Gina Hall2013-05-18T18:35:44-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.news.moviefone.com/author/index.php?author=gina-hallCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Gina HallGood old fashioned elbow grease.The Great Gatsby: Reviewtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32243822013-05-06T15:48:32-04:002013-05-06T15:48:39-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/The Great Gatsby is bold. It's Moulin Rouge-meets-the Jazz Age, and Baz Luhrmann is the star. The film is everything the trailer promises -- loud, frenetic and fun -- but when the style-over-substance take on the material wears thin, what's left are some subpar performances and a lot of voice-over narration.
The visuals and the soundtrack, curated by Jay Z, are the primary draws of the film, and the
experience is a blast while the narrative is in music-video mode. It would be one thing if this
was an early filmmaking foray for Luhrmann and his dramatic camera moves, but the style
comes off as a caricature of his earlier films, and will likely make a few audience members
dizzy in 3D. Meanwhile, the iconic images of the green light at the end of the dock, the Valley
of the Ashes, East Egg vs. West Egg and T.J. Eckleburg are realized like they were pulled out
of readers' heads by the Australian director.
Luhrmann and screenwriter Craig Pearce rely on Gatsby's unpretentious neighbor, Nick
Carraway, to voice Fitzgerald's words through the entire film, which would be fine if that
narrator was someone other than Tobey Maguire. While Maguire is a fine physical
embodiment of Nick, imagine Maguire narrating the audiobook of Gatsby on a road trip. Might I remind you this is the same actor who did a dead-on Screech (Saved By the Bell) on SNL, without much of a voice change. You get the idea.
The lack of gravitas is shared by Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. Like Gatsby's fantasy of
Daisy, it's a difficult task for any actor to live up to Fitzgerald's fictional tycoon. Of course,
directors have to select among a list of castable (read bankable) actors at the time, and
DiCaprio is one of the very few actors available today who is serviceable in the part. Maybe
Ryan Gosling could have also fit the bill, but DiCaprio was the safer choice. Luhrmann gives
his Gatsby one of the most ostentatious introductions I've ever seen in film, one that might be
worth the admission price alone. Robert Redford was a better Gatsby in a lesser movie, while
DiCaprio is a lesser Gatsby in a better iteration. DiCaprio's Gatsby, as unsubtle as the entire
film, is far more insecure than readers might expect of the character. And while Redford's
Gatsby gets flustered by Daisy, he covers it with a veneer of coolness. When he tells a story,
you're not quite sure if it's a lie; when DiCaprio lies, it's over-the-top obvious. His portrayal is
of an emotional wreck. By the time Nick tells Gatsby, "You're better than the whole lot of
them," you're not buying it.
Daisy Buchanan, played by Carey Mulligan, is a far more tragic character than the book
would have you believe. For all the voiceover narration in the film, one of the more famous
lines -- "Her voice was full of money" -- is omitted. It's not full of money here, it's full of regret.
While it's interesting to see Daisy's humanity, her shallowness is lost, as is Gatsby's chasing
of a dream girl who never really existed. The essence of Tom and Daisy is that they are rich
and ephemeral -- they smash things up and walk away unscathed. In this film, Gatsby is the
greater smasher.
I watched the film in 3D at the Film Independent at LACMA film series, and while I'm usually
disinclined to recommend shelling out an extra $4 for most 3D films, Gatsby was made to be
seen in the format, and I would recommend catching it in theaters rather than on home video.
The Great Gatsby hits theaters May 10.]]>Indie Filmmakers Should Consider Writing for Older Actorstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30180652013-04-05T12:39:29-04:002013-04-05T12:39:38-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/The Company You Keep, for independent filmmakers, is the concept of what I like to call the "old-people ensemble," and it looks like a viable strategy in getting an independent film made.
Older actors still need to work, whether they need to keep their SAG benefits or sincerely enjoy the profession. One older actor certainly classes up an indie film, but include several older actors who used to carry movies, then you have an ensemble that grabs attention. The Company You Keep isn't the only film to employ this strategy as of late. Quartet and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel recently took advantage of employing the grey-haired set to much acclaim, the latter receiving two Golden Globe nominations. Think of it like Quentin Tarantino's strategy of employing washed-up actors from the '70cs.
Older film watchers are certainly an underserved market and respond to content about them with actors that look like them. The major complaint against older viewers is that they don't go out to the theaters. They may not do it in droves, but the numbers are up for older viewers. The MPAA released a study that found that the number of frequent moviegoers ages 50 to 59 increased in 2012, from 3.3 million from 3.1 million, and those in the 60-and-up age group rose to 4.6 million from 4.1 million. While those aren't huge gains, there is interest.
Also, more in this age range have finally mastered the concept of DVD and are moving on to streaming, which allows for them to easily access content. My parents just upgraded from dial-up to wireless a few weeks ago (I wish that was a joke, but it's not), so I know why studios and indie financiers would be hesitant to invest in a script that featured this age group. But to my parents' credit, and others like them, they're getting the hang of this new on-demand world, and they like it.
