So yeah, it’s been a long time since I’ve made a post on my site, which is REALLY lame. Almost a month even. School has been murdering me. Working on film projects for my Electronic Film Production Classes. We’ll have another one up soon called “SUPER JERKS” directed by Mateo Samper and edited by Yours Truly. I’ve been writing film essays for Film History Class- wait till you hear what I’ve got to say about The Battleship Potemkin and how it’s changed my perceptions on film completely. For my Popular History course I’ve been trying to pull together a project on Western Masculinity about various male Archetypes in cowboy hat’s. My statistics project had a slide-show of my data collection of my DVDs.

There’s only one class out of five that I’m taking that I have not done anything film related with. So my brain’s been turning to mush. By the end of September though, there’ll be a bunch more updates, so keep on the look out!

Here’s updates on STRIKE A POSE!!! Films so far:

The site has gone through an update to hopefully contain a less-abrasive aesthetic and some more user options. Hope you enjoy it, I know its a load off my moderator’s shoulders. The last site apparently had some obnoxious coding or something…yeah I know I don’t speak computer well. I’m a film guy, what do you expect?

I haven’t done much with my current projects:

CLARITY is only about 65% through its rough cut edit, but the cast members and outside viewers are liking it so far. If you’ve seen some of it already and have an opinion, please leave a comment!

LINE OF SIGHT is actually only about 30% done, but it IS getting there with ideas and pacing. Lot of complicated continuity on that one, which is a big contrast from Clarity, a film that’s supposed to be a tad bit surreal and doesn’t rely on continuity to tell its story.

CURSE OF BODANGOFISH will also be edited, as will the previous two, completely and finished and on DVD etc etc *let’s try not to make promises we can’t keep* BY THE END OF JANUARY.

As for the FUTURE FILM MAKERS CLUB:

We have a title, and a school article, and I’ll be making a post about that later. Just thought I’d give an update.

The WGA (Writers Guild of America) is currently on Strike, as protest and discussing negotiations with the Big Wig Corporate- whoever the hell that currently is, for better wages, minimums, and residuals for their work. I particularly am one of the most indecisive people when it comes to pay and politics- I’m personally a “Harmonist” or something of the sort if a term could ever be applied. However, this is the first time anything of this variety has come to my attention at a personal, creative, business, and just plain everyday interest level.

I am a young film maker. I make movies. I occasionally “write” but usually we improvise concepts. In any case though, this will effect myself, my friend Dan Gvozden and a lot of the other people who I know that are trying to get into this industry. So for a change, I’m paying attention.

So should you, anyone who reads this site, who comes across it with a real interest in the industry. Here is the start to John August’s blog about the subject- a cause for which he’s out in the cold picketing for. Some people think he’s a moron for doing this, some people think he’s a Saint. I personally feel he is just a guy trying to get a better break and have his voice heard for what he wants to do. If it helps, it helps. If it doesn’t- artists will manage- they always find a way even in Nazi Germany.

I’ve largely avoided talking about contract negotiations and the strike,1 because I have no particular insight. I’m not on the WGA Board, nor the negotiating committee. But because I’m one of the higher-profile screenwriters, people give whatever I say unwarranted authority. And you know, I’m all about authority.

Now that we’re at the 23rd hour, I can clarify a little bit more about what’s going on, and where I stand.

Last night, I went to the largest WGA meeting in history, held at the Convention Center downtown. The negotiating committee explained the progress (and lack of progress) in negotiations with the AMPTP, and confirmed that a strike would be occurring. Representatives from helpful allies, including SAG and the Teamsters, also spoke. I was encouraged by the thoughtfulness of the negotiating committee, who are dedicated to achieving a fair deal without unwarranted suffering.

If you know absolutely nothing about the issues — or if you have to explain it to your grandmother, who’s upset that her favorite soap opera is off the air — here’s my very short summary of the situation.

*Writers for film and television are paid a small fee when the things they write (movies and television shows) are shown again on re-runs or DVD. These are called residuals, and they’re much like the royalties a novelist or a songwriter gets.

* Residuals are a huge part of how writers are able stay in the business. These quarterly checks pay the mortgage, particularly between jobs.

*There’s widespread belief that the rate paid to writers for DVD’s is too low. It was set 20 years ago, when DVD was a nascent and expensive technology. DVD’s are now cheap and hugely profitable, yet the rate remains fixed.

