Welcome to Film Ick!

Intro to Cinematography

July 1, 2014 By GeorgeSimmons

Cinematography is an Art

Cinematography is the art of motion pictures. It includes both the technique of shooting and development of film. From the flawless camera shots to the differences of movie styles, cinematography has plenty of components that need to be meshed together in order to make a proper film.

There are four basic elements of cinematography: lighting, movement, film versus digital, and perspective.

Lighting

In many people’s personal opinion, this is the most quintessential element for both photography and cinematography. After all, without lighting, we would not have not have either of those mediums, but that goes without saying.

Lighting adds depth, tone and mood. Noir films use low-key lighting to create a mysterious and dark setting to add to the tension that noir films love to build. A lot of medical T.V. shows, like Scrubs or House, use flat light to convey a very sterile environment. Sometimes, directors and cinematographers use a very creative light, like in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 production Close Encounters of a Third Kind, to convey something entirely different from out understanding.

The essential elements are Key light, back light, and fill light. The key light is the main light directed toward the subject. The fill light is off to the side of the subject; its goal is to soften the edges and to diminish shadows. The backlight is located behind the subject, normally hung above and out of the view of the camera. Its goal is to create separation from the subject and the background. Continue reading “Intro to Cinematography” »

Filed Under: Cinematography

How to Frame A Shot

July 17, 2014 By GeorgeSimmons

Photographing Campfire

What separates the amateurs from the professionals? It has to be the equipment, right?

This is not the case. It is how one uses equipment that sets them apart from the rest. Off course, no one is going to ask you to make a professional photo session, if all you have is a cheap disposable camera, but nevertheless, it is important to know that photography has plenty of science to it.

The most basic of principles for photography is called the rule of thirds. It is the quintessential rule that all budding photographers need to know. The rule of thirds is an imaginary grid that overlays the screen of the camera. Now, imagine lines that break up the screen into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. With this, you get nine equal parts. It is divided up like a tic-tac-toe game.

This grid gives the photographer the most important part of the photo. The four points in the middle where the lines intersect are where the human eye naturally goes when first looking at a photograph. It is of best interest to place points of interest within these intersecting areas. You then use the lines to guide the eye across the image. Continue reading “How to Frame A Shot” »

Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Old Vs. New Movies

July 9, 2014 By GeorgeSimmons

Rick Blaine Makes the Move

Without a doubt, cinema has changed. New and old cinemas hardly have many similarities between each other in regard to plot and style.

Older film was of course in black and white, due to technological reasons. It didn’t even have sound until the mid 1920’s; however, this is where the art was cultivated and grown. Film was experimental and far different from anything anyone had ever seen. We saw the rise of special effects and the artful stretch of the truth that we love to see; called special effects begin to grow. The 1927 production Metropolis showed a fantastical world of camera illusion. It was the first full-length science fiction film.

Films in the older days were much longer than most of today’s features. Older films were two to three hours long; whereas, newer films are normally right around an hour and a half.

Back in the golden era of Hollywood, roughly between the 1920’s and the 1960’s, film had defined categories. Some of the biggest genres throughout this time was film noir, musicals, westerns, and political. Now days, some of the most popular genres are action, romantic comedy, horror, and thriller.

The people in charge of the making most of the older films were the producers or the suits. Newer films are more controlled by the director (this is also called the auteur theory).

Older films relied heavily on their writing and the competence of the those involved in the production in order to make a great hit; whereas, newer film will use CGI and an over zealous amount of special effects. Continue reading “Old Vs. New Movies” »

Filed Under: Review

How to Start Filming Wild Nature

August 5, 2014 By GeorgeSimmons

Beautiful Scenery

There are many ways to make money. You don’t always have to hold a ‘nine to five’ job to satisfy your money needs. I’ve seen many people building a successful life out of their hobbies. This is what I reiterated to my friend who has his own home based plant growing business. He loves growing plants and spends quite a lot of time with them. His interest has increased manifold in the past few years and he has made many improvements to his green business.

