"Indies suck," Says Iron Man

Thus enters the love-hate relationship with Robert Downey, Jr. On one hand, he is a great example of someone who works hard and beat an addiction that plagues some many creative people. On the other hand, he performed in blackface and used the “R-word,” even though the film is a satire on Oscar-winning roles.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly Radio, Downey calls indie films “exhausting and sometimes they suck.” As an indie filmmaker and advocate, I find myself on the defensive of Downey’s comments. Upon further consideration, I have to admit Downey is somewhat right in his comments. Not entirely, but somewhat.

How Downey is right:
Indie films are exhausting: compared to big budget films, they are. Crews are smaller, which means more responsibilities bestowed on an already stressed out crew. Departments may share PAs, or even Heads. Indie films crews work long hours for little pay. Why do indie crews do it? Short answer: Because they love film.

Inexperience: I’ll concede this point because usually an indie film is the first film for many Hollywood actors and directors. However, inexperience is not a bad thing. Sometimes it’s a lesson in what works and doesn’t work. Most entrepreneurs are not experienced, either. You are not selling the skills set. You are selling the concept.

Low pay: Compared to a Hollywood film, indie films may have defferred payment or little-to-no payment. While I wouldn’t consider low pay a strength of indie films, indie films can be considered start-ups, as opposed to major corporations. The opportunities may offset the pay.

How Downey is wrong:
Indie film budgets: Here’s where Downey’s Hollywood beer googles kick in. $500k is a “Hollywood” indie film. When Downey hears “indie film,” he is probably thinking in the realm of $300K-10M budget. Most REAL indie films are done for much less.

Indie films scheduling: While the shooting days are long, the actual production schedules for indie films are usually short, maybe a month or two on average. This is practical as the longer you shoot something, the more expensive it becomes. Working on your birthday is normal in the adult world. Sports stars play games on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Comes with the job description. My birthday is Christmas Eve and I've worked on it most of my adult life.

Indie films are disorganized: It depends on the set. If an indie film made it to Sundance, odds are the set was run like a well-oiled (yet cheaply built) machine.


The actor’s roles in indie films: Yes, it is partially the actor’s responsibility to champion an indie film. Most indie film actors know this and willingly participate in the Q&As. It’s called marketing and branding.

Inexperience: Downey is wrong and right! Some filmmakers stay independent, but I would not call them inexperienced. Alexander Payne, Spike Lee, Robert Rodriguez, and P.T. Anderson, for example. Some actors like J.K. Simmons are known for their prolific indie film work.

The problems Downey cites about indie film are not exclusive to indie films, or to filmmaking. I think the larger problem is the apathy Downey may feel with the state of cinema today, which is a sentiment shared with other filmmakers, such as Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, or Spike Lee. Personally, I feel that indie films will save Hollywood from itself.

Happy Filmmaking!

Is Hollywood a "White Industry"?

Chris Rock recently wrote an essay about being black in Hollywood.

While I agree with Chris Rock on many points, I feel his argument is a little actor-centric. He did state that key decision-makers/creatives are rarely black. Too many blacks in the industry focus on being in front of the camera instead of behind it. Therein lies the problem. We also have to move beyond black showrunners, black screenwriters, black directors, and black producers. We also need black executive producers, black distributors, black theatre owners, black editors, black DPs, black MPAA raters, and black entertainment professionals.

When I was interviewing at many production companies post-graduation, I noticed how "white" many of these companies actually are. Some companies had no racial or ethnic minority visible. It's a terrible feeling to know you may be wasting your time. And unfortunately, many black production companies cannot afford to hire you, as they may be folding next month. But as a young emerging creative who happens to be a minority, you are often pigeonholed into creating films that emphasize your otherness, not the next Wizard of Oz. The plus side is that many young professionals are passionate about diversifying Hollywood, and if enough of those passionate people get together, Dear White People, or films like it, emerge.