*Downloads will eventually supplant DVD’s. That’s why it’s crucial to set a fair rate for them now, and avoid the same trap of “let’s wait and see.”

*There are other creative and jurisdictional issues (such as animation and reality television) which are also on the table. According to the AMPTP, residuals are the major stumbling block, however.2

I would honestly post more of his blog, but then I’d feel like I was committing plagiarism, instead I’ll just post my comment (#88)- but PLEASE read everyone else’s if you have a spar hour and you want to be a part of this industry. It’s VERY important to your future!

I’ve been reading this blog for nearly a straight hour now (this one post in particular), and have found this to be the most fascinating thing I’ve come into contact with in the last couple of months. This is the first political/economic movement that I’ve ever actually felt like I’m at least somewhat a part of.

Student Film Maker, somewhat an enthusiast of the digital medium, I totally suck at managing my website but put stuff up on their (should be something new and craptastic but with equal amounts of love put in it up tomorrow), only because of the immense love I have for doing this. Though, quite frankly, I feel I’m starting to burn out on film making a bit too much.

There are a LOT of young people finally getting into film making now that it has become available to them and I see this Strike as something every damned one of them should read. I’m going to link this blog as much as I can, to my site and to my facebook group for Future Film Makers, and to all the places I know people read whatever little I write (I’m not one for blogging much).

I shall do this because the medium of film is just one gigantic mystery- no one really knows how pay works for anyone. The most clear cut explanation of how someone in the industry has ever been paid is the Salary section of IMDB for actors. The only one of which is accurately displayed, in my opinon, is Jack Nicholson’s info on getting a #^%t load of money for the Batman film from 1989. How do writers get paid? Do you have any money to look forward to as a young, aspired child of this future industry?

Money is going to be made on the internet, a BIG load of money in a few years. The guys from Red vs. Blue, this one group I know called Westhavenbrook.com, Ashens.com and a bunch of other people who syndicate themselves through Youtube and get squat for it (or do they through links to their own work embedded in the videos themselves?) are the future of the medium. My biggest hero of film making in just last two months went from Clint Eastwood to Eisenstein, so I’m diving backwards, but let’s face it- there’s more ignorance about this industry than almost any industry out there.

So, in conclusion to this very muddled and space-consuming statement I’ve laid forth, I really just have one thing to ask:

Let’s not fire rhetoric, verbose insults or even “claims” of what you know about how this is going to “affect” the “future” for a moment. Could some people out there, who TRULY know, like John, Paula, and a few others who have made it clear that they have insight, EXPLAIN how, at the core (yes I know too many commas), this industry works ALREADY in terms of pay. Not from a good angle, or a bad angle, just from this angle: “This is how this industry works as of now.” I’m really interested in that. Sorry I can’t be more specific- it’s 3:10 in the morning (TO YUMA!) and I’ve just read through over 85 comments.

INGMAR BERGMAN
Ok, in all honesty I haven’t seen more than 1 of his films, but apparently this man, Ingmar Bergman, is one of the most celebrated and influential film makers in history. Today I flipped to IMDB and the breaking news was that he died today at his home in Faro, Sweden, at the age of 89.

From IMDB:

Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish director considered one of the most influential and acclaimed filmmakers of modern cinema, died at his home in Faro, Sweden, on Monday; he was 89. The death was announced by the Swedish news agency TT and confirmed by Bergman’s daughter, Eva, and Astrid Soderbergh Widding, president of The Ingmar Bergman Foundation, though an official cause of death was not yet given. Nominated for nine Academy Awards throughout his career and honored with the Irving G. Thalberg award in 1971, Bergman was cited as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, with his bleak, unsparing yet highly emotional explorations of the human psyche and its relation to life, sex, and death, in both highly symbolic and intensely personal films; he most notably influenced Woody Allen, who considered him the greatest of filmmakers.

