Lalo Premiere in NYC!

1st Screening: Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 2:00pm
2nd Screening: Sunday, August 2, 2009 at 5:30pm
Location: 10th Annual HBO New York International Latino Film Festival
Street: Clearview Chelsea Cinemas
City/Town: New York, NY

Going today to Chelsea Cinemas to see and support a great short film some of us worked on called LALO, written and directed by Daniel Maldonado, and edited by our good friend Hector Maldonado who also cut Cookies & Cream.

Here is an inside view of the people behind the scenes of Lalo! Disclaimer* Daniel and Hector are not brothers, cousins or even related... they just happen to share the same last name.

Cassandra Riddick Revealed

We sat down for an exclusive interview with writer/director/producer Cassandra Riddick (affectionately known as "Cass") of One Way or Another Productions. Besides handling most of the budgeting, scheduling, financing and producing for the company, Cassandra is now about to wrap up shooting her first feature length film as a director, the controversial and honest drama/comedy Shining Star. Here, we get a chance to get to know the woman behind the work. She gives us a little background about herself, as well as what inspires her; she even reveals some mistakes from her experience in the industry and gives advise to filmmakers on how to avoid certain legal and production pitfalls. Enjoy!



OneWayTV: Can you give us a little info about yourself and how started writing, directing, and producing?

Cassandra: "Well, my name is Cassandra Riddick. I just turned 44 years old July 21st. I grew up in Washington, DC. I graduated from Bowie State University. I got started in the entertainment business by way of the music industry. I use to promote college tours and carried Biz Markie on tour as my main DJ. I have promoted artists such as Common, the Fugees, Akinyele, Norega N Capone, Nas, Biggie, Method Man, Craig Mack, Total, Monica, Luther Campbell, T.I. and more. I worked with Akinyele on tour for over 7 years. I also worked for the legendary Jam Master Jay when 50 Cent was an unknown artist on the roster. The music industry fell into my lap from years of promoting local artists in D.C. and go-go shows which is a very popular homegrown music in D.C. which national hip-hop artists has used for years on hit records (Salt-N-Pepa, Kid N Play, Kurtis Blow to recent artist such as Ludacris, Amerie, Beyonce, Jill Scott and others) My first break in television was working for C-SPAN. I started off as a part-time studio technician and became a master control operator. I left the network after two major knee surgeries due to my life long love for basketball and softball. I took a chance, moved to NY, and started my career in the music and television industry. I co-produced and co-wrote a very popular video magazine show titled "Urban Flava Television" with my BFF Karen McFarlane. It aired in D.C., Brooklyn, NY, Durham and Raliegh, NC. IT lasted for three years until I became a full-time promoter and entrepreneur for the next 13 years."

OneWayTV: Who are your favorite filmmakers, actors and films?

Cassandra: "Well I started out as a fine art major. I use to love painting and drawing and creating visual art. As a child I would watch the old black and white movies with my mother on Sundays. My favorite films were Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford), All About Eve (Bette Davis), Three Faces of Eve (Joann Woodard). These were the actors and films that I enjoyed watching and thought they were great stories. I love Alfred Hitchcock movies as well. My favorites today are Love Jones, Malcom X, Godfather I, II, III, The Departed, The Dark Knight, Scarface...I also enjoy foreign films and definitely independent films.

I grew up during the "Blaxportation Era" in the 1970's and loved the movies Foxy Brown, Coffy, Sheba Baby (Pam Grier) movies and the classic Sparkle and Cooley High films. One day as a freshman at Bowie State I read a small article about a film titled 'She's Gotta Have It" and left campus after my last class and dragged my college sweetheart to D.C. to see the film. That made it official for me that as a little black girl not even knowing all my film history about Oscar Micheaux and earlier African-American filmmakers I knew I could become a filmmaker too. My favorite directors are Spike Lee, Quentin Taratino, Gina Prince-Blythewood, Kassie Lemons, Martin Scoreses, Francis Ford Coppoloa, Tony Scott, Ridley Scott, John Singelton and Woody Allen. My favorite actors are Denzel Washington, Tariji P. Henson, Alfre Woodard, Forest Whitaker, Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, Robert Deniro just to name a few."

OneWayTV: Tell us about the story of Shining Star and where are you in the process?

Cassandra: "Shining Star is about a young man in his mid-twenties who is chosen to play basketball overseas. He and his best friend meet two female best friends and they form a bond of friendship that is ultimately tested when secrets are exposed. I don't want to give too much away about the story but it does entail relationship issues, HIV and other social issues of the day. We are two weeks away from wrapping but according to Murphy's Law we are tackling several issues to complete the film. I want to give a shout out to the cast and crew who have dedicated their time and energy and even a few dollars towards this low budget film to help see my vision come to fruition. In the process they have formed bonds of friendship and professional relationships. I also want to point out that this is their first film and most have never been on a set before. The producers Nia Barge and A'leighsha Butler both have just graduated from Howard University and Maryland University respectively."

OneWayTV: Is it true this is your second time filming it? What lessons were learned during this process?

Cassandra: "It is true this is the second time filming this movie. The first masters were stolen. I don't want to relive that moment but it hurt deeply because I trusted this individual and I paid $5,000 out-of-pocket to make certain that I could feed my cast and crew and take care of the other necessary things to make the film happen. I definitely wanted to give my voice to a social issue such as HIV/AIDS that has been affecting 1 out 3 Washingtonians. As such, it is a movie that is close to my heart. However, I have learned that I cannot wear more than one hat and at this stage in my life, the starving artist title is dead. I truly have paid my dues and I just want to breathe to create art and make a living. I don't think it hurts me artistically but it suffers nonetheless to do the best damn job I can do. So this will be my last no budget project. I definitely as a Director have an affinity to teach young people what I have been exposed to and experience but I would like to have a budget where I can be more of an effective leader on set and take care of my people without any concerns for money or my actors without money and giving them my full attention. I feel though that these young people grabbed the ball and said 'Yo Kobe (Cass) pass me the ball I got you (Lamar, Arizza, Gasol) you lead us to the chip.' So, with that said I think we will give our audience a good project.

