The Blog That Won’t Quit by Stephen Steinberg

Hey Peeps, this is your boy Steve here wishing you guy a happy Turkey Day. I’m still filming episode 1 of “Hackers VS. Agents” (HVA). Just a few more scenes to go and then its on to editing. It’s been a blast to shoot this and I have big plans for the oncoming episodes including more locations around NYC and more characters. Right now I’m working on designing a poster for HVA and I will be posting my concepts up soon on Facebook. Please send me any questions you have on this project. I will be happy to answer them.

Stay Cool and Stay Positive,

Steve

The Irony (a salute)- By: Yury Delatorre

When was the last time you paid to see a movie? Honestly, the last time I paid to see a movie was… I can’t remember. Oh yea! “The Dark Knight”! The irony!
Let’s throw all our cards on the table. YES! The irony! I say this because I’m a filmmaker paying my dues, working hard, trying to keep up with school, projects (BLOGS! That reminds me I have to go to the graphic lab to catch up on my video graphics projects!). Technology has so many twists and turns. On one hand you can market & promote yourself at no cost, but on the other hand no one pays! “You feel me?” Everything is almost FREE! What do we get in return?
Once again it all comes down to passion. Yea, I know what you’re thinking, it sounds cheesy and all but it’s very true. For those about to shoot, I salute you!

HACKERS VS. AGENTS UPDATE BLOG By Stephen Steinberg

Hey Folks,

Just an update on what I have been up to this past weekend. I started filming the first episode of my miniseries “Hackers VS. Agents” It was a great experience and we got quite a bit done. I can’t wait to finish filming so I can start editing. I have a great cast and crew, including Carlos Morales, Yury De La Torre and Christina Figueroa. I will be filming more scenes very soon with the other actors involved and I will be sure to keep you guys updated on that. I will be posting some pics on Facebook of the shoot. Thanks for your interest and I hope to have an entertaining finished product for you guys very soon.

Stay positive,

Stephen

Rosie's Blog

Hello! Welcome to the Writerscene blog! This is my first post and I am very excited to talk to you guys about my 3 minute short film. It is my first time shooting in 16mm. I am very excited and nervous about it. Shooting on film is extremely tedious and risky as opposed to shooting on video where you actually see what you are filming live on a LCD screen. I have been working on my pre-production package for the last week and I am almost done. Yesterday, I met with the three actors, my roommate Nicole and my friends Zach and Mac. We took some pictures of Nicole and Mac as a couple. I plan on using these photos for props. I will frame them and put them around the apartment. Because of the fact that my film is silent, I was thinking of ways I could communicate to the audience that she has a boyfriend, and lives with him. I think pictures would be the best way to do this. Other than that we discussed the film and answered any questions or concerns regarding the shoot. They admit they are nervous about the shoot because of the racy material. I assured them that all will be fine. ;0) Check out a brief synopsis below. Till next time....


Lizzie, a doting wife plans a night at home to celebrate ,her husband, David's birthday. She finds him in a compromising position and as a result her life has gone in a downward spiral. Now a alcoholic, Lizzie has an uncontrollable desire to drown her sorrows in Vodka. On a liquor run, she sees David and suddenly relives agonizing flashbacks and we learn who is David's unexpected new love.

The latest on WriterScene-By: Cindy Sanabria

Hey everybody,

Today we filmed the premiere and panel discussion of the documentary about ODB from the Wu Tang Clan. It was really great. We had a lot of fun and saw an awesome documentary. Special thanks to such a helful, devoted and professional team. Special shout outs to Yury, Rie, Rosie, Jessica and Shomari. I'm finally finished filming with "The Last Shot." We go into the post-production stage. This week Rie and Stephen are working on their upcoming shorts. We'll continue to keep you posted more on all the latest.

More of Stephen’s Rants & Raves

You know what really grinds my gears? How about film directors that can’t direct their way out of a holy sock? Examples of such a person you ask? Sure I have some examples to give you. First is Mark Steven Johnson, director of such gems as Daredevil and Ghost Rider. This guy is given the opportunity to tackle these major projects based on very popular comic book franchises and he craps all over them like a German porn star. The producers gave this guy a chance based on what? His first film, Simon Birch? Seriously? Directing a movie about a quirky “Little Person” kid gives you the accolades to take on Daredevil and Ghost Rider? Anyway my point is if he had half a brain he quit while he’s not ahead.

