DVD REVIEW: Before Midnight (2013)

Chick flick. The term comes with some bad connotations and strikes fear into the hearts of boyfriends the world over. I know that I am not a fan of most of these movies, only because they tend to be as flat and predictable as a scratch and sniff book.

There are some exceptions to this, Before Midnight is one of them. This is the third film that centers around two characters, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy). Before Sunrise [1995] shows how they first meet and fall in love as they stroll around the streets of Vienna. The second film, Before Sunset [2004] reunites these characters years later under circumstances that create a blend of love and loss. Before Midnight is a bold and beautiful film that shows what a real long term relationship is all about. We get to see this couple nine years later while they are both on vacation at Greece. Are these two love birds happy? Yes and no, because this movie is like real life, things are complicated. They have twin daughters and Jesse is divorced but this couple is still dealing with the consequences. Each of them have their own responsibilities and jealousies.

What makes these three films unique is that this is a patient franchise. These movies are made almost a decade apart from each other, the characters mature at the same rate as the actors who portray them. This is a far cry from the shotgun fantasy franchises that they film at the same time just to make more money. Just as important is the fact that Hawke and Delpy share screenwriting credit with the filmmaker, Richard Linklater. It comes as no surprise that these actors give amazing performances as these two characters which they have co-authored. They chose Greece as the setting before they wrote the script which shows in how effectively they use each location.

One thing that separates Before Midnight from the two earlier films was the amount of time we see this couple interacting with other people. The diner scene for example surrounds Celine and Jesse with people that remind them of where they used to be as a couple and informs them about what may lie ahead. If you want to see what good writing and acting looks like, this diner scene is it.

Before Midnight lets me recommend one of these so called chick flicks. So curl up with your loved one, or your pillow if you have to and watch this film trilogy.



- Curt Wiser is the Author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer and the Writer-Director of the feature film Cam-Girl.     

Before Midnight on IMDB.




 

WHY EVERY WRITER SHOULD HAVE A BLOG:

A writer writes, plain and simple.  Yes we read, seek out new experiences and research or do whatever is needed to prepare for our next writing project but above all it is about pounding away as those keys, crafting the sentences and emotions for readers to enjoy all over the world.   Blogging has become a perfect way for writers to flex their muscles and write anything they want without the pressure of intending to have it read by publishers or producers.   Blogging is also fun because it is writing in short form without the standard formatting expectations that a novel or screenplay should have.

 

Things that are unique make a blog

stand out but would be frowned

upon in other forms of writing.

 

 

Blogging is a quick and easy free exchange of ideas.   One interesting example of this was HackingNetflix.com, a consumer advocacy blog lunched in November 2003 about news items, service features and methods of operation for the movie rental start up NetFlix.   This blog became an undeniable sounding board for customers' opinions as Netflix engaged in a war of attrition with Blockbuster Video, the rental giant of the time.   This blog was reported to be the source that Blockbuster execuives used to study NetFlix's distribution centers as they prepared to start up Blockbuster's online rental service.  With the 10,000 monthly visitors who habitually read this blog, it had the ability to and in fact did cause changes in NetFlix's policies.

In September of 2011 HackingNetflix.com posted news about the companies plans to divide the DVD rental service into a new company called “Qwikster” so you would have to make two different payments and search two websites if you wanted DVD and streaming content.  Most of the customers who replied to these blog posts criticized this idea heavily and a large number of NetFlix subscribers canceled their accounts.   The powers that be at Netflix decided not to divide up these services due to public outcry.

 

Back in 2004 NetFlix put a customer support phone number back up on their web site after HackingNetflix.com posted that it was taken which spurred customer outrage and got attention in the press.  You can read more about all this in Gina Keating's book Netflixed.  I recommend this book, it was an interesting read.

A blog is also a great way to promote yourself as a writer and build a readership, just ask Brook Busey-Hunt. Who is that you might ask? She is better known under the pen name of Diablo Cody. Before she burst into the scene with her academy award winning screenplay Juno, Brook wrote a blog about her experiences working as a stripper. Talent manager Mason Novick was one of the many male readers who no doubt stumbled upon her blog. Novick contacted her and convinced her to expand her blog entries into a non-fiction novel, a memoir which was published with the title of Candy Girl. This well written novel started Diablo Cody on her career path that led to the level of success she now enjoys. Check out Candy Girl, it shows that Diablo Cody's voice and writing talent was there from the beginning.

