Falling On Your Face

Indie film Calvin Marshall On Demand

2010-09-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

I doubt this is my final word on this movie but I promise that day is coming soon. Calvin Marshall is now officially on pay-per-view. This little indie comedy I've been sporadically writing about for the past year and a half was shot on 35mm and is finally available to watch in the comfort of your own homes.

CM's a funny and bittersweet look at childhood dreams trying to survive the merciless hierarchy of sports. It's a narrative that is mostly about some good people in a small town -- but it does feature some exciting junior college baseball, volleyball, softball, little league, air-hockey, billiards, street basketball, darts, skee-ball and amateur bowling. You can get the movie on most platforms so check your local cable provider.

WATCH ON AMAZON VOD

GET ON iTUNES

Our cast includes:

Alex Frost (Elephant, Drillbit Taylor)

Michelle Lombardo (Entourage, Californication)

Steve Zahn (Rescue Dawn, Saving Silverman)

Diedrich Bader (Office Space)

Darwin Barney (Chicago Cubs!)

Jane Adams (Eternal Sunshine, Hung)

Andrew Wilson (Bottle Rocket)

Abraham Benrubi (ER)

Cynthia Watros (Lost)

Josh Fadem (30 Rock, Reno 911)

Catherine E. Coulson (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks)

Rosie Thomas (Sub Pop Records!)

Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan, Friday Night Lights)

The street date for our DVD and BLU-RAY is September 21st. It has tons of extras and can be purchased directly from the filmmakers.

BUY THE BLU-RAY FROM PRODUCERS

This NEW YORKER REVIEW beautifully summarizes my intent all along, even when it was a screenplay we pitched to reluctant, potential producers and financiers. You can imagine how gratifying it is to see this review in one of America's best and most resilient magazines.

Thanks for reading and for your support.

Calvin Marshall on VOD and iTunes in September

2010-08-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a 30 second spot to promote the Calvin Marshall soundtrack and forthcoming VOD/DVD/BLU-RAY release. To support the filmmakers, you can pre-order a limited edition merchandise bundle right from the CALVIN MARSHALL WEBSITE. Merci! -Gary

"Lost Sight of their Original Goals"

2010-08-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Tom Bernard of Sony Pictures Classics makes an excellent point in a recent keynote address to the filmmaking community.

"As a group you need to reach out to all these organizations that say they are there to help indie filmmakers and urge them to come up with programs and resources to empower filmmakers with the information and tools to guide your films through the marketplace. These organizations spend so much time looking for nonprofit grants they have lost sight of the original goals established when they were formed. IFP, Sundance, F.I.N.D., Women in Film, DGA, etc., should all have mentor programs, data on deals, fees and feedback on sales agents, PR companies and distributors as well as programs that can explain the different distribution opportunities – the pluses, the minuses and the financials. They should create courses that can be taught at colleges that deal with and explain all these issues."

In terms of getting our film CALVIN MARSHALL produced and released over the past 4 years -- all of these organizations (and many more) have been completely irrelevant in our journey from pre-production through distribution.

I know I don't speak for everyone, but I believe the system is not only a racket, but it's broken and won't be fixed any time soon. Money drives 99.9% of any decision making which greatly effects the world's most expensive art form. Any kind of altruism or mentorship in the independent film business is as difficult to find as financing.

Calvin Marshall opens in Grants Pass, Oregon

2010-05-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at Southgate Cinemas. Stadium Seating. Fri (5/21): (2:15, 4:40) 7:05, 9:30 Sat (5/22): (11:50, 2:15, 4:40) 7:05, 9:30 Sun (5/23): (11:50, 2:15, 4:40) 7:05, 9:30 Mon (5/24): (4:40) 7:05, 9:30 Tue (5/25): (4:40) 7:05, 9:30 Wed (5/26): (4:40) 7:05, 9:30

David Lynch

2010-05-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

Sure he might draw from the same well, but his commitment to emotional truth keeps each new film fresh, funny and moving.

Calvin on Netflix

2010-05-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Place Calvin Marshall IN YOUR QUEUE right now. DVD out September 21st.

Official Trailer on Apple.com

2010-05-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

Calvin Marshall has been held over by Coming Attractions and will play another week at the Varsity Theater. See it this week on the big screen if you're in the Rogue Valley. More dates to be announced soon.

OFFICIAL TRAILER NOW ON APPLE.COM

Calvin Opens in Ashland, Oregon 4/30/10

2010-04-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

Very excited about Calvin Marshall playing the Varsity Theater beginning tomorrow. A big thank you to Coming Attractions, Southern Oregon Film and Television and the Ashland Independent Film Festival for their ongoing support.

Q&A's from Cast/Crew will follow the evening screenings in this first week.

SHOWTIMES - This week at the Varsity Theater in Ashland, Oregon!

Fri (4/30): (3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Sat (5/1): (1:10, 3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Sun (5/2): (1:10, 3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Mon (5/3): (3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Tue (5/4): (3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Wed (5/5): (3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Thu (5/6): (3:35) 6:00, 8:40

Wow and Flutter

2010-04-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

If you missed it, here's a Hi-Res QuickTime of a short film I directed back in 2005. Every now and then the Mediafire link must be reset.

WOW AND FLUTTER

Official Trailer!

2010-03-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Here it is in HD on YouTube.

OFFICIAL CALVIN MARSHALL TRAILER HD

Shutter Island

2010-03-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

Saw it last week and it's been haunting me since. I'm surprised people aren't raving more about this film and shocked at some of the backlash.

(SPOILERS)

I haven't read the book, but this is a brave movie. It dives into dark places few films dare to explore.

While stylistically Shutter Island is "classic horror/suspense" that proudly borrows from Hitchcock, the story is more of a slow excavation of human tragedy. The kind of minor catastrophe that regularly graces news. Those "Breaking News Stories" that make you wince and label someone a monster in the next breath. Stories that have become cliches and conceal the true complexity and pain of what happened.

Martin Scorsese has never really directed a true genre film. His work has almost become a genre in itself, blending (and blurring) conventions at will. Even his Cape Fear remake tackled drama, (comedy?), suspense and horror in equal doses and steered clear of simple classification.

Shutter Island is perhaps easy to dismiss because of it's refusal to do what audiences and critics might crave or expect. It's a film that's unflinching and hard to watch at times -- but this aspect is critical to the narrative. Just as Teddy Daniels can't side-step the truth, neither can Scorsese. And the audience isn't off the hook either -- we also have to look and discover what happened that day.

Somehow, the narrative remains satisfying and hopeful in end. I'm not sure exactly why, but I guess there's something brave about facing the truth and consequences of a terrible destiny. And Teddy becomes a poor man's Sydney Carton in the end, fully able to make the ultimate sacrifice after resurfacing from madness.

And the wonderful final credits mashup of Max Richter and Dinah Washington may also have something to do with striking the right tone at the end.

Damien Jurado's Saint Bartlett

2010-03-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

Comes out in May on Secretly Canadian (his ninth album) produced by label mate Richard Swift. The first single Arkansas is highly recommended. Download the free mp3 at Stereogum below. I'm loving the sock-hop vibe and the fact we get to hear another stirring first person narrative from one of America's most talented, prolific and consistent songwriters.

