Screenings + Q&A’s May 11, 2009
Posted by joost in : film, lifestyle, london, screening , comments closedIt’s good to be back in London! My timing is impeccable, since three new films had an advance premiere this week including a Q&A after the screening. I managed to get into all three of them.
First off Coraline, in 3D. The advances in stop motion techniques alone and the greater ambition can clearly be seen in this film. It has a very cinematic feel when it comes to the camera work, lighting and editing. And “as promised” the use of 3D is all in support of enhancing the story. Coraline is set in the real world and a parallel fantasy world. Both in set design and 3D these two worlds have a different depth to them.
Joost with fancy Dolby 3D glasses
Coraline Q&A @ BFI
Writer/director Henry Selick, writer (of the novel) Neil Gaiman and (voice) actor John Hodgman were interviewed on stage for about 40 minutes and answered questions from the audience. A very pleasant Q&A with honest and detailed answers about the making of the film, and plenty of jokes and snide remarks.
The next day I saw Chéri, Stephen Frears latest film. I must admit I wasn’t particularly interested in this film beforehand, and haven’t changed my mind after watching it. Michelle Pfeifer gives a good performance, and the cinematography by one of my favorite DoP’s Darius Khondji is marvelous, but the subject matter and story just couldn’t hold my attention.
That does NOT apply to Stephen Frears, one of Brittain’s most respected directors. Also attending the Q&A was another top class British film maker, writer Christopher Hampton.
This is the first time that I saw Frears in real life, and he struck me as a director who is not overly enthusiastic to explain the choices that he has made in his film(s) and the meaning of particular scenes. Fascinating to hear him talk nevertheless, because he has a very self-deprecating style, “confesses” his ignorance when it comes to other disciplines involved into making a film come to live (set design, costumes, music), jokes that he doesn’t tell his cast how to act but at the same time stresses the importance of every single word of dialogue, but of course knows very well what he is doing when he is covering a scene.
Thanks to my persistence and the helping hand of someone from The Script Factory, I managed to get into the sold-out premiere today of Synecdoche, New York, Charlie Kaufman‘s latest film and directorial debut.
Ever since hearing the premise of this film I had been looking forward to seeing it. And like any Kaufman film it will require multiple viewings to really appreciate the complex narrative and visuals. But suffice it to say that I am quite impressed! It is a somber contemplation on death, illness, lost loves, creating art and identity.
Perhaps I wanted to hear him talk even more than to watch his film. If you look at the feature length screenplays he has written so far I think he is one of the most extraordinary minds of this decade. Read this Wired article or listen to the complete audio dump to get a feel for how he talks and what captures his attention and imagination.
The man himself… intelligent, witty, rambling at times, honest in how he perceives life and how he incorporates that into his screenplays/films. He made a great remark to conclude the Q&A, which was something along the lines of (this is my recollection of what he said btw, so not an actual quote):
“I have tried to make a film that is truthful. I have tried to find a way to tell it in a different way than conventions dictate. I might have failed… I probably have failed, but it was an attempt to get closer to what the film is really about. And hopefully this will inspire other filmmakers to explore and to get closer to achieving that goal as well.”
For a moment it felt like he was addressing me, and I left the cinema with an inspired smile on my face.
AFFF25 / imagine 2009 roundup May 4, 2009
Posted by joost in : film, lifestyle, netherlands , comments closedThe 25th Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival / imagine 2009 finished little over a week ago. An excellent moment to look back at the festival and to make a selection from the 51 feature films that I have seen and that stood out for one reason or another. I’ve published a final roundup on the AFFF log in an attempt to summarize all my posts.
Graduation October 13, 2008
Posted by joost in : LFA, film, lifestyle, london, reflection, screening , comments closedIt’s true, I’ve graduated – again! “Because a Masters degree in Business and IT just doesn’t cut it” 
“Ladies and gentlemen, Diploma 11, the class of 2007/2008!”
And so it was that on a sunny Saturday in October 300+ people gathered at the Riverside Studios to celebrate the work of 34 graduate students of the London Film Academy. Almost everyone of my diploma year (13 out of 16) was back in London for this joyous occasion, plus about 18 students of the year that came after me. We graduated together, that is why my diploma year had to wait six months after having already finished our year back in March.
