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FTI's Photo Monkey cum Marketing Manager is a pretty sneaky chap so you'd better check out the pics to see if you were snapped at Tropfest last Sunday. See the photo's
Cheers to all who chanced the ominous looking clouds to make the Bohemia institution an amazing, if somewhat controversial, night of short film.
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PAIN IS TEMPORARY, PRIDE IS FOREVER is the title of Joshua Lee's latest documentary. The 55 minute film documents the journey of Australian Nick Tower who travels to Thailand and Cambodia to train as a kick boxer and along the way battles with his inner demons.
Perth film followers will recognize Lee from his earlier works like the award-winning A DOLLAR FOR THE GOOD ONES. Lee studied at Murdoch and the Film and Television Institute and has gone on to work on projects throughout Australia, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa, before completing 'Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever' his first funded documentary.
Lee had wanted to make a documentary in Cambodia for some time. Growing up in Karawa and Bentley he made strong friendships with his some of his classmates from the Cambodian Community. This eventually led to his visiting Cambodia. He did this on a number of occasions and began volunteering his filmmaking services to Active Help Cambodia, a small NGO working to improve slums surrounding Phnom Penh.
Then in late 2008, his half brother Nick Tower came to spend a couple of months with him in Phnom Penh. The main attraction for Tower was the national sport of kickboxing, which penetrates so many aspects of Cambodian life. Tower alerted Lee of his intention to seriously train and eventually fight in Khmer Kickboxing. Having seen his previous fight in Thailand, after just 3 weeks of training, and also knowing that he was really looking to change the course of his life, Lee says he had no doubt his brother would be successful in his goals.
Tower has lived a wayward life, grappling with alcoholism before discovering kick boxing as a tool to keep him focused and out of trouble. This documentary follows Nick over 6 months as he struggles to keep on a solid path of training in preparation for his ultimate goal - a fight at Cambodia's CTN stadium. As Nick trains in a range of kick boxing gyms, he comes to learn about the sport, its culture and himself. Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever is a kick boxers personal journey which explores the importance of the goals we set in life.
Documentary fans and kick-boxing enthusiasts can see the result of that journey and the fruit of Joshua Lee's latest work when the film premieres at the FTI, 92 Adelaide Street, Fremantle.
Screening begins at 7pm, Tuesday, 23rd November. Entry is free. Further details here. -
The set was eerily quiet as I approached the location of the latest LINK funded film in production, "Perished", which tells the story of a man who finds
himself locked in a shed amidst a zombie outbreak and must learn to confront his fears or face starvation.
As I approached the front door all that could be heard was someone thrashing against a door with all his might. Creeping closer, I see it is actor Wayne Davies, in character. He's yelling and screaming... at a pile of dead zombies!"Cut" is called and makeup artist Naomi Lynch is straight there with eye wash. "Alright, has anyone got blood in their eyes?" she yells and a zombie extra with a head covered in blood goes to get checked. I get the feeling that this is a usual drill after cut is called, getting rid of stingy fake bloody in eyes, and all is well.. these are some mighty tough zombies. But I can't talk too much about the zombies, I've been sworn to secrecy.
What I can talk about is the makeup. I think Naomi and team have gone to town on this film in terms of blood, cuts, head casts, the works. Naomi was preparing some intestines when I stopped by - some tasty vegetarian intestines!
The set was like a fine tuned machine run by 1st AD Adam Sparnon who was keeping everybody on their toes. The cannon 5D was in use and the footage coming through on the monitor looked amazing.
Co-director Stefan Radanovich has (crazily) given up his entire house as a location/base this film production. Every room in the house is a different department - a makeup/fx room, dressing room, bathroom for zombies to wash off the blood at the end of the day...
