CREATING SALES ART FOR YOUR MOVIE OR BOOK

     An image speaks louder than words, we've all heard that expression.  I feel that is mostly true.  After all, an image can be seen and processed by your brain in less than a second.  In this ultra fast paced on-demand world, a second is all you may get to grab someone's attention.  

     Over the course of having my first feature Cam-Girl released worldwide and a few distributors involved to give input, I've learned a lot about what goes into making sales art that gets their mouse buttons clicking.  First, it must be said that every case is different.  What is the genre of your movie or book?  Look at examples of other sales art similar to your product to get ideas.  

     If it is a movie, do you have a well known actor in it?  If so, it is a smart play to put that actor's face as the prominent subject on your sales art, even if they were only in one scene.  This is done all the time, in that case the actor is the sales incentive, the element that will bring attention to your movie.  If you do not have that in your favor, you will need to have a striking image that best represents your story and what the viewer should expect.  For example, the poster of a Psychological Thriller should look much different than that of a violent Horror film.  If you have an action movie, the image should capture a moment in the middle of an action scene.  If it is a teen sex comedy, you better believe that a teenager and an attractive woman would be on the sales art.  

     In our case of Cam-Girl, we had several story elements to consider.  Here is the logline: 

A single mother who works as a webcam stripper, is pushed to her limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

     So we have the single mother character motivation, the sex appeal of her job as a cam girl and the home invasion suspense plot.  How do you hit all these points home with one image?  I went to work and here is the poster I designed:

     We have the title big and at the top, the four images that highlight those story beats of sex, violence and motherly love.  Also the tag line, "One phone call will turn this stripper into one bad mother" those words separate each image relating to the one below it. 

Here is the full art for the North American DVD release:

     
     Not bad right?  Well, when I signed with a distributor for foreign territories, they said they would want new cover art made.  Not a problem I said, this distributor Leomark Studios has been distributing content worldwide since Video On Demand sales started.  I would have been a fool to think I know more than they do about streaming sales and what image would be likely to bring in a return.  

When they sent me the artwork they want to use, I instantly knew they were right.  Here is the foreign release sales art for Cam-Girl:

     Again, the title is big and at the top.  The image is high contrast and sells these two main story elements, an attractive cam girl who has a stalker.  But most importantly...... it is told all in one big image.  This is a must these days because your cover art not only needs to spark interests as a full sized poster, but also when it is a mere thumbnail image among a catalog of competing images in a video queue.  Take this for example:

 
     Take a look at my original poster on the far right.  Those four images do not read at all at that size.  Now, see the new art which is the center image, that still stands out even at this diminutive scale.  As filmmakers we do not have control over how these Video On Demand platforms display our poster.  Instead we need to make that sales art work even in the worst case scenario such as the one illustrated above.

     For a Novel, you can take more liberties with the image because that format plays into the imagination of the reader.  A book cover could be an illustration instead of a photograph, just as long as it best represents the story and the tone of the prose.  The same rules apply, but you are not pinned down by the images the same way you are for a movie.  It still needs to be a high contrast, evocative image that will make them want to know more, discover what lies behind the image. 

     Cam-Girl is about to be released in the foreign territories with the new art, so I do not yet know how big of a difference this will make.  What I do know, much like the sales art itself, the future looks bright.    I hope this helps, happy filmmaking.

Curt Wiser is an author, filmmaker and writes film reviews for www.ocmoviereviews.com  

HOW TO BECOME A FILM CRITIC OVERNIGHT.

     To be fair, the title is referring to how quickly I went from not really pursuing writing reviews for film, to being a critic for a popular review outlet.  In a way I have been working towards it for years by being a writer and filmmaker, but at the same time it feels like it just happened in a flash.

     All it took was reading a post on Twitter from OCmoviereviews.com saying they are looking for writers.  A sent an email with samples of my work and a brief pitch for why I would be a good addition to their team.  Within two days I was writing for them and feel happy to share great movies that may be overlooked.  That was my way in, that was my reason for wanting to do this. If you want to do it for the glory or the perks, that will most likely not be a good experience.  If your heart is not in it, the work will suffer.  So that is the first tip:

• Figure out why you should be writing reviews.

     Another good example would be saying, I am a filmmaker and I would like to bring that perspective into my analysis.  That was something I said in my email, that is a unique perspective, it is something of value that you have to offer.  I wrote and directed a suspense movie called Cam-Girl which is available on Amazon DVD and multiple VOD platforms.  Yes, part of my incentive for writing reviews is to get more exposure for Cam-Girl by making that part of my bio.  Also, do not get me wrong, the perks of getting a press badge for a film festival or seeing movies in advance for free is great, it just should not be the primary thing that motivates you.  The other thing I had going for me was I have been blogging for around three years.

• Have strong samples of your writing.

