Film Method

[caption id="attachment_3590" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Ashley Ruskiewicz"][/caption] Join Cindy Freeman and Jenna Edwards for the last Film Method episode. It's been an incredible run these past few years as they've covered everything from raising money for your film to hiring crew members, running an efficient set, marketing your movie, and much much more. After 99+ episodes it's time to sign off. Cindy Freeman - Host/Producer Cindy Freeman moved to Los Angeles from San Diego in 2009 to pursue a career in the film industry. Upon her arrival in LA she immediately began working with producer Jenna Edwards to create behind-the-scenes content for Jenna's feature film April Showers. Cindy also directed the behind-the-scenes content creation for Jenna's film In the Darkness. It was while Cindy was working with Jenna that she was inspired to create the Film Method podcast. Cindy has worked on a number of independent films as a production assistant and 2nd A.D while in Los Angeles and in July of 2010 she began working at Dreamworks Animation as a production coordinator. Prior to moving to LA she produced a travel documentary, See Girl Go and a short film, Drips through her production company Soonami Productions. To contact Cindy you can write to her at info@film-method.com. Jenna Edwards- Co-Host/Producing Advisor Jenna Edwards began her film career in Minnesota where she was signed on as talent with Easter Hailey. Quickly after being signed Edwards was hired by the agency as a full time employee giving her a head-start on her Hollywood education. After two years of rising through the Minnesota film community Edwards made the move to Los Angeles. Soon after Edwards moved to Los Angeles she was hired by Agent Jamie Ferrar. It was while Edwards was working for Ferrar that she developed an interest in the casting process, before long she had moved from talent agencies to working in casting with such industry leaders as Sally Steiner (Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Boy Meets World), Barbie Block (Jonas, Pepper Dennis) and Allison Jones (Super Bad, The Office). During this time Edwards was also able to gain valuable production experience working on shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Malcolm in the Middle, and working with studios like Disney, MTV, FOX and CBS. After several years of successfully navigating her career through the Hollywood studio system Edwards made the leap to independent film with her first feature April Showers. After her success with April Showers, Edwards formed Mattoid Entertainment with partners Jeremy McGovern and Andrew Robinson where they made, In the Darkness, the first narrative feature to ever premiere on Hulu.com.  Most recently Edwards made her way back to Nebraska, where she shot April Showers, to team up with some new filmmakers on a comedy film called Trunk'd. To contact Jenna you can write to her at info@film-method.com.

[caption id="attachment_3560" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Background Image: Pixomar / FreeDigitalPhotos.net"][/caption] We return to the topic of music in film once again with London based composer Ram Khatabakhsh. Ram discusses his passion for composing music for film and working as a composer for independent film. We also spend a fair amount of time talking about his beloved Casio keyboard. Ram Khatabakhsh- Composer Ram started playing the keyboard at the age of six - just to figure out the melody of his favourite songs and themes. His parents bought him a small Casio keyboard at the time. He continued to play on his keyboard as a hobby after school hours and learned to play his favourite songs by ear. By age of 11, he was attending private piano and music lessons and exploring multiple musical genres. At the age of 15, Ram began to compose his own music and was instantly captivated by this. His passion for film music was apparent from the early days. He attended Kingston University in London where he obtained his degree in music composition. In November 2008 Ram was commissioned to write orchestral music and had his music performed by Kingston Chamber Orchestra in public concert.  In June 2008 Ram had his music played and work shopped at Royal Academy of Music in London where he worked along side the conductor Christopher Austin and composer Philip Cashian. In November 2007 Ram's music was performed in the South Bank Centre as part of the PLG Group season. Ram's music is highly motivated by film music, as this is the greatest goal in his career. He has been working as a freelance composer for several feature film projects and has written music for number of online advertisements and commercials and short films. Ram currently directs a music production company (Motion Sound Production) based at Pinewood Studios (UK) where he collaborates with directors and producers and works with a number of talented musicians and engineers. Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

