Well, the official roster of teams for the Baltimore 48 Hour Film Project has been posted (though, oddly, I have not yet received any notificiation via email), and alas, Tohubohu Productions is nowhere to be seen.
Given the fact that there are only 26 teams in the actual competition (which means only 16 were selected from the random-drawing pool), I can’t really complain. But it’s still disappointing.
I suppose this gives us an excuse to work on prepping “Some Kind of Hero” (the script we were going to shoot before we got our last-minute slot in the D.C. contest) for shooting. Which is probably just as well, since that script’s generated a lot of enthusiasm. And if we take our time, we can really make that one a top-notch production.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Monday, May 23, 2005
Tohubohu Rides Again... Maybe
Well, this past weekend’s Tohubohu birthday party project was a hoot — although the biggest lesson the girls learned was that moviemaking isn’t nearly as glamorous and exciting as TV makes it look. For the most part, you’re sitting around and waiting. Or doing the same thing repeatedly (though we certainly tried to minimize that for this group). We’ll see how it looks once I edit it all together (we did do a couple of pickup shots with my daughters on Sunday, just to cover ourselves a bit).
As for the Baltimore edition of the 48 Hour Film Project, still no word as to whether we’re in or not. We did end up signing up for the random entry drawing, though at first it looked like they’d closed the signups a bit early (according to Mark Ruppert, it was due to a website glitch, and he assured me we’d be placed in the drawing). So now we’re just waiting. And unfortunately, I have to jet off to Atlanta for another video shoot in about 20 minutes, so I may not know for a while.
I’ll try to post notice as soon as I hear, but no promises as to the timeliness (though if anyone else is watching, you could post a comment here as well).
As for the Baltimore edition of the 48 Hour Film Project, still no word as to whether we’re in or not. We did end up signing up for the random entry drawing, though at first it looked like they’d closed the signups a bit early (according to Mark Ruppert, it was due to a website glitch, and he assured me we’d be placed in the drawing). So now we’re just waiting. And unfortunately, I have to jet off to Atlanta for another video shoot in about 20 minutes, so I may not know for a while.
I’ll try to post notice as soon as I hear, but no promises as to the timeliness (though if anyone else is watching, you could post a comment here as well).
Monday, May 16, 2005
And That’s It for This Contest
Well, the official lineup for the “Best of the 48 Hour Film Project” has been announced, and it looks like neither Tohubohu film made it. Still, there are some really good films in the lineup, so I’d still wholeheartedly recommend attending the screening this Thursday evening.
I’m still trying to decide if we should enter the Baltimore contest — I’ve gotten a few enthusiatic participants, some more definite “nos” — and a whole lot of “no responses.” I’ve theoretically got until Friday to decide, but it’d be nice if I had a more confident feeling about it at this point.
As for Chicago, I assume I’ve got a little time, though they haven’t published an entry deadline date yet.
Of course, both our movies are up on our website — and very shortly (as soon as I get around to updating the site), our latest offerings will be available in stunning new Quicktime 7 format! Sorry to all of you PC people out there (for whom QuickTime 7 is not available — yet), but the quality improvement in the new H.264 codec is just too good to pass up (but don’t worry, we’re not taking down the older versions right away either). So check the site soon (and regularly), then sit back, grab some corn, and... it’s movie time!
I’m still trying to decide if we should enter the Baltimore contest — I’ve gotten a few enthusiatic participants, some more definite “nos” — and a whole lot of “no responses.” I’ve theoretically got until Friday to decide, but it’d be nice if I had a more confident feeling about it at this point.
As for Chicago, I assume I’ve got a little time, though they haven’t published an entry deadline date yet.
Of course, both our movies are up on our website — and very shortly (as soon as I get around to updating the site), our latest offerings will be available in stunning new Quicktime 7 format! Sorry to all of you PC people out there (for whom QuickTime 7 is not available — yet), but the quality improvement in the new H.264 codec is just too good to pass up (but don’t worry, we’re not taking down the older versions right away either). So check the site soon (and regularly), then sit back, grab some corn, and... it’s movie time!
