Sichlau Film

SCARLET-X

2011-11-05T02:29:00.001-07:00

Chicago blizzard

2011-02-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

Red Hat

2011-01-24T13:27:00.001-08:00

Module idea

2011-01-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

Paint it Red

2011-01-08T16:51:00.000-08:00

Kongekabale/King's Game

2011-01-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

Red Epic/Scarlet

2010-12-22T04:47:00.000-08:00

Seinfeld dvd's...

2010-12-12T07:04:00.000-08:00

Last week while I was waiting for my Blu-ray player to load the next Seinfeld dvd, I was holding the last one in my hand - the way I'm pretty sure the disc was invented to be held, at least for people with little fingers like mine. I then looked at the image for the discs, which all have the same theme, and I found it somewhat peculiar that your finger will look like a penis when you put it on your finger. The smart Seinfeld-fan will notice that the disc 2 which always include a motive of Elaine is no where to be found in these 8 pictures, guess why...

Spoof

2010-10-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

The Social Network - You don't execute 6 million Jews without making a few enemies...

BATMAN 3

2010-07-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

So, Inception has been wrapped for a long time now. And it is time for Chris Nolan to choose his next project. What most of the fans hope to be the next and final chapter of the Batman Trilogy. And what a trilogy that will be. What I would like to see with three Batman-films is the overall structure, like it was one big film. We have the beginning in Batman Begins, the point of no return, act 2 with The Dark Knight, and the third The Gotham Knight, The Dark Knight Returns or whatever the title will be as the big climax. But not just a climax since the Batman-franchise shouldn't be closed like finishing a book. It should have an open ending - perhaps passing on the torch to someone else.

What seems to be the big issue, is which villian will be choosen for the third film. The whole series has been down-to-earth and somehow quite realistic, not to forget rough. Ra's al Ghul, the Scarecrow, the Joker and Two-face are out of the picture and what seems to be the only realistic villain left, is the Riddler. Hugo Strange and Catwoman who seemed to be teamed up in the comic "Prey." No matter how much I adore Michelle Pheiffer in Batman Returns, I never fully thought of her as really evil. What I found to be very pleasing about the Riddler - besides him being realistic - is the fact that he asks questions. And this is a very good thing in a movie that could end it all. Harvey Dent got Bruce Wayne to think about it in Dark Knight, but the way he turned out that didn't really do any help.

Another thing to take in concideration is the fact that both the two previous movies had two villains. If this should continue, which one should the other one be? My take on it is a character that 99% of people is affraid of, and he's not a villain. The answer is Robin. But not the gay Robin. And what is it that really makes Robin seem gay or at least not that appealing to the mainstream audience? I think it is the fact that he is rather old, numero dos in the hieraki and isn't that dark. What might turn down these issues, if Robin would be younger. A kid. A very young kid. Say... close to the age of Hit-girl from Kick-ass... Hit-girl was the single most coolest thing about that movie, and a copy would seem kinda non-nolan. However questioning the existence of Batman, could leed to the creation of Robin, and of course we pick-em young. So passing on the torch to Robin could seem like the end of Batman, and the end of the trilogy. What I had in mind would be something like the Batman in the animated tv-series Batman Beyond, which had the old Bruce Wayne to look after, teach and mentor the new Batman - aka. Robin.

The End

2009-07-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Take it from me, the most important thing in a movie is not the characters. It's not the actors, the director or eastern european Director of Photography. It's the end. The ending is what makes the movie. The ending is what gives you a good or a bad impression of the movie, when you walk out of the dark. The ending can save the whole movie. Because this is where we can set the well composed story apart from the not so well-composed Blockbuster/Chick-flick.

The ending gives you the last emotionel impact before you leave the cinema with either a good or bad taste in your mouth. And when it comes to endings it is generally known that this could either be a 'up' or 'down' ending. Meaning a happy or sad ending. But that's is not anywhere near how it SHOULD be. Because there are two REAL opportunities to choose between when it comes to movie endings.
There is the happy endning with a sad twist, the down'er twist. Something that takes away the glorifying crappyness. It tells us that even though the story ended happily, not everything is good. This could work as a payoff of a earlier set-up. It shouldn't make the overall ending sad. Far from it, but only imply that you should be that happy. Shit still happens. In certain movies (mainly horror movies) this could verywell work as the setup for the sequal. Cause as you might know the best ending leads up to a sequal. And the best sequal - doesn't exist.

On the other site is the sad ending with a twist. The twist is the little hope there might be. And that we as a audience should be given. Afterall there's only one group of people who likes to watch sad movies, and that is people who feel sad, perhaps people who feel depressed.
Both of these ending could have been inspiret by the danish 'Jante'-law - which really isn't a law but more like an unspoken rule. Don't think that you are more than us! Don't think we like happy endings. Don't think we like sad endings. Cause we are neither pink little girls or emos, we like it somewhere in between!

