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The legendary film studio Mosfilm celebrates its 100th anniversary Mosfilm is not only Russia’s main and largest film studio; it’s the historical birthplace of Soviet and Russian cinema. This year, the film studio is celebrating its centenary. To this day, Mosfilm’s brilliant comedies make people laugh, the touching love stories make us cry, and philosophical arthouse films give food for thought. Below, we will explore the film studio’s history and highlight key events from the last 100 years. On January 30, 1924, the film ‘On Wings Skyward’ was released in Soviet cinemas, and this date became known as Mosfilm’s “starting point.” It’s true that the film studio existed before the film’s release – and, in fact, the motion picture was shot there. However, in order to understand why this event has become associated with the establishment of Mosfilm studios, we must delve a little deeper into history. Film production in the Russian Empire goes back to the first https://lnkd.in/gM8uTbPe

🍿🎬 10 Essential Movies to Understand Film Noir Trying to get into the most interesting genre of Old Hollywood? Here are 10 movies whose labyrinthine plots, darkened alleys, and bleak atmospheres are essential if you want to dive into the alluring shadows of film noir. TheCollector #filmnoir #cinema #movies #oldmovies #oldhollywood https://lnkd.in/dnp_sme2

Tribute to film industry 819 The happiness of many people is often found in specific areas, and it’s no surprise that the film industry is one of them. For over 60 years, this industry has thrived across various languages. It's well known that the story is the lifeblood of a film. When the screenplay is well-crafted, a good producer steps in, actors and actresses are selected, and the film is brought to life by a talented director and technical artists. The audience's recognition and judgment elevate the artists. Today, the film industry remains immensely popular. Educated graduates and young individuals pursue their favorite careers in this field by studying in film colleges. Many aspire to become directors, editors, cinematographers, or actors. The opportunities in these fields are growing, particularly as films are translated into multiple languages and reach a global audience. Entertainment, whether on television or the big screen, should cater to everyone. It is important to avoid excessive violence and glamour and instead create scenes that are suitable for all viewers. I appreciate economically produced films with high budgets, but it is equally important to ensure that our culture is respected and preserved. The film industry is a significant source of entertainment and should be appreciated as such. While we should admire and acknowledge the talents of artists, it’s important not to idolize them excessively. I hold great respect for the talents of every artist, and I will always appreciate their work. This week, I am posting this on my Blogs K. Raghavan. See you again next week, 27-5-24.

How to Make Your Main Characters Three-Dimensional https://ift.tt/CGvPdQk What is the fastest way to get audiences to connect to a film’s character? Make them three-dimension. So, what actually makes a character three-dimensional? These characters are multilayered and unique, with fully developed fictional lives. They have inner demons and a past. When one is reading a script, and the character seems to “jump off the page”, that’s when you know you have succeeded at making a three-dimensional character. Creating unique characters is something that filmmaker Trevor Anderson has had a lot of success doing in the almost 20 years he has been making short films. His projects have been accepted to film festivals all over the word including three times at Sundance; three times at SXSW; twice at TIFF; and twice at the Berlinale. Touching on the subject of character development, Trevor says, “You want the audience to be able to watch your characters think, and so you have to give them something to think about”. Fastest way to make a character three-dimensional? Let the audience watch them lie”. In the interview below, Trevor discusses making his first feature film, Before I Change My Mind and his decision not to reveal his main character’s gender. Before I Change My Mind (2024) Official Trailer www.youtube.com No Film School: What first made you want to become a filmmaker? Trevor Anderson: I started in live theatre. I studied acting, and worked as a playwright and stage director. I got frustrated with two things about theatre. One: it’s ephemeral. When it’s over, it’s over. That’s something that makes theatre special, but it can also be a bummer. Two: theatre doesn’t travel easily. It’s expensive and difficult to tour a live show. Film solves both these challenges. My short films have played at festivals in more countries than I’ll ever visit in person. And now, anyone on earth with an internet connection can go to my website, trevorandersonfilms.com, and watch all twelve of my short films dating back to 2005. NFS: You made short films for 15 years before deciding to do a feature (Before I Change My Mind). Why did you wait so long to make a feature? Anderson: I got really into short film as its own art form. There’s a lot of freedom and room to experiment. Because there’s no real market for short films, there’s nobody telling you what they think you should do to make it more “viable” or whatever. As a result, I was able to find my own voice. And short films are generally quicker to make than features, so you can get right back onto the film festival circuit, which is a place I love to be. I always say, “Don’t network. Make friends.” Going to film festivals for 15 years with my short films, I made a lot of great friends in an art form that can otherwise be pretty isolating. I was quite happy making short films and working as an arts administrator at my local film and video co-op, until the desire to make a feature film became too s...

André Bazin, a French film critic and theorist known for co-founding the influential film magazine "Cahiers du Cinéma," offered profound insights into cinema. His essays are not just about film as an art form but delve into its philosophical, social, and ethical implications. Bazin believed that photography and film have a unique ability to capture and present reality due to their mechanical nature. This capability establishes an ontological link between the object and its representation, laying the foundation for cinema's ability to record and reveal truth. Bazin was a strong advocate for films that depicted reality with minimal distortion, arguing that the essence of cinema lies in its ability to show life as it is. He admired directors like Orson Welles and Jean Renoir for their use of deep focus and long takes, which allowed viewers to explore the film's reality more freely and form their own interpretations. Contrary to early film theorists like Sergei Eisenstein, who emphasized the power of montage, Bazin was more interested in the spatial and temporal unity of the scene. He believed that editing should preserve the continuity of space and time as much as possible to maintain the viewer's belief in the reality of the scene. Bazin also highlighted the role of the spectator in cinema, suggesting that cinema offers a democratic space where the viewer plays an active role in interpreting the film. This engagement with a realistic cinema is, according to Bazin, a creative act comparable to the original creation of the film itself. He theorized about the "myth of total cinema," which posits that the ultimate goal of film is to replicate reality completely, achieving a total and complete representation. Bazin saw the history of cinema as a journey toward this ideal, with technological advancements bringing filmmakers ever closer to this goal. His thoughts on cinema continue to influence film studies and criticism, establishing a foundation for understanding cinema not just as entertainment, but as a powerful medium capable of reflecting and shaping reality itself.

" Purist film makers and their passion projects! " A reviewer of Coppola's new film, "Megalopolis" wrote: Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola has finally made the movie he always wanted to make, for better or worse. A long-term passion project, Coppola has been trying to make his Americanized Roman epic for the better part of 40 years. He even entirely self-funded the film’s massive $120-million budget by selling a large portion of his winery, ensuring he could fully realize his vision uncompromised by the studio system. To an extent, I admire Coppola’s commitment to creating a project of such a grand scale with even grander ideas. However, my respect only goes so far when the end result is one of the most incoherent movies I’ve ever watched". Ouch! Critics were mixed in their opinion; audience didn't like it. It got only 40% Rotten Tomato rating! Cinema is an art form; it is also a business and therein lies the conflict. A producer makes a film hoping that his audience likes it and make him some profits in the process. But some filmmakers do not care for the business part of it. Francis Coppola probably knew he would lose his shirt making Megalopolis but still went ahead with it. His movie collected a paltry $4 million over the weekend while Dreamworks Animaton movie "The Wild Robot", a story of a stranded robot raising a gosling (???) took home $30 million! Similarly, another movie maker actor/ producer/ director Kevin Costner had the same jarring experience. He poured $38 million of his own money to make his four-part western series, "Horizon". The first part recently released was pulled from theaters after first week due to poor reception. His partners Warner Bros and new Line have put the rest of the series on ice. Costner mortgaged his home in Santa Barbara to finance this series and is likely to lose it. Both Coppola ("Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now") and Costner ("Dances with Wolves" and "Field of Dreams") are highly accomplished filmmakers, risk takers. They have been fighting studio suits all their careers. There is also a counterpoint. Isn't it just a case of hubris? Why make films that nobody wants to see just because one has resources to make them? Aren't they just ego trips? Their ego says everybody better love what they love! Film makers who risk everything making their passion projects their way are becoming passe'. Francis Coppola and Martin Scorsese both in their 80s are the only ones left. Now, movie studios are headed by bean counters who greenlight a project only when they see it making guaranteed profits, sad!

Horror film sound design is basically the most fun ever.