As an independent filmmaker/entrepreneur money is not plentiful as you try to grow your business and perfect your craft. My advice is take it back to the old school and make the sacrifices necessary if it is important to you, and if you're young go for your dreams. Save, fundraise, borrow, whatever to at least raise enough money to pay for craft service, lunch, stock, and the necesssary skilled crew to do the best job possible on set. This is the age of technology so things are a bit different but the game is still the same. FILMMAKING is a collaborative effort. First and foremost, get your paperwork in order. Registered/copyright your script, do pre-production work, get your crew in order, get release forms and deal memos straight, incorporate your company, set up the movie and work on your script until its tight and get ready to shoot with a dedicated cast and crew. DO NOT LET YOUR MASTERS OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. Work with a editor you can trust. Read everything you can get your hands on about the business, watch every movie you like and don't like. Study the masters of the game. Learn about distribution, marketing and promotions. Maybe you can find a college graduate who has some experience in publicity and wants to be in the business if you can't afford a more experienced publicist. Do your research on how to build your audience and sell your movie. Work the festival market, screen your film and study the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) market, for me its on to bigger and better things after this year. PUT TOGETHER A DYNAMIC TEAM THAT WILL BE LOYAL AND CONSISTENT and want the same things as you do and will work hard to make their dream materailize. I eat, sleep and pray that one day working full-time in this industry creating great movies and telling my stories to the world will be a reality."

OneWayTV: When can we expect to see the film and what else can we look forward to from you as a director and producer?

Cassandra: "A trailer will be cut in the next week or two. We are going to screen for friends and family in the D.C. area and NY by end of summer and/or after Labor Day. The movie should go into post production by end of August to get prepared for the fall 09 and 10 festival runs as well as tour with the film. After Shining Star goes into orbit, I will be preparing for other projects from the One Way or Another Production machine to kick off and I am producing the majority of those. I do have a couple of scripts I am touching up and working on a project with an old childhood friend that is controversial and very necessary for this subculture to be seen. As far as directing, I don't know if I will direct another project for the next two years. I do have some academic aspirations to fulfill and I also need to rest and get my life back in order. One love to the One Way family for all their help and support - whether you were phsyically with me or not I felt the love. To Ashlei Dabney, Marty Martin and Micah Thomas for encouraging me to shoot the film again and giving their time and energy a second time as the main and supporting cast. To Travis Riddick, Khafre Powell, Chavee Crafton, Yvonee Orgi, Tyrell aka Ransom Rellic, Wade, Obama, Alex, Khofi, Sierra Edwards, DeShaude Barner, Jarell and Malik (my nephews), the neighborhood kids and other background actors for all your dedication and hardwork on the film. To the crew: Nia Barge, A'leighsha Butler, Charisse, Travis, Da Ibanez, Bianca, Sierra, Wanakhavi, (my favorite DP), Nia's little sister, and all those that helped to keep the project moving. Peace and God Bless!"

Look out for more on Shining Star here, and by following the film's Blog.

You can find more on Cassandra's upcoming projects at her production company's website.

Humpday Mention on Howard Stern

There was a huge Humpday mention this morning on the Howard Stern show. It came from Star Trek's George Takei, who is an occasional announcer on the show as of late. He endorsed the film and called it "hilarious" and "well-done." With Stern's loyal millions of listeners (this poster included), this is a huge endorsement and promotion for the ultra low budget community.

Get showtimes and dates for Lynn Shelton's Humpday HERE.

www.howardstern.com

In additional cool news, Lynn's last feature My Effortless Brilliance will be playing on The Sundance Channel on Saturday night at 10pm. My DVR is already set to record.



www.myeffortlessbrilliance.com

Reel Paradise

After stumbling on a listing for a film not by, but about John Pierson - the man who basically helped "discover" filmmakers like Spike Lee and Kevin Smith and rep their movies for distribution to wider audiences - I pressed "schedule recording" on my DVR. After a long day, I took it down for the night and pressed play, thinking I would at the very least, see what Pierson, a man I used to be unashamedly obsessed with after he worked on the frontlines of indie film discovery, was up to these days. I thought maybe even I would find out where the guy worked, lived, and where I might be able to get him to see some of my titles (what filmmaker wouldn't dream this up?)

I got a huge slap in the face within 5 minutes of the film. I was shocked to see Pierson at the time no longer even lived in this country, and that he had packed himself, his stuff, his wife Janet (now head of SXSW) and his kids up with him to Fiji of all places, to show free movies at a theatre he had just bought for the very same purpose. It took me a little while to get over that feeling, but it wouldn't take me long, because I would be even more surprised within the film's feature-length running time: i.e. the Pierson's house gets treated to break-ins from the very locals they came to help, kids that curse freely in front of and to their parents (the Pierson kids that is), and a daughter with a rather, lets say rumored "friendliness" around town.

What was even more fascinating to me was watching the Piersons (and the filmmaker) handle it all - with grace, ease, honesty and diplomacy. Still in all, it was nuts. Throwback Sundays this week not only highlights, but recommends, Reel Paradise.

