I’ve always been a fan of the director’s commentary on DVDs (I would really love to hear Iñárritu discuss his films!) In fact, if I have the time, I’ll watch a film three times: once to watch it, a second time with the director’s commentary, and a third time to appreciate what the director discusses.

Sadly, many director’s commentaries are disappointing (I suppose speaking about one’s art is a gift that not all artists possess?) So…when I come across a really good director’s commentary, I like to pass on the intel. In case you were wondering, yes, Tom Hooper’s director’s commentary on The King’s Speech DVD is well worth watching – a real education in film/directing. Hooper discusses his relationship with his art directors and location scouts, how he uses the locations to visually tell his story, how the soundtrack contributes to telling his story, which lenses he chooses to use (when and why), and much more. Hooper’s an excellent director and would be an excellent educator as well, I think. Until he begins teaching, however, check out his director commentaries!

If you’re interested in learning more about Hooper’s directing style right now, check out Wikipedia.

While Terrence Malick’s highly anticipated Tree of Life has yet to see its theatrical release, there is already a great deal of buzz surrounding the highly acclaimed writer/director’s latest film. In an interview with the LA Times, Malick’s cinematographer, Emanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, describes working on the set with Malick: “Once you think you got the

If you are as yet unfamiliar with Creative Screenwriting Magazine’s podcasts, now is the time to get acquainted! Host (and Senior Editor) Jeff Goldsmith does excellent, in-depth interviews with many top screenwriters (both independent as well as big-budget filmmakers). I recently listened to his interview with Edward Burns and felt compelled to post about it.

Before beginning I should add the disclaimer that I have not yet watched Gareth Edwards’ low-budget (but big-budget-looking) movie, Monsters. Regardless, his story is an inspiring one…and if the film is half as good as the trailer, it should be worth tracking down. Even if the film is most notable for its use of effects

Before beginning I should add the disclaimer that I have not yet watched Gareth Edwards’ low-budget (but big-budget-looking) movie, Monsters. Regardless, his story is an inspiring one…and if the film is half as good as the trailer, it should be worth tracking down. Even if the film is most notable for its use of effects

Over ten years on, the action scenes from The Matrix have proven to have been far, far ahead of their time. This is particularly highlighted when one juxtaposes The Matrix with recent films of a similar aesthetic and genre (not to mention names or to disparage any contemporary films!) I wanted to mention this to

Variety recently published a nice article on Sylvester Stallone as an Independent Filmmaker. I appreciated the piece because it's a reminder that independent filmmakers can be found anywhere. This should go without saying, but I've found that many independents have a chip on their shoulder about not working in Hollywood. It would seem that Stallone is the exception rather than the rule, but it is refreshing to be reminded that our neat little categories and boxes are of relative value. Particularly interesting for film buffs is the role Stallone's films played