State- of- the -art features need not be confined to high profile businesses alone. He uses efficient indoor grow lights to give his plants more nourishments and health. In fact he’s so happy with the growth of his plants that he has started pondering over the idea of photographing his plants and selling the videos. It seems one of his clients who regularly buys plants from him suggested this idea. It has taken root in his mind and since I’m interested in photography he asked for my help.

There are many ways to make your mark in the film making field. While most of these are based more on chance and luck, I know a few that are effective when done in the appropriate and dedicated manner. Here are five things that can guarantee you a head start in film making.

1. Love for nature is a Must

Having an innate passion for nature and its bounties is vital for building a career in wild nature filming. If you don’t possess this the chances of making it big is not possible. Coming back to nature filming, it’s not sufficient if you love nature, you need to have an in depth knowledge about wildlife, preferably a direct experience on the wildlife present worldwide and some basic geographical knowledge too.

2. Television is your classroom

Though this may seem a far-fetched idea, it is actually a highly effective way to hone your wildlife filming skill. Make it a habit of watching channels like National Geographic and Discovery Animal Planet. Record the wildlife shows that are telecast regularly and study all the aspects of the filming from production, sound, script to scientific content, animal characteristics, music etc. other than the photography, of course.

This is in short like attending a photography course for free. You can create your own style, know your preferences, improve on what has been done already and also keep up with the trends.

3. Educate yourself

Internet is an excellent medium for educating you on any topic you want. Browse through the various websites present on wild life film making. Become a member of all the notable filmmakers’ associations.

4. Hone your talent

You need to have basic computer skills like surfing, emailing, using the different software like Adobe Photoshop, video and website editing, desktop publishing etc. Good communication skills and planning your film budget and the production details are some of the other skills you should develop. Camera equipment, sound recording and picture editing skills are important, if you want to do a professional job.

5. Connections are vital

Knowing all the big names in the industry is must to get exposure for your film. Whether you want your name to be known or you are selling any product or trying to land a big opportunity, it helps to network and have the necessary connections. This will tip the scales in your favor mostly.

Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Hilary Swank and her socially conscious work

March 2, 2016 By GeorgeSimmons

Hilary Swank and her socially conscious work She may or may not be at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. If the recent Golden Globes and Screen Actors’ Guild are anything to go by, then perhaps two-time Academy Award winner, Hilary Swank may be missing in action. She was not seen at these recent events. And even if she was there, she may have been deliberately keeping a low profile. She would only unveil her glamour if she was obligated to do so. She has had more than her fair share of being in the limelight, mostly for good reasons. One reason why she may not be at this year’s awards ceremony, honoring the best and most talented actors, photographers, writers and producers, to name a few artists, is that she is more than likely immersing herself in yet another socially conscious movie project.

The engaging actress and faith-based risk taker

Whether as a professional or typical girl next door, Hilary Swank is the type of woman who will readily avail herself to answering a call or two, thanks to the Doorbell Base we live in. Most folks are necessarily cautious and security conscious. Hilary Swank understands this, so she is also likely to be on her guard. But it is also worth mentioning that, perhaps more out of conviction and faith; she is likely to be taking a lot more risks than her peers and ordinary men and women such as you.

Let her phenomenal track record speak for itself then. In fact, it’s worth mentioning that Hilary Swank has never been involved in what discerning critics would categorize as your proverbial dud and well worth a Raspberry or two. Taking just a handful of her projects over a long career spanning more than twenty years now, most of her projects have been successful.

Historic and real life dramas

And if her shows weren’t successful money spinners at the box office, they were at least socially conscious projects which got discerning movie goers and home streamers to think a lot more and engage in intense conversations about the issues that Swank and her team raised. There has been the historic tale of the Suffragettes in foregrounding the historical fight for women’s rights and equality. There’s also been the fight against apartheid in South Africa.

Swank has portrayed women in a brave and heroic light in most of her films. She has also highlighted the brutality practiced by narrow-minded and prejudice filled hate mongers. Before we take a final curtain call in praise of Hilary Swank and her enduring work, let’s just give readers a roll call, particularly those who have not had the privilege of Swank’s most recognizable films.

To name just a few; Red Dawn, The Core, Freedom Writers, Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don’t Cry.

Swank won Academy Awards for Best Actress in the controversial gender-bending Boys Don’t Cry and legendary director, Clint Eastwood’s touching boxing drama, Million Dollar Baby.

Filed Under: People

Have you noticed the influence of strings in great musical scores?

December 31, 2015 By GeorgeSimmons

Have you noticed the influence of strings in great musical scores? This has not been the easiest of posts for us to write because it is mainly about what we argue is an under-appreciated sub-genre of film-making. While we fully appreciate and understand the value that musical scores bring to the silver screen, we also argue without any pretensions or disrespect that audiences in general don’t fully comprehend how much aesthetic value or drama (background) music adds to the visual presentations or acting performances of films.

To explain what we feel, we take our cue from no less than four films; the black and white classic, Casablanca, the uber-romantic eighties timepiece, Sleepless in Seattle, the sometime gory Jaws and the epic Star Wars enterprise which just days ago began a new chapter and has, quite frankly, taken the world by storm.

Great musical scores made possible through fine craftsmanship

In the very first chapter of George Luca’s science fiction adventure series, John William’s musical march matched the march of the white-armored storm-troopers, an inter-textual play on Germany’s Nazi-era troopers, so much so that it left an indelible impression on first-time viewers.

Of course, this march could never match the outstanding main theme of Star Wars which also helped Mr. Williams win an Academy Award the following year after the movie’s release. That theme was influenced mainly by brass. But a more dramatic influence comes from the barely noticeable strings played out in the background during the Jaws saga of man vs. beast, helping knowledgeable critics recall Herman Melville’s classic duel between Captain Ahab and Moby Dick.

The Violinio reminds interested appreciators of cinematic art through the sub-genre of musical scores, just how intricate the process is of crafting the finest musical instruments known to man. For instance, the process of craftsmanship and the natural materials required to build a violin has not changed over the hundreds of years that violins have been played. And if it wasn’t for these craftsmen’s work, the likes of Mr. Williams and Ennio Morricone could never produce the many scores that they have over the years that they have been writing for film.

Creating just the right number of notes

To find out more about the subtle yet remarkable differences between traditionally wood-crafted violins, years in the making, and electronic alternatives, popular among some of this millennium’s generation of young musicians, you can read more here. In the meantime, while Humphrey Bogard issued his classic one-liner to Ingrid Bergman in the closing scenes of Casablanca, Louis Armstrong continued to tinkle on his piano, playing out the eponymous soundtrack of that overrated romance drama.

Most of us are old enough to remember French-Canadian songbird, Celine Dion’s wonderful cover of one of the greatest love songs of all time, When I Fall in Love, originally sung by legendary crooner, Nat King Cole.

While the star-struck lovers sealed their destinies at the top of the Empire State Building during the closing moments of Sleepless in Seattle, we also need to acknowledge how much violin strings create just the right number of notes in romantic and dramatic scores.

Filed Under: Cinematography, Movies, Score

Art nouveau vs. Gunslingers; who dares wins

December 30, 2015 By GeorgeSimmons

Art nouveau vs. Gunslingers Over the last hundred years or so, particularly since World War Two when film production progressed from layered black and white prints to glorious multi-colored vehicles, action-centered films became more realistic and violent and helped elevate the one-dimensional protagonists to god-like status. Movie goers, even admittedly discerning watchers of predominantly artistic shows which emphasized excellence across the board, loved this because it offered them an escape route from the growing realities of worldly life, particularly with the advent of twenty-four hour live news broadcasts, and helped them imagine living in a world where good always triumphed over evil.

