led to more exterior day shots and
less low light shots. White Thunder had to have a lot of light pumped into it, as present in the
Andy Litili scene, because most of the film was actually shot at f/8. Stopping down the f stop also
helped with the zooms, as being at a lower aperture meant less depth of field, meaning easier
focus between zooming. Similarly, I found it to be increasingly annoying that short films shot with
DSLR’s made shallow depth of field almost cliche, many shooters rarely stopped down manually
and as a result had trouble pulling focus.

The DSLR revolution has let even the smallest budgeted film maker capable of capturing great images, but as a result the “market” you could say was over saturated with shallow depth of field films. It is quite interesting that zooms were originally the new craze, just coming to market, and now filmmaker are rediscovering, and in some cases overusing the prime lenses of old.

Another aspect I noticed was people who do not use primes shooting at the widest FOV
possible, say 18mm on a T2i. While this is not a bad thing, in fact I quite like it’s epic sweeping
feel, its not what I wanted to do with White Thunder. I used the Panasonic GH2, a smaller name
than the widely used and trusted Canons, to represent not only the reaction, but as reference to
the era itself. The GH2 has a smaller sensor, but more sharply grained noise camera that is
widely regarded but rarely used by the filmmaking community. Even buying this camera was my
reaction to modern filmmaking: everyone had Canons, and if i wanted to I could borrow those at
any time. Why not try something new? White Thunder, at its core, is a BMovie,
and at that time they were shot on 16mm film, smaller than 35mm cinema; therefore, shooting on smaller sensor would make sense and add to the overall period feel of the film. Making White Thunder was my
antithesis to the modern DSLR filmmaking age, as this is clearly present in the zooms, stopped
down aperture, lack of sliders, longer lenses, and usage of smaller camera sensor. However, I
am not completely immune to falling into such self set pitfalls. As exterior scenes and naturally lit
scenes became darker as night approached, I was forced to open the aperture to, I dare say,
blasphemous f/4.5. This, paired with my innate ability to not sense when things are slightly out of
focus, led to some shots being blurry, which I take complete responsibility for.
And score. Indie production is not without its difficulties, but the film scorer is always the
worst. I must say, working with Jonathan Nievera was very beneficial in bringing another mind
onto the intellectual property of the film, but relying on him to do score was the worst experience
of my life. Numerous times he checked out the audio gear and not once did he return with
anything. Not even loops, and despite devoting and promising he would deliver, he did not.

My critical analysis of the film was that it was a fun adventure buddy cop film but with
some issues in pacing and sound. The film was deeply influenced and teat genre research
shows throughout the film, with very good attention to detail in costumes, sets, and ways of
speaking. The acting was a little underdone, but it kind of fit with the B movie style and era piece.

The Cinematography also represented the era with zooms and lack of depth of field, but there
were some issues of inexperience with the zooms that made them choppy. Editing was very
compressed and kind of sloppy, leading to some bad pacing during the Informant scenes. Sound
design and score was very lacking in this project and the weakest link overall. Overall it was very
fun to shoot and the actors play it out, leaving the audience feeling the same.

Word Count: 1600
Marketing Campaign
https://www.facebook.com/WhiteThunderShow

Contemporary Media Analysis

1. What does the media say about the world we live in?

Media creates a shared reality in our society. It projects the feelings of its creators as well as the needs of the audience to create an image of reality that we crave to see, whether we fear it, lust for it, or wish to experience it without discourse. Furthermore, a shared cultural attitude, it seems, creates the media we consume legitimate and acceptable. Media presents us with what someone thought was acceptable, and we consume and decide. Not only does it reflect ideas in a society, it can propagate these ideas, influencing a society and around and around and around. Media defines what a society thinks about, but not necessarily what it is.  Media is revealing that lines between the good and bad (transferred over from wars)  are blurred, such as Walt in breaking bad trying to gain money for his family, or the many possible protagonists in Game of Thrones.  There are also more positive things such as an increasingly accepted homosexuality in society (like on Glee) and the acceptance of Nerd Culture in Big Bang Theory. Furthermore, we are seeing more  sexuality and especially more violence on TV and in movies as part of medias increasingly inferiority complex.