The one film of his that I was fortunate enough to see at least most of (I was exhausted in class and fell asleep), had some amazing imagery and breathtaking mis-en-scene. This movie was his 1982 holiday classic, Fanny och Alexander (Fanny and Alexander). This epic children’s fairy tale about death, loss, and rebuilding life was very, very powerful and for the scenes that I was conscious to I was treated to some of the most influential shots I had ever seen. Here’s a clip from the film provided by YouTube

Here are a few citations from his personal info on Wikipedia

Technique
“As a director, Bergman favored intuition over intellect, and chose to be unaggressive in dealing with actors. Bergman saw himself as having a great responsibility toward them, viewing them as collaborators often in a psychologically vulnerable position. He stated that a director must be both honest and supportive in order to allow others their best work.”

It is a strong insight like that which creates a powerful and potential-releasing relationship between Director and Cast/Crew. That is something to strive for.

His Message to Young Film Makers

“Bergman encouraged young directors not to direct any film that does not have a “message,” but rather to wait until one comes along that does, yet admitted that he himself was not always sure of the message of some of his films.”

I’ve made a lot of random films, and in the end they will be shelved for personal viewing pleasure, not to be made for audiences to gain anything except laughs from. However, I would push to strive to be in this kind of position- to live up to his expectations that people want to communicate ideas through film- thus unleashing the true potential of the Art.

AWARDS

Academy Awards

In 1971, Bergman received The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award at the Academy Awards ceremony. Three of his films have won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film: The Virgin Spring in 1961; Through a Glass Darkly in 1962; and Fanny and Alexander in 1984.

Many filmmakers worldwide, including Americans Woody Allen and Robert Altman, and Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, have cited the work of Bergman as a major influence on their work.

* Nominated: Best Original Screenplay, Smultronstället (1960)
* Nominated: Best Original Screenplay, SÃ¥som i en spegel (1963)
* Nominated: Best Original Screenplay, Viskningar och rop (1974)
* Nominated: Best Picture, Viskningar och rop (1974)
* Nominated: Best Director, Viskningar och rop (1974)
* Nominated: Best Director, Ansikte mot ansikte (1977)
* Nominated: Best Original Screenplay, Höstsonaten (1979)
* Nominated: Best Original Screenplay, Fanny och Alexander (1984)
* Nominated: Best Director, Fanny och Alexander (1984)

Sources include IMDB.com, Wikipedia.com, YouTube and Google Images.

However I highly recommend this link, from the people who would really take the care and time to know- Turner Classic Movies, and they also report that the next showing of his films will be Octorber 14th at 2:00 AM, Fanny Oct Alexander will be playing.

However you should get out there and rent one of his fantastic titles and bone up on your knowledge of film! I think I’ll check out a few myself before going back to college. He is obviously worth the time.

We just wrapped filming a new movie here at STRIKE A POSE!!! Films- the psychological thriller “Clarity” starring Sam Anderson and Damien McCoy.

Here’s the synopsis and some set pics:

“A teenage boy hires a detective to find his missing girlfriend, however there are no records of her existence, no police files, not even anything in sealed government files. He gives the boy 24 hours to prove the girl exists and that if he does, he’ll agree to work as long as it takes to find her. Along the way he encounters his own past and discovers he may be on the tail of the same killer who took his lover three years ago.”

This film should be finished editing by the end of August 2007

This is Dylan Hintz and Sam Anderson, the founding members of STRIKE A POSE!!! Films. We’ve been working on some new projects lately, but one in particular is something we’re going to want possible outside help with.

SYNOPSIS
The movie, a short currently titled “Peregrine Saga: Darkest Places” is a drama with a few action sequences, it is a post apocalyptic sci fi martial arts fantasy that serves as an allegory for leaving home for college, staying behind as a “gangster,” or living off your parents’ wealth for the rest of your life. It draws inspiration from event in Dylan Hintz’s life, as well as those of his friends.

