I haven’t produced much in the last couple of weeks, even though I have been busy. When I get working on too many different projects, I don’t get anything done. That has been my problem lately.
I had the Digital Beta tapes from the My Most Difficult Case converted to digital files. I can edit them on my computer. Now all I have to do is edit it.
I have done some enhancements to my website. I created standard page formats, but I focussed on changes to make updating the site easier for me. I started to experiment with advertizing on the internet using Google AdWords. I started with an advert for “Line of Taxis”. Since I started running the ad, I’ve been getting more page views. No revenue generated yet.
Other story ideas, movie ideas, and article ideas keep distracting me. One article I am thinking about is “how can fiction compete with reality?” It has been floating around in my head for a long time. When O.J. had that low speed chase before the police arrested him, millions of people sat and watched a car driving down the highway for hours. You could never do that is a fictional movie.
Recently my wife and I travelled to China, the west coast, and Edmonton. Between the three of them, I shot 7 or 8 hours of video. I am still sorting through that. It is mainly home movie stuff, but I have some shots that I think I can turn into a couple of short documentaries to post on the internet.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
My Most Difficult Case Re-Edit
I made a small step forward on My Most Difficult Case this week. I arranged to get my Digital Beta tapes converted to computer files by Digital Video Masters so I can start the re-editing.
They will be converting the tapes into 10-bit uncompressed format. The files from that are large, but they are better quality. I read on-line that because they are uncompressed, the processing time is much faster too.
When I shot the film back in 2002 and 2003 I had all my negatives transferred to video. While I planned to complete the film on film, and did so, I always had in my mind that I wanted the option to go back later.
When I was looking at the tapes at Digital Video Masters, one of the shots caught my eye. Due to a technical glitch, some shots wee out of focus and we had to reshoot them. Looking at the out of focus shots, I thought they had a look that might work well in the film.
They will be converting the tapes into 10-bit uncompressed format. The files from that are large, but they are better quality. I read on-line that because they are uncompressed, the processing time is much faster too.
When I shot the film back in 2002 and 2003 I had all my negatives transferred to video. While I planned to complete the film on film, and did so, I always had in my mind that I wanted the option to go back later.
When I was looking at the tapes at Digital Video Masters, one of the shots caught my eye. Due to a technical glitch, some shots wee out of focus and we had to reshoot them. Looking at the out of focus shots, I thought they had a look that might work well in the film.
Web Page Changes
I have converted most of the pages on the website from HTML to PHP. PHP will allow me to do some fancy things with the website. My main motivation was that I could create standard elements that individual pages can pull in. I am doing this with the pages header, so I only need to change one file rather than all of them.
While I was making the conversions, I standardized the look of the individual pages. When I created the pages, I used a slightly different approach each time. I now have a couple of templates to use. I made more variations in the standard than I had planned to, but I think that they were all justified.
While I was making the conversions, I standardized the look of the individual pages. When I created the pages, I used a slightly different approach each time. I now have a couple of templates to use. I made more variations in the standard than I had planned to, but I think that they were all justified.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
A New Story and Some New Articles
New Story
I published a short story A Homicide Detective's Rude Awakening http://authspot.com/short-stories/a-homicide-detectives-rude-awakening/ this week. I think it is a departure from what I’ve done in the past, but the idea has been haunting me for years. The inspiration came from a Law and Order episode.
New Articles
I compiled my blogs about my detective story into three articles that I posted on Bukisa. http://www.bukisa.com/people/DynamicLethargy
Film Festival
I submitted Line of Taxis to an on-line film festival. http://www.yourindiefilm.com/node/495 If I get the most votes, then I will win $5,000. I don’t think that is about to happen though. The idea for the festival is interesting, so I would encourage you to have a look at it. Don’t feel obligated to vote for my film.
My Most Difficult Case
I started to work on My Most Difficult Case this week. When I made the film back in 2004, I got all my negatives transferred to DigiBeta tapes. There are a couple of shots I used in the final film that I didn’t gete transferred. I do have alternate takes that will work as well.
The first order of business is to get my footage converted to computer files so I can work with it. I contacted several places this week and will be selecting one next week.
I published a short story A Homicide Detective's Rude Awakening http://authspot.com/short-stories/a-homicide-detectives-rude-awakening/ this week. I think it is a departure from what I’ve done in the past, but the idea has been haunting me for years. The inspiration came from a Law and Order episode.
New Articles
I compiled my blogs about my detective story into three articles that I posted on Bukisa. http://www.bukisa.com/people/DynamicLethargy
Film Festival
I submitted Line of Taxis to an on-line film festival. http://www.yourindiefilm.com/node/495 If I get the most votes, then I will win $5,000. I don’t think that is about to happen though. The idea for the festival is interesting, so I would encourage you to have a look at it. Don’t feel obligated to vote for my film.
