I wanted to show a demonstration of what is currently, and even more prevalent to the future, the way of popularity and what is a viral video. Someone sent me this video in a private message on VIMEO for a YOUTUBE video that he thought was funny. Here is the original Read more…
I love books on filmmaking. I devour a few books a month on the topic. Half Price Books and Amazon.com used are my new best friends. I can find rare and hard to find books for next to nothing. This week I’m getting two used books that I’m looking most Read more…
The home video store chain HOLLYWOOD VIDEO just went under. The death toll must be ringing for BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO soon. This is not good news for the independent filmmaker. The business model of the video store has been decimated by the mail order DVD service like NETFLIX and video on Read more…
One of the most simple, yet effective ideas in a score was exemplified in the LETHAL WEAPON scores, primarily by Michael Kamen with Eric Clapton on guitar and David Sanborn on saxophone. What made the themes and melodies ingenious was not the brilliant musicians, but the concept of having the Read more…
Ohio State University often has brought in some killer names in film, from Richard Linklater in 2000, to Spike Lee, Kevin Smith, and Gus Van Zant, to last night’s epic James Cameron speaking engagement. This is supposedly James Cameron’s first college lecture. I was early, but I didn’t sit in the Read more…
Peter John Ross article in the newest issue of MOVIEMAKER MAGAZINE Here is an article I wrote about “four walling” in the annual GUIDE TO MAKING MOVIES 2010 for MOVIEMAKER MAGAZINE, now available in print on newstands! The article is about screening movies effectively (and respectfully) for all those involved. Read more…
I got tickets to the AVATAR sneak preview screening of 16 minutes of footage in IMAX 3D. For those not in the know, James Cameron, director of TITANIC, TERMINATOR 2, ALIENS, etc. has not made a movie in 12 years since sweeping the Oscars. Now he has returned with a Read more…
Lately I’ve been on an unintentional INDIANA JONES kick. I watched RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK a day or two before seeing CRYSTAL SKULL. I intended to watch all three of the movies, but after RAIDERS, I didn’t really have any interest in the other two. I got INDIANA JONES AND Read more…
Here’s something that gives me pause. I already know that most filmmakers have the business sense of a 9 year old (the ones who have NOT run a lemonade stand that is), but why am I shocked at the amazing demonstrations of their ignorance? About once a month or so, I Read more…
In the not too distant past, the dream of every filmmaker was to get into the Sundance Film Festival, and with that golden ticket came the studio deal for the feature, an eventual limited theatrical run, and then a real career was made. THIS article in VARIETY (click here) has Read more…
The feature length documentary IN THE TRENCHES OF AN INDIE FILM is now for sale on AMAZON.COM for only $15.99 CLICK HERE TO BUY “In the Trenches of an Indie Film This movie makes a great guide for first time filmmakers attempting to make a feature length project, covering pre-production Read more…
I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan. After recently getting the DVD of DR. HORRIBLE’S SING ALONG BLOG, I finally discovered the web series THE GUTHE GUILD written and starring Felicia Day. For their first “season” (albeit 10 3-5 minute long webisodes) they primarily existed on PayPal donations… which I thought Read more…