ACTORSandCREW

Casting for a Shoot Jun 19th in LA

A very interesting project is slated to shoot on June 19th in Los Angeles. This is a film of a children’s book by Alethea Allen, and should be quite the cool project. The production is looking to fill the following roles:

The Emperor: Featured / Male / Asian / 50 - 80 years

Description: Looking for a very important role to fill in a children’s book, the role of the Emperor. I need someone who is Asian, heavyset, has a wide range of emotions, preferably with a black Fu Manchu mustache and beard, but not required. Age 50′s- 70′s. There is pay, as well as a copy of the book. What is required is that for one day, you wear a beautiful costume and that you are photographed with other actors playing parts in the story, including children. The more expressive you are, the better. This is a very special role in a book that children will love for many years to come. Please email your headshots to liddy (at) auntliddysbooks (dot) com. The shoot date is June 19th, so only those available on that date need apply. Thank you.

Wardrobe: Provided.

Factory Workers: Day Player / MALE OR FEMALE / 40 TO 70 / Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Polynesian, Southeast Asian, Thai, Vietnamese

Looking for older Asian actors to play factory workers, male and female, ages 50+ or can be made to look elderly. Please email your headshots to liddy (at) auntliddysbooks (dot) com. The shoot date is June 19th, so only those available on that date need apply. Thank you.

Factory Workers - children: Day Player / MALE OR FEMALE / 4 TO 10 / Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Polynesian, Southeast Asian, Thai, Vietnamese

Looking for young Asian actors to play factory worker, ages 4-10, or can play younger. Please email your headshots to liddy (at) auntliddysbooks (dot) com. The shoot date is June 19th, so only those available on that date need apply. Thank you.

2 weeks ago -

The Emerging Skills Needed by #Film Publicists

Now that there is some form of distribution available to every project made, whether it is working with a service company to theatrically release or uploading the project online for free and enabling perpetual viewing, it is time to acknowledge that new mindsets and skills are needed not just for filmmakers, but also for film promotion. Traditionally, a publicist’s role was to leverage the relationships she had formed with editors and journalists (the media) to ensure story placement in publications and she strived to convey a cohesive message about a film. She endeavored to control the message and those who were allowed to carry it. The prominence of social channels has torn this process apart. Now, the media aren’t the only ones talking about a film and it is getting increasingly difficult to control the message. It is becoming more prevalent to create the dialog instead.

Whether you choose to take on the promotional role yourself as a microbudget filmmaker or you are looking to start working in film promotion, the skills now needed go well beyond writing a good press release and having a good database of personal contacts ( but you still need those too). Here is a look at some emerging skills with the knowledge that it is nearly impossible to find strong abilities for all of these in one person. -Storytelling and curation. Writing skills still play a vital role in film publicity, but there’s more writing now than ever. As social tools enable a production to reach an audience directly and wherever they congregate online, something besides a “message” must be written. Stories that are memorable, relatable and “sticky” will pull people to you and keep them coming back and the stories aren’t only written by a journalist; not when one has a blog, a newsletter, a Tumblr page, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, Pinterest boards and possibly participating in forums. We’re now talking to the audience, not through third party media. Many more tools, many more skills needed to understand how each one works and how to get the most from them. A visual sense of storytelling is needed as well because many of the social posts that get the most interactions and shared are photos/videos/infographics. In order to develop stories that resonate, one must spend much more time getting to know the audience as people with definite tastes and interests, not as faceless, broad demographics. Also, time must be spent finding great information and sharing it which is just as important (perhaps MORE important) as creating it. Tools that help aggregate useful information and inspire self published content will need to be found and this has become a standard duty in the work day. -Technical skills. The ability to code, photo and video edit and format, graphic design, link building and SEO, as well as keeping up with every little trick Facebook settings can throw at you will become increasingly useful. In order to use the new tools effectively and keep to a modest budget, personal training should be undertaken to develop a good understanding and at least a basic level of performance. -Observation and monitoring. Learning to listen first is without a doubt a very useful skill in the online world. Too many times we are pushed to “sell” “convert” “promote” with no real understanding of who we are talking to and what they care about. Indeed, previously it was difficult to know what “they” care about because “we” didn’t really talk to “them”, but this isn’t the case anymore. Sharing opinions, recommendations, emotions, interests, locations, and personal details abound on the internet and there is no longer an excuse to guess about the needs and wishes of the audience. They are talking online every day, so listen. Monitoring conversations, picking out trending topics, predicting what is likely to spark interest, and THEN actively participating in those communities in an authentic way is how to get the information and interest flowing. -Measurement. This is now the world of big data and making sense of everything that can be tracked (because lots can be accurately tracked) is increasingly needed. Analytical skills to evaluate trends, outcomes, and correctly interpret and apply data are skills that enable communicators to turn data into actionable work and measure return on investment. Also, turning data into visual interpretations for management (charts, graphs, statistics) helps show the impact of your work or where things need to be adjusted. -Fundraising and organizational outreach. Not a week passes that I am not asked about advice on a crowdfunding initiative. Crowdfunding is not only about raising money, but also raising a profile, creating attention, building mutually beneficial partnerships and gathering an audience for a project that may just be starting. Understanding the needs and motivations of a particular group of people sounds quite psychological and it is. Communicators have always needed to be aware of psychological triggers that cause people to care about the message, but in the online space where one isn’t face to face and many decisions hinge on long earned trust, it takes a different mindset and skillset than writing out a good prospectus or pitch letter. Continual research and outreach to influencers and organizations helps to build up the long term trust that can enable one to call on help when it is needed, whether it is financial help, spreading the word on a project or collaborating together by submitting material (crowdsourcing) in order to give the project a richer life than one the production could create on their own. -Constant adaptation. Most of the above skills are a catalog of communication demands that didn’t exist 5-10 years ago. Nothing is constant in life but change, right? You can be sure that as new technology and platforms emerge and information gets even thicker and faster, the ability to learn something that wasn’t around even last year will serve you well. Spend time every day learning, reading, and practicing for improvement. A Google search engine is a wonderful thing and nearly everything can be researched and learned for nearly free online. Failing to understand when the shiny new tool becomes THE necessary tool in the pack could marginalize you. Keep up with the trends and adapt accordingly. I will be participating in a half day workshop in Los Angeles on May 26, 2012 with The Film Collaborative’s Orly Ravid and Jeffrey Winter. This will be an intensive session filled with tools and strategies you should know regarding building an audience with online tools, utilizing film festivals and how to plan your distribution with particular emphasis on digital distribution. This workshop is for filmmakers who are ready to accept the new challenges of film marketing and distribution and not intended for those only seeking a traditional, all rights scenario. Tickets are more than affordable ($20 for TFC members, $50 for non members) and are on sale now.

