Filmmaking

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  Filmmaker Magazine

• ARE YOU OBJECTIFIED?

  Scott Macaulay

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  2ND UPDATE: We have our winners. Thanks, all! UPDATE: To win a digital copy of Objectified, answer the question below and email editor.filmmakermagazine AT gmail.com. Almost three years ago I decided to check out what seemed to be an obscure little documentary about graphic design at SXSW and was surprised to find the line to get in stretching all the way down the length of the convention hall. As the editor of a magazine, the subject matter of Gary Hustwit’s Helvetica — an examination of the historical, communicative and ideological meanings of that ubiquitous typeface — interested me.

• FILMMAKER/APPLE PRESENTS MEET THE FILMMAKER: JASON REITMAN

  Jason Guerrasio

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  Tonight at 7pm head over to the NYC Apple Store in SoHo (103 Prince Street) for what's sure to be a lively and entertaining conversation with director Jason Reitman. He'll be talking about his latest film Up in the Air starring George Clooney as a corporate downsizer whose life of collecting frequent flyer miles, perks and no-strings-attached hookups is in jeopardy. Interviewing Reitman for the Fall issue, Scott Macaulay writes: "One of the most astonishing things about Up in the Air is the clear eye it casts on 2009 America and a workforce undergoing the shock treatment of recession,…

• THE FONT OF ANGER

  Scott Macaulay

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:46 pm

  Aaron Leming, who works as a specialist at the Southlake Town Square Apple Store in Dallas, created this resonant typographic rendition of Paddy Chayefsky's famous Howard Beale "Mad as Hell" speech from Network. Mad As Hell! Kinetic Typography from Aaron Leming on Vimeo.

• A CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT OUR DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS COLUMN

  Scott Macaulay

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pm

  Back in March, 2007, with his talk with Color Me Kubrick's Brian Cook, Nick Dawson inaugurated a new column here at Filmmakermagazine.com: the Director Interviews. Over the course of two-and-a-half years, he infallibly spun out thoughtful and provocative discussions with directors ranging from emerging American indies to big-name international auteurs to everyone in between. Viewing the bulk of each week's releases before honing in on one person to speak with, Dawson brought dedication, scholarship and personality to a column that was always, first and foremost, simply a great read. Earlier…

• SCHOOL'S OUT: ASTRA TAYLOR ON THE UNSCHOOLED LIFE

  Scott Macaulay

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pm

  Filmmaker Astra Taylor (Examined Life) gave the debut Artist Talk for the Walker Art Center's "Raising Creative Kids" series. The series is described as an initiative "designed to make the Walker a destination and resource for families and parents wanting to creatively engage their children." Here's their description of the talk: Raised by independent-thinking bohemian parents, Taylor was unschooled until age 13. Join the filmmaker as she shares her personal experiences of growing up home-schooled without a curriculum or schedule, and how it has shaped her educational philosophy and…

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  indieWIRE

• “Collapse” Director Chris Smith: “It was all an attempt to get the audience inside Michael’s head.”

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm

  Chris Smith’s “Collapse” is a feature-length interview with conspiracy theorist Michael Ruppert, a man whose ideas are often as scary as they are true.  For many, Ruppert is saying what the rest of us are too afraid to think about.  From the financial crisis, to international politics and global warming, Ruppert is candid about his apocalyptic view on humanity and the world.  The film became an instant water cooler hit at …

• cinemadaily | “Precious” Polarizes

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:48 am

  “‘Precious’ is a hybrid, a mash-up that might have been ungainly, but that manages to be graceful instead,” writes the New York Times’ A.O. Scott. “It’s partly a bootstrap drama of resilience and redemption, complete with a hardworking teacher wrangling a classroom full of disadvantaged girls. It’s also the nearly Gothic story of a child tormented by the cruelty of adults, as lurid as a Victorian potboiler or a modern-day tell-all …

• B.O. of the ‘00s: The Top Grossing Sundance Films

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:12 am

  With the 2010s fast approaching - 55 days and counting - indieWIRE has decided to start a weekly Friday chart devoted to glancing back at the past ten years.  With a film opening that weekend as a starting point, we’ll be charting various sub-categories of 2000s film with regard to their box office.  This week, with Lee Daniels’s “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” opening in 18 theaters today, …

• All Fall Down: Chris Smith’s “Collapse”

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:42 am

  At the turns of decades and centuries, it’s fairly common for sky-is-falling prognostication to spike wildly. This angst often finds expression in popular entertainments, such as the appearance, as if on cue, of the clunky misfire “Knowing” and the upcoming sure-to-be tedious “2012.”  What these kinds of spectacles provide is something like diversionary exorcism—the world outside may seem bad, but there’s some comfort in recognizing that visual effects artists can always …

• “Fish Tank” and “Woman” Share AFI Fest Top Prize

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:13 pm

  Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank” and Javier Rebello’s “Woman Without Piano” are the joint winners of the AFI Fest New Lights Competition. The event hosted its awards ceremony Thursday night at the historic Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Blvd. following the closing night U.S. premiere of Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The film’s stars including Colin Firth, Ginnifer Goodwin, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, and Ryan Simpkins attended the screening …

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  Filmmaker.com

• Free Screenwriting Software Celtx Updates to Version 2.5

  Waldo

  7 Nov 2009 | 1:19 am

  So a new version of the Celtx screenwriting/pre-production software has been released. Version 2.5 offers several new features, including "Revision Mode" which locks page numbers while you make edits, Text Lock Mode, a Sketch tool to add images to the project, Studio Collaboration which is an integrated text messaging service for Studio users, and new options for PDF formatting. Celtx is available for Mac, Linux, and Windows in over 30 languages at no cost. Bookmark/Search this post with:

• A Writer Asks... How's the JVC GY-HM100U Camera?

  Waldo

  28 Oct 2009 | 11:00 pm

  ali wrote with the following question: I want to ask you for info on a specific camera- not sure if youve tried it out but i cant get an honest answer from a sales guy so id thought id try here. the model is gy-hm100u it is a jvc hd cam that records on sd card and it is made to drop and drag files directly onto apple final cut pro. I was wondering if the camera would be still compatable with adobe and if it would be difficult to transfer video to a pc. if anyone knows about this and has any advice please let me know. I dont want to buy something that will be too expensive and doesnt work well…

• Screenwriting Software Final Draft, Free Office Suite NeoOffice Updated

  Waldo

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:12 am

  Both the screenwriting application Final Draft and the free office suite for Mac, NeoOffice had updates this week. The new Final Draft, version 8.01 is said to include "even more new and improved features". Meanwhile, after months of testing, NeoOffice 3.0.1's major features include 10.6 Snow Leopard support, a new feature for saving files online called "NeoOffice Mobile", and native file locking support for local and networked volumes. Download it here for free. Bookmark/Search this post with: read more

• What's New In Avid Media Composer 4.0

  Ben

  27 Sep 2009 | 12:16 pm

     Additions to Media Composer version 4 include: • New "Mix & Match" capabilities let you mix video clips of any frame rate or field motion type regardless of the project’s type.... with no rendering necessary. • New Expert Decompose Feature. • Laptop editing enhancements for Time Code navigation and numeric trim value entry. • Multicamera editing enhancements.          Get More Details: + Watch a video of the new Mix & Match video capabilities + Watch a video about the new Transition Preservation…

• American Cinema Editors Honors Avid Media Composer

  Ben

  9 Aug 2009 | 9:32 am

  Daily Variety reports: "...the American Cinema Editors board of directors is honoring Avid's Media Composer software with the org's first-ever ACE Technical Excellence Award. ~snip~ The nod amounts to an unprecedented endorsement of a commercial product by ACE, which is coming down squarely on the side of one entry in the editing systems [competition]. ~snip~ The subtext of the kudo announcement is also a message to producers: ACE's members are frustrated about not having a choice of which tools they use, and they don't like being forced to use alternatives to Avid. ~snip~ Harry B.

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  Filmmaking.net

• Video Hosting Site Quality Comparison

  4 Nov 2009 | 9:29 pm

  If you're looking for somewhere to host your short film, there is now a plethora of options available, from the ubiquitous YouTube through to photo-sharing sites like Flickr and Photobucket, which have recently jumped on the video hosting bandwagon.

• One Fat Cigar Launch Competition

  21 Oct 2009 | 10:29 pm

  Filmmaking.net offers you a chance to get involved in the new "Facebook for filmmakers", One Fat Cigar, through a competition for free memberships.

• Beware of scam 'film festivals'

  3 Oct 2009 | 10:29 pm

  filmmaking.net lifts the lid on the scam event Alaska International Film Festival and provides some general advice on what to look for to ensure a film festival is genuine.

• Focus 2009 - World Film Market Trends

  17 Aug 2009 | 10:29 pm

  Each year, the Marché du Film, the world's largest film market at the Cannes Film Festival releases a free report called Focus. The report details trends from the previous year in world film sales and distribution.

• Interview: Script Pimp's Chadwick Clough on Producing 'Rogues Gallery'

  26 Jul 2009 | 10:29 pm

  Filmmaker and founder of Script Pimp, Clough Chadwick, talks with Cindy Rinaldi about launching the writer-executive match-making service and a shift into producing.

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  Google News: Film-making

• Gold Derby nuggets: 'Precious' metal could be gold | 'From Here to Eternity ... - Los Angeles Times

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:21 pm

  Gold Derby nuggets: 'Precious' metal could be gold | 'From Here to Eternity Los Angeles TimesThese kudos feting the best in non-fiction filmmaking will be handed out Jan. 10 in Gotham. Nominees were determined by documentary programmers from various

• Pittsburgh movies debut at Three Rivers Film Festival - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  Pittsburgh movies debut at Three Rivers Film FestivalPittsburgh Tribune-Review"But I had some filmmaking in my background. I went to NYU and got my masters in Interactive Telecommunications." Rooney and director Jay Thames followed and more »

• Experimental films, filmmaker at Åarhus - VillageSoup Belfast

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:21 pm

  VillageSoup BelfastExperimental films, filmmaker at ÅarhusVillageSoup BelfastBELFAST (Nov 6): Åarhus Gallery, 50 Main St., will present an evening of experimental film with Camden filmmaker Walter Ungerer Friday, Nov. and more »

• 'Men Who Stare at Goats' weathers far-flung shoot - Film Journal

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm

  Seattle Post Intelligencer'Men Who Stare at Goats' weathers far-flung shootFilm JournalWhy doesn't California realize what it takes to keep filmmaking here? "You couldn't have a governor who's had more film experience -- except maybe one other Review: The Men Who Stare At GoatsJournal LiveMen Who Stare At GoatsNOW TorontoInterview: Jon Ronson, the Author of The Men Who Stare at Goats/FILM (blog)San Francisco Bay Timesall 904 news articles »

• Movie Review: The Fourth Kind - MovieRetriever (blog)

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:24 am

  Globe and MailMovie Review: The Fourth KindMovieRetriever (blog)Let's talk about filmmaking. Why does Osunsanmi shoot everything in The Fourth Kind like an ADD-riddled teenager filming something on his Flip? Critical Confessions: Part 18 - Fool Me Once for a 'Fourth' TimePopMattersIt's an actual case - of sillinessBoston GlobeThe Fourth Kind (Universal Pictures, PG-13)Play by PlayWall Street Journal (blog) -USA Today -CNNall 360 news articles »

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  Topix: Film-making

• Cinemaa s most influential and inventive duo

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:37 pm

  Oh brothers, how will you treat the poor interviewer? Kevin Maher The Coen brothers, it has been written, can be tricky.

