RobMakesMovies.com

I haven’t updated my blog in MONTHS, but I’ve finally had something that is really worth updating about.

As a part of my education at Full Sail University, we have 3 different short film formats that our class will end up doing over the course of the program. Digital Cinematography class has a digital short format, obviously. Film Production’s format is on 16mm film, a film format common among television, music videos, and indie films. We’ve handled both of those formats, and they both have VERY different methods with which to shoot. The last format we work in is 35mm film, THE format of almost every theatrical film that is released. That is the format of our Final Project, the quintessential “thesis” for our degree program.

For Final Project, or “35″ as we refer to it, the instructors are relatively hands-off for. We are responsible for writing a script, hiring a crew, and formulating the plans on how to shoot the project, all before pitching the idea to the “Execs.” That all happens before we actually get into the class. I knew the process months ago, and as we were finishing up our 16mm project I began putting together my team for our Final Project. I have very high standards for any project I work on, and so I wanted to do something that was immensely challenging, capable of artistic production value, a story that is worth telling, but more than anything, fun to work on. I decided to write a script about Mikhail Kalashnikov, and the event that inspired his designing of the AK-47.

Well, the script got finished, the crew got hired(a full 27-man crew by-the-way), and we developed a number of plans and backups in order to be ready for the pitch. For the pitch, there were seven other scripts going in. Only two would get selected. For 35, that was actually really good odds. The pitch went great, as we were only supposed to be in there for 10 minutes–we were asked questions so long we were in for almost 45 and two of the “Execs” we pitched to were clearly interested in the project. Pitch was on a Wednesday, and we found out the following Sunday that it was selected as one of the two that would be made. I was THRILLED.

The script “Kalashnikov” is a 13-page human drama surrounded by war, a la “Enemy at the Gates.” I’d be insane to say it isn’t ambitious, since it involves a cast of 9 principal players, 6-10 extras, 4 different types of weaponry, 5 sets or locations, and a T-34 tank, which are all set in 1940s Russia. Perhaps I’m insane anyway? I don’t care, I love it. The story is so intriguing, and from everyone that has read the script, they have agreed. We had a cold read done by a few actors yesterday, and hearing it come to life with the Russian accent made it damn near surreal. I was very happy.

From this point we are finalizing locations, set design, preparing to cast(auditions on the 12th of December at Full Sail), and I’ll be developing the shot list and storyboards. I’ll update more as I go along with this. It’s not my first time directing talent, but it is my first short film production that I’ll be directing solo.

- Robert

So my slate in March has been pretty full. It’s only expanding over the next couple months. Let me explain:

Back in either January or February I became attached to an independent feature film entitled “Into the Forest” as an office production assistant. My initial responsibilities were to add friends to the film’s MySpace page. That was about it. Once actual production kicked up, I was spending twelve hours on set, busting my ass for this legit project that was being put on by Full Sail students and a few faculty members. Apparently my hard work was noticed because I was offered two different promotions. One was as a Production Secretary and the other was the 2nd 2nd Assistant Director. I chose Production Secretary because it will offer me the opportunity to learn about becoming a Producer later on in my career. This project is still ongoing, and will continue to force me into ~4 hour sleep sessions a day.

I’m currently taking Intro to Editing and Visual Effects, where I am editing the D.C. project that I wrote and directed last month, and finding numerous things that I will change for my next production. Mostly, it’s issues with continuity.

The other course I’m taking is Documentary Filmmaking, in which my group’s project is currently set to involve a road trip to New Jersey in order to document the teams PMS Clan and Funk That in their pro-gaming competitions. Whether or not the trip will take place is still under consideration, but either way, we are making a documentary short about those two pro-gaming teams. The Manager of both teams is actually a Full Sail student taking the Entertainment Business Online Degree Program. Small world, eh?

Wednesday I found out about another opportunity I had. Rick Ramsey, my D.C. Course Director and one of the key faculty in the Film Program, gave me a call to let me know I had been nominated to go to Dallas in the end of April-beginning of May to attend the 2009 Apple Educators Conference. Only ten Full Sail students would be going, and they had to interview and be approved by Dave Franko, Full Sail’s Film Program Director. I interviewed yesterday, told Dave and his assistant Bobbi that I was good with pretty much everything I had learned up until now, but I was better on camera than I was with Final Cut Pro. I got a call that afternoon saying, “Congratulations, you’ve been chosen!” So I’m going to Dallas in April.

