Thank You Manohla (and The New York Times)

Ms. Dargis has been doing an excellent job covering -- and contextualizing -- Indie Film's move towards an artist-centric collaboration with the audience (and away from an exclusive control by the corporations in terms of what is made and exhibited).

And she just gave TrulyFreeFilm some serious props today. Perhaps that is why you are reading this now (that is if they fixed their online link). Anyways, this is that big shout out of thanks.

In regards, to art films current inability to attract young audiences, Manhola quoted me:

it “is really surprising how few true indie films speak to a youth audience.” He continued, “In this country we’ve had Kevin Smith and ‘Napoleon Dynamite,’ but nothing that was youth and also truly on the art spectrum like ‘Run Lola Run’ or the French New Wave (‘Paranormal Activity’ not withstanding...),” adding: “Are we incapable of making the spirited yet formal work that defines a lot of alternative rock and roll? And if so, why is that?”

If you want to read the whole post that came from: this is it.

And if you are coming here for the first time, please "follow" this blog (see column on right), follow me on Twitter @TedHope, and come join me on FaceBook. And please join in the conversation by commenting, posting, and retweeting.

We can keep a diverse and vital culture alive and flourishing but only with your participation.

Sundance 2010 Producers' Roundtable, Part 2

Please, let me know what you think about what we are discussing.

Getting Film Updates...

Okay, JAKOB Fans!

We're currently switching over to a new delivery system for our film updates... And if you're already on our email list to receive all the latest news about Under Jakob's Ladder, we don't want you to get lost in the shuffle!

So... If you haven't done made the switch already, it's pretty easy. All you have to do is complete a two-step process for staying on our list. (Or joining our list if you're not on it already.)

Step One:

Simply type in your email address in the box below and click subscribe...

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Then click on the link inside the email. Note: If you miss this step, you’ll miss receiving our film updates.

Can't find the message? If your email provider has an aggressive spam filter, try checking to see if the message is in your junk/spam folder.

P.S. And since this blog post is called "Film Updates", here's an update regarding the film... We're working on revamping the Under Jakob's Ladder website. Stay tuned!

Matthew William Jordan on “My Sweet Misery”

What was your filmmaking background before you made My Sweet Misery?

MATTHEW: After pursuing a Masters degree in English at the University of South Carolina, I became a recluse for many years. During this time, I became obsessed with films and filmmaking. Ultimately, I emerged to write, direct, and edit My Sweet Misery, but I'm still a bit of a recluse.

Where did you get the idea for the film?

MATTHEW: I know that the traditional route for films is that the story idea comes first, and that the characters are essentially plugged into the story. The process works in reverse for me, for whatever reason. The characters begin to take shape in my head first, and the story actually comes out of the characters.

How did you script the film and how did that script change during the shooting?

MATTHEW: I wrote my first draft with pen and paper, in a large and now weathered notebook, obsessing over each scene and shaping each scene until I was ready to move on and transition to the next. So when I actually typed a draft into a computer, it was essentially a third or fourth draft, and it didn't change much from there, aside from a minor tweak or two. The final film is remarkably similar to the script.

What technology did you employ to shoot the film and what did you like about it?

MATTHEW: We shot it on Super 16mm film, and we even shot a few brief sequences on Super 8mm for effect. I love the aesthetic of film, and I think it's worth all of the intrinsic hassles in order to capture that aesthetic.

How did you fund the film?

MATTHEW: It was raised, bit by bit, through private investors, almost all of whom we knew on some personal level. The budget is very small. It's probably the lowest budget conceivable to shoot a feature-length movie on film with.

What was the smartest thing you did during pre-production or production? The dumbest?

MATTHEW: I'll tell you what, I'll answer the same thing for both: I chose to shoot on film. It was smart to stick to my guns with that, because the aesthetic is important to the movie. It was dumb in that it made post-production 1,000 times trickier. At the end of a long road, I'm still happy with the choice, but there's nothing easy about using film on a micro-budget.

And, finally, what did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?

MATTHEW: I learned so much that it's difficult to narrow down here. Most importantly, I learned the areas in which I can compromise just a little, without it damaging movie, and the areas in which I absolutely cannot compromise and cannot give an inch, ever. That's important stuff to know.

Sundance 2010 Producers' Roundtable

Sit down, pour yourself a glass of wine, eat a chicken wing, and join myself, Christine Vachon, Jonathon Schwartz, Thomas Woodrow, & Liz Watts discussing how to survive as a producer in this day and age.

Sundance Observation

To me, the filmmaking community (the artists, the business folk, the curators & promoters, the appreciators & fans) have to embrace that we are in a seismic shift to an artist-centric collaboration with the audience and away from the corporate controlled supply & attention. This requires a redefinition of cinema by its creators to embrace the discovery, engagement, presentation, promotion, & appreciation processes as much as we do development & production. We have to erase the lines between between art & commerce and content & marketing. We have to stop thinking of films as singular objects and refocus on how they are bridges for the ongoing conversation we have with audiences. Specifics like VOD numbers are important, but we miss the point if we don't look first at the big picture.

What Defines An Event? 10 Thoughts On Transforming Small to LARGE

Hollywood will survive because of its ability to develop, produce, market, and distribute "Event" pictures. Whereas Hollywood's Event Pictures are defined as being designed for general audiences, Truly Free Film can have its own event pictures too by focusing on specific audiences and understanding what it is that will drive people out of their house to do something in conjunction with others. So what are those qualities of "event"?

1. A conversation that inevitably will continue after the screening is over. It is an event if you are compelled to discuss it afterwards. Is that a memorable scene? A relationship to the world we live in? Truth? Understanding? Passion? Beauty? Transcendence? What? What is the return the audience gets on their 90 minute investment? It's the after-effect, the conversation.
2. Content whose impact is enhanced by timely consumption. The audience recognizes that their social and intellectual capital will increase by having been among those whom participated -- and thus are compelled to attend.
3. A once in a blue moon opportunity. It expires, is used up, & is gone gone gone. If you don't go, you will never get this chance again. It is dated and defined by that date.
4. There are many pieces that fit together into something much much larger. Maybe it is part of a series or a sequence. Maybe it is the fact that the screening is only part of a bigger activity.
5. The awareness that a lot of people will be participating somehow. The larger the audience the more it is an event. The wider the audience the more it is an event. The more an audience is spread out, the more it is an event.
6. The memory, the understanding, and/or the appreciation of the participation changes as time passes. Events aren't static. They grow and transform.
7. Events have a material aspect to them. We take events home with us somehow, but generally via the merchandise that we barter for with our dollars.
8. People you will never know are talking about it. When the Velvet Underground or The Sex Pistols first played they were events, perhaps not so much in the moment, but certainly in terms of how they were discussed long afterwards. It is partially the knowledge that we have that others are talking about what we participated in that defines an experience as an event.
9. Anticipation. What makes us think about doing things in advance? How often do we need to be reminded that something is happening here?
10. Commitment. If we commit to participating in something, it's importance grows tenfold. If we, by either our own volition, or the badgering or heckering of our friends and acquientances, commit to something, it becomes the event of the moment.

I am up at the Sundance Film Festival now, where every screening feels like an event. People wonder why certain films can pack the house at a festival but no one shows up when booked for an actual run. The context of a festival creates the urgency. Yet even still here, you feel that not enough is done by just putting it up on the screen. Filmmakers need to focus more on the context they create around the film. In this day and age it is irresponsible to simply screen your film. You need to build ramps up to the event, and bridges after the screening -- tools & processes that keep the conversation going. It is surprising how few examples there are of folks who are doing it well.

For me, right now, being here in Park City, perhaps the most perfect practice of this is Banksy and his film Exit Through The Gift Shop. The mystique and craft and philosophy of the street art and artist leads me to the movie and keeps me wanting to see the film even though my schedule does not yet permit.

Ideas for a Tagline

Here is one of our poster ideas for our film, Under Jakob's Ladder. And if you look closely, you'll see there is no tagline...

At least not yet.


After our previous blog post, a few of you sent in some tagline ideas. We've added them to our list of possibilities. But we thought it might help if you actually saw the photo we're thinking of using on the poster.

What tagline would make YOU want to see this movie?

Got any ideas?

Memorable Taglines

We're working on some poster ideas for our feature film Under Jakob's Ladder.

And with poster ideas come taglines. But finding a good tagline... not an easy task.

A good tagline sums up the plot, or maybe the movie's tone or theme. Usually, you got to do that in only a few words. It's meant to draw interest, to create a hey-I-got-to-see-that-movie response from movie-goers. It's got to be pithy. And memorable.

Some taglines from the early days of film would not be acceptable in today's movie world. For example, there's "Garbo talks!" from the 1930 film Anna Christie. (In 1930, that would have been a big selling point. But it doesn't really tell you much about was the story is about!) Then there's Citizen Kane's tagline from 1941: "EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT IT! It's Terrific!"

Nowadays, there are people who actually make their living writing movie taglines.

Here are some examples of the modern tagline. (Bonus: Can you guess what they have in common?)

"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free."
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

"Put a fence in front of these men...and they'll climb it..."
The Great Escape (1963)

"No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz... And no one ever will!"
Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

"His greatest fight was for justice."
The Hurricane (1999)

If you didn't catch it, all the taglines are from prison movies. Which, of course, is the genre of 'Under Jakob's Ladder'. Now, all we have to do is come up with a good tagline for our own movie...

Ideas, anyone?

(Too bad 'Citizen Kane' already took "It's Terrific!")

If Movies Were Music

1. If I produced movies that sounded like albums I would want them to sound like "London Calling" & "Exile On Main Street".
   If I produced movies that were performed like nusic they would all star Nick Cave, Fugazi, Early Black Flag, BeastieBoys Minutemen, Cramps and definitely, oh so definitely, Tom Waits.
   
   
   If I produced movies that were written like albums, the lyrics would resonate like Blood On The Tracks, Desire, Imperial Bedroom, and Songs Of Leonard Cohen over and over and over again.
   
   
   If movies could grab me like albums have they would be Ziggy Stardust, Axis Bold As Love, Slanted Enchanted, and Mr. Hazelwood & Ms. Sinatra.
   
   
   If I could get lost in movies the way I have albums you would find me in the dark Loaded, Remain In Light, and dreaming Time The Revelator.
   
   If a movie could rattle my system like live music does, I would produce films that felt like The Replacements, The Pixies, & X.
   I am glad the music changes every time I play at but I still run through my life of every time I heard it. It's both immediate and forever, static and constantly changing.

Regina Crosby on “Teenage Dirtbag”

What was your filmmaking background before you made Teenage Dirtbag?

