Shark Sandwich

The other night I watched an old movie, as in 50+ years old. Even as a film fanatic, I don’t enjoy many older pictures. Also, I love the way guys from the Golden Age of film called them “pictures”. What I don’t like is the acting styles. That Edward G Robinson/Humphrey Bogart syncopation to the dialogue that comes off like it’s half theater-y and half semi-real acting. It’s too distracting in most cases for me to sink in and enjoy the story. CITIZEN KANE stands out because Orsen Welles gives a very real and modern acting performance, and that’s why Marlon Brando and his contemporary James Dean were considered so great – they were breaking the mold of that old style decades before it became the norm (and pop culture preference).

I make a few very rare exceptions, but mostly I like movies made AFTER 1964. The movie I watched easily makes it into the exception (and exceptional) category. TWELVE ANGY MEN blew my mind.



This is the 1957 movie version. It’s obviously based on a play, but the acting and direction are superb, but what stands out the most to me by a large margin is the screenplay. 95% of the movie takes place in 1 room and it never loses its grip on the audience. That’s all in the writing. Even though a few of the actors had that kind of period acting that I hate so much, the story and dialogue were too good to let that hinder the experience. Not one word spoken is wasted. Even the seemingly mundane turn out to have significance by the end of the movie.

For those of us want to consider a low budget, one location movie, the lesson learned for me was SCRIPT IS KING. If the screenplay isn’t 100%, it’s all for nothing. Every word has to play a part in achieving the affect and intent of the movie in some form or another, if it is demonstrative of character or painting the world. 12 ANGRY MEN doesn’t even tell you a single character’s name (except 2 at the very end), but you know a lot about them and they are all individualized.



As for direction, Sidney Lumet is still kickin’ it if you can believe it; I mean he is still directing as of 2009. Lumet’s direction can’t go unnoticed because he changed lenses slowly through the piece and the eye levels so that at the start of the piece we have some distance between the jurors and looking “in” on the scene, and later gets down to eye level and gets in the faces of the characters, plus it starts to compress space with the lenses and makes it feel claustrophobic in the end. At this time, even though they had color film everywhere, DRAMA’s were almost always done as Black & White as a choice. I wish it were still a viable option today, but that happens less and less.



Great movie. Definitely something relevant today, even in comparison to the varied court room dramas playing 7 nights a week on TV…


Anywho, have a good time one and all!
Peter John Ross

Brain-Hammer

I have some time to myself this week. The Sexy Fiancé Veronica ™ is on vacation with her family and I had some work to do. I’m going to be doing some writing this week. I plan on taking a few days off to go off somewhere and just WRITE. If you have been reading this blog for the past several years, you can clearly see a former writer/director that became more of just a director because I lost some faith in my own writing. After working with some other writers and also this year doing some more writing, I’ve regained some of that lost faith in my own ability to write. If I’m properly motivated, and I feel it in my heart, then I can write. So now I plan on writing my next project myself. Here comes draft 9…


So as I gear up for another season conventions and having a dealer table to sell items, I came up with another disc. I compiled all my educational videos onto a single disc and plan to sell it. I may even put this on AMAZON.COM, but eh, I may not. It all depends. Maybe if I make a few more videos like this, of which I had plans, but have been put on hold.

Now, there’s something educational. Let’s talk about editing on a feature film. Some people, a surprising number of people, don’t understand the most standard workflow of editing on a feature film. In several cases, if the audio was recorded separately from the picture (which is always the case with celluloid film), you need to synchronize (or short hand “synch”) the audio to picture. That’s where you match the sound of the clap to the “Clapper” which is the slate. After that, the initial edit of scenes, in most cases is just a basic cutting of the scenes in script order and they tend to be long. The name for this edit is THE ASSEMBLY, or assembly edit or assembly cut. This can often mistakenly be called a “rough cut”, but the rough cut is really the NEXT edit. The assembly of APOCALYPSE NOW and THIS IS SPINAL TAP are bootlegged as “rough cuts” and that propagates the misnomer.

