PRAXIS poster ideas

for the past couple of days, i've been developing different ideas for the movie poster. i'd like to think that i have a pretty good working knowledge of both photoshop and illustrator, so being able to come up with new ideas to promote the film is both challenging and incredibly stimulating to the creative side of me. one of my good friends commented that the current movie poster makes the film look more like an action movie versus an art-film. so, i'm developing different ideas for something that may be more in tune with the kind of movie that PRAXIS is. i've come up with about three different ones, and i'd like to come up with at least one more. the plan is to show different people, particularly those who know nothing about the movie, and to get their opinions on whether they would be interested in seeing the film, solely based on the movie poster. it's basically market research, and trying to appeal to the art-house crowd. another friend of mine who works for a design firm is also going to help me out with this project. tho, he said to me that it would be incredibly hard to represent the film in a single image, since the film is so visual and complex. i don't think that the poster has to be the single representation of PRAXIS, but mainly one that would peak enough interest into coming to see the film. so for now, i'm enjoying the process.

i'm also working on two different scripts at the same time. i know that this is kind of odd, the whole multi-tasking and all. but fortunately, both scripts are ideas that i've been working on for quite some time, and they're both completely different from each other, in style and genre and the lot. i noticed that there is a Film Independent Screenwriting deadline in April, so i plan on using this deadline as motivation to get at least one of the scripts done. i don't know what my chances are, but at least it'll help me focus on getting at least one script done by then. tho, it's funny how my mind bounces back and forth between both of the scripts - one of the scripts has more of a developed plot structure and conventional storytelling, while the other still needs more research on the storyline and plot. for that one, i've started doing a little bit of research, and a good friend of mine gave me some really good books that he recommend me read. so, i do like the way that new ideas are developing. but at the same time, it does bounce back and forth. but i think that this process is working well for now - when i get bored or frustrated with one, i can bounce to the other, and comeback to the other one when i get a new idea. so, at least i'm not completely burning out on the single script. for now, at least...

so, as usual, lots of things to work on, and the film is doing really well with Cinequest. let's hope that the film screens at many more places this year.

PRAXIS @ CineQuest Film Festival

2008 has finally arrived, and there's a flurry of new and exciting activity happening with film. PRAXIS has been selected as part of the CineQuest Film Festival, and for a short time the complete film is available for screening on-line in a special competition called CineQuest Vuze Audience Favorites. From now until February 14th, people can view the film and vote online for which films they think should screen at the festival. Either way, it's a great way for people to watch the film, and for us to get some much needed feedback on what audiences might get from watching the film.

Along with being a part of Cinequest, we've completely re-vamped the damagedfilms.com website, and the praxis website. both sites now include a number of streaming media files which include trailers, making of videos, and also complete films and videos of previous work. The cool thing is that now people can view UNFORTUNATE MAN, the short film that was a major influence in the style and content of PRAXIS. we also have complete music videos for The Out_Circuit and Kerosene 454, along with some other new and cool promos and video segments and general non-sense. we've also revamped the PRAXIS myspace page to reflect the new sites and sounds.

We're also in the process of developing new advertising and marketing for PRAXIS, and we may even have an on-line poll to see what movie poster people would like best for the film.

We're also excited that there's a pretty good chance that PRAXIS will screen in the spring, so we're planning to make it a really cool and fun event.

So, tons of things going on. in the meantime, PLEASE vote for PRAXIS at CineQuest:
http://www.vuze.com/details/NTH5KL6XHWFFXTP4XKCRQWUO65ACR36W.html

And check out the new sites and sounds:
www.damagedfilms.com
http://praxis.damagedfilms.com
www.myspace.com/praxis2007

cheers! and stay tuned for more exciting developments!

-a

Sundance and Slamdance

Subject: 2008 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL NOTIFICATION
From:"programming@sundance.org ..(External Utility Mailbox..)"
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:07:08 -0700

RE: Film ID#2675 - Praxis

Dear Alex,

On behalf of our programming staff, I would like to thank you for submitting your film to the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Unfortunately, we are not able to include it in our program this year. We received nearly one thousand more submissions this year (over 8,500 in total) than we did for the 2007 Festival, so many tough decisions had to be made in order to narrow the field down to under 200 films. Please rest assured that your work was carefully considered by our programming team, and the decision was incredibly difficult to say the least.

