Indie Film Blog

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Primping and spoofing, and all fun and frivolity ...

Yup, it's that time of year again.  Entertainment awards shows, and man, plenty of 'em.  And to be honest with you, I really couldn't name them all, but it sure seems every time I turn around there's one happening.  In fact as I write this, the Independent Spirit Awards are happening, and the Oscars are tomorrow night.  Maybe new host Jon Stewart can invoke some spark into those snoozer proceedings ...

Anyway, the Spirit Awards are supposed to be for indies, but it looks like this year a lot of those have crossed over into Oscar territory.  Does that bode well for the indie world?  Or reflect poorly on more so-called mainstream theater fare?  Yeah, but I gotta seriously admit that these awards extravaganzas don't interest me much.  My wife is big on them, but the celebrity culture being celebrated just doesn't do it for me.  And why is that, you ask? ...

Guess it's probably one of my pet peeves.  I just can't help feeling that it sullies the purity of the whole creative process and why we're doing all this.  Am I being an old fuddy duddy about all this?  Maybe, but I still feel what I feel.  Sure, I get that the filmmaking community wants to support their own and recognize good work, but somehow it all seems so sorted and a bit too self-congratulatory.  I do like the retrospectives and clips of older films.  Could be I'm a romantic at heart and yearn for the films of yesteryear, and think Hollywood has gotten too full of itself in the modern world.  But probably a lot of them back then were the same way and my romanticism is misplaced, illusionary and idiotic.  Ah well, I can dream a little, right? ...

FYI, filmmakers I do happen to admire; Orson Welles, Howard Hawks, John Cassevetes, Billy Wilder, Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, Elia Kazan, William Wyler, Stanley Kramer.  Where are these directors today?  Sad to say, there don't seem to be many, if any, working anywhere that I'm aware of ...

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

J-Alden

Comments -- RE: Awards Shows -- 3/7

God how boring the Academy Awards were this year!  Yes, I've also just about had it with all these awards shows myself.  I've been working both inside and on the fringes of the industry (in production) for almost twenty years, and have met enough of these so-called 'stars' to know how full of themselves they are.  In fact, they're people most of us wouldn't want to have much to do with in our normal lives.  Also, it's a highly competitive environment between them, and as friendly and humble as they may appear to each other, that's mostly a facade.  America needs to wake up and get over its over long, romanticized love affair with this whole annual ritual.  It's as fake as the films they make.

LCH

Some items to dice up, ponder and execute ...

Well, last week I went ahead and bought me a Hi-Def camera, the brand new, just-released Panasonic AG-HVX200.  (actually I just ordered it, as the demand is so high it may be the end of April before I really get it).  I guess officially it's called a "prosumer" camera, whatever that's supposed to mean.  Even though professional news organizations are using it and indie film projects are starting to utilize it.  Can't wait to get my hands on it and see what it can do.  The reports have been mixed, but mostly positive, as it's seen as a revolutionary camera, lots of features for a low budget price.  Certainly at least can be used as a B camera on a feature, if not the main camera.  Once I have a DP on board, we'll see what direction that goes.  If you'd like any info on it yourself, these out these online forums; Dvxuser, DVi, DV.com and Creative Cow.  The DVX User forum is especially helpful (the DVX being the little brother of the HVX) ...

Still cogitating over needed script changes.  Fixing a few basic things is no biggie, but when confronted with some of the major changes I'm incorporating is involved, jees.  But I'm convinced they will improve the script immensely, as well as helping to insure the creation of a quality film with an engaging story.  Anyway, this has certainly put my production date back.  How far?  Guess we'll see how fast I can crank this out.  And yes, I will still be directing and producing also.  And maybe bringing aboard a producing partner ...

On the funding front, I know for sure the budget will still be under $500K, and probably under $250K.  I've got part of that committed and still seeking the rest.  Guess the budget all depends all on how much I wind up with on Day 1 of production ...

So, ya' wanna know where all the $'s go on those big budget Hollywood films?  Then check out this report.  Having had worked for a big studio, none of this surprises me.  In fact, have I got a few tales for ya' (some day)...

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

J-Alden

The ides march into spring, and from there, spring where? ...

Jeez that's right, it's been exactly one year since I greenlit myself and put my film project into motion.  Which also marks the beginning of this blog.  Should I pop open a champagne bottle and celebrate?  Hardly!  No, there seems to be as many questions, if not more, than there were then.  Has this project progressed?  Where is it going?  What do I need to do?  Do I know what the hell I'm doing?  If so, how about some decisions.  If not, should I fire myself and get someone to take this over?  All valid, to some degree, questions, which certainly aren't going to be answered today, or possibly in the near future.  Oh, well ...

Just thought I'd throw in a pix near our place along the coastal hills in SoCal, and show you the view I have to deal with when trying to keep my mind on the script rewrite.  Ya' right.  Anyways, that's going way too slow as spring edges it's beautiful mug into the world.  Although here, that doesn't make too much difference, as spring and summer seem just about eternally perpetual.  For now, I'm just trying to keep my eyes on the ball, before it slips away oh so easily ...

