Synergy on film sets

Integral life has an interesting discussion about shared group dynamics and how they influence the quality of work on the screen.  It introduces the concept of emotional contagion that can positively or negatively influence how people work together on a scene in a movie.  I have experienced this in a meeting where a person is having a bad day and this will change everyones emotional state. 

The article also mentions coincidences where a movie and events of the times coincide like the "China Syndrome" and the Three Mile Island incident.  Another one not mentioned in the article was the timing of the movie "Wag the Dog" and Bill Clinton's initial response to terrorist attacks with cruise missles.  The response was seen as a distraction from other events as opposed to a straight forward response to terrorism.

In a positive vein, I have experienced flow when working on small video productions or stage productions. 

Wag the Dog movie poster

Scientists make Easter Island like statues walk

This is a video from an upcoming National Geographic PBS special on Easter Island.  They may have found one way for the statues to have moved from the quarry to the location on the island.  Ropes were used by a team of volunteers to walk the statues into place.  Jared Diamond in his book Collapse suggested that the statues were moved using timber logs. 

PBS - National Geographic special

Alternate theories

Stop animation from PBS National Geographic special

New title: A Very Convenient Truthiness

I am trying to redo a logline and  my movie title for my screen play with the working title of "The Singing Volcano".  The title has something to do with the movie but doesn't exactly make me want to go and see the movie.  I have been reading a screenwriting book,  Save the Cat by Blake Snyder.  He recommends getting the log line and the title down to help a producer determine what the movie is about and how much will it cost to produce. 

Logline idea:  During the presidential election of 2028, a reclusive geologist designs an experiment to cool the earth's climate. Now everyone wants to get to know him better including his high school dream girl who needs him to to fullfill her promise to change the world.

Titles: Beyond Out of Control         Hot Planet Cool Heads     Holy Crap!    World Changers

Earth Changers     Moment of Truth     Rough times on the Blue Rock  

I Only Wanted to Change the World      A Very Convenient Truthiness

These are the first set of titles Let me know what you think.  I like the last one because it contains a whimsical quality.

http://www.blakesnyder.com/

  

Multitasking at Twins Game

This is a video of a fan catching a foul ball while talking on a cell phone.  It is good to be prepared.

SB Nation Twins vs Phillis June 12, 2012

Video editing software

I first started video editing work with Windows Movie Maker. It did a good job of basic movie editing but it often crashed. I had similar issues with other software.

The movie editor with the Nero 11  works quite well.   I used it on the video below. 

Tutorials for Adobe Premiere Elements are available at this website. They cover the basics of video editing with this software. I have been playing around with the video merge and green screen effects.  The video below was shot in a hallway with white walls.  The background was a reverse field image of a loading dock.  One of the keys to making the merged shot work is holding the camera steady.  Otherwise the object in the foreground floats in space.