It is for these reasons that I started blogging once I was fortunate enough to find a distributor for Cam-Girl, a feature I wrote and directed and wrote on novel adaptation which is titled Box Cutter Killer. This blog is a great way for me to get the word out about the independent films that inspire me and share bits of advise to writers and filmmakers just like me.

So why should a writer blog? The only question now should be what to write for your next blog post.

GUIDE FOR MAKING BONUS MATERIALS FOR YOUR MOVIE

Special features or value added content as film distributors often call it are a great thing to have.   These elements can be packaged with the home video release of your movie. Whether it is a DVD, Blu-Ray or Holo-Disk (I made that last one up), this will give consumers a reason to buy your movie instead of renting it through video on demand or downloading it illegally.  It often makes a difference to me as I look at all of the options up on the DVD rack. Making a feature film is a lot of work, so why not spend a little more time to make your movie more appealing to retailers and the eager movie watching public.

That is why I knew bonus materials needed to be made for Cam-Girl, my first feature which I wrote and directed.   Producers and filmmakers should just plan ahead for this the same way they make sure promotional stills are taken during the production.  On high budget movies they interview the actors during the long stretches of down time while the Director Of Photography makes sure the lighting is perfect.   I interviewed one of the actors, Bjorn Jiskoot Jr. while the two leads were going over their lines. At the end of one of our days I asked our make-up artist, Sarah Okun a few interesting things about her job as she was cleaning her brushes.   None of our production time was wasted.   Months after we wrapped on the movie, I took the opportunity to interview our two lead actors Erin Nicole Cline and Joe Coffey when they came in for an ADR session.

We also had about 30 minutes worth of video I shot on the set.   I left the behind the scenes camera running while we shot an action sequence.   It helps to have a camera that is only used for behind the scenes filming so you can get footage of the camera and crew. People like seeing this objective point of view, it really helps re-create the feeling of being on set.

This footage was all used by the editor of the movie, Curtis Norton to create an entertaining behind the scenes documentary which is 30 minutes long.   The last thing I recorded was an interview of myself as the writer-director. This was after everything else was edited so I was able to fill the gaps and elaborate on things said in the other interviews.   I also recorded a writer-director commentary for Cam-Girl which was so much fun since I have been listening to every commentary I could get my hands on over the years.   Commentary is the easiest bonus feature to produce but there are two rules for making commentary worth listening to.

• Do not comment on what we can see with our own eyes or know just from watching the movie.   We don't need you telling us this is the scene where the character does this or that.

• Silence is deadly, just like in radio. So please do not stop and watch your movie.   I know it's your baby, it is hard not to but just don't do it. 

Look out for the home video release of the thriller Cam-Girl, which will be packed with special features. 

 

FOR MORE UNFORMATION ON Cam-Girl visit www.webcamthefilm.com

 

BUY THE NOVEL ADAPTATION OF CAM-GIRL FOR KINDLE HERE.

 

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE NOOK AND ON PAPERBACK.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

DVD REVIEW: Scenic Route (2013)

TWO MEN AND A DESERT.

Sometimes a movie's premise is so strange that you want to see it and hope that they pull it off. Buried (2010) is an example of that, just Ryan Reynolds buried alive in a wooden coffin.... for the whole movie. Could they make that work? Could that sustain your attention for 95 minutes, I thought as the cashier demagnetizes the Blu-Ray and the machine makes an eerie beeping sound.

I felt the same way when I first saw the DVD for Scenic Route on the shelf. On the cover was the face of Josh Duhamel, who is known from the mega budget Transformers franchise. He looks pissed off, has a beaten, bloody face and is sporting a Mohawk. In the background is a road and an endless stretch of desert where we see a full view of the man with the Mohawk, he wears a polo shirt and khaki pants while he wields one of his crutches in the air with what looks like the dead body of another man at his feet in front of him. What the heck is this movie, I thought as I quickly grab it off the DVD rack.

Scenic Route wisely opens with a well executed fight sequence with these two characters out in the middle of the Death Valley landscape. Then we are back with them as they drive down the desert road before all the fighting occurred. We watch the events unfold as we know that these two have a difficult journey ahead of them. Duhamel's character, Mitchell is sleeping in the passenger seat with a full head of hair. Carter, played by Dan Fogler is driving. Several things happen and these two, who we learn have been friends since high school are stranded in the desert where their cell phones have no signal. Yes, this story element of a cell phone dead zones is a cliche but with this setting, it is realistic.

What follows is what they call a two hander. The rest of the movie is a well written character study that feels like a play, with the exception of the vast landscape that practically becomes a character itself. These two men have grown up to be total opposites. They both started with the same aspirations but one chased wealth and family life while the other guy has blindly followed his dreams with nothing to show for it.

