The Martini Shot

New Series: The iPhoneographers

2012-02-02T12:29:00.000-06:00

I'm producing a new tech-related show called The iPhoneographers that primarily concentrates on the video capabilities of the iPhone and the iPad - from apps, gear, accessories, movies and more. And it's not just for pro level filmmakers... we're covering all angles for hobbyist and pros alike.

This is my first attempt at a hosted "lifestyle" type series. All of my other online work has been narrative (Pink, 88 Hits, Exposed and Continuum). I'm not abandoning the narrative stuff at all by the way, I'm just working to create a slate of shows that cover a wide variety of topics and interests. We've got several other shows in the pipeline too including a cooking show, fitness show, an interview-style show and even a movie parody show - all with a twist of course. ;)

2012 looks to be a pretty busy year!

Here's the main site for the new iPhone series:
http://www.iphoneographers.tv

And then of course you can follow the series on Twitter or Like it on Facebook.

You can also watch it directly on YouTube and Blip.

Let me know what you think!

-Blake

Joe Swanberg's New Film... For Free

2012-01-27T15:58:00.005-06:00

Lots of talk these days on free versus paid downloads of films, etc. and so I found it interesting that Joe Swanberg would release his latest feature or free on Vimeo.

The film is called Marriage Material. I haven't watched it yet, but Joe makes primarily "Mumblecore films", which are definitely an acquired taste.

Here's the film:

Like most "free" things on the Internet this looks to be a marketing play to promote his other work. I'm not saying that negatively either by the way, I actually this it's pretty smart.

Here are a few of the reasons he sites for releasing it for free:

1. The date of the "release" is connected to the shipment of the first DVD in the Joe Swanberg: Collected Films 2011 set that Factory 25 is doing, but it's not lost on me that Sundance is also starting this week. The Sundance Film Festival makes the whole country aware of independent film for a week or so, but most people can't be there, so it's fun to put something up that everyone can see.

2. The Collected Films set is an attempt to try something new and find an alternative to conventional distribution. I figured it would be fun to celebrate that by giving away another film in an unconventional way.

3. The American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland, did a retrospective of my films in November and I showed "Silver Bullets" at the Viennale the month before. None of my films are available legally on home video or streaming in Poland or Austria, so the inability to find my work or share it with friends after the festivals was frustrating for new fans of mine. Releasing this film on Vimeo allows me to keep the conversation alive with the people I meet internationally.

Read the LA Times Blog piece on it for the other reasons.

-Blake

SPILT MILK Now on iTunes

2012-01-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

My feature film SPILT MILK was released on iTunes today! It's been kind of a long journey on this film, so I'm pretty happy to finally have it out to the world. :)

Here's a direct iTunes link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/spilt-milk/id489101084

You can buy or rent it in SD or HD. And here's the trailer to refresh your memory...

The film stars a lot of great folks including Jake Johnson (currently co-starring on FOX TV's New Girl), Chase Jeffery (Mind of It's Own), Kim Matula (CBS TV's The Bold & The Beautiful), Matthew Tompkins (Phobia), and many others (see IMDb for full cast).

Soon it should be available on Netflix and Hulu too... I'll post here when it's online.

Thanks!
Blake

IAWTV Awards

2011-12-16T10:59:00.000-06:00

Happy to announce that the early preview episodes of my new sci-fi series CONTINUUM have been nominated for two awards at the inaugural IAWTV Awards.

The show is up for Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects.

Big shout out to our production designer Eric Whitney and to our Visual FX Supervisor Chad Briggs and his team at Element X Creative.

The awards are being given in Las Vegas on January 12, 2012 during CES.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

-Blake

P.S. The full release of CONTINUUM will be announced in early 2012.

More on "Continuum"

2011-11-10T15:55:00.001-06:00

Working hard getting the word out on the exclusive Facebook Preview of Continuum... last night I was a guest on the Indie Intertube podcast (I'll have a download link for that soon) and here's our lead actress Melanie Merkosky talking about her love of all things sci-fi and what drew her to the show...

The first 3 episodes are currently playing on Facebook and a wider release is slated for early 2012. Hope you enjoy!

-Blake

"Continuum" Preview

2011-10-31T13:36:00.000-05:00

Been a while since I posted here.... been busy producing a new genre film called Phobia and recently releasing an exclusive preview of my latest online series Continuum. And that's what this post is about today...

I'm releasing the first 3 episodes exclusively on Facebook to say "thank you" to the fans that have supported the show since we announced it back in 2010, and to hopefully build up the page with new fans as we move forward to a wide release in early 2012.

Here's some nice coverage of the release:

Digital Chick TV:
Blake Calhoun Previews First Episode of New SciFi Series Continuum

Tubefilter:
Continuum Teases Out with Facebook-Only Release

GigaOm:
Is Facebook the way to go for new web originals?

And here are the first two episodes (you need to be logged into FB to see these)...

Episode 3 launches tomorrow and I'll post it here soon.

UPDATE: Here's episode 3...

Hope you enjoy!

-Blake

New Movie

2011-09-08T12:47:00.000-05:00

If you're on Facebook and a friend of mine or my company Loud Pictures, then you've probably heard me mention the new feature film I'm producing. It's a mystery/thriller called "Phobia" and will be directed by Jon Keeyes and was written by Anne Gibson.

Casting on the film starts this weekend in Dallas and our LA casting director has been talking to folks for the past few weeks. We'll have an announcement soon on our leads.

In the meantime, if you'd like to follow the progress of the film please "Like" our Facebook page www.facebook.com/PhobiaTheMovie and/or follow the film on Twitter www.twitter.com/PhobiaTheMovie. I'll be posting stuff during production and post, etc.

Speaking of production... we start principle photography in just over 3 weeks! I better get back to work. :)

-Blake

iTunes Dominates Digital Movie Sales

2011-08-23T10:33:00.003-05:00

This is an interesting piece from Variety. Somewhat surprising to me too with all the competition Out There. But also a bit scary to see the real numbers... AND to see how strong DVD sales still really are (although declining, but still far bigger than digital downloads).

------------------------------------------------

iTunes dominates digital movie sales
Apple gains market share despite increased competition
By ANDREW WALLENSTEIN

Apple's iTunes reasserted itself as the top seller of movies in the U.S. on digital platforms in the first half of the year, according to new research from IHS Screen Digest.
Even as more aggressive competitors pour into the space, iTunes ticked up after two consecutive years of declines. Apple commanded 65.8% of spending in the category, up from 64.9% in the first half of 2010.

Though also-ran services from Microsoft and Sony registered declines over the same period, Walmart's Vudu service also posted a gain on the strength of increased visibility from the retail giant's stores to a new iPad app.

That there's any growth at all in this category, which IHS focuses on digital services that handle streaming-rental or download-purchase transactions of the a la carte variety, is somewhat surprising given that the monthly subscription model epitomized by Netflix has captivated the industry.

An NPD Group study in February found that 61% of video streaming and downloading on the Internet in the U.S. belonged to Netflix, which doesn't even allow downloading. Apple was a distant third in a three-way tie with DirecTV and Time Warner Cable, all with 4%. Comcast finished second with 8%.

But even as its overall share of the digital-movie marketplace falls behind the dominant but declining DVD, surging Internet subscription VOD and cable/satellite VOD, a la carte entrants like iTunes and Vudu are finding there's still room to grow. Getting theatrical product day and date with homevideo release and positive user experiences may be key reasons why.

Though iTunes' .09% increase may not seem much, it's significant given Apple's market share dropped nearly 12 percentage points in the first half of 2010 vs. the same period in 2009.

IHS attributed iTunes' renewed dominance to a variety of factors, including the increasing popularity of the iPad and AirPlay, which connects iTunes with TVs.

Remaining a distant second is Microsoft's Zune Video Marketplace, which fell from a 18.5% share in 2010 to 16.2% in 2011. Jumping two places to No. 3 is Vudu, which showed the year-to-year gain, moving from 1% to 5.4%.

Walmart has been aggressive in its deployment of Vudu since acquiring it 19 months ago, broadening its footprint across connected devices and expanding its presence on the Web via its own website and Walmart.com.

Falling out of the third spot was Sony's PlayStation Store, which dropped from 8.2% to 4.4%. IHS chalked up the decline to both Vudu's growth and the hacking that disrupted Sony's service worldwide during that period.

Amazon sunk to fifth, having remained relatively flat at 4.2%. That number could potentially sink further as the company shifts gears from an a la carte offering to monthly subscription service Amazon Prime.

Some big names in this space that haven't made the list yet are Facebook and YouTube, which both introduced a la carte options earlier this year. There are still plenty more market entrants just beginning to get their feet wet in this space that have yet to amass marketshare, including Blockbuster, Best Buy and Sears.

One would-be entrant that still hasn't made up its mind as to how exactly to enter the market is Redbox, which has indicated a willingness to go digital but hasn't yet specified a gameplan. It could opt to go the SVOD route like Netflix, but its kiosk business has already accustomed its massive customer base to an a la carte model.

The figures take into account both rental (Internet VOD) and purchase (electronic sell through). IHS projects EST will deliver revenues of $247 million in 2011 versus $240 million for 2011. Combined, that $487 million will put the digital a la carte market for movies well ahead of its 2010 tally of $385 million.

While both sides of the digital business represented relatively even spending levels in the first half of 2011, IHS projects that iVOD will likely eclipse EST going forward as the rental model seems to have much more momentum in the digital marketplace. Regardless, both EST and iVOD together are still just a fraction of spending on DVDs, which may be in decline but are still dominant.

U.S. spending on discs in the first half of 2011 amounted to $3.87 billion, down 18.3%, according to the Digital Entertainment Group.

------------------------------------------------

Definitely something to think about as an indie filmmaker too. Should you do a digital distro strategy only or still do a DVD release too?

-Blake

Streamy Awards on TV?

2011-08-05T18:34:00.003-05:00

Yep. Maybe... Seems Dick Clark Productions has teamed up with Tubefilter (the folks who own the Streamys) to develop a show for TV - not Web TV - but television.

At first glance this might seem counterproductive... why would an awards show geared towards "web video" be on (traditional) TV? Shouldn't that be online?

Some will definitely argue yes it should be online, and some will say what the heck are the Streamys? Most will fall in the latter category.

And that's the point.

Most people have no clue what "web video" is... oh sure, they've seen the Evolution of Dance or David After the Dentist... but have they heard of The Guild (some) or The Bannen Way (a few) or even my show Pink (a handful)?

By putting the Streamy Awards on TV with some of the "rising stars of online entertainment" (meaning new media is it's own entertainment or could lead to other forms like TV or film) along with established industry players who have been early adopters of online entertainment (see Joss Whedon, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Pollack, etc.) and this nascent industry we like to call "new media" just might have a fighting chance.

Perhaps mainstream acceptance could mean mainstream revenue streams (and/or ad dollars, sponsors, brand integration, et al) for more shows?

I personally find this very exciting for the space and all the very talented folks involved.

And by the way, my being a Streamy winner for Best Director of a Dramatic Web Series (ahem, for Pink) has nothing to do with my feeling this way. I've said for a long time that we need "the average TV joe" to at least know about web series before things will really start to take off.

Will "average TV joe" watch this new show (if it gets made mind you)? Maybe not. At least not at first. But overtime it will create awareness of the space and ultimately could/should bring new viewers to all our shows.

In the end that's the most important thing.

Here's the full story copied from Variety (you have to have a subscription to read it otherwise)...

-------------------------------------------

Dick Clark Prods. eye Streamy Awards for TV

DCP, Tubefilter to shop Internet programming kudos to TV outlets

By Andrew Wallenstein

EXCLUSIVE: With the fate of the Golden Globe Awards in the hands of the courts, Dick Clark Prods. is developing another kudocast.

DCP has pacted to produce the Streamy Awards, a two-year-old franchise devoted to recognizing the best in Internet entertainment. The company is currently looking for a TV home for the event, though some if not all of the Streamys will be situated online. No date or location for the next Streamys has been set.

DCP aims to make the Streamys as big an event as any of the ones currently on its roster.

"The goal is to create another franchise along the lines of our American Music Awards or the Academy of Country Music Awards," said Ariel Elazar, VP of digital distribution and brand licensing at DCP. "I believe in it."

The rights to the Streamys are owned by Tubefilter, an online publication devoted to online video. "It's very validating that a Hollywood stalwart like Dick Clark Prods. is coming on board with us," said Drew Baldwin, co-founder of Tubefilter.

