Studio
Internet Etiquette For Actors
7/7/2009 at 1:57 PM by Amy Allen
Casting Director Paul Russell's two recent advice articles on backstage pertain to the the way actors present themselves online, both on social networking sites and in email. Since Massify has a social networking component, it makes sense to expand on the topic.
First, email, since it's easier. Russell says, "For any professional, electronic correspondence an actor's email address should include the performer's name or part of it. Such as: NormaDesmond@whatever.com, N.Desmond@whatever.com
Norma_D@whatever.com, etc."
He's right, of course, and I would encourage actors to take this a step further. Acting is a business and you are selling yourself, the product. Nobody today would have a business without a website, so you should use the email address that comes with your domain name, if possible (norma@normadesmond.com, to continue using Russell's example).
Fun with Crowd-Funding
6/5/2009 at 1:28 PM by Suraj Das
Have a terrific idea for a feature film, but strapped for cash? Being part of a tight-knit community of filmmakers and movie-buffs may be more helpful than you think. More and more filmmakers are turning to crowd-funding to finance their films - and this helpful article from 'The Age of Stupid' provides a great crash course for anyone interested in trying the method themselves.
Crowd-funding is a relatively new approach to raising money, but there have already been a number of notable success stories. Early last year, singer-songwriter Jill Sobule launched a campaign to raise $85,000 for a new album via fan donations on her website, jillsnextrecord.com. Fans received gifts and swag, such as free song downloads and the opportunity to attend studio recording sessions, in return for their donations. The complete amount was raised in roughly 50 days, and Sobule was able to use the money to produce, manufacture, distribute, and advertise a brand new album, "California Dreams."
The Big Media Picture
5/29/2009 at 2:32 PM by Amy Allen
Henry Jenkins on Transmedia - November 2009 from niko on Vimeo.
Sometimes it helps to think about the big picture, and this video, by MIT professor Henry Jenkins (by way of Scott Kirsner's blog) will force you to do just that. It perfectly encapsulates the flux that our media culture is in right now, and it's inspiring to anybody who is trying to get their message out there. The question remains, though, as to which messages will rise about the noise: will it be those that are most compelling, or those messages pushed by people who are most adept at getting their voices heard?
52 Reasons Why American Indie Film Will Flourish
5/26/2009 at 1:02 PM by Amy Allen
Ted Hope, always a master of the fact-packed list, just posted 52 Reasons Why American Indie Film Will Flourish. Since he asks others to add onto the (extremely comprehensive) list, I would add:
53. For those starting out, there are more networking opportunities outside of film school. While a formal program has never been a prerequisite for quality work, it's still important as a place to network. While important, film school is also expensive, and if you're only plucking those who can pay from the talent pool, the quality almost certainly diminishes. Tutorials and film theory distributed to the masses online can help everybody develop their skills. The best training is to go out and make something anyhow, which has never been easier.
54. Unions like SAG are embracing the importance of independent film. SAG Indie has an intuitive website and offers affordable contracts to movies with lower budgets, allowing everybody access to experienced talent.
55. Building on #42, while a lot of attention has been placed the falling prices of digital production equipment, projectors are just as important. As more studios pay for digital projectors to be installed in major theaters, those theaters will be better equipped to screen independent fare and indie filmmakers won't have to budget for that expensive 35mm print, allowing both small films and theatrical distribution to survive.
Ted's List is a must read. Check it out.
Notes on Building a Fan Base
4/28/2009 at 11:53 AM by Amy Allen
Scott Kirsner recently participated in a panel about building an audience for your work, along with Brian Chirls, Sean Flynn, and Chris Holland. The complete audio is available for streaming and downloading on his blog, CinemaTech. If you don't have time to listen to the entire clip, here are the main points, as they apply to independent filmmakers.
-Since it's easier than ever to make and distribute your work, more filmmakers are doing so, which means there is a tremendous amount of noise you must break through.
-To do this, think about the marketing aspects of your film before you even begin production. As soon as you have a name, put up a website and start from there. Own that presence. Marketing today is dependent on being found if somebody wants to find you. So name your film something that is able to be googled, like a memorable phrase that you don't hear all the time. Own that phrase and start building awareness around it.
The profile page goes under the knife
5/21/2008 at 4:38 PM by Amy Allen
The profile page got a makeover. We love the new look; what do you think?
>> Read more
Massify Launch
2/8/2008 at 4:22 PM by Amy Allen
To those of you who are checking us out for the first time, Massify is a production network for filmmakers, actors and everybody involved in the filmmaking process.