ACTORSandCREW is fully psyched to be featuring Sheri Moss Candler’s 411 for the PMD. PMD stands for Producer of Marketing and Distribution and this is the person in a production whose sole job is marketing and figuring out the distribution path for the film so the producer and the rest of the production crew can get on with their work. Sheri is an expert inbound marketing strategist who helps independent filmmakers build identities for themselves and their films. Through the use of online tools such as social networking, podcasts, blogs, online media publications and radio, she assists filmmakers in building an engaged and robust online community for their work that can be used to monetize effectively. She collaborates with filmmaker/author Jon Reiss (who coined the term PMD) in his TOTBO workshop series by teaching filmmakers about utilizing social media and building personal brands. For Sheri’s complete bio visit her site, here.

3 weeks ago -

New Film About Hollywood Legend Mary Pickford To Begin Production in Early 2013

Pic to be directed by Jennifer DeLia, written by Josh Fagin and produced by Julie Pacino

Poverty Row Entertainment, a production company headed by Julie Pacino and Jennifer DeLia, has recently acquired the rights, along with producer Said Zahraoui, to silent screen legend Mary Pickford’s biography “Pickford: The Woman Who Made Hollywood,” written by Eileen Whitfield. This definitive biography establishes the star as a groundbreaking genius, casting new light on one of the most influential – and least understood – artists in the history of popular culture. THE UNTITLED PICKFORD FILM will delve into Pickford’s life from a woman’s point of view and will illuminate the artistry, spirituality, and integrity that moved Mary Pickford through the ground-breaking and controversial world of her time. A script by Josh Fagin (“Born to Rock;” “Pride and Glory”) is currently being written with production aiming to begin in early 2013. Pacino and DeLia are currently in talks with potential talent and will be in Cannes to take further meetings about casting as well as financing. “With no intention of creating a conventional biopic, we will use the language of film to hopscotch through time, in order to tell the story of a woman so ahead of her time who was living one of the most romantic love stories of all-time,” said Pacino and DeLia in a joint statement. “Mary Pickford’s story is one of intense emotion, astute intuition, dedicated artistry, and about the creation of Hollywood. Pickford was floating between the worlds of vast femininity and of masculine savvy and power. It’s synchronistic for us to be where we’re at as filmmakers as we’re exploring the world through Pickford’s eyes.” From 1892 through to her passing in 1979, Pickford was the powerhouse who, along with Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and D. W. Griffith, created their own distribution company, United Artists, that was designed to serve the filmmakers rather than the studio heads. Known as ‘America’s Sweetheart,’ ‘Little Mary,’ and ‘The Girl with the Curls,’ the Canadian-born Pickford was one of silent film’s most important performers and had international fame that reached heights never seen before, as for the first time, an idol emerged from moving images or ‘cinema.’ She was the biggest and most beloved movie star of the time; she was the face of the American Military; she was one of the 36 co-founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; and she was an activist. She fulfilled missions that no one else in her time could have and no one since her could even imagine. In acquiring the rights, Steven Beer at Greenberg Traurig handled the legal representation for Poverty Row and Said Zahraoui. The filmmakers strongly believe in the work done over the years by the staff at the Mary Pickford Institute for Film Education (MPI) and encourage everyone to show their support in the preservation of her memory and legacy by signing this petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/447/355/995/save-the-mary-pickford-institute-for-film-education/.

