Should Film Makers Take More Responsibility for Their Effect On Society?

There's been quite a bit of talk about the violence in video games, comic books, Hollywood movies, and even on children's cartoons. Sometimes it is quite alarming, and although it is disguised as entertainment, it sure puts a lot of negative thoughts into people's head, and it is quite disconcerting when we see violence in our society mimicking the art we see on TV or on the silver screen. Should Hollywood moviemakers and script writers of screenplays take more responsibility for their effect on society?
Well, we can't force them to do this because that would be limiting free speech, and the last thing we wish to do is quell the creative and innovative minds of those who produce these movies and TV shows, even the video games. Yet at the same time, we realize how we are challenged by all this. Personal responsibility is the key, and people shouldn't go around shooting things up, just as they saw in an action drama, or a comic book storyline made into a movie.
A case study might be the tragic Colorado shooting at the premier opening-night of a Batman film, where just over 70 people were shot, and 12 of them died that night, and it was the worst shooting by a single shooter in US history. Yes, the weapons that are available are getting better, and in this case someone with high intellect came up with an insidious plan to do the most carnage. He was a PhD neurology candidate at the local university there. He was smart, cunning, devious, and evil all in the same breath, and he even dyed his hair red and called himself; "the Joker" to go along with the movie theme that night of the shooting.
Anytime something tragic happens like this, everyone looks for blame, or to try to make sense of it. The anti-gun rights activists are out in full force wishing to bring that into the national discussion. Surely, there will be people who will bring up the violence on TV, video games, comic books, and at the movies, as I have here today. Some long-standing movies, many of them very violent have almost a cult following, sometimes that can be a good thing for branding, and big money at the box office, other times it can turn into a real negative, and in this case a tragedy.
Although by the time it is over hundreds of millions of people will see that movie, as hundreds of millions of people have seen Batman movies and cartoons, or paged through comic books before. Unfortunately, on that day, one person turned an obsession of that branding experience into a terrible tragedy for all. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Prehistoric Mammoths in Films

Prehistoric Mammoths in the Cinema
No prehistoric movie or television series which is set in the Stone Age seems complete without at least one Woolly Mammoth being included. Normally it is the dinosaurs that dominates the movies, but if you are going to write a script about the Ice Age or about early mankind then a Woolly Mammoth seems a prerequisite for film makers. Now that CGI has come to the fore, depicting these large elephants with their long shaggy fur coats is not too much of a problem. Although we have been told by technicians and CGI operators that getting the fur to look realistic on screen is quite a challenge, at least with dinosaurs (feathered ones excepted), the computer experts are not encumbered with these skin features and dinosaurs are to some extent a little easier to re-create for the big screen.
Making Prehistoric Animals Look Realistic
From studies of the exceptionally well-preserved, fossilised Mammoths from Siberia, scientists have a fairly good understanding of how the hair on these creatures looked. The coat consisted of two basic layers, a coarse outer layer of guard hairs and an undercoat that helped insulate these animals from the cold. This is a typical adaptation to cold, harsh environments seen in many mammal species, both extinct and extant (around today).
The degree of hairiness varied with the Mammoth species, Columbian types (Mammuthus columbi) were less hairy than the Woolly types (M. primigenius), perhaps an adaptation to a slightly less harsh climate. It is likely that Mammoths had a spring moult to produce a lighter summer coat.
Their heavy coats were not their only source of insulation, many Mammoth fossils have revealed a fat layer up to 10 cm thick just below the skin surface. This would have provided exceptional insulation, an example of adaptation to colder climates and a food store inside the animal to help it overcome leaner times.
Long Shaggy Coats
The outer guard hairs were up to six times thicker than human hair and in large specimens some of these hairs grew to over a metre in length. This outer coat provided effective water-proofing. The inner coat was made up of thinner, softer and far shorter hairs this coat helped provide insulation and keep out the cold. The coat colour in Mammoths varies with some dark brown whilst others appear almost reddish/orange in colour. We have the frozen carcases of Siberian Mammoths to largely thank for providing us with a Mammoth colour chart. Such information about coat colour is used by film makers and animators to give their models or animated creations a degree of extra realism.
Many of the models of prehistoric animals supplied these days are hand-painted. Each model has tiny variations which is very appropriate given that the structure and format of every Mammoth's coat would have been slightly different - just as the hair on our heads is different from person to person.
Depicting A Herd on Camera
Unfortunately, for film makers, when trying to show a herd of these prehistoric elephants in a scene (these animals just like modern elephants lived in herds), there are a number of obstacles to overcome. Firstly, there is the obvious difficulty of depicting different sized animals in the group. This is further complicated by needing to ensure that the computerised animations used; add subtle variations in colour and hair length to each animal's coat. Without these refinements the Woolly Mammoth scene would not look realistic.