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Audience Awards
Unfortunately, it looks like neither “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything)” nor “Quite Contrary” won their respective “audience award” honors. I can’t say I’m surprised, but I am disappointed, particularly in the case of the latter. “Big Lie” lost out to DC WIT’s entry, which is completely understandable, but “Quite Contrary” lost out to the entry from team Digital Tronics, which is affiliated with local video production powerhouse Henninger Video. Don’t get me wrong — their submission was really good (and technically impeccable), but I didn’t think it had quite the response of “Quite Contrary.” Still, I’m clearly biased (and their was actually in competition, a psychological if not a technical advantage).
Okay, all griping aside, congrats to all the audience award winners, and I look forward to hearing the lineup for next Thursday’s “best of” show.
Okay, all griping aside, congrats to all the audience award winners, and I look forward to hearing the lineup for next Thursday’s “best of” show.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Still Waiting...
Still no word on the winners of the audience awards for the 48 Hour Film Project, theoretically due to be announced “early” this week. (The final lineup for the “best of” screening is due “late” this week — so I’m not holding my breath on that one just yet.)
But I did notice that some photos of the kickoff and dropoff events for the D.C. competition have been posted, and you can actually catch yours truly along with producer Geoff Long dropping off the completed copy of “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything)” in photo number 4137. (You can also catch me — looking particularly scruffy — to the side of photo 4134.)
In the meantime, while Baltimore’s looking like more and more of a possibility, I’ve managed to line up a couple of other projects to keep us busy. The first is a simple slideshow-set-to-music DVD for the wife of an old acquaintance. And the second — inspired both by the 48 Hour Film Project and by more performance-based events like the Neutrino Video Project — is a movie-making birthday party. Basically, we’ll shoot elements of a movie with the party attendees (and screen the raw footage there), then fold that footage into a larger story.
That one’s also being done for an old acquaintance. Specifically, an about-to-turn-nine-years-old acquaintance. More specifically, my daughter.
The first project’s pretty straightforward; don’t need any help there. But if any of the old Tohubohu contributors — or, frankly, any other folks — want to help out with the second one (the party will be on the 21st), drop me a line!
But I did notice that some photos of the kickoff and dropoff events for the D.C. competition have been posted, and you can actually catch yours truly along with producer Geoff Long dropping off the completed copy of “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything)” in photo number 4137. (You can also catch me — looking particularly scruffy — to the side of photo 4134.)
In the meantime, while Baltimore’s looking like more and more of a possibility, I’ve managed to line up a couple of other projects to keep us busy. The first is a simple slideshow-set-to-music DVD for the wife of an old acquaintance. And the second — inspired both by the 48 Hour Film Project and by more performance-based events like the Neutrino Video Project — is a movie-making birthday party. Basically, we’ll shoot elements of a movie with the party attendees (and screen the raw footage there), then fold that footage into a larger story.
That one’s also being done for an old acquaintance. Specifically, an about-to-turn-nine-years-old acquaintance. More specifically, my daughter.
The first project’s pretty straightforward; don’t need any help there. But if any of the old Tohubohu contributors — or, frankly, any other folks — want to help out with the second one (the party will be on the 21st), drop me a line!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Quick Update
Sorry I haven’t been writing lately — once the competition wound up, I found myself in the none-too-enviable position of having to catch up on all the work I’d put off. I’m still pretty well buried, but I thought I’d at least check in with a couple of quick updates.
The screenings for the two films went well, though the crowd wasn’t as enthusiastic as last year, particularly for the Thursday evening screening for “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything).” Still, both films got a fairly strong audience response, and I think at least “Quite Contrary” has a good chance of winning the “audience award.”
Which, unfortunately, is the only award for which it’s eligible. See, one week ago today, Nello (the director) got a call from the competition organizers — the tape they’d submitted had recorded nothing but timecode. No video, no audio. Which, in effect, meant no movie. We ran up to their production facility (well, the house in which they were cutting the tapes together) over lunch, but weren’t able to salvage anything; the content just wasn’t there.
We gave them a new tape, so they would screen the film, but it was unfortunately designated a “late submission,” and therefore ineligible for any of the judged awards.
Major disappointment.
