Film Club Magazine by asolis23

FILM CLUB JULY 2021

TAIKA WAITITI

ONE OF HOLLYWOOD’S MOST ECCENTRIC AND ENTERTAINING DIRECTORS IN RECENT TIME

CHLOÉ ZHAO

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE VISIONARY ‘NOMADLAND’ DIRECTOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LOW BUDGET FILMMAKING EQUIPMENT CHECK-LIST

Q&A WITH CHLOE´ ZHAO

TAIKA WAITITI: “NO IDEA IS FINAL”

JOJO RABBIT PHOTO ESSAY

HOW TO MAKE A SHORT FILM: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

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Q&A with Chloé Zhao Chloé Zhao, 39, landed the trophy for best director for “Nomadland,” and also received the top prize for picture. She’s only the second woman to win an Oscar for director — after Kathryn Bigelow (for 2009’s “The Hurt Locker”) — and Zhao, who was born in Beijing, is the first woman of color to receive the prize.

Ms. Zhao, how would you describe your identity as a filmmaker? Wherever I go, I am drawn to outsiders because I am one myself. And I feel like an outsider almost wherever I go. Loneliness is a big word for me. There is a difference between loneliness and solitude, for me personally. I’ve also done a lot of traveling alone in my car when I was making my first two films. Do you see something of yourself in the heart of that story? That’s a very deep question. The desire to not be defined by something, like when she is forced out of her home… For me when I am forced to make a film somewhere in a certain way, when I don’t have choices. I don’t want to make the same kind of film all the time and just be comfortable with what I do. I want each film to push me to a new place and a new direction so that I can grow as a person, but also grow in terms of the understanding of the medium of cinema, the technology, the tools, and how to tell stories; what to say and how to say it. We always want to challenge in terms of the content.

Is that why for Nomadland you chose to have real life nomads play themselves rather than hire actors? Well, when I read Jessica Bruder’s book that the film was based on, I was so amazed by the character development and all these great back stories of these people… So this was just about finding the right method for the kind of story that you are telling. We need both facts and poetry in our lives. Sometimes facts can tell truth better than poetry, and sometimes poetry can tell truth better than facts. The documentaries that I love combine them both, you know, the documentary filmmaker will use poetry to capture an emotional truth that can be hard to convey with numbers and facts. The emotional truth for me is where the power of fiction lies. Through poetry we can understand a shared human experience that allows us to connect with each other. The film is an Oscar frontrunner and two Golden Globes. Did you expect that Nomadland would have this kind of effect when you were making it? No, it’s a cliché to say that we don’t think about that when we go in, but I really, really don’t. It’s for your own society. When you think about that, then you are allowing the world, things that you can’t control,

to define how you want to live and make things. You never know when you put your baby out into the world, how people are going to react. It’s scary every time, but it is exciting! It’s always about not letting one thing define you, but to keep going so you can rediscover yourself.

seeing their homes, seeing their dogs and their families — it did make me feel less alone in this process, in this whole situation. So I’m grateful for this award season. I’m grateful for the people that came along.

“Nomadland” seems like the kind of experience that would stick with you. Did making it change your life?

You’ve obviously forged your own path. But are there directors whose careers you look at in terms of their scope, and you think, that’s what I want to do?

I have a whole new group of friends, people who are going to be in my life forever. Swankie is going to go kayaking, and Josh is going to go with her to Channel Islands this week. But also, I have never made a film about people who are elders. And just being around them, and just getting the wisdom from them about life and about mortality, about what’s important — it was life-changing.

When you’re talking about the scope of films, Alfonso Cuarón and Ang Lee, what they have been able to do, making intimate films, smaller films, but also films on a bigger scale — but you can see that they were able to bring themselves and those two worlds kind of together in a way that still keeps them true to the type of film they are. But you see a throughline. I love that, and I hope I can do that.

This was your first major Oscar campaign. How was it for you? It was longer than I thought. Look, we’re alone in our homes. We can’t see our family; we can’t see our friends. And being on Zoom, even though we all make fun of it, just seeing Emerald’s face, David [Fincher], Lee [Isaac Chung], Thomas [Vinterberg], and Aaron [Sorkin], doing all these panels with everyone, and

“Through poetry we can understand a shared human experience that allows us to connect with each other.”