Honestly, I recommend every single record he's put out without hesitation. Each contains amazing songs and a cohesive aesthetic. Sure you could collect his very best tracks on a long playlist, but I prefer to hear his albums from beginning to end the old fashioned way. Often on vinyl.

ARKANSAS by DAMIEN JURADO

If you haven't seen my short film Wow and Flutter, please download a hi-res QT of it at the link below. Damien's wonderful song Saturday plays during the last scene and credits.

WOW AND FLUTTER

New Calvin Marshall Behind the Scenes

2010-03-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

Posted on YouTube today. A reminder of how fun shooting is. Sure it's also an agonizing grind, but it's still my absolute favorite thing to do.

I should be working on a new film this fall. I have four different projects out there looking for financing and I'm expecting one of them to go! The power of positive thinking at work.

Calvin Marshall Inside Look EP 04 (Behind the Scenes)

New Music 2010

2010-02-27T08:26:00.000-08:00

A great year ahead -- so many new records to look forward to!
FRIGHTENED RABBIT Winter of Mixed Drinks

GORILLAZ Plastic Beach

TITUS ANDRONICUS The Monitor

LOVE IS ALL Two Thousand and Ten Injuries

BLACK FRANCIS NonStopErotik

MGMT Congratulations

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Together

THE STREETS Computers and Blues

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE Forgivness Rock Record

THE HOLD STEADY Heaven Is Whenever

CALVIN MARSHALL Official Soundtrack

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

THE FALL Our Future, Your Clutter

INTERPOL

THE NATIONAL

THE CHOIR

DEVO Fresh

SALEM (1st Official Longplayer??)

THE WALKMEN

THE WRENS

ARCADE FIRE

Coming to Phoenix

2010-02-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Calvin Marshall will play Arizona the last week of March. This is an official theatrical engagement and we're excited to be partnering with charities during spring training. Many more theatrical dates are in the works so look out for a firm calendar soon.

Calvin will screen around the country and eventually find it's way to bigger markets this summer. (NY, LA, BOSTON, SF, CHICAGO, ETC.)

You can FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER now to keep up with my personal day to day grind of making movies.

Cucalorus Film Festival Q & A

2010-02-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

I had an awesome time in Wilmington back in November. Here's the Q&A that Alex and I participated in after our second screening at the festival. Lots of good information about Calvin discussed...

Q & A with Alex Frost and Gary Lundgren

New Scene on YouTube

2010-02-01T16:12:00.001-08:00

CALVIN MARSHALL - TRYOUT SEQUENCE

Spoon's Metal Detektor

2010-01-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

For years I wanted to use The Sound of Sinners by the Clash during a tryout sequence in Calvin Marshall. Even just imagining the "judgement day" chorus to our storyboards seemed too good to be true. Joe Strummer's ironic wail and that driving gospel-tinged rock 'n roll? It was a perfect match for this pivotal sequence where Calvin's inflated view of his ability hits an all time high.

This time around in post, the sequence worked as well as I had hoped. During test screenings, many Clash fans who ignored Sandinista! we're intrigued by the track and revisited this underrated opus. I had a long history with this song and now that I could see and feel the finished sequence, it was devastating to be forced to choose another song.

I won't lie to you, money was the primary reason we had to let it go. Six figures has a nasty ring to it on a small movie. And besides, we had already set up a favored nation structure for licensing songs from the majors. Even if we could afford the huge price tag, we legally couldn't go against the structure we set up. A structure that was implemented so we could license several major label songs at the same low rate and comfortably stay under budget.

Usually in filmmaking, if you stay open minded and positive, a situation like this will become a blessing in disguise. Enter SPOON. They've played driving jangle rock 'n roll for years and their growing catalog immediately presented us with a number of cool options. Funny, now that I think about it, even Britt Daniel's vocals are in the same universe as Joe's. Both impassioned with a slight gravel...

After listening to every album obsessively, I had a short list right away; Don't Make Me A Target and Utilitarian -- but I was most smitten with Sister Jack. Amazing song! But there was just something about the connotations of the lyrics while watching Calvin play that I didn't quite love...

And more importantly, I was hoping for a song that had a long enough bridge so the brief bits of dialogue (Coach, Calvin, Murphy) would fit better between the vocals. (This was actually a problem with The Clash too)

Long story short, Metal Detektor became the song that not only replaced an irreplaceable song, but exceeded it in the end. The tone and pace were made to order and the lyrics were less on the nose than The Clash's "Judgement Day" chorus. Calvin was, in a way, getting away with a crime. The Metal Detektor was ringing and he was doing all he could to get through the door.

Now, months later -- all of us working on the film love this sequence and would never replace Spoon. Even if the The Clash was the same price.

Tomorrow the scene will be online and I will link to it from here.

The National

2010-01-24T08:19:00.000-08:00

One of the thrilling things about making a movie is the process of choosing needle drop music. In our volleyball sequence that recently posted to YouTube, I originally wanted to use Disorder by Joy Division.

But this choice was brainstormed at the script stage, when your imagination can often be as misguided as intuitive.

When we had a rough cut in the editing room, we realized something wasn't right about this pairing. While the sequence had the right feeling (sort of), the tempo and the anachronisms of Ian Curtis were more distracting than I anticipated. I remember being shocked at the time because this was one of the song choices I was most confident about going into post.

My favorite record of 2007 was Boxer by The National. It was my personal soundtrack that year and marked my life the way great albums do. Also at the time, John Askew (our composer and music supervisor) put together four CD's of random tracks that might be good for the film. He included some older tracks from their CHERRY TREE EP and also included the track that jumped out the most -- Abel from ALLIGATOR.

ABEL had an irresistible spark. When we laid it down, the whole sequence came to life - it was electrifying. It was one of those cool filmmaking moments, where you knew you had it right. The only obstacle at that point was whether it was affordable.

Watching The National perform, you realize quickly they are a true band, each member in sync with each other and fully aware of the subtlety and weight of their own contribution. I love watching them perform, so cool and unassuming.

Check them out playing The Apartment Story from Boxer.

Calvin Marshall Scene on YouTube

2010-01-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks for watching and sharing with your networks!
VOLLEYBALL SEQUENCE!
Clip features Alex Frost, Michelle Lombardo, Josh Fadem, Steve Zahn and Abraham Benrubi.

Hybrid Distribution

2010-01-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

It's a much better description for what's happening now in Independent film.

When you consider all the people you must collaborate with to release a film? Multiple companies and pros need to be in your corner and doing what they do best. "DIY" just isn't accurate in most cases.

It's an exciting time to produce and release an independent film. There are so many tools in this evolving landscape that a producer can actually keep control of a property from script through release. For the first time, producers can split up the rights to their films and make multiple non-exclusive deals with major distribution companies.

The most exciting part? More films will get exposure and make profits without turning the reigns over completely to major studios. This means more and more film investors will see returns on their investments.

I expect private equity to flow into independent film again over the next few years simply because there will be enough filmmakers out there taking advantage of this extraordinary time. And you can bet the producers left standing will build distribution expenses into future production budgets.

I don't want to come off overly optimistic here, but I do think this is an exciting time and there will be a lot of success stories.

Our producers have been consulting with Peter Broderick on the Calvin Marshall release -- who is quoted in this recent NY Times article.

