Extra Blog December

It's almost New Years and you know what that means! Yup, a blog post! Alright this time I'll being three quick reviews of movies. These post with purely be critique unlike my others which were rather long because of the technical reviews that I did. Hopefully these are more straight to the point and enjoyable.

1) Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dog is one of the most well known Independent Films and critically acclaimed. After re-watching the film over break I thought that i would give a shot at a review. Reservoir Dogs is a movie stands alone and can hold it's own against practically any other crime film. The first thing that pops out about this movie is the style that this film is laid out. The film is not put into chronological order and it strangely adds something to the film for two reasons. The first being it's different. In an industry that can be filled with the same thing over and over this film breaks the mold and offers something entirely new. The second reason the absence of order in time is, it challenges the audience to both be patient and really think about what is going to happen or what has already happen with the information given. The separation of time really does add to the feeling of a crime film and gives you everything you could ask for from the genre. A crime, a team, a run in with the cops, and strong characters. I have to give Tarantino props for his casting because each of the main characters delivers their lines with purpose and energy. There's also this overwhelming likability about the film. At first I couldn't figure out what it was but then I realized what it was. It's the simplicity of the film. The film doesn't try to impress you with Michael Bay like effects, it just tries to tell a story and comes through as movie  set to impress. I give it a 8.5/10

2) Losers Take All

Losers Take All probably isn't a film you've heard off but is worth a watch. The film is about a couple of guys who start a band only to find that they suck, it isn't until they team up with another band that they find that they're not half bad. The film is set in the 1980's punk rock movement and does a very good job of not overdoing the 80's like many films do.As you'd expect from a movie about rockers there's foul language, drugs, some dirty jokes and great music which already has the makings for a great film. The one thing that you don't end up getting is a major change of the protagonist toward the middle or end of the film so when the movie does end you feel like the movie left out something. This film is definitely geared for a young audience despite the time period that it is in for the fact that film is all about how to spend your youth. I was a fan of the fact that this film was ballsy enough to use super 8 film and then convert it to digital to use for transitions in the touring scenes. The film also goes for the punk rock feel so it does it's best to have muted colors and low lighting for most of the film. The characters are all very human and somebody can see themselves in at least one member of the band. The music in the film is probably the biggest thing to marvel at considering that every song that the band played was original. In the movie about rock the music should be and was very impressive. My rating for the film was an 7.2/10 because of the lack of story and expansion in some parts of the movie but it was very well shot, the actors gave great performances and the music was awesome.

Extra Blog November

For this months extra blog I will be writing a review for the independent film, "Ping Pong Playa". The film isn't well known and I've been trying to find indie films that people often haven't heard of.  Ping Pong Playa is directed by Jessica Yu and co-written by Jimmy Tsai (the main character) and Jessica Yu. The film is a comedy about sports, specifically, you guessed it, ping pong. Ping pong Playa like most films is geared toward a specific audience mainly consisting of Chinese, people who play ping pong and people who don't think ping pong is a sport. Ping Pong Playa can be found on Netflix for easy access.

Read until the end for my rating of the film.

Plot: The film follows Christopher "C Dub" Wang a slacker, in his early twenties, who has an unrealistic dream of playing pro basketball. When his mother and brother get into a car accident passing on the family tradition teaching ping pong and playing in the ping pong championship he has to fight for his family name and come to a reality of what is important.

Setting: The film takes place in what seems to be a predominately asian community at various locations   including the community center, the Wang household, the Wang family business and the basketball court.

Technical Aspects

Camera Work: The film has two different styles within the movie. The camera style tries to match the personality of the main character. When "C-Dub" is balling up at the basketball court the camera shots are from a low angle to make him look heroic and athletic. When C-Dub is being lazy at home the shots have little to no movement and the shots are long and smooth the mimic the lazy effect. When Christopher steps up and gains responsibily the camera mainly keeps at eye level. The other style of the film is an interview style, although it's used less. Within the movie there are short clips of a reporter interviewing Christopher. So the camera is set in a specific angle of the faces and characters are aware that the cameras are there.

Lighting: The film was surprisingly well light in each location that it was shot. The lighting really did depend on when C-Dub was. In the family ping pong shop, the business was purposely lit a little dim to show that it was a small business that wasn't exactly rich. In the community center it was brighter to show that it was well maintained. In C-Dub's room it's lit dimly to show how cluttered and unkept it is.

