China, Transformers, and Reality TV? (The Best of Both Worlds)

            

             If you keep up with my blog, you may remember that I’ve mentioned a couple of times the expansion and rise of the industry in China, such as James Cameron’s contributions over there to build new studios and expand the knowledge of 3D technology.

            I’m writing this post because as I was scrolling down through the top news in IMDb this morning, I came across several articles that involve China, Transformers 4, and reality television.

            What? A blockbuster franchise whose last installment generated $165 million in that country and reality television, TV’s hottest market?

            To get to the point of my excitement, it was just announced that a reality show will begin airing this summer in China with the purpose of finding four Chinese actors who will join the cast of Michael Bay’s fourth installment. Two will be experienced actors, and the other couple won’t need to have experience.

The panel of judges will consist of Sid Ganis, former head of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences; Lorenzo DiBonaventura, producer of the film; Denise Chamian, casting director; and Megan Colligan, the marketing and distribution chief for Paramount.

            In my opinion, this is quite exciting because it’s a project I haven’t seen before. It is smart to merge both worlds, especially in a country where Dark of the Moon ranks as the fourth highest grossing film in the box office. Also, the film will be shot over there.

            This will get fans involved with the entire process even earlier, and having the show will increase awareness of the film, garnering even more fans. This opens more possibilities for new, fresh projects domestically. I wish the show would air in the States, simply because I’d love to see what kinds of challenges the contestants will have to face, the panel of judges is pretty legitimate, and the whole idea is amazing.

            What are your thoughts? Comment below or tweet me. Have a great day!

Collaboration During My Spring Break

            My spring break was last week and I had an amazing time visiting my family and friends back in the border cities of El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. While I was there, I decided to call an old friend from middle school to collaborate on a photo shoot. Cassandra Arredondo, also known as Cachis by her friends, is a visionary who is working her craft in many different forms of fashion and art. She launched her own make-up services line (instagram @rebelblush), she is in the process of developing a fashion magazine to promote local boutiques, and is hungry to gain knowledge in other fields such as photography and design.

            Our session took place on a slightly windy afternoon at golden hour on Friday, April the fifth. We shot in a parking lot at Sunland Park Mall and at a park near her neighborhood. The parking lot proved to be a great location. A beautiful sunset that only El Paso can provide, served as our source of lighting, and we were even lucky to get the Asarco towers as you’ll see in one of the pictures.

            For those of you who don’t know, the Asarco towers were demolished yesterday (April thirteenth). It was a bittersweet morning for many El Pasoans since it served as a monument for the city; however, it was not being used, and back when it was in business, it was known for heavily polluting the Sun City.

            Anyway, I hope you like this collection, which I had to narrow from 500+ pictures down to five. All pictures were shot with a Nikon D3100, have a focal length of 55mm, and an F-stop of 5.6. You can check out these and more pictures on my Facebook page.

            Have a great week, and I will leave you with a quote from the film I Am Number Four, which kind of defines my spring break back home: “A place is only as good as the people you know.” Keep them close to you!

            

Industry Liabilities: Blogpost for Entertainment Law Class

            The three cases I chose involve film crewmembers who are either suing the producers or production companies of the respective films they worked on. I’m currently taking an entertainment law class, which is why this blogpost has taken a bit of a twist compared to the ones I usually write. The assignment required me to identify three court cases in my industry and analyze the legal liabilities.

            The first case involves Cheryl Pickenback, a hairstylist on Zack Snyder’s reboot of Superman titled Man of Steel. She says that Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures, and Third Act Pictures failed to make sure the location was safe. The plaintiff is suing because she tripped on what seemed to be “a fractured or uneven walking surface” when instructed to fix one of the actor’s hair in between takes. As a result, she suffered “severe and permanent injuries” that led her to begin “extensive medical and surgical consultations and treatments.” The lawsuit was filed on Illinois, which is where shooting took place, and has been taken to federal court.

In my opinion, the location manager, who claims he didn’t have a role on the Illinois location, and the art director should have considered additional safety measures for cast and crew whenever they were near that area; however, it only happened to the hairstylist and she should have watched her step.

