Finished A Draft Of My First New Script In 5 Years!

Sorry, but I have to pat myself on the back because it was an extremely difficult birth...

Also, because I HATE WRITING!!!! Especially the first draft. It's lonely, scary, often frustrating/confusing, sometimes dredges up difficult feelings and puts me in a perpetual "brain fog". When it's flowing (2% of the time), it's orgasmic. But most of the time, I'd rather get a proctology exam.....

I know, I'm being a little dramatic for someone who's written over a dozen scripts. But it frustrates me that it never seems to get any easier - whether I'm writing something simple and/or formulaic or if I'm trying to write something that pushes the boundaries of my abilities. Seems not to matter. It's always a struggle.

But the worst part of it is over.

And - to belabor the birth analogy - the script is, by all accounts so far, a very healthy, unique baby that should develop nicely.....

Now, it's time for cigars and champagne.

Sheri Candler on “New Online Distribution Service: Prescreen” Hope for Film

Sheri Candler on “New Online Distribution Service: Prescreen” Hope for Film

Six Recommendations to Start Watching Chinese Independent (Microbudget) Cinema Now Hope for Film

Six Recommendations to Start Watching Chinese Independent (Microbudget) Cinema Now Hope for Film

A Collection of Independent Shots – Farewell to Raoul Ruiz (1941-2011)

A Collection of Independent Shots – Farewell to Raoul Ruiz (1941-2011)

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - VISIONFEST 2011!

Filmmakers Alliance is now announcing a CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for VisionFest 2011.

The call is for Los Angeles-based filmmakers only (or able filmmakers able to be present at the event in Los Angeles). This fantastic event is now entering its 14th year.

For more details go here: http://www.filmmakersalliance.org/VisionFest.html.

Filmmakers Alliance Screening at Echo Park Film Center - August 15th!

Hey, my LA peeps!

Would love to see you at our FANTASTIC screening series. Always a great party and a great line-up of films. As usual, the filmmakers will be there to give you the stories behind the films.

Films and Filmmakers - that's what it's all about!

The next Filmmakers Alliance Screening at The Echo Park Film Center will be Monday, August 15th at 7:30 pm.

Come and see what FA members and other members of the LA and global filmmaking community are up to creatively, and support the great work that the EPFC people are doing in our community. The center is a volunteer run organization that offers fantastic super 8mm film classes, youth classes, and much more, so we do ask that you leave a $5 donation at the door to help keep the Center going.

There is a brief Q&A after each film, not to mention complimentary food & drinks. So come on out and eat, drink, connect and watch!

Here is the line-up:

Ocularist
Director: Vance Malone
8 mins
An ocular prosthetician unites the dexterity of a skilled craftsman with an artist's textural caress in his unique creations: custom acrylic eyes so vibrantly alive it seems a cruel twist of fate that they are unable to see.

A Day's Work
Director: Rajeev Dassani
17 mins
“A Day’s Work” examines the hopes and fears inherent to the immigrant story, both on the part those crossing the border and those learning to live in a rapidly changing America. When violence erupts, the prejudices of all involved are brought to light and mistrust, assumption and language stand as barriers to an easy resolution.

Waiting Room
Directors: Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
9 mins
After a significant event takes place, a man experiences unexpected suspension of time.

The Wonder Hospital
Director: Beomsik Shimbe Shim
12 mins
A surreal journey through a mysterious hospital that alters the perception of physical beauties.

All in All
Directors: Charlie Reff and Jacki Sextro
12 mins
Over the past month at Christian sleep-away camp, Marissa and Jeremy have grown in their love with God together. The two teens have also found an unspoken need for each other within their fellowship. Set against the surreal backdrop of enthusiastic leaders and Sunday school ritual, the couple will finally share their feelings before they say their goodbye.

The Majestic Plastic Bag
Director: Jeremy Konner
4 mins
Narrated by Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, this "mockumentary" video, hammers home the stark reality of California's plastic bag pollution situation.

