May 21, 2017
Hong Sang-soo Reveals How He’s Made 21 Features in 21 Years: ‘I Start with Almost Nothing’
At just 55, Hong Sang-soo has already made 21 soju-soaked features. South Korea’s most prolific auteur is back at Cannes with his two newest projects, “The Day After” and “Claire’s Camera,” and took some time out of his busy schedule to explain his unconventional process to the Hollywood Reporter: “I’ve come to the point where I start with almost nothing,” he says.
By “almost nothing,” Hong means that he no longer even bothers writing traditional screenplays. “As time went on, the treatments became shorter, to the point where I’d start production with only a few pages of notes.” That’s one way to run a railroad.
As for his actors — including Isabelle Huppert and Kim Min-hee — they have no more than half an hour to rehearse and “don’t have much time to memorize.”
“I make use of the things that come to me while shooting as I incorporate them into an evolving whole,” he says. “I don’t even know what I know about a given actor. And I don’t try to organize or explain what I know. But on the day of shooting, the particular situation and the conditions of the film come together to create a kind of pressure. That pressure allows a few things among the many thoughts and feelings I have about this actor to come out. I write them down.” Read the full interview here.
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Source: IndieWire film
May 21, 2017
‘Redoubtable’: How Michel Hazanavicius and His Cast Found the Human in Often ‘Ridiculous’ Jean-Luc Godard — Cannes
With his “Redoubtable,” Oscar-winning “The Artist” writer-director Michel Hazanavicius delivers another homage to period cinema, this time channeling Jean-Luc Godard’s moviemaking techniques as he portrays the cinema god during his late ’60s transition from groundbreaking film iconoclast to actual radical revolutionary. (Read Eric Kohn’s review here.)
American buyers are already sniffing around the feature film, one that could play well for older cinephiles who love Godard, an admittedly narrow niche.
French star Louis Garrel, who also appears in Arnaud Desplechin’s festival opener “Ismael’s Ghosts,” is superb as Godard and could land an acting prize. At the beginning, we get a glimpse of the director audiences are clearly expecting to see: confident, playful, and adoring his 19-year-old leading lady Anne Wiazemsky (Stacy Martin), gazing straight at her (and us) as the camera tracks by during the filming of “La Chinoise.”
We move from the young newlyweds to the challenges that the tumultuous rebellion of the ’60s in France placed on the couple, as Godard passionately embraces radical rhetoric, keeps smashing his glasses at protest marches, and successfully fights to keep the Cannes Film Festival from going forward as planned.
He criticizes everything and everyone, including his spouse, who tends to keep her mouth shut. Surely, she should have more to say as a French philosophy student of the period, but Hazanavicius, while not approving of Godard’s patriarchal behavior toward his wife, doesn’t give her much to say. He does lovingly photograph her in the nude (luckily, Garrel does show up tout nu in one witty scene, as well as some male actors in another director’s movie he doesn’t want his wife to make).
Cannes Film Festival
At the film’s Cannes press conference, Hazanavicius describes the movie as a comedy, but mostly we see many people divided by constant arguing. “There are many different viewpoints,” said Garrel. “We love that they all end up quarreling. Without it we’d probably be bored. He was constantly creating conflict. And it was conflict that was joyful.”
The actor said he was well aware that at this phase in his life, Godard — whom he admires — dismissed actors as absurd believers in the suspension of disbelief: “That I had to appear as him in a film brought huge pressure but was exhilarating at the same time.”
Martin admitted that finding the right way to play his young actress wife was difficult, as the director who inspired her was changing along with France. Wiazemsky “calls herself into question, her choices and decisions,” Martin said. “It was a constant challenge and we talked about it at length. He’s such a wonderful actor, we worked a lot out as we went.”
“I wasn’t always very nice,” said Garrel, who shouts at his wife in many scenes.
Godard was “paradoxical in many ways,” said Hazanavicious, “with his bourgeois reactions and ideas about how women should behave. But he had very sincere attitudes and his revolutionary approach to making films that were not sentimental did not extend to his personal life.”
He added, “As to breaking down a myth, why not? When you make a film about someone you enhance the mystique. Although Jean-Luc Godard is a cultural messiah, he’s also fun. There’s humor in Godard.”
“He was ridiculous,” said Garrel. “But I had fun making him human. He stirs up trouble. That’s what he enjoys doing. The span of his life work is huge, but he’s sometimes quite funny and says stupid dumb things.”
While Hazanavicius rediscovered the great artist Godard during his research, he also does not worship Godard. “I am agnostic,” he said. “He’s one of the most important directors in the history of cinema, an iconic figure, but he’s a person as well.”
“Redoubtable” premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
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Source: IndieWire film
May 21, 2017
Michael Shannon ‘Lays on the Floor Like a Vampire’ During Long Shoots, to the Surprise of No One
Michael Shannon makes a lot of movies. He appeared in eight of them just last year, earning an Academy Award nod for “Nocturnal Animals” (clearly an act of penance for his “Night Before” snub the previous year), and is slated for several more before 2018 rolls around. Still, he doesn’t necessarily like being on film sets: “They basically are like a petri dish for boredom and silliness,” Shannon said during Vulture Festival yesterday.
