Hi everybody, sorry for not writing sooner, but the Fall has proven to be quite busy. Here is the 'Coles notes' of my film activities since the 'Soapbox' screening:

- The past two days I helped at a Sound Editing workshop at IFCO.  Sound editing on a Steenback makes one appreciate how easy it is with Final Cut Pro or at least how much time you save. However, I still think filmmakers must log a decent amount of time on a Steenback to really understand the nuances of editing. 

- Last week I help out a friend on a short film. It was a very smooth shoot. It is much more relaxing not being the producer/director...hell, it is even fun. The project is a really personal one for the filmmaker, which was quite powerful to watch (he was performing in it as well). 

 - Two weeks ago I whipped up a quick film short for a presentation I was involved in. Essentially it was a before and after of a media training session with students. I will eloborate more on this in the upcoming weeks as it will be part of videoconference for National Media Education Week at the end of the month. 

- I was invited to submit a film to 'MostraMundo – The Moving Image Festival' in Brazil. I sent 'The Wrong Choice'. 'Dreams of Mourning' screened at SAW gallery as part of an open screening in early October. 

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 11:22 PM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | View Comments (1) | Permalink

I shouldn't classify this as 'Film Study' but I just saw ZAZfan posted this classic flick at Dailymotion and couldn't pass on mentioning it.  Click the image to watch the movie. Have fun. See you in 90 minutes.

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 12:10 AM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:50 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Date: Wednesday September 27th, 2006
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: Club SAW
Located: 67 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, Ontario
Tickets: Pay what you can

Soapbox will make its film debut this Wednesday, when it screens as part the first Independent Filmmaker's Co-operative of Ottawa (IFCO) 35mm challenge. 
 

What was the 35mm challenge?:

Ten IFCO filmmakers had 400' of 35mm colour film, use of IFCO's 35mm Arri 2C camera and 48 hours to shoot a short film. Participants returned the film to IFCO after it was exposed, and then it was sent to Technicolor in Toronto to be processed and transferred to Mini DV. Once the film and transfer was complete each filmmaker was given a total of 10 hours on Final Cut Pro and 10 hours on Pro Tools to finish the project. The 10 films will be screened together.

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 10:09 PM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Carousel has been selected to screen with the 2006 Vidiotic Viral Video Festival. The festival dates run from September 9th through the 16th, and will screen all films in rotation at various locations throughout Toronto via mobile projector.  To keep tabs on the location of the festival, check out www.vidiotic.com throughout the week.

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 3:31 PM EDT

Updated: Sunday, 10 September 2006 10:11 PM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Check out this contest by the First Weekend Club. You can win airfare and accommodations to film festivals.

The First Weekend Club is a free national film club and grassroots initiative that aims to promote Canadian films by encouraging its members to view a Canadian film during its opening weekend.

Click here to read more about the First Weekend Club.

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 12:06 PM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

It must be the time of year. Something about September that really gets my creative juices flowing and my eagerness to make changes. I am going to be changing this blog around over the next little while. Since I launched the blog I haven't been making too many entries. I plan to change that. I also plan to change the nature of the subject of the entries as well. Instead of general comments and observations, the blog entries will now be more personal and specific to the activities of NightAngel.

This has been a busy summer. Between the production work, the screenings, and the consulting, NightAngel's scope has been growing. I hope you make this blog a regular visit. This fall is shaping up to be one of change and excitement.

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Theatre costume shops handle all sorts of clothing crises, from caring for vintage items to treating stubborn stains on hard-to-clean fabrics. Silk is a protein fiber, like hair. “Silk garments, as long as they are unlined, can be washed with shampoo,” said Elizabeth A. Pollard, UAB Theatre assistant professor of costume and costume technology. However, don’t wash a lined silk garment at home; dry-clean instead.

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 4:23 PM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Two of the most iconic monsters from the golden era of horror films return. "Dracula-75th Anniversary Edition" and "Frankenstein-75th Anniversary Edition" come to DVD September 26, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff made movie history in 1931 with their respective roles as the screen's most ominous vampire and the most memorable monster in landmark films that established two legendary legacies and launched a multitude of imitators.

Upon their release, "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" shocked audiences and
inspired an astonishing new genre of moviemaking, introducing fans to dark, supernatural themes that continue to fascinate filmgoers. The two all-new, digitally remastered versions of the classic original chillers include an array of bonus features will make a nice addition to any Halloween themed movie bashes.