REGINA: Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Bubkus. Take your pick of any of those. I have been writing in some form or fashion (TV, commercials, my diary) since as long as I can remember, but Teenage Dirtbag is my first script, and the first time I have directed anything.

I have been enthralled with the magic of movies since I was a little girl, specifically when my parents took me to see any of Steven Speilberg's masterpieces. Those are the first films I remember that really registered. Now I frequently dream in movie format. Sometimes I think in my dream, "this movie is awful" and wake myself up.

Where did you get the idea for the film?

REGINA: It is inspired by my experiences in high school, which for most of us wasn't a glorious time at all. Life in general can feel like such a battlefield, and we all have our war stories. Teenage Dirtbag is about what we do with our past, and how the smallest actions in life really matter.

How did you script the film and how did that script change during the shooting?

REGINA: That's a great question that I don't often get asked. It changed in all the right ways, because it helps to have both the writer and director housed in one brain. When lines would feel unnatural or forced, I would quickly change them on the fly. Sometimes I would throw them out all together and replace them with an action or an expression. Sure, I argued with myself on set, but I always worked it out before it came to fisticuffs.

What technology did you employ to shoot the film and what did you like about it?

REGINA: We shot in HD, but used film lenses. It provided me the essential technology I needed, with the film look and feel I wanted. We couldn't afford film anyway, so I was lucky the technology was there.

How did you fund the film?

REGINA: I was offered financing for the script right out of the gate by a foreign company. After about six months, I started having serious reservations. I backed out with them and decided I'd rather do it myself on a shoestring, than have it get ruined by having too many chefs in the kitchen. Along with my own investment, a close circle of investors funded the film. It was a lean and mean production.

What was the smartest thing you did during pre-production or production? The dumbest?

REGINA: I had written the script in a very A,B,C,D order, and it read nicely. Then, the producers and I hired a director (I hadn't originally planned on directing the film) who explained that even if script that reads well, it doesn't always come across as interesting on film. As a novice, I figured other people knew more than I did, so I complied.

He worked with me for months scrambling the scenes around, trying to create an interesting "weave" of story lines and make it more "cinematic." In the end, my editor, Andrea Trillo, told me it was too confusing, and she unknowingly put everything in order almost exactly how it was first written. It's important to try and learn from those around you, but it is also important to trust your instincts. The smartest decisions I made every step of the way, were usually the opposite of what someone was pushing me to do.

And, finally, what did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?

REGINA: Here’s my Top Ten.

1. Less is more.

2. Never, ever skimp on sound during filming.

3. Give your editor the creative freedom to make changes. You can always change it back.

4. Go ahead and get drunk with your crew.

5. Post-production will cost twice as much as you think it will and take four-times as long.

6. Be appreciative.

7. Don't be afraid to hold your actors' feet to the fire. Make sure you're getting what you need, even if that means giving line-readings.

8. Remember who you are making the movie for.

9. Fight for what you want.

10. Trust your gut

.

Q&A with Actor Armen Garo

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Actor: Armen Garo
Role: Serzhant

Q: What attracted you to working on 'Under Jakob's Ladder'?
The main attraction was the script's historical authenticity. This was a story worthy of being told because it is a story whose lessons we never seem to learn. That there is no place for man's inhumanity to man. But we never seem to learn, so such stories are never without merit.

Q: How did you prepare for your role?
I started with a short haircut and spent a month wearing clothes that depicted some type of order, some uniformity. I let the rest happen naturally.

Q: How did you identify with your character?
A: I've worked with and for people who were psychologically similar to Serzhant. A repugnant and heartless clown.

Q: What was your favorite line of dialogue from the movie?
A: I had to order prisoners to stop and the script called for it to be done in Russian. It took time for me to learn it, but I enjoyed it.

Q: What was the most challenging scene for you?
A: They were all challenging. But from the perspective of seeing what the other actors were enduring in terms of inhabiting the hardships of a concentration camp, those actors were especially diligent in creating for themselves such misery.

Q: What did you enjoy the most about working on this film?
A: The most enjoyable part of working on this film was the level of passionate commitment from all of the cast and crew. I was quite proud to be a part of this work. The experience that everyone brings to this piece is quite impressive.

Q: Tell about working with the cast/crew.
A: When I first spoke to Robert, I was moved by the story he wanted to tell about his great-grandfather, the story upon which this film is based. The story of human depravity is one that merits repeating until it ceases and the manner in which Robert conveyed to me convinced me this was a worthy film to be a part of. Both Robert and Mann, to their credit, were always sure to be on the same page during production and were both easily accessible when it came to a matter of authentic detail or any other matter of continuity. I'd recommend them and their team to anyone. I'd consider myself lucky if I had a chance to work with them again. This cast was exceptional. It's rare to have been able to work with such a large group of artists who were so committed to their work product. Jeff Stewart was such a gracious presence. I think people are going to like this.

Q: Do you have any funny stories or anecdotes?
A: We filmed at an old farm house. The only thing I recall was that we had to stop filming every time one of the roosters took an interest in one of the hens back in the coop. No manners! What a racket!

Q: How did you get your start in film?
A: The first film I did was called 'The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski' in which I played the role of her brother Stosh Cosnowski. It was quite exciting to work with the film's writer, Jean Shepherd (who also wrote 'A Christmas Story'). My initial understanding of filmmaking came from him.

Q: Who inspires you as an actor?
A: Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro are probably the reasons I became an actor. I like to say that rather than play a role, I inhabit the life of the person the role is based upon. That can be traced to these two actors as initial influences. My inspirations come from those with whom I have contact or have had a chance to observe. Most of them aren't actors.

