FilmmakingCentral Episode 9 – Distribution Podcast with Maverick Entertainment Chief

This is a very good discussion on distribution from the founder of the distribution company Maverick Entertainment. http://www.maverickent.cc Yes I know many of the movies aren't always the best, but Mavericks gives indies a chance especially black, latino etc. filmmakers. It's also good to understand the distribution world.

FilmmakingCentral Episode 9 – Distribution Podcast with Maverick Entertainment Chief

FilmmakingCentral Episode 9 – Distribution Podcast with Maverick Entertainment Chief

This is a very good discussion on distribution from the founder of the distribution company Maverick Entertainment. http://www.maverickent.cc Yes I know many of the movies aren't always the best, but Mavericks gives indies a chance especially black, latino etc. filmmakers. It's also good to understand the distribution world.

FilmmakingCentral Episode 9 – Distribution Podcast with Maverick Entertainment Chief

I'm a Warrior Queen La La La La

Okay yes I have issues.lol This is what we should be doing. Seriously I remember the creator of mayhem aka Grafikdon at http://www.naijarules.com check it out. It's so cool that someone is working on creating animated movies and series by Africans for Africans. We cannot say that it can't be done.

Check out http://www.mayhemproductions.org/
a past movie Chika: The Rite of Perdition
http://www.amazon.com/Chika-The-Rite-of-Perdition/dp/B000BTM0NA

How Exposure Can Change Perceptions of Desirability

Shahrukh Khan

Kajol


Shahrukh and Kajol starring in




























































Have you ever seen a movie from another country and it ruined you on Hollywood films or a Hollywood film in particular. Take for instance the thief of baghdad. I loved that movie as a child even a teen and even in my early 20's around 19/20 ish. That is until I watched my very first Bollywood musical(s) and other Indian cinema as wel as movies from Turkey, Macedonia and countless movies from around the world and all of that flew out the window. Now I can't even look at it. Now I know Bagdhad is in another country now Iran, but anyway you get my point. I just find it hard to believe that the people in the movie represent Indians or Arabians. It's like when you watch a movie that is about martial arts pre Bruce Lee in America and then watch Hong Kong cinema and you are like yeah the hell right.lol

As I mentioned above about Bollywood turning me off of Thief of Baghdad this goes for seeing someone romantically, but instead of turning you off it turns you on (get your mind out the gutta yau'll.lol) What I mean is that when you see a woman or a man in a romantic role (that is good or that the person has chemistry, stage presence to pull you in which I do feel most Hollywood stars are lacking these days) you see that person as desirable.

Case in point My first actual Bollywood film was an SRK movie that played on TCM that I stayed up from 12:ooam to 4:am to watch which was Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Great movie one of my favorites by the way. Anyway in the beginning I didn't see him as hot, but it was just something about him that made me kind of fall fall for him. Not to mention it was just a cute movie and ooh a fight scene at the end where he fights for his girl Kajol (whom I love). But that is when I realized especially with Kajol is that I saw Indians in a different light (we don't really see most on American movies and TV especially then 01/02 etc. and the ones who did were usually sterotypical roles.) It wasn't until I saw a film made by Indians for Indians that it really hit me. What really made me fall in love with SRK was Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham another one of my favorites. That movie really did it for me and I was hooked on Bollywood. They have a standard of beauty that can parallel Hollywood (sad to say especially some of these new films, plus there are other Indian cinema that are un Bollywood, Kollywood etc. like regional cinemal, but in a way too it also made me appreciate the beauty of Indians whatever shade. Seriously that the dark skinned warrior in the war scene of Ashoka with the long hair and the symbol on his head was hot as hell!!!!!!

I went Bollywood crazy and loved http://www.bollywhat.com/ (premier on bollywood for those not in the know) and http://www.planetbollywood.com/ before I'd ever seen one, but had heard about them. I discovered that my local library had many Bollywood movies like Anand. I had seen Amitabh Bachan in K3G and thought wow what a good looking older man and he's like 60. I wanted to watch more movies, because I knew he was a big star and had many films under his belt. Anyways watched Anand and that was it I was in love with Amitabh Bachan.lol

The reason I also think this made the impression it did is because Bollywood films can show some romance in movies you wouldn't believe (now some can be cheesy, but you feel more than you do with some Hollywood movies)Hollywood romcoms or romantic movies at times get remade (illegally sometimes), but to me it's sad when a film industry with a 3rd of the budget of a big Hollywood movie can remake a film from Hollywood and make it better, and more romantic than most of the films that are made here today. Seriously think about it. the old studio system to about the 60's 70's and maybe even 80's when you had romance or any kind of drama you felt the people now it's just like okay. You might not know what you're missing, but you know you're missing it. Then you watch a Bollywood remake of the same movie and it's like oh yeah the romance and the drama.lol