     These should be movie reviews, not short stories or poems.  They need to know you can do the job and writing reviews is a different kind of discipline.  I had some movie reviews I wrote for this blog, most of the posts I make here are helpful (at least I hope) guides for writers and indie filmmakers.  Of course, I only sent the link to the review posts and the link to a review show I made with my friend and Editor Curtis Norton on YouTube.  It has good production value for being a YouTube review show.  It is called VS, you can watch it here:

     My purpose for writing these blog posts was also to spread word about our movie, because these days filmmakers need to create a steady stream of engaging content that subtlety promotes the thing you are trying to sell.  In other words, you are giving valuable information or entertainment for free, in exchange for the hope people respond to your ask, whatever that may be.  The point is, when opportunity knocks, you need to already be prepared to answer the call.  I never intended these blog posts to be writing samples, but I am sure glad I had them.

• Define your voice as a critic.

     As soon as you can, land on a writing style for your reviews.  The same can be said for any writing type.  Review writing can take many forms, it can be straight forward and analytical or it can be causal, like having a conversation with the reader.  You could add details about your film going experience or tell how some of these movies relate to you on a personal level.  Whatever style you end up, it should be something you embrace, it should feel like it chose you.

     The voice is what makes the writing fun, it is your signature.  In my case I write reviews with an organized structure, yet it is also free-form, like a conversation but also give my thoughts on it as a filmmaker.  I never give entirely negative reviews, because every finished movie is a victory, a major accomplishment.  Also, I am well aware that cinema, as with any art form is open to interpretation.  You may find aspects of a movie to be a fault, while your reader will see it as a strength.

• Learn the rules of the format.

     Once I knew I had the gig, I asked my contact at the company what length the reviews were expected to be, how often a new review should be written and what their editing process is like.  These things are all very important and can vary from one media outlet to another.  For example, will they want you to list the other movies the actors you mention are associated with or will they fill that in?  Those other titles are important because they are extra search tags that can bring more traffic to the web site.  Also, they might want to pick what other movies are mentioned so they can link to other reviews found on their site.  Will they want you to send photos that would go well with the review?  Should you have an author bio at the end?   

• Share, enjoy, rinse and repeat.

     Celebrate the movies you are proud writing about, share those reviews on your social media and with people you meet in the real world.  It feels good don’t it?  Well you earned it.  Remember reaching the end of any review is an open invitation to discover a new movie and write another.  My reviews on OCmoviereviews.com can be read here.  Thanks for reading, I hope this encourages you to write, watch a movie or even share a story with a friend.   

  

Curt Wiser is an author and filmmaker, he Wrote and Directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl.

A GUIDE TO USING VOICE OVER 

IN YOUR SCREENPLAY

Written by Curt Wiser

     American Beauty, The Usual Suspects, Sunset Boulevard, Network and All the President's Men; what do all of these films have in common?  They all have won Academy Awards for either Best Picture or Best Screenplay.... and they all use voice over.

     Many of my favorite films have voice over and that is usually one of the things that I really love about them.  Over the years writing voice over has gotten a bad wrap, as if just daring to type [V.O.] is the death knell of any spec script.  This is probably because it is used improperly in sloppy ways by many writers as a short cut, an easy out.

Well I would like to set the record straight and give writers the ability to write voice over with confidence and not worry that it has a bad stigma associated with it according to some.

     So far every spec script I have written has had voice over in it and one of those, Web-Cam (2011) landed financing and was produced with the voice over left in tacked.

Web-Cam is a Thriller about a web cam stripper who is pushed to the limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman.

     I decided to tell this story with voice over because the film revolves around Gessica, a cam girl.  Using voice over lets me bring the viewer into what it must be like to work such a strange job and how it could affect them.  If it is something your character cannot put it into words like that, then you can say it with voice over.

The first question you should ask: Is this story one that would be better told if it had voice over in it?

     Think about a classic film like Taxi Driver.  If it did not have voice over it would just be a quiet DeNiro siting alone in a cab.  What about Danny Boyle's 127 Hours?  If it was for the voice over or those video tape messages that the character made, the whole movie would be James Franco caught under a rock screaming.

The next question: Is dialogue/voice over your strong suit as a Writer?

     If not, then you can force yourself to have a better ear for it.  Go to a party and just listen to all the different conversations around you.  The other option is you could find a writing partner to write it for you.

     I know what you are thinking.  The main mantra has always been show don't tell, so why should I put voice over in my new masterpiece?  I agree that you should show and not tell but that refers to the stories plot and inciting incidents.  That is way I say:

NEVER USE VOICE OVER AS EXPOSITION.

     That means do not tell why something is happening or has happened or explain why a character is doing anything with voice over.  I will not list some titles but there have been some major motion pictures that managed to get produced somehow with poorly written voice over exposition.  Those films have flopped hard at the box office and maintained one star ratings on NetFlix.

