Frame Rate

Everyone involved in the production industry here in Alabama is keeping his fingers crossed for this bit of legislation to pass. Here’s a brief report from NBC13 News.

Ever since Changeling was released last fall, I have wanted to see the film, for a couple of reasons:

1. The premise sounded intriguing
2. Clint Eastwood films always deliver substance - a strong story, wonderful performances, and emotional themes.

I finally had the chance to see the film a couple of weeks ago and found that the story connected on a number of levels. Changeling tells the true story of Christine Collins - a single mother living in LA in the late 1920s, whose only son suddenly disappears. What follows is an expose of corruption within the LA police force and the strong-willed determination of Christine to find the truth about her son.

The driving force behind the film is Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Christine Collins. Critics of the film have argued that Jolie does a disservice to the actual Christine Collins by playing some scenes with intense emotion and angry outbursts. Critics say that the real Mrs. Collins was calm, collected, and strong. However, I found nothing in Jolie’s performance that gave any hint that this woman was weak or submissive. I became thoroughly invested in her plight and cheered her on when she stood up to an authoritative system that saw women as hysterical and vulnerable.

In filmmaking, a balance must be maintained between developing character and moving the story forward. If you ignore the story for the sake of character, the film can become a meandering mess with no direction. If you ignore character and go for the story, the movie will disconnect itself from the audience and no one will be interested in what happens to the characters. Eastwood walks this line perfectly in Changeling. He knows when to slow down and take the time to explore Christine’s character, and he knows when to ramp up the story and hold the audience’s interest. 

Once again, Clint Eastwood delivers a strong, emotional film that delves deep into the human condition of pain and loss. The more I see from this director, the more I am engaged and inspired.

8 1/2 out of 10

Currently we’re in pre-production on a short film entitled “If Only,” and we’re in need of some good locations. The premise of the film is a young woman who is trying to move on after being in an abusive relationship. So the tone of the film is going to be muted and somber. Here are some descriptions few locations I’m looking for. We’ll be shooting here in Birmingham.

- THERAPIST’S OFFICE - Our main character is attending sessions with a hypnotherapist and I’d like the look of this space to be like a loft - open and free-spirited, comfortable, relaxing, with shelving areas where we could display books, credentials, etc. Perhaps a large window allowing a lot of daylight to come in.

- STREET SIDEWALK - In the film our main character leaves a restaurant and walks down the sidewalk toward her car, parked along the curb. This location should look urban, but not run-down. Perhaps light posts are situated along the street. Curbside parking. It should look as though there are restaurants, bars, etc. along the street, but it doesn’t need to be such a hot spot where people are spilling into the street. Our character should still look somewhat isolated. There should be just a hint of danger.

- HOUSE - Our main character lived with her boyfriend in a modest house. We’re looking for one with a separate dining room. Although the house is modest, it shouldn’t be falling apart. These characters have jobs and can pay their bills. We never see the exterior of the house - just the interior.

If you have any ideas/suggestions on these locations, please send your ideas (along with a few snapshots) to clint@ParcEntertainment.com.

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

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

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 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.

Even if you couldn’t make it out to Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival, you can still get a taste by heading over to iTunes and downloading a few of the featured short films. Yep, that’s right. I got this little tidbit from John August’s blog. The films are free to download until January 25 and ten are available.

I came across this hilarious video while reading the /Film blog — one of my favorite movie blogs. Just when you think everyone on the planet has seen the Star Wars trilogy, you come across someone who hasn’t. This was the case for one Joe Nicolosi, whose friend Amanda had only seen bits and pieces of the movie. Amanda, however, was confident that she could accurately re-tell the saga, and so Joe recorded her attempt. The result is this video and it’s great. Enjoy.

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn’t seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.