Independent Filmmaking

2009-03-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Can you see the difference between these two actors? That is a question you should ask yourself, when you set out to make a independent movie. Cause when you do so, it is very likely that your audience isn't your respective country. But actually my question was a trick-question, because both pictures portray the asian actress Li Gong. However, a film she starred in, supposely a good one, called 2046 is a film about the future. That much I got. And the reason: All the female actress looked too much alike to me. Since we won't understand what they're saying, their accent, or perhaps funny way of speaking. The only thing we know them by is how they look. So for God's sake, let the look of your characters be a fucking lightyear apart. So that we know who's who. You do this especially with their clothing, but twin/clone characters are definately a no-go. Make your characters stand out from the crowd and the extras, if you can afford that anyway.

Grisen, the pig and the Oscars

2009-02-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

This is the reason why I personally think (and hope -- mixed well together into an area I can't seperate) the danish shortfilm "Grisen" meaning "The Pig" will win the Academy Award for best short film. Here's why. The name is "Farshad Kholghi" -- the guy has been acting in two of the recent wins in the same cathegory (in "This charming Man" 2003 and "Election Night" in 1997). This is the third Oscar-nominated shortfilm he's starring in, and with a little luck it will be the third one winning. Another reason is the score at Imdb. 8,7 from 48 views vs. 8,2 as the highest score to be the nearest competitor. Furthermore Denmark has a weird yet solide tradition of winning with films that holds a theme of "Integration." Our last four wins: "This Charming Man," "Election Night," "Pelle the Conqueror" and "Babettes Feast" was all about integration. Integration, integration, integration... Good luck Denmark.

Today is the first day in the rest of my life...

2009-01-27T12:15:00.001-08:00

"Today is the first day in the rest of my life" was one of the few things I learned at the European Film College, and perhaps the most hornest, yet meaningless sentence I can imagine. I think it could mean, something great is about to happen. That's why I've choosed to use this today. But why today you might ask? Because today was the day I recieved my refusal from the Film School. That doesn't really make me sad or angry, actually I was counting on it. All it means is, now I know what I won't be doing for the next two years. Now I can follow my plan, and now... I will have to constantly answer the question: "What are you gonna' do now?" Cause I have a plan, and telling everybody about it - constantly - makes me a bit irritated. Maybe because I feel like they are doubting my discernment.

Anyway I will now officially make this day the first day in the rest of my life. And to be more precise, I'll make this the first day in the rest of my new life. And ultimately that doesn't say a lot more. Only that my life from now on, is regarded new in certain perspectives. And what are these perspectives is the real question. And that is, my own educational sparetime. Me proofing myself to me and to everybody. It is a statement meaning, proofing and trying to use this rejection as a catalyst to make creativity and make films. And that is what of today I am going to do, with succes I should add. Starting...... NOW!

Actors Climax Problem

2008-12-21T04:46:00.000-08:00

When it comes to actors and actresses I seem to find certain problem concerning their popularity. This can be devided in two cathegories: 1) Awards and 2) Nudity

1) You see a lot of actors (and actresses red.) doing important, big, dramatic roles. Roles that get lots of award nominations. What they secretly aim for is the Academy Award - the most presticeous award in the world - maybe not, but every award in the world is compared to this, so why not? The actors want this award, and not only the nomination (duh!) and therefore they keep seeking for these kinds of roles. Especially it's good to play handicapped (either mental or physically) or play a historic person (more or less to look and act like this person). When their goal is reached they don't have this pressure any longer and they go out and waste their talent on moneygiving roles - usually these roles include comedy on some level. They have reached the climax on the scale of their talent and career. Afterwards it's downhill. Of course there are exceptions.

2) The second climax problem is only concerning women. Actresses in their 20's are usually pretty, sexy and exposed on several magazines as sexobjects. At this point finding/getting offered job oppotunities is not an issue. Secretly every man wants to see this woman naked (mostly topless) in a movie. So more and more often she'll be getting offers to star in the movie topless. If she don't she's not a sexobject! With time the actress will bow under for the pressure and take the huge amount of money offered for nudity. Nudity that's exposed by papperazzi-photographers at some point in some vacation anyway. The film get lots of publicity and from there it's all downhill. Tits are tits, we've seen it before, old news etc. etc. And once we've seen it, it's not as sexy as if we hadn't seen it in the first place. And now as nature wants it, aging women, whos not as sexy or talentet as the next 20-year old, won't get the next role anyway. Simply said old men are more fun then old women, and therefore there's a lack of roles for these actresses. That's how it works.

The morale of this blog is, that acrtesses shouldn't expose themeselves, believe me, freeze-frame-almost-nudity (use of imagination) is more hot then loosing it all. And not winning the Oscar for too long time, gives the actors a will to do it better each time. So winning the Life achivement Award is far better.

