eggophilia

watched so far:
3. Amelie
4. Annie Hall
12. Dr Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
16. Four Wedding and A Funeral
18. Ghostbusters
19. The Gold Rush
20. Good Morning Vietnam
22. Groundhog Day
25. It Happened One Night
29. Manhattan
41. Strictly Ballroom
43. There’s Something About Mary
46. Tootsie
47. Toy Story
49. When Harry Met Sally…

(due to my seemingly RSI symptoms, I’ll write the unwatched later)

I edited the movie myself, and the result was not that bad. But after long chat with some friends, I decide to have someone else edited it. Unfortunately I only can do that after I’m going back to Indonesia, August the earliest. So we’ll see.

I know… it’s been forever since last time I logged. And you know what, the shooting is pretty much done, but I’ll talk about it later.

Just a quick review. Covering the thesis writing process. Some cutie cutie (I know… the scene of Shaina running around won’t add much, almost nothing, to the movie, but I couldn’t help it. She’s just too cute). The “pop-up” closure (more, later). Some scene in Paris. Thesis defense. The interview. That’s pretty much it. Roughly 500 minutes in total.

I’m not satisfied.

• The writing process was ok, I think I could capture the tense, except…
• Something sad happened. Mbak Yoen’s dad was passed away about 2 weeks before the deadline. Let’s put all the empathy away and be a ruthless filmmaker for a while. I was still in Salzburg when I found out about it. Nobody told me, I just opened my email in the right moment. I didn’t even have time to think. Even if someone did tell me, I probably still don’t know what to do. Maybe some sneak peek from the “tahlilan” (could ask someone do it with just the video function of regular digicam). I did call Mbak Yoen on the last minute, she was already in Schiphol on the way back to Indonesia. And I stupidly didn’t remember that my digicam can also record video! But even then, what could I do. I called using a headset, it was impossible to record any sound anyway (come to think of it, maybe it can be done somehow with the computer, but… yeah, really, picture me in an internet stall, just got a shocking news, so short time, not only because Mbak Yoen was in Schiphol already but I was also on the way to Munich). Bottom line, the moment has passed.
• The closure. I didn’t plan it to be a closure but I got it. The PERFECT closure, dialogue-wise, with the WORST angle you can think of. Stupid! Ifan reminded me that, despite the credo in Leonard school, I actually can take a re-shot. But I don’t know. Again, the moment has passed. You can not re-create the emotion. Although, I DID take a re-shot.
• I made an interview. It was supposed to be fill-ins for the uncaptured gaps. Including, probably, the ugly closure. I was thinking in conservative way, discovery channel look. But even that I couldn’t do properly. Not with a sleepy-yet-over-excited kid around (and she paid a particular interest on my handycam and tripod, oh well…). I haven’t checked the result. Maybe I should.

The interview was supposed to be, you know, it. The wrap. But now I’m thinking of some more additional shots. The graduation ceremony (it was on the original plan, but somehow I exchange it with Paris trip. maybe still worthwhile to do, although I can’t. I have a practical. maybe should ask someone to do it). And I’m thinking of taking shots of Schiphol and Maastricht, just to get an impression. Will think about it.

It’s just, I’m running out of time.

...if you know what I mean :P

Hmm… it’s been a long time since I logged. A lot of things happen. The most important thing was pursuing the thesis deadline, which if not completed, then Mbak Yoen will need to extend her study without sponsorship.

The thing is, I was in there. I mean, in the process i.e. in the movie. Because I was helping her with the thesis. Not good, not good at all.
1. I wasn’t supposed to be in the movie.
2. I kept distracted between working and shooting.

Dilemma dilemma dilemma.

Well, there’s still another deadline and final presentation. I don’t know how to plot all this. I’m afraid then it will be multiple climaxes. But let’s see.

Yesterday was… one of the best shot, content-wise, but definitely the worst shot, technically. In the morning I had a chat with +sali and we discuss about several thing and somehow I got “inspired” that it doesn’t need good techniques to make documentary. Content is more important. Of course, I was wrong.

Anyway, I WAS inspired by Leonard. He can make the most amazing shots. I still can’t figure out how he could pull out the walking scenes. Wait. Why am I talking about Leonard? Because I just found the movies here!!!

I mean, he really knows the camera, it seems like he can shoot without seeing the LCD/viewfinder. Therefore he can keep eye contact and make the objects act natural. That’s what I tried and I missed, a lot.

Yesterday I (almost) finish the first videoclip. I also did the log for the 3rd cassette (while I haven’t done it for the second, hehe). The third is quite ok. More organized in a way, although the camera shake was boggling a lot. Two stupid scenes:
- at the bus station, shooting to the sky (I think), shake like crazy without any point
- at my room. shaina’s first day of walking (she started at daycare, of course). I took some shot, and the background was an episode of Will & Grace. This episode, to be precise, at the line “You totally gets my G spot” or something :D

Later that night, I went to Mbak Yoen’s at took some shots. Got good 7 minutes or so of preparing Shaina to bed. Great!

Yesterday I tried to edit the VK (a by-product, you may say :D). It gives some insight, seeing from an editor’s eyes.

I was also looking for Leonard. Couldn’t find his movies (only trailers), but I found this. Ouch, wish I had the doa-cam. And Ezther, probably :D

And I did the stupidest thing a videographer could do.

I went to the daycare yesterday afternoon, to catch Mbak Yoen (without appointment). It went ok. Then we went inside. Again, white balance. I mean, come on… Stupid! Only take less than one minute to set it! :(

And then… the battery’s almost finished and I just realize I didn’t bring the spare battery. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Ok… it’s been a while and I actually did some things but just too lazy to write. But today when drafting the concept, I realized that this log is very useful to keep track of what I’ve done. Also, in the concept, timeline has become an important part of the story.

The shots:
Friday, June 27: waiting for Mbak Yoen at the bus station. tried to capture her catching the bus. there was a good moment, but I don’t know if I got it properly. And I guess I should figure out how to take shot while running :-? I’m sure that part was a mess.
Monday, July 7: caught Mbak Yoen in Leeuw. she just met her supervisor. nice.

Actually there was A LOT of things, but, yeah… they can not be in the movie. or I just didn’t have the heart. or didn’t bring the camera, like when shaina didn’t want to eat and couldn’t sleep because she was really hungry :(

The log and capturing:
It went ok. And I finally buoght an external HDD so the storage problem is solved. I captured the second tape today. I just know that there’s a 4 GB limit so it should be divided into 4 parts. I have to check again if the result was not good. I have to make the log anyway.

Indonesian Students Association and some international fellow students went on a tour to Bataviawerf, Edam and Volendam today. I don’t usually bring my handycam for such tour, except that I did today because I want to capture some moments of Mbak Yoen and Shain. Not bad, but…

It’s hard to decide when you have to turn on the camera… and when to turn off. There was a moment (two, actually) that really should be in the movie, but I’d be completely heartless jerk if I turned on the camera then. Ok, it wasn’t exactly Kevin Carter, but still… :(

Anyway, the picture start building up in my head. Will start making stock shot log tomorrow, hope it will be clearer.

Shooting at Mbak Yoen’s. Nothing really special, just catch up a few moments.

REALLY REALLY SHOULD START PLANNING!!!

I waited for Mbak Yoen in Leewenborch. The shooting was OK, still not really confident to shoot in public. Also don’t know what to explain to people I know.

Then a short take on Shaina in my room (I pick her up every Friday). Apparently I have to tidy it up a little more :P

Not much good stuff, but let see later.

WHITE BALANCE!!! AGAIN! Well, yeah, it was a little bit hectic. And the light was also changed because I shot somewhere between 20.00 to 23.00, and it was getting darker outside and the white balance also changed.

I missed a few good stuffs also. Because I was distracted with playing with Shaina and dinner :P And the batteries were low so I didn’t dare put it in the standby position. Bad trade-off.

I wonder why there aren’t more people who want to do this :D

This thing looks like coming out of a teen magazine, but I really really have to do this.

OK, I’m starting the project this week. It’s about a friend of mine and her baby girl. At least for now, I’ll use 43things as my log, instead of my blog.

1. I had to make this a personal project. There are several reasons, can’t tell.
2. Now I understand why parents are so obsessed videotaping their kids. It’s amazing. I had 45 minutes stock shot, probably not half of it are worth taking, film-wise. I just having too much fun filming the kid(s)!
3. WHITE BALANCE!!! Stupid of me, forget to set the white balance on the first take. I remembered after a while, but it would result in different colour while it was still in the same setting, so I just had to let my first take has a yellowish tone. I haven’t check it, though.

1. Work on the concept. I already have a story in mind, but I still have to work on that. Also think about the production process, well, without getting too much personal stuffs involved :(
2. Probably should finish my Venice ‘movie’ ASAP. I need the space in my notebook.

I’d like to make one. Not just random shooting and editing, but really a planned one. Cinema verite style. Something meaningful and inspiring and make world a better place. World peace. Stop global warming. (When you go deep, you sink to the bottom, aight? :P)

I keep this thing.

There were times when I didn’t have money to buy the books I want, so I had to re-read some of my books (it wasn’t that bad, though). Now I can pretty much have most of the books I want, but sadly, I don’t have enough time to read them all. Yet I keep on buying and buying because I just love books so much. I also borrow them from friends or library (with practically unlimited loaning time). It makes the situation even worse.

The (probably) good thing is I just move here about 8 months ago, so it’s sort of a brand new start. Ignoring the books I left home, my ratio at the moment is about 30 (bought/borrowed) to 4 (read). I really should raise it, at least to 30:10 before summer vacation? Or before the next book fair (which there’s a local one this saturday, HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!)

Learning Spanish. Sounds sexy, actually. Or is it because I like Neruda’s poems? :D

Well, oh yeah, of course writing a novel. And I used to want the whole package. Writing anonymously so people wonder who I am. Sitting in a cafe with my laptop, but it became a lil bit lame lately, in my hometown. But sipping coffee and write on a piece of paper napkin, as JK did, still sounds fun.