2. Do you notice any one trend that keeps resurfacing through multiple media forms?

A trend that continually resurfaces itself  through multiple media forms is the idea of blurred lines. This can apply to the distinction of the protagonist and antagonist, and even to the distinction between good and evil in a protagonist, such as the anti-hero, which seems to be present in almost every work ever since the 70’s. Almost every modern TV show a new edgy “anti hero” who either conflicted about what he does because of his own morals, or we question his decisions by our own moral standards.

3. What do you see as the best and worst of what media portrays?

Media’s best usage is at its core, a tool. A tool of expression and consumption. As such, people feel the need to consume McDonalds Burger Meat when they also have Fillet Mignon with Salad on the menu. The worst of media is the stuff that ends up on TMZ, and I’m sure everyone is a likable person, with the benefit of a doubt, but acceptance of the hick culture or late with Duck Dynasty and Honey Boo Boo is for me a success and a failure. Its the acceptance of a culture, but is that appropriation and propagation a positive? Furthermore,

On the flipside, Media has been opening up to accept many things lately. Of course, the hick culture as above, but also Homosexuality and nerd culture have come to acceptance. Homosexuality, in particular, has been getting alot of play in many modern shows, for one, Glee is a landmark in teenage homosexual fiction, and its popularity brings its closer to mainstream.

Nerd culture has particularly come into play, not only on the TV circuit, but on the Internet Media as well(if not mainly). Big Bang Theory in the mainstreaming of nerd culture on a major television show where general audiences pretend to understand references that the cult followers really appreciate. On the internet, many what would be considered “geeky” web shows have risen to popularity, in a direct correlation with the mainstreaming of video games.

4. Where do you see yourself contributing to the conversation?

I see myself as a person obsessed with pushing the envelope. Continually film class creates an environment where healthy competition creates an ever innovating environment, leading to new boundaries to be broken with every film. I've worked on the first war film at Cappuchino Film, a sexually charged noir film, and a film that sets new standards in violence through comedy.

Media always needs ways to excite. And in the ever growing capitalist society we live in, media because raunchier and more violent every year. I feel like this trend, like all expanding trends, lead to a depression or inflation of the market and then to collapse. Therefore, I feel that media needs to come to grips that they can't always outdo last season; but more importantly: the consumer needs to do the same.  If I ever do contribute to the media itself, it will be the consumers who define what they want and how I can entertain them.

IB FILM Sample Oral - Psycho

There is a coherent, incisive, insightful and richly detailed evaluative interpretation of the
extract, displaying an excellent understanding of how meaning is constructed through the use
of film language, with an excellent awareness of the extract’s relationship to the film as a
whole. There is a persuasive explanation for the selection of the extract. The critique shows
an excellent awareness of the film’s genre, its place in a broader sociocultural context, and
gives an insightful analysis of the director’s intention. Simple description will be negligible and
analysis will be clear and thorough.
21-25 Marks


For my Practice Oral, I did Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho. By listening to myself  I could accurately assess and see weaknesses and strengths in my presentation. 

I think I talked too much about the setting and visual design of my extract and did not talk about the cultural pressures on the film as much as I wanted to. This was because I felt my extract adressed these sections more that others. I also kind of stumbled on the speaking section and could have been much more prepared for the oral in terms of content and organization. For example, I should have paused and thought about what i was going to say rather than stuttering and being incoherent. I did not write notes as large as I wanted but I thought that did fullfil the oral.



CAS Film:
Fallen Tear Productions 

EL CAMINO - Film Support Site

A support site for our latest film, EL CAMINO.
Henry Gyles is  photojournalist who's down on his luck. His boss, whom was once his friend, continually puts him on murder cases relating to the mob boss Douglass Mclafferdy. When Mclaffeddy is killed, he returns to town and his boss, Hammond, gives him the case to write up. It requires him to go and talk to Mclafferdy's 2 year wife, who has since reverted to Ms. Janice Wetherby. Seeing nothing more than another murder case, he refuses the job. As he is about to leave the office, Hammond that all secrets are be fatal.