• C.K. Prahalad, Kraft Going Green(ish) and The COP15 Lead Up in Barcelona

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:07 pm

  A weekly wrap up of green and socially minded business news from the gang at TriplePundit.com . Warrior Film-making: The Story of Free Range Studios - Startup Friday features the makers of The Meatrix today and the trials and tribulations of launching a media enterprise with a sustainable goal.

• The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  The first The Bad Lieutenant was a 1992 Harvey Keitel vehicle that was all grit over polish, a film that showed the underbelly of being one of the city's finest.

• Stalking Tarkovsky at the Sheffield Doc/Fest

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:08 am

  In the second of his diaries from the Sheffield DocFest, David Cox reports on a new documentary that lifts the lid on the troubled gestation of Tarkovsky's sci-fi masterwork, Stalker 'Two geniuses on one set is one too many' a Andrei Tarkovsky and Georgi Rerberg in a still from Rerberg and Tarkovsky: The Reverse Side of Stalker.

• Warrior Film-making: The Story of Free Range Studios

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:14 am

  I recently visited Free Range Studios to meet with its talented co-founder Jonah Sachs in Berkeley, California, to talk about his startup story.

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  Yahoo! News: Film-making

• 'Mooru Guttu...' a laugh riot (Calcutta News)

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:25 am

  'Mooru Guttu Ondhu Sullu Ondhu Nija' is yet another comedy caper from director Dinesh Baboo. The highlight of this film is the good on-screen chemistry between Ramesh Arvind and Komal.

• Saturday Cinema Summary (Londonist)

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:08 am

  George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, possibly looking for goats / image courtesy of Momentum Pictures Our weekly round-up of cinema reviews Based on Jon Ronson 's investigative book of the same name, The Men Who Stare At Goats is a fictionalised account of the American military's attempts to develop psychic ability as a weapon. Note: 'fictionalised' is the key word here. Ewan McGregor plays a naive ...

• News Briefs (North Little Rock Times)

  7 Nov 2009 | 12:24 am

  City offices to be closed next week In honor of Veterans Day on Wednesday, all city offices will be closed.

• 'Storyteller' spotlights Peru's poor (Leelanau Enterprise)

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:10 pm

  Although Michigan has been hit hard by the global economic recession, poverty in the U.S. and other industrialized countries is nothing like the hunger experienced by poor people throughout much of the rest of the world. That’s one of the messages a read more

• Stalking Tarkovsky at the Sheffield Doc/Fest (Guardian Unlimited)

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:46 pm

  In the second of his diaries from the Sheffield DocFest, David Cox reports on a new documentary that lifts the lid on the troubled gestation of Tarkovsky's sci-fi masterwork, Stalker To mark its 75th birthday, the BFI asked 75 lofty figures which one film they would most wish future generations to see . Blade Runner came top of the poll, but the runner-up was a surprise to some. Way ahead of the ...

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  Indy Mogul

• 'The Fourth Kind' Movie Review

  Indy Mogul

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:59 pm

  Is this horror movie the real deal?  Host Grace Randolph asks audiences if Milla Jovovich is onto something with this alien abduction thriller.

• 'The Box' Movie Review

  Indy Mogul

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pm

  Will this movie scare you, intrigue you, or confuse you?  Host Grace Randolph asks audiences what they think of Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly’s latest film!

• 'A Christmas Carol 3D' Movie Review

  Indy Mogul

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:24 pm

  Host Grace Randolph takes "A Christmas Carol" director Robert Zemeckis on his own personal journey of redemption with a much-needed intervention!  Plus audiences let us know if they’ve been spirited away by this new take on the classic tale!

• Talking Dog, Untucked Films, Sausage Fest : Reel Good Show

  Indy Mogul

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  Bobby welcomes the filmmakers of Untucked Films and their talking dog mascot to the Reel Good Show.  Filmmaking, movies, and facebook are discussed while sausage is eaten.  Untucked Films' '10-sec Self-Promotion'http://www.UntuckedFilms.comhttp://www.YouTube.com/UntuckedFilmsThe Reel Good Show has Viewer Interaction, Live Streaming Shoots, and More! Go to http://www.indymogul.com/RGS to learn how we produce the show and how YOU can be part of it!Website - http://www.TheReelGoodShow.comIndy Mogul on twitter -  http://www.twitter.com/indymogulBobby Miller on twitter - …

• Mogulween 60-sec Film Fest Special : Indy Mogul

  Indy Mogul

  2 Nov 2009 | 9:09 am

  We received a ton of amazing submissions from YOU, the viewers, for our Indy Mogul 2009 Mogulween 60-second Film Fest.  In this special episode, we're featuring clips from some of the best submissions and we're also featuring the entire short films of the 2 winners.  Thanks to everyone who submitted and congratulations to our 2 winners!  Keep making movies! First Place:  'Before I Wake' by Lingering Finger Productionshttp://www.youtube.com/loser23jtwhttp://www.facebook.com/LingeringFingerwww.twitter.com/loser23jtwCredits:  Julian Williams - Writer, Director, Lights, Editor, Makeup Cati…

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  Fest21.com: Editor's Blog

• Winners VII International Euro Arab Film Festival Amal

  editor

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  Best Feature film: A boyfriend for Yasmina Best Documentary: ex-aequo The one man's village and Checkpoint Rock. Songs from Palestine. Best Fiction Short Film: The north route Best Documentary Short Film: Stranger in my home Best Director: Rashid Masharawi for Laila´s birthday Best Actress Award: Suheir Hammad for Salt of this sea Best Actor Award: José Luis García Pérez for A boyfriend for Yasmina Television de Galicia Prize: Pommegranates and myrrh Audience Award: Al Nakba Amal Express Award: Scales

• Maremetraggio festival will bring in Podgorica (Montenegro), from 8th to 10th november, a selection of italian films and shorts

  editor

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:26 am

  The Embassy of Italy, together with Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro announce a three days  Italian cinema event in Podgorica. Podgorica (Montenegro) will be the site of a three days Italian cinema event. From 8th to 10th november Podgorica will host a number of contemporary Italian movies which will be accompanied by open meetings with actors and directors, as well as conferences and food tastings to make Montenegro's public know the beauty of the territory and the arts of Friuli Venezia Giulia area. Successful movies shot in Friuli Venezia Giulia…

• What Every Producer Needs to Know About Mobile

  editor

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:19 am

  Hayden Black, Steve Amato, Mike Wallen & Frank Chindamo Join Debra Kaufman to Discuss Creating Content for Mobile On November 4, 2009, HD EXPO - Createasphere and MobilizedTV will present a real-world panel conversation with experienced mobile trendsetters including Mike Wallen (VP Creative for Fox Mobile Studios), Frank Chindamo (Fun Little Movies), Steve Amato (Founder of Omelet), and "Burbank Tonight" creator Hayden Black in a moderated conversation with respected journalist and MobilizedTV founder Debra Kaufman.  Each of the participants boasts a unique and road-tested…

• 11th Mumbai Film Festival comes to a Close!

  editor

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:33 am

  UK film WHITE LIGHTNIN' wins the INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION for the First Feature Films of Directors with a cash prize of Rs. 50 Lakh ~ LA PIVELLINA (THE LITTLE ONE) wins the Jury Grand Prize along with cash prize Rs. 25 Lakh ~ An incredible end to an exceptional start! The curtain closed on the 11th edition of Mumbai Film Festival organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) at Mumbai amidst the who's who of the of Indian and World cinema gracing the closure of the event with their presence. A glittering closing ceremony herald the closure of the 7 day Festival that laid out some…

• The London Turkish Film Festival awards its Golden Wings to MEN ON THE BRIDGE

  editor

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:09 am

  MEN ON THE BRIDGE The London Turkish Film Festival (LTFF) is delighted to announce that the Festival Jury has awarded Asli Özge's MEN ON THE BRIDGE the inaugural Golden Wings Award. The prize, awarded at the Opening Gala on the evening of the 5th November, is a Digital Distribution Contract worth £15,000 and will support the film's release in the UK and Ireland. MEN ON THE BRIDGE was chosen by the LTFF Jury ahead of other nominees Reha Erdem's MY ONLY SUNSHINE, Mahmut Fazul Coskun's Tiger Award winner WRONG ROSARY, THE SHADOWLESS, directed by Umit Unaland Atalay Tasdiken's THE BOGEYMAN.

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  Fest21.com: Blog

• Film festivals in Argentina

  fest21

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:39 am

  Are you looking for film festivals in Argentina? Use our country festival search engine to search by Call for entry, Date and Submission Fee. http://www.fest21.com/en/festivals?filter0=&filter1=&filter2=Argentina&f... You can also search festivals accepting film submission on fest21.com  

• Your Fest21

  fest21

  22 Aug 2009 | 3:53 am

  Dedicated to the film festivals community at large, fest21.com welcomes: - all filmmakers and film producers - Festivals & film centers - Film Buyers - Sales agents, distributors - Local authorities, film commissions - Companies, agencies, sponsors - Research centers, film schools - Students   - and all film lovers...   Pages will describe fest21 detailled usages for each of you. Stay tuned.  