My sincere hope is that this decision does not discourage you in any way. I would like to wish you the best of luck with your film, and we look forward to having the opportunity to view your work in the future.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Gilmore

Director, Sundance Film Festival

Subject: SLAMDANCE 2008 NARRATIVE FEATURE SUBMISSION From: Sarah Diamond Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:09:16 -0800 To: Sarah Diamond

Dear Filmmaker,
We am so sorry to tell you we were unable to include your feature into the 2008 Slamdance program. Thank you so much for submitting. Slamdance is limited by space constraints in Park City to program 15 narrative features, though the quality of submissions would allow us to program many more than that.

Please keep in mind that Slamdance is just one festival out of hundreds of others. Our film program is based on the subjective decisions of our programming committees. Please don’t take this rejection as any indication of the quality of your film, or its potential for a successful, well-regarded future.

We wish the best for you and your film.

Warm regards,
Slamdance Programming Department

a new day

hard to believe that it's december already. the year seemed to fly by, but in reality, there have been lots of really great things that have happened this year. but the cold air is coming really soon, and it's a great time to stay in, and work.

i've been watching a lot of an show called BROTHERHOOD, that's on showtime, and i guess they're hoping for it to replace the sopranos. anyhoo, if you haven't seen the show, i highly recommend it, particularly because the acting is incredible. ethan embry and jason issacs are both amazing to watch, and i think the thing about the show that i find appealing is that the story is told heavily on what's implied, on the visuals, the subtle and umcofortable feeling that develops when you don't know what people are really up to. there isn't a ton of background music to influence how you should feel about a scene, and you end up feeling pretty edgy about what's going to happen next. i love this kind of visual storytelling, and i definitely find it inspiring in the kind of filmmaking that i'm into. anyhoo, if you haven't seen the show, it's definitely worth checking out, and a definite must see for any aspiring actor.

on the film distribution end of things - i picked up a book called the insider's guide to independent film distribution by stacey parks, and so far it's right on target. the film industry is completely different than what it was even only a few years ago. when i first started writing PRAXIS, it was still difficult to make an indie feature, but in the time that it's taken to produce the film, the film distribution market has been flooded by miniDV features that it's incredibly difficult to get your work even shown. it helps to have something screen at a festival, but at the same time, if you think of the number of every film screened at every festival every year, even a distributor has a hard time figuring out what's worth investing in. it's not the distributor's fault - if you just think about it on your own terms, if a filmmaker came up to you and asked you to give up your own money to invest in distributing a film, what would it take? for me, it would be the least amount of risk and a higher chance at return and even a profit.

even though this is all the business side of things, it's the area that i need to do more research on, particularly on promoting PRAXIS. none of this has anything to do with art. it's all business. what it is that it's a new day, and it's important to remain patient and realistic. and also to develop a plan A, plan B, and plan C. in the meantime, i'm also working on some new scripts too, which gives me a good respite.

i think it's important to remember why you chose to make films, and to stick to it.

bela tarr and the AFM

so, it's been a few days from the trip out to l.a., and i've needed almost every bit of free time to recover from the trip. i'm not very good with jet-lag, and i've had a really tough time figuring out what time it is, pretty much as soon as i stepped on the plane. when people ask me how was it, i pretty much respond with, "it was a rough trip." being in santa monica was cool, and there were parts of the trip that were really cool. but the market itself was rough, and not a really fun experience. but i learned a hell of a whole lot from the trip, and it was good for me to get out there and really experience what it's like. and i'm happy to share my experiences and thoughts about the market to anyone out there who's curious about what it's like.

(i wrote the following few paragraphs while waiting at the gate at LAX for my flight back home):

the past few days of attending the American Film Market could be literally summed up in one word: insane. it's hard to describe the how crazy the market has been for the past few days. but because the market is what it is, i wasn't able to vlog about it, which i initially thought i would have the time to do. the sheer number of filmmakers and screenwriters and distributors and buyers and sales agents, it's hard to believe that they all can be at the same place at the same time making million dollar deals to the latest teen slasher flick. but as with any convention type atmosphere, it's difficult to get your worked noticed.

i was able to meet quite a number of people of various levels of experience and professions and the lot. lots of business cards exchanged, and i was fortunate enough to meet with several potential distributors. it's hard to say if anything will result from these meetings - even though i think i make pretty good movies, my pitch isn't always on target. but i'm learning, and that's important.

there seems to be this general conservative attitude to all studios and distributors. the bottom line is that they're in the business of making money. the film itself is not important - the box office is. this attitude has a serious negative backlash to any filmmaker struggling to get their work seen, and i'd like to say that the general feeling i got from most of the people i met at the market was that of a very cynical attitude toward the industry and hollywood. i was able to find commraderie with other east coast filmmakers, either those based in new york or the like. the east coast/west coast attitude was clear to me, and in a way, it helped me re-enforce what type of film PRAXIS is, and what it represents.