The (+65) Film Project What have I been up to lately? Where should I start? I have been writing a Horror Sci-fi script for a German director. I submitted two scripts for grants in February and January: one a drama and the other a psychological thriller. However, the biggest project I am currently working on is the (+65) Film Project, co-organized by FoundFilms and the Singapore Film Society. Today, we hosted our first-ever roundtable, the Actors' Roundtable, featuring renowned Singaporean actors such as Tay Ping Hui, Lim Yu-Beng, Irene Ang, and Sivakumar Palakrishnan. It was an absolute pleasure to connect with them and have them as guests for the roundtable. And, of course, our moderator was none other than Kenneth Tan, a well-known figure in the industry. The two hours flew by effortlessly as we listened to their conversations about their individual journeys. Each journey was different, but they shared many similar sentiments. They discussed inclusivity, the culture of acting in Singapore, actors' welfare, the changes and constants for actors in Singapore, the blurred lines between acting and being an influencer, and much more. As I listened in, I couldn't help but think how surreal the experience was. I have always been the kind of person who wants others to speak up and address issues that are close to our hearts. I love when important and intelligent conversations take place for the betterment of not just a particular profession or issue, but society as a whole. When we keep the dialogue going about things that matter, we become the agents of change. The Singapore film industry may not be as big or thriving as film industries around the world, but we have the potential to do and be better. That is why, even though I am primarily a screenwriter and secondarily a business owner, the (+65) Film Project, which aims to celebrate, honor, and elevate every aspect of the film industry, is one of the most meaningful and empowering projects I have ever worked on. We want collaboration, cohesiveness, and connectivity to be key aspects of our film industry. Our goal is to turn this combination into a culture that will place the industry on a global standard. Winning prestigious awards is one thing, but contributing significantly to the economy and enhancing Singapore's great reputation is another. We are steadily moving towards making that happen. If you work in the industry, whether you are an expert or a newbie, whether you are a gaffer, colorist, cinematographer, director, screenwriter, Singaporean, or based in Singapore, please reach out and share your thoughts and feelings with me. We welcome all the support you are willing to give, regardless of its size. Every individual and every voice can make a difference. If you are someone who wants to collaborate with the local film industry, we would love to hear from you as well. Be part of this grand journey with us!

Day 4 and the fourth film in the list of ten that I shared with my collaborators before making L'IMPOSTEUR DU 16 RUE RAVIGNAN – BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE). This one is a little different because I decided to add it to the list after I had finished writing the screenplay. Only later did I notice the similarities of both movies being about actors who have troubling inner voices, and which also function as a loving critique of the entertainment industry. In general, I think Birdman is an excellent film, one that features virtuoso filmmaking techniques that never overtake the strong performances at the film's center – an impressive feat. Birdman simulates that the entire runtime is in one, unbroken take (cleverly hidden with invisible cuts). In order to pull off this illusion, the film is composed of long (generally 15 to 20 minute) sequences, and considering the complexity of the production, it really brought this stylistic choice to a new level. Technically, this approach came at the peak of when “unbroken” films were just about to become passé. There had been a few movies before it to pull it off well (Hitchcock's superb effort ROPE) and there had even been a few movies to do authentic one-takes, like RUSSIAN ARK. In terms of L’imposteur, we considered a one-take approach, in order to keep the film's stage play origins at the forefront, but ultimately found this method too limiting with what we wanted to say through the language of cinema. While it was an opportunity to add narrative intention to the one-take, making it more than just a stylistic “stunt,” editing would be too essential to establishing the role of time and space throughout L'imposteur. However, to accentuate Julie's impressive command of the material, we allowed a few sequences to unfold in long, unbroken takes with 0 cuts. This was also an incredible show of skill by DP Bryan Paulson. It was amazing to watch them choreograph and execute these elaborate dances around our Paris apartment set with virtually zero dry runs. Because of both Julie and Bryan's excellence, we were, unbelievably, able to get the shots in only a few takes. And this is really where the play and the film versions merge into one expression, where the strengths of both mediums informed the other. Sometimes when I watch the L'imposteur and it comes to one of these sequences, I'm incredibly impressed, of course, but mainly pleased that they also seem somewhat invisible to a general audience. They, like many other techniques throughout the film, are so organic and understated that they never call attention to themselves. Our ideas, our themes, our performances, our images are all allowed to absorb you. But like the face of a beautiful watch, there are many gears turning underneath. Birdman helped us see another way into similar territory, but reaffirmed our unique and authentic approach – asking the questions we needed to ask, in the style that made L’imposteur a whole world unto itself. ❤️🎞🧩

If you enjoy completely nerding out on all the Oscar-nominated films (from camera selections to film stocks to production choices), you should definitely check out this blog article by the brilliant Lisa McNamara.