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Distribution/Film Festivals

Script Clearance, Background Copyrights and Third-Party Ownership Rights

Although film is an expressive art form, it is also an increasingly international and highly commercial business. As a result, filmmakers should be very selective regarding choices to use a third party’s property—copyrighted works, trademarks, readily identified individual names or corporate names—without express permission. Permission is not always difficult to come by. Without the express permission, the errors and omissions insurance may be drafted to exclude any liability for the use of such content, and the lack of coverage may discourage distributors or exhibitors from buying or showing the work.Read More

New Directions for Independent Cinema: Ian Calderon

Ian Calderon, director of digital initiatives for the Sundance Institute, talks with CinemaTech editor Scott Kirsner about trends in independent film: delivering content to mobile phones and Internet-connected TVs, producing in 3-D, piracy, and the challenge of breaking through the noise — whether you’re submitting a film to Sundance or uploading it to Vimeo or Read MoreRead More

How Dubbing Works

With the international box office nearly twice that of the domestic, dubbing English language films for foreign markets is serious business. But, have you ever wondered how dubbing works? Zachary Pincus-Roth of Slate has some insights into this mysterious process. …James Cameron’s Avatar has earned over $440 million at the domestic box office but has Read MoreRead More

Disney aims to shorten big screen run for Alice in Wonderland

Disney’s Bob Iger is rolling out an experiment of shortening theatrical run and rushing DVDs earlier to market. …A day after the revelation that UK exhibitors are being asked to accept a tightened theatrical window for Disney’s spring feature “Alice in Wonderland,” The Hollywood Reporter has learned that U.S. theater owners have been similarly approached. Read MoreRead More

At Sundance, New Approaches to Finding an Audience

The big question – how to find and reach your audience, is being pondered by the folks at the film festival that has become synonymous with “Independent Films”. Alternatives include, online sales, YouTube, and Video On Demand. …PARK CITY, Utah — The starkest picture to emerge from the opening days of this year’s Sundance Film Read MoreRead More

Avatar pulled from Chinese 2D screens

Word to the wise – if you ever produce an epic film that is the top grossing movie of all time, you may get upstaged by a twenty-five hundred year old philosopher. …The most successful movie of all time in China is being pulled from the majority of theaters there much sooner than expected. The Read MoreRead More

The Coming Indie Revolution: Just Sell it Yourself!

Manohla Dargis contemplates the new world of indie distribution – how technology and social media is affecting the way indies get distributed and, more importantly, how content creators can get paid. The answer – much like many things in the indie world, is DIY. …In the Old World of distribution, filmmakers hand over all the Read MoreRead More

Indie Poster Design for “Bitch Slap”

Eric Gruendemann and Rick Jacobson discuss how they approached the design of the poster for their indie film: Bitch Slap. …Rick: Smoking hot chicks kicking ass – and gritty fun. We’ve all been to DVD stores and seen bad artwork after bad artwork, and we didn’t want to fall into that trap. We didn’t want Read MoreRead More

The Future of Content Distribution

Richard Rosenblatt of Demand Media, Dan Rosensweig of Guitar Hero and Peter Guber of Mandalay Entertainment discuss the current state and future of distribution in their varying fields.Read More

Tropfest NY 2013

Why Indie Directors Give Movies Away Free Online

This article by Monisha Rajesh of Time.com illustrates how many indie filmmakers are sidestepping traditional distribution and finding larger audiences and larger profits by giving away their film for free online. So, how do you make money by giving something away for free? Well, read on…. …When Finnish filmmaker Timo Vuorensola came up with the Read MoreRead More

21 Great Free Thinkers of Indie Film

Ted Hope from The Wrap has compiled a list of “Brave Thinkers” in Independent Film. I guess we can split hairs over what is considered brave in this industry, but nevertheless it’s a good list of some of the individuals that are working on th cutting edge of indie film. …These Brave Thinkers lead equally Read MoreRead More

Making Christian movies

Screenwriter John August offers a few points of advice to a reader asking a question about creating niche market films. …What is your take on the Christian movie scene? I am new to all of this and just finished up a treatment for a Christian movie. I have been doing some research now on a Read MoreRead More

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