In 1998, a movie was released that eventually became a cult hit. The Big Lebowski’s legion of fans quote from the film whenever moved to do so and there is plenty of Big Lebowski merchandise to keep the film alive in people’s minds. The story of Jeffrey Lebowski, or The Dude as he prefers to be known, caught the imagination. Directed, written and produced by Ethan and Joel Coen, it is a typical Coen Brothers project with eccentric characters and an intriguing plot. The Dude, played by Jeff Bridges is a ’slacker’ in Los Angeles, only concerned with things he shouldn’t be doing and bowling. When he is mistaken for a man with the same name who happens to be a millionaire, The Dude’s life becomes very complicated.
Both morning and evening, most of us manage to catch a bit of news on TV, from both local and national networks. If you think this limited viewing is keeping you informed on what’s happening in the world, you might want to think again. I’ll admit to being a bit of a news junkie, with more than a little curiosity about what’s happening around the world. Some while ago, it became apparent that the local news – at least in my area – wasn’t worth watching. The half hour was mostly taken up with a weather report every five minutes, along with ho-hum reports of an incidence such as a cat stuck in a tree which was subsequently rescued by the fire department. Yawn! Perhaps your local news is better and mine simply reflects the minor concerns of my rural location.
Hook came out in 1991 and it re-told the tale in an unusual way. Peter has grown up and forgotten his childhood. Played by Robin Williams, he is called Peter Banning and he is a workaholic lawyer who doesn’t see his children very much. When his children are kidnapped by Captain Hook, he goes back to Neverland to rescue them. Hook has been bored and missed fighting his old foe. Gradually, Peter re-establishes his old identity. The film has a terrific cast with Dustin Hoffman almost unrecognizable as Captain Hook, Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell, Bob Hoskins as Smee and Maggie Smith as the older Wendy with Gwyneth Paltrow as the younger Wendy. There were cameo appearances form singers Phil Collins, David Crosby and Jimmy Buffet. John Williams composed the score.
There are many skills to learn in order to gain a career in the film industry. Practical training is available at several prestigious Film Making Schools. London is a city much involved in this field and the London Film Academy has proved a good launching pad for its graduates. The Academy runs the Club Panico, an organization dedicated to assisting students to find employment on graduating. Its patrons are Terry Gilliam and Ben Kinsley. Tutors here are professional filmmakers and pass on their wealth of experience as well as knowhow. Students learn how to use Super 16mm film and digital equipment. They leave with showreels to show to prospective employers. The curriculum offers a 1 Year Filmmakers Diploma and there are also a wide range of Specialized Courses, including Directors Workshop, Editing, Making Commercials, Making Documentaries, Screenplays, and Music in Film.
One of the most respected and famous documentaries produced for UK television is the World at War series. The 26 episodes covering World War II originally ran from October 1973 until May 1974. Since that time, the series has aired all over the world and has been repeated many times. The production values were high and it took four years to make. A book of the same name was published to accompany the series. The production is still considered to be the best of its kind. The mix of footage, much of it rare and in color, and interviews with key figures and the people close to them brought the conflict to vivid life. The story was told in detail from both the Allied and Axis perspectives and there were eyewitness accounts.
It’s been several years now since some television land genius came up with the TV reality show concept. Perhaps I’m a cynic, but my immediate thought was that the idea surely saved the producers a ton of money in production costs, while providing viewers with irresistible entertainment, on a greater scale than could ever be found gossiping over the back fence with their neighbor. The pretty part for the producers was that they did not have the expense of finding and hiring professional actors, nor were burdened with costly sets, costumes, screenwriters and hairstylists. Viewers were drawn to the TV reality shows by the fact that ordinary people like themselves could be seen doing gross things, demeaning themselves and in some cases, being humiliated.
Everyone has a story that they would love to tell, but they have no idea how to tell it. Some would be life stories, but more often than not, someone has the urge to tell a story that can affect more than just themselves, and is telling a story that they think others should hear. Not everyone has an interest in going much further than just thinking about doing something, but a few will want to go into documentary film production. If you are one of those people, there are some things that you should know to make the most of your endeavor. You may think that documentary film production is not something that you can do on your own.
The film won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Alec Guinness. One of the most often broadcast on television, 1963’s The Great Escape is another World War 2 movie based on real events. The story involves a Stalag German prisoner of war camp in which prisoners meticulously plan a daring mass escape. American and British prisoners join forces in constructing a secret tunnel out of the camp. Planning also involves how to survive once outside the camp and clothing and fake identities are made. The most remembered character is the Cooler King, played by Steve McQueen and his attempt to outride the German guards on a motorcycle went into movie legend.
When I was a kid, I loved stop motion animation. My favorite, of course, was clay animation. A lot of kids love cartoons more than anything else, but for me claymation took the cake. There was nothing quite like it. It really made bizarre and fascinating characters come to life in a way that cartoon animation never could for me. Naturally, I wanted to try my hand at it. Last week, I finally got a chance to. Like most would-be stop motion animators, however, I immediately discovered that it is more difficult than I had expected. Anyone who tells you that stop motion animation doesn’t involve a lot of hard work is totally fooling themselves. Every frame has to be individually rendered.
The editor of a movie is an essential member of the production crew and they make it look easy. However, it’s a highly prized skill and an art. To get into this career, a place at a Film Editing School is the best launching pad. There are several to choose from and they offer a mixture of hands on experience and theory. A good school can lead to an interesting career in the movies and in television. For a short course, there is the Edit Center, which supplies a 6-Week Art of Editing course. There are classroom and practical sessions with the opportunity to cut films alongside professional directors. One of the tutors who has worked at this Film Editing School is actor / director Ethan Hawke. The end of class project provides the student with a credit and a reel of scenes, to show prospective employers.
