Frame Rate

More and more people, businesses, organizations, etc. are using Twitter to communicate with the world. Using a maximum of 140 characters, users answer one simple question, “What are you doing right now?” It’s another form of social networking, but many are now using it in their own marketing efforts. I currently have a Twitter account, and although I’m fairly new to the Twitter-verse, I’m hoping that it can be another way of getting my company’s name out to the public.

Type in “Using Twitter for Marketing and PR” in your search engine and you will find a number of web pages giving out advice on how to use Twitter to market your business. Of course you will also find a number of people who feel that Twitter should be used as a social outlet only, not a selling platform. Just look at the advice from the site HowToUseTwitterForMarketingAndPR.com

Regardless of where you fall in the debate, it’s obvious that some business owners have seen tangible results from utilizing Twitter. A coffee shop owner in Houston, Texas credits Twitter with doubling his clientele. News outlets use Twitter for keeping the public up to speed on the latest headlines. Job sites around the world are now using Twitter to help people find the job they’re looking for.

The bottom line is that social networking is still in its infancy and there are no hard and fast rules for what you can and cannot do with a utility like Twitter. However, social etiquette that we use everyday in our face-to-face conversations should certainly carry over to a portal like Twitter, if you hope to gain a following and expand your network. Consider these Twitter Do’s and Don’ts.

The panelists of Freelance Radio frequently discuss social networking sites on their podcast, and they have some great insights into what you should and shouldn’t do with these tools. Bottom line is that if you want to be listened to, you have to contribute something to the conversation. Don’t simply set up a blog, Twitter account, Facebook page, etc. and sit back and wonder why you have no readers. Get out there and write comments on other blogs. Contribute. Become a part of the conversation.

The premise is simple, yet engaging — an ex-CIA agent’s daughter is kidnapped while traveling overseas and the dad goes after the kidnappers in an attempt to rescue his daughter. This is the basic plot behind Taken, the new action movie starring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen. What the film lacks in plot complexities, it makes up in the sheer thrill of the chase.

When Bryan Mills’ (Neeson) daughter Kim (Grace) goes missing while vacationing in Paris with a friend, Mills vows to go after the kidnappers, kill them, and bring his daughter back. He reveals his plan to the kidnappers while on the phone with them in what has to be one of the most well-written kick a** monologues I’ve heard in a while. Mills only has a window of 96 hours before he loses any chance of seeing his daughter again. So begins a gripping 70-minute chase throughout Paris.

Leads come easy for Mills, and the bad guys drop without much of a fight when Mills unleashes his full potential. At times it seems impossible that anyone could move so quickly through an investigation, but the thrill of this movie is not in the struggle, but in the chase. Normally, suspense is created by giving characters seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but in this case, suspense is created in the “ticking clock.” In other words, vewers are glued to their seats waiting to see if Mills can reach his daughter before it’s too late.

The subject matter of this film is extremely timely and relevant. With real-life missing persons cases like Natalie Holloway hitting newsstands, this kind of film speaks to many people. It feels real. It’s plausible, and so we as viewers buy in to the reality created by the filmmakers.

Some might consider the set up and exposition of the film a bit too lengthy, considering most already know what’s coming, but it does provide nice forshadowing and establishes the family relationships between Mills his daughter, and his ex-wife. Mindless action is the name of the game in Taken, but it will keep you watching until time runs out.

7 out of 10

I came across this site today, thanks to the FreshDV blog. It’s called FilmmakerIQ and it has an exhaustive list of tutorials, reviews, insights, etc. on everything pertaining to films and filmmaking. There’s a great DIY section on how to achieve certain effects while keeping production costs low. The site has resources available for any filmmaker, regardless of the stage of production you’re in. I will definitely add this to my Delicious bookmarks.

I had the opportunity yesterday to speak before a group of young actors and share with them some important things about acting in front of the camera. The class was very productive and I think I left them with some valuable information.. So, if you are a young actor, new to the world of film production, allow me to share with you some of the things I shared with the students yesterday.

Getting Started

If you want to work in film and you live in a smaller market, be prepared to work for free. This is especially true if the project is a short film. However, you will gain some great experience and will be able to start building a reel. If you’re looking for paid work, I would suggest getting involved with a local agency. They will help you find commercial work that will pay.

As a young actor, it may be tempting to jump in with both feet when you read the words “Film Auditions.” After all, who doesn’t want to be in a movie? But I would suggest taking the time to find out more about the production company before you get involved. Look at their work. How’s the production quality? Would you be proud to have your name associated with the kind of work they produce? Maintain a sense of pride about yourself and your craft.