Enter
https://sites.google.com/site/retrofuturisticnoir/

"Man with movie Camera" and "Bicycle Thief"

a. What was Pudovkin's concept of constructive editing and how did it manifest itself on film?

b. What was the Kuleshov effect and give me an example of how is it used in today's film's?

c. What was Eisensteinian Montage and how does it work in the "Odessa Step" sequence?

4. Andre Bazin and Realism

a. What were Andre Bazin's frustrations with Classical and Formalistic film making?

b. What do Realist filmmakers strive for in their work?

c. What techniques to realists use in their filmmaking?

Similarities

Realism and Formalism are both non-standard film editing styles. Realism is the use of long shot duration and deep focus, with limited camera moves. Formalism is the juxtaposition of themed or non themed shots to create meaning. Mostly, these types of  films are relegated to art films but can be interpreted any way by the viewer. On the hand of Thief  we have long shots where you decided the meaning. On the other we have associative cuts that add meaning in Movie Camera. Andre Bazin states that... 

"film should not stick to one simple style of film but encompass different perspectives and types of story telling."

And thus, most films are not one or the other, but rather a mixture.

The Man With a Movie Camera

This film is very interesting. Its way ahead of its time, and even now we watch videos just like this on Vimeo. There many more cuts than Bicycle Thief, and is quite a sight to behold. MWAMC implements ideas of mainly Formalism but also Realism as well.  The film uses alot of imagery, and tries to recreate the reality we live in on film. It also uses contrast of images to create new meaning. For example,  "At first we'd see the life of rich aristocrats, then the following shot would be of a man stuck in poverty and starvation." Vertov uses these juxtapositions to create meaning, which only you can decide what that is. Another side effect of the quick cuts is a heightened intensity and speed that goes with the film such as a very interesting train shot cutting between the man on the tracks and the train wheels. An aspect of realism in the film are certain shots of just landscape. They simply hang around for  a while, giving us a chance to analyze the scene for ourselves. It also gives a sense of location.  Formalism at its core is based on these thematic meanings, and I would like to explore one in a film down the line. 

Bicycle Thief

Bicycle Thief borders on Realism and Classicism.  Some cuts seem longer than normal, with deep focus, and some seem cut to action. Early in the film we classicism  and later we see the not so dynamic neo-realism. Formalism is present in the scene with the father and son near the bike racks, as he, unable to have a bike after his was stolen, is surrounded by hundreds of unattended ones. He looks down at his kid who is clutching himself in his own arms. From this we understanding a deeper meaning despite his flat face: he wants to steal a bike.


This film is part of a less-dynamic movement, the Neo-Realism movement. For example, during the chase scenes, I was surprised by the use of deep focus and odd length clips compared to what I am used to. Not really an extreme of Realism, but a subtle one as if you were there watching the chase happen in front of you. The cuts are used to show a change in action or emotion and it flows so well with the film that the audience accepts it as normal. There were no surprises in the cuts, unlike in The Man With a Movie Camera.

Blog: Characterizaton

Characterization is "the processes of creating a character, using words, actions, thoughts and appearance. The key to creating a realistic character is adding motivation. By allowing a character to develop strong want or needs allows his to gain a greater depth and realism". And thus, the character and movie I will be focusing on is the cult hit Napoleon Dynamite.

Napoleon Dynamite is a highshooler who lives with his grandma and his older brother Kip.Kip  sits "chatting with babes" on internet chatrooms all day, while planning to be a cage fighter. Napoleon daydreams his way through school, drawing ligers (lions and tigers breeded) and his medival fantasies, while reluctantly dealing with the assorted bullies who frequently torment him. To make himself seem more interesting, he continuously makes up lies about him going to Alaska and fighting Wolverines. His uncle attempts to use get rich quick schemes to, well, get rich, whilst his grandma is in the hospital after crashing a dirtbike on the sand dune with her secretive boyfriend,  breaking her coccyx.

