KGB Productions

Been listening to a discussion about DIY filmmaking , and I think it's all very inspiring. Check out The Workbook Project . Lance Weiler interviews Paul Harrill of Self Reliant web site, and Mark Stolaroff of No Budget Film School . They have some interesting things to say. Also if you get a chance take a look at crewless .com . Their a bunch of filmmakers in Alabama who made the film Hide and Creep . It was shown on the sci- fi channel, so they had some pretty good success. The film Hide and Creep was shot on Super 16, and the filmmaker really loves film, and he makes a really good argument for using it. I've always thought the DV thing sucks. The compression you get and the tapes themselves are the worst, and I work with them day in and day out. But I'll probably do my next film on DV . Why? Because it's cheap, it's accessible , and I can get fast turnaround. But I'm also doing some stuff with my Eclair NPR, and seeing what I can do. ...

So yeah I've been writing more and more. I'm working on a second draft of a film that I could possible do. As I write more it gets a bit more ambitious then I thought it would, but then again aiming for above what I wanted isn't too bad. If it ever gets into production I'll worry about it then. As for now I have one criteria in getting this script done and that is is it doable. I know it's all in the rewrites. I've read books, and heard commentaries about it all. Now it's time to apply what I've learned. Granted I have no idea if I'll get this script to the screen, but I promised myself that after this one I would write another outline for a film, and then maybe even tackle a long dormant project I had started but never really finished. One is even a short story which I think is more possible, and would satisfy my hunger to get behind a camera again. Yes it's a full addiction, and after the day job it's hard to get motivated or enough energy ...

If you want to hear a really good and inspiring interview with director Guillermo del Toro. He is the director of Pans Labyrinth. Go or better yet run: (it's that good) http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13

I've been debating on how to start this entry, and figured I just wing it and explore some issues I'm mulling about. One of them is to do another film. No matter how much I talk here I really want to get another chance to do another film. Doing a first film is quite eye opening and you learn a lot. I want to apply that knowledge of what I learned and try again, but motivation is a problem. How do I motivate myself to do another film. How do I get myself to jump through all those hoops to do another film? With Sundance happening right now I guess the desire to do another film is high, but as I read about Sundance I am dismayed by how insular that world really is. I mean do I really have a chance to get in such a festival. I've tried to enter several festivals with " Deadly Obsessions " and I've always hit a brick wall. I even questioned the films quality. I mean when so many doors are shut in your face it doesn't take long for self doubt to set in. Then a...

Okay I did it. I finally got to the theater to see Babe l this week-end, and enjoyed the film immensely. I’m a big admirer of the director Alejandro González Iñárritu . I loved “ 21 Grams ”, and thought it was done surprisingly well. Since it’s win of a golden globe the movie is suddenly getting more theater play. According to Box Office report Babel came in 12 th up 505% from the previous week. Guess you can say that the Golden globe award can be translated into box office dollars. The film, which deals with several story lines that sort of inter-connect, is interesting, yet I did hear a few grumblings from the audience as I walked out. Seems as though some had a hard time following the characters, and the director’s use of non-linear storytelling confused the audience a bit. My only complaint was that some scenes played too long, and maybe the filmmaker could have cut it a bit. The film runs 142 minutes and though I don’t find that long I do feel there were some scenes that just ...

Seems like filmmakers Susan Buice & Arin Crumley are headed to Sundance . The Sundance channel is sponsoring them, and they'll provide daily (yes daily) video blogs from the festival. I still have not seen their film as of yet, but hope to someday soon. Whether you love them or hate them you have to give the two their props. They shamelessly promoted their film, and it got noticed. I hear they won some awards including some cash awards, so I'm thinking what next from these two. It seems that they've been pitching their movie "Four Eyed Monsters" for some time now. Hopefully we'll all get a chance to see the film soon on DVD or cable. Maybe then they can start on their second feature. CONGRAT "S guys on the success !

So after seeing some good cinema the past few weeks my mind goes on to wanting to do something myself. I even put on a documentary on the making of " The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ". Not the remake, but the original by Tobe Hooper . While watching the documentary I began to wonder how does a movie like TCM or " Night of the Living Dead " get made. Now these are two American horror movies but one could also look at such films as " 400 Blows ", " Breathless ", " Citizen Kane ", and " Easy Rider " as films that are now classics and will always be classics. It fascinates me on how these films were ever made. A lot of them were made on a low budget, and with a lot of blood sweat and tears from the filmmakers. But the one factor that comes into play about them all is that these films were made by a person with a unique vision who then assembled other like-minded people in order to create the final film. Sometimes it’s just pure luck t...

Del Torro's Pan's Labyrinth is a visually stunning and poetic film that should not be missed. I'm a BIG fan of Del Torro , and he has a unique style. I hear he is planning Hellboy 2, and I'm sure it will be quite good. The story of Pan's Labyrinth is a stunning piece of cinema. I read that he made the film for $5 million dollars, and he was offered twice as much if he would make the film in English. I applaud Del Torro to sticking to his guns. I'm sure the film was a struggle to make. From the cinematography to the set design the film looks fantastic. The story of Pan's Labyrinth is also a great little story for our time. Set during the the Spanish Civil War where Franco crushed a rebellion by the republic. Franco went on to rule Spain with an iron fist for several decades. In a society struggling with freedom and terrorism this movie is about hope and sacrifice. It is also a fairy tale, and a good one at that. The actors all give great performances, ...

What can I say about this film that hasn’t been said before. “ Children of Men ” is one of those films that after seeing it you just can’t get it out of your head. Alfonso Cuarón brings to life a near future that is bleak and dying. A world without children and a world slowly sinking into oblivion. He uses immigration, jihads, rebellion, and apathy to create a world that seems to have no hope. Using today’s headlines Cuaron shows us a glimpse of a world that could be. The film is based on P.D. James novel “Children of Men” and was published back in 1992. The movie provides us with such a unique view of the world that you’ll want to know more on how we got there. My only suggestion is go read the book. “ Children of Men ” is one of those films that takes hold of you and doesn’t let go. It will affect anyone who sees it. I swear that after seeing it I just wanted to rush back home and hug my boys. I wanted to hear them laugh and run amuck as children do. I really can’t attest to Cuaron...

So after seeing the other night the original film " Rocky " on TMC I had to see the last and final one in this franchise known as Rocky. I am a BIG admirer of the first one, and still find it today a very inspiring and tender story both in its story and in how the movie was made. To say that the original film came out of nowhere is an understatement. The film was about an underdog and it championed the underdog to mythic levels. I don't care if you're into boxing or not at the end of the original you'll feel as you went 15 rounds with Rocky, and when you hear Bill Conti's theme blaring there is no way you can not be involved . The movie rocks and the man who made it rock if you'll excuse the pun is the man Sly Stallone. He's a good writer and a good study of the human condition. Sure Stallone may be more known for his Rambo series then his Rocky, but you can't take away what Stallone wrote. He also stuck to his guns and wanted himself to do the ...

I just read an interesting interview by Scott Tobias on the blog avclub . Go check it out. The most interesting tidbit of info that Norton talks about is independent film and the climate of production in today's market: "I think there's more ways to get a movie made today then ever in the history of the entertainment industry. It's a very exciting time to work in movies, if you're a creative person looking to make a very personal, weird vision."