Favorite Ads of 2011

I'm a big fan of really well done commercials, so I thought I would post my 3 favorites for 2011.

1. I love this ad because it creates a really good emotional connection with the viewer, while displaying a potential use for Google's products. This ad is beautifully done and my favorite for 2011.



2. When I saw this ad during the Super Bowl, I was glued to my tv. The voiceover is excellent, and it all leads up so perfectly to Eminem's lines at the end. I really like the cinematography in this ad as well, and thats what puts it at number two on my list for 2011.


3. My third favorite for 2011 is another super bowl ad, and one that most of you are familiar with. Its funny, and I think its really effective.



Bonus: This is a really funny, and not very well known commercial somewhat related to film production.

Short Film

Here's our final short film for editing class. Our group consisted of:

Nathan Corder
Josiah Wood
Lindsey Berggren
Robert Scheribel
Sam Doughty
Kelsey McCoy

From concept to render, it was a 4 day process. We had four weeks for the project, but things fell apart with our original story and plan and we had to get creative. Like Leeper says, limits can be a good thing... enjoy

Passing Hearts Short Film

I find a lot of the animation that Professor Leeper shows enjoyable, and certainly interesting, but I really appreciate it when he shows live action, as that is what I love. Passing hearts might be my favorite short film that he has shown all semester. I really like it when a film keeps me guessing for a long time, and Passing Hearts did that. Through about ⅔ of the film I was trying to figure out what connection the boy could have to what would later be revealed as the parents of his heart donor. Once it was revealed, I was shocked as it wasn’t something I had expected, but it was such a perfect ending too. This is definitely one that I’ll be saving on my computer.

Swan Song

Just the other day I rediscovered this music video in my iTunes library. Its one of my favorites, not just because I like the song, or the video itself, but because of the story behind it.

Nobody would ever know it, but that video made back in 2009 is the work of 17 year old Dillon Novak. Here is what he posted about it on the dvxuser forums back in 2009:

"What is special about this music video is that I am 17 therefore no band wants a music video from me...so i wrote up my treatment and went up to several bands asking them if they would like to make this music video. Most of them didn't reply but Brightwood replied and said they would defiantly love to do it. So because they didn't have any money to do the video i wanted to do, i funded the project almost entirly out of my own savings and from money i had gotten for doing a video for a non-profit a while ago. Because i knew i could make them a good enough music video that it would be worth it because everyone would walk away from the video with something great. And it was completely worth it because now i have several music videos lined up over this summer."

I think its pretty impressive that at 17 Dillon Novak had the ambition to come up with a concept for a music video, approach a band, fund the rental of equipment and the hiring of actors by himself, and then shoot what is really an excellent music video. Its definitely paid off for him. He's gone on to do a music video for The Killers as well as several other excellent videos.

Heres two more of his videos:




He definitely has a great eye for cinematography.

Like Water for Chocolate

As with almost every Signs and Wonders film, I was really reluctant to go because the film being shown just sounded boring. Every time though, I have left impressed by what I just saw as well as usually deep in though. LIke Water for Chocolate was no exception. The movie had some very strange parts, one being when the dead mother reappears as a ghost. While watching it I thought they were just that, weird. But afterwards as we discussed it I saw how so many of the parts I felt were awkward or strange were really necessary parts of the film, and they are what makes it so great. One of the things I found most fascinating was the end, which is basically a big sex scene. But they managed to do it in a way that isn’t offensive…its just done right. It goes to show that there are times when a scene like that might actually be necessary in a movie, and if it is, it can be done very, very well so that it isn’t repulsive to the audience. Overall I really liked it, and I’m hoping I can see it again after the great discussion we had going over everything in the movie.

Arthur Christmas

When I got back to the campus from Thanksgiving break, I really couldn’t find anything to do. So I did what I normally do in that situation, which is check to see if there are any cheap movies at the Huntington 7 theatre. The only one that even remotely interested me was Arthur Christmas. Oftentimes animated feature films that aren’t from Pixar make me a little nervous, because at least with Pixar I know what I’ll be getting, which is a good, solid story that is executed near perfectly. 

I read a few reviews online for Arthur Christmas and decided I’d give it a shot. I was glad I decided to go because it turned out to be a really funny, and it sends out a pretty positive message which is great for children to hear. I was a little worried that all the comedy would be aimed at children, but I was glad that basically the whole thing was filled with bits that both kids and adults will like. I’d suggest you go see it if you’ve got a chance!

Hurt

Hurt

When Professor Leeper showed the music video for Hurt, I was really into it. I think I’ve heard the song maybe once before, and never paid much attention to it. Similarly, I’ve never seen the music video before. I am so glad he showed it though, because it was incredible. Not only is the song great, with the buildup of the piano to the chorus giving me chills, but the video is sooo great. I love the way they mixed in his family videos, and he really made the video personal, showing how he has so much, yet it means so little. Its really thought provoking and made me evaluate the way I look at my life.