The Rambler
Director: Calvin Reeder
13 mins
A stranger takes to the lonely highway with his guitar and traveling sack.

Total program running time: 75 mins.

Screening sponsored by CAZT - http://pro.CAZT.com

Appily Ever After….

There's some great iPhone apps reviewed in this series of blogs. Must haves for filmmakers!

Ben's Blog » Blog Archive » Appily Ever After… pt 1

Ben's Blog » Blog Archive » Appily Ever After… pt 2

Ben's Blog » Blog Archive » Appily Ever After… pt 3

Presented by Sundance Institute
Saturday, August 6, Cinefamily@The Silent Movie Theatre

Don't miss our first-ever Comedy ShortsLab: LA, a one-day symposium on the craft of comedic short form filmmaking and exhibition.

New participants include Mike White (Year of The Dog, School of Rock, Freaks and Geeks), and Danny Pudi (Community), and Romany Malco (The 40-Year-Old Virgin).

Other participants include Julie Delpy (2 Days in Paris), Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland), Bobcat Goldthwait (World's Greatest Dad), Troy Miller (Flight of the Conchords, Parks and Recreation), Miguel Arteta (Cedar Rapids, The Good Girl), Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang Bang: The Podcast, Producer of Between Two Ferns), the creative, production, and marketing team from Funny or Die, and more.

Tickets are $200. Click here for more info.

Comedy ShortsLab: LA Program Lineup

• Creating Comedy - From creating a comedic premise to finding what works for an audience, tune into this discussion around the discovery and development of the comedic voice.

• Performance Enhancement - A conversation about the sometimes turbulent but always vital relationship between actors and directors. From rehearsals and blocking, to improv and timing, we look at what works best and what doesn't work at all.

• Funny or Die: Creating Hit Online Comedy - Funny or Die walks us through the creation process of the funniest web videos online today from writing, directing, producing, distributing, and marketing to case studies on specific videos.

• From Short Script to Short Film - A roundtable conversation with the team behind several montage films for the Academy Awards, including Troy Miller and his veteran short-form collaborators as they share insights on comedic timing, structure, and production.

• Make ‘em Laugh: Signature Styles Connecting to Ideal Audiences - Filmmakers who have created a loyal fan base with their distinctive short films share the path they forged to finding their voice and their audience.

• Cocktail and Networking Reception

Tickets Still Available: Sundance Shortslab!

If you have trouble viewing this post, click here.

SUNDANCE INSTITUTE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL SUPPORT OUR MISSION Presented by Sundance Institute Saturday, August 6, Cinefamily@The Silent Movie Theatre Don't miss our first-ever Comedy ShortsLab: LA, a one-day symposium on the craft of comedic short form filmmaking and exhibition. New participants include Mike White (Year of The Dog, School of Rock, Freaks and Geeks), and Danny Pudi (Community), andRomany Malco (The 40-Year-Old Virgin). Other participants include Julie Delpy (2 Days in Paris), Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland), Bobcat Goldthwait (World's Greatest Dad),Troy Miller (Flight of the Conchords, Parks and Recreation), Miguel Arteta (Cedar Rapids, The Good Girl), Scott Aukerman(Comedy Bang Bang: The Podcast, Producer of Between Two Ferns), the creative, production, and marketing team from Funny or Die, and more. Tickets are $200. Click here for more info. Comedy ShortsLab: LA Program Lineup Creating Comedy From creating a comedic premise to finding what works for an audience, tune into this discussion around the discovery and development of the comedic voice. Performance Enhancement A conversation about the sometimes turbulent but always vital relationship between actors and directors. From rehearsals and blocking, to improv and timing, we look at what works best and what doesn't work at all. Funny or Die: Creating Hit Online Comedy Funny or Die walks us through the creation process of the funniest web videos online today from writing, directing, producing, distributing, and marketing to case studies on specific videos. From Short Script to Short Film A roundtable conversation with the team behind several montage films for the Academy Awards, including Troy Miller and his veteran short-form collaborators as they share insights on comedic timing, structure, and production. Make ‘em Laugh: Signature Styles Connecting to Ideal Audiences Filmmakers who have created a loyal fan base with their distinctive short films share the path they forged to finding their voice and their audience. Cocktail and Networking Reception

FILMMAKERS ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER #29

FILMMAKERS ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER #29

Contents:

• Filmmakers Alliance Crowdfunding Campaign Marches On!
• VisionFest 2011 Announced! Open For Submissions From L.A. filmmakers!
• Zooppa's 3 Great Filmmaking Competitions With Deadlines Approaching! Big Prizes!!
• Early Sign Up For The American Film Market
• Mark Stolaroff's No-Budget Film School

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Filmmakers Alliance CrowdFunding Campaign Marches On!!

We're halfway to our goal of $70,000! We need your help to get all the way there!

We are building some amazing tools for filmmakers, so help us help YOU...and the rest of the filmmaking community!

The film you save may be your own....

CLICK HERE to make your tax-deductible donation.

CLICK HERE for more information.




____________________________________________________

CALLING ALL LOS ANGELES FILMMAKERS! SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN FOR VISIONFEST 2011!

Filmmakers Alliance's VisionFest 2011 is happening October 19th, 2011!!

It's a fantastic event and showcase that should not be missed.

We are now accepting short film submissions until September 16th.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
-The filmmaker (director and/or producer) must be based in Los Angeles and able to be in attendance for VisionFest 2011.
-The film must be no longer than 30 minutes. Shorter is MUCH preferable.
-The film must have been completed after August 2009.
-The film cannot have screened previously at VisionFest.
-An HD master of the film is available for screening purposes.
-All submission materials are received by 6:00 p.m. Semptember 16th, 2011.

CLICK HERE for complete submission rules and instructions.

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3 GREAT UPCOMING FILMMAKING COMPETITONS!!

$11,500 in Filmmaking Awards
Create a 1-2 minute film showing what it’s like “Living in 4G LTE.”
Deadline: August 5, 2011
http://zooppa.com/contests/verizon-4g-lte

$30,000 in Filmmaking Awards
Create a 60-second film showing tech geeks using IT jargon.
Deadline: August 12, 2011
http://contest.megapath.com

$35,000 in Filmmaking Awards
Create a 1-2 minute film that inventively demonstrates the speed and coverage of Verizon’s 4G LTE network.
Deadline: August 20, 2011
http://zooppa.com/contests/verizon-wireless-field-testers

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November 2-9, 2011 / Santa Monica, California

Plan now to be part of the global event that has launched over 10,000 films

Over 8,000 professionals from 70+ countries
The global film industry converges in Santa Monica every November for eight days of deal-making. Hundreds of millions of dollars in production and distribution deals are sealed every year on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production.

Discover the Latest Trends, New Possibilities and What’s Next at the AFM Conference Series
Learn from the best and most dynamic players in the film industry in this unmatched global classroom. Get the most from the AFM… attend the Conference in the morning and visit the market in the afternoon. Conference sessions run Friday to Tuesday, 9:00am to 1:00pm.

Develop. Package. Pitch. Finance. License. Distribute.
Whatever segment of the film industry you work in, AFM is a must-attend event, because in Hollywood, one meeting can define a career.

REGISTER EARLY!

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NO BUDGET FILM SCHOOL PRESENTS:
"The Art & Science of No-Budget Filmmaking"
Saturday & Sunday, August 20 & 21, 2011 * 9:30am - 6:00pm
Raleigh Studios - Los Angeles, CA

For more information and to register, visit:
http://nobudgetfilmschool.eventbrite.com/

No-Budget first-features launched the careers of filmmakers like Christopher Nolan ("Inception," "The Dark Knight"), Joe Carnahan ("The A-Team," "Narc"), Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan," "The Wrestler"), Marc Forster ("Quantum of Solace," "Monsters Ball"), David Gordon Green ("Your Highness," "Pineapple Express"), Justin Lin ("Fast Five," "Fast & Furious"), Tim Story ("Fantastic Four," "Barbershop"), and Craig Brewer ("Footloose," "Hustle & Flow").