3 weeks ago -

Before you self-diagnose with depression or low self-esteem first make sure that you are not, in fact, surrounding yourself with assholes.

1 month ago -

1 -

1. Take Classes 2. Get an Agent. Right?

Let’s put it this way. Some people have probably done just that, first taken a class and then tried to get an agent and some have even managed to have some modest success in doing that.

And while there is no cookie-cutter way of starting an acting career, one thing is definitely true. If doing those two things is all your whole plan for getting started consists of, statistics say that you will most likely not have much success, if any.

==========> http://www.actorsandcrew.com/careerquickstart

Any serious and responsible actor, casting director, talent agent, acting teacher or other acting industry professional will tell you that you will have a significantly greater chance of not only getting an occasional audition or acting job, but getting them regularly if you do this one thing. LEARN THE ACTING BUSINESS. Good friend of A&C Tony Smith is going to show you EXACTLY how to do it.

It’s essential if you are really serious about starting a CAREER. If acting is your dream and you can imagine spending the rest of your life in front of the camera or on stage, because there is nothing else you would rather do, then do it the right way.

If you don’t want to do it with Tony for some reason, then go find another mentor, someone who has those five characteristics that he talks about in the video at the top of his page and pour your heart into it. Tony’s really on your side and you can trust him to get you results. But then find someone who has a program like his that walks you through the entire process of starting an acting career step-by-step.

If you do that, just think about where you will be six months from now. No! First think back to where you were six months ago. If you are anything like a lot of people who come to his site, you are looking for answers. You are looking for guidance, but maybe, just maybe you’ve been wasting a lot of time navigating on the Internet asking questions to the wrong people, getting tips from people who don’t know what they are talking about, trying things that don’t work and now, six months later, you are no further along in your acting career than you were. Which sucks.

You can change all that if you make a decision to try something different.

==========> http://www.actorsandcrew.com/careerquickstart

Don’t procrastinate. A lot of our members are kicking ass with this:

Rebecca Harris did that and decided to take Tony’s Course and finally got her agent and is now getting acting work regularly.

Brent Bauer did too and has been on fire the past few weeks getting call-backs from auditions and booking work.

Amanda Queen did also just days ago, reported to me yet another acting job she booked.

Gheon Steencamp found a way with Tony’s help to make some extra money to help them fund his acting endeavors.

Stephanie Reckling openly said that she learned more in the first two months of the Acting Career Quick Start Home-Study Course than she did in the last two years!

==========> http://www.actorsandcrew.com/careerquickstart

Sarah Joly Menier says that working with Tony in his Home-Study Course saved her life and put her back on the right track again.

If you have been struggling to start your acting career. You should know that help is here.

Very best,

Dave Williams
Founder, CEO
http://www.actorsandcrew.com
Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/actorsandcrew

1 month ago -

Things We Say Today Which We Owe to Shakespeare

1 month ago -

Bana and Hall Begin Shooting on an Untitled John Crowley Suspense Thriller

Production begins next week in the U.K. on Focus Features and Working Title Films’ untitled international suspense thriller starring Eric Bana (of Focus’ Hanna) and Golden Globe Award nominee Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Town) for director John Crowley (Boy A). The original screenplay is by Steven Knight, Academy Award nominee for Dirty Pretty Things and BIFA Award nominee for Focus’ Eastern Promises. Rounding out the cast are British Independent Film Award nominee Riz Ahmed (Four Lions); Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent (Iris); Olivier Award nominee Kenneth Cranham (An Inspector Calls); BAFTA Award nominee Anne-Marie Duff (Nowhere Boy); in his fifth film for Focus, Ciarán Hinds (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy); and Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee Julia Stiles (Dexter). Adriano Goldman (Focus’ Jane Eyre) is the feature’s cinematographer; Jim Clay and Natalie Ward, both of Focus’ The Debt, are the production designer and costume designer, respectively. Mr. Bevan and Mr. Fellner are producing the film with Chris Clark (The Guard), and Working Title’s Liza Chasin is executive producer. Focus holds worldwide rights to the feature, and will commence overseas sales at the Cannes International Film Festival in May. In the thriller, two ex-lovers, Martin (to be played by Mr. Bana) and Claudia (Ms. Hall), find their loyalties tested and their lives at risk when they are joined together on the defense team in a terrorism trial.

Working Title Films, co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992, is one of the world’s leading film production companies. Founded in 1983, Working Title has made nearly 100 films that have grossed over $5 billion worldwide. Its films have won 6 Academy Awards, 30 BAFTA Awards, and prestigious prizes at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. The company’s 2012 slate includes Baltasar Kormákur’s Contraband, starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale, which recently posted the company’s all-time biggest domestic box office opening weekend; Les Misérables, directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway; and Joe Wright’s epic love story Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Johnson. Focus Features and Focus Features International (www.focusfeatures.com) comprise a singular global company. This worldwide studio makes original and daring films that challenge the mainstream to embrace and enjoy voices and visions from around the world that deliver global commercial success. The company operates as Focus Features in North America, and as Focus Features International (FFI) in the rest of the world. Upcoming Focus releases include Moonrise Kingdom, the new feature from Wes Anderson that will world-premiere as the opening-night film of the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival, starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman; Lorene Scafaria’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley; Sam Fell and Chris Butler’s ParaNorman, the new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA; Jamie Travis’ contemporary comedy For a Good Time, Call…, starring Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller; the historical tale Hyde Park on Hudson, directed by Roger Michell and starring Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney; and the aforementioned Anna Karenina.

1 month ago -

Winged Migration

Winged Migration (DVD)
By Jacques Perrin

Buy new: $8.49
69 used and new from $2.90
Customer Rating:

Customer tags: birds(40), nature(32), documentary(32), photography(16), nature photography(13), film making(13), 10 films for photographers(10), migration(9), art film(4), cranes(2), bbc, audubon would be jealous

1 month ago -

The Top 10 Best Filmmaking Apps for the iPhone

This handy guide is published courtesy of ActorsandCrew website, which means the apps featured have been tested by professionals and covers pretty much all aspects of filming on the iPhone

The Biz by The Content Beast, LLC. (Cost: $0.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.1 or later) Well, it wouldn’t be Hollywood without a little constructive self-promotion. “The Biz” is the official iPhone App for ACTORSandCREW. It features the latest Entertainment Industry content and information: We update it constantly. We’re focused on the latest breaking news on the Industry, the freshest jobs and auditions, tips for breaking in to the business, great advice on marketing your own Film, labor relations issues in Hollywood…and much more… Also, we’ll introduce you to the current members of A&C – all Industry Pros and talented aspirants…we play host to host an incredibly wide variety of both above and below-the-line talent in over 80 countriesworld-wide and in every state in the US. “Fantastic app! This is a must for all industry professionals. If you’re in the entertainment business, you need this app. Runs smoothly, fast, and is very powerful. No bugs or crashes experienced. Get this app NOW.” “Your new ‘I can’t live without it’ App – Rich, hearty content, robust engineering, all wrapped up in a neat little bow, putting a powerful tool directly in to the hands of industry professionals. From staying current on industry related topics to job search, this newly launched app makes keeping your finger on the pulse a reality.”

Movie Slate by PureBlend Software. (Cost: $4.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.1 or later)

Movie.Slate is a digital slate, clapper board, shot log, and shot notepad. designed for use with film, television, documentaries, interviews, and home movies. Movie.Slate provides an easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot. saving you time later when you capture and edit the footage on your computer.

“Here’s a few highlights: It can log data from multiple productions, and export the data as Final Cut Pro XML files. It has a terrific interface for changing data on the fly. You can customize the hell out of it, including stick designs, colors, and fonts. You can save text, voice, and photo notes for each shot. You can rate the audio and video quality of each take. You can set markers within a shot to remember when something specific happened. And here.s a feature that knocked my socks off: You can wirelessly sync the running timecode of multiple iPhones running Movie*Slate over bluetooth. Now that.s just sick.”

Hitchcockby Cinemek inc (Cost: $19.99) (iPhone, OS: 3.0 or later) CinemekÂ® Hitchcock for iPhone and iPod Touch is a mobile storyboard and pre-visualization composer designed for Directors, Directors of Photography, Producers, Writers, Animators, Art Directors, film students and anyone who wants to be able to visualize their story.

“The price of Hitchcock is not for the novice. It.s $19.99. But, for broadcast and film professionals, it.s a drop in the bucket. Plus, there is NOTHIING else out there on the desktop that can compete with Hitchcock.s speed and ease of use. If you.re doing film or commercial work and you have an iPhone. You HAVE to buy this App or your competitors will. They will get the job because they were faster to visualize your idea. Hitchcock is a game-changer.”

pCamby David Eubank (Cost: $39.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.2.1or later) A Motion Picture and Still Photography calculator for Directors of Photography, Photographers, Camera Operators, Camera Assistants, VFX Supervisors, Script Supervisors, Gaffers, Grips, Editors, Production Designers, Art Directors, Film and Photography Students. Created by the same Hollywood Camera Assistant who created the widely used Palm version. “The mother of all lens calculators. Originally written for the old Palm Pilot, pCam has been updated for the iPhone with an intuitive graphical interface. It calculates depth of field, field of view, focus splits, hyperfocal distance, exposure compensation, running time, HMI safe speeds and shutters, color correction filters, diopter shift, macro, time lapse, underwater focus distance, illumination beam intensity, light coverage and even has a built-in Siemen.s Star focus chart.”