Both orgs see the time as right to expand the Streamys to capitalize on the bustling intersection of entertainment and technology. DCP and Tubefilter aim to mine star power from the overlapping spheres of Internet sensations like Rebecca Black and the increasing amount of artists with legs planted in both the online and offline worlds, from Justin Bieber to the Old Spice Guy.

A relaunched Streamys could also be in position to recognize the increasing number of premium programming efforts that are in development from non-traditional TV sources like David Fincher's "House of Cards," a series in the works that will initially be exclusive to Netflix, and Hulu's "A Day in the Life," from documaker Morgan Spurlock.

Turning the Streamys into a mainstream staple of awards season would amount to quite a reversal of fortune for the franchise, which was roundly criticized after its 2010 edition was marred by numerous technical problems. That fiasco prompted the Intl. Academy of Web Television to disassociate itself from the Streamys after teaming with Tubefilter to produce that event.

The Intl. Academy decided to launch its own event in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association. The IAWTV Awards will be held in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

The Streamys have been loosely structured like the Emmys or Oscars, handing out dozens of awards for acting, directing and writing in mostly short-form entertainment restricted to the Internet. While mostly a niche attraction for the indie scene that has arisen around digital entertainment over the years, Streamys has drawn appearances from Hollywood glitterati as prominent as Neil Patrick Harris and Lisa Kudrow, who have produced and starred in webisodes of note like "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" and "Web Therapy," respectively.

Back in April, MTV Networks tried a similar concept with the O Music Awards, an online-only event that handed out huzzahs for everything from best tweet (winner: Kanye West) to best viral dance (Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair").

And the appeal of launching a new franchise for DCP is likely further whetted by how even the established kudocasts like the Academy Awards have been supplemented in recent years by aggressive social-media components that are credited with helping to stem the long-term trend of declining ratings for televised awards fetes.

While many of the details of the new and improved Streamys are still being worked out, DCP and Tubefilter are already conceiving it as less a one-off event than a multi-month interactive extravaganza that incorporates audience participation including voting on select categories well in advance of the show itself.

Also in the works is a blue-ribbon panel of digital-minded figures from the music, TV and film industries whose votes would be tallied for nominations and winners. Elazar is hoping to recruit so-called influencers who could be in position to maximize exposure for Streamy winners in the same fashion as the Oscars helps raise visibility for some of the more obscure films the Academy honors.

Meanwhile, DCP and the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. await a decision on the Golden Globes. U.S. District Judge Valerie Baker Fairbank is said to be close rendering a judgment that will determine which entity will control the future of that franchise.

------------------------------------

Last year's Streamy Awards bombed and was trashed throughout the industry (I won't relive it with links) and really actually hurt the new media space I think, but that's behind us and we've all moved forward (most of us) and I think now this could be a really great thing.

-Blake

Cowboys & Aliens Comic-Con Premiere

2011-08-01T11:15:00.012-05:00

My friend and actor Julio Cedillo has a nice role in Jon Favreau's new film "Cowboys and Aliens". He plays a character named "Bronc". I haven't seen the film, but here are some cool pics he gave me to share from the shoot and the Comic-con premiere...

Julio on red carpet at Comic-Con

Julio on red carpet at Comic-Con

Julio and director Jon Favreau on set

Julio is probably best known for his title role in Tommy Lee Jones' directorial debut "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada". If you haven't seen that movie definitely check it out. He also starred in my indie action flick "Killing Down" and my WB web original "Exposed". A very talented and versatile actor!

-Blake

Cowboys & Freddie Wong's Aliens

2011-07-25T13:14:00.002-05:00

This is a cool parody done by YouTube's Freddie Wong (with the help of Jon Favreau and Universal - nice!)...

Direct YouTube link: http://youtu.be/71YsRO6G7Ks

And, a good behind-the-scenes piece too...

Direct YouTube link: http://youtu.be/iRLUY6dMF8k

I really dig seeing these VFX shots on low to no budgets. Fun stuff.

-Blake

Indie VOD

2011-07-09T14:55:00.003-05:00

I've talked about the indie VOD service Dynamo Player for some time now, but have yet to use it - however, I do have a few projects I'm considering it for. So when I came across this very thorough write-up from indie film marketing strategist Sheri Candler about Dynamo and some of its competition, I was intrigued.

If you're not familiar with this online version of VOD (Video-On-Demand) you should definitely check out her excellent article.

From Sheri's piece...

Anyone who reads my blog or follows my Facebook page knows I am dedicated to encouraging filmmakers to take control of their own work and bring it to audiences in the most direct way possible. I especially feel this way when it comes to online digital distribution. Why give the rights (and fees and percentages) away to a distributor when you can easily use tools to distribute your work directly and in the most expedient manner?

Lately, several companies have emerged to help filmmakers do just that. Instead of looking for outside distribution companies to buy your work's rights, hope they treat you fairly, and wait for them to bring it out for sale consider these tools to go direct. When you can cut out as many of the layers separating your work from its audience, you'll profit more.

From there she goes on to detail Dynamo and newer offerings Distrify and Flicklaunch.

Out of the three I think I still prefer Dynamo, but Distrify has some very interesting services that Dynamo does not, like being able to buy merchandise, etc. (but hopefully Dynamo will follow suit).

So if you are a filmmaker looking for a good DIY VOD solution definitely check out the piece.

Oh, btw, just because you use one of these services don't expect to actually sell anything - without a lot of work. The marketing and discoverability is still up to YOU, of course. :)

-Blake

P.S. You should also check out the two additional links Sheri provides at the end of her article from filmmaker Lucas McNelly. He is selling a film on both Dynamo and Distrify and does a nice real world comparison.

Thinking About Final Cut Pro X

2011-06-22T10:02:00.004-05:00

Okay, so everyone in the editing world has an opinion on the new FCP X - most seem to be that it isn't ready for primetime - and I completely concur with that opinion.

I won't go over all the ugly details as by now it's been covered ad nauseam.

Here's my take as a professional filmmaker who makes his living editing and has worked with non-linear editing systems since 1996 (including Avid, Speed Razor, Premiere, Vegas and Final Cut Pro)....

This is a version 1.0 release and should not be marketed as a professional tool (yet).

That's really it. It's that simple.

I think if Apple had not called this release Final Cut Pro X there wouldn't be such a huge uproar. Calling it X makes people assume it's a version 10 release and that it would include at least the same functionality that the version 7 release did. But, unfortunately, it doesn't. Not even close.

This should be called iMovie Pro (or whatever, just not FCP).

Does it have some cool new features? Absolutely. Will it likely be accepted by the professional filmmaking community in the future? Probably. But right now this is huge issue for many, many folks who make their living with FCP. Again, if you don't understand why, then you likely don't make a living in post-production.

A few other things to think about...

1. Apple is likely setting the stage to do away with tower computers all together. Their focus will be on iPhones, iPads and iMacs (and laptops - for a while).

2. Apple only makes about 20% of its revenue off computer sales and 3% off software sales. Everything else is pretty much from mobile devices.

3. If Apple really cared about FCP and editing software they would make it a cross platform application. They don't. They care about selling their computers (and other devices) that will run the software. Avid and Adobe are creative software companies and thus they make it for both Mac and PC.

My last observation to think about is this...

I wonder if Apple has made FCP X too much "in the middle"?

It's currently too dumbed down and lacks the professional features that pros need and expect, but then it's likely too complicated and expensive for the casual iMovie user (yes, I said expensive - do you think your brother, or friends or mom or dad would spend $299 on editing software when they can get iMovie for free and it does everything they'd really ever need?).

It's a product really not designed for either market.

Just something to think about.

-Blake

Dallas Director Clicks

2011-06-21T18:09:00.003-05:00

So, yeah, I guess that's me clicking away in Dallas directing films and web series... What am I referring to exactly? Glad you asked. It's this recent article on DFW.com called "Dallas Director Clicks with Sexy, Nourish Web Series"...

From the article:

In order to get a taste of the fast-paced, action film work of Arlington-raised, Dallas-based director Blake Calhoun, you don't need to line up at your local movie theater, or even wait patiently by the mailbox for the latest shipment from Netflix.

You don't even need to carve a chunk of time out of your day -- three or four minutes should suffice.

Just log onto the Internet, and behold a few of the bite-size curios that Calhoun has been toiling over in recent years.

Basically the piece is about my recent work including Pink, Exposed, Continuum (coming soon) and my features Killing Down, Hit and most recently Spilt Milk. It's pretty darn thorough! :)

Thanks for checking it out.

Btw, for any folks in the DFW area this is supposed to run in the actual newspaper - that's right - the actual paper you hold while drinking your coffee and trying not to spill on it. That paper is the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and I've heard it will likely be in early July (Why July? I have no idea since this was released online last week... but, that's cool).

-Blake

iPad Interactive Storytelling

2011-06-03T17:32:00.004-05:00

Ever since I got an iPad 2 I've been very interested in its future as a film distribution platform.

The most obvious apps are Netflix or Hulu, and those are great, but I'm talking more about creating an app for a single film - and making it interactive. A fully immersive experience. Like in this new app The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

Here's a trailer for the app (get used to hearing that too - a trailer for an app):

Now of course this is really more of an "interactive book" based on a short film, but it really could be called a "film" on its own too. Either way you look at it I think it's exciting for the future of storytelling and distribution on tablets.

Check out the full article I found this in from Gigaom here.

-Blake

"Spilt Milk" LA Screening 5/20/11

2011-05-10T15:24:00.002-05:00

I've been making films a while - my first short was shot in 1996 (not counting college short films) and my first feature in 1998. My work has played at festivals around the U.S. and even once in Europe. But none of my films have ever played a fest in Los Angeles.

So when I got word my latest feature film "Spilt Milk" was screening in LA as part of the 2011 LA Comedy Fest I was pretty happy. Not really sure why though (besides it looks like a fun festival)... I guess if you're a filmmaker it's just kinda cool to have your work play in the Industry Town in front of Industry People.

But then again, that does mean your film will play in the (jaded) Industry Town in front of (jaded) Industry People... :)

The screening is on Friday May 20th at 7pm at the Acme Theater.

You can buy tickets here (seating is limited).

And here's the trailer for those not familiar with the film:

Direct link

Hope to see you there!

-Blake

New Technicolor Profile for Canon DSLRs

2011-05-02T12:03:00.002-05:00

I haven't download this yet, but will soon for my Canon 7D. I currently use a variation of a "flat" setting and have had pretty good results. So I look forward to seeing how much better the image can be.

Here's some really good coverage and tips for use by Vincent LaForet:
http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2011/04/29/technicolor-cinestyle-profile-available-for-canon-5dmkii/

And then also from Planet5D:
http://blog.planet5d.com/2011/04/technicolor-cinestyle-now-available-for-download/

And here's a direct link to download the new picture profile:
http://www.technicolor.com/en/hi/cinema/filmmaking/digital-printer-lights/cinestyle

Happy shooting!

-Blake

Watch "Restrepo" Now

2011-04-21T10:35:00.004-05:00

I'd actually not heard of Tim Hetherington until yesterday when he was killed in Libya covering that war.

So then when I heard he was one of the co-directors of "Restrepo"( which was nominated for an Oscar this year) I was intrigued and had to check it out. Btw, not intrigued because he had died - intrigued because of the way he immersed himself within these situations. And if you watch "Restrepo" (which you need to) you likely won't be surprised that he died the way he did.

Here's the trailer:

(And a direct link: http://youtu.be/zvUdruvbdmI)

This doc is completely apolitical. Let me repeat that... there is NO POLITICAL SLANT in this film whatsoever. It's just about these guys experience fighting. I applaud Tim (and his co-director Sebastian Junger) for this. They let the audience draw their own conclusions.

I watched the film last night on Netflix Instant streaming and I highly recommend you do the same (it's also available on iTunes, etc.). Visit the film's website for more info: http://restrepothemovie.com/

Oh btw, one really weird thing with social media these days is when people die the news often reports what their last Tweet was or Facebook message... it's pretty eerie sometimes to read these, but it's also interesting to see this as their "journal" in a way of their life. Tim's last Tweet was "In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO."

-Blake

Drinking Up the "Spilt Milk" Festival Experience

2011-04-13T18:59:00.007-05:00

I had a great time last week promoting and then screening my latest feature film "Spilt Milk" at the Dallas International Film Festival. I'm from Dallas so it was a lot of fun to show off a locally produced movie to the local film scene.

