Clones Wars Commercial

It'll work better on TV, I know it.

Peace

Kiddie Kandids

I just applied to work here as a children's photographer. :)

Peace

10,000 Views, Four Months

It's been four months since I published And He Gets The Girl! It's finally peaked at 10,0000 views on YouTube!


Peace

Disaster Movie Preview Review

I agree utterly with what this man says.

Peace

New Moon Short Review

New Moon is much better to me than Twilight but still not great by any means and I discovered what bugs me the most about the series. It feels more plot driven than character driven to me. I feel like the book moves forward by the things that happen in the film, not by the characters who live in the book. Like I mentioned with Twilight, things just felt too convenient, too well placed, too unreal. I don't mean "unreal" in the means of vampires and werewolves but by the reactions of the people around them. The book needs to be grounded. The only thing done right in the book is the love element and that's really what the story is about so big points for that but Bella is so slow when it comes to figuring certain things out, I think. I don't think Meyer gives her enough credit. She seems like a smart girl but sometimes she can't put two-and-two together when it's right in front of her nose. Also, the book's editor should be fired because their were typos up the butt hole in this book. Now the reason I'm so annoyed with typos is that it takes me out of the book. Like with any story, if their is a mistake, you are taken out of it. If you are watching a film and you can tell the blood is fake you are taken out of the story. If you are watching a speech and someone stutters over a word you are taken out of the engagement you might have had with it. If you see a typo or missing words you are taken out of the story you are trying to get into. That happen countless times with me in New Moon even more so than in Twilight. I'm surprised this could happen with such a popular book.

I know a lot of folks put up a Jacob vs. Edward thing and now I understand. The battle easily goes to Edward. He is the one who truly loves Bella. In fact, I would go as far to say that Jacob doesn't love Bella at all really or at least, he is immature. Edward mentions near the end of the book that werewolves are immature which I'm really glad he said because while Bella and Jacob were getting close I really analyzed their relationship to her's and Edward's. It's not really fair, really. Edward has a century worth of maturity while Jacob has about fifteen years. In either case, the things Bella and Jacob did together and the way their relationship progressed was really high school. Jacob was extremely jealous and told on her at the end when he was really jealous of Edward. His reason for getting her in trouble was not to protect, although that's what he says, he really was trying to keep her away from Edward, showing he really doesn't love her. For if he could truly love her he would gladly let her go. He would enjoy that Edward came back and that she was so much more happy. Edward would. He's been able to resist his urge to kill her altogether. He spent the whole book staying away from her to keep her safe when he really didn't want to. Jacob just can't away and see her happy. I'm ranting. I'm going to stop.

New Moon is definitely better than Twilight but still not the great book series that people seem to be raving about.

Peace

September 22

Wallpapers

Peace

First Day At CSUN

Today was my first day at the California State University of Northridge. It was pretty cool, although I was late to my first class. I thought leaving my house two hours before it started would have been enough but it wasn't. The metro is really slow and the only reliable transport apart of the system is the red line, orange line and other lines. The buses themselves are really crap. Big Blue Bus all the way! Much more comfortable and much more organized and cheaper! I guess that means I'll have to start leaving two hours and a half early (bleh).

My first class was speech (I don't have to take English because I passed my AP!). When I came in the professor was wrapping up on an introduction on our self and we started introducing ourselves. I was glad to see a few Hamilton kids there and a girl from orientation I met. Our first assignment was to interview a classmate and make a speech about then. She also said we had to watch at least two of the convention speeches so I might catch Michelle Obama on YouTube and Barrack Obama on TV later on in the week. I'll also have to read a two chapters out of the book I don't yet have. In the coming weeks we'll be watching The Great Debators and Nate Parker is going to come out to speak to us. Very cool.

My second class started ten minutes after my first and was, of course, across campus (I'm going to start bringing my scooter). My second class was Art 100. The teacher is completely insane but I like here. She's really hyper and has a short attention span. A lot like the teachers at Hamilton most times. She gave us a lot to do for homework. I have to buy a lot of supplies I can't really afford at the moment but I'll have to figure something out.