• Fest21 moved to much faster servers

  fest21

  28 Apr 2009 | 11:57 pm

  In order to create a faster and more efficient communications tool, our 4 server hardware configuration has been hugely upgraded with new, much faster servers. While we did experience a technical down time for a brief period, it has been kept to a minimum, so that our clients can continue to post news and information for our expanding readership. To allow the site to keep up with the expanded readership and individual contributions, we have put into place redundant servers for safety and also load balancing servers. This means that the querie load is divided between the servers for much…

• FESTIVALEXPRESS: Helping Film Festivals Connect With The Industry

  fest21

  14 Mar 2009 | 7:48 am

  FESTIVALEXPRESS is the new, free submission tool for festival organizers worldwide to connect with fiilmmakers and the film industry. For twelve years, we have been working with leading and emerging film festivals around the world to help them promote their events and to attract filmmaker and industry interest. Drawing from the millions of film industry professionals (filmmakers, distributors, sales agents, programmers, critics) who regularly log on to filmfestivals.com and fest21.com, you can get unprecedented access to a worldwide audience as you announce your Call for Entries and…

• Update your film blog

  fest21

  11 Mar 2009 | 12:50 pm

  To update your film blog,   Step 1: Log in. You can ask for a new password here. Step 2: Personalize your blog To personalize your blog, click on My Fest21 on the left column           You can fill the fields of the two tabs Account Settings and User Info to by example add logo, banner, film description, contact info, etc.If you have problem to personalize your blog, you can consult the help pages. Step 3: Add Content To Add content, click on the left column on "create content"             You can by example add: Text:…

• 
  DVXuser Online Community

• Thinking of getting an expensive View Finder...STOP

  steadicamsteel

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:47 am

  Hello folks, If your thinking of asking Santa for one of those MKV Directors View Finders......STOP. For less than $30 (US) you can turn your swanky new iphone into one instead, using it's onboard Camera. WooHoo. I'm not connected in any way shape or form with the company that has developed this app (they're also behind the Helios Sun Finder app) but have to say they are very responsive to requests. I asked if the 1/3" chip size was a generic size used or was it based on any particular camera. It's generic but when I asked if they could base it on the HVX-200 they guy emailed me back…

• Fantastic Directors App for your iphone

  steadicamsteel

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:45 am

  Hello folks, If your thinking of asking Santa for one of those MKV Directors View Finders......STOP. For less than $30 (US) you can turn your swanky new iphone into one instead, using it's onboard Camera. WooHoo. I'm not connected in any way shape or form with the company that has developed this app (they're also behind the Helios Sun Finder app) but have to say they are very responsive to requests. I asked if the 1/3" chip size was a generic size used or was it based on any particular camera. It's generic but when I asked if they could base it on the HVX-200 they guy emailed me back…

• Nanoflash Recorder Experiences?

  Emmet Brown

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:01 am

  Hi Folks, i just read about this interesting hardware: http://www.convergent-design.com/CD_..._nanoFlash.htm Did anyone of you have experience with that tool? It sounds like a good option to record on cheap CF-Cards and to turn my panasonic-cam into a sony-cam, if the client wants. But its hard to get informations about workflow with it. It would only make sense to me, if the Cams record-button simultaneously starts the Nanoflash for example.... Any thoughts, experiences? Edit: Heres an interesting Statement from an HPX 500 owner: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/converge...hpx-170-a.html

• Eos utility 7d, help a fellow filmmaker :D

  Srboraa

  7 Nov 2009 | 1:53 am

  I've just received my 7d, and shot some footage with it, I will be shooting a full feature film in a few days and I want to make use of the picture styles editor to make my custom gamma. The thing is that I realised that I didn't get the canon cd with my 7d. I've been on the phone with the shop and been there 3 times, and they claim that the box has not been opened or tampered with and that they can't give me the cd from another box. I am in dire need of the canon eos utiliy, would anyone be so kind as to upload it and give me the link. Thanks alot.

• 7D Mishap

  711

  7 Nov 2009 | 12:52 am

  So let me start out by saying that right now I am a nervous wreck. I was filming a game today with my 7D, and it took a fall from about 4 feet onto a running track. The lens appeared to take most of the shock. My 28-135 was shattered in the middle and busted up. I looked at the camera body and it APPEARS to be physically ok. I shot some more footage and tested many functions- seems to still work properly. Can anyone offer me any advice? Are there any common problems from drops I should be looking for? Should I be taking it to a canon service center? Thanks in advance. -One Very Scared 7D…

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  Motion Served

• Prada - Trembled Blossoms

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pm

  Animated short film/long format commercial

• Playjam_O.A.P

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

  commercial/viral to promote a gaming channel Directed by Nick Scott

• AGUDO Cristal Concept - Motion Graphic 3D

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  Motion 3d Basado en el Concepto de agudo, representaciones 3d. Musica: The mars Volta - Son et Lumiere (RMX) Cinema 4d, post After Effects.

• Exobiology

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pm

  Exobiology means the exploration of life in the universe, beyond earth. This concept is interesting because there is no limits to what this life would look like or how it would behave and evolve. This has been an ongoing project and would probably continue for as long as i live.

• MAPAQ

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

  Mettez le Québec dans votre assiètte! Produced by Alt Directed by Yan Giroux Cinematography by Chuck & Twist Art Direction by Mathieu Jaques http://www.assiette.gouv.qc.ca/index.html

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  Projector Films

• New writing gig - writing for games

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:52 am

  Monday I start a new writing assignment - working on a forthcoming game for Realtime Worlds called APB.Here is some official blurb...Players choose to be either a criminal or an enforcer and are matched against each other in fast-paced, third person action. The criminals aim to create a city rife with violent crime. The enforcers are pitted against them, protecting the civilian population and fighting the criminals at every turn. Want to commit a robbery with your friends? You can, but watch out because another group of players will be out to stop you! As a top player, your name will be at…

• What makes a great business card?

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:20 am

  (or... The Screenwriter's Festival business card Showdown 2009)When you go to a networking event such as the recent Screenwriters' Festival everyone's advice is - hand out and your cards and network. Then the "fog of conferences" descends. You have dozens of cards. Who was who? What did you talk about? Who the hell is "Jane" and why do you have her card?So a memorable card, linked to you in some way, is a good idea. So here we are. The most coveted award of the awards season. It's the best original business card of the year by a scriptwriter. It is a three way tie.WINNER 1 - JOA nifty image…

• Selling a complex structure. By Simon Beaufoy

  29 Oct 2009 | 1:03 am

  As you will all know I'm a big fan of using unusual and intriguing structures for more stories. This can cause concern in some readers / producers / agents / experts. And I can understand that concern. The question that is raised is; 'will the audience follow this'. So I was very interested in what Slumdog Millionaire scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy said, that he had the same concern. Particularly around the flashback structure. His overall message was; "Don't underestimate the audience. They can follow complex structured better than you think." There was in fact some test screenings that…

• Pitch and Pins. (or how to make a pitch competition work for you)

  28 Oct 2009 | 12:56 am

  I just came joint second in a big pitching event at the Screenwriters Festival (UK). Which is good going. 10 fellow pitchers pitching to a big crowd and a panel of experts - selected from about 2000 entries.But, to me, the big benefit to doing your pitch in this fashion (in this economic climate) is not that it will be instantly snapped up but that is part of the process of raising your visibility.In the spirit of that I made, wore and handed out these badges leading up to the pitch. They are a big tongue in cheek obviously, a bit silly, a bit bold - perfect for this audience. And well done…

• Working with Hollywood. By a Hollywood writer.

  26 Oct 2009 | 3:04 pm

  Two great quotes from Doug ChamberlinHe is was the writer of Toy Story 2."Contacts get you in. But talent will keep you in""Execs like to think that writing is somehow magic. They don't want to know what's in the sausage"

• 
  Making The Movie

• Movie Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox

  J. Ott

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:33 am

  Last night I saw a preview screening of Fantastic Mr. Fox at the Aero with a talkback by actors Jason Schwartzman, Wally Wolodarsky and producer Allison Abbate. I had seen some tweets calling the movie "meh" but personally I thought it was, well, fantastic.It is, of course, thoroughly Wesandersonized, right down the whale of Mr. Fox's corduroy suit. The comedy is that 'medium funny' type that

• DIY CGI

  J. Ott

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Great breakdown of some nice digital effects used on the short film "Isn't She..." over at Filmmaker Magazine: Blog.

• Halloween Movies Recommended by Girl's Guide to the Apololypse

  J. Ott

  30 Oct 2009 | 3:43 am

  A Modern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse runs down some Halloween classics:5. SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)No one understands Halloween QUITE like our good friend Tim Burton. (The visually stunning and distinct milieu of Burton’s extensive body of work inspired us Horsewomen when we were designing the overall look and theme of our beloved apocalypse. Can you tell?) And nowhere does the

• Where the Wild Things Edit

  J. Ott

  29 Oct 2009 | 8:12 am

  UPDATED: Asst. Editor Erik Jessen wrote in with some updates and corrections. Also see the links he recommended at the bottom of the post.Last night I went to the Los Angeles Final Cut Pro Users Group (LAFCPUG) meeting to hear editor Eric Zumbrunnen and assistant editor Erik Jessen talk about the multi-year process of editing Where the Wild Things Are.Some of the reasons for using Final Cut Pro,

• 5DmkII DSLR Shooting Tips

  J. Ott

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:03 am

  For the kewl kids who are into DSLR shooting, I discovered this in depth post at Outside Hollywood about the vagaries of shooting a documentary with the Canon 5DmkII.It goes into detail about what settings were used on the camera (before and after Magic Lantern firmware) and what had to be fixed in post.Yes, it's not all sunshine and caviar when shooting with a DSLR.

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  Kino-Eye.com

• Things self-distributing documentary filmmakers can do to integrate social media into their distribution efforts

  David Tames

  22 Oct 2009 | 12:20 pm

  Here are some things you can do to integrate a social media component in your distribution effort. 1. Get your own web site with integrated blogging functionality if you don’t already have one. If your current site does not have a blog, add one. The easy way to get started is to get a blog on [...] Visit the Kino-Eye.com web site for the full article and more.

• What happen(ed) when artists annex(ed) an island?

  David Tames

  16 Oct 2009 | 7:57 am

  This summer Alice Apley and I were “embedded documentarians” collaborating with mixed-media artist Sharon Haggins Dunn on her installation, Dragonflies and Angel Wings as part of the 2009 Bumpkin Island Art Encampment. An exhibition opens this weekend (part of the Fort Point Open Studios in Boston) documenting the encampment and runs through October 31st. [...] Visit the Kino-Eye.com web site for the full article and more.

• Seven habits of highly successful documentary filmmakers

  David Tames

  31 Aug 2009 | 8:27 pm

  A while back I read this post by Guy Kawasaki and was inspired to write down seven habits of highly successful documentary filmmakers based, in part, on his post: 1. Tell an engaging story. It all begins with story. And whether your goal is to entertain or persuade, you need first and foremost to tell [...] Visit the Kino-Eye.com web site for the full article and more.

• Sixty-seven excellent documentaries available through Netflix

  David Tames

  28 Aug 2009 | 12:29 pm

  Students and friends often ask me for suggestions on what documentaries I recommend watching, and they are often frustrated that many of my suggestions are not easily obtainable. Many classic documentaries are hard to find: they are only available for purchase at high prices or through libraries, archives, or college departments with restricted loan policies. [...] Visit the Kino-Eye.com web site for the full article and more.

• Flying takes documentary form to new heights

  David Tames

  27 Aug 2009 | 8:35 pm

  Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman is an amazing six-hour, six-part, documentary of epic proportions by Jennifer Fox in which we follow the filmmaker as she travels around the world asking her women friends how they construct and imagine their lives as she struggles to figure out her own. In her attempt to capture [...] Visit the Kino-Eye.com web site for the full article and more.

