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Showing posts from January, 2015

PRODUCTION TIPS: Production Incentives for the Low Budget Filmmaker

Filmmakers have a frustrating love/hate relationship with money; they love spending it and hate the stress of getting it. The frustration is understandable as filmmaking is one of the most expensive art forms to pursue. In many other countries, filmmaking is not a purely capitalist enterprise . Instead, they are largely subsidized by the government because they find them culturally important. While some American filmmakers prefer a lack of government involvement, it's no secret that American productions are subsidized to some extent in the form of production incentives.   Production incentives are tax benefits provided by the states on state-by-state basis as a way to bring the film business to the states. These programs began as a response to Canada's cheap production incentives in the 90s that lured many film productions. As a result, the US states adopted progressively generous incentives to bring them back. Hollywood and government officials tend to be big boosters of

PRODUCTION JOURNAL: THR's Interview with Nicolas Chartier on Anti-Piracy Crusade and Why Union Workers Need Less Pay

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The Hollywood Reporter recently interviewed French producer, Nicolas Chartier . You might know him for the Oscar-winning films (The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyer's Club) his company, Voltage Pictures , has produced. Or you might know him as the guy who went on a tirade about union workers. Or you might know him because he sued you for illegally downloading The Hurt Locker and his other films. Love him or hate him, in The Hollywood Reporter's recent interview with him he speaks clearly about the success and difficulties of filmmaking including how he has charted a path producing both indie dramas and action films, why a union-worker should not be paid so much and why piracy has made him have to shoot 5 films instead of 10.  +++++++ Nicolas Chartier  has an issue with impulse control. The 40-year-old France-born president of Voltage Pictures — which, since it opened nine years ago, has been releasing a steady stream of Oscar-nominated dramas ( Dallas Buyers Club ), scrapp

SCRIPT TO SCREEN: The Scripts for the 2015 Oscar Best Screenplay Nominees

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Dear Filmmaker, Here's your homework: Pick one (1) script from the Oscar-nominated ones below and study it for structure, plot and character development and dialogue.  Then watch the movie produced out of it and pick 3 scenes that moved you. Review the scenes in the script and breakdown how the scene was directed. At every point, ask yourself, "Why* did the director do this?" Look for:  What kind of shots were used?  How were the shots composed/framed and lit?  How were the shots edited together?  What kind of transitions were used in between shots?  What kind of sounds and music accompanied them, if any?  How did the actors act and what aspects of the actor's performance did the director focus on?  And how did the production's design (costume, setting, location, makeup, VFX, etc.) contribute to the overall effect? Extra credit: pick 3 scenes from any of the scripts below that did NOT move you and using the script only, determine how you would r

SCRIPT TO SCREEN: The Varied Paths of Playwright-Screenwriter-Director-Producer, Alexander Dinelaris

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On Jan. 11, 2015, we watched 3 men join  Alejandro González Iñárritu  to receive their Golden Globe awards for the best screenplay , Birdman . One of these men was Alexander Dinelaris Jr ., a multi-hyphenate New Yorker. A.B. Lugo was prescient enough to interview Mr. Dinelaris in December, 2014 for El Blog de HOLA , a blog that supports, promotes and informs the Latino acting community. During the interview, Mr. Dinelaris discusses his background and how it inspired his writing, how he writes, how his success in playwriting opened the doors to screenwriting and how important it is to stay true to your voice and learn your craft. Reposted with permission. Original posting: El Blog de HOLA - Dec. 11, 2014  by A.B. Lugo Alexander Dinelaris  is a man of many talents– what we call in Spanish " polifacético "– he is a playwright, screenwriter, director, producer. He has worked with some of the giants in this industry, from filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu to music ico

PRODUCTION TIPS: YOUR Calendar for the Documentary Film Grants, Fundsand Fellowships YOU Need in 2015

Will film scholars look back and consider this era the golden age of documentary filmmaking? Documentaries are all over the cinematic landscape from YouTube to Vimeo to TV to theater screens.  Whether you like the genre or not, the ubiquity and power of documentary filmmaking can not be denied. Aside from educating audiences, spreading awaress or inspiring viewers, documentaries also open the doors for filmmakers looking to start a successful career. With a powerful message, a compelling vision and low-budget equipment, there is no reason to NOT shoot a great documentary. Ok, I realize you still need funding... but guess what, you can get that too. You just have to know where to look and when to apply. So, without further ado... Below is a list of Funds, Grants and Fellowships that cater primarily to the documentary filmmaker.   DOCUMENTARY FILM FUNDS, GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS* Jan Pacific Islanders in Communications Media Fund   (round 1 - Three tiers of funding: research &