Whew… that’s a lot. I haven’t even gotten into my private time where I am planning out how to produce a couple of shorts I have ideas for. I currently have three full stories, and about two that are 50% there. This year is going to be intense, and like I tell everyone, I love every minute of it.

- Robert

For Digital Cinematography we were required to come up with scripts for our 6-8 minute free form project. Well, given that I have a few ideas that can work, I type up one of them and submit it. It’s slightly short, because I left room to expand in a re-write(I submitted the 1st draft). Well yesterday we chose, and out of the three scripts, mine didn’t make it. It was fairly close, though. Eleven people in the group, one for Bean, four for Balance, and six for Differences. It’s the way things go.

I’m not upset, given that they chose Differences because it was a more difficult to execute script and that’s what they wanted. Now its just a matter of fine tuning the idea into something really good. In it’s current form it strays from a complete script since it gets jumbled and doesn’t connect with an audience. Student filmmakers would go see it just to see other talent, but it’s not where a mainstream audience could connect with it. That’s what I plan to fix. Will the rest of the group go for it, God I hope so.

So aside from writing, I’ll be directing a portion of the short. If I can make at least half of the changes I want to in the script, I feel confident that we can take it to the FilmSlam at the local independent theater, The Enzian, and maybe win. – Side note, I’m going to go see The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky and Mickey Rourke’s new film) tomorrow. It’ll be sick!

That’s all I’ve got as an update for now. I’m still fishing through ideas for Meaningless Sex. I thought I might want to take a more Noir style with it, but that just ended up heading down a path of stupid.

- Robert

In the process of writing my treatment, I thought it to be best to do a running production blog so that others can understand better how, in theory, the Hollywood Machine works. I say “in theory” because I’m not actually a part of the Hollywood machine, but I am a part of the Industry it serves.

Now that I’ve cleared that up, let me start to get into the nitty gritty: Why make a movie? From what we have been taught here at Full Sail, read told, it is to tell a story. From what many people think they know of Hollywood, it’s to make money. Here’s my reason: To create a living, breathing world of people and places, and share it with mankind. That may seem like I’m trying to be “deep” or “ethereal” or whatever, but it’s how I describe it best. Yes, a story is most definitely involved; Yes, it is possible to make money, lots of money, with films. But the key reason that I would make a movie is that.

Mēan•îng•lěss Sěx. I know it caught many eyes over the past couple days in my status. I know this because I was messaged my more people than you would think saying things like, “Can I be in it?” or “Making a porno right out of the gate, eh?” I don’t mind these questions or jokes at all. It’s partially why I posted what I did. This film isn’t even in a full draft of scripting, and it has what is known as “buzz” based on a title, with certain goofy markings that tell you the proper pronounciation.

Here’s the question I’m sure you’ve since been pondering: What is Mēan•îng•lěss Sěx? That is what I want you to think about. Not about the movie itself (I’ll get into that in a later post), about “Meaningless Sex.” How do you define it? Is it thrilling? Is it repulsive? Is it what our generation now defines a meet-and-greet? Those are the questions I am going to put into this Indie Short Comedy. I’m making it such that it would be viable commercially (If it were to be released in theaters), but I believe that its controversial subject matter, as well as the style in which I will tell this story, will look favorably on me submitting this to Festivals next year.

In the mean time, continue to ask yourself how you think of meaningless sex. If you find yourself with an answer, comment and let me know what you think. Since I am still writing, your thoughts could be that of one of the characters in my story. Any opinion is valid. There is no wrong answer.

Thanks for taking interest.

Robert Sloan
Writer/Director – Mēan•îng•lěss Sěx
Full Sail University

Roland Emmerich, the political director famous for Day After Tomorrow, and the recent flop 10,000 B.C. has his next film lined up and in the casting phase. The film, 2012, due out at the end of 2010 is based on the “End of the World” theory derived from the Mayan Calendar that ends with the year 2012.

Let’s be clear: I’m not a Roland Emmerich fan. His directing is average, and his vision that is conveyed in each film he does is everything we’ve seen before, in better films, originated by far greater directors. He doesn’t add any talent to his plate. Now to the proof this movie is going to suck:

Woody Harrelson to star in Roland Emmerich’s 2012

Dear Roland Emmerich, you cannot out-destroy our planet better than Michael Bay. We’d rather you burn the $200 million budget for 2012 in a pit on the beach and film Woody Harrelson and Danny Glover dancing around it. MTV confirms that Woody has signed to star in Emmerich’s Mayan Doomsday Bonanza, 2012, and, yes, he’ll play the token “told you so” paranoiac…

“I play a guy who’s been talking for a long time, the whole world thinks he’s crazy,” Harrelson said of his character. “But he’s been talking that there’s gonna be hell to pay for what’s been going on ecologically and everything.”

