It is both accurate and reductive to call Cam Archer’s Shit Year, which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in the Director’s Fortnight section, the story of a retiring actress grappling with the emotions produced by her move away from the Hollywood spotlight. Of course, on narrative terms, that is what it’s about. Ellen Barkin plays the actress, who has just given her final talk-show interview, moved to a cabin in the woods, and now spends her days avoiding her neighbors and flashing back to a brief affair she had with a younger actor (Luke Grimes) on the set […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jun 2, 2010Artist Jesper Just, who Shari Roman wrote about for Filmmaker in 2007, directed this video, “Sycamore Feeling,” for the band Trentemøller. It was produced by Lucas Joaquin, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen and shot by Kasper Tuxen. (Hat tip: Antville.)
by Scott Macaulay on Apr 25, 2010The group of filmmakers dubbed “mumblecore” is known for many things, but visual resplendency is not one of them. In fact, some of the movement’s biggest names proudly announce their disinterest in design, careful framing, and the dramatic effects of controlled lighting. From the outset, however, Aaron Katz has been an exception. Even when operating on the tiniest of budgets — as he did when shooting Quiet City for $2,000 — he has paid careful attention to the expressive potential of his characters’ surroundings. The nighttime industrial Brooklyn streets of Quiet City are not the harsh jungle of much urban […]
by Scott Macaulay on Mar 16, 2010