Archive for the ‘Filmmakers’ category

A Rare Chance to see THE WHOLE SHOOTIN’ MATCH

May 21st, 2009

The Whole Shootin MatchThe Whole Shootin’ Match

This is a rare opportunity to see a truly landmark independent film in venue other than PBS. Check it out and you won’t be sorry!

Screen Door Film, THE WHOLE SHOOTIN’ MATCH
WHEN: Fri May 22, 7 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)
WHERE: Jones Auditorium, St. Edward’s University (3001 S. Congress Ave)
COST: FREE
INFO: www.screendoorfilm.com

A landmark of American independent film from 1978, THE WHOLE SHOOTIN’ MATCH is a rapturous rediscovery. Eagle Pennell’s first feature details the tragi-comic struggles of two small-time schemers, Loyd (Lou Perryman) and Frank (Sonny Carl Davis), desperate to land their big break. Through its anecdotal narrative and fresh, honest observation of its characters, the film intimately captures a time and place (Austin, Texas, 1977) with its atmospheric photography and rough-hewn charm, making it an inspiration for filmmakers everywhere since its release. A panel following the film will discuss THE WHOLE SHOOTIN’ MATCH and it’s place in American independent cinema.

EaglelPinnell 1978
Categories: Narrative Feature
Pictures 1 picture
Run time: 108 min. | USA | Language: English

No wonder this is the film that prompted Robert Redford to start the Sundance Institute. The film has been missing in action for close to 25 years.

Will Politics Spoil the Texas Film Incentive Legislation

May 20th, 2009

It hasn’t taken long for the poop to hit the fan over the new entertainment tax incentive program recently passed by the Texas legislature. As you may have read or heard, a film production company named Entertainment 7 has been at the Cannes Film Festival touting their upcoming production about the Branch Davidian debacle. That production, WACO was supposedly going to headquarter in Austin and shoot here on a reported $30 million budget. That would have been the biggest film production to darken our doors in several years and would have provided a much needed boost to local film industry professionals and to those businesses who service film productions – hotels, restaurants, caterers, taxi drivers, florists, hardware and lumber businesses, etc. Woulda, coulda shoulda.

The news that the Texas Film Commission has turned down the WACO production for the incentive program has been brewing for several days and has now made its way from the American Statesman’s film blogs to the front page of the paper. The jist of the story is that Bob Hudgins, the director of the Texas Film Commission, and the party charged with the ability to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a production company seeking film incentive participation, has decided that the WACO production does not comply with the ‘content provision’ in the incentive legislation. What? Exactly what is a ‘content provision’ and why is it in this legislation?

The content provision was apparently added to the legislation by Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Steve Ogden and, per the Statesman article states that ‘filmmakers taking incentives cannot show Texas or Texans in a negative fashion.” Well that’s just dandy isn’t it because we all know that everything it perfect in Texas and nothing bad ever happens here. If this sounds like the legislation has set Bob Hudgins up to be a film censor, well, unfortunatley that just may be the unintended (to be generous) consequence.

During the TXMPA legislative action this year I asked a collegue if that provision couldn’t be removed as it smacked of censorship and was sure to keep away many worthy and possibly lucrative productions. I got a quick NO. I was told that this legislation would never pass without the ‘content provision’ because Ogden was too powerful and he insisted that the provision stay in the legislation.

It hasn’t taken long for this thorn in the incentive package to prick Bob Hudgins in the backside. Now instead of doing what he needs to be doing in promiting Texas as a friendly place to come shoot movies and television shows, he’s having to spend time defending his decision not to give incentives to WACO. Hudgins has been quoted as saying this is not censorship….just compliance with the law. Well…yes and no.

Hudgins is a good guy and I’m certain he would rather not be fighting this battle, particularly in the press. He’s stuck by Senator Ogden’s apparent need to protect Texas from being seen as imperfect in some unknown manner. He insists this is not censorship because the company is free to come and shoot in Texas…just not with the incentive package they would otherwise receive. So, technically he is right. But effectively, the result is the same.

This incident sends a message to all filmmakers that they must structure their screenplays, self-censoring if you will, so that the state of Texas will not take offense or they will not be eligible to receive tax incentives…the very incentives that are designed to bring film produciton BACK TO TEXAS.