The following quote struck a chord with me the most:

I don't think the world expected things to change overnight because Obama got elected president. Of course it's changed, though, it's just changed with kids. And when you're a kid, you're not thinking of any of this shit. Black kids watch The Lord of the Rings and they want to be the Lord of the Rings. I remember when they were doing Starsky and; Hutch, and my manager was like, "We might be able to get you the part of Huggy Bear," which eventually went to Snoop Dogg. I was like: "Do you understand that when my brother and I watched Starsky and Hutch growing up, I would play Starsky and he would play Hutch? I don't want to play f—ing Huggy Bear. This is not a historical drama. This is not Thomas Jefferson. It's a movie based on a shitty TV show, it can be anybody. Who cares. If they want me to play Starsky or Hutch, or even the bad guy, I'm down. But Huggy Bear?"

Rock's frustration resonates with me because my mother, my brother, my fiancé, and I are huge science fiction fans. We are able to enjoy science fiction just like anyone else and largely do not understand why #blackstormtrooper is so controversial. Black people cannot star in science fiction, fantasy, or superhero films? The new Spiderman received the same racial backlash as #blackstormtrooper, and so did Hunger Games despite the character being originally written as a black girl.

I wrote an unproduced pilot for a production company that folded called The Adventures of Maxis and Kevin. It's about this adventure-like video game character and this everyman community college student. I wrote no racial identifiers for Kevin, but envisioned him in my mind to be a black kid. He could easily be any race. But the reason I wrote this story was because I grew up on video games. I'm a Gen-Yer born in 1984. I related to Oregon Trail, Super Mario, and Zelda. I didn't feel the need to write that Kevin was black because it added nothing to the story, however, just because I didn't specify doesn't mean he's automatically a white character either.

Once a minority filmmaker can make films without them being consider "race" films, we can say we have arrived. But we are not there yet.

Happy Filmmaking.

Score one for the lil' people: "Interns" fight back!

I hope this makes your day as much as it has made mine. There is a very thin line between volunteering and helping out versus being an "adult intern." I have already touched on this subject in the past, urging for the blatant abuse of labor law to stop. It may never happen, but let's face it: something has to change to stop runaway productions and slapped together second-rate product. The people demand more for their money nowadays. The industry still needs asses in seats, and a strong economy, one with jobs, will allow that to happen. New York Times reports,

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, claims that Fox Searchlight Pictures, the producer of Black Swan, had the interns do menial work that should have been done by paid employees and did not provide them with the type of educational experience that labor rules require in order to exempt employers from paying interns.

The rest of the article is here. The Indietalk discussion about this article is here.

Happy Filmmaking.

Miramax is going once, going twice, SOLD!

indieWIRE reports that Disney has finally sold its adult "indie" company Miramax to Filmyard Holdings, LLC. Disney acquired Miramax in back in 1993, when Miramax was already established as a powerhouse indie company. In more recent years, Miramax films bowed out to stronger Disney arms such as Buena Vista Films. Although still significant, the company has yet to recover from the departure of its founders, the Weinstein Brothers, who went on to start The Weinstein Company in 2005. As the story goes, Miramax's name came from Miriam and Max Weinstein, the Weinstein Brothers' parents.

Miramax reached 30 last year. Although a cause of celebration, it was also the year Miramax cut 70% of its staff.

Disney Officially Closes Deal for Miramax Sale - indieWIRE

Happy Filmmaking.

Amazon Studios: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Amazon Studios has been making a lot of noise around the blogosphere. Because there is so much information out there about it, I originally was not going to comment about it. But given that this is an indie film blog, I now feel I have to give my two cents.

If you haven't heard already, Amazon decided to launch an indie crowdsourcing venture called Amazon Studios. Writers can upload scripts in order to win cash prizes and possibly receive a deal through Amazon and Warner Bros. I'll just touch on the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good: Uploading to Amazon Studios is free. Contests usually cost an entry fee. This option might be attractive to a struggling filmmaker or writer. Also, the contest is a monthly one, with cash as a prize. Who doesn't love that? Also, Amazon Studios seems serious about democratizing the filmmaking process. Amazon Studios forms a community and encourages collaboration. Also, scripts do not have to be in English, which is usually a requirement for many other screenwriting contests. Now for the caveat.

