Closing The Ring: Richard Attenborough/ UK-Canada

Richard Attenborough has done it again. ‘Closing the ring’ is one of the most beautiful films I have seen in a long time. This film is about the value of love and the loss of it, inability to grieve, loyalty among friends and above all, the heartache and suffering brought on by war. Shirley MacLain and Christopher Plummer have excelled in their performance. Christopher Plummer showed his adoring fans that he could still win hearts, just as he did all those years ago as the handsome captain in ‘Sound of Music’! ‘Jimmy’ (Martin Mac Cann) was a delight to watch along with Pete Postlethwaite. Richard Attenborough shows us that there is no shame in falling love and keep it live, no matter what your age is. ‘A film that touches your heart and tells you something’, that’s what ‘Closing the Ring’ does and therefore, an example of good cinema truly at its best. Question & Answer time with Lord Attenborough after the screening was sheer delight.

The Darjeeling Limited: Wes Anderson/USA

A light hearted film that tells the story of three brothers who haven’t seen each other for a year going on a train journey through the deserts of India. They are trying to bond with each other and with the beautiful but unknown conditions in India. Wes Anderson’s film brings comedy, conflict among siblings and some hilarious moments. These brothers who love each other don’t like each other very much and their odd behaviour comes as no surprise once you meet their mother (Angelica Houston), who gives a great performance along with Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson. A good laugh and a film you don’t want to miss.

I’m Not There: Todd Haynes/USA

‘I’m not There’ means just that! It’s a biographical journey into Bob Dylan’s life, portrayed by six actors, but Bob Dylan, as the title says, is not there! If you think an 11-year-old black boy, Marcus Carl Franklin, who is splendid as Bob Dylan is odd, the worse is yet to come; but that’s surely the best, Dylan played by a woman! Cate Blanchett in black and white turns up as Bob Dylan and you don’t for a moment suspect that it’s a woman. She is just magnificent and puts the other ‘Bobs’ in the shade. It’s confusing and chaotic if you are not a Dylan fan, but entertaining till the closing credits. The music however is real stuff and as the closing credits roll in, songs like the original ‘Knock knock knock’n on heaven’s door’ keeps you on your seat.

The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford: Andrew Domonik /USA

Definitely ‘a Brad Pitt film’ and everyone else fades away in the background. The film is based on the legend of Jesse James, ‘the gentleman outlaw’ who became an American icon. Brad Pitt has shown his acting ability yet again, only more so this time. He has graduated in the ‘Jack Nicholson School of acting’! A film worth watching and the cinematography is at its best. Perhaps the film would have been even better, if it did not stretch that long after the assassination of Jesse James; great film, in spite of this and not to be missed.

In Memory of Me: Saverio Costanzo/ Italy

As the film is set in Venice one expects to see at least a bit of this beautiful city; but that was not to be. The camera has eyes for the outside world only when a large ship slips by the window of the seminary. ‘In Memory of me’ is a very intense film that goes into the inner depth of spirituality and the conflicts encountered. The story is about Andrea who is accepted into a Jesuit seminary, isolated in an island. The recruits undergo very strict training to prepare them for the disciplined work that awaits these soldiers of Christ. The rituals are repeated in a methodical fashion everyday and that includes cleaning of the corridors of that magnificent monastic building. The inmates’ personality is analyzed to such an extent that they start to doubt their own spirituality and whether such mental cruelty is justified.

The silence that lingers in the magnificent corridors is mesmerizing, to say the least! We have heard of severe Mother Superiors, but the Father Superior in this film is frightening. Some find this fearsome training unbearable and decide to leave. Andrea too reaches his turning point, but finally realizes that he is made for better things and God has a purpose for him and decides to follow Him. This film is a lesson in itself in how one gives himself to God, then loose that faith and ultimately regaining the love of God and the faith. An intense film that makes one think.

Things We Lost in the Fire: Susanne Bier/USA

It tells the story of Audrey (Halle Berry), her loss and how she tries to rebuild her life after loosing the love of her life in a tragic accident. Her envious life with her husband ‘Brian’ and the two beautiful children are shown as flashback. Audrey decides to seek help from her husband’s childhood friend, Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), who is a drug addict and quite dangerous at times. Though she did not like him to be her husband’s friend in the past, she felt drawn to him now as they both had one thing in common- the love they both shared for Brian. She asks Jerry to move into the converted garage that was refurnished following a fire at the house and Audrey and the children form a bond with him. Anyone would wish to have somebody like Jerry in a situation like this, but not a drug addict though! Complications set in and the emotional turmoil in dealing with the sense of loss, drug addiction, rehabilitation and the society’s role in all this are portrayed very well.

Halle Berry has given a magnificent performance. Benicio Del Toro was dazzling and he has given his best ever. It was a delight to see Halle Berry at the screening, looking gorgeous in a brilliant blue backless gown! Susanne Bier (Director) and Halle Berry answered questions from the audience after the film: a beautiful film not to be missed.

