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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2000)
Tuesday. Marcl' at M.D. AnderSOdC| lesday, March 7, 2000 r and formerly was e pharmacology den he University oflei ence CenteMHousto on also received n the National Acadf ; in 1979 for his so rch. )n founded the Drug! of Texas, fhe form gather scientists,] and political analyst ve status of the ratio jgs. The presenti arge and open to be followed by a tswer session. ()hio and California, s m Ohio and in Califonm . Two polls releasedloi I Zogby-Reut^s-MSNK tush and McCain arew York, hut another, M nstitute, give? Bush a) >ig leads in Missouri,Gm land, vshile MeCainksi f ingland states, indnfe ;s and Vermont, in Connecticut- two elections ^oinaot tepublican-onlV votetodr sets the 162 delegate popularity contestAtrad s Bush \v ith a fiarrow k vote, which McCain want ; victory. political director Ji d that McCain hadfyneeds as in CaliforniaandOhi, nncd to asse ss thins Arizona. AGGIELIFE THE BATTALION Page 3 The future of film Insight on independent films found in new technology and old resources yj£ iuikii BY MATT MCCORMICK The Battalion I ndependent filmmaking has become a big and, some might say, not so in dependent process. By defi nition, an independent film is one which is made with out the resources or back ing of a Hollywood studio. However, in recent years, films that have been considered independent have ranged from the star-packed Pulp Fic tion to the shaky The Blair Witch Project. In dependent films are increasingly becoming more powerful in the film industry whether to become serious Oscar contenders or to rake in the box office bread. Many independent filmmakers start out with only a love for movies and the desire to make one. But through the years, independent filmmaking has become increasing commer cialized, due to events such as the Sundance Film Festival. What started as a small celebra tion of the independent spirit has now become one of the major events in the movie industry. Every year, studios around the world send scouting parties to Utah, hoping to find the next big hit. In fact, there is even a Sundance Film Channel avail able in addition to the Independent Film Channel. The growth of interest generated by festivals cannot come close to what has hap pened since the ex plosion of the Inter net. There are now a variety of Websites which showcase independent short films, giving filmmakers and audiences alike the chance to view films online. Such sites as Ifilm.com and Atomfilms.com give film makers who use digital technology a forum for their wares. The advent of digital cameras and the editing software available on computer sys tems has made it possible for anyone to di rect their own film. The new iMac has given filmmakers the capability to edit together films with the greatest of ease. This technol ogy offers an attractive alternative to film makers who are dismayed by the astronom ical prices of film. Due to the low prices of digital cameras, some have predicted that digital cameras could, for the most part, re place film in future years. Books remain one of the best resources available for people interested in filmmaking. Books about all aspects of filmmaking, from lighting and cinematography to screen writing and producing are available. There are a few books that anyone serious about independent filmmaking should consider reading. The American Cinematographer Manual explains nearly everything one could ever want to know about cinematography and cameras. One of the most informational and enter taining books on the market is Robert Ro driguez’s Rebel Without a Crew, in which he discusses his experience making El Mari- achi. Funny and easy to read, this book cov ers the whole film-making process, from sto ry conception to the film’s release by Columbia Pictures. Along the way, Ro driguez gives several nuggets of information which are well worth remembering. “You really have to look at why you want this. Is it for the fame and to see yourself on the cover of Entertainment Weekly Dr is it be cause of a passion, a desire to touch some one?” said Derik Wingo, writer, director and star of The Waiters. Scott Barlow, writer and director of The Last Late Night, said lack of experience is not necessarily the end of the world for a film. “I had never touched a 35 mm camera be fore this film and I had never worked with a cameraman,” Barlow said. “1 had a great di rector of photography, though, and I trusted him to set up the shots for me and then I would make any changes I might have.” Their advice to people interested in mak ing films: “Find out what is in your heart and go for it. Go for your dreams and don’t ever stop be lieving,” Wingo said. “There comes a time when you have to quit talking about making a movie and start doing it,” Barlow said. “Find people who are good at what they do and are fun to get along with. You need people who will support you in what you do and will pull you back when you have over stepped your boundaries. The best story in the world, the coolest shots — all of that stuff doesn’t matter if you don’t have an army of people around to help you,” said Stu Pollard, writer and director of Nice Guys Sleep Alone. Perhaps the best advice comes from the introduction to Rebel Without a Crew where Rodriguez writes, “First step to being a film maker is stop saying you want to be a film maker. I had been a filmmaker ever since the day I had closed my eyes and pictured my self making movies. So you don’t want to be a filmmaker, you are a filmmaker. Go make yourself a business card.” ittni Molmiddin Editor in Chief 1055-4726) is published daly.^ 16 fall and spring semesters mi > the summer session (except uc** ods) at Texas A&M Univeisity. ten** Station,TX 77840. POSTMASlttSf' Battalion, 015 Reed McDonaC MY rllege Station,TX 77843-1111. lews department is managed University in the Division of a*" epartment of Journalism. Nens maid Building. Newsroom plre i 1 - 7; E-mail: ThebattalionighotjnaSd 1 * lion.tamu.edu i of advertising does not impljspn 1 ’ / The Battalion. For campus, Using, call 845-2696. For dassW i69. Advertising offices are in OilF* hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. i-2678. of the Student Services Fee w* 1 * ent to pick up a single copy of ** ee, additional copies 25t. school year, $30 for the fall or the summer and $10 permon# 1 - rCard, Discover, or Amencan W* 8 FREE CONDOMS don ’t worry not to scale