The Bad: I think this speaks for itself:

You grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, non-terminable, sub-licensable, transferable right, during the License Period, as defined below, to copy, use, edit, add to, modify and otherwise alter any Original Property you contribute to Amazon Studios and to create, develop and produce derivative works based on the Original Property on and off of Amazon Studios in the form of treatments, screenplays, writer 's pitches, trailers, videos and other written, audio or audiovisual works (each a "DerivativeWork" and these rights, our "New Content Creation Rights"). Our New Content Creation Rights are exclusive during the License Period and you will not grant similar rights in your Original Property to anyone else during the License Period. After the License Period, if we don' t exercise the Option, our New Content Creation Rights will expire and you may grant similar rights to others. --Amazon Studios Development Agreement

In order words: a free option. For 18 months, you cannot shop around the same script to others for a better deal. For free. Usually, when given an option, you would receive some cash incentive not to shop around the script, per WGA rules. I do not know about you, but to me this is a major deal-breaker. Working as a writer, unless you have an exclusive personal relationship with a producer AND you are receiving a co-producer credit, I would avoid the so-called "free option." Even if you do not have a free option, you would at least want a negotiable term option. At Amazon Studios, you would receive neither. In addition, when your screenplay is optioned, you will be eligible for the WGA. Submitting your script to Amazon Studios will not qualify.

If you are a filmmaker, you have to create a "test movie" in order to test the script's validity. The test movie does not need to be a full scale production. However, Amazon expects you to test the entire script. Here, Amazon should have just asked for a trailer or a scene from the movie instead. It seems pointless to make a "test movie" for a potential production. You would be making the movie twice. If I were to create a feature-length test movie, I might as well produce the film myself and call it a day. Plus, Amazon seems to forget that the internet crowd has a short attention span. Who is gonna sit at their computer and watch a semi-produced movie?

The Ugly: John August already pointed this out, but I would make another point. We writers are a paranoid bunch. Many of us are too paranoid. I'm not as worried about others "stealing" my ideas, because if a writer was truly afraid of that, he or she would be afraid to pitch ideas to others. You have to let that go in order to market your work. You must learn to protect your work in a legal way. That being said, losing your rights to your work by uploading to Amazon Studios is not the worst part of Amazon's terms. Amazon is very vague about its procedure facing copyright and attribution issues. Further murking that up, other users can add revisions to your original work, without your permission. And if Amazon agrees to the changes, you have to recognize Goompykid94 as a co-writer.

Whenever I send a script to someone, I send it as a .pdf. Amazon Studios likes the obsolete file format .rtf instead. Not .doc or .docx. Not any Movie Magic or Final Draft format. Not even Celtix. But the same file format used in Wordpad. If you are like me, you predict major formatting issues. Last time I used this file format for a major project, I was wearing butterfly clips and waiting for my dial-up internet to connect via CompuServe. It was also the same time I was allowed to turn in a paper written in Comic Sans.

Last ugly point: Amazon expects the winning script to make $60 million in the box office before they pay you any more money. You might as well bend over. I'm assuming that's Domestic Box Office. This is assuming your script is any good and the resulting film is worthy of a theatrical distribution and release. Also, what about ancillary markets? Foreign release? Digital distribution. Not only does this deal overpromises, the deal is bad for you regardless of how well the film does. Amazon comes out on top. Either way, you will be underpaid and screwed out of your true compensation.

I expected more from the company that owns IMDb. Maybe I expected too much. But I guess it'll be useful for some script you care less about. I would not recommend Amazon Studios for your really good stuff, regardless of the promise of a first look from Warner Bros. Just use Vimeo or YouTube instead.

Happy Filmmaking.

Sunset: Dino De Laurentiis (1919-2010)

Image from Film Reference

Dino De Laurentiis, legendary producer of films such as La Strada, Hannibal, and *gasp* Mandingo, died today at 91. Even in his old age, De Laurentiis was still producing. Most of us wish we can secure work that spans one year, let alone 7 decades! RIP, Mr. De Laurentiis.

Happy Filmmaking.

Another Indie ProCo Falls Victim to Bad Times

Overture Films is no more. Although only three years old, Overture Films was a powerhouse in the world of indie film. Relativity Media has acquired Overture's operation duties. What's very unfortunate about Overture's demise is how the owner lost interest in the film business and had hoped to sell the company to potential buyers. Only two bidders were interested, and their deals were not high enough.

In a time such as this, we need to focus on rebranding independent film. Indie ProCos are just like any other small business, they are the backbone to true American enterprise. As one of the few true American exports, cinema must allow for competitors and a fair exchange of ideas. If all independent filmmaking goes away, we will be stuck with the over-inflated, over-budgeted, unimaginative monotony that is today's studio system.

LA Times article is here:

Overture Films ends three-year run, hands off marketing and distribution to Relativity Media | Company Town | Los Angeles Times

Happy Filmmaking.

Metro Video Contest

Yes, the Los Angeles Metro System is hosting a video contest. Bonus #1: you'll have a neat little short to add to your reel. Bonus #2: if you win, you'll receive a free EZ pass for a year! Think about how much money you'll save, especially given the price hike, effective tomorrow. Let's see...

EZ Pass a month: $84

$84 x 12 months=$1,008

Just like McDonald's, I'm loving it! And for you car lovers, well, save it for that DUI or that impending car wreck that only comes with living in LA. You have 16 days.

Metro | Around | Transit Flicks Video Contest

Happy Filmmaking!

Dumb and Dumber, blame the internet?

Is the internet really making us dumber? Of course there is some argument there: I'm one of the faceless millions who uses Google to spell-check. But is it really making us dumber? Or worse, is it killing professional film criticism?

Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune seems to think so. With the democratic approach that is the internet, Page concludes that time-honored critics like Roger Ebert, Elvis Mitchell, or Leonard Maltin are losing their shirts to the "amateur" critics of imdb.com or Netflix.

He has a point. There seems to be a lot of people out there that would give Soul Plane a 10 on imdb.com because it was "hella-crazy, fo' sho!". You also have the trolls who believe every popular movie despite its critical and/or commercial successes is "the worst movie, ever." But, I think Mr. Page gives too much credit to these folks, and not enough to the folks between Ebert and norbitlover_92.

There are some great critical analysis on the internet that come from non-professionals who know what constitutes a great film. Some might be Team Goodfellas versus Team The Godfather, but can ultimately conclude both are considered "good films". It's safe to assume choosing between Team Amadeus and Team Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is not purely based of personal preference.

Some viral professionals gladly use the internet to their advantage. Like the super-funny guys at spill.com. I'm a big fan. Their analyses balance everyman rhetoric with a hint of professional criticism.

I would take the internet with a grain a salt. Like television before it, it can be used for good (PBS!) or it can be used for evil (Jersey Shore).

Happy Filmmaking!

Do I Smell a SCAM???: Working for Free

Kudos for LA Times and the Hollywood Reporter for shedding some light on this subject. Very few industries can get away with the whole "privilege-of-working-with-us-is-enough-compensation" as much as Entertainment Industries. These industries thrive on enthusiastic wannabe players who will do next to anything for that one lucky shot. Unfortunately, these prospective players drive down the market for others, as well as shoot themselves in the foot.

I'm all for volunteering and collaborating. It's a great way to network. But there is a very thin line between volunteering to help out and being used as free labor. It's so commonplace, many now-professionals even stress going the extra mile on these "free" positions in order to keep your foot in the door. As the practice spreads in other industries due to the economy, unemployed workers and the government are starting to question the legality of the so-called "adult internship."

