A new year brings a youthful hope of accomplishing dreams and leaving behind bad habits.
Just as the film makers in the video below challenged the limits of the camera, I dare you to challenge the limits of whatever is holding you back: lack of mental toughness, lack of faith, your boss, a few pounds gained, a family member lost, frustation with the world… leave it in the dust and make this the best year yet.
Don’t make a resolution, make a life change. Use your past to make you better, not bitter.
I am going to test the limits of my career and my education. I will stop blaming others and challenge myself this year to train in various areas to become more valuable in my project management role, and dominate my video production classes to create films that will make a difference in the world.
Change is powerful. Inspire others to do the same.
I hope everyone has seen this masterpiece already. If not, be prepared to witness an extremely talented Montreal filmmaker, Patrick Boivin, turn his son into a dragon-slaying baby. The short film is a parody of both Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” series and “Enter the Dragon” with his son starring as Bruce Lee. I hope one day I am fortunate enough to collaborate with him on a short film or commercial because his animation is first class.
And for those of you that didn’t know there was a prequel video featuring his daughter (Dragon Baby’s older sister) as Iron Baby….you. are. welcome. Another parody, this video is based on the movie “Iron Man”, one of my favorite imaginative films.
There are many different ways to add energy/excitement/craziness into film.
1) Jump cuts (two sequential shots of the same subject that vary ever so slightly) can give an effect of skipping through time because the subjects aren’t shown moving from Point A to Point B but somehow appear in a different position/location like a ninja.
2) Quick camera movements. These allow the audience to feel like they are literally running around in the scenes. It could be a fast pan of the landscape to give a wide horizontal view, or a fleeting zoom in or out to show many different objects. With either or these it gives the audience a sense of urgency to pay close attention because they may miss something of grande importance with one blink of an eye!
3) Fast-forwarding. Simple as that – there are so many important items to cover that the audience isn’t even given the liberty of experiencing it in real time.
4) And the opposite – slow motion. It builds up the audience’s anticipation for an explosion of awesomeness.
5) Crazy, excitable audio. Whether there is a song with drums playing an insane beat, a voice-over in a high pitched voice, or an actor who talks quickly like a New Yorker…any little audio detail can keep the audience’s eyes glued to their screen. Screaming, yelling, clapping, cheering also work here.
6) Many separate flashes of different shots. The camera isn’t just sitting on one object for a long time like a boring soap opera – it is flying around filming many different subject on the set like a bunch of pop rocks that have just been submerged in soda.
The Coca Cola video shown above has both fantastic camera and editing work behind the scenes. It is similar to the wedding video in one of my earlier posts as they both require watching more than one time to fully capture all the details and magic. Energetic productions are my favorite type of filming (ehhh well it is a close tie with the very teary-eyed sentimental videos).
You can’t tell me your heart rate didn’t rise while watching that video due to all the hype created from the camera movement and the speedy talent…or maybe from the Coke you are now drinking. (If it didn’t then I will just blame it on drinking an afternoon coffee which, for me, is very out of character.)
There are 140 short films that will be shown from 27 countries around the world. Inexpensive tickets can be purchased to view just one group of short films that lasts approximately 90 minutes, a bundle of 90 min showings, an all-access or VIP ticket, etc. The length of each individual film is anywhere from 2 to 25 minutes.
This is more than just your average film festival at multiple venues throughout the DC metro area. It has an annual screenplay competition and other favorite awards for cash prizes and products, free bring-your-own lunch shows to view during the work week, filmmaking workshops, parties at various locations around the city, and most impressively, chef and film pairings where complimentary snacks are matched to the film by local chefs!
This festival has perfect timing - it happens to fall during my birthday, and it has generated even more excitement for my new career as I continue to learn filmmaking and production in school. For more information visit their website.
I wish I could post a preview for everyone, but that would take all the fun and suspense out of it. Who wants to go with me?!
I was recently talking with a friend about how quickly life was passing us by. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was ecstatic for my first day of college? After thoroughly bumming ourselves out that we were no longer in our glory days, I read a quote that completely changed my perspective:
“Do not regret getting older, it is a privilege denied to many.” – Anonymous
Quotes always seem to have impeccable timing. They are oftentimes so insightful that I regret how I reacted to my previous situation. Perspective is key in life. The glass half empty versus glass half full argument – it determines whether you remain parched or finally quench your thirst.
The other night my roommate laid out all the paint sample cards she had leftover from Home Depot to create a collage for the living room wall. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Again: perspective. Artists not only paint different perspectives on canvas, but they also look at the world in a unique way. They have the ingenuity to ask a local newspaper for extra scrap paper/cardboard so they can continue to create amazing works of art.
My father was gifted with the brilliant ability to see life from this unique angle. In witnessing my determination to pursue video production, he asked me if I realized what a film truly was. He then went on to enlighten me that a video is just a play/musical/opera from a different perspective. Instead of moving the actors around on stage, you have the ability to move the camera audience. Video has the unique ability to see life from any perspective whether it is a view from the helmet of a skydiver, an underwater angle, or a normal street shot. The video below shows life from the perspective of a hula hoop. Very inventive filming, but a quick warning…you may get dizzy.
Why is there a magic feeling in the ability to fly? Do kids dream of flying to escape their parents’ hold, to get out and see the world, to be free? Or do they want to fly because it has never been done before? There is a certain power about succeeding in something that no other human has accomplished. We are taught it is a special feeling reserved only for royalty – the power to feel on top of the world. There is always another obstacle put in front of us so that we have an excuse to pass up the attempt at becoming something great.
I have amazed myself at what I can accomplish over time. When beginning a new project my ideas seem very far-stretched. I have a pile of pictures, a few motivational quotes, and a couple random video clips in a folder on my desktop. After a few weeks it can transform into a beautiful film. I have taken many art classes where the drawings seem endless, but after a semester of hard work I have an inspired portfolio with depth beyond what I could have imagined. I often think that if only I had a professor to constantly throw prompts in my way, I would have a much clearer picture of what lies inside. Prompts are merely obstacles – a chance to push yourself a little farther and harder than you might have on your own.
School has always been a phenomenon to me. Why is it that after a few years of taking courses you automatically qualify for a higher level of job opportunities? In the creative world I believe it relates directly to these prompts flung in front of us. While training for a career, creative inspirations are critical to kick-starting the right side of the brain. There are those who completely disagree – who go into solitude when writing a novel, or who do not listen to any other music for months while composing a piece. But that is what makes inspiration so enchanting: what works best in inspiring one person can be completely different for another, just as learning techniques vary among students.
I would love to stay in art school forever. I like to think of it as an Olympic training camp. The best nutrition (education) is available, you have the chance to train in world-class facilities (studios), and you spend the majority of your time sculpting your body (art work), all to shine at the top level. What I need to find now is the gumption to jump off the roof and test my wings.
This video reminds me so much of myself. Yes, her name is also Annie, but that 5th grader has always been inside of me knowing that one day my creativity would have to explode on a larger level. I knew Day One at my first job that I would never survive without a creative outlet. I finally found what makes me feel alive. That fifth grader is still in progress – learning the ropes in the filming industry, but getting closer every single day to flying. I dare you to find your inner 5th grader and strap on your wings.
