Getting back the edit groove

I think I'm getting my edit mojo back. Slowly but surely. Yesterday I did a short session with clients working on the Magical Vision trailer. Should be working on more of that next week. Today I went to Resolution Digital Studios to watch the final color/sound mix for Hannah Free. Its the closing film at Frameline film fest next weekend. I got to see my name in the credits twice! Yay. Tye came over today with the final sound mix Among All Creatures. We worked on credits as well so it's finally done! My name is in the credits three times for that one. ;) I'm exporting a QT right now to make our deadline for Chicago International film fest. So, exciting, exciting stuff!

Next thing I want to tackle: Redcam work flow and XDCam codecs.

<3justine

Away We Go

The editor of The Limey. The DP of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Now that I know this I'm just a little disappointed with Away We Go. I went to see this with my friend and favorite production designer, Stephanie. One of our first comments was that the cinematography wasn't that great. To me, sometimes the light didn't match its source and there was another shot that bothered Stephanie. Our next comment was that it showed one couple too many. It seemed to hit a slow point between Madison and Montreal.

Other than those snags, John Krasinski as Burt was great! He was the fun and quirky optimistic dreamer you couldn't help but love. I'll watch any movie with him constantly saying the words 'boobs' and 'vagina'. You can't help but want to love him because he'll just adore you right back. Maya Rudolph, as Verona, was not so strong. They work good as a duo, but John really stole the film.

The other female characters were strong. With each couple they visit, there was always something not perfect with them and it always seemed to be from the female. Maybe because its supposed to emphasize that we should be seeing the world from Verona's point of view. She had the idea for the quest. She wants to find the perfect place and model after the perfect family. I think Burt would just be happy being with her until he learns things are not always so sunny.

Still, I really liked it. It was super funny with some nice dialogue. It made me think of love and my boyfriend. (John and Jack both look nice with beards.) I asked Steph if the movie made her want to get married or have a baby. It didn't make her want to get married but it did make her feel a bit maternal. I'm sure she just wants to get with John Krasinski. Even my boyfriend wants him (for his next movie).

<3justine

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) should actually be called, Everybody's Got a Boner for Esmeralda. At the beginning there were a lot of characters introduced all at once and many different story lines. I'm glad that as the film went on that these got weeded out or condensed. Way too many happenings for a silent film. Lots of lustful attraction turning into "I love you, we're getting married." All of this going on and then a big poor versus aristocrat war. There were a couple nice edit points. When Phoebus takes out Esmeralda for the first time they cut to a moth caught in a spider's web with the spider inching towards it. Did he end up honestly falling in love with her after that point? Who knows. There was also probably a not intentional match on action that I enjoyed. I believe it was when Quasimodo jumps up and is cheering and then it cuts to Esmeralda being attacked in the other room. There's a similar action of Jehan jumping her. It ended sad with Quasimodo dying alone ringing his beloved bells. And then it abruptly ended.

<3justine

First blog

I haven't blogged in a while. I used to just do one big end movie year in review on my LJ. My boyfriend, Jack, encouraged me to start a blog to share my thoughts as a filmmaker.

I know in Jack and mine's ideal lives we would watch one movie a day. He does a way better job at this than I do. In 2008 I watched 60 new movies. I don't count repeat viewings. As of this year I'm up to 34 in the halfway point. The only film I've seen this year that was a 2009 release was actually Jack's film, Transmissions. Also, being poor leads to lots of Netflixing.

My sister brought me most of movies that I've been away from for a year. We just went to the Harry Potter exhibit the other day so I was totally in the mood to watch Sorcerer's Stone. I love the trio's cute adorable horrible acting. I could totally nerd out on HP trivia right now, but I'll save that for when Half-Blood Prince comes out. Eeeeee!!!

So, a while back my parents got me a 50 movie pack of horror classics for Christmas. Tonight I watched Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920). Watching it I kept thinking, "How would they do it today?" This was mostly concerning the transformations which were close up and wide dissolves. The first transformation was nicely done with crazy convulsions by John Barrymore. I would picture that today there would be some sweeping camera movements into close-ups like in the first Spider-Man movie. I still think it worked nicely. As for the story, Dr. Jekyll was a goodie-goodie. His soon to be father-in-law wanted him to live a little and loosen up. As much as Dr. Jekyll wants to do the nasty with the lady who wants him oh so bad, his morals prevent him. Soooo transforms himself to man-whore evil Mr. Hyde. Except nobody likes him because he's a perv that kills people. :( All the while his fiance, Millicent, plays the piano like a good lady in waiting and spends "many lonely hours" until Dr. Jekyll will sweep her off her feet. I just imagine in the end when Dr. Jekyll kills himself she's just thinking "Aw crap. Now I gotta marry that really ugly guy with the bad teeth so someone can inherit my dead dad's stuff. I really need a place to stay." Moral of the story: You can't live in extremes and don't be an English prude.

<3justine