Movie Marathon- Gun Crazy to Miike

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So recently Ive been watching, or letting run on the TV while I work, a lot of movies. A lot of it is stuff I have seen, a habit of mine. I listen to them rather than music sometimes while I work. If I get tired or need to take a break I can look up and watching for a moment and then get back to my research or what have you. Recently I have watched, Gun Crazy, an Asian flick with some sorta super star - Rei Kikukawa. I am not sure how famous she is but upon looking her up she seems to have been in some big stuff, maybe not the best work though. I saw some Godzilla remakes or something. To be honest if you are a film person this is a good flick to watch, just don't spend a lot of money on it. It is just a chopped Frankenstein of scenes from other flicks including some Quentin Tarantino stuff, and things like Point of No Return or - La Femme Nikita .... I dare some one to count all the references in this film. It is fun to watch, but kinda of ridiculous. I picked it up for about 2$ and felt it was worth every penny. Good Popcorn flick, and the name is honestly why I grabbed it. Of course the original American film Gun Crazy, and it other various titles, is a classic.
The Asian version also says "Episode 2" so I am curious if it is a TV movie or what? Probably just a sequel, but I will have to look into that.
The other flicks I watched in my spree have been The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, Mommy Dearest, Meat Train, Dead Pool, Gozu, Lost in Translation.
Mommy Dearest and The Man Who Shot liberty Valence are old favorites of mine. And I would say are the kinda of films every one should see if they claim to love films. GOZU, is a rare treat from director Takshi Miike, who apparently is in love with David Lynch films.... OK if I have to say anything else to get you to go see this movie than its probably not for you. But its like nothing you have ever seen before. Meat Train is a new flick, whole title, Midnight Meat Train.... interesting DP work, some of it very cool, some of it just more of the same stuff we have seen before. I am going to be looking into this one some more. If you know who "Bullet Tooth Tony" is then this maybe a film for you.
I would love to rant on and on but I have to get to some other work. Let me close by saying that the more I watch films the more I feel apart of its community. There is something that bonds us all. Even if you hate the film or dislike the director when you see them in interviews, you have to see that they too are putting there minds on display for every one to criticize. That they completed the project is sometimes more of a triumph than we can ever know.... So I suddenly find myself more open to watching things and sitting back to say, hey that's cool. Not the first time I've seen it or totally unforeseeable, but man, Looks good. I bet they are proud of that.
PS- If you ever get to watch interviews with Director Miike, let me just say that he amazes me. And I wish more people had the humble approach to the work that he does. I suspect he has a lot of fun and is very happy doing what he does.

OK that's it for today guys. Later
Jack

East Coast Filmmakers..... Come out to play!

Independent Film Makers.... Come out to playyyyyyyyyy!
Hi guys. So, Down Poor Pictures is growing fast. We have done three films together. Sam and I started with STRAW DOGS END in 2007 for less than $3,000.00. Our last film with Zamani Production, RINGSIDE ROSARY, cost us less than $10,000.00. Our next film we have raised around $47,000.00 for already and we are looking to raise more.
We found a large loving film community here in Asheville, NC. We also discovered that all over the east coast there seems to be a small army spread out and lost wandering as individuals. We have begun uniting these people on the common ground that we want to make films that surprise everyone, from Hollywood to Bali-Wood, and even ourselves. We have proved to be capable of impressively effective budgeting and now we are going to surprise you with our stories.
Our question now is, where is every one and why do we all hide? Our new policy, obviously, is to shout and flag down everyone we see. We want everyone to know what we are up to and we have no intentions of hiding. I say this because for a long time I also worked with the idea of extreme competition amongst the many independent production companies. But so little was ever achieved by meeting in secret amounts ourselves. Ringside Rosary was an impressive success of a small community coming together, without knowing each other at all really. Folks from all over joined the project with an immediate sense of family. We leaned on each other and have all stayed very close since. When the film is finished in post more of you will know what I mean by this long rant of inspirational (i hope) enthusiasm. We managed this by being more public about what we were doing than we ever had before.
I know one barrier is that so many people, artists, whatever... are afraid of working "for free". But when you are unemployed, or working two day jobs, while trying to get your own career as a DP going from you backyard in the evenings... Aren't you used to working for free? haha, what I mean is, I have been thrilled to get to work on a film at all. And I see great value in working for deferred pay on other projects if the other projects start to gain attention. That's what the East Coast needs right now, yes? Attention! We need to create not just one good film, but many GREAT films. And if we have to do it for deferred payment for now, well then its better than working as a dish washer, line cook, or whatever. Or it is for me. I loved cooking and did it as my day job for fourteen years! I wouldn't have done it for so long if I hadn't enjoyed it, but nothing compares to how I felt working with Zamani Productions, Sam, The Ghost Town Cowboys, and all the actors and crew that came to our set for free or deferred payment.
On our next project only a very small group of people who are dedicating extreme amounts of their own time will really be paid at all. We are trying to cover gas costs and so on. So in short the paying jobs are few and going fast. But we are trying to do more this time than make another film. We are trying to build the relationships and connections we need for a real Film Business Community infrastructure right here in NC. Not for us, or Asheville, or NC. But for all of us all over the East Coast and World. For the artist and independent filmmakers I am meeting regularly and consistently impressed with. There is talent here, we ask that all you talented people please, stand up, raise your hand, and lets do something that will impressive even ourselves.
Another question, is would it help if a new website was created to help this purpose? A site to go register on for free? As actors, production companies, directors, whatever... I know there are other sites like this, but maybe something like this just hasn't been done right? These are the questions we want to start finding answers for.

THOUGHTS ???????

J.Eagen

How the Hell to Sell and Film

WE are making great HEADWAY! I am slowly getting into a genuine understanding of what must be done to start seeing our films distributed and seen by as many people as possible. YAY! I don't mind research and paper work, biz planning stuff, but when you have no sight of the end to the tunnel it is so frustrating. To just have a clear plan of action finally... YAY!
We have one film in Post and one in Pre.... IF PEOPLE WOULD VOTE! By the way go to our home page and vote on which film you want us to shoot next.
http://www.DownPoorPictures.com/
We are slowly researching and connecting. Discovering that it is best to first start by reaching out to any one who knows, and can guide you. This is my new advice to film makers. DO NOT start applying to festivals or calling the distributors up cold. Reach out and research first "those who know". People from the industry that you can connect with and get the guidance to know what to say on the those first calls, emails, letters, pitch, whatever.... You may only get one chance, don't blow it by just being ignorant of simple small protocols.
Jack