1 Way Presents...

Advice for Actors to Save Money During Recession

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Backstage Magazine has some advice for actors to save money during the recession. They list 10. Here are a couple, after the jump:

1. Use social networking websites to promote yourself or your project.

You could spend money creating a website of your own, but really, why? If you want to promote a play you're in or show off your headshots and reel, social networking sites like Facebook accomplish it beautifully. They're simple to use and free. And use Twitter to remind people that you have a show this Friday night. It's instantaneous promotion.

2. Use a good tax preparer.

I'm all for taking advantage of the free tax advice offered by the wonderful people at the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (available through SAG and Equity). But they don't have the time to work closely with you to save you money. And I say this having worked with VITA and with private tax preparers over the years. More important, in the event of an audit, a private tax preparer can accompany you and help prepare your case. That kind of help is beyond the scope of VITA.

Read the rest of this list HERE.

Lalo Goes to BLIFF

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:56:00 +0000

The short several of us worked on, Daniel Maldonado's dark comedy short LALO, is playing at the 8th Boston Latino International Film Festival on December 12, starting @ 4pm.

Lalo, a NYC Mexican delivery worker on the brink of losing his job, is given one last run to prove himself. Naturally, a series of mishaps ensue. When his bike is totaled, he steals a little pink one belonging to a 10 year-old girl, who enters in hot pursuit to get it back. The next thing he knows, Lalo finds himself in a race to the death against a Chinese delivery-man and a pimped-out punk rock bike messenger.

WINNER* BEST SHORT* HBO/NY Latino Int. Film Festival- 2009
WINNER* BEST SHORT COMEDY* Downtown Film Festival , LOS ANGELES- 2009

Join LALO's Facebook page HERE.

More about LALO and director Daniel Maldonado HERE.

"I'm Almost Not Crazy"

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:50:00 +0000

I'm Almost Not Crazy - John Cassavetes - The Man and His Work (1984) - Part 1

Throwback Sundays this week presents a fascinating documentary on Cassavetes, which takes place during the filming of Love Streams.

To see the rest, visit this CHANNEL.

Journey of an Actress - Part 3

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:54:00 +0000

Here is part 3 of Rogue Cinema's feature on the writing of our good friend Naama Kates (Cookies & Cream). They have named the 3 piece series, "Journey of an Actress." Here is some of it below, after the jump:

"Happy Thanksgiving!! I know this will run in December, but, I write this on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009, and Thanksgiving is still to come... At the end of this column I will wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and muse on how funny and alien it will seem, the date around the corner, January 1st, 2010, that impossible, science-fiction year, when it appears on the headlines of newspapers, on flyers for concerts, on invitations to weddings, on checks we will write.

But now it is Thanksgiving. And I want to give thanks. Thanks for everything I have, everyone I've loved, everything I've lost. Thanks to the angels in my life, who have been so kind to me, so encouraging and generous and warm. Thanks to the people who've offered endless patience and unflinching honesty, and the people who've grab me by the shoulders these recent months, shaken me and told me to snap out of it, the self-indulgent sadness, the self-destructive self-doubt, snap out of it, get over it, get over yourself. Thank you.

Thanks to the universe, thanks to life, how beautifully symphonic it is, and how it can always be funny, how filled with humor, irony, cosmic jokes. They are sometimes, often, painful, these jokes, and there is pain and fear and dread and confusion because we are on a journey, but we are blessed. I am blessed; I am young and free. I am not starving, or ill, or living in hiding or in constant fear of a government that will jail me if I say the wrong thing; I am not paralyzed or imprisoned."

Read the full piece HERE.

"Fullerton"

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:36:00 +0000

Here is a wonderfully inventive and rather sexy music video for the song "Fullerton" by the band Woodpecker. The clip was directed by our friend Susan Buice.

Synopsis:
Haunted by the memories of everyone else you've been with doing the same things in that same bedroom running into the same problems you realize that there is only one constant. Your dog.

More of Woodpecker's Music HERE.

Crew:
Producers: Arin Crumly and Isis Masoud
Director/Writer: Susan Buice
Assistant Director: Roger Ingraham
Cinematagprapher: Arin Crumley
Camera Assistant: Jon Baskin
Choreographer: Isis Masoud
Editor: Susan Buice and Josh Steinbauer
On site assistant editor: Niklas Schrimpf
Production Assistant: Gregg Sandler and Joe Griffin

CAST:
Josh Steinbauer
Nadia Anderson
Jennie Nau
Isis Masoud
Pete Fuss
Anna Staloch
Donovan Helma
Laura Haley
Erin Stomski
Marcus Boyle
Kayla Hubert
Stephanie Jingle
Leanne Trytko
Danny Wallace
AnthonyRusso
Chris Erk
Susie Payne
Kelsey Brikis
Kenny Corrigan
Luke Bermingham
Ashley Bannish,
Nicole Picard
Tarynn Wiehahn
Kyle Tregurtha
Liz rarrick
Eugina Williams
Gregg Sandler
Jason Shymick
Ashely Dixon
Andy Xue
Peter Pearson
Niklas Schrimpf
Roger Ingraham

(THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED) Uptown East Coast Premiere

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:59:00 +0000

(THIS EVENT POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING)

Brian Ackley's critically acclaimed debut feature film Uptown has officially become our 3rd feature film to be reviewed and selected by the NewFilmmakers NY Series Festival. Ackley reacted to this news with surprise, adding "Three films straight! What a great, storybook ending to the 'Trilogy,' so to speak." The "Trilogy" Ackley is referring to is of course Princeton Holt's Cookies & Cream, which premiered at the festival this summer, Ryan Balas' Carter which premiered at the end of last month, and of course his own Uptown, co-written by lead actors Chris Riquinha and Meissa Hampton, and Ackley himself - which were all produced by One Way or Another Productions. Uptown will have its East Coast Premiere on Saturday night, January 2nd, 2010, at 8pm, the day after New Years at the Anthology Film Archives in NYC as part of the 2010 NewFilmmakers NY Winter Series.

Based on a true story, Uptown is a character piece about a man who falls in love with a married woman. Ben has been single for a long time. For his part, he is a loner but as well a romantic: he enjoys the solitude of his simple being but appreciates intelligent and witty company just the same. By yielding to both extremes, Ben remains caught between reason and arousal.

Isabel has been married for a year. The passion that had once carried her 5-year relationship has lost its pulse. Passive, protective, and without poise, it now threatens to claim hers. Waiting in abeyance, Isabel is lost between loyalty and loneliness.

Uptown is where they come together.

"Easily relatable and filmed with a reverence for naturalism, Uptown is heightened by the fact that it comes from a true story. A gorgeous work that seems like it relishes in shooting during magic hour for the most exquisite effect."
- Jen Johans - FilmIntuition.com

"A simple yet intelligent storyline, rich and authentic dialogue, solid character development and strong performances across the board. Rather than explode with emotions and manufactured drama, 'Uptown' exists squarely in the awkward state of unknowing."
- Richard Propes - TheIndependentCritic.com

"I won't give away the end, but it'll make you rethink your relationships and give you a renewed hope in humanity."
- RogueCinema.com

Heres the official trailer:

For more about Uptown, the official site is HERE.

So you didn't get into Sundance

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Scott Macaulay over at the Filmmaker Magazine Blog, wrote a really encouraging and thought provoking post for those filmmakers that didn't get their films into Sundance this year. I think it really applies to any filmmaker, whose gotten that dreaded rejection letter from any festival. It emphasizes the DIY plan and other alternative options from commercially driven films.

So you didn’t get into Sundance….

I’m sorry.

Trust me, I feel your pain. As a producer I’ve received both the acceptance calls as well as the rejection ones. (Actually, the rejection call is sometimes not even a call, but a form email or letter.) In some cases, I’ve known that the film probably didn’t have much of a shot, although in others, the rejection came as a shock — one that threw our director and production team into a quandary over the film’s future direction.

So, what do you do if your film didn’t get into Sundance?

Read the rest of the article HERE.

Movie Night with James Toback: F for Fake

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Thursday, December 10

Thu Dec 10 at 7:00pm! IFC is bringing James Toback — the controversial writer-director whose films range from 1978’s Fingers to 2009’s Tyson – to the IFC Center for a special “Movie Night” on Thursday, December 10 at 7:00pm. Toback will be presenting one of his favorite films, Orson Welles’ late masterwork F FOR FAKE (1973), followed by a discussion with filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev (Fighter), whose recent documentary My Kid Can Paint That also tackled issues of deception and fakery in the art world.

Trickery, deceit and magic abound in Welles’s free-form documentary F FOR FAKE, with the legendary filmmaker (and self-described charlatan) gleefully engaging the central preoccupation of his career-the tenuous line between truth and illusion, art and lies. Beginning with portraits of world-renowned art forger Elmyr de Hory and his equally devious biographer, Clifford Irving, Welles embarks on a dizzying cinematic journey that simultaneously exposes and revels in fakery and fakers of all stripes-not the least of whom is Welles himself. Charming and inventive, F FOR FAKE is an inspired prank and a searching examination of the essential duplicity of cinema.

2009 Set to Break All Time Movie Gross Records

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:53:00 +0000

2009 is set to become the highest grossing year in movies, and at the moment of this posting, it still sucks to attempt to watch any half an hour or longer program, movie, etc on the screen of my friggin' phone (I tried recently. Believe me, its horrible).

The comparisons of the record industry's crash due to piracy, and the film industry's pending, subsequent demise are growing less and less relevent these days. It has been the talk of nearly every blog and cinematic doomsday prophet in the last 2 or 3 years, that we will see the movie industry tank in the same manner, as the new generation, tech savvy, pimple-faced wizards would all be getting their movie entertainment from their Miley Cyrus-stickered laptop computers and we filmmakers, producers, and studios would all be screwed. Well try telling that to the execs that released major films this year. They wont be able to hear you, they're laughing all the way to the bank.

