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Film Maker's Blog
this conference is being recorded - JT Petty
May 01, 2007 08:19PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is JT Petty. JT is an accomplished author, screenwriter and director. Over the last few years he has moved fluidly between films, games and novels. When it comes to film he has directed two features; Soft for Digging (sundance 2001) and Mimic 3: Sentinel (Dimension Films). In addition he has a new disturbing doc entitled Sandman (HDNET) which has been playing to rave reviews on the festival circuit and will be hitting theaters later this year. He has scripted some of the biggest video games in the industry - Splinter Cell, Batman Vengeance and the upcoming Iron Man release. Last but not least he is a well regarded author of children's books - CLEMENCY POGUE: FAIRY KILLER and CLEMENCY POGUE: THE HOBGOBLIN PROXY.
For more on JT and his projects visit sandman-movie.com and softfordigging.com
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is JT Petty. JT is an accomplished author, screenwriter and director. Over the last few years he has moved fluidly between films, games and novels. When it comes to film he has directed two features; Soft for Digging (sundance 2001) and Mimic 3: Sentinel (Dimension Films). In addition he has a new disturbing doc entitled Sandman (HDNET) which has been playing to rave reviews on the festival circuit and will be hitting theaters later this year. He has scripted some of the biggest video games in the industry - Splinter Cell, Batman Vengeance and the upcoming Iron Man release. Last but not least he is a well regarded author of children's books - CLEMENCY POGUE: FAIRY KILLER and CLEMENCY POGUE: THE HOBGOBLIN PROXY.
For more on JT and his projects visit sandman-movie.com and softfordigging.com
Click play to listen
CASE STUDY - WRAP UP ON MASHUP
Apr 29, 2007 06:37AM
A few weeks ago the HEAD TRAUMA mashup / cinema ARG had its first screening. The event was a collision of movies, music, gaming and theatrics. In a previous post I questioned the viability of traditional theatrical releases for "truly" independent films. The mashup / cinema ARG has promise and event driven theatrical experiences could in fact become an interesting model for independent distro.
- The event attracted regional and national press. Not only reviews but a collection of articles that explained the event. Even though I received press during HT's theatrical release in Sept. 06 the mashup resulted in even more press.
- The ticket price was $14 dollars and over 150 people attended the event - one night was better than the average gross of each of HT's traditional theatrical week long runs. The event also allowed me to sell DVDs, Posters, and copies of the HT soundtrack.
- The HT mailing list grows as audience members sign up to receive updates about the film
- The evening was recorded and now there are more promotional materials for the film - a behind the scenes doc, a new alternate soundtrack that syncs with the movie and a couple hundred photographs
- National press leads to a number of amazing opportunities. I've been contacted by managers, agents, advertising agencies, additional venues and sponsors that are interested in taking the cinema ARG on the road.
- The success of the first Cinema ARG leads to bookings in NYC, London, and San Francisco
- The Cinema ARG is picked up by a number of trend tracking firms who have the following to say:
"Director Lance Weiler has created a “remix” presentation of his cult indie horror flick Head Trauma, the result of which sounds like a good approximation of the future of film. ...As theatres increasingly compete with home entertainment, we believe live film presentations such as this could be a way to keep audiences going out to movies."
- Wired sends a reporter to the event. To read his take click here.
OVERALL: Even though it was a lot of work, I think an event based theatrical model can be the right answer for films looking to stand out in a crowded market. The important element is finding the right event to center around your work. A good starting point is to identify your film's hooks. What is it about your film that people will find interesting? Once you figure out the hooks then you can start to build an event. If you do move forward with an event based screening we'd love to hear about it. Send your emails to work [@] workbookproject.com
A few weeks ago the HEAD TRAUMA mashup / cinema ARG had its first screening. The event was a collision of movies, music, gaming and theatrics. In a previous post I questioned the viability of traditional theatrical releases for "truly" independent films. The mashup / cinema ARG has promise and event driven theatrical experiences could in fact become an interesting model for independent distro.
- The event attracted regional and national press. Not only reviews but a collection of articles that explained the event. Even though I received press during HT's theatrical release in Sept. 06 the mashup resulted in even more press.
- The ticket price was $14 dollars and over 150 people attended the event - one night was better than the average gross of each of HT's traditional theatrical week long runs. The event also allowed me to sell DVDs, Posters, and copies of the HT soundtrack.
- The HT mailing list grows as audience members sign up to receive updates about the film
- The evening was recorded and now there are more promotional materials for the film - a behind the scenes doc, a new alternate soundtrack that syncs with the movie and a couple hundred photographs
- National press leads to a number of amazing opportunities. I've been contacted by managers, agents, advertising agencies, additional venues and sponsors that are interested in taking the cinema ARG on the road.
