Opening & Carmen

It's been a long time coming. Thanks to Ricky Elliott, over the next few weeks you'll be seeing a lot of scenes posted up here. The film as a whole will be uncompleted but I will post up most of the scenes that I can get behind. It will make me feel complete and I can move on.

OPENING


CARMEN


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Intro Blog for Monkey First of RA!

Intro Blog from Monkey Fist of RA on Vimeo.

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Remember that I have a new blog!

Antoine on Los Angeles Times discussing Avatar

Follow this link to read the whole article or you can just watch the video below of me talking about my reaction to the 16-minute preview with the LA Times.

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The Devil's Company - "A Night On The Set" BTS

"The Devil's Company" A Night on the Set (BTS) from Antoine Bandele on Vimeo.

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Busy Weekend ... Busy Week

If you follow this blog you really should be following The Devil's Company Blog. I've been posting there more often than here because of filming and junk.

After filming this weekend I helped another one of my friends with her short, which includes one of my actresses (Resa Barton).

The pictures following are from the third day of shooting, which was long but quite fun. I nearly killed myself, falling asleep on the freeway ride back. I should have just crashed when they offered :(

I loves my DVX100B. I loves it so much.

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Behind the Scenes - A Day on the Set

"The Devil's Company" - A Day on the Set (BTS) from Antoine Bandele on Vimeo.

Here is an alternative YouTube link.

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Holy Shoot: Turbo: A Videogame Movie!

Turbo: Trailer from Jarrett Conaway on Vimeo.

I hope they screen this puppy!

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Advance Review - Adventureland

Last night, I went to an advance screening of the latest film from Greg Mottola (director of Superbad): Adventureland. I must say I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I think going into a film with little or no expectations is the best way to go into anything. I’m starting to agree with Jeff Cannata that trailers somewhat ruin the movie-going experience. Some of the TV Spots nearly ruined some of the jokes in the film for me. In Adventureland a young college grad who needs to earn some moola for the summer for his next year at grad school finds work at a local amusement park where he has a bunch of, dare I say it, adventures. The film is being advertised as a comedy of sorts, even being compared to Superbad (in the case of the director) but I would not list this film so much as a “comedic movie” but more of a “coming-of-age/feel good movie.” The best part of the film was probably the performances from Jesse Eisenberg (James) and the adult cast and the weaker points came from the final moments of the film and the lackluster performance from Kristen Stewart.

First and foremost, Adventureland is very well directed with a well-written script. It’s not comedic genius or Oscar-winning but it’s a very solid script. Some of the character arcs were a bit underdeveloped, but the jokes were spot on at times, there are some definite LOL moments. It just didn’t have much to set it above anything else in its genre. Still, it was a pleasure to watch and I really enjoyed the development that did happen with some of the characters, however subtle it was. Everyone in the cast, aside from Kristen, was fantastic and spot on and I loved their performances. Bill Hader as the owner of Adventureland was fantastic. One day I wish to have a boss like him. Newcomer Jesse Eisenberg carried the film on his shoulders for me.

When I first watched Jesse Eisenberg in the opening of the film I definitely thought of Michael Cera. They both play around with the awkward humor bit (or perhaps that’s just the director, who also has credits in Arrested Development, starring Michael Cera). While they both have similar humor and comedic timing, I feel Eisenberg brings something new to his awkward humor. He wasn’t exactly anti-social or self-conscious; in fact, his character was quite cool and well rounded. Perhaps, though, that’s a bad thing because it leaves little room for the character to arc. Still though, Eisenberg did very well in the role and was extremely likeable and definitely watchable.

The only thing I’ve seen Kristen Stewart before Adventureland was in the trailer of Catch That Kid, her cameo in Jumper and most recently, of course, Twilight. Her performance in Adventureland was so very similar to her performance in Twilight, almost all the way down to the beat. She stumbles over her lines when her character is feeling uncomfortable, which worked for Bella Swan in Twilight, but not for Em Lewin in Adventureland. It was really the nuances of her performance that nagged at me because, yes I’ll get flamed for saying this but … I liked Twilight and saw it twice in theaters (burn me at the stake why don’t you). Because I saw that movie twice I was able to really pick apart the way Kristen handled her role and one of the things I enjoyed the most was her nuances like pulling up her hair out of her face and stuttering over uncomfortable lines or having a monotonous tone because, to me, that was the character of Bella I imagined from the book but in Adventureland all of those same things she did irked me so much. I really hope this doesn’t meant that she’s a bad actress and whenever she plays a character she’s just playing herself because I think I really want to like her, there is something about her. But in this film I really just didn’t feel much for her character even though I thought Em was written very well.


