By Roger Jackson
Previously: Cutting Checks, etc.
Hot Springs Doc Fest
I’ve spent the past 4 days at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. I’m on the jury for Best Documentary Feature, so I’ve been watching and debating and selecting from a pool of outstanding films. Hung out most nights with the amazing Freda Kelly — secretary & confidente for The Beatles for ten years. Her film “Good ‘Ol Freda” opened the festival to a standing ovation.
Whatever It Takes
During opening weekend I gave a presentation on VoD distribution & marketing. The underlying message was “do whatever it takes to get your film noticed.” I opened with a story from when I was producing a doc in Saudi Arabia. I desperately wanted to film in Mecca. Trouble is, it’s a closed city — you can only visit if you’re a Muslim, and you have to have proof.