So filmmakers out there, consider stories that feature multiple older actors and you just might wind up with the talent to get your movie made and the press attention to get it into theaters. Like The Company You Keep, make sure it has plenty of stuff for old people to complain about -- they love to remember the good ol' days when journalists were noble and kids stayed off lawns.]]>Too Busy to Get to the Theater, But We Still Want It Nowtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29740522013-03-29T17:47:54-04:002013-03-29T17:47:59-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/The Place Beyond the Pines is the type of solid crime drama they don't make more of because studios don't think grown-ups go to the movies often enough. It's a pity, because it's an interesting script with a story structure reminiscent of Psycho, the ambition of a Greek tragedy and committed performances by Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, directed by Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance. It's not a movie that's likely to garner the awards attention that catapulted six of the nine adult-oriented Best Picture nominees to $100 million at the box office. It falls into the category of good -- just not great.
Now, with my mild recommendation of the film, you may or may not be compelled to race to the theater this weekend to see it. And if you don't see it this weekend, it'll likely fade from your memory. You kinda wanted to see it, but, you know, life happens.
But what if it was available, say, for the price of a movie ticket or two to rent on your video-on-demand (VOD) service? It might not sound like a bad way to spend a Saturday night after you put the kids to bed or on a weeknight you don't have business drinks. You could see it while other people are talking about it, while people on YouTube are still spoofing it -- you could see it while it was still relevant.
The film industry has been lagging on the potential of day-and-date releases -- debuting a film theatrically while making it available simultaneously on VOD. A friend of mine recently emailed me from Chicago over the holidays. She had the flu, a kid and enough snow to keep her from going out. She wanted nothing more than to catch up on all the great movies she couldn't get out to see in the theater. There are millions of people in similar binds every weekend. Why are people missing out on good films when they don't have to and why is Hollywood missing out on this money?
An MPAA study that came out this week found that in 2012, there were 5.8 million people ages 40 to 49 who saw a film once a month or more, up from 3.3 million in 2011. Adults want to see movies, and the industry needs to make it easier for them. Just like my friend, there are millions of people who might see more than one movie a month if it was just delivered it to their home, which we are currently fully capable of doing.
The reason we don't? Well, it's hard to change a business model. People complain. The biggest whiners are the theaters owners who think that if people can see a movie in their homes, they won't come see it in the theater. I hate to shock theater owners, but these people aren't coming anyway. And I would venture to say that if these adults got more used to seeing movies on a weekly basis, theaters actually might get these people to visit if they find out they actually like the product being sold.
And of course filmmakers complain that movies are meant to be seen in a theater, and releasing something like A Place Beyond the Pines day-and-date robs viewers of the communal experience. Don't get me wrong, as a filmmaker myself, I love the theatrical experience. I saw Pines in a packed theater. It was great. But if filmmakers want to make grown-up movies, they're going to have to accept that grown-up responsibilities get in the way of people seeing films -- busy schedules, children, budgets, etc.
I don't have children (that I know of!), but from what I hear, babysitters are really expensive, making an hourly wage comparable to psychiatrists and lawyers, and adding that cost on top of tickets, food and parking can create financial havoc on family finances. My friends who do have kids really want to see movies when they come out but unfortunately, they don't, and they forget about them after opening weekend. Studio marketing teams simply don't have the budgets to create awareness campaigns for these smaller adult films and they typically fade away.
So if you're one of those folks stuck not getting out to see The Place Beyond the Pines this weekend, what can you do to make Hollywood move faster on day-and-date? Do what Americans do best -- complain. Complain on your blogs, your twitter feed, your Facebook pages. Film executives now get paid to follow those things, so help them earn that money.]]>Review: We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktiviststag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19754932012-10-18T14:19:09-04:002012-12-18T05:12:02-05:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists is a really good beginning to that story. Told with interviews from actual Anonymous members, both masked and out in the open, filmmaker Brian Knappenberger delves into the humble origins of the group and follows its flirtation with nobility and notoriety.
Anonymous is an online community that has organized everything from creating armies of suspicious avatars in children's games to organizing real world protests against Scientology to shutting down Paypal.
"Are they good or bad? How are they evolving," asked Knappenberger when I spoke with him earlier this week. "Some of them realized the chaos can be used for something good, then there was a split."
Photo credit: Luminant Media
Knappenberger wasn't part of Anonymous, so he was learning as he was making the documentary, which he started back in 2008 and is screening this week in New York and Los Angeles. The film will be available online on October 30th.
"What's surprising is how much discussion there is behind the scenes. It looks misleadingly organized," said Knappenberger. "They seem united when their stunts reach the public ... There's a lot of discussion as to what targets are OK to hit."
The ethical dilemmas are the crux of the documentary and what makes it such an interesting piece. Watch with friends because you're going to want to quibble over Anonymous's tactics. Are they Robin Hood or the Joker? Are they protectors of free speech or guilty of suppressing it? What role do they have in exposing government secrets and do those governments have the right to distribute harsh punishments for their crimes.
Knappenberger selects interesting interviewees, all very smart, some are the culprits in high profile hacks and are currently being prosecuted. Knappenberger weaves the story so that he's appealing to your sense of justice, even though you know that Anonymous' actions are illegal. The film blurs the line between these activists' online anonymity and their real world identity and makes you want to join the cause.]]>Hirokin: Financing An Indie Film Epictag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17613012012-08-15T14:52:07-04:002012-10-15T05:12:02-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/Hirokin, starring Wes Bently prior to his Hunger Games comeback.
It's also a story of the cost of self financing a film. It's something that many first time filmmakers are tempted to do, but at what cost?
Mo-Sun is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker and he is the first to admit that on his first feature, everything that could go wrong, did. And he'll also admit that it was too ambitious to try to compete with studio sci-fi action fare in the vein of John Carter. Studio sci-fi films can have budgets of over $200 million. Even District 9 was in the $30 million range. Mo-Sun wanted to make an epic on a little over $1 million. You read that correctly. With a special effects budget of $100,000.
The film is a post-apocalyptic saga where Wes Bently enters as the reluctant warrior who fights to avenge his family and save his people. Check out the Hirokin trailer to see what we're talking about here. It aims for the '70s style, not-quite-Star-Wars space saga. It's impressive how much Mo-Sun was able to accomplish given that the odds were against him -- and they certainly were.
Low budget films can be just as complex to put together as the big ones, and sometimes more so with such extreme limitations on spending. With little room for error, Mo-Sun put a great deal of effort into pre-production. This short featurette will give you some idea of the level of prep that went into the film. Despite the good intentions, the initial effort to make the film turned out to be a false start. Mo-Sun started building futuristic sets and shooting in the California desert and was forced to shut down after financiers pulled. He took a $600,000 loss in having decided to shoot union. An inauspicious start for any film and one that would shut down most indies for good. Yet, Mo-Sun soldiered on.
"I had to talk to the crew and send everyone home. I was going to have to start from scratch," he said.
Mo-Sun decided to self finance part of the film. He decided to mortgage his home and, in fact, he was grouting his bathroom floor to increase the mortgage appraisal when he got the call that Bentley would add some star power to his no-name cast.
"I was so happy, I hugged the plumber," said Mo-Sun. He covered Bentley's pay-or-play contract out of his own pocket and the movie was back on track. This time, Mo-Sun put together videos showing the sets, clothing and effects to impress would-be financiers. To upgrade his talent around Bentley, Mo-Sun held more auditions.
"I worked with each individual actor who came into the auditions so that they felt comfortable and engaged," said Mo-Sun. When I did this, the actors reported back that they had a good experience and I was sent even better talent. I was able to cast a few up-and-comers in addition to Wes."
With $850,000 of his own cash invested, as well as Bentley's pay-or-play contract, Mo-Sun still needed an additional $500,000 to make the film. He decided to move forward in hopes that it would come his way.
"My line producer would tell me every day that we had to shut down, that we didn't have enough money, but we just kept going" he said. And in light of the limitations, Mo-Sun got creative.
Mo-Sun opted to shoot '70s-style sci-fi with practical sets, augmented by special effects. He developed a remote-controlled helicopter to fly the RED Camera to increase the production value. And while the 21-day shoot suffered a lack of extras and the low budget forced the use of swords instead of lasers, Mo-Sun just used that in the story to augment the world he'd created. But it all came with a price. To finish the film, Mo-Sun had to sell everything he owned.
"What people don't tell filmmakers is that it takes a huge toll on those around you," said Mo-Sun.
The story does end okay for Mo-Sun, at least financially. He took the trailer to Cannes and was able to sell each territory. The film is also in the black as well. "I was able to prove to myself that I'm at least a filmmaker. Next I'd like to prove that I'm a good writer and director."]]>Union Square Filmmakers Practice "No Permission" Philosophytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17249562012-08-01T11:06:22-04:002012-10-01T05:12:03-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/
I was able to sit down recently for coffee with director Nancy Savoca and producer Richard Guay, who make for a delightful couple (they're married) and a couple of fearless filmmakers. Their latest feature, Union Square, has been making the rounds at art house theaters as of late.
Savoca is a director who was at the forefront of the indie film movement, her first feature True Love won the 1989 Sundance Grand Jury Prize Dramatic prize. To give some perspective, that was the same year as Soderbergh's Sex, Lies and Videotape, Van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy, and Jarmusch's Mystery Train. Union Square finds Savoca going back to her formative indie roots with a digital twist. Wanting just to shoot something while waiting to film larger projects, she decided not to ask permission to make a movie, but just to do it instead. Armed with a Canon 5D, and little else other than her small crew and 12-day shooting schedule, Savoca turned a limited location film into a dramatic narrative and elicited award-worthy performances out of Mira Sorvino and Tammy Blanchard.
"The Canon 5D was so anonymous that no one knew what we were shooting," said Savoca. So the crew didn't have to shut down Union Square or a local dance club to grab a few shots with their star. "People didn't really care what we were doing. We live in a cell phone camera world now, so it wasn't that difficult."
Shooting run-and-gun, without permission, wasn't without it's drawbacks. "At the time the 5D had no external monitor," said Guay. "There was also no way to pull focus, so there were a lot of fuzzy shots."
Savoca warned that filmmakers today shouldn't be fooled by easy access to equipment that can make a decent image for a low cost. "You have to prepare. Even jazz musicians who jam, prepare. You have to eat, live and breathe this stuff in order to create something good... Union Square feels improved, but it's all scripted. We prepared."
Savoca also realizes that filmmakers who are coming of age now may never get studio support and that the responsibility of going it alone "can get heavy."
By not getting a project studio approved, you can be going it alone for all of your marketing needs, which can be daunting and, honestly, just a lot of extra work. "We've never been involved with the marketing to this extent," Savoca said of her grassroots effort to get the film seen. She and Guay have been slowly releasing the film in select cities, traveling, and doing Q&A's after many of the screenings to get the word out about the film as well as using Facebook and Twitter. "We don't have the power of the studio, but we have social media," she said.