- The success of the first Cinema ARG leads to bookings in NYC, London, and San Francisco
- The Cinema ARG is picked up by a number of trend tracking firms who have the following to say:
"Director Lance Weiler has created a “remix” presentation of his cult indie horror flick Head Trauma, the result of which sounds like a good approximation of the future of film. ...As theatres increasingly compete with home entertainment, we believe live film presentations such as this could be a way to keep audiences going out to movies."
- Wired sends a reporter to the event. To read his take click here.
OVERALL: Even though it was a lot of work, I think an event based theatrical model can be the right answer for films looking to stand out in a crowded market. The important element is finding the right event to center around your work. A good starting point is to identify your film's hooks. What is it about your film that people will find interesting? Once you figure out the hooks then you can start to build an event. If you do move forward with an event based screening we'd love to hear about it. Send your emails to work [@] workbookproject.com
this conference is being recorded - Tommy Pallotta
Apr 25, 2007 08:04PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Tommy Pallotta. Tommy is an accomplished filmmaker and producer. He has produced films for Richard Linklater such as Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. In our discussion, Tommy explains the process of bringing Philip K. Dick's classic tale of substance D and scramble suits to the big screen.
To find out more about Tommy click here.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Tommy Pallotta. Tommy is an accomplished filmmaker and producer. He has produced films for Richard Linklater such as Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. In our discussion, Tommy explains the process of bringing Philip K. Dick's classic tale of substance D and scramble suits to the big screen.
To find out more about Tommy click here.
Click play to listen
This conference is being recorded - Stephen Susco
Apr 20, 2007 04:09PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is screenwriter Stephen Susco. Over the last decade Stephen has optioned many scripts, been hired to adapt various materials by major studios, and experienced first hand what it's like to work within the system. His screen credits include The Grudge, which grossed over 110 million dollars domestically. In our discussion Stephen explains how he got his break, the way he pitches a project, and what a wild ride the development process can be. Later this year he'll direct a project that he's adapting from a Tim Lebbon's novella entitled "White."
For more info on Stephen Susco click here.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is screenwriter Stephen Susco. Over the last decade Stephen has optioned many scripts, been hired to adapt various materials by major studios, and experienced first hand what it's like to work within the system. His screen credits include The Grudge, which grossed over 110 million dollars domestically. In our discussion Stephen explains how he got his break, the way he pitches a project, and what a wild ride the development process can be. Later this year he'll direct a project that he's adapting from a Tim Lebbon's novella entitled "White."
For more info on Stephen Susco click here.
Click play to listen
Tools mybloglog
Apr 16, 2007 07:27AM
Site: http://www.mybloglog.com
Service: Social networking solution for bloggers and site owners who are interested in building their own communities.
Status: Service has a strong user base, which is very active.
Of note:
1. mybloglog allows bloggers to create a social networking environment around their own blogs and sites. Once a site has been added to your "author list," you can start building your own community.
2. Easy to join communities. Make friends with people who might share similar readership interests as you.
3. Small widget allows you to embed a readers roll (a small list that includes pics and names of visitors - look in the sidebar of this blog) into your sites or blogs. The readers roll is a great way to see who your readers are.
4. For a small monthly fee, mybloglog offers an exstensive stite traffic stats package. Another pay option, allows you to brand your mybloglog member page to make it feel more like your site or blog.
Rating:
ease of use: 9
functionality: 8
features: 9
filmmaker value: 9.5
overall: If you're interested in building out a community around your blog or site then mybloglog is for you. Since I've joined I've met a bunch of interesting people, discovered some great new sites, made some DVD sales of my newest film, and even was offered two blogging gigs.
Samples: you can visit mybloglog here http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/members/lweiler/
Site: http://www.mybloglog.com
Service: Social networking solution for bloggers and site owners who are interested in building their own communities.
Status: Service has a strong user base, which is very active.
Of note:
1. mybloglog allows bloggers to create a social networking environment around their own blogs and sites. Once a site has been added to your "author list," you can start building your own community.
2. Easy to join communities. Make friends with people who might share similar readership interests as you.
3. Small widget allows you to embed a readers roll (a small list that includes pics and names of visitors - look in the sidebar of this blog) into your sites or blogs. The readers roll is a great way to see who your readers are.
4. For a small monthly fee, mybloglog offers an exstensive stite traffic stats package. Another pay option, allows you to brand your mybloglog member page to make it feel more like your site or blog.
