Author: Ted Hope

Sundance Teams With KickStarter & Facebook For New Initiative To Connect Artists With Audiences

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date January 26, 2011
59 Comments on Sundance Teams With KickStarter & Facebook For New Initiative To Connect Artists With Audiences

Official Press Release:

PARK CITY, UT — Sundance Institute today announced a new program to connect its artists with audiences by offering access to top-tier creative funding and marketing backed by the Institute’s promotional support. These essential services will act as building blocks for future program components which aim to provide filmmakers access to a broad and open array of third-party digital distribution platforms. Adding to the nonprofit Institute’s acclaimed programs for Screenwriters, Directors, Film Composers, Producers and Theatre artists around the world, the new services were developed based on research and input from filmmakers, industry advisors, its Technology Committee and its Board of Directors, including President Robert Redford. The creative funding component was announced today with Kickstarter, the largest platform in the world for funding creative projects.

A new way to fund and follow creative projects

Tags crowdfunding, Facebook, KickStarter, Sundance Film Festival

These Are Those Things

Clear Case For An Open Participatory Culture

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date January 26, 2011

Everything old could be new again. I never truly liked this song, but now I have watched this video multiple times. Thank you Ye Li.

(and thank you Geralyn Dryfous for the tip!)

Tags Copyright Reform, participatory culture, Ye Li

Truly Free Film

Ambition In The Best Sense (aka Lance Weiler)

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date January 26, 2011
4 Comments on Ambition In The Best Sense (aka Lance Weiler)

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lance Weiler for maybe two years now. I love how he thinks. I love how he takes that thought and transforms it into action. Process is more key to what he does, than virtually anyone else I have worked with. The journey is the destination. He is willing to walk without knowing where it all might be going. He is collaborative to the Nth the degree. His vision for cinema truly knows no limits.

Wired Magazine singled him out this summer as one of the fathers of transmedia. BusinessWeek credited him with changing cinema alongside Thomas Edison, The Warner Bros., and James Cameron. Between his features, The Workbook Project, & DIY Days, the man is profoundly generative.

If you were in Sundance this past week (and even if you weren’t), you probably witnessed how he infected Park City with

Tags Christine Vachon, cross platform, FearNet, Filmmaker Magazine, HopeIsMIssing, Jamie Stuart, Killer/Hope, Lance Weiler, Pandemic11, social media, Sundance Film Festival, transmedia, Twitter, Workbook Project

Truly Free Film

The Polite Ways They Pass On Your Project

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date January 25, 2011
1 Comment on The Polite Ways They Pass On Your Project

A “polite” pass is quite contrary to substantive notes. When they are polite, they don’t want to see you again. If they really liked you and your project they’d be cruel. Or something close to it. So how do you know they never want to see you again?

It’s too close to what we are already committed to.
We can’t wait to see what you do/have next!
We’d be interested if you beef up the comedy/action/horror/penis jokes.
Our slate is too full to pay it the attention it deserves.
We have very defined focus these days.
It doesn’t fit our model.
We love it, but
Continue reading “The Polite Ways They Pass On Your Project”

Tags development, script submission

Truly Free Film

How I Spent My Sundance Non-Vacation

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date January 24, 2011
48 Comments on How I Spent My Sundance Non-Vacation

To think I once got to see movies when I went to film festivals…

I had one film to share with folks this time around, Sean Durkin’s MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, which I had the pleasure and good fortune to Executive Produce — even still I did not plan to see any others. I knew I was going to be too busy with the work that festivals have become for me.

The reception for the film was great — which has generated a lot of meetings (and which has yielded some nice announcements ). I forgot to read the latest Exec Prod job description though and did not realize it now means moderating press conferences. Check out the video here, and let me know how you feel I did.

When I wasn’t dealing and celebrating Sean’s movie, I was doing my part to aid in the promotion of indie film.

Christine Vachon and I have been doing this talk show on and off now for several years, now dubbed KILLER / HOPE. Hulu’s got it up on their Sundance page. Please check it out while you still can (at least in all its glory). New episodes will be added daily throughout the festival. Additionally, we were invited to talk to Eugene Hernandez for the local NPR station. Gotta get the word out, but man does all that yapping, make for some seriously dry mouth.

But man, what a test of will power it is. I admit I am an addict