Sound: The sound was nothing spectacular but it did work. Something I found interesting was that instead of making this film PG-13 or even a possible R they kept it PG by censoring the curse words with the sound of basketball. That made the film a little more cartoonish or childish. The music really did add to the character because of his personality (it was basically rap or hype music), but I think it failed to add to the build up of the characters heroism. It was pretty much the same throughout. The folly was actually pretty good. The crew did a great job with getting the sound for each ball hitting the table, the floor or the paddle.

Critiques: The film is a bit contradicting in my view. I find it odd that it tries to balance childish and serious at the same time. It just makes for a film that doesn't flow. Also the clips of Christopher being interviewed were very unnecessary and didn't add much to the film. C-Dub's character was fun and relatable but I don't think that there were any characters that helped support him and carry the character along. It was more the event that took place that helped him change. I do thing that film did a great job to gearing toward a specific audience and that there are defiantly people who can relate to the character or the family or even the situation that the character is in. That's pretty much the only praise I have for the film. It was funny but it was mainly bland. If I were to recommend this film to someone it would just be for kicks and for the laughs that the film has to offer. Not really a strong recommendation.

My rating for the film 6/10

Blog 10

1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2. Examples B&D meet the three criteria. A isn't acceptable because it isn't specific enough and could be interpreted in to many different ways. C  would be too hard to argue one way or the other.

3. How can one best maximize the potential for a low budget, independent film, during production?

Blog 9 Lesson 1 Reflection

Positive Statement

I like how I did the intro suction and I think I gave a good background on Indie film and how it differs from studio film. I also liked how I engaged the class toward the end, because it made me feel more cofertable presenting.

Questions to Consider

a. What assesment would you give yourself on your lesson 1 presentation.

I would give myself a P-.

b. Explain why you deserve this grade using evidence from the lesson 1 componant contract.

 Though the presentation wasn't as strong as I wish it would've been I did touch on the all the 5 points that I originally set out tell. I also made roughly 9 minutes, had a strong into and memorable conclusion.

What Worked For You For Lesson 1?

I personally though using examples of how my points could be used in  real filmmaking helped and the fact that toward the end I explained what the ultimate goal of an indie filmmaker is.

What didn't work, if you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your lesson 1?

I would have told myself don't worry about time, you have enough content. I think I was just so worried about reaching 8 minutes that I got nervous and started rambling. I then would've brought my mentorship and the experience I had last week and what I learned from it.

Extra Blog October

Last weekend my mentor had me help him out on his film shoot. The project was for a Doritos commercials that he plans to submit for the Super Bowl. My job for the shoot was to work as his an intern/ assistant director/ continuity. The shoot was two days long and 11 and a half hours in total. The plot of the commercial is a kung-fu style story set in the forest so we diced to shoot on location at San Bernardino National Forest. I'd say the most exciting part of working on the Doritos shoot was working continuity because the job requires you to look at every detail and visualize the finished product in your head. I didn't just stand around I did catch multiple things that were inconstant, some big and others small. The commercial should be edited in two weeks and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Here are some photos I took from the shoot.

PS: Ian Kam and Joseph Garcia were part of the cast.

Blog 8

Working EQ

What is your working EQ?

How do you maximize the potential of a low budget independent film?

What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.
A film must be able to have a balance between production value with limited money through planning and still work with the actors to get a good performance.

What is the most important source that helped you come up with the answer to your working EQ?
The most important source I found for my working EQ is Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez which contains his journal and his journey in making and releasing his first film, El Mariachi. He gives a lot a of tips of what was useful and what you shouldn't do when making a low budget film.

Who is your mentor, or where are you doing you doing your mentorship, and how does what your doing relate to your EQ?
My mentor is Tom Kam. He runs a small independent film editing company and often works on his own projects. When he is working on his own films he will take me out to the set and have me help out and it helps me learn how to both direct and organize a production.

Blog 7

Independent Component 

For my independent component I am planning to work on two films. The first film that I plan to work on is with Andrew Morris and Brandon Le. They approached me to help co-write, co-direct, edit and play the lead in the film. I'm almost positive that that the work put in on this film alone will get me at least 30 hours.

I also plan to work on my own film that I had planned to make a novel but decided would make an excellent movie. I plan to work on preproduction like script writing, storyboarding, location scouting and possibly even casting. If the first film doesn't get me the 30 hours the addition of the second project most definitely will.