Action Log Pro

Andris Ltd (Cost: $29.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.0 or later)

Action Log is a film and television logging tool, designed for use on location or in a studio with up to 25 recording devices. At the touch of a button the logging system keeps track of all reel names and timecodes for each recorded piece of action.

“Entry of comments is quick and easy by constructing clip names from predefined lists and use of the inbuilt keyboard. All clips in a project can be emailed as ALE and XML files to overnight digitisers and editors for immediate ingestion. For those who like to edit with printed logs in hand, HTML formatted log sheets sorted by reel name, can also be forwarded. Supports up to 25 virtual recording devices.”

Screenplay

by Black Mana Studios. (Cost: $2.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later)

Black Mana Studios. Screenplay is the world.s first fully-functional mobile screenwriting application. It allows professionals and hobbyists alike to write complete movie and television screenplays directly on the iPhone or iPod Touch.

“Black Mana Studios is an official technology partner of Final Draft, Inc., creators of the industry-standard Final Draft Production Suite.”

FiRe

by Audiofile Engineering. (Cost: $9.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later)

FiRe was created specifically to be a field recorder for the iPhone, not a voice or memo recorder. It is a truly professional recorder developed for audio professionals by audio professionals. It has many professional features other recorders don’t. In addition to supporting stereo recording, it.s the first iPhone recorder to display an accurate audio waveform in real time, and the first to support markers, Broadcast WAVE metadata, and the instant downloading of files in multiple file formats. FiRe is also the first recorder of its kind to offer native SoundCloud integration.

“Excellent quality and design. Some real thought went in to this one. When I don’t have my Zoom H2 handy, this is my field recorder.”

PocketLD

by Michael Zinman. (Cost: $19.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) A photometric database and calculator with a vast array of the most popular lighting instruments for film and stage lighting. Need to know what an ARRI 10K fresnel lamp at 25. will deliver in beam spread and footcandles? The Gaffer.s best reference tool.

“Needs some updates for AARI specific stuff, but generally kicks total ass.”

Gel Swatch Library

by Wybron. (Cost: $9.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) Browse, search, and compare over 1,000 GAM, Lee, Apollo and Rosco gel colors with Wybron.s Gel Swatch Library. for the iPhone and iPod touch. The Gel Swatch Library gives you multiple ways to find the perfect color for your production. Scroll through lists of gels made by each manufacturer, or search for a specific gel name. Spectral Energy Distribution curves and CMY/RGB percentages listed for each color provide the vital data you need to create breathtaking scenes. “This thing is amazing. No more fumbling around for a swatchbook in my bag. And now that it has Apollo, it’s perfect.”

MyWeather

by MyWeather, LLC. (Cost: $4.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) MyWeather Mobile is a feature rich weather application with animated looping radar and satellite, 36-hour temperature, precipitation and wind speed/direction graphs (USA only), 7-day forecasts, over 10,000 U.S. cities and now thousands of international cities. You can also rotate the phone horizontally to view FULL-SCREEN radar animation and 36 hour trend graphs (USA only). “Sever weather push notifications definitely put this app on the top of the pile of paid weather apps. If the weather is mission critical, you should really get this.”

Artemis

by Chemical Wedding. (Cost: $29.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) Artemis is a digital directors viewfinder for the iPhone. Designed with both cinematographers and directors in mind, Artemis works in much the same way as a traditional directors viewfinder, though much more accurately and much more conveniently. After selecting a camera format, aspect ratio and lens type, Artemis uses the camera in the iPhone to simulate the lens views you can expect when you come to shoot. You can either compare all the lenses (as above) or hit zoom and the camera will zoom in to fill the viewfinder with the equivalent view of the lens you.ve chosen. “This app is exceptional. Thank you, Chemical Wedding, for taking this platform seriously.”

1 month ago -

The Top Ten Best iPhone Apps for Filmmakers

Movie Slate by PureBlend Software. (Cost: $4.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.1 or later)

Movie.Slate is a digital slate, clapper board, shot log, and shot notepad. designed for use with film, television, documentaries, interviews, and home movies. Movie.Slate provides an easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot. saving you time later when you capture and edit the footage on your computer.

“Here’s a few highlights: It can log data from multiple productions, and export the data as Final Cut Pro XML files. It has a terrific interface for changing data on the fly. You can customize the hell out of it, including stick designs, colors, and fonts. You can save text, voice, and photo notes for each shot. You can rate the audio and video quality of each take. You can set markers within a shot to remember when something specific happened. And here.s a feature that knocked my socks off: You can wirelessly sync the running timecode of multiple iPhones running Movie*Slate over bluetooth. Now that.s just sick.”

Hitchcockby Cinemek inc (Cost: $19.99) (iPhone, OS: 3.0 or later) CinemekÂ® Hitchcock for iPhone and iPod Touch is a mobile storyboard and pre-visualization composer designed for Directors, Directors of Photography, Producers, Writers, Animators, Art Directors, film students and anyone who wants to be able to visualize their story.