I often rant about how I don't really see a lot of value in film festivals these days - mainly because of the Internet - but also because festivals are everywhere. And I'm really talking about features here, not short films, but those too to a lesser degree. The festival market (and that's what it really is or has become) is extremely saturated. There are literally hundreds (or thousands?) of events worldwide.

So my personal philosophy towards festivals is that I think folks should support their local art scene and all the festivals involved. And then as a filmmaker, I think you should enter the bigger well-known fests (ie. Sundance, SXSW, etc.) and/or your local ones, but don't waste your money on blanketing all the other ones that pop up in your Withoutabox dashboard.

Are these lower tier festivals bad? Of course not. But typically speaking they will showcase their local filmmakers and then retreads from the bigger festivals. That's a generalization I realize, but for the most part it is true. Most of the festival directors and artistic directors are friends (or at least associates) and they routinely pass along referrals for films they like (and don't like).

Do hidden gems come out of nowhere? Yep, they definitely do. But more times than not this happens at the bigger fests (or side "big fest" like Slamdance running during Sundance). Of course if your film is accepted to a bigger fest and then some of the smaller fest come calling to screen your film (and they pick up the entry fee) then by all means I'd do it. But if it's your own dime and time then I would think twice.

Anyway, that's how I feel and I'm sure lots of folks will disagree. But that's for another post... :)

So in saying all that, my experience at DIFF last week was a really good one. The festival organizers really know how to put on a show, and they have the financial backing (ie. sponsors) to really do it up right. I mean free Stella flowing pretty much non-stop at the festival lounge is pretty cool!

"Spilt Milk" screened on Sunday evening as one of the last films of the festival to a packed house at the historic Texas Theatre. I'd guess there were 250 or so people there and we had a very nice Q&A afterwards. Audience really seemed to enjoy the film. It's a sly comedy that definitely plays well to a group of people (as most comedies do), so in that respect playing at a festival was great - that is one thing the Internet can't offer!

The film should be available to buy or rent later this year. So in the meantime, here's some related stuff to check out...

We've had lots of inquiries about the great score, and so here is a medley that our composer Douglas Edward put together:

"Spilt Milk" Score (Medley) by Loud Pictures

Direct link to medley on SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/loudpictures/spilt-milk-score-medley
(btw, we do plan to put an official soundtrack out on iTunes, etc. later too)

Here's a nice little review of the film that's worth a read:
http://www.laststopcomic.com/spiltmilk.html

And here's the trailer if you haven't seen it:

Thanks DIFF for a great week!

-Blake

SPILT MILK Screening at 2011 DIFF

2011-04-04T16:06:00.005-05:00

This coming weekend on Sunday 4/10/11 at 7:30pm at the Texas Theater (yeah, that one) my latest feature SPILT MILK will screen as part of the 2011 Dallas International Film Festival. Here's the trailer...

Direct link to trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1ruJsAxT4s

And here's a link to the film's page on the festival site (where you can buy tickets):
http://filmguide.dallasfilm.org/tixSYS/2011/xslguide/eventnote?EventNumber=5053&

Tickets are $10. Please buy them online in advance, although I do believe they will be on sale at the box office the day of the show. It's a BIG theater too - around 500+ seats - so definitely come out and support the movie!

I haven't been to the Texas Theater yet myself, but I've heard it's a cool renovation and that they have a nice bar too. :)

Hope to see you there... Thanks!

-Blake

Google's Advanced Camera Tools

2011-03-22T15:13:00.003-05:00

If you're a filmmaker and use Google's Sketchup 8 then you'll want to download this brand new plugin, Advanced Camera Tools.

Here's a quick video intro:

From the Sketchup Blog:

It seems that every time I watch a movie’s special features, up pops SketchUp: How’d they figure out the Penrose stairs in Inception? What did a vehicle designer for Avatar use to invent the bad guys’ robot suits? What tool did the production designer for 300 and Good Night, and Good Luck use? The set design for The Social Network? Futuristic environments for Tron: Legacy? The sheer number of films and TV shows that SketchUp’s been a part of is jaw-dropping—and we couldn’t be happier about it.

Since the entertainment industry’s been so good to us, we thought we’d return the favor. The old Film & Stage plugin we built in 2005 has been languishing in quasi-supported limbo for years. We dug it out of the shed, took it all apart, fixed the broken stuff, then... strapped a rocket to its butt. If fact, we made it so much better that we had to give it a new name.

Read entire blog post here.

I personally haven't used Sketchup. I've mainly done previs with FrameForge3D, but this looks really cool and really easy to use. It is on the expensive side at $495, but is likely worth it especially for complicated action scenes, etc. I think on my next project I'll give it a try (or at least a trial).

-Blake

Interesting Dynamo Player Thoughts/Comments

2011-03-02T19:06:00.004-06:00

I'm considering using Dynamo Player for some upcoming projects and happened upon this interesting blog post about using it, and some ideas/comments/theories about monetizing indie film content.

There's also a chart of how a film has done using Dynamo Player which was cool to see.

From the post:

In deciding IF you should bank on a successful online sales campaign for your film, consider these steps…

1. Do you know who your audience is?
2. Can you get that audience to your site somehow?
3. Can you get them interested with your artwork, concept, cast, social proof etc? (and don’t underestimate how long they will give you, I suggest between 2 and 5 seconds on your site before they decide to stay or hit the back button).
4. Can you get them to press the play button to watch the preview?
5. Is what they see SO COMPELLING they MUST pay for it and watch it now?

Direct link to blog:
http://www.chrisjonesblog.com/2011/03/dynamoplayer-after-one-week-thoughts-opinions-and-feedback.html

Definitely worth a read for anyone considering selling indie video and/or film content online.

-Blake

Felicia Day on Jimmy Fallon Show

2011-02-21T16:27:00.002-06:00

Most "web series" folks know that Felicia Day is starring in a new Dragon Age web series, but most "regular" people don't know who Felicia Day is, or what Dragon Age is for that matter.

But being on more "mainstream" outlets like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon can definitely help this situation (although I'm not sure what size audience he has truthfully, but it's still VERY COOL).

Felicia has definitely become The Spokesperson for the Web Series Generation and getting her out preaching the gospel of "TV on the web" is greatness for her, and actually for all of us producing online content.

Check it out...

Direct link:
http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/felicia-day-2-16-11/1295315

-Blake

String Theory (Kindle Book)

2011-02-21T13:20:00.005-06:00

If you have a Kindle (or the app) definitely check out the new crime novella "String Theory" from "Pink" writer Mike Maden. It's dark and twisted much like the show, and only $0.99 cents!

Direct link:
http://www.amazon.com/String-Theory-ebook/dp/B004HFRLMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1297906736&sr=8-1

String Theory
Murder. Photography. Nihilism. The Mob. And a little golf--all set in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. "String Theory" takes a humorous stab at noir fiction. It's a pulpy riff on the death of art, and the art of death. Novella length work of approx. 25k words or 100 printed pages.

-Blake

Jake Johnson on MTV News

2011-02-15T19:15:00.002-06:00

Nice little interview from MTV News with Jake Johnson on working with Ivan Reitman on the recent film "No Strings Attached". Jake is also the star of my latest directed film "Spilt Milk".

For rising comedic star Jake Johnson, who appears alongside Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman in the new romantic comedy "No Strings Attached," his personal highlight from working on the film (in addition to having the best lines in the trailer and many of the killer one-liners in the film as well) was working with legendary director/producer Ivan Reitman.

Read the full article and/or watch the video clip:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1656374/jake-johnson-raves-about-no-strings-attached-director-ivan-reitman.jhtml

Btw, we're still working on distribution for "Spilt Milk" and believe it will be released later this year.

-Blake

Andrew Sensenig's Budweiser Spot

2011-02-07T18:43:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite Super Bowl ads was the Budweiser "Wild West" spot, here's the extended version...

It stars Andew Sensenig as the Bartender. Who is Andrew you dare ask? Well, he's the book author in Ep 25 of PINK...

I'm sure you knew that. :)

Here's a quick behind-the-scenes look at the Bud spot too...

Nice job Andrew!

-Blake

Improving Indie Economics?

2011-02-01T13:22:00.003-06:00

This Forbes article from Sundance is a few weeks old, but worth a look.

From the piece:

“The amount of equity required to finance a film has diminished,” say Steven Beer, a lawyer at Greenberg Traurig who is helping to sell three films at the festival this year including a documentary about A Tribe Called Quest. “The Jobs Creation Act gives filmmakers a federal tax credit for qualified production. Couple that with state incentive programs which can offer up to a 40% return on a per project basis.”

I hadn't heard of the "Jobs Creation Act", or if I had I probably thought about auto workers or other type jobs that have been hit hard in the recent downturn. I'm going to do some investigating to find out more...

-Blake

In Other Self-Distro News...

2011-01-26T11:36:00.002-06:00

I saw this Vanity Fair article/interview come across my Twitter feed this morning and it's a nice, quick read about someone other than Kevin Smith four-walling his film.

From the piece...

Be willing to get doors slammed in your face and not take no for an answer?

Well, you have to both not take no for an answer and know how to take no for an answer. How to have no’s not affect you at some level, to know the no’s can be temporary, that they’re not a permanent door closing in your face.

Definitely check it out.

-Blake

Kevin Smith

2011-01-24T16:06:00.002-06:00

Enough has already been said about Kevin Smith's foray into self-distribution with his latest film "Red State", but I would probably just add that I have no problem with him giving the finger to "the system". While he likely could have done it in a softer or more welcoming manner (of course this IS Kevin Smith), the overall strategy is actually quite smart... for this film.

But all the rhetoric that Kevin Smith is imploding or done I find amusing. The guy has an extremely loyal fan base that already buy tons of his merchandise, pay to see him speak, and see his movies. He really doesn't need Hollywood, bloggers or the press for any of this today, as he's recently said concerning social media, etc.

I wish him luck (and he'll need it to recoup $4 million).

-Blake

Indie Intertube's Promo

2011-01-18T18:22:00.002-06:00

Good list of lots of shows up for their awards...

-Blake

Uh oh, Redbox Now Feeling Some Pain

2011-01-15T11:28:00.002-06:00

Good read from NewTeeVee regarding Redbox (possibly) now feeling the affect of Netflix streaming.

Direct link:
http://gigaom.com/video/redbox-q4-miss/

From the piece:

For years, Redbox has been flying high with DVD kiosks that offered cut-rate movie rentals for $1 a day. But Redbox might want to launch a digital rental service soon, before it sees its DVD kiosk business affected by Netflix and other services that allow consumers to rent and purchase movies from the comfort of their own homes.

The writer notes that Redbox is hoping their new Blu-ray offerings at $1.50 a rented disk would create more business. To me though, this goes against the demo that I see using Redbox. I'm not privy to their marketing data, but my belief is Redbox caters to less tech savvy folks, and in a lot of cases, less affluent folks. Most probably don't have Blu-ray players.

Heck, I'm personally very tech savvy (and a filmmaker) and I just in the last six months bought a Blu-ray player. Funny thing too, the main reason I bought it was for its Internet capabilities. I primarily use it to stream Netflix movies (and I don't do this very often either - I mainly watch AT&T U-Verse free VOD). I think I've rented one Blu-ray from Netflix when I first got the player.

Personally, and this is really for another post, but I've always though that Blu-ray will be a short lived format. Everything is obviously going VOD via Netflix, AppleTV, iTunes, "The Cloud", etc. Who really wants to rebuild their DVD movie collection from scratch?

Although I will say I do think physical disks will be around for many more years (primarily DVDs). I mean, when the US gov't switched all TV broadcast to digital back in 2009 I was shocked at how many people still got their TV over the air - do you think these folks have Blu-ray players (or even an Internet connection)?

-Blake

"Exposed" in AT&T Ad

2011-01-10T14:33:00.003-06:00

Tubefilter just did a nice story (and quick interview with me) on my WB web original "Exposed" being part of a series of AT&T national TV spots. Check it out here.

Direct link:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2011/01/10/exposed-web-series-cameos-in-att-u-verse-ad/

They also do a very quick update on my upcoming show "Continuum".

Thanks,
Blake

1st Annual Indie Intertube Awards

2011-01-04T16:06:00.003-06:00

Found out yesterday that the podcast Indie Intertube has created it's 1st Annual Awards... and the teaser trailer from my upcoming sci-fi series CONTINUUM has been nominated.

So, you might be thinking... Another awards show? And the thought crossed my mind too, but the thing I really like about what they do is feature actual indie content.

