CinemaCon, the four day annual convention of NATO (National Association of Theater Owners), returned to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas from Monday, April 23^rd through Thursday, April 26^th bringing with it the latest word on films, lots of celebrities promoting their movies and receiving awards and the industry’s latest in technological advances.

As an added bonus this was the first time in more than a decade that every major film studio including: Paramount, 20^th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Universal, Disney and all of their partners Pixar, DreamWorks and Marvel Entertainment participated in the event. 

Formerly known as ShoWest, the convention gives theater owners previews of upcoming films being released by the studios and a chance to hear from the stars and filmmakers associated with them.  Some of the celebrities who appeared this year included industry icons Jerry Bruckheimer, Ang Lee, Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan,  and Martin Scorsese (who received the ‘RealD Innovation in 3D’ award), and actors Mila Kunis,  James Franco and Johnny Depp.

Just like last year Paramount Pictures kicked off the opening nigh festivities by teaming up with DreamWorks Animation and showing selections from their upcoming 2012 slate in “Paramount Pictures – Celebrating 100 Years of Outstanding Moviemaking”.  This was followed by an Opening Night Dinner Reception held in conjunction with Christie, Dolby Laboratories and IMAX.  Celebrities on hand for the presentation included D.J. Cotrona, Adrienne Palicki and Dwayne Johnson, director Jon Chu and producer Lorenzo de Bonaventura from “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” Chris Rock from Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,” and Chris Pine and director Peter Ramsey from “Rise of the Guardians.”

Director Martin Scorsese was the third recipient to be honored with the ‘RealD Innovation in 3D Award’ by RealD Inc., one of the leading global licensors of 3D technologies, for his work on the five-time Academy Award winning film “Hugo,” which was based on Brian Selznick’s best-selling novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret and starred Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Chloe Grace Moretz and Jude Law.  RealD Chairman and CEO Michael V. Lewis presented the award to Scorcese during a special luncheon.  “’Hugo’ set a new bar for innovative use of 3D, representing a leap forward in 3D filmmaking by utilizing 3D techniques to draw audiences into the story in ways unobtainable in 2D,” said Lewis. “With his work on “Hugo” Mr. Scorsese has embraced 3D as a creative tool and demonstrated its true potential to bring a life-like and fully immersive world to the big screen,” he added. 

Some of Scorsese’s comments in response to receiving the award included, “I had a fascination with 3D that goes back to the View-Master. I’d always dreamed of making a film in 3D. It’s like a combination of theatre and film.  There’s something 3D gives to a movie that takes you to another land.”  

Past award honorees have included James Cameron and Jon Landau for their work on the top-grossing worldwide feature film of all-time, “Avatar,” as well as Henry Selick, Laika and Focus Features for their work on the feature film “Coraline,” the first stop-motion animated feature ever produced from inception in 3D.

Some of the other highlights during the event included the dinner honoring Jeffrey Katzenberg with the 2012 ‘Pioneer of the Year’ Award and the CinemaCon Final Night Talent awards where several stars were honored during the closing evening festivities. Jack Black served as the official master of ceremonies at the dinner accompanied by special guests Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas, who spoke on behalf of Katzenberg. 

For over a decade Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas lent their creative talent and voices to DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek franchise, the top-grossing animated film franchise of all time. With Diaz as Princess Fiona and Banderas as Puss in Boots, “Shrek,” “Shrek 2,” “Shrek the Third,” “Shrek Forever After,” and most recently the Academy-Award® nominated “Puss in Boots” have amassed over $3.5 billion worldwide. Jack Black has brought to life Po the panda in DreamWorks Animation’s Academy-Award® nominated films “Kung Fu Panda” and “Kung Fu Panda 2,” which have grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide. 

The Pioneer of the Year 2012 Honorary committee includes David Geffen (Founder/Owner of Geffen Pictures), Jim Gianopulos (Co-Chair / CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment), Brad Grey (Chairman/CEO of Paramount), Bob Iger (President & CEO OF Disney), Gerry Lopez (CEO of AMC Theatres), Michael Lynton (CEO of Sony Corporation of America), Barry Meyer (Chairman/CEO of Warner Bros), Ron Meyer (President and COO of Universal Pictures), Amy Miles (CEO of Regal Cinemas), Amy Pascal (Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment), David Passman (CEO of Carmike Theatres and current President of National Association of Theater Owners), Jeff Robinov (President of Warner Bros), Tom Rothman (Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment), Stacey Snider (Co-Chairman and CEO of Dreamworks), Steven Spielberg (Principal Partner of DreamWorks) and Alan Stock (CEO of Cinemark Theatres).

