tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46149794669356725322024-02-23T23:32:11.763-08:00All About Indie FilmmakingA place to discuss, debate, and disperse information on all facets of independent filmmakingjanekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.comBlogger581125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-66585028307670382262017-10-12T08:37:00.001-07:002017-10-12T08:37:31.176-07:00Less Than 24 Hours to Go! A Simple Follow Helps Epiphany Qualify for a Post GrantWe have less than 24 hours to get enough followers of our <a href="https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/epiphany#story" target="_blank">Seed&Spark</a> campaign in order to qualify for post financing and get the support of acclaimed filmmakers The Duplass Brothers!<br />
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We are in about 14th place and we need to try to get to at least 10th in order to qualify. We hope you can help us get there by following our film (click on the box, sign up and follow <i>Epiphany</i>):<br />
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<a href="https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/epiphany#story" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Lu0AndqxyZHQs4tTEHLoJbnnc2U0wtzt-_0hNS9GBnqBlHEQ5F3MY10kN9vmlo__iB23mPJLssx5-AbLzXXjFn0WIbsxBe0yl7SQ0r3IgulUjs9uTit6bbyVQjQxvUQb5QoiDWf75X8/s320/Screenshot+2017-10-12+08.27.04.png" width="176" /></a></div>
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It's free to follow our film and by following you will receive updates about the film and learn how we have been able to bring this beautiful film to life after 27 years of development.<br />
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Our lead actress Caitlin Carmichael explains how to follow our film:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ITtWzqGoLLY" width="560"></iframe>
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I can't stress enough how important it is in indie film to support one another and to never give up! While we are about 400 followers away from qualifying, we will keep trying. You can't get what you want if you don't try.<br />
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Thanks everyone for helping us! #supportindiefilm #seeyouatthemovies<br />
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<br />janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-39750216506345565152017-09-21T23:11:00.002-07:002017-09-21T23:11:51.056-07:00Our New Movie Epiphany - 27 Years in the Making! Please Follow Us on Seed&Spark!I have this knack of producing movies in the dead heat of summer. I don't know why but I find myself in Florida or Georgia or Connecticut or Los Angeles making films when it's over 100 degrees outside. It's brutal but I can't seem to stop. Probably because that's when the film and television industry slows down and small films have a chance at getting actors who are available and secure equipment and locations at a discount etc.<br />
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Anyway, long story short, I produced another film this past summer in Florida. It's called <i>Epiphany</i>. I really love this story. It's about a young girl Luka (played by the super talented Caitlin Carmichael) who wants to reconnect with her biological father - a Greek sponge diver named Theo (played by Australian actor Alex Dimitriades). We also have George Georgiou, Scottie Thompson and Burt Young rounding out the lead cast! So blessed to work with such talented people. And our crew! So amazing. Love them all to pieces. <br />
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<i>Epiphany</i> is set in modern-day Tarpon Springs and we basically shot all around the area of Tarpon Springs including the Anclote River, just at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico. And yes, it was in the 90s every day and humid as all get out. When you produce a film in crazy heat, you have to be concerned with your cast and crew's health. They need access to shade and lots of water and ice and AC. You have to know there is somewhere they can go to cool off because heat stroke is a real factor. It's all just a bit stressful...<br />
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Additionally, late summer/early fall is hurricane season. It just so happened that we filmed in Tarpon Springs, Florida in July and August and wrapped picture three weeks prior to Hurricane Irma - which blew over Tarpon Springs! If we had pushed our shoot one month, we would have had our production smack dab in the path of an oncoming hurricane. Luckily, we had wrapped in time and Tarpon Springs made it through Irma without too much damage. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were affected by Irma as well as Harvey and Jose and Maria and the fires in CA and the earthquakes in Mexico. We hope the recovery goes well in all the hard hit areas.<br />
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As for <i>Epiphany</i>, the idea for the story came from the writer/director team Koula Sossiadis Kazista and Katina Sossiadis. They both grew up going to Tarpon Springs each summer. It's a very charming town near the Gulf Coast with a strong Greek community. It's also the hub for sponge diving. About 27 years ago, Koula decided to write a screenplay about a sponge diving family set in Tarpon Springs. Cut to today after many years of starts/stops and rewrites - the film has finally been made and we are in post production. I am so happy and proud of our efforts. And I'm so happy for Koula who has spent decades trying to tell this story and it's finally happening. And it's going to be a beautiful film. To top it all off, it was a female-led crew - love my producing partners and directors:<br />
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The journey of one movie is so amazing to me. It's probably why I love making them. Last year we made a movie titled <i>20 Weeks </i>about a young couple who finds out their baby in utero may have a genetic issue. The writer/director Leena Pendharkar had the idea and wrote it in less than a year. We went into production six months later and we have already had a World Premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June. We are going on an eight-city festival tour in October/November. That was the fastest I've ever moved on making a movie. And <i>Epiphany</i> is probably the longest gestation period I've experienced for a film - though I really only joined <i>Epiphany</i> officially about two to three years ago.<br />
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We had a wonderful shoot (despite the heat - haha). And now we are in post production - excited to complete the film with great music and color. And we wanted to get the word out that we have entered a contest on the crowdfunding site Seed&Spark, sponsored by the Duplass Brothers. The winners can pitch the Duplass Brothers and see if they will come on board their film as Executive Producers and have them bring money toward finishing the film - up to $25k. Having the Duplass Brothers executive produce our film and provide us with finishing funds would be incredibly helpful to our small independent feature.<br />
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So...I hope I can ask my blog readers to please follow our campaign on Seed&Spark. You don't have to contribute any money to follow the campaign and the number of followers on our campaign really does make a big difference. It allows us to get to the finals and get the exposure we need for the film to have a fighting chance. So please click on this link and help us make it to the finals! Thank you!<br />
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<a href="https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/epiphany#story" target="_blank">Link to Epiphany's Seed&Spark Campaign</a><br />
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And if you are able to contribute to the campaign, thank you so much! See you at the movies everyone! Much love!!janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-25808212781888606792017-06-16T09:33:00.004-07:002017-06-16T09:40:28.843-07:00Our New Films 20 Weeks at the Los Angeles Film Festival and Pitching Tents Release and more!I can't believe it's been a year since I've last posted on this blog. It's a testament to how crazy busy my work and life has gotten. I've been making movies one right after the other these past couple of years. It's a wonderful problem to have, but it also means I have less time to do other things like write this blog. So let's do a little catch up since last summer...<br />
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In the summer of 2015, we filmed a coming-of-age teen comedy set in 1984 titled <i><a href="http://www.pitchingtentsmovie.com/" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a>.</i> I've always wanted to produce a film in the vein of the films by John Hughes, Richard Linklater, and Cameron Crowe. And I felt that the script of <i>Pitching Tents</i>, written by Rob Fox and Jayme Petrille, had a lot of those qualities. It's zany and fun but it has a lot of heart. The story follows Danny (played by <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelgrant617" target="_blank">Michael Grant</a>) who is graduating high school and doesn't know what to do with the rest of his life. He goes on a camping trip weekend with his friends, where he meets Alison (played by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/samantha_basalari/" target="_blank">Samantha Basalari</a>), who helps him uncover his true destiny. The film is hilarious and a bit raunchy (with help from comedian <a href="http://jimnorton.com/" target="_blank">Jim Norton</a> who plays our wacky guidance counselor Mr. Mulligan), yet it has a lot of heart (and I'm all about a movie with heart). Since it's set in 1984, I knew we could have fun with the soundtrack and I can say after 9 months of searching and locking in music, we have an amazing 80s soundtrack, including tracks from Run DMC, The Plimsouls, Big Country, Billy Squier, XTC, Red Rockers, Missing Persons, Icicle Works and more!<br />
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Check out our poster by Hillary Gronvold:<br />
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We finished editing <i>Pitching Tents</i> in 2016 and decided to work with the company Quiver on a VOD release and put together our own theatrical run. This was a huge undertaking as well. I always say that 50% of making a film is marketing it and <i>Pitching Tents</i> has proven that philosophy to be very true. We spent about 4 months doing the theatrical. Our director Jacob Cooney and the rest of us spent weeks hitting up theaters and getting the film booked. And after all that grit and perseverance, we played more than 20 cities (including LA and NYC) and for a small indie film that's pretty darn good. We sold out at some screenings and had a ball sharing the film and hearing lots of laughter. What a joy to hear an audience laughing throughout your film! That is what we filmmakers live for!<br />
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And now, <i>Pitching Tents </i>is available on a number of VOD platforms, including <a href="http://a.co/iSw8QRN" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/pitching-tents/id1234510382" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Pitching_Tents?id=PIjKItCYKBs" target="_blank">Google Play</a>, Vudu, DirectTV, Comcast, Vubiquity, Sony Playstation, and it will be released on DVD on August 22nd! We're over the moon about the future of the film. I hope you check it out!<br />
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CUT TO: my other film <i><a href="http://20weeks-movie.com/" target="_blank">20 Weeks</a></i>! One of my creative collaborators Leena Pendharkar is a very talented writer/director. She and I love working together and when she decided to write a script loosely based on her own experience about a young couple who finds out that their baby may have a genetic issue at their 20 week scan, I was on board immediately to produce. Many parents like Leena and her husband go through this scary experience of hearing tough news at the 20 week scan and they're often left to bear the weight of the news alone. They suffer in silence for weeks on end, worrying about their baby's health and being tested on a weekly basis - never really knowing the full extent of their baby's condition. And to add to the uncertainty, there are laws throughout the U.S. that make the journey of figuring out the best path forward even more difficult. With <i>20 Weeks</i>, Leena and I wanted to explore the effects genetic testing can have on a family and spark conversations about women's rights and the very personal decision-making process of dealing with a pregnancy in crisis.<br />
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Thanks to Leena's husband Ameet Mehta for the beautiful poster:<br />
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We made <i>20 Weeks</i> on a wing and a prayer. We never knew if we would have enough money or support but miraculously, everything fell into place and we were able to film and complete the film within a year. We took part in the amazing <a href="http://7.americanfilmfestival.pl/en/us-in-progress-en/" target="_blank">US in Progress</a> program through the American Film Festival in Poland and we are now having our World Premiere screening at the <a href="https://www.filmindependent.org/la-film-festival/" target="_blank">Los Angeles Film Festival</a> on this Monday night June 19th at 7p at the Culver City Arclight. Tickets should still be on sale <a href="https://tickets.lafilmfestival.com/Online/seatSelect.asp" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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Leena and me on the red carpet :)<br />
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CUT TO: Additionally, I am so honored to be a producer on a new documentary on pro surfer Bethany Hamilton titled <i><a href="https://www.unstoppablethefilm.net/" target="_blank">Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable</a></i>. Another producing partner of mine Penny Edmiston and I have been working really hard to find projects that speak to the kinds of films we want to be making - those with strong women at the helm and those about people who inspire. And that is what this documentary is all about. We have been working the past few months in post on this incredible new film by surf cinematographer Aaron Lieber. Bethany is such an inspiration and beautiful person and talented athlete. I can't wait to share her story of all of her amazing accomplishments since her shark attack more than a decade ago. You will be blown away. I am!<br />
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Love our powerful poster by Hillary Gronvold!<br />
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CUT TO: AND I am in pre-production on a beautiful new film titled <i><a href="http://www.epiphanythemovie.com/" target="_blank">Epiphany</a></i>! We start filming next month in Tarpon Springs, Florida. I am really looking forward to this production. It's super ambitious, just like all of my other ultra low budget films. I have a compulsion for taking on the most ambitious films with little to no resources. It may be an illness, I think. But I keep doing it. There's nothing quite like having a gazillion locations and actors on a small budget. But I just love supporting projects by up-and-coming filmmakers who put their heart and soul into their work. I feel compelled to help their visions become a reality. The story of <i>Epiphany, </i>written and to be directed by sisters Koula and Katina Sossiadis, is so beautiful about a young girl who tries to connect with her biological father who is a Greek sponge diver off the coast of Florida. I'm stressed out of course because every film production is hard, with the million things you have to do and think about, but it's important to enjoy the journey along the way.<br />
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A beautiful image for <i>Epiphany</i>:<br />
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And that's what I'm setting out to do! I'm enjoying the journey of my life and career and pinching myself each day that I can honestly say that I'm doing what I love and I'm living my dream! The key to it all has been to never give up and embrace that you are on the right path for you. Here's to living your dreams everyone! See you at the movies! xoxo<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXseUUPCArpet22milssqN6WhS4QiK5gnpzw64wtQsi0_MQQ_dNiDUtn-a3A2bfqCzXTMJNxkLm2c2Hciq1tEdqK25Dx1nDNDbiSoPfsNYl1HfvkGaLqEjozSu2fs9279FPBUzueEDiA/s1600/Jane+on+Set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="845" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXseUUPCArpet22milssqN6WhS4QiK5gnpzw64wtQsi0_MQQ_dNiDUtn-a3A2bfqCzXTMJNxkLm2c2Hciq1tEdqK25Dx1nDNDbiSoPfsNYl1HfvkGaLqEjozSu2fs9279FPBUzueEDiA/s320/Jane+on+Set.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-43576296943581344642016-06-10T18:34:00.001-07:002016-06-11T06:19:56.200-07:00Our New Movie 20 Weeks Begins Production!We are two days into production on our new film! We are filming in Los Angeles and it's awesome to be home making a movie. Though the permit process in LA is intense and most locations require a fee for use, it's nice to be able sleep in my own bed at night.<br />
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I am producing <a href="http://leenap.com/" target="_blank">Leena Pendharkar</a>'s new feature film titled <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/20weeksmovie/" target="_blank">20 Weeks</a></i>. Leena and I have been creating content together for a few years now (remember our <a href="http://sonatural.tv/" target="_blank">So Natural TV</a> shoots?) and with the support of a number of people such as our executive producer Renuka Pullat, who has been key to making this shoot possible, and those contributing to our <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/20-weeks-the-movie/x/6178#/" target="_blank">20 Weeks IndieGoGo campaign</a>, we have been able to greenlight Leena's second feature <i>20 Weeks.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwA8MS0ltHMky0JFAsiDvpR93Zrpd7llPVm3K22HsTcH4Xg73A4CeUe9r60hSofvBZ6R4E9fRMrDGrysR7So5xdcbXIBNvAktqt3Vhhwm7N7oN0V_HzyWy7V4qLywrD0Kdv0QXBpNpcE/s1600/13403957_10154274550589600_3337392450050970258_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwA8MS0ltHMky0JFAsiDvpR93Zrpd7llPVm3K22HsTcH4Xg73A4CeUe9r60hSofvBZ6R4E9fRMrDGrysR7So5xdcbXIBNvAktqt3Vhhwm7N7oN0V_HzyWy7V4qLywrD0Kdv0QXBpNpcE/s200/13403957_10154274550589600_3337392450050970258_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DP Daud Sani and Writer/Director Leena Pendharkar</td></tr>
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<h4>
The script was inspired by Leena's own experience: </h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kHwW6ANtq0rlsmv3xW8KDxlLMOI2EIQ835IGwX1ZbYI_Mu86OBtPDqtNXpHQun5dbq8KeqtzTYHFWZoX47faCGsvS6ALPeCuQHO0q3Ca4-TrZ_4kaIQ7hVRb87MLKo_Gzcsb0_eYdaI/s1600/IMG_9685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kHwW6ANtq0rlsmv3xW8KDxlLMOI2EIQ835IGwX1ZbYI_Mu86OBtPDqtNXpHQun5dbq8KeqtzTYHFWZoX47faCGsvS6ALPeCuQHO0q3Ca4-TrZ_4kaIQ7hVRb87MLKo_Gzcsb0_eYdaI/s320/IMG_9685.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the summer of 2014, as I was pregnant with my second daughter and making my short film, <i><a href="https://vimeo.com/153012616" target="_blank">Dandekar Makes a Sandwich</a></i>, my daughter was diagnosed with a serious issue health issue at the 20 week scan called micrognathia, in which the baby’s chin is undersized. My husband and I were just shocked as it seemed to come out of nowhere.<br />
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The doctors knew the measurements weren’t coming out right, but they couldn’t definitively diagnose what she had or what the issue might be when she was born. We had to undergo genetic testing, and we also were forced to come in and do sonograms every couple of weeks to make sure her growth was on a typical curve. It was a very difficult experience, so many thoughts were going through my head….<br />
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My daughter was born in October of 2014 with a serious but treatable health condition called Pierre Robin Sequence. We didn’t know exactly what her prognosis would be when she was in utero, but the doctors had given us a range from not being able to breathe at all and having to wear tubes in her neck for two years, to something as mild as not being able to breastfeed. Me and my husband told no one we were going through this, I think we were in shock, and both of us on some level, were hoping it was nothing.<br />
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But when she was born, all of the in utero testing prepared us to be ready. We gave birth at a major trauma hospital, with doctors who knew how to treat her condition. There was a huge learning curve because we had to learn how to feed her with special bottles, and she had to undergo four surgeries… That first year was so tough… I almost don’t know how we made it through.<br />
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Going through this experience, I was really struck by the marriage of science and ethics, and how fragile the balance really is. Sitting in the room, looking at a sonogram the doctors ask you to make decisions that are tough, that are not easy, and you have to go on faith to move forward…<br />
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The part that was so challenging for us was just not knowing, staring at these images of a sonogram that feel like nothing but light and sound, and yet… It’s so much more….<br />
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I am so honored to be producing this heartfelt story. We have a phenomenally talented cast and crew. Here are a few pictures from set showcasing a few of them:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_EacFpcVONXp36lrAvUFIQqPtEqvWzUcJKnQkQX5gDybrLB0UIJY7yLPuyqUh2KvNhaLso6zk-V0OBEzY8EvobabaJ3X0-knj0sfoY28vOEjVMaq51XGG6aO1xRqxaxS6M39A9VAF_c/s1600/IMG_9679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_EacFpcVONXp36lrAvUFIQqPtEqvWzUcJKnQkQX5gDybrLB0UIJY7yLPuyqUh2KvNhaLso6zk-V0OBEzY8EvobabaJ3X0-knj0sfoY28vOEjVMaq51XGG6aO1xRqxaxS6M39A9VAF_c/s320/IMG_9679.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Margaret as Maya & Sujata Day as Ruby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ul9b1qIJ0tbyB_vVt1pKkhyphenhyphenym04sON-5OR75lfp3aG6MgYrB6MIdpVCrxx2hFhPQMEchA3knN3LDYnasicCatepqR0XWtHv8auY8lWht_KfRe4OLK35CKja1kLSHJEam5HObQMoaDX4/s1600/IMG_9610.CR2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ul9b1qIJ0tbyB_vVt1pKkhyphenhyphenym04sON-5OR75lfp3aG6MgYrB6MIdpVCrxx2hFhPQMEchA3knN3LDYnasicCatepqR0XWtHv8auY8lWht_KfRe4OLK35CKja1kLSHJEam5HObQMoaDX4/s320/IMG_9610.CR2" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Margaret Hollyman and our DP Daud Sani</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJC0RosCXfZLRokkKO-VOEnTq1ed97spXxg8P5m4UAhzLSMk22-Sz1KR-1A0Ay88XXfOzeLxP1b4jbbdra3ljiUIrOSOE6MW6ut0Vy3SzxnB9qQ42cVM2sOEPVx7N1Ahk-PlXC8K9iaY/s1600/IMG_9725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJC0RosCXfZLRokkKO-VOEnTq1ed97spXxg8P5m4UAhzLSMk22-Sz1KR-1A0Ay88XXfOzeLxP1b4jbbdra3ljiUIrOSOE6MW6ut0Vy3SzxnB9qQ42cVM2sOEPVx7N1Ahk-PlXC8K9iaY/s320/IMG_9725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amir Arison as Ronan, Anna Margaret Hollyman, and Leena Pendharkar </td></tr>
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We have a three week shoot and we already have our editor David Hopper working. But we need your help! We need additional financing for our post production and we have 5 days left on our IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign. We have partnered with the <a href="http://la.wish.org/" target="_blank">Make-a-Wish Greater Los Angeles</a> on the campaign and every dollar contributed will have a portion going toward a young child's wish.<br />
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Click on the below widget to be directed to our campaign where you can learn more about the film and contribute toward its creation. Thank you so much for helping us make this important and special film.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/20-weeks-the-movie/embedded/6178" width="222px"></iframe>
IndieGoGo<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aYZAf-L-8QSXwIFrfLdAJEYLVLfkRfsV6ngWBfoWbcXJkt9FTmse6RTi_iKoWx6va7s05e0lchm1T1H1wNrg8OYnz04iiGIrghWfFe62AQ1C7QojPaBXhI-t94DxrDjs_9K_iBu78ZI/s1600/13419018_10153885813010756_7769577971596305145_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aYZAf-L-8QSXwIFrfLdAJEYLVLfkRfsV6ngWBfoWbcXJkt9FTmse6RTi_iKoWx6va7s05e0lchm1T1H1wNrg8OYnz04iiGIrghWfFe62AQ1C7QojPaBXhI-t94DxrDjs_9K_iBu78ZI/s320/13419018_10153885813010756_7769577971596305145_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Sujata, Anna, Leena - Women Making Movies!</td></tr>
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-61823007664918077602016-04-06T14:06:00.002-07:002016-04-06T14:44:34.507-07:00I'm Doing a Reddit AMA Today about Indie Filmmaking!<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I'm doing a Reddit AMA about independent filmmaking at 3p PST/6p EST. If you have any questions for me hop on. I'll share link once I have it. More soon!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Here's the link! https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/4dnydu/i_am_jane_kelly_kosek_a_female_independent_film/</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Join me!</span>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-81880025728847646972016-03-28T20:45:00.003-07:002016-03-28T20:45:20.486-07:00Help Us Secure an Awesome Soundtrack for Our '80s Film!We have been editing our new film <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Pitching Tents </a></i>this past year - ever since we returned from Connecticut in August of 2015. And we finally have a picture lock - yay!!!<br />
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But we're definitely not done yet! We need to sweeten the sound, do some color correcting to smooth out the look, and get those rad '80s songs that will really help us portray the era.<br />
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Songs like:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/di-_n05tppo" width="420"></iframe>
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And we have a sneak peek of some of the film in our campaign video! Please check it out and help us finish <i>Pitching Tents </i>and get your own graduation photo in the end credits!!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/pitching-tents-finishing-funds/embedded/6178" width="222px"></iframe>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-67028335891004521912016-03-21T07:08:00.000-07:002016-03-21T23:24:37.343-07:00Dandekar Makes a Sandwich - A Vimeo Staff Pick! & a new film 20 WeeksOur short film <a href="https://vimeo.com/153012616" target="_blank"><i>Dandekar Makes a Sandwich</i></a> was recently selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick! Thanks so much for the honor Vimeo!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/153012616?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe>
<a href="https://vimeo.com/153012616">DANDEKAR MAKES A SANDWICH</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/leenapend">Leena Pendharkar</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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Writer/director Leena Pendharkar and I are over the moon about the staff at Vimeo highlighting our short. It's hard to get films to stand out above the rest so recognition from highly regarded sites goes a long way. We couldn't be more pleased! We hope you check out the film on Vimeo <a href="https://vimeo.com/153012616" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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We made this little short film in order to have fun with the Dandekar character who is the main character in Leena's full feature screenplay <i><a href="http://dayswithdandekar.com/" target="_blank">Days with Dandekar</a></i>. We had planned to make <i>Days with Dandekar</i> as a follow up to <i>Dandekar Makes a Sandwich, </i>but we soon came to the conclusion that we wanted more resources for the full feature of Dandekar's story and decided to make a smaller feature first.<br />
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That said...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZXo72yqIaMrBOJKsp6gFqIJtQWCBUkvtthfdX6JarBFGJRl_Dx9cBbcobJbSlYGnUABrQAs837woSrw7PuDsFy17VeAkAABJs74SKb6RdXkdo-yaB2SDPGYfeAPbjwPSLD9ClqElOtE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+7.03.12+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZXo72yqIaMrBOJKsp6gFqIJtQWCBUkvtthfdX6JarBFGJRl_Dx9cBbcobJbSlYGnUABrQAs837woSrw7PuDsFy17VeAkAABJs74SKb6RdXkdo-yaB2SDPGYfeAPbjwPSLD9ClqElOtE/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+7.03.12+AM.png" width="320" /></a>20 Weeks</h3>
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We're tremendously excited to announce that we are in pre-production on a new feature that Leena just completed writing, titled<i> <a href="http://20weeks-movie.com/" target="_blank">20 Weeks</a>. </i>This story is very near and dear to Leena's heart. She and her husband recently had a scare with their own pregnancy (everything is fine now and they have a healthy baby girl) and Leena wanted to write a story about a couple going through a similar situation of finding out their baby may have a genetic issue at the 20-week scan, a mid-pregnancy scan to check on the health of your baby. Check out Leena's story on her blog <a href="http://leenapend.tumblr.com/post/141437568221/20-weeks-a-new-indie-film" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<i>20 Weeks </i>is an intimate romantic drama about a couple dealing with the news that their baby may be born with a serious health issue. Inspired by true events, <i>20 Weeks</i> goes behind the often-closed doors of a stressful pregnancy and its effects on the mother and father. This story comes from a very honest place and gives a voice to the mothers and fathers who have or are struggling during one of the most joyful experiences of their lives - having a child.<br />
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Check out Leena's look book for <i>20 Weeks</i> <a href="https://issuu.com/leenapendharkar/docs/20-weeks-lb" target="_blank">here</a>. She is inspired by films like <i>Her</i>, <i>Blue Valentine</i> and even <i>The Notebook</i>.<br />
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Please follow us as we navigate the development and creation of <i>20 Weeks</i> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/20weeksmovie/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and on <a href="https://twitter.com/20weeksthemovie" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!<br />
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Thanks for all your support as we continue to make movies!!janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-76774462688277814892015-12-01T21:46:00.004-08:002015-12-01T21:46:47.298-08:00Writer Duet - Screenwriting Software Perfect for Writing Partners<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmKBw1nSWxVg9qHucpmUt5IQv4jbRRsesmg6FwNgHBNGJdLtrWXRwHbmnnhn6YJh5VZya7Kydr_4FUJMqnArWp38COiZVKvyGp75qijsNkhqth_jctck_Adb9lxPubmZs3cc1jGgDmoM/s1600/WriterDuetLogoPlainFlat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmKBw1nSWxVg9qHucpmUt5IQv4jbRRsesmg6FwNgHBNGJdLtrWXRwHbmnnhn6YJh5VZya7Kydr_4FUJMqnArWp38COiZVKvyGp75qijsNkhqth_jctck_Adb9lxPubmZs3cc1jGgDmoM/s320/WriterDuetLogoPlainFlat.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Along with producing films, I enjoy writing them too. And I really like collaborating with other screenwriters on projects. The one obstacle to collaborating is sharing work seamlessly between writing partners. If you can't work in the same document, it makes it difficult to know if you are working in the most current version. It also slows things down. You may have to wait for your writing partner to finish his or her changes and then email it to you so you can pick up where he or she left off. Not very efficient.<br />
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So in my search to figure out a good means of collaborating with a writing partner, I came across <a href="http://writerduet.com/">WriterDuet.com</a>. It's an online screenwriting software that allows for collaboration. Like Google Docs, it allows you and your writing partner to be in the same document at the same time and it shows the changes your writing partner is making in real time. It's exactly what I was hoping for and then some!<br />
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I have shared it with my writing partners and it's been a really wonderful tool for our collaborating. It's a great program in which to write even if you don't write with a partner. And you can save your screenplay in most formats, including Final Draft and PDF. I really can't recommend WriterDuet enough. Below are some video tutorials that will explain more of the features of the software. And at the bottom is a limited-time discount from WriterDuet for my readers. Check out the software and let me know what you think! And more importantly, keep on writing!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Tutorial</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Pro v. Free Tutorial</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Limited Time Offer!</b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Here's to wonderful collaborations!</span>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-74758920656046725052015-09-19T15:15:00.001-07:002015-09-19T15:15:12.043-07:00Interview with Editor Evita Yuepu Zhou<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">I always love featuring independent filmmakers on this blog. Below is a Q&A with Editor Evita Yuepu Zhou. She has an interesting story and a familiar love of filmmaking.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3>
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">A Statement from Evita:</span></b></h3>
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">I was born in a small city in China in 1987 and moved to Shanghai
when I was 9 years old. Since the age of 10, I knew I wanted to work in
film. My pursuit of film was not an easy one: swimming against the cultural
stereotype, which pushes its children to become doctors, lawyers or
housewives and battling to become a female editor in the entertainment
industry proved challenging. The entertainment industry is a rocky road
and, oftentimes, is difficult to break into and maintain a steady career.
