Avatar Review

Avatar is a great ground breaking film on par with the original Star Wars believe it or not it was worth the wait, however the story is a missed opportunity to examine corporate America's greed. The characters where good but not great and the action scenes where a little long. However that does not detract from the fact that this is the best sci-fi film of 2009. The film itself is the essence of good science fiction which at its best can make the viewer see the world in a different way, Avatar accomplishes this in spades. After seeing this film I was wondering how future filmmakers will use this new 3D technology, honestly this is a film I expected to see from Japan which has always been ahead of the technological curve.

I believe Avatar is James Cameron's thesis film. I could'nt help but think about how far CG characters have come since (cringe) Jar Jar Binks, to LDR's Gollum, and Star Wars Episode 3's General Grevious. New Zealand's Weta Digital is definetly a force to be reckon with I love ILM but there going to have to step their game up.

The story is about a group of scientists trying to save an indegionous alien species on the planet Pandora (a pandora's box reference) from a greedy corporation that wants to relocate them so the can mine valuable mineral deposits. The hero goes from spying on them to falling in love with an alien and becoming their leader, I'm cool with a hero's journey but this transition felt a little forced. The dialouge could haved used a bit more polishing, I'm cool with profanity but when it dosent work its a little akward and there were a few akward moments in this film.

At $16.00 per ticket this is a good one time treat intended to be experinced at an IMAX or Dome theater.

Movie Grade B+ because of the visuals but the story is a little hard to digest.

Michigan or California which state is better to pursue a film career?

I have lived in Detroit, Michigan for 30 years of my life. I graduated from Wayne State University with a BA in Media Arts and Film Studies, my first job out of college was (kid you not) clerk at an adult book store. This was not the career I went to school for. Five years after getting my BA I landed a full-time job with benefits and I hated it. I've worked with people who have been there since the 90's I'm think to myself that could be my future. With student loans and financial obligations there was not a way for me to pick up and relocate to Los Angeles... well I got laid off from my job...the lord works in mysterious ways; I took that opportunity to move to California. Having been here in Hollywood for a year now. It is a bad time to be in the biz because of the economic down turn things arent that great in Tinsel Town. As an independent filmmaker I'm all for stepping outside the Hollywood system to do your thing but lets keep it real Hollywood has been around for a LONG TIME and isnt going away anytime soon. In theory Detroit has potential but it is a hard place to leave if your planted there which brings me to my question, inlight of the new tax incentives inacted to draw filmmakers to film in Michigan which have worked but has not been the revolution everyone in the state was hoping do you think Michigan is a better place to pursue a career in film as opposed to California?

And what is the downside to living in California?
-Over crowded
-Smog
-Hard to find work
-Attitudes
-Expensive
-Hard for outsiders to become insiders
-Gangs
-Racism
-LAPD

Michigan
-Lack of jobs
-cold
-Pot holes
-Boring
-Crime
-Guns
-Overcast
-Car is King

Star Trek 2009 DVD Review

I recently purchased a DVD copy of ST 2009 and it's actually pretty good what I like is that it includes a digital copy for laptop and ipod users very forward thinking. There is a commentary track and pretty good special features. The film itself is presented in anamorphic widescreen with a dolby digital sound mix, excellent picture quality... this film gets watched allot at my job and I dont feel like a geek for bringing it in because it's more of an action flick than a traditional sci-fi film. The story is a prequel that reboots the series and gives it some much needed respectability. I think after ST Insurection I turned in my phaser ST TNG officially sucked okay, I then became a Star Wars fan. Lets face it the Star Wars universe is cooler and more epic than Star Trek and of course it has John William's scoring it... Star Trek was cool because of the characters and the adventure.

The story is about James Tibreious Kirk and how he joined Star Fleet and became Captain of the USS Enterprise. In this version they create a parallel universe and destroy the planet Vulcan changing the entire timeline very ballsy move there but I love it. I especially like the visual style with the light flares who would have known ST would ever be cool again.

This is not a must have but a welcomed editon to your DVD collection
Movie Grade B+

Where are all the black directors in tinsel town?

I have been living in Los Angeles for a year and it seems to me that this is a town for influential white males. This Friday 20th Century FOX is releasing "Avatar" a $500 million 3D film. This is also James Cameron's first film after a 11 year hiatus. That got me thinking not out of jealousy or envy but observation why is it hard for black director's to obtain that level of success? I've been out here in Los Angeles on my grind and man it's like tyring to holla at a chick with no job and no car. How hard is Hollywood? These days even director Steven Speilberg is having trouble getting a project off the ground.

According to the Los Angeles Times he is trying to develop a live action anime film with Will Smith attached as the lead and due to monetary disputes the project is dead is it all doom and gloom, will 2010 be a better for black filmmakers? Who knows but if you ask Detroit indie filmmaker Jaron Bennett he would say so what, his Psychedelia series is quite profitable.

It is an underground hit in Detroit, Michigan known for his tripy avant-garde visuals, humor and unprention. His film has done well at alternative clubs. His filmmaking has been crticised as amature and has yet to be excepted into film festivals due to his techinial limitaitons but he isnt making them for that audience he making them as long as people buy it.... this is the essence of hustler filmmaking.

There is a misperception in Hollywood that you need to impress someone enough to give you a pile of money to make your project happen. Let me set you straight you have a better chance being killed by a falling airplane part than that ever happening... black filmmakers need to take a note from Star Wars creator George Lucas and merchandise the heck out of your product---sell T-shirts, posters, toys, whatever it takes to get your movie into the pop culture vein.

Vampire Hunter D review

Okay this is one of my favorite anime, It was released in the 80's but what makes it so cool is that it mixes sci-fi and horror genres. The story is about a woman bitten by a vampire, shunned by her own people her only solution is to hire a vampire hunter to kill the vampire that bit her before she turns into one. Great set up great conflict, the story is laced with interesting characters, a haunting score just an errie atmosphere that is apporpriate for this film. This one is for the adults but pre-teens should be able to handle this film. In my opinion this film would be amazing live action I can see Clive Baker directing this but one can only dream.

Movie Grade A+ legendary must have in collection!

Paranormal Activity is as scary as the Excorist believe the hype!

First off if you havent seen the film go see it right now then read my blog!

In this day and age scary movies have gone the way of digital sophistication it all began with the much over hyped "Blair Witch Project" that movie in opinion sucked doggie nuts but opened the door to low budget indie horror. "Cloverfield' was an interesting experiment until they showed the entire monster I believe it would have been better if they had made the monster a little more abstact and lost the gimmicy handheld look, then there was "Open Water" very good lots of tention and heard a sequal was in the works very good but easily dismissable.

 "Paranormal Activites" is on par with the best Japenese horror/Korean horror what makes it work is the story has believable characters and very errie night vision and simple digital effects most people can connect with the film because evil forces do exist in this world the scene where the girl is dragged down the Hallway is th scaryist momment I've seen in long time.

 All the stuff with the psychics, demons and ouija boards really freaked me out... whats most disturbing is I can relate to that myself from past experience, when I was in college living in a shithole studio apartment in the basement of my building I had doors close on me, cold spots, feelings of something watching me, light touches on my body, scratches, mysterious marks on my neck as if something was trying to choke me and lots of other stuff I wont reveal in this blog but I give kudos to the director look forward to seeing more of his work.

Movie Grade A+ legendary must have in collection!

Video commentary on "Devil's Blue"

Should I buy video equipment from the pawn shop?

I am thinking about buying a mini dv camera from a pawn shop in LBC but it does not have a usb cable used as is for $120.00 is that considered a steal I can return it if it dosent work but it looks like mini dv camcorders are dying out any advice out there?

My film "Devil's Blue" was shot in the neo-horror noir style I think it was pretty effective.

Let me know what you think my friends

Neo-Noir Horror Genre

This is my favorite genre because it gives that creepy gothic atmosphere a little pop-culture saturation. An example can be seen in my favorite anime "Wicked City" in this anime instead of the traditional black and white the color blue and black or more prevelent. I filmed in this style before "Devil's Blue" is full of the neo-noir horror themes of extream color. I believe extream color can be a very effective way to reveal emotions and character.

Filmmaking and the art of social networking ----whats good enough for Obama is good enough for Indy Filmmakers!!!

I recently picked up a copy of Movie Maker magazine this issue had a section about networking sites for filmmakers to network on. I decided to try them out. After creating user names and such I tried to uploaded my films but have been met with nearly endless technical difficulties. A word of advice if your film is over 2GB get that baby down to 2 gig because all these sites take a maximum of 2 gigs including YouTube! And make sure that your film has no copywrited material in it. You can get away with it on YouTube but it aint going to happen on facebook… trust me. My producer TV is a very good networking sight, and if you’re in LA check out Indy Filmmakers they have mixers every now and then just remember no matter how much you get your film out there a shit film is still a shit film no matter how you cut it as McKee eloquently put it story is king when production rolls it is far too late to solve story problems in the 4th quarter get that shit tight my fellow filmmakers tight meaning great characters and a logical story don’t trust friends let strangers read it… if they’re don’t read the whole script cover to cover and ask you about the sequel then you have failed as a story architect. Screenwriting is like cooking gotta taste the sauce and put a little soul in it our job is to entertain, educate and motivate people to action.

Original Ideas are hard to come by...

Directing is more than just style I've learned style can only take you so far... I love japanese anime and base my style on it, I use vivid color and outragious imagery but in my maturity I'm asking the question for what... really what is all this style really saying.... nothing not a damn thing I'm begining to see there is allot more to this director thing than meets the eye because it is actually a platform for expressing ideas with the intent of entertaining and educating I'm starting to be more selective in the projects I persue not to censor myself but to give myself more time to state my ideas clearly.

Relocating to another state for career is it really neccearry?

Last year I was let go from my job in Detroit I had two options move back in with family (sic) or start from scratch get a job rebuild or change the game move somewhere I've never been before (LA) I asked some opinions and all of them where overwhelmly negative, at the time I was growing disperate and frustrated with lack of opportunties... I wanted to make movies for real but I realized if I was going to do that it was going to be on my own dime and no one elses.... So I did it bought a one-way ticket to Burbank, California got a job a place to stay I did it... now what... dont get it twisted Southern Cali is great... A+ weather gorgious woman and movies are made here lots of opportunity but man everybodies out here doing the same thing how do you stand apart from the pack?  Looks like the internet may be the only way to get noticed one thing I will say about Cali film equipment is easier to come by than in Michigan...  So far I'll say LA is great but its all about knowing exactly what the hell is it you want to do.

Filmmaker Diary Part 2

Filmmaker Diary Part 1