Nothing wrong with studio produced shows (I've done one), but the main stuff being produced on the web is by indie producers. It's like the late 90s indie film boom all over again, but this time told in 3 to 5 minute bites.

Of course this is one of the things that pissed a lot of folks off with the Streamy Awards, all the larger scale studio fare getting a lot of the spotlight. Rightly or wrongly, there was a lot of debate about it. I personally didn't have an issue. I mean indie films compete with studio films at the Academy Awards too, so why not in the web space? But, I digress...

Even though I don't have a problem with the two competing, it is very nice to have a podcast and awards show geared towards only indie content (sort of like the Indie Spirit Awards in the feature world). And it's also very nice they nominated the teaser trailer to CONTINUUM too. :)

Oh, btw, Blip TV has done a really cool thing by compiling 42 episodes of the nominated series into one player (including CONTINUUM), so definitely go and check that out.

-Blake

P.S. CONTINUUM's post-production is going very well and I'll have info in the near future regarding its release!

Freemium Web Series Model

2011-01-03T18:21:00.002-06:00

Interesting article from Tubefilter on Kevin Rose's (from Diggnation) new show Foundation. He's doing a "freemium" model, which I am becoming more and more a fan of - although it has rarely been used successfully.

Here's a link to the article:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2011/01/03/kevin-rose-launches-new-web-series-foundation/

I'm currently in a Twitter discussion with Marc Hustvedt (the author of the piece) and several other folks debating the merits of the model.

I personally think it's a great way to go for producers. You offer the content for free to everyone (eventually), but to those willing to pay they get the show earlier or perhaps in HD or with "extras", etc. So really you're providing the best of both worlds.

The main thing though - and this is the thrust of our Twitter debate - is you really need to have a built in audience or an existing fan base to make this work. A brand new show by unknown folks likely won't work on the pay side of things. But then again, it couldn't hurt either since you're still offering it for free too.

Look for more of this model in the future, especially from those of us who think rev share is pretty much a joke (even with Blip's good CPMs).

-Blake

SoundCloud Playlist for My Series Themes

2010-12-21T09:27:00.003-06:00

Over the years I've had requests to make the music from my shows available and so recently I started using SoundCloud to make this happen. Below is the first set I've created, "Themes from Our Series", which are the themes to three of my shows... "88 Hits", "Exposed" and "Pink".

In the future I'll add "Continuum" (once it's done) and other projects I produce. Also, I plan to create some playlist with scores from each of my films (and series).

One thing I've always done is had original score created. This is the norm of course in the feature film world, but as I've learned recently, this is not always the case in the web series world. For both "Pink" and "Exposed" we really created some great high-end score, and we're doing the same for "Continuum". So I will be sharing these in the near future.

Most of the tracks below are streaming only for now, but some of the files are (or will be) available to download for free.

Themes from Our Series by Loud Pictures

And here's a direct link to the set:
http://soundcloud.com/loudpictures/sets

Thanks for listening!

-Blake

The Jeff Lewis 5-Minute Comedy Hour

2010-12-09T13:05:00.006-06:00

Even though I produce a fair amount of web content, I do not actually watch that much of it. Partly because I'm super busy, but partly (and probably mainly) I really don't think much of it is very good (yet).

So when I heard about Jeff Lewis' new project (he plays Vork in Felicia Day's show "The Guild"), The Jeff Lewis 5-Minute Comedy Hour I was interested, but at the same time worried it might fall into the web series abyss of bad comedy shows.

I'm happy to report it is actually very good - and very funny.

Now in saying that you do need a certain type sense of humor (very dry) and you need to not be offended by a lot - and I do mean a lot - of cussing and crude scenarios. But if these things don't bother you or if you're like me and they make you laugh, then you'll probably really like his show.

It premiered back in September I think (or thereabouts) and I've watched it here and there, but recently I sat down and watched all the eps back-to-back on his YouTube channel. Do yourself a favor and check it out yourself...

His main channel:
http://www.youtube.com/5minutehour

A particularly funny episode, "Drive Thru":

-Blake

Martini - The QuickShot Creator

2010-11-29T18:37:00.003-06:00

UPDATE: Looks like the $99 pricing was a "Cyber Monday" sale and it's now back to $199. However, I just found the software still on sale at Digital Juice for $99. Not sure how long it will last though. Here's a link: http://www.digitaljuice.com/products/products.asp?pid=1571

I've used storyboarding software in the past from Frame Forge and Storyboard Quick, but I really don't use it that often. However today I came across this interesting quasi-storyboard software for Final Cut Pro that I might use a lot... Martini.

From their website...

Martini - The QuickShot Creator for Final Cut Pro

See into the future and visualize your upcoming shots with Martini! Now, bridging the gap between your unshot scenes and your final edit is faster and easier than ever with the shot-creating power of Martini!

Don't get blacked out! No more black slugs with text explaining what "shot goes here" - show that shot wth the dynamic power of Martini. From single shots to multi-shot sequences, Martini helps directors and editors piece together a better final film.

Loaded with hundreds of classic and unique shot styles Martini's easy-to-use interface guides you through the quick creation of frames. Select a shot style, from single person up to 5 people in a shot...everything you need from basic over-the-shoulder shots, two and three shots, close-ups as well as fight scenes, chase scenes and other pre-composed multi-shot sequences.

Select a location: choose from hundreds of pre-loaded backdrops. Interiors, exteriors and even your own digital location photos. You've already scouted your location? No problem, use the My Locations option and bring that into your shot.

Here's a direct link to their site:
http://www.martiniquickshot.com/

And here's a nice video explaining the software:
http://www.martiniquickshot.com/demo.php

If you've ever made a film, music video, commercial, etc. you know there are always missing shots and/or pickup shots needed, and this really does look like a great tool to help fill in the gap (and help you, your client, and/or your DP visualize them).

It's only $99 too, and I think you could pretty easily create larger scale storyboards if you wanted to. I have not personally tried the software yet, but plan to download the demo and give it a try.

If anyone already owns the software or has tried it, please let me know if it is good or not. Looks pretty good to me...

-Blake

P.S. And no, I am not being paid by them because my blog has the same name - although that's not a bad idea. :)

New YouTube Channel

2010-11-22T22:22:00.006-06:00

I started a new YouTube channel today (www.youtube.com/watchblake). Mainly because I wanted to easily upload personal videos I shoot with my iPhone 4 (it has a "Send to YouTube" button, and, it works pretty well). But I also have decided to use it to showcase my work and some behind-the-scenes stuff I'm calling "Scene This?".

Here's "My Work" Playlist (most of my trailers):

I have tons of unseen footage that's been shot on a Flip Video camera (and now a lot on an iPhone) and so I'm now going to share it (highlighting my more interesting productions and gear). So far I've got a good snippet from "Exposed" (there's a lot more coming from this show), a visual effects setup from "Continuum" and a clip from a recent commercial shoot I produced using an iKan dolly.

Here's a sample from my "Scene This?" Playlist ("Exposed" clip):

And, back to the main reason I started the page - I have a Playlist called "Diversions" where I'll upload entertaining things I do - and the first being the Roger Waters show (from last night in Dallas) doing The Wall all the way through. No David Gilmour, but it was almost Pink Floyd... Great show!

From my "Diversions" Playlist (opening of Waters show):

Anyway, I'll play to update this as much as possible along with my other six or seven YouTube accounts (not kidding!). :)

-Blake

CONTINUUM Now on Blip.TV

2010-11-18T12:57:00.002-06:00

I just created a Blip.tv show page for CONTINUUM and posted the trailer on there too. Nice thing is it will feed to iTunes and be available as a "podcast" there soon.

Until I decide on our exact distribution and release strategy we will continue to play with a mild version of "super syndication". The teaser is currently available on YouTube, Facebook and now Blip.

Help spread the word! :)

-Blake

Amazon Studios?

2010-11-16T19:19:00.003-06:00

Apparently, yes.

At first glance this seems like a good idea, but the more I read the details I'm not so sure - at least from the film side of things. The script side is more doable, but I'm not quite sure what a "test movie" is? Especially one that is "full-length".

I will say the prize money is quite large though...

Read the details here at IndieWire:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/11/16/amazon_launches_new_movie_studio_run_by_roy_price_son_of_frank/

And then check it out for yourself here:
http://studios.amazon.com/getting-started

Let me know what you think?

-Blake

Why Studios are Betting On Web Again

2010-11-15T12:54:00.002-06:00

Interesting article from cnet geared towards mainly Hollywood movies on the web versus original content on the web. I think both will have a profitable place online in the (near) future...

The roots of the strategy can be traced to consumers. Too many were choosing to download films illegally. Younger people who didn't go the file-sharing route ignored Blockbuster and cable and gravitated to the Internet's top video-rental store, Netflix.

Read more:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20022759-261.html

-Blake

Web-to-TV Take 2

2010-11-09T19:43:00.003-06:00

A descent Ad Age story on some recent web-to-TV success stories...

From the article:

But why move to TV what already works well for the internet? Simply put: A popular web show brings networks a built-in fan base, (comparably) cheaper talent, lower budgets and, in some cases, advertisers willing to follow a show or personality across any platform.

Read the entire piece:
http://adage.com/madisonandvine/article?article_id=146933

I think it's good that mainstream pubs like Ad Age are following this trend, and I hope it continues.

-Blake

Robert Rodriquez New Indie Film Company

2010-11-01T18:30:00.003-05:00

I've always been a fan of Robert Rodriguez - not necessarily of all his films - but of his mindset and the way he makes his films. Even though they are developed and produced for the most part through Hollywood, they are done in a decidedly indie fashion (he often writes, directs, shoots, edits, scores, you-name-it). So now it just makes sense that he is starting his own indie film company (Quick Draw).

Of course as I mention, his Hollywood films very often feel "indie" to me, but I assume the news ones will be much less expensive (although his films are notoriously "cheap" by Hollywood standards) and less commercial. We shall see...

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/heat-vision/robert-rodriguez-creates-new-shingle-34102

I think this is a good move on his part and a move that a lot of other Hollywood and Indiewood filmmakers might look to do in the coming years as the traditional Hollywood system changes (and in some cases falls apart).

-Blake

Motion Control Rig for Handheld...

2010-10-26T16:56:00.003-05:00

Now this is really cool...

Direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NhFRpEBleg

The ability to repeat the exact same shot twice is invaluable when doing any tricky VFX work - think of the one actor playing twins in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

Typically I'll do a lock off shot of the background plate, then the action on top of that, and if I want to add any movement or camera shake I'll do it in post. But with this rig it would make that so easy (and you wouldn't have to do a motion control smooth dolly, etc. anymore). Maybe this kind of thing has been around for a while in Big Hollywood, but I've not seen it if so.

Very cool. Now I just wonder how much it cost? :)

-Blake

Indie Crowdfunding

2010-10-14T14:04:00.008-05:00

If you are on Twitter or Facebook (and are a filmmaker, or actor, etc.) you have undoubtedly come across someone trying to "kickstart" a project via crowdfunding.

I personally can't decide if this is a good way to go or not (for my projects, for others sure - I've actually donated recently). I don't like the idea of "charity" or the perceived notion you are desperate (not saying folks are, just some perceive it this way), I would probably rather work the financing out in another fashion. But then again, if you're just trying to finish post or score or similar and your FANS are game to contribute a few thousand bucks, then why not. Note I stress "fans", to me this is key.

For more info on this topic check out these two great blog posts:

First one from Sheri Candler (someone btw, I had never heard of until I "met" her on Twitter)...

Top 5 Ways to Fail at Crowdfunding:
http://www.shericandler.com/2010/10/10/top-5-ways-to-fail-at-crowdfunding/

And secondly, from Scott Macaulay (editor of Filmmaker Magazine) a continuation of Sheri's post on his blog - he adds three more tips...

Crowdfunding Advice:
http://filmmakermagazine.com/news/2010/10/sheri-candler-on-crowdfunding-fatigue/

Btw, the main two crowdfunding sites I know of are Kickstarter.com and IndieGoGo.com. The primary difference between the two (as far as I can tell) is that with Kickstarter you only get to keep the funds pledged if you meet your goal. On IndieGoGo you get to keep whatever funds are pledged, even if you don't make your original goal. Kickstarter is more well known and has more traffic (I'm told), but man, I'd probably go with IndieGoGo to have "guaranteed" funds.