The 2nd edit is the ROUGH CUT. Once you start to attack the movie from the assembly of scenes, and really start to dig in, you are doing something beyond the basic cutting of the film. The 3rd cut, often called THE FINE CUT is where all the notes from relevant personnel from the producers to directors, etc. are incorporated from the ROUGHT CUT and trimmed away, or put back in as may be the case. The FINE CUT is where radical re-arrangement of scenes, dropping scenes, etc. usually (but not always) occurs. This is usually where pick up shooting comes from, etc. You also wouldn’t’ want to screen anything but the FINE CUT to any kind of audience. The FINE CUT is what studios usually show to test audiences, and never any earlier versions. This is where temp music is placed and used to really start selling the movie.



After the FINE CUT comes the FINAL CUT, which means picture lock. That may or may not have the final FX shots, color correction or sound mix, but they often call it PICTURE LOCK because you aren’t really cutting any more or re-arranging the shot to shot edit.

So these are the four main stages of editing, especially on a feature film.

ASSEMBLY -> ROUGH CUT -> FINE CUT -> FINAL CUT

It terrifies me that people making movies don’t know this simple procedure on a feature film. I never went to film school, but even I know this. The procedure has been around now for nearly 100 years (since the mid-late 1920’s). It works. It works well.

One thing is for sure, I really am learning how much I know and don’t know about making movies every single day. All I know is that I don’t want to keep teaching people what I know. I want to work with people that I don’t have to explain this stuff to. I want to work with professionals, not amateurs. I’m done babysitting.

- Peter John Ross

Intravenus de Milo

I submitted my new DVD of short films in 39 combined film festival entries. Luckily most European fests have no entry fee and most of the smaller fests I have a relationship with, so I can get the submission fees waived. It pays to give things like royalty free music away and other handy things on my site. It helps pave the way for a return favor from things like film festivals. Countries I have submitted to this round include Poland, Spain, Portugal, Sengala, India, Japan, Canada, the UK, and even Nigeria.

To commemorate the completion of these shorts, I made a DVD cover and I really dug it lots. Again, taking inspiration from the Jazz albums of the past, this time specifically the orange and yellow against black of an old Thelonius Monk album, I dug this creation, which I wish I could take more credit for, but alas it wasn’t as much me.



Aside from that, I now stand at the almighty crossroads. Sadly, Jack Butler won’t be playing his amazing guitar with the devil at his side at my crossroads. I have to decide how to proceed with my options as a filmmaker. Artistically, there are a few options, but which one to take? I have another short, something that combines my sense of humor with more of the darker dramas that are in my soul, but it’s still another short with limited appeal, gross income, and marketability. I have my initial plan to proceed with the bigger investors and take the time to work out the bigger ticket features. And there’s the possibility to take some of the money already on the table and make a cheaper feature, but with no name stars and incredibly small odds at a financial success and career advancement.

I haven’t made up my mind yet, but when My Sexy Girlfriend Veronica™ heads to South Carolina for a week, I want to go into seclusion for a hefty writing session, locked in a hotel room alone with the laptop in a cabin with no internet. I just need to know WHAT I’ll be focusing on. So I have all of a few short weeks to determine how I’ll be spending the next 18 months (at least) of my life. Can anyone say “Horrors of War 2”? YIKES, that would be tragic.



Today was my first real recovery after the big annual work project. I enjoyed some special time with “V”, but mostly I rested and even watched the first Blu Ray I got with the PS3 (Spider-man 3, a lot better the 2nd viewing, albeit still flawed). I don’t get to watch movies like I used to, but I want to get back to that, at least somewhat. Right now I average one feature film every two weeks and that’s kinda bad.



That’s it folks!
Peter John Ross

THE SUN NEVER SWEATS

My hopes with RELATIONSHIP CARD was that it would go “viral”, meaning take off as people see it, like it, and pass it on. This may or may not happen at the levels of millions of views, but so far it has developed some legs of its own in very little time. The first day I publicly posted it on VIMEO.COM, it had 300+ views. The next day, it dropped to 170, the day after 160, and then I started to think it would sink into the 10’s and 20’s and eventually go single digits day after day like all my other videos. Suddenly, it went back to 170, and the next day 200+ and today is on track to go about 200 again. So far 1,300+ views on VIMEO, not including the other sites (Yahoo Video, FunnyorDie, etc.). Not bad for very little promotion.