“The price of Hitchcock is not for the novice. It.s $19.99. But, for broadcast and film professionals, it.s a drop in the bucket. Plus, there is NOTHIING else out there on the desktop that can compete with Hitchcock.s speed and ease of use. If you.re doing film or commercial work and you have an iPhone. You HAVE to buy this App or your competitors will. They will get the job because they were faster to visualize your idea. Hitchcock is a game-changer.”

pCamby David Eubank (Cost: $39.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.2.1or later) A Motion Picture and Still Photography calculator for Directors of Photography, Photographers, Camera Operators, Camera Assistants, VFX Supervisors, Script Supervisors, Gaffers, Grips, Editors, Production Designers, Art Directors, Film and Photography Students. Created by the same Hollywood Camera Assistant who created the widely used Palm version. “The mother of all lens calculators. Originally written for the old Palm Pilot, pCam has been updated for the iPhone with an intuitive graphical interface. It calculates depth of field, field of view, focus splits, hyperfocal distance, exposure compensation, running time, HMI safe speeds and shutters, color correction filters, diopter shift, macro, time lapse, underwater focus distance, illumination beam intensity, light coverage and even has a built-in Siemen.s Star focus chart.”

Action Log Pro

Andris Ltd (Cost: $29.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 2.0 or later)

Action Log is a film and television logging tool, designed for use on location or in a studio with up to 25 recording devices. At the touch of a button the logging system keeps track of all reel names and timecodes for each recorded piece of action.

“Entry of comments is quick and easy by constructing clip names from predefined lists and use of the inbuilt keyboard. All clips in a project can be emailed as ALE and XML files to overnight digitisers and editors for immediate ingestion. For those who like to edit with printed logs in hand, HTML formatted log sheets sorted by reel name, can also be forwarded. Supports up to 25 virtual recording devices.”

Screenplay

by Black Mana Studios. (Cost: $2.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later)

Black Mana Studios. Screenplay is the world.s first fully-functional mobile screenwriting application. It allows professionals and hobbyists alike to write complete movie and television screenplays directly on the iPhone or iPod Touch.

“Black Mana Studios is an official technology partner of Final Draft, Inc., creators of the industry-standard Final Draft Production Suite.”

FiRe

by Audiofile Engineering. (Cost: $9.99)

(iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later)

FiRe was created specifically to be a field recorder for the iPhone, not a voice or memo recorder. It is a truly professional recorder developed for audio professionals by audio professionals. It has many professional features other recorders don’t. In addition to supporting stereo recording, it.s the first iPhone recorder to display an accurate audio waveform in real time, and the first to support markers, Broadcast WAVE metadata, and the instant downloading of files in multiple file formats. FiRe is also the first recorder of its kind to offer native SoundCloud integration.

“Excellent quality and design. Some real thought went in to this one. When I don’t have my Zoom H2 handy, this is my field recorder.”

PocketLD

by Michael Zinman. (Cost: $19.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) A photometric database and calculator with a vast array of the most popular lighting instruments for film and stage lighting. Need to know what an ARRI 10K fresnel lamp at 25. will deliver in beam spread and footcandles? The Gaffer.s best reference tool.

“Needs some updates for AARI specific stuff, but generally kicks total ass.”

Gel Swatch Library

by Wybron. (Cost: $9.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) Browse, search, and compare over 1,000 GAM, Lee, Apollo and Rosco gel colors with Wybron.s Gel Swatch Library. for the iPhone and iPod touch. The Gel Swatch Library gives you multiple ways to find the perfect color for your production. Scroll through lists of gels made by each manufacturer, or search for a specific gel name. Spectral Energy Distribution curves and CMY/RGB percentages listed for each color provide the vital data you need to create breathtaking scenes. “This thing is amazing. No more fumbling around for a swatchbook in my bag. And now that it has Apollo, it’s perfect.”

MyWeather

by MyWeather, LLC. (Cost: $4.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) MyWeather Mobile is a feature rich weather application with animated looping radar and satellite, 36-hour temperature, precipitation and wind speed/direction graphs (USA only), 7-day forecasts, over 10,000 U.S. cities and now thousands of international cities. You can also rotate the phone horizontally to view FULL-SCREEN radar animation and 36 hour trend graphs (USA only). “Sever weather push notifications definitely put this app on the top of the pile of paid weather apps. If the weather is mission critical, you should really get this.”

Artemis

by Chemical Wedding. (Cost: $29.99) (iPhone/iPod Touch, OS: 3.0 or later) Artemis is a digital directors viewfinder for the iPhone. Designed with both cinematographers and directors in mind, Artemis works in much the same way as a traditional directors viewfinder, though much more accurately and much more conveniently. After selecting a camera format, aspect ratio and lens type, Artemis uses the camera in the iPhone to simulate the lens views you can expect when you come to shoot. You can either compare all the lenses (as above) or hit zoom and the camera will zoom in to fill the viewfinder with the equivalent view of the lens you.ve chosen. “This app is exceptional. Thank you, Chemical Wedding, for taking this platform seriously.”

