Things are Looking up!

So we've struggled.  I mean, we always struggle in this industry but recently, we've struggled a lot.  But times they are a'changing.  OK, realistically we're still gonna struggle.  Deal with it.  It comes with the territory. 


As with Sundance, Cannes is showing that there is life renewed in this field.  People are talking and most importantly, people are buying.  Thank goodness.  But from what I've read, while many of the investors, distributors are the same, how they do business has changed.  Almost losing everything will do that to high-net worth individuals and multi-million dollar companies.  They are looking for well-made films that attract a target audience with controlled budgets.  And this seems to go for everyone from the biggies to the little guys like IFC.


Check it out here with Scott Macaulay's post on US distributors in Cannes.  


Happy creating!

NDP's arts caucus to take centre stage

Yippee! Let's hope to see some results from this!

NDP's arts caucus to take centre stage

Happy creating...maybe even with some money!

Creative Ways to Fund Your Film

There are tons of ways to get your film made.  You could fund it yourself, either by credit card or by breaking up the shooting schedule so you can afford it.  You could beg family and friends for loans.  There's crowd funding and, of course, the traditional find a distributor, get some names, and wrangle up some moola.  


What has been your go-to for funding?  Have you sold merchandise?  Given away swag in return for donations? Amassed a Facebook and Twitter army of fans?  Let us know!  We're dying to hear your crazy attempts, successes, failures, and best of all, ideas!


Happy creating!

Women in Film

I'm not normally a huge feminist.  Yes, I believe in equal opportunity and salary for all and I love my right to vote but I also love the occasional opening of doors and covering the bill.  What I am passionate about is women in Hollywood and getting more major female players on the scene.


Hollywood is a man's town, from actors to producers and directors.  Name five big name male producers and directors.  Now do the same for the women.  Yeah.  Harder, right?  This is why I was so excited to see this post on Women in Hollywood about a female producer funding a female director's project.  You've probably heard of "The Hurt Locker" by now.  It won the Oscar for best picture last year.  A few cool things about this film;


1) Awesome independent film.  You can tell when you watch it that it's not a studio film and that makes it even better;
2) It tells a great current war time true story;
3) It was directed and produced by a woman.


Kathryn Bigelow is slowly becoming my hero.  Honestly.  She was passionate about this story and this script and got it made.  And now she's doing again for her new project.  No title as of yet but it's going to be another true war story, possibly based on an black ops mission to capture Osama Bin Laden.  And she's found financing through another female player in Hollywood named Meagan Ellison.


What I love about this is that it provides inspiration to those of us who are trying to do the same.  Stories like this show that it is possible with determination and creativity.  It may take years of toil but it is possible.  I also love the fact that Kathryn is directing war/action/drama films.  She's breaking the mold and not doing another dating movie starring Katherine Heigl.  Don't get me wrong.  I love Katherine Heigl and a great rom com but I  what I like even more is women taking chances and doing it well.  And I especially love when women back up women.  Too often are we catty and mean to each other as we try to get ahead (sit in an audition waiting room and see what I mean) so when I see instances of us actually lending a hand, I get warm fuzzies.


You go girls.  Keep breaking down those doors.  The rest of us are waiting to come too.


Happy creating!