I'm not sure which director said it, but he said that most horror directors have a sadistic side to them. Funny that they are also THE most nicest people you ever met. I've seen Tobe Hooper come by a cigar shop to quietly buy smokes (before his death, obviously). John Carpenter seems like someone's curmudgeon uncle (though you could argue he was more a disciple of westerns. Hitchcock wasn't a nice guy though. I guess you could argue that stylists are different. I really consider Mr. Hitchcock more of a fashion director (though to be fair, most of that came after the fact.
I can't do it. May never get to that point. In other words, I have no interest in seeing random acts of violence anymore. I think as you grow older you see how futile that really is.
I am really surprised that I see more women getting in horror than men. I think it has to do with living in fear. I understand. Girls who are pretty get a lot of unnecessary attention all the time. They are fascinated with victims because they are one constantly...I guess.
To me, I think most of the directors who make horror films is an entry level thing to get into directing their own projects. People ask what makes a successful director. I agree with this answer I've heard in the past..
...if that filmmaker is curious about the subject matter they are making and don't know everything about it and are passionate to learn from it. It's a longer version of "make what you know" but it goes a little further back to "make what you like to know." In this discovery you learn more about yourself.
Who knows, you may learn you are a sadist.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Result Based
It's probably near impossible for people in the film industry to not link money with success. No judgement there. That's the clear result of having a product people want. To me, it's foolhardy as an artist to focus on result based stories.
For the most part, you ask any screenwriter, they aren't looking at what audiences want. Some are, of course, and you can see it, in storylines that seem to shoehorn hidden things for their fans. This is pandering and distracting from a good story (in my opinion).
There is an incredibly rare occasion now where movies aren't sequels or adaptions or reboots. Trying to limit return on investments. They have people to answer to. "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" is the only film for a LONG time that has broken the $100 million mark and was an original story. That is bizarre.
IF that is the life you want to live, I'll cheer from the crowd and go home and eat mac and cheese.
To me, this is an empty shell.
Result base makes people worry constantly about how people will perceive their art. And I'm not saying I'm not guilty of it. You want to dress to impress. And also not look the fool. But to me...maybe because my brain has been foggy for a while, it doesn't interest me as much anymore.
The freedom to make things...ANYTHING, makes the pressure non-existent. Perhaps that is what I'm dodging. A LOT of people live in awful pressure. One project I'm assisting in now has the cinematographer stressed beyond what I want to deal with. I applaud her for fighting for her art, though maybe not on a Hollywood franchise now.
Buy your freedom, then make what you want. Don't let the audience tell you what you want. Give them something original and be brave!
For the most part, you ask any screenwriter, they aren't looking at what audiences want. Some are, of course, and you can see it, in storylines that seem to shoehorn hidden things for their fans. This is pandering and distracting from a good story (in my opinion).
There is an incredibly rare occasion now where movies aren't sequels or adaptions or reboots. Trying to limit return on investments. They have people to answer to. "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" is the only film for a LONG time that has broken the $100 million mark and was an original story. That is bizarre.
IF that is the life you want to live, I'll cheer from the crowd and go home and eat mac and cheese.
To me, this is an empty shell.
Result base makes people worry constantly about how people will perceive their art. And I'm not saying I'm not guilty of it. You want to dress to impress. And also not look the fool. But to me...maybe because my brain has been foggy for a while, it doesn't interest me as much anymore.
The freedom to make things...ANYTHING, makes the pressure non-existent. Perhaps that is what I'm dodging. A LOT of people live in awful pressure. One project I'm assisting in now has the cinematographer stressed beyond what I want to deal with. I applaud her for fighting for her art, though maybe not on a Hollywood franchise now.
Buy your freedom, then make what you want. Don't let the audience tell you what you want. Give them something original and be brave!
Dull And Lifeless Directors
There is a co-worker of mine who wants to direct movies. He reminds me very much of the guy who trained me at my job now. They're both technically proficient to a level of mad scientist genius but seem to lack social nuances to be interesting. I suspect they each want to get into making movies to get girls that treated them like shit in high school to trip over themselves at their feet. Most of us do.
He's made three features, none of them I've been invited to see. Though I know he's made them because I've seen clips and he has no reason to lie to me. They're really...stiff projects. He lacks the free flow that is required of movies I prefer watching. I can also tell much of it is a chore and his stories aren't very interesting.