Ten Things To Do Before You Submit A Script

There's a whole lot more than ten things I could say on this subject. And this list is NOT a top ten. But people always wonder why certain scripts get acquired or developed, and others with similar content never touched; I would say the former's filmmakers do most of the things on this list. You really only get one chance. "Getting feedback" will kill your script for the immediate period -- at least with the company you are submitting it too. Spend the time now to get it right and understand why you need to be the one to tell this story at this point in time.

1) Cut at least another 10% of the script. Even when you think you are finished, there’s always another 10% that can come out.
2) Clarify what you feel the themes are and how they evolve during the course of the narrative.
3) Figure out some of the ways that the story can be expanded onto other platforms.
4) Know what the historical precedents are for your story and how you differ from them in how you have chosen to tell it.
5) Review the script from each characters’ point of view and make sure that their dialogue and actions remain emotionally true for each of them in their different situations.
6) Recognize what some of the mysteries contained within both the characters and story are that you are committed to protecting -- as not everything should be explained.
7) Understand why you are truly prepared to tell this story at this time – or not.
8) Make the world that the characters inhabit truly authentic; don’t just give them jobs or apartments or hip music to listen to.
9) Make it somehow provocative, intriguing, audacious, or thought provoking -- something that will make it stand out.
10) Make sure it is more than just a good story told well. Be truly ambitious. Take us somewhere new, or take us there in a new way.

The key thing with this list or any list is still to put yourself in the shoes of whom you are submitting the project to. Everyone has too much work as it is. Our company is only five people and we get 3000 submissions a year. You do the math (8.2 scripts/day to read, every day = 1.6/d per employee, every day of the year). And no one pays us to read your script. If reading it is a waste of time -- because you did not pay us the courtesy of proof reading and writing something really GOOD, then we never want to see something from you ever again.

Most of our submissions come from agents, as we use them as sort of a filter -- but to tell you the truth, I have never found something that did not come from a friend, a partner, or directly from a filmmaker that I had already wanted to work with. But please, think of the work load you are asking someone to take on when they read your script; you are just one out of 3000. The scripts pile up. Each one is a minimum two hour commitment and a selection not to spend limited time in a different direction. Please be courteous to whomever you submit your project to -- even if it takes them longer than you ever dreamed to read it.

Tribeca's new Camera-to-Classroom Fund

Tribeca Film Institute just announced Camera-to Classroom Fund, an initiative supported by JP Morgan Chase. The Camera-to-Classroom fund will give away fifteen $2,500 awards to non-profit organizations in New York City who wish to create or meaningfully improve a partnership with an NYC public school using the Department of Education’s new Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts: The Moving Image as their guide.

Proposals are due on February 1^st. Please see www.tribecafilminstitute.org/youth for details and guidelines.

Life in Video Village

Video Village. It's the place on a film set designated for video monitors. It's the place where the director, producer, script supervisor, art director, and other crew members watch what is being filmed. It has to be in a location close enough to the camera because of all the cords needed to achieve video feed.

Watching the monitor is a helpful tool... for various reasons. Like checking to see if the boom is in the shot. As you can see, our boom operator (the striped shirt in the photo below) had to boom this shot from below.

This is the view from our location in Video Village.
Our prison set for Under Jakob's Ladder basically consisted of two rooms. When we were filming in one room, we set up Video Village in the other room. (Switching rooms was a bit of a headache, but that's another story!)

Sometimes, as it happened in this scene, Video Village ended up being right in the same room as the actors being filmed.

Here's what the camera saw. (Left to right: Quentin McCuiston [Yasha], Matthew R. Staley [Karl], and Jeff Stewart [Jakob].)
It was an odd feeling to watch the actors on the monitor when, in fact, we could have just turned our heads to see them!

A New Filmmakers' Coalition: FilmEES

Via social media, namely Twitter and Facebook, I have gotten to know a lot of filmmakers, their work, and all the excellent things they are doing to build a artist-centric, sustainable, and profitable film community. One of the latest such endeavors is FilmEES, founded by D.A. Sebasstian (Go-Kustom). I asked him to explain what he was up to. This is his post.

The basic idea to start a film Coalition came from several discussions film makers were having on Twitter about Indie-Film Distribution Models and Film Screening Clubs. Two popular hash tags used in the discussions were Ross Pruden’s #infdist and Craig Wilson’s #indieMM

The biggest difference between us and other Indie-Film Coalitions or Collectives is we are not just a website. We are scheduling real events starting in Seattle and San Diego and moving around the globe. Of course you can see members bios, discussions and Video Clips on the FilmEES website but the site is basically just a watering hole.

Lisa Heselton got the basic site up just a few days ago and we just added several new website moderators to add functions quickly to FilmEES. I also am really excited about the DVD Short Film Series we are putting together under Craig’s #indieMM Series. These DVDs will be available online and through other means.

As a record label owner I am very familiar with compilations and their marketing, much more so than an average film maker. I come at this from a musicians background. Being a signed recording artist for decades doesn't help my film making but definitely schooled me on marketing and self promotion. I hope to share that with others- as well as how to make money on your film very quickly, like I did. If you bypass the traditional distribution models and make the film as cost effective as you can you have a chance.