-Blake

P.S. Interestingly, both Kickstarter and IndieGoGo's sites look VERY similar in layout and design.

The Truth About Canon DSLR Outputs

2010-10-12T15:13:00.003-05:00

Tech geek alert here... This is interesting stuff if you own or have ever shot with a Canon 5D using an external monitor, or if you're a video engineer playing with a calculator right now.

Seriously though, this is quite informative and a great "fix" for the limitations of the 5D HDMI output using a SmallHD DP6 monitor (I own a Canon 7D and so don't have these issues)...

Effective Pixels 101 from SmallHD on Vimeo.

And a good full blog read here too:
http://videos.smallhd.com/the-truth-about-canon-dslr-output-signals/

-Blake

No Gatekeepers Needed

2010-10-08T18:43:00.002-05:00

Good interview from TechCrunchTV with filmmaker Adam Rifkin (new series "Look" is on Showtime) talking about social media, studio and indie filmmaking and new distribution models. This all relates to web series, music and books too. Good stuff.

Direct link:
http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/08/being-adam-rifki/

-Blake

The Indie Spirit Lives On...

2010-10-06T15:56:00.006-05:00

Way back when in the mid-90s a film called "The Brother's McMullen" hit it big with audiences and critics alike at the Sundance film festival. I personally liked the film too. It also was one of the films along with "Clerks" that told me (and many others) that I could be a filmmaker. Not because of the storytellling or content mind you, because of the budget. $25k for "The Brother's McMullen" (and $28k for "Clerks").

Cut 15 years ahead to today and what is Ed Burns doing? He's releasing a new $25k movie. I guess there hasn't been any inflation since 1995.

If you don't know who Edward Burns is he's probably best known (to mainstream commercial viewers) for his roles in "Saving Private Ryan", "15 Minutes" (opposite Robert Dinero), or from his appearances on "Entourage". He's really created a nice career staying in the indie world, but also being relevant in the Hollywood system (mainly as an actor). And to those who follow indie film, you probably know he's directed a handful of really nice movies over the past decade (along with acting in them) and is continuing that trend today.

His latest film is called "Nice Guy Johnny" and to be honest, while I am interesting in seeing the film, I'm more interested in how he's financing and distributing it.

ALL filmakers (that's film, TV, web, whatever) should check out this very interesting interview with him on his latest film and on how he is trying to reshape (indie) distribution...

http://motionlifemediablog.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/interview-with-ed-burns/

Interestingly, a lot of what he's talking about is being done in one form or another (and with varying degress of success) in the web series world right now.

-Blake

Jake Johnson #6 in TIFF Top 10

2010-09-30T11:48:00.003-05:00

Nice blurb on Jake Johnson at TIFF 2010 this year being named #6 in their "Top 10 New Faces". Jake co-stars in the film "Ceremony" with Uma Thurman, and is probably best known for his starring role in "Paper Heart" last year with Michael Cera and crew.

http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/5565/tiff-2010-top-10-new-faces-6-jake-m-johnson

Of course he's best known to me for his great work in my new indie feature "Spilt Milk". You can watch the trailer here, and join the FB page here, if you're interested in seeing more.

Oh, and there's also a mention in the blurb of a certain filmmaker and a certain upcoming film... hmmm, I wonder who it could be? :)

-Blake

"Spilt Milk" Trailer

2010-09-17T10:11:00.006-05:00

Here's a Vimeo embed of the trailer for you non-FB users out there....

SPILT MILK Trailer from Blake Calhoun on Vimeo.

UPDATE: I will post a non-Facebook version of trailer soon as it doesn't seem to allow non-FB users to view it!?!

The trailer for my new indie feature "Spilt Milk" is now online... so please check it out!

Direct link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/video/video.php?v=10150257909355694

Release date is TBD.

-Blake

Anonymous: ALEXA's first feature film

2010-09-16T15:51:00.004-05:00

I'm really looking forward to shooting with this new ARRI ALEXA camera...

The first feature film to have been shot with ALEXA cameras is Anonymous, an Elizabethan thriller with a controversial take on the true authorship of writings attributed to William Shakespeare. Set amidst London's shadowy theatrical and royal circles around the turn of the 17th century, the film features a strong cast of British stage actors and is directed by Roland Emmerich, best known for more explosive Hollywood action movies such as The Day After Tomorrow and 2012. Emmerich worked with cinematographer Anna Foerster on the project, with whom he has collaborated since Independence Day in 1996.

Direct link to story and full interview with the DP:
http://www.arri.com/news.html?article=529&cHash=c3f3388628

-Blake

YouTube Eyes Pay-Per-View Films

2010-08-31T09:41:00.002-05:00

This is directly from The Hollywood Reporter...

YouTube eyes pay-per-view films
Move would put it in more direct competition with Apple
Staff report

Aug 30, 2010, 07:34 AM ET

Google's YouTube video service is in talks with Hollywood studios to launch a streaming pay-per-view movie service by year's end.

The Financial Times reported that the service is expected to launch in the U.S. and then get rolled out globally. The move would put YouTube into more direct competition with Apple and others, such as Hulu and Netflix, as players try to become the preferred destination for distribution of content in the digital age.

Hollywood seems intrigued by the idea of YouTube's big reach, according to the FT report.
It said newer film titles would cost about $5 on the planned on-demand streaming service.

The news of the planned YouTube film service launch comes after Google top executives wooed studios and guilds during a chat with reporters on the sidelines of Herb Allen's annual Sun Valley media mogul gathering in July.

-----------

I like this idea, but still haven't seen any evidence that the "culture" of YouTube can be changed or swayed to watch professionally produced long format content (ie. Hollywood or indie FEATURE films). The Sundance experiment in January failed miserably (films were available to rent during the fest on YouTube and hardly any were actually rented - a few thousand). Right now I'm very bearish on this because YouTube is such a "one-off-user-generated -video-community".

Some web series have obviously found success on YouTube (including my show "Pink"), but these are bite-sized episodes and even these haven't penetrated the marketplace very substantially compared to the millions and millions of views the Fred's of the world get.

So while I'm glad to see YouTube trying this I feel Hulu and Netflix have a much better chance of success with online Hollywood and indie films. Just because you have the large numbers doesn't mean they'll watch.

-Blake

Netflix App Now Available for iPhone

2010-08-26T10:43:00.002-05:00

This is a press release about the new Netflix app for iPhone and iPod Touch. I am personally happy to see this on these devices (I don't have an iPad where the app originally appeared).

Cool things are definitely happening with the convergence of the "web" and "TV" worlds...

NETFLIX APP NOW AVAILABLE
FOR iPHONE AND iPOD TOUCH
Free App Enables Netflix Members to Instantly Watch
TV Episodes and Movies Streamed from Netflix to iPhone and iPod touch

LOS GATOS, Calif., August 26, 2010 – Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced the availability of its free Netflix App for iPhone and iPod touch, allowing Netflix members on plans starting at just $8.99 a month to instantly watch a vast selection of TV episodes and movies streamed to their iPhone or iPod touch at no additional cost.

The Netflix App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

"Apple has changed the game for mobile devices,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and chief executive officer. "We're excited that our members can now carry Netflix around in their pockets and instantly watch movies and TV shows streamed from Netflix right to their iPhone or iPod touch."

The Netflix App delivers a high-quality viewing experience, a broad array of movie and TV choices and a clean, intuitive interface. It is available via both Wi-Fi and 3G networks. TV episodes and movies are conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members' personal preferences, popular genres, new arrivals and members' individual instant Queues. Members can choose a movie or TV episode from any of the lists and just tap the innovative Multi-Touch user interface to watch instantly or to save the title for viewing later.

Additionally, users have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream, and stopping at any time. When users want to start watching again, the video stream starts exactly where it was stopped, even on a different device capable of streaming from Netflix.

The Netflix App supports any iPhone or iPod touch device running iOS version 3.13 or later.

About Netflix
With more than 15 million members, Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is the world's largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by mail. For $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streamed right to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. With Netflix, there are never any due dates or late fees. Among the large and expanding base of devices that can stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix are Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii consoles; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, LG and Insignia; Internet TVs from LG, Sony and VIZIO; the Roku digital video player and TiVo digital video recorders, and Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com.

EXPOSED New Distribution Deal

2010-08-20T16:45:00.004-05:00

My WB Original series EXPOSED is now being distributed outside the bounds of TheWB.com by a syndiation company called AlphaBird. I had not heard of them until this deal happened. Warner Bros. has recently been asking me about M&E tracks and so now this all makes sense. I assume AlphaBird will take the show overseas as well.

So this is pretty exciting as now the series will be available to watch on 3rd party sites starting with DailyMotion.

Here's a link to the show there:
http://www.dailymotion.com/group/exposed

One thing that is a bit odd on the show page there is the current "Clip of the Day" is actually Episode 16 - EXPOSED is a serialized show - so if someone watches Episode 16 first then they know how it ends. Either the programmers at DailyMotion don't realize this or it's done automatically? Either way, not very good. But besides that, I'm very happy that the show is getting out to more of the world. :)

Here are two press stories about the release:

Broadcasting & Cable
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/456174-WB_s_Studio_2_0_puts_four_new_series_online.php

C21Media
http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=89&article=57003

UPDATE: Here's another piece from Video Nuze on the deal talking more details about the financial and branding side of things... pretty interesting to know.

The 3 other WB Originals released this summer as part of their "Summer Programming Block" (High Drama 2, Downer's Grove and Chadam) were also part of the deal.

And there is talk of the showd landing on Hulu too (not sure when though), so we'll wait and see what happens!

-Blake

88 HITs "Most Watched" on Koldcast

2010-08-18T14:41:00.003-05:00

Koldcast TV does a very nice job of marketing a lot of their web series through their blog stories, and yesterday they did one called "The 15 Most Extreme Acts of Mob Violence" - and they featured my show "88 HITs" in the article.

Here's the blog post:
http://blog.koldcast.tv/2010/koldcast-news/the-15-most-extreme-acts-of-mob-violence/

And from this "88 HITs" was their "Most Watched" series of the day yesterday 8/17/10. Pretty cool!

Thank you Koldcast TV for doing a nice job promoting indie web content. Keep up the great work!

-Blake

Great Felicia Day Article

2010-08-12T22:32:00.003-05:00

Just read this really cool article and interview with Felicia Day. If you don't know who she is... well, this will definitely tell you...

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/148/one-fine-day.html

And here's a video interview she did as part of the article:

And too, this is the main article that Felicia's story came from:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/148/the-new-fall-season.html?page=0%2C1

Lots of really good info on original web content and the folks making it.

Good stuff!
-Blake

EXPOSED on TheWB.com

2010-07-31T11:48:00.009-05:00

I've been talking a lot about the new teaser for my upcoming sci-fi series CONTINUUM recently, but I wanted to remind folks that my other series EXPOSED is playing right now on TheWB.com.

Here's a pretty cool graphic I found too on TheWB's Facebook page...

Please check out the show if you haven't already:
http://www.thewb.com/shows/exposed

Thanks!
Blake

New CONTINUUM Teaser Trailer

2010-07-26T22:24:00.004-05:00

This past weekend the teaser trailer for my upcoming online thriller CONTINUUM premiered during Comic-Con as part of the "Celebrate The Web" off-site panel. Now you can check it out here...

And a direct link to it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iYAz6oWedM

Also, here's a nice shout out from NewTeeVee about the teaser (near bottom of page):
http://newteevee.com/2010/07/26/web-content-still-finding-its-place-at-comic-con/

The series is currently in post-production and a release date is TBD.

-Blake

The Fragility of Seconds DVD Release

2010-07-20T12:07:00.003-05:00

Today the new DVD is being released for my friends Matthew Tompkins and Julio Cedillo's film "The Fragility of Seconds", or in Spanish - and the way it's being marketed - "La Fraglidad De Los Segundos".

Here's a descripton from Netflix:

In a matter of moments, the lives of three strangers collide, forcing each to decide how badly they want to live: a con man (Chuck Huber) just released from prison, an FBI agent (Matthew Stephen Tompkins) suffering from professional burnout and a brother (Julio César Cedillo) bent on rescuing his sister. Matthew Tompkins and Julio Cedillo direct this gripping drama based on real-life crimes in Juárez, Mexico.

And here's a link to Netflix to rent the film:
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/La_Fragilidad_de_los_Segundos/70139070?strackid=17278943ef9ef4f0_0_srl&strkid=1740138424_0_0&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&trkid=222336

And a link to Amazon to buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Fragilidad-Los-Segundos-Matthew-Tomkin/dp/B003G7168Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1279635774&sr=8-1

I'm very happy for these guys and the release. This was a true passion project funded through blood, sweat and tears (no joke).