            The second case has been a hot topic. A lawsuit filed on behalf of around 250 employees of the Los Angeles-based visual effects company Rhythm and Hues. The company is best known for doing effects for the 4-Academy Award winning film Life of Pi (Achievement in visual effects being one of the Oscars it received), but also for filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The plaintiffs are suing because these mass layoffs happened without proper notice, violating federal law and California Labor Code. They are seeking unpaid wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, accrued vacation and holiday pay, pension, and 401(k) contributions.

The company definitely failed in giving its employees a sixty day written notice, and even though they have filed for bankruptcy, it should give its employees the payments and benefits it owes them.

            The last lawsuit I chose came to light a year and a half ago when a couple of interns from the production of Black Swan decided to sue Fox Searchlight, saying they were exploited. This expanded to every internship program under Fox Entertainment. The issue here is that Fox didn’t directly hire them; however, they were aware of their involvement in the production since they had to approve, they received call sheets, and received credits.

In my opinion, the entire situation is just a miscommunication on behalf of the interns and Fox. The interns, even though they claim the internship didn’t fulfill their work interest and that they didn’t receive proper training, should have known better. Internships are entry-level positions that’ll require you to do multiple tasks, possibly in different departments. They also expected to get paid, since Fox could have hired a crewmember to do the work. On the other hand, Fox should be more clear and careful on what it expects from interns so that there are no miscommunications in the future. Oral arguments will be taking place in May.

Top 10 Films of 2012

             My “Top 10” list of 2012 consists of films that I consider to be technically and artistically beautiful, but that also managed to move me in some way, and inspired me as a filmmaker and person.  This was one of those years that had an inordinate amount of terrific movies. Plot and storytelling were the key ingredient to many of this year’s amazing movies. I wish I could have made a “Top 20” list instead of a “Top 10,” well, I sort of cheated and included three more.

            

              I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts on my favorite films of last year, and feel free to share which ones made it to your “Top 10” list.

             If I had “broken the rules” and named this post my “Top 13 Films of 2012,” these three movies would have been included: “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” (Dir. Lorene Scafaria), “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (Dir. Stephen Chbosky), and “Wreck-It Ralph” (Dir. Rich Moore).

10. “The Queen of Versailles” (Dir. Lauren Greenfield)

I’m kicking off this list with a documentary. Why not? This informative documentary about the rise and fall of the Siegel family is clever and funny. Director Lauren Greenfield successfully covers the human side of “the queen” and her self-made billionaire husband. The viewer embarks on a two-year journey with them as they face economic struggles that lead them to make lifestyle changes and make tough choices in both business and their personal lives. This was definitely not what I expected, and the trailer is nothing but a sneak peak.

09. “The Master” (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

Personally, I didn’t love this film. I guess that explains why it’s number eight on my list; however, it was thought provoking, fearless, and distinct. These are the kinds of movies I like to go see. You may leave the theater with a bittersweet feeling, but at least it managed to make an impact on the viewer and led to dialogue and debate between viewers. Films such as this one are a rarity these days.

07. “Life of Pi” (Dir. Ang Lee)

How did he do it? He’s Ang Lee. This is definitely Mr. Lee’s come-back from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” The story is interesting and makes me want to read the book. Visually, I don’t even have to talk about it. It’s amazing the doors that technology has opened. I smell an Oscar for Claudio Miranda’s splendid cinematography, even though I would personally give it to Seamus McGarvey for his work in “Anna Karenina.”

08. “Anna Karenina” (Dir. Joe Wright)

The third collaboration between director Joe Wright and Keira Knightley proves that rejoining forces does work on the long run. It’s their best collaborative piece so far and I find it disappointing that Knightley’s performance failed to be recognized at this awards season. This theatrical-like film has the best cinematography I witnessed this year (and that’s a lot to say since there were so many films this year with mad cinematography). The production design better get the Academy Award as well as the costume design. This film is one of those that I wish had gotten more hype. The story is heart breaking and intense. Anna is one of those characters you hate to love and love to hate.

06. “Django Unchained” (Dir. Quentin Tarantino)

Tarantino does it again. The cast, the plot, the dialogue, the comedy... they are all there. He manages to portray a touchy subject tastefully and eccentrically as one might expect. The Globes brought a smile to my face last month as they honored Christoph Waltz with an award for bringing Doctor Schulz to life. I was also impressed and content that they gave Tarantino the Globe for best screenplay. Having read the script myself, I can say it is mind blowing, and it keeps you awake till dawn because of the thriller and all of its elements. He has definitely left his signature on this film and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

05. “Les Miserables” (Dir. Tom Hooper)

The leap of faith was worth the risk and all I can say is that this is the best musical film I’ve ever seen. Its value and content are unbelievable. As many of you might agree, the best part of the film is Anne Hathaway's long shot delivering "I dreamed a dream." I was also moved by the scene where Russell Crowe hands his medal to the dead kid. Tom Hooper was definitely snubbed by the Oscars.