My first feature Hot Rod Girls Save The World has sold 1,300 DVD copies in just 10 months, with very little advertisement and because I made the film for less than $5,000 I am in profit territory now. It can be done. But FilmEES is definitely not the D.A. Sebasstian show. I am a catalyst and moderator. It is the members that will shape what this organization becomes. So far it seems this starting group of FilmEES Members are doers, not just talkers. This brings results into the real world quickly.

We’ve also got support from IndieFlix.com who is helping us set up a FilmEES - IndieFlix Catalog page for our members so they can sell their titles through the FilmEES website, but retain direct control of their titles.

This was an initial idea list for the FilmEES Goals- originally presented in #infdist on Twitter.

1: To establish an international network of Indie-Film Producers, Actors and Companies.
2: To build a data base of information contributed by Members both in the promotion of Indie-Film and making of Indie-Films
3: To create a series of International Showcases using Membership to promote Short Film, Webfilm, Feature Film and Music Video.
4: To create regional networks to help regional Indie-Film Producers & Productions.
5: To establish websites to promote FilmEES Member Films.
6: To create DVD releases with Member trailer and promotional content for Member Projects.
7: To create a massive once a year meeting and Festival for all Members to share, meet and screen their work.
8: To foster upcoming indie-film makers (programs) so they can find creative channels to get their film made.
9: To structure fund raising channels for aspiring FilmEES Film Makers. Maybe with partner groups or organizations.
10: To make movies!!!

As the FilmEES group grows and our projects are available for film viewers to see fist hand the quality of members and their work, the Coalition will gain recognition. Of that I am sure. FilmEES website www.filmees.com
Join us!

D.A. Sebasstian is an artist, film maker, sculptor, writer, inventor, television producer and musician. He fronts the bands Kill Switch...Klick (or KsK) and D.A. Sebasstian & The Inner Demons.
He also runs Go-Kustom Rekords, Films and TV. His first feature film was Hot Rod Girls Save The World released in 2008 and he is currently in post-production with Rat Rod Rockers! Sebasstian is also a features writer for Car Kulture Deluxe, Gearhead Magazine, Industrial Nation, Outburn and Ol Skool Rodz.

Bruce Reisman on "The House That Jack Built"

Where did the idea for The House That Jack Built come from?

BRUCE: I was walking through a mansion that was half-done at sunset. It was being built by a friend of mine and it felt very creepy. I thought to myself, “Hey, this is a movie… scary movie.” It was that simple. I called my writing partner, Kris, and told him the idea and together we wrote what ended up being The House That Jack Built.

What was the co-writing process like? How were duties divided up?

BRUCE: Kris Black and I write every script the same way. Rarely in the same room once we’ve both worked out the story outline together. He does a draft, then I follow him as he writes. He is good at linear story telling, I am more experienced and proficient (and he would admit it so) at dialogue. He’s great at detail and visuals. Me, I’d essentially rather write a play.

How did you fund the film?

BRUCE: We funded the movie independently from a single source, and got some extra post -production investors to finish up when it was done filming. Very simple… once the money “drops.” Getting the money is ALWAYS a nightmare on Indie movies.

What was the smartest thing you did during pre-production or production?

BRUCE: Ha, the smartest thing was really the “luckiest” thing. Gail O’Grady. Casting her early on was a really smart move but she ended up being a dynamic force behind the scenes as an uncredited producer. We had never met, but she was a huge fan of the script and Indie movies in general. When our original location fell through, Gail allowed us to shoot the movie at her home. She is a true hero and one of the great talents and “mensches” of the business. We have remained good friends.

The dumbest?

BRUCE: Well, I made several dumb moves, but who doesn’t in movie making? It’s impossible to be smart all of the time. I should never, ever, have allowed my money people to force me into using a particular actor in the movie. The decision snow-balled into a situation that lingered on and on and on. It was the single costliest decision I made, not artistically, just financially.

How did the movie change during the editing process?

BRUCE: Wow. Do you have a week? Again, I was bamboozled into starting with an editor I had no chemistry with, and who, basically, had no respect for me as a director; even though he had NEVER produced or directed a movie on his own and I had been in the business for 40 years. It was unpleasant for both of us, I think… just two very different people. But I did trust him for a short while, and then when I saw the cut we had done together, I wanted to shoot myself. And I share the blame for not telling him exactly what I wanted and that it was his job to tell MY story.

So, when I went to finish the post at another studio, I found a new editor, a kid just starting out, named Sevan Markoosian. HE was a Godsend. We actually started from scratch, found a lot of footage the previous editor may or may not have buried from me, and assembled the movie as if it were the first time doing so. It was fun, magical, and worth every bit of extra time and money; and believe me, it cost me… it cost me my guts. But the movie turned out to be very close to my original vision and I’m very proud of it.

And, finally, what did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?

BRUCE: Get enough money for post-production before you start.

If you are the director, meet as many Cinematographers as possible. Pick one who has your best interests at heart and who respects you. My cameraman was enormously gifted, but I don’t think he or I would ever want to be on the same set together again.

Get the money… all of it. And when you open your LLC account, make sure it takes (2) signatures to write a check or to make a withdrawal. Sounds simple, but when you are caught up in the excitement of getting your movie funded, the obvious just floats by.

Q&A with Actor Greg F. Kowalczyk

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Actor: Greg F. Kowalczyk
Role: Rudi

Q: What or who got you started in acting?
A: It was my (and only my) idea. And, when the time came, it simply happened.

Q: How did you find out about this movie?
A: I found out about it on one of the Internet portals where one can find the adverts about castings.

