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Showing posts from January, 2006

Rethinking Distribution

Today is the release of the film "Bubble" directed by Steven Soderbergh, and with it comes an experiment. Bubble is part of an experiment in releasing movies to theaters and homes at the same time, so it's available for downloading and will be available on DVD in stores on Tuesday. This is a new way in releasing a film, and it has the industry taking note. Where this model may prefer the distributor it does not favor by theater owners. This new distribution model is driven by two things. Technology and economics. On the economic side it is no secret that Hollywood studios receive a substantial amount of revenue from DVD sales and rentals. In 2004 47% of the distribution pie came from DVD's. That's $21.0 billion dollars from DVD sales and rentals alone. The other parts of the pie came from pay TV (9%), Television (28%), and theater distribution, which was 16%. On the technology side it is now possible to reach more people digitally then through other conventional

Writing, writing, & MORE writing

It's been always impressed on my mind that a film is as good as it's writing, and that's somewhat true. I'm no William Golden , but I do know good writing when I see it, or better yet read it. My first film was an attempt to get it done. The story had some interesting points and I tried to make it interesting. For some who have viewed Deadly Obsessions I've succeeded, but I do have my own criticism of my own work. Film is a visual medium, and while making it I tried to be as visual as I can. The dialogue was heavy, and the actors did a fantastic job with it. Given more time I believe the film would have been a bit better, but time is your enemy, and with every tick of the clock more money is spent, and since money was limited so was our time. So as I'm writing my second feature I'm more and more looking at the written word, and since I have more resources open to me due to making the first film I'll be able to make a tighter film. I've been looking

Forever Franco

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Okay before I say another word I have to say it. I admire Jess Franco and his films. True the films are sometimes hard to take, but most often then not Franco hits one out of the park, and it really sticks with you. Who is Jess Franco you say? Jesus Franco is a European filmmaker whose made such classics as " Venus of Furs ", " The Awful Dr. Orloff " and " Vampyros lesbos ". These are only three films of his out of 186. Yes that's right you read right Franco has completed over 186 films and at almost 76 years old he's still churning them out. Franco has shot many films under many different aliases. You either hate Franco or love him. There is no in between with him. Some of his films have had problems during production, and yet Franco has always pulled through and completed them. Maybe that's why I like him. Sure his films are usually relegated to B-movie type fare, but there is some sort of intelligence behind it. Some may just laugh, and call

Hollywood Smaltz!

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The one thing Hollywood does right is bring the spectacle back. Take the Producers for instance. In 1968 the film with Gene Wilder & Zero Mostel came out and it became a classic, but Hollywood loves to re-invent it's own, and in this case it was Broadway that got Hollywood's attention. Mel Brooks created the Broadway play "The Producers" in 2001, and it was a smash. Nathan Lane, and Matthew Broderick are hilarious in the parts of Max Bialystock & Leo Bloom. So hence comes the movie "the Producers" in 2006. It's an old fashioned musical with some very funny skits in it. If anything this is what Hollywood does right. Only Hollywood has the money to create such lavish films, and it is usually these films which live on in our collective memory. But what happens to the original? Where does it go. After all it was the inspiration for the Broadway play, and the present day film remake. The original was re-released on DVD, and looks better then it did wh