Consider being an extra in a production. This will give you valuable on-set experience and will help you get introduced to some important people.

Preparing for the Audition

Always have a headshot ready to go. It should be a single image with your resume stapled to the back. Your resume should be a single sheet and it should be attached so that a casting director can flip the headshot over read your resume. Don’t add on extra photos or extra sheets. Don’t paper clip items together, because your resume could get separated from your headshot. This means a casting director could have your picture without having any idea who you are or how to get in contact with you.

If you pride yourself on being a character actor and can offer a director a wide range of looks, you can always create a composite headshot. The composite would contain your main headshot and then two or three other images (on the same sheet) of you portraying particular character.

Auditioning

Every audition can be a little different, but you need to be prepared for the following:

1. On-camera introduction
2. Cold read
3. Informal interview
4. Improvisation

On-Camera Reminders

When you are on camera shooting a scene, remember that continuity is very important. This means that you have to do the exact same blocking in the exact same way for every take. This is to help the editor match footage together when the film is being assembled.

You also want to think subtle. In the theatre everything is big, because you have to project to the back row. Film is a much more intimate medium. The slightest change in facial expression can be read by the audience. If you play it up too big, you will be over-acting.

Finally, continue acting until the director says, “Cut.” Many directors want their actors to continue the scene and improv additional dialogue and action just to see what happens. Sometimes the best material can be found in these moments. So, don’t break character until you here the “Cut” command.

We went over a lot more material in yesterday’s class, so I might post a series of notes on acting for the camera in the next few days.

Parc Entertainment will be holding auditions for the short film “If Only” on Friday, February 6 from 6-8pm and Saturday, February 7 from 1-4pm. Auditions will be held at the Parc Entertainment office, located at 2309 2nd Avenue South. Please bring a headshot and resume when you come. If you have any questions, you can contact Clint at 205-588-4185, or clint@ParcEntertainment.com.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

Cast:

VANESSA - Mid 30s. A classy woman who dresses smart. She’s not snobby or uptight. She suffers from emotional issues following a turbulent relationship. She has a close group of friends she relies on, and won’t really let anyone else in to her life. She’s guarded and introverted.

MATTHEW - Late 30s. Ex-boyfriend of Vanessa. Charming, but manipulative. Moderately successful. Moody. Insincere — will always tell you what you want to hear.

VANESSA’S FRIENDS - Three Women mid 30s-early 40s. Fun, sincere, trustworthy, just an all-around good group.

THERAPIST - Male or Female - Late 40s to mid 50s. Intelligent, academic. Soothing voice, calming effect on others.

We will also have some supporting roles including:

WAITER
POLICE OFFICER
MAITRE DE
RESTAURANT HOSTESS

And we will also be in need of extras to fill out a restaurant scene.

There’s a surprising amount of humanity and emotion packed into Clint Eastwood’s latest film, Gran Torino. The story is so much more than what’s on the surface. It touches on topics like race relations, generational gaps, aging, loss, regret, family, and culture. And this multi-level facet of the story makes the movie powerful, emotional, and moving. So many films rely on big budgets, special effects, up-tempo pacing, and surprise endings as crutches. In contrast, Gran Torino simply tells us about people — people trying to deal with their own issues and cope with the obstacles that life throws at them.

Clint Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a bitter and angry Korean War veteran who spends his days complaining about the deterioration of the neighborhood around him, and the minorities who have invaded his territory. He’s particularly irritated by a family of Asians who live next door and much of the film is filled with Walt’s incessant racial slurs. But Walt makes no apologies for his behavior. He is who he is. Even the Asian teens who live next door aren’t offended by his remarks, because they learn to connect with him in ways that Walt doesn’t expect. And he finds that he too is somehow drawn to their innate goodness.

The trailer and movie poster for this film can be misleading. They seem to speak about an old man taking the law into his own hands and dishing out vengeance on the gang bangers in his neighborhood; a geriatric Rambo, if you will. That certainly plays a part in the story, and leads Walt to learn more about his neighbors. But Walt’s confrontation with gangs only opens the door to deeper, more meaningful commentaries on human understanding and true friendships. Through Walt’s past in Korea he learned a lot about dying, but in this film we see that Walt has a lot to learn about living. And the beauty of the story is found in that journey.

8 out of 10

I am an extremely organized person. I like to maintain ongoing records of how I spend my day. As a business owner, this becomes especially useful when I’m working on tasks to develop new leads. It’s good to be able to go back and compare the time invested into lead generation versus the amount of work I actually received. It’s also important to keep accurate records of my time because my work is based on bids given out to clients. At the end of every job I need to create a detailed production report to compare my actual costs with my estimated costs. That way I’m better prepared to bid on the next job.

Before my iPhone I was using Outlook to track my time, but this was often cumbersome, because on my version of Outlook there was no good way to export the data into an organized time sheet. So, while searching the App Store a few weeks ago, I came across Eternity, a great little time log tool. You can get a free version to try it out, but it’s very limited and won’t let you export the records via e-mail. However, the full version ($7.99) will allow you to post limitless entries and will allow you to email reports to yourself. This is my first week using the full version and I love it. It’s far superior to Outlook, not only for its organizational tools and detailed reports, but also because it’s mobile. Since it’s on my iPhone, the app stays with me, so I’m able to keep much better records of how I spend my time throughout the day. Worth the money, for sure.

When most people learn about World War II during their American History classes, they hear all about the major stories and the major players: D-Day, Eisenhower, the Holocaust, Hitler, Axis vs. Allies, Battle of the Bulge, but there are literally thousands of lesser-known stories from that era that many have not yet heard. It was one such obscure story that is the basis for the film Defiance, starring Daniel Craig.

The film begins with a familiar theme — Nazi soldiers rounding up Jews in Western Europe. The grainy, black-and-white style tells us that this is a true story. However, as events unfold, we realize that this isn’t the Holocaust story that we’re accustomed to seeing in films like Schindler’s List. In fact, it’s a story about hundreds of Jews who fight for survival as free men and women in the dense and expansive forests of Nazi-occupied Poland.

Daniel Craig gives perhaps one of his best performances as Tuvia Bielski, the eldest of four Jewish brothers and the eventual leader of the Bielski partisans. Although the Bielski’s and fellow Jews are forced to watch as their people are rounded up and killed by the Nazis, Tuvia wants to avoid becoming a group of vigilantes. The conflict arises from younger brother Zus (Liev Schreiber) who desperately wants to avenge the deaths of those he loved. Tuvia is conflicted by the knowledge that in extreme circumstances one must often take extreme measures in order to survive and protect others.

Throughout the film tension is woven by utilizing a number of different methods, all of which make the movie much more compelling. First, as mentioned, is the conflict between fighting and surviving. Second, is the suspense created by the knowledge that the Nazis are closing in around them. Third is the conflict between the Bielskis and the local police who are loyal to the Nazis. Fourth is the inner struggles the Bielskis face when some of their own decide to cause disagreements and divisions. For those unfamiliar with the story, the fate of the Bielskis is constantly in doubt.

The cinematography of the film is gray and muted, reflective of the somber tone of the subject matter. The musical score is reminiscient of John William’s score in Schindler’s List — soft and sad with the cello and violin taking the melody. In some ways it feels that Defiance takes its visual cues from Schindler’s List as well; there’s something about the look of the movie that seems familiar. The battle scenes are similar in style to Saving Private Ryan, complete with the dazed, ringing-in-the-ears experience following a grenade that goes off too close to Tuvia. I would have appreciated a more unique perspective to the aesthetics of the film to coincide with the uniqueness of the story.

In all, Defiance is an important story that needs to be heard. Daniel Craig leads a great cast of characters in an emotional journey of community, comraderie, and hope.

6.5 out of 10.

I’m currently in development on a docu-drama Christian TV series and am in need of compelling salvation stories for a pilot episode. If you have a testimony that you feel should be featured in this series, please let me know about it. Email your story to clint@ParcEntertainment.com. In your email please provide your contact information, along with a synopsis of your story and the reasons why you feel it should be featured in the series. The subject line of the email should read “Salvation Story.”

I heard an interesting comment this morning while listening to the Filmmaker Central podcast, hosted by Dave Basulto. His guest on this particular episode was Stephan Manpearl, a veteran in the area of film marketing and distribution. They discussed things that new, independent filmmakers should be aware of when trying to find distribution for their projects. One of the phrases Manpearl used was that filmmaking is called “Show Business,” not “Show Art.” That has two connotations. First, a filmmaker should not be so consumed with the creative process that he fails to learn anything about the business of filmmaking. Second, for a film to gain an audience, it needs to have some inherent marketability. I’ve seen too many films that are abstract, ambiguous, and art for art’s sake. However, the films that I like to make (and the films that I’m drawn to) are those with a strong core story.