On Thursday the glitz and glamour continued with the presentation of the following awards prior to the closing night ceremonies.  They were as follows:

Career Achievement Award SYLVESTER STALLONE, Male Star of Tomorrow TAYLOR KITSCH, Female Star of Tomorrow CHLOE GRACE MORETZ, Rising Star of 2012 DIEGO BONETA, Comedy Star of the Year ANNA FARRIS, Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film CHARLIZE THERON, Award of Excellence in Film Making JUDD APATOW, Cinema Icon Award MICHELLE PFEIFFER, Female Star of the Year JENNIFER GARNER, Male Star of the Year JEREMY RENNER, Action Star of the Year DWAYNE JOHNSON and Breakthrough Performer of the Year JOSH HUTCHERSON.

Wrapping up here’s an overview of some of the upcoming films you’ll be able to see these award winners in: Chloe Grace Moretz and Michelle Pfeiffer star in Warner Bros. “Dark Shadows,”, which is being released on May 11^th; Sylvester Stallone will be back igniting the screen in “The Expendables 2” on August 17^th for Lionsgate; Universal Pictures has two upcoming films with Taylor Kitsch, “Battleship” on May 18^th followed by “Savages” on July 6^th; Diego Boneta will be appearing in New Line Cinema’s eagerly awaited “Rock of Ages,” which will be released by Warner Bros. on June 15^th; comedy star Anna Farris will be seen next on May 16^th in Paramount’s “The Dictator”; Charlize Theron graces the screen again in Universal Pictures “Snow White and the Huntsman” on June 1^st; “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” will be released by Walt Disney Studios on August 15^th showcasing Jennifer Garner’s talents; Jeremy Renner debuts in the Bourne franchise on August 3^rd when “The Bourne Legacy” is released by Universal Pictures; the latest 2012 premiere Judd Apatow’s next film for Universal titled “This is 40” arrives in time for Christmas on December 21^st; while CinemaCon’s Action Star of the Year Dwayne Johson will be seen soon in Paramount’s “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” on June 29^th.  Breakthrough Performer Josh Hutcherson already drew audience attention in March when Lionsgate released the box office hit “The Hunger Games.”

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One of the most popular sessions among filmmakers attending the NAB Show featured Supervising Sound Editor Lon Bender and Sound Designer Bill Dean from the smash hit “The Hunger Games” on a panel moderated by Associate Features Editor David Cohen from Variety.  Both speakers are highly regarded in their field with Bender having received an Academy Award, British Academy Award and Golden Reel Award for his efforts on “Braveheart” and Dean recently co-supervising the action-packed “Abduction” for Lionsgate.   It was originally announced that director Gary Ross was to be the headliner at this Creative Master Series event, but unfortunately he didn’t attend. 

Even without Ross, however, the room was full as Bender and Dean shared clips from “The Hunger Games” and discussed their take on aspects of creating sound for the film.  Two familiar themes constantly resurfaced during the session.  One was the constant experimentation they tried in order to achieve the desired effects and the other was the need to keep it simple.  Dean said, “We tried different types of crazy resonances and all other kinds of overtones” and both gentlemen admitted trying everything in order to create sounds they were happy with especially when it came to developing bird noises such as the mockingjays and crackerjackers depicted in the film.  Bill believes that you find things through the experience and that with sound you discover what works in a certain type of moment and identify it.  He also feels sometimes you can use something similar from an earlier project that you’ve worked on which is helpful because then you can go right to that type of process and try to improve on it.  

Lon said that it comes down to constantly adding new ideas and often times beating the one that’s the current favorite.  However, he added that the sounds created for the crackerjackers and mockingjays were quickly embraced.  He thinks they made it believable having the same bird calls in the background and that since the audience heard those birds in their natural state and then later when they evolved it was very natural for them to come in and out of the background.  “That was a pretty key element in making the movie.  Often times taking a sound and integrating it and sort of getting it to become part of the bigger picture helps the suspension of belief,” he added explaining that they made the sounds for the mockingjays early on because they were needed for several sequences.  

There are a number of places where sound also plays an important role in conveying the film’s mood.  Lon said, “In District 12 they were all things that were alive and living.  When she’s (Katniss) in the forest there’s lots of detail.” He went on to explain, “When she goes hunting in the beginning she hunts with a spear.  They are all things that are all very specific.  In the capital we stayed away from all those types of things.”

Dean also addressed different types of techniques that were utilized particularly in scenes like the trackerjacker sequence. He talked enthusiastically about how equipment like the 7.1 surround sound speakers lend themselves to directionality in sequences like these thus enriching the audience’s theatrical experience.  “You’re in that moment.  You’re with Katniss and things are coming around and scaring you and that kind of thing.  So it’s okay to pull the ear so to speak away from the screen,” he explained although he warned against doing this constantly, which is why he likes the 7.1 not just for tight action sequences like this one, but for the background as well.  “We can put things in those side speakers and broaden the field or increase the reality of that space without pulling your face out of the movie,” he continued before warning that sometimes when the audience hears background sounds their heads tend to go back out of curiosity, which is something that needs to be addressed editorially when doing those types of sequences. At this juncture Lon stressed the need for monitoring during editing.  He said that at this point Bill was able to actually see how far back things worked in that space and put specific items into the sidewall.  Bill added that everybody working on the films liked those side speakers because of their discretion.  “You can just feel yourself open up and you’re completely absorbed in the movie,” he said.