Napoleon wears cheesy graphic tees and and sweatpants, also donning his signature moon boots, revealing his "dont-care" attitude. His glasses are huge and thick, and he has generic nerd hair. When he goes to the dance, he picks out a outdated, brown suit from the second hand store as well as a dance VHS and a small ninja sword, which he promptly puts on his belt loop. He constantly squints and gets into slap fights with his older brother, as well as being picked on by bullies. He is annoyed but still loves most of his family  except for Uncle Rico, a failed football star, who uses him to distribute "Bust Must" female enhancers.

The scene I'm going to be focusing on is the scene where Uncle Rico buys a time machine on the interwebs of cyberspace. 
With Uncle Rico nowhere to be found, Kip lets Napoleon use the machine, which electrocutes him. His goal isn't really to travel back in time, rather it is to defy his uncle by using the machine (since his uncle bought it). Kip pretends not to know it wont work, devilishly smiling as Napoleon reels in pain. The only obstacle that Napoleon faces is "forgetting to put in the crystals", well and maybe not going back in time. We see that Napoleon is defiant, that Kip is a sneaky trickster, and we have empathy for the 
uncle. Thus, Napoleon is characterized as the outcast of the family, Uncle Rico, and Kip later going on to  run a "10 piece set" scheme in wihc they sell cheap Tupperware. 

"When You Find Me" Review

Project Imagination

Project Imagination is a collaboration between Ron Howard and Canon combining the photography realm and the film realm into one. Participants submit photos that fit to defined themes, Unknown, Obstacle, Setting, Character, Backstory, Relationship, Goal, Time, and Mood, which are then rated by the community. Ron Howard picks his favorites and merges and conforms a short film based on those shots.

Mood and The Unknown

Using, or rather, using the lack of an IR filter in the camera creates the stunning image in the intro scene. This scene is based on a picture submitted to "The Unknown" theme, and its creamy textures and vast planes create peace in the viewer,as well as ostracize him: it feels like an alien, unfamiliar world to us. It's another world, and we can infer that it is heaven based of its light and pure feel. Infrared light is refracted into the camera sensor, rather than light which is visible. This itself is symbolic

for the scene: her mother is dead, in a world unseen.  The perfect white skin tones, stark blue eyes, and loose white dresses almost give the characters an angelic quality, and the sheer simplicity of the scene adds to its peace. Finally, the slight sound of a brisk breeze give us a final sense of calm.

Obstacle

Obstacle is defined as "something that stops the someone or something from accomplishing hi/its goals". The films main obstacle is Aurora trying to get over the death of her mother, something her sister has achieved long ago. The scene near the gate of the cemetery is symbolic of this plot line. We see that Aurora is unable to scale the fence, unable to face what is behind it. Lilly, the younger sister, can easily hop over and move into the metaphorical graveyard. Only with the help of others (her father) can she pass the gate. In the end we see her enter the graveyard with her sister, symbolizing how she has finally passed the obstacle, still with only the help of her sister. In the end. she passes not only the obstacle of facing her fears with her sister, but also facing the fear of her mother. We see her make amends with both and see her finally cross "the gate" obstacle of acceptance.

Relationship

Relationship is defined as "connection between people or things." The film is based primarily on the relationship between the two sisters and their mother. The relationship between the older sister and the mother is conflicted because the older daughter screamed at her mom while she was dying in the hospital. Her relationship with her sister is also eschewed because Lilly, the younger sister, fooled around before they were leaving 
to see their dying mother, and thus missing a chance to say goodbye. This motivates the entire plot and by the end of the film the sister rebuild their relationship and in the process, rebuild Aurora's relationship with her mother.  Aurora has also lost the relationship with herself, and she could never forgive what she said to her mother. Only after her sister's reveal can she finally reach her character arc of self discovery and find herself. The relationship between the father and daughter is pretty much flat, we see that the older sister gets punished for the younger on running away, etc. The relationship between the mother and father is also flat, and I feel this was a choice on the directors/ writers part in order to focus the narrative on the relationships with Lisle, The mother, Aurora, and the relationship with herself.

