Todd's Film Blog

It's the End of Motion Picture Filmmaking As We Know It and I Feel Fine

2012-01-19T01:41:00.000-08:00

Kodak just filed for bankruptcy. The venerable company was founded in 1892 by George Eastman. Much hand wringing and despair has circled on the internet as of late, including Twitter and Facebook as well as other social networking websites over the impending death of motion picture film as a medium. There is even an online petition trying to save 35mm as a projection format.

Yes, there are benefits to the medium. Film has a soft, almost magical feel to it when projected. I also can't deny the sexy and alluring nature of shooting on film. We tend to think of ourselves as filmmakers, not digital video makers. I liken it to the soft, crunchy, sweet analog sound of vinyl. There's nothing more satisfying than putting on an old jazz record while drinking a glass of wine.

As someone who has been involved in the independent film world since I started back at UCSB in the 90s, I have spent a good deal of time working with 8mm, 16mm, Super16, and 35mm. After dealing with film stock, processing, answer prints, check prints, answer prints, etc., I say "Good riddance!" Film is an expensive, unwieldy, time-consuming medium.

Actually, my relationship with film goes back farther than my time in college. When I was a kid, we'd make little 8mm films and show them to our friends and family. We also had an old 8mm projector and a couple of 8mm reels of old Disney cartoons. They were all silent of course. But you didn't need sound in order to enjoy the films as a kid.

Once I moved on to college and began making films in the late 90s and 2000's, making films was an expensive hobby. People routinely spent $30,000-50,000 just to make a short film. When I made my short film 'Coffee', I shot on Super 16mm and called in a ton of favors. Even with getting major discounts I wound up spending between $15,000-$20,000 on the film. At the time, filmmaking was the purview of the upper middle-class and wealthy. It was somewhat of an elitist institution. Most filmmakers went into massive debt and racked up huge credit cards bills. Some even mortgaged their houses to finance their dreams. When Steven Soderbergh made Sex, Lies and Videotape in 1989 for a million dollars, that was seen as revolutionary low budget filmmaking.

Digital cinema only really became common in the past 5 years. In 2005, a website called Youtube was created where people could instantly upload their videos for all of the world to see. The balance of power began to shift. Creators of content were no longer dependent on film festivals and film distributors as the gate keepers and arbiters of taste. Anyone with a digital camera could create videos cheaply using a digital camera or webcam and upload it for all of the world to see. And we had some early success stories, including Lonelygirl15, who attracted millions of views to her videos. Originally thought to be an actual girl's autobiographical video diary, it was later found to be the work of three independent filmmakers. The potential for the new medium was being explored.

Other outlets such as Myspace, CDBaby, and DeviantArt popped up. At first they were laughed off as a place for amateurs and kids with no talent. Since then, Hollywood has wised up. All the the major agencies and studios have people dedicated to finding new talent on the internet and other new media. We have begun to see the rise of internet celebrities, such as Perez Hilton, Freddie Wong, and of course, Felicia Day, whose web series The Guild garnered millions of viewers, a sponsorship from Microsoft, and spin offs including music videos and comic books. Over the past five years, digital filmmaking has become a hotbed for creativity and an outlet for creatives to display their work.

The point I am trying to make is that digital filmmaking, through ease of use, low entry point and ease of distribution is making it easier for storytellers to get their work out there and be seen. It has democratized the process. Stories that would never have been able to be told are now able to reach their audiences. Sure, there is an increase of inferior product being made. When you shot on film you had to spend time to be sure everything was right before you started filming. But it also means that as a creator, I spend less time worrying about F-stops and exposures and more time on telling the story and getting the best performance possible. Think of some of the amazing movies of the past couple of years that would not have been possible without digital filmmaking, like Restrepo, Bowling For Columbine, 28 Days Later, and Winter's Bone.

It's not just the filmmaking side that has become easier. With digital projection, distribution becomes a lot more feasible and accessible than before. It used to be that you had to spend thousands of dollars to create a 35mm print in order to see your film up on the big screen. With HDCAM and now Blu-ray DVDs, you can see your film projected in high quality on the big screen in front of an audience, which is something most filmmakers want. There is nothing that can replace that collective experience of seeing your film with a paying audience. It can be incredibly exciting and terrifying all at once.

The flip side is that the technology is advancing so rapidly that digital movies made a couple years ago look low budget and amateurish compared to films made with the latest technology. There is still a lot of work to be done. Theaters are still struggling to adapt to a standard format and set of standards for digital cinema projection.

The thing that intrigues me is the move towards a non-physical media world. You won't be using tapes, film mags, or cassettes. Everything will be recorded directly to a hard drive that can easily be transferred digitally to an editing station half a world away. No longer will we have to wait for dailies. They will be instantaneous. Corrections can be made on the fly.

It will also change the way we distribute films. No longer will we be delivering tapes and masters to theaters and broadcasters. The entire movie will be easily downloaded via Smartjog or Aspera, or some other FTP service. You will no longer be limited by physical geography. Theaters won't have to worry about costly prints, worrying about shipping expenses, film breaks, burns, splices, etc.

As a movie-goer, I will miss the experience of seeing a film projected on 35mm. There is something magical about 35mm. But I don't think all of the film technology in the world could make a film like Jack and Jill enjoyable. Rather than fearing the future and new technology, we should embrace it and explore new ways to tell stories and entertain audiences around the world. We're in the midst of a magical transformation in the movie business and I can't wait to see where this leads us.

Amateur Vs. Professional

2011-09-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

I was recently having a discussion with someone via Twitter about the difference between amateur and professional.

My personal opinion is that if you want to make it as a filmmaker, screenwriter, or other creative endeavor, you need to think like a professional. It's also one of the first things they teach you in the UCLA screenwriting program. You need to think of yourself as a professional.

Here, in my humble opinion, are some examples of the differences between amateurs and professionals:

1. An amateur hates criticism and avoids anyone who doesn't like their work. A professional enjoys criticism and enjoys getting feedback.

2. An amateur listens to advice from anyone who gives it, especially if it agrees with their world view. A professional takes advice with a grain of salt and considers the source of advice.

3. An amateur will take anyone on as a mentor who is willing to help. A professional limits their mentors to one to three people who are successful and knowledgeable, who have been in their profession for ten years or more.

4. An amateur looks for shortcuts and ways to cheat the system. A professional figures out the way the system works and uses it to their advantage.

5. An amateur talks about the things they are going to do. A professional does them and lets the work speak for itself.

6. An amateur considers they know everything after doing something once or twice. A professional is constantly learning and growing.

7. An amateur assumes people are successful because they just got lucky. A professional knows that most people are successful because they put in the hard work required.

8. An amateur gives up after a couple of tries and assumes things are good enough. A professional tries to do everything to the best of their ability and does not give up.

9. An amateur does not plan or prepare. A professional plans, prepares and then executes.

10. An amateur is quick to take credit for others' work and thinks they can do everything by themselves. A professional is quick to give credit to others and tries to hire the best people to compensate for their weak spots.

So those are some quick thoughts on the difference of mindset between amateur and professional. I haven't even mentioned money which is a small part of the equation. I'm sure I will think up more in the future. Any other ideas on the difference between amateurs and professionals? Leave me a comment.

Day 5 and 6 - Amsterdam to Brussels

2011-06-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

The last two days were incredibly hectic. I'll try and summarize them quickly.

Day 5 - Amsterdam

A full day of meetings in Amsterdam. Luckily, the city is pretty easy to get around.

I started out the day by going down to the breakfast buffet. In my mind, it was overpriced at 20 Euros for a basic buffet of cold cuts and croissants. I learned my lesson it wasn't worth it. Usually I try to only do the breakfast buffet if it's included in the price of the hotel room, like in Iceland.

I took the tram up to meet with SBS. It was a very nice meeting then I took a taxi over to the train station in preparation for my trip out to Hilversum. The irony is that the taxi to the train station cost more than the round trip ticket to Hilversum.

I was originally going to meet with the buyer from RTL at a restaurant for lunch. But as I was walking, I passed their offices and it was starting to rain. So I figured I would stop in at their offices and see if he wanted to walk over to the restaurant together. I was a little early, but it was fine. I got to sit in the lobby with a cup of coffee and watch RTL while I waited for him.

We borrowed a couple of umbrellas from reception and left to walk to the restaurant. The walk to the restaurant was a lot longer than I expected. But it was nice because the path went through the woods behind their office. It reminded me of growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains.

We got to the restaurant, which was a lovely Indonesian place. I'd never had Indonesian food so I had no idea what to expect. It was verry good and had elements of Thai and Chinese cuisine, but was it's own unique cuisine. They had a set menu for lunch, which involved several smaller dishes that we could share. The name of the restaurant is Spandershoeve.

After that, I took a taxi on to meet with Disney Channel. They are in a small media complex there along with companies like EOne and Endemol. I would have met with EOne while I was there, but the buyers were both in London this week. They have a lot of big movies such as Red, Machete, and Fair Game, and they have bought a couple of ours. There were standess from some of their movies in the lobby.

Coming into the lobby, the stairs leading up to Disney channel, had a huge standee for Toy Story 3 that arched over the stairway. Upstairs, there were a ton of toys and the place had an open layout, similar to the MTV building in North Amsterdam. Had a nice meeting with the buyer, then took a taxi back to the train station.

Unfortunately, the driver took me to the Hilversum train station instead of the Hilversum North train station, which my ticket was for. I got on the train and hoped that I didn't get caught or kicked off the train. Luckily, I made it back to Amsterdam in one piece. However, by the time I got there it was pouring rain. I tried to buy an umbrella from one of the shops there, but they wouldn't take credit cards, only cash. And I was out of cash. Instead I figured I would just take a taxi instead. This was a big mistake. I got in the taxi line and waited for a taxi. I was wary of the taxi from the beginning. It was a plain white van with only a small taxi sign atop.

So we get back to the hotel, and instead of the usual 10 Euro fare, he charges me 20 Euro. And on top of that he wouldn't take a credit card. So we had to drive to a nearby ATM, which wasn't working. We went back to the hotel to see if I could get cash from them. But of course they couldn't help me. But they pointed me to a different ATM. I ran over to that ATM and got cash and paid the guy. I've learned to always ask before stepping into a cab. I don't like carrying a ton of cash around on me and prefer to charge things when I can. It helps me to track my expenses easier.

So I got back to the hotel, showered and changed. I called a friend of mine who lives in Amsterdam to come over and meet me. We'd arranged to meet for beers that evening. I met him through the UCLA screenwriting program, it's just by coincidence that he happens to be Dutch. So we had 3 or 4 beers each and chatted about screenwriting and his post UCLA life. He's living here with his fiance, looking for a job. It was nice to catch up with him. Then I headed back to the room and fell asleep.

Day 6 - Amsterdam to Brussels

I woke up early as always, packed up my things and got ready to head out. I headed out in search of breakfast, since I didn't want to pay 20 Euros for the breakfast buffet. I walked around the city at 7 AM in search of anything that was open. But all of the shops were closed. But it was an interesting experience to see the empty streets of Amsterdam. The streets were littered with garbage bags, waiting to be picked up. It was like seeing the aftermath of a party before it was cleaned up. Finally, I found a Starbucks and grabbed a muffin and coffee.

I checked out and grabbed a taxi to the train station. I got there 45 minutes early because I didn't want to miss my train. I grabbed a sandwich and soda for the trip because they don't feed you in coach class and I would need something for the 2 hour train ride. The only issue is that they don't announce which platform ahead of time so you have to wait until 15 minutes beforehand and rush over to the platform. So I stood in front of the monitors with all the other tourists, waiting for the platform to be announced. Finally, we got our announcement and headed over.

Got settled into the train and enjoyed the Dutch countryside. It was still a bit cold and drizzly so the sky was a muted gray color. It was not exactly postcard picture weather. About an hour into the trip, the train stops for no reason. An announcement came on telling us that there was a problem with the signal and they would be about 20 minutes late.

Eventually, they got the train started again and we made our way into Brussels. Got out of the train station and hopped into a cab. Luckily, I had cash just in case. The traffic in Brussels is crazy! At one point we were going down a one way street and several cars were coming at us from the wrong direction. The driver had to swerve to avoid getting hit and scraped the front of the car against the curb. He had to stop and check the damage to make sure it wasn't too bad. But eventually I made it to my hotel.

Got to the hotel and of course, they have the wrong dates for me. They had me arriving on Saturday instead of Thursday. The woman at the reception sorted it all out, but she didn't have a room that was ready for check in. So she said to come back in a couple of hours. I checked my bags at reception and rushed off to my next meeting.

Hopped the tram off to my meeting with VRT. For some reason Google maps had me getting off at the next stop over and then walking all the way back. So I was about 10 minutes late. I walked all the way back to their address. VRT has a huge, industrial campus. The building is secure so I had to check in with a receptionist that didn't speak English. Finally, I got my little sticker pass and headed into the campus.

Walked over to the main building and headed up to the seventh floor. Luckily, I had his office number so I walked over to him. He was surprised to see me because the receptionist never called him to let him know I was there.

We went to one of the conference rooms and started talking. About halfway through, another group came and had to use the conference room. So we had to move to a different one. We finished up my meeting and I headed off to Central Station for my meeting in Mechelen.

So I get my ticket and the man at the ticket counter tells me to take the train on platform 3. So I head down there and get on the train. It's a lovely train with old 50's style train compartments. I felt like I was in some sort of spy movie.

Now the train keeps going and there's no sign of Mechelen. So I start to get worried. So I ask the ticket taker and he says I am on the wrong train. So I get off at the next stop. By now, I am 20 minutes outside of Brussels in the middle of nowhere. It's cold and rainy and I have no idea where I am.

One of the station attendents tells me which train to take back to Brussels. I barely miss the train and have to wait for the next one. Then the sign changes to indicate that it is running 15 minutes late. I emailed my meeting to tell him I was going to be late. Unfortunately, he is only going to be there for another hour. If the return train had been on time, I could have made it. But it was not to be. So I had to reschedule for tomorrow.

So I had to email another of my meetings to reschedule to a breakfast meeting. I took the train back to Brussels Central station, bought an umbrella and walked back to my hotel. Got into my room, took a shower and headed off in search of a bite for dinner. While I was coming back, I stopped at a corner store and got some water and some chocolate for the room. While I was waiting to check out, I spied their beers. They were selling Belgian beer for about a Euro per beer. And we're talking quality stuff like Chimay which is ridiculously expensive in the US. So I grabbed a beer as well. I went back to the room, enjoyed my beer and my chocolates and tried to forget the troubles of the day.

