Authors — Scott Macaulay
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LENA DUNHAM’S SEMINAL INDIES
Tuesday on the blog we asked what films inspired young viewers (in their 20s or below) to identify with the independent film movement. Here are responses from filmmaker Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture). I was raised on independent film — spent hours every afternoon in Tower Video and Kim’s. My parents always encouraged me to rent more obscure titles and Disney seemed like an exotic treat. I had a John Waters-themed 3rd grade birthday party that many children left crying (I think the choice to show Pink Flamingos was a flawed one. the blame falls to my mom…) In terms of […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 8, 2010 -
WHAT IF YOUR DISTRIBUTOR DEFAULTS…
Mark Litwak has great excerpt from his book Risky Business on his Entertainment Law Newsletter today dealing with default by distributors. He begins: Many years ago I represented a filmmaker who entered into an agreement with a small home-video distributor. The company had a decent reputation, and since there were no other offers for this $80,000 movie, a deal was struck. The filmmaker was promised a $40,000 advance for U.S. home video rights. The advance was payable in four installments over the course of a year. After the second installment was received, the distributor was acquired. The new owners stopped […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 7, 2010 -
THE DUPLASS BROTHERS TALK STUDIOS AND SNUGGLING
Alica Van Couvering’s interview with Mark and Jay Duplass in the current issue of Filmmaker was conducted at the Sundance Film Festival, where their latest film, Cyrus, premiered. Starring John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei and Jonah Hill, the film is a comedy/drama about mid-life romance and the borderline aggro-child that stands in its way. Alicia’s interview was filmed by Zak Forsman, Kevin Shah and the Sabi Pictures team, and here’s an edit of their conversation. See more videos on our YouTube channel. The film opens Friday, June 18.
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 7, 2010 -
“THE BEAST PAGEANT” ON KICKSTARTER
Just because it looks kinda nuts… From an email I received: We’re making an independent film called The Beast Pageant, a surreal adventure with giant machines, exploding heads, and a tiny singing cowboy. We’re almost done and we’ve got a trailer up here. We need help getting the word out there so if you know anyone who might be interested pass it on! The Beast Pageant – Trailer from Albert Birney on Vimeo.
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 6, 2010 -
AMICUS BRIEF FILED IN SUPPORT OF JOE BERLINGER
The following letter, drafted from materials provided by Donaldson and Callif, is an update on an amicus brief filed in support of filmmaker Joe Berlinger. If you’re not familiar with the situation regarding his film Crude and Chevron, please read the below and then this editorial by Robert Redford detailing the importance of this case. On June 23, 2010, the IFP joined thirteen other organizations and nine individuals in signing an amicus brief in support of filmmaker Joe Berlinger, who was ordered to turn over 600 hours of outtakes from his documentary Crude to petrochemical company Chevron Corporation. Chevron, threatened […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 6, 2010 -
Revisiting The Topic Of Indie Movies And Youth
This is perhaps the longest gestating blog post in Filmmaker Blog history. Back in December, Ted Hope commented on the graying of the arthouse audience in a post entitled “Can Truly Free Film Appeal to Younger Audiences?” He asked: What is it that new audiences want? What must the indie community do to engage them? It is really surprising how few true indie films speak to a youth audience. In this country we’ve had Kevin Smith and Napoleon Dynamite, but nothing that was youth and also truly on the art spectrum like Run Lola Run or the French New Wave (Paranormal […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 6, 2010 -
Connecting your PS3 To your Mac’s Airport Network
This post is half public service for the tech-challenged (like me), and half “note to self” for the next time I change my internet connection settings. Briefly, like the many PS3 owners who have posted all over the internet looking for help, connecting a PS3 to the internet can be a challenge if you’re not quite sure what to do. I remember cursing the Gods of Sony last year when I bought a PS3. Then, through some kind folks on Twitter, I figured out how to do it and all was good. Recently, I changed my home ‘net security from […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 3, 2010 -
RICK MOODY’S “FOUR FINGERS OF DEATH”
I don’t need any special encouragement to blog about a new book by Rick Moody…. especially when it has to do with a “blocked writer… whose major success is winning the right to author the novelization of the remake of the 1963 horror flick The Crawling Hand.” And when it has a pretty great trailer that took me back to Saturday afternoons watching Channel 20 in Washington, D.C. when I was growing up. (Hat tip: The Rumpus.)
by Scott Macaulay on Jul 2, 2010 -
TILDA SWINTON’S LAUREL & HARDY FLASH MOB DANCE
At the Festival Square in Edinburgh, Tilda Swinton organized and led a flash mob dance yesterday, coinciding the launch of her new charity, the 8 1/2 Foundation. From an article in the Scotsman: Gathering several hundred willing participants under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, she led them in a soft-shoe shuffle known as At The Ball, by the Avalon Boys, originally performed by Laurel and Hardy, in an effort to create a “flash mob dance”, where a group suddenly and spontaneously start dancing in a public place. The instructions, disseminated online, were simple: watch the Laurel and Hardy clip, turn […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jun 27, 2010 -
NAME THIS BRET EASTON ELLIS SHORT FILM
Filmmaker (and former Filmmaker Managing Editor) Matt Ross made this short film updating the European trip montage from Rules of Attraction to material taken from and inspired by all of Ellis’s books, including his new Imperial Bedrooms. It stars Kip Pardue, James Van Der Beek and Tara Summers, and it was conceived of, shot, and edited in ten days. And, oh yeah, it has no name. You can take part in a contest by naming the film at the Knopf website.
by Scott Macaulay on Jun 25, 2010
