The First Shots....

With a partial script written, we began filming two weeks ago. I had the pleasure of working with Steven again, and for the first time, Mike. Both did a great job, and we got great footage and great bloopers. There are a couple shots I'd like to do again, but overall, it was a great success. In two weeks, I hope to continue shooting, this time during the day and outdoors so we can capture some of the beautiful fall foliage before the trees become barren. Still thinking of ideas for the other stories. Until next time!

Surprise Surprise! And More Surprises...

Months after hoping to make my very own episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," difficult actors have forced me to abandon the project. But fear not! I have a new one in mind, and planning and script writing is already started. My goal is to make a film that portrays for each of us a humorous verison of what our futures might be like. The point is to stay true to our characters, but have a hell of a lot of fun with it. The stories are bookmarked by all of us gathered at a dinner party, and conclude with everyone agreeing that I should make a movie about it. We then go into movie spoofs that feature certain members of the group. If it gets done on time, this film promises to be epic, funny, and a nice memento for everyone to have. Let's hope I don't run out of time.

Until next time!

The Time Has Come...

Well, friends, it looks like there's going to be a movie. The script is done but needs tinkering. It's an adaptation of a short story I found. I also don't have a complete cast but that should soon work out hopefully. I plan on filming as soon as school is out and I can get the necessary supplies. I hope things work out this time! It took forever to find a story to adapt, since I could not for the life of me come up with an original idea for once. Therefore, I'll refer to this as the FON summer movie. FON stands for Film Of Necessity :P Hopefully next year I will have some more ideas, and hopefully this one will be well recieved.

An Update

Happy Belated New Year, readers! Of which there may be just one of you if I'm lucky. I thought I'd share an update on the plans for the next summer film. First of all, yes, I intend on actually finishing one this time. I am still trying to think of a good idea for my own "Twilight Zone" or "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episode, but original ideas are not coming to mind at all. Therefore, I am considering adapting a short story into a film. I will be looking through many short stories in the coming months, and if there any really interesting ones, let me know.

I hope to start shooting this May, with a completed script, a ready cast, and this time, storyboards! Who I work with depends on what kind of story I choose of course, but I know I want to work with the usual fun and devoted friends of mine. I know I'd like to make a Hitchcockian cameo, and nothing more than that. Being behind the camera is a lot of work, and trying to direct yourself can sometimes be a nightmare. My only worries for this project are that jobs will get too much in the way (a necessary evil I suppose!) or that people won't be available, but I must think positive! Good day!

...But The One Enjoyed It, Too!

Yesterday I finally got to show my film to my professor. She enjoyed it very much! She admired the techincal aspects that I used to mimic and pay homage to the very old silent films, and laughed at the jokes, costumes, and other fun parts of the film. I am confident that this project, worth 15% of my grade, will get me an A. Too bad it wasn't worth more! Only a few people still need to see the film, which is my father and a few more friends. It almost feels like the magic is gone once everyone's seen it, but I am proud of this film and I am happy and relieved that everyone has loved it so far. That's another "arrow in my quiver," as Christopher Lee once said

So what's next for No Budget Productions?

There are a few ideas in the works! There was a rumored parody of the TV show "House," but it's doubtful that it will happen. Another idea was a superhero spoof that promised to be funny, but that might not happen either. My best hope right now is to come up with a really good idea for my own episode of "The Twilight Zone." Problem is, all the great stories and twist endings have been taken! My mind is always at work, though, and I hope to come up with an idea and maybe even start a script over winter break. The idea is to film it in black and white, have a Rod Serling look-a-like do the narration, and focus on story mroe than effects, since that's what made the original show so great. Or it could be a completely different idea than any of these – who knows! Either way, I plan to be on camera for no more than 10 seconds or less in a Hitchcockian cameo, maybe to add a laugh. It's so much easier to be only behind the camera than in front of it. Hopefully whoever I choose to star will be willing and enthusiastic.

As for my existing films and the "Films of Brian Schwartz" DVD, I'm hoping to revisit them. I'd like to tweak a few films (you know, Dewbacks, Imperial Walkers in the background...just kidding). No, what I mean is that I'd like to change a few musical tracks on certain films. I'd also like to finally get the Jarred Mockumentary on the DVD, as well as a better quality version of Spanish Superheroes and its outtakes.

I'd like to also make a section for the "Unfinished Films," which would include two unfinished masterpieces: Donald Holden's "Evan Friday," and my still untitled, unfinished film from last summer! The idea would be to edit all the footage into some coherent form, and then the addition of outtakes and commentary describing what could have been. I would also like to film a personal introduction to the collection. A funny idea might be to have an Inside the Director's Studio where Donald and I could interview each other, and others can ask questions, but it's just a funny fantasy at this point! If only we could have gotten some footage of me accepting my award during senior year of high school!

Right now these ideas are just ideas and only in my mind for now. Hopefully by sometime over break and idea will come to mind, ready to be filmed by summer. So unless the Summer Film Curse strikes again, maybe we'll get another summer film done this time!

An Audience Dwindled To One...

Yesterday was to be the premiere of my film in class, but it didn't work out that way. I wasn't feeling up for class that day, and chose to stay in and work on a very important essay, not to mention blow a truck load of snot out of my nose! Thankfully, there are no repercutions for missing class and missing the movie showing. No grade lowering, no attendance really taken away, since I had been to every other class. Therefore, I will be showing the film privately to my professor this Thursday. Wish me luck! I'm relieved that I don't have to show it to class. I hate reading things to classes, showing my films, and especially showing my films that I'm in. In this case, it would have been all three! I guess it's ironic that someone who thought about being a director can't stand showing his work. The neurotic side of me always triumphs!

Class Write-up

As promised, this is what I will be sharing with my class before I premiere the film. It contains cited reasons for the use of music in early films, as well as examples of where this has been utilized in my film. I hope you learn a lot!

My A/V project, an experiment in sound, is ironically a silent film. When working on my Blackboard project on film music, I was interested to find out Gorbman and Brown’s explanations for the use of music in early silent films. Brown’s “Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music” states that film music was used because early Greek tragedies had used it for more effect on their audiences. It was also done to cover up the noise from projectors, which were not yet soundproofed, as well as to psychologically ease the audiences’ fears of darkness and silence.

According to Gorbman’s “Unheard Melodies,” silent film music provided aid to transitions, mood for scenes, and attention to certain details. It was used especially well in melodramas to “mark the entrances of characters, to provide interludes, and to give emotional coloring to dramatic climaxes and to scenes with rapid physical action” (Gorbman 34). I have utilized this in my film, The Great NJ Wallet Robbery.

In the first and last few seconds of the film, a projector sound is heard before the music begins, as well as after it ends, to emphasize the need for music to cover up the projector sounds. Whether it is the sneaky, suspicious theme for Jack the Thief, or the romantic theme for Katherine, the music marks the entrances of these characters, and tells us everything we need to know about them. The chase between Donald and Jack, as well as the climactic railroad scene, show how music aids the fast pace of these scenes and gives mood, as Gorbman stated. Ever since I began making films, I had always wanted to experiment with a silent film. This project has finally given me the opportunity to do so, and the Gorbman and Brown readings have enhanced my knowledge of early film music to make my film even better.