Hitchcock's Gift

Film School - Hitchcock's Gift

“Casting a Shadow,” at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Gallery in Beverly Hills, California in 2008, demonstrates Hitchcock creating a collective vision, shared by he and his colleagues.

Most notably on display is Hitchcock's gift for shepherding his collective vision, which the public knew as Alfred Hitchcock's, to the screen.

Featured in the exhibition is a sketch Hitchcock asked his production designer Robert Boyle to create, after reading Daphne du Maurier's novella “The Birds.” The drawing's style influenced the movie's tone and production design.

Boyle recalls spending most of his first discussion of the project, convincing Alfred Hitchcock that "The Birds" was an Alfred Hitchcock film.

I met Bob Boyle, and his wife Bess Boyle in 1979, in Seattle.
They were lovely people, and very encouraging and helpful.
Mr. Boyle gave me my first location scouting assignment. I hunted
an island setting, for what would have been Sir Alfred's last film.

Don't miss this exhibition, or you will stunt your film education!

Film School

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

British Director Mike Leigh @ 65

Film School - Mike Leigh

I've enjoyed Mike Leigh's films since I saw his Gilbert & Sullivan
feature, "Topsy Turvy." That was so satisfying, I had to look up
his other movies, and I'm hooked. Totally in awe of the man
and his formidable talent.

Mike Leigh is the pride of Berlin this week, because of his latest
film, "Happy-Go-Lucky." It's getting both audience raves and
critical nods, not an easy thing to do.

Mike's turned 65, giving us all hope that age
doesn't necessarily dry up the creative well.

In this article, he visits with Amy Raphael, about his
award-winning career, film school at the London Film
School, (as both student and instructor), and the
secret of his creative pessimism.

Film School

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved