MA phase survey

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P2SDR6Y

Learn - 'There Are No Rules' - Jim Jarmusch

"There are no rules. There are as many ways to make a film as there are potential filmmakers. It’s an open form."

This is the foundation he sets the rest of his thoughts on. Filmmaking and cinema is not about rules — rules make art easier to observe and experience, which is not always so for creating it. To not call something filmmaking because it doesn’t have a narrative or is just a reel of celluloid with pressed leaves is missing the point.

I personally love when filmmakers talk about inflated egos and humility. Jarmusch advises us that filmmaking is never done by one person. It takes a village to make a film, and respecting and valuing each contributor is something every filmmaker must learn:

Filmmaking is a collaborative process. You get the chance to work with others whose minds and ideas may be stronger than your own. Make sure they remain focused on their own function and not someone else’s job, or you’ll have a big mess. But treat all collaborators as equals and with respect. A production assistant who is holding back traffic so the crew can get a shot is no less important than the actors in the scene, the director of photography, the production designer or the director.

Another point he makes that echoes the sentiment on egoism is originality. It’s easy to get a big head when you think you’re the first person to ever use a certain shot, use a certain edit, or pen a certain narrative. Jarmusch says “no way”:

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent.

                      They can either help you, or not help you, but they can’t stop you. People who finance films,                             distribute films, promote films and exhibit films are not filmmakers. They are not interested in                             letting filmmakers define and dictate the way they do their business, so filmmakers should have                         no interest in allowing them to dictate the way a film is made. 

Story board of Haik's film - Karma

script - "Curse" helping Haik filming his “horror” film

Curse

1   INT.  HOME

Fade in:

We can see a man is doing something strange. The light is very dark. He is writing some Taoist magic figures, to burn incense, praying on his lips...

2   INT.  HOTEL

A big bed in the middle of hotel’s room. The man is sitting at the foot of the bed and smoking. We can see a woman(call her S below) behind him, lay on the bed, wrapped in a quilt, looks very sluggish.

3   EXT.  STREET(OUTSIDE OF THE HOTEL)

The man and S walk out of the hotel. We can see them from far away. Man’s hand put on S’s posterior, looks very intimate. He is saying something to S, but we can’t hear that. Then the man pats S lightly, they separate.

4   INT.   DRAWING ROOM

Man’s girl friend (call her N below) is sitting on the sofa and watching TV. Actually, she is absentminded.

At this time, man is back. He walks to the fridge and takes a bottle of beer. Then he sits beside N, drinks the beer and watches TV.

N (still watch on TV, looks deadpan): Where are you going this morning?

Man: GYM.

N: GYM? I guess you have some exercises on somebody’s bed, am I right? Why don’t you fuck her in my house? Fuck you! You bastard! How dare you lie to me? (when N curse the man, he just drinks the beer, didn’t say anything)

When the man finishes his drink, he stands up and leaves the drawing room.

Man: Don’t forget to cook later.

N (suddenly stand up): Go to eat your ass!

5   INT.   DRAWING ROOM

The man holds a bloodied knife, and put it into a bowl of water. Strange thing is the knife stand in the water. We can see a taoist magic figure beside the bowl.

Then, the man lights 4 candles in front of the bowl. After that, he burns incense and says something we can understand. Suddenly, he stops praying and open his eyes. 4 candles extinguish at the same time.

The man put some ash into the bowl, and then he holds the knife and takes it out of the bowl. We can see a spookiest smile on his face.

6   INT.   DRAWING ROOM

N is cooking in the kitchen. She hears the man is back.

The man walks into the room, looks very strange.

N even doesn’t look up, start cursing: Come back so late again! Fuck! You’re a pig that just knows how to eat and fuck bitches! Why are you coming back? Why don’t you live in that bitch’s home?

N curses a lot while she is cooking. She doesn’t notices the man already stand behind her. Unexpectedly, the man stabbed a knife in her back. We can see the knife penetrate her body, shed blood like water. N stops talking this time, she looks very suffering, but she can’t sound any voices.The man is deadpan this time.

Fade out

7   INT.  DRAWING ROOM

Fade in:

N has been put beside the sofa.

Man is still doing his ritual. He drinks the water in the bowl, and spews all the water to the taoist magic figure. Then, he walks to N’s body, and put the taoist magic figure on her wound. He starts to pray for something, the taoist magic figure slowly disappearing.

Man: Don’t forget to cook later.

Suddenly, N’s body became squirm. She stands up slowly. We can’t see any emotion on her face. She just walks to the kitchen, doesn’t say anything.

8   EXT.  STREET(OUTSIDE OF THE HOTEL)

Flashback: ( back to no.3 scene )

The man and S walk out of the hotel. We can see them, in a very close place.

Man’s hand put on S’s posterior, looks very intimate. Actually, he put a taoist magic figure on her back.

He is saying something to S. Actually, he is praying.

Then the man pats S lightly, the taoist magic figure has disappeared.

Man: Go back to your home.

They separate.

Fade out.

The end.

Karma(second draft)

1   INT.  HOME

Fade in:

We can see a man is doing something strange. The light is very dark. He is writing some Taoist magic figures, to burn incense, praying on his lips...

2   INT.  DRAWING ROOM

The man walks into the drawing room. He dresses a suit, looks very tired. Woman sits in the sofa and looks ahead. She looks lifeless.

Man: It’s too busy today. Ah, I’m so tired!

Man walks to the sofa and crouch down.

Man: Sophie(slowly, lightly), cooking, please.

Woman nods, and stands up walks to the kitchen. This time, we can see a special radio on the desk in front of the sofa.

After a while, dinner is finished. The man already sits behind table and eats. Woman put the last dish on the table, then stand behind the table.

Man: It’s delicious! (look at the woman) Sit.

Woman nods, sit down.

Man:(while he is eating) Sophie, are you OK?

Woman looks at the man, doesn’t say anything.

Man: Say: Yes. Please.

Woman: Yes, please.

Man:(continue eating) Don’t forget clean the room later.

3   INT.  BEDROOM

Woman is cleaning the kitchen.

Man sleeps in the bedroom, he looks very unpeaceful, just like he has a nightmare.

This time, we can see woman’s feet walk into the bedroom slowly.

Suddenly, the man opens his eyes, looks very scared. He notices the woman is standing behind the bed. She holds a knife and looks at him. Woman still very lifeless, but she raises the knife in her hand and stab it to him!

Man screeches. Suddenly, he sits up on the bed. He finds this is just a nightmare. He gasps and recalls something...

4   INT.  KITCHEN (MEMORY)

Woman is tidying the kitchen. She looks very angry, she says a lot of swear words to man. Man is standing behind the desk.

Man: Why you always talking, talking, talking! I don’t love you anymore! You will be my sweet doll, shut up! Shut up!

He already can’t bear woman’s talk endlessly, so he takes a knife and walk beside the woman. Unexpectedly, the man stabbed a knife in her back. We can see the knife penetrate her body, shed blood like water. N stops talking this time, she looks very suffering, but she can’t sound any voices. After her death, he moves her body to the sofa.

He walks to the table and becomes to do Chinese traditional sorcery. He is writing some taoist magic figures, to burn incense, praying on his lips...

Man: You will listen to me now. You will follow my order forever!

Then, he walks to N’s body, and put the taoist magic figure on her wound. He starts to pray for something, the taoist magic figure slowly disappearing.

5   INT.  BEDROOM & DRAWING ROOM

Man stops to recall, he still sits on the bed. He looks up this time, suddenly, he watches the woman is standing outside! He is very scared and angry! He stands up and walks out, slaps on her face.

Man: Never stand here again! Now, go to sit on the sofa!

Woman nods. Man goes back to the room, and the woman walks to the sofa. When she sits down, she knocks the radio heedless. The radio starts broadcast...

6   INT.  KITCHEN (FLASHBACK)

Man and woman sit behind the table together. They looks very sweet.

Woman: I’m so scared. I’m scared if you don’t love me.

Man: Don’t worry, baby. If I don’t love you, you can just cut off my head!

Woman: Wait! I need to record this. Say again!

7   INT.   DRAWING ROOM

Radio: If I don’t love you, you can just cut off my head!

Woman sits on the sofa, when she hears this sentence, she nods.

Then, she stands up and walks to the kitchen. She takes a knife, walks into the bedroom...

Realism or Neorealism?

Realism or Neorealism?

A cinema experiment: what rival visions would emerge if you pitted the director of The Bicycle Thieves against the producer of Gone with the Wind on the same movie material? History can tell us…

Neorealism is characterized by a general atmosphere of authenticity.

Every cut is a form of judgment, whether it takes place on the set or in the editing room. A cut reveals what matters and what doesn’t. It delineates the essential from the non-essential. To examine the cuts of a filmmaker is to uncover an approach to cinema.

Realism or Neorealism?

'Chinatown' Screenwriter Robert Towne Interview

In its structure, dialog, and characters (who can beat the iconically mangled Gittes?) Chinatown is regarded as the “perfect” script. In 1974, the film was nominated for 11 Oscars — everything from Best Picture, Best Director for Roman Polanski, Best Actor/Actress for Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, to Best Art Direction, Cinematography, and Score. However, the only Oscar the film won was for Best Original Screenplay, which went to Robert Towne.

Learn the Art of Film Grant Writing

The grant committees are thinking, “We want that voice of yours to make the changes we believe in,” but they still make you fight to have it heard. It’s a weeding out process. They want to see if you’ll last, if you’re serious about your own success, and that you’re telling a story that will impact people on a higher level. The process takes months, if not years, considering most grants are annual or bi-annual. You’re hit with many questions like, “How will your film impact or raise social justice issues?” or “What is success as defined by the politics of your subject?” What seems like easy answers sitting snug in 500 word limits, sometimes barely squeezes in, and other times, you draw a blank as to what they are really asking you. You might, as I did, apply multiple times before you even become a blip on their radar. Prepare for this. Reapplying is indeed part of the process and they watch what names come back. They too are in the practice of a good preseason scout of your film career and want in when you hit it big with a great idea.

1. Make friends with the grant committee. 

2. You’ll need to present your project as having “impact.” 

3. Attach some names. 

4. Know the politics. 

5. Kill them with kindness. 

6. Submit and forget. 

7. Have some humility.