While doing some film book browsing on Amazon, I caught the release of The Hollywood Assistants Handbook and ordered myself a copy. It wasn’t long before everyone in school was reading a copy. After all, we’re filled with FHPPs (that’s Future Hollywood Power Players for you film muggles).
If you want to work in the entertainment [...]

I remember back when I interviewed to get into the Film School, I said I was interested in writing and directing because that’s where the story is shaped. The head interviewer added the editor to that list, though in a condescending way (I’d later learn that the guy is indeed a prick, and fortunately is [...]

indieWIRE: FIRST PERSON | Peter Broderick: “Welcome To The New World of Distribution,” Part 1.
This is a great article anyone looking to make a film should read. This is what I’m trying to do with You 2.0 (life hacking movie) and I think a lot of indie films don’t get it - you need to [...]

Last Stop 174 aims to tell the human side of the bus hijacking in 2000 in Rio de Janeiro. The film felt very real and was like a portrait of a world. It reminded me of City of God, something that was brought up a lot (the main actor was even in City of God).
It [...]

My lack of pop culture (mainly sports) knowledge strikes again. I saw More Than a Game, a doc where filmmaker Kristopher Belman followed a high school basketball team in his hometown that happened to have a young, up-and-coming player named LeBron James, enabling him to document LeBron’s rise to stardom.

My first thought: “LeBron James, sounds kind of [...]

YouTube - Moment of Zen with Paul and Belly Dancer.

Here’s a quick, on the move post. Didn’t see any movies yesterday, but it was still a great day. We met the donor that sponsored our trip at her gorgeous house and garden right in the middle of Toronto.
After chilling in the industry internet lounge and grabbing some free Starbucks, all five of us went [...]

Despite having my name called over the speakers on the airplane before take off and my passport taken by security, we managed to make it to Toronto (the passport was returned and I never found out what that was about). We even made it in time to pick up our industry credentials.
Of course with a [...]

Bad news: I went down from #3 to #too-far-for-me-to-count on the Toronto International Film Festival blog list.
Maybe I should start with the good news. Coffee and Celluloid is listed as one of the blogs for TIFF. I’m not sure if that’s any sort of achievement to celebrate - after all, I was bumped down.
But I [...]

Pensive Directing

I’ve only briefly mentioned the production of my thesis (the fictional one), and after having about a month to think it over, and finally seeing the dailies four weeks after filming (monthlies?), I have an idea of where I stand with the outcome.
Mainly, as directing goes, I had a blast. I know, it’s a [...]