Harvey Weinstein Scandal

No Longer Prey

Reacting to the Weinstein Scandal.

In the past few weeks the Harvey Weinstein scandal has broken to the general public and many film and TV celebrities have made statements regarding it. I'm no celebrity, but I am a member of my local film community. To echo what other women have said, Harvey's behavior wasn't surprising or shocking. My high school drama teacher (and college film professors) warned all of the young women in class about the infamous 'casting couch' and you can replace casting with director, producer, predator because it doesn't change the warning. It is a real scenario that plays out in all industries and places where women and men interact.

It is infuriating to know that women have come forward before about his behavior to each other, to other industry executives and STILL it took a journalist who could publicize his actions to remove him from his company and, now that he has been kicked out of the Academy, out of the elite of the film industry. I have been asked if I believe that he is the only predator in Hollywood and the answer in unequivocally NO. There have been too many accusations that have been silenced or brushed under the rug, despite tons of evidence, over the years.

These notable actors. directors, and producers are still making movies and TV episodes and continue to be rewarded with money, fame, and awards despite allegations or convictions. The only difference right now is that the audience cares. Some of that is politically motivated as President Trump wages war on media that aren't portraying him in the best light. For the past year, I have heard the anger being directed at my industry because we are 'liars and hate mongers.' Even when spewing this rhetoric these people continue to watch their favorite shows. Some of it is a backlash against President Trump for being a predator himself (recall the pussy grabbing and walking in on beauty pageant contestants statements for example).

Finally, we have the women who have found, like other groups before us, that we are louder when we speak out together. There are more women in positions of influence in my industry than there has been since the earliest days. Most of us, like women from all other walks of life, have been on the receiving end of attentions like Harvey's and have decided that enough is enough. We are also done with the concept that 'women ask for it' by what we wear, drink, or our physical location. It is known that the behavior of predators is about power and influence over their victims, not about sex.

The Harvey Weinstein's of the world are not limited to Film/TV/Media but are found in every industry. Predators are prevalent in our military, don't believe it? There is a 2012 documentary that garnered enough attention that our military commanders are starting to take real actions to reduce it and convict the perpetrators (The Invisible War). Then there are all of the stories from our college campuses, remember Brock Turner? The judge in that case is facing a recall because the women in his district have had enough (Washington Post). Lastly, their are my own personal experiences in retail and cybersecurity in addition to those of the women of my acquaintance who have been comfortable enough to share their stories with me.

Growing Up Female Dealing With Predators

My experiences with predators began as a child; I was molested by an 18yr old male babysitter who was the son of an Air Force Officer who outranked my father. The same babysitter attempted to rape my sister and when she told our parents, my mother said that accusing him would damage my father's career. I stayed silent at the time, but desperately wished later that I had found my voice. In 5th grade I was surrounded by 6th grade boys who were saying terrible things to me as I swung my lunch box to keep them back, I was rescued by a much larger classmate who walked me out of the situation. The following year, the ring leader chased me off the school grounds on his bicycle. None of the boys suffered any consequences of those actions despite my telling my parents and teacher. After all, they were only picking on me and I should learn to stand up for myself.

In college I had defend my self from defamation, he was trying to fail me, by a professor by taking my complaint to the head of the Film department at Wright State University. I was the only woman still in the program by the time of this interaction. That professor is still teaching classes and if you check out RateMyProfessor.com you read all about Mr. Lyons and how difficult he is for female students to work with. His behavior has never improved despite students going over his head for help.

Later I worked for JoAnns Fabric and Crafts in their Akron store, off the 77, for a male store manager. He backed me into a corner of the break room when I was alone to berate me for not coming in at an earlier time despite the fact that I wasn't scheduled for that start time. I reported him to HR after which I subjected to retaliation until I was able to transfer to another store. Later, when a team member shared with me that she was interviewing with him for a position at his store I counselled her on what he was looking for: young, 'pretty,' female that would respond to his harassment as desired. She did the interview with open eyes and later agreed that despite the shorter commute it wasn't worth to work there. That store manager was never fired, instead the company moved him to a new store opening in Florida.

Then I worked for a cybersecurity tech company in San Diego. There I was constantly under pressure to be part of the 'boy's club' and never taken seriously when I explained a technical problem. One of the owners actually told me I shouldn't be overseeing a project despite being a key member on similar projects in the past. One of the VPs told me to my face that he wouldn't be giving me any more work because I was 'difficult' after I told him that he didn't provide the specifics on a project and that I didn't work for his department. The pressure I felt was universal for all of the women who have worked for that company but only a few have called management out on it. The VP was moved to the Philippines and they have moved most of their operations to Boston because word has gotten around locally that it isn't a great working environment.

Victim Blaming Starts at Home

Do I fear retaliation? Yes. It impacts my ability to find work despite the fact that these men are all in different industries. I have been accused of only wanting a payday despite my continued efforts to do my personal best in each position I've held. I've been accused of being too sensitive or disagreeable. I also find myself after these types of interactions shaking from adrenaline driven fear. Like all women who go through this, I find myself assessing how bad was it really? Is it worth reporting because the perpetrator will know from the description of the event who reported him and I will have to deal with the retaliation.