NEVER SAY ANYTHING IN VOICE OVER THAT IS CLEAR TO THE AUDIENCE OR SAID ALREADY WITH DIALOGUE.

That one goes without saying, you do not want to be repetitive or waist a single word in your script.

So how should voice over be used?  Here are some examples from films that I admire and writers that are a force to be reckoned with.

• CONVEY WHAT A CHARACTER IS FEELING.

     This is the most common way voice over is used. It is also the most likely form that can be miss-used.  So make sure there is no alternative to using voice over this way, then make sure it is not overtly stating how the character is feeling.

Here is the immortal Taxi Driver as an example:

Travis Bickle (V.O.)

Damn, the days go on and on, they 

don't end. All my life needed was 

a sense of some place to go. I 

don't believe one should devote 

his life to morbid self-attention.

(a beat)

I believe that someone should become 

            a person like other people.

     What Paul Schrader is implying here is that his character Travis is so isolated and disillusioned in his pathology of loneliness that he does not even feel like a real person, he does not feel alive.  Now the character could have just said “I'm lonely, it's like I'm not really here, I think it is because nobody loves me” but that would be nothing compared to Schrader's prose.

     Remember, a good actor should be able to convey any emotion or feeling with just their eyes.  But not even the best actor in the world can put a feeling into words that hit you in the gut or sound like pure poetry the way great voice over can.

• REVEAL SOMETHING IMPORTANT ABOUT A CHARACTER.

     This would be some internal detail, like the character's point of view, their hidden intelligence or private thoughts.  Take Frank Darabont's sleeper break through film The Shawshank Redemption for example.

Red (V.O.)

I must admit I didn't think much 

of Andy first time I laid eyes on 

him, looked like a stiff breeze 

would blow him over. That was my 

              first impression of the man.

Notice how the line “That was my first impression of the man” subtly says that there is more to Andy than appearances, he should not be underestimated.  That is good writing.

It could also be used to show how a character lives a double life.  Look at American Psycho, One Hour Photo, Mr. Brooks and Secretary for examples of that.

• DRAMATIC IRONY.

     This is the classic writing term that means the audience has knowledge about something before the character(s) in the story do.  This technique is a great way to create suspense.  I chose Alan Ball's brilliant script American Beauty as an example of this.

Lester Burnham (V.O.)

I'm 42 years old, in less than

 a year I'll be dead. Of course 

I don't know that yet. And in 

               a way I'm dead already.

That was the opening of the film.  It leaves us wondering how this poor guy meets his end as we grow fond of him over the course of the film.

• COUNTERPOINT OR COMIC RELIEF.

     Well placed voice over can completely break the tension or change the tone of a scene by showing what a character would say if it was appropriate.... but it is not.  It could also be a funny non-sequitur like in Diablo Cody's Juno.

This is what Juno is thinking when she sees the high school track team run by as she breaks the news to her teenaged friend that she is pregnant and he is the father.

Juno (V.O.)

When I see then all running like 

that with their things bouncing 

around in their shorts I always 

picture them naked even if I try 

not to. All I see is pork swords.

Now that breaks the tension and how can you not laugh at “pork swords”?

• SCENE TRANSITIONS.

     One of the staples of good writing is how well one scene transitions into the next.  If it plays well, the voice over at the end of the scene could be the start of the spoken dialogue at the beginning of the scene that follows.  This can make your screenplay more concise by keeping things moving and it can show how the two scenes relate to each other.

My example for this would be the operatic ending to The Usual Suspects, the film that put the screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie and the Director Bryan Singer on the map.

     The film ends with an iconic montage that strings all of Verbal Kint's interrogation together as voice over along with quick cuts that reveal it was all a lie and that he is the notorious Keyser Soze.  The last line of the film is Voice Over.

Verbal Kint (V.O.)

... and like that, he's gone.

• FORESHADDOWING.

Lastly, voice over can plant a seed in the viewers mind.  By that I mean to hint at but not fully explain what will happen or what the scene is really about.

See how this one single line from Fight Club is not given much thought at first but speaks volumes by the end of the film.

This voice over takes place during the scene when Edward Norton's character is beating himself up in his bosses office so he can extort money from his employer.

Jack (V.O.)

For some reason I thought about 

my first fight... with Tyler.

     With that screenwriter Jim Uhls makes a clever hint to the film's big reveal at the end, that Edward Norton's character and Tyler are the same person.  If an audience can pick up new things in your film on the second of third viewing, that is good writing.  Such is the case with Jim Uhls adaptation of the groundbreaking iconoclast novel Fight Club written by Chuck Palahniuk.

     Good screenwriting is all about structure and if you use voice over, that needs to have a structure too.  It should be consistent. If you have 30 minutes worth of voice over in the first act only that will come off as bad structure.  The viewer will get used to hearing that voice over and then you would be taking it away.

