Month: December 2012

Hope For Film’s Top Posts of 2012

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date December 31, 2012
128 Comments on Hope For Film’s Top Posts of 2012

Considering I took a 5 month hiatus after leaving Indiewire, there were a lot of posts on Hope For Film in 2012, many by me and many by a great group of collaborators and contributors. Today we present the 25 posts from 2012 that got the most traffic this year. What’s important about all of them is that they’re a dialogue, about film and with the film community. As always, please add to that dialogue, contribute your voice. Without it, the independent film community doesn’t exist.

1. Film Production Methods: The “Better” Way Vs. The Easy Way (In 15 Steps)
A sequel to my 2010 post Ten Things We Could All Do On Our Productions, I decided to crowdsource a new list. I provided the first 7, and you stepped in with your suggestions.

2. 10+ Things To Think About If You Want To Make A Better Movie
Sometimes we need to think about what matters in life, what are our values. Holding them near and dear can elevate the art of what we do.

3. Why Make This Movie? 15 Answers To A Question That Should Be Asked More Often
15 questions I ask myself — and you should ask yourself — about why you’re making your movie.

Tags 2012, Best Of

Truly Free Film

Films Do Change The World

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date December 30, 2012

Here’s hope for a better world in 2013. It will arrive in many ways and one of them is from film. We all love success stories, and this is one of a sideways kind. Many of you probably remember the heartbreaking film I posted here “In Jennifer’s Room”. Although it reported a most heartbreaking tale, the world is now better for it. Okay, not just because of the film, but because of a concentrated effort of which the film was just part, but still, people are talking…

I recently received this note from Robert Rosenthal of Center For Investigative Reporting:

As a result of CIR’s reporting, especially the explosive story we

reported last month (http://californiawatch.org/node/18695), we have

just learned that the Sonoma Developmental Center where that horrific

case occurred, has just lost its primary license to operate.

We have also just reported that the OPS, the department’s internal

police force that routinely failed to

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Tags "in Jennifer's Room", CIR

Truly Free Film

In Case You Weren’t Paying Attention

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date December 28, 2012
57 Comments on In Case You Weren’t Paying Attention

I did my first “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit.com this week. I really enjoyed it. There were over 140 comments. Did you check it out? If not, he you can use the time machine of the internet to travel back — granted it won’t be live anymore (but it certainly is not dead either!). And I wasn’t alone: I was joined by Jordan Gelber and Selma Blair.

What was it like? Well…

[–]Film_Knockout 3 points 14 hours ago

In a world of overabundance, who do you look to for film recommendations? There’s so much to filter through!

permalink

[–]DarkHorseFilm[S] 4 points 14 hours ago

One of the great institutions we have is all the various film culture support organizations. In this era of World Financial Crisis where arts funding is scarce, we need help from the film loving community to support organizations who curate, filter, preserve, and advance — like

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Truly Free Film

Response To Responses To All The Bad Things In Indie Film

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date December 26, 2012
14 Comments on Response To Responses To All The Bad Things In Indie Film

It’s nice to get people talking and thinking. Even better when you get them acting. My post this morning has been doing a bit of it all. Thanks for spreading. And joining in.

I like this thread that started by Lindy Boustedt on Facebook. I like their ideas and energy and want to help.

I like Ann Rutledge’s response to it too, and look forward to taking her up on her offer to help solve the capital problem.

I got this email from Sheri Candler and am responding with the color text below. Sheri’s numbering are hers, and don’t apply directly to my points.

Ted,

I am writing this to you when I really should be working on other things. Some of those other things I get paid to do, and some I do because I hope in the future it will lead to getting paid or getting paid more money. This is kind of the way I see “opportunity,” it is something you make or something you grab, not something you are waiting to be given. We all have to work for our opportunities, but they don’t exist equally for everyone. I have benefited greatly by being white, male, middle class, english-speaking, and having had a good education. I was also fortunate to arrive in New York when I did. True, we can’t wait; we must act. But it will never improve unless we accept that we also have to work towards justice and equal access.

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Tags Ann Rutledge, Lindy Boustedt, Sheri Candler

Truly Free Film

The Really Bad Things In The Indie Film Biz 2012

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date December 26, 2012
479 Comments on The Really Bad Things In The Indie Film Biz 2012

I can’t always be optimistic. My apologies.

I did start this HopeForFilm / TrulyFreeFilm blog in the hopes that community action could improve things for us all. My original lists of 75 problems of indie film remain relevant, alas; and with this latest addition we are almost at 100 such challenges.

But don’t be bummed, every problem is an opportunity, right? To quote the great Walt Kelly of Pogo: “We are surrounded by unsurmountable opportunities.” We just need the will, the strength, the hope, and the power to change them. 12 Steps to progress?

I admit, even blessed by my last name, even I can’t be always be optimistic, at least not if I want to also speak the truth. Sometimes throwing a brick is an act of love; you know what I mean? And granted I’ve thrown a lot of bricks at this indie film thing. What can I say? There’s a great deal really wrong with our culture these days and a hell of a lot that can hurt our business. We have to work together if we want to build it better.

Let’s get started and call these “opportunities” out (in no particular order); maybe they are not so unsurmountable after all: