Production Journal

So far, the project has not been going exactly as I had expected. Difficulties keep arising and fixing them sometimes is no easy task. The project as not been coming out as I had imagined creatively. There are ideas in my head that we haven't been able to process into reality. Lighting has been a way bigger challenge then expected. Manipulating the different lights to coincide with the outcome we imagine hasn't been going so great. So far, our opening scene has been the only one we've actually lit to our best ability. Creatively, I would like to say I contributed largely to that scene in the film. I wrote that scene in the script because I knew I wanted to start the film off with darkness. We lit the room with one light and I went over the shots with our DP and director. I learned the affect one light can really have if you manipulate it right. We pointed the light toward our main actor's face and cut it off with black wrap so you can see only a slash through his eyes. It has a lasting affect as you can feel the seriousness of the scene and whats about to happen next. Our other scenes have not been going so well though. Challenges that keep arising involve a variety of things. We need to become more organized with our shots and schedules. Lighting has been a huge challenge on this as well. We have tried to manipulate the lights in different ways from black wrap, gels, and umbrellas but we haven't been able to get the affect we really want through the camera. Creatively, I've been assisting on mostly every job there is. I helped the DP on some shots and ideas to try to present our ideas together with the director. I've also helped with lighting in different places trying to create shadows and a better contrast for the film. I believe we can do better though if we organize ourselves better and really stay on task. Creatively, I believe I should help more audio as well because I do have a few ideas for that as well. Overall, I believe this project can be a success if we all pull through and merge our ideas better.

Jake Gyllenhaal digs deep for gritty 'Nightcrawler' role

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/la-et-mn-en-jake-gyllenhaal-20141113-story.html

Jake Gyllenhaal's newest role in the gritty drama, "Nightcrawler" has caused him to dig deeper for the character of Louis Bloom, a freelancer who sells graphic video footage of crimes and accidents to local news stations. This article interested me because I love Gyllenhaal as an actor from his roles in films such as "Donnie Darko" to "Prisoners." In the article, Gyllenhaal explains how he prepared for this role. He did a wide range of stuff. He spent a lot of time with real life "nightcrawlers." He even lost 30 pounds to better portray a persona of a hungry and prowling coyote he was going for. His dedication to his characters fascinates me. He also talks about how his perspective has changed when it comes to certain roles. When he auditioned for roles such as "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," he explains how it was more about the industry pressure of making money.  As a filmmaker, it important to know your actors. They will be a huge part in bringing your vision to life. So knowing which ones share your same perspective and visuals is big. As a student, it's important to know how the industry is affecting the actors as well. There are different types of actors and there are different types of directors so it's good to learn about the type of people you'd like to work with. As a consumer, it helps to broaden which movies I want to spend my money on. "Nightcrawler" seems like a good choice. A question I have would be how well has "Nightcrawler" done in box office sales so far?

Christopher Nolan explains human touch behind 'Interstellar's' feats

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-sneaks-interstellar-20141030-htmlstory.html

The film “Interstellar” directed by Christopher Nolan is anticipating film set in the future. Our earth is dying and we need to find another to inhabit. Former NASA pilot and father of two, Cooper, is called back with fellow astronauts which includes Amelia Brand played by Anne Hathaway. This visuals on this film are said to be incredible. This caught my eye because the director himself explained some factors to the film in greater detail. He explains how research was a huge key to this in created scenes which included a black hole and dust storms. For the black hole, the visual effects team and executive producer had to work together to create this image. They collaborated on how to define the black hole’s gravity and how it would “warp space-time and bend light to create the otherworldly image.” As a filmmaker, it’s important to know how different positions must all work together to create even the tiniest of details. Another thing Nolan explained was how they created the spaceship interiors as a simulator not a set with no green screen windows; they were actual views. They wanted it as authentic as possible. As a student, it’s good to learn different techniques to make the film come alive and better present your ideas. As a consumer, it’s interesting to see the effort put into the smallest to biggest details of the film many may overlook. But the ones who notice and appreciate are the ones who matter, the reason. I hope to watch this film and notice all of this and more. One question I do have is, what was the most difficult challenge for Nolan in directing this film?