Luckily the “referrers” are showing that 2 different Spanish sites are linking to it and racking up the most views for me. There are a few other sites that are more for “people”, meaning not friends, family, or most importantly Filmmakers. I find filmmakers in most cases are the worst audiences. They either want to dissect the production or they have such odd tastes that entertainment and losing themselves into a movie is the furthest thing from their minds. This was evident in the local Indie Club screening. Getting laughs was like a dentist pulling a tooth out with that vice. The Cleveland Indie Club screening was much looser and more enjoyable, plus I got Marie's Pizza again en route.



I am taking both RELATIONSHIP CARD and REFRACTORY to a few festivals this summer. I’m mastering a DVD this week and prepping the new “festival” packet to promote both works.

Will RELATIONSHIP CARD go big? I have no idea. Of course I want it to, but it takes support and I don’t have the endless amounts of time I used to have. Besides I want to prep the next project, which some people already know about, but it’s a secret so if you know about it and you shouldn’t, then you should tell me you know, but don’t tell anyone else what you know or if you even know it.

Peace out

Vapidly Insipid

So now the new short, RELATIONSHIP CARD is out there and racking up the views. I’m so proud of George and Amanda. For two people who had never met, they certainly had a great chemistry on camera. George thinks I should categorize this movie as science fiction. Not because of the graphics and animation but because he thinks no one will believe he could land a hot hot hot chick like Amanda and it comes off as unrealistic. Eh, people say the same thing about me and My Sexy Girlfriend Veronica ™ because no one understands why a hot chick like her is with a fat guy like me. Since I based the short partially on that reality and aspects of our relationship, it seemed oddly fitting to cast it this way.



Hopefully the video will find legs and other people will pass it along from to people they know. So far, the unbiased, I don’t know these people responses have been a great majority positive. It seems people who have been in a relationship “Get it”, and get it completely. That’s cool.

It took me months to do the graphics work. TJ designed the elements, but choosing the look, color, texture, etc. all were vexing me. It was a little too overwhelming to have limitless options. Most of my time was spent experimenting with looks, styles, and ideas. Once I established the basic “look”, it was only 2 weeks to animate and finish the rest. I may still revisit this piece in the next week and shorten it by about 10%. Vince Rocca, director of KISSES AND CAROMS actually took it upon himself to re0edit the movie and sent me a link. I liked some of what he did, but he cut more than I would have. Still, it was nice to have someone else edit the piece and have that give and take like you’re supposed to have with an editor. I wish I had more editors that I could approach to work on my stuff for free, but the best ones are too expensive these days.



Not much else going on. I feel like I’m knocking these “past due”, or “pending” projects down so I can keep on trucking. Work is busy this week (a nice change considering how dead it’s been of late). One of our annual big projects that dominate my life for about a week and a half has hit and “V” is NOT taking it well. 12-14 hour work days are unusual for me and my cat doth protest. Loudly and as soon as I walk in the door.

Last night My Sexy Girlfriend Veronica ™ went to see the new TERMINATOR movie. Dinner came out quicker than I realized and we had 30 minutes to kill in the empty theater. Out came my handy ZUNE ™ and we watched a DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART in the theater with one ear piece each. That passed the time with actual entertainment as opposed to re-reading the same 6 “trivia” slides. Is it really trivia to ask “What Oscar ™ nominated actor returns in this summer’s ANGELS AND DEMONS?” whilst showing a picture of Tom Hanks? That’s not trivia; it is trivial. Anywho, I’m getting some great usage out of the new toy my friend Moe sent me. I have also used it to walk a mile each day for the last 3 days during a break from the long work day. I am in piss poor shape and I need to address that even more.

