let us tell you a story...

Although we may be filmmakers by trade, we are storytellers by nature. Venture into our world and let us weave a tale for you. We will tell you about life and love and fear and pain. We will show you laughter and tears, the devil and God. The story is the lifeblood of our world and nothing matters more.
…So lean close, and let us tell you a story.

  • Jun
  • 29
  • 2009

blog: plague of mediocrity

It’s a plague really.
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Few things do more to disintegrate a culture and its progress than the plague of mediocrity. 
Mediocrity is average, it’s unoriginal and it’s dangerously boring. In my experience, mediocrity is laziness, pure and simple. It’s worse than bad.

Often mediocre ideas are the ones that pop into your head first. It happens to everyone, a cliche thought or idea comes floating by your head. But most people stop right there.

The rule of thumb is, if it’s the first thing that came to your mind, it’s the first thing that came to your audience’s mind as well.

Hemmingway said, “The first draft of anything is sh*t.”
He couldn’t be more right. 
The first draft of anything is mediocre. 
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Read the rest of this entry »

  • Jun
  • 24
  • 2009

whitestone proudly presents: ‘lest we forget’

Whitestone Motion Pictures is proud to present our first civil war action short film, Lest We Forget.

This film was made in association with PASTE magazine for their Save Paste campaign. We believe strongly in the vision and mission of this magazine, and encourage everyone to visit their site and donate to keep this great magazine going. While you’re at it, do yourself a favor and get a subscription, you surely wont be disappointed.
Lest We Forget Movie Poster

You can also watch the film on VIMEO.

Downloads
Enjoy these extra formats and elements of the film. Right click and ‘Save As’ to download them to your harddrive.

Lest We Forget HD 720 (237MB)
Lest We Forget iPod (43 MB)
Lest We Forget Apple Tv HD (227MB)
Lest We Forget Zune (nah, just kidding)
Lest We Forget Music (score and song mp3, 20MB)

Behind the Scenes of Lest We Forget
The behind the scenes for the fast paced filmshoot. A special thank you to all who made it possible.

Lest We Forget Behind the Scenes from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Behind the scenes by Luanne Dietz.
DSC_6083edit DSC_6034edit DSC_5829edit DSC_5769edit DSC_5592edit DSC_5601edit DSC_5607edit DSC_5629edit DSC_5209 Lest We Forget Movie Poster Special Effects - Paintball Explosions Special Effects Test Modern Times Gun Fire Special Effects Take Four Wheeler Camera Run Grip Team by the River

  • Jun
  • 22
  • 2009

lest we forget: fcp color tutorial

Here is our first tutorial on how to use Final Cut Pro ‘Color’.
These are just a few clips from the finished film that will be released in a few days.

The file is 100 megs, so if you don’t have that kind of patience or computer, go to Vimeo HERE to watch it in HD.
Hope it’s helpful, and if you have thoughts or comments, be sure to leave them below.

Check back later this week for the full release of ‘Lest We Forget’, and some announcements on our next films in development.

  • Jun
  • 20
  • 2009

lest we forget poster

Lest We Forget Movie Poster

Thanks to Bryan Scott for the photography and design.

  • Jun
  • 14
  • 2009

blog post: selling out vs. sustainability

At the halfway point of the year, there have been some new thoughts that have been rolling around in my mind.

This year for Whitestone is the year of sustainability, in the most simple of words, the year we learn to make money.
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As an independent filmmaker, just the thought of making art for money is enough to make my skin crawl. This idea has become a taboo path in the indie world, associated with the selling of your soul. However the other picture in my mind does nothing for me either. The struggling artist who can’t take care of himself or a family because he is ‘misunderstood’ by the world and can’t find a way to monetize his art. As one of my creative mentors said to me, this route ends with the artist high in the mountains, alone and with a bullet between his eyes.

I want nothing to do with either picture.
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