     Most scripts that use voice over have it mostly at the beginning and then at the end. American Beauty is a good example of this. Juno begins with the voice over “It all started with a chair.” Then the closing echos, “It ended with a chair.”  Now that is symmetry, that is good writing.

     I hope I have let you think about voice over in a different way. So that maybe your characters will be able to make us laugh, cry, be inspired or even experience something new through the well crafted thoughts in their voice over.

Curt Wiser (V.O.)

Fade Out

WHEN (IF EVER), IS IT OKAY TO GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS?

For artist, entertainers or anyone with ambitions beyond a dull 9 to 5 will know this question well. Either they have asked it of themselves, or a loved one has brought it up.  The thing is, this question is so personal that there can never be a definitive answer.  But what you can do is evaluate your progress every few years up until the point you’ve made the big time.

Here are some questions I think you should consider:

1. How is your quality of life?

     Since you started pursuing your dream, to the extent that it is a full time job, how do you feel?  If the dream brings you joy, relaxation, or a feeling of solidarity, that is a very good sign.  As long as these endeavors don’t drive you to live out on the street, you’re fine.  Now, if this is starting up a small business, and you have been only breaking even for years and it all feels like the slog of a day job, well, it may be time for a change. Are you not getting enough sleep and feel like you have no free time because of this double life you are leading?  Is there anything you would be happier spending your time and money on?  If so, why not give that a try, devote a month to it at least, maybe that could end up being your true calling. 

     Furthermore, how does all this make other people feel?  Other business partners, your spouse, your family.  Sometimes it is easy for us creatives to forget, the world does not revolve around us.  This brings us to question number two.

(I am never happier, or feel more complete, than when I’m writing, drawing or making movies.  Writing/Directing a feature was one of the most fun and challenging things I’ve done, I’m looking forward to doing it again.)

2. Do you have dependents?

     If you are married with children, the right thing, the adult thing, is to put their needs and quality of life as a higher priority than your own.  As long as your day job puts food on the table and lets you fulfill your job of life, as a spouse, parent, or guardian, go for it, keep on dreaming.

(I am a single guy, for now.  Keep swiping right ladies, I’m here.  No children.)

3. Risk versus Reward

     This dream train you’re riding…. where has it gotten you?  Have you made money?  If you’re a writer, have you been published or produced, won any contest?  Dancers, musicians, comedians, everybody has a way to get affirmation of their talent.  As long as you are out there dedicated, doing your thing consistently, you’ll know, the world will tell you, just take the time to listen.  That being said, I would never suggest to make your decision to keep doing what you love based on what other people think.  It does matter, however, if your goal is to have a career doing this thing you love.  If five years or more have gone by and you have not seen any positive growth, you may be on the wrong track. You can always get off at the next station and take the next train.

(In the last 15 years I have written and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl, written articles that were published in magazines… back when print magazines and book stores were a thing and I’ve had my first novel published.  I have made money doing what I love, paid writing jobs and royalties from sales of our movie. Perhaps, most important of all, even my day job is in the entertainment field.  So, for the last five years I have made a living entirely by living the dream.  I should also note, that the first 5 years of that, I did not have any of that good news, but I kept at it.  I never gave up and continued to believe in myself.)

4. Plausibility

     This is the easiest example, I like easy, if you want to be a pro athlete and it has not happened by the age of 40…. it’s time to get that desk job.  You can always shoot hoops with your co-workers and tell them about how you almost made it to the big show.  Do you want to be an actor but you cannot get over stage fright?  Do you simply not have enough time to dedicate to your dream no matter how early you get up in the morning? These cases are very rare, but if you find yourself in this position I am truly sorry.  It is surprising how far some people will go to keep living the dream.  Take the late screenwriter Scott Lew as an example.  He had ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease for the latter part of his career.  He had to use special software that let him write by moving his head to direct a laser pointer at a digital keyboard.  Then an assistant came in to polish the writing.  Scott Lew did not let these major physical hurtles stop him, he adapted to it.  The only bright side is this thing that is holding you back, is totally out of your control.  It’s just life, physical limitations or the weight of time.  Many people who have this happen to them end up teaching or training the next generation to pursue their shared dream.  This way you are still involved with the thing you love, just not in the spotlight.

(Thankfully, I can write as long as my brain still functions.  Former girlfriends make question my brain function now, but that is beside the point.  I plan on maintaining a healthy body and mind for as long as I can.)

     The decision is yours and yours alone.  How you interpret these questions and prioritize your answers is entirely up to you.  It's all personal, that is why I encourage you to find other relevant questions based on your position, your lifestyle.  Please note that these questions are only applicable if you have been doing the work required to reach your ambitious goals, that means it should feel like a second full time job.  A fair estimate is 21 hours a week, you should spend about that much time on it, because I can guarantee other people who have a career in your field did at least that.  If you have not put in the time, that is a strong sign that this is not a dream for you.... it is a hobby.  There is nothing wrong with that at all, hobbies are important, they balance out the stresses of life and if you realize it is a hobby you can relax, spend as much time as you want on these projects without the burden of success.

