One More Scene I Made for "Win Win"

Ext. Mike's House

We see Kyle sitting on the porch in the backyard, smoking a cigarette. There is a close-up of his face and when we see him take each and every drag. Kyle then takes out his wallet. In-between a few cards, he has a few pictures. He rustles through them and takes out two pictures. He lifts a picture of he and his mom at a wrestling meet, smiling. Kyle then stares down at the ground, and then crumbles it up and then throws it in the dirt. He then finds a picture of him, with his arm raised at a wrestling meet. He smiles and then throws the cigarette on the ground, and walks back inside, with a close-up on his feet.

INT. Mike's House

We see Kyle getting ready for bed, when Mike comes down to talk.

                                       MIKE

      Are you comfortable enough?

                                        KYLE

      Yeah, everything's fine, Mike, thanks.

They stare at each other. Mike starts walking upstairs but then stops. Mike stops and stares at Kyle.

                                        MIKE

Hey if there is anything else I can do for you,

I am willing to help, and if you want you

can come by practice tomorrow.

                                         KYLE

Practice?      

                                         MIKE

I coach wrestling at the local high school.

                                        

                                         KYLE

Wow, I used to wrestle, did you?

                                          MIKE

I was okay, never a champion.

Kyle then smiles. Which caused Mike to smile because it was the first time Mike has seen Kyle smile.

                                          MIKE

Were you any good?

                                           KYLE

I was... ok.

                                            MIKE

Ok, maybe you can come by practice if you want,

maybe you can teach some of the wrestlers a thing or two.

                                            KYLE

                                         (Laughing)

   We'll see.

                                             MIKE

Great, I'm going to go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning.

                                             KYLE

Ok, Mike. Wait Mike... (While Mike is walking upstairs). (Mike nods). Thanks again.

There is a sudden pause.

                                             MIKE

No problem Kyle, sleep tight.

Kyle then lays down on the bed. He then takes out his wallet, and takes out the picture of him at the wrestling meet. He smiles turns over and falls asleep, holding the picture. We then see Mike going up to his room and getting into bed with his wife, Jackie. He then turns to Jackie, holds her and they both smile.

  Synopsis:     

"Win Win" is a great story of parenthood and life. It has Mike, played by Paul Giamatti, as a father of two struggling to provide for them because he is having financial issues. He is a struggling lawyer and he does not know how long his practice is going to last. He is also a coach of wrestling at the local high school. His team is not very good but he still likes the fact that he is coaching and teaching kids his childhood sport. Later he represents a man named Leo, who is played by Burt Young. Leo is an older man with Alzheimer's but he has a lot of money. So, in order to gain some income Mike takes his guardianship. Then things go wrong from there. Leo is then put into a retirement home. Mike then meets Kyle, who is played by Alex Shaffer. Kyle is Leo's grandson, but he has run away from his mother in Ohio and he has come to live with Leo because he has never met him before. So, since Mike is Leo's guardian and Leo is not able to take care of Kyle, Kyle stays with Mike. And his wife Jackie, played by Amy Ryan, does not like this. Kyle is a really nice teenager but he smokes, and has gotten in trouble with the law before. Kyle ends up staying with them for awhile because his mother Cindy, who is played by Melanie Lynskey, is a drug addict and does not know when she is able to come to New Jersey where Mike and his family lives. After spending some time with Kyle, Mike realizes he is very good at wrestling. So, he joins the team at the high school. Mike's best friend Terry, who is played by Bobby Cannavale, also becomes an assistant coach, along with Stephen, who is played by Jeffrey Tambor. So, things are good for awhile, Kyle is doing great in school, he is doing very well on the team, and Mike and Jackie really think he is a great influence on their little ones. Then, Cindy shows up. Mike and Cindy fight over Leo's guardianship, and who should take care of Kyle. It is a great story that has a happy ending to a depressing/inspirational story.

Analysis:

The scene I chose will be right after when Mike and Jackie let Kyle stay with them, and learn about Kyle’s past and why he is reluctant about returning back to Ohio. The scene I have created is essentially to have character development, for Mike and Kyle. The opening part when we see Kyle smoking and looking at the pictures in his wallet is to show a little about Kyle. In my opinion, there needed to be a tiny bit more character development in Kyle because we get introduced to him abruptly, and we think of him as mysterious and troubled. By looking through the pictures we can see that Kyle is upset with his mother, and he does not want to go back to Ohio whatsoever. And the crumbling of the picture could be foreshadowing of what it is to come with their relationship when she gets to New Jersey. The other picture of him winning a wrestling match shows that he is decent at wrestling, and he loves the sport and misses it. He misses the glory days, and the fact that he is not living them, is getting to him, and he is letting out his angst and anger by running away, smoking, and breaking the law. The next scene in the basement is to show a few different things. Mike and Kyle like each other. Kyle thinks he can look up to Mike, and rely on him, whenever he needs it. Mike is having a somewhat mid-life crisis, and this dilemma of dealing with Leo and now Kyle, is not helping. However, after getting to know Kyle he is realizing that he is not that bad of a kid. He is a troubled kid trying to find a home, and a family that loves, and also a support system. And Mike thinks that Kyle can help him. Also, Kyle knows he is a better wrestler than he says he is, but he wants to be modest, and make sure the bad blood he had in his past does not haunt him.  And the last part is to show how Mike and Kyle are in similar situations so essentially they are both similar. Kyle goes to sleep with the picture in his hand. This shows that he wants to go back to that day, and the good times he has had. Wrestling is still important to Kyle and it is apart of him. Mike sleeping a similar way, by holding Jackie is showing that the things he cares for the most, is his family, and Jackie. They are both trying to do the best they can in the hands they are dealt with.