Q: What attracted you to working on this film?
A: I read the movie scenario and, apart from the fact that I really liked it, it was also important to me that it concerned the part of the world I come from (Eastern Europe). I was also drawn to the movie by the climate and atmosphere of the script. Most of the movie action is taking place in the prison cell and this is always a big challenge, both for the director as well as the actor, as one limited space provokes artists to search for various means of expression, so the story does not bore the spectator.

Q: Did you do anything special to prepare for your role as Rudi?
A: Yes. I had to stop shaving, cutting my hair. And I had lost 8 pounds. How was I preparing for my part? Fast. I had learned about playing Rudi’s part a week before the shooting started and an actual work on the character I was to play started when the director asked me to shoot screen test for this part. After that I was offered the role of Rudi. Working on the part was not easy, as throughout all the shooting period I had to play one the co-prisoners who did not have anything to do with what was happening in the prison cell. I had to be careful and aware about my every gesture and word. I also had to do a lot of thinking myself, inside my head.

Q: What did you enjoy the most about working on this film?
A: I was really happy that I could participate in that project, as I truly believe it will be a success. Thanks to this movie, I could also try new challenges. And of course, meet new people.

Q: Do you have any funny stories or anecdotes about working on this film?
A: Well, perhaps it won’t be a funny story, but rather a real and true one. On the last day of the shooting, before the filming started, Robert called everyone to the set (to the prison cell). He thanked us all and asked us to really concentrate, because we were about to shoot quite a few extremely difficult, emotional scenes, that chronologically would be put at the end of the movie. Then he said a prayer in German and we started working. After some time, when I was still waiting for my scene to be filmed, I felt some unusual energy coming from the actors performing their parts at that moment. They were going through really extremely difficult and emotional scenes. And suddenly, while I was watching the actors, the tears came to my eyes and started running down my face without me knowing about it. I was so moved that I had to leave the set (the prison cell).

Q: Who or what inspires you as an actor?
A: My greatest inspiration and influence is life itself. But I do remember that when I was a little boy and I saw the movie 'Singing in the Rain', I felt a desire to become an artist. So, one may say that also Gene Kelly.

Free Sundance Hybrid Distribution Consultation w/ Jon Reiss

Today we have a guest post from Jon Reiss announcing his generous offer to do some free consulting for filmmakers with features at Sundance.

As some of you might know, one of the reasons that I wrote Think Outside the Box Office was after those first Filmmaker articles I wrote in Fall ‘08 about my experiences distributing my graffiti doc Bomb It, many filmmakers contacted me to help them with their films. However they were all broke, as most filmmakers are. The book started as a brain dump so that I could share my experiences with others. I figured people could at least afford $20-$25. (After many requests the book is now available as a PDF from my site for $14.95)

But filmmakers still need individual advice; how to apply the new distribution and marketing models and landscape to their specific films. And unfortunately since filmmakers in general are not saving money for distribution and marketing, they are still broke.

So I wanted to do some kind of community consulting “event” at Park City this year. I thought about sitting in a coffee shop for 2 hours a day and having online sign ups for 20 minute sessions (I still might do this if enough people request it).

However, Lance Weiler asked me to do a live consulting session at the Slamdance Filmmaker Summit (Saturday January 23^rd) with two filmmaking teams one narrative/one doc. Anyone in Park City can attend and it can also be live streamed (along with the rest of the Summit that I recommend you all check out).

I’ve decided to expand this to 10 more feature filmmakers from either Sundance or Slamdance. I will provide 45 minutes of consultation by phone or Skype before the festival begins and 45 minutes during the festival. This can be used in any way the filmmakers want, from helping to devise a complete DIY scenario, to getting my opinion on any deals being offered.

For selection any interested film should email me by Thursday January 14^th by noon at reiss.jon@gmail.com. Send me what you have eg synopsis, trailer, website, plans you have in mind etc.

I will pick the films and announce them by Friday January 15^th.

For any other Sundance/Slamdance filmmaker not chosen I will be reducing my consulting rate before and during the festival from $75 an hour to $50 an hour. This rate will apply even for the chosen films if they want to go beyond the first hour and a half.

Hey Sundance Filmmakers! Whachagonnado with your film?

A little more than a year ago, I started this blog partially because I couldn't bare the thought that another group of filmmakers were headed to Park City with false dreams of gold, mistaking the festival for a market, and thus missing out on an important media launch. I am not sure if any filmmaker truly headed into 2009 Sundance though with their "A Plan" to launch out of the fest i some sort of way. Some did adopt DIY or hybrid distribution afterwards, but this year shows a much different picture, with already at least four films declaring the festival as their launch.

With their being very little of an acquisition market in The States these days for specialized film, what are the other filmmakers doing? How can they fully consider their options? Hope has risen. There is an answer.

Filmmaker, TFF blogger, author, and distribution consultant Jon Reiss is very generously offering up ten FREE consultations to filmmakers with films in the Sundance selection. This is a fantastic opportunity to figure out what is best for your film. Maybe you already know, but even then how great is it that you get someone to bounce your ideas off of.

Details will follow tomorrow, but let me see it would be very wise for you to give some thought NOW as to why you need to speak to Jon and how your film could benefit.

Jon Reiss: 20, No 25, Points To Consider in Approaching Your Festival Premiere

Today we have a guest post. Jon Reiss returns!