They showed all our films, the good ones and the bad ones (I should say “the interesting failures”, sounds a bit nicer…). Loads of family and friends were present to applaud, cheer and wipe away tears.
The official part of the ceremony consisted of handing out the diplomas to all the students by principals Daisy and Anna, and the two special guests David Game and Nicolas Roeg, and announcing the winners of the awards. Yes, awards, to honor some of the outstanding work and to give the day a bit more flair.
The good news for me was that I actually won two awards 
First I was voted Student of the year by my fellow students and lecturers of the LFA. Really nice to be acknowledged like this by my peers.
More importantly my film “Rule 2″ was voted Film of the year 2008, out of 17 films! A great reward for our teamwork and the resulting film.
Apart from certificates that describe these awards, there are some prizes involved as well. I will receive some goodies, and best of all, £500 worth of rental equipment towards my next short film, and extra distribution support (festival submissions) for “Rule 2″. Good stuff!
All of this had to be celebrated of course First a reception in the cinema bar to congratulate everyone, and after some food we headed towards a nightclub to club ourselves to death. I wandered out at 11am the next morning (!), blurry eyed and with only half my voice left, but incredibly happy.
It’s difficult to describe, but then again it is very straightforward: I’ve successfully finished a film school in London, something that I only could dream about years ago. I’ve been taught by some of the best professionals in the industry. I’ve made bonds for life with some of my classmates. My family and some of my friends were present to not only see me graduate but also to (finally) meet some of the people that I had been talking about the past year and a half. I’m incredibly proud of my own achievements, of those of my fellow classmates, of my loved ones for supporting me all the way through, and of course you my dear reader, for staying in touch if only from a distance.
Life after the LFA June 9, 2008
Posted by joost in : LFA, film, lifestyle, london, reflection , comments closedFrom March 2007 until April 2008 my life basically was the LFA. I’ve spent days, weeks, months at the LFA production office, in the theatre and in the editing suites. Truly a time to never forget. But as with all good things, this too came to an end. Is there life after the LFA? What does it look like? I’ll try to answer some of those questions in this post.
In my previous post I already mentioned that I worked on some shoots. These were (all but one) unpaid, but that did not really matter, it was great to make some more short films, this time outside of the safe environment of the LFA, but with people that I knew from and worked with at the LFA. And as said before, those productions were quite useful because the short films that I hope to be doing the coming year(s) will probably be shot on HD out of budget constraints. And shooting on HD was not part of my course since I attended a proper film school. Thanks to these shoots I am now much more informed about the practical pros and cons of shooting digitally.
One of the things that I want to do in this “post-LFA” era is fairly obvious: work on more shoots, to get more experience and also to network with other filmmakers.
A lot of the freelance film work starts with a phone call, someone that you’ve worked with before is doing a new film and is looking for a crew. Who does he approach? People he has worked with before, people who are professional, people he can get along with. So connecting with other filmmakers, doing the best you can and establishing a trustworthy reputation is quite important. Of course a little bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time also helps.
Apart from doing these unpaid or low-paid short films, one other goal for me is to try to get onto more professional shoots; commercials, music videos, feature films. If I want to work on feature films in the future, I need to work my way up and try to find a way into that world. My interest is not so much into the technical roles on set (camera, sound, lights) which doesn’t leave that much if I want to gain more on-set experience. Right now I’m thinking about pursuing assistant directing roles and script supervisor / continuity.
On a more practical level I need to find work to pay for my rent and the bills. This is tricky, since a lot of film work is freelance and short term. I am not expecting to be able to live on those kind of gigs any time soon, so I am aiming to find production related work, either in a fixed (ideally part time) position or project based work.
As said, ideally I’d like to work part time because that leaves me time the rest of the week to work on my own projects, and to write and direct my own (short) films. At the moment I am working on one short film (that I’ve just shot last Friday!), and I have written an outline of an idea a while ago that might develop into my first feature length script – very exciting!
Every now and then opportunities pop up, the most recent development is that I might be working as a location manager for a couple of weeks on a long short film.
The 24th Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival April 9, 2008
Posted by joost in : film, lifestyle, netherlands , comments closedYes, it’s here again, the 24th edition of the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival! For me the main reason the return to Amsterdam, I will be seeing 52 films in the next 10 days. Yay!