It's a great indie film that you should definitely check out!

-Blake

OpenFilm.com Live Chat with Mark Rydell

2010-07-13T14:15:00.004-05:00

Filmmakers and actors alike have a good opportunity to check this out on Thursday, July 15, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. PST on www.openfilm.com.

WHAT: Academy Award-nominated director, renowned acting instructor and Openfilm Advisory Board member Mark Rydell is conducting a live online webcam chat to answer questions from independent filmmakers, film fans and actors, Thursday, July 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 PM (PST). Mr. Rydell will offer expert advice on everything from acting tips to directing techniques to insider insight on the latest industry trends.

WHO: Mark Rydell has credits on both sides of the camera. An acclaimed director (The Rose, On Golden Pond, Even Money), he also has acted in numerous TV episodes and motion pictures and is an instructor at the famed Actors Studio for aspiring actors and directors.

Other members of the Advisory Board–renowned actors and filmmakers Robert Duvall, Scott Caan and Openfilm Chariman James Caan–will be hosting future Openfilm Live webcam chats, as well as providing feedback and distribution advice for short or feature films submitted to Openfilm’s Get It Made competitions.

WHEN: Thursday, July 15, 2010 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. PT

WHERE: Online at www.openfilm.com, or www.livestream.com and www.ustream.TV

-Blake

Spike Jonze - The Creators Project

2010-07-08T21:48:00.002-05:00

I really liked Spike Jonze's latest (short) film "I'm Here", and this video below talks about it, some of Spike's history and then what's going on with The Creators Project. Check it out...

http://www.twentyfourbit.com/post/754659484/watch-nick-zinner-spike-jonze-creators-project#ooid=xwOTRpMTrii3yzNzBraww6WI_X74ovo5

-Blake

Tom Hanks and New Media

2010-06-25T14:52:00.004-05:00

I find it very interesting and actually kinda cool that an A-List guy like Tom Hanks has a YouTube Channel...

http://www.youtube.com/tomhankschannel

He also has a Twitter account...

http://www.twitter.com/tomhanks

Btw, both of these are Verified to be real. We live in very interesting times!

-Blake

The Web.Files Interview

2010-06-16T16:22:00.003-05:00

Check out Kristyn Burtt and The Web.Files interview me (EXPOSED) and Jace Hall (CHADAM) about our new WB web shows...

Thanks,
Blake

Tubefilter Article on TheWB.com's New Shows

2010-06-15T18:25:00.002-05:00

Tubefilter covered the premiere today of EXPOSED, along with the other three new shows from The WB... CHADAM, HIGH DRAMA 2, and DOWNERS GROVE.

Here's a link to the article:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2010/06/15/chadam-exposed-headline-thewb-coms-return-to-web-series/

And please watch EXPOSED! :)

-Blake

EXPOSED Premieres 6/15/10 on TheWB.com

2010-06-14T10:50:00.002-05:00

My new series EXPOSED premieres tomorrow, Tuesday June 15th on TheWB.com. Here's the official press release from Warner Bros. Television (and btw, the show page links on TheWB.com won't be active until tomorrow 6/15)...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE SUMMER SIZZLES WITH “HIGH DRAMA 2: AGAINST ALL OZ” “CHADAM,” “EXPOSED” AND “DOWNERS GROVE” ON THEWB.COM

There’s Something For Everyone as Four New Original Series Premiere June 15

BURBANK, Calif. (June 15, 2010) – Things heat up on TheWB.com this summer with the June 15 premiere of four new original series: “High Drama 2: Against All Oz,” “Chadam,” “Exposed” and “Downers Grove.” From real-life drama and cutting-edge animation to a modern thriller and off-beat comedy, TheWB.com has fans covered with a hot programming selection. Offerings include new series from producer/director McG (“Terminator Salvation,” “Supernatural”) and Jace Hall (“V”), among others.

· High Drama 2: Against All Oz: Viewers can get their docudrama TV fix by going behind the scenes with the students of Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Penn., as they prepare for the opening night musical production of The Wizard of Oz. The series features real characters, real drama and no scripts. Episodes 1–5 launch Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 6–10 on Tuesday, June 22.

· Chadam: Animation and machinima fans will enjoy “Chadam,” an action-horror-adventure story from cutting-edge artist Alex Pardee and producer Jace Hall, created using the Unreal Engine 3, the gaming technology behind hit the videogame titles “Gears of War” and “BioShock.” A resident of Cardboard City, Chadam must learn to use his hidden powers to free the city’s residents from the violent zombie-like pallid. Episodes 1–5 premiere Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 6–10 launching Tuesday, June 22.

· Exposed: This cerebral thriller takes viewers into the world of Henry Dye, a college student with a dark past. Menacing text messages and paranoia threaten to destroy Henry as he searches for the extortive source, all while attempting to maintain a normal existence to his fiancée and family. Episodes 1–8 launch Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 9–16 debuting Tuesday, June 22.

· Downers Grove: Fans of off-beat buddy comedies should definitely visit “Downers Grove,” which is not only a suburb of Chicago, but also a state of mind. Follow four friends and their misadventures as they hang out, drink and stave off the boredom of life in the ’burbs. Episodes 1–5 will go live Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 6–9 launching Tuesday, June 22.

Social Media Links:
· High Drama 2: Against All Oz
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/high-drama
o Freedom High School Drama Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4959203479

· Chadam
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/chadam
o Alex Pardee Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Pardee/28942283385
o Alex Pardee Twitter: @alexpardee
o Jace Hall Twitter: @jacehall
o The Used Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheUsed

· Exposed
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/exposed
o Blake Calhoun Twitter: @blake_calhoun
o Kim Matula Twitter: @KimMatula

· Downers Grove
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/downers-grove
o Michael Blaiklock Twitter: @ LILmookieB
o Elisha Yaffe Twitter: @elishayaffe
o Heidi Heaslet Twitter: @redheadheidi

· TheWB.com
o Destination: http://www.thewb.com/
o Twitter: @thewbdotcom
o Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theWB

“High Drama 2: Against All Oz” gives viewers an exclusive backstage pass to The Freedom High School Theater Company’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Viewers will get a look behind the curtain as casting pits friend against friend, students with Broadway stars in their eyes try to move beyond the confines of the high school stage, and the pressures of a sold-out show threaten to bring the cast and crew crashing back to Earth. “High Drama 2: Against All Oz” features real characters, real drama and no scripts. From Bombo Sports & Entertainment in association with Studio 2.0, “High Drama 2: Against All Oz” is executive produced by Bombo’s Steven Bram, Paul Doyle, Jr. and Bob Potter, and Studio 2.0’s Rich Rosenthal.

“Chadam” is an action-horror-adventure story which follows its self-titled hero as he develops his power of imagination to physically change his environment and, ultimately, his world. Chadam must learn to harnesses his power of imagination after he’s called upon to save the residents of Cardboard City from the maniacal serial killer, Viceroy, and the zombie-like pallid who have taken over the city. The character Chadam was originally created by cutting-edge artist Alex Pardee for the band The Used. In this installment, “Chadam” is realized in full 3D animation via the power of the Unreal Engine 3, the same gaming engine used in popular videogame titles such as “Gears of War” and “BioShock,” for the Xbox, Playstation 3 and PC platforms. From HD Films in association with Studio 2.0, “Chadam” is executive produced by Jace Hall.

In “Exposed,” handsome, brooding Henry Dye seems like any other Ivy League pre-med student to his friends and acquaintances. But when Henry starts receiving a series of cryptic, untraceable cell phone texts ordering him to carry out increasingly perilous tasks, he is forced to comply – with the threat of exposing his shocking past and true identity if he fails. “Exposed” is executive produced by McG and co-executive produced by Blake Calhoun and Mike Maden. The series is from Wonderland Sound and Vision, Alternative Fuel LLC in association with Studio 2.0.

“Downers Grove” follows Alden, Brett, Pudge and Jodi, four friends in their early 20s who never grew up. When everyone their age went away to college, they stayed in the suburbs, always on the prowl for the next party and never far from disturbing the peace. In Downers Grove, you can never go home again. So they never left. From Sorry, Dad Productions and Mr. Nice, in association with Studio 2.0, “Downers Grove” was created by Justin Becker, Michael Blaiklock, David Horwitz and Elisha Yaffe. The executive producers are Anne Kenny and Eric Wilker.

About TheWB.com
TheWB.com is a premium, ad-supported, video-on-demand, interactive and personalized network featuring original series created or acquired specifically for TheWB.com, a collection of The WB Network’s most popular series and other successful programming, a commitment to interactivity, and an extensive network of distribution partners. Follow TheWB.com on Twitter @thewbdotcom.

# # #

Contact:
Chris McLaughlin,
Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Publicity
chris.mclaughlin@warnerbros.com
Twitter: @ChrisMCtv

Avid Kicks Ass

2010-06-04T15:26:00.001-05:00

Okay, so yeah, this is Avid propaganda here, but I still like seeing what the "big boys" use in their filmmaking. Of course the funny thing is the film "Kick-Ass" is considered and "indie", and I guess technically it is based on my definition which is simply financed outside the studio system, but... not many "indies" I know cost $28 million!!

Anyway, check out the propaganda for yourself. :)

http://www.avid.com/US/about-avid/customer-stories/Kick-Ass?cmpid=AV-EM-SV510

-Blake

Why AppleTV is a "Hobby"

2010-06-02T14:55:00.002-05:00

Nice video excerpt here from Steve Jobs about why AppleTV is a hobby...

http://d8.allthingsd.com/20100601/d8-video-steve-jobs-on-why-apple-tv-is-a-hobby/?mod=ATD_rss&mod=ATD_sphere

-Blake

12 Reasons TV Shows Get Made

2010-05-10T17:16:00.002-05:00

Nice succint article (albeit pretty common sense info) on why TV shows get made - geared towards SyFy Channel (written by one of their development guys) - but relateable to any network really. Check it out...

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/10/a-dozen-reasons-tv-s.html

-Blake

Totally Looks Like...?

2010-05-05T15:10:00.014-05:00

Yeah, so this is a weird one... The DP for my feature film "Killing Down" (Alan Lefebvre) was in a Walmart the other day and snapped this picture:

That is obviously a shot of "The Marine", an action flick that came out around the same time as "Killing Down". If you've never seen the DVD artwork (U.S. version) for my movie then this wouldn't mean a whole lot, but if you have then like me you probably did a doubletake.

Here's a side-by-side comparison:

So as you can see they look A LOT ALIKE. We brought this to the attention of our US distributor and they said "we use the same graphic designers as the studios". So I guess that means they copy each other? Seems odd to me.

My guess is either the same guy did the work, or it was a blatant rip-off. Since "Killing Down" didn't hit DVD shelves in the U.S. until January 2008 (and "The Marine" was in late 2006 or early 2007), I'd say my DVD artwork is the derivative one here. Luckily the movies aren't exactly the same! :)

Oh, and just for the record, here's the artwork WE DID ORIGINALLY (and what is still being used overseas, unless someone has copied the "Die Hard" DVD cover...). :)

-Blake

Well Said, Mr. Street

2010-04-27T18:23:00.002-05:00

A good commentary about the Streamys and the IAWTV issues from a veteran web video creator, Tim Street:

Someone from old media once asked me, “Who do these guys think they are?” “Who gave them permission to do that?” I said, “It’s web video, you don’t have to ask permission, you just go do it.”

Read his blog post here...
http://1timstreet.com/blog/the-web-video-community/

-Blake

FreshDV RED Interviews

2010-04-23T17:29:00.002-05:00

Very nice interviews from FreshDV with Ted Schilowitz

Part One:
freshdvnab10_RED_Discussion1

Direct link:
http://www.freshdv.com/2010/04/freshdv-nab-2010-red_pt1.html

And Part Two is here:
http://www.freshdv.com/nab
(scroll down to "A REDtrospective Part 2)

-Blake

Jag35.com and DSLR Stuff

2010-04-23T16:50:00.002-05:00

Jag35.com sells some pretty cool gadgets for you DSLR video shooters out there... check out their monitors and cage, etc.

DSLR Cage Monitor Mounting from jehu Garcia on Vimeo.