I have tried to discuss this subject my husband, but he tires of listening to my complaints of male behavior as do many of our significant others. Venting is nearly impossible because of the anger, and often tears, that accompany such revelations and we don't want to appear weak. We are often asked when we do share these stories if we misinterpreted or read to far into the situation. What our significant others are failing to realize is that if we can't convince those closest to us that this behavior is occurring how can we possibly convince HR, police, legal representation?

In general, victims of harassment and sexual crime are disbelieved and discredited because it is often a he said, she said type of argument. There is usually little physical evidence and even when there are eyewitnesses victim blaming ensues. My own mother's first instinct is to ask what was the victim wearing, what was she drinking before even considering the wellbeing of the victim. I've also heard that because women are emotional creatures that our judgment is always suspect. I ask you, when did the value of a criminal's life outweigh that of his victim?

In addition to the suspicion laid at our doors by those who know us is the fact that these criminals are rarely brought to court and even fewer are convicted. For workplace harassment, victims are expected to generate their own evidence (by keeping a log) which is then suspect because they don't have corroborating witnesses and it takes many victims to remove a predator from that environment. Then, when a criminal is convicted, you have to think about those sentences which are often more about the value of the perpetrator's life than the damage done to the victim. Harassment may not be as instantly damaging as rape, but over time it also erodes confidence, security, psychological health, and damages future relationships. This we know from observation.

Impotent Fury

I am furious that it took a Times article to bring Harvey Weinstein low. And yet, he is still planning on taking the publication to court for defamation. He has also issued a statement, no doubt encouraged to do so by his personal reputation fixer, that essentially says that he is a sex addict and that he is sorry for his past behavior. BULLSHIT. He is trying to repair a reputation such that, if the general public allows it, will put him back into that seat of power he so craves.

I hope he suffers the indignities and damage his victims have suffered. I hope that he feels all of that which he threatened his victims with as he bullied them into accepting his attentions.
But all of that will only be felt by one man who will drift off the public radar leaving room for another to step into his place. I doubt it will be enough to dissuade the others from harassing behavior or sexual crime.

I am angry that we have a predator for a president who proudly states that he can behave that way because he has wealth/power/celebrity status. I am enraged that in 2016 Brock Turner received such a light sentence despite being bodily removed from his victim by witnesses. I despair because our military, despite knowing about the problem for decades, is only just beginning to take their statistics to heart and address the problem. All of it is tangled up in victim blaming and contributes to the patriarchal rape culture that currently exists.

What's Next?

We have to teach the next generation that such behavior is unacceptable and we have to remove such criminals and those that collude with them from positions of power. For example, judges that give lenient sentences to such criminals should lose their positions because they are contributing to the problem. We have to teach our girls that their value is no less than any male's, that they have a voice, and we have to teach our boys the same.

Don't allow yourself to be fooled that Harvey Weinstein is the only predator in Hollywood and don't fool yourself into thinking that it's only a problem in the film and TV industry. I have chosen not to remain silent because I am too well aware that it takes many voices (in Weinstein's case it took 30+ over decades) to remove a predator. I will not allow a rank or reputation prevent me from reporting and calling out predatory behavior. We have suffered enough and if I am the only voice then I will be that voice.

San Diego 48hr Film Project 2017

Alpha Soup Productions

San Diego 48hr Film Project 2017

This past weekend marks my 6th 48hr Film Project since moving to San Diego. I've been on teams for the LA, Orange County, and San Diego competitions over five years. This was the first time I was part of the leadership team and it was amazing. Every time I do this there is heightening anticipation that builds to kickoff and an amazing rush when the film arrives at the drop off location. This year was no different, except to be even more so.

For those of you who have never heard of this crazy film competition, allow me to enlighten you. The 48hr Film Project occurs in cities world wide. All entries that meet the deadline compete for the honor of representing their city at the championship, better known as Filmapalooza in Los Angeles. The winner of 'Best Film' will then go on to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Cannes is one of the most prestigious festivals to screen at and attracts all kinds of industry bigwigs from around the world. What all of this means is that new, young, independent talent has an opportunity to show what s/he can do for people who just might pay them to do what they love in film.

The 48hr Film Project is a competition to write, produce, and finish a film in only 48 hours, hence the name. Filmmakers of all ages, from pros to beginners participate. At kickoff we draw our genres, the required elements are announced and the teams scatter to beat the clock. The clock is the toughest judge because even a second late means late and your film is no longer eligible for the 'Best of' awards, including 'Best Film' for your city. Required elements include a prop, a character who must appear on screen, and a line of dialogue.