Muppets

So I went to see the Muppets over Thanksgiving break with my family. I must say I was not impressed. I love the muppets, and the movie was a nice way to get younger generations into the world of the muppets, but I felt the whole movie was really awkward, partially because of how the movie acknowledged itself. I’ve seen several reviews online where the reviewer found that to be a good thing, but I don’t agree. Its just really weird to be in a theatre and to see actors joking about the plot, or something thats about to happen, etc. If you really love the muppets, you’ll probably love the movie. But if you’re bored and want to go to a movie, this isn’t one I would recommend.

The Island

I've spent the past week working on my trailer for Hartman's class. I chose to do a trailer based on the movie The Island because of a few reasons.


1. Most people haven't heard about it. Part of this is because DreamWorks, the U.S Distributer, did a terrible job advertising it. It really failed in U.S theaters, but did extremely well overseas where it was distributed and advertised by Warner Bros.
2. Its a Michael Bay film that isn't at all like the stereotypical Michael Bay film (though there are still explosions, but not overdone)
3. It raises tons of great questions about morals, what life is worth, and how far is too far with various science/medical technologies (can't say much more without giving things away).

If you haven't seen The Island, I definitely recommend you check it out. 

In Time Review

The other night I went to see In Time. I have been really looking forward to this movie for a while because I found the concept to be really intreaguing. I will admit that the story was lacking in some areas but I really went into it expecting for the movie to challenge my thinking about the world and how I spend my time. The film succeeded, and I left the theatre with a different understanding and outlook at the word time. In Time depicts a world where time is literally money. If you want to go get a drink at the bar, you will be taking minutes and hours off of your life. I really just find the whole concept very thought provoking and it made me realize that while in reality our time is not an actual currency, in many ways it can act in similar ways. Many of the actions we choose can take time off of our lives, yet we don’t ever think about it.

I know many would disagree, but I thought Justin Timberlake did a great job with his role in the film. Despite how much I liked it, I couldn’t help but think as I left the theatre that the story would have better suited for a TV series instead of a film. I just think that with a few tweaks to the script, they could have had a really successful television series. That said, I would recommend seeing it.

Haiti Documentary

I loved the documentary that Dr. Clark presented yesterday in Chapel about Haiti. It was great to be able to see the work that was being done in Haiti in a wonderfully presented documentary. Back when the earthquake happened, I think all of us saw plenty of news coverage and requests for donations, but so many times we never get to see the results of the outpouring of support from around the world. I also found the testimony the woman gave (forgot her name) about her trek to find her sons birthmother. It was a really fascinating story, and I’m looking forward to watching the documentary about that as well.

Nicole Dreiske

So I reluctantly went to the Nicole Dreiske lecture the other day because I needed chapel credit and something to blog about. I’m so glad I went though, as it turned out to be a really, really great lecture. Nicole Dreiske is a very good speaker and I was totally into everything she said. She made what could have been a boring lecture into a really fun and interesting lecture. 

The whole idea of spin and not getting caught up in your own spin was something I had never thought about, and I know it will be very valuable for me as I go into the film industry. But I think what I found most interesting was when she talked about her history, starting with theatre and then her work with the Chicago Children’s Film Festival. I was surprised that she had kids on the selection board, but now that I think about it that makes sense. Very cool.

So in summary the lecture was way more interesting than I had anticipated, and I was able to take many valuable lessons from it.

Kickstarter

Freddie W is one of the most popular channels on YouTube, and I’ve seen plenty of his videos posted on the blogs here. But one thing I haven’t seen much about on here is his upcoming movie, and how he is using the crowd funding website Kickstarter to fund it. I find the idea of using Kickstarter to fund a film really fascinating. There are several advantages.

1. Your fans are backing your project, not a studio. Fans will generally accept whatever you do with the project, and be perfectly pleased, whereas studios will usually limit what you can do, which can be frustrating.

2. Crowd funding through Kickstarter will get fans more hyped about about the project because they get to be involved. In most instances, when there is a film project up on Kickstarter, the backers will get some sort of reward for backing the project, such as name in the credits, autographs, etc.

Thats not to say that Kickstarter (or crowd funding in general) is a perfect solution. Often times you’ll end up having a lower budget than you would with a studio, but thats when you have to consider whether its best to do what you want, with less money, or do what somebody else wants, with more money.

A Story Unwritten

I thought I would share this short film made by a guy from my church back home. It was his senior film project at John Brown University, and I just love it. I won't say much about it other than just watch it if you have some time.

The Boxer

I was pretty lost during most of The Boxer, mainly because I didn't have any context as to what was going on at the time, and the movie didn't really explain it. I just kept getting more and more questions until finally when it ended, Professor Smith gave some context and it all made sense. Overall I thought it was OK, and if I saw it again I'd probably like it better now that I know the reason for all the conflict and some of the history around it. I had never heard anything about the conflict between the IRA and the British so the movie and the discussion afterwards was very eye opening for me. I find it somewhat shocking that people can get divided over such simple things, though I suppose it shouldn't be that surprising. But I loved how the movie shows that despite their differences both sides can still come together for boxing.

