February 2024

Away we go...

Happy SECOND MONTH OF 2024 ALREADY 🙀,

Hoping everyone is doing well. If you’re in LA stay safe on the roads… too bad our climate is altered to the point that THIS is the rain we need.

Thanks to everyone who heeded my call for materials which I think will become a regular thing and hopefully not to invasive to your inbox. More on those below after some pontifications on this inbox dependent app:

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To clarify the blurb I put in the last post after the email went out: Substack is apparently under fire for not better guarding against hate-mongering extremists finding ways to monetize content on their platform. I have heard of incidents ranging across a wide spectrum of bone-brained hate-profiteers. Rather than name any specifically and thus play into the attention-raising controversy these professional trolls undoubtably use the infiltration of new media spheres to feed on, I will monitor the situation from the position of creating a newsletter that brings neither profit or attention to the app —connecting with a very closed group— and determine if our goals here can be accomplished through better means… while seeing how Substack responds to the situation now that they unquestionably have been informed.

I have a bit of perspective in this scenario having worked on a documentary about one particular pile of sub-human garbage now back in the spotlight due to this incident. I will share my thoughts soon on the interesting ways these forums allow truly desperate failures with nothing to lose — and zero ability to gain — opportunities to rabble-rouse and cash in the only way they can — by feeding on darker impulses for controversy and rage. But for now, as a film editing instructor I will ponder the ways emerging communication forums open pathways for espousing hate, Birth of a Nation jumps to mind.

Or maybe that was the sharing of my thoughts? Onwards to the fun stuff.

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Given there is no possible segue between the above and what follows, these are updates based purely on the order in which they were received.

Prompt: ‘AI Man’

Deserving of a far better — and less strangely chilling — /visual accompaniment (and self portrait?) than what I allowed to be artificially generated above, Marcelo Lewin has continued blazing a path into Post-Production with some truly incredible interview guests for his podcast which you can seek out with the links below:

Here is a list of upcoming podcast interviews, if you want to share it in your newsletter:

Sound Designing the Neflix Movie Society of the Snow
A Conversation with Sound Designer Oriol Tarrago

Navigating the Filmmaking Industry Today and Tomorrow
A Conversation with Film & TV Editor Zack Arnold

The Art and Craft of Editing Scripted Comedy
A Conversation with Emmy Nominated Film & TV Editor Jonathan Posell, ACE

The Future of VFX Compositing
A Conversation with VFX Supervisor Florian Girardot

They can learn more about those episodes or register for them at:

https://www.redpillbluepillstudios.com/upcoming-episodes

Have a great week!

Learn more or register to attend the live conversation here:

Marcelo Lewin

Post . VFX . Custom Tools . Custom Scripts

RedPillBluePillStudios.com

marcelo@redpillbluepillstudios.com

I was impressed enough by his interview with Faroukh Virani that I shared in the last missive, but these guests are outright enviable. Well done, Marcelo! 🎺

Next up is Kevin Hernandez who is not only bring a soundtrack to our proceedings but sharing previous collabs with readers of this newsletter and looking to collaborate more!

Hello everyone!

My name is Kevin Hernandez. I am a composer/producer and founder of You Are Everywhere, a musical brand that celebrates and unifies all musical genres in one unique artistry. Put another way, it is eclectic in musical variety and approach, but succinct in vision to unite a love for music in all its forms. Being that I am the founder and still building this from the ground up most of the musical output is handled by me, but I envision this growing larger than myself where artists, filmmakers and other creators use the platform to freely express themselves as I've been able to. I am currently looking for directors, cinematographers, editors and anyone else looking to dive in on collaboration to shoot a short film/music video I've written titled "MIND KILLER." The premise involves the changing climate on how music and other art forms are now consumed in modern times. If that sounds interesting to any of you or if you would just like to reach out to connect on creative things or artistry please do! You can email me at throughyourspeaker@gmail.com and you can find me on all socials @yourareverywhre. Also feel free to check out my musical output on all streaming platforms under You Are Everywhere! I just recently compiled a group of shorts that I shot with collaborators I met from Tyler's editing class last year so you can check that out too:

Hope to hear from you, cheers!

Super rewarding to see people’s work coming together after taking my classes. Thanks so much for reaching out, Kevin and I’m looking forward to sharing what is reaped.

