thomasflight

AI in Film vs. Reality

“Science fiction is not predictive, it is descriptive.” -Ursula K Le Guin

I've been spending a lot of time testing out GPT-4, and trying to understand what it's capable of, and what implications it might have on society. Naturally, the emergence of the first AIs that are anywhere close to a kind of intelligence also has me thinking about some of the movies that have touched on AI. How...

My Favorite Performances of 2022

Here's a video on some of my favorite performances from last year (that didn't win awards).

Working on the Metamodernism video, and some other great stuff coming in April!

What Are The Banshees of Inisherin?

The Banshees of Inisherin is one of those movies that just kept unfolding with more nuance the more I dug into it. I think the movie operates more as a dialectic than a statement about it's themes, and so in this video I pose 5 questions about the movie, meant to dig into what it is exploring thematically.

I hope you enjoy!

The Art of Creating Worlds With Sound

Hi Patrons! Here's an early look at my first video for 2023. I was able to snag an interview with Mark Mangini, one of the most accomplished sound designers working today, who's worked on films like Dune, Blade Runner 2049, and Mad Max Fury Road, as well as many others (his credits on IMDB are extensive).

I shap...

My Top 10 Films of 2022

Here are my favorites from the year, out of what I've been able to watch so far! What have been your favorites this year? 

In Praise of Subtle Cinematography

I love bold, striking, beautiful cinematography, but I think just as effective and powerful can be the amazing subtler cinematography that doesn't get talked about as much.

In this video I highlight some of my favorite examples of how the less-noticeable aspects of cinematography can create meaning. 

Why Andor Feels So Real

I've really been enjoying Andor. It's probably my favorite thing of the post-Disney Star Wars material, and I had some thoughts about it that I wanted to share so I whipped up this video real quick in time for the finale. (This video is spoiler-free btw, so you can enjoy even if you haven't seen the show or aren't caught up). 

I'll have a video about subtle cinematography coming next...

In Praise of Subtle Performance

Big, intense performances are the ones that get a lot of the recognition and praise (often for good reason!). But a lot of my favorite moments of acting are tiny, subtle expressions. In this video I highlight the power of some of these subtler moments of performance, and acknowledge that talent is about much more than intensity. 

How Nope Tricks Your Ears

A dive into sonic ambiguity, the distinction between Terror and Horror, and the crucial role sound design plays in Jaws and Nope.

How Real is The Rehearsal?

Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal takes on a journey from Simulacra to Simulation, to a world of pure imagination.

What Makes Better Call Saul Better?

As one of my favorite TV shows draws to a close next week, I wanted to examine one of the elements that I think makes it so special: its mastery of visual storytelling. 

Why The Bear is So Intense

The Bear is one of my favorite shows to hit this year. It packs a lot of punch into a short running time. In this video I break down why I loved the show so much. 

The Terror of Everything Everywhere All At Once

In this video I explore once of EEAAO's central metaphors. What "the multiverse" has to say about the experience of being on The Internet."

This is one of my favorite films from this year so far. I hope you enjoy! 

Why Experimental Documentaries Matter (And Why I Made One)

I'm giving all my patron's early access to this video which will be public very soon. 

This video examines the overlooked and strange genre of experimental documentaries and what we can learn from them.

I also talk about the weird experimental film I made in 2020 Labyrinth Ion, and announce that it's now available for rental or purchase at 2022-06-08 18:33:30 +0000 UTC View Post

How Sound Propels The Batman (Fixed)

(Copyright issues fixed) I take a look at some of the cool ways sound design and mixing are used in The Batman to create unique effects and place us in the perspective of the characters. 

Martin Scorsese Said I Was Wrong?

In this video I explore what makes a valid interpretation of a film, and who gets to decide what a film means. How much does a director's intent matter? 

An Exploration of Atlanta's Afrosurrealism

Atlanta is one of my favorite shows on TV. Season 3 is off to a great start so I take a dive into why Atlanta is so strange. I was lucky to snag an interview with D. Scot Miller, who wrote the Afro-Surreal Manifesto in 2009. 

Why Dune's Editing Feels Different

I've been a big fan of Steve Hullfish's interviews with editors at The Art of The Cut. So I was excited to get the chance to partner up with The Art of The Cut to make this video about Joe Walker's editing in Dune.

In this video I give an overview of the distinction between "Continuity of Action" and other kinds of continuity, and how Joe Walker works within a "montage mode" of editing....

Examing The Ongoing Influence of German Expressionism

The Tragedy of Macbeth is an interesting film in that it very precisely revives a stylistic movement from a century ago. I start examining the film's connection to its German Expressionist roots, and in examining the topic realized that Expressionism has left a profound mark on film and TV and may even be making a resurgence. I hope you enjoy the video!

John Wick, Pig, and The Subtle Art of Revenge

Pig was unexpectedly one of my favorite films from 2021. In this video, I explore the film's philosophy and how it fits in with the recent spate of John Wick-style revenge thrillers it mimics.

The Absurd Intricacy of The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson heightened his style even further with The French Dispatch, a move some will love and some will hate. I examine some more elements of his style, building on my video "Why Do Wes Anderson Movies Look Like That?" as a I touch on the film's primary influences. 

How Paul Thomas Anderson Changed

I delve into a filmmaker who's work has always been a bit mysterious to me. Paul Thomas Anderson has had an interesting trajectory as a filmmaker, and his recent work is much more mellow and restrained stylistically. What caused this massive shift? And what's out the core of a PTA film no matter how he approaches it stylistically? 

Why Dune's VFX Feel So Different

In this video I take a look at Dune's VFX, and why they feel so grounded and realistic.

A lot of what I talk about in this video comes from interviews with Denis Villeneuve and different members of the VFX team, so if you're interested in learning more definitely check out some of these articles:

2021-11-16 15:22:04 +0000 UTC View Post

A Breakdown of Hans Zimmer's Wild Score for Dune

I dive into Hans Zimmer's wild Dune Score to try to figure out what makes it tick. 

The Succession Character That You Never See

Succession is back this week! It's one of the best shows on TV right now, and in anticipation of the third season, I made a video breaking down how the show uses subjectivity in its cinematography to craft a character of the camera that helps involve you in the drama of the show. 

The video is free from major spoilers, so even if you haven't watched Succession yet, I think you might ...

Why Omar Was The Heart of The Wire

Omar Little is the most iconic character on one of the greatest shows on TV. This essay examines the legacy of Omar, how the character's unique position within the show's structure, and an incredible performance from Michael K Williams made him great.