Despite the experimentation needed for sound design both men felt they had ample time allotted for the project.  “No, we didn’t sacrifice anything on this movie.  We had more time than on any other movie that I’ve ever done before,” Lon said commenting that they started way back in pre-production and had their team recording all during the summertime.  When it came to doing the editorial they had a small team of three and adopted a long type of process.  “The three of us were on it for many, many months before we ever got to the mixing stage.  We also spent 2-3 weeks mixing it,” he continued.  Bender sat with the director blocking out the movie and getting it to where they understood what all of the segments and conditions were going to be.  He went on to say that another benefit was having other production staff such as special effects in close proximity making it easy for all of them to work together.  “We had a lot of interaction from the workflow standpoint with all the creative people,” he continued.  They made the movie for approximately two calendar months, but it could have been three months in actuality because the last 27 days they worked 7 days a week from 9am till 10pm without a day off.

Both men are very satisfied with the end result believing that while the sound may be overwhelming in some sequences it is also very tender when it needs to be and can also be very quiet.  Bill said, “We’re very, very happy with it.  It was a great process.” He believes it was great they began working so soon in the editorial process since they were working on the first cut while being given the first reel and were already doing sound as soon as the editor’s cut on the first reel was finished.  He also enjoyed being in close proximity to the other creative teams remarking on how easy it was to send things back and forth for editing and determine what was working.  “That’s the fabulous advantage of being in the same building cause when Gary had 15 or 20 minutes and wasn’t doing something he doesn’t have to get in a car and drive 20 minutes across town.  He gets in the elevator and he’s there in 5 minutes,” Bill said explaining that this made a huge difference in making decisions.

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One topic that has taken center stage during earlier NAB events is 3D and once again there will be a few sessions focusing on this subject plus another panel concentrating on visual effects that I find interesting.  First of all, as part of the NAB’s Super Sessions director James Cameron and ASC Vincent Pace from the Cameron/Pace Group will be reappearing once again.  Since their unveiling last year they have firmly established their firm as the leader in integrated 3D technologies and production services.  Their solutions have supported more than 200 sports productions and dozens of feature films generating more than $8 billion at the box office.  This year they will be discussing The Secrets of Making 3D Profitable, which they are definitely experts at since beforehand broadcasters were unable to make a viable case for 3D.  Using the companies revolutionary 5D solutions crews are now enabled to shoot both 2D and 3D at the same time without a significant increase in production cost or personnel.  During this session, CPG will reveal the strategy and details behind 5D productions including the ESPN Winter X Gamers where 35 rigs were used to accomplish the largest 5D production in history.  Attendees will see how only this 5D methodology enables broadcasters to increase revenue by integrating 3D into their existing 2D business model.  This session takes place on Monday, April 16^th from 10:30am – 11:45am. 

Rob Legato

Also on Monday from 12:15pm – 1:15pm as part of the Creative Master Series, NAB is featuring Titanic to 3D: 279,360 frames.  Speakers Jon Landau, Producer “Avatar,” “Titanic”; Rob Legato, “Hugo”; and William Sherak, “Titanic” (3D version), “Captain America” will be discussing the conversion of Titanic from 2D to 3D and the artistically demanding, detailed and painstaking process that involved recreating each of the motion pictures 279,360 frames in the filmmaker’s stereoscopic vision.  Lightstorm and Stereo D worked with a team of more than 450 people working for 60 weeks in order to produce the highest quality conversion possible and meet the April day-and-date release schedule.  This is an opportunity to go behind the scenes with the filmmakers and learn about the challenges they faced in order to create a 3D experience for one of the most successful feature films of all time. 

Finally, one more session being held on Monday from 4:30pm – 5:30pm that sounds intriguing although it is not covering 3D is Visual Effects & Animation: 21^st Century Women Pursuing Their Passion.  Speakers Randi Altman, Post Magazine; Jenny Fulle, “Ted,” “Spider-Man”; Gabby Gourrier, Method Studios; Jori Jacabson, “Red Tails,” “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island”; Jody Madden, Digital Domain; and Sarah McGrail, “Game of Thrones,” “The River”. 

These talented ladies, who are successful producers, executives and facility owners in visual effects and animation, will be discussing their perspectives about navigating myriad creative and technical challenges in order to reach career height and will also explore the reasons why visual effects is an industry sector where women have broken through to higher levels when compared with other professional arenas.