I think, much like a LOT of technically proficient people, he lacks...spirit. Spirit in filmmaking is the love of cinema. I suspect he likes to dissect them into its base and...well, there goes the fun. I have a friend who is against "tastes." I think this is an inkling of what I think he means. Most people who think they have taste REALLY mean they are discerning with their precious time and that type of snobbery of not seeing the good come from schlock is a detriment to anyone who wants to tell stories. There is a value to most everything.
I staunchly disagree with this co-worker's way of working. Which is probably closer to how the studios work. Though he is (obviously an independent). The guy hasn't bent to the realities of his paycheck and his films may reflect that. Studio movies to me means you can't experiment haphazardly. More times than not, filmmaking is a reckless endeavor, and the person behind the camera is more a stylist than a storyteller. I have these filmmaking friends who've attached not the correct lens on a camera which cause about half of their shots to be out of focus, the other half have horrific vignetting. I've reminded them multiple times, but it hasn't stopped them.
I LOVE THAT!
Because, truth be told, I'd rather be a compromise between that and some technical proficiencies rather than choke the fun out of filmmaking. WAY too many technicians today (due to the digital era) than filmmakers. They count on the wrong things to make their movie.
And to be fair, I think my way of making a film isn't for everyone either. If I were to say, I do enjoy my approach better than stressing over dumb minutiae.
He's made three features, none of them I've been invited to see. Though I know he's made them because I've seen clips and he has no reason to lie to me. They're really...stiff projects. He lacks the free flow that is required of movies I prefer watching. I can also tell much of it is a chore and his stories aren't very interesting.
I think, much like a LOT of technically proficient people, he lacks...spirit. Spirit in filmmaking is the love of cinema. I suspect he likes to dissect them into its base and...well, there goes the fun. I have a friend who is against "tastes." I think this is an inkling of what I think he means. Most people who think they have taste REALLY mean they are discerning with their precious time and that type of snobbery of not seeing the good come from schlock is a detriment to anyone who wants to tell stories. There is a value to most everything.
I staunchly disagree with this co-worker's way of working. Which is probably closer to how the studios work. Though he is (obviously an independent). The guy hasn't bent to the realities of his paycheck and his films may reflect that. Studio movies to me means you can't experiment haphazardly. More times than not, filmmaking is a reckless endeavor, and the person behind the camera is more a stylist than a storyteller. I have these filmmaking friends who've attached not the correct lens on a camera which cause about half of their shots to be out of focus, the other half have horrific vignetting. I've reminded them multiple times, but it hasn't stopped them.
I LOVE THAT!
Because, truth be told, I'd rather be a compromise between that and some technical proficiencies rather than choke the fun out of filmmaking. WAY too many technicians today (due to the digital era) than filmmakers. They count on the wrong things to make their movie.
And to be fair, I think my way of making a film isn't for everyone either. If I were to say, I do enjoy my approach better than stressing over dumb minutiae.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Bigots
Here, in Los Angeles, there are more conservative people than you realize. They probably come from Central California where they wanted to see and live "in the big city."
There is a sense of right and wrong when it comes to humanity. But it seemed during President Barack Obama's 8 years, he gave all people the license to commit crimes and get away with it. Guess what? This is the same exact rhetoric that is being screamed about when Blacks and Mexicans and Leftist Whites are saying President Donald Trump enables White Supremacists.
Either may be true actually. There are dumb people in the world. But the news out there now doesn't help. It picks and chooses what to enrage us with. In reality, most of us still live that life from 1980's where everything was carefree. I ask a normal 8 year old how her life is, it's not different than how I grew up. I'm not sure the parents of today share their political views that openly with their children, mine didn't. I know one who does. He is a staunch Leftists and I pity the boy. Seriously, that kid will grow up to be a far Right Conservative. Trust me.
So who are bigots?
Answer: we are.
People deny they aren't but EVERYONE is.
Now this may seem like an accusatory thing to write, but it's true. We have our prejudices. Some won't date Blacks, some won't date White, some won't date Mexicans, some won't Asians. Now, extreme people will scream that bigoted. Which, in a way, it is. It is a prejudice based on skin color and nothing else. Perhaps culture. But that still falls under bigotry. If I said I would never go out with a Mexican girl. And the public were to overhear that. The internet (if they cared about who I was) would take that information and run. Because it's sensational. To a LOT of humans, I chalk that up to preference. To a lot of outraged people, it's bigoted. Instead, people then lie. Which makes them out to be phony. And so forth.
To be progressive isn't to deny our biology. It's to know it and change within. If not, then that's YOUR decision, as long as you don't hurt others physically. Yeah, you probably do so emotionally. But we need to stop living in that world. Not that you can't feel, but not everyone who doesn't like you is a bigot. It was my go-to for the longest time. They couldn't possibly not like me. Turns out I was just being a shit.
There is a sense of right and wrong when it comes to humanity. But it seemed during President Barack Obama's 8 years, he gave all people the license to commit crimes and get away with it. Guess what? This is the same exact rhetoric that is being screamed about when Blacks and Mexicans and Leftist Whites are saying President Donald Trump enables White Supremacists.
Either may be true actually. There are dumb people in the world. But the news out there now doesn't help. It picks and chooses what to enrage us with. In reality, most of us still live that life from 1980's where everything was carefree. I ask a normal 8 year old how her life is, it's not different than how I grew up. I'm not sure the parents of today share their political views that openly with their children, mine didn't. I know one who does. He is a staunch Leftists and I pity the boy. Seriously, that kid will grow up to be a far Right Conservative. Trust me.
So who are bigots?
Answer: we are.
People deny they aren't but EVERYONE is.
Now this may seem like an accusatory thing to write, but it's true. We have our prejudices. Some won't date Blacks, some won't date White, some won't date Mexicans, some won't Asians. Now, extreme people will scream that bigoted. Which, in a way, it is. It is a prejudice based on skin color and nothing else. Perhaps culture. But that still falls under bigotry. If I said I would never go out with a Mexican girl. And the public were to overhear that. The internet (if they cared about who I was) would take that information and run. Because it's sensational. To a LOT of humans, I chalk that up to preference. To a lot of outraged people, it's bigoted. Instead, people then lie. Which makes them out to be phony. And so forth.
To be progressive isn't to deny our biology. It's to know it and change within. If not, then that's YOUR decision, as long as you don't hurt others physically. Yeah, you probably do so emotionally. But we need to stop living in that world. Not that you can't feel, but not everyone who doesn't like you is a bigot. It was my go-to for the longest time. They couldn't possibly not like me. Turns out I was just being a shit.
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Shooting Off The Cuff
The biggest crew I ever worked with was about 200 people. That is a LOT of people. Most I didn't see since I was always in the production trailer, nursing a hangover or pissed off at how slow 200 people are. I may seem like a oksie-folksie guy when you meet me in person BUT, on set, that was..well, I was much of a angry tyrant. I see that now. Not a tyrant, but...I always saw inefficient waste. I argued a lot of things. Much of it had nothing to do with the movie I was shooting at the time (I only been on 2 features). They were things like the use of time (which I suppose could be linked to the feature). People generally didn't listen as to where they should park the trucks or which camera we were using. Or where our lens kit we ordered was. It was intense sometimes because I thought the stress would kill the producer. It killed me just having to coordinate my camera crew (which really wasn't my job but...you can't help that). Most of the time my crew were talking me off the ledge.
So, for those of you who dream of working in big bad studio Hollywood, please etch this in your mind...it is a job. You are employed. They want you to fill out paperwork. Then there's the drudgery of 14 hour days. 12 hour days are considered normal (by the way). I had no idea 8 hours was what normal people did for the longest time. In production good luck with 12 or 14, some have gone even more. And it's all a waste of dumb time. No one wants to deal with dumb time, except teamsters. They get paid regardless of how dumb you are about your time.
That's why I prefer THE least amount of people on set. Which isn't always feasible in a union set up. A well tuned crew, such as the one Clint Eastwood uses regularly is impressive. They (most likely) speak very little and work very fast. The ones you get when starting out, know very little about what's going on (because they don't read their call sheets) or they're just too green and film school arrogant to hustle their asses off on set.
That said, the shoots I put together now are the ones I prefer. I actually got down to just me as camera, lighting and sound. Which is documentary style-ish. Since we were making a narrative film. I loved it! Though I couldn't function as a receptive human being to "directing." when I'm thinking of 100 other things such as sound levels or whatnot. Yes, in a consumer audience, this is a VERY poor example of giving the audience what they paid for. To me...I don't care. It doesn't register like that. And if ANYTHING comes of it, I'm happy. If NOT, I'm not sad.
