Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009 Location: Interiors -- Prison Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
This date was one of those bittersweet filming days. It was the last day of filming for a majority of the cast. (It was not the last day for the crew, by any stretch of the imagination.)
And we had a lot to film on this date; something like 10-12 pages of script! In fact, that morning (before any of the actors arrived) we had to make some hard decisions about making a few cuts to the script. About a page fell victim to the ax.
While, we did have a possible back-up filming date on Friday, but we really didn't want to have to use it. Kudos to the cast of prisoners who rose to the occasion, giving us some great performances; not to mention overtime...
P.S. The photo we chose for this post is a photo of Vovik (Peter Iasillo) saying goodbye to his hole...
On Episode Five of Christine & Ted Talk To Directors At Sundance '09, Lee Daniels, director of Precious, talks about how talking as a producer, is much different that talking as a director:
Okay, this is also about talking these days too, but I didn't know how to put that into the headline.
I was interviewed on Wednesday by Aaron Aradilis for his BlogTalkRadio show "Back By Midnight" on the occasion of the DVD release of ADVENTURELAND. Martin Starr precedes me so that give you ample reason to tune in, but if you need more Anthony quizzed me on the big questions like why I wanted to make me movies in the first place. We cover Hal Hartley's early films, and the current state of indie film of course. We go into why it was obvious that Michel Gondry, Todd Field, and Puccini & Berman were obvious artists to back for their first narrative features. We even hit the state of film criticism and the crisis in print media. I guess we go on for awhile.. but of course you get to enjoy my nasal honk for most of it (and a couple good tunes off the Adventureland soundtrack).
As mentioned earlier here, The Filmmakers' Alliance in LA were kind enough to bestow upon me their Vision Award on August 19th. As this had only gone to directors before, I was pretty pleased. As it came from true indie filmmakers, I was thrilled. Alan Ball was kind enough to present the award to me.
By the way, Alan did give my wife his jacket. Man, was it cold in there!
Also btw, the speech I reference from last year is this.
And if you are still here, please watch part two, where I give my mantra for the future:
What was your filmmaking background before you made the film?
DANIEL: I made two films prior to The Appearance...
My first feature was a 90 mins horror/thriller movie in 16mm titled Twisted Fate, and with a budget of $16K borrowed from a friend. I had no experience or training of any kind in filmmaking prior to this production. As a result, I made a lot of mistakes in production, in storytelling, in direction and in editing, but I learned a great deal. However, it was decent enough to qualify as scary (or interesting) and we sold it to small video-distributor, and made a small profit.
That gave me the incentive to go for the second one; a more ambitious coming-of-age drama, with a million dollar budget. This movie was to be done in Argentina, where I’m from, and mainly funded by the Argentinean Film Institute, but right in the middle of pre-production and using investor’s money, the Institute was intervened by the government with accusations of corruption and all projects were cancelled including mine.
Disheartened and penniless I returned to the US, but I wasn’t going to stop or wait much longer. Practically in the plane on my way back I wrote 14 Ways to Wear Lipstick; a super low-budget dark-comedy that was and official selection at Slamdance and a number of other festivals around the world. 14… was made with $30K and in 35mm. Right after 14… I began planning The Appearance of a Man.
Where did the idea come from to make The Appearance of a Man?
DANIEL: In March 13, 1997, a very strange light formation appeared in the Phoenix sky. Basically there were seven lights in a v-shape, which morphed into different shapes as they flew over Phoenix. Actually I didn’t see the lights that night but I heard the news later, and then the controversy, theories and all kind of explanations in the following days, and weeks.
The whole episode intrigued me to the point that I wanted to do something; a documentary, maybe a movie. I began to ask questions.
One night I was introduced to this gentleman, whom I’ll keep anonymous, but who is an artist here in the Phoenix area. Right away he told me he knew what the lights were along with a fascinating personal story. So I begun to follow his leads and while everyone was wondering whether it was an UFO or a military exercise, I went into a completely different direction.
I went to Mexico, where similar sightings had been reported along with accounts of “alien” encounters and to follow the artist’s leads. After several eyewitness interviews in Phoenix and in Mexico I started realizing that whatever people were seeing and coming in contact with - man or alien, fact of imagination - the experiences these people went through had a mystical, or spiritual dimension, which affected them deeply. But most revealing was the existence of a common pattern in the accounts from Mexico and the accounts from Phoenix.
As bizarre as all these stories were, they were very mysterious and intriguing. There was something paranormal in all the accounts, even something spiritual, something that we can’t just explain with our understanding of science; something that transcended our sense of reality.
What was your process for writing the script?
DANIEL: Typically I don’t write a script until the entire concept is in my head, including beginning, plot points, twists, and the end. I think of many ideas but I also discard most of them.
Whatever story I’m going to tell, it needs to interest me in a profound way. When I have an idea I like I let it mature and I visualize it. I sit in the dark and try to see the movie in my head. Then I ask myself questions, “Do I like this movie?”, “Will I watch a movie like that?”, “Is that the type of movie I typically watch?” “Is that really the story I want to tell and I will put my soul into it?”