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  Film Directing Tips

• Local Film Acting Resources You Shouldn’t Overlook

  Peter D. Marshall

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:09 am

  “Filmmakers not situated in major filmmaking areas are at a disadvantage in certain ways. Camera and lighting rental places will not be as plentiful, skilled crew members will be hard to come by, and screen actors fill not be waiting tables at every restaurant. There are realities of regional filmmaking and one of them is that most things cannot be done like they would be in New York or Los Angeles. Even though you may not have a ready pool of waiting actors for your project it does not mean you cannot make one.” Read this article from Illiterary Fiction. Sign up now for your own…

• VIDEO: The Future of Indie Film Distribution with Peter Broderick

  Peter D. Marshall

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:08 am

  “Here is a video in which indie distribution pioneers discuss new strategies in distributing independent films.” Watch this video from All About indie Filmmaking. Sign up now for your own FREE monthly subscription to “The Director’s Chair” filmmaking ezine and get: (1) Day One of my 201 page mutli-media Online film directing audio course, “The Art and Craft of the Director Audio Seminar” and (2) the first 24 pages (plus mp3 audio) of my 137 page “Script Breakdown and Film Scheduling Online Course For Independent Filmmakers.”

• Idea Lab: The Dolly Shot

  Peter D. Marshall

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:44 am

  “This article is another in a series exploring film making techniques that inspire us to think outside of the box in our own work. Makers of major motion pictures obviously have the resources and the budget to do all sorts of amazing things. As technology becomes more available and accessible, its easy for anyone to make a film of their own. Just because you don’t own a ton of expensive equipment and have a crew of hundreds of trained experts at your disposal does not mean that your creative output is limited. A big vision and a little resourcefulness can go a long way.” Read…

• Film festivals that cater to kids

  Peter D. Marshall

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:11 pm

  “Home movies have long been a training ground for Hollywood careers: With backyard for backlot, Steven Spielberg and the Coen brothers belonged to the Super-8 generation, and Robert Rodriguez taught himself by shooting on a JVC camcorder and editing with two VCRs, but the results were generally too scrappy to share beyond a select audience of friends and family. Not so for today’s kids. Hi-def consumer cameras and easy-to-use home post-production software help take the amateur out of the equation, making it possible for aspiring young talent to work with the same equipment…

• 3-D movies push the edges of filmmaking

  Peter D. Marshall

  3 Nov 2009 | 4:43 am

  “With the new James Cameron blockbuster “Avatar” set to revolutionize the way we look at 3-D technology, it is about time we call into question why the American public is so entranced with this new form of entertainment. This year alone, the industry has seen a tremendous increase in the number of 3-D movies. Particularly, animated films like “Up” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” have been huge successes, no doubt with help from the higher ticket prices of 3-D films. Even the fourth installment in the ludicrous “Final Destination”…

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  Cinema Advanced: Filmmaking Tips

• Server Issues, but we’re back

  My apologies for all of the server downtime.  Over the weekend our web hosting company basically blew up.  Ok, well not literally but they had a massive failure that caused all of my websites, as well as probably about 20,000 other people's sites to go down. A little venting:  This is ...

• Do you want your video to look like film?

  I'm sure you've been poking about on the internet and come across many differnent forums.  Have you noticed that everyone is talking about this mysterious thing called "film look"?  I'm sure you have. The way people talk about it, it seems like making your video look like film is the holy ...

• Don’t let lack of experience stop you from achieving your goals

  Just like everything else in life worth doing, there is a steep learning curve to becoming a great film maker.  This is true whether or not you are trying to break in using the traditional route or the entrepreneurial route. The traditional route is to start out as a production ...

• 30 seconds to a successful film: How to make a compelling movie trailer

  The other day I wrote about The 9 things you need to do if you really want to be a film maker. The very last item, Making a Bad Ass Trailer, may be most important item on the list.  In fact, despite my continuing mantra of finish the film that ...

• Cinema Advanced now on Twitter

  Want another easy way to keep up with all the new stuff here at Cinema Advanced?  Follow me on twitter

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  Bringing Brands to Life!

• Employee Engagement Lessons from Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” Part 1

  Thomas R. Clifford

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:04 am

  I’m a big fan of Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” site. The minute it launched, I felt it offered a simple yet highly effective way for organizations to integrate social media concepts into their internal communication strategies. I wanted to know more. So I asked Ellen McGirt, the Senior Writer and Dean of “30 Second MBA,” a few questions about her experiences in launching the site. I was particularly interested in seeing how the “30 Second MBA” framework could be adapted for internal communication purposes. Here’s part one of the interview. And many thanks, Ellen, for…

• 5 Big Ideas: What Honda’s Mini-Documentaries Can Teach Non-Filmmakers

  Thomas R. Clifford

  21 Oct 2009 | 7:05 pm

  Here are five ideas from Honda’s new corporate documentary, “Racing Against Time,” to help you take your videos from talking heads to interesting and believable stories. (RSS readers click thru to see the video.) Have you checked out Honda’s “Dream the Impossible” mini-documentary series? The video series features several big ideas in a series of mini-documentaries. And yes, they’re beautifully produced. But here’s the thing. If you deconstruct Honda’s new documentary, “Racing Against Time,” you’ll find five big ideas you can use to make your own videos just as…

• Tom's SpeedLink #12

  Thomas R. Clifford

  20 Oct 2009 | 5:52 am

  Time to share some pretty cool links... 1. New book: "Believe Me: Why Your Vision, Brand, and Leadership Need a Bigger Story." Michael Margolis, my friend and remarkable business storyteller, just released his first book yesterday entitled, "Believe Me: Why Your Vision, Brand, and Leadership Need a Bigger Story." It's a "storytelling manifesto for change-makers and innovators." Yes, I ordered my copy and can't wait to dive in to it! 2. Honda Launches New Docu-Series On Twitter Honda's corporate mini-documentaries are some of my favorite programs. I'll have a full article on this new video…

• 9 Super Simple Ways to Rock Your Company Video

  Thomas R. Clifford

  7 Oct 2009 | 7:18 pm

  It’s the small things that can make a big difference. Anyone can implement these ideas. And the cool part? They’re free or next to free. See if you can sneak a few of these tricks into your next project. It will help your video story feel more believable and interesting. And rockin'. 1. Talk first. Your best storytellers are hiding right under your nose– your employees. Figure our what your video is about. Pull up a chair and get talking. Ask lots of different questions. Employees rarely get this kind of chance to be heard and recognized. You’ll be amazed at what you hear and capture.

• 7 Fascinating Filmmakers to Follow on Twitter

  Thomas R. Clifford

  23 Sep 2009 | 6:00 am

  Think today’s filmmakers are stuck behind the camera? Or the edit room? Think again. Many filmmakers are harnessing the power of the web to tell another side of the story– their story. Readers enjoyed my earlier post, “7 Interesting Storytellers to Follow on Twitter,” so let’s continue this series with some interesting filmmakers. Keeping in the spirit of Twitter, the following “tweets” are 140 characters or less. 7 Fascinating Filmmakers to Follow on Twitter 1. Errol Morris @errolmorris The Oscar-winning director of ‘Fog of War” often tweets zen-like koans. Witty and always…

• 
  IFC.com

• Ways to object to "Precious."

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:22 am

  For anyone familiar with habitual barnburner Armond White and his politics, it's zero surprise that the NY Press critic objects strenuously to "Precious." His review of the film has, as usual, much food for the comment trolls, particularly in his insistence that, by attaching their names and confessing personal histories of abuse, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are converting "their private agendas into heavily hyped social preoccupation," which I guess means... child abuse is really just another way for a couple of whiny celebrities to beg for attention? He also compares "Precious" to "The…

• A guide to Roland Emmerich's early work.

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:05 am

  I've had so much fun writing about "2012," I'm almost sad it'll actually be coming out next Friday. Almost. In a fairly amazing recent interview with Roland Emmerich, the schlock auteur explains he could get away with casting John Cusack because "I make movies where the movie itself is the star" and says it's totally cool that "2012" is a whopping 158 minutes because "The ten most successful movies of all time are all around three hours long. My favourite movie, 'Lawrence of Arabia,' is four hours. So there!" Same thing! But what really caught my eye was an allusion to one of his earlier…

• The Cinema Eyes love "The Cove."

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:09 pm

  "The Cove," Louie Psihoyos' much-lauded documentary about Japanese dolphin hunting, is the big fish (heh) amongst this year's nominees for the Cinema Eye Honors, the awards dedicated to excellence in non-fiction filmmaking. "The Cove" was nominated in seven categories, including feature of the year, in which it will compete with Anders Ostergaard's "Burma VJ," Robert Kenner's "Food, Inc.," Darius Marder's "Loot" and Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher's "October Country." Agnes Varda ("The Beaches Of Agnes"), John Maringouin ("Big River Man"), Anders Østergaard ("Burma Vj"), Darius Marder…

• "Nailed" is back, Tony Kaye is probably not.

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:45 pm

  David O. Russell ("I Heart Huckabees") and Tony Kaye ("American History X") are both fearsomely talented directors and, from most accounts, extremely difficult human beings; their projects attract trouble on a regular basis. Both had the bad luck to get tied up with Capitol Films when the company imploded. It's a complicated saga, but essentially Capitol heads David Bergstein and Ron Tutor owe a lot of people money and are trying to sell their remaining movies even though some of them are now owned by a different company. And their financial problems are far from over. Russell's "Nailed," a…

• TCM, now a film festival.

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pm

  There are over 700 film festivals worldwide, but only a few are devoted entirely to showing old movies -- which is odd, considering that these days, it's just as hard to see most older films in a theater as it is to see any of the new festival darlings. Those that do exist tend towards the obscure and specialized. MoMA's annual "To Save and Project" series (which is now in progress) alternates between the well-known (say, a new print of Cassavetes' "A Woman Under The Influence") and movies whose reputation is so specialized you basically have to attend on faith (say, 1964's "The Changing…

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  HD for Indies

• Comparison of Red One and Epic-X S35 specifications

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:57 am

  ProVideo Coalition.com: HD For Indies by Mike Curtis | Founder | HD for Indies: "Specdown: Red One vs Epic-X announced features"analysis of the points of differentiation between the Red One and Epic-X camera

• Revised specs for Red Epic-X

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:56 am

  ProVideo Coalition.com: HD For Indies by Mike Curtis | Founder | HD for Indies: "Red Update - revised specs for Epic-X camera"list and analysis of the new specs for the Epic-X camera announced last week

• HHH - Hand Held Hollywood - iPhone stuff for us

  7 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pm

  HHH - Hand Held HollywoodOne of my fellow PVCers found this - excellent.-mike

• FantasticFest Panels: on set VFX supervision for 3D

  29 Sep 2009 | 4:33 pm

  FantasticFest Panels: on set VFX supervision for 3D Jabbar Raisani from Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios talks about on set tools he uses as a VFX supervisor - some really good nitty gritty detailed info on tools to use, info to gather on set, report structure, etc.-mike

• FantasticFest 2009

  28 Sep 2009 | 2:43 pm

  ProVideo Coalition.com: HD For Indies by Mike Curtis | Founder | HD for Indies: "I’m here covering FantasticFest 2009"

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  Directors Notes

• Doc/Fest 09 – The International Pitch

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:49 am

  Sheffield Doc/Fest day two sees six filmmakers pitch for a £10k DFID funded opportunity to create a 10 minute short for the Community Channel. Greg Sanderson chairs a panel of judges including Executive Producer Jane Stephenson. . A Buzz Films Production     Related Posts Doc/Fest 09 – Crossover Summit Doc/Fest 08 Vod03 – Daisy Asquith Doc/Fest 08 Vod02 – Emily James Doc/Fest 08 Vod01 – Lee Kern Time Piece – Kat Mansoor

• Doc/Fest 09 – Crossover Summit

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:42 pm

  The time has come once again when the documentary film community converges on the city of Sheffield for Doc/Fest. With director Frank Boyd as their guide, Buzz Films‘ Jan Bednarz & Simon Wan captured the goings on at the inaugural Crossover Summit event. . A Buzz Films Production     Related Posts Doc/Fest 09 – The International Pitch Doc/Fest 08 Vod03 – Daisy Asquith Doc/Fest 08 Vod02 – Emily James Doc/Fest 08 Vod01 – Lee Kern Time Piece – Kat Mansoor

• DN LFF09: American: The Bill Hicks Story – Matt Harlock & Paul Thomas

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  1 Nov 2009 | 3:49 pm

  Sadly, we’ve reached the last of our London Film Festival ‘09 afternoon tea interviews, but it’s a great one to go out on. I very selfishly took up a nice chunk of time with directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas, who were at LFF for the premiere of their much anticipated documentary, American: The Bill Hicks Story – a look at the life of one of the world’s greatest comedians and thinkers, as told by the family and friends who truly knew him. Showlinks American: The Bill Hicks Story Bill Hicks.com Waltz with Bashir The Kid Stays in the Picture La Jetee Adobe…

• DN LFF09: Passenger Side – Matt Bissonnette

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:17 am

  For his third feature Passenger Side, director Matt Bissonnette decided to go back to basics and the freedom that comes from shooting a film on a low budget, with a skeleton crew. We sat down over LFF tea and cakes to discuss the process of bringing his tale of road tripping, polar opposite brothers to the screen. Showlinks Matthew Bissonnette Passenger Side Related Posts DN LFF09: Men on the Bridge – Asli Özge DN LFF09: Trimpin: The Sound of Invention – Peter Esmonde DN LFF09: Trash Humpers – Harmony Korine DN LFF09: The Road – John Hillcoat DN LFF09: The Limits of…

• DN LFF09: Trash Humpers – Harmony Korine

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  25 Oct 2009 | 10:41 am

  As a fan of many years and with a couple near misses in the past, today’s LFF interview is probably the highlight of the festival for me. It was my pleasure to spend some time (however brief) with director Harmony Korine, to discuss his latest offering Trash Humpers, along with the chances of us ever seeing the abandoned Fight Harm project surface. Related Posts DN LFF09: Trimpin: The Sound of Invention – Peter Esmonde DN LFF09: Still Bill – Damani Baker & Alex Vlack DN LFF09: Passenger Side – Matt Bissonnette DN LFF09: Men on the Bridge – Asli Özge DN…

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  Cinematical

• Robert Pattinson Talks 'Breaking Dawn' & 'Unbound Captives'

  Elisabeth Rappe

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:50 pm

  Good news, Twilight fans. You have the first official news for the third Twilight installment, courtesy of our own Jen Yamato, FearNet and the New Moon junket.* The magically-coiffed Robert Pattinson has confirmed that Breaking Dawn will begin filming in Fall 2010, and that it's penciled into his schedule for next year. Of course, Dawn remains unconfirmed by Summit. The most controversial installment of the Twilight series, rumors swirl that the studio is hesitant to take it to the big screen. If it is made, it seems likely that it could be split into two films a'la Harry Potter and the…

• The Worst Movie Biopics and Five That Are Pretty Darn Good

  Jessica Barnes

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:15 pm

  Watch enough movies and you learn pretty fast that they aren't about reality, they're about entertaining us. Which sometimes makes the world of the biopic a little tricky, because not only do you have to work in the truth, but you still have to keep those butts in the seats -- and the results are not always good. Over at Moviefone they've compiled some of the worst movie biopics, and no one was safe -- with films earning a spot for mixing up their facts, ridiculous casting, or just downright lazy filmmaking. So who made the list? Well, you've got your usual suspects like Oliver Stone's…

• Hello, My Name is Scott and I Love the 'G.I. Joe' Blu-ray

  Scott Weinberg

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:32 pm

  Back in August was when G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra hit the screens, and while I had no reason to expect anything but a merciless brain-pummeling from the experience, I walked out suitably impressed with the flick's popcorn-tastic mentality. I even ended my review with this: "Truth be told, the flick's action centerpiece, a crazy chase through Paris, will soon be on heavy blu-ray rotation around my house." Yes, the director who slapped me with The Mummy Returns and pummeled me with Van Helsing is now back in my good graces. (The awesomely amusing Deep Rising is always the tie-breaker for…

• Check Out The Real-Life Men Who Stare at Goats

  Cinematical staff

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:45 pm

  By: John Gholson I'm not sure why, but Overture Films has chosen to downplay the "based on a true story" aspects of their high-profile new satirical film The Men Who Stare at Goats. The film finds Ewan McGregor as a journalist looking for a story in Iraq who stumbles across a former member (George Clooney) of a special platoon of psychics employed by the U.S. military. While many moments in the film seem outlandish and ridiculous, they become even more jaw-dropping with the knowledge that the film is based on fact. Author Jon Ronson first explored the topic of remote viewers and psychic…

• Roland Emmerich May or May Not Blow Up the World Again

  Jenni Miller

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:02 pm

  At a press junket earlier this summer for 2012, Roland Emmerich told reporters he's not doing any more blow-'em-up flicks. "I would not know how to top this... It's just one of these things, you know. I had a hard time deciding to do another disaster movie, but... you cannot make a disaster movie if there's not something --- an idea in this disaster which elevates it to something more than a disaster. And so it was this idea, you know, that there will be a global flood and it's a retelling of Noah's Arc." Later he added, "It's not my last film, it's my last disaster film. And that's because I…

• 
  DIY Filmmaker

• Battle of Brooklyn - looks like a good project

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:46 am

• Spanish Artists in New York exhibit at Aeon Logic gallery

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:25 am

  Went to see the Spanish Artists in New York exhibit at Aeon Logic gallery (same gallery that I'll be showing Date Number One at, in December) yesterday, enjoyed it, check out some info about it here. Exhibit continues until November 17.

• Interesting review of Precious by Armond White

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:37 pm

  Interesting because 1) unlike some (or maybe many) of White's reviews, the ideas being put forth in this review can be clearly understood & fit together well, and 2) some of White's reactions to Precious reminds me of some reactions I heard from Indians (from India) to Slumdog Millionaire - that it's an outsider's fantasy of poverty & does not reflect reality accurately (or the large/common/usual reality of life for the kind of people depicted), & 3) points out that good movies that may reflect different sides of the African-American experience - less tragic sides - have not…

• Kickstarter project to support Date Number One December 2009 screenings/distribution work is alive!

  4 Nov 2009 | 11:34 pm

  Check it out from the image & link below. An exciting indie film distro project, great rewards for backers (pitch video coming early next week):

• Blog for DNO December screenings in NYC

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:11 pm

  It'll be under construction for a few days, but here it is. Eventually the dnonyc1209 blog will be a place to collect all manner of links & posts related to the 8 screenings of the flick happening in December.

• 
  Bright Lights After Dark

• Memo to Michael Bay: GI JOE KICKS YOUR ASS!

  Erich Kuersten

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:51 am

  Superheroes with toy franchise tie-ins get a lot of heat... unless critics had a real lively sense of humor they trashed both TRANSFORMERS (as well as WOLVERINE, TERMINATOR SALVATION, etc.) but GI JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA does everything right. AND it gets a lot less things wrong. One can only hope the Michael Bays, Brett Ratners and McGs pay attention when watching JOE (though its director, Stephen Sommers, certainly has some crap under his belt, such as VAN HELSING). Here's some things they might look for:1) DEADPAN: The key, as with the best John Carpenter films, is the universal Deadpan:…

• Bright Lights issue 66 now online

  Bright Lights Film Journal

  1 Nov 2009 | 9:11 am

  Issue 66 of Bright Lights Film Journal is now online.From the editorKeep watching the lights...ArticlesRoman Polanski: What's on Trial?By Karin Luisa BadtLooking at Charlie: Modern TimesAn Occasional Series on the Life and Work of Charlie Chaplin"Buck up! Never say die! We’ll get along!"By Alan VannemanPast Sunset: Noir in the West"I don't need other people. I don't need help. I can take care of me."By Imogen Sara SmithOn the Escarpment, Off the Escarpment: It Helps When the Love Is StrongEspecially when the lovers aren'tBy D. J. M. SaundersPorno to the People: The Danish Revolution That…

• Have a Blaisdell Halloween!

  C. Jerry Kutner

  31 Oct 2009 | 11:42 am

  Paul Blaisdell (July 21, 1927 - July 10, 1983) was a science fiction illustrator (The Ant Men, above), a special effects artisan, and an inspired designer of imaginative costumes and props for a series of low-budget horror, monster, and sci-fi films released by American International Pictures and Allied Artists in the 1950s. He was the King of Rubber-Suit Monster Creators, making and often performing inside such creations as The Beast With a Million Eyes, the three-eyed mutant in Roger Corman's The Day the World Ended, The She-Creature, Voodoo Woman, the little saucermen in Invasion of the…

• An Atheist's Guide to "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

  Joseph "Jon" Lanthier

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:39 am

  When you believe in things you don’t understand, you suffer. –Stevie WonderIn 1949 Walt Disney Studios produced the last, and arguably the best, of their “package” films – barely-feature length vignette collections made on reduced budgets during World War II for theatrical distribution – though the dyad of animated novellas included are improved little by their seemingly haphazard juxtaposition. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, featuring the shorts “The Wind In the Willows” (which in turn inspired quite possibly the most demented dark ride in theme park history) and…

• The Beautiful and the Darned: Avenging TWILIGHT

  Erich Kuersten

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:06 am

  It's massively popular, it's ridiculously mopey, yet it's also brooding, purple and relatively un-headache-inducing... in short, it's everything you hate and love about Seattle if you ever tried to move there. TWILIGHT captures the "real" version of the icy self-importance that suffuses the locals, as opposed to the foggy eccentricites of, say, TWIN PEAKS...it celebrates alienation, emotional distance and the ability to suppress darker instincts... and youth oriented product positioning! I haven't read the TWILIGHT books but that doesn't mean I can't comment on the movie... plus, that Kristen…

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  Motionographer

• The Father

  Bran Dougherty-Johnson

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:24 pm

  The Father is a new short film by Sticky Monster Lab, a collective of three artists from Seoul, South Korea. Presented in a split-screen format as if it is the pages of a book, it simultaneously tells the story of a father and son growing up and getting older, struggling with the pressure to succeed. The Father project also takes the shape of an actual book, poster, and vinyl figures of the main characters. Sticky Monster’s ongoing characters, The Monsters, also populate more of their work – including an epic sci-fi short The Monsters and The Runners for a little shoe company from…

• The Mill Showreel 2010.