Basic Steps of Movie Making

In order to provide you with less than three hours of entertainment, movie makers toil for years and spend millions. Once completed, a movie could provide enjoyment to millions and it also has the potential to earn millions for its producer. It is interesting to look at how a movie is being made as it is a long process.

Production of a movie is done in a few stages. The first stage is the preparation for the production. The most important two figures in a movie production are the producer and the director. While the producer does the investment the director does the rest of it.

In the first place, a story has to be selected and the screen play has to be written. Once the screen play is ready, the director chooses the actors and actresses who will play the different roles of characters in the film.

Once the actors and actresses are selected, the locations are found. Finally, the sets are made and the shooting could start. While some of the shooting could be done inside a studio, the rest is shot in other locations. Every film has parts filmed in such locations.

There are various people involved in providing different kinds of facilities when the shooting is in progress. The cameramen, providers of lighting, makeup artists, and providers of transport and a host of others are involved when the shooting of the film starts.

Depending on the length of the film and various other factors, the shooting could go on for a period of a few months to a few years. Once the shooting is over, the director is ready with the basic movie on celluloid film.

Editing is the next step. Editing a film is an expert's job to be undertaken by and experienced editor because he has to examine each frame of the film. Once the editing is over, the visual side of the movie is ready. However, the sounds need to be added at a later stage.

Sound recorded in a special studio is added into the film in order to complete the job. Once the final touches are made, the director has to satisfy himself that the movie offers exactly what he wanted.

How Become A Boring Filmmaker In 10 Easy Steps?

How terribly and drippingly cool to work in the creative industries. You get to wear the coolest clothes, sport the strangest hair dye and give yourself the most glamorous sounding job description imaginable - and get away without proving any real talent or ability.

Another defining aspect of the creative industries is there is no code of conduct which means anyone can say pretty much anything about themselves without having any proof to back themselves up.

This creates a situation where filmmakers in particular have become boring.

Here, tongue firmly in cheek, are 10 ways to become a boring filmmaker:

1. Use complicated film industry slang words
Why speak clearly and sensibly when you can, in fact, roll the simplest concept into a series of complicated scenarios. Brush up on film industry definitions. Sprinkle these terms liberally through each sentence that you speak or write. The more obscure the term the better.

2. Sound really important
When asked any question, respond by lowering your voice, clearing your throat slowly and meticulously - and then begin to speak. Speak in phrases that sound meaningful (but aren't). Stab the air repeatedly for emphasis.

If you are writing, remind the reader repeatedly how fortunate they are to be able to access the high pinnacles of your ability.

Whatever you do, don't poke fun at yourself. After all, no-one dares to approach the altar of your ego without bowing down. And that's not ever going to be funny.

3. Ramble on and on and on
Why answer with succinct and precise answers when a simple concept can be expressed with paragraph after paragraph? If you really want to know how to be really boring, take tip number 3 and practise it day in and day out until your are very confident, that no matter how simple and short the answer could be, you are able to extend it into a response many lines long. After all, you have such an intellect that a mere mortal may be unable to understand the logic behind your short and brilliant response. Therefore, by taking a short answer and expanding it with great detail and spiced with repetition you are merely reducing the chances of being misunderstood.

While you are at it, remember that a subset of this rule is to go on and on about anything way too long.