The panel will talk about their backgrounds and explain how they worked their way up as artists and producers and how their love for what they do has motivated them to push ahead in this demanding and competitive field. They will also speak about how the role of women has changed in visual effects over the past ten years and the opportunities they see ahead in the future.

For more information about NAB visit their website at www.nabshow.com.

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I have to admit spring is in the air and I’m definitely in the mood for a good old-fashioned Hollywood event, so I was delighted to receive an email alerting me that Harley-Davidson is sponsoring the World Premiere of Marvel’s “The Avengers” LIVE on April 11, 2012 at 6:00PM PT/9:00PM ET.  We’ll be able to watch the stars arrive at the El Capitan Theatre using the new Livestream, which offers an innovative platform combining live video with real-time photos, text and video clip updates at http://new.livestream.com/marveluniverse/avengersredcarpet  or via YouTube Live http://YouTube.com/Marvel.

Marvel Studios is presenting the film, which opens in U.S. theaters on May 4th, in association with Paramount Pictures.  It features the team up of a lifetime with iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. The script revolves around the emergence of an unexpected enemy who threatens global safety and security.  This forces Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D  to put together a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster and he begins a daring recruitment effort that spans the globe.

Robert Downey Jr (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Clark Gregg (Agent Phil Coulson), Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Joss Whedon (Director) are among those scheduled to appear at the premiere and I’m sure many will be interviewed live on the Red Carpet. 

Hope you’ll be able to join Filmmakers Notebook on the 11^th and enjoy watching these stars light up the night during this special World Premiere in Hollywood.

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It’s April in Las Vegas and that means that once again it’s time for the NAB Show, which this year will be held from the 14 through the 19^th.  NAB, the world’s largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums, attracts over 90,000 attendees and 1,500+ exhibitors.   NAB stands for The National Association of Broadcasters and is the premier advocacy association for people in that field.  Included as part of their annual show are events designed to attract those interested in filmmaking, which are the ones I find of particular interest.  Indeed, currently creative professionals make up 25% of the Show’s attendees including Animation/VFX/Motion Graphics Artists, Camera Operators, Colorists, Creative/Content Managers, DPs, Directors, Producers, Editors, Production Designers/Art Directors/Crew, Programming/Content Developers, Sound Design and Mixing Professionals and Visual Effects/DI/Post-Production Supervisors and Producers.  In fact, in terms of industry representation making up total attendance, those working in Film and Motion Pictures make up 12%, Content Owners/Aggregators 3%, Production/Post-Production 20% and Television/Cable/Internet professionals 23%.

In view of these stats it should come as no surprise that I was delighted to read about The Creative Master Series, which will be bringing together key players in the motion picture, TV, advertising and online communities and focus on the craftsmanship of content.  Award-winning directors, producers and showrunners, who are the key creative crew and artists and studio and network production and post-production executives, will be on hand to examine the creative process from story through post talking about the latest trends and challenges facing filmmakers today as they try to learn new tools and techniques and keep up with producing innovative entertainment.

Gary Ross

For many attendees I’m sure the most anticipated session will be on Tuesday 4/17 when Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville), Director of the nation’s number one movie “The Hunger Games”, which had the third-highest domestic film opening ever will join Sound Designer/Supervisor Lon Bender (Drive, Braveheart) and Sound Designer Bill Dean (Abduction) for a look into the film’s unusual collaborative process.  In order to tell the story of Katniss’ transformation from pawn to sacrificing heroine during the lethal televised contest, sound and picture teams worked in tandem with director Ross from previs through production and the final mix.  In fact, Ross and other key department heads moved their offices into the same building where Soundelux is housed during post-production.  Using this collaborative process the artists were able to realize Ross’s retro-futuristic vision and immerse the audience in the heroine’s intimate point of view creating a believable high-tech, apocalyptic, glitzy, and primal world that serves as a telltale mirror of our own.  The panel is produced in partnership with MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors) and Todd-AO sound teams.

Glen Mazzara

Also being held on Tuesday is a session that I’m sure will delight Television fans – “The Walking Dead”; Creating A Thinking Person’s Zombie Drama.  For the past few years NAB has offered an intimate look into the making of some of the most intriguing shows on television including “Mad Men” and “Sons of Anarchy” and I have no doubt this panel will offer the same types of insights with “The Walking Dead”, which is the most successful adult series in the 18-49 age demographic..  Frightening, fun and dramatic, “The Walking Dead” is a melding of horror, pop and high drama.  The audience will be able to see how the filmmakers satisfy fans who are seeking a weekly jolt of intensity while sustaining a thrill ride throughout the season.  They’ll find out how the comic books are transformed into narratives with cinematic character arcs and use cinematography, practical and visual effects and music and editing to build tension and produce maximum payoffs.  Moderator Brian Lowry from Variety hosts Executive Producers Dave Alpert, Gale Anne Hurd and Robert Kirkman and showrunner and writer Glen Mazzara from the show.  Last year  Hurd was on a very informative NAB panel about transmedia explaining how she’d been using it for “The Walking Dead”.

