Jerry Johnson
I am a man studying Buddhism and living minimally. I was born in the USA but have lived in Australia for almost 30 years. I'm a nomad learning what I must, doing what I should and meeting who I can.
Location Sunshine Coast, Qld Australia at the moment :)
Activity
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
This is a very short short! I made it using wide footage and 1 photograph. Experimental, just want to see what others think of it, so please share your thoughts, negative or positive. Cheers
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Jerry Johnson replied to Aram M.
Looks great, good work.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
That checklist is great, thank you
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Personally, I really like continuous shots. Some long takes seem to encourage more depth of emotion from the actors and, some, like Birdman, the camera and sound work on the long takes are amazing!
On the other side of the coin, the actors movements can include heaps of information as well as the dialogue, but not as well as a close-up of an object in... -
Jerry Johnson replied to Gemma Starkey
Hello fellow filmmakers! I'm Jerry and I am a photographer (stills) by day and superhero by night, but I am looking for something to do with my afternoons, hence making short films! :D
I had started shooting several amateur films in the past, but obstacles kept them from being completed, so I urgently need help streamlining the process, as I have so many... -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
We are a modern society trapped in a 'framed' vortex. We are constantly bombarded and manipulated by advertising which frames results in order to sell unnecessary products to unsuspecting people. To counter that, i believe more people should be enrolled in this course!
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Jerry Johnson replied to Susanne Cochary
Evidence vs emotion. I like that analogy, i will try and adopt that :)
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Jerry Johnson replied to Jerry Johnson
'Rules' that I have adhered which seem logical to my thinking, which may or may not correctly adhere to the bare facts without my own personal interpretation. My thinking, my rules I guess
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Hey everyone. I am a sincere believer of living by the rules of logic, but i realize I can sonetimes be mislead by my strong bonds, either emotionally or loyally. Im confident this course can help me to rationalize situations so i can proceed thoughtfully, not just reacting.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Hello fellow learners. I hope we all receive what we each try to achieve! Good luck
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I can utilize all three methods the writers explained. I do believe the morning ritual of writing early, before the day has corrupted my subconscious, is wonderful. I will write whatever pops into my mind, not elaborately phrased verses but blunt thoughts. Keeping my notebook with me throughout the day, I sometimes add depth to previous notions or more random...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Hi, I'm Jerry. I am a follower of Buddhism, I highly respect language (both verbal and physical) as well as the art of cinematic storytelling. I want to create works which enrich the mind, ignite the imagination and inspire the spirit to fly. Everyone has to start somewhere so here i go, come fly with me.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Watch this short video about dialogue... it is brief, powerful and eye opening. http://www.whatascript.com/video-write-is-rewrite2.html
And Michael, regarding this article, thank you. It has opened my eyes to a new dimension of character development. -
Hello fellow guerrillas, Im Jerry. I am a photographer who loves the environment and have started filming documentaries about saving it. I am hoping to learn some new tricks to increase my storytelling effectiveness and nurture some new skills
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Here is a glossary of movie production terminology. I hope it helps
http://www.imdb.com/glossary/B -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
Hi, Im Jerry. I am doing this course to learn as much as possible about roles and duties behind the scenes. I am a f/t photographer moving into video (camera, scriptwriting and director) and plan to do short films predominately for online (to begin with) before evolving into short films for festivals (hopefully) :)
I currently live on a permaculture farm... -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
I am currently living on a permaculture farm in Southeast Queensland, Australia. We are located in a valley in a tropical zone prone to flooding so obviously water movement has a lot to do with the soil formation. This area also has a lot of clay and the soil colours wary from a medium brown (after having been worked by humans with farming and cattle grazing...