Richard Attenborough, Wes Anderson, Susanne Bier, Saverio Constanzo, Andrew Dominik, Shivajee Chandrabhushan, Shamim Sarif, Amitab Bachan, Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Adrien Brody were among the celebrities who attended the screening of their films. It was truly a festival of films, films that touched the audience and made them think. The two weeks of the festival was a stage for meeting the best filmmakers from all over the world, listen to them and see films of extreme diversity.

1. Know What You Want

First of all, you have to know what you want. Ask yourself what realm of filmmaking do you want to venture in or what kind of films do you want to work on in the future? Do you want to be an independent filmmaker or a simple film artist? There are so many film schools in the country as well as in other parts of the globe and each has its own expertise. Knowing what you want in the first place would allow you to focus your research and thus refine your choices for good film schools. Also, this would help you save time and effort in searching for schools as you have already eliminated those that may not fit your interest and criteria.

2. What Are Your Considerations?

After deciding on what area you want to concentrate, you should also identify your major considerations in choosing a particular film school.

- the affordability of film courses
- the facilities of the film school
- the accessibility and proximity of the school
- the film school’s reputation and quality of education

3. Don’t Skimp On Your Education

Remember that a good film education is really expensive so do not just choose a film school that offers the cheapest film courses. It is important to consider the quality of education and the reputation of the school above all else. Remember that with that school, you are building a career that is supposed to be a life-long profession. Short-term film courses, say a 2-yr filmmaking course may be a lot cheaper than a 4-yr course and is quite helpful as most provide hands on training and a lot of project work. If you want to really excel in this field, however, you might opt for a longer course as it is more comprehensive.

3. Identify Where You Want To Study

Knowing where you want to cultivate your skills and intensify your interest in filmmaking is essential in selecting the right film school for you. This would refine your search as well since you would have to concentrate in looking for film schools only in one particular area or locality. New York is one of the best places to study film. It has the most developed art scenes for film and a number of reputable film schools. If affordability of the film course is one of your major considerations, you can choose a film school in Chicago and Milwaukee, which are known for having the most affordable film schools in the country. If you want to make it to Hollywood, better start your search for the best film school there in Los Angeles and nearby cities. There are lots of renowned film schools there that offer short and long term film courses.

4. Explore Colleges and Universities

Now that you have refined your criteria: the area in filmmaking you want to concentrate in, your major considerations such as the affordability of the courses, the school’s reputation and the place, you can now do some research. As you explore your options, consider the things you have identified earlier. It would be better if you list down every film school’s advantages and disadvantages so you can easily compare and contrast them. Also, as you examine the school’s film courses and their special attributes, you can add some more considerations to your list and see which of the film schools you have considered meet the most of your requirements.

5. Narrow Your List

After going through several colleges and universities, narrow now your list by eliminating those that do not meet your criteria. With your short but well researched list of the best film schools, you can be more confident now of making a right decision. But before you finally select the film school, seek for other people’s advice and recommendations, especially those who are well familiar with filmmaking.

If you do end up loading your laminator incorrectly, adhesive may end up being deposited onto the rollers. It is very important that you do not allow this to happen. Otherwise, you will need to scrub the adhesive off the rollers before you can laminate any other documents. Adhesive may be deposited on the rollers if

* You try to laminate with only one roll loaded on your machine

* You try to use two different widths of laminating film at the same time

* Either roll of laminating film is loaded upside down (with the adhesive towards the roller). The shiny side of clear film should be in contact with the heat rollers and the dull side with the adhesive should face out.

* One or both rolls of film are allowed to completely run off the cores of the laminator.

Being careful to not allow one of these things to happen, here are some simple steps for loading film onto your school laminator. Please keep in mind that you should always replace both rolls of film at the same time.

o Turn the main power switch on. If the laminator is already hot, turn the main power switch to off and allow it to cool down before turning the machine back on.

o Remove the feed table from the laminator so you can see both rolls of laminate that are mounted on the laminator.

o Cut the remaining top and bottom film webs between the supply rolls and the heated rollers. Be very careful not to cut the heat rollers in the process since this could ruin them.

o Raise the safety shield to its full upright position and pull the top piece of film down.

o Remove the existing film from the laminator. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to use the reverse function of the laminator to slowly back the laminate out of the machine. Be careful during this step to make sure that no adhesive comes in contact with the heated rollers on the laminator. You may need to reinstall the feed table to complete this task. Just remember to remove it again after the film has been removed.

o Remove the bottom roll of laminating film by sliding the right to release it from the hex shaped brake hub. Loosen the locking screw on the left retaining collar of the film supply shaft and slide the collar off. Pull the shaft partially out of the film tube and then push it back in to knock out the left core. Pull out the shaft all the way out of the tube and remove the remaining core adapter.

o Slide one core adapter into the right side of the new roll of film ensuring that the film will unroll properly (from the bottom). Slide the film shaft into the core adapter and tube from the right side. Place the other core adapter on the shaft protruding from the left side then replace the retaining collar. Tighten the locking screw.

o Lower the bottom idle bar.

o Unroll 2ft of film and push the idler bar back into place and drape film over the bottom roll of film. Place the bottom roll of film back into the round hole of the right side frame and the left side into the hex shaped brake hub.

