Monday, July 23, 2012

Beasts of the Southern Wild - Review


BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Directed by Benh Zeitlin

Produced by Josh Penn, Dan Janvey & Michael Gottwald

Written by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin

Cinematography by Ben Richardson

Released: June 27, 2012 (USA)




Starring
Quvenzhané Wallis
Dwight Henry

Synopsis: Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis), an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink (Dwight Henry), in "the Bathtub", a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink's tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe; for a time when he's no longer there to protect her.

REVIEW
Every once in a while there comes a movie that bristles with such authenticity even though it’s a narrative and even described as a “fantasy drama”, ‘Beasts’ is such a film. Even if you have never been to the “southern Delta” you sense you know what it FEELS like to live there.

The director Benh Zeitlin with the aid of cinematographer Ben Richardson imbues ‘Beasts’ with measured attention to what it’s like to live in such a southern community. You can feel the heat, the stickiness, the grit of the south just by watching Hushpuppy and her father Wink go about their lives in this terrain. And that is the real treasure of Beasts of the Southern Wild, Wink and Hushpuppy.

Wink and Hushpuppy
The father/daughter relationship Wink & Hushpuppy share was just preternatural.

Dwight Henry
Dwight Henry (pictured above) was simply amazing as Wink. His performance gave Wink a genuine enduringness and fortitude. You’d think that this man could survive anything and wants his daughter to do the same.

That brings me to the young lady that everyone is talking about the outstanding Quvenzhané Wallis (pictured below)

Quvenzhané Wallis
I’ve seen some great youth performances, but none as young and outstanding as Miss Wallis’. She is the Lead actor, narrator and grounding center of the whole film…at six years old!

Wikipedia states “The film has received largely enthusiastic critical reception.” and I too must now join the chorus.

Even though I’ve seen several excellent films this year, Beasts of the Southern Wild was simply the BEST one I’ve seen all year. I’m not going to say anymore about this film because you should just see it. Truly extraordinary.

Additional Info
Read more about Beasts of the Southern Wild on Wikipedia here

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Great Article About Film Fundraising

Director Pete Chapmon

Kickstarter - A Blessing or A Curse?

By Pete Chapmon | Shadow & Act

I recently did an experiment, keeping a tally of how many Kickstarter orIndiegogo campaigns I was given the "opportunity" to support over a 2 week period. The answer? 11

I'll tell you why I think that's crazy in a moment, but first, I'd like to provide a few details into my own filmmaking journey so you can "consider the source", as wise folks always say.

I started making films in the 11th grade at Columbia High School inMaplewood, NJ. I'm talking about shooting on Super8mm film...developing it myself...editing on a moviola -- it was awesome. My 16 year old ideas didn't require much money, partly because I did not have an allowance or a crew, but they still served to help me learn what I could.
I went to NYU undergraduate film school, making countless projects, but for the purposes of this post, I'll reference my senior thesis "3D" -- a film that starred Kerry WashingtonDorian MissickAl Thompson, and Charles Parnell and for which I had to raise $24,000. That was quite the jump from my junior year film that cost $700, but it was a helluva intro to fundraising, marketing, and pitching to strangers. I learned that whether you're asking for $1 or $1000, you better know what you're talking about and not expect folks to help you out just because they know you or, real talk -- are family. I also learned the importance of legal documents after dealing with some shady music business people, but that's another post too, and of course, Industry Rule #4080.

After taking "3D" to Sundance and several other festivals, I began plotting every filmmaker's inevitable next step -- how to raise money for my feature debut "Premium". We started with a budget of around $3MM, which turned into$1.5MM, morphed into $750K, and eventually plateaued at $520K. Being neither rich, nor wealthy, the immediate question became, "where we gonna get that dough from, y'all?" This was 22 times more money than my previous project and my network hadn't really grown any. We had the talented Dorian Missick attached, some great key crew with much more experience than myself, and a commitment to make it happen by hook or crook. But, that didn't provide a roadmap to raising the money. There was no YouTube or Vimeo. No Kickstarter or Indiegogo. It was 2005. 

So, how did we do it? 
My producing partner, Kevin Frakes, and I put together a thorough business plan that outlined the who, what, why, and how behind all of our choices. We educated potential investors on the filmmaking process, the entertainment industry, and provided a clear answer toward every possible question, especially how the money would be spent and how they would be repaid if they invested. Forbes magazine  eventually profiled me in their investment guide after we reached our funding goal. 

We dedicated just as much effort to compiling a creative package to support the project. Think "Kickstarter Video" before the term ever existed. I produced an electronic press kit (EPK) featuring interviews from key cast and crew I'd worked with on various short films, intercutting clips from them in my work next to say, Dorian in a scene with Hugh Grant from "Two Weeks Notice". I also made a short film, "Confessions of Cool" designed to set up folks to fully understand the script from page one. I even threw parties, exclusive investor presentations, and brought my laptop into people's kitchen's on weekends, walking them through my Powerpoint slides.
All of these things, and many other finer points, combined to help us meet our goal with the help of 35 people. Investments ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, and it made me realize that people do actually want to support, you just have to do your job of shaping the path to a mutually beneficial final result. If you don't think people are investing in you for selfish reasons, then you should stop reading this right now.

Which brings me back to my point about why those 11 Kickstarter "opportunities" is crazy. I've broken it down into 3 areas:

1) Not every artist seems to have asked themselves the straight-up-no-bullshit question, "would I give this project money based off of the presentation that I see here?" I feel safe saying that many of these folks would not. And that's exactly why I won't either.