Despite these difficulties, my career in film editing has been very
rewarding. Stepping back and looking at what I’ve done and what I’m
capable of carries with it a sense of adventure that drives me to keep
creating. I am passionate about my career and strive to expand my editing
skills to span all mediums. Whether it be a narrative film, documentary film,
commercials, or reality series, each project opens up new and different
worlds that allow me to expand and explore. I immerse myself in these
worlds and connect emotionally and artistically with each story. Taking
unrelated visual sequences and stitching them together to create a
beautiful work of art is something I look forward to every day.</span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFYrKjsKKOzSBlPNxEpZ3Xkvd8nwNBA27IRPyjkMerVqovrRGX8xMnCrsEMjqCWtyILNiWItw6Nf3-fv6RTzsSYy5qz8p-agDw_rJM1UM2JzEvVVwvyWwxHI_Vktt3cjrmdnFcA-hH4A/s1600/Ablution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFYrKjsKKOzSBlPNxEpZ3Xkvd8nwNBA27IRPyjkMerVqovrRGX8xMnCrsEMjqCWtyILNiWItw6Nf3-fv6RTzsSYy5qz8p-agDw_rJM1UM2JzEvVVwvyWwxHI_Vktt3cjrmdnFcA-hH4A/s400/Ablution.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still from Ablution - a film edited by Evita Yuepu Zhou</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background: white; color: #3d85c6; mso-highlight: white;"><b>The Q&A with Evita</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">1) How did you get into editing?</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Finding
my passion and talent for editing was an interesting process of self-discovery.
I will never forget the first time I finished editing my first documentary back
in 2008. I directed that film as well. The moment when the final film was
exported was one of my happiest moments in my life. That moment served as a
catalyst for me to further explore the world of editing. Later, my work
experience at IMSTEPF Studios made me realize that editing is something I love
to do, enjoy doing, and is something I’m good at. Stitching those unorganized
unrelated visual sequences together into an amazing piece of art is very
rewarding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">2) What is a typical day like?</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Working
as a freelancer allows for a lot of flexibility in my schedule. It also means
that there are no strict boundaries for work and free time and that the lines
between the two are often blurred. Every day, I make sure I get a decent
breakfast and then get my hands on the keyboard to start the day. No matter how
busy or tight my schedule is, I always make an effort to get some mid-day
exercise. It’s vital to keep healthy when a job requires you to sit in front of
screens all day long. Work continues after dinner mostly. The hours are very
long, but I always make sure I allow myself some leisure time on weekends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">3) What would you say your editing style
is?</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">I
wouldn’t limit myself to just one editing style. The technique and style of
your work should reflect the content. Generally, I like to cut on emotion
rhythms. Using those cues allows me to form rules and techniques as I go
along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">4) Who would you say, editor or
filmmaker, inspires your work the most?</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">My
favorite director is Roman Polanski. He is an absolute genius as a director.
And my favorite editors are Dede Allen, Tim Squyres, and Hervé de Luze. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">5) How does editing different genres
(doc, web series, feature, etc.) affect your work? </span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Editing
a wide variety of genres allows me to expand my editing skill set.
Different genres definitely affect the creative process in different ways. For
documentaries, editors need to be involved early on because editors are
partially the writer of the film. Also, the editorial period often takes longer
for documentary films. Narrative films are fluid and create different vibes
when I work with the footage given to me although the process of dealing with
stories, emotions and rhythms stays the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">6) What genre or project type do you most
enjoy editing and why?</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">As
an editor, I prefer not to stick to just one type of genre or story. I always
love to try different types of film as long as it has a good story and
interesting characters. I like to immerse myself into the characters’ arcs and
understand the emotional twists of the film. I always get positive feedback in
that arena from different filmmakers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">7) How has working both in the U.S. and
abroad influenced your editing work? </span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">When
I worked in China, I was working for a major broadcast television network in
Shanghai for a documentary channel. Teamwork was vital for us at that time, so
I learned a lot about working with other editors. Working with people that
spoke different languages and came from different backgrounds also helped
expand my communication skills.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">8) As an editor, what are the challenges
you face? </span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="h.e9ll282fl38b"></a><span style="color: windowtext;">As a filmmaker, you always need to keep moving
forward, not only in the professional arena, but also in the networking one. I
think the challenging<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>part for me is the
insecurity that sometimes comes with being a freelancer and the need to constantly
network and put yourself out there not only in-person but on social media as
well. Often, that insecurity is going to be with you your whole life as a
filmmaker, but the challenge of that can lend itself to new adventures in
meeting new people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">9) Do you have any advice for aspiring
film editors? </span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Film
business is a rocky road for anyone who is working and wants to work in it.
However, it also feels very rewarding when you find your calling and put
yourself into it. It requires great amount of time and hard work, but it’s also
amazingly fun to find out what you’ve done and what you’ll create in the
future. It’s never the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-highlight: white;">10) If you weren't an editor, what do you
think you'd be doing right now?</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Although
I’ve worked different jobs before editing, I cannot think of anything I would
want to jump into right now except editing. Maybe I would be a writer for a small
magazine or work in environmental engineering because that was one of my
undergraduate majors, but if I had to choose something other than editing, I would
love to be a film composer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-74411807809141032682015-07-06T16:57:00.000-07:002015-07-06T16:57:57.556-07:00Q&A with Jacob Cooney, Director of Our New Film Pitching Tents!<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">I thought it would be fun to do a Q&A with the director of our new film <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie?fref=ts" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a></i> - Jacob Cooney. As all of you know by now, we are in the home stretch of our <a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">IndieGoGo campaign for the film</a> and we are looking forward to making the film in August.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24lEImwJByWmzAycDd0eFWP8VPJho-R8zbqFnGAUO2OpX7ElqlnaxGpAEnq2sgDXrgrA_Z1b_j7D3aYH7hh8NzGVI2DLoMbOLSlzXfUGD666aqG_aorCt2BPdleLmqDZWiXWD3RcJLI4/s1600/hc-blue-line-20150205-012.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24lEImwJByWmzAycDd0eFWP8VPJho-R8zbqFnGAUO2OpX7ElqlnaxGpAEnq2sgDXrgrA_Z1b_j7D3aYH7hh8NzGVI2DLoMbOLSlzXfUGD666aqG_aorCt2BPdleLmqDZWiXWD3RcJLI4/s320/hc-blue-line-20150205-012.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Cooney</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">Before we jump into the Q&A, I want to alert you to a new perk we just added today.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;"> We want as many of our supporters, friends and family to have their high school graduation photos in our end credits. This has been offered at the $250 Perk level, which gets you all the perks below it too. For the last two days of the campaign, we are going to offer to put your photo in the end credits of the movie for $50!! You will not get the other perks you would get for the $250 contribution but you will get your photo in the end credits. And what a perk that will be! You will live on forever in the movie with all of us. So please join us by selecting the "Your Pic into Eternity" perk, tell your family and friends and so on and so on and so on. And let's meet our $75k goal in the next 48 hours! Thanks everyone! Hope to see your high school mug in the end credits. This is going to be so fun! Bombdigity!! Here's the link to grab the perk: </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13.3333330154419px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178.">http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178.</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">Now let's get to know more about our director Jacob Cooney:</span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Tell us about Pitching Tents and why you want to tell this story.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Set in 1984, <i>Pitching Tents</i> follows the story of Danny, </span><span style="color: #141413; font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">a high school senior, whose future creates a tug-of war between his no-nonsense father and his crackpot guidance counselor… until an encounter with a goddess helps him uncover his destiny.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141413; font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Heartfelt, hilarious and nostalgic, I was immediately transported back to my “ultimate summer” experiences while reading the script and because of that I knew I needed to make this movie. It’s not everyday you run across a project like this that has everything you’d ever want in a film and because of that, and the people involved, my initial thought was (and still is today) that this film deserves to be seen by the masses.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQHvbhq9pMFwdnFTW014Tgxyt10y-aE4GK2TvY7FP6_iCZDdVkRIGOcHdnWlNTJ4qksXxfeKDVNIMCsxYuIei-fw6G6bs1kV2NgPubKZys4PdcIXHL_7Ake7CNkJvThjE63QDNu1mS2g/s1600/11008438_10205966293300214_9040755280238309507_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQHvbhq9pMFwdnFTW014Tgxyt10y-aE4GK2TvY7FP6_iCZDdVkRIGOcHdnWlNTJ4qksXxfeKDVNIMCsxYuIei-fw6G6bs1kV2NgPubKZys4PdcIXHL_7Ake7CNkJvThjE63QDNu1mS2g/s320/11008438_10205966293300214_9040755280238309507_n.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Why should this story be told?</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Pitching Tents</span></i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"> is a universal story that spans all audiences. From kids in high school looking to the future, to adults who have fond memories of their past, everyone can get behind a film that pushes you to reach for your dreams and become the person you were meant to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">With movie theaters packed with super hero movies, explosion-filled action films and raunchy comedies, <i>Pitching Tents</i> will give the audience a feel good movie with heart, comedy and nostalgia. Everyone has experienced that “one crazy summer” or that one weekend that changed your life… and it’s that feeling that we’re trying to bring back. <i>Pitching Tents</i> will be a fun movie for everyone, and we’re really excited to be bringing it to life.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Why is it set in the 1980s? How is that era important to the story?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Two words… IT’S ICONIC! The 80s were a time of change all across the board. From music to movies, from politics to wardrobe, the 80s spawned a lot of what we know today. It was an era where teens came into their own and in some ways rebelled from the norm to discover their own path … and at its core, that’s what <i>Pitching Tents</i> is all about. It’s about finding your voice and reaching for your dream and the 80s was the transcending era that forged new ideas, new experiences and of course, giant hair! Why wouldn’t we want to set <i>Pitching Tents</i> during this time in history?!</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">What made you want to become a director? Why do you like making movies?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">There’s a story my mom tells everyone about the time I was taken to lunch by my art teacher after winning an award when I was in kindergarten and when asked what I wanted to do when I grew up I answered, “I want to make movies.” Guess it was always in my blood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">After that I was continuously shooting short films (really bad ones) and fake TV shows with friends using my parents’ VHS camera. As I grew up, the cameras got a little better, as did the final projects … to some degree. To answer your question though, filmmaking (specifically directing) has been something I’ve wanted to do since I can remember.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">How did you get your start in directing? Do you find it hard to be a full-time director?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">After graduating high school, I went to film school at California State University, Monterey Bay. There my friends/classmates and I would shoot shorts on the weekends or help the older students with their thesis films. We really immersed ourselves in the idea of “learning by experience”, so we made sure we were always shooting or working on something.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">After four years of working on student films, getting hired as a PA on commercial shoots when they came to the area, interning in LA every summer and shooting my own thesis film “Small Town Life”, I graduated and immediately moved to LA after being hired to dolly grip on an independent feature. From there I began working as a dolly grip on commercials and then got hired as an office PA at Nickelodeon. Throughout all the work though, I knew I wanted my focus to be on directing. While at Nickelodeon, </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">I threw my hat in the ring to direct a number of independent projects that I found had postings for directors online. Somehow I managed to catch one producer’s eye (Jane Kelly Kosek) for a film they were producing titled “Fierce Friend” (still don’t know how I managed that). From there I went through the interview process and after 3 or 4 interviews I somehow landed the job.