Friday, August 28, 2009

New Zealand Based Internet TV

Free (excluding your regular broadband charges) New Zealand based web tv site ZILN , goes live soon , (already some content working).
.

I have had a look around , it's early days yet but there seems to be some of the freeview channels like Aljazeera etc available for both live streaming and VOD. The site promises a fair bit and hopefully will live up to those promises .

I was looking at Freeview recently as my "parents in law" have just had it installed, and while I'm tempted , I like having the choice of online viewing .Certainly some of the news channels interest me.It remains to be seen what Ziln will bring to the table in the coming months.

Check it out , some of the channels are already working.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Co-operation

WFT is chuffed with the level of co-operation amongst the community that showed itself over this past weekend .
The kind loan of cameras, equipment and time (and offers of these) by WFT friends , helped local band Mercury Brigade get their entry DVD shot and sent off to Smokefree RockQuest 2009 for consideration of a place in the National Finals .

A pleasure it was for all involved too , I'm sure .

You can check out edited versions of the finished product on their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/mercurybrigade - as soon as they have a chance to load them up .

If you can't wait 'til then, just pop "Mercury Brigade" into Youtube search and you'll find 'em straight away .

Here's a taster .

Friday, August 7, 2009

Goodbye John Hughes :(


Saddened by the news of the sudden death of film maker , John Hughes .
I recommend you all go rent out one of his movies for the weekend in tribute .

Thanks for my teenage years John.

GONE IN 60 SECONDS film making jamboree

Great turnout at last nights screenings folks . A full house!
As time was tight , unfortunately we didn't get a chance to speak with any of the directors or time to launch the GONE IN 60 SECONDS film making jamboree .


Let me right some of those wrongs here .
First off , all the directors of last nights films are WFT blog readers and so , I would encourage anyone who may have questions or comments for those good folk , to either use the comments box here or a reply all email (to the mailing list) containing your comments.
I can easily create a blogpost with the comments in also .

So go ahead , I'm sure the film makers would be delighted with feedback and happy to answer questions .

Now , regarding the GONE IN 60 SECONDS film making jamboree ...

All you need to know is mentioned in the following short clip .

WFT will have a movie night at Paradiso in a month (exact date tbc ), that will be the hand in night .
Return of your 60 second movie on that night is mandatory - no late returns!
Label every single thing CLEARLY that you turn in with your director name / film name / and contact info .
You may enter as many 60 second films as you like as long as they are each different films (no clever 2 minute films divided into two parts!)

Grand screening will be one month from that return night , enough time for you to drum up publicity for your premiere!

Any further questions , details etc. will be covered in WFT blogposts and emails - so please encourage anyone you may know who would be interested , to send me their email address so they can be added to the mailing list.

So , I will shut up now and let the pictures speak .

cheers all,

Robert.


Thursday, August 6, 2009

It's Tonight .

CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW LARGE.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

DETAILS OF STEPHEN DOWNES "THE SOMNILOQUIST"

Slick film noir that should warn you about loose lips sinking ships!





Okay folks , that's all I have for you for now .
I hope to see you all tomorrow (Thursday) at 6pm . Get there early to secure your seat!
Bring some friends.

Cheers

Robert

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

DETAILS OF DARREN SIMMONDS "FISHY TALES"





Around the campfire with the Whanau, Granddad who loves to tell a tall tale, tells of a recent adventure with Riwi his favourite grandchild.

The waters of Sandy bay have long been a source of livelihood for the Whanau. Granddad and Riwi choose to ignore the law and continue to fish in this marine conservation area as their Tupuna(ancestors) have done for hundreds of years.

They don't go unnoticed ...

2009 : NZ : 12mins : Comedy

"ONEYEAR" Free Snowboard Premiere

Presented by The Lighthouse

Free Snowboard Premier - ONEYEAR

THIS Sat 8th Aug @ 8pm @ Mint Bar!

Nations Foundation's first major release, ONEYEAR, gives an accurate account of the exceptional lifestyles of some of the worlds most talented snowboarders ever!!
By Nations Foundation

Featuring Kelly Clark, Eric Willet, Matt Hammer, Andy Finch, Tommy Czeschin, Plus Plus Plus

ONEYEAR Trailer #1 from Nations Foundation on Vimeo.

Monday, August 3, 2009

DETAILS OF "PICK UP"



Details of Pick Up .


Director: Robert Holt

Producer: Greg Von Heraud Parker

Writers: Greg Von Heraud Parker, Robert Holt, George Thoroughgood, Maria Arnoletto, Neil Cobb, Melissa Murcherson, Phil Martin, Martin Gally .