David Lynch vs. Sergio Leone

Because they were the best gunslingers in the (movie) business, these iconic heroes did not need to rely on guides such as http://topgunsafe.com/ to find out how to secure their weapons of choice. Their pistols, magnums, rifles or shotguns did just fine in their capable hands, on the side of their hips or over their well-muscled shoulders. It was mentally unstable villains such as David Lynch’s creation of the Dennis Hopper character, Frank Booth, in the art nouveau piece, Blue Velvet who could not be trusted with a firearm, whether hand-held or locked away. But as it turned out, the inherently insane Booth did not need to rely on bullets to get his message across to his victims.

Also, the drug and alcohol-inspired Hopper’s magnificent acting talents helped strike fear in the hearts of the film’s characters and those who watched Lynch’s mesmerizing cinematic art from beginning to end. Now, while Lynch’s work across Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and Twin Peaks, among others has been critically acclaimed for decades across the world, Italian director, Sergio Leone has to go down in history as one of the film world’s underappreciated directors and producers.

Angel Eyes vs. Frank Booth

Mockingly referred to as the creator of the original Spaghetti Western, Leone’s art has often been misunderstood. But we have our own sense of appreciation for his instinctive ability to create the genre’s most iconic hero of all time, one Man with No Name played by veteran and award-winning director, Clint Eastwood. This hero’s unusual penchant for loneliness endeared audiences for decades, so much so that it was hardly the fault of veteran actors Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach that they could not do enough to cause watchers to squirm more at their callousness and on-screen evil.

Indeed, not even Angel Eye’s (Van Cleef) cold-blooded murder of innocent women and children could match the sadistic madness of Hopper’s Booth who got no further than tormenting the sultry Dorothy Vallens (played by Isabella Rossellini).

And because Leone became a legend (in his own right) for creating classic Westerns, less is known of his gangster tale, Once Upon a Time in America, chronicling the lives of Jewish-born New Yorkers from childhood to extremely violent lives as bloodthirsty hoods.

We argue that Leone’s extremely long gangster epic is art nouveau at its best. Not even Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather series comes close.

Filed Under: Cinematography, Movies, People

7 Most Expensive Movie Sets of All Time

August 26, 2015 By GeorgeSimmons

7 Most Expensive Movie Sets of All Time Filmmaking is both art and business – a huge business. From pre-production to post-production, every single step requires budget. Many blockbuster hits cost millions but that does not always guarantee a movie’s success.

A great part of the movie’s budget runs to the movie set. Yes, it is one of the most crucial aspects in creating a cinematic masterpiece that majority of movie-viewers often overlook.

While some movies are set in just a simple room, a building, or a remote location, others necessitate constructing big-budget film sets to bring the story to life – and most producers are willing to make the gamble. But whether the huge price tag is worth it, it’s ultimately for the audience to decide.

Here are 7 of Hollywood’s most expensive sets ever built:

Waterworld (1995)

In order to create a fictional post-apocalyptic world in the midst of the vast ocean, the Kevin Reynolds-directed adventure picture went over budget (about $75 million dollars), mostly for building a 1,000-ton floating atoll somewhere in Hawaii.

With well over $100 million in production cost, this Kevin Costner-starrer was hoped to hit blockbuster level. Unfortunately, the multi-million dollar production didn’t bode well with the audience and has sunk as one of the most notorious flops in Hollywood.

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

The actual cost of this epic war movie was never actually released but the re-creation of the Vietnamese town of Hue was estimated to cost millions (about $30 million at that time). Stanley Kubrick, along with his creative team, reproduced the WWII’s aftermath in a sprawling abandoned dockyard and gasworks that was originally due for demolition. And to make it even more realistic, they brought in a collection of Westland Wessex helicopters and M41 tanks for the set.