Heres the trailer:



www.reelparadise.com

Frownland Finds Distribution

After a two year run, Ronald Bronstein's Frownland will be released on DVD, and other markets. We're starting to notice a pattern here:

Films premiere at a festival (hopefully a good one regardless the tier), then it opens the film up for lots of press and reviews, then it continues on the circuit for a couple more years, while the filmmakers actually wait (which seems to be a bad word these days on some blogs) to see what happens with their movie, primarily for the pleasure of actually showing their film to the largest audience possible on someone else's dime, and also while meeting other filmmakers. A couple years go by - Frownland was presumably made in '06, completed and premiered in '07, then played various fests afterwards including those overseas (where it was picked up early for foreign theatrical distribution) - then a distributor is finally found. Overall, the circuit "turnaround time" seems to average just a couple of years. Cheers to the Frownland team for their patience, and thanks to Karina Longworth for the info that she posted over a month ago. Here some of the announcement is below:



"Matt Grady, formerly of Plexifilm, is launching a film and music distribution label called Factory 25, which has bought world rights (barring France) to Ronald Bronstein’s Frownland. According to a just-dropped press release, Factory 25 “will concentrate on releasing films theatrically, digitally and on DVD, as well as in conceptualized limited edition DVD/Vinyl combination packages.” For Frownland, the limited edition will include “in addition to extra footage (practically a given these days) … a comic book written in character by one of the actors, art drawn by lead actor Dore Mann, a soundtrack on vinyl, and a newsprint film poster.”

Read more about the cool and innovative release HERE.

How to Cast a No Budget Feature Film

Here is a post from Associated Content about casting actors for no budget feature films. Although we don't agree with all the points made by the filmmaker/author, its still an interesting read overall. Check it out after the jump.

"I was able to produce a feature film, The Truth About Average Guys, for $5,000. It has gone on to win Best of Festival, Best Comedy and Best Actress at the Trail Dance Film Festival in January, 2009. Best Feature at the East Lansing Film Festival in March. And will be playing at the AMC 12 in Disneyland as part of Indie Fest USA 2009. My film competes, and wins, against feature films that were filmed for six figures and higher. It is possible to make a great feature film for very little money. Let's start with casting.

Casting is the second most important part of filmmaking, with the script being the most important part. Unfortunately in indie filmmaking casting often gets overlooked or pushed to the side. Filmmakers will spend money on crew members and then look for actors who will work for free on their film. The end result is usually a mediocre film with very bad acting in it. Usually it will cost you a minimum of $100 a day to get good actors in your film. However, there is a way to get quality actors involved in your film without spending any money. You just have to know where to look and what pitfalls to avoid.

Don't Cast Your Friends in it - Tempers flare when you work 15 hour days and people feel like they are being underappreciated or taken advantage of. So if you put your friend in the film, he or she may not be your friend after the movie is over. However, you could feel that you want someone on set that you feel comfortable working with and who you know will be fun to work with on set. But this is not going to give you the best film possible. Even if your friends are actors you should make them audition to be in the film. Don't just hand them the role. One reason is that you may find someone that is better for the role than your friend. The other reason is that your friend will take the job more serious if he/she thinks they earned the job instead of just being handed the job because you were too lazy to try and find someone else. Casting your friends sends a poor message to your crew and the other actors in your film - " I'm lazy. I'm unprofessional. This movie isn't serious." If you want a professional looking product you have to act professionally."

Read the rest of this piece HERE.

See "Slacker" Free!

Dude,

Wanna? You think we're joking? You really wanna see Richard Linklater's debut film Slacker that helped change face of independent film forever and usher in the low budget independent movement of the 90's?

Seriously. Wanna see it now for free?

Just go HERE now.

Told ya!

Reshaping Media distribution to fit internet culture.

I wanted to offer a different side to the one presented in this earlier (and very informative) blog:
http://onewaytv.blogspot.com/2009/07/concept-of-free-movies-gets-no-free.html
-Note: I think their is important, valid points from both sides of the debate.

I see the economics of free being slightly different. I think we could show indie films online, and gain even greater exposure than a small festival run, and create a demand, increasing the value of the products we already sell outside of the online release.This allows all of the online content to remain free and accessible. This is an important element for the exposure of the films and to the culture of online media.
We can adopt the same strategy (and could work along side) as a film fest run. We aren't in the business of making money at festivals, there isn't a viable business model set up for that yet---we are in the business of creating value and demand on a product that we are going to offer. Look at the disposable razor example from this article---he did whatever he could to get the product in the hands of the consumer, creating a demand. Most importantly, influencing a cultural shift in the world of a specific task. He made his product something people wanted to have, and were willing to adjust the way they were used to doing things. I see this as the cultural shift in the way we view media...the web. The statistics show that the consumer/audience is willing to spend more time viewing media online and even when their attention span runs out, they are still willing to spend money on mediums that are suitable for their old ways of doing things. Studies are showing that the consumer, on average, is watching 15 minutes of a film online, then considers purchasing the dvd.
Look at The Really Cool Show for example, no budget, limited marketing and still 8 million views and growing. We did a season three, because there was a demand for season three. Here is where we can learn from the mistakes. The Really Cool Show didn't start with a strategical marketing plan nor a full team to utilize that opportunity. We also didn't have a business model, so now we are forced to work backwards and figure out a way to monetize on our past. The really cool show has made its money from merchandise sales (hats, pins) and producer donations, and a tiny amount from Ad share revenue from blip.tv. Now, with that being said, we've created a process of working that allows the shows production cost to remain low and it's online presentation is totally free to produce and to watch.
If a team of filmmakers conceived a day and date release for their films to go online (maybe even at the same time?!), imagine the kind of buzz it could create. Also---is there any independent company that has releases its entire catalog online, and selling the dvd?! I don't think so. It could make history!
As for the technology, there are no longer any gate keepers! We can present our films, in their entirety in HD or in the case of 24p dv, full quality! Of course, I understand their is a debate about which online video site to use---as a filmmaker, I much prefer Vimeo. It offers full HD html embedding, which means you can post your entire film anywhere you want, including: facebook, myspace, twitter, tumblr and blog spot. It's easy to share. I feel that youtube is crowded with corporate owned content, and home videos. What I've learned, from three seasons of The Really Cool Show is that you can re-direct your audience to see your work anywhere---as long as you consider exclusivity and create demand. It doesn't always happen over night, but with time, it's totally possible.
The most important aspect of the economics of free, is that not only do you present your media free of charge, but the cost to do so is very close to zero and growing closer by the day.