On the... 24th day of Christmas

2008-11-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

So now it will soon come to the holiday I hate more and more each year - Christmas. In 40 years I'll be a grumpy old man (61 to be excact) and hate more than the Grinch, Jack Skellington and Uncle Scrooge all together. SO, while I still have a little Christmas spirit left, I will try and make a list of 24 christmas films one should see. (For the american reader(s), in Denmark Christmas Eve is the 24th and the day where everything happens, so we don't have no 25 days of Christmas)... But with no further redo, I'll give you "the List":

1) The Nightmare Before Christmas

2) The Grinch

3) Mickey's Christmas Carol

4) National Lampoons: Christmas Vacation

5) Die Hard

6) It's a Wonderful Life

7) Home Alone

8) Home Alone 2

9) The Muppet Christmas Carol

10) The polar Express

11) Jingle All the Way

12) A Christmas Story

13) Miracle on 34th Street

14) The Santa Clause

15) Scrooged

16) Mr. St. Nick

17) Elf

18) Four Christmases

19) All I want for Christmas

20) Christmas with the Cranks

21) Hooves of Fire

22) Bad Santa

23) Eight Crazy Nights

24) Love Actually

Well that's the list, some are better then others, but it will keep the month busy. And let's not forget what Christmas is all about... it's Jesus' birthday and what movie handles that in a more amusing way than "Full Metal Jacket"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwwN05Kb3E0

How to create something unforgettable

2008-11-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

Making a film unforgettable is the way to succes. 'Cause there is this saying 'rather bad publicity than no publicity' and that is true in some ways when it comes to films. As long as something is talked about - when the buzz is created - people will go see your film. It can also be the other way around but that means there was high expectations for your film, this meaning it's either a prequel or you are already 'famous.' But creating something people will remember is not deficult. What you have to do is think straight, and then make a 180-degree turn and create the opposite. Make something original is difficult, and yet not the hardest thing to do, cause you can always go in a direction that is weird, or simply something you normaly wouldn't do.

An example of that could be making a whole film shot upside down. I'm guessing it wouldn't be a succes, but people would speak about it, and if you choose something that would give more sense and would have a point and support the story or theme, it wouldn't be a downside. It would be a radical creative choise. Always when you make this redical choise justified with good reason, no one can't doubt your intentions, and only respect you for that, as long as you stick to it and don't change your mind. This respect is somethin usable indeed for the next time you make a movie. And the next people who are looking for something that you represent will go look for you.

Another - and easy, but yet borring - way to create something unforgettable is simply to repete your self over and over again. This will make you audience think: "Oooohh! Isn't that the movie where they cut to a cow all the time!" To make you work out this theory on your own, you should think about what it, the filmmaker are spoofing from an original movie? For example the nose-dripping scene in 'Blairwitch project" was an easy target. Because you would never should someone dripping down into the camere, until then. Maybe they've been moving the edges, or maybe you will just be thinking of this film everytime you see something like this.

The Secret

2008-11-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Making a film appeal to everyone is not possible. That's a fact. Whether you just hate it because everybody else love it, or because it's a bad film, not everyone can love it. A common disagreement is between the audience and the critics. Usually they never like the same films, but once in a while both 'camps' likes the same film. These films are usually the most popular films and often called classics after some time. But both the audience and the critics can be hard to please. But as stated before, yet possible. That's why I've come up with my own terminology: "The Secret!" The secret is a tool to create a deep and entertaining film at the same time. You make you film the way you want to - directed towards the audience. The audience is in my terminology the stupid one of the two candidates. Mostly because the broad audience don't know much about making films nor about durable arguments. But they still have a taste that counts equally as much, as the critic, because the audience is the part that pays the next film, and the part inwhich the film is headed for. The critic on the other hand, is usually a sucker for the deep, meaningful, artistic and experimenting films. Films that are well-written and overall well-made. The critics seek something more, like a philosopher seeking the meaning of life.

What you give the critic, is the meaning, the hidden - The Secret. They need the jigsaw-puzzle to work with during the film. The suduko-brain-candy. The ordinary Eye-candy is not enough anymore. And that is why the film creater has to make the special touch. And that's why I have created the Secret. The Secret is something hidden, that could be told in perhaps a few sentences, but is hidden and meant for the audience to figure out for themselves. If they don't, no harm is done, and the film will still work perfectly. But if you solve the secret, come to learn about it, and know it. You will belong to the exclusive club of knowing the secret. And that is always enjoyable to feel special. The secret is not to "be told" instantly, but over time - perhaps during the whole movie. That is for the individual filmmaker to decide. The critic now have the entertainment they are looking for on top of the regular movie. And now it has gotten deapths. In a way it's like giving kids, entertainment while the adults are having fun. But in a reversed way.

