The Bullseye Studios Lounge

Greatest Documentary Of All Time...

2011-01-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

To say that would be an understatement, but I feel that it is the most appropriate thing to say about this amazing piece of work. If you don't know what the "Life In A Day" project was, let me clue you in a bit...

On July 24th, 2010, a challenge was issued by oscar nominated director, Ridley Scott, and director, Kevin Macdonald, to document a single day of your life on planet earth. But not only was it to be done from one man's point of view, it was to be done by the world... Over 4.5 thousand hours of footage later, and tens of thousands of entries made, a 90 minute documentary was created.

After watching it, I immediately regretted not being a part of this amazing movement. The ability to experience all the different kinds of emotions (ranging from happiness to sadness, love to regret, and fear to acceptance) in just a little over 90 minutes was a journey in of itself. This documentary captures what I love most about filmmaking, which is the reality of life. Nothing is always going to end peacefully, and I feel that it is important for people to understand that. Saying that however, I still love the feeling of a happy ending when one truly deserves it. All in all, this was an awesome piece of film and I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD when it will include 45 minutes cut from the original edit! :D

If you missed it tonight, you can view it on its youtube page at 7 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST). Here's the link and I hope that you watch it and enjoy it as much as I did ;D

http://www.youtube.com/user/lifeinaday

Stupid Movie-viewers...

2011-01-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

I'm just posting because I am starting to get sick of all the hate that is going around, and how everybody thinks that they are the "be all/end all" critic! I'll admit that I use to be one of those stupid people hahaha... I use to HATE the idea of CGI and VFX in films and would almost instantly disregard a movie because of my idea that the perfect film had to be an award-winning one. I can't believe that all these people (including the old me) are so closed-minded. It's starting to get old!!!

After making films for a couple of years and watching a lot more recently, my views are starting to change. I am starting to accept a lot more for what they are and not for what I expect them to be. These creations come from the minds of the artists that work very hard to bring them to life. I am starting to appreciate those "dumb-down" movies that everyone is now starting to rally against. You know, sometimes it's enjoyable to just watch a movie and relax while you're doing it ;P

Again, I can't believe how closed-minded I was when it came to CGI and VFX. To make the quality of films nowadays, even the ones that don't feature full explosions, require vfx. The best example I can think of is Forest Gump. While it seems that everything is completely "real" and "not cgi", there are many instances that VFX and CGI was used. The feather in the beginning for example is CGI. Plugging Forest into the TV interviews (like the one with JFK), involved VFX. There is so much more to VFX and CGI than the average movie-goer would like to admit. Hopefully one day they see it as I do haha...

Take this new movie, "Battle: LA" for example.

I think it looks like an awesome, sit down and relax type of film, but after reading the youtube comments, I couldn't believe what I saw. Comments ranging from "This movie sucks" to "Oh they already did this one... It's called Avatar and District 9" are the ones that really get me. I HATE how people compare movies to each other. Just because they both feature aliens doesn't mean they are the same thing!! People are stupid these days...

Anywaysss... Now that I'm done rambling, I'll give you guys a bit of an update. Or maybe just me haha... I'm working on a new short film about a conman, and it should be a light comedic type of short. Its not something I'm used to, but I like the idea behind it. I've also taken a bunch of pics and can't wait to show you guys in my "Best of 2011: January" photo reel that should come out within the first couple days of February. My parkour has taken a considerable notch up and I am really starting to love the whole movement aspect of it. I love to move and achieve flow that is natural to my body and learning how my body reacts to things...

Well thats just a little bit of right now, so until next time...

Peace

Best Pics Of 2010

2011-01-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update, here are my best photos taken from 2010. Some are the raw files, some have been edited a bit (to give them a bit more contrast), while only about 2 are edited heavily (color-correction). Most photos were taken with the Canon SX130 while about 5 or so were shot with the Canon SX110...

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57523975@N03/sets/72157625778144216/

In other news, I was able to have an inside tour of the LDS Motion Picture Studio! My aunt talked to the official/main editor of all those LDS films like JS: Restoration of the Prophet, RM, Best 2 years, etc., and he agreed to give me a tour of the whole studio! I have some pics here as well. It was an amazing experience :D

I was a bit intimidated at first, but Wynn Hougaard (the editor) was such a nice person and gave me confidence in pursuing my dreams of working in the film industry. He also turned out to be a great example, and I look forward to his work in the future...

Last but not least, I recieved my Patriarchal Blessing today. I can definitely say that it was the most spiritual, rewarding, and amazing moment that I have ever experienced and witnessed in my life. It was such a personal revelation and I know for a fact that it was real... If you're LDS and haven't received it yet, I would strongly encourage you to do so. It will change your life for the better :D

Goodbye 2010...

