So yeah i kind of 'forgot' to post anything for the last week or so, and i actually have no excuse. Ive barely been in Uni at all, and nothing has happened. The peak of my productivity was watching a film for an essay, although i didn't put as much effort into analyzing it as i should have...
But seeing as i have little to write about, i think i'll do a kind of film one liner post, and try to summarize the films i have watched over the last week. Here goes:
First up is Bottle Rocket, a brilliant comedy by Wes Anderson, following the capers of three wannabe criminals trying to make it big, its very light humored and good fun to watch.
The next one is The Royal Tenenbaums, another of Wes Anderson's films which focuses on a rich family of overly intelligent, upper class characters who all seem to be missing something in life, with a hell of a cast to boot.
Moving forward we have Barton Fink, one of the Coen's early films about a writer tortured by his visit to Hollywood, it delves into the life of the mind and contains some dark but amusing humor. (Interesting fact: The Coen's actually wrote Barton Fink in three weeks flat because they were struggling to finish Miller's Crossing.)
Then we have Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky's brainchild that drags you through a dark and stomach churning journey within the world of both illegal and legal drugs, don't eat anything before this film.
Finally we have Punch-Drunk Love, Paul Thomas Anderson's short but delightful escapade into the dark and amusing world of a socially impaired businessman, played by Adam Sandler.
An interest fact that I learnt about Paul Thomas Anderson recently: After enrolling in the NYU film school for two days, and subsequently handing in some of David Mamet's work as his own to get only a miserable C grade, he got his tuition fee back and left to make his first short film with it. If only i was that confident in myself!
Thats it for now I'm afraid, although i'll try to post a bit more frequently if i can.
Au Revoir!
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Crazy Times
Im back after a hectic week!
So it started with our final shoot up in London at One Love 9. Just to cover a little exposition, One Love is a gig/venue that is curated once a month by a man called Kilford the Music Painter (aptly named for his ability to see colours when he hears music.) One love involves up and coming bands playing a set whilst he paints their music alongside.
For our first Uni project we were tasked with making a portrait of someone in a short film. To cut a long story short we ended up choosing him for our project. The shoot on Monday was the last one we needed to do and turned out incredibly well. Its a tiny venue and very dark so i had a lot of anxieties about how well it would turn out. But, to my surprise it went far better than i could have ever hoped and we came away feeling completely satisfied with our efforts. However at the end of the evening, me being Director, i was left with little to no voice after shouting to be heard above the music.
Anyhow more on this project soon.
As if that wasn't enough for one week, i went to Secret Cinema last night in London. For those of you not in the know, Secret Cinema is an event put on every couple of months by a very dedicated team of film enthusiasts in London. Basically, you buy your ticket a month or so beforehand, and get told details of the location a few days prior to the event. You also get instructed to bring several items and dress in a certain way. The catch is that you don't know the film until you arrive. Last night was my first time at SC and it was incredible.
We were told to wear a dressing gown and slippers, and bring several other items along with us. When we got to the train station designated for the event, we were met by the 'men in white coats' who gave us maps and wished us luck. After a brisk walk through a few streets we arrived at an ominous old building where several more people in white coats handed us hospital like gowns and ushered us indoors. Once inside we bustled through crowded corridors, past hundreds of other people in dressing gowns. As we explored the building it got stranger, with actors dressed like patients and nurses. The patients proceeded to follow, stare, converse and stroke us, in between getting dragged away by the doctors.They had a canteen, where you had to buy 'prescription cards' to purchase food or 'medication' (alcohol). The menu was suitably bizarre - Calpol glazed doughnuts, lucky charms with ether milk, several types of chowder and boxes of Ritz crackers. There were rooms with oppressive writing on the walls, people playing dead on hospital stretchers, complacent tanoy announcements and even actors playing shrinks in side rooms. All in all a very disturbing, atmospheric and entertaining experience.
We had been asked to learn the words to Simon and Garfunkel's 'The Sound of Silence', the meaning of which became apparent when a commanding voice ordered us to remain still for 'relaxation time'. Seconds later the song came on over the tanoy and everybody started to sing along, all after the cramped corridors had been flooded with water vapor, what few green lights there were flickering on and off repetitively. Shortly after this we ended up in a screening room, where everyone got comfortable and the film began. What else could it be but 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest'? The projection quality was admirable, and so was the sound. This was my first viewing of the film and i have to say it is an incredible piece of cinema. The emotions and moods that it leads you through are thoroughly entertaining, and enlightening. In summary, the film follows Jack Nicholson's charater McMurphy, a perfectly sane criminal claiming to be mad so that he can have an easier time riding out his sentence in a mental institution, instead of prison. The film is a must see, containing top notch performances, clever writing and a very valuable comment on the way modern day society views mental illness. To top all of the evening off, on the train we discovered that the building we had been in was in fact a closed mental asylum, creepy! I highly recommend anyone living near London give Secret Cinema a look, because despite the money and effort to get there it is an experience that will make you appreciate film a hell of a lot more.
So it started with our final shoot up in London at One Love 9. Just to cover a little exposition, One Love is a gig/venue that is curated once a month by a man called Kilford the Music Painter (aptly named for his ability to see colours when he hears music.) One love involves up and coming bands playing a set whilst he paints their music alongside.
For our first Uni project we were tasked with making a portrait of someone in a short film. To cut a long story short we ended up choosing him for our project. The shoot on Monday was the last one we needed to do and turned out incredibly well. Its a tiny venue and very dark so i had a lot of anxieties about how well it would turn out. But, to my surprise it went far better than i could have ever hoped and we came away feeling completely satisfied with our efforts. However at the end of the evening, me being Director, i was left with little to no voice after shouting to be heard above the music.
Anyhow more on this project soon.
As if that wasn't enough for one week, i went to Secret Cinema last night in London. For those of you not in the know, Secret Cinema is an event put on every couple of months by a very dedicated team of film enthusiasts in London. Basically, you buy your ticket a month or so beforehand, and get told details of the location a few days prior to the event. You also get instructed to bring several items and dress in a certain way. The catch is that you don't know the film until you arrive. Last night was my first time at SC and it was incredible.
We were told to wear a dressing gown and slippers, and bring several other items along with us. When we got to the train station designated for the event, we were met by the 'men in white coats' who gave us maps and wished us luck. After a brisk walk through a few streets we arrived at an ominous old building where several more people in white coats handed us hospital like gowns and ushered us indoors. Once inside we bustled through crowded corridors, past hundreds of other people in dressing gowns. As we explored the building it got stranger, with actors dressed like patients and nurses. The patients proceeded to follow, stare, converse and stroke us, in between getting dragged away by the doctors.They had a canteen, where you had to buy 'prescription cards' to purchase food or 'medication' (alcohol). The menu was suitably bizarre - Calpol glazed doughnuts, lucky charms with ether milk, several types of chowder and boxes of Ritz crackers. There were rooms with oppressive writing on the walls, people playing dead on hospital stretchers, complacent tanoy announcements and even actors playing shrinks in side rooms. All in all a very disturbing, atmospheric and entertaining experience.
We had been asked to learn the words to Simon and Garfunkel's 'The Sound of Silence', the meaning of which became apparent when a commanding voice ordered us to remain still for 'relaxation time'. Seconds later the song came on over the tanoy and everybody started to sing along, all after the cramped corridors had been flooded with water vapor, what few green lights there were flickering on and off repetitively. Shortly after this we ended up in a screening room, where everyone got comfortable and the film began. What else could it be but 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest'? The projection quality was admirable, and so was the sound. This was my first viewing of the film and i have to say it is an incredible piece of cinema. The emotions and moods that it leads you through are thoroughly entertaining, and enlightening. In summary, the film follows Jack Nicholson's charater McMurphy, a perfectly sane criminal claiming to be mad so that he can have an easier time riding out his sentence in a mental institution, instead of prison. The film is a must see, containing top notch performances, clever writing and a very valuable comment on the way modern day society views mental illness. To top all of the evening off, on the train we discovered that the building we had been in was in fact a closed mental asylum, creepy! I highly recommend anyone living near London give Secret Cinema a look, because despite the money and effort to get there it is an experience that will make you appreciate film a hell of a lot more.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Enlightenment.
So a bit longer than usual since my last post but I am back, better than ever.
I just watched Steven Soderbergh's 'Traffic', a colourful and diverse exploration into the world of drugs and the business that surrounds them. What really impressed me was how much it inspired my writing nature, and since finishing it i have been focused on getting some ideas to paper. (I also watched the masterful french thriller 'Tell No One' a few days ago, which is also incredible.)
On that note, i have also been thinking about what writing really means to me, and came up with an interesting analogy of it as a whole. Life is a museum, I am the tour guide and the audience are the tourists. That probably sounds a little formal/cliche but it really made me think about how important writing is to me, and the possibilities that it has. All i need in life is a pen and some sheets of paper.
In other news (woah i sound like a reporter) i have a film shoot up in London on Monday evening, have been overdosing on COD: Black Ops (I decided to let Uni work take a hike for a few days - if i don't enjoy myself now I never will) and on the forthcoming Friday i shall be attending Secret Cinema, in London once again. Which should be incredible, although i can not divulge anything about it until the last date has been fulfilled.
I've noticed that all my posts contain at least one thing about film, but its surprising how much more it motivates me to talk about after watching a good one.
Expect more soon people.
I just watched Steven Soderbergh's 'Traffic', a colourful and diverse exploration into the world of drugs and the business that surrounds them. What really impressed me was how much it inspired my writing nature, and since finishing it i have been focused on getting some ideas to paper. (I also watched the masterful french thriller 'Tell No One' a few days ago, which is also incredible.)
On that note, i have also been thinking about what writing really means to me, and came up with an interesting analogy of it as a whole. Life is a museum, I am the tour guide and the audience are the tourists. That probably sounds a little formal/cliche but it really made me think about how important writing is to me, and the possibilities that it has. All i need in life is a pen and some sheets of paper.
In other news (woah i sound like a reporter) i have a film shoot up in London on Monday evening, have been overdosing on COD: Black Ops (I decided to let Uni work take a hike for a few days - if i don't enjoy myself now I never will) and on the forthcoming Friday i shall be attending Secret Cinema, in London once again. Which should be incredible, although i can not divulge anything about it until the last date has been fulfilled.
I've noticed that all my posts contain at least one thing about film, but its surprising how much more it motivates me to talk about after watching a good one.
Expect more soon people.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Boredom
Nothing interesting to report just yet I'm afraid. Lacking in complete direction at the moment due to an overload of Uni work. Our group production isn't going to well, and i have to contend with the pretentious attitude of our lecturers (being an art uni they almost dominate the whole staff) who seem to be convinced that our project is failing. Granted we haven't got the most powerful of subject for a portrait, but geez, we have a guy sees colours when he hears music and paints it live with some super huge names. Frankly it doesn't bother me so much because i've learnt a lot from the experience so far.
On to other things anyway. Right now I'm waiting for poker to start at our Student Union (i have been for most of the day in fact) but at least i managed to finish my darned essay so at least thats off my chest. I seem to be in a surreal state of mind lately, just floating above everything i do as though its of no significance. Its quite refreshing actually because i feel as though i'm almost set aside from the world - can't be a bad thing eh?
The other night i watched Anchorman, which is another great film i recommend. I found Will Ferrel absolutely hilarious and loved the crackpot quips. To stray a little from films i am eagerly (take that word, drop it off the top of a mountain on a bungee cord and apply glowing neons to it) awaiting Call of Duty: Black Ops. Now here i am sure i will either be seen as a complete nerd, although most people have played COD at some point, or a bit of a dick for sticking to the franchise. Funnily enough though i have a feeling its going to be a real hit like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was, so let's wait and see.
There you have it, the compelling life of Mr Stephen Atkins, rambling extraordinaire, don't worry though, I'll dish something cool up for next time.
Ta' for now.
On to other things anyway. Right now I'm waiting for poker to start at our Student Union (i have been for most of the day in fact) but at least i managed to finish my darned essay so at least thats off my chest. I seem to be in a surreal state of mind lately, just floating above everything i do as though its of no significance. Its quite refreshing actually because i feel as though i'm almost set aside from the world - can't be a bad thing eh?
The other night i watched Anchorman, which is another great film i recommend. I found Will Ferrel absolutely hilarious and loved the crackpot quips. To stray a little from films i am eagerly (take that word, drop it off the top of a mountain on a bungee cord and apply glowing neons to it) awaiting Call of Duty: Black Ops. Now here i am sure i will either be seen as a complete nerd, although most people have played COD at some point, or a bit of a dick for sticking to the franchise. Funnily enough though i have a feeling its going to be a real hit like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was, so let's wait and see.
There you have it, the compelling life of Mr Stephen Atkins, rambling extraordinaire, don't worry though, I'll dish something cool up for next time.
Ta' for now.
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Looking Down on Everything.
Mornin'
I'm going to keep this post (and hopefully the rest to come) a little less formal than the last, i still cant understand what drove me to be so civilized with my speech. (Paradox?)
The title of this post seems very appropriate, and will make sense in a second, but as promised i will explain the title of the blog itself first. Funnily enough, i am not a die hard Matrix fan, i enjoy the trilogy thoroughly, but the concept is the more intriguing part for me. Anyhow, we all take life so seriously, and spend so much time caught up in it that we can never just reflect. Metaphorically, behind the matrix - our society's (worldwide) there are some very special places your mind can go, only if you can un-plug yourself from everyday life and look upon how trivial it all actually is. There you have it, maybe i think too much, and my ideas are pretty radical most of the time but I always seem to be able to set myself apart from everything in a surreal kinda' way, and that is where the inspiration for this blog came from - because i talk to myself far too much!
SO back to this post, quite literally the greatest thing i saw yesterday was this - http://www.vimeo.com/9679622 . A fantastic short film of a day in New York, filmed and edited using a photography method called tilt-shift photography. Which, for those of you who have not heard of, is achieved by using a special lens that tilts the view of the camera to make everything real look miniature. Its fantastic, and really made me think about how small we all actually are. I just wanted to put my hand into the video and play god...
Secondly, i watched Kevin Smith's outrageous debut feature 'Clerks' last night. Made for a micro-budget of $27,975, it follows a day in the life of a shop clerk who has to come in on his day off. Featuring extremely (and i mean it) explicit dialogue and amusingly atrocious topics, it really signals the start of Smith's career. However if you can look past all the bullshit that his characters discuss, and the expletives, behind it all there is constant referral to the banality of life, both in their world and ours. I always treasure watching the debut's of my favorite directors, and i don't think i have been disappointed yet. As we are on the subject, i highly suggest that anyone reading this check out: Following [Christopher Nolan], Reservoir Dogs [Quentin Tarantino] and Hard Eight [Paul Thomas Anderson] as they all forecast the career's that their directors will make.
It may have been a bit of a subjective post this time round, but with many interesting things on the horizon, be prepared for some very unique content soon.
Laters'
I'm going to keep this post (and hopefully the rest to come) a little less formal than the last, i still cant understand what drove me to be so civilized with my speech. (Paradox?)
The title of this post seems very appropriate, and will make sense in a second, but as promised i will explain the title of the blog itself first. Funnily enough, i am not a die hard Matrix fan, i enjoy the trilogy thoroughly, but the concept is the more intriguing part for me. Anyhow, we all take life so seriously, and spend so much time caught up in it that we can never just reflect. Metaphorically, behind the matrix - our society's (worldwide) there are some very special places your mind can go, only if you can un-plug yourself from everyday life and look upon how trivial it all actually is. There you have it, maybe i think too much, and my ideas are pretty radical most of the time but I always seem to be able to set myself apart from everything in a surreal kinda' way, and that is where the inspiration for this blog came from - because i talk to myself far too much!
SO back to this post, quite literally the greatest thing i saw yesterday was this - http://www.vimeo.com/9679622 . A fantastic short film of a day in New York, filmed and edited using a photography method called tilt-shift photography. Which, for those of you who have not heard of, is achieved by using a special lens that tilts the view of the camera to make everything real look miniature. Its fantastic, and really made me think about how small we all actually are. I just wanted to put my hand into the video and play god...
Secondly, i watched Kevin Smith's outrageous debut feature 'Clerks' last night. Made for a micro-budget of $27,975, it follows a day in the life of a shop clerk who has to come in on his day off. Featuring extremely (and i mean it) explicit dialogue and amusingly atrocious topics, it really signals the start of Smith's career. However if you can look past all the bullshit that his characters discuss, and the expletives, behind it all there is constant referral to the banality of life, both in their world and ours. I always treasure watching the debut's of my favorite directors, and i don't think i have been disappointed yet. As we are on the subject, i highly suggest that anyone reading this check out: Following [Christopher Nolan], Reservoir Dogs [Quentin Tarantino] and Hard Eight [Paul Thomas Anderson] as they all forecast the career's that their directors will make.
It may have been a bit of a subjective post this time round, but with many interesting things on the horizon, be prepared for some very unique content soon.
Laters'
Friday, 29 October 2010
Weakness of the Mind.
The day has finally arrived, I have succumbed to society's feeble magnets of desire - and created my first blog. I seemed to have been goaded into a lot lately. Since starting University, i have purchased both an Apple iPhone and iMac (at considerable expense). Do i feel satisfied i hear you ask? No, of course not. Capitalist society tweaks the mind in many ways.
That probably makes me sound like Karl Marx but believe me on this one, I am about as Marxist as America is a Democracy.
Oh and that's another thing about me. I like to contradict myself, and very rarely make much sense. So try to keep up as best as you can.
All formal things aside, expect to hear a lot of rants, far too many biased, judgmental opinions, and a lot about Film, Culture and Life. So, without further a do, i shall fall back into the world of Cinema Narrative History and spend another three hopeless hours searching for a decent journal.
Caio
P.S.
I shall explain the name of this blog next time!
That probably makes me sound like Karl Marx but believe me on this one, I am about as Marxist as America is a Democracy.
Oh and that's another thing about me. I like to contradict myself, and very rarely make much sense. So try to keep up as best as you can.
All formal things aside, expect to hear a lot of rants, far too many biased, judgmental opinions, and a lot about Film, Culture and Life. So, without further a do, i shall fall back into the world of Cinema Narrative History and spend another three hopeless hours searching for a decent journal.
Caio
P.S.
I shall explain the name of this blog next time!
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