Misc.

2008-10-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I last wrote on the blog. Nothing new has been happening to me except for the fact that nothing has happened to me in the two months that's gone bye. As I often do, when I feel alone and trapped, I start to feel pity for myself, nearly because no one else can or will. Writing this sounds like a wild demand, but take a minute thinking about it, makes it a fair demand in a society where one's supposed have people who are dear to your heart, people to talk to and comfort you when you most need it. I guess it could be some kind of depression. When I find myself in these situations, I start to think my life through, analyze it and believe me, that won't make it any easier. Things are starting to go in the wrong direction, it's going down hill and 6 months without a job is starting to be a reasonably way to determin how bad things are going.

I have come to the point where there must be something wrong with me, either because I'm no fun, a hideous creature with a vision seeing as clear as a cat in the darkness. If that's not the case, the thing being wrong is my suspecious mind, a mindfield of conspiracy theories. Everybody seems to be heading in the right direction, except for me. Which only makes me think what I have done to deserve this? Why am I seeing people getting opportunities all the time and me, seeking them doesn't pay off. The big test is upon me, and if that doesn't go well I'm concidering drastic changes in my lifestyle. Not being as responsible as I've ever been. What the heck no one has never even believed me. People don't trust my word, me being extremely careful about saying stuff that ain't true, and then I see other people whose word is less worth then the valuta in central Africa. I wonder why things can't follow the natural law of nature? Why oh why most I be a prisoner in this senseless, ironic Alcatraz?
Knowing that person who's supposed to catch you is actually standing in the bar, picking up chicks makes me think about justice, and what that is. Taking risky chances pays off in a modern society. Being second in line has always made me be the guy to take the trash, the echo of damages that never hurt the guy starting it all.

It's the evil circle that I'm stuck in. It feels like Hell. When you feel sorry for your self, you do it because nobody else want's to. And selfpity will definately not want other people to start feeling pity for you, unless certain dramastic things breaks the circle. And I guees everybody knows what that is, the thing most likely to happen on Mondays... I feel like I've hit myself and seek comford by hugging somebody that care about me. But I'm standing alone on the path of darkness. This ultimatum will eventually do one of two things for you, make you stronger or break you. What will this do to me, you might ask? I don't know, fact is the outcome is never good. So what does this all have to do with films? Nothing! But do I even care? Are anybody reading this anyway or is it just my online diary, only ensuring me about my theories? Fact is I'm starting to not care anymore. Not for anybody. And that is one step in the right direction of being a filmmaker.

Sweet Smell of Success

2008-08-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today I had a hectic day. Even though I practically only did one of the things on my to do list as a prop master, it was the most exciting thing I did. I had to go to L'Oreal to borrow a lot of perfume bottles for the film I'm working on. I got a case filled with about 50 bottles of very-expensive-I-would-never-afford perfume. Due to my situation with the lack of a paied job, I've got something like 10 euros on my account... not very plesent. And then taking a look at these 100 dollar perfumes times 50... that is something like 5000 dollars standing there on my shelf laughing at me. I'm going to a birthday tomorrow evening, and what to wear? Which smell to make my own? Which smell would be able to seduce a lovely lady? Should it be a mans perfume or should I try to make women think I smell of another woman? Oh all these choises to be made. This has for once made my room smell like a thousand angels spreading magical ferry-powder all over my room.
But it was very exciting because the nice lady Rie Munk gave me some kind of a little lecture on the perfume business and how making the sences works. For example the womens perfume often have a scent of Vanilla because Vanilla is a smell that most people connects with security and home, and it is often one of the first smells you can remember. The smell being so much connected to the security on some level, means that men (and probably also vice versa) feels secure with the smell and therefore with the woman. So that is one way for a woman to seduce a man... the other one, buy him a beer and suck his skull... but not at the same time.

I must say I did not now much about perfumes and how to use it before this day. Another thing I learned was where to spray the perfume, which isn't as simple as I thought - simply because I didn't know better. Apparantly you are supposed to put on the perfume right after you've taken a shower. The areas to put it are areas inwhich your pulse is high or easy to find. That would be behind your ear and on your wrist which is pretty well-known. But it could also be sprayed on places like on the inside of your albow and knees. Very fascinating. Well this wasn't so much about films, but hey, I'm the boss here anyway, sooo... over and out.

Master of the universe.... oh I mean props.