Writer/Development Exec Tom Vaughan

Animation Producer Ellen Coss

Recap of Post-Production Season with Jason Brubaker

There's a saying that when you make a movie you actually make three movies by 1) writing the screenplay 2) shooting the movie and 3) editing the film. The editor of a film can serve as one of the primary storytellers of your movie and therefore is a critical role to cast when hiring your crew. Editor Karl Hirsch joins us to talk about workflow, the technical aspects of editing, and collaboration. Karl Hirsch- Editor Karl Hirsch is an award-winning picture editor, post-production supervisor, and trailer producer/editor. His boutique post-production company, HirschFilm, opened in 2003. Karl has worked on films such as For the Love of Money (James Caan, Oded Fehr, Edward Furlong, Delphine Chaneac), Officer Down (Sherilyn Fenn, Casper Van Dien), Fist of the Warrior (Ho-Sung Pak, Peter Greene, Michael Dorn), The Third Wish (Betty White, Jenna Mattison, Armand Assante), Frame of Mind (Chris Noth, Tony LoBianco, Barbara Barrie).  His films have been released by Lionsgate, Echo Bridge Entertainment, Phase-4 Films, Freestyle Media, Lifetime Television, Movieola, FunnyOrDie.com, Mini-Movie Channel, and Warner Brothers Video-On-Demand. Other editing and post-production credits include Stuart Gordon's King of the Ants, starring Daniel Baldwin and Kari Wuhrer; Paul Carafotes' Club Soda, starring James Gandolfini, Joe Mantegna and Louis Gossett Jr.; bio-fuel documentary feature Gashole: Killer Movie, starring Kaley Cuoco and Paul Walker; The Tub, starring Melora Hardin and Dedee Pfeiffer; and HBO Films' If These Walls Could Talk 2. Karl has also produced and edited hundreds of trailers, promos and sizzle reels.  Recent work includes Lasse Hallström's Hachi: A Dog's Story, starring Richard Gere; 2nd Take, starring Sarah Jones and Tom Everett Scott; theatrical advertisements for the documentary screening series Something to Talk About; Smother (Liv Tyler & Diane Keaton) for Inferno and Variance Films; Jim Isaac's action/thriller Pig Hunt; and promotional material for The Grammy Awards.  He has also produced sizzle reels for musical acts Il Divo, Bowling For Soup, and Good Charlotte.  Karl was nominated for a Golden Trailer Award in 2002, and was a Telly Award winner in 2008 and 2010.  The short thriller Clown was awarded "Best Editing" by the International Sci-Fi and Horror Film Festival in October 2005. Karl is also a producer of English dubs of foreign-language features.  Credits include Gen (Turkey), Wolfhound (Russia), and the animated features Goat Story (Czech Republic) and Space Dogs 3D (Russia). Karl's client roster includes Inferno Entertainment, Epic Pictures, The Recording Academy (The Grammys), Yahoo!, KidZania, Octagon Worldwide, Brainstorm Media, Siegel+Gale, Helio/Virgin Mobile, Future Engine, THINKFilm, VMI Worldwide, and Cutler Enterprises.  He was featured in Paul Osborne's documentary feature Official Rejection, and in Kim Adelman's book The Ultimate Filmmaker's Guide to Making Short Films. He has guest-lectured at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona, Film Independent in Los Angeles, and has spoken on film festival panels in Victoria BC, Austin, and Phoenix. Karl and his wife Lauren have written three monster movies together, made a short film about hiccups, and are currently producing a series of childrens radio plays. Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

When making a film it's important to be mindful of adding value to the project in order to sell it later. Those things, such as actors with names, can be attractive to a distributor who is looking to make a certain profit on your film and will also allow you to pay back your investors. Producer's Rep Noor Ahmed joins us to give tips on how to increase the value of your project and on working with the MPAA. Noor Ahmed- Producer's Rep Mr. Ahmed began his career in Ohio working as a production coordinator on various television commercials and indie feature films. Before leaving for Los Angeles, he worked on the indie feature Blue Car which premiered at the Sundance film festival and was released by Miramax. After moving from Ohio, Mr. Ahmed worked at New Line Cinema on various productions including Son of the Mask, Freddy vs. Jason, and Dumb and Dumber 2. Following his time at New Line, Mr. Ahmed worked as an Associate Producer on the PBS documentary, California and the American Dream, a four part series that received a national broadcast in the U.S. After leaving PBS, Mr. Ahmed worked for the distribution company Roadside Attractions traveling to various film festivals as their Acquisitions Coordinator. During his time at Roadside Attractions the company acquired several high level indie films including Supersize Me and What the Bleep Do You Know. Mr. Ahmed left Roadside Attractions to join Reder & Feig where he worked with the firm as a paralegal on films including, Brick, Thank You for Smoking, La Misma Luna, Southland Tales, and other indie features (full list on IMDb) before becoming the firms in-house Producer Rep. Reder & Feig's Website Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

