Indie LIBRE

Society of Cinematic Arts Liberation - SOCAL

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IndieLIBRE has Moved!

Thanks for checking out Indie LIBRE! To see more posts and to follow the upcoming events, please visit me on wordpress:

https://indielibre.wordpress.com/

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FREE Mooc: The Language of Hollywood: Storytelling, Sound, and Color

This week, you can still catch the start of a free film history course presented by Coursera and Wesleyan University.  This course focuses on the technical changes that affected Hollywood storytelling.  It's a five week course in which you'll receive a certificate.  It covers films from 1928 to 1958, including Monkey Business, Scarface, and The Ghost Ship.

Be sure to register for free on the Coursera website: coursera.org/course/hollywood

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FREE Webinar: Understanding Adobe Anywhere

Today, MOVIOLA is offering a free webinar on Adobe Anywhere, a product that allows project sharing and remote client access.  If you need to share a large editing project or video files with multiple people, this may be a useful tool. Be sure to register in advance, and it's free if you watch it live (11:30 am PST).

moviola.com/webinars/everything-you-need-to-know-about-adobe-anywhere/

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Don't Let the Cameras Get You Down

The feature film Tangerine's success at Sundance is a reminder that expensive cameras and equipment don't equate great films.  Although I don't think I'd personally choose an iPhone to make my next film, it was interesting to read about the accessories they used to create the film.  If anything, it's a reminder to never let a lack of equipment get in the way of creating your story.

nofilmschool.com/2015/01/feature-film-blew-everyone-away-sundance-shot-on-iphone

Info on Tangerine: facebook.com/TangerineFilm

On Moondog Lenses: moondoglabs.com/

On Moment Cases: kickstarter.com/projects/584288471/moment-case-worlds-best-iphone-case-for-mobile-pho

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FREE FILM COURSE from the National Film and Television School (UK)

Tomorrow, a free MOOC begins with Future Learn and NFTS.  This is a basic introduction to filmmaking, but it will also give you the chance to share your ideas with other budding filmmakers.  It might be a great refresher course for storytelling. I'm most interested in hearing the advice of Nik Powell, a producer on many of Neil Jordan's films. (I'm a big Neil Jordan fan!)

Be sure to register in advance: futurelearn.com/courses/explore-filmmaking

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Free Film Course

Coursera is offering an upcoming MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) from University of Edinburgh on Andy Warhol.  His films will be one focal point of the course, with a particular emphasis on the element of time featured in Week 5. You can register for the course now, and it will start on Feb. 2nd.  The online discussions of the course are a great way to offer your interpretations and see the ideas and opinions of others.  

coursera.org/course/warhol

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If you happen to live in the Los Angeles area, then you could catch a free screening of Wild Tales.  On 1/29 (Thursday) @ 7:30pm, Cinefamily is hosting a free screening, and filmmaker Damian Szifron will be in attendance for a Q & A. Wild Tales (Argentina) has been nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, so this would be a great chance to check it out! If you plan on attending, make sure to pre-register for the event on the Cinefamily site, and arrive extra early. (For free Cinefamily shows, sometimes I'd get there an hour early and not get in if it's crowded.) 

cinefamily.org/films/special-events-january-2015/#free-sneak-preview-wild-tales-filmmaker-in-person

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Travel Channel Pitch

On a side note, as I travel through Japan and Europe this year, I'd like to make a short video series highlighting any cool things I find.  Right now, the Travel Channel is looking for a new host.  If you have a spare minute, check out my video pitch and give it some stars!  

my.travelchannel.com/travel-channel-star/Where-have-all-the-Craftsmen-g/detail.esi?oid=31346446

l St

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INTRO TO FILM FINANCING

Lately, I've been interested in the financial aspects of filmmaking.  Films rarely make a profit, and we spend all our money making them.  I'm learning how to be a better producer, and I found this article series from Lights Film School to be helpful.  Check it out! lightsfilmschool.com/blog/an-introduction-to-independent-film-financing/12349/

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Seeing as Lynch was also born in January (Jan. 20th, 1946), I couldn't leave out his favorite films.  So in addition to Fellini's list below, I'll add Sunset Boulevard and Mr. Hulot's Holiday to my list. 

Mr. Hulot's Holiday

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Fellini's Top 10 Films

Celebrate the spirit of Fellini this month, in honor of his birthday! (He was born Jan. 20th, 1920.)  I'm going to attempt to re-watch some of the films on his top 10 list:

The Circus/City Lights/Monsieur Verdoux (1928,31,47, Charles Chaplin)

Any Marx Brothers or Laurel and Hardy

Stagecoach (1939, John Ford)

Rashomon (1950, Akira Kurosawa)

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972, Luis Bunuel)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, Stanley Kubrick)

Paisan (1946, Roberto Rossellini)

The Birds (1963, Alfred Hitchcock)

Wild Strawberries (1957, Ingmar Bergman)

8 1/2 (1963, Federico Fellini)

The Open Culture article on Fellini's top 10 can be found here: openculture.com/2015/01/federico-fellinis-list-of-his-10-favorite-films-includes-one-of-his-own.html

La Strada is my personal favorite film of his.  