Direct video link: http://vimeo.com/11121194

-Blake

FOX's "House" Season Finale Shot on Canon 5D

2010-04-20T10:37:00.003-05:00

If you follow the DSLR news you likely know that the recent BIG NEWS was that the season finale of the FOX network show "House" was shot on the Canon 5D. This really is incredible when you think about it.... I mean, a network show can shoot on pretty much ANYTHING they want, including 35mm film - although that is becoming a rarity.

Anyway, as usual, DP Philip Bloom has done a great job of following this and actually scored an interview with the Executive Producer/Director of the show.

Here's a link to his blog with info on the shoot, and also a link to the audio from the interview. Well worth checking out...

http://philipbloom.co.uk/2010/04/19/in-depth-interview-with-executive-producer-and-director-of-house-season-finale-shot-on-canon-5dmkii/

-Blake

What Do TV Directors Do?

2010-04-16T14:56:00.002-05:00

Great article on the difference between TV directors and Movie directors...

http://www.slate.com/id/2250789/pagenum/all/

-Blake

Avid Media Composer V5

2010-04-13T22:09:00.002-05:00

A lot of great announcements at NAB including Avid's latest Media Composer version 5... This is a HUGE upgrade. If you haven't heard here's a list of the new features...

-Directly access and edit RED files through AMA, without transcoding (images are scaled to HD frame size)
-Work natively with QuickTime video formats, including Apple ProRes and H.264
-Edit video and audio by dragging and dropping elements in the timeline
-Keep high-end finishing projects in-house and gain great color precision with HD-RGB support (including dual-link I/O -support with Nitris DX systems)
-Monitor video externally with support for the Matrox MXO2 Mini
-Mix and match frame sizes and aspect ratios — in addition to formats, frame rates, and resolutions — in the same timeline
-Take a break during long renders and have your system email you when the job’s done
-Import AVCHD files directly from cameras and other devices
-Capture to and edit XDCAM HD and DVC PRO HD formats from baseband without additional hardware
-Access low-res XDCAM proxies for offline work, with full-quality audio
-Import text-based ancillary data and embed it in the video signal with the new “Data Track” and SMPTE 436M support using Nitris DX- and Mojo DX-based systems
-View stereo audio tracks as single channels in the timeline for easier handling
-Create high-quality sounds and mixes with support for RTAS audio processing plug-ins
-Natively access and edit 4:2:2 MPEG-2 media from the new Canon cameras using AMA
-Work Directly with RED Using the Newly Improved AMA

With Media Composer 5, AMA (Avid Media Access) has been completely reengineered, so you can work natively with more file-based media formats now and in the future. With the new and improved AMA, you can speed up RED workflows by directly accessing RED files (.R3D) in Media Composer without having to prepare them through MetaFuze (all footage is scaled to HD frame size). Plus, you have access to its full metadata and color management data too.

Edit QuickTime Formats Natively
Get native access to all popular QuickTime formats, with full access to clip metadata. Thanks to AMA, you can natively access and edit any movie that can be played in Apple’s QuickTime Player (including Apple ProRes and .mov files captured by Canon 5D and 7D cameras) right in Media Composer — no transcoding, rewrapping, or logging and transferring required.

Drag and Drop Video and Audio to Edit
Get comfortable — with Media Composer 5, you can truly edit the way you like. In addition to the standard way of editing, you can also now directly manipulate elements in the timeline to edit video and audio. Drag and drop clips anywhere you want on the timeline to rearrange sequences. And grab a clip’s in or out point and drag to trim a scene, dialog, or music.

Get Full-Quality HD-RGB Processing
Keep those finishing jobs in house, and deliver the highest quality color and effects work, with support for full-quality 4:4:4 HD-RGB color space processing in Media Composer. With the higher resolution detail, you can perform color correction, keying, and effects work with greater precision and ease. And if you have a Nitris DX-based system, you can digitize, process, monitor, and output (output in Symphony systems only) projects in HD-RGB, using the two HD SDI connections to handle the high-bandwidth resolutions.

Monitor Video Externally through Matrox MXO2 Mini
If you don’t have a Nitris DX- or Mojo DX-based system, Media Composer 5 opens the door to third-party workflows, enabling you to monitor video externally using the Matrox MXO2 Mini interface, which is available for Mac and Windows systems. When paired with Media Composer software, MXO2 Mini becomes a dedicated, high-quality monitor-only solution for file-based or workgroup production, so you can view your video work in real time without any major expense.

And here's a short article on that new low cost 3rd Party HD monitoring solution from Matrox...
http://www.studiodaily.com/main/news/prc/12140.html

Very cool stuff.

-Blake

Kevin Smith and the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards

2010-04-12T11:18:00.004-05:00

One word describes last night's Streamy Awards ceremony... Sad.

If you don't know what I'm talking about read this first:
http://www.webseriestoday.com/2010/04/streamys-2010.html

These folks do a good job of describing it.

So here's my take...

I didn't mind that there were tech issues - that happens (although it was ironic that the tech issues started during the Craft Award videos). I didn't mind the poorly written jokes - again, that happens with most awards shows. What I did mind was the overall tone and sloppiness of the presentation.

The Streamys are supposed to celebrate the best in Web TV, but last night (pretty much) the entire show was dedicated to demeaning it (I'm not talking about the actual awards or the winners of course - I'm talking bout the comedy bits and a lot of the presenters). Now don't get me wrong, I love a little self-deprecation. Making fun of yourself or your place in the world is fine. I joke all the time about being the "red-headed step-child" of the TV industry. But to keep that up for almost the entire show was just too much.

I was also very surprised at the amounts of sex references, sex jokes and just plain vulgarity throughout the entire production (and I'm not even talking about the two streakers - which was, um, yeah..). And trust me, I'm not a prude.

Web video already has a stigma of being dumbed down, vulgar, pornographic, etc. and the Streamys played right into that stereotype. This was a huge mistake in my opinion, and why in the world the very smart guys at Tubefilter (and I do mean that sincerely) would approve the various comedy bits, etc. is beyond me. Not to mention that there were entirely too many acts/bits and they were all waaaaaay too long. They should know better. They work in the world of web video where most entire episodes are 3 to 10 mins total. Some of these bits were that long or more. Btw, some of them were very funny. I laughed a lot (early on more so than later admittedly). But each and every bit could have been cut in half and they could have easily lost a third of them.

The final main thing for me was the sloppiness in the presentation. If we (the Web TV industry) really want to be taken seriously I think the industry's most prestigious (or supposed to be) awards show should reflect that. I actually thought last year's show did for the most part, but this year was a big setback.

The video playback tech issues (forgivable, but still..), the sound issues, NOT HAVING A VIDEO SCREEN in the theater so us in the "cheap seats" could see what was going on (on stage and in the front rows), the general pacing of voice overs and host coming on and off stage, SECURITY (how many times did people crash the stage??), the lame 3D Streamys animated nominee intros (this is subjective of course, but I thought the animation looked comedic, like it was from 1997 - it was not contemporary at all), and the list goes on. But all these "little things" really add up to one big mess.

So this is why I'm sad.

I want the Streamys to be successful (heck, I'm an IAWTV member and I won a Streamy last year for Best Direction in a Dramatic Web Series for 'Pink'). I want the Web TV industry to be successful. I want sponsors and financiers and distributors and our audiences to take the industry seriously. And I know the Streamy Awards and the Tubefilter guys do too.

So I liken this misstep to Kevin Smith's early movie career. He made 'Clerks'. Was a big hit. Went out and made 'Mallrats' next. Was a huge flop. But then he made 'Chasing Amy'...

Let's hope next year's Streamy Awards is our 'Chasing Amy' (without all the dick jokes of course). :)

-Blake

Canon's New Cameras

2010-04-07T14:19:00.002-05:00

I personally own a Canon XH-A1 HDV camera and have been very happy with it over the last 3 years. We actually shot two of my web series, PINK and EXPOSED on it with a Letus DOF adapter. So when I heard about the release of the next generation of this camera I was intrigued.

The new version is called the XF300 (and XF305). They are tapeless cameras, which was expected, but what I was surprised about was they will shoot in the 4:2:2 color space at 50Mbps and onto standard (cost-effective) CF cards. Unlike the Panasonic HVX and the Sony EX series, Canon has chosen to go with the ubiquitous recording media, which I am very happy to hear. The Sony SxS cards and Panasonic's P2 cards are great, but they're also very expensive (yeah, still) costing upwards of $1000 or more depending on size (some smaller capacity cards are cheaper).

The Canon actually uses the same kind of cards my Canon 7D DSLR camera uses, which is pretty cool (and pretty interesting...). I wonder if Canon will "blend" this line of cameras with it's DSLR cameras in the future? This new XF300 uses 1/3" CMOS chips now (three of them instead of the one used in the DSLR), so why not give it one big one like the 7D or the 5D? Talk about a great camera! But I digress...

The new Canon XF cameras will be on display at NAB next week and available to buy in June. I'm not quite ready to get a new camera this summer, but come this fall I'll likely be an owner of one of these (btw, not to use instead of the 7D - which I love - but to use on corporate and commercial jobs that require more of an ENG or "run and gun" style of shooting).

Read more about the camera here...
http://www.studiodaily.com/blog/?p=2998

-Blake

New Blog Look

2010-04-02T12:24:00.003-05:00

I'm trying out some new looks, so this is a test and also to let folks know that it's a work-in-progress. :) Thanks!

UPDATE: For some reason my Date Badges aren't updating, so sorry for the sloppy look, but I am working on it...

UPDATE #2: Okay, the Badge dates appear to be working now... cool!

Netflix and the US Postal Service

2010-03-30T16:30:00.002-05:00

Hadn't thought of this, but it's true. If the US Postal Service doesn't deliver mail on Saturdays as has been proposed starting in 2011, then Netflix could be the biggest loser in that deal...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36100708/ns/business-the_big_money/

-Blake

PINK at the MIP-TV Market

2010-03-28T17:34:00.002-05:00

Press release from Content Film (Fireworks) about PINK being at the international MIP-TV market, along with several of their other new "digital" acquisitions like RIESE, GIRL NUMBER 9 and SPLATTER...

http://www.contentfilm.com/index.php/news/347.html

Hopefully they'll sell some new territories!

-Blake

GREAT NEWS for 'PINK' Distribution

2010-03-23T15:35:00.004-05:00

My online series 'PINK' has been rather successful for me over the past several years, and now we've just had the good fortune of landing a foreign distribution deal too. This is no small achievment in general, but especially for a "web series".

Generate, our domestic distributor (and primary owner of the show) did the deal with Fireworks International, the TV and digital distribution arm of Content Film (http://www.contentfilm.com/). They also distribute several high profile series like VALEMONT (from MTV), RIESE, GEMINI DIVISION, etc. and loads of feature films and TV shows. So we're in really good company.

What I personally would like to see happen with this deal is it create the opportunity for a Season 4. I'd really like to do (at least) one more season to wrap up the current story line. We REALLY left the fans hanging at the end of Season 3. :)

I'm also excited to see how it plays in more foreign territories. We of course have had lots of our fan base come from Europe, and now - unfortunately - most of the content will be U.S. geoblocked (meaning it is only viewable domestically). But, this will allow Fireworks to sell to the various Internet portals, and mobile providers throughout the world - and ideally build new audiences and create new fans (and the ones who get geoblocked here should be able to find the show in their home country soon).

I can't wait to see how it all works out!

Here are three links to stories about the Fireworks deal:

Tubefilter:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2010/03/23/pink-goes-international-with-fireworks/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TubefilterNews+%28Tubefilter+News%29

NewTeeVee:
http://newteevee.com/2010/03/23/generates-pink-to-go-international-with-fireworks/#more-44437

PRWeb Press Release:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/03/prweb3762314.htm

-Blake

ARRI ALEXA (prototype)

2010-03-19T10:43:00.005-05:00

ARRI's new ALEXA camera looks really great. It's affordable (within reason, especially for rental houses - but some owner/operators), it has 13 stops of lattitude and uses 35mm lenses...

Here's a link to two videos about the camera. The first one is a demo/preview of the actual prototype (that will be unveiled at NAB soon). And the second one is an interview with the main ARRI guy responsible for the design, etc.

http://www.thefilmbook.com/top/techne/arri-alexa-prototype.php

I keep saying this, and it's very true - it's a GREAT time to be a filmmaker.

-Blake

The Great Camera Shootout 2010

2010-03-18T22:44:00.002-05:00

Looking forward to seeing this...

Direct link:
http://www.zacuto.com/shootout

Canon 5D to be used on FOX TV's 'House'

2010-03-16T15:48:00.004-05:00

The final episode of this season's FOX TV show 'House" is to be shot on the Canon 5D.

Let me say that again, a NETWORK TV SHOW is going to shoot a multi-million dollar episode of their series on a $2700 camera (sans lens). This is ground-breaking and I don't say that lightly.

Here's a link to the news:
http://www.cinema5d.com/news/?p=2818

I believe this to be accurate too as I got it from Rodney Charters on Twitter - the DP for FOX's series '24'.

The other tidbit is that it appears they might shoot the ENTIRE next season on the 5D. This is to me really amazing. I'm not sure I'd want to have invested a lot of money on a RED ONE or similar recently. Especially when/if Canon allows it's DSLR line to record RAW - and this is in the rumor mill now. I'm not an engineer, but it would only make sense that if it did RAW recording then you've be able to do 2K, 4K, etc. just like RED. Even if you can't, the 1080p video is crazy good already, and if it were uncompressed coming out of the HDMI that would be greatness.

Long story short, it's a very cool time to be a filmmaker. Oh, BTW, we shot my new sci-fi series 'Continuum' on the Canon 7D - the little brother to the 5D and I must say the footage really is stellar (pun intended). :)

-Blake

Matt Nix "Burn Notice" Showrunner

2010-03-15T15:22:00.002-05:00

Really nice interview with Matt Nix, the showrunner for "Burn Notice" and the new series "The Good Guys"...

http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/action-comedy-tv-showrunner-matt-nix/

I like what he's doing Out There.

-Blake

Paramount's Insurge to produce $100K Features

2010-03-11T10:45:00.002-06:00

Check out the indieWIRE article on Paramount's new venture (spawned after the success of micro-budgeted "Paranormal Activity")...

http://www.indiewire.com/article/hollywood_studio_boosts_micro-budget_movies/

So, this looks like a pretty cool thing on the surface, and I am interested to see how it pans out (might even try to pitch them myself). But with my recent ventures in the studio world I'd be surprised if 1) they can pull off a feature for $100k, and 2) if the filmmakers will live to tell about it. ;)

While we really enjoyed our WB experience on the soon-to-be-released online series "Exposed" (www.thewb.com) - the amount of notes you get from the studio is substanstial and they don't differ from say a mult-million dollar production or a $100k one. So you're like, "Wow, we should be getting paid more to have to deal with all this." (the studios seem to forget that you're not a well-paid staff writer, or perhaps they don't care?).

I also bet that the "$100k budget" is for "production only" - as they'll likely spend a good chunk more on post, score, and of course distribution. Great marketing hook though.

But hey, I like the "indie spirit" of Paramount Studios here (an oxymoron if I've ever heard one). :)

-Blake

7D Production Still from Continuum

2010-02-28T14:55:00.004-06:00

Been very busy shooting new series "Continuum" this past week, and we have about one more week to go. This above graphic shows a raw production still and then the same still color corrected. We set the Canon 7D up to have a "flat" look for great latitude during color grading and this side by side comparison shows that (click on image to see larger view).

I'll be posting more tech info about the HDSLR production and post process soon. But right now back to work on the show. :)

-Blake

PINK's Kim Matula...

2010-02-18T10:58:00.001-06:00

Kim's new role as Hope on "The Bold & The Beautiful" is getting a lot of great press including this new feature from her hometown paper in Fort Worth, Texas...

Read Star-Telegram Article

Definitely an inspiring story for those actors Out There trying to make it! :)

Btw, some very cool PINK news is coming soon too...

Amazing Short Film

2010-02-07T12:32:00.003-06:00

This short film has amazing VFX and a really nice emotional story. Do yourself a favor and watch it now!

Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.

And here's a "making of" the short:

Making Of Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.

Very cool what folks are doing out there today.

-Blake

CONTINUUM Press Release

2010-02-04T14:44:00.002-06:00

We announced the cast, start date, etc. today in a press release!

Direct link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/02/prweb3566164.htm

Alternative Fuel, Loud Pictures Prep New Sci-Fi Thriller 'Continuum'

Original Web Series Created and Produced by 'Pink's' Blake Calhoun and Mike Maden Starts Shooting February 22nd

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 4, 2010 -- Director Blake Calhoun and longtime producing partner Mike Maden, the award-winning production team behind some of the Web's most cinematic original series including Pink, 88 Hits and TheWB.com's forthcoming Exposed, today announced principal photography on their next digital project, the sci-fi thriller series Continuum, will begin February 22nd in Dallas, Texas and Los Angeles and will release the first ten episodes this summer.

Created by Calhoun and Maden and produced & directed by Calhoun, Continuum is a futuristic thriller in the noir-ish tradition of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien starring Melanie Merkosky (CBS/EQAL's Harper's Globe) as Raegen, a woman who mysteriously finds herself aboard a space ship with no memory of how she got there and at the mercy of the ship's computer, voiced by actress/producer Taryn O'Neill, best-known for breakout performances in Compulsions (for which she recently won the inaugural Indie Soap Award for Best Supporting Actress) and the post-apocalyptic After Judgment franchise. Brad Hawkins, veteran TV/film actor and costar of Pink, rounds out Continuum’s minimal cast as Tipton.

"I’m really excited about Continuum because I've always loved the darker side of science fiction and this series will allow us to put our own spin on the genre," said Calhoun. "We’ve decided to produce the series as an independent, like we did with the first season of Pink. We’re going to give owning our content a try again and see how it works out."

Continuum is being produced by Calhoun and Maden's Alternative Fuel and Loud Pictures production companies in association with CJP Digital Media, the production/distribution/promotion arm behind successful Web originals including Illeana Douglas's IKEA-branded comedy Easy to Assemble, Spherion-sponsored The Temp Life (which will feature O’Neill in the Feb 8 episode) and dark crime drama The Fall of Kaden. Calhoun and Maden are represented by United Talent Agency and managed by Generate.

About Alternative Fuel

Alternative Fuel was formed in 2008 by filmmakers Blake Calhoun and Mike Maden to produce content for the television, film and new media markets. Currently two feature film projects are being developed, along with a Warner Bros. TV script, and a new online series.

Calhoun and Maden first teamed up to create the Webby nominated and Streamy winning series Pink. That show has now been viewed nearly 8 million times on YouTube, Hulu, iTunes, TheWB.com, Koldcast, Facebook, MySpace, Vuze, Yahoo, MSNBC, Blip.tv and others. So far three seasons have been produced (35 episodes), and more are under consideration, as is a DVD and possible film adaptation.

From the success of Pink, Calhoun and Maden pitched and sold another original web series to Warner Bros., who then partnered them with executive producer McG and his company Wonderland Sound and Vision. That show is called Exposed and will be released in 2010 on TheWB.com.

About CJP Digital Media

CJP Digital Media, a unit of NY-based CJP Communications, specializes in creating, distributing and promoting brand-centric messages and content via digital, social, mobile and traditional media channels for clients across industries. CJP created one of the very first and now longest-running brand-sponsored Web series: The Temp Life as an alternative communications vehicle for recruiting firm client, Spherion Corp. in 2006. Most-recently, CJP Digital worked with IKEA and creator/producer Illeana Douglas to promote and distribute the current season of their branded Web comedy Easy to Assemble, which Advertising Age proclaimed "the most watched branded Web show to date."

"Exposed" Mention in Variety Article

2010-01-26T11:59:00.002-06:00

My WB web series has a very small mention in Variety from yesterday. Look at the bottom of the article to see the blurb. Oh, and the actual article is pretty cool too. :)

'Supernatural' Spawns Web Spinoff
Wonderland, WBTV producing 'Ghostfacers'

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014263.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2562&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+variety%2Fheadlines+%28Variety+-+Latest+News%29

Wonderland is McG's production company who also produced 'Exposed'. Btw, we don't yet have a release date for the show, but it is supposed to be "soon".

-Blake

More iPhone Stuff (Steadicam, really?)

2010-01-13T16:33:00.003-06:00

Yep, Tiffen now has a Steadicam for, wait for it... the iPhone.

Here's a link to article:
http://www.handheldhollywood.com/latest-news/ces-tiffens-steadicam-smoothee.html
It's called the "Steadicam Smoothee" and it's actually for the iPhone and other small "Flip" style recorders.

And here's a video about it from CES:

CES: Tiffen's Steadicam Smoothee from Hand Held Hollywood on Vimeo.

I actually think it looks really cool. I have a Flip MinoHD and it bounces like crazy so something like this makes a lot of sense for that. I have an iPhone too, but an older one that doesn't shoot video.

Of course who knows how much it will cost...

-Blake

Lenses for your iPhone Camera

2010-01-11T10:13:00.002-06:00

If you have a 3G iPhone and use the camera a lot (or the 3Gs and use video) these affordable lenses could come in handy...

http://www.japangadgetshop.com/products/Gizmon-iPhone-3G-2%C3%971-Wide-%26-Macro-Conversion-Lenses.html

I'm not sure if these are available in the U.S. or not though.

-Blake

iTimelapse Videos (shot with iPhone)

2009-12-28T08:25:00.003-06:00

I downloaded the iTimelapse app for my iPhone and shot these two videos this weekend...

First one in my mom's kitchen:

And then this one driving from Arlington back to Dallas (and home) and 30 seconds:

A few bugs I've found using my version of the iPhone (the original one, not 3G or 3Gs) are it will shoot 25 images and then turn off - but once you turn it back on it will go as long as you set it. The first timelapse was 200 frames shot once every 5 seconds and the second one was 600 frames shot every 5 seconds.

Also, for whatever reason (at least so far) I can only get it to record at 640x480 or lower resolution. I tried 1200x900 to achieve a "720p HD" version, but it only rendered out these white and green flashes. I'll have to do some more experimenting, or perhaps my phone has some limitations.

Overall though this is a pretty cool app and I plan on having some fun with it.

-Blake

Amazing Green Screen Work

2009-12-23T15:30:00.003-06:00

I've seen some of these things on TV and never would have known... of course the CGI and matte paintings are a critical part of creating the illusion too:

Direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a21_WMiTAVE

-Blake

Video Interview with Me

2009-12-22T13:53:00.003-06:00

Not used to being on this side of the camera, but here's a quick interview I did with Tim Street about "Pink", web series and Hollywood...

http://1timstreet.com/blog/you-dont-have-to-live-in-hollywood-to-get-an-agent/

Video is embedded in link above along with brief story, or you can just watch it here:

-Blake

Two Web TV Articles...

2009-12-18T19:37:00.002-06:00

First one covering studios getting more and more involved in Web TV production:

Hollywood Adds Money, Talent to Made-for-Web Shows
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/dec/17/hollywood-adds-money-talent-made--web-shows/

And the second piece an interview I did with Koldcast TV (an online Web TV network):

Filmmaker Series
http://blog.koldcast.tv/2009/filmmaker-series/kctv-filmmaker-series-blake-calhoun/

Check them out when you have a moment!

-Blake

Some "Real World" 7D Footage

2009-12-11T23:49:00.002-06:00

Really liking the new Canon 7D and so I used it on a commercial shoot I had this week as more or less another "test". The footage turned out great too. Shot it on a small jib and so it added a lot of production value. See for yourself...

Canon 7D Used On Jib from Blake Calhoun on Vimeo.

The footage was color graded, but I play each raw file first to show the difference in looks. Go to my Vimeo page for more details about f-stops, lenses, etc.

This camera is really amazing and especially for the price!

-Blake

The Rise and Fall of MySpace

2009-12-07T19:08:00.002-06:00

Really interesting article about MySpace - where it was in 2005 and where it is now.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fd9ffd9c-dee5-11de-adff-00144feab49a.html

I think they'll be okay if they focus on music and film. The social side of things with friends from high school, family stuff, etc. is Facebook's ground now.

I actually never have had a personal MySpace page. I do have one for "Pink" and one for "88 Hits" (that I rarely check anymore).

-Blake

FlipShare TV

2009-12-02T18:01:00.002-06:00

I have a Flip MinoHD camera and really like it. Amazing 720p video in such a small device and for only $200. Flip now has what looks to be a pretty cool new product to easily watch your Flip videos - on your TV.

http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Video-CTV1W-FlipShare-TV/dp/B002WZ4N40/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1259795440&sr=8-2

It's $150 and connects wirelessly from your computer to TV. The base has HDMI in too, so it would seem it plays back in HD. I might have just found my first Christmas present. :)

-Blake