Another example I am going to use is Nollywood. Nollywood has actresses (huge stars) such as Genevieve Nnaji, Stephanie Okereke (made her own movie where she was the love interest of a WM, because she can being that it was her movie)Regina Askia and many others who are big I mean huge stars in Nigeria and many parts of Africa. Many of these stars are known outside of Africa and are seen as beautiful and desirable because of the parts they play. The movies are not always the best movies or have the best roles for women, but watching them makes you really appreciate the stars and actresses who haven't reached star level yet especially the finominal ones this goes for actors as well. This also goes for Gollywood too.

http://sangraneth.blogspot.com/2007/10/why-arent-there-more-black-cheerleaders.html had a discussion on how there is a lack of black cheerleaders. This can also go for pageants, movie roles etc. were black women are seen as desirable. There were many ideas from income to black women just not being interested. There was a comment that really sang out to me by Sangraneth

"By not even attempting to increase black female representation in "feminine" or attractive, desirable roles such as cheerleading, black women are giving up the chance to REPRESENT themselves as attractive and desirable.

Simply put, if bw aren't even willing to portray themselves as feminine and attractive, how can they complain if the media and society does not see them as feminine and attractive?"

And that's my point of the post. Images where men/women are seen as desirable can change someones perspective. I have a hard time watching a movie like the Thief of Bagdad, because I want to see the people that would have really been in the story. Not some American Hollywood ideal of beauty. I also think that these films made Americans and others see actresses like Kajol, Ash and many other actresses and actors as desirable. We need to start making movies, tv shows whatever were we are seen as desirable. We are always upset that we are seen as undesirable or not shown in a positive light, but like Sangraneth said if we don't do the work that we need to do to change people's perspectives then how can we complain?

More Goodies for Ya

Really good vids on Low Budget Filmmaking







I've just discovered some pretty cool free web-based or browser based screenwriting software.

http://www.scripped.com/
http://www.zhura.com/
https://adobeshuhpoonu.adobe.com/
http://www.plotbot.com/
http://www.fivesprockets.com/
http://www.scriptbuddy.com/ (Actually I've known of this one for years, but now you have to pay for it in order to get better features. You can only have one script at a time with limited features)

The others I joined all last night. I am still learning the programs. I used Scripped to write a short for my Production II class. Anyways so far this program has proved to be pretty good. Next I'm working on ideas to try on the others.

Now I'm looking for web based free budgeting and scheduling software. Don't know if there are any available.

Sorry everyone for not posting as much, I have school and production 2 class. I hope to post more.

Lack of Black Women Representation

It's sad that black actresses have such a hard time in movie industries all over. We really need to create an industry that black actresses can look to. This goes for the lack of representation of black women models as well. You know what's even more sad? There are so many beautiful black women are actresses and models and yet rarely get any type of exposure or at least not adequate. Viola Davis went to Juilliard. Julliard for goodness sakes!!!!! You know she had to be great in order to get in. Hollywood has this way of tricking us into thinking changes are being made when it's just the same old same old. Hollywood will waste the talents of the actresses by giving them parts here and there. This is what I think happened to actresses like Angela Bassett, Vivica A. Fox and countless black actresses who have unfortunately graced the screen of Hollyweird. That is really why I have mixed feelings about black actresses joining guilds like SAG /AFTRA (which don't like to tell them, hell most actors at that) that you may make more, but get less jobs where as non union get more jobs(this goes for equity (theatre) as well), but can make less. Plus what It would cost to cast huge stars or actors period with SAG. I think that's why there were actors/actresses that didn't want to join SAG when AFTRA became a part of SAG. Many new they had a hard time even with AFTRA is was really going to be hard with SAG.

I understand why you need the unions, but many actors and actresses I know didn't renew with AFTRA before SAG because they saw no point in paying dues when they barely got work. I think they are like any other business. They will exploit black people. A black actor or actress gets a part and then they show look that person is doing well so people keep renewing, but much of the same keeps happening. Nothing or almost nothing. Not to mention SAG has that limited agreement. You get SAG actors scale, but you can only show it in a limited number of days/places etc. I don't know I just know that I don't want to be a part of some of these unions and Since AFTRA.

This also goes to the discussion on the lack of black women models as well.joined SAG that pretty much sucks. I think frankly we would have to start a union separate of SAG/AFTRA. Frankly I would rather just start the way Nollywood started without any of the BS, plus we could discover new talent, but we would need representation at the same time.

Don't Complain Compete

http://www.micheauxfoundation.com/ceomessage/arcmessage1.html
http://www.micheauxfoundation.com/ceomessage.html

This is a non-profit I've known of for a while. I remember reading that message on the OSB board. I was so estatic to someone finally said what I had been thinking. We need to stop waiting on Hollywood and just do it ourselves.

For those who don't know who Oscar Micheaux was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Micheaux her was the Spike Lee of the black film industry that black people ran up into the 1950's maybe 40's.