Film Producer Ted Hope Delivers!
(via nofilmschool.com & Film School Rejects)
24 Tweets for Indie Filmmakers from Ted Hope.
Don’t know Ted Hope? Get To Know Him.
Ted Hope is a one-man-band in his ongoing persona as indie film spokesperson. The man is wonderfully open about sharing what he knows concerning the ins and outs of getting your film made. Koo of nofilmschool.com states well Ted’s modus operandi; ‘Ted’s goal is to make film accessible to everyone, and to help remove the shroud of secrecy that surrounds show business.” That he does with regularity on his blog, Hope For Film. Damn Right.
In the spirit of that, Ted has generously supplied a summary of points (24 in all, natch!) taken from a recent speaking engagement at the Athena Film Festival. Ted, being the coolest guy in showbiz, also took the time to throw these up on his Twitter account for anyone to get hold of. See? Great guy. Join me on the other side, will you?
Stereo 3D Studio trades CA for MI- Will It Blend?
(by way of The Ticker.tc)
“The growth possibilities in California are really dismal right now. I was a storyboard artist. I had a lucrative career, which just fizzled away.”
- Formerly unemployed LA SB artist, now Michigan-based & gainfully employed. Yay, Michigan!
What’s been happening for years in Southeast Asia, China and India by way of outsourcing visual effects and animation work, to reduce operational costs for production by the larger studios, is now starting to gain momentum in the good ‘ol US of A. That’s a good thing, right?
Michigan: Hollywood’s Best Kept Secret?
The Los Angeles-area based group I.E Effects recently moved into new digs in Traverse City, MI. and are ramping up some serious 3d Stereoscopic work for “some major motion picture studios,” according to Clover Roy, Director of Regional Operations. Of course, all this is super-duper top secret, too- “You’ll know when the movies come out and you see our names … in the credits,” adds Roy, declining to ID neither films nor studios. Why so serious?
Despite Michigan Governor Snyder’s recent budget proposal that virtually eliminates the state’s film incentives, (arguably not a smart move) I.E Effects is sticking to it’s guns and moving ahead with it’s Traverse City Studio expansion plans (arguably, still a good move). “We hope to have 100 employee’s by the end of next year, and 250-plus within five years,” Exec Producer David Kenneth says.
That might appear to be just shy of crazy ambitious – especially in light of the impending evaporation of Michigan’s film incentives – but Kenneth is stalwart, still. “We’re creating 21st-century jobs; the film industry isn’t the only industry using 3-D technology. The gaming industry, the military, medicine, even oil and gas exploration companies use stereoscopic 3D, too.” (3-D sonograms help determine the depth and size of oil and gas fields underground, for example. Who knew)? Question is, do they get wacky looking X Ray Specs to wear as well?
The Culver City, California-based studio will maintain roots in LA, handing some of the heavy lifting to the Traverse City Studio;
simultaneously lightening the load &
making use of tax breaks (if still existent). “A lot of it’s going to depend on the incentives,” Ms. Roy says, referring to Michigan’s shaky film tax credits (threatened by the mean Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget proposal). “If they stay competitive, then we’re talking hundreds of jobs.” New model for other states in the union to follow? Maybe. So, what about those incentives?
Kenneth says I.E.Effect’s long-standing presence in Hollywood provides him with a direct connection to film industry movers and shakers, proving beneficial to the Traverse City facility. “We have a direct pipeline to Hollywood. Studio executives can see us here, and then we have the people in Michigan to facilitate it.’ He add’s. “That’s crucial for our business.”
Freezing the Brain Drain
For the film industry/ studios, it’s a great way to save a ton of cash and yet deliver high quality work, and it provides an option for LA folks ready to try something new. For Michigan, it’s one way to slow the dreaded ‘brain drain’.
Phil Franzo, director of business development for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, says it’s not so much the quantity of jobs created with the influx of studio facilities, it’s (more importantly) the quality of jobs created. “The 21st-century technology positions will impact the area by appealing to young, up-and-coming, technically proficient professionals.” By that, he means graduating students and those with ties to the area who left Michigan & want to return, or can be talked into returning, if the price was right.
David Kenneth bolster’s this viewpoint: “We’re very excited about this. Before Silicon Valley, there was Michigan. It was an engineering mecca. You have the education level, the technological drive, as well as the artistic.”
Apparently, Clover Roy is a sterling example of seeing an opportunity in her home state, coming back and grabbing it. A Birmingham native, she attended Western Michigan University and New York University. From there, she landed production gigs in Detroit, MI for a while. Seeing the other end of the rainbow landed in Hollywood, off she went. Flash Forward 22 years; she’s back, and she’s not alone.
Faced with impending doom and gloom facing the Los Angeles based visual effects industry, eyes are sliding toward Michigan as an opportunity for gainful employ; it’s not as far as India or China. Being centrally located in the continental US, holidays ‘back home’ are a little easier. One LA-based compositor says he jumped at the opportunity to stay, though he’s not a fan of the cold. But, “I’d rather be in an area where you have snow and employment”, he adds. That’s honest.
Despite the neck-snapping cold winter brings to MI., but you can still surf!