I really liked the relationship between the two leads (James & Em), but I felt the chemistry between Eisenberg and Stewart was lacking at some key moments and that was mostly the fault of Kristen herself. But Kristen did have some moments that made me smiling and say “awww” inside my heart, especially at [SPOILER] when they first kiss and then break apart and she shyly looks away [END SPOILER]. But all and all I don’t think I could feel the two-way relationship. All the emotion I felt was from Eisenberg’s character and the only way I felt anything for Stewart’s character is because she was given such good lines to work with but whenever she pulled the Bella-Twilight performances I was immediately aware that I was watching a performance. Also, since I’m on the subject of the relationship between the two leads, I found myself comparing the two to Josh Peck and Olivia Thirlby in The Wackness, which is a movie I enjoyed a whole lot more than this one (not to knock it or anything but The Wackness and just pure dopeness).

Another weak point of the film is how it wrapped up, especially that very last shot and last scene, which was a bit anticlimactic, for me. The ending was certainly decent and safe but it didn’t have the same balls as The Wackness did. Also the revelation that the main character has is revealed in a pretty lame way, I thought. The rest of the film was really great though, it just had a bit of a rocky ending for me.
So all and all I would recommend this film, as a rental. I don’t know how I feel about comedies and watching them in the theater. I can never see a reason why. The cinematography was decent but nothing so mind-blowing that you just have to see it on the big screen. If I hadn’t gone to an advance screening for free I would not have paid $8-$12 dollars to watch it. MY VERDIT: A GREAT RENTAL or a lazy afternoon with friends if you have an extra few bucks for a matinee.

Oh and I was pretty irked that Lisa P’s best friend Kelly was the only black person in the film and she played the part of the “sidekick” to the hot white chick. That just irked me a little bit.

PEACE!

The Devil's Company Started Today!

Yay! After two years of waiting we are finally underway with
The Devil's Company!

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Go to the full blog here.

Azden SGM 1X & Audio-Technica 25' XLR Cable!

I'm getting really semi-pro with my equipment now. First I got my DVX100B and then a Manfrotto tripod. Yesterday I just made a purchase for a Azden SGM (Shotgun Mic) for my camera along with a 25 ft XLR cable for booming situations. My order should be in at around Tuesday of next week. I'll be sure to take photographs and do some test.

Speaking of test. My Final Cut Pro 6 is spazzing out again. I was trying to do a upscaled HD test with my DVX100B with a 2.35:1 mask but Final Cut won't let me turn it on. I think it's the editing Gods telling me I need to purchase my own copy ... but I really don't have the money. One day I will, of course, but right now I just can't.

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I've Got The Devil on the Brain

Big meeting with the cast and crew tomorrow. I made this in preparation for tomorrow so I could further explain what I was looking for in this particular fight scene. I think I went a little overboard. The character in the script has to fight naked and I decided to try and showcase this by fighting in boxers, which I soon realized was not necessary at all.


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New Half Blood Prince Footage

This will be my favorite one. I don't care how much I'm hyping it in my mind. Unlike most, I liked Order of the Phoenix, which was directed by the same director as this one and Deathly Hallows Pt. I & II.



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Whoopi vs. SilentBat II: The Dark Aura Stone (Part I)

We had to put it in parts to at least get SOMETHING out to you guys. So here it is! Part I! Expect Part II in the next two weeks or so and Part III shortly after and Part IV much later. You won't be seeing the movie in its entirety all uninterrupted until another month and a half or so ...


Whoopi vs. SilentBat II: The Dark Aura Stone (Part I) from Whoopi vs. SilentBat on Vimeo.