The Coming Revolution in Indie Distribution

Favorite Films of the Decade 2000-2009

2009-12-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

I'm a little surprised more indies didn't make my list, but when you think about it -- most of my picks are independent in style and spirit. And while digital filmmaking brought down budgets and sped up schedules this decade, I'm still drawn to visual, cinematic storytelling that is carefully planned out and well executed. I don't think it's a coincidence that most of these were shot in 35mm. And if they shot digitally (28 Days Later, Dancer in the Dark) none used their preferred format as a license to follow actors around and improvise dialogue.

After Gus Van Sant made the predictable Finding Forester, he was driven back to his indie roots. First came the Palme d'Or winner Elephant followed by Gerry, Last Days and Paranoid Park. All four were filmed this decade and each belong to a similar aesthetic. Van Sant shows what a master can do when budget challenged. These "small" movies remain cinematic and powerful even while unabashedly playing with time and structure. And with the exception of Gerry, all were made without movie stars.

And as far as movie stars go, they are a little overrated when evaluating why a film might stand the test of time. Who would call Adapation a Nicholas Cage movie? (even though he's brilliant here) And don't tell me Eternal Sunshine is a Jim Carey movie. I'm not star bashing -- actors become movie stars because they are insanely talented/beautiful/unique/lucky. But as far as these films go, the movie star "image" isn't expected to carry them. The films, in fact, can carry themselves just fine.

While being a famous director or having a respectable budget makes the filmmaking process easier, I guarantee these filmmakers (famous or not) fought every step of the way to preserve their visions and make their work as good as possible. Think about what Peter Jackson went through on Lord of the Rings?! His journey is arguably the decade's biggest example of "independent spirit".

The inclusion of HBO shows was hard to resist. Many of the best filmmakers are moving to cable television for the stability and the chance to tell sprawling, uncensored stories with instant distribution. The Office BBC and Deadwood both struck me as the most exceptional and stood out as two of my favorite TV shows since the cruel dismantling of Twin Peaks in 1991.

I would've liked to include more Pixar films. In particular, Monsters Inc. and Up. But The Incredibles is the one I love most so here it represents everything I love about Pixar. Year after year they continue making hugely popular, four quadrant movies that don't feel produced by committee. Somehow each film contains a voice, unique (bizarre/cool!) creative choices and lasting emotional power. The very things that are routinely developed out of stories by other studios.

Sure, many of these filmmakers have clout, but they still had to quarrel and collaborate with producers, financiers, movie stars, agents, studios, distributors, and even audiences. Somehow these films overcame the hundreds (thousands?) of obstacle to get from script to set to screen. Then, out of the 25,000 or so films distributed this decade, they ended up near the top.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Mulholland Drive
The Royal Tenenbaums
Adaptation
Sideways
The New World
Punch Drunk Love
No Country For Old Men
Sexy Beast
There Will Be Blood
High Fidelity
A History of Violence
Dancer in the Dark
Requiem for a Dream
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
28 Days Later
Deadwood / The Office BBC
The Incredibles
Lord of the Rings (trilogy)
Elephant / Gerry / Last Days / Paranoid Park

Wow and Flutter

2009-12-14T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here's my little Christmas present to anyone out there who reads this blog. A hi-res QuickTime download of our 2004 short film WOW AND FLUTTER. (195 MB)

This 17 minute calling card was instrumental in helping get Calvin Marshall made. It was shot with a tiny crew in a few days on 35mm short ends. We used an old ARRI BL-2 -- the same kind of camera Kubrick used on the Shining.

It's been five years since finishing Wow and Flutter and I feel somewhat removed from the experience of making it. I can now watch the film objectively and enjoy it for what it is, almost as if someone else wrote and directed. Over all, I love the tone and subtext in this movie and I'm a sucker for any film about infatuation expressed through a mix tape.

Like Calvin Marshall, this short has a soundtrack I still love. The use of The Orchids was a dream for me -- not to mention Red Red Groovy, Damien Jurado and of course The Go-Betweens. (I passed a copy to Robert Forster and Grant McLennan at their Troubador gig in 2005. Less than a year later Grant tragically died of a heart attack)

Also on the soundtrack are quite a few indies. It's so cool to think Tracker, Petracovich, Buellton, Manta Ray and Brown ended up on David's mix tape. This fourteen year-old kid had a preternatural taste in music.

Favorite Albums of 2009

2009-12-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

It's been a good year for music and these are the records I played the most. They lived with me through the ups and downs of writing screenplays and finishing the film. (Our Calvin Marshall soundtrack should be #1 but it's a 2010 release!)

1. The Antlers - Hospice

2. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies

3. Dark Was The Night (Red Hot Compilation)

4. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

5. Fever Ray - Fever Ray

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

7. XX - XX

8. Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, the Commuter

9. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

10. The Veils - Sun Gangs

11. The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come

12. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

13. Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

14. Petracovich - Crepusculo

15. Moby - Wait For Me

16. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul

17. Eels - Hombre Lobo

18. Grand Duchy - Petits Four

19. Loney Dear - Dear John

20. AC Newman - Get Guilty

21. The Church - Untitled #23

22. Where the Wild Things Are OST

23. Steve Earle - Townes

24. (Reissue) The Beatles: Remastered

25. (Reissue) Big Star - Keep an Eye On the Sky

Hospice is a mesmerizing, emotional record. While you could call it conceptual, the story-line is personal and subtle enough so the listening experience stays magnetic and fresh. There is a cast of characters, a cancer ward. There are ghosts and haunting grief. Here's the video for "Two":

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009-11-30T22:13:00.000-08:00

While sitting down at the multiplex over Thanksgiving I wasn't prepared for the most emotionally satisfying Wes Anderson film since The Royal Tenenbaums. Mr. Fox is also the most dynamic lead since Royal so I shouldn't be that surprised. Lajos Egri made a fairly convincing case that character is plot back in 1942. Here is further evidence that he may have been on to something.

I'm confident TFMF is a film that will continue to get richer and more satisfying over time so go see it in theaters while you can. The Fox family is resilient and special. The script is sharp, sincere and well-written. The animation is beautiful. I hope this does big business but the quirkier aspects will probably narrow its appeal.

But even when you strip away the more polarizing aspects of this film (which I really do love), you're still left with a story that's ultimately about survival and fighting for what you want in life. And so I still have to believe (hope) that this movie will be irresistible to a wider audience, even if it doesn't do Pixar-type box office.

Interview

2009-11-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Reposting this because its been archived and the link changed. It was done in correlation with Cucalorus a few weeks back.

ENCORE INTERVIEW

Thanks Cucalorus

2009-11-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

The first three days in Wilmington were a little glum and drizzly but it didn't hold Cuclaorus back. The festival was well attended and run by some really cool, enthusiastic people. I made new friends -- the days were full and the nights were long. (Sleep deprivation established early!)

I saw many great films over five days including the House of the Devil which gloriously lived up to all my expectations. Masterfully directed with a strong cast and shot in only 18 days. (Would love to cast Tom Noonan someday)

Being a long time Mekons fan, I was excited to hear Joe Langford play a surprise set at the opening night party. He started with Millionaire from "I (heart) Mekons" and even broke a string on a ferocious acoustic version of "Never Been In a Riot". He also played a track from Fear and Whiskey which was pretty unbelievable being I was only five feet from him. Langford's appearance was connected with New York based filmmaker Joe Angio's excellent new Mekons doc which was screening as a work in progress.

