This whiskered one rocks out!
Day: December 5, 2008
We have gotten several requests from filmmakers regarding whom they could hire to help them design plans for their films. First, I think those filmmakers need to move beyond the focus on the film itself, and ask how they can design a web strategy for their work in general. But moving beyond that issue, I unfortunately don’t have many people to point them to (I would love to hear any recommendations you have). Fortunately, once again, a lot of great resources and individuals have been gathered over at The Workbook Project.
If you are looking for a consultant or strategist for your web plan, check out Motive on the WBJ site. Alex Johnson, Ana Domb, Micki Krimmel, Jon Reiss, Hunter Weeks, Liz Rosenthal, and of course Lance Weiler and Arin Crumley are available for hire. If you are going to Sundance, you best get them on your team sooner rather than later.
Screen International has a good article on the lessons the film business can learn from the music industry. Essentially it comes down to:
The emphasis on piracy needs to mature into a bigger debate about intellectual property – and soon.
They point out:
A workable framework is one that finds a balance, although attaining that, of course, is fraught with risk. Make the controls too tight and you lose innovators and customers. And pirates thrive on protectionism.
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Television Is SOOO Over
I have not had cable for over five years. In NYC that means not having TV since broadcast reception is so poor. Granted I have always been a greater fan of movies (I saw two last night), than shows in general, but 2008 certainly marks the year by which my practice no longer seems like a compromise.
The NY Times picked up on this yesterday. I could be that executive Holson cites; my wife and I watched the presidential debates on our laptops. Although I was a beta user, this week I got the Netflix email that their “Watch Now” feature was available for Macs finally. Although NBC/Universal laid off 500 employees yesterday, Hulu is a real success. Aren’t there more than enough reasons now to recognize the obvious.
Looking for ways to get on the recession diet: drop cable. Live online instead.
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The Benefits Of Less
For my tastes, I have long encouraged the practice of getting away from the cinema of excess and getting back to the compromise. I have always learned a great deal by bouncing back and forth between budgets. Truth be told, for me it is out of necessity, not strategy. Yet for directors, the proof has come that it should be part of the process.
Time and time again, filmmakers have rejuvenated themselves, their work, and their careers by dropping their budgets and picking up some freedom in exchange.
Ang Lee, Alfonso Cuaron, Gus Van Sant, Steven Soderbergh have all done this, with Crouching Tiger, Y Tu Mama, Gerry/Elephant, and Schizopolis. Coming off of The Hulk, Great Expectations, Finding Forester, and The Underneath respectively, these subsequent “indie” productions yielded great work (generally) and a major creative reboot.
And now we get to witness this again with Darren Aaronofsky’s The Wrestler, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, and Jonathon Demme’s Rachel Getting Married. These are three of the year’s best films. This formula could also be applied to Van Sant’s Milk (which I hope to see this weekend) but now the back and forth between budgets and control appears to be part of Gus’ process.
Ann Thompson pointed this out to everyone in the business today so hopefully we can witness a few others gaining from the new poverty. Anne includes my other fave of the year, Ari Fohlman’s Waltz With Bahir, as another benefiter of this approach.
Kermit and LCD Soundsystem.
New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down.
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The Google Book Supplement
Scott Macauley over at the Filmmaker Magazine Blog hipped us to this podcast.
Link to it here.
Host Jonathan Kirsch, an attorney specializing in intellectual property and publishing law, moderates a panel discussion on a landmark literary-legal settlement. It allows Google to scan and make available online many out-of-print but still-copyrighted books. The settlement portends a viable digital future for authors, publishers and libraries. Is there any downside?