  Igor Sordokhonov

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:29 am

  The Mill Showreel 2010. Posted on Motionographer

• Ben & Julia: Dove Nets

  Lilian Darmono

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:02 am

  Quirky labour-intensive piece by Ben & Julia for The Main Drag’s song ‘Dove Nets’ More info and credit list on the official site here. Posted on Motionographer

• I AM by Tronic

  John Cranston

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:13 pm

  Tronic just finished up this beautiful personal spot, I AM, which aims to bring the voice of the animals back on to the human radar. As Tronic co-founder Vivian Rosenthal says in the attached interview, “they are becoming almost like walking ghosts that are just drifting through a manufactured landscape”. The simplicity and technical slickness allow for the message to take the front seat, while still providing us with something beautiful and eye-catching to look at. Sebeastien Agneessens recently sat down with Vivian Rosenthal and talked with a her about the conceptual side of the…

• TDC INTRO Call for entries

  yotam

  5 Nov 2009 | 1:10 pm

  Call for Entries: TDC INTRO, The First Annual Competition and Showcase of Title Design by the Type Directors Club. (Chaired by Jakob Trollbäck and judged by Kyle Cooper, Garson Yu and others) Posted on Motionographer

• 
  Totally Unauthorized

• That’ll teach me.

  Peggy Archer

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:40 pm

  I was feeling pretty awesome – a whole week of work, foot feeling good.. yup. Top o’ the world, so to speak. Until yesterday night. Sometimes, at the gaffer’s direction, one moves BFLs* just beyond the reach of the head or power feeders, but not far enough to justify completely wrapping up said feeder. When this happens, most of us usually just drape the feeder through the bale of the light so it’s easy to pull out again but off the ground so the stand rolls without dragging the cable (which is bad for the cable and the connectors). This works great (and saves time),…

• Happy post-Halloween.

  Peggy Archer

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:35 pm

  I feel pretty good considering I seriously poisoned myself Saturday night with gallons of cheap Shiraz and mini-Snickers (the Snickers were for the kids, the wine, not so much). I usually have to work on Halloween, so it was nice that it fell on a weekend and I was able to go to two parties, although I was too lazy to make any sort of attempt at a costume. This wasn’t a problem at the first party, but at the second party I was the only one not dressed up, plus I had to walk though the annual Halloween street party in Hollywood (they close off Hollywood Blvd. to traffic and people walk…

• Whoops!

  Peggy Archer

  26 Oct 2009 | 7:27 pm

  I will never understand why people who live in meticulously restored century-old houses worth truckloads of money feel compelled to fling open their custom-cut imported wood doors and welcome movie crews, who are infamous for our ability to destroy pretty much anything within a three mile radius of base camp. We do our best to limit the destruction to stuff that can be easily replaced (like the grass), but something is certain to get damaged no matter how hard we try. Today, we were rigging in a breathtakingly beautiful turn of the 20th century mansion that’s been lovingly restored to…

• Friday Photo

  Peggy Archer

  23 Oct 2009 | 8:01 pm

  Matching bungees at Warner Brothers. Years ago, bungees were standard equipment on lighting and grip trucks, but most lots and shows have now banned them. Specifically, they’ve banned the heavy black industrial rubber bungees (that I can’t find a photo of) due to accidents. What would happen was that one would buy the bungee (and the rental houses would only sell them, so since we paid for them, we figured we’d keep using them to get our money’s worth), then it would sit in the sun on a cart (or in an alternately boiling hot/freezing cold truck) for a long time and get…

• walking backwards

  Peggy Archer

  21 Oct 2009 | 7:43 pm

  Whenever you watch a TV show or a movie and there are two or more people walking with the camera in front of them moving backwards, that’s called a ‘walk and talk’. Most walk and talks are lit with a light (usually one of those round paper Chinese lanterns) that’s affixed to a long pole, and with an extension cord running back away from the actors. There are some lights that can be run off a battery pack, but tungsten chinese lanterns (which use standard household bulbs) aren’t one of them. So, to power the lamp that’s lighting the actors for the walk and…

• 
  Google Blog Search: Film-making

• Wilmington's Annual Cucalorus Film Festival Celebrates Art of ...

  Christopher Huff

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:48 pm

  The Alternative Source for News and Entertainment on the Grand Strand.

• The Father | Motionographer | Motion graphics, design, animation ...

  Bran Dougherty-Johnson

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:24 pm

  The Father is a new short film by Sticky Monster Lab a collective of three artists from Seoul, South Korea. Presented in a split-screen format as if it is. ... Superfad created this title sequence for an online interactive drama that was once called “Thirteen.” That title eventually changed, making this animation obsolete for public use. It's still nice to look at, though. 3 Comments · Picture 3 · Rokkit's Duckeye collaborates with choreographer Alexander Whitley to ...

• The Mill Showreel 2010. | Motionographer | Motion graphics, design ...

  Igor Sordokhonov

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:29 am

  Superfad created this title sequence for an online interactive drama that was once called “Thirteen.” That title eventually changed, making this animation obsolete for public use. It's still nice to look at, though. ...

• Warrior Film-making: The Story of Free Range Studios | Triple ...

  Ryan Mickle

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:30 am

  Jonah Sachs and Louis Fox at Free Range Studios in Berkeley, CA I recently visited Free Range Studios to meet with its talented co-f.

• Free film-making workshop teaches unique style - News

  unknown

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm

  A free stop-motion animation film-making workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the Tarble Arts Center. In the film industry, few film making styles have been as durable as stop-motion animation. ...

• 
  WordPress Tag: Filmmaking

• "Stalker" clip 2

  dispatchfilm

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:16 pm

  Another clip from Tarkovsky’s great film.

• "Stalker" clip 1

  dispatchfilm

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:15 pm

  A clip from Tarkovsky’s great film.

• Stalker

  dispatchfilm

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:46 pm

• Churchyard

  winterblood

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Ah, my first short film. This begins a series of posts going behind the scenes of the films and music videos I’ve made. Churchyard from Chris Payne on Vimeo. At this time I had been developing a handful of film ideas and educating myself from books and DVD commentaries for over 7 years. I’d also splashed out on a camcorder with a few half-baked manual controls, but had no finished script to film. Enter the DepicT 90-second film competition, which inspired me with a new, simpler idea. Churchyard was an exercise in getting something done or I’d be forever procrastinating. It…

• On Not Sucking and Having "Something"

  kentnichols

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:23 am

  There’s a great thread over Cinema5d.com on Making a Living: Being an Image-Maker in Times of Change.  This comment from Chimay cuts to the chase: No matter how happens, one must embrace changes. Complaining will not put food on the table. New technologies are awesome. And, in the end, quality work will always prevail. Digital filmmaking is so affordable these days that lots of independent films are being released. Some of them are really bad! But, in the midst of all these, a few extraordinary talents are emerging. Yes! The real question is how can you be one of the emerging talents…

• 
  Indie Film Chat News

• DVD Review: Observe and Report

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:54 am

  Observe and Report is a dark comedy starring Seth Rogan, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta and Michael Pena. Directed by Jody Hill. I never thought I would type this sentence, but I have just watched a film... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• DVD REVIEW: Oral Fixation

  28 Oct 2009 | 2:35 am

  Oral Fixation is a thriller starring Emily Parker, Kerry Aissa, Aidan Sullivan and Chris Kies. Directed by Jake Cashill. Oral Fixation is a solid, well made thriller that should satisfy fans of... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• B Sides--MILLER'S CROSSING REVISITED

  28 Oct 2009 | 2:02 am

  The growth of Netflix as a source for older titles, along with the growing reliance of pay cable networks on older libraries of films for programming has created an unprecedented opportunity for... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• DVD Review: Drag Me to Hell

  21 Oct 2009 | 3:30 am

  Drag Me to Hell is a horror film starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver and David Paymer. Directed by Sam Raimi. Though he is best known now as the director behind the Spider Man... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• Top 10 Rules for Chick Flicks

  16 Oct 2009 | 3:43 am

  First off let me say that, before being accused of being sexist, there are many good and bad chick flicks, just as there are in any genre. However, like most genre, there many rules and requirements... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• 
  Helen's Blog

• The Aura of Anna PAVLOVA lingers on

  Helen

  24 Oct 2009 | 11:23 am

  Even though the vintage reels shown of Russian prima ballerina Anna PAVLOVA spooled three weeks ago in Pordenone, the aura of the dancer, her interminable legs, her precision on tip-toe and her incredible grace and femininity tinged with mystery, linger in the minds of all festival-goers who viewed them. According to the Giornate Diector David Robinson, in 1924 Pavlova (1881-1931) visited the Fairbanks studios, where The Thief of Bagdad was in production, and was filmed on the set in 7 short dances (not 6 as is stated on the original title, which may have been intended for a shortened version…

• Michael York Honoured by International Press Academy

  Helen

  22 Oct 2009 | 5:47 am

   York Honored as the IPA’s 2009 Mary Pickford Award Winner Los Angeles, CA, October 14, 2009 --The International Press Academy today announced that actor Michael York will receive the 2009Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry at this year’s 14th Annual Satellite Awards™ on Sunday, December 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA. Spanning 45 years in entertainment, Michael York’s career began on stage in his native England with the National Youth Theatre. After graduating from Oxford University, he joined Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre in 1965 and…

• Fox Story #6-962: Interview with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (US 1930)

  Helen

  10 Oct 2009 | 9:02 am

  FOX STORY #4702: SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AND FAMILY (Fox News, US 1922)  James Seebach; New York, 24.6.1922;  Fox Movietone News Collection, University of South Carolina, Columbia. On 9 April 1922 Conan Doyle arrived on the White Star Liner SS Baltic in New York City to give several lectures on Spiritualism. When they boarded the RMS Adriatic for their return sail on 24 June 1922, Fox News cameraman James Seebach recorded the family, as did crews from Pathé News and Kinograms. The official Fox newsreel library number for Seebach’s film is 4702; it was not published in any edition of Fox…

