Filmmaking

STRETCHED OUT AND TWISTED

I normally hate effects-heavy videos like this… but this one is great: “Corporate Cannibal,” from the new Grace Jones record, directed by Nick Hooker. An analysis by Steven Shaviro is here. (Hat tip: GreenCine.)

By Scott Macaulay on Jul 26, 2008 Filmmaking
Wire Framed

Over at The House Next Door, Godfrey Cheshire explains his decision to walk out on a press screening of James Marsh’s documentary Man on Wire: The reason for my discomfort was simple: The movie’s soundtrack contains frequent borrowings from the Michael Nyman scores of well-known Peter Greenaway films (as well as couple of other Nyman tracks, including one from Jane Campion’s The Piano). This, for me, totally destroyed the experience of watching Marsh’s film. I would be trying to follow the story when, every three or four minutes, that familiar music would blare out and my mind would be whipsawed […]

By Scott Macaulay on Jul 25, 2008 Filmmaking
ARONOFSKY TO DIRECT NEW ROBOCOP

Christopher Nolan to Batman. Bryan Singer to X-Men (and I guess you could say Superman). Sam Raimi to Spider-Man. Now, Darren Aronofsky to RoboCop. All directors who made their marks in the indie world and have moved to the studio machine. You could make the argument that out of these names Aronofsky would be the least tempted to go down this road. Is it strictly for the money, or is there a little sprinkle of youthful nostalgia? MGM has tentatively slated the RoboCop film for 2010.

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 25, 2008 Filmmaking
RED ENVELOPE, R.I.P.

Anthony Kaufman reports on indieWIRE today Netflix‘s folding of its production/acquisition unit, Red Envelope Entertainment. An excerpt: Due to changing marketplace conditions and the natural evolution of Netflix, according to Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the company decided it was time to move on. “The one thing we learned this year is that there’s no shortage of produced movies and there’s no shortage of money for viable projects,” Sarandos told indieWIRE yesterday. “The best role we play is connecting the film to the audience, not as a financier, not as a producer, not as an outside distributor or marketer.” “It […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 23, 2008 Filmmaking
Summer Issue Online

For those of you who just check out the blog, over on the main page select stories from the Summer issue are up. That includes: This year’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, and interviews with the Duplass Brothers on their latest film Baghead, Alex Holdridge on In Search of a Midnight Kiss, James Marsh talks about his doc Man on Wire, and a rare interview with the reclusive band Daft Punk who’ve made their first film, Electroma. Plus: Lance Weiler shows how to create a fan base online, David Rosen breaks down the next telecom war, and Shelley H. […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 23, 2008 Filmmaking
25 NEW FACES ALUMNI

With the summer issue going live on the site tomorrow, which includes our 10th year doing “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” we thought it would be fun as a lead up to list “The 25” alumni. Click on the year below to read up on your favorite 25s of years past (sorry, ’98 – ’00 aren’t online). And keep your eyes peeled to the blog in the coming weeks as we’ll be catching up with some of these names to see what they’re currently up to. (If you were a 25 New Face, it’s not too late to let […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 22, 2008 Filmmaking
FROM HERE TO AWESOME ANNOUNCES LINE UP

Along with their DIY DAYS, FHTA will also use the event in L.A. this week to unveil the films that will be showcased in their traveling distribution film festival around the country in the next six months. They are… FEATURES Abel Raises Cain – directed by Jenny Able and Jeff Hockett An unprecedented glimpse into the life and bizarre career of infamous media prankster, Alan Abel, told from the viewpoint of his daughter, Jenny. An offbeat portrait of an eccentric father, the film takes the audience on an unusual ride through the myriad of outlandish stunts and satirical campaigns that […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 21, 2008 Filmmaking
SANS THUMBS?

In a post earlier today on his website, Roger Ebert says he will no longer be involved with the show that has made him a film icon. “After 33 years on the air, 23 of them with Disney, the studio has decided to take the program named “Siskel & Ebert” and then “Ebert & Roeper” in a new direction,” he writes. Time.com is also reporting that Ebert’s co-host, Richard Roeper, will also be leaving the show (his last appearance will take place in mid August). Ebert has been off the air since 2006 due to medical problems and a dispute […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 21, 2008 Filmmaking
DGA’S DIGITAL DAY

Over at Scott Kirsner‘s CinemaTech blog, he highlights the agenda for next week’s Directors Guild of America‘s annual “Digital Day.” An excerpt: Digital Day takes place in LA next Saturday, August 2nd, and the agenda looks interesting: sessions on motion capture, 3D television, virtual worlds, and developing content for the Internet and mobile phones. The theme this year is “Size Matters: Creating Content for Big and Small Screens.” Speakers include 3D cinematography gurus Vince Pace and Steve Schklair and directors Eric Brevig (Journey to the Center of the Earth), Penelope Spheeris, Marshall Herskovitz and Demian Lichtenstein. Click here to learn […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 20, 2008 Filmmaking
INDIEWIRE SOLD TO SNAGFILMS

While we were all sleeping last night the folks at indieWIRE were preparing the announcement of a deal with the site SnagFilms. What is SnagFilms? (I had to look it up myself) Variety describes it as “Hulu-style free streaming with social networking in that films stream for free but can also be shared or posted to Facebook pages or blogs.” The doc distrib site was created by former AOLers Ted Leonsis and backed by Steve Case and Miles Gilburne. Its Beta version launched today with 250 titles supplied by PBS, National Geographic, IndiePix, Arts Alliance America and Koch Lorber with […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Jul 17, 2008 Filmmaking

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