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Jerry Johnson replied to Francisca P P
technically yes, for dust is organic. But the majority of dust is actually shed human skin cells.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Being able to exist in a constant mindful state is a goal of mine, one in which I realize I am nowhere near achieving as of yet. But I have noticed that I am mindful more often and I have become (in conjuncture with my interest in Buddhism) much more aware of the ENTIRE situation much more often. Now instead of only seeing the facts of the matter, I can step...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Listening (not just hearing) in association with mindfulness and right intention makes for wonderful conversation, helping and learning.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
In practicing mindfulness, whether I am alone or in a busy environment, I feel as if I had been disconnected from the situation. I am detached, observing both myself and life around me with a sense of wonder. I now witness other peoples actions and instead of judging them, wonder what incidents may have happened in their lives to cause them to react as they...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I have often struggled with not listening properly to others and immediately coming up with a remedy I believe would cure their problem without fully understanding the situation. Practicing listening is difficult but it is definitely a chore I am prepared to invest in.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Participating in this course is teaching me to stop and smell the flowers, recognize the warmth of the sun on my skin and enjoy the purity and beauty of our breath. The trick now is to make this a common practice in everyday modern life and I feel I am up to the task!
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I believe practicing gratitude will be most beneficial. Like most people in western societies, I tend to allow myself to get caught up in the flow of life, responding and reacting the best I can without ever being thankful for the experience. That will now change.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
In doing this meditation, wishing happiness for all beings, I felt a sense of hope, of optimism and, most important, a desire for this feeling to become my 'default setting'. I wish peace and happiness to all :)
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I had, for a long time, been the contradiction of being both self critical and self compassionate. As Richard mentioned in the video, I did tend to judge myself harshly, striving for perfection. But as of late, I have started allowing myself to make the mistakes in which I inevitably learn from while being satisfied I have made the errors while giving my best...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Practicing mindfulness is allowing me to realize how many aspects of everyday life I had previously missed/ignored. I now enjoy the smell of the air, warmth of the sun and the sounds of the world as a regular occurrence instead of an occasional special moment.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I had previously sacrificed too many years reacting to negative situations in an equally negative way, unfortunately escalating the incidents out of proportion. Getting a grip on my emotions had led me to Buddhism, but becoming more aware of each precious moment of life has led me here.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I have always understood that splitting your focus between two tasks never results in either being accomplished to the best of my abilities. I have long been a victim of the wandering mind. Since having begun this course, I have found myself watching where my mind goes. It doesn't always stray to random thoughts but to variations and by-products of the task...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I have been practicing meditation and Buddhism off and on for years and I used to sometimes struggle to slow down and take time for myself. But by adding mindfulness into my routine as well as genuine compassion for myself, I feel a real serenity adjusting my reactions to lifes mishaps. Im calmer in my responses and stress is pretty rare now.
THIS, in my... -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
I have always been subject to stress but haven't always recognized it for what it is, with exception to extreme situations I only recognized as stressful later whilst reflecting. My interpretation of stress had always been 'a busy mind', not the physical attributes affecting not only my health but presence of mind. Spending more time in the moment will not...
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Its like the course explains, when your mind wanders then bring yourself back into the moment. That's the training we all must master.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
This is exciting! I always knew of certain benefits related to mindfulness but not to the degree that Richard and Craig explained. I am feeling a little concerned I don't have the capacity to develop all these explained characteristics while simultaneously basking in the bliss knowing I can experience these traits eventually. My biggest hurdle is turning self...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Default mode is unfortunately very common in society, but we shouldn't place the blame entirely on ourselves (although we are by no means exempt). Big business invest billions of dollars annually to ensure our minds drift to catchy slogans or clever products. Marketing agencies exist only to catch our attention and sell clients products. Even food manufactures...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I believe to be truly mindful of a task removes all stresses. If my boss said my assignment is required to be completed today, and I think about the deadline, then stress enters the equation. If I focus on the task and accomplishing it to the best of my abilities, then stress is non existent for it is removed from the equation. So for myself, practicing...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I believe utilizing mindfulness in addition to regular meditation can bring me to a state of relaxed consciousness which, in my opinion, is not only very lacking in Western society but very much needed.