With that in mind, he apparently prefers to do his work and mind his own business. “I try to not say much,” the actor continued. “People think, Oh, you’re in character or whatever. It’s like, ‘No. I don’t come here to talk.’ I just want to say what’s written and go home.” Sometimes that includes lines like “we both know Miley was flawless,” as in his severely underrated “The Night Before” performance, so it’s understandable that Shannon likes to work distraction-free.
“You go on a film set, it’s like, ‘You’re going to say five lines today, and it’s going to take 12 hours,’” he said. So what does he do to stave off boredom? “I go into my little room in the trailer and I turn all the lights out and I just lay on the floor like a vampire. And then they knock. I’m like, Okay, I’ll go. What am I going to do — knit?” Amid all these answers, a question: Why has Michael Shannon never actually played a vampire?
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Source: IndieWire film
May 21, 2017
‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ Hits Yet Another Snag as Production Company Deems It ‘Patently Illegal’
“The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” has had so much trouble getting made that it would almost be a letdown if the long-gestating project ever sees the light of day. Terry Gilliam has been tilting at windmills for nearly 20 years at this point, and now the film has hit a new snag: Alfama Films released a statement on Friday deeming it “patently illegal.”
READ MORE: Terry Gilliam Has Begun Shooting ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,’ For Real This Time
Alfama’s Paulo Branco spoke to the Hollywood Reporter at Cannes, accusing Gilliam of “clandestinely” working on the film behind his back and even “pursuing the production with other partners.” Whether true or not, such a strange state of affairs is certainly apropos of the Cervantes’ charmingly (and tragically) out-of-his-depth knight errant.
“The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” first entered pre-production in 1998 and, at one point or another, everyone from Jean Rochefort and Johnny Depp to Robert Duvall and Ewan McGregor has been attached to it. A documentary about these troubles, “Lost in La Mancha,” was released in 2005. Jonathan Pryce and Adam Driver star in the current iteration, which was announced at Cannes last year.
The film’s producers released a statement of their own, claiming that Branco has “no rights whatsoever to ‘Don Quixote’” and that his accusations are “preposterous”; they’re also suing him in four different countries. (Perhaps it’s actually Branco, not Gilliam, who’s the most quixotic character in this story?) “Senhor Branco’s interpretation of the law borders on the picaresque,” added Peter Watson. “If he really wants to kill the venerable don, I suggest he takes up jousting.”
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Source: IndieWire film
May 21, 2017
Clint Eastwood Promises to Return to Acting At Packed Cannes Masterclass
The toughest ticket at this year’s Cannes Film Festival? A masterclass with Clint Eastwood, which unfolded on Sunday afternoon to a packed auditorium and a crowd that warmly received the veteran actor and director with a three-minute standing ovation.
While the two-hour chat, led by Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan, surveyed the full scope of Eastwood’s career with a particular eye on his directorial efforts, Eastwood admitted the he missed acting in front of the camera and promised to return to it.
Eastwood’s last major on-screen performance was in 2012’s “The Trouble With the Curve” (which, quite notably, came after a four-year acting hiatus). Per Variety’s report, he told Turan that he missed acting “once in a while but not often,” and added that he will return when he is ready.
“I did a lot of it for a long time. I’ll visit it again someday,” he said.
While the often outspoken Eastwood didn’t directly address the current U.S. political situation, he did allude to it when discussing the first “Dirty Harry,” which was billed by many as being politically incorrect, kicking off an era of P.C.-leaning behavior that he’s clearly not a fan of.
“We’re killing ourselves by doing that, we’ve lost our sense of humor,” he said.
On Saturday, the festival screened Eastwood’s 1992 Western classic, “Unforgiven” as part of their Cannes Classics section. Eastwood is a long-time Cannes regular, screening films such as “Changeling,” “Pale Rider,” “Bird,” “Absolute Power,” and “Mystic River” at the festival over the years.
In 1994, he served as President of the Official Selection jury, which ultimately picked Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” as their Palme d’Or winner.
Eastwood is currently in preproduction on “The 15:17 to Paris,” a terrorist drama penned by Dorothy Blyskal.
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Source: IndieWire film
May 20, 2017
Cannes Virtual Reality Review: Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s ‘Carne y Arena’
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s extraordinary festival installation plants you right in the middle of an immigrant border odyssey. It’s the VR revolution …
Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed
May 20, 2017
Video Editing: Cutting Mixed Media Projects with Various Formats and Resolutions
Video editors cutting projects like documentaries will find a variety of video formats, file types, codecs, frame rates, and resolutions in any given …
Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed
May 19, 2017
Watch Alien Covenant in Theaters Now [Video]
“In 1979 I took you all on a terrifying journey with seven members of the Nostromo. Tonight you are going on that journey again, and remember in space, no one can hear you scream,” said Director Sir Ridley Scott.
During SXSW 2017, 20th Century Fox took us back to the 1979 film to re-experience the original terror. Director Ridley Scott, Michael Fassbender, Danny McBride,and Kathrine Waterston were in attendance to discuss Alien, as well as, show footage from the newest film in the anthology, Alien: Covenant, now playing in theaters.