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">I remember getting that call … I was 21 or 22 years old, still getting used to living in LA and then I got hired to direct my first feature. I was on cloud nine … still get that feeling every time someone lets me direct a film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">That said, getting hired to direct “Fierce Friend” started my path as a director. After doing the film I began directing music videos, commercials and shorts, which in turn opened the door for me to begin writing and making more films. Now I won’t lie … it’s been a hard road throughout the years, which has been riddled with ups and downs and “go projects” and “dead projects”, but it’s a road that needs to be traveled as the experience is worth everything. You have to always be working. You have to always be striving to get bigger and better with every project, and most importantly you learn to take rejection in stride as the “no’s” definitely outweigh the “yes’s”. But when you get that “yes”, it feels so good.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">What has been the most challenging aspect of getting Pitching Tents made thus far? How do you plan to overcome the challenge?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Oh man … like all independent films, the biggest struggle thus far has been securing the financing to make the film. From emailing friends and family, to setting up meetings with complete strangers, to embarking on the insanely time consuming task of running a crowdfunding campaign, finding the funding for a heartfelt film like <i>Pitching Tents </i>has been the hardest thing yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">I’m not sure why it’s been so hard … we have an amazing story, a great cast and crew and an audience yearning for more films like this to be made, but the independent filmmaking experience seems to always remain the same. It’s a struggle from start to finish, but with the helping hands of others and the drive we have to make this film come into fruition, <i>Pitching Tents</i> will be getting made … and in the grand scheme of things, that’s a triumph within itself. It’s all about staying positive, creative and most importantly staying focused on the story you want to tell while finding the best way to showcase it using the resources you have in front of you. That’s been my job as a director for the last 13 years and I love every minute of it.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Why run a crowdfunding campaign for the film? How important is crowdfunding to independent film?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">When dealing with independent films your funding can come from a number of different places. You can get funding through friends and family, through investors who love your project or love the idea of getting into the entertainment industry, through small production companies who have internal funding or through crowdfunding sites like Indiegogo, Seed & Spark or Kickstarter. It really can come from anywhere and from anyone … and as we all know independent filmmaking is a hard road. It takes a village to make a film in general, and doing it independently you need all the help you can get.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">That’s why crowdfunding is really helpful. You’re not only reaching out to untapped avenues for funding, but at the same time your promoting your film and growing a fan base… which is VERY, VERY important. Without the fans your film won’t sell, so it’s much better to start early and build your audience that way you know before the film is finished that you have people waiting and wanting to see it.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">What are your hopes for the future of Pitching Tents?</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Pitching Tents</span></i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"> is a heartfelt film with a great story that resonated with me from the very beginning. It brought me back to my ultimate summer and that moment in my life where I figured out what I truly wanted to do with my life. Much like our lead character Danny, I struggled with the decision to choose my dream over what was easy and secure, and my hope is that the audience will find Danny’s story close to their own. <i>Pitching Tents</i> is a universal story that I feel everyone will love … not only because of it’s comedic elements and storytelling, but because it’s a film that has the ability to transport the viewer back to their childhood where being young and free was pretty much all you cared about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Overall, I feel the film is destined for success on all fronts. We have an amazing cast and crew, an amazing story full of truth and heart and an audience looking for something different then the normal big budget summer blockbusters. To me, that sounds like a recipe no one could ever turn down.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">What's next for you and your career?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Oh man. I currently have a number of things in the works both professionally and personally. The most important being that I’m venturing into a new career as a father this coming October. My wife and I are very excited and are looking forward to meeting the little one when she arrives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Professionally, I’ve got a number of projects in the works that are all in different stages. I’m currently in post-production on my film BLUE LINE, which we shot this past January/February. The film is an action thriller starring Tom Sizemore, Jordan Ladd and Kevin Nash. Along with that, I’m also slated to direct a zombie film this coming September titled ISLE OF THE DEAD, which will be released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment sometime in 2016. </span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Do you have any advice for up-and-coming filmmakers?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Yes. Just keep creating and keep shooting. No matter if the project is small or large, with a production company or with your friends, just keep honing your craft. Keep the juices flowing … and most importantly, HAVE FUN DOING IT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">For more information on Jacob's work, check out his work at his Web site at: </span><a href="http://www.jacobcooney.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" target="_blank">www.jacobcooney.com</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">And don't forget to check out our IndieGoGo Campaign for Pitching Tents and help us bring this movie to life!</a></h3>
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-89682201249310218222015-07-05T12:58:00.001-07:002015-07-05T13:00:54.926-07:00Join Us and Sam Jaeger of Parenthood and American Sniper for Dinner and a Movie!<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Hi everyone! My good friend and often creative partner Sam Jaeger (aka Joel from the NBC TV show <i>Parenthood</i> and Bradley Cooper's Captain in the Clint Eastwood film <i>American Sniper</i>) just contributed $1000 to our <a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">IndieGoGo Campaign</a> for my new film <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a>. </i>And he's made an offer that we hope will entice many of you to join us for dinner and our LA premiere!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">As he states in the video below, Sam has offered to take EVERYONE who MATCHES his $1000 contribution to our <a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">IndieGoGo Campaign</a> for </span><i style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> in the next couple of days to dinner the night of the film's LA Premiere. All the filmmakers, including me, will be there too!</span></div>
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Check out his offer here:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">We're so grateful for Sam's generosity and support and hope you join him and us for the premiere and dinner beforehand. Your contribution will help us make this film happen. It will be a really fun night and you can watch the film you helped make possible on the big screen!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Here's the link to the campaign: </span><a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">. Make sure you select the perk at the $1k level, which ensures you two tix to the premiere as well. Thanks everyone! Help us reach our goal! We're in the home stretch - we hope you can join us!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">You can also click on the box below: </span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/pitching-tents/embedded/6178" width="222px"></iframe>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-9397911911297740612015-06-28T19:24:00.002-07:002015-06-28T19:26:14.591-07:00Q&A with Director Sean Ackerman about His New Documentary on Kelley GibsonSean Ackerman and I have known each other for about 15 years. I can't believe it's been that long. It feels like yesterday when we met on the production of Todd Solondz's film <i>Storytelling.</i> We have lots of stories about that production but that's for another day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9oghyphenhyphenTAbhVSOt9i1CYt4s3plLb5IzG8IL95jLbeZgOrWduasDKIySqbbwvvT9oAlesFTvJOMc4mAVkNz3de8ei3RBr5pxFx5afNlMLOVUkNeSWGtYszqgn0oIAlHSy7hvozRsZv0qmE/s1600/Faces_Headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9oghyphenhyphenTAbhVSOt9i1CYt4s3plLb5IzG8IL95jLbeZgOrWduasDKIySqbbwvvT9oAlesFTvJOMc4mAVkNz3de8ei3RBr5pxFx5afNlMLOVUkNeSWGtYszqgn0oIAlHSy7hvozRsZv0qmE/s320/Faces_Headshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director Sean Ackerman</td></tr>
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In those 15 years, Sean and I have made two feature films together: <i><a href="http://www.straightlinemovie.com/" target="_blank">Straight Line</a></i> and <a href="http://www.thediaryofprestonplummer.com/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Diary of Preston Plummer.</a> And during that time, Sean went to medical school too. He is now a child psychiatrist/indie filmmaker. I love working with him because he brings such a well-rounded vision to anything he does. His life isn't solely about filmmaking, which is nice. And he's a new dad!<br />
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On top of all of that, Sean recently told me he was going to make a documentary. I was really happy to hear this as I love doing both narrative and documentaries. It's nice to know others who like to create both kinds of films.<br />
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And he recently launched a Kickstarter for the film, which is doing really well. They are in the home stretch of reaching their $40k goal. I suggested that as he nears the deadline for his crowdfunding campaign that we talk about the project here.<br />
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So that's what we're going to do. Let's talk about the film he wants to make about Kelley Gibson - a really remarkable young man.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_s39pPkwAYEaCNForUBYlVgnBTAULqsjlWeDRgiFgR-8ZMHP4aUZLbGeaoGZZzMVMzlzSpPF9uQGD7RThOwneIaRMqhfQi8_T4K-_IQVnsaRvMUC_BRsdbPVssQSUNGY2uBA0qIDz8M/s1600/kelley_blur.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_s39pPkwAYEaCNForUBYlVgnBTAULqsjlWeDRgiFgR-8ZMHP4aUZLbGeaoGZZzMVMzlzSpPF9uQGD7RThOwneIaRMqhfQi8_T4K-_IQVnsaRvMUC_BRsdbPVssQSUNGY2uBA0qIDz8M/s320/kelley_blur.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelley Gibson</td></tr>
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But before you read the Q&A, watch Sean's Kickstarter video - it will tell you all about the story he wants to tell:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/503023835/the-kelley-gibson-story/widget/video.html" width="480"> </iframe><br />
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<b>Q&A with Sean Ackerman</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Tell us about your new project and why you want to tell this story.</b><br />
<br />
I've spent the bulk of the last 9 years training to be a child psychiatrist. In that time, I've seen a lot of good being done by the mental health system in this country, but obviously there is also a lot to be desired that isn't being done. This story does great job not only pointing out what usually isn't done, but it also provides a way forward. That is, it's not a story that just complains about gaps in health care, instead it offers real solutions. Plus, it's just an amazing and entertaining story, and from a filmmaking perspective, that's the first thing.<br />
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<b>You're a medical doctor and filmmaker. Do you see this project as the perfect marriage of both of your skills?</b><br />
<br />
Perhaps? But when you make a movie, you're mostly just making a movie. I'm really just a filmmaker when I create this documentary. However, my medical/psychiatric knowledge, I hope, will bring some authenticity/authority to it that another filmmaker could not. These are really, really complicated issues, and I hope I can do them justice.<br />
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<b>There's a strong music element to the story. Can you describe why music is so important to this story?</b><br />
<br />
Well, music is important for a lot of reasons. Broadly, it represents the idea that people who struggle with mental health issues are way more than their diagnosis. In the past Kelley has been given diagnoses of bipolar I and autism. Those are the sort of things doctors like myself tend to focus on. But it's not what really matters. What matters is that Kelley is happy and active, and in part for Kelley that is due to music. Beyond that though, on a pure science level, there is strong evidence that playing music actually changes the brain, and being a musician can actually help people improve focus and mood. On a whole other level, in this story music is important to Kelley's family. Kelley's father, Eric, is one of the most popular and accomplished bluegrass musicians in the country. Bluegrass is a family thing, and family is more important than psychiatric medication. Family can help you recover, and family can tear you apart. So, music really stands in for a lot in this story: Kelley's personal identity, Kelley's family, and it also literally impacts the structure of his brain.<br />
