Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Academy Awards Category 'Cheat Sheet'

The majority enjoy the Academy Awards for the main categories: Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Picture. 


Wait, what about the category for Best Film Editing? 
Sound Editing? 
There's a difference between Sound Editing and Sound Mixing? 


To help prepare for the big night, I give you....



-The Academy Awards Category Cheat Sheet-


Art Direction
Awarded to: Production Designer
Working in conjunction with the director, designs the sets, picking out their colors and deciding on their materials and overall look. The film architect. The set design will unconsciously provide the approporiate feeling or mood of the story.

Cinematography
Awarded to: Director of Photography (also known as Cinematographer)
An individual charged with the job of interpreting the director’s point of view into a visual form. The DP designs lighting, frames shots, and oversees the subordinate lighting and electrical staffs of the film.

Directing (Seriously. The role of the Director is commonly misinterpreted)
Awarded to: Director
Individual responsible for interpreting the original work of the writer, for promoting his own styles of lighting, sound, and camera work, of sets, costumes and music, into a symphony of experiences that will enrich and enhance the story. The director may or may not have been involved with the written script.
  
Film Editing
Awarded to: Film Editor
Individual responsible for taking the director’s vision and sequencing the filmed footage into a constructed and organized feature length film. Referred to as the final formulation of the story’s structure that will be visually presented to the viewing audience.

Sound Editing
Awarded to: Sound Editor
A task performed in Post-Production, when the Sound Editor reshapes the sound to conform to the emotional needs of each scene.

Sound Mixing
Awarded to: Sound Mixer
The individual is head of the on-location sound recording team, which includes the boom operator and third man.

Visual Effects
Awarded to: Visual Effects Supervisor, additional Visual Effects dept crew members
Integrates live action footage with post-production, computer-generated imagery. Includes Computer Generated technology, stop motion, special effects; elements later added in post-production.

The Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences:  
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. Notably known for its annual Oscar telecast. The Academy derives the majority of its revenue from the licensing of broadcast rights to the annual Academy Awards presentation.



Sources:
Taub, Eric. Gaffers, Grips, and Best Boys. New York: St. Martin's, 1994. Print.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. www.oscars.org

Sunday, February 20, 2011

I vote for...

In celebration of President's Day, I have gathered a couple of folks who I think would make excellent candidates for the Election of 2012...
(TV series, 2000-2011 edition)


Jack Donaghy (30 Rock)
  • Campaign Slogan:  "Rich fifty is middle class thirty-eight."
  • Platform:  "Never go with a hippie to a second location."
  • Go-To Remark: The Three B's: beers, boats, and buds.
  • Endorsed by: Dr. Leo Spaceman


Denny Crane (Boston Legal)
  • Campaign Slogan: "Denny Crane"
  • Platform: "First rule of thumb in practicing law: Always, always promise the client millions and millions of dollars. It's good business."
  • Go-To Remark: "Denny Crane"
  • Endorsed by: Denny Crane


Liz Lemon (30 Rock)
  • Campaign Slogan: "I pretty much just do whatever Oprah tells me to."
  • Platform: “Can I share with you my worldview? All of humankind has one thing in common: the sandwich. I believe that all anyone really wants in this life is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich.”
  • Go-To Remark: "That's a Dealbreaker"
  • Endorser: Jedi Party


Richard Fish (Ally McBeal)
  • Campaign Slogan: Fishism
  • Platform:  "Helping others is never more rewarding than when it's in your own self interest."
  • Go-To Remark: "Bygones"
  • Endorsed by: Boston Tea Party
Jack Bauer (24)
  • Campaign Slogan: Trust Me
  • Platform: "Listen to me!"
  • Go-To Remark: "There's no time"
  • Endorsed by: The United States Government (covert operations-classified)


Ling Woo (Ally McBeal)
  • Campaign Slogan: "This is an office place, people shouldn't be happy."
  • Platform: "At some point we have to face the certain reality: despite all the good the world seems to offer, true happiness can only be found in one thing - shopping."
  • Go-To Remark: Growl (insert sound bite)
  • Endorsed by: The Ling Woo Mud Wrestling Bar & Club



George Oscar "Gob" Bluth, Jr.
  • Campaign Slogan: "It's called taking advantage. It's what gets you ahead in life."
  • Platform: "I will not take this sacred duty lightly. I am going to get you the single healthiest call girl that this town has ever seen."
  • Go-To Remark: "I've made a huge tiny mistake."
  • Endorsed by: The Magician's Alliance 
Dennis Reynolds
  • Campaign Slogan: "You're born into class. It's about pedigree. It's about upbringing. It has nothing to do with your present circumstance."
  • Platform: "Hello, fellow American. This you should vote me. I leave power good. Thank you. Thank you. If you vote me, I'm hot..." What? "Taxes, they'll be lower... son. The democratic vote for me is right thing to do, Philadelphia, so do."
  • Go-To Remark: "I'd like some welfare please."
  • Endorsed by: Paddy's Pub


Sue Sylvester 
  • Campaign Slogan: "What you call insanity, I call inspiration."
  • Platform: " I just prefer to think of the homeless as outdoorsy. So shine on urban campers!"
  • Go-To Remark: "Do you not understand the blackmail process and how it works?"
  • Endorsed by: the fearful citizens of the Ohio valley



*The following list of tv characters is strictly for entertainment value. Except for maybe, Jack Bauer.