And that includes writing blocky and chunky paragraphs on websites and in letters.

4. The tyranny of the vanity business card and job title
What ever you do, get two business cards. Get one that lists your name and occupation - say, film journalist, or photographer. Then go to a film organisation and get them to give you another business card and a vanity job title, like "Consultant", or "Creative Director" or "Executive Contributor".

Film organisations fall for this all the time. They dish out vanity cards with swishy job titles to try and impress other boring people at other film festivals.

By the way, it doesn't stop with the actual business card itself. Once you have duped someone into giving you a swishy title, you can start to fabricate imaginary CVs and career accomplishments and plaster them on your website. Behavior like this it, well, boring.

5. Ignore the audience
Resist the urge to speak or write naturally. A quick way to be boring is to completly ignore your audience and speak as if you are addressing an audience of one - yourself. If anyone challenges you and accuses you of being boring, remember that you don't care. Rise above such petty criticism. Becauue you are too beautiful.

6. Get some pictures
How many times has a friend come back from holiday, sat you down for a Friday night "catch up drink" and started the conversation with: "I have got to show you some photographs!"

This is a time-tried and tested technique to make you boring.

Get lots of pictures of you with famous people - even if you have to photoshop yourself into them. Get other pictures of you swanning around at film festivals (holding your vanity business cards of course). For added boring bonus points, make sure that these photographs are sited in as many exotic places as possible.

7. Branded sunglasses
Make sure you constantly flip on sunglasses with a large major design log on the shaft. Make sure everyone sees the logo. If necessary, nonchalantly gesture to it, or tilt your head 45 degrees to make sure they see it. Carry the glass case in your hand for everyone to see. Don't put it in your bag. Why hide your lights under a bushel?

If possible, don formal wear whenever possible. Girls: a slinky party dress mid-morning makes you boring almost instantly. And guys - haul out the shirt and tie. It's been true for generations: a suit, especially with a tie knotted a bit too large and a suit cut a little bit too wrong will make you the dullest gent on the street.

8. Name dropping
This tip is as old as the hills and barely merits mentioning. Dropping names of important people into your conversation is a sure fire way to become the biggest stiff on the street. For added marks, never use the surname. For example "when Quentin and I... " or, "Marty said to me... "

9. Let others fill in the blanks
Why substantiate your statements when you can make a statement, and close off with "well, you know... " and let the listener or reader decide what it was you are referring too.

Naturally you are by this point hoping that everyone you meet will be so awed by your intelligence that they won't have the balls to challenge you. And that, my friend, is really boring, you know... ?

10. Bad mouth others
If you want to get the "best bore around" label, start badmouthing everyone you can think of to as many people as possible all the time. You will quickly get known as the most boring person there is.

Filmmaking of Short Videos

If you want to release your short film, you'd better make some exquisite press packets to promote the short movie. This is a good as well as effective way to promote small-budget film. Sure, if you buy used video equipment or rent xdcam to shoot the film, you can take use of press packets to get the short movie known by more people. As you are not a famous movie director, your press packets should be attractive, so others would like to know more about your movie.
You can put several things in the press kits, such as newspaper clippings, press releases about your short film. Send these press kits to journalists, executives in the film industry and film critics. After these recipients read press releases regarding to your short move, your short movie may attract press and buzz in public. And more and more people would like to watch your work.
Put newspaper clippings, press releases and other printed materials in portfolio folders, which have plastic sheets. You'd better put each piece of printed material in a single portfolio folder. Otherwise, you can print all your materials into paper and bound these materials professionally. Each piece of material should have a cover sheet with the name of the film festival and dates.
Don't forget to write a statement for your short film, and the statement can tell the audience about the synopsis of your movie that is going to be shown on screen. If it is the debut of your short movie in a film festival, you need to write an attractive summary to catch people's hearts and allure their desire to watch your short movie. As there are many movie goers and critics on the festival, you can also write a summary for your video in a professional way.
Write biographies of yourself and key staff involved in your short movie. It is a team work to shoot a short movie, so you need to let your staff known by the audience. And journalists can also know some background information of your short video. And the press packets can also tell others about the short video's theme or basic tone or history. As you have printed many materials into paper, others can get some information about the short movie before the premier. Of course, you can make a special video to record the process to shoot your short video. That will be very interesting, too. Take pictures of your video producers and cast members, and these pictures are precious memories during the shooting project.

