Geeks on Film
First I must send out a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my wonderful geek husband of two years now. I love him more each day, and that’s not just me saying that. Geeks in love stay in love.
You make every day better.
I dabbled in amateur film making when I was in college. Of course then I had resources that I no longer have outside the classroom. I was spending a semester in England where I took a class that allowed me and my teammates to create two short films. The experience really showed me how much work goes in to even just a minute’s worth of screen time.
Difficulty for anyone can change depending on a number of factors—experience, cooperation among participants, equipment, and time.
Time will always be the first one that gets you. For the 3-5 minute films I made for my class in England we were given a week to film and two to edit. You would think that would be more than enough for such a short movie.
But then remember you have to have an idea, actors, locations, props, and equipment to get everything done.
We had equipment that was lent out to us since this was for a class. We went simple for casting and used ourselves in most roles, only asking for outside actors for background. For costumes we grabbbed from our own wardrobes, and since we were students, we had a lot of free time.
The real problem was how long one take would actually…take. You also have to be aware of the passage of time if you are outside because of the positions of the sun. You can’t have a shot with the sun right behind the character and the next shot the sun is overhead. Just like you can’t shoot one day sunny and expect to shoot the next day if it ends up being cloudy.
If you need to film at night and the sun doesn’t set until 11pm, like it did while I was in England, then you may be in for a long night. We filmed at 2am once to get one scene just right with some English fog.
I got back into amateur film work because of a friend I met upon my return to the States, Mario Hernandez, who also filmed the video version of my Zombie Plan blog. He has been working on an eventual feature film of an original story set in the world of Final Fantasy XI, the MMO of the Final Fantasy series.
This is a clip he did to display his Mithra Cosplay, and can also be a teaser for the film:
In similar fashion my husband and I stumbled upon an amateur film that you can buy yourself on Amazon.com and a few other awesome retailers called “The Gamers: Dorkness Rising”. This feature length film is about playing Dungeons and Dragons, with equal time watching actual gameplay as well as immersion in the D&D fantasy world.
I highly recommend Dorkness Rising for all geeks because not only is it entertaining and on a wonderfully geeky topic, but the acting is realistic, the story is great, the special effects are well done, and it is an enjoyable experience all around. You can tell that everyone in the film had just as much fun making it as you will watching it.
That’s what mainstream movies are often lacking, that sense of doing something you truly love. Independent films can capture that a little easier, but amateur even more so.
There is also the newest craze, internet shows, like The Guild.
I have mentioned The Guild before, a project of Felicia Day’s that has turned into quite the phenomenon and success, and was some of the inspiration for Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog.
Felicia Day has been an actress for many years, and is an open geek, so a great inspiration for all aspiring film or TV makers no matter what the genre or style you plan to do yourself. Seasons 1-3 of The Guild are currently available on Instant View on Netflix.
As I get older and realize that filmmaking is not the career path I plan to follow, it is harder to find time for projects like that, but other geeks do it all the time. Usually not with any hopes or success at making real money, but because they want to do something worthwhile that can be memorable for even just a handful of people.
If the moment strikes you and you have the drive to gather everyone and everything you will need, as well as some free time to see your dream through, any geek can be a Geek on Film.
~G³
I haven’t touched on any anime in a while and as my husband and I begin to watch the anime adaptation of “High School of the Dead”, a favorite manga of his about zombies, I think it would be a good time to discuss the Manga vs Anime debate. Which is better, and what is the best way to adapt one into the other.
Thanks for tuning in.
Images taken from:
http://www.revolutionsf.com/bb/weblogs/upload/5/15759496334b8c0fa16edc7.jpg
http://www.perry.es/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/hotd_vol01.png
Happy Anniversary! Good Lord, has it been two years? That’s… okay, I was going to say not possible, but I’ve just had what if my life were a movie, would have been a montage of one and two second shots of everything that’s happened in the past two years. Okay, its possible that it’s been two years. I’m not overly happy about it (I mean I’m absolutely psyched that you guys are as happy and prosperous as you are) because it means it’s been two years since I’ve seen you guys. No fair. Plus I feel like I’ve been pretty much stuck in repeat for the last three years, even though I know that’s not true (see earlier video montage) I just get itchy feet come the end of summer. I want to go have an adventure!
(I just took a look in my closet, and while I have branched out color wise, most of what I own is still blue. Maybe by an adventure I should buy something yellow.)
My only experiences with film were highschool project, mostly done with a handheld video recorder and an afternoon. They were pretty famous- I never did get my copy of my senior english project on Swift’s Modest Proposal back from the teacher. Apparently graining and badly acted as it was the sight of a scally cap and aran sweater clad Matt hog tied in the basement with a potato, a pint glass filled with root beer and a straw, saying, “Irish, it’s what’s for dinner” is still a hit in the teacher’s lounge. The other was a Latin project that could basically be described as badly- as in badly acted, badly written, badly rationalized attempts at humor… let’s just say that my only aspirations in the theate have ever been to be allowed to sit in a basement somewhere and sew pretty things.
You know the funny thing though? My netflix ‘You may also like” has been pushing Dorkness Rising at me lately. I’ve yet to figure what exactly about my movie queue marks me as a geek- maybe it’s… well, actually I just brought up the queue, and most of the stuff in there is kind of geeky. From His Girl Friday to the Muppet Show, not a major hollywood blockbuster in the list. Or at least one made in the past ten years.
Hugs! I miss you. I really out to write you more often. I keep resolving too, and then getting distracted. I may not like my job all that much, but it sure makes the time go by so quickly. We have to do something about it being two years since we’ve had a reunion. Hmmmm….
Wishing you and the hubby many happy returns of his day!~ Aoime
@Blue-eyes-Green: Sorry, busy week what with an evil Summer cold EVERYONE seems to have here, even John, and then of course there was our anniversary. It was awesome other than the sick part, lol.
I’d SO be up for a good adventure. That’s why I’m working on the whole Comic Con thing. I think it could be awesome for all of us to go. Did I mention Meg wants to make jewelry for all of us? She is planning something purple and silver for you! I can give her ideas if you have anything in mind.
Plus we’ve been throwing out the idea of getting together to all do a cruise the year after, 2012 or early 2013, in commemoration of 10 years after high school, either instead of or along with actually going to our own reunions.
We also have been semi-joking with the idea of eventually doing our commune idea. You know, everyone living in one giant house together, or one whole section of an apartment complex. Why not live like college when we were all together? Deep down that would be a dream come true for me. Not that I don’t want my private area and time for me by myself, and me with John, but still…
Since I didn’t get to send anything for your bday maybe I will have to find an impromptu gift of color on some unexpected occasion that I can send to add to your wardrobe. I’m sure I still have your address from the wedding invites somewhere…
Those old high school projects sound awesome! I remember some of those from my day, but…ouch, would rather not remember the Monty Python experience…
I miss you so much too! We have a trip planned to go down to Oklahoma to see my sister and her family since they are back now from Germany. We want to visit David while we are down there. Maybe we could work something out. It would probably be the week before Christmas.
I must send off the newest draft of Incubus. As I get further into it, I think of ways to make the beginning better, or how to fix things that always bothered me, so it’s quite the process. It’s going to be so much better than the fic. AND I have a lead on an agency to send it to once I’m done. I would love to get this published. If not, I’ll do it myself on Lulu.com.