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GUERILLAS AT NBC
When I read about filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn (My Architect) and producer Callum Greene's film about M. Night Shamalayan for the Sci-Fi Channel running into trouble over Night's refusal to cooperate once the documenatarians discovered a "buried secret" in his past, I meant to check it out by making a call to Greene. We recently covered his last produced feature Homework in the magazine. But today I was reminded that this had slipped off my "to-do" list by this piece on CNN.com. In it, Sci-Fi Channel president Bonnie Hammer described the news leak as a "guerilla marketing campaign" that went too far. Previously, the Sci-Fi Channel issued a release calling the finished doc a "disturbing expose," and AP and various other news outlets picked up the story.
Night, it seems, was in on the hoax and was interested in blurring the boundaries between doc and fiction in his biographical portrait. But after reading the article linked above, it's a little unclear what prompted the apology. After all, there was hardly a groundswell of rampant speculation following the original story. (In today's tabloid-saturated times, it is a little dicey to put it out there that you have a "buried secret" in your past.) Could this admission, timed just before the broadcast of the documentary, be yet another marketing ploy to draw attention to the film?
No, it seems as if the ballsiness required to execute a guerilla marketing campaign may simply be too much for the Sci-Fi Channel's corporate owner. The CNN story comes with a disclaimer from its parent company: "This marketing strategy is not consistent with our policy at NBC," said Rebecca Marks, NBC entertainment spokeswoman. "We would never intend to offend the public or the press and value our relationship with both."
The piece ends with its "smoking gun": "Greene, a producer of Lost in Translation, shares an agent with Shyamalan."
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 7/17/2004 06:52:15 PM Comments (0)
In the current issue of Filmmaker, producer Jeff Levy-Hinte writes a lengthy and provocative essay on the MPAA's "War on Piracy." Even if we weren't the publishers of the magazine, we'd tell you that it's a must-read. But for those who, after finishing it, may feel that Jeff's paralleling of the "War on Piracy" with the Bush administration's "War on Terror" is a bit over-the-top, then check out this link to an article in The Guardian, in which the true cost of that black-market copy of Soul Plane is revealed.Writes The Guardian:
"That, essentially, is the message being promoted this week by the Industry Trust for Intellectual Property Awareness (ITIPA), the body that represents some of the world's largest film companies. This week it launched a 1.5m [pound] 'public awareness campaign' to inform people of supposed links between the 'Del Boy' characters who sell pirate DVDs and terrorist cells.
"Posters claiming that 'terrorist groups sell DVDs to raise funds' are at the heart of the campaign. Anyone renting a video will now be receiving the same message. So where is the evidence for this claim?
"The industry group cited as its chief witness Ronald Noble, secretary general of Interpol. It quoted him as saying: 'The link between organised crime groups and counterfeit goods is well established, but Interpol is sounding the alarm that intellectual property crime (IPC) is becoming the preferred method of funding for a number of terrorist groups.'
So when you see that bootlegged copy of Chronicles of Riddick strewn across a mattress on Canal Street, stop and think of the consequences.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 7/17/2004 12:31:35 AM Comments (0)
FAHRENHEIT RISING
According to a new poll released today and disseminated by MoveOn PAC, "viewership of Fahrenheit 9/11 continues to grow with 11 percent of all voters now reporting they have seen Michael Moore's film. This is nearly double the number of viewers since the July 4th weekend, when 6 percent reported having seen the movie.
"An additional 33 percent [reportedly] intend to see Fahrenheit 9/11, which means that 44 percent of all voters in the 2004 Presidential election could be exposed to the film.
"Movie-goers and intended movie-goers represent a broad and diverse slice of the electorate and spread across the country, including the so-called battleground states. Fully 1/3 of voters who have seen or intend to see the film self-identify as Bush voters. Forty percent of movie viewers and potential movie viewers reside in battleground states, 25 percent in the 'red' states and 33 percent in the 'blue.'
"The poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, captured data from 1000 likely voters fielded between July 10- July 13, with a margin of error of +/- 3 points."
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 71 percent of eligible voters registered to vote in the 2000 election, but only 86 percent of those who registered actually cast ballots -- i.e. 60 percent or 111 million eligible voters.
If the MoveOnPAC press release is accurate, close to 20 million voters have already seen Fahrenheit 9/11.
The film had grossed just over $80 million as of last weekend -- so this would represent an average ticket price of only $4.00. Given that ticket price in most major cities is closer to $10, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research's numbers may be slightly... elevated.
