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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