Extra Blog September

For this extra blog I chose to watch and review the film Short Term 12 just to find a relatively recent film to review, but after watching the film it easily enter my "Top 5 Independent Films of all Time". Short Term 12, written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, is a independent drama film that explores the beauty and destructiveness of human imperfection. The film won best actress as the Gotham Independent Film Awards and for good reason, Brie Larson's deliverance is what makes the film so powerful and pulls at the strings of your heart (be prepared for a rollercoster of emotion). The film rated R mainly for language and short scenes depicting blood and violence, but since we are grown ups here I'm sure you'll be fine. Like Escape From Tomorrow, Short Term 12 is on conveniently on Netflix for your viewing pleasure.

Read till the end for my rate of the film

Setting: The film is mainly shot at a foster-care facility which is intentionally made to look rather small and close together. In the film the supervisors of the foster-care facility do their best to keep the kids inside the gates of the facility so there are rarely any scenes of the kids outside of the facility. Since the film is through the point of view of Grace there are also many scenes dealing with the sub story of her and her boyfriend in their house.

Plot: The film follows Grace, a supervisor who works at a foster-care facility, working with troubled kids fighting their inner struggles. The facility receives a new foster child named Jayden who is deeply pessimistic and obviously troubled. Grace sees much of herself in Jayden, having gone trough similar experiences and ends up bringing up past, unresolved, demons. Grace then not only tries to

Technical Aspects

Camera Work: The whole intention of the film is to make it seem like you are in the room with these troubled kids which is what makes the film so powerful. To keep that the illusion that your are standing or sitting there in the scene the shots mainly consist of close ups, medium shots and a couple medium long shots. The set is also important to how this film was shot. The facility that the foster children live at is intentionally shot so that everything looks condensed and close together. Even though each kid had their own room, with their personalities and problems they were close and the for each other serving as to as a form of symbolism that they are in fact a family.

Lighting: The style of this film is to make it look as human as possible so the lighting was not overdone as you would see on a studio film so if a scene would be dark in real life they made an effort to make the scene well lit but still dark. As a form of artistic vision you can tell that the colors are actually often muted and look a bit gloomier than normal to show how serious and depressing the film really can be. Then there's he final scene of the film which is filled with bright natural light and added warmth to show express that perhaps there is a hope for even the most damaged people.

Sound: I was very impressed by the sound of the film. The sound was very clear from the individual characters. Because most of the shots are interiors so the microphones could be set at high sensitivity to hear every painful breath and every quiet sob.  To get such results the sound must have been recorded hand held for the close up and medium shot but recorded on lavaliere mics for medium shots. Music was very important to this movie because a few of the characters use it as a form or remedy, escape and expression. The sound and music mixing was well executed and very precise making it subtle yet meaningful.

Critiques: I can hardly think of any critiques really. Like I said earlier this is perhaps one of the most human films I've seen, meaning it's not just a story but in fact a look into all aspects of human imperfection. This film has so levels that beautifully layered on top of each other to make for a moving story that everyone could relate or love in one way or another. Each character in the film has their own individual personality and serves their purpose to the film. The acting is all around superb and is deserving of its best actress award received. Beside the screenwriting  perhaps my favorite part about this film is its cinematography. The film was shot simply and I think that says volumes because this film , I the simplest form possible, was supposed to be about people their journey through struggles or the possibility for eventual happiness.

Rating for the film: 9/10

Blog 6 - Second Interview Preperation

Question 1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?

My mentor is Tom Kam and he runs his own film editing business from his home in Fontana.

Question 2. What questions do you plan to ask him?

• In film school which classes did you find must interesting?
• Where there any major events or movements in film that you can recall that were occurring the same time you were in school?
• Is there anything that you've carried over from you experience at the film business you worked at previously to the one you run now?
• What has been the most difficult project that you've worked on so far and why?
• What has been your experience with working with others to collaborate on a film?

Blog 5 Mentorship and Research Relection

1. Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?

I had heard from Joseph Garcia that Mr. Kam (Ian's Kam's dad) edited films for college students. I had already known a the time that i wanted to pursue film as my topic. I asked Ian for his number to contact him contacted he agreed to mentor me.

2. What has been the most important article you have researched so far and why?

I believe that "Guerrilla Style" by Daniel Loria has been both one of the most interesting and most helpful. Unlike the other articles I've researched Guerrilla Style focus on one film. Daniel Loria interviewed an actor from the film Escape From Tomorrow, an independent film that was an award winner at Sundance. The article describes how the movie was filmed, insight on production and the style in which it was filmed, which from my perspective makes it more relevant than any other article I have read.

