Andrew S.

Making of Star Wars introduction

Andrew S — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:36:12 +0000

As I read this introduction, I couldn’t help but think: why are we reading this now instead of at the beginning of the class? The introduction really offers no new insight now that we have almost finished the class. It really doesn’t seem like something we needed to read at any point.

Marketing compared to other writing

Andrew S — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:16:25 +0000

Marketing is mostly different from the forms of writing we have used thus far in class. There is more of a need to be completely direct with what you are saying. For the screenwriting portion, we were able to draw out some things and make a few subtleties. This is not say we did, but it was an option. With marketing, we only had a small amount of space on a paper or small amount of time in a video to get peoples attentions and make them want to come see the movie. We had to get the message across in as few words as possible. It was also different compared to filmmaking, also. When making a film, it was a mattter of showing things more than telling them. With marketing, it is completely the opposite. We have to tell everything, because there is no time to show. In comparison with a regular paper, the marketing section is like writing a thesis statement or paragraph, and then stopping. There is no room for finesse or style. There is only room for the point of the message.

Rebirth of Lucasfilm

Andrew S — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:50:46 +0000

This article is a bit confusing. I am not sure why it is called “Rebirth of Lucasfilm.” This would imply that Lucasfilm had died or something. But the article is just about hiring practices and the growth of the company. The company wasn’t really anything before the point where the article begins, so there is really no rebirth. If it was called “Birth of Lucasfilm” or “Growth of Lucasfilm” that would be much more accurate, I think.

Interview with 27 year-old George Lucas

Andrew S — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:54:34 +0000

First of all, why is the interview conducted walking around outside with gregorian chant in the background? Secondly, I am very glad he started to get into plot, because his student films are not entertaining or interesting. Thirdly, the audio got out of sync for part of it. I am not sure if that was because I skipped over THX or if it is the original video, but with the way the interview has gone so far, it wouldn’t surprise me.

I wish someone would tell this interviewer how to say the word “cassette.” It is really frustrating me.

This interview isn’t so much an interview with George Lucas as much as it is a lecture by the interviewer. He just keeps going on and on as if he had written everything out ahead of time, and didn’t let George Lucas talk very much. I wonder if public TV in California is still like this with interviews out in the mountains somewhere with long intellectual lectures about the future, which ends up being mostly wrong. This guy is speaking about VHS as if it was the internet. How wrong he was.

Gary Kurtz: Producer

Andrew S — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:03:34 +0000

I don’t really know what to post about this article. I like how Empire Strikes Back was a joke title. I wish he talked more about the Terror, because I am not sure what else there is to hear about Star Wars at this point. But Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson in the same movie? Tell me more about that.

Hypothetical press junket

Andrew S — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:27:53 +0000

I guess I missed this one originally. So, here it is:

This interview is taken from the October 2009 issue of Director’s Who are Better Than Us in Every Way.

DWABTUIEW: Tell us a little bit about your inspirations for your latest film, Love at First Bite.

Andrew: Well, I am not really sure there are any inspirations. Actually, the film is completely original. Nothing in this movie has been used in any way in a film before it. That’s a hard thing to do, really, but I pulled it off.

DWABTUIEW: What kinds of things do you have in the movie that are new or revolutionary?

Andrew: A female protagonist. No other movie has done that before.

DWABTUIEW: I feel like that has been done before. Many times.

Andrew: Not that I’ve seen.

DWABTUIEW: You are also an actor in this film. How was that?

Andrew: It was okay. Acting is a very natural process to me.

DWABTUIEW: Really? When I watched the film, your acting seemed forced. You showed no character or emotion.

Andrew: My character had no character or emotion. That is how I chose to play him. I could have ran around screaming the whole time, but I chose a more subtle approach.

DWABTUIEW: It seemed like you were just playing the character because you didn’t have any other actors.

Andrew: Well, yeah, that’s part of it, too.

DWABTUIEW: Thank you for talking with us about this movie. Can you give us any information about your next film?

Andrew: It doesn’t have a name yet, but it will involve a giant cat.

Love at First Bite will premiere Wednesday, Nov. 4 in 66 Library at 7:00 PM.

Fundance Film Festival

Andrew S — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:07:32 +0000

It’s almost here! But I think if we are going to play off of Sundance, we should have called it Butch Cassidy Film Festival. Just sayin’.

Halloween (with pictures)

Andrew S — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:41:28 +0000

So, this is my official post about Halloween this year. To start off my Halloween weekend, on Friday, I put on a lab coat and went into Beckman Institute to be part of an experiment. I was mistaken for a real life biologist. Then, wearing the same coat, I went to my Russian and Eastern European Science Fiction class. No one mentioned it at all. That was no fun. When I got home, I took off the coat and started working on my real costume. I had been working on it for a while now, but not necessarily as diligently as I should have. After a couple hours and various advertising related activities later, I realized I would not be able to wear my costume to the various parties planned for that night, because it would not be finished. So, I scrambled for a secondary costume. After borrowing a pair of pants, I had find my costume. It was Snake Pliskin from Escape from New York.

You can't really see the eye patch, but you can sure see the giant muscles.

Some people recognized it at the parties, which was good. The parties themselves were okay, with people randomly bursting out into songs from Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and even the theme song for the Huntsman from Animaniacs. I do not remember the words to any of those songs, though. I felt a bit lame. Anyway, after that was done, I decided that I was going to stay up all night finishing my costume. So, into the living room I went to paint and glue and cut and marathon Buffy the Vampire Slayer, not because it was Halloween, but because I have been trying to finish the series all semester. Finally, about an hour before the party was to begin on actual Halloween, I finished my costume. I was the Lizard from Spider-man.

I was quite pleased with the final result of the costume, and was hopeful about my chances of winning the costume contest that was planned for that evening. I got third place however. Some jerks had to go and do things like this:

2nd Place winner - her head played the theme song from the game.

and this one:

1st Place Winner - His sword is as tall as I am.

Overall, it was a good Halloween, though. Hopefully next year, I can make a more impressive costume that takes less time.

Here is everyone:

For the record, I don't know who that wolf was and do not associate with their kind.

Hats

Andrew S — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:24:55 +0000

Today, I got a hat in the mail. It fits nicely. It came with an instruction manual, which reads, “Please be aware that this item is not designed to function as a hat for practical use.” I am confused.

The Mythology of James Grady

Andrew S — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:50:00 +0000

James Grady is a mysterious man. A man a action. A man of few words. A man of varied tastes. Just when you think you know what he is going to say, he changes things on you. He seems to be a big rap fan, and then suddenly, he pulls out the Eagles to make you think twice. A man of modern culture who enjoys the art of Monet. You never know quite what to expect with James Grady.