Yes it is true. You can watch a movie on your laptop, your phone, your ipod, whatever. But as my lawyer loves to say, "You could drive all the way to the West Coast with no seatbelt and avoid an accident. Doesnt mean you should." According to these numbers, that wonderful dark room with the big screen is still the numero uno location to watch a film of any kind - mainstream, indie, DIY, micro, major, blockbuster, horror, comedy, whatever.

Variety is reporting that this year's box office earnings are nearly at 10 billion dollars so far, and counting. Recession? Whats that?

Read the article HERE.

Tom Reviews Paper Heart

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:56:00 +0000

Paper Heart (2009, Nicholas Jasenovec, dir.)

Wow. Just wow.

Paper Heart stars Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera in a wonderful film which was just released on DVD (look at me being all on time and shit). The film is about Charlyne Yi, a performance artist and comedienne who doesn't believe in love. In a series of interviews, she tries to search out the nature and meaning of love. She travels to cities all over America, speaking to real people (and some cameo making young comedians) about what love means to them. Her subjects are so open and honest, and you see Charlyne learning a bit about herself throughout the course of the film.

In the course of her interviews, she meets Michael Cera (and I swear, if he's not acting, he really IS all his characters – awkward, and slightly nerdy). She and Michael become closer, but he's annoyed by the cameras. And really, who wouldn't be? How would YOU, reader, like your love life and dates filmed for every moment? It'd really take away from all the spontaneity, huh

Watching this film, you're going to ask yourself: Is this a documentary? Is this all really happening? Does Michael Cera own a hoodie in every color? Powerful questions, those. And I'm not telling. Just sit back and watch a movie that may make you believe in love, or at least appreciate that you're love life isn't taped.

- Tom

2010 Indie Spirit Award Nominations

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:32:00 +0000

The 2010 Independent Spirit Awards were announced this morning. Here are some of the major nominees below:

Best Feature

"(500) Days of Summer"
"Amreeka"
"Precious"
"Sin Nombre"
"The Last Station"

Best Director

Ethan and Joel Coen, "A Serious Man"
Lee Daniels, "Precious"
Cary Fukunaga, "Sin Nombre"
James Gray, "Two Lovers"
Michael Hoffman, "The Last Station"

Best First Feature

"A Single Man"
"Crazy Heart"
"Easier With Practice"
"The Messenger"
"Paranormal Activity"

Best Lead Female

Maria Bello, "Downloading Nancy"
Nisreen Faour, "Amreeka"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Gwyneth Paltrow, "Two Lovers"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"

Best Lead Male

Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "(500) Days of Summer"
Souleymane Sy Savane, "Goodbye Solo"
Adam Scott, "The Vicious Kind"

To see the rest of the list HERE.

The BlakRoc Episodes

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:13:00 +0000

By far, one of the most addictive web series I've seen is Dame Dash's BlakRoc Project, a rock-rap collaboration album by Ohio-based blues rock band The Black Keys and several hip hop and R & B artists. The project has been overseen by Damon Dash, co-founder and former owner of Rocafella Records. Its contributors include Wu Tang's RZA, Raekwon, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, Jim Jones, Mos Def, Ludacris, Billy Danze of MOP, Q -Tip of A Tribe Called Quest and several others.

After Damon Dash began listening to The Black Keys, who he says became his favorite band, he reached out to the musicians to meet in person. Dash suggested that they enter the studio with Jim Jones, with whom Dash has recently partnered to form Splash Records. While recording, Mos Def interrupted the session, and ended up recording with them as well. This is also special because it was the rare, and arguably only chance occurance possible where these two artists of vastly different musical tastes and personal characteristics, could come together on a record of any kind. With new artists being called in to work on the album, it was completed after only eleven days recording.

These webisodes are the only documentation of this rare project and the process itself. Enjoy the debut episode below:

Full Series HERE.

Richard Propes Reviews Carter

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:47:00 +0000

The Independent Critic wrote an incredible review of Ryan Andrew Balas' experimental narrative 2nd feature, Carter, in conjunction with the film's World Premiere tomorrow night (November 24th) at 8:45 pm at the Anthology Film Archives as part of the NewFilmmakers Fall Series.

Here is some of this amazing piece, after the jump:

"Haven't we all made really insane promises?

It may be a product of immaturity or youthful disenfranchisement or any number of other things that seem to go through our brains during our young adult years, but it seems practically impossible to escape the early to mid-20's without at least one genuinely questionable decision.

In three days, Jebediah Sminch (Mark Robert Ryan) is going to kill himself. He's never been happier.

Such is the premise for "Carter," the latest flick from the folks at One Way or Another Productions and co-writer/director Ryan Andrew Balas. Referring to the film as an "experimental narrative," Balas and his co-writers and co-stars have constructed a film that transcends the traditional boundaries of cinema by allowing the characters to live outside the constraints of plot structure, logical storyline and, throughout much of the film, even the confines of the spoken word.