And in the department of collaboration we have Char Whittle — a member of the previously shared, and update pending writer’s group — who is looking to expand her portfolio and connections for reasons many of us are all too familiar with.

Hey all! My name is Char and I’m an Aussie in LA looking to grow my film portfolio in order to apply to colleges for 2025 and win the battle of the visas. I’m an eager learner and not picky in the slightest – happy to just hang around on set, do coffee runs and absorb as much as I can in order to hike up some credits, have a good time, and find my feet in the industry. If pushed I’d say my interests lie mostly in screenwriting and cinematography, but I’m happy to give anything a try. If you’re shooting anything and wouldn’t mind an extra set of hands and the chance to feel far more experienced and pass on your knowledge, I’d love to tag along. Please shoot me a message at +1 747 444 7540 or find me on Instagram @charwhittle. Thanks

I look forward to whatever potential collab may emerge from this outreach.

One more burst of February goodness— Isidor’s screening recommendations

Series, UCLA Film & TV Archive: Then Came Garbo..., Save the Man (pre-Code Hollywood films about Indigenous people)

2/6 - 8 pm, Walt Disney Concert Hall: Last Days (new opera based on the Gus Van Sant film, starring Agathe Rousselle of Titane)

2/7 - 7:30 pm, Vidiots: Close-Up

2/9 - 9 pm, Egyptian: Cure (with actor Q&A)

2/11 - 10 pm, Los Feliz 3: Orpheus

2/13 - 8 pm, Brain Dead: Punch-Drunk Love

2/14 - 8 pm, 2220 Arts + Archive: Like Someone in Love

2/16 - 7 pm, Egyptian: Rebecca (on nitrate, with introduction by George Eastman House collection manager) 

2/16 - 7:30 pm, Academy Museum: Neige & La Garce (two Parisian crime films by women)

2/16 - 7:30 pm, UCLA Film & TV Archive: Umberto D. (free)

2/16 - 2/18 - Vista: The Wild Bunch & One Eyed Jacks

2/16 - 2/18 - 6:30 pm, New Beverly: Casablanca & Before Sunset

2/17 - midnight, New Beverly: It Follows

2/18 - 8 pm, Brain Dead: Mallrats

2/20 - 7:30 pm, Vidiots: The 'Burbs (with director Q&A)

2/21 - 7:30 pm, Academy Museum: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (selected by the Film Editors Branch)

2/23 - 2/28, Grauman's Chinese Theatre: Tenet (IMAX 70 mm reissue)

2/23 - 7:30 pm, Vidiots: Magic Mike XXL & My Year of Dicks (with screenwriter Pamela Ribon Q&A)

2/26 - 2/27 - Vista: Cabaret & McCabe and Mrs. Miller

2/28 - 7:30 pm, Academy Museum: Young Frankenstein

Also, this event might be of interest to readers of the newsletter?

https://www.filmindependent.org/programs/directors-close-up/

I’m still in awe that Isidor curates such an intriguing itinerary each month and I’m very curious to hear any feedback on these events. And oh yeah, VIDIOTS IS… alive again, I want to check out that space… and the Vista… and the Egyptian… Maybe this is the month. Thank you, Isidor!

Last minute update: Ashley Griggs sent along a graphic promoting her writing group, which is already in session with a full group, but perhaps worth trying to audit or inquiring about if interested in a future version:

And in closing, where would we be without my own controversy causing thoughts on awards season, which are not at all spawned by bitterness towards a ceremony that has removed editors from the live broadcast.

2.3.24 — I do believe my pick for best costumes is still in the running for the coveted Golden Man® Award… though strangely a certain lead actor seems to have been sweeping awards up for “best” in a different film solely due to his uncontested brilliance at wearing clothes well. I recently saw and very much enjoyed the movie that is probably too weird to have expected to be nominated for anything, giving them freedom in approach and me hope for the future of the craft. I have decided the overlooked movie is a masterpiece deserving of all nominated accolades and more… though still need to see it (such is award season). And I look forward to Netflix losing everything except possibly documentary due to their business model of loudly and proudly denigrating filmgoing while relying entirely on the appetite such has created. Looking forward to the new category of “best streaming-service-advert” next year.

Not controversially and bitterly yours,

-t

p.s. forgive my TYpos

Stay Dry