PRAXIS is not a specific genre piece. when i describe the work to some as arthouse/experimental, i generally got a blank look on people's faces. but as soon as i mention kurosawa, kubrick, and david lynch, it all of a sudden makes sense. while when i described the project to anyone from the east coast, they totally get it. tho, i did meet a few 'old school' hollywood film people, ones who've been in the town for more than thirty years, making movies back in the early sixties and seventies. they were very cool to talk to, and they were surprised that i should mention names like kubrick and kurosawa. one told me that he was pitching an idea to a distributor, and mentioned 'the french connection', and the distributor had no idea what he was talking about. sad as it is, this is what the industry is, and what it has become.

in a lot of ways, it's a little early for me to attend the market with PRAXIS - the film was only completed this past june, and still needs a good two years of playing at the festivals. after that, then it would a good time to come to the market. but there's also a possibility that one of the distributors that i met with might really get into it, and it can all go from there. ya never know...




on a lighter note, i recently had a friend tell me his thoughts about PRAXIS. i sent him a screener a while back, and he finally let me know what he thought of the film. even though he didn't get it, he compared it to the work of hungarian filmmaker bela tarr. i was thrilled at the comparison. quite honestly, if i could achieve even one tiny bit of the same filmmaking ideals and experimentation that bela tarr has done, i would be incredibly happy.

between bela tarr and the AFM, me and paul have decided to shift the whole marketing and focus of PRAXIS to more european markets and festivals that cater to more experimental/arthouse films. i think reaching out to more of a european audiences versus an american audience may help PRAXIS do better, and really get to people. someone at the market told me that teen slasher flicks and/or huge action or horror gore flicks don't really do well in europe. rather, the artsy dramatic intellectual films do really well. PRAXIS definitely challenges the intellect. so, let's see if this new direction will work.

if anything, the American Film Market experience has totally re-enforced the whole reason of why i make films, and to stick to that mentality. i've always been very punk-rock about this, and maybe that's the approach that the marketing for PRAXIS needs to go. the work needs to get seen by any means necessary. it may not be for everyone, and that's okay. but if and audience can get into it, it can be a totally amazing experience.

so, i'm glad to be home, and i'm glad to be back on the east coast. and, as always, it's back to work...

A new approach

this past week, there were two very different events that had a profound influence on my general outlook, and a new way of approaching PRAXIS and the American Film Market. on saturday, i got a chance to go see a screening and performance of Bob Mould and his film Circle of Friends at the Lincoln Theatre as part of the Reel Affirmations Film Festival. initially, i was very indecisive about going, since it was a relatively odd time slot, saturday around 11:30. anyhoo, the crowd was very small and intimate, but it made the film and performance all the more enjoyable. after the screening, i got a chance to formally meet bob, and he was very kind and he signed a copy of the dvd for me. needless to say, i found the music and performance absolutely incredible - there was so much heart and straight up raw emotion in the music. there was no posing, or bullshit. bob was up there pouring out his heart, and it was incredible to share this event, and feel such a connection. it was beautiful. because bob used to be in the bands husker du and sugar, his music has always been rooted in the punk rock ethos. it reminded me where PRAXIS came about, and really how i should look at the film and the AFM. PRAXIS is an incredible film, and i shouldn't be pandering to the potential distributors at the AFM, it's the other way around. anyone who doesn't take notice of PRAXIS is losing out. it's their loss.