We just can’t seem to keep from shoot ourselves in the foot can we? Just as soon as we get a program that is very competitive with Louisiana and New Mexico, we find that we have provided them with a big load of ammunition to use against us: “come to Louisiana where we don’t tell filmmakers what they can and cannot say”…

The whole mess has blown up into something of a publicity bonanza for the makers of WACO who, let’s face it, don’t care where they shoot their movie as long as they go where they can get the best deal for their money. Can’t blame them for that.

Maybe this mess will blow over and not be as big a deal as it seems right now. But the question is: What exactly is it that shows Texas or Texans in a bad light? Can we have no crime dramas? Movies with a bad guy who is a Texan? Historical films that one person or another could decide portrays Texas in a ‘bad light’? What exactly are the criteria for those determinations?

Let’s see…FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, shot in Austin and just nenewed for 26 more episodes contains many scenes of teenage drinking, teenage sexual situations and other content that could fall outside the acceptable parameters of this law. Is Hudgins now going to deny FNL incentive money to remain in Austin? Say it ain’t so. If he gives money to FNL will Senator Ogden be calling for his job? Say it ain’t so.

And how many film companies are going to say…”screw it, let’s just shoot in New Mexico” and we won’t have to sweat this stuff in the first place?

Time will tell…In the meantime, give some love to Bob Hudgins. He’s going to need it.

Two-week Turnaround Tour coming to Austin May 15th

May 6th, 2009

Two-week Turnaround Tour LogoI received an email a couple of days ago and forgot to post this information. Sorry Jamie. Check out the Two-week Turnaround Tour web site at the link below. This looks like something that the Austin filmmaking community will embrace:

My name is Jamie Blankenship. I am working on a community filmmaking project called the Two-week Turnaround Tour, or T3. Thousands of aspiring and professional filmmakers will come together in 14 US cities over 7 months to write, shoot, and screen a short film in the span of two weeks in each city.

We’re coming to Austin next and would love it if you could help us spread the word. All levels of experience are welcome. We believe everyone has something to offer the collaborative art of filmmaking! Austin will be our 4th city! We will be kicking off T3 Austin May 15th. For more information, you can visit our site at http://filmblazer.com/t3 and feel free to contact me anytime at  Jamie at filmblazer.com

Sincerely,

Jamie Blankenship

Here’s some info I copied from the really cool T3 site. This is just a tease…there’s lot’s more to see on the T3 site, so please check it out. Looks like fun to me.

What is the Two-week Turnaround tour?
The Two-week turnaround tour or T3 is a community filmmaking project. Filmblazer will visit 14 cites over 7 months. We will write, shoot, and screen a short film in each city in just two-weeks.

How does it all work?
Josh and Jamie get in an RV with all their Film equipment. We show up to a city and are greeted by our City Leader. We then have a kick off event, bringing together everyone who wants to help with the film. We work together to write a sweet film, shoot it, edit it, export it. We take a nap. We premiere the film, broadcasting live. We get in RV and drive to the next city. Repeat 14 time.
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What is a City Leader?
The city leader is the local liaison for each city and will be our go-to person throughout production. The city leader needs to be a motivated, organized, film enthusiast that will help us build the city teams, scout locations, plan the premiere event, and basically be responsible for making sure Josh and Jamie get to keep their sanity. If you are interested in being a city leader please contact us!
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What can I do to help make a short film?
This is a wide open question. Do you have access to a coffee shop? Do you have a ton of junk aka props? Can you make costumes? Are you really good with makeup? Do you like feeding people? We want everyone to bring something to the film because everyone has something to offer. Join a city and tell us what you can do. Plus we welcome people that can write, edit, act, light, you know normal film stuff :-)

UTFI Reading Series – TERRY by Brian Schwarz

May 2nd, 2009

I’ll be reading the role of Tom, Terry’s dad in TERRY by Brian Schwarz this coming Friday, 5/8/09 at the Austin Film Society Studio.

Here’s some more information on the series and on this reading:

All readings free and open to the public. Discussion to follow readings.