• UKELELE ORCHESTRA CONCERT with silent clips ends 2009 GIORNATE Festival

  Helen

  10 Oct 2009 | 8:40 am

  The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a group of all-singing, all-strumming Ukulele players, using instruments bought with loose change, which believes that all genres of music are available for reinterpretation, as long as they are played on the Ukulele. A concert by the Ukulele Orchestra is a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, foot-stomping obituary of rock-n-roll and melodious light entertainment featuring only the “bonsai guitar” and a menagerie of voices in a collision of post-punk performance and toe-tapping oldies. There are no drums, pianos, backing tracks or banjos, no…

• Pordenone Silent Film Festival 2009 Wrap

  Helen

  10 Oct 2009 | 8:24 am

   Closing Event: UKULELESCOPE Closing Event: UKULELESCOPE   10.10.2009 [20:45] UKULELESCOPE Film accompagnati dal vivo da / Films accompanied live by The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (Dave Suich, Richie Williams, Hester Goodman, George Hinchcliffe, Kitty Lux, Will Grove White, Jonty Bankes) Ideazione e produzione / Created and produced by: Hester Goodman Musica di / Original music: Hester Goodman, George Hinchcliffe Since its almost accidental formation by a group of friends in 1985, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has become a national institution – “absolutely the Best…

• 
  Consolidated Films

• Filmmaking Legal Issues To Ignore

  Price Jaccobi

  26 Oct 2009 | 4:15 am

  Filmmakers often make the mistake of doing too much planning and not enough doing. A certain amount of studying can help make a filmmaker better, but knowing too much can sometimes become a hindrance. With no knowledge of how other people make films, an ambitious filmmaker would just grab the closest camera, shoot footage, and edit it together. This film might end up being virtually unwatchable, but it would be an experience they can learn from and would put them miles ahead of those with their head still in filmmaking books. Image by Sir Nube Negra Once a filmmaker has done a fair amount of…

• Free Indie Film Promotion In Media Tips

  Julian Perrera

  30 Jul 2009 | 3:29 pm

  Most filmmakers do not have money to throw at advertising their film. Even if they did, they would soon find ads are not that effective. Many look at media relations (aka press relations, PR) as free advertising, but it is more complex than that idea implies. The media will mention you in articles, columns, radio stories, or videos but only if you have a story or information that interests them. Image by CIVICO13 If you want media people to cover you, you must think like one. Learn how to spot and mold stories from the real life people that help you make films. Not only that but it is as…

• Film Producing Changes In The Digital Age

  Price Jaccobi

  27 Apr 2009 | 2:38 pm

  Films have been made the same way for a long time. Since 1926 the combination of sight, sound, and general running time have become a de facto for feature films that most aspiring filmmakers aim for. The days of movie theaters being the only place to see films are over, as are the days of television as the only way to watch episodic and serial stories. The internet has taken over and with this change in distribution comes a corresponding need to change or expand the concept of filmmaking. Image by chris.bryant Upon reading Scott Kirsner's new book Fans, Friends and Followers (amazon) it…

• More Movie Versions, Easier Film Marketing

  Julian Perrera

  31 Mar 2009 | 6:14 am

  Filmmakers have often been afforded the luxury of only having one version of their film released. There are the anomalous films like Star Wars that have had multiple versions released long after the original and sometimes there are the movies with both a studio and director version, like Blade Runner, but for the most part films have a single definitive version set in stone. As an independent filmmaker you are wise to be wary of any Hollywood tradition, the idea of a single version of a film being best is no exception. Just because it has always been done that way does not mean it is the…

• Short Films Are Not Small Movies

  Price Jaccobi

  24 Feb 2009 | 5:30 am

  A common way for filmmakers to get into the movie game is with a short film. Many figure they can make a short film and then make it into a feature-length film, but a short film is not like a feature film only not as long. Image by rpongsaj Not to suggest making a short and making a feature film do not have overlapping skill sets, but rather the conception of short films is different than features. They will both be made with the camera in the same way, but they are not going to be of the same creative material. Less Scrutiny A short film is shorter and much easier to make a entertaining.

• 
  Illiterary Fiction

• Filmmaker Local Acting Resources You Overlook

  Len Esten

  26 Oct 2009 | 5:11 am

  Filmmakers not situated in major filmmaking areas are at a disadvantage in certain ways. Camera and lighting rental places will not be as plentiful, skilled crew members will be hard to come by, and screen actors fill not be waiting tables at every restaurant. There are realities of regional filmmaking and one of them is that most things cannot be done like they would be in New York or Los Angeles. Even though you may not have a ready pool of waiting actors for your project it does not mean you cannot make one. Image by sazztastical Community College, Universities Most medium-sized cities are…

• Why Filmmakers Use Makeup on Actors

  Len Esten

  30 Jul 2009 | 5:41 pm

  Many beginning filmmakers overlook makeup and get by for a long time without it. Thought makeup is not a requisite for fine filmmaking, it is a tool you should be familiar with. In real life we are used to makeup being use for one purpose and mostly by women: to look more attractive. In filmmaking the focus of makeup is to help an actor come across on camera the way looking like the character they are playing, which often has nothing to do with looking "good". Image by back to menu Change Age Or Type If your pool of available actors is small, you will find yourself using makeup to turn them…

• Low Budget Film Sound Recorders

  Len Esten

  28 Apr 2009 | 1:38 pm

  Films can be ruined with unintentionally poor sound. If dialogue is unintelligible, so will the film be. We all know recording good sound is important, but the confluence of lack of experience and the variety of devices compounds the situation. Often we hear about expensive, difficult to obtain machinery that is "a must have" to get good sound, but this is not the case. Image by Lee Gumienny Good sound is not a binary situation. In fact two people using the same equipment can get widely different results. Instead of buying some equipment and hoping it will save your production, use something…

• Why Movie Directors Avoid Overcast Filmmaking

  Len Esten

  30 Mar 2009 | 6:33 am

  Image by Jobe Cinematography can be a confusing subject for a non-technical director. There are f-stops, shutter speeds, ISO ratings, and foot candles involved, so it can get overwhelming. Often a director has a trusted cinematographer that handles this part of the filmmaking for them. This person knows the gear and techniques and the director goes along with their opinions. Early on a movie director will learn from this person to avoid cloud cover when shooting on-location. As much as I feel you should just trust a cinematographer's advice, it is important to know the reasons why you should…

• Signs Of A Bad Film Director

  Len Esten

  25 Feb 2009 | 5:00 am

  Image by absoblogginlutely Every movie director will have a specialty. Some directors pay more attention to the performances, some to production design, some put all the emphasis on the camera work. No matter what the differences may be amongst film directors, the one thing that will ultimately lead to their downfall is lack of people skills. Nothing is more indicative of the possibility of a filmmaker failing in the future as not knowing how to treat people. Yelling, Poor Manners Raising your voice without even knowing it and without provocation is a good way to alienate people. It is one…

• 
  YouTube: Film

• Prince of Persia Film Official Movie Trailer HD

  getsomesean

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:58 pm

  Prince of Persia Film Official Movie Trailer HD Here is the HD version of the trailer I posted earlier. The movie looks awesome! I also posted this to my blog www.seanbajuice.com From: getsomesean Views: 596020 2205 ratings Time: 02:31 More in Film & Animation

• Drunkest Guy Ever: Silent Film (Larry goes to the market)

  whitandthomas

  19 Oct 2009 | 9:35 am

  Drunkest Guy Ever: Silent Film (Larry goes to the market) Thoughts on the video by the editor are here. www.whitscott.com follow me on twitter www.twitter.com Drunkest Guy Ever: Silent Film (Larry goes to the market), goes back for more beer. Presented to you by mustacheandmonocle.com From: whitandthomas Views: 736645 1446 ratings Time: 02:24 More in People & Blogs

• BMW M3 Film

  BanditoGarage

  24 Sep 2009 | 10:38 am

  BMW M3 Film Me and my bros went out and shot a film over the weekend about my car. Its called "Living in the Lights." From: BanditoGarage Views: 519010 1224 ratings Time: 02:20 More in Autos & Vehicles

• Replay - Amazing Animated Short Film

  aniBOOM

  18 Jun 2009 | 1:26 am

  Replay - Amazing Animated Short Film Submissions are now open for the Aniboom-Fox Holiday Animation Challenge. For more details go to www.aniboom.com Check out more at www.aniboom.com In a destroyed world, the only glimpse of hope is the memory of a forgotten past. But be careful not to let your dreams control your mind...This is Replay. Animation by anthonyvoisin www.aniboom.com Follow Aniboom: facebook: www.facebook.com MySpace - www.myspace.com Twitter - www.twitter.com If you liked this animation, don't forget to subscribe ... From: aniBOOM Views: 279170 3896 ratings Time: 08:45 More…

• Little man, the way girls are Short film subtitles PL napisy PL

  Izdeb1

  14 Jun 2009 | 8:34 am

  Little man, the way girls are Short film subtitles PL napisy PL Little Man z polskimi napisami. From: Izdeb1 Views: 207002 823 ratings Time: 10:43 More in Film & Animation

• 
  the truth is stranger

• Patti Smith: Dream of Life

  2 Nov 2009 | 5:59 pm

  I'll be honest. I've always known who Patti Smith was, was vaguely aware of her relationship with, and to, Robert Mapplethorpe and of her music. But she was never hugely on my radar. Why, at the library today, I was compelled to pick up a documentary about her is a mystery, a serendipitous mystery. Dream of Life is brilliant, one of the best documentaries (I even hate calling it that as it has qualities of a fictional art house film) I've seen. Part black and white, part color, old footage and new, overlapped with Patti's music and poetry, Robert's art, family photos, it plays like a photo…

• The Truth is Stranger Recommends

  1 Nov 2009 | 6:23 am

  Here are our Sunday recommendations for you nonfiction creatives and fans.OnlineInvisiblePeople.tv for putting a human face on the problem of homelessness. The internet/blogging provides such a freakin' powerful outlet for everyone's voice. Terribly moved this morning. Also check out: Live From the Left Coast (wish I'd thought of that name!) podcast. FilmI need a recommendation for a recent documentary you've seen! For myself,I love How to Draw a Bunny. But then I'm an art whore and you may not be. What documentary moved you recently? PrintMade to Stick, while formally a business book, is…

• The Truth is Stranger Recommends

  25 Oct 2009 | 6:36 am

  For all of you nonfiction fans and creatives, we have a great list of suggestions in our new weekly series. Please follow us on Twitter for updates and additional recommendations and to tweet us YOUR ideas and favorites!Film:Garbage Warrior: as a good documentary does, this story of one man's quest to allow for freedom to experiment with alternative building methods without the restrictions of archaic and restrictive building codes becomes a compelling drama. Plus the Earthship's are really really cool!Print:Kathleen Norris's Acedia & Me, like all of her other contemplative spiritual…

• David Lynch Interview Project

  29 Aug 2009 | 12:53 pm

  David Lynch, the intriguingly warped director of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet (among other things) has started an online interview project. Read about it here.Reminds me. Should I do a new category for truth-tellers on the Web? Probably!Follow us: @truthisstranger on Twitter.