Until next time,
Peter John Ross

Relationship Card™ ® ©

RELATIONSHIP CARD - 4 min
http://www.vimeo.com/4620796

a troubled couple tries to work out their emotional credit with the new Relationship Card ™ ® ©


starring George Caleodis and Amanda Howell

written by Joanne Fromes and Peter John Ross

directed by Peter John Ross

produced by John Fromes

cinematography by Scott Spears

assistant director - Rachel Hanna

key grip - Derek Rimelspach

art director - Leyna Haller

graphic design - TJ Cooley

special thanks to
Andrew Kramer & www.videocopilot.net

© Copyright 2009 Sonnyboo Productions

Relationship Card from Peter John Ross on Vimeo.

A Cantankerous Buffoon

I inserted the new pickup shots into the new short film I’m working on. It’s only been 3 months. WOW, I feel better though. They fit in very well for continuity, but far more importantly, they make the edit flow much much better. The performance fit like a glove and it’s amazing to have an actor acting against no one (me) in a pickup and in the edit, have it seamlessly feel like these two people were interacting on the spot. What I am most pleased with is my discipline to make sure it was right before giving up on it. Even 2-3 years ago, I would have accepted the error and just went with it instead of working to correct it and make it as good as it can be. I’m glad I have raised my standards on myself.

Friday I worked until nearly midnight on the graphics. I started to find that groove place. I made major headway and got about a 3rd of the shots done. It feel better to have some FX that need tweaking in place even though I might have to re-do them or replace the shots later. The piece begins to come together more cohesively.

At the end of the night, I put the movie to Quicktime ® in 1920x1080 24P so I can view it at home on Ye Olde 42” LCD TV. Now, talk about an eye opener. The amount of detail you see blown up at full resolution jolted my eyes a bit. Things I thought too small to be concerned with blared up and smacked me. I need to type 24 pages of what should have been a tiny word scroll on screen. I have to paint out 3 millimeter long logos that I never saw before. High Definition means more detail and that translates to a lot more work and effort. There’s no skimping in HD.



ZUNE – My buddy Maurice sent me an unsolicited gift, a 300 gig ZUNE from Microsoft ™. This is one of those cool gifts because it’s something you might not ever go get yourself, but it’s a really damn cool toy. It can play videos, music, and you can store pics on it too. My sole complaint (not to my friend, but in the design) is that it’s really odd about getting the accurate video settings, so most of my videos will have to go through 2-3 steps to get them on the damn thing. Now that I’ve got the best settings, I’m putting about 100 hours worth of video of various things on it tonight and tomorrow.

I think the purpose of the portable media device Zune was a not so subtle attempt to get me to exercise more. Shows that I might otherwise sit on my ass to watch, I can watch while walking, you know at the park so I can ignore nature. I have a weekend long delay on starting any real exercise because of the technical glitches of getting stuff on the damn thing…



I watched the Blu-Ray of the DAVINCI CODE, an extended cut of the film. I read the book, loved it, and was lukewarm about the movie the one time I saw it in the theater and never wanted to see it again. Since the sequel (prequel book, sequel movie) ANGELS AND DEMONS is about to come out, plus I have 3 years of distance from the book, I gave it another whirl. I liked it a LOT better this time. I couldn’t remember anything added to this movie, but there’s 26 minutes of new material in it. I guess it stays remarkably loyal to the source material and this viewing was so much more enjoyable (mostly because of my LACK of expectation).



We went and saw the new STAR TREK in IMAX. I liked this a lot too. I’m not a Trekkie or Trekker, however I can see some serious continuity errors on many levels, but you know what? I DON’T CARE. If all you care about is how it wasn’t possible to identify a Romulan by site in 2231*, then you don’t enjoy movies they way a normal person does. This movie was for normal people, not Trekkies. It moved at about a million miles an hour, but the first sequence was incredibly well done and emotional to boot. It still did not dethrone WRATH OF KHAN as the greatest thing TREK has ever put out there, but if the only 2 movies of STAR TREK anyone sees is this new one followed up by WRATH OF KHAN, the franchise might warrant more respect.


Enjoy the days,
Peter John Ross


• I have no idea Trek timelines, so if this inaccuracy is notated by you, then you are a TREKKER…