My Most Difficult Case
I started to work on My Most Difficult Case this week. When I made the film back in 2004, I got all my negatives transferred to DigiBeta tapes. There are a couple of shots I used in the final film that I didn’t gete transferred. I do have alternate takes that will work as well.
The first order of business is to get my footage converted to computer files so I can work with it. I contacted several places this week and will be selecting one next week.
Monday, May 31, 2010
A Co-operative Video Website?
I have been mulling an idea for a while now.
Video websites like YouTube have been very successful financially by selling advertizing. Meanwhile, most of the people who post their videos on the sites get little or no money for their contribution.
I thought about creating a website for my own videos, where I would get all the money from advertizing. Doing this would be a challenge with my level of internet programming skills.
However, I think the biggest problem would be finding an audience. People go to sites like YouTube looking for videos to watch. They are not likely to go wandering the internet in search of my films. It makes a lot of sense to be on a video website with lots of other videos. People drawn to other videos may very well find yours as well.
I think one way to get around that is to create a co-operative video website.
The website itself would just provide a common front end, links to the videos and a search function. Members would provide their own video, while the co-operative would provide them with templates and advice on setting up their own sites. Members would pay to be on the website, or could volunteer to help run the site instead.
With a co-operative, no one member would need to have all the skills to set up and run the site. There are many details to work out, but I think this could work.
Video websites like YouTube have been very successful financially by selling advertizing. Meanwhile, most of the people who post their videos on the sites get little or no money for their contribution.
I thought about creating a website for my own videos, where I would get all the money from advertizing. Doing this would be a challenge with my level of internet programming skills.
However, I think the biggest problem would be finding an audience. People go to sites like YouTube looking for videos to watch. They are not likely to go wandering the internet in search of my films. It makes a lot of sense to be on a video website with lots of other videos. People drawn to other videos may very well find yours as well.
I think one way to get around that is to create a co-operative video website.
The website itself would just provide a common front end, links to the videos and a search function. Members would provide their own video, while the co-operative would provide them with templates and advice on setting up their own sites. Members would pay to be on the website, or could volunteer to help run the site instead.
With a co-operative, no one member would need to have all the skills to set up and run the site. There are many details to work out, but I think this could work.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Do I Have the Right to Say What I Want to Say?
I’m one of those people who always thinks of a good comeback, the day after the conversation. One of the nice things about doing a blog is that you can talk about what you would have said.
About nine years ago, I did a workshop talking about my films. In the workshop, I wanted to explain what I was trying to accomplish with my films and what I learned from making them.
With the workshop, I wanted to encourage people to try to make films. I had started to make films in High School, but then stopped when I was in University. I didn’t try to make any films for another 14 years. The main reason I stopped was that I had reached a point where I felt I couldn’t go any further unless I felt I had something to say that people would listen to.
This was a big barrier to my creativity, and I got stalled on several projects because I was worried if what I had a worthy of sharing. I was able to overcome these fears and complete several films. This was one lesson I wanted to share in the workshop.
When I was talking about the struggles, one of the people taking the workshop interrupted me. They told me that I shouldn’t let that stop me because everyone had a right to say what they wanted to. I wasn’t an experienced public speaker and their comment caught me by surprise. I wasn’t sure how to respond, and so I just continued with my talk.
Looking back on this incident, I see that the person did not understand the point I was making. As I recall, some of the others in the workshop did react in a way that made me feel they had understood.
What I wish I had said was to point out that, I had in fact gone on to complete several films.
I would have liked to point out that I felt that if you don’t at some point in your filmmaking question if you should be saying what you are saying, then you are not pushing yourself to your limit. When I talked to Steve Hanon about this issue, he agreed that questioning if you should say what you want to is a necessary part of being creative.
I got thinking about this episode after I posted a comment to a LinkedIn forum on script writing.
If Hitchcock was only a talented amateur after 20 films, then I need to be much more humble about how good my work is. Several other posts agreed that the really good filmmakers and writers are always worried if their work is good enough.
This is another good reason to worry that your work is not worthy. That fear will drive you to higher goals. Someone who never worries if their work is good, will always be just a hack.
About nine years ago, I did a workshop talking about my films. In the workshop, I wanted to explain what I was trying to accomplish with my films and what I learned from making them.
With the workshop, I wanted to encourage people to try to make films. I had started to make films in High School, but then stopped when I was in University. I didn’t try to make any films for another 14 years. The main reason I stopped was that I had reached a point where I felt I couldn’t go any further unless I felt I had something to say that people would listen to.
