Grandfather's Axe and Shorts

I saw one of the best shorts I've seen in a long time last night. It's two minutes of brilliant--if gross--humor and philosophy. Unfortunately, this short was the opening scene to a full length film that failed to deliver on the start. Sad times. Though, this happens often.

For horror fans, there really isn't a better option for discussing Theseus's paradox. So, if you're inclined, check out the embedded video. Not sure how long it will stay up as it is copyrighted material.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

Stubborn Love

This video is brilliantly cut. The shots fit the tone of the piece, The acting/editing pulls you along in both the song and story. I really wish there was a behind the scenes for this because I think we could learn a lot from how they got the performances that they did and how they enhanced them with the editing. This video exemplifies really well the idea that you can have your actor just sit there with a neutral face and change the mood of the piece by cutting to various things.

Editing is powerful. But you need good material to begin with too.

My wife went a huge Lumineers kick after seeing them live at Coachella on YouTube.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

Aside: Overtime

I have a ridiculous amount of sick days!

The new Aside category here will bring you snippets from scripts that catch my ear. It could be anything from a clever line to a powerful insight to a well-communicated moment. In this case, it's communication. This character is afraid of forever being sucked into a world where he only does what others expect of him. This simple line communicates that idea perfectly without coming out and saying it.

Brilliant.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

Creative Action Scenes

My favorite part of action scenes is the creativity employed by the choreographer. That's why I enjoy Jason Statham and Bourne flicks so much. It doesn't matter if it's a fire hose (Transporter 2), a well-kicked table (The Bourne Legacy), or a horribly shot but inventive use of a magazine (The Bourne Supremacy). These kinds of things make me catch my breath with exhilaration.

I had to clap my hand over my mouth when I watched a recent Statham scene where--to get away from the bad guys--he backs into a guy, sending him flipping over the car. Statham calmly buckles in the girl in the passenger seat and proceeds to run into the guy again as he stands up, sending him flying over the vehicle once more.


Statham Car Shot in Safe

Not only is this a creative scene, but the fact that it's a single shot makes the moment more awesome. Also, we get a bit of character development in that he takes time to buckle in his passenger while dodging bullets and taking out the enemy.

Keep your eyes and brain alert to opportunities to do something unique and fun in your productions.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

You Have Killer Taste

Feeling like the stuff you're making isn't very good? I thought so. It's time for another reminder:



How do you get good at creating stuff? You make a ton of it. You produce something now. You try and try and try again. And as you practice, you'll improve. Don't give up just because what you are making isn't any good right now. That comes with practice. Quitting would be the exact opposite of what you need to be doing.

Don't feel Ira Glass has enough clout? Fine. Here's what FreddieW and Brandon--two of the hottest guys on YouTube--have to say:



Go make something. Now.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

Image Inspiration: Weary

Continuum Conundrum

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

How to Make a Dolly

The following tutorial will show you how to create an incredibly easy, inexpensive, portable dolly for your video camera and tripod. This dolly is designed for the following needs:

Easy I needed something that did not require fancy tools. I did not want to drill through metal, solder, or do anything else that required specialized stuff.

Inexpensive I wanted parts I could find off the shelf at a hardware store. Materials are always pricey, but I needed a DIY that did not break the bank.

Portable All the plans for DIY skateboard dollies I found online were solid structures that would be impossible to transport without a truck... and would certainly take up too much space in my basement. I needed something I could collapse and toss in a backpack if needed.

Armed with those criteria, I spent two days scouring the internet for ideas and another six hours wandering the aisles of my local hardware store. I have been using this dolly for over five years. It works well. I have never seen anything else like it [though, I've since discovered a PVC Dolly that would probably work well for light cameras and would be even cheaper]. Here's how to build one yourself.

Stuff you need

Parts for your DIY dolly

• 8 x skateboard wheels with bearings (got two cheap skateboards at a big box store)
• 8 x 2" long 1/4" bolts
• 8 x 1/4" hex nuts
• 16 x 1/4" washers
• 2 x 3/4" T-joints of galvanized steel
• 2 x 3/4" elbow joints of galvanized steel
• A two foot long 3/4" galvanized steel pipe
• A 12.5" steel slotted angle [long wall-mounting L-bracket with holes it in]
• A 3' steel slotted angle [1.25" x 1" angle]
• 2 x 1" PCV pipe (10 feet long)

You will also need:

• Metal binding glue
• Socket wrench
• Crescent wrench

Putting it together

Step 1: Thread a wheel onto a hex bolt and then add two washers. Slide this through the outermost round hole in the steel angle and secure with a hex nut. Repeat 7 more times. Put two wheels on each end of the steel bar. Thankfully, the holes are offset so they won't bump into each other.


Step 2: Glue a T-joint to the middle-ish of both slotted angles. Try to keep it pointed straight up so when you attach the elbow they point straight across toward each other. Do not attach the elbows until the glue is set!