Rating:
ease of use: 9
functionality: 8
features: 9
filmmaker value: 9.5
overall: If you're interested in building out a community around your blog or site then mybloglog is for you. Since I've joined I've met a bunch of interesting people, discovered some great new sites, made some DVD sales of my newest film, and even was offered two blogging gigs.
Samples: you can visit mybloglog here http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/members/lweiler/
This conference is being recorded - A SWARM OF ANGELS
Apr 10, 2007 11:20PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Matt Hanson. Matt is the creator of the cinema 2.0 project, A SWARM OF ANGELS. SOA is a collaborative filmmaking experiment that uses “crowdsourcing” to create and distribute a full length feature film. The project is open to anyone who would like to join the process. For a small fee you become an Angel and have a vote in everything that happens from script to screen.
To find out more about SOA click here.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Matt Hanson. Matt is the creator of the cinema 2.0 project, A SWARM OF ANGELS. SOA is a collaborative filmmaking experiment that uses “crowdsourcing” to create and distribute a full length feature film. The project is open to anyone who would like to join the process. For a small fee you become an Angel and have a vote in everything that happens from script to screen.
To find out more about SOA click here.
Click play to listen
this conference is being recorded - Robert Greenwald
Apr 05, 2007 07:20AM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Robert Greenwald - producer, director and political activist. Greenwald and the team at Brave New Films, have created a number of politically charged documentaries - Outfoxed, Wallmart - the high cost of low price and most recently Iraq for Sale - the War Profiteers. Over time they have created their own model for making and distributing their work and in the process, have helped to spark social change.
For more information on Brave New Films click here
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Robert Greenwald - producer, director and political activist. Greenwald and the team at Brave New Films, have created a number of politically charged documentaries - Outfoxed, Wallmart - the high cost of low price and most recently Iraq for Sale - the War Profiteers. Over time they have created their own model for making and distributing their work and in the process, have helped to spark social change.
For more information on Brave New Films click here
Click play to listen
POV: Is traditional theatrical dead?
Mar 30, 2007 10:41AM
I've heard a lot of people challenging the theatrical experience - box office numbers are down from previous years, and home theater systems are only getting better. Not to mention all the competition for viewers attention thanks to a 500+ channel universe, broadband and a shrinking amount of free time. Don't get me wrong, I believe that people still want that communal experience that a theatrical film can provide. But I think that filmmakers need to make the theatrical experience their own and find interesting ways to engage their audiences.
After doing a 17 city, DIY theatrical release for HEAD TRAUMA, I think that traditional theatrical releases of "truly" independent films are a dangerous proposition. It's next to impossible to pull people into a screening without P&A money. I harnessed the internet to help with grassroots promotion, my social networking friends helped to flyer and sticker for me, they also brought their friends. But a theatrical release is a humbling affair. On average we'd have nights with 25 to 30 people in a screening. On a rare night, we'd have over a 150 people in attendance but often we'd have only 10 or 12. In the end I made money but it was not because of the box office take alone. It was a combination of speaking engagements, poster sales and the fact that I didn't spend anything on promotion or renting the theaters. I did 50/50 splits with all the theaters to help reduce my risk.
What I think is a more interesting theatrical model is an event driven one. For instance, I've been staging a number of one off live events. They are special theatrical events that use a mixture of multimedia, performance, and technology to remix the movie in a new way. Some people have called the events Cinema ARGs (alternate reality games) because of the way they engage the audience in the theater and after they leave.
This coming Saturday, we'll be doing a special remix screening of HEAD TRAUMA in Philadelphia. It is broken into the following parts.
THE MUSIC The evening will consist of Bardo Pond, Espers, Fern Knight and a DJ providing a live score to the movie. I've separated the dialog and sound effects tracks, so we can do a total remix of the movie live.
The current remix shows came from a concept we had called CURSED. CURSED the HEAD TRAUMA movie project started as an alternate soundtrack experience for the movie. Similar to how Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon lines up with the WIZARD OF OZ, we created a soundtrack that could line up with HEAD TRAUMA. Turn down the volume on the TV and turn up the volume on the stereo. The following behind the scenes short describes the process.
THEATRICS The night will include a number of theatrical elements. On stage, we've constructed a tent which is key to the story of the film and the hooded figure who is the protagonist's nemesis will emerge at different times through out the night within the audience. There are fog machines, lighting effects and physical scares. The theatrical elements borrow from a cross between dinner theater on acid and the school of William Castle. William Castle was a famous showman who actually wired the audience's seats to shock them during screenings of his classic THE TINGLER.
THE GAME The last element of the evening is a high tech one which allows viewers to use their mobile phones to interact with certain characters from the film. Since I'm working with the IndEx media server to project the film, I've been able to easily add subtitles. On screen at key moments a phone number appears. When audience members call the number they'll hear the hooded figure from the film. Depending on their answers they'll receive a number of clues. At the conclusion of the movie we'll ring all the phones in the theater at the same time. Then for the lucky few the film will follow them home as they receive additional calls and text messages that lead them to hidden elements online.
This coming show is the first in a series of remix screenings. The release will target universities and museums. Since it is an event the ticket prices are more than double a traditional movie ticket. We'll see how it goes, but I think it's an interesting concept that points towards a new type of theatrical experience.
I'll let you know how it all works out.
I've heard a lot of people challenging the theatrical experience - box office numbers are down from previous years, and home theater systems are only getting better. Not to mention all the competition for viewers attention thanks to a 500+ channel universe, broadband and a shrinking amount of free time. Don't get me wrong, I believe that people still want that communal experience that a theatrical film can provide. But I think that filmmakers need to make the theatrical experience their own and find interesting ways to engage their audiences.
After doing a 17 city, DIY theatrical release for HEAD TRAUMA, I think that traditional theatrical releases of "truly" independent films are a dangerous proposition. It's next to impossible to pull people into a screening without P&A money. I harnessed the internet to help with grassroots promotion, my social networking friends helped to flyer and sticker for me, they also brought their friends. But a theatrical release is a humbling affair. On average we'd have nights with 25 to 30 people in a screening. On a rare night, we'd have over a 150 people in attendance but often we'd have only 10 or 12. In the end I made money but it was not because of the box office take alone. It was a combination of speaking engagements, poster sales and the fact that I didn't spend anything on promotion or renting the theaters. I did 50/50 splits with all the theaters to help reduce my risk.
What I think is a more interesting theatrical model is an event driven one. For instance, I've been staging a number of one off live events. They are special theatrical events that use a mixture of multimedia, performance, and technology to remix the movie in a new way. Some people have called the events Cinema ARGs (alternate reality games) because of the way they engage the audience in the theater and after they leave.
This coming Saturday, we'll be doing a special remix screening of HEAD TRAUMA in Philadelphia. It is broken into the following parts.
THE MUSIC The evening will consist of Bardo Pond, Espers, Fern Knight and a DJ providing a live score to the movie. I've separated the dialog and sound effects tracks, so we can do a total remix of the movie live.
The current remix shows came from a concept we had called CURSED. CURSED the HEAD TRAUMA movie project started as an alternate soundtrack experience for the movie. Similar to how Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon lines up with the WIZARD OF OZ, we created a soundtrack that could line up with HEAD TRAUMA. Turn down the volume on the TV and turn up the volume on the stereo. The following behind the scenes short describes the process.
THEATRICS The night will include a number of theatrical elements. On stage, we've constructed a tent which is key to the story of the film and the hooded figure who is the protagonist's nemesis will emerge at different times through out the night within the audience. There are fog machines, lighting effects and physical scares. The theatrical elements borrow from a cross between dinner theater on acid and the school of William Castle. William Castle was a famous showman who actually wired the audience's seats to shock them during screenings of his classic THE TINGLER.
THE GAME The last element of the evening is a high tech one which allows viewers to use their mobile phones to interact with certain characters from the film. Since I'm working with the IndEx media server to project the film, I've been able to easily add subtitles. On screen at key moments a phone number appears. When audience members call the number they'll hear the hooded figure from the film. Depending on their answers they'll receive a number of clues. At the conclusion of the movie we'll ring all the phones in the theater at the same time. Then for the lucky few the film will follow them home as they receive additional calls and text messages that lead them to hidden elements online.
This coming show is the first in a series of remix screenings. The release will target universities and museums. Since it is an event the ticket prices are more than double a traditional movie ticket. We'll see how it goes, but I think it's an interesting concept that points towards a new type of theatrical experience.
I'll let you know how it all works out.
this conference is being recorded - Todd Rohal
Mar 27, 2007 08:15PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is writer / director Todd Rohal. Todd's newest feature THE GUATEMALAN HANDSHAKE, is a visually stunning DIY feature shot on 35MM. Currently, Todd is traveling across the country on a DIY theatrical tour. In our conversation we discuss the process of working with non-actors, pulling off a lot of production values with little resources, and what to do with a film once the festival run is over.