Our two Calvin Marshall screenings went well with Alex Frost attending both. Even though the film seems to be playing well, the screenings in general aren't comfortable yet for me. There usually comes a time with a movie where you feel (almost) completely separated from the film and it takes on a life of its own. When this happens, screenings are much easier to sit back and engage. Anyway - not quite there yet.

The sun finally came out for the weekend and it was fun to see Cape Fear and the ocean. Very cool to walk around downtown Wilmington. It reminded me a little of Ashland, Oregon where we shot Calvin. Quaint downtown with culture, nice people and memorable restaurants like Deluxe.

I found myself whistling the Lumberton theme as I walked by the Dorothy Vallens Deep River apartment building. Within walking distance is the Beaumont Hardware Store and also the big, beautiful church that Jeffrey and Sandy once upon a time parked beside. I looked up at the stained glass and wondered when the Robins would come. I wanted to venture down to Lincoln but decided against it.

Friends in Florida?

2009-11-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Over the next week, Calvin Marshall will screen three times for the Sarasota Film Society. If you have friends in the area, thanks for passing on the details!

CINE-WORLD IN SARASOTA

Friday, November 6 at 1:00 p.m - Burns Court Cinemas.

Wednesday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. - Burns Court Cinemas

Thursday, November 12 at 7:45 p.m. - Lakewood Ranch Cinemas

Sports Analogies

2009-11-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

There's a new REVIEW out of Austin today.

Sometimes I tap into the mindset of an athlete and imagine filmmaking as a sport. When obstacles come up, it's helpful for me to imagine them as meek defenders trying to guard me. It's up to me to shake them off and take the ball hard to the rim. If it's all just a game (and it really is) than the occasional strikeout or disappointment is quickly put in perspective because we have four more at bats tomorrow and another twenty-five next week.

Ups and Downs

2009-11-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

While this blog is a transparent place to deal with all aspects of filmmaking, it's also a place to promote Calvin Marshall. I'm walking a fine line here. Sometimes I'm tempted to post the ugly side of this business, which isn't always the best way to promote. No one likes a 'sour grapes' attitude. On the flip side, I don't want to spin things to appear rosier than they are.

The world keeps getting smaller. In these days of social networking and RSS feeds, it's almost impossible to hide or pull the wool over people's eyes. So you won't find me trying to snuff out Calvin detractors. I love this movie too much for that. I will, however, keep doing my part to promote the film in positive ways until it has a fan base.

Anne and I from our Austin party. Eyes wide open!

Things To Do With Your Reviews

2009-11-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

1. Push delete. 2. Start a fire. 3. Make confetti. 4. Line your rabbit cage.

Do you save them? Frame them on the wall? Do you learn from them or use them for target practice? Should you ignore them? Scorsese claims to remember every bad review and the name of each critic.

Or don't you even read them? I'm not inclined to believe you.

What do you get four years after you win best short film at the Paste Rock 'N Reel Fest? A negative review in Paste Magazine. Disappointing? Yes. Should I care? Probably not.

"Don't read your reviews. Don't believe them when they tell you you're great; don't worry if they tell you you're no good. Just shut up and make your movies and that really works fine." WOODY ALLEN

News Clips

2009-11-01T15:43:00.000-08:00

Check out some CALVIN MARSHALL Q&A footage after our World Premiere in Austin.

Diedrich Bader answers a question about the movie.

Josh Fadem answers a key question at our Q&A.

World Premiere Last Friday!

2009-10-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Many have asked me how Austin was. In short, our premiere went about as well as one could expect. Our screening was packed and the audience reaction was electric and palpable. The comedy played bigger than I anticipated for what is ultimately a bittersweet story. Fans told us Calvin Marshall made them laugh and cry. They said the 35mm print looked and sounded gorgeous. Many told us they loved the soundtrack/score. Over and over people said the movie has strong performances and that Steve Zahn has never been better.

Seeing this kind of reaction up close was our biggest reward. Ultimately it's what matters most, right? Word of mouth will help carry a movie like this and we all seem to believe (hope) that people will discover it over time.

However, unless I blog about it, these kinds of unmeasurable rewards are hard to publicize. Local press was fantastic but AFF was virtually ignored by Hollywood and indie film press in general. (cough, cough Variety, HW, Indiewire, Filmmaker magazine, Important Film Blogs/Websites, cough) Now, the last thing I want to do is sound bitter here, so bear with me. I also want to be honest. I realize it's a difficult time for everyone and certain festivals will be ignored. But AFF? Is there just one too many festivals in Austin? Is that the problem? Perhaps thorough coverage will hit after Up In The Air closes AFF tonight. I'm not counting on it but if there is fair coverage, I will gladly take all this back.

It's hard to deny fear and a herd mentality still runs this business even as it struggles to survive. Everyone's chasing the money, and not just young filmmakers -- but the evolving press and even the pros at the top of the heap. Are those elitist circles forming again as "Industry Leaders" pick up all the pieces? Like Kenny Powers says..."You're f*ing out and I'm f*ing in!"

On the positive side, AFF was well-attended and there was an enthusiastic atmosphere wherever we went. The panels were vulnerable and informative. I participated in a few and attended some -- and the overriding theme was this: There's blood in the streets. "Worst time ever for filmmakers", declared one of my favorite directors. In the same breath, there was silver lining, "At the same time, never has there been more opportunity".

We are living this paradox everyday and probably for the next few years.

Calvin Marshall Original Soundtrack Teaser EP

2009-10-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

I mentioned this in the previous post, but a few people missed it...We are giving away a FREE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK TEASER EP! It is 100% free, no strings attached. All you audiophiles out there can even choose your desired bit rate.

John Askew composed and helped supervise so much music for CALVIN MARSHALL that we have an epic double CD soundtrack planned that BADMAN RECORDING CO. will release in the spring.

In the meantime, please enjoy this free teaser EP (9 Tracks in all) and get to know some of my favorite cues from the film.

Contest

2009-10-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Broken Sky is giving away a 2010 Spring Training weekend. Drawing is December 1st. Details are HERE

If you don't know the answers, you can find them on the teaser soundtrack EP we're giving away as a free download.

GET A DOWNLOAD LINK HERE

Wild Things

2009-10-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

A beautiful film that's as simple and alluring as the 1963 children's book. CGI is shunned to the point where it's difficult to tell where in-camera FX begin and end. The narrative is buoyed by a terrific score that stands on it's own. The boy is perfectly cast but it's the Wild Things themselves who steal the movie with funny banter and complex personalities. The tone is inspiring and melancholy in equal doses making this the fantastic children's adaptation we hoped for.

The film does not pander and addresses real conflicts head on -- those bitter, jealous kinds of wounds that exist in most families. Congrats to Spike Jonze who fought the studio for years against making a dumbed down Cat in the Hat-like adaptation.

It's hard to say what younger children will think of this movie, but my first inclination is to encourage parents to not underestimate their kids. I can't imagine anyone who loves the book (big or small) not finding something emotionally satisfying and meaningful in this movie. Something that is often lacking in children's programming.

First Review

2009-10-19T12:28:00.001-07:00

I don't want to follow these too closely but it still feels good, especially since we need the support and this is the very first one. "The Austinist" link is posted at the top of our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

Newsletter and More

2009-10-15T12:11:00.001-07:00

See all the latest NEWS

You can sign up at our WEBSITE

Thanks for all the support.

