My sabbatical is over...

I'm back. This blogging shit is tough. After the first two weeks of not posting then I start thinking I should just give up. But I should just continue for the sake of my own sanity. So here I am again.

And here is a trailer I cant get enough of!

reverse movie reviews #4

I think you kids will like this one. Same drill as usual... what is the story about/ would you see this movie/ whats good about the trailer and whats bad?

As for the last film review, great comments! I put these films up here as a great way to get these film teams a little feedback as most of our film reviews are indie films and they can't afford focus grouping.  So even harsh critical analyses is useful information.  That being said, if you know an indie filmmaker who would like his or her film trailer commented on, send them my way.

FINALLY!

Alright...


I understand that we all watch a little bit of reality tv from time to time; it's just like ordering an extra large pizza for yourself. But this is the bottom of the barrel as far as television goes and it has made a lot of money over the last 8-10 years. Finally, the networks both big and small, are noticing a trend in advertisers distancing themselves from reality shows and they are planning more scripted television shows. 
Here is a link to a New York Times article about the subject.


But my favorite line from the article...


“Do you really want to rely on Snooki to do justice to your brand?,” she asked, referring to a “Jersey Shore” cast member.

Reverse movie reviews #3

What do you think the story is about by only watching the trailer? What do you like about it, or dislike? What do you think about the production value? Would you go see this movie?

Films you didn't know were under 5 million...

When you watch a film, its hard this day and age to know really how much was spent on it unless you have a sharp eye.  So I thought I would give an idea of what a film looks like when the production company had little to no budget compared to the big boys.

First up- Winter's Bone

This film was shot for 2 million, on location in the Ozarks, had no recognizable talent, and crushed it at the theaters last year. It also was directed by a woman, which is unfortunatly rare in the film industry.  And finally it was nominated for oscars. Not bad for the price of a Arbys franchise store.

Next up- Hard Candy

This is one messed up film,(Shot for under 2 million) and it was the big introduction to our favorite Juno actor, Ellen Page, whom had done little stuff on tv movies before this messed up little film.  It didn't do so well in the theaters here in the States, but they loved it over in Europe... those sickos.

Finally- My Big Fat Greek Wedding

(Shot for under 5 million)Granted, when you have people like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson helping you out, you can make shit happen for a film at whatever budget. But this little comedy was shot for peanuts... and made an insane amount of money because of smart steady marketing.  Much like my previous post, the actors got screwed once it made money and sued.

So in the end, these three examples are across the board as far as genre; one romantic comedy, one twisted thriller, and one drama.  Noticed I stayed away from horror because, frankly, there are too many examples of awesome horror films shot for nothing that found its audience.  But with these examples, they all have some things in common.

1. Little to no huge crowds of extras. This costs a lot of money and I am sure the producers were calling friends and favors for the wedding crowds in My big fat.  
2. Repeat locations- Dressing up and moving to new locations is expensive.  When you have a crew of 30-80 people and a cast of 5-10 moving even 2 miles is a costly endeavor. Tiny budget films work around that by having less locations, and hide production value by taking a single actor and shooting a new location with a skeleton crew.  
3. Great writing- If you pull in the crowd early with great writing and flow of the movie, the illusion is set and it wouldn't matter if they were acting next to a cardboard background. We would buy it!

yes thats the guy from Malcolm in the middle...

Christopher Masterson is his name. Which brings me to another subject.

Getting actors for Indie Films is easier than you think.

T.V. actors are always looking for a way to break in to the big leagues.

Name actors with big film careers are looking for something of substance.

Thier agents are not as concerned with the actors reputation being hurt by being in a little indie film that probably won't get them further than festivals.  And if its good, they might get some awards, meaning more buzz meaning more money for their next 100 million rom com/action/ extravaganza!

One of the perks of making Indie films. But this can bite you in the ass as well. Big names on a little film means a big chunk of the money if there is any to go around. And could lead to nasty law suits. Ever heard of Randy Quiad?


He did this little indie film shot up in Canada about some gay cowboys. It was a simple walk on role that probably took him 3 days of his time.

here is an excerpt from the Wall Street Journal:

"Actor Randy Quaid has filed a lawsuit against Focus Features, the producers of “Brokeback Mountain,” alleging he was duped into appearing in the movie at a reduced rate, according to this report by KCAL TV in Los Angeles. Quaid had a supporting role in the film, playing the Wyoming rancher who hired Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) to herd sheep. According to the lawsuit, Quaid says he “donated” his time after moviemakers allegedly told him he was making “a low-budget, art-house film with no prospect of making any money.” Brokeback has reportedly grossed more than $80 million in the U.S.

Quaid is seeking at least $10 million in damages on claims that include intentional and negligent misrepresentation."

Ouch!

Reverse movie reviews #2

Whats the story about on this one? How much do you think they had for a budget? I should let you know that they don't have the rights to the Aerosmith song...