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Jerry Johnson replied to Jerry Johnson
That light box is a very clever idea. I prefer shooting on location where power isn't always available and a generator isn't an option, so battery power is the way to go.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The hand held 'B' roll draws the viewer into the dynamics of the situation, making it feel more real. As far as the choice of actors, I don't think WHO they are matters as much as how they portray their characters. Obviously different actors will produce different performances, but if the director doesn't think they compliment the ideas they have for the...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The intensity of the music dictated how powerful the footage should be. We have all heard numerous versions of 'Watchtower' through the years, but without hearing this version (including Gangsta rap) then its near impossible to predict the flow of the film. My storyboard was a bit more romantic in the camera angles and flow of scenes, more suitable with an...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Wonderful idea and explanation... Bravo! I'm either going to the auto wrecker for an old steering wheel or taking my ex wife's! :)
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The light is a great idea, but the illumination colour is a bit unnatural (blue). That creates the need for white balance adjustment or post production editing unless the scene calls for the unnatural light feel (computer work, office location). But its still a great idea, I will be building one shortly
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The film managed to keep my attention and I did feel a bit of empathy for Mr Burke, by the way he was being treated by 'the system'. I felt too little importance was illustrated on his catching the bus which would have got him to his appointment on time. Considering it was his second offense, he would have been a bit more frantic trying to get on the bus. The...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
:) I interpreted the scene correctly.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The feel I got from the script was an aging style kitchen (retro) with mother trying to retain the family unit, even though Stanley is getting older and father disinterested.
http://retrorenovation.com/2010/09/15/13-pages-of-youngstown-metal-kitchen-cabinets/ -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
I would assume he was given permission to shoot the scenes after trading hours. The majority of large shopping centres are lit with artificial lighting, so this scene could have just as easily been shot at midnight as 10 am. And if natural lighting is a factor, shooting with external darkness gives much more control over lighting, for you don't have to worry...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Well shot scene, but if you want to see examples of successfully crossing the line, then watch Birdman. The camera work is amazing
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
To me, the story is about hope. Just as countless refuges have done in the past, leaving their homes to venture into the unknown, Huso heads into the solemn darkness (opening scene). The producers 'angel,' exhibits good qualities but, considering he had received a warning from the shopkeeper about 'that girl', youthful infatuation guided him down a path of...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I have only viewed the 'chicken' scene, but believe it was dialogue heavy. I subscribe to the school of Compression... less words, more action. Considering she was working with someone else's screenplay, I guess her options of interpretation were rather limited. But the scene was well done regardless, great composition of shots and only 1 noticeable blooper...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The film I am using to illustrate the changes from book to film is Fight Club. The movie, in my opinion, was brilliantly scripted and filmed. It conveyed the story succinctly while creating emotion for the main characters, both antagonist and protagonist. But reading the book and seeing the glaring changes made from print to film, we end up with the same theme...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I bought the Story of Film years ago, when I had a budding interest in cinematography and it discussed films of different genre, directors styling's and other bits of information on a large range of movies. A great reference book to have
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
In a story I look for a clever storyline, unexpected plot twists and endearing characters. Easy :)
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Great way to break down the dynamics to help differentiate between a show merely view or truly get into.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Reading a screenplay is interesting as they are not as precise as I had anticipated, leaving a lot of room for actors to improvise (not their lines but their actions). I read a few pages of 3 movies I had seen and admired. Milk, Gravity and Birdman. While the dialog is pretty much exact, the description of movement is very... basic. A good learning curve...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
good info, important to know
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
That sounds like advice for an individual film based on a random subject as opposed to an important, thought out project with the possibility of large, committed audience numbers
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Again it comes down to motivation and intention... why did you create the film? Is it for sheer viewing entertainment or is to educate? Considering how frequently we are bombarded with digital information, trying to teach just for teachings sake is an uphill battle, but if you are teaching about topics that relate to us all from a interesting perspective done...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
As an artist, I know what I want to say but perhaps I should start with a list of questions I want my production to answer. So after the final edit, I can ensure they are satisfied before releasing the work.
Im planning on releasing the shorts (trailers for longer films) on as many social media networks as possible while trying to achieve sponsorship from... -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
Tips to polish the project. A bit daunting but creatively exciting!
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Indicator species- any biological species who's presence or absence is indicative of the health of an ecosystem. Ex, the plant types in the video which indicated acid conditions
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
When carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH and saturation states. These chemical reactions are termed "ocean acidification". Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. Continued ocean acidification is causing many parts of the ocean to become...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I lump the entire planet as an ecosystem, because due to changing migratory patterns in animals due to human interaction as well as feeding opportunities, no one biological area has creatures unique to it alone. Ex, Saltwater crocodiles hunt on land and birds catch fish in the ocean. So where does one ecosystem end and the next begin? I think it may finish in...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
One definition is very location based, like a rainforest or desert while the other is everything, living and non-living in unison and conjunction.