the other event was that i got a chance to watch NO RESTRAINT, a documentary about Matthew Barney. up until this point, i had never got a chance to see an on-camera interview with Matthew, i had only read interviews in magazines, seen some of his work, and read reviews in newspapers and such. in any case, this documentary was about his process of making his new film/performance/exhibit with bjork on a whaling ship in japan. this was incredibly beautiful, and so visually compelling...it's hard to describe in words. but i think that the coolest thing about this documentary was that Matthew seemed like a genuinely nice guy, very personable, very passionate and focused about his art, but also no pretention or ego there. he just makes things, and has been fortunate that other people have supported him throught out his career. but i think the main thing that i got from the doc was that matthew's work has always been about disconnecting the analytical mind to reach a higher state of experience. basically, it means that people should approach his work with an open mind, and not one that is purely there to make specific sense or reasons for what things represent. instead, let the work speak for itself, and let the experience take you to places that you couldn't attain without letting go of the analytical mind. i totally feel that PRAXIS is like this in it's experimental narrative - let go of the analyical mind, the need to make specific sense of it all, and let the visual experience take you to higher states of experiences.

Both bob mould and matthew barney have reminded me what PRAXIS is really all about.

thank you bob for reminding me about the punk rock ethos and that PRAXIS is all heart.

thank you matthew for reminding me that film is art, not science.

Realistic

for the past few weeks, i've been preparing a ton of stuff to get ready for the American Film Market, which is a couple of weeks away. i'm excited about the trip, and have done a lot of research into a lot of the companies that are attending this year, trying to target the ones i think would be interested in a film like PRAXIS. but i'm also trying to be realistic about it. there are literally hundreds of companies and projects, and scripts, and vendors, etc. that are attending - how can you make your project stand out?

i'm definitely trying to be realistic about the market - it's not the end all be all. what it is is a strarting point, a chance to network with potential companies, meet other filmmakers, exchange war stories, etc. the companies are there to not only there to evaluate yourself as a filmmaker with a single projects, but also as a filmmaker with future projects and as someone they can work with. at the same time, you also have to get a feel for the companies and reps as to whether they are someone you can work with, or whether they're some sort of scam. basically, you have to be a total professional, and everything you do, including any after parties and such, is a reflection of you, and your potential as an overall creative filmmaker.

i've definitely posted a ton of questions on different filmmaker message boards to get a feel for what the market is like for other people - generally, the response is a little mixed. they mainly warn against potential scam artists, and companies that deal with way too many projects that they essentially put your project on a shelf. whatever the case may be, you definitely have to be incredibly alert a focused on everyone you talk to, and go with your instincts as to whether they're legit.

again, i'm still being very realistic with the market - i hope to meet potential distributors, but if not, it's not the end all be all.

on a lighter note, i've been attending a lot of the local film festivals and other local filmmaker functions to get a better feel of what a lot of the local organizations may have to offer. so far, it looks really cool, and because they are local, they are more willing to promote something if it was made in their region. it's also easier to get screenings and you have a higher chance of getting featured in a newspaper or magazine. i've just started with a lot of the local festivals, but hopefully they'll find a place for PRAXIS somewhere...

whatever the case may be, it is important to be both realistic, and positive and ethusiastic about the film - PRAXIS is a visually compelling work. knowing that this is it's strengths, and using that as leverage to set the film apart from other indie films that are out there.

New Making of Video

The Making of PRAXIS (2007)

Add to My Profile | More Videos

so, i decided to put together a shorter version of the Making of Praxis on-line and on our myspace page. the longer version is about 20 minutes or so, and is basically meant for DVD extras and other publicity stuff. this 5 minute version is a lot more concise, and will hopefully help promote the film in a different way, mainly for the upcoming American Film Market.

watching this short video is incredibly encouraging. and i hope posting will help inspire other filmmaker to continue to make movies in their own way.

-al

AFM whirlwind

so, at the last minute, i've decide to attend the American Film Market in Santa Monica, CA the first weekend of november, and now i'm in a flurry of a ton of things to get ready for that week. i've always wanted to attend the American Film Market, and now that PRAXIS is done, i thought that it would be a good idea to fly out there and talk to a few people about the project.

a few people who i've talked to have only good things to say about the American Film Market, and it seems a lot more legit that other film markets. even though it's too late to screen PRAXIS there, i figured that PRAXIS is such a niche market type of film, that if i just set up meetings and talked directly to possible distributors, then this would be a lot better than trying to coax them to a screening that a ton of other people are trying to watch as well. if someone is seriously interested in the film, i'd rather let them watch it on their own time, take it all in, and consider the film in its own context. there are so many projects at the market, i think it would be easy to get mixed up. but ultimately, i think PRAXIS will do better with a smaller distribution company rather than a huge one.

the market is also a great way to meet with a bunch of film festivals as well, so hopefully, i'll be able to talk directly with specific festivals, and get gauge as to whether PRAXIS is something that they would be interested in screening.

so, with the market being only a month away, i've got tons of things to do - i don't know where to start. i definitely plan to contact some of the people i've met over the years to see if they have any advice about the AFM, and maybe some war stories as well.

the good thing tho is that the AFM has given me a huge boost in motivation to promote PRAXIS in a whole new way, and even possibly pitch new ideas to future projects. based on this experience, i am also now thinking that it would be worthwhile to attend SXSW as well, even if i'm not screening the film there.

but for now, let me get all my stuff together for AFM and a trip out to the west coast in about a month....

Inspiration

A good filmmaker friend of mine recently emailed me to congratulate the completion of PRAXIS. i met him a few years ago at the IFP in New York when i was promoting the script for THE DEAD SOLDIER, and back then he had completed his first feature. he said that this point of the production was the most frustrating time - when you've completed the film and you're sending it out to festivals and simply waiting, and waiting and waiting. there are no guarentees that anyone will like the film, or will it get into a festival, or how it's received. PRAXIS is currently in this state. and yes, it is incredibly frustrating.

i totally agree that PRAXIS seems like it's in a bit of limbo - the cast and crew screening months ago went incredibly well, and the film was well received by those who were fortunate to see it on the big screen. but a lot of that excitement has kind of worn off, and now its a whole new ballgame.

fortunately, what has been keeping me interested in filmmaking is finding inspiration in new ideas and new things to develop. I recently saw this video "Walls" by a band called Now Its Overhead, and i totally dig the animation of static images with motion graphics. creating a lot of the motion graphics for PRAXIS in After Effects got me interested in a whole new realm of creative possibilities, which is a combination of film, narrative, art, experimental, graphics, design, etc...i love the way that the video is done, and i find it incredibly inspiring to watch how the combination of images and music convey different emotions and feelings.

you have to have a pretty thick skin to be able to make films. and you also have to find things that inspire you and spur on the creative juices. i think it's important at this stage of production (more like promotion of PRAXIS) to keep me busy on other smaller projects that keep driving the imagination, and filmmaker's need to create anything that is visual.

as for PRAXIS, the film festival submissions continue, and the promotion continues, and the work keeps going, and going, and going...

The Wait

So, I've finally done it, sent in copies of the film to sundance and slandance, along with entries to whistler and malibu. i do plan to send in more entries to other festivals as well, but right now is prolly the most frustrating time of the production - "the Wait", as in the waiting to hear from any festivals whether your film has been accepted or not. even thought i've been entering festivals for a good three months now, a lot of the notifications won't be until late september, early october. sundance is such a long shot, but i think praxis could do really well at slamdance if it were given a chance. so, we'll see...

in the meantime, i've been putting together promos for XM on current tv, just to keep myself busy and to add more material to my reel. i've also picked up a book on final cut and after effects, to kind of catch up and make sure i know of all the capabilities of both programs. i'd like to say that i have good working knowledge of avid - the others i can get away with, but really should study more. but i did use after effects to put together this XM spot, which i think turned out great. i just have to work at it a lot more.

there's also a good chance that i may be starting a new job as an assistant editor for an ad agency, which i'm excited about, but i'm also concerned about how much it could affect the film festivals and such. if it takes up too much time, i might bail. but then again, getting your foot in the door at any ad agency can open doors to directing more commercials and such.

so we'll see, and the wait continues...

keep yourself busy

i just got an email from an old friend of mine, robert loomis, a fellow filmmaker who i met at the IFP in new york back in 2001. it's been a very long time since i've heard from him, but still, it sounds like he's doing really well. he congratulated me on the film, and also mentioned how this phase of the film, the promotions and festivals and such, was the part that he really didn't enjoy. i have to agree with him. there's no way to tell how people will react to the film, and whether it'll get into any festivals. it seems like the fun part of making movies is the production end of it, not the promotions. sure, festivals can be a lot of fun, particularly meeting other people who dig your work. but all the work that it takes to put it out there is kinda a drag.