1 month ago -

A Few Thoughts on #SAGAFTRA and Yesterday’s Historic Development

Words of wisdom from the capital “B” Brilliant Ed Fry of (the former) AFTRA-NY:

We often hear of things spoken of in “historic” terms. This really is historic. It’s not hyperbole. SAG is gone. AFTRA is gone. We have a new union, SAG-AFTRA, built for our day. Congratulations to all of us for so fully choosing our future. No squeeker this. This was a full-throated YES. Better than 80% in both unions.
You can see the former members of AftraNOW on our old website with a slightly new banner (www.aftranow.com) You can get further information at www.Aftra.com or www.SAG.org and notice that both sites are now SAG-AFTRA sites.
We have acted. We have changed our history and our future. Soon enough, we’ll begin the work of our new union. But, for now, a couple beers and some rest.
Congrats, one and all. What a day.

2 months ago -

#SXSW Film Announces 2012 Award Winners

Jury and Audience Award-winners of the 2012 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival were announced tonight at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony, presented by Veam and hosted by comedian and actor Doug Benson. The Awards took place at the Vimeo Theater in Austin, Texas. Feature Films receiving Jury Awards were selected from the Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature Competition categories. Films in these categories, as well as all feature categories, with the exception of Special Events, were also eligible for 2012 SXSW Film Festival Audience Awards. Only Narrative and Documentary Feature Audience Awards were announced tonight. Narrative Spotlight, Documentary Spotlight, Emerging Visions, Midnighters, 24 Beats Per Second, SXGlobal and Festival Favorites Audience Awards will be announced separately on Saturday, March 17, with the Headliner Audience Award to follow on Monday, March 19, 2012. SXSW continues showing films through Saturday, March 17, details can be found at www.sxsw.com/film. SXSW also announced the Jury Award-winners in Shorts Filmmaking and winners of SXSW Film Design Awards Presented by iStockphoto, as well as Special Awards, including the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, the SXSW Chicken & Egg Emergent Narrative Woman Director Award and the SXSW Wholphin Award. New for 2012, Jury Awards will be handed out for Short films in the SXGlobal and Midnight Shorts sections. Audience Award results for all categories were certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter. “It’s been amazing this year to hear over and over again about the high range of quality across the board,” said Janet Pierson, Film Conference and Festival Producer. “I know I’m always going on about the great variety of our program, but this year it seems to have been embraced in even wider measure and it’s very exciting. SXSW is a special moment for the creative community to both inspire and be inspired. We appreciate the audience and jury engagement and recognition for these highlighted titles.” The 2012 SXSW Film Festival Juries consisted of: Narrative Feature Competition: Lisa Hintelmann, J. Hoberman, Jane Schoettle Documentary Feature Competition: David Courier, Philipp Engelhorn, Catherine Shoard Narrative Shorts: Susan Arosteguy, Mark Elijah Rosenberg, Thuy Tran Documentary Shorts: Anna Higgs, Gerald Peary, Basil Tsiokos SXGlobal Shorts: Margaret Brown, Chale Nafus, Linda O. Olszewski Animated Shorts: Brad Graeber, Brad Phillips, Bryan Pudder Midnight Shorts: Nate Bolotin, Tim League, Ti West Music Videos: Jim Eno, John T. Kunz, Mark Woollen Texas Shorts: Karim Ahmad, Jennifer Cochis, Anderson Le Texas High School Shorts: Marcy Garriott, Emily Hagins, Bart Weiss Title Sequence Design: Ian Albinson, Jenny Lee, Ben Radatz, Gareth Smith, Kurt Volk Poster Design: Craig Crutchfield, Tim League, James Leal-Valias, Charlie Loft, Danny Parker Louis Black “Lone Star”: Elizabeth Avellán, Christy Lemire, Ron Mann SXSW FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2012 AWARD WINNERS The 2012 SXSW Film Festival hosted a total of 132 features, consisting of 74 World Premieres, 17 North American Premieres and 11 U.S. Premieres, with 58 films from first-time directors. 138 shorts will screen as part of 12 overall shorts programs. The nearly 275 films were selected from a record number of overall submissions, over 5,300, comprised of approximately 2,000 features and 3,300 shorts. This was a 7% increase over 2011 despite moving submission deadlines a month earlier than in previous years. The 2012 SXSW Film Festival Award Winners: Feature Film Jury Awards DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION Grand Jury Winner: Beware of Mr. Baker Director: Jay Bulger NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION Grand Jury Winner: Gimme The Loot Director: Adam Leon Special Jury Recognition for Performance: Jamie Chung – Eden Besedka Johnson – Starlet Nico Stone – Booster Feature Film Audience Awards DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Winner: Bay of All Saints Director: Annie Eastman NARRATIVE FEATURE Winner: Eden Director: Megan Griffiths *Audience Awards for Narrative Spotlight, Documentary Spotlight, Emerging Visions, Midnighters, 24 Beats Per Second, SXGlobal and Festival Favorites sections will be announced on Saturday, March 17. The Headliner Audience Award will follow on Monday, March 19, 2012. Short Film Jury Awards NARRATIVE SHORTS Winner: The Chair Director: Grainger David DOCUMENTARY SHORTS Winner: CatCam Director: Seth Keal SXSW FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2012 AWARD WINNERS MIDNIGHT SHORTS Winner: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared Directors: Rebecca Sloan & Joseph Pelling SXGLOBAL SHORTS Winner: The Perfect Fit Director: Tali Yankelevich ANIMATED SHORTS Winner: (notes on) biology Director: Danny Madden MUSIC VIDEOS Winner: Battles, “My Machines” Director: DANIELS TEXAS SHORTS Winner: Spark Director: Annie Silverstein TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS Winner: Boom Director: Daniel Matyas & Brian Broder SXSW Film Design Awards presented by iStockphoto EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN Winner: Man & Gun Designer: Justin Cox Special Jury Recognition: Pitch Black Heist Designer: Andrew Cranston Audience Award Winner: The Maker Designer: Christopher Kezelos EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN Winner: Les Bleus de Ramville Designer: Jay Bond, Oily Film Company Inc. Special Jury Recognition: X-Men: First Class Designer: Simon Clowes, Prologue Films Audience Award Winner: Bunraku Designer: Guilherme Marcondes, Hornet Inc. SXSW FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2012 AWARD WINNERS SXSW Special Awards SXSW WHOLPHIN AWARD Winner: The Black Balloon Director: Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie SXSW CHICKEN & EGG EMERGENT NARRATIVE WOMAN DIRECTOR AWARD Winners: Megan Griffiths for Eden and Amy Seimetz for Sun Don’t Shine LOUIS BLACK “LONE STAR” AWARD Winner: Bernie Director: Richard Linklater Special Jury Recognition: Trash Dance Director: Andrew Garrison KAREN SCHMEER FILM EDITING FELLOWSHIP Presented to: Lindsay Utz

