Behind my work

  Behind everybody's blog there's an amount of research on the topic. This one is not an exception. so, in case you are curious, here are some of the sources I use to do so.

 

1- YouTube

   Ok, maybe this isn't exactly a source, although I do use it as a constant way of finding trailers about whatever film I am talking about or maybe look up people talking giving information about it.

 

  But it mostly works as a source of inspiration. specially because of two youtubers. firstly, a Spanish critic called Dayo, who talks about movies, videogames and Tv series. Although he may be too negative at times, I love his style and he made me want to do something similar. The other one is I Hate Everything, mostly because of an ongoing series called The search for the worst, in which he reviews bad movies in a funny way, while being objective at the same time.

2- Wikia

  If something exists, there probably is a fanbase all about it. And those fanbases tend to like writing about what they love and getting others to know it. Wikia is basically a place where you can create an encyclopedia about your favorite book, movie, and so on. you can find pages ranging from the most known series to the most obscure. However, because it's available to everyone, I recommend double-checking the information on it.

3- Comic vine

  A webpage entirely dedicated to comics, this website has everything You can find comic reviews here, as well as information on characters and series. As well as this, they try to have the latest news so that you can keep up to date when it comes to the comic book world. You can even find a new read that you may have never tried otherwise.

4- IMDb

  The Internet Movie Database gives you information on almost every movie there has ever been. Not only this, but it also includes biographies for many actors and actresses, a rating system based on stars and a number out of ten, and the option to let you give your opinion about a movie and let other knows if you think it’s worth reading or not.

 

5- Metacritic

  Much like IMDb, these webpage rates movies, videogames, music and TV series. It provides a rating from zero to one-hundred both for professional critics and for "normal" watchers. Once again, it includes the option to write your own review for everyone to see. It also includes a list of the best and worst movies based on their score in their sit.

Which sources do I use?

Normally I don't have a set of used sources to informed myself about a topic. Typically, it depends on what do I want to search, and if it is more related to movies or books.

For Instance, YouTube is a good source to look for Movie Trailers. Because, I tend to write about movies I saw, is easier to find what I want exactly.

I lean on three YouTube channels that talked about movies and books as well of YouTube trailers:

1. MOVIECLIPS

2. CHRIS STUCKMANN: Is a movie critique related channel. I watch his videos on a daily basis, because of his objective reviews and good sense of humour

3.WISECRACK. Thug Notes Section: A book related channel, that reviews, analyses and explains classics of literature in a comical note.

Thug Notes

Besides those three channels, the search is merely to get more background of the topic. 

Here are some of the pages I used:

1. Internet Movies Database: Used to find references and nice details

2. GOODREADS: The usage of this website depends on the book, if it's a classical I will rely on this web to get more information, otherwise I

will stick to YouTube

3. THE NEW YORK TIMES: the book section is often use to find good reviews of the books selected on the post

What are my main sources?

When wring about comics and books adaptations to the big and small screen, is always important to research first on reliable sources. This way you can get the information that you need and, also, the information that will make your audience want to read your articles. Here are my most important five main sources:

1- MOVIEPLOT

In this website I usually find very interesting articles written mostly by fans. But, these articles have previously been corrected and approved by a large team of writers; so the content and the quality of the articles is usually excellent. The articles are usually about films, videogames and TV shows.

Example of an interesting article "10 superhero comic books that deserve a TV adaptation" 

by James Valentine 

2-FILMAFFINITY

This website provides me with all the information that I need from a film. It displays the names of the directors, the scriptwriters, the cast, the producers... This page is also very useful, because they collect international and national newspaper´s critics about the film.

3- ROTTENTOMATOES

I especially like this particular website, because it reunites reviews from films from both cinemas and TV. It also allows users to rate the films and add their own reviews, so everyone can contribute.

4-PREVIOUSLY EMPIRE

In this website you can find the latest news from books, films and TV; which is indeed very useful when searching information about comics and books adapted to the screen. It also has different categories so you can find easily what you are looking for (such as previously books, previously series, previously films and previously TV). They are also very active on Twitter, which makes it easier to stay informed.

5- THE NUMBERS

As they say on their website, they provide detailed movie financial analysis, including box office, DVD and Blu-ray sales reports, and release schedules. It can be, also, a very useful tool to display information in your blog.

Example of their useful graphs to display information in an organized way

Macbeth and the Forgotten Script

Oh Shakespeare! Oh life! Oh Third Year Theatre Class!

My insertion into the Shakespearean world was a late one, I saw a couple of movies related to the plays that the worldwide writer did, but nothing like Macbeth. Oh boy that was a different story.