Storyboard for Short Film I Made

Audio	Video	Graphics
“Sea of Love” by Cat Power fades in.	Mid-shot of B-roll of girl and boy both talking on the phone.	Title along the bottom.
“I know, I know. I am in shock. I did not think I would meet anyone at a school of only 5000 students but I did I think I found the one,” said girl. “I know man, this girl I don’t know I just think she is the one.	Close-Up of each and it’s a split screen. Layer and at each part where they both say the one have a close-up of each lips and also have a split-screen.	Split-screen.
“What does he look like?” Well he has eyes that can light up a room. And he has a face that melts my skin” said the girl. “She has the most beautiful eyes. I get lost in her eyes. And she has such a great aura about her I just cannot describe it in words.”	Mid-shot of each with a Split screen but when they both talk about each  other layer the shot. So, each person is talking about the different person. Close-up of eyes, close-up of faces.	Layering
“I am in awe of this boy but he lives in my dorm and I am to afraid to approach him,” said girl. “I don’t know what to say to her. How do you tell someone that they are so beautiful and an amazing human being without being creepy?” boy said.	Close-Up of each in a Split screen
“I have to go girl, but I will talk to you later, hopefully my knight in shining armor will rescue me tonight,” said girl.	Mid-shot of girl taking on phone and then hanging up.
	Close-up of girl’s face disgusted. Then leaves the room.
“I don’t know what I would do if I would see her. I want to see her but at the same time I am so afraid. Maybe I just have to be a man,” boy said.	Mid-shot of boy talking on phone but then leaves the room. Once he says I have to be a man he sees her.
	Over the shoulder shot of boy looking at the girl across the hall. Then drops the phone.
“I’ll talk to you later” boy says to friend on phone.	Mid-shot of boy picking up phone and then talking.
	Zoom-in of girl’s amazed face.
	Close-Up of boys amazed face and then smiles.
“About Today” by the National fades in.	Close-Up of each pair of feet walking towards each other.
“Hi,” said by boy nervously. “Hi” said by girl.	Two shot of boy and girl facing each other, smiling.
“The Only Exception” by Paramore cuts in.	Extreme Close-Up of boy’s face smiling. Then Extreme Close-Up of girl’s face smiling.
Song still plays	Two shot of Boy putting out hand for her to hold hands. And then girl smiles bigger.
Song still plays	Close-Up of hand, then girl takes hand.	Quick jump-cut
Song still plays	Mid-shot of them holding hands and walking out of shot.
Song still plays	Credits	Credits scrolling

"Chef" is Spectacular

"Chef" is Spectacular. Chef Carl Casper, played by Jon Favreau, works at a restaurant in Los Angeles. He loves cooking food, but he is not cooking exactly what he wants. After a bad review, and quitting his job, Casper decides to make a change. He decides to fight back. After a great trip to Miami, with his ex-wife, Inez, played by Sofia Vergara, and his ten year old son, Percy, played by Emjay Anthony, he decides to take matter into his own hands. After obtaining a food truck from Inez's Ex-husband, Marvin, played by Robert Downey Jr., he creates his own business. The food truck he creates serves authentic Cuban food. This is a great opportunity for him to start over, and spend more time with his son.

This film is incredible, because of the amazing cast and direction led by Jon Favreau. The cast included, Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson, Bobby Cannavale, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt, Sofia Vergara, and many others. It was beautifully written, and one of the best parts of the films is how modern it was. The film used many different modern ideas, about social networking, and it worked well throughout. It is a great story of redemption, and also of family torn with divorce. It is an incredible film that should be seen not only because of how great the food looks throughout the film, but how much of a great job Jon Favreau does for this film. It is an amazing film to see.

Grade = 91/100 = A-

"Godzilla" is a Great Remake

"Godzilla" is a great remake. This is a remake of the 1954 "Godzilla." This film had many great special effects, than the original film, and it was an amazing sight to watch. Two giant creatures is threatening the entire world, and the army tries to take them down. In addition, Godzilla is apparent and the world is in terror.