04. “Zero Dark Thirty” (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow)

Let me just say I have plenty of respect for Kathryn Bigelow for taking on such a controversial and important role. The story couldn’t have been told better. Maya, played by last year’s “It girl,” Jessica Chastain, is empowering and inspiring. You see her grow throughout the years as she works on the assignment to hunt Osama Bin Laden. As she gets better at her job, the suspense increases and keeps you on the edge of your seat. In my opinion, this should have been Kathryn’s year. She should have been the first women to win an Oscar for best director this year, and not in 2010.

03. “Argo” (Dir. Ben Affleck)

“Argo” is “The Town” on steroids. I have to admit I simply watched it due to all the hype and awards it's been receiving. After leaving the theater, I literally asked another viewer why it had taken me so long to watch it. The edit was outstanding. The pace was fast and kept you engaged. It wasn’t slow, like I feared it would be, and even though you already know what’s going to happen (well, kind of), you are taken on a roller coaster ride that almost moves you to tears as it comes to an end. I identified myself with this film because of all the Hollywood references, from the moment it starts with those storyboards, throughout the film when they’re trying to get a producer, all the way to the end where you see the Star Wars action figures. It definitely is a special film about filmmakers and unsung heroes of this country.

02. “The Impossible” (Dir. J.A. Bayona)

This movie about a family who survives the tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004 is definitely the most emotional film I saw this year.  It simply gives you an appreciation of life. As soon as it was over it made me want to run to my loved ones and hug them. J.A. Bayona recreated the series of events as realistic as possible. Having shot in the actual hotel where it happened, with actual people who were there as extras, it made it much more organic. Naomi Watts should have definitely been this year’s leading actress winner in the various awards held this season, and I wish Ewan McGregor had been recognized for his work as well.

      01. “Cloud Atlas” (Dir. Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski)

How in the world did they do it? I don’t know where to begin. I love this movie so much it's hard for me to put in words what it makes me feel. This year’s most underrated movie had all the components (literally) that made it unforgettable.

Just like “Melancholia,” my favorite movie from last year, “Cloud Atlas” kept me up at night for two straight weeks. It made me think about numerous things, not just about the craft of filmmaking, but about life, people we meet, things we do, just to name a few. The most memorable elements from this movie were the beautiful score, the production and costume design, and the edit. This is the definition of a fearless movie that took many risks; for me, it worked. I'm currently reading the book, and all I can say is that it takes a group of geniuses to adapt such a twisting story and bring it to the big screen. Here's my favorite quote from the movie: “Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”

             Since I just started this blog six months ago, I wrote my “Top 10” from the last two years as a note on my personal Facebook. Here they are:

“Top 10” from 2011:

10. “The Art of Getting By” (Dir. Gavin Wiesen)

09. “Like Crazy” (Dir. Drake Doremus)

08. “The Artist” (Dir. Michel Hazanavicius)

07. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” (Dir. Sean Durkin)

06. “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” (Dir. Stephen Daldry)

05. “Drive” (Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn)

04. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Dir. David Fincher)

03. “The Tree of Life” (Dir. Terrence Malick)

02. “J. Edgar” (Dir. Clint Eastwood)

01. “Melancholia” (Dir. Lars von Trier)

“Top 10” from 2010:

10. “Never Let Me Go” (Dir. Mark Romanek)

09. “Conviction” (Dir. Tony Goldwyn)

08. “The Kids Are All Right” (Dir. Lisa Cholodenko)

07. “The Fighter” (Dir. David O. Russell)

06. “The Social Network” (Dir. David Fincher)

05. “The King’s Speech” (Dir. Tom Hooper)

04. “True Grit” (Dir. Ethan & Joel Coen)

03. “For Colored Girls” (Dir. Tyler Perry)

02. “Inception” (Dir. Christopher Nolan)

01. “Black Swan” (Dir. Darren Aronofsky)

Tips From a Production Coordinator's Daily Life

            

            Growing up watching films made me idolize actors and directors for the vision, emotion, and storytelling they would bring to life. As I started my career in film school, my appreciation for other crafts in different departments of the industry broadened. I realized that film is a collaborative effort where all the pieces must fit in order to finish the jigsaw puzzle.

