We've moved...

...to a new location:

chopshopstudios.wordpress.com is our new nifty blog locale.

Please come by to see our new work, read about our new adventures, or catch up on some fabulous film recommendations by the one and only Human Film Library, Austin.

Cheers!

What we're working on now...

This month we have begun working with the Century Council.

Starting with their 2006 Year in Review DVD, and ending with a nice fat photo slideshow, we here at Chop Shop are excited about embarking on a new project.

What we especially enjoy about End of Year videos is the chance to dig into another company to learn about what they have to offer. The Century Council does not let us down. With programs such as Girl Talk, Ask Listen Learn, and B4U Drink, it's exciting to be part of the solution.

At the Cinema | The Queen

Inspired by the Golden Globe awards, last night I attended the 5.15 screening of The Queen with my parents at the AFI theatre. What a glorious theatre!

The only time I had been in the large cinema at Silver Springs before was at Werner Herzog's presentation of his new documentary, Grizzly Man, and of course at the time, all I could focus on was Herzog's stories of bar brawls in Bavaria and the greedy legal system in the US.

Last night, however, I was free to admire the architecture of the AFI's large cinema and the comfortable VIP chairs which gave my very tall father plenty of leg room.

The movie itself deserves equal praise. A solid story that span the few days following the death of Princess Diana was built from a strong, straight-forward script, excellent performances from Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen, and was rounded out with a sprinkling of actual news footage.

Afterwards, I was surprised with stories from my parents about their friendship with Tony Blair and the time they had tea at the Palace with the Prince and Princess.

Overall, while you might not be treated to soup, tea, and entertaining stories of the English Royalty after, I highly recommend attending a screening of The Queen before it leaves the theatre.

Robert Altman

Film director Robert Altman passed away last night at 81. His films include MASH, The Company, Short Cuts, Gosford Park, and most recently, Prairie Home Companion.

He directed 87 films since 1951.

We would like to encourage everyone to get out and watch one of his films to pay homage, as well as to see a great master of dialogue at work.

Really pay attention to the way his camera flows between conversations. The way his characters never quite finish their thoughts, before another conversation has been introduced. And above all, enjoy his wonderful ensemble casts. A good director knows how to cast his films. Altman was fantastic when it came to casting.

So here's to an amazing career, Mr. Altman! Three Cheers!

Join ONE

ONE

LOST

This is our first film. We shot it in Seattle back in August of 2003. It stars Jaime Roberts, Hana Lass, and Caitlin Clouthier. All the music is by John Osebold.

It is the story of a young composer, living in a world where music is not allowed, seeking out someone who can understand her.



to see a higher resolution of the film, click here.

Paper Snow Doll

Paper Snow Doll is a short film we shot in Seattle on July 19, 2005. The test was to see how much power music and editing had over a very simple story line.

This is our experiment.

music by:John Osebold | cast: Lathrop Walker & Caitlin Clouthier