Calvin Marshall Inside Look EP 02

2009-10-14T16:32:00.001-07:00

A new Behind the Scenes quicktime has been posted on YouTube.
Please check it out, vote and spread the word. Thanks!

YouTube hosts in both HD and standard def so click the HD button if your computer can support it.

Calvin Marshall Inside Look EP 02I

Must See Movies

2009-10-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

I never went to the movies as a kid but was raised on television; everything from sports to the A-Team, to Bugs Bunny, Monty Python to the Dick Cavett show. I was eight in 1977 and didn't see STAR WARS until it was re-released in 1997. Perhaps my taste would be a little different if I had seen it as a kid, but the first movie I flipped over (aside from Tobe Hooper's TV version of SALEM'S LOT) was RACE WITH THE DEVIL starring Warren Oates and Peter Fonda. The second? HANNAH AND HER SISTERS.

I won't use the word eclectic, but if you called my taste random you would be right.

There are a handful of upcoming movies that I'm excited to see in the theater and two in particular have really got me in a fog of anticipation. The first is the throwback horror film THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL.

This movie seems anachronistic in every way - in all the best ways. It's hard not to think ROSEMARY'S BABY or great 70's horror in general when you watch the trailer. The movie just gets it right - the look, the feel, just enough creepiness in tone, the score, excellent casting, deliberate pacing.

Full disclosure, I've only seen the trailer and a few clips. I've also read some things - but I'm pretty certain this is a slam dunk. THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL is playing Cucalrous along with CALVIN MARSHALL this November so I'm excited I'll be able to skip Amazon VOD and see it in a packed theater.

The second film is WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. I know I'm hardly alone on this one but the thought of seeing it is making me giddy. Spike Jonze walks the tonal tightrope perhaps better than anyone, moving effortlessly from the bizarre to the profound to the hilarious and always manages to keep things human and emotionally satisfying. I'm expecting this movie to be wildly successful (no pun intended - both critically and financially) and be loved for years to come. We'll have a better idea after it opens this weekend.

Coming Soon

2009-10-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Evolving Website

2009-10-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

A few new bells and whistles added. There's a newsletter you can sign up for.

Follow Calvin on Twitter - he's tweeting from the east coast.

Also, the current poster has been unveiled. Check it all out here at calvinmarshall.com

Behind the Scenes

2009-09-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here's the first Quicktime in a series designed to build interest in our movie.

These were created from over twenty hours of HD produced and shot by Rocky Garrotto and Anita Gomez.

Their work will be the gift that keeps on giving as it's our primary source for building Calvin Marshall related content to help promote our premiere and eventual release.

YouTube hosts in both HD and standard def so click the HD button if your computer can support it.

Feedback and questions are welcome as the series is still being completed.

Calvin Marshall Inside Look EP 01

Austin Schedule Posted

2009-09-27T00:25:00.000-07:00

Come on out for our CALVIN MARSHALL world premiere. The Paramount Theater holds 1300 so there's plenty of room.

It's on Friday night, October 23rd at 9:50 p.m.

Confirmed to attend (so far): All four of our producers, myself, Alex Frost, Michelle Lombardo, Andrew Wilson, Diedrich Bader, Jeremy Sumpter, Josh Fadem and the fantastic Rosie Thomas. (And we're very excited for Rosie to play a set of music at our after party!)

AFF has an interesting line-up this year and annually hosts the best screenwriting conference in the world.

Check out all the details and the entire schedule HERE

1000 True Fans

2009-09-11T14:51:00.001-07:00

Apparently that's all it takes. As we move towards our Calvin Marshall world premiere, Malcolm Gladwell, Facebook and all the DIY tools have practically forced their way into our game plan. We never even asked for it.

It's easy for me to be cynical about this. At what point will there be backlash for this kind of self-promotion? Look at how fast myspace jumped the shark? At what point will people abandon Facebook because they don't want to be bothered with another movie or cause that's fighting for their attention?

I have to admit, though, it's unbelievably cool to do some of these things, so we're embracing it. At least most of it. And, over the next year we'll be looking for even more innovative ways to stand out and make people aware of our movie.

A lot of things are in the works, but for now, if you'd like to support our cause and stay up to date, please become a Calvin fan on Facebook by clicking the link on the upper right.

You can also spread the word about the initial teaser we just posted and rate it on Youtube

One of things I wanted to do in this blog was demystify the filmmaking process. I hoped it would be a place where both fans of Calvin and aspiring filmmakers could peak behind the curtain. With that goal in mind, we'll be posting some cool behind the scenes footage in the coming weeks.

Thanks for the support everyone.

Calvin Teaser

2009-09-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

Calvin Marshall Teaser from Broken Sky Films on Vimeo.

Teaser

2009-09-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

People always complain about movie trailers giving away too much of the story. On the flip side, distributors argue that if you don't give away the entire movie, people are less likely to go see it.

Both perspectives make sense to me in a way, but ideally a trailer gets people on the hook without giving too much story away or misrepresenting the movie.

We have a traditional trailer cut for Calvin Marshall that we're liking, but we're not yet ready to show it -- at least not until we have a firmer handle on our release plan. Our thought is if a trailer is online too long before someone can go see the movie or put the dvd in their netflix queue, then it has a way of wearing out its welcome.

So, we've decided (in lieu of the trailer) to release a teaser leading up to the premiere.

Our teaser gives the "feel" of the movie away with little exposition revealed. The montage is 1:18 and set to a piece of score by our composer John Askew.

The teaser accomplishes two things; first and foremost, it gives people a little glimpse into Calvin's world and the characters that populate it. Secondly, it gives people a taste of the overall tone, which is at times ironic and funny, but more often melancholic and sincere.

In addition to the teaser introducing our trifecta - Calvin, Little and Tori - we also call attention to some supporting cast. This device allows us to show shots of actors in a montage without having to give away too much story information. We couldn't fit in everyone and it's an unorthodox move perhaps, but this was an idea we liked so we're trying it out.

Hope you enjoy it. You can check it out at our website where new information and other surprises will appear leading up to our initial screenings.

World Premiere - Austin Film Festival 2009

2009-08-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Austin's a great city to premiere Calvin Marshall because, at least from an outsider's perspective, it seems to unabashedly embrace both sports and independent film. You don't find this everywhere.

http://www.brokenskyfilms.com/

It's Official!

2009-08-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

CALVIN MARSHALL will have it's world premiere in October.

It's been over 19 months since we wrapped shooting. It would've been nice to premiere earlier this year, but something about this fall feels right.

We could've moved faster if we had the resources and hired a few more people. An accountant and a post production supervisor would have been great. But sometimes you only move as fast as the creative process and the budget allows. It was probably good for us to go through each step carefully, even if it took longer in the end.

Down the home stretch we were lucky to have a few pros in our corner -- Cece Hall and Mark Goldblatt. They were generous with their time and weighed in on editorial and helped us make some difficult decisions before locking picture.

After locking, we started from scratch on the sound mix. John Askew's rich score continued to evolve and our needle drop choices got better. Our post sound team (led by David Raines) created a complex layered mix that added unexpected depths and subtleties. We are all thrilled with the results.