As technology advances, the options for independent filmmakers increase significantly, which can make picking a camera or a digital release platform very difficult and overwhelming. Filmmaker Andrew Robinson joins us to talk about everything from selecting the right camera for your project to working with Hulu as a release platform and home theater technology. Andrew Robinson- Director Andrew Robinson's career in Hollywood began eight years ago creating advertising and marketing campaigns for some of the industry's biggest films and television shows. Upon graduating from The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California Robinson took a job at BLT & Associates working for clients such as ABC, TNT and CNN. Robinson left BLT and went to work for Shoolery Design and their primary client CBS, helping with the launch of the hugely successful CSI: Miami for Jerry Bruckheimer. Following his time at Shoolery, Robinson worked for Crew Creative Advertising in their theatrical advertising department. During his first three years at Crew Creative, Robinson worked on various hit films, including Harry Potter, Superman, Jarhead, The Island, Rambo 4, Happy Feet, Dodgeball and The Dukes of Hazzard to name a few. Robinson returned to television advertising as co-creative director of the newly formed Network Department at Crew Creative. While serving as the department's co-creative director, Robinson oversaw the launch of TNT's The Closer, Tyler Perry's House of Pain, A&E's Mad Men, and FX's Dirt and Rescue Me, among others. Robinson's advertising and film work has been seen all over the world and has been covered by The Daily Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, LA Times, CNN, Fox, KTLA and more. During his five years at Crew Creative, Robinson found time to write and direct the feature film, April Showers starring Kelly Blatz (Disney's Aaron Stone), Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), Illeana Douglas (To Die For) and Tom Arnold (True Lies). April Showers was released by Warner Brothers in the spring of 2011. Currently, Robinson is hard at work on his next film Love in Training, which will begin production in 2012. Andrew Robinson's Website Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

When tackling post-production you want to have someone on board that knows the ins and outs of managing your post-production team and who is familiar with working with a number of different film formats. It's also extremely important to work with a supervisor who is an expert in film deliverables in order to handle all the requests you will receive should you be lucky enough to work with a domestic or foreign distributor. Anthony Gore-Post Production Supervisor I have been the Executive in Charge of Post Production for the independent film production company, The Bubble Factory for over 11 years.  Most notably on the films: Playing Mona Lisa (2000), Bad Girls From Valley High (2005), The Devil's Tomb (2009) and Creature (2011).  My other post production credits include the Adult Swim hit TV series Childrens Hospital and the cult classic television show, Sordid Lives: The Series, as well as the critically acclaimed independent films, West Of Brooklyn and Revolution Green. Currently I am supervising the independent film For The Love Of Money starring James Caan. I am a graduate of Rutgers University and I am an active member of the Motion Picture Editor's Guild and Producer's Guild of America. Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

One of the most important things to consider as you're making your movie is how you're going to connect with an audience. Whether it be a niche subject or a broader family film, you must know who your audience is and how you will find them. Jon Reiss of Think Outside the Box Office joins us to share his pearls of wisdom on the topic. Jon Reiss- Producer/Author Named one of "10 Digital Directors to Watch" by Daily Variety, Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker whose experience releasing his most recent documentary feature, Bomb It with a hybrid strategy was the inspiration for writing Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution in the Digital Era, the first step-by-step guide for filmmakers to distribute and market their films.  In that book he created the concept of the Producer of Marketing and Distribution (PMD) in order create a new crew member who would be in charge of a film's audience engagement and release. As a consultant, Reiss is unique as one of the only filmmakers who works with other filmmakers throughout the world helping them devise strategies to release their films.  Reiss has worked with IFP, the Sundance Institute, Screen Australia, Film Independent, Creative Scotland, The South Australian Film Corporation and numerous film schools and festivals to devise ways to educate and help independent filmmakers in the new economic landscape.  He has conducted over a dozen TOTBO Workshops over three continents in the last year and is the year round distribution and marketing mentor at the IFP Filmmaker Labs. He also teaches at the Film Directing Program at Cal Arts. Reiss is working on two more book projects: the first is devoted to the PMD, the second book takes the structure of distribution and marketing outlined in TOTBO and applies it to all the art forms. Reiss is also a regular contributor to Indiewire, Tribeca Future of Film, Sundance Artists Services, Hope for Film and other publications. For more information go to: www.jonreiss.com FB: www.facebook.com/reiss.jon Twitter: www.twitter.com/Jon_Reiss Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

