Contracts are important!

We as film student who are going to film school to become directors get very excited easily when it comes to making our movie and we should be. It's our passion. It's the reason why we are attending film school in the first place.  We write the script, we have actors come in for auditions, we get our fellow classmates to become our crew, we scout for locations and get the equipment we need to shoot the film. But there one thing that sometimes get's lost in the excitement of making the movie and that's living up to our obilgations as directors. When we are directing our films no matter what size the project is we are held to certain standard and must meet that standard. Many student directors at the last minute decide to drop out the project leaving everyone in limbo, not returning actors calls or not informing the crew on what they are filming that day on set. You never want to have a repuation where your cast and crew drop out of your project due to your behaivor on set. And you never want to drag into court because of it.

Allegedly, Director Lynne Ramsay, is being taken to court
for breaking her contract for the film "Jane Gota Gun". One of the reasons she is being taken to court is not having proper contracts on set. She was paid $750,000 to rewrite the screenplay and direct, but on the day shooting , she was nowhere to be found. Number of big name actors have drop out the project since then, allegedly due to her behavior on set. Ramsay, is also being taken to court for proper safety control for handling weapons on set, when pointing the prop  gun at the camera,  the camera crew before first taking proper safety procedures and coming to work drunk, allegedly.

So, film student directors stay professional at all times on your set, have the right contracts and paper on your set right,  treat
your actors with care and  crew with respect! P.S.  - ALSO COME TO  YOUR SET SOBER:)

failed to adhere to proper safety protocol for handling weapons on set, when she pointed a prop gun directly at a camera and, in turn, at the camera crew before first taking proper precautions.” - See more at: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/jane-got-a-gun-lawsuit.php#sthash.wnes0S8Z.dpuf

failed to adhere to proper safety protocol for handling weapons on set, when she pointed a prop gun directly at a camera and, in turn, at the camera crew before first taking proper precautions.” - See more at: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/jane-got-a-gun-lawsuit.php#sthash.wnes0S8Z.dpuf

Speculations on the Hollywood Implosion

Kickstarter, Indie Go-Go, I-Tunes, Netflix, Hulu, Google, Roku, Piracy, VOD, You Tube, Mobile Phones, Tablets

This is a list of factors Hollywood executives use to blame for the collapse of traditional economic systems in producer-run studios. Since the spring of 2012, we have reported on inventive ways young filmmakers (and old) have been using the power of the democratic internet to fund, produce, distribute, and market their projects. Our coverage has noticed a trend of critically respected filmmakers voicing their opinions on the issue. In general, directors are disappointed in the investments of Hollywood studios. The year 2015 will see 29 $100 + financed films as sequels and remakes. Predictions assume if a handful of these films do not earn back their budget, a major Hollywood studio will financially collapse. In reality, the US government will NOT label this business as "too big to fail".

Auteurs and independent artists agree the current system of film finance is an unfortunate result of the economy and expansion of inexpensive distribution outlets. Producers are regurgitating a formula, created by the Star Wars franchise, to bet on big audiences during the summer months. In my opinion, film producers and executives are not being attentive to content distribution and audience participation. Why did we see big budget movies in the summer? Because school is out, our favorite TV stations are recycling reruns. There was nothing else to see. Remember fifteen years ago when there was that one big film that everyone had to see that summer? Now there are 13 big films. Soon to be 29. Our pockets are not that big to accommodate so much expensive content. Our viewing habits are changing. The finance model of studios are not adjusting. 

Cracked.com has published an opinion editorial that lists the major consequences of this speculation and how it will happen. Please click on the link below and read the article. From my observations, I don't think this satirical article is far from the truth. We'll keep covering this issue as it develops on our laptops and desktops. 

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/4-reasons-2015-could-be-movie-industrys-worst-year-ever/

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/4-ways-hollywood-completely-imploding/

Sundance Short Workshop Week 1!

Brooklyn Academy of Music -  BAM Rose Cinemas
30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 Sunday, July 14, 2013


$150  -  http://www.sundance.org/programs/shortslab-nyc/

Recognizing the important role shorts have in cinema, storytelling, and culture, Sundance Institute presents ShortsLab: NYC to help empower the next generation of artists. Filmmakers are invited to participate in this full day seminar of Sundance-organized screenings and panel discussions to offer firsthand insight and access into the world of story development, production, and exhibition of narrative short-form storytelling. This all-day (10am-6pm plus reception) educational workshop includes short film screenings and panels on enhancing story and dialogue, collaborating with essential crew, working with actors and going from short to feature. Programmers from the Sundance Film Festival will be on hand to explain our process in finding short films and navigating the festival world at large. At all panels, Q&A with the audience is encouraged.

NYWIFT Shout out to AI!

For the past six months, New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) has been using AI students and facilities to assist in their archival project. The organization is filming senior members to recall their first experiences in the broadcast and feature industry, to pass onto future members. Check out the article below to for more details into the project and students involved!

NYWIFT Article - AI Student Involvement

New Quarter! and Wall Street

Welcome Back! It's good to see everyone again.
I know the break wasn't nearly as long as was needed. However, any break should be enjoyed.
Part of the luxury of my job is to find interesting things, film related, on the web so show you and nurture your growing, intellectual curiosity. Today, I felt the need to post something not film related, but media related.
A protest has been going on Wall Street for the past few weeks. http://occupywallst.org/ This protest began as a small group of people harboring negative emotion against the banking system in America. As time past, the word spread, the internet was recruiting more bodies. Before long, hundreds turned to thousands. Today, the protests reach a new level when local union workers gather to promote their efforts.
When the protest started, there was an unusual silence in the media. I heard about it everyday from my internet literate boyfriend, but nothing from any of the major cable networks. That got me thinking, "Why?" Then this post from CNN popped up.


It made me think. What is this all about? The reporting here is more opinion and less fact. The reporter interviewed only one person. Is that an accurate representation of the whole event? My opinion: I was disappointed in this reporter's efforts to investigate and tell a story that is interesting. Even if the protests are disorganized and without merit, give evidence to support that without emotion or opinion. That's my understanding of the news, to give fact without judgement.
Below is a video created by one of the protesters. This video is available on their site. Is this video a more accurate representation of the event? Or one sided like the rest of the news coverage?
So, what's your opinion on this event, on the media coverage? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. - Eve.


Nobody Can Predict The Moment Of Revolution from ivarad on Vimeo.
We want to share insights into the formation of a new social movement as it is still taking shape in real time. The video was shot during the 5th and 6th day of the occupation. This idea to occupy the financial district in New York City was inspired by recent uprisings in Spain, Greece, Egypt, and Tunisia which most of us were following online. Despite of the corporate media's effort to silence the protests, and Yahoo's attempt to to censor it in e-mail communication, the occupation is growing in numbers and spreading to other cities in the US and abroad.

Please forward our video to likeminded people via email, facebook, twitter - and make the voices of dissent circulate.

Find the latest news, learn how to participate and support:
https://occupywallst.org