Adding to the attraction that a paying gig provides, Ms. Roy feels “Traverse City’s appeal bodes well for the group’s hiring outlook”, adding the local studio seeks to be involved in the community, with aim to making the facility an attractive place to work. “If we’re going to have to cast a fairly wide net across the country or the world, it has to be really sellable,” she said. In that, there’s also lots of strategic partnerships being forged with local talent pools & potential future team members.
Northwestern Michigan College, who offers Visual Imaging Technology and Visual Communications Technology programs, seems to be just the right place to find folks willing to learning the job, gain experience and work for less than their West Coast counterparts. Apparently, this isn’t the best news for many LA-based VFX artists in light of the recent open letter to the industry, posted by Eric Roth, President of the Visual Effects Society.
Despite ‘Battlefield: LA VFX vs The Studios’, seems there may be more artists heading to MI in the near future, as storm clouds gather over Hollywood; insanely long hours, low pay and sporadic accreditation on tent pole films (compounded by shrinking work opportunities) are getting VFX artists up in arms, and rightly so.
Kenneth David wraps things up on a personal level; “A lot of people in the industry are families, and a lot of them aren’t from this area originally. When you tell them they can be in an area where the schools are safe, and they can afford to actually buy a house, they’re interested.”
Dare we dream?
Is Drama Dead in Hollywood?
US-based agents on the Left Coast seem to think it’s wise for budding screenwriters to ‘avoid drama’ as feature film script material, altogether. They’ve proposed drama be left with the television crowd, ‘where it’s done so much better than movies’. Bah Humbug.
Deadline.com heard the damning word at the recent London Book Fair hosted panel on writing for Hollywood. Word around H-town is there just isn’t any interest in anything that’s not a ‘high concept’ pitch. When pressed for a definition of ‘high concept’, here’s the reply: ‘Whorishly Commercial’. Ouchie. Considering the studios general approach to film fodder in the last few years (Transformers; need I say more), what’s the news?
What is changing is that screenwriters are dusting off unsold scripts/ properties and spinning them into graphic novel gold. Releasing as a graphic novel, the property in mind has a shot at developing an audience outside the traditional routes, while developing the story and characters. Build a fan base, let folks grow with the characters, develop interest in the story, and add interactive elements spread across several media; print, online, mobile. etc. A cross-media approach is proving a viable option in getting properties in front of a lot of potential fans, which in turn can push low-budget development into potentially high-budget production. Hey, the studios are already doing this to great effect (Dark Knight, Cloverfield), so wy not the rest of us out here with cool ideas and a script without a home?
SO, when (and if) one of these projects grows legs and takes off in a big way (ie; lots of fans), there’s a much better chance of getting hold of the studio’s attention.
Shiny lure’s catch more fish, dont’cha know.
Least Hollwood says so.
iPhones & Movie Theatres: Peanut Butter & Jelly?
Do you use your smart phone at the movies?
C’mon, fess up. If the multitude of lit screens I was privy to the other nite was/is any indication, it’s SOP to text like crazy during the film. Hence, the debate; for me, as an audience member, it’s kind of a pain in the ass to watch a film amidst a dozen smart phone screens around me- distracting at best. Call me a purist, but it’s tough to focus when there’s a text-message feeding frenzy going on.
As a Filmmaker, maybe this is precisely what I want to have happening.
Texting while at the movies, or any other event, is an interesting development as the web continues to create major shifts in people’s experience. While people carry the Internet around in their hands via smart phones, they’re effectively breaking down the distinction between “virtual” and “physical” worlds thru the use of the iPhone, Facebook and Twitter. et al. Nowadays, most folks are constantly online, hooked up to their social circles, perpetually acting as a bridge between the physical & virtual worlds and creating a major shift in how we use the internet.
So, with the rapidly increasing sales of iPhones pushing the curve on social media and internet, cross-pollination of conversation/ experience/ real time event response, I’d be wise to consider using the new tools that enable me to promote, screen and open up dialogue online for free or at minimal cost to maximum effect. As a filmmaker, I want people to see my films. Hello Twitter, Facebook, et al- welcome to the party!
Filmmaker and cross-media guru Lance Weiler has done this to great effect with his release of HEAD TRAUMA, incorporating interactive cel phone use during select screenings of his film. I had the opportunity to experiencthe experience this first hand in New York, and it was an eye opener. At key story points in the film, Weiler projected a number on the screen, inviting anyone with a cel phone to dial up and engage, encouraging a deeper interactive experience with the film. Expanding on this, participants continue to engage beyond the film and into the ‘real ‘ world as they received messages and phone calls relating to the film and it’s web sites for awhile, post-screening. Cool stuff. So, what can we do?
Celtx Studio rocks indy film production
CeltX will Make Your Day.
Celtx is an awesome multi-media tool for the filmmaker. media production person looking for a great tool with lots to offer , on the cheap. I don’t mean mass- produced, “Made in Ch__a” cheap, but inexpensive, considering the armload of Awesome Celtx delivers, and with much aplomb.