None of the questions are complete disqualifiers but rather a way to get to the movie I really want to make. Once I have all the “ingredients” like scenes, plot points, even pieces of dialogue then I begin to write it and I do it as fast as possible.
I didn’t use any particular structure technique for this movie; I believe each story needs to find its own structure to be told effectively, but I did pay attention to narrative twists and visual elements which are crucial to keep the story moving. One thing I didn’t do in this script, and against my own writing process, was to write the last twenty five minutes of the movie. I just shot it with no script. It was too visual to even bother.
How did you fund the film?
DANIEL: It was privately financed in part, and I used points to compensate some of the members of the team. Some crew worked for free. We also got a lot of freebies, such as locations, vehicles, etc.
Free crew in my experience doesn’t work, unless you’re planning your shoot for one or two days. People get tired; have other commitments or just bail because there’s a party somewhere. In some cases it may work; I never had luck with that. In general, I believe, regardless if the person is paid or not, you need to set clear expectations and define his or her job as concretely as possible.
How did you juggle the roles of Director and DP?
DANIEL: I love the camera. I love to play with angles, movement and lighting, so to me it’s something very natural. The challenge is to be able to pay attention to exposure, focus, framing, composition and movement and also judge the actors’ performance, but that’s why you shoot 17 takes ;).
The fact is that I can actually pay attention to the acting as well. I rarely had to review the takes but I’ve done it a few times. For a number of scenes in the movie I had another DP, Vince Pascoe. Vince is great, but regardless of the DP, you still need to have a communication with him/her to get what you need.
I think visually and I have a strong sense of angles and camera positions, but many times I go by intuition so I need to grab the camera and explore possibilities. I tend to storyboard everything I shoot and that helps me visualize the flow of the scene, but many times a particular location or situation may give me new ideas, so I go with that.
The point is I want to be free to change my mind as I wish and that lack of “sticking with the plan” frustrates many DPs. I had a great lighting technician, Geoff Nangle, who is one of the most resourceful guys I know. He can hang a light from the sky.
What are the advantages of editing the film yourself? Disadvantages?
DANIEL: The obvious answer it that when you edit the film yourself you are in total control of the storytelling, exactly as you envision it. You get to see and experiment with every single frame of footage you shot.
Of course, you can probably achieve the same picture working closely with a seasoned editor. But in order to successfully edit your own film you need to have the courage to throw away your best shots if they don’t serve the movement of the story. Sometimes you love a shot and use it even though in context it doesn’t work.
It’s crucial also, if you’re going to edit your own film, to listen to your instincts; don’t ask for advice or an opinion on every cut. One advice when you ask for opinions: Many times you suspect that something doesn’t work. If the opinions I get confirm my suspicions then I know I have to work on that. Once you have the first draft, get as many opinions as you can; don’t change something because one person pointed something out. You should be the final judge.
The main disadvantage of doing it alone is that you don’t have another point of view to explore different possibilities and ideas. The other issue is that, after looking at a scene for a thousand times it begins to lose its effect, to the point that you don’t know anymore if it works or not.
But if you want to edit yourself, work fast, be critical, explore different combinations, follow your instincts and get that first draft in front of a critical audience quickly.
What did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?
DANIEL: From a production point of view you need to parallelize your productions activities as much as possible. Pick a capable and skillful team. As a whole, your team (production and technical) should have all the skills needed to complete the picture. Every team member should be given well defined tasks to work on and work in parallel.
Planning, budgeting and realistic scheduling is key; if you can’t do it yourself, get experienced people in that area. Pre-production and Filming is chaotic. Post-Production is complex. For an independent filmmaker on a low budget it is crucial not to go through any of the production phases alone. Post-production is brainy and technical and also incredibly time consuming, it’s crucial that your team includes highly technical people for the post.
Main photography may be over, but I shot and additional fifty hours of footage during the post-production phase. All phases are important but post-production is very critical to the successes of your film. This is where the story takes shape, where bad acting is corrected, where problems are fixed. Especially in a digital era, a great deal of work, such as compositions, effects, music, sound design, is done in post. This is where I would allocate a great deal of my budget and human resources.
I think it’s crucial, in order to grow as a filmmaker, to be your own strict critic; I believe that is the only way to grow. Like in many other artistic activities, you’re sharing the deepest parts of who you are and where you come from through your work, and critiques and rejections can sometimes hurt.
But being hurt doesn’t help you grow, instead, learn from it, get better, perfect your craft, go and make another film.
Okay, all our energies are back to focusing on edits for the movie right now. So, while we are working on the trailer, the movie is... well... it's taking precedence.
So, while you wait for the official Under Jakob's Ladder movie trailer, we thought you might like to watch this...
We just re-discovered it on one of our computers. Originally created last fall, it's a short sequence (the arrest). The storyboards are by Lizzie Hupcey. It even has some of our proto-soundtrack ideas.