Without food or water, their lives hang in the balance while these two men argue and defend their choices in life. Some of the decisions the characters make in this situation are not smart, so that is tedious at times but over all I was captivated with the chemistry these two actors had and the command they had over the blunt dialogue of screenwriter Kyle Kitten.

This movie is definitely not for everyone and that is why I like it. The actors have expressed that they chose to make Scenic Route because it was a departure from the types of films they made in the past. Josh Duhamel was looking forward to getting a Mohawk, which was done for real. The production was scheduled around this punk rocker haircut. It is great to see an actor committed enough to do something like that. It made the story feel more real, more authentic because you could tell that they did not throw a bald cap on him.

The film's ending could be a point of contention. Some people might say that it is too drawn out, others may feel it was too ambiguous. My thoughts on it is that it gives you some sense of closure and I'm glad to see that they chose to end it this way. Scenic Route is an independent film and the filmmakers took advantage of that from beginning to end.

Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer.

 

Box Cutter Killer On Amazon Kindle:

 

Box Cutter Killer on Barnes and Noble NOOK:

 

Official site and trailers for Cam-Girl, the movie the novel is based on go here:

OFFICIAL WEB SITE 

 

 

 

 

 

E-BOOK PUBLISHING GUIDE

E-books have changed everything as far as publishing is concerned. The popularity of E-books keeps growing and sadly, bookstores are closing. The good news, this is the best time for first time authors to get published. The bad news, the competition increases as self-produced e-books flood the market.

First of all, I suggest that you do not rush into self-publishing and try to sign with a publisher for your work. This will give you third party input, an edit and hopefully a professionally designed cover. Having a publisher, even a smaller one will boost the initial reputation of your book because it means someone said “Yes, I will sell this.” Just make sure that the other books the publisher is known for are similar to yours. These other titles in the publisher's library will help to promote your book when it is released.

If all else fails, self publishing is a luxury that was not a viable option for most writers until now. So go for it, take advantage of the fact that you call the shots and keep all the profits. I would recommend that you do a lot of proof reading and get feedback on the text and cover design before you go to press. You only get one chance at a first impression, so it will be worth all the extra time and effort.

Once your baby is ready to be taken out into the world, the next step is to get an ISBN number. This International Standard Book Number is a 13 digit number that is unique to your book and used to identify your book. Each edition, including separate E-book formats, audio books and versions written in different languages should have its own ISBN. This is a requirement if you want to submit your book to be distributed through stores, libraries or wholesalers. Every country has only one agency that is allowed to assign ISBN's for publishers (including self-published authors) who live in that country.

To purchase an ISBN if you live in the United States go to www.myidentifiers.com

Pricing is a main factor when it comes to sales and could affect the percentage of each e-book sale that you are given. This is why many E-books are priced around $2.99 because that is generally the lowest price it can be to get the higher share of profit. This is something you should research with possible retailers before you price your E-book because agreements change.

Some independent authors decide to give an E-book away for free. While this may seem like an act of madness at first, I assure you it's not. Just don't do this if you have only one book to publish. When author Darrell Pitt published his three book series Diary of a teenage superhero, he priced the first book, all 411 pages of it for free to get readers hooked. Free, people love that word and it's no surprise since the cost of everything around them keeps rising. This lets readers decide if they like your writing at no risk. Just make sure that even though you plan on giving away your E-book, it is the strongest example of your writing that it can be. If all goes to plan droves of people will decide to shell out a few bucks to buy your other books. Mention your other books and provide links in the back pages of your free E-book to get the most out of this promotion. Some boutique publishers do this for their books after they have been out in the market for a while. Wheelman Press, the publisher who released my first novel Box CutterKiller gives away free books.

FREE E-BOOKS FROM WHEELMAN PRESS.

Check out this informative E-book: So you want to publish an E-book? By J. P. Kurzitza

I also recommend these free E-books on the subject.

Secrets of successful writers –Edited by Darrell Pitt

The savvy book marketer - Edited by Dana Lynn Smith

 

 

Curt Wiser is the Author of Box Cutter Killer, a suspense novel available on Paperback, Kindle and Nook. 

BOX CUTTER KILLER for your Kindle

 

BOX CUTTER KILLER for your Barnes and Noble NOOK

 

 

 

NEW RELEASE MOVIE REVIEW: AFTERSHOCK

I went into this expecting a lower budget film about a group of party goers including Eli Roth, who get trapped inside a nightclub when a massive earthquake hits Chile. To my surprise this was a much bigger form of disaster film. The scope of the movie shows much of “The Real” Chile as the character played by the director Nicolas Lopez tells his American friend simply called “Gringo” played by Roth.

 

The situations and the way the characters responded to these life and death choices are brutally realistic. They use practical effects to show the destruction and carnage once the earthquake hits and the blood effects are well done. It takes a bit of run time before the earthquake happens, but not too long and then the action does not stop.

In the DVD making of the director said he got the idea for this movie because he survived a tragedy like this that struck Chile in 2010. It shows in the careful attention he took to make it feel real.

This review was written by Curt Wiser, Author of the novel Box Cutter Killer and Writer-Director of the movie Cam-Girl (aka Web-Cam).

 

BUY BOX CUTTER KILLER FOR KINDLE (ON SALE)

 

BUY BOX CUTTER KILLER FOR NOOK (ON SALE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR FIRST NOVEL

By Curt Wiser: the Author of Box Cutter Killer.

It does not have to be the first book you write, in fact it is probably best if it isn't. But if you want to be able to call yourself a novelist, you need at least one published novel. The good news is that because of the growing popularity of E-readers such as the Nook, Kindle and Kobo the publishing landscape has changed. 2011 is the first year that e-books outsold hard covers. Digital books are more cost effective for the publisher and can be more affordable for the readers. Authors can even provide the reader with a more engaging experience by adding audio or video clips which they call enhanced e-books. A good example of this is the e-book autobiography by actor-comedian Kevin Pollak entitled How I slept my way to the middle.

So now is a better time than ever to break in as an author author as long as you embrace these changes and let them work for you. Because publishing has gotten easier there has been a proliferation of boutique publishers that price their e-books to sell, meaning anywhere from 99 cents to $4.99. These smaller companies are hungry for new authors and are much more likely to accept your submission and publish your novel. The interesting thing is that the major publishers have not yet relented, they do not lower the cost of the e-books they release. This only helps independent publishing grow, we up and coming authors salute you.

The first thing I suggest is to make sure that your novel is the best it can be and that you have gotten feed back from people before you submit it. This will give you time to come back to your story and look at it from a new perspective other than the initial fit of nirvana that comes with finishing a first draft of anything. Have a well written query letter and make sure that each one is changed in small ways that target the publisher specifically. Do your research, does this publisher have a track record, do they publish novels with the same genre and tone as yours?

I first contacted Wheelman Press because they put up an online posting looking for novels adapted from finished screenplays or produced movies. At that time we had just signed with a distributor for Cam-Girl (AKA Web-Cam), my first feature film. Serendipity hit me hard, that was a posting I had to reply to. After seeing the trailer for Cam-Girl, the publisher said a novel adaptation of this story is something they would be interested in. The only problem was it did not exist. I quickly let them know that and started writing immediately. I finished the first draft in under five months and sent it out to the publisher with my fingers crossed. This is when the waiting begins. Be patient but if you don't hear from your contact with the publisher send a friendly e-mail follow up once every two or three weeks. Use this time wisely, design a sample book cover or a book trailer, update your website that you will need to promote your novel once it goes to market.

Then on one glorious day you receive a proof copy of your book from the publisher. This is for you to review and to provide notes if you want any changes made before your book goes to print. The tendency is to rush through reading this proof copy assuming the publisher would not change a word or make formatting errors. You must resist this urge at all costs. The biggest mistake you can make in life is believing that anyone is infallible. I am amazed when I find glaring typing errors that slipped through the edits of books by major publishers and authors. So enjoy it, relax and carefully read your novel as if you were just a reader who could put the book down at any second because they have something better to do. This objectivity will keep you from taking anything for granted as you check the spelling, formatting and readability of the book.

I was impressed with what Wheelman press did, the font choices they made for the title page and the way they cleaned up the formatting. I gave them the notes on my proof read a week later and then the waiting continues. Again, be patient. Realize that the publisher has several books at different stages of development. At this stage the publisher will also file for an ISBN number for your book.

It is possible for the author to do all of this themselves and sell through Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords but I do not recommend taking this option. Writing and promoting your novel is enough work as it is without having to publish it too. Also having a publisher adds legitimacy to your novel and helps with the sales because the other books they sell can bring attention to yours.  An established publisher can get your novel sold through more venders than a first time, self published author could.

Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Kindle
Buy Box Cutter Killer for the Nook

Box Cutter Killer is a suspense Novel about a single mother who works as a web cam stripper and is pushed to the limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

Official trailer for Cam-Girl:

Official book trailer for Box Cutter Killer: