So it’s been a while since I’ve written. I keep meaning to but 1) I have little time and 2) I’m in a bit of a holding pattern. Still, I promise another post this week.
Until then, may I offer you this bit off nerdery.
Truly, someone did hear my wish to combine BSG with D&D. I’m pretty sure I’m always Lawful but depending upon my mood I can either be Good, Neutral or Evil, or, in other words, an Apollo, a Tigh or a Cain.
What about you?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, these are the ten best television shows of the last decade.
Of all these, I’ve only seen four of them more than once. Am I out of touch with television? Possibly. I own a television but I get no reception of any kind on it, not even the local channels. Therefore, let me give you my top show of the decade and a runner up.
The show of the decade is…
Why? Because it’s a reboot/remake (they dominated our decade), because it’s about the event that defined our decade and the resulting quagmires, because it went to those dark places (the middle of season 2 still haunts me), because it rocked. This is without a doubt the best show of the decade.
And my runner up?
Why? Because the first season was a near perfect season of television, because Kristen Bell owned it, because it’s a teen based high school noir powered by a revenge core that took teens seriously and nobody has done it better since, and lastly because it rocked!
And did I mention how cute the lead is?
Just sayin’.
Today was all about preliminary visuals.
First, the shooting style. It’s all about long lenses either hand-held or very lose on the tripod. I don’t think we’ll be snapping the zoom ala BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I think that’s just too edgy for this scene.
Also, we’re using the Sony DSR-450WSL. We’ll be shooting anamorphic DVCAM 24p. 24pA, with it’s 2:3:3:2 cadence, seems like one unnecessary hoop for the editor to jump through if this is ending up on 1) the web and 2) DVD.
But I’m willing to hear arguments otherwise.
I also started storyboarding and of course there are too many shots, at least a dozen if not more. While we are in one location and I know where to put the 180 degree line, that’s a lot to shoot in 3-4 hours when the scene is acting intensive and the client wants as much coverage as possible. One solution is to shoot long takes (2-3 beats per shot) with coverage that evolves. I’m talking about an OTS that becomes a stacked 2-shot and then a close-up. That should help the actors organically build their performance while cutting down on the number of times we have to stop and adjust the camera.
Still, I wish I could have an hour on set with my actors the day before the shoot so I could walk through all the camera positions but I have a feeling that won’t be possible. So it goes.
While I do own a television set I don’t get any television. I don’t get cable or a satellite. Hell, I don’t even own rabbit ears so I can’t catch the local news ( I’m pretty happy about that). Still, I have a couple of shows I can’t wait to catch.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA – A bombardment of “you’ve got to see this” got me to Netflix the series. 17 minutes into the first episode, when No. 6 has that moment with the baby, I shot to my feet and I knew I was hooked. I’ve only seen the first two seasons, I’m waiting for season 3 to come out on DVD, but I might have to make friends so I can watch Season 4.
DEXTER – Speaking of making friends… well, I’ll get to that. I think a quick blurb in Entertainment Weekly sent me to the web. A Google search told me that I could stream the first two episodes. I did and I wanted more but damn it I couldn’t buy the season on iTunes (you couldn’t while the show was premiering; you can now). Cut to a few days later when I meet a cute girl at a party. I learn that 1) she gets Showtime and 2) she loves DEXTER. Guess who I start seeing? Unfortunately, it all fell apart before the 6th episode aired; DEXTER is currently in my Netflix cue.
HEROES – Last year, for some whimsical reason, I wanted to dip my foot into digital content delivery river. I knew I wanted to buy a season pass to a new television series I just didn’t know which. HEROES was on my radar, mostly because a few friends knew Masi Oka. Then the hype hit the fan and you couldn’t avoid it. Everyone was raving about HEROES. Being a comic book junkie, I bit. The show was fun, really great at first, but by the end I found myself feeling the same fatigue after a comic book title twists itself into one too many story knots. I said, “that was cool but I’m not getting season two.” Then I heard that the producers landed the lead from my favorites recently canceled show…
VERONICA MARS – I own the first two seasons on DVD and while I heard the third took a mighty slip I still plan on picking it up sight unseen. I think it was a top notch show that never got the respect it deserved. Plus I fell in love with Kristen Bell/Veronica Mars. Blond, spunky, dark, damaged, vengeful, how could a boy resist?
(I’m sorry, I couldn’t help resorting to cheesecake. And I realize I’m in love with the character more so than the actress. I don’t know Kristen Bell nor have I read any interviews with her but I think she’s a tremendous actress. Just allow me the fantasy for now.)
When I learned that HEROES had signed her for the second season I knew I would be renewing my iTunes season pass. Then iTunes and NBC had their spat. I sure hope the network streams that show.
Oh, one last show I’ll catch either via iTunes or streaming:
MISS GUIDED – Why? First, I have a terrible crush on Judy Greer (sorry Kristen). Second, and most importantly, my friend Caroline Williams is the creator/writer/co-executive producer. Many moons ago I directed a staged reading of one of her feature length script. People, what can I say, she’s funny and awesome.
Loading ...