Anthony J. Merced

Almost six months ago, I came up with a new plan. College was well over a year behind me and I was about to turn 25. Up until that point, I had been shooting projects as they came to me. None of which were particularly memorable but each one was a learning experience. The next logical step was to jump into the deep end of the pool. I decided to make a feature length film.

By making this decision, I accepted two undeniable truths. The first was that I would make no money. In fact I would be losing quite a bit of money. None of which would have gone to good use anyway. Had I not put it towards my cinematic pursuits, they probably would have gone towards beer and video games. The second truth was that this wasn’t going to be an easy task. I would have to not only be the writer and director, I’d also have to be the producer.

This means I both love and hate myself. The artist in me wants to do anything possible for the film but the producer in me wants to make sure I don’t exceed what’s in my own means. So far this has been the hardest part of making the film. The writing was frustrating at times but definitely fun. Sometimes I delayed that just to keep having fun. Once all of that is done, the producer hat goes on and filmmaker suddenly becomes more work than fun. I understand that it is a necessary evil. Filmmaking is not something that is cheap. Even in today’s digital era, making a film can run the everyday man a small fortune (or what he believes is a small fortune).

I do understand that most of the costs are going towards investment equipment. Lighting, tripods, stock, slates, filters, and every other little thing on the “buy” list will only be on the “buy” list once… hopefully. Next year, the feature budget should be a lot cheaper since most of this equipment will already be in my possession. Not to mention the fact that next year’s film will most likely need a lot less in the way of special effects. Unfortunately the light at the end of the tunnel seems very far away. Part of this feeling has to do with how many hours I’ve been putting into the film at the moment. However, as we approach the first shooting day, I feel like a climber standing at the bottom of Mount Everest.

Luckily, I’m working with a competent and fun group of people. Many of who keep my nerves in check just by their willingness to be a part of the project. So far each one of them has taken a piece of the load willingly and happily. As we approach Memorial Day weekend, I’m sure my nerves will get worse and worse. However, once it is all over we will have something special in each of those small tapes. Until then, I’ll just continue to worry.

This took a lot longer to complete than I originally expected. I’ve been caught in the middle of rewriting my own movie and being lazy. Luckily, for now, I’ve put the script down and found the time to return to my blog. So, its time to finish off my Top 10 list. Before I do so, lets look back at my picks:

10. Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe)
9. Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola)
8. American Graffiti (George Lucas)
7. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz)
6. Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)
5. Star Wars (George Lucas)
4. The Godfather (Francis Coppola)
3. Metropolis (Fritz Lang)

Number 2: Citizen Kane (1941) dir. Orson Welles

While Orson Welles will be remembered mostly for his shockingly real delivery of the War of the Worlds radio broadcast, it is Citizen Kane that brought him acclaim as a visual artist. It is a film that he wrote, directed, and starred in. While this may not seem as impressive when so many others do it today, very few have done it with as much critical or artistic success.

To tell the story of Citizen Kane is to tell the story of early failure. Originally, RKO hired Orson Welles to adapt the Joseph Conrad novel Heart of Darkness. Unfortunately, the cost of such a production forced the studio to cancel the project. As a replacement, Welles offered a project he had written. Citizen Kane was based on several successful businessmen of an earlier era as well as Welles own family history. William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper publisher, is seen as being the biggest influence on the character. So much so that a great deal of controversy surrounded the film upon its release.

Why is Citizen Kane so deserving of its praise? It has as much to do with its influential cinematography as much as it has to do with its storytelling. The movie is about the life of a man told through stories from his friends. There are ellipsis in the story that leave the audience to create its own opinion on the character. The film’s use of high contrast, early deep focus, and detailed make-up helped to open new ways of storytelling. The safer days of 30’s film making was slowly replaced with newer dynamic techniques. Citizen Kane helped to usher in such advances.

Unfortuantely, the movie was not a financial success. Its release was mired by political controversy and even banned at certain theaters. It never made its 700,000 dollar budget back during its first release. It wasn’t until the 1950’s and the French New Wave film movement that the Orson Welles classic received a new lease on life. Film critics such as André Bazin wrote about how Citizen Kane ushered in the modern era of cinema. Eventually, it made its return to art house cinema houses where its popularity grew. Today it is considered one of the best American films ever made.

Number 1: The Wizard of Oz (1939) dir. Victor Fleming

I place this movie at the top of my list for several reasons. The first being that it is one of my earliest cinematic memories. I watched the film on VHS when I was 5 years old, falling in love with its fantastic story and colorful world. My second reason being that The Wizard of Oz effectively killed what was left of silent cinema and took the big leap into the world of color. 1939 is considered Hollywood’s greatest year. Not only did The Wizard of Oz push three strip Technicolor to its limit, but the critical success of Gone With the Wind meant that it was hear to stay.

Oddly enough, The Wizard of Oz was not a box office success. It made its budget back but was not the smash hit that it was expected to be. This was coupled with the fact that the production ran over budget and was one of the most expensive films ever made in its time. Four directors stepped in adding their own unique visions to the project. The most notable changes came from George Cukor, who removed Judy Garland’s blond wig and heavy make up. While he was only on set for a short period of time, his changes would be noticeable in the film’s final product. Victor Fleming carried on during most of the shooting only to leave to settle issues on the set of Gone With the Wind. King Vidor finished filming and was originally slated to be given directorial credits. He turned it down, allowing Fleming to take top billing. However, Vidor’s shooting would lead to one of the most memorable cinematic sequences as he directed Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow.”

In the end, it was cinema’s arch-nemesis, television, that gave The Wizard of Oz the rebirth it desired. In 1956, CBS showed the film in color garnering 45 million viewers. Several years later it was shown again as part of a Christmas package. It garnered even more viewers leading to it being an annual staple of the CBS Christmas programing season. VHS and DVD has also helped to continue its legacy.

I tend to point to this film anytime anyone asks what made me want to become a filmmaker. It speaks loudly of the formative years of cinema, a time when anything was possible. In an era where risk is considered unnecessary, The Wizard of Oz shows that cinematic conformity does nothing but allow an art form to become stale.