My last day is Friday and it's a full day of meetings. Let's see if I can pull off 5 meetings in one day in a city like Brussels with the horrible traffic.

Day 3 and 4 - Reykjavik to Amsterdam - Meetings

2011-06-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

The last two days have been so hectic. This is where I earn my salary. It can be a lot of work running around a foreign city, meeting with different clients. But it's an important part of my job. There's nothing that can replace going to see them in their office and getting a better sense of their programming and their needs.

Here's a quick rundown of the past two days. It should give you an idea of the kind of schedule we face on sales trips.

Day 3 - Reykjavik

My first full day of meetings. In a small town like Reykjavik, there are only a handful of people to meet so it's difficult to schedule more than 3-4 meetings while there.

My morning begain with a meeting with ITC Skjarinn, a local broadcaster that recently switched from free TV to a pay TV service. After the financial crisis in the country, they were forced to switch to a pay service in order to survive. They previously aired our miniseries Bollywood Hero with Chris Kattan and were quite pleased with how it perrformed. They have about four channels, including a channel devoted soley to golf. Their main channel is SkjarEinn (Screen One). Some of their shows include The Good Wife, Survivor, and CSI. Their channel tends to be more female focused.

After that, I took a taxi to downtown Reykjavik to meet the buyer from 365 media for lunch. 365 is the main commercial broadcaster in Iceland. They have several channels and radio stations in the country. Their biggest shows are shows like NCIS and Ghost Whisperer. We went to a really nice Italian restaurant. The food was delicious. Apparently the owner is good friends with Jamie Oliver. But the weird thing is that the restaurant was completely empty but for the two of us. So it was a bit awkward.

After that, I called my next meeting to see when he would be available. I had some free time, so I went to a local coffee shop and made notes on my previous meetings. Then I walked around the town for a bit and wound up at the statue of Leif Eriksson, along with the beautiful church Hallgrimskirkja, that sits atop the hill. The national religion is Lutheran. So almost all the large churches are Lutheran.

Then I got a taxi out to my meeting with Samfilm. They are the largest theatrical distributor in Iceland and have output deals with Warner Brothers, Paramount and Disney. Apparently their offices are actually inside one of their theater complexes. It's a family business and the owner runs it with his sons. After our meeting, I met with his son Thor, who handles the theatrical acquisitions. He had just come back from seeing the new Transformers movie. He raved about it and said it was much better than the second one. His only complaint was that at over two hours it was too long. As distributors, they don't like movies over two hours long because they can only schedule so many screenings in one day. They also told me about a huge megascreen they recently built that is verging on being an IMAX sized screen.

One of his sons Bjorn drove me back to my hotel. During the drive we had an interesting conversation about piracy and the future of film content in the country. It's gotten so bad that there is no market for non theatrical movies in the country. They make all their money in theatrical and their DVD revenues have been plumeting. It's a common story I hear in every country around the world. Piracy is killing the DVD business. Of course this means there will be less and less opportunities for independent filmmakers as they can't rely on DVD revenue and VOD is only bringing in about a tenth of what DVD used to bring in.

Day 4 - Reykjavik to Amsterdam

Got up early and took the 5AM bus to the airport. Thankfully, Reykjavik buses are very clean and reliable. Made it to the airport and it was a madhouse, swarming with people. Luckily, I was flying business class, so I got the shorter line. I was checked in and through security in no time.
Had a cup of coffee and a croissant. Then spent the remaining Kroner I had on another souvenir. Iceland is in the process of joining the EU. It will be so much more convenient if they do. That was I can just use Euros, instead of having to get specific currency just for Iceland. The same problem is there in Scandinavia as well. A Danish Kroner and a Swedish Kroner are two seperate things and you have to constantly convert your currency while travelling through Scandinavia.
Icelandair is so nice and clean. It's so much better than Delta. If I come out here again, I will definitely fly them again.

Landed in Amsterdam around 1pm. I assumed that would be enough time before my next meeting at 2:15pm. Unfortunately, we had to wait about 20 minutes for our baggage. Apparently, there was some sort of snafu with the baggage, which caused the delay. I had intended to take the train when I got there. But seeing as it was about 1:45pm when I got out of there, I ran and grabbed a taxi to the hotel. Got to the hotel at 2:10pm, quickly checked in and got my key cards. The hotel is a beautiful historic hotel dating from the 1900s. They have me staying on the second floor at the end of a labyrinthian hallway up several small flights of stairs. Struggled to my room, sweaty and flustered. Had just enough time to set my bags down when I got a call from my next meeting. He was down in the lobby waiting for me.

I took a moment to compose myself then headed down for my meeting. I met with one of the buyers from Npo, the Dutch public broadcaster. They have three channels they are buying for. The first channel is the mainstream channel similar to BBC 1. Their second channel is news and sports and the third is more irreverent and younger skewed. As a public broadcaster, they don't buy a lot of American programming as it is too commercial for their tastes. The American shows that they do acquire are shows like Dexter or Boardwalk Empire. We walked to a nearby cafe. I just had a Coke because I couldn't imagine having a coffee since I was all sweaty from running around.

After that, I had a meeting with Comedy Central at the MTV building. I had to take a taxi to the building as they are across the river from Amsterdam. It took me about 45 minutes to get there. I emailed my buyer to let them know I was running late. I always love meeting the buyer from Comedy Central. Their channel is small, maybe 2% of the market. Their biggest shows are old American sitcoms like Dharma and Greg and Married With Children. They also have shows like 30 Rock and South Park, but they don't perform that well.

Their offices are in the old shipyards. The area is being converted into a media area. There are offices from other broadcasters such as Discovery and Red Bull. He showed me around their offices. They share the same offices with Nickelodeon and MTV. The building is all wood and exposed beams. It's got a very open feel as there are just desks with no cubicles or private offices. In a way, it's nice. It has a very egalitarian feel to it. He also showed me the free water taxi that will take me directly to Amsterdam Centraal Station. So I saved myself the 45 minute taxi ride.

Got back to Amsterdam, walked back to my hotel room and set off my bag. I took a shower which felt so good. Then went off and grabbed some Chinese takeaway for dinner, which was delicious.

Today will be interesting as I have to meet with SBS before taking the train off to Hilversum to meet with RTL and Disney.

Reykjavik - Day 2

2011-06-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was all about doing the "Golden Circle" tour of Iceland. It's an 8 hour trip through the beautiful countryside of this country. Normally I am against doing tours because I prefer to go at my own pace. But seeing as I only had one day to do the touristy stuff, I felt like it was the best option.

I booked my ticket online, since you get a discount. I think it wound up costing about $68 for the ticket. The bus picked me up in front of the hotel at 8am, then took me to the central terminal. At the central terminal, I had to pick up my actual ticket, which is kind of weird. This also meant I lost my seat, so by the time I got to the bus, the only window seat available was way in the back.

Eventually the bus lurched off and we headed up into the mountains. As we drove, the tour guide gave information but I couldn't hear a word she was saying. She spoke in a low, monotonous, heavily-accented voice. It's just as well. I didn't care what she was saying. I just wanted to see the sights.

The first stop was a picture spot overlooking the valley. It wasn't much to see. But it was nice. We all got out, took pictures then left. The bus turned around and we headed to the first real stop.

The first stop was Thingvellir, a national park and the site of the original Parliament in 930. It also sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, so you can see where Europe and North America are separating from each other. It wasn't much to look at. But it was interesting. I guess it's more important from a historical perspective.

The next stop was the most impressive and definitely a must see, the Gullfoss waterfalls. That's me in the picture in front of them up above. The waterfalls are actually three steps where the river above falls to the river canyon below. As jaded as I am, I found this a truly spectacular sight. Pictures just don't do it justice. It's something you have to see for yourself. We also had a break to grab lunch, so I grabbed an overpriced sandwich from the shop there.

Next we saw the geysers known as The Great Geysir and Strokkur. Apparently the Great Geysir is no longer that active. But Strokkur goes off every couple of minutes. It's an impressive thing to see. At first. By the fourth or fifth time, it loses its interest. The interesting thing is that you can also see several other hot springs in the area, with the telltale smell of sulfur along with the incredibly hot water. I did stop and buy a few souvenirs for friends/coworkers/family. There are souvenir shops at all the major stops, selling overpriced, cheaply-made crap with "Iceland" emblazoned on them.

We also stopped at another smaller waterfall which wasn't nearly as impressive in comparison to Gullfoss.

After that, everything else was anticlimactic. We stopped at Skalholt, a cathedral. Frankly, it was pretty unimpressive as cathedrals go. By this point I was tired from walking around all day and couldn't wait to get back on the bus.

Lastly, we stopped at some tourist trap/local greenhouse. I assume they must have some sort of arrangement with the owners to get the tour buses to stop so they could sell ice cream and sodas to the tourists.

Overall the geysers and the waterfalls were worth seeing. I could have done without the cathedral and the tourist trap at the end.

I tried to exercise a lot of patience during the day as I have a natural loathing towards tourists. I managed to make it through. But by the end I had a massive headache and couldn't wait to get back to the hotel. The bus let most of the people off back at the terminal then drove the rest of us to our respective hotels. Naturally, I was the last stop. As the massive bus lurched around the corners of Reykjavik, I cringed every time we passed a street lamp or signal light, narrowly missing by inches.

I was thankful to finally get back into my room, where I quickly passed out from exhaustion and fell asleep. Now today is all about meetings before I head to Amsterdam Tuesday morning.

PS - If it sounds like I am not having fun, it's not true. I am enjoying my time here. It's just some of the touristy things aren't all that impressive.

Reykjavik - Day 1

2011-06-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Reykjavik!

The journey here was quite an adventure. First, I was talking with the driver taking me to the airport and it turns out he is an actor. So we talked a bit about the film business. But mostly we talked about the horrible traffic in LA.

Then I got on the plane and found out that Delta's business class is anything but. It was an old Boeing 767, with none of the amenities you get on other business class flights. Most business class plaes have the in seat monitor in back of the seat in front of you. But instead, they had a tiny flip up monitor. In addition, there was no under seat storage so everything had to go in the overhead compartments. On top of everything, we took off 30 minutes late due to "weather" in New York.

I was halfway through the flight to JFK when I look over and see that the woman next to me is working on something for My Little Pony. It turns out that she works for an advertising and marketing firm that does a lot of business with The Hub, who are in the same building where I work. So I told her that I work in international distribution and we started talking about foreign adaptations of American TV series.

Got to JFK, had an hour layover. So I went over to the business class lounge and grabbed a cup of coffee and a cookie before heading down to the gate.

The flight to Iceland was pretty uneventful. At least with this flight they gave you a glass of champagne upon boarding. It's a nice touch that airlines give to business class passengers. But it was still the old model airplane that hadn't been remodeled, so still the tiny monitor and no under seat storage. Got maybe an hour or two of sleep before we landed.

We got into Iceland around 10AM. A group of us coming off the plane made a wrong turn and somehow managed to get back into the boarding area. They escorted us back down to the immigration area. After a long line for immigration, I went and got my bus ticket to take me into Reykjavik proper. It wasn't nearly as cold as I thought it was going to be. The temperature was in the mid 50s. Cold enough to need a coat but that's about it.

The bus ride took about 90 minutes, even though it's only about 40 miles away, because the speed limit here in Iceland is 50 kph (30 mph). Got to the airport and it was close to noon. Unfortunately, my room wasn't ready so I had a couple of hours to kill.

Thoughts on Reykjavik:

So I walked around Reykjavik for a couple hours. I walked down Laugavegur, which is the main street here in town. The town itself is pretty small, population is 120,000 for the city proper, with approximately 200,000 people in the greater Reykjavik area. It has a weird, artsy vibe to it from what I saw. There were a lot of museums and craft stores. There was also a lot of graffiti and street art. It felt like a combimnation of Vail and Santa Cruz, with a touch of Helsinki. The architecture here is very minimalist and unpretentious. It's got a very Scandinavian feel to it. Scandinavians love their minimalism, as anyone who has been to Ikea can attest.

I did stop in at their equivalent to the 7-11, a small Video store/diner comination and had a hamburger and fries. I did some research by looking to see which distributor had which titles. Visiting other countries is not just about meeting the broadcasters, it's also about doing research, finding out what movies are in the theaters, who distributes the different DVD titles, and what's on the different TV channels.

Finally got back to the hotel and my room still wasn't ready, so I grabbed a coffee and sat down in the lobby, reading my book. Finally, the woman came over and gave me my room keycard. By that point I was so exhausted, I was glad to be in the room. I struggled to stay awake as long as possible. I watched some documentary on Joe Strummer that was on TV, took a shower, then went to bed around 3pm.

It's about 3AM now here in Reykjavik. It's still light out. I don't think the sun ever fully goes down at this time of the year. Today I'll probably dome some more touristy things like check out the Golden Circle, which includes waterfalls and other sights to see. There's also a geothermal blue lagoon that is supposed to be a must see.

There you have it. Tried and failed not to be too verbose. I'll keep you updated on my sales trip through Europe over the next week.

Finished!

2011-06-02T01:47:00.001-07:00

Last night we reviewed Act 3 of my second script for the UCLA Professional Screenwriting Program. Then afterward a bunch of us went out for beers.

It was nice to be done with the program and done with both scripts. We will be getting our certificates on June 14th.

Here are some initial reflections on the program.

Even though the program is only a year program. I still learned a great deal. I can honestly say that I am a much better writer having gone through it. Before I started, I had completed about 3 scripts. Although I had started probably about 20 scripts that I never finished. It was nice to have that time constraint that forces you to sit down and write every week. Probably the best thing I gained was the daily routine and habit of constantly writing. It has become so ingrained into my system that it feels weird not to write.

In terms of the program itself, a lot of the basics were review, stuff we already knew. But it was nice to go over it again, since these are important building blocks that can take years, perhaps even decades, to master.

The students in the program varied in skill level. In my workshop of six students there were people who were fresh out of college, writing their first or second script. And then there were people like me who have been writing for a good 10-15 years and have several scripts under their belt. It was beneficial to have a varied level of experience, especially in getting feedback. Since everyone has different levels of opinions. I'm also personally biased towards the younger members, simply since they are closer to the average movie goer. People under 25 are much more likely to watch movies and television. And they are much bigger consumers of entertainment.

