The economics of digital filmmaking have certainly changed the game from the days of film. But now that we’ve significantly lowered the cost of entry for the independent filmmaker, the things to look for are ways to improve the degree of quality of what is in those films.
Of course, human talent will always be at the core of storytelling, whether it happens on film or in digital format. Even a technical guy like John Loughlin, the chair of the cinematography department at the New York Film Academy (www.nyfa.edu), will tell you that. But he also cites a few pieces of equipment that are making filmmaking easy on the independent producer’s budget and the director’s artistry.
“Everyone understands the value of the hand-held cam,” says Loughlin. “But the problem is when the weight of the camera causes the shot to be shaky.” The solution he cites is the Easyrig portable camera support system. It is sold as an ergonomic device, kind to the neck and shoulders of the cameraman because it distributes weight of the camera to other parts of the body through a back brace system. Because the burden is off the arms and shoulders (reducing load by about 75 percent), the cameraman’s arms and hands are steadier. It is made in Sweden and Loughlin notes it was used in the 2012 release, “Beasts of the Southern Wild.”
Also popular at the New York film school is the range of lighting equipment that can travel more readily to location shoots. Loughlin cites in particular the ARRIMAX lens-less lighting system for the fact it can run off a wall socket instead of a special generator, while delivering a 1.8 kW output (previous wall-outlet capabilities peaked at 1.4kW). The implication should be clear: You can now provide better lighting at less cost in more locations, where and when needed.
Loughlin himself is tinkering with older lighting systems, most based in metallic tungsten filaments. “Older lights are coming down in price,” he says, attributable to the innovations such as the system discussed in the previous paragraph. “With a DIY overhaul of, say 6000w systems, breaking it down into three 2000w circuits, a lower-budget company can buy the older equipment, then divide and repurpose it. You have to know something about rewiring, but that’s what I do.”
Loughlin also encourages filmmakers to experiment with lenses, particularly in terms of depth of field. “There is an old guard that may consider this blasphemy,” he notes, “But I think we expand the ‘normal’ definition of lenses beyond what the human eye can do. It’s useful to understand the differences and capabilities of wide and long or telephoto lenses.”
There have been many low-budget-high-grossing success stories in the past. Examples: “The Blair Witch Project,” “Halloween,” the UK film “Monsters” among many others. With increasing quality, independent films can only get better as time goes on.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Day in the Life of an Indie Film Producer Or Should I Say Middle of the Night?
Here I am working at 4am. I thought I'd take a moment to clear my head and write about what I'm doing. For those of you interested in film producing as a career, this is what you have to look forward to - I hope I don't scare you away - ha!
I am currently in post production on a new documentary and there are over 1400 images and clips to clear, including celebrity approvals and more, in about a month's time. The amount of work is pretty overwhelming but I find each independent film I make has these moments. This is my day and night of making a film.
On top of ensuring all images and clips are licensed, I am needing to make sure we have all the final, high resolution images and clips in house. I'm also dealing with narrator hires, SAG signatory status, contract negotiations, post house deals, and distribution strategies. There are a million pieces to this puzzle and I'm praying I can finish the puzzle in time.
Today, I realized that I have maxed out my short term memory. It's gone. I can retain about 10 seconds at a time because there's just so much information coming at me. I have to tell my colleagues to not feel bad about reminding me about anything. I want the reminders!
And just when all of this work is overwhelming me, I am in the midst of developing and writing new narrative ideas. I have three scripts that I'm cowriting currently. I love them all and it's been challenging to find time after and before work on the doc to squeeze in the time to write. I'm also reading books to try to find one to option and working on a couple of Web series.
I do all of this juggling of work because I have my eye on the prize and I refuse to take my eye off of it. I want to produce docs AND write and produce narrative features and I have to work at it every single day - no matter what my schedule throws at me.
Well, that's a little insider look at the frenzy that is my life. I love what I do. And for those of you who are thinking about doing this kind of work too, my best advice is to love it unconditionally. Because without that unconditional love, you may not have the strength to keep going when you're on your 18th hour of work. Just remember: you love it. And smile at the absurdity of it all.
I am currently in post production on a new documentary and there are over 1400 images and clips to clear, including celebrity approvals and more, in about a month's time. The amount of work is pretty overwhelming but I find each independent film I make has these moments. This is my day and night of making a film.
On top of ensuring all images and clips are licensed, I am needing to make sure we have all the final, high resolution images and clips in house. I'm also dealing with narrator hires, SAG signatory status, contract negotiations, post house deals, and distribution strategies. There are a million pieces to this puzzle and I'm praying I can finish the puzzle in time.
Today, I realized that I have maxed out my short term memory. It's gone. I can retain about 10 seconds at a time because there's just so much information coming at me. I have to tell my colleagues to not feel bad about reminding me about anything. I want the reminders!
And just when all of this work is overwhelming me, I am in the midst of developing and writing new narrative ideas. I have three scripts that I'm cowriting currently. I love them all and it's been challenging to find time after and before work on the doc to squeeze in the time to write. I'm also reading books to try to find one to option and working on a couple of Web series.
I do all of this juggling of work because I have my eye on the prize and I refuse to take my eye off of it. I want to produce docs AND write and produce narrative features and I have to work at it every single day - no matter what my schedule throws at me.
