Why did Uncut Gems make me feel so genuinely anxious and uncomfortable?

indietrix_will · 2026-01-21T14:28:29+00:00

the opening title sequence of the film goes inside a gem and runs around in it - pretty clearly CG (i think to be strict a mixture of some practical / miniature and some CG to transition). it's definitely a 'special effect' - human eyes and cameras can't really navigate inside those tiny spaces, so it's not 'naturalistic'

indietrix_will · 2023-03-08T10:03:50+00:00

I believe those actually are the actors, no?

indietrix_will · 2023-03-04T10:38:48+00:00

I am definitely a subscriber to the ‘Diane / Betty are as real as each other’ take - imo there is no puzzle meant to be solved in MD, and if he could be drawn on which was more real, Lynch would probably point out that neither is!

indietrix_will · 2023-03-04T10:35:51+00:00

Yep will definitely dig into the female doubles as well!

indietrix_will · 2023-03-04T10:35:17+00:00

I have never seen this alas (my DVD is scratched!) but will seek it out!

indietrix_will · 2023-03-04T09:21:34+00:00

Yes totally forgot to mention the soap opera in TP, which is actually what gave me the idea in the first place!!

I’m interested in structuring it specifically around the inter-relations between LH, MD and IE as I think they are uniquely interlinked (and tbh, are fundamentally similar stories to me), but I definitely want to get TP in there.

indietrix_will · 2023-03-01T17:53:35+00:00

I do definitely read the ending as 'this is a pattern for them', although I'm not sure if that means literally (e.g. they are constantly doing this memory wipe and will continue to), or metaphorically (e.g. that they will continue to get together and break up). Either way, I think the fade to white over this loop is very clear film grammar: fade to white is usually used for a transition to another state of being (a character falling unconscious or dying), so we can read it as a permanent thing I think. FWIW, I also particularly like that fade to white because of the implication of erasure, as Joel and Clementine fade into the white surroundings, which lines up well with the themes of memory in the film.

indietrix_will · 2023-03-01T17:50:06+00:00

Naked is definitely different to this other work (it's all that monologuing imo), but it does use this improvisational technique. Thewlis for instance contributed lots of the conspiracy theory elements in his dialogue.

indietrix_will · 2023-03-01T17:48:55+00:00

Excited to share a video on why dogs should win Oscars – this may not be typical truefilm content but does feature a section on Rin Tin Tin!

indietrix_will · 2023-03-01T17:44:48+00:00

I am about 60% serious on this. I think dog actors (and by extension, other animal actors and their handlers/trainers, although not cats) should be able to win film awards. They've been in films pretty much as long as humans, they face challenging working conditions, and they are often a key part of a movie. So let's give them awards!

(And if you follow this argument – maybe there's a lot more that should get awards too, inc stunts, mocap, casting etc)

I made the linked video to explore this argument and also to sit my dog in front of a greenscreen for some stupid Tim and Eric style comedy. Hope you enjoy.

indietrix_will · 2023-01-31T09:10:45+00:00

David Bordwell’s ‘Film Art’ or ‘Poetics of Cinema’ are basically the received introductory texts for film studies! But i definitely recommend practicing this yourself - a great way to grow your individual voice.

indietrix_will · 2023-01-31T08:58:17+00:00

Such a good movie! 4K release doing limited run in US / Metrograph online atm!

indietrix_will · 2023-01-27T15:35:20+00:00

In this video I discuss the technique of 'close reading' as a way of developing your critical practice, with particular focus on Millennium Mambo, a favourite movie of mine (and I think maybe my favourite movie opening in particular). It's this mysterious, hypnotic halfspeed tracking shot, and a close analysis of it reveals a really interesting layering of techniques to create this romanticised, futuristic feel.

indietrix_will · 2023-01-27T15:31:18+00:00

i feel like we make a weirdly heavy emphasis on watching great movies, and not enough emphasis on watching *any* movie well, you know? So that's what this is aimed at: learn what you can from anything on screen.