Michael Gelman

Another Tuesday session is Producing Live Event TV with ABC, which will offer an inside look at the intricacies of producing live event television.  Moderated by New York Magazine’s Joe Adalian, ABC Executive Producers and Creative Executives Mark Bracco, ABC Entertainment Group; Robert Deaton, CMA Awards and CMA Music Festival; Michael Gelman, “Live! With Kelly,” “Hollywood Squares”; James Goldston, Senior Executive Producer, “Good Morning America”; and Larry Klein, ABC Entertainment Group.  Attendees will learn how appointment television is developed by working with department heads to design a distinctive look and sound and by shaping the vision with the presenters and talent.  They will discuss the challenges of orchestrating multiple set changes every hour, of maximizing footage captured with more than 20 cameras, and of delivering broadcast-ready footage to scores of countries and of solving last minute guest cancellations, questionable gestures and wardrobe malfunctions. 

Finally, the day before on Monday, April 16 is The Brave New World of Filmmaking with Digital Technologies with Production Designer Rick Carter (Avatar, War Horse), Caleb Deschanel, ASC, (Spiderwick Chronicles, National Treasure) and Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar (Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, Minority Report).  From 4k and high frame rate acquisition, to production design with 3D software, from virtual shot choreography and compositing, to fully functional, immersive CG sets, new digital techniques are transforming the art and craft of filmmaking.  This is opening doors to new forms of storytelling, upending historical ways of doing things and altering how department heads collaborate.  This panel will examine the benefits and challenges of creating motion pictures with new digital technologies, showing clips and citing their work on some of Hollywood’s most honored and revolutionary projects.  This session is being produced in partnership with AMPAS.

I’ll have more info and updates about this year’s NAB Show before the event and stories about the particular sessions I attend so stay tuned.  In the meantime you can find more information on their site at www.nabshow.com.

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The Writers Store has a special treat for anyone interested in screenwriting and you don’t have to be in Los Angeleswhere they are located in order to participate.  Registration is now open for The Screenwriter’s Craft, A Four-Part Webinar Series with celebrated producer, lecturer, teacher and author Syd Field.  The course will feature a deep exploration of screenwriting and illustrations from Academy Award-winning films geared to expanding, enlarging and broadening the knowledge, comprehension and technique of the screenplay and the art and craft of screenwriting.  Conducted from 10:00AM – 12:00PM PDT, these online sessions also include a 3- minute live Q&A with Syd as well. 

Day One: Structure Deconstructed kicks off on Saturday, March 31^st and examines the importance of dramatic structure from the inception of the idea through the completion of the screenplay.  This session explores the dimension of structure as the essential building block in screenwriting and features clips from Academy Award-winning films.

Day Two: Making Your Scenes Reveal will take place on Sunday, April 1^st.  The scene is the cell of dramatic action and has a simple function: to either move the story forward or reveal information about the character.  This session focuses on the many different ways scenes are written to effectively drive the story forward and reveal emotional insights.  During part of the program a scene from “The King’s Speech” will be analyzed in depth and detail which will explore different aspects and approaches to writing great movie scenes.

Day Three: Writing Effective Dialogue is next on Saturday, April 14^th.  This session delves into the purpose of dialogue and its function and illustrates the nine different types found in films like “Juno,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “The Bucket List” and “American Beauty”.  It is designed to expand and broaden your awareness of dialogue and its function.

Day Four: The Six Stages of Rewriting finishes up the webinar series on Sunday, April 15^th.  This session examines what happens after the first draft is finished and helps the writer determine what comes next to make the story work.  Some of the questions raised involve the strength of the characters and whether or not more action is needed and what you can do to make the first draft a better read.  Attendees will learn to approach the re-write through the Six Stages of Rewriting and begins by looking at your initial intention and whether or not you wound up writing the story you originally intended to.  This course is all about the Re-Write and the tools that can be utilized to make the intention equal the result.

Space is limited and each course is $79.00 separately or $245.00 for a special package deal.   Visit http://www.writersstore.com/the-screenwriters-craft-webinar-syd-field?et_mid=545053&rid=232799158  to reserve your virtual seat.

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Doc U, the International Documentary Association’s series of educational seminars and workshops for aspiring and experienced documentary filmmakers, is sponsoring another great event on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at The Cinefamily inLos Angeles.  This seminar is called The Business Side of Documentary Filmmaking and it features moderator Lisa Leeman (One Lucky Elephant, Crazy Wisdom: The Life and Times of Chogyam Trunga), who will be discussing the ins and outs of accounting, business management and tax reporting along with Chris Perez, Associate at Donaldson & Callif, Jeffrey Schwarz from Automat Pictures, Lee Storey (Smile ‘Till It Hurts: The Up With People Story), and Michael Garelick, ATA, ATP, CEO/President, Garelick Business Management, Inc.

