HIGHLA-L Digest - 3 Jan 2006 to 4 Jan 2006 (#2006-2)
HIGHLA-L automatic digest system (LISTSERV@lists.psu.edu)
Wed, 4 Jan 2006 22:00:05 -0500
There are 5 messages totalling 221 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. The Source (5)
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Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 13:22:12 -0500
From: Wendy <Immortals_Incorporated@cox.net>
Subject: The Source
In one of the greatest advertising efforts ever put forth by
Panzer/Davis, the following scintillating movie tease can be found at
the official "Source" website:
"Account for domain highlander-community.com has been suspended"
Yep...looks like P/D couldn't pay the bill!
That bodes *so* well for "The Source: Money Very Much The Object"
OK, to be generous...they might have just forgotten to pay the bill.
Good job, guys! Way to drum up interest in your film!
Wendy(Sure, it could be "technical difficuties")(Like they "technically"
couldn't spare a couple hundred dollars last month)(Or they were having
"difficulties" meeting the payroll, let alone paying for web hosting)(I
wonder how you say "cheap" in Lithuanian?)
Immortals Inc.
immortals_incorporated@cox.net
"Weasels for Eternity"
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Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 10:47:59 -1000
From: MacWestie <mac.westie@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: The Source
Wendy--
> Wendy(Sure, it could be "technical difficuties")(Like they "technically"
> couldn't spare a couple hundred dollars last month)(Or they were having
> "difficulties" meeting the payroll, let alone paying for web hosting)
One MUST prioritize these things. Panzer's holiday booze bill would surely
be at the top of the list. And, if there's a snooty film festival going on
anywhere on the planet, DPP's throwing a fabulously expensive party to
hobnob w/ the very folks who wouldn't be caught dead seeing one of their
films.
> wonder how you say "cheap" in Lithuanian?)
Filming there pretty much screams it, I think, in any language.
And, am I the only one horrified at what AP wrote about the habitual
confusion & rushing during filming, circumstances forcing abrupt script
changes, & especially the "big" fights that had to be filmed on the fly w/
little or no rehearsal? Truly dangerous for the actors & probably deadly to
hopes for a coherent movie this time around. It was nice of AP to write the
updates for us, but all told filming sounded like a mess, w/ the best hope
for the movie being a miracle during the editing process. And, recalling
Endgame's butcher-block editing w/ Panzer himself involved just makes me
shudder.
Nina (direct to video would really be a kindness)
mac.westie@verizon.net
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Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 22:27:32 -0000
From: John Mosby - Laptop <a.j.mosby@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: The Source
I was the first person to think the decision to go to Lithuania screamed
cheapo budget (after all Romania did last time and was apparently an
appalling place/experience on all levels), but having been on set, I can say
that while there's an undeniable attraction to film in an area with cheaper
facilities and workforce, they've certainly thought this through on some
other levels. The scenery is diverse and perfect for the story, the studio
itself isn't much by Hollywood standards, but more than capable of hosting a
production like this and is anxious to help. A lot of people on the ground
DO know what they're doing and after a week there, I'd certainly go back. So
would many of the cast/crew who felt this was a much better experience.
Were there problems? Of course, and some of them shouldn't have happened (a
la Adrian's blog) but you'd be surprised how common some of the smaller,
irritatingly avoidable things are on bigger budget films as well - they just
don't get reported. Language barriers were a hassle and some things like the
truck scream of someone not doing their job, to dangerous effect. If you
asked Adrian (and I did) then he's said that even with such problems
happening, he still thinks there have been more advantages than
disadvantages.
I have no idea whether the film will be good or not (it'll be won or lost in
editing), but if the news came tomorrow that the next one was to be filmed
out there in Lithuania, I certainly wouldn't have a problem as long as some
lessons were learned this time.
John
----- Original Message -----
From: "MacWestie" <mac.westie@verizon.net>
To: <HIGHLA-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 8:47 PM
Subject: Re: [HL] The Source
> Wendy--
>> Wendy(Sure, it could be "technical difficuties")(Like they "technically"
>> couldn't spare a couple hundred dollars last month)(Or they were having
>> "difficulties" meeting the payroll, let alone paying for web hosting)
>
> One MUST prioritize these things. Panzer's holiday booze bill would
> surely be at the top of the list. And, if there's a snooty film festival
> going on anywhere on the planet, DPP's throwing a fabulously expensive
> party to hobnob w/ the very folks who wouldn't be caught dead seeing one
> of their films.
>
>
>> wonder how you say "cheap" in Lithuanian?)
>
> Filming there pretty much screams it, I think, in any language.
>
> And, am I the only one horrified at what AP wrote about the habitual
> confusion & rushing during filming, circumstances forcing abrupt script
> changes, & especially the "big" fights that had to be filmed on the fly w/
> little or no rehearsal? Truly dangerous for the actors & probably deadly
> to hopes for a coherent movie this time around. It was nice of AP to
> write the updates for us, but all told filming sounded like a mess, w/ the
> best hope for the movie being a miracle during the editing process. And,
> recalling Endgame's butcher-block editing w/ Panzer himself involved just
> makes me shudder.
>
> Nina (direct to video would really be a kindness)
> mac.westie@verizon.net
>
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Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 18:41:20 -0500
From: Wendy <Immortals_Incorporated@cox.net>
Subject: Re: The Source
John reports:
> I have no idea whether the film will be good or not (it'll be
> won or lost in editing), but if the news came tomorrow that
> the next one was to be filmed out there in Lithuania, I
> certainly wouldn't have a problem as long as some lessons
> were learned this time.
My comments about Lithuania have less to do with the country itself (I'm
sure its lovely) but with what it symbolizes as far as movie-making
goes. If you *have* to shoot in Lithuania, it symbolizes shortened
shooting schedules (how many "takes" can one afford?), secondary cast
members who don't speak English and need to be dubbed (or not dubbed and
the audience struggles to catch the dialog), crew members who, however
helpful and cheery, don't speak the same language as the director or
actors, decisions to change the plot when one can't film the scenes one
intended because it's taking too long and costing too much money, etc
I'm sure that every movie suffers from failed shots, confused extras,
lost or incorrect permits, drunken co-stars <eg>. However, if your
budget is $200 million, you can "waste" a day getting new permits or
drying out your co-star....if your budget is $40 million, you rewrite
the story to leave out the car chase (which might not be bad <eg>) and
you just pray that the drunk doesn't kill anyone with his sword.
My biggest "hope" for this movie is that the smallish budget precludes
any heavy reliance on CGI effects. If a horse or motorbike thunder by,
let it be a real horse or motorbike. If there is a forest or ruin or
clouds in the sky, let them be real. If a head falls, let it be a
mannequin's, not a grinning, blinking special effect. The only CGI
stuff I want to see are Quickenings.
As for where the "next one" gets filmed, let's see if "The Source"
justifies another movie.
Wendy(Of course, "Endgame" didn't justify another movie and they've gone
right ahead and made one anyway.)
Immortals Inc.
immortals_incorporated@cox.net
"Weasels for Eternity"
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 16:32:46 -1000
From: MacWestie <mac.westie@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: The Source
John opines--
> if the news came tomorrow that the next one was to be filmed out there in
> Lithuania, I certainly wouldn't have a problem as long as some lessons
> were learned this time.
Lessons learned? That's really NOT this franchise's strong suit, when it
comes to making movies.
> I have no idea whether the film will be good or not (it'll be won or lost
> in editing),
Which isn't at all reassuring. (See above.)
Nina
mac.westie@verizon.net
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End of HIGHLA-L Digest - 3 Jan 2006 to 4 Jan 2006 (#2006-2)
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