tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61081382008-07-03T19:59:11.336-04:00Webmasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03643468321632241172noreply@blogger.comBlogger2011125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-34670649616344034172008-07-03T19:33:00.003-04:002008-07-03T19:59:11.411-04:00

Over at Indiewire Anthony Kaufman writes about Ballast director Lance Hammer's decision to withdraw from a planned distribution deal with IFC to self-distribute via his own Alluvial Film Company along with Required Viewing. From the piece: "IFC is a really good company," Hammer told indieWIRE last week. "The problem is the larger issue that's plaguing every filmmaker right now: The distributors

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-67475353329077742822008-07-01T18:29:00.002-04:002008-07-01T18:34:32.209-04:00

You may have noticed that there hasn’t been a ton of blogging here lately, and that’s because we’ve been working hard on the Summer issue of Filmmaker. It’s our “25 New Faces” issue, and the workload on that one is particularly heavy because we look at a ton of work before making our selections. Anyway, the issue shipped to the printer today, so we’ll try to get back into the swing of regular

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-42399462771963346952008-06-23T23:14:00.004-04:002008-06-23T23:26:11.187-04:00

Remember that Phil Dick-ian John Carpenter movie, They Live? In it, a special pair of sunglasses allows you to see the world as it really is, with all of the government's subliminal messages exposed. I thought of that film while reading this blog post at Seeking Alpha entitled "How Video is Going to Take Over the World." It summarizes a Forrester research reporter claiming that we are entering

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-29195475672210304532008-06-23T22:57:00.005-04:002008-06-24T13:18:16.163-04:00

I've posted before about Hammer to Nail, the website launched this year in which Michael Tully, Mike Ryan and others are posting opinionated, passionate and politically informed reviews and commentary on independent films and the indie film scene. Today I received an email from producer Ted Hope, who announces more content at Hammer to Nail, where he, Ryan, Tully and Corbin Day will try to make

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-71007928983044793242008-06-23T21:27:00.001-04:002008-06-23T22:55:45.430-04:00

Ted Hope tipped me to this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer on this summer's empty arthouses. Several of the usual suspects are interviewed in a piece that talks about the high cost of marketing, the internet, downloads, the production glut and marketplace churn -- the practice of shuffling new titles out of theaters when they don't immediately click. Again, no magic solutions here, just

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-17252021011146458212008-06-23T21:03:00.003-04:002008-06-23T21:12:00.924-04:00

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-34988909172135255642008-06-23T17:56:00.006-04:002008-06-23T18:16:08.352-04:00

There are always unusual characters at SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival, from the eclectic staff and volunteers to diverse filmmakers and film subjects - the people watching is always outstanding. Primarily, the people-watching is in the movie theaters, although this year, Silverdocs was marked by the appearances of Spike Lee, recipient of the annual Guggenheim Award for

Rose Vincellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03731948679257352684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-23348448611800498042008-06-22T20:03:00.002-04:002008-06-22T20:09:34.298-04:00

Film Department CEO Mark Gill spoke yesterday at the L.A. Film Festival's Financing Conference, and his speech, which Indiewire is running and which is entitled "Yes, the Sky is Really Falling," is excellent. It's a must-read summation of the current crisis in the independent film business, complete with a conclusion in which Gill discusses how one can and must survive in this business. Gill

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-47266744492735920462008-06-21T22:29:00.003-04:002008-06-21T22:34:26.488-04:00

There's a good conversation going on at the always excellent blog of Jon Taplin. Entitled "Who Will the Next Fool Be," the short piece, which I'm taking the liberty of quoting in its entirety, critiques the recently announced deal in which India's Reliance may be financing Dreamworks. Here's Taplin's post: The movie business reminds me of that old Charlie Rich Tune, “Who will the next fool be?

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-75674021302262142792008-06-21T16:14:00.002-04:002008-06-21T16:26:16.235-04:00

All the industry news seems to break right when we are finishing an issue and don't have the time to properly parse it. Fortunately, Scott Kirsner is on the case at his CinemaTech blog, beating everyone to the punch with his news of SnagFilms, an interesting new distribution application that will enable filmmakers to receive ad revenue from the internet streaming of their films. More: Snag

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-5358343411385773452008-06-20T16:52:00.003-04:002008-06-20T17:00:23.238-04:00

Filmmaker is hosting blogs from several of the participants of the various Sundance Labs this summer. Here's part one of producer/director Deann Borshay Liem's (Precious Objects of Desire) from the Sundance Documentary Edit and Storytelling Lab, which runs June 21 - 28. Sometimes I refer to myself as “she.” This is because I’m a character in my own film and I have to separate who I am in

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-34389236895960578772008-06-20T16:06:00.004-04:002008-06-20T16:38:39.627-04:00

Two pieces have been published online reporting on the current financial situation at THINKFilm, owned by David Bergstein, who purchased the company along with Capitol Films in 2006. In IndieWire, Anthony Kaufman details the efforts of some filmmakers to receive the overdue minimum advances they are owed by THINK. He also gets a quote on the issue from THINKFilm CEO Mark Urman. From the piece:

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-86362664105530375562008-06-20T11:02:00.009-04:002008-06-20T11:51:11.984-04:00

According to Variety, Lance Hammer's Sundance award-winning film Ballast has dropped out of its deal with IFC and has moved to Strand Releasing. An excerpt: "Obviously, we're disappointed, but how can we not support him if he tries to take control of this himself?" IFC Entertainment veep of acquisitions Arianna Bocco said. "We wanted the movie, we love the movie, and we think that we would

Jason Guerrasiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958031172216065142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-82492347289529773662008-06-19T10:54:00.005-04:002008-06-19T11:45:58.372-04:00

NewFest wrapped up its 20th year of programming in New York City this Sunday, and at the conclusion of its closing night Gala film Were the World Mine, the festival's Artistic Director Basil Tsiokos and Administrative Director Kerry Weldon announced its winners. The evening's big winner, nabbing both the Showtime Vanguard Award and Best International Narrative Feature was The Amazing Truth About

Conor Fetting-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18272305725233466561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-33388242474970363642008-06-19T00:26:00.004-04:002008-06-19T00:30:49.608-04:00

... if you want to do anything other than procrastinating what you are supposed to be doing right now. Actually, do not press here.

