Lynne Ramsey: A Director Walks Away

Director Lynne Ramsey was a no show for the first day of shooting on Jane Got A Gun, an independent drama produced by its star, Natalie Portman.  I'm sure the majority of everyone in the mainstream audience has no idea who Lynne Ramsey is, nor would I expect you too.  She's a 1995 film graduate from UK's National Film and Television School.  She's made several short films but gained critical acclaim from an independent film starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly called We Need To Talk About Kevin.

 Now typically I wouldn't write about someone like Lynne Ramsey.  Word around the street is, she's a egotistical director whose very difficult to work with.  I don't normally write things like that because it sounds a lot like gossip, but when it comes from several different sources it tends to be true.  Why I am writing this you ask?  Well for a couple reasons.  One!  I'm someone who graduated from film school a year and a half ago whose aspiring to be a director.  Someone who leaves their crew high and dry on the first day of filming after everyone spent months planning on making a film, is just plain wrong.  No matter how stressed, angry, mad, bitter, or even stubborn you are, you just don't walk away.  Its like if Christopher Columbus decided to jump ship in the middle of searching for the new world, leaving the first mate in charge with no charts, compass, or any kind of navigation to find their way as he paddles back home.  You just don't do that.  Two!  As someone wanting to be in the business, it angers me when someone is given an opportunity and they flush it down the toilet.  I would love someone to call me and tell me, Hey, you wanna shot?  I would give it my all.  Lynne Ramsey took that and basically walked away.  I know there are two sides to every story and her side hasn't been told yet.  But whatever her side of it is, I seriously don't think it will be a valid reason to bail on everyone working on the film. 

After she didn't show, Jude Law left the role he took over after Michael Fassbender left due to a conflicting schedule from another film. 

Scott Steindorff, a producer on the film, had this to say about Lynne to Deadline:

“I have millions of dollars invested, we’re ready to shoot, we have a great script, crew and cast.  I’m shocked and so disappointed someone would do this to 150 crew members who devoted so much time, energy, commitment and loyalty to a project, and then have the director not show up. It is insane somebody would do this to other people. I feel more for the crew and their families, but we are keeping the show going on, directors are flying in, and a replacement is imminent.”

Gavin O'Conner, director of Warrior and Miracle, has stepped in to fill Ramsey's position and will begin as early as tomorrow.

In all honesty I hope that Lynne Ramsey gets no shot at doing another film in Hollywood.  At the moment, I'm in the process of doing my first feature.  It's not an easy task to create a film, it does take a lot of planning and dedication.  It also takes a crew of people to help you and a cast to bring it all to life.  I wish I did get a hand out to help in my project, but life isn't always so giving.  Hopefully I'll make it, but until then I'll just have to watch as others kill the opportunities given to them.

If anyone is interested in my project, please go to www.facebook.com/solitudefeaturefilm.

The Bible: Trending in Film.

Lately, news has struck on the coming of biblical films that are set to be filmed in the next couple years.  The first in the line of bible themed stories is Noah, a Russell Crowe starring vehicle based on the Ark building savior of all life on earth.  Of course the first real beginning to this spiritual road starts with the television docudrama airing on the History channel, simply named The Bible.  Produced by Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, The Bible is a collection of the most popular stories ranging from Moses to the life of Jesus.  News broke yesterday of Ridley Scott's plans on a retelling of Moses and his journey to free his people and bring Gods law to the land, and the possibility of Christian Bale in the lead role has brought much more attention to the project.  Warner Bros. is also planning a film on the life of Moses with the working title Gods and Kings.

So what brought on the sudden trend of stories told from the Bible to be made into feature films?  Its been decades since we've seen a film in theaters based on any story in the Bible.  There have been made for television mini-series that did little to peak the interest of the masses, and the Bible seems to be least popular today than it was twenty years or so ago.  If you look at the best selling book of all time though, you'll see great tales of action, suspense, drama, and love.  Every story has a great lesson to learn and a beautiful message to be told.  Anyone would be a fool not to dive back into those stories and put a modern touch to a beloved chronicle of the makings of a religion.

The History Channel has been doing well with telling stories of our history, all beginning with there first miniseries Hatfields & McCoys.  Now, The Bible, a docudrama that premiered a couple weeks ago, is setting ratings records and showing everyone that there is still a massive audience for these kinds of stories.  Every ten years or so we walk into new territory or dust off what we once loved.  The dawn of the comic book movie broke records at the turn of the century and is still going strong, maybe the Bible is next in line, but its still to soon to tell.

New Art.

I've recently picked up the welder and torch again, slowly building things and making a small inventory so I can sell the things I create.  My first creation, a rose made from left over scrap metal from a 55 gallon drum and a wire shelf.  What do you guys think?

 

 Check out my website at LivingstonOden.com and also go to www.facebook.com/solacefeaturefilm to check out updates on my first feature film.