If the numbers are correct, however, and 2/5 of the 33 percent of eligible voters who have indicated they intend to see the film actually do so, Fahrenheit 9/11 stands to gross something like $220-$250 million in the U.S. alone.
# posted by Steve Gallagher @ 7/15/2004 03:42:27 PM Comments (0)
Project Greenlight has announced the winner of this year's contest, which will begin airing on Bravo in early 2005 as nine hour-long episodes. This year's winners are director John Gulager, who will direct Feast -- a Dimension project about "a motley crew of bar patrons [who] struggle to survive a hungry family of flying beasts set on consuming a human buffet" -- from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunston.
# posted by Steve Gallagher @ 7/15/2004 10:22:30 AM Comments (0)
Over on his The Hot Button site, David Poland's got up one of his rambling think pieces, this time on the State of Things in the world of Internet publicity. A lot of it is comprised of his critical take on Ain't It Cool News and the way in which both the studios and the mainstream media feed off of it. It's a three-part article and is quite interesting in its attempt to define and argue for the specialized role of Interet publicity while also calling out the most egrigious offenders of the relaxed-sourcing, anyone-can-do-it attitude of the Web press. Check it out here.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 7/15/2004 12:23:45 AM Comments (0)
FAIR USE
Lawrence Lessig, in a "Guest Column" in today's Variety writes:"Robert Greenwald's latest film, 'Outfoxed,' is a political documentary about Republican bias at Fox News. It is also, as the New York Times Sunday Magazine dubbed it, a 'guerrilla documentary.'
"In addition to interviews with former Fox employees, academic studies evaluating the 'Fox effect' and internal Fox memos, Greenwald has used a significant number of clips from Fox News to show the bias that the slogan 'fair and balanced' belies.
"He had no permission to use those clips.
"Fox has called Greenwald's use stealing. It has warned other networks that if they exploit his 'illegal copyright infringement,' those networks will open themselves up to similar criticism -- presumably by Fox...
"If Greenwald's use of Fox's content is 'fair use' -- as we plainly believe it is -- then it is no more 'stealing' than walking across a sidewalk in front of a neighbor's home is trespassing on a neighbor's property.
"Copyright is property, but like all property, the rights it grants are limited. 'Fair use' is one such limit, constitutionally compelled, giving critics such as Greenwald the right to use a limited amount of copyrighted material without asking permission first.
"Fox claims it is 'fair and balanced.' Is it?
"Bill O'Reilly promised Fox viewers that he would report the news of the war [in Iraq] 'without an agenda or any ideological prejudice.' Did he?
"These are important questions at any time, but especially now, as the answers so dramatically affect current public policy. And they can be answered effectively only with a work that can use that the images that created the bias alleged.
"Journalists should encourage such criticism. If news networks are not as they say they are, then journalists and critics should be able to show it. If Greenwald's argument is wrong, then let another filmmaker contradict it. Or if ABC is just as bad, then let ABC be outed, too."
# posted by Steve Gallagher @ 7/14/2004 11:29:25 AM Comments (0)
This Thursday, Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman (Divine Intervention) plans to screen Simone Bitton's documentary Wall (Mur), about the controversial barrier being bulit by Israel to cordon off the Palestinian territories, on a section of the wall in Abu Dis -- a neighborhood on the outskirts of Jerusalem that has been cut in half by the wall. Bitton's film, which premiered in Directors' Fortnight at Cannes earlier this year, will also screen as part of the Jerusalem Film Festival on Thursday.
# posted by Steve Gallagher @ 7/14/2004 10:47:52 AM Comments (2)
The Toronto International Film Festival, which unspools September 9-18, announced part of this year's lineup today -- the first under our good friend Noah Cowan, who serves as co-director with Piers Handling for three years before assuming the position outright.Titles announced today include films screening in Viacom Gala Presentations, Masters, Visions, Special Presentations, Contemporary World Cinema, and the sidebar South Africa: Ten Years Later.
Taylor Hackford's Ray receives its festival world premiere as a Gala Presentation. Starring Jamie Foxx, Ray is the extraordinary biographical drama of the life of the late, great musician Ray Charles. The film also stars Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Terrence Dashon Howard, Larenz Tate, Richard Schiff, and Regina King.
"Red Dust, the directorial debut from Tom Hooper, receives its world premiere as a Gala Presentation. Based on Gillian Slovo's novel of the same name, and starring Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Red Dust is a moving and suspense-filled story that explores the effects of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"Director Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers receives its North American premiere as a Gala Presentation. Starring Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, and Song Dandan, House of Flying Daggers is an action-packed tale of love and conflict, captivatingly masterful in its finesse.