This is a picture of me, taken by photographer David Tinius Rossi (davidtiniusrossi.com).

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HOUSHI

Since I'm currently in Japan, I thought I'd share this beautiful video I came across on Vimeo.  It features a family run hot spring hotel that was established around 1,300 years ago. I'm not far from Awazu, so hopefully I'll have a chance to check it out in person.

vimeo.com/114879061

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Free Footage!!

In honor of the Indie LIBRE logo, I've decided to share some good news!  The Public Domain Project has made 10,000 film clips, 64,000 images, and hundreds of audio files free to use for your creative endeavors.  (Check the terms for each file.)  Included in the royalty free footage is George Melies' "Trip to the Moon", one of my personal favorite films!  I know I'll be putting some of the vintage footage to use in my next project.  Maybe you'll find a clip or photo that inspires you!  To read more about the project, check out this article and explore the archive:

openculture.com/2015/01/the-public-domain-project-makes-10000-film-clips-free-online.html

The Archive: www.pond5.com/free

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20 Filmmaking Mantras

In this article, Elliot Grove, founder of the Raindance Film Festival, provides 20 mantras you can use every day for great filmmaking.

                            1. Filmmakers don't choose their fans. Fans choose their filmmaker.

2. Film lovers choose filmmakers they trust and respect.

3. Be yourself.

4. Filmmakers need a base of power and authority -- but the more they use it, the less there is left.

5. The best filmmakers use persuasion.

6. Filmmakers set the ethical standards.

7. Integrity is the bedrock of effective filmmakers.

8. “Selfship” is the enemy of filmmaking.

9. Be quick to praise, but slow to admonish. Praise in public, but admonish in private.

10. A great filmmaker stamps out self-serving politics.

11. Be sure to know as much as possible about the people you are collaborating with.

12. A filmmaker manages the shoot, but great fimmakers lead their team.

13. Flexibility is an essential characteristic.

14. A filmmaker is a steward.

15. Sleep on it.

16. When making decisions about people, listen to your gut.

17. Great filmmakers avoid the phony.

18. Learn to say, out loud, “I was wrong” and “I don’t know.”

19. If you know a plan or decision is wrong, don’t implement it. Instead, keep talking.

20. Each of us has potential to be a filmmaker.

To read more about the meaning of these mantras and how he came up with them, check out the article on the Raindance website: 

www.raindance.org/20-mantras-great-filmmakers-use-every-day/

While the Raindance Filmmaking Courses and Certificates cost money, there are a lot of great free resources under the Tips & Vids section of their website.

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Free Workshop: Using Third Party Content

Today, MOVIOLA is offering a free workshop on tips for using third party content. You must register for the event and watch it in real-time for it to be free.  If you want to learn more about stock footage licensing or the pro's and con's of using stock footage, this could be an interesting event.

Date: Jan. 20th, 2015 Time: 11:30 PST

For more information and to register, visit: moviola.com/webinars/how-to-find-and-use-great-third-party-content/

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Werner Herzog's Advice to Filmmakers

1. Always take the initiative. 2. There is nothing wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot you need. 3. Send out all your dogs and one might return with prey. 4. Never wallow in your troubles; despair must be kept private and brief. 5. Learn to live with your mistakes. 6. Expand your knowledge and understanding of music and literature, old and modern. 7. That roll of unexposed celluloid you have in your hand might be the last in existence, so do something impressive with it. 8. There is never an excuse not to finish a film. 9. Carry bolt cutters everywhere. 10. Thwart institutional cowardice. 11. Ask for forgiveness, not permission. 12. Take your fate into your own hands. 13. Learn to read the inner essence of a landscape. 14. Ignite the fire within and explore unknown territory. 15. Walk straight ahead, never detour. 16. Manoeuvre and mislead, but always deliver. 17. Don’t be fearful of rejection. 18. Develop your own voice. 19. Day one is the point of no return. 20. A badge of honor is to fail a film theory class. 21. Chance is the lifeblood of cinema. 22. Guerrilla tactics are best. 23. Take revenge if need be. 24. Get used to the bear behind you.

These little knowledge nuggets can be found on the back of the book "Werner Herzog-A Guide for the Perplexed".  www.amazon.com/Werner-Herzog-Perplexed-Conversations-Cronin-ebook/dp/B00KEW6ACQ

You can also read more about the complexities of Werner in the Open Culture post: www.openculture.com/2015/01/werner-herzogs-24-pieces-of-filmmaking-life-advice.html

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ORIGINS - Free Movie Screening and Interviews

For a few more hours, the world premiere online screening of "Origins" will still be available.  Not only can you watch the documentary for free, but you can also watch bonus interviews which dive deeper into the topics explored in the film.  (You will have to provide an e-mail address to access the film.)

Visit origins.well.org and origins.well.org/explore/ to participate.  Be the change!