2008-08-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

So last weekend I got a call from a guy named Glenn, he wanted me to be in his film... YES finally someone has discorvered my big acting talent... but he only wanted me on the crew. Anyway I had been recommended by the director of my other film, so I guess my name is beginning to grow or maybe there's just a growing rumour that, "Hey this guy want to do crappy jobs for free, how stupid is he?!". But if that's the case I will take my revenge by taking over the world muha ha haaa. No I really think this is a miniature boost for my career, I guess what doesn't hurt you simply make you stronger. Although I hope what hurt you also make you stronger cause' I was offered the job as the prop master... hence the title. And one weeks notice to get these props for this shortfilm is giving me more stress than... than.... well I can't really make up something funny, but it's very stressfull. You start to appriciate nice people and what they are willing to do for you. You love these people more then Narcissus could ever love himself (or that mirror in his hand). Well I need to call this over and out, I'm simply too tired.

Film School part 1

2008-08-07T01:36:00.000-07:00

Before starting for real with this Film School, I would like to pass on some small advises on what to read and what to watch. First of all there's a website http://www.mwp.com/ (Michael Wiese Productions) they have an enomous amount of great exciting books about films. Underneath I have listed some of them which I've been told is the best ones, but I guess that differs from person to person. Anyway I have copy-pasted a little about the books from the website mentioned above.

The Writers Journey
by Christopher Vogler

See why this book has become an international best seller and a true classic. The Writer’s Journey explores the powerful relationship between mythology and storytelling in a clear, concise style that’s made it required reading for movie executives, screenwriters, playwrights, scholars, and fans of pop culture all over the world. Both fiction and nonfiction writers will discover a set of useful myth-inspired storytelling paradigms (i.e., “The Hero’s Journey”) and step-by-step guidelines to plot and character development. Based on the work of Joseph Campbell, The Writer’s Journey is a must for all writers interested in further developing their craft.
The updated and revised third edition provides new insights and observations from Vogler’s ongoing work on mythology’s influence on stories, movies, and man himself.

Save the Cat
by Blake Snyder

He’s made millions of dollars selling screenplays. Now “one of Hollywood’s most successful spec screenwriters” tells all in this fast, funny and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many iron-clad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying and saleable, including:
The four elements of every winning logline , The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics, The 10 genres that every movie ever made can be categorized by and why they’re important to your script, Why your hero must serve your Idea
Mastering the beats, Creating the “perfect beast” by using… ‘The Board’ And how to get back on track with proven rules for script repair This ultimate insider’s guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a showbiz veteran who’s proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.

Directing Actors

by Judith Weston

The most crucial relationship on a movie set is between the director responsible for the telling of a story and the actors entrusted with bringing that story’s characters to life. Good communication between actor and director can mean the difference between a great film and a missed opportunity. Directing Actors is a method for establishing creative, collaborative relationships between actors and directors that takes the reader on a journey through the complexities of the creative process itself. Using simple, practical tools that both directors and actors can use immediately, Judith Weston shows you how to get the most out of rehearsals, troubleshoot poor performances and give directions that are clear, succinct and easy to follow.

Shot by shot
by Steven D. Katz

An instant classic since its debut in 1991, Film Directing: Shot By Shot and its famous blue cover is one of the most well-known books on directing in the business, and is a favorite of professional directors as an on-set quick reference guide. This international best-seller is packed with visual techniques for filmmakers and screenwriters to expand their stylistic knowledge. Contains in-depth information on shot composition, staging sequences, pre-visualization, depth of frame, camera techniques, and much more. Contains over 750 storyboards and illustrations, including never before published storyboards from Steven Spielberg’s Empire Of The Sun, Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.

That was some of the books, there is of course many others, but in general it depends on what you want to learn about. Other recomendable books I can think of is "Rebel without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez which is a diary written by him on how he made it possible to do "El Mariachi" on somewhat how, the lowest budget a Hollywood film can ever have. Another one which I mostly like because it well told is "Making Movies" by Sidney Lumet, it's a good book to start with but it might not give you so much useable knowledge. It still is a good book about Sidney, and it most definitely opened my eyes for this great director.

When it comes to how to handle the camera there's a dvd-series, rather expensive unfortunately but you might know how to get them otherwise. It's called the Hollywood Camera Work and therefore is located at http://www.hollywoodcamerawork.us/ and it will tell you everything you need to know on everything from STATIONARY BLOCKING, THE MOVING CAMERA to STAGING HIGH-END SCENES. It is some heavy stuff, but you don't want og need to see them all in a row, that will just kill you. But the dvd's are also good for watching when you stand with a problem and don't know how to do it properly.

When you make movies and learn about movies, it is also very important that you learn by making films, that is of course how the first filmmakers learned to do it and invented the rules that we now like to break. And in the same way you can learn these rules yourself "Learning-by-doing." But another really important thing to do is to watch films. My directing teacher Mikael told me (and the rest of the class) that when you find a movie you really like, it is more important to watch this many, many times in order to realize why you like it, what it is you like about it, and why it works. He also said it's not need to watch as many films as possible. I on the other hand disagree on the last part. Of course he's right in the first thing he said, but watching a lot of films doesn't heard. It kind of gives you an overview. You might start to see the connections and the pattern, so that you, yourself can see why elements work or doesn't. Tarantino have done this, working in a videostore along side Rodriguez and that has only done him good. It will help you making the script work, and it will hopefully give you a lot of good memories of great film-experiences. I usually say to my self that I need to watch at least one film per day, that helps me writing, supricingly enough.

