MYFILM "Independent Film News"

Color Temperature: When "white" isn't just white

2008-11-19T10:08:00.003-05:00

If you've ever heard someone talk about color temperature, you may have wondered what all the fuss is about. What does temperature have to do with color? Isn't "white" simple enough to understand on it's own?

The short answer is no. Now, here's the longer answer:

You may remember from elementary school that white is defined as the presence of all color. This was usually demonstrated by taking a white light and shining it through a prism to create a lovely little rainbow. This is the same reason rainbows often appear on sunny days through mists of water hanging in the air.

In order for an object to appear to be white, it must reflect back all of the colors contained within the light that is reflecting off it's surface. If one or more of the colors of the spectrum are missing from either the light source or the reflected light, the object will appear to have a color. The color of an object is determined mainly by the light source illuminating the object.

This is where color temperature comes into the equation. Marketing departments like to describe color temperatures using terms like "cool white" or "warm white", but in film and video, these terms are just not specific enough for our purpose. Instead, we describe the temperature of a light in degrees Kelvin.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE by Producer/Director Greg Steiner; a graduate of Berklee College of Music and holds a degree in Music Production & Engineering. - http://qstationfilms.blogspot.com/

Sound Advice: Can You Hear Me Now?

2008-11-18T07:32:00.004-05:00

Other than your typical birthday party or wedding video, most productions include some kind of narration or voice-over.

This applies to documentaries, training and orientation videos, promotional projects and especially advertising. Using your script as a guide, it's easy to discover those portions of the video that need narration. Armed with your existing audio tools and this article, you can start recording today.

Gear Up
If you shoot a lot of video, you probably have everything necessary to record and edit narration. A nice microphone is a good place to start. Most handheld, shotgun and even lapel microphones can be pressed into service for your voice-over.

At the upper end of the scale, a large-diaphragm studio condenser is ideal for vocal recording. Vintage models can cost thousands, but there are dozens of project studio models -- some even sell for under $100. If you record narration on a regular basis, even a basic model is a good investment.

Large-diaphragm mikes have a unique sound quality that is difficult to duplicate. On the other hand, it's possible to record a voice-over with a $10 computer mike or the one built into your camcorder. Just don't expect studio quality from these low-cost alternatives. Don't forget to devote a few dollars to a foam or hoop windscreen. These simple accessories will eliminate breath pops and add to the professionalism of your recordings.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE - http://www.tapestockonline.com/soadcanyouhe.html

Copyright 2006 TapeStockOnline.com. All rights reserved.

ON DEMAND TV and now, ON DEMAND PIZZA

2008-11-17T11:37:00.005-05:00

TiVo and Domino's to let subscribers order their pizza through TV!

IS THIS THE NEWEST TREND? Digital video recording company TiVo Inc. announced it is teaming up with Domino's Pizza Inc. to allow subscribers to order pizza for delivery or pick-up directly from their TV sets.

"This is the first time in history that the 'on-demand' generation will be able to fully experience couch commerce by ordering pizza directly through their television set," Rob Weisberg, vice president of precision and print marketing at Domino's said.

LEARN MORE - http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20081117/ap_on_hi_te/tivo_domino_s

Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

RUNNING...

2008-11-16T10:41:00.002-05:00

This short animated film by Steve Madden has a slow start, but it gives you a chance to appreciate the work done in all the different mediums as well as grasp the animation aspect.

Find more videos like this on Hollywood East TV

'Romeo and Juliet' with a bite: 'Twilight'

2008-11-15T06:53:00.003-05:00

FROM THE BOOK TO THE BIG SCREEN it’s just another one of those typical high school romance movies. You know: Lonely boy meets lonely girl, each falls hard for the other, boy turns out to be a vampire.

OK, so maybe it’s not so typical. The source material is a four-part series of books that’s taking on aspects of “Harry Potter” popularity among adolescent girls and, in many cases, their moms also.

Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight,” has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for over a year. In the story of shy 17-year-old Bella Swan, who shuttles between her divorced parents, and mysterious 17-year-old Edward Cullen (or is he really 109?), a forbidden romance ensues, something along the lines of “Romeo and Juliet.”

The Vampire That Rocked The Chart

2008-11-14T22:15:00.005-05:00

The soundtrack for the upcoming teen vampire romance TWILIGHT debuts at #1 on The Billboard 200.

