Indie Film Blog

THE JOURNAL OF SHORT FILM is pleased to announce the release of Volume 2 (Winter 2006).  The JSF is a quarterly DVD featuring, yes, short films.  Modeled on a literary journal, the JSF publishes new, independent work every quarter and provides its subscribers a steady stream of exceptional, peer-reviewed short films.

The Journal of Short Film is filling a gaping hole in film distribution. While filmmaking is being revolutionized by digital technology, film distribution is not.  A democratic wave of filmmaking risks being ignored and lost if it remains stuck in film festivals, the Internet, and cellphones.

Volume 2 includes at least two firsts for the JSF:  (1) animation and (2) Walter Mondale doing hip hop.  As before, this volume contains a dynamic mix of narrative, documentary, and experimental film and video.

Volume 1 was released on October 4, 2005.  For reviews and press (LA Times, Washington Post, indieWIRE, etc.), visit www.theJSF.org.  As always, the JSF invites submissions from around the world.  The JSF is ad-free and/but is committed to keeping the cost of subscriptions low. ($10/vol., $36/subscription for 4 volumes.  Also available at www.Amazon.com)

“Filmmaking is the new writing.  The short film is the new short story.”

Self indulgence and the filmmaker/audience contract ...

I don't usually publicly share my opinions about other filmmakers and what they're doing, for several obvious reasons.  I know how hard the life can be, and how under appreciated most of them can be.  But now, I'm going to break that vow (rules are breakable, right?).  About what?  BUBBLE, the new Steven Soderbergh film.  You know, the recently multi-platformed (theater, DVD, PPV) simultaneous release that had all the theater chains in a tizzy.  (Once again it was their supposed demise, like TV, cable and video were before it.)  Anyway, my concern isn't the possible disruption of hallowed western entertainment, but about the missed opportunity here.  No, I got a bone to pick with ol' Stevie himself ...

Yes yes, I know.  He's the poster child for the modern indie filmmaker movement, even if he's grown a few mainstream studio roots.  Guess everyone's entitled to make a decent living, if they can fool enough people long enough.  But seriously here, I'd be the first to commend him on what he's done and on his body of work.  But Stevie, what happened with Bungle, er, Bubble? ...

Yes, I got a chance to see this slim excuse for a film.  Harsh?  Maybe, but at just a little over an hour, poor acting by non-actors (big surprise?), with very little dramatic storytelling (I know, a minimalist strategy), who cares about the characters or what happens (anybody?)?  I'd have to say it was very unsatisfying.  I feel I know what he was trying to do, but I believe he broke the unspoken contract between filmmaker and audience ... Tell an engaging story.  Us filmmakers can sometimes be too self-indulgent and forget about the audience.  Maybe some of us start to believe all our own press B.S.  Anyway, Bubble didn't just not happen, nor ever gain steam to burst from a bubble, it just laid there, DOA.  And that's on you, Stevie, old holy digital auteur you are.  Maybe next time, huh? ...

Of course by now you know I certainly don't mind non-traditional, non-Hollywood films that tell stories in a different way, or ones that may be slow to develop and have deliberate pacing, but that's not what I'm talking about.  For instance, as far as slow pacing with a visionary filmmaker, I recently saw Terence Malick's THE NEW WORLD and loved it, even though many didn't.  His stories are like meditations of an alternative reality, and while they may take a while to develop, they are well-crafted stories ...

Why is this important at all?  Because if someone is going to make such a pioneering marketing strategy with a film like this, how about delivering the goods?  Create a really outstanding film that matches all the hype.  Don't you think?  Plus, an indie Hi-Def film with such a unique business model could help pave the way for other indie filmmakers.  Now I'm wondering if maybe that got set back a few paces.  And now I'm also wondering what all the hoopla was about ...

Tidbits: FYI, the Santa Barbara Film Festival is in full swing.  I went last year, but not sure if I'm going to make it this time around ...