Doors open at 7pm with the discussion and audience Q&A being held from 7:30 – 9:00pm.  The Cinefamily is located at611 N. Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles and there will be a wine reception immediately following at the venue’s backyard Spanish patio. Tickets for IDA members are $15.00, IDA student members $5.00 and for Non-Members $20.00 and seating is limited. 

For those who are unaware of the programs sponsored by the IDA, they are taught by artists and industry experts and participants receive vital training and insight on various topics including: fundraising, distribution, licensing, marketing and business tactics.  Their mission is to support documentary filmmakers and further the art of the documentary.  Most of their events are held in either Los Angeles or New York, but they also offer a number of benefits that make it a worthwhile organization for anyone interested in documentary filmmaking to join.  One such perk is their Fiscal Sponsorship program, which started in 1998.  This is a formal arrangement in which a 501 ( c ) (3) public charity, agrees to sponsor a project that furthers our mission, for the purpose of fundraising through grants and donations.  This provides a viable alternative to starting your own nonprofit and lets you seek grants and solicit tax-deductible donations for your documentary by giving you the oversight, support and endorsement of the IDA.  Last year filmmakers using the program raised over 3 million dollars to get their documentaries made and seen.  The IDA works with films in all stages of production including outreach and distribution.  As Fiscal Sponsors they take no ownership of the filmmaker’s project nor do they infringe upon creative control or copyright or prevent you from future sales or profit or profit from your profit.  They seek to be as non-intrusive as possible in monitoring projects with their main goal being to assure that the money raised is being properly dispersed and used for the project as intended. 

Another program the IDA sponsors is the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund which provides annual production grants totaling $75,000 to be used in the creation of original, independent documentary films that illuminate pressing issues in theUnited States.  Grants are made for up to 5 projects that tell and compelling story and focus on one of Pare Lorentz’s themes: the appropriate use of the natural environment, justice for all or the illumination of pressing social problems.  The fund supports full-length documentaries reflecting the spirit and nature of Pare Lorentz’s work with projects featuring objective research, artful storytelling, strong visual style, high production values, artistic writing, outstanding music composition along with skillful direction, camerawork and editing.  This program is made possible by The New York Community Trust and the deadline is April 23, 2012.

For information about the IDA and all of their programs visit their website at http://www.documentary.org/.

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For many independent filmmakers trying to raise funds in order to turn their production dreams into a reality crowdfunding is becoming a way of life and IndieGoGo and Kickstarter friends of the family.  There has been discussion amongst people I know as to which of the two programs is the better choice and I would have to say that I believe it depends on the individual project and the specific goals of the filmmakers involved.  First for a few facts:  IndieGoGo was launched first.in January 2008 at Sundance with Kickstarter debuting a year later.  Although both have many similarities there are a few key differences.  Kickstarter is an all or nothing proposition – if you fail to meet the goal then you don’t get to keep any of the money and it is refunded to the donors.  If the project is fully funded then a 5% fee is charged.  There is also an additional fee which can be up to 5% from Amazon payments for processing the credit cards.  On the other hand, IndieGoGo allows users to keep the funds even if the goal isn’t met.  If it is they charge 4% for their services and if it isn’t that number moves up to 9%.

Aside from the financial considerations, there are also a few other fundamental differences.  Kickstarter is a curated platform and any projects posted on the site must be approved beforehand.  The campaign must be for an actual project with a start and finishing point and not be for a cause.  Projects also have to fit into a specified category such as arts, film or some form of writing and offer rewards to the backers that are part of the incentive for providing funding.  Because of the accountability requirements, Kickstarter has developed an excellent reputation and has become very well known.  It has been estimated that approximately 50% of their campaigns result in success.  With IndieGoGo there is no approval process or waiting period, so you can post a project at any time and begin raising funds.  They also allow business funding, so you can start a campaign for causes and entrepreneurial pursuits as well as creative endeavors.  Also, although you only pay IndieGoGo a 4% fee if you are fully funded, you also pay third-party payment processor fees of up to 3% for check and credit card donations and the 15 cent plus 2.9% fee for those using PayPal.  One more thing to keep in mind is that although IndieGoGo does allow you to collect on donations whether or not the funding goal is met, there is the 9% fee charged, so you want to make sure you have enough capital left over to fulfill your perks and move ahead with your project. 

Before deciding which of these platforms will work best for your project, I recommend going to their websites and checking them out for yourself and then contacting friends who have used them.  If you don’t know anyone personally who has raised cash this way, turn to your social networking contacts on Twitter and Facebook.  I would reach out to people who have been both successful and who have not met their goals so that you can tailor your campaign to give you the best possible chance at success.