2 months ago -

#SAGAFTRA MERGER MYTH #3: #SAG and #AFTRA haven’t done a constitutionally required study of the impact on their benefit plans.

MERGER FACT: This is absolutely false: there is no requirement that the unions conduct a study of
the impact of merger on the benefit plans. Nevertheless, the unions commissioned a Feasibility Report
that demonstrates that merger of the unions will only benefit the plans and their participants.
Critics contend that there should be an actuarial study using non-public information held only by the
plans. No such actuarial study can be conducted without management’s cooperation and management
trustees have already made clear that they will not agree to conduct an actuarial study before the unions
themselves are merged.

Those who claim there is a requirement to conduct a study point to language in the Phase I agreement
between SAG and AFTRA. That agreement, however, is a dead letter. In 2008, it was suspended and
deemed terminated. Even so, the language of the Phase I agreement does not require a study. It provides
as follows:

The Committees agree to recommend that the consolidation of the respective pension plans be studied so
that it may ascertained (a) what, if any, merger plan can be achieved which will satisfy the requirements of
law and the protection of all eligible members against loss of benefits, presently or in the future; and (b) the
willingness of industry trustees to consolidate the plans.
All that this language requires is that the committees that negotiated the Phase I agreement back in 1981
“recommend” to the National Boards that “consolidation of the respective pension plans be studied.”
The National Boards in fact considered this recommendation and found that the Feasibility Report met
the objectives and that it would be futile to pursue an actuarial study in advance of merger of the unions.

2 months ago -

SAGAFTRA MERGER MYTH #2: P benefits will be reduced because the comparable AFTRA benefits are less generous.

MERGER FACT: Each benefit plan has aspects that are better than the other. Benefits under the plans
will not change as a result of the merger. Until a proposal to merge the plans that protects our benefits
can be developed, members will continue to be able to qualify for benefits from the existing benefit plans
through SAG and AFTRA-covered work, just as they did before the merger.

2 months ago -

SAGAFTRA MERGER MYTH #1: The Merger Will Jeopardize my Pension.

MERGER FACT: Your accrued pension benefits are protected by federal law. Benefits can only be reduced under certain conditions relating to plans in financial distress. Neither the AFTRA Plan nor the SAG plan is in that situation – both plans are in the “green zone.” As explained in the Feasibility Report, a merger of the plans would make it less likely that that your pension plan reaches the level of financial distress that places your accrued benefits in jeopardy:

Multiemployer plan mergers do not pose any increase in the risk of loss of benefits to plan participants according to the government agency in charge of mergers. Indeed, the law requires that if pension plans are merged, the plans’ trustees have a legal obligation to ensure that no participant’s accrued benefits will be less after the merger than it was before.

2 months ago -