o Remove the top film supply roll from the laminator and repeat steps 6 and 7 from above. Ensure that when you install the film onto the roller that the film will unroll from the bottom after the film supply is loaded back on the laminator.

o Unroll 2ft of film and drape the film over the top idler bar and completely over both heat rollers

o Slide the feed tray under the bottom film web that is draped over the bottom roll of film. Reinstall the feed table so that the bottom film is resting on the tray.

o Slide the threading card between the feed tray and the laminating film that is laying on the tray. Gently push the threading card into the nip area of the heat rollers. The card should now be guiding both rolls of film into the heat rollers

o Lower the safety shield and press the RUN button on the laminator. Watch the leading edge of the threading card to ensure that it enters the nip area of the heat rollers and is being pulled into the laminator. Push STOP once the threading card has exited the rear of the laminator.

If you are a homeowner who aims to make your home more comfortable, and beautiful, you should be thinking about buying window films products. However, the immense number of such items may be hindering your purchase as you may realize that indeed, there are just too many brands and specific window films in the market. You surely will need some practical guidelines about how you can choose and then buy the best and most useful window films products there are.

It is always important to make the best choice. The situation is no different if you need to buy window films products in the market. There surely are too many choices, but if you will be guided accordingly, you will never falter to pick the best products your house needs. Here are several recommended actions before you go to the store to buy window films products.

Assess comfort

The main and usual reason why homeowners buy window films products is the incidences of increased temperature and glare inside the house. If you have glass windows, you should know that the materials are effective absorbent of heat and light from outside sources. The general function of window films products is to reduce the entry into the glass windows of heat and glaring daylight.

Without window films, home keepers usually put shades or blinds into glass windows. The problem is that usually, such items are not effective in controlling heat entry. However, light is significantly controlled, most of the time making the interior of the house uncomfortably dark. Window films products are better than those because these items regulate light and heat entry into the inside of the house. Choose films that will not totally shun light, but will reduce if not eliminate unwanted high temperatures.

Choose lighter shades

Heavily shaded or tinted window films products are disadvantageous in that there is a need to turn on lights inside the house or room. Some people like natural daylight better than electric-powered lights. However, heavy tints on window films block light from the outside during daytime.

It is advisable if you will choose to buy spectrally selective window films products. These films help reduce gaining of solar heat while at the same time, transmitting ample amount of visible light from the sun. Standard films do not usually make it possible.

Select long-lasting window films products

In general, films in window films products usually last about five to 15 years on the average. Film manufacturers usually indicate the expected life span of their products. Choose those that last longer than the others. This way, you can further maximize the savings you could generate. It is not practical to change and replace window films often.

As for product warranties, manufacturers typically offer five to 10 years to window films. That means, homeowners can be assured that the window films products could be replaced and fixed for free within the period, provided, proper and prescribed use has been conducted.

Cautions when buying

You need not invest in window films products if the glass on your clear glass window is thicker than 3/8 of an inch and ¼ of an inch for tinted glass. The items are also not advisable for cracked glasses. Frames like solid aluminum, concrete and solid steel will put heat conduction risks if there is a window film attached. Textured and reflective glasses should also be abstained from the use of films.

Be warned that there have been incidences whereon windows cracked due to build up of intense heat. Solar exposure of non-strengthened glass is also risky.

For most people, time, skills and/or equipment are the issues which cause them to search out a company that can do it for them. Before you do that, you need to understand what type of 8mm film to DVD processes there are and which one best fits your needs and budget.

Before we jump into the different 8mm film to DVD processes, let’s go over some basics. Video has several characteristics that determine how good it is. One of the most important characteristics is the number of lines of resolution. The resolution determines how detailed and sharp the video is. If you’ve ever watched a standard definition video channel on an HDTV and then switched to the HD version, you notice that the HD version is much sharper and detailed. The reason is that standard definition video has 480 horizontal lines while HD has 1080 lines.

In a similar way, your old 8mm movie films have a maximum resolution. The maximum resolution for an 8mm film to DVD transfer is limited by the film grain size and the size of the frame. Research has shown that 8mm film has the equivalent of 700 lines of horizontal resolution. So, a standard definition 8mm film to DVD transfer will only be able to capture 480 out of the 700 lines of resolution on your film. A high definition 8mm film transfer will be able to capture all 700 lines of resolution on your 8mm film since it is a 1080 line video format.

In addition to resolution, the type of film transfer is equally important to the final video quality you receive from your 8mm film to DVD transfer.

There are a few basic types of 8mm film to DVD transfer processes. More than 98% of the companies out there today use a real-time transfer. That is, they capture the film at the same speed that the film normally runs at. So, if a 3 inch reel runs in 3.5 minutes, the capture takes just 3.5 minutes. There are several ways to perform a real-time 8mm film to DVD transfer. Some shoot the film on a screen and record it with a camcorder. Some use mirrors and a camera. Some transfer the film to VHS first using equipment from the 1980′s and then transfer that to DVD. Because of the transfer speed and nature of a real-time capture, the resulting video frames are usually slightly blurry and the colors are faded compared to the film. In general, any type of real-time transfer will result in video that is 30-50% worse than the film’s current condition.