A few things of note... Like we said earlier, it is almost a year old. So, some of the things we originally had Lizzie storyboard we later decided to cut out (like the bit with the bread). So, keep in mind that this is not exactly what was filmed.
Another note... Look at the images of the Jakob character. You may notice that they closely resemble Jeff Stewart. That's no coincidence. Actually we gave Lizzie photos of Jeff as her "model" for Jakob.
David Bordwell had a great post on his blog pointing out both the historical precedents for transmedia storytelling and the problems inherent in it. You should definitely read the whole thing, but this gives you a nice taste:
At this point someone usually says that interactive storytelling allows the filmmaker to surrender some control to the viewer, who is empowered to choose her own adventure. This notion is worth a long blog entry in itself, so I’ll simply assert without proof: Storytelling is crucially all about control. It sometimes obliges the viewer to take adventures she could not imagine. Storytelling is artistic tyranny, and not always benevolent.
Another drawback to shifting a story among platforms: art works gain strength by having firm boundaries. A movie’s opening deserves to be treated as a distinct portal, a privileged point of access, a punctual moment at which we can take a breath and plunge into the story world. Likewise, the closing ought to be palpable, even if it’s a diminuendo or an unresolved chord. The special thrill of beginning and ending can be vitiated if we come to see the first shots as just continuations of the webisode, and closing images as something to be stitched to more stuff unfolding online. There’s a reason that pictures have frames.
Hmmm.... Is the Facebook community more activist, participatory, and just generally helpful than the blogging world? These comments came in on my FB page via my inquiry here on behalf of a filmmaker about other labs & colonies.
Producer Jack Lechner pointed out:
The colonies aren't labs -- they're just places to write. There's no mentoring or criticism involved, although colonists sometimes present their new work to each other.
Cornelia Ravenal made a comment that:
Waiting to be accepted by one of the more prestigious labs often takes 2 or 3 tries, as in years. Best guidance to get started immediately is John Truby's book THE ANATOMY OF STORY: 22 STEPS TO BECOMING A MASTER STORYTELLER or his genre CDs. In fact, anything he offers at http://www.truby.com is useful.
Filmmaker Rodney Evens added:
Hi Ted- I just finished the Binger FilmLab's Director's Coaching Programme which was fantastic (http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.binger.nl). They also have a screenplay development program as well which is 6 months.
I can also recommend Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), Hambidge, the Vermont Studio Center and the Edward Albee colony (in Montauk during the summer). I have also heard good things about The Millay Colony, Ucross, Djerassi and Blue Mountain Center but haven't been to those. Chateau de La Napoule in the south of France is great and people have also said good things about Sacatar in Brazil. http://www.facebook.com/l/;resartis.org is a good website for international residencies and here is a book for domestic places:
I write a lot at art colonies and residency programs and find it very helpful to get away from the distractions of everyday life. They definitely work for me.
Jade Wu these additional Screenwriting Labs & Colonies recommendations:
Film Independent (LA) - many projects graduate to production and festivals(LA Film Fest and Spirit Awards)
IFP Narrative Lab (NY) - a younger program, but has helped projects move to the next level and most have played the festival circuit
BlueCat Seminars (throughout U.S. cities) - the contest is run by Gordy Hoffman (Love Liza) and has garnered reputable status. Didn't do the seminars, but I placed as Semi-finalist - no cigar in the reality scheme of things, but I was thrilled nevertheless. Ballast won a BlueCat Award.
Disney/ABC Writing Fellowship (and they pay you to learn). I was a Fellow in the Daytime Drama Series Writing Program.
Marilyn Horowitz, whose on FB, is a great teacher/mentor. She's teaches at NYU, in addition to her own seminars (private/group/online).
The answer really depends on what this filmmaker expects/wants out of a lab and where he/she falls on the writing level scale. "Learning how to write" and "developing a screenplay" are very different goals.
Screenwriter Caitlin McCarthy (and TFF blog contributor) said:
The Atlanta Film Festival Screenwriters Lab is amazing. They accept six people each year. I participated in their inaugural lab in 2007 with Joy Lusco Kecken and Michael Lucker as my mentors. I can't think of any other screenwriting labs out there, other than what's been posted. This is why more labs are needed in the industry for up-and-coming screenwriters who want to develop their craft and find mentors. Without labs, budding writers are on their own. MacDowell and Yaddo won't accept budding writers, from my experience. They seem to want more established artists with at least one produced work. The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts is supposed to be more "budding writer" friendly, but I've never applied to it, so I don't know how it really is. The San Francisco Film Society has a Djerassi/SFFS Screenwriting Fellowship which provides a one-month residency for emerging or established screenwriters in the Santa Cruz Mountains. But it doesn't provide mentors like the labs. More labs, please!!! The fact that no one can rattle off a list of labs here speaks volumes. The film industry as a whole is not actively trying to mentor new talent. The question is WHY? So no one new can break in unless by some miracle these days? Makes you wonder....
Not bad, considering we have yet to have a comment directly here. Dang.