My team is Alpha Soup Productions and most of us had worked together before on other projects and other teams in the past. Our leadership team broke away from a much larger team so that people could take on new roles and try new things. We met a few times before the competition and everyone on our team put a little money in the pot to cover the entrance fee and craft services (for the uninitiated, that means food, drinks, and snacks). I love post and I was the editor for our team, a role I usually fill in at least some capacity. Chris, who has been DP (Director of Photography) in the past, became our Director while his amazing wife, Andrea headed up Craft Services. Our writer, Mike also filled the Line Producer role and then Cj completed our team as the Producer and official team leader, a must have for managing the mountain of paperwork.

We drew 'Dark Comedy' and 'Biography' as our genres this year. We ultimately chose 'Dark Comedy' and had a concept pulled together within a few hours after kick off. Mike took over then and busted out a 6 page script by early Saturday morning. Crew and talent arrived on location in Vista, CA by 8am. We got a much later start than we had expected and didn't start shooting until 11am. The ticking clock was looming large in our minds as we raced it and the daylight to get all of the shots in. Even with using two cameras we came up short as darkness fell on Saturday. I was already working with the footage from scene 1 and knew I had a long night ahead. It was clear as the rough cut came together that we had missed an important element and pickups would be needed on Sunday. Yikes! that reduces post time fast.

Ultimately, it was determined that most of the third scene would need to be reshot. This was not great news, but unlike past projects I had lots of b-roll that we could use and it would help us to complete the film. Chris also brought Jamil, a professional editor (he gets paid to play), in as his Assistant Director who helped us polish the cut. We were able to lock picture on the first two scenes by 1pm Sunday and hand those over to my friend Randall who is our composer and mixer. He was composing an original score based on the script and my rough most of the evening Saturday. Earlier that afternoon he had been running on set audio, but suffered heat exhaustion which forced him to hand that task over to our PA/assistant MakeUp Artist, Julianne, and our Craft Services Lead, Andrea. I was worried he wouldn't be able to continue, but with guidance from our onset nurse and actress, Rita, he recovered.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Sunday morning all of our actors were back in costume and makeup for the reshoot of scene 3. With some fast rewrites our genre was saved, but it could have easily gone horror or suspense before. There is nothing like the rush of adrenaline that hits midday Sunday, but mine was just gone. Fortunately, Jamil stepped in so that I could eat the sandwich that Andrea literally put in my hand. He tightened up the first two scenes and together we found the right b-roll to drop into the timeline. The cut was greatly improved by his fresh eyes. We locked the first two scenes and practically threw the flash drive to Randall.

Making blood for SFX makeup

We dumped the scene 3 footage which I organized and synched as fast as possible while Randall mixed the first two scenes. While I worked on that last scene, Chris took two cast members, our DP and AD to pick up one last shot that they wanted to include in the credits. At last we only needed to lock scene 3 to hand it over for mix, but it was nearly 4:30pm, only 3hrs to deadline with a 40 minute drive to the drop off! We locked it down, much thanks to Jamil for his expertise catching the points that just were too slow and a line that needed to move. By the end it felt like Jamil and I were in synch swapping in and out of the seat as easily as longtime friends. The last time a cut felt like that was when I worked with Jess three years ago, another story. 

Once the files were handed to Randall for the mix, I ran for a shower. It had been very warm all weekend and despite the coolness of the house I knew I wasn't smelling all that nice. Rita, who had been assisting Cj with cleanup of our host's property created a barrier of chairs holding a sign requesting quiet on pain of death so that Randall could work in relative peace. We were waiting with baited breath when Cj asked if there was anything she could do. Sadly, nothing but granting us a miracle of additional time would help at that point.

Chris, Mark, and Jamil took their leave, trusting in Randall and myself to complete the film. Every minute that slipped away cut into the cushion we had originally planned on. Certain points in the audio had to work just right or our audience would be laughing for the wrong reason. We gave up any ideas of color correction too. As the deadline creeped ever closer, all but one of our actors chose to head down to the drop off location and wait for us. We would learn later that Rita, Destiney, and Gino had a plan to get our packet on the table as soon as we arrived.

Back on set I'm sweating bullets when Randall tossed me the mix. After a brief scuffle with my rig I got the audio in place only for the first export to fail. No! Checked all of the settings and exported again only this time my 4 minute export was hanging and wasn't completing! Argh! My backup export was running, but it was already 7pm and the drive time was looming large in my mind. At 7:07pm the export completed and worked from the flash drive. I grabbed it and ran for our host's car. Mike had offered to drive Cj and myself to the drop off location and he was just so calm. I wanted to cry because as I checked my GPS I saw the drive time was just the same and I couldn't imagine that we'd make it. I just knew we'd miss it by minutes.

The all important packet to turn in.

Mike, our driver (not to be confused with our Writer) took us in his very nice, with leather interior, white Mercedes on a crazy ride. He drove like a Nascar driver maneuvering in and out of spots at speeds I would never attempt. I was in the back seat and kept my eyes closed most of the ride. At one point Mike told Cj to look at his speedometer, I wish she had snapped a picture of that for proof that he was moving at speeds around 120-130mph. Surprisingly, no cops caught on otherwise, Mike assured me later, we'd have pulled in with an escort. Not that our arrival didn't generate a lot of excitement, did I mention there was a plan?

