| | | Theatrical Is Dead. To Celebrate, Go See Indie Films in the Theater! |
| | It was great to see so many of you at this past Saturday's Independent Film Now seminar! Filmmakers Alliance packed a lot of knowledge and experience on the stage in a short amount of time and for so little money. I stayed for the panel on Distribution that followed my Production panel, because even though I should know all this stuff after so many years in the business and after working on so many indie film releases, the indie film distribution game, really, the universe, changes so rapidly that what you knew 2 years ago is now old news.
Liz Manashil, a filmmaker who previously worked with my old boss Peter Broderick and who now runs the Creative Distribution Initiative at the Sundance Institute, led the discussion with reps from Vimeo (Vimeo On Demand, specifically), Distribber, and Gravitas Ventures. One note that got played a lot during this panel and in others was that theatrical was just about dead for small indies. And that as a filmmaker, you shouldn't pursue it as it's a money loser and just something to stroke your ego.
Of course, all this is true, and yet with the market completely saturated with new films hitting digital platforms, theatrical still represents a way to distinguish your film from the pack, get you premium pricing on those platforms, and hopefully, maybe, tip your film into the Zeitgeist a bit.
But like I've been saying for years, for me, theatrical is also the best vehicle for seeing films of all stripes. Period. Yes, you have to leave your home. But at least theaters these days are meeting you half way (figuratively, I mean), with primo sound and picture, super-comfy new seating, and a whole new world of refreshment choices. So, again for me, this is how I like to see films that I know I really want to see.
And so I implore you from time to time to also get out and see these films, because if you don't, if we don't, they will stop playing on screens. That means you won't get that opportunity to see your favorite indie films this way and no one will get to see the films YOU make this way. |
| | | | | THE VAULT
Opening in Select Theaters and on VOD Sep. 1st
Special Sneak Preview with Cast & Crew Thursday, Aug. 31 - Los Angeles
A little over 9 years ago, when I was in pre-production on my feature Pig, I put out a call for interns under the banner No Budget Film School's Summer Internship Program (I also did this 2 years ago with DriverX). Some great, intrepid folks answered the call (both times), but perhaps the greatest and most intrepid that first time around was a guy named Alex Cutler. Now, you might expect the people who applied for this internship to be right out of school or extremely green when it came to filmmaking--and many were; it was an internship, after all--but Alex's resume was different. First, it was clear he was not a "young man." He was older than I was and as you know, I am not a young man! And his experience was a little crazy. Not only had he practiced entertainment law previously, for years, he had also produced several rather high budget films, including a big hit film in Australia called The Delinquents, which starred a then-up-and-coming young singer named Kylie Minogue.
Long story short, Alex was hired. And he worked so hard and for so long on the movie he eventually became a Co-Producer on the film and traveled around the world with us. Prior to this internship, Alex had left the film business and gone into teaching, but the bug was still in his system. And after Pig, he decided to pursue filmmaking again full time.
Long story short, Alex now has a production company called Casadelic with a number of films released over the past several years, perhaps most notably, The Taking Of Deborah Logan, a highly acclaimed found-footage horror film that has developed a huge cult following.
Alex's newest film, The Vault, follows in the tradition of The Taking as a smart genre film. It's been called a cross between The Town and The Shining--where heist meets horror. It was written and directed by Dan Bush, one of the three filmmakers responsible for the no-budget Sundance hit film from 10 years ago, The Signal, (I actually had Dan's partner David Bruckner as a guest speaker back when I taught my class in Atlanta in 2007). The Signal is a definitive piece of indie genre filmmaking and The Vault looks to be the same. It has a dynamite cast, including James Franco, Taryn Manning, Clifton Collins, and up-and-comer Francesca Eastwood, the daughter of Clint, who is really starting to make a name for herself, aside from her famous parents.
Alex and his production team are putting together a very special cast & crew screening of The Vault the day before it opens nationally in Los Angeles. Dan will be on hand with others to discuss the making of the film, and you'll get a chance to see it on the big, beautiful screen at the Ahrya Laemmle Theatre in Beverly Hills. And while the tickets are limited, they're only $10. Fans of intelligent genre films (and fans of my friend Alex, who is also the EP of DriverX, and an incredibly nice, gracious guy), will want to get their tickets now before they sell out. And if you want to discuss the film with Alex after the screening, just go up and introduce yourself.
THE VAULT SPECIAL PREVIEW SCREENING Thursday, August 31, 2017 • 7:30pm • Tickets $10 Ahrya Laemmle Theatre • 8556 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
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| | | | BLOOD STRIPE
Opening in Various Cities Across the Country Beginning Sep. 15th
As you probably know by now, I love promoting films from past No Budget Film School students of mine. It gives me great pleasure to learn that my class helped inspire a filmmaker to realize his or her dream.
And like a proud papa, I love it when that film not only manages to get up on its own two feet, but then also runs across the room, hurdling furniture. That's Blood Stripe, co-written and directed by Remy Auberjonois; (if that last name sounds familiar, it's because his father is the well-known actor, Rene). Blood Stripe premiered in the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival and promptly won the top prize for U.S. narrative features. It's won several other awards since, including the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival.
If you've ever been in the Marines, you'll recognize the title's reference--blood stripe is the red stripe that runs down a Marine officer's pants. The film stars co-writer Kate Nowlin as a returning-home Marine officer who suffers from PTSD. A Yale School of Drama graduate, Kate is one of those terrific actors who you usually only see in small character roles, but is just waiting for that opportunity to really show her stuff. I'm sorry, not waiting, creating. Remy, also an accomplished actor, and Kate got tired of waiting for those roles to come to them and instead created the role themselves and then figured out how to make the movie on their own. A lot of actors who are tired of waiting for that break take my class in order to take control over their careers, (I'll discuss another below). For Remy, he always felt he had a director's perspective when he acted and was looking for that chance to direct. I'm sorry, creating that opportunity. He credits my class for not only teaching him to work with his available resources and limitations, but also for giving him the ability to see that it could really be done. He wrote a terrific article for MovieMaker magazine where he discusses the making of the film and how his acting experience supported him in his new roles of directing and producing. I encourage you all to read this article.
As interesting as that story is, it is perhaps the story of how this film is getting out into the world that is the real nail-biter. Like a lot of intrepid filmmakers these days, Remy and his team are going the self-distribution route. They turned down a traditional offer for distribution from a very reputable company because 1.) there was no advance and therefore no guarantee that they would ever see any money out of the deal; and 2.) the company refused to get creative about the release, opting instead to just plug the film into their normal machinery. To the producers, this was missing a huge opportunity to not only make additional money and attract a much larger audience, but also, crucially, it meant skipping the chance to become an agent for change. This stance from the distributor is nothing new--it's rare you ever get an advance these days (and because of that, rare you really see any money back), and even rarer that these companies will do any more work (or any newer work) than they have to.
Fortunately for Remy, he's got a very experienced teammate running this self distribution. Missy Laney, their Producer of Marketing & Distribution, was formerly with Sundance Artist Services, and not only pioneered the mechanisms to assist filmmakers navigating this kind of landscape, she also has relationships with the various parties that are needed to pull off their ambitious plan. This plan includes not only running in New York and LA, but also in cities like Minneapolis, where they shot the film, and in other cities where there is specific support.
More-so, they are putting together an innovative "impact" campaign, which they consider to be marketing, audience building, theatrical and impact all in one. They hired the impact company Picture Motion, which is helping them reach around 300 veterans' organizations and schools in an effort to build and exploit partnerships that will include mutual promotional support and grassroots screenings. Some of that will be purely for impact and some will be potentially revenue generating. So even though this is a narrative film, it plays with the authenticity of a documentary, and they are mirroring the type of impact campaigns that many social impact docs use. They are creating a campaign with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to bring awareness to the realities faced by female veterans. They also want the film to help raise awareness in support of The Deborah Sampson Act in Congress, which is specifically aimed at creating equity for women in VA services.
I personally look forward to seeing how this whole distribution plan works, as I've been considering something akin to this for DriverX, and because frankly, for the right films, this is just what's necessary these days to break through the clutter, especially when you don't have big names and when you've made a "dreaded" drama.
Please check out the trailer, (I think it's terrific), which was created by a post house in Minneapolis, and then visit the website so you can see when and where the film might be playing near you. For New Yorkers, that's going to be starting September 29th at the Village East and for LAers, that will be beginning October 13th at the Laemmle Music Hall (mark those calendars!).
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| | THE SCENT OF RAIN & LIGHTNING
Special FREE screening at the Arclight Hollywood Monday, Sep. 11th
If you follow my newsletters even sporadically, you've probably heard me talk about actor (now actor/writer/director/producer) Blake Robbins. Blake has been littering your TV and movie screens for years, in everything from Chase Bank commercials to the recent Wind River. When he took my class several years ago, he was ready to make the leap to writer/director/producer. Like a lot of actors who've taken my class, he wanted a better level of role for himself, not the dependable character role he always played, but the lead role that kept alluding him.
Also, he was ready to flex other creative muscles, like directing, and instinctively knew no one was going to let him direct a movie without first demonstrating that he could do it. So, he took my class, raised some money on Kickstarter, and went to Kansas to shoot his drama The Sublime and Beautiful for a measly $30k. That film premiered in competition in Slamdance, won awards, garnered a distributor, and allowed Blake to come back to my class as a guest speaker--the student was now the master.
I tell my students right off the bat in my classes that you will not make money making micro-budget indie films, and that that's fine. The idea is to learn the craft of filmmaking, make mistakes, take risks, and hopefully, do well enough that someone comes along and gives you money to make your next film. I don't think Blake made much money on Sublime, despite the awards and positive reviews, but he did get the call to make another film. He was hired to direct The Scent of Rain & Lighting, based on the novel by popular author Nancy Pickard, and this time his budget was in the 7 figures, not 5 figures. And while Blake is in the film, he didn't have to do the heavy acting lifting. He left that up to an amazing group of actors like Maika Monroe, Will Patton, Maggie Grace, Mark Webber, Bonnie Bedelia, and Justin Chatwin.
I've seen this movie twice now and it's a beautiful, excellent film. Don't miss this opportunity to see it on the big screen FOR FREE, with cast and crew in attendance and answering questions following the screening. Blake is an open book, and he's so articulate when it comes to talking about how he makes his films. And he's ingenious, too. Bring a pad to take notes! Tickets are limited and first come, first served.
Slamdance Cinema Club Presents a Special Screening of THE SCENT OF RAIN & LIGHTNING Monday, September 11, 2017 • 8pm • Tickets: Free Arclight Hollywood • 6360 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
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