2011-01-02T22:49:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone, and the sense of being able to start anew is in the air...

Seriously though, 2010 was one of the most eventful years of my life so far. I graduated high-school, starting diving deeper into film-making and getting recognized for it, entered multiple film festivals, started practicing parkour regularly, played high-school football, completed my first semester of college, got a new job, picked up photography as a new hobby, received the Melchizedek Priesthood, and so much more... Its going to be hard to say goodbye to 2010, but its worth it.

With so many trials presented this past year, I have grown tremendously. I have learned how to better deal with my life, and determine decisions more efficiently. My outlook on responsibility has increased, and my gratitude/humbleness has been raised a whole lot, along with my happiness... Hopefully 2011 will reward me with the same amount of knowledge and experience which has been given to me in 2010 :D

On another note, 5 days after receiving my first camera and over 1200 photos later, I have created a little photo showreel displaying my best work. If you have any opinions on it, please let me know what you think... I also decided that I'm probably gonna make a new reel monthly, so expect one at the end of January!

Enjoy!

Long Time, No See...

2010-12-26T23:29:00.000-08:00

Well its been a while since I last posted, and to be honest, it was just because I've been procrastinating on this haha...

Anyways...

I haven't been able to create any new short films recently, because I just haven't really had the time or (more importantly) the equipment. But Christmas has come and gone, and I finally got my first camera! Its not really a camcorder, but its a still-photo camera that happens to shoot HD video as well :D It's called the Canon SX130 IS and it not only takes nice video, but amazingly clear photos (if you know how to use it). The photos can also get pretty big, around 4000x3000 pixels :)

In the last 2 days alone, I've taken almost 200 pics! Here are a few of my favorite ones below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57523975@N03/sets/72157625681563528/

As you should already know, I am most interested in going into film. But I am starting to enjoy photography so much, that I am going to be looking into getting into it professionally as well. The 2 fields work great together and compliment each other easily. It should be beneficial switching from one to the other, if I happen to have any downtime in one of the other fields... I am a creative person at heart, and I love the visual freedom that comes through photography. And the feeling of taking a great photo is beyond words because you know that YOU did it. You know that YOU took the effort to make a memory and/or moment out of the most mundane thing. And in the end, it is YOUR picture, not your teammates or friends, but yours...
Photography is just another great outlet letting me express myself!

Speaking of expressing myself, remember how I wrote about getting into parkour? Well I was off and on with it (as usual) but I have finally made the effort to stick to it, and have been at it for a little over 2 months now! I practice for about 1-2 hours a day, 3-5 days a week, rain/snow/night or shine. I created a little 2 month progression vid, if you want to check it out below.

It's not a lot, but hey... One of the leading parkour and freerunning communities in the world, WFPF, posted my vid on their facebook and home site! They said that it was one of their most fav vids they saw that week, and loved the happiness shown through my training in it. I'm not going to get too deep (or maybe I should), but parkour has taken a very important place in my life. Not only physically but mentally...

When I first started parkour, I followed the basic philosophy strongly. Be as useful as possible, so that you may help anybody in a time of need. I still love that aspect, but have also evolved due to my training and have an even more open mindset. As of the moment, one of the greatest things I enjoy most about parkour is the "flow" that can be achieved. To know what you're body is capable of and using that to your advantage. To know your limits and understand the many different opportunities to grow. With this in mind, I am getting a lot more done in training and loving every second of it. And the great thing is that it doesn't limit itself to the physical body. It has made me stronger mentally as well.

I definitely feel the changes that has happened mentally. Through training, my confidence and self-esteem has shot up immensely. I have learned how to overcome obstacles as efficiently as possible and learned to not "sweat the small stuff" as much as I use to. My outlook on life has become immediately brighter and I find myself finding even more pleasure in the simpler things in life. It is a feeling that I cannot explain, but parkour has changed my life for the better. I am stronger, happier, and more satisfied with myself...

Another thing has made my life a ton better recently is my preparation in serving a full time LDS mission in a couple of months. I am halfway done with the paperwork at the moment, and cannot wait until I receive my mission calling. I always coasted through church as a boy and teenager, but now that I have focused more on my Church, I can say without a doubt that this is the happiest I have ever been in my entire life! More news on this later...

Well everyone, thats a wrap for now and I'll see if I can update this more often haha.

Peace!

Lighting Up The Sky...

2010-10-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

So last week there was a huge thunderstorm across Utah Lake. I didn't think much of it, but my little brother wanted me to see it. So I got up to see what was going on, and was amazed. I quickly ran to grab my sister's camera so that I could take some video. Here are some of the still images from the videos I took. They may not be the highest quality lighting bolts ever, but I still think they're pretty cool...

International Movie Trailer Festival!