Think of it as a theatrical run, or festival run---except cut the costs to do either of those, and you have the control of the release.
Now of course, if a film has the opportunity to do any of those two things, then by all means, that's the right thing to do. I'm just thinking of ways to increase revenue streams and to create a larger demand and exposure range for the film.
If a distribution company is interested in the film---and they know that the audience has already been 10 million world wide---I can imagine they would want to jump on, and be the ones to put out the dvd with loaded special features. And if they don't, we have the option, as filmmakers, to do a strong self release and maximize our potential to benefit from our hard work and offer the opportunity for your collaborators to do that same.

So we have the culture of media shifting, and the tools to adjust our work to be presented in that growing format---but what about the audience? They watch films on personal dvd players, ipods, and on airplanes but they don't know if they want to watch films on lap tops? They don't mind hours of facebook, twitter, tumblr, myspace, youtube---but we aren't ready to watch feature films online? I just don't think companys like Netflix, Amazon, Itunes, Hulu and media rights pioneers Cinetic, are making a blind gamble. I think the audience is there. I don't think the media is. As a consumer, I would like to see more independent and festival films have online distribution for FREE, PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT or basic Download Fee (such as what Itunes offers)---this is where media is going, the audience is there but the films aren't.

Now, it's important to note---the fear of NO AUDIENCE is a legitimate one.
An online release of an indie film would need to work strategically with an audience building method, significant buzz and a strong grass roots effort. The internet is wide and their are so many directions to go---the audience needs to know where to go. So we can't guarantee it's going to be an over night success--we can at least give the audience the option to decide.

The economics free in relation to arts, from my angle, is this: Independent art in its creation and presentation is moving closer and closer to free, so why can't its consumption be the same? If we create a media outlet in which art is free to make, and free to experience/watch, then a cultural shift will take place. That cultural shift in the way we view media, will create a demand this creating value--and with value comes the option of monetary return.

At the core of this "business" proposal, is the reliance on the artist to make good, honest work. The audience is waiting.

The Concept of Free Movies Gets No Free Ride

I will admit. I am really not yet buying into all the hype about free streaming for feature length narrative films. Shorts, I can understand, even no budget documentaries, but narratives right now seem a little less promising. Number one, if you really research the blogs and articles about streaming online movies for free, they read fairly well. It even is awe inspiring and has a knack for pumping the artist/businessman full of enthusiasm. But if you read down further at the comments from most of the actual viewers, the actual consumers, and (hopefully) the potential customer, one thing reads loud and clear: They Dont Want to Watch Full Length Movies on Their Computer. I'm sorry folks. But the people who you want to eventually purchase your special features DVD don't want to watch the film online to begin with. And isn't business about listening to what the consumer wants or doesn't? What else do we have to go by when it comes to supply and demand?

On Demand is pretty popular - on TELEVISION. I know not long ago Mary Bronstein's YEAST stream online for 3 whole days (at least) and racked up thousands of views. Yet I am still curious to see how many DVDs she was able to sell afterwards. So yes friends, as a producer I know I should be "ahead of the curve." But I'm man enough today to admit I am not there yet. I'm sorry.

That being said, for nearly ever other industry, this new model seems to make sense to me. Free content like Google, Yahoo, etc, are free business models. Everything is free. Yet they are a billion dollar company.

One difference between free Google, and free Yahoo though (besides 10 or more 0's in their yearly profit statements) and some 25-year-old technical wiz kid who made the latest no budget relationship comedy - Google and Yahoo receive billions from advertising. There needs to be a way for artists to make money from ad space before this makes perfect sense to me. Or at least, one success story from someone who was dead broke before they put their feature online, and year or two later (or less of course), has either made enough money to make another movie, or at the very least, enough to pay back all of his friends and family that gave him free resources, free labor, or free face time in this film.

For now, check out this scathing and entertaining review by Malcolm Gladwell from the New York Times of Chris Anderson's new book Free, after the jump.




"At a hearing on Capitol Hill in May, James Moroney, the publisher of the Dallas Morning News, told Congress about negotiations he’d just had with the online retailer Amazon. The idea was to license his newspaper’s content to the Kindle, Amazon’s new electronic reader. “They want seventy per cent of the subscription revenue,” Moroney testified. “I get thirty per cent, they get seventy per cent. On top of that, they have said we get the right to republish your intellectual property to any portable device.” The idea was that if a Kindle subscription to the Dallas Morning News cost ten dollars a month, seven dollars of that belonged to Amazon, the provider of the gadget on which the news was read, and just three dollars belonged to the newspaper, the provider of an expensive and ever-changing variety of editorial content. The people at Amazon valued the newspaper’s contribution so little, in fact, that they felt they ought then to be able to license it to anyone else they wanted. Another witness at the hearing, Arianna Huffington, of the Huffington Post, said that she thought the Kindle could provide a business model to save the beleaguered newspaper industry. Moroney disagreed. “I get thirty per cent and they get the right to license my content to any portable device—not just ones made by Amazon?” He was incredulous. “That, to me, is not a model.”

Had James Moroney read Chris Anderson’s new book, “Free: The Future of a Radical Price” (Hyperion; $26.99), Amazon’s offer might not have seemed quite so surprising. Anderson is the editor of Wired and the author of the 2006 best-seller “The Long Tail,” and “Free” is essentially an extended elaboration of Stewart Brand’s famous declaration that “information wants to be free.” The digital age, Anderson argues, is exerting an inexorable downward pressure on the prices of all things “made of ideas.” Anderson does not consider this a passing trend. Rather, he seems to think of it as an iron law: “In the digital realm you can try to keep Free at bay with laws and locks, but eventually the force of economic gravity will win.” To musicians who believe that their music is being pirated, Anderson is blunt. They should stop complaining, and capitalize on the added exposure that piracy provides by making money through touring, merchandise sales, and “yes, the sale of some of [their] music to people who still want CDs or prefer to buy their music online.” To the Dallas Morning News, he would say the same thing. Newspapers need to accept that content is never again going to be worth what they want it to be worth, and reinvent their business. “Out of the bloodbath will come a new role for professional journalists,” he predicts, and he goes on:"

Read the full Review HERE.

- Princeton

The Independent Critic Reviews Cookies & Cream

We were surprised to all but stumble on this review by Richard Propes of TheIndependentCritic. We attempted to get as many reviews as possible leading up to our Cookies & Cream premiere, but we must have forgotten those reviews that happened to come in after the fact. The following is such a review, from probably one of the last critics that saw the old, "rough cut" of the film before our final cut was shown before the nearly sold out Anthology Film Archives NYC audience. This would explain Mr. Propes being distracted by the very things we would tweak and fix before the screening. Nonetheless, this a quite a well-written, almost glowing review that includes a thorough manifesto of why this critic writes about smaller films to begin with. A very entertaining read.

Read the full Review HERE.

The New World of Indie Distribution

WonderlandStream.com just conducted a great interview with self-distribution innovator and author Peter Broderick today. Its interesting to note, that although droves of filmmakers and bloggers have been talking about self-distribution, few are able to deny that although the expectations of a film festival run should be all but forgotten, the need for a run itself in building public awareness about your film is still a necessity. Read more of Peter's thoughts on film fests, rights-splitting, online streaming, digital downloads, website DVD sales, and self-theatrical screenings after the jump:

In just the last few years, consultant Peter Broderick has helped hundreds of filmmakers figure out the right strategies for their films. As a result, his impact on the industry at large is far-reaching: Last year's big Sundance buy, My Kid Could Paint That, came from documentarian Amir Bar-Lev, one of Broderick's discoveries; he also played a key role in helping out a young Christopher Nolan, whose latest accomplishment is a little movie called The Dark Knight. An early pioneer of the role new media can play in the lifespan of a film, Broderick invented the concept of hybrid distribution, in which a filmmaker divides up rights among several outlets, rather than signing a single, exclusive deal. He took a break from working on his upcoming book to speak with Stream about various issues relevant to the independent film community.

In a recent speech, former Miramax executive Mark Gill declared that the sky is falling for the independent film industry. He was mainly addressing distributors. What are your thoughts on how this relates to filmmakers?

"I think there's a sense, for a lot of people, that he's right. It's a misperception. Mark is really talking about the old world of distribution, but there's a whole other world where the possibilities and successes are different. I don't really disagree with what he said, but it's important to be clear about what it applies to."

How do you distinguish between the specialty film distribution business and the other options for independent filmmakers?

"I don't think it's a question of the specialty business. His perspective is one of somebody who has been an executive with the traditional model of distribution. He details a lot of companies that are going out of business, or that are financially challenged. The possibilities for a filmmaker are broader and more diverse than the state of some companies operating in a traditional way. The spectrum of possibilities has broadened over the last six years, and there have been a number of filmmakers out there trying a lot of different things, creating new models. They've had a lot of successes. The fact is that independent features and documentaries are having a really difficult time right now, and I think that these tentpole movies are going to continue to dominate movie theaters. There will be aberrations, like when The Visitor came along and made headway theatrically, but mostly it'll be about movies that have big marketing budgets and big stars. "

The place that independent films will have, whether foreign or domestic, documentary or nonfiction, it's more of an opportunity for them to get some major awareness. It isn't a question of whether you can make money theatrically; it's a question of how low is it going to cost you. If you can break even, people are taking it as a way to build awareness that will help with video and television [releases]. You have to have a pragmatic approach. More and more filmmakers are getting into theaters by working with bookers, but they're hanging onto all their other rights, so they can take another distribution approach where, eventually, they're working with several partners. Maybe they're making a TV deal, an educational deal, a digital rights deal. But they're also doing things directly from their websites, like selling DVDs or digital downloads. "

Go HERE to read the rest of this informative interview.

Exclusive interview with Craig Howe of The Golden Age of Radio.

I recently conducted an interview with Craig Howe, the founding member of brooklyn-based indie rock band The Golden Age of Radio. Craig and the rest of the gang were kind enough to let me film one of their shows last fall, for a scene in my film 'Carter'. The film also stars co-founder and keyboardist Julia Porter Howe.

Here's the exclusive interview:

RYAN: How/When did the band form?

CRAIG:The band went through numerous lineup changes, for years, before we had even played a show or recorded anything. I had written enough songs for an EP and was sort of shopping them around to my friends, to see who was interested in helping me record them, for a long time. Eventually my sister finished school and was more available and we were at a place in our sibling relationship where we could get along and be in a band together, and it worked out really well. Dave (drums) is an old friend of Julia's, as is Brian (bass), so she was really the one who solidified the final lineup we have today. If you check our myspace page you can see that there are enough ex-GOAR dudes (mostly bass players) to start their own band.

RYAN:What's the songwriting process (is their a principal songwriter or is it an organic group process)?

CRAIG:Before Julia and Brian got involved I wrote the basics of all of the songs, showed them to Dave and he worked out his own parts. All of the songs on our EP are Craig Howe jams. Now, though, about half of the new material we have has started with Julia's lyrics and musical ideas, and both our song ideas get fleshed out by the entire band. The new record we're slated to start working on in the fall will have a more group effort and a bunch of Julia's songs that are a little more melodic than mine. It'll be a nice ebb and flow sort of thing, I think.