anyhoo, in the mean time, to keep myself busy in between the promotions of praxis and the writing and re-writing of other scripts, i've recently put together new promos for Current TV and XM. i decided to put together fun little promos that i could do quickly and easily, without a ton of thought put into it. these definitely help keep me busy on creating work in between the major filmwork, and i think that they are a worthwhile diversion. they ultimately also add to the reel.

so, i think it's worth it to look into other on-line communities that give filmmakers an opportunity to showcase work, and get feedback too. anyhoo, it's all in good fun...

animal suits

last monday, i met up with tom macy because he and a friend were just stopping into dc to catch a ball game. they were traveling to several cities and checking out different stadiums and games - tom is a big baseball fan. anyhoo, i was able to meet up with him for a couple of drinks before they headed to the game. i kinda gave him the update on what was happening with the film - setting up a myspace page, submitting it to several festivals, sending it out to contacts, and pretty much everything i can to put the film out there. i even sent it to montreal and plan to send it to other foreign film fests too. he was really excited.

so i mentioned something to him that i noticed recently about a lot of the indie films that are out there now, wondering if its the current hip/cool thing to do to get your movie in a festival: animal suits. is it just me? or are there a ton of pseudo -indie comedies out there that involve one if not several characters dressed up in some sort of animal suit? is that all anyone has to do to get into sundance? does this mean that 'mumblecore' is out and 'animal suits' are in? i don't get it.

both me and tom talked about how a lot of the american films that were at canne this past year got snubbed, and that the films that did really well were small foreign films about personal stories - films that had more substances without a lot of dialogue. i kinda think that i seem to prefer these kind of films. sure, putting someone in an animal suit is always funny - but i think it's being overdone. canne's argument is that they totally want to separate their festival from the commercialized sundance fest, and that they want to be on the forefront of 'world' cinema.

i'd just like to see more substance and thought put into making a movie - sort of a 'neo-hollywood' or 'neo-realist hollywood' or 'neo-realist indie'...something along those lines.

fortunately, PRAXIS does not have anybody in an animal suit...

off to the festivals

whew...what a busy few weeks it has been...hmm...where do i start?

well, the cast and crew screening at the afi a couple of weeks ago went incredibly well, and i couldn't be happier with the turn out and the response, and pretty much everything else. it was really great to see a lot of people that i haven't seen in a while, though, because i was running around so much, i didn't get a chance to sit and catch up with everyone that i had hoped. anyhoo, i did get to spend time with bob massey, and tom and andrew, and the rest of the crew, which was really cool.

we also got a really great article in the Washington City Paper: (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=1774) ,
which i wasn't expecting.

it was really a great article, and hopefully it will boost the chances of the film getting into festivals...hopefully.

seeing the film up on the big screen was both exciting and overwhelming. but ultimately, it re-enforced my whole reasons for making films. there's nothing like it. everyone was talking about the film at the after party - all talking about all different kind of things, and arguing about what different things represented and such...which is all a good thing. anyway, being able to have the screening at the afi for the cast and crew was really cool, and a really great way to end this phase of production.

after the screening weekend, me and paul headed down to florida for a short weekend trip - a chance to regroup and relax on the beach and such. it was sooo relaxing.

but now it's onto a completely different phase of the film - off to the festivals. i've already submitted screeners to a couple of major festivals, but i've also missed a couple as well. my thinking on it is that i do think that PRAXIS is a very strong film - why not submit to the big ones and work your way back to smaller festivals from that? the festivals market is such a game, and everyone tells you that you don't have a chance. but if you don't submit, how will you ever know? so, i'd like to at least submit and see what happens. if it turns out that i need to apply to smaller festivals later, then i'll definitely do that. but for now, i think we should go for it. what do we have to lose?

of course, it's always best to have a plan b, and even a plan c. so, plan a is to apply to the festivals, plan b is to work my old contacts and previous festivals where i've had my other work screened, and plan c is to four wall. either case, i definitely intend to push the film as much as i can, and let it get seen by as many people possible.

having the screening was a little bittersweet - i'm sure that the film will eventually screen somewhere. i just can't determine if and when that happens. that also means that i won't get a chance to see a lot of my friends and crew and such for quite a while.

such is life, but the important thing now is to concentrate on this new phase of the film and do the best that i can to put out there...

ya never know what can happen...

