Categories
Truly Free Film

Why The Indie Film Industry Needs Producers

Time and time again, I get the impression that the “Film Industry” generally does not value producers. I suppose I shouldn’t deduce that The Studios’ abandonment of Producer Overhead First Look Deals means that the business doesn’t value Producers, and just that The Studios need to control costs or that they have other ways of accessing content, but…

Well, it’s hard not to feel that it’s just that Producers aren’t respected. I suppose that financiers willingness to under pay Producers should not lead me to think that they don’t know how much a Producer does. Maybe they are just trying to get a good deal. I suppose that I could take it as flattering that experienced folks in the business, assume that my overhead is covered, that my assistant’s salary is taken care of.
So what is it that Producers do for the Film Industry at large?
  1. Producers bring new investors into the business, both in terms of sourcing them, and structuring deals that make sense from an investors’ perspective
  2. Producers look out for investors’ needs (substantially more than distributors do), as Producers think long term and need private equity to stay in the game.
  3. Producers provide development supervision to get the scripts right — and they usually get a lot more writing done without additional costs — because the authors know they are doing it to get the best movie made, and not just to justify their jobs.
  4. Producers inspire talent to embrace work for affordable yet just rates — because everyone knows that the producer is doing also for the love but for a whole lot longer.
  5. Producers counter-balance industry pressure to increase costs and keep movies’ budgets at levels that make sense — which is good for the industry.
  6. Producers innovate — be it in the search to deliver a better film or to control costs, innovation is in their blood.
  7. Producers develop talent and take the chances on emerging artists.
  8. Producers keep in touch with the audience, weighing where their tastes and habits are.
  9. Producers bring content, talent, technology, audiences, investors together.
  10. Producers help show the business and the culture where they might aspire to be going.
Categories
These Are Those Things

Some Of The Reasons I Love The Internet

I can wake up, drink my coffee, and have great videos curated for me — videos that change how I feel about the world.

Marc Schiller hipped me to this fan created video for Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks” awhile back and I have been meaning to post it. How great is it that Gabe Askew made this for all of us?!!:

Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

And before that I finally caught up on Girl Talk’s “Feed The Animals” . Culture changes so fast, thankfully. I love that this is 100% samples and the juxtaposition of stuff is a hoot. I had no idea which video to post but I picked this one in honor of Babe Ruth.

Another reason is you can find curators of interesting stuff and ideas. The forementioned Marc Schiller being one of them. Check this out (if you didn’t already when I twittered and blogged about it):
http://marcschiller.posterous.com/

Categories
Bowl Of Noses

legos! Legos!! LEGOs!!!

You can never have enough Legos in your bowl. Or at least in our bowl. Luckily the internet keeps filling it up.
Slide show of how Legos are made.
Historical Lego Mini-figs.
Yee haw!
Categories
Bowl Of Noses

Bohemian Rhapsody

I guess this song became a “classic” because it is so silly. I never got it otherwise. It seems designed for Karoake but it came out BEFORE people did that. Go figure. Well this version totally captures the pure silliness inside.

And then afterwards your entire household can sing operatically all day — just sayin’…

Categories
Bowl Of Noses

Jellyfish! JELLYfish!! JELLYFISH!!!

We need more zooplankton in our bowl! And there are already zillions! You gotta love the Nat Geo Kids site. They have even more great vids. When the parents start complaining that you do don’t surf enough educational web sites, just show them this:

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/kids/animals-pets-kids/invertebrates-kids/plankton-jelly-kids.html
(thanks to Merry Traum for this!)
Categories
These Are Those Things

Once We Thought TV Could Be Different

Mark Pellington created BUZZ for MTV back in 1990. Syd Mead, Hackers, Bladerunner all in a collage mash up.

A lot has gone on for Mark in the years that have gone by. His latest video breaks my heart, but many thanks are given.
Categories
Truly Free Film

Jon Reiss on The New Way To Think Of Theatrical

I wasn’t at DIY Days. If I had been, perhaps I could have saved some time that I just spent brainstorming and writing it all down. Dang.

Jon puts a lot of good stuff out there. With most of the new crop of Sundance films having gotten their golden tickets this week, their makers would do well to listen up to the words that Mr. Reiss speaks. Is that you?

And if you look at the list of To Dos that I served up on that last post, you would do wise to heed his advice and fire your DP and hire a Producer of Distribution & Marketing. Open your ears:

And here’s a nice round up of Jon’s talk from Sheri Candler.