Well, that's a little insider look at the frenzy that is my life. I love what I do. And for those of you who are thinking about doing this kind of work too, my best advice is to love it unconditionally. Because without that unconditional love, you may not have the strength to keep going when you're on your 18th hour of work. Just remember: you love it. And smile at the absurdity of it all.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Movie Theaters' Struggle Mirrors Indie Film Struggle
Just as indie filmmakers are struggling to survive, movie theaters are having a tough time too. Especially the theaters that can't afford to upgrade to digital projection, which comes with a pretty hefty price tag of over $100k. Ouch! That's like starting a new business entirely.
And I can only assume that there are a number of theaters that struggle to break even each month, much less have an extra $100k to $200k lying around for upgrading.
I had an insider's look into the world of theaters this year when I had to plan a small theatrical (due to having no money to pay for someone else to do it) - indie guerrilla distributing at its best. I had no clue what I was doing and just called hundreds of theaters begging. It's amazing what you can do if you just do it.
We played a number of theaters and actually made some cash to help us get over the hump until our revenue could come from our digital distribution. It's not a lot of revenue (let's not get crazy) but when you have a small film, a little goes a long way.
Anyway, I was surprised at how many theaters I called who still couldn't handle digital projection. Granted I didn't have a fancy, shmancy (and expensive) DCP or Digital Cinema Projection, but some of the theaters couldn't even project my poor-man's DCP - the Blu-ray. So when I read this week that certain theaters were facing extinction due to digital projection, flashbacks to the demise of the drive-in theater entered my mind as well as the eternal struggle of the indie filmmaker.
In my lifetime, I have witnessed the demise of the drive-in theaters - which to this day hurts - and witnessed the launch of movie rentals, starting on Beta tapes that we rented from Highland Appliance (a whole city away), then VHS, then DVD, and now Blu-ray and the internet.
While it's all very exciting, it also leaves a lot of hard-working people in its wake. People who made a living in the old world and now have to figure out where they fit in the new world.
My heart bleeds for those theaters who can't survive. It brings to mind the tiny theater I used to go to almost every night when we vacationed on Lake Huron when I was a kid. It was the one touch of reality during the lazy days near the lake shore. Or the $1 theater near my hometown, where I saw Top Gun for the first time and about twenty more times after that.
These small theaters are likely hanging on by a thread now. Just as indie filmmakers are. A new technology emerges and theaters can't afford to embrace the new technology and they fold. For indie filmmakers, a new technology emerges and we struggle to figure out how to monetize our work with it - often with lots of failed attempts.
No one wants the theaters to go away. Just like no one wants to see indie film go away. But it's a reality we struggle with daily. We are all working toward a fix. Toward the day in which an independent filmmaker will be a viable career choice. And a day that theaters and the digital world can work together to help make a film profitable for everyone. That will be a day to rejoice!
And I can only assume that there are a number of theaters that struggle to break even each month, much less have an extra $100k to $200k lying around for upgrading.
I had an insider's look into the world of theaters this year when I had to plan a small theatrical (due to having no money to pay for someone else to do it) - indie guerrilla distributing at its best. I had no clue what I was doing and just called hundreds of theaters begging. It's amazing what you can do if you just do it.
We played a number of theaters and actually made some cash to help us get over the hump until our revenue could come from our digital distribution. It's not a lot of revenue (let's not get crazy) but when you have a small film, a little goes a long way.
Anyway, I was surprised at how many theaters I called who still couldn't handle digital projection. Granted I didn't have a fancy, shmancy (and expensive) DCP or Digital Cinema Projection, but some of the theaters couldn't even project my poor-man's DCP - the Blu-ray. So when I read this week that certain theaters were facing extinction due to digital projection, flashbacks to the demise of the drive-in theater entered my mind as well as the eternal struggle of the indie filmmaker.
In my lifetime, I have witnessed the demise of the drive-in theaters - which to this day hurts - and witnessed the launch of movie rentals, starting on Beta tapes that we rented from Highland Appliance (a whole city away), then VHS, then DVD, and now Blu-ray and the internet.
While it's all very exciting, it also leaves a lot of hard-working people in its wake. People who made a living in the old world and now have to figure out where they fit in the new world.
My heart bleeds for those theaters who can't survive. It brings to mind the tiny theater I used to go to almost every night when we vacationed on Lake Huron when I was a kid. It was the one touch of reality during the lazy days near the lake shore. Or the $1 theater near my hometown, where I saw Top Gun for the first time and about twenty more times after that.
These small theaters are likely hanging on by a thread now. Just as indie filmmakers are. A new technology emerges and theaters can't afford to embrace the new technology and they fold. For indie filmmakers, a new technology emerges and we struggle to figure out how to monetize our work with it - often with lots of failed attempts.
No one wants the theaters to go away. Just like no one wants to see indie film go away. But it's a reality we struggle with daily. We are all working toward a fix. Toward the day in which an independent filmmaker will be a viable career choice. And a day that theaters and the digital world can work together to help make a film profitable for everyone. That will be a day to rejoice!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Indie Film Press Break: RED DAWN | Poster Debut!
Hi there,
The Wolverines are prepared for battle in the brand new RED DAWN poster! Check out the poster featuring Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck and Josh Hutcherson now: http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/red-dawn-poster-reveal-181904379.html
Get geared up for the OFFICIAL TRAILER debut tomorrow on Yahoo! Movies.
Don't miss RED DAWN, the must-see action movie of the Fall, in theaters everywhere November 21, 2012!
