Above the common question “How long is a short film?*” should be the more significant question, “Why a short film?” Good short films are enjoyable and moving, with stories that can have an impact as strong as good feature-length films or powerful TV series. You can laugh, cry, and be inspired watching a good short … Continue reading My Bumpy Road through “Hollywood” — THE BLENDED SCREENS: WHY SHORT FILMS?
Society
My bumpy road through “Hollywood” – PALLION THE YOUNG STALLION spec script for BoJack Horseman
My favorite show on Netflix is BoJack Horseman, which reveals a lot about me, since it’s a show about an emotionally dysfunctional has-been in Hollywood. So, back in January 2018, I was motivated to write a spec script for the show. I thought maybe I could replay the events decades earlier, described in “My Bumpy … Continue reading My bumpy road through “Hollywood” – PALLION THE YOUNG STALLION spec script for BoJack Horseman
The Present Threat to the Internet
WHAT IS THE THREAT TO NET NEUTRALITY? Millions of American citizens have flooded the FCC website with comments to let the agency know our demand for Net Neutrality. Many citizens are intimidated by this wonky and technical issue, knowing they do not fully understand the complex issues or its importance and urgency. The threats to … Continue reading The Present Threat to the Internet
BARNARD’S LAWS
Observations of life.
The Internet needs to be free. [UPDATED APRIL 23 2014]
THE INTERNET NEEDS TO BE FREE Yes, free. That’s not a statement about pricing, it’s a statement about democracy. This is what is commonly referred to as “Net Neutrality." The following blog post keeps evolving since its original posting in 2010, because the concept of "Net Neutrality" (or the attempt at a more popular term, … Continue reading The Internet needs to be free. [UPDATED APRIL 23 2014]
Corporate Conglomerates Battle to Regain Gatekeeper Status
The merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable is a powerful situation that has broad negative implications for society and for filmmakers specifically. It's not simply a business issue, it's a democracy issue. The merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable is another deliberate attack on Net Neutrality. By assaulting Net Neutrality, GATEKEEPERS -- and … Continue reading Corporate Conglomerates Battle to Regain Gatekeeper Status
Crippling Digital Distribution for Indie Filmmakers: the Death of Net Neutrality
Dismantling Net Neutrality means that the major movie studios will rule the Internet, while access to the digital distribution that indie filmmakers believe to be the future WILL BE CRIPPLED.
From the Ivey Business Review: “Arrested Economics — Assessing Netflix’s Original Content Business”
Story-makers, the shift in the independent film industry includes new opportunities in what is commonly called "television." The new creative opportunities are exciting. Here's the second of two discussions about these new opportunities. Arrested Development and House of Cards aren't designed to deliver the metrics Wall Street expects, and this means a lot about how … Continue reading From the Ivey Business Review: “Arrested Economics — Assessing Netflix’s Original Content Business”
From the Ivey Business Review: “Original TV Series — The Illusory ‘Silver Bullet'”
Story-makers, the shift in the independent film industry includes new opportunities in what is commonly called "television." The new creative opportunities are exciting. Here's the first of two discussions about these new opportunities. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon see original TV series as the path to success. It's not. But consumers win. Reposted … Continue reading From the Ivey Business Review: “Original TV Series — The Illusory ‘Silver Bullet'”
There’s a fine line between exploitation and opportunity in the film industry. [UPDATED AGAIN!]
There has been a battle going on in Hollywood for a while now that threatens to upset one of the premises of the entire film industry. You might think it must be about digital disruption, but it's not. Is it about 3D? No. Maybe it's about lack of creativity in an industry swollen with sequels, … Continue reading There’s a fine line between exploitation and opportunity in the film industry. [UPDATED AGAIN!]
Crowdfunding and “Hey Zach Braff STFU and pay for your own movie” [UPDATED January 2014]
Why is there controversy about projects such as Rob Thomas's VERONICA MARS and Zach Braff's WISH I WAS HERE going to crowdfunding for the money to make their projects? The surge in Perks-based Donor Crowdfunding over the past few years was primarily built on the concept that creative projects dreamed up by common folks with … Continue reading Crowdfunding and “Hey Zach Braff STFU and pay for your own movie” [UPDATED January 2014]
THIS IS THE SECOND ‘GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION.’
When looking at what I've termed "The Blended Screens" -- the destruction of all the different ways that used to define what we were watching (it was a "movie" because it was shot on film and shown in a movie theater; it was a "TV Show" because it was shot on tape and broadcast by … Continue reading THIS IS THE SECOND ‘GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION.’
The JOBS Act of April 2012 is a Failure for America.