My second entry into this category is Bryan Singer, director of X-Men, X-Men 2 and Superman Returns. He has done some notably good work on The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie. Apt Pupil was ok. But holy crap did he screw up those X-Men movies! And don’t get me started on Superman Returns. My personal problem with Singer is that he has such a lack of detail when it comes to films based on already established medium, he fails to realize that fans of the source material like it when the film actually resembles said source material. Anyway Singer has potential to be decent but his visions need some serious fine tuning.

Another director I wish to mention is the infamous Uwe Boll, once called “The Kubrick of Crap” has been on a mission to make films based on popular video game franchises and make them as bad as humanly possible. It all started with 2003’s House of the Dead and Boll has tortured us since with some works of genius as “Alone in the Dark”, “BloodRayne” and “In the Name of the King”. Sitting through these films is even less fun than pulling body hairs one by one with a set of rusty tweezers.

What I ask of big Hollywood producers is, can you please get your heads out of your asses and hire Directors that are actually qualified for these films? You know the guys that have done good films that are similar to the ones that you are trying to get made? How about that? It’s called logic.

"The Last Shot"- By: Cindy Sanabria

Hey Everybody,

I'm on day two of my film shoot and I gotta tell you it's a lot of work but a very fun project. Everybody has been working very hard to deliver you a quality piece. I am very thankful for having such a supportive crew. Because this is my first time shooting a film on a 16mm Bolex, I decided to shoot in both film and video (Just in case). So far it looks like it is coming along well. We will see the end result and hopefully it achieves the look and feel I wanted. The last shot should be the second of seven films for a thriller/horror compilation I am putting together. I am multi tasking like crazy. In addition to writing and scout locating this piece, I'm also filming, directing, producing, working with lighting, photography and make-up. It's a hell of a job but the pleasure is all mine indeed. I'd also like to give special thanks to Rie and Yury for assisting me as my 2nd camera person and to Ahmed, John, Isis and Carlos Rivera for their acting roles as well. A big shout out to Carlos Morales who has the leading role in this film. He has endured a lot in this film and has been a great sport and professional actor throughout the shoot thus far. I would tell you what I mean but then I would be giving away all the juicy details of the final product so I choose to keep it a secret for now until you see it for yourself. Post-Production will commence this Wednesday and I will work round the clock to bring you a finished product by the end of this month. There are no guarentees that you will be able to view the film in it's entirety until January of 2010 because I would really like for you to see it on a big screen but I can promise you that I will have a little taste for you with either a trailer or a teaser. Well I'm out. Gotta go print o these pictures for the final scene tomorrow.

Blog update by Jessica Carey

Well, my pre-production package is finally done for “Darkroom”, casting is underway and I think I can convince a few people to be brave enough to throw themselves in front of the camera and be my subjects of torture… yeah I’m directing… there is no escape whahahaha… but seriously I’m really excited!! This is my first project that will be shot on film. My plan is to have completed by the holidays so keep a look out for it soon! Well I know this is brief but I’m hard at work so I’ll keep everyone updated next week!

Blog 90! By: Yury Delatorre

This is going to be the fastest blog on earth! What should I talk about? Oh yea! The Yankees! How is it relevant?
For those who hate the Yanks, that’s not the point. The point is teamwork. No, I’m not holding a baseball bat in the middle of a meeting like Al Capone in, “The Untouchables”. On that same note (I think), well the Phillies too. They all worked hard together as a team to achieve the same goal. Yeah the Yanks won but the Phillies gave them a good fight (I’ll leave that opinion open…).
Who cares who’s better than whomever, throw the egotistical mindset away. Sticking together and having each other’s back is what helps climb higher. Well ladies and gents! Gotta go! Don’t stop the blog-car but I got to jump off though going 90 (mph)!