Watching films is easy said, cause it is the selection that really makes the big difference. I have two-three lists that I use to choose which films to buy and watch. These lists are:

"AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies" list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years..._100_Movies_%2810th_Anniversary_Edition%29

The thing about this list is that is only contains american films, nontheless I would risk my soul by claiming the best films ever made are made in America.

"Top 250 movies" list:

http://www.imdb.com/chart/top

Imdb's top 250 changes all the time, but the good films will eventually end up on this list. Wether you agree on the order of the films or not, they're worth watching for at least a few reasons.

"Academy Awards Best Picture" list:

http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Academy_Awards_USA/

These film, maybe not the first ten years or so, but the winning pictures and the nominated (for best picture) are films that has some kind of quality to them.

That is all for now, little guidelines that might help you. Over and out!

Love it or hate it?

2008-08-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

I must admit that i have a lot of thoughts going on in my head concerning film theories. Some of them I find brilliant, others are... yeah others are just pretty logic, to me at least. That is why i love to write about films and that is why I've got this blog.
Today I paied my daily visit to a scandinavian website about films (discussion and uploading) www.Dvoted.net. And on the front page i found a banner-link to a minor article called "Get feedback on your script." And there at the end of the page I found this good quote under the title "Advice from one dvoted member to another." My first thought was that I had seen that somewhere before, I totally agreed on it. Had I read it somewhere and made it into my own original opinion? I clicked on the link only to discover that, this stranger was actually me:

Write it with NO or as little dialogue or monologue as possible. When you do it
like that you will begin to make sure the film makes more sense, cause what we
don't see, we don't know. Hope it helps you a little at least.

A quote I must admit laughing a little at reading it today... since my newest script is filled, no more like stuffed with dialogue. Morality is good, but double morality is better. But hey okay I at least know it's a dangerous area. And another thing is that my film is packed with backround story for the characters, and it is concidered better to put in this background in the dialogue, then in the pictures. I guess that when it comes to filmmaking, the more tricky way to tell the story and describe the characters, the better it is as a film language. For example don't put in a sign saying "Paris 1789," no no, that would be to easy and to borring, show it through the costumes, the sets etc. I agree on this actually because it gives you more screentime to tell the story, but it stupid that it has become kinda' like a tabu.

Thinking about movies like this and trying to pull the strings between the pictures to be able to fin the similarities, you also starts to see things you wouldn't wanna' see. It is like the Matrix. Imagine having that green vision all the time. you would go bananas... A while ago I was thinking... or acutually more wondering.... okay okay I admit it, I was desperat trying to stand out by the choice of theme. What should my next film e about, I wouldn't want to make something like others. That meant I had to figure out what the 'others' where making. And here is what I found out and in general it is true, though there might be a good reason for that (I just don't know it). What is it then? Love and crime... that... that sound simple and stupid, but never the less it's true. So here's comes the tricky part, because one might think "okay now that you know that, it is just figuring out a theme that isn't that thing" but that is bloody difficult... and I really like crime on films... can the world really be so simple: Love it or hate it?

Film School part 0

2008-08-02T04:38:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I graduated from the European Film College, located in Ebeltoft in Denmark. Even thought it's not a real film school it ment a lot for me to get in, since I don't know if I'll ever get into a real film school, partly because I don't know if I want to take that direction instead of working my way up, the learning-by-doing model. While I was over there (it's located east of Copenhagen where I normally live) for the 8 month course, a lot of things occured to me, I had some minor depressions which got me to think if it was worth all the money 10.000 euros? Here almost 3 month later I surelly don't know if it was worth the money, probably not. But I still don't regrett doing it. I learned a lot of things, ways to do things, knowledge the tuff way. You know the anger you get from people stepping all over you, the feeling of you wanting to revenge their actions, make them feel like jerks when you've become the greatest in the world. The world famous feeling that all the big shots in the world had when they were young, the number one reason for what they have become. I had that feeling a lot of times over there but at the same time, I knew over there I couldn't do anything about it, Ebeltoft is such a small city with nothing to do. I wouldn't waste my chance at a film school, perhaps for the only time in my life, so I couldn't make myself quit, partly also because of all the nice people I met.

These things made me wonder, that if only I had known the little important things before applying to the school I could have spared 15.000 euros, more than enough to make 5 shortfilms with huge budgets. If only I knew these small things, cause these small things was definitely not worth the price of the stay. I would love to save people these kind of money, especially because due to the high taxes in Denmark, all educations should be free. So I came up with the thought of passing on these secrets of informations that hopefully might be good for filmmaker to know about.

Silence before storm

2008-08-02T03:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a nice phonecall from my friend Anders, who'd been talking to his father Anders Hove (yeah they've got the same name which goes somehing like 10 generations back) about giving me feedback on my script, making me endless happy. It means that at the moment I'm all settled, waiting for my feedback from two guys who's hopefully got a bunch of good constructive things to say about my script, things that will improve it. It pays off to know the sons of important people, let me just hope it will be useful.

So right now I do the only right thing to do when you've been working on a script for a long time. Leave it and let it be untouched for a while to get it out of your system. When you're about to finnish it, it's like nothing works in the script, you might as well start all over and leave the few parts you like. But after this amount of time, you begin to see it more clear, and if possible more objective. But after I've gotten the feedback I will be working like a chinese child working 20 hours a day not having anything making sence anymore.

Problems I often seem to run into is the characters development, that is a very difficult area. Each and every line will eventually change the character slightly. Everything the characters does forms him and you need to get it into a certain perspective in order to see if it's the right or wrong direction you're taking him. To make the character excactly the way you want to is a very complex job. And in the end, the director, actor or both might not even see the person this way, or add other things that is gonna' change him.
A way to see it is like this: A person can do or say something good or evil, let's say the absolut best thing he can do is a 1. The worst and most evil, a 10. You can't go 5 all the way, it's borring and impossible. So in a scene a person goes like 3 - 4 - 2 - 3 - 6 - 3 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 5 or something like that, with an avarage of 3,8 which makes the person somehow pretty good in his actions. This looks pretty clear, but it's not because first of all you can't see those numbers, and every person might have it's own interpretation of which number is the given one. But anyway little changes might have a huge impact and can be very tricky and evolve into a lot of work for the scriptwriter.

Does chicks like moviebuffs?

2008-08-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine. While we were in Copenhagen set off for some serious partytime, we were walking down the main street in Cph. We discussed all sorts of things and came to the question what to talk about when you first catch the fishs attention? He said I was lucky, or at least in a better position since it was much more exciting to talk about making films than what he did. So what is it he does? A student at the Danish Tecnical University (DTU) and where some people might find that a dull no-go topic... I have to agree with them. However I also find my own position very difficult to handle, since I'm not really working in the business. I can talk a lot about dreams and future plans and so, but currently I'm not doing anything worth talking about. Oh yeah I was a runner or I worked with that or that guy, but it seems a little needy to drag these thing out and start talking about them. I could of course lie, and talk about 'my projects' in development. But that just doesn't work for me. But what is the point anyway? Does the chick even like to talk about things like this with enthusiastic movie buffs?

Of course they would naturally be dragged to it probably because of the money and fame, but who wouldn't? That's a natural response. And I'm not famous, and I wonder if any crew members (not being former actors/actress) can get famous at all in Denmark. Being an actor on the other hand is something completely different. That's the face people recognize, and not only that, the actors carry their skills on them 24/7 the acting skills should be available all the time. Not that I've ever heard about actors using their acting skills infront of people to impress them or anything. But when it comes to the crew members you will have to prove something. And the result of that prove lies in the hand of the person listening. It's there choice whether to believe in you or not. Well this blog has gone far fetch, so I think I better call it over and out.

Run forrest, run!

2008-07-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

So this week was the week I was a runner for the very first time in my life. At least with the title. Cause' I've been Production Assistant before, but when the production is so small it's basically the same thing. Here I was really a runner. Even thought the production was as big as it is on a 'novelle film' (som kind of shortfilm) I still thought it as pretty big. But oh boy oh boy, runner was the wrong name on the first day. More like bicycle-er. Since I don't have a driver license yet, I'm pretty much stuck with my bicycle which is fine with me. So for nearly the first 5 hours I was riding around Nørrebro (a northern area in Copenhagen) to find film for a totally outdated Poloraid camera, you know like the one in "Memento." That meant I was wet from sweat all day long, trying to do my best on this job and finally I managed to locate the films we where gonna' use, at a store I had already been in several times, it just didn't ocure to me to try this store out... stupid me.

That was Tuesday, Wednesday was a big exciting day with nearly 60 extras on top of the actors. One of them, Marie Søderberg, whom I've worked with before on a gratuation film from European Film College. it was also the day where I found out how tired you get from being a runner. You don't get much sleep or breaks during your day. You're one of the first on set, and one of the last too. The job stinks but the only goodie is you get to meet new people who might have a better joboffer for you the next time, therefore be more then nice to them, and they might be nice to you and remember you. I also found out that this day turned out to be one of the most exciting days in Tour de France... a shame I couldn't see it since the day after was a night-shoot and a rather borring episode of the Tour de France. Well that's life. Anyway the night shoot turned out to be a 12 hour work day and on top of that I had to meet 8 hours later... and for two days in a row I haven't gotten much sleep since some construction builders have been busy, and noisy removing parts of a wall, one stair below the wall I'm lying and sleeping up against.