The structure itself was interesting. We had two classes a week. The first class would be a lecture covering one aspect of writing. Then the second class would be a workshop of 6-8 people. Each week we would bring in pages and get reactions from the members of the class. Of course, you always have to take notes with a grain of salt. First drafts are usually pretty bad and unfocused. I know for myself, during first draft I'm usually trying to break the story and figure out what it is really about.

The first two quarters are spent writing a script. This averages out to about 10 pages a week. The third quarter you write another script. It's a race to get the script completed in time. Of course everyone complains about having to write a script in such a short time frame. The studios might give you ten weeks to a first draft. But if you work in the independent world or for TV, you will have to write a first draft in a few weeks. So this is good discipline to learn for your writing career, depending on where you work.

Of course, both of the scripts that I finished are nowhere near ready to send out. It will take probably 5-6 rewrites before I'm ready to send to anyone in the industry. But the key is to have a network of people that you can show your scripts that will give you valuable feedback. There's nothing worse than showing a draft to someone too early.You have to figure out where in the chain you can show it to someone. There's this idea that on your first draft, you want to send it to the people who are least critical. And with each subsequent draft, you send it to people who are more and more critical. It also seems best to only get notes from 2-3 people before doing another draft. More than that and you are wasting resources.

Those are my thoughts for now. I can easily go on. But I don't want to bore people.

Good luck and keep writing!

Agent/Manager Panel

2011-05-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am finishing up my year in the Professional Program in Screenwriting at UCLA. It's been a long year but I have two scripts plus hundreds of hours of writing experience to show for it.

The culmination of the program is a panel with Agents and Managers. This is probably the most anticipated class of the year, as we plan our strategy on trying to make the next step in our careers.

I won't mention them by name for privacy's sake. But there were agents from ICM, Paradigm, and Kaplan-Stahler, in addition to managers from Benderspink and Underground. So we had various viewpoints from people in different areas of the agency/manager world.

Here is my usual disclaimer that the following notes are just the opinions of the speakers and may be different from what you have heard or what you read in the trades. These are people speaking mainly from their personal experience in their world.

Here are some notes, in no particular order:
1. Agents/Managers can handle different numbers of clients. The usual number is somewhere between 20 and 60, depending on how many clients they can handle at one time.

2. The bigger agencies will split between TV and Theatrical agents, whereas the smaller agencies might have agents that handle writers of various types. However, most have a team attitude where they will help each other out if possible.

3. The major difference between an agent and a manager is that an agent is more focused on the individual script or project. The manager is more concerned with developing the talent, helping them to find their voice and getting ready for the pitch. It's pretty common to have both but once you are established, it's less necessary.

4. Web Content - There is no money in making web content. However, it is a good way for beginning writers and directors to showcase their talent and get noticed so they can move up to the big leagues. They are constantly looking on Youtube, Funny Or Die, Vimeo, and other websites looking for original voices. They consider how many Twitter followers and how many Facebook fans you have.

5. Consider multi-platform and reverse engineering your script. They are also looking at other formats, books, graphic novels, blogs, shorts. Sometimes it's better to start as a graphic novel and then sell it as a movie.

6. Almost all of them said they do not consider unsolicited submissions. They said the best way to get read by an agent is through a referral. Find someone in the industry to read your script, a producer, a development exec, or even an assistant. If they like it, have them refer you to an agent or manager with which they have a personal relationship.

7. Assistants! I know I've said this before. Be nice to assistants. Get to know them. Because one day they will no longer be an assistant. They will eventually become an executive. If you develop that relationship, your career can grow with theirs. As an added bonus, they are generally more receptive. Their job is to find new talent and find new scripts.

8. The biggest mistake that writers make is being too precious and not being receptive to notes. If you don't want notes, don't send it to anyone. If your script is so precious that you can't change anything, then you should just go out and shoot it yourself. This is a collaborative business. They are there to help you and they talk to the studios and producers all the time. They have an idea of what they are looking for. If they give you a note, it's because they are trying to help you.

9. What are they looking for? A VOICE! They are looking for someone who is unique and original. They are looking for someone with their own style that has something to say. If you don't have this, it can be developed. This is where a manager helps. They can help you to develop your voice and figure out who you are as a writer.

10. Beginning writers also worry a lot about being pigeonholed or typecast. This is a good thing. You want to be the go-to guy for a certain type of film. Once you have a couple of features or script sales under your belt, then you can try to break out of that and try something different. If you want to break out of that rut, the best way is to write a kick ass spec script of the genre you want to try next. But you may have to take a pay cut since they will be taking a chance that you can deliver on something outside of your repertoire. If you try to write a bunch of different genres, they won't know how to sell you. So you will have a much harder time getting meetings or getting any jobs.

11. For TV writers, everyone right now is looking for an original pilot script as a writing sample that shows your unique voice as a writer. (I've said this before.) Another possibility is to write a spec script for an existing show but do a new and original take on it. For example, a couple of guys wrote a Small Wonder spec script but they positioned it as a very dark comedy. Another writer wrote a Jersey Shore spec script. They won't sell these, but they get you noticed.

12. The best way to start as a writer is to find a manager who can work with you to develop your voice and to help you perfect your pitches and to help you get your scripts ready to go out. Then you would go and get an agent when you are ready. (I've heard that sometimes managers aren't for everyone. If you know who you are as a writer and have ppl that can provide feedback, it might not be as necessary.) Managers will sometimes go over a pitch with a writer about 7-10 times to make sure it's perfect before they go to meet with the studios.

13. Some of the larger agencies have in house lawyers that you can use. But they almost all recommended you get your own outside lawyer who is looking out for your interests. An in house attorney at an agency probably has hundreds of contracts they are working on so you won't get an attention from them.

14. Interestingly, they said they rarely looked at film festivals or screenwriter labs. They all said that by the time a project is at a festival or lab, they've probably already seen it. However, they did recommend a couple of screenwriting contests like the Nicholls, Page and the Goldwyn awards.

15. One last note, right now they said no one is buying period or straight drama pieces. But you really shouldn't limit yourself. Write what you want to write. Just because period pieces aren't selling right now, they might come back in style in a couple of years. Don't take production issues into mind when writing. It's better to write a great script, sell it, then have to tweak it to fit the needs of the producer or studio.

Ok. Those are the major points that I got from the panel. So get out there and start networking. Find an assistant to harass. Develop your voice. And sell your script!

Common Mistakes By Independent Filmmakers

2011-05-08T11:43:00.001-07:00

I watch a lot of movies for my job. Over the past ten years, I've probably seen thousands of movies. Most of these are from independent filmmakers looking to gain distribution. There are certain mistakes I see independent filmmakers making time and time again. It's not even beginning filmmakers, this is common among people that have made 10 or 20 independent films. They keep making these mistakes and that's a large part of what's holding them back and preventing them from transitioning to the mainstream.

Here are a couple of common mistakes I see all the time:

1. Trying to do it all yourself. When I see the same person has written/directed/produced/edited/filmed the piece, I know it's going to be bad. Find your strengths and stick to them. There are a lot of really talented people who would love the opportunity to work on your film. Let them. Find the best editor you can. Find the best director of photography.

2. Don't get too married to the script. I've seen too many films with stilted and artificial dialogue. Or unfunny jokes kept in that should have been cut. Writing is rewriting. If you see something isn't working, rewrite it. Allow your actors to improvise. Some are better at it then others. If they come up with something good, keep it. Don't let them say whatever they want. But if a certain line doesn't feel right, change it. Of course it goes without saying that you need to lock your script at least a week before shooting. Nothing annoys actors more than constant changes right before they film. But also, allow for discovery and improv while shooting. Sometimes a throwaway line that they come up with on the spot can be better than anything you could have written.

3. No resolution to your film. Too many filmmakers try to be arty by leaving the ending open. It very very rarely works. Try to wrap up the story as much as possible. Then once you have the resolution, end the film as quickly as possible after that. Unless you have an interesting twist or new bit of information at the end, then there's no need to keep it going. Although the end of the film isn't exactly a place to put out new information. Just finish it and move on.

4. Info dump at the beginning. If you start the film with a fourteen minute monologue about everything that has happened before the film, there's no way an audience will stick with you through that. It's best to space out the information over the course of the film. If the audience doesn't absolutely have to know it, then cut it out.

5. Don't depend on your friends. I know this sounds harsh. Unless your friend works in the film business, it's best not to use them. Sure you can have them come in for a day and be an extra. But anything above that is setting yourself up for disaster. I learned this the hard way. It's better to find eager, hard working film students or other people who want to work on films. They will work their hearts out to try and make the best film possible. Your friends are only there to help you as a favor. They don't want to be there. If you want to retain that friendship, let them come to the premiere and leave it at that.

Those are five common mistakes I see in independent films. I'll post more as I think of them. What do you guys think? Are there certain mistakes you guys see in independent films that happen a lot? Let me know in the comments.

A Negative Hole Of Despair

2011-03-30T01:02:00.001-07:00

No. I am not talking about myself. I am talking about other people. You know how you meet some people and instantly your hackles are raised? You get a sense that there's something just not right with this person. I met a person like that tonight.

In my 37 years on this planet I've learned it's best to simply avoid people like that. Don't try to engage them. Don't try to fight them or get sucked into their black hole of despair. It's best to simply smile at them and walk away, knowing that it's them, not you, that has the problem. I've learned that people like this want others to join in their despair by bringing you down.

When they enter the room, it's like all of the oxygen has left the room. When you tell a joke, they look at you blankly. You smile at them and you're greeted with nothing other than a blank stare. Others have told me to stick it out, try to make it work. But my gut is telling me it's not worth it. My gut is telling me to run away so that I am not forced to spend the next ten weeks with this person. My experience has been to ignore my gut at my own peril. It's been a hard earned lesson.

I also practice this at work. I work in sales and prefer to do business with happy and well adjusted people. You run into people like this occasionally in the line of work. And frankly I think it's better to say "I'm sorry. Doesn't seem like our two companies are right for each other" and walk away. If there's one thing I've learned is that if people are difficult in the buying process, they're going to be just as difficult down the line when you try to fulfill their orders, get the contract signed and get paid. It's money not worth taking. There are other people who are more than willing to give you their money and do it with a smile. Life's too short to deal with people like this.

So I am in the process of trying to change things so I won't have to do with this person ever again. Sometimes it's just not worth the hassle and frustration. I have to ask myself, is it worth all the pain of dealing with this person in order to get what I want? I'm at a stage in my life where I have the luxury to avoid people like this. It's a wonder what having money does. It gives you enormous freedom to walk away from things that don't make sense for you.

But I guess this goes back to what I have said before about turning down jobs that don't seem right. The things that bug you in the interview are going to become huge fucking obstacles if you decide to work there. So weigh your decisions carefully. Sometimes it's just not worth it.

Tips On Pitching

2011-02-10T17:15:00.000-08:00

Recently we had a lecture in class from Michael Colleary, the writer of such films as Face/Off, Tomb Raider and Firehouse Dog.

Part of his lecture was several useful tips on pitching. Pitching is an important part of being a writer in Hollywood.

The ritual of the pitch:
1. Show Up. (Get there early.)

2. No drive on. (You'll get there and they won't have a drive on pass for you. It's not personal. But give yourself time for them to sort this out.)

3. Water - If they offer it to you, take it. They will take you to the reception room, where you will wait.

4. Conference Room - They will usually take you to a conference room. The person who comes in after you is the one who can say maybe. (The real decision maker probably won't be at your initial pitch.)

5. Chitchat. Don't dive directly into your pitch. Get to know them as people before starting.

6. Eventually someone will say "Okay." From then on, the room is yours, you are in control. Just remember that you are there to convince them that your idea will make them money and will make them rich.

7. Start by laying out your plan for the pitch. "I'm going to..., then I will answer questions." That way they won't interrupt you during the pitch and mess with your rhythm. Start with Act 1 "We begin in..." Set the time and place for the story. Orient them. When you get to the end of Act 1, then say "End of Act 1. Act 2 begins with..." Otherwise, they might get lost and not know where in the movie they are. When you are done, say "The end." Don't pitch every little detail. Leave room for questions. Entire pitch shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.

8. When you are done, get out. Say "Thank you." and leave. Don't leave anything behind. No outlines or anything else. If they need to tell someone else, let them know you can come back any time to pitch their boss or whoever else needs to hear it. But don't dawdle. Make them feel you are very busy and on to your next meeting.

That's it. Simple. The more you pitch, the better you get. Most writers I know hate pitching. But it's an essential skill that can be the difference between being a working writer and being stuck working at a coffee shop.

Questions To Ask Potential Distributors

2011-02-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

Seems I get this question from a lot of first time filmmakers facing the daunting task of what to do after you finish your film. The traditional route is to go to film festivals, then seek out a distributor. This is not necessarily the best course of action for every film. But since I have spent the past decade in independent film distribution, I thought I would take a moment to give some quick advice on how to qualify a potential distributor.

We've all heard the horror stories of independent filmmakers that have been ripped off by shady distributors that cook the books, refuse to pay royalties, or charge weird fees with no explanation. I hate these guys as much as you do. They give the rest of us a bad name. If this does happen to you, contact IFTA, the Independent Film and Television Alliance. The alliance is an organization of independent film distributors and keeps track of the different distributors out there. Also check to see if they already have complaints against them.

Since the world of distribution is a closed world, not many people are well versed in all of the independent distribution companies. I've been doing this for awhile and there are new companies popping up every day.

So if you are seeking distribution, or you have been approached by a potential distributor, here are 5 quick questions to ask them:

1. What are some of the other films that they have acquired? Are they theatrical films or TV movies? Are they films similar to yours?

2. Who do they do business with? Do they sell to theatrical distributors, broadcasters, VOD platforms? Basically, you want to know their level of reach. If they can't point to a successful track record of selling films to major distributors or broadcasters, then what makes them think they can do it with your film?

3. Which film festivals/markets do they attend? You want to be sure that your film will get the exposure needed. If they aren't out in the market selling your film, then how do they expect to sell it? Some of the major film markets include Cannes, Toronto, EFM in Berlin, AFM, and FILMART. The major TV markets are MIPTV, MIPCOM, ATF, and DISCOP. Don't think that only TV buyers go to TV markets and vice versa. Broadcasters go to film markets and Theatrical distributors go to TV markets.