This film is amazing because of the special effects. Godzilla was a great sight to see throughout the film. This was one of the few monster films where there were multiple close-ups of the monster. When watching the film we feel like we are watching the destruction as a citizen in the town in the film. This is what makes a great film, having a director make a film where they are completely aware of what the audience is doing, thinking, and watching. Bryan Cranston was a great addition to this film also. He is one of my favorite actors because of how he can absorb any role and make it his own. He is a genius, and might be one of the best actors of our generation. This film is a great remake, and it is fascinating to watch the battle between Godzilla and the other creatures.

Grade = 87/100 = B+

"Out of the Furnace" is an Amazing Film

"Out of the Furnace" is an amazing film. Russell Blaze, played by Christian Bale, tries to make a better life after he gets out of prison for drunk driving. He starts working at the mill with his father, and lives with his brother, Rodney, played by Casey Affleck to get back on his feet. Rodney got back from the war, and he is trying to get back on his feet, in a different way. He is an underground street fighter, making money for each fight, especially when he takes a dive. When Rodney mysteriously disappears after a fight, Russell takes matters into his own hands and tries to find him, legally or illegally.

This film is incredible throughout. The cast delivers in this film. Woody Harrelson is at his best in this film. He was a madman and he really nailed this role. He is a great actor that is amazing in every role he has. Casey Affleck really steps in his role. He has really broke out of his brother's shell and made a name for himself in this business. William Dafoe also did a great job in this film, it is too bad he was only in this film for half of it. Zoe Saldana and Forest Whitaker had great supporting roles for this film also. The winner of this film, is Christian Bale. It is safe to say whatever Christian Bale does is gold. He is one of the best actors of our generation and he is deserving of his success. This is an exciting film to watch.

Grade = 88/100 = B+

"Swimming with Sharks" Analysis

            “Swimming with Sharks” tells the story of Guy. Guy is an eager film producer’s assistant of one of the best in Hollywood, named Buddy Ackerman. Buddy is a conceited, offensive, and overall mean boss to be under. Although, Buddy is successful in his career, and feels Guy can to if Guy takes the ridicule Buddy gives. Regardless, Guy does not want to take the ridicule and wants to get to the top the fastest way possible. To add to all this, Dawn, a film producer starts dating Guy even after sleeping with Buddy countless times before. Guy has to decide how he can get up to the top, with Dawn or with Buddy.

            This film was film in the mid 1990s, and was set in the mid 1990s also. This film is a representation of the 1990s because of the hairstyles, and the technology. Dawn is a great representation because of her hairstyle. She had very short hair and bangs. It was very minimalistic and it embodies her personality. She does not really care about what people think, mainly because she was very promiscuous which helped with her career. The technology was a very big eye catcher. There were countless scenes of the characters using beepers, giant cell phones, desktop computers and no laptops, and pay phones. Cell phones were just starting to become popular at that time. So, the common technology was to use beepers, and if someone did not have a cell phone they would use pay phones. Things would be easier for Guy if he had a cell phone. He would not have to write everything down, and the phone numbers needed for Buddy, can be saved as contacts in his cell phone. This would cause less stress on Buddy, and for less shunning towards Guy from Buddy.

            This film has many recurring themes that can still be used today. The main theme of the film is figuring out what we really want, whether it be love, success, or greed etc. It is very American of us, to try to do what we set out to do, and want to do. Furthermore, this can resonate for any generation. Guy does not know exactly what he wants to be, until the end of the film. He is deciding if he wants to be with Dawn, and alter Buddy’s plans, or partner with Buddy. He eventually decides to partner with Buddy, but it came with a price, Dawn’s death. Especially today, we strive to be the best person we can be and be successful at it anyway we can, much like Guy. Another overall theme is social ranking. Throughout the film, it was obvious that Buddy was the boss, and controlled Guy’s every move. Every job has a high position and most of the time they are not the nicest. It is inevitable to have an overbearing boss, especially with a first job. This was Guy’s first job where it was in a field he wanted to work in. It is apparent today, especially in the television and film industry, a person has to start at the bottom to get to wherever they want to be, and Guy did it.

            This film was very well made, and could be remade today. Kevin Spacey should still be the Buddy Ackerman, because of his persona. His character was so well polished in this film; it can be done any other way. Frank Whaley can be replaced to a younger actor. Jonah Hill would be good for his role because he had a similar role in “Moneyball,” and he is a good enough actor to play comedic and dramatic roles. If it was to be remade it should be more modern with cell phones, and to have different scenarios with Buddy and Guy, to be more contemporary. For example, Guy has to help Buddy with his social media accounts to show that he is a nicer guy that he is portrayed as in real life. It was a very good film, and a remake can be made but the film was too good, and Kevin Spacey was too incredibly gripping to be replaced. It brought up many great films, of love, lust, greed, and survival of the fittest. It is a great example of film noir, and a great representation of the 1990s.