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Bread-Stuy coffee shop

24 June, 2007
Alex, new york
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Met Miles in Brooklyn – at the very chilled and homely coffee shop named above. As well as three different kinds of iced coffee and freshly-made pastries, there were also a couple of decks on the street outside playing perfect summer music.

We chatted about movies and ideas while he downloaded some music and sound effects for his second ‘full-length’ short film: Man Up. It has just been accepted into the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival.

I worked the rest of the day getting my ‘Additional Editing’ credit for my work on the film. It was about using alternate takes here, sorting out the soundtrack there, loosening out and tightening up. After seven hours of work we ended up with a version that was 6 seconds longer but twice as good (of course I would say that, wouldn’t I…)!

In the coming few days we’ll be working on completing the Miles Maker 2005-2006-2007 DVD. You can see his micro-short ‘Street Sense’ (2005) on my web site. The DVD will also contain ‘Lark and Cher’ (2006), ‘Man Up’ (2007) and a behind the scenes documentary on the making of ‘Man Up.’

You’ll be able to purchase the DVD from Miles Maker soon.

Maids all in a row

23 June, 2007
Alex, new york
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Went to the 25th Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. At least I assume it was a parade. Maybe this is what most summer Saturdays are like in most parts of Brooklyn…

Coney Island Broadwalk A Mermaid on a quarterMermaid Parade BannersA pirate on stiltsA recumbant bicycle for two

The parade snaked around Coney Island, along the broadwalk to Surf Avenue. Jean and I picked a very good spot. The marshals were very easy going – we managed to mix in with the parade whenever we wanted to.

Happiness vs. Reality

19 June, 2007
new york, screenwriting
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Went to my second New York screenwriters Meetup. The script under discussion had the theme of ‘Being happy is more important than knowing the truth.’ An uncompromising first draft that has the heroine fool herself into not believing the truth in order to be happy. You can download the script from the home page for the group if you’re intrested.

Didn’t stay as long this time but heard some interesting ideas: a murder-mystery featuring screenwriters, a modern faith-based animated epic for adults and a Sci-Fi spectacular set in The Sun.

‘Jerusalem Idol’ will be the script under discussion at the next meeting.

Brooklyn Nights

15 June, 2007
Alex, film making, new york
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Over to NY Perks, a very nice venue in Brooklyn, for an evening of short films, including my friend Miles’s premiere of his second short film: Man Up. Got there just in time to be introduced to Jimmy Mar. He is the nicest nutter you could meet. He’s like a cross between Ice Cube and Kevin Smith, but scaled up to giant size. He’s one of the actors in Miles’s film. He and Mr. Robinson are developing a feature film that combines elements of ‘Do the Right Thing’ and ‘Friday.’

The first thing we saw was a trailer for a film with an unusual love triangle. Between a man, a woman and god…. The first short we saw was Squirrel Man by Jeffery Lynn Shepherd. This award winning short uses comedy and action to tell an age-old story in an original way. Once you see this film, you’ll never see feeding squirrels in the park in the same light.

Miles’s film, Man Up came next. It had the same themes as Squirrel man, but was just as unpredictable and original. I would be suprised if you could predict the ending of this one!

The third film was another award-winner: Gabrielle by Stephanie la Keem Jones. This touched on completely different themes – to do with fate and choice and taking the rough with the smooth. It had the feeling of a Twilight Zone episode…

The next projects therefore are the Jimmy Mar project, and a horror film that Miles has the ideal location for…

I also met the lovely Arie Thompson, who is launching an EP at a party next week in Manhattan. She seems like a real go-getter. She had an idea a few weeks ago, put it in motion, and next week she launches more music out into the world. I know it shouldn’t matter, but she’s even more beautiful in person.

Let’s go and see a documentary about Bolivian illegal immigrants…

12 June, 2007
Alex, editing, film making, new york, screenwriting
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…you might want to see this one!

Donna took me along to Paula’s place near the Lincoln Centre to see a rough cut of ‘La Americana.’

This is the docmentary to see if you want to explore the dilemma millions of people all over the world face: Choosing between being with those you love and supporting those you love.

What would you do if you had to go hundreds or thousands of miles to earn money to support your family. Some people don’t see their families for months on end. For illegal immigrants, months can stretch out into years. Imagine leaving your daughter at home and taking the huge risk of attempting to enter the USA illegally in order to earn money that can’t be found in your native Bolivia. What if you left your daughter when she was six, and she was about to turn 15. Imagine how much of her life you’ve missed out on. What if by returning home you cannot support your family any more?

That’s the story of ‘La Americana’ – by Nick Bruckman, Jesse Thomas and John Mattiuzzi.

