DDP
pssst
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| Down Here! |
Yes Yes
Here
In amongst it all.
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| (Hogan) |
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| Exit or Candy? |
I promised you nothing!
Thursday 21 August 2014
Thursday 14 August 2014
A Hard Day 끝까지 간다
Kim Sung-Hoon has directed this tight little action thriller and from whoa to go its a demonstration of mastery in the language of genre. This is so action packed and so gung ho and yet so slick and so seamless. It's strap me in sort of action too, a bit of a boys own fest but gee it's done so well.
Yet beneath all the high rolling stunts, the humour, the violence and the sleek production values is a pretty grisly message and the themes are quite telling. This is a world of cover ups and cover ups of the cover ups and layer on layer of cover up. And the things they are doing aren't so crash hot, so the fact that they try to cover them up says lots of them. Its endemic and is not addressed in any way other than it is there at the start, it is there throughout and it remains at the end.
This is the Police Force.
Lee Sun-Kyun as the detective who begins the chain of cover ups with an unfortunate car crash.
I love the fact that you empathise with him over his hard day even though his behavior is more akin to that of a gangsters'. The stakes rise exponentially and of course so does the tension but by the end we are so on his side, quite happy to forget his misdemeanors.
This angel is no angel really!
I'm not going to say much but this one is a cracker and a great case study in genre mechanics.
Yet beneath all the high rolling stunts, the humour, the violence and the sleek production values is a pretty grisly message and the themes are quite telling. This is a world of cover ups and cover ups of the cover ups and layer on layer of cover up. And the things they are doing aren't so crash hot, so the fact that they try to cover them up says lots of them. Its endemic and is not addressed in any way other than it is there at the start, it is there throughout and it remains at the end.
This is the Police Force.
I love the fact that you empathise with him over his hard day even though his behavior is more akin to that of a gangsters'. The stakes rise exponentially and of course so does the tension but by the end we are so on his side, quite happy to forget his misdemeanors.
This angel is no angel really!
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| Lee Sun-Kyun dismayed over the moral bankruptcy of the law enforcement agencies. Not! |
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| all action and thriller but of course there are those moments of comedic relief |
Monday 11 August 2014
Sunday 10 August 2014
What I spied in July # 1
late one afternoon on JeJu Island.
In between bites
out amongst the weather
I spied a film crew.
scene in can, location wrap
& they were gone!
In between bites
out amongst the weather
I spied a film crew.
scene in can, location wrap
JeJu, July 2014.
Thursday 7 August 2014
The Daily Trifecta, or my far east feast
OK three in a row is always an invitation into the abyss of the festival dark zone but that's what I did yesterday. But I topped it even better. 3 x films from the far east and 3 x films dealing with abuse of women. All of them too had a rape scene involving a women under the age of 18.
Harrowing!! Some had happy endings? Some had revenge and redemption. But unfortunately as I progressed through this bleak and dark journey the last one was just utterly hopeless.
Brilliant film but just a message with no hope.
There were that two of the films that were debut features and all three were really strong in story and production value.
So let me introduce the them.
Backwater 共喰い directed by Shinji Aoyama
Based on a novel by Shinya Tanaka, this film is set in a quiet riverside town, where 17-year-old Tooma lives with his father and his father’s lover. Tooma witnesses his father’s sadistic behavior towards his lover and soon finds himself following in his father’s footsteps. (http://letterboxd.com/film/the-backwater/)
It is very much through the actions of the women in this film, the women in Tooma's life that justice is served and wrongs are righted. There is a lot of brutality and the father just goes from bad to worse to utter areshole but his actions catalyse events to a climax that should have happened a long time ago.
In amongst the horror of the sadistic father and the will he, won't he of the son are some wonderfully humouress and poignant moments. Tooma's girlfriend is his godsend and she's a cracker of a character, not major but pivitol. The fathers girlfriend evolves nicely and powerfully too, artfully dodging what seems to be her lot. And mum is just a rock and comes through like all mums do.
A Girl At My Door 도희야 directed by July Jung
Produced by Lee Chang-Dong and staring Bae Doona, a
real favourite actress. This is a debut feature for the director and she wields a pretty deft hand. There are some really quite major story holes in the film but they don't seem to matter because they take it to very interesting places and the themes that are explored are deep and dark.
