The 546 semester at USC Film school
#8 in a series of 13
09mar2001
Workprint Screening
The
546 semester at USC Film school
#8 in a series of 13
09mar2001
***
Fade up & zoom in.
The conformed workprint
screening went well. Pema's film screened
last of four.
Wendy was pleased with
the results, especially for a first cut. This was the first
time edited footage was projected using film. Afterwards, she sensed an air of
respect from both fellow students & faculty.
Critiques were limited to things
previously identified, things for which they already
have a plan to address. Wendy & Geof had
a challenging editing job with Pema's
unconventional film. It appears they may have pulled it off.
After the
screening, her editing partner, Geof, joked with Pema,
saying, "We made
you look good today, huh?" Wendy overheard the Sound prof telling Pema, "Your
editors did a fabulous job." Pema later said that Tom (Pema's directing
prof) was
impressed with the editing.
Wendy finished conforming the
workprint by
midnight. One group of editors worked
round the clock, to
the start of class in the morning. Film school students must have
vampire blood. They're nocturnal creatures.
Sometimes Wendy will pick up
the phone, and I'll say, "It's midnight, honey. You can't
call anyone at midnight." She'll say, "No, it's okay. They'll be
up." Sure 'nuf, she'll put
her hand over the
receiver and whisper, "Told ya," and stick out her tongue. =)
Before conforming the
workprint, Wendy went thru the entire film (on the Avid),
beginning to end, adding her Wendy-esque touches to some scenes edited by
Geof.
Originally, Wendy edited only the first half of the film,
& Geof did the 2nd. But Wendy
wanted a crack at the ending, the most
important part, especially in this film. She said,
"I only
intended to touch-up a few scenes, but got carried away. I couldn't stop
myself.
I got
lost in the editing, like an artist gets lost in his art."
***
Wendy heard that some editors are territorial. They don't want any
touching cuts
they've made. "Don't touch the
scenes I edited, or I'll lay a flying atomic elbow
on your cranium, Jack."
Wendy & Geof discussed this, and have no probs with each other going
over scenes
they've edited. They're more
interested in delivering the best possible film, than
protecting their work.
They view themselves as a team.
With a Film school undergrad,
Wendy's been editing for a
few years. She gets lots
of practice on her home editing system, which allows her to spend
more time at it.
Some students view a home editing system as an unfair advantage, tho there
are
no rules against it. But not all students
have this luxury. Editing at home allows her
edit all night long, if
necessary, instead of quitting at 10PM , when the bullpen closes.
Editing requires intense
concentration for extended periods (sometimes days), evaluating
the
effects of each and every cut. After
finishing a major project, she lights up a cigar,
a ceremonial indulgence she learned from the
Dog, who he gave her a cigar after finishing
her last class as an undergrad.
***
The buildingg where Wendy's has
her classes, the
Zemeckis Digital Arts Center,
has
its official opening. I've been there with her a few times, and always noted the bare,
concrete floors, unpainted walls, construction workers walking around in hardhats,
wearing leather tool-belts. The
official opening is exciting cuz it represents a step in
a new direction: digital.
In attendance were USC grads Robert Zemeckis
& George Lucas.
Steven Spielberg,
who holds an honorary doctorate from USC, was also there. If you review their
films,
you'll see these guys embrace the creative advantages that digital
technology offers.
Lucas shot his latest Star Wars
episode entirely in digital video.
Zemeckis generously donated
$5M. Lucas &
Spielberg each ante'ed $2M. The governor,
Gray Davis, was also there, designating last Thursday, Robert
Zemeckis day in California.
The entertainment industry represents a
good part of the state's economy.
Mom said she saw the opening
ceremonies on TV.
I read an article in the Daily Trojan,
quoting Spielberg as saying, "There is not better place
on earth that will train you in
your craft."
US News & World
Report ranks USC #1 university for Cinema-Television. The Digital Arts
center should
help keep them #1 as the industry adapts to the new technology.
Cinema
school Dean Elizabeth
Daley mentioned a deal with Avid to keep the school
stocked with
upgraded versions of their editing stations (which Wendy is using
to cut Pema's film).
Wendy has witnessed, first
hand, how much easier it is to do things digitally, compared
to working with analog. Not only
is media (footage, audio, pictures, graphics) easier to
work with digitally, but
it's also faster & cheaper. She has a good handle on how to work
with
digital files.
