Thursday, October 22, 2009
Michael Jackson Rolls With The Red Camera
Just thought I'd share this picture of Michael Jackson with the much-coveted RED camera from the upcoming docu-concert movie, This Is It, which chronicles Mike's last days on this earth as he rehearsed for what would've been his comeback concert tour.
I have yet to see a major feature film shot on the Red (at least not that I know of), so I'm looking forward to seeing how it all looks and plays on the big screen. Please feel free to comment with a list/links of other upcoming features shot on the Red camera if anyone knows of more.
Peep the NY Times article on "This Is It"\
Update:
Thanx to Double Down Film Show listener, Tilden Jones for this link to other films shot on Red. Turns out the list is much longer than I thought:
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tell Ya Friends to Double Down!
Click here to download a .pdf flyer promoting the Double Down Film Show
"Precious" Smashes the Indie Mold
Peep the extensive new article on Director Lee Daniels (Monsters Ball) blazing hot and controversial new film, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire which is now being presented by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry.From all that I've read and heard about the project, this is a very different type of film and a real anomaly on the indie film landscape. How different you may ask? Well let's see...it stars an obese black woman, takes place in the 'hood and it deals with subjects of incest, teen pregnancy, violence, poetry and it's not even remotely a feel good movie.
None of the above typically makes for box office gold. Perhaps most remarkable, given that set-up, Precious was also the most talked about film at the last Sundance Film Fest and became the subject of a bidding war between two major Hollywood players. Like it's star character, the movie completely smashes the mold of our indie expectations.
Of course, any film that's really shaken the ground and captured our imagination upon release has been one that went against the grain of convention. Sometimes you've just gotta believe in, execute and be true to the vision your head even if no one else sees what you see. It's really not their fault. Often they can't see it clearly until the vision is fully executed and translated from your head to reality.All I know is that somewhere in NYC there's a ghetto poet named Sapphire that nobody believed would amount to much or accomplish much, but it's a damn good thing she didn't believe it 'cause her work is now appearing on the big screen, The Oprah Show, fostering social dialogue and actually helping to change the world...Just goes to show that sometimes they don't know shit.
Dream. Plan. Execute. Repeat... That's the winning formula y'all.
The new New York Times Article on Precious.
The New York Times video interview with Director Lee Daniels
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Art of Shameless Self-Promotion on The Next Double Down Film Show
On the next Double Down Film Show we’ll delve into the fine art of Shameless Self-Promotion. If you make a project and nobody knows about it, does it really exist?…Our answer is, No.In order for a project to have a successful launch, the public must first be made aware of it. A project only exists in the public consciousness when someone plants it there. Thanks to the digital age, there are more ways than ever to plant the seeds of your project in the public’s mind and many of them are free or dirt cheap.
- How can you establish credibility as an unknown filmmaker?
- Why should you brand yourself?
- How can you establish and maintain a healthy online presence?
- What can you do to partner with like-minded communities?
- How can you put your fans to work for you?
- Why is networking one of the most important things you can do?
Listen in as we break down the answers to these questions and more in a live consulting session with Double Down Film Community members, Hiral Shah and Leena Manro, whose new comedy tv series, DeSiCiTi, is a hilarious and timely South Asian spin on love and sex in New York City.
Using DeSiCiti as a case-study, we’ll give our specific strategies for establishing a stronger presence online, attracting free promotion, partnering with other people and otherwise making a name for yourself and your project as you launch your first efforts. Every Wednesday night, listen and learn.
The Double Down Film Show...Filmmaking Reality Starts Here!
Listen Live Every Wednesday 9pm-10pm E.S.T.
Call-in Number: (646) 929-1956
Listen To It Online Here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/DoubleDownFilmShow
Author, Barry Hampe, Tout's Our "Back Door to Film School"
Barry Hampe, the author of the documentary book, Making Documentary Films and Videos (2nd. Edition) gave his endorsement of The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide in a post on the International Documentary Association's website, Documentary.org .
I should take this occasion to return the favor and point out that Barry's book is also an excellent resource for budding doc makers. I give more broad strokes of doc-making with a focus on specific technical and practical production tips...Barry gives more detailed strokes with a heavier focus on storytelling, ethics, and editing. Put both books together and you're well on your way to a dynamite doc...
Barry's "SU&S" Review for Documentary.Org
"The back door to film school is now open," Anthony Q. Artis writes at the end of his preface to The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide. And it's true. He has lovingly placed a complete video production course between the covers of a book. Here are all the things a conscientious film teacher tells his students. And, new media being what it is, he's also included a DVD showing, among other things, examples of good and bad sound along with interviews with prominent documentarians...
(read more)
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