2010-10-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, here is the project that I was talking about earlier. Let me know what you think! :D

It was created for the International Movie Trailer Festival. You can check out the site here: http://www.internationalmovietrailerfestival.com/?p=trailers

Disappointments One After The Other...

2010-08-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

So last night I was supposed to start filming for my new project "Project 22B". But when my main actor got to work, they told him that 3 people called in and he had to stay til close. But since I'm trying to make about 10 different people's schedules work, its going to be a nightmare to try to do it again... But I must...

Then this morning, I had a job interview for a janitor position at an elementary school up the street from my house. So I figured this was great! It may not seem like much with 3 hours a day, but its definitely a step up from my last job that I worked for 2 years, and I'm going to be going to college anyways so I won't have any time to work full time. Anyways, I'm getting ready, getting psyched up (my sister got an interview after me as well), and am figuring out what I'm going to say. After a few minutes in the shower, everything seems good to go. I know what to say to impress the Head Janitor, I know what stories and experiences I can use to compare to what the job needs, and above all I was very confident in myself. So I walk up the street, getting ready to blow this guy's socks off and land me a job...

3 minutes later, the interview is over. I left the building thinking what the heck just happened?

Flash-forward to 3 minutes earlier... I walk into the building in my blue polo, khaki pants, and white sneakers. I walk into the front office to ask where the interview is at and notice there is another kid there wearing a suit... Minus 1 point for me already... Then they tell me that they're ready for the interview and I walk into the room. What do I find? Not the Janitor Head, not the principal, not even a teacher! It was 2 kids. One of them graduated with me and the other was a year younger than me and is still in highschool. I try to present myself, but its a little hard to take it all seriously. They asked me 5 questions and it was done. We shook hands and I left...

It felt like it wasn't a real interview, and I left confused. Not to mention that the girl giving the interview is friends with my sister... Go figure...

And on top of filming and work, school starts in less than a week and I'm still on the waitlist for several classes! The next week is going to quite stressful...

Back From My Trip And Working On Something Big!

2010-08-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Hey people, (or whoever is reading this, if not just me lol), I've been back from my trip for a few weeks now but just haven't had the time to blog. Or the will...
Anyways, I'm going to start blogging again, and hopefully I'll be able to keep it up this time.

First of all, if you haven't already seen it, check out a video I made for my trip to Universal Studios Hollywood!

This is only 1 of 3 vids, but because the process was such a nightmare to edit (due to the camera's stupid .MOD format) I still need to finish the other 2 haha. They will be up eventually though :D

In other news I am finally starting college in a week! Its both exciting and terrifying, but after I get past the first couple days I know I'll get used to it. Its such a huge campus too so I'm bound to spend the hour in between classes just looking for the next one. I'm just getting my General Ed's done here, then plan on transferring to a film school such as Columbia College Chicago... Well that's that...

In other news, I have a new project named "Project 22B" that will be completed by the end of the month. It is a commercial for the International Movie Trailer Festival. If you want to help out, please vote for my vid when it is posted. I'll keep you guys updated and let you know once its done...

And thats about it for now, so thanks for reading and I'll try and write more often :D
Peace...

California, Here I Come!!!!!

2010-07-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Well I'm gonna be leaving in about 4ish hours, so can't wait! The dumb thing though, is that since we're gonna be driving there, my parents and I are taking "driving shifts" and I got stuck with the 3 AM Desert shift lol... Thats gonna be sooo boring so hopefully I don't fall asleep and lose control ;)
I was also planning on making some highlight vids of the trip but right now things don't look so good. The camera that I was gonna borrow from a friend didn't work out, and I spent my afternoon trying to find a camera from a bunch of different neighbors haha. Then I was finally able to get one, that uses Mini DV tapes, which I'm fine with. But the thing is, it broke all of a sudden! Then I went around looking some more and finally found another one that dumps the memory on a harddrive. Now I really don't like the harddrive cameras because I'm never able to get the clips of them, but hopefully this one is different. And if worse comes to worse, I guess I'll just have to try to use my sister's canon. Its mainly for photography but shoots video as well, but barely haha...

Anyways, so ya I should be back in about a week or so. Oh, and other news, none of my entries for the LG contest made it through to the finals :( Oh well, I still got like 50 other contests I'm gonna enter in :D
Here are the vids, let me know what you think!
Later

Worldwide Pic

Babysitting

Rumors

Sexting

Just Getting Ready For My Trip...

2010-07-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

Its been a few days, and nothing much has really happened. My parkour (for lack of a better word haha) is progressing slowly but surely. Again, I'm not entirely sure what things I should be devoting myself to right now, but I guess I just gotta live with it and keep training...

