Matthew Buchanan

Jason Santa Maria: The second film in the Made by Hand...

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:11:48 +1300

The second film in the Made by Hand series, The Knife Maker, focuses on Joel Bukiewicz of Cut Brooklyn. Joel painstakingly makes beautiful knives by hand while breaking down the true meaning of craftsmanship: the people. Just two films in and this is one of the most inspirational series I’ve seen in a long time. Wonderfully shot and edited too.

Creative Review (via Peter Nidzgorski): Sir Paul Smith has...

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 10:00:00 +1200

Creative Review (via Peter Nidzgorski):

Sir Paul Smith has designed a series of four silk-screen posters to celebrate new movie Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, released later this month. … Smith collaborated with film’s director, Tomas Alfredson, in the early development stages of the movie, offering his insights on 1970s London. He advised on the mood, colour and photographic approach to take.

Freediver Guillaume Nery simulates a basejump underwater at...

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:57:00 +1200

Freediver Guillaume Nery simulates a basejump underwater at Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas. Fellow diver Julie Gautier filmed the footage, also on a single breath.

I missed posting this at the time: New Zealander William Trubridge won this year’s Suunto Dive-Off at the same location in late April. He dived to a world-record depth of 95 metres in the purest of the freediving disciplines, constant-weight with no fins. Full coverage is at Vertical Blue. (via Lee Majors)

From Digital Kitchen’s Vimeo account, behind-the-scenes...

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:38:00 +1300

From Digital Kitchen’s Vimeo account, behind-the-scenes and extended footage (NSFW) from the True Blood main titles shoot, which made use of 8mm, 16mm, handicam and HD footage.

The car ambush scene from Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian 2006...

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:02:00 +1300

The car ambush scene from Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian 2006 film Children Of Men was recently picked by Michael Harvkey as one of the ten best long tracking shots ever filmed (violence, language and spoiler warning).

It’s a riveting piece of cinema (although not without its detractors) that takes place almost entirely within the confines of a compact Fiat Multipla, custom rigged to within an inch of its life with an Oscar-worthy combination of tracks, swivel head and camera:

The car ended up being a special purpose car, built with a rig developed by Gary Thieltges of Doggicam Systems. It was piloted by a stunt driver lying near flat in front with space for another at the other end when driving in reverse. The car ‘shell’ was mounted to appear normal but with a complete rig overhead allowing the director and DOP to travel along above the actors.

What’s perhaps most interesting in light of Harvkey’s list is that despite appearances, the shot is actually an elaborate special effect, stitched together by the boffins at Double Negative from six takes filmed at four locations.

The rest of the list is worth a look too, with the work of Scorsese, Tarantino, Godard, Altman and Welles among the other picks.

Lots of bokeh in this great video for local band Artisan Guns’...

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:15:00 +1300

Lots of bokeh in this great video for local band Artisan Guns’ single Autumn, directed by Tim van Dammen and Tim Flower from Blur and Sharpen. (via Hayden Hunter)

Saman Keshavarz directs this visually arresting if bleak video...

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:01:00 +1300

Saman Keshavarz directs this visually arresting if bleak video for Cinnamon Chasers’ “Luv Deluxe”. It’s shot in the first-person, like that famous Prodigy video, using a face-mounted Canon 5D2.

New York 2008 by Vicente Sahuc. Filmed with a Casio EX-F1 at 300...

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:06:00 +1300

New York 2008 by Vicente Sahuc. Filmed with a Casio EX-F1 at 300 frames per second, but the secret to the slow, gliding shots is the one-two punch of roller skates and the Merlin Steadicam. (via Kris Lane)

Maria Konstantinov: For those of you who have not seen Let the...

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:13:00 +1300

Maria Konstantinov:

For those of you who have not seen Let the Right One In, I highly recommend that you do. As a person who usually avoids modern day vampire-centric films, this one seriously blew me away with its unexpected and genuine love story.

Loved this film. So restrained in the telling, beautiful to look at, and really more of a relationship story than it is a vampire tale. The two young leads were phenomenal, particularly Lina Leandersson.

Fifty People, One Question: Restored by Benjamin Reece....

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:38:00 +1200

Fifty People, One Question: Restored by Benjamin Reece. Don’t miss this. (via Darren Wood)