Union Square might be playing at an art house near you, but you're more likely to catch it On Demand starting Sept. 15th or on Showtime in late November.]]>But What You Probably Want to Do Is Producetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15910542012-06-13T15:13:34-04:002012-08-13T05:12:05-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/
I was at the Produced By conference last weekend held on the Sony Lot in Culver City. The event is put on annually by the Producers Guild and attracts some of the top names in the business speaking on panels. The topics vary, but in the end, they generally come back to one main point -- how do you get a project made and in front of audiences.
It doesn't matter if you create for new media, television, indie or studio films, having the skills to organize and pull the project together is of tremendous value. One panel featured 4 different types of producers, who often collaborate with each other, but come from very different backgrounds. The panel titled "Small World: The Challenges of Global Production" included: Ashok Amritraj, chairman and CEO, Hyde Park Entertainment; Jon Jashni, president and CCO, Legendary Pictures; Graham King (Hugo; The Departed); Walter Parkes (Flight, Men In Black 3, Gladiator). As the William Goldman adage goes, "nobody knows anything," but these knew an awful lot about, well, a lot. Developing material, budgeting, selling foreign rights (or not), attracting talent, production, positioning the film in the marketplace, finding a global audience -- a producer has to consider these and so much more in order to get a film made.
Even if your primary title isn't producer, being knowledgeable about the producing aspect of filmmaking is a critical skill. Another panel featured Dark Knight Rises director Chris Nolan with producer Emma Thomas. It was impressive to hear Nolan speak on producing and realize just how savvy he is to the business side of the profession. While he lives with a producer (Thomas pulls double duty as his wife), it was nice to hear how seriously he takes his producing duties, even while directing. He is very aware of the "puzzle," as he put it, of coordinating actors, schedules and budgets and how that affects his creative vision. Nolan noted that the only film he's directed that he wasn't involved in producing was his first studio picture, Insomnia. Of course the film had 12 other producers (according to IMDB), so maybe they didn't need him. But, Nolan noted, he felt removed from important decisions being made about what would affect his process, so he's always taken on a producing role since.
There were far more panels at the conference than I have space to write about, but it was a sold out event, over 1400 attendees, which goes to show how many people in the business are starting to realize how integral producing is to their creative career.
Photo: Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, Vance Van Petten, provided by Producers Guild of America]]>New Frontier: Sundance Opens Up Conversation Between Hollywood and Techtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15371562012-05-23T11:32:34-04:002012-07-23T05:12:05-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/
I recently sat down with Michelle Satter, founding director of the Feature Film Program, in the Sundance offices to chat about how their New Frontiers program is helping open up the conversation between filmmakers and the tech crowd to facilitate collaboration in the name of storytelling.
"We wanted to come up with a different name than "transmedia,'" Satter said in reference to the New Frontier Story Lab inspired by the New Frontier exhibition held annually in Park City, Utah. For those of you who haven't been to Sundance or skipped over that section of the festival, it's primarily about artists working at the intersection of film, art and new media technology. What does that mean? You can take a look at some of the work online. Artists use film, games, mobile apps, performance and animation to create a unique platform by which to tell a story.
"We put our stake in the ground around story, not technology... but the next generation of storytellers realizes that audiences want to participate and not just with an alternate ending to a film... We're also looking to use technology to improve the integrity of storytelling. It's not just for marketing."
For anyone who's been getting their bread buttered on the Internet lately, you may have noticed your writings or short films have been reduced to the term "content," which seems to remove some of the artistry associated with it -- as if anything to fill the space will do.
"For us, it's not about developing content, it's about developing stories and developing artists that work in between filmmaking and new media technologies" noted Satter. "It's about how to connect pieces of a story into something greater than its parts."
Conversations needed to start happening between the storytellers and those in the tech sector looking to create technologies to enhance the narrative experience. Sundance recognized the need to get everyone in the same space, storytellers were calling for a greater understanding of the new media tools at their disposal and tech entrepreneurs were requiring an understanding of the mechanics of complex storytelling and world-building. To accomplish this, Sundance started rebuilding their New Frontier program around 2007 and it's been gaining popularity and interest with each passing year.
"In my years in the business, this is definitely the biggest shift [in technology] that's happened," said Satter. "There was desktop editing, cameras that made filmmaking cheaper and more accessible... but what's happening now, it's hard for everyone to keep up."
In 2011, Sundance held their inaugural New Frontier Lab. In a similar spirit to their screenwriting, directing and producing labs, the New Frontier lab exposes emerging artists to established technical advisors and screenwriters to develop "a rich story world with meaning," said Satter. It was such a success, they're continuing with the endeavor. And it looks to be an interesting outlet for experimentation that we should all be keeping an eye on.
The good folks at Sundance provided so much insight into the New Frontier program and how they're moving forward with new media technologies, I can't contain it all in one post that you guys will read on your coffee break -- including more on the New Frontier lab experience and how Sundance is working with artists to get a handle on online fundraising and distribution models. So stay tuned.
Photo Credit: Evolution, Directed by Marco Brambilla, 2012 New Frontier Artist. Photo provided by Sundance Institute]]>Lean and Hungry -- Startup Community Talks Hollywoodtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14474422012-04-25T15:26:00-04:002012-06-25T05:12:02-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/The Entrepreneur Guide to Customer Development and The Lean Entrepreneur.