4. What type of company are they? Are they a producer's rep, sales agent, or distributor? Typically a producer's rep or sales agent will take a percentage but offer no money up front. A distributor will usually pay a license fee as an advance against sales and take a small percentage of the sales that they do. One is not better than the other. If you are starting out, it may be difficult to get yourself a distributor without a sales agent or producer's rep guiding you through the process. Whatever you do, do not pay a sales agent or producer's rep to handle your film up front. I've heard of some unscrupulous agents charging as much as a $5,000 fee to handle your film. If they think they can sell it, you shouldn't have to pay them. If they are asking for a fee up front, then they think they can't sell your film. You're better off doing it yourself.

5. What sort of marketing presence do they have? Do they have a website with trailers and artwork posted? Do they take out ads in the trades? What sort of an online presence do they have? Do they have a Twitter feed and a Facebook page? Also important to look online to see what people are saying about them.

This is just a start. For a more in depth view of distributors, please check out Mark Litwak's Dealmaking Tips.

Just be aware that if you have a small self-financed film with no stars, that an advance is not likely. When I started out, you could get six figure advances for small films with no stars. Nowadays, that sort of advance is increasingly rare. This is why it is more important than ever to vet your distributor and make sure they are the right partner for your film.

Also, be sure to check out my other post: 10 Tips For Independent Filmmakers Seeking Distribution

Writing, writing, writing.

2011-01-09T23:58:00.000-08:00

Haven't been blogging a lot of the past few months, simply due to overwhelming workload. Between working full time and the UCLA screenwriting program, I have very little time for anything else.

But I have gotten a lot done on the writing side. So far I have finished the rewrite of Dead Joan and it's currently out to a couple of people for their feedback. I'm also about 40 pages into the first draft of Run For The Money, a heist movie that I am writing for class. I'd have more written but they only want you to do 10 pages a week, which takes me about two days to write. (Or one day if I am on a deadline.) I also have a sci-fi action film that I started writing over the holidays, I'm about 38 pages into that one. The title is a secret. I'll just call it AFC for now.

My writing schedule is pretty intense. I write two hours a night Mon-Thursday and about 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday, which gives me Friday as my night off if I want it. Although I sometimes write that day as well. This week was a little different. I wrote Friday night and took Saturday off.

I'm really enjoying it. Although I am not sure I can keep up this schedule indefinitely. It's pretty intense. I think taking some time off to do rewriting is probably useful. By this summer, I should have 3, maybe 4 scripts that are completed. Of course, they'll still need to be rewritten. But that's for another day.

Dead Joan

2010-10-16T21:02:00.001-07:00

This summer I finished the first draft of a supernatural thriller entitled Dead Joan. I'm currently rewriting the script. It deals with the concept of redemption and being forced to go back and clean up the problems that you have caused.

Some Old Scripts

2010-09-15T01:38:00.001-07:00

Just for fun, I thought I'd go back over some of my previous attempts at feature film screenplays. I'm currently doing my first internal rewrite of my latest script and thought it would be fun to go back over what has gone past. So here goes:

1. Down The Road - My first feature length film script. I wrote this in college. It was a road movie and it is embarrassingly bad. I rewrote it several times but it ultimately went nowhere.

2. Reflectors - Kinda of a quirky indie comedy about a love triangle between a guy, a girl, and a male Japanese exchange student. I wrote this during a class I took at AFI. Finished a couple rewrites but could never get the ending right.

3. We Always Lie To Ourselves - A big sprawling film about a group of college students coming to terms with what happened the night before during a raucous college party. I think I wrote this because I had seen Pulp Fiction and was playing with non-linear storytelling. Wrote several scenes and a sprawling treatment. But never finished a full draft.

4. Evil Is Never Fun - Trippy film about a guy trying to find a girl that goes missing after having a one night stand with her. I wrote several scenes but never got past the first Act. I modified this opening for the novel I started writing.

5. The Hunt - Basically two lost souls in the city find each other. Basically Barfly in the 90s. Wrote about 30 pages then lost interest.

6. The Summer Of Our Discontent - A quirky comedy based on a short script I wrote in one of my screenplay classes in college. That short script wound up becoming my short film Coffee. I've still thought about going back and writing this one. Got as far as a treatment and that's it.

7. Glamour - Stupid idea for a film I had about a female singer leading a double life. Never got past a short synopsis.

8. Art Murder Film - Came up with this idea in high school about a painter who kills women and paints with their blood. Kind of a stupid idea that didn't go anywhere.

9. Carjacking Pirates - I still love this idea we came up with in high school about a bowling team called The Pirates that got hit on the heads while bowling and thought they were real life pirates. It was a slapstick comedy about a bunch of pirates that instead of sailing the seas, they would sail the highways and take over other cars. I still think it has potential. Maybe one day I'll write it.

So there you have it. I'm sure there are dozens of other ideas I've had that I've never developed. Just thought it would be fun to list them all in one place.

Am I worried about people stealing these ideas? Not really. These ideas aren't that original. And it's the execution not the idea that counts in this industry.

PS. This doesn't include any scripts I am currently working on. I have probably a dozen more in the hopper, including the one I am currently working on. And there's that novel I've been working on as well...

100 Movies in 2010

2010-09-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

I made a point of keeping track of every movie that I have watched this year and where I watched it. Since I travel a lot, I do watch movies on the plane quite a bit. Plus I watched a bunch of movies on Netflix Instant. I made no indication of the quality. I'm not a critic, so I don't do film reviews. Here's the list:

54	DVD
2012	Airplane
A Single Man	Theater
Alice In Wonderland	Theater
All Boys	Film Festival
American Psycho	DVD
Art School Confidential	DVD
Assassination of Jesse James	DVD
Bear City	Film Festival
Being There	On Demand
Best Worst Movie	Theater
Big Fan	On Demand
Bitter Feast	Film Festival
Black Dynamite	DVD
Blade	DVD
BlowUp	DVD
Broken Embraces	Theater
Brotherhood Of The Wolf	DVD
Brothers Bloom	DVD
Bruno	DVD
Cactus Flower	Airplane
Charlie Bartlett	DVD
Children of Men	DVD
Chocolate	On Demand
Code 46	DVD
Contempt	DVD
Creatures From The Pink Lagoon	On Demand
District B13	DVD
Domino	DVD
Election (2005)	On Demand
Everything is Illuminated	DVD
eXistenZ	DVD
Eyes Wide Open	Film Festival
F For Fake	On Demand
Factotum	DVD
Fantastic Mr. Fox	Airplane
Fisher King	On Demand
Funny Games	DVD
Futurama: Bender's Big Score	On Demand
Girl Who Played With Fire	Theater
Girl With The Dragon Tattoo	Theater
Grey Gardens	DVD
Grey Gardens (2010)	DVD
Helvetica	On Demand
Howl	Film Festival
Hurt Locker	Airplane
Inception	Theater
Inglorious Basterds	DVD
Inside Deep Throat	On Demand
Into The Wild	DVD
Invention Of Lying	Airplane
Jules and Jim	DVD
Kick Ass	Theater
Layercake	DVD
Le Samurai	DVD
Lord of War	DVD
Machete	Theater
Maxed Out	On Demand
Mothman	On Demand
Once	DVD
Out At Annapolis	Film Festival
Outrage	DVD
Outsourced	On Demand
Paranormal Activity	Airplane
Paris Je T'Aime	DVD
Parting Glances	On Demand
Peaceful Warrior	On Demand
Plaguers	DVD
Ponyo	DVD
Pop Star On Ice	TV
Pursuit Of Happyness	DVD
REC	DVD
Rock N Rolla	DVD
Running Scared	DVD
Salt	Theater
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World	Theater
Second Skin	On Demand
Session 9	On Demand
Shutter Island	Theater
Sicko	DVD
Sukiyaki Western Django	DVD
The Crazies	DVD
The Expendables	Theater
The Fountain	DVD
The King Of Kong	On Demand
The Machinist	DVD
The Men Who Stare At Goats	DVD
The Modernism of Julius Schulman	On Demand
The Naked Civil Servant	On Demand
The Warlords	Theater
The Wrestler	DVD
Transsiberian	DVD
Trick R Treat	DVD
Tropic Thunder	DVD
Underworld Evolution	DVD
We Live In Public	On Demand
Word Wars	On Demand
Wristcutters	DVD
Zack and Miri Make A Porno	DVD

UCLA Screenwriting

2010-08-19T00:45:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that next month I will begin attending the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting. It was suggested by my friend Jody Wheeler who has gone through the program. He has since graduated from the MFA program at UCLA and written a script for Regent Entertainment.

I've always been interested in writing ever since I was young. I haven't been as focused on writing the past couple of years. But I've been focusing more and more on my writing recently. Lately, I try to write every day if possible. One of the things I learned in my screenwriting classes at UCSB was to aim for an average of three pages a day, which is entirely doable. I think the problem a lot of writers have is they have an"all or nothing" mentality, saying to themselves "If I don't write 30 pages this week, I'm a loser." By setting your goals too high, you set yourself up for failure. And this consistent writing has been good for me so far. I'm over halfway through the first draft of a screenplay I started writing this summer. I hope to have it finished by the end of this month. If not, it's not the end of the world. I will keep writing until I am finished.

Let's hope that this can take me to the next level in my ability and professionalism as a writer. As much as I love international film sales, I need a creative outlet beyond designing posters and email blasts. Wish me luck!

Modern Nature

2010-08-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

I have been reading the book Modern Nature by Derek Jarman. It is basically one year in the life of the avant garde filmmaker told through the diary that he kept one year while living at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness in Kent.

It's not an easy read. But it gives insight into the creative process as well as his obsession with gardening, along with an insight into living under the reign of Margaret Thatcher during the early days of the AIDS epidemic in England.

Like his films, it's not for everyone. But if you have seen his films and wanted to know a little more about his as an artist and filmmaker, or just an insight into the creative process, it's worth giving a read.

2 years of ignoring my blog

2010-03-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

I just realized that as of March 16, I have been mostly ignoring my blog for about 2 years. In those 2 years a lot has happened. The lack of posts is mostly due to my busy schedule. Working in international film sales means a lot of traveling. Last year I went to Hong Kong, Cannes, The Netherlands, and throughout Scandinavia. In addition, I've gotten distribution on one of my short films, gone to Coachella, and been front and center at a Pet Shop Boys concert at O2 arena in London.

Already this year, I am in the middle of a trip through Asia, including Seoul, Taipei, Singapore and Hong Kong. There's only so much you can learn by surfing the internet. Sometimes you have to actually go to the territory and see what's on the channels and go to the DVD stores to see who is selling which titles. Overall, I really think the DVD market is suffering everywhere in the world. Between piracy, illegal downloads and illegal imports, the DVD market is quickly disappearing. But luckily new digital and IPTV channels internationally are growing and expanding quickly. That is why I am always telling filmmakers to start making TV movies instead of focusing on direct to DVD films, which had supported independent filmmakers for the past 30 years.

We will see how the international film distribution world changes in the next two years. Things change really quickly in the world of independent film. Distributors and producers come and go very quickly. Who could have predicted that Summit would become a new mini-major while the Weinstein company would be struggling to survive?

Movies Are Not Like Potato Chips

2009-12-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

I guess you could call this my Christmas post. One of the things that really bugs me right now in the film industry is the prevalent notion that selling movies is like selling potato chips. It's just another product being sold to consumers. I think this line of thinking comes from the whole MBA mentality that if you can sell one thing, you can sell anything. And I think it's that mentality that has severely wounded the DVD market in this country.

Let me ask you this, when is the last time you fell in love while eating a bag of potato chips? Or driven three hours to see a particular bag of potato chips? How many potato chips have you eaten 10, 20, 30 times? How many times have you eaten a bag of potato chips that was so good you wanted to tell everyone about it? How many times have you gotten together with your whole family to eat potato chips?

So many people in this biz seem to forget the show part of show business. We aren't selling potato chips, we're selling dreams, a little bit of escape. We're selling wonder. The greatest moguls of Hollywood have known this concept. If we could remember this in Hollywood, then maybe people would start buying movies again, instead of watching poorly made, mindless, reality shows on TV.

Well, that's my little rant for the day. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Festivus, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate at this time of year. I hope you all had a good year and have an even better 2010.

10 Things That Keep Screenplays From Selling

2009-12-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

Usual Disclaimer: Everything written herein is solely my opinion. When it comes to screenwriting there are no hard and fast rules. There are tons of scripts out there that have one or two of these elements in them but sold anyway. I don't want to hear it. Also, I don't read scripts or work in acquisitions anymore. So don't send me your scripts, synopses, or queries letters. I will not read them. They will be discarded.

Back when I used to work in Acquisitions, I would be called upon from time to time to read scripts. And there were certain elements that would appear again and again and would quickly kill any interest in the script.

So, without further ado, here is my list of 10 things that keep screenplays from selling, in no particular order.

1. Length: You know how they say size doesn't matter? That's bullshit. When you're sitting down to a stack of scripts to read for the weekend, there's nothing I dread more than opening up a 150 page script. Unless you're writing an epic film to be directed by Peter Jackson, cut it down. Even if you are, cut it down. Nobody is going to read the whole thing anyways. Quick word of advice: the shorter scripts always got read first, unless there is hot talent attached. In that case, you don't need my advice. Stop reading and just go sell your script.

2. First 10 pages: It's Saturday night, you want to go out for drinks with your friends. But you gotta just get through this script. You're ten pages into it and you have no idea where it's going and nothing has happened. Do you keep reading the script? Or do you toss it aside and head on out the door? Your first 10 pages will kill you. Something has to happen in the first ten minutes of the film. Most readers have short attention spans and will decide within the first 10 pages whether they like the script or not. Save the exposition for later. You gotta grab them in the first 10 pages or they'll start thinking about their laundry, or the cute guy/gal at work and you've lost already.

3. It's So Pretty! If you wanna kill your script even earlier, draw some pictures of flowers on the cover. Or post your favorite poem. Or make a nice color photocopy of your favorite painting that helps to set the mood for the script. Don't do it! You may feel the need. But don't! If you absolutely have to include a quote or poem put it on page one at the top. Then realize it's going to be thrown out anyways by the director or the person they hire to rewrite your script. So why waste your time. Focus on the script.

