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Everybody has to start somewhere.

The best and most successful Hollywood directors might find themselves marshalling $200 million epics, but in their formative years big budgets weren't at their disposal and they had to make do only with a good idea and the drive to make it happen. Many filmmakers use shorts to test-run ideas and explore themes they'd circle back to down the line.

From Christopher Nolan to Steven Spielberg, we look at nine short films that helped kick-start careers behind the camera.

1. Christopher Nolan - Doodlebug (1997)

Even before he hit it big, Interstellar director Christopher Nolan was distorting reality with his film work.

Doodlebug - led by Nolan's Following star Jeremy Theobald - played out an intriguing narrative loop over a brisk three minutes as a man chased a 'bug' around his flat with a shoe. A year after he made this film, Nolan took his feature debut Following...

In 2008, Godzilla director, Gareth Edwards, made his first short film. It's called Factory Farmed, and it was created as part of "Sci-Fi London's 48-hour Filmmaking Contest." It's kind of crazy to think that the first film that he wrote and directed was made in 48 hours. 

He ended up winning the competition, and that's what gave him the motivation to move forward with his filmmaking career. After that he made his first feature film called Monsters, which he wrote, directed, and did the special effects for. That movie turned out great. Now he's on the road of becoming one of the hottest new directors in Hollywood as he just landed a dream gig of directing a Star Wars spin-off movie for Lucasfilm!

The short has a dark and somber tone to it. There's only a few lines of dialogue, but it's a solid short film that shows the talent of a...

Today’s film is the 2008 short Factory Farmed. The film stars Allen Leech and Jacob Court, and is written and directed by Gareth Edwards. Edwards began his career in visual effects before transitioning to writing and directing with the 2005 TV movie End Day. He made his theatrical big screen debut in 2012 with Monsters, and his newest directorial feature, titled Godzilla, opened in wide release in American theatres this weekend.

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The post Sunday Shorts: ‘Factory Farmed’, written and directed by Gareth Edwards appeared first on Sound On Sight.

Tonight you can catch some early screenings of Godzilla at pretty much every theater playing the monstrous remake from director Gareth Edwards this weekend. But before you check out his first blockbuster, secured after people saw his impressive sci-fi indie Monsters, go back two years before his indie debut to check out this short film created for the Sci-Fi London 48 Hour Film Challenge. The film is titled Factory Farmed, and in addition to being developed, shot and edited in 48 hours, it had to include a clear bottle with red or green liquid and the line of dialogue, “I am required to carry out this task until completion: your orders do not override anything.” How did Edwards do it? See for yourself below! Here's Gareth Edwards' short film Factory Farmed via The Film Stage: Godzilla, being directed by Gareth Edwards (of Monsters), comes from a screenplay written by Drew Pearce,...

Gareth Edwards first made a splash with a 2008 short created as part of the Sci Fi London 48 Hour Film Challenge, during which teams of filmmakers have two days to take a film from concept to completion. The finished film must include the use of an assigned prop (for this team, a clear bottle with red or green liquid), one specific line of dialogue (“I am required to carry out this task until completion: your orders do not override anything”), and a particular title (“Factory Farmed”). This is what they came up with:

That was made in two days. Incredible.

Want more Godzilla homework? Check out Edwards’ 2010 feature debut, Monsters, made on the road, guerilla style, with minimal crew. Spoiler: It’s about how we as a culture respond to monsters in our midst.

Here’s another brand new movie poster for the upcoming film “Godzilla” by director Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post Badass New Godzilla Poster Hits The Web appeared first on Shockya.com.

Just in time for Comic-Con 2013, here’s a brand new teaser poster for the upcoming film “Godzilla” by director Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post Oh Yeah, A New Godzilla Movie Poster appeared first on Shockya.com.

Check out the latest Comic-Con 2013 promo art for the upcoming film “Godzilla” by director Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post New Godzilla Promo Art Spotted at Comic-Con 2013 appeared first on Shockya.com.

Here’s a first look at Elizabeth Olsen the set of the upcoming film “Godzilla” by director Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post Elizabeth Olsen Spotted On The Set of Godzilla appeared first on Shockya.com.

Here’s a first look at Bryan Cranston )Breaking Bad) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the set of the upcoming film “Godzilla” by drector Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post Bryan Cranston Spotted On The Set Of Godzilla appeared first on Shockya.com.

Check out a first look photo featuring Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the set of the upcoming film “Godzilla” by drector Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post First Looks at Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Godzilla Plus New Set Video appeared first on Shockya.com.

Here’s the first behind the scenes photos and a video from the set of the upcoming film “Godzilla” by drector Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Factory Farmed, Heroes and Villains) and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2, Anna Karenina, Savages, Albert Nobbs), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Eye of Winter, Get a Job, The Cleveland Show, 30 Rock), Elizabeth Olsen (Silent Hose, Very Good Girls, Liberal Arts), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Words and Pictures), David Strathairn (Lincoln, The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck.) Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “Godzilla”.

The post First Godzilla Set Photos and Video Hits The Web appeared first on Shockya.com.

There are two stories told on this Blu-ray release of Gareth Edwards’ Monsters.

One is the critically acclaimed and highly accomplished sci-fi film depicting a desperate road trip through the dark heart of an alien infested no-man’s land in Central America and the other is the equally desperate process of making the film. Both are compelling, work beautifully together, and both are essential viewing as one informs and enlightens the other.