20 25 Points to Consider in Approaching Your Festival Premiere: Part 2

by Jon Reiss

Author of Think Outside the Box Office

The first part of this article concerned how to approach festivals if you want to still pursue a more conventional sales oriented strategy within the new landscape of distribution for independent film.

This second part will address what you should consider if you are going to use your premiere festival (or one of your festivals) to launch the actual

distribution and marketing of your film. Linas Phillips, Thomas Woodrow and company are doing this for Bass Ackwards at Sundance in conjunction with New Video. Sundance just announced today that three more films will at least be releasing their VODs day and date with this year’s festival. While these three films are being released by the Sundance Select series on Rainbow, it is actually run by IFC who has been pioneering festival/VOD day and date (this and more about revising filmmaker’s approach to festivals is covered extensively in Chapter 14 of Think Outside the Box Office.)

I am writing this piece for 2 reasons: 1. To aid any filmmaker who is considering launching the release of their film at their premiere festival aka Sundance/Slamdance (even though I lay out a lot of challenges to this strategy, I am still a huge fan of this approach) and 2. To assuage the guilt of many filmmakers who have been kicking themselves for not utilizing this strategy in previous years. I spoke to a number of filmmakers who were mad at themselves because they saw the amount of exposure their festival premiere generated, and they never reclaimed that exposure with the theatrical release of their film. Hence they reasoned, “if only I had released my film day and date with my _______ festival premiere”. They realized, smartly, that it is best to have all guns blazing in your release to penetrate the media landscape and that top festivals are very good at creating audience awareness. Hence why not monetize that audience awareness with the release.

However it does take a fair amount of advance work and planning in order to enact this strategy. So this year you should not kick yourself for not doing it. (Later this year or next year when filmmakers should know better – they should kick themselves!) If you are premiering at Park City and aren’t ready for this strategy now, I have a suggestion at the end of this piece about how to engage this strategy at a later date.

So here are some points to consider for a festival launch of your film’s release.

1. You should create a thought out distribution and marketing strategy that will guide you and your team through this release. Have you analyzed your goals for your film, your potential audience, and your resources? (I know this was the first point to consider for the last post – it is that important)

2. Very important in this strategy is what rights are you releasing and when. What is your sequence of rights release? Is everything day and date with the fest or only VOD or DVD? If all rights are not day and date, when are the other rights being released and how will those rights be promoted?

3. Of particular concern is theatrical. Are you launching what I term a live event/theatrical release at the festival (Section 3 of the book)? Conventional theatrical usually requires at least 3 months. But perhaps you will have alternative theatrical after the festival and then ramp up conventional theatrical. How long is your theatrical window? How does this integrate with your other rights?

4. Consider if your film is the kind of film that will generate a lot of interest and press at Park City? Perhaps do some research into the types of films (particularly those that reviewers and film writers will respond to) and see if that makes sense for your film. Even though Park City shines a great spotlight on films, it does not do so for all films, and many films get lost in the shuffle.

Perhaps there is an alternative time of the year that might shine a brighter light on your film – e.g. if there is a national month or date dealing with your film’s subject.

5. Do you have all of your materials ready to go for a release whether DIY or through a distribution partner? Are all your deliverables ready to go? Have you authored your DVD? Do you have key art? Have you printed your key art?

6. Is there a distribution partner who is interested in your film who will help you launch your film at the festival? Note that all of the films mentioned above are partnering with a larger company to help enable the release. You don’t need one company, perhaps it is a group of companies. Perhaps you have one company for DVDs and another for VOD. Many distributors need a long lead time to prepare a film for release, so chances are that this option will be difficult unless you already have it in play. However you can begin discussions with potential partners at Park City or after for such a release later down the line. More on this later.

7. If you don’t have a distribution partner in any particular rights category, do you have a DIY approach to monetizing said rights category? Do you have replication and a fulfillment company lined up? Do you have digital distribution in place for download to own, download to rent?

8. Do you have a marketing and publicity campaign that you have been developing for a couple of months? Do you have a publicist who has been talking to journalists to lay the ground work for your release?

9. Many filmmakers at Park City will just have been finishing their films to get them ready to screen. Many or most will have been so absorbed with the completion of their films that they will not be ready to release their films at Park City. In that case it is probably wise to hold off on your release for when you are more prepared. Use Park City to lay the groundwork for that later release. Don’t just think about the overall deal, actively court distribution partners who will work with you on a split rights or hybrid scenario. Find out what press is a fan of your film so that you can book live events/theatrical releases in those cities. (Have them hold the review!)

10. If you are at Park City – chances are you will be invited to other fests. Use one of those festivals (or a combination of festivals) to launch your release when you are ready. Weather Girl premiered at Slamdance last year, didn’t sell, regrouped and then launched their theatrical at LA Film Fest 6 months later. Two of the IFC releases premiered last year at Berlin and Cannes.

If you are following both posts of this two-parter, you will see that there are actually 25 total points to consider instead of the promised 20. My apologies. BTW – I am preparing a distribution and marketing tools website which is approaching its beta launch – keep posted.

Also – I will be doing a live consultation session at the Filmmaker Summit at Slamdance this year Saturday January 23rd. Projects are being submitted on line if you want to be considered. Go to: http://slamdance.com/summit/

Film Continuity on a Hot Set

A film set can sometimes be like a crime scene. You know, the ones with the yellow tape around it so that everyone knows not to disturb anything.

"This is a hot set." That's film-speak for don't touch anything!