Time

Time is defined as "a moment in time". Time plays a large role in the story, as it sets the narrative in motion and involves the primary motivations in the film. In the intro, we see time has allowed her mother to die before they arrive, which motivates the Relationship break and thus the plot.  Time also plays a role in the sisters growing apart after their mothers death, evident in the dinner scene where they talk as almost strangers, initially. Time also plays a role in the time they spend together to grow back together, and their relationship rebonds in the falling action and climax of the film. We see that Time, besides relationship, is the primary thematic focus of the film. Time is symbolized by the tree in the dream sequences, because a tree can live a very long time yet takes a long time to grow, just  as Aurora has taken all these years to reconcile with her sister and her mother. 

Goal

Goal is defined as "something strived for".  The film relates to this theme through many motivations in the plot, one being Aurora's internal goal to make up with her mother and sister, and therefore at the same time forgiving herself. She doesn't externalize this goal however, but we can infer that she does in fact feel this way. Goal is also present in every action that humans do, everything has a reason or is motivated. They play to have fun. They rush to see their mother. They talk to make up. Simple motivations throughout film itself and all forms of storytelling media have motivation, goal, and thus plot.

Backstory

Backstory is something that is present before the actually film and adds deeper meaning and character to the narrative allowing us to get  a better understanding of the film. Back story is present in the scene with the dying mother, actions happen off screen which we can automatically infer when we see a single shot. For example, the shot with the father holding the dying mother shows us what has happened for the past few minutes without actually showing it to us. His eyes are wet and puffy, hes been crying. She is lifeless, she is dead. He hair is not shown, rather a head wrap, suggesting she has cancer and has been through alot of kimo therapeutic pain. The way he hugs her shows how much he loves her and that they have had quite a relationship together. Another scene with backstory is the scene of Auroura's apartment, its simple. but messy, which hives  a visual metaphor of her implied life in the time offscreeen: simple, in an apartment, but disorganized. Her small apartment suggests her not so wealthy-ness, and and the complicated railing outside gives us another visual metaphor of her simple life by contrast of the bare walls the colored intricate railing. She also lives in the city far away from her life on the farm, which suggests she is trying to forget the memories she had there.

Setting

Setting is defined as "the time and place a work is set in." Setting is important throughout the film, and it creates feeling in the viewer that aid in the storytelling by setting associated with emotions in the viewer. One such scene is the farm, it creates a simple, calm feeling that allows us to mellow and feel stark contrast with the hospital scene. Hospitals in this case are associated with death, loss, and pain, and it accentuates the sorrow and loss of relationships that aurora feels. You simply wouldn't get the same emotional response if this happened in a cornfield. Another setting that aids the storytelling is the graveyard. The gate creates a visual metaphor for Aurora's inability to "cross the threshold." The graveyard itself represents loss ad sorrow, which is what the story is secondarily about. It allows viewers to feel more emotionally connected because we all have lost someone and may feel emotional at the sight of a graveyard. This emotional sadness is also "cheated," yes cheated, by the filmmaker to create a more emotional ending to the film, during the climax where the sisters cry and make up. The crashed airplane also plays a role in the film because its broken and forgotten exterior and interior give a sense of loss of something that was once great, as well as the visual metaphor for flying and freedom, and thus dreams and clouds: heaven. 

Character

Character is defined as "can be anyone or anything." We see character all throughout the film, mainly in the three dimensional characters of Aurora and Lisle, as everyone in the film is a simple or flat character. We see more character in those two because of their dress, emotions, and to be quite honest, screen time. Their clothes are bright and colorful, playful and childish, where as the dad's and mom's are simple and neutral, efficient and minimal. The emotion we see in the children create our further perception of the character, and thus their character and traits.

Discovery

[Minor Update]

Discovery is defined as "finding something previously unknown." The film's interpretation of discovery is the ending of the film. We see that the older sister discovers the true nature of the relationship of her and her mother  while also finding herself, and making up with her sister after many years. 

