I Heart Walter Murch (part 2)

Behind The Seen: How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro And What This Means For Cinema by Charles Koppelman

Gorgeous book. Gorgeous layout, typesetting & images. Add the engrossing content and it is a must own book for anyone with the remotest interest in film post production.

Behind The Seen tells the story of how Oscar-winning editor, Walter Murch embraced an then unproven Final Cut Pro and edited Cold Mountain with it, making it the first feature film (as opposed to video) to be edited on the system. You don't have to be a film editor to enjoy this book. Koppelman (also a filmmaker) had unique access to Walter Murch during the shooting and editing of Cold Mountain. He captures the atmosphere of a feature film very well and details the process very accurately. Koppelman's writing is supplemented by extracts from Murch's diary and e-mails from Murch to Anthony Minghella, DigitalFilmTree & Apple and vice versa. Walter Murch's e-mail to Steve Jobs modestly introducing himself is a treat!

One of the lasting impressions from reading the book is how unhelpful Apple was to Murch and his team, particularly as he has since become poster boy for Final Cut Studio.

Tags: Walter Murch, Final Cut Pro, Apple, Film editing, video editing, Cold Mountain

Strength & Honour & Me!

I have been neglecting my blogging duties lately as I have recently joined the production family on Strength & Honour. Principal photography is looming but everyone is cool, calm, collected and getting on with the job. Professionals, don't ya know!

By the way, if you come across a red-haired woman driving erratically in a blue Mazda, who abruptly stops at the side of the road and then jumps out to take photos, you'll know who it is!

Tags: Strength & Honour, Cork, film production, film shoot , Cork filmmakers,

Open Casting for Strength & Honour

There is an open casting call for the Strength & Honour, the feature film that will be shot in Cork next month.

Open casting will take place in the Firkin Crane, tomorrow Saturday August 26th from 2pm.

Tags: Open call, casting, Firkin Crane, Strength & Honor, Strength & Honour

Paramount Pictures No Longer In Love With Tom Cruise

Production deals come and go. Nothing new about that. Producers, Directors and Stars are always falling in and out of favour with studios. This month's doyen is next month's has-been.

What I find intriguing about the collapse of the 14-year deal between Paramount and Tom Cruise is the reason cited by Sumner Redstone (CEO of Paramount's parent company, Viacom) - Cruise's controversial behaviour over the past year. Some suits finally put 2 + 2 together and realised that this odd little man spouting off his jaw-dropping "insights" all over the place and the dismal box office receipts of his recent films might actually be connected!

You can read more about the announcement here

Tags: Tom Cruise, Paramount Pictures, common sense, scientology, business decisions, Hollywood, crazy people

Kryzstof Kiéslowski - Talking Heads (French subtitles)

I am a huge fan of Kiéslowski's films (Three Colours, Double Life of Véronique, Dekalog etc.). His short documentaries are superb and don't seem to get much attention. Talking Heads asks 100 people of all ages "Who are you? What do you want?". It is facinating to see how our perceptions of ourselves and our desires change with time. This version of Talking Heads is Polish with French subtitles. Even if your French is rusty it is easy to follow. If you like the look of it and want to see it with English subtitles, rent Camera Buff. Talking Heads is on the dvd extras.

Tags: Talking Heads, documentary, short documentaries, Polish Film, Kryzstof Kiéslowski

Berlinale Talent Campus 2007

Below is some information which I received from Media Desk Ireland:

The 5th Berlinale Talent Campus is being held from Saturday February 10th
until Thursday February 15th 2007.

The Talent Campus is an international summit of Europe's talented
up-and-coming filmmakers. The 5 day programme deals with the 5 key stages of
filmmaking:

Philosophy ­ Pre-Production ­ Production ­ Post-Production ­ Promotion.

You can only apply online, and receive more information, at
www.berlinale-talentcampus.de

This is an excellent opportunity for Irish Filmmakers also. Participation is
free and a portion of travel and accommodation expenses will be offered to
selected participants who are not German citizens or residents of Germany.
Eligible to apply are up-and-coming producers, directors, actors,
cinematographers, screenwriters, editors, production designers, art
directors, film-score composers and sound designers.

The application deadline is November 1, 2006.

You can read more at IFTN here and at the Talent Campus website here.

As I stated in my previous post about Walter Murch, I was selected to attend the 2nd Berlinale Talent Campus in 2003. It was an amazing experience and I cannot recommend it highly enough. You get to attend lectures and spend time with some of the most talented filmmakers in the industry, you have access to the Berlin Film Festival, you get plied with free food and drink and on top of that you get free clothes from Hugo Boss. What are you waiting for? APPLY NOW!

Tags: Berlinal Talent Campus, funding for young filmmakers, Berlinale, Media Desk, Hugo Boss, Berlin Film Festival

Strength & Honor (Honour) gets Cinematical

Good to see top film site, Cinematical, has picked up on Strength & Honour, Mark Mahon's feature which is slated to start shooting in Cork in the near future. You can read the posting here

Technorati tags: Strength & Honour, filmmaking, Cork film

I Heart Walter Murch

For anyone even remotely interested in how and why films are edited, The Conversations is compulsive reading. I started my career in film as an editor, so I have a long time love affair with Murch. Many books talk about the technology of editing and provide good manuals. Few, however, concentrate on the art of editing and how it has evolved over the past 100 years. This book does just that. Murch speaks beautifully about the psychology of and emotional responses to editing, and Ondaatje asks all the right questions. Murch is a fascinating and articulate subject and it is obvious that there is a good rapport between the two men.

If you enjoy this, follow up with Murch's 1995 book In The Blink of An Eye which has been reissued with an update on Digital Editing. It's worth buying for the beehive anecdote alone.

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to the 2004 Berlinale Talent Campus where Walter Murch was our "Godfather" and gave some workshops and lectures. The good people at the Talent Campus website put up some transcripts and videos on their site. It can't replace being there but it's worth a look.

Walter Murch - Editing The Sound And Music is a transcript of the lecture of the same name which can be viewed online ordownloaded as a pdf courtesy of the Berlinale Talent Campus website.

The Synergy of Sight and Sound is a similar transcript and Reflections on Being a Filmmaker contains video clips of Murch, Anthony Minghella and David Puttnam reminiscing about their careers. Poor old Guillaume Depardieu, who replaced Béatrice Dalle on the panel at the last minute (under mysterious circumstances), didn't make the cut.

*I will post a piece about Behind The Seen - How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro And What This Mean's For Cinema in the near future.

Technorati tags: Walter Murch, film editing, Berlinale Talent Campus, Michael Ondaatje

Cork Film Festival Seeks Young Filmmakers

Cork Film Festival, in association with Du Grain à Démoudre Film Festival, is offering 5 young filmmakers the unique opportunity to participate in Travel: Source of Cultural Discovery, an exciting forum for young Europeans, which will take place in Normandy, France in November.

The chosen filmmakers will work as a team to produce a short film which will be screened at Du Grain à Démoudre Film Festival. In addition, they will travel to France to the festival and forum where they will film a second short film (also to be screened at the festival).

Equipment & facilities will be provided by Cork Film Centre. Gillian Morrison, who produced the Jameson award winner at last year’s Cork Film Festival – Killing The Afternoon – will mentor the project. Transport, board & accommodation will be provided by Du Grain à Démoudre.

Applications are invited from filmmakers aged between 18 and 25 (on November 1st, 2006) and should include the following.

• Evidence of age: photocopy of driving licence, passport etc.
• Indication of area of expertise, direction, camera, sound, editing, production design etc.
• CV & showreel
• Synopsis and treatment for a 3-5 minute short (no dialogue) based on the idea of how travel is approached in, and is representative of Ireland.

Submission materials should be sent to:

Eoin Ó’Catháin
Education Officer
Cork Film Festival
Emmet House
Emmet Place
Cork

Deadline for submissions is Monday 11th September.

For more information contact: education@corkfilmfest.org

Cork Film Festival
Du Grain à Démoudre Film Festival


Technorati tags: Cork Film Festival, Short Films, filmmaker

Support Your Friendly Filmmaker / Low Budget Filmmaking

At the Berlin Film Festival last year I got to spend some time with the lovely and talented Jay Duplass, whose short film The Intervention was competing against Killing The Afternoon for a Golden Bear. A fun-filled week of films and Berliner Pils were to be had before the judges announced their decisions. Both Margaret & Jay lost out to equally talented and lovely Peter Mackie Burns for Milk but Jay did get the consolation of the Silver Bear. We were consoled by the free drink. If you are interested in what a Silver Bear looks like, here is Jay with his.


Jay recently e-mailed me saying that his low budget feature The Puffy Chair (which was a sensation at Sundance) has finally been given a theatrical release. I don't know yet if it will be shown here in Ireland although it may be the type of film that might make it to the Kino. For anyone out there who doesn't have big bucks to make your masterpiece, Jay Duplass is a bit of an inspiration. You can read a review of The Puffy Chair here.
You can watch the trailer and see some of Jay's short films (including The Intervention) at their official website and you can read an interview with Jay on Cinematical.



Technorati tags: Berlin Film Festival, Puffy Chair

Sell Us Your Camera

If you own a Sony PD170 and are thinking of upgrading to HDTV I know just the man to take it off your hands. A fellow Cork producer is anxious to invest in a second-hand PD so if you hear of any, please let me know.



Technorati tag: Sony PD170

Placement/Internship With Cork Film Festival

Eoin O'Catháin, the Education Officer at Cork Film Festival is offering a placement in the run up to this year's festival. Candidates will ideally be interested in arts administration and/or event management. Speaking from experience, candidates will need a cool head, loads of energy and a predilection for hitting the dance floor!

During my student days I worked at the Press Desk and Print Transport, respectively. There is nothing quite like the buzz before and during a film festival. The level of co-ordination on so many levels is astounding.

If you feel you have what it takes, e-mail Eoin at: education@corkfilmfest.org


Technorati tags: Cork Film Festival, internship

Calling All Cork Filmmakers - I Want Your Films

I have been invited to direct a television series celebrating the past 10 years of Cork short films for a local station. I am currently shortlisting the films and directors to be included in the programmes. If you wish your film to be considered for inclusion, please send a preview copy (dvd preferably) and some background information on yourself to:

Gillian Morrison
Medaza Films
20-21 Anglesea Street
Cork


Technorati tags: short film, Irish television, Cork film directors

Short Documentary Competition

The Irish Film Board has announced a short documentary competition for the Stranger Than Fiction festival which takes place in Dublin between Sep.28th and Oct. 1st.

The award is €2000 and films must be between 3 and 18 minutes in length. The festival is now accepting entries. You can link to the website via the header above.