            

            As my school program went on, I became attracted to the production department; I was UPM (Unit Production Manager) for our very first short film for a digital cinematography class. What caught my attention was the ability to be aware of everything that happens in each department. I considered myself to be good with people and at being organized, so it seemed like an appropriate fit.

My interests in this department, which I consider to be underrated, started to grow. I was like a kid at a toy store; there were many people to look up, books to read, interviews to watch, and stories to hear. I began researching production managers and production coordinators and learning more about their jobs.

            

            I was lucky enough to meet Steve Cainas a little over a year ago. He’s a production coordinator who’s a graduate from my alma mater and happened to work on my all-time favorite television show, Lost. I am grateful he took some of his busy time off to answer some questions regarding a day in the life of a production coordinator.

            How important is deal making and negotiation on your job, and how does it change depending on the project? Are there any advantages and challenges by being in your position? 

Huge part of my job and an important skill set.  No matter what size production we always have a budget that must be adhere to.  Everything is negotiable.  Obviously working on an independent film with a limited budget creates much more deal making on the daily basis.  The advantage is to establish long lasting relationships with vendors so that you can call upon them to help resolve a situation efficiently and cost effective. 

            When negotiating with other people, how do you separate the person from the problem? Has there been a time when you had difficulty controlling your emotions in order to get something?

Not at all.  It's always important to keep a business relationship when negotiating with people.  I keep my personal life private from my professional life.  You have to be strong, aggressive, and confident to succeed at this job.  Shy and quiet regretfully does not work in a position when you have to manage people and resolve chaos on a daily basis. 

            What strategies do you use when negotiating with others. How do you get to your objective criteria and what are some tips or suggestions you may have for someone who is in a similar situation?

I always have the other person see the WHOLE picture, not just a slice of it.  For example, I might ask to reduce a grip package to $5,000 that originally was quoted at $9,000.  Seems substantial, but I make sure to point out that it's not a 2 week rental, but rather a 26 week rental that will result in $130,000 of revenue!  My current project is an HBO series that is filming the first season.  I make a point to share that the show might, very well, be in production for several years and that I would like to maintain a working relationship with this person or vendor that potentially will last for a while.  That always opens their eyes.

            Could you share a moment when you had a hard time coming to an agreement or getting what you needed for a project, but ended up being successful? How did it impact the project, and what would have happened if you hadn't been able to obtain what you were looking for?

As a Production Coordinator, you are constantly solving problems.  Recently I needed to make a deal with a vendor from California to provide power generators. My budget was $50,000 for something that truthfully should cost $100,000.   I had to find several other competitors that were interested in the business to bid the project, thus creating a "bidding war" that at the end resulted in getting the equipment that I needed for substantially less and meeting my budget.

            Something new that I learned is how important it is to find many competitors when you want to obtain something; at the end of the day, you want to get the best deal. It’s about letting one party know that its competitor has a sweet deal in order to find a better one from them. Another crucial thing that I am working on is my aggressiveness and confidence. I’ve learned from working as a personal assistant that there is always a way to get what you want as long as you’re firm and negotiate effectively. There is no reason for anyone to intimidate you.

            

            I’m glad I’ve already started to set my foot on the door and that I’m slowly learning from my mistakes. It’s interviews such as this one that remind you to open your eyes a bit more. This is the first of many more that I am planning on writing once or twice per month. Hopefully you gained some knowledge from this blog post by someone with twenty years of experience in the industry.

The Oscar Experience College Search

            It was announced a couple of months ago during an “Overview of Contemporary Film” course at UCLA that the Academy Awards would be spicing up the ceremony a bit.

           

            Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted), this year’s host for the Oscars, introduced to the class of students the “Oscar Experience College Search.”

The search is open to college students who are aspiring to work in the industry, whether it is directing, producing, acting, or being a part of any department. The producers will pick a minimum of six students who are the next generation of Oscar hopefuls to be a part of the live ceremony which will air on February 24^th.

            “For a film student to go to the Oscars and be a part of presenting is a huge break,” says MacFarlane.