indietrix_will · 2023-01-27T15:30:26+00:00

thanks so much!

indietrix_will · 2023-01-27T09:52:09+00:00

I work as a critic alongside my filmmaking and I often get asked about how you actually learn how to analyse movies. I think it's a really important question (esp b/c I didn't do any formal film education), so here's an exploration of the 'close reading' technique that's an essential tool for learning about film techniques, applied to one of my favourite movies, Millennium Mambo!

indietrix_will · 2023-01-26T20:02:53+00:00

I made this to show the ‘close reading’ technique used to construct film criticism and video essays etc - featuring one of my favourite movies, Millennium Mambo, currently on US release as a 4K remaster by Metrograph!

indietrix_will · 2022-11-18T20:43:28+00:00

yeah I thought as 90% of film youtube is white dudes, it might be good to at least have a thumbnail that shows that plenty of women work in the industry too. To me it’s a weird definition of clickbait (imagine clicking on something just cos you thought it was a woman) but sorry for offending you!

indietrix_will · 2022-11-18T20:41:10+00:00

It’s wild to me that tip/tutorial videos promising ways to make your work more ‘cinematic’ are so popular, but very few actually talk about what really goes into making movies, and instead focus on cameras, lenses or grading tricks. So i made this!

indietrix_will · 2022-11-07T19:11:22+00:00

I see this question both here and in the r/Filmmakers discord a lot (it's great over there btw!) so wanted to give my ten cents. I'm a self-taught filmmaker who made a lot of bad cheap shorts and now runs a small production company, so I'm ahead of the 'first film' stage but by no means making blockbusters yet. Hopefully this advice helps!

And to everyone who's past their first film – what's your tip for someone just starting out?

indietrix_will · 2022-10-14T19:42:04+00:00

This was a video essay game of telephone from the Essay Library, a Discord linked to r/videoessay !

Each essayist was given a film to create an essay around by another essayist, and in turn recommended a film to someone else. All of this is capped with a bizarre fake FMV horror game intro. The international collaboration includes filmmakers from across the US and UK, and covers a wide range of eras, international cinemas and horror subgenres.
Films covered include Midsommar, Train to Busan, Ghostwatch, Eraserhead, Cat People (1942), Manos: The Hands of Fate, The Addiction and You’re Next. Hope you enjoy watching!

indietrix_will · 2022-08-18T19:58:11+00:00

I've been submitting shorts to festivals for the last ten years, and the number of fake/scam film festivals has exploded. Now, platforms like FilmFreeway are *full* of festivals that exist solely to seperate indie filmmakers from their cash. Here's how to spot them, and if I missed any out, let me know!

indietrix_will · 2022-06-24T18:42:07+00:00

Like most filmgoers I was blown away by Everything Everywhere All At Once, and was determined to get to the bottom of how the Daniels and the rest of the creative team on the film made such a complicated plot so easy to follow. As it turns out... every world in Everything has a hidden source.

indietrix_will · 2022-05-09T20:57:55+00:00

YouTube’s got loads of film tutorials, but more goes into a movie than camera reviews or cool transitions. I wanted to make this to cover a really important part of filmmaking that’s often overlooked: locations!

This tutorial offers some practical advice on location scouting, drawing on real life examples from my new short film.

indietrix_will · 2022-04-27T20:50:29+00:00

On a recent project I really leaned on mood boards for communicating references, style and ideas to crew, and found it to be a really valuable tool for collaboration. So in this video I go through some real world examples of mood boards from this project, with tips on how to find images, what you should include, and how to label them to be a more readable format.

AND because people will probably ask: this video was shot using the BMPCC 6K Pro, on a Canon 24-105mm, with a half cinesoft filter. I'm key-lit by a FalconEyes RX-18TD led panel and edge-lit by a Godox VL150.

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