Behind the Scenes at Eye On Campus

Hello again everyone, sorry it's been so long since I updated you guys on anything, school has been quite hectic. However, I have returned to give you guys a look at the production set I've been working on over the last few months.

I mentioned back in October that I've been working on the set of a production called Eye on Campus, a news show that features stories that involve the University of Windsor. These episodes get aired on TVCogeco, however, if you don't live in the Windsor area, you won't be able to watch them.

Because of that, I'm giving you guys a behind the scenes look at the show, so you can see what it's like for us on set. I hope you enjoy.

Special Holiday Wednesday Review on Monday: Ghostbusters

Hey everybody, I’m here with a special movie review in light of the holiday season! Today, being Halloween, I’ve decided to post my Wednesday Review today instead, and it’s something, though not a Halloween film, but I find fits the mood perfectly. A film starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis. The one. The only. GHOST BUSTERS!

Ghostbusters Title Card

He slimmed me.

Review after the break. 

Wednesday Review: Clue

What’s that you say? You’re reviewing a board game this week? What is this madness?! Well allow me to fill you in. The popular board game Clue was so popular that in 1985 Parker Brothers decided to let Paramount Pictures make a movie about it! Now, how will this be an entertaining movie you ask? Well let me show you a few cast members. Eileen Brennan, Christopher Lloyd, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, and none other than Tim Curry, among others. The film is a comedy murder mystery, with three different endings (kinda like how the board game always has multiple endings). Anyway, the film is hilarious so let’s get on with the review!

Clue title card.

End credits cards.

Review after the break. 

Production Update (Watch My Show!)

Hey guys, remember back in August when I said I was going to be working on a production set that would appear on TV? Well, I've been pretty quiet about it since (mostly because there isn't much to talk about it) but I finally have some news for you guys! Tomorrow night, Tuesday October 18, 2011, at 8:30pm, and again Wednesday October 19, 2011 at 9:30pm, Cogeco TV will be airing the first episode (at least that I've worked on) of the show I've been working on. For those of you in the Windsor area, you can tune into Cogeco TV (I have no idea what channel that is, I don't have TV at home) to watch Eye On Campus, a TV segment about the events of or related to the University of Windsor. I know it's not much, but hey, my work is on TV! So please check it out if you can. For those of you who cannot tune in for it, I'll be providing a link to our website as soon as I can where you should be able to watch the episodes (unless I've been lied to).

Wednesday Review: The Nightmare Before Christmas

This week’s review is an old Christmas classic (I know it’s the middle of October, but hey, this is what I’m supposed to be watching for class) The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Nightmare Before Christmas  is a claymation Tim Burton film, and if you study films, specifically directors, you’ll know that they tend to have a certain style that they do a lot because they’re good at that style. The Nightmare Before Christmas  is a prime example of something that Tim Burton does very well in his own unique manner (not saying that claymation is unique, just saying his way is unique). Oddly enough, however, Tim Burton is not the director of this film (contrary to popular belief) because Burton was busy with another film project at the time (Batman Returns ) however he did remain on as a producer.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Title Card

I’m sure many of you have seen the film, but for those of you who haven’t, allow me to give a brief synopsis of the film. Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town (I guess this review kinda fits for the month, Halloween is only a couple weeks away) is tired of doing the same thing every year. He then discovers Christmas Town and decides that he wants to run Christmas this year and tries to get all the other ghosts and ghouls into it. And of course Oogie Boogie is there to get in the way of him. So enough of this, and on to the review!

Review after the break. 

Wednesday Review: Pan's Labyrinth

This week’s Wednesday Review is a film that’s right up my alley for film genres. This week I’ll be covering the film Pan’s Labyrinth. Set in Spain of 1944, a girl escapes the fascist country into a world of fantasy. Now, I’ve never seen this film, but I hear it’s brilliant. I do however know that it is in Spanish with English subtitles, so I’ll be reading the movie instead of watching it, which I never like because it takes my attention away from the film itself. But there is not much I can do about it so I’ll just jump right into the movie now.

Pan's Labyrinth Title Card

Review after the break. 

Wednesday Review: Dazed and Confused

Hey guys, I’m back with Wednesday Reviews! In one of my classes this semester we watch a movie every week, so I’ll be providing a review for each movie we watch. Not only will I be doing my school work, I’ll also be giving you guys some insight into more of a variety of films that I would otherwise not be reviewing. So let’s begin my new set of Wednesday Reviews!