Oh and it was like 100 degrees in Northridge. I definitely will not get use to that kind of heat. All and all though, it was an okay day.

Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 44-End, Weeks Six-Eight (Editing & Distribution)

This blog starts way back after my last day of shooting Uncover'd. I've already detailed what happened the last day in my previous ICF blogs but here are the pictures (you can either scroll down and search for it or click on "Inner-City Filmmakers" in the tags).

Rehearsal (Directing is fun)

Filming

So after my team made a mad dash to Latana (the ICF headquarters) we turned in all of our equipment and started capturing on the Avid systems. I can't remember exactly what happened that day but I think we got a lecture from Steph about completing our shoots and getting through our editing and then we left.

When I got home I knew I'd be spending all my time at Latana. That means a week and a half of editing, a week and a half away from home entirely. So I packed a blanket and pillow, some food and headed off.

For my first day of editing I did twelve hours straight (from 6 PM - 6 AM) doing nothing but organizing and sub-clipping. When we imported my footage it was a clumped together as one big clip, essentially. So I made it my responsibility to organize all the footage by scene so that when I went in to edit I could easily filter through. I even went as far as to edit each scene separately which went from 1A-14B. At around midnight I started my first cut (which I'll post up somewhere when I feel like it).


After my first cut I waited a while because I wanted the co-founder, Fred, to see it before I moved forward but he wasn't going to be around for the weekend so I showed it to a few of the mentors and got good comments but was told that it would definitely need to be cut down (it was seven minutes and needed to be at three). That wasn't SO bad. There was one guy who had twenty minutes to shave off. So I went to work on the second cut.

When I finished up my second cut I was told once again it was nice and even paced well but it was just need to be cut down (it was five minutes at this point). Fred saw it and said the same thing but liked it a lot.

When I finished up my third cut it was at a comfortable four minutes and I thought I legitimately had a final cut but I was told again to cut down and it was really hard to do. From the first cut to the second cut it was really easy to cut some frames off of this shot or that shot but by the time I got to my third cut I felt I couldn't do that much anymore. At this point I had to cut away whole scenes or shorten whole scenes which would, to me, hurt my film. I also realized why the director and editor are separate. If a director edits his own work he's too attached to certain things like I was.


In any case though, I sucked up my pride and cut it down to three minutes and something seconds in my fourth cut and then to a final three minutes and four seconds in my final cut (this is all calculating without credits).

Although I think the time constraint hurt my film I'm glad I didn't blow up in Fred and Steph's face like some other students did. I mean, if I'm going to be a professional editor I'm going to have to listen to what the producers want. If I'm editing a TV Show I can't have an episode go over 22 minutes. Plus, my final cut still tells the same story but it feels more like a preview or a treat before the meal more than anything. Also, I'm sort of irritated that other students got to go much over three minutes (one actually going to seven) just because they didn't have Fred and Steph review their final cut before it went on the DV Reel. But I learned how to cut my stuff shorter so I'm not completely tripping about it. You'll never see dead space in any other film I do.

So when I finished my final "picture" cut I was told by Fred I was the first done. That was pretty cool. Little sleep and no shower (except for the bathroom sinks) paid off. Now it was time for sound, and a lot more goofing off (see the lightsaber pictures below).

My favorite

Lightsabers are ugly in light environments.

When I started on sound watched through my film a few times and jotted down notes on what sounds I needed and whether it would be foley or ADR (most of it foley, of course, and thank god for that). Anywho, after that I imported all the audio files I had retrieved from various sites and I placed them in where they went. When I came to the point where I had no more files that could realistically be put in for sound I went to record my own foley and ADR in a quiet room at Latana (ICF HQ). Foley and ADR is fun but I would never for the life of me do it for a living. The best sound I got was my captain, Jorge, chewing on a banana which I used for when my lead is spreading jelly on some bread and when she puts on lipstick.

After about two days I was done with sound and essentially done with my film (aside from color-correcting which I probably should have spent more time on). I watched the film over a bagillion times before I let it leave before graduation and boy was I nervous.

