Inspiration For Editing

I double-checked, and I was actually surprised to find that I have not blogged about "The Cutting Edge - The Magic of Movie Editing" yet. I first saw this documentary around Christmas '05, have watched it a few times, and have since then bought several copies of it and given them away.

In short, it is a terrific history of the profession of movie editing. It discusses the first editors, and the risks they took to push forward the craft. It talks about the studio system of old, and how editors have come from the chop-shop cutter, to the director's right hand in post-production. Today, film editors have unprecedented say and creative input in the making of a movie - but it wasn't always so.

(Disclaimer: there is a shot showing too much of Sharon Stone from the movie "Basic Instinct", and though it made it's point about the editing of that scene well enough, I thought you deserved a heads-up. So, screen it before you decide to put it on for the high school film class.)

That said, I still highly recommend this film as an 'editing history and techniques primer', as well as a look at today's best editors and directors giving their insights into movie making and the working relationships they share. Check out this documentary if you haven't already seen it. It will inspire editors to further greatness, and compel those who aren't editors to become one.

Never Forget

A Cool Site For The Percussion Enthusiast

I used to be a member of PAS (Percussive Arts Society) when I was in school at North Texas. It was a great resource for information, but I really liked it because we took the NT drumline to the conventions every year to compete. Those were some fun road trips.

One year, my friend Dale Baker and I drove the equipment van up to St Louis. Good times. We won that year for an unprecedented four titles in five years.

(BTW: the only reason it wasn't four out of four is that after the third year, they told us we couldn't compete the next year, only be exhibition. After that year we were allowed back in the competition. Basically we ruled, but we were also extremely humble for a group of college students. Right.)

Anyway, It's been forever since I've been on their website. I went tonight and found some really interesting stuff that took me back to my college days. THIS PAGE is full of links to drumset, marimba, snare and timpani patterns similar to what we used to play for warm-ups on those instruments.

The music is written out and there are nifty audio files you can play right from the page to hear them played down. They are created with cheesy keyboard samples, but the exercises are still good and challenging.

There is also a page with all 40 standard drum rudiments (there were just 26 in my Jr. High days). They are the cornerstone of all drumming; as they deal with stick control and precision.

So, get out your practice pad, your metronome, and your marching sticks.
Remember to keep all your fingers on the stick.
Bend mostly at the wrists, not the elbows.
Play in the center of the head, and play through the head. (conceptually, of course)
When possible, count out loud.

Now, doesn't that sound nice?

“Hoodwinked” Opens At A Theater (not) Near You

One of the most fun projects I have been a part of to date, "Hoodwinked" is opening in the United Kingdom on Sept 29, 2006.


[Above] I found this UK “Hoodwinked” poster. I immediately noticed the simplicity in comparison to the US version [below]. There are no actor’s listed, no production credits, and there’s a lack of background graphics clutter like in the US poster.


I also noticed that Twitchy’s camera flash is flashing in the UK poster. Not to give away anything, but that happens in the movie. His flash does go off. Maybe that is an attractive element in UK advertising? Again, I admit marketing ignorance here. The UK poster is less fun than the US version, but it is definitely more to the point. (I realize that there could be many versions of the UK poster however)

**Side note: I don’t understand the distribution process for a movie, but it seems strange to me that they would wait until AFTER the movie is already out on DVD in the US before releasing it in theaters in another English speaking country like the UK. I know that the two countries use different DVD standards, but that can be gotten around. Piracy doesn’t seem to be any respecter of formats. **

Anyway, it’s a very fun movie, so if you never got to see it in the theaters in the US, and you can’t find a Walmart to buy the DVD, then just go and see it “Brit” style with all those jolly chaps and bonny lasses across the pond. It’ll be worth the cost of your airline tickets, security probes, and sodas sans ice.

The director, Cory Edwards, went to the UK and promoted it for about ten days or so. Check out HIS BLOG to read about his adventures there. Also, consider showing him your support by going to one of the theatres in Britain on opening weekend. I would go, but I’ve seen it and I have the DVD too, but I still think you should go and stuff.

Back At WB

Well, I'm back working at Warner Bros. Their slow summer is at an end, and now there are more shows to cut. I'll be working at WB Animation on two returning animated shows: "The Batman" and "Loonatics Unleashed", and on two new shows: a group of young teen super-heroes form the "Legion of Super-Heroes", and a new look for the Scooby crew debuts in "Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get A Clue".