RYAN:Do you have any good stories from a specific memorable show/venue?

CRAIG:I think we have all agreed that our favorite show ever was on the fourth of July last year. We played at an art space in Brooklyn that was only a few blocks from the water (where the Macy's fireworks barge was) and everyone ran up to the roof to watch the AMAZING fireworks. Right after the fireworks were done we turned all of our amps on and whatnot and played this really fun show for a great crowd of people and friends, with all these extra fireworks and cheering and stuff going on in the background. I felt like I was in Kiss or something. The sound was absolute junk, too, and nobody cared. Lots and lots of fun.

RYAN:You play a lot of different shows, some acoustic, some electric, what is your ideal set and how do you prepare for each?

CRAIG:If we could played a mixed set I know I would really like it. We're usually playing with a bunch of other loud, aggressive bands, though, and so we tend to kind of go with the flow and keep our set really high-energy, and loud and fast and fun. I think our vocal harmonies and the subtleties of our songs really get to shine, though, when we play acoustic sets. There's something special about that, to me, because we put a lot of work into that stuff and often when we're playing at a tiny club the audience can't hear it the way WE hear it, and that can be frustrating. I love being loud but I like that we get the opportunity to turn it down sometimes. Maybe I'm just getting old. RYAN:Would you rather be in the studio or on the road?
CRAIG:I get very frustrated and stressed out in the studio and generally don't have a great time so I would pick playing shows over it any day. I dunno if everyone else feels that way. If we had some sort of epic major label-type of unlimited recording time I might feel differently too.

RYAN:What kind of plans do you have for the future of The Golden age of radio (and what shows do you have coming up this summer)?

CRAIG:Well, we're finally in a place, as I mentioned, where everyone is really contributing and we're having fun and sticking to a regimen for practicing, all of which are very encouraging. I want to have a new full-length album done by the end of the year, which is very exciting, and then I'd like to have us start branching out of our tri-state comfort zone a little. As for shows, we have an AWESOME one lined up for July 27th at the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan. It's the first time we've ever played a venue that large so come out and bring a friend because I think we're all a little nervous.

And that concludes my interview with Craig Howe. Please make sure to check out their show at the Gramercy Theater, if you are in or around New York City. They never cease to rock my socks off. Their live show is guaranteed to provide a great time had by all!

For more information on the band, check them out on myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/thegoldenageofradio

Thanks again to Craig for taking the time to do the interview with me, and a big thanks for letting us use their music in 'Carter'.

-Ryan Andrew Balas
ryan@ryanbalas.com

Sleep Well

Our friend BRANDON KRUM is making his debut feature film. Brandon served as a guest director on Ryan Balas's 'Sandcastles', shooting the hotel affair segments.

ABOUT THE FILM:

SLEEP WELL is the tale of a man who feels completely disconnected. Nightmares of himself drowning as a child are haunting his dreams. He was unable to communicate with his parents for years, now the passing of Tyler's father is forcing him to travel home. Suddenly surrounded by artifacts of his youth, memories of the past long forgotten enter his conscious. He starts to remember the events of his childhood that may be the missing peace of the puzzle that is keeping him awake at night and so distant from the world.

The film feature first time dramatic performances by every member of Mr. Krums actual immediate family.




For more information on the film, and to track it's progress:
CLICK HERE to go to the official Blog!

We are looking forward to seeing a teaser very soon!

Catch a Cheating Spouse

The 2009 Infidelity Statistics results are in and its pretty eye-opening. As some of you know, Brian Ackley's critically acclaimed debut feature film Uptown touches on this issue of marriage, infidelity, and the question of where the line crosses in being unfaithful to your spouse, and where it doesn't. What exactly is too far? What does it all mean? These facts from E-zine Articles about marriage and infidelity shed some light on the subject:




Statistics have shown that 50-60 percent of marriages are affected by infidelity. What's more, adultery does not know the difference in social class or play favorites to a specific gender or age. Around 60% adulterers are middle-class earners, and women account for about 40% of the adulterers. The most common age of an adulterer is between 25 and 39, which coincides with the highest demographic of divorcees.

Some things that are common are that among adulterers, most only knew their spouse for 2 years or less prior to marriage, and they have been married for less than 3 years. It is not uncommon, however, to find couples married more than 25 years to have one spouse committing adultery.

Here are some statistics that are very compelling.


· 22% of men and 14% of women admit to having affairs
· 70% of married women and 54% of married men never knew of their spouses affair
· 90% of Americans believe adultery is morally wrong
· 17% of U.S. divorces are caused by affairs

According to Janis Abrahms Spring, author of "After the Affair":


· Affairs affect 1 in every 2.7 couples
· 10% of affairs last 1 day
· 10% last more than 1 day but less than 1 month
· 50% last more than a month but less than a year
· 40% last for more than 2 years!
· The divorce rate for those who marry their lover is 75%

According to Playboy Magazine:

1. 2 out of 3 women and 3 out of 4 men admit they have sexual thoughts about co-workers
2. 75% of men and 65% of women admit to having sex with someone they work with.

85% of women and 50% of men who think their lover is cheating are correct.

Keep in mind when studying these staggering statistics, that due to the secrecy of infidelity, the results may actually be much higher because those surveyed may not have all been honest.

Thanks to E-zine Articles for the information. You can go to their site to learn more about these statistics, and ways you can prevent this in your relationship.

Learn more about the film Uptown HERE.

The Bridge (2006)

Released in 2006, The Bridge is a documentary film by Eric Steel that tells the stories of a handful of individuals who committed suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge in 2004. It focuses on the large number of suicides that occur each year at the Golden Gate Bridge, capturing footage of the suicides and interviewing family members. Also interviewed are people who have attempted suicide at the bridge, witnesses of the suicides and a jump survivor.

Here's the haunting first three minutes of the film:



Check out THE BRIDGE on IMDB.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799954/

The question of suicide is the main focus of the One Way or Another Productions film 'Carter'. Jebadiah (the main character) has made a vow to kill himself when he's 25, if he isn't married by the time he's 23. Jeb and Carter are faced with what promises to be their last few days together...
For more information about Carter, check out the official website: CARTER the movie DOT COM!

Paola Mendoza Featured in Filmmaker Magazine

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

NYC Carriage ride controversy

In Princeton Holt's critically acclaimed first feature Cookies & Cream, the controversial issue surrounding Animal Rights is lightly brought up while Carmen, our single webcam mother, is escorted by her date on a Horse & Carriage ride through Central Park.

Here is the trailer for Blinders, a documentary exposing the dangers of this industry.



The controversy only starts there. Here's the other side:





www.cookiesncreammovie.com

Festivals with No Submission Fee

Although there is another older list floating around on the net, here is a new list, based on our own research, of film festivals with no submission fees. Good luck!

Derby City Film Fest

Idaho Film Fest

Salford Film Fest


Black International Film Fest

Yukon Film Society

World Film Fest of Bangkok

Red Wasp Film Fest

Asian American Film Fest


Traverse City Film Fest

More to come!

www.1wayoranother.net

Mom's a Porn Star

Momlogic.com, a blog site specifically for mothers, has a great series that has been running on their page called "Secrets in the Suburbs," where stories from several undercover lifestyles of seemingly "everyday" women (particularly mothers) have surfaced and been featured.


This post reminded us of the critically acclaimed, dramatic feature film Cookies & Cream, of course, a film about a single mother who takes a porn job to take care of her daughter and herself, and thought this would be an interesting (and controversial) read about a real life mother/porn star. Here it is below:






Meet Jamie, a 27-year-old mom of two--a 7- and 2-year-old--who spends her nights as an adult entertainer!


"Jamie revealed to momlogic that pizza delivery and telemarketing just weren't cutting it, so she became a webcam girl. And in just the past two years, became a porn star. She juggles her kids' school activities around shooting sex scenes--and you thought you had a lot to balance!


ML: How did you get into the adult entertainment business?

Jamie: I actually started as a maternity nude model. After I had my child, I started doing that again along with solo nudes and solo video. I was also doing webcam shows at the time. My fiancé was a car salesman at the time working 12 to 14 hours a day, 6 days a week and only bringing home maybe $3000 a month. We needed more money to support our growing family, so we agreed that porn would be a good idea for us. I got online one day and searched out adult agencies here. I found a couple that I liked and emailed them some pictures. The next day, an agency made me a good offer, and I was on a flight two days later. I flew from Texas to California and stayed out here for two weeks. It was hard being away from the family, but I made great money. I came home and helped pack things and we drove out for good a week later. We've been here for 2 1/2 years and I'm still in porn. My fiancé also made his way in and we are doing really well.


ML: When you worked as a webcam girl, were most of your clients married men?
Jamie: No, I would say half of my clients were younger guys from other countries and half were married men.


ML: How did you make the switch from webcam girl to porn star?
Jamie: I made the switch from webcam girl to porn star because webcam just wasn't enough for me. I wanted the money and the adventures you get from being a porn star. Plus after six months of doing webcam shows day after day, it gets a little boring. Although, I still do webcam shows in my spare time or on off seasons when companies aren't shooting as much, which is usually in the summer. I like the extra cash, and it's exciting when you're not doing it day after day.


ML: What was the most unusual thing you were asked to do as a webcam girl? And as a porn star?
Jamie: The most unusual thing I was asked to do as a webcam girl was a "pee" show, and I had to turn that down.The most unusual thing I've done as a porn star would be a movie that was all about milk enemas--now that was unusual.


ML: How do you balance being a mom and porn star?
Jamie: It's actually simple to balance being a porn star and a mom. I just have to watch what I wear and what I say around the kids!


ML: When you go to school activities with your children, do you tell the other moms what you do?
Jamie: My children have school functions every once in a while. I notice some guys will stare more than others, and I feel like they have most likely seen my movies. The moms, I think, are clueless. So when people ask what I do, I tell them I'm a trust fund baby, and on occasions I do a little modeling and leave it at that. There are times when I freeze up when people ask or when I go to greet someone I'll accidently introduce myself as Allison, which is my stage name. That makes for an awkward moment.


ML: Does your family know?
Jamie: When I began doing porn, I instantly told my mom and my two older sisters what I was doing. They laughed and joked about them wanting to do it too. I kept it from my dad, but he found out about a year into it. A friend of his told him he saw me on a Web site. My dad called me and was really upset. He's a farmer and very religious, so he didn't take it well. But he calmed down and he just accepts it now.


ML: What's the best thing about being a porn star? And a mom?
Jamie: The best thing about being a porn star is the money and the parties. The best thing about being a mom and a porn star would have to be the time I get to spend with my kids. I'm only at work maybe three times a week for just a couple of hours. The rest of the time I'm spending with my kids. It's great! I couldn't imagine working a lot and being away from my kids for many hours at a time.


ML: What's your schedule like?
Jamie: My schedule is kind of crazy, because I know my call time maybe a couple days ahead of time and sometimes last-minute. But I make sure to only work three days a week and my hours are very short. Shoots take from 1 hour to 4 hours. If it's a feature, it could take 12 hours, but they try to get you out as quickly as possible.


ML: Are there a lot of moms in the porn business?
Jamie: Yes, actually I have met a lot of moms in the business. They like it because of the money and the short hours. If you're a single mom, it's great and an easy way to take care of your kids financially.