More information around our October screening coming soon. We might screen at a few additional festivals before the movie is distributed in March of 2010. There will also be some special word of mouth screenings leading up to the release.

The distribution details are coming together but it will all depend on how much P&A we have. I'm expecting a strategic theatrical release and then VOD, DVD and DIGITAL following quickly after. This release plan could change a little, but for right now this is what we expect.

Everything Takes Longer Than You Expect Part 2

2009-07-04T16:32:00.001-07:00

Hurry up and wait. It's been a reality every step of the way.

Lately we've had some good momentum and see light at the end of the tunnel. We will have an announcement soon.

In the mean time here's an interview I did with the Austin Film Festival last week.

http://tinyurl.com/garyAFF

Everything Takes Longer Than You Expect

2009-03-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

We discovered this when our original 2005 start date pushed indefinitely. (Filming didn't begin until late 2007)

We learned this in post-production when locking picture took more than a year. (Not 6 months)

And now we're learning these lessons again in the ever-changing landscape of distribution.

We were anticipating premiering and releasing "Calvin Marshall" in 2009 during spring-training. (now)

The reason we're not is because we've been focussed on two critical goals since the very beginning.

1. Maximum exposure for the finished film.

2. Profit to our investors.

Every decision we make is executed with these two things in mind.

We want our world premiere to occur no more than two months before our theatrical release. This way, publicity dollars spent on the premiere will have an impact on our theatrical campaign.

Using the same logic, when the film is pulled from theaters, the DVD, VOD, CABLE and DIGITAL releases will follow quickly and with some momentum.

Keep in mind, all of this must be orchestrated months and months ahead of time.

With all that said, we will have some firm things to announce in the near future. We're looking forward to releasing the trailer and announcing the details around our world premiere.

New Blog

2009-02-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

This one will retire soon. The new one will be incorporated into the Calvin Marshall website which is under construction.

From a distance, blogging felt like a presumptuous exercise to me. But like it or not, this kind of self-promotion is becoming a critical part of filmmaking -- especially when a film is nearly finished.

Many people have asked about the title of this blog and I wanted to take a moment to clarify before it's gone.

Falling on your face is something you get used to in this business, and you're often kicked to the ground. There is so much rejection across the board. That goes for most everyone above the line carving out a career.

When people say persistence is a crucial aspect of filmmaking, what they're saying is that you must learn how to get back up and dust yourself off all the time.

The next blog will hopefully be as transparent as this one but will be more connected to the release of Calvin.

More Pics from Calvin Marshall

2009-01-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

Michelle Lombardo and Steve Zahn

Andrew Wilson

Abe Benrubi and Jeremy Sumpter

Diedrich Bader

Print Complete

2009-01-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

Coach Little (Steve Zahn) and Calvin (Alex Frost)

A 35mm print of CALVIN MARSHALL unspooled in 5.1 at Deluxe on Friday.

With the exception of 7 opticals, image color and density were corrected photochemically over five days. The blacks are black and the whites are white. Specific shots were corrected warmer or cooler. Colors are bold. All without a Digital Intermediate.

While this way of making films is dying, our experience demonstrates that a DI isn't always necessary. The evidence is in how gorgeous our print looks. Shooting 35mm and cutting the negative is still an effective/viable work flow for filmmakers.

We are now in the final stages. The next month we'll be completing our HD master. This is the copy that will live on -- TV, dvd, blu-ray, VOD, etc.

Lots of news to report soon on marketing, publicity, our premiere, and distribution.

Sound is Finished

2009-01-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we listened to the final sound mix of Calvin four times. It was especially exciting because there are no more changes left to be made.

A Dolby Rep was there at our approved dubb stage to create an MO of our work. Only Dolby can do this with their hardware. The whole process feels dated in a way but it's quite effective. The MO is basically a cartridge that holds about 2 GB.

On the cartridge is both our 5.1 mix and a 2.0 mix. These will be striped directly onto our prints so that when our prints play in theaters they will be in Dolby SR and sound great.

More news to report soon.

Still in Post

2009-01-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

Our theatrical sound mix will be completed this week.

Print mastering with Dolby is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14th.

Color timing at Deluxe for our prints will be completed the last week of January.

Shortly after, EFILM will give us our HD master so DVD screeners will finally look and sound like they are supposed to.

Also in the works...

1. New website, blogs.

2. Trailer, teasers, marketing materials.

3. Details on our premiere and release schedule.

Mixing

2008-12-21T21:18:00.000-08:00

Last week we mixed the film. It was an exciting experience to hear it all for the first time.

Tomorrow morning is the first official playback of our new 5.1 theatrical sound mix.

The rest of the day will be spent making final tweaks. Sound mix will lock tomorrow evening.

Dolby is scheduled for Tuesday's print master.

Deluxe is handling our picture. Early next year we'll be doing the color correction for our release. Very exited for this process.

Soon after we'll have our 35mm answer print and marry that to our new sound mix. Getting closer.

Dubb Stage

2008-12-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

Next week we're dubbing the film for our theatrical release. It will be executed in Dolby Digital (SRD) 5.1.

Hundreds of audio tracks will be mixed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day. Dialogue is generally front and center and everything else falls around the space between the 4 other speakers-- score, backgrounds, sound effects, foley, loop group, etc.

CALVIN MARSHALL is 5 reels long. Each day one reel will be mixed -- approximately 17 minutes of film.

Every little decision on the dubb stage is critical. Each has the potential to help (or hurt) an audience's experience of the movie. The goal, of course, is for the sound experience to help keep an audience engaged in this imaginary world and tracking the story emotionally. The wrong frequency or volume of something in the soundtrack can shatter the illusion of reality and take the audience out of your film.

Double Feature

2008-11-16T21:51:00.000-08:00

Synecdoche, New York and Happy-Go-Lucky are currently in theaters and make an interesting pairing. As you would expect, Charlie Kaufman's movie is a mind-bender and Mike Leigh's is a slice of life character study.

On the surface they seem like very different films and in many ways they are -- but I was surprised how they needled me in similar ways. Both grapple with fleeting happiness and the futility of our lives. Both put the main character's life under an uncomfortable microscope.

And though Caden and Poppy are polar opposites, our protagonists seem to press on through the squeeze of everyday life with their own brand of reckless abandon.

In the end, Happy-Go-Lucky has more silver lining.

We would do well to duplicate Poppy's ability to smile in the face of hardship and shake off Caden's grim, existential plight -- however unrealistic that might be.

Final Stretch

2008-11-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

A set photo from 11/20/07, the second week of shooting. This is the opening shot of the movie -- little leaguers follow Calvin (Alex Frost) onto the field.

There are over 1000 cuts in our 91 minute feature CALVIN MARSHALL. This week a negative cutter will begin matching key frames to cut lists and chop up over 30 hours of film negative and fuse the correct shots in order with film cement.

From the very beginning we planned to avoid a digital intermediate. DI's are very expensive and we felt the old school way of doing things was perfect for an uncomplicated, realistic indie like ours. There is only one B-Roll fade in our film and just 7 opticals -- two of which are the opening and closing credit sequences. The other 5 are: one freeze frame, one sped up shot, one slowed down shot and two reversed shots. Nearly all of our effect shots were done in camera: one fade out and quite a few high frame rates for slow motion.

