Authors — Paula Bernstein
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Sundance Institute Launches FilmTwo Initiative to Support Second Features
While making a first film is notoriously difficult, making a second film can often be even more challenging. To help a talented crop of filmmakers avoid the dreaded “sophomore slump,” the Sundance Institute today unveiled the FilmTwo Initiative. Led by the Institute’s Feature Film Program, with support from Founding Partner NBCUniversal, the FilmTwo Initiative will offer 13 directors creative and strategic guidance in navigating the unique challenges of making their second feature films. The inaugural FilmTwo Fellows are Andrew Ahn (Spa Night), Shaz Bennett (Alaska is a Drag), Bernardo Britto (Jacqueline (Argentine)), Steven Caple Jr. (The Land), Jonas Carpignano (Mediterranea), Marta Cunningham […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 17, 2016 -
Watch Errol Morris’ Short Demon in the Freezer
Though smallpox has been eradicated, stocks of the virus remain for research purposes. Should these samples be destroyed in order to prevent them from being used as a biological weapon? Demon in the Freezer, the compelling short documentary from Academy Award-winner Errol Morris (The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons From the Life of Robert S. McNamara), explores the issue as part of The New York Times Op-Docs series. The film is Morris’ eighth film published by Op-Docs and the 200th Op-Doc video since the series launched in 2011. “It all comes down to the question of how best to protect ourselves against ourselves. […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 17, 2016 -
Trailer Watch: Ira Sachs’ Little Men
Little Men, director Ira Sachs’ latest film, premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was warmly received. The story of a friendship between two NYC middle schoolers whose parents become embroiled in a real estate conflict, Little Men takes a personal look at the damaging effects of gentrification. Starring newcomers Michael Barbieri and Theo Taplitz as the titular boys and Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle and Paulina Garcia as their parents, Little Men will hit select theaters on August 5, with a nationwide rollout to follow. The sensitive drama gets its first trailer (above) courtesy of distributor Magnolia Pictures.
by Paula Bernstein on May 16, 2016 -
POV’s 2016 Calls for Entries is Now Open
POV, television’s longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films, has opened the doors for entries for the 2017 PBS broadcast season and beyond. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, June 15, 2016. Each year POV premieres 14-16 of the most memorable nonfiction stories to public television audiences around the country. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films, including some of our all-time favorite documentaries such as Roger & Me (Michael Moore) Street Fight (Marshall Curry), American Revolutionary (Grace Lee) and The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer), among many others. For submission details and requirements, check out POV’s Call For Entries Guidelines and to get a […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 12, 2016 -
Trailer Watch: Adam Wingard’s The Woods
With films such as Home Sick, Pop Skull and A Horrible Way to Die, and more recently, You’re Next and The Guest, Adam Wingard has established a reputation as one of the most inventive filmmakers working in the horror genre today. Wingard’s latest film, The Woods, tackles the found footage sub-genre and we’re bracing ourselves for maximum scares. Written by Simon Barrett (The Guest, You’re Next), The Woods involves a group of college students on a camping trip who discover they are not alone. The trailer (above) reveals little in terms of plot, but surely succeeds at setting the creepy tone. On Twitter, Wingard boasted that The Woods “is my first full on […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 11, 2016 -
Amazon Launches New Self-Service Video Platform
In addition to YouTube and Vimeo, filmmakers can now upload and sell their original video content on Amazon. On Tuesday, Amazon announced Amazon Video Direct (AVD), a new self-service program for creators and storytellers to make their video content available to Amazon customers. Through the new program, filmmakers and video providers can distribute their content directly to tens of millions of Prime members and earn royalties based on minutes stream. Amazon will pay partners 50% of the retail price for digital purchases, rentals and subscription fees. If they choose Prime Video distribution, creators will earn royalties of 15 cents per hour streamed in the […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 11, 2016 -
Trailer Watch: The Land, Nas-Produced Sundance Drama
For his debut feature, The Land, Steven Caple Jr. pulled off an impressive feat. He attracted top talent from the music industry, including Nas as executive producer producer and Erykah Badu and Machine Gun Kelly in supporting roles. The Cleveland-set drama, which focuses on four teens living in the projects, premiered earlier this year at The Sundance Film Festival’s Next section. In advance of the film’s premiere at Sundance, the director told Filmmaker Magazine that each of the four boys in the film represents a different aspect of his life. “On surface you see a film about four boys who […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 9, 2016 -
Film Fest Finder Aims to Be Like Yelp for Film Festivals
How to find the right festival for you and your film? Film Fest Finder, a new free web site, aims to help filmmakers and filmgoers find the right festival to serve their needs. Through a rating and reviewing system, filmmakers and filmgoers can search over 7,000 festivals by name, city, country, or review. PC Thompson, creator and co-founder, along with Donna Pizzi, told Filmmaker Magazine that “there is such a proliferation of festivals out there — 10,000 in all — that navigating those waters is extraordinarily time-consuming, costly and mind-boggling.” To make things easier for filmmakers, Thompson and Pizzi wanted to create […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 6, 2016 -
Sickhouse Becomes First Feature Film Designed for Mobile Viewing
Sickhouse, a horror thriller produced by Indigenous Media, is billing itself as the first-ever scripted film, shot in real time, that’s designed for mobile viewing. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Hannah Macpherson, Sickhouse was shot over the course of five days, April 29-May 3, in Los Angeles and experienced live on Snapchat and other social platforms. The story was designed to be told through a series of snaps, but also as a linear film. The snaps are now being edited into a Director’s Cut with additional footage. The final feature-length film will be available exclusively on Vimeo beginning Wednesday, June 1. The film tells […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 5, 2016 -
Hulu Dives into Documentaries with Beatles Doc from Ron Howard
Looking to compete with Netflix in the documentary arena, Hulu announced this morning at its upfront presentation for advertisers in New York that it has launched Hulu Documentary Films, a destination for original and exclusive documentary film titles. Hulu Documentary Films’ first acquisition is The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (working title), a feature documentary directed by Ron Howard. Hulu has acquired U.S. streaming rights to the documentary, which will premiere in theaters in the fall before heading to Hulu. The documentary, which will explore the early years of The Beatles’ career, is produced with the full cooperation of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 4, 2016
