What: Meet and mingle for filmmakers and related professionals

When: October 5th, 7:00-10:00 pm

Where: L’Etage (above Creperie Beau Monde), 624 South 6th Street, entrance on Bainbridge

Tickets?

Starting this September, Speedcrewing happens twice a year and we’ve relocated to a new, center-city location. Come join us at L’Etage, the 2nd floor cabaret bar at 6th and Bainbridge to meet and network with other Philadelphia-area film professionals. Home to our monthly screening series, L’Etage is a beautifully appointed bar and a great place to meet and mingle. September’s Speedcrewing does not have a specific theme so we’re inviting everyone to come with their business cards in hand no matter what role you have in the filmmaking process. More info…..

How superfluid works from Nathan Solomon on Vimeo.

Superfluid uses virtual currency to aid with social networking. Learn more from the co-sponsors of our September Speecrewing event: thesuperfluid.com!

Thunder Soul screening at International House on August 10 @ 7PM.

Mark Landsman’s workshop at Scribe on August 11 @ 7PM.

Go HERE for full details.

Mark Landsman is an independent filmmaker and director of the feature documentary, Thunder Soul (screening in Scribe’s Producers’ Forums Series, August 10 at the International House). The film had its World Premiere at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival where it won an Audience Award for Best Documentary; and has gone on to win the Audience Awards at 2010 Hot Docs and 2010 Dallas International Film Festival. His first film, Peace of Mind, about Palestinian and Israeli youth perspectives on coexistence, won an Audience Award at the Hampton’s International Film Festival; screened at Sundance; and aired internationally. His comedic fictional short, Skylab, won Best of Fest at the 2005 Chicago Shorts Festival; and screened in the U.S., Canada and Europe. He is currently developing a fictional feature based on the life of legendary high school band director, Conrad “Prof” Johnson. More info:http://thundersoulmovie.com

Photos by Andres Nicolini

Some OPTIONS – try HYBRID THEATRICAL – do FILM FESTIVAL, CREATE EVENTS, HOLD SCREENING WITH ORGANIZATIONS, show in MUSEUMS (in some cases), other ALTERNATIVE VENUES depending on the film, and also there are all sorts of ways to book a few days here and a few days there at theatres (we cover that below). Theatres are and will continue to do this more and more. AMCi announced their intentions and they are still in the marinating phase but we know you’ll all be ready when they are.

We’re interested in these companies and services:

1. Cinedigm:

They have a program in the works that is meant to be similar to ScreenVision and Fathom (which is no longer handling indie films generally speaking, as far as we know) but aimed at independent cinema, and working with all the big theatre chains (Regal, AMC, Cinemark). I asked them to write a few words for me about themselves and their plans: Cinedigm Entertainment, a theatrical distributor, has built several “channels” of content for movie theatres. This is niche content that plays at what is traditionally slower times for the theatres. Examples are; Kidtoons a monthly matinee program; Live 3D sports, like the World Cup and NCAA Final Four basketball; and 3D and 2D concert films with artists from Dave Mathews to Beyonce. For each “channel” the most appropriate theatres are chosen and theatres sign on to play the content as a series, thereby creating the expectation in the marketplace for the next installment. In the company’s newest “channel” it looks to apply the concept to indie-films which will provide filmmakers with the theatrical element for distribution.

2. Emerging Pictures:

Owned by Ira Deutchman (now also a Film Prof. at Columbia University) I spoke with Joshua Green who I have known for a while and booked with, though no real revenues were made in the past, their latest network of theatres sounds potent. They connect up to 75 theatres and they do very well with Opera, Ballet and Shakespeare but also indie films. They work with all the usual indie film distributors either taking on 2nd run of films in major markets or handing the first run in secondary markets. On screen now for example is Mother & Child, My Name is Love, and Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. 30% of the Gross is paid to the distributor or filmmaker. They charge usually a 1-time encoding fee to get the files needed for the theatres. The fee is $1,000. If that’s an issue that can sometimes in advance to make sure the bookings will happen to make the fee worthwhile. They create a Hi Rez file 720p VC1 file which is a professional HD version of MS Windows. They work with the Laemmle theatres in LA and Symphony Space in NY and lots of others across the country. What does well on the Art House circuit will do well with them I was told. Makes sense.

3. Variance Films:

Dylan Marchetti (former exec at Imaginasian and Think Film) is a firm believer in Theatrical and it’s his business. He may promote its necessities a bit more than I will and its not his money to spend and he was honest about the range of success (meaning not all films work theatrically and sometimes money is lost, and we know of at least one example but it happens). We spoke for the first time and I was comforted by his grassroots approach (they do that work themselves) and his commitment to alternative low cost venues: event screenings, niche-specific / lifestyle specific venues, as well as traditional theatres (all the usual chains and small theatres etc). He noted that generally speaking they do not charge more than $50,000 and that they get paid via back-end fees only. He said a release in NY and LA for $20,000 can be done. Variance is not a believe in print advertising; they have to believe in the film to take it on; and Dylan said that there is no correlation between P&A spending and a film’s success. Amen. They don’t do PR but rather refer out to outside agencies, as does The Film Collaborative.

The Film Collaborative is theatrically releasing UNDERTOW (which won the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance). Stay tuned.

Orly Ravid is the , the first non-profit devoted to distribution. Having previously served as a distribution executive at Senator and Wolfe, and worked as a Programming Associate at Sundance and Programming Consultant at PSIFF, she also co-owns New American Vision, a boutique B:B marketing services company whose clients include AFI Fest, LAFF, IDA, and Roadside Attractions.

ANCIENT PREDICTION – PIFVA member Margie Strosser is  part of a producing team bringing ALL VICTORIOUS OCEAN to the 2010 Philly Fringe Festival  September 3,4,5 and 18.

Centuries ago in Tibet there was a prediction that certain teachings would reappear when they were needed by a future society.  The ALL VICTORIOUS OCEAN Company, an unusual mix of multi-talented creative professionals and Buddhist meditation practioners, have joined together to make this prediction come true. Written and performed by Philadelphia actor Joanna Rotte, this play tells the story of the first Tibetan Buddhist woman, Yeshe Tsogyal,  to attain enlightenment.  ALL VICTORIOUS OCEAN brings these teachings in the  form of a beautiful, harrowing, erotic and deeply spiritual story of a female journey toward bliss.  Please join us for this rare opportunity.

Visit www.allvictoriousocean.com!

Library of Congress

From the Center for Social Media:

Another victory for common sense and fair use came today from the Librarian of Congress, acting on recommendations from Copyright Office. The latest ruling on exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act greatly expands access to encrypted, copyrighted works for fair use purposes.

Now, college teachers of all kinds, university film and media studies students, documentary filmmakers, and makers of noncommercial videos can all break encryption on commercial DVDs to quote motion pictures, for the purpose of criticism and comment.  Breaking encryption is the kind of thing you do with HandBrake and other software programs that let you copy material that the provider has digitally “locked.” The DMCA makes illegal most breaking of encryption for any purpose; however, every three years the Copyright Office can grant exemptions for petitioners who suffer adverse effects from the law.

MORE INFO….

Here are a few Blackaby FACTS:

There are disreputable film festivals that do not llok at films and simply take the money, never screening your precious film. DO THE RESEARCH!

Make your film the best it can be and spend time getting attention around it.

Make sure your films gets seen by the right people who can become your champions.

Linda’s A List FF are: Cannes, Toronto, Venice, Berlin, Sundance

Look for special categories in film festivals ie. Berlin added a Slow Food category.

At Oberhausen, shorts predominate.

Janis Plotkin at MillValley FF likes to know about your work as its being made; progress reports are important.

Marco Muller at Venice FF has been known to give feedback.

Send your film early; film festivals have quotas.

The New York FF has a big footprint; very good doc program, not so in narrative.

Rotterdam is very supportive.

Silverdocs is good because of the attached conference.

I will post more but here are sites she recommends to research and familiarize yourself with the the global film scene, festival strategies, process and requirements. It is weighted toward nonfiction/documentary film but has a breadth or locations to examine. Raindance, based in the UK, looks full of information:

The standard places are Variety and Screen International; filmfestival.com and indiewire.com

Check out:

Channel 4: BRITDOC Foundation, known for  “The Good Pitch.”

Goodfilm.org, sponsored by the Open Society Institute

D-Word

Docs in Progess

Doculink

Think Outside the Box Office

Moving Image Source

Raindance: The Voice of Independent Film (UK originated)

Raindance NYC

Why Producers Are Valued

Ages ago, I wrote a post about why Producers matter. All of that hold’s true, but none of it is why we get hired. In these days when jobs are scarce and many a long time cohort is looking at new enterprises or a new career, I find myself often reminding my brethren of the simple truths of what “they” want from us. Producers are respected for six things I figure:

• Validation – Your support of them means that the project is real (or at least they think it will mean that for others).  It may be it’s own category, but I think the “Cover Your Ass” criteria is a subset of this; those that are in the employ by others, need to make sure they have someone else to blame or deflect off when SHTF.  That someone is often you.
• Taste – Whether it’s picking or crafting; be it a slant towards commercial or critical success; and whether it is the financiers or the creators doing the selecting, your work matters, and should be protected where ever possible.  Your past represents where you want to go in the future.  What you’ve done won’t go away and it speaks about what is NEXT for you.
• Access & Relationships – Its not just who you know, but also how much they want to pick up the phone when you call.  People pay for contact and efficiency.  In getting things done, you want to make sure you are also working to make it all go smoother, faster, better in the future.  Work not just for the now but for the later too.
• Integrity & Trust – As both keeper of the purse and warrior at the front lines, you are asked to manage both the art and the financial.  Both require leaps of faith by those who say yes, and we can expect that to be  followed by constant careful consideration – what have you done both before and during is how you get to earn  and maintain their support and commitment.
• Cost Control Skills – maybe in times of wealth and growth, execution takes precedent, but I think I have lived through such times (and we certainly are not in them now!), and granted I may be corrupted by the prism I look through, but first and foremost those that surrender the capital want to know you can turn off the spigot.  More for less is what people always want and it is the producer’s responsibility to give it to them.
• Experience – Everyone’s looking for the shorter path.  They need a guide.  That is the producer, and you must learn the way.

I don’t know if there is really anything else. And I certainly don’t mean that these six reasons are WHY we should be valued — just that this is why we are.  Whenever I say this sort of stuff though,  I am surprised I don’t get more arguments. I wish we were valued for our storytelling skills and our dramaturgy know-how.  I am confident that I make scripts, movies, and campaigns better, but it is very rare that this is raised as the reason that people bring projects or money to me.  I wish that would change…

I am also very proud of the overall financial record of my films.  I feel that I have learned at what price point projects must be produced at to deliver a positive return.  Yet again, people generally prefer that films are delivered on time and on budget (as opposed to make more money than they cost).  I hear people often state that at the end of the day no one will ask if it came in on budget or schedule, just that it if it made money — but that has never been the case for me.  And you would think that in this world where everyone appears to be profit motivated that they would care more if one’s work was profitable than if it was any good, but it doesn’t seem to be that way at the end of the day.  I make movies that are both good and structured to make money — but that isn’t what drives new work or funding my way.   Maybe profits matter when someone is making the commitment, but on initial meetings when people speak about the reason they came through the door, it seems to still be about quality only.  Maybe it is that only big profits matter?  Is it all size and not ROI when it comes to returns?