Film School with Werner Herzog and Other Filmmakers

Film School with Werner Herzog and Other Filmmakers

I have mixed emotions about a director who has on many occasions put the lives of his cast and crew at risk. I have mixed emotions about a director who is fond of hiring Klaus Kinski to carry more than one film. His daughter Nastassja would be another story, but Klaus was a talented actor who was under the best of circumstances a lunatic. 

Back to the subject of this digital film making post, Werner Herzog is offering you a chance to learn from the master. You can learn film making from him in a course that he offers. If he is one of your favorite film makers I would jump at the chance to learn from him if I were you. Hitchock use to teach film when he lived in LA. and I would have killed for a chance to sit in his classroom. 

 Let’s first have a look at who this film maker is. 




Now 10 questions for the famous film maker.

Next the trailer for his course. You can find a link to the course by clicking on the trailer.


 

 When I want a master class of film making I watch a great film. I visit the film makers who understood that film and art could walk hand in hand. Not every artist realizes that they are making art while it is happening, but there are a few who know it and still manage to do it well. Here is a glimpse at the work of one such film maker. The class can be found in his few films. Yasujirô Ozu was an amazing film maker who understood stillness and shot (for you camera buffs) almost totally with a 50mm lens. He chose this because this comes closes to the human eye.

 

Thank you for visiting. Now go out and find a great filmmaker and study them whether they offer you an actual course or a few films as a masterclass. Good luck and remember to share this post on your Google plus and to follow me there. 

Digital Filmmaking, About Paying It Forward

            Digital filmmaking, Paying it Forward

    The thing that we do not do enough of is to just pay it forward. We make our films and are so self absorbed by the process that we do not think about those who will follow us. This is truly a shame since many of us did not attend film school, but learned how to do this from books, articles and online tutorials.

    If there is some behind the scenes footage included on a dvd it is usually silly out takes and the occasional interview with a cast member. Even voiceovers done by directors are largely wasted on everything, but the technical aspects of shooting the movie. I have learned more about shooting a movie from listening to directors like William Friedkin than I have from all the film making books that I have read.

    Today I would like to introduce you to a behind the scenes look at making of a very promising micro budget film. The basic background of this movie is that it was shot using a camera that has been brushed aside too quickly in everyone’s rush to embrace the Dslr revolution. Yes I know that you can make a kick ass movie shooting with a Canon 7d or my favorite a hacked panasonic Gh1, but you can also do some great work with the Canon HV series of cameras. Not only with the addition of a depth of field adapter, but with the bare camera.

    Below is the trailer for, plus behind the scenes footage,  a great looking Canon HV 20 film. I did not think that you could get footage this good looking from just the naked HV 20. I hope in future to interview the film maker and find out what went into the production of the film Throwback.

    Okay that is about it for today. Please guys take a moment to check out their channel on youtube and remember that any advice that we can give about lighting or editing or working with a crew may help someone who is just starting out.

    Last thing for today, I would like to add a coming attractions page, but to do this I could use some coming attractions or new releases to promote. I will put up a clip along with a link to your website or page. 
Just something to think about guys.

Canon Digital Filmmaking, A Changing World

Canon Digital Feature Filmmaking, A Changing World

    More and more film makers are coming to the conclusion that digital is here to stay. The time of the classic film maker who went to film school and learned to cut film is all but gone now.  This kind of film making is here to stay.  It is not just because it is cheaper to shoot digitally on the production end with these little Canon cameras, but it is cheaper on the distribution end as well.  Movie prints cost thousands of dollars, while the type of films we are making can be downloaded into a theater’s digital projector.
    If you have started down this road you are now on the cutting edge of a revolution that will be evolving for many years to come.  The technology that you will be learning to use over the next year or so will be important when it comes to becoming an independent film maker.  I would like you all to understand this, you will be learning to use tools.  Tools are great, but at the end of the day a tool is only as good as the person using it.  A hammer and tool kit in one persons hands gets a picture hung on the wall after the tenth try while in another person’s hands they can build a five bedroom house.
    The little video I have included is a Hollywood pep talk about the state of digital film making and how it is taking hold in the industry.