This week I took part in the third podcast I’ve been on in as many weeks for First Showing and Film Junk. I’m not entirely sure how this has all come about but it’s been a great, and interesting, experience. I’ve never been overly chatty in public, much more someone observing and listening, which is [...]
50 Documentaries of the Decade
Last week Paste declared their 25 Documentaries of the Decade. To be honest it was a bit of a disappointingly obvious list, in terms of safely including most of the biggest docs of the decade. Every film on their list is a great documentary but there were also a great amount of other films that possibly should have seen a mention. I tried to limit to 25 but it's just impossible. This isn't necessarily in any order, I hate the idea of saying one is better than the other, especially when you're talking 10 years of filmmaking and also the sheer ...
Top 15 Documentaries of 2009
1. Antoine (Laura Bari, Canada, 2009) - website - trailer As usual I couldn't stick to convention and pick 10 or 20, but this is the list that just appeared when I began writing down the documentaries I've loved most this year. I know there are some big films missing but there are a few that I haven't had a chance to see (Collapse, Objectified and Best Worst Movie being three in particular that I'm itching to get hold of.) As with the decade list this isn't in any order, I still can't bring myself to do that. All of these films I ...
Research Process: Clip – Encounters at the End of the World
My friend, and filmmaking partner, Jemma has set me the task of showing her documentaries she hasn't seen so that we can look at visuals and filming techniques for a documentary we are currently in the research stage for. Jemma has largely always focused on current affairs TV docs, as that is her main area of interest, and has little knowledge when it comes to feature documentaries. I don't see this as a bad thing and it means I get a chance to re-watch a lot of films I love, so I've begun trying to think of particular films or ...
Remembering Dennis Stock
Magnum Photographer Dennis Stock sadly died today. Stock started his career as an apprentice to Life magazine photographer Gjon Mili and joined Magnum in 1951. Although best known for his intimate portraits of James Dean he was also a prolific Jazz photographer taking some of the most iconic Jazz portraits in history for his book Jazz Street. in 1968 he founded the production company Visual Objectives and shot several documentaries but returned to Magnum to serve as president of Magnum's film and new media division in 1969 and 1970. Stock generated a book or an exhibition almost every year since the ...
Author Archives: Charlotte
Hi-Fi by Bante
I appreciate that at some point I should actually write something here, but for now here’s another video far more interesting than my musings anyhow.
It was made as a promo for the concerts at the Bellavista Social Pub but feeds right into my love of Jazz imagery.
via: Monsieur Bandit
The Bechdel Test
I’m completely swiping this from Ingrid Kopp’s excellent blog From the Hip (highly recommend you subscribe to it, she kicks ass).
The Bechdel Test is based around the simple premise of taking any film and asking 3 questions:
1. Does the film have two women with names in it?
2. Do these two women talk to each other?
3. [...]
RSA Animate Series
I’m absolutely loving these videos from the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). They have a Youtube channel with loads more here, but these are particularly great.
RSA Animate – Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us
Dan Pink’s talk at the RSA illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates [...]