Extra Blog

I've chosen independent films as my topic, so recently I have made it a point to watch a multitude of indie films as a source of entertainment, education and inspiration. This weekend I watched the film "Escape from Tomorrow", written and directed by Randy Moore (the film is now on Netflix for your convenience). Escape From tomorrow is a Fantasy/ Horror film, but trust me if a bloody Mickey Mouse glove and the word "Unrated" aren't enough to keep you from watching this film with kids let this next advisory do the trick. DO NOT WATCH WITH CHILDREN!!! Now that we've got that out of the way onto the review.

Read till the end for my rate of the film.

Setting: The setting is the main basis of this film. It takes places at the wonderful and magical Disney World in Florida. The film is shot in both Disneyland and Epcot as well as an unnamed Disney hotel. Obviously this is really special because how often do you see a full length film not made by Disney shot at Disneyland. This led to a whole court case but since then its still up, entered a few film festivals, including Sundance, and is being distributed. It's safe to say Randy Moore got the better of Disney.

Plot: A family of 4 is on their last day of vacationing, in Disney World. Jim (the father) takes his son and daughter (Sara and Eliot) along with his wife (Emily) to Disneyland. Jim's life currently sucks. He just got fired from his job and he has a wife that refuses to give him any affection. So lets just say that Jim's subconscious and primitive side decide to externalize during the tip to Disneyland. Jim then notices strange things at the Disney parks beginning to surface, leading to the question is the park as innocent as it makes itself out to be or is there more going on? After some of the events that follow you are faced with the ultimate question, is what Jim seeing really happening or it it all a figment of imagination?

Technical Aspects

Camera Work: The camera work was probably the most impressive thing about the entire film. You have to realize that Disney most likely would not have allowed the filmmakers to shoot at the parks. This means that the camera men had to look like everyday tourists making a homemade video. This also gives the film a sort of creative style (usually called guerilla-style). All things considered the shots were very clean and well executed for the way it had to be shot.

Lighting: The film is black and white giving it the cool old-fashioned horror movie vibe. But such a style also has its drawbacks you'll often see parts of the film where the camera is pointed toward a screen or a projection and it makes it exceedingly difficult to make out what is being shown because of over exposure. Because the film was shot guerilla-style they obviously couldn't bring a lighting kit so they had to make due with natural lighting. This worked quite well but at night the tables turned dramatically. It was often hard to make out details of the shot and see what is going on. This, beside hiding the fact that they are actually shooting a film, was probably the most difficult variable to endure and get around. Altogether the lighting was very well executed. my favorite part was probably the firework show, even though it was dark the light from the fireworks created a contrast on the scene and characters which made it look pretty freaken stellar.

Sound: The sound was very well done for being done almost entirely by lavaliere mics, which are usually clipped on to people's cloths, because they obviously couldn't bring boom mics into the park or it would be a dead giveaway that there was filming being done. Lavaliere mics can often be problematic because you can here every bump the clothing makes against the microphone itself. Lavalieres are also very sensitive to direction. If not pointed directly toward the actors mouth then the microphone may only pick up a whisper. With that in mind the sound was recorded and mixed beautifully. Adding to the praise on sound in the film you will hear the great work the crew did on foley sound. That would be the sounds that are not dialogue, for example children laughing in the distance, a book being dropped, announcements being made on speakers and a dog barking. The detail that was added really elevates the films quality. Music was also very important to the film feeling like it really was Disney, but you'll notice they don't use any of Disney's music. For example when the family is taking a ride through It's a Small World they're not using the iconic song. That's because a low budget film like this can't afford the copyrights and they didn't want to ask for them in fear of getting busted. Instead the filmmakers use music that fits with the scenes and sounds like something Disney would use at the parks, for example the opening credits and the Small World scene.

Critiques: Oh boy, here we go. The film really wasn't cohesive. There were pieces that really didn't seem to fit together and could often get the viewer lost. Then, there are certain parts of the film that really leave you asking, "Was that really necessary?" Trust me the film unrated for a reason. Some of those scenes really don't push the story forward at all and just leave you thinking, "What the hell was that about?" Now everybody at the end of the day wants to go home knowing that they understood what the writers and director were trying to tell the audience. In other words the main purpose of the film, beside the entertainment. Given sometimes it is a little more difficult to read into with indie films than studio films, but this one really leaves you in the dust. I mean, I think I've got it and I wouldn't want to spoil it for people who really do want to watch it, but you really have to read into meaning on a psychological level. Lastly there are also a couple scenes where you can tell that a green-screen as used and the background was filmed on location. When the editing done with the green screen is shabby it eliminates the sense of realism for the viewer.