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is writer / director Todd Rohal. Todd's newest feature THE GUATEMALAN HANDSHAKE, is a visually stunning DIY feature shot on 35MM. Currently, Todd is traveling across the country on a DIY theatrical tour. In our conversation we discuss the process of working with non-actors, pulling off a lot of production values with little resources, and what to do with a film once the festival run is over.
this conference is being recorded -Scott Kirsner
Mar 22, 2007 09:39PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Scott Kirsner a journalist, author and blogger. In our conversation we discuss his new book "The Future of Web Video"
More on the book http://stores.lulu.com/kirsner
Scott's blog http://cinematech.blogspot.com/
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Our guest today is Scott Kirsner a journalist, author and blogger. In our conversation we discuss his new book "The Future of Web Video"
More on the book http://stores.lulu.com/kirsner
Scott's blog http://cinematech.blogspot.com/
Click play to listen
this conference is being recorded - Joe Swanberg
Mar 15, 2007 12:24AM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today's guest is filmmaker Joe Swanberg. Over the last three years Joe has made four features Kissing on the Mouth, LOL, Hannah takes the Stairs, Nights and Weekends and a web series for Nerve called Young American Bodies. He makes personal lo-fi films with a core of collaborators (Mark Duplass, Andrew Bujalski, Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Ry Russo-Young, Kevin Bewersdorf and Todd Rohal) similar in approach to the way John Cassavetes and Mike Leigh have made their work. Often working with a crew of two Joe, produces, shoots and edits his films all of which are under 4,000 dollars. His movies have done well on the festival circuit and his first two films can be found on DVD. In our discussion Joe explains his creative process, working with a team of collaborators, and his desire to make as much work as he can.
For more on Joe Swanberg and his work click here.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today's guest is filmmaker Joe Swanberg. Over the last three years Joe has made four features Kissing on the Mouth, LOL, Hannah takes the Stairs, Nights and Weekends and a web series for Nerve called Young American Bodies. He makes personal lo-fi films with a core of collaborators (Mark Duplass, Andrew Bujalski, Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Ry Russo-Young, Kevin Bewersdorf and Todd Rohal) similar in approach to the way John Cassavetes and Mike Leigh have made their work. Often working with a crew of two Joe, produces, shoots and edits his films all of which are under 4,000 dollars. His movies have done well on the festival circuit and his first two films can be found on DVD. In our discussion Joe explains his creative process, working with a team of collaborators, and his desire to make as much work as he can.
For more on Joe Swanberg and his work click here.
Click play to listen
POV: The danger of OBSCURITY
Mar 14, 2007 02:32PM
I've just returned from SXSW where I spoke on two panels. One was about building an online fan base and the other dealt with blogging about film. In both cases the issue of discovery was discussed. Many people wondered how they could expand their audiences and readership.
Everyone talks about the democratization of the internet, but with so many sites, blogs and movies being made how does someone find you in a sea of media? I believe the key is to develop a one to one relationship with your audience. If you have a direct relationship you are not dependent on the current system for distribution. The difficult part is that building an audience for one's work can be a labor intensive process, and there is no one way to do it. It in itself is a process of discovery. It is obvious that as the current distribution system continues to consolidate it will offer less and less opportunities to content creators.
I came across the following article in NYT and thought that it gave a nice overview of the current state of physical distribution. What struck we me most is that independent films are in fact obscure movies. The vast majority of which play a number of film festivals and maybe see a small release if any.
For Obscure DVDs, a Precarious Future
By BRYAN REESMAN
"AMONG the glories of the rising tide of DVD sales was the wave of discs that revived lost or overlooked works by filmmakers like David Lynch, Werner Herzog, Dario Argento, Jess Franco and Takashi Miike. Now some of the companies that brought those movies into homes are getting pulled under and may take future releases down with them.
The Digital Entertainment Group, a nonprofit trade consortium, reported for the first time in 2006 that overall DVD shipments were stuck at about 1.65 billion units, roughly the same as 2005, after years of rapid growth. According to the weekly DVD Release Report, combined DVD releases dropped to 12,887 in 2006 from 13,712 in 2005.
In effect the video market is glutted. For big studios that means more jousting over future formats that may restart sales. But for specialty companies that have traded otherwise unavailable horror, action, art-house and exploitation titles, the glut has meant a struggle to survive."
read more
Everyone talks about the democratization of the internet, but with so many sites, blogs and movies being made how does someone find you in a sea of media? I believe the key is to develop a one to one relationship with your audience. If you have a direct relationship you are not dependent on the current system for distribution. The difficult part is that building an audience for one's work can be a labor intensive process, and there is no one way to do it. It in itself is a process of discovery. It is obvious that as the current distribution system continues to consolidate it will offer less and less opportunities to content creators.
