The phrase "excuse me" used to be a polite way of saying: Please move out of my way. I am trying to get to the other side, past, away from or around you. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in permitting me to move past you.
Now, or at least to all the people in front of, moving slowly or generally in the way of me today, "excuse me" seems to mean turn around, look at me with a vapid stare suggesting that you are devoid of any thought, stand in the way without moving or any awareness that moving out of the doorway or small hallway or any of the other places that I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THROUGH ON MY WAY BACK FROM LUNCH TO REPORT BACK TO JURY DUTY!!!!!!!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Film promotion
The hard reality of the industry is this. The best project does not necessarily win the most acclaim. The best promoter may win the most acclaim. The influx of new projects into the world has made it necessary for the filmmaker to become ever more clever in promoting their projects. A few years ago at SXSW*, I saw a guy in a superhero outfit talk his way into a party and hand out treatments for the script that he had written. Talk about commitment (or thinking about it, maybe he dressed like that all the time).
Either way, films like the Blair Witch Project worked because everyone was told that they needed to see it before they found out how average it was (sorry guys). With bigger projects, the first thing that studio's do is attach talent and work projections based on factoids like: Jason Statham in a story with fast cars and shit blowing up yet miraculously he wins in the end (read: sequel) is worth X at the box office.
Small independent films are an act of love. Short films are an act of love as well. There is not much to do with a short film other than upload it to YouTube and submit it to festivals. Either way you need to promote it yourself. You will be lucky if it gets into the festival.
Success in this enterprise is evasive. It takes a combination of intelligence, stamina and fortune. Brian and Laurence Avenet-Bradley are two of the most talented film makers I have ever met. If you have the chance to see any of their films Freez'er, Ghost of the Needle, Dark Remains are the ones that I have seen are fantastic. Dark Remains is one of the scariest ghost stories that I have ever seen and a beautifully crafted film.
*SXSW = South By South West Film Festival
Either way, films like the Blair Witch Project worked because everyone was told that they needed to see it before they found out how average it was (sorry guys). With bigger projects, the first thing that studio's do is attach talent and work projections based on factoids like: Jason Statham in a story with fast cars and shit blowing up yet miraculously he wins in the end (read: sequel) is worth X at the box office.
Small independent films are an act of love. Short films are an act of love as well. There is not much to do with a short film other than upload it to YouTube and submit it to festivals. Either way you need to promote it yourself. You will be lucky if it gets into the festival.
Success in this enterprise is evasive. It takes a combination of intelligence, stamina and fortune. Brian and Laurence Avenet-Bradley are two of the most talented film makers I have ever met. If you have the chance to see any of their films Freez'er, Ghost of the Needle, Dark Remains are the ones that I have seen are fantastic. Dark Remains is one of the scariest ghost stories that I have ever seen and a beautifully crafted film.
*SXSW = South By South West Film Festival
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