This Savage Art » art

Painting In Film

William Speruzzi — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:16:50 +0000

Check out not only this excellent post on the influence painting has had on film but the source of the post, The Hands Of Bresson, a new site I just came across. [Hat tip:Clive.]

M.I.A

William Speruzzi — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:13:11 +0000

I haven’t been posting much. It seems that my time has been taken up by more personal issues lately. My girlfriend Linda had bronchitis which in itself isn’t earth shattering news but it brings me to my next point which is the more monumental news in this post. She’s 20 weeks pregnant. There it is, out there for everyone. The last few weeks have been pretty stressful on the both of us due to seeing a lot of doctors and figuring out how to deal with the illness under these circumstances.

You question and dissect everything. Every decision you make and what the repercussions could be for the child. Linda was having a hard time breathing so she needed to take antibiotics which I wasn’t thrilled with but lack of oxygen is an even greater risk. Ya see, I come from a household that fought off illness with the great immune boosting powerhouse, garlic. Linda is allergic to garlic. This obviously was a more serious situation.

It makes you nervous to make some decisions but I guess that’s what being a parent is really all about. Making decisions for someone who isn’t equipped to do that yet. It’s all one big learning curve for us as a couple and individually. While dealing with all of this a lot of creative work has taken a back seat and that makes me very nervous and uneasy. I’ve been introspective about the future of my work, questioning if there even is one, what all this change is going to mean for me in terms of creative output. No, I’m not giving it all up to change diapers but my time will be an issue and I’ll need to learn how to distribute it correctly without getting lost. This is important and it will take much discipline. Linda says I’m one of the most discipline people she knows. I just don’t see it.

Change is usually a good thing and this is one of the biggest changes a person can go through. With some planning and scheduling it can work.

It has to.

This Is Why I Live Here

William Speruzzi — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:15:44 +0000

Thanks Davey, Space Ace and New York for putting a smile on my face. [via Gothamist]

The Blog I Want To Be When I Grow Up

William Speruzzi — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:33:26 +0000

One of my recent favorite stops on the interweb has been Mystery Man On Film. I like the fresh perspective that he brings to the table. A self-proclaimed student of screenwriting, Mystery Man is a forward thinker, looking for a better understanding of storytelling without drowning in the sea of books on the subject. Even though he does reference the works of Robert McKee and others he recognizes that story is about seeing a bigger picture. He makes a statement in this meme that I think sums up what film bloggers have probably subconsciously known for a while:

I believe that aspiring screenwriters could learn more from film scholars (aka “film bloggers”) then they would from most screenwriting gurus.

Analysis, reviews, food for thought and the invaluable script breakdowns via Miriam, this site recognizes the importance of balancing a well-rounded, fully developed screenplay with a good understanding of visual storytelling. It represents why I think the blogosphere serves a filmmaker’s need to explore the multi-disciplined craft of filmmaking but at the same time doesn’t just drink the Kool-Aid served up by the “gurus.”

Thanks Mystery Man, whoever you are.

New York City Screenings Calendar

William Speruzzi — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:34:01 +0000

The Reeler has gone to the trouble of creating a calendar of cool art house screenings in the city.

A minimal wordpress theme by Jared Erickson