At the age of 17, Sminch made a sacred promise that if he was not married by the time he reached his 23rd birthday he would end his life before he reached his 25th year.

Sminch's 25th year is a mere three days away.

Yet, as one might expect, there is a catch.

Carter (Julia Porter Howe)."

Read the full review HERE.

CARTER Festival Trailer from Ryan Balas on Vimeo.

www.carterthemovie.com

Leaving Las Vegas

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:42:00 +0000

Throwback Sundays this week reflects on the theme of suicide, which is the underlying subject of Ryan Andrew Balas' controversial 2nd feature Carter, which we are celebrating in wake of its approaching World Premiere at The Anthology Film Archives on this coming Tuesday, November 24 @8:45 pm, as part of the NewFilmmakers fall series festival.

Leaving Las Vegas

Director: Mike Figgis

Cast: Nicholas Cage, Elizabeth Shue

This drama is about the absolute love between two people that live on society's border who need each other to know that they exist. In this tale, much emphasis is placed on simplicity, spontaneity and directness, so we can focus on the true story without being distracted from the normal every day routines these characters have. A degree of realism is achieved in this movie, because the fact remains that Ben is an alcoholic, although he does drink in extremes where the normal human being would be unconscious, and Sera is a prostitute, so the intense situations and decisions in this movie are reasonably depicted.

For more about Carter, visit it's official website.

Carter Premiere After-Party Announced

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:36:00 +0000

The after-party for November 24th's World Premiere of Carter has been announced. After the film is over, we will spill over into the Arlo & Esme bar (A & E) on 42 E. 1st St., which is around the corner from Anthology Film Archives, where the film will be playing. The film begins at 8:45 pm, and with Q & A, should have us leaving the venue at around 10:30 into the bar. The drink specials for the night are $3 Budweisers, $5 House Drinks!

Story:

Jeb is committing suicide in 3 days. And he is the happiest he has ever been. At the age of 17, Jeb made a bet / vow that if he wasn't married by the time he was 23, he would kill himself at the age of 25. Carter takes place 3 days before his 25th birthday.

About the Film:

Ryan Andrew Balas' second feature was a collaboration with One Way or Another Productions and partly DP'ed by Brian Ackley, writer/director of Uptown. The film has been reviewed well by several bloggers and critics, including James Wegg , Ron Moore, and Tom an d Mary Russell. It was screened in the UK and chosen to screen in Australia in 2010.

The Premiere:

Carter is having its World Premiere here in NYC at the Anthology Film Archives on November 24, @ 8:45 pm as part of the NewFilmmakers Fall Series 2009.

The Trailer:

CARTER Festival Trailer from Ryan Balas on Vimeo.

www.carterthemovie.com

Tom's Corner

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:44:00 +0000

In this installment, Tom reviews a Hollywood movie he doesn't think is pure crap. That film is "The Goods." Happy reading!

The Goods 2009 Neal Brennan, Dir.

This is gonna be a short one, so hold on to your butts and lets get going...

“The Goods” (starring the incomparable Jeremy Piven as Don “The Goods” Ready) is a simple “formula comedy.” Let me give you my definition to start the ball rolling. What you have is a basic story of a lead character, usually selfish and living a life of happy unconcerned slackerdom or excess (Hollywood say 'you be unmarried and childless past thirty, you bad person') who, through one (or several) new person(s) becoming part of their life, change into a better person themselves. Wacky sidekicks are a must, as are bets or contests to drive the plot along. It eventually becomes about “doing the right thing” instead of winning the bet or contest. Wacky sidekicks are so loyal and change with them so fast I'm surprised they don't slobber and hump their legs. Oh yeah, there are also other wacky supporting cast members, usually actors who look vaguely familiar. Want some examples? Ok, how about “Employee of the Month,” “National Lampoon's Van Wilder, ” “Run Fatboy Run,” and “PCU” which stars...Jeremy Piven.

All you need to know is that each character fulfills their role adequately. Kathryn Hahn is the one of the guy's girl, David Koechner is the most trusted and loyal of sidekicks, and Ving Rhames is...yeah, he's the black guy. Thanks Hollywood. Some bright spots include Charles Napier as the angriest car salesman around, Dick Lewiston, Tony Hale and Ken Jeong as their usual social misfit characters, and Craig Robinson as DeeJay Request. Craig Robinson ALWAYS makes me laugh, no matter what he does.

So, in short, should you see “The Goods?” Yeah, it's a funny way to kill an hour and a half. Will you remember it in a few weeks? Probably not.

A Producer's Rant About Rude Film Festivals

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Still from Cookies & Cream

Let me start off by saying how grateful I am to film festivals that have screened our films all over. I don't want to be unappreciative, its hard enough to play one fest. I especially appreciate those fests that do things the right way, you know, the courteous way. This rant is not for you.