     Some of you out there, may have read the title here and said, “When is it okay to give up on my dreams? ...... NEVER.”  Good for you, that is a great answer, the kind that often yields results.  If your dream feels like work, instead of a passion, an essential part of your life, it might not be right for you.  Similarly, if you spend more time talking about writing than planting your butt in your chair (or at a standing desk) and writing, or watching other people dance more than you take the dance floor yourself, or listen to music instead of practicing your bars, it's time to get in the game, either that or try being a critic, teacher or assistant in that field.  Why?  Because actions get things moving, otherwise you are standing in place, watching the doers of the world lap you again and again.  We need more doers, join us.    

Curt Wiser is an Artist, writer and filmmaker.  He has written for Indie Slate Magazine and other publications.  His first feature Cam-Girl is available on DVD and Amazon on Demand.  Curt graduated with a BFA in computer animation from the University of Central Florida.  

TOP 10 FILMMAKING PODCASTS

These days aspiring filmmakers really have no excuse not to be prepared and well informed.  Whether it's the droves of articles, books, feature commentaries and FREE Podcasts on the subject, it is almost too much to choose from.  A nice problem to have.  On the podcast side, this should make it a little easier for you.

This list is NOT RANKED in any order, these are what I feel are the 10 best podcasts that consistently cover the subject of film and film making.  In full disclosure I have been a guest on three of the podcasts listed here to promote my first feature Cam-Girl.  I note which ones they are and promise you that did not affect my list.  These are all exceptional podcasts, so I was thrilled to be a guest on even a few of them.


1)     The Movie Crypt
Your two hosts are high level horror filmmakers.  Adam Green is best known for the Hatchet franchise and Frozen (2010) - Not the Disney movie.  Joe Lynch has directed such movies as Everly (2014) with Salma Hayek and Mayhem (2017) which starred Samara Weaving and The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun.  So clearly Adam and Joe are industry professionals, but above all they are close friends.  This dynamic makes for entertaining and informative conversations with a different film industry guest each week.  For the more dedicated fans, you can provide questions for them to answer on the show or get some time to talk with Adam and Joe if you contribute to their Patreon.  They even set the record for the worlds longest podcast last year when they hosted a 48 hour marathon to benefit the Save a Yorkie Rescue Foundation.

2)      Indie Film Hustle
Alex Ferrari, is a self starter and the host of this podcast which truly lives up to its name.  Much like his resourceful guests, Alex puts the "H" in Hustle.  He produces at least one podcast episode a week, publishes a gambit of helpful articles and social media posts through his IndieFilmHustle.com brand.  If that was not enough, he recently wrote/directed/shot and produced his debut feature, a comedy called This is Meg.  Alex Ferrari has even been generous to use his experiences from making that movie and seeing it through distribution to better inform his listeners, who he calls "The Tribe".  His web site is a one stop shop for the podcasts, filmmaking resources and other services he provides.  This podcast is helpful and often inspiring for filmmakers and creatives alike.

3)     Selling Your Screenplay   (I am the guest on Ep. 135 - Listen here.)
This one is by screenwriters, for screenwriters.  Writing is my favorite part of the process, so naturally I was drawn to this podcast.  Your host, Ashley Scott Meyers has been a working screenwriter for nearly 20 years, with his first produced script Dish Dogs (2000) starring Shannon Elizabeth and Matthew Lillard, up until the Crime Thriller The Pinch (2017) which he also directed and produced.  What I enjoy most about the Selling Your Screenplay Podcast is the variety of screenwriters he has on.  The guest could be anyone from first time indie filmmakers like myself, to Hollywood power players like Max Landis Bright (2017), Chronicle (2012) and Chris Sparling Buried (2010), ATM (2012), The Sea of Trees (2015).  Ashley Scott Meyers is quick to ask the questions you want to hear, such as how these screenwriters got their first script produced and how they landed distribution.  This confirms that no two success stories are the same.  Hearing these fast paced interviews will remind you of the one thing all these screenwriters have in common, they never gave up, never stopped writing.

4)     Scriptnotes
On the other end of the spectrum we have Scriptnotes.  This podcast too, is focused on the craft of screenwriting, but this one is hosted by A-list Hollywood screenwriters John August Go (1999), Big Fish (2003) and Craig Mazin Scary Movie 3 (2003), The Hangover Part II (2011).  They sometimes have guest on but usually Craig and John answer listener questions and talk about the art of writing or give tips on how to work within the Hollywood system.  When they do have guests, these are BIG names like Rian Johnson, Writer/Director of Looper (2012) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  This show gives you a different perspective on the industry from people who are usually inaccessible, that alone is reason enough to give it a listen.

5)     The Dave Bullis Podcast  (I am the guest on Ep. 168 Listen here)
Coming at you from Philly, PA is The Dave Bullis Podcast.  Each week Dave interviews a different person working in the film industry.  These guest work as Actors, Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, or even prominent Producers like Cassian Elwes The Butler (2013), Dallas Buyer's Club (2013).  What makes this show so fun is that Dave has a relaxed interview style, it is a conversation you are listening on.  It is the kind of tactic that can make a guest feel at ease and maybe talk about more than they planned on.  Dave has worked in production for around ten years now and boldly shares some of his horror stories and victories from that experience.  His credits include Writing/Directing a pilot episode for a TV series Game Over, which has been described as Clerks in a video game store.  He recently make the Game Over pilot available to watch on YouTube, you can watch it here.  A personal favorite of mine is the intro and outro Dave Bullis uses for each show, but I'll let you be the judge of all that.

6)     Film Threat
This podcast is a film review show.  At least one of these review podcast should make the list, I am happy to make it Film Threat.  The name comes from a popular indie magazine on filmmaking which was launched in 1985 and published into the 90's.  Sadly the magazine went away but the web site survived and now, after a successful kickstarter campaign Film Threat is back in podcast form.  Your hosts are Chris Gore, who is the founder of Film Threat and Co-Host Anthony Ray Bench.  They review all types of movies, from Blockbusters, to obscure cult hits.  Sometimes they record the show at conventions, which is a treat.  There is a cluttered mess of film review podcast out there, maybe too many.  I listen to some others, but I prefer Film Threat because of their tastes and the indie roots.  Movies - Movies - Film Threat!

7)     Q & A with Jeff Goldsmith
Your host is...... you guessed it, Jeff Goldsmith, who is the creator of Backstory Magazine.  In each episode Jeff interviews a major filmmaker in front of an audience after they all watched that filmmaker's latest movie.  He asks the usual fanboy questions such as "What was your budget?" or "How many days did you shoot?"  Yet the show also digs deeper in the analysis of the movies and the people behind them.  At the end of the show, the filmmaker takes questions from the audience.

8)     On the Page  (I was a Guest, Edited and Recorded Ep. 533 - Listen here.)
Pilar Alessandra is your well qualified host of the On the Page Podcast.  She has worked as a Story Analyst for Dreamworks SKG and is the author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter (now in its second edition).  Pilar sometimes has screenwriters, script consultant or other creatives on as guest.  The rest of the episodes is Pilar giving you a free lesson on the art and craft of screenwriting.  This podcast is fun to listen to and is very informative.  The opening theme song is also catchy.... careful, it might get stuck in your head (still worth it).

9)     Hilliard Guess' Screenwriter's Rant Room
I'm actually listening to an episode of this while I'm writing this.  My immediate thoughts are, Hilliard and his Co-Host give you the cold hard reality of writing for film and television.  They do not pull any punches and are not afraid to deliver it with an expletive or two.  That makes this a fresh voice on the subject.  The podcast also can occasionally deal with diversity and working as a minority in the industry, since Hilliard and others on the show know that from experience.  For a fun experiment, listen to a Scriptnotes episode and then the Rant Room back to back, it might feel like a punch in the face (in a good way.... I guess?)

10)    The Treatment
Your host is Elvis Mitchell, a well spoken, well read film critic who has written reviews for LA Weekly and The New York Times, just to name a few.  Elvis interviews big Hollywood names with a class and intellectual tone that is truly unique to this show.   You may have heard o some of these names, among his pasts guests are: Guillermo Del Toro, Sofia Coppola, The Coen Brothers and Jordan Peele.  This podcast is definitely last but not least on this list, well worth a listen.

There you have it.  I hope this list was helpful.  What are your favorite podcast on this subject?  Feel free to tell me one I left out in the comments.  Here are a few honorable mentions that did not make my top ten.

- BlackList Table Reads: This is a full reading of a screenplay by actors with sound effects, music and all.  It sure beats squinting at Courier font on white paper for hours on end.

- The Nerdist: With host Chris Hardwick (Often the guests are Film/TV related)

- The Nerdist Writers Panel

- The /Filmcast: Movie Reviews

- The Business: Industry News.

- Film Trooper Podcast

- The No Film School Podcast

- One Star Cinema: Play it in sync with the Netfilx movie they are watching and enjoy.  This is commentary Mystery Science Theater 3000 Style.

- How Did this Get Made?: Comedians roast a movie in front of an audience.

- The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast
  

Curt Wiser is a published Author and filmmaker.  He wrote and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl which is available to DVD, Amazon Video and other streaming platforms.

 

FLATLINERS MOVIE REVIEW 1990 vs 2017 - Which one is best?

In this new web series VS Filmmakers Curt Wiser and Curtis Norton review/compare two movies that are related in some way.

This episode is on Flatliners 1990 and the 2017 remake.  Here it is, hope you enjoy it.  Feel free to share, subscribe and comment:

The original Flatliners from 1990 was Directed by Joel Schumacher only 3 years after he made The Lost Boys and 3 years before he directed the gritty Action/Drama Falling Down. The original film stars Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin and Oliver Platt.

The 2017 Remake stars Ellen Page (Hard Candy, Super, Inception) Diego Luna (Star Wars: Rogue One), Nina Dobrev, James Norton and Kiersey Clemons.  This new version was Directed by Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and was written by  Ben Ripley (Species III).

Curt and Curtis are not just film fans, the are filmmakers.  Their Suspense movie Cam-Girl is available on DVD and Amazon Video on Demand here: https://amzn.com/B01EMOQ81O

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT SHOOT A MOVIE ON YOUR I-PHONE

(Filmmaker Mark Duplass - SXSW Film Festival 2015)

     “The cavalry is not coming” those iconic words were spoken by Mark Duplass during his impactful speech at the SXSW film festival on March 15, 2015.  What he meant by that was as indie filmmakers we often hope to prove ourselves with a movie or two and then expect that Hollywood will come calling, well times have changed.  That was the old paradigm, before the digital camera revolution led to at least 10 times more features being made each year.  In 1998 just over 500 features were submitted to the Sundance film festival, in 2015 that number surged to 4,105. (1)  “That’s the bad news,” Duplass said, the good news is that “you are the cavalry.”  This poignant comment was met with applause, we recognized what he meant before he even finished his thought.  These days creatives need to make their own opportunities for themselves and not wait to be bankrolled by an angel investor that will never land.  This really is an important speech for any indie filmmaker to listen to at least once.  Here it is in its entirety:

     I could not agree more with everything Mark says here..... except for one part.  During the Q and A he exclaims just go out and make your movie, shoot it on your I-Phone, that's what we did.  With that point, Mark was referencing the 2015 Sundance hit Tangerine which writer/director Sean Baker chose to shoot entirely on an I-phone.  The movie made waves in the press and got a wide release which even included a theatrical push.  It sounds like an indie filmmakers dream, any first time filmmaker from off the street can just make a movie with their phone and become a Sundance darling. Right?  I think not, this article will explain why I feel that is not the case and why you should not make a feature on a cell phone.

The reasons break down like this:

- There is much more behind the scenes that helped to make Tangerine the success it is.

- Nothing to gain from shooting it that way.

- The press knows that this is old news now.

      Headlines say: A movie shot on an I-phone is a hit at Sundance.  Since then many articles and members of the media proudly boast that aspiring filmmakers can just make their movie on a cell phone.  But what the majority of these stories leave out are the technical details of the production of Tangerine and that these filmmakers were already successful from their prior features.

      Tangerine was reported to have been shot on an I-phone with important accessories including an anamorphic lens adapter made by Moondog labs.  This gave the movie a full scope widescreen aspect ratio.  They used a great app called Filmic Pro, which is a powerful pro video app that gives you fine tuned control over the video quality with simulated frame rate, exposure and focus settings to let you capture high end video on your phone.  In addition they used a Smoothee brand steadicam rig designed to get you smooth camera work on your cellphone.  Sean Baker has made it clear that they had professional sound gear and microphones to record the street-wise dialogue of Tangerine. That is expensive gear that requires a professional sound mixer.  If you want your audio to be of a professional quality, you cannot use the audio recorded on your phone.  The movie also had the standard amount of post-production work done to make the colors picture perfect and the audio crystal clear.  Again that would require a lot of time from dedicated people skilled in post-production.  So, when you look at it like that, it is not as easy as just “go on, make a movie with your phone.”

      How about the filmmakers behind Tangerine?  Among the executive producers of the movie we have Mark and Jay Duplass.  Up until that point the Duplass Brothers had produced around 30 shorts and feature films, many of which premiered at Sundance before Tangerine did in 2015.  Because of that that had Hollywood agents, lawyers and Managers on their side to help promote their projects including Tangerine.  It is clear that the Duplass Brothers had a good relationship with Sundance by the time Tangerine was was submitted for their consideration.  I am not saying this connection between the filmmakers and the festival is fowl play, but it goes without saying that this is a big advantage.  Sean Baker was no newbie either, he had directed four features before Tangerine including Starlet (2012) about a young single female pornstar trying to find her way.  Starlet stimulated quite a response at SXSW when it screened there, establishing Sean Baker as a filmmaker worth keeping an eye on.