Step 3: Screw the elbows into the top of the Ts and connect the two tracks with the connecting steel pipe. Place each track on one of the PVC tubes, and you're good to go.

Using your dolly

You can quickly take this apart by unscrewing the center bar. Then, the largest pieces are the lengths of PVC. If you need to travel to a location, buy two more PVC pipes there. It's well worth the $5 to make it more logistically feasible.

The PCV can move around as you slide over it. This flexibility is great if your dolly isn't perfectly assembled.


I've found that the bolt placement is almost perfect for my tripod feet.



If you need a low shot, you can swap out the pipe for a board with notches cut out for the T-joints.

Questions? Let me know in the comments and I'll try to address them or improve this tutorial so you can more easily build your own dolly.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

Why House of Cards Is Unsatisfying

I took a couple of weeks to "binge" my way through House of Cards season one. The show is well produced and mostly engaging. But it is, in my view, ultimately remarkable only in how unsatisfying it turns out to be. And I believe there are important lessons in storytelling as we uncover the lurking lackadaisical nature of the tale.

1. Revenge is only satisfying if we see it unfold. Think of The Princess Bride. What if instead of fighting the six-fingered man, Inigo Montoya discovered that the man who had killed his father had died after a long and painful bout with cancer? Lame. That may have been more terrible than a relatively quick death at the hands of a master swordsman. But cancer doesn't have the sense of retribution that we want in a story. We want to see evil suffer, but we don't want to feel sorry for the perpetrators of extreme evil. In House of Cards, we don't get the sense that our antagonistic protagonist is actually dishing out retribution. He's merely slashing and burning his way to his objective, hurting everyone except the people who betrayed him first. And if he ends up ruining the lives of those who lied to him, it comes more as a surprise than a plot. We don't see revenge. We only see a politician throwing a tantrum like a spoiled 4-year-old and if his objectives are reached, we feel it's because of the failures of others not his successes.

2. We don't care about the lead. There is absolutely no reason to care about any of the main characters in Cards. Our "hero" is a selfish, despicable man who is willing to stop at nothing to get to his petty and meaningless goals. Why does he want that political position again? He's already well connected and can do pretty much whatever he wants. Why does he feel so cheated? What are all the "things" he hopes to accomplish once in more power? He has no true direction and no need that compels him there. So, while we can empathize with not getting what was promised, I can't bring myself to care if he were to fail. Which makes the long episodes that show him struggling to reach his goal hallow and unsatisfying. I want to see him mete judgment, not whine at me about how he doesn't like what's happening around him.

3. Everything is meaningless. And I'm not just talking in the existential way. This show underscores again and again how everything in their world matters not one iota. Okay, there are a few scenes where one sympathetic character feels sad about her significant other being knocked off, but that's it. Nothing else in the plot has any real impact on anyone. A few people destroy their lives, but that's not actually part of the narrative, its just who they are. Worse, when we get down to the existential problems near the end of the season, we discover that "praying to myself, for myself" is not only laughable and lame, it's downright pathetic. And the question is asked, but then ignored, "Why are we doing this?" ...because, really, everything is meaningless.

4. The characters aren't pawns on a chessboard, they are filler or convenience. The wife and her world? Pointless to the main plot, there merely to create possible tension. The reporter? The epitome of poor eye candy and dues ex machina. Even the three characters I liked... don't do much for the plot. And perhaps that's because there was so little true plot.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

When Cinematography and Sets Don't Matter

I'm watching a film right now that has gorgeous locations, fantastic camera work (full of smooth crane and dolly shots), and a cast of hundreds. It also has some passable CG, which further underscores that there is some money behind this production. They are shooting in the middle of the jungle somewhere--Indonesia(?)--and have wonderful aerial establishing shots. The movie looks great.


Filming on Location

But it's a terrible flick. All the technical production values in the world aren't saving this movie because of two things:

1. The acting is terrible. This frequently happens when you travel to a remote location and pick up locals to play in your picture. As people with zero dollar budgets, that's often what we have to do. But if you can find people who can act, it helps a ton. Of course, bad acting is very common in films with barbarians. I think the biggest reason is that people are told to act "not so modernly" or something. Don't do that. People are people whether they are in a ritzy hotel in London or the ferocious wilds of the planet Garbatron. Let your actors be normal people in extraordinary situations, and the acting should instantly improve.

2. The story doesn't resonate. The fault for this is mostly the bad acting. A character's wife is carried away by dragons. A moment before he jumps to his feet and calls after her. Uh... okay. These missteps in pacing remind us that we are watching a production instead of experiencing a story. The other problem is that the camera work never really tells us anything about what's going on. The shots cover the action just fine, but nothing in how things unfold visually adds anything to the tale. Be sure to change your shooting style, angles, and tempo to keep the audience engaged in the action.

Having a nice camera and exotic locations is great. But remember: those things don't matter if your audience isn't gripped by your tale. Focus on your story, and use technology and film techniques to enhance that. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that good looking shots are what are most important. At best, they elevate your tale. But they don't make a movie.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor