Contracts can be wonderfully gracious, grating, glorious, and grateful. They can be fantastically positive, possessive, and pessimistic. They can be positively obscure, obfuscating, and obstinate. (God, those “O” words are obtuse, are they not?)

A contract will always seek to anticipate all fears, project all fears, protect all fears, and allay all fears . The contract itself may succeed, but the people often as not, do not.

If you are a producer, whether new or a veteran, there are wonderful websites, such as Mark Litvak’s that will take you step by step through issues you may never have thought of or dealt with. He’s respected throughout the industry, so read up.

If you’re working your way through distribution, there are sites listed on my previous blogs that will give you the details you need.

But I suppose the reason my fingers are flying at the moment is because of the title you clicked on…

I think the most important piece of advice I can give anyone in any business is to keep your mind open, let your gut help you decide on whom you wish to deal with, and do not question your gut if there is a question or concern about someone. In the film or entertainment business, your gut is even more important than any other business.

Why?

Because in the entertainment business you are creating stories, illusions. Your job as a producer is getting people to pay for them, whether they’re your investors or your intended audience, or for that matter, your cast, talent, crew, vendors, locations, whatever. Why? Because our stories can change people’s lives. Cynics don’t believe this, but the audience does.

Everyone has a great story to tell. Almost always, everyone’s stories are compelling, heartbreaking, uplifting, important. So everyone’s a critic, and a potential hazard on the long road to Oz.

Ups and downs are part of the sacrifice we make as storytellers.

People reject contracts they’ve signed and sue over their shortcomings as producers/negotiators. People will make up new rules late in the “game”. People will be accommodating one minute and obstinate the next, on points that are initialed in a contract, depending on their state of mind, that day, that part of the night, or that part of a drink. Within the same conversation they will agree with your most carefully crafted arguments and forget they ever did.

What’s the solution? Pick your friends well. It’s the most important thing in life too.

Wading through all the detritus is worth it. Because on the other side, you meet really amazing people.

If you’re in town, come to my party and let’s tell each other stories.

Juri Koll
March 18

More Than Kin, LLC
+1 310-957-7037
morethankin@me.com
artworld1@yahoo.com
Skype: basslinefilms
http://web.mac.com/morethankin
http://www.pro.imdb.com/name/nm1899872/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jurikoll

BIO

Juri Koll has produced and/or production managed award winning features such as Until The Music Ends, American Cowslip, Burning Man 3D, Hardcore Hearts, The Truth About Kerry , That Game of Chess, and NekroBeach, which he directed. These and other films have included Oscar winning and nominated cast such as Bruce Dern, Rip Torn, Diane Ladd, Peter Falk, Cloris Leachman, Karen Black, and supremely talented actors such as Stana Katic, and Lynn Shaye, and Val Kilmer. Mr. Koll has directed and/or produced well over 40 short films and music videos. His films have been screened all over the world and in over 70 festivals, winning many awards.

After graduating from Cal Arts, he founded Art/World Productions, he made documentaries on artists as diverse as Titian, The Fauves (Wild Beasts), and Venice Beach graffiti artists. He worked with major museums and galleries including The National Gallery of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His work, seen on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS affiliates, are also in university libraries and private collections across the U.S. Recently, his first documentary, In The Steel: A Portrait of Mark di Suvero, (1991) was elected to be part of the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution.

The following article only covers a few of the many areas of expertise required to finance a film, but it may help you.

As most people reading this article know, to begin with, you must have clear title to a great story – that is ultimately what you are selling. Next, you need to have a great package put together – including talent, production staff, and distribution if possible. This alone can take years to accomplish, and is almost always accompanied by a great business plan. There are lots of great resources out there in order to make your plan it’s best, but let s assume you ve got all this together.

What next?

Depending upon your budget, you ll be pre-qualifying, either formally or informally, your potential investors, and then working hard to make connections with them in order to offer your pitch. Your first order of business on a pitch is to get a second meeting, in short, to earn their trust. It s not always a good idea to push too hard on the first meeting.

Make sure to qualify them not just on the basis of their income and ability to take a risk in film, but on their personality and compatibility with your project. There must be a strong level of trust and a good feeling of the right chemistry between you and your investors if at all possible – you’ll be working with them your whole career if you get it right, and only once if you get it wrong.

Investors also often have a good idea of what budget level they are willing to get involved with. As some people say, it takes just as much hard work to get $10M as it does $2M. Many people who help filmmakers find money work on larger budget film because their payout is higher – which in some, but not all, cases makes sense.

If you’re going with a budget under $2M, you won’t have the benefit of a completion bond to assuage any fears your investors may have. But some film financing advisors, such as Stacy Parks (see below) believe that you must get your budget as low as absolutely possible in order to give your investors the best possible chance for a return on investment (ROI).

