They Go to Die…
February 7th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
I recently found out about this documentary by epidemiologist-turned-filmmaker Jonathan Smith. The film follows the lives of African mine workers who must live with HIV and Tuberculosis in the South African mining industry. The documentary is meant to shed light on a health crisis that has not received enough attention. Here is a message from the director:
I am impressed by the tenacity of the filmmakers and the way they have used social media to support the project. This film is a good example for all film students on how the latest technology can be used to support independent film production.
The latest information on this film is available on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/TheyGoToDieFilmand and on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/theygotodie
Note: I am not associated with this project in any way.
War Horse: Visual Storytelling
January 16th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Copyright Dreamworks
I recently saw Steven Spielberg’s War Horse at the Highland Park Village Theater (my new favorite place to watch movies). The movie, set against the backdrop of WWI, is about a horse named Joey who is separated from his owner and must travel across the battlefields of Western Europe to eventually make it home. The film is a tear-jerker about friendship, loyalty, and hope in the face of insurmountable challenges – all subjects that Spielberg treats in a masterful way.
Gran Torino: Why we care about the Grumpy Old Man
December 29th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Gran Torino is another movie that has been on my list for a long time. The film is about a crusty Korean War veteran who grudgingly befriends his Asian refugee neighbors and later protects them from a local street gang. It’s a character-driven movie that asks the audience to care about the characters and their relationships.
Getting the audience to care about on-screen characters is one of the biggest challenges of filmmaking, and it’s an area that young filmmakers often struggle with. By comparison, getting your low budget film to “look” like a Hollywood movie is relatively easy.