This was a big barrier to my creativity, and I got stalled on several projects because I was worried if what I had a worthy of sharing. I was able to overcome these fears and complete several films. This was one lesson I wanted to share in the workshop.
When I was talking about the struggles, one of the people taking the workshop interrupted me. They told me that I shouldn’t let that stop me because everyone had a right to say what they wanted to. I wasn’t an experienced public speaker and their comment caught me by surprise. I wasn’t sure how to respond, and so I just continued with my talk.
Looking back on this incident, I see that the person did not understand the point I was making. As I recall, some of the others in the workshop did react in a way that made me feel they had understood.
What I wish I had said was to point out that, I had in fact gone on to complete several films.
I would have liked to point out that I felt that if you don’t at some point in your filmmaking question if you should be saying what you are saying, then you are not pushing yourself to your limit. When I talked to Steve Hanon about this issue, he agreed that questioning if you should say what you want to is a necessary part of being creative.
I got thinking about this episode after I posted a comment to a LinkedIn forum on script writing.
I read that Alfred Hitchcock was asked why he remade "The Man Who Knew too Much". His reply was that a talented amateur made the first version, while a seasoned professional made the second. What I keep in mind was that when he made the first version he had already made over 20 features and many people saw him as one of the best movie directors in the world.
If Hitchcock was only a talented amateur after 20 films, then I need to be much more humble about how good my work is. Several other posts agreed that the really good filmmakers and writers are always worried if their work is good enough.
This is another good reason to worry that your work is not worthy. That fear will drive you to higher goals. Someone who never worries if their work is good, will always be just a hack.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Detective Story: Creating my villain
I was reading Sue Grafton’s book T is for Trespass and noticed similarities between the villain in her story and the one I created for mine.
I suppose that I really should not have been too surprised. When I started to create my villain, I didn’t want to base it on anyone I knew. None of them was villainous enough. Instead, I drew on some of the characteristics identified in the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Psychopathy_Checklist
This list is comes from a test psychologists use to identify psychopaths. In particular, I used three traits from the list.
My villain is entirely convinced of his own superiority. This leads to him over estimating what he can do, and under estimating what others can do. Most normal people do get upset when they make mistakes. Sometimes this is fear of others labelling them a failure. In this villain’s case, exposure of a mistake strikes much deeper, since his whole sense of self worth comes from his view that he is never wrong.
In order to cover for his mistakes, my villain relies on his skills at manipulating others to avoid. One of the reasons he is so skilled, is that his hubris over the years has often resulting in situations where he had to be manipulative to escape.
His need to maintain his sense of self worth leads to his refusal to accept responsibility for his own actions. Rather than admit that he has made a mistake, he finds ways to blame his failings on others. In the story the link to the person he blames is very irrational, but in his need, he overlooks this minor detail.
Taken together, these traits make my villain a dangerous person to deal with. Especially since few people would be able to spot those traits. On the other hand, though, they also make him vulnerable, since his is not omnipotent. He makes mistakes. He underestimates others.
I know I wouldn’t want to meet this guy in the real world.
I suppose that I really should not have been too surprised. When I started to create my villain, I didn’t want to base it on anyone I knew. None of them was villainous enough. Instead, I drew on some of the characteristics identified in the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Psychopathy_Checklist
This list is comes from a test psychologists use to identify psychopaths. In particular, I used three traits from the list.
- Grandiose sense of self-worth,
- Cunning/manipulative, and
- Failure to accept responsibility for own actions
My villain is entirely convinced of his own superiority. This leads to him over estimating what he can do, and under estimating what others can do. Most normal people do get upset when they make mistakes. Sometimes this is fear of others labelling them a failure. In this villain’s case, exposure of a mistake strikes much deeper, since his whole sense of self worth comes from his view that he is never wrong.
In order to cover for his mistakes, my villain relies on his skills at manipulating others to avoid. One of the reasons he is so skilled, is that his hubris over the years has often resulting in situations where he had to be manipulative to escape.
His need to maintain his sense of self worth leads to his refusal to accept responsibility for his own actions. Rather than admit that he has made a mistake, he finds ways to blame his failings on others. In the story the link to the person he blames is very irrational, but in his need, he overlooks this minor detail.
Taken together, these traits make my villain a dangerous person to deal with. Especially since few people would be able to spot those traits. On the other hand, though, they also make him vulnerable, since his is not omnipotent. He makes mistakes. He underestimates others.
I know I wouldn’t want to meet this guy in the real world.
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