I'll also be beginning the audio restoration process on Volume 5 of The Looney Tunes Classics DVD's. So, there'll be 60 more vintage shorts to do.

We finished Vol 4 in June, so look for it to be coming out this November 14. It's a great collection!

The Great Summer Summary

So many things have been going on this summer, that I've had an opportunity to blog about only a few of them. So, now that summer is coming to a close, here are a few highlights of what we've been busy doing.

A big highlight was our trip to San Diego. (Above: Chana and Maddie on the west side of Coronado Island. Below, Chana at the Hotel Del Coronado.) We spent a lot of time playing around on that Island.


Touring the USS Midway...



This is the HMS Surprise. It appeared in the movie "Master and Commander". We could've toured it, but the kids were starting to melt down. Another trip I suppose.


A trip to Sea World...



We took the 'Behind the Scenes Tour'. I don't know what was uglier; the squids or the eels we fed the squids to.




Back home, we went to a few concerts. A U2 tribute band played locally. (Notice Chana's hat on "Bono" for this song. The kids felt like they really saw U2, so I won't rub it in to them of how great the U2 "Joshua Tree" tour was in '88.)


If you ever get the chance to see the Spazmatics, do it. They're a really good band on top of being hilarious.


Wrap that up with a trip to the Ventura County fair (watch out for that cabbage smell), and then we locked the kids up at Six Flags.



And last but not least, Maddie celebrated her 4th birthday Aug 15th.


And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Drumming For A Lifetime, pt.3

One Day, Two Conversations

Most of the time, you don’t realize how pivotal moments are when they happen. This is a story about one of those times.

As I was relating the story to my 13 year-old son of how I got into playing the drums, I thought about the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the events. Not to mention the repercussions.

Setting: Bowie, TX. Population ~5,000 people. Jr.High School.
August, 1978.

All through our 7th Grade year, my friends and I had dreamed of starting a rock band just like “KISS”. (don't ask, but we were into them)

So, the first day of school of my 8th Grade year, I decided to break through the impenetrable barrier from full-time jock to legendary rock-and-roll drumming god… in the school band.

This is where the “two conversations” thing comes in:

Conversation #1

Jr. High Band Hall -
The band was sitting in normal half-circle fashion, rookies (including myself) were sitting along the side while the director, Mr. Gray, was giving short interviews in order to find out what the new members wanted to play.

Mr. Gray: (looking at me like I was lost) “So, what would you like to play?”

Me: “Drums.”

Mr. Gray: (looking over his shoulder at the long row of drummers already in his very small band) “Oh boy… well, it looks like I’m already overloaded with drummers.”

(He thinks for a second, then looks over his other shoulder.)
“I could really use a tuba player though.”

Me: “Um, no thanks, I just want to play the drums.”

Mr. Gray: “I’m sorry Mark, but I just can’t take on anymore drummers right now.”

Bummed, I leave and decide that I will be an 'air-drummer' for the rest of my life.

Conversation #2

At the end of the day, I was running late for the bus, so I was hauling-it down the stairs from my locker to the first floor. Seeing no one in sight, I almost blind-side none other than Mr. Gray walking down the hallway at the bottom of the steps.

Mr. Gray: “Whoa! Hey there Mark.”

Me: “Oh, hi. Uh, sorry.”

He turns.

Me: “Um, Mr. Gray? If any of the drummers quit, will you let me know?”

Mr. Gray: (thinks) “If you want to play that bad, show up tomorrow.”

Our lives are SO linear - in that one experience leads to another, and to another, and so on. And as I told this story to my son, I realized a great many things might not have happened had I not seen Mr. Gray at the end of that day:

1) I might not have ever stuck my neck out again and tried to join a band, therefore I might have never learned the drums.
2) I might not have gone to college and gotten a music degree.
3) I might not have grown in my faith, 'cause I grew as I played drums at church.
4) I might not have met my wife, since we met at a gig where she was opening for the band I was playing in.
5) I might not have had the opportunity to travel to many cool places in the world and play.
6) I might not have opened up a recording studio.
7) I might not have transitioned my career to post-production sound, and eventually moved to California.
8) On and on, etc, etc.

I was so moved by this line of thought, I looked Mr. Gray up, and thanked him for being at the right place at the right time, and for giving me a chance.

Maybe there was more than one road to where I am and what I’m doing today. God only knows that, but I’m glad I almost ran over Mr. Gray that day.