Weekly Making the Movie Blog Rip-Off

So, I've been in a bit of a frenzied final draft/fundraising/heavy drinking panic state for the past couple of weeks.

The good news is the writing, fundraising, and drinking have all been going exceptionally well.

On the down side, I've had no time to read any industry news and have not followed Sundance as well as I'd like, will not tune into the SAG awards, and have no idea what's going on outside of my very tiny bubble.

Thank God for the Making the Movie blog. J. Ott and the crew over there do a great job summarizing and linking to the need-to-know information for aspiring indie filmmakers.

So, today I'm cribbing a link that I should have caught on who's buying films at Sundance this year from yesterday's New York Times and posting a link to their post production blog, which I will inevitably "borrow" copy from as well.

Digital Movies

This bodes well for our plan to shoot Suicide Squad completely on cell phone cameras.

~~~~~

Note to first time viewers and investors: Tongue planted firmly in cheek for the above statement. ;^)

Be Like Aaron

Become an Associate Producer

Starbox Productions is seeking Associate Producers for our upcoming independent film, Suicide Squad, starring Cliff Weissman (CSI, CBS) and Shanola Hampton (Related, WB).

Associate Producers will be issued points (shares) on the film's profits for all distribution deals, and will be credited in the production.

Written by Glenn Hopper, Dark Matter, is is an allegorical tale of the true coming of age of Generation X through crisis and transformation of our base desires, ego, and place in society. It's about facing your end and finding a new beginning.

Sign on to be a part of the next great independent film breakthrough. Impress your friends and neighbors with your name in the credits of this upcoming independent blockbuster.

Details

• Associate Producer credit
• .25 Points (shares)
• Producers will be sent contracts outlining details of the investment. E-mail invest@boxofstars.com for more information.
• Product Price: $500 ($2,000 for full share)

Cast Information

• Shanola Hampton
• Cliff Weissman
• Tom "TJ" Jones
• Brandon Gibson
• Adam Hatley
• Shelley Winsor
• Ralph Hatley

To learn more about Starbox Productions and "Dark Matter," check out these Web sites:

• http://darkmattermovie.blogspot.com - Cast and movie info.
• http://starboxproductions.blogspot.com - Production Company info.
• http://www.boxofstars.com - Fundraising site

Rain in the Mountains

One of our daily reads here at Starbox Pictures is the independent film site www.makingthemovie.info, which chronicles the making of Foxhall Films' latest feature, as well as movie and industry news and reviews and a lot of great advice for independent filmmakers.

More about their film:

Rain in the Mountains

Rain in the Mountains is about Eric Smallhouse, a Native American man who, thanks to the words of a Dead Man spirit he encounters when taking a new road home, believes it is his destiny to lead his people back to the old ways. The problem is, he was raised off the reservation and doesn't know the old ways. But he's not the kind of guy who will let that stop him. Against his wife Lindsay's objections, he teaches his 12-year-old son, Todd, various 'authentic' activities, failing miserably and learning the hard way that things weren't any easier back before the white man brought electricity. In the process, he discovers that some old ways, such as love of family, are still attainable today. Of course, before he can apply that lesson, he must realize that the Dead Man is a trickster spirit and that the U.S. government doesn't take lightly to people blowing up dams.

The script won a six-figure grant from NYU; it has a light comedic touch and strong, universal characters that will appeal to anyone who wants to honor the past without forgoing modern convenience.

Check out Foxhall Films Website for more info.

"Bubble" Sparks Debate on Cinema's Future

From the LA Times

Hollywood is abuzz over "Bubble."It's not that Steven Soderbergh's new art house movie is expected to break any box office records when it opens Friday. A low-budget murder mystery set in a doll factory and made with non-actors, it's hardly blockbuster material.

But because it's the first feature by an Oscar-winning director ("Traffic") to be released in theaters, on cable television and on DVD in a four-day span, "Bubble" is forcing everyone in town to wrestle with this question: Is the great American tradition of going out to the movies on its way out?

Not really sure what this means for the movie industry. The Theater/DVD/Cable paradigm is pretty strong.

See the Full Article and judge for yourself.

Vending Machine Video

Robby Grant of Vending Machine will compose the "Suicide Squad" soundtrack.

Click the image to see the Kids Move Alone Video.

Indies Shine

Sundance promises return to smaller-scale indie fare
By Anne Thompson
The Hollywood Reporter

The 2006 Sundance Film Festival, which gets under way Thursday, is returning to smaller-scale indie fare, its programmers have promised. But demand for indie product couldn't be greater, so that approach isn't scaring away any of the distributors who are descending on Park City with cash in hand in search of the next big commercial thing.