Once I got Celtx onboard my machines, I was thoroughly impressed with the user-friendly interface, enabling me to conjure properly formatted scripts from the ether like the next wannabe writer/ director. That was an empowering moment. From there, things have only
gotten better, and here’s why; Celtx has expanded into a full-on production package (Celtx Studio), helping artists to produce all types of media; film, video, documentary, theatre, machinima, comics, advertising, video games, music video, radio, podcasts, and videocasts. Whatever way you choose to tell your story, Celtx Studio can help.
Here’s some info from the site:
“You can use Celtx for the entire production process – write scripts, storyboard scenes and sequences, sketch setups, develop characters, breakdown & tag elements, schedule productions, and prepare and circulate informative reports for cast and crew.
Celtx is designed to help your entire production team work together on a single, easy to share project file – eliminating the confusion of multiple project files, and the need for ‘paper and binder’. Together, Celtx and Celtx Studios give you the most complete media pre-production system available.
The free Celtx desktop software delivers the most fluid writing experience. You can always keep your fingers moving as fast as your thoughts and your creative flow is never interrupted. Low-cost Celtx Studios complete your system with an advanced tool set for collaboration, workflow management, and project storage. Celtx puts a choice of fully integrated development tools right at your fingertips, giving you total flexibility to determine how your story takes shape.”
How cool is that? I love this package! Pricing for 5 or more users in a ‘studio’ starts at a paltry $4.99 /month. That’s $1.00 per month/ per user for the full monty!
Here is an insightful interview with Celtx founder Mark Kennedy (courtesy of Filmmaker.com). Head on over to the Celtx site for a bevvy of great videos pertaining to the Celtx Studio, and some heavy hitters using Celtx in production.
Excelsior!
-M
The Pit and the Pendulum Comic Book Release to honor Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th Anniversary in ’09
SNEAK PREVIEW GALLERY!
On Shelves February 25th, 2009! Order yours today at your favorite comic shop or book retailer- from Bluewater Productions! See the preview pages at The Official Film Blog!
The success of the stop motion animated film adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum has prompted the release of the comic book version of the film. Scheduled for a February 25th, 2009 release thru Bluewater Productions of Portland, Oregon, the stop-motion film to comic will be a first for production partners Bluewater Productions and Hand Made Heroes Film & Television, honoring Gothic horror maestro Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th anniversary.
Wrapping up production and starting on the DVD, Lougee got in contact with Darren Davis of Bluewater Productions, famous for their Ray Harryhausen Presents Signature line of comics, as well as the Vince Price Presents line. Lougee pitched the idea of producing the story as a one-off comic, using the film images and Davis enthusiastically jumped on board, rallying the crew at Bluewater to help get the pendulum swinging.
“While we were in the throes of production on the short, I had the idea of pursuing various media outlets for the film and the story itself”, explains the film’s director, Marc Lougee. “So much of what we’ve been doing over the last couple of years to promote the film has involved the internet, social media and ‘alternative ‘ means of promotion for the project, as I wanted to explore the options that were available to us in pushing the story a little further, outside of the traditional channels of film distribution. Doing a comic was something I’ve always been keen to try, so we utilized the still images from the stop motion film as ‘sequential art’ in comic form; the result is a sort of hybrid between the film, a graphic novel and a short story comic. I think it’s a very cool-looking way of telling the story with a fresh approach.”
Sequential art in comics is a familiar sight for most everyone, but utilizing the images used in the film itself and re-processing them for another type of ‘sequential art’ made sense to both Lougee and Producer Susan Ma.
” With the multitude of delivery systems available, be it print, online, broadcast, et al, there are so many way of supplying a film or story to your audience.” states Susan, “A short film, being what it is, faces limitations in the sense it has much less of a chance of being screened outside of niche markets and events, such as film festivals. There are few real options to see shorts outside the festival circuit (location-based and online), unless you feel inclined to send it off thru a distributor or post it online yourself.
Many times we’ve found the film would be sold as a package with a host of other films, which I felt would lessen the impact and the viewing experience. As filmmakers, it was important for us to explore the broader potential for our film thru comic book publishing, and sought out a smaller, indy film friendly publisher. Thankfully, we found just that combination in Darren Davis and Bluewater Productions, and now with the comic set for release in February, we feel we’ve got another opportunity to see a broader range of visibility for EA Poe’s wonderful story, and another means of getting the story into the hands of fans everywhere.
One of the great aspects of working with Darren and the gang at Bluewater is that we share the same ideas pertaining to use of comic art for educational purposes. In producing the film, and the comic, we very much would like to see the two included in classrooms as an aid in helping students visualize Poe’s writing, starting with The Pit and the Pendulum.”
Marc adds; “We’re all about making the story of The Pit and the Pendulum accessible to students, teachers and fans of the Gothic genre. The goal is to get folks to spend more time with Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale, to help see the subtleties in the story and lay groundwork for discussion in class. In the case of students studying EA Poe’s work, I feel this sort of approach, the combination of films & comics in tandem, may help get kids interested in literature.This is especially relevant as we’re in the midst of Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th anniversary; what better time to get to know the man and his work than now?”
Ray Harryhausen Presents; The Pit and the Pendulum short film Official Website
Director Marc Lougee Website
Bluewater Productions, Comic Publishers