In high school, our theatre teacher assigned us a Shakespeare play to do. With the original script. (In spanish of course) and with the selection of the cast we had to have. We had to do everything, from props, to customs, to scenery and the music, ALL.

Unfortunately, for me the star of the plot was a total disaster. Why? Well, let's just say that he was lazy...if not something else.

After that day, I saw Theatre in another different way. 

With more respect for the actors, that remember every single line of their script. These was a line that my Oh great Macbeth performer forgot:

MACBETH

"If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly: if the assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease success; that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

We'ld jump the life to come. But in these cases

We still have judgment here; that we but teach

Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return

To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice

Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice

To our own lips. He's here in double trust;

First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,

Who should against his murderer shut the door,

Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan

Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been

So clear in his great office, that his virtues

Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against

The deep damnation of his taking-off;

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,

Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed

Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur

To prick the sides of my intent, but only

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself

And falls on the other."

Being objective, Macbeth's is not exactly the easiest play of all, actually, is a pretty hard one, but anyway, my heart was in that play, and it was crush. All the hoursof rehearsal,the making of the kilts for the male characters, and the money expended, yeah there was money on top of all!

Later I saw the mega production of Macbeth with the gorgeous Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.




I cried internally after watching it, It was excellent, and everytime I recall my old play, Macbeth's movies makes our performance even worst.

Five different sources to take into account

Sometimes, when we don`t know anything about a movie or a book, the only thing to do is search for that information, so we can do our job correctly. But what are those sources? And what we can find on them?

Here, there are some of my suggestions:

                                                               1. TV Guide

                                                                   

Image: Wikipedia

TV Guide is a bi-weekly and american magazine that offers us a long list of things related to television shows, gossip news but also movies. It helps to know more about descriptions and detailed reviews of a certain entertaining product. For this project, it serves to display informations about the characters and when there is a book behind that film, it makes interesting comparisons. 

                                                     2. Entertainment Weekly

Image: Radiotopia

Next we have Entertainment Weekly, another weekly magazine from United States. It talks about films, tv shows, music, Broadway productions, among other things. In order to help this work, EW provides a lot of information between news and reviews of  movies and series, raised by literary works.  It has also a special section of all the new literary successes, which probably will be adapted into movie.

                                                    3.  ComicBook

     

Image: Scopely

ComicBook is an entertainment media and lifestyle site for a generation that is passionate about larger than life characters, celebrities and entertainment franchises. From celebrity and trending news to comics, anime, gaming, and franchises like The Walking Dead, Star Wars, Star Trek, Netflix and WWE. Besides that, it talks about different kinds of BD`s , normally adapted to television series or films. It is a reliable source and strongly recommended for the people who want to know more about super heroes stories.
                                                        4.  The Hollywood Reporter

Image: The Hollywood Reporter

 The Hollywood Reporter is a multi-platform American digital and print magazine focused on the Hollywood film industry, television and entertainment industries. It is useful on giving important informations about all films, including the adaptations through by books and, in that way, it is very similar to TV Guide.                                 
                                                                   5. The Millions

Image: Twitter

The Millions is an online literary magazine. It contains articles about literary topics and book reviews. An original aspect about this one is that he creates specific lists about the best books at the moment, which can be found in shops and libraries, and the best adaptations from books to movies and still a lot of old archives. It`s very complete and informative about the whole literature world.

The incredible story of The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas

Bruno and Shmuel (Image from the film)
Image: Pinterest

Despite the background being the most sad, as it happens in the 2nd World War in the period called by the Holocaust, John Boyne, the book `s author, tell us a story in a simple and beautiful way, that was what won me over, after all. 

Once again, there are two sides, the book and the movie. The book was so well written that you cannot - and do not want - escape to feel an huge affection for Bruno, and later by Shmuel and the friendship which they build. They come from different social classes, but that`s not a problem for them. What I would like to highlight, in this story, is how their friendship is portrayed, free of intolerance and prejudice; simply by showing the value of the human being and true friends. And the book is the clear representation of that. 

I noticed that it was one of the books easier to visualize the story and all the character actions, that i've ever read. All of the aspects, announced in the book,  were quite clear in my mind, with exacting detail, which is not very common when I, for example, read a book. It is the carried by the emotions and sensibility, the most important element in my opinion  - at least, when the book has this delicacy, I feel more connected to the events, and that is, for me, very crucial.

To see a movie after reading the book, there is always a small shock and that comparison between what you have imagined and what you're watching. I was, at least, noting mentally the similarities, things of which I miss… And in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" I missed a couple of things. I did not find the movie bad, but it did not approach me, in relation to the story, like the book did. The film version does not leave so clear the importance of Bruno´s grandmother, among other details, like the lice`s scab and the importance of shaving the head, characters profile unexploited, for example, Gretel, Bruno sister`s, which looks like so unbiased and irrelevant in the film, comparatively to the literary work. 