Graduation day came and I had a ton of butterflies. We had a mini-assignment to talk to all the executives that would be at the reception before the ceremony. I don't think I did to well. I didn't find too many people of "importance" but I did have a lot of fun. At one point I got interviewed by ABC 7 News but the footage was never used. You can view it here.


The graduation itself was fantastic. But there was this one long speech from this guy who was supposed to be important in some way I didn't get. The videos were the best part, including this one:



It was either before or after this video but they announced the winners for the Screenwriting competition and Sound Editors competition and it went something like this.

INT. SAMUEL GOLDWYN THEATER - NIGHT

ANTOINE sits in his comfortable seat, clutching the sides of his chair as he listens for the winners of the Martin Roth Screenwriting Award.

Sweat starts to glisten his forehead as the FRIAR'S LADY takes out an envelope with the winning names.

FRIAR'S LADY
In third place. Derek Sakata!

Antoine claps more out of nervousness than congratulatory purposes.

ANTOINE (V.O.)
He had a really weird script.
Were they looking for something
a bit unorthodox? Oh well there's
still second place.

Friar's lady opens the next envelop as DEREK takes his seat, his teammates clapping him on his back.

FRIAR'S LADY
In second place. Elizabeth Jeri!

Antoine claps again, this time truly enthusiastic that one of his teammates won something.

Elizabeth walks up towards the stage with frightened shock. She takes the award as the Friar's Lady gives her a kiss on the cheek.

Elizabeth takes her seat again to smiling faces.

ANTOINE (V.O.)
Her script was pretty good.
Really sweet. My film is sweet to,
near the end, maybe they'll ... no.
There's always that sound editing
award.

Friar's Lady opens the final envelop.

ANTOINE (V.0.)
ANTOINE BANDELE ...

She starts to speak.

FRIAR'S LADY
AND OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER IS ...

Antoine clutches the sides of his chair harder with each second.

ANTOINE (V.O.)
ANTOINE BANDELE ...

FRIAR'S LADY
ANTOINE BANDELE!

ANTOINE (V.O.)
WHAT!?

Antoine sits planted to the back of his seat as the crowd applauds more loudly then he realized.

ANTOINE
Oh my God.

Antoine watches as the Friar Lady begins looking around.

ANTOINE
Move. Get up.

TRACY pats Antoine on the back, urging him forward. He gets up tentatively but makes his way up to the podium slowly.

FRIAR'S LADY
Great job! You had a beautiful script!

Antoine is too speechless to say thank you as the Friar's Lady hands him his $1,000 scholarship award.

He turns around slowly to see the audience still clapping as he smiles broadly and a camera flashes him in the eyes.

ANTOINE (V.O.)
WOAH!

So yeah, through that dramatic short script I told you what happen to me. I won first place for the screenwriting scholarship! I was not expecting it at all. Sure, I wanted it. I wanted it to be my name they called. I'm sure 90% of the other students were waiting for their named to be called in the back of their minds but mine was called! When I sat back down the students sitting next to me were poking me and hugging me because I wasn't moving at all. I was looking dumbfounded straight ahead with the envelope lulling in my hand. (I'm also proud to say that my good filmmaking buddy, Ashten "Whoopi Winger, got second place for best sound editing! Hamilton High Represent! His film will be out soon). For once I really do believe I got an award I truly deserved. Outside of my own team I have not read many scripts but I went through fifteen drafts with Shawn Ku. Big shout out to Shawn Ku because this award would not have been possible without him.

Anyway, here is the actual film:



You all already know my biggest critique about it. But it still came out fine. "You're only as good as your next film" (nope, I didn't misquote). I'm hoping my next film will finally be The Devil's Company but I'm going to want some legit equipment for that but that is my next big project but my next small project will probably be with Casey Veggies (who's song "I'm Right Here" was featured in the party scene in Uncover'd). Then I'm doing a 48 hour horror film fest. But The Devil's Company will be my first real full short film. I'm completely reworking it now.

Here are some photographs from graduation.

My Family

Me and my supporting actor, Charles Chen

Me and my writing mentor, Ryan Roy (also helped bunches)

The original duo! Tearin' up ICF

Oh, and there was a cool party afterwards at an undisclosed location.

