SnagFilms Acquires indieWIRE and Partners with Indiepix

Congrats to indieWIRE, which just got snagged up by SnagFilms, a new social networking website that offers free instant streaming and viral sharing of hundreds of documentary films. indieWIRE will provide archival and news content for SnagFilms and the company’s virtual movie theater widgets, including breaking news from the indie sector, comprehensive film reviews and analysis, and the top relevant blogs. iW Editor-in-Chief Eugene Hernandez offers a detailed look into this new venture. Read it here.

And that's not all. Indiepix just announced that it is partnering with SnagFilms. IndiePix's 40 non-fiction films are available through SnagFilms' website and via its widgets free-of-charge, as the service is fully advertiser-supported.

"Snow Angels" Director David Gordon Green Tonight at Apple Store Soho

Here's something I will be unable to attend, but definitely wanted to let you all know about. Tonight, indieWIRE presents a discussion with filmmaker David Gordon Green (George Washington, All the Real Girls, Undertow and the upcoming Pineapple Express) whose latest feature film Snow Angels opens in limited theatrical release on Friday. Along with Green, one of the film’s young stars, Olivia Thirlby (Juno) will also participate in the Q&A moderated by indieWIRE Editor-in-chief Eugene Hernandez.

Last year, I saw Snow Angels at BAM, where Green and Thirlby were also accompanied by another of the film’s principal performers, Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind).

Tonight's discussion at the Apple Store begins at 7pm. This is a free event and no RSVP is required, but I suggest an early arrival as seating is limited and first come, first serve. More details here.

Filmmaker Conference - The State of Independents – September 19, 2007

The State of Independents – September 19, 2007

Moderator:
(EH) Eugene Hernandez, indieWIRE

Panelists:
(BT) Bill Thompson, Head of Distribution, Picturehouse
(MK) Michael Kang, West 32nd
(PG) Peter Goldwyn, Samuel Goldwyn Films
(CB) Charles Burnett, Director, Killer of Sheep
(TQ) Tom Quinn, Head of Acquisitions, Magnolia Pictures

Synopsis:
How has independent film changed in the last five years? Where are we headed and how can distributors and independent filmmakers work together to tweak old platform models in a landscape of shrinking windows and increasingly elusive audiences to get their work seen by global audiences?

(EH) Where do things stand today for independent film distribution? What are some films, trends, and issues that have occurred for the past 12-18 months? What are you optimistic and pessimistic about the state of independent films?

(TQ) Pretty morbid feeling. Independent film is anything release on 600 prints or under. A somewhat disappointing trend is that the release of theatrical documentaries is oversaturated. Event-driven docs such as Sicko or March of the Penguins are subject-driven docs. In the Shadow of the Moon hasn’t really taken hold either. I don’t think they have a huge life anymore. I don’t think Crazy Love fits in that description. It had a disappointing box office. It’s not even going to break $400K, but probably will be nominated for awards. On the flip side, Magnolia did really well with its DVD releases, ie. Jesus Camp.

(EH) What do you think about what Tom is saying?

(BT) Unfortunately, docs always give us a challenge as distributors. No matter how well-reviewed they are, they’re difficult sells. We have The King of Kong in about 50 theaters now. The biggest changes are the numbers of films being released. Last Friday in The New York Times, at least 15 films were reviewed. Maybe only 5-7 of them were indie films. It’s a challenge to get them noticed, especially in New York.

(EH) What are you optimistic and pessimistic about the state of independent films?

(BT) We have a wide variety of films. We’re co-owned by HBO Films and Newline. This year, we release Rocket Science that premiered at Sundance and was well-reviewed. We also produce films. Depending on the relative success of independent films is how we think of the marketplace. If there are no major names attached to a film, will a true indie film do well in the marketplace? This is a concern.

(EH) What’s happening with foreign-language films?

(BT) We love to distribute them. Hope there’s a continuing market for them. There’s still a real challenge in this country. A few films are successful, but most have a hard time finding an audience. It could be very costly and discouraging.

(EH) Pan’s Labyrinth had one of the highest grosses for a Spanish-language film. How much do grosses characterize the performance of a film?

