It all seems so logical: A cop in a movie has a gun, a badge and handcuffs on him, while and archeologist with a need to go adventuring carries a whip and a cool hat on his head. But what you may not realize, is that movies have whole teams of people working on getting these items, or props, on the set so they can be used. Tommy Tomlinson is one of Hollywood's most renowned property master, which an amazing list of movies he has worked for: Beverly Hills Cop, Die Hard, Predator, The Rock, Snakes on a Plane and many other movies wouldn't have been the same without Tommy Tomlinson and his ability to find the right props.
For people who sit out the credits at the end of a movie, there is a lot to discover. There aren't many industries that have jobs with names as mysterious as 'gaffer', 'best boy' or 'boom operator'. Boom Operator? For years me and my friends would watch movies and wonder what on earth a boom is, and why it needs it's own special operator. Well, in case you were also wondering, today is the day when those questions will be answered. I had an e-mail 'chat' with Kris Johnson, a man who has been a boom operator on independent movies for many years, and who has a lot of experience with the ins and outs of his job. He had a lot to say, about having to be in good shape to be able to do his job, about working with directors who think they know everything better (but don't), about his ambitions as a writer or director and, of course, about what it is a boom operator actually does. Read on!
There are quite a few websites on the web for the Superman-movies, but not many of them are as well informed and fun to read as supermancinema.co.uk. The site is being maintained by a Superman-fan named Dharmesh, who has a very clear opinion on the movies, the first one clearly being his favorite, Bryan Singer's version clearly being not. Read what he has to say about the movies.
Et is a movie that still has a special place in the hearts of many of it's fans. When it was released, back in the 80's, it caused a mass hype, that for once was backed up by a movie with some real substance. Many people went to see the movie more than once, and even nowadays there are still many people out there who spend a lot of their time watching the movie and collecting it's huge collection of merchandise. There is probably nobody in this world with a bigger collection than New Yorker Nick Gjoka though. Nick also owns website www.iloveet.com, and he's the driving force behind the ET NYC Halloween parade, which consists of many ET fans riding around New York on their bikes, dressed like Elliott and with an ET in a basket in front of them. The perfect guy then for an interview!
If the world didn't have movie editors, movies would be around a hundred hours long and make no sense. But what is it that an editor does? With his website, Filmediting.com, editor Patrick Don Vito is trying to educate editors, wannabe editors and movie enthusiasts about what it is his job entitles. Don Vito himself has been active as an editor on many movies, including the Austin Powers movies, Saving Silverman and National Security. In our interview, he tells all about his job.
It's not often that I interview an actress who has the ambition to become 'the female George Clooney'. Then again, Lulu Brud is very ambitious, and her dreams extend far beyond acting. "I want it all. I want to be the female George Clooney... Acting, directing, writing, producing. Acting will always be my main focus and passion—but I think that the more I understand every aspect of the craft and all the work it takes to make a movie, the more I will appreciate and love the acting itself." Click on to read more about Lulu, who you may have caught in Jim Carrey's recent Number 23, or in one of the independent movies she has starred in, like Coldblooded Canyon and The Gravedancers.
Thanks to the Steadicam, many movies have been blessed with some fantastic shots. Brian DePalma swears by the Steadicam (check out the opening scene of Snake Eyes, for instance), and the making of Russian movie Russian Ark (which consisted of one long, ninety minute shot) was only possible thanks to the Steadicam. Dan Kneece, a world renowned Steadicam operator, is President of the Steadicam Guild, an organisation dedicated to the promotion and education of the art and craft of the Steadicam. In other words, the perfect person to ask what a Steadicam actually is.
Malcolm Entertainment is a New York based independent movie production company that consists of two good friends, Oscar Sanders and Robert Hill, who came up with the idea to start making movies together in 1995. Since then, they have make two successful short movies, that they have travelled the world with to movie festivals, and right now they are in production of their first feature length film. Oscar and Robert are a good example of people who have a big passion for film, and who are more than willing to spend their time and money on making their films, the way they want to.
If you have been reading this site for some time, you might recall that Back to the Future is one of my all-time favorite movies. Which is why this movie is a shoe-in for I Love This Movie! I contacted Stephen Clark, webmaster of the great Back to the Future-website BTTF, who responded with some very interesting answers to my many questions about those three wonderful movies, the closing of the popular theme park ride and whether or not the time/space continuum was actually ever broken in the three movies.
During the recent SXSW Film Festival, the inventive comedy Skills Like This was one of the big winners. The movie, about a man who discovers he has a real knack for crime, was an audience favorite, winning the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. Gabriel Tigerman is one of the stars of this movie, and together with co-star Spencer Berger, he also came up with the idea for the movie. High time then for an e-mail chat with Gabriel, who is well on his way towards bigger things.
1. Monsters Inc.
2. The Incredibles
3. Finding Nemo
4. Ratatouille
5. Toy Story
6. Monster House
7. Toy Story 2
8. Flushed Away
9. Over the Hedge
10. Arthur and the Minimoys/Shrek
It all seems so logical: A cop in a movie has a gun, a badge and handcuffs on him, while and archeologist with a need to go adventuring carries a whip and a cool hat on his head. But what you may not realize, is that movies have whole teams of people working on getting these items, or props, on the set so they can be used. Tommy Tomlinson is one of Hollywood's most renowned property master, which an amazing list of movies he has worked for: Beverly Hills Cop, Die Hard, Predator, The Rock, Snakes on a Plane and many other movies wouldn't have been the same without Tommy Tomlinson and his ability to find the right props.
