Guerrilla Filmmaking

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR STORYTELLERS by Lance Weiler

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Lance Weiler is a critically acclaimed award winning writer / director. Recognized as a pioneer because of the way he makes and distributes his work - Wired magazine named him “One of twenty-five people helping to re-invent entertainment and change the face of Hollywood.” He has successfully self-distributed his films The Last Broadcast and Head Trauma to over 20 countries while grossing over 5 million dollars in the process. Always interested in experimenting with new ways to tell stories and reach audiences, Lance developed a cinema ARG (alternate realty game) around Head Trauma. Over 2.5 million people experienced the game across theaters, mobile drive-ins, mobile phones and online. He is the founder of the Workbook Project (.:wbp), the roving conference series DIY DAYS and a co-founder of From Here to Awesome. 

HHH

The presentation above is an overview of how one can use social media to

extend a story and generate a conversation around their work. In the end social media can be an effective way to build an audience / community around a project and / or a body of work.

For those that aren’t familiar with Social Media, it represents a change in the way people create, discover, and share content online and off.

SUBHYSTERIA'S TEASER IS ON!

Well I know I've been lax about writing here, but again that's what happen when a filmmaker decides to start a blog, when he's in production is a little intermittent, but believe me I'm learning so much that I can't wait to share all the experiences with you guys.

For now I want to invite you to watch the teaser of my next feature film, if you like what you see, you can favorite it, rate it, comment on it, that would help us to get some honors on youtube, like #32 Most Viewed video on Film & Animation category, and that would allow us to get featured, driving more people to our teaser and ultimately to our movie.

PACK YOUR BAGS! tripfilms.com

Over a month ago, right before I started the crazyness with subHysteria, I met with Jamay Liu and Tony Cheng from Tripfilms.

The meeting took place in their unique office located in the east village: "Gramstand Cafe", a cute little place with full WiFi internet connection.  It allows the six people team from Tripfilms to use their place as headquarters.

Tripfilms is... I’ve to stop here, only to preface that something so avant-garde that does not have real competition is difficult yet easy to explain.  Trip Films is the ultimate video reference for the out of ordinary tourist.  For that person that is not only interested in the mainstream landmarks, but is also eager to extend their experience to those hidden and underrated places that are out of the flyers’ kiosk in every city hotel. They start every video with a "Travel Quote", no wonder their tagline is Travel Inspired, it couldn’t be better. I am one of those travelers that really enjoys to live my adventure as a local, and right now, I’ve to say, thanks to Tripfilms, it is really simple. The best thing is that you can find all the mainstream attractions and landmarks without leaving the site, also.

At this point you’re maybe asking yourself “Ok, nice. What this has to do with guerrilla filmmaking? Let me show you an excerpt of how they get their videos!

PROJECTOR FOR UNDER $100 (It could be free if you have the components)

I just saw one of these fully operational, it was a great experience. Definitely creativity has no limits.

I asked for the source and here you have, an amazing projector.

You need a LCD Flat Screen that's not in use, if you don't have one you can find it easily in craigslist.org for $50 or less. Ebay is a good place to get a used one too. You will also need an Overhead Projector, again I just saw one in craigslist for $45.

Watch the video, it's really simple to build.

Now, after watching the video you might have some questions...

How do you get the  show on?.How do you power the screen?
When you take apart the monitor, you're only removing the external case and the display screen that captures the picture.When you place the guts on the overhead projector you still have all your component inputs and cords attached to the display. You just plug everything back in as you normally would.

Do I really need the fan?
The projector operates by using light from a bulb (bottom portion of projector) projected through an object and the reflection projected by a mirror (top portion) on to a surface. The light produced is hot enough to damage the LCD. Combine that with the heat the LCD is putting out means definite toast. An external cooling device is needed to prevent overheating.

IFP FILM WEEK COVERING: Connect with your Audience. Exclusive Interview with Charles Choi & Tom Hicks, Founders of caachi.com

Charles Choi and Tom Hicks are entrepreneurs with a background in computer engineering, radio and theater.

About a little more than a year ago they launched caachi.com a place that allows independent filmmakers to sell their undistributed films to a wider audience.

Now, what makes caachi different from any other online distributor?, something called the Vidget, a video widget that allows, pretty much everybody to become a sales agent for any good film.

Let's face it, for years we had been watching short films for free on youtube, after some of those films you totally feel that you would be willing to pay something because the film was really good, right?, in the other hand there's a lot of horrible pieces, you feel they owe you money for the waste of time. Now with the Vidget you can avoid those terrible films, you just see which films your friends are supporting, you know your friends' taste, so if they are displaying the Vidget of any particular film is because that film is interesting! you can even ask them if is worth to buy... so you buy it, you loved it and you display the Vidget of that film too. You become part of that filmmaker's audience while you see something that make you happy, everybody wins! Plain and simple, is digital word of mouth or another form of viral marketing. Do you want to know how the Vidget would save independent filmmaking?

In this interview we talked about the future, and the future is to cut the middle man (The Big Distributors) and take the wheel of your success getting directly to your audience, well, caachi is a great way to start building that audience.

The Mini Interview

LIVING THE DREAM: Exclusive interview with Scilla Andreen, CEO of IndieFlix

Scilla Andreen is a mother, a filmmaker, CEO of IndieFlix.com and an active member of her Seattle community. Yes, in that order, that’s how I figured she’s a good mother, she put that title first: Mother.

But let’s talk about a broad meaning, we’re talking about a person that treats every project as a baby, she nurtures it, feeds it, watches it grow and then feels proud of it. IndieFlix is 4 years old and as Mozart did, is making the difference since the early years. It’s not only a distribution company it’s a distribution experience.

She’s very passionate about her life at this moment, she sounds really happy and she’s decided, along with her partner Carlo Scandiuzzi, to make IndieFlix the link between the independent filmmaker and their audience. They recently announced their deal with all the major online distributors such iTunes, Netflix, Joost, Hulu, Vudu & Tivo.

This is a long interview, almost an hour, but every second is worthy. We talked about numbers, pay-per-view streaming, DVD Distribution, Digital Distribution, Non Exclusive Rights and her latest adventure IndieFest, among many other things.

The Interview.

IFP FILM WEEK COVERING: DIY Theatrical Distribution

• As audiences for films become more segmented, how can filmmakers work directly with art house and alternative venue programmers to showcase their latest content and bring audience back to the theatres? This session will bring together DIY filmmakers and programmers to discuss what works best to market, position and program independents films in art house theatres and alternative venues to maximize financial impact for both parties.

"The old model is broken, but it's still in place and the new model it's not fully functional" this was the conclusion of Wendy Lidell, president of International Film Circuit, in other words, we're in a moment of transition where the filmmaker, specially the guerrilla filmmaker, it's in absolute control, because the studio executives and the indie filmmakers don't know how to confront the new model, but for us nothing has changed, on the contrary, we have more resources.

The panelists: Karen Cooper, Director of the Film Forum, Ned Hinkle, Director of the Brattle Theater, Cynthia Swartz partner of 42 West PR and Cora Olson, Filmmaker. Brilliantly moderated by Mark Elijah, Founder of Rooftop Films.

Highlights of the panel down here

IFP FILM WEEK COVERING: No Budget, No Problem

• How can filmmakers utilize new technologies to get their next project budgeted, developed and completed for less time and money? Hear how filmmakers around the world are actively using new technologies and innovative cross platform collaboration for creative and financial gain to get their big ideas with small budgets off the ground and out to global audiences.

My favorite quote from the panel was "Technology is no substitute for craft" by Bryan Poyser, the rest of the panel was conformed by Barry Jenkins, Todd Rohal and Melissa Scaramucci, it was moderated by Gabe Wardell, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival.

All the filmmakers agreed that the best way to start is starting! Bryan Jenkins said "Film is like a sport, you need to train to be good, and the only way to train is making films".

Funny how this entry is totally in the same line of yesterday's interview.

Here the highlights of the conference, boost the volume, I was kinda far.

IF YOU REALLY WANT IT, YOU DO IT! Exclusive interview with S. Mohen, director of the feature "Happy Holidays"

S. Mohen recently graduated from Chapman University, but before academics achievements she graduated as a filmmaker, when I asked her who are you? she said "I am just a regular girl, I love dancing, love to go to the movies and I have a cat, but if I have to define myself, I've to say that I'm a filmmaker".

I don't consider her to be an ordinary girl though, at 20 years old she already made a feature film against all odds, including some teachers at Chapman that said to her, "you cannot do this it's just too ambitious". It took determination, but she recouped her money, she's developing her second feature and she's producing a web series call On the verge. I think the risk was worthy.

She writes about what she knows. After finishing the script of Happy Holidays her friends started encouraging her to do it. 33 days on set over 6 months, a winter break, a summer vacation and $5,000 later she had it in the can. (A winter break and a summer vacation, I'm wondering if the title of the movie comes from doing this).

It took a lot of courage and support from the crew and actors, sometimes they had to bring their own food to the set, sometimes they took advantage of the meals plans at Chapman but the reality is that they confronted every obstacle, they endured they learned and they made a movie. Dillon Morris, director of photography of the film gave me this trivia: All the people involve in this film were under 22 years old. Kudos to them.

Here the interview.

...and if you want to see the film, you can get it here.

DIY 35mm ADAPTER FOR LESS THAN $200

I've been trying to put together the best resources to answer all the question about the 35mm Adaptors. If you watch the video above you're going to receive the best introduction about the subject, after that you can either...

Build your own vibrating adapter.

Buy the DIY vibrating adapter. This is an euphemism, because it will be assemble by another person.

Build your own static adapter.

Buy commercial adapters. From cheap to expensive: Letus35, Redrockmicro, P+S Technick available on B&H.