It was interesting for me coming from the other side of the discussion to hear the tech sector's adventures in Hollywood -- their needs, frustrations and successes, very much mirroring the plight of filmmakers in their need for financing, celebrity participation and to create the next big franchise.
"Please tweet the shit out of this," said Vlaskovits before introducing the all-male panel, visually re-enforcing the need for more female leadership in the tech sector. The speakers included: Brian Norgard, co-founder of Chill ; Eric Galen, founder of Music180.com; Matt Kozlov of Moonshark; Matt Mazzeo, Executive in Business Development at CAA; Matt Sandler, CEO and co-founder of Chromatik; Rob Bonstein, General Manager of The Creed Company; and Abe Burns, Digital Operations for Guy Oseary.
The question that drove the majority of the panel conversation is how to get a celebrity engaged in a startup, both as an endorsement or in the content and which ones are "the next Ashton Kutcher." Burns noted that celebrity isn't always required: "If you have a good product it's going to be used."
"But in an era when social gaming is a $6 billion dollar industry, celebrities are starting to take notice," said Kozlov. "Social games are now like movie franchises. Look at Angry Birds."
The panel agreed that the recent "Kill Hollywood" sentiment coming out of Silicon Valley is naive at best, noting that platforms will always require good storytellers and the capacity to license exclusive content.
The major frustrations included the glacial pace of Hollywood development as compared the lightening speed of the tech sector, the major complaint being that by the time a Hollywood entity takes a meeting, or even action, the technology has moved on. The other the perception was that the tech sector was a meritocracy, where the best ideas win. Many in the room had hit the wall that many of us in the industry take as a given, that "no" isn't always motivated and often times the best idea takes a backseat to, well, who knows.
"Ultimately, the future of Hollywood is certainly technology driven, Vlaskovits noted. "I think we are in the beginnings of a global entrepreneurship renaissance, it gladdens me that LeanLA can be tiny part of that."]]>'Think Like a Man' Has Sony Thinking Greentag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14466912012-04-24T17:36:06-04:002012-06-24T05:12:01-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/Think Like a Man, has that distinction; being the first feature to use 100 percent energy efficient (LED) lighting sources on the production.
It's no secret that movies leave a large carbon footprint wherever they roam, but reducing that impact has become an important cause to just about every studio. Most majors have sustainability experts on staff and are looking to reduce waste and cut costs by greening production practices.
"Sony Pictures is committed to making great content with a smaller and smaller energy footprint, and Think Like A Man is a great example of Screen Gems' continuing tradition of actively reducing the impact and waste of a major feature film production," said Gary Martin, President, Production Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment, in a released statement from the studio.
"Although not perfect, energy-efficient lighting is making great strides. We were excited to incorporate this industry-first in lighting into our production, and look forward to continuing to work with manufacturers to test and improve the technology," said Mason McConnell, Executive Director of Set Lighting for Sony Pictures, in the same release.
Once the studios start demanding the greening the town's lighting rentals, it makes it easier for all filmmakers to green their own sets. Kudos to Sony and Screen Gems for the number one film and the step forward in greening the business.]]>Indie FIlmmakers to Greenlight Themselvestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14290282012-04-16T21:40:00-04:002012-06-16T05:12:01-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/
Maria Bozzi, Director of Education at Film Independent, noted "The JOBS Act could help filmmakers get the interest of other individuals, unrelated to the subject matter or filmmaker, who might want to dip their toes in the waters of filmmaking by investing in projects that promise them a piece of the pie in the form of equity."
So what can the aspiring indie filmmaker do in anticipation of attracting these new investors? The online crowdfunding world is a big, noisy place and it's not always easy to make a splash. It requires something that Hollywood's traditional development process doesn't -- followers. Fortunately you get to keep your fan base from project to project, kind of like rolling over your own digital 401k of people who like you. And like your 401K, it's never too early to start building it.
"I believe that thus far," Bozzi continued, "the crowdfunding successes can be attributed to filmmakers who have either identified a core audience with a strong interest on the subject of their film and have capitalized on that existing interest; or to filmmakers who have reached out to their friends and families who want to support their filmmaking careers."
I've met a number of filmmakers and writers who resist an online presence on Facebook, Twitter or blogging claiming that no one should be interested in what they ate for breakfast. No, we're not. But, firstly, you don't have to tweet what you ate for breakfast and, secondly, if you can't be interesting for free, then why would people find you interesting for two hours at the cost of $14 a ticket? Fans are a metric that these new online equity investors can understand.
"You have to give people a piece of yourself before they'll want to buy the whole package," said Erika Cervantes started who started Comediva, a comedy site showcasing original video and editorial content aimed at women. "If you build a fanbase, that package will be all the more valuable. More people will want to work with you, because you clearly know how to market yourself."
"Crowdsourcing sites have made it easier for many filmmakers to green light themselves without having to wait for 'permission' from the gatekeepers," noted Bozzi. "Many projects have raised funds in the six-figure range, which have either fully funded their projects or helped with their distribution efforts."
"Prior to making Awkward Embraces," said creator of the webseries Jessica Mills, "I felt as though I were waiting for someone to give me permission to do what I loved to do. Taking my work and my fate in my own hands has been a great feeling, and I've loved every minute of it. I don't plan on stopping any time soon.
