Hollywood and the economy of the calculated sequel

There seems to be a shortage of original thought in the industry of film and from what I am hearing from the audience members they are getting tired of the bigger explosion and faster paced action selling the show.
What about art? Why isn't that being really cultivated in the market?
Well it's a lot like the recent bailout of the stock market. The choices were made clear and what should have been done wasn't.
I will clarify this. One politician stood up in the forum and said that if the government was going to try to bail out the economy it should give the $700,000,000.00 distributed to the citizens of America instead of to the very people responsible for the debacle in the first place. (that is paraphrased of course or I would have named and quoted)
But he was right. Look at what the money distributed to the people would have done:

For each citizen that would have been about $300,000.00 as a economic boost from the government.
What would the majority of American's do with the money?
Spend it of course. They would pay off debts and buy new cars, electronics and all the things that they buy now and some would even invest in the stock market.

Honestly who cares what the stock market does if they don't have money on the line?

But the people we elected to make decisions with that kind of money, our tax dollars, decided to give it to the failures that got everyone scared in the first place.

I personally think that is stupid. They don't trust their own constituents.
I think it would have made this a much better country to live in over the next five years and before the money is spent they should put it to a vote.
This is supposed to be a representative democracy. The problem I see is the the elect are representing the wrong people.

And so it is with Hollywood. Instead of letting the artist have free reign in the creation of the cinematic piece, the industry is controlled by the non creative financial types and decisions are based for distribution on what a film just like x or y has boxed in the past. The sure thing, or as close as they can get.

Very much like Paul Zane Pilsner talked about in his book, "The Next Trillion". Predominately about the wellness industry. He talked about the drug companies being a for profit group making decisions for research and development based on not what the world needs, but on the profit generated in the outcome of the research. He gave the example of a comparison of the profit between a one pill cure for cancer and a maintenance drug that the patient (customer) would take for the rest of their life.
The decision is obvious. The greater profit is in the maintenance drug of course.

Therin lies the problem with a capitalistic approach to decisions of this nature.

Don't get me wrong I'm up for profit just like every red blooded American, but where do you draw the line between sanity and profit margins?

Art and politics, The carving of the future by the desire for the almighty buck.

Life goes on and targets come and go.

So I've been busy working on getting all the things together for a great new project that I think will help filmmakers.
I worked on a short film here with friends and wrapped about a week ago. I am starting the editing process and it looks like all I have to do is the capture and documentation. I'm really not an editor and looking forward to handing this off to someone else for a change and not having to edit myself.
I've got several projects nearing the production phase and one of them is a personal project that I have been working on the script for two years now.
Of course every filmmaker thinks his first vision is the next Citizen Cane but though I am not deluded into that megalomania, I do have confidence and am eliminating the negative forces in my life that sap my creative energy.

I have written many things in other places but feel that this is really the blog for the gritty details of carving a project out of the opposing universe. Which is really what it seems like I am doing many times.
I have met some really nice helpful people along the way and some real boneheads even been kind of gullible with the partners I have fellowed with.

But that is behind me now, with some new data and a head full of steam, some lofty goals and impossible odds I will triumph where others only persevere.
I have survived the desperate filmmaker series and come out nearly unscathed and one less anchor for the belly drag.
Yes, a new day indeed. For a man that is a filmmaker in his heart and would be an auteur.

Search for a lost friend

So we went and I took a camera watch the video to see what happens.
No cuts or any real editing, no script, just reality.


Find more videos like this on filmmakershelp

Update on the search for Todd

This is the life of a desperate filmmaker,
The things we go through for the story the people we have to deal with and the suppression that we face.

Here is a long overdue submission to this blog.