Starring CHRIS HEMSWORTH (Thor, The Avengers), JOSH PECK (Drake & Josh, The Wackness), JOSH HUTCHERSON (The Hunger Games), ADRIANNE PALICKI (Friday Night Lights, upcoming GI Joe: Retaliation), ISABEL LUCAS (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, upcoming Knight of Cups), CONNOR CRUISE (Seven Pounds), and JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN (Watchmen).
-----------------------------------------------------
SYNOPSIS:
In Red Dawn, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky – shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom.
-----------------------------------------------------
Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RedDawnFilm
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/reddawnfilm
-----------------------------------------------------
MAMMOTH ADVERTISING
45 Main Street Suite 1006
Brooklyn, New York 11201
The Wolverines are prepared for battle in the brand new RED DAWN poster! Check out the poster featuring Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck and Josh Hutcherson now: http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/red-dawn-poster-reveal-181904379.html
Get geared up for the OFFICIAL TRAILER debut tomorrow on Yahoo! Movies.
Don't miss RED DAWN, the must-see action movie of the Fall, in theaters everywhere November 21, 2012!
Starring CHRIS HEMSWORTH (Thor, The Avengers), JOSH PECK (Drake & Josh, The Wackness), JOSH HUTCHERSON (The Hunger Games), ADRIANNE PALICKI (Friday Night Lights, upcoming GI Joe: Retaliation), ISABEL LUCAS (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, upcoming Knight of Cups), CONNOR CRUISE (Seven Pounds), and JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN (Watchmen).
-----------------------------------------------------
SYNOPSIS:
In Red Dawn, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky – shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom.
-----------------------------------------------------
Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RedDawnFilm
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/reddawnfilm
-----------------------------------------------------
MAMMOTH ADVERTISING
45 Main Street Suite 1006
Brooklyn, New York 11201
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Indie Film Press Break: ALAN RITCHSON CAST AS GLOSS IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
ALAN RITCHSON CAST AS GLOSS IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
Santa Monica, CA, August 9, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Alan Ritchson has been cast in the role of Gloss in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former Career tribute from District , Gloss and his sister Cashmere are both competing in the Quarter Quell.
Ritchson most recently starred in the CBS comedy pilot SUPER FUN NIGHT with Rebel Wilson, and BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE, which aired on Spike TV for three seasons.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.
Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com
MAMMOTH ADVERTISING
45 Main Street Suite 1006
Brooklyn, New York 11201
Santa Monica, CA, August 9, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Alan Ritchson has been cast in the role of Gloss in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former Career tribute from District , Gloss and his sister Cashmere are both competing in the Quarter Quell.
Ritchson most recently starred in the CBS comedy pilot SUPER FUN NIGHT with Rebel Wilson, and BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE, which aired on Spike TV for three seasons.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.
Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com
MAMMOTH ADVERTISING
45 Main Street Suite 1006
Brooklyn, New York 11201
New Feature on All About Indie Filmmaking: Indie Film Press Break
As you may have started to see, I am now posting press releases that I personally receive each day. I have decided to share them on this blog because a) they're interesting and b) I don't have time to write articles on each.
So instead of having them all to myself, why not just share what I get with you? Hope you enjoy the new feature!
So instead of having them all to myself, why not just share what I get with you? Hope you enjoy the new feature!
Indie Film Press Break: ABOUT CHERRY l Available To Watch On SundanceNOW!
Hi there,
There's no such thing as going too far in ABOUT CHERRY, a shocking new film from IFC that challenges assumptions about sexuality and pornography, while addressing the common struggle of finding one's role in life. The film stars James Franco, Heather Graham and up and comer Ashley Hinshaw as Angelina, a runaway who begins exploring the universe of San Francisco's porn industry using the moniker of Cherry.
The film is available nationwide in a special pre-theatrical window on SundanceNOW: http://www.sundancenow.com/film/about-cherry/927
Be sure to check out ABOUT CHERRY on SundanceNow, IFC Films Video on Demand, and digital outlets: iTunes, Amazon Streaming, PS3 Playstation Unlimited and XBOX Zune before it's September 21st theatrical release!
-------------------------
ABOUT CHERRY
-------------------------
Director: Stephen Elliott
Cast: Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Dev Patel, Lili Taylor, Jonny Weston and Heather Graham
Release: Available on Demand + Digital (SundanceNOW, iTunes, Amazon Streaming, PS3, XBOX)
In Theaters September 21st
Synopsis:
Angelina (Ashley Hinshaw) is an 18-year-old on the verge of finishing high school, rushing to escape her broken family life. After reluctantly taking nude photos at her boyfriend's (Jonny Weston) behest, she takes the cash to skip town with her best friend (Dev Patel). Angelina gets a job cocktailing in a San Francisco strip club where she meets Frances (James Franco), an affluent lawyer who introduces her to a high-class world beyond her wildest dreams. At the same time, Angelina begins exploring San Francisco's porn industry, using the moniker Cherry, under the wing of a former performer turned adult film director (Heather Graham). But Angelina's newfound ideal lifestyle soon comes apart at the seams. ABOUT CHERRY challenges assumptions about sexuality and pornography, while addressing the common struggle of finding one's role in life.