"To date, this year's Masters line-up includes the North American premieres of Jean-Luc Godard's Notre Musique, Benoit Jacquot's A Tout de Suite, Patricio Guzman's Salvador Allende, and the Canadian premiere of Demain on Demange, from Chantal Akerman.
"Five titles -- one international, three North American, and one Canadian premiere have been confirmed for this year's Visions: Theme Je, from Francoise Romand (international); A Hole in My Heart, by Lukas Moodysson (North American); Vital from Shinya Tsukamoto (North American); The Dead, by Lisandro Alonso (North American); and Tarnation, Jonathan Caouette's debut feature film and a Canadian premiere.
"This year's Special Presentations boast three world and three North American premieres. To date, the programme includes the world premieres of John Sayles' Silver City, Enduring Love from Roger Michell, Terry George's Hotel Rwanda, and the North American premieres of Dylan Kidd's P.S., Darrell James Roodt's Yesterday, and Palindromes, the latest from Todd Solondz.
"To date, Contemporary World Cinema, which showcases the best in international film, includes six titles hailing from eight countries. This year's line-up includes: Lucrecia Martel's The Holy Girl; Cate Shortland's first feature, Somersault; The Woodsman, Nicole Kassell's feature film debut; Brodeuses from first-time director Eleonore Faucher; Eytan Fox's Walk on Water; and Brothers, from returning director Susanne Bier.
"This year, the Festival's National Cinema programme focusses on South Africa. The complete line-up for South Africa: Ten Years Later includes: Zola Mesko's Drum, Ian Gabriel's Foregiveness, Max and Mona from Teddy Matterra, Zulu Love Letter by Ramadan Suleyman, Tony Strasborg's documentary, A South African Love Story -- Walter & Albertina Sisulu, Mark Bamfor'sCape of Good Hope, and Mozart -- the Music of the Violin, a short film from Mickey Dube."
The complete line-up of films to be screened at the 29th Toronto International Film Festival will be available on Tuesday, August 24, 2004, after 11:00 AM.
# posted by Steve Gallagher @ 7/14/2004 10:02:19 AM Comments (0)
OUTFOXING FOX
Documentary filmmaker Robert Greenwald launched a pre-emptive strike against the Fox News Channel yesterday by introducing his latest film Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism to the media yesterday at a packed press conference. The film "examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a 'race to the bottom' in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know."
The screening at the Ritz-Carlton in New York followed the publication in Sunday's New York Times Magazine of a feature article about the film by Robert S. Boynton. That article, entitled "How to Make a Guerrilla Documentary," described the film as "an obsessively researched expose of the ways in which Fox News, as Greenwald sees it, distorts its coverage to serve the conservative political agenda of its owner, the media tycoon Rupert Murdoch. It features interviews with former Fox exployees, leaked policy memos written by Fox executives and extensive footage from Fox News, which Greenwald is using without the network's permission."
In press releases handed out by Fox reps outside the Ritz-Carlton yesterday, according to Variety, "the net called the use of the footage 'illegal copyright infringement,' but so far isn't planning to sue."
Greenwald, who appeared onstage with a member of his legal team, Stanford law professor and intellectual property scholar Lawrence Lessig, "vigourously defended his right to use Fox footage. 'I have the absolute right to use this footage,' he said."
According to the Times Magazine, "A large portion of the film's $300,000 budget came in the form of contributions in the range of $80,000 from both MoveOn and the Center for American Progress, the liberal policy organization founded by John Podesta, the former chief of staff for Bill Clinton; Greenwald, who is not looking to earn any money from the project, provided the rest."
"Rather than taking the time-consuming route of entering film festivals or courting theater distributors, Greenwald plans to screen the film "throughout the country in hundreds of small local screenings, arranged by MoveOn, where people will be able to watch and discuss it," and to promote the DVD of Outfoxed, which will be distributed by Ryko Distribution, through the Web sites of various left-liberal organizations -- such as MoveOn, AlterNet and BuzzFlash -- as he did with his previous documentary, Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War, which critiques the Bush administration's case for the war in Iraq.
In a review of Outfoxed in today's Variety, David Rooney writes: "Greenwald's film provides stimulating evidence of how thoroughly news can be skewed, political agendas served and a climate of fear created by a news net selling itself as an objective information service but in reality offering little distinction between news and commentary."
# posted by Steve Gallagher @ 7/13/2004 10:14:12 AM Comments (0)
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