***
Liliana's (high-quality)
answer print screens at the Norris theater, March 31st. Map HERE.
Norris Cinema Theater is listed as NCT on the map, at grid position I-10.
You may have
to scroll down/right to see grid coordinates. Screenings starts at 8PM. I have no ideas
what to expect for
seating. Norris is big, but there are a dozen films screening. At a recent
546 screening, we had to sit on the floor in the aisle. I don't think it'll fill
up, but give
yourself time to get there.
The answer print screening is
a big
deal. It's the big, official screening. There's likely to be
more people viewing this film at one time than ever before. Wendy's excited
about it.
The *first* print of each
film is
called the answer print. Each subsequent print is called
a release
print. Wendy is getting a release print of Liliana made, for her own
use at home.
But
she first has to sign papers saying she won't use the film for financial gain,
and will
abide by other, similar restrictions.
USC technically owns the film. She's
also having a low-contrast print made, which will
be used to made video
copies. Low-contrast prints look terrible projected, but make
better videos, which will be given to family, friends, cast & crew.
Liliana is about a girl who
misses her mother, a flamenco dancer who died in a car
accident. A power struggle
with her father is also addressed. At only 5 mins, it goes
by fast. You be surprised how many long walks on the beach have been taken, hashing
out the psycho-dynamics of the characters. Watch the
horses reins. It's subtle, but
Liliana is all about the reins (power, control).
It won't be hard, cuz Buck
(w/ reins), is
a beauty. Buck is Berni's horse.
***
The deadline for the Student
Academy Awards is April 2. Wendy
plans to submit Liliana.
More info HERE.
Three prizes per category: Gold ($5K), Silver ($3K), Bronze ($2K). Four
categories: Alternative, Animation, Documentary, Narrative.
Her 508 prof, Helaine, encouraged students to enter saying, "All you can see now are
the mistakes,
but your film is better than you think. Later you'll recognize this. You have
nothing to lose."
***
Posted headshots of actors selected
for the 3-person scene HERE,
adapted from the
novel,
The Alchemist, by Paolo Coelho, for her Intermediate
Directing class. The prof
makes students call back all actors/actresses
*not* selected, and tell them that they
weren't selected.
Kagan says, "Rejection
is a big part of this industry, and best that you get used to it now."
Wendy usually tells the people she auditions that, if they don't hear
from her, that means
they weren't selected. Most appreciate the call back, even if it means
they didn't get the
part.
Jaime
is playing Santiago, the boy-seeker. He's 24, from NYC, been married for two
years,
and read the novel in Portuguese - the native language of the author.
Wendy has been
impressed by his talent. Mathew
is playing the Alchemist. He hails from Brooklyn. The
Great Zarena
is playing the heart, as the boy enters into conversation with his heart,
not actually a physical character in the book, but Wendy is using Zarena to personify
the heart. Should be a challenge.
They will perform the scene
in class, for Kagan, where he will rip them apart. Shooting
is planned for next week in the high desert
at Joshua Tree
National park. We love Joshua
Tree. Whenever we're in the area, we always drop in at a
funky techno lounge named
Jeremy's Cyber cafe, out in the middle of nowhere, with people sitting around on
comfy
couches, reading Dostoevsky.
***
She's been talking to Geof about directing a 546 next semester. Geof
plans to submit
a reel as well. He thinks Wendy has a good chance getting
selected, saying
"Everything
you do is good."
The demands of Film school
are relentless, involving much criticism. It's easy to lose sight
of why you're
working all night long. So it's particularly sweet when things goes well.
Makes it all seem worthwhile, at least for a few days. When Wendy came home after
the
conformed screening, she said, "I used to always wonder what I was gonna do with
my
life. I don't wonder about that anymore."
Will leave you with a pic of
Wendy & Jahmar laughing
Xmas eve, & some other shots
from New Year's eve at Crystal Cove state park. The last sunset of the
millennium.
See here
(7 photos total).
Fade to black.
Next
->
Application
for 546 Directorship
Previous -> Editors'
Cut Shown
[Index
page, the 546 semester chronicles at USC Film school]
[Master
Index page, USC Graduate Film school chronicles]
[Contact
Wendy]
[Lagunacinema
Home]
[Radified
Home]
[USC
Film school Program Description]