Special Features - "Dracula-75th Anniversary Edition"

- Lugosi: The Dark Prince - A tribute to the immortal Bela Lugosi with interviews, film highlights, insights into his relationships with "Dracula" director Tod Browning and horror rivals Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, plus the impact of Lugosi's signature role on his film career.

- "Dracula" - The complete Spanish version of the timeless tale, also made in 1931, with a special introduction by its star, Lupita Tovar.

- The Road to Dracula - An original documentary by film historian David J. Skal, tracing the development of the Dracula legend in movies.

- Features interviews with actors and filmmakers from the original movie.

- Universal Horror Documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, takes you on chronological journey through the making of the film.

- A Score written by Philip Glass and performed by Kronos Quartet.

- Feature Commentary by film historian David J. Skal.

- Feature Commentary by Steve Haberman, screenwriter of "Dracula: Dead
and Loving It," Mel Brooks' hilarious satire of the Dracula myth.

- Monster Tracks - While watching the film, viewers can elect to see interactive pop-ups with obscure, interesting and amusing facts about the making of Dracula.

- The original 1931 Theatrical Trailer

Special Features - Frankenstein-75th Anniversary Edition"

- Karloff: The Gentle Monster - A half hour documentary tribute to horror icon Boris Karloff, tracing his career using film highlights and interviews, and examining his relationships with "Frankenstein" director James Whale and fellow actor Bela Lugosi.

- The "Frankenstein" Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster - A documentary hosted by film historian David J. Skal discusses the influence of Mary Shelley's Gothic novel on Hollywood horror films.  Features interviews with an array of filmmakers, writers and actors, including Boris Karloff's daughter, Sara.

- Universal Horror Documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, takes you on a fascinating chronological journey through the making of the most memorable monster films of all time.

- Boo! - This short film, made in 1932, takes a tongue-in-cheek look at classic monster movies.  Includes clips from "Frankenstein," "Dracula" and more.

- Monster Tracks - While watching the film, viewers can elect to see interactive pop-ups presenting obscure, interesting and amusing facts about the making of "Frankenstein."

- Feature Commentary by film historians Rudy Behlmer, Christopher Frayling and David J. Skal

- Frankenstein Archives

- The original 1931 Theatrical Trailer

  
The "Dracula-75th Anniversary Edition" and the "Frankenstein-75th
Anniversary Edition" are part of Universal Studio's Home Entertainment
prestigious Legacy Series. Each two-disc set is priced at $26.98 (US).

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

In a recent survey by Blockbuster Online, movie lovers chose the best of these school films and the characters they would have most identified with in their own school years.

Men chose Jim Levenstein in "American Pie," the awkward teen played by Jason Biggs who's consumed by hormones and constantly humiliated in front of friends and family. Embarrassment is also the most common emotion felt by the Samantha Baker, played by Molly Ringwald in "Sixteen Candles," chosen by women as the character they resembled most in school.

"We identify with teenagers in the movies, because they're embarrassed,
insecure and inexperienced - and so were we," says Shane Evangelist,
general manager for Blockbuster Online. "Everyone, even the prom queen and the quarterback, feels like that in school."

Crushes are one of the biggest culprits of causing anxiety - a lot more so than any classroom chemistry test. Jim has a crush on exchange student Nadia in "American Pie," and Samantha pines for Jake in "Sixteen Candles." And who can forget the problems John Travolta and Olivia Newton John had sorting out their relationship in "Grease."
   
Bullies are another source of discomfort, and no one personifies their nasty tactics more than Biff Tannen, the thick-headed jock who picks on George McFly in "Back to the Future." Biff, along with clique-ruling Regina George in "Mean Girls," were selected in the survey as the people movie lovers would have hated most at their school.

"The Breakfast Club" was chosen as movie fans' all-time favorite school flick. In this film, the Jock, the Prom Queen, the Geek, the Recluse and the Rebel all have little in common on the surface, but underneath they share an every-teen angst that no amount of popularity, good grades or denial will cure.

The Survey's Top 10 School Days Movies
     

     * "The Breakfast Club"
     * "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
     * "Grease"
     * "American Pie"
     * "Dazed & Confused"
     * "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
     * "Sixteen Candles"
     * "Mean Girls"
     * "Animal House"
     * "Clueless"

Posted by Warren Nightingale at 11:10 PM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink