Advertisement
Sammy Scott
The creative process, in any form, can be cathartic. It certainly was in the case of up-and-coming screenwriter Sammy Scott. At just 16 years old, the Upstate New York resident finished high school in two years, holds down a full-time waitressing job and, at 13, completed a screenplay.
Perfect Payback is a story inspired by her school-year experiences dealing with the everyday trials of being a teenager and the anguish of being bullied. The screenplay follows five teenagers, aged 13 and 14, as they each confront bullying in different forms. At first silent victims of their tormentors, the five teenagers band together and decide to stand up for themselves and finally face their bullies.
Scott channeled her emotions and firsthand familiarity with bullies into an empowering work for all audiences, not just teenagers. Writing the script also allowed her to confront what she has faced in her own life in a way she wasn’t prepared for: “I feel no need to really talk about my memories of that time, so putting it into words on paper was like a weight off my chest,” Scott says. “I hadn’t realized it until I began writing. It was like being able to feel those emotions that I hadn’t let myself feel for so long. The words just poured out.”
The honesty Scott conveyed in Perfect Payback has garnered attention from Hollywood, and it won’t be long until her words are brought to life. But right now, she’s happy using the screenplay to give teenagers confidence to confront the issues they face daily, be they human bullies or emotional ones.
Sound Off: Sammy Scott is using her experiences with bullies to confront a significant problem many teenagers face. What film has been most effective at dealing and exploring the issues teenagers face?
February 28th, 2007 | Category: Screenwriter of the Week, Screenwriting | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Feedback is a screenwriter’s most valuable tool and the BlueCat Screenplay Competition provides that in spades to each of its contestants. Started in 1998 by screenwriter Gordy Hoffman (who wrote the film Love Liza, which starred his Oscar-winning brother, Philip), the competition prides itself on finding quality material and providing its contestants with an extra personal touch.
What began as a phone call to the few hundred who entered the first competition has evolved to individual e-mails to the now thousands of entrants, discussing each particular screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses. It remains the most progressive competition of its time, using the Internet to connect with its audience. “If you send us an e-mail, Heather or I will email you back,†says Hoffman, referring to his BlueCat partner, Heather Schor. “We are one of the only contests to post a photo of the people who run it on our site!â€
Since joining the team in 2004, Schor even developed a partnership with the High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, New York. Each year one winner is awarded a staged reading at this “boutique†fest—a fest that has yet to be “taken over by a Sundance model,†she says (much like BlueCat itself). After 50 readers weigh in on the submitted screenplays, looking “to care about your characters, experience clarity in your writing style and sense a fresh voice,†Hoffman decides upon the ultimate champ. Those without a staged reading are eligible to receive a $10,000 prize, exposure on the respected competition’s site and, of course, that all-important feedback. The numbers have grown exponentially in the years since BlueCat began, but the intentions remain the same: Improve the numbers of strong screenplays ready for production.
Sound Off: BlueCat writes an entire script analysis for every screenplay entered into its competition each year. What is the best advice you think a screenwriter can receive?
February 28th, 2007 | Category: Festival of the Week, Festivals | By MovieMaker Staff
San Luis Obispo Film Society
Founded in the early 1990s to provide opportunities for likeminded souls to share in the appreciation and experience of film in the natural beauty of California’s central coast region, the San Luis Obispo Film Society viewed the establishment of an annual film festival as a natural extension of its central purpose. Led by local attorney and cinephile Mary Harris, the Society held its initial San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) in 1993. At that first fest the Society established the King Vidor Award for Lifetime Achievement, presenting its inaugural award to noted director George Sidney.
Harris continued to spearhead the film society for the next nine years, expanding it to include the George Sidney Independent Film Competition and adding moviemaking seminars and workshops, featuring a wide variety of professionals from Hollywood and beyond. In 2004 Harris passed the torch to a new group of film society members, who stepped in to sustain and grow the festival to its present 11-day celebration.
SLOIFF festival director Wendy Eidson says “It’s great having a local film society, because it gives us an automatic direct support base for our fundraising efforts as well as a reliable labor resource to draw from at festival time, when we need a lot of people to staff the films, events, panels and workshops.†Without such a built-in resource, Eidson says the job of organizing and administering the film festival would be much more difficult.
This year’s SLOIFF has been expanded to 11 days, featuring more films, events, panels and workshops than ever before. In addition to its annual George Sidney film competition, for the first time the festival is scheduled to present two King Vidor Awards: One for lifetime achievement in directing to Norman Jewison on Saturday, March 3rd and one for lifetime achievement in acting to James Cromwell on Saturday, March 10th.