The Filmmakers Alliance were kind enough to give me their Vision Award last Wednesday in LA at the DGA. They put together a nice tribute reel, cutting in interview segments with the film clips.
A documentary filmmaker making the transition into narrative asked me to recommend labs to develop their first screenplay in. We all certainly know of Sundance, and there are the prestigious MacDowell and Yaddoo colonies, but where else can one go? And what are the rules for MacDowell & Yaddoo? Who and what is eligible? And aren't they more like a place to work and consult with other artists as opposed to the Sundance model which is in depth meetings with mentors?
August 23, 1939: A non-aggression pact made between the Soviet Union and Germany at the outset of World War II.
Wow! That's 70 years ago...
And why do we mention it? Well, it probably has to do with the fact that our latest film project -- Under Jakob's Ladder -- takes place in the Soviet Union during this time period. In fact, part of the plot revolves this very topic.
Now we don't want to give away too much of the movie's plot. But it does have to do with a certain country breaking that afore-mentioned non-aggression pact in 1941 (which is when our story takes place).
{Note about the photo -- This is the actual signing of the pact. You can see Stalin standing in the background (he's the one in the pale gray shirt). Then look up and you'll see Lenin glaring out of the photograph hanging on the wall.}
Are any of you not on Twitter? It's been suggested that I post my Tweets. It feels a bit redundant since they automatically feed to the blog too, but I am going to give it a shot. Let me know if this is at all useful.
Our dreams are born out of our pasts, curiously making fantasy rarely relevant to the world we are actually living in.
_Lst wk I was told "Hollywd will only considr pre-banded content. They'd prefer TheDixieCupMovie to an orignl idea. No nonbranded pitches."
_Why do today's creators draw a line between what is termed marketing and the art of the narrative? Isn't "marketing" actually "discovery"?3:11 PM Aug 15th from web __ _ __
_IndepFilm has matured &so has IFP's Independent Film Wk. Don't b left behind. Check out new blog: http://independentfilmweek....12:34 PM Aug 15th from web __ _ __
_Indie Film's Revltn w/in the Revltn is still needed. CMcCarthy continues why help & support is required: http://trulyfreefilm.blogsp...11:19 AM Aug 15th from web __ _ __
_RT @EitherOrFilms Homestar Runner explns indie vs independent. Funny --& gee, I wonder what films they r goofing on... http://bit.ly/beQs012:32 PM Aug 14th from web __ _ __
_Totally glad the Andrea Arnold's FISH TANK got picked for US distribution. It's such a strong work. Don't miss it. Great cinema.12:20 PM Aug 14th from web __ _ __
_Win a membership to MOMA: http://mydayat.moma.org/11:46 AM Aug 14th from web __
_@tonyfaulkner Yeah it's true, Jeff has helped quite a lot of people out there -- including my wife! He gave her her 1st gig in the biz.11:09 AM Aug 14th from web in reply to tonyfaulkner__ _ __
_What kind of set do actors REALLY want? Paul & Sam tell us: http://trulyfreefilm.blogsp...11:07 AM Aug 14th from web __ _ __
_Manohla re: PONYO: when t ocean rises in this wondrfl movie, each leapg wave stares out @ us w a balefl eye as if in watchfl &worried wait.11:04 AM Aug 14th
Friend&fellow Prod JLHinte:"There is a special place in Hell for those who aid & abet the young & talented getting into the film business! "12:24 PM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
_FROWNLAND plays at MOMA in NYC this Thurs & Fri. It is one of the best indies of recent times. http://bit.ly/LgFmr12:19 PM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
_Films, & film experience, can begin long before the lights go down & the projection starts, or the screen turns on, or the phone is charged.7:13 AM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
_I wish we had "Lives of Artists" shows like this: http://bit.ly/2mVyc & less on the rich or 8 kid families or pregnant youth or you know...6:57 AM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
RT @im2b what we've been doing is saying there are several different starting points (a wall[s] or plain[s]of starting points) on story now.6:48 AM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
_NYTimes on DIY Distribution -- although I fail to understand what cool hotels have to do with it all: http://bit.ly/q3ZSr6:47 AM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
_Feature Films - instead of being the end all - is the launch pad from which we all leap up & off of -- a starting point, or rather one of.6:19 AM Aug 13th from web __ _ __
_Ruskoff: we have been fed 3-part story structure for 2 millennia & it’s enough. We need new ways of telling a story: http://bit.ly/X71tH11:28 PM Aug 12th from web __ _ __
_Audiences like both to b directed & to participate; both t truly active and t somewhat passive r pleasurable exprncs & not mutually exclsv.11:00 PM Aug 12th from web __ _ __
_ADVENTURELAND DVD is out in USA on August 25th. Not too late to advance order a dozen or more! Thanks!10:42 PM Aug 12th from web __ _ __
_Yesterdy George Soros annced $35m Back to School NY to support low-income NY families buy supplies for coming school yr. $200/child3:54 PM Aug 12th from web __ _ __
_@marstall Yeah but meanwhile the educate DONT procreate & the uneducated do rapidly & resources remain slim. In the end: idiocracy reigns.3:28 PM Aug 12th from web in reply to marstall