TAIKA WAITITI: “NO IDEA IS FINAL”

ver six features, Waititi, 44, has built a career as a writer, director, and actor, toggling between indie films (2016’s “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”) and mainstream studio fare (2017’s “Thor: Ragnarok.” Waititi cemented his claim as a starworthy director when he landed a dream gig directing an installment in one of the most successful franchises ever: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Waititi joined the MCU family to direct some of the biggest names in Hollywood including the all-star cast Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, and the legendary Anthony Hopkins. He also added his Máori accent to the film as the hilarious ‘Korg,’ who would later cameo in the highest-grossing box office film of all time, “Avengers:Endgame.” “Thor” star Chris Hemsworth, who will soon work with Waititi again in “Thor: Love and Thunder,” notes by email that “being on set with Taika never feels like work.” He explains that Waititi applies the same principles he uses in his smaller films to a big-budget movie like “Thor,” concentrating on “character, heart, humor, story...The special effects and massive stage somehow don’t seem to distract him. There’s a purity to his focus and intention that’s unshakable.” If landing the helm of a tentpole blockbuster wasn’t proof enough that Waititi is one of the greats of our time, the director scored himself the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for “Jojo

Rabbit,” starring another MCU alumni, Scarlett Johansson. Based on the book “Caging Skies” by Christine Leunens, this WWII satire follows the journey of aspiring Nazi Jojo and the young Jewish girl he finds hiding in his attic. With Waititi stepping into the role of Hitler as Jojo’s best friend. On May 4, 2020, the Star Wars official site announced that Waititi would be directing and co-writing with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (‘1917’, ‘Last Night in Soho’) “a new Star Wars film for theatrical release.” This will be Waititi’s second foray into the Star Wars universe, having already directed the season one finale of the Disney+ show, “The Mandalorian.” “Thor: Love and Thunder” is due for release in 2022. If this wasn’t enough, he was also signed to write and direct the plot for the TV adaptation of the beloved Terry-Gilliam film “Time Bandits.” And we’re not even done covering Waititi’s upcoming projects yet! Also on the slate is “Next Goal Wins”, a sports comedy adaptation of the 2014 documentary. The film was scheduled for a 2020 release but...we don’t really need to tell you why it was delayed, do we? Hopefully, this is a project that we will get to enjoy in 2021, preferably on the big screen.

“I don’t think film has ever felt like a job to me. I’ve always been excited to do it.” 9

Film: Jojo Rabbit (2019) Directed by: Taika Waititi The opening scene shows Jojo, eagerly preparing to attend a Hitler Youth training camp in 1944. Talking to his reflection in the mirror, Jojo speaks of how he will “become a man” today. Yet, for all his bluster, he is riddled with nerves as he heads off. At camp, his reluctance to to demonstrate his bravery by killing a bunny earns him the mocking moniker Jojo Rabbit. During times of doubt, Jojo turns to his imaginary friend, a cartoonish Adolf Hitler (played by Taika Waititi himself) for encouragement. Waititi’s childish caricature of the Führer provides pep talks to the boy while fuming anti-Semitic rhetoric and other Nazi propaganda.

We pull to a close-up, coming face to face with our hero, Johannes Betzler, (JOJO).

Jojo stares into a full-length mirror and takes a deep breath.

A strange figure passes behind him, an adult, dressed in a Nazi uniform.

We’ll find out who this guy is very soon.

The stranger leans into shot, revealing it’s none other than Jojo’s imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler.

However, it’s not the Hitler we’re all used to, he’s imaginary and therefore can only know what Jojo knows.

HOW TO MAKE A SHORT FILM Write a Script and Storyboard Short films should have a beginning, middle, and end. A ten-minute film will only be about 7-8 pages long. As you write, think about your potential audience and viewers. You should aim to satisfy them and give them what they need to understand your idea and the story you’re telling. A storyboard is a series of pictures that outline what will happen in each scene. These pictures don’t need to be detailed or artistic, but clear enough so that you get a good idea of what each scene will look like. Creating a storyboard before you start filming will also help you stay on task during the shoot and will save time from having to think of things on the fly.

Scout for locations. Find locations to match the script. Ask small businesses and shops if you can use their locations for a short film. If the film takes place indoors, you may be able to use your own apartment or house. If the shoot is happening outdoors, find a safe and legal place to film. Getting permits to shoot on private or public property can sometimes be very expensive. If the film takes place outdoors, one needs to find a safe, legal location to film. If it takes place indoors, one needs to find an indoor spot where filming will not be interrupted. If the film relies on props, those, too, must be considered when scouting a location. If the film relies on props, those, too, must be considered when scouting a location.

Shooting your film. To shoot a short film, you’ll need a camera, lights, and something to record audio. If you’re on a small budget, you can usually find a digital camera for under $100 or you can even use the camera on your phone. The main disadvantage of these devices is storage space. If you have a larger budget, you can opt to get a more expensive DSLR camera, which can cost thousands of dollars. If you want to take steady shots, you should purchase a tripod. For sound, you can get a more expensive boom mic or you can opt for cheaper external audio recorders or small wireless mics.

Editing your film. Upload the video files into video editing software. Organize each of the scenes into bins or folders so that you have access to the video files quickly. This will help keep you organized while you work. Once the files are transferred and organized, you can start cutting them up and editing them. Examples of video editing software includes: Avid, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and Windows Movie Maker. Choose a program that is easy for you to use and that can perform the exact sort of editing that you need.