Appearing Live on Movie Addict Headquarters: Tues (3/16)

I’ll be appearing on BlogTalk radio’s MOVIE ADDICT HEADQUARTERS live on Tues (March 16th) at 4pm (EST) speaking with Betty Jo Tucker to discuss HOW DO YOU WRITE A JOE SCHERMANN SONG among other projects.  I’m told that SINGING IN THE RAIN is Betty Jo’s favorite film so I have no doubt that we’ll hit it off!

Date: Tues (March 16th)
Time: 3pm (CST)/ 4pm (EST)
Website: www.blogtalkradio.com/movieaddictheadquarters

I’m told that During the live 45-minute show, listeners are invited to call in and to participate in a chat, so please pass this information along to anyone you think would be interested.

I’m looking forward to talking with Betty Jo about movies, musicals, the Kickstarter campaign — and hopefully connect with other film lovers out there.  It sounds like a fun time.  Hope you can tune in!

Bringing “WHAT’S UP LOVELY” to You

Roll Call!!  Do you want to see WHAT’S UP LOVELY?

We are compiling a list of locations (countries and cities) to help us consider where we can take our film to screen (and ideally present it in person).  We are also exploring venue options that support indie film screenings and will be partnering with people who are interested in helping us get the film out to their area.

One of the exciting new methods on doing this is Openindie – an emerging new demand-based distribution service that lets people around the world choose from a list of films and request the ones they’d like to screen in their town.  If there is enough interest from users in the same area, the film will screen there.

Please visit the site and request our film.  Tell your friends to do the same.  We’d love to screen it for you and Openindie is certainly one way we can get it to you.  A cool thing to check out is their global map displaying who has requested to see WHAT’S UP LOVELY from around the world.  While you’re there, also look at the other films on the site as I myself have requested some great looking indies to play here in New York.

Here’s how you can connect with me to let us know there is demand in your area:
• Request LOVELY on Openindie
• Please leave a comment here on this blog
• Leave a comment on our “WHAT’S UP LOVELY” Facebook Page
• Contact me directly at gary@kitchentablefilms.com

***REMEMBER: SNEAK PREVIEW SCREEENING OF “LOVELY” IN LOS ANGELES ON MAY 14th***

VIDEO UPDATE: NY LATELY screening at the Annapolis Pretentious Film Society

Peri and his wonderful team (Lisa and Victora) at The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society (APFS) put together this well crafted video about our NEW YORK LATELY screening this month.

You can see the TLC he puts in to not only this video, but his screening series as a whole. It was an amazing experience and I cannot highly recommend attending or screening there — wish I could do both more often.

Thank you Peri, Lisa, Alex, Victoria, David,  Nicole from the Ram’s Head on Stage, Coven, Corrie, Susanna, Caryn, Oscar….I know I’m forgetting people so I better stop while I’m ahead and say thank you Annapolis!

Read the (APFS) “Afterglow” Report

Here’s my write up on my experience at the screening

Read about NEW YORK LATELY on THE AUTEURS

Next Up: WHAT’S UP LOVELY sneak preview with CINEFIST in Los Angeles (May 14th)

The Films That Inspired WHAT’S UP LOVELY

In some way, shape or form these films influenced me as I was making WHAT’S UP LOVELY.  Some in pre-production, others while shooting and even more during the editing process. 

Meshes in the Afternoon (1943)

Persona (1966)

Chungking Express (1999)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Mullholland Drive (2001)

Ratcatcher (2006)

The Girlfriend Experience (2009)

READ MY DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

a DIY Film Tour

Based on the article “The D.I.Y Book Tour” by Stephen Elliot, this idea fascinates me:

“I asked if people wanted to hold an event in their homes. They had to promise 20 attendees. I would sleep on their couch. My publisher would pay for some of the airfare, and I would fund the rest by selling the books myself.”

I’m not sure how it could work with film, but in theory it could almost be a similar model.

And we’re not talking about booking theaters or alternative venues — this is actually visiting people’s homes who are willing to hold a screening and can guarantee a certain turnout.  But think of how much of a connection this is with your audience — you’re in their home (haha!).

Whether they like your film or not (you’ll know if they hurry you out the door or keep you around for a while), it would be a very fascinating experience to tour the country and meet film lovers who want to see your film.  At this point I don’t believe it’s an actual viable business model if one wanted to sustain a living, but the potential is there — and for some reason it really has me wondering about the possibilities.

ps – It’d be great if the person’s home theater looked like this too.  That’d be the gravy on top.

WHAT’S UP LOVELY – Sneak Preview in Los Angeles (May 14th – 8pm)

“It’s poetic, visually arresting …. I can’t help but be excited for this film.” – DVD SnapShot
“This looks like an indie with the kind of intimacy you don’t normally see…” - /FiLM

Hey Los Angeles! Would you like to see WHAT’S UP LOVELY this summer before anyone else?

Jenn Dees (lead actress/co-writer) and I will be bringing the film for a sneak preview at the THE CINEFIST QUARTERLY SCREENING SERIES on Friday (May 14th) at 8pm –  followed by an after party on the roof of the venue.

We are both extremely excited about this one-time only event:  Summertime in LA, watching a movie, hanging out with new friends and old.  There’s nothing better.

This special sneak preview is made possible by CINEFIST — which is a unique cinema series offering screenings of feature-length motion pictures supplemented by insightful case studies and Q&As with the innovative filmmakers behind them.

What’s cool is they had a few trailers play before their Winter Screening series and the audience voted on the next film they wanted to see.  Here’s a graph of the audience vote that night:

It’s pretty cool knowing that there was audience demand to see the film.  Needless to say I’m extremely excited for this night and hope to see you there.

See all the LOVELY press coverage here

RSVP on FACEBOOK

Where: DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT – (251 S. Main Street Los Angeles, California) – Buy tickets online here

When: Friday May 14th – 8pm

WHAT’S UP LOVELY now on THE AUTEURS

LOVELY on THE AUTEURS

Growing up as a kid — back in the day when LaserDiscs were the joint and not DVD’s — I remember discovering the Criterion Collection.  They were curators of top notch arthouse films and modern classics — concentrating in both foreign and domestic films.  They were very selective in what they would choose for their film catalogue and brought little known or hard to find films to audiences with pristine presentation and supplements.

Suffice it to say that much of my film education came from watching the films that belonged to the Criterion Collection.

Today, The Auteurs is an online extension of the Criterion Collection.  They are very indie friendly and I love what they strive to do — to make arthouse films even more accessible to audiences in the modern age.

WHAT’S UP LOVELY has now been listed on The Auteurs website.  I am honored and humbled.  It feels pretty cool coming from being a kid and looking at the Criterion Collection as a stamp of approval for quality films.  And now my film is one of them.  Sometimes….hard work does pay off.

Want to see WHAT’S UP LOVELY in LA?

Hey Los Angeles! Would you like to see WHAT’S UP LOVELY in May? Attend the CINEFIST screening of “The New Year Parade” on Feb 12th and vote for our trailer that plays before it (you must be in attendance to vote!).  If we get the most votes we will play there at the next quarterly installment!

THE CINEFIST QUARTERLY SCREENING SERIES – Friday (Feb 12th) – 8pm

With the emergence of new models of production and distribution comes a new breed of interdependent filmmaker. This unique cinema series offers screenings of feature-length motion pictures supplemented by insightful case studies and Q&As with the innovative filmmakers behind them.

Attend the screening, see our LOVELY trailer on the big screen and vote for it!  If the film screens at the next quarterly installment I will definitely make a trip out there.  Jenn Dees (who plays “Luci” in the film) says she will try to be there as well!

WHAT’S UP LOVELY now on THE AUTEURS

One For Them — One For Me

If you are ever given the opportunity to be a “director-for-hire” — would you say “yes”or “no”?

I personally know quite a few talented filmmakers who stick to their guns and will only direct their own work.  They are true believers in their art.  I commend — and envy — them.

However, one of my favorite living directors Steven Soderbergh has seemed to perfect the balance of being an artist/filmmaker and walking the line between art (The Girlfriend Experience) and commerce (Ocean’s Eleven).  He is always on the go and constantly taking risks, so that I am in turn, inspired to push forward as well.  His collection of films make me believe and understand that as a filmmaker there is an on-going process of finding yourself, experimenting, exploring and maturing.

Now admittedly, there are some Soderbergh films I do not like.  But at his level, he is free to take chances and experiment.  Good for him.  He makes the films he wants.  Even when doing a studio picture he seems to still manage a level of control where both studio and artist come to a happy medium.

But how many of us can afford the luxury of making films for both studios and ourselves?  Not many.  To me, that would be a dream situation.  Can you imagine being paid a healthy sum to direct a film for a production house — and then affording the luxury to take time off and make a smaller, more personal film on your own terms?  Again, a dream situation for me — a nightmare for others (the directing for a studio part).

I am fortunate to have been hired to direct 2 feature films — Dismal (horror) and Death of the Dead (zombie action/comedy).  These were huge departures from my personal work, but styles of film I love nonetheless.  In fact, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.  While being paid, I was given the opportunity to tackle other genres and stories that helped hone my craft.  They also taught me tremendously about the struggle of balancing one’s filmmaking voice while delivering a product to the producer’s satisfaction.  It led me to wonder: without total creative control – how responsible am I on a film’s success or failure (creatively and financially)?

There have been some interesting reactions to Death of the Dead’s initial trailer.  Many love it while others do not — which is a tribute to the nature of the film itself.  Its target audience finds it funny and can’t wait to see it — while others may not even crack a smile.  What I find intriguing (and perhaps scary) are for those people who weren’t expecting this type of movie from me — what happens?  Do I lose them?  Or do I gain a whole new awareness from zombie lovers who didn’t know about What’s Up Lovely?  Perhaps a little of both?

The prospect of this situation actually makes me very excited.  There could be some cross-pollination of people (from totally different target demographics) who may like a film I’ve done and discover my other work — which in turn leads to building and sustaining an audience.

I have come a long way since sitting behind a desk in a 9-5 corporate job to being hired to direct feature film projects.  It’s a luxury I do not take for granted.  In doing this, there’s a responsibility to deliver what producers want, while trying to maintain my identity as a filmmaker.  It is not always easy.  But I’ve always said “my perfect job would be to get paid doing what I love.”  And that’s directing.  How can I complain?

Who knows?  Only time will tell on how my body of work is looked at when it’s all said and done.  For now, all I can say is stick around cause you’re in for one hell of a ride.

ONE FOR THEM

DEATH OF THE DEAD – Teaser Trailer from Gary King on Vimeo.

ONE FOR ME

WHAT’S UP LOVELY – Official Trailer from Gary King on Vimeo.

Find Your Audience — So They Can Find You

***This article was originally posted on The Workbook Project’s NEW BREED website on September 26, 2009***

Earlier this month, I posted a blog about making a film and facing its praise and criticism (you can read it here). The main question it led to was this:

How do you find your audience — so they can find YOU?

What I mean by this is we as filmmakers first need to find an audience (i.e distribution) to get our films out there. This is a given. In today’s market, independent filmmakers realize that it is simply not enough to strive to make a quality piece of work. Half the battle (if not more) is spending time and effort to get the film out there via various outlets — by whatever means — to give audiences the opportunity to experience your work. With savvy grassroots campaigns and marketing techniques, indie filmmakers obviously know this emerging component is crucial for a film’s success.

However, I have learned that now more than ever it is imperative to not just find an audience — but to find YOUR audience. This is crucial and therein lies our dilemma. Our Catch-22. Our chicken and the egg. In order to gain a loyal following, you first have to get the work into the hands of the film enthusiasts who will appreciate your type of film. Finding your audience is the only way you can continue to prosper as a filmmaker and sustain a career. Your audience will be there to support you for every film you do.

What’s the best way to get your film out there to maximize its exposure? How do you find that person who is ready for your unique cinematic experience? If there were easy answers, everyone would do it. However, I do know that they are out there….hungry for good films. Hungry for your film. I can’t really name one person who says they don’t watch movies — but it’s getting harder and harder to compete in today’s film market (Hollywood, cable/TV, video games, etc) to be noticed and have your film be in demand.

NEW YORK LATELY (Post Screening Q&A)

I completed my first feature NEW YORK LATELY (NYL) in October 2008 — and just now it is starting to find its legs in the festival circuit. I am a big proponent of showing up in person (if possible) for every festival screening. Making an appearance shows that you appreciate the festival selection as well as gives an opportunity to make connections with people who support you. With each festival visit, I hope to plant the seeds of my future work — so that for those that enjoy NYL will look forward to WHAT’S UP LOVELY coming next year. Hopefully, awareness spreads throughout their network, so that people become more interested in seeking out my films (past/present/future).

My main learning lesson with NYL (in terms of PR) was it is never too early to begin building awareness. I started to publicize it once I completed the entire film in October 2008, which I believe now was way too late. With LOVELY, there is already a growing awareness of the film — and this is months prior to it being ready for festivals, screenings and the DVD/VOD release.

Audiences at 2009 Sedona Film Festival in line for NEW YORK LATELY

Are festivals the only way to bond with film enthusiasts? Thankfully not anymore — although I do have to say screening your film in front of a packed crowd in a theater is an incredible rush. However, there are new avenues (both on the Web and in person) to form connections with potential viewers of your work. The independent film movement is ever-shifting — so wouldn’t it be great if you had supporters following you no matter what?

So I ask you: Who is your audience? Where do you find your supporters? Film Festivals? Film Series? Self-Initiated Private/Public Screenings? DVD giveaways? Online Streaming? Film trailers? Blogs? Official film websites? Social Networking? Friend/Family/Colleagues? Whatever else you can think of?

Yes.