219 days and counting ...

J-Alden

At a deeper level, even more self-indulgence, voyeurism and escapism? ...

Ever feel like we're getting way over saturated with all this constant media bombardment?  Didn't entertainment used to be something we searched for and enjoyed in our extra and spare leisure time?  Doesn't it seem it's in the forefront our our lives, a prime activity?  Or is that what's going on? ...

Maybe we're just unhappy with our lives and need more escapes in this crazy world.  Technology sure is accommodating us more and more.  Taking the attention off our own lives and voyeuristically peeking into other created worlds is certainly nothing new, but to the degree it's done now, wow.  Are we loosing it?  Do we really need thousands of channels with millions of films and songs and episodes?  Hell, maybe we do.  I'm just asking ...

Which leads me to...storytelling.  As a storyteller myself, I happen to be a bit concerned.  Where does this need come from, both to tell stories and have them told to us?  Is it to educate, enlighten and entertain us, in relation to each of our own personal stories?  Certainly there is a level of catharsis that seems to occur when storyteller and storytellee connect and have a parallel sense of community.  But is it possible to rely on the story too much, in order to live our lives?  In essence, live our lives vicariously through the stories we seek out.  The psychological results of such activity on a global scale seems very problematic to me.  Think about it.  Are we creating virtual worlds for us to inhabit 24/7 somewhere in the future?  Maybe even, a la Matrix? ...

I don't know where this is headed, but a lot of it doesn't seem positive for our world.  I hate to speak the case against the type of work I do, but are we enlightening the human spirit, or are we killing it with this media over saturation?  Food for thought.  I just hope we don't find out too late, because just telling more stories certainly won't get us out of that ...

Tidbits: On the indie distribution front, it appears Google has its first hit with the film WATERBORNE.  Check out the trailer.  Also, looks like the film BUBBLE and its experimental distribution strategy didn't go too well.  Ah well, it's just the beginning.  Being a maverick is a tough gig ...

213 days and counting ...

J-Alden

Comments -- The Angry Filmmaker hangs with U2 -- 2/18

Okay, not really. I've been in Ireland for 5 days and I haven't even seen the bass player much less Bono himself. I don't think they live here. I did go in to the hotel that they own and had a beer in the bar. That should count for something...

What does count is that I have taught 4 workshops in three days, at the Dublin Institute of Technology and University College of Dublin. It all went quite well. I even received some thank you emails from the students already. Students seem to be much more polite here than in the US, all of these emails have been addressed to Mr. Baker. I could get used to that.

Students here are really interested in the American Independent scene. The real Independent scene, not the movies that have famous actors and directors pretending to be independent. They seem to feel like their own cinema has been squashed by big American films. (How surprising.) They're interested in doing small films about things that matter. My movies have really gone over well here. My characters may be American, but some problems are universal. I've received some great comments about my films. The students here are hungry for good movies and people who tell them the way things really are in the business.

I am doing a live radio interview on Sunday and then it's off to Stirling, Scotland where the Macrobert is showing all of my movies, 3 features, the Short Films and Criminal Justice over 4 nights. I'll also be teaching workshops there and at Calendar House in Falkirk. These people take their anger seriously... The only thing I am concerned about is driving on the right side of the road. I mean the correct side of the road. This driving thing is kind of confusing...

I am back in the US on March 3rd, to put together final preparations for my Spring Tour. The dates are filling up quickly so if any of you are still interested in having my come by, please let me know. I wonder if Sean Connery will be around when I get to Scotland. I'll have to look him up...

Talk later.
Kelley

More fighting stab and jabs at story forming, deconstruction and reconstruction ...

I finally got to have a long talk with my analyst.  No, not the psycho-type, the story kind.  Although, by the time I was done with him it felt like it could have been the former, or at the very least it made me feel like I could use one.  Yes, we yapped for quite a while, agreed on a few story points, disagreed on more than a few points and finally disagreed to disagree on what it seems we'll never agree on ...