At this writing I am sitting on the road using a laptop connected to the battery of the truck that I have been abusing to search for the first of many mysteries that my friend Todd and I were going to investigate. The legend of the lost Adams diggings. Unfortunately my friend is now lost as well. The New Mexico Search and Rescue has been looking for him in the wilderness for two days and after tomorrow may pull the plug on the search. The terrain is prohibitive to an extreme and the June heat is so bad that I needed over a gallon of water during the hike I took with the first team on our search on the first day.
There must be fifty flies buzzing me now. (I think they like the smell of the bug spray I used.) I haven’t had a shower in five days and I can’t shake the feeling that Todd is waiting out there somewhere for me to come find him.
All my fault, the nagging voice keeps telling me, that he fell behind. We were out of water. My young companion and I were desperate to get back to the truck ,but Todd just wanted to get down to the river and carry on with our mission, he was unshakable, and unafraid. “Just leave me here” he kept saying, “I’ll find it for you and I’ll come back and tell you where it is.” The search and rescue teams haven’t even been able to get to where were trying to get. Twelve teams so far have been out there on foot and quad runners but finding no sign of him. The deputy told me an hour ago that if they don’t find him tomorrow they will probably pull the plug. Todd would want me to carry on like it didn’t matter but that will be difficult for me.
He wasn’t even interested in the gold nor was I for that matter, but of course we could have used it to buy equipment.
Todd has been on many missions before and always come through even without water in the desert of the middle east, looking for the most significant sites from the Bible, lost in antiquity. That’s how I found him, already bearing photos from those places and raving about the most significant site on earth, less than twenty miles from my house. That one is called the Mystery Stone of Los Lunas. He showed it to me in person and using an amassed body of books and research material, translated it to show that it is the Ten Commandments of the bible inscribed in Paleo-Hebrew from about 2500 years ago. Not surprising to me, no one believed him. Though he had much proof and accounts of it being reported before the language was even known, the State’s official stand remains that it is a hoax.
I know that if it is possible for anyone to survive these conditions out here that Todd is the one and remain hopeful that he will come out smiling with a report tomorrow.


The truth about people really comes out when they think you are looking for real treasure. I had an incident with someone I thought was a close friend, when I made the mistake of telling them prematurely that I was looking for this lost Adams diggings.

But the signs of suppression were already there, threats and fear based control tactics to try to manipulate. I am taking a hunting rifle with me. And why not? There are bear and wolves and mountain lions out here in the wilderness, me being military trained and from Alaska I know I’ll be able to sleep better and walk more confidently with a rifle over my shoulder.



But I’ll have to be completely honest , we left too soon and somewhat ill prepared. I brought a truck that was too small for the journey and we had to walk much further than we would have if I had taken the trip after I fixed my bigger truck, thus the state we were in when we were separated with Todd.

Am I shifting blame here? No absolutely not. I am entirely responsible for my actions and everyone that took on the mission were making their own decisions, in fact Todd offered many times to hitchhike down here and walk in on his own.

But my friend Todd is still missing and I will continue to believe in him and hold on to hope that we will find him tomorrow, or he will return as he promised to do if I sent him on his own.
Thus continues the life of the Desperate Filmmaker. No camera, no way, lost in a sea of insanity and uncertainty, but I will find a way, I will find a way.

Day six of the search for my friend Todd.

I have been sent away from the official Search and rescue base , by the deputy’s words the rancher would rather be left alone. Obviously he blames my companion and I for the situation and would rather we didn’t hang around. I had to use a calling card to call the search commander and verify he was getting the dogs down to where we actually saw Todd last and to where we were going. My confidence is somewhat lacking in this new group as he didn’t sound like he was seriously going to send any searchers to the locations I know Todd would go if he were okay.

My brother and I are about to take matters into our own hands as we found a new way in to where we were going that we can drive within two miles of the canyon. We are ready to go search it ourselves.
It is my friend after all and I can’t abandon him there in that wild canyon on his own any further. If this new commander never had a team dispatched to that location we are going in though I repetedly told them that it was our objective from the start.

The search has been officially called off and I have no solid confirmation that the site we discussed was searched and with the state police blessing we are going in at first light tommorow. I'll be taking the camera with me and reporting as I go.

It’s just now noon and only getting hotter but we have almost three gallons of water with us and are ready to go. I’m going to call the search commander now and find out what they are doing and tell him we are going in without them.

Scriptwriting 101 "Aristotle's Poetics"

This is something I stumbled on, looking for theory for writing good screenplays.
I remember hearing Matt McDuffey, (the professor in the class that I tried to take twice, and never finished) talk about Aristotle's poetics being at least part of the foundation for good storytelling.
Here you will have it in audio format to glean what you can from one of the great masters, truly he must have been a great orator to gather the masses as he did.

So the question that begs to be asked is:

What can I get from Aristotle to help me with my zombie script?
I will look for that answer with you if you are curious.


Aristotle's poetics here

Some interesting things you'll find out there

Flexibility and good listening skills, keys to any long term success in the social world.
With unlimited information at our fingertips, many spend their time complaining about someone or some company or... whatever.
Then even more who will read and watch and listen to the complainers because they are doing something, publicly.
The anonymity of global society on the web is changing the way we treat each other, and yet the power of wiki has proven that the truth is important to all.
Therefore I find it difficult to take sides, rather I look for bits of value in every opinion.
Of course I have found some exceptions, here for example are segments from two sides of an argument with value in each message. If you are starting something then you as the social leader, drawing attention by just saying something or starting something, be it posting a video, or starting a business. people will always want to share their opinion.

I say let them, and you will find the bits of wisdom, right there on your screen. Even if they don't like you there is some helpful advice in their message. Swallow it with some humble pie.
So I'm trying to wrap my head around all this theory while surfing through digg, and newsvine and some others I enjoy and find this very interesting topic on marketing and the film industry squeezing every dollar it can from the product of entertainment. Really the burger king or 7eleven is going to pay top dollar to sell those cups shaped like Ironman's head, propaganda obviously to attach the emotional connection of the film with their place of business.(opinion again but well, it's a blog.)


An excerpt from a few inputs and comments on digg.com

EXPOSE: Your "clever" marketing tricks have no effect on me
Written by Anthony Burch

You know what moviegoers really love? Mystery and quality. Look at Cloverfield – after that first teaser hit the Internet, everyone was freaking out about what the movie could be. Might it be an adaptation of the game Rampage? Another Godzilla remake? Will the entire movie be done in one continuous shot?

The trailer was appetizing, yet left many unanswered questions. It looked cool, but we were also confused: that is what makes a great viral marketing campaign. The Cloverfield campaign respected the ability of the viewer/potential ticket-buyer to use their imagination and try to suss out what the film might be about. It piqued our interest, and then left us free to pursue or deny that interest; it didn’t just

thrust a bunch of irrelevant websites from the universe of the movie at us and and continually demand that we be interested. It didn’t beg, and it didn’t assume we’d be stupid enough to buy a bunch of force-fed marketing b----t just because it danced around in a funny costume or pretended to be a political campaign for a fictional character: it was sleek, it was mysterious, and it was intelligent.

So, if you must indulge in some sort of clever, viral marketing campaign, that oughtta be your template.



Later in a response to one of the comments another digger, calling himself Joe:

Get this:

Some people LIKE viral marketing. Did you know that? Some people actually appreciate the fact that creativity is coming back into the media. Some people respect the fact that an advertisement doesn't have to be flashing on a web page, or printed on the side of a bus.

Sometimes an advertisement can be a game. Or a story. Or anything.

C'mon, man. What did creativity ever do to YOU?


This is what we need to remember:
Why do people watch commercials on youtube?
Because many people enjoy good creative marketing, even just for entertainment.
It's okay to be marketing, just be creative and entertaining when you do it.

The Future

Here in the world of the web we take for granted that the world knows what is happening around them. The television as we know it is changing and looking more and more like a monitor connected to the internet. Who will lead the market and how can the industrious small business owner capitalize on this trend?

If you look through the data compiled here you might be able to follow the process I'm getting at. The viability of the small business built on the platform of online distribution and monetizing the product of film direct to the consumer.

Is it such a bad thing for the independent to profit?

Surveys have shown that when given the option the consumer will support the local small business if cost isn't an issue.

There is an opportunity here to capitalize on a trend that we haven't seen the likes of since the inception of cable networks.

A workable model in the future might look like this: a crew of ten on the set many of whom will take acting roles, and three or four producers similar to groups like Kids in the Hall, or Monty Python, but technology has gotten so light and available as to open up more genre'. They will most likly be shooting in a small studio with greenscreen technology creating from start to finish in house stories to market directly to the consumer.
The production company would employ others to promote the film and using blogs and social networking tools create a fan base with steady contact through a mail list.

Ask an expert if you don't believe me, but make sure they know who told you.

Why sell yourself short?

There are some things happening in the world of entertainment, that all filmmakers should know about.
A clip from power to the pixel a conference focusing on using the web as a source of distribution, showcasing some filmmakers that are paving the way for the rest of us.

My question is; Why would I want to give half of the revenue from my film to anyone, when I can reach the audience directly?
This is an example once again of the industry taking money that should go to the creators of art and entertainment.
Where were they when I was looking for funding to get my film shot?
People like Lance Weiler and Arin Crumley are making real money on their films and saying that it pays to go direct. Why are independents so loyal to a broken system, that has in the past proved time and again to be fruitless?

Now I'm not saying you should reject genuine offers, should a real offer for real money, and distribution come your way. But don't think for a minute that the scarcity tactics and leverage big companies have used for years is going to work for long.
You'll feel kind of stupid after a year when everyone is watching movies through the web and you sold out cheap.
"they want all the rights in the entire universe, to everything, theatrical, DVD, payperview,and the web for 17 years plus five years and they offer some bananna or something and I said no." M dot Strange, from from here to awesome.


The world of entertainment will change forever, more people will turn to the streaming venue for their entertainment this year, than ever before and if we don't figure how to capitalize as filmmakers we will again, be left out of the income stream from our own labors.


There is more info on my blog ; www.desperatefilmmaker.blogspot.com

Now imagine your movie in a player that you can put anywhere, full length, or just a trailer to link your audience to YOUR OWN PAY-PER-VIEW!
For less than $20 a month.
enjoy the movie.

The World of Entertainment changed today .

Finally, someone stepped out with the big window for real.
I predict that there will be a great deal more people turning to the internet after today for their entertainment. A new website has opened the floodgates of possibilities and this is just the first of many to come. One of them could be you.
Enjoy the movie in the hulu player It's one of my favorites.



Why am I excited about this? Look for the videos that explain what we are doing. Let me know if it is unclear. And get ready. Get your films free of baggage so you can capitalize on this move, and distribute directly to your public!

Web 2.0 for the independent? Could it get any better?

The videos we have put together have been out of fun and excitement, over the prospect of filmmakers everywhere getting to my desktop, or wireless to my TV.

We just wanted to put videos together and tell people about them so I hope you can enjoy them and see them for what they are.

If have any comments, I would love to see them here, especially if you find something helpful, and relevant to online distribution for all.


Here's some great info on the future of marketing:

Looking for valuable information for anyone like myself who wants to know more about the field of marketing any product online I frequently stumble upon little gems of data like this one, fortunately the video content is getting more available and I don't have to supply text alone these are some videos I found on open forum and the speakers are the guys who came up with sites like facebook, and wikipedia,. you might want to take note of what they are saying about using web 2.0 to your advantage.


Your business doesn't need to reach the entire world online, just those that want to buy your product. Seth Godin, Sean Parker and Jimmy Wales discuss how you can find customers on the web by being your brand's Master of Ceremonies.

Power to the Pixel

OK, campers.
We are here again with round two.
The from here to awesome site, has posted another video for your education.
You should take note, particularly to this discussion, because these are the very topics that the WGA was striking over. Saying that the old distribution system was nowhere near as important as the online distribution market,(actually the word I got was Dead but I can't quote)


I find myself asking;
What is it that filmmakers want? We want a new working model for reaching the audience directly. (See video below.)
Someone is going to have the clout and money to organize a working model for this.
But what big studio conglomerate do you want that to be?

I thought so.
Me neither.

Are we filmmakers paying attention? How many of you out there are listening?
Did he really just say that? and Yes I even checked my dictionary, he's right.
You should listen to what these filmmakers are saying. If you're like me you'll be looking for answers in some new places.

From the from here to awesome site:

In an effort to share information FHTA will be organizing a number of panels, keynotes, and tutorials. If you have knowledge around a certain subject and would like to share it with the FHTA audience please let us know.

Our conference / educational partners are the Workbook Project and Power to the Pixel. PTTP is a gathering of filmmakers, technologists, and media creators that takes place multiple times a year in various locations around the world. The Workbook Project is a free resource project for filmmakers that attempts to bridge the gap between tech and filmmaking. Together PTTP and the WBP we will be releasing a large volume of FREE educational content to FHTA’s global audience. The following is a glimpse of things to come.





You guys keep pushing, and you could make things better for a lot of people.
This is one filmmaker that's listening.

Working hard for the Filmmaker

I’ve been getting things ready for the release of the Filmmakers Channel, and I had an interview with Tony DellaFlora this weekend from the Filmmakers Channel.

He’s also one of the founders of the Duke City shootout, The first film making contest. They take you from script to screen in seven days, and it’s really a pretty amazing process, well we had some interesting things to say, about the online experiment, “From Here to Awesome” and what those guys are doing for the rest of us filmmakers.


If you’re a filmmaker and you haven’t heard about it then watch the videos posted below and get busy you need to help this wave get started it’s up to you.




Here's a new video sample for you to scrutinize,



Here in the new player, (the template here required me to shrink the video to 425x355 to fit here, so I changed it, now the margin for the video 600x520) is the same video in mpeg2.

So, if your a filmmaker, let me ask you; Which player would you want for your film?




Big news, The Filmmakers Channel is ready to release the beta, Grand opening and press release is coming shortly, My goal is to help drive more viewers to the higher quality content available on the web.

The Filmmakers Channel has it, and they're not after your profits.

They have a turnkey payperview Streaming system to display your video.

You can charge as much or as little as you want and display it on any computer screen connected to high speed internet, and it looks like you popped a DVD into the drive, no wait, and no buffer.

When I’m looking for movies online, I’m looking for the best entertainment experience I can get.

I’m an enthusiast, and a filmmaker.

I think the world deserves better than suffering content, no matter how good, on the slow, little, window and think we should demand better.

This is an official call for submissions to all filmmakers, with a film in the can, that want to get your film to the viewer when they want it, most; at the click of a button.
I'm not saying we have the only player out there but we do have the one that even I can afford.

Think about it, Where else can you get a multinational distribution platform started for a $20 bill?

So take a look at the Filmmakers Channel and tell us what you think.

www.the-filmmakers-channel.com.

Remember, thousands of other filmmakers are counting on you, to get the word out about these opportunities, let’s not let them down. I’ll do my part too.
Rob
Big Window Video

Video is moving and changing, the smart ones will change with it.

There is an ever growing market for online content, yes I’ve mentioned that before. A few filmmakers out there are making the new system work for them, by keeping their options open and with the foresight to allow to choose. Taking on the perspective that audience should be allowed any viewing option as acceptable, thus broadening the market and creating more fans for their film, with links where the film can be found.



Way to go guys! But move over bacon, now there’s something meatier.
Now you can post your movie on your website in streaming dvd quality for payper view at a click, Email a link to a friend so they can watch it and all the revenue goes to the ones who made it.



Let’s stop the dilemma shall we? at least the filmmaker can get some return on their investment while seeking a distribution deal, grooming the final touches in editing, getting feedback from other filmmakers, it could be a good thing.



Think about it; streaming pay-per-view which is safer than selling downloads or DVDs and much more popular with the audience, because they don’t have to wait for the download.



I hope that filmmakers get a chance to make something of it, before they get snatched up in someone else’s profit scheme. Don’t sell out quick, or cheap. Find the market for your piece. We’re here to help.
If you have suggestions on an interface, or promotion for filmmakers, Big window video, or the filmmakers channel, leave comments here.
We’ll respond with solutions or point you to the tools you need.
www.big-window-video.com
www.the-filmmakers-channel.com

HD is here but how does the web compete for content?

With the onset of the HD regulations on televisions, and the availability of affordable HD screens, the market is getting fierce for content.
Many big companies are looking to the web for getting content to the consumer. but if you thought waiting for the download was bad for a DVD quality download wait til you see how long it takes for HD content. Remember you still have the same connection.

The problem is in the file transfer size, and some companies are positioned for the new wave of content seekers with a streaming technologoy that allows a big file to be viewed without the download or the constant buffering consumers are getting annoyed with.
What it comes down to is that analog TV is going by the wayside and the web will be the resource for entertainment. But how long will it take to get it working just like watching cable?
The answer is that the technology is here, most people simply don’t know about it.
So the content needs to be generated and posted for the public to access.
One thing for sure this trend is not going away with the onset of user generated content and the critical nature of the American film audience, it could be very good for the film industry to have a great number of these films made by whomever, that shows the individual by experience what it takes to make a film and therefore by default the audience with become more forgiving.
It’s like I’ve told my musician friends “piracy doesn’t really hurt the artist merely gets their work into the hands of more public creating a greater possibility for word of mouth advertising.
But their usual viewpoint is only the percieved loss of revenue represented by the free download.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ll hear someone say I just watched so and so movie and it was awesome I’m going to go see it in the theater, or buy the DVD for better quality.
It will always follow that if you pinch the pennies and focus on the lack you’ll fail to see the real dollars, no matter the venture.
Rob
www.big-window-video.com

Distribution for me? The broke budget filmmaker?

OK, He tell’s me; “…so you finished your feature, and it’s all edited, ready to show. Yeah, you are a film maker now, but you’re broke. Frustration sets in as you try again, and again to get distribution for your film and nobody’s buying. You sit outside in the lobby of another tiny backdoor theater in another town and there’s four people inside.
You might wonder if you did the right thing.
Distribution is the stumbling block for many wonderful films that won’t be seen, because of the difficuly in just getting the film in front of the people that could run with it, can be overwhelming, Though with the writer’s strike you could be thinking your chances have increased, and you’re right they have.
But what if you could find a way to reach the audience directly and immediately?
Even arrange a release of your film globally?
…at no cost up front or until you made money from the film?
And what if there was no contract required so you maintain the rights to your film?
…and you determine how much the audience pays to see it?
As a film maker myself I understand your plight and found a solution that I think I can live with.”
So of course I’m all ears.

Here is a sample of what a small group of filmmakers can do with an arri kit and a camera.