Category Archives: Film

Podcasting

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 largely due to ingrained shyness on my part. Trying to overcome that and enjoy the opportunity to speak about what I love the most has been really useful, and although I’m not the most chatty guest hopefully that’s something I’ll overcome with time.

One thing that I’m very conscious of is making background noise, it’s a bizarre situation as usually you move, drink something, change position etc during a normal conversation, whereas during the two hours or so of the podcast you have to be acutely aware to make as little sound as possible, especially as my mic even seems to pick up the sound of my clock ticking in my room. This leads me to having to focus on something else whilst listening to what everyone is saying.

Last night seemed to create some sort of teen-textbook Jeff Bridges love-in in doodle form (I don’t ‘heart’ Bridges, I think it may have been my Tron excitement manifesting itself).

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If you are so inclined the podcasts are here, here and here

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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

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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. Do they talk to each other about something other than a man?

Original source: Ted Hope

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Remembering Dennis Stock

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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 1950s.

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“Art is a well-articulated manifestation of an aspect of life. I have been privileged to view much of life through my cameras, making the journey an enlightened experience. My emphasis has mainly been on affirmative reactions to human behavior and a strong attraction to the beauty in nature.”

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Get the whole story »

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Top 15 Documentaries of 2009

1. Antoine

(Laura Bari, Canada, 2009) – websitetrailer

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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 absolutely adore and have championed to anyone who’ll listen. I really think it’s been a great year for documentary, there have been more feature docs than ever coming out of the UK, which is great as we tend to be broadcast oriented, and there have been a lot of great international co-productions that have really pushed some films that might not otherwise have been made. Also check out The Documentary Blog’s year end list here.

As with the decade list I’d love to know what you think I’m missing, I watched some great documentaries I might not have found off the back of all your suggestions so please feel free.

2. The Cove

(Louie Psihoyos, USA, 2009) – websitetrailer

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3. Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo

(Bradley Beesley, 2009) – websitetrailer

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4. Mugabe and the White African

(Lucy Bailey & Andrew Thompson, UK, 2009) – websitetrailer

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5. Last Train Home

(Lixin Fan, Canada, 2009) – websitetrailer

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6. Sergio

(Greg Barker, USA, 2009) – websitetrailer

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7. The Red Chapel

(Mads Brügger, Denmark, 2009) – imdbtrailer

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8. Anvil! The Story of Anvil

(Sacha Gervasi, USA, 2009) – websitetrailer

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9. Dancing with the Devil

(Jon Blair, UK, 2009) – website

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10. Winnebago Man

(Ben Steinbauer, USA, 2009) – websitetrailer

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11. Kings of Pastry

(DA Pennebaker & Chris Hedegus, 2009) – website

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12. I’m Not Dead Yet

(Elizabeth Stopford, UK, 2009) – imdb

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13. Afghan Star

(Havana Marking, UK, 2009) – websitetrailer

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14. Presumed Guilty

(Roberto Hernández & Geoffrey Smith, Mexico, 2009) – websitetrailer

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15. RiP: A Remix Manifesto

(Brett Gaylor, Canada, 2009) – websitetrailer

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Honourable Mentions:

21 Below
Shelter in Place
Burma VJ
The Time of Their Lives
Along Came Kinky
The Most Dangerous Man in America

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