Actors: Robert Holt as Enis and Maria Arnoletto as Alex

Editors: George Thoroughgood, Robert Holt, Neil Cobb .

Cinematography: George Thoroughgood, Greg Von Heraud Parker


This info has been covered in previous posts , (scroll down to check 'em out).

Basically , though - this was made for entry in this years 48 hrs Furious Film making Competition .

I had co-directed with Darren , an entry last year that was disqualified from competition due to a technical error ( forgot to check the audio box on exporting out movie!!).

So this year, despite a busy schedule having just come off the shoot of Darrens short , Fishy Tales - (on which Greg and I operated cameras and which I went on to edit) - Greg and I , with the help of WFT , rounded up a crew and took it from there .

Despite the crazy turnaround time of writing,casting,shooting and editing a movie in 2 days - we had lots of fun and Pick Up even went on to make the regional finals!

There are 2 sequel scripts ready to shoot ! Watch out for Pick Up 2 : HEINOUS
and Pick Up 3: DIABOLIK , made to make you laugh...(by laugh , I mean SCREAM IN FEAR! ).


Robert is also working on a short western called Misery Whip and a hay fever nightmare called Glue .(both shorts).
He is also working on a stalker movie called HUT .

Sunday, August 2, 2009

DETAILS OF MARIA ARNOLETTO'S - "MI MUJER"





Mi Mujer (My Woman)
Directed by Maria Arnoletto

Based on the short story
“Mi Mujer” from the book “Son todas suposiciones”
by Diego Mariano Ramallo



... In Gusatavo’s life, death was always present.
He met his wife at the cemetery ...



Description of Production

Independent 35mm film, shot in Buenos Aires, during Autumn 2008.

"I wrote the script , with Diego’s co-operation , over a year. On February I spoke to the Director of my university and left him a copy to read.
I graduated in March as DP ( director of photography ) and after that day I got my interview with him and started the pre-production. The university provided light, grip, and camera equipment. Looking for all that you can find in the film, from Crew to costumes, from toys to characters, graves and flowers.

The university also provided the online editing and sound post-production. When we got our shooting date the team started to get complete. Friends from the university were our voluntary team. Lots of people helped to make this film possible, because we all love to create and more , when we had something to say.

Diego, the author of the monologue and the main actor was leaving at the end of April and I wanted to travel to New Zealand as soon as I could.

I decided to shoot before leaving so we had one month of pre production, 8 days shooting in a cemetery, a street and a wake.

It was hard; locations were fragile, people ad-honorem, lots of lighting, grip, 5 cakes of film and a 35mm camera.

As on lots of independent short films, most of the things we got were happily given and the money we used came from my family, Diego and me.

We finished and we sent it to the lab, after 4 weeks I saw it. The image was there, it was as I thought, tidy and happy.
Post-production started 1 week after and took about 4 months. Lots of work, more people involved, emotions, situations, all of a world.

Finally I finished and I bought my flight to NZ with a film to share.

The support was amazing. Now I'm in charge of making this story travel around."

Maria Arnoletto.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

DETAILS OF REBECCA TANSLEY'S - "EDEN"




Short film showcases Central Otago landscape

Central Otago’s distinctive landscape provides the backdrop for a short film about the consequences of violence .

Eden was shot in a vineyard in Bannockburn, a small grape-growing community near Cromwell, and is the story of two itinerants, each damaged by a troubled past, who re-learn how to trust again.

The film was written, directed and produced by Dunedin-based writer Rebecca Tansley.

Crew members were recruited from both Central Otago and Dunedin.

“The story doesn’t relate directly to Central Otago – it could happen anywhere – yet I set the story in that location very deliberately,” says Ms Tansley. “The landscape around Bannockburn is scarred from its goldmining history, a little like the characters are emotionally scarred by their pasts. It’s also a very raw yet beautiful place. There are the qualities I wanted to capture.”

The film, shot in High Definition, features the cinematography of Emmy-Award winning cameraman Mike Single.

Music was written by Graeme Downes, founder and frontman of the Verlaines and Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Rock Music at the University of Otago.

“Both the landscape and the music are very important elements in the film,” says Ms Tansley, “so I was very fortunate to have Mike and Graeme involved. They’ve really helped to make Eden what it is.”

Eden is a Short Film Otago film which is funded by Community Trust Otago.

For further information please contact:
Rebecca Tansley
021 423570
rtansley@xtra.co.nz