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BE SURE TO PASS THIS AROUND!

First Harry Potter Half Blood Prince Posters!

I'm not sure how I feel about these dutched text angles.

Oscar Noms ... My Predictions

BEST PICTURE
(where the hell is "The Dark Knight"!?)

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Milk

Frost/Nixon

Comments: I honestly do not think Benjamin Button should have been nominated. It was good but it certainly should not "Best Picture" material. This film is getting completely over hyped. I think Slumdog Millionaire should win but I'm not sure. Milk and Frost/Nixon are really similar, or at least, political. I haven't seen The Reader. Based on all that I think this should go to Slumdog but they already won the Golden Globes and in most cases the Academy goes a different route, so I have no clue.

BEST DIRECTION

Stephen Daldry The Reader

Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire

David Fincher The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Gus Van Sant Milk

Ron Howard Frost/Nixon

Comments: Again, I think this should go to Danny Boyle for Slumdog.

BEST ACTOR

Brad Pitt The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke The Wrestler

Sean Penn Milk

Frank Langella Frost/Nixon

Richard Jenkins The Visitor

Comment: I'm really not sure about this one. I think it's going to be between Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke, though.

BEST ACTRESS

Kate Winslet The Reader

Meryl Streep Doubt

Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie Changeling

Melissa Leo Frozen River

Comment: Jeez, I've only seen Changeling out of the whole bunch. I really want to see Doubt. Angelina Jolie did really well but I don't think she has a chance against Meryle Streep, Kate Winslet and Anne Hathaway. I think it's between those three.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Heath Ledger The Dark Knight

Philip Seymour Hoffman Doubt

Robert Downey Jr. Tropic Thunder

Josh Brolin Milk

Michael Shannon Revolutionary Road

Comments: We all know who this is going to. I have no idea why Robert Downey Jr. is on here. His performance in Tropic Thunder got really old fast. I've seen better African-American parodies from white folks before.

Marisa Tomei The Wrestler

Penelope Cruz Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Amy Adams Doubt

Viola Davis Doubt

Taraji P. Henson The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Comments: Again, I only saw one of these films. I really did like Taraji Henson in Benjamin Button but I think it's going to one of the Doubt ladies.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Burges
Milk
WALL-E

Comments: This should go to WALL-E

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Comments: I haven't seen it but I think this could and should go to Doubt. The playright wrote the script and I saw the play and loved it.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
(Didn't see any of them)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
(Didn't see any of them)

Comments: But Man on Wire will probably win it.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Kung Fu Panda
Bolt
WALL-E

Comments: We all know whose got this in the bag.

BEST CINEMATOGRPAHY

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Comments: I think this one will be between Slumdog and Benjamin Button. Slumdog had way too many dutch angles so for me I would put my money on Benjamin Button, that was a beautifully shot film.

BEST ART DIRECTION

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Comments: Man, this one is up in the air for me.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road

Comments: Hmmm ... ?

BEST EDITING

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Forst/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Comments: Either The Dark Knight or Slumdog.

BEST SOUND EDITING

The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Comments: Hmmm ... WALL-E?

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

The Curious Case. of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

Comments: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Mmhm ... definitely.

BEST MAKE UP

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Comments: Um ... Hellboy? Maybe Hellboy? Benjamin Button was more visual effects heavy than make-up. Yeah ... Hellboy.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
(I guess "Joker's Theme" wasn't original enough)

"Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire
"O Saya" - Slumdog Millinaire
"Down to Earth" - WALL-E

Comments: This one is really tough. It's definitely between "Jai Ho" or "Down to Earth" ... both are great songs but for different reasons. When I think of "Jai Ho" I get a really good feeling but in a dancing kind of way and when I listeten to "Down to Earth" I feel good to but in a more spiritual manner. Either way, "Joker's Theme" should be up here.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

Comments: Haha ... I'm listening to the Slumdog Millionaire score right now. I'd have to give it to Slumdog. I don't even remember the music in Benjamin Button. I didn't see Defiance. It could also go to WALL-E.

BEST SHORT FILM/SHORT DOCUMENTARY
(Didn't see any of them)

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