Steve Jobs - Think Different

With the news about Steve Jobs' death, I was immediately reminded of the classic "Think Different" ad campaign that Apple produced in its early years. A while back an alternate version of the ad leaked online, which features the famous voiceover being delivered by Steve Jobs. Prior to his death, this version of the ad was merely a powerful statement from the CEO, but after his death, when you listen to it you realize that he is one of the people he is describing. He thought differently, and because of that, he changed the world.



If you're interested in reading about how Jobs was involved with the formation of Pixar, check out The Pixar Story.

Shower

I wrote this up a while back but forgot to post it.  Anyways these are my thoughts about Shower.

I really liked how from the very beginning, the filmmakers make it very clear that Daming (the older brother) has strayed from the tradition he grew up in. He lives in the city, and takes a shower in some sort of showering machine by the street. Then when he makes his way back to his family’s bathhouse, he refuses to bathe and instead uses a shower. While he is there he sees the strong relationship that his brother Erming and his father have. Daming, as the oldest son, should have stayed with the family and helped the father, which is tradition. But by straying from tradition, he has put a strain on the relationship between him, his brother and his father.

Overall I thought Shower was pretty funny, especially the old guys who were raising crickets for fighting. That was my favorite part. I really appreciated the way the movie gave me a look into some of Chinese culture, the importance of the son to look after the father. While he did fail to do that, it was great to see Daming go through the process of trying to get Erming put into a mental hospital, and eventually come to the realization that he shouldn't be ashamed of Daming, and that he should take care of him, despite his wife’s apparent disapproval. 

The Apostle

Civilized Religion

Two summers ago I was approached by somebody from my church with a short audio clip from a sermon by Erwin McManus. I had told him before that I enjoyed editing video, so he was going to give me a shot. He said he would give me a couple months, and if he liked it, he would use it in his wife's concerts, christian recording artist Rachel Scott. I was super excited for the opportunity. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do with it for the audio effects as well as the way the video should flow, so I was able to get it done in one very long day instead of the two months he had anticipated it taking.

Here it is:

3D Go Away (and don't come back!)

Before I really get into my hatred/dislike towards 3D let me just say really quick why I would even care. I am planning to get a degree in Digital Cinema, in hopes of editing, directing or somehow working with TV/Movies in the future. Switching to 3D everything changes a lot of the industry, and I don’t think thats a good thing.


1. Its a fad. I don’t think 3d will last. I believe its going to die out and the studio execs and tv manufacturers will be laughing at you, the consumer, for buying a bunch of tv’s and new gadgets just so you can have the latest stuff and be “cool”.





2. Glasses are (currently) required for 3d. Have you tried putting 3d glasses on if you already wear glasses? It isn’t comfortable, and lots of times you can’t even get them on over your regular glasses. Not to mention that 3d shouldn’t even require glasses. Studios and TV manufacturers should wait to produce 3d content and products till the technology is glasses free.


3. Most 3d isn’t very good. Studios aren’t willing to put the money into shooting in 3d, so a 3d version is created in post pro. It saves money, and allows them to cash in on the 3d movie craze. Again, 3d is just a fad that studios are cashing in on.


4. 3d tv—this may be one of the things I hate most. There are already 3d tv stations (ESPN 3D), yet barely anybody had a 3d tv. 3D TV’s require glasses, which is annoying. I’m confident that in the future 3d tech will advance and you won’t need glasses anymore. Then you’ll have to buy yet another costly 3d tv. If theres going to be 3d everything, please just keep it in the theaters. Don’t force it into our homes.


Now a little bit on my personal experience with 3d:


I went and saw Avatar in 3d. They gave me some glasses, and I though “wow, these things look cool”. I got into the theatre and put them on, excited to see what this 3d was like. When the movie started, I was incredibly disappointed. I didn’t understand what was so cool about it. Nothing seemed too different. About 30 minutes into the movie I leaned over to my friend and asked if they thought the 3d stuff was cool. He said an enthusiastic yes, so I asked if I could use his glasses. I put them on, and immediately was taken aback. It was pretty cool. I put mine back on….still no 3d. I wen’t out of the theatre and found an employee. I told them the glasses weren’t working (I had no clue 3d glasses can stop working). She had to dig around in a closet for a long, long, long time before she came out with a pair of glasses and said this was the last pair. I tried them, and they worked. But the point is that glasses are a problem for 3d. If you remove the glasses element from 3d, I think it would be a lot better (though I’d still find it an annoying, headache inducer). I sure hope non 3d versions of 3d movies continu to be offered.


The bottom line is, I think 3d is a fad. Do we really need 3d in our homes, let alone in movies? And if we’re all going to jump on the 3d bandwagon, shouldn’t we at least wait for the technology to advance enough so that we don’t need glasses anymore?