Fun Videos for Filmmakers

It's Monday... so here's a fun distraction!


Alright, alright so we've all heard of this "Sh*t [insert name here] Says" thing that's going around the internet, right? (If you haven't... where have you been?) As a short blog post today, I present to you my two favourites so far. 


First up, we have "Sh*t You Never Hear On Set", which is absolutely hilarious for anyone who has ever worked on a film set. Even if you haven't been on set before, you'll probably still find this entertaining, and a fun look at how things work (or don't work) on a working film set. 

Isn't it great? :)


Next we have "Sh*t VFX Artists Say". This is for anyone who has ever spent endless hours on computers working on VFX shots, or ever wondered what it was like to do so... I learned the joy of this last semester, when I spent many, many hours with AfterEffects layering and rotoscoping and doing all kinds of simple VFX work for my film, which starred a ghost. The experience taught me great respect for the VFX artists who do this full time... it's a lot of work!

Alright then that's all for now! I hope these videos helped lighten your Monday.


PS - Have you heard of the documentary that Matt Tingey (the director of the first video) has been working on? It's called "My Other Me: A Film About Cosplayers" - check out the trailer on Youtube: http://youtu.be/dF64evU0AZI

Vancouver: The Best Place On Earth (for Film Students)

Thoughts on the Vancouver Film Industry and Some Advice for Beginners

I’m feeling the need today to express my love for my hometown. I know so many people who have negative feelings toward their own hometowns for one reason or another (or more), but as for myself? Vancouver has really been a great place for me, and I’m now going to explain why.

For starters, I’m just going to clarify for anyone who doesn’t know, I’m talking about Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Yes, Canada. Not Vancouver, Washington or anywhere else. I mean the city that hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics; the city with a [mostly] cool Skytrain system (it’s a train! in the sky! like the Disney monorail but for mass-transit!); the city nestled between the Salish Sea (formerly Georgia Strait) and the tall coastal mountains; the city at the mouth of the mighty Fraser River; the city that’s home to beautiful Stanley Park with its towering trees; the city that is - yeah, I suppose you get the point now.

A Few Thoughts After Reading "A Song of Ice and Fire"

[A note before we begin: I wrote this article less than twelve hours after finishing the last chapters of A Dance With Dragons, at an absurd hour of the morning on Wednesday. What follows is a somewhat rambling account of my experiences so far with this compelling series of novels; I’m basically just working through my thoughts, in writing, and attempting to come to terms with the many sudden twists and surprises that occurred at the end of ADWD.... PS - I promise there are no spoilers!]

Many of you have most likely heard a thing or two about George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy series by now; with HBO’s TV adaptation of A Game of Thrones last year and the second season airing in a few months, and the highly anticipated release of the fifth book in the series last summer, it seems A Song of Ice and Fire is everywhere. 

My own journey with the series began with HBO’s Game of Thrones mini-series last spring. I had heard about the books when I worked at a local bookstore, but hadn’t had a chance to read them before the series began, and I was determined to wait until I’d read them all before watching the show. My mind was changed, however, when I heard from friends of mine who were watching the show how good it was. I had not heard such acclaim for a fantasy series since The Lord of the Rings, so I decided to heck with it - I’m watching. [It also helped that I read a scathing and highly inaccurate review of the series from a certain journalist at the New York Times, which made me even more intrigued by the show... for a critique of that author’s critique, check out my blog’s archives - it’s easy to find!]

What has followed that decision to watch the show has been a months-long emotional roller-coaster as I watched the show, then dove head-first into the novels and finished the first four over the summer and last night, finished the fifth (the delay was caused by my university studies taking over my life).