This week I’ll be reviewing the film Dazed and Confused, a Comedy Drama set in 1976 about a group of high school students on the last day of school and going out with a bang. Most of the names on the cast and crew list are nameless faces to me, so I don’t really have any idea what this film will be like, I also know nothing about the film as I’ve never seen it myself (though from what I’ve gathered so far from reading about it there will be a lot of drugs, alcohol, and sexual themes throughout the film). So I’ll jump right in here and get started.

Dazed and Confused Title Card

Review after the break.

I'm Bad At This: No Review Again

I almost forgot to update my blog again today for Wednesday Review. Unfortunately I must inform you that there will be no review again this week. I have mostly gotten over my illness, but have somehow managed to make myself quite busy over the last few days to have time to sit down and write a review. I do not foresee my schedule getting anymore free in the time to come as school will be starting again next week.

So for now I say this, I'll post a review on Wednesday's whenever I get the chance, though it may not be a weekly thing due to my renewed busy schedule during school months. However I will once again be working on production sets and new films, so I hope my updates from those will be more than enough to make up for the lack of reviews.

No Review This Week Again

Sorry for all this, but I'm still sick and have been feeling rather sluggish so there will be no review this week again. However school is starting up again soon, so my blog should become busy with news and films. Hopefully next week I'll be up for writing another review.

No Review This Week, Future Film/Production News

Hey guys, I'm not posting a movie review this week. I've been pretty sick with this death cough thing for the last couple weeks and I haven't been feeling up to working on a review. Despite the fact that there is no review, I do bring news of future projects.

I wanted to film a movie this summer but was unable to get a full cast, so it doesn't look like that'll be happening. However, if I can get a full cast in the fall then you can expect a film around then. On another note I'll be working on a production team at my school that features shorts stories that will air on TV. You can expect me to update my blog with information on the production as it's happening.

Wednesday Review: The Mighty Ducks

Ah childhood, how I miss thee. When the most one had to worry about was getting your homework done and making sure you didn’t touch girls because you’d get cooties. We’d spend our free time indoors playing video games, or outdoors playing various sporting activities. During the winter season hockey was the sport us kids played, nothing as good as a good old game of puck. And what was more inspiring for a group of hockey playing kids than a movie about a group of hockey playing kids that won the Pee-Wee Championships. The Mighty Ducks and its sequels were always movies I enjoyed to watch while I was growing up, so today’s review will be of the first movie in the series.

The Mighty Ducks title card.

Review after the break. 

Wednesday Review: School of Rock

This week I’m reviewing a film from a few years back called School of Rock.  It’s a film starring Jack Black, who plays Dewey, a failed musician that decides to be a substitute teacher, in place of his friend, at an elementary school where he gets them together to form a musical group for a Battle of the Bands contest he wants to enter. It’s a fun film with, surprisingly, a lot of educational information on music and musical history. It’s a different style and genre that I usually review, so I’m going to have to think a little differently on this one. Anyway, he’s the review, enjoy.

School of Rock title card.

Here's the song they play at the end of the film, for a taste of the music in the film:

Review after the break.

Wednesday Review: The Borrowers

This week’s review is of a film I’ve never heard of until yesterday called The Borrowers. The film was made in 1997 by some company I’ve never heard of called Polygram Filmed Entertainment. Maybe it’s big over in the UK? I dunno. Well anyway, I had two reasons for deciding to watch this film. The first, it has a good cast of familiar and talented actors, the second, it reminded me of the 1980s cartoon called The Littles. Apparently both of these are based off of books ... figures. So I have no idea what this is going to be like, so on with the review!

The Borrowers title card.

Review after the break.

New video uploaded: Gollum Impression

I uploaded a video of myself doing my Gollum impression. I hope you enjoy it.

Wednesday Review: Constantine

This week’s review is another movie I have never seen, so once again I am unable to provide a synopsis of the film to start the review. This week I’m reviewing Constantine, a film based off a DC/Vertigo Comics series Hellblazer. The film sparked my interest because I recently read a comic book with Constantine as the leading character, so I thought I’d take a look into the character’s story by watching the film (of course, we all know how crudely films are adapted from books, but the film will suit my interest). So anyway here’s the review.

Constantine title card.

Review after the break.

Wednesday Review: Up

This week’s review is of a movie I have never seen before so I can’t give one of my proper opening account assessment of the film this time. This week’s review is of the Disney-Pixar film, Up. I hear this film is really sad ... something about a dead wife wanting to fly balloons or something ... I dunno. Well anyway, let’s get started then shall we?

Up title card.

Review after the break.

Tweeting Tuesdays?

