Filmmaking

GORDON WILLIS ON ACCIDENTS AND BEER COMMERCIALS

Over at Splice Today, John Lingan has interviewed legendary d.p. Gordon Willis. An excerpt: ST: To what do you ascribe the simultaneity of directorial and cinematographic talent during those years? Was there a greater level of artistic freedom afforded to filmmakers then? Or was it the momentum of ’60s counterculture finally reaching the film industry? Hall and Wexler have credited “accidents” like sunspots in the lenses for spurring their perceived innovations; what was it about the industry climate that allowed those kinds of accidents to stand? GW: The studio system was beginning to buckle, but I think it’s more like […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 30, 2009 Filmmaking
POSITIF AT LINCOLN CENTER

Over on Web Exclusives page and coinciding with the Lincoln Center “Mavericks and Outsides: Positif Celebrates American Cinema” (beginning today), Jamie Stuart interviews Positif editor Michel Ciment about the magazine and also his long relationship with Stanley Kubrick. One film that’s part of the Positif series is Barbara Loden’s Wanda, which was one of Filmmaker‘s 50 Most Important Independent Films back when we did that list in 1998. Long difficult to see, it was re-released on DVD a year or so ago and has been claiming its place as an inspiration for a new generation of independent filmmakers. Over at […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 30, 2009 Filmmaking
NELSON GEORGE AT SUNDANCE (AND SUNDANCE)

Nelson George attended Sundance this year in two capacities. First, from January 9th to the 15th he was an advisor at the Sundance Writer’s Lab. Then, he went to the festival as an executive producer with Good Hair, the doc he made with Chris Rock. In the below video diary he takes us through both events, including the Obama inauguration party on Main Street and the premiere of his film, and along the way he also catches up with a number of other filmmakers at this year’s fest. Check it out. Nelson George: Sundance 2009 from Nelson George on Vimeo.

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 30, 2009 Filmmaking
CRITIQUING (AND COMMENTING ON) WEB VIDEO

Recently I linked to a CNET survey of mainstream video-hosting sites that critiqued these platforms according to their usability and picture quality. Now, CNET has published a “part two”: Around this time last year we put together a comparison of various video sites to determine which ones had the best overall quality and user experience. Since then, high-definition-capable digital cameras and camcorders have taken off, and several major video hosts have rolled out official support for wide-screen, super high-quality Flash video in response. So we think the time has come to take another look at what these sites are offering […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 29, 2009 Filmmaking
COMMENTING ON THE VARIETY LAY OFFS

I’m here in Rotterdam with poor wi-fi connectivity, so that’s one reason the blog has been a little light this week. But I want to join many others in the film journalism field by noting my dismay over this week’s Variety lay-offs, which include two great writers, Mike Jones (Filmmaker‘s former Managing Editor) and Ann Thompson, whose Risky Business column was published here at Filmmaker for a couple of years. In addition to being strong writers and reporters, both are journalists who understand the internet, the blogosphere, and the specific topics and tone required to engage an online audience. It’s […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 29, 2009 Filmmaking
WEILER WINS CINEMART PRIZE

Congratulations to filmmaker, new media creator, and Filmmaker contributor Lance Weiler, who was awarded the Arte France Cinrma prize here at this year’s Rotterdam Cinemart. In his remarks when presenting the award, Arte’s Michel Reilhac said that the award acknowledged the visionary nature of Weiler’s project and noted that it speaks towards the type of new thinking about audience and platforms that will be necessary if our world of specialty cinema is to survive in the coming years. Weiler’s project is described by him in the program book thusly: HIM is my newest cross-media poject — a collision of film, […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 28, 2009 Filmmaking
SIT WITH SITA

Via Wired’s Underwire blog comes news of Gotham Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You director Nina Paley’s latest effort to raise money to pay the music rights for her film Sita Sings the Blues. Nominated for a Spirit Award, she’s auctioning off her companion seat. Bids start at $1,000.

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 25, 2009 Filmmaking
SUNDANCE AWARDS PUSH WITH THREE AWARDS, INCLUDING TOP HONOR

The award winners of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival were announced this evening and Lee Daniels‘s Push: Based on a novel by Sapphire was the big winner as it took not only the Dramatic Grand Jury prize but also the Audience Award and Special Jury prize for actress Mo’Nique. Ondi Timoner‘s We Live In Public was awarded the top Documentary prize. The full list of winners are below. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize:Push: Based on a novel by Sapphire, Lee Daniels Documentary Grand Jury Prize:We Live In Public, directed by Ondi Timoner Dramatic World Cinema Jury Prize:The Maid, directed by Sebastian […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jan 24, 2009 Filmmaking
A QUIET LITTLE MARRIAGE TAKES TOP PRIZE AT SLAMDANCE

Closing its 15th year, the Slamdance Film Festival announced the winners of its 2009 edition Friday night with Mo Perkins‘s A Quiet Little Marriage winning the Best Narrative Feature Award. The full list of winner are below. Best Narrative FeatureA Quiet Little Marriage, directed by Mo Perkins Special Jury Mention for Best Performance: Larry Fessenden in I Sell the Dead Best Documentary FeatureStrongman, directed by Zachary Levy Special Jury Mention: Second Sight, directed by Alison McAlpine Best Narrative ShortPrincess Margaret Blvd, directed by Kazik Radwanski Best Documentary ShortRare Chicken Rescue, directed by Randall Wood Best Animated ShortUndone, directed by Hayley […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jan 24, 2009 Filmmaking
YOUTUBE RESTORES LEE’S VIDEOS

Previously I posted some thoughts on the Kevin Lee/YouTube situation, and now, via Lee’s Shooting Down Pictures blog, it’s great to report that YouTube has responded to criticism and restored Lee’s account. In a long post entitled “Things I Learned from Losing — and Regaining — my YouTube Account,” Lee tells all of us how we can defend ourselves against a similar type of complaint, the nature of copyright laws and why YouTube may not be to blame for his situation, and also how we can fight further for digital rights and fair use issues. Thanks to Kevin for his […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jan 23, 2009 Filmmaking

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