So, you're a videoblogger with a great idea and absolutely no dinero to fund your online project, what do you do? Do you stuff the idea in that dusty drawer of yours? You can, but there's another option.
We all talk about how it doesn't have to cost anything to videoblog - and it doesn't. But more recently vloggers are becoming more ambitious with the stories they feel need to be told. Stories that will take time to develop - and we as filmmakers know how that goes. Pre-production costs, time to edit, shoot, tape stock, equipment, and the occasional sandwhich. For all of those reasons Have Money Will Vlog (HMWV) was created.
AOL recently soft-launched their new video social networking community, AOL UnCut, this week. The official launch is set for the end of June/beginning of July.
I tried it out and was moderately impressed. You can upload videos of up to five minutes in length, which get converted into their Flash 8 compression settings. The compression settings are slightly better than YouTube's. The site also shares similar features such as rating videos, commenting, embedding the player into your own blog as well as your AOL journal, and adding videos to your favorites list. There is also an AOL IM feature that seems pretty cool, but didn't work on my system.
So, I'm sure everyone's heard the news by now - how Bittorrent has struck a deal with the Hollywood big-wigs (namely Warner Bros.) so that they can distribute their TV shows and movies through BT's peer-to-peer system.
Sounds really cool, and is huge news for the video world, but there are a couple of points of concern here...
What
do you get when you fill a room with hundreds of videophiles? Vloggercon, of course.
Seriously folks, I'm pretty psyched about meeting so many of the people who have been creating video,
experimenting with new visual technologies, and just putting it all out there and changing the landscape of media.
Some time back I interviewed
Micki Krimmel and Daniel Hengeveld of Particpate.net, which is an online
community of filmlovers, filmmakers, and activists dedicated to supporting films attached to a social cause. If the
name sounds familiar, it's because Participate.net is the online community branch of Participant Productions which has produced Oscar caliber films like
Syriana, Murderball, North Country, and Good Night and Good Luck. Their belief is that a movie can be both compelling
and move people to action... movies where the true measure of success is based on positive social change.
In merging films with activism, I would say that Participate.net is a standout. On the site folks discuss topics like
climate change and censorship and can take part in various ongoing campaigns that are attached to each film. It's a
service that's well-needed, especially in Hollywood. How cool would it be if other studio houses would follow suit?
Here's one with a heart (plus, I've volunteered to help spread the word because I think it's such a great cause). Film Your Issue (FYI) is having a nationwide contest where you submit a 30-60
second socially conscious film. According to their web site "any film that elicits passion for you, from AIDS to
homelessness to healthcare to discrimination. Any approach is welcome, using honesty, humor, seriousness to present a
society issue that you feel strongly about." It doesn't cost anything to enter and the winners get the most
awesome prizes that any filmmaker would appreciate...
Posted Jan 20th 2006 7:05AM by Zadi Diaz Filed under: Web
It's that time again. The Converse Gallery wants your original 24
second film. But this time they want films that are based on a theme. The themes are "imagination,"
"escape," "renaissance," and "secret." It's up to you whether or not your Chuck Taylors
appear in your film, the only thing they ask for is they be films and not commercials - although they would be in
essence just that. If your film is selected you get $1,000 and if selected for TV you get $10,000. They have dozens of
songs you can download from their site for your soundtack. Sounds like fun...deadline is in ten days though, so you
have to hurry.
The Beastie Boys upped their coolness factor
(like it can go any higher) when they broke the concert video mold by giving hand-held video cameras to 50 fans and
told them to shoot at will. The only instructions were to start when The Beasties hit the stage and stop when it was
over - anything in between was up to the filmmaker. The end result was "Awesome: I F--kin' Shot That!"
(that's the name of the video) which debuts this Saturday at Sundance
and will be released by ThinkFilm in March. The democratization of filmmaking continues...
BTW - if you're
on MySpace, they'll soon be having a contest to create a video of one of two Beastie
Boys songs, "Sabotage" and "Shake Your Rump" so stay tuned.
Totally Unauthorized at filmhacks.blogspot.com has been covered all over the place from the L.A. Times to Craigslist's Top Ten Hollywood Blogs. If you're even mildly interested on what happens behind the scenes from a crew member's point of view, then this is a must-read.