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<b>This project is a documentary but you have also directed narrative films. How is making a documentary different from a narrative film? Do you like one over the other?</b><br />
<br />
From a creative perspective, I'd way rather shoot a narrative project. There is more freedom. However, from a public policy perspective, I think real life is more powerful. This project is in part about offering some ideas to improve outcomes in mental health, and so I think it's important to stay 100% in the real world. Thus, a documentary.<br />
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<b>What are your hopes for this film?</b><br />
<br />
First, I want it to be super entertaining because that is the first rule of storytelling. The ultimate goal though is for it to be seen by the important stakeholders and policy makers in mental health, and to hopefully influence those people a bit. Essentially, I would like to see mental health shift more towards helping people find their strengths and deal with their environments, and have less emphasis on acute interventions and medications. I mean, medications can be very important, but for most people, they are only a small part of the puzzle. For some, medications solve everything, but that's not the norm. Most people who suffer from mental illness have something going on in their lives that contributes to their psychiatric issues, and we need to spend more time working on those issues while also helping people build their natural strengths.<br />
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<b>Why crowdfunding?</b><br />
<br />
We are doing crowdfunding for a couple reasons. First: I wanted to see if the story resonated with people before I broke my back to make the movie. With that in mind, I didn't really put much effort into the Kickstarter video itself because I just wanted to see if people liked the feel of the raw story. Second reason: because we'd like for a big chunk of the profit to go to a charity, if we have fewer investors to pay back, we have more moola to give to our charity of choice.<br />
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<b>What advice can you give up-and-coming indie filmmakers?</b><br />
<br />
Know what you want. I have a weird career as a doctor and indie filmmaker. It's not easy to make work but I've made it work because I've been clear about what it is that I wanted for a long time. So know what you want and then you'll figure the rest out.<br />
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Click on the box below to check out Sean's Kickstarter campaign. I hope you can contribute and spread the word. This story needs to be told. Good luck Sean and Kelley!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="420" scrolling="no" src="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/503023835/the-kelley-gibson-story/widget/card.html?v=2" width="220"></iframe>
janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-2015789543392517582015-06-27T12:23:00.001-07:002015-06-27T12:30:04.484-07:00Our Emotions Halfway Through Our Feature Film Crowdfunding CampaignWhat a whirlwind of emotion! Moviemaking is emotional as it is. Throw a crowdfunding campaign in the mix and it's a hotbed of anxiety, stress, joy, and gratefulness.<br />
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We are just over the halfway point in our <a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">crowdfunding campaign</a> for our new film <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank"><i>Pitching Tents</i></a>. I thought it would be fun or torturous - take your pick - to run through all the emotions that our crowdfunding campaign has stirred up.<br />
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<h3>
1) Fear. </h3>
It's really scary to launch a crowdfunding campaign. What if no one contributes? What if I fail to reach my goal? What if I look like a loser? What if my friends and family get so annoyed by my constant search for money in order to make movies that they write me off forever? I know that sounds silly but it's irrational thoughts like these that a crowdfunding campaign can elicit. These feelings can be so strong that some filmmakers never run a campaign.<br />
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In these moments of fear, here's what I tell myself: I have chosen to be an independent filmmaker and it's a reality I will be on the eternal search for money to make movies. Never expect anyone to contribute to my films, but jump for joy when they do. The only way I can receive any funding is if I ask for it. I need to work as hard as I possibly can for each and every dime put into my films - it's the only way to achieve success. Never rest on my laurels. I will always be pushing to get my titles in front of an audience. That is my life. I must accept my choice and learn how to overcome my fear of what it takes to be an independent filmmaker. How do I do that? Go into everything I do with good intentions and create a foundation for each project whereby everyone gains - both emotionally and financially. With good intentions and humility and grace, I can overcome all obstacles, including fear.<br />
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<h3>
2) Anxiety.</h3>
It's really hard to fall asleep at night wondering about the future of your crowdfunding campaign. Anxiety is always lurking, threatening to choke you. You feel the watchful eye of the world on your every move and you hope they aren't rolling their eyes. But again, that's irrational, because in reality, when you launch your campaign, you're already winning. You have committed to your project and you are taking control of its future. You aren't sitting back waiting for someone to hand you the means for making your film. Believe in yourself and your project and hopefully any anxiety can be quelled by the knowledge that you are doing everything in your power to make your film a success.<br />
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<h3>
3) Joy.</h3>
Each and every contribution or act of support brings us closer to our goal and the amount of joy associated is immeasurable. These moments make it all worthwhile. Revel in the joy and work hard for these moments.<br />
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<h3>
4) Thankfulness.</h3>
I can't even begin to describe how grateful I am each and every time someone contributes, does a shout out, pats us on the back, shares the campaign with friends/family, listens to me prattle on about my movies, deals with all my Facebook statuses and tweeting - the list goes on. Each and every day, I wake up feeling such immense appreciation and love for everyone in my life. And what a positive way to wake up. It feels glorious. And in turn, I know that I am there for everyone in my life. I will go to the ends of the earth to support my friends/family/fellow filmmakers. It's a two way street. And I love knowing that we are all in this crazy thing we call life, together. That truly makes me thankful.<br />
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<h3>
5) Stress.</h3>
The stress associated with running a crowdfunding campaign is huge. I could literally be working on it 24/7. But I know that I can't. It's physically impossible to do everything you want to do. That's why it's so important to build a team who will become your film family, who will help carry the weight of the campaign and the making of the film. I know I've said it before, but it truly takes a village. When I start to feel the tight grip of stress, I take a deep breath and I call my teammates and we talk it out. We share the stress. Exercise and hugs help too.<br />
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<h3>
6) Inspired. </h3>
Seeing all of the support that comes in during a crowdfunding campaign is absolutely inspiring. It makes you want to go out and do great things - to show your supporters that they're belief in you is worth it. Being inspired is a huge motivator for success. I love being inspired!<br />
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<h3>
7) Proud.</h3>
I am so proud of the work we do on our films. This is our career and our lives. We work so hard to make everything we do, the best it can possibly be. We take what we do seriously. Film has so much power to inspire laughter and tears and even change. There are many films that changed me forever. So we take our strong work ethic and we apply it to our crowdfunding campaigns too. Because we're proud of the work we do and we want our audience to feel something from our stories. Essentially, the pride grows each day as we lay a solid foundation for our indie film.<br />
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<h3>
8) Guilt.</h3>
How does one feeling guilty when running a crowdfunding campaign? I think it's the idea of asking people for money. And wishing you didn't have to. Wishing it were easier to get indie films made. Wishing you didn't have to struggle when making each and every film and do multiple crowdfunding campaigns. I know we are asking for money in exchange for a perk and involvement in making a film - something many people want. And I know we are going to put every dollar to good use. But it's still never easy to ask others for money and admit that the process of making a film is challenging and truly takes a village. Having to lean on others is inherently a tough realization that can make us feel guilty. But know that you are contributing toward something important - you are helping to keep indie film alive. The arts are truly important for the well-being of mankind. We need to laugh and cry and share our stories. So stop feeling guilty and get out there and make something special that can help make another person's day a little better.<br />
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<h3>
9) Surprised.</h3>
I don't know if "surprised" is the right word because I'm not surprised that people can be generous. The generosity is absolutely astounding. I can't even express the gratitude I feel for every contribution and act of support. I think the feelings of surprise are that all these people want to help YOU. Why do you deserve the money that you are being given? In response, I would say, let's turn that question around, why don't you deserve the money you're being given? You're making a movie with which you plan to entertain each and every contributor. You're providing a fun perk that they can enjoy and you're giving each person the ability to take part in making a movie. Not everyone has the opportunity to take part in making a movie. You are giving that person an experience. In the end, I think it all comes back to good intentions and old-fashioned hard work. You aren't taking other people's money to just blow it. You're working really, really hard for the money they are giving you. You are providing them with a piece of the journey. And that's worth something. So don't feel surprised. Instead, work hard for the money you're given. <br />
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<h3>
10) Relief. </h3>
There is a huge wave of relief that washes over you as you see the amount of funding grow. Suddenly all of the anxiety of being able to afford to make the film eases a bit. You realize that you will have the funding to make it happen and you're growing the audience for the film before it's even made. And that, my friends, it's the greatest feeling in the world and what you set out to do when you hit that Launch the Campaign button.<br />
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A crowdfunding campaign is about believing in yourself and your film. There's no shame in wanting to bring people together in the common cause of getting your film made. And know that every filmmaker who runs a crowdfunding campaign experiences each and every emotion discussed above. Even those filmmakers who seem to have raised the funding for their projects so easily. I guarantee they had moments of anxiety and joy and thankfulness and even pangs of guilt (am I worthy?). All you can do is deal with the emotions and find ways of working through them. Exercise is a great way of working through your emotions. In fact, I'm heading out for a walk after I finish this entry.<br />
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It's true that you will likely fail more times than you succeed. But with each failure, you learn to be stronger and better. There is something positive that comes out of everything you do. So get out there and don't be afraid to ride the roller coaster of life and moviemaking and experience the good and the bad of it all. When you do take chances, you're living.<br />
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When it's all said and done, whether or not we reach our goal of raising $75k, we will have won. Every dollar will be used to make our film better and stronger. And the amount of people we have engaged in our campaign and who now know about our film is worth its weight in gold. So thank you to everyone who has stirred up all these emotions. We couldn't be more grateful.<br />
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We hope you check out our campaign while it's still going. Just click here on the box and you will be taken to our IndieGoGo page. Thanks everyone! Let's get emotional together.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/pitching-tents/embedded/6178" width="222px"></iframe>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-70920127917896552532015-06-19T08:33:00.001-07:002015-06-19T09:11:02.289-07:00Q&A with Christopher Hansen, Writer/Director of Where We Started<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Writer/Director Chris Hansen <br />
Photo by: Minerva House</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1) Tell us about your film <i>Where We Started</i>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where We
Started</i> is a very contained story of what happens when two strangers connect
with one another while they’re both stopping for the night at a motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their initial attraction deepens as the night
goes on – but they’re both married, and the events of the night force them to
confront the realities of their respective marital situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a romantic drama that deals with
questions of fidelity and attraction, about what drives people to have affairs
when they clearly know they shouldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Check out the trailer here:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/39561976" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/39561976">Where We Started (official trailer)</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/chrishansen">Chris Hansen</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2) What was your inspiration behind the story of <i>Where
We Started</i>?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were a couple of things that inspired me.
First, my wife and I had known a lot of couples that had gone through
divorces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were various reasons,
but infidelity was definitely one of those reasons that came up several
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so I’d just been thinking
about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And about that time I had
read an article, some time after the death of filmmaker John Hughes, about a
project of his that never got made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
had something to do with two people who connected over musical taste and other
things during a night when they were stranded in a motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I kind of put those two things together in
my mind and created a story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I layered
in a bunch of references to John Hughes movies as a nod to the inspiration for
this story and also to the role his movies played in my life when I was
younger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3) What made you decide to make it independently?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where We
Started</i> was my third feature as a writer/director, and I’ve made all of them
independently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m based in Texas (and I
have my family here as well) – so it’s hard for me to try to sell stuff to
Hollywood. I tried that for a number of years before focusing on making my own
stuff when it became a lot easier to do so thanks to the digital revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of it, then, is necessity, and the other
part is creative control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really like
being able to make what I want and not have anyone forcing it to be something
else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean I don’t have
collaborators or that I don’t take creative advice from others; I do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just choose them carefully, and we’re all
in on what we’re trying to do together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The downside, of course, is that my films have all been done on really
small budgets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4) How did you cast your lead actors, Matthew
Brumlow and Cora Vander<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Broek?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew and I went to college together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lost touch (back in the days before email
and Facebook), but he pursued acting as a grad student at Northwestern, and
ended up building a solid career as a theatre actor in the Chicago area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mutual friend read a script of mine and
suggested I see if Matt was interested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That project was my second feature, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Endings</i>,
and Matt was one of the three leads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was really good, and the experience of working with someone with whom I already
had a great relationship was so good that I immediately knew we’d want to work
together again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He married Cora soon
after the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Endings</i> shoot was done, and
since she was a well-regarded stage actor, too, I thought it would be great to
do something together. So the project was really written specifically for them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQmtQDT5gLM0KwO7IZI_M20DJtjQKhKHMwA_EZgSxcWUQin54lMVtoMvthBa15AI08kHvptoQL8WPwRt6J4eoPnSG1ADOpTjwZuvy4ge1ORziRe5iVpLnBIIfazLNG94l3fHPPBdaXsw/s1600/10001393_856399167719324_175999108990375387_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQmtQDT5gLM0KwO7IZI_M20DJtjQKhKHMwA_EZgSxcWUQin54lMVtoMvthBa15AI08kHvptoQL8WPwRt6J4eoPnSG1ADOpTjwZuvy4ge1ORziRe5iVpLnBIIfazLNG94l3fHPPBdaXsw/s400/10001393_856399167719324_175999108990375387_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5) What was the best experience making <i>Where We
Started</i>? <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The best part of it was the way we worked on it
from concept to production.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than
me writing a script, casting actors, and going into production, I involved Matt
and Cora all the way back at the concept stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They contributed notes and ideas as well as character backgrounds, some
of which they pulled from their own lives and experiences. I felt I needed to
credit them with some of the dialogue, because several key lines or speeches
came directly from them or were seriously revised by them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And once a solid draft was done, I went out
to visit them and we spent a long weekend workshopping and rehearsing the
script.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It improved dramatically from
that session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to see easily
some things in both action and dialogue that were killing momentum or that
seemed really too abstract and theoretical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The whole collaboration made it one of the best creative experiences of
my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>6) What was the most challenging part of creating <i>Where
We Started</i>?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Any micro-budget indie film shoot is a
nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ours was particularly
challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had several things go
wrong that made us think we were cursed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For example, our motel interior was on a soundstage, but the exterior
was a nearby motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had booked I
think six nights shooting exterior scenes there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were to all be overnight shoots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t get dark in the summer in Texas
until nearly 10pm, so we would prep and then shoot from 10pm to about
5:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the second night of shooting
exteriors at the motel, the owner revoked the deal because we were disturbing
what we believed to be some… ahem… illegal business dealings in a particular
room. And short of bringing a lawsuit, we just didn’t have any recourse even
though we had a signed agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
gave us the rest of that night to shoot five more nights worth of scenes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a moment of sheer panic. But thanks to
a very calm producer, a dedicated crew, and actors who were ready to go, we
shot a ton of material that night (sometimes with just a single setup instead
of doing coverage).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several of those
scenes ended up being my favorite things in the film. But I wouldn’t wish that
experience on anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcb6sIY6vcvcZjnt-CkME-mzAnlw1sL13Sy9TQM8yvD1-af6cSS1aESsbvkxEE1ovPm1FRfSPlclep4uVa9zMymeWjFM1hXmNpsdtviOTTIy8Pki2h0_cQ1uNmUSwtxg56ZzpWkrFoXM/s1600/10155712_856399301052644_5295952048611654544_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcb6sIY6vcvcZjnt-CkME-mzAnlw1sL13Sy9TQM8yvD1-af6cSS1aESsbvkxEE1ovPm1FRfSPlclep4uVa9zMymeWjFM1hXmNpsdtviOTTIy8Pki2h0_cQ1uNmUSwtxg56ZzpWkrFoXM/s320/10155712_856399301052644_5295952048611654544_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>7) How did you finance your film?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A combination of methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I launched a Kickstarter – which failed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We fell short of the money we were trying to
raise, but I emailed all of the backers and explained we were going to make the
film anyway and just asked if they’d be willing to donate the money they had pledged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost all of them still sent the money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I teach film at Baylor University (and I’m
currently the chair of the Film & Digital Media Department, though I wasn’t
back when we shot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where We Started</i>),
so we used some department funds that were set aside for faculty film projects
as well. And Baylor has internal grants for faculty projects of all sorts, so I
secured some funding there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We used
Baylor film students as most of our crew, hiring professional department heads
to teach them and make sure the key things were getting done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>8) How did you secure distribution and where can we
see your film?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We initially went out to festivals, hoping maybe
we’d get into one of the prestigious ones. When that didn’t happen, we still
wanted to screen at some good regional fests, many of which I’ve screened at
before with past films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, I
explored a number of options before working with Linda Nelson and Michael
Madison at Indie Rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re very
filmmaker friendly in terms of the profit split, and they got the film
distributed in several places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a
one-week run at the Arena Cinema in Hollywood and positive reviews from <i>LA
Weekly</i> and <i>The Village Voice</i>, we launched online at Amazon and Google Play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’ll be up on iTunes soon as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Watch the film on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M8MNJOM/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_Q6dHvb1C7KP4D" target="_blank">Amazon Prime here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Watch on <a href="https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Where_We_Started?id=50sYjEdYXHY&hl=en">Google Play here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>9) What's next for you in independent film?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m in postproduction on my fourth feature, a drama
called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blur Circle</i> that tells the
story of a woman dealing with the grief over the disappearance of her young son
two years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a mysterious man
with a camera and his own tragic past comes into her life, it changes both of
them in significant ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m going
to be directing a documentary about the British sci-fi show <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i>, specifically focused on fans
who have done extraordinary things with their lives or for other people as a
result of the influence of the long running show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>10) What made you want to write/direct a movie?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because I’m a glutton for punishment?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Seriously – it’s a punishing experience at times,
but it can be incredibly rewarding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have always wanted to tell stories, ever since I was a kid, through the time I
was an English major in college, through film school. My focus has always been
storytelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point I realized
that the stories and storytellers I had started to really idolize were
filmmakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember standing on the
set of my first film, moments after we’d done the last take of the final shot
of the entire shoot, thinking, “I did it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was so wrong, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t done it yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d just gotten through production.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Thinking you’ve done it because you got
through production is like equating a wedding to a marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wedding is just the opening act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The marriage is where the work starts.</i></span></blockquote>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>11) What advice can you give up and coming
independent filmmakers?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where should I start?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve learned a lot from making these
films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of what I’ve learned has
been about filmmaking itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of my
films are downright bad, but it wasn’t until I’d made a couple that it really
started to all click.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of what I
learned has been about the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">process</i> and
about the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">marketing</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In terms of process: I’ve learned to focus (or to
TRY to focus) on the journey and not just the end product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where
We Started</i> taught me that I should be trying to make the process one that
is creative and collaborative and enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If that happens, the product itself will improve, but that can’t be the
sole motive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’m going to spend
months in production and post production and then a year on the festival
circuit etc., I need to enjoy what I’m doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In terms of marketing: I’ve learned that marketing
the film is the hardest part of the process, and it’s the part that indie
filmmakers talk and know the least about (myself included). As much as we might
denigrate the marketing efforts of various films, the fact is that it’s
extremely difficult to sell films to an audience unless there’s some really
obvious draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are the obvious
draws?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recognizable actors, genres,
things like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you make a movie
like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where We Started</i>, a small,
contained drama with actors who are not known to the general public, you face a
huge uphill climb. I was told more than once by a festival programmer that they
loved it but were facing pushback because it wasn’t going to bring people into
the theaters the way a film with a bigger name or more excitement around it
would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can argue until you’re blue
in the face about why it’s wrong for festivals to do that, that they should
support good indie filmmaking, but it won’t do you any good. Festivals have to
keep the doors open, too, so they have to get butts in the seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not happy about it, but there it is.
Again – it’s all in the marketing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I could make films all the time if I didn’t have to
worry about marketing and distribution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These things wear you down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
could just hand the completed work off to someone to begin marketing, with me
commenting on the plans, that would be ideal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But that’s not reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you
just keep doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The past month, on my next film, we’ve been trying
to deal with workflow issues between our editor, our visual effects artist, and
our colorist.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the same time, I’ve
been trying to get </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where We Started</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">
properly prepped for iTunes, which is a very technically-oriented task.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some audio wasn’t in stereo, some files were
exported in the wrong codec, the closed-captioning file (which is now required
by the FCC for all films being distributed online) wasn’t complete.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It feels like one emergency after another,
but there’s nothing you can do.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you
decide you’re too worn out to deal with it, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it
just won’t get done</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">So you dig in,
get it done, and hold your breath until the next problem comes along, and you
hope you can solve it or know someone who can!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t mean to paint a picture of futility. I am very fortunate in that I get to make
films, and I’ve made four features now.
Not many people can say that. I’d
like them to find bigger audiences, and </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Where
We Started</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> has probably found the biggest audience of any of my films
thanks to its availability on Amazon Prime.
I feel my job as a filmmaker is to keep building my audience a little at
time so that some people are anticipating the next film I’ll make.</span></div>
janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-80172165454870722262015-06-19T08:09:00.000-07:002015-06-19T08:09:19.696-07:00Track Our Co-writer/producer Jayme Petrille on His Road Trip to Set!Our co-writer/producer of our new teen comedy <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a></i> is on a road trip from LA to Connecticut, where we will be filming next month!<br />
<br />
Jayme has worked in Hollywood a long time and he is finally seeing his script Pitching Tents being made. It's a really special time for all of us to have this film greenlit for production. It's been a long time coming.<br />
<br />
And in honor of it, Jayme and his wife and kids have embarked on a cross-country journey from LA to Connecticut to set.<br />
<br />
We are also mid-crowdfunding for the film. We hope you check out <a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">our campaign</a> and join us on this adventure!<br />
<br />
Check out his journey here:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D-nBB6ob8B0" width="460"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q5W0r9z37cM" width="460"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/pitching-tents/embedded/6178" width="222px"></iframe>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-33908396441937223692015-06-16T22:17:00.001-07:002015-06-16T22:24:28.139-07:00Q&A with Sam Lloyd, Writer/Director of Baby Shoes<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyha9vbqid_lTJFvUd1gd4r-cwPvFKbZGhKdtkiKsO-Fsk8YExBg7KkOmHBVclELG2T9rRxqGJMigWUP6a5Bf7dCymcnyKNXiy9Brz4FyS5TXu3U4eSYuyiYGEdTxoBhtQyjIHimi_OII/s1600/Sam_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyha9vbqid_lTJFvUd1gd4r-cwPvFKbZGhKdtkiKsO-Fsk8YExBg7KkOmHBVclELG2T9rRxqGJMigWUP6a5Bf7dCymcnyKNXiy9Brz4FyS5TXu3U4eSYuyiYGEdTxoBhtQyjIHimi_OII/s320/Sam_2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sam Lloyd is a writer/director from the UK. He is putting together a film titled Baby Shoes. He currently has a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1434562893/baby-shoes-a-film-about-life-homelessness-and-happ" target="_blank">Kickstarter campaign</a> to raise money to make it. Let's learn more about Sam and his film:</div>
<br />
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<b style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">1) Tell us about your film Baby Shoes:</b><br />
