Just discovered this on HDforIndies: Jarred Land of DVXUser.com will be launching a new website devoted to enabling independents to self-distribute their films on DVD. RocketIndie does the dirty work of producing the actual DVDs, processing orders, and shipping them out to customers, and this comes at no startup or monthly cost to the original creator. The service handles all the labor of organizing orders and getting the goods out to customers. They do not market the product, but instead act as an invisible store. Although you can send them your own mastered DVDs, they also offer the option of designing your disc from the ground up, but it is unclear at what cost. Nevertheless, if you want to get your film on DVD out there without having to worry about processing orders, and running to the post office, this could be a very convenient solution. Read the FAQ for the full scoop. RocketIndie launches on February 1st.RocketIndie: independent DVD distribution
Just discovered this on HDforIndies: Jarred Land of DVXUser.com will be launching a new website devoted to enabling independents to self-distribute their films on DVD. RocketIndie does the dirty work of producing the actual DVDs, processing orders, and shipping them out to customers, and this comes at no startup or monthly cost to the original creator. The service handles all the labor of organizing orders and getting the goods out to customers. They do not market the product, but instead act as an invisible store. Although you can send them your own mastered DVDs, they also offer the option of designing your disc from the ground up, but it is unclear at what cost. Nevertheless, if you want to get your film on DVD out there without having to worry about processing orders, and running to the post office, this could be a very convenient solution. Read the FAQ for the full scoop. RocketIndie launches on February 1st.Interview with Four-Eyed Monsters duo
Lance Weiler of the Workbook Project sat down for an interview with Arin Crumley and Susan Buice of Four-Eyed Monsters in the latest installment of 'this conference is being recorded'. The duo discusses everything from the inspiration behind their film, to of course their area of biggest innovation, film promotion through the web. The team is undoubtedly responsible for a lot of innovations in DIY promotion through their use of everything from MySpace and social networking, to videoblogging, to using Google Maps to track geographic interest in film screenings. It's a very lengthy interview, but the details and information provided by Arin and Susan about their approach to distribution is extremely informative.
iRec: capture video straight to iPod
Korean company iCube has released a new iPod dock that can record video up to 640x480 resolution and a 2.5Mbps bitrate from any composite or S-Video source (TV, camcorder, etc.) straight to the iPod. Dubbed the iRec, the device then organizes captured video and files can be transfered to your PC / Mac once synced up again with iTunes. Unfortunately, you can only schedule a stop time with its built-in record timer function. At roughly $180, the device seems a bit pricey for what its offering, but there you have it.(via Engadget)
Arin Crumley and Susan Buice's Sundance Festival Blog
Arin Crumley and Susan Buice of Four-Eyed Monsters have been given the hefty task of producing a video blog from the Sundance Film Festival, with daily entries appearing on the Sundance Channel's YouTube profile. There are five videos thus far, and the latest features a brief segment in which Arin ends up at a RED party and meets up with Mike Curtis. Unsurprisingly, Arin walks away extremely impressed with what he learns about RED, saying "whether or not I ever get a chance to shoot with this camera, just the idea of doing so got me pretty pumped about doing another feature film". It's an entertaining little video, and a full interview with Mike regarding RED will be posted here in the near future. Nifty. Keep those eyes peeled.
Sundance shorts now online
Select Sundance short films have started to make their way online for viewing, and today several of those have trickled into the iTunes Store for purchase. The free shorts can be streamed directly from the official Sundance website, and the seventeen download-to-own (warning: iTunes link) versions are available for just $1.99 each. There are just over 45 total shorts available, so that should keep any prospective viewers busy for a while... And don't forget about the official Sundance podcast, which is freely available for subscription in the iTunes Store."Sundance Movies Are Bad for You!"
"You don't find as much originality in Sundance films these days, and for a simple reason. In the beginning, the festival was a home for the homeless, for a rambunctious outlaw take on filmmaking. There was no need to be cautious, since indie films were rarely hits. But as Sundance became the showcase for a form of movie gaining marketplace pull, young directors naturally made films to fit the new mold.... Trying to get your intellectual fill with Sundance films is like choosing homemade popcorn over the concession-stand variety: higher quality, little nourishment."Harsh words from Richard Corliss in Time Magazine regarding the state of Sundance, yes. Rather than regurgitating his sentiments, I will simply point out a very enlightening book I read a few years ago, Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film. If you think this article is being too harsh and unfair, the book very informatively strengthens a similar argument.
Aspect: aspect ratio widget
Scott Simmons over at the editblog unearthed a pretty spiffy aspect ratio dashboard widget for OS X, appropriately named Aspect. This little bit of software takes 'popular ratios used in video and film and calculates any size you need based on the height or width and pixel aspect.' Simple, quick, and effective. Grab the 209Kb download here. Video Watch: The making of 'The Children of Men'
Ok, so a few days ago I spout some heavy praise for The Children of Men. More than anything, it is the film's incredible long takes that really amaze me, and thankfully reader Daniel K. brought this Making of The Children of Men to attention. In this seven minute video, director Alfonso Cuarón goes into some depth discussing the challenge of accomplishing a couple of these dauntingly technical shots, and one great segment highlights the custom mobile rig the team developed to get a several minute-long shot from inside of a moving vehicle during a dangerous car chase scene. (Finally, I can sleep at night knowing how they did it...) Crazy stuff. Very informative video. Recommended viewing!
Sundance: HD House event
For anyone in Park City during Sundance and Slamdance these next few days, the HD House conference will be running for a full four days from January 19-22. Mike Curtis of the infamous HD For Indies will be kicking off the event with a freeform discussion about all things HD, and the rest of the conference promises to offer a wealth of presentations and technical advice for directors, producers, cinematographers, and videographers working with HD. For a full rundown, check out the conference program and schedule.How to write a genre movie in seven days
You might recall the $1000 Speilberg blog, which I mentioned back in November. Recently, the site has moved to a new location and its been renamed $1000 Dollar Film, which is more generic and perhaps more clearly representative of the site's goal. Anyway, the website is shaping up with some interesting reading to be had, but one article that caught my eye is 'How to write a genre movie in seven days'. Although I'm not much of the screenwriter type myself, I found this to be a pretty interesting exercise regarding speed writing. Other than being amusing, it does have sound tips on how to be a productive writer, with the final goal of having written something that is watchable and doable, but not necessarily a masterpiece of screenwriting.RED reminder: three day reservation to open
Just in case you've forgotten, reservations for the RED ONE are opening for a limited time starting in two days on January 21st, and ending on January 24th. This will be the final chance before the upcoming NAB convention in April. I'm not sure if this is just a coincidence, but does this timing have anything to do with Sundance, which is going on at the same time...? Hrmm... Just a side thought.Hungry Flix: independent video distribution
Hungry Flix is a new distribution venture for independent video creators and filmmakers. This free service allows users to upload original videos and set their own prices on their work, with 60% of all profits going directly to the original creator. Although the website is in beta testing, a bunch of short and even feature length films are available for purchase. Notably, the site is geared towards providing content specifically for portable devices such as the iPod and Sony PSP, so the pricing reflects that target.Editing AVCHD files
Currently, there is no established workflow for editing AVCHD video, the latest HD format introduced by Panasonic and Sony. Proper editing software for editing raw AVCHD files will not be made available until at least March, however, resourceful reader Jake Ludington has discovered a workaround to editing the raw video produced by the Sony HDR-SR1. It's quite a complicated process and can only be accomplished on a PC due to the software that is involved, but if you need to be able to edit MT2S and cannot wait until the proper tools are released, this method might be your only solution. Be warned that is requires PowerDVD Ultra, VirtualDubMod, and AVIsynth, and a hearty helping of patience. But, there you have it! Thanks, Jake.The photographer's/videographer's rights
Today, more than ever, photographers are getting hassled and their rights to take public photographs are being questioned with the growing concerns (obsessions?) with maintaining security. However, it is important to understand one's rights when doing photography, and when authorities attempt to challenge your ability to take photographs outdoors, of buildings, etc., it is vital to know that you may not be in violation of any laws, as long as the property is public. This set of photographer's rights should also apply to videography, as far as I know, so it is important information worth noting if you find yourself in a potentially sticky situation.(via ProLost)
Netflix does video streaming
It looks like Netflix is in no real hurry to get into the movie download game with the announcement of their plans to incorporate video streaming to their website. Their new "Watch Now" feature (which is now available to subscribers) allows customers to stream anywhere between six to 48 hours of content per month. As of now, only a limited number of customers will be given access to the service, due to handling capacity concerns. On top of that, anyone interested must install special software on their PC to view the content. Currently, 1,000 TV shows and movies are available, and it seems that they can be viewed in full, but the fact that the video is streaming does not offer a whole lot of incentive to really use this "Watch Now" feature seriously. I think Scott Kirsner of CinemaTech is right when he labels this move a "stop-gap measure". Netflix does not want to lose their control over the DVD market by getting into downloads.< Previous Page | Next Page >