Harrelson added, “I don’t know why they thought of me.” Yep. He’ll join a cast that includes
John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet, Glover and (of course) Oliver Platt. Emmerich’s last two films, 10,000 BC and The Day After Tomorrow, were godawful and probably cost more than the Iraq War. He also made The Patriot, which has a growing ironic following due to the Pineapple Express tribute posters.

Michael Bay has a “competing” project in development called 2012: The War For the Souls. If anyone out there has a voice oft-mistaken for a cool demon’s, please leave the previous sentence on Emmerich’s voice mail every single day until his film is released on July 10, 2009.

That quote was from Slashfilm, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. The fact that John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet, and Oliver Platt are in it give a redeeming hope that at least the acting may not be complete garbage, but I don’t see this as anything other than crap. Crap covered in gold, but crap nonetheless.

- Robert

I’ll start off with a little description of what I am talking about. Tucker Max, a D-List celebrity, entirely of internet and his NY Times Bestseller fame, is in production of a movie based on “The Austin Road Trip Story” in his NY Times Bestseller I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell.

The casting has been complete and one of the biggest problems they had, aside from casting the character Slingblade, was finding the right person that could embody the narcissistic, womanizing, alcohol-driven arrogance of Tucker Max. This wasn’t another Van Wilder character, although that is what it sounds like and what many critics will probably compare it to, this was a fictionalized younger Tucker at his prime. According to the production blog, link below, they found him a few weeks back.

http://www.ihopetheyservebeerinhell.com

Recently Tucker released pictures of himself during the pre-production process, posting them all on a Flickr account and providing his fans with a link to them all. Although they have not released the names of the cast in the trades(official announcements through industry-specific news sources for those unfamiliar with the Hollywood lingo), but I have some news: I found him. I have found evidence of who is to be Tucker Max in the Indy $7 Million Film.

The guy you see from behind is Tucker. He’s discussing something in the production office with the Director, costume designer, and the other screenwriter/friend. The picture is cropped, but I have the link below.

If you look behind Tucker on the tack board you see a picture with the name “Tucker” on it. You can’t really make out the name that well, but I did some investigation and figured out who that is. I know who is playing Tucker Max in I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell. His name is Matt Czuchry, last name pronounced zoo-crie. He has most recently been on the show Gilmore Girls as well as Friday Night Lights. I remember seeing him in part of one episode of something(can’t remember what), and he came off as a jackass on that, so I trust that he can be a jerk on film too.

That’s all I’ve got for now. More when I find it.

IMDB link here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0194516/

Full size, un-cropped picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rudiusmedia/2615846665/sizes/l/in/set-72157605851243289/

UPDATE: Tucker posted the cast, and guess what? I was right!

- Robert

Guillermo promised us an official announcement this week – and now here it is. Late Thursday afternoon it was 100% confirmed – the soon-to-be legendary director Guillermo del Toro is officially attached to direct The Hobbit. Variety confirms the announcement today from executive producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line president Toby Emmerich, and MGM president Mary Parent. Guillermo will move to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and WETA in order to produce the new two Hobbit films back-to-back – which will be released in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

This is definitely a glorious day in the world of Middle Earth! Production is now moving forward and all contracts have been signed to finally start work on The Hobbit. Warner Brothers will be distributing the film in the US and MGM will be distributing it internationally. As was announced previously, the first film will be an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s entire book, and the second will be a newly imagined story focusing on the 60-year period between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

The Hobbit is set in a time “between the dawn of Faerie and the Dominion of Men,” and follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins to win his share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. His journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings and into darker, deeper territory, meeting various denizens of the Wilderland along the way. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature and utilizing both his wits and common sense during the quest, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom. – Synopsis courtesy of Wikipedia

Now that it’s been officially confirmed, it sounds like Guillermo won’t be doing At the Mountains of Madness for a very long time and won’t be doing Hellboy III at least until he finishes both Hobbit movies in 2011. I’d say this is a very promising future for del Toro and I can’t wait to see his interpretation of the beloved Tolkien universe. Now I’m even more excited for Hellboy II: The Golden Army this summer. What are your thoughts on Guillermo del Toro officially directing The Hobbit? Is he the next best replacement for Peter Jackson?

I’m excited about this. Old news to some, but exciting to any Guillermo or LOTR fans.

– Robert