Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - Aftermath
















Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Seattle filmmaker Paul Fraser returns from Sundance 2008, to a media frenzy with Sam Longoria and BJ Shea, on Seattle's #1 Morning Radio show, KISW - FM's the BJ Shea Experience.



Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Paul Fraser and Sam Longoria are interviewed by BJ Shea at Seattle's KISW radio station.







Paul explains the finer points of his filmmaking,
and his film "The Battles of Tim Eyman."
















BJ comments on clips from the film, in which he appears and speaks.








Sam tells what it takes
to promote an indy feature film.





























Studio video, shot of Sam at the end, at 4:20. Quite vulgar up to that point, and perhaps during.


Here's Paul and Sam's interview itself.
NSFW!
It's a guy show,
#1 Seattle morning show.

Paul and Sam and BJ and the Crew had a great time,
and it was very good radio.

BJ Shea's "Steve the Producer's" blog explains all of science, including quantum string theory.
Video Blog of part of the show.  At very end, slow-mo Sam Longoria and his moustache.


Hope you enjoy it!

Paul Fraser
Sam Longoria

film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
passion for cinema
digital filmmaking handbook

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - Homeward















Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Our Sundance correspondent is Seattle filmmaker
Paul Fraser, who has just enough time in the numbing
Sundance cold, and mind-numbing Sundance blur, to
snap a few pics and pen some notes from the festival.



Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Hey Sam,

The Toxic Avenger roams the streets again! As you know,
TA's the mascot of Troma films, a distributor promoting
its own film festival. Of course, it's "Troma Dance."

Went to "Traces Of The Trade," a moving film I saw at
Holiday Village Cinema, all shot on video, chronicling
the tragedies of several families in the Katrina disaster
in Florida.

A first-hand personal account, it's directed by the
ironically-named Katrina Browne. She did a great job.

Afterwards, took a flight back around eleven,
and got back here in Seattle around Midnight.
Man, am I tired, but it was all very well worth it.

Today was especially good, I networked like
crazy and got my film out to a lot of people,
and met with all those I'd scheduled.

Came home to an invitation to guest on the
"BJ Shea Experience" radio show
on KISW, the Rock of Seattle!

Thanks Sam,

Paul Fraser


film school
filmmaking
film financing
film production
passion for cinema
digital filmmaking handbook

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - Snow Problem!





















Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Our Sundance correspondent is Seattle filmmaker
Paul Fraser, who has just enough time in the numbing
Sundance cold, and mind-numbing Sundance blur, to
snap a few pics and pen some notes from the festival.



Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Sam,

Today, woke up to at least a foot of snow in Salt Lake. Got in
my car and braved it, driving the icy roads up to Park City.
Hotel manager told me not to try, but I did it anyway!






















































Caught a little of the talk at the Filmmaker Lounge,
"The Producing Cap." Panel discussed obtaining financing
to get projects off the ground.

















So many of us crowded into the Lodge, some had to
watch it televised, in the room next door.
















Handed out promo materials for my film,
"The Battles Of Tim Eyman" to press and producers
along Main Street. Also entered my film into an Avid
pitch contest, at the New Frontier.

Paul Fraser


Filmmaking

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Monday, January 21, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - The Play's The Thing




















Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Our Sundance correspondent, Seattle filmmaker
Paul Fraser, has just enough time in the numbing
Sundance cold, and mind-numbing Sundance blur, to
snap a few pics and pen some notes from the festival.



Monday, January 21, 2008

Hey Sam,

Supporters for a film called "Len Bias" throng Main Street,
handing out DVDs of their trailer, can't miss them. They've
been on Main Street every time I've been out, since I got
here on the 17th.

I've done my share of film promotion, too, as I shop
my film, "The Battles Of Tim Eyman." I give out DVDs
and posters, to press and distribution people.













Word up - lots of other filmmakers leave promotional
materials in the lobby - and Big Brother Sundance
throws them into the garbage, if they're not in the
festival. Can't blame them - this is business, after all.
