UPDATE:

Someone plugged me on their YouTube!

Peace

It's Coming

A Massive Blog is on it's way. I hope you all like reading! Here's a preview: look at the left corner of the poster:


Peace!

Clone Wars Review

It was okay, just okay. If you are not a Star Wars fan don't go. If you are a Star Wars fan and you're bored and have extra time on your hands go ahead and see the film. It didn't add to the universe of Star Wars much at all and it definitely did not add to its lure. To me, it was a an hour and a half long TV show. If you did not already know this was The Clones Wars's debut before it played regularly on cartoon network. The film really played out like three episdoes and less like a feature which is what hurt it most. Plus, many things in the film were very convenient. It's definitely targeted at a much younger audience. The humor was very simple but the thing I was surprised with most is how slow the opening was. Just a mindless battle. Cool action stuff but not enough to hold me over, watching droids and clones being destroyed for twenty minutes. Still, it had some very entertaining points and I got a few laughs, a few big laughs too. In essence though, it felt like a demo to the television series.

The Good of The Clone Wars
Entertainment. It was entertaining and visually stunning. The style was great. It was like the 2D Clone Wars series turned 3D. There were a few points in the film that made me seriously laugh out loud. Some may think the droids are annoyingly stupid but I loved them! The comedy with the Jawas was fantastic as well.

The Bad of The Clone Wars
Early on I know most of fans concern laid with Clone Wars being a real authentic movie or just three episodes. Well, even though they said it was made to be a film it really was just three episodes. I'm sure in the offices an conversation went like this.

Lights go up after George Lucas and company watch the first three episodes of The Clone Wars series.

George Lucas: That was great! How about we turn it into movie. Get rid of all the commercial breaks and splice 'em all together.

Company: Great idea sir! Yes, fantastic! Fans will love it, Mr. Lucas!

George Lucas: Aha! Money, money, money! $$$ Suckers ...

I guess that makes the pain better than. If I tell myself that these were just three episodes and not made to be a film.

Also ... TOO MANY DUTCH ANGLES IN THE WRONG PLACES! And when they were in the right places I didn't care for them because they were so redundant.

Conclusion of The Clone Wars
It was an okay film but if set as three separate episdoes would have been much better. Good thing we got to see it on the big screen though before it is dumbed down the for the small tube (which I can't even watch because I don't have cable).

TOTAL: (6/10)

August 21, 2008

Be sure to RSVP for the screening @ (310) 264 3992


Peace

P.S. This is also the reason I have not been blogging. I have been in post-production and I'll be sure to post about that once I have completed the film (which will be Monday).

RIP Bernie Mac

Just not right.

Peace, and much love.

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 43, Week Five (Shoot#6: Day 2)

I'M DONE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M DONE!

Today was not only the last shoot for my film, Uncover'd, but it was also the last shoot for Inner-City Filmmakers and my team. It went very well and almost sour at the end.

The beginning of the day was a "re-shoot." Our camera broke on us last week and I had to tell my actors to leave so we had to re-shoot the party scene today when my antagonist takes the protagonist from the party. That went very well, and we threw in some comedy as well to keep it light-hearted while something serious was happening in the background, which by the way I love. I was once a background performer. I was in this cell phone commercial, 7th Heaven, Bernie Mac, Clubhouse, and all that other good stuff as a background performer and I must say it's very fun. I know a lot of people just walk on by with no backstory and mine but that's no fine. Each time I came into the background I gave my character a history.

Example, for 7th Heaven, I gave made my character a nerd/geek who constantly got picked on by these two other guys (yeah, I got more people on the act). I start the scene off in the back of a middle school hallway looking at a flier when the two "bullies" come up to me to which I immediately back off and walk further down the hallway where I look at yet another flier, then the bullies tap me on the shoulder and I look and no one is there. I look over my other shoulder and they are there snickering to which I roll my eyes and pounce off pass the lead characters doing there scene.