On the brighter side of things I'm gonna be going to California in a few days! We're gonna leave on Thursday, stop in Vegas for a few hours, then continue our way to San Diego. We're gonna go to Universal Studios and MAYBE SeaWorld, but we'll see. Its gonna be a blast and I'm gonna make some vids that would have consisted of the whole trip so stay tuned! :D

Well I'm gonna have a grilled cheese sandwich then go out to practice!
Peace

Parkour

2010-07-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

So I've been interested in Parkour for a while now. Actually, for like 5 years but never really attempted it...
Then in September of 2009, I was searching the Tube (Youtube that is) and I came upon a video of this group of kids who practiced this amazing sport.

Parkour Double Feature - SecondaryArchive & TwentyTwentyTwo from Scott Bass on Vimeo.

Ya I know, pretty sick, huh? I never really thought I would be able to endure something like that, but after seeing the kid with the prosthetic arm, I immediately became inspired. I mean, even with a disability (such as only having one arm) couldn't stop the hopes and spirit of this traceur. I became inspired and thought heck, if he can do it, I can do it! Nothing was gonna stop me, I was going to be an amazing acrobat and nobody could say anything that would stop me...

Flash-forward to November, 2009. The snow started, and I stopped... So I went back to playing football, making videos, and trying to graduate highschool. I was in shape when I played football, but ever since I stopped, I noticed that I was not as strong as I use to be. Sure I remember the pain needed to endure a long, strenuous workout, but in reality I was now weak. With every day, the energy slowly slipped out of me. I made plans to start working out again, but procrastination snuck in and I never started...

Flash-forward to July 5th, 2010. I always enjoyed the videos that this group of kids, formerly known as TraceurElements on youtube, created, but that was it. I only enjoyed WATCHING it, not actually attempting to DO any of it... Then I saw their latest video... I was inspired again...

Now I'm on a personal quest to get back into the spirit and try to achieve this amazing lifestyle that these traceurs are blessed to have discovered...

I also realized that when I tried to get into it last time, I jumped too far into the hole not to get hurt. Meaning, that while my intentions were good and all, my experience was lacking. I was trying to learn how to run before I learned how to crawl. If there is one thing that Parkour has taught me so far, it is patience. I need to master the basics if I'm even going to attempt any of the other stunts performed by an average traceur. So that is what I am doing right now, mastering the basics. And because I'm not as fit as I use to be, I'm going to take my time and learn what I can before moving onto the next step...

The reason I'm writing in this blog is for 2 reasons:

1) Show you guys my progress as I undertake this journey of devotion and self-mastering
and
2) Because I don't exactly know what I'm supposed to do haha. There is nobody around me that does this amazing sport, and that may have been part of the reason that I lost my motivation in the first place... So if any of you are reading this, and are into parkour, please shoot me a comment or email, and let me know what I should focus on in order to improve.

Right now I am focusing on overall physical conditioning, balance, strengthening joints (knees, wrists, ankles, etc), perfecting rolls, and precision jumps.

So ya, if you could help out a new traceur, that would be awesome, thanks!

And as always, if you want to keep updated in my progress, please become a follower. The link is on the right side of the page and all you need is a google account :)
Thanks again!

Adrian is Arian

2010-07-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

So I've never really been that interested in astrology, but I saw by name there was a word, "Arian". So I googled it to learn more about it. As I read the supposed lifestyle that is unique to my sign, it was amazing how much I could relate to it. Now again, I'm not saying that this is 100% me, because it is not. But more things than not are really similar to me...
I don't know, maybe its just me and I'm just tired since I've had a long day and its almost midnight, who knows...

Well, if you're interested, heres the article:

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Aries
The spring equinox, March 21, is the beginning of the new zodiacal year and Aries, the first sign, is therefore that of new beginnings. The young ram is adventurous, ambitious, impulsive, enthusiastic and full of energy. The Arian is a pioneer both in thought and action, very open to new ideas and a lover of freedom. They welcome challenges and will not be diverted from their purpose except by their own impatience, which will surface if they don't get quick results.

Aries subjects are courageous leaders with a genuine concern for those they command, being responsible people, it is rare that they will use their subordinates to obtain their own objectives as leaders, but occasionally it does happen. They do not make very good followers because they are too "take charge". They may be unwilling to obey or submit to directions for which they can see no reason, or with which they disagree. They are much concerned with self, both positively and negatively - self-reliant but also self centered (sometimes) and concerned with their own personal advancement and physical satisfaction. Their immense energy makes them aggressive and restless, argumentative occasionally, headstrong, quick tempered, easily offended and capable of holding grudges if they feel themselves affronted.

As the first sign in the zodiac, you, as an Arian (as you are referred to), is to simply "get something started and lead the way". The Sun in this zodiac position gives your will free rein to express itself. You could be doing this in the form of some leadership role, or by forcing others to look at themselves in a new way. You can accomplish this by knowingly carrying out a deliberate act in the name of some cause that moves you. A negative effect of this sun sign is that you could sometimes unknowingly make it hard for others to relate to you, as you really are.

