Babak Anvari
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Pre-Course Work
With most incoming film students being required to make shorts during their undergraduate or graduate studies, what exemplars of the form should they look to for inspiration? Filmmaker asked a number of friends—all filmmakers—who teach filmmaking at a cross-section of institutions to list the short films they think all incoming students should check out and be inspired by. Howard A. Rodman, professor, USC School of Cinematic Arts: I consistently recommend to my students—whose films often lead with cinematography, visual effects and sound mix—that they see Andrea Arnold’s Academy Award–winning 2003 short film Wasp. Adequate direct sound, wobbly cam, minimalist VFX, yet […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jun 11, 2018 -
NEXT Fest 2016 Filmmakers on Accepting Financial Limitations in Exchange for Freedom to Make Uncompromising Cinema
To fuel their tentpole machines, studios have gotten into the habit of poaching successful independent filmmakers to direct (or at least assume the role of the director in a ceremonial way on) their most valuable franchises. Some would argue that the practice exists to cut down on costs and allow executives to easily manipulate a filmmaker with less leverage or experience. Indeed, when this happens, the result is often disastrous. Nevertheless, young storytellers continue to be tempted by studio-based jobs-for-hire that wind up costing them their creative freedom. By comparison, the independent model allows filmmakers an enviable amount of experimentation, […]
by Carlos Aguilar on Aug 12, 2016 -
Defending the Feature Film in a Television Age: Sundance NEXT Fest Filmmakers on Why Films Matter
With streaming powerhouses like Netflix or Amazon now stepping into theatrical distribution of feature-length content, while also creating spaces for storytellers to work on episodic content, filmmakers’ options to reach a wider audience have expanded — even if that means sacrificing a more traditional release. Now, filmmakers’ dilemmas revolve around determining the length, visual language, and viewing situations most suitable for their stories. Undoubtedly, each medium presents distinct artistic tools, benefits, and its own set of restrictions. However, television, and episodic content in general, has in recent years been heralded as a space where filmmakers can deviate from the norm […]
by Carlos Aguilar on Aug 11, 2016 -
What’s the Most Daunting Aspect of Working in Independent Film Today? Sundance NEXT Fest Filmmakers Respond
Boasting an eclectic program of features, shorts, musical performances, conversations and informational panels, Sundance NEXT Fest 2016 will bring a piece of the Park City action to Downtown Los Angeles from August 12-14 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel. Six features that had their world premieres back in January at Sundance will screen alongside bonus events ranging from stand-up comedy to Q&As and live acts. The films, all of which have secured theatrical distribution post Sundance, encompass explorations of gender and race from a strong female perspective, a twist on the immigrant story and assimilation, a paranormal Iranian tale set […]
by Carlos Aguilar on Aug 10, 2016 -
“The Film Conjured Up Many Forgotten Memories”: Director Babak Anvari | Under the Shadow
In every film, there is the story that you knew you were telling, the story the audience perceives. But there is always some other story, a secret story. It might be the result of your hidden motivations for making the film, or, instead, the result of themes that only became clear to you after you made the movie. It might be something very personal, or it might be a story you didn’t even know you were telling. What is your film’s secret story? I don’t think there is a secret story. The main plot, and the subplots and the themes […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jan 22, 2016
