Filmmaking

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  Filmmaker Magazine

• BEST FILM NOT PLAYING AT A THEATER NEAR YOU @MOMA THIS WEEKEND

  Scott Macaulay

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:44 pm

  Contributing Editor Brandon Harris has posted on his blog a new preview of Filmmaker and MoMA's annual "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You" program, which unspools at the museum this week. Screening will be the five films that will be competing for the Gotham Award we sponsor on December 1. (For schedule and film descriptions, visit MoMA's site.) Brandon writes that this year's program is the strongest we've put together in the six years of doing this series, and I agree. This isn't to say that previous years haven't been strong, but in the past we've always been able to indulge…

• THIS WAS MTV IN THE '90s

  Scott Macaulay

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:53 pm

  It didn't used to be all reality shows. In 1990 MTV aired Buzz, an experimental video art collage show by director Mark Pellington. Genesis P-Orridge, William Burroughs, RU Sirius, David Byrne, and other transgressive thinkers (oh yes, and Jon Bon Jovi) were all featured in the debut show, which was openly inspired by Bruce Conner and other experimental filmmakers. Boing Boing noticed that the first episode has been been posted to YouTube, and I've embedded the clips below.

• OSCAR DOC SHORTLIST: THE COVE & FOOD, INC. IN; TYSON & CAPITALISM OUT

  Jason Guerrasio

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:42 pm

  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have announced the 15 films that have made the shortlist for Best Documentary. Two of the most prised docs of the year made the list: Louie Psihoyos's The Cove and Robert Kenner's Food, Inc., as well as a few lesser known titles like Anders Ostergaard's Burma VJ and Matt Tyrnauer's Valentino: The Last Emperor. But surprisingly excluded were Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story and James Toback's Tyson. The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on February 2. Best Documentary Shortlist: The Beaches of Agnes Agnes Varda, director…

• READY TO RECord

  Jason Guerrasio

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:53 am

  The Sundance Institute announced today the 13 artists selected for the New Frontier section at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. These works will be shown at New Frontier on Main, open to the public Thursday, January 21 through Saturday, January 30, 2010. (The full list of artists are below.) One of the artists chosen this year is actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt (pictured), who we discovered last year has an interest in the new media/digital artists on the Web as he's created the site hitRECord.org. In the Spring 2009 issue we talked to him about the site, which at the time was still not fully…

• THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU'RE DEAD

  Howard Feinstein

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pm

  The mountain came to Mohamed. I picked up a bug that lingered and made me miserable. But I had accepted the honor of being a juror for the Kieslowski Prize at the 31st Starz Denver Film Festival, which began last week and runs through November 22. Only six foreign-language films were competing for our votes, and, either at other festivals or through the kindness of European sales agents, I had seen them all. (The prize is sponsored by Screen, for which I am a reviewer.) Something told me I should cover myself as a journalist just in case I didn’t heal in time, since I had promised to cover…

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  indieWIRE

• Ira Glass & Julien Temple at IDFA: Have Fun, Break Rules

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:36 pm

  Serious movies with weighty international topics gave way to laughter (and even some tears) today after the Saturday skies cleared and the temperature warmed up a bit here in The Netherlands. British filmmaker Julien Temple sipped red wine while lecturing this afternoon at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and earlier in the day American radio star Ira Glass drank from a can of Red Bull to counter jet lag at …

• Academy Sets Animated Short Shortlist

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:02 pm

  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 82nd Academy Awards. Thirty-seven pictures had originally qualified in the category. The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting in screenings held in New York and Los Angeles.  Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will …

• Werner Explains It All: 10 Herzogian Insights

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:36 am

  EDITOR’S NOTE: This feature was originally published as part of indieWIRE’s coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival. Herzog’s “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” is being released in theaters across North America today. Werner Herzog has been the subject of much curiosity at the Toronto Film Festival.  He has two films - both centered around policeman - screening at the festival in “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” …

• B.O. of the ‘00s: The Top Grossing Foreign-Language Films

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:56 am

  The 2010s are fast approaching - 41 days and counting - and indieWIRE is continuing this weekly Friday chart devoted to glancing back at the past ten years.  With a film opening each weekend as a starting point, we’re charting various sub-categories of 2000s film, focusing on their North American box office performance.  This week, with both Pedro Almodovar’s “Broken Embraces” and John Woo’s “Red Cliff” opening in theaters, iW decided …

• IDFA: Emotional Start to World’s Most Important Doc Fest

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:55 am

  Veteran directors Frederic Wiseman, D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus are among the documentary mavericks attending the 22nds International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), which opened last night in the Netherlands’ largest city. The festival is considered the most important in the world for spotlighting non-fiction film, debuting such movies as “Afghan Star” and “Burma VJ” last year before those films headed to Sundance and the North American festival circuit. Festival programmers …

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  Filmmaker.com

• Free Screenwriting Software Celtx Updates to Version 2.5.1

  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. Update 11/15/09: 2.5.1 Released. Bugs addressed: 1. Windows crashes when canceling add image dialog. If you cancel the add image dialog…

• 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

• Millions of film makers can be heard over the Internet but who is listening to them?

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:51 am

  The unprecedented power of the Internet is threatening to bring down traditional barriers in the most closed industry in the world - the film industry.

• Win a Free Production Kit with EDIUS

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:51 am

  Grass Valley, publishers of EDIUS, have put some nice kit on the table. All you need to do is flex your creative muscles and produce a short commercial for the software, and the kit could be yours.

• Video Hosting Site Quality Comparison

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:51 am

  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

  22 Oct 2009 | 3:51 am

  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'

  4 Oct 2009 | 3:51 am

  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.

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  Google News: Film-making

• 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' earns $72.7 mn, breaks opening day record - India Business Blog (blog)

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:47 pm

  Globe and Mail'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' earns $72.7 mn, breaks opening day recordIndia Business Blog (blog)Weitz, who had also directed 'About A Boy And The Golden Compass', admits he has been put off filmmaking... 'Twilight' vampires send Harry Potter to the The Twilight Saga: New MoonGapers Block (blog)'Twilight: New Moon': Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner bring New York Daily NewsTwilight New Moon Review: Faithfully VapidTheHDRoomFilm School Rejects (blog) -Broward New Times -Movieline (blog)all 5,650 news articles »

• Cormac McCarthy's harsh tales a hit in Hollywood - Arizona Republic

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:39 pm

  St. Louis Post-DispatchCormac McCarthy's harsh tales a hit in HollywoodArizona Republic"Also, I think McCarthy's disdain for the normal rules of usage for punctuation appeals to filmmakers. You can't film a semicolon anyway. Literary Knoxville: 'The Road' film wins McCarthy's approval, but will it sell?Knoxville News SentinelRoad worthyNationalall 88 news articles »

• New Documentary Challenges Gore's 'Inconvenient Truth' on Global Warming - FOXNews

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:18 am

  New Documentary Challenges Gore's 'Inconvenient Truth' on Global WarmingFOXNewsMcElhinney, McAleer's filmmaking partner, said Gore, while doing research for his newly released book, "Our Choice," asked a scientist to dial back the and more »

• Elissa Down, Rising Australian Filmmaker - Philippine Star

  21 Nov 2009 | 9:44 am

  Elissa Down, Rising Australian FilmmakerPhilippine StarThey hold the magic wand, the filmmakers. I recently had the chance to interview award-winning Australian filmmaker Elissa Down. This was in connection with

• Canadian filmmaker gets OK, but he may not come - DesMoinesRegister.com

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am

  Canadian filmmaker gets OK, but he may not comeDesMoinesRegister.comA Canadian filmmaker and his partners received enough assurance Friday from a Polk County judge to get and more »

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  Topix: Film-making

• Francophone Film Festival gets new home

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:58 pm

  Andrec Blouin from the Canadian High Commission raps with Haitian Charge d'Affaires Max Alce and president of the Alliance Francaise, Gilou Bauer.