During production we were intentional about our color palatte and used natural light whenever possible. We shot with Cooke S4 lenses (which are soft) on the best 35mm Kodak stocks. Color correction will be done photo-chemically at Deluxe.

The negative cut will take about three weeks. Simultaneously we'll be pre-mixing sound, recording foley/FX, additional dialogue, etc at Larson Studios in Hollywood.

The final dubb and print master are scheduled for mid-December.

Throughout post we've built the film with one light DV dailies on a dual G5 in Final Cut Pro. That's all we've been looking at for over a year now. It will be amazing to finally see it projected on film.

Fellini and Sports

2008-10-29T23:03:00.000-07:00

The film blog Hammer to Nail recently commented on the polarizing qualities of the art film and popular sports. Most people prefer one over the other and are often diabolically opposed to the other.

Sports fans checking box scores on their mobiles generally aren't found in revival art-houses.

Hammer to Nail is a wellspring of publicity for high-quality indies still finding their audiences. I recommend it for the strong film criticism and for its unwavering commitment to championing small but vital filmmaking. The kind of movies that will eventually occupy more Netflix queues in the years to come.

In their review of ZIDANE, A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT, the subtleties and complexities of the filmmaking are praised. ZIDANE is for "those of us who love both sports and art".

How many of us out there love both? More specifically, what percentage of U.S. art-house movie-goers regularly tune in to Sportscenter?

This question is on my mind because CALVIN MARSHALL is a sports film turned on its ear. I wouldn't want to speculate if it qualifies as an art film or not -- but people wanting RUDY might be disappointed.

The industry will probably view CALVIN as a tweener -- a subject which I'll post on in the future. A tweener isn't always the kiss of death. While some slip through the cracks, many go on to box office success and critical acclaim. Others do moderate business and discover an audience on cable/dvd.

Wow and Flutter

2008-10-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

A lot of people ask me where they can see our 17 minute short film.
You can download a hi-res Quicktime (200 MB) of the movie here.
http://www.brokenskyfilms.com/wf/

Picture Lock

2008-10-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

According to our post-production schedule we stop cutting on November 7th and turn over the negative.

It felt like we had all the time in the world but now it is running out. Thankfully we don't need more time.

I am lucky to be working with a world class film editor over the next few weeks. He's showing me cutting tricks. Trimming a little here and a little there -- a few frames at a time.

In the end CALVIN MARSHALL will be about three minutes shorter. For the most part people who know the movie won't realize what was cut -- but they'll sense the tighter pacing.

Negative cut, ADR, final score, sound mix, etc. will keep us busy the rest of the year. If all goes well we will strike festival prints before 2008 is over.

Do People Really Change?

2008-10-09T12:35:00.001-07:00

In AUTO FOCUS, Paul Schrader's take on Bob Crane is a little callous.

When the movie was released in 2002 Schrader said, "I don't think people change that much...Bob Crane was the same creepy guy at the beginning as he was at the end..the only thing that really changed in his life was the level of hypocrisy."

This is fascinating to me because filmmakers are usually compelled to show how a character changes throughout a story. It's a compulsion that can be both good and bad.

How much can a person change in real life? At worst we're like Bob Crane, the same person in different circumstances. At best, our changes are measurable but happen far slower than we would like.

Filmmakers should also consider how an audience feels about these questions. I'd like to think most people hope we're capable of significant change.

And remember, people go to the movies to be entertained, inspired, challenged. They crave to see characters evolve and grow.

This leaves the filmmaker in a difficult position. We must show realistic and measurable change in a two hour narrative even though deep down we know people don't really change very much.

If the change feels false -- your audience will see through it and the narrative will suffer. And if there's too little change you'll leave your audience unsatisfied.

As usual we're walking a tight rope. No one ever said filmmaking was easy.

The Illusion of Power

2008-09-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

All you aspiring filmmakers who feel slighted by the industry, here's something you can take comfort in...

Where you happen to fall on the invisible Hollywood hierarchy matters less than you think.

Ultimately we're all putting our next projects out there hoping someone with power comes along and helps get them made.

After we finished our short film WOW AND FLUTTER, initial industry reaction was positive. But it soon became obvious that cards were being held close to vests. Nobody went out of their way to help us.

A herd mentality runs rampant through Hollywood. A project is not worthy of attention until someone important endorses it. The first ally in your corner is the most difficult one to get.

Our short eventually played the festival circuit and it opened some doors. And the dvd screeners we made were instrumental throughout the development and production of our feature film.

We've had some deja vu with CALVIN MARSHALL during our initial screenings with industry. It will be fascinating to watch the industry's perception of the film evolve in the months and years ahead as the film finds its audience.

And I'll be curious to see if the next one is any easier to get made.

Three Colors: Red

2008-09-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Dialogue heavy, yet cinematic in the best way, RED is Kieslowski's greatest achievement. Never in danger of being anachronistic, RED tells a simple story of love, fraternity and fate with philosophical underpinings rarely seen in movies.

I revisit the film often and am always stunned by it's power. Irene Jacob gives a gorgeous, complex performance as Valentine -- a young woman too good for this world. Valentine might be the most beautiful character ever filmed. She's so easy on the eyes and her beauty is soulful and authentic. There's a depth to her beauty that drives her choices and holds the narrative together.

Jean-Louis Trintignant gives a stirring performance as the bitter, retired Judge who is transformed by Valentine's goodness. All the characters in RED seem to have an authenticity that stems from Kieslowski's early years shooting documentaries in Poland. It's a staple of all his fiction work -- rich characterizations and performances that are subtle and human.

I can't say enough about Kieslowski's direction in RED. His camera movement and compositions are unforgettable, yet they never draw too much attention to themselves. You could never accuse him of style over substance for they always seem to be in perfect balance. The film is so well made that even Kieslowski said there was nothing left for him to say in cinema after RED.

David Mamet might be right when he says drama can't change people's lives but RED might be the one exception. When you give yourself over to it's powers, you might be inspired and transformed in unexpected ways.

Getting Your Film Made

2008-09-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

It's an incredibly difficult process but at least it's a simple one on paper. And, most importantly it's within the grasp of any persistent filmmaker.

1. Write or find a screenplay. Not everyone has to love it but a few have to. It has to be special enough to draw some allies.

2. Build your team. At least one producer, probably two or three. And, a director who's capable of carrying the film into production and through post-production.

3. Find money. It's the most important step and it's ultimately the producer's job to find it. Your budget might come from a production company or a hedge fund. A talent agency could package your project and find money for you. One wealthy individual might come along and put up $$. Perhaps a hundred investors will contribute to the budget. If you do decide to sell shares of your film you'll need an entertainment attorney to set up a private placement in order to be legal in the eyes of the SEC.

4. Set your start date and make your first hires; an ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER, a LINE PRODUCER and a CASTING DIRECTOR -- generally in that order. A lawyer makes the process legal and covers your bases going forward. A line producer does an initial budget so you know you can complete the film with the money you're raising. A casting director will help you find the right leads by interfacing with talent agencies.

5. Hire your initial KEYS; the DP, PRODUCTION DESIGNER, 1st AD and EDITOR are especially important at this stage. Maybe even your COMPOSER. There is so much creative work that needs to happen to make a good film, you must begin collaborating with your KEYS immediately. The work will effect the budget and schedule which must get settled early in the game.