In your personal relationships Arians are frank, direct and candid, and make enthusiastic and generous friends. You are liable to have a high sex drive and make passionate but fastidious lovers. There is, however, a negative side to your associations with other people. You can easily be irritated by slowness or moderation in your companions and, though yourselves sensitive, ride roughshod over the sensitivities of others. The intensity of your sexual urges can drive you to promiscuity and a Don Juan-like counting of conquests of the opposite sex. It can also trick you into early unwise marriage which may end disastrously. Arians are highly devoted to their children, even to the point of laying down their own lives, so that they might live. You will not find a more defensive and loving parent in all the zodiac.

It is preferable to be aware of your pioneering spirit and not disregard it. For in acknowledging it you not only enjoy life more, but you avoid being pushed around by others. Your nature is usually push or be pushed, with little middle ground. This can at times be objectionable to others, but you must have the freedom to act, rather then just thinking about it, getting pent-up in the process. At all costs you need to avoid negative emotions such as resentment, regret and self-pity, for they would deny you what is essential to your nature: straightforwardness.

Mentally Arians are intellectual and objective, but can be in rare situations bigoted and extremist in religion and politics. They are good champions of lost causes and last-ditch resistance. They are quick-witted but sometimes foolhardy and over optimistic, lacking thoroughness and the ability to evaluate difficulties in the undertakings into which they often rush impulsively. The great need of Aries natives is to exercise an iron self-control, to discipline the qualities and tendencies of their character to the advantage, not the detriment, of the society in which they move.

As an Arian, you like a challenge that will stir you to action. This challenge may just be frustration; or at a more controlled level, you may have clear direction and know what or whom you're fighting for. If your direction is not clear, then ask yourself and listen to your inner voice. You will come up with an answer. An Arian without a direction in which to go, or a without a cause to fight for, would be against your nature and make you more a "sheep" then a ram!

Arian, do not be afraid to be forceful, for this is the very core of your nature. If you feel fear in your heart, then look for a history of negative events in you personal history, such as violence or abuse from others. Being fearful may also indicate a household in childhood that negated independence and personal initiative in you. This could have inhibited your natural urge to go forward into life as the leader and champion you were born to be. Conversely, such bad influences could also have led you to be overly forceful, or to be unsympathetic to your own need and sensitivity.

You make good athletes and climbers, doctors, explorers (of new ideas as well as uncharted territory, the latter in these days including adventuring into outer space), soldiers, sailors and airmen, and leaders, though awkward subordinates, in industry and politics.

Much as you are the Ram, there is still the little lamb in you, which means that at times you would attain your goals more easily by gently giving in without resistance to the demands of a given social situation, rather than getting your horns entangled in something larger and more powerful than yourself. This is a talent akin to knowing the difference between what you can change, and what you cannot. This of course takes patience, the acquiring of which is definitely your greatest achievement, along with your sense of your own inner softness.
Possible Health Concerns...

Aries governs the head and brain, and Arians are said to be prone to headaches, particularly migraines, sunstroke, neuralgia and depression. Indigestion and nervous disorders are also threats to you, and your rashness, impetuosity and wholesale physical commitment make you liable to accidents and physical injuries.

You like extremes. Physical, emotional and mental, and benefit profoundly by experiencing them; but if your extremism goes too far beyond social acceptability, then expect to be extremely lonely.

horoscopes

* LIKES Action
* Coming in first
* Challenges
* Championing Causes
* Spontaneity

* DISLIKES Waiting Around
* Admitting Failure
* No opposition
* Tyranny
* Other peoples advice ;)

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And if you are interested about your own sign, I suggest going to this site since it probably has what you're looking for... http://www.astrology-online.com/persn.htm
Later...

New Vids Uploaded!

2010-07-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July (well 5th of July I guess) to everyone!!!

I just wanted to let you know that I've finished the video tab that I promised, so if you would like to watch my vids either on my youtube channel or on this blog, then click the appropriate tab. The Youtube way may be faster, but if you don't want to leave the blog, then the video page is for you. Everytime I make a new vid, I will post it and announce it so that you're aware that its there.

Please watch my vids and let me know what you think. Critisicm is WELCOME but only as long as it is constructive. I am always striving to do better, so please watch and comment! Remember:
ITS FREE TO COMMENT!
NO SIGN-UP REQUIRED TO COMMENT!

