Signing Off….

Well guys, the end of the semester is upon us, and that means it’s time for me to be moving along.  Just wanted to write one final farewell post and say thanks to everyone I’ve interviewed and talked to over the last four months, thanks to my professor Mark Berkey-Gerard for a great semester (I learned a lot of useful and practical stuff, and I appreciate it!), and thanks to everyone who read my blog.

If anyone ever needs to get a hold of me, you can always come check out my website, www.zachcaruso.com, or feel free to stop by my Music Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/zachcarusomusic and send me an email.

I’ll leave you with a few links to some of my favorite posts.  Happy holidays, everyone!  I’ll catch you all later!

Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Association

Interview with a Filmmaker

There Will Be Blood is worth a watch

Darren Aronofsky

I’m Not There made me wish I wasn’t there to see it

The Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Association: Big time resource in our own backyard

           

            

             When you think “film”, you don’t necessarily think East Coast, but maybe it’s time you did.

            “Basically, we’re founded by filmmakers and run by filmmakers,” said Philadelphia Film and Video Association (PIFVA) Development Consultant Caroline Savage.  “We’re service oriented through education, mentoring, and we also have a grants program for filmmakers.”

            Located on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the PIFVA began as a program at International House for 19 years, and later evolved into its own self-supporting resource for local media makers, encouraging independent and non-commercial community-based production of work.

            “We have a room for small screenings which is mainly for members to come show their work,” explained Savage.  “But we also collaborate with other organizations in the area.”

            In October, they hosted an event at Projects Gallery called “Politics as Usual” which allowed filmmakers to explore the world of politics as the presidential elections closed in. 

 

            On December 17 PIFVA is hosting a project at local bar Johnny Brenda’s that will include an appearance by VJ Rich Wexler (aka Large Marge), and invites local filmmakers to share their 5 minute home-movies in Super 8, Regular 8, 16mm, or DVD formats.

            “We try to take our show on the road, and sort of connect with community members,” said Savage.  “As far as workshops and things like that, we often partner with other organizations like Scribe Video Center, International House, Projects Gallery, and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.  So we try to each bring in our strengths to work together, but it’s all in the service of filmmakers and trying to sustain people’s ability to make films in Philadelphia.”

 

 

            Savage also explains that membership is not required to be involved with the PIFVA, but that it does include benefits such as discounts to workshops, and access to the PIFVA Open Screen Program.

            “We also have mailings and e-bulletins, and for that you don’t have to be a member, anyone can sign up at our website for that information,” Savage said.

            PIFVA also offers student based memberships that are geared toward college students who are seeking post-production completion funds for their films, and as Savage explains, the applications are never sparse.

            “This most recent round of grant applications includes students from Temple, Penn, and the University of the Arts, just to name a few.  It’s a great thing for college students, because for $28 dollars a year, you have complete access to our grants.”

            And although Philadelphia is home to independent film theaters such as 941 Theater, Roxy, and Ritz 5, PIFVA generally works solely with other non-profit organizations.

            “They’re a little more commercial to us as they aren’t non-profit organizations,” said Savage.  “We work with places like University Arts Theater, the Temple Cinematheque, and International House, which was just renovated and now have a very nice sound system and comfortable seating.  So we try to connect with schools that have screening facilities.”

            And at the end of the day, PIFVA lives up to its mantra of being an organization established by filmmakers for filmmakers.

            “Our target audience is the small independent filmmakers who are working on a small budget, just coming out of school and want to get started, but need resources,” Savage said.  “We’re here for those people who have aspirations to be filmmakers, but maybe don’t have the resources, and so we try to help them out.”

 

 

*All images courtesy of the Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Association http://www.pifva.org/public_html/pifva_2008/

And I tried to get some photos of the PIFVA offices, but thanks to the Army/Navy game, I couldn’t get into the city!  Next time!

Coming Soon….

I stumbled across something very interesting  early this week and am in the process of writing an article about as we speak.  The Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Association is located right on Chestnut street in Philly, and is doing great things to help aspiring filmmakers from the Philadelphia and South Jersey area.

I spoke with a representative named Caroline from the organization and got some great info (she was even nice enough to add me to their mailing list).

Check back early next week for a full article about the place, it’s mission, what it does, and how to become a member!

Trainspotting: The Collector’s Edition

Ewan McGregor has never been at the top of my list of favorite actors, but after a view of Trainspotting, it seems a shame if I don’t place him somewhere in the top 5.

Trainspotting is a glimpse into the subculture of heroin abuse in Edinburgh, Scotland.  We follow Renton (McGregor), a heroin  addict, and his three junkie friends Tommy, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie as they try to escape their desperate situation.

The thing about this movie is that it’s a strange combination of  humor, drama, and brutally terrifying reality all dealing with the effects and consequences of drug addiction.

 

Trainspotting (based on Irivine Welsh’s novel of the same name) reminded me of a Guy Ritchie film (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch) in the way that the character’s thick accents, quick-tongued dialect and slang often make it difficult to catch everything they say at first listen, but overall, it’s a detail that really adds to the story by rooting it in reality.  After all, if it’s to be set in Scotland, I’d rather have to listen carefully, so long as the scene and interactions are genuine.

No matter how you cut it, this is a film that isn’t for the faint of heart.  It’s intense and, at times, disturbing.  But that’s what makes it work.  We are often punished as we are rewarded; we glimpse into a world we wouldn’t usually see and it’s almost voyeuristic, but we just as quickly we see the consequences of the character’s choices.

If you’re looking to watch a powerful film with a message, rent Trainspotting.

Got Milk?

Harvey Milk is about to be put on the big screen.  Well, his life, at least. 

Milk was the first open homosexual to be elected to the Board of Supervisors in California in 1977.  Sean Penn will portray Milk in the Gus Vant Sant film slated for release on December 5.

Check out this link for more information on the movie.

Interview with a filmmaker…

My good friend Brad Kingett is a film major at St. Joe’s University in Philadelphia.  He’s a film buff who loves indie flicks, and upon graduating in May, will be headed out into the world of filmmaking to try and leave his mark.  Brad recently started his own filmmaking company called Risen Industries which offers a variety of services including photography and videography for everything from local bands to high school sporting events.

I was able to pin this busy S.O.B. down long enough to have him answer a few questions for me, everything from his favorite directors, to his current equipment setup, to where he sees himself in the near future. 

How do you feel about the current state of independent films?

Currently I think that the independent film industry is the strongest it has ever been.  Movie goers are finally taking an interest in the world outside of major Hollywood productions.  All independent films used to be synonymous with a Beatles’ “Revolution #9″, avant-garde feel, and will sometimes cause people to shy away from them, however this not the case.  Many people do not realize that some of the greatest, most influential, not to mention popular films that they love are actually independent. 

 

What are some problems you see with independent films/directors?

I don’t think the problems with independent film are any different than those of Hollywood.  I do believe there is a problem with certain Indie film fans.  Certain films draw a pompous crowd that believes they are superior for saying that they go to movie theatres that only play independent films.  Others will not go to Hollywood films at all because it is too “main stream”, or because they want obscure movies to put in their Facebook/Myspace information.  Some people just need to make themselves feel better by being intentionally obnoxious.  Lines like “Oh, well you just didn’t understand some of the subtleties.” Or “I guess you didn’t notice the use of color and lighting that symbolizes blah blah blah” are common phrases for the pompous film viewer.  But you can’t let them ruin your own experience.

 

 

Who are some of your favorite directors, and why?

Tim Burton, Kevin Smith, the Coen brothers, Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, Terry Gilliam, George A. Romero and what list could be complete without Francis Ford Coppola.  These are my favorite directors.  They have created some of the best films that I have ever seen.  However, I do not say a film is great solely based on the director, but I evaluate directors on a film by film basis.  I feel that some directors are consistently excellent and develop a following of loyal viewers by creating excellent work.  Certain directors focus on a certain genre.  You will hear things like, the master of suspense or king of horror.  Other directors will develop a cult following and some will become famous after a single hit and will have people lining up at the ticket booth for every movie they put out no matter how great or terrible it may be.  Great directors put out great movies, but putting a great director’s name in the credits does not make a great movie.

