The Social Network: The Sound Show

My friend, Scott, posted this invite, which I'm reposting here. Seems like an awesome opportunity to learn about sound, which is after all half of the picture as they say. Plus, this movie is absolutely one of the best of the year. 

You and your friends are invited to hear the story of the sound of the critically acclaimed movie about the creation of Facebook.

Special clips will be presented by key sonic artisans offering a rare chance to hear some of the discrete audio elements that were connected into a network of aural information.

AND this unique presentation will be made at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood, a venue that prides itself on offering the best in sight and sound technology.

Want to know what’s better than a million bits of digital sound? 

A BILLION bits of digital sound presented by the people who helped make them!

Sharing their craft and experience will be supervising sound editor/sound designer Ren Klyce, re-recording mixers David Parker and Michael Semanick, picture editors Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, and producer Scott Rudin.

One night only!  And Free!  Friday, January 7, at 7:30 pm at the ArcLight Hollywood, 6360 West Sunset Boulevard.

RSVP to mail@mpse.org or call 818/506-7731.

Please provide your full name and any industry or school affiliation.   Seating is limited.

Sundance, Slamdance Orientation at Film Independent

 
Three qualified speakers shared many insights about these 2 major festivals that are applicable to filmmakers, film lovers, or just casual film goers.

Javier Fuentes-León - Director of Undertow, winner of the Audience Award at 2010 Sundance & Project:Involve Alumnus

Drea Clark - Executive Director, Slamdance & MV programmer LAFF

Nguyen Tran - Producer's Rep


General Matters
-What you want to get out of festival?
-How do you want to come across?
-Come up w/ a wish list (priority list).
-Befriend the staff. Interact with them. Inspire good will.
-Ask nicely for film to be shown the first 5 days of festival.
-People are approachable at the festivals, more than seeing them in LA.
-Make individual connection with everyone you encounter.
-People will go bat for you if they love your film.
-Know your collaborators: their experience, their tastes, their comfort
-Who are there? Distributors, producers, reps.

Publicity
-Check in w/ the festival publicist.
-Know who's the press. Get festival's press list.
-Remember you are a client to your publicist. You should have a rapport with them, know who they speak with during the fest. Make sure they are visible to you and in the festival.

Producer's Rep
-Know your product. What's the goal? Empower the rep to sell your film because it's a long, hard process.
-The rep checks the expectations of their clients. On the same page?

Marketing/Audience
-Target the locals in advance w/ radio ads. They are bodies who blog, do social network.
-Creative promotions: chocolate hearts for romance movie, zombie performers, "dead strong" wrist band for a movie about zombie's rights.

If you don't have a film but has a script
-Have your one-line
-But people like to feel they make a connection. Not things thrust on them. Make good, fun connection. Come across you have something fun in your back pocket.
-Get a card and send script after Sundance.

If you have film
-Talk about the strength in your film and how you plan to follow up. Put yourself into the flow of things.
-They maybe not have bought your film, but they want to partner with you on your next project. People want to be first in line for the new talent.

Parties
-Everywhere but your hotel rooms. Some hard-to-get-in-party, once you get in, it's disappointing. Spend every waking moments meeting people.
-Relax, enjoy people you went there with.

Resources
Indiewire
Screen Daily
Nikki Finke 
Sundance
Slamdance

*Special thanks to Paul from FIND for organizing this amazing event.

Midnight at the oasis - Roger Ebert's Journal

"Everywhere I go, as much as I can, I listen to National Public Radio. It's an oasis of clear-headed intelligence. Carefully, patiently, it presents programming designed to make me feel just a little better equipped to reenter the world of uproar."

Midnight at the oasis - Roger Ebert's Journal

Nic Cage Losing His Sh*t!!

This is freaking craaaazzy!!! Had to stop myself from finish watching it, or else there's no way I can have a good night's sleep!



Thanks to Josh Welsh from Film Independent for sharing this mind-bending piece of I-don't-know-what-you-call-this.