In the case of a very low or micro budget film, you may be going to people who have never invested in films, and in such cases, you must know them personally in order to steer clear of any SEC issues (here in the US, that is…) It’s also a benefit to either know your investors or have been introduced by good friends, because again, you’ll be working with them for the life of the film, which can be many years and beyond. Remember, you’re marrying them.

So, you’ve got a meeting with your potential investor, now what?

The first thing they will do is hand your business plan to their lawyers, who will attempt to stop them from investing in a film – it s a risky business. So, the questions they will often ask are about things that are often left out of business plans. Two of these are a financing plan and a viable and unique distribution and marketing strategy. These lawyers will also pick apart your ROI, so make sure your numbers are conservative and as verifiable as is possible in our business.

In terms of financing plans, you should be thinking about all the financial elements that, taken partially or all together, go into a film. These include hard money resources (aside from investments) such as deferments on technical services and equipment, sales guarantees that are bankable or advance cash pre-sales (sometimes around 20% against 80%), cash subsidies, tax incentives (these usually require a large percentage of the budget in place before they can be turned into hard money), and depending on the project, advertisement and sponsor pre-sales. Soft money resources are usually LOI s for pre-sales, and sometimes payroll deferments (this last element is a last resort).

In terms of distribution and marketing and ROI, do your research. You must be able to provide real-world examples of both successes and failures within your genre and budget range and their marketing and distribution strategies, in order to provide a decent and conservative figure that won t make the lawyers roll their eyes.

In all cases, it s usually best to surround yourself with people who know more than you do. Here s a list of resources that may help you on your quest.

For marketing and distribution strategies, Peter Broderick is one of the best in the business. Many of you know who he is. He was instrumental in launching Christopher Nolan s career, through careful guidance of his earliest films.

http://www.peterbroderick.com/bio/bio.html

For business plans, and marketing and distribution strategies, another great resource is Stacy Parks. Her website offers a great resource, both paid and free, for the serious filmmaker.

http://www.filmspecific.com/

You ll be needing a lawyer. If you re LA based, on of the best is Elsa Ramo. She represents several projects I m involved in. I just attended her pre-Christmas party at the Beverly Hilton, and I met at least 15 of her other clients, and they all had the same thing to say – she s amazing, a superstar negotiator, and dedicated to independent film. She’s very fair with her percentages.

http://www.entertainmentattorney.biz/

If you re looking for places to research your ROI or your casting choices, or anything related to inside information on the film biz, you must get IMDBPro….

http://pro.imdb.com/

Other great resources are

http://www.the-numbers.com/
and

http://boxofficemojo.com/

Finally, if any of you have a project that you want to see get made, I may be able to help. In addition to business plans and consulting, I m always looking at new scripts, and love to meet new people in the business, especially those not jaded and corrupted by it…

Here s my website of films, and I m available anytime to talk…

http://web.mac.com/morethankin/More_Than_Kin/Films.html

Happy New Year, and keep rockin !

Juri  Koll
Malibu, California
morethankin@me.com
morethankin@yahoo.com

It has been a tremendously difficult year for many, and despite the adversity the world has faced, people have come together from all cultures to help each other in tough times.

From the Disaster in Haiti in January to the floods in Pakistan, we all inhabit the same planet and share it. When we face obstacles, communities come together to fix a problem and bring people back from the brink. This very idea provides a roof for those stranded with nowhere else to go, or a message that brings hope and drive to others who are just trying to get to where they want to go.

After some significant steps this year to improve FIN as an online community and news portal, people from across the industry have been able to learn from each other s success, journeys, and personal stories. In 2010, we announced more than $1 million in cash prizes, special competitions, behind the scenes features and breaking news stories.

I have personally received success stories of people featured on our network who received cinema distribution deals, agents, new film deals and more. You the community are feeling real change, but it is also your knowledge that you share with others that make people so much better off.

I hope I can continue to develop FIN with our global team to make the Film Industry Network our place to come together and make it better for everyone. At the end of the day, what can be more relevant than a group of people that share the same passion and have the power right now to make a difference?

Have a very merry Christmas and catch you in 2011!

Your friend

Iain A

The first thing I notice are their accents. “We’re from Australia,” says Timothy Maybury, who usually plays guitar in the band (I’ll explain later). “It makes us sound distinguished.” Within five minutes of meeting them, Halo and I are already smitten. Being new to SXSW, Tanya Horo, the lead vocalist and keyboardist, tells me she hopes they’ll be on the roster for the festival again next year. It seems like they’re enjoying themselves in the US. So much in fact, that they all decided to relocate from Australia and settle into New York just recently.

They’ve spent the last 8 months recording new material and embarking on a US tour. When I ask the bassist, Liam Flanagan, to describe their sound, he laughs and points at Timothy. He manages to tell me to “ask the articulate one,” while pausing between belly-aching laughs. Tim settles into the role, and turns to me. “It’s a bit like pop music that’s based   on texture and ambience… Sort of like dream pop.” The whole band kind of smiles at that and nods in agreeance. The entire time I spend speaking with them, I find myself naturally loosening up; a lot. Sherlock’s Daughter makes you want to take your guard down, find a nearby hammock and cloud watch for days on end. With their EP Songs for Old People selling on iTunes, it’s evident that America is glad to call Sherlock’s Daughter their own, at least to some extent.

Jonti Danilewitz, who plays keys along with guitar, and William Russell, man behind the drumkit, also have a side synth/pop band, called Danimals. After winning a contest, the band was sent to New York to work with world famous producer Mark Ronson and have been keeping busy playing shows and turning out new songs.
When Halo asks everyone’s positions in the group, we learn that they’re always subject to change. “We like to switch around a bit, although we all have our main roles in the band,” Tim explains. “Every once in a while we’ll change who plays percussion, and we like to throw in cockenspiels and ukeles… We just get bored I think.” Tanya smiles, adding “We all like to sing a bit too…” She then leans towards me to go around Timothy, allowing her to point a finger at Jonti. “Jonti actually likes to play guitar a lot as well, and I play keys… He and I fight all the time as to who gets to play.” On hearing this, Jonti begins to object but just looks the other way when Tanya interrupts him: “Hey, it’s true!”

While taking a break from the interview, I sit down next to William while Halo chats with the rest of the band. Will and I both absent minded, start digging in the dirt under our shoes. I soon give up on the hunt, failing to find any cool rocks or beer tabs to throw. About 30 minutes later, after our interview has been conducted and we are all ordering food at Moonshine Bar & Grill, I see William sitting one chair away from me next to Timothy, rolling a rock over in his hand. I tap him to see what the rock looked like, and we both gazed at the gold flakes that were in its side (at least that’s what we thought they were). I tell William I want a picture of it and he proudly holds his hand out, angling the ‘gold’ towards the lens.
We spend the rest of the day eating a late lunch together, having drinks, and making music with our silverware and fancy glasses. When Halo and I leave, we give everyone little waves & say our goodbyes before heading out. Tim returns our waves smiling, and says “By the way, you guys are so cute!”
Words to end my day.

Arriving in downtown Austin, the city was already buzzing with the excitement that the 16th Annual Austin Reggae Festival manages to continue bringing year after year. The event is hosted by the Capital Area Food Bank, who donate nearly 2 million pounds of food every month to those in need. Known more commonly as “Marley Fest”, every year is a cultural gathering showcasing several different reggae acts & offering incredible (and seemingly endless) assortments of one of a kind items for souvenirs. Scheduled on this years lineup were Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Ashes of Babylon, Mighty Diamonds, Mau Mau Chaplains and Easy Star All Stars, some of the top names in reggae, which increased my anticipation for just how good this day was going to be. Arriving two hours before opening time on Sunday at the Auditorium Shores, I could see the line covering 3 blocks along Riverside. As I made my way through to the will call box, I noticed something about the ‘line’ of people; it was more of a large group. Everyone seemed to know each other, and the vibes that were being thrown out were ridiculous. I felt comfortable before I even made it into the festival. There was a bit of delay with the opening as the previous days of the festival had experienced some rain here and there. Volunteers of the festival ran through the grounds just beyond the gates, patching muddy spots with small bales of hay, and gate keepers collected cans of food from concert goers that were donating. But as soon as the gates opened, the crowd swarmed through and immediately began the descent into ‘Marley World’ as I heard several show goers call it. Tents were pitched, vendors set up shop, and off I went to explore.

There were three areas of Marley World to attend to: The stage, the marketplace, and the miniature ‘towns’ being created with circles of people surrounded by tents. Out of the dozens of booths and tents that were selling items, every single one happened to have something interesting to look at and something new to offer. Art work, intricately detailed glass work, clothing, hemp accessories and many other items for some pretty sweet prices. Crowds of people swarmed the vendors, desperate to see what goods they could claim as their personal souvenirs from Reggae Fest. There were moments where I couldn’t even walk through the tent space; at one point a girl that I was literally rubbing shoulders with turned to me and said, “Kind of like stand still traffic,isn’t it?” and gave me a smile. She was 100 % right; everyone was crowded together following worn down paths to reach other areas within the “Marley World”, making me reminiscent of the 1998 Disney movie “A Bug’s Life”, with Marley Fest being the massive ant hill. At any other event, these conditions were a recipe for disaster: Thousands of people crowding in one place for a concert has been known to create problems in the past. Just like many large music gatherings, there were local police officers all throughout the grounds in case any problems were to arise. But there was not one reported fight during the entire weekend. Within a half hour of being there, I had already experienced the goal of the festival: Unity. There was no yelling, nor pushing or shoving. Just the sweet sounds of reggae, dub, and ska floating through the air. Closer to the stage, there were people gathered in circles waving to whichever band was on stage. There was no break in the show, just a perfect live soundtrack to a beautiful day. During my time there, I must’ve heard what had to be the key phrase of the event over 50 times: “I don’t ever want to leave!”

Leaving the festival was a little heartbreaking as I’m sure it was for everyone else in attendance. During the short period of time I was there, I had developed a bond with the cultural, unified, and peaceful environment that ARF had created, and reality hit me pretty quickly when the music began to die down and people started packing up their things. It was the realest, yet somehow rarest and most honest music festivals I had ever been to. The atmosphere at the festival was mellow and friendly from beginning to end, and had no issues with violence or hostility… I’d never experienced such a wholesome event. I had always thought festivals were written out to have good and bad results. It blew my mind that the Austin Reggae Festival had been proving me wrong year after year. For me, it all just goes along with the sweet little charm the city holds. It’s pretty much undeniable; Every time I come to Austin, I leave feeling a little more open and a lot more weirder.

The Second biggest heavyweight to this production is the genius of Ricardo Darén’s central performance as the principal protagonist Federal justice agent, Benjami­n Espésito. Darén being Argentina’s most infamous TV/Film actor and even more recently the lead in the upcoming Carancho in this year’s London Film Festival, surpasses his export criteria to deliver a performance that can only be said to rival any of De Niros or Pacinos. Set in 1970 s Argentina but told through flashbacks, Daré­n’s Espésito confides in his colleague and lawyer friend Irene Menéndez-Hastings ( played by a brilliant Soledad Villamil) about a particular unsolved murder case that has tainted his life throughout his career, in which he is trying to  finally come to terms with in his retirement.  As a result of this obsession, the film unravels the multi-layered and deep seeded history of this particular case and the impact it had on everyone involved and more.

Only since the likes of Fincher’s Zodiac or Niels Arden Oplev’s Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, have I witnessed a more complex, intricate, intelligent and perfectly tempered investigation piece, that has the ability to completely sustain your intrigue while taking you on a journey through epic personal discoveries that lead to political corruption, acts of disgusting horror, reflections on the morals and ethics of law and the power of subjective philosophy and ultimately one the of the coolest chase scenes in cinema history, a scene that was continuously filmed for 15 minutes and took over a year to plan culminating something that you can only be in sheer awe of. This film lacks nothing and offers everything, it is humble, comical, truly frightening, enthralling, exciting, contemplative, philosophical, horrific and all together conveyed with such passion from both actors, story and direction alike that the emotional infrastructure will affect any viewer unless you are made of stone.

The Secret in Their Eyes, once again completes it for me that foreign cinema, yes having to read those pesky subtitles can rival if not sh** on anything Hollywood can conjure up with all its fiscal strings. It is a slow, intelligently paced, unraveling mysterious film that is really only for people who care for artistic and intelligent storytelling. If you’re after a quick fix linear ‘he loves her’ or ‘good cop bad cop’ then you re in the wrong place. However, if you want to embark on a true journey and experience cinemas remarkable ability to bring stories to life and force them to engage you in an unforgettable way then this might just be worth a look.

The Secret in Their Eyes trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TjR3pTWk_0

Dubstep artist Rusko @ Trees in Dallas,TX.

It’s safe to say that the UK’s premiere dubstep producer and DJ, Rusko, has officially secured the top spot in Dallas’ music scene. When he came to the Lizard Lounge this past December, the club was packed with dubstep enthusiasts, eagerly awaiting his appearance on stage. The show was outstanding, as Rusko’s incredible energy is essential to his live sets. This man definitely knows what the crowd wants, and has no problem providing it time and time again. This is one of the main reasons why his return to Dallas was so anticipated by, well, everyone.

Trees music venue,located in Dallas,TX.

Trees has been a legacy in Deep Ellum for years now. One of the last sweet spots of the area, it was often favored the most out of Dallas’ live music venues. After going through a decline in new acts, Trees was able to redeem itself when Rusko hit the stage on March 30. The entire club was shaking with the wobbly bass lines that define the genre of dubstep. The floor was covered with enthusiastic dubsteppers, screaming the DJs name in hopes that he would grace them with their presence at that instant.

As I walked through the crowd before the show started, I caught onto strands of     everyone’s conversations. Mostly everyone was excited to just meet the person next to them. The   love of dubstep was bringing together all different kinds of people, and the excitement that was in the   air was almost too much to handle. Dallas’ own Dub Assembly was manning the decks beforehand, with local act Royal Highnuss spinning his own tracks as well as throwing in a few remixes to   keep the crowd pumped. But as soon as Christopher Mercer hit the stage with his undeniable energy, the crowd cheered in unison. It was the moment Dallas had been holding its breath for since December.

….He didn’t disappoint. Blasting tunes from his new album O.M.G., every fan mimicked the movements that went along with the different beats that rang out from the stage. Taking a quick break from the show, I walked up the stairs to reach the second floor of the venue and made conversation while waiting for the bathroom. The girl I was talking to, Nina, was gushing with amazement. “He’s so great. Everything he touches is like gold! I just can’t believe he’s real.” Those words stayed in my head all night, as I watched Rusko do what he was best at; wowing the crowd. He had every person in the room hooked, praising him as a Dubstep God.

Or maybe he’s just damn good at what he does. Either way, Rusko isn’t going anywhere any time soon. With an upcoming collaboration with pop diva Britney Spears in the works, it looks like he’s made a permanent fixture for those filthy basslines to remain in our lives; Dub is here to stay.

-Tai Carpenter, Compose Yourself

In a nutshell; shooting, booking, planning, stressing, crying tears of joy, crying tears of frustration, blood, sweat, and oh yeah, tears. No, but really. Moving on, this summer had a pretty damn good variety of shows and festivals, although it was the worst summer for concert series we’ve had in over a decade (according to ticket sales, anyway).

Lots of bands came through the US, making up for cities they’ve noticeably missed in the past (I’m talking to you, Minus the Bear, and your lack of desire to set foot in Dallas. Thanks for making the trip this time,very much appreciated.) Electric Daisy Carnival was insane, with a crazy amount of attractions and art installations as it jumped off first in Denver in June and continued into August hitting select cities. I think I can safely say that techno’s grabbed a very secure spot in the music scene; every song is being remixed into a new electro hit. And along with it came the sounds of wobble and bass, brought to light by Dubstep’s most promient DJ, Rusko. But to keep the balance, I’ve always had a spot for my reggae smooth jams, living and loving on bands like Slightly Stoopid and the Supervillains. Without that kind of soundtrack, my life would have no peace.

Sorry for the delay, my life is like a suitcase with the wheels off track. It’s hard for me to keep up with myself.

Tai

Compose Yourself Mag

and for chitty chat purposes: taicarpenter@gmail.com

Film Festivals around the world are vying for audiences with bigger premieres, more glamorous red carpet screenings, extravagant parties and special events, but can filmmakers get the most out of their selected films?

When entering any film festival, filmmakers, whether shooting documentaries or features have to consider what they want to achieve if they make the selection. Short filmmakers entering major film festivals face stiff competition, but have the opportunity to have the prestige of being in an official selection. However, being selected for lets say Toronto, Cannes, Berlin or Sundance, doesn’t quite give you all the keys to enter the film industry.

Successful short filmmakers have managed to garner critical acclaim through tireless networking prior to major festivals, creating relationships and establishing a following which in turn provides them with a stronger purpose should they have a major projection.

The bigger film festivals tend to be more difficult for independent filmmakers to get any attention because the media and industry focus is looking at such a diversity of films. Those with a media spark, a controversial story, or a star-studded film tend to get all the press. Yes, celebrity is an industry wide phenomenon that cannot be undone, so there will always been a strong media presence at any large film festival, as long as film premieres will pack red carpets with top A list stars.

Independent filmmakers can succeed at smaller film festivals because distributors and talent scouts often turn to them to find hidden talent particularly if there is a niche genre in focus. Film festivals which have short film markets such as AFM and Berlin provide an opportunity for short filmmakers to have their films on display, but don t get you an automatic viewing if there are 5000 films competing for distributor eyeballs.

How does one make the most out of a big, or small festival? It all comes down to prep, and most of the time, indie filmmakers that truly gather momentum before any festival, big or small, can achieve great odds. After all, the film industry is a who you know kind of world.

The government’s recent announcement to scrap the agency as a whole comes as a shock because the film industry and leading film professionals were not given an opportunity to provide a solution to improve the UKFC, reduce its cost, and increase its benefit to British filmmaking.

Why is the UKFC so important?

It is Britain s only national film agency where people from the Scottish Highlands to Devon can turn to in order to find funding, support and direction for filmmaking and training. It effectively centralizes the core of the British Film Industry for the first time, and has given direction to film production from inception to delivery.

What will happen without it?

There will be a gap in the British Film Industry that will affect the next generation of young talent and established pros, who will have to find alternative means to apply for funding.

It is likely that national lottery funding will be made available to the film industry through existing organizations such as the BBC but without a national film agency to handle the complexity of film financing and green lighting projects will be like starting from scratch for any new department.

What could be made better?

There are always areas that can be improved in any organization. The British film industry is diverse involving many crafts and skills. To properly understand the needs of the industry requires the right questions to be asked. How do we get a film financed? What makes a project good? Can this be a commercial success? How can I get more on set work? I am a writer looking to get my script made but I need a director?

There are of course many more examples. Film school graduates will also want a direction to take in order to get their films off the ground. To be competitive internationally requires guidance and training. A skill set can come naturally, but sometimes it s the business aspect that is alien to some, if not most of us. How do we really make a commercial success when we are educated only on how to make a film? Can a national agency guide our projects toward a domestic or international cinema release?