For more information on the San Luis Obispo Film Society and this year’s SLOIFF (which will run from March 1 – 11, 2007), please visit http://www.slofilmfest.org.
Sound Off: Does your local film festival have the benefit of a film society or some other such support organization? If so, what measures do they employ to assist in the sustenance and growth of the festival? Share your observations in the comments section!
February 28th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By MovieMaker Staff
Moviemaker of the Week: Mark Forker
Most moviemakers dream of they day when they can put their harrowing days of small-budget projects behind them. While they’re off shooting an independent movie on a shoestring, visions of deeps pools of money, garish special effects and unlimited resources fuel their creative fire. So it might appear odd that someone would reverse-engineer his career, from point B to point A, especially when that person is firmly ensconced in big-budget Hollywood.
But that is what Mark Forker has done. During his 12 years working as a digital compositor and visual effects supervisor at Digital Domain, the visual effects company founded by James Cameron and Stan Winston, Forker has worked on such big-budget projects as Titanic, Apollo 13, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But he has left Hollywood for Philadelphia, where he is overseeing DIVE, the new visual effects and film finishing house division of Shooters Post & Transfer, an award-winning visual effects, design and post-production facility. As the head of DIVE, Forker works primarily with independent moviemakers on smaller budgets (though he will still provide visual effects supervision services to studios and moviemakers in Hollywood from time to time).
Forker is excited to be working with independent moviemakers, despite his years of working at Digital Domain. While he says the process of satisfying the director’s hunger for effects work is the same regardless of budget, cost will be significantly lower and there will be less bureaucratic and political meddling with his work at DIVE.
“The advantage of the smaller, indie-sized moviemaking process is I can spend more time on the creative process and less time managing ungodly amounts of work,†Forker says. “At the end of the day, there are less people and layers getting in the way of the directors creative vision.â€
Sound Off: Mark Forker and DIVE are making visual effects work more accessible to independent moviemakers. How important do you think visual effects are, or should be, to independent moviemaking? Let us know in our comments section!
February 28th, 2007 | Category: Moviemaker of the Week, Moviemaking | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>Top of the Box Office
1. Ghost Rider
Sony Pictures
Weekend Gross: $19,700,000
Total Gross: $78,660,000
2. The Number 23
New Line
Weekend Gross: $15,107,000
Total Gross: $15,107,000
3. Bridge to Terabithia
Buena Vista
Weekend Gross: $13,574,000
Total Gross: $46,222,000
4. Reno 911!: Miami
Paramount Pictures
Weekend Gross: $10,400,000
Total Gross: $10,400,000
5. Norbit
Paramount Pictures
Weekend Gross: $9,736,000
Total Gross: $74,674,000
6. Music and Lyrics
Warner Bros.
Weekend Gross: $74,674,000
Total Gross: $32,063,000
7. Breach
Universal
Weekend Gross: $6,158,625
Total Gross: $20,468,350
8. Daddy’s Little Girls
Lionsgate
Weekend Gross: $5,250,000
Total Gross: $25,600,000
9. The Astronaut Farmer
Warner Bros.
Weekend Gross: $4,515,000
Total Gross: $4,515,000
10. Amazing Grace
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Weekend Gross: $4,304,622
Total Gross: $4,304,622
All data courtesy of www.the-numbers.com
February 26th, 2007 | Category: Top of the Box Office | By MovieMaker Staff
In Theaters Now
The Abandoned
directed by Nacho Cerda
Sure signs of winter are snow, ice, cold--and schlocky horror movies. Foreboding lighting, screechy noises and dingy set design are meant to add up to “scary” but translate only into been-there-done-that in the case of The Abandoned. A woman looking for her birth parents is led to a haunted house in Russia where she meets a supposed twin brother and a whole lot of danger because the house “knows how you will die.” Are those chills from the premise or the draft in the theater? Starring Anastasia Hille, Karel Roden, Valentin Ganev and Carlos Reig.
The Astronaut Farmer
directed by Michael Polish
Billy Bob Thornton goes where he hasn’t gone before—or, at least where he doesn’t go very often: Planet Family-Friendly. The often foul-mouthed star of raunchy comedies throttles back a bit in this story of a farmer who builds a rocket in his barn. Daring to defy a government non too keen on his DIY trip to outer space—and daring to dream, gosh darn it—Thornton brings his family and community together in a way Frank Capra would approve of. Also starring Virginia Madsen, Tim Blake Nelson and Bruce Dern.