UTFI READING SERIES: Spring 2009
Co-sponsored by The Michener Center for Writers

Fri, 5/8, 6 pm: TERRY by Brian Schwarz (RTF MFA in Production)

Fresh out of prison and eager to start his life anew, Terry returns to his hometown and is forced to serve as the caretaker to the person who ratted him out 5 years ago – his dad.

Moderator: Bryan Poyser * Drama

SXSW Wrap Up – Notes on THE 2 BOBS

March 23rd, 2009

The 2 Bobs Movie PosterSXSW 2009 has come and gone and I was able to see only a couple of films this year. Now that there’s a little time to breathe I’ll post some thoughts on those two films. First up is THE 2 BOBS.

To be sure I’m well beyond the demographic that THE 2 BOBS targets, 15-25 year olds. The ones who get off on edgy video games, F-bomb humor and copious amounts of exposed flesh…real, illustrated or animated. You know, the age group that actually spends a lot of money on movies AND video games.

THE 2 BOBS starts at an almost frenetic pace that sucks in even the ‘old farts’ like me (I guess I didn’t really need the quotes around ‘old farts’, but I’m still coming to grips with being one) with clever graphics and effects work that give the film an initial visual style and appeal that seems opposed to the reality that this movie was shot for well under one million dollars on a SAG modified low budget agreement. Score one for the writer-director and his post-production team.

The film rocks along as we are introduced to the two Bobs – Horizontal Bob (Devin Ratray – the shorter, heavier one) and Vertical Bob (Tyler Francavilla - the taller, thinner one). Nerds to the core, these two otherwise complete losers discovered computer programming in high school, created their own video game and were transformed from a couple of loser, high school dweebs into a couple of loser, ex-high school dweebs…with money.

Here’s the story according to Voodoo Cowboy Entertainment and Texas Avenue Films:

The 2 Bobs is a video game geek comedy based in Austin, Texas. The story follows two gaming legends known as The 2 Bobs. But just as they finish their ground-breaking violent video game masterpiece, these gaming gurus discover their precious game software has been stolen – and with it, their livelihoods, genius reputations, and everything they own. To get back their game – and their lives -The 2 Bobs and their fellow-geek employees Munch, Doofus and The Dark Prince are forced to ‘turn detective’ and plunge into the strange world of Christian Venture Capitalists, aged Dixie Mafia hoodlums, and bizarre Internet Spammers that inhabit Austin.

The cast, a mixture of Texas pros and L.A. and NY actors all give enthusiastic, ‘can you believe we’re actually getting paid to do this?’ performances. But what the hey…this movie is a lot more PORKY’S than PATTON…uhhh, actually there is no PATTON here, but you get the picture…and the cast delivers the required goods. A particularly strong performance was turned in by Leonardo Nam as The Dark Prince, the most complete and interesting character in the ensemble.

Overall, THE 2 BOBS works as a broad comedy with a ‘keep Austin weird’ mentality. While it will be interesting to see how THE 2 BOBS plays at the upcoming AFI Dallas Film Festival, the full crowd at the SXSW screening I attended found no shortage of laugh out loud moments.

McCanlies’ fans who might be drawn to a film by the director of SECONDHAND LIONS or DANCER, TX POP. 81, should probably skip THE 2 BOBS if they’re expecting similar fare. Instead wait for the release of his next film, the more family friendly, ALABAMA MOON.

Attend SAG’s ARMADILLO DAY at 501 Studios – Austin!

March 14th, 2009

Just a reminder of today’s SAG event at 501 Studios:

Don’t Become Media Roadkill

This SRO event returns to Austin to speak of all things Screen Actors Guild.

Keep your career in the fast lane and off the shoulder.

Get all the info you need for your next film, webisode, video game, commercial, industrial or music video.

Join SAG Experts:
Darrien Michele Gipson, National Director of SAGIndie
Bob Jensen, Manager of National New Media Department
Steve Graham, National Director of Digital Marketing (iActor)
Todd Amorde, National Director of Organizing

Indie filmmakers, game developers, animators, directors, cds, agents and performers get together to get questions answered and discuss building the biz.

When: Saturday, March 14, 2009
2 – 4 p.m.
(Members only reception begins at 1 p.m.)