There's even a full post production suite where the days rushes are captured and cut by editor Dominic Pierce. I was lucky enough to have a sneak peak at some rushes during my visit - and even at the rough stage it was in, its very impressive work. Having the edit suite just meters away from the shooting certainly has its advantages. In case anything needs to be redone (not that it has) and having the excitement of seeing the film come together, not only in the shoot but in the edit simultaneously, in the same location, is a luxury not often seen on low budget film shoots.
It's their last night of shooting tonight and I wish the team all the best and cant wait to see the results. -
The clever film Words by Everynone is screening at Future Shorts ONE this Saturday.
The filmmakers involved have re-created their short film by using similar footage found only on youtube, calling it Re:Words.
The things you can find on the internet these days...
WORDS from Everynone on Vimeo.
Re:WORDS from Everynone on Vimeo.
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Future Shorts are about to screen the largest short film event in the world. The global re-launch ONE is set to unite 12 countries, simultaneously screening the same short films on the same night. Combining film with music, digital design and performance, Future Shorts Australia is set to expand across the country after the re-launch next month.
I've been lucky enough to see a preview screening of FS ONE, and what excites me more than anything is the range of countries, cultures and skills that create a Future Shorts short film.
Something that might sound a little familiar starts the event with Aussie band Temper Trap and their music video, Love Lost. The young boys running through cold British mud is lightened only by their miming and dance expressions. You finish the film feeling almost jealous of the tomfoolery and mud antics they find themselves enjoying. It's an exercise regime turned rhythmic gymnastics - with some pyrotechnics thrown in too.
The most memorable short for me - and I'm sure I won't be alone - is the American film Words. Almost filmed as a domino effect, this short is edited together clip by clip, transitioning scenes through a series of words. The simple action of a phone connection breaking moves in an instant to the silent acknowledgement of a couple breaking up. The subtle visual suggestions help your mind to register the connections, making Words a satisfying and unique film to watch.
1 - 2 - 3 - Break!
Other stand outs include Tussilago, a Swedish animation that explores a relationship (ala Bonnie & Clyde) that revolved around a German terrorist in the 70s. As well as the uplifting music video for Miike Snow's Burial - a combination of dance and spirituality set in the hectic streets of India.
Future Shorts ONE is going to be a great night out, with not only films to check out but heaps of live performances to keep everyone interested. Expect The Bakery to be packed.
7:30pm Saturday 6 November 2010
The Bakery, Northbridge
Check out the event online
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Vimeo featured this homemade space experiment in their blog the other day. A guy in New York tied a digital camera to a weather balloon, included a GPS in order to retrieve the camera once it hurtled back to earth (with the help of a parachute), and this amazing footage was the result.
Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.
Have any of you experimented with video? We would love to see it. Post your links in the comments section, or if you have trouble email them to me at liz_sideris@fti.asn.au.
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I've just been in Sydney at the SPAA Fringe Conference with Yvette and Graeme. SPAA Fringe is aimed at emerging and independent content producers and provides a range of sessions on industry trends, case studies and an opportunity to hear the direction broadcasters are moving in.
Conference patron Peter Broderick is an international expert in financing and distribution for low budget project. His emphasis is on finding your niche audience - those people who would be so interested in your project, they're willing to pay for it. Whether it be through crowdfunding, subscription or plain old fashioned DVD sales - do you have enough of an audience to create a living from your work? It's something few people think about when making short films, as they are mostly made for festival programmers. But it's a good habit to get into, especially if you're serious about this 'making a living' thing.
Most of the conference was filled with the latest buzzword 'Transmedia'. The term was coined by participatory culture pinup boy Henry Jenkins. According to the Producers Guild of America, a Transmedia project must contain three or more narrative storylines existing within the same fictional universe across at least three platforms. Platforms include broadcast, mobile, online, social media, publishing and cinema.
Once again, the transmedia experience comes down to your audience. Where are they most likely to play? And where can your content create the richest experience for the user? For example, if your content is geographically based, mobile could be a great primary platform.
It's not always about multiple platforms. Your project may be an online only experience. Never before has it been so easy to have your work accessible to the public. However never before has it been so difficult to stand out from the crowd. So here they are again: AUDIENCE. How are you going to get in touch with them? I'm sensing a theme here. Speaking of audience, I have a great idea for a tv show...
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We spoke to Aaron McCann and Stefan Radanovich about their upcoming Link funded film 'Perished'.
Filmmakers in Focus Episode 1 from Film & Television Institute WA on Vimeo.
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LET ME IN (2010) USA, 115 minutes
Director: Matt Reeves
Rating 4/5
In Los Alamos, New Mexico, during the winter of 1983, a bullied young boy befriends a 12-year-old girl who lives in secrecy with her father in the apartment next door. Meanwhile, the local police investigate a series of brutal murders.
Allow me to begin this piece with the following disclaimer. I am aware that this movie is the American remake of the beloved Swedish original - LET THE RIGHT ONE IN directed by Tomas Alfredson in 2008. However, as I haven't yet seen the original, I have no preconceptions to cloud my judgement. I will do a comparison of the two soon, but as far as this review is concerned; LET ME IN is an entity unto itself.
12 year-old Owen lives in a small block of cheap apartments. His parents are going through divorce proceedings. His mother is distant and preoccupied, his father is almost wholly absent from his life apart from the occasional telephone call. Owen is almost entirely on his own. So when new neighbours move in, he is fascinated to see one of them is a dishevelled girl, who looks to be his age. From their first meeting, she makes it clear that she is very different from other children.
Owen's life is bleak. He is also being bullied at school. Consequently he spends much of his time alone in a kind of self-protective dream. He is drawn towards the girl next door because she seems even more disconnected from school and family life than he is.
Although LET ME IN has the elements of a horror story, with a number of slayings and a body count, it probably isn't the sort of movie that hardcore horror fans would seek out. The death and gore are a necessary part of the movie's structure, but it relies more on the suspense generated by its mysteries. The audience is left to ponder as Owen does: What is happening with the new family next door? Who are they? What is their secret?
At its bloody heart, LET ME IN is a blighted love story in a frozen landscape. We discover the truth about the girl next-door, detail-by-detail, as Owen does. These two are unaware of themselves. Owen is moving into puberty, but half-consciously seeks some affection or care from another. Abby, the neighbour girl, is motivated by her deadly animal instincts - but does this make her evil?
CLOVERFIELD (2008) director Matt Reeves has created a chilling world for the alienated Owen to drift through. Audiences will practically feel the cold seeping in as the events unfold. Reeves has an impressively firm grip on all the elements of this tale.
Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee, so memorable in ROMULUS MY FATHER (2007) and THE ROAD (2009) turns in another fine performance here in the role of Owen. Chloe Moretz as Abby has another intense and scary character to place alongside her Hitgirl from KICKASS (2009). Veteran character actor Richard Jenkins (EAT PRAY LOVE, THE VISITOR) demonstrates none of his trademark offbeat charm as Abby's father. It's an unusual role for him, but pivotal in terms of the film.
If I had a quibble, it is the relative under use of Elias Koteas in the role of the questing policeman. Like Jenkins, he has a long career in character parts and when he is given more to do, usually acquits himself admirably.
LET ME IN is an engaging and intelligent bloody-spattered movie that will appeal to many, like me, who haven't seen the original. It runs for 115 minutes and is released in Australia on Thursday 14th October, 2010.
This review also appears at Phil Jeng Kane's Mr Trivia site
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Ed Burns has a new film coming out. 'Nice Guy Johnny' is about a guy, Johnny, who is giving up his dream job as a radio talk back host to take on something more stable to please his fiance. His uncle thinks he's way too young to get married, so decides to take him to the Hamptons to have some fun. Johnny wants to have nothing to do with it, until he meets Brooke... Here's the original trailer for the movie: And here are five versions of the trailer where Burns gives homage to some classic film trailers. Can you guess which films he's referencing?
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