Category: These Are Those Things

That inspire, that I like, and that I hope you feel the same about

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These Are Those Things

Do More With Less

When we were first trying to figure out how to make a lot of movie with a very little bit of money, our MO was to boil each scene down to it’s single essence. Or at least try to. Why fill it up? Why not strip it down instead? What was it that the movie truly couldn’t live without? Was the scene about plot or performance, beauty or energy, humor or emotion? I think this video could have helped us a lot…

Thanks to Matthew Ross for the tip!
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These Are Those Things

WANDA’s Barbara Loden (& John & Yoko)

Indie Film has not progressed very much in 38 years.  I finally caught up with Barbara Loden‘s 1970’s WANDA last night.  It would feel pretty damn fresh today.  It ranks up there among the American Indie greats that’s for sure, particularly among the great debut features, and the ones that the director also stars in.  It made me wish that we had somewhere we could go where we could get an immersive course in Loden’s life.  If you know, let me know.
I couldn’t resist a trip to the Mike Douglas Show, co-hosted by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.  First off I learned Loden was married to Elia Kazan.  The struggles she faced as a female director are as real today as they were then.  Except back then you had the most famous creative couple in the world promoting her work.  And they were great & daring artists too; there is no equivalent today.

There’s been a lot of good writing done on the film, including this from driftingclouds and filmmaker Mary Brownstien’s piece from HammerToNail.  I was really struck by the quality of the performances and Loden’s willingness to let the camera linger.  You can tell she is working with a tiny crew (4 people evidently) and the level of intimacy she achieves is a marvel. The budget, back in the day, was $115,000.  It is required viewing.

8/31/10 Update: The New York Times just reported that WANDA is being restored.  Time to rejoice!

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These Are Those Things

My Various Alternate Lives

Did you know in addition to making Indie Films I sell State Farm Insurance?

http://www.tedhope.com/
I didn’t.  But he does look a bit like me, doesn’t he?
Sometimes I train sheep dogs too (but only in disguise):
The first time I went on Google I admit I googled myself.  The odd thing was I found a “Ted Hope” who was doing exactly what I was going to do before I went to film school: building sustainable agricultural communities and small scale economies in developing lands.  Maybe he will take me on as an apprentice…  or the sheep herder will.  Just don’t make me sell insurance please.  Although I have to say any job looks good these days.
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Great Short Film, but "you always take things one step too far"

Thankfully, there are those among us who always take things one step too far.  It may be difficult for a relationship, but it is one of those things that the internet is really good for.  People always say, in terms of content, the web works for broad comedy and horror/gross out, but equally grabbing is the OMFG vein.

Nash Edgerton’s SPIDER got a couple of exclamations out of me.  And it kept me away from my third cup of morning coffee — which means it is a pretty strong dose.
I got turned onto SPIDER via Scott Macauley at FilmmakerMagBlog.  Or at least I thought I did — Toni Collette actually got their first for me for the video he did of her.  But Scott’s sourced other great work too, and gets full credit to turning me onto the work of Patrick Daughters long before he ever shot a music video.  It was Edgerton’s recent clip for Bob Dylan that initiated Scott’s posting.
Checking out Edgerton’s work I was excited to see he is part of Blue Tongue Films in Sydney.  I had the good fortune of mentoring a feature project of theirs — or maybe just related to them — when I participated in the Aurora Screenwriting workshop earlier this year.  There’s great new work popping up all over.  Here’s hoping everyone keeps taking things one step too far.
P.S.  After I posted this I got a thank you note from my Mom who had just watched it and said that it had produced multiple screams from her.  She reminded me that I repeatedly placed a fake spider in our sugar bowl growing up.  I guess my connection to the work was even more primal than I recognized.
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These Are Those Things

World Trade Center Logo Preservation Project

Got tipped to this via the continually inspiring production designer Therese DePrez:

http://www.wtclogo.com/
Check it out.
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These Are Those Things

I Am Not A Vegetarian.

I like my meat and I have always loved Jan Svankmajer’s work.

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These Are Those Things

Story Of Stuff Update

Way back, before I took to blogging, I blasted my friends urging them to see a little video I had stumbled across.  It’s been viewed over 5.5 million times since.  The New York Times finally did an article on “The Story Of Stuff”and if you haven’t seen it you really have to check it out.  It’s some of the best, most digestible activism available.  Kid friendly too.  And check out their website too.