Our working definition is 'a set of organisms and abiotic components, which are linked by processes of energy transfer and cycling of materials.' -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
The song in 'It's a long, long way' is diegetic as it was written on-site by a composer who had lived there, so that song (used twice in the piece) is the obvious choice. The soundscape, when the music wasn't playing in the background, supported the notion that the pub wasn't getting many visitors, very quiet working sounds (glasses clinking) which did support...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Very over simplified. Still going to look for free contributors.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Im understanding the process and excited to put it all into action!
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The initial episode I will be filming is about farming, so there is an old song that instantly came to mind which made me think of the morning sunrise in a rural environment that I would love to use but, depending on the difficulty in getting permission (on a minimal budget) I may have to expand my thinking. I will start looking for the musicians online who...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Symphony music always adds an elegant touch, so I can understand why that genre was selected. As for that particular piece's inclusion, it has some very strong passages which accompanied strong sentiment being expressed by the main characters. As for the special effects of the car driving through a pile of leaves, I classify that as over production for its not...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The difference between shooting for the net instead of tv/film is very important and will be crucial to my editing work
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Great clip and tips. Instilled a greater focus on my producing for the medium... I may have to create 2 versions of every doco, full length with all the 'bells and whistles' and a shorter 'cut to the chase' version for Youtube and such.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The Kuleshov effect is a powerful tool for, not only getting viewers to remember your images but to get them thinking about them, deciphering them the way I intended, which is exactly what a documentary filmmaker wants. I will definitely be adding this to my arsenal of tools
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The lighting was appreciated, the audio lesson beneficial but the interview styles and methods were first class. They made me consider my own persona/style and think which methods in conjunction with which personality types of the interviewee will bear the best results. Looking forward to getting out in the field and refining the craft. This course was a...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Looking forward to putting all this new found knowledge into practice!
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The best interviews I have seen are when a chemistry is created between the pair, easing the interviewee into a calm attitude of easy discussion. I have also seen interviews where the interviewer poked and prodded the contributor until their ego stepped in and gave honest but aggressive responses. Those are the ones I like, when you know the questions hadn't...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I have always enjoyed Louis Theroux's style but I would love to see the screening process his staff utilize to find people who will tolerate his humour. As much as I enjoy his style, I would not implement it myself for I don't believe he can get the serious answers and reactions to the tough questions and facts I would be presenting. He is entertaining though...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
On this stage called Earth, we are all merely actors. The only difference is our motivation which directs our actions. We ask ourselves, 'Should I act like everyone else?' 'Should I act superior?' Should I act humble?' The term Social Actors works perfectly in my opinion for, someone that is being interviewed will ask themselves, 'How should I respond, as I...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The 'clear sound' segment was very informative and the '3 point lighting' tweeked my setup for the evolution from still photography to video interview.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I also learned the hard way about hiding the microphone only to get unusable audio. Not fun
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The narrow depth of field while doing interviews is pretty standard, but I will be doing a lot of outdoor shooting where a wide aperture (DOF) is needed for more focused backgrounds. The main concern with that is the higher the f stop, the darker the image.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
This was an interesting clip. Close ups, (normal, mid and extreme) were used 9 times, spaced throughout the piece. But, if the majority had been used during the beginning of the piece, the whole feel could have changed from casual observatory to sneaky mysterious. Very thought provoking.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
And the best thing is, you always have your phone with you so, when that special moment of footage arrives and your camera isn't available, you can still get it! Great tip about the headset microphone
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
While the majority of filmmakers create for the joy of telling a story or the passion of the topic, everyone involved with the film may not have the same pure intentions. How prepared is the director to stick with his/her initial design for the piece, or can they be persuaded to alter the tone/ mood/ direction of the film?