Also, if you want to keep up to date with my specials, please become a follower or subscribe. Its simple, just look at my side tab and click "follow" or "subscribe". It's that easy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YmMNpbFjp0

Adrian Lopez Director Showreel 2010

2010-07-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Well I just figured out that I could embed my vids to my blog, so from now on I will be posting my vids on here for all of you to enjoy! ;)
I think I'm going to make a video tab so that all my vids will be in one place and not make a mess outta my blog, so make sure to look for that at the top of the page as well...
Anyways, here is my latest showreel that I was telling you about...
Let me know what you think!

New Director Showreel!

2010-07-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

I recently (meaning yesterday) created my second Directors Showreel, before I head off to my first year of college.
Almost all footage shown was made when I was still in highschool. It was a bit of an experiment because there are several song changes, but it was still fun to make and I am satisfied with the end product.

My Brand Spankin New Showreel... 2010...

Music:
Nine Inch Nails- The Hands That Feed
Vitaliy Zavadskyy- Alice In Wonderland Fanmade Soundtrack
Vitaliy Zavadskyy- Where The Wild Things Are Fanmade Soundtrack

The last 2 songs are by this amazing composer I found on youtube a while ago, visit his channel and give him the support he deserves! ;)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Vitaliiii

Now if you want to see my favorite reel that I have found on the internet in my many searches, visit this link:
http://www.ibiscinematography.com/VideoPlayer.htm?video=Reel&vidname=Reel&ft=13

That by far is my most favorite reel that I have ever seen, because it captures the "magic" that I feel in film and the wonders it can present us in... I've decided that for my next reel I am going to use that song haha

Well check them out and let me know what you think!

Inception! Nolan Can't dissappoint!

2010-06-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

From IMDB.com about Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, Inception...

by webslinger943 2 days ago (Sun Jun 27 2010 20:34:05)

Ignore this User | Report Abuse

UPDATED Mon Jun 28 2010 08:36:48

In my opinion, Nolan has yet to make a bad film and in general I don't believe the overall quality of his films has gone down over the last decade. This is his first completely original work since Memento (technically Following is his only original work, which I think is brilliant, but I like to count Memento as original because his screenplay is quite a bit different from Jonathan Nolan's story). Judging from Following and Memento, two original films based on no previously published material (unless you count Memento Mori) the quality of Nolan's writing is astonishing. Say what you will about the Batman films, Nolan's original works are largely viewed as his best work. Seeing as this is his most ambitious work to date and is his first original work in a decade more or less, I expect great things (no pressure, lol). To me, his original works are his best because of his control over the material and his ability to create such unique, complex, tormented, layered characters. His stories usually have a poignant, tragic, human quality to them, which I find refreshing, to counter all the recycled Hollywood formulas being churned out every year.
Aesthetically, his films are all tightly edited, move at a brisk pace have a dark, moody style to them, which I love, but they are not without humor. To me Nolan is not only a gifted storyteller, but a master craftsmen. His films demand your attention and doesn't let the audience take his film for granted. Just look at Memento, the Prestige, even the Dark Knight. So much information conveyed to the audience throughout the running time in each of his films, he doesn't let you look away. I don't expect Inception to be any different. We already know that some people are speculating as to how complex and confusing it will be. Like I said, this is vintage Nolan.
I love the concept of the film and in a way I believe Nolan has been building toward this film thorughout his career, judging by it's ambitious nature. While I'm not expecting it to be his crowning achievement (it will take a lot to beat Memento and we don't know what else he has in store for us later in his career) I expect this film to be quite satisfying.

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Wow, I couldn't have said it better myself. If you haven't heard about Inception yet, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend to watch the trailer and check out the movie when it comes out on July 16th! ;)

LG Contest Entries

2010-06-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

Well, for whoever wants to see them, here are my entries for the "LG Text Education" contest:

Nothing Spreads As Fast As A Rumor

Distracted Much?

Worldwide Pic
Sexting... You Never Know Who's Watching

This was a long, tedious, yet fun challenge. After 5 days of almost straight filming and editing, I finally finished uploading the final video at about 2 o'clock this morning with about 11 hours to spare in the competition. Even if I don't win, it was very fun and I definitely learned a lot from it and more importantly, gained experience..... Actually, who am I kidding haha, with 8 guaranteed spots for $6,000 each, why not! ;)

So I guess I'll let you guys know what goes on when the judging gets completed in a few weeks, and wish me luck in the contest!

And now that its all over... I am going to have the longest nap of my life ;)

LG Text Education...

2010-06-26T21:34:00.001-07:00

Well it is such a relief to have all of my entries finally completed. Hopefully they win and I get a couple Gs ;)
Now all I have to do is stay up for the next couple of hours waiting for my vids to export and load them up onto the site...

If you're reading this lol, I'll post the links tomorrow so that you can watch them yourselves...

Alright, peace

Nothing Spreads As Fast As A Rumor...