When we call the set "hot", that means we're still filming the scene and we need everything to remain the same. For continuity purposes. (On our last feature film, 'Dear J', we had to deal with a magical moving apple.)

On Under Jakob's Ladder? One of our biggest challenges (continuity-wise) came with the chess sets in the movie. And we had quite a few chess sets.

The temptation seemed to come when we were between shots... A cast or crew member would want to make the next chess move! Then our continuity/props brigade had to go and put the pieces back in their correct positions. (But that's why they take continuity pictures, isn't it?)

Maybe we need to start using some of that police tape on set! At least when it comes to chess sets.

(Or would that just slow things down?)

P.S. By the way, the photo above was one of those taken for continuity purposes... to remember the position of all those dark chess pieces. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, that's Jeff Stewart's (Jakob's) hand in the photo.

More Indies Needed In The National Registry

I blogged about this at this time last year. The National Film Registry just released this years films. And although we do have a real indie (The Exiles) and some amateur work in the 25 selected, the Amer-Indie wave of the last 20 years is still missing. We can do something about that. We can nominate films for the registry.

Write in to the Registry and suggest a film. Email them at:

sleg@loc.gov

In fact you nominate up to fifty! It must be at least ten years old. But let's get started for oh ten.

The indie community needs to wake up to preservation issues. All the digi work is extremely vulnerable. There needs to be more of a discussion on this, and active effort of all to at least get to a film print (which can last 100 years vs. the 10 of digital formats).

Anyway: my recommendations this year are a lot like last years:

Melvin Van Peebles' SWEET SWEETBACK'S BADASSSS SONG (1971)

Susan Seidelman's SMITHEREENS (1982)

Bette Gordon's VARIETY (1983)

Alex Cox's SID AND NANCY (1986)

Spike Lee's SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT (1986 )

Hal Hartley's THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH (1989)

Whit Stillman's METROPOLITAN (1990)

John McNaughton's HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (1990)

Todd Hayne's POISON (1991)

Hal Hartley's TRUST (1991)

Gregg Araki's THE LIVING END (1992)

Allison Anders' MI VIDA LOCA (1993)

Ang Lee's THE WEDDING BANQUET (1993)

Tom Noonan's WHAT HAPPENED WAS... (1993)

Terry Zwigoff's CRUMB (1994)

Greg Mottola's THE DAYTRIPPERS (1996)

Neal Labute's IN THE COMPANY OF MEN (1997)

Todd Solondz's HAPPINESS (1998)

What are your recommendations?

Alan Cumming on "The Anniversary Party"

What was your inspiration to do this movie?

ALAN CUMMING: Well, first of all, Jennifer and I both wanted to work together. We were in Cabaret together on Broadway, but we didn't really do anything together in the show. But we just got on and wanted to do something. We knew we wanted to explore working together, so it came from that.

And we wanted to write something about how we felt about relationships at that point in our lives -- something that was very current for ourselves and something that was honest and open. And also we wanted to use elements of ourselves, or experiences, and put that into a story.

How did you divide up chores of writing and directing?

ALAN CUMMING: We didn't, really. People understand the notion that you can write together. I think people have more trouble with the idea of directing together. But it wasn't divided up; it was quite smooth. We both would talk. I would do of the shouting and general announcements.

But there were certain actors where we said, 'You talk to him,' or, 'I'll talk to her.' We were very aware that we get better results with one of us talking to someone rather than the other.

It's not difficult to direct with someone else; it's actually really nice.

In a way the whole film, with it's theme about openness, and it's very much an ensemble thing, and we were using everybody who were our friends and we were using elements of them in the story as well. And the crew, they were all doing it for, obviously, very little money.

It was very sort of democratic, with the crew and everyone. There were no trailers. We all ate together. If someone wasn't working, they'd just lie on the lawn. We tried to open out, ask people's opinion. It's easy to make people feel good about coming to work. You just have to make them feel involved and that you respect their opinion and it's not an autocracy. When you have that attitude, it makes it very easy to have two directors.

Were the actors nervous about doing a digital feature?

ALAN CUMMING: No, I don't think so. If anything, they were nervous that they would look bad. We all rightly think of video as making you look hideous, shiny and awful. So that was why we got an incredible DP. We wanted to make sure that the film looked good, that was our main concern. As exciting as it can be to shoot on video and have that eavesdropping feel, the films that we had seen prior to making ours were ghastly. The technology, the process of transferring from video to film was still in its infancy, and it wasn't looking good.

The scene where the guests give out their presents is a pretty interesting scene. How much of it was written?

ALAN CUMMING: For that scene, we asked the actors to make up their own speeches for that or to make their own things. We guided them about what perhaps their character might say, what their character's angle might be, but we left it up to them to make up their thing. It was really fascinating.

We shot their stuff and our reactions at the same time. We were hearing it for the first time, which was really exciting. And also, they were really nervous, like you would be really nervous standing up and doing that, because they were actually having to perform something that they had written for the first time, too. It was good -- it worked.

What was the biggest lesson you took away from the experience?

ALAN CUMMING: Biggest lesson; Treat people respectfully. There's a sort of vogue, and there has been for decades now, that the director is god and the director is all knowing.

But when you say to someone, 'I don't understand this and I'm asking your advice because you're better at it than me,' by doing that and involving people and making the film truly a collaborative process, you get much better results. You get a better film and you get happier people and get an atmosphere on the set that is truly creative.