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-7879868649017078142008-06-13T12:45:00.003-04:002008-06-13T18:05:39.227-04:00

If you are a regular -- like, hourly -- reader of this blog, you know something about In Spring, the short Jamie Stuart piece which was posted on his own site and linked here only to be taken down shortly thereafter. Some (including, I'll admit, me) wondered if Stuart had, in his continual skirmishing with the confines of publicity in the service of artmaking, crossed some kind of line with

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-55833390303468356962008-06-13T09:11:00.004-04:002008-06-14T10:28:02.022-04:00

Here's writer/director John Magary's (pictured here with Robert Redford and Vilmos Zsigmond) second dispatch from the Sundance Directors' Lab: This is my first stab at blogging, okay? I’ve never been a self-starting chronicler, never had a personal essay phase, or a journal, or a sketchbook. I’m not wired that way. I don’t really know how to steal away time in bars or cafes, to reflect on my

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-65208874144417897222008-06-12T18:42:00.004-04:002008-06-12T22:59:37.848-04:00

If you are in Chicago this next month -- or, perhaps, if you've got frequent flier miles or simple wanderlust -- then I highly recommend checking out Enter Dream, a photo show by writer, photographer and critic Ray Pride, whose work is well known to readers of Filmmaker as well as those of his own Movie City Indie blog. Ray's evocative photos are visually stunning and haunted by the idea of

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-47276271746278765782008-06-11T13:52:00.005-04:002008-06-11T14:55:22.294-04:00

IFP's Independent Filmmaker Labs launched their 4 day Narrative Lab program yesterday at Soho House in New York City. For the first time in the history of the lab program, 2008 Narrative Lab participants will be eligible for the Independent Filmmaker Finishing Grant, which totals $50,000 provided by an anonymous donor. Lab leaders Scott Macaulay and Gretchen McGowan will be joined by 24

Conor Fetting-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18272305725233466561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-36833299457473355912008-06-11T13:13:00.006-04:002008-06-11T14:11:08.498-04:00

New York City was once known for its bountiful movie going choices, mainly its revival houses and midnight movie screenings. Cult legends such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, Eraserhead and Liquid Sky made quite a splash through these alternate distribution choices, and we as moviegoers were all the better for it. Sadly, those days seem very far away, what with the almost total domination of DVD

André Salashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779600060293938945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-61934133596556640152008-06-10T19:47:00.004-04:002008-06-11T11:57:49.521-04:00

Over at Stream, Eric Kohn has a good write-up of the "Where Film and Internet Collide" event we hosted at the IFC Center last week with the IFP and IndieGoGo. He does a great job of summarizing the interviews with the creators of the various works we screened. Another good report is by the Film Panel Notetaker. Click on the links and read -- between the two of them you'll feel like you were

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-32486147343225655202008-06-09T23:09:00.004-04:002008-06-10T11:18:52.242-04:00

From NewFest's opening night Gala film "Tru Loved" (right to left) Producer, Antonio Brown; Actor, Tye Olson; Actor, Najarra Townsend; Director, Stewart Wade We're here. We're Queer (or at least by association). Let's go to the movies. As of this Thursday, June 5th NewFest, New York’s premier LGBT film festival has begun, and it will be rolling out gay-oriented flicks through Sunday, June 15th.

Conor Fetting-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18272305725233466561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-30805237186239244932008-06-09T12:47:00.003-04:002008-06-09T12:50:57.609-04:00

FilmInFocus is running a four-part series on exhibition, from the ultra-small-scale screenings of the microcinema movement to the shape of things to come for blockbuster moviegoing. The first part, Ed Halter's take on microcinema, is up now.

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-34385685916692432922008-06-08T19:29:00.004-04:002008-06-08T20:04:22.730-04:00

The Sundance Director's Lab is underway, and one of the participants, John Magary (pictured at right with Sundance Lab advisor Gyula Gazdag), has agreed to blog it for Filmmaker. Here's the first of his posts. SUNDANCE, EPOCH 1 Day One smelled like chicken. Day Three smells like farts. I’m not talking about the Lab — haven’t gotten there yet. One can be coaxed out of a crippling fear

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108138.post-25475039031607506332008-06-04T20:08:00.003-04:002008-06-04T20:20:45.056-04:00

A couple of new writers have been added to the Spout Blog, and one, Lauren Wissot, has her first post up today. Wissot is a filmmaker and writer who has written for her own blog, Beyond the Green Door, as well as The House Next Door. Her debut piece for Spout is entitled "Dial S/M for Marnie" and it looks at Hitchcock's film through the lens of kink: An excerpt: What neither the feminists nor

Scott Macaulayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728573558664904533noreply@blogger.com