A second and much newer 8mm film to DVD transfer process is called frame by frame. A frame by frame process means that each 8mm film frame is captured like a separate digital picture. Most frame by frame machines are high-end $50,000+ machines that scan or project the image directly onto a CCD device. Reading each frame one at a time ensures that all the details are captured from the film. A frame by frame process will result in video that is 30-50% better than a similarly configured real-time process.

Be aware, some companies claiming a frame by frame transfer are doing a real-time transfer and then are extracting each film frame after the real-time capture. Because the capture process is real-time, it will still produce video that is 30-50% worse than the current film’s quality just like any other real-time process. These companies are trying to capitalize on the “Frame by Frame” slogan and price without giving you frame by frame quality.

So, at this point you’ve learned that 8mm film to DVD transfers can capture at standard definition (480 lines) or high definition (1080 lines). You’ve also learned that a frame by frame transfer can be 30-50% better quality than a real-time transfer. So, looking at it this way, there are now four 8mm film to DVD transfer process combinations. In order from least to best quality we have:

1) Real-Time Standard Definition (least quality)

2) Real-Time High Definition

3) Frame by Frame Standard Definition

4) Frame by Frame High Definition (best quality)

You’ll find all four processes being used today and you’ll see the price reflect that. Real-time standard definition processes go for 10 to 15 cents/ft, real-time high definition for 16-21 cents/ft, frame by frame standard definition 21 to 28 cents/ft and frame by frame high definition for 40 to 60 cents/ft

Besides these 4 different 8mm film to DVD transfer processes above, you’ll notice that a few companies have started to offer restoration services. The reason is that over 90% of the 8mm film today has colors that have shifted, exposure that is now darker, is grainy and scratched. These are natural side affects of the aging process. In addition, there may have been exposure or other types of issues that were originally recorded on the film to begin with.

Companies will have a wide range of abilities from no restoration at all, to a limited scene level color corrector, to full frame by frame restoration using dedicated film restoration machines.

If you want to pursue doing the 8mm film to DVD transfer yourself, there are a few options you can try. Elmo used to make a telecine transfer machine. They sell for about $2000. It produces about 240 lines of resolution per frame and only transfers to VHS.

Goto also makes a telecine machine called the TC-20. You can use a digital camcorder to capture the images through a firewire connection to your computer. This unit costs around $1300. You should be able to read in 480 lines of resolution on this type of transfer.

Even though the Goto machine will produce better results than the Elmo, both will produce the least quality of the 4 processes outlined above. But again, these may be good alternatives for you if you have a lot of film that you want to transfer.

Don’t forget that you’ll most likely need a splicer and splicing tape to repair your film before the transfer. You’ll also want to look into getting a film cleaner to clean the film as well.

There was a time when there were only few film festivals and people were not enthusiasts enough as the studios controlled every aspect of film making. However, with the rise of Indie films every state in the country had its own film festival. In California alone there is around twenty or more film festivals.

There was a time when films did not happen at all unless they were under the sponsorship of the some studios. There was no chance at all for a little guy getting his or her film out there. But now the whole thing has been changed. The little guy can show his films anywhere he want, this gave a call to the rise of independent film festivals all over the world.

The first few film festivals where people submitted their films were the Sundance, The Tribeca, and The Toronto Film Festivals. Later however there came lots of other film festivals where people could submit their films and show their talent. This is rather like a lottery; if you don’t play you can’t win. If you don’t enter your film you can’t get it shown. You must continue to present your motion picture as many times as you can until you finally get approval into a festival.

Always remember that film festival board may have 800 submissions and only 40 spots for a film to be shown. So in the beginning you might get few rejection letters until you get your first acceptance letters. Many a refusal letter has given the reason that they had far too many submissions to even view them all. My advice to you is that once you have your film done and you have the very first date they are opening for submissions then put forward your film. Don’t wait until the last minute.

Make sure that your film has entered the right festival. I am not sure about the category, but you can get your film into the general drift. Also do not forget to read your application cautiously. It may require your entry to be mailed, done online, or even in person.

While presenting an independent motion picture, be very careful about the timings. If it is too long then do some trimming work. Just to be on the safer side if the film is say about 10 minutes long, make it 9 minutes. Do not let them a chance to give you a rejection letter for any cause.

Rejections can be a bit funny at the same time tricky. The “Slamdance” film festival came about as an answer to the rejections from “Sundance”. The Sundance Festival shows its plays in Park City, Utah at the same time in Park City, Utah Slamdance also shows it plays. This is a purposeful attempt to show the films that have been over looked or rejected by Sundance.

Go ahead and do your own search of film festivals and check out their application processes. Do these research sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until the last minute.

Film fans will have their only favourites that have thrilled, inspired and entertained them throughout various times in their lives and this list is exactly that. I have been watching British films for nearly thirty years now and have seen the likes of Gandhi (1983), The Full Monty (1997) and The Queen (2006) impact world cinema while various others have just tasted success in the UK.

