2018 Oscar nominations reflect diversity and strong, original writing.
The 90th Academy Award nominations have been announced and the voters have delivered an impressive and diverse spectrum of honorees. Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”) and Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) netted Best Director nods. Agnes Varda, James Ivory, and Christopher Plummer set records for aging nominees. And “The Shape of Water” a fantasy/monster movie got the most nominations with 13. The adapted screenplay list made room for the sublime Aaron Sorkin (“Molly’s World”), as well as a comic book adaptation (“Logan”), while the original script nominees may be the strongest in years. You know it’s an embarrassment of riches when strong scripts like “The Post”, “Battle of the Sexes”, “I, Tonya”, “Hostiles” and “All the Money in the World” don’t make the cut.
IFH 200: How to Sell Your Indie Film Using Ninja Facebook Hacks with Kyle Prohaska
We all want to make money selling our feature films or streaming series but getting peoples attention in this noisy world is pretty impossible. We don't have the marketing budget of the studios to reach our audience. What is a filmmaker to do?
Why not use the most powerful marketing tool ever created...Facebook. Now I know Facebook can be intimidating. It such a deep platform. It's power to reach a specific audience is unmatched. Today's guest Kyle Prohaska is a Facebook Marketing Ninja. Kyle also specializes in promoting and marketing indie films.
He also has created insane followings for his own films. Check out this 1,000,000 follower Facebook page he created for his film Standing Firm. Get ready to take some MASSIVE notes on this special episode. Enjoy my epic conversation with Kyle Prohaska.
Oh, by the way, THIS IS EPISODE #200! HOLY CRAP! Thank you all for listening and spreading the word. I couldn't have gotten here without the IFH Tribe!
How to Go From a 6K Micro-Budget to Directing a 100K Feature Film with Joshua Caldwell
Ever wondered what happens to those directors who make a micro-budget feature film? Do they ever sell that film? Do they ever get to direct a feature film again? Today guest is filmmaker Joshua Caldwell, a rare returning filmmaker on the show. He directed a $6000 feature film called Layover.
I wanted to bring Joshua back to discuss how he leveraged that first micro-budget feature film to get a shot of directing his new $100,000 feature Negative.
We also discuss how he brought his micro-budget mentality to a larger budget film, how he used guerilla filmmaking techniques to get the biggest bang for his buck. Prepare for some knowledge bombs. Enjoy my conversation with Joshua Caldwell.
Most of the writing we do as screenwriters takes place well before we even start using a screenwriting software program. All that program does for you, really, is properly formats the script. Sadly, it doesn't write the script for you! Still, and even though the outlining process is essential to developing a great script, the page writing is essential too. In this live Facebook broadcast, the ISA's development executives, Felicity Wren and Max Timm, discuss what makes for an entertaining page of a screenplay and we go beyond just the basic formatting education. Learn how to engage your reader! Don't just assume you know how to format a script because certain spacing issues are taken care of. It's so much more than that.
Remember, Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
Becoming aware of how other successful writers have "done it" can help you devise a plan for you and your own writing. It is, of course, important to remember though that there isn't one way to make it in this industry. You have to pave your own way, while learning from the people who have come before you. So, join the ISA's Felicity Wren and Max Timm as they present this summer broadcast by announcing success stories and sharing inspiring stories from around the business.
Please remember that Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are not offered to the participants listening to the recording. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
“Mudbound” adapts the symbol-heavy bestseller with finesse
Adapting a book is never easy, particularly one such as Hillary Jordan’s Mudbound. The narrative is told first-person by multiple characters, and that contradicts the first rule of screenwriting – show, don’t tell. Yet in their “Mudbound” adaptation, writer/director Dee Rees and screenwriter Virgil Williams show and tell. They retain much of Jordan’s brilliant narration, yet Rees ensures her movie is filmic. All the great characters are there, expressing themselves onscreen and in voice-over, but the visuals of them interacting with each other and their 1945 rural Mississippi environment is where this film speaks volumes. Rees relies on strong symbolism and metaphors too which help make this one of 2017’s best and most watchable films.
Join the ISA's Felicity Wren and Max Timm as they open up their broadcast (and a bottle of wine) to questions from their faithful viewers. Thanks to Facebook Live and good 'ol technology, they're able to chat with any and all writers who have burning questions; from specific craft-oriented questions that pertain to structure or characters development, or even the literal writing on the page, to marketing and industry-related topics such as what projects are selling in town and why.
Please remember that Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every broadcast. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are not offered to the participants listening to the recording. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to work with you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” reboots the franchise with lots of laughs.
Rebooting a franchise can be a tricky thing. You want to keep what’s beloved and familiar, but you also have to find new ways to make the updated version fresh and involving. Fortunately, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” pays homage to the 1995 Robin Williams film, yet strongly forges its own new territory. The filmmakers made the easy call of turning the board game into a video game. Also, they don’t have the game animals follow the players home. Instead, the players get sucked into the magical console and become their avatars. This sequel is more comedic too, satirizing PlayStation tropes and letting stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan all perform at the top of their game.