The Number 23
directed by Joel Schumacher
Jim Carrey gets obsessed by a number that’s not on his gargantuan paycheck in this psychological thriller. Given a book detailing a life built around the number 23, Walter Sparrow (Carrey) is driven to the brink of insanity (or is it inanity?) by the parallels he thinks he finds between the book and his life. It’s the age-old tale of a mentally unstable egoist driven to madness by his narcissism. Also starring Virginia Madsen and Danny Huston.
Reno 911!: Miami
directed by Ben Garant
Based on the cult Comedy Central hit, Reno 911!: Miami finds our irreverent group of Washoe County Sheriff’s Department cops in Miami for a police convention. But when terrorism puts every single cop in Miami out of commission--with the exception of Lt. Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) and his cohorts--the aloof Reno lawmen swing into action to patrol the mean streets of Miami-Dade County during the dog days of spring break. This is certainly for fans of the show, but newcomers entranced by Borat will enjoy the faux-documentary style in which the movie is shot. (Think “Cops” with likeable morons.) Also starring Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Danny DeVito.
Starter for Ten
directed by Tom Vaughan
In this Tom Hanks-produced slice of John Hughes nostalgia, working-class Brian (James McAvoy) struggles with life and love in an upper-class British university in the 1980s. Period clothes and hairdos are everywhere as Brian pursues the hot girl in his class (Alice Eve) and is entranced by the long-term possibilities of his close friend (Rebecca Hall). Like the obedient genre picture it is, this coming-of-age romantic comedy has life- and love-lessons aplenty. Also starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
February 22nd, 2007 | Category: In Theaters Now | By MovieMaker Staff
Easy Rider
On this day in 1968, director Dennis Hopper and producer Peter Fonda welcomed the crew of Easy Rider to the first morning of production. As recounted in Peter Biskind’s 1998 study Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, the moviemaking process proved--at its best--to be rocky and unstable. Fighting against Hopper’s overblown ego, disputes over a finalized script, consistent substance abuse on the set and rampant financial troubles, the production suffered its way to completion with the filming of the now-famous graveyard sequence. Despite production woes, however, the movie launched the careers of Hopper, Fonda and most notably Jack Nicholson, whose portrayal as idealist George Hanson garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Factoid: Easy Rider became a new American classic upon its release--proving to
February 22nd, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>Monsoon Wedding
Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding opened in
Filmmaker Factoid: Director Mira Nair is the Indian-born, Harvard-educated movie director well-known for her universal, Bollywood-style productions. Her debut film, 1988’s Salaam
February 21st, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Lost Highway
The twisted new-age film noir
Collaborations: It is somehow fitting that Lost Highway marked the last time actor Jack Nance played on-screen. Previously, Nance had worked with Lynch on Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and the television series “
February 21st, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Sidney Poitier
On a business trip to Miami on this day in 1927, two Bahamian tomato farmers welcomed their son into the world—the now famous Sidney Poitier. He left his home at the age of 15, served in the American military and later, in the American Negro Theater, worked as Harry Belafonte’s understudy. The actor’s feature film debut came in the 1950 film No Way Out. By 1958, Poitier became the first black thespian to receive an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Defiant Ones. He would make history once again in 1964 for being the first black actor to ever take home an acting trophy from the Academy. His turn as Walter Lee Younger in the Broadway debut and subsequent film version of “A Raisin in the Sun†garnered rave reviews and ushered along his notoriety. His list of accomplishments is formidable, including the 1969 formation of the First Artists production company with Paul Newman and Barbra Streisand, among others; in 1974 he became a Knight Commander of the British Empire.
Quotable: Sidney Poitier made headlines with the groundbreaking racial and political roles he took. In 1967’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Poitier’s out-of-place Dr. John Wade Prentice famously shone light on the racial positioning of the period when he said, “You think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man.â€
February 19th, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>Top of the Box Office
1. Ghost Rider
Sony Pictures
Weekend Gross: $44,500,000
Total Gross: $44,500,000
2. Bridge to Terabithia
Buena Vista
Weekend Gross: $22,075,000
Total Gross: $22,075,000
3. Norbit
Paramount Pictures
Weekend Gross: $16,802,000
Total Gross: $58,884,000
4. Music and Lyrics
Warner Bros.