Ok. I haven't decided how to handle a particular situation I've just discovered, so I figured I'd use our growing readership for the sake of interaction, and in this case, advice. I need your collective advice on this one.

I remember how strange it was when one of our family members literally stumbled on the discovery that 3 of our films (Carter, Uptown, and Cookies & Cream) had played in Scotland at the Deep Fried Film Festival. Which was enough to piss me off personally, because I've been trying to visit Scotland for a couple of years now. This would have been the perfect "excuse."

The problem was of course, that the festival neglected to inform us we were even selected! This became one of the hottest topics at a couple Q and A sessions at the great Idaho International Film Festival, where Paul Osborne's Official Rejection had just ruffled the feathers and opened up the can of bad, festival-story worms. Bruce Fletcher, IIFF's program director, was especially heated about our 3 films, and these Deep Fried Freaks. He brought this up all over my Facebook page, his Facebook page, then multiple times in Idaho. I remember laughing to Brian Ackley and Ryan Balas, the directors of the other 2 films, and feeling like we were just happy someone was playing our movie in the UK. So what they neglected to inform us? Nonsense.

I get Fletcher's frustration now. He was really offended for us, based on the fact that the fest probably charged something for the screenings. Then, they are screening your SCREENER for god's sakes. I mean, c'mon. Can't you give me a chance to ship over a projectable version to you, either on a different format or the same one? What about the opportunity for the filmmaker to reach out to some people in the UK who may have seen the film and liked it? Can a brother get a list of guests' emails, or have them join our Facebook fan page? Something?

Yeah at first you may think its cool to be selected, but when you are stripped of the opportunity to a) know about it, b) talk to someone about how your film will be screened and what technical settings may or may not work best, and c) to consider, and plan your trip, then you feel kinda jipped.

Well it happened again. This is why I decided to write this rant, because if we start enough of a stink, maybe other fests (regardless of where they are located) will learn some of the most simple lessons of submitting-filmmaker etiquette.

I recently discovered that Cookies & Cream played overseas at the Birmingham Black International Film Festival in Birmingham, UK @ 12pm (awful slot, I know, but not worst than Uptown's in Seattle) on Thursday, October 29th (here's the PROOF) I can't even remember what I was doing on the 29th. But it sure wasn't knowing my film was playing at that VERY MINUTE IN THE UK. No email. No call. No postcard. Not even a social networking site message. Weird.

I would have loved to know who saw it, what they thought, where I can let them know about the DVD release updates, where else it will play in the world, or even just say "hello." Forward them to our myspace page. Or Facebook. Or something.

Two ways I can handle this. We can get Bruce Fletcher on 'em, and he can blog on here with us and blast away at festivals that do this, afterwhich we would encourage the spreading of that potentially harsh and critical "warning" that would include a nice little review over at sqirrl.com, or, I can email the festival and see if they will get back to me. And see if they can provide me a reason, or a thank you, or list of names, or the number in attendance, or something. And see if they answer me.

Think the second option is the easy answer? Of course it is. Because you are LOGICAL (well most of you are). But you'd be surprised. Getting an answer from strange festivals like this is tougher than you think. Hell, Deep Fried still hasn't given us one.

- Princeton

Official Rejection is on DVD!

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Our friend Paul Osborne's hit documentary Official Rejection is now available on DVD! Learn more about the film or purchase it HERE.

Ron Moore Examines Carter

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Ron Moore, wrote a very detailed, expressive piece on Carter, the 2nd feature film by Ryan Andrew Balas. Carter is having its World Premiere on November 24th 2009 @ 8:45 pm, at the Anthology Film Archives in NYC as part of the NewFilmmakers fall series festival. MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

"In the book of life truth is found in the margins. It is in between the lines where the essence of who we are exists in the white spaces that no words can describe. By that standard, and it is a high standard, Carter, a film by Ryan Andrew Balas, is an exquisite meditation on life.

We are aware going into the film that Jebediah Sminch has made a vow to end his life in three days. What we don’t know is why he finds being so unbearable. Or does he? That is the mystery that in a sense is wrapped in the contradiction that is his life and love who is Carter. Rarely does a filmmaker have the courage to film real intimacy but Balas does it successfully and with aplomb. The rich textures of the film are captured in such a way that one could imagine each screenshot painstakingly framed as if it were to be a portrait hung in a gallery. There’s something special about a film that draws you in to its textures."

Read the full piece HERE.

Ron Moore writes about Special Interests and Grassroots politics for Examiner.com and is a regular contributor to The Union Edge radio show. You can read more by Ron HERE and HERE.

How Effective are Twitter and Facebook...Really?

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Reid Rosefelt's calculations reveal Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites might be less effective than we have been led to believe. As a content provider, content producer, filmmaker, etc, I have seen first hand the near ineffectiveness of links, Facebook events invites, tweets, bulletins, etc., and besides our already close group of friends and collaborators (old college buddies and family members too), reaching out to brand new people, from my vantage point, has brought in very few brand new viewers, customers, attendees, or audience members. For example, I found that picking up the telephone and calling people in my address book was far more effective in getting butts into theatres, than anything I had tweeted, or posted. I have seen other filmmakers try to book screenings purely by the internet, or their blogs, or a facebook announcement, and come up nearly empty-handed. Sure your friends will come out and support you (sometimes), but how do you reach that "stranger"?

When I was in Idaho for the film festival, I did my own research and found that besides other filmmakers, the majority of the people in my 2nd, very crowded screening had simply read about it in the festival bulletin and thought it sounded interesting. No one had picked up my press cards, one sheets, or poster then went online to read about it. They read about it in the newspaper coverage of the festival and the festival line up publication itself. In fact, most of the marketing was our poster. In the film's Facebook Fan page, I even photo-documented the process of actual, potential audience members seeing our poster, then looking closer to read about the story, then making the decision to walk inside the theatre, pay the 8 bucks (or whatever it was) to see the movie. The two senior women (grandmothers, mind you) became my two favorite audience members and Q & A participators ever on the festival circuit. And according to them, they "dont really deal with computers a whole bunch."

Fact is, the internet may have "democratized" advertising for today's content creator, but traditional marketing still proves to be the tried and true method of reaching people and getting your message across (outside of the machine of a studio backed movie - ala' Paranormal Activity). This article really got me thinking. As Jay-Z says, "men lie, women lie, but numbers don't."

Here is some of this revealing article from Indiepix - after the jump:

Twittering Away At Life
Reid Rosefelt founded SPEED CINE to index on-line content. His site is speedcine.com.

"The first thing you learn when you go on Twitter is that nearly everyone on there is a Social Media Marketing Expert. I realize that being a Social Media Marketing Maven on Twitter is commensurate to writing that you savor long walks on the beach in your Match.com profile, but it got me thinking: if each one of these geniuses could generate a thousand dollars out of their social media skills, we are talking billions of dollars. And if there were ten thousand of them that were really savvy… that is trillions of dollars, my friends. That’s starting to look like some serious money. And it’s all from tweets.

Why are you reading this? My friends told me I would be insane to launch a business without taking advantage of this action. All I had to do was join Facebook and Twitter, learn about Digg and reddit and Delicious and StumbleUpon and I could sit back and people would link to my site in droves.

I probably spent over a thousand hours learning how to get the fullest use out of these things, and that doesn’t count the endless posting and tweeting. And these things were like heroin; they started to take over my life. I couldn’t look at a sunset without wanting to take a picture on my iPhone and post it to my FaceBook account. I would have serious anxiety about how many utter strangers I would allow to join my real friends on Facebook.

But I also used pre-social media skills, like writing a blog and sending out emails and press releases.

When I opened up SpeedCine a few weeks ago, I was very surprised when I looked at my analytics. There was no arguing with the facts. The links from my conventional marketing efforts were in the thousands; the links from Twitter were in the tens. For example, I wrote a blog post on John Hughes and posted a link on Twitter, and didn’t get a single retweet. But some people who got my email put a link to my post up on their blogs, which were seen by other bloggers until I got almost 4000 unique visitors in a single day."

Read the rest of this article HERE.

Tom Russell Interviews Ryan Andrew Balas

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

As the buzz grows for the World Premiere of Ryan Andrew Balas' 2nd feature film Carter, Tom Russell of TurtleNeck Films conducted a great, in depth interview with him. They hit some pretty deep topics, and he lets Tom's readers in on his creative process and the world that was created with his controvesial, experimental narrative film. Here is some of it after the jump:

I reviewed Ryan Andrew Balas's second film, Carter, back in June; on November 24th, it will be playing at New York's Anthology Film Archives. In anticipation of his film's premiere, Ryan and I had a short discussion via e-mail, about Carter, dividing audiences, the biblical Jephthah, and improvisation. (Spoilers below, though knowing what happens in the film spoils none of the magic of how.)

TOM: Sminch. The name itself is a little odd, Jeb Sminch, and he has these big glasses and moustache, he has this very particular body language, this very peculiar way of looking at things, his vow-- every aspect of his character seems to otherize him, to keep us at a distance, on the outside. We never really get to "know" him. Was this something that was planned from the outset? Was the question of "why" he does it ever intended to be resolved, even obliquely, or was it always a MacGuffin, a way to get the story going, to get us into this world and these characters?

RYAN: Jebadiah Sminch, as a character, is designed to have some moral ambiguity. I feel like it's important that he asks more questions than he answers, not just on an intellectual level but to serve as a defense mechanism to the aspects of life and himself, that he doesn't really understand. From the story point of view, the concept is certainly an entrance into a life that has a lot of layers but nothing about Jeb Sminch was created to merely push plot. I just wanted to spend time exploring someone who found this life to be so absurd that they felt they deserved the last laugh.

