Vice Squad Censoring Murals in L.A.?
This was published on bedlammagazine.com.
By JONATHAN JERALD
Emmeric James Konrad, longtime anchor of the downtown L.A. arts scene, was told late last week by the proprietors of a downtown bar that they had been ordered by a vice officer to remove the mural he painted on their windows on Spring St. at 5th.
According to Eva Kandarpa in Council Member Jan Perry’s office, however, there is no complaint or action pending against the bar in question, the Down and Out, a popular bohemian watering hole that has become ground zero for Gallery Row activities such as the immensely successful Downtown Art Walk.
“The Conversation” – Social Media, Digital Distribution and the Future of Film
Started in 2008, “The Conversation” is a look at the future of filmmaking and how advancements in technology are enabling new opportunities for filmmakers.
On March 27th, “The Conversation” goes to the Manhattan campus of Columbia University. The focus will be on the new business and creative opportunities that are arising in 2010.
For more information visit www.theconversationspot.com.
Online Collaboratives: A New Source for Film Distribution
This was published on Variety.
Creatives network on Net: Online collaboratives a new source for film distribution
By SHARON SWART
It’s no secret that directors can be discovered on YouTube and that Facebook can help market movies, but a few industryites and creatives are digging a little deeper into the Web’s networking capabilities.
Among a handful of entertainment community sites, two new ones are centered on collaboration in creative activity and film distribution.
Former Senator Films acquisitions exec Orly Ravid and indie marketing maven Jeffrey Winter have just launched the Film Collaborative, an arts-friendly nonprofit that aims to help indies find and facilitate distribution. [...]
Planet Illogica (Pi) is another collaborative website, this one aimed at artists working in film, music and fashion.
10 Microbudget Tips
I just gave a class in micro budget filmmaking at Tisch Singapore and was inspired to come up with 10 top tips for micro budget filmmaking. I tweeted these yesterday individually. Here they are compiled together.
Microbudget Tip 1: You need a PMD more than anyone.
Microbudget Tip 2: Marketing and distribution starts at inception.
Microbudget Tip 3: Location. Location. Location.
Microbudget Tip 4: Create a robust transmedia strategy and integrate it into the foundation of your project from inception.
Microbudget Tip 5: Consider your audience in nearly all matters and engage them from inception.
Microbudget Tip 6: Good. Fast. Cheap. You get 2. Pick good and cheap. In other words: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Perplexing Problems.
Microbudget Tip 7: You can’t afford to pay for anything unless you have to. But you know that already.
Microbudget Tip 8: Know what is essential to tell your story. Prioritize money and time accordingly.
Microbudget Tip 9: Start with your finishing format and work the post path backwards. Do this before you shoot.
Microbudget Tip 10: A good story well told trumps all. Don’t get hung up on technology.
First-Ever Survey of Specialty Films and Financing Complete
Jeremy Juuso Consulting has completed the first year of its ongoing survey of the U.S. specialty film market and its financing traits.
Defined as any film released into 1,000 U.S. movie theaters or fewer on opening weekend, specialty films are comprised primarily of independent films with no studio ties.
Summary statistics for the 2009 U.S. specialty market are available to the public in “The A.K.A. Report” at www.jeremyjuuso.com/film.htm.
Individual statistics on over 400 films are also available to the public at the same web address.
Findings about the 2009 U.S. specialty market include the following:
OVERALL:
—– 403 films were released, excluding reissues and the Academy-nominated short films compilation.
FINANCING:
—– 43 involved studio financing.
—– 38% were private equity financed (i.e., private equity comprised more than 70% of the budget).
—– 18% were distributor financed (i.e., at least one distributor or its parent company supplied more than 30% of the budget).
—– 12% were private equity driven (i.e., private equity comprised 30%-60% of the budget).
—– 10% were European government supported as part of an international coproduction.
—– No overlap exists among the previous four categories.
STARS AND BOX OFFICE:
—– 137 films (34%) had at least one star, where a star is an actor who previously was a lead in at least one feature grossing $50 million or more domestically.
—– The average budget for star films released during Q1-Q3 2009 was estimated at $7.9 million (excluding P&A), with an average box office of $1.8 million for these same films.
—– The average budget for non-star films released during Q1-Q3 was estimated at $3.6 million (excluding P&A), with an average box office of $1.0 million for these same films.
—– Less than 15% of specialty films released in Q1-Q3 generated 90% of box office revenues for specialty films released in Q1-Q3.
—– Late Q4 releases are still accruing significant box office receipts.
FESTIVALS:
—– 344 films (85%) debuted at a film festival prior to U.S. theatrical release.
—– The top debuted-at festivals were Sundance (64 films), Toronto (43), Cannes (37), Berlin (21), Tribeca (19), Venice (17), SXSW (13), Slamdance (7), and Telluride (6).
—– 95 other film festivals had less than 6 films represented.
PRODUCER’S REPS:
—– 113 specialty films (28%) had hired producer’s reps to attain and/or negotiate their domestic distribution agreements.
—– The producer’s reps did not represent the films in the majority of foreign markets, if any.
—– Among the films released, CAA had been hired as a producer’s rep on 21 films, Cinetic Media on 20, Submarine Entertainment on 17, William Morris on 14, Endeavor on 11, and ICM on 8.
Further details on distributors, self-distribution, foreign sales agents, genres and languages, and day-and-date VOD can be found in “The A.K.A. Report” at www.jeremyjuuso.com/film.htm.