A new agency or an improved UKFC should therefore provide a service that nurtures talent, creates commercial successes and appropriates film financing to projects that inspire and educate people.

How can you get involved?

You can join the Save the UK Film Council group ,which now has over 20,000 members since Monday, and sign the petition. Also check out the official website.

Thanks so much for reading.

While 1987′s original Predator has achieved near godlike stature in the hearts of young (and not so young) men weaned on a certain strain of action cinema, the alien saga as a whole has long been something of a disappointment. Yet with Hollywood being Hollywood, and fanboy allegiance remaining unshakeable, the ugly motherf****r tribal cyborg and contender for best screen monster ever is still very much a hot property. After two shameful outings from the Alien Vs Predator doss house, it now falls to director Nimrod Antal and veteran producer Robert Rodriguez of Desperado fame to recapture the chest-pumping vitality of Arnie s initial foray into the jungle.

Whose mention brings us neatly to Predators leading man- Adrien Brody. An interesting choice, certainly, but he s by no means a let down as hardboiled anti-hero Royce. As a gifted actor, Brody s talents aren’t given a particularly rigorous workout by a largely 2D character, but he holds his own among a highly watchable cast rammed to the gills with clones from the first Predator. There’s the tough as Teflon, brick s***house Chechnyan with a mini gun, bearing more than a passing resemblance to the original’s Blain, a rebel fighter from Sierra Leone filling in for Mac, and even a near-silent, katana sporting (oh yes) yakuza with a fistful of zen (see Predator s Billy). It may seem an idle comparison, but this international gang of walking stereotypes epitomises the film’s dilemma- it is so desperately enamoured with its 23 year old predecessor that at times it feels like a remake.

To be clear, this isn’t entirely a bad thing. By paying its respects to its great-granddad, Predators strives for the same winning formula of suspense crossed with exhilarating action, and actually achieves it for short bursts.

The high concept for this chapter is that our planet’s most ruthless predators , in the guise of warriors, murderers and psychos, have been abducted and dropped into the eponymous aliens very own game reserve, to pit their martial prowess against a pack of the universe’s most deadly hunters on their own turf. This wafer-thin plot allows for a well-paced, marginally tense build up, capped off with a pleasing series of inventive set pieces and minor key twists as the surviving humans go head-to-head with their foe.

Visually, Predators is often striking, with some well-considered cinematography and suitably weird and diverse terrain creating the credible impression of an alien planet. The movie’s first half an hour is actually strongly reminiscent of the Lost TV series as the hapless group slowly gains its bearings, with the jungle’s crushing claustrophobia underpinning the cat and mouse game that unfurls.
Special mention also has to go to the ever-reliable Lawrence Fishbourne, who brilliantly subverts his usual father-figure role as a half-mad survivor from a previous deathmatch.

As it stands, Predators will satisfy many of the fans, and is a decent enough sci-fi actioner in its own right. There’s an exuberance to its gore-spattered deaths, earnest action and shamelessly hackneyed characterisation that is hard not to enjoy. While it’s nigh on impossible not to join the dots with John McTiernan’s stellar original, Antal’s effort is entertaining and occasionally unique enough to be tentatively elevated to the position of second best Predator film (sorry Danny Glover). Despite this, however, such intense worship of its roots means Predators is not the truly inspired fresh blood the series deserves. With Rodriguez reportedly putting his muscle behind a sequel, we can only hope the next iteration learns from this one s more impressive flourishes to deliver just that.

Predators Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u8vZwvP57Y

Nolan first started writing Inception around the time of his under-rated feature Insomnia, in which he became fascinated with the idea of lucid dreaming and the fundamental questions that dreams made us question about the nature of the human mind and reality. However, Nolan knew that to dream big on this scale and honour the stories requirements, he would have to wait. This is by no means a small scale film; in fact both aesthetically and cognitively this is perhaps the grandest canvas of film-making up there in cinema history. There has been talk that Nolan is the new Kubrick or Scott, but I like to think Nolan is just the new master of cinema, he is more Hitchcock in his methods, and yet the result is something you would expect from Spielberg and Lucas and more.

Narratively, it is very difficult to actually explain to someone who hasn’t seen this film what is actually about, which I think is integral to its beauty and attraction. In simple terms ( if that’s at all possible) the premise is that Leonardo Dicaprio’s character Dom Cobb is a dream thief, a specialist spy who has the ability to enter your mind and either extract or plant information through the medium of the subconscious. Dicaprio and an ensemble team of experts join together for one final mission, which proves to be make or break. All the odds are against them and if they don’t succeed its game over. That s about as much as can be given away or explained of this ingeniously original and complex screenplay. Dicaprio offers one of his most challenging yet rewarding performances yet and acts the emotional catalyst throughout, forever sustaining the audience s interest and compassion. He is also joined by a host of incredible talent, coming from the likes of Ellen Page, British Newcomer and one to watch- Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Marion Cotillard, and the standard Nolan crew of Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy and Ken Watanabe. Furthermore in addition there is an unexpected but ultimately brilliant casting choice of the long lost Tom Berenger.