Conclusion is that the life of a runner is far from exciting. The best part is the people you meet. Until now I haven't been able to help out using my creativity... which is my strong site... and that's what I want to use and is good at, until then I'm just the next slave boy that people can call for coffee or batteries, boy I'm looking forward to the next step. I hope it's out there somewhere in the near future... until then: Over and Out!

This is the poster for the film in which I worked with Marie the first time. I made the poster by the way, and I guess that was the most artistic job I did on that film.

Imdb top 249?

2008-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

What is it with the "Internet Movie Data Base's" top 250? To me it is almost like the bible. I can ignore films I hate or wouldn't place on the list, but the rest is there for a reason - mainly because people like them. This weekend the Dark Knight started out as number 4, a few hours later moved up to number 3. One day later it was at the top. Number uno! This has only happend to Lord of the Rings - which I adore - but they have ever since been moving down the list unfortunately. But on my list they're number uno, collected into one single 10,5 hour movie.

So people are speculating: For how much longer can TDK (The Dark Knight) hold it's position? People in generel agree on the fact that it is a good film in any way and of course there's Heath's performence do I need to mention it? I don't know haven't seen it yet, but you probably already know. But as soon as the film moved on top and took the old captains position (Godfather) people started to rack it down in the votings on Imdb. They are bad loosers, they can't let it have the succes it deserves as long as it lasts. It's the same kind of people who holds the Godfather on top, even though Shawshank redemption has a higher score made by more voters. I simply can't put words to that. Undescribable. It's like the people not believing in Holocaust. They thinks that the traditional classics are gonna' be the best film forever? Just to think a thought like that is horrible, not to believe in a future for filmmakers.
But I guess the minds of these arrogant people can't be changed. But I hope the top 250 can. Otherwise we might as well name it the top 249, cause we all know which is reserved for the top. Don't we?

Working, working, working day and night

2008-07-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Today I got a job, unpaied, where I have to work both day and night. So why have a job like this? because it's film baby. On-set Runner will be my official title, I'm the guy lowest in the hieraki on set, but what the heck I'm without a job and I love the on-set life and the whole atmosphere on a set. Plus I might learn a little and meet some important, kind and funny people. Who knows. There will be a follow up on this next week, where I'm also gonna' post comment on the Dark Knight night-premiere...

Day zero

2008-07-20T10:04:00.001-07:00

Welcome to day zero at my very own blog about the wonderful world of film, my name is Jesper Sichlau, therefore Sichlau Film, which funny enough also happens to be the name of my company... ha ha?!

Before watching some exciting Tour de France, with very nice results from my point of view, I finally finnished my 5th draft of a script that has been on a very long journey. A journey which still is far from the premiere. To talk a little about it, it started out as a 5 minute shortfilm I made for a competition conscripted by a a danish bank company "Danske Bank." That was back in the summer of '06. The script is speciel to me because I won a second place (shared with eight other people... who cares I've read them all, mine was the best, even better then the winner). And that was kind of an aproval for me, a neon-sign with a big arrow blinking in the direction of Hollywood. I knew I was on to something. Then last year, a year after the competition, I went to The European Film College, among students just EFC. Here I wondered about whether I should make it into a film. But I wouldn't wanna' do it english, at least that was how I felt about until the big finale at the end of the year. I made the film fit for the so called "Final project." Terms was 15 minutes, english, no porn and a few other criterias which didn't really matter. I was really depressed when it didn't get selected. I was blue as you say. My partner and I agreed on making it for our selves after the school had finnished. It would be better, in danish and longer. So I began making it into danish, again, with some adds and I really had to hurry cause we had a deadline with the Filmværkstedet (The Film Workshop; a place made to help young filmmaker age 18-25 to make film, we applied for equipment and 12.000 dkr.). The workshop how ever didn't choose our script. With a few words saying "We had to keep focus on our main character" I once again started making a new script, our next deadline is in a few weeks from now. This time I actually got a result I was more then satisfied with, but still I knew a lot of things had to be worked trough. A friend of mine knows Nikolaj Sherfig a guru in the danish script-business (he used to select which films would get money from the goverment to make the films). Another friend of mine, opened a little door for me. His dad who is an actor (Anders Hove) might wanna' help me develop the script in specifikly the characters. So the version I made today has to be delivered to these two guys. I hope they like what they read and have plenty of nice suitable ideas, so I can move on a make yet another draft.
One thing I still haven't figured out is the title. Is there something I hate more then this petite but yet important issue, I wouldn't wanna' know. But this is all for now. Over and out.