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I remember meeting actress Octavia Spencer last August in Las Vegas when “The Help” first opened in theatres and award season talk was a mere buzzing in the background.  Now six months later the Montgomery, Alabama native has won numerous accolades for her portrayal of Minnie including a Golden Globe Award, A BAFTA, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and she will find out on Sunday if she’ll be taking home an Oscar for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

During the summer Spencer was content just to enjoy the moment commenting that, “I feel like Cinderella at the ball.  If my coach should turn into a pumpkin, I did get to wear those slippers for a minute, so I’m really happy for this moment.”  Well, Octavia is still at the ball and tomorrow night her coach will be pulling up at the Kodak Theatre for what is sure to be one of the biggest nights of her career and a milestone in her journey with “The Help”.  Based on Kathryn Stockett’s best selling book, Spencer was a natural choice for the part of Minnie.  In fact she has known the film’s producer, director and writer Tate Taylor and producer Brunson Greene for over 17 years as is also well acquainted with Stockett.

During our interview Spencer shared that in many ways she was the role model for the character adding her own details to the outline that Kathryn wrote and Tate later adapted.  “She is the best character I’ve ever had the opportunity to play cause she’s so complex, but was a great group of people too because I think we all played off each other well,” Octavia said adding that she met Kathryn when she was developing the characters. The author had chosen to use the voice of her own childhood caregiver to inspire the role of Aibileen and then wanted to create a deliberate contrast to her with Minnie.  Rather than make her a regal, poised and stoic sage she gave Minnie the personality of a short, feisty spitfire.  “I’ll take the short, stocky for sure cause obviously I’m a little voluptuous,” Octavia said with a smile.  She also admitted that one trait she doesn’t share with Minnie is her character’s skills in the kitchen.  “She didn’t get that from me”, the actress conceded.

During filming all the actors became very close and ever since Octavia and Viola Davis seldom go more than a couple of days without talking or communicating by text or email.  “There was so much love on the set and it was so supportive.  Personally, I was grumpier than I usually am being in Minnie’s mindset.  I guess I’m a method actor.  That was challenging, but we had so much camaraderie on the set.   Some of the aspects of the film that fascinated Spencer were the various ways in which the different women in the film learned to survive.  She spoke about how they were forced to wear masks of a sort and be silent or silence themselves and that with Minnie “she wears I’m brave.  I speak for myself.  She’s very gruff.  She wears that mask, but you can tell by the bruises that she’s a survivor.” Spencer believes that in contrast Aibileen’s bruises are internal and that Skeeter survived in a strange way because she only received love and nurturing from her caregivers.  “There are so many survivors in this story that I think it’s a good piece of material for young women to see, for people to see who feel like outsiders.  Whether gay, straight, whatever hurdle you are personally struggling through or with, I think this movie speaks to that.  It’s about courage and summoning that internal voice.”

Octavia feels that “The Help” offers a perfect balance of pathos and humor, which is one of its strongest features.  “I think it is perfectly balanced with how we deal with things in life.  There are the ugly parts of life and then the beautiful parts.  We kind of give you all of that within that two hour period I think.”

Now we’ll see if Oscar gives Octavia a gold statuette to take home for being part of this beautiful film.  Aside from meeting this multi-talented lady and discovering what a down to earth and sensitive woman she is, I have another reason for cheering her on.  As many of you may know, I’m not longer the marketing consultant for “More to Live For”, but have become the VP of Marketing and Promotions for Jeff Grinstein Entertainment’s “Curvy Fashion Show” (www.curvyfashionshow.com), which will be coming to New York City in September, 2012 during Fashion Week.  Watching Ms. Spencer walk the Red Carpet a number of times during this awards season with beautiful gowns draping her voluptuous figure has been very encouraging for those of us in the curvy community so I can’t wait to see who she’ll be wearing on Sunday!

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On December 3, 2011 the Nevada Film Alliance hosted Oscar-winning producer Edward Saxon’s (Silence of the Lambs) first ever all day seminar here in Las Vegas.  A few weeks ago I shared some of what was discussed and now here is Part 2.  One topic that Ed spent a great deal of time talking about was the circle of people often found surrounding talent.  For example, an actor could easily have an agent, manager, lawyer and publicist handling a variety of the duties and Ed spoke about some of the responsibilities each one has and how much they are usually paid.  An agent normally makes 10% of the actor’s take and Saxon explained that the bigger the agency the more clients they are going to have.  The largest ones right now are CAA, William Morris Endeavor or WME, ICM and United Talent Agency.  Agencies like these have departments for film, TV, music and corporate sports and as a rule agents field offers and package deals while serving as a great resource for obtaining information and achieving access to other talent.  Next, Ed spoke about the managers noting that one major difference between the two is that a manager can’t negotiate a deal.  Also, under California law, agents can’t be producers, however, managers can.  They also give more attention to the client and are more apt to find and develop new materials and be more concerned with helping the people they represent realize their dreams.  Managers receive 10% or more for their services.  Then there is the publicist who handles the public persona of the clients and escorts them to press conferences, red carpets and other events.  The publicist is often the person seen traveling with talent and acting as a go between with the media.  Publicists earn an average of 3-4k a month.  Finally, there are the attorneys who negotiate the deals, make introductions and handle all contracts.  Lawyers should have entertainment industry experience so that they know what is considered boiler plate in a contract and what items need to be negotiated or argued about. It is best to have someone representing you who is both a litigation specialist and a troubleshooter.  They earn about 5% of the talent’s income for these skills.  As a result approximately 30-35% of the actor’s pay goes to the team.  

