Jennifer's Body

Marc Oberdorfer · September 21, 2009

....
Even "tent pole" movies like The Dark Knight can not reach the entire film market. There are still a lot of people that won't watch a super hero movie even if you march them into the theatre at the point of a bayonet.

R,

I agree, unfortunately horror (horror/comedy) doesn't get the masses to the theaters. When I recently, after many years, started again to read Fangoria I was even surprised as I saw recently there are more and more horror movies coming back to theaters that are backed by major studios. I'd like to see more of that.

JB is not yet screening here in Hong Kong, but I'll see it as soon as it's opening. Looking forward to it too, from what I've seen from the trailer it looks great. Awesome work David, don't be concerned too much, you did a great job!

Tim Holtermann · September 21, 2009

I just came back from a screening of the movie and feel a bit better now about the moodiness -- the print projection tends to be darker than it is at the labs, but oddly enough, this sort of brought the image down to a level I felt was about right, though I thought the trailers of this movie were actually too dark or crushed-looking in the theater and on TV.

David, I noticed a theater was playing it with Digital Projection. I assume you haven't watched it that way (yet?) but do you happen to know how they delivered the Digital Prints? Do you have plans to view it in a theater with Digital Projection?

troy blischok · September 29, 2009

hi David,

I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to make posts to the site. I'm more of a "reading" type of member so i rarely reply to any given thread. As a focus puller it is great to watch the progression of the project from your perspective. Hopefully, this will encourage other cameramen (women) to post their progress as well.

cheers,

Troy

David Mullen ASC · September 30, 2009

David, I noticed a theater was playing it with Digital Projection. I assume you haven't watched it that way (yet?) but do you happen to know how they delivered the Digital Prints? Do you have plans to view it in a theater with Digital Projection?

I couldn't find a theater where it was playing digitally but it would probably look cleaner there.

Tom Lowe · September 30, 2009

David, do you have any new projects lined up? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

I posted my comments at Reduser on JB. I thought it was SUPERBLY shot. I'd be really stoked to see you get a film like Michael Clayton or No Country. Or as Shawn Nelson suggested, maybe a Sci-Fi picture.

David Mullen ASC · September 30, 2009

David, do you have any new projects lined up? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

I posted my comments at Reduser on JB. I thought it was SUPERBLY shot. I'd be really stoked to see you get a film like Michael Clayton or No Country. Or as Shawn Nelson suggested, maybe a Sci-Fi picture.

I don't have anything lined up after I wrap on "United States of Tara" at the end of October. Hope something interesting comes along!

Chris Burke · September 30, 2009

I don't have anything lined up after I wrap on "United States of Tara" at the end of October. Hope something interesting comes along!

How about the UFO (Gerry Anderson's) movie that is in development? I know how much a fan you are of Space 1999, and I have always thought that UFO would have more legs, today, for a remake than Space 1999. I am kind of weary of what will be done with the UFO remake. The original was Anderson's first foray into live action and both he and the directors involved have said how nervous and unsure they were of themselves when shooting the original. The premise has enough meat to it that in the hands of a skilled writer/s, could really be quite good. The original, although near and dear to my heart, was not as mature as Space 1999's first season. I think that you would be a great fit for UFO and boost it's overall quality beyond the gimmickry of the original. It is kind of funny that we are here routing for what your next project will be. Good luck on what ever it ends up being.

David Mullen ASC · October 1, 2009

How about the UFO (Gerry Anderson's) movie that is in development? I know how much a fan you are of Space 1999, and I have always thought that UFO would have more legs, today, for a remake than Space 1999. I am kind of weary of what will be done with the UFO remake. The original was Anderson's first foray into live action and both he and the directors involved have said how nervous and unsure they were of themselves when shooting the original. The premise has enough meat to it that in the hands of a skilled writer/s, could really be quite good. The original, although near and dear to my heart, was not as mature as Space 1999's first season. I think that you would be a great fit for UFO and boost it's overall quality beyond the gimmickry of the original. It is kind of funny that we are here routing for what your next project will be. Good luck on what ever it ends up being.

Didn't know that there was a "UFO" movie in development -- did you know that "Space: 1999" was originally meant to be a sequel to "UFO", which I believe was set in 1995 or so, which is one reason for the 1999 date.

Chris Burke · October 1, 2009

Didn't know that there was a "UFO" movie in development -- did you know that "Space: 1999" was originally meant to be a sequel to "UFO", which I believe was set in 1995 or so, which is one reason for the 1999 date.

Yes, I read about it this spring and I do know about the connection of two series. They are suppose to exist in the same mythos or timeline. Actully UFO is set in 1980, they flash the date in opening credits/montage. its going to be interesting to see if they keep the purple wigs. I know that some of the design team came from kubrick's 2001, it really shows on the first season of space 1999.

Jonathan Spear · November 6, 2009

FANTASTIC work, David!