TWILIGHT is the first soundtrack to hit #1 in advance of the movie's release since 8 MILE six years ago. That album topped the Nielsen/SoundScan chart for the week ending Nov. 3, 2002. The Eminem movie was released on Nov. 8.

Only five other soundtracks have ever hit #1 in advance of the movie's release. In 1997, PRIVATE PARTS hit #1 five days before the Howard Stern comedy opened. In 1994, MURDER WAS THE CASE hit #1 four months before the Snoop Dogg movie opened. In 1975, THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD hit #1 one month before the little-seen Earth, Wind & Fire movie opened. In 1964, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT hit #1 two weeks before The Beatles movie opened. And in 1951 (hey, I said "ever"), SHOW BOAT hit #1 six weeks before the MGM musical opened.

READ MORE - http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/19138/week-ending-nov-9-2008-the-vampire-that-rocked-the-chart/

Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved

NO MORE INDIES???

2008-11-13T09:18:00.004-05:00

Although the major studios continue to maintain that they are likely to feel little impact from the current economic downturn, the outlook continues to grow bleaker for independent producers.

Movie consultant Jeff Dowd, who found a buyer for the singularly successful, The Blair Witch Project, told Bloomberg News that independent filmmakers "are having a harder time getting money at the $500,000, $1 million level than they were a year ago."

He said he expects to see a significant drop in the number of independent movies next year, following more than a decade of growth. Bloomberg cited the case of producer-writer-director Neil Schulman, who used the equity in a second home in Nevada to finance his film, Lady Magdalene's, starring Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek fame.

He has been unable to find a distributor for the film and now, with the collapse of the real estate market, he says that his equity in the home has been wiped out -- leaving Schulman with a hefty monthly payment to cover the debt he incurred in making his film.

READ MORE and SEE "LADY MAGDALENE'S" and "THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT" PROFILES - http://www.showbizdata.com/news/48197/INDIE-FILMMAKERS-HIT-HARD-BY-ECONOMIC-CRISIS

1997-2008 ShowBIZ Data Inc. - All rights reserved.

9:04 am - A NEW WAY TO WORK!

2008-11-12T08:45:00.007-05:00

9:04 AM is an independent feature film and Heath McKnight is a filmmaker and a writer.

Heath decided to cut 9:04 AM into many 4-6 minute pieces to create webisodes.

9:04 AM is a drama/comedy about the difficulties of life, love, happiness, and the fine line between fantasy and reality.

Although this is an ensemble piece; there are multiple storylines that weave in and out of each other. As you watch, you will soon realize how all the characters are connected.

9:04 AM webisode part 1 from Heath McKnight on Vimeo.

WRITING FOR REAL

2008-11-11T09:12:00.002-05:00

The main reason that the late Michael Crichton's books and films were so successful, is because the science was so well researched, and thus, the films made from his stories were plausible. The same is true for the late Arthur Hailey. All his films had great stories behind them because Hailey spent a year or longer researching of commercial aviation (AIRPORT), the auto industry (WHEELS), banking (THE MONEYCHANGERS), etc.

When writing your screenplay, the more you know about any subject the more plausible your story is likely to be.

Plausibility is only one slant of story telling but if we look at the Sci-Fi genre as an example, the Star Wars stories are completely implausible and yet, no one cares. They are great entertainment; old fashioned swashbuckling pirate and princess stories, dressed up in a new time and location. Instead of galleons with cannons, we have tie-fighters with lasers. STAR WARS never mentions Earth and when we are asked to suspend all disbelief, we gladly do do.

© 2008 Stanley Lozowski, All Rights Reserved.

Top 10 DVD Software Free Download

2008-11-07T15:44:00.002-05:00

If you need help in using and improving all your DVD software activitiesm we can provide fast and simple software solutions for you.

Because of high public demand, we focus on areas such as copying, ripping, audio converter, converting, authoring, CD burning, Video editing software, Audio recording, iPod converting, Zune converting, digital photo editing, and Game copy programs.

You do not need specific technical expertise in order to run these DVD software free downloads. In such a short time, you will be able to create your own copy of your personal disk, without any hassles.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE DOWNLOADS - http://forums.digitalmedianet.com/cgi-bin/displaywwugpost.fcgi?forum=digital-video-editing&post=081007061755.htm

TV is DEAD...

2008-11-04T07:52:00.013-05:00

Or TV is dying...take you pick!

There is no longer any question about it! Television transmission just isn't needed anymore as everyone with an Internet site begins to realize that they could control their own "television" station.