2010-06-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

Hey, I've uploaded my first finished commercial for the LG contest, check it out here!
http://www.poptent.net/media/18586

Now only 3 more to go and less than 30 hours to do them in ;)

Voodook's Contest and After Effects Crash :(

2010-06-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

So some good things and a bad thing happened today. I almost finished one of my entries for the LG contest but when I tried to export it, it crashed and as smart as I am it wasn't saved... Theres not a whole lot that needs to be redone, but still...........................

Then theres a good thing. If you have heard of voodook's contest on youtube, you know it was a video contest and creator with the most votes won. I got 20 votes (for my short film Taste Of Loneliness), and the closest person was about 18 votes so you guessed it... I won! Really though, this is the first thing I have ever won in my life, so its a big acheivement... for me...

Well, I guess I should see if After Effects has had time to cool down before I try to mess with it again.
Later...

Busy Day... err Week...

2010-06-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, todays gonna be a VERY busy day. I've got at least 2 different projects to film for today, and possibly even a third. The time schedule isn't very long so we're gonna have to haul. Then I gotta run home and start editing again. I'm almost done with our first project, but now I'm gonna have to edit the other 2-3, PLUS I got one more for another contest I'm doing due this Friday lol. So I'm gonna have a few hours tonight to edit, a few tomorrow (if we have time after filming some more), before I gotta go to work. Then on Friday, I'm not going to have much time because my family is going camping and my dad wants to leave EXTRA early so that we have a good spot, so that ruins my chances for editing Friday night-Saturday morning. Then on Saturday, depending on how much time I have left, I'm gonna have to finish editing and begin uploading before I go to work so that they can be turned in before the deadline...

Dang, this is gonna be hardcore epic but hopefully we get everything done in time. And who's to say we don't win a few Gs after this contest is over cuz our commercials are bombing ;) Haha, well, hopefully we win something in the end...

I'll let you guys know what goes on... Well whoever is reading this so far haha

-Oh and I tried uploading the behind-the-scenes vid to this site, but the file is too big! I'll figure something out soon enough, so don't worry...

Toy Story 3

2010-06-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

Well I have to say, I kinda went into the movie thinking that it was gonna be kinda crappy like a lot of other animated sequels that have been coming out lately... (Yes, I'm talking about you Shrek 3,4,5, etc.)
But I also have to admit that this movie was different. It was actually good! The funny parts were hilarious and the sad parts were sentimental. The ending didn't ruin it and brought the whole series to a respectable closing. So hopefully they stop here and don't create a 4th title 10 years down the road...

If you haven't seen Toy Story 3 yet, I highly recommend it, and I may see it again in theaters very soon. If there was one thing I was disappointed with my trip to the theaters though, it was the lack of good movies to look forward to in the future haha. The previews that I saw:
The Sorcerer's Apprentice = Dumb...
Cats And Dogs = Lame...
Some Ruppunzel (is that how you even spell it?) animated cartoon that looks almost as bad as "Jennifer's Body"...
The movies that I DO look forward to are Inception (made by my favorite director, Christopher Nolan) which comes out July 16th, and Avatar The Last Airbender... There aren't really any other movies out there that tickle my fancy, and thats a shame considering I won't have as much to look forward to this summer...

Another lame thing at the movies was the lady with the 2 (yes 2!!!) crying babies one row behind me, my younger brother coughing up his lungs to my left, and the poor sap to my right who kinda had a major "blonde" as his date. I'm sorry, but she was probably the most annoying person I've ever heard in a movie theater. You'd think people would learn (after recieving death glares from several people) after laughing at the same thing that happened 30 minutes ago... Oh well, poor guy though...

And to top it all off, my FIRST Behind-The-Scenes video is underway! I am just transeffering the footage right now, and might be done with it tonight. Expect to see it sometime tomorrow morning/afternoon! And please, leave comments so I know that whoevers reading this (which is just me at the moment), is actually here. You don't need an account, theres a special anonymous profile just for you people who don't want to show themselves!

So thanks again, please support this blog, and look for the first Behind-The-Scenes vid, VERY SOON ;)

Reply to "Being a Good Editor and Set Structure"