(BT) Pan’s Labyrinth grossed about $47 million. It broadened the market for Spanish-language films, but realistically, that film was unique because of its fantasy elements, so it reached a crossover audience. At its most, it was on 1,100 screens. Don’t know if it will start any trends. We’re releasing The Orphanage, another Spanish-language film produced by Guillermo Del Toro, later this year that debuts at the New York Film Festival.

(EH) What are you optimistic and pessimistic about the state of independent films?

(PG) Pan’s Labyrinth makes me optimistic. There’s a real saturation of movies and not a lot of screens. Specialized films don’t get all the marketing that studio films get. Don’t like generic genre films. Other films don’t get a chance to survive.

(EH) 2 Days in Paris just crossed $3 million gross. Are you happy with its performance? And previous release The Squid and the Whale?

(PG) We’re extremely pleased with it. It did not lend itself to a lot of marketing. Do all you can do. Movies have to speak for themselves. We released The Squid and the Whale in time for Academy consideration. Measure of success is I a good movie, good reviews and getting into the right theaters.

(TQ) It’s a total crapshoot. One of my favorite films this year is 2 Days in Paris. It’s a good quality movie that found an audience. Distributors should pick the right movies, pay the right price, and pick the right release date.

(EH) Killer of Sheep (which was made back in the 1970s) had a very successful release this year. What’s your take on the critical and economic perspective of distribution?

(CB) I give a lot of credit to Milestone Films (distributor of Killer of Sheep). The film went through a lot of obstacles to get shown since it was made. Several attempts in the past failed. Milestone went about releasing it in a scientific way. They knew how to expose it. I was surprised it did so well. It was originally my thesis film. It wasn’t meant to be shown theatrically. Word of mouth developed, and people wanted to see it and someone wanted to distribute it. I originally faced issues with getting music rights, and finally got the rights years later.

(EH) What are you optimistic and pessimistic about the state of independent films?

(CB) I’ll continue to make films. Don’t know why. An ongoing struggle for people of color.

(EH) West 32nd was received well critically at the Tribeca Film Festival. What’s your plan for releasing it. Any challenges? What are you optimistic and pessimistic about the state of independent films?

(MK) I’m the newbie at the table. I have no idea what will happen. West 32nd Street is a hybrid of Korean/Korean-American film that was financed by a Korean company. It will be released in Korea first, and then will be brought to the U.S. We’re still ironing out the plan. The process of making my first film, The Motel, was very collaborative, except for the release process. Palm Pictures was great, but they’re business oriented. Me getting in the middle of it may be more bothersome.

(EH) What are some tips to provide filmmakers with on the business side?

(MK) Surround yourself with people who know what they’re doing. Listen to them.

(EH) What is the current state of acquisitions? What are some challenges?

(TQ) Magnolia is different than Samuel Goldwyn. We buy more movies. Each year, we do a tent pole release. We also buy a lot of straight-to-DVD films. We’re all over the place. We look at each film with equal importance. Go with your gut.

(PG) Samuel Goldwyn acquires between nine to 12 movies a year. We try to keep an open mind. We’re the middleman between the filmmaker and the audience. We released What the Bleep Do We Know? The filmmakers did grassroots promotion. Also release The Boynton Beach Club. Don’t particularly like genre movie. Audience groups talk to each other see movies over again. Word of mouth is extremely powerful. We exist in a vacuum and sales agents want to keep us in this vacuum. There are situations where I love a film, but need to think about the business. We’re not always sure of the commercial prospects of them. Sometimes, we’ve even past on the most successful films.

(EH) How much do you have to consider who your audience is?

(MK) Filmmakers shouldn’t try to think about the marketplace when writing screenplays. I make films I would like to see. Hopefully, I have good tastes.

(CB) There’s a lack of black people represented in films. I feel obligated to tell their stories and hope people will enjoy them.

(BT) We see hundreds of films each year. Filmmakers are passionate about their films, but need to find a way to make distributors and audiences care about them, too. Have to find a way to sell to a broader audience.

(EH) Magnolia release R. Craig Zobel’s film Great World of Sound over the weekend, which grossed about $6,000 in its first weekend. You clearly cared about it, but what can be learned about its performance at the box office?

