The indie film world was very different than it is today. This was before the near destruction of indie film caused by the triple disasters of the Writers Strike, Digital Disruption, and the Great Recession a few years later. The excitement around "cheap digital filmmaking" was centered on the Canon XL1 mini-DV standard definition camera. If you were cool in Hollywood in those days, you had to carry around an XL-1.
MOVIES
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — A VENOM IN THE BLOOD
Two decades ago, I bought a book. In producer-speak, that means I acquired the rights via option to make a movie from a book. I knew a TV news reporter, and she had made contact with a reclusive author who wrote a book she thought I might be interested in. Actually, “reclusive” is too weak … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — A VENOM IN THE BLOOD
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — CONSUMED BY A PASSION PROJECT
How Is a Filmmaker Consumed by a Passion Project? The following is a guest post from Michael R. Barnard, who is in the final days of an Indiegogo campaign for his film, Everybody Says Goodbye: The Story of a Father and Son. For many years, I have been chasing a motion picture project that … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — CONSUMED BY A PASSION PROJECT
Equity Crowdfunding is dead for us. What’s next?
If you remember that there once was a glimmer of hope for more sustainable financing for innovative small business (and, for my concern, an indie film industry) through "Equity Crowdfunding" as demanded by the JOBS Act of 2012, the fact is that it's not going to happen. It's already far past the Act's imposed deadlines … Continue reading Equity Crowdfunding is dead for us. What’s next?
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!]
Episode 1: Hal “Corky” Kessler explains Sec. 181
Episode 1: Hal "Corky" Kessler explains Sec. 181.
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.’
“Story-making”
Production is morphing into ... what? Is it "filmmaking" if there's no film? Are we "taping" a program if there's no tape? Are they "films" or "movies" it they are viewed on a smartphone? Is it "Television" if it's streaming online on demand? The technology of production and the delivery methods are no longer pertinent … Continue reading “Story-making”
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.
Review of Budgeting and Scheduling programs for Indie Filmmakers
Norman Berns of ReelGrok, the website "Where Filmmakers Get It," has reviewed several of the programs available for indie filmmakers to schedule and budget their movie projects. He reviews Movie Magic, Showbiz, Gorilla, Hot Budget, and scenechronize. MOVIE MAGIC Despite its advanced age, Movie Magic (https://www.reelgrok.com/review-detail.cfm?rid=8) remains the feature film budgeting/scheduling choice at most studios. … Continue reading Review of Budgeting and Scheduling programs for Indie Filmmakers
THE UNIVERSAL FILM ACCESS POINT
How will independent filmmakers fully embrace digital distribution for maximum value? It's a new world, and the old methods cannot be squeezed and twisted to work in it. There will be a new approach to bringing indie films to the audience. I call it the UNIVERSAL FILM ACCESS POINT. The old world existed because of … Continue reading THE UNIVERSAL FILM ACCESS POINT
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.
How to Start Writing a Screenplay
There are a lot of screenwriting gurus. That's because there are so many people who want to write screenplays and are scared to death about doing it wrong. It seems that, for every 100 people who are afraid of the number of brads that must be in a script (two), the typeface that must be … Continue reading How to Start Writing a Screenplay
Michael R. Barnard's Thoughts & Discussions. 