Peggy Archer (not her real name) gives us the lowdown on everything from what schedules are like, the highs and lows of film crew life, as well as her personal social life, or her attempt to have one since she can work up to 14 hours at a time. It's an awesome inside peak for anyone who would like a primer on daily filmmaking life.
Posted Dec 16th 2005 6:48AM by Zadi Diaz Filed under: Trends
If you're a film student, web activist, or media artist then you know that the issue of fair use has been a big question mark over most of our heads. What are the limits on the amount of material we can "borrow," what is considered borrowing and what is considered stealing? When does the gray area turn black and white?
After more than a year of research Marjorie Heins and Tricia Beckles of the Brennan Center of Justice have compiled first hand stories from artists, scholars, media artists, filmmakers, and more into a comprehensive report which details the unbalanced landscape between intellectual property and free expression. A must read.
Since 1974, the AFI has trained over 200 women filmmakers become formidable forces in the filmmaking industry. Some of the alumni include Lesli Linka Glatter of Grey's Anatomy, Randa Haines of Children of a Lesser God, and Victoria Hochberg of Sex and the City.
Now in it's 20th cycle, the AFI is yet again looking for the next set of women to train in it's directing workshop. The training focuses on development and production of a short film and ends in a premiere screening. To enter you have to submit a short screenplay, which you'll then develop for three weeks, go into pre-prodcution for five weeks, shoot for five days, and then go into post-production for 20 days. AFI provides the equipment, a $5,000 grant, and all the knowledge and support you'll need.
If you're an independent filmmaker with a story to tell and a film to back it up, then the Independent Television Service (ITVS) is looking for you. ITVS works with independent producers by funding, distributing, and promoting projects that represent underrepresented points of view to underserved audiences.
Right now deadlines for the International Media Development Fund, which provides production funds to non-U.S. citizens, is on January 20, 2006. The Open Call Deadline, providing finishing funds for programs of any subject, is February 10, 2006. And Local Independent Collaboration with Stations (LInCS) deadline, providing matching funds to partnerships between public TV and indie producers, is May 25, 2006.
Being here in L.A. is a little surreal at times. There are moments you look around and realize you're the only girl in a sea of boys. Good sometimes, but a little disappointing when you'd like to work with other like-minded female filmmakers. I'm not the only one who has noticed. This Oscar season, Movies by Women and the Guerilla Girls are teaming up with a billboard that highlights some pretty startling facts:
Posted Dec 6th 2005 9:45PM by Zadi Diaz Filed under: Web
A while ago I was wishing for a vlog version of Santa. Wow, I'm starting to believe my mother lied to me when she said there was no Santa Claus. My wish has come true!
I just finished watching Rocketboom and saw a highlight on Vlog Santa. Now this isn't your everyday run-of-the-mill Santa Claus - he's better - and he's digital. So if you have a question for Vlog Santa, record yourself and send him the link. He answers your questions every Friday. Who knows, maybe Vlog Santa will put you on his nice list... although, I don't think he has one of those.
Right now I'm looking for a good tripod, and I remembered one I had seen a while back - an odd looking one in the shape of a wheel. Not exactly a tripod, but definitely a portable camera stabilizer, the Fig Rig makes moving your camera around and keeping it steady seem simple.
Mike Figgis (director of Leaving Las Vegas) had invented this rig in order to keep mobile and steady while moving around and tilting his camera - something that you can't really do with a body harness. Although the thing looks a bit weird (and can make your arms tired), I can see how it can be useful. In searching around I also found a DIY fig rig. The real Fig Rig costs about 300 bucks. The DIY version about $30.
AOL recently soft-launched their new video social networking community, 
So, I'm sure everyone's heard the news by now - how 
It's that time again. The 
The Beastie Boys
Totally Unauthorized at 
Since 1974, the AFI has trained over 200 women filmmakers become formidable forces in the filmmaking industry. Some of the alumni include Lesli Linka Glatter of Grey's Anatomy, Randa Haines of Children of a Lesser God, and Victoria Hochberg of Sex and the City. 
If you're an independent filmmaker with a story to tell and a film to back it up, then the 