Throughout the ride Cj and I were communicating via Facebook and text with our team about where we were enroute. I got a FB message saying we had three minutes left. We were stuck at a light as Mike asked Cj for the next turn. I finally recognized where we were and said next light is the entrance to the lot. Meanwhile Destiney, Rita, and a couple of unarmed filmmakers were standing as lookouts at different corners watching for the car that Cj had described. They spotted us making the one move they hadn't anticipated.

Celebrating with my amazing team!

We pulled into the lot for the brewery for the drop off and I leapt out of the car, packet in hand, and ran for the patio area. Destiny was running to meet me and we did a relay race hand off. She dropped her purse, which I then picked up, and we both ran around the outside of the fencing. Destiny threw the packet to Gino who slapped it onto the table with seconds to spare. Destiny and Rita grabbed me into a hug as we screamed our joy! Circling us were a couple of documentary filmmakers recording the moment.

All of the filmmakers who had already dropped of their packets were hanging out on the patio. They cheered us on as we became the 51st team to meet the deadline this year. Every year it is a race against the clock and many teams stick around for a drink and to congratulate or console those that follow them. There was a team that came in about a minute behind us, but if they had run the packet in they just might have made the deadline. A heartbreaking moment when he realized that the official clock was just a touch slower than the clock on his cell.

Watch the Farm 2 Table trailer!

Many of us are still riding the high from last night and retelling the mad dash to the finish line to anyone who will listen. Now we are looking forward to the premiere on June 5th and hoping that not only did we make the deadline, but that our hard work also created an award winning film. We did the absolute best job in the time we had, I know this because we poured our hearts into the project. I know we are all extremely proud of what we accomplished too, mostly because my teammates have said so.

I hope for the uninitiated that you will support your local 48hr Film Projects by being an amazing host, like Mike, attending the screenings in your city, or even joining us on this amazing journey. We tell some crazy stories and we're always open to helping the newbies navigate their way to the finish line. Even kids build teams and compete with the adults. This year saw two of the youngest team leaders ever in our city; Rising Stars was lead by two 11year old kids! It is a wild ride!

Watch our film!

Kong: Skull Island

The Newest Monster Movie

Tonight I visited one of my local theaters to catch Kong: Skull Island. We spent the extra cash to watch it in 3D and it was worth it. The filmmakers utilized the additional depth of vision to take the monsters to the next level and I wasn't the only one jumping in my seat. It is a fun movie if monsters or action adventure is your thing. Definitely an NFK for young ones, but for the more adventurous teens it will probably be a hit. Please note there is a great loss of life, human and otherwise.

For the older audience you will recognize many shots from films such as Apocalypse Now, including the one where the helicopter blades are nearly in perfect synch and in slow motion, and other films about the Vietnam War. The trick is accomplished differently now, but the effect is similar. Throughout, you are also listening to popular tunes of the day and from those selfsame Vietnam War era films. Unfortunately, those famous tunes and shots don't lend the expected gravitas to the film as a whole.

The use of still photographs throughout does give a sense of time and place not unlike the pages of National Geographic. It forces the audience to really take in the relationships among the comrades while creating a unique separation only available with the stillness of a snapshot. Each moment frozen in time just like the Vietnam War we read about in history books. They capture something that tugs the heartstrings unlike film or TV footage of the same events. It also forges a very different view from the film which is focused on the typography and ecosystem of the island.

It has the conventional storyline of military personnel shooting anything they don't understand opposed by scientists and an ex-special forces 'tracker.' The costumes and art design, especially the island natives, is spectacular. Take the time to notice the tattoos and colors denoting status within the tribe. The dialogue is wonderful, a perfect mix of anger, awe, and humor. Samuel L. Jackson used some lines from his past roles to great effect and sparked laughter from those that recognized them. It was also one of the more enjoyable performances from John C. Reilly in my opinion.

The insects practically leap off the screen, some good and others not so much but monsters much more familiar to us than Kong himself. We had a blast, but I wouldn't say that this is an award winner except for the art direction, costume, and makeup. A solid 'B' for those who need ratings. I recommend watching in 3D and do watch all the way through the credits, for me. 

Spending the Weekend at the Movies - Part 4

Fourth Film: Assassin's Creed

I truly hope you haven’t missed this film. It was very interesting and, from what I’m told, stayed true to the stories within the game franchise. The Creed is the arch enemy of the Templar Knights and in this film science is allied with the Templars. I can’t recall another film in which science is aligned so closely with a religious group, usually it's the opposite. The feud between the Templars and the Creed dates back to the Crusades and possibly well before that. The object they are fighting over is the apple of knowledge from the Garden of Eden.

Like all ancient objects bestowed with great power, the apple has been lost over time and even the descendants of the Creed don’t know what happened to it. This is where the science comes in. A Templar novice, daughter of a respected knight, has created a device to retrieve genetic memory and force the possessor of the memory to relieve those experiences. It is a painful process and clearly demonstrates the division between the two groups.