Where in the lies the true mastery or sorcery of Inception is its ability to almost transform as a remarkable example of any genre. It cannot be defined, I mean at a push you could say it is a multi-layered science fiction heist action blockbuster peppered with comedy and brutal drama, o and least I forget perhaps the most audacious and enthralling story in the last decade of cinema since its principal influence and main source of inspiration The Matrix. It s funny, it’s sad, it’s cool, it s beautiful, its slick, its breath-taking, it hurts your head, it pumps adrenaline into your heart, it entertains, it stimulates all spectrums of the IQ, it captivates your attention and does not take any mercy on you, it surprises, it twist and turns, it bends and collapses, it forces you to become part of it and until you cannot resist. Also for such a complicated piece, it never for one moment becomes too indulgent or hypocritical, its tempo is just right like a fat bass beat, it s so smooth you could just listen to it on loop. It s just got the perfect equilibrium of everything to make everything work. You’re never quite comfortable enough but then you re never bored enough or confused enough to even begin to be distracted or discontented. This film will not let you do anything other than be sucked it and spat out.

Inception offers some of the truly finest action sequences I have ever experienced, up until the point where you just can’t take it; it illustrates some of the finest uses of C.G.I since The Return of the King. (Although Nolan remains old school in that he deferred from the use of 3D or Imax technology and the over use or ease of use of too much C.G.I in favour for expensive and realistic constructions and explosions like the Ice Fortress). One of its central themes is an emotional journey into one man’s ability to cope with madness and death, playing on the notions of loss and the effect it has on the psyche. Or perhaps just an educated disposition into the principal hypothesis of Descartes body of work- Cogito Ergo Sum- I Think Therefore I am. No wait perhaps just a true understanding and exploration of Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams and the hallucinogenic nature of lucid dreams or a psychological investigation into the world of dreams as either a metaphor for reality itself or this just socially accepted journey into hedonistic and ludicrous dimensions of madness and beauty that we all collectively embark upon every time we close our eyes.

Nolan’s fundamental message here I believe is that anything is possible, but even without a central thesis or framework of intelligent ideas, Inception would still be a masterpiece, in that it offers anything you could possibly want from any film, also without revealing anything, one of the most finest endings I have ever witnessed, leaving you tantalizing useless and in sheer awe of what you have just been subjected to. Inception is truly in the face of all post-modern criticisms and the suggestion that originality is dead, and that everything is a re-hash or interpretation of everything else. This is truly original and pure, yes heavily inspired and resting on the shoulder of giants (perhaps mostly Wachowski giants) but none the less a completely fresh experience and tale of its own, further experimenting and messing with your world. This is Nolan s Bond film, his 2001, his Blade Runner, his Matrix, taking the best of Memento and The Dark Knight to create his Guernica, his Sistine, his Fifth symphony and cementing him and his film into history. If you have any interest in the experiment that is film what so ever, you will do yourself a favour and see this film, if not don’t worry son.

Inception Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66TuSJo4dZM

Film Industry Network Update

It has been a while since my last blog so I thought I would update you all on what s going on. I want to thank the members that participated in the recent survey that provided a great insight into your needs and how you would like the site to help you.

We have created two new RSS feeds to provide you with the most up to date news and success stories.

Additionally more jobs and collaborations will be featured on the listings section as they come, so be sure to check back.

Congratulations to Vicky Mather, who recently won the Edinburgh film festival with her short film. Check out our interview with Vicky to get an insight into her creativity.

I would like to invite you to help a fellow short filmmaker. Adrian Westbrook recently submitted his film : Prokalo to the open film competition. Please vote for it here and support our friends.

Lastly thanks to all our new bloggers for their superb contributions and to David for his brilliant and informative articles on cinematography.

Useful websites:

I would like to recommend the following sites for you to check out:

OFC Filmmaking

Radar Music Videos

Film and festivals magazine

Till the next post, have a great week!

YONO BAR   (Marais)

Best of SIFF (Sexy Int. Film Festival Australia)

Friday 25 June 2010, 7pm

37, rue Vieille du Temple, 75004 Paris

Mijo Biscan and Jona Byron Concert

Mijo Biscan is co-founder and a song writer for Melbourne s Alt-Rock-Prog-Folk group called Lamplight. Their success in their homeland of Australia has propelled Mijo to Europe to continue spreading his music to fans on the other side of the planet.

Although references are made to Jeff Buckley, Rufas   Wainwright, Nick Cave, Fleet Foxes and Leonard Cohen among others, Mijo     continues to elude the pigeon-holes of critics with his fiercely unique voice in the world of song writing and also with his own personal expression and musical inventiveness. Previously performing and commanding a band of up to 18 people including horn sections, strings and choirs, Mijo is now returning to his roots as a troubadour of simple song and simple truths told with his unique voice and way.

http://www.myspace.com/mijobiscanmusic

http://www.myspace.com/lamplightmusic

Mijo will be joined by   Sydney   singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Jona Byron, who is not easy to pigeonhole.

Jona’s music and songwriting has been revered by artists such as Conway Savage (The Bad Seeds) and Glenn Richards (Augie March) and he has toured and played with acts such as Machine Translations, Sime Nugent and Jason Mraz. Jona is currently touring throughout Europe and is currently based in the UK.

www.jonabyron.com, www.myspace.com/jonabyron

Concert will be followed by «  Best of   », a selection of short films from the Sexy International Film Festival Australia.

Tickets on sale at www.sexyfilmfestparis.com

8- online or  at the door

————-

Australian Retrospective @Cinema Le Grand Action

Saturday 26 June, 3pm

The Sexy International Paris Film Festival is a celebration of cinema showcasing a diverse programme of films exploring the theme Sexy love, sensuality, sexuality, eroticism, love and relationships without the x. Often touching, profound, humorous, absurd and sometimes controversial the films offer a window to different perceptions of sexy, through another world, another culture.

Featuring a kaleidoscopic array of award-winning short films centred around the theme sexy: voyeuristic encounters at a peepshow, the physical manifestations of sex addiction, the fragility of marriage, guilt and jealousy and the touching story of bringing a girl home for the first time.

Films included in the programme include Tropfest winner Luke Eve s short film Mans Best Frien starring Pia Miranda, Dustin Fenneley’s Eskimo Kiss (who’s previous short Snow screened at Cannes) and films from the archives of AFTRS (Australian Film Television and Radio School).

Cinema Le Grand Action

Saturday 26^th June, 3pm

5, rue des Ecoles, Paris 75005

Metro: Cardinale Lemoine

Tickets:

7pm- online at www.sexyfilmfestparis.com

9pm- at the door

The festival started in a muted atmosphere with a feeling of uncertainty as the coast had just recovered from a freak storm that had devastated the beachfront. Thankfully there was enough time for it to be ready to go.

Hopping over to the UK Film Tent after getting our badges was our priority to scope out what films to see, and where to get the all important free wifi access. The Ampav tent, despite the 10 euro daily fee was amusing to get into and to see what kind of people were attending this year. A smaller American presence than the previous year was notable, and many cancelled their trips due to the volcano.

I met some fantastic people over the course of the festival from journalists to producers and our team joined in the fun taking great pictures and films. A special thanks to Dom Dandrige from the UK, Jay Schroeder and Jessica de Oliviera from the US who helped us plan and film interviews in various hotspots at parties, on the beach, in hotels and elsewhere.

This was our first year as a network with a crew on the ground, and so we made the most of it, scheduling interviews, and some improvised to cap off the 10 days. Interviews will be made available shortly through our new channel.

I have to say I didn t expect the interviews to go as well as they did and it was inspiring to meet people who were behind some of the biggest films, and to really get to see who are the successful people in various parts of our industry. Too often mainstream media doesn t give any light to those that are integral to making movies and music videos happen, so it was a privilege to get that knowledge and expert opinion from working professionals.

Who could forget the SFC happy hour at 5pm? Short and documentary filmmakers squeezed into the bright green space to take a few beers and share their journeys in making their films. A lot of the filmmakers we spoke with were from Europe, with a very small presence from Bollywood.

Unfortunately our scheduled Film Industry Network meetup had to be cancelled due to a storm on the day. It was a great shame as many people were looking forward to a good networking opportunity. We will make up for it!

The market was also toned down, with production companies really cutting back on their promotional staff and sales people. Spanish filmmakers were rare to find unlike previous years where it seemed they had taken over parts of the festival with their events.

Moving on to the parties, it seemed like there was the usual flair of variety but lacking in scale. Everything was toned down. We drove up to the Villa de Rothschild (I think its called that) and converged onto a mini concert/ drinks promo with people giving out shots of absinthe mixed with a vile concoction (according to those who dared drinking it).

Where was Hollywood? Usually big names are talked about throughout the festival, but like many media agencies said it was very difficult to even get interviews with those who usually attend. This only exacerbated the situation of the already fragile entertainment journalism industry and will no doubt adversely affect big movies trying to get promotion in the future. Even though the festival has many big names in the Out of Competition selection, the hype was non-existent, bland, and the stars that attended the festival were generally not seen.

The independent film community was very much present, but it seemed that the festival had cut accreditations to a large portion of up and coming talent which soured the mood leaving those with only a string of credits in attendance. The balance it seemed was far from what we had seen in previous years. As the film industry crosses many cultures and boundaries, for the festival to deny people who are just entering the business defeats the purpose of a film festival, which is supposed to be open and transparent. No longer will Cannes be seen as a festival of opportunity , but one of status .