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Truly Free Film

16 Predictions For The Film Biz 2015 And Beyond

"Stare into the sun"
“Stare into the sun”

Okay, I did not get it all right last year.  Perhaps you think my crystal ball had a crack in it. But I did not say they would all hit this year. Check back on 2014’s predictions come the 2020’s and you might be surprised how right I am. Or not, but still if we don’t look at where we think we are going, how are we to pave the roads to take us there?

So what I do I predict this year for the years ahead? In examining this list, take in mind that I am not advocating for these developments, nor am I ranking them.  I just took the moments needed to examine where we are today, what’s been said, and where it may all lead. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and where you think it may go too.

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Truly Free Film

Brave Thinkers and Doers 2013 (Indie Film Division)

A Field In England” – The whole team behind Ben Wheatley’s movie deserves a big shout out.  They did something truly different and structured their business to do so from the start.  Day and Date? check.  Transparency? check.  Enhanced value beyond the feature film product? check. Sharing of knowledge for community benefit? check.  Social media engagement? check.  Revenue sharing? check. Read all about this truly innovative strategy here, courtesy of BFI (see below). I look forward to seeing how you apply it to your own practice.

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The British Film Institute (BFI) – This institution makes the list of individuals not because I think corporations are at all like people (Repeal Citizens United!), but because they are taking the lead in heeding the call for greater transparency in film revenue reporting. We will not be able to build a sustainable global indie film culture or enterprise without such facts.  The BFI’s GREAT listing of films & case studies of how distribs are using new ways of reaching audiences, such as using new marketing techniques, new distribution platforms or innovative exhibition models is a must read for anyone interested in finding a way to support themselves or others by making films and taking responsibility for them. bit.ly/18p4i8M

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Shane CaruthShane Carruth – Shane probably should make this list just for making another one of his movies.  

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Truly Free Film

Distribution Case Study Masterlist

HopeForFilm Distribution Case Study Masterlist
HopeForFilm Distribution Case Study Masterlist

Okay, I am disappointed. Again.  This is 2013.  It’s not what I thought the future would look like. Don’t get me started, but I did think things would be better for us, and  certainly in the Direct Distribution world.  I thought we knew that we were all in this together.  I thought we knew that if we shared information it would lift us all up higher.  That is why I created this blog after all.  But of course if knowledge and information changed behavior, no one would smoke, eat refined sugar, or have unprotected sex. But I digress… I went looking for all the Distribution Case Studies I could find, and have compiled them for you.  

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My Films

Sight & Sound Names STARLET “1 to Watch @ London BFI Fest”

Sean Baker’s latest feature, STARLET was chosen by Sight & Sound as one of the 30 films to see at BFI London Film Festival.  Quite an honor to be on this list among so many important films.  http://www.bfi.org.uk/news/london-film-festival-2012-30-recommendations

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Bowl Of Noses Truly Free Film

Hey Kids! See These Films Before You Get 2B 14!

I love lists!  I mean, I LOVE lists!!  They are the gateway to educated choice.  You how “they” are always selling you something?  Well, it’s because they have learned that when you don’t really know what you want, it’s much easier to make you act on impulse.  When you know what you want, you don’t give away your money stupidly.  Informed choice allows you to get more of what you want.  Informed choice makes you more satisfied and thus happier.  Who wouldn’t want to have more stuff they like and to be happier?

So you have to learn what you want.  And that is where lists come in.  I have lists that are so full I have more than enough films to keep me satisfied well past my life expectancy. I won’t run out of movies I WANT to watch until I am 110.  And since they are going to keep making them, by the time I am 110 I will probably have enough movies I have CHOSEN to see to carry me past the age of 200.

So what do you want to watch?  Or, perhaps, what do you want your children to watch?  Did you know that the British Film Institute has a list of the Top 50 Films To See Before You Are 14?  It’s darn awesome.  And there are some on that list that I still haven’t seen and I am almost 50.  I better live to be 110.  I am going to start exercising just so I can watch more movies.

These are the BFI’s Top Ten To See Before You Turn Age 14:

But you know what?  The BFI is not the only entity that has made a supercool list of movies to see.  Filmmakers Mark Cousins and Tilda Swinton made some great lists and then did it up one step better, helping really cool kids everywhere organize parties around great flix.  A party AND a movie?  Does it get much better than that.  Check out 8 1/2 Foundation now!!!!!!!

One last question: why are all these lists from British institutions? Where are the American counterparts? Or Swiss? Or Chinese? Or Australian? Help!

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Let's Make Better Films

Required Reading: Most Influential Film Books

Sight & Sound sounds off on their top five film books.  I’ve written a bit about my most influential film books previously.   I would add Story Of The Eye, Camera Lucida, Ways Of Seeing, and The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch to this list.  They may not really about film, granted, but they taught me about film for sure.