Share the trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqcTYO5uJU&feature=youtu.be <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqcTYO5uJU&feature=youtu.be>
-------------------
About SundanceNOW:
SundanceNOW, the digital sister to Sundance Selects, is an online destination where independent film fans can download, watch instantly and discuss a broad range of independent films from around the globe. Offering the option to stream, download to own and download to rent, SundanceNOW provides audiences in search of independent films with an extensive selection covering all genres, including both American and foreign films. SundanceNOW operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. SundanceNOW is a subsidiary of AMC Networks, Inc.
Visit the SundanceNOW Blog: http://blog.sundancenow.com/ <http://blog.sundancenow.com/>
For the latest news and updates about SundanceNOW's titles, don't forget to like the Facebook Page <http://www.facebook.com/SundanceNOW> and follow SundanceNOW on Twitter <https://twitter.com/#!/SundanceNOW> .
-------------------
MAMMOTH ADVERTISING
45 Main Street Suite 1006
Brooklyn, New York 11201
There's no such thing as going too far in ABOUT CHERRY, a shocking new film from IFC that challenges assumptions about sexuality and pornography, while addressing the common struggle of finding one's role in life. The film stars James Franco, Heather Graham and up and comer Ashley Hinshaw as Angelina, a runaway who begins exploring the universe of San Francisco's porn industry using the moniker of Cherry.
The film is available nationwide in a special pre-theatrical window on SundanceNOW: http://www.sundancenow.com/film/about-cherry/927
Be sure to check out ABOUT CHERRY on SundanceNow, IFC Films Video on Demand, and digital outlets: iTunes, Amazon Streaming, PS3 Playstation Unlimited and XBOX Zune before it's September 21st theatrical release!
-------------------------
ABOUT CHERRY
-------------------------
Director: Stephen Elliott
Cast: Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Dev Patel, Lili Taylor, Jonny Weston and Heather Graham
Release: Available on Demand + Digital (SundanceNOW, iTunes, Amazon Streaming, PS3, XBOX)
In Theaters September 21st
Synopsis:
Angelina (Ashley Hinshaw) is an 18-year-old on the verge of finishing high school, rushing to escape her broken family life. After reluctantly taking nude photos at her boyfriend's (Jonny Weston) behest, she takes the cash to skip town with her best friend (Dev Patel). Angelina gets a job cocktailing in a San Francisco strip club where she meets Frances (James Franco), an affluent lawyer who introduces her to a high-class world beyond her wildest dreams. At the same time, Angelina begins exploring San Francisco's porn industry, using the moniker Cherry, under the wing of a former performer turned adult film director (Heather Graham). But Angelina's newfound ideal lifestyle soon comes apart at the seams. ABOUT CHERRY challenges assumptions about sexuality and pornography, while addressing the common struggle of finding one's role in life.
Share the trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqcTYO5uJU&feature=youtu.be <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqcTYO5uJU&feature=youtu.be>
-------------------
About SundanceNOW:
SundanceNOW, the digital sister to Sundance Selects, is an online destination where independent film fans can download, watch instantly and discuss a broad range of independent films from around the globe. Offering the option to stream, download to own and download to rent, SundanceNOW provides audiences in search of independent films with an extensive selection covering all genres, including both American and foreign films. SundanceNOW operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. SundanceNOW is a subsidiary of AMC Networks, Inc.
Visit the SundanceNOW Blog: http://blog.sundancenow.com/ <http://blog.sundancenow.com/>
For the latest news and updates about SundanceNOW's titles, don't forget to like the Facebook Page <http://www.facebook.com/SundanceNOW> and follow SundanceNOW on Twitter <https://twitter.com/#!/SundanceNOW> .
-------------------
MAMMOTH ADVERTISING
45 Main Street Suite 1006
Brooklyn, New York 11201
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Indie Film Press Break: Exclusive Short from Mike Birbiglia + Ira Glass
Watch a Delightful Short That Mike Birbiglia and Ira Glass Made for Their New Movie
Today Vulture released the exclusive short!
Please feel free to share the video with your readers:
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxHhCoOY4bo&feature=player_embedded
In order to help get the word out about Sleepwalk, which is coming off a successful festival run that started with big buzz at Sundance, Birbiglia and his co-writer Ira Glass (host of "This American Life") have teamed up to make this funny short film about the movie. "The thing about independent films is that it's really hard to get them into movie theaters," Birbiglia tells Vulture. "They want movies that are remakes of other movies, they want superheroes to be in them, and this is a small heartfelt comedy that we really love and that audiences have loved at festivals. All these people have been e-mailing us asking when it's coming to their town, and it's not unless they request it!"
The film, which stars Birbiglia as a commitment-wary man given to increasingly dangerous sleepwalking, will be opening in New York on August 24, and though plenty of indie films never expand much further than a handful of big cities, Birbiglia and Glass are determined to do things differently. Birbiglia says he compiled a list of the 200 theaters most often used by distributor IFC Films, then exhorted his fans on Twitter (while Glass leveraged his "This American Life" listener base) to tweet the hashtag #bringsleepwalk at the theater closest to them. "At this point, we've almost tripled our theater count, just through this grassroots campaign," says Birbiglia, noting that the jump from 34 theaters to 98 has happened in only two weeks.
Birbiglia and Glass have encouraged fans to tweet the hashtag #bringsleepwalk at the theater closest to them. Through this grassroots campaign the theaters have jumped from 34 to 98 in only two weeks.