(TQ) The opening was depressing. Reviews were great. Outside of this room, audiences are picky. The film is a great comment on fame. We love Craig and the concept of the film. It’s a hybrid documentary/narrative film.

Audience Q&A

Q: Why do distributors open their films in New York City? Why not pick up films before they premier at a major film festival?

(PG) Show us your movie early. The reality, to some extent, is you want to show your film at a major film festival. We spend most days watching films sent to us on DVD. We would love not to have to buy films at festivals. Festivals are a filtration process. It makes it easier for us. We also attend CineVegas. Every head of acquisition is there.

(TQ) The Holy Grail is going to Sundance and selling your film for seven figures. We do see some things out of circuit. We’re always on the hunt. Unfortunately, we see practically every blind submission, but we never take them. It’s key to pick your festival as wisely as you pick your distribution deal. New York City is the most expensive city to release a film, but also the highest grossing. If you get a good review in The New York Times, it will help with releasing it in the rest of the country.

Q: Why aren’t we seeing enough films with African Americans that aren’t being portrayed as stereotypes? [Eugene adds: There’s a lack of diversity in films being released and the people working at these companies. Not much has changed in the last three to four years. We seem to have a long way to go. How do you see things changing?]

(TQ) From my experience, Woman Thou Art Loosed was a powerful film. Almost every distributor passed on it. Raising Victor Vargas also had a good release and tells its story from a young, minority perspective. We try to be as active as we can to fill these jobs.

(PG) Looking at every movie, need to figure out if an audience will want to see it.

(CB) There are problems in my community with distribution because of a lack of theaters. People have to go 10 miles to get to a theater. In some ways, it’s really unfair. There are the Magic Johnson Theaters, and the Pan-African Film Festival is also in Los Angeles.

indieWIRE's "An Evening with Generation DIY" (Swanberg, Gerwig, Katz and Hillis) @ Apple Store SoHo – Thursday, August 23, 2007

DIY filmmaker Sujewa Ekanayake (Date Number One), who was in town from DC, and I headed over to the Apple Store in Soho Thursday night where we met up with A.M. Peters (NO Cross, NO Crown) for indieWIRE’s “An Evening with Generation DIY.” After the panel discussion, we met up with iW and other film bloggers at Botanica. The indieWIRE posse was there along with filmmakers Craig Zobel (whose film Great World of Sound is being released by Magnolia Pictures on Sept. 14 in NYC – See my notes from GWOS Q&A at BAM from back in June), Doug Block (51 Birch Street), Arin Crumley (Four Eyed Monsters), Michael Tully (Silver Jew), The Reeler’s S.T. VanAirsdale, Basil Tsiokis (NewFest artistic director), Agnes Varnum (Doc it Out), Pamela Cohn (Still in Motion), Matt Dentler, and this list goes on.

indieWIRE's "An Evening with Generation DIY" (Swanberg, Gerwig, Katz and Hillis) @ Apple Store SoHo – Thursday, August 23, 2007

Panelists:
Joe Swanberg (JS) – Director / Writer / Producer /Cinematographer /Editor, Hannah Takes the Stairs
Aaron Hillis (AH) – Director/Cinematographer/Co-producer, Fish Kill Flea
Aaron Katz (AK) – Director/Writer/Editor – Quiet City
Greta Gerwig (GG) – Hannah/Writer, Hannah Takes the Stairs
Matt Dentler (MD) - South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival Producer

Moderator:
Eugene Hernandez (EH)– Editor-in-Chief, indieWIRE

EH- “The New Talkies: Generation DIY” series at IFC Center brought us together tonight. Matt Dentler programmed a lot of these films at SXSW, which played a role in facilitating a place for these filmmakers to come together. How does this relate to DIY and Mumblecore?

MD- The term Mumblecore came from an indieWIRE interview with Andrew Bujalski (Mutual Appreciation). It’s a frustrating label. Seems limiting by creating a brand where a brand doesn’t need to be, but it has opened up doors to the filmmakers. The New York Times published an article about Mumblecore. People are starting to wonder what this movement is. Mumblecore represents excitement and enthusiasm about new films, but is not used too often, because it’s limiting. The films are bound by like-minded sensibilities. So far, they’re all good films.