Mills cautions:
"It's important that anyone who is planning on creating an online presence, (a blog, web series, etc.) to make sure they are informed about how the online communities work. There is an important etiquette to social media, online communities and blog commenting. There are numerous blogs and articles out there they can find and read to teach them the basics. There is a danger of becoming a nuisance, if you don't really know how to interact with people and take part in the community, rather than spending all your time pushing your own stuff."
Bozzie further explained:
"Film Independent Fellow, Ruben Fleisher, director of Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less and the forthcoming The Gangster Squad is a good example of a filmmaker who jumped early on to create his website and post short films, music videos, and spec commercials that showed his distinctive style and strong voice, and drew the attention of producers and studio executives. Of course, the goal of all filmmakers is not necessarily to get a studio deal, but I still think Ruben is a great example of someone who used the web wisely to build their career.
Building a fan base early on could help get investors on board and recruit exhibitors to show your film. If you can show you already have an audience, these stakeholders might feel more comfortable working with you. I think that what is key is that filmmakers keep control of how their material is getting out there."
]]>How Can Hollywood Make More "Cool Stuff?"tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.13657102012-03-21T16:36:44-04:002012-05-21T05:12:01-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/
I feel like the solutions proposed from Hollywood establishment just might be in favor of the status quo rather than helping up-and-comers. Call it a hunch. So while industry bosses are distracted with their fight to sustain the old business model, I figured it might be a good time to start a series of conversations between the tech sector and young Hollywood to make some sense of the seismic shift happening in the industry.
My first conversation was with Mike Masnick, CEO and founder of Tech Dirt. It's a great site you should be following if you want to get a sense of the incredulous outrage that tech observers have about our industry.
Masnick's M.O. is disruptive innovation -- or as he describes it "how we get cool stuff." Creating cool stuff -- honestly, isn't that what most of us get in the business to do? The problem is, Hollywood isn't responsible for creating enough cool stuff these days (especially locally) to keep us all employed. A lot of the cool stuff is now coming from the tech sector with Hollywood standing idly by. In conversations with those employed with the studios, production companies and agencies around town, I've heard projects worked on self-described as "lame," "derivative," or the backhanded compliment: "Meh, at least it'll make money."
So how do we spend time creating cool stuff rather than work jobs that pay the bills with little more reward than a credit on something you'd wish to wipe off your IMDB page? "The battle isn't between Hollywood versus tech companies," noted Masnick. "It's about control and it's between the middlemen gate keepers and the content creators."
We all know many aspiring filmmakers who are hopelessly untalented; you could say the same about plenty of gate keepers that guide content through development. The major difference is that gate keepers have been infused with authority, earned or not. And they control opportunity for young artists.
While the tug-of-war between artist and development is nothing new, the threat of disruptive distribution models that circumvent the process is. Getting content directly to the consumer is a problem for the status quo.
Do we want to dismantle our current system? Probably not; some of it is helpful and necessary. But it's due for a major renovation, which will probably be painful. It's also a major reason the war on piracy has become such a contentious issue as of late. It's been a way to lay blame for declining revenues on an external source, rather than a lack of innovation and good content emerging from our development process.
"Piracy is a symptom, not the problem," said Masnick. "It's indicative of the consumer's desire for new tools, new services."
Studios are making the hard sell that piracy and lost revenue are what's costing us jobs, asserting that so many more millions of tickets and DVDs would be sold if people weren't pirating the content online.
It's somewhat like when economists tell us each year that employers lose millions of dollars worth of employee productivity to March Madness bracketology when that productivity was never actually there (usually it's time that was just used for online shopping or Facebook). It's hard for studios to convince that pirated downloads would be actual "sales" and not just the equivalent of an impulse buy -- downloaded because it was there, otherwise out of sight out or out of mind.
So what if it's not piracy that's costing us jobs, but a limited support system to output cool stuff. And, what if that requires a new gate keeping system? Those are questions I'm curious about too, so stay tuned...
]]>Hollywood Internships: Racket or for Real?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12971582012-02-23T16:55:33-05:002012-04-24T05:12:02-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/New York Times over the exploitation of intern labor, which is certainly a problem in the entertainment industry. Since I started out as an intern and have since been witness to really valuable internships and really crappy ones, I figured I'd write something up to let you know what's worth the effort and what's a waste of your time. Some internships are invaluable, some are at best three to five months of your life you'll never get back and, at worst, experiences that turn you off a career path that might have actually been a good fit.
First thing about industry internships: It's a bonus if you can go to college in a place like L.A. or New York City. Personally, it was one of the major considerations I took into account in choosing between two schools, USC over Northwestern. Since my family wasn't coastal, I knew that getting a foothold in Los Angeles while I was in school and had food and rent covered would be a huge advantage. It wasn't the only consideration in choosing a college, but it was a major part of the decision. Many internships require you get course credit, for their own insurance purposes, so locating yourself in a major media hub while in school is a plus.
There are plenty of you that don't have that option, so you either have to find your way out here with the cash to live for a few months while you intern or spend a year or more after you graduate working a menial job while you spend a couple days a week interning. I won't lie, that's a hard way to go. I've seen people run out of savings or burn out on a crap job while trying to transition from internship to a paying industry gig, which can sometimes take one to two years; yes, the market is really that tight around here.
