The New York Times recently published an article about Participant Media‘s struggle to profit from films they distribute about the important issues of our time. It’s no secret that social-issue docs and thoughtful fiction indies sell significantly worse than major blockbuster thrillers in 3D. Yet Participant’s efforts are compelling. They […]
Author: eidolonfilms
Tech Thursdays: Micro 4/3rds Lenses for the AF100
Along with Art Tuesdays we are also going to be posting “Tech Thursdays.” Each week I will post about a piece of technology, camera gear, computer software or the like and how we have used it at Eidolon in our work. For the first post, let’s take a look at […]
The Art of the Interview
I recently came across a 2006 eulogy written by Christopher Hitchens in Vanity Fair about Oriana Fallaci, an Italian journalist who joined the resistance as a youth during WWII then spent the rest of her life questioning the exertion of power. Hitchens draws an interesting comparison between an interview conducted […]
Art Tuesdays: Marta Minujin’s Statement Installation
Last December we visited Buenos Aires after two weeks camping and trekking Patagonia. Upon arriving in BA we did a lot of consuming, mostly of steak pasta and wine, but also a bit of art too. Most impressive was a retrospective at the MALBA on the work of Marta Minujin, […]
Typography: Telling Stories In Beautiful Letters
My AP History teacher in High School gave extra credit to students who passed in papers with multiple fonts and colors. I guess that was his way of making the class fun, though most of us used it as an opportunity to meet paper length requirements. Even then, I didn’t […]
Collecting Sound: thoughts on sound design in documentary
When we ventured out to make our first film, we didn’t think much about sound. At the time it seemed superfluous as we believed that story and visual were most important. So we focused on those aspects of film-making and relegated our sound efforts to nothing more than a shotgun […]
Three-point Lighting for Interviews
Natural light, depth, cool lights and keeping it simple. It’s our go-to formula for setting up consistently good lighting for traditional sit-down interviews. Here’s a snapshot of a lighting set-up we did recently for a client shoot. It wasn’t an ideal location but it was the only one available so […]
Art Tuesdays: Colorful ‘Hoods
Imagine waking up to a rainbow every day outside your window. It might help to color your perspective for the better, don’t you think? After filming a documentary in 2005 about Hip Hop in Rio and Sao Paulo, Dutch artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn, known as the artistic duo […]
Iphone Photography: The best camera is the one you have with you.
Professionals and amateurs around the world have taken stunning photos with the iphone reminding that great photography comes from spontaneous moments in unique locations with unexpected light. In those moments, it’s unlikely that you have your DSLR slung from your neck and shutter-ready. But there’s a good chance you’ll have […]
Art Tuesdays: Street Art!
My brother in law has a major objection to street art. He’s a public defender by trade who considers it vandalism. While he’s technically right, I can’t help but love the wallpaper, spray, stencil and paint creations that have graced public walls around the world. What’s most interesting is our […]
The Creative Process
My nails are nibbled down to the skin. It’s a disgusting habit but it usually means I’ve been writing a lot. Deadlines make me gnaw them even more. Perhaps it’s nerves, but I’m more inclined to think of it as an occupation for my hands while my brain is working […]
Great documentaries now streaming on Netflix
For those of you with Netflix streaming, there are some great documentaries now available. Check out my recommendations below! Marwencol: A festival favorite this year, Marwencol is a documentary about the fantasy world of Mark Hogancamp. After being beaten into a brain-damaging coma by five men outside a bar, Mark […]