-Kyle Buchanan
--------------------------
SLEEPWALK WITH ME opens in theaters on August 24, 2012!
--------------------------
Official Website: http://sleepwalkmovie.com/
--------------------------
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SleepwalkMovie
--------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SleepwalkMovie
--------------------------
Synopsis:
"I'm going to tell you a story, and it's true....I always have to tell people that." So asserts comedian-turned-playwright-turned-filmmaker Mike Birbiglia directly to the viewer at the outset of his autobiographically inspired, fictional feature debut. Birbiglia wears his incisive wit on his sleeve while portraying a cinematic surrogate. We are thrust into the tale of a burgeoning stand-up comedian struggling with the stress of a stalled career, a stale relationship threatening to race out of his control, and the wild spurts of severe sleepwalking he is desperate to ignore.
Based on the successful one-man show, Sleepwalk With Me engages in the kind of passionate and personal storytelling that transfigures intimate anguish into comic art. Produced and co-written by Ira Glass (This American Life), Sleepwalk With Me features a stellar supporting cast that includes Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Carol Kane (Taxi), James Rebhorn (Meet the Parents), Cristin Milioti (30 Rock), and a sampling from the who's who of today's stand-up scene.
TRT: 90 minutes
Brigade Marketing
548 West 28th Street, Suite 670
New York, NY 10001
Today Vulture released the exclusive short!
Please feel free to share the video with your readers:
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxHhCoOY4bo&feature=player_embedded
In order to help get the word out about Sleepwalk, which is coming off a successful festival run that started with big buzz at Sundance, Birbiglia and his co-writer Ira Glass (host of "This American Life") have teamed up to make this funny short film about the movie. "The thing about independent films is that it's really hard to get them into movie theaters," Birbiglia tells Vulture. "They want movies that are remakes of other movies, they want superheroes to be in them, and this is a small heartfelt comedy that we really love and that audiences have loved at festivals. All these people have been e-mailing us asking when it's coming to their town, and it's not unless they request it!"
The film, which stars Birbiglia as a commitment-wary man given to increasingly dangerous sleepwalking, will be opening in New York on August 24, and though plenty of indie films never expand much further than a handful of big cities, Birbiglia and Glass are determined to do things differently. Birbiglia says he compiled a list of the 200 theaters most often used by distributor IFC Films, then exhorted his fans on Twitter (while Glass leveraged his "This American Life" listener base) to tweet the hashtag #bringsleepwalk at the theater closest to them. "At this point, we've almost tripled our theater count, just through this grassroots campaign," says Birbiglia, noting that the jump from 34 theaters to 98 has happened in only two weeks.
Birbiglia and Glass have encouraged fans to tweet the hashtag #bringsleepwalk at the theater closest to them. Through this grassroots campaign the theaters have jumped from 34 to 98 in only two weeks.
-Kyle Buchanan
--------------------------
SLEEPWALK WITH ME opens in theaters on August 24, 2012!
--------------------------
Official Website: http://sleepwalkmovie.com/
--------------------------
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SleepwalkMovie
--------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SleepwalkMovie
--------------------------
Synopsis:
"I'm going to tell you a story, and it's true....I always have to tell people that." So asserts comedian-turned-playwright-turned-filmmaker Mike Birbiglia directly to the viewer at the outset of his autobiographically inspired, fictional feature debut. Birbiglia wears his incisive wit on his sleeve while portraying a cinematic surrogate. We are thrust into the tale of a burgeoning stand-up comedian struggling with the stress of a stalled career, a stale relationship threatening to race out of his control, and the wild spurts of severe sleepwalking he is desperate to ignore.
Based on the successful one-man show, Sleepwalk With Me engages in the kind of passionate and personal storytelling that transfigures intimate anguish into comic art. Produced and co-written by Ira Glass (This American Life), Sleepwalk With Me features a stellar supporting cast that includes Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Carol Kane (Taxi), James Rebhorn (Meet the Parents), Cristin Milioti (30 Rock), and a sampling from the who's who of today's stand-up scene.
TRT: 90 minutes
Brigade Marketing
548 West 28th Street, Suite 670
New York, NY 10001
Indie Film Press Break: Principal Photography Begins on Luc Besson’s Malavita
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contacts:
August 8, 2012 Adam Keen/Relativity Media
310-724-7720
Greg Longstreet/Relativity Media
310-724-7738
August 8, 2012 Adam Keen/Relativity Media
310-724-7720
Greg Longstreet/Relativity Media
310-724-7738
Principal Photography Begins on Luc Besson’s Malavita
De Niro, Pfeiffer, Jones, Agron and D’Leo to Star in EuropaCorp and Relativity’s Comedic Actioner
De Niro, Pfeiffer, Jones, Agron and D’Leo to Star in EuropaCorp and Relativity’s Comedic Actioner
(Beverly Hills, Calif.) August 8, 2012 –Principal photography begins today on EuropaCorp and Relativity’s comedic actioner Malavita directed by Luc Besson (Taken, Transporter) and starring Oscar®-Winner Robert De Niro (Limitless, Heat), Oscar®-Nominee Michelle Pfeiffer (Dark Shadows, People Like Us), Oscar®-Winner Tommy Lee Jones (No Country For Old Men, Men in Black), Dianna Agron (Glee, I Am Number Four) and John D’Leo (The Wrestler, Wanderlust).
Collaborating with Besson behind the scenes is a creative below-the-line team including: director of photography Thierry Arbogast (The Fifth Element), production designer Hugues Tissandier (Taken), sound editor Ken Yasumoto (The Transporter), costume designer Olivier Bériot (Taken) and editor Julien Rey (The Lady).
The darkly comedic action film Malavita is the story of the Manzonis, a notorious mafia family who gets relocated to Normandy, France under the witness protection program. While they do their best to fit in, old habits die hard and they soon find themselves handling things the “family” way.
Filming commenced in Normandy and will continue in France at La Cité du Cinéma, where the brand new Studios de Paris are located. Additional shooting will take place in New York. The film will bow in 2013 with Relativity handling US distribution as well as working with its foreign output partners on the film’s release in the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Greece, Thailand and CIS. EuropaCorp will take on distribution in France and handle international sales.
The script is adapted by Besson from the book Badfellas by author Tonino Benacquista. Virginie Besson-Silla (From Paris with Love) from EuropaCorp is producing. Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter) is producing, while the studio's Tucker Tooley (Immortals) will executive produce.
Looking ahead, Relativity will release the edge-of-your seat thriller House at the End of the Street (in theatres September 21, 2012), the outrageous Movie 43 (in theatres January 25, 2013) and comedy 21 and Over (in theatres March 15, 2013). Relativity is currently in post-production on Scott Cooper’s gritty dramatic thriller currently-titled Out of the Furnace and is in production on the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling Safe Haven (in theatres February 8, 2013) and the corporate espionage thriller Paranoia (in theatres September 27, 2013).
EuropaCorp is currently in production on Taken 2 which it will distribute in France and with its partners in Germany, Scandinavia and Russia. Fox will handle the distribution of the film in the US and throughout its international distribution organization. The company is also in production on Mobius directed by Éric Rochant and starring Oscar®-Winner Jean DuJardin, Cécile De France and Tim Roth.
ABOUT RELATIVITY MEDIA, LLC
Relativity Media is a next-generation studio engaged in multiple aspects of entertainment, including full-scale film and television production and distribution, the co-financing of major studio film slates, music publishing, sports management and digital media. Additionally, the company makes strategic partnerships with, and investments in, media and entertainment-related companies and assets.
To date, Relativity has produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 motion pictures. Released films have accumulated more than $17 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Relativity’s recent films include: The Raven, Mirror Mirror, Act of Valor, Haywire, Immortals, Tower Heist, Bridesmaids, Limitless, Hop, Cowboys & Aliens, Battle: Los Angeles, Little Fockers, The Fighter, The Social Network, Salt, Despicable Me, Grown Ups, Dear John, It’s Complicated, Couples Retreat and Zombieland. Upcoming films for Relativity include: The Bourne Legacy, House at the End of the Street and 21 and Over. Thirty-nine of the company’s films have opened to No. 1 at the box office. Relativity films have earned 60 Oscar® nominations, including nods for The Fighter, The Social Network, The Wolfman, A Serious Man, Frost/Nixon, Atonement, American Gangster and 3:10 to Yuma. Sixty-two of Relativity’s films have each generated more than $100 million in worldwide box-office receipts.
RelativityREAL, Relativity’s television arm, has nearly 70 projects in production, including 21 original series that are currently airing or will air in the upcoming television season including Police Women for TLC, Coming Home for Lifetime and The Great Food Truck Race for Food Network. Relativity also owns and operates RogueLife, Relativity’s digital content studio is developing original content for the web and creating sustainable online platforms and communities. Relativity Music Group, a music division of Relativity, provides music supervision, music publishing catalogues and soundtrack services for films produced and/or distributed by Relativity Media and other major Hollywood studios. Relativity Sports is a fast-growing sports management company dedicated to providing high-profile athletes with a full-range of professional development services. For additional information, please visit www.relativitymedia.com <http://www.relativitymedia.com/> .
ABOUT EUROPACORP
EuropaCorp ranks amongst the top European film studios. Founded in 1999, EuropaCorp's different activities include production, theater distribution, home entertainment, VOD, sales of TV rights for France as well as sales of international rights, partnerships and licenses, original soundtrack production and publishing. The Group has also been producing TV drama since 2010. EuropaCorp's integrated financial model generates revenues from a wide range of sources. With films from a wide range of genres and a strong presence in the international market, the Group has produced some of the latest French worldwide record-breaking successes. EuropaCorp’s catalogue includes 500 films and the company employs 120 permanent staff members.
More information on www.europacorp-corporate.com <http://www.europacorp-corporate.com/>
# # #
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Indie Film Press Break: HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE | Casting Announcement
META GOLDING CAST AS ENOBARIA IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
Santa Monica, CA, August 7, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Meta Golding has been cast in the role of Enobaria in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former career tribute from District 2, Enobaria is known for the particularly brutal, disturbing way in which she came to win The Hunger Games.
Golding is known to television audiences from series regular and guest starring roles on “CSI,” “Criminal Minds,” “House,” and “Cold Case” and will also be seen in the upcoming independent film The Chicago 8.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.
Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com
Santa Monica, CA, August 7, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Meta Golding has been cast in the role of Enobaria in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former career tribute from District 2, Enobaria is known for the particularly brutal, disturbing way in which she came to win The Hunger Games.
Golding is known to television audiences from series regular and guest starring roles on “CSI,” “Criminal Minds,” “House,” and “Cold Case” and will also be seen in the upcoming independent film The Chicago 8.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.
Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com
Indie Film Press Break: TWELFTH ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2013 DATES, APRIL 17 – APRIL 28, AND CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
From: Tribeca Film Festival
In addition, the Festival and BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin today announced a new transmedia program with an award launching at the 2013 Festival that will celebrate new trends in digital media and recognize these transmedia creators who employ an innovative, interactive, web-based or multi-platform approach to story creation. Through open submissions, selections will be presented to the public at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. Ingrid Kopp, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Tribeca Film Institute, the year-round not-for-profit affiliate of Tribeca Enterprises, joins the Tribeca Film Festival programming team to collaborate on the initiative.
Deadlines to submit U.S. and International films for the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival are as follows:
September 17, 2012 – SUBMISSIONS OPEN
October 19, 2012 – EARLY DEADLINE: FEATURES, SHORTS AND TRANSMEDIA PROJECTS
November 30, 2012 – OFFICIAL DEADLINE, ALL FEATURES, SHORTS AND TRANSMEDIA PROJECTS
December 28, 2012 – LATE DEADLINE, AVAILABLE TO FEATURE LENGTH FILMS ONLY
Starting September 17, 2012, submission forms and complete information regarding eligibility for the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will be available at www.tribecafilm.com/festival <http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival> Questions regarding submissions may be directed to entries@tribecafilmfestival.org or by calling 212-941-2305.
About Tribeca Film Festival:
The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.
Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.
The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,400 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 4 million attendees and has generated an estimated $750 million in economic activity for New York City.
TWELFTH ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
2013 DATES, APRIL 17 – APRIL 28, AND CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
* * *
TFF TO LAUNCH NEW TRANSMEDIA PROGRAM WITH BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® TO
HIGHLIGHT INNOVATIVE INTERACTIVE AND MULTI-PLATORM STORYTELLING AT THE 2013 FESTIVAL
* * *
New York, NY (August 7, 2012) – The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by founding sponsor American Express, announced today that the 12th annual Tribeca Film Festival will be held April 17– April 28, 2013 in New York City. Tribeca’s programming team, led by Geoffrey Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises, Artistic Director Frédéric Boyer, who joined TFF last year, Director of Programming Genna Terranova, Programmer Cara Cusumano, and Shorts Programmer Sharon Badal, also announced a call for submissions for narrative and documentary features, and short film entries.2013 DATES, APRIL 17 – APRIL 28, AND CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
* * *
TFF TO LAUNCH NEW TRANSMEDIA PROGRAM WITH BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® TO
HIGHLIGHT INNOVATIVE INTERACTIVE AND MULTI-PLATORM STORYTELLING AT THE 2013 FESTIVAL
* * *
In addition, the Festival and BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin today announced a new transmedia program with an award launching at the 2013 Festival that will celebrate new trends in digital media and recognize these transmedia creators who employ an innovative, interactive, web-based or multi-platform approach to story creation. Through open submissions, selections will be presented to the public at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. Ingrid Kopp, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Tribeca Film Institute, the year-round not-for-profit affiliate of Tribeca Enterprises, joins the Tribeca Film Festival programming team to collaborate on the initiative.
Deadlines to submit U.S. and International films for the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival are as follows:
September 17, 2012 – SUBMISSIONS OPEN
October 19, 2012 – EARLY DEADLINE: FEATURES, SHORTS AND TRANSMEDIA PROJECTS
November 30, 2012 – OFFICIAL DEADLINE, ALL FEATURES, SHORTS AND TRANSMEDIA PROJECTS
December 28, 2012 – LATE DEADLINE, AVAILABLE TO FEATURE LENGTH FILMS ONLY
Starting September 17, 2012, submission forms and complete information regarding eligibility for the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will be available at www.tribecafilm.com/festival <http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival> Questions regarding submissions may be directed to entries@tribecafilmfestival.org or by calling 212-941-2305.
About Tribeca Film Festival:
The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.
Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.
The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,400 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 4 million attendees and has generated an estimated $750 million in economic activity for New York City.
# # #
Indie Film Press Break: V&A to Display John Travolta's Disco Suite | "Hollywood Costume" | Oct. 20, 2012 - Jan. 27, 2013
The V&A has announced that the original white 3-piece suit worn by John Travolta as Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever (1977) has been found and will be on display in London in the V&A's upcoming exhibition, Hollywood Costume, which opens October 20. Please find the press release here <http://bluemedium.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/US_VA-to-display-Travolta-Suit.pdf> .
Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Senior Guest Curator of Hollywood Costume, began her search for the suit in 2008 as she gathered some of Hollywood's most iconic costumes for the exhibition. The piece was originally purchased by and inscribed to US film critic Gene Siskel in 1979. Upon Siskel's death in 1995, Travolta's suit was auctioned at Christie's and the trail went cold. Rediscovered after the media launch for Hollywood Costume in January 2012, the classic white suit has been loaned to the Museum by the current owner, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Originally found by costume designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein, the white suit not only defined the character of Tony Manero, but has come to define the disco era. Hollywood Costume will explore this crucial role of costume design in character development and filmmaking throughout cinematic history. The show opens in London on October 20, 2012 and will be on view through January 27, 2013.