Rarely do we see such candid commentary and genuine astonishment at a project being realised, CGI warts and all, onto the screen and the interview footage of director Gareth Edwards and his constant companion and Editor Colin Goudie is an illuminating watch, and should be seen right after the feature. Filmmakers will lap it up and cheer on the triumph of a team who are obviously genuine about their passion for the film they made while standing, almost half squinting,...

Monsters

DVD & Blu-ray, Momentum

The jury is still out on whether or not Avatar was the "game changer" James Cameron insisted it was – though we do seem to have a lot of crappy 3D movies around now.

As Cameron's game was one you needed $237million to even consider playing, British director Gareth Edwards's far more modestly budgeted (under half a million dollars) Monsters looks set to be the film that alters the way we make movies. Scoot McNairy plays a magazine photographer who must accompany his boss's daughter (Whitney Able, McNairy's real-life partner) across a huge Central American exclusion zone where, years earlier, a crashed space probe caused an infestation of huge, octopoid alien creatures. Working on such low stakes, Edwards only cast the two actors (the rest were roped-in bystanders), the film locations were chanced upon, and all the signs, military vehicles and monsters are CGI, with Edwards doing the VFX himself.

Gareth Edwards is the director of brit-indie-mumblecore-monster-movie-success Monsters. He is also the man taking the reins of the Godzilla reboot. As long as it all goes swimmingly, this should be a perfect match of talent and material, but let’s not jinx it for him.

Actually lets tip toe around it and not say “the G word” aloud, as he’s only supposed to be talking about Monsters today. But don’t worry I still squeeze a few drops of giant lizard juice out of him. That sounded less disgusting in my head.

It was an overcast day and I'd just walked the wrong way around Russell Square, but I’m still in time to get some water and take a seat for my round table style talk with Gareth. Fortunately it turns out to be a triangular style table talk, with just myself Gedwards and a rather nice fellow from Cine-Vue.

We’ve been given an exclusive look at the Monsters Blu-ray and DVD trailer before it rolls out to other sites and places next week.

Gareth Edwards’ film is released from 11th April and will no doubt do spectacular business much like it did at the box office upon its theatrical release.

“Following its hugely successful theatrical release that saw it earning Five Star reviews in Empire (“a sci-fi picture which never loses sight of the human factor… an amazing achievement”), Total Film (“the most audacious debut since ‘The Blair Witch Project’”), the Financial Times (“a lollapalooza… so edgy it hardly needs monsters… a masterpiece of high-amp anxiety”), the Daily Express (“an intelligent, inventive film… highly recommended”) and the Sunday Mirror (“a road trip blending romance with sci-fi thrills”), the critically acclaimed Monsters comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 11th April 2011 courtesy of Vertigo Films.

The winner of the Best Director,...

Recently the Sound On Sight team entered a 48 hour film contest, a contest in which ten teams were assigned a sub-genre of horror to write, shoot and edit in less than two days. Along with the sub-genre (post apocalyptic) , we were also given a line of dialogue (“For God’s sake, don’t take the stairs”) to incorporate into the script, a prop (a cereal box) to be featured, and a murder weapon (scissors) to be used at least once. It was an incredible experience but also the most exhausting weekend of my life. After going almost two and a half days of no sleep, I fell ill and was sick in bed for the upcoming week. Shooting a short film is hard enough, but having to do it in such a short period of time is almost impossible. With that said I was blown away to see the results of another 48 hour short film,...

Gareth Edwards’ lo-fi sci-fi flick, Monsters, is receiving its Blu-ray and DVD outing in the UK from 11th April. With its stunning computer effects and unusual storyline, Edwards’ movie has become something of a much-celebrated cult classic.

FilmShaft saw it back in September and you can read out review here. If you’re expecting Michael Bay or Godzilla-like monster smackdowns, think again. What we have is a strange, ominous sort of film which will grow on you.

Check the press release below for all details and what extra features will be appearing on the discs.

“Following its hugely successful theatrical release that saw it earning Five Star reviews in Empire (“a sci-fi picture which never loses sight of the human factor… an amazing achievement”), Total Film (“the most audacious debut since ‘The Blair Witch Project’”), the Financial Times (“a lollapalooza… so edgy it hardly needs monsters… a masterpiece of...

This Week in DVD & Blu-ray is a column that compiles all the latest info regarding new DVD and Blu-ray releases, sales, and exclusive deals from stores including Target, Best Buy and Fry’s. Let Me In How you respond to Let Me In will depend almost entirely on whether or not you've seen the original. On a purely technical level, its craft is unquestionable. Director Matt Reeves has thoughtfully and skillfully reconstructed Let the Right One In for American audiences, maintaining the solemn mood and tender intimacy of the boy-girl relationship that made the original so heartbreakingly compelling. But that's also the problem: the film is strictly an imitation. Save for some narrative streamlining and one astounding new set piece, this movie lacks any identity of its own. It is nearly a shot-for-shot remake, and it makes very little attempt to differentiate itself. Because of this, anyone who has seen...

Another limited theatrical release with a lot of buzz is finally being released on DVD and Blu-ray Feb. 1st, 2010. Monsters 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray Special Features: Making of featurettes (Production on Set, Editing, Visual Effects, HDNet: A Look at Monsters), deleted and extended scenes, extended interviews, a Comic Con NYC with Gareth Edwards feature, a Factory Farmed short film with intro from Gareth Edwards, and a digital copy of the film.