2) Many people seem to be crowdsourcing because it's there, waiting for foolish friends and family that just might help them make something they wouldn't otherwise put much effort toward. They're also not using it to their advantage when thinking about how best to exploit it. It's no different than the ease of web coding making folks create websites that they wouldn't otherwise make if it took any real effort and planning.

3) Not everyone is at a point where they should even be asking for money. No one should receive an email that, at its basic level, is asking another person to pay for their PRACTICE. Have you found your voice? Do you have more than an elementary understanding of film language and storytelling? Have you considered not only the market for your project, but the marketing? Please stop thinking your every whim should be bankrolled by your "network". Skin in the game is proof of passion and dedication and when it's not there, it's more than transparent.

I understand it's not 2005 anymore. The world has changed and I'm happy about the democratization of all these disciplines. But, as someone who has raised money in the more "hand to hand combat" sense, I look at Kickstarter/Indiegogo with wide eyes as I imagine how much MORE I might have raised for "Premium" had the platform been available to me. It's not just about checking online to see who pledged how much, it's about using these crowdsourcing platforms to power a well thought out creative product with a thorough business plan and marketing strategy. It's there to make it easier to connect with those that might find supporting your project something that aligns with their interests and it makes it possible for folks you'll never meet face-to-face to contribute with the click of a button. That's what's up.

The gatekeepers, to all of our applause, have been removed, "allowing" us to do things never before possible. But, let's not forget the value of what they provide when politics, race, and nepotism aren't ingredients in the process. Studios and agents search for material that is well written and fits into the marketplace. Smaller production companies do the same, oftentimes with more of a focus on niche markets and more challenging material. Both work to get the best talent on board, develop the script to its best draft, and harness the power of their dollar to make sure the world knows a project is in the pipeline and folks should be excited!

Before you decide to swipe that Visa at B&H Photo and cop yourself a videocamera, computer, and editing system, I hope and trust that you will put your project through the same set of gatekeeper checks and balances to ensure that you are not diving in before it's ready. There's no glory in volume if the shit ain't tight. And there's no such thing as a beta version of film. When it's made, it's made, and you will be judged. Oh how I know, lol.

The point of this all is not to attack. I hope there are some worthy nuggets that can be applied to your own projects, but also shared with anybody who might be hitting you up for a contribution but maybe isn't quite ready themselves. Don't just mumble under your breath, "here we go, another mutha...". If you know them, let them know, and tell them you're here when it's time.

Personally, Candice Sanchez McFarlane and I are about to embark upon the fundraising/producing journey again with our heist script "$FREE.99" and I invite you to check in here on Shadow & Act regularly as I provide a window into the upcoming process.

The world is a better place with more stories in it -- but there are two missing words from this sentence.

The world is a better place with more stories TOLD WELL
Let's make it happen.

You can read comments about the article including mine at Shadow & Act by clicking their logo below


Monday, July 2, 2012

Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series with Matthew Cherry

Last summer I read their Filmmaker Diary Series and not only was it detailed in the filmmaking process, it also introduced me to a film I’m now interested in seeing.

As you can tell by the other posts on this blog, we are also committed to sharing information on the filmmaking process like the equally minded great site Shadow & Act.

The basis for the diaries is The Last Fall a film starring Lance Gross and Nicole Beharie.
In the diaries the writer/director Matthew Cherry covers the three stages of production PRE PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION and POST PRODUCTION and offers many personal revelations into his own life as it relates to getting the film made. One revelation is as personal as you can get and may have deterred him from making the film had he not had the presence of mind to persevere. Alas you have to read the diaries to see what I mean.

The Synopsis for The Last Fall is:
After several years of playing professional football as an undrafted free agent, 25 year-old Kyle Bishop (Lance Gross) is released from his fourth team in three years and returns to his home town, broke and at a complete loss about what he will do next. Kyle eventually reconnects with friends, family and an old high school sweetheart Faith Davis (Nicole Beharie).

Without further ado I have listed and linked the diaries in chronological order and you can see for yourself how hard it is to get an independent film made. Kudos to Shadow & Act and Mathew Cherry for a worthwhile series.


May 13, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 2: "We're Funded. Now Casting!"
May 20, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 3: "REST IN PEACE!"
May 27, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 4: "PRE-PRODUCTION WEEK 4!"
June 6, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 5: "ATTACHING TALENT"
June 10, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 6: "AUDITIONS"
June 17, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 7: "Three Weeks and Counting"
June 27, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 8: "Meet Our Leads"
July 1, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/Matthew Cherry) Episode 9: "Three Days Away"
July 8, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 10: "On the Set"
July 15, 2011


The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 11: "Filming Week 2"
July 25, 2011

The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series (w/ Matthew Cherry) Episode 12: "Last Week Of Filming"
July 29, 2011

Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series w/ Matthew Cherry, Episode 13: "Post Production Wk 1" (VIDEO)
August 5, 2011

Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series w/ Matthew Cherry, Weeks 14/15: "Post Production Wk 2/3"
August 19, 2011


S & A Filmmaker Diary Series w/ Matthew Cherry "Post Production" (Pick-up Days, Final Cut + Docu)
September 30, 2011

Shadow And Act Filmmaker Diary Series w/ Matthew Cherry: "Currently Seeking Distribution"
November 11, 2011


You can access ALL The Shadow & Act Filmmaker Diary Series including diaries from other filmmakers HERE