• A Serious Man

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:47 pm

  The Coen brothers' latest, which is set in their home state and draws on their Jewish upbringing, is by turns hilarious and bleak, says Philip French Sunday, 22 November 2009 Joel and Ethan Coen, the first and still the most distinguished of the succession of recent film-making partnerships between American brothers, were born and raised in the ...

• Rani, Kajol are good, but not Katrina: Basu Chatterjee

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pm

  Veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, famous for evergreen hits like 'Chhoti Si Baat' and 'Rajnigandha', finds Rani Mukherjee and Kajol the best among the current lot of Bollywood actresses.

• Ranbir Kapoor tipped as Bollywood's next male superstar

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:18 pm

  For years, Amitabh Bachchan and the three Khans - Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman - have been Bollywood's leading male actors.

• Not Evil, Just Wrong

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:12 pm

  Jude at 4:40 PM If you've been waiting for a guest of the show to talk more quickly than Andrew Breitbart, then yesterday was your day.

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  Yahoo! News: Film-making

• Sabah can produce quality filmmakers, says Yee (Sabah Daily Express)

  21 Nov 2009 | 11:41 pm

  Kota Kinabalu: Sabah will be able to produce filmmakers who can compete both on the local and international stage if more effort is made to generate interest on the art of film-making from school level.

• Rani, Kajol are among Basu Chatterjee's favourite (Hindustan Times)

  21 Nov 2009 | 11:15 pm

  Veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, famous for evergreen hits like Chhoti Si Baat and Rajnigandha , finds Rani Mukherjee and Kajol the best among the current lot of Bollywood actresses.

• Is James Cameron's $500m 3D blockbuster Avatar set to revolutionise cinema? (Daily Mail)

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:07 pm

  It's been 12 years since his Titanic rewrote the movie record books - and now James Cameron's back with the first 3D blockbuster, Avatar. Rob Waugh begins Live magazine's special by asking: will the most expensive film of all time really revolutionise cinema?

• Around Alamo: Alamo native making a splash on the little and big screen (Walnut Creek Journal)

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:59 pm

  'Nash Bridges" was the last television series filmed in Northern California, so folks are excited about the new series "Trauma," which is shot at Treasure Island and around the Bay Area.

• Saif Ali Khan: We haven't sold our souls for KURBAAN (Glamsham.com)

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:13 am

  KURBAAN has released and the industry is already upbeat with the prospects of the film doing well at the box office. Producer Karan Johar is experimenting with diverse genres and his WAKE UP SID has already turned out to be a sleeper hit a few weeks back. Now with KURBAAN, he takes a far more commercial route while telling the kind of story that doesn't deviate from the ethos of Dharma ...

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  Filmmaking Central

• FilmmakingCentral Episode 111 AFM

  Dave

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:24 pm

  Greetings! Wow I am back podcasting from a long much needed hiatus! I have to admit I was a little nervous getting in front of the mic! This is episode 111!Today I discuss my recent visit to the American Film Market! Make sure you join the newsletter so you will get an invite to our live [...]

• Filmmaking Central Episode 8 09 – Backing it up!

  Dave

  17 Jun 2009 | 5:12 pm

  I am really behind on my backup work flow. I usually just save a copy on my hard drive and that's it. I knew I needed some help here so I asked my friend Carey Dissmore to chime in and get us up to date! We spend the next hour discussing many different options. Enjoy! Download Links Vantec [...]

• Filmmaking Central Episode 7 09

  Dave

  29 Apr 2009 | 1:38 pm

  Welcome! FMC's second live show was a blast! I invited Carey Dissmore and Ko Maruyama on to discuss the NAB Show. Also joining us is Jim Geduldick from FinalCutUser.com. We discuss some of our top picks and events from the show. Join us on our next show live at BlogTalkRadio. The show is also posted [...]

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  Fest21.com: Editor's Blog

• The 11th IFF Bratislava announces its line up

  editor

  21 Nov 2009 | 11:03 am

  The program part ‘Competitions' will bring two novelties during this year`s festival. Besides the Competition of Feature Films the festival will also offer Competition of Documentary Films and Competition of Short Films. The aim of the festival is to fill up the empty space in Slovak distribution, to present the best of the international documentary works, and also give space to young talents. The 11th IFF Bratislava enriches its program by two competitive sections - Competition of Documentary Films and Competition of Short Films. Each of the three competitive sections has its own jury who…

• Opening Night ADFF African Diaspora Film Festival

  editor

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:45 am

  Celebrating African Talent in frontof and behind the camera during the 2009 African Diaspora Film Festival This year was FESPACO year, the festival was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Fasofrom February 28 to March 7, 2009. The Golden Yennenga Stallion went to "Teza"by Haile Gerima and the Silver Yennenga Stallion was awarded to "Nothing butthe Truth" by internationally recognized, multiple award-winningSouth African actor/director John Kani. In "Saturday Night in the Palace"(1987) John Kani's character is a family man who deals with petty and cruel racismwith a…

• 2009 Nihilist Film Fest Comes to Echo Park Film Center

  editor

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:17 am

  For the eleventh year, the Nihilist Cultural Foundation presents the Nihilist International Film Festival.  This year's evening of films will be presented at the Echo Park Film Center.  The show will start at 7:30 pm on Sunday, December 20. The festival includes two hours of short films from around the country and around the world.  The films range from troubling to hilarious, from profound to completely silly.  Pretty much, something for everyone (except children and clergy). Festival Director Elisha Shapiro commented, "If you are tired of all those ‘namby-pamby' film festivals…

• Tallinn Black Nights Fest announced the international competition programmes

  editor

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:45 am

  13th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) published today the competition programme. EurAsia competition programme which takes place sixth year presents 21 movies. Official competition programme EurAsia:   MOON / Dir: Duncan Jones / Great Britain NEM VAGYOK A BARATOD / I AM NOT YOUR FRIENDDir: György Palfi / Hungary ENTER THE VOID / Dir: Gaspar Noe / France, Germany KASI AZ KORBEHAYE IRANI KHABAR NADAREH / NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS / Dir: Bahman Ghobadi / Iran KUKI NINGYO / AIR DOLLDir: Hirokazu Kore-Eda / Japan ALTIPLANO / Dir: Peter Brosens, Jessica Hope Woodworth /…

• Nicolas Philibert and Marcel Lozinski at DocPoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival

  editor

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:42 am

  Acknowledged filmmakers, French Nicolas Philibert and Polish Marcel Lozinski, will be attending DocPoint Festival as honoured guests. The 9th DocPoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival takes place on the 26th-31st of January 2010.   The festival programme will include a comprehensive retrospective of Lozinski's work. Academy Award nominated Marcel Lozinski has been a productive filmmaker since 1972. In his documentaries Lozinski potrays people living under socialism and questioned the prevailing social conditions. He is a lecturer at Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing and…

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  Fest21.com: Blog

• Film festivals in Morocco

  fest21

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:49 am

  Are you looking for film festivals in Morocco? 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=Morocco&fil... You can also search festivals accepting film submission on fest21.com If your festival is not yet listed in our festivals directory, please click here.

• Film festivals in Netherlands

  fest21

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:48 am

  Are you looking for film festivals in Netherlands? 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=Netherlands... You can also search festivals accepting film submission on fest21.com If your festival is not yet listed in our festivals directory, please click here.

• Film festivals in New Zealand

  fest21

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:47 am

  Are you looking for film festivals in New Zealand? 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=New+Zealand... You can also search festivals accepting film submission on fest21.com If your festival is not yet listed in our festivals directory, please click here.

• Film festivals in Norway

  fest21

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:47 am

  Are you looking for film festivals in Norway? 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=Norway&filt... You can also search festivals accepting film submission on fest21.com If your festival is not yet listed in our festivals directory, please click here.

• Film festivals in Pakistan

  fest21

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:46 am

  Are you looking for film festivals in Pakistan? 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=Pakistan&fi... You can also search festivals accepting film submission on fest21.com If your festival is not yet listed in our festivals directory, please click here.

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  DVXuser Online Community

• Theme Related Inspriation / Research

  Jack Daniel Stanley

  22 Nov 2009 | 12:40 am

  If you guys post stuff here, as the thread grows, I'll add links to your posts in the first post or add the links themselves to the first post. Here's something to start you off. Betrayal quotes: http://www.finestquotes.com/select_q...yal-page-0.htm

• Frezzi On Camera Light Broken

  L Train

  22 Nov 2009 | 12:10 am

  While out filming tonight something knocked the heck out of my Frezzi on camera light. It shattered the reflective dome around the actual bulb. I got soooo lucky that it didn't hit my camera or fish eye. After taking out the pieces of glass, the light still worked. So, I know there's nothing wrong with the wiring or the light itself. But I need to buy a new bulb. Here's pictures. I realized that the 2 posts sticking out need to be pulled out as they broke off from the bulb. It's a 75w dimmer. I'm pretty sure this is the bulb that broke but I want to make sure.

• blcak friday is coming!

  niceday

  21 Nov 2009 | 11:51 pm

  hello guys: good Sunday.what are you going to buy on black friday? share with us.:2vrolijk_08:

• HVX200 & FCP 6 Problem

  newacepro

  21 Nov 2009 | 11:18 pm

  Hi there, I am a new hvx user and have been getting used to panasonic's layout for the past couple of days. When I go to the log and transfer window in fcp, it shows the correct exposer. Once the clip is transferred from the camera and is in the browser/timeline the contrast is way darker than what is shown in the log and transfer window. I asked this in the HVX200 section, and they said this is a fcp/mac problem that has been reported before, and to come here for help. I hope you guys can help me out :smile:

• A-Data Card Failures

  Denwa

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:42 pm

  I recently suffered a corrupt A-Data 32gb turbo series card after it's third use (losing a clients footage in the process). Just wondering how prevalent this is.

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  Motion Served

• Illusional journey of time

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pm

  Projected images on a surface will become flat, except for images that have been projected with three-dimensional hologram projectors. However, when a set of two-dimensional images meet perpendicularly, it develops a three-dimensional quality. I have explored ways of folding moving images just like folding paper to create a three-dimensional object. Through a set of experiments, with sound as a catalyst, creating a three-dimensional environment using two-dimensional motion pictures was the goal. The final project creates a fundamental structure which uses space as a framework for motion…

• The Itch

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

  Three of my friends and me made our first short animation in 2008 spring. We came up with our group name: Zahk, which contains all of our group members initial. When i look at this animation now, it is very immature, but at the time we had a lot of fun making it.

• NRMA commercial

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  Commercial for the Australian equivalent to the AA in the UK. Agency: MC Saatchi Director: Nick Scott

• Sync. Visuals by Syncronic Arts, music by Surit

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pm

• ITELLA - Lightbulb

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pm

• 
  Projector Films

• Filmmaking and Gamemaking - the difference

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:21 am

  It seems to me that the difference between creating linear material (Film, TV) and interactive material (Games, large web apps) is to do with collaboration.Both involve working together closely. Both require collaboration on a high level. But the nature of how this works is vastly different.With films you have a much more linear process, as well as a linear narrative. You write, shoot and edit in order (normally, but not always I know) and you get through the various tasks together. Everyone shoots one scene and then moves on.With games it much more like the whole process is happening all at…

• How to write in a foreign language

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:08 pm

  As promised last time, another scriptwriting top tip from 'out there and doing it' hero James Schamus.He co-wrote the film "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" which is, if you don't know, in Mandarin. So how do you write a film for an Eastern audience when you are a Westerner? The dialogue itself can be translated easily enough, but the words themselves are not the issue. Surely it is the cultural subtleties that would be harder to get right?James' solution was to immerse himself in culture, to read about it, to study it. After that he felt confident to tackle the first draft. So, did this work?

• One of my heroes - James Schamus

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:11 pm

  It was great to hear one of my heroes give a talk at the recent Speechwriters Festival - James Schamus. Why is a hero to me? Because he has that 'generalist' approach to life - of wanting to explore everything he can do. He is a writer, famous for working with Ang Lee (also pictured above) but much more than that. He also (according to wikipedia) is a published film historian, currently holds a faculty position at Columbia University and is the head of the film company Focus Features. Not bad. Any one of those things would normally be enough to hold someone in high regard. Here are some…

• 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…

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  Making The Movie

• Your Weekend Viewing: World's 2nd Largest Aquarium

  J. Ott

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:42 am

  More from filmmaker Jon Rawlinson.

• The Road's Post-Apocalyptic Product Placement

  J. Ott

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:17 am

  People are getting their knickers in a twist, but apparently the filmmakers are just being faithful to the original Cormac McCarthy novel's Coca Cola ad:Reports from early screenings are surfacing that scenes including "product placements" in the film, especially one with a can of Coca-Cola, are drawing groans. But as the film's director John Hilcoat explains, he was just being loyal to the

• Your Weekend Viewing: Stuck in Motion

  J. Ott

  14 Nov 2009 | 1:53 pm

  Stuck In Motion - from Trey Ratcliff's Stuck in Customs photography blog300fps played back at 30fps. Hypnotic.