The opening scene with the motorcycling Ajumma (아줌마) is hilarious and just nails it but it's a sign because from then on she becomes darker and crueler until she is dealt brutal retribution. Bae Doona's character in her naivety is the innocent but compassionate one, even she is saved by the abused daughter. There are lots of twists & turns like this, in plot, expectations and visuals. Though at other times it teeters on the twee it is strong performances from the women that hold the film and take it to a greater place than the confrontation of what is happening in this quaint seaside village, soju monsters and all.
Han Gong-Ju 한공주 directed by Lee Su-Jin
A most brutal tale so beautifully told. This was the best of the three and another debut feature though its message was the one most hopeless. The way this story slowly reveals and the mystery unravels is just such artful filmmaking and second time around was just as delightful. I sorta wince when I say these words cause there is nothing delightful in Han Gong Ju's story despite her finding such moments in amongst her bleakness. The performances here are just great, the direction is deft and beyond expectation for first time and the narrative going back and forth is just a piece of perfection.
All three films turn a blind eye to the ugliness and violence of sexual and physical abuse until it reaches crisis but this film has no retribution, revenge or resolve. It's based on a true story and it feels like the reality. A must see film, really gutsy cinema from Lee Su-Jin and he's one to watch out for in the future.
Not the happiest night out in the cinema from the point of view of subject lines and story but an absolute delight in terms of filmmaking, cinema and the big screen!
Harrowing!! Some had happy endings? Some had revenge and redemption. But unfortunately as I progressed through this bleak and dark journey the last one was just utterly hopeless.
Brilliant film but just a message with no hope.
There were that two of the films that were debut features and all three were really strong in story and production value.
So let me introduce the them.
Backwater 共喰い directed by Shinji Aoyama
Based on a novel by Shinya Tanaka, this film is set in a quiet riverside town, where 17-year-old Tooma lives with his father and his father’s lover. Tooma witnesses his father’s sadistic behavior towards his lover and soon finds himself following in his father’s footsteps. (http://letterboxd.com/film/the-backwater/)
It is very much through the actions of the women in this film, the women in Tooma's life that justice is served and wrongs are righted. There is a lot of brutality and the father just goes from bad to worse to utter areshole but his actions catalyse events to a climax that should have happened a long time ago.
In amongst the horror of the sadistic father and the will he, won't he of the son are some wonderfully humouress and poignant moments. Tooma's girlfriend is his godsend and she's a cracker of a character, not major but pivitol. The fathers girlfriend evolves nicely and powerfully too, artfully dodging what seems to be her lot. And mum is just a rock and comes through like all mums do.
A Girl At My Door 도희야 directed by July Jung
The opening scene with the motorcycling Ajumma (아줌마) is hilarious and just nails it but it's a sign because from then on she becomes darker and crueler until she is dealt brutal retribution. Bae Doona's character in her naivety is the innocent but compassionate one, even she is saved by the abused daughter. There are lots of twists & turns like this, in plot, expectations and visuals. Though at other times it teeters on the twee it is strong performances from the women that hold the film and take it to a greater place than the confrontation of what is happening in this quaint seaside village, soju monsters and all.
Han Gong-Ju 한공주 directed by Lee Su-Jin
A most brutal tale so beautifully told. This was the best of the three and another debut feature though its message was the one most hopeless. The way this story slowly reveals and the mystery unravels is just such artful filmmaking and second time around was just as delightful. I sorta wince when I say these words cause there is nothing delightful in Han Gong Ju's story despite her finding such moments in amongst her bleakness. The performances here are just great, the direction is deft and beyond expectation for first time and the narrative going back and forth is just a piece of perfection.All three films turn a blind eye to the ugliness and violence of sexual and physical abuse until it reaches crisis but this film has no retribution, revenge or resolve. It's based on a true story and it feels like the reality. A must see film, really gutsy cinema from Lee Su-Jin and he's one to watch out for in the future.
Not the happiest night out in the cinema from the point of view of subject lines and story but an absolute delight in terms of filmmaking, cinema and the big screen!
Tuesday 5 August 2014
나를 잊지 말아요 but I cant forget Remember O Goddess
One lucky day in South Korea at Gimpo International Airport, Seoul.
The occasion, a set visit to the filming of 'Dont Forget Me' (나를 잊지 말아요).
Lee Yoon Jung's latest film and debut feature. What a treat!
How I got here started about 18 months ago.
I am partial to the concept of crowdfunding and in the past have supported various projects. Exclusively films and theater productions. Sometimes they are people I know, sometimes they are just great ideas from around the world.
Remember O Goddess was one of the later. It came my way via a network of Korean cinema buffs, web sites and blogs, I can't remember which exactly. Clicking through to the kickstarter campaign I couldn't help but be impressed.
Yoon Jung had already made a short film of that title but was raising capital to expand it to a feature length film. Watching the short I was immediately struck by the strength of the story, it worked as a stand alone short but I could also very much see an expansion on the story and themes. However there were other elements that were incredibly strong, namely the strength of the acting and hence the direction but also the way it was shot. Lots of night exteriors that were impeccably shot but in a subtle way that didn't scream LOOK AT ME and distract from the narrative. It's a cracker of a short and one could walk away from just that and be very proud. You could tell there was some great filmmaking going on here and also a very fertile storyline. I wanted to see this feature, backed it to this capacity and that was that.
Being a fan of Korean cinema and having crewed on many Australian productions, when the campaign was successful I hatched a secret fantasy to contact Yoon Jung, travel to Korea and volunteer my services for the film. What a dream! Mind you I'd never been to Korea and didn't speak the language but hey that's what dreams are for.
Anyway it's a long story but production kept getting pushed back and new people came on board, basically the project was expanding, with cast, budget and distribution. So it was this year that production finally got underway with major backers and A-list cast, shooting in Seoul as of June this year. This excited me no end, one cause it was finally going to be realised but two I was heading to Seoul for other reasons right in the middle of production.
So I put the feelers out and made a few requests and was privileged enough to be a set guest the day they were shooting some airport scenes and plane interiors. Mind you none of this wouldn't have happened if not for the genourosity of Lee Yoon Jung, the cooperation of Young Wook Jo and the skills of Park Seol Hwa. Cause although this was now my second visit to the Korean peninsula and I did have some rudimentary language under the belt without their navigation and language I don't think I would have ever got there. Under the able guidance of Seol Hwa we headed out to Seoul's smaller and older International Airport, Gimpo. Subway, bus and a bit of walking and we were there. Too exciting!
After a warm greeting from Wook Jo we got to see a number of setups for one of Kim Ha Neul's scenes at the terminal. This was such a gas watching the Korean crew at work and especially the 1st AD, as this is my background in Australian production. They were fast, calm and efficient. Australian crews have a reputation for being good and fast and we are but so are these guys, very much so.
The first would almost whisper her roll up into the radio,
"ready ready", "shoot shoot","camera"...etc.
It was all in English too.
I was way impressed. I've always thought women make great firsts with the energy and sensibilities they bring to set and some of my favourite onset moments have been under such command. I watched this crew and thought that it would be a wonderful experience to work with these guys.
Tough but good. Arrrgh that dream again!
But this time I was here to observe.
When that scene wrapped we were onto a scene inside a plane and I was invited to be one of the passenger extras. Ha! My policy in Australia is 'never in front of the camera', I have done it before but when I was much younger and now there is no novelty factor for me anymore.
But, Hey! in a Korean film? Why of course I will and besides it was a sitting role, in a comfy plane seat and I had my back to camera. So I was very flattered to learn that Ha Neul will be coming up to me and asking if I would like some coffee but then after a rehearsal it changed! I was put one chair back because they thought it would be too weird her talking Korean to a Westener. Shit!!! I've directed enough extras in my time to know 'the bump', must have good head & shoulders for radio! Actually it did make sense and anyway at the end of the scene she moved onto me and offered the coffee anyway. (that'll hit the cutting room floor for sure). Anyway that was a lot of fun and at the conclusion of that scene it was dinner break.
So dinner was a great experience in itself. A korean catering truck....sounds like heaven? and it was. Beautiful meal, beautiful food and got to have a good long chat with Yoon Jung and her producers Soo Jin and Wook Jo. Fascinating stuff, plumbing the depths of the logistics and costs and the future of the film etc. It was a lot of fun in very warm company with some great food.
At the conclusion of dinner was the setup for a number of night exterior scenes with Jung Woo-sung, a very noted Korean actor. We were extended an invitation to witness these but as it was close to nightfall and we had to make the long trek back into the heart of Seoul. This is a mega city and that journey was going to take more than an hour. So we said our goodbyes and our thank yous and thus a most amazing experience was over.
Don't Forget Me is getting close to the end of production as you read this and I wish Yoon Jung and her team all the best and can't wait to see the movie.
The occasion, a set visit to the filming of 'Dont Forget Me' (나를 잊지 말아요).
Lee Yoon Jung's latest film and debut feature. What a treat!