Just as both articles point out, working for free for the direct financial benefit of a company is illegal. The "non-college intern" PA position on professional shoots has to stop. If the film cannot budget some type of compensation for you, then it probably will not help you advance your career. Be friendly and open to assignments, but be mindful.

Happy Filmmaking.

Blacklisted? A Good Thing!

Used to be if you were blacklisted, you were branded a commie and shamed from "ever working in this town again!" Those days are long gone. Today, it is an honor to be blacklisted. This new Black List is just shy of five years old, but what a tot it is!

The mysterious and exclusive Black List is an annual list of unproduced screenplays that are making waves in development departments across Hollywood. Think of it as the slush pile from Heaven. Last December, LA Times revealed the history behind the name and its founder. The "Black" in "Black List" is to counter the connotation associated with the word (is that a little of Malcolm X I hear?). I agree that Black is Beautiful, although it's clear I have a bias.

If on the list, there is a high probably you might receive an option. Although, not everyone likes the idea of the Black List. Here is an blog article slightly critical towards it, as well as the commenters.

Films created from the Black List include:

Juno

Charlie Wilson's War

The Kiterunner

The Queen

Million Little Pieces

Black Snake Moan

Babel

Dan in Real Life

We Are Marshall

..and many many others.

Happy Filmmaking.

Year in Review--2009

Today, CNN posted this article in support of independent film (or at least low-to-mid budget films), as well as the dismissing the Hollywood blockbuster that has been dominating box offices in the recent years. Mr. Charity notes the the higher the Hollywood film budget, the less money alloted for smaller, but not as profitable, films. It's a recession trend that only makes sense to Hollywood.

Yes, 2009 has had many mediocre box office baits, but the article highlights some gems, mostly of the indie nature. The film that gets the top honors is the Coen Brothers' A Serious Man. Other films on the "best" list include the critically acclaimed The Hurt Locker and Two Lovers.

Hmmm, films that are considered the worst: well, Transformers 2 is one (I never can remember the entire name). Good job, CNN.

Happy Filmmaking!

Holiday networking

I love this time of year. Admittedly, I am a little biased (I'm a Christmas Eve baby), but there is something about this time of year that puts a smile on my face. Tis' the time of year I go to the most shindigs.

While I'm never that person that mass delivers business cards to everyone in the room, I believe that these parties can be the best networking opportunities. However, since alcohol tends to run freely at these things, one would have to put in the extra effort to be remembered. I learned the nuances of drink just so I could network better at these things. Not too little, not too much. I want to appear to be a fun person, not a social outcast or pariah. Just a little of the courage juice goes a long way.

Striking up conversations with strangers poses some difficulty, but it can be achieved. I'm a foodie, so usually I connect with strangers by discussing the food at the party. Seriously, who doesn't love food? One could argue Americans tend to love food too much!

Networking is a two-way street, however. I have, on many occasions, encountered people who are just not interested in connecting. I never take this personal, although I honestly have wondered why one would choose not to socialize at a party. Their loss. I've had my shy moments, too, but usually after a 15-30 minute "warm up," I'm ready to socialize. I guess some people never get over that fear.

Happy Holidays and Happy Filmmaking!

More Images from LAFF

I never did mention the movies I saw. I am a working girl, so many of the films I wanted to see previewed on the weekends. I saw:

Zero Bridge-touching tale about a pickpocket teenage orphan in Kashmir.

I Sell the Dead-very quirky, but fun.

Wah Do Dem-which won the narrative award, by the way! White boy lost in Jamaica. What's not to love about that?

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia-just like it sounds. Produced by Johnny Knoxville.

Not a large list, but I missed quite a few I intended to see. My boyfriend volunteered at the festival so my tickets were gratis! It was at this same festival that he decided he wanted to produce some projects I'm working on. In LA for less than two months and he already caught the filmmaking bug!

Us in the Filmmaker's Lounge.

