Game Changers Part I

Found a trinity geek fest with a DGA salute to Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and J.J. Abrams all on one stage.

The Golden Boy, the Maverick and I guess the would be Newcomer.

Spielberg sometimes seems cagey when discussing his craft, and to my knowledge has never done a "DVD audio commentary" for any his films.

Because of this, I think he's one of the few who still value the power (and importance) of magic and illusion in filmmaking. (And said it himself that his participation in the Q&A was killing the illusion of moviemaking)

He says there should be no such thing as "trade secrets" and that everyone in the industry should share whatever great discoveries that they have found. I personally agree, but I feel that Steven was perhaps referring to technical process not artistic. Just my opinion.

Should artist feel a need to "explain" themselves? Perhaps not. But when it's in the interest of teaching, encouraging others and raising the bar of the medium for everyone, it's certainly good.

Not as super-insightful as I would like it to have been, but it's definitely a treat. Enjoy.

Who Remembers Movie Programs?!

Super 8 was some of the most planned, manipulative uses of nostalgia I've seen in a long time and I loved it. My usual routine to after seeing a movie in Tokyo is to buy a movie program. No, when I say movie program, I don't mean Final Cut Pro or iMovie.

Doesn't anyone remember movie programs?! Super 8 had tons of flaws but it worked as a piece of narrative nostalgia. Just had to get a program. Why didn't the folks in marketing drop the other shoe and release movie programs to accompany the film? (If I'm wrong, please correct me)

Anyone who connected with the nostalgia in this movie, anyone who saw at least ONE 80's Spielberg or Star Wars film in a theater in their lifetime certainly remembers the the pleasure of having "piece of the movie" to take home as a memento or at least certainly a conversation piece.

Folks like to throw that term "viral marketing" around. Which basically is virtual technobabble to say "word of mouth". What better viral marketing than your movie program floating around, sitting on the coffee table when friends come over?

Rather than shelling out an extra 5 bucks on a pair of 3D glasses I'm going to bitch about anyway, I'd much rather spend that on a memento of a great movie experience I'll have forever. The joy of having a movie programs was like a symbol of you were in for a treat or at least you came home with with something because you attended something special.

Any Gen X'er remembers in elementary school the envy of someone having an"Empire Strikes Back" movie program and you just couldn't wait to get to the theaters (not just to see the movie) but to get your hands on one of those programs.

Movie programs are always available with the films in Japan. Any they are just as good (if not better) than the ones that were produced in the USA. The movie programs just don't give the usual publicity shots and storyline overviews, but they also have extensive material showing the pride in the craftsmanship in the making of the film. NOTE keywords: Pride, craftsmanship. If the producers felt they did a good job they should be proud to show people in print what they have labored on.

Given, much of what is covered in movie programs can be seen in the supplementary chapters on the DVD release----but who wants to wait for that?!

Go home with a movie program, in a way the studio is communicating:

"Yeah, you damn, right this is something special you're looking at here. So special we're publishing it so you can hold it in your hands, read it and take it home with you...show your friends."

I can only post a few pages of the Super 8 movie program because the booklet just has too many pages. Definitely you get your money's worth. (26 pages in total)

So what's the deal? Americans don't read anymore? Super 8 was a nice trip back to the feeling of when the experience of movies were... yes dammit, magical experiences. Going home with a movie program certainly added to the experience.

So Basically it's about....what?

Remember that old gag on Seinfeld where they said the show they were selling was basically about "nothing"?

In light of shows like Lost, Heroes and movies like The Hurt Locker (which I really liked), I'm wondering if this is the future of American narrative and storytelling in film.

After watching the season opening of Lost's final season....(which recapped the entire 104 episodes of the series)....I couldn't help rolling my eyes (apologies if I sound insincere). But about 20 minutes into this "Lost cram session", it became grossly obvious that the story or plot (if you can call it that) was completely convoluted, incoherent, and sometimes laughable because there has been no plot.

What makes Lost work is one thing only: the relationships between the characters. Like the show or not, the relationships have been compelling.

J.J. Abrams brought this same type of "narrative" to Star Trek (2009). Paper thin, swiss-cheese plot....very well developed relationships between characters. Maybe that's why it was a disappointment for me. In my desperate childlike nostalgia for the original Star Trek, I have been addicted to the melodramatic, but clear plots, a touch of social allegory and the relationships (despite being strong, clear and consistent) were really sugar frosting for the original series. But now that is all in reverse.


The Hurt Locker came off to me as another virtual docu-drama with no "Point A to Point B" linear plot. It was structured with situations to stage character relationships, and "stream of consciousness" experiences. Virginia Woolf would have fit in this age well if she were a filmmaker.


It's not a criticism, just a question of is this the future of narrative in movies and television. In an age of docu-tainment, reality show and shakey-cam (my bane)....are people less interested in the magic and escape of a well told story?