The filmmakers force the audience and Cal to experience an almost solitary existence within the lab/prison. We only interact with the machine and the two knights, one who is pushing for faster results and the other arguing for the ‘safety’ of their subject, for most of the film. The push and pull between the knights creates a genuine concern for the younger’s idealism and hope. You can see in Cal's interaction with his captors and his environment how a person wrestles with his beliefs and world view in the face of such a disheartening and claustrophobic existence.

The art design drives home the stark cold reality of living within a Templar Lab versus the texture and warmth of Cal’s memories. Even the space given to the failed experiments conjures up the physical division between the lab and the real world. They are contained within the lab but have a garden terrace that allows some of the sun’s warmth to slip inside to touch their physical bodies. These visual elements also manage to showcase the divide between religious doctrine and those who practice in their everyday lives. Further delineating Templar from the Creed.

I genuinely enjoyed how the regressions visually overlapped Cal’s real world experiences. He reaches for and fights the warmth of the memories. At one point he completely believes that he is going crazy. The film is very personal with the focus staying with Cal throughout, but it shies away from fully putting the audience in his place. There is a disconnect that forces the audience to be the observer, a bystander as this forced experimentation continues.

It is almost a commentary on how many of us would rather ignore what is happening under our noses than chose to take a side. I say almost because this film is clearly on the Creed’s side in this equation. However, the science and the religious right is softened by the woman who invented the machine and appears to care for Cal’s wellbeing, despite the evidence of the failed experiments down the hall. The film is not anti-religion but rather a debate about on the practice and precepts of religion and what God wants his children to do.

It is worth seeing and if you don’t want to dive into motivations of the characters it can be taken as a basic adventure film and simple mystery. NFK for children under 14 and any you don’t wish exposed to human experimentation or bad language.

Spending the Weekend at the Movies - Part 3

Third Film: Lego Batman

To begin with, Lego Batman is nothing like the Lego Movie, with the exception of the occasional building of transportation and the general brick build look of the animation. The first five minutes and the end credits are the best parts of the entire 1hr and 46 minutes of the film. The rest is a slow slog through a legoman’s loss of importance. The film is very heavy in the morals department with very little character development, especially for Batman at whom the morals are aimed at.

The film did have a few moments in which the filmmakers reference every other Batman movie and television show created prior to Lego’s attempt. These were cute and definitely inspired a chuckle or two. It was not enough to distract from the fact that Batman was a complete tool throughout. Even at the conclusion, when you’d have expected some character growth you’re left with the sense that Batman is putting on an act to avoid the deal he made earlier.

This could be an ok kids movie if you’re ok with your child watching a film about a character with an ego to rival Trump’s. Batman even sounds like Trump, except that he can frame complete and coherent sentences (Points to the writers!). For me, this was a complete bomb and a definite wait until it hits Netflix before watching. There is no foul language to worried about for your children, but again, I’d classify this as an NFK (Not For Kids) purely because of Batman’s arrogance and attitude throughout.

Spending the Weekend at the Movies - Part 2

Second Film: The Great Wall

The Great Wall has been under fire because Matt Damon is the lead in this Asian story. This is a fair issue being addressed, however, without Damon being attached to the film I doubt it would have garnered the funding necessary to be made. Having said that, the film is a lot of fun. There is the expected clash between east and west with a larger story about the fate of the world. My husband described it as a combination of Beowulf and most zombie stories.

Matt Damon plays William, a mercenary seeking the mythical Chinese black powder along with his friend, Tovar (Pablo Pascal). They are attacked on their journey by something they can’t describe and run into the Great Wall where they meet Commander Lin Mae (Tian Jong). You might expect a romantic triangle to arise, but Tovar is preoccupied with escaping and William is fascinated with what and how the Chinese are fighting. We were entranced by the female only Crane unit of flying women who use a variation of the bungee cord to fly over the wall.

Tovar

The costuming is wonderful and clearly differentiates between units and Identifies the westerners. The Chinese army uses brilliant color to identify each fighting unit. The capes appear to be a bit over dramatic, but for the flying Cranes, it actually serves a purpose like the tail on a kite. During the monsters’ first attack William and his friend break loose with the help of a third westerner only to save the life of a young foot soldier, identified by his black uniform, left to guard them.

I especially enjoyed the way the stories of the characters intertwined and added more depth to what could have been a quick action flick about monsters in which the western hero wins the day. It is more complex than that because of the complex friendship between two people who, on the surface, are more different than they are similar. There was also a greater emphasis on the sacrifices made by the Chinese soldiers and their commanders than on William’s actions.

Flying Crane

It seems unlikely that some of the themes or story elements could have played out without the presence of the westerners. There are moments in this film that would be spectacular in IMAX or 3D, especially the first time you see the Cranes fly into battle. You will feel every moment that you’re in an exotic place with the wall, costumes, and subtitles, because not all of the Chinese characters speak English. We get to enjoy their snarkiness because those that can translate don’t translate everything accurately. Recommended for anyone who loves monster movies or action adventure stories. Not recommended for children who may develop nightmares about the monsters or the inevitable deaths of the soldiers defending the wall and the rest of the world.