Still, we know we (well, really more they, but I’m still clinging to my “executive producer” contribution) made the movie in the allotted time, and made one hell of a picture besides. Which, really, is more the point than the competition itself.
Both films are up for viewing at the Tohubohu website, so you can judge for yourself.
And coming up? Well, it turns out that they’re doing a competition in Baltimore. Yeah, it’s a little soon after finishing this contest — June 17th through the 19th, to be specific — but if people are interested, who am I to deny them?
And after that, Chicago (July 8–10) is still beckoning...
The screenings for the two films went well, though the crowd wasn’t as enthusiastic as last year, particularly for the Thursday evening screening for “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything).” Still, both films got a fairly strong audience response, and I think at least “Quite Contrary” has a good chance of winning the “audience award.”
Which, unfortunately, is the only award for which it’s eligible. See, one week ago today, Nello (the director) got a call from the competition organizers — the tape they’d submitted had recorded nothing but timecode. No video, no audio. Which, in effect, meant no movie. We ran up to their production facility (well, the house in which they were cutting the tapes together) over lunch, but weren’t able to salvage anything; the content just wasn’t there.
We gave them a new tape, so they would screen the film, but it was unfortunately designated a “late submission,” and therefore ineligible for any of the judged awards.
Major disappointment.
Still, we know we (well, really more they, but I’m still clinging to my “executive producer” contribution) made the movie in the allotted time, and made one hell of a picture besides. Which, really, is more the point than the competition itself.
Both films are up for viewing at the Tohubohu website, so you can judge for yourself.
And coming up? Well, it turns out that they’re doing a competition in Baltimore. Yeah, it’s a little soon after finishing this contest — June 17th through the 19th, to be specific — but if people are interested, who am I to deny them?
And after that, Chicago (July 8–10) is still beckoning...
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Must... Sleep... Now...
Well, it’s in. The latest Tohubohu offering — excuse me, offerings — have been turned in.
We made it. Both teams.
Tohubohu “Kaplan” drew comedy, and their resulting piece was (assuming they didn’t change it since last I spoke with them) entitled “Quite Contrary.” I’m anxious to see it, but since they’ve all gone off to recover, I suppose I’ll have to wait.
Team “Thornhill” drew fantasy, and we did a little movie called “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything),” (which takes its name from a song by Scott Andrew and the Walkingbirds) starring Tohubohu regular Stuart Scotten and newcomer Tim Randall. It’s about a genie who’s grown tired of the lack of truly epic wishes in the modern world, and has opted to drop out and work in a hardware store (you know that those people — the only ones on Earth who know exactly what obscure little part you need — are just a little bit magical). That is, until a corporate headhunter from a “rival employer” decides to try and recruit him back into the business...
Kaplan’s movie will screen at the AFI Silver Theatre this coming Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.; Thornhill’s will screen this Thursday at 9:30. You can get tickets online — and I would recommend doing so immediately if you plan on attending. Tickets sell out quickly (although the relatively short turnaround between completion and screening this year may mean a lower turnout).
But for now, it’s sleepy time...
We made it. Both teams.
Tohubohu “Kaplan” drew comedy, and their resulting piece was (assuming they didn’t change it since last I spoke with them) entitled “Quite Contrary.” I’m anxious to see it, but since they’ve all gone off to recover, I suppose I’ll have to wait.
Team “Thornhill” drew fantasy, and we did a little movie called “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything),” (which takes its name from a song by Scott Andrew and the Walkingbirds) starring Tohubohu regular Stuart Scotten and newcomer Tim Randall. It’s about a genie who’s grown tired of the lack of truly epic wishes in the modern world, and has opted to drop out and work in a hardware store (you know that those people — the only ones on Earth who know exactly what obscure little part you need — are just a little bit magical). That is, until a corporate headhunter from a “rival employer” decides to try and recruit him back into the business...
Kaplan’s movie will screen at the AFI Silver Theatre this coming Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.; Thornhill’s will screen this Thursday at 9:30. You can get tickets online — and I would recommend doing so immediately if you plan on attending. Tickets sell out quickly (although the relatively short turnaround between completion and screening this year may mean a lower turnout).
But for now, it’s sleepy time...
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