First Film Fundamentals

This week we continue the topic of filmmaking with a feature editorial by Paul Horsfield. Paul is an experienced actor, who's seen the process of making films in and out, and many times over. In this feature he points out what he sees as the top ten issues to consider when shooting your first film. So without further ado, here are the ten First Film Fundamentals.

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First Film Fundamentals by Paul Horsfield

10 fundamentals of filmmaking? Or was it 10 Commandments?

This coming Sunday Effluxio will feature a special editorial from actor Paul Horsfield. Paul will guide us through what he argues are the ten fundamental principles of filmmaking. The primary goal is to provide a formula for filmmaking to those who have never made a film before, but the article should also give a structure for those filmmakers who have already been through their first steps. Stay tuned!

PHOTO: from The Sky in Bloom, Hydra films © 2011.

Languedoc-Roussillon: Mainstay of Peace (FILM)

A truly magical experience

Languedoc-Roussillion is a truly magical place. So when Bouwbegeliding Sud France, a Dutch contracting firm operating in South of France, asked me to create a video that would allow their customers to experience the captivating beauty of the region I didn’t hesitate for a second. The goal was to capture the richness of the experiences that the region offers without compromising its charming tranquility. To realise this goal I invited photographer Andy Shannon to work on this project together. After three days of filming it was fascinating to see how the scale of ancient monuments such as the Pont du Gard aqueduct and the Arènes de Nîmes amphitheater magnified the seductive ambience and flavours of everyday life in the region’s cities of Nîmes and Uzès. The resulting film reveals this serenity of the fairytale-like French countryside and the alluring way of life of its natives. 

5 tips for aspiring filmmakers

Making films may look easy...

Shooting films is a lot of fun. No matter if you are acting, directing, operating the camera or supervising the sound, working on a film set can make you feel as if you were part of something big. Not to mention the awesome experience of seeing the finalised product of your labour for the first time. But working on an independent production is not the same as working on a blockbuster flick from one of the major Hollywood studios, and getting the desired results will often be preceded by a stream of serious sweat and tears. Especially if you are new to the craft and haven’t got that much experience (like me a few weeks ago). To assist those of you who are just starting out, here are five simple tips that should help you get a bigger bang for your buck when it comes to filmmaking.

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Benched

This truly is a magnificent bench.

“Benched" sneak peek #2

Karma isn’t love, it’s not blind.

We’ve been working around the clock and finally our humble attempt at film making — “Benched” starring Paul Horsfield and Sammy Sousa and me — will be making its online debut! We are planning a release on YouTube this coming Sunday at 20.00 GMT, so watch this space or check my tweets around that time. For now, sneak peek #2.

SNEAK PEEK #1: Benched — first glimpse

Paradox of Human Nature

El coloso
Asensio Juliá

Modern humans are like tamed lions: it is in our nature to love but also to kill. We refrain from killing not because we do not want to — we are simply tamed, habituated by the society to follow certain rules and customs in order to meet its needs. But sometimes, just like a tamed lion, our wild nature resurfaces and takes over. In an instant, we become the savage beasts that we once used to be: we explode, we fight, we sometimes even kill. If that is true, the question of efficient functioning of the society aside, is it right or wrong to kill? How could anyone be penalised for being true to their nature, penalised for being true to themselves? The major argument here certainly is: a person that kills is penalised for their inability to control this nature, and not for staying true to it. But isn't that precisely were the real problem lies? That our attempts at self-control have the same effect as a cracking whip and iron bars of the cage have on a tamed lion? In other words, isn't the self control we try to exert upon ourselves ultimately what leads us towards loosing the control in the first place?

Languedoc-Roussillon: Mainstay of Peace

Pont du Gard

Languedoc-Roussillon truly is a magical place on Earth. The Sun is tender, the landscape is never the same, the ancient monuments reign throughout, and the cuisine... mmmm the cuisine! The combination of these pieces makes for a wondrous outcome — a magnificent feeling of inner peace and balance with nature, the dream of idyll life come true.   

FLICKR: Languedoc-Roussillon: Mainstay of Peace

Exegi monumentum aere perennius

Non omnis moriar

The news of yesterday’s passing of Steve Jobs still echo in my head. What a remarkable man! His company sold millions of gadgets worldwide yet... that’s not what really made him extraordinary. To me, rather, it were his unshakable beliefs and unfading spirit. For one thing, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing now had it not been for his words of wisdom (“It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy” or “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”). Monumentum aere exegi perennius, Steve Jobs.

Benched — first glimpse

“Benched"

The above image is gives you the first glimpse at the short film we made with friends last month in London. It’s called “Benched” after the phrase used in football when the coach sends one of the players off, often contrary to the player’s will. We are still putting the finishing touches and the film should be ready for release very soon now. Stay tuned!