For additional information on the exhibition, images, or to arrange an interview, please don't hesitate to contact me or my colleague, Elizabeth Reina-Longoria at elizabeth@bluemedium.com <applewebdata://AC8EA544-4544-4880-A4A1-35AA9EC6B41A/elizabeth@bluemedium.com> , or by phone at +1 (212) 675-1800.
All my best,
Rachel Patall-David
--
Rachel Patall-David
Account Manager
Blue Medium
20 West 22nd Street, Suite 807
New York, NY 10010
Tel: +1 (212) 675-1800
Fax: +1 (212) 675-1855
Email: rachel@bluemedium.com
http://bluemedium.com/
Follow our clients on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Medium-Inc/31397234985> and Twitter <http://twitter.com/#!/BlueMediumInc>
Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Senior Guest Curator of Hollywood Costume, began her search for the suit in 2008 as she gathered some of Hollywood's most iconic costumes for the exhibition. The piece was originally purchased by and inscribed to US film critic Gene Siskel in 1979. Upon Siskel's death in 1995, Travolta's suit was auctioned at Christie's and the trail went cold. Rediscovered after the media launch for Hollywood Costume in January 2012, the classic white suit has been loaned to the Museum by the current owner, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Originally found by costume designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein, the white suit not only defined the character of Tony Manero, but has come to define the disco era. Hollywood Costume will explore this crucial role of costume design in character development and filmmaking throughout cinematic history. The show opens in London on October 20, 2012 and will be on view through January 27, 2013.
For additional information on the exhibition, images, or to arrange an interview, please don't hesitate to contact me or my colleague, Elizabeth Reina-Longoria at elizabeth@bluemedium.com <applewebdata://AC8EA544-4544-4880-A4A1-35AA9EC6B41A/elizabeth@bluemedium.com> , or by phone at +1 (212) 675-1800.
All my best,
Rachel Patall-David
--
Rachel Patall-David
Account Manager
Blue Medium
20 West 22nd Street, Suite 807
New York, NY 10010
Tel: +1 (212) 675-1800
Fax: +1 (212) 675-1855
Email: rachel@bluemedium.com
http://bluemedium.com/
Follow our clients on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Medium-Inc/31397234985> and Twitter <http://twitter.com/#!/BlueMediumInc>
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Guest Post: 3 Steps for Modern Moviemaking Success by Jason Brubaker
3 Steps For Modern
Moviemaking Success
Ten years ago I packed up my crappy car and
moved to New York City. My sole objective was to find out how to make movies.
And I got lucky. Soon after moving to New York, I found work, working for an
independent producer. Over the months that followed, I participated in a
whirlwind of meetings that took a few of our projects from script to screen.
And it was during that time, that I learned a lot about how to make movies.
Unfortunately, I also found out that if you
didn't have a movie distribution strategy, making money with your movies was
impossible. Keep in mind that this was before iTunes, before social media and
before crowdfunding... Back then, like many filmmakers we were driven by the
popular belief that if you made your movie, you would sell it at Sundance and
live happily ever after. Perpetuated by sensational headlines touting the
successes of Ed Burns, Kevin Smith and Robert Rodriguez, Sundance Fever became
a full-blown epidemic resulting in maxed out credit cards, angry investors and film
festival rejection.
Even if you were one of the few filmmakers
fortunate enough to make a movie and have an amazing festival run, it soon
became apparent that you were nobody unless you could reach the marketplace.
And because there were thousands of poorly produced titles flooding the
festival circuit, distribution became discriminatory, abusive and monopolistic.
As a consequence, many filmmakers settled for crappy distribution deals. At
least getting something felt better than nothing.
Or so we thought…
Having worked on several features since then,
I am happy to report that times have changed. As a result of modern tools such
as crowdfunding, social media and Internet based marketplaces you now have the
ability to get your movie seen and selling, without the middleman. But just
because you can get your title into iTunes, Amazon and Hulu does not guarantee
that you will make money.
To garner success, YOU are now responsible
for sourcing an audience and building a platform for YOUR projects. And this reveals
the next major challenge. How does a filmmaker succeed in this changing
business?
Here are
THREE essential filmmaking skills you need to master:
1. Become an
Internet marketer: Or team up with someone
who is. Why? Because there will come a time when there is no delineation
between the Internet and your television. Or your mobile device. As a result of
these changes, you will need to drive targeted Internet traffic to your desired
point of sale and convert these visitors into customers.
2. Find Out
How To Crowdfund: Running a successful
crowdfunding campaign requires social networking, real-world networking and
Internet marketing. Aside from raising money, your goal is to test all your
movie concepts before you dive in both feet first. And if successful, your goal
is to snowball your supporters into one giant mailing list so you can gain
their support for your next projects.
3. Your
Audience Is Your Business: Marketing nerds have a
saying, “The money is in your list.” It is now no different to filmmakers. Your
ongoing goal is to create work that encourages people to sign up for your
mailing list and become a fan of you and your movies, for life. Then with each
project, your ongoing goal is to continually grow your list.
While what I am suggesting will require hard
work, I believe this is an AWESOME time to make movies. Between crowdfunding
and non-discriminatory distribution, you have an opportunity to build and run
your own mini-movie-studio. Think about it. The future of filmmaking is not
Hollywood. It is the thousands of independent filmmakers (just like you) who
are empowered by the digital revolution. You can now make, market and sell your
movies from anywhere in the world!
You
no longer need to ask permission to make your movie! All you gotta do is pick
up a camera and you go for it.
- - - BIO ---

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