The film looked very professional: the ‘rough sound mix’ was perfectly fine, with lots of good music; the picture quality was great; the scenes were edited very well and flowed into each other very well. All there is to do is to sort out the structure a little: to concentrate on the primary story to be told.

The reason I’ve venturing an opinion is because the team from People’s Televison, the production company, came up with a detailed questionnaire for the audience that I enjoyed filling in. Of course they basked in the compliments, but the also invited detailed feedback on sections of the film that could do with some improvement.

Most of my ideas were about structure – which came from my understanding of screenplays. I hope my feedback was useful.

Donna’s plan

11 June, 2007
Alex, new york
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Another day, another invite to a New York film community happening!

Firstly Donna’s plan: I showed Donna, Jean, Richard and Mr. Power some of my work at the gallery opening on Friday night. Having seen that Donna thinks I might be able to contribute to a pitch for a campaign for the Japanese National Tourism Organisation. A campaign to get more Japanese Americans to visit Japan. This campaign will also work for others to want to visit Japan. We’re going to meet up tomorrow evening.

Donna’s also been mentoring a documentary maker who’s made a film about Bolivia. At 7, we’re off to a private screening.

More as I have it!

The in sound of Inwood

9 June, 2007
Alex, new york
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Of course there are at least two. The ones north of Washington Heights used to be a single district settled by people from Poland. One side of Broadway features teeming hordes of Hispanic Americans. Ther other is the district that is ‘coming up.’ There are still some places that are affordable for the young creative people coming to make their way in New York.

This evening’s destination was the opening evening for an exhibition at the 207 Gallery. The very reasonably priced pieces are each inspired by New York’s subway system. The most memorable is a huge ball of twine coloured the same as the colour of the A train – the longest route in the system. It is over 31 miles long. The artist discovered exactly how long the route is in miles, feet and inches and made sure that twine making up the ball was exactly the same length.

The magical thing about the evening was the people I met, the people that Jean introduced to me: Tyrel the film maker and artist, Richard the photographer and Donna Tsufura the film maker.

Panel beating

8 June, 2007
film making, new york
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Miles couldn’t make it (he’s preparing for his premiere next Thursday), but I did. Here are my unedited notes:

Thursday, June 7, 2007 – 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Movie Magic: Filmmaking Techniques to Develop your Game

Leba Haber Rubinoff (Interactive Film Director) (Moderator)
Sabrina Gordon (Editor, Beyond Beats and Rhymes)
Melissa Ulto (Writer, Actress, Editor, DJ, VJ)
Edwin Decena (Director, Transformations)
Trevor Baldwin (onfumes.com)
Choke No Joke (Director/Producer, I Am Choke No Joke)
Matt Smith (Producer, BET’s Rap City)

What do filmmakers need to know to succeed?
Sabrina Gordon
Know how to tell a story. Learning software is easy. Story is hard. Learn from film. Of all kinds. Don’t bring a bag of tapes to your editor. Be open to your footage leading you into a new direction. Find an editor who is like-minded, knows your demographic.
Melissa Ulto
Editing is very important. Directing is more than collecting assets.
Edwin Decena
The art of orchestrating your resources: audio, video, crew.
Trevor Baldwin
Find the purpose of the film. Tell your story from different points of view. Execution is problem solving.
Choke No Joke
Watch your footage, find your story. Then take your script to your editor. To tell the editor what you want, you have to know what you want. Study what you want to know. If you have no money – work for free.
Matt Smith
Persistence and creativity. Don’t give up.

How to learn
Sabrina Gordon
I worked for free at documentary production companies. Still don’t know names of bits of equipment. Once you are on the job, the film school difference isn’t that great. If you didn’t go, you know you know nothing. A filmmaker might set up a company to make a film. Deal with the fact they might not be great at interpersonal relationships and politics. You can make it seem naive, but don’t be naive! Prepare, then you can explore the subject.
Melissa Ulto
A lot of heartbreak. Your heart will break to some extent with every project. Get ready: it’s a bumpy ride. You have to fight your fight. We bring the truth for those people who can’t. It’s like giving birth! Use the internet to monetize your work. Think bigger. Not just a DVD. The same footage in many different formats. Look to where the future is going.
Edwin Decena
To learn how to make films, make film. Learn about all aspects. Pitching, writing, shooting, post-production. Music videos a good launch pad. Had to focus on simple stories in a specific period of time. Effects and performance can hide mistakes while you learn. Once you have your own style…
Trevor Baldwin
Develop a thick skin. Keep knocking on doors. Too many people need to sign off on saying yes. Make spec commercials. Base them on standard taglines. Got job making real ads. Some ideas ripped off.
Choke No Joke
Modeled and appeared in music videos. Took camera to shoots. Did his own versions of Hype videos. Copied Hi8 onto VHS. Edited tape to tape. Shot at The Tunnel. Dre and Snoop at the tunnel. Produced DVDs. Learned by watching others. NEVER go to the head of your company over your boss!
Matt Smith
Went to film school. Worked at a bank. Started as runner in Hollywood. Being reliable. If you do well with something small, you are trusted with something big. Learn how to work with people. Ask if you don’t know. Be humble.

