(03/07/07) Blair Witch now on iTunes - The Blair Witch Project is now available for download from the iTunes Store. I doubt anyone will get motion sickness from watching it on their 2.5" video iPod screen, so I recommend viewing it on a bus, train, or plane to get the full effect. Link to The Blair Witch Project at the iTunes Store....

(08/30/06) The real difference between Snakes on a Plane and The Blair Witch Project - The disappointing opening of Snakes on a Plane was an excuse for fearful Hollywood executives to declare the internet, and blogs in particular, as unable to open a film. Some claimed the power of blogs is overvalued and used the Snakes numbers as proof. Variety took the opportunity to compare Snakes to The Blair Witch Project and point out...

(08/30/06) Yeah, yeah, it's been awhile - I've been ignoring my indieWIRE blog. I admit it. Truth is, I have found the state of movies the last few years rather, well, unexciting. When I think back on the entertainment that has moved me the last couple of years, it's all been Television: Deadwood Sopranos Lost Arrested Development The Office (UK & US) It's Always Sunny in...

(08/23/05) Sundance & IFC integrate Content and Marketing - According to Ad Age, both Sundance Channel and Independent Film Channel are turning marketers like Target, Heineken, and Acura into content producers, in the hopes of developing a "TiVO proof" environment. I guess like anything it all comes down to execution, but it will be interesting to see how the content changes as advertisers burrow themselves into the production process....

(06/16/04) Film financing panel next Thursday - The Orlando Film Commission has a great seminar booked at Enzian Theater next Thursday, June 24 called The Art of the Deal: Protecting and Financing Creative Content. Divided into two distinct panels, the first part of the morning covers intellectual property rights with a panel of lawyers and experts. The second panel focuses on financing creative content and the line-up...

(06/15/04) A hearty welcome to our new sponsor - Following the lead of other indieWIRE bloggers, I've decided to place ads on my blog. I've been told these ads are highly targeted to appeal to the kinds of people who read this blog, so I'm sure you will all enjoy the many fine products advertised here by the fine folks at Reemco. Thanks!...

(06/15/04) Exclusive Rogues Gallery photo from new Batman film! - Screw Ain't-It-Cool News, we have the exclusive right here! This may very well be the meanest, nastiest group of villains Batman has ever faced....

(06/14/04) Great moments in PR - Responding to the MPAA's decision to give Fahrenheit 9/11 an "R" rating, Lion's Gate Films President Tom Ortenberg had this to say: "We are adamant about overturning this decision in an expeditious manner to ensure that as many people as possible, including young adults who represent the future of our nation, are able to see one of the most important...

(06/10/04) Dinosauria, we - born like this into this as the chalk faces smile as Mrs. Death laughs as the elevators break as political landscapes dissolve as the supermarket bag boy holds a college degree as the oily fish spit out their oily prey as the sun is masked...

(05/05/04) Farenheit 911 heats up as Disney attempts to block distribution - Here is further proof via the New York Times that the current state of media consolidation is a disaster. Here is indieWIRE's story on the unfolding situation and of course filmmaker Michael Moore has something to say on the subject. This only reinforces my belief that we as filmmakers must figure out new ways to distribute films and find our...

(05/03/04) When 40 ounces just isn't enough - Twizzlers and 7-Eleven have joined forces to bring us the "Twizzlers Straw" which you can get free just by picking up a FORTY OUNCE SLURPEE. Because after sucking down FORTY OUNCES OF FROZEN SUGAR WATER, you realize to be truly satisfied, you need to EAT THE GODDAMNED STRAW. I really can't wait to see Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me....

(04/28/04) Fanning the Flames of "What is Indie?" - Okay, I'm catching up here on this whole blog thing, but I just read Anthony Kaufman's fine rant on The Passion of the Christ and figured I'd join the rumble. First, let me also admit that I have not seen The Passion of the Christ nor do I feel compelled to do so (twelve years of Catholic school education is...

(04/28/04) Beta-7 wins Andy Award and Yahoo Big Idea Chair - What the hell IS a big idea chair anyhow? Adweek has reported on the awards won by a campaign I directed and cowrote with my partner at Haxan, Ed Sanchez. It was a three-month online narrative campaign for the ESPN NFL Football console video game. Check out this 9-minute video on iFilm for an overview of the story, and then...

(04/27/04) Orlando finally gets a Media Arts Center! - This is HUGE news for Orlando! We have a brand new media arts center, called DMAC Orlando (Digital Media Arts Center) that just opened to the public. The center has an 80 seat digital projection theater a café and an art gallery....

(04/26/04) Genius - "Genius is the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way" - Charles Bukowski, 1981....

(04/26/04) Film school shorts - I finished my first semester as a college professor... what a trip that was. I enjoyed the energy and passion of the brightest students but it was a great deal more work than I had anticipated. The class was called Guerrilla Marketing for Independent Filmmakers......

(04/23/04) The Third Man - I was fortunate enough to be in NY last week and managed to visit the Film Forum for their revival of Carol Reed's The Third Man. I've seen it a dozen times, own the Criterion DVD and it still blows me away. Over 50 years since it premiered and it still has an edge. If you live in NY you...