And as for newsworthiness, suppose... -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
This film was well done, very informative but it did leave a few holes information wise. Like, what is the future of the premise? Is the real estate valuable enough to be redeveloped? Would the government be interested in relocating the building for heritage purposes or maybe a heritage listing? While it set a tone about financial hardship for the licensee and...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
An "Observational Documentary" is defined as an 'attempt to simply and spontaneously observe lived life with a minimum of intervention'. What people say can easily be edited to make a positive statement sound negative, so I believe the filmmakers had already decided to create a negative tone for the episodes.
As for their duty of care, to be receiving death... -
Jerry Johnson made a comment
While planning is vital, the most important piece of information I learned this week is the necessity for a detailed storyboard and contemplating various shots (angles/styles) before turning the camera on.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Previously I tried the shoot, shoot, shoot then edit method and it was a disaster! Planning is now paramount and Im glad to have learned to 'film with your ears.'
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
My project will be a series of short documentaries highlighting small movements trying to prevent the corporate machine from laying this planet to waste. And to do this, I MUST take the high ground, which means do what I believe is right. So if I give an assurance something wont be used in the film, it wont. And when someone signs my consent form, well they...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
As Gordon mentioned, there is also a major imbalance in power between the parties in my documentaries. My intention is to present the fact without bias, but the subject matter alone tips the balance of compassion towards the underdog, who are just trying to exist as opposed to the antagonist who are trying to profit regardless of others consequences. And I...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Unfortunately, in this era of Earths evolution, Big Businesses have the power (money and political friends) to destroy anything they set their mind to. Example, the premier (governor) of New South Wales (state) in Australia is pushing laws through parliament (on behalf of Coal Seam Gas companies) that protesters can be sentenced with up to 7 years...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Making a documentary, I will try and present the information in an honest and un-biased tone, allowing the viewer to make up their own mind on who is right or wrong. But realistically, if I were talking about government incompetence or Monsanto's total disregard for the environment, who is the baddie? The real test for me will to keep my burning passion for...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I don't believe particular genre determines whether story structure should be adhered, with exception of art nouveau, where sometimes the aim IS to have people leaving bewildered and unsettled by unfinished acts. To keep an audience member satisfied, which should be the main goal of film production, then you need the 3 act template, setup, action and...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Its nice to have a blueprint to work off.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The changed chronology is like adding sugar to a drink, an easy addition to change the flavour. If you see, via flash-forward, the main character doing something misinterpreted as bad, you will carry that feeling for as long as a good storyteller wants you to. And used correctly, that's powerful
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I believe, just by coming into contact with conflict and opposition will change anyone in any situation. Your drama may have been resolved quickly and painlessly, but somewhere down the road you may stop and reflect on what happened... thinking how nicely you treated a future opposition after having been treated fairly previously. And that's change. You had...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I appreciate the need to check facts. Considering my project is a documentary based on the environment, it is vital my information is correct and, as far as the project affecting the community... I pray it does.
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Considering the distribution will be predominately via digital online sites, pro gear isn't a requirement yet. I have a video camera (used for music videos) which is perfect for wide angle panorama shots of farmland, (which will is what my 1st doco will be about), but the microphones are a little too sensitive (pick up excessive background noise) so live...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I find myself looking at media productions from a completely different aspect... and I love it!
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Everyone has an opinion regarding almost every topic we have come in contact with, so defining the most effective film genre on digital media will never be the same for everyone. While DIY clips are both popular and helpful, most people will only utilize the available information if it conforms within their already established belief system. Example, if I were...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
The focus of my story will definitely be, not only describing the main characters circumstance and motivation, but adding support characters who not only enhance the understanding of the situation but also magnify the empathy towards the plight main is enduring. I will also add opposing viewpoints and footage to create a tension against the opposition
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
Successfully neutral but very short on hard facts which was disappointing. As for our direct link being the cause for identifying with the characters we care for most, I believe that rests in the filmmakers hands. I have seen movies where I identified with the bad guy even though we shared no common traits except maybe ideology. And sharing beliefs, in my...
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Jerry Johnson made a comment
I didn't find the film as entertaining as I did educating, but I also feel it left the results from extensive Khat usage severely unreported, such as chronic Khat abuse can result in symptoms such as physical exhaustion, violence, and suicidal depression. Health concerns range from tooth decay and gum disease; gastrointestinal disorders such as constipation,...