Sir Ridley Scott, one of the world’s foremost directors and producers, is most known for his work on films such as Thelma & Louise, Alien, Black Hawk Down, Blade Runner and Gladiator. Throughout his illustrious career, Scott has been lauded by the Emmy Awards, the PGA Awards and the DGA Awards. Scott serves as head of RSA and Scott Free Productions.
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Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW
The post Watch Alien Covenant in Theaters Now [Video] appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
May 19, 2017
The Daily Chord Weekly Recap – Friday, May 19
Music makes news every day, in a variety of ways. The Daily Chord notes the major developments, linking to stories, posts, interviews and commentaries that matter the most. Check out this weekly update, and sign up for the Daily Chord email updates to stay current each weekday.
Monday, May 15
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Portugal’s Salvador Sobral quietly wins Eurovision Song Contest
Post from Billboard -
Sony Music executive L.A. Reid accused of sexual harassment
Story from Variety -
PWR BTTM cancel tour: Report
Post from Pitchfork -
Spotify said to lean toward direct listing on NYSE
Post from NY Times -
Upstream Summit looks at the murky future of the music industry
Post from The Stranger -
Hanson on avoiding the pitfalls of fame
Profile from ABC News
Tuesday, May 16
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YouTube still has full albums on its platform, and that’s a problem
Post from The Verge -
Make music in VR with Lyravr
Post from TechCrunch -
‘American Epic’ explores how a business crisis ignited a musical revolution
Review from LA Times -
How many writers does a hit song need?
Story from BBC News -
Arca, Deadboy and Mr. Mitch: The new wave of beat-makers becoming pop stars
Post from The Guardian -
The last moment of the last great rock band
Oral history from Vulture
Wednesday, May 17
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We’re not saying you’re obsolete, but Google is making music humans can’t
Post from Mashable -
There’s a good reason Shazam started forgetting song titles in April
Post from The Verge -
Amazon Music says it doesn’t want to become a record label
Post from TechCrunch -
Kelly Clarkson talks new LP, top female execs speak out at Music Biz 2017
Post from Variety -
Universal partners with Tencent to expand digital reach into China
Post from Billboard -
‘Master Of None’ understands how a new generation listens to music
Post from Pitchfork
Thursday, May 18
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Chris Cornell, Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman, dies at 52
Obituary from NY Times -
Jimmy Iovine: ‘Musicians taught me everything. Without them, I’m working on the docks.’
Interview from Music Business Worldwide -
Patreon expects to pay creators $150 million in 2017
Post from Variety -
SiriusXM in discussions to acquire struggling Pandora
Story from NY Post -
With MIXhalo, Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger aims to deliver studio-quality sound at live events
Post from TechCrunch -
Six albums that prove underground rap is in a great place right now
Post from Stereogum
Friday, May 19
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Net neutrality going down in flames as FCC votes to kill Title II rules
Post from Ars Technica -
PWR BTTM release new statement to ‘strongly contest’ sexual abuse allegations
Post from The Guardian -
Music industry blasts YouTube’s value report
Post from NY Post -
Spotify just bought an AI startup to help it stay ahead of Apple Music
Post from CNBC -
Live Nation announces festival passport for GA access to 90+ festivals
Post from Jam Base -
Sufjan Stevens: Spokesman for sanity
Interview from Pitchfork
The post The Daily Chord Weekly Recap – Friday, May 19 appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Music
May 19, 2017
American Panorama: Historical Maps Of The United States
Maps have been around for centuries and are still considered indispensable tools for people today. They’ve helped people to define and navigate the world around them as far back as 16,500 BC and continue to do so in the 21st century. That’s why Stamen and the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond decided to upgrade the U.S. map in a project known as “American Panorama.” Funded by the Mellon Foundation, American Panorama isn’t just a single geographical map of the U.S., it’s a set of historical atlases covering a wide-range of significant stories in U.S. history.
These are the stories they are telling:
Forced Migration of Enslaved People in the United States
“[S]howing the movement of nearly a million people, the majority through the domestic slave trade, across the South in the half-century before the Civil War.”
The Overland Trails
“[M]apping the long and arduous emigrations of men and women over the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails in the 1840s and 50s.”
Foreign-Born Population: A Nation of Overlapping Diasporas
“[E]nabling users to explore the connections that tied migrants to the U.S. to the places they were born.”
Canals
“[M]apping the growth of artificial waterways and economic development in the antebellum period by presenting data about the commodities and products that moved across the canals.”
The maps are completely unique and offer up important narratives as told by historians and storytellers about the history of the United States. They allow users to approach American history in a new and engaging way making the subjects more fascinating and accessible.
Stamen is planning on releasing the software they wrote to build the maps and plan on continuing to support the DSL’s and other digital scholarships. “These maps are just a beginning,” said the director of DSL Robert Nelson. “Starting with maps on inequality in twentieth-century cities and urban renewal, American Panorama will regularly grow to cover the full breadth of American history.”
Learn more about the project at Stamen or at the University of Richmond Press Release and check out the various maps here.
Source: Visual News