 

 

Which of their films do you find most interesting and why?

I just recently watched this film, so I may be biased at the moment, but Memento by Christopher Nolan is phenomenal.  Memento is a fairly recent film and I don’t want to ruin it if you haven’t seen it, but the plot sucks you right in and doesn’t let up until the credits start rolling.  He took a decent movie idea and made it a great movie through the way it was portrayed.  It was shot amazingly, the characters were perfect and if you are watching it with friends, after several minutes of silence you are in for several hours of discussion, a sure sign of a great movie.  As a side note, in case you were in a cave or something, Nolan just put out the Dark Knight over the summer and that may have been the best film I have seen in a long time.

What director and what film have had the most impact on your own approach to film?

Different films and directors have impacted me in different ways.  I would have to say that movies like Donnie Darko, The Big Lebowski and Clerks have had the biggest impact, not in plot, but in the fact that they show that big special effects and huge name actors are not a must when it comes to making a film.  If you create a vibe that makes people want to watch and conversation that draws people in, you can make a great film.  I wouldn’t say that any individual director had an impact on me, but the thing I have heard the most in interviews is that you shouldn’t fret over mistakes because sometimes the mistakes end up making a scene great. 

Where do you find inspiration for your film ideas?

Most of my inspiration comes from books, songs and current/past events.  They are the greatest forms of inspiration for me.  I love to read books that force me to say “That’s really weird…”  Or ones that make me laugh when I know I shouldn’t be.  I try to write exactly how I feel, without censoring myself, and at the same time I try to keep current emotions at bay.  When I am writing a screen play, I imagine how the film will look. So as the words are going on the page, it starts to play out in my head, how the scene looks, what the characters are wearing, where the camera is positioned are all things that go through my head in the early phases of writing.  As time goes on things evolve, maybe the location will change or an actress will have shorter hair, but the framework stays the same.

   

 

 

What kind of equipment and software do you use?

Currently I am in between cameras, so I will use whatever I can get my hands on.  Better cameras do produce better results, but you can make lesser cameras work for you if you shoot with proper lighting and angles.  At the same time you can use the best camera in the world and if you misuse it your film will look awful.  Garbage in, garbage out.  I use whatever lights I have at my disposal, I use a boom mic and a straight shot mic.  Most times they are the only ones I have ever needed when filming.  I use a green screen when a film requires it, but you just need to be very careful with certain clothes and skin tones, and lighting is crucial!  I have a Mac iPro computer and as far as software goes I use iMovie for simple projects, but most times I use Final Cut Pro.  It is hands down the best editor for pro-sumer filmmakers and is the standard for most jobs that require video editing.

What do you hope to accomplish in your field?

I have written and directed two short films (one of which was viewed in a theatre) and an experimental film.  I am currently working on my first full length film.  My goal is to finish it and enter it into some festivals, and hopefully someone will see it, like it and maybe pick it up.  Below I have listed some great independent films that I have seen and really enjoyed.  Give them a chance you may find a new favorite!  And keep an eye out for “Milk” one of the newest Indies being released within the next year.

 

 

Pulp Fiction

 

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

 

Psycho

 

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

 

Memento

 

Se7en

 

Apocalypse Now

 

American History X

 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

 

Requiem for a Dream

 

Reservoir Dogs

 

Hotel Rwanda

 

Fargo

 

Donnie Darko

 

Kill Bill: Vol. 1

 

The Graduate

 

The Big Lebowski

 

Trainspotting 

 

Little Miss Sunshine

 

Dawn of the Dead

Night of the Living Dead

Clerks

 

Green Street Hooligans

 

Sweeney Todd

 

 

 

 

Absolut World Filmmaking Challenge

I was surfing the web a little and came across an interesting page at IFC.com.  A new film called TMI (Too Much Information ) Inc. won this year’s AFI Fest/Media Lab: Absolut World Filmmaking Challenge.  This video is a short segment on the film with an interview with director John Webb.

 But make sure you check out the winning video, as well as the other two finalists.