_The state should be helping those who decide not to have children: less unemployment, less congestion, fewer wars8:45 AM Aug 12th from web __ _ __
_How To Save Indie Film? Seek out working class youth. Caitlin McCarthy guest post on http://trulyfreefilm.blogsp...8:28 AM Aug 12th from web __ _ __
_I like this idea on how to do more w/ DVDs: http://thenextgoodidea.blog... Why haven't filmmkrs utilized all the possiblities of DVD?9:00 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_Jem Cohen is one of NYC's greats. Tonight at the IFC center live with Mr Jarmusch: http://bit.ly/Zlzh08:12 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_RT @TeriTynes One gathering for unusual films is Orphan Film Symposium. Looks great but gotta wait. http://www.nyu.edu/orphanfi...7:54 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_Buses take an average of 60 cars off the road, & buses are also over 170 times safer than cars (National Safety Council).7:50 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_Commuting by train instead of by car cuts CO2 emissions per passenger by about 75%.7:36 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_ State of journalism is not just an economic issue, it’s also a politicl issue. Media consolidatn is leaving fewer independent voices on air.7:31 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_Stop living in the old world & fantasizing of easy glory. Throw out yesterday's papers & rewire yr brain: IndieFilm v3.0 is now blossoming.7:23 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_Wondering why no org or event has become TheGoToPlace for "unusual" cinema? Don't all film fans love the weird & wonderful? Hmmmm....7:16 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_Hey State Film Commissions! Wanna bring more film prod to your state? Make sure there are some direct flights (thanks Anne Carey for rec.)7:07 AM Aug 11th from web __ _ __
_The List of Blogs That Will Cover Unreleased Films just got a whole lot longer: http://trulyfreefilm.blogsp...6:35 AM Aug 11th from web
I got interviewed by Flyp Media for their latest issue. Everyone could learn a thing or three from their use of technology in the presentation of their articles. I totally dig it. Check out all their stuff, but if you just want to read about me I won't complain too much. The article is readable right here:
Flyp also shot a video in the midst of all this. I got to name drop The Minutemen (I've always jammed econo...) so I will over look the fact my hair is standing up.
I watch to the very end! -- 48% I stay only for the list of actors. -- 6% I watch the credits, hoping for an extra scene. -- 44% I watch credits occasionally. -- 20% I rarely/never watch credits. -- 0%
C'mon gang, let's help ourselves by helping out a filmmaker in need. Today's question (and opportunity) comes from Chris Munch:
"Can anyone suggest reference material or a sample proposal that illustrates how the advertising industry translates theatrical playdates, DVD sales and rentals, and digital downloads into numbers of impressions? Are there industry standards that quantify a DVD rental unit sold as x-number of impressions? I am trying to prepare a proposal for an airline to furnish promotional consideration in the form of travel vouchers, and need to present them with projections of what sort of exposure (in terms of thousands of impressions) my film will have once it is done. I'm sure that these models exist, but so far I have not been able to access them. Thanks in advance for any advice or assistance."
And although others have their faves, I think Chris' THE HOURS AND TIMES is one of the greats of 90's American Indie Cinema. We need to have Chris make more movies!
The purpose of these interviews is to help demystify the filmmaking process ...
ALI SELIM: First, let me tell you, I can't help you de-mystify it. It's the most mysterious thing I've ever done, still to this day.
Had you ever written a screenplay before this?
ALI SELIM: No. I dabbled. I took a screenwriting class from Tom Pope in 1984, and I churned out something to get a grade. I can't even remember what it was. Then we had this idea when I was at Departure Films in 1989 that we were going to try and make a movie and I think I cranked something out then as well. But again, I don't even remember what it was. I just didn't know any better. I thought you slap some words on a page, got the camera out and that was that.
This was really my first effort at telling a story that was structured and constructed. But had I put words on a page before? Yeah. Had I ever done anything seriously or taken myself seriously? I think this was the first time.
Did you think about budget at all while you were writing Sweet Land?
ALI SELIM: No, I guess I didn't. If I had thought about that, I think the script would look very different. No, I just let it rip and left it up to (producer) Jim Bigham to make it happen. He was great. He's an old friend and he really connected with the script for a lot of reasons. He wasn't just a Line Producer, he was a guy who really wanted to see it made.
He was the one guy who would go through the script with me and say, "If we get rid of this, it will make that better." He was great about hanging on to the parts of the story that would drive it forward, and yet getting rid of the things that were a little too big. He was more budget conscious, and that caused me to re-write, I guess, but while I was writing I didn't really think about it.
Was there anything you were sorry to lose because of budget restraints?