WriterScene Update- By:Cindy Sanabria

Howdy all,
Just wanted to write you guys and let you know the update on what's happening with WriterScene. Starting this Friday I will shoot my film short on 16mm. I am very excited. Working with a Bolex is awesome. The name of my film is titled "The Last shot" it is a thriller about a greedy photographer who will stop at nothing to get his prize shots for a rushed deadline. Obsessed with the misery of others, he finally gets a taste of his own medicine when he invades the wrong space. I am dedicating the whole weekend to shooting this piece. It is going to be a tedious project but I am completely stoked about it. Starring Carlos Morales as Joey the photographer, Isis Velazquez, Carlos Rivera, Ahmed Ziari, Roberto Larancuent, and of course all of the WriterScene members. This is the second film for a thriller/horror compilation I am putting together. It is part of a mind-bending series (The first is Haunted Red) The trailer will soon be posted on the site. But, if you are really anxious to catch a glimpse you can see it on my facebook or on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOT7CBz7liE
Enjoy. Wait to you see what I have in store for this series. I have plans to shoot four more next year. It will be a spine tingling treat.

Dexter Episode 6 - If I Had A Hammer

The serial killer we all know and love is back at it again in Season 4 but now he has a family to juggle along with his blood spatter analysis and serial killing hunt. Dexter pulls elements of love, family, violence, and self discovery into all of its episodes with this one as no exception. We begin by seeing how he needs to change his relationship with Rita now that they're married.
He finds himself aspiring to be more like his next target, the Trinity killer, who effectively masks his killer hobby with religion, charity, and a loving family. Compared to Dexter, he blends into the general public much better. As Dexter gets closer to Trinity, he gains the murder weapon and uses it to build a shed to keep his private belongings in the back yard.



Aside from the story line, Dexter has many small details that provide a stimulating visual. Using blood, weapons, and crime scene analysis to enrich the scene. One of my favorite scenes is the reenactment of the bludgeoning of Trinity's latest victim. The harsh red against the white background provide a lavish picture. I also enjoyed the extreme close up of Trinity and Dexter as they shake hands during their first encounter.


All in all Dexter provides some serious entertainment with some dark flavor. Tune in on Showtime on Sundays at 9.


-Sally Hassan

Stephen's rants and raves

Well folks I’m not doing blogs on Mondays any more. Sunday is now my day. So I’m going to take this opportunity to speak on subjects not related to things I hate like for example, my life, Mondays and those stupid Mohawk haircuts I see all the kids with. Instead I will just discuss my gripe with big name, American actors that can’t act their way out of a wet paper bag. First on my list is the enigmatic Keanu Reeves. Reeves is the perfect example of an actor that gets roles based solely on his looks. I’m not going to lie, he is a great looking dude and he has aged extremely gracefully from his role as Ted Theodore Logan on Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which subsequently has been the foundation for every role he has played since. Let’s face it the man has the range of a bent arrow being shot from a bow held by an autistic child. Despite his shortcomings as an actor he has managed to have an illustrious career. God Bless American Cinema.

The second actor that comes to mind is Ben Affleck. Granted he was “the shit in Phantoms”, but unfortunately all of his other roles did not have the same impact on the movie going public. Quite honestly I have 2 nicknames for Ben. One is Ben AssFlex since he is another actor that gets hired simply because of his pretty-boy status. The other nickname I so graciously bestowed upon him is “Movie Cancer”. I feel this is the more accurate name for him. I gave him that name after I saw Daredevil for the first time. I actually may mention that film again when I speak about directors who think they can direct. Ben has unquestionably lived up to these nicknames in such films as The Sum of All Fears, Paycheck, Armageddon, the list goes on and on. The only other redeemable role he played was that of George Reeves in HollywoodLand.

Last but not least is Nicolas Cage. I could write all day and night about how much Nick Cage sucks. In fact I believe I would have a literal heart attack if I ever had the opportunity to see that man play anything else other than Nicolas Cage in yet another precarious situation. The worse thing about it is he is so arrogant he thinks his old ass should play every comic book character that gets the chance to be on the big screen. On top of that, instead of playing the role he changes the character to his own specifications due to his lack of skill as a character actor. Now there are plenty more actors and I can discuss in the same vain but I think I will do that at the request of my readers.

My friends, I leave you with these words from Clint Eastwood “Every Man has got to know his Limitations”. Truer words have never been spoken