This time of year is great for many reasons, but I especially love it because there are so many good movies… and since it’s awards season there are great copies of them available on the internet. I do pay for movies, don’t think I’m biting the hand that feeds, but I feel the need to see just about every movie that will be up for an oscar, and lord knows I’m not paying $9 for each of them.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a must see, it’s like Forest Gump 2.0 but really enjoyable and unique. Some of the visual effects were done at a studio that employs some friends, so that doesn’t hurt either. It’s the sort of movie that you could take your parents to, they’ll enjoy it just as much as you.
Valkyrie was alright, for a Hollywood movie it’s pretty accurate and Tom Cruise does a good job. Who ever casted Eddie Izzard as a Nazi is out of their mind though, I spent half the movie just wondering how the hell anyone could have thought he was a good fit. If you didn’t pay attention to any history class ever you’ll be held in suspense… OMG you mean Tom Cruise and an Executive Transvestite killed Hitler?!? But then again if you’re really leaning over to the person next to you to ask if they really did kill Hitler there are a few other movies in theaters that would entertain you.
Revolutionary Road was fantastic, it might just be my favorite movie of the year, although The Visitor is a tough movie to beat. DiCaprio is good but Kate Winslet definitely deserves an oscar for her performance. It’s directed by Sam Mendes, so you know it’s good, he’s the director of Road to Perdition and American Beauty among others.
Frost/Nixon was good, I can’t say that everyone will like it, you do have to be into history. The performances are good, and the Nixon impression looked dead on to me. Although I am twenty four years old and only remember the man’s funeral, so I’m probably not one to ask about that. The actual interviews were released on DVD a few months ago, I’ll have to buy (download) those too.
Gran Torino was a dissapointment. Eastwood is great, but the authentic (inexperienced) actors really brought it down. The plot is only ok, but Eastwood comes though with a great performance as a terrible racist and all around jerk… so it has that going for it. Eastwood’s character does drink a lot of PBR though, and there is some genuinely funny scenes between him and the young male supporting character.
The Wrestler was alright, the performances are the best part. It looks like balls, I don’t understand why directors settle for the look of video. You can shoot on video (which really isn’t much cheaper, that’s a myth) and still have a cinematic feel, there is no reason to just abandon all depth.
Defiance was just a normal movie, I’m not sure why I even downloaded it. Don’t waste your money… netflix it if you’re bored but it’s not really worth the price of admission at most theatres. Not Edward Zwick’s best work.
Slumdog Millionaire I’ve talked about, it was a good time.
The Visitor I’ve also talked about, it’s still my favorite of the year.
Doubt is the last movie I have yet to see that is getting Oscar buzz, there are no screeners so I’ve been trying to get to a theatre to see it, hopefully that’l happen this weekend. From what I’ve read the performances carry it, I’m not expecting to be blown away by the plot.
Go see some movies in the next few weeks, it’s not that expensive and there are some really great films out there.

All in all 2008 was a good year for me. I read an interesting article last week about how for just about anyone under the age of 70, this last year was probably the worst they had ever seen. The writer argued that all of the economic problems of the last twelve months added up to the worst year since 1938. Coupled with social unrest and the amount of violence in the world I might have to agree. I have no idea how most people can even begin to quantify that, but it does bring up and interesting point. I know so many people who are looking for work, those who had far less then the average American are now in an even worse situation and the world isn’t as peaceful as it’s been even in my short lifetime. I am however optimistic about the future, the economy will come back in time, new and more efficient ways can be implemented to help the world’s hungry and ending America’s own conflicts can only help to end others. There was a lot to be thankful for in 2008. I learned a lot at school, and am now in someways comfortable calling myself an artist. I can now support myself with my chosen profession. I no longer fear living alone or being without friends. I found something in a friendship that I never had seen before… I learned a lot about myself and how to deal with heartbreak. I learned that I miss my family more then I thought. I was able to begin to deepen my faith for the first time in a while. I’ve become a stronger, better person in the last year, I’m proud of that.

One of my roommates admitted yesterday that he has no idea what is going on with Isreal and the Palestinians. I shamed him but he didn’t care, I really don’t understand that mentality. We live in a democracy, that means that as a citizen you have to educate yourself to be able to participate in our own government. What’s happening now is the result of a terrible situation but I would really like to see our country take a firm stance against the sort of violence that is taking place. Raining down rockets indiscriminately is wrong, but so is destroying an entire neighborhood to kill one adversary. I’m not linking articles because you should know what I’m talking about. Honestly, if you don’t at least know there has been a rise in violence in the last couple of weeks you really need to shift your priorities, it only takes a few minutes to swing by cnn.com once and a while.

David Hildreth

I feel like I haven’t been in my own house, or slept in my own bed in a couple weeks. A few good weekends will do that to you I guess.
I got to go to Mexico last weekend and LA the one before. Mexico was a great time, Marco’s mother and step-father own a condo in Puerto Peñasco, what people around here call Rocky Point, and rent it out to tourists. Who knows how long Marco had been pitching the idea but he finally got permission to take a few friends down and stay for the weekend. It was crazier then most of my weekends but a lot of fun. To sum it all up I’ll just say that we ate toxic hot dogs, saw the sun set, walked on the beach, drank at a swim up bar, went dancing, saved Marco from some ugly girls, saw a prostitute that was probably a dude, got offered cocaine and then paid off some Federales. If you want the rest of any of those stories feel free to ask, it’s more fun to just give the headlines though :)
Photos from Mexico can be seen at the beginning of this album.
The weekend before we went west to see a friend who works at an effects house in Santa Monica and pickup some footage for a pilot Marco is helping out on. Five of us crammed into one car and made the drive friday night resisting the casinos in Palm Springs on the way. We navigated the maze of freeways and ended up in North Ridge at Demitre’s apartment. I wont tell you what he said he pays for the place, but the pictures below should give you a sense of how big it was… just imagine 6 guys sleeping there. That is one part about living in LA that wouldn’t be so awesome, although I’ve really warmed up to the idea of moving there. I don’t think I’m going any time soon and there are many places I’d rather go but as graduation gets closer the promise of work there seems better and better. Hearing stories about 80 hour work weeks, three hour commutes and less than lavish pay, doesn’t exactly excite me, but the projects you get to work on and the experience you gain sounds worth it.

I got some good news on tuesday, I’ve landed a steady editing gig for the next few months and maybe more. Freelance work as been harder to come by lately and the stability that this should bring will definitely keep me in Arizona for a while. The company produces concert DVDs for a well known heavy metal act and I’m going to be editing their next release. This should be a great opportunity to gain some more experience in film style editing and a chance to do some motion design and DVD work. I’d tell you more but while I haven’t signed an NDA yet they seem a bit squeamish so just know that it’s legit and I’m pretty excited about it.

I’m hoping this gig means some piece of mind about my near future and maybe will help to show that my decision to stay in town next year was a good one. There are many reasons I’m staying but this really helps validate it.

Recently I’ve been listening to more of The Beatles, everyone knows their singles but it had been a long time since I had really listened to a few of their albums. The last track of Abbey Road hit me hard about a month ago and inspired me to make something. It worked out that so I could turn it in as an assignment and it ended up good enough that it’l be seen on my reel. It’s an example of motion graphics typography, a style that has really become popular over the last few years. It can be seen in a recent batch of Ford truck commercials for example. This piece is set to Her Majesty, a track that wasn’t even suppose to be on Abbey Road. It was literally picked up off the cutting room floor… and it’s simple tune and complex words remind me of her.

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I’m cutting away on three new reels, I don’t have anything to post but I will shortly. My motion design reel will be the first done, the VFX reel is made up of projects not yet polished enough and my editing reel is just an idea, I have no idea what it will look like.

Take it easy, I’m taking it extra easy for a while.
David Hildreth

I’ve had half a dozen projects to do for the last ten weeks… and they all need to be done this tuesday. So I’m spending even more time then usual in front of an editor trying to get everything done.
The assignments are worth it, most will go directly on to my reel and what won’t is at least teaching me something.

This is an example of the sort of shot I’m working on. It’s just a generic piece of video shot a few years back, it would go on my reel if not for the dozens of other students that have done the same shot.

The first step is to key the screens, which isn’t too hard. There are places where you can’t exactly just do a one click key however, and a few small spots where you have to go in frame by frame and rotoscope. Secondly you have to track the shot, whatever goes into the monitors has to move with the camera. Third you have to make the video in the screens look like it’s on a TV and lastly I add some color correction so it doesn’t look so plain. None of those steps are really that hard, but they all are time consuming and tedious.
What I’ve got so far looks like this, it’s not done but it’s getting closer.

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Some of you might have heard about a promising interview I had week before last, I’ve got a follow up this thursday so we’ll see how it goes.

I might get to go to LA this next weekend. A friend of a friend is shooting something has invited him to be the FX supervisor. A few of us are going along and should be able to see our friends who are now working LA. I’ll post some pictures if it happens, hopefully I can find the money to make it work.

David Hildreth