      It is safe to say these filmmakers involved with Tangerine had a leg up compared to any unknown, first time filmmaker who might decide to shoot a feature on a cellphone.  As a first time filmmaker trying to break in today you need this debut film to act as your calling card, it must be as good as it can be.  It has become increasingly difficult for indie films to garner attention while the competition gets more crowded each year.  You may have seen The Puffy Chair (2005), the debut film that put the Duplass Brothers on the map.  It was a small, micro budget road trip comedy that really set them on a path for the rest of their careers.  Well guess what, this was the debut feature, but it was not their first.  In 1996 Jay and Mark Duplass produced a feature length, black and white exploitation flick called Connect 5.  That movie remained unseen for about a decade.  Jay Duplass has discredited this movie in interviews saying “I made a feature called Connect 5, which only about 17 people have seen.  It was not very good.” (2)  So even they made a movie that was a disappointment for them.  The Duplass Bothers and many other successful indie filmmakers have one thing in common, they persevere despite countless rejections and miss-steps.

     My next point is that you have nothing to gain from shooting your movie on a cellphone.  While apps like Filmic pro will enable you to get top quality 4K video out of your cellphone, it is all simulated.  Having a camera with a real lens on it makes a difference, it gives you real focal depth and will also teach you more about the art of camera operation then moving a settings dial on a cell phone app.  If you use a set of lenses to make your movie, a wide angle lens will give you a totally different dramatic feel than other shots through a long lens.  A cellphone does not give you that option.  The small size of a cellphone is handy, but a DSLR camera that can shoot 4K like the Nikon D500 is about the same size and can get you the same flexibility in tight spaces.  But wait, the price of shooting on a cellphone set up is better right?  Only marginally.  Let's break it down using what they had on the set of Tangerine as an example:

(Newest model of the I-phone for this example)

• Apple I-phone 7 plus $669.99
• Moondog lab lens $175
• Smoothee steadicam (w/mount) $200
• Filmic Pro App. $20

     TOTAL: $1,059.99

     You can buy a brand new 4K DSLR camera with a lens for around $1,800 - $2,000.  So the cost really should not be a factor.  But look at all the publicity Tangerine got for being shot on an I-phone.  That could happen for my movie right?  Sorry true believers, I think not and that brings us to the last point I hope to make on this topic.

     Members of the media do not care about an unknown filmmaker who shot a movie on an I-phone.  Yes, Sean Baker got a lot of press with Tangerine and the focus of most of this revolved around shooting it on a cellphone.  But remember that these filmmakers had established careers already and the movie premiered at Sundance.  The odds of getting into Sundance are bleak, and should never be something an indie filmmaker should expect as part of their marketing plan.  Sean Baker is quick to point out that Tangerine was not the first feature to be shot on an I-phone.  In an interview I heard Baker mention this and the filmmaker’s name…. but he blanked on the title of the movie and so would anyone else, because that movie got no attention.  You might say, “I’m seeing all these articles about Unsane, the new movie Steven Soderbergh shot entirely on an I-Phone, so that story still has interest Curt, ya big dummy.” While I appreciate your Sanford and Son reference I have to remind everyone that Soderbergh is a HUGE name in the filmmaking world.  Not just with his indie hits like Sex Lies and Videotape (1989) but also his blockbuster studio movies like Traffic (2000) and Ocean’s Eleven (2001).  Soderbergh at this point could shoot a movie on one of those worthless Game Boy 8-bit cameras and the press would write about it (see below).

                                            Game Boy 8-Bit Camera

    In closing I must say there are exceptions to this.  Red is about to release their Hydrogen cellphone in early 2018.  The Hydrogen will not only give you top quality 4K video capture but you can attach real proprietary lenses to it.  This phone is also said to have a holographic display that will not require wearing 3-D glasses.  This is not a phone, this is a high end pocket camera that can also make phone calls.  Maybe the first feature shot on the Hydrogen will make headlines, I would not be surprised.  While I do not recommend you shoot an entire feature on a cellphone, I do see it as a valuable option for filmmakers.  Shoot a web series on your I-Phone.  Use it to do quick camera tests on technical scouts for your feature.  Why not shoot insert shots on your phone during post production if you do not have any other option.  Further proof of this is Sean Baker's latest feature The Florida Project, which was shot on an Arri Alexa Mini camera.  He did choose to shoot one scene of the movie on an I-Phone, they have not said why they shot one scene that way, maybe time will tell. The heart of everything Mark Duplass said in his landmark 2015 speech is correct, as creatives you MUST create and not make excuses for yourself.  You need a body of work, not just talking about how this project was almost produced or how so and so was interested in that script.  By all means go out and create, but please be as prepared as possible before production and be smart about it.    

- Curt Wiser is the Writer/Director of the suspense movie Cam-Girl.  He also works in Visual Effects and is a published author.  

(SOURCES:) 
1- Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film.  By Emanuel Levy NYU Press 2001. 
2- Directing on a Dime: Puffy Chairs, Cyrus and the Film School Question.  Moviemaker.com Andy Young 2011.