Yes, I have previously mentioned this, but it does appear I'm going to have to reschedule and restructure the production of my little digital film.  I'm just not sure what the new schedule is, nor am I yet willing to commit to one yet, in light of this ongoing flexible situation.  But, it does appear that I will definitely not begin shooting in June, as anticipated.  Funny though, I've had two distributors contact me, wanting to see a screener, thinking it had wrapped, as reported by  Indie Slate.  Hhhmm, what a strategy though.  Line up some distributors frothing at the mouth wanting to see my film way before I even make it.  Nope, no can do.  Had to tell them it was a media error.  Imagine that ...

Tidbits:  For those of you who don't know, SXSW started up in Austin (yeah, my old stomping grounds) this past weekend and goes on a few more days.  Also, some new online distribution situations for us indies to check out; Current, Film Baby, Clickstar, IFC Media Lab, IndiePix, Veoh, Hollyflicks, TurnHere, blip.tv or stimTVnetwork and maybe with the big boys?: AOL's In2TV, Yahoo! TV, Google Video, and of course, iTunes ...

186 days (or is it? - probably not) and counting ...

J-Alden

Changes in the weather forecast ...

Yes, timeline changes are certainly happening around here, now that my production date has been set back to, who knows when.  Actually, that feels good.  I'm freed up creatively, and the future seems brighter.  I even changed the appearance of this blog a bit ...

Anyway, I'm loosely laying out my plans the next few months so I can get a better handle on when production could possibly happen.  In May I'll be going up to the Shasta house and probably staying until September.  For two reasons.  First, to get the script shaped up.  Since I have a couple major plot changes, which in turn obviously impacts a number of other scenes, I want to go back up and scout out the area where I'll actually be filming those scenes ...

Which brings me to the second reason.  With both my new digital still camera and new Hi-Def camera in tow, I plan to spend a fair amount of time hiking around Mt. Shasta, where more of the scenes will take place in my rewrite.  With a renewed sense of exploration, I hope to discover the rest of my story when trekking all over this amazing mountain ...

Supposedly over 15,000 people attempt to summit Mt. Shasta each year, and less than half make it, making it the most climbed mountain in North America.  Plus, who knows how many people hike around the trails all over the mountain never intending to reach the peak.  My goal the next couple months is to get in good enough shape to go wherever I need to.  Maybe even the top?  If so, I plan to get some great shots.  And for sure, I'll post them right here ...

No more countdown, production is just when it is ...

J-Alden

So many ways to catch the media of digitalitis ...

I've harped a number of times about the obvious problems of distribution for indies, a la 'the last frontier' and such.  It will probably always be a truly daunting challenge for us, but at least the internet offers a glimmer of hope.  Or does it?  Whether it does or not still remains to be seen, but it's certainly a primary problem for us all.  We can create and create all day, but if we can't find our audience, or even have access to it, what's the point?  Unless, of course, we create for the pure purpose of creating.  Which by the way, I have no issue with, but here I'm mainly speaking about our indie films we'd like others, besides our friends and family, to see and hopefully enjoy ...

So, will aggregators of indie film content rise to the occasion?  And if they do (as some currently are trying to), how will the landscape look?  And how will it work?  Or will it?  I've mentioned a few of these video portals previously (some in the tidbits on 3/15), and recently have come across a number of others ...

But, I have to say I'm not as enamored as the media seems to be about all this.  For instance, here are some to check out for yourself:  YouTube, Grouper, Vimeo, Clipshack, TurnHere, blip.tv and Revver.  Many of these seem quite amateurish, but then hey, I guess that's what the web is about, a simple democratization of access.  Guess everyone is entitled to their 15 minutes of fame?  Just hope we don't all get drowned in the web din, searching for the good stuff ...

Then, we've also got the mobile device content aggregators, managers and technologists like mPUSH, Digital Orchid, Motricity, MobileVision, and Sling Media .  This seems to be the way a lot of things in this industry is headed.  FYI, if you'd like more info on this world, check out Mobile Content World or Mobile Content News ...

Now, back to my point.  What do you think?  Is this the future of film?  A way for indies to get in the door?  Possibly, but to me not the obvious way that's being promoted.  What I suggest, and plan to do myself, is to put a one to three minute teaser trailer on as many of these sites as I can, with a link back to my website, where I will sell them a DVD, HD-DVD, or download, and possibly streaming (but that gets back into whole other cost/technology issues).  And you could possibly use social networks, such as MySpace (which also has it's own video section) and Friendster.  The main point being to set up a viral distribution network and pattern for online self-distribution.  A way to go?  Possibly ...

Tidbits:  A couple co-students  and friends (from J. Weston's directing classes) have finished their projects.  One directed his first TV episode of CSI, which will air this Thursday night, and the other his feature he shot in Mexico (which is where he's from).  Congratulations, Alec and Hector!  Keep up the work! ...

J-Alden

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