TOM: To be clear, I didn't mean to imply that anything about him was created mechanically for plot purposes-- he's a very organic and I think well-drawn character-- it's just that the film operates so much outside of him, that it is, as the title implies, really from Carter's point-of-view, and that, even after he "explains" why he's doing it, the audience, like Carter, still doesn't have a full understanding. I think-- and I could be wrong about this, as I certainly haven't sat down and measured it out minute-by-minute-- but I'm pretty sure Carter actually has more screen-time than he does, and other than the short prologue, she's given the first and the final scenes, the first and the last word, if you will. What prompted the decision to focus on Carter or to approach Sminch mostly through her eyes?

RYAN: Everything returns to Carter. As we shot the film, I found this to be true, over and over, the world seemed to revolve around Carter. For Jeb, it's not so much about whether or not he is ready to go through with his vow, but if he can truly leave her. We made the decision, after shooting the first bedroom scene with Julia (Carter), that we needed to see Jeb Sminch's life through the reflection in her eyes. I think, at some level, Carter represents the part of Jeb, that doesn't really understand this life. She is the question, he's asking.

TOM: So would you say that the greater emphasis on Carter evolved during the production? I know that the film's dialogue at least was largely improvised-- how improvised would you say the film was structurally/stylistically? Did you always have the same ending in mind? Or how about the scene with the two women going through his clothes?

See Ryan's answer and the full interview HERE.

From Sandcastles to Carter to Mother-Sister

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:53:00 +0000

The Evolution of a DIY Filmmaker:

This week on Throwback Sundays, we examine and celebrate our friend Ryan Andrew Balas and the body of feature film work he has built, as he prepares for the World Premiere of his 2nd feature film Carter, at the Anthology Film Archives on the 24th of November 2009.

Sandcastles - 2007

This was Ryan's first feature film, shot on a shoestring budget with close friends, while borrowing an HDV camera on weekends. The film had a premiere screening in NYC before going to DVD on self release.

"We build sand castles knowing that the tide will come and take them away. Many relationships are the same way, built to be destroyed. This is a film about the arc of a relationship told through three different couples."

Carter - 2008

Ryan's second feature was a collaboration with One Way or Another Productions and partly DP'ed by Brian Ackley, writer/director of Uptown. Ryan chose to try working under a sometimes more restraining but comprehensive company structure, to allow himself the luxury of wearing less hats and concentrate more on directing. His experiment has definitely reaped its rewards. The film has been reviewed well by several bloggers and critics, including James Wegg and Tom and Mary Russell. It was screened in the UK , chosen to screen in Australia in 2010, and is having its world premiere here in NYC at the Anthology Film Archives on November 24, @ 8:45 pm as part of the NewFilmmakers Fall Series 2009.

"Jeb is committing suicide in 3 days. And he is the happiest he has ever been. At the age of 17, Jeb made a bet / vow that if he wasn't married by the time he was 23, he would kill himself at the age of 25. Carter takes place 3 days before his 25th birthday."

CARTER Festival Trailer from Ryan Balas on Vimeo.

Mother, Sister - 2009

Ryan's 3rd feature's production budget was funded primarily using online donation assistant sites promoted thru social networking. The film is about two sisters that spend a week together at their famous father's summer home. The film stars Joe Swanberg (Alexander the Last, Hannah Takes the Stairs) Deirdre Herlihy (Carter, Sandcastles, Uptown) Jace Nicole (Cookies & Cream, Razorblade City), and Ryan himself. Once again rounding up some close friends and collaborators, Ryan shot the film in less than 2 weeks. It is currently in post-production and word is, its looking good.

Mother/Sister TEASER from Ryan Balas on Vimeo.

For more about Mr. Balas visit his official website, and make sure if you are in NYC on the 24th of November, come and check out the premiere. Here is the info.

Date Number One To Do 8 Screenings @ Art Gallery in Brooklyn

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:52:00 +0000

Blogger Sujewa Ekanayake, who often blogs about DIY filmmaking, made a film not long ago called Date Number One - a feature length comedy about four first dates. The film is being screened 8 times in NYC, in an experimental, self made promotional art gallery run, in conjunction with the DVD release of the film.

Ekanayake was the first blogger to write about Barry Jenkins' Medicine for Melancholy - a DIY film that made one of the biggest splashes a film of its kind has ever had. Barry himself credited Sujewa in this interview we read recently (you can read it HERE). He was also the first to write about Cookies & Cream, my first feature film. When it came to DIY filmmaking, you could rarely google or research any relative topic, and not come up with Ekanayake's writing. I have discovered a few interesting DVDs of films made by local artists thru his blog as well.

