Cinephila and the big 04.

Only got two resolutions for this year: be brave in everything I do and be thankful for everything anyone does.

Being 2005 and all, apparently its time to get nostaligic about the last year and write top ten lists and the like. Personally, I'm not so much into the top ten lists. It just seems an artificial way to structure and quantify the past, so it can be stored in neat little boxes on the mantelpiece of... whatever. I just don't experience my life that way. Perhaps its because I don't listen to enough new albums any more, or go to see enough movies, or read enough novels, or enough comics, or watch enough tv, or play enough computer games, or see enough theatre, or enough concerts, or enough art exhibitions, or enough street art... and thus I feel the need to rebel against the top ten lists, cause I'm not sure if I'd even -reach- ten in any one category.

Which is why I find it amusin' that Matthew Clayfield has seen it fit to list me on his blog as a cinephile. As I'm rather fond of saying: "I don't watch movies, I just make 'em". Which isn't *that* true, I do watch em... just not as much as a dedicated cinephile. For a while I felt like I was an impostor by wanting to be a director cause I just didn't seem to be as into film as others; now I see it as an asset. UPDATE: Which isn't to say that being a cinephile isn't an asset either; I just no longer think its a prerequisite.

That said, I do want to make this blog more film-production focused... if only to make it more interesting for whoever the fuck reads it :) So first up...

I'm directing a TV Pilot for a 'lifestyle show'. Quite flatteringly, I was asked to do it by the 1st AD of the Gabriel Day's music video I directed... who's producing this lifestyle show. We had never worked together until then and apparently she was impressed. She offered me the role of the 'pilot director' on the second day on the music video shoot. She hadn't seen any of the dailies but apparently liked the way I ran things. Anyway, currently there isn't much for me to do - she's producing it, not me, which is a relief. Still, my job is to establish the tone of the series - which suits me fine. As much as I actually enjoy being a gun-for-hire director, my real strength is my holistic approach to production - I consider everything and try to make it fit together as a single piece of expression. Its what I enjoy doin', so establishing the tone of a series is quite a challenge. Its currently on spec, but it looks like some funding is coming through, yay the EPs!

Rehearsal is more going to be about getting the talent used to the camera and building up their relationship rhythm rather than doing any off-script impro or disobligation work. It'll be fun, but it isn't a drama [hahaha, what a pun] so its not as deep as I'd personally like. Thats ok. That will be for my zombie flick :)

My biggest issue atm is deciding on my coverage style... because its a lifestyle show, there really isn't any subtext for me to base my approach on. I believe that part of directing is find your way into the material... and I haven't found that yet. I've got a feeling, but its a matter of translating that into cinematic terms. I want it to have energy and polish but also be kinda off-handed and low key. My choice partly comes down to handheld vs unlocked head. I'm thinking of unlocked head cause then we can use longer lenses, and do some nice depth-of-field work... but I'm not sure if I want dolly shots or steadicam or anything like that, cause its just too big... y'know? Wildside meets the Naked Chef... hehehe!

Cause we might be shooting high-def, long lens work will mean that focus will be critical and we might need a focuspuller. Thats not something I've raised with the producer, though it shouldn't be a problem. Depending on the final budget, it'll be either the Sony CineAlta or the Varicam. The CineAlta does produce wonderfully rich images - its 150mb datarate and high overall resolution does give it a better tonal reproduction than the Varicam.... even if the colour is a little Sony (e.g. engineered and artifical). The Varicam, however, is cheaper to post (though not easier) AND we can use slow mo... which means we might be able to do some nice, well, slow-mo stuff, which will suit the content. Still, I'll have to work out a good post-path for the Varicam to get the sound-sycned to 25P. The music video wasn't an issue, cause it didn't need sync-sound... this will.... and I haven't worked out a way of creating a 25P timeline for DVCProHD cause its not natively supported (though I think BlackMagic have added them). Anyway, if we do have slow-mo, then maybe we WILL want to go for a 'bigger' style? I doubt we'll be able to get a technocrane, but little dolly's and stuff might be nice. Hmm. Choices.

I'll keep y'all posted.

Here's a random list of things that happened during 2004 that I remember for some reason, its in no particular order.

* Sister pregnant for the first time.

* Went down to 'Macquarie Pass' for 2 days camping with mates. On my first (and only night) there we went to the local pub at Albion Park called, suprisingly, the Albion Park Hotel, for dinner in the bistro [gotta experience the local cuisine]. They served traditional english meals and asian food. While we were eating, a local neo-nazi rocked up the bistro and placed an order. THe guy had a shirt with the big Nazi eagle and swastika on the back, under it was written 'better to reign in hell than serve in heaven'. His belt had 'Fourth Reich' etched into it. We figured he was there to cause trouble with the chefs, who were Chinese. Nup. He was there with (presumably) his kid - dressed in a Dragon's footy jeresy - and his wife/gf in a pink powersuit (!). Some time later he got his meal... a plate of steaming hot asian hotpot! Guess neo-nazi's need to eat too, y'know.

* Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

* Hedda Gabla at the Sydney Theatre Company. Saw it with my sister. Awesome stuff, certainly the play of the season (although Victory was also good).

* Before Sunset.

* Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. Inconsistent, but some real genius in there.

* Finally starting some scripts!. 3 drafts of Shunned; 2 drafts of Homewar; 1 draft of Maggots.

* Starting (but not finishing) my first song in a couple of years.

* Directing my first 'real' music video (ie for someone I didn't know!)

* Getting paid to direct Sandra Sully... then saying two very stupid things to her in the space of about five minutes. But hey, the agency has hired me again so whatever...

* Reading all of Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan (well, technically I still have volume '0' to read) and Garth Ennis' Preacher. Epic, fun, beautiful, interesting and occasionally moving.

* Finishing law.... with honours to boot (hahaha).

* Being told I'm sexy by two separate women... I could always do with more sayin' that, but at least its a start.

* Astonishing X-Men. I feel lucky to be able to experience Joss, issue-by-issue, creating his artificial family out of the X-Men.... and he exploits the comic medium so well. His structure is wonderful and his dialogue sublime. It mightn't be anything, but it IS great storytelling.

* Angel Season 5. It made up for Season 4 (which was patchy). Spike and Angel was great fun but Wes and Illyria just broke my heart. While it was sad to see it cancelled, at least it went out on a wonderful high...

* Meeting some very cool people; one whom apparently reconsidered her long-distance relationship cause of our meeting... but, being the swell guy, I didn't pursue anything. God I"m such a wus.

* Fretting desperately that Keith Herft and his family, who left for Sri Lanka on Christmas Day, were OK. Discovered on the 1st of Jan that they were. Great news amongst a week of fucking tragedy.

* Seein' InFlames live! Whoa. Better than Metallica by far.

* Putting on about 3-4 kilos over the year.

* Seeing so called conservatives sweep to power in Australia and the U.S.

* Getting published by the Attorney-General's department in a review of IP Law conducted by Philips Fox.

* Going to the toilet, standing up, leaning over and having my glasses fall into the toilet as I hit the flush button... Watching me flush my very expensive glasses down the toilet = priceless... and kinda sums up life for me.