2010-06-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

In the words of Freddie Wong: http://www.freddiew.com/

"Funny how words change their meaning.
A lot of folks on YouTube tell us we’re “good editors” which is an interesting thing to be called because that word doesn’t mean what the film industry thinks it means anymore. Used to be a time where people would apprentice under a film editor, organizing clips, syncing dailies, and doing all the grunt work that being an “assistant editor” entails. After they’ve paid their dues, they’d move up to actually cutting footage. Used to be a time when being an editor meant taking in the footage, working with the director, and cutting together the sequence of shots that make a movie.
But nowadays “editors” are the directors, and being an “editor” seems to entail a lot of aspects of film production, borne out of necessity. As a filmmaker just starting out, odds are you shoot your own footage, direct the actors, cut together and add effects to the footage by yourself. The entirety of the post-production process is what a lot of people seem to consider “editing” nowadays, and also to a lesser extent, the act of shooting the footage itself seems to be considered part of the “Editing” process. Being labelled a “good editor” is about the highest praise you can hope to achieve – even greater than “good director” or “good producer.” A “good editor” is someone that is good at the process of making videos as a whole.
I got no problem with this – when I was starting out, my friends and I all referred to what we were doing as “editing” and we were loose with the terms because there weren’t enough people around to assign specific roles to (not to mention we didn’t have any idea what those roles necessarily entailed). The usage of the title is a symptom of lack of resources as well as the fact that technological advances has enabled a single person to handle the entire post production process of a video all by themselves. Rather than invent a new term, an older one was co-opted. And because good editing should be unobtrusive, actually good editing (say, a well cut, well paced dialogue scene) escapes the radar because it doesn’t have the whiz bang effect of flashy special effects or percussive music video editing.
But I definitely get the sense that the usage of this term doesn’t extend beyond the YouTube/DIY community. You don’t hear Spielberg or Tarantino referred to as “good editors,” and conversely, I think most of the people using the term in that way would be hard pressed to name Kahn or Menke as their respective editors. The next generation of filmmakers, and to an extent the generation that I occupy, is composed of a lot of individuals that are used to doing things by themselves and who’ve become jacks of all trades.
It’ll be interesting to see how on-set roles will change in the years to come. The rigidly defined roles on set work around big shoots and film cameras, but what happens when the crews get smaller and are composed of people used to wearing many hats? I strongly believe editors will no longer be relegated to taking in footage after it’s been shot and staying off the set – they’ll also become “On-Set Editors.” The job of an editor will require someone who handles all the footage dumping on set and is also fast enough of a cutter to rough in entire sequences as they’re being shot – a luxury that is only afforded by digital filmmaking and individuals who can specialize in numerous roles.
The advantages of such a position would be enormous – a director can respond immediately to a scene if it doesn’t play correctly, the editor can request different performances from the actors, and cutaways and inserts can be noted and in some cases, grabbed on the spot, reducing the need for reshoots and pickups. Why should there be two rounds of “performance evaluation” of an actor – once on set by the director, and then again by the editor in the cutting room? What matters is if the performance plays on the screen – and that can be evaluated on the spot. By assembling scenes moments after they’re shot, they’ll ideally have a very rough cut of the film the day it wraps production.
It’ll be interesting to see how filmmaking changes in response to the habits of filmmakers who are growing up now. We can restructure the shooting process into something that makes more sense by reevaluating the needs of digital filmmaking in combination with the myriad of skills of the crew."

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Here is just a reply I left to his post...

"Haha I’ve been getting a lot of replies on Youtube stating, “Oh you’re such a good editor!” or “How did you get so good at editing? I wanna edit like that!!!”
The thing thats most funny to me, is that its not how you edit a movie that makes it enjoyable to look at, its how you filmed it in the first place. If you have good sequences planned out and good composition in your shots, the editing really is a piece of cake…
I dont’ know, I just thought it was pretty funny when you said, “Being labelled a “good editor” is about the highest praise you can hope to achieve” and kind of had the same thoughts on it. But at the end of the day, I want to be known as a good director not editor
Good post though"

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So ya, hopefully you guys will be more educated now ;)
Good luck with your filming!

N64 for the win!!!

2010-06-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

So I use to be a heavy gamer, but ever since I joined football last year and started making more videos, my playing time has gone way down. Anyways, I was sitting in my room today trying to figure out what to do when my eyes caught glimpse of something dusty sitting on my table. I went over there to take a look, and lo and behold I found my old Nintendo 64!

For those of you who don't know what that is, take a gander below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM8bcs-bq4k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7WmMqT2c3U&feature=related

I began playing some of my favorite childhood games such as Donkey Kong 64 and Super Smash Bros. After enjoying myself for a bit, I thought, "Why can't games nowadays be as good as the old 64-bit versions???"
I came to the conclusion that people nowadays want a game packed with silly effects and cool gimmicks rather than actual enjoyable and memorable gameplay experiences. Then what struck me as ioronic was the fact that even in games, the story should be more profound than the visuals. Funny how this is the same technique that I use when I make my own films. I will seek story rather than special effects any day...

And while the growing majority want cheap laughs and amazing effects, they will continuously be disappointed with tomorrow's promises for better entertainment. I've realized that the story is where it counts and hopefully the remaining population, not already dumbed down by today's media, will realize this as well and we can look forward to better entertainment in the future...

(Wow, all this from playing DK 64? I'm good... ;) haha)