Posted by editor@vimooz.com on January 3, 2009 under Documentary | 
Film-making is an art; it requires a certain amount of creativity. A documentary, even though a kind of film, is a little different in that it’s more informative than creative. So all you need to make an effective documentary is to:
- Know your subject thoroughly: There’s no use making a documentary without being totally informed about your subject. The very purpose of such a film is to provide your audience with the relevant information, so it’s best to be armed with all the necessary details much before you begin filming.
- Write a script: This will help you form an outline for your narration and the way it unfolds. If you have different sections, you need to sort out your information accordingly and fill them in using the right words. A good script and a strong voiceover can make all the difference between a good and great documentary.
- Find a sponsor: You need money to be able to make your film, and if you’re not rich, you need a sponsor. You need to have a script ready before you can find a willing sponsor for your documentary. Research your subject and use the Internet and other sources to find people who may be interested in funding your film. If it’s based on wildlife, historical events or nature, you could ask if television channels are interested.
- Make sure you have the right equipment and access to the right locations: The right equipment and the right locations make all the difference when you’re trying to make an interesting documentary. Make sure you have the necessary permission to shoot in restricted and private locations before you start filming to avoid unnecessary delays and expenses.
- Find a good editor if it’s not your area of strength: A good film is one that has sharp editing. Continuity is important when you want to make a high quality documentary.
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of online vocational schools. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 31, 2008 under Documentary |
Somebody Told Me About… Carla Bruni
Carla Bruni has allowed a British film-maker’s cameras into her home, to give a revealing insight into her private life with French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. The documentary, which was made by Scottish movie-maker George Scott and is entitled Somebody Told Me About… Carla Bruni, will be aired in France on New Year’s Day and broadcast in the UK next month. Read more …
Filmmaker plans to use prosthetic eye camera for documentary
Toronto filmmaker Rob Spence says he is getting a tiny video camera put inside a prosthetic eye to allow him to secretly film his subjects. He’s not alone in his quest for an eye camera. San Francisco artist Tanya Vlach wants a camera implant in her prosthetic eye and has put out a call on her blog for engineers to build her an eye cam, which could let her shoot video from her perspective or “lifecast” events. Read more …
Documentary filmmaker Quentin Aanenson dies
Quentin C. Aanenson, a fighter pilot and a subject of Ken Burns’ documentary “The War” and the producer of his own film a decade earlier, Aanenson died Sunday of cancer at his home in Bethesda, his son, Jerry said. He was 87. He wrote, filmed and narrated the documentary, “A Fighter Pilot’s Story,” which related his wartime experiences and was shown on public television around the country starting in 1994. Read more …
The Rescuers, Heroes of the Holocaust
Filmmaker Michael King is producing and directing the feature-length documentary “The Rescuers, Heroes of the Holocaust,” which focuses on the efforts of non-Jewish diplomats. Read more …
‘Liquid Assets’ Documentary to Air on PBS in Phoenix
“Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure” tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: drinking water, wastewater, and storm water. These complex and aging systems — some in the ground for more than 100 years — are critical for public health, public safety and economic prosperity. The documentary highlights communities from across the United States, providing an understanding of hidden water infrastructure assets, demonstrating watershed protection approaches, and illustrating twenty-first century solutions.
The documentary is scheduled to air locally January 4th, on KAET, Channel 8, from 2-3:30p.m.
Tags: A Fighter Pilot's Story, Documentary, eye, filmmaker, George Scott, Heroes of the Holocaust, KAET, Ken Burns, Liquid Assets, Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, Michael King, Nicolas Sarkozy, PBS, Phoenix, Quentin C. Aanenson, Rob Spence, Somebody Told Me About... Carla Bruni, Tanya Vlach, The Rescuers, THE WAR
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on November 22, 2008 under Foreign Film |
Iranian filmmaker,Dariush Mehrjui, will be at the Cleveland Museum of Art this afternoon to speak about his latest work, “Santouri the Music Man.” The film, like several of Mehrjui’s, is banned in Iran.
Mehrjui, 68, who was born in Tehran, studied film and philosophy at UCLA. He has made more than 20 films, including “Hamoun” and “The Cycle.” The New York Times once called him “the most interesting and accomplished filmmaker the United States has never heard of.”
“Santouri the Music Man,” which follows a popular musician’s descent into drug-addiction, is in Farsi with subtitles. It screens today at 1:30 at the museum, at 11150 East Blvd. in University Circle. Mehrjui (pronounced Mair-ju-ee) will introduce the movie and speak afterward.
Tickets are $15 ($12 for CMA members; $10 for seniors and students). The film will also play on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1:30 p.m. For more information, call 1-888-262-0033, or go to www.clevelandart.org.
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Posted by editor@vimooz.com on November 5, 2008 under Documentary, Foreign Film |
The Dancing Forest directed by Brice Lainé is currently making waves on the film festival circuit. Set in Togo, Africa, The Dancing Forest tells the story of the Centre International de Développement Agro-Pastoral (CIDAP), the Bakote Women’s Collective and how a community regained its connection to the land. It is a richly triumphant tale of an Africa we seldom see on film or in the mainstream media. GreenMuze caught up with filmmaker Brice Lainé and asked him to tell them a bit more about his first feature-length independent film.
Read more at GreenMuze
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on August 9, 2008 under Industry |
IFP announced that IFP alumnus Kevin Smith (Clerks), filmmaker and activist Robert Greenwald (Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism), and SnagFilms.com CEO Rick Allen will headline public events during the 30th Annual Independent Film Week, September 14-19. For the first time, Independent Film Week will be held at Chelsea’s Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.).