You can see how the whole internship requirement favors the kids whose parents can put them into a L.A.-based college or float them a couple years after school. Hence, why you see a real lack of class diversity in the business, but that's another post for another day.
Back to the main point -- what kinds of places should you intern? My number one piece of advice would be to intern for an established production company, agency, television show, film, or studio. This is a town that's both big into branding and name-dropping. Within the first five minutes of any interview I ever had, the person looked at my resume and we'd be talking about the people we knew in common. And it's understandable. The people who will be hiring you are busy and by knowing some of the same people, it's like being vouched for. "Oh, you worked for so-and-so? And they liked you? That must mean you're good people." It's not the mafia, but it's close. Sure, you may want to work at a buddy's start-up or on a small, indie film and if you can do both, that's awesome. But if you want to eventually get work, for money, get some familiar names on that resume.
Make sure you're going to come out of the internship with something to show. If you're interning at a production company, make sure they're going to teach you how to write script coverage and you'll be coming out with some good samples. If you intern at a post-house, make sure they'll let you play with the Avid, maybe let you work on a reel. If you intern on a show, will you get to help put together a call sheet? Make sure to ask this in the interview. Yes, internships will consist of fetching lunch orders, answering phones and making copies, but a good internship will come with perks that you need to advance your career. Be wary of internships that just promise "contacts." Those may or may not pay off and can often be acquired easier at a bar in West Hollywood. What you really want is some sample of work done on the job to show your next potential employer. That is the fair exchange for working for free.
What are some other red flags? The biggest one is if it looks like you're the only "help" in the office. If there are no paid assistants or P.A.'s with the company or show, often times the employer is skirting the labor laws and either can't afford, or is too cheap, to pay someone to do the office work. It's not always a bad situation, but most times it's not an internship that's worth your time.
Also, try to read the person that's managing the internship. Sometimes this is human resources; sometimes this is an assistant or production coordinator. If they come across upbeat and willing to answer your questions, it's a good indication that they'll have something to teach you and be willing to answer all the dumb questions you'll inevitably ask. If you wind up with a dour, bitter supervisor who sticks you with menial tasks and forgets you for most of the day, again, it's probably not going to be worth your time.
Keep in mind that internships are probably the easiest thing to land in the industry. We all love someone who will work for free. Transitioning to that first paying gig is a whole other discussion. But if you do your homework, a worthwhile internship is a great education in the business that no college can or will provide. The way the business actually works surprises just about everyone. Regardless of where you got your education or how awesome you think you are, an industry internship is a reality check that makes me more likely to hire you for money. It's going to ease that steep learning curve and keep you from sliding right back down. ]]>Film Independent: A Membership Supports the Communitytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12351962012-01-30T16:10:51-05:002012-03-31T05:12:01-04:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/
Film Independent, the collective of filmmakers and film lovers, has been supporting the smaller artists for the silver screen since 1981. You may have heard of the organization from their roles in producing The Los Angeles Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Awards. What you may not know is that they have events, meetings, screenings and networking opportunities year round for Film Independent members. If you're looking to get involved with the film community, a membership may be a worthy investment of just under $100 annually.
Michel Lopez, Director of Diversity and Membership, was enthusiastic to inform why membership in Film Independent is important for any budding filmmaker or cineaste.
"As the Director of Diversity and Membership I support our membership and am responsible for the organization's diversity strategy to ensure that the Film Independent community is inclusive of filmmakers who embody our commitment to diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision," noted Lopez.
Lopez became involved with the organization as a member and then as a Film Independent Fellow with Project Involve, the diversity program for emerging filmmakers. He has now been on staff for almost four years.
Philosophically, members view "independent film is artist-driven work principally created outside of the studio system" said Lopez. "These films are often smaller in budget, tell personal stories, and are driven by passion rather than financial gain. Some may be bought or distributed by studios and be financially successful, but the driving element is passion."
"Film Independent hosts anywhere from 4-8 events every month to galvanize the film community. These events support filmmakers and film lovers. Members can engage online at filmindependent.org and in-person at the over 200 events Film Independent produces each year," said Lopez. He went on to suggest that new "members should try to attend as many events as possible. That said, the DNA of our organization exists in every event we produce, so members can feel a part of the Film Independent community from attending just one event."
Lopez recommended some of the most popular gatherings new members should have on their schedule. Number one would be "member night, held on the first Tuesday of the month. This event for new members outlines all of Film Independent's programs and events, including Film Independent at LACMA, Filmmaker Education events, Filmmaker Labs and the Los Angeles Film Festival. Members also stay to chat with the Membership staff and to network with their fellow filmmaker members."
Currently, one of their most popular events is Film Independent at LACMA. Lopez noted that "This one-of-a-kind weekly film series celebrates new, rare, and classic films, as well as unique film presentations--like our Live Read series conceived and produced by Jason Reitman which features notable actors reading classic screenplays such as The Princess Bride, The Breakfast Club, and Shampoo."
Lopez also pointed out that "the Film Independent Forum is a must attend event for any filmmaker developing a feature film. The Forum presents a weekend of panels with filmmakers and film industry professionals who discuss all stages of development including the latest in financing, marketing, distribution models, and case studies from independent filmmakers with current projects that have received distribution. These frank discussions give working filmmakers a snapshot of what needs to be done to both complete and find an audience for a film."
"Members believe in film as an art form, concluded Lopez. "Film Independent members are filmmakers, film professionals, and film lovers. Being a part of this organization shows that you believe in artist-driven film."
For more information on events and membership, please visit filmindependent.org ]]>Holiday Charity in Tinseltowntag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.11636322011-12-21T15:34:14-05:002012-02-20T05:12:01-05:00Gina Hallhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-hall/Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
I've worked in a few offices, in the Hollywood industry and outside of it, that offered no collective opportunities for employees to volunteer or donate to charity. Frankly, it's a bummer, especially around the holidays. Sure, anyone can donate money or volunteer their free time outside of work, but there's something unique in working with co-workers toward goals that are often more noble than deal memos and script coverage.
With shrinking salaries and precious vacation hours, it's difficult in a 12-hour-workday industry to use your own money and time resources to make a difference. And while it's nice for the bosses to be able to scratch large checks to charity, jet off on an exotic volunteer trip, or attend $1,000-plate dinners, I think it's incumbent upon these same employers to provide occasions for their less-well-off employees to share in the giving spirit. Employers, think of it as part of the cost of taking company time for longer lunches and leaving when you want to see your kid's holiday pageant while the rest of the office stays until 8 P.M.
A charitable spirit in the workplace comes from the top, down. Many employers are incredible Scrooges with employee vacation and personal hours, as if a few hours here or there will make or break the company's fiscal year. Allowing some flexibility, using some company time to allow employees to volunteer sends a strong statement about a company's commitment to the community. It's also a small gesture that helps retain talented, smart people, who eventually, when this economy recovers, will have some choice in where they work.
Fortunately, even though many businesses in the entertainment industry don't step up, there are some that do. 'Tis the season to look for the good in humanity so I'm calling attention to a couple places I know of that are quietly leading by example. Both Sony Pictures and Summit Entertainment offer workers myriad easy ways to volunteer, so many, in fact, that if you're an employee not taking advantage, you're missing out.
"In much the same way our business nurtures relationships with actors, directors, screenwriters and others who contribute to our television shows and films, we are also fortunate to have longstanding partnerships with many stellar community organizations," said Janice Pober, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Social Responsibility for Sony Pictures Entertainment.
"For example, we have long offered a variety of opportunities with Big Brothers Big Sisters through our Passing the Torch mentoring programs, and the Sony Pictures Urban Green Fund in collaboration with Los Angeles-based environmental organization TreePeople has trained countless employees to become citizen foresters since 1992 ... We attempt to provide as much variety as possible in our volunteer opportunities so employees with diverse roles and interests across our businesses will find something that catches their eye," said Pober. "We have also created four particular areas of focus -- arts, education, diversity and the environment."
And as busy as they are with the Twilight franchise, Summit Entertainment grants time for employees to get involved with their community. "Summit Shares, Summit's employee-based volunteer program, focuses on all charity opportunities specifically located in the Santa Monica region, including monthly food sorts at the Westside Food Bank, their annual Hunger Walk, Friends of Animals, as well as the Ocean Park Community Center," said Kelly Eltschlager, Event Coordinator for Summit Shares. "The company, as a whole, has also had a long-term commitment to the Special Olympics, driven by the leadership and commitment of Rob Friedman [Summit Chairman and CEO]."
"By far, the most popular events are those in connection with the Special Olympics, as well as Dream Halloween, in connection with the AIDS Foundation," added Kelly Moore, Communications Coordinator for Summit Shares. "We just finished an extremely successful collection event for the Ocean Park Community Center where Summit employees were distributed a bag together with a list of supplies to provide to the residents. We also held a holiday party at their Samoshel Shelter this past Monday where we distributed the bags to the residents, and celebrated with employee-provided baked goods!"
As for the employee response? Pober said, "it's the feeling of accomplishment that they've made a difference -- in someone's life when we've tapped into their creativity, in taking responsibility for the planet when they clean up a beach, or in someone's future when they mentor a child. They [employees] also come to us frequently with their ideas and suggestions. We've recently teamed with a small non-profit called Trekking for Kids that assists orphans around the world by organizing treks for adventurous and socially-conscious people. This group was brought to our attention by an employee, and now it's featured in our holiday e-card message in addition to being the recipients of our annual holiday gift."
Moore pointed out that "Summit Shares is fortunate to have a monthly meeting where employees are encouraged to bring new projects/organizations and pitch ideas to the committee. We're constantly evolving and working with new organizations, which employees seem to appreciate. Employees seem to enjoy the chance to work together to accomplish a community-driven event, and it's also a great chance to bring together employees who wouldn't ordinarily interface with one another. The volunteers who attended the OPCC holiday party expressed such gratitude for the opportunity to meet the residents of the shelter; they found that it was this experience of connection with the community that made the collection of the bags all the more enjoyable."
If you're an employer who is not offering anything in the way of assisting employee to charity work, think about the message you are (and aren't) sending to your office and think about starting something up. Even if the action is motivated simply by the fear of people talking about you behind your back (and they do, it's Hollywood). And if you're an employee not currently engaged in any of the programs that are offered by your employer, I encourage you to look into it. You're privileged to have an employer who cares enough to make it work for you and the community. Not everyone is as fortunate as you.
Gina Hall is a writer/producer with more than 10 years experience in television, documentary and feature film production. She is a graduate of USC's School of Cinematic Arts and lives in Los Angeles. Follow her on Twitter @GScottEnt ]]>