Spending the Weekend at the Movies

Last weekend my husband and I visited 3 theaters and watched four movies for our Valentine's Date. It was a great idea that I must attribute to my husband after we opted not to do anything on the day or go in for the usual Valentine's Day festivities. I did send him a video card and posted it to his Facebook account so that his friends and our family could enjoy it too.

Of the films we watched one is a candidate for Best Film at the Oscars, another was a dud, one released last week and the other didn't appear to do very well at the box office. We had a good time eating too much popcorn and drinking too much cherry coke.

First film: Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures is a truly spectacular look at history that hasn’t been shared with a mass audience before. I sincerely hope the work these ladies did inspires the next generation of space explorers. The filmmakers told the stories of three friends, all working moms, who were brilliant in their respective fields. They addressed the fight for civil rights through the women’s relationships with the respective men in their personal lives and through television footage. Mary says it best when she tells her husband that there are many paths to the same goals and not all have to be violent. They did a great deal for black women and did even more for all women and should be recognized as the heroes that they are.

From the very beginning of the film we are taken back to the 1960’s. The writers took the edge off with Mary Jackson’s commentary about three black women chasing a white police officer. As the story continued, I wondered if it was as hard for the white actors in the film to say ‘colored’ and the other racist comments as it was for the black actors to hear them. There is a moment when Dorothy and Vivian, the white supervisor, meet in the bathroom. Vivian says that she has nothing against Dorothy’s people to which Dorothy responds, “I’m sure you believe that.” This was particularly poignant for me because so many white people also believe that they aren’t racist and have nothing against minorities even today despite statistical evidence to the contrary.

Hidden Figures is very much about the black women who gave much of their lives in the pursuit of reaching the stars, but it is also about the larger story of women being accepted in STEM fields because they have brilliant minds too. Notice how the ‘computers’ are all women with degrees who have been relegated to being glorified secretaries for their male counterparts. Katherine Johnson pushes her direct supervisor, Paul Stanford to even get her name on the reports that included her work as a major component. Mary Jackson’s path was a little different in that her supervisor, the Polish engineer Karl Zielinski, encourages her to apply to the NASA engineering program by reminding her that he escaped the Nazis and is now working on a spacecraft. From the beginning of the film when Dorothy Vaughn informs the cop that ‘there are quite a few women working at NASA,’ the audience is reminded again and again that the film is about this larger story.

My favorite character was Mrs. Dorothy Vaughn, played by the indomitable Octavia Spencer. Despite not being recognized for her supervisory work, Dorothy makes every effort to encourage her friends to chase their opportunities. She always has an eye to the future and fights for herself and her ‘girls,’ the women who make up the West Computer Group. She saw the threat and opportunity presented by the new machine, the IBM, and takes the initiative to read up on coding and the IBM manuals when no one else is watching. Her forethought saved the jobs of all of her ‘girls’ and made her an incredibly valuable asset for NASA for the remainder of her career.

No matter who you are, you need to see this film. It is a wonderful opportunity to show your daughters and nieces that they too can be mathematicians, engineers, and computer coders. These ladies deserved to be honored for their contributions to space explorations, their various fields, and most especially for furthering civil rights in their quiet way. Recommended for children old enough to sit quietly and ready to welcome some rediscovered national heroes.

Talking about 'Sing'

Just got back from our favorite theater after watching 'Sing!' This was a really fun movie, perfect for children of all ages and anyone who was a fan of American Idol or X Factor. Many music genres were on display with the exceptions of Country and Bluegrass. The theme of the film is facing your fears and doing what you love for yourself instead of for reward.

Please stay for the film credits because you will treated to a modern take on the Busby Berkeley musical circular dance number. It is so enjoyable from start to finish that you will be disappointed that it is over. They set it up beautifully for sequel, which I hope they do.

My husband and I did watch the film in 3D and it was worth the additional cost. If you're looking for a fun, upbeat, family friendly flick this is the one for you. Have fun!

Understanding How Film Impacts the Real World:

Using The Birth of a Nation as an Example

This aired in CA @11p last night so I recorded it. Very glad I did so. Film students are aware of Griffith's additions to film language, but I don't think as many are fully aware of what he did to elevate film to consideration as an art form or his fight in Boston for protection of the first amendment for 'Birth of a Nation.' He did much for film but his crowning achievement did far more harm to o...ur nation.

Unfortunately, many film history classes can't spend anywhere near enough time on the social and political impact of this film on our culture, the rebirth of the KKK, or even its overt racism. This is incredibly difficult for any person of color in those classes because they are told not to see that aspect and to focus only on the film language. I believe it is easier for white people to view the film with the understanding that it was created in a different time, that is part of our privilege.

