My Q&A with Richard Linklater (School of Rock, Before Sunrise/Sunset)

I was lucky to have the opportunity to ask Richard about some of his career highs and future plans.  Due to the number of q's being diverted towards his general direction, it's short, but I guess I managed to put across most of what I had planned so not the end of the world...

Q. I want to know how richard and his director of photography managed to create real
time scenes in before sunset.was a lot of it spontaneous?

A. That was the conception of the movie, that it would unfold in real time, in the
later afternoon - of course that made shooting a bit tricky as we had to match the light - often we would
rehearse all day and shoot a seven minute scene over and over for about the hour half window that the
light was right - we had painted ourselves in a corner conceptually, but every film needs something
about it that makes it near impossible.

Q. School of rock 2..? would it work? i mean the first one kinda did everything...

A. Greatly exaggerated at this point, so not on the front burner

Q. What was it like witnessing the chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy
on camera? Was it as big a thing for you as it was for audiences? Will there be a third?

A. Who knows? It took us 9 years the first time around... We love working
together but that alone isn't reason enough to make a movie, if the single compelling core idea
emerges I suspect I'm sure we'd all be back at it.

Q. Any news on the 'Untitled 12-year Richard Linklater Project' iMDB seems to be
covering?

A. Ah... my 12 year project that I was hoping to do and complete in anonymity...
Damn that IMDB! Strange to talk about a film that no-one can see for another five or so years, but I just
filmed another section a week ago, we tend to shoot about two or three days a year - the kid I'm
creating a fictional world around is in junior high now.

Richard Linklater's new film, Me & Orson Welles, stars Zac Efron & Claire Danes and is widely released on 4th December!

BFC Vogue Fashion Fund!

Better keep this short cos the proof is in the pudding.  And in this case the pudding is;

http://www.britishfashioncouncil.com/designerfashionfund

Through some bizarre coincidence, the British Fashion Council have announced a similar fund scheme for
emerging designers with the winner receiving £200,000 for their troubles.  Virtually the same as the CFDA Vogue Fund but in Blighty!


Here is the link for further guidelines and that all important application form. Nice.


http://www.britishfashioncouncil.com/uploads/media/62/12372.pdf

From Page To Screen: The Kite Runner

My TV decided to go on the blink last night, which led me into watching a film that I have wanted to see for quite some time. With it being based on an exceptional novel by Khaled Hosseini, I had already made a pre-conception that the film could never be as good as the book. I was almost wrong.

The Kite Runner is a roller coaster of emotions, moving you to tears at many different points throughout. Very much ‘epic’ like in the sense that it takes a on a huge historical event, and breaks it down to the very core, the people involved.

The movie is filmed over three decades of war-torn Afghanistan, allowing us into a world of torment, anger and hurt. Amongst, which we are presented with the main characters of the story, Amir and Hassan. The main storyline revolves around Amir, a well-to-do middle class boy, witnessing Hassan, his servant and friend being raped. It is from this point in that their friendship suffers as Amir’s guilt and feelings of powerlessness take over. Various compelling situations occur and we see the two separate with Amir moving to the USA and leaving Hassan (and his guilt) behind.

Almost 20 years later, Amir is forced to go back to face his demons and with that, finally achieve an ultimate sense of redemption for the betrayal of his friend all those years ago.

One of the many reasons as to why I loved this film was because of how real it felt NAY was. Not only did it refrain from taking away anything from the original novel (apart from certain monologues), but also stayed true to the historic and cultural elements throughout.  However, the film focused on the relationships of the characters rather than the underlying political theme that simmered beneath parts of the book. It’s the film’s quasi-darkness and social edge that help provide it its backbone and strength (although it could be argued the producers don't quite push the artistic side far enough. NG)

I must say this is a more than solid adaptation by director, Marc Forster (who incidentally went on to direct the latest Bond opus, The Quantum of Solace).

Grade: B+ (7.5/10)

CFDA / Vogue Fund Nominees 2009

The Council of Fashion Designers in America and Vogue team up every year to provide an opportunity for budding male and female designers to submit designs for a competition set up for emerging artists.  A fund is set up so that the winner, receives a grant of $200,000 to help set up their business.

A few of you have asked about opportunities across the pond and this, it seems, is the best!

The winners will be announced on the 16th November, so I'll post more information on or around that date with details of how the nominees applied and 'emerged' so to speak.

Should be of some use!

Michael Jackson's This Is It! Depending On Your Point Of View Of Course...

Review #1

Michael Jackson is a revelation in these clips of rehearsal footage.  His ability to micro-manage and bring together such a talented and varied pool of performers remains unwavered.  Jackson's vocals seem to pierce through in a manner not seen since the HiStory tour (almost 15 years ago).  The choreography for the dance routines shows a man more than able to compete with others fully half his age.  His ability to retain an almost eeriely air of steel-armoured composure and in such a succinct manner remains a wonder to behold.  The perfectionist in Jackson would have made the concerts (at least a fair number of them) a spectacular success.

Grade: A- (8/10)

Review #2

It remains without query that Michael Jackson retained a need to deliver the highest level of performance attainable, ensuring the final product would always be something to be cherished forever by the fans.  Almost ten years spent out of the artistic spotlight (for a plethora of reasons, discussed exhaustively elsewhere) and now finally he BELIEVED that the songs that provided the platform for his former glory were ready to be rolled out again.

It was expedient as these songs mirrored a public outlook which would be dwindling towards various interests towards the environment, war, love for each other and so on.  The film shows us that these 'interests' were paramount in Jackson's mind, especially as 'Man In The Mirror' was to be the ending note of the encore (a song Jackson had omitted occasionally during the troublesome HIStory tour).

What is the point to be made from this?  Well, firstly, fifty shows was an unprecedented statement and more than doubled the number preformed by Prince (Jackson's artistic nemesis).  I believe Jackson wanted to make these shows the greatest of his entire career, almost a two-fingered salute to those who had doubted him and seen/documented his downfall since his 'Thriller' heyday.  

The footage here shows this to some extent, especially 'Human Nature' and 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You'.  However, though the undiminished talent of Jackson cannot be doubted, this was very much a work in progress (not a shock considering the first date was three weeks away).  One part of me believes that Jackson was a revelation in these rehearsals whereas the other believes he was merely marking out and warming up.  Even if the truth lies somewhere in between, Jackson would NOT have wanted us to see these pictures unless they were perfect.  No matter how faithfully and lovingly director Kenny Ortega compiles the footage to provide a tangible whole, the mean does not quite justify the end...

A hagiographic portrayal is more than understandable (from a marketing standpoint and as a goodbye present for us fans) but this is the same man who died days after much of this footage was taken and very little emphasis is put on the pressures and demands put on an artist who was clearly underweight and ultimately taken advantage off.  It leaves a sickening taste in the mouth for sure, as under the bridal veil something far more evil lurked.

Grade: C (5/10)

N.B.  The original purpose of the tens of hours of footage taken were for Jackson's private home collection and therefore not for us to see (no matter how great and loyal fans we may be).  I haven't even made any reference to the cash grab this is (looking at Sony here, not the film producers) or how, without a crowd in the Staples Arena, the atmosphere at times is a little apathetic in nature (it's a rehearsal, duh!).  But again this just reinforces the point that although Jackson is very good here (and at points, great), THIS IS NOT IT, it was merely the beginning...

Final Grade: B- (6.5/10)