Next stop, the Sundance Filmmaker's Lodge, where
I listened to Martin McDonagh, a playwright-turned-
film-director, notorious for his dark comedy writing.
















I asked Martin if a film like "Bug," adapted from Tracy Letts's
play of the same name, would have an easier transition to
the screen, since it was a play to begin with? He disagreed,
saying, in his work, he prefers to keep a play a play,
and not try to "turn a dog into a cat."

Really crowded at this event. I had to wait in the
hallway, to get into this old rustic-looking building.

Later, over at the New Frontier, on Main Street...
















I sat in on an event called "Avid Presentation:
From Production to Post to Distribution."

Editor Kevin Trent ("Sideways," "The Golden Compass," "Blow")
discussed challenges faced by today's digital Editors, and their
computer systems, such as Avid.

Kevin described how the editing process has been streamlined,
from thirty-odd people working on the editing (on the film "Reds"),
to a single Editor and two Assistants, a total of three.














After I took this picture at the Eccles Theatre,
it started snowing like mad, and I caught the
midnight show of "Just Another Love Story"
at the Holiday Village Cinema.

Another dark love story actually, along the lines of
"Strangers," and Michael Keaton's "The Merry Gentleman."

So dark, the Danish Director (Ole Bornedal) warned us
in advance. It was really an involving and original film.

Three-quarters through, the young woman sitting next to me
lost her nerve, and left, because of its energy and realism.

Who knew the Danes were so dark and moody?
Oh, wait, there's Hamlet.

Made it back to my room, through the snow,
in one piece, without driving off the road.

Talk soon!

Paul


Filmmaking

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - It's a riot!















Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Our Sundance correspondent is Seattle filmmaker
Paul Fraser, who has just enough time in the numbing
Sundance cold, and mind-numbing Sundance blur, to
snap a few pics and pen some notes from the festival.



Sunday, January 20, 2008

Hey Sam,

Today at Sundance, more people than ever crowding
the frozen downtown streets of Park City. Sidewalks
literally so overpopulated you must walk in the street!

People communicate and schedule by bulletin boards
and flyers, and notices, and pictures. Like a riot,
a war, or a natural disaster, I can't decide which.




















More interviews, it's all chaos. I was interviewed by
tv news, and discovered the HP Broadcast Studio,
where I spoke a bit more about my filmmaking,
and my film, "The Battles Of Tim Eyman."

















Up the street, at the Sundance Filmmakers Lodge, a
wine-tasting event called "Wine Escape." Industry
Producers, Actors, and Directors mingled there.

Later, at the Egyptian Theater, I viewed a great Israeli
film called "Strangers." The Director, Erez Tadmor, was
there, and spoke of the film's production. Very moving
and gritty romance, shot on HDV and converted to 35mm.

Story was completely improvised, and written, by the Actors.
The war that tore the protagonists apart was a real
situation, and framed the story. Shot in under a month,
for under $100K.

That film is the second I've watched here originated on
HDV, then upconverted to 35mm. New trend? I wonder.

Tomorrow will be a busy one, I can feel the buzz of
filmmaking rising in pitch. Gotta go. Talk soon!

Paul


Filmmaking

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - Park City - NOT!



















Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Our Sundance correspondent is Seattle filmmaker
Paul Fraser, who has just enough time in the numbing
Sundance cold, and mind-numbing Sundance blur, to
snap a few pics and pen some notes from the festival.



Saturday, January 19, 2008

Sam,

Thousands pack the streets of Park City, Utah, for
the Sundance Film Festival. One of them this year is me,
and I'm happy to be here. It's every independent filmmaker's
dream come true.

I don't know what will happen, but nobody does. There are
lots of great movies, and crazy colorful characters. It's
really the filmmaking business in a teaspoon.

Just meeting people here is a positive step. I'm astonished
how few people have business cards. They just meet and
bounce away, only colliding occasionally in the chaos.

My strategy? I'm finding out where people go, and going there.
Hardest part is parking my car. I drive from Salt Lake City,
and park miles away and ride the shuttle bus.

I expected lots of parking for my car because
of the name, Park City, but no.














What I wasn't expecting - I've been interviewed a couple
of times today, about my filmmaking, and my film,
"The Battles of Tim Eyman."

It's a documentary about a Mukilteo, WA
watch-salesman / citizen-activist, and his battles
to get his tax-cutting agenda onto Washington state
ballots, using the initiative process.

It has Tim Eyman, and Washington State Senator
Ken Jacobsen, and radio talk-show hosts Michael Medved,
B.J. Shea, and Dori Munson. It was a fun film to make.

















I'm surprised I was interviewed. I didn't expect much
interest in Washington state politics. Nobody's ever
heard of any of the people in my film, but they pointed
video cameras at me, so I told them about it.

Documentaries are very big right now, and I hope to
see what others are doing with their filmmaking.
Gotta go, it's freezing, and lots to see.
Write more tomorrow.

Paul

Filmmaking

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Friday, January 18, 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008 - It's cold outside!














Filmmaking - Sundance Journal

Our Sundance correspondent is Seattle filmmaker
Paul Fraser, who's shopping his documentary film,
"The Battles of Tim Eyman,"
about a Washington state citizen activist.

Paul has just enough time in the numbing Sundance
cold, and mind-numbing Sundance blur, to snap a
few pics and pen some notes from the festival.



Friday, January 18, 2008

Sam,

Very chilly down here at Sundance. Main Street is crowded
with Producers and Press, at the various filmmaking events.

I attended the "Filmmaker Lodge" opening reception.
I met Joe Kleber from Red Acquistion Warehouse, and he
demonstrated his Red digital motion picture camera to me.

Also attended a seminar, at The New Frontier on Main Street,
"Creating A Low-Budget Film". They discussed production
workflow, and editing techniques. It gave me new insight.

Speakers were the Producer and Editor from the film
"Jack In The Box," who talked about productive collaboration.

The Editor, a USC professor, described filmmaking techniques
to keep the audience interested, and on the edge of their seats,
while telling the story.

I always get a lot from these seminars, and there
was also free food there, too! Can't lose.

9:30pm tonight, at the Eccles Theater, I attended the film
premiere of "The Merry Gentleman." The Director is
Michael Keaton, who recounted the making of this film.
It is his first feature as a Director.

Keaton seemed apprehensive about "Merry Gentleman's"
running time, but the film was warmly received by
the audience.

Pictures are on the way, took only a few on Main Street.
I'll shoot off a roll tomorrow, and I'll send some
along to you. Hope all is well with you!

Paul

Filmmaking

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Filmmaking - Biggest Mistakes Filmmakers Make Raising Money

Filmmaking - Film Financing

Are You Making These
10 Film Financing Mistakes?

Special free report, "10 Biggest Mistakes Filmmakers
Make Raising Money."


Describes exactly which devastating errors to avoid in your
search for Film Financing. Are you making them right now?

Mistake 1: A money attitude you learn from Parents,
Teachers, and Friends. Unlearn it, or it will destroy you.

Mistake 2: You finally have five minutes with your Movie Angel.
Have you done your Homework?

Mistake 3: You know "It takes money to make money,"
but what does it take to raise money?

Mistake 4: Guessing how much to ask for, or what to
give in return
, is a one-way ticket to failure.

Mistake 5: Even if you know the right thing to say,
saying it the wrong way will sink you.

Mistake 6: Pitching the wrong Prospects.
Do you know who yours really are?


Mistake 7: What never to say to a Movie Investor Prospect,
and what he's hoping you'll say.

Mistake 8: These 8 POOR PITCHES never get you money.
You're probably doing one right now.

Mistake 9: Even if you really believe in your project,
this one little mistake will send you home a Loser.

Mistake 10: You found and approached your Movie Angel.
He said, "Yes!" Can you still screw up? You bet.

And much, much more...

Discover the right way to raise money for your movie, regardless of your filmmaking or film financing experience or location.

Filmmaking

© 2008 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved