Tag Archives: Filmmaking

George Romero: More to Him Than Zombies

MV5BMTQwNzAwMTYwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwOTgwNjYz._V1_UY1200_CR160,0,630,1200_AL_It seems unreal that one of the godfathers of horror George A. Romero died last year. Since 1968, his presence at comic-cons or on DVD making-of features was almost taken for granted. I’ve made several short films since 2006, trying so hard to get better with each that I almost forgot how much Romero influenced my first efforts: my friend Hank as a chained up zombie coated in chocolate syrup like they used in Night of the Living Dead; gray-ish blue zombie makeup in my short Dawn of the Living, a nod to Dawn of the Dead‘s (1978) unique zombie design. It was a safe space to play as I grew into filmmaking by exploring different narratives in a world Romero created. But his world was more than just zombies – it was about art, politics, being a generous collaborator, and the way we create in a capitalist world. 
Continue reading

Video

Fire, Flashbangs, Filmmaking: Inauguration 2017

Fellow filmmaker and friend Georg Koszulinski invited me to DC to help him shoot a documentary focusing on the  inauguration of Donald Trump. There were massive protests scheduled on inauguration day and the day following; they would include a coalition of the willing that would make George W. Bush jealous. We ran amok with DSLR cameras trying to capture the feeling of the space and the feeling of the people (protesters and Trump supporters alike). We wanted to find a way to make sense of the madness during this shocking plot twist in American history, as a reality TV star (which already sounds like I’m making this shit up) was sworn in as President of the United States of America. Continue reading

Fun Film Fact #1: You speak Swedish in the edit

I’m working two different film production jobs and spend quite a bit of time editing various programs.  I once remarked to someone that whenever you’re rewinding footage, everyone sounds like they’re speaking Swedish – and then I watched the delightful 80’s spoof film Top Secret! and one scene in particular had me cracking up… Continue reading

Super 8? More like, Super Gr8! (seriously though, it’s good)

Super 8 is likely the best movie of the summer. Continue reading

X-Men: First Class fan-made credit sequence classy and graphic

The art of a credit sequence is probably one you haven’t thought of unless you’re watching the latest Bond film.  This fan-made opening credit sequence for the upcoming X-Men: First Class demonstrates how graphic design can set the mood for a film – in this instance by channelling the film’s 1960’s setting with bold outlines of various X-Men and the images of the era’s most prolific personalities.  Even if you have no interest in the latest X-Men film, this is quite cool. Continue reading

Don’t forget to tip your foley artist (short video)

One of my first memories of being enchanted with filmmaking was a Discovery Channel show called Movie Magic (or something like that) detailing how special effects were created.  From squibs (small explosions for gunshots) to miniatures (the helicopter crash from Cliffhanger), I was enthralled – especially when a guy called a foley artist took a chainsaw to a watermelon.  Continue reading

Oscar Nominations Confirm Expectations And Reveal Surprises

Every year in Hollywoodland the best and brightest talents of the entertainment industry gather together to acknowledge the outstanding work of their  colleagues. The nominations bring expectations and surprises and this year’s nominees are no different.  And the nominees are…

Continue reading

Trailer for Park Chan-wook’s iPhone created short, Paranmanjang

A few days ago, we brought you the story of Park Chan-wook’s (Oldboy) newest film (a 30-minute iPhone movie) and now we have an even better present for you–the trailer.

Continue reading

Arvin Chen discusses filmmaking, writing, and New Wave influences for Au Revoir Taipei

After seeing the delightful Au Revoir Taipei at the Edinburgh Film Fest, I had a chance to sit down and talk to the director about romantic comedies, French New Wave influences, and challenges as a writer. Continue reading

“Winter’s Bone” Director Q & A (no spoilers)

I know the video quality isn’t great (my camera can’t handle low light situations), but I figure it might be worth the audio to interested parties.

Continue reading