It’s pretty much impossible to establish your name as a hit Hollywood director if you haven’t spent a few years having a go at it on your own first! That’s just as true for the big names in the business as it is for the little guys, so we’re going to take a look at the amateur movies that came before some of the world’s most famous directors made it as professionals.

Christopher Nolan – Doodlebug

Christopher Nolan is one of those rare talents, a director who churns out nothing but hits. From early works such as Following and Memento to the recent blockbuster Interstellar, Nolan has enjoyed success with both critics and the public – but what was he doing before he became one of contemporary cinema’s golden boys?

The answer is Doodlebug, a claustrophobic short about a man’s descent into insanity as he chases a bug across his apartment. The dark mood of this early film would set the tone for Nolan’s later work – movies which have continued to delve into the philosophical and sometimes disturbing aspects of life despite their mainstream appeal.

Martin Scorsese – What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This?

The incredibly prolific career of Martin Scorsese has seen him moving seamlessly from genre to genre, putting his name to biopics, gangster flicks, dark comedies and much more. What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This? is an amusing short about a man with an obsession over a painting that begins to take over his life.

That’s right, it’s another film about insanity; we’re definitely noticing a trend here! Scorsese directed this film while he was still a student – check it out and see whether you can spot early signs of the talent that makes him one of the greats.

Quentin Tarantino – My Friend’s Birthday Party

Much more ambitious than the other two films on this list, Quentin Tarantino spent four years putting together My Friend’s Birthday Party, an amateur film which would have run to an impressive 70 minutes if almost half of the film had not been lost in a fire. Luckily the footage that survived was still edited together– and if Tarantino’s famous cameos have left you desperate to see more of his acting talent then this could be the film for you, as besides writing and directing this early offering he also cast himself in a starring role.

Made five years before the release of Reservoir Dogs would grant him instant cult status, My Friend’s Birthday Party is a great place to look for the tropes and themes which would later populate his work.

If you have home movies that deserve to be immortalised like these three then they’ll need to be transferred from 8mm Cine Film to DVD before you can start screening them among friends and family. Contact us at 0800 592 433 and we’ll be pleased to help you out!

We love a good cheesy home video. It really captures the personality of everyone involved and ends up being the entertainment for years to come, and possibly embarrassing for some people to see what their parents used to make them do as kids.

One child who will look back on his parent’s home videos of him growing up and not have flashbacks of horrendous haircuts and embarrassing clothing is James Hashimoto.

With a dad who is an animator at one of the world’s leading animations studios, Dreamworks, James has definitely hit the jackpot when it comes to having the coolest videos documenting his childhood.

His incredibly creative dad, Daniel set up a YouTube account for the tot, where he uploaded some of the best homemade videos we have ever seen.

With spoofs of Batman and the Matrix, each video has James as the star performer and with the help of his dad’s industry taught skills, we see him wielding lightsabers and sailing on a river of lava, as well as mysteriously disappearing into a puddle.

This unique take on home shot videos take on board the vivid imagination of the little boy and provides viewers with a well thought out and entertaining clip.

You might think you have to be an industry professional with a degree in visual effects to create these fun and engaging videos and effects, but with the software advances of the last couple of years, it’s becoming much easier to be able to add visual effects to your videos.

Some social media apps are also offering video editing and visual effects options when you upload a video with them, which is pretty exciting news.

With YouTube continuing to grow into an amazing platform for people to share their lives with the world; both past and present day, video editing is becoming more and more popular with the public, and is no longer limited to industry professionals

Here at Cine2DVD, we are super excited to see more home videos like James’. If you have a home video that is on a reel, why not have a play and see what effects you can incorporate into your clips! Maybe you could have Aunty Mary dancing with a chimpanzee, or have Granny cast a spell on Grandpa and make him fall off his chair!

We are expert providers of many film transfer services, including converting 8mm film to DVD and other digital formats. We know how important your films and memories are, which is why take the utmost care to ensure the transfer is completed in the safest possible manner. For more information on any of our transfer services, don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling 0800 592433.