I just really love background performers, especially when they do a good job. They add atmosphere and flavor :)

So after that shoot we headed to our next location which went smoothly at first. We had to shoot both a day and night scene so of course I did all the day stuff first. When we got there I called Marlene to let me in her house to do a few POV shoots and she made it seem as though I couldn't shoot there at all! Say what!? But it's okay, her dad is the manager and she had a key to a vacant apartment but we had to be out in like ten minutes! Impossible! But I accomplished what I needed. I headed downstairs soon after to get a more coverage and then we had a two hour break until the sun went down.

My team went wild with boredom. They were running in the treats, hitting each other with a prop sword, one of them even bit another one!

Well, when we start shooting. When we START shooting a neighbor decides just then to come out and ask us what we're doing and he definitely implied he was watching us for those two hours being general teenagers. If he had a problem with us then, why not say anything? Why wait we we start shooting!? I don't know, it's beyond me. So I promise him we'll be as quite as can be and any blame should fall to me, the director, and not anyone else if there was too much noise. When he left I turned straight to my team and scold them for their behavior before and told them to essentially to STFU because I couldn't afford for the police to be called.

So we began shooting and about fifteen minutes in I get an in articulate man shooting off at us: "WHO'S CAR IS THAT! WHO'S PARK IN MY SPOT!" I immediately call cut, rolling my eyes and getting angry. I turn to him and and I ask him which car and he points to this silver one that none of us own. I ask my team to double check and we definitely don't know who owns that car. But the guy was determined it was are and I was really in fear he would call the police just to be a jerk. Then his wife, or who I think is his wife, came up to us and asked us the same question more calmly and we give her the same answer and she walks over to her husband to console him and told us it's okay. WHEW! Dodge yet another bullet!

Later on about a hour before we wrapped some lady was coming out of the apartments we were shooting at and was like "Damn! I almost trip over your equipment! What the hell are you guys doing here! Yadda Yadda Yadda!" At first I hear this at a distant and I close my eyes, get up and walk over slowly to her and I'm trying to calm her down "Miss ... Miss". And then her expression changes and she starts laughing, "I was just giving you guys shit, don't worry". Whew! Another bullet dodged!

I think that was the last case we had to deal with although I know the crew came up to me at one point and said the cops were coming to which I said, "Okay, let's beat the cops". I was determined to finish.

All and all, I think I got what I needed but definitely not what was in my head. Not my vision. But a wise mentor once told us to capture what you can get, sure you're going to miss quite a few things, a lot of great things, but capture what you can get. And that's what I did. Thanks Jon Chu!

So we packed up and went to Santa Monica and captured our footage and I was there until four in the morning, organizing my footage.

'Twas a good day.

Here is the information for the graduation ceremony. Please RVSP ASAP!


Peace

I Take It Back

I take what I said about the Twilight film back. I saw a few scenes and I may actually see it. The trailer, to me, is not well done though and really put me off but the field trip scene on saw on YouTube I liked quite a bit.

Also, today I went to Barnes & Nobles (I'm actually a Borders fan) to read a bit out of New Moon which is the sequel to Twilight. I'm two chapters in and I'm much more pleased with it. My main complaint about Twilight was that I did not feel a threat to Bella's life with Edward thirsting for her blood but in the second chapter there was a physical conflict that came up when she got a paper cut. Also, I really enjoy Bella's character a lot more and here want and her fears. In this second book she fears growing old because she'll die and be without Edward who is immortal. That's the sort of thing I wanted to see in the first book but I guess it was more of an introduction and this next book will dive in deeper to these complex characters.

Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 42, Week Five (Shoot#6: Day 1)

TODAY WAS MY SHOOT! It went seamlessly, I'm very proud. Nothing major happen, no drama, no camera problems, it just all work. Seems kind of boring, right?

I didn't realize how much of a geek/dork I am until we shot in my room. One of the characters in Uncover'd named Buddy is a bit of a geek so we had to, well, geek up the room which wasn't so hard. That was sort of embarrassing. I started whipping out my home-made lightsabers, my star wars books, my graphics novels and my action figures and I never realized how many dorky and nerdy and geeky things I own.

Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 41, Week Five (Shoot#5: Day 2)

Today's shoot was just as great as yesterday's shoot. Tomorrow, it's all about me! Wish me luck!

Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 40, Week Five (Shoot #5: Day 1)

Slowly but surely the shoots are coming to and end. Shoot #5 and #6 are the last shoots and I'm #6. No longer will I be on the sidelines watching others make thier films, now it's my time to go out there and do my thing, which is a bit daunting, to say the least. I got to shoot a piece of my film already last Saturday but that was a "share" day with another teammate and wasn't organized (I had to act as Director and Cinematographer). But that's another story for my shoot and another story for that blog. Now, it's about Kelsey's A Rough Day (Shoot #5, Day 1).


I will admit I was dreading today quite a bit. I had gotten a taste of the way Kelsey directs a week ago when she had her own "share" day with another teammate and she was very forceful and she didn't get her vision across in the ... right way. Instead of telling me where to go, for instance, she would pick me up and move me there which is not the way one should work. Also, there was a time she was angry with one of the crew members and she shouted at him through profanities right in front of her actors which, to me, was not entirely professional. I mean, I've heard on set there have been worse things said in front of the cast and crew but on a short student film like this you really don't want to piss of your crew or put off your cast. In any case, I was not looking forward to the day with Kelsey as the director but I was thoroughly surprised.


A few days ago Kelsey was in quite a bind. She lost her location and was missing a few actors on top of that. I couldn't do much with the actors but I could help with the location problem. As a last resort I called my grandmother to ask if we could use her house to which she said yes so I got the chance to go back to my old neighborhood today.


The shoot was fun, Kelsey's film is about teen pregnancy and the scene we were doing was a flashback of when the mother of the film got kicked out of her house. When I was filming, I discovered that some stories, some films, just need dialogue. While everyone was impressed with the actor's performances during the shoot I'm not sure that will translate as well when their dialogue would be ommitted to satisify the requirements of a non-dialogue film. I understand the exercise. It helps us to learn how to tell a story completely visually but it certainly is very limited and I can't wait to take off the shackles of non-dialogue film and be able to make, in my opinion, a full film. I know I might sound very immature about this all but really it's my opinion. Sure there are cases in films where no dialogue is much better but to be limited just to that stinks to me. But like I said, it's a wonderful exercise but some of our films will suffer from it.


We wrapped around 7:30 or 8 PM and they all left to do whatever it is they went off to do and I stayed back at my grandmothers house but I got a call soon after from my friends and I went out to Cafe 50s and came back.


When I got back though, there was a LAPD Helicopter (aka Ghetto Bird) circling the neighborhood. My friends stopped to drop me off but I seriously was too scared to get out, that spot light was rather close to us so I told them to drive around the corner and then I would rush out. So they did so and I rushed out and ran across my lawn to the front gate. All of a sudden a police car comes behind me with their lights on but no sirens and I really needed to rush to get in the house because I looked really suspicious at that point. I did eventually get inside, though, with a bit of a rush going through my veins.


Peace

Twilight Short Review

I learned about Twilight through the MuggleCast. They created a new site just for Twilight (I'll give them a plug here). On the podcast they mentioned that Harry Potter fans are supposed to really like this series as well. Well, they've been saying this for a while, months now, and I never once thought to take a look at the book. Then, the movie trailer came out and I didn't think much on it. Then, there was a Harry Potter vs. Twilight thing on Reelzchannel on YouTube. Still, I had no urgency to read the book. I mentioned, while copying my script at the Inner-City Filmmakers headquarters, that I had never read the book and the film didn't look too interesting to me, to which one of the students told me she would let me borrow the book. Now, the way most people have described the book to me is that it's a sexier version of Harry Potter. While the "sexier" bit may very well be true it is nothing like Harry Potter in entertainment or quality. It's a simple love story which fell short of my expectations. Still though, I enjoyed the book, reading it in about three days time with a busy schedule.

