theatrical mapping project

Hope this finds everyone well. In an effort to build a venue database, we've started a theatrical mapping project over at the workbook site.


The map is meant to be "embed and spread." If you know of a good digital screen feel free to add it. Once something is added, it will be viewable where ever someone has embedded the map.

Copy and paste the following code into your pages:
<iframe src="http://platial.com/map/11858/workbook/s0" style="width:800px;height:600px;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe>

A flash version for myspace and other social networking profiles that only take flash. Copy and paste the following code into your pages.
<embed src="http://platial.com/publish/yahoo/ymap_publish.swf?id=11858" quality="high" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="400" width="450" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"><br /></embed>

6 links to official sites of Indie Features movies added, MORE COMING SOON

The plan has been, for some time now, to add links to all the official sites of the movies that members of this blog have written about during the past year. I am going to finish up that project in the coming days. If you look to the right hand side of the main page (you may have to scroll all the way down), you'll see the LINKS section. Added 6 links today:

Links

Date Number One

Head Trauma

Killing Down

Jumping Off Bridges

The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah

LOL

More coming soon!

- Sujewa

CustomFlix announces support for internet downloads of indie movies through Amazon Unbox

Thanks News of the Dead for the link. Here is the opening paragraph of CustomFlix's press release re: the new service (links by me):

" CustomFlix Labs, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced its support for Amazon.com's video download service, Amazon Unbox, by adding video downloads to its current DVD and CD on Demand services. This new CustomFlix service now enables independent filmmakers and other DVD content owners to make their content available as video downloads to tens of millions of Amazon.com customers through Unbox."

Read the rest of it here.

I checked out a download time chart of theirs, with a high speed cable connection (6 Mbps) you can start watching a 2 hour movie in less than 3 minutes through this download service, & you can watch the downloaded material on your TV once you hook your computer up to your TV (more on the Amazon Unbox FAQ).

- Sujewa

A US Art/Indie/Foreign/Alt Critics List

Here is the link for the indieWIRE page with the names of the critics (& their publications) who participated in iW's year end poll re: best films & performances, etc. (which is a feature imported from Village Voice). Filmmaker/distributors who are distributing a film next year may want to get a screener to the hands of some or all of the critics listed on the page. If a lot of them like your film, it will be another useful marketing thing. The list includes print & web critics.

Lance Weiler interviews Absurda's Eric Bassett re: INLAND EMPIRE self-distribution

Sounds very exciting. Check it out here & hear all about how David Lynch & co. is gonna do their INLAND EMPIRE self-distribution magic.

- Sujewa

Getting your DVD on Amazon.com

If you are self-distributing, there are 3 options for getting your film listed & sold through Amazon.com: 1) CustomFlix, 2) Advantage, & 3) Pro Merchant. Read about them & get links here. Advantage looks like the best option for me. CustomFlix maybe the least expensive & the option that requires the least amount of work on the part of the filmmaker.

- Sujewa

future of web video

NEW "this conference is being recorded" PODCAST . This week's guest is Scott Kirsner. Scott discusses his new book "The Future of Web Video" The conversation covers a wide range of subjects around the new emerging web video economy. Scott shares some insight into how certain filmmakers have even been able to gross upwards of $30,000 dollars off their viral web shorts.

To hear, download or subscribe to the podcast visit http://workbookproject.com

Big thanks to everyone who has sent in project info to be included in the first edition of the "workbook" If you still would like to have your project listed in the 1st edition it's totally free and painless. Just send us the following

- project description
- status (shooting, post, distro - fest, theatrical, DVD, online etc.)
- shooting format and budget
- link to sites, blogs, social pages etc.
- link to trailer

thanks!

Fylmz interview re: Date Number One & self-distribution

Check it out here. Thanks!

My interview with the director of Off the Black (new off-beat Nick Nolte drama from THINKFilm)

I hung out with a very cool dude yesterday; a 28 year old first time feature filmmaker with a movie, Off the Black, that: stars Nick Nolte, was selected for Sundance 06, was made for a very low budget with the help of veteran indie producer Scott Macaulay, will soon be coming to theaters from THINKFilm. Here is the link to my interview with director James Ponsoldt. Check it out, maybe a good & useful read.

Post on Indie-Pictures at WDF blog

Check out the post here indie filmmakers. Indie-Pictures sounds interesting; they say they have wide reach when it comes to DVD distribution.

Date Number One clip on YouTube

Fin-n-nally getting caught up on things; just uploaded my first real YouTube clip - a less than 2 minutes long segment from Date Number One's Story 3: Start Over (it may be labeled wrong on the clip). In the clip a guy is trying to start all over with an ex-girlfriend. More & better quality YouTube clips are on the way, no doubt, as I figure out all the nifty details of making great web video files. In the meantime, here is the link to the clip, enjoy!