My rating for the film: A solid 5/10. No more, no less.

Blog 4: Interview Preperation

Who will you be interviewing and why?

I will be interviewing my current mentor, Tom Kam. Mr. Kam has worked on multiple independent films (two of which will be entered in film festivals this year) and is currently in the works of starting his own independent film. Mr. Kam is very knowledgeable about both the historical and technical aspects of independent film.

What questions do you plan to ask?

1. What movie or era of movies do you think set the stage for independent films to be taken seriously?
2. As an Independent filmmaker what is your view on studio films?
3. I was once told that every idea for a film had already been done in one form or another. Would you agree with that statement and why?
4. What is it like to work for clients on a film?
5. What would be the best way for an independent filmmaker to distribute their film for a large audience to see?
6. How do you best get the main point of the film across to the audience?
7. Why is it that we see some genres dominate independent film while others are more common in studio film?

Blog #3

Independent Film

How can a filmmaker make an independent film as appealing as a studio film?

Jake's Blog 2 - Summer Mentorship

Literal

1. Link to the log of my hours and description of duties.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_X25RrX4BS1WIQp99L3XK8P6aJd3GyXNfXPWs1qsJJY/edit?usp=sharing

2. What us the contact name & number of where you volunteered?

Tom Kam
(951)-265-2463

3. What Questions were raised because of the 10 hour's experience?

• Roughly how long does the planning stage take
• What are the perks and drawbacks of working in the film industry?
• How important is networking in film?
• Has it become easier or more difficult to hold an above the line position compared to when you entered the film industry?
• Do you see there being a growth in employment in the indepenent film industry in the near future?
• Is there a trick to dealing with clients?
• How do you handle actors efficiently?
• How do you make the best out of a low budget film?
• What are the qualities of a great director?
• What is it like to work on your own film compared to someone elses?
• Do you find difficulty in making commercials because you have a short amount of time to get the point across?
• What are the stages of preproduction as a director?

Applied

4. What is the most important thing that you gained from this experience? Why?

Mr. Kam gave me some great advice about first entering the film industry. He told me "Always be prepared for an opportunity to come, have an open schedule, be prepared to work for free at first, be prepared to travel. It is for these reasons that film is great for the youthful, most young people are able to make these variables happen where as people further along in age no longer have that flexibility." This advise stuck with me throughout my mentorship because it made me realize that film is a demanding industry that requires sacrifices and that I need to be looking for opportunities as soon as possible.

5. What is your senior topic going to be? How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

My senior topic will be independent film. What I learned is that getting into the studio film industry can be quite difficult but there are numerous opportunities to be had in independent film because it take on some many different forms. I also learned that independent films are a great way in gaining experience to perhaps one day join the studio level in the film industry.

Jake's 2 Hour Presentations and Senior Plans

Presentations visited:

Lupe Lara - Music Performing and Promoting

Jasmin Quiroz -  Soccer Training

Gabriel Mendoza - Creating a Franchise

Bryan Pinto - Plant Science

Samantha Cooper - Military Leadership

Stacy Peralta - Yearbook

Samantha Torres - Music Performance

Emmely Avila - Music Industry

Victor Diaz - Auto Mechanic

Jonathan Shoemaker - Theater Tech

Diego Gamboa - Electrical Engineering

Vanessa Pacheco - Marketing Management

Juan Munoz - Business (Corporate Leadership)

Xavier Quiroz - Firefighting

Jazmin Castro - Physical Therapy 

Miguel Samonte - Advertising

What questions did you have that haven’t been answered about the senior project? 

Can you switch mentors at some point during senior year?

Can you have multiple mentors?

What has been the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the who hour presentation?

From what I saw I believe that the 3 answers to the Essential Question are the most important to the senior project. If they are very detailed answers then they are more likely to keep your audience engaged and have a better change on making the minimum time requirements

What topic are you considering doing and why?

I currently interested in pursuing film or a film related topic.

What are you doing for the summer mentorship?

Another one of the seniors (Ian Kam) father’s own a small film business and he has agreed to mentor me.