I came across the following article in NYT and thought that it gave a nice overview of the current state of physical distribution. What struck we me most is that independent films are in fact obscure movies. The vast majority of which play a number of film festivals and maybe see a small release if any.
For Obscure DVDs, a Precarious Future
By BRYAN REESMAN
"AMONG the glories of the rising tide of DVD sales was the wave of discs that revived lost or overlooked works by filmmakers like David Lynch, Werner Herzog, Dario Argento, Jess Franco and Takashi Miike. Now some of the companies that brought those movies into homes are getting pulled under and may take future releases down with them.
The Digital Entertainment Group, a nonprofit trade consortium, reported for the first time in 2006 that overall DVD shipments were stuck at about 1.65 billion units, roughly the same as 2005, after years of rapid growth. According to the weekly DVD Release Report, combined DVD releases dropped to 12,887 in 2006 from 13,712 in 2005.
In effect the video market is glutted. For big studios that means more jousting over future formats that may restart sales. But for specialty companies that have traded otherwise unavailable horror, action, art-house and exploitation titles, the glut has meant a struggle to survive."
read more
this conference is being recorded - Patty Jenkins
Mar 05, 2007 07:14PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today's guest is writer / director Patty Jenkins. In 2003, Patty made her first feature film entitled Monster. In the film Charlize Theorn plays serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The film was well received by critics and audiences, and Theorn went on to win an Academy Award for her performance. In our discussion Patty explains what it took to package Monster and the struggles to make such an emotionally charged film.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today's guest is writer / director Patty Jenkins. In 2003, Patty made her first feature film entitled Monster. In the film Charlize Theorn plays serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The film was well received by critics and audiences, and Theorn went on to win an Academy Award for her performance. In our discussion Patty explains what it took to package Monster and the struggles to make such an emotionally charged film.
Click play to listen
this conference is being recorded - DIY roundtable take 2
Feb 27, 2007 11:18AM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today I'm joined by Steve Balderson (Pep Squad, Wamego: Making Movies Anywhere, Firecracker, Phone Sex) and Christopher Garetano (Horror Business), two independent filmmakers who are creating their own work on their own terms. In our discussion we cover a variety of issues facing filmmakers today - funding, production, post and distribution.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today I'm joined by Steve Balderson (Pep Squad, Wamego: Making Movies Anywhere, Firecracker, Phone Sex) and Christopher Garetano (Horror Business), two independent filmmakers who are creating their own work on their own terms. In our discussion we cover a variety of issues facing filmmakers today - funding, production, post and distribution.
Click play to listen
Tools - loopnote
Feb 23, 2007 09:37PM
Site: http://www.loopnote.com
Service: Provides a unified messaging solution that allows you to easily stay in touch with a group people through a single interface.
Status: Just launched. Still in beta so certain features such as IM verification are a bit spotty
Of note:
1. loopnote makes it easy to send updates quickly to a group of people - via sms, email, IM or RSS
2. Simple registration for you and your group - group members can select the way they receive their notifications. And all your personal info stays private.
3. Notifications are short 100 characters or less, with the option to easily expand the message. The expanded message is delivered as link when clicked brings readers to a special message page.
Rating:
ease of use: 8
functionality: 7
features: 6.5
filmmaker value: 7.5
overall: If you need a simple way to update a group of people quickly, then loopnote is worth a look. Has a variety of uses - send a call time to your cast and crew, use it as a way to build an audience around your festival screenings or a theatrical tour or just use it to stay in touch with a group of friends. A number of things are still a bit spotty with the service, but it has a lot of potential.
Site: http://www.loopnote.com
Service: Provides a unified messaging solution that allows you to easily stay in touch with a group people through a single interface.
Status: Just launched. Still in beta so certain features such as IM verification are a bit spotty
Of note:
1. loopnote makes it easy to send updates quickly to a group of people - via sms, email, IM or RSS
2. Simple registration for you and your group - group members can select the way they receive their notifications. And all your personal info stays private.
3. Notifications are short 100 characters or less, with the option to easily expand the message. The expanded message is delivered as link when clicked brings readers to a special message page.
Rating:
ease of use: 8
functionality: 7
features: 6.5
filmmaker value: 7.5
overall: If you need a simple way to update a group of people quickly, then loopnote is worth a look. Has a variety of uses - send a call time to your cast and crew, use it as a way to build an audience around your festival screenings or a theatrical tour or just use it to stay in touch with a group of friends. A number of things are still a bit spotty with the service, but it has a lot of potential.
this conference is being recorded - booking a theater
Feb 18, 2007 08:56PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today's guest is Jeff Yanc, program director of the Loft Cinema in Tucson, Arizona. The Loft Cinema is an independent theater that shows art house, cult and truly independent fare. In our discussion Jeff explains what goes into booking a theatrical run. He touches on how to approach a venue, what types of deals can be struck and the best ways to drive an audience to your screenings.
