From Here To Awesome

I stumbled upon this video today while surfing the Google blog, and decided it was worth showing to you guys.  It’s a great testament to the fact that indie filmmakers indeed have power, and possibility in the socially-confined world we’re living in today.  It also links to a few good videos with filmmaking tips, a video from Head Trauma and director Lance Weiler, both useful and interesting shot videos to really get your head around the fact that you have power, you can go out and make a short film and get the audience and make a splash.

The key here in my mind now, though, is that it’s a short film.  Of course the length doesn’t actually matter, if the trailer looks good enough, someone will buy it, but if it’s a short film that looks thoroughly professional, well done and generally entertaining, it’s a good step in the right direction.  The most important thing, though, is that it’s important to the filmmaker, and that they care about it and love it enough to carry it on despite the difficulties.  Personally, LATENT(CY) wasn’t that project for me.  But I’m hoping that after school ends (or even before) I’ll have scraped together some film-loving friends with enough interest and passion and drive to make another short film, and hopefully this time, we’ll be proud enough to make a campaign out of the thing.

It also occurred to me that if you’ve already got a short film made that can be shown on YouTube and other video sharing sites, then show it.  And not only that, post bulletins about it, send messages about it to all of your friends, make a website, sell DVDs, get the name out in the public’s eye because it’s your project, and it’s your responsibility to showcase your own work.  After all, if you’re not proud enough to show it off, what kind of impression does that give?  Best of luck and happy filmmaking!

The Big Move

Well, it’s officially begun.  AnimiVirtus Productions is moving to Vancouver, BC in Canada!  This is not only awesome because it involves moving physical equipment (oh so fun) but because it’s the beginning of both a new school career, a possible professional career, and a personal life.  I’m moving mainly for the school and the change of environment.  The things I plan to take full advantage of are the people, the city, the fact that there will be lots more people and places than small-town Vermont, the opportunities that provides both for socializing (running two blogs isn’t just a hobby, it’s a use of otherwise-unoccupied time) and for filmmaking ventures.  And that’s where this blog comes in.

The new location will mean taking some time to get the video PC set up again, however I’ve finally added a Firewire PCI card to it, enabling the capturing of video, which streamlines the video production process hugely for me.  However, once I get the few kinks worked out (Premiere for some reason doesn’t like the card, and doesn’t detect the camera with it), the system will be “fully operational” (quick guess, what movie’s that from?).

Mostly, though, I’m looking forward to the resources and opportunities for new inspiration in both life, work and schooling, and I can’t wait to share more and more with you guys in the coming weeks as the move progresses and I’m finally moved into the place.  Right now, I’m sitting in the airport, waiting for my family to come back and wondering how it is that my little DSL line at home is faster than a big ol’ ariport’s public Wi-Fi connection.  Though that’s probably the reason – it’s a public Wi-Fi line.  In any case, there’s the announcement, and the post for the day, and I’ll be sure to update more as the move progresses.  Keep being creative and happy filmmaking.

Social Advertising

I recently wrote a 12-13 page paper on the importance of advertising and marketing and promoting your amateur film, and on the methods to do so.  This website caught my eye today when I was going through my RSS feeds in my Mail.app inboxes (oh yea, I got a MacBook recently, it’s like my baby).  I thought I’d mention this cool site as a method for you guys to do just that – promote and advertise your films on your own, without the big budget Hollywood films always have built into their contracts.

So, for us, we resort to the internet, the most powerful form of spreading information this side of the 20th century.  Social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, Orkut, and forums and message boards all share commonalities in that they give you opportunities to get down and dirty making friends, contacts and spreading the word about yourself, your work, and developing relationships, both personal and professional, with other individuals around the world despite age, gender, race, or any of the other stereotypes that often inhibit or change our attitudes toward people, even unconsciously.

Alright, I get it, enough about the power just give us the link!  Well here you go, the site’s called ONEsite, and it’s basically a method to create your own social network site based on something of your choosing.  For filmmakers it’s a great opportunity to create a free fansite for your film or film production company or group and raise awareness about the projects you work on.  With the internet comes and overload of information, and the next step is to sift through that information and raise awareness to the right people about the kinds of things they want to know about – your film for film lovers, for example.  This is just one small method we can tap into the social networking power of the internet and leverage it in our favor, taking hopefully big strides in the progress of our film project’s life and giving others what they want – some good entertainment.  So enjoy the site, and best of luck with your creative and promotional endeavors.  I’m hoping to put the paper online soon to download as a free ebook for those of you interested in self-promotion and free marketing for your films.  Happy filmmaking!

What’s that?  You wanted the link?  Of course I’ll give it to you!  Just go to ONEsite.com.

Video for a Cause

Here are two contest opportunities I’ve found recently that have both been unused tabs in my Firefox window for a week or two now.  One is being put on by Sony, in their effort to combat cyberbullying and another by Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, as a grant competition to make the best film relating to thalassemia, or Cooley’s Anemia, a “fatal genetic blood disorder that disproportionately affects people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Northern African, Chinese, South Aisian, Southeast Asian and Caribbean descent,” says the article on Studio Daily about the effort.  It’s purpose is to raise awareness about the disease by sponsoring a competition of film and videomakers to come up with a very effective and informative idea for a short spot about the disease, or other things listed on the site.  Humanitarian effort not enough, well listen to this:

“Five grant winners will be selected to receive — courtesy of program
sponsors Panasonic Broadcast, Abel Cine Tech and CAF— the use of a full
Panasonic P2 HD camera package, including an AG-HPX500 P2 HD camcorder,
Fujinon lens, four 16GB P2 Cards, an AG-HPG10 P2 Gear, and $2,000
towards production costs to create a three- to six-minute, documentary-style video. One grand prize winner will be selected to
receive an equipment/cash award valued at $10,500 (including $5,000 and
a P2 HD equipment package consisting of an AG-HVX200 P2 HD camcorder
and two 16GB P2 cards).”

Now if that isn’t some incentive!  The next competition is the one sponsored by Sony, the Ad Council, and the National Crime Prevention Council, and is more similar to your typical make-something-get-rewarded competition.  Their goal is to “create a video for a public service announcement on the awareness and prevention of cyberbullying.”  This one’s more of the usual all-or-nothing deal, where you make something and then submit it, wait for a response and you either get one or you don’t.  However, the prizes for this contest are very impressive, not only is it yet another humanitarian effort, it’s over $18,000 worth of equipment you win if you’re an independent producer, and over $25,000 worth if you’re part of a school group!  Now if that’s not some freaking incentive, then I don’t know what is!  Best of luck to any and all who decide to pursue this, and post your videos online, send links here, I’d love to see what you came up with!

Pangea Day

Well this is quite an interesting effort these guys are making.  It’s essentially a synthesis of the world’s films about the world.  We make movies, we send them in, then they all get shown on Pangea Day in 2008.  I don’t know if there’s some kind of selection process for this, but it is definitely worth a shot.  Check out their ad here and the website from the link below.

Link: http://www.pangeaday.org