4. Font Size: 12 point Courier. Nothing else. Nothing screams unprofessional more than seeing this! It doesn't make your dialogue more dramatic. It just makes you look like a tool. You're not a cartoonist. Just don't.

5. Exposition: Who needs to actually show the audience anything? You can just have a character say it in dialogue to the other characters! That's not awkward at all! "Remember the time I took you out dancing and you were wearing a blue dress just like the one you are wearing now? And a guy came up to you and asked you for the time? And remember how I blah blah blah blah..." No I don't remember. Why don't you just show me? It's a visual medium. You aren't writing a play. My favorite is the old "What's going on?" "I'm General Bigpants! And there is a large asteroid headed for the Earth and if we do not launch the space shuttle and send some people up there to destroy it, we will all die in about an hour and a half!" I'm bored already.

Action is story. They always say you judge a man by his actions, not by his words. You can shout "I'm not a murderer" all you want. But the bloody axe in your hands and dead body at your feet suggests otherwise.

6. Too specific: This is another pet peeve of mine:

"John put on his Nike tennis shoes. Then he took a drink drink of Coca-Cola while turning on his Emerson stereo system. AC/DC's song "Let There Be Rock" blasts from the speakers. John picks up his copy of John Steinbeck's "The Pearl" and thumbs through it."

When I read stuff like this my brain explodes. I'm trying to remember all of these items because they must be important if they're mentioned by name. And I have to look up the song if I'm not familiar with it. And do I need to know the story of The Pearl to understand the movie? By then I'm lost and ready to move on to the next script.

7. Generic Characters: Another great way to confuse the reader, characters! Who needs characters that are all distinct? If one character is good, then twenty is better! I don't know how many times I've been reading a script where I had to go back and try to remember which character is which. The worst is when there is a scene between five guys, all in their 20's with the same characteristics and they're named Chad, Brad, Ben, Fred, Charlie, and Bob. At least name one of them Moishe or Juan or Vladimir. If the character names, or actions, or dialogue are too similar, it's easy to get lost.

8. Who cares? Too many scripts wind up the same as they are in the beginning. Nothing changes. Nothing happens. Nobody learns anything. So what's the point? At the very least, someone should have learned something. It's better if the change is more significant. Someone has died. People have broken up. Someone has fallen in love. Something has to have happened. Otherwise, why tell the story?

9. That leads to my next point. What's it all about? Can you summarize it in a sentence? Because guess what? The reader is going to have to the next morning when they tell their boss about the script they just read. If the answer is "It's a story about a guy and a girl who something happens and then this happens and then that happens, etc. etc." You're screwed. You haven't gotten your point across. If you have trouble with this, just read the TV Guide or the listings on your Tivo. They do a pretty good job of summarizing movies in a sentence or two.

Examples:
from tv.yahoo.com

First Blood - Sylvester Stallone is a former Green Beret waging a one-man war against police and the National Guard in the Pacific Northwest.

Failure to Launch - The exasperated parents of a 35-year-old ladies man who won't move out of the house hire a woman who specializes in luring men to leave the nest.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - John Hughes tale about a snob (Steve Martin) and a slob (John Candy) who keep running into trouble---and each other---en route home for Thanksgiving.

10. What's the trailer? You need 3 good scenes. First, potential stars are thinking "What scenes are gonna get me my Oscar?". Second, the potential producer is thinking "How am I gonna sell this?" Third, the director is thinking "Which scenes are gonna enable me to show off my brilliance?" You gotta have scenes that are gonna wind up in the trailer, on youtube, and to run on all the chat shows while they are trying to promote the movie.

That's it for now. Hope this helped some of you. But then, I'm sure all of your scripts are perfect and don't fall into any of these traps, right?

American Idol and Plato's Allegory Of The Cave

2009-05-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking the last couple of days about certain people's obsession with American Idol. For those three of you unfamiliar with the show, it is supposedly a singing talent competition where the winner gets a recording contract. It makes me think about Plato's Allegory Of The Cave.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Allegory of the Cave, you can read about it on Wikipedia. Here is a short version from the Wikipedia article:

"Plato imagines a group of people who have lived chained in a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on the wall by things passing in front of the cave entrance, and begin to ascribe forms to these shadows. According to Plato, the shadows are as close as the prisoners get to seeing reality. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows on the wall are not constitutive of reality at all, as he can perceive the true form of reality rather than the mere shadows seen by the prisoners."

To me, American Idol represents the shadows on that wall. People watch the show and believe that it is somehow real. That it has some influence or impact on their daily lives. But the people who believe in that show are deluded. The show is probably the most artificial and unreal singing competition ever. Anyone who has ever made or dissected a documentary would know that simply by picking and choosing what to shoot and what to show, you are creating a story that didn't necessarily exist. They are looking for telegenic young people that they can package and sell.

To me, the most laughable conceit was that the final competition represented some sort of referendum on this country's opinion of homosexuality based upon the perceived sexuality of Adam Lambert. It would appear that viewers and commentators have somehow made the connection based upon his over the top and flamboyant style. Of course, not once has he confirmed the speculation. Most likely it gives his brand a certain edginess and mystery. Have we all forgotten that this is show business? (Note: He did subsequently come out of the closet. But at the time no public declaration had been made.)

But this belief that the vote represented something is completely invalid, since not everyone in the country voted or even watched the show. The viewership for the finale was 28.84 million people out of the estimated 304 million people living in the US. That represents a little less than ten percent of the population of this country. Additionally, viewers were allowed to vote as many times as they like. So one person could vote once or they could vote 20 times. This means that the vote of certain people counted more than the vote of someone who only voted once. In addition, voters who were voting in areas of the country with a more dense population would have more likely faced tied up phone lines and had a more difficult time in registering their votes than someone who lives in a more rural area. That may have been the deciding factor since apparently the singer who won appeals to a more rural fan base.

In addition, since the winner is based upon votes, the show is not picking the better singer, merely the more popular one. And we surely know that popularity does not necessarily equate talent. How many talented singers, actors, writers, painters do we know of from history that have toiled in obscurity only to be discovered much later? Just look at people such as Vincent Van Gogh who only sold one painting in his lifetime, or Emily Dickinson, who lived in seclusion and only had 12 of her 1800 poems published in her lifetime.

On top of that, if you look at the track record of the winners of past seasons, their success has been spotty at best. Sure, people know Kelly Clarkson (who actually did have a recording contract when she went on the show). But how many records have Fantasia, Taylor Hicks, or Ruben Studdard sold? Their sales are decent, but given their promotion and exposure on the show, you would expect them to be able to sell millions and millions of CDs.

The media also helps to maintain the appearance of newsworthiness. If you watch news shows, or read the news, you will see countless articles about the show. Although, is it really such a stretch, considering that the show is on Fox, which happens to be owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns many news outlets including Fox News Network, The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, Haper Collins, The Times Herald Record, MySpace, Hulu.com, Rotten Tomatoes, IGN, among many others? So is it any wonder that you see countless news articles about the show?

Ultimately, my point is that they are packaging a product. They are not trying to find the best singer in America. They have no interest whatsoever in that. The winner is not neccessarily a better singer or even more popular. Which means ultimately that the results are meaningless. Now turn off the TV, go outside and get on with your life.

Coachella Wrap Up - Day 1

2009-05-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Okay. I know I am a month late in doing this. But I have been so busy following up from my trip to Hong Kong and Cannes that I haven't had much time to think.

Here's my Coachella wrap-up:

Day 1: Friday
Probably the busiest day for me.
After taking the short cut to the back parking lot and getting in after about 10-20 minutes, we went and picked up the locker key. Seriously, if you are going to Coachella, just go ahead and rent a locker. It makes for a much happier experience. And you are going to want a jacket at night because it can get chilly.

First band we saw was Noah And The Whale. We left after 15 minutes. It sounded like the lead singer was losing his voice. So instead we went to go see We Are Scientists, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was never a huge fan of them before now. But they put on a good show.

Watched a little of The Airborne Toxic Event, who I had seen before. They put on a good show. But I had to leave early to go see The Hold Steady.

The Hold Steady were amazing. They are such a good, fun band to see live. They were one of the highlights of the weekend for me. I'm serious. Go see them perform if they are in your town. Then off to The Sahara for The Ting Tings. They were a lot of fun live. As you can imagine, the tent was packed for their show. Watched a bit of Franz Ferdinand from afar while eating dinner. We left early because we wanted to get close for Leonard Cohen.

Leonard Cohen still puts on a great show. The man is a living legend. Seeing him perform live, at sunset, under the desert sky was just a magical experience. If you saw anyone else at that time, you choose poorly. This was the number one performance of the weekend for me. The crowd sing along for Hallelujah was really amazing.

Watched a little Beirut, then headed off to the Sahara again for The Presets. They were a lot of fun and I danced like crazy. I was so exhausted after their set, I was ready to head home. We stopped and lay on the grass for a bit for Paul McCartney. I just wanted to be able to say that I saw him perform. If we weren't so exhausted, we would have stayed for more. But we just wanted to get back to the house and get some sleep.

Whew!

2009-04-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

What a crazy month it has been. For those who are interested, I've been posting the details of my trip on twitter. You can follow me here: www.twitter.com/todfilm.

I'll have more in depth postings later. Hong Kong was great. Amsterdam was cold. Cannes had great food. That's my short review. More in depth coverage will come. After my around the world trip, including HK Filmart and MIPTV, I am so incredibly busy. I have so much follow up to do. Basically going to two markets in a row, a film market and a TV market, means I have double the amount of work to do. Now I am working on a bunch of deals to bring our product to distributors in Asia.

Then a couple weeks after I got back, I went to Coachella. This is my fifth time going to the music festival. I had a lot of fun. Stand out performances for me were Leonard Cohen, Antony, and The Hold Steady. I didn't see many bad performances because I didn't bother to stick around. Why would you when you have five stages of music to choose from?

Making Money in Short Films?

2009-03-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

This isn't a post so much as it is a question. Back when I started making short films back in 2003, there wasn't really a market for short films. The broadcasters I talked to didn't even know what to do with them. This was back when digital filmmaking was just starting to take off. So with all of the changes in digital filmmaking and websites and everything, is anyone making any money at short films? I'm not talking a couple hundred or a couple thousand dollars from film festival license fees. But is anyone making serious money off their short films? Like $30-50,000 with their shorts? And I am talking about profit not net. I have friends that have spent $30,000-50,000 on their short films that got substantial five figure license fees from broadcasters, but they still haven't broken even. Is there a market for short films or are they still used mostly as calling cards and stepping stones to make features?

I'm just wondering how much the short film market has changed in the past five years. After I did my last couple of shorts, I decided to take some time off. Now I am thinking about getting back behind the camera again but wondering what I will find once I enter that world again. For the past couple of years, I've been focused on selling and promoting other people's films.

I'll be traveling a lot over the next couple of weeks with Hong Kong Filmart and MIPTV coming up. Then a week later I head out to Palm Springs for Coachella. It's gonna be an interesting month. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures to share with you guys.

The storm cometh

2009-03-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

Remember that storm I was talking about? Well, it's here and the reason I haven't been blogging much lately. I'm in the process of getting ready for my around the world trip in two weeks. If you want more immediate updates, I'd suggest following my twitter feeds.

You can definitely feel the effect of the world economy on the international film world. A lot of my regular buyers are deciding not to spend the money to go to the film markets. Let's hope they still have money to buy programming.

Looking forward to a boring film market. I'll be sure to bring my DS to play while I am bored.

The Calm Before The Storm

2009-01-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

I realize I have been rather absent from my blogging duties the past two weeks.

First of all, the big news is that my short film Coffee came out on DVD on the gay short film compilation FirstOUT 3 from Alluvial Filmworks. I haven't gotten any reporting yet. But supposedly it is performing well. I have already gotten a couple of emails from people that saw the film. So I know it is out there and available. If you see the DVD in the wild, please let me know where you saw it. If you absolutely must buy it, you can get it from TLA Video. In addition, I am pretty sure it is also available for rent from Blockbuster and Netflix.

Other than that, I have been getting ready for the coming busy festival and film market season, with Sundance, NATPE, Berlin, Filmart, MIPTV, and Cannes all coming up in the next six months. I won't be going to all of those events, but it's still going to be pretty busy for all the ones I will be attending.

That's it for now. I am going to enjoy what little peace remains before my job gets all hectic and super crazy.

Goodbye 2008

2008-12-31T18:16:00.000-08:00

I leave you with this cute picture of my sister's two adorable Dachshunds.

I hope 2008 was a good year for you. I hope that 2009 is even better!

Happy New Year everyone!

Top Ten Things in 2008 aka Year's End

2008-12-31T14:31:00.000-08:00

Here's to wishing you all a Happy New Year.

At this time of the year there are endless top ten lists. So here is my top ten list of things for 2008. It was a very good year for me.

10. Rock Band in the New Year - Last year, I spent the New Year's right by rocking out the vocals on Rock Band with my friend Randy and his friends up in SF. It was a blast. My favorite was War Pigs by Black Sabbath.

9. Warhammer Online - I traded my old MMO addiction City Of Heroes for a new addiction Warhammer Online. I'm not generally a big fan of PvP, but the way it is structured is very fun and interesting.

8. Global Economic Crisis - I'm not sure how much of this was self fulfilling prophecy. A rumor can lead to runs on the banks which just exasperates the problems. Despite whatever theory you may have about the cause of the current downturn in the economy, it's definitely going to effect us all. Just remember that this is nowhere near as bad as the great depression where we saw unemployment figures over 20%. I doubt we've seen the worst of it. Most likely we will have at least another 3-4 years of hard times. So just hunker down and prepare to stick it out. Now may be a good time to get rid of expensive habits like Starbucks Lattes, smoking, drinking or gambling.

7. Coachella - Every April I spend three days out in the desert listening to as many bands as possible. Some are great, some are just okay and some suck. But it's okay because there are five different stages. So if one band sucks you can always check out a different one.

6. Promotion - Making the transition from sales support to actually doing the sales was not easy and I had a ton of stuff to learn but it was worth it. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, it seems. But I got a nice promotion this year, which I think more accurately reflects my level of experience and ability. There's nothing worse than toiling away at a job you could do with your eyes closed. I am really enjoying the challenge of my new responsibilities. Plus I also enjoy meeting new people and traveling.