EH- A lot of these films hadn’t played theatrically until recently. What’s the state for emerging filmmakers?

MD- Festival programmers are disenfranchised by what the media considers indie films. Mumblecore films open up a dialogue. SXSW took a stance to not program Sundance leftovers. I didn’t know any of these people before we selected their films.

[Clip screened from Hannah Takes the Stairs]

EH- What was the process of making this film?

JS- I had clear idea about the scenes, and we had time to try different things.

GG- There was no script. It was all improvised. You shouldn’t do anything in front of Joe or he’ll find a way to work it in the movie.

EH- What challenges are there to this process?

JS- Hannah is different from my other films, because they started from a script. Hannah was just a two-page outline so the actors could figure out who their characters were. The finished film was different than the movie we expected it to be. It’s a process of discovering the movie as you go along. I like to be excited and not know what’s going to happen. I edited the film each day after shooting. At the end of the day, we had finished scenes.

EH- How exciting was it for you Greta?

GG- I never acted in a film before (except for voicemail scene in LOL). I didn’t have any pre-conceived notions. It was a process of figuring out where the movie was going and finding out who Hannah was. All of Hannah’s boyfriends end up relating to the scar on her foot. It became a theme. We discovered it, liked it, and repeated it.

EH- You’ve had three years of features playing at SXSW. How do you feel your view of your process of filmmaking has changed?

JS- I started out more experimental. The shooting style hasn’t changed that much. I acted all of my previous films, but not in Hannah. The projects I’m acting in I tend to shoot more. Moving forward, I’m interested in telling more stories. My first film (Kissing on the Mouth) was more of a process of showing it to audiences at festivals. Audiences responded to the more narrative aspects.

[Clip screened from LOL]

EH- What is your connection to LOL?

AH- Partners with Andrew Grant on the DVD distribution label (Benten Films) with Ryko Distribution. We saw so many films flying under the radar. Our first title, LOL, comes out next Tuesday. I also co-directed the documentary Fish Kill Flea about a rag tag flea market in Upstate New York. It’s not a Mumblecore movie, but is DIY.

EH- What do you think as a blogger your take on DIY films represents?

AH- Have no lofty generalizations. Mumblecore tries to pigeonhole these films. I think it’s neat that we’ve come to a place without budgetary gatekeepers. It’s exciting these films are getting attention.

MD- There was a DV revolution in the late 1990s where you could shoot everything on DV, but didn’t have access to the editing equipment we have today. One of my favorite films is Tarnation.

[Clip screened from Fish Kill Flea]

EH- How did the idea for IFC’s “The New Talkies: Generation DIY” come about?

AK- IFC Center was going to screen my film Quiet City, then IFC First Take acquired Hannah Takes the Stairs. We talked about other films like Andrew Bujalksi’s Mutual Appreciation and the Duplass Bros.’ The Puffy Chair.

EH- What do you think ties these films together to be grouped as a series?

AK- Aesthetic qualities, shot on DV, except for Mutual Appreciation, which is shot on film. All films are different from one another, but attempt to explore the world around us in a truthful way with day-to-day life.

EH- How did your film Dance Party USA come about?

AK- I went to school in North Carolina and talked about what to do after school. Figured out a $3,000 budget I saved from working. Shot the film in Portland, Oregon.

MD- After viewing the screener DVD, I contacted Aaron right away. It’s really important to have your contact info on the DVD.

[Clip screened from Quiet City]

Audience Q&A

Q: In your (Joe’s) films, there seems to be a certain level of intimacy during certain scenes. How many people are on the set while shooting these scenes?

JS- There were four people including cast and crew on Kissing on the Mouth. I don’t like anyone to be there who doesn’t need to be there, so there are no distractions.

AK- On Quiet City, there was a five-person crew. Relatively small. Everyone is comfortable with each other.

AH- Three people on the crew of Fish Kill Flea.

Q: In Anthony Kaufman’s indieWIRE blog, he posted an entry regarding commercial distribution of films will be these types of films downfall. How do you feel about that?

