Filmmaker Blog - Mario J. Novoa

Now that Star Wars is back, maybe it’s possible to see Episodes I-III with clearer eyes. The allegory was undercooked, but there’s a way of reading Episode III in particular as George Lucas’s response to the Bush era, overflowing with incoherent yet tantalizing ideas about how fascism arises from democracy. Rogue One looks, from the outside, like the anti- Phantom Menace : fewer Jedi, less politics, more guns, more actual wars than stars.  http://www.ew.com/article/2016/12/12/star-wars-rogue-one-prequels

Embed from Getty Images George Lucas & Steven Spielberg, "through the years", a slideshow I created using Getty Images. As a fan of these two famous filmmakers, I realized how far these guys have come, working together almost 40 years. They've maintained their friendship and collaboration an industry known for messy, drawn out disagreements. What do you think their secret is to maintaining such a strong partnership? 

On the eve of a screening at the Tribeca Film Festival, the film's stars, director and screenwriter recount the tension and tumult (trivia: Harvey  Kettle’s pimp was originally written as black; producers "had to hire a gang to protect us from other gangs") that preceded a movie masterpiece. A version of this story first appeared in the April 22 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. PAUL SCHRADER (screenwriter) I had a series of things falling apart, a breakdown of my marriage, a dispute with the AFI, I lost my reviewing job. I didn't have any money and I took to drifting, more or less living in my car, drinking a lot, fantasizing. The Pussycat Theater in L.A. would be open all night long, and I'd go there to sleep. Between the drinking and the morbid thinking and the pornography, I went to the emergency room with a bleeding ulcer. I was about 27, and when I was in the hospital, I realized I hadn't spoken to anyone in almost a month. So that...

I'm Making This Up As I Go... Kasdan: When I went out to meet Steven, he said, "I'm gonna do a movie with George Lucas and I want you to write it. You gotta meet George." This was one month after I had gotten in the business after years of trying. A few weeks later I was in an office with George and Steven. George said, "I want to do this thing, the hero's named after my dog, he has a whip, it's like the old serials." He then stood up and said, "Let's shake hands, maybe this will be a historic moment." Which was very un-George-like. http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/indiana-jones-making-raiders-lost-ark/ It's Not The Years, It's The Mileage... Steven Spielberg: Indiana Jones redefined the classic American hero as someone who did not have a backbone made of steel and skin made of Teflon. The idea that our intrepid archaeologist could actually do himself bodily injury made him accessible. He always comes out on...

I've had more directing opportunities come my way this year than I have ever had before. Certain projects came my way that were not initiated by any of my pitches but by recommendations from former colleagues. It's been quite an adventure thus far: directing music videos, social media campaigns and documentary segments.  I continue to edit, jockeying between Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro...becoming proficient on the two platforms. I have been editing segments for single and multi camera productions. There is never just one tool to use, as I've had find different techniques to work within certain financial constraints...or limited resources.  I look forward to finishing the year as I am prepping our last Holiday Alumni Summit at The Los Angeles Film School, a yearly gathering for Full Sail University and LAFS of alumni. This year I am putting together a panel discussion about inclusion in the film industry, female and male working styles, film direct...

Hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't do it. Ray Bradbury, writer

Final Cut Pro 10.3 New Features Lesson 8: Motion Project Management