Several '06 filmmaker/bloggers (Schnack, self, Hansen, Swanberg, etc.) having successes right about now - mid '07

Just a quick observation: about this time last year & a little bit earlier Chris Hansen, myself, Joe Swanberg, and AJ Schnack were blogging about our movies & discussing indie/DIY production & distribution. And now, about a year later, we've got some very interesting developments happening with various feature film projects: Hansen's American Messiah (his first feature) announced a significant distribution deal, my Date Number One (my second feature/third long project - over 1 hour long; more info. on previous projects here) is less than two weeks away from having a week long run in the DC area, Swanberg's Hannah Takes the Stairs (his third feature) announced a distribution deal with IFC's First Take, and AJ's Kurt Cobain About A Son (his second feature) is winning raves (and at least one significant award that i know of) from coast to coast at film fests. This is just an off-the-top-of-my-head list, by no means complete, because I am sure there are other filmmaker/bloggers that I first heard about in early '06 or had some web interactions with who are making significant progress in their filmmaking careers right now (leave notes in Comments re: some of these projects please). Explore each of the stories/projects mentioned from the links above & celebrate the fact that a new crop of low budget ultra-indie/DIY inclined filmmaker/bloggers are moving forward, taking big steps, with their filmmaking endeavors. And since we blog we will be leaving a record for future low budget & DIY distro inclined indie filmmakers to, maybe, get some useful tips & strategies from - let's hope :)

UPDATE: Let's not forget Mike Tully - his Silver Jew (follow up to last year's Cocaine Angel) is making the fest rounds & is being received well - plus Tully is planning a new feature, and Susan Buice & Arin Crumley's Four Eyed Monsters (their first feature) - the much talked about DIY/self-distro film that recently did an innovative collaboration using YouTube & the Spout site. All three of those filmmakers were active this time last year with their blogs & movies.

- and I am waiting to see filmmaker/blogger* David Lowery bust out with a feature this year. He wrote about DIY film distribution early last year; he writes well & has made some excellent shorts (on top of being a co-director on the collaborative feature Dead Room).

* filmmaker/blogger = flogger? :)

- and let's not forget Blake Calhoun of Killing Down fame.

- Sujewa