Episode 2 of Words Fail Me is now available
I released the second episode of my web series, Words Fail Me, today:
Episode 1 of my web series is now available
I released the first episode of my web series, Words Fail Me, today:
Words Fail Me will be released next week
The editing is complete and the episodes are ready to go. I’m really happy with the way things came out. Sure, there are spots where I look and think that something could be better, but overall I think it looks and sounds professional and that the actors all came through and most importantly, I still laugh after watching an episode for the 200th time.
In the next few days I’ll write up a more detailed account of how it was made on the blog.
Here’s the trailer again:
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
Such a funny movie. Great parody of the James Bond-type genre, like Archer meets The Pink Panther. I love anything with a bumbling French protagonist, one of my favorite characters to watch and play. Really beautiful composition and art direction too.
It sort of straddles the line between parody and satire — jokey enough to be a parody but with a definite message about Western ignorance in meddling with the Muslim world. And the chauvinism and “overt-but-playful-racism” (for lack of a better term) is so funny and done in a way that you know they’re making fun of it. And it’s distributed by Chicago’s own Music Box Films.
Smart, silly, and very funny. Highly recommended (Amazon // Netflix streaming).
Posted a full trailer for Words Fail Me
A comedy web series about desperate people in absurd situations.
New Short Film: My Last Fare
I shot this back in October 2013 and finally got around to editing it. Editing took a while because it was the first time I’d ever worked with a multi-camera workflow or a green screen. The discerning eye will notice some artifacts due to the green screen, ((Chroma keying (the term for working with a green screen) is pretty time-consuming and difficult for someone like me, whose knowledge of post-production visual effects comes from online tutorials.
I think the lighting of the green screen was a bit uneven as well, which may have made it impossible to get looking perfect, even for an experienced colorist.
Not to mention that the close-ups are shot on Canon 7Ds, which tend to produce artifacts when you shoot with them in low-light/high-ISO situations.
All of this is to say that sometimes a technical obstacle can turn out to be a happy mistake, if you embrace it.)) but I actually like the effect. My writing teacher (in whose class I wrote the original script) said that it gave it a Lynchian feel.
Watch the trailer for Words Fail Me, my new web series
Words Fail Me is a comedic series of portraits of self-involved and seriously flawed people who desperately need something from each other but just can’t find the right way to put it.
Set in Chicago, the series rolls up its proverbial sleeves to ask some questions you didn’t even think to ask: what do you do when you wake up to a new roommate, get extorted by your babysitter, or spill CIA secrets to the tamale guy?
The stories are written in advance and the dialogue is improvised by actors that Robert met while taking classes and hanging out at The Artistic Home theatre, as a way to give some serious actors with dramatic chops a chance to do comedy.
Production is by Hannah Welever (cinematography), Erin Turney (sound), and Erin Miller (production assistance). They are all very good at what they do and you should hire them if you need this sort of thing.
New RTTH Video: Ray Investigates Chicago’s Fire Hydrants
Investigative journalist Ray Hui of The Radio Television Theater Hour takes to the streets of Chicago to investigate fire hydrant vandalism.
Written and produced by Ray Hui, Katy Yeiser, Robert Carter, Ryan Natoli, and Erin Miller.
Hitchhikers
Two men have a strange encounter on a country road.
Written by Robert Carter
Directed by Josh Binder
Starring: Robert Carter, David Heeley, Bob Packo
Cameras: Josh Binder, Bob Packo
Sound: Jordan Binder
Edited by Mike Benson
Official Selection, 2012 Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Festival
Neighbors
Two neighbors find a creepy common bond. Produced by Cleanest Best Pleasure and Paper Star Entertainment. Cleanest Best Pleasure is Robert Carter, Spencer McCurnin, Derek Schleelein and Katy Yeiser.
Starring Spencer McCurnin and Robert Carter
Directed by Josh Binder
Shot by Mike Benson
Edited by Mike Benson
Sound by Jordan Binder