OliviaTech.com - Video, Photo, Camera and Technology Resources

Ask and you shall receive is the theme of this good friday. Last week I posted a video by Film Riot and said I wished it had more of a female presence either in front of behind the camera. I’m happy to announce I have found both in OliviaTech.com. This is a great blog about lighting, video, audio and all things in the camera universe. Olivia Speranza has a great onscreen persona as well, making the videos fun to watch and delivering great tips, reviews and tutorials. I spent hours watching videos and reading articles, and I was fascinated by this digital microphone for the iPhone or iPad, check it out. It just made my wish list...

Check out her website, twitter, vimeo, YouTube and enjoy!

*Do you have a helpful resource you’d like to promote? Do you know about a great resource to share with the Broads? Contact me to be a part of helpful resource friday.

2013 Broad Humor FF Submissions Open April 1

Well, everything is just about ready to launch for 2013.  The website is still under construction and Withoutabox isn't up and running yet, but you can download a form if you want to get a jump on your submission. 

The Short Film Invitational this year asks for films under 5 minutes that pass the "Bechdel Test."  You know, the test that is REALLY REALLY hard to pass, judging by Hollywood films.  The "test" has three requirements, kinda like our invitational:

1. The film must have at least 2 female characters with names who...
2. share a scene where they talk to each other ...
3. ..about something other than men.

See what I mean?  Practically impossible!  Still, that's the challenge.  Give it a shot.  Alums can still submit for free, but they must contact the festival for a code first.  

We're adding a Screenplay Challenge as well.  For our first screenplay challenge we are asking screenwriters to submit a 10-page comedic script for an updated revision of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We are not looking for a children's script necessarily, but rather a new take on an old and familiar tale.

The ten pages may present an entire tale or could be the first ten pages of a feature film. In either case, page 1 should be the opening of the film.

All submissions must be hard copy submissions mailed to the Broad Humor address. The title page of the script must not have the author's name nor should the writer's name appear anywhere else in the script.

All deadlines are postmark deadlines.

Address: Broad Humor Film Festival
9854 National Blvd. #166
Los Angeles, CA 90034

That's all for now.  

QUEUE THIS!

QUEUE THIS! is taking the week off to enjoy a wild* spring break weekend in Reno!  But I couldn’t bear to leave you with a blank post, so here’s one Netflix streaming recommendation: Mad Men.  If you’re a cord cutter like me and haven’t caught up with the last season, now’s the time as it just became available on streaming.

Sure, most of you know about the brilliance of Mad Men, and you are probably also aware of its feminist subject matter, but the main reason I’m highlighting it is because television directors are so often overlooked.  This series in particular has had a couple brilliant women directors that should be getting more attention:  Jennifer Getzinger and Lesli Linka Glatter. 

What Is The Composition Of Your Shot Saying?

A Great Seminar On Designing The Shot.

Last Thursday I went to a seminar at the Egyptian Theater called Within The Frame: Designing The Shot. It was lead by the fabulous Thomas Ethan Harris whose brain is an encyclopedia of film.The seminar was so well received that they added another session. It's this THURSDAY, MARCH 28th @ 7:30. I'm here to say that if you're shooting or directing, it's worth the $20. Harris argues that film has evolved from a complex art form using rich, multi-dimensional composition and design to inform the audience about character and story to simple point and shoot one-dimensional recording of dialogue. (Okay, that's me exaggerating it a bit, but not much.)  By showing film clip examples, Harris supports his case and opens your eyes to the power of designing shots using all the tools available to a filmmaker. You'll learn about visual planes, dominant contrast, designing a close up, letting a shot speak for a character and more. I left completely inspired and now watch films in an entirely different way and will hopefully shoot my films in a more inspired, thoughtful way. This Thursday, Harris promises to add more comedies to his list of examples. For more information about the seminar and to purchase tickets (best to buy in advance, as most of the seminars at the Egyptian sell out), go to http://tinyurl.com/cacc7q8

Top 10 Female Best (Original or Adapted) Screenplay Oscar Winners

Last month, one of the Top 10 lists that I posted was Academy Awards themed (check that depressing post out here). So is this one! But it's happier :)

Here are the Top 10 Female Best (Original or Adapted) Screenplay Oscar Winners.

There have been fifteen films written by women that won an Oscar in one of the writing categories. Do you think one of those other five should be on this list instead? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

10) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King- Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson (adapted from the novel The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien)

9) A Room with a View- Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (adapted from the novel by E.M. Forster) *Ruth Prawer Jhabvala also won for Howards End (adapted from the novel by E.M. Forster)

8) Interrupted Melody- Sonya Levien, William Ludwig

7) Lost in Translation- Sofia Coppola (also nominated for Best Director)

6) The Piano- Jane Campion (also nominated for Best Director)

Why “Brave” Is Important

Following the Oscars, I heard a lot of people say “Brave” shouldn’t have won Best Animated Feature. They felt the film was underwhelming, not as good as other Pixar films, or “just another princess movie." The last reason is the one that gets under my skin. As the article titles states, “Brave” is a really important film. Yes, it’s about a princess but it’s one of the only movies about a princess that does not involve romance. 

For decades, little girls have been shown film after film that feature beautiful delicate women with perfect hair and pretty dresses who only become happy once a man falls in love with them. I wish I were exaggerating but I’m not. It’s not the existence of these films that’s a problem, because there are princess movies that I like, the problem is that there are so few films that give little girls a different message.

“Brave” is about a young girl who is expected to be a perfect princess, with the dresses and the hair and the husband, but she’s not. And when her mother, with all the best intentions, tries to get her to marry, the young girl tries to change her fate.

Top 5 Online Resources for Filmmakers by Film Riot

I stumbled upon this great and funny video while researching more resources for this weekly column. I so wish this was put together by a woman and/or hosted by a woman, and/or that it listed more resources that were created by women, but hey, you can’t have it all. There’s some great information here, so it’s worth watching. I have been researching a lot of DIY tips, tutorials and other resources and I have to say the majority of what I found is created/hosted by men. So, if anyone out there has a cool video similar to this one but with women in front and/or behind the camera, send it my way and I’ll post that too...

*Do you have a helpful resource you’d like to promote? Do you know about a great service to share with the Broads? Contact me to be a part of helpful resource friday.