Weekend Gross: $14,000,000
Total Gross: $14,000,000
5. Daddy’s Little Girls
Lionsgate
Weekend Gross: $12,100,000
Total Gross: $12,100,000
6. Breach
Universal
Weekend Gross: $10,370,885
Total Gross: $10,370,885
7. Hannibal Rising
Weinstein Co.
Weekend Gross: $5,465,000
Total Gross: $22,127,000
8. Because I Said So
Universal
Weekend Gross: $4,989,840
Total Gross: $33,247,505
9. The Messengers
Sony Pictures
Weekend Gross: $3,800,000
Total Gross: $30,500,000
10. Night at the Museum
20th Century Fox
Weekend Gross: $3,700,000
Total Gross: $237,333,000
All data courtesy of www.the-numbers.com
February 18th, 2007 | Category: Top of the Box Office | By MovieMaker Staff
Thought Equity Motion
Most beginning moviemakers picture their finished films ending up on the festival circuit or grabbing a spot on an art-house theater’s roster. But with so many moviemakers vying for the same few spots, the time has come to look beyond the box. To this end, Thought Equity Motion is providing a whole new way to distribute—and profit from—your film.
Thought Equity Motion is the largest distributor of online motion content, providing stock footage for such media giants as National Geographic, HBO and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Recently, the company has made its online publishing system even more accessible to indie moviemakers with the implementation of a self-upload submission program. Though similar in concept to sites like iFilm and YouTube, Thought Equity Motion differs from these online behemoths in that its primary focus is helping indie moviemakers actually make some money for their efforts. “Today, most self-submission sites provide good recognition for the filmmaker, but they do not pay the bills,†says founder and CEO Kevin Schaff. “[The self-upload program] allows individual producers of motion content to secure professional representation for, and make money from, not only their raw footage, but also their creative storyline and commercial concepts.”
According to Schaff, moviemakers are already earning tens of thousands of dollars in royalties from content they have posted on ThoughtEquity.com. In addition to welcoming “walk-in” submissions from moviemakers, the company also puts out a call for specific content. “Thought Equity Motion is completing the circle of commerce and opening a new revenue stream for the creative community,” Schaff notes, “one that will grow rapidly over the next couple of years.”
For more information or to upload your work, visit www.thoughtequity.com
Sound Off: Do you think moviemakers who license their work for commercial use are selling out? Or is it a smart move that will allow them to work on bigger better projects down the road? Talk back in the comments section!
February 18th, 2007 | Category: Exhibitor of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
IndieTalk’s Script to Screen Challenge
Online film forum IndieTalk thrives from making the online film community as interactive as possible, providing networking opportunities as well as a space for hardcore film buffs to share their obsessions with one another. Now, IndieTalk has taken it one step further with the Script to Screen challenge, a two-stage moviemaking competition that puts a unique twist on the traditional “film festival.”
In the first stage of the competition (which is free for Premier members of IndieTalk), participants submitted a script up to 10 pages long. On December 16, the winners in three categories (Comedy, Drama and Dramedy) were announced, marking the second stage of the Challenge.
Now, moviemakers are given the opportunity to turn any of the three screenplays into a completed, low-budget short film over the course of six weeks, with the winning films announced at the end of February. “What we are looking for is a well-made film that follows the script,†says IndieTalk founder Dan O’Berry, though he notes that the Challenge’s “90 percent rule†allows for some creativity and flexibility on the part of the moviemaker. According to this caveat, the director may alter no more than 10 percent of the script, whether that means altering the dialogue, deleting a scene or adding an entirely new character.
Judges of the second phase will determine whether entries have remained 90 percent faithful to the original screenplay, and one of the three prizes will go to the moviemaker who makes most original use of this rule. O’Berry remarks that “this inaugural challenge has proven very successful,†and that IndieTalk plans to run the Challenge at least once a year from this point forward.
For more information on the Script to Screen Challenge and to check out the winners of this year’s round, visit www.indietalk.com.
Sound Off: Do you think more directors should adhere to IndieTalk’s 90 percent rule? Weigh in by posting in the comments section!
February 18th, 2007 | Category: Festival of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>Movie in a Box
It’s pretty much guaranteed that when a film buff watches a groundbreaking film, she’s going to ask herself, “How did they do that?” Movie in a Box is the one-day seminar that answers this question, for as founder Donna Michelle Anderson says, “there’s no better research lab for indie filmmakers than studying hit indie films!”
