Authors — Paula Bernstein
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Trailer Watch: Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women
Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women made its debut earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival where it received excellent reviews and was quickly acquired by IFC Films. In advance of its upcoming screenings at both the Toronto and New York film festivals, the film, which stars Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, and Michelle Williams, has its first trailer (above). Based on Maile Meloy’s short-story collection “Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It,” the Montana-set film follows three women in an intertwining narrative. In his review of the film out of Sundance, Filmmaker’s Vadim Rizov wrote, “Reichardt’s films take place in an atmosphere of heightened quiet, […]
by Paula Bernstein on Sep 2, 2016 -
What Filmmakers Need to Know About Indie Film Distribution in 2016
You’ve made an independent film and you’d like to get it out into the world. Unfortunately, unless you’re already a “name” director with an established track record or your film has played at top festivals, there’s no clear route to getting distribution. In recent years as the traditional distribution model has shifted, the future of film distribution has been murky. But at a Portland Film Festival panel devoted to distribution, Drafthouse Films chief operating officer James Shapiro declared that “We have finally arrived at a place where we know what the future will look like, at least for the immediate […]
by Paula Bernstein on Sep 1, 2016 -
Trailer Watch: NSFW The Greasy Strangler
Set in Los Angeles, The Greasy Strangler follows Big Ronnie, a man who runs a disco walking tour along with his son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman named Janet comes to take the tour, it begins a competition between father and son. It also brings about the appearance of an oily, slimy, inhuman maniac who stalks the streets at night and strangles the innocent — soon dubbed “the Greasy Strangler.” The off-kilter feature film debut by writer/director Jim Hosking features performances by Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, and Elizabeth De Razzo as well as prominent genre film producers including Theo Brooks, […]
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 31, 2016 -
Trailer Watch: Zach Clark’s Little Sister Mixes Goth with Religion
In Zach Clark’s Little Sister, which premiered earlier this year at SXSW, Colleen (Addison Timlin), a young nun and former goth, returns to her childhood home in Asheville, North Carolina where she faces her estranged dysfunctional family. During Colleen’s visit, things intensify with a little help from Halloween, pot cupcakes, and GWAR. The ensemble cast features Ally Sheedy, Peter Hedges, Keith Poulson, Barbara Crampton, and Kristin Slaysman. In a review of the film in Filmmaker, Howard Feinstein called Little Sister “an unaffected masterpiece,” writing that “Clark balances the melancholy with outsized bursts of joy.” Little Sister opens at The Metrograph in New York on October 14th and […]
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 31, 2016 -
Expert Tips for First-Time Documentary Filmmakers (Like Myself)
Months ago, I got the crazy idea to write, produce and direct my first documentary. I wasn’t completely unrealistic — I knew enough to start small with a short, micro-budgetfilm. I also knew I could count on a supportive network of documentary filmmakers — including pros such as Doug Block, Marshall Curry, Laura Nix, Tracy Droz Tragos, Robert Greene, and others — to help guide me through the process. Later in this piece, I’ll share some of their invaluable wisdom. But first, here’s a bit about my film and my process so far. I had been on the lookout for a subject that […]
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 25, 2016 -
Trailer Watch: Kirsten Johnson’s Personal Cameraperson
Cameraperson, Kirsten Johnson’s acclaimed personal documentary, has enjoyed a full festival run since its premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival. The film incorporates Johnson’s cinematography over the past 25 years, including her work on award-winning films such as Fahrenheit 9/11, The Invisible War, and Citizenfour. Now, in advance of its release from Janus Films next month, Cameraperson gets a trailer (above).
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 23, 2016 -
Watch: How to Light Table Scenes
In this video from Aperture’s Four Minute Film School (above), DP Julia Swain shares techniques and tips of effectively lighting a round table scene with four actors using only a 3-light kit with a bounce card, soft box, and china ball.
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 22, 2016 -
Watch: Werner Herzog on Virtual Reality, the Future of Humanity and Internet Trolls
“I have a lot of trolls and a lot of imposters. I’m on Facebook, but it’s not me. I’m on Twitter, but it’s not me,” says Werner Herzog in a recent installment of VICE Talks Films (above). Herzog is doing press rounds to discuss his latest documentary Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, which is now in theaters, on Demand, on iTunes and Amazon Video. The film, which premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, examines the past, present, and evolving future of the internet in Herzog’s signature voice.
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 22, 2016 -
Sundance Institute New Frontier / Jaunt VR Residency Program Inducts Three New Projects
Sundance Institute and Jaunt Studios have announced their latest class of creatives to join the Sundance Institute New Frontier | Jaunt VR Residency Program. Daniel Arsham, Yung Jake, and Lily Baldwin & Saschka Unseld will participate in the six-month immersive residency. During the program, the artists will experiment with new ways of delivering narrative through cinematic virtual reality. They will also receive a grant to make their virtual reality short films. In addition, they will receive post-production support and access to Jaunt’s professional cinematic VR camera, Jaunt ONE, as well as its suite of production pipeline tools, and Jaunt Cloud Services (JCS), which include […]
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 18, 2016 -
Go Behind the Scenes of the 4K Restoration of Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day
Yi Yi, the first of Edward Yang’s films to receive distribution in the United States (in 2000), was also his last before the revered Taiwanese filmmaker died in 2007. Still, Yang’s 1991 epic A Brighter Summer Day, managed to find a fan base in the U.S. though it was available for decades only in abridged form on low-quality home video. In March, after an arduous restoration effort that spanned years, The Criterion Collection released A Brighter Summer Day on Blu-ray and DVD. Back in 2011, the restored work was screened at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and in other limited engagements, but it has otherwise been […]
by Paula Bernstein on Aug 10, 2016
