Let’s face it. Being an independent filmmaker often means having to find unusual solutions to problems that most Hollywood filmmakers would just throw money at. You can’t turn around and hire a foley artist to replace those garbled or missing footsteps, or hire a 2nd unit cameraman to film a specific shot you missed, etc. In many cases, you are the one editing your film and so you’ve gotta figure out a way to make it right, and do it free or cheaply (and hopefully fast!) In my continuing quest to seek out the best resources for post-production goodies that […]

One of the biggest conundrums I’ve experienced as a female filmmaker is watching the women of television advance so much farther than their counterparts in film. Why is there such a great disparity? Take for example this year’s Emmy nominations list. Looking only at nominations for directing, women have the opportunity take a number of prizes home: For Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Breaking Bad. Episode: Gliding Over All. Directed by Michelle MacLaren. Homeland. Episode: Q&A. Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. For Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series Girls. Episode: On All Fours. Directed by Lena Dunham. Modern Family. […]

The Getty Museum made an unusual move for the art world last week when they decided to launch their new “Open Content Program”, making over 4,600 pieces of the Museum’s private collection available to download, use, modify and publish for any purpose (all in beautiful full resolution). About this decision, the museum explains: “The Getty was founded on the conviction that understanding art makes the world a better place, and sharing our digital resources is the natural extension of that belief.” Though there are no films included in the Open Content Program, there’s no doubt a vast treasure trove of […]

IFP, Filmmaker‘s parent organization, announced today the 120 feature film projects that will take place in its annual IFP Film Week, taking place September 17 – 22 for the first time in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Announced for the first time are the screenplays comprising the No Borders program, for projects seeking financing, and the doc works-in-progress seeking completion funds in Spotlight on Docs. They join the previously announced features in post-production from the IFP’s Narrative and Documentary Labs. Particularly noteworthy this year are the roster’s gender diversity states: 40% of the narrative directors and 60 % of the documentary directors are […]

Here, according to Google Analytics, are our ten most popular posts of August, 2013. 1. “5 Lessons on Making a ‘Bigger’ Movie.” Drinking Buddies producer Alicia Van Couvering’s advice for directors stepping up to larger budgets was our top post of the month. 2. “In the Same Way Painters Used Their Paint: D.P. Bradford Young on Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and Mother of George.” Anthony Kaufman’s in-depth interview with Young, in which he talks about drawing inspiration from Renaissance painters and how he lit Rooney Mara, was our runner up for most-trafficked post of the month. 3. “Ten Lessons on […]