Students who sign up for one of the three courses offered (Emerging Filmmakers, Documentary Filmmakers or Advanced Filmmakers) are asked to prepare by screening a particular independent movie in advance.
“The first half of the Movie in a Box day is a creative intensive, with filmmakers presenting how the selected hit film was conceived, produced and released,†Anderson explains. “Throughout the day, all the speakers highlight key section of their presentations with film clips and behind-the-scenes information.â€
The second half of the day is devoted to the Resource Room, where students meet with industry experts in a variety of fields, including lighting, post-production, distribution and the festival circuit. This way, students not only get the rundown on the basic skills needed to begin making movies, but the intimate classroom setting allows them to network with panelists, making essential contacts that may help them get their future film projects off the ground.
To register for an upcoming class, head on over to www.movieinabox.com, where an upcoming re-launch of the site will make it easier for all interested moviemakers with broadband access across the globe.
Sound Off: Movie in a Box teaches the 1-3-5 method for screenwriting, developed by Anderson, which specifically concentrates on character arc, structure and plot. What do you feel are the three most important aspects people must perfect in order to write a great screenplay? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
February 18th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia is a city steeped in history, both on-screen and off. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s, the city took a then-radical position in the South: Desegregation. Its stance appealed chiefly to outcast citizens, and by 1972 the majority of Atlanta’s residents were African-American. The city’s status as a largely black community still holds true today, and is why some of Hollywood’s most influential movies about the African-American experience use Atlanta as their backdrop.
In years past, the directors of Driving Miss Daisy, Remember the Titans and Beauty Shop all found themselves utilizing Atlanta’s enduring allure in their films. This month, hometown moviemaker Tyler Perry (famous for the wildly popular Diary of a Mad Black Woman) will feature the city in his latest movie, Daddy’s Little Girls. The modern Romeo and Juliet story follows an Ivy League-educated lawyer (Deliver Us from Eva’s Gabrielle Union) and the surprising love she finds with a single father supporting his three daughters through his job as a mechanic (played by Idris Elba of HBO’s “The Wireâ€).
The movie talent pool runs deep in Georgia’s capital city (see: Spike Lee, Julia Roberts and Steven Soderbergh) and their film office is more than happy to assist all those looking to shoot in the area, offering interested moviemakers a few permit-free locations as well as tax exemptions for qualified productions. Consult www.filmgeorgia.org for more info.
Catch the streets of Atlanta in:
The Big Chill
Manhunter
Road Trip
Big Fish
A Simple Twist of Fate
The Clearing
We Are Marshall
Sound Off: Gone with the Wind (incidentally filmed on a soundstage in Los Angeles) is probably the most iconic of films about the city of Atlanta. Are there other films that have similarly captured the essence of town or region? Talk back in the comments section!
February 18th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
This Day in Indie History: Pollock
Ed Harris’ directorial debut, Pollock, was released (albeit limitedly) in the U.S. on this day in 2001. The film starred the actor as abstract painter Jackson Pollock, the first American artist to become a household name. It was a longtime dream for Harris to put this movie together after reading the artist’s biography more than 10 years earlier. The labor of love earned him an Academy Award nomination for his lead role and Marcia Gay Harden the trophy for Best Supporting Actress. Harden played Pollock’s wife, Less Krasner, an artist in her own right, who helped push the renowned artist to fame. The movie was filmed in New York City and at the renovated Pollock/Krasner home in Easthampton, Long Island.
Film Star Factoid: To become the characters they were playing, Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden both spent time creating their own art--attempting to get inside the heads of the celebrated artists. Harris even went so far as to build his own studio where he could work in larger scale, much like Pollock himself had done.
February 15th, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>In Theaters Now
Breach
directed by Billy Ray
As if the government doesn’t have it bad enough already, the makers of Breach had to go and dramatize the story of one of the biggest security breaches in American history. FBI agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) is suspected of being a Russian spy, and new recruit Eric O’Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is tasked with catching him in the act. The movie is slick, with a Bourne Identity feel and a healthy dose of paranoia. But since the real Hanssen was indeed a spy, and was indeed found out, the narrative tension is somewhat muted. Also starring Laura Linney, Gary Cole and Dennis Haysbert.
Bridge to Terabithia
directed by Gabor Csupo
Katherine Paterson’s The Bridge to Terabithia, about kids discovering a mystical kingdom deep in the woods, gets the faux-Lord of the Rings treatment in this Disney film. The fantastical world dubbed “Terabithia” by the kids is populated by giant walking trees, warrior insects, armies of small, furry animals and wall-to-wall adventure. As family entertainment, it’s better than some nefarious, double-entendre-laden animated animal movie. Starring Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel and Robert Patrick.
Daddy’s Little Girls
directed by Tyler Perry
Normally, an overwrought social drama mash-up of Kramer vs. Kramer and any number of romantic dramedies would be unbearable. Being Valentine’s Day weekend, a little leeway can be granted to Tyler Perry’s (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) latest, Daddy’s Little Girls. Monty (Idris Elba) is fighting for custody of his three daughters, and along the way falls in love with Julia (Gabrielle Union), a hot-shot lawyer who’s becoming fickle about love. Moving from beginning to end, every important cliche is hit: The sleazy ex, the wary kids, class war, shortsighted friends… and on and on and on. Also starring Louis Gossett Jr., Tasha Smith and Gary Anthony Sturgis.
Ghost Rider
directed by Mark Steven Johnson
Leather, skulls, bones, fire and whips made of chain-link are abundant as Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage), bound by a deal with the devil gone wrong (is there any other kind?), transforms into the motorcycle-riding, flaming-skulled demon of vengeance, Ghost Rider. Consider this the comic book adaptation appetizer meant to tide you over before the summer smorgasbord of Spider-Man 3. As long as you like a side of fetishism with your artichoke dip, Ghost Rider should satisfy. Also starring Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Donal Logue, Peter Fonda and Sam Elliott.
Music and Lyrics
directed by Marc Lawrence
Who needs a box of chocolates when something as syrupy sweet as Music and Lyrics is at hand? Alex Fletcher (dreamboat Hugh Grant) is a has-been ‘80s pop star toiling at the edge of musical oblivion. Sophie Fisher (cute-as-a-button Drew Barrymore) is his plant lady who has more to offer than a discount on de-grubbing the garden. Turns out she’s quite the little wordsmith, and she crafts a song that could rescue Alex’s career. And wouldn’t you know it, they make sweet music together!
February 15th, 2007 | Category: In Theaters Now | By MovieMaker Staff
This Day in Indie History: Iris
The critically acclaimed movie Iris was put into limited U.S. release on this day in 2002. The movie, written and directed by Richard Eyre, was adapted from the John Bayley book of the same name. It starred British actresses Kate Winslet and Dame Judi Dench, both playing the role of British novelist Iris Murdoch, who died in 1999 after a long bout with Alzheimer’s. Eyre uses the movie to juxtapose the stages of Murdoch’s life—from headstrong and quick-witted, to the wilting flower dependent upon her husband (played in the two eras by Hugh Bonneville and Jim Broadbent).
Film Star Factoid: Jim Broadbent took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year, but Kate Winslet also brought home an honor that night from the Kodak Theatre: For the second time in her career, Winslet received an acting nod for playing the younger version of an on-screen character. What is most notable, however, is that her costars—Gloria Stuart in Titanic and Dame Judi Dench in Iris—were also nominated for their older portrayals of the same character.
February 14th, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
This Day in Indie History: Freddie Highmore
Young English thespian Freddie Highmore was born on this day in 1992. With both parents part of the moviemaking industry (his father is an actor and his mother is a respected talent agent), Highmore soon found himself acting alongside some of Hollywood’s elite. His past projects have linked him to French director Jean-Jacques Annaud, Kenneth Branagh, Ridley Scott and Albert Finney. It was under Marc Forster’s guidance, however, that Highmore saw his star rise to international fame playing Peter Llewelyn Davies in Finding Neverland (2004). Coping with a dead father and ill mother (played by Kate Winslet), Peter befriends childlike J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) to escape his difficult childhood. Highmore’s portrayal of the character won him a SAG nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He’ll next be seen alongside Robin Williams in August Rush.
Connections: Freddie Highmore found himself a dedicated mentor in his Finding Neverland co-star Johnny Depp. It is rumored that Depp told director Tim Burton that only Highmore could fill the shoes of Charlie Bucket in his remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Interestingly, while Burton had never before worked with the little thespian, his current paramour, Helena Bonham Carter, had had the pleasure of acting as his mother in 1999’s Women Talking Dirty.
