Volume 1, Issue 2

Jackie Chan vs. Colonialism: Anti and Pro Colonial Views In Jackie Chan Films

by James Eldred

Perfecting the High Concept: an Analysis of Simpson/Bruckheimer Films

by Erik Pepple

Double Indemnity, Women in Film

By Mary Jackson

Krytzia: Making of a Student Film (separate page)

By Melissa Miller

Inspiration

Inspiration is define as the action of power of moving the intellect or emotions. Many people are inspired by different ideas and vocations. The inspiration is what motivates the creation of different ideas. That motivation is what drives people to write movies, to make movies and to act in movies. This issue of the projector shows many different ways film inspires people.

The first article was inspired by the action films of Jackie Chan. The discussion is examining the attacks on colonialism and racism across the world. James Eldred does this by examining such film as Rush Hour(1998), Rush Hour 2(2001), Drunken Master II(1994), and Armor of God(1984). James looks under the surface to what has been marketed as funny action films. These films bring big audiences but what messages are they getting out the films?

The next article was inspired by the producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. Eric Pepple provides a structural analysis of their films which seem to posses an understanding of the zeitgeist and other cultural trends. One of the things that inspire the Simpson/ Bruckheimer films is the traditional American values that are an occurring presence of their films. This theme is what draws the American audience to the theater to see the movies. The movies that Simpson and Bruckheimer have made include Con Air (1997), The Rock(1996),Top Gun(1986),and Coyote Ugly(2000). These movies bring people to the theater and Eric explains why.

Our third article looks at the role of women in motion pictures. Women are not generally portrayed in a positive light in movies. The inspiration of the paper by Mary Jackson is to show that women are misrepresented in the film industry. The Movie Double Indemnity(1944) does not allow the women to be shown as the weaker sex but that the woman can be the maker of her own destiny. Mary tells how women should not be generalized in to different categories.

The last paper is what inspired this addition of The Projector. After taking a film production class I wanted to see other productions and read about student films. After expanding every resource the paper came down to what was done in the class I took. I was looking for the way other student films have been done and the usual length what they were made for (class, Ect..). I could only find some of these and a little advice.

The paper covers the preproduction, production and postproduction of the film that was made. This paper is just to give an idea to other students on how a short film is made. This will be helpful to others who are student and have never made a film before. I was one of them before the summer class.

Inspiration can come from many different forms. Some are inspired by making movies and some by seeing movies. This edition of the Projector has proven that movies are a source of inspiration and they will continue to move people in different directions. After all with out it movies would not be made at all.

Melissa Miller