'Birth of a Movement' takes us through those missed discussions. They set up a protagonist in the newspaper man, William Trotter, with the antagonist, D.W. Griffith and his film 'Birth of a Nation.' Trotter laid ground work that Civil Rights Movement would use fifty years later. The message I heard loudest is that the men in this story were children of the reconstruction with very different views of that period of our history.

I think if we look at our government right now, you will see that most of our leaders are children of the Civil Rights Movement. Some are truly afraid of equality just as their predecessors were afraid of civil rights. Trump will be judged by his racist and misogynistic views just as Wilson was for bring segregation to the federal government.

I really think that avoiding the social, political, and economic ramifications of 'Birth of a Nation' is a disservice to all film students. It doesn't address the very real effects of how film impacts our world. We have the opportunity to use this 1 hour discussion to begin a new conversation in film schools and amongst ourselves. As filmmakers we have incredible power to change perceptions.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/birth-of-a-movement/

Review of Arrival 'Arrival' has certainly earned every accolade and you should NOT miss this one if you can manage it. The sound design alone will suck you into the fabric and won't let you go until the credits roll. As my husband says, you will be completely absorbed. The film is seamlessly woven together from two storylines, one linear and the other non-linear centering on the main character, linguistics expert ...Louise. The experience is similar to listening to a symphony expertly conducted in the most perfect acoustical space. The editing sweeps you into Louise's mind and especially into her emotional state at every turn. Throughout the film perfect moments of silence create an intimacy with the uncertainty and fear that surrounds the investigation into the shells. Louise's linear story provides focus, a strange sense of calm in the center of a storm that takes over everything else. Tight, intimate shots of Louise's hands allows you to feel her fear, uncertainty, and stress. The photography will capture your imagination without allowing your feet to leave the ground. Your first view of the Montana shell will impress you with the beauty of the landscape. The DP used a subdued color pallet for Louise and the scientists but brings in the brightness of white for the aliens, but softened like cotton. It is a subtle cue for what the audience will learn later about our visitors. This is probably the best first contact story that I've seen since 'Contact' or 'Close Encounters.' When the credits rolled my husband described a sense of profound connection. I felt like I was finally able to breathe again, as though I was coming back to the surface after being deep underwater. This film is an amazing experience and one you should not miss. I don't recommend 'Arrival' for children under the age of 13 because they will be bored and will distract the rest of the audience. There is nothing inappropriate other than a couple of pieces of dialogue if your children watch the news. Sci-fi fans will see a film that doesn't make the government or other scientist out to be crazy or warmongers. The filmmakers were able to present a very real idea of how visitors to our world might be greeted, investigated, and feared in the present day.

Update: February 15, 2017

Arrival has been nominated for several Oscars including Best Cinematography. Bradford Young brought his deep understanding of exposing dark skin tones to the shadowy world of Arrival.

"I think what we discover in our work—and from being exposed to African filmmakers, to third-world filmmakers—is our hue is a reflection of every color of the rainbow." - Bradford Young

Variety interviewed him about his unique style, the challenges for black cinematographers, and the importance of his Oscar nomination.

Read on: http://variety.com/2017/film/awards/bradford-young-arrival-oscar-han-solo-1201988626/

Why I Love the Red Turtle

(La Tortue Rouge)

'The Red Turtle' is a beautiful and very emotional film. The score was lovely and the theme pulls you in on a deeper level than you have probably experienced before. The composer speaks for every character and even the little sand crabs have their moments throughout the story. The human characters do use their voices, but there is no dialogue. I promise you won't miss it because it is completely u...nnecessary. This is a score I'd like to add to my collection.

Visually, it is like a gifted artist painting watercolors before your eyes. The colors dance across the screen swirling around and inviting you into the canvas. It is soft and elegant even during the storms on the island. All of the animals are quite detailed, but you will notice that the faces of the human characters are more of a blank slate. It allows you to become the characters and empathize with them in their love, loss, joy, and fear.

The story is a classic tale of a shipwrecked man trying to escape his fate. He gradually accepts his life on the island and has a family. In the final scene the audience is left with the idea that perhaps his wife and son were figments of his imagination to cope with being alone one the island. He truly embraces his new life and becomes enraptured by nature herself.

The animators did a very nice job of showing the passage of time, allowing the characters to age gracefully. You feel the ebb and flow of life throughout the film. It's slow, allowing the man to become frustrated with his lack of progress in escaping the island and then picks up the tempo as their son grows up. As the couple moves into their elder years the tempo gradually dies only to pick up again as the rhythm of life moves on.

Try not to miss this one on the big screen. It is perfect for the family, I have no age recommendations this time, or date night. As the credits begin to roll you'll remember to breathe, but take a moment to appreciate the beauty of a story with no words.

Some quick facts about 'The Red Turtle:' there is no dialogue, it is the first Ghibli film that was not made in Japan, and it has been nominated for the Best Feature Animation Oscar.