Mad Max 2: Sequels Aren't Always Bad

The Road Warrior tells the story of a man named Max, a lone wanderer in a nuclear wasteland build on gasoline. People have moved away from the cities and into this desolate wasteland. Max comes across a oil refinery,in the midst of a war. A group of people defend it whilst a bloodthirsty motor gang has them under seige.

In light of the announcement that another Mad Max film was coming, Mad Max: Fury Road, I decided to pick this film because it was one of my favorite movies in terms of set and character design, which I find much interest in. The sheer influence this film has had on the post apocalyptic genre, not just in film, but the lucrative video game market as well, also urged me to review it. I wanted to show people the movie that influenced some of their favorite games and movies, from Borderlands to Fallout To Heartbreak Ridge to even a 2Pac album. Filmmakers Guillermo Del Toro, David Fincher, James Cameron, and Robert Rodríguez have cited Mad Max 2 as one of their favorite movies.

Mad Max truly portrays the time period it was made in. It was a time of gas prices soaring to an all time high, Trucker movies were all the rage, and no CG meant all practical effects and stunts. These are all beautifully executed, and even now Mad Max stands the test of time and is considered one of the greatest stunt movies of all time. For example the final chase scene of max defending an oil tanker truck from multiple cars includes stuntmen hoping from car to car, onto the truck, falling off and being crushed, riding on the outer part of the truck at high speed.
Mel Gibson (in one of his earliest roles) plays a superb max, supported by a wonderful Bruce Spence as the air captain. The characters are all memorable in some way; the tricky scoundrel in his gyro, the strong captain Papagello, the insane old man/genera ( who has a samurai sword)l, the old and wise woman, the young “sex appeal” and the feral boy. The production design of this movie is amazing, probably the defining feature of the film. The cars , the the costumes, and even the landscape itself have a character of their own. The score of the film is by Brian May, and it is of an archetypical "fantasy-late 70's early 80's" sound, even having some visceral quality of the ET score. The film is set in the Australian Outback, which is perfect for a post apocalyptic action movie based on vehicle combat. The cinematography of this film is breathtaking. When you first switch from the full screen intro to anamorphic widescreen, you know an epic movie is about to unfold, on par with Dorothy’s change into technicolor.

Every film has its flaws. In Mad Max these prove to be minor with substance, rather average than lacking of. These average traits include average lighting, which works but doesn't impress, which makes sense for an action movie.

In conclusion,Mad Max is a stunning work of art that influenced many IP’s of today. It’s gritty texture, it’s stunning visuals and unique production design make it one of my favorite films of all time. It is a “classic” but by no means is it boring. It a high octane action movie on par with any one made today. 30 years later it hasn't lost it’s touch, and i with gas prices skyrocketing once again, it hasn't lost its core message either I give the film a 10 out of 10. It is a must see movie that might inspire you as well.

Commentary on "A Soldier Apart"

We chose to work on this idea because everyone else just "went with it" and just said yes to my treatment, a process I dislike. With this project I really wanted to make a scifi action flick while exploring underlying themes of corruption, and fascist governments (that parallel our own), combining themes from the genres I researched on (scifi, propaganda) and mix it with my partners' common genre (war/action). This final idea called for less time based scifi like I had imagined, and more war. I felt this was not a good choice, but due to restrictions on, ironically enough, time, many ideas in the original plot did not make it through the first few drafts. In order to balance the mindless action  I felt the project needed strong dialogue, and I really wanted top include a well lit  conversation scene.

1. Research and concept development related to your area of responsibility.

I was Director, Editor, and Prop/Costume Management/Design on this project, "A Soldier Apart". I chose these roles because I am usually the one who takes charge of production and then edits, as Gino is the one who usually tries to cope with my perfectionist madness. I was prop/costume management/design because 95% of the prop guns, walkie talkies, and military garb were mine. I felt a deep disconnection from this project as it steadily moved away from my original ideas.

Find Makarov

1. Research and concept development related to your area of responsibility.

I created storyboards from my cherished scenes: the interrogation scenes. This was done since they required lighting and we had a limited time in the library basement, so these had to be storyboarded to take advantage of time. I also really liked these scenes, as they were lit well and not shaky action-cam. I love old timey “on tripod” static shots, with simple backrounds. This scene was inspired by parts of the short film “Find Makarov.” I also chose to create a checklist for all the props used, so that nothing would be forgotten. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgqmJRkrutI

1. What challenges and solved problems arose in your area of responsibility. (Remember that by fully explaining the above, and by giving specific details about what you did, you are actually giving evidence that you actually worked on the project)

I had to deal with the prop/editing/cinematography and more or less directing part of the project, and thus, was quite a toll on my grades. From the prop master standpoint, I had to manage the 40+ props used on the movie and make sure everything was brought to the remote location, and a few times, we missed things. In the factory scene for example, Alex looses his earphones when he slides underneath some crates. We decided that the audience wouldn't notice, but, did you? As Director, I had to coach actors, however, Alex Sqoicia, playing General Hammond, had prior theatre training, as well as Bryce Dillard. Alex Vargas and Alex Banerjee had the most important scene in the entire in the movie, when Alex gives his monologue. I had Barnett, of Paranoia fame, teach him a little on how to speak like a dictator. As editor, I had to handle constant crashes and setbacks in rendering. For example, in order to get the film out on its due date, it had to be exported in a mere 480p. Later I was able to bring in the full HD version at 1080p. As cinematographer, I had to cope with the constantly changing light of the canyon. In all it took 3 days (4 with the scout day) to shoot the scene. This presented many challenges,as the scenes were shot out of order, and some scenes are obviously shot at sun down, while other are shot in the twilight between full sundown and “behind the mountains” sundown, which I must say does benefit the filmmaker. Also the running shots were difficult to frame as I had to run with the actors as well as cope with the “Jello Frame” sensor of DSLR’s, the only reason I used the DSLR was to achieve a wider angle than my HDV camera, thus lessening apparent camera shake.

In camera "Jello"

1. What areas of production do we best see the application of your artistic style and influence in the project? Explain why is this significant and relevant.

I believe that the two biggest applications of my influence and style were in the color grading and interrogation scene lighting (particularly on the General, played by Alex S.). In the color grading, I tried to convey the over-grade of the footage in order to symbolize the fanciful and unreal sense of scifi but also the world that it takes place. It is a world of secrets and government deception, a place where everyone is shrouded by these colors, and bound to them and their allegiances. In the color grade of the interrogation, cold, distant, empty, trying to add the the atmosphere that wasn't there, the emptiness. In the forest I had to match the over grade, so I did a green color because it seemed appropriate, as the only other color you can grade footage effectively beside blue and green is red, and hat would not have been appropriate. In the lighting of the scene with Alex, I really wanted to go overboard and have a very dramatic opening shot. This would set the high Fidelity tone of the visuals for the rest of the movie. I really like classical filmmaking, not to watch but to record, and the motionless shot was my child. I also love silence in films. It really allows you to explore the environment in which the characters are in without actually showing or talking about it.

1. How the group solved problems that arose on the film as a whole. (You may, if you wish, detail problems in this section that arose because someone on the shoot had problems, was undependable, and did no work. However, the first question I will be asking you is, “Why didn’t you go to that person and tell them that they were not contributing enough, or help them work on skills that they found difficult.”)

In all, 2 weeks of hell were used to shoot the film, mostly at remote locations with alot of gear and costumes in a “Tatooine”-esque shoot wherein nothing worked and multiple props broke due to actor carelessness of things that I bought with my own earned cash, suffice to say, over $120 in possible damages was lost. My group mates all worked very hard, devoting time, locations, and a lot of effort to the cause. However, I feel that Gino, despite working very hard, had a similar disconnect with the project like I did, albeit to a greater extent. He simply wanted to get in done and over with, which I can not fault him for. Of all films I’ve ever made, this was the first time every person has shown up on every day of shooting. Overall, I think my groupmates did a superb job and should not be denoted because of this great effort.