How do you visualise a film based on someone else’s script. Do you make a shot list? Do you create storyboards?
Edwin Decena
Read, read and re-read your source. You might find a different way to tell it. Base your plans on what you can afford to do. Get the spirit of your story. What is the premise? Absorb the story. Retell it the best way.
Trevor Baldwin
Make sure your producer is being cost-effective. Once place you know might act as six locations in your script. Producers are doing their best, but add your own insights. Have a deep understanding of the premise.
Choke No Joke
Your producer will get your team. He’ll find the people to help you visualise your film. Be clear how you imagine your scenes.

How do you protect your ideas?
Melissa Ulto
The internet counts as ‘first publication’
Trevor Baldwin
Have another idea. Chalk up losses to experience.
Choke No Joke
Make sure they sign your confidentiality agreement

The technology has exceeded our abilities. Movies are behind music in terms of expression. Does technology add to expression?
Melissa Ulto
We’re developing a few .tv domains. New forms of distribution. Video is going to be everywhere. Content is king. Less money than traditional money. You’ll be able to make a modest living. It is democratic. Lots of dollars leaving broadcast
Trevor Baldwin
onfumes.com is for upcoming filmmakers and upcoming artists to get together. People vote for the best monthly.
Choke No Joke
Online can be very lucrative. $1500 to license 60 seconds of old footage. If you shoot good stuff.

Social justice is what I want to make films about. How do I not sell out?
Sabrina Gordon
There’s no money in those films, so difficult to sell out. I’ve turned down jobs that don’t fit my ideals. Can you afford to live your life based on these choices? I did graphic design while working for an investment bank while working as a part time documentary maker. In the US, socially conscious subjects are not supported. Find other sources of income
Edwin Decena
“Concerning matters of style, flow like a river, in matters of principle, stand like an ox”

How can I raise money on a non-mainstream idea?
Melissa Ulto
It’s a business. I need to pay the rent. If you can’t deal with business, get a partner who can. The people who last have built a foundation. Then you can last for years and years
Choke No Joke
Make the choice. Either you maintain your integrity or you don’t. If you don’t want the politics, get the money yourself.

How can we pay a little less for our music?
Melissa Ulto
Splicemusic.com – many sites can be a lot cheaper. Look for licensable music on the web. Commission your own music from up and coming artists
Choke No Joke
Find producers who don’t sample.

Footnote for old-old-school hip-hop fans. Roxanne Shanté was sitting behind me. I gave her and her friends some flyers for the bit of the JVC Jazz festival that’s happening at the Langston Hughes House.

A New community

6 June, 2007
Alex, new york, screenwriting
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I’ve been very lucky in getting in touch with the New York film community.

My first contact is Miles Maker. He is currently based in New York, but back in 2005, he was in the UK. I edited his first short film back then. He’s done a lot more since. We met up on Sunday at the Entertainment Industry Expo. He introduced me to Jean Prytyskacz who is working on a series of specials on Hip Hop Comedians. She’s invited me to a happening at a gallery in the Inwood area of Manhattan (the latest ‘coming up’ area of New York). There I’ll be meeting more media people.

Miles took me to the soundtrack spotting session at Hughes House for his current short film production. It was inspiring hearing about the artiste’s career and current work. Amazing getting an update on Go-Go music – a genre that deserved to be a much greater movement than it was. I also had an interesting talk with Larry Robinson about new ways of marketing jazz music.

That Sunday night I did a search for “screenwriting new york” on Google. Two seconds later, the first link came up: a meetup of a group on Monday night! The small catch: the meeting was about reviewing a screenplay from a member of the group. I quickly read the first sixty pages on Sunday night, read the following 70 pages after my first day of my course (as well as the course reading homework)!

We all had a great debate about the screenplay and the method used to develop it: Blake Snyder’s 15-beat outlining method. At drinks afterwards, two people asked me to review their screenplays!

Miles and I will also be going to a panel on Thursday evening at the 5th Annual Hip-Hop Odyssey international Film Festival…

…what a friendly town!