Catching Up with Passengers

Catching Up with Passengers

Tonight I finally went to my local theater, the one with the recliners, to see "Passengers" with Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. We, as you might have guessed, are science fiction fans and this film was on our definite must see in theater list. It is a beautiful film which was probably even more so if you got the opportunity to see it in IMAX. There were shots that made it seem as though you we...re in the starscape.

It is an interesting film, but if you aren't a sci-fi fan you might want to hold off and watch this in the comfort of your home. It feels much longer than it is because of the epic scenery that the filmmakers linger on. Kind of like 2001, except the ship's computer isn't actively trying to kill the passengers. There is some good character development once you get past the weird sense of no time passing at all. At least until Chris Pratt's character actually says that he's been awake for a year and three weeks. Later the audience is told that the passengers have been awake for two years.

The film was stitched together with great care to incorporating the location into the overall story. You can feel the distance between the ship and Earth and their complete isolation. You are also left in awe of the beauty of space. Overall, it was lovely to see on the big screen and sci-fi fans will want to see it the same way.

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Spoilers below! Breaking down some of the plot holes.

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Like most Sci-fi films there are some significant plot holes such as why a suspension pod failure wouldn't have triggered a protocol to awaken a member of the onboard medical crew or why, when the deck chief's pod failed, he didn't immediately awaken the captain or head of engineering. For the average audience member it might be enough to accept a hibernation hangover for the second and general ship failures for the first.

What you do get to see is how the first passenger deals with be woken too early. As "Jim," Chris Pratt initially starts with trying to access help onboard and by sending a message to the corporation responsible for the ship, voyage, and the colony on the other end. As time slips by, he loses himself until he literally runs into a beautiful woman. At a loss for anything else to do with his time he looks her up in the database.

What happens next is a fascinating descent into a choice there appears to be no going back from. Think about the question: if you are on a desert island and could pick someone to join you, but both of you would live out the remainder of your lives on that island would you? If you've seen the previews then you know what choice Jim ultimately makes. It is what happens after that which is such fun to watch. Again, think the last two or only two people left alive would you fall in love or hate each other?

For me this is the biggest plot hole. The writer, rather than deal with the trauma that Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence) has been subjected to, chose to drop that line and get back to the ship wide failures. Of course, the cascade failure is an extinction level event for the passengers and crew and requires immediate attention. Aurora chooses to let go of her hurt and anger to tell Jim, "you die, I die," just as he's about to sacrifice his life for the good of all. This is classic story architecture and allows the audience to forgive his heinous crime along with Aurora.

I would have liked to see more time spent with Aurora as she coped with her trauma. Ultimately, the characters choose love and staying awake together rather than attempting to wake more crew members to return both to their hibernation pods. With all of that said, it was a beautiful film with great photography and decent character development.

Deep Water Horizon Review

Deep Water Horizon Review

Rented this film on Amazon tonight. Director Peter Berg and the rest of the team did an excellent job of keeping the humanity in the characters. The power play that ultimately caused the disaster was felt from the beginning as the crew gathered for their flight to the Deep Water Horizon.

As with all disaster films, be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat. You will find from time to time that it gets really quiet forcing you feel the seconds slipping by and the danger growing exponentially. Despite knowing that the rig burned for 87days spilling millions of gallons of oil, you keep hoping that someone will have that magic moment that saves the day. Ultimately, it is all of the small acts by individuals that get the workers off the rig saving 109 of the 120 souls aboard.

Gina Rodriguez, as Andrea Fleytas, really showcased how a woman manages in such a testosterone saturated job. In the film, she initiated the distress call despite arguing with her male colleague. Later she starts to head for the pipe cutoff and is stopped again by her male colleague because neither has the authority to do so. The delay in attempting to cut the pipe ended with the pipe breaking and exasperating the entire situation.

This is well worth the investment of your time and the rental fee. I expect you, like myself, will compare this human story with the one of corporate greed that played across the media almost 7 years ago. One of the aspects of this story that was lost has been returned to us with the film. The crew at ground zero did their best to prevent a greater disaster and we should not forget that 11 of them gave their lives in the process.

A Dog's Purpose - what did you see?

Did we see what we thought we saw?

Regarding the viral video from set of A Dog's Purpose.

The footage that went viral only last week was cause for alarm and many people I know are choosing not to see the movie because of it. Initial reports said that the production company and producers would be looking into the incident. As a filmmaker I was shocked by the footage and deeply concerned. I did notice the cut in the middle and the instant shut off when the dog's head went under the water. Before you boycott and buy into PETA's description of events take a moment to ...read one producer's account of the investigation.

As I told my husband, there is more to that footage and we were only shown the worst parts. As an animal lover and pet parent, I am aware that accidents happen and not everything goes according to plan. Please remember that the footage you saw was a forced perspective and edited to show the worst in a very short amount of time. We could not see the tools put in place to protect the dog nor could we see the entirety of the pool.

Here are the comments from one of the producer's regarding the viral video that appears to show animal abuse:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gavin-polone-a-dogs-purpose-outcry-what-happened-whos-blame-967160