Things were getting out of hand with tens of millions of website destinations, but a few forward thinking sites are now positioning themselves to be leaders in this new race. Think early TV: think early NBC, CBS and ABC. Only today, there are many, many more options.

By the end of 2009, almost half the people who watch videos online will be watching full-length features via the Internet. With all the other videos online, by 2012 we will spend a third of each day passively or actively viewing. Computers will send images to billboards, our high-def screens, our monitors and our phones. No more limited channels; now we have access to millions of them. Besides, no one really wanted to wait until 8:00 to see the feature film; until 10:00 to see MAD MEN and until 11:00 to see the 11:00 news! We consume when we want to consume, not when some TV exec "thinks" we should!

Everyone wanting video will turns to places like YouTube when they want movies. And many new exciting sites like www.indiemoviesonline.com are leading us into the new era of FREE online feature films and TV shows! A goldmine awaits us!

You can forget the boob tube with its limited channels since places to watch TV on the Internet are proliferating at an extemely fast pace. From NBC Universal and News Corp.'s Hulu to Joost, many sites plan to launch and make TV viewing a more interactive experience.

Joost will let users watch shows like "Friends" or "The Daily Show" directly on the Web. YouTube also is beginning to offer full-length, commercial-supported television shows in addition to the shorter clips it's well known for.

Previously, Joost users had to download the site's free software to be able to watch its programming, but this step proved to be cumbersome. The company is now scrapping its original setup in favor of Flash video, which has long been used by Hulu, YouTube and many other sites.

Joost Chief Executive Mike Volpi said the site's social features have also been greatly enhanced. People can see what their friends are watching on Joost and create groups around TV shows, characters or artists. Users will also be able to post a news feed of their and their friends' activities on Joost to other Web sites, such as social networks like Facebook.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE - http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/10/13/online.tv.joost.ap/index.html

© 2008 Stanley Lozowski, All Rights Reserved.
© 2008 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MySpace ad deal lets members use copyright video

2008-11-03T08:51:00.005-05:00

Instead of trying to take down all the copyright-protected videos that its members post, MySpace will now let certain clips stay — and it will also give the creators of the original content a cut of the revenue from advertising that will be attached to the snippets.

MySpace and the online video ad technology company Auditude planned to announce a partnership Monday with Viacom Inc.-owned MTV Networks and this partnership will let ads be placed in clips of the network's shows that users upload to MySpace. These include shows like Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" and MTV's reality show "The Hills."

MySpace usually tries to keep such clips off its social network along with other copyright-protected content that users might post. In the past, the News Corp.-owned site removes clips at the request of the videos' copyright owners. Google Inc.'s YouTube also has a similar policy, although Viacom is suing YouTube for allegedly profiting from millions of clips with Viacom content posted online.

MySpace will now take a different approach with videos produced by partners it makes with its new ad deal.

READ MORE - http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20081103/ap_on_hi_te/tec_myspace_video_ads

Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

SCREENPLAY PARODIES

2008-11-01T11:09:00.004-04:00

Indie filmmakers are always searching for that perfect short film that will get them noticed. One technique creating a lot of buzz involves taking a hit film (or a hit screenplay) or TV show and parodying it. There are now thousands on youTube and some fans are having a field day producing more while vying to have the best parody of each title.

A screenplay has to be really good to spawn a great parody. The gentile version of the parody below won Best Original Screenplay at this year's Oscars.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN: just in time for Halloween

2008-10-31T10:01:00.003-04:00

“VAMPIRE LORE RARELY COMES ACROSS AS INSPIRED AND ALIVE AS IT DOES IN THIS EXQUISITELY CRAFTED FILM." – Film Comment

“THIS IS A VAMPIRE MOVIE LIKE NO OTHER. MESMERIZING.” – David Ansen, Newsweek

A fragile, anxious boy, Oskar is regularly bullied by his stronger classmates but never strikes back.

As much a coming-of-age story as vampire tale, Let the Right One In does its unsettling work quietly. Twelve-year-old Oskar lives in a drab village outside Stockholm, where by day he's the victim of relentless bullying, and by night he dreams of revenge.

Slipping out of sight of his single mother, Oskar fills a notebook with news on the gruesome killings that have set neighborhood nerves on edge-someone is tying people up, breaking their necks, and draining their blood. Oskar rehearses knife moves in the icy courtyard of his apartment complex...

