Strictly Personal

ajit’s posterous

But then it said I had to update safari. Ok! When I tried installing safari, it asked that I upgrade to the latest version of tiger. Ok! It upgrades. Try installing safari but my G5 won’t reboot! F&@k! Ok!! I boot from install disk, open disk utility to repair disk. Nope! Disk cannot be repaired. Aargh!!!!

I install tiger on 2nd drive, use recovery software to salvage what is on my original drive. Then use migration tool to bring applications and other user files from a month old backup. Then replace old files with new files. You still with me?

Everything seems to be salvaged. Open up Final cut by chance and the bloody thing won’t open!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaargggh!!!!

Damn iTunes. I hate u so.

This is the weekend I promised myself that I would complete editing short doc, write 3rd draft of script, prep for shoot next weekend and work on grant. Oh the irony!

ajit’s posterous

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• Celtx: this is what I use most of the time.
• Scrivener: it has a screenplay module which I don’t use, mostly because it doesn’t translate well into Celtx. But the fullscreen mode is so awesome, so much so that I am writing my feature length screenplay within this application (in novel format). When I am done, I will port it over to Celtx.
• Montage: checked it out when it first came out and wasn’t sold. Should try it again.
• Final Draft: the expensive industry standard.
• Movie Magic Screenwriter: another expensive industry standard.
• NovaMind: motivation behind writing this. Looks great for organizing elaborate plots.

This past weekend, Kel and I acted in someone else’s film. It was a big production, at least for a short film. Couple of notes to myself:

• Acting is fun. Especially when the director loves what you are doing. The old adage of “actors work best in conditions that are fun and encouraging” is so true. This was my first time in front of the camera in such an extensive way, so there is a chance that a more seasoned actor would appreciate more criticism. But I doubt it because I think it is such an instinctual thing. Criticism tends to bring out cerebral choices.
• Actors work when the crew is still while crew works when actors are still.
• Acting is so much about paying attention. Not concentration necessarily but attention. Be aware of what is happening in the moment. Don’t stress about it, relax. This worked for me, not sure it would work for every actor or every scene.
• I felt like a baby. Like I needed help. Whether it was simply getting something or even in terms of knowing what to do. Ajit the actor to Ajit the director, help them as much as possible. It is not about attention as the cliche goes.
• I was allowed to play with the character, the most fun. Ask actors to be themselves but having an adventure. Adventure can be substituted with many other words like fun, play, sad…

Can’t wait to do it again. Might take it all back if I look or sound like a moron.

May 2008 was a busy month for us. We were involved in so many productions including some of mine. Here are photos from that busy month.

I spent this past sunday shooting some new scenes and reshooting others for Hello. Sorry. Whatever. I woke up the next morning so elated. I don’t think this has ever happened after a day of shooting. I am usually full of regrets. Mad at myself for this and that. But this time, it worked, I had resources, I had help, I was patient with myself, people were patient with me. And most importantly, the crew had a blast doing it.

Part of this I attribute to my maturity, both as a filmmaker and as a person. The other reason would be the presence of Todd Tinkham, a local filmmaker who played the part of cinematographer for the day. And…and…I had extras!

Lastly, this Obama poster captures what I am trying to say above. Things happen when people come together forcefully for a common goal. Great things.

Designed by Brazilian graphic designer named Daniel Molin. Found here.