Over the past few years, Netflix has become extremely popular. From binge watching TV shows, to watching films, there is usually something for everyone.

However, sometimes you can spend a rather long time searching through the hundreds of movies attempting to find something to watch. That’s why we have put together a short list of some of the films that we think are worth checking out next time you are flicking through Netflix.

Limitless (2011)

This 2011 physiological thriller stars Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper.

It follows Cooper as an unsuccessful writer who is out of work, with no girlfriend and zero job prospects. He agrees to take an experimental pill that claims to be able make him more successful.

Whilst this mysterious pill allows him to access 100 percent of his brain, and therefore turns him into a financial mastermind, it also brings him into a lot of unknown danger.

Whilst we don’t want to spoil the film, we will say that this action thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

A hard-hitting film that follows the 10 year search for terrorist Osama Bin Laden; a search which ended with his death in 2011.

Jessica Chastain plays the role of CIA operative Maya, who is put in charge of interrogating suspects in order to find Bin Laden’s location.

The film suffered some criticism about its realism, but we think it’s an interesting watch and worth a try.

Tangled (2010)

Tangled is a Disney film that the whole family will enjoy. It’s a retelling of the story of Rapunzel, the girl with the ridiculously long hair. It follows her on her first adventure outside the castle she has been trapped inside all her life.

This animation comedy has plenty for everyone, including romance, action and a lot of girl power! It is definitely a film to look out for.

We can almost picture you all rushing to check out these films on Netflix straight away. We all enjoy watching a film we haven’t seen before, but we think it’s always extra special to watch one that holds brilliant memories. Here at Cine2DVD, we are experts in transferring Cine film to DVD, meaning we can transfer all the memories you have on old film to DVD. This is one DVD that you‘ll be watching over and over.

For more information, please contact us on 0800 592433 and a member of our staff will be able to help you.

The first three months of 2015 have already given us a handful of exciting new movies. From Disney’s Cinderella, to the adaptation of erotic novel 50 Shades of Grey, there have been a lot of fresh films to talk about.

As big film lovers, we are even more excited for what is yet to come. There are a huge number of films that are to be released this year, from all different genres. We have put together a list of some of the films that we personally cannot wait to see!

Jurassic World (June 12^th)

Jurassic World is the fourth instalment in the Jurassic Park film franchise. The last film was released back in 2001, making it a 14-year gap between the third film and this one.

Chris Pratt leads the film, with other notable cast members including New Girl’s Jake Johnson and Jurassic Park veteran B.D Wong. The movie depicts a dinosaur theme park that is situated near Costa Rica, where behavioural research is being undertaken on a group of Velociraptors.

We don’t know a lot about the movie, but if the first three films are anything to go by, we imagine there will be a lot of gruesome deaths at the hands (or claws) of angry dinosaurs!

Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1^st)

Marvel fans unite! The highly anticipated sequel is almost upon us, and all our favourite MCU superheroes are back.

This time, the guys are in charge of saving the world, as a peacekeeping program that Tony Stark invents goes horribly wrong, resulting in a self-aware artificial intelligence that wants to rid the world of humans.

We know the film will guarantee plenty of badass superheroes and buckets of fun! Definitely a film for all the family.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (November 20^th)

It’s nearly coming to an end, and we are not sure whether to be excited for the last instalment in one of our favourite dystopian movie franchises, or be sad that it’s almost over.

The films, which are taken from a successful young adult book series, have been a massive hit with people of all ages. The last book is darker than the others, and we’re excited to see how this is transferred to the big screen.

Are you Team Peeta or Team Gale? Those who haven’t read the book will be excited to know the answer.

Sadly, it will also mark one of the last performances of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who died during the filming of the movie.

We don’t know about you, but we are officially excited for the rest of 2015. Whilst we enjoy looking forward, we also know it’s important to look back at our fondest memories. Here at Cine2DVD, we specialise in film transfer services, including transferring 8mm film to DVD.

For more information, contact us on 0800 592433 and a member of our staff will be able to help you.