Baby Shoes is a film I've been writing over the last twelve months. It explores themes such as homelessness, happiness and the challenges we face in our lives. The film tells the story of a man called Paul. He loses his job, his home and all of his possessions in a fire and winds up in a homeless shelter where he <span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">meets a man called James. James is a strange man with a complicated background but, despite their differences, the duo build an unconventional friendship. They must travel to the other side of the country to get Paul's home and life and encounter several unfortunate occurrences along the way. And, unbeknown to Paul, James has an ulterior motive for their long journey.</span><br />
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<b>2) What was your inspiration behind the story of Baby Shoes?</b><br />
I got the idea for Baby Shoes one day last year. I was on a photography assignment and while I was shooting I met a homeless man. We got talking and he told me his life story. He'd been made redundant, he was kicked out of his home and was disowned by his family. His life had completely fallen apart. So he traveled 600 miles to his home town of Hastings (where I live) by hitchhiking, stealing rides, he even stowed away in the back of a lorry just to get home. I found his story very emotional because I'd recently had a rough time in my personal life. His story seemed to run parallel to my life. So I told him that his story would make an excellent film and he said if I ever got the opportunity to make a film about him, do it. So I went home and started writing Baby Shoes.<br />
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<b>3) What made you decide to make this film?</b><br />
The story. The story really makes any good film. If you don't have a good, emotionally engaging story then what's the point? I find a lot of films lately are very much style over substance and would I'd like to see that change.<br />
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<b>4) What inspired you to become a filmmaker?</b><br />
I wanted to make films from childhood. Most of my time when I was a kid was spent watching films and I think it was the storytelling aspect of it that interested me. I think making films is a great way to connect with a lot of very interesting and diverse people. Not necessarily like-minded, but people who are passionate about telling a story.<br />
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<b>5) Who else is on your filmmaking team and why do you enjoy working with them?</b><br />
Currently I am getting a great team together to make Baby Shoes with me. I'm looking for people who are as passionate as me about independent films and the diversity they bring. I've been inundated with requests from actors to be in Baby Shoes so I'm sure whoever gets cast will be excellent.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIC4jYI0bqKLpDRalnHakKu9iNT4j6KI66Zifgs3w9cGd-WvlQI3sx0zM_4CyvUcMyPb65b_JtHa8i3Uq8U2p_8LoxHs30ef6HaS0pJjv5E3HKexjR61LrC5NEF8Bbdx9Eg_CwV7PLVw/s1600/Sam_2015_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIC4jYI0bqKLpDRalnHakKu9iNT4j6KI66Zifgs3w9cGd-WvlQI3sx0zM_4CyvUcMyPb65b_JtHa8i3Uq8U2p_8LoxHs30ef6HaS0pJjv5E3HKexjR61LrC5NEF8Bbdx9Eg_CwV7PLVw/s320/Sam_2015_2.jpg" width="213" /></a><b>6) What is the filmmaking community like in the UK?</b><br />
Film-making is HUGE in the UK. I am so lucky to be among such passionate and creative people. Of course, we benefit from having many of the world's most successful film studios here who have produced some of the most popular films ever made; The 007 films, Lawrence of Arabia, Monty Python etc. So, yes I'm very lucky to live in such a thriving community for filmmakers. Indie films are huge here too, I have an independent picture house down the road from me and love watching a huge range of films that chain-cinemas won't screen.<br />
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<b>7) What made you decide to run a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter?</b><br />
I think it's a great way of getting like-minded creative people together. You know that only people who are truly passionate about your project will back you. So its the community that drew me towards crowd-funding Baby Shoes.<br />
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<b>8) What have been the challenges of your crowdfunding campaign and how are you attempting to overcome them?</b><br />
Getting people to give you their money! That's the most challenging part. You have to convince backers that you're qualified to produce your film/music/art/invention etc when you get the funding you need. You need to be competent.<br />
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<b>9) What are your distribution plans for Baby Shoes?</b><br />
If Baby Shoes is funded successfully we will be hosting a private screening for our backers. After that it will be entered into various film festivals in Britain and the US and released on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD in 2017.<br />
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<b>10) What advice can you give up and coming independent filmmakers?</b><br />
Just find a story you're passionate about. It's SO hard to get the idea, to get the story. It has to mean something to you. If you don't have a story that you personally relate to it will be very hard to make the film. It's also a good idea to get involved in the community. Help out other filmmakers near you, reach out to film festivals with your work. You never know what opportunities may be around the corner.</div>
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Kickstarter Campaign: <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1434562893/baby-shoes-a-film-about-life-homelessness-and-happ" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.kickstarter.com/<wbr></wbr>projects/1434562893/baby-<wbr></wbr>shoes-a-film-about-life-<wbr></wbr>homelessness-and-happ</a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Twitter:</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/babyshoesmovie" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>babyshoesmovie</a></div>
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-12143307073381022802015-06-13T16:50:00.005-07:002015-06-13T16:53:18.929-07:00Feature Your Film on This Blog!<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have decided to offer a new service on All About Indie Filmmaking. I get a large number of requests by filmmakers for me to feature their film on this blog. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I haven't been able to do this in the past to the extent that I'd like because I feel that if I write about one then I need to write about them all - and that would be a full-time job. And I'm not really a film journalist - I'm an indie filmmaker with a blog - so I've never felt like it would be appropriate for me to act like a journalist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But I do see a need for more platforms that can bring exposure to our work. I want to open up my blog to help promote the work of my fellow filmmakers more than I'm able to do already.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For a small fee of $20, I will do a Q&A with a filmmaker (writer/producer/director etc) and then post it on this site as a blog entry. Q&As with filmmakers are always a huge hit. </span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a link to the feature: <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allaboutindiefilmmaking.com%2Fp%2Ffeatures.html&h=YAQEYc6i5&enc=AZNmAeoC2ZeNTfSjNhKw3YUN_MmCWKmMhFp7aujVnf4kpUep9iX8QEYpKfXYlYp3ShtNAlG_YLb1HLitAUYQdSHHy4-14e0FLgFZZ-i4KM7FmoKxNwVLIPPx6MWFv8QTZi7lgwPAFHKglCBEFCrQUyTuJhKDNaE8RvYso-kH0BTGilC3PpRhSQyjymheRsrzzIE&s=1">http://www.allaboutindiefilmmaking.com/p/features.html</a>. Or hit the button at the top of this page. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Email me at allaboutindiefilmmaking@gmail.com first to request the feature and then payments can be made via PayPal to paypal@meritagepictures.com.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you spread the word and we can get more exposure to indie films! Thanks everyone!</span>
janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-2677050297013643042015-06-13T13:19:00.004-07:002015-06-13T13:31:32.353-07:0010 Lessons We Have Learned During the First Five Days of Our IndieGoGo CampaignIt's time to step back and take a look at our first five days of our <a href="http://igg.me/at/pitchingtentsmovie/x/6178" target="_blank">IndieGoGo Campaign</a> for our new film <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a>, </i>a coming-of-age film set in the 1980s, and see what lessons we have learned thus far.<br />
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We're feeling the love! We are so excited at the strides we have made. Thanks to everyone who has supported us thus far! If you can, please check out our campaign and contribute (click on the image here) and spread the word - thank you so much:<br />
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Now, on to the 10 lessons we have learned thus far:</h2>
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1) Start early.</h2>
Crowdfunding is all about getting the word out to as many people as possible and building a solid foundation of supporters. The earlier you can start the process, the better off you will be. And that can include writing a blog (like I do with this blog), having an active <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jkkosek" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/janekk" target="_blank">Twitter</a> presence, building social media sites (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingTents84" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://pitchingtentsmovie.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>, <a href="http://creativedistrict.com/project/7644/" target="_blank">Creative District</a>, etc) for your movie and actively updating them every day or so, gathering email addresses of your fans and sending them newsletters about your work, and spreading the word about your projects to anyone who will listen.<br />
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2) Crowdfunding is a full-time job. </h2>
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It's amazing how much time it takes to run a crowdfunding campaign. You could literally promote it from sun up to sun down, every day, and still have more places to which you could promote. So before you jump into a crowdfunding effort, make sure you have the time in your schedule to manage it appropriately. And if you can't work on it full-time then build a team that allows you to give a full-time effort. Which brings me to my next point...</div>
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3) It takes a village. </h2>
We have five people on our core team of <i>Pitching Tents </i>who are actively promoting the campaign and that doesn't include our spouses and loved ones and close colleagues and cast and crew who are helping us get the word out. It takes a village to make a movie and that includes the crowdfunding campaign. Build a team to help make it happen. You will be much more successful and you will have others to lean on throughout. And you will need your team to help rally each other through the tough times. And a team can bring many more ideas to the table than you can dream of or execute yourself.<br />
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Here's three of us from the core team with our pics from the 1980s - the decade in which our film takes place! Totally rad!!<br />
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4) Find your audience.</h2>
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You never know when or from whom your next contribution will come. You will write a gazillion emails and tweets and Facebook updates and you won't know who will feel compelled to contribute. So keep on promoting, day in, day out. Hit up that new blogger. Write to that journalist you've been meaning to contact. Send an email to your aunt you haven't spoken to in a while. I know it's daunting and for many of us, it's downright scary. But if you want your film to be a success, you need to break out of your comfort zone and keep promoting Every. Single. Day. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.</div>
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5) Say thank you.</h2>
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So often we get caught up in everything we have to do that we forget to say thanks to everyone who is helping to make our campaign and film a success. During this campaign, we are trying to make sure that we thank every single contributor on the campaign site and on our Facebook page individually. We are also adding their names onto a daily postcard of who has contributed that day:<br />
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We want our contributors to know how much they are valued and that we truly are grateful for all of their support. Oh and we thank everyone on our own personal Facebook pages as well, which auto-tweet to our Twitter accounts. In the end, thank yous go a long way.<br />
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6) Just do it. </h2>
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I too wake up each day worrying about failure but I know I can't allow those feelings to keep me down. No matter what happens, I have to pick myself back up and keep going. What other choice do I have? I want to make movies. And I know the only way I can do that is if I force myself to put one foot in front of the other and just keep pushing to make my career happen. Success = doing it. So just do it.</div>
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7) Get creative.</h2>
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Have fun with your IndieGoGo campaign. Doing things outside of the box will only draw more attention and that's a good thing! For our campaign, one of our writer/producers is leaving on a road trip across the United States from LA to Connecticut, where we will be filming. We will need his car for the production and he thought it would be a good excuse to take his family on a road trip - dual purpose trip - we love it! So we thought, why not create a publicity campaign out of his road trip? Third-purpose trip!!! So starting this Monday, Jayme is going to start on the trip with his family and he will be posting updates, videos, pictures of the sights they see and rally support from those he meets along the way. We can't wait to push the film and our campaign while he's driving. It's creative and frankly, it's fun! And again, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose by it.<br />
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8) Do your research.</h2>
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What's that saying? Don't reinvent the wheel. Well that's true for crowdfunding campaigns. Research those who have gone before you. See what worked for them and try it with your campaign. Read everything and watch every video you can about how to make your campaign a success. It will help.<br />
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IndieGoGo has been doing this for a while and the CEO offers some great suggestions based on hard data from their campaigns. Click <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/29/crowdfunding-tips/" target="_blank">here</a> for his tips.</div>
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I received a lot of hope from this great video from <a href="http://filmcourage.com/" target="_blank">Film Courage</a> (who also did a wonderful Q&A with our director Jake <a href="http://filmcourage.com/content/at-21-or-22-i-was-getting-used-to-living-in-la-and-was-hired-to-direct-my-first-feature-by-j" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
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9) Stay positive.</h2>
A positive attitude is incredibly important to your success in anything. Who wants to be around a grouch? Not me. I doubt you do either. There will be dark moments during your crowdfunding campaign when you will wonder why no one is contributing. You will feel like you're speaking but no one's listening, or worse, no one cares. You will cry out of frustration, fear and embarrassment at times during the process. No one wants to be a failure. But crowdfunding can make you feel like a failure - even those campaigns who have met their goals have experienced moments of darkness before they saw the light. Just know that you are doing something to make your project happen, regardless of the outcome. You have seized the day. You took control of your destiny and your film. You put yourself out there. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.<br />
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10) Remember to help others.</h2>
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It's important to your success to give back to the people who have helped you and to help others just like you! Give and you shall receive. Over the years, I have contributed to many Kickstarters and IndieGoGo campaigns and I have shared countless links and helped spread the word of many other campaigns and films. I have a drawer full of perks as proof and I wear my T-shirts from other campaigns to this day (in fact, I'm wearing one right now). And if I hadn't done that, I don't know how I would feel comfortable asking others to help me now. Crowdfunding is not a one-way street. Nor is filmmaking. Nor is anything in life really. We have to be there for each other. I know it's physically impossible to help everyone who asks for your help but remember to help as much as you can. And remember that contributing doesn't have to mean money. It can mean spreading the word about a film or a campaign to your friends and family and hopefully that same person will spread the word about your film and campaign when you're ready to make your own film and start your own campaign.<br />
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Just like our campaign video says below, it takes a village, we can't do it without you, and if we tell two friends and you tell two friends and so on and so on then how can we not be a success?<br />
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Well, those are some ten tips we've learned thus far. I'm sure we'll keep on learning more and I will share them with you. And thanks everyone for your continual support and reading my blog all these years! It warms my heart knowing you're out there, rooting for the success of the indie film industry. Let's come together and just do it!! Have a great day everyone!</div>
janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-32087357796924801242015-06-09T08:51:00.000-07:002015-06-09T08:51:10.477-07:00Take Advantage of Our Mentorship Perk and Work with Us on the Set of Our New Film Pitching Tents!I wanted to write a separate blog post about our really cool perk on our IndieGoGo campaign for our new film <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PitchingTentsMovie" target="_blank">Pitching Tents</a></i>. It's a mentorship perk that allows you to work with us on set and give you personal one-on-one counseling in how to break into the business or make your first movie. It's a wonderful opportunity for someone who dreams of making their own movies someday. This is your filmmaking bootcamp!<br />
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We are offering twelve positions for interns who would like to join us on set and be mentored in the department of their interest.<br />
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We can accept two people per department for one week at a time. The perk is set at the $3500 level. I know that seems high but we will be paying for your lodging and food (flight not included) from those funds and you will have direct access to the filmmaking process and be given personal attention from the producers, director and department heads during which we can discuss your goals and aspirations in the film business. You will be able to establish lifelong relationships with industry professionals.<br />