There is no particular formula to a successful British film, although my choices for the ‘Five British Films That You Must See’ do tend to have a distinctively British feel. Whether it is the location, accent, dialect or cultural references – each of my top five British films is a quintessentially British production.

A Clockwork Orange ( 1971 )

Directed by Stanley Kubrick and set in a futuristic London, A Clockwork Orange is based on the novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The film received critical acclaim on its release including gaining four nominations for Academy Awards. However, following a string of so-called copycat crimes, Kubrick withdrew the film after receiving several anonymous death threats.

It was only on the film’s re-release in 1999 that the British public were legally able to watch this celluloid masterpiece in almost 27 years. The film appears timeless as the futuristic setting hasn’t aged at all in almost three decades on the shelf. The characters speak in a blend of cockney and Russian that adds additional dimensions to the dystopian reality. Heavily influencing pop-culture from a Blur music video to Bart Simpson’s halloween costume, A Clockwork Orange remains one of the most influential and controversial films of all time.

Trainspotting ( 1996 )

Directed by Danny Boyle, Trainspotting follows the story of Mark Renton and a group of his ‘friends’, most of whom are heroin-addicts. Set in Edinburgh, the story shows explicitly the problems associated with intravenous drug use and far from glorifying it, ensure the audience condemn the characters’ actions.

The role of Renton helped to launch the career of Ewan McGregor as he escapes his parasitic friends and makes a new life for himself heroin-free. The unpleasantness that envelopes the film and its characters make each scene unmissable as Renton continuously attempts to break free and ‘choose life’. As the protagonist succeeds and the closing credits roll you will feel like you’ve just watched a very special film.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels ( 1998 )

1998 saw the arrival of the modern British gangster movie with Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Cool, dirty and classy, the film was a smash-hit when British gangster films were virtually non-existent. The film also introduced ex-footballer Vinnie Jones as an actor as well as Jason Statham. Combining an uber-cool soundtrack with cockney accents and sharp suits and you have the perfect London gangster film.

Based around the theft of drugs and cash, the plot weaves together multiple stories into a climatic shoot-out that results in almost everyone being killed. The film sparked a flurry of interest in Brit-flicks and many other films tried to replicate its success, however, Guy Ritchie came closest when he reused a lot of the cast for a similar film called Snatch. The modern British gangster film was back, 26 years after Michael Caine set the standard in Get Carter.

28 Days Later ( 2002 )

The only true horror film on the list, 28 Days Later broke the mould when it exploded onto the silver screen in 2002. Seemingly influenced by the George A. Romero ‘Dead’ films, the second Danny Boyle film on the list was predominantly shot on digital video. This however was not the major talking point when the film was released, for a new zombie was born. A highly contagious virus has spread throughout the UK and infected the majority of the British population, but in contrast to Romero, Boyle’s zombies are fast, aggressive hunters.

The plot follows Jim as he awakes from a coma to find the streets of London deserted. These dramatic, beautiful scenes where Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street are completely empty were achieved as police helped temporarily block off areas of London for short intervals. The result is truly breathtaking and adds a haunting solitude to Jim’s plight as he searches for fellow survivors. The film clearly influenced the 2004 remake of Romero’s Dawn of the Dead as the zombies behaviour bears an uncanny resemblance to that of those in 28 Days Later. Zombie films would never be the same again, and I must mention the other Brit-Zombie film ‘Shaun of the Dead’ that again changed the face of modern horror with its comedy twist on the classic zombie movie.

Dead Man’s Shoes ( 2004 )

Possibly my favourite performance by any single actor in any film, Paddy Considine exacts perfect revenge as Richard in Dead Man’s Shoes. Set in the Midlands, as with all of Shane Meadows’ films, Considine returns to his home town after a period serving in the British army. The audience quickly begins to realise that Richard is looking to avenge a group of bullies that have tormented his brother. Considine’s performance is mesmerising as he shifts from psychotic to fraternal in the blink of an eye.

As the story progresses, the film shows various flashbacks to when Richard’s brother Anthony was victimised by a group of local petty criminals. Anthony is played superbly by Toby Hebbell in his breakthrough film role. Richard dispatches of each member of the gang one by one until it is just him and the more passive bully left. He pleads to be killed so he can lay with his brother and after threatening the man’s children suffers a fatal stab-wound to the heart.

This is an amazing film with some of the best performances from some low-profile actors. Shane Meadows has written and directed other films that come extremely close to the Top 5 including A Room For Romeo Brass and more recently This Is England. Meadows is a rising star in British cinema and has the potential to be one of the world’s most prestigious directors.

So that is the Top Five British Films To See Before You Die. Agree or disagree, you must ensure that you watch these films and you won’t ever feel that Hollywood is the only place that good films are made. The British have been making fantastic films for many years and will continue to do so for many years to come.

With regards to the history behind these films perhaps it can be said that the first films of this season limited themselves to subjects which portrayed the birth and life of Jesus Christ or at least the way it is said to have taken place in the “New Testament” of the bible. These films concentrating on showing three wise men being lead by a star to a place where the virgin Mary gave birth to the one whom Christians through out the world have called the messiah. Some films would include the events of Jesus’ life but for the most part these films of Christmas would limit themselves to the events that preceded his birth.