15 minute sneak peak of Tron Legacy

I was treated to 15 minutes of Tron Legacy last Wednesday at the AFI Festival's Sony 3D workshop. AFI and Disney were very concerned about the footage leaking and warned us to turn off our cellphone or risk getting escorted out of the theater.

The lights dimmed. We didn't know what really to expect. We thought it might just be an extended trailer or one scene, but the sneak peak just kept going and going. We saw scenes of the "real" world with a young Jeff Bridges, courtesy of CGI. Then bam!, like the protagonist, we got transported into the Tron world, and that was when the 3D effects took off. They weren't intrusive or showy -- just enough to feel as if you're in a hyper-reality world. Awesome bikes, cars, a city of lights. A gladiator-style tournament involving cutting your opponent in half with a sharp frisbee.

IT WAS A RIDE, in every sense of the word!! When it was over, I felt they showed too much! They could have just showed us 7 minutes of Tron Legacy, and we'd have gladly paid to watch the rest. Disney, why did you have to play with us like that?!

An Introduction to Production Sound | Film Independent

I am attending a sound class tonight, courtesy of Francisco from Film Independent! Sound is half of the movie, as they say, but it's surprising to see how many filmmakers neglect sound recording when they shoot and pay for it in post. I have worked with some awesome sound people and developed a great respect for this aspect of filmmaking. I'm looking forward to learning a lot from this class, taught by Arran Murphy (The Wheeler Boys, Hollywood je t'ame).

Film Independent offers this and many other wonderful classes. The Art of Editing class is excellent. I've included the link below if you like to know more about Film Independent and their educational resources.

An Introduction to Production Sound | Film Independent

Lionsgate's Joe Drake: 'You can’t just have a dream, you have to have a plan'

Complete transcript of the keynote speech by Liongate's COO.

Blew my mind. Inspiring! Insightful! Pragmatic!

Toolkit | Lionsgate's Joe Drake: 'You can’t just have a dream, you have to have a plan' - indieWIRE

The Zone featured on Examiner.com

Examiner.com mentioned my work for The Zone in its interview with Roy Vongtama, the creator/writer.

Examiner.com: "How long did it take to make a trailer/teaser for the Zone?"
Roy: "Well, the process was an intense. It took about a month from the time I heard we were one of the five finalists for the Fox Diversity/MAPID Pilot Shootout. I brought on a great director, Ignatius Lin, to help direct the trailer..."

Moreover, Roy and I had a wonderful lunch meeting with Fox people last week. Today, Roy pitched the show to Fox's development execs. The meeting went very well as they asked many serious questions. They also dug the demo trailer very much, calling it very professionally done.  

Link to the entire Examiner.com article.

The Zone won the Fox Diversity/MAPID API Pilot Shootout

I love to share a wonderful news with you. The TV trailer I directed won ID Film Festival's API Pilot Shootout Competition, and the audience voted me Best Director of the competition. 

Beating out other hundred-or-so submissions, the writer and I win a lunch meeting with Fox TV Execs. I felt so excited that day; it almost went by like a blur! So many cast & crew and supporters turned out.  Now I'm doing my best to prepare for that meeting.

(Accepting the Director's Award)

Although I didn't admit it to myself, I felt increasingly anxious as the announcement of the director's prize neared. I felt a sublime combination of joy and relief when my name was announced!

I looked up and saw the enthusiastic cast & crew, friends and family, who came to show their support and were rewarded with the great news! 

Roy Vongtama, the lead actor and writer, and the rest of cast and crew (including Moe Irvin from Grey's Anatomy) look at me as I excitedly ascend the stairs to join them! 

Roy and I had a nice conversation with one of the judges (Lily Mariye from ER) afterward. Lily, also an accomplished writer, gave many constructive, positive feedback. 

The Trailer of The Zone Premiers this Sunday

It is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.

RSVP to reserve@mapid.us. 

For more info about the festival hosting the premier, please check out
http://www.marginfilms.com/idff/2010/sunday.html