Titanic (1997)

Not many viewers know that this mega blockbuster hit movie actually cost over $100 million just for the movie set. The reproduction of the “the unsinkable” cost a staggering $30 million while the 17-milion gallon tank where the ship was housed cost over $40 million. With its unprecedented success, James Cameron could be no happier.

Stalingrad (2013)

Although the set could be easily produced using computer, director Fedor Bondarchuk went the old fashion way to rebuild the World War II city of Stalingrad. Armed with framing nailers, jackhammers, and other power tools, an army of 400 workers aided by a creative team meticulously recreated the war-torn city for over 6 months. With the building equipment alone, one can expect a huge production cost. I’ve checked this site and discovered the cost of different framing nailers. Now, I really wouldn’t wonder why the lavish setting cost a whooping $4 million.

Intolerance (1916)

D.W. Griffith set the bar in production costs in his 1916 epic film – Intolerance. For the movie, Griffith invested millions in building a colossal replica of the Great Wall of Babylon. The 300-foot movie set took up over four city blocks. It was one of the most expensive, grandest movie sets for a long time.

Ben Hur (1959)

This Charlton Heston-starrer is a masterpiece. Alongside its impeccable script, great acting, and revolutionary cinematography was the massive movie set which helped made a larger-than-life movie. The film had over 300 sets which were located in an extensive 148 acres and nine sound stages. At a time when power tools were not yet as efficient as today, carpenters and artists had to painstakingly work on 40,000 cubic feet of lumber and million pounds of plaster to build the largest and most expensive film set at its time. The appreciated cost is estimated to be over $8 million in today’s economy.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Recreating the settings, such as Hobbiton and Helm’s Deep, in J.R.R Tolkiens’ legendary fantasy novel comes with a huge price tag. The total production cost is estimated to be around $281 million, making Peter Jackson’s LOTR trilogy the most ambitious and most expensive in Hollywood today. New Zealand did a great decision of investing (co-producing) on this project as the movie set has turned into a profitable tourist attraction even after the shoot.

It can’t be denied, the film set has a lasting effect on the overall appeal of a movie but it’s also not the defining factor. The story and cinematography is still king. How about you, what films do you think have the most expensive set? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Filed Under: Cinematography, Movies

Top 10 Coolest Truck Movies

October 31, 2015 By GeorgeSimmons

Top 10 Coolest Truck Movies Trucks are cool so it’s no wonder that they often star in action movies with road chase scenes. There are quite a few good films with trucks in them and many people even draw inspiration for tuning their own vehicles from the incredible monster-machines they see on the screens.

If this is what you are interested in, check out the following 10 movies that every truck enthusiast must see.

Duel (1971).
The great talent of Steven Spielberg had to start somewhere, and “Duel” was its beginning. It’s a low-budget made-for-TV film that turned out to be so good, it was released in theaters. The storyline is simple and there are very few special effects about, but the thrill and suspense of the movie’s atmosphere are truly outstanding.
Wages of Fear (1953).
An old French classic that build up suspense in the viewers like no other. It’s a story of drivers who must drive two trucks of nitroglycerin to put out an oil fire and the challenges they face on their way. You can’t keep from getting attuned with the characters’ emotional drama and “feel” their fear and hope.
Sorcerer (1977).
This movie is based on the previous one, but they are totally different and each is an excellent piece of cinematographic art. “Sorcerer” is an acting masterpiece starring Ron Scheider.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981).
The name says it all, the Mad Max franchise is a mark of an excellent muscle car racing and chasing with a post-apocalyptic world as a background. If you love cars, and speed, and cool action, this is the movie for you. It also offers a plenty of tuning ideas that you can really twist into something incredible with the use of modern tools, like truck LED light bars.
Terminator 2 (1991).
There is no arguing the fact that “Terminator 2” is one of the best action movies ever made. The scene with a truck driven by T1000 and John Connor’s bike is acclaimed to be the coolest chase scene of all time. It definitely deserves the title.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986).
This movie has everything, trucks, guns, fights, and magic. Kurt Russel’s acting skills along with an intricate plot and an abundance of action scenes make “Big Trouble in Little China” an outstanding film everyone should see.
Smokey and the Bandit (1977).
Bandit is a legend of law-skirting trucking and his skills definitely show. If you decide to try some of his tricks, be sure to install high-quality LED bars on your truck to improve night visibility as your safety is most important. You can find reviews of the best bars at http://lightbarland.com/.
Cars (2006).
This is a Pixar movie that features cars of all kinds, so not only truck enthusiasts will love it. A great film for a family night that will teach your kids to love for vehicles.
They Drive by Night (1940).
Although quite old, this movie is incredible. It’s deep and shows the difficulties faced by people who stood at the dawn of the trucking industry.
The Transformers: The Movie (1986).
We like this old take on Transformers because it warms the heart and engages the viewer better than the undoubtedly cool explosions from Michael Bay.