How I got here started about 18 months ago.
 |
| Kim Ha-Neul's character Jin-Young leaving the terminal building |
Remember O Goddess was one of the later. It came my way via a network of Korean cinema buffs, web sites and blogs, I can't remember which exactly. Clicking through to the kickstarter campaign I couldn't help but be impressed.
Yoon Jung had already made a short film of that title but was raising capital to expand it to a feature length film. Watching the short I was immediately struck by the strength of the story, it worked as a stand alone short but I could also very much see an expansion on the story and themes. However there were other elements that were incredibly strong, namely the strength of the acting and hence the direction but also the way it was shot. Lots of night exteriors that were impeccably shot but in a subtle way that didn't scream LOOK AT ME and distract from the narrative. It's a cracker of a short and one could walk away from just that and be very proud. You could tell there was some great filmmaking going on here and also a very fertile storyline. I wanted to see this feature, backed it to this capacity and that was that.
Being a fan of Korean cinema and having crewed on many Australian productions, when the campaign was successful I hatched a secret fantasy to contact Yoon Jung, travel to Korea and volunteer my services for the film. What a dream! Mind you I'd never been to Korea and didn't speak the language but hey that's what dreams are for.
 |
| Camera Crew & First prepare for the next setup |
So I put the feelers out and made a few requests and was privileged enough to be a set guest the day they were shooting some airport scenes and plane interiors. Mind you none of this wouldn't have happened if not for the genourosity of Lee Yoon Jung, the cooperation of Young Wook Jo and the skills of Park Seol Hwa. Cause although this was now my second visit to the Korean peninsula and I did have some rudimentary language under the belt without their navigation and language I don't think I would have ever got there. Under the able guidance of Seol Hwa we headed out to Seoul's smaller and older International Airport, Gimpo. Subway, bus and a bit of walking and we were there. Too exciting!
After a warm greeting from Wook Jo we got to see a number of setups for one of Kim Ha Neul's scenes at the terminal. This was such a gas watching the Korean crew at work and especially the 1st AD, as this is my background in Australian production. They were fast, calm and efficient. Australian crews have a reputation for being good and fast and we are but so are these guys, very much so.
 |
| Camera Crew & Kim Ha-Neul |
 |
| Line Producer and 1st AD watch on |
The first would almost whisper her roll up into the radio,
"ready ready", "shoot shoot","camera"...etc.
It was all in English too.
I was way impressed. I've always thought women make great firsts with the energy and sensibilities they bring to set and some of my favourite onset moments have been under such command. I watched this crew and thought that it would be a wonderful experience to work with these guys.
Tough but good. Arrrgh that dream again!
But this time I was here to observe.
When that scene wrapped we were onto a scene inside a plane and I was invited to be one of the passenger extras. Ha! My policy in Australia is 'never in front of the camera', I have done it before but when I was much younger and now there is no novelty factor for me anymore.
But, Hey! in a Korean film? Why of course I will and besides it was a sitting role, in a comfy plane seat and I had my back to camera. So I was very flattered to learn that Ha Neul will be coming up to me and asking if I would like some coffee but then after a rehearsal it changed! I was put one chair back because they thought it would be too weird her talking Korean to a Westener. Shit!!! I've directed enough extras in my time to know 'the bump', must have good head & shoulders for radio! Actually it did make sense and anyway at the end of the scene she moved onto me and offered the coffee anyway. (that'll hit the cutting room floor for sure). Anyway that was a lot of fun and at the conclusion of that scene it was dinner break.
 |
| Nice head & shoulders as part of the in-flight passengers |
 |
| ready ready |
 | |||
| Giving some pointers? I don't think so. |
So dinner was a great experience in itself. A korean catering truck....sounds like heaven? and it was. Beautiful meal, beautiful food and got to have a good long chat with Yoon Jung and her producers Soo Jin and Wook Jo. Fascinating stuff, plumbing the depths of the logistics and costs and the future of the film etc. It was a lot of fun in very warm company with some great food.
 |
| Cho Soo Jin (line Producer), Park Seol Hwa (BIFF) Young Wook Jo (Producer) Me & Lee Yoon Jung (Writer/Director) |
At the conclusion of dinner was the setup for a number of night exterior scenes with Jung Woo-sung, a very noted Korean actor. We were extended an invitation to witness these but as it was close to nightfall and we had to make the long trek back into the heart of Seoul. This is a mega city and that journey was going to take more than an hour. So we said our goodbyes and our thank yous and thus a most amazing experience was over.
Don't Forget Me is getting close to the end of production as you read this and I wish Yoon Jung and her team all the best and can't wait to see the movie.
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