Now usually I'm a fairly flexible fellow, and I believe for the most part I have been in this whole process.  But I gotta tell you, when someone (like my story analyst) really thinks they're right, there's no budging them.  Of course, they need to show they know their stuff, or why would I be paying them for this abuse.  The difficult part for me is that I like the guy and I think he knows what he's doing (for the most part).  In fact, we have some similar opinions about story development, and the sorry state of Hollywood films ...

Actually, he seemed quite relieved that I'd called him to discuss my script, since he was on a script deadline himself.  Seems he was writing a first draft that had to be delivered in a few days, for a big time producer with a deal at a big time studio.  And he was sure the project was going though, as it was on a fast track to go into production.  Relieved, because he could pull himself away from the project he was buried under and think about something else.

Anyway, what came out of this discussion was the very real possibility that I needed a major rewrite to accomplish what I was attempting with this script.  He was very adamant in believing that the type of script I was writing was very difficult to do, and that I needed to be at the top of my game to get it done.  And actually, that he did have faith in me, with some reservations.  If I followed his recommendations, I'd be much closer in the ballpark than I am right now.  Whew, okay.  Anyway, I've got some soul searching to do, cause if I'm going to attempt the rewrite he's suggesting, I don't see me going into production any time soon.  Which of course, means the self-imposed deadline I stuck myself with when I started this blog is pretty much out the window.  Oh well, I can't be locked into that, right?  Flexibility ...

At the end of our conversation I jokingly asked him if he'd like me to take a look at his script and possibly point out what he might need to do.  He laughed, and I think almost started to consider it, but then came back strong.  We had to remember our roles, huh?  The student couldn't become the teacher, and the teacher the student, right?  Right?  Ha, who said flexibility had to be a rule? ...

Tidbits: And once again, more distribution news; looks like everyone can provide online content now, and a bit of a summary of what's been happening.  Sounds like all this is only about more places for people to slap up their advertisements.  Isn't that really what TV has always been about? ...

208 days (or is it?) and counting ...

J-Alden

Comments -- Living Vicariously (RE: 2/15 Posting) -- 2/23

Most people live their lives vicariously.  This explains the fascination with gossip and the worshipping of athletes and others in all parts of the entertainment field.  Most people are bored with their life or need someone to look up to.  This goes back to the bible times when the Jewish people were given the choice of a human king or to be led by G-d.

ML

Less is more, and not taking yourself too seriously, would help ...

Have to admit, I got a decent chuckle out of this web page on blogging, or more appropriately about someone who isn't too friendly to bloggers.  He's obviously a very opinionated person, but makes some valid points, which I don't really need to go into here.  I've already expressed a few humble words about why I have this blog, and it isn't because I particularly like to blog or love the blogging world ...

In fact, there aren't too many blogs I pay attention to.  Obviously I have links to several film blogs on the side over there, but I really only keep up with about a half dozen of them on a regular basis (twice a week), and the others maybe I check in once or twice a month or so ...

However, in checking other blogs, it does seem a fair number of them do commit some of the "sins" mentioned in the linked article above, way too numerous to expound upon here.  Of course, in checking out the guy who wrote that and his home page, I'd say he's "guilty" of some of the same things he's complaining about, even if it isn't in blog form.  A lot of axes to grind there.  Maybe lighten up a bit, and don't take it all so serious? ...

Anyway, I imagine I could make this blog a lot spiffier, more timely and immensely more intriguing.  If I decided to go Hollywood.  But no, this will remain as basic as it gets, homegrown, indie and not like all the others.  Yet, that doesn't mean it won't change and morph into something else.  In fact, like I said before, once I get some digital footage, I'll periodically put a few snippets up, and change the look of this humble blog then ...

Tidbits:   Wow, it looks like the HD Format wars are really heating up now.  And as usual, we'll be the ones to foot that bill ...

203 days (or is it?) and counting ...

J-Alden