All that's left is to find the locations and hire the rest of your cast and crew before pre-production begins. On a low budget film pre-production is about 6 weeks. If the budget is really low, you will need even more prep.

Keep in mind steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 can happen simultaneously over a LONG period of time. And sometimes the steps will happen out of order. For instance step 4 will often happen before you have all your money -- even though it's critical you act like it's already in the bank.

Titles

2008-09-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

Unless you begin with a great title or inspiration strikes late in the 4th quarter, the naming of a screenplay can be a maddening process.

Woody Allen can always fall back on "Woody Allen's Fall Project", but for young producers, the title is an important first impression when going out to the powers that be -- financiers, dealmakers, cast, etc.

I'll be honest and say we've been hot and cold on our title CALVIN MARSHALL.

A long time ago the movie was called MVP, but it just wasn't quite right. And then those Most Valuable Primate movies started being released.

The next version was developed with another company and called POSTGAME. They tried to put their stamp on it with a more conventional structure. The resulting draft was a mess and thankfully was never made. The title POSTGAME always felt a little too generic -- an overused word in sports broadcasting.

When the script ended up at Broken Sky Films, we went back to the original draft and called it HANGING ON A STAR -- which is a Nick Drake song that was supposed to play at the second act curtain. It seemed like the perfect title because it carried Calvin's conflict and story without referring to sports.

But everyone thought this was a cheesy title, like a very broad Disney movie. I thought it could be indie and cool, especially with the tone we were going for, but no one agreed with me.

Most people seem to like the title CALVIN MARSHALL. Names as titles sometimes work well (JERRY MAGUIRE, BILLY ELIOT) so for now that's the title we're going with.

Broken Sky's second film (now in development) was originally called RODEO GIRL. Here's the imdb logline.

"After a brutal knife attack leaves a beautiful small-town rodeo star's face scarred for life, she finds herself in the middle of three violent and surreal tales that culminate one summer night in Southern California."

We've been brainstorming new titles because there's another movie out there called RODEO GIRL that will probably get made.

We're now using the working title RODEO BLOOD, which seems to capture the spirit of the movie better. RODEO GIRL could be a MOW on Lifetime. RODEO BLOOD seems more like the surreal, comic thriller that it is.

Some people say RODEO BLOOD sounds like a horror film but I'm not convinced it's an issue. THERE WILL BE BLOOD feels more like a horror film and it's not.

Pre-Pre-Production

2008-09-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

Exactly one year ago, official pre-production began on CALVIN MARSHALL in Ashland, Oregon.

The two months leading up to it was a period of time we like to refer to at Broken Sky as pre-pre production. This is a very important time where our producing team goes on location and wears many different hats, preparing not only for production but for pre-production.

You can never be over-prepared to make a movie. Thousands of decisions need to made in short order and it's in your best interest to begin making them with your team as soon as possible. All of them will directly and indirectly effect the movie. The ripple effect of pre-production decision making is very unforgiving -- especially on a low budget film.

For example -- shooting at that amazing bar 20 miles away will not only effect transportation but it will totally disrupt the shooting schedule. Not to mention, the true cost of shooting at your favorite bar isn't just the $ it costs to shut it down for a night -- it's also the significant cost of adding an extra shooting day to your already budgeted 25 day shoot.

Suddenly, converting the production office into a bar doesn't seem like such a bad idea. And, it's best to know this up front so you don't have to spring the construction news on your art department in the middle of pre-production when they're already overworked and understaffed.

The truth is that scenarios like this are going to happen anyway. The goal is to limit them as much as possible in advance. That way, pre-production will go smooth, you'll earn the respect and trust of your crew and you'll improve your chances of staying on budget and making a good movie.

Another piece of advice for directors and producers: work through a schedule and budget on your own. Know the details and know them well. The schedule and budget will ultimately be perfected by your line producer and 1st AD but it's crucial you can have a conversation with them about each detail and ensure your priorities are in line so you're working with the right schedule and budget early on in pre-production.

Objectivity

2008-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

How many times have you watched your favorite film?

I've seen The Graduate about 20 times. Three Colours Red, maybe 25 times. I doubt I've had more than 25 viewings of any one film. And keep in mind, those screenings are spread out -- weeks, months, years fall between them.

Over the last 10 months I've watched CALVIN MARSHALL hundreds of times. Maybe even a thousand.

Post-production is grueling. While I'm thrilled to be the editor, I understand now why directors generally don't cut their own films. Its because they need to do everything in their power to preserve objectivity. Another person shouldering the grind of the edit goes a long way towards doing that.

The long trek through the dark tunnel of post-production is taxing. If you have someone driving the bus who works in that tunnel for a living -- you'll have a much better chance of making it to the other side in good shape.

Post production is not a science. It's a collaboration of a few people binding together to somehow extract the best version of the movie from the movie.

Right now we have a great group assembled in the edit room and we see light at the end of the tunnel. And I'm trying to remain objective as we climb towards it.

Eternal Sunshine

2008-09-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

I know I'm not alone in saying this is a masterpiece and a gift. It's not just one of the best films in the last twenty years, it's one of the best ever made.

Gondry, Kaufman, Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet -- all at their very best. Supporting cast is spot on with great roles for Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst and Tom Wilkenson. The tone is razor sharp, perfectly walking that tightrope between drama and comedy, never veering too far in either direction. Jon Brion's score is pure bliss.

The in-camera visual effect work probably seemed risky at the time. I'm guessing the dailies made more than one producer nervous. But the raw feeling to the effects is pure genius and meshes seamlessly with the narrative. This -- along with the natural light and handheld camera work ground us in reality so we buy into the outrageousness of what Lacuna Corporation is offering.

Lacuna actually offers people a pretty nice deal. There's more than one person I'd like to erase from my mind. But seeing Joel Barish's sweet and volatile history with Clementine literally crumble around him is almost unbearable to watch.

When Joel and Clementine shamefully listen to the recording of him berating her, it's hard to recall anything more profound in movies.

How could he have said those things and meant them? And will history now repeat itself?

The Dream

2008-09-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

It's my hope that this new blog inspires me like teaching once did.

What I miss most about teaching film was that it reconnected me to my dream of making movies. Working with film students each week reminded me that the dream was exhilarating and fun. I saw it in their faces.

I once attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena as an eager twenty-three year-old, devouring film history and studying everything there was to know about making movies.

The thought of NOT making it as a filmmaker never entered my mind. It was only a matter of time before I was directing.

The next 14 years trying to "make it" were more than frustrating. They were demoralizing. From age 24 to 38, I fell on my face countless times. The skill I mastered most during that time was putting positive spin on my "career" conversations with family over the holidays.

Meanwhile the rejections piled up and the idea of directing a real movie was beginning to feel impossible.

In my early-thirties I began teaching courses on screenwriting, directing and cinematography at Santa Barbara City College. The rest of my work week was consumed by the painful DIY struggle to get the feature film CALVIN MARSHALL made.

It was my one last push before giving up and doing something else with my life.

I'm pleased to say that CALVIN MARSHALL is now in post-production. And, our great team at Broken Sky Films is already working hard at getting a second feature film made.

I will try to keep the cynicism here to a minimum.

My only goals are to stay connected to that wellspring of passion that many of us have for movies and to perhaps help someone else out there along the way.