Tag Archives: Filmmaking

Director Steven C. Miller Ventures "Under The Bed"

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If you’ve been following Director Steven C. Miller since “Automaton Transfusion” like we have, it’s been a treat to see him become one of the best genre directors working today. He offered up one of the most entertaining slashers of 2012 the remake of “Silent Night, Deadly Night” entitled “Silent Night” and directed one of our top 10 of 2012 “The Aggression Scale.” In 2013, Mr. Miller is still bringing in his horror movies the way he wants with his latest “Under the Bed.” Director Miller was kind enough to spare some time for an interview.

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The PC Thug: Arrivederci, Zombie

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No one will ever really accuse “H2″ or “Rob Zombie’s Halloween” of ever being a masterpiece. I mean, while they do have the vision of a man who has something to say in the horror genre, they’re not the indicators of someone who can firmly grasp what a remake is supposed to be. John Carpenter’s “The Thing” worked so well because he had source material to work off of, and re-imagined the Howard Hawks original in creative ways. Zombie’s “Halloween” movies felt like repackaged leftovers disguised as a meal. Heck, I don’t think Zombie ever grasped what filmmaking was supposed to be.

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Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: Richard D. Zanuck

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Richard Zanuck is a man who spent most of his life living under the shadow of his father Darryl F. Zanuck, and what is most peculiar and quite riveting about Richard Zanuck’s story is that rather than trying to step out of his dad’s shadow, he embraced his father’s status and used it to his advantage. Often times we hear of someone chastising their own status as a wealthy successor, but Richard Zanuck used this fact as a means of bettering himself, and carving his own niche in the Hollywood business.

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An Interview with "The Dream Seekers"

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Peter-Dukes-1Peter Dukes and his comrades at Dreamseekers Productions have been giving genre fans some unique short films for many years, and most recently they delved in to the werewolf sub-genre with their short film “The Beast” co-starring Bill Obsert Jr. In the midst of directing his latest short film “Little Reaper,” director Peter Dukes took time out for an interview and discuss his love for film, his methodology, and his plans for “Little Reaper,” a short film about the grim reaper’s rebellious young daughter.

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Let's Make a Movie (2012)

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cassie1In order for “Let’s Make a Movie” to be half as good as it is, it really had to cast the right performer for the character of Cassie Thompson, and director Elana A. Mudgan accomplishes that task with Hallie York. Granted, “Let’s Make a Movie” is a really good and entertaining dramedy about the obstacles of filmmaking, but Hallie York really is the heart and soul of the film. On surface level, York doesn’t seem like a polished actress, but York really manages to carry the film with her portrayal of the troubled and conflicted young Cassie, who is struggling to find a direction in her life. Badgered by her parents to find something useful to do with her life, Cassie quits her job to work on an indie film that she is convinced will grant her success as a film director.

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Film Craft: Directing [Paperback]

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The crown jewel of the Film Craft Series is of course the volume entitled “Directing.” While every aspect of filmmaking takes work, time, and dedication, directing is essentially the most difficult aspect of making a film. Whenever a movie fails or succeeds the filmmaker is blamed. And whenever an acclaimed actor decides they want to direct it not only becomes a big deal, but it makes it impossible for other directors to step up and achieve acclaim. Which is not to say actors can’t direct, as the book “Film Craft” interviews many noted and incredible directors, all of whom have their own experiences in the field.

As with the previous books in the series, “Directing” is about the hard work and utter pressure it takes to be a director. Lensing a project and achieving some sense of success or artistic satisfaction is tough, and often times it requires massive sacrifice and stress for an artist to express themselves on film. Author Mike Goodridge is able to garner some truly excellent insight in to the directorial process from some very big name auteur. Engrossing and detailed, “Directing” lends readers an intelligent exploration in to movie making that all movie buffs will relish and aspiring filmmakers will treasure.

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Film Craft: Producing [Paperback]

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Authors Geoffrey Macnab & Sharon Swart provide readers with a true insight in to what being a producer means, and seek out to break all the stereotypes about producers as a whole. Producers, as the book sets out to explain, aren’t all Hollywood fat cats who seek to remind you about budget. Sometimes they can be collaborators with directors. Sometimes they can be even more passionate about a movie than the actual director working on the film. And sometimes they can inject ideas in to a film to help make it much more entertaining and or approachable to audiences.

Producers are working men and women just like the director and the screenwriter, and “Film Craft: Producing” is a book solely for cinephiles and movie buffs who want to learn more about the industry that carries with it an unfortunate stigma among movie fans who often blame poor quality of a movie on a producer. True, producers can be just suits who come on a set to remind directors about budget and time restraints, but they can be friends to the artist and “Producing” offers accounts from many noted producers, all of whom have brought something unique and specific to the table in terms of cinematic contributions and molding pop culture juggernauts alike.

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