Full Article

Something Stinks in Here

Frequenters of this blog know of our abhorrence of remakes of movies (Psycho, The Exorcist, The Longest Yard, etc.) and TV Shows (S.W.A.T., Dukes of Hazzard, CHiPs, etc.).

Since we've about exhausted our own words on the subject, I was glad to see John August supply a pretty good explanation for why studios are suckers for these rehashed leftovers.

John's thoughts are inline with a recent article by A.O. Scott of the New York Times, who commented on the flattening of the bell curve by Big Hollywood, who's shown their scared to take risks on new, untested ideas -- which leads to a movie slate of superfluous sequels and rotten remakes.

In the end, the viewing public pays ... or doesn't ... as the case may be.

Thank God for independent filmmakers and their original ideas.

It Can Be Done

This is the first movie I've seen that makes it look like "Suicide Squad" has a bloated budget.

Roger Ingraham, the film's director, dropped out of high school, wrote a script and, at age 19, shot Moonshine using several dozen volunteer actors and crew. Total price: $9,200, including the cost of a Panasonic camera, a PowerBook G4 and website hosting.

We're using HD and professional actors, sound, lighting, studio rance, etc., which adds to the budget ... still ... in the next production meeting, Moonshine will be a point of conversation.

Marketing Blitz

Following on the heels of our Wall Street Journal coverage, we've landed a great deal with popular Internet sales site OneDealOneDay.com.

All next week, we will be offering investment opportunities and movie merchandise on the site, which is consistently in the top 100k sites on Alexa.

Hopefully, this will be a win-win for both of us -- we'll be featured on a popular Web site, and 1D1D will get a handful of unique product offerings for their visitors.

More Press Coverage

Our fund raising idea was included in an article in the Wall Street Journal today.

That's like being famous, right?

"At www.boxofstars.com two filmmakers are selling digital "stars" -- orbs of light of various hues and size that bounce about the home page and link to other sites -- to raise $50,000 and finance their picture."

Full Article

Napoleon is DYNAMITE ...

according to the Idaho state legislature, who have initiated a resolution to recognize and commend Jared and Jerusha Hess for their cinematic talents by which they have increased the nation's awareness of Idaho.

Most noteably:

14 WHEREAS, tater tots figure prominently in this film thus promoting Idaho's
15 most famous export; and
16 WHEREAS, the friendship between Napoleon
and Pedro has furthered
17 multiethnic relationships; and
18 WHEREAS,
Uncle Rico's football skills are a testament to Idaho athletics;
19 and
20 WHEREAS, Napoleon's bicycle and Kip's skateboard promote better air qual-
21 ity and carpooling as alternatives to fuel-dependent methods of
transporta-
22 tion;

Full Text of the Resolution

It's not an independent film ...

without Don Cheadle or William H. Macey.

A recent Hollywood Reporter article reports,

"Traditionally, indie features provided opportunities for emerging artists to work with low budgets for next to nothing. But in the mid-1990s, an influx of bankable actors invaded the scene, willing to work for scale wages on labors of love to prove their credibility or revive sagging careers. Many filmmakers now contend that getting an indie film made or seen today without stars is harder than ever before."

Makes it a little tougher for true independent artists. But truly small independent filmmakers such as those of us here at Starbox are nothing if not optimistic. We look to standouts like Blair Witch, Pi, and Napoleon Dynamite to support our model.

We're putting our distribution hopes in the festival circuit ... and in the quality of our product.

Full Article

Studios stumble through a tough year

By Anne Thompson
Reuters

"Just when Hollywood thinks it has figured out the winning formula -- build costly tentpoles and cram them down the throats of the masses with millions of ad dollars -- it's way past time to come up with a new approach. The studios don't have a simple solution for what's happening. The summer slump was supposed to be counteracted by the year-end studio juggernauts " Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and Peter Jackson's "King Kong." But 2005 box office still declined from that of 2004 by more than 5%."

Full Article

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From the producer:
I know I've posted a series of anti-studio rants in recent weeks, but this is just as reflective of the realization of same by the media at large. All signs point to change in the very near future. The big Hollywood model hasn't found a way to adapt to the onslaught of new challengers from multiple media sources. The viewing audience has more options and is more educated than ever before. Movies now have to compete with Internet and cellular programming, cable on-demand, countless electronic games, and - yes, even blogging.

This is not to mention traditional threats from sporting, music, and theatrical events.

You've got to give viewers a reason to see your movie because it's easier than ever to find alternate entertainment.