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As we all know this industry is about who you know and the experience you amass. This opportunity will give you both.<br />
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If you want to learn more before you buy the perk, please feel free to email me at allaboutindiefilmmaking@gmail.com. I will be happy to answer any of your questions. Thank you and I hope to see you on set! Cheers!<br />
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-23708492228418490812015-06-08T22:11:00.001-07:002015-06-08T22:11:20.333-07:00Join our IndieGoGo Campaign for Our New Teen Comedy Pitching Tents!Hi everyone! I am producing a new movie next month! I am super excited about it. It feels like a long time since I've made a full feature narrative film. And it's happening!!!<br />
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This one is really funny and set in the 1980s. We're going to need help making sure we bring the 1980s to the big screen in a really fun way.<br />
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So we've started an IndieGoGo campaign and I hope you can all help by contributing. If you can't contribute monetarily, I hope you can contribute by spreading the word to your friends and family. That would mean the world to me!<br />
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I fly to Connecticut at the end of the month for pre-production and we start filming in July.<br />
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As you all know, it takes a village and we're trying to build ours - won't you join us? Click the box below and it will take you to our campaign!!</div>
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I'll keep you all posted through the entire process so stay tuned!!</div>
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-48328616428075301682015-04-13T12:03:00.002-07:002015-04-13T12:03:49.898-07:00Our Short Film Dandekar Makes a Sandwich Won the Grand Jury Prize at IFFLA!I am so excited to announce that our short film <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dayswithdandekar" target="_blank">Dandekar Makes a Sandwich</a></i> won the Grand Jury Prize last night at the 2015 <a href="http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/" target="_blank">Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles</a>!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian George as RK Dandekar in Dandekar Makes a Sandwich</td></tr>
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The festival and awards ceremony took place at the Arclight in Hollywood. It's such a great venue. And as you can see in this photo below, HBO sponsored the festival. So impressive! We dressed up and came out to the ceremony looking to celebrate the completion of the film, after tons of hard work, and support our fellow filmmakers. We were shocked to say the least when they announced our film had won - we were truly blown away. What a great feeling! I'd like more moments like that please!<br />
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Thank you to IFFLA and the Shorts Jury. We are truly honored and humbled.<br />
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Overall, <a href="http://leenap.com/" target="_blank">Leena Pendharkar</a>, our super talented writer/director, and I had such a great time during this festival. The festival is really organized and they set up so many incredible events with industry executives and festival programmers. As a filmmaker, you feel immense support for the advancement of your career. I can't say enough nice things about the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.<br />
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To give you a little reminder, we decided to make this short film because we have a feature-length film titled <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dayswithdandekar" target="_blank">Days with Dandekar</a></i> that we have been developing to make, hopefully this summer (fingers crossed the full financing comes through soon!).<br />
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As part of our development process for the full feature, we thought it would be great to produce a short film based on the lead character RK Dandekar. We hoped it would help us nail the tone and character development, as well as provide us with a tool to start getting exposure for the full feature. None of this was guaranteed but we decided to trust our instincts and go for it! And we are so glad we did.<br />
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We funded the short through a successful <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dandekar-makes-a-sandwich/x/6178" target="_blank">IndieGoGo campaign</a>. We surpassed our funding goal and were making the film within the month. Doing the crowdfunding campaign allowed us to start growing our audience and gave us the funding we needed to make the film. Win-win! Have I mentioned how much I love crowdfunding movies? It's super hard to execute a successful campaign but when it works, it's amazing and you're making a movie!<br />
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Here we are at wrap on our one shooting day - yes, Leena was about 7 months pregnant - amazing! She now has a second beautiful daughter named Sanvi and a short film she can be proud of too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leena Pendharkar, Brian George, our Volvo and Me on Set</td></tr>
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One of the aspects that I love about independent filmmaking is that you can come up with an idea and work hard to make it happen without having to wait for someone else to greenlight your film. You have the power to greenlight your career - so what are you waiting for?!<br />
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But I also know that with that power comes responsibility - responsibility to ensure that what you make is of the highest possible quality. Without having the accountability of a studio or a financier, you can cut corners or get impatient and shorten development before the script is ready. So make sure you put high standards on everything you do. Because that studio may just buy your film once it's made.<br />
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Leena and I and our other producer Megha Kadakia will be riding high today, fondly remembering our great experience at IFFLA:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danny Pudi (one of jurors of the IFFLA short program), Me (top), Megha Kadakia and Lenna Pendharkar (bottom)</td></tr>
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And we will be working hard to set up our feature-length version <i>Days with Dandekar</i>:<br />
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Stay tuned everyone!<br />
<br />janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-49383259830976679062015-02-18T09:07:00.000-08:002015-02-18T09:10:48.953-08:00iTunes v. Amazon v. Netflix v. Hulu from an Indie Filmmaker PerspectiveI have had my films <i><a href="http://www.takemehomemovie.com/" target="_blank">Take Me Home</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.notsinceyoumovie.com/" target="_blank">Not Since You</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.thediaryofprestonplummer.com/" target="_blank">The Diary of Preston Plummer</a></i> on each of the following platforms: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/take-me-home/id526916870" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diary-Preston-Plummer-TrevorMorgan/dp/B00NK851QW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1424277833&sr=8-2&keywords=the+diary+of+preston+plummer" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70230308?trkid=13752289" target="_blank">Netflix</a> and <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/627305" target="_blank">Hulu</a>. And I thought I would talk about the pros and cons of each of these high profile Video on Demand sites. Bottomline, I love them all for different reasons. Definitely try to get your films on all four - only stagger the launch dates. I'll explain why.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.itunes.com/" target="_blank">iTunes</a></b><br />
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iTunes should be part of your initial launch on Video on Demand. Pros: iTunes gets a lot of traffic and being on iTunes gives your film status. People are impressed when they hear a film is on iTunes. Impressed people seek out your work. And on iTunes, your audience must pay for each download and rental, which will help your bottomline. You can also get your trailer placed on their trailer site too, which immensely helps with the visibility of your title. Cons: It costs about $1500 to get your film placed on iTunes and you have to go through an aggregator so it's not the easiest or most affordable platform. And once your deal with your aggregator is over, your title will be removed from iTunes and you will have to figure out how to get it back on iTunes or leave it off. But definitely aim to get your film placed on this platform when you launch online.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></div>
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Amazon is a great platform to include on your initial release on Video on Demand. Pros: It's a popular, trusted site for your audience. You will get a lot of traffic and I found most of my titles performed the best on this platform. Your audience has to pay for each download or rental, which is nice. And you can easily upload your film yourself to Amazon, for free! Bonus! And you can use their CreateSpace site to offer DVDs-on-Demand to your audience. We do that with our title <i><a href="https://www.createspace.com/358093" target="_blank">The Diary of Preston Plummer</a></i>. It's a great way to offer a DVD without having to make a bunch of DVDs and store them in your closet. Cons: I don't really have a con about Amazon other than Amazon takes a nice chunk of change for their cut but it's a popular site so that's to be expected.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.netflix.com/" target="_blank">Netflix</a></b></div>
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Netflix is awesome once your title has been available online for a few months. I say this because as soon as your title is on Netflix, everyone will go there to watch it. So unless you get a hefty licensing offer from Netflix out of the gate, I suggest waiting to put your film on that platform until VOD sales start dropping off (maybe like 6 months after your initial VOD launch). When that happens, a presence on Netflix rejuvenates your title with audiences and you can secure a nice licensing fee (hopefully) to help boost your revenues for the next year or two. Pros: Netflix is extremely popular so you will be opening your film up to a huge audience. It's prestigious to get your film on Netflix. Prestige is great for your film! Since Netflix is subscription-based, more people will take a chance on watching your film since it's included in their monthly subscription, which means more people are checking out your work. Netflix has a wonderful review section for its members. You can rack up a long list of reviews of your film that you can use on social media to promote your movie. Their license fees are a nice addition to your revenue. Cons: As soon as your film is on Netflix, everyone will go there to see it. You will notice a steep drop in VOD sales/rentals on other platforms. For this reason, I suggest staggering a Netflix sale to later in the process. You will need a sales agent to get your film on Netflix. I haven't heard of anyone directly selling their film to Netflix - I'm not saying it's impossible but it's not the norm.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.hulu.com/" target="_blank">Hulu</a></b></div>
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Hulu is a terrific follow up to your Netflix sale. Based on my experience, releasing a film on Hulu is probably best a few months into your Netflix deal so you can promote both properly. Sometimes it can get hard to be pushing your audience to multiple platforms at the same time. But this is an individual choice to be made with your sales agent. Each film's strategy may be a little different. Pros: On basic Hulu (not Hulu Plus), your film is available for free to your audience - which is a pro and a con since you earn from the commercials they play during the film but your film is chopped up with commercials. If a film is free then you will entice an audience who likes getting things for free. Hulu is a well known platform so people are impressed when you say your film is on Hulu. Again, impressed people will speak well of your film and seek it out to watch. Cons: Hulu places commercials throughout your film. This is not a filmmaker's dream. We don't like it when our audience is taken out of our story to watch an ad, but we do love the wider audience Hulu can bring so it works out. </div>
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If you want to check out my films on some of these platforms, here are the links: </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Not-Since-You-Desmond-Harrington/dp/B0041ONFJE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424278449&sr=8-1&keywords=not+since+you" target="_blank">Not Since You DVD on Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/627305" target="_blank">Not Since You on Hulu</a></div>
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Not Since You is available as a DVD through Netflix!</div>
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<a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70230308?trkid=13752289" target="_blank">Take Me Home on Netflix</a></div>
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/take-me-home/id526916870" target="_blank">Take Me Home on iTunes</a></div>
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Take Me Home will be back on Amazon soon!</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diary-Preston-Plummer-TrevorMorgan/dp/B00NK851QW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1424278387&sr=8-2&keywords=the+diary+of+preston+plummer" target="_blank">The Diary of Preston Plummer on Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.createspace.com/358093" target="_blank">The Diary of Preston Plummer on CreateSpace</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/625767" target="_blank">The Diary of Preston Plummer on Hulu</a></div>
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I even have some titles on Vimeo, IndieReign and VHX and hopefully soon on IndieFlix. I'm always looking to try new platforms but what I've found is that most of the revenue my titles have earned has been on the larger platforms, even with their hefty fees.</div>
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The above insights are based on my personal experiences with my own films. I am not endorsing distribution strategies or platforms. Each film is different and so is every distribution strategy. Good luck figuring out yours!</div>
janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-13113780730071755892015-02-05T09:48:00.002-08:002015-02-05T09:48:15.655-08:00New Poltergeist Trailer!<i>Poltergeist</i> was one of my favorite films growing up. When I heard a remake was being made, my first thought was, "oh, goodie!" And now that the trailer for the remake is here, I must share it!<br />
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What a great cast! I love Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt - two indie faves. I will miss Zelda Rubinstein as the psychic but Jared Harris (of <i>Mad Men</i>) will fill her role quite nicely.<br />
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I really hope the remake does the original film justice because the first <i>Poltergeist</i> scared the crap out of me in the best way possible.<br />
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And for some nostalgia, here's the original trailer:<br />
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janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-44862710117619476002015-01-23T19:41:00.000-08:002015-02-08T08:35:34.546-08:00Plain Clothes - A Short Film by Sam Jaeger and Produced by Jane Kelly Kosek Premieres on YouTube<a href="https://www.facebook.com/plainclothesmovie" target="_blank"><i>Plain Clothes</i></a> is a short film written and directed by and starring the talented Sam Jaeger (he has also recently starred in <i>Parenthood</i>, <i>American Sniper</i>, and <i>Inherent Vice</i>). Sam and I have made a few projects together, including the romantic film <i><a href="http://www.takemehomemovie.com/" target="_blank">Take Me Home</a>, </i>we came together on this film to honor all of the police officers out there struggling with PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder).<br />
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I'm really proud of the film and the work by the entire cast and crew who donated their time to help make this happen. PTSD is real and it's afflicting so many of our first-responders and veterans of war. We hope this film helps bring more awareness to the issue.<br />
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And now you can watch the entire film on YouTube! I hope you check it out.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0BtQOh6cKts" width="460"></iframe>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4614979466935672532.post-6211218840428276062015-01-23T10:50:00.001-08:002015-01-23T10:51:47.960-08:00A Documentary I Worked on "Best of Enemies" Premieres at Sundance Now! Go see it!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best of Enemies Poster</td></tr>
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I handled the research on a really wonderful documentary last year about the debates between Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley during the 1968 political conventions. These debates were important because it is thought that they sparked the often-outrageous political punditry we see on television today.</div>
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The boiling point in their debates:</div>
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Morgan Neville (<i>20 Feet from Stardom</i>) and Robert Gordon (<i>Muddy Waters Can't Be Satisfied</i>) both produced and directed the documentary. No stone was left unturned on the search for archival materials to support the story. Morgan and Robert did an amazing job distilling the story down into a feature-length documentary.<br />
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Here's the synopsis from the <a href="http://www.bestofenemiesfilm.com/" target="_blank"><i>Best of Enemies</i> Web site</a>: <i>Best of Enemies</i> is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God and sex.<br />
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The film is on <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/25-must-see-movies-sundance-2015-20150116" target="_blank">Rolling Stone's Must See list</a> for Sundance 2015. That's awesome!<br />
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It premieres this morning in Sundance (right now, in fact!). I wish I could be there but I'm not attending Sundance this year - alas! But I hope you check it out for me. Here are the other screening times:<br />
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Friday, January 23, 11:45 am @ Library Center Theatre, Park City, UT<br />
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Saturday, January 24, 12:00 pm @ The Grand Theatre, Salt Lake City, UT<br />
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Sunday, January 25, 7:00 pm @ Redstone Cinema 2, Park City, UT<br />
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Wednesday, January 28, 8:30 pm @ Prospector Square Theatre, Park City, UT<br />
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Saturday, January 31, 2:30 pm @ The MARC, Park City, UT<br />
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Go Team Tremolo!<br />
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Here is a scene from the film:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4oE1aQIx37k" width="460"></iframe>janekkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12579894129097872861noreply@blogger.com0