1. Critical Evalutation
I thought, overall the film was a flop. It had it’s good moments, in fact some great moments, however it did not reach the production value I wanted  in some places, and did not tell the story that I wanted either. Rather it became a monster, that turned into a special effects shootout that just might have ruined the next generation of Art of Video’ers. Let me explain. They, in seeing the film, must want to make their own film with guns, despite the “Granny Rule” in place. We broke the rule, and we were supposed to be angelic “Advanced Kids” and be role models. I didn't want this to happen, I really didn't. However due to lack of time, We had the cut the story and the time travel element all together. But I digress.
I felt the film had a lot of potential, however, it had almost no plot and what plot it did have were subject to confusion and misunderstanding. It was more violent then it needed to be and had crappy sound effects, which added to the cheese. I believe that the film should have just not had a forest scene at all, and instead been focused on th relationship between the rogue and the soldier, with more choreography in the Warehouse scene. The ending monologue could use improvement and the actor choice could have been better also. The visuals were pretty solid, with grading and effects looking just fine. In all, I believe it to be a learning experience: dealing with mass props, extras, remote locations, and most important: have a story!

Oral 4

1. What was you rationale for choosing this selection?
I chose this selection because it shows the main ideals of the society it is a propaganda for: a society that is militaristic, diverse, yet ultimately flawed, as the invasion is also. The invasion scene also has symbolic qualities that add to its meaning. The troopers run directly into the warzone without any kind of support or cover. This symbolizes the ultimate devotion and unquestioning allegiance they have to the Federation I also chose it because it is a pretty good action scene that drives the rest of the plot. Without the failed invasion of Klendathu, there would be no reason to invade the other planets near it within the Arachnid Quarantine Zone. Thus, no Brain Bug and/or resolution to the plot. Due to these qualities, the scene perfectly represents the entire film and society that it portrays.

2. How does the extract relate to the film as a whole?
This part of the film is the first actual combat between the Mobile Infantry and the Arachnids. This is the first time that Johnny Rico find himself individually actually engaged with the bugs, as well as wounded. He is fresh out of bootcamp but is still enthusiastic about going to the bug world.The battle results in heavy causalities and the loss of much of the fleet. It’s main purpose thematically is to create hatred in the audience towards the bugs, as well as establish that the troopers, and the Federation, are unprepared for the horrors of war.

3. How is this film constructed according to narrative/story being told?
The film follows the usual 3-act structure and uses dramatic and sub plot elements. The dramatic is the overlying plot to win the war that eventually leads to the capture of the brain bug, while a love triangle (more of a square) forms between Johnny, Dizzy, and Carmen, all while trying to stay alive.

4. Is the narrative organized by plot or time sequence,character driven vs. plot driven?
The plot is time driven, as the events take place in chronological order, and it is mainly character driven, as there is no main goal, other than to win the war and follow orders, and the decisions of the characters (specifically Rico) is what motivates the plot. The brain bug, the main goal of the protagonists, is not discovered until three fourths of the way through. Of course, at the beginning of the movie, we see the battle of Klendathu from the perspective of the News Broadcast, and thus how the public sees it. This takes place (plot-wise) before the events of Johnny's graduation, and thus can be considered organized by plot, as well as by time.

5. Does the film use other principles than narrative sequence as a structure (for instance, an argument?
The film tries to be as streamline as possible, does not create conflicts between characters, rather, it creates conflicts between humans and bugs.

6.What is the nature of our engagement with the story or characters?
We see similarities between us in the Mobile Infantry, and we see the humanity. This is exemplified by the bugs who are very dissimilar to our own, very alien. We sympathize with the Mobile Infantry because they are human, despite the mass genocide committed against the Arachnids. We side with Johnny Rico, as he has lost his parents, and we feel that the bugs wronged all humans and should be brought to justice. However, in one of the news broadcasts, the topic is brought up of the bugs being "provoked by humans entering their natural habitat." This slightly reveals that the truth may be hidden by the Federation, and that our sympathies are all misinformed.