One last breath before the 48 Hour Film Project

Well, we've done everything we can possibly think to do in order to prepare ourselves for this competition. We're going into this as rookies to the project so we can expect some bumps and unpredictable things to occur. I really don't want to be rushing to the finish, swerving in and out of traffic, running in the doors and throwing the DVD to the judges in slowmo, overdramatic fashion.

In spite of the preparation, I can't help but be really anxious about this project. I'm a planner, and the fact we're going into a production weekend without even a script is KILLING me. I just want to get started right now and get it over with. I know we'll have a lot of fun and learn a lot about ourselves this weekend, and in between all that excitement is a tiny sense of impending doom.

Here's a little more philosophical buddha existentialism than I'm used to posting on this blog. I go to yoga regularly, and I have 5 classes I have to use by next Wednesday or they expire, so I've been to 2 classes this week already. I didn't plan my class usage very well. I'm sitting waiting for class to start right now, slightly dreading ANOTHER class this week. I love yoga, and it feels great especially after class, but sometimes during the class, usually in Warrior II pose, my feet cramp and I'm thinking "AUGH why didn't I go home and nap??" I would love to skip class and eat my raspberry ice cream sitting at home.

However, I'm glad I forced the yoga this week because of the anxiety this competition is causing me. In a yoga practice, you usually set an intention, whether it's mental or physical or whatever. Tonight's intention: let go of the anxiety from all the unknown factors and rely on myself and my teammates because we have the talent to pull out something totally wicked. And if we don't, at least we tried.

But please, don't let us draw "musical" as our genre. 

If you want to track our progress during the event, follow me on Twitter. Like I said, I'll also be posting here immediately after the event with our finished film and a recount of the weekend. 

(I also have class on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week if anyone wants to join me. Monday is a basics class, one is open level, one is open level heated.)

48 hour film project update! Can you help us?

Our team, Pants Cannon Media, is getting really excited for the 48HFP. It's next weekend, and things are really coming together for us. I feel like our team is going into this 48 hours with a good solid plan (as best we can), a ton of talent, and a lot of luck. As of today, we have:

• Update: lunch will be catered by my mom and her friend, Debbie Riffe
• Generated some buzz on the IUPUI Informatics website
• Secured the location of our shoot and the release form is on the way to me
• Confirmed one actor and actress for sure, 2 more guys are likely maybes
• Confirmed the assistance of a very talented past professor in the music composition and sound mixing department
• Lots of equipment, more than I ever thought I could pull together between a few poor students (3 cameras, lights, recorder, mic, tripods, dollies...all kinds of stuff!) 
• Donation of labor of hair stylists, make-up artists, and a local costume shop if necessary

Things are falling into place, and we've nearly done everything possible to make this the least scary 48 hour film project we can. We're all good at this stuff, and we have a realistic idea of what to expect out of ourselves in 2 days, so I think if nothing else, we're going to forge some new relationships, get some great experienced, and create something for which we can be really proud.

That being said, we're getting to the stage of planning and purchasing necessities for our cast and crew to get through the shoot. This includes bottled water, ice, and snacks like granola bars and fruit. We're looking to you, great friends, family, and anonymous strangers on the internet who admire us from afar, for any donations you are willing to give us. This would also be used for any other production costs, such as props, last minute fixes, and caffeinated beverages.

If you might be willing to donate to us, you can either give items directly to us this week if you're around, or use the Paypal button below (the one that Aaron is about to eat because he is so hungry) and give a cash donation. Rest assured, it WILL be used for production. Also, in exchange for donations, we will give you an Associate Producer credit for supporting us financially in various ways. AND we'll give you a copy of the finished film on DVD so you can behold it as your first produced film. And of course, everyone is invited to purchase tickets to the screening of all 48HFP films on August 7th at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. We'll make sure to let you know at which of the 3 screenings our film will be shown. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on the IMA website.

To make a monetary donation, just click on the comically oversized button below. Thanks in advance for your support.

Inception

I thought about writing a review for Inception, but I'm not really sure I can write anything cohesive or anything that hasn't been said already. Here is what I DO know:

1. Christopher Nolan is my favorite director. When I saw Memento in 2000 as a little naive 13 year old who scarcely had scratched the surface of amazing cinema, I distinctly remember sitting on my floor in my room alone after midnight watching the credits roll, waiting for my brains to unscramble. It definitely affected my career path. His approach to storytelling along with his innovation in how he tells stories (without being gimmicky) is unmatched. I look forward to seeing the 1 or 2 other Nolan films I've missed.
2. This film's story is brilliant. It moves quickly, it doesn't give you unnecessary information, it has the right amount of mystery, it has emotional payoff, and the story itself is completely new and familiar at the same time. The concept of going into a person's subconscious is old and new. 
3. The visual effects were amazing. I won't go into specifics, but you can tell that Nolan takes great care to do a lot of stuff in camera, and the seam between real and vfx is blurred so greatly, you can't even tell what's real.
4. The music was perfect. It accompanied the pace and story so well, you almost didn't notice it. It pushed you deeper into the movie. The movie also had the right amount of silence, which is really important.
5. I found myself wondering how this movie could end in a satisfying way. Often science fiction stories have a difficult time ending in a way that isn't contrived or cheesy. Of course Inception found a way to have the entire theater on the edge of their seats until the last cut to black, and then have everyone scream at the credits.

Toy Story 3 was so excellent, but Inception has definitely unseated it as my favorite film of 2010 so far. I don't think any films will unseat Inception, because it's pretty much the exact kind of movie that I absolutely love so much that I want to hunt Christopher Nolan down and give him a bear hug.