• Dear Twitter...

  16 Jul 2009 | 8:58 am

  Dear Twitter,I know you earn no money. I know many see you as a waste of time. I know some people don't get you and only 5% of us account for 90% of your activity. In 5 years, will you still be around? Who knows. Who cares, really? For now, you allow me to find things and "meet" people I never would have before. When I'm home, alone, in my slightly socially retarded mode, I can discuss and banter with people across the world. I'm one of those 5% which I can't say about much else (i.e. this makes me "special"). On Twitter, I found @SnagFilms, or I should say they found me which is even better.

• 
  One Fat Cigar

• The Best Road Movies of All Time

  Ross

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:03 am

  What do you think? In honour of Easy Rider’s 40th anniversary Trek America have released their top 4 movie road trips. It’s stimulated some debate in the office, some mud slinging, a lot of IMDB checking, and finally we decided that we could do just 4. Where in the list is David Lynch’s beautiful, The [...]

• Casting (Part 1): 6 key reasons top Film Producers employ a Casting Director!

  Ross

  26 Oct 2009 | 5:25 am

  By Jane Deitch and Glenn Bexfield, Casting Directors (Bexfield Deitch Associates) If you’re a producer desperately trying to make your film, more often than not you’re desperately stretching your miniscule budget to cover all creative bases. You’ll shave a bit off this, cut back a bit on that, reluctantly admit that maybe the helicopter shot is [...]

• About Jane Deitch and Glenn Bexfield (Bexfield Deitch Associates)

  Ross

  26 Oct 2009 | 5:20 am

  Jane Deitch was former Head of Casting for the BBC where she worked with Glenn Bexfield, and together and individually they have considerable casting credits which include BAFTA and Emmy award winning series, including Holby City, Casualty, Waking the Dead, and feature films including Shoot the Messenger and New Year’s Day. In 2007 they teamed [...]

• 13 Oct 2009 | 1:16 pm

  Ross

  13 Oct 2009 | 1:16 pm

  i96mxf3y47 Social Bookmarking

• Hunting for Film Talent: Production Jobs and Actor Jobs on One Fat Cigar!

  Ross

  9 Oct 2009 | 10:39 am

  Since we’re now very close to the first phase of our launch, we thought we’d try and explain how it is possible for film makers to use our movie website, One Fat Cigar, to cast and crew your projects and apply for actor jobs/production jobs. The functionality we’re about to describe won’t all be there [...]

• 
  MakingOf

• Steven Poster opens up about “The Box”

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:51 am

  Cinematographer Steven Poster continues his conversation with MakingOf to discuss "The Box" which is in theaters this weekend.

• Collaboration

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:43 am

  Steven Poster chats about his collaboration process with director Richard Kelly and opens up about his cinematography techniques on "The Box"

• Adam Elliot Discusses Directing Animation

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:36 am

  Adam Elliot discusses his process of directing Animation. He talks about working with voice actors, animators, and the persistence it takes to master the craft.

• 'Christmas Dinner'

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:34 am

  'Christmas Dinner' - A movie clip from "Pirate Radio", the newest ensemble comedy from filmmaker Richard Curtis staring Philip Seymour Hoffman.

• "PIrate Radio" Trailer

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  The trailer to "Pirate Radio", the newest ensemble comedy from filmmaker Richard Curtis staring Philip Seymour Hoffman.

• 
  The Independent

• Film Journal: Philosophies for Financing Your Film

  cristina

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  In the last installment of my film journal for The Independent, I wrote about the various circumstances that facilitated the raising of $200,000 to direct my feature film, Losing Control, a quirky romantic comedy about a female scientist who wants proof that her boyfriend is “the one.” In this install read more

• Erin Trahan Named Interim Executive Director of Independent Media Publications

  michele

  7 Oct 2009 | 12:00 pm

  As of October 15th, Managing Editor Erin Trahan will serve as the Interim Executive Director of Independent Media Productions (IMP), the nonprofit organization that oversees publication of www.independent-magazine.org. read more

• 30 Quintessential Books for Independent Filmmakers

  cristina

  5 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Ever wonder what, exactly, independent filmmakers – both aspiring and established – should be reading? read more

• Capturing Controversy: A Look at Activist Filmmaking

  Nikki

  1 Oct 2009 | 7:03 am

  It’s been nearly 10 years since the streets of Seattle hosted the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference and the subsequent chaos of the police response to the massive public protest, which turned into the so-called “battle on free speech in the name of free trade.” The event marked a significant phase of the anti-globalization movement—and a milestone in the activist nature of do read more

• Exhibitor Q&A: Olympia Film Society

  cristina

  22 Sep 2009 | 12:04 pm

  The Olympia Film Society (OFS) has been bringing independent, experimental, and underrepresented film to the Olympia, Washington community since 1980. The society programs the Weekly Film Series, a series of independent and international films that sometimes includes one-time screenings and discussions with filmmakers. read more

• 
  Atomic Vision: Photography Cinema Visual Arts

• Paranormal Activity

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:11 pm

  The latest Indie phenomenon to hit movie theaters worldwide, "Paranormal Activity" is making independent cinema history.   It is currently number one in the box office.  And as of yesterday, it has grossed $86,944,269 in the United States and Canada alone, making it the most profitable (box office sales to production cost) independent film ever, toppling long-time cult favorite "The Blair Witch Project".  Made with a total budget of just around$15,000, it is a story about a young couple who uses a video camera to capture the paranormal activities…

• Owle Bobo: A Must Have for the IPhone Filmmaker

  5 Nov 2009 | 1:21 am

  The Owle Bobo is an IPhone 3Gs camera mount/stabilizer equipped with a 37mm wide-angle/macro (.45x) combo lens and a high quality vericorder microphone.  The sleek futuristic case is constructed from anodized billet aluminum and features an accessory shoe, as well as several "screw-holes" that can accommodate a tripod/monopod or any other gadgets or accessories you want to attach.I have seen all kinds of gadgets to attach to the IPhone, but this is one accessory that an IPhone Filmmaker must have!  Watch the video below and I am sure you will agree.  I am definitely getting one…

• Canon EF Mount Zeiss Lenses

  2 Nov 2009 | 8:37 pm

  Carl Zeiss, Inc. just announced the newest addition to its ZE Series Lenses (Canon EF Mount), the Distagon T* 2/35 ZE.The Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZE is a 35mm standard wide-angle prime for all film and digital Canon EOS cameras models, with a wide aperture of f/2.  It features a moderate 53 degree field of view (horizontal) with very minimal distortion, perfect for commercial, travel and nature applications.  A manual focus fast lens that features a short angle of rotation for precision focusing, the 35mm ZE was made for professional…

• Aseptic Halloween

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:36 pm

  Halloween was very different for us this year.  Instead of dressing up to 'haunt' the neighborhood for candies in the traditional way, we went to the shopping center instead.We have a favorite 'Trick or Treat' street we regularly go to.  It is so popular that it is literally overflowing with kids.  But with the spectre of the H1N1 virus hovering over our heads, the risk of contracting the dreaded 'Swine Flu' was just too great for us.  We just barely recovered from our daughter's near-fatal illness a year and a half ago.  Those arduous…

• Antonioni's "Blowup": Subjective Reality Through the Photographer's Eye

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:44 pm

  Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blowup” is a cinematic masterpiece that has withstood the test of time. It is as relevant now as it was in 1966. It has inspired and influenced countless filmmakers, as well as sparked heated debates among movie aficionados. It is a very potent work of art that either agitates or aggravates its viewers into spontaneous applause or inordinate disdain.I just purchased my copy of the film yesterday, after seeing it on cable the other week. I have seen the film more than a dozen times before and my feelings had been mixed. But seeing it again after so many years…

• 
  Truth Seekers

• Red Fridays - Lest We Forget

  Debbie Ouellet

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:01 am

  “If ye break faith with us who die 
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 
In Flanders fields.” In Flanders Fields— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918) In Canada, November 11th is the day set aside each year to remember...

• The Language of Less

  Debbie Ouellet

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:30 am

  "The impulse to enter, with other humans, through language, into the order and disorder of the world, is poetic at its root as surely as it is political at its root" - POET Adrienne Rich In "What Is Found There"...

• Terrible Beauty

  Erica Shindler Briggs

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:14 am

  I grew up by the sea, so close I could taste the salt of her sweat in every breath. The Pacific coast cradled my childhood and early adolescence, easing many moments of melancholy. I learned early to respect her like...

• What Black Is, Really

  Erica Shindler Briggs

  22 Oct 2009 | 5:26 am

  “Excuse me, but um…what are you?......No, I mean what are you, really?.... Yeh, but what else?” This line of questioning is so familiar to me, I’ve started a collection: “Give me a dollar and I’ll tell you.” I figure the...

• The Stuff of Dreams

  Debbie Ouellet

  15 Oct 2009 | 5:16 am

  What is the stuff of dreams? Random flashes of subconscious bric-a-brac, discarded brain bits and pieces? Are they journeys to another plain of existence? Is it the brain’s way of sorting out problems — reaching deeper into our mental capacity...

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  Grapes on a Vine

• Examiner: Indie Filmmaker Feature, Al “Skip” Robbins, Grapes on the Vine

  Grapes on a Vine

  3 Nov 2009 | 4:31 am

  As the film industry continues to take a journey to new heights, and keep the audience on pins and needles, the suspense of Grapes on a Vine, a thriller movie that tells the story of love, lust and loss, directed and written by Al “Skip” Robbins. Mr. Robbins was born in Queens, New York, where he [...]

• All-new movie trailer for Grapes on a Vine

  Grapes on a Vine

  24 Oct 2009 | 5:12 am

  WATCH the new trailer for the movie, Grapes on a Vine:

• A Black Hulu? Creating a Home for Independent Black Video

  Grapes on a Vine

  22 Oct 2009 | 11:44 am

  Now this is what I am talking about! I already love Hulu, so the thought of a Hulu-like web site that features nothing but independent black video is exciting. Check out this news from Aymar Jean Christian. When new technologies emerge a host of new companies tend to sprout up. Tons of independent radio stations catering [...]

• Whose side are you on? Top filmmakers unite

  Grapes on a Vine

  22 Oct 2009 | 7:08 am

  AFP reports that top film directors across the world rallied around Roman Polanksi, declaring themselves “astonished” at the arrest of the film-maker over a 1977 underage sex case. Michael Mann, Wim Wenders and Pedro Almodovar were among more than 70 film industry figures who signed a petition in protest at the detention of the Polish-French director [...]

• Follow Grapes on a Vine on Facebook

  Grapes on a Vine

  22 Oct 2009 | 7:01 am

  If you’re on Facebook, follow us for even more updates and information regarding the new independent movie, Grapes on a Vine. Grapes on a Vine Facebook Fan Page: