Film Strategy

Some thoughts on " The State of Diversity in Writing for Television " Finally got a chance to read the WGAW 2015 TV Staffing Brief  and the findings are somewhat depressing: " Not only were minorities still underrepresented by factors of nearly 3 to 1 among all staff writers and nearly 7 to 1 among executive producers during the 2013-14 season, but women television writers also continued to tread water, at best, relative to their male counterparts. That is, women were underrepresented by factors of nearly 2 to 1 among all staff writers and more than 3 to 1 among critical executive producer positions. Meanwhile, older writers who were represented on nearly every show staff during the 2013-14 season saw their fortunes 14 drop precipitously beyond age 50, when they were absent from nearly a third of all shows. Findings like these highlight a glaring disconnect between the increasing diversity of audiences and business-as-usual practices in the Hollywood industry. "...

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari |  Robert Wiene | 1920 | Germany | Format: 35mm, Black and White, Silent  | 51-78 min (varies; different versions) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari opened today almost 100 years ago in 1920. Gance loved it, Eisenstein hated it. Today it's considered a horror classic and a great experiment in Expressionism. Even though we live in the digital age, it is worth going back in time to study the story of how this movie was made in an era when film was still in its infancy. We stand to benefit from the making of The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari and learn things, such as: How the writers collaborated to combine their experiences and imagination in crafting the script. How the writers used their connections to their advantage even though they had never worked for a studio before. How their passion and unique "pitch" convinced the executive to buy the writers's script. Why it's important to know what rights you are signing away. How collaborati...

Although I wrote this originally for El Blog de HOLA with actors in mind, loan-out companies are used by artists and entertainers of all stripes; directors, musicians, writers, producers, fashion designers, etc. Therefore, the following below is beneficial to you too if you have reached a certain level of success in the arts and entertainment industries. +++++++ “I’ve heard that a lot of Hollywood actors have a loan-out company for their acting services. What is a loan-out company and should I form one?” A loan-out company is a business entity formed by entertainers like actors, musicians, directors, producers, etc. (“owner”) to provide their services under the guise of  “employee” to a third party like a studio, production company, television network, record label, etc. Although usually a C corporation (one that is taxed separately from its owners), the loan-out can be an LLC (limited liability company)or an S corporation. It is called a loa...

Berlinale 2015 Roundup ( Mubi ): GOLDEN BEAR Taxi   (Jafar Panahi) Our takes:  1 ,  2   SILVER BEAR GRAND JURY PRIZE The Club   (Pablo Larraín) Our takes:  1 ,  2 ALFRED BAUER PRIZE   Ixcancul Volcano   (Jayro Bustamente) Our take:  1 BEST DIRECTOR Radu Jude ( Aferim ) Malgorzata Szumowska ( Body )  BEST ACTRESS Charlotte Rampling ( 45 Years ) Our take:  1   BEST ACTOR Tom Courtenay ( 45 Years ) Our take:  1    BEST SCRIPT Patricio Guzmán ( The Pearl Button ) Our take:  1   OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION "Sturla Brandth Grøvlen for the camera in  Victoria " "Evgeniy Privin and Sergey Mikhalchuk for the camera in  Under Electric Clouds " ACQUISITIONS Adopt Films Picks Up One-Shot Heist Thriller 'Victoria' Breaking Glass Pictures Acquires French Post-War Drama...