You may have heard it said that sound can make or break a film and wondering how that could be possible. More than likely you've seen a low budget movie and known that something wasn't quite right, but you couldn't put your finger on it. Chances are, the sound was shotty. Shaun Burdick joins us to discuss the different jobs of a sound editor on small and large scale movies. Shaun Burdick- Sound Editor Shaun Burdick is a Los Angeles based Sound Designer. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design's MFA program, he got his start working on Jamil Walker Smith's directorial debut Make a Movie Like Spike... as the film's Dialogue Editor. For the past ten years he has leant his talents as a designer and mixer to various theatrical productions and independent films around the country.  His most recent credits have included Re-recording Mixer on the independent documentary Empty Hand: The Real Karate Kids, Sound Designer for The Night Shift, TV pilot Jalama Beach, Mother's Red Dress, Of Silence and additional audio design on the video game Supremacy MMA. In February 2011 he was nominated for the MPSE Verna Field Award for his sound design work on the short film En Route. Currently Shaun is serving as the Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer for the independent feature 29000 Wishes. 1 Regret. www.burdicksound.com Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

Many people have lofty dreams of making their own film "masterpiece". It's a nobel pursuit to throw caution to the wind, forget all the naysayers, and make your movie the way you want to do it. That is of course unless you have investors that are expecting to be paid back. Join us as we talk to ex-sales agent and founder of The Film Collaborative, Orly Ravid, to hear about her experience that led her to create this fabulous organization whose tag line is "Filmmakers First". Orly Ravid- Founder of The Film Collaborative (TFC) Orly is a 12-year industry veteran whose experience in film ranges from festival programming to acquisitions &  domestic licensing and distribution, as well as business affairs, foreign sales, and digital distribution. In 1998, Orly joined veteran boutique foreign sales company Amazing Movies & Highland Crest Pictures and launched the company's Art House domestic distribution label. Orly then joined Maxmedia, producers of Chen Kaige's Cannes Selection Emperor and the Assassin and the Miramax/Dimension release The Others starring Nicole Kidman. At Maxmedia Ravid worked in production and development and created FilmFixx, the company's domestic distribution arm that launched with the highly controversial film Baise Moi. Orly subsequently consulted for various independent distributors and filmmakers under her own label, Ravid Film Consulting. In 2004 Orly launched Wolfe Releasing's foreign sales, theatrical, and digital distribution arms and handled its acquisitions and business affairs. In 2010 Orly founded The Film Collaborative (TFC), the first non-profit organization devoted to the distribution-education and the distribution of art house and documentary cinema. The Film Collaborative since its launch has worked with over 100 filmmakers.  It has consulted on distribution for films such as Sundance Winners GasLand and Contracorriente (Undertow), Revenge of the Electric Car (Tribeca), SXSW Winner Weekend, to name just a few.  TFC specializes in splitting rights and helping filmmakers navigate digital distribution, and it created the first ever Digital Distribution Guide (TM) utilized by filmmakers and industry alike.  TFC was commissioned to write a report on the topic for uniFRANCE to help its sales agents to navigate new media and has advised Sundance on its new "artists services" digital distribution initiative. TFC is releasing a book about distribution entitled Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul that will be available in multiple digital formats and in paperback as of September 19, 2011. From 2007 -2009 Orly served as VP of Acquisitions and Distribution of publicly traded Berlin-based Senator Entertainment. Orly regularly moderates or speaks on panels at Sundance and other film festivals regarding new technology and digital distribution. Orly served as a Programming Associate for documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival and as Programming Consultant for Palm Springs International. Orly has served on the Board of Directors of Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival. Orly earned a B.A in English Literature and Film Studies at Columbia University and graduated with honors. The Film Collaborative Website Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