Not the typical holiday film…

Check out this interview with Arnaud Desplechin at IFC.com.  His newest film A Christmas Tale is set in a French town, and is centered around the Vuillard family.  They reunite after years of being apart, then learn that Junon, a matriarchal figure of the family will die without a bone marrow transplant. After many alcohol-infused arguments, tensions build, secrets are unveiled and emotions run wild.

It looks like a great tale about a dysfunctional family….and just in time for the holidays.  A Christmas Tale opens in limited release on November 14.

“The Visitor” leaves you smiling

Recently released on DVD October 7th is The Visitors, a film from writer-director Thomas McCarthy.  It tells the story of a college professor from Connecticut named Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins), a widower who happens to own an apartment in New York, but hasn’t visited it in some time.  After being coaxed into presenting a colleague’s paper at a conference at NYU, Vale arrives in his New York apartment to find an immigrant couple named Tarek (Haaz Sleiman), a drummer from Syria, and Zainab (Danai Gurira), his Senegalese girlfriend who sells handmade jewelry, squatting in his apartment.

When Walter sees that they have nowhere to go, he allows them to stay with him in the apartment until they get back on their feet.  The three strike up a friendship, but Tarek soon finds himself in a detention center in Queens, and it is Walter who comes to his aid.

The story pretty much follows the path that you’d expect, but it has a quality about it that draws you in and is full of moments that leave you grinning.

Richard Jenkins plays his part perfectly.  At the start of the film, he comes across as a bit of a prick and seemingly apathetic toward everything and everyone around him.  His relationship with Tarek and Zainab, however, bring about a departure from his “Connecticut professor”-self, and the birth of his newly rejuvenated New York self, giving a refreshing sense of a teacher becoming a student of life.

The drumming is also a key factor in the film.  It is one of the things that so strongly represents Vale’s rebirth.  Early in the film, we see Vale trying and failing to play the piano (he is a fan of classical music, and his wife played).  It is obvious that he is forcing the proverbial square peg in the round hole.  But when Tarek teaches him how to play the African drum, he sells off the piano and starts to let the new genres and flavors take him over.  It was a great balancing act of opposing images: this uptight, awkward white middle class man tapping his feet, bobbing his head, and pounding away on a drum to the backdrop of African beats and rhythms.

Furthermore, the film delves into the issues and emotions facing illegal immigrants and their struggle in a post-9/11 world.  The story is strong, but the underlying message is just as robust.

Check this movie out.  It carries a great message and tells a solid story, and mark my words, the closing scene will leave you smiling ear to ear, and totally fulfilled.

“No Country for Old Men”

I’ve always been a fan of the Coen brothers, from Fargo to The Big Lebowski.  They consistently put out great films, and No Country for Old Men is their latest.  It’s important to remember, though, that this is quite a departure from the dark humor of Fargo, and the overt knee-slapping humor of The Big Lebowski.  No Country for Old Men is moody and dark, and very intense.

Set in 1980 Texas, Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn Moss, a Vietnam vet who stumbles across a drug deal gone awry.  He comes upon a pick-up truck littered with bullet holes, a half dozen dead bodies, and two million dollars, to which his response is to take the money and run.  But hot on his trail is Anton Chigurh, a ruthless killer who is looking to retrieve the money.

Javier Bardem was just great in his role as Anton Chigurh.  I wasn’t very familiar with much of Bardem’s work before this movie, but he has certainly made me a believer.  His character is an almost emotionless killer who decides the fate of his victims by the toss of a coin.  This one simple ritual really stuck out to me.  Chigurh is cold and violent, yet every bloody act he commits is based on a coin toss, which almost nullifies his accountability, in a twisted way.  I can’t say enough about Bardem’s performance in this film.  He really has the ability to make you tense up in anxiety as you watch him throughout the movie.

This film was based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel, and from what I’ve read, stayed completely true to the book without ever going “Hollywood” and straying too far from its original form.  My only complaint is the ending; it’s a bit confusing, and it seemed like a strange and almost abrupt way to end the film that left me almost leaning forward in my seat waiting for the next scene, only to be left teetering on the edge of my ass as the credits rolled.

*Image courtesy of http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/no-country-for-old-men/