In the wake of the aforementioned Mark Gill column, I've thought about Barry Levinson's $20 million independent production "What Just Happened" more than once (recently unveiled one-sheet above). How fascinating that the film was supposed to take Sundance '08 by storm, but then never sold. I don't recall anyone calling the film a flop, but none of the buyers I spoke with were passionate enough about the movie to take the leap. GreenCine surveyed the early reactions shortly after the film's Sundance debut.

As iW reported back in Cannes where the film closed the fest: Mark Cuban, Todd Wagner and the WJH team wisely took the film in-house to their Magnolia Pictures arm, with former New Line exec Russell Schwartz on board to guide the release. Note that the one-sheet includes laurels touting the film's Cannes appearance, but no mention of Sundance...

That Mark Gill article continues to make the rounds, landing as the subject of David Carr's Monday media business column in the New York Times. indieWIRE even got a shout-out.

This afternoon at indieWIRE, we take a look at some of the responses that have emerged online since we published Gill's remarks.

Today at indieWIRE, we take a closer look at Zeitgeist Films, on the occasion of their 20th anniversary. Brian Brooks and I visited their office early last week to talk with co-presidents Emily Russo and Nancy Gerstman about they company. They are pictured above with their staff, being photographed by Brian Brooks, and below at their desks.
[iphone photos by eugene hernandez]

Enjoying the afternoon backyard vibe during a Provincetown fest lunch over the weekend are TOP PHOTO (left to right): Mary Harron, Ted Hope, Alan Ball, and John Waters (seated). BOTTOM PHOTO (left to right): Mary Harron, Christine Vachon, B. Ruby Rich, Tom Kalin and Gregg Araki.
[photos by eugene hernandez]

Meanwhile, an email message from PIFF attendee Ted Hope to friends and colleagues on Monday referenced the Provincetown festival and highlighted some of the hot topics buzzed about at the fest. The full text is available below.

I was on a panel at the Provincetown Film Festival this weekend (which is a great festival - go!). Actually two panels, one on Towelhead (opening 9/12/08) and the other with Greg Araki, Mary Harron, Tom Kalin, John Waters, and Christine Vachon on "filmmaking on the edge". In these discussions, and in the articles attached below, it's clear that Business of Indie Film is looking for a new paradigm. We are between things and the old model no longer works and the new one is undefined. But I see some real hope nonetheless.

This change has been much discussed for the last fifteen years, but the digital revolution is very slow in coming. This slow trickle has, in my opinion, allowed for a withering away of what truly made the indie film world unique, which is the glue that kept it a community and not just a demographic. Digital downloads won't be anyone's salvation, but the internet can truly rebuild what has collapsed -- but it's time to look at the infrastructure first.

Time and time again, films emerge that define a community and the community comes out to support in droves. Similarly, it truly feels to me that we are at a cultural crossroads, where we -- as a community of filmmakers and film lovers -- are in real danger of losing access to a dynamic range of personal cinema, unless the various communities start to take steps to unite and speak up for the world they want. We can't keep settling for the crap that is hoisted upon us (see George Carlin RIP below).

I have several thoughts on how these communities can be brought together and strengthened, and I hope to expand upon them in the months ahead, but in the interim I wanted to point out a blog that I have started together with Corbin Day, Mike Ryan, and Michael Tully entitled Hammer To Nail (link to it below). It's our attempt to build a home that has a passionate appreciation for ambitious film, for films of limited release and more limited budgets, but for films that still dare to reach, dare to aknowledge the world they come from and the world they hope to be, films that reach both narratively and formally. It's only in it's early alpha stage so be gentle. We also would love to have more filmmakers who want to write about other films and what constitutes ambitious filmmaking, so let me know if that interests you.

Sincerely,
Ted

http://www.hammertonail.com/

PRETTY MUCH A MUST READ:
Mark Gill On "Yes, The Sky Really is Falling"

-- On why films move away from the theaters so quickly nowadays

-- On innovating the theatre experience

George Carlin RIP: "They Own You"

Am spending the weekend in Provincetown, MA, enjoying the town and its film festival. A photo snapped as I biked the local trails on Saturday.
[photo © eugene hernandez]

The Meatpacking District's Florent yesterday, two weeks before it closes for good. UPDATE: And a recent, lengthy oral history about the place, from Frank Bruni in The New York Times.
[iphone photo by eugene hernandez]

Not long after posting it to his own site, Jamie Stuart has removed his latest short, "In Spring." Replacing the film at the previous link he has now posted a short message indicating that while he is not removing it for legal reasons, he didn't want to get anyone fired.

Continuing, he explains, "It is ironic, however, that a film made as an homage to several banned films, "Land Without Bread," in particular, is now being removed from official circulation."

"There is no independent film, it doesn't exist, that's a myth," says Gunther Merkwurdigeliebe, in "In Spring" by Jamie Stuart. "Independent film exists in the home movie that you made of your last vacations on the beach in Hawaii...everything else is not independent, it does not not exist. We are dependent on finances and production and distribution systems and on the media, whatever. There is no such thing as independent movie."

The I Bar is Back... Walking down 1st Ave. near 7th St. this afternoon, I noticed that New York's International Bar -- site of many informal indieWIRE gatherings back in the early days -- is in fact back.

The door was open today so I went in, rather tentatively at first, chatting with the new owners for a bit. The East Village hangout looks the same from the outside, but is a bit different on the inside. The bar has moved to the other side of the space, away from the front. Dark paneling dominates, leading the way to new bathrooms and the open backyard. It's not the old I bar, but has a decent vibe.

While the bar re-opened yesterday, it will be technically be back for good with an official opening in two weeks. Well drinks are going for $4, Schaefer beer for $2. Happy hour is from Noon - 8 p.m.
[photos by eugene hernandez]

Walking east yesterday from 10th Ave., along 39th St., I saw numerous people stopped in the street staring up at the New York Times building, which was being circled by two helicopters. Eventually making my way to a MoMI reception in the building, friends explained that for the second time in the same day someone had scaled the side of the tower. The Times reported the incident in-depth today.

NYT CAPTION: Later in the day, a man identified by the police as Renaldo Clarke scaled the tower’s western side, where people on the 50th floor watched his ascent.
[photo by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times. Used without permission.]

Friends of mine and readers of this blog know who I've been excited about since his campaign officially began 15 months ago. Without a doubt, this is a terrific moment.

"America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love."

Pictured: A snapshot from an Obama rally at the Meadowlands in New Jersey three months ago.
[photo © eugene hernandez]

below: a campaign email sent a few minutes ago...

Just one more from France: Avenue Marechal Foch in Villefranche-sur-mer.
[photo by eugene hernandez]

Villefranche-sur-mer in France, a little over 24 hours ago.
[photo by eugene hernandez]