ML: When they're old enough will you tell your children what you do for a living?
Jamie: Well, I've met a lot of older people that have been in the business for years that have kids and grandkids. They told their kids what they did for a living and their children seem pretty normal. So, yes when my kids get to the age where they would understand, I will tell them what I do.



The next time you see that hot mom carting her kids around, you may think twice when she tells you she's in the "service business" or a "trust fund baby," because she could be the one entertaining your husband at night!"


Thanks to Momlogic.com for the post. To see the film that inspired this posting, go HERE.


www.cookiesncreammovie.com

Impressing Casting Directors

If you eventually want to make it to larger movie and television sets as an actor, you’ll need to get the parts. So the first step on the road to expanding your visibilty is impressing the casting director. Howcast offers the following video as some assistance.



For more subjects outside of acting from The Emerging Filmmaker's Channel go HERE.

OhMyImFly in Upscale Magazine

Our good friends from OhMyImFly are featured in the newest edition of Upscale Magazine.

They have launched their updated line, that includes the popular Obama tee, a Michelle Obama tee, and the brand new Michael Jackson tee. Go check them out and get yours now!
www.ohmyimfly.com

Subway Stories

HBO held a contest asking New Yorkers to submit interesting true stories that happened on the subways. The winning stories were then adapted for the film. "Sax, Cantor, Riff" was written and directed by Julie Dash, Featuring Taral Hicks (singer), Kenny Garrett (saxaphone), Dan Rous (Cantor) and Sam Rockwell. Produced by Jonathan Demme and Rosie Perez. Throwback Sundays reflects on a wonderful ensemble director film, this being one of the memorable segments.

Shining Star Pushes Forward

The month of July marks the half-way point of film production and with a finished product in sight the cast and crew pushes forward with energy and anticipation. A steady rhythm has manifested on the SHINING STAR set and each day of filming moves smoothly like a well-oiled machine.

In the recent weeks principle characters TROI (Yvonne Orji), QUENTIN (Micah Thomas), TYREE (Khafre Powell) and RANSOM (Tyrell James) were welcomed to set. Without scheduled rehearsals, the actors were forced to establish long friendships, family bonds and romantic chemistry just moments before the shout of "Camera rolling...ACTION!"

Though a challenge, actresses Ashlei Dabney (KEYSHIA) and Yvonne Orji were able to establish a trusting and playful college friendship on screen beautifully. Actor Micah Thomas and Yvonne, who portay a newly in love couple, also developed a connection quite naturally in front of the camera. And without missing a beat Khafre Powell, who portrays TROI'S little brother TYREE in the film, was able to capture the essence of an annoying little brother effortlessly. Though watching TROI beat up her little brother brought a great deal of laughter on set, at times the crew was a little nervous that little TYREE might actually get hurt! Haha! :-)

Though filming progresses smoothly, production has not been without minor set-backs. At times SHINING STAR is no match for the uncontrollable weather elements forcing the crew to improvise during rain and cloudy days. Other days lighting difficulties eat away at the set time causing filming to run over into the late evening/early morning. However, with the addition of Production Assistant, Da Ibanez who has proved to be a lighting guru, illuminating the set has become much easier these days.

With about 3-4 weeks of production remaining a few of the largest and plot advancing scenes have yet to be filmed. These scenes involve a large party, a church and character MARTY'S biggest secret revealed to the audience. Though a lot of work remains the cast and crew are anxious to complete the project. And with post-production drawing nearer the crew is beginning to focus on publicity and promotion of the film.

This month be on the look out for details about the "Get Your Shine On" film promotion party as well as a trailer to be viewed online!

Interview with Lynn Shelton and Mark Duplass

Here is a great interview video from MCNblogs with Humpday director Lynn Shelton and one of its lead actors, director Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair, Baghead). Humpday opens today at the Angelika in NYC.

Check it out HERE.

Humpday in Theatres July 10th

The number of butts Lynn Shelton's feature film Humpday can get into the seats will determine the scope of the film's wider release potential. The film opens July 10th in NYC and Seattle. Make sure you go see it!

7/10/2009
7pm - 10pm
New York, NY: Angelika Film Center
Seattle, WA: Harvard Exit Theatre

7/17/2009Berkeley, CA: Shattuck Cinemas 10Pasadena, CA: Playhouse 7 CinemasSan Francisco, CA: Embarcadero Center Cinema 5

For more dates and locations in other areas go HERE.

Here is the official trailer:



More info on the film can be found HERE:

http://www.humpdayfilm.com/

Nights & Weekends DVD release date.

A lot of us over here at the One Way or Another Productions have been eagerly awaiting the DVD release of Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwigs heartbreaking, moving and ultra realistic film about a young couple attempting a long distance relationship. NIGHTS and WEEKENDS will be released on August, 25th 2009. For more information on the film, go check out the official website: http://www.nightsandweekendsmovie.com/

Pre-Order on AMAZON, Click HERE!

S. James Wegg Reviews Uptown

S. James Wegg of jamesweggreview.org just wrote a raving review of Brian Ackley's Uptown. Here is some of it below:

"Brian Ackley’s first feature is a beautifully crafted, superbly acted film that explores the symptoms, realities and emotions of a doomed but unstoppable relationship. Anyone who has ever fallen in love with “the wrong person” will savour this story seen through such a thoughtful and understanding eye.

Co-written with the protagonists (Chris Riquinha as single-filmmaker Ben, Meissa Hampton as newlywed-dog-walker Isabel—late of Paris, so intriguingly reminiscent of Isabelle in The Dreamers, cross-reference below), it is little wonder that the scenes work so well: every line—scripted or improvised—comes from the same artistic trust so buy-in from the actors is virtually guaranteed."

Read the full Review HERE.

www.uptownfilm.com