I must confess that i have created so many expectations about the book, which the movie ended up disappointing me, more than I expected. However, i strongly recommend the book`s reading and, if you want, watch the movie too, because, in both, the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel is so well-built, which transforms the all story in a true lesson for our days society, despite all the differences and prejudices that could exist between them. 

Video: Youtube

David Magalhães.

Useful sources and references

Finding true information on the internet can be a challengue nowadays. With so many rumours and theories, I have to make sure that what I am writing is accurate and check my online sources.

Symbol of Sensacine.com

SENSACINE

One of the most reliable websites I use is called Sensacine. It has a lot of quality content, as well as a good design which helps the readers find what they are looking for. It has different cathegories -such as "films" or "news"- but it also has recommendations. Additionally, this page is very active in social media, which allows me to know every time they post something interesting. However, what I like the most about Sensacine is that they have a lot of videos and pictures. They don´t make huge posts with too many words, which can be tiring, but with a lot of multimedia content such as trailers or tests. Despite its helpfulness, this website is only available in spanish.

Icon of TV Guide

TV GUIDE

Another honest and fantastic source is TV Guide. This page has articles with larger extension than Sensacine, but it also has the latest news about TV shows. If you want to, you can sign up for recommendations about the series you watch, which I think its a great advantage. It has an app so you can read the news using your smartphone or tablet, as well as links to other platforms where you can find information and even episodes. And futhermore, the website is in english so it has a lot of international readers.

Icon from the app of Goodreads

GOODREADS

Goodreads is also an excellent website for book fanatics. Whenever I need to see reviews from readers, I use the page to read the comments from them. This way, I can know if the novel I am talking about has been successful. This page has some interviews to authors too, which I find very trustworthy. You can find recommendations and lists with the best books of the year, but in order to have more specific suggestions you need to have an account, which can be linked to your social media.

Twitter´s icon of Cineralia

CINERALIA

One of the most complete pages about films is Cineralia. The headlines are clear and brief, so you know what the news are about. The website is aesthetically pleasing, and it has a lot of videos and photos. It also has many cathegories -such as movie news, contests or trailers- which allows the users to find the posts more eficiently. Their social networks are very easy to findand they are regularly updated.  The content is really original, and if you are interested in reading more you can subscribe to Cineralia using your email. 

Headline of Fotogramas

FOTOGRAMAS

Fotogramas is my last recommendation. This spanish website has many news and reviews about TV shows and films, which is very useful when I need more information in order to write a post. Not only it has the typical cathegories, it also has innovative ones like Festivals and Blogs. It the Blogs section, it has links to other websites with similar content.  However, they don´t use social networks a lot, which is why I prefer the previous websites.

There are many sites to find useful sources and references, but I usually use these since they tell where they got the information so you can check the facts.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The Awesome Movie Adaptation

The first volume's cover.

   In 2004, a guy called Bryan Lee O'Malley released the first volume of a 6 parts graphic novel centered around a Canadian 23 year old called Scott Pilgrim, Scott Pilgrim's precious little life. The graphic novels were all about him meeting the new girl in town called Ramona Flowers and having to battle her 7 evil exes to go out with her. I know, weird. However, throughout the book, O'Malley tells us the story of someone having to recognise his past errors, accepting himself and reaching maturity in doing so.

  It was in 2010 when a movie based on all six volumes and called Scott Pilgrim vs The world was released. Were it not for this movie, I would have never known of the existence of one of my favourite comic books ever. In fact, I first watched the movie two years ago and decided to read the comics, then re-watch the movie, re-read the comics and re-watch the movie a third time. Yes, I am a bit obsessed. But in doing so I discovered that the move is way more awesome than first time I saw it.

Two posters for the movie.

  The thing so great about it is that it feels like actually being a comic and not a movie, even though it is recorded by real actors. Many of the lines are extracted directly from the comics and is able to adapt their drama and humour alike. The characters themselves are greatly portrayed by their respective actors.  Not only that, but the special effects are so amazing and colourful that they seem like they were drawn by O'Malley himself (here's an scene so that you can check it out yourself). Even many transitions are exactly like in the comics. The only things that are different are the pace, due to the movie length, and the ending, as it was filmed before the last volume came out. Despite this, it still keeps a similar tone to the one found in the comics.

   I really recommend that you watch the movie when you have time, because it's very good even as an independent movie despite it passing a little under the radar. And, who knows, you may end up looking up the comics (which you can read here) and enjoying the movie even more and in its full form.