Author: Ted Hope

Categories
Let's Make Better Films

What’s wrong with these people?

I was complaining again. I know what I love. I know what I want to see. Unfortunately it aligns all too rarely with the film industry’s main desires. Along these lines, Bill Horberg and I were emailing back and forth about our pursuit to bring Edwidge Danticat’s The Dew Breaker to the screen. Bill remarked:

Art House has become everyone’s favorite perjorative. And we don’t get to say “probably too mall for me.”

I love that. People generally only want to see ambitious films once they are already made and some critic — if they haven’t all been fired from their jobs — shames them into wanting to see it. It gets worse at the level of gatekeeper and financier: if you quiz them about their favorite film, it generally is something quite beautiful and aiming high.  They seem to forget why they got into this business — to make films that are as ambitious as their favorites.  The hard economics of this craft leaves everyone shaken and skittish.  Yet you can marry great material to reasonable budgets.  Unique worlds, original characters, dramatic and truthful situations — these will always be what makes up great films.  But money is afraid that all people want to see is escape.  They also want to be transported, transformed.  They want to appreciate their lives and to aspire to more.  They want to recognize themselves in others whom lives are quite different.  They want to see their stories told.  Ah, well.  I am going to keep trying.

Bill is a very witty and passionate guy. It’s quite rare for a producer, if I do say so myself. You should definitely check out his blog.

We will get this movie made. It’s just too good not to. And its coming together nicely.  Stay tuned.

Categories
Issues and Actions

On The Soapbox For Net Neutrality

I spoke at The New York Film Academy on Oct 21 to a room of thousands.  Well, not quite, but I did speak, and I got to speak out about the issue that is most crucial to all “independent” filmmakers these days.  This is part two of three.  Part One is mostly focused on what Truly Free Filmmakers need to do in this day and age.  Three is how to keep your passion for filmmaking alive in this cruel, cruel, cruel world.  Check them all out.

Categories
Truly Free Film

Live! from The New York Film Academy

On Oct 21st, I had the privilege of speaking at the NYFA on…. the current state of “indie film”!  If you’ve missed my soapbox tour, here’s your chance to get the latest installment.  This is part 1 of 3.  I will let you have the pleasure of going directly to YouTube for the next episodes.

Categories
Truly Free Film

It’s An OPEN SOURCE Culture

You may have noticed a new addition to our Truly Free Film Heroes column.  You may have also noticed some guest posting as of late by filmmaker Jon Reiss.  These are not unrelated.  As a veteran of the DIY experience (or as Slava Rubin has dubbed it more accurately: DIWO “Do It With Others”), Jon has taken the next crucial step towards bringing forth a Truly Free Film Culture: sharing his experience and knowledge.  

We need to build a new infrastructure.  It will only come from all of our hard work and general openness.  Please follow Jon’s example, and share.
We are all going to make some mistakes, but we will learn much faster if we don’t keep these mistakes to ourself. We will all make some great discoveries, of places and people and tools and techniques, but we all benefit much faster if we don’t keep these successes to ourselves.
Take a minute.  Think about what you thinks works in DIY marketing; is it novel?  Please let us know.  Do you know of a theater that will book Truly Free Film?  Will your college pay to bring a filmmaker to lecture and show their film?  Do you know of a great TFFilm website?  Any advice on how to network true film lovers together?  You get the idea.  Please let us know what you know.  Join in.
Categories
The Next Good Idea

Can Shame End Corruption?

I was giving a read of Ray Fisman & Ed Miguel’s new book Economic Gangsters (get it, it’s a good and quick read) and was inspired by the former Mayor of Bogota’s techniques.  Some of you may recall Mr. Mockus from the article that tipped of Ray & Ed from the NY Times several years ago:

Mimes were part of Mr. Mockus’s diabolical plan. He first hired 20 professionals to follow, imitate and mock citizens who committed public incivilities like jaywalking, picking pockets and driving recklessly. So successful were the first mimes that 400 more were trained as ”traffic mimes” to monitor pedestrians at street corners.

Okay, so mocking and teasing isn’t quite the same as shaming, but I am still amazed by how many people treat “everyone else is doing it” as a get-out-of-jail-free-card.  The minor annoyances like the people that try to enter the subway car before the others get out may seem trivial but I do believe they pile up to create something altogether terrifying: corruption.  And if it takes white face and invisible stair walking to do it, it’s a good idea.
People need to be reminded of the world they want.  Sometimes you need a mime to do it.
Categories
Truly Free Film

New TOOLS Column

Check out below on the right-hand column.  We’ve added a TOOLS column.  The Variety plug on Friday is something to try to live up to.

It’s a pretty good list to start off with, but we need your help to make it a great one.  Additionally please let us know what tools have worked well for you and what hasn’t.
Categories
Bowl Of Noses

Zoom & Royksopp

One of our favorite picture books (100% no words) is Zoom by Istavan Banyai.  Or rather: one of our favorite picture book SERIES is the Zoom collection.  It’s also one of our favorite devices: you look at an image and then the artist either “zooms in” closer for a more specific detail, or the artist does a “dolly back” to show you the context of what you are looking at.  The books are Recommended Reading.

The Bowl recognizes though that this may be hard to see in your mind.  Luckily the band Royksopp has a video that captures this technique darn well, and suitably the song has no words either.