First, the book does not deserve the praise it has received. For instance, Amazon has claimed it to be the best book of the decade and New York Time's made it it's Editor's Choice. It certainly is not the best book of the decade and it should not have and Editor's Choice from New York Times but I'm glad that my difference of opinion did not tarnish my opinion of the book. I don't even like Napolean Dynamite because it's so overhyped, but I'm still okay with Twilight but the more I see people giving it praise where praise is not deserved, especially towards what looks like a terrible film, it makes me cringe.

The book essentially is a love story between a female human, Isabella, and a male vampire, Edward. The attraction Edward has to Isabella is the same attraction he has for the taste of her blood, which causes some conflict in their relationship, of course. But I did not think it was played out as well as it could have. There was no huge conflict between the two with Edward nearly killing Isabella or anything like that. Instead, towards the end of the book the author flips the story and sends it in another direction, making another vampire chasing after Isabella while Edward protects her. This, among some other things in the story, felt too convenient. Plus, some of the scenes between Isabella and Edward were very cheesy, a lot of sappy "I love yous" and "I never want to be without yous" and "Don't want to lose yous", typical lovey dovey stuff.

I did not believe in Isabella and her character. She accepted Edward as a vampire too easily. His vampire family never seemed to struggle with her enough except for one member which through me off because early on in the book Edward said he had one supporter in his family: Alice.

I did not like how the book set itself up for a sequel. In Harry Potter, each book could be taken for it's own self-contained story but Twilight thrives on being a series, which I did not like. Because of this, not a lot of characters came full circle for me and there were a lot of unsatisfied stories.

And don't get me started on the typos I found in the book.

I know I'm focusing more on the cons than the pros but really the book isn't that great to focus on the positive and I'm annoyed to know that people hold it in such high esteem when it's so mediocre and written with no flare.

All around, a 3 out of 5 and the cover has nothing to do with the book.

Oh, and the film looks completely terrible.

EDIT: The cover is supposed to represent the forbidden fruit in the story of Adam & Eve.

Also in reply to an anonymous comment I recieved I guess it would seem I did not like the book eventhough I clearly stated at the beginning of my little review that I did enjoy it but I did not think it was as great as people give it credit for. Again, here is clarification: I liked the book (certainly did not love it) but it was downright mediocre and was not as amazing as people give it praise for.

Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 39, Week Five (Shoot#4: Day 2)

I was purely an actor today. I continued with my jerk character from the previous shoot but this was the before and after of the party he goes to. It was really hot. We were up by Bel-Air in the hills, way up in the hills. It was fun to act but now I'm sick with a cold because I wasn't properly hydrated.


During my breaks I was reading Twilight which was recommended to me by a podcast I frequent to called MuggleCast. I should be finished with it tomorrow and I'll give my thoughts on it.


Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 38, Week Four (Shoot#4 & 6: Day 1)

Today was another two shoots in one day. Another teammate and I both have a party scene so we shared the scene.


I had to direct a kissing scene which I actually did not find awkward, but it could have been handled better. I didn't feel like I got the chance to be just a director as we didn't have enough extras and I had to act as DP and Director at the same time and it was difficult to look for performance and operate the camera.

After break our camera broke. This is the second time it malfunction. So David Diaz, a mentor in ICF, brought us a new, out-dated camera that was a pure brick but it would have to do. But I told my actors to leave and I'll have to reshoot the second half of the party.

When we got to my other teammate's film I was an actor. I go to party, blow of my friends, get slapped by a girl, and go home pouting. My character is a real jerk.


It was a fun day but a lot went wrong (i.e. the camera and my actors leaving). I'm freaking out a little bit about the re-shoot but I should be okay. I definitely had a moment where I didn't want to go through all the hassle and use the coverage I got but it just wasn't going to work and I realized I needed to overcome this challenge instead of shying away.

Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 37, Week Four (Shoot#3: Day 2)

Today was better than yesterday but it was not enjoyable. I got out as fast as I could. Shooting quickly but not taking away from my teammate's film.




Peace

Inner-City Filmmakers Day 36, Week Four (Shoot#3: Day 1)

I was the Director of Photography today for the most boring shoot in our group yet. (I won't go into details into why it was boring because I do not want to belittle the work of the director).

I was especially confused during this shoot.

Concentrating so hard. Haha

Peace