More photos. Excuse my Blackberry camera:


Tap dancing king of West Virginia.

Happy Filmmaking!

Photos from LAFF

Didn't think I was going to cover the festival, right? Well, enjoy my attempt to take decent pictures with my camera phone.

Westwood CA, USA

Map of the festival.

The Zone Perfect Lounge: where the cool kids hang out.

This was an exhibit where patrons added on the paintings. The results are...interesting. I'm attempting to "fix" a painting.

I added the water, the hill, and the city. I tried.

More photos later! Happy Filmmaking!

5 to 10???

Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a surprise revert back to old Hollywood. They are expanding the nomination list for "Best Picture" from five to ten. Is it a good move? Well, maybe a mixed blessing.

The advocates voice that the larger nomination list gives indies and non-narrative films a chance against the big boys. However, even with only five nominations, it is clear that the most hyped film will win. And who knows if the move would boost the ratings of the bombing ceremony. Let's just say if the Oscars were a series, it would be cancelled mid-season along with Cavemen.

The rest of the article is here.

Happy Filmmaking.

SAG: Whose side are you on?

It's all about "New Media." That 21st-century way of displaying the art of capturing life on film. What the writers' strike taught us is that New Media is not unlike the Wild West: undisciplined, unregulated, and so fairly new, everyone wants a cut.

The final ballots for the SAG decision are due 6 June. Variety reported wide Hollywood opposition towards the deal, however, smaller-named actors seem more willing to negotiate.

I'm spilt on the decision, mainly because I am not an actress. I agree that actors should be compensated fairly for their work, but at the same time, actors already tend to receive more benefits and pay than other industry professionals. Not to mention, everyone and their momma wants to act. Studios can easily make anyone the next Megan Fox.

But what about the Indies? There's the rub. Maybe this is one of those wait-and-sees.

Happy filmmaking.

Can Indies survive the bear market?

That is the question. Whereas most economists call the Hollywood film industry "recession-proof," the opposite exists for us small guys, the indie film geeks. Over at fivesprockets.com, blogger Ann Curry pleas with her readers to support those who give us more cinematic bang for our buck.

Indie filmmaking is similar to other small business. In a bear market, they are the first to fold, while the public still supports the big guys, deemed "too big to fail." Unlike other small businesses, however, the success of production companies depend more so on the public's opinion of its entertainment, rather than any inherent demand or need. John Q. Public may still go to blockbuster superhero movie rather than small art house film because he feels art house films do not speak to him or for him.

Filmmaking is an expensive and elitist endeavor, but as the nation's most recognizable artform, it preserves our American way of life. Who says it should only be for the studios?

Personally, I don't let my lack of funds or resources stop me from reaching my filmmaking goals. One just has to be smart and one step ahead of the snake oil salesmen on craigslist and the like.

Happy Filmmaking.

Natasha Richardson, a true actress, dies

News sources all over report Natasha Richardson, whose hails from a family of actors, died at 45 from blunt trauma caused by a ski injury. The British actress's home was the stage, but like her mother and grandfather, she ventured into films between the curtain calls.

Richardson's notable indie films include the Merchant-Ivory film The White Countess, A Month in the Country, and The Handmaid's Tale.

She leaves her husband, actor and indie-regular Liam Neeson, and two sons. Rest in Peace, white countess.


Happy Filmmaking.

Hooray for Slumdog Millionaire

The Oscars are now old news and we shall rejoice once more that a very deserving film got all the recognition it needed. Slumdog Millionaire won a total of eight awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film will probably spark a new interest in Bollywood cinema that was waned in the past few years.

Other recognized indies that won Oscars:
The Reader (Weinstein Company)
Milk (Focus Features)
Man on Wire (Magnolia Pictures)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Weinstein Company)
Departures (Regent Releasing)
Toyland (Mephisto Films)

If you are like me, you have some serious film watching to do! The rest of the winners are here.

Happy Filmmaking!