So I spent my Friday night watching The Sandlot 2, and I was tweeting away while doing so. I enjoyed tweeting about the movie to my followers while watching it, however, I do not know if they enjoyed the continual tweets. So here's my question, would you be interested in reading my tweets about a movie as I'm watching it? I feel like I should start "Tweeting Tuesdays" or something, where I just tweet my thoughts about a movie to you guys, where you will be able to respond to me while it's happening.

I'll be doing this in addition to my weekly Wednesday Reviews. And both will be on different movies, so more movies to hear about.

Wednesday Review: Thunderpants

Well after all this time I figure it’s about time I review a movie I hate. Today’s feature: Thunderpants. “Thunderpants?” you say? Sounds oddly humorous. Well it’s not. But it was made, so maybe some idiots out there enjoy humour that requires zero brain power. Or maybe only people who are stoned out of their minds would find it funny. Either way, this film isn’t funny. Nor is it good in any other way. I once watched it and decided that I’d recommend to everyone NOT to watch it. And here’s why.

Thunderpants Title Card.

Allow me to sum up the plot in one paragraph. Patrick Smash (henceforth known as “Farting Kid”) is constantly farting. There is never a moment when he is not. This drives his father away from home and causes all people at school to hate him because he smells; everyone except Ron Weasley who is a super genius who can’t smell. So Ron Weasley invents Thunderpants, pants that absorb the smell. Then he decides to take the pants one step further and invents Thunderpants 2, a flying machine powered by Farting Kid’s farts. Then some guys in black suits take Ron away and Farting Kid travels the world with some opera dude to find him, only to end up accidentally killing someone with his farts, then being put on death row, then being hired by the USSC to fly Thunderpants 3 to a satellite with his farting, because those men in black suits where American governments agents who hired Ron Weasley to make a spaceship powered by farts. So Farting Kid farts his way up to the satellite, saves the people there, and lives out his dream of becoming an astronaut. The end. Yes, it may sound funny now. But I promise you, in a right state of mind, you will find almost nothing funny in this film.

Review after the break.

Wednesday Review: Hook

This week’s review is a favourite from the childhood, a Disney classic, and a story about a beloved factional character. Hook!  Okay, the beloved fictional character isn’t Hook, it’s Peter Pan, but the movie is Hook!  Well, I suppose Hook could be the beloved fictional character too ...

Anyway, Hook  is a story about a grown up Peter Pan who’s left Neverland, married Wendy’s granddaughter, had kids, and forgotten all about Neverland and what he had learned there. Then Hook shows up and takes his kids so Pan will go back there and face him one last time. So let’s begin shall we?

Hook title card.

Review after the break.

Wednesday Review: Green Lantern

Due to time constraints with my mom’s broken hip and me helping around the house all the time. I don’t really have time to sit down and write up a full review here. So instead I’ll just write down my thoughts (at least what I remember) on the new film Green Lantern. Since it is brand knew I’ll leave out any major spoilers and just comment on generic things about the movie.

Let’s begin by explaining that I’m a big fan of the Green Lantern. The character is one of my favourite superheroes of all time, and Hal Jordan is my favourite Lantern. So I was hoping this film would do the characters and stories justice. But, as with all adaptations, I will do my best to ignore the fact it’s an adaptation and just look at the film as a film itself.

Review after the break. 

Sherlock stars reunite on another film!

Remember that Sherlock Review I wrote a few weeks back? Well it's being reported that Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor who plays Sherlock Holmes in the series, will be providing the voice of the dragon Smaug in Peter Jackson's two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.

It has been previous known for many months now that the actor who plays Watson, Martin Freeman, will be playing Bilbo Baggins. Looks like the two get to work together on another project.

Wednesday Review: A Goofy Movie

So my review this week is a special review. Why you ask? Simple. Because I’ll be reviewing A Goofy Movie, which is my favourite movie of all time. This will also mark the first time I’ve reviewed a cartoon movie, so things will be a little different, especially since it stars the lovable character Goofy Goof (known for pulling off outrageously ridiculous feats). A Goofy Movie came out in 1995 and is a classic love story about a boy who likes a girl and wants to impress her, however his goofy father bumbles along and gets in the way. The film stars the voice talents of Bill Farmer (Goofy), Jason Marsden (Max), Jim Cummings (Pete), Rob Paulsen (P.J.), and others.

Fact: I’ve watched this movie so many times I can quote the entire movie and give you a layout of what’s happening in each shot. Enjoy the review.

Title card for A Goofy Movie

Review after the break.

Bad News, Bad News, and More Bad News.

A few days ago I had promising news of a new film in the works. Unfortunately that will have to be shelved for an undetermined amount of time.