ALI SELIM: There was nothing I was sorry to lose. I learned a lot from Jim Bigham about how to be efficient, not how to be cheap or just say no -- let's be efficient and talk about what the story is. When you don't have millions and millions of dollars and tons of days, I think you just naturally give up some of those shots that you would see in King Kong, which are great -- those big, wide street scenes of New York -- but I don't know that we need them in a film like this.
There were a lot of those little things along the way where, if we'd had the money, yeah, we'd get the train pulling away from the station as she was walking away, but you don't necessarily need it.
Did you re-write it at all after it was cast, to fit the actors you cast?
ALI SELIM: A little bit. I think I did a lot of re-writing for Ned Beatty, who was interested and willing to be a little more terse and mean. The character wasn't originally that way, and I like what he brought to it. And so I re-wrote a lot of his dialogue to reflect that.
I re-wrote Frandsen, too. My grandparents had a friend like that character, an immigrant living hand to mouth on a farm in Minnesota, and yet he was more influenced by what he heard of vaudeville and what he saw at the movies than what his real life was. It took Alan (Cumming) a little while, but when he got that, we re-wrote Frandsen to make him more fun in that way.
Do you think you wrote it any differently because you knew you would be directing it?
ALI SELIM: I don't think so. I don't know what writing another kind of script is like, so I don't know if I adapted this to the fact that I was going to be directing.
I do know that my writing is vastly more sparse or suggestive than most screenwriters. My Assistant Director was pulling his hair out, saying "It's not in the script, it's not in the script!" And I think, actually, that's what attracted the actors to it. It doesn't have the kind of screen direction that says, "She raises her left hand and puts it on the cool granite counter." There's none of that in there. It's more just a kind of rumbling suggestion, and I think the actors really seemed to appreciate that, because they all talked about not only the sparseness of the dialogue, which is as sparse as the script.
I'm writing another script now and I'm finding that it really isn't just the taciturn Scandinavian farmers that caused me to write that way, it's really more my writing style.
Are there any lessons from Sweet Land that you'll take to future projects?
ALI SELIM: I think I learned some lessons about dialogue -- how much actors really bring to the show. We did a couple rehearsal readings in Montevideo, once all the actors arrived. And immediately following those readings, I think I went through and cut about half of the dialogue. Just watching their faces I thought, Boy, they don't even need to memorize this stuff in Norwegian or German or whatever it is, they just need to act and look and work between the lines.
And then when we started editing, I bet we lost another half of what was left. And I'm finding that it's really helpful in writing the next script. Write it for the actor, don't write it for the producer who's reading it.
Metadata still remains a concept and practice alien to filmmakers. But once again we are lucky that we have musicians to pave the way for us. Future Of Music was just pointed out to me as an example of the kind of website the film industry needs. I wish one of the indie film advocacy orgs would adopt FutureOfMusic's mission statement (with "film" substituted for their "music"):
a national nonprofit organization that works to ensure a diverse film culture where artists flourish, are compensated fairly for their work, and where fans can find the films they want.
Metadata is information that lives with every file on your computer. Through a magic merger of words and 1’s and 0’s, metadata “describes” files so that they can be managed by both the user and the system. In the case of a music file, like an MP3, metadata refers to the “tags” associated with a particular piece of music — typically information about the artist, album name, year of release, etc. On the surface, it might seem like these tags are mostly useful for the listener, who needs some way to quickly sort through MP3s. But why are they so important to artists?
Well, as more and more of the music market migrates online, sales from services like iTunes or eMusic or Rhapsody or those yet to be created will represent a larger portion of total music revenues. Songs and albums are organized by these services according to their metadata, so it’s important that the cataloging be accurate. Otherwise, your new acoustic country record could get mistakenly filed in the alt-doom-emo-crunk genre and never sell a single copy.
It could just as well apply to film: It's important that our cataloging be accurate. Otherwise your mumblecore feature could get mistakenly filed in torture porn genre and sell more copies than you ever dreamed!
I have always found the entrenchment of the bureaucracy a pretty normal occurence in any field or job I have had -- film or otherwise. People generally promote people who are like them. The status quo grows more homogenous with every passing year. This is particularly true in high cost enterprises like the film industry.
It's true that price at the point of entry in filmdom has been dropping steady as has the means of delivering a return (aka distribution) has become more accessible, but still it's hard to go the normal route if you don't have much bread. True though, I never had financial resources to fall back on and nor did many of the people I started out with. But I definitely had a lot of privilege: I am a white middle class male in America, armed with some decent schooling.
Sure, a film career can be had even if you come from modest means, but the ones who land here are the exception and not the rule. It is such a struggle to live a creative life in this country currently that most of the survivors got here by the easy route (privilege of one sort or another). And frankly that sucks. We need more exceptions; it is the key to a vibrant culture. We can't allow only the best and the brightest to reach the light -- it gives us an unrealistic picture, amongst many other things. We can never stop being vigilant that the new wave we promote doesn't look just like us. I must admit that I still get behind work first and foremost because I love it -- and I most often love stuff that I relate to, and there lies the rub...
Nonetheless, it was the quality of Caitlin McCarthy's work that brought her to my attention -- or rather first and foremost to my wife's attention. But let's face it, I also liked what Caitlin had to say. Beyond her scripts, I encouraged her to pull some of the ideas she had FB'd me into the blog post on how to save indie film that we posted two days ago. I am excited that it got some people talking, even if they don't see it as dire as Caitlin does.
We got a lot of good comments here on the blog. Vadim Rizov over at IFC's Indie-eye blog blogged about it : "...we don't need the 'working class youth' to 'seek out' industry patrons; in this hard world, like everyone else, they'd do better to start their own infrastructures, then get enough clout to become their own patrons, then get the grants. It'll be tough, but definitely more rewarding."
That comment has Caitlin coming back to us with more; she knows firsthand that it takes more than hard work and a good attitude:
After working with at risk, no income/low income teenagers for over six years, I can tell you that "just do it" is a Nike ad -- it doesn't apply to real life when you come from a disadvantaged background.
I have breathtakingly talented students in my classes (I teach over 150 students each year), but they can't create art at home. Many of them don't have a home. They are bouncing between relatives, foster homes, homeless shelters, or friends' couches. If they are at home, it's usually one or two room living with their siblings. Many of my students complain that they can't do homework at home because there isn't a quiet space to do it. They can't go to the library, because the nearby libraries have all been closed. The one downtown is surrounded by drug dealers and prostitutes *during the daytime* -- forget about night. They can't participate in an after school program because they don't exist (other than sports).
For my students, dreams don't come true without guidance and support from someone outside their families and neighborhoods. They need someone to believe in them on a continuous basis. They've had to fend for themselves all their lives for the most part. They are desperate to belong to something. That's why you see so many of them in gangs. If they're not in gangs, they belong to a sports team or a church group -- something with regular meetings that they can depend on.
The author of the IFC article means well, and I think this "do it yourself" advice would work with the middle and upper classes, where there is already support at home and in their community. But it won't work with the lower classes who have so many strikes against them already.
Perhaps this is why we don't see more filmmakers from the lower classes. The film establishment wants to believe that if you're good enough, like cream you'll rise to the top. That is incredibly naïve (or maybe it's deliberate so their friends and relatives can get all the jobs because "there's no one else" to hire).
If anyone thinks class doesn't exist in this society, come hang out with me in three weeks when school starts again. I feel the separation in the classes. Poverty and lack of opportunity are like pieces of sandpaper that wear you down, slowly but surely, every single day until you're defeated. This is something that crosses ALL color lines. You can be white and poor.
Sorry to get on my soap box, but I am disturbed by how some people simply don't how it is for some people out there. But many of these people can't be blamed for their ignorance, as they haven't spent time living and working with a disadvantaged population. Once you have "ground truth," you'd know better than to say "do it yourself, kid." That's essentially telling the kid to figure it out for themselves, away from you, so you don't have to get involved. If you want to make a difference, you MUST get involved for the long haul. It's a marathon!
Episode Five Of The Christine & Ted In Sundance Show, where Paul Giamatti and Sam Rockwell discuss what it's like for them on set and what it means for them now that they work all the time.
What was your filmmaking background before you made the film?
JEFFREY: Before Lullaby, I made six short films. I also worked production for about two years out in Los Angeles. First as a production assistant then as a loader and camera assistant.
The highlights of my production experience were probably driving the camera truck for about a year on Marcus Nispel commercials/music videos and loading the film Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her for DP extraordinaire Emmanuel Lubezki.
Where did the idea come from to make The Last Lullaby?
JEFFREY: Lullaby is based on the Max Allan Collins' short story "A Matter of Principal." The short story centers around Max's great character Quarry, who is also the star of a couple of other short stories by Max as well as about seven or eight novels.
How did you work with the writers on getting the script ready to shoot?
JEFFREY: It's something that never really stopped, actually. The script was written by Max Allan Collins and Peter Biegen. But then we had to make revisions to the script, due to weather, during the shoot. And then we continued to make revisions all the way until the very last day in the editing bay. I don't write but felt particularly fortunate to have two very talented writers on the project.
How did you fund the film?
JEFFREY: I raised the money for Lullaby myself. I have 49 private investors, 48 of whom are from the Shreveport, Louisiana area where I live and where we shot the movie. To help incentivize investment, I used a combination of state tax credits and federal tax deductions as part of my fairly extensive business plan.
What obstacles did you have to overcome to make the film?
JEFFREY: Money is always a tough thing to find. So I had to figure that one out. Also I think a first feature for any director is completely overwhelming. So much of the process is new, and you're constantly hitting a wall and having to find a way to keep going. I had an unusually great team though.
What did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?
JEFFREY: More than anything, I learned that it's a really tough time right now to monetize a finished film. In fact, I cover this challenge and struggle in my weekly blog for MovieMaker magazine (http://www.moviemaker.com/blog/category/adventures_in_self_releasing/). Knowing this will definitely affect the way that I budget my next film as well as approach distribution once the film is done. For instance, I'll make sure next time around to have even more money in the budget for P&A and a staff that can continue to work for the film as we try to get it out into the world.
Throughout history, the arts were primarily reserved for the upper class. Only recently (the last century or so) has the working class been able to pursue the arts – and that’s because education has become more available to the masses. Thanks to the Internet, emerging artists can live just about anywhere and submit their work in real-time to interested parties. You don’t have to live in LA or NYC anymore (although you still have to travel there sometimes for meetings).
The film community needs to create labs and grants that are specifically designed for under-represented people (race and gender), as well as labs and grants that are awarded on merit, not famous last names/relatives, graduation from the “right” film schools, etc. Note by “film community,” I mean studios, film festivals, and film institutes. Some places have already joined this bandwagon, but many more need to get on board with it. The labs and grants can be funded through sponsorships, donations, or a portion of festival/institute application fees.
Once these labs and grants have been created, the film community has to publicize the hell out of them. They can’t just rely on newspapers, Variety, or the Hollywood Reporter. Use Twitter, Facebook, IMDb, E! News, PEOPLE Magazine, Gawker, -- websites and publications the average person reads.
Announce the lab and grant opportunities through ListServs that service the faculty and administration of public schools and state colleges and universities – not just the private institutions. Add the lab and grant listings to PEN America’s Grants and Awards online database. Utilize non-profit organizations like Dave Eggers’ 826 National, Richard Hugo House in Seattle, Grub Street Writers in Boston, etc., to reach teens and writers in cities on top of LA and NYC (where many opportunities already exist).
Many low and middle class children across the US feel they can’t pursue the arts because it’s an “unsafe” business. They choose “realistic” jobs instead, usually because of prodding from their parent(s). Filmmakers need to give back and become mentors to children and teens in these communities, so the kids realize that they, too, can work in film – not just as actors or writers, but on a crew or in other ways.
It seems to me that filmmaking is a mostly closed business right now, filled with “secret handshakes” that folks from the outside don’t understand. The industry can’t remain incestuous, where the children of movie stars and movie execs get all the breaks and the “no name” people get none. Movies need voices from the outside, from all socio-economic levels, to remain exciting.
As for how to screen films to disadvantaged youth, I am shocked that the film industry hasn’t thought of this one: Show new films for a discounted rate at public schools across the US. Make Friday night the designated “Movie Night.” Every school already has an auditorium or gym with a big screen. Many schools use “Movie Night” as Student Council fundraisers – only they show old films for a fee, not new ones. Studios could debut films to the prized demographic this way, and give a percentage of the take to the schools’ Student Councils – thereby making everyone happy.
Certain DVDs could also be sold to schools and libraries if there’s an educational tie-in. These films could have websites with special lesson plans for teachers (available for a fee). Trust me, teachers love to show movies that relate to their course material (English, Math, History, Science, Health, Art, Vocational Education, etc.). Students are so visual these days that the Department of Education encourages the use of media and technology in the classroom.
In a nutshell, don’t expect working class youth in the US to seek you out, as they don’t know where to go. Seek them out, in the places they already frequent. This will require work on the part of filmmakers, but the artistic and financial return will be worth it.
Caitlin McCarthy
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Caitlin McCarthy is an inner-city public high school teacher by day and award-winning screenwriter by night in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Producer Jake Abraham has been producing the distribution of his latest film Lovely By Surprise (screened at the This is that Goldcrest Screening Series mind you!). They've had to find folks all of this land of ours to review it. Luckily for the rest of us, he's found a great amount. Even more fortunate is the fact that Jake recognizes that Truly Free Film Culture can only come by sharing information.
We should all send Jake our thanks for this totally awesome list of blogs that will review undistributed films:
I have more to add to this list thanks to the recommendations that came in when I posted v1.0. I will post them shortly. Maybe someone out there will sort them for the rest of us. Maybe some of you could let us know what of these sites are the best ones. Maybe one day I will have the time to tag this post with all their names.
Well, we have a rough cut of the movie. But it's still pretty rough. Basically, over the past few weeks we have been focusing on doing dialog replacement.
Most of the production dialog from the exterior scenes is unusable due to traffic noise. So, during the film shoot, after each camera setup, we would take the actors with dialog to a quiet space where we had them speak their lines of dialog, just like they did it during the take.
We made sure to record several versions of each line. (This usually works well if the actors pretty much stuck to the script, and it saves the hassle of bringing in actors months later to try to remember their performance as they lip sync.)
For wide interior shots, the mics are usually too far away from the actors to pick up their dialog. So you take the dialog from the close-ups and shift it around until it matches their lips for the wide angle.
This took almost two weeks to finish.
And now that we've got that done, we can do some serious work on a movie trailer...
(Note: This blogpost originally was from the email newsletter we sent out last week. If you would like to receive our email updates about the film, please sign up here.)
This date was one of those bittersweet filming days. It was the last day of filming for a majority of the cast. (It was not the last day for the crew, by any stretch of the imagination.)