The past 15 years has seen countless films hit the big screen, and many of these films are considered to be amongst the best that have ever been produced. At Cine2DVD, we love good film, so here is our selection of the greatest films of the 21^st century (so far).

The Dark Knight (2008)

The second film in the most recent Batman trilogy was extremely popular, and displayed excellent acting, action and drama that captured the imagination of cinema audiences across the globe.

Christopher Nolan’s film sees Christian Bale reprise the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, and is set during a period of change and conflict in the city of Gotham. The city’s newly elected District Attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart, becomes central to the plot of the film, and impacts Wayne’s personal life as well as that of his alter-ego.

The film sees Batman, Dent and Gotham Police combat a rising threat in the city; a criminal who goes by the name of ‘The Joker’, played by the late Heath Ledger. The intensity of this storyline, which combines shocking drama with dark comedy, captures audiences everywhere, and propelled the film to its long-running success.

The film received publicity six months prior to its release when, sadly, it was announced that Heath Ledger had died after taking a lethal combination of prescription drugs on 22^nd January 2008. Movie-lovers flocked to cinemas to see Ledger play one of his final roles, which lead him to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor posthumously.

Frozen (2013)

Disney’s 2013 release has created one of the biggest franchises in film history. Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen, the film earned US$1.2 billion at the box office, and continues to sell a variety of merchandise that makes it the most profitable film (in terms of merchandise) in history.

The film tells the tale of princess sisters Anna and Elsa. Elsa possesses powers that allow her to produce massive amounts of snow and ice, which is kept secret until the day of her coronation, when in an outburst Elsa accidentally reveals her powers and causes an eternal winter. She runs away, leaving Anna, alongside iceman Kristoff, his reindeer Sven and the lovable snowman Olaf, with the task of finding her and convincing her to bring back summer.

Frozen has seen widespread success, with the song ‘Let It Go’ winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The film continues to be highly successful to this day, with Disney releasing a Frozen short, which has been named Frozen Fever, and will debut in cinemas with Disney’s Cinderella, which will be released on 13^th March 2015.

Inception (2010)

An all-star cast featured in Christopher Nolan’s science-fiction film Inception, which received widespread success and lead to it becoming the 41^st highest grossing film of all time.

The film sees Dom Cobb, a professional thief played by Leonardo DiCaprio, commit corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his victims. Alongside Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, his team is given the task of using military technology to do the impossible. They are to cause ‘inception’, or in other words implant ideas into the subconscious of their target while extracting information and experiencing shared dreaming.

The film confused audiences globally, and won many awards to reflect its critical success.

Kill Bill (2003, 2004)

Quentin Tarantino’s two-part martial arts action film was extremely popular when it was released. Originally, the film was supposed to be one single feature, however when the finished cut lasted over four hours, it was decided that it would be released in two parts.

The Bride, played by Uma Thurman, is seen in a wedding dress lying wounded in a church at the beginning of the film, having been attacked by the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. The film follows the journey of the Bride, who goes on a path of pain, torture and growth, and her travel to Okinawa with the eventual aim of assassinating Bill, her former lover and the man who shot her.

The films were well-received by critics, offering action, emotion and all the elements audiences have come to expect from Tarantino films. Although a third volume has been rumoured, Tarantino has dismissed these rumours.

These films are excellent examples of the greatest film Hollywood has ever produced, but here at Cine2DVD, we treat your home movies just as we would the century’s biggest blockbuster. We offer many film transfer services, including transfer of super8 to DVD. For more information, contact us today by calling 0800 592433.

Last time on our blog, we were discussing how to ensure your home movies have a professional polish. In that, we discussed the importance of varying your shots. The general rule is to open with an establishing shot – that’s the shot that lets your audience know where the action’s taking place. You’ll notice it in movies and TV shows all the time, usually as we cut to an exterior shot of, say, Frasier’s apartment or Gotham City.

Then there’s the long shot, which allows you to capture a group or location in one frame. The medium shot allows a slightly closer look at a subject. If the birthday girl or boy is showing off the new football kit they’ve been given, you’d want a medium shot. It gives your viewers both facial expressions and body language. A close-up puts focus on, say, a subject’s face, or the birthday cake, and nothing else.

So how do you put all of those together to tell a story?

Even before you start shooting your home movie, you’ve got to have one eye on the editing process. Part of this comes with what you film – capturing literally every single moment of little Sarah’s West Ham-themed birthday party isn’t going to hook your audience, which means a little in-camera editing. So, for that birthday party, you’d shoot the action (blowing out the candles, say), stop recording, shoot a close-up of the birthday girl, pause, shoot the reactions of the party-goers.

But that’s just the beginning. So let’s take a look at a few tips and tricks for editing your home movies, and giving your audience something to really look at.

Don’t Go Cut-Crazy

A major danger, especially for first-time editors, is to cut-cut-cut, edit-edit-edit. If you’re editing together some wacky drug-like scene, that’s fine. But it’s no good for your cousin’s wedding. It will produce a dizzying and incoherent mess of a home movie. And it’s just plain tiring.

Don’t Hang on a Long Shot

There’s nothing more boring for viewers than a single long shot. That’s because we’re visual creatures, so we want to be visually stimulated. Another problem with long shots is that they can have too much going on – giving the viewer little clue as to what’s supposed to be the focus. Vary your shots, with an emphasis on medium and close-ups. Let’s see those reactions properly!

Cut on Actions and Words

You may not have noticed, but this is a classic editor’s trick. Say your subject waves – rather than capturing it in one shot, cut mid-wave and follow it through in another shot. This is obviously easier if you have two or more cameras recording, but with a little creativity, it’s not impossible to pull off on a single-camera set-up.

Capture Cutaways

You know when you’re watching an interview with, say, Roger Moore, and we cut to the interviewer nodding? Well, chances are, that nod was filmed at a different time. Grabbing cutaway shots are essential to mask an edit without resorting to a jump cut. It also adds to the movie’s atmosphere. So film anything that might be useful for a cutaway, like party bags and reactions of guests.

Keep It Continuous

Continuity is vital in any type of film. If there’s a really incongruous continuity error, your audience will stop focussing on the film and start worrying about why Grandad Bobby’s hat keeps disappearing and reappearing on his head with every shot change. Remember things like positions of subjects and the type of lighting and when it comes to editing.

Walking Equals Wipe

There’s a scene in Jaws where Brody’s watching the beach for the shark. As people walk past the camera, Spielberg cuts to ever-closer shots of the police chief. And you can do the same. You’re not on a film set, so whether it’s a wedding or birthday, people are likely to be walking past the camera. Use that to your advantage and cut to a new shot.

Be Creative

The beauty of editing is, even if Auntie Marjory arrived at the event after Uncle Roy, you can change all of that – especially if it makes for better story-telling. So long as you keep a master copy of all the footage, you can play around with the back-ups and see what works best for your vision without fear.

You’re Not There

Remember how, in our last blog, we discussed how the movie-maker should capture the action, rather than inserting themselves into it? Well, the same is true of editing. It should be seamless and invisible. Don’t draw attention to your editing, because it takes focus away from what’s really important – the subjects of the film.

Do It Digitally

It is possible to edit old-school style, from VCR to VCR. But if you’re looking to give your home movie a real sheen, you’ll want to look at digital editing software. Of course, that might mean you’ll have to transfer Super8 to DVD to get it onto your computer, but we can help you out with that. You’ll have a lot more control over your film doing it this way.

So, ready to stitch together your masterpiece? Simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and we’ll be delighted to assist with your film format conversions to create memories worth watching.

It’s difficult to know where to start when making a film, and even more so when you’re a first time film-maker. Should you wait until your perfect story comes along, or just use any old one you have lying around? Should you invest more in cameras or cast? And if you’re low on numbers, are you allowed to hire your mum and your dog? Well, here at Cine2DVD Transfers, we know a few things about filmmaking and so we’ve put together this blog post to put you on your path to winning a Best Director award!

Have a Great Story

Amazing stories have the power of capturing a viewer’s full attention. This means that if you make any mistakes, or are unable to do certain things due to time and budget constraints, your viewers will be forgiving (to a certain extent). Having a solid script will mean that you’ll still have a shot, unless something totally disastrous happens on set. A brilliant screenplay doesn’t have to be written from scratch of course, it’s perfectly acceptable and often a lot quicker to base a screenplay on an already existing story. However, don’t just wait around all your life for that perfect story to come along!

Find a Good Cast

If you have any friends that have ever had a dream to be a famous actor, when they find out that you’re making a film they’ll no doubt be nagging you for a part. Unless you’re friends with someone who’s actually a professional actor, casting your friends is almost certainly an awful idea. It’s difficult to tell a friend that they’re doing something wrong, and unless they’re a trained actor it’s likely that they’ll be making plenty of mistakes. Instead, focus on finding a cast that’ll be able to effectively act out the story you’re telling. Remember that making a film is a serious task.

Work with What You’ve Got

If you only have 10 actors to fill up your credits, it’s unrealistic to write a huge crowd-scene into your film. Unless you’re infinitely rich and have decades to make your movie, you’re going to have limits when making your film that you will have to deal with. Thankfully, you can almost always adapt the film to accommodate what you do have, and leave out what you don’t. Tweak the script, use effects, or even sneak some shots of crowds at events to make your film; after all, being flexible is essential in film making.

Break the Rules

Like all creative pieces of work, breaking the rules is one of the most important rules in filmmaking. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore any and all advice you’re given and do whatever you want, but advice should be treated as a tool in your toolbox that may or may not be useful for a certain film. If you strictly follow the rules then your film will lack originality and innovation. Contrary to how the saying goes: rules are not meant to be broken, but it’s certainly fun to do so!

Here at Cine2DVD Transfers, we specialise in 8mm film to DVD conversions, so if your film calls for some old footage, or you just want to modernise your collection, we can surely help! If you’d like more information, don’t hesitate to contact us on 0800 592 433 or email info@cine2dvdtransfers.co.uk and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Last year, we started looking at some classic films from 1930-1950, and there were some fantastic movies to choose from. In this post, we shall carry on our theme of days gone by, as we look at some of the best films that were released between 1950 and 1970.

Ben-Hur (1959)

Starring the brilliant Charlton Heston, this film tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur, a rich Jewish prince and merchant living in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1^st century. The prince is delighted to hear that his childhood friend Messala has been named as a commanding officer of the Roman garrison of Jerusalem, but upon meeting with him, realises that his friend has changed. Messala punishes his old friend for refusing to divulge to him the names of those who oppose him, by sending him off as a galley slave. But that is not the last the arrogant officer will see of Judah Ben-Hur…

FUN FACT: An infirmary was created specifically for the filming of the chariot race scenes. Thankfully, few injuries were sustained, most of them being sunburn.

Psycho (1960)

This Alfred Hitchcock classic follows the story of Marion Crane, a young woman who has taken off with $40,000 of her employer’s money. In a bid to start a new life for herself, she drives off with the money towards California, stopping over at a motel to rest for the night. Little does she know what a mistake that was when she arrives at Bates Motel, run by a peculiar young man named Norman, who seems to be dominated by his mother…

FUN FACT: After seeing her famous shower scene on screen, actress Janet Leigh was so moved by the vulnerability of a woman in the shower, that she only took baths from then on.

The Graduate (1967)

Starring a very young Dustin Hoffman, The Graduate tells the story of Ben, a recent college graduate. After returning home, he finds himself embroiled in an affair with the wife of his father’s business partner, Mrs Robinson. To complicate things more, he begins to fall in love with Elaine, the daughter of Mrs Robinson.

FUN FACT: The first names of the older characters are never used in the film, increasing the sense of a generation gap.

Here at Cine 2 DVD, we’re passionate about film, whether it’s a Hollywood classic, or your home movie of Christmas 1982. We provide a great service allowing you to transfer your 8mm film to DVD. For more information, contact us today by calling 0800 592 433 to speak to a member of our team.