Me and Hans will be blogging throughout the festival, sharing our impressions and reviewing the films in our own format.
If you happen to be in Amsterdam and want to meet me there, go to the Tuschinski Art House, you’re bound to bump into me
Haveseenlist 2008 January 1, 2008
Posted by joost in : film, lifestyle, london, netherlands , comments closedThis post will be updated throughout the year with all the films that I have seen (hence the name). This is the unabridged version. See The obligatory “best films of/in 2008″ post for a summary, the high and the low lights.
Last updated: Wed December 31st, 2008
The Mahabaratha
Eastern Promises
No Country For Old Men (2x)
The Cell
Cruel Intentions
The Kite Runner
Montevideoaki (short) (clips #1 #2)
There Will Be Blood
Cloverfield
I’m Not There
The Matrix
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber From Fleet Street
Suzie Gold
Death Wish II
Youth Without Youth
Anaconda
The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Clear and Present Danger
Il Conformista
Be Kind, Rewind
The Yes Men
Un baiser s’il vous plaît
When Harry Met Sally
The Fountain
The Queen
The Fountain (director’s commentary)
—- Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival – (50 1/3 films, 16 shorts in 11 days) —-
Fall, The
Dynamite Warrior
European Fantastic Shorts #1
Timecrimes
Film Noir
Dante’s Inferno
Ruins, The
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
Weirdsville
Signal, The
Stuck
One Day Like Rain
Vexille
Mad Detective
Rage, The
Hatchet
Inside
REC
Black Water
Twilight Phantom
Mother of Tears: The Third Mother
Across the Universe
5 Centimeters per Second / Voices of a Distant Star
Pistol Whipped
P2
Diary of the Dead
Sword of the Stranger
Devil Dared Me To, The
Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina
Black House
Peur(s) du Noir
Return in Red
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Dororo
Sukiyaki Western Django
Orphanage, The
Bug
Wolfhound
European Fantastic Shorts #2
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane
Fido
Bad Biology
Doctor Infierno
Substitute, The
Dorm
Joshua
Waz
Doomsday
On Evil Grounds
Machine Girl, The
Man From Earth, The
Ed Wood
—- end of AFFF 24 —
The Fountain
Crank
Ironman
The Host
La Vie En Rose
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
The Green Butchers
Operation Filmmaker
The Bourne Ultimatum
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
James Bond: Casino Royale
Charade
3:10 To Yuma
Persepolis
Batman Begins
Batman
Zidane: un portrait du 21e siècle
The King of Kong
Night at the museum
Sex and the City
The Nines
Southland Tales
12:01 (short)
Peter and The Wolf (short)
Taxi Driver
Reservation Road
WALL-E
Serendipity
The Dark Knight (IMAX)
The Dark Knight (35mm)
Kung Fu Panda
Operatsiya Y i drugiye priklyucheniya Shurika
Clerks II
The Da Vinci Code
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Planet Terror
Beowulf
Speed
I Am Legend
How to loose friends & alienate people
Paris, je t’aime
The Fall
Conversations with other women
Iklimler (aka Climates)
El Gran Zambini (short)
Bedknobs and broomsticks
Eagle vs Shark
Ratatouille
W.
E.T.A. (short)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Heart of the World (short)
Bamako
Slumdog Millionaire (review that sums up my opinion nicely)
Man on wire
Gomorra
8 1/2
Midnight Meat Train
Eagle Eye
Ratatouille
My Best Friend’s Wedding
1408
Wattstax
Adam’s Apples
Crossing the bridge: The music of Istanbul
D stands for… September 13, 2007
Posted by joost in : LFA, lifestyle, london, reflection , comments closedThis is the first week of the third term at the London Film Academy, but things don’t really want to take off. I am supposed to be editing but I can’t seem to activate myself. It doesn’t help that there are problems with the audio, because of which I am currently limited to do a “mute edit”, i.e. a rough cut of the 5 minute film without sound.
The contrast with the rush of three weeks of filming in August is big. On the first day back in London we were already reminiscing how great that experience was, and calculating how long it would take til the next weeks of filmshoots (2 months and encounting).
Maybe ten days in The Netherlands made me too relaxed, too “Zen”. It’s hard to describe how good it feels to be back for a little while and to reconnect with everyone. Heartwarming to meet so many people, I feel proud to know them and that they are (still) part of my life (and vice versa).
A visit like this also works as an excellent way to step back from my life / work at the LFA, to ramble about all my adventures there, and to reflect on what I am doing filmwise, now and in the near future.
How to cope with being right here and right now? It’s a simple A-B-C:
Monday – Alcoholic “lunch” that lasts until midnight
Tuesday – Bodycheck by running
Wednesday – Conducting a midnight stroll in Oxford
And D? Among other things, D stands for Denial.
House vs. mouse June 21, 2007
Posted by joost in : lifestyle, london , comments closedSince about a week or two mice have discovered our house, and more in particular, our kitchen. Contrary to what you might think our kitchen is actually very clean, thanks to a cleaning lady that comes here every day – yes, I live in a student dorm, but a posh one, mind you 
Unfortunately that does not stop the mice anymore, and the word on the mice street spread fast. Two nights ago I spotted three of them when I was making some food in the middle of the night. Cheeky bastards those mice, rummaging around near the trash bins and the stove, only fleeing for me when I came too close and stamped my feet.
Today we struck back, with a vengeance. Forget about traditional mouse traps and poison, the mice danced around those and I think one of them actually giggled at our feeble attempt. Well laugh no more Mister Bojangles, for I present you the Glumeister 2000 (TM). Think of a crossbreed between a post-it-on-acid and a wax strip for Russian women, and you start to get the idea. These declamations of death lay on the floor, patiently waiting… the sun sets… the mice enter the kitchen… SQUEAK!
Always wanted to know what a sticky mouse looks like? Wonder no more:
The score: house 5 8 – mouse 0.
I need a holiday June 4, 2007
Posted by joost in : lifestyle, netherlands , comments closedAfter nine days in the Netherlands, I’m in dire need of a holiday! Seriously, what’s up with you guys? You’re a health hazard! Or is it the other way around, am I the one who is to blame for some new prospective members of the AA..?
In case you’re wondering: I had a great time! Heartwarming to see so many familiar faces, friends and family. Finally plenty of opportunities to talk face to face about life, the universe and everything. Such a great feeling to be in Amsterdam again, and strange at the same time because I have no home there anymore. Thanks to Jaap’s bike and plenty of drinks scattered throughout the week and all over Amsterdam, I had no difficulties feeling right at home though! I owe a big thank you to the people who graciously offered me a place to stay and their hospitality during this week.
A true morale booster this week has been. It also helped me to reflect on my first term at the LFA and the second term that is about to start. Even though I’m tired because of the past reckless week, I am looking forward to a new term that will revolve around a couple of 5 minute films that we will totally create ourselves; screenplay, pre-production and the actual film shoots. I feel confident based on my experiences in the first term and hope I can kick it up a notch to achieve new highs.
Anime Allnight May 6, 2007
Posted by joost in : film, lifestyle, london , comments closedLondon has a Sci-Fi Festival that takes place this week. I did not have the chance to see a lot during this festival, but tried to compensate it by attending the Anime Allnight. This was actually my second choice, because they also organized a Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Allnighter. Sold out unfortunately! 
Mini-review of the anime films of this night:
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society
Visually sophisticated, but storywise confusing and dull. I would definitely fail my screenwriting class by writing expositional dialogues like they do in this film… - Paprika
Best film of the night. Funny, scary, touching. An anime that is grounded in story telling and that uses the strengths of animation to deliver this story. - Highlander: The Search for Vengeance
Flashbackgalore. Disappointing, boring, ridiculous at times. Could somebody please kill this McLeod once and for all? Thanks. - Le Chevalier d’Eon (4 episodes)
Not really suitable for a (film!) night like this, because there is no real development or involvement in (these) four episodes. Probably only interesting for anime die-hards. - Full Metal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa
(what’s up with these long movie titles BTW?)
Action packed, ear drum ringing, captivating. Reminded me visually and thematically of Steamboy.
By 9am the lights went on and we stumbled outside, into the cautious sunlight at Picadilly Circus on a Sunday morning