Where: 501 Studios
501 North IH-35
Austin, TX 78702
Free parking

Cost? Zip. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.

Texas Legislators See Red at TXMPA Lobby Day 2009

March 4th, 2009

TXMPA Lobby Day 2009 PosterTXMPA Lobby Day 2009 was a long day that began with a 7:30 AM rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol.

What a sight! Hundreds of film industry professionals and business people who benefit from a thriving film industry, many dressed in red, answered the call of the TXMPA and showed up for lobby day.

Crowd at TXMPA Lobby Day Cheer for HB 873

According to the Bob Hudgins of the Texas Film Commission,Bob Hudgins, Texas Film Commission Head7000 film jobs and $500 million in film industry revenue have been lost in the state since 2003. That’s when states like Louisiana and New Mexico began their programs that aggressively court film producers with tax incentive programs. Louisiana and New Mexico have been offering incentive and/or rebate programs that amount to roughly 25% of a film’s expenditures if shot in their respective states. Michigan is now drawing productions with its 40% incentive.

In 2006 in a ‘better late than never’ reaction to the well documented downturn in Texas location filming, the Texas Motion Picture Alliance (TXMPA) was born. After securing lobby firm Hillco Parters, TXMPA led the way and Texas produced its own film incentive package in 2007.

Unfortunately that legislation, with a 5% incentive and a cap of $20 Million spread over two years, just wasn’t competitive with the other states’ programs. The 2007 bill did produce some dividends in commercial and video game production but the feature film work that was a primary target of the legislation did not materialize.

The classic example of the failure of the 2007 legislation to stem the tide of lost feature film production is Drew Barrymore’s film, WHIP IT!. That film story is set in Austin, Texas and was scheduled to shoot in Austin. But that was before the state of Michigan implemented their whopping 40% film incentive program. Suddenly Ann Arbor, Michigan started looking a lot like an acceptable substitute for Austin, Texas. Goodbye Texas, hello Michigan. Goodbye jobs, etc. etc.

During today’s Lobby Day I was on a team that visited with four different legislators. All were open to the new legislation and passage of the bill looks like a good possibility. However, passage of the bill is only the first step. The program goes through a separate process to receive funding. If the bill passes but is not funded, it would be a completely hollow ‘victory’.

Late in the day I sat in on a committee meeting for House Bill 873 and listened to testimony by people like director/writer Richard Linklater and producer/director Garry Brown (Prison Break).

Linklater told the committee that he has a $17Million film that is set in Texas and is ready to go. He wants to shoot in Texas but he may end up shooting in Shreveport, LA if Texas doesn’t get an improved film incentive package passed this session.

Similarly, Garry Brown, who was responsible for bringing PRISON BREAK to Dallas for its second and third seasons, offered the committee the insight of a producer who has shot many projects in Texas and wants to shoot more. In fact, Brown announced that he has a TV Pilot for Twentieth Century Fox that he wants to shoot in Dallas. Once again, the selection of a shooting location will be heavily influenced by tax incentives.

The new proposed legislation (HP 873 / SB 605) seeks an increase in funding from $20Million to $62Million and gives the Texas Film Commission office much greater flexibility in negotiating the incentive rate on a project by project basis.

The tact that supporters were urged to take with legislators was to underscore that this is not a giveaway bill but a job creation bill and a bill designed to let Texas once again compete with other states on a more level playing field. No rebate money is distributed until after production money has already been spent on in-state moving picture projects.

The progress of these bills (HB 873 / SB 605 ) through the legislative process over the next couple of months will tell the story of the future of the Texas film industry.

TEXAS FILM INDUSTRY LOBBY DAY IS HERE

March 3rd, 2009

DATE: Wednesday, March 4th

TIME: 7:15am

LOCATION: The South Steps of the Capitol Building

WARDROBE: Wear Red. Look nice.

AGENDA:

· 7:15am – CALL TIME! Be on the South Steps of the Capitol Building in
your snazzy red outfits! There will be a table set up where you can get
information, pick up a Rally Fan, and be directed to the Rally area.

· 7:30am to 8:30am – Governor Rick Perry and other film bigwigs will
address our group while we RALLY and make a big show for the press

· 8:30am to 9:15am – Skits based on popular Texas films will be
performed for our entertainment and encouragement

· 9:15am to 11:15am – Rally on the steps OR walk the halls of the
Capitol wearing your red and carrying a sign or fan

· 11:30am to 1:30pm – Form a receiving line into and out of the lunch
tent so we can thank the legislators for their time and attention to our
issue (NOTE: Lunch is being served only to the legislators, their staff,
and TXMPA members who are taking meetings with them, not all in attendance!)

You are not REQUIRED to stay for any length of time for the Rally, but
we’d love to have the largest group possible earlier in the day to make
the best impression on the Governor and the press. If you can only come
for an hour or two, plan to be there right at CALL TIME!

A Working Class Actor Looks At The Deal That AFTRA Signed

February 11th, 2009

Self-described ‘working class actor’ John Cygan offers his take on the deal that AFTRA signed and why SAG should not agree to that same deal. What do you think?

SAG Signatory Film Productions – Texas and Louisiana – January Update

January 29th, 2009

The following is a list of POTENTIAL SAG signatory film productions that may shoot in Texas and Louisiana. This list is published in the interest of tracking the level of film production coming to Texas under the current 5% film incentive program.

Note that Texas has 11 potential signatory projects listed and Louisiana has 14. Of the eleven projects slated for shooting in Texas, three projects have budgets that place them in the ‘Theatrical’ category (Total budget over $2,500,000) and the other eight projects are “Low Budget” (Total budget of less than $2,500,000), “Modified Low Budget” (Total budget of less than $625,000) or “Ultra Low Budget” (Total budget of less than $200,000) projects.

Of the fourteen projects slated for Louisiana, nine have budgets at the “Theatrical” level, one is a Television Series, and only three are at the “Low Budget” or “Ultra Low Budget” level.

The TXMPA effort to significantly increase Texas’ current 5% incentive program is well underway. Visit the TXMPA site and see how you can help us bring more Theatrical budget level productions back to Texas.

Texas

Apparition

Firestorm Pictures – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Houston, TX

Start Date: To be determined

Beyond the Farthest Star

Pathlight Entertainment, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Start Date: February 2, 2009

Broken Promise, A South Texas Story

Que Tal Productions, LLC – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Brownsville, Mercedes, TX

Start Date: February 15, 2009

The Chops

Steven Cortinas – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA

Start Date: To be determined

The Final

Final Fate Features, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Dallas, TX

Start Date: March 2, 2009

Kalle King

Susie T. Entertainment – Low Budget

Location: Dallas, TX, New York, NY, Hollywood, CA

Start Date: November 23, 2008


The Killer Inside Me

KIM Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Oklahoma City, OK; Lockhart, TX

Start Date: To Be Determined


The Letter H

GCP Film, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Houston, El Paso, TX

Start Date: March 2, 2009

Minority Western

FAD Productions – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Arizona, Dallas, TX

Start Date: To Be Determined

Restive

Restive, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Waco, TX

Start Date: February 16, 2009

Shadow Play

Silvatar Media, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Waco, TX

Start Date: February 16, 2009


Louisiana

Caged Innocence

United Spirits LLC – Theatrical

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined

The Chameleon

Chameleon Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: February 2, 2009

Dead Whisper

Dead Whisper Pictures, LLC – Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA; Big Bear, CA

Start Date: To be determined

Dead of Night

Long Distance Films, Inc – Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Disconnect

Triumphant Pictures – Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: March 10, 2009


The Expendables

Alta Vista Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Eyes of the King

Eyes of the King, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Louisiana (non-specific)

Start Date: To be determined


Happy Holidays Katherine Sloane

Happy Holidays Katherine Sloan, LLC – Theatrical

Location: New York, NY; New Orleans, LA

Start Date: February 1, 2009


Mania

Mania Productions, LLC – Low Budget

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: March 10, 2009

Preaching to the Pastors

Digital Media Production House – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Sons of Thunder

Insight Entertainment, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Montgomery, AL; Atlanta, GA

Start Date: March 1, 2009

Three Stories about Joan

Three Stories Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined


True Blood – TV Series

HBO – TV

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Dates: February, April and June 2009

WSOT Productions 1, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: February 3, 2009