5. Milk - Seriously, if you have not seen this movie, I urge you to go see it and to bring along a couple of friends. For some reason, the movie hasn't been released as wide as it should. Some of my friends still haven't been able to see the movie because it isn't playing anywhere near them. Please, Focus and Universal, open this puppy wider. More people need to see it. And it has added poignancy considering the ongoing debacle of prop 8. Which leads me to:

4. Prop 8 - Honestly, I don't know where to begin. Our foes think the fight is over, but it only just began. When you are talking about the civil rights of millions of Americans, you can rest assured that we will keep fighting until we have won. Although, along with many in the LGBT community, I wondered, "Where are our leaders?" The old guard failed us: HRC, GLAAD, LAMBDA Legal, etc. They were too busy throwing parties while ignoring the people on the street. But the good thing is that this loss has spurred a new generation of activists. The people protesting in the streets aren't veteran protesters. They are everyday gay and lesbian people that are sick and tired of being pushed around.

3. Obama - While I am on the subject of politics, let's talk about Barack Obama. Personally, I was always a much bigger supporter of Hilary. And let's face it, Obama is no friend to the gay and lesbian community. Sure he gives us lip service, but his actions speak louder than any speech. Where was he during the prop 8 campaign? And, of course, we have the slap in the face with him invited Rick Warren to the inauguration. This is a man who has said that homosexuality is the same as incest and child molestation. In fact, his church welcomes everyone except for people who are gay. Nevertheless, it's a big step forward for this country to finally have elected its first minority President. Enough about politics, here's some personal moments:

2. Moving - After 8 years of roommates, I figured it was finally time to move into my own place and become an adult. I am enjoying the freedom. Although, since I am a social person, I miss the random conversations with my roommates. It also helps that I moved to an area that is within walking distance of a ton of shops and restaurants.

1. Distribution for 'Coffee' - Finally, the most important moment for me was securing distribution for one of my short films. I had always waited until I got an offer from a company that I trusted. Finally a good offer came along and I took it. I hope it does well and that I make some money back from it. Of course, now I have no excuse not to start making some more short films.

That's it for 2008. Here's to hoping that 2009 is just as good, if not better.

Tangerine Jam

2008-12-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

As I write this I am enjoying homemade tangerine jam on top of toast. It's delicious.

10 tangerines basically makes enough jam for three jars. I just put some in the fourth jar because I wanted to taste some for myself. The other three jars are Christmas presents.

I'm not normally this into cooking. But I just hate to let things go to waste. Plus, it's not like making jam is all that hard. You just put some tangerines in a saucepan, add some sugar and salt and let it simmer for an hour. Yummy! And it tastes better knowing that I made it.

No time for blogging

2008-12-18T00:45:00.000-08:00

I'm too busy enjoying my Christmas present to myself: Rock Band 2. Although I feel a little weird sitting in my apartment singing rock songs by myself. I guess like most other things, it's more fun with more people. Now I need to go out and make two or three more friends.

Lemon Tarts, er, um, Pies

2008-12-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

So I decided to try my hand at baking some lemon tarts with a couple of the lemons that I picked from the tree out in Palm Springs. I am also planning on making some Tangerine jam out of the tangerines I picked as well. I didn't have any tart pans and couldn't find any at Smart and Final so they will wind up being Lemon Pies. I'm sure they will be delicious nonetheless. Interesting note, I was going off a recipe I found online and it wound up making enough filling for two pies. So I made two instead of one. Also, I decided not to add the whipped cream because I thought it might be too much. Plus, I don't feel like learning how to pipe cream.

Next up: Tangerine Jam

Tweet Tweet

2008-12-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have succumbed to the beast and joined Twitter. You can follow me at www.twitter.com/todfilm. Now you can follow my inane and utterly boring ramblings throughout the day.

Getting A Job In Hollywood In a Recession

2008-11-26T00:20:00.001-08:00

If you have a job in the film industry in this economy you should be thankful! This weekend, most of us in the US will be spending time with friends and family. I actually prefer it over Christmas because there is no obligation to get presents, to visit relatives or to decorate. This holiday is all about getting together and eating as much as humanly possible. And of course, the infamous Black Friday the day after, when all of the stores announce their big deals for the Christmas shopping season.

If you are out of a job and looking for work, my heart goes out to you. Most of the big companies won't be hiring anyone until after the first of the year. Right now is a very tough time in the film business. A lot of companies have been announcing layoffs, including Lionsgate, The Weinstein Company, Canwest and more. It's even been affecting the international buyers as well. Despite what they want you to think, we are in the midst of a global recession. So it's time to hunker down and try and wait it out.

But as a way of giving back and helping out, here are a few places to begin your search for a job in the film industry:
www.showbizjobs.com
www.entertainmentcareers.net
www.mandy.com
www.hcdonline.com

And you can sometimes find stuff on non-industry related sites like:
www.monster.com
www.craigslist.org

It's important to try and keep busy while out of work. Now is the perfect time of year to start volunteering for your local charities. Additionally, you may want to think about going back to school and taking some classes while out of work. You need to do everything you can to market yourself and make yourself more attractive to employers. Hang in there until after the first of the year, when budgets have been approved and companies start hiring again. Hopefully, things will start to turn around soon.

Attendance drops at AFM

2008-11-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

The headline says it all:

From Variety:
Attendance drops at AFM
Market buyers down 6% for L.A. film event

As one buyer told me, "You could practice archery on the second floor."

Year after year, the attendance has decreased at AFM. But this year the difference was notable. I had about half the number of meetings I would have at other markets. Most of the buyers I spoke to said they were leaving on Sunday, halfway through the market. By Monday and Tuesday, the only people wandering the halls were producers desperate for money trying to find money for their ill fated projects.

What is the cause?
Some of the blame can be placed on the global financial crisis. Asian buyers are usually a large presence at the market. But they have been hurt hard by the financial crisis.

But there are other factors at play as well that I have touched on previously.

What is the solution?

The length - The market is way too long. Maybe back in the heydays of the 90s their might have been enough product to warrant a seven day market. But nowadays, most of the markets are shrinking to four or five day events. AFM should really be a Wednesday to Sunday event.

The timing - I know they will never move the market back to February. But the timing of the market is horrible. It's right after Toronto and MIPCOM. Most of my buyers I met with a few weeks prior so it makes no sense to meet again a month later. I know they originally moved it from February because it was too close after NATPE and Sundance. I know timing will be bad regardless. But looking back, it makes sense to have a market midway between Toronto and Cannes. And next year, with the possibility of MIFED coming back, AFM is going to have to change strategy in order to stay relevant to the international film community.

Location - I know that Santa Monica has been home to AFM for a long time. But personally, I think that they should think about moving it. The city, the theaters and the hotels have all become rundown. Where to move it to? Hollywood becomes an option. You have the Mann 6, Hollywood and Highland and the Arclight all down the street from each other. And you have the Renaisance and the Roosevelt hotels just down the street. That also makes it easier to have the tie-in to the AFI Film Festival, a tie-in that has never really been all that effective since they are across town from each other. Or they could do like the LA Film Festival has done and move to Westwood. I love the new setup of the LAFF. It's so much more convenient and everything is within walking distance. It's a lot more convenient than trying to cram into the Sunset 5.

We'll see what the market looks like next year. Next market up for us is NATPE, which isn't a huge priority for us. There's a bunch of smaller markets but nothing huge until MIPTV and LA Screenings in the Spring. So now it's just a matter of cleaning up the outstanding deals and gearing up for the Spring.

Post MIPCOM, Pre-AFM

2008-10-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." - Charles Dickens

Things are so crazy right now finishing up from all of my MIPCOM follow up and getting ready for AFM next week. However, I just wanted to talk real quickly about something that was the talk of MIPCOM: the global financial crisis and its effect on the international film business.

Everyone that I talked to at the market was wondering aloud about the global financial crisis and how that would effect our business. And the conclusion is that there are both good and bad aspects of what is happening internationally. Firstly, there is less cash around for some of the smaller companies and distributors, who seemed to be less of a presence at the market. But all of the major buyers, broadcasters and distributors were still out in force and buying. But I think that the downtown in the economy is mitigated by one thing: the writer's strike.

The writer's strike kept the studios from producing as many movies and TV shows as they would normally. That meant that the appetite from some of the broadcasters was greater due to a lack of studio product to fill their pipeline.

However, the further implications of the financial crisis has yet to be seen. Plus, there is the anxiety over the negotiations for the SAG contract. At one point, a strike seemed imminent and studios halted production. But with the recent increase in production, it seems that the studios seem to believe that there will be a resolution to the SAG conflict in the near future. But only time will tell.

Looking forward to the AFM market next week, things seem a little quieter than in years past. I think it may be due to several things:

1. A lot of the US minimajors have gone away. Warner Independent, Picturehouse, New Line are all going away or are already gone. On top of that, the recent exodus of executives at the Weinstein Company will most likely mean their acquisition appetite may be diminishing as well.

2. Back in 2000-2001 when I first started going to AFM, there were still plenty of bigger budgeted completed pictures that were available. A lot of these films were financed by big film funds from European countries. Unfortunately, one too many risky investments didn't pay off and these funds wound up drying out as a source of investment. (There are also other reasons for this as well that I don't have the time to go into.)

3. It could also be a simple perception issue due to the fact that AFM is now more spread out. It is no longer just in the Loews but has spread over to Le Merigot as well. And with the addition of screening rooms in Le Merigot and the Fairmont as well, buyers are more spread out than ever.

4. Timing: AFM used to be in February between MIPCOM and MIFED in the Fall and Cannes in the Spring. But people complained about the proximity to Sundance and Berlin so they moved it to November.

5. Communication: It used to be a lot more difficult to connect with and talk to distributors from around the world. With the spread of email, video conferencing and digital online screening rooms, it's easier than ever to get someone to buy your product without ever having met face to face. For a lot of the smaller distributors, it could be a cost cutting measure to not have to travel halfway across the world for a film market.

Either way, we'll be fine. We have a steady flow of product and big pockets. It's some of the smaller companies out there that may have to scramble harder to stay afloat in this new world economy.

Coffee to your door

2008-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

So the news can finally be announced! My short film Coffee is going to be released as part of the short film compilation First Out 3 from Alluvial Filmworks. The street date for the DVD is January 6th and should be available from most major retailers including Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster, Virgin Megastore, etc.

I'm pretty excited as this is a first for me. It's been a long and interesting journey that began with a short film script I wrote while in a screenwriting class at UCSB. Then back in 2003 after turning 30, I decided to get off my ass and finally start making short films. I had always wanted to make this short script into a film. After a year of editing and post-production, the short film made its premiere at the 2004 Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Then I spent another two years going to various film festivals.

At the time, the options for distribution on short films was severely limited. I had several offers from fly-by-night, start-up internet companies that wanted to take my film for free and put it up on the internet. I was always wary of these deals and waited for the right opportunity. Now I am glad I turned those offers down. So I guess the lesson is to take your time in evaluating offers, vet the company making the offer and don't sign with any company that you don't feel comfortable with.

Click here to pre-order the film on Amazon.com.

Now I guess it's time to get off my ass again and make another short film or two.

When is enough enough?

2008-10-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

"Art is never finished, only abandoned" - Leonardo da Vinci

As we get ready for MIPCOM and AFM, I cannot help but think about deadlines and the nature of this business and art in general.

When I was making my short films, it was easy to keep editing and re-editing. Unfortunately, the law of diminishing returns means that you get less and less of a benefit the more you tinker with a film. At a certain point, you need to say to yourself, this is probably the best it is going to get. There will always be those problem children, the scene that doesn't feel quite right or the awkward edit. Eventually you have to learn to look over those small little details and look at the bigger picture. There are tons of little goofs and mistakes in most films. Heck, imdb.com has a whole section devoted to mistakes in movies. Some of my favorite ones:

1. Star Wars: Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When C-3PO and R2-D2 are in the control room of the Death Star, as the storm troopers get the door open and go storming in one of the storm troopers hits their head on the door. This goof was highlighted in the remastered version with a comedy "donk" sound effect.

2. My favorite movie Harold And Maude: Crew or equipment visible: When Maude pulls the banjo out of a cabinet, you see the reflection of crew and lights.

3. There's even a whole debate about the bandage on Ving Rhames' neck in Pulp Fiction.

But the point of this post isn't about pointing out goofs in films. The point is that you eventually have to stop tinkering and get on with things. The same can be said of scripts as well. You can tinker and tinker away at a script until it doesn't resemble the original script. And usually, by that point, the thing that made the script interesting in the first place is gone. It's a delicate dance to know when something is done enough to start showing it to people. Show it too early and you've made a bad impression. Take too long and you've lost all your original passion and excitement over your project.

I know there are a lot of writers out there that have been tinkering with their scripts, changing a page here or there but never getting anywhere. When you are lost like that, it may be a good idea to step back and try and take an objective look at the script.

There's also the story of Wong Kar Wei, who was supposedly in the middle of a long drawn out editing process on his film Ashes of Time. It was dragging on so long that he decided to go out and make a simple and quick movie in order to clear his mind and rediscover his passion for filmmaking. The film was Chungking Express. He shot it in 23 days and it wound up being the film that was his big break on the international film circuit.

Ultimately, I guess my point is to be careful of being too much of a perfectionist. Your script will never be 100% perfect. Your film will never be 100% perfect either. Films are messy things. And it's those little imperfections that make films so interesting and intriguing. So get it as good as you possibly can and then move on to the next project.

2008 - The Summer Of Music

2008-09-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Well, the summer is officially over. And it seems this was a summer of music for me. I've never been to so many great concerts in one short time span. Part of it was due to having some disposible income. Another part of it was that there were so many great bands that came to Los Angeles this summer.

This summer, I saw:
The Dresden Dolls, The Police, Elvis Costello, Black Kids, Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls, George Michael, Yaz, Janet Jackson, and Goldfrapp

There are also so many more I want to see in the coming months, including Stars, Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, Sigur Ros, James, David Byrne, Duffy, Antony and the Johnsons, etc. There's just too many good acts and not enough time and money to see them all.

Music and film are inexoribly linked together. As a filmmaker and watcher, I find that film is an art form that is truly multidisciplinary. It brings together painting, music, writing, and several other art forms all into one experience for the audience. I think that's part of the reason why it holds such a fascination for me. It can truly transport the audience to another time, another world, or another dimension.

There are a lot of great music acts out there that are surpassing the traditional path of establishing an audience. With Youtube and Myspace and Facebook, a band can create a community of fans, without having to deal with the antiquated methods of the record industry. It's never been easier to discover new music. I have easily spent hours upon hours exploring the internet, watching videos and listening to new music. I rarely listen to the radio anymore. Who needs to when I have 30 gigbytes of music on my ipod?

One of these days, I'd love to explore my dual fascinations of music and film. Perhaps one day I'll make a music documentary or music video.

Distribution News

2008-09-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I had to take down one of my short films due to a pending distribution agreement. I can't talk too much about it. But I will definitely post more info when it is available.

AFM - Quick Update

2008-09-15T21:15:00.001-07:00

If you would like more info about attending the AFM, go here.

What to do at the American Film Market

2008-09-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

Judging from some of the searches leading into this blog, there are quite a few of you interested in the American Film Market, aka AFM. Probably because it is in Santa Monica, it will be the first film market for a lot of independent film makers. Most of them don't have to travel far so they don't have to worry about arranging travel and lodging for the market. And for those who do, it's a whole lot cheaper than finding a place in Cannes, where you can easily spend $5,000-$10,000 for a room for the week. There are a lot of cheaper alternatives in Cannes, but we can go into that later in another post.

I've been going to AFM in one way or another for about 7 years now. I missed the whole boobies and blood era of the market, when it was all about Z-grade horror films and erotic films from around the world. Nowadays, there is still a lot of that, but there are also films of all types, including family films, comedies, and theatrical level movies.

So what is an independent filmmaker supposed to do at AFM? Is it worth paying all of that money for a pass? Should you even go at all? And, of course, the answer to all of this is "It depends."

In an ideal world, you would already have an international distributor lined up to represent your film. You'd have ads in all of the trades, and maybe even a banner in the atrium. (As a side note, I personally think they're overpriced and worthless, since they are blocked by the trees and no one looks at them. But that's just my personal opinion.) Then you could go around the market, meeting other distributors and producers, talking up your next film and securing financing for your next slate of films. It can happen.

Most likely, you won't have that luxury. You might not have a clue about any of the distributors or how to go about getting one. Well, here's what you gotta do. The lead in time for the market is one to two months. If you want to go in prepared, you have to do your homework. You can go on the AFM website and look at the list of exhibitors. At first it may seem daunting. There are thousands of companies on there and no information about them. But there are two indispensable tools at your service. The first is google.com. In this day and age, it shouldn't be too difficult to find the website for almost any distributor. The second is the Hollywood Creative Directory's Distribution Directory. It's a must-have for any independent filmmaker. You can either buy it at the bookstore or get it online at www.hcdonline.com.

Once you have found your top ten or twenty or thirty distributors, start dialing. Call the person in aquisitions and ask to speak to them. Tell them about your movie and ask if they'd be interested in seeing your movie. If you're lucky, one of them will like your film enough to want to buy it before the market and present it at AFM. If you have a distributor at the market, they will usually have a guest pass they can loan you for the day, so you don't have to shell out the money for those overpriced badges.

If you're not lucky, then you need to plan on getting a badge and setting up meetings at the market. I'm in favor of the targeted strike as opposed to carpet bombing. If you do your research and set up your meetings ahead of time, you could probably get away with a one day pass. If the acquisitions people all have your screener already, all you need is to set up face to face meetings ahead of time. And you'll only need a one day badge. If you have the money, you can buy a full market badge. I'm not sure the half market badge is worth it, since you only get to attend the second half of the market, when people have already spent all their money, excitement and energy.

Another helpful tip for international filmmakers. Check whether your film commission will be attending the market. It might be useful to meet with them at the market. And they can probably offer you further advice as a filmmaker as well. Some may be more helpful than others, but it never hurts to contact them.

You will need to bring DVD's of your film and a one page information sheet about your film. Put your contact info on everything! Everything! In the rush of a market, flyers get lost, dvd's get lost. The important thing is that they know how to reach you. For more info on what to put in your materials, see my post "10 Tips For Independent Filmmakers Seeking Distribution."

Overall, my advice is to be professional. This is a business environment. Wear a suit or business attire at all times. That way, you will stand out from all of the other filmmakers out there trying to get distribution. If you are going to be asking someone for money or to represent your film, you want to look your best. Don't waste your money on trinkets and giveaways. Save that stuff for the film festivals. And unless you have a star in your movie, leave your actors at home. Good luck and remember to have fun!

Babylon WTF

2008-09-05T21:22:00.001-07:00

Okay, if you're not a fan of genre films, you can skip this entry. This is the lost in translation story of Bablyon AD.

So this past Labor Day weekend, I went out to Palm Springs for some well deserved rest and relaxation. It was nice to just lounge out by the pool and relax. In between lounging at the pool, going to the local lounge bars and eating delicious food, I managed to check out Babylon AD.

Let's just say that at the end of the movie, I turned to my friend and asked him "What happened? I'm totally lost." He replied "I was depending on you to tell me what happened." Doing a little research I found some possible information on why this movie turned into such a horrible mess.

Apparently, the movie is based upon a French science fiction novel called Babylon Babies by Maurice Georges Dantec. The director Mathieu Kassovitz (La Haine, Gothika) had apparently been working for 5 years to get the film made. Supposedly, the film was originally slated to begin in 2005 but due to various problems wound up not finishing filming until 2007 over-budget and behind schedule. According to reports the studio took the film away from the director and cut at least a good 15 minutes from the film. I'm assuming those 15 minutes were the scenes that actually contained the story.

The ironic thing is that Vin Diesel dropped out of Hitman to do this film. Hitman did about $40 million in the US. I suspect this film will do little more than half that amount.

In the end, we'll never know if the director's cut is any better, unless they decide to release the director's cut of the film. Maybe they're waiting for the special unrated Director's Cut version for the DVD release. You never know. Studios have been known to do wackier things.

Where did the month go?

2008-08-29T00:18:00.000-07:00

Time has been just flying by. The last couple of weeks have been crazy as we have been getting ready for MIPCOM in October. Then, of course, AFM is right after in November.

I may have touched on this before, but there is an interesting distinction between TV Markets and Film Markets. I started out working in Acquisitions for a home video distributor, so I was used to the vibe of Film Markets. Important film markets are AFM, Cannes, and Berlin. Mostly the film markets are less formal, with people walking around with ponytails and flip flops. Sure, you still have the professional people in suits, but there is more of a relaxed air. The type of programming at film markets tends toward the genre stuff like horror, thriller, etc. It's mostly regional distributors and DVD distributors, with the occasional TV buyers for some of the bigger films.

The TV markets, like MIPCOM, MIPTV, and NATPE, are strictly suit and tie and very professional. The other distributors attend, but mostly it's broadcasters from around the world looking from programming. There you will find everything from series, TV movies and formats (where they sell the concept to a distributor who will create a localized version.) The culture shock between the two markets was pretty pronounced for me coming from the film market world to the button up world of TV markets.

That's kind of the difference in a nutshell. The line between the two is blurring as more DVD distributors are attending the TV markets and more broadcasters are attending the film markets.

Overall, there's been a proliferation of film markets and festivals over the past couple of years. It seems like every month we're getting invited to go to yet another market or festival. But I honestly don't see the reason to meet with the same broadcaster I met with only a month ago. With email and websites and streaming trailers, there is less and less reason to meet with someone every other week. We can meet two or three times a year face to face and do the rest of our business via email. Not only is it more cost efficient, it uses less resources and doesn't increase our carbon footprint.

The 2008 Olympics

2008-08-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

Not much to update around here. I've just been sitting at home with the A/C cranked up and watching the Olympics. Overall NBC has done a good job in terms of the broadcast. I'd say the quality this year is definitely superior to Athens. But then, I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the time difference. When we are watching in prime time, the events are being broadcast live or relatively recent. In Athens, the time difference made it weird, with live events at 2 in the morning. Although, there are some people upset by the timing of the broadcasts with NBC withholding the more important events until prime time for the ratings. But you can't please everyone. If they only broadcast everything live then people would be complaining because they couldn't see the good stuff since most people work during the day. Just goes to show you can't please everyone.

NBC has also done a great job of building up the drama. Will Michael Phelps go for a world record? Will he beat Mark Spitz' record? Will the male gymnastic team recover from losing its top two athletes? Just watching the 400m Men's Relay had me on the edge of my seat, cheering for the Americans. And part of it was because of the drama of the war of the words from the French team. And partly because they were the underdogs. And also because of that last bit of speed at the end when they came from almost a full length behind. Also, I think Zhang Yimou deserves all that praise for the opening ceremonies, despite the little cheats.

Overall, the ratings for the Beijing Olympics have been higher than the past two Summer Olympics. The question is whether they will be able to keep that interest once the swimming events are over and we are onto track and field. Without the draw of Michael Phelps, will there still be high interest in the games? Or will they find other American athletes to hype and build buzz around? I guess only time will tell.

AJ Schnack's Advice on Film Festivals

2008-07-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

AJ Schnack wrote a wonderful article on the state of Film Festivals and how an independent filmmaker can navigate that journey. He is the documentary filmmaker behind such great films as Gigantic, about the music band They Might Be Giants, and Kurt Cobain: About A Son. If you are a filmmaker preparing to head down the festival road, it's a worthwhile read.

However, I am beginning to think more and more about the necessity of doing the whole film festival and traditional distribution model. If you are trying to appeal to a younger audience, or a more tech savvy audience, it may be more worthwhile to just put it out there for free on the internet and build an audience virally like the Loose Change filmmakers are doing. It's certainly something to think about. With new technology and new media, are the old established models necessary?

Unfortunately, the dirty secret that no one seems to be mentioning is that very few people are making any money on the internet with filmed entertainment, with the exception of porn. So the question is whether an internet/new media film can make enough money to justify the cost of making a film. I guess if you are making low-budget, digitally shot, personal films that have a built in and dedicated audience, you may be able to sustain yourself by using new media. But ultimately, the numbers still haven't yet caught up with the amount of money you would get from a single television sale or DVD release.

10 Tips For Independent Filmmakers Seeking Distribution

2008-07-29T01:16:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this with a couple of disclaimers. The following is my personal opinion based upon my experience of working in the independent film world for the past eleven years. I have worked in film production, film festivals, acquisitions, distribution, sales, and operations. A lot of this is advice that can be taken with a grain of salt. What works for one person may not work for another. There are things with which you may agree or disagree. Please feel free to comment if you have any questions, additional advice, etc. The following is a work in progress.

1. Genre, selling points – It’s important to think about this in pre-production or even earlier. It’s important to think about what sort of niche your film fits into. It’s rare that an independent film can cross over into many different demographics. You can increase the likelihood of getting distribution if you pay attention to this sort of thing. If you are making a horror, what are the sorts of things that horror film lovers want to see in a film? If it’s a family drama, be careful about including too many swear words, drug abuse or violence. Think about your audience and what is or is not acceptable to that audience. I’ve seen too many films linger without distribution due to overlooking some key elements. This also helps in marketing strategy after your film is complete and you are looking to release it into the market. Is it a festival film that will need some attention from film festivals? Is it a genre film that might be better off simply focusing on genre distributors. Also take a look at films that are similar to yours. Which distributors have had success with your type of film? Chances are that if they have had success in the past, they will want more films of that genre.

2. Press kits – This has been the subject of debate on a good deal of different film websites and forums and among filmmakers and distributors. Some people say that it is important to design a great looking press kit, including a screener, a poster, stills from the film, a short and simple synopsis, etc. Is it necessary? Yes and no. Most distributors pay attention to the film first and foremost. The best looking screener package isn’t going to convince them to acquire your film if it isn’t right for them. On the other hand, it can be a great deal of help for film festivals. If you get accepted to a film festival, having a poster, stills and postcards are practically required. But as a filmmaker, put the vast majority of your effort on your film. If you only have $1000 left in your budget and you have to decide between fixing the audio in your film and creating a poster, fix the film first. Make sure the film comes first. I’ve seen plenty of films where if they had spent as much time on their film as they did on their press kit, they would have made an excellent film. Also, most of the bigger distributors are going to create their own artwork and posters. They have designers on staff just looking for stuff to do. Smaller distributors may not have the budget and being able to use your artwork can be an advantage.

3. Film Festivals and Markets – Festivals and markets are very different creatures and one or the other may be right for your film. Film Markets like AFM, Cannes and Berlin tend to be more genre driven. Film festivals can be more open to more difficult films, films that are either a difficult subject matter or need that extra push to get attention. Film festivals can also be handy for certain niche films like Urbanworld for African American films or Frameline for gay films. There are festivals for many different niches, African American, gay, female films, documentaries, issue driven films, family films, etc. Distributors who attend those festivals usually have a more focused interested in those genres. This is not to say that you have to play in a niche festival, just that it can be another option to get your film out there and seen.

4. Deliverables – If you wind up getting distribution, there are certain things a distributor or sales agent is going to need to sell your film internationally.

Textless material – any shots that have text, make sure you keep the same shots without text. This is used for dubbing your film into foreign languages.

M & E or Music and Effects. Please keep your dialogue tracks separate from your music and effects tracks. This makes it easier to dub the film into foreign languages. Also be careful of using music within the scenes. Once you start having dialogue and music on the same track, it becomes almost impossible to separate.

Stills – If you are shooting a feature film, make sure you hire a professional photographer to come to the set to take publicity stills. These are vital selling elements for a distributor. Without stills, it becomes very difficult to create artwork and promotional materials. If you are short on cash, find a local photography student to do it for you for a small amount of money. Don’t try and do it yourself. You’re going to be too crazed on set to worry about taking pictures. Let someone else worry about that while you are setting up shots.

Trailer – Most likely, the distributor is going to create their own trailer. And the guy/gal you hired to edit your feature probably doesn’t specialize in editing trailers. Editing promos and trailers is a totally different skill set from editing a feature film. That being said, a trailer is a key selling element in seeking distribution. Focus on telling the story. If you have any effects shots, explosions, or CG, you want to include a bit of that in the trailer. But don’t go overboard. There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a trailer full of car chases and explosions only to find out that 90% of the film is a period piece drama. Make sure the trailer is an accurate reflection of the film. Don’t try to get flashy and do special effects. Just keep it simple. Remember that you are creating a sales tool, not a piece of art.

5. Website – One of the most cost effective sales tools for the independent filmmaker is the website. It’s important to have a couple of things a potential distributor is looking for: Synopsis, Running Time, Cast, and a Trailer. It’s relatively inexpensive to set up a website nowadays. All you need to do is register the domain name and find a web hosting company to host your website. If you aren’t web savvy and don’t feel like shelling out the money for your own website, you can set up a free film blog on any of the blog services for free. Also, you can create a page for your film on youtube.com, withoutabox.com, myspace.com, or facebook.com. Edit: Also make sure you sign up for a twitter account for yourself as a filmmaker and follow other like minded filmmakers. It's an important selling tool. But be yourself. Don't simply try and promote the film. Join the discussion and become a part of the filmmaking community.

6. Finding similar films and filmmakers – Other films that are similar to yours aren’t your competition. They are your support group. Share information and work with other filmmakers. You may be able to help them, and they may be able to help you. The independent film community is a lot smaller than most people realize and word spreads fast. Give out copies of your film to other filmmakers. They may know a distributor that is looking for a film like yours. And if your film is similar to theirs, you may be able to work together and package your films together. Distributors have release schedules to fill. If they can buy two films at once, it makes it easier for them.

7. You, the filmmaker! Another important sales tool is the filmmaker him/herself. If you are involved in the promotion and release of the film, that helps to alleviate the promotion costs of the film upon release. Make sure potential distributors are aware of your level of commitment. Let them know you are available for any press screenings or promotional screenings. Offer to do DVD signings in local video shops around the country. Also be sure to tap into your own network. If you are a member of a community organization, non-profit, religious groups, etc., offer to help the distributor tap into that market. Start your own mailing list of people interested in the film. A film with a hard-working, dedicated filmmaker with a mailing list of 10,000 interested community members is a lot more interesting than a film without that support network. If you don’t have that network, go on Myspace.com and start networking with other filmmakers and film aficionados.

8. Persistence – Let’s face it. Getting distribution for your independently produced vision can be a difficult task. Don’t lose focus. You will hear a lot of no’s before you hear a yes. You may also want to pass on the first offer you get. Hang in there for the long haul. Make sure the distributor you are dealing with is right for your film.

9. Organization – Do your homework. Pick up a copy of the Hollywood Creative Directory’s Distributors Guide. Look on the website of potential distributors to find if they have films similar to yours. Ask for references. Where have they sold their films before? I’ve known some filmmakers who have made the mistake of taking a big fat check without doing their homework, only to find that the distributor wasn’t equipped to release their film. Make sure a potential distributor is really a film distributor or sales agent. If you have to choose between a lower offer from an established distributor and a higher offer from a filmmaker or ad agency turned distributor, go with the experience. This industry is about contacts. Also, never pay anyone to represent your film!!!! Never! If a sales agent needs to be paid to represent your film, they don’t believe they can sell it. It’s not worth it. Spend the money on an extra 1000 postcards and screeners. Although, they have a right to recoup their expenses. Some people may disagree with me, but I feel the same way about certain film festivals that charge the filmmaker a fee to get into the festival. Acquisitions people are aware of these scam festivals where acceptance means that the check cleared. If you simply want to have your film screened in a movie theater, then go right ahead. However, it’s not going to help you sell your film in the least bit.

10. Be Friendly and Outgoing – As I said before, the independent film community is pretty small and word spreads fast. Keeping a friendly attitude can help overcome a great deal of hesitation on the part of distributors. And you never know who is answering the phone. I’ve known heads of major distributors that answer their own phone. So you always want to be friendly to whomever you are speaking to on the phone. Copping an attitude and pretending you are important usually doesn’t work. In this day and age, it takes less than five seconds to check imdb.com. Also, be prepared to listen to the distributors when they pass on your film. Find out why they passed on your film. Is there something you can learn that you can use on another potential distributor? Is there a way you can overcome their objection? I’ve spoken to filmmakers that refused to listen when I told them what they needed to fix in their film. Obviously, you must take everything with a grain of salt since what doesn’t work for one distributor might work for another. Also remember that Acquisitions people have good memories and talk to each other. If you are pleasant and friendly, they may actually refer you to another distributor that is more suited to your film. Although, you must also remember that some of the larger companies forbid their employees from making recommendations because of legal reasons. So don’t press too hard if they hesitate to refer you to a different distributor.

11. Be Realistic – Okay. So it’s not just ten. Here’s a bonus tip. Be realistic. Acquisitions people aren’t stupid, no matter what you might think. Most of them love film and love filmmakers. So if you go around saying that your little independent film that you shot for $10,000 in your parents basement is just like The Matrix, or some other big blockbuster tent pole picture, don’t be surprised if they laugh in your face. In addition, I know that the film is your baby and you poured your soul into making the film. But sometimes the market demand for your film doesn’t match your expectations. Sure, you read about these big seven figure deals coming out of Sundance. However, those deals are the exceptions and not the rule. In addition, a lot of those films have multi-million dollar budgets and film stars that have agreed to work for very little money. If you get an offer that recoups your budget and then some, take it. And you may not even get any money up front at all with a straight distribution deal. Don’t wait too long. Films aren’t like wine. They don’t get better with age. If you don’t sell it in the first two years after completion, your odds of selling it decline dramatically.

That’s it. Let me know what you think. Also, please let me know your success stories or challenges. The independent film world is a tough one. Keep going! Remember that, despite everything, we do this because we love it.

Coffee

2008-07-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I have finally managed to post my other short film, 'Coffee,' up on youtube. Please check it out when you get a chance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7CN6L6v5Ps

Sorry for not posting more often. I have just been busy. I am currently working on some more in depth posts for the future.

See you soon!

Moving

2008-07-01T01:28:00.001-07:00

If I haven't posted in awhile, it's because I have been in the process of moving to my new apartment. I got the keys to the place on the 14th. I moved all the small boxes by myself with some help from a friend of mine. Then the following week, I had the movers come and move the big stuff. Finally, I am all settled in to my new place. I just need to keep at all those boxes in my living room taking up so much space. It's been stressful, but I have been trying to be as laid back and relaxed about it as possible. Hopefully, I won't have to move again for quite some time. It's nice to finally have my own place after eight years of roommates. I finally figured that I could afford my own place and it was time to grow up and be an adult.

Beard Watch 2008 Pt. 2

2008-06-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is 3 weeks without shaving. The beard is filling out nicely. I am going to let it grow for another week before I start shaping it.

In other news, I signed the lease for a new apartment on Thursday. I am going to start moving my stuff on June 15th. It's a nice one bedroom in NoHo, near all of the shops and restaurants. That means that I will be walking more often and won't have to drive everywhere. this is hopefully going to save me some money, considering the price of gasoline.

Beard Watch 2008

2008-05-27T23:44:00.000-07:00

So I decided to try and grow a beard. It's been 12 days since I last shaved. Here's the status so far. It still itches like crazy. They say you should use skin lotion to cut down on the itchiness and to shampoo the beard. So I have been using Lubriderm on the beard. It works a little but not completely. I've always wanted to grow a beard but every time I tried, I shaved it once it started to get itchy. This time I am going to try and go without shaving for at least four weeks before I do anything, just to see what it looks like. It's still a little splochy and hasn't completely filled in. But I am sure it will fill in in a week or two.

Whatever and ever amen

2008-05-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

Forgive the Ben Folds reference. I don't have a specific topic to discuss. But I have been neglecting this blog thing. So I thought I would type up something witty and interesting. Forgive me if I bore you to tears. If details of my life bore you, please go to www.ihasabucket.com instead.

So I went for a walk this afternoon over to the local coffee shop (not Starbucks) and did a little reading. It was very enjoyable. It's so easy in this city of Lost Angels to simply drive everywhere and forget the joys of a nice leisurely stroll.

I've been reading the new edition of Jeffrey Gitomer's Sales Bible. He's a pretty good writer and all of his advice comes from years of experience as a sales person. It's good, practical advice coming from someone who knows what they are talking about. Not everything in his books are applicable to the film sales industry. But overall, it's pretty helpful.

I also went and saw a couple of movies: The Fall, which I unexpectedly enjoyed, and The Forbidden Kingdom, which I didn't enjoy as much. I felt that The Forbidden Kingdom seemed like a watered down version of the old Kung Fu movies made for a Western audience. It didn't seem to work for me. Mostly because I felt that the motivation for the main character was really lacking. However, The Fall I really enjoyed. I'm about 50/50 when it comes to what they call art films. Art for art's sake really bores me. But this film had a wonderful feel to it. Plus, I enjoyed that it had a sense of humor despite the dark subject matter of the film. It's certainly a lot better than his first film The Cell, which was visually stunning but severely lacking in plot development.

Okay, enough of my dimestore film reviews. Back to playing some 'City of Heroes'.

Coachella Pt 2

2008-05-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a week since I spent three days in the desert listening to music. It's an annual event for me. This was the fourth time I've gone. I will try and go every year from now on, as long as I am able.

Some quick thoughts on some of the bands:

1. Prince - This was pretty much a once in a lifetime thing for me. I like Prince enough, but would never actually pay to go to one of his concerts. But this was amazing. I knew we were in for a treat when Morris Day came out and did Jungle Love. Then he transitioned into Sheila E doing Glamorous Life. The rest of the set was amazing. I danced and screamed like crazy during the whole set. Of course, by now everyone has heard about the amazing cover of Creep he did.

2. Goldfrapp - Probably my favorite of the weekend, made all the more impressive considering all of the technical and sound problems they had. I really hope that Goldfrapp tours this year. I will definitely be there.

3. The National - I can't believe I missed them. But they were on the same time as Goldfrapp, and there was no way I was gonna miss Goldfrapp. I hope they do a tour on their own. They're opening for REM at the Hollywood Bowl, but I am not gonna shell out a ton of money just to see the opening band.

4. Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip. This is the set everyone is gonna regret missing. the last time I asked about their album at Amoeba, all I got was a puzzled look. Apparently their album is coming out in the UK in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the American version will come out soon.

Overall, it was three days, 25 bands seen, and a ton of Gatorade. I had ablast and can't wait to see what they do for next year.

You can see the pics I took with my crappy digital camera on flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7959466@N08/

Coachella

2008-04-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

I will be heading out to the desert Thursday evening for three full days of music and dancing.

The donut of the week is:
Jelly Donut

This delicious creation is a staple of any donut eater's diet. The sugary goodness outside mixes with the sweet filling inside. Nothing beats a nice jelly donut.

So I am heading out to Coachella for the fourth time this weekend. So many amazing bands are playing. Prince, Portishead, MGMT, Goldfrapp, Aphex Twin. It's almost too much to process. I will be dancing my ass of this weekend. I'm sure I will be regretting it on Monday morning. But it's definitely worth it. And the best part is that Prince is headlining on Saturday. I didn't think I would ever see him play live, let alone at Coachella.

MIPTV

2008-04-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Donut of the week is:

Chocolate Custard Filled Donut

The classic indulgence donut. Glazed chocolate goodness, then a surprise burst of sweet velvety custard goodness. After a week traveling and working, there was this sweet beauty awaiting my return. Eat one of these and all is right with the world.

Okay back to my normal postings.

MIPTV

MIPTV is one of the two big television markets in Cannes. MIPTV or MIP for short is held in early April. The other, MIPCOM is held in October. These are primarily TV markets, so the majority of buyers and product is geared to television. There are a ton of broadcasters from around the world, in addition to a handful of regional distributors and video distributors. The majority of the product there is television product, tv series, formats, and tv movies. There are also some theatrical movies being sold as well. However, the big markets for theatrical movies are Cannes in May and AFM in November.

This was my first time attending MIPTV and the first time at a market where I was selling. I've been to Cannes and AFM before but in a more supportive role than actively selling. Before the market, I was more concerned about having as many meetings as possible because I didn't want to be standing around. In addition, I didn't want to give my bosses any reason to think that I wasn't prepared to begin selling. I didn't want to hear any 'Why didn't you contact X broadcaster?' But once I got there, I was thankful I didn't have back to back meetings. By the time my afternoons rolled around, I was suffering from jet lag so much I just wanted to go back to the apartment and go to sleep. I'll remember to try and schedule most of my important meetings for in the morning next time.

Overall, I had fun. And my boss told me I did a good job. Now it's just a matter of following up and hoping they actually want to buy our product. It's a good thing that buyers seem to be interested in our product. That's all for now.

I'm flying away...

2008-04-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

The donut of the week is:

Chocolate glazed old fashioned donut!

Nice and crispy with a chocolate coating. I love to break off pieces of the donut and eat it in sections.

I don't have so much to write about at this time. I'm in the middle of getting ready to get on a plane on Friday.

T-Minus 8 days and Counting

2008-03-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

First things first, the donut of the week is:

Plain glazed donut

While I normally enjoy chocolate coated or filled donuts, it's nice once and a while to have a nice simple glazed donut. Plus I can fool myself that it's somewhat healthy since it doesn't have any chocolate.

So the big thing on my mind is MIPTV. In eight days, I will be getting on a plane to fly to the south of France for MIPTV. I've been to Cannes before for the film festival, but this is the first time I am going with my new company. It's also the first time I am going solely to sell. So it's both exciting and scary at the same time.

If you aren't familiar with MIPTV, it's one of the two big international TV markets that take place in Cannes during the year. The first is MIPTV in April and the second is MIPCOM in October. It's a TV market, so the dress is very professional with everyone in a suit and tie. It's not like the wild west vibe of AFM or the Cannes Film Market.

We'll see how I do once I get back. I've been doing a ton of research on broadcasters. I know more that I care to about Scandinavian broadcasters. But they say that research is the difference between a good salesman and a great salesman. I'm just lucky I get paid to travel the world and talk to people, the two things I love to do the most, right behind watching movies and sex.

Bad blogger! No cookie!

2008-03-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid I'm not a very good blogger. I can never think of what to write in here.

So I came up with a thought that I would post the donut of the week. Every Wednesday at work, we get donuts. And I loooove donuts! That's not so good for my waist but it's good for my happiness! Donuts make me happy. So without further ado, I present to thee:

Donut Of The Week:
Cake donut with sugar frosting and rainbow sprinkles
I'm afraid my digital camera doesn't take very good pictures up close. But you can imagine this pure sugar creation was quite delicious!

Greetings!

2008-03-16T14:02:00.001-07:00

This is my first blog post. Finally got around to creating one.