Inside Sundance, Miramax, and Independent Film

2008-10-31T09:52:00.003-04:00

The idea for "Down and Dirty Pictures" came to Peter Biskind while he was on the road promoting "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls." A one-time doc filmmaker who was active in the indie film community, Biskind later edited American Film Magazine.

"I found myself saying that the independent scene carried the torch of the 70s, in the 90s," Biskind told indieWIRE. But, those familiar with Biskind's "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" will notice a different approach to this decade. It's no longer about the films, it is about the business of the movies, that's the story that, according to Biskind, defined the 90s. "This is a distribution and marketing story," he said.

The decade began with some low-budget films from unproven filmmakers getting attention at Sundance. Weinstein in particular grabbed attention with movies like "Sex, Lies and Videotape" and "Clerks."

Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Kevin Smith, Richard Linklater and more inspired other filmmakers to create a steady pipeline of movies. Sundance and Miramax ignited a frenzied period in which first-timers sought stardom from their small movies and then Hollywood took notice, setting the stage for a round of corporate involvement in independent film that continues today.

Countless stories from interviews with an array of insiders offer first-hand accounts and Biskind's story picks up at the intersection of Miramax and Sundance (he calls them the "twin towers of the indie world").

READ MORE by Eugene Hernandez - http://www.indiewire.com/biz/biz_040106biskind.html

Fund Your Film in this Volatile Economy

2008-10-30T08:04:00.004-04:00

The markets are crazy and over the last year there are very few signs that things will get better anytime soon. Maybe the trend will soften with a new President, but most people fear the worst is yet to come. Everyone is cutting back. Everyone plays a waiting game; waiting to see what will happen next.

If you are thinking about making a movie; do it, but do it on a tight budget. The most unusual circumstance today is that there is a lot of money out there, and the source-costing of it is incredibly cheap by historical standards, but banks, financial institutions and venture capitalists have been apprehensive about committing funds to anything. No one wants to take any risks for fear of what "might" happen.

And yet, the flow of innovative film projects and screenplays has not run dry. Great scripts and wonderful concepts are probably cheaper and more abundant than they have ever been. More people than ever want a shot at starring in a film and thousands of graduating films students every year beg to make movies.

In today’s marketplace, the risk/reward ratio between investing in a low-budget independent seems many times greater than investing in a major screenplay with tried and proven names (one only has to think of Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino in "Righteous Kill").

A low-budget startup can turn in enormous profits in only two or three years while a Hollywood studio with a multi-million dollar extravaganza may be lucky to see a 25% profit over that same period. But, each seems to have a similar survival profile.

We live in an era with amazing opportunities. Grab them while you can.

©2008 , Stanley N. Lozowski. All Rights Reserved.

CANON'S AMAZING 120GB (under $1000.00) HG-21

2008-10-29T07:26:00.005-04:00

The Canon HG21 AVCHD Hard Disk Drive camcorder sets a new standard for High Definition, delivering optimal image quality, long shooting times along with the extraordinary ease and versatility when viewing video on TV or a computer.

You can capture amazing HD video with even greater detail and color reproduction with its innovative 24Mbps capability, and the addition of a video-capable SDHC card slot plus the extended 120 GB internal Hard Disk Drive allows you to now record up to 45 hours of video onto the internal hard disk drive so there's no need to worry about running out of space.

24p Cinema Mode is a feature demanded by professional filmmakers and previously, only available on pro-level camcorders. 24p Cinema Mode enables all aspiring movie makers achieve a professional 'film-look'. This mode is actually two different features, which can be used independently, or together, depending on the user’s preference.

30p Progressive mode is a progressive format that is the perfect frame rate for the web because it delivers clarity for fast-action subjects. Plus, it is ideal for displaying crisp images on your home theatre system or computer monitor. Before now 30p was exclusively featured on pro-level camcorders but Canon now offers the widest frame rate options for every videographer.

And, like all Canon VIXIA camcorders, the HG21 features: a Canon HD video lens, FULL HD CMOS Sensor, and Canons exclusive DIGIC DV II image processor. Create the look and feel of Hollywood movies with the 24p Cinema Mode and even use Canon's select Photo Grabbing function to capture still images from previously recorded video.

If online video posting and sharing interests you, the HG21's 30p mode provides the perfect frame rate for the web and delivers clarity for fast-action subjects. The HG21 offers the unparalleled combination of Canon's exclusive SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer to stabilize a wide range of movements, Instant AF for accurate focusing thats critical when shooting in HD, a built-in video light to easily shoot in dark settings, and the Canon exclusive 2.7-inch Multi-angle Vivid LCD Screen to view from various angles with true color representation and contrast.

LEARN MORE - http://www.lowpricedigital.com/item.asp?item_id=166035&partner=g123&keyword=canon_hg21&gclid=CLW1tvWrzJYCFQxxHgodGGYmxw

Create DVD Menus for Your Presentations

2008-10-28T14:24:00.001-04:00

How to create DVD menus for your presentations

Burning PowerPoint to DVD is a good solution of preserving PowerPoint presentations and preventing them from being edited by others. Also, burning PowerPoint to DVD is ideal for viewing PowerPoint presentations through various media.

But have you ever thought that you can create DVD menus for your presentations to be viewed on TV with a DVD remote control just like a movie?

With eye-catching DVD menus, one can easily catch audience's attention and set quick navigation for the PowerPoint presentations. SEE a ready-made DVD menu for some PowerPoint presentations.

LEARN MORE By alexbear88 - http://forums.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=557867

TIME FOR INDEPENDENTS?

2008-10-27T09:55:00.008-04:00

As Hollywood is prepping for recession, cuts will come.

NBC Universal sent a clear signal last week, dropping $500 million from its 2009 budget and Paramount sharply realigned its release schedule. Many other companies will surely follow suit. As jobs are lost and paydays cut, the coming months could plunge the industry into a recession resulting in less production and less content for all outlets crying for programming.

We've all lived through recessions before, but this one is somehow more ominous. For one thing, it's global. Even tiny countries like Iceland have run out of money.

In addition, there's no one at the controls. Historians will probably award the final days of the Bush Era an "A" for Anarchy. The economy is being run by a fraternity of dorks from Goldman Sachs who have spent their careers padding their own bonuses and constructing golden parachutes rather than pondering monetary policy.

The CEOs of the major congloms in the entertainment industry are themselves insecure about their business models as the Internet and digital projection promise great change. Is this a moment to steady the course or, conversely, should some basic -- indeed cosmic -- changes be added to the agenda?

READ MORE - "Final results of recession not necessarily bad" by PETER BART - http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117994607.html?categoryid=1&cs=1
© 2008, Stanley Lozowski, All Rights Reserved. and
© 2008, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

VFX SPEEDS UP THE AGING PROCESS

2008-10-25T18:14:00.005-04:00

HAL (www.hal.tv) recently created visual effects for a new music video from indie rock band Low vs. Diamond.

The Heart Attack music video looks like it is one continuous shot in which band member Lucas Field sings to a girl and kisses her.

As the video progresses, both characters are dramatically aged via CGI VFX, from their 20s well into their 90s.

SEE THE VIDEO - http://www.hal.tv/low1.html

A BICYCLE STEADY CAM for traveling shots

2008-10-24T20:28:00.003-04:00

I wanted to shoot some video while riding my road bike, but didn't want to deal with a helmet mounted camera and of course I didn't want to hold the camera in my hand.

An initial attempt at mounting the DV camera was totally unsatisfactory, so my next step was to build my own "steadicam" camera mount that would absorb some of the shock, providing a better quality video.

I just posted a mix of some shots taken with my version 3.0 of the Steady cam mount.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY%3a-Bicycle---Steady-Cam---mount/

BLACKLIST 2007

2008-10-23T09:20:00.004-04:00

At the end of 2007, the annual Black List, containing some undoubtedly amazing scripts, was distributed in the movie business. There will be a 2008 list at the end of this year.

The Black List is compiled at the end of each year from the suggestions of over 150 film executives and high-level assistants. They each contribute the names of up to 10of their favorite scripts that were written and that they were somehow someway associated with. None of these scripts were produced and none were released in 2008, more proof that even with a great screenplay, it's very difficult and time consuming to get your story into production.

The screenplays had to receive at least two mentions to make the Black List which is not a “best of” list but, more appropriately a “most liked” list.

The Black List is also considered a measuring contest for the Hollywood agencies and their motion picture lit departments. The most screenplays on the list were repped by Creative Artists Agency, followed closely by (in order of quantity) William Morris Agency, United Talent Agency, Endeavor, Paradigm, International Creative Management, and Gersh.

Screenwriters say that this list isn't on the level. They call the Black List "unofficial" since it is assembled with info provided by many junior studio execs and their assistants and also unscrupulous agents and managers trying to push their own clients and projects for their own benefit.

SEE THE BLACK LIST for 2007 - http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/black-list-2007-1-danny-strongs-recount/

©2008, Stanley Lozowski. All Rights Reserved.

WHO IS FUNDING YOUR FILM?

2008-10-22T08:39:00.010-04:00

Be very careful when asked to advance money or escrow money to any company or executive producer that promises to obtain funding or venture capital to back your film project. This is NOT how films are financed. There are many scams out there and it is unfortunate that people have been taken advantage of in all financial avenues.

Since the market has soured, several large real estate lenders are attempting to enter film finance. While they do not ask advance fees, YES they have the money but at present, the only service they offer is to give a filmmaker a lower interest rate on their Gap, bridge and on the soft money.

In order to get their money at lower interest rates however, the filmmaker must put together his entire film and after the project is ready to go these new lenders will want up to half the project for an interest rate 6% to 7% less than traditional rates, plus fees. They obviously want to make the same money they made "flipping" houses.

After you have completed all the work, they provide a service (which depending on your circumstances might be unnecessary) and it is difficult to determine the "real" cost of their money until you are ready to accept their money. It's like going to a "closing" and you just might waste months and months in negotiations, discussions, gathering and presenting information just to find out the deal is not what you thought it would be. Exercise extreme due diligence in all such cases and do not put a lot of your valuable time into any such deals.

After many years in the film production business and having exercised due diligence on many companies who claimed to provide funding for up front fees, to date no one seems to have found any that are legit with a strong track record and yet they ask the filmmakers to have a strong track record and in many acses to "escrow 10, 20 and up to 50 percent of the money to make their film so they might borrow against it. A number of filmmakers wrote to tell me that ALL the filmmakers they know with strong track records already have financing lined up for their next films. And so, these "financiers" are left to work with film projects that have "lesser track records" which is exactly what they have.

To cash in on the growing number of filmmakers who seek funds, many "film funding" companies were and still are being founded by individuals with a history of legal troubles. Before you ever consider working with a financier, you should ask to speak with a film producer that has raised funds through this financier for a theatrically released film. And be careful working with agents, based on experience, some reputable "film financing agents" may unwittingly be promoting third parties that could be less than reputable.

There are always certain costs in doing any type of business, and chief among those are the costs of performing due diligence. These expenses should be recoupable at the closing table, not as an advance payment.

Any film financiers who are firm on their position of having prospective clients fund their cost of doing business in advance, are suspect and probably won't have much success attracting intelligent clients.

©2008, Stanley Lozowski. All Rights Reserved.

7 Terrible Early Versions of Great Movies

2008-10-21T13:23:00.005-04:00

There are THREE great lessons in this story for all screenplay writers and wannabe screenplay writers:

REWRITE, REWRITE and REWRITE!

On every street corner in Hollywood there are screenwriters moaning about how the studio ruined the original vision of their screenplay.

But what we never hear about is the opposite side of the coin where some truly horrific piece of writing got turned into a awesome motion pictures that became amazing successes.

It we believe the facts, it turns out that some of your favorite movies started out as truly terrible screenplays that somebody had the good taste to rewrite (and rewrite several times in some cases) before the cameras ever started rolling.

In 1976, screenwriters Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett decided to expand on an unfinished O'Bannon screenplay titled MEMORY. This was a sci-fi story about a spaceship crew answering a distress call on a desolate planetoid.

By simply adding an alien monster to the story, everything about the story changed and the new script was titled STARBEAST.

Then, lightning struck and they immediately realized that Starbeast was a f**king terrible title! They had the inspiration and the good sense to come up with a better title and they renamed the screenplay ALIEN.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE By Steve Clark - http://www.cracked.com/article_16716_7-terrible-early-versions-great-movies.html

Copyright © 2005 - 2007 Cracked Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. CRACKED, CRACKED.COM and the "CRACKED" logo are trademarks owned by Cracked Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.

WHAT DOES A PRODUCER DO?

2008-10-17T09:42:00.002-04:00

What exactly does a Producer do?

Are they just a means to finding the money? Or is the art of the Producer something much more intrinsic to the creative development of a cinematic project? This episode of Motion Sketches explores the role of the Producer in both creative and practical terms and delves into the nuts and bolts of production in the quickly evolving landscape of digital cinema.