After covering this area we moved on to discussing different types of script deals.  Ed talked about 1^st look development spec scripts where nothing is paid in advance yet the story can be locked up for six months with sweat equity, then there are various other types of option deals.  A screenplay can be optioned many ways including using an agreement where very little money is paid now against money in the future.  You need to think about what you want to get out of the deal before making it.  For example, author Steven King has sold options for as little as a $1.00, providing he keeps control of his work.  You should also consider the reputation and track record of the producers involved and whether or not you feel they will do justice to the story and actually be able to produce it.  Also, if you don’t have enough time during the period originally allotted, a second option can be negotiated extending the rights for up to another 18 months. Saxon explained that there are many ways to set up these agreements and anybody who is interesting in producing can contact a writer and negotiate terms for their work.

There were a few other details he suggested we make note of.  First of all, be aware of revision clauses whereby the story is purchased for a number of years, then the rights return to the writer.  Also, when a guild writer is hired there is a minimum scale set with a percentage of the payment owed being due on the 1^st day of shooting principle photography. He also mentioned some of the different areas scripts come from such as newspaper or magazine articles, video games, non-fiction novels, news items, original screenplays, fictional novels and graphic novels.  Pay attention to the types of stories that are being bought and produced.  For instance across all studios the ratio of comedy to dramas is around 1/3. 

Unions and guilds were created by the studios and they set the terms.  Signatory companies employ members under rules of the guild which provides a certain amount of protection.  For example, two guild writers can’t be hired to do the same script without waivers being signed.  If there’s a dispute over credit, there’s an arbitration procedure, then there are also healthcare benefits and residuals that the guild offers.  Productions are budgeted for a 12 hour a day turnaround time for talent and 10 hours for crew, which is necessary to note with regards to budgeting. 

Saxon also spoke about different job functions on the set and how assistant directors make up schedules and handle extras.  He said that one of the rules for having continuous employment is establishing continuity and being able to balance artistic and economical needs of the shoot.  He added that casting directors are crucial as sounding boards in the early stages of putting a film together because they recognize who is good, while during production the script supervisor is key because of the notes taken on the set.  Another hint is to be aware of your transportation needs since the trucks have to reach your locations first.  He suggested casting locals and getting to know who is in the community where you are and that if you are a producer stay out of things.  Know what you’re supposed to do and don’t mess with anything else.  

Perhaps the most fun part of the day was hearing some of Saxon’s stories about the films he’s made.  For example, he referred to “Silence of the Lambs” as a version of Little Red Riding Hood.  Ed claims that they had no idea the film would be so successful adding that when you are making a movie you don’t know how it will work out.  Originally Gene Hackman and Michelle Pfeiffer were considered for the leads, but both thought the script was too grisly so the studio began looking at Sean Connery and Jack Nicholson, who also turned it down.  At the time Anthony Hopkins was doing stage work in London and wasn’t originally a strong contender since the studio preferred having a movie star in the lead.  

Calling “Philadelphia” as a political piece Saxon said it was not made for people who had gay friends with aids, but rather for people who weren’t there yet.  The film made twice the amount of money overseas as it did in the states.  The Denzel Washington character wasn’t in the 1^st draft of the script and originally the lawyer was written as an Italian, yet Ed believes that Denzel’s part was crucial for Tom Hank’s Oscar win.  Saxon also admitted that he almost cut the Opera scene because he thought it was stereographical, but was glad he didn’t because Hanks turned out so great in it.  He recommended that when in doubt you go for it after admitting that producers tend to play it safer while directors are the ones who like to push.  “Trust yourself,” he advised.  Currently, Ed is enjoying television success as Executive Producer of the new HBO series “Enlightened” starring Laura Dern, which has presented him with different types of challenges since with television everything is constantly in pre-production, production and post-production.  Perhaps the truest words of wisdom he shared during the seminar were actually first spoken by Harry Belafonte who said, “Be careful how you treat people when you’re on the way up cause you’ll meet them when you’re on the way up again.”

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