It will feature brief action sequences, but it mostly focuses on the stories of two young men, Josef and Dark, as through a series of events their lives are connected for one dangerous confrontation that will ask them to change their futures- for better or for worse. A stolen sword, a bandit for hire, an aristocratic fencer with something to prove, and the people who have control over their lives will be the focal points of this story.
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LETS BE UPFRONT (PAY):
Now that you’ve read the synopsis and are hopefully somewhat interested, let’s point out something: This isn’t a high paying gig. It might not be paying at all, but we’ll definitely cater. This movie is hopefully going to be sent through to local festivals and everything, and you get full credit for participation, it looks good on resumes, etc. We are still a part of the low-low (no) budget industry, and we are looking to practice, have fun, and make some art. We have a lot of faith in this story and want to help make it be the best it can. Maybe if the script is really good and we can organize a producer or something, we can work something else out, but for now we’re looking to simply make a good movie with a smart story and some fun action sequences.
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WHERE
The DC area is probably a good way to describe our location, however what we’re mainly looking into is Montgomery County. Areas around Seneca Creek State Park, Poolesville, and possibly even Sugarloaf Mountain are viable. We’ll also need a few set pieces (we’re trying to reserve a room in the Kentlands Mansion) such as a “mansion,” a “bar/tavern,” and what will pretty much be a shack in the woods. We’re already scouting.
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WHEN
Sam and Dylan are college students, and we will be going back to our schools in late August. This is possibly one of the last films we’ll be doing together so we’re looking to get this done ASAP, hopefully shooting it in late July Early August. That’s where you come in.

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WHO
Sam Anderson is one of the stars, Dylan Hintz is working on the script as this is being written. There are a few other people from our crew that will hopefully star in it or work on the project. The following is a list of the kind of crew we’re looking for:

CAMERA OPERATORS:
Recently Dylan’s Canon Elura 90 was stolen. Yes, we’ve worked on MiniDv most of our career, but it’s been useful for us. The homeowners insurance will allow STRIKE A POSE!!! Films to not die, however we might want to shoot this on better equipment. Granted we can get a new camera for 1,000 dollars (or a similar one for the same price), but we think we want some outside help with this aspect: Anyone with a prosumer type of camera (GL2’s etc) is really, really appreciated.

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Do you know 3 Point Lighting? Then you understand more about it than us. What Dylan is really looking for is someone who can handle natural lighting and help him make it look clever. The indoor scenes could also really use some polish.

COSTUMING:
We really need some help with this. A mix between post apocalyptic, western, martial arts and contemporary, we need some fancy duds and some ragged wear-and-tear.

MAKE UP:
We’re looking for someone who can make it look like we just ripped out Sam’s eye. Other gore effects are greatly appreciated but we’re not aiming for tasteless. In any case, we want to have fun with this stuff and make the violence sorta real.

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ROLES
ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

*While this is part of a martial arts themed universe, this movie will not have any actual martial arts sequences aside from a brief fencing match between Sam’s character Josef and a sparring opponent. We do, however, need people who can take some stunt work and have fun with it.

CHARACTERS needed to be played:

Dark: A 16-25 year old male who is preferably African American. Dark is a quiet person, with a killer’s eyes. Must be tough and able to do some mild stunt work/choreography. Must feel comfortable with knives (fake and real).

Badeua: a 30-50 year old male who is Dark’s talkative and slick mentor. He doesn’t usually fight, so this will be more of a real acting performance.

The Squires: three young men ages 14-18. They follow Josef around as a sorta jockstar group.

Boss Smith: A late 30’s to late 40’s female who serves as Josef’s mother. She has a wicked tongue, and knows her business. She runs the town and scolds her son for his dreams and failings as a political figure.

Ruger: a Late 20’s to late 30’s man who is a gun for higher, given the task of transporting a special sword along what sorta equates to a Silk Road in the story, he is the leader of the Chambers Gang. Will really need to play it cool, slick, but with a rough edge, and needs to be comfortable with guns (fake).

The Chambers: 4 late 20’s to late 30’s male gang members who act pretty much as redshirts in one scene. Knowing how to handle a gun to make it look more realistic is a plus.

The Mystic Woman: 40- 60 year old female Serves somewhat as an antithesis for Boss Smith’s character, she is an old woman who lives on the mountain healing young vagabonds who get into trouble. She provides words of wisdom for Dark and Badeau.

Doctor: A 20’s/30’sman who checks up on Josef after his injury

Nurse: A 20’s young woman who takes care of Josef after his injury. She has a conversation with Boss Smith about Josef’s future.

Bar Keep: An older man who is assaulted by Josef and his gang. He gives out info after they play “gangster” on his property.

The Peregrine: A late 30’s early 40’s male who doesn’t have a lot of speaking to do. Must be cold and menacing, as he plays a grim reaper bounty hunter role for our unfortunate heroes.

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Questions and advice/concerns? Just message us back! We look forward to working with other filmmakers in this area!