A great TED Talk on the use of the comic book format to spread new ways of thinking about architecture in the 21st Century.
Author Archive
A great conversation on DIY filmmaking on Mark Lipsky’s blog
05/03/2010Below is a link to a conversation I have been participating in on Mark Lipsky’s new(ish) blog, Light A Fire!.
Mark’s blog is a great place for discussion of the age-old Art vs. Commerce argument, and I hope you’ll find his opinions and insights to be useful and meaningful! He’s certainly someone with a unique and hard-won perspective, as he’s been around the indie film world in various capacities over his long career.
YouTube to Let Users Charge Rental Fees for Videos
05/03/2010This could potentially be a great thing for independent filmmakers as it would allow access to a monetized streaming platform without the need for middle-man aggregators. It could also potentially usurp VOD as the primary means of “on-demand” delivery to an audience. There aren’t a lot of details yet on how it will work or whether anyone will be able to upload videos for rental, but if so it add a very valuable bit of infrastructure to the indie film landscape. Of course, filmmakers would still need to find ways to drive potential audience members to their films, and the need for marketing or somehow building awareness of our projects isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. That is, unless Google starts offering free marketing campaigns with their gmail accounts… Alas, wishful thinking!
YouTube to Let Users Charge Rental Fees for Videos
PIXELS by Patrick Jean
04/15/2010Some inspired 3D work from a very inventive filmmaker and digital artist:
“The Last 3 Minutes”
04/15/2010“The Last 3 Minutes” is a short film shot entirely on the Canon 5D MarkII camera. As you watch this, keep in mind that the season finale of “House” was shot with this camera. The images it produces are stunning to say the least. It’s nice to know that you can acheive this quality at such a low price point, which is potentially empowering to DIY filmmakers.
New Distribution Lab Taking Root for Indies
03/30/2010It’s always good to hear about new programs to get the DIY word out, and IFP has long been fostering discussion about where film making is headed…
Eight great long shots
03/30/2010This is a great video posted by Jim Emerson of some of the best long shots in cinema. I won’t reiterate his post here, but I will say that one of the essentials of learning the craft of filmmaking is to appreciate and study those films and filmmakers which have impacted the form with such sublimely composed scenes. All of these shots are, by my reckoning, budget and gear independent as they rely solely on the fundamentals – great composition, great actors, great writing, and a keen awareness of the world outside the frame.
Starting out as a Filmmaker
03/24/2010For me the hardest part of making a film was knowing where to begin. I had never been to film school, and I didn’t understand the process or the technology very well, so I turned to the web. There I found forums on cameras, tutorials on visual effects and software, and even now as I delve into distribution I am utilizing the shared knowledge of other filmmakers on a number of sites. Industry publications helped too. American Cinematographer and ICG provided inspiring articles about different DPs and their approach to light and composition. Filmmaker and Movie Maker provided insights into the auteur process, while everything from Harper’s to The Economist kept me apprised of maneuverings in the wider world. But I think the most beneficial source for me was books. Over time I have built up a nice library ranging from producing to editing to grip/elex and so on. I know that buying books wasn’t the most economical approach, but the opportunity to simply page through and discover topics that it wouldn’t occur to me to search for on Google proved to be priceless. I did find that books which were more about process, as opposed to specific technological tools, were more helpful in that the concepts weren’t as easily dated and still seemed relevant. So, now I have a handy reference set of practical and philosophical guides to assist me on my (hopefully) many future endeavors. Not that accumulating a system of set methods is the goal, it’s just good to have reference points for those times when you’re lost. And building a library like this feels like an investment in my filmmaking future, which too is an accumulation of knowledge and experience.
Paramount to Unveil New Division for Micro-Budget Films
03/13/2010It’s interesting that such a huge studio as Paramount is getting into the sub-$100,00 film category. It makes me wonder just where they’re coming from. It could be a recognition of the value of micro-budget filmmaking, or it could just be an attempt to co-opt the best small-scale filmmakers and use their perceived credibilty to pump out cheap and dubious studio content. In any case, it will be worth following any upcoming announcements about specific projects. I would love to know what other filmmakers think…
In order to understand the DNA of independent film…
03/13/2010First, we must sequence the genome…
The world of independent film is in a state of flux. Distribution models are upended, technologies for making films are constantly evolving, new methods of financing are emerging, and filmmakers are seeking innovative ways to connect with audiences. All of this begs for new forums for sharing stories and ideas, and especially for comparing methods and discovering what works and what doesn’t. Indie Genome strives to contribute in a positive and meaningful way to that discussion- to help sequence the genome of independent filmmaking. We will focus here on issues that matter to the independent filmmakers of the world while trying to provide some links to helpful resources on the web, all in the name of gathering as much useful information as possible into one place.
The we can decode the genome…
By decoding the indie film genome we mean to start to piece together the information generated by the world of independent artists with the hope of clarifying and understanding. The links on this site are usually to companies or products we’ve had personal, hands-on experience with (especially gear); people whom we’ve met, seen or heard speak and who seem to have something of value to contribute; or people or entities which seem like they address a certain need or problem related to indie film.