Unfortunately, my mom broke her hip, so I will be returning home to help around the house until everything gets in order. I have no idea how long I will be away, but as soon as I get back to Windsor I'll jump right back in to getting a team ready for filming. Hopefully I'll be filming in July and we'll see a final product in August.

However, one good thing is that I have decided to move forth on filming with my new Sherlock Holmes film, a sequel to the one I made in high school. Based on the length of the script, we're looking at a 40min film, it'll be my biggest project yet, and I hope it will test my skills as a filmmaker.

I will also do my best to continue writing Wednesday Reviews. Though, I apologise in advance if they neither come on Wednesday's nor every week. I will be busy helping my mom for a few weeks, so my time towards an projects may be limited.

No Review, Possible Film in Works

Well folks, I have some good news and some bad news.

For those of you who enjoy my weekly Wednesday Reviews, I will, unfortunately, not be writing one this week as I have been to sick to do much of anything. If I am feeling better I may write it later in the week, if not, then next week.

However, the good news for everyone is that I am in talks with setting up a production team for a new film (or more) for this summer. No details yet, but hopefully one of my ideas in the post Summer Film Ideas will be made this summer. I'll keep everyone posted.

Wednesday Review: Sherlock

Today’s review will be on a show I discovered a few months ago called Sherlock, about a modern day Sherlock Holmes solving mysteries around London, England. The show has only run for one season, with the second currently in production. The reason I’m reviewing a show and not a movie this week is simple: Sherlock is more like a series of TV movies rather than a TV show. The first season contains three episodes, each an hour and a half long, roughly the length of an average movie. Sherlock gives a nice modern twist to all the characters from the novels. If one were born in the 20^th Century, one would act differently than if they were born in the 21^st Century. So changing the characters around to fit the time period makes some sense as well as makes for an interesting watch. So here’s my review of the first episode; A Study in Pink.

Sherlock title card.

Review after the break

Wednesday Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the first of three pretty awesome movies from the early 90s (third one could have been better). As you will know, CGI effects were non-existent at that time so the turtles were actually guys in rubber suits, with Splinter being a Jim Henson puppet. I personally think that those costumes are way better than the CGI stuff nowadays, but maybe I’m just a fan of the old school look. The film is a lot darker than the TV series that was such a hit it that it led to the creation of the movie franchise, and in every way, that makes it better.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles title card.

Review after the break.

New video uploaded: Trashin' the Camp

I was bored, so I made a new video. Hope you enjoy.

Wednesday Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I will start by apologising for the long winded review. I just write down what comes to mind and I share it with my readers. Sometimes I can go off on a tangent. So hopefully you'll stick around and read the whole thing.

NOTE: This is not a review for the film as a novel adaptation, but as a film itself. Also, this will not include how Narnia is full of Christian allusions.

Title card from the film.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the third instalment in the Chronicles of Narnia series based on the book of the same name by C.S. Lewis.

There are several changes between this film and the previous two that should be taken into consideration before criticizing the film. First off it should be noted that Disney stopped production of the Narnia series after Prince Caspian didn’t fare too well at the box office, so Fox picked up the series in its place. (Walden Media still produces the film though). Another change is that the music is no longer scored by Harry Gregson-Williams, but by David Arnold instead, music can impact a movie more than most people realise. Furthermore the biggest change is in directors. Andrew Adamson directed the first two films, whereas Michael Apted directs this one. The director has an idea of what he wants the film to look like. With one director the audience will feel a sense of continuity as well as have an idea of where the series will go. With a change in directors it is a new adventure each film because the audience will not know what the director will decide to change or keep from book to film.

Aslan greets the gang.

Review after the break

Summer Film Ideas

Hey all, I have some movie ideas that I hope to make this summer and I'm wondering what your opinions on them are, what you think of them, which you'd like to see most, etc.

My first film idea is a mocumentary style film about the guy from Art Attack. Remember that show? It'd be a comedy about how he has an unhealthy obsession with art.

The second is more of an idea of a topic rather than a film, but I'd like to make a Star Wars Fan Film at some point. Not sure of what exactly. Maybe something with cool lightsaber effects, or stormtroopers. They're popular.

My third idea is the pilot episode of a Dungeons and Dragons web series. Each episode begins with the group sitting around the table playing the game, then after the opening credits it changes to a plot driven epic as if the players are the characters in real life. It'll be like Lord of the Rings ... only not.

And my fourth idea is a sequel to the Sherlock Holmes movie I made three years ago. I've been planning this sequel for two years, and wrote the script last year but didn't get around to filming it. I will be applying my knowledge from studying film at university to improve the style in the sequel.
Here's a link to the first Sherlock Holmes film if you want to give it a watch:
Sherlock Holmes: Episode 4 - A SCITS Hope

Anyway, let me know what you think of these ideas and what ones you'd like to see most. Leave your opinions in the comments box below, on my Youtube Channel, or on Twitter.