• Website Review: EffectsPortal.net

  J. Ott

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:34 am

  Webmaster Ben Nash wrote to me to let me know about his new website, effectsportal.net. Effectsportal fills a great niche in tutorials - with both practical and digital solutions side by side - and, the best part, all tutorials are available free.The first one I checked out was on DIY green screens. It has some recommendations for going cheap with matte green paint. There's a handy chart on

• Takedown of Screenwriting Guru Robert McKee

  J. Ott

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am

  Jason Zinoman writing in Vanity Fair:The emperor here is not naked, but he is showing some skin through his loosely tied robe, and when the subject turns to horror, the silky-smooth garment collapses around his ankles.--November 2009: Jason Zinoman on Robert Mckee | vanityfair.comI've read a lot of the screenwriting books. I think McKee's Story is better than most. He's more flexible, less

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  Kino-Eye.com

• Seven RSS feeds of interest to New England documentary filmmakers

  David Tames

  7 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pm

  Here are seven RSS feeds that I think will be of interest to New England documentary filmmakers. These suggestions come out of the discussion that took place today during theSocial Media Boot Camp for Film Professionals with Sean Fitzroy held at MassArt. There are many good feeds out there, this list is by no means [...] Visit the Kino-Eye.com web site for the full article and more.

• 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.

• 
  Film Directing Tips

• Luminave Films is dedicated to making films that are produced by, for, and/or show women in a positive light.

  Peter D. Marshall

  21 Nov 2009 | 9:23 am

  Jenn Page founded Luminave Films with the goal to create great projects for women to star in, produce, direct, and even crew on.  She was determined to make a female friendly production company where women could be given free reign to create whatever their hearts could dream up. The culmination of wanting to give women a safe, creative environment, the desire to help actors needing reel material, and all the years of working for other people in the industry led to the creation of  Luminave Films. Please check out Jenn Page and her website, Luminave Films.

• Hollywood studios in midst of their own horror show

  Peter D. Marshall

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:18 am

  “The recent firings and hirings of studio executives at Disney, Universal and elsewhere point to a widespread corporate panic amid sharp declines in DVD sales.” Read this article from LA Times. The Ten Commandments of Filmmaking How to Work (and Survive) in the Film and Television Industry by Peter D. Marshall

• Daily Om: The Reciprocal Flow of Abundance – Giving Without Expectations

  Peter D. Marshall

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:50 am

  “Since giving and receiving are so intimately intertwined in our lives, we often expect that we can attract abundance by simply conducting ourselves in an openhanded fashion. Yet we find ourselves wallowing in disappointment when our ample generosity is not met with the expected results. The answer to this quandary lies in the expectations that, in part, initially prompted us to give. Though our intention is likely pure, we can unintentionally mar the beautiful experience of giving by focusing on what we will eventually receive in return. When we let go of the notion that we deserve to…

• Welcome to the New World of Film Distribution – Part Two

  Peter D. Marshall

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:18 am

  “This article is a sequel to my report, “Welcome to the New World of Distribution,” which was published exactly a year ago in indieWIRE. Since the report appeared, the Old World of Distribution has continued to decline. Filmmakers making Old World deals (in which they give all of their distribution rights to one company for up to 25 years) are ending up dissatisfied. Producers and directors who succeeded in the Old World are now telling me that the traditional distribution system is broken and that they are determined to find a new approach.” Read this article from Peter…

• Horror Flick Counts On Web To Ensure Release

  Peter D. Marshall

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:17 am

  “It’s October, and that means Halloween. And Halloween means horror films. One of the most innovative and spooky horror movies I’ve seen in a long, long time is indie flick Paranormal Activity. I’m a bit of a connoisseur of horror movies, and I caught the ultra-low budget PA when it was making the film festival rounds last year. I was immediately struck by the movie’s Blair Witch verite style and slow-creep pacing. It tells the story of a young couple’s descent into suburban terror by combining the best of “new,” meta film-making technique…

• 
  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

• 
  Bringing Brands to Life!

• Employee Engagement Lessons from Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” Part 2

  Thomas R. Clifford

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:07 am

  Here’s part two of my conversation with Ellen McGirt, Senior Writer for Fast Company magazine and Dean of Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” website. Part one can be found here. Thanks again, Ellen, for participating! 5. Many organizations see and hear the potential benefits of incorporating an internal social media framework into their communication strategies but are hesitant to make the leap. What would you say to these folks? Grow a spine. You’ve already lost control! You might as well have some fun. And by the way, this is the golden era of the communications professional. In…

• 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.

• 
  IFC.com

• Pennan vs. Forks, towns made touristy by movies.

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:55 am

  Today, innumerable thousands of shrieking tweens (and older counterparts who really should know better) will descend on the nation's multiplexes, baying for "New Moon" blood. The phenomenon isn't limited to theaters: Forks, Washington -- where Stephanie Meyer set her novel without ever visiting -- has seen tourism jump way up, from 18,000 visitors in 2008 to more than 64,000 this year alone. Twihards come in hoards, over 100 a day, desperate for a scrap of town memorabilia, stealing dropped library cards and offering cheerleaders cash for their uniforms. It's all very impressive and…

• Fellini: The Ride.

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Here in America, we have solid theme park rides based on movies that, for the most part, make sense, like Universal Studios' "E.T. Adventure," or the "Wayne's World" roller coaster "Hurler" (since sold and de-"Wayne"'d by Paramount, but still). But in Rome, they're building a ride based on the Fellini film "City of Women." Yes, in an effort to shore up tourism in the city, Cinecittà Studios is going to give us Cinecittà World -- 400 acres of themed fun for the whole family, based on the many movies that have shot at the legendary studios over the year. Since there's some 630 titles to…

• Jeanne-Claude, 1935-2009.

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Jeanne-Claude -- Christo's collaborator and partner -- died today in Manhattan at the age of 74. It was fitting, in a way, not only because the artist pair have been residents of the city since 1964, but because their last big completed project was "The Gates," which turned Central Park's walkways into a series of orange vinyl doorways and drapes, portways of color livening up an especially dreary winter. Christo and Jeanne-Claude have been shorthanded as the people who "wrap" things, which only goes so far. A bigger part of their projects was to rendering the familiar temporarily strange,…

• Dissecting the Oscar doc shortlist.

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:35 am

  Bemoaning the failures of the Oscars in the Best Documentary department has become an annual ritual, like spazzing about filing your income taxes or dusting off stale jokes about March Madness obsessions. So the news that this year's doc shortlist of 15 potential nominees is full of omissions and small obscurities is not a surprise. Many folks would've liked to have seen "Anvil! The Story Of Anvil," "Collapse," "Crude," "Tyson," "We Live In Public," "The September Issue" or "It Might Get Loud" on the list. So it goes. Some of those omissions are reasonable -- there's not much in "Tyson" you…

• The Werner Herzog, Jr. awards.

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  "The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" open Friday, Werner Herzog's supposed latest exercise in unhinged lunacy. But as a colleague observed after a screening, "If you didn't know going in Herzog had made it, would you be able to tell?" I'd say probably not: there's none of his trademark stunning footage that was clearly dangerous to get. It's understandable that at 67, Herzog hasn't really endangered himself of late. But who are the filmmakers willing to take up his mantle of unusually arduous and potentially hazardous shooting? Some nominees: Benjamin Gilmour ("Son of a Lion")…

• 
  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"

• 
  Directors Notes

• DN EP 148: Machan – Uberto Pasolini

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:24 pm

  After reading about a group of desperate slum dwellers from Sri Lanka who daringly posed as the non-existent national handball team in order to secure their passage out of the country, producer Uberto Pasolini decided to temporarily sit in the director’s chair to bring their true life story to the big screen. Showlinks Machan The Full Monty Related Posts Machan – Uberto Pasolini DN LFF08: Quick Gun Murugan – Shashank Ghosh INSIDE THE CIRCLE Breakin’ Convention Screening Hotel Harabati Competition DN Special: Joy Division – Grant Gee

• Machan – Uberto Pasolini

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Machan (2008) Based on a true story, this tragicomical tale tells the story of a sports team with a difference… Living on the margins of society, under impossible pressures, a group of desperate slum dwellers find an invitation to a handball tournament in Bavaria, Germany. This one-way ticket to the West could be the answer to their prayers and a solution to all their problems…  Related Posts DN EP 148: Machan – Uberto Pasolini We Dreamed America – Alex Walker Tokyo Cowboys – Daneeta Loretta Saft & Patrick Jackson They Turned Our Desert Into Fire –…

• Filmstock: This One Goes to 11

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  13 Nov 2009 | 6:16 am

  You know the sinking, gut wrenching feeling you get when your favourite TV show up and quits at the height of its success, or that band you love and adore call it a day after just a couple of kick arse albums? Well that’s something I’d always presumed wasn’t a worry I’d ever need to have when it came to film festivals but no, Filmstock, DN’s festival of choice will be no more after this weekend! I sat down with co-founders/directors Neil Fox & Justin Doherty to chat over how Filmstock has developed over the years and why they weren’t joking back in…

• Doc/Fest 09 – Attack of the 50 Foot Reels

  directorsnotes@googlemail.com (MarBelle)

  7 Nov 2009 | 10:46 am

  In the third installment of our daily Doc/Fest gems, Super 8 legend Norwood Cheek takes us through the Attack of the 50 Foot Reels filmmaking challenge. . A Buzz Films Production Related Posts Doc/Fest 09 – The International Pitch Doc/Fest 09 – Crossover Summit Doc/Fest 08 Vod03 – Daisy Asquith Doc/Fest 08 Vod02 – Emily James Doc/Fest 08 Vod01 – Lee Kern

• 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 09 – Attack of the 50 Foot Reels Doc/Fest 08 Vod03 – Daisy Asquith Doc/Fest 08 Vod02 – Emily James Doc/Fest 08 Vod01 – Lee Kern

• 
  Cinematical

• Trailer Park: Of Snakey Hair and Moody Teens

  Matt Bradshaw

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:02 pm

  Percy Jackson & the Olylmpians: The Lightning Thief You go years without seeing Medusa and then all of a sudden we get two in one week. Percy Jackson is a descendant of both mortals and greek gods, and apparently his lineage comes with some way cool powers and some fearsome villains who want to do him in (among which is Uma Thurman as the aforementioned Medusa). Based on a series of books and directed by Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two Harry Potter films, this looks like it could be some good escapist teen fun, though not quite on the same level as Harry Potter. Watch for this on…

• Making The (Up) Grade: Rocky

  Todd Gilchrist

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

  While new Blu-rays of old movies are sometimes dubious replacements for prior editions (hence the need for this column), box sets released in the high-definition format have thus far been fairly helpful, at least in terms of shelf space: many or most of them forego a lot of the frills and flourishes of their standard-definition iterations in favor of more streamlined packaging. Unfortunately, that's also sometimes extended to their extras, thanks in no small part to the legal entanglements of transferring commentaries and bonus content from one format to another. Both Warner Brothers and Fox…

• 'Avatar' Watch: Running Time Announced and New Featurettes

  Erik Davis

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am

  Though early rumors suggested the film was going to clock in at over three hours, 20th Century Fox claims James Cameron's Avatar will instead clock in at 150 minutes (or 2.5 hours), or about 156 minutes if you count the credits. The main reason why the film will run under three hours is because of the IMAX showings. Avatar will open in about 180 domestic IMAX theaters on December 18th, and because of the way the IMAX system is set up, the theaters that aren't converted over to digital projection can only hold about 170 minutes worth of film. But while Cameron's final edit came in…

• 'New Moon' Smashes 'Dark Knight's' Opening Day Record!

  Erik Davis

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  According to ERC, The Twilight Saga: New Moon sold roughly $71 million (Variety is reporting $72.7 million) worth of tickets on its opening day -- a number that, if correct, far surpasses the current opening day box office record of $67 million set by The Dark Knight back in 2008. With its $26 million take in midnight showings, that gives the second installment in the Twilight franchise two pretty giant records: Best Midnight Opening and Best Single Day Opening. Next up for the franchise is the three-day opening weekend record, also held by The Dark Knight with $158 million. So what does this…

• Right Now on TV Squad

  Matt Bradshaw

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:02 am

  Our brothers and sisters over at TV Squad have busted through the boob tube and brought with them the following juicy bits of must-see eye candy. Gird your loins, folks, Lost finally has a premiere date! Check out this latest installment of the TV Squad podcast. Joel Keller answers listener mail, covers AMC's The Prisoner, and discusses James Franco's guest stint on General Hospital. Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force is going to be returning with a special Christmas episode on December 13. Remember that contest to create the newest Simpsons character? Well, they've announced a winner.

• 
  DIY Filmmaker

• Date Number One screenings at Aeon Logic Art Gallery, NYC - December 2009

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:50 pm

  Start Over - Date Number One Story 1 from Sujewa Ekanayake on Vimeo.DATE NUMBER ONEa comedy about several first datesa film by sujewa ekanayakeDecember 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 30Every Wed & Fri of December (except 12/25 Fri)7 PM (doors at 6, opening act at 6:30)Aeon Logic Art Gallery4 Malcolm X Boulevard(Malcolm X & Broadway, Bed-Stuy, nearest subway: Kosciuzko Street on the J line, map)Brooklyn, New York 11221$5*Event contact: Sujewa Ekanayake, 240-354-3394, wilddiner@aol.comWebsite: http://datenumberone08.blogspot.com/*About Date Number One:A writer,A ninja,A woman who is working…

• Machan review at Sri Lankan Film Critics blog

  21 Nov 2009 | 7:34 pm

  While searching for stuff on Machan found this blog - Sri Lankan Film Critics - check it out.

• National Economy

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:11 pm

  Interesting web page - National Economy - check it out.