February 13th, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>This Day in Indie History: Hurricane Streets
The Sundance hit Hurricane Streets was released in the U.S. on this day in 1998. The movie, about a young teen trying to pull his life together under a barrage of peer pressure, was written and directed by freshman moviemaker Morgan J. Freeman. It starred Brendan Sexton III (Empire Records, Boys Don’t Cry) as Marcus, the teen who dreams of moving his troubled mother (Edie Falco) to the untroubled landscape of New Mexico. Hurricane Streets is notable for being the first feature to win three awards when it screened at Sundance in 1997, including Best Director, Best Cinematography and the Audience Award for best Dramatic Film.
Factoid: Morgan J. Freeman knows when to hold on to a good thing. Before working with Sexton on Hurricane Streets, the two partnered for the writer-director’s 1996 short film, Boom. They originally met when Freeman worked as a second assistant director to Todd Solondz on Welcome to the Dollhouse, and found themselves together again for Just Like Heaven, which premiered at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival.
February 12th, 2007 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Many screenwriters attempt to use cinema to give history a human face, but few have done this as well as German screenwriter Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. His first feature, The Lives of Others, explores the culture of East Berlin during the Cold War, and is a Best Foreign Language Oscar nominee.
After studying in Leningrad and Oxford, von Donnersmarck found his calling in the movie business, with an apprenticeship under Richard Attenborough for 1996’s In Love and War. At the Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film in Muchen, he made a number of his own short films before leaving the program to start work on The Lives of Others (ironically, the Hochschule awarded him a diploma for the completion of the film).
The Lives of Others takes place in East Berlin over a span of seven years, beginning in 1984 and continuing to detail the effects of the 1989 falling of the Berlin Wall. It tells the story of a Stasi secret police captain assigned to spy on “the lives of others,†and explores the impact of these actions on the captain’s own ideals, and on modern German culture. “To me, what was important was not to lose myself in historical details, but to tell a story about real people with an emotional viewpoint,†say von Donnersmarck.
To learn more about this internationally acclaimed movie and its writer-director, visit http://www.sonyclassics.com/thelivesofothers.
Sound Off: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is garnering praise for his work detailing the lives of people striving to live in a Socialist East Berlin. Somehow, he manages to depict the period as an emotional story rather than an historical one. Is it more effective to provide a straight historical account of an event, or to provide a more intimate take on the repercussions of these events for individual lives? Talk back in the comments section!
February 12th, 2007 | Category: Screenwriter of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Billy Ray
Director Billy Ray has a talent for depicting the seedy underbelly of the American establishment. His work as a writer, including 2005’s Flightplan and 2002’s Hart’s War, has breathed some new life into the action and thriller genres, incorporating government conspiracies and big-name actors while still managing to make some salient observations about American culture.
In 2003, his directorial debut, Shattered Glass, examined the world of newspaper journalism and the fabrication scandals that have plagued the industry of late. Ray (who initially intended to study journalism as an undergraduate) adapted the story of D.C. journalist Stephen Glass from a Vanity Fair article of the same name. The movie went on to grab four Independent Spirit Award nominations, solidifying the writer-director’s status in the film industry.
After returning to screenwriting for a few years, Ray is back in the director’s chair overseeing Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney in Universal Pictures’ Breach (in theaters February 16). Based on a true story, the film follows new F.B.I. recruit Eric O’Neill (Phillippe). When he suspects his boss (Cooper) of treason, he must decide what to do and where to turn for the good of the nation. Next up, Ray is slated to write and direct 2008’s Hurricane Season, which looks at a high school football team’s struggle to rebuild their community in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Sound Off: Whether it’s a terrifying plane ride after September 11 or the machinations of a corrupt government, with each new film Billy Ray presents his audience with interesting dilemmas drawn from real-world situations. Is it problematic to turn these modern-day fears into big-budget entertainment? Talk back in the comments section!
February 12th, 2007 | Category: Moviemaker of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>Memphis, Tennessee
For many moviemakers, Memphis, Tennessee embodies the American south. The home of famous blues musicians Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and B.B King, Memphis has also become one of the most film-friendly locations in the United States. In fact, MovieMaker just chose it as number seven on our list of the “Top 10 Movie Cities” in the Winter 2007 issue.
In recent years, big-time hits like Silence of the Lambs, 21 Grams and Walk the Line have featured Tennessee’s largest city, and indie hotshot Craig Brewer has professed a particular love for the City of Good Abode, which he used as the backdrop for both 2005’s Hustle & Flow and the upcoming Black Snake Moan. Starring Christina Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson, Black Snake Moan explores underlying racial tensions in modern Southern culture, as an aging blues musician (Jackson) attempts to cure a young woman (Ricci) of her nymphomania. In addition to these well-known flicks, many indie moviemakers have embraced Memphis for its thriving film scene, headed by the Memphis and Shelby County Film Commission. The Commission offers a wide variety of services including help with equipment rental, free use of government-owned properties and the assistance of the Memphis Movie Motorcycle Unit, comprised of police offers with past experience in coordinating on-location filming.