Wednesday Review: Starship

Hey guys, sorry I've been away for so long, being back home with my family and friends seems to take up a lot of my time. Projects will probably a little low during the summer months, so I'm going to be updating my blog at least once a week, every week, with a review of a film I've watched. This doesn't necessarily mean a recent Hollywood film, it could be and old film from the 70s, a film I saw at a film festival, a film on the internet, anything. And I'll be calling these reviews Wednesday Review. I'm bad with names, so sue me.

The first film I'm going to review is an musical that first debuted on stage in Chicago in February, then made it's way to Youtube on April 30th. I watched it the moment it hit Youtube but was unable to find time to review it until now (so I watched it again ... cause it's totally awesome). So he's my review of Team Starkid's Starship!

Review after the break

Blog Oddities

I'm not currently working on any projects, however I do have some ideas that may come to fruition over the summer. But for now my blog will updated with various reviews of other films, or other things that catch my interest that I think readers would like. Perhaps I can get a cast and crew together and get working on another film within the next month.

On another note, I have noticed that not once have I mentioned Star Wars on this blog, yet, the blog name is what I like to call my Wookiee name (Rob + Chewbacca = Rowbacca). In case people come to this blog thinking that it is a Star Wars blog, no, this is not a blog about Star Wars, nor will it ever be. However, there might be a Star Wars fan film coming soon ...

Bigfoot: The Musical! Online now!

Bigfoot: The Musical is online now! Here's the video for your viewing pleasure. Don't forget to let me know what you think, wether it be here on my blog, in the comments section on Youtube, or through Twitter.

Enjoy!

Bigfoot: The Musical. Another Sneak Peek and Release Date

Here's another sneak peek at Bigfoot: The Musical. I was going to include a song and an embedded player, but I couldn't figure out how to work that, so you'll have to settle with what I've got.

DVD cover.

The DVD cover has just been finished, as you can see we've put a lot of work into this, and you can expect no less in the film itself. The DVD cover displays the three main characters of the film: the protagonist, Bigfoot; the love interest, Amanda; and the antagonist, Humphrey. Also as you can see, the film is packaged in a two-disc format, one disc a DVD of the film, and the second is complete soundtrack from the film!

The film will be uploaded onto Youtube on Sunday, April 17th. The soundtrack will become available to download for free if enough people request it.

Spoilers after the break

Bigfoot: The Musical. A sneak peek

Well, as I said the other day, my upcoming project is a musical about Bigfoot. I revealed the logo for the film, but left out any details about the film, so today I'll be giving everyone a sneak peek into the project.

More after the break.

Upcoming Project.

Well, filming has wrapped up for my new project, so I figure it's time to reveal it, which should be hitting Youtube in about a week. I've taken a simple idea, a complex filming style, and a generic film genre and mixed them all together. The result: Bigfoot: The Musical.

I don't want to reveal any details just yet, but let's just say that I feel that hilarity will ensue.

The Rocky Road to Truth

Since I want this blog to primarily be a place where people can view my work, I'm going to start posting things I've worked on or am currently working on. These posts will not be everyday, but I'll to do them as often as I can.

That being said, my first post on one of my projects is a film I made last semester for my film class called The Rocky Road to Truth. It is a story about a university student who discovers his friend has gone missing and sets out following a series of clues and witnesses to discover where is missing friend is, and what happened to him.


More after the break.

Connecting Media EVERYWHERE!!!

Now I have full connection to other social media outlets!
...
I think ... I'm bad at this ... I might have done it wrong ...

Anyway, the point is, check out my Youtube Channel and my Twitter Page.
...
Maybe I'll make a fanpage for myself on Facebook at somepoint ... we'll see.

Rowbacca Enters The Blogging World

Greetings and salutations to those of you reading this! My name is Rob and I'm making my first foray into the blogging world (except that one time for that one class project I had to do).

If the name "Rowbacca" sounds familiar you may have seen my Youtube Channel

Allow me to explain my reasoning for creating this blog. I'm an amateur filmmaker, and as of recently I have been making more films that can help me go on to greater things. It is my goal to get more people interested in the films that I make in order to expand my viewership and get my name out there. I figure a blog might be of some help to that cause.

Not only that, but I figure I can use this to co-ordinate any other projects I may be working on. This way if someone is interested in one thing I do, maybe they are interested in other things, and this blog will help them find it all.

Anyway, I'll wrap this first post up quickly. I'll be sure to update the blog with more information soon.