Filmmaking

FROM REBEL TO REVENUE

With Steven Soderbergh‘s two Che films on deck at Cannes, Tribeca had the perfect appetizer with Chevolution. This impressive doc chronicles the unlikely journey this image of Che Guevara from the La Coubre explosion funeral march in 1960 evolved into a beacon of capitalism. Directed by Luis Lopez and Trisha Ziff, the doc, which is making its World Premiere at Tribeca, is produced through Netflix’s Red Envelope Entertainment. Starting off with a brief history of how Ernesto Guevera became “Che,” the doc then examines the man who took the famous shot, Alberto Korda. A fashion photographer turned news photog during […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Apr 30, 2008 Filmmaking
LINKAGE

Here are a few noteworthy links from the last few days. First, a must-read (or must-listen) is an interview with Matt Zoller Seitz on his blog, The House Next Door. (The hour-long talk is available as a transcript or as a download.) In the piece, Seitz discusses his decision to abandon print criticism and concentrate on both moviemaking and things other than movies. Here’s how he opens: Well, the short of it is: I’m out of print criticism. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and for a variety of reasons. One of them is that I’ve been doing […]

By Scott Macaulay on Apr 29, 2008 Filmmaking
PORTISHEAD, THIRD

From Portishead’s excellent Third, “The Rip,” one of the album’s best songs performed live on Jools Holland’s U.K. tv show.

By Scott Macaulay on Apr 29, 2008 Filmmaking
Outrage the Rooster!: Words About This Film

The following essay by David Gordon Green on Todd Rohal’s The Guatemalan Handshake accompanies the film’s DVD release from Benten Films out today. I am plagued by two mothers of frustration: 1. POWER PROBLEMS: Who controls the switches? Who pushes the buttons? How do I get to be large and in charge like Arsenio Hall’s portly alter ego Chunky A? 2. LOST AND FOUND: Why did you leave? Where did you go? Or have I just forgotten where I put you? Todd Rohal’s first feature length movie The Guatemalan Handshake revolves around these issues through a series of characters and […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Apr 29, 2008 Filmmaking
GREAT BUT PROBABLY QUITE IMPRACTICAL HORROR FILM LOCATION #2

The BLDGBLOB has a great post entitled “Hotels in the Afterlife” that is very J.G. Ballard — a series of shots of abandoned hotel exteriors on the Sinai peninsula, “monuments to failed investment.” Based on a photography show that opened last week in Vienna by Sabine Haubitz and Stephanie Zoche. From Geoff Manaugh’s blog post: The hotels now look more like “architectonic sculptures” in the desert, the photographers claim, or derelict abstractions, as if some aging and half-crazed billionaire had constructed an eccentric sculpture park for himself amongst the dunes. The billionaire goes for long walks at night alone amongst […]

By Scott Macaulay on Apr 28, 2008 Filmmaking
DOCS IN A SLUMP

As Tribeca‘s first weekend passes, most talk has been on the admission by Errol Morris that he paid — or paid the expences of (depending on what story you read) — some of the prison guards interviewed in his latest film, Standard Operating Procedure. But Anthony Kaufman raises a much more pressing question in a story on indieWIRE: “Can Standard Operating Procedure Break the Political Doc Deadlock?“ Though it’s not just political docs that are in trouble, films that I and many others thought would take hold on audiences (My Kid Could Paint That, Zoo, Manda Bala) never took off, […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Apr 27, 2008 Filmmaking
DOCUDRAMA

The artist Cindy Sherman has made a statement disavowing a documentary, Paul H-O’s Guest of Cindy Sherman, in which she is featured that is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival. Mike Jones has the story in Variety, and he reprints her statement, posted below: As my name is in the title and my work and self are so abundantly represented, I would like to counter any assumption that I am or wish to be personally associated with it. I am not a participant in any events related to the film’s screenings in this festival or future presentations. I apologize to […]

By Scott Macaulay on Apr 26, 2008 Filmmaking
INDIE TIMES TWO

Two stalwarts of the New York indie scene, producers Ted Hope and Christine Vachon, are the hosts of a program on PlumTV entitled “Very Independent Producers.” Five episodes have already been produced, and all are viewable online at the link I just posted. Here’s how PlumTV describes the program: On “Very Independent Producers,” Ted and Christine get a chance to share their wit and hard-earned wisdom as they kick back with friends and colleagues from all corners of the film world. Ted, Christine, and their impressive roster of guests share their film experiences past and present and discuss the inner […]

By Scott Macaulay on Apr 26, 2008 Filmmaking
ROBBED CLOSING CANNES’ FORTNIGHT

Cannes‘ 40th Director’s Fortnight was announced today in Paris with good showings from Latin America, Spain and particularly France with 12 of the 22 films either French or co-productions. The lone U.S. film is Joshua Safdie‘s The Pleasure of Being Robbed, a warm, beautifully lensed, simple story of a curious girl wondering around New York City in search of connections with strangers. The film gained a lot of attention at its premiere at SXSW and has been building buzz on the regional circuit since. I saw it at Sarasota earlier this month (where it received the fest’s Independent Vision award) […]

By Jason Guerrasio on Apr 25, 2008 Filmmaking
30%

It’s official — Governor Patterson has signed the enhanced New York tax incentive. The state now offers a 30% tax credit against qualified expenses and it’s now payable to the production company in one year, not two. The city’s five percent remains intact, meaning a 35% credit for films lensed within the five boroughs.

By Scott Macaulay on Apr 24, 2008 Filmmaking

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