Homage to Bela, A Prelude

I have been debating whether or not to post this over the internet for quite some time now. I had this big filmmaker plan and strategy for it. But then I realized that I made this film to bring awareness to the issue of gun violence amongst young people of color and how this affects the community at large. So I will be offering Homage to Bela, A Prelude to all of you through the weekend. If you like it please send out the link to this post to as many people as you can via email, facebook, twitter, etc. If you know of any anti-gun violence or community organizations that you think would like this please contact me here on the comments or at randy@pamsson.com. This project means a great deal to me. I am very proud of it and all the work that was put into it. I would like to thank Jessica K. Brown, Christina Voros, Jonathan Altman, Joey Salim, Billy Green, Shane Duckworth, Karen Song, The Parchment Family, Peter Svarzbein and all the brave souls who stood out in the cold to make this happen. I am in debt to you all.

You can also view the film at http://www.vimeo.com/27197895 Without further ado, I present Homage to Bela, A Prelude…

Homage to Bela Teaser!

Here it is! The teaser for Homage to Bela. We’re one step closer to releasing the film. Please let me know what you think of it. Enjoy.

Homage to Bela Teaser from Randy Wilkins on Vimeo.

THIS…

is the goal…

Homage to Bela Casting Call…

UPDATE: THE SHOOT WILL BE FEBRUARY 20th not the 13th.

Part of the great thing, I think, about this short film I’m gonna shoot is that it features every day people. In fact, the presence of every day people is critical to making the film an impactful one. And even better than that, nobody has to be an actor to be a part of it. I’m looking for 100 extras to be a part of the project. We are shooting SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13TH IN WILLIAMSBURG BROOKLYN. I am looking for ALL SHAPES, SIZES, RACES, GENDER, AGE AND LOOKS. The diversity of new york city should be on full display here. The shoot will take place outside (yes in the cold) and will only be for the day. And I promise that all of you will be seen in the film. There will be no edits in this piece so no one will be taken out. So if you would like to spend the day watching and participating in a film please come on down. If you’re interested please email homagetobela@gmail.com. We would love to have you.

“Can’t Wait!!!”

So at some point I’m gonna merge my two biggest passions, sports and film, together on a couple of blog posts. In honor of starting that trend I present you with the early favorite for sports interview of the year. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6028527 This took place immediately after the Jets “shocking” (I picked them to win) victory over the patriots yesterday in the NFL division playoffs. His name is Bart Scott and he is one of the many vocal members of the New York Jets. Outside of the obvious comedy of the moment, I love this interview and respect this team because of the confidence and bravado. The belief that they can accomplish things while others doubt. I also admire the focus, concentration to detail and commitment to accomplish the stated goal which is to win. These are qualities that I try to incorporate in my own journey in becoming a successful filmmaker. Now success is obviously relative but I am basing this off of my own personal definition and expectation. I have an athletic background so I’m drawn to these examples to serve me in my endeavor. Its refreshing to see such unabashed and raw confidence on display . It reminds me that its ok to be the same way as long as its respectful. You have to believe and not be afraid to believe. Bart Scott and the Jets were unafraid and now they’re one step closer to achieving their ultimate goal. I plan to follow in their footsteps and be one step closer to obtaining my ultimate goal.

Subscribe!!!

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Homage to Bela…The Visuals

Lately, I have been going through some visual references to help me construct the look for Homage to Bela. In some ways I want to be respectful of the visual integrity of Bela’s film but I clearly have to make it my own. I’ve been wrestling with the idea of merging strong contrast of black and white with a vibrant color that makes it pop. I’ve actually been drawn to the H&M ads that I’ve seen throughout New York City over the last couple months (here’s a word of advice: if you want to look for strong visuals both in classic and non classic ways, take a look at fashion ads and magazines. They’re great). I wanted to post two examples of what I am going for here on the blog. Both photos are by the insanely talented LYANI POWERS and you can visit her at http://www.lyanipowers.biz/ She is very dope.

 

I love this picture. This was taken down in Haiti after the earthquake while Lyani was on location for a UNICEF PSA. I could go on and on about it, but for the purpose of this I want to focus on the color. The blue and red stand out really well against the kid’s skin. It adds visual depth while also portraying the theme of life and hope given the context of the situation. It is a simple device (I use that term in a positive way), but very effective. I want to incorporate something like this into the film.

 

This picture captures the foundation of Homage to Bela. Strong black and white contrast that highlights the details of the subject’s face. The weariness on his face is heightened by this visual approach. As I stated in an earlier post,  the piece is highlighting a pretty serious topic. The primary aesthetic needs to communicate the complexity of the subject in a subtle and effective manner. This picture captures that thought well.

I hope this gives everyone a pretty good glimpse into what I’m thinking. I’m doing this so people who are not in film understand the process in creating one and also for those in film maybe I’m passing along a nugget that they didn’t think about.

Homage to Bela (A Prelude…)

So I’m in the process of shooting another short film but this is going to be a little different from what I have done in the past. While I’ve been writing the feature for Osvaldo’s, I have been itching to shoot something. You can’t go too long without directing something if you want to improve on your craft; especially when it comes to directing. You have to keep your eye sharp, your ability to communicate through the camera must be refined and you have to remind yourself how to deal with people and various situations under pressure.

The short I’m shooting is entitled “Homage to Bela…A Prelude.” I’ll break down the title for you. I saw a film by the great European director Bela Tarr and was inspired to do my own version of it. I thought his film captured a very specific reality of his country but in such a simple and powerful way. I was looking to do the same thing in terms of simple direction and camera work but containing an observation that is very specific to the issue of New York City. Bela’s film is a great blueprint for me to accomplish that.

Gun violence amongst young men of color by men of color is very disturbing to me. What I find equally disturbing is the casual manner in which these incidents are received, processed and portrayed by everyday people and the media. People are desensitized to it. It is an accepted practice in our society now and that troubles me. This brings me to the second part of the title. Once Osvaldo’s is done I am going to focus on my next project. I won’t talk much about it now but it will be my take on gun violence in urban areas. It won’t be some stereotypical bang bang hood classic thing, but rather an examination and indictment of all people involved: criminals, victims, community members, etc. I really want to put a mirror up to our collective faces regarding this topic. This short film is a prelude to the larger film. A trailer of sorts if you will. I’m really excited to get this film done.

Did I mention that it is a one shot, steadicam, 4-5 minute piece with a hundred (I hope) extras?! I’m always looking for ways to challenge myself and this is a new way to do that. It’s gonna be fresh. I need extras. So hit me up if you wanna be a part of it. Did I mention that I was excited to do this?

The Sexiest Stroke Victim Ever

Please visit Eljon Wardally’s blog. She suffered a stroke as a 29 year old. She has handled it about as well as you can. I won’t say much about it. She covers it pretty well.

 

http://imakethestrokeunitsexy.blogspot.com/

Questions

When you go to a movie what are your expectations? What do you want out of the movie? Do you want to see people who look, talk and act like you on the big screen? Do you want to be taken to a far away world? Do you want to see political issues played out in front of you? Do you want to fall in love? Do you want to be a hero? Do you want to laugh? Cry?

I’m curious as to the kinds of stories you all are interested in seeing. What draws you to see a movie? Why do you spend your precious free time to watch a particular flick? I want to know what makes you tick and if I’m telling the stories worth your time. Not that I would change everything that I do but its more a question of if we are a match or not. I’m looking to keep people more informed about my work and where I’m heading and don’t want to pester people if they’re not interested. It is a research thing for me right now. I would love to hear back from some of you. Thanks.