With time however Christmas films as did perhaps the season itself; moved away from only being focused on the birth of Christ and started including such themes as Santa Claus. This being the man who supposedly lives in the North Pole and gives presents to all those children, regardless of any condition other then weather or not they have been good through out the year.

Christmas eventually stretched beyond even these two themes and like Christmas itself which expanded so did the films concerning this time of year, to include the effect this season has on most people and their relationships to one another. As a strange coincidence or perhaps it was not the first film to go a way from these two themes was “A Christmas Carol”, based on the famous book written by Charles Dickens. As it might have been this story which was the first to concentrate on another matter concerning Christmas other then Jesus or Santa Claus.

With regards however to film versions of “A Christmas Carol”, the first of which was not even given this title but “Scrooge” (though sometimes also referred to as “Marley’s ghost”), it being released way back in 1901 as a short film. Many films however would follow based on the theme created by Dickens though perhaps the one that sticks out the most from all these versions of the same, at least as far as those which are in black and white is the one staring Reginald Owen in 1938 in the role of the Ebenezer Scrooge. The biter old man who needed to be reminded by three ghosts sent to him by his deceased business partner, Marley of the joy he once held for Christmas which had been replaced by his greed for money.

Where “A Christmas Carol” can be said to have been the first film to focus on other then religious subjects perhaps it is the film “It’s A Wonderful Life” which in a way goes back to them though again not concentrating on Jesus’ birth but on an angel coming down to earth to assist “George Bailey”. This being a man who on Christmas day decided that his path would be suicide to escape from a life he considered not to have been of use to any; only to be proven that in fact many around him would be far worse of if he had not been born.

“It’s A Wonderful Life” in my opinion and that of many (at least in the United States) others has in recent years replaced “A Christmas Carol” as far as being the most symbolic film of the Christmas season. As it perhaps even more so then “A Christmas Carol” captures that spirit so abundant during this season. That being the spirit of giving and sharing with our neighbors specially should they be in need or if they through out their lives have done as much as George Bailey did for those in his town of Bedford Falls. As for myself personally I would have to say that looking at this film even from a critical angle, that it is the one that I would recommend above all others when it comes to Christmas films. It combining sentimentalism but in a strange manner those who are portrayed as such are also shown as being practical. After all they in a way are simply showing their gratitude to the man who was responsible for them being able to buy the homes they live in. This sentiment being exclaimed in the line “I wouldn’t even have a roof over my head it if wasn’t for you George” used by one of the characters who contributes to solve George’s dilemma over the money which had been stolen from his savings and loan.

Perhaps one of the reasons why “It’s A Wonderful Life” has replaced “A Christmas Carol” as the standard Christmas film is because “It’s A Wonderful Life” contrary to “A Christmas Carol” has not had so many different versions made, which makes it that when people refer to it they naturally only think of the one made by Capra staring James Stewart. This being the case though a very forgettable version called “It happened One Christmas” was made in 1977 which given the fact that many were not familiar with the original version at the time become very popular. This till “It’s A Wonderful Life” was made popular on TV to the point of almost being shown at least once a day at Christmas time. All of which sending “It happened One Christmas” back to the obscurity from which it should have never left.

“A Christmas Carol” however has had many versions made of it, making it almost that there is no version which can be considered classic or even the original one. All of which making it hard for film viewers to focus on any one particular version or associating the main character “Ebenezer Scrooge” with any particular actor, given that many from George C. Scot to Henry Winkler (mostly known for his portrayal of the “Happy Days” character the “Fonz”) to Reginald Owen have played have played it. This not being the case for George Bailey; as this character has come to be associated exclusively with James Stewart.

“A Christmas Carol” perhaps because it was first known as a great piece of literature went on however to have its theme repeated not only in many a film but TV serials as well. For instance “The Odd Couple” did so when Oscar dreamed he was “Scrooge” being visited by the ghost of Felix; given that the ghost of Marley could not make it given that it was his busiest time of year. “The Six Million Dollar Man”, a TV show about a man turned part robot also took from this theme as did many a cartoon like “Mr. Magoo” and even Walt Disney cashed in on the idea using Donald Duck’s rich but often parsimonious Scottish uncle.

However, many are the films regarding Christmas that I would say deserve honorable mention such as “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t”, which I might add I went to see with my class while a student at the parochial school I attended in my early years in New York City. “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t” I would recommend as being nice though it perhaps lacks somewhat in originality as it takes a page from “It’s A Wonderful Life”. This coming in the form that it is the children who help Santa raise the money he needs to pay off his debt or the toys he has worked on all year will be taken instead.

