Author: srupnow2

Over the course of this semester, we’ve been through a lot. This blog has been a pretty steady thing among all of the chaos and today I’m going to review the progress it has made.

What would I want to improve or include within my site?

I would like to make the blog more broad. I know its already pretty broad in aspects of movies but, I would to build it up. Include more about my life and my process of getting into the movie industry.

How could I have better promoted my content?

I think that I promoted my content as best as I could, but I definitely need to become more active on twitter. Before this blog and class I never used the app, so I didn’t have much of a following.

What was my best experience of this semester-long project?

Being able to use this blog as a creative outlet, mainly to bring some movies I love into light and hopefully help others appreciate movies as much I do.

In what ways could the experience benefit me in the future?

I think that this blog will benefit me in the future for many reasons. The biggest being the ability to apply this to my resume for future employers. They will be able to look at the website and see my progress and work I’ve done in the past.

Overall, social media has implemented the blog immensely. The stats werent very surprising for a small blog like mine but I was very happy with the outcome! Based off the stats given to me by WordPress here are some statistics of the growth and views:

Most popular week: February 17th-23rd; 115 views & 84 visitors. Most popular post: “The movie everyone should watch once…“; 82 views. I think it was the most popular post because of the art I included with it. The picture was very eye-catching and I’m very passionate about the movie so readers could probably see that in the writing.

Review time! Instead of a movie, we will be going over a blog which does that for us!

Oh! That Film Blog is a movie review blog run by Amy Andrews. The blog dates back to December of 2012 and has gained a handful of followers. There are a LOT of reviews to read.

The website layout is pretty self explanatory, straight to the point. There are A-Z lists of reviews, with the most recent on the home page. One aspect I wish the blog included was a list based on genre, for the reason that it would be an easier way to find a specific movie.

As for the reviews, they are mainly straight to the point along with some personal commentary, which I think adds a personal touch to them obviously. Andrews provides other factual information into the reviews such as; awards, background of the movie and makes connections to other movies. So basically checks everything off the list to a great movie review.

Andrews also includes her Letterboxd account, which is a key website for film nerds. It is essentially a web page and app that allows you to keep track of and rank movies you have/wish to see. I also have included mine in my blog!

Overall, I think the blog is great and will definitely be referring back to it in the future. It’s somewhat hard to come across such a wide based, long running blog like this. There’s a need for blogs like this because most people (myself included) mainly stick to one path of movies, and she has a thick waistband of movies to read about. I highly suggest it!

This blog is going to be slightly different from my previous ones because I’m going to talk about how to “get started” in the world of movie making. Whether that be recording videos on your phone or going all out with a camera and crew.

This is my how-to guide to amateur film making from my friends, a professional and myself.*

*take all advice with a grain of salt since not all of us are as qualified as the rest.

First off we have my long time friend, Alex Curnutt! Alex has produced multiple films both independently and with me (one of which being my SXSW film linked on a previous blog)!

He told me that, “I [Alex] think something useful to know if you’re wanting to get into the film making industry, or wanting to make films, is just knowing movies. I think it’s so important to see what the greats have done, how they went about it and how they chose to tell their stories. I mean can anyone just whip up some insane movie out of no where? No. I believe it all comes from our inspirations and what we choose to do with them.”

Devin Holloway, another long time friend, who has won an award at the Adobe Creative Jam Contest with a short film he produced also had some input.

He suggested that, “its always a good idea to know the equipment you’re working with, whether that be on a set or making videos on your own, because the more knowledge you have about sound/video recording devices the more creative freedom you will have.”

I also have had the privilege to not only interview Porter Farrell, an actual movie director, but I have received the opportunity to be a production assistant on set of one of his upcoming films.

When discussing aspects of the movie industry he told me about his experience and that movies are the hardest art to get into because if you’re not patient, you wont make it.

He also told me about his top 2 movies everyone needs to watch: Animal House and Casablanca. He went into depth about each telling me key factors for each.

Animal House: “It had an incredibly small budget but it told the story well and had good actors. They made it work.” He then exclaimed about how the defining factors to film making are almost entirely the script and the actors.

Casablanca: “Well, it is considered one the greatest movies ever, there was an amazing cast and the screenplay was out of this world. The dialogue is amazing,” is what he told me about it.

With that, you should have a good basis for getting started in the movie making hobby along with some homework from Mr.Farrell. Now with the advice from amateurs and professionals, it starts with the pursuit and the passion.

As for my advice, I give you this: no matter what equipment, crew (or lack of), money or strange ideas you have, just to try it. Whether that be writing a script or just taking videos and making something random, to YOLO it (as I would say). If you have an interest/drive to do it, what the worst that could happen? If all else fail, just look up how-to videos on YouTube.

With all my love, Skyler Rupnow.

Ari Aster is a somewhat new director to Hollywood and has gained popularity as of recently with his movies Hereditary and Midsommar.

Although these two movies are greatly different and “have no connections intentionally,” as claimed by Aster in an interview with Bloody Disgusting. There still many connections and provide a view into his individual characteristic of movie making.

No matter which movie you begin with, as you watch, you will see clear relations back to each other.

For example, there is a strong portrayal of cults, nudity and mental illness. Although these things seem to be strong emotional bares on their own, the way Aster incorporates each characteristic varies and promotes a unsettling, almost dirty, feeling after watching.

The best way I can describe the movies, independently and as a pair, is that they make you want to take a shower after. They leave you feeling confused and unhinged.

One defining factor of his film style that I’ve noticed, is greatly inspired by Wes Anderson, another very well known director, with very wide distinct shots (especially in Midsommar). For both movies, confusion is a strong emotion provoked for both the characters and the audience. Aster has stated that he intended to confuse the watcher, as if he wanted us to be in the dark as much as everyone in the movie.

Although Aster is a relatively new director in the public eye, his work so far is very promising. I think that his way of movie making has set a new standard or defining aspect to world of movies, especially horror. I look forward to his future work and which direction it takes.

Grab your popcorn and your tissues because Lady Bird will give you a new perspective of the world you live in and leave you in tears.

First of all, this movie is just out right good. Even if you don’t gain anything from watching it, it’s entertaining. But especially, someone like me, being a young adult and just emerging to the real world alone, it had a bit of an impact.

On that note though, I think that no matter your age, it could possibly do the same for you. It gives great appreciation to little things such as, hometowns, family and even sex.

Although it’s a “coming-of-age” type of movie, I can assure you its not the cringe 2000’s kind you’re thinking of. The basis of the story line is about a young girl transitioning from high school to college while encountering struggles of boys, friends and her family.

The reason I think this movie is so crucial to, not only the beginning of this blog, but also to you is because of the effect it makes on your perception of the world around you. Now, at first you may watch and think “Skyler, this is just like any other coming of age movie,” but then you go out and drive around your town and then you’ll know.

Its a transcending feeling when it happens, almost as if you’re in the movie itself. The world you’ve lived in, mentally mapped and stored away into a shelf of your mind, turns on and a recognition of little things stand out: roads, trees, playgrounds, parking lots you’ve sat in and the list can go on.

All in all, if you do watch the movie, I hope you like it but more so I hope you get the same feeling I got from it. Ladybird has a special place in my heart and I hope to give it a place in yours as well.

With all my love, Skyler Rupnow!

Hello! I’m Skyler Rupnow, a college student, here to talk about and review some films I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy! Although I’m not a film expert or anything, I’d say that I know a thing or two about a good movie. So, welcome to my endeavor into of the world of film!

Why movies you ask?

Well, through my high school career I bounced around on ideas of what I wanted to do with my life, not knowing what was right path for me, until a class sparked my interest. Audio/Video! From that point on the world of the movie industry and how it work amazed me – which led me to where I am today. Majoring in Electronic Media at Texas State University with the pursuit of working in the sound industry of movies!

Since high school I’ve worked on of multiple short films one being for the SXSW festival in Austin, TX (which unfortunately didn’t make it in) and will be working on set of a major motion picture in the upcoming year!

Who is the blog for?

Anyone and everyone! I hope to appeal to a wide variety of people in order to share not only my love for movies but ideas around the topic as a whole. For example, the best ways to enjoy a movie, movies I recommend and even ways to start to make movies/short films!

Be sure to follow me on other social media platforms to have notifications of blog post uploads!