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Tons of info on releasing DVDs at John Reiss's Filmmaker Mag article

Check it out here . Lots of info. in the article, could be very useful for DIY filmmakers & self-distributors. I didn't see one option listed or talked about - selling DVDs through Amazon - by getting a Pro-Merchant account (about $40 a month) & it appears you have to have UPC codes on your DVD in order to list them on Amazon (i'll have more on this option at the end of Feb. after I've listed the Date Number One DVD on Amazon). Check out Reiss's article at Filmmaker Mag . - Sujewa

Box Elder review at Row Three

Curious about the touring indie/DIY filmmaker Todd Sklar's movie Box Elder? Then here's a review of the flick at Row Three . From the review: "It gets a bit herky-jerky, but that’s of little importance as the genius is in the “it’s funny cause it’s true” style comedy. Inevitably, it doesn’t really matter when we are. What matters is what’s happening at that particular moment. For instance, one of the segments is simply titled “Junior Year” and is about a two minute long segment of two guys having a quick, inane conversation in a sandwich shop before we skip ahead to senior year. So some of the comedy lies simply with the editing and structure of the movie itself. Kudos." Read the rest of the review at Row Three . And here's the site for Box Elder . - Sujewa

Hal Hartley, Beat filmmakers, Alex Cox - 3 new film books from Soft Skull Press

Got a pleasant surprise in the mail today - 3 recently published books about film from Soft Skull Press - looks like I've got my winter film related reading . Here are the links to the work, flipped through all of them & can't wait to read each fully: True Fiction Pictures & Possible Films - Hal Hartley in conversation with Kenneth Kaleta, by Hal Hartley From Soft Skull's site: "Hal Hartley's comedies of unlikely love, trust, and social questioning have been provocative must-sees for the past two decades with critics and audiences alike. In this book of interviews with Kenneth Kaleta, Hartley reflects on the evolution of his filmmaking, elaborating on the forces he believes helped shape it and the ways in which his aspirations develop as time goes on, revealing a good deal of what it is like to be an independent creative artist in a commercially driven culture. This is an important resource for anyone interested in Hartley's filmmaking in particular, a

So you'll be at the Medicine for Melancholy opening tomorrow night right?

Pretty much all the cool indie filmmakers & fans that I know in NYC are planning on attending the Medicine for Melancholy opening at IFC Center tomorrow , so, it should be a fun event (and it'll be a great networking event for those of you who are into that kind of thing). Go check out Barry Jenkins' debut feature - a lot of film festivals have liked it - but don't let that stop ya :), & some people are throwing MfM in with Mumblecore - don't let that stop you either - MfM is more like a regular movie - it actually is a regular movie - with a plot, script, good acting, etc. - then an improvised non-scripted thing shot in a hipster apartment with hand held shaky-ness (not that there is anything wrong with all that stuff, I do like some of those movies, and some of my movies have those very same qualities at points - but this invite is to people who have not been WOW'd by the newest new wave of no/lo budget 'merican indies - your days in the digital video

IFBRT has been invited to screen at another film event

So it looks like the 2/17 World Premiere will not be the only US screening of Indie Film Blogger Road Trip in the near future. A programmer for a screening event saw the 9 minute clip from the film & said he wants to show the doc at his event - dates & details to be determined in the coming weeks. Once everything is set up, will announce the details here (I'll probably start promoting the next screening after the 2/17 event, makes it simpler). Nice to know that the doc will receive more promotion, from another source & another screening opportunity. In the meantime, see ya on 2/17 at Anthology! It's gonna be a film blogger party yo. - Sujewa

Trailer for When You're Strange, the Tom DiCillo directed documentary about The Doors

Looks great, can't wait to see it: Check out DiCillo's site & blog here . When You're Strange premiered at Sundance '09. DiCillo is the director of several fiction features, including the indie filmmaking classic Living In Oblivion. According to DiCillo all footage in the documentary is original material from the past, no re-creations were used. Sounds like a great project, no doubt specially for fans of The Doors. - Sujewa

Need a list of cool video stores in NYC

A friend of mine wants a list of cool video/DVD stores in Manhattan, Brooklyn, & anywhere in or near NYC where he may be able to sell his movies. If you've got any suggestions, please leave them in comments. Thanks!

I'll be on The Obenson Report podcast February 9

Tambay & I will discuss Indie Film Blogger Road Trip plus anything else we want to talk about on the Mon 2/9 episode of The Obenson Report podcast .

Yeah, I am going to have to write a brief history of DIY film

'cause too many of the "new kids" (both in production & film writing) think DIY film - or working outside of Hollywood (& in more recent times indiewood) for production & distribution of movies started in 2005 with Mumblecore!!!! :) :) :) So, will have to look back in time to the days of Oscar Micheaux (pictured on top) & beyond (1930's & earlier), then more recently to Jonas Mekas & other 60's breakthrough NYC underground/indie/DIY filmmakers (Andy Warhol used the term DIY filmmaker in a book he wrote in the 70's or 80's, will have the title later), early efforts by John Waters, to Sarah Jacobson , Jon Moritsugu, & projects like The Last Broadcast, The Debut, Robot Stories, & more. Leave suggestions on comments re: filmmakers & projects I should mention in my brief history of DIY film. I'll probably have the post done at some point in early March at the latest. Once the thing is done, when we see someone trying to

Real life still better than HD :: Blogger doc played well to a blogger who was not featured in it :: End of things & beginning of things

MONDAY NOTES REALITY STILL BETTER THAN HD As I walked out of a building in Manhattan this evening (near 49th St. subway station) I was struck by the various shades of blues & reds in the sky and towering buildings nearby. It was better than seeing a well shot scene on HD. Perhaps physically being there gave the moment added excitement - something that you don't get by watching an image on an HD monitor. So, still, at this point in time, seeing something in the flesh at a beautiful moment is better than watching an image of it on HD. That may not be for too long, perhaps, since image quality keeps getting better - but, for the moment, I am glad that organic still trumps tech. KEVIN LEE SAW THE BLOGGER DOC I played Indie Film Blogger Road Trip to Kevin Lee today & he, as far as I can tell, enjoyed it. He said the film will make for some lively discussions on 2/17 when it premieres at Anthology . Kevin will introduce the movie & will moderate the post-show

Full Movie - SNEAK PREVIEW - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene And The Mystery Of Immortal Time Travelers

NEW - COSMIC DISCO DETECTIVE RENE (2023) - TRAILER!

The Secret Society For Slow Romance (2022) - available to rent as a new release starting January 1

Werewolf Ninja Philosopher at Vimeo VOD

Reading Material

Indie Film Blogger Road Trip