However when mentioning Christmas films there are some which I would not take even the most rotten kids I know to see such as the one made with Dudley Moore called “Santa Claus” or “Miracle On 34th Street”. This last film being in extremely poor taste in my opinion; as it tries to show the hardships of a “poor little girl” who cries because she has to content herself with living in luxurious apartment on Westside of Central Park; given her mother does not own an equally posh house in the country. This “poor girl’s” tragedy is even augmented because she has no father, as if her more then loving mother were not enough. This making me think of how one could classify those orphaned children I saw living on the streets of South America, who had to do with much less then this spoilt American child; while not having anybody what so ever.

Of course there are other films which were made and can be purchased on DVD such as “The Bells Of Saint Marry” though this film I know very little about as I have neither seen it nor read its synopsis and what little I do know about it is that there is a Swedish actress by the name of Ingrid Bergman, who plays a nun. This being what I picked up from a scene in “The Godfather” in which Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) and his girlfriend, Kate (Played by Diane Keaton) walk out of Radio City (when they showed films there) after seeing it and comment on how perhaps Michael would prefer it if Kate were a nun or Ingrid Bergman. I having little in the way of knowledge about this film can not recommend it though I have heard from many that it is worth seeing but then again this was what I heard about that tactless film “Miracle On 34th Street”.

As for animated films that have taken my interest during this time of year, I would have to say that “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” ranks up there as one of the finest films I have seen connected to this time of year. This 30 minute animated film by “Doctor Zeus” showing how a little girl teaches the mean Grinch, that there is more to Christmas then toys and decorations; is a real Christmas classic which no child should ever miss. Those who see this film in English and are old enough might recognize the voice of Boris Karloff (real name William Pratt), also known for his portrayal of Frankenstein. Where I recommend this animated film I by no means do so the idiotic film version made in recent years with the same title by director Ron Howard (also known for his portrayal of the Happy Days character Ritchie Cunningham) staring Jim Carey. This because I have a hard time deciding if this film is even a bigger tragedy then some of the other Christmas disasters I have tried to watch on TV; most of which I will not even mention in this article.

TV shows have also contributed great stories for this time of year known as Christmas and it is with all my heart that I would like to recommend to those who should read this article, that this Christmas they turn on Youtube and watch the episode of the Twilight Zone; entitled “Night Of The Meek”. This being a truly igneous story of a man of good nature by the name of Henry Corwin; who through the magic that is Christmas is literally transformed in to Santa Claus but not before having been fired from his Job as the department store Santa Clause for drunkenness.

It is this story which I would say is my favorite as far as stories portraying the character who is also known as Saint Nick. As it portrays Henry Corwin as a generous man, who drinks because he is unable to help the poor and helpless one’s as he refers to them who are all around him. One of which contrary to the child in “Miracle On 34th Street” asks not for a house in the country but a job for his unemployed father. It is however when confronted by a bag of Christmas presents which seems to not only never run out of presents but have in it all that those around ask for; such as toys, sweaters and just about anything anybody could want that Henry Corwin gets what he always wanted. To become the biggest gift giver of all.

In conclusion I would say that Christmas is a wonderful time of year and perhaps in a way it is made more so by the films mentioned in this article; for they thanks to their stories show us how this time of year can truly bring people closer together in a way that nothing else can. As for a personal confession of mine, I must say that “It’s A Wonderful Life” along with “The Night Of Meek” never fail to bring tears to my eyes. This being the case regardless of weather I find myself watching or even describing their plots as I have done so in this piece of mine.

Making a film on your own with your own money is a very daunting task. It can also be very rewarding. When you decide to take on the awesome responsibility of writing, directing, and producing your own independent film, you better know what you are getting into beforehand. Once you set the ball in motion, there is no going back. You either succeed and your film makes to the film festival circuit (which is a major accomplishment in and of itself), or you crash and burn halfway through the film production process and your film vision never sees the light of day.

The next time you watch a movie I suggest that you pay particular attention to the credits at the end of the film. Take a look at how many names scroll across the screen and this will give you an idea of how much work goes into the making of a motion picture. Then take away all of the names on the screen and picture your name in front of every credit for every job and this will give you an idea of how much work YOU will have to do to make your own movie.

When I first graduated from film school I hit the ground running. I landed a decent job as the Director and Animator on an independent film that had Pat Boone’s name attached to it. I was hired to film clay animation stories about The Bible. I worked on that job for about four months and was paid fairly well for my efforts. I decided that the best thing I could do with the money I saved was to make another film. I would take the knowledge and money I gained and use it for my own benefit. I decided to make my own movie with the idea in mind that I would enter it in on the film festival circuit and hopefully win some awards. If that happened it would almost certainly be a boost for my fledgling film career.

I wrote a script for a short film that involved a combination of clay animation and live action, and I was ready to make a film. My plan was to use all of my knowledge and talent and do almost all the work. For the parts that I could not do myself I would hire friends and business associates at a substantially discounted rate. These people agreed to work for cheap in return for a little creative control, a credit for their demo reel, and possibly exposure if the film does well at any major film festivals. I only had to hire them for the filming of the live action scenes and for some of the post production work (like sound design, mixing, foley sound effects, etc…). The animation I would do entirely on my own.

I contacted a couple of friends of mine that managed camera and sound equipment rental houses. They set me up with a 16mm camera package and a DAT (digital audio tape) package to rent at discounted prices. I rented these packages on a weekend (to get the extra 2 days for free) and I started filming the live action part of my film right away.