Why Is Hollywood Famous?

Hollywood is the place where the United States' motion pictures and television industries have most of their studios and offices. It is situated in the north-west of Los Angeles, California. It has many attractions for the film industry. It has an ideal climate, sunny and mild with varied terrain.

In 1908, one of its first feature films 'The Count of Monte Cristo' was completed. It shot in Chicago. In addition, by the end of 1911, more than 15 film-producing companies had sprung up in the area. Among the famous people in the Hollywood before the World War I have been Charlie Chaplin, Samuel Goldwyn, Douglas Fairbanks and Cecil B. de Mille. The 20th Century - Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, Columbia, Warner Brothers etc. were along its greatest film companies.

However, with the advent of talkie many famous stars of the silent era virtually forced to retire. However, the greatest threat to Hollywood came with the introduction of television in the late 1940s. Many film companies had to pull down their shutters. Moreover, this brought a great change in Hollywood. By the early 60 s Hollywood had been supplying about 80% of the programs to the U.S. television network.

Today Hollywood is not only the centre of motion picture industries but also of the television film and recording industries of America.

Hollywood is the largest film industry in the factor of total revenue and second largest in total ticket collection, total film release. The films releasing worldwide with the High screens, no matter, today's Hollywood includes high technology to their Studios.

The picture shown is from D.W. Griffith's epic film 'Intolerance'. It has made in about 1916 and generally accepted by film critics and the public as one of the greatest classics of all times.

One adobe hut stood in Nopalera, called for the Mexican Nopal cactus indigenous to the area in 1853. By 1870, an agricultural community bloomed in the area with thriving crops of many usual and alien varieties. These occupants knew the area as the Cahuenga Valley, after the pass in the Santa Monica Mountains instantly to the north. Soon thenceforth, land conjecture led to subdivision of the large plots and an inflow of householders.

Film Making With Immortal Virtual Images of Historical Actors

Due to the incredible new software available it is now possible to make a movie without the actual actor. The software can look at the actor in various scenes, and those working in the editing room can control the actor on a digital basis. Once that is completed a hologram can be made, and it can interact with the actual actors who were on the scene, or put into a scene with various objects. Okay so let's talk about this shall we?
We have the capability to take Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, and any other past actor and put them into a scene as if they were real today. We can make a brand-new movie with these actors wearing clothes of this present period, and it will look as real as if they were there. We are talking about filmmaking with immortal virtual images of historical actors. Yes, there are issues with this having to do with the "likeness" and copyrights. Still, many of the families of these former actors would be happy to release their likenesses considering the amount of money involved.
It also means that very famous actors such as Tom Cruise can produce several movies at the same time. They could actually be filming in one movie, and their likeness is being used in four others at the same time through digital editing. Perhaps he might get $30 million for doing one movie, and only 4 or 5 million for the movie which has licensed the copyrights to his likeness, with final editing cut privileges either from himself, or his agent. Can you see how that might work out?
A few months ago, I was in Beverly Hills at a Starbucks there near Rodeo Drive. I was talking to a young USC film school grad student about all this. I told him I wonder who will pick up the Academy Award the first time one of these films using an immortal virtual image wins an award for best actor. Will they have a hologram come up to the podium to make the speech? A hologram cannot pick up the Academy Award above their head and thank the crowd. The hologram could mimic what could be construed as an authentic speech, but holograms can't lift objects, at least not yet.
Indeed this is such an intriguing topic for the future of filmmaking, not to mention all the legal issues having to do with intellectual property, likenesses, copyright, future patented technologies, and so on that perhaps we need to talk about this more as time progresses forward because these technologies are nearly upon us. Please consider all this and think on it.