JS- This is true for all movies in general. The best experience is having no expectations walking into a film. Commercial expectations change all the time. The film community is starting to look a lot like the music industry.

AK- I’d like people to be able to see my movies.

EH- As a performer, what kind of pressure does that create?

GG- It gives more people the opportunity to see me naked. I don’t really see a downside to it. I’m writing more things and acting in more films. It’s more pressure to be reviewed. Kind of scary.

AK- My next film is set in the 1970s, so it will require more money to make. It’s a positive thing to continue making the films I want to make.

Q: What are your next film projects?

JS- Nights & Weekends starring Greta about a long distance relationship. The web series Butterknife.

AH- Short film sometime in October to turn into a feature documentary about the decline of train culture in America.

AK- A 70s piece.

GG- The Duplas movie, Baghead. It screws with genres. They don’t want me to say too much about it.

indieWIRE presents Julie Delpy at Apple Store SoHo

***If anyone attended this event and would like to contribute notes I may have missed since I was a few minutes late arriving due to the fact that I had been attending an IFP Industry Connect panel discussion on Producing which overlapped the Julie Delpy discussion, please submit your notes in the ‘comments’ section. - TFPN

Apple and indieWIRE present actress/filmmaker Julie Delpy at the Apple Store SoHo – April 28, 2007

Actress, singer, director, and Oscar-nominated writer Julie Delpy discussed her new film, 2 Days in Paris, which she wrote, directed, edited, produced, scored and starred in. indieWIRE Editor-In-Chief Eugene Hernandez moderated the discussion. 2 Days in Paris plays at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday, May 3 at 9:30pm at AMC 72nd Street East Theater 1.

Eugene: What was it like shooting your film in Paris?

Julie: Everyone was really good. It’s a lovely city to shoot in. People are a little annoying, but you get used to it.

Eugene: Being this was your first feature film you directed, what were some previous experiences you took from to make this film?

Julie: You have to surround yourself with the right people. Know what you want. I asked advice from directors I like. You are the caption of your ship, but also have to listen to everyone. Be very open to what people have to say. Always listen. It’s a team work, but still need to be strong. I never felt stronger than directing a movie.

Eugene: Did you always intend to edit your film yourself?

Julie: I had to learn to use the editing machine. I did have an assistant editor, but he was not a creative editor. I really enjoyed editing.

Eugene: Did you always intend to record your own music for the film?

Julie: I first didn’t want music, but then looked at the film and it was missing something. I wrote serious, but funny music for certain situations in the film. My next film, I wrote the music for the entire film.

Eugene: What about Raging Bull inspired you?

Julie: My character is kind of like Jake LaMotta. She’s not totally like that, but sometime I’m inspired by characters that are the opposite.

Eugene: What were some of your most challenging roles?

Julie: Before Sunrise. I wrote a lot of the scenes in the film. It was a great occasion for me.

Audience Q&A

Q: What kind of roles do you like?

Julie: I read the script and look at who’s directing it. It has a lot to do with the director. Sometimes parts are good, but if the director is not interesting, it’s not going to work.

Q: What’s the difference between directing American and European actors?

Julie: I can’t judge them. I only directed one American actor, Adam Goldberg. Actors want to be nurtured. You have to be kind and caring to them. They’re fragile little flowers. I’m careful with actors. In every actor, there’s sometimes a little diva.

Q: How do you accomplish everything?

Julie: Being creative comes with a price tag. It’s usually very simple. Transfer your dark side into something creative. When you’re really down is a good time to write music. It gets the pain out. Sometimes enjoy painful moments.

Q: What was the budget of 2 Days in Paris?

Julie: About $1.5 million. Next film will be about $5 million.

Q: What aspects of Paris do you like filming?

Julie: The stuff most Parisians don’t like to see. The real Paris, not just the tourist attractions.

Q: What was your writing process like?

Julie: Used Final Draft software. Think of an idea. Write the storyline. Create the character. Write scenes. Didn’t storyboard the film.

Q: Do you ever talk to Jean-Luc Godard?

Julie: Once or twice a year. I’m not really close to him. I don’t want to beg people I like so much. I respect him too much. It feels weird. Doesn’t feel right.