I thoroughly enjoyed this film and loved the moodiness. It really gave this picture a dark, brooding and venomous feel. I also loved the contrasts between the cold, dark blue scenes to the brighter more vivid scenes. The sex scene with Needy vs. Megan and the emo kid were visceral and intimate. You really made Megan Fox pop too. The lighting and colors in that scene towards the beginning where she's a cheerleader were amazing, as well as the lake scene (besides the obvious reasons :D). Another GREAT shot was that long one on the football field. I read the script before watching the movie and your and Mrs. Kusama's vision for this story were unique, beautiful and creepy as hell -- a perfect compliment to Ms. Cody's work.

Absolute awesomeness.

David Mullen ASC · November 6, 2009

Thanks!

John Holland · November 6, 2009

Opened here today , has got pretty crap reviews , i will go and see it next week , just to see your work !!

John Holland · November 10, 2009

Just watched the film , i didnt like it at all , but its not aimed at my age group ,much to old ! I thought your work was excellent David , must have been very hard to know how to light it , was a horror or a comedy ? well it was in between , so hard task for you i think !

Andy_Alderslade · November 10, 2009

Opened here today , has got pretty crap reviews , i will go and see it next week , just to see your work !!

Are those reviews from normal critics or British critics who are willing to slate anything providing it can provide them with an easy pun!

David Mullen ASC · November 11, 2009

Just watched the film , i didnt like it at all , but its not aimed at my age group ,much to old ! I thought your work was excellent David , must have been very hard to know how to light it , was a horror or a comedy ? well it was in between , so hard task for you i think !

Thanks for seeing it anyway, I know that it's not some people's type of movie.

David Calson · November 11, 2009

Hey slightly off topic, but for mainstream movies like this, does the studio send you the DVD of the film (special features and all, the kind a customer would buy) or have you ever had to buy it in stores yourself?

David Mullen ASC · November 12, 2009

Hey slightly off topic, but for mainstream movies like this, does the studio send you the DVD of the film (special features and all, the kind a customer would buy) or have you ever had to buy it in stores yourself?

It's pretty rare for me to get the store DVD from the distributor -- I usually have to buy it myself.

Arni Heimir · November 12, 2009

It's pretty rare for me to get the store DVD from the distributor -- I usually have to buy it myself.

So I gather that you don't get a mint 35mm copy of the film as some actors have written in their contracts :)

Arni Heimir · November 12, 2009

Thanks for seeing it anyway, I know that it's not some people's type of movie.

I saw it and liked it a lot! The story could have been "tighter" but what can you expect from a Megan Fox movie. Otherwise I found it immensely enjoyable.

David Mullen ASC · December 31, 2009

This is just a test -- the DVD came out this week and I just got a new iMac, and am trying a new DVD frame grab software rather than crank up my old PC to do it.

Michel Hafner · January 4, 2010

HD screen shots

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Jennifers-Bo...reenshots/8035/

David Mullen ASC · January 5, 2010

I put some DVD frames on my website:

http://www.davidmullenasc.com/page4/page15/page15.html

I wish Mac supported Blu-Ray...

Tenolian Bell · January 6, 2010

This is just a test -- the DVD came out this week and I just got a new iMac, and am trying a new DVD frame grab software rather than crank up my old PC to do it.

I've found SnapzPro X the best app for screen capture on the Mac.

There's also Handbreak for converting DVD video TS files into h.264 quicktime movies.

I wish Mac supported Blu-Ray...

Ah, you know it comes down to money, licensing, digital rights management, and lawyers.

I think a part of it too is that Apple philosophically wants to push past distributing media on silver discs. Technologically we are actually past media on silver discs. Studios and the consumer electronic industry are protecting an aging business model. But that's certainly a whole different discussion.

K Borowski · January 6, 2010

I think a part of it too is that Apple philosophically wants to push past distributing media on silver discs. Technologically we are actually past media on silver discs. Studios and the consumer electronic industry are protecting an aging business model. But that's certainly a whole different discussion.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

While I agree there is plenty to be gained by being rid of CD, DVD, Blu-Ray media, and all of their finicky issues, once and for all, it'd probably take more than a DAY to download an HD movie with my current internet connection.

A lot of people think DVD is good enough, or don't want to trash their multi-thousand-dollar collections. Meanwhile I've been waiting for Blu-ray since 2002, only bought a half-dozen DVDs during that time.

It is here and can get me, more or less instantly, access to HD movies that "higher tech" methods would take me a day, several hours at the least with the priciest internet connection/latest computer connection available. Apple can keep their jump drives and external harddrives and servers, because that is what it would take to have any number of HD movies congregated together in one place. . .

David Mullen ASC · January 6, 2010

The other issue with bandwidth limitations is that the compromise is a lot of data compression. People are now buying music online in MP3 files, which is worse than CD quality. Making higher resolutions of movies convenient to download is going to require a lot of compression, so what's the point if the image has a lot of pixels but is overly compressed? Even now that I've gotten Verizon FIOS and see movies in HD over a fiber-optic line, the quality is inferior to what I get on a Blu-Ray disc. I'd still rather go out an rent a Blu-Ray disk, or buy it, rather than watch it on HD broadcast or pay for pay-for-view.

But all of this belongs on a different thread... unless you want to discuss how the Blu-Ray of "Jennifer's Body" looked.