I worked extremely hard that first weekend. I basically filmed most of the time with only about two to three hours of sleep each day. When I was not filming/acting/directing, I was setting up lights, moving furniture, making meals for everyone, setting up props, distributing and apply makeup, rehearsing with actors, fixing costumes, and performing script rewrites on the set, to name only a few things. By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was mentally and physically exhausted, but I still had to bring back the camera and sound equipment packages by 10:00 am or I would be charged for another day of rental. You do not have that luxury to just sleep in and not worry about it when you are making an independent film on a shoestring budget. There is no rest for the weary when you are making your own movie. Time is money, and you do not have a lot of either one of these resources.

I returned the camera and sound equipment packages just in time on Monday morning. Then I went straight to the film lab and dropped off my film. I then made an appointment for the following week (the soonest date I could get) to see my dailies (developed film), and counted the days until the day of my appointment arrived.

I arrived at the film lab a half hour early for my appointment to see my dailies. As I sat in the lobby waiting for my big moment, I began to get very nervous. Unnerving thoughts began to fill my head. What if one of the rolls of film somehow got damaged in the lab? Maybe the machine that develops the film broke when my film was running through it and all of my film rolls are scratched? What if the cameraman I hired was not as good as his demo reel implied and all my rolls are under or over exposed? What if the guy who took my film at the front desk of the film lab is a disgruntled filmmaker who only took that job so he can ruin other people’s film when they hand it over to him? What if there was a mishap in the film vault involving fire sprinklers and all my rolls of film got ruined? Of course, all of these are irrational thoughts, but nonetheless they are the kind of thoughts that go through the mind of an independent filmmaker as they are quietly waiting in the lobby of a film lab facility prior to their appointment to see the fruits of their efforts.

As it turned out, everything was fine. My dailies looked great and that only inspired me to keep the ball rolling with my film project. I put every ounce of effort that my body and soul possessed into that project, and it paid off. That film (Mike And The Magic Lamp) won several awards at several film contests that year (1998) including a Silver Award at the Houston Worldfest in the same category that had seen past winners with such names as Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, and Quentin Tarantino. It was a perfect springboard for my film career. I have made several films since then and all of them have led to bigger and better projects. My latest film is a ninety minute science fiction love story. I already have a couple of distribution offers for this film, and I have yet to enter it in a single film festival. I should be able to make a very decent profit if it does well on the film festival circuit, and I owe it all to my iron resolve to make my film career dream a reality. Where my budget was lacking, my determination picked up the slack.

Copyright 2006. Michael P. Connelly

2. Faculty – Of course the quality and experience of the faculty members are important for any educational institution and there is no exception in case of the film schools. Efficient faculties will always make the difference as you will be learning the art and science of film making from them.

3. Equipments – Film making is a craft where you need hands on training for effective learning. That is why the equipment like camera, sound systems, editing machines, everything should be available with a film school.

4. Comprehensive Course – The courses at the film school should take care of every aspect that is important for film making. It is not that the acting schools will teach only acting for the aspiring actors and camera techniques to those who are studying cinematography. The course should cover all the areas of film making that will give the students a comprehensive idea.

5. Options of Courses – The film school should have different courses for different functions of film making. The courses should include film direction, film acting, film editing, sound engineering, art direction, cinematography, script writing and so on.

6. Contemporary Curriculum – The curriculum of the institute should be in tune with the best film schools around the world. The courses should incorporate contemporary style of film making and latest techniques that are being used globally.

7. Association with Industry – The institutes should have close ties with the film industry. Thereby the students will get the chance to learn from the people who have the first hand experience of making film.

8. Diploma Films – The diploma films produced by the film schools is another deciding factor of the quality of education that the institute provides. So before selecting a film school one should carefully study the diploma films and the chances of making films at the institute after successfully completing the course.

9. Alumni – The alumni of any institute speaks a lot about the standard of learning facilities at the institute. So, you should try and find out how the past students have done after leaving the institute.

10. Film Archive – The film archive of the film schools are very important as that will give you a chance of seeing as many films as possible. When you enroll with a film school that has well stocked film archive you get a comprehensive idea of the world cinema.

11. Production Facility – The production facility of the film school should be of professional standard equipped with latest and finest machinery. It will let you learn the fine points of film making right at the school and you will ready to work professionally right from the first day after you leave the institute.

12. Short Films – The institute should have proper infrastructure and ambience for making short films and should promote the films at different film festivals that will eventually help you showcase your work.

13. Further Studies – The institute should have scope of further studies in the fields of film making and acting. The acting schools should have the advanced courses like master degree and PhD courses that will eventually help you make it big in the field of film making.

14. Student Exchange Programs – The scope of student exchange program with other acting schools and international film schools will give you the much needed exposure to international film education and technologies.

15. Career Opportunities – The institute should have proper infrastructure and network to help the students in their career. Whether it is promoting the diploma films of the students or arranging campus interviews, the film school should provide a platform to launch the new talents.