The "Joys" of working with Michael Bay on Set


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In a recent Blog, Audrey brings up that "comments made by Meagan Fox" have so infuriated Michael Bay, that he may have her "killed off" in the upcoming Transformers 3.  I don't know what Ms. Fox may have said, but his reputation for being "difficult" surpasses that of Ridley Scott... but are only a distant 2nd to that of Jim Cameron. 


Stealing Shots... or, How to "piss off" Arnold...


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Ha!  I just read a Blog on the worst possible nightmares one can have while shooting On Location.   It reminded me of an all-time-classic experience I had many years ago ('90?) while working on an ultra-low-budget feature.


Trivia for "Time Machine" (1960) fans...


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As one FX Movie Fan to another, thought you'd enjoy this tid bit of movie trivia. Before attending Cal-Arts (Animation), I had a studio in Venice, CA, and my next door neighbor was none other than David Pal, GEORGE PAL's son. 


Film Productions (and companies) Leaving the LA Studio Zone


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To all my friends & members of FiveSprockets ... my most sincere apologies for not being in touch with you over the last few weeks...

For those of you who don't know, I've recently been pulled out of the dismal film production atmosphere in LA to head up a new independent studio & film production center in Nevada, where the business climate is much more friendly toward Film Production than it is in LA.

(NOTE:  IF you haven't read it yet, check out Amanda Curry's recent excellent Blog about Arnold's lack of help for Low Budget productions!)


Test Screenings & Audience Input


RKO Publicity Shot (Out of Scale ~ Men were much smaller & No Triceratops lurking in Bkg in this scene) from 1933's King Kong

Just read an interesting Blog here that brought up the question ~ "How much input can a Focus Group or Test Audience have on a Feature Film before it's actually released?"  From what I've heard and experienced... Quite a lot!


My First Close Encounter With Movie Magic


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Back in 1979 I had an extraordinary experience that gave me a new perspective on what was involved with making a Movie. What started out as a rather disappointing feeling quickly evolved into a tremendous sense of awe and wonder as I suddenly realized the incredible importance of what a difference it makes in how a set is “Lit” and also what an incredible contribution Sound Effects and the Foley Artist can make on a production.


Star Wars, Suits, Steadi-Cam, and the New Golden Age of Cinema


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The way that the (myopic "Heads & Suits" in the) Studios are making films these days really hasn't changed much since the inception of the MPAA Ratings System... with the distinct exception of slowly accepting recent technological advances, primarily due to Cost Saving results as opposed to any "Creative Advances."