• Clip from My Dinner With Andre

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:20 pm

• Saw Machan (awesome) :: View review quote & link

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:17 pm

  Just saw the Italian/German/Sri Lankan illegal immigration & sports adventure comedy-drama Machan (not in the best possible viewing formats, and it has not been made available in the US yet, so, will post US release info when I find it) - liked the movie a lot; flick's got a lot of surprisingly funny & achingly sad moments that come out of nowhere (anyone who knows a bit about recent events in Sri Lanka will feel some pain in one unexpected scene in act 3) - altogether an excellent story of the modern times. Anyone who wonders about illegal immigration should see this movie (also, the…

• 
  Bright Lights After Dark

• Tortured Longing is the new coke

  Erich Kuersten

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:27 pm

  I can feel the Twilight zeitgeist in the air tonight, perhaps it's because I live across from the cinema and the line around the block and I hear them out there, howling. Maybe I'm too sensitive but the liberal arts feminist in me digs it, baby. It's TWIN PEAKS kind of foggy mellow, with purple mountain majesty. I dig Kristen Stewart's pouty expressions, my inner 13-year old girl swoons with the idea of a daemonic protector, a nice inversion of my own older male anima relations.This concept of inverted ego/animus ratio works in context of the film's relation to the rest of Hollywood's…

• Antichrist's Cine-Chthonic Relations

  Erich Kuersten

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pm

  I'm shocked SHOCKED to find the modern masterpiece of 2009, ANTICHRIST, getting such hostile reviews. Why? Call me off the wall but I'm betting a) a lot of critics just don't know much about film history; b) Camille Paglia has fallen from grace in modern academia; c) Many critics never did learn the difference between "exploring" issues of misogyny and actually "being" misogynist, i.e. objectifying (VERTIGO Vs. PORKY'S, for example).Perhaps Von Trier's films are so polarizing because they rave against cinema and sexuality like an apocalypse of seeing. Compare the much higher reception for…

• The Unknown Paul Wendkos (1925-2009)

  C. Jerry Kutner

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:47 am

  I just learned, via Peter Nellhaus, of the passing of one of America's most obscure-but-talented directors, Paul Wendkos.Wendkos would be far better known today if his first film, the great low-budget noir, The Burglar (1956), were more readily available. The Burglar, an unabashedly arty film based on the David Goodis novel of the same name, starred Dan Duryea in the title role, and Jayne Mansfield as his ward (a serious acting role that preceded her "bombshell" period). A fatalistic heist film clearly influenced by Orson Welles, particularly The Lady From Shanghai, The Burglar ends at an…

• Brothers in Cynicism

  Lee Weston Sabo

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:02 am

  Every time a new film by the Coen brothers comes out, I dread having to hear from the same old so-and-so's who can't bear to slog through the Coens' peculiar brand of pessimism. The words "bleak" and "cynical" often pepper their reviews rather liberally, along with some gasp of regret that the brothers don't seem to have much sympathy for their characters. Jonathan Rosenbaum called their style "pop nihilism", and not in a positive sense. Before the release of their newest film, A Serious Man, I could practically hear them sharpening their claws.As a die-hard fan of the Coen brothers, it's not…

• Carl Dreyer says Drive Safely and Save Lives!

  C. Jerry Kutner

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:16 pm

  They Caught the Ferry (1948) is a short highway safety film – much like the ones we used to watch in Drivers Ed. - produced by the Danish Film Commission, and directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, the legendary auteur of The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Vampyr (1932), Day of Wrath (1943), Ordet (The Word, 1955), and Gertrud (1964).It’s a macabre little story about a young couple on a motorcycle frantically racing across the countryside from one ferryboat to another. (When they stop at a rural gas station, fans of Scandinavian cinema might expect to see Max von Sydow manning the pump – as…

• 
  Motionographer

• LUIS by Diluvio

  Babe Baker

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:34 pm

  LUIS by Diluvio Posted on Motionographer

• Assassin’s Creed II “Eyes”

  Justin Cone

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:28 pm

  Simple concept, elegant execution. Directed by Andrew Douglas (Anonymous Content) via ad agency Cutwater with post-production by Digital Domain. Posted on Motionographer

• 28cents

  Justin Cone

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pm

  28Cents is a set of limited-edition postcards by 24 of today’s most talented illustrators, artists and designers. All profits from card sales benefit Art Start. Posted on Motionographer

• Bavaria Beer “Drop”

  Justin Cone

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pm

  Amsterdam-based agency Selmore selected Matthijs van Heijningen (Bonkers) to direct this epic tale of a water drop’s lifelong mission to join his breathren as a pint of Bavaria Beer. While the denouement in chuckle-worthy and nicely paced, the real replay value comes from the lush CG work from Eight VFX. Each scene is fully realized and full of nearly tangible depth. As an aside: the concept reminds me of a bit of a photo-realistic retelling of the oft-admired Guinness “Dot” spot from Psyop and agency IIBBDO Dublin. Credits Agency: Selmore Art Director: Jarr Geerligs…

• Shiny Suds!

  Bran Dougherty-Johnson

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:14 pm

  Shiny Suds! Posted on Motionographer

• 
  Totally Unauthorized

• New and improved.

  Peggy Archer

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:04 am

  Our few days a week unit has a new gaffer, which isn’t a bad thing. New gaffers mean new connections and the potential of more jobs down the road – but there’s always a period of, well, newness. We all knew how to read our old gaffer (who has gotten a TV show of his own and we’re all thrilled for him. Full time gigs are a wonderful thing) – when he needed coffee (and how many sugars he liked), when he was joking, when he wasn’t and we needed to really hustle, etc… We don’t know the new guy (who is very nice and we like him a lot) that well, so…

• Friday Photo

  Peggy Archer

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:58 pm

  One of the things that sound mixers have to deal with is shoe noises. Sometimes, the shoes that make actors look super sexy also make a godawful amount of noise on hard floors. If the actors’ feet aren’t going to be in frame, then usually the sound folks just put down matting (it’s rubber matting with all-weather carpet on one side) on the floor, or have the actors wear slippers instead of regular shoes, but if the camera sees the floor then that’s obviously not an option. Usually, then they’ll pad the bottoms of the shoes so they don’t make noise, but high…

• Who, me?

  Peggy Archer

  9 Nov 2009 | 7:49 pm

  LAist, in a clearly misguided attempt to maintain some stylistic consistency, a modicum of professionalism, and minimize lawsuits, tend to edit the holy hell out of everything I write for them. Therefore, a much shorter (and less offensive) version of this is on their site, but here, for you, is the full piece: Enjoy! Friday night, as the cool kids gathered at the sold out Pixies show in Hollywood, I set out for Beverly Hills on a solitary mission – to attend, survive and report back from the Los Angeles Cougar Convention, held at the badly ageing Crowne Plaza Hotel. I suppose it made…

• 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…

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  Google Blog Search: Film-making

• FilmProduced.com » Blog Archive » Filmmaking Techniques, Tips ...

  admin

  22 Nov 2009 | 12:25 am

  In what is arguably the most in-depth interview on his distinguished 40-year career, Emmy® and Cannes Film Festival award-winning documentary filmmaker David Hoffman shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in this fascinating ...

• 514 Guerilla Filmmaking Part 5 « Filmmaking Videos « Videos ...

  brian

  21 Nov 2009 | 10:53 pm

  Dawson begins directing Oliver's movie with Oliver playing the lead where Dawson has to deal with Audrey (who took the leading female part) as well as her…

• Filmmaking News – 98th Edition « Filmmaking News « News ...

  richardthomas

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  Hollywood studios in midst of their own horror show « Filmmaking “The recent firings and hirings of studio executives at Disney, Universal and elsewhere…

• Filmmaking News from Digg.com – 59th Edition « Digg.com Digests ...

  bskcom2001

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:31 am

  CameronClarkFilm.com! This is the website of filmmaker and animator Cameron Clark. You can find his delightful work here. I suggest watching his animation reel…

• Filmmaking News – 97th Edition « Filmmaking News « News ...

  richardthomas

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:31 am

  Irish Massachusetts: “Blazing the Trail” depicts early Irish … The Boston Irish Film Festival is presenting a fresh new look at early Irish filmmaking with…

• 
  WordPress Tag: Filmmaking

• Make an Independent Movie on the Cheap

  ryenthelion

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:51 pm

  Make an Independent Movie on the Cheap Anyone with a camera phone and poor impulse control can be a

• Making of: Spy Games (Production)

  dorkmanscott

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:21 pm

  Welcome back you loyal checkers-of-my-blog you. The SPY GAMES series was delayed by a laptop theft combined with my gaining full-time employment, so not being able to write on the go and not having the energy to write by the time I’ve fought traffic home. (Excuses, excuses.) But my shiny replacement laptop has arrived and I’m ready to kick this pig.[1] When last we left the process, the script was written and the storyboards had been drawn by me and fixed by Brian. We finished this up at about 5 AM, with a call-time at the location of 7AM. So with nothing to do but kill an hour,…

• Greetings...

  onsmovie

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:09 pm

  This is where you will find updates on the newest film from Gorman Bechard, ONE NIGHT STAND… Sit back and enjoy the ride… (And if you like what you see, become involved…and own a DVD a full year before anyone else!  Click HERE!)    

• De Niro, Douglas,Pinter and National novel writing month.

  beverlyhillsjambo

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:05 pm

    Kirk Douglas 1949     Man oh man I been busy. This is national novel writing month. The idea is to write about 1500 words a day, without thinking about it too much and see what you get at the end of the month. The idea is you’ll have a first draft of a novel that is at least 50.000 words. Nanowrimo link. I started writing late in the month so I have had to average high-about 3,000 words a day to get to where I am now which is 35,000. It’s been fun and I’m pleased with what I have written. It’s  Mid grade story and Freddie, the hero has just escaped…

• How to make an independent film... or die trying.

  fuswork

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pm

  Movie making always seemed like such a distant unattainable idea when I was a but a lad in the 90’s.  Then one day I saw Clerks.  I couldn’t believe something like was at my local video store next to Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington movies.  Don’t get me wrong – I love Clerks.  But the production value looked like something… well… I could do. I began researching and learned the story of how Kevin Smith used credit cards to fund his $28,000 movie.  Then I read about Robert Rodriguez and how he made El Mariachi.  Still more accounts of low-budget…

• 
  Indie Film Chat News

• Test Your Movie Genius and win DVD Discounts!

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  One of the things many of us love about films is the way they cross-pollinate each other, sometimes from generation to generation and sometimes from culture to culture. You could argue that since... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• Top 10 BW Films- In Defense of BW

  17 Nov 2009 | 2:32 am

  Nowadays, black and white films are simply dismissed as “old” films, at a time when producers perhaps could not afford color film. Ted Turner, for instance, once experimented with “colorization,” a... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• DVD Review: Puzzlehead

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:27 am

  Puzzlehead is a science fiction drama starring Stephen Galaida and Robbie Shapiro. Directed by James Bai. Though science fiction is usually associated with Hollywood mega-blockbusters overrun with... IndieFilm Chat - the Main resource for independent Film Makers, distributors. Independent Film Chat, Trailers, Film Festivals, Industry News, Inside Access.

• 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.

• 
  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

• Lucky - Vancouver Film School (VFS)

  VancouverFilmSchool

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:17 pm

  Lucky - Vancouver Film School (VFS) Created by Vancouver Film School student Xavier Munguia and Arturo Manrique through the VFS Sound Design for Visual Media program. Visual Media provided by Blue Tongue Films. www.bluetonguefilms.com From: VancouverFilmSchool Views: 1138 89 ratings Time: 07:00 More in Film & Animation

• 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: 1033079 3351 ratings Time: 02:31 More in Film & Animation

• This Is It, Film Celebrates Michael Jackson's Last Tour

  blacktreemedia

  14 Sep 2009 | 11:06 pm

  This Is It, Film Celebrates Michael Jackson's Last Tour Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' Trailer: Continuing The Tradition Of King Of Pop On Film Posted 9/10/09 10:43 am ET by Kyle Anderson in Music, VMAs This Sunday's Video Music Awards just got another dose of the King of Pop. On Tuesday, MTV announced that Janet Jackson would be opening up the show with a tribute to her late brother Michael (which is already inspiring speculation and expectations among fans). The latest news is that Sunday's broadcast of the VMAs will contain the premiere of the ... From:…

• Shane Acker's '9' Short Film (2005)

  MiniModerators

  21 Aug 2009 | 8:43 pm

  Shane Acker's '9' Short Film (2005) 9 is also an upcoming computer animated feature film adapted from the short film, is produced in part by Tim Burton, Timur Bekmambetov, and Jim Lemley and is scheduled for release on September 9, 2009. The film will be released by Focus Features. To see the trailer for the film click: www.youtube.com The short film took four and a half years, on and off, to create. Acker used Maya 1.55.5, Photoshop for the textures, After Effects for compositing, and Premiere for editing. Summary; 9 is a ... From: MiniModerators Views: 62474 304 ratings Time:…

• 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: 355282 4219 ratings Time: 08:45 More…

• 
  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

• Casting Directors (Part 2): How the Film Casting Process Works

  Ross

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:32 am

  By Jane Deitch and Glenn Bexfield, Casting Directors (Bexfield Deitch Associates) “How does the film casting process actually work? is a question that as professional casting directors we are often asked: whether by up-and-coming actors seeking jobs, or by new directors and producers. In this article, we hope to provide a solid insight into the [...]

• Top Film Schools

  Ross

  14 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pm

  We have found a great list of all the US Top Film Schools (thanks to Filmschools.com) which hopefully should be a good guide. We’ll probably do some research into the more highly ranked schools at a later date. Online Programs/Multiple Locations The Art Institutes – Film Programs Academy of Art University Ames Media Institute, Online Film and Digital Media [...]

• UK Film Distributors List

  Ross

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am

  We found this great list of UK film distributors, courtesy of the independent cinema office – www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk, which we thought was worth sharing with you… 20th Century Fox Twentieth Century House 31-32 Soho Square London W1V 6AP T 020 7437 7766 F 020 7753 0037 www.fox.co.uk Major media corporation with film production and distribution arm. Recent releases include Juno and Ice Age 3. Amber Films 5 Side Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 3JE T [...]

• 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 [...]

• 
  MakingOf

• Behind the Scenes part 2

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:53 pm

  Go behind the scenes of Jason Reitman's third feature, "Up in the Air" staring George Clooney, Jason Bateman, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick.

• Behind the Scenes part 1

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:48 pm

  Go behind the scenes of Jason Reitman's third feature, "Up in the Air" staring George Clooney, Jason Bateman, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick.

• "A Chance at Something Real"

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:20 pm

  'A Chance at Something Real' - A movie clip from Jason Reitman's third feature, "Up in the Air" staring George Clooney, Jason Bateman, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick.

• 'Packing Up'

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm

  'Packing Up' - A clip from Jason Reitman's third feature, "Up in the Air" staring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick.

• "I'm Not a Tour Guide"

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  "I'm Not a Tour Guide" - A clip from Jason Reitman's third feature, "Up in the Air" staring George Clooney, Jason Bateman, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick.

• 
  The Independent

• Exhibitor FAQ: Enzian Theater

  cristina

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:19 pm

  For 25 years, Orlando area audiences have flocked to the Enzian Theater to enjoy independent films in a unique atmosphere. Instead of the usual stadium seating, the intimate Maitland, Florida art house cinema has four floors with tables for two and four. In its front section, gorgeous purple velvet captains' chairs and couches with coffee tables claim the space. read more

• 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

• 
  Atomic Vision: Photography Cinema Visual Arts

• Modelinia.com: Models 24/7

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm

  Photo by Richard AvedonIf you are a fashion/beauty photographer or if just love models (like I do)... this is a great website for you.Modelinia.com is all about models - Articles, Pictures, Videos you name it.  From Supermodels, past greats and new faces, it is all here -- Fashion shows, behind the scenes, photo shoots, parties, beauty tips, you name it.Here is are some sample videos from the website:For more videos, pictures, articles and news about models and modeling, go to http://www.modelinia.com--picture and videos from http://www.modelinia.com/

• An Opportunity to Shoot A Meteor

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pm

  If you have been wanting to photograph or video tape a meteor, tonight might be your chance. Take your cameras and tripods out, there might be an amazing meteor shower coming your way.One of the best annual meteor shows, the Leonid Meteor Shower, is happening between 1am and dawn.  NASA predicts 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas and 200 to 300 per hour over Asia.  The Leonid stream is moving in the opposite direction of Earth and produces impact speeds of 160,000 mph.  When our planet travels through the stream of debris, they vaporize and…

• Corman, Bacall and Willis Get Oscars Tonight

  14 Nov 2009 | 10:40 pm

  Indie legend Roger Corman, Actress Lauren Bacall and Cinematographer Gordon Willis are receiving their Oscar trophies tonight.For the first time, since the award was instituted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 1948, the honorary Oscars will be presented in a separate ceremony from the televised 82nd Annual Academy Awards, to be broadcasted on March 7, 2010.Together with John Calley, this year's Irving J. Thalberg Memorial Award winner, the three honorary Oscar winners will also receive their statuettes during the private Academy's inaugural…

• IPhone Mouth in Music Video

  11 Nov 2009 | 1:01 pm

  I know that the IPhone is one of the most versatile gadget out now, but this is just insane (pun intended)!I saw this first on www.handheldhollywood.com, my favorite blog for everything IPhone. The video was part of a 24-hour competition between two bands to see who could produce the most viral video. This video, by the South London band "Mirrorkicks," gets my vote! -- it is both creative and novel, I wish I came up with the idea:-)For more info on the "Mirrorkicks," go to:  http://www.mirrorkicks.com/For more info on the Viral competition, go to: …

• 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…

• 
  Truth Seekers

• A Ca(u)se de Paix / A Case for Peace

  Nidhi Zakaria

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:07 am

  In 1946, with the scarring, shameful memory of the fate of two Japanese cities forever seared onto world conscience, Bernard Baruch, representing the United States at a meeting of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, proposed to the world a...

• 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...

• 
  Grapes on a Vine

• Check Out the New Trailer for Grapes on a Vine

  Grapes on a Vine

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:35 pm

  This is the trailer for a film I wrote/directed. For more info: www.grapesonavinemovie.com

• 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 [...]

• 
  Joke and Biagio

• New Judges for Scream Queens Season 2

  Biagio

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:49 pm

  The official press release for Scream Queens season 2 hit the wire at 9am EST today. As you already know, James Gunn is off directing his movie Super, and was not available for our shooting start date (which is just days away.) Then, more sad news: as things changed creatively and schedule-wise, we learned Shawnee Smith would also be saying, “goodbye.” We love James and Shawnee to death, and rest assured, we’ll be working together with both of them again. They are like family to us. Re-Casting …at first, the big changes broke our hearts. We loved making season 1 of…

• The You List: 7 Personal Things to do Before Producing Your Project

  Biagio

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:33 am

  You’re finally going into production. Awesome. For months, you’ve planned every detail. Endured never-ending rewrites. Scoured locations. Cast meticulously. And, if you’re like us, you’ve done absolutely nothing for you. Get your Affairs in Order In our case, here we are, a mere 5 days from rolling cameras on our month-long shoot for Scream Queens season 2. For nearly 30 days, there won’t be a single day off for the two of us. Does the crew get days off? Of course. Does an Executive Producer get days off? Though we may try, the truth is usually no. Especially if you want your…

• Our Going Away Present to James Gunn: Michael Rooker and Rainn Wilson Go Shooting

  Biagio

  12 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pm

  Well, if any of you follow James Gunn’s blog, you already know, much to our deep sadness, he won’t be coming back for this season of Scream Queens. He’ll be off directing his movie SUPER, with great cast members like Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, and of course, Michael Rooker. Rainn Wilson’s Got a Gun! Apparently, Rainn Wilson will be wielding a fire-arm in this movie! So who better to teach him to shoot than everyone’s favorite tough guy, Michael Rooker–who actually OWNS a shooting range. (Yes, the guy who starred in Henry, Portrait of a Serial…

• Joke and Biagio’s Dirty Little Secrets

  Biagio

  9 Nov 2009 | 10:35 am

  How’s that for an intriguing title? David Allen, producer of the great podcasts Mac20Q and Video20Q got us to spill our guts on everything from making reality TV to how I once won $38k on a game show. David was very thorough in his questions, and even asked some tough ones. We respected him for that, and, for better or worse, just told the truth! Why is Biagio Screaming the Whole Time? I have to say though, I think I’m going to be the worst old man ever…I sound like I’m screaming my answers through the whole interview! Wait until I’m old and lose my hearing. Oh,…

• Actor Michael Rooker On Twitter

  Biagio

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  As mentioned in our ROOKER tease the other day, we’ve been working with Michael Rooker on a new scripted project we’re very excited about. Michael Rooker is Engaging his Audience We ll know many actors hire teams of people to “make them look good.” But Michael’s taking time out from his busy schedule to connect directly with fans, as he does here, to @tenindenmark, a fan from Denmark who wished him well on his recent Karate injury: Or sharing this tidbit of trivia from Henry – Portrait of a Serial Killer, with fan @AdzFilmmaker: Michael’s Reaching Out…