For more information on the Loft Cinema click here.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today's guest is Jeff Yanc, program director of the Loft Cinema in Tucson, Arizona. The Loft Cinema is an independent theater that shows art house, cult and truly independent fare. In our discussion Jeff explains what goes into booking a theatrical run. He touches on how to approach a venue, what types of deals can be struck and the best ways to drive an audience to your screenings.
For more information on the Loft Cinema click here.
Click play to listen
this conference is being recorded - Fundraising
Feb 11, 2007 08:38PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today’s guest is Stu Pollard. Stu is a filmmaker and a fundraising specialist. Besides raising funds for his own movies, Stu has helped to secure over 7 million dollars in private equity for a number of films. He recently started a company called Pollard Film to help guide filmmakers through the fundraising process. In our discussion, Stu sheds light on what goes into a business plan, how to find the right investor for your project and how to build the best package to help get your film funded.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today’s guest is Stu Pollard. Stu is a filmmaker and a fundraising specialist. Besides raising funds for his own movies, Stu has helped to secure over 7 million dollars in private equity for a number of films. He recently started a company called Pollard Film to help guide filmmakers through the fundraising process. In our discussion, Stu sheds light on what goes into a business plan, how to find the right investor for your project and how to build the best package to help get your film funded.
Click play to listen
how to create your own news feed mashup
Feb 09, 2007 04:17PM
Topic: How to create your own news feed mashup
Skill level: moderate
IMPORTANT NOTE this news feed mashup will work well within your Audience page!
One of the web promotions that was used for HEAD TRAUMA, is what I call “scatter shot.” The approach made use of about 13 different domains. The goal was to increase the visibility of the phrase HEAD TRAUMA within search engines. To read more on the approach click here.
In order to simplify the updating of all the domains in one easy step, I created a social bookmarking / rss feed aggregation mashup. The great thing about the mashup is, it can be given to your cast, crew, or fans to place in their pages. It is an easy way for you to syndicate news items, without having to mess with code. All you have to do is bookmark the items you want and they show up where ever the code has been embedded.
visit lanceweiler.com for a working example
Click HERE to see a step by step guide.
Topic: How to create your own news feed mashup
Skill level: moderate
IMPORTANT NOTE this news feed mashup will work well within your Audience page!
One of the web promotions that was used for HEAD TRAUMA, is what I call “scatter shot.” The approach made use of about 13 different domains. The goal was to increase the visibility of the phrase HEAD TRAUMA within search engines. To read more on the approach click here.
In order to simplify the updating of all the domains in one easy step, I created a social bookmarking / rss feed aggregation mashup. The great thing about the mashup is, it can be given to your cast, crew, or fans to place in their pages. It is an easy way for you to syndicate news items, without having to mess with code. All you have to do is bookmark the items you want and they show up where ever the code has been embedded.
visit lanceweiler.com for a working example
Click HERE to see a step by step guide.
this conference is being recorded - We are the strange
Feb 04, 2007 05:59PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today’s guest is M dot Strange. His newest DIY HD res animated feature, We Are The Strange, is fresh off a world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. We Are The Strange is a collision of gaming, Anime and filmmaking that challenges the current convention of narrative. But just as impressive is the way that M dot Strange created a large internet following prior to any screenings with just a blog, trailer and youTube channel.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
Today’s guest is M dot Strange. His newest DIY HD res animated feature, We Are The Strange, is fresh off a world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. We Are The Strange is a collision of gaming, Anime and filmmaking that challenges the current convention of narrative. But just as impressive is the way that M dot Strange created a large internet following prior to any screenings with just a blog, trailer and youTube channel.
Click play to listen
this conference is being recorded - DIY rountable 1
Jan 30, 2007 04:48PM
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
This podcast is a special DIY roundtable on film production with Mark Stolaroff (producer and founder of the No Budget Film School), and Paul Harrill (filmmaker and blogger Self Reliant). Over the course of the discussion we cover a number of topics such as; fundraising, producing, directing, casting, working with cast and crew, and how to obtain high production values with little money.
Click play to listen
is a weekly podcast produced by the Workbook Project
This podcast is a special DIY roundtable on film production with Mark Stolaroff (producer and founder of the No Budget Film School), and Paul Harrill (filmmaker and blogger Self Reliant). Over the course of the discussion we cover a number of topics such as; fundraising, producing, directing, casting, working with cast and crew, and how to obtain high production values with little money.
Click play to listen
how to create your own audio player
Jan 30, 2007 12:21PM
Topic: How to create your own embeddable flash audio player
Skill level: moderate
Topic: How to create your own embeddable flash audio player
Skill level: moderate
Here's a step by step process of how I made the player. Good luck and have fun - send questions or comments to work@workbookproject.com
1. Since XSFP is an open source flash player a lot of the heavy lifting is already done. The player is lean and mean. Go to http://musicplayer.sourceforge.net scroll down the page to Latest Releases and select the version of the player you wish to download. HT radio made use of the extended version, which allows for photos.
2. There are 3 files in the xspf_player zip. Extract the files and place the file with the extension ".swf" which is "xspf_player.swf" on your server using an FTP program. This file is essentially the media player, and will require a playlist to function. I chose to create a folder called mp3 and placed it within it.
(*For advanced users -There is also an .fla file that can alter the skin of the player and a .as file that can change the core functions of the player - both require Flash authoring software)
3. Once the xspf_player.swf is up on your server it's time to build a playlist. You can use a simple text editor just copy and paste the sample below. The playlist is a collection of image and audio files. It's an xml file. You can easily swap out the files and names for you own. This shows two tracks.
As you'll notice everything is placed in the /mp3 folder. There is a location line which is the audio file and an image line which is the image you want to associate with the track.
Save your file and call it playlist.xspf most likely your text editor will throw a different file extension onto the end but you can re-name the file once it's on your server.
4. Upload playlist.xspf into the your /mp3 folder on your server
5. Now your ready to embed the player into your site, blog or social networking profile. Take the following code and change the path to match your own.
If you want to change some of the players paramaters here's a list - to see more info visit http://musicplayer.sourceforge.net
parameters:
playlist_url : the url of the xspf file to load
autoplay : boolean value that make the music start without the initial user click
autoload : boolean value that make the playlist load without the initial user click
repeat_playlist : boolean value that make the repeats the playlist after the end of the last song playlist_size : number of tracks to limit
player_title : the text to replace the players default's
info_button_text : the text to display on the info link, see this page
radio_mode : boolean value, if true tells the player that the last track of playlist is in real a new playlist location. more info
The music player can also be used to play single mp3 files instead of playlists, the parameters are:
song_url : the url of the single mp3 you want to play
song_title : the text to replace the players default's
If you want to use the button player, there is a test page to custom the button and generate the html code.
6. If you want to make the audio player code easy for your audience to embed and spread, just add you final player embed code into the following and then copy and paste the whole thing below where you place your player. The textarea tags will allow the code to be visable.
welcome
Jan 30, 2007 12:17PM
Welcome to the Workbook Project's Audience page. In an effort to help bridge the gap between technology and filmmaking the Workbook is a free "social open source" project for filmmakers.
Here on the lab tools audience page from time to time we'll provide you with reviews, tips and tricks about how you can use tech to help build your project's audience.
Another cool feature of the Workbook Project is our weekly podcast "this conference is being recorded" visit http://workbookproject.com for more information and a listing of current and past interviews.
That's it for now... more to come...
Lance Weiler
filmmaker and founder of the Workbook Project
Here on the lab tools audience page from time to time we'll provide you with reviews, tips and tricks about how you can use tech to help build your project's audience.
Another cool feature of the Workbook Project is our weekly podcast "this conference is being recorded" visit http://workbookproject.com for more information and a listing of current and past interviews.
That's it for now... more to come...
Lance Weiler
filmmaker and founder of the Workbook Project
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6 Comments about labtools
Mar 03, 2007 08:06AM
Fantastic. Thank you for the tools and I will keep my eyes open for anything I or my amigos can contribute. We all can't just wait for folks to hand it to us. We gotta' do it ourself and share it with others!
Good luck and again thanks!
JetPak Productions, LLC
FilmmakersPod.com
Feb 27, 2007 10:22PM
We love your website - so much new stuff to learn about
Feb 10, 2007 06:21AM
very cool.
Feb 06, 2007 01:27PM
great tools - thanks!
Jan 30, 2007 11:00PM
This was one of the most insightful blogs I've heard in a while. Very informative. I'm kind of in a catch 22, addressing the same issues as well with creative ways to raise funds, paradigming the entire production process and development.
Thanks much...
Aaron
Jan 30, 2007 01:09PM
Hello! Useful tools... Look forward to learning more.
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