The Big Day

So, it's the thursday before the big weekend of the big day, that day being saturday, which would be the first screening of the PRAXIS at the AFI Silver Theatre. a lot of hard work and planning have gone into making sure everything goes well for this weekend, and i'm looking forward to it all. Bob Massey, flies in from LA tomorra, and Andrew and Tom get into town from New York on saturday. the screening is saturday night, and it looks like we'll have a really good turn out. there are a lot of people that i haven't seen in a long time that are coming, so it's going to be really great to catch up with them all.

Bob's staying with us til monday, and i hope that he'll dig me and paul's place - during the shooting of the film, andrew and tom stayed with us, and it seemed like they were both very comfortable here. so, i'm sure that bob will be totally cool here, and it'll be great to catch up with him too.

this past week, i got interviewed by the Washington City Paper, and they did an article about the film. it was totally cool, and the reporter complimented me on giving him a ton of information about the film. he said that usually when he interviews people and asks them questions, he usually doesn't get a decent answer and it's difficult to write about anything. fortunately, i told him that i've been interviewed before, and i also think that we put together a really decent press kit, so between the two, there should be plenty to write about. having a decent press kit is essential - and giving writers a ton of different angles to write about makes their job a lot easier. so there ya have it, the first published article about PRAXIS, and hopefully, many more to come.

after all this, i have no idea how the film will be received. i'm excited to present my first feature on the big screen, but at the same time, i'm a little nervous that not everyone will get it. audiences are always hard to gauge. but, i think ultimately, you have to trust the film itself, and trust that it can stand up on its own. i'm proud to have PRAXIS as a first feature, and i think the sincerity and honesty of everyone who worked on it speaks volumes on the big screen.

so, here comes the big weekend with the big day, and i'll be running around like crazy, but it'll really be awesome to see the cast and crew again, and the film will look incredible on the big screen. i just have to make sure everything works, and that i haven't forgotten anything...i'll be both happy and excited when it's over, and i can have a few beers...

but i better make sure that i not forget to take a picture of PRAXIS on the marquee...

awesome...

AFI tech run through

last friday, me and paul stopped by the AFI for a technical run through for the screening of the film in june. we basically, projected the first few minutes of the film and made sure everything looked and sounded just right. it also gave the projectionist time to jot down notes on the specifics of the screening - masks, lenses, etc. in any case, it was incredibly exciting to finally see the film on the big screen, even though it was only the first few minutes.

the screening is going to be awesome. all the hard work has finally paid off, and it basically moves the film into a phase where the concentration will be on publicity and promotion it, and film festivals and distributors, and film markets...yikes. yeah, it's a ton of stuff.

but i guess the most important thing is to enjoy the fact that film has gotten this far. i think the film has turned out beautifully, and i'm sure that tom and andrew will be overwhelmed to see themselves on the big screen at the AFI.

ironically, i'm not sure if i'll stay in the theatre the whole time the film is being screened. i've seen it so much, i might prefer to stand near the back, and sneak out when i feel like i need a drink...

anyhoo, the screening is going to be awesome, and PRAXIS is really finally coming together.

press kits

having finished all the digital output of the film from the avid to the digibeta deck that i subrented last week, i've shifted my focus on putting together a decent press kit. everything worked quite well last week - and i didn't have any technical hang ups or probs, and i was able to make several copies of the movie on digibeta, and even dumped the trailer onto a couple of digibeta tapes as well. putting together the press kit is turning out to be a little more complicated than i expected, but so far, i think it's coming together really well. i'm taking my time and focusing on every aspect to make sure that everything that's going into it looks cool. my friend is helping me write a decent press release, which is essentially the most important part of the kit, but i'm also including publicity materials, stills, postcards, and i'm even putting a CD-R with production and publicity stills in both a 300dpi (print) and 72dpi (web) format, along with the trailer and a promo interview comp of everyone talking about the movie. the promo interview seems to be the most complicated so far, there's a ton of material to go through, and it's just a question of deciding what material to include to make it as short and concise as possible.

the screening is in june, which is coming up really soon. i've gotten a really good response on the people i've invited so far, and i think it'll be really great to see everyone again. though, there's still a lot of loose ends that me and paul have to work out so that the screening goes smoothly.

