American Cinema Blog

I’ll be honest, it took me some time to buy into the whole “green” movement. It just seemed so drastic and sudden that I couldn’t help but be mildly skeptical of people’s genuine motives. Out of nowhere, people are carrying groceries in burlap sacks and using light bulbs that make your kitchen feel like an operating room. Regardless of my delayed adoption, I get it now. I could certainly be more environmentally-friendly, but I’m determined to not be the generation responsible for the end of the world. You can get tips for greener living in countless magazines, websites, books, newspapers and TV shows but what about extending your efforts to your filmmaking? Should your love for Mother Earth pause when you’re on set? I think not. So let’s make films… greener. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday, the Florida House and Senate unanimously voted the Entertainment Industry Incentive Bill into legislation. This historic movement marks great potential for putting the Sunshine State back on the map in the Biz. Supporters of the bill are expecting an almost immediate effect in the job market – with new productions come new employment opportunities.

“This may be the single most important bill we passed this Session to bring high wage jobs to Florida almost immediately,” said Rep. Ambler.

Offering attractive incentives to film, video and TV productions will keep Florida competitive with other U.S. locations and should prove to be a very positive thing for the entertainment industry as a whole.

Throughout the history of filming in New York City, there have been no permit fees. This rare and highly-appreciated perk was used to lure new productions to The Big Apple. However, it looks like those days might be over. Due to budget woes, the fee to obtain a permit will now be $300. It’s not a lot but it’s certainly more than zero. The new fee applies to to films, commercials, music videos and television series shot in New York.

Each year, AFCI holds a Locations Trade Show in Santa Monica. Regardless of the production industry’s recent slump, this event beams a ray of light on the future of filmmaking. The 25th annual event brought in just as many exhibitors and visitors as ever before, showcasing hundreds of exciting locations around the world including Kentucky, Oregon, Romania and even Abu Dhabi.

This trade show is a great way to become acquainted with new and interesting places to shoot as well as their current tax breaks and local incentives.

Visit the AFCI Website

This is the first in a series of case studies I plan to do on creative independent film marketing. One of our esteemed ACEFEST Judges, Brant Sersen, wrote and directed a star-studded film entitled ‘Splinterheads‘ this past year. For their theatrical premiere in New York City, the ‘Splinterheads’ took over Union Square for the entire day on Friday, November 6th. They made it nearly impossible to live in Manhattan and not know about the film by the end of the day. Using elements of the film, they created a themed wonderland for passerby’s to enjoy and participate including amusement games, entertainment and free clown noses – all capped off by screenings at one of NYC’s largest theaters.

Aside from the on-site promotion this team has done, they have also been experimenting with plot-based viral marketing. This is a brilliant way to gain extra attention for your film. The goal is to create a fan base for a particular character in the movie. In the case of ‘Splinterheads’ it was The Amazing Steve, a hilariously self-absorbed magician who has used YouTube and Facebook to challenge Criss Angel to a battle of skill and illusion.

This is a perfect example of getting creative to get the word out. Your only limitation is your imagination!

The Future of 3D Cinema

Way back when Americans still idealized the future with promises of floating fast cars, robot butlers and conveyor belt trips to the market, they assumed cinema would change with the rest of the world. And it certainly has! Look at James Cameron’s recent award vacuum, ‘Avatar’ or the green screen testament ’300.’ There is no doubt that filmmaking has technically evolved alongside the audience’s growing expectations. But are we pushing it with 3D? I say yes. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by Zhanyi Jiang

Well, we’ve finally recovered from Thursday’s NYC Film Industry Party at Amnesia Nightclub. It was a huge success! We’ve received quite a bit of positive feedback as well as significant interest in another party already.

I do, however, want to candidly rant for a moment about some things we weren’t entirely pleased with. Throughout the evening, I was able to meet dozens upon dozens of new people without a problem, but the music was always blaring in the background. It certainly didn’t affect my networking process but it presented an obstacle, of course. We made several requests to have it turned down significantly which were ultimately fruitless in the end.

For 3 years now, ACEFEST has been hosting these events without so much as a hiccup in our formula. Guests travel from all over the state, and even the country, to attend and always leave satisfied. Needless to say, we cannot patronize a venue such as Amnesia Nightclub that doesn’t respect our attendees’ needs. This is what we get for trying to accommodate a growing number of interested people with a larger space. Thursday night was truly an incredible experience overall, with over 700 people in attendance, and we look forward to a future of better venues and new cities!

Also, to all who attended, we will be posting photos on a private website and e-mailing you a link within the week!

First of all, my apologies for the lack of posts last week – we were heavily swamped with the organization of our NYC Film Industry Party. It was a huge success by the way! Philippe Dauman, president and CEO of Viacom, spoke to over 300 business executives and politicians about the “three waves of change.”

“We need to create deep, immersive entertainment experiences for our audiences typically rooted in TV, and we have to make it easy for viewers to socialize around and with our programming.’’ – Dauman

Overall, the forecast is very optimistic for the TV and Film industries, according to Dauman.

Feel free to read the full details of this conference at Boston.com.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is expected to vote on a petition that will require performers in the porn industry to use condoms when filming. While we prepare for the imminent amount of spam comments to this post (based on its content), you should read the full story at LA Times.

Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein CBE, Co-Founder, Miramax Films and Co-Chairman, The Weinstein Company has been confirmed as the concluding keynote speaker at the Financial Times Business of Film Summit, to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha in Qatar, on 22 – 23 March.

Chaired by the Financial Times Los Angeles correspondent Matthew Garrahan, the FT Business of Film Summit 2010 features a distinguished line-up of speakers, and will offer an innovative agenda packed with best practice industry outlooks and interactive panel discussions. Proceedings will commence with a special Gala Reception and Dinner on the evening of 22nd March.

For more information about the FT Business of Film Summit, click here.