Also, I shoot on film, which adds another level of paranoia.
If you've ever been around camera technicians, they check, cross check and check again. When an unfortunate accident happens on set with the camera, they are...well, it's amazing how utter destroyed they are because it calls into question their skills and reputation.
In the industry, the stakes are pretty high in dollar amounts. This stress isn't what you should be concerned about. Nor should you ever.
This is a reckless way to work...but...somehow, I prefer it.
So, for those of you who dream of working in big bad studio Hollywood, please etch this in your mind...it is a job. You are employed. They want you to fill out paperwork. Then there's the drudgery of 14 hour days. 12 hour days are considered normal (by the way). I had no idea 8 hours was what normal people did for the longest time. In production good luck with 12 or 14, some have gone even more. And it's all a waste of dumb time. No one wants to deal with dumb time, except teamsters. They get paid regardless of how dumb you are about your time.
That's why I prefer THE least amount of people on set. Which isn't always feasible in a union set up. A well tuned crew, such as the one Clint Eastwood uses regularly is impressive. They (most likely) speak very little and work very fast. The ones you get when starting out, know very little about what's going on (because they don't read their call sheets) or they're just too green and film school arrogant to hustle their asses off on set.
That said, the shoots I put together now are the ones I prefer. I actually got down to just me as camera, lighting and sound. Which is documentary style-ish. Since we were making a narrative film. I loved it! Though I couldn't function as a receptive human being to "directing." when I'm thinking of 100 other things such as sound levels or whatnot. Yes, in a consumer audience, this is a VERY poor example of giving the audience what they paid for. To me...I don't care. It doesn't register like that. And if ANYTHING comes of it, I'm happy. If NOT, I'm not sad.
Also, I shoot on film, which adds another level of paranoia.
If you've ever been around camera technicians, they check, cross check and check again. When an unfortunate accident happens on set with the camera, they are...well, it's amazing how utter destroyed they are because it calls into question their skills and reputation.
In the industry, the stakes are pretty high in dollar amounts. This stress isn't what you should be concerned about. Nor should you ever.
This is a reckless way to work...but...somehow, I prefer it.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Et Tu, Dayton?
Most likely a racist dude wanted to kill people of color. And Dayton, OH was his hunting ground. I can't believe within 14 hours ANOTHER mass shooting took the lives of 9 more people.
In this unprecedented mass shooting culture we've found ourselves at, what is the solution?
To be honest, I don't know. What I do know is that this is an old crisis we continue to re-visit every time we turn on the internet, we're reading ANOTHER mass shooter. Where can we go where this doesn't happen? They have hit the soft targets.
I am at a loss for words in terms of how to end this ugliness. My only solution is to let parents parent again. I've been seeing an alarming amount of people who just allow their children free reign. This is horrid. And I do blame my generation. Since we're the ones who shrugged off responsibility and accountability first. Then attempted to make our lives much easier with technology. Then allowed technology to determine what outrage we need in a day.
To me, this is unacceptable, IRRESPONSIBLE and so very tragic. In the case of these two assholes who wanted to prove a point, why not kill yourselves first? Seems you are miserable in life and had not thought that your actions effect countless of future problems ahead. You're nutbag gun loving brethren for example. EVERYONE should drop a hammer on these types. And there is a specific type in these mass shootings. Young and White. There, I said it. Just pointing out the obvious here, but look...after writing this, I'm sure a Latina Woman in her 50's will go all apeshit. Because...we can't control our so-called "good guys with guns." Yes, I understand GUNS DO NOT KILL PEOPLE, people kill people. But it sure makes it easy for nutbags to take many people out. People lack common sense when they argue that knives do the same. You idiots are the same who say "don't bring a knife to a gunfight" Know why you retards say that? Because you know how destructive guns are.
You don't NEED a gun. That also goes for these asshole gang members that continue the neverending destruction of life. If it were my police force, anyone that even has a gang tattoo would be put down like the dogs they are. Every single one. Then move on from there.
But most of their hands are tied.
How sad we need to speak of this.
In this unprecedented mass shooting culture we've found ourselves at, what is the solution?
To be honest, I don't know. What I do know is that this is an old crisis we continue to re-visit every time we turn on the internet, we're reading ANOTHER mass shooter. Where can we go where this doesn't happen? They have hit the soft targets.
I am at a loss for words in terms of how to end this ugliness. My only solution is to let parents parent again. I've been seeing an alarming amount of people who just allow their children free reign. This is horrid. And I do blame my generation. Since we're the ones who shrugged off responsibility and accountability first. Then attempted to make our lives much easier with technology. Then allowed technology to determine what outrage we need in a day.
To me, this is unacceptable, IRRESPONSIBLE and so very tragic. In the case of these two assholes who wanted to prove a point, why not kill yourselves first? Seems you are miserable in life and had not thought that your actions effect countless of future problems ahead. You're nutbag gun loving brethren for example. EVERYONE should drop a hammer on these types. And there is a specific type in these mass shootings. Young and White. There, I said it. Just pointing out the obvious here, but look...after writing this, I'm sure a Latina Woman in her 50's will go all apeshit. Because...we can't control our so-called "good guys with guns." Yes, I understand GUNS DO NOT KILL PEOPLE, people kill people. But it sure makes it easy for nutbags to take many people out. People lack common sense when they argue that knives do the same. You idiots are the same who say "don't bring a knife to a gunfight" Know why you retards say that? Because you know how destructive guns are.
You don't NEED a gun. That also goes for these asshole gang members that continue the neverending destruction of life. If it were my police force, anyone that even has a gang tattoo would be put down like the dogs they are. Every single one. Then move on from there.
But most of their hands are tied.
How sad we need to speak of this.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
El Paso Shooting
I need to apologize on behalf of Hollywood.
They won't say it because they'll blame guns. I blame violence. Reckless, head smashing desensitizing laughable violence.
And it's awful.
For Caucasian men between the ages of 19 and 36 and that one Asian at Virginia Tech, please don't ever get a gun, don't ever have a gun anywhere near you and don't ever think about a gun. Regardless of the hate you have in your heart, or...as you probably convince yourselves that you can handle your shit...you can't. Burn in fucking Hell. Because you can't handle shit.
People have to know certain things about themselves, for instance why I will NEVER own a gun. Recently, I have considered it, since where I live has been getting a lot of horrible crime. But I know that I have a disgusted streak on humanity that requires I don't ever need a firearm.
And yeah, gun nuts will call me retarded. But, how can I set an example without following it.
Violence has been shown in Hollywood in the most awful ways. And I'm not entirely sure people TRULY see the anguish it causes. Lives are destroyed. People will need to move on from awful grief. My short rub with death recently has shown me how destructive a void creates. And, look, I'm probably saying this to deaf ears.
We are meant to die in our beds (hopefully under some young tits). NOT in a Wal-Mart gunned down by a virgin asshole. I am so sickened now, by what my industry has created. Violence against people in real life doesn't have a do-over. That is the end. And we need to feel empathy for this.
Please, consider this.
They won't say it because they'll blame guns. I blame violence. Reckless, head smashing desensitizing laughable violence.
And it's awful.
For Caucasian men between the ages of 19 and 36 and that one Asian at Virginia Tech, please don't ever get a gun, don't ever have a gun anywhere near you and don't ever think about a gun. Regardless of the hate you have in your heart, or...as you probably convince yourselves that you can handle your shit...you can't. Burn in fucking Hell. Because you can't handle shit.
People have to know certain things about themselves, for instance why I will NEVER own a gun. Recently, I have considered it, since where I live has been getting a lot of horrible crime. But I know that I have a disgusted streak on humanity that requires I don't ever need a firearm.
And yeah, gun nuts will call me retarded. But, how can I set an example without following it.
Violence has been shown in Hollywood in the most awful ways. And I'm not entirely sure people TRULY see the anguish it causes. Lives are destroyed. People will need to move on from awful grief. My short rub with death recently has shown me how destructive a void creates. And, look, I'm probably saying this to deaf ears.
We are meant to die in our beds (hopefully under some young tits). NOT in a Wal-Mart gunned down by a virgin asshole. I am so sickened now, by what my industry has created. Violence against people in real life doesn't have a do-over. That is the end. And we need to feel empathy for this.
Please, consider this.
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