For more information on filming in this southern gem of a city, visit http://www.memphisfilmcomm.org.
Also, check out Memphis in:
The Client
The People vs. Larry Flynt
Cookie’s Fortune
Cast Away
Sound Off: What other cities do you think best capture the American south? Let us know in the comments section!
February 12th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Metropolitan Film School
London’s Metropolitan Film School (MFS) proves that a lot can be accomplished in three years. Since the school’s founding in 2003, the MFS has become the city’s leading provider of digital moviemaking courses. In this time, the school has gone from offering primarily short-term moviemaking seminars to longer, more intensive courses in writing, editing, directing and other skills essential to the film craft. The school’s flagship course, “From Story to Screen in Eight Weeks,” remains one of MFS’ most popular tracks. Over two months, students go through every step of the moviemaking process, culminating in the production of their very own short film.
MFS students do not need prior film experience to enroll in the school, but marketing director Jonathan Peake notes that “the ideal MFS student already has a relatively realistic idea of where they would like their career within the film industry to take them. They would have had some experience working on creative projects in the past. But most importantly they bring to the course bags of enthusiasm, dedication and desire to learn from their mistakes.”
Most recently, the MFS announced the launch of a two-year BA program in Practical Filmmaking, which expands upon the school’s current one-year program to provide students with experience in the development, production, marketing and distribution of a live feature film during their second year. “All of our programs are highly practical,†continues Peake. “We recognized early on that a traditional film degree with a large bias toward film theory is not going to help you find work in the industry. Our ethos when we launched was to inspire the next generation of independent filmmakers. This is as true today as it was three years ago.â€
For more information on MFS, visit www.metfilmschool.co.uk
Sound Off: Do you think that the age of theory-based film school has passed? Is there still a need to study moviemaking from a more intellectual perspective? Weigh in by posting in the comments section!
February 12th, 2007 | Category: Film School of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Faux Film Festival
The Faux Film Festival is Oregon’s irreverent alternative to the hyper-serious highbrow festivals that dominate the circuit. From fake commercials and alternative takes on training videos to music video parodies and mockumentaries—plus everything in between—some of the country’s best satire put to celluloid is showcased during the four-night event. And anyone attending is pretty much guaranteed to leave the festival in pain (from side-splitting laughter, of course).
The idea for this unique festival was put into play in 2005 when Mike Shkolnik found there was every conceivable type of film festival running in the U.S.—except one that catered to the type of films he wanted to make. “I made a faux trailer called Zombie Vegetarians and discovered there was no festival appropriate for this type of film, so I created one!†explains Shkolnik.
Held at Portland’s Hollywood Theatre, the Faux Film Festival costs attendees only $7 for a full night of some of the funniest shorts and features independent moviemakers have to offer. With such a great deal for attendees, the festival has quickly found a fan base, and last year found itself the hottest place to see the Alejandro González Iñárritu-inspired dieting spoof 21 Carbs, or Evan Lieberman and Eddy Von Mueller’s Lady from Sockholm, featuring the acting talents of sock puppets. It’s probably not so far-fetched to say you should expect more where that came from at the 2007 fest, which begins on March 29 and ends, appropriately, on April 1.
Visit www.fauxfilmfestival.com for more information.
Sound Off: What’s your favorite movie parody? Young Frankenstein? Brokeback to the Future? Let us know in the comments section!
February 12th, 2007 | Category: Festival of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff
Advertisement
' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . ''; } ?>
Categories
Association of the WeekAssociations
Awards Watch
Contests
Moviemaker of the Week Contest
Moviemaking Contest
Exhibitor of the Week
Exhibition
Festival of the Week
Festival Dispatch
Festivals
Film School of the Week
Education
Happenings
In Theaters Now
Location of the Week
Locations
MM In The News
MM Remembers
Moviemaker of the Week
Moviemaking
News/Commentary
Video
Rufus Rex
Rus Thompson's Short Takes
Screenwriter of the Week
Screenwriting
This Day in Indie History
Top of the Box Office
Website of the Week
Monthly Archives
May 2008April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
June 2006
SITE DELIVERY OPTIONS
Advertisement
