Film Strategy

The good people at  Script Reader Pro  have just made your life easier.  Why is that you say?  Because they've made your filmmaking life easier to manage this year with their  calendar of  all the major upcoming screenwriting contests  (orange) , awards   (blue) , festivals  (green) , fellowships and labs  (yellow)  in 2016. Like Yogi Berra says, “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”  Thursday, September 1   Venice International Film Festival   American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest Deadline (TBC)   Berlinale Talents Competition Deadline (TBC) Friday, September 2   Venice International Film Festival   Telluride Film Festival   London Screenwriters Festival Saturday, September 3   Venice International Film Festival   Telluride Film Festival   London Screenwriters Festival Sunday, September 4   Venice International Film Festival   Tellurid

Originally published in Filmmaker magazine  and written by Sarah Salovaara. David Lowery doesn’t necessarily dole out directing tips in his  production diary  for the upcoming Disney remake of  Pete’s Dragon,  but they do seep through in the details. Currently on day 11 of 70 of the New Zealand-based production, many of Lowery’s entries touch upon the fluidity of the filmmaking process. Most recently, he recounts nailing a precisely planned sequence, only to forfeit his original design for another: Today we were back in the woods at Battle Hill, shooting a sequence that I’d planned out very carefully last summer and had no interest in altering. It was two shots, with a very precise cut point, and a camera move that required counting out loud to get the timing right. We got it exactly as I’d intended. I cut it together there on set and it worked fine and so we we moved on to the next shot, which I’d also planned out somewhat extensively. It was designed to be a long, long shot,

The 3-Act Structure rules Hollywood even though some think the 3-Act structure actually kills scripts . And as the cartoon demonstrates below in amusing and sarcastic fashion, the 3-Act structure is made up of elements that engage and entertain us while also being repetitive and derivative.  So here's a challenge to all filmmakers, from indie newbies to hollywood bigshots, do you dare tell stories outside of the 3-Act structure?  Ok, you say, I'm down but what else is there outside of the 3-Act structure? Well, my friend, that's where your creativity as a writer, director, producer and editor comes in. Plus the cojones to dare and even fail or get audience heads scratching. But if you want some suggestions for ideas well here are a few places to look: One way to start is by considering other options for narrative structures beyond just "linear narrative."  Another suggestion for inspiration is to look to the East for non-Western dramatic structure

The overabundance of sequels is nothing new. But why are they in theaters instead of in the secondary markets of Direct-to-DVD or VOD? Nico Lang from Salon attempts an answer: Part of that is due to a studio system that’s grown more cautious in recent years, banking on pre-existing properties that seem like safe bets in an uncertain film market. “We have projects at six studios, and ninety per cent of their attention goes to the ones that are superhero or obviously franchisable,” director Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum”) told the  New Yorker . “And every single first meeting I have on a movie, in the past two years, is not about the movie itself but about the franchise it would be starting.” The other reason, though, that so many theatrical sequels are being greenlit is because of the erosion of the home video market. With the disappearance of video stores, the rapid decline in DVD sales, and sluggish VOD numbers, movies are being pushed into theaters that have no busines

The good people at  Script Reader Pro  have just made your life easier.  Why is that you say?  Because they've made your filmmaking life easier to manage this year with their  calendar of  all the major upcoming screenwriting contests  (orange) , awards   (blue) , festivals  (green) , fellowships and labs  (yellow)  in 2016. Like Yogi Berra says, “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”  Thursday, September 1   Venice International Film Festival   American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest Deadline (TBC)   Berlinale Talents Competition Deadline (TBC) Friday, September 2   Venice International Film Festival   Telluride Film Festival   London Screenwriters Festival Saturday, September 3   Venice International Film Festival   Telluride Film Festival   London Screenwriters Festival Sunday, September 4   Venice International Film Festival   Tellurid

Check out Filmmaker James Cawley 's review of some Zacuto Gear (including the Cinema Recoil Rig, Gratical HD and more).

Here's an excerpt of some advice I posted on Avvo , recently, in response to a filmmaker asking whether they should form a production company or continue working under their own name as a sole proprietor. It seems like a no-brainer and that the answer is yes but I would only say yes, it's worth the time and money if it meets your goals. Check it out: Basically, whether to form a business entity like an LLC, partnership or corporation or remain as a sole proprietor (which is what you are when you do business "just as yourself") comes down to what kind of goals your production is trying to meet.  You should form an LLC, partnership or corporation if your goals are any or all of the following:  1. raise funds from investors,  2. hire a team of independent contractors or employees,  3. work with business partners and co-producers, writers and directors,  4. avoid risky liabilities that can personally bankrupt you (especially if you are shooting a picture with actio