Filed Under: Movies

5 Secrets Every Filmmaker Should Know

August 27, 2015 By GeorgeSimmons

5 Secrets Every Filmmaker Should Know In an era that is dominated by high-budget films, aspiring filmmakers can easily feel daunted and intimated. But movies like Paranormal Activity (2007), The Castle (1997), Blairwitch Project (1999), Once (2006), and many other low-budget films that have made big in the industry are very encouraging. These movies prove that you don’t need millions to produce cinematic masterpiece that will also do good in theaters.

Here are a few secrets that can help make your feature film look better without extra cost.

Less light, tighter shots

Medium Close-up and Close-up shots effectively compensate for low-budget production design or film sets. Shooting tight makes feature films look more expensive. Tom Hooper has effectively used this technique for some of his films.

Fill up the background

Empty spaces make your film look low-budget and cheap. Add detail, or perhaps clutter, in dead spaces. Items such as stuffed animals, blankets, furniture, etc. add color, depth, characterization and value to the image. Woodworking tools come handy for the creative team as it can be used to create different wood items for the background. Perhaps, a good investment would be a wood lathe. I was looking for a wood lathe online and came across WoodLatheReport.Com. The site has a good number of reviews that compare different wood lathes.

Maximize camera movement

Add life and energy to each scene by moving the camera. Movement with jibs, cranes, dollies, etc. can make your feature film appear more pro. Even mainstream movies use constant camera motions for their movies.

Background music in every scene

Music helps convey the tone and mood in each scene, and pushes the story forward. It invisibly connects scenes together and makes transitions flow better. Musical score masks dull scenes, mistakes, or abrupt edits, ultimately creating a spectacular output. Many low-budget movies could have been better had right music been laid onto it.

Add depth

Create visually pleasing images by adding depth to each scene. Avoid placing your actor directly in front of the wall as this creates a dull, uninteresting shot. Instead, add depth by using a variety of hues and lights in the background, mid, and fore. Putting items to the walls also adds depth.

Remove unnecessary scenes

One very helpful technique is to cut the fluff. Stick with the story plot. If a sequence, dialogue, or action is not essential for the story, lose it. Keep the viewers hooked to the plot by making it concise, cohesive, and full. You do not want a lengthy movie that has no meat.

Light on a pole

5 Secrets Every Filmmaker Should Know This is an essential lighting tool that is light, portable, and quick. It is very versatile and can be used for different lighting needs, either for back or fill light. An extendable pole is even better as it can be adjusted to suit the situation.

Finally (and most important of all) have fun! While your goal is to deliver an awesome film, you should not forget to enjoy the moment. After all, it’s the reason why you’re behind the lens, right?

As a certified film buff and art patron, I’ve always believed that it is how a story is told using light, framing and motion that makes a movie great. The best films are those that stir the imagination, engage the mind and touch the heart, and never the price tag.

What tips and secrets have you got there? Share your thoughts with us, we’d love to learn more from you!

Filed Under: Cinematography, Filmaking