            Students have until January 19^th (today) to upload a short video to the Facebook page saying how they will contribute to the future of the industry. Besides that, there are a couple of questions during the submission process that ask which Oscar category is your favorite, and which movies inspired you to become a filmmaker.

            I thought it would be worth a try and a good opportunity to do something fun and different. As a result, I called two buddies of mine to help me out with camera and audio. I edited my entry and talk about how I want to be a part of high quality, thought provoking films such as the ones of my idol, Alejandro González Iñárritu.

            Please take a look at my entry and don’t forget today’s the last day to vote. You may do so by giving it a “thumb up.” Thank you.

Roundtables

            This blog post is an assignment for the “Negotiation and Deal Making” course that I’m currently taking at Full Sail University. We had to watch three videos that discuss negotiation techniques.

            My first discussion comes from The Hollywood Reporter Oscar Roundtable hosted by Matthew Belloni. I found it on a blog by IndieWire. The hour-long interview is titled The Producers: Full Uncensored Interview, and it features six producers whose films have gone on to receive multiple nominations and awards this season, including the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, PGA Awards, to name a few. Among the interviewees are Phillipa Boyens (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Stacey Sher (Django Unchained), Joanne Sellars (The Master), Grant Heslov (Argo), and Eric Fellner (Anna Karenina, Les Miserables).

Producers are problem solvers. In the case of Fellner, one of his main goals include analyzing formulas that determine if producing a film on a predetermined budget makes sense. On the other hand, producers such as Sher, want to make sure they are able to make the director’s vision happen.

When it comes to negotiation techniques, Sher and the Django team had to handle a dirty trick by “Mother Nature” in a creative way. The cast and crew were scheduled to shoot a scene at a ski resort in Mammoth, California. To everyone’s surprise, no snow was falling for the first time in a hundred years, and that was an essential element to the scene. A few days later, the producers decided it would be more efficient to move the set to a different state. This is an example of Murphy’s Law at its best.

Another example of a hardship that Heslov talks about is when somebody says “no” or falls back. Having to start all over again when you depended on someone can be pretty frustrating.

            The second video is presented by the Los Angeles Times in association with Epix, and is hosted by John Horne. It is a Directors Roundtable that includes Tom Hooper (Les Miserables), Sacha Gervasi (Hitchcock), Ben Affleck (Argo), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook), and Ang Lee (Life of Pi).

The interview covered many different topics, but I picked two that caught my attention. In the first one, Bigelow talks about the challenge of capturing a moment of time that would test time. Shooting began only a year after Bin Laden’s assassination, so realizing that it was very recent and contemporary, as well as prepping for two continents, required a lot of confidence on her behalf. When shooting began for Les Mis, Hooper wanted to shoot a scene with Hugh Jackman in the French Alps. His line producers told him it was too expensive, but that he should go look at Scotland or Wales. Convinced that there’s nothing like France, Hooper came to a negotiation with the production team. They skipped three days of rehearsal and put the Jackman and the crew on a commercial flight. They shot that for thirty grand.

            Last but not least, I remembered a video I saw about three months ago on YouTube that interviews screenwriters and directors Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer of the underrated film Cloud Atlas, which also happens to be my favorite film of 2012. The interview is done by the DP/30 Channel

They pretty much broke the “rules of cinema” and talk about some of the things they made in a non-traditional way to make it happen. For example, they composed the music first and played it during the table reads with the actors. They talk about the challenge of telling a tale with six stories and how it would require for the audience to engage in the storytelling process. “There’s this trend in the industry where audiences go to the movies to turn off, and we don’t want to turn off when we go to the movies. We don’t want a passive movie-going experience. We want to be stimulated. We want to participate. We are trying to take a stand in terms of trying to tell an adult big film and something you’ve never seen before,” says Andy Wachowski.

An example where the director had to trust a key player in the crew happened when the casting agent demanded them to send Hugh Grant the script. At first, they never believed he’d be able to play the characters in the film, but it took a try and listening the to casting director to find out that indeed, he was meant for the part, or parts, since the main cast plays more than three characters. Another thing that required extreme communication skills was that they shot separately with two crews. They had two keys for each department.

            These interviews definitely opened my mind a bit more to the challenges that present themselves when making a film. However, they also reminded me that passion is key to being successful. Sher mentioned how she was finally able to start a project that had been in the talks for twelve years. So patience and finding the right time for a project is important.