THIS IS A MAJOR JOBS PROBLEM AND NEEDS OUR ATTENTION:America needs good jobs. Joblessness and low-wage jobs have crippled the survival and prosperity of millions of Americans, and are a drag on our entire economy.The promise of the JOBS Act, signed into law a year ago and supported by the most bi-partisanship effort in recent … Continue reading The JOBS Act of April 2012 is a Failure for America.
The latest on NATE AND KELLY the novel
NATE AND KELLY is a love story from a century ago, about today. The novel has a strong, interesting narrative structure (essential for all media and what audiences now want). It is an interesting combination of fiction and non-fiction that works well with both the broad subjects of historical significance and its very specific, illuminating … Continue reading The latest on NATE AND KELLY the novel
NATE AND KELLY the novel
1915. A businessman and a prostitute find love. And hate. The United States of America faced incomprehensible horror one day shortly after the turn of the century. There was shock, destruction, and death. War loomed. Americans veered toward either hopelessness, fear, and hate or toward vision, faith, and rebuilding. They asked, “Could life in America … Continue reading NATE AND KELLY the novel
Our chance to rebuild the independent film industry.
FILMMAKERS, this is very important: WHAT CONGRESS DID The house has passed the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act which offers a tremendous opportunity to rebuild the independent film industry. The Act is designed to allow businesses to raise capital through crowdfunding. Under current securities laws, filmmakers can only ask for donations, and donors support the … Continue reading Our chance to rebuild the independent film industry.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The following discussion started with this FACEBOOK post from Carey Borth: July 2, 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs into law the historic Civil Rights Act in a nationally televised ceremony at the White House. In the landmark 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in … Continue reading Civil Rights Act of 1964
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — MOVIES IN A BAD ECONOMY
You know that your favorite movies, and even ones you don’t like, exist in an uneasy alliance of art and commerce. Movies have the potential to be both emotionally and financially powerful; sometimes one, sometimes the other, sometimes both. They brew in a caldron of artistic expression, profit potential, and career possibilities. Some movies find … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — MOVIES IN A BAD ECONOMY
Are Closed Cultural Tribes the Last Hope for Artists?
There is a culture war being waged. It is bigger than illegal copying or file sharing. It is the popular premise that controlling intellectual property is a waste. It’s all discussion and theory now, since nobody has proven pathways; there are no strategies yet that are backed with reliable metrics. All discussions are only speculation … Continue reading Are Closed Cultural Tribes the Last Hope for Artists?
FREE IS NOT WORTH THE PRICE, PART 2
Continued from FREE IS NOT WORTH THE PRICE, PART 1 We are now feeling the impact of that un-analyzed, self-serving desire, “I want it FREE.” The impressionable college generation coming of age at that time threw away moral discernment in the face of the “free on the Internet” mantra and nearly destroyed the music industry. … Continue reading FREE IS NOT WORTH THE PRICE, PART 2
FREE IS NOT WORTH THE PRICE, PART 1
The New York Times reports on the malaise hitting the very-important-to-Hollywood trade papers, especially Daily Variety. [“Trade Papers Struggling in Hollywood”] Daily Variety is suffering the fate of many news publishers (even the New York Times), but attracts attention because of its reactions to its problems. This important trade paper recently fired staff critics, now … Continue reading FREE IS NOT WORTH THE PRICE, PART 1
Civil Rights
The premise of California’s Proposition 8 was that marriage cannot include same sex partnerships because that violates the sanctity of marriage. The presumption was that marriage has a static position and never evolves. It also feeds on fears that have been expressed as “gay marriage will destroy marriage” and “how horrible that gay couples could … Continue reading Civil Rights
Marriage
Prop 8 was an attack on a specific group, denying rights the State had already seen as a given. What if the attack was on YOUR group? Think it couldn't be? If your heritage is African, Asian, native American, Hispanic, or if your gender is female, or if you're under 21, you have had the … Continue reading Marriage
Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
Today to celebrate the inauguration of President Obama, I attended a celebration at the African American Museum in Fresno. It was exciting to see the large group of people there, and it seemed that every race and creed was represented. But, of course, the most excitement seemed to come from the African Americans, who expressed … Continue reading Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
LIBERTY
Today, the social climate of our country easily embraces the patriotic thrill of fighting for liberty in far-off lands and passionately supports those who fight for liberty elsewhere. However, the current climate seems to trivialize, even scoff at, those who championed liberty here at home throughthe Civil Rights Movement. It is the birthday of Martin … Continue reading LIBERTY
Michael R. Barnard's Thoughts & Discussions. 