These first films all went through the offices of Next Wave Films, the former low-budget financing arm of The Independent Film Channel. Now producer Mark Stolaroff, a principal of Next Wave, is sharing what he's learned from years in the trenches in this in-depth, one-of-a-kind no-budget filmmaking immersion.

Micro-budget (under $200,000) filmmaking is unique--the methods, models and priorities are radically different from those of studio or even "low" budget $1 million films. Learn the rules of micro-budget production critical to making this type of film successfully, whether your budget is $200,000 or $2,000. These cutting edge techniques can NOT be found in a book, at film school, or in other film classes. For filmmakers who are preparing to make micro-budget features, this class is indispensable. The approaches taught will enable filmmakers to maximize very limited resources and minimize critical errors that can doom otherwise worthy projects.

If you're through talking about being a filmmaker and ready to become one, this will be the most practical filmmaking course you will ever take!

Guest speakers include:

Peter Broderick (President, Paradigm Consulting). Considered one of the world's leading authorities on alternative distribution strategy.

Evan Glodell & Vincent Glashaw, (Filmmakers, "Bellflower"). Shot for $5k with a homemade camera, "Bellflower" was a hit at this year's Sundance and SXSW and is opening theatrically Aug. 5th.

Matt Radecki (Producer, "Marwencol"; Founder, Different By Design). A prolific producer whose post house caters to independents, Matt will discuss no-budget post.

Other Speakers TBA

AND...

No Budget Film School is also presenting Tom Provost's "Cinema Language: The Art of Storytelling" class the following weekend, August 27-28, and for the first time we're offering a special discount to folks who take both classes. More information on Cinema Language can be found here:

http://cinemalanguage.eventbrite.com

Can't make the class? For more information on future classes and to sign up for the No Budget Newsletter, please visit:

http://www.NoBudgetFilmSchool.com/

CALLING ALL LOS ANGELES FILMMAKERS! SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN FOR VISIONFEST 2011!

Hey Los Angeles Filmmakers!

Filmmakers Alliance's VisionFest 2011 is happening October 19th, 2011!!

It's a fantastic event and showcase that should not be missed.

We are now accepting short film submissions until September 16th.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

-The filmmaker (director and/or producer) must be based in Los Angeles and able to be in attendance for VisionFest 2011.

-The film must be no longer than 30 minutes. Shorter is MUCH preferable.

-The film must have been completed after August 2009.

-The film cannot have screened previously at VisionFest.

-An HD master of the film is available for screening purposes.

-All submission materials are received by 6:00 p.m. Semptember 16th, 2011.

CLICK HERE for complete submission rules and instructions!

Shooters In The Pub - LA - TONIGHT!

If you are in Los Angeles, Shooting People will be hosting it's first 'Shooting in the Pub' event in L.A tonight.

So bring your friends, buy a drink and come join us for what should be another productive, yet pleasurable evening of networking related escapades.

Hope to see you there.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=236990619657707

Time	Monday, August 1 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	Cat and Fiddle, 6530 Sunset Blvd Hollywood, CA 90028
Created By	Stephanie Walton
For	Shooting People - Shooters in the Pub - L.A

Shooters In The Pub - LA

If you are in Los Angeles, Shooting People will be hosting it's first 'Shooting in the Pub' event in L.A tonight.

So bring your friends, buy a drink and come join us for what should be another productive, yet pleasurable evening of networking related escapades.

Hope to see you there.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=236990619657707

Time	Monday, August 1 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	Cat and Fiddle, 6530 Sunset Blvd Hollywood, CA 90028
Created By	Stephanie Walton
For	Shooting People - Shooters in the Pub - L.A