Sujewa's Date Number One art gallery run is began its fund raising campaign at kickstarter. Here is what his explanation is concerning his plan for the project:

"My goal is to show a movie I made - Date Number One (story 1 of 4 from the movie is emdedded above) - at an emerging art gallery in Brooklyn - Aeon Logic - throughout December (8 screenings planned, every Wed & Fri in December, except 12/25 Fri). Each screening will also have a different opening act (local artists or activists, full list by 12/1). On top of that, I want to make 1000 DVDs & make them available for sale through mail order or at the screenings. Support from the Kickstarter community will help make this project a success - as it would provide time & money for publicity & proper management of the project (plus a lot more, see below). Also, this project, if successful, could serve as a useful example to other indie filmmakers - approaching indie film distribution more like an arts exhibition project - working with a gallery or another accessible alternative space as a painter would, for a series of screenings spread out over a relatively long period of time, and producing the simple, not-requiring-a-lot-of-workers project for a relatively low budget - such an approach might be very useful to some indie filmmakers & projects when it comes to distribution."

For backstory, to read what gifts and perks you will receive with your support, and to support this project with a donation, please visit kickstarter.

Here is the first story in Date Number One, below:

Start Over - Date Number One Story 1 from Sujewa Ekanayake on Vimeo.

www.diyfilmmaker.blogspot.com

Uncovered Films Reviews Cookies & Cream

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:34:00 +0000

Uncovered Films, a film with several interesting pieces on films of all kinds, wrote a really cool, honest, and comprehensive review of Cookies & Cream. Check out some of Matthew Watt's piece after the jump:

"From the outside, Cookies & Cream may seem similar to another film we've covered, named "One Hour Fantasy Girl". One Hour Fantasy Girl even follows a similar path - that of a girl on a struggle to find herself, while working an odd-job to pay the rent.

However, now I have a better frame of reference, having watched Cookies & Cream; and I can clearly see what is lacking in 1HFG that C&C has in abundance... heart."

Read the full review HERE.

For more about Cookies & Cream visit the official site HERE.

Acclaimed Anti-Gang Violence Play “One Hour 2 Live” Featuring “Brick City” Stars Begins Run at Essex County College on Friday, November 13 at 7 Pm

info@1wayoranother.net (1Way or Another) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:38:00 +0000

From the official press release of The Daily Newarker:

“ONE HOUR 2 LIVE” BEGINS ITS RUN AT ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE

ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13th AT 7:00 PM

Theater production features “Brick City” stars Jayda, Creep and Jiwe;
aims to curb gang-violence among Newark’s youth

November 11, 2009 – Acclaimed play “One Hour 2 Live” is coming to Newark’s Essex County College this Thursday, November 12th and Friday, November 13TH at 7 p.m.. A powerhouse production that seeks to educate young people about the perils of gang violence, it features performances by Jessica “Jayda” Jacques, Darel “Creep” Evans, and Dashaun “Jiwe” Morris, stars of the Sundance docu-series “Brick City.”

“One Hour 2 Live: The Cold-Blooded Reality of Gang Murders” centers on a young Death Row inmate in his last hour of life as he reflects on his violent past and the many victims he’s left behind. It has played in New York and cities across New Jersey including North Brunswick, Edison, Jersey City, Summit and East Orange, and provides audiences with an intense look into the gang violence that plagues urban communities throughout the nation.

“Far too often we think of things in hindsight – what could I have done differently; what if I hadn’t followed behind this one or that one,” said Writer-Director Reverend Princeton Holt. “I wrote this play because I believe that such a vital issue deserves a more proactive, aggressive approach that addresses the root of the problem, not just the problem itself.”

The production has been hailed by municipalities throughout the Tri-state area for its unflinching look at gang violence and the radical impact it has on our children and our neighborhoods. The North Brunswick Township Police Department praised the play for its usefulness in teaching young students the dangers of gangs, saying that they “highly recommend it for police departments, educators and schools because today gang violence has the serious potential to affect anyone.”

Following the play, the audience is treated to a multi-media presentation by Reverend Holt, “Why Kids Kill.” The presentation discusses the subject of gang violence in more depth, inviting members to share their own personal experiences or encounters with gangs. Many times the discussions involve parents and children of innocent victims, or testimonies from gang members themselves. This part, Rev. Holt believes, is a key component of communicating the play’s message.

“If we’re going to save our communities and our children from gangs, we must focus first on the circumstances that push them to gangs in the first place,” he says. “This means truly talking and listening to each other. That’s the only way we’re going to survive.”

WHAT: “One Hour 2 Live: The Cold-Blooded Reality of Gang Murders.”

WHO: Stars of Sundance docu-series “Brick City,” Jessica “Jayda” Jacques, Darel “Creep” Evans, and Dashaun “Jiwe” Morris; Shannone Holt; Turron Kofi Alleyne.

WHEN: Thursday, November 12th and Friday, November 13th at 7:00 PM

WHERE: Essex County College
Mary Burch Theater
303 University Avenue
Newark, NJ

PRESS CONTACT: Janet A. Dickerson – (201) 356-9219
Jaydi25@gmail.com

***MEDIA MUST RSVP VIA EMAIL OR AT THE ABOVE PHONE NUMBER***