Formerly known as the IFP Market, Independent Film Week is the leading forum in the U.S. dedicated to discovering, showcasing, and supporting new independent film projects and talent. The six-day event consists of: the Independent Filmmaker Conference; free screenings of films by IFP alumni and
emerging short filmmakers; and the Project Forum, a showcase for over 150 works-in-progress. It is presented by IFP, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers.
Smith will kick off the daily “Conversations With” series during the Independent Filmmaker Conference on September 14th with a discussion on making a first feature. His classic 1994 debut feature, Clerks, got its start as a work-in-progress at IFP in 1993. His new film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks and is scheduled for release by The Weinstein Company on Halloween. Greenwald will discuss the power of film to spur social change on September 18th, while Allen, who recently launched
SnagFilms.com with AOL Vice-Chairman Ted Leonsis and AOL founder Steve Case, will explore the future of film distribution on September 17th.
In addition to the “Conversations With” series, the conference showcases a range of panels on the art and business of independent film. Each day’s panels are structured around a specific theme: Making Your First Feature, Filmmaking 2.0, The Global Marketplace, Alternative Distribution, The Truth About Non-Fiction, and Film and Philanthropy. The full schedule of panels can be found at www.filmmakerconference.com.
For the second year, in partnership with Rooftop Films, Independent Film Week will also showcase two free public screenings of films by IFP alumni. New this year is NextGenNYC, a short film showcase featuring the work of City University of New York (CUNY) graduates.
Screenings include:
* Trinidad (86 min.) directed by PJ Raval and Jay Hodges, alumni of IFP’s 2006 Independent Filmmaker Lab. Premiering at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival in June, the documentary provides a fascinating look at Trinidad, Colorado’s transformation from Wild West outpost to “sex change capital of the world. (September 16th, 8:30pm, Hudson River Park, 10th Avenue between 14th and 15th. FREE and open to the public.)
* IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Lab “Sneak Preview” Showcase (120 min.) – Be the first to see previews of films poised to make it big on the festival circuit in the coming year. This screening features excerpts from the 20 works-in-progress – both documentaries and narratives – which participated in the IFP’s Labs, a mentorship program for works-in-progress. Previous IFP Lab films already garnering awards on the film festival circuit include this year’s Slamdance Grand Jury Prize Winner The New Parade and GenArt Grand
Jury Prize Winner Half-Life. (September 17th, 8:30pm, Hudson River Park, 10th Avenue between 14th and 15th. FREE and open to the public.)
* IFP’s NextGenNYC Short Film Showcases (90 min. each) – Documentary and narrative short films by CUNY graduates. NextGenNYC is a new program initiated by IFP and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting and is designed to provide a spotlight on New York City’s emerging talent from four colleges within the City University, including:
Brooklyn College, City College of New York, the College of Staten Island and Hunter College. (Narrative Showcase, September 16th, 1:30pm, Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues; Documentary Showcase, September 17th, 2pm, Chelsea Cinemas) There is complimentary access with a ticket or pass to the Independent Filmmaker Conference.
The full schedule of film screenings open to the public during Independent Film Week can be found at: www.independentfilmweek.com. Read more of this article »
Tags: Clerks, filmmaker, IFP, Independent Film Week, Kevin Smith, New York, Outfoxed, Rick Allen, Robert Greenwald, Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, SnagFilms.com
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on July 24, 2008 under Uncategorized |
With the future of independent film a hot topic this summer, Filmmaker magazine today joins the debate with the publication of its 10th annual survey of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” Published by IFP, the nation’s largest and oldest organization of independent filmmakers, Filmmaker is the leading print and on-line source for exclusive coverage on the art and craft of independent filmmaking. In addition to announcing this year’s line-up, Filmmaker also announced that five filmmakers from the list will participate in Nokia Productions’ current film competition with director Spike Lee.
The survey, featured in the summer 2008 issue, is online now at www.filmmakermagazine.com/summer2008, and available on newsstands at the end of the month, showcases 25 up-and-coming filmmakers poised to shape the next generation of independent film. Innovators earning nods from Filmmaker include: Encyclopedia Pictura, a filmmaking duo behind the acclaimed 3-D Björk “Wanderlust” video; Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo and Zachary Lieberman, the creators of the award-winning Web series, “The West Side”; Barry Jenkins director of the current festival favorite Medicine for Melancholy an IFC Films release in 2009; Joshua Safdie, director of the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight closer The Pleasure of Being Robbed which IFC Films will release in October; and Aasif Mandvi, “The Daily Show” correspondent who co-wrote and stars in the upcoming 7 to the Palace.
“The people on Filmmaker’s ‘25 New Faces’ list are not only innovators we believe will be impacting tomorrow’s film scene, but they’re also artists engaged in a vital re-think of what it means to be independent today,” said Filmmaker’s editor in chief Scott Macaulay. “Crisscrossing from short-form work into features, from docs to fiction and from the web to theaters, they are creating careers as original as their films.”
Of the 265 on the list over the past ten years, nearly 90% have been filmmakers, including such breakthroughs as Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow), Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson), Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know) and Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas). Notable actors include several high profilers in the early days of their careers such as Ryan Gosling (The Believer), Ellen Page (Hard Candy), Peter Sarsgaard (Another Day in Paradise) and Hilary Swank (Boys Don’t Cry).
The five directors who will create new short films for consideration by Spike Lee for his film with Nokia Productions are: Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo and Zachary Lieberman, E.E. Cassidy, Daniel Robin, Christina Voros and Matt Wolf. Each will shoot their 3 – 5 minute film on a Nokia mobile device. Their films will revolve around the overarching topic of “humanity” and, along with submissions from the general public, will be considered by Spike Lee for inclusion as part of the third act on his film for Nokia Productions.
The 25 New Faces are: Read more of this article »