i was able to rent a DVD series off of netflix called A Decade Under The Influence, which was a documentary film series that aired on IFC. i haven't seen it in a long time, but i do remember enjoying the amount of content that was in it: pretty much every major director inside and outside of hollywood is covered, and there are a ton of interviews of famous directors talking about their influences, and who they learned from, and who they looked up to. it's pretty incredible. so far, i think the most important aspect that everyone goes through is that certain directors and filmmakers just went ahead and made the movies that they wanted to make, regardless of everything else - pure independence, and an amazing drive to challenge all the everyday norms of a typical hollywood movie. i started to remind myself that the point of being an independent filmmaker is that you can challenge an audience and express things that a typical hollywood movie can't do.

that's the point of being independent. but sometimes, you can get caught up in all the logistics that you can forget the true reasons of going out and making a movie.

digital output

as i write this post, i'm in the process of doing a digital output of the final cut of the film onto a digital betacam deck that i've hooked up to the avid. it's pretty much the final stage of the film other than producing a digital intermediate - though there's a good chance that we'll never have to go to this stage. in any case, it's still kinda funny to have such an expensive piece of equipment hooked up to the avid. so far, everything looks swell. i'm going to have a couple of copies to work with just in case. in a couple of weeks, i'll stop by the AFI for the technical run through of the film for the screening in june. i basically have to have this digibeta copy good to go by then, since this will be the final screening format.

i've sent out a bunch of invitations to the screening, and i think it'll be a great turn out. i'm also going to send a couple of press kits to some of the local press to see if anybody might want to write about it. hopefully we'll get some good press, which will help with the publicity of the film. i'm planning to concentrate on the publicity of the film and the festivals pretty much right after the AFI screening. it's a ton of work, but the film has turned out so beautifully, it would be a shame to be do a half-assed job of putting it out there. i've also been out of the loop when it comes to the festival circuit, and it would be good to jump back in.

this past week, i was able to get a couple of movie posters made as well, and they turned out just grand. the website is up and running, though i'm still going to add a couple of things. this dream of producing my own feature film is finally becoming a reality - now it's time to start working on a new one...lol

web site

it's been a very active and productive weekend. friday, i spent most of the day making travel arrangements for bob, tom and andrew for the screening in june, and i also started to design the invitations as well. the rest of the weekend was spent finishing up the invites and working on the new website - and i'm glad to say that a preliminary version of the site is currently up and running:

praxis.damagedfilms.com

as with anything else, there are a ton of little tweeks and things to fix to the site, and i'm planning to add a lot more cool and interesting stuff on there as well, but at least the current version has the trailer on there and a bunch of cool photos from when we were shooting the film. what i'm finding out tho, is that the site always seems to look really great on my home computer, but when i try to load it on a different computer, things don't exactly come out identically the same. anyhoo, i'm sure over time that i'll be able to fix most of the current website issues.

this week, i plan to mail out the official invites to the screening, and also check out the current version of the film. i'll need to reserve the subrental of the digibeta deck for the final output of the film soon, as the tech rehearsal for the film at the AFI in in the middle of may. sounds like a lot to do, and it is, but fortunately, it's all coming together quite well. and it's nice to feel like iive got a good rhythm going...

now i have to decide who to invite to the screening, which is about as much fun as making invitations to a wedding - which in-laws to invite or not invite...

fun stuff...

grindhouse

today, i head to a meeting with the event coordinator at the american film institute in silver spring to finalize a couple of things for the cast and crew screening in june. i'm looking forward to this, and it'll be awesome to see the film on the big screen. hopefully, this will be the starting point for the film's next phase: applying to festivals and putting the film out there for all to see. but of course, before i get too ahead of myself, there's still a ton of things that need to get done before june: posters, invites, after party, website, press kits...tons of stuff...but it's all good, and it's very cool to be at this point of the movie making process.

last weekend, me and paul got a chance to see grindhouse, the rodriguez/tarantino 3 hr plus epic and homage to the exploitation films of the seventies. though it is a bit long, and kinda gets a little boring in the middle, the first film is a straight up zombie gore flick, and the final sequence in tarantino's film is absolutely incredible. in the age of CG and computer effects, back in the day, stunts and effects were done with real people in real danger. old school...needless to say, i loved the film. i thought it was incredible. even though this film has nothing to do with praxis per say, it's still cool to see movies that are genuine good movies - seems hard to do in this day and age.

so, my goal for the weekend is to put together the trailer for the website, and finish some of the other press kit stuff, and maybe even start work on the website.

back to work it is!