It's hard to imagine a movie without music. Music is one of the key elements in filmmaking and is  used to help set the tone of a film as well as supplement emotional arcs of characters. The topic is vast, but we attempt to scratch the surface with composer Paul Spaeth and music manager Susan Thampi. In this episode we discuss budgeting for music, licensing, and working with a composer to score your film. Susan Thampi- Music Manager Susan has worked in all areas of the film industry including development, distribution, and both live action and animation production. A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the Thornton School of music, she got her start in post-production at Kennedy Marshall productions, after selling her couch on craigslist to an executive at Warner Bros. She has worked on over twenty freelance independent productions in various roles including production designer, editor, and producer.  She joined DreamWorks Animation in 2009, and was named Music Manager for the studio in January 2011. That same month, she released her first solo classical music album entitled Chanson Boheme, a fusion of opera and world music. She is currently working on the animated feature Puss in Boots for DreamWorks, set to release in theatres on November 4, 2011. Susan's Website Paul Spaeth- Composer Paul Spaeth's soaring yet poignant artistry has inspired admiration from a large and diverse audience. At MP3.com, upon reaching over 1.6 million downloads, Paul Spaeth was recognized as the Top Artist in LA and remained in the Top-Ten of Amazon's download charts for months. Evidence of his wide-ranging musical appeal began with winning the Pepsi-Summerfest Talent Search at age 15; as a solo pianist competing against rock bands. Since then, mentors such as Morten Lauridsen (composer-in-residence, LA Master Chorale) and film composer Christopher Young (The Shipping News, Spiderman 3) have praised Spaeth for his "innate talent" and rare melodic sensitivity. Paul Spaeth rides the line between silver screen, stage, and concert hall with resounding success. Spaeth's work in cinema has premiered at such prestigious film festivals as Toronto, Monaco, Naples, and Montreal. Since the premiere of his first orchestral piece at age 17, his award-winning concert works have been recorded by some of the leading artists of his generation. Spaeth's artistry has inevitably attracted high-profile producers, agents and multi-platinum songwriters, and in 2003 he won the Recording Academy's Grammy Scholarship Award. Paul Spaeth attributes his success to his philosophy of the "numinous experience in music": a clarity and directness that draws individuals to an intensely personal experience. As said by one listener, "The subtleties strike us honestly, driving to the core of who and what we are." Spaeth Music Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

For our last episode of our season about production we bring back the lovely and talented producer and author Eve Light Honthaner. Eve has worked in numerous production offices in the span of multiple years that she's worked in this industry. We discuss the end of principal photography and transitioning into post-production. Eve Light Honthaner- Producer/Author/Teacher Eve's career in the entertainment industry spans many years, primarily in the field of production management.  She's worked in every capacity from PA to line producer and as a staff production executive, most recently for DreamWorks.  She's worked on shows budgeted anywhere from $1 - $250 million and on projects that have been shot throughout the U.S. and internationally, including Titanic, Just Married and Tropic Thunder. Eve is the author of The Complete Film Production Handbook and HOLLYWOOD DRIVE: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry.  And since 1998, she's combined her many years of practical experience with a love of teaching to help others succeed in this fiercely competitive business. In addition to the six-week course she teaches at USC's School of Cinematic Arts each summer, schedule permitting, she does one- and two-day workshops throughout the country. Eve's Website- http://evehonthaner.com Film Method Hosts For more information about the Film Method hosts, please visit the About page.

Have you ever thought of everything that goes into creating the whole look of a film? We've brought in three experts to tell you all about it. From the placement of the actors, to the set dressing, props, costumes and make-up- all of these matter when deciding what's going to be in frame. Oneita Parker- Costume Designer Oneita Parker has been designing costumes for film, television, commercials, music videos, and theatre productions for more than a decade with zeal and excitement found in everything she creates.  Oneita got her start in Hollywood designing costumes for several award-winning short films that toured the festival circuit. Oneita has gone on to design costumes for several award-winning features that have also received theatrical release all over the world.  Many times she has been blessed to work with such amazing talents as Samuel L. Jackson, Mink Stoll, Angela Bassett, Jazmine Guy, Courtney Vance, Don Cheadle, Corbin Bernson, Piper Perabo, and Catherine Heigle to name a few. She has worked with such great directors as Mark Webb, JJ Abrahms, Jamie Babbitt, Q. Alan Brocka, and Rosser Goodman among others. Oneita Parker got her start in the rag trade catapulting herself into college a week after high school, to pursue her dreams of being a fashion designer at FiDM in San Francisco.  After a year of straight A's it was either Los Angeles or New York.  She chose New York and continued her education at the Fashion Institute of Technology majoring in fashion design and  textiles. Oneita Parker currently lives in Los Angeles with her lovely wife and three cats. Oneita's Website Charles Haine- Director of Photography Charles Haine is a filmmaker/entrepreneur who has been working in the motion picture industry since 1999.  After completely his MFA from USC in 2005, he has worked as a freelance director, cinematographer and colorist.  Since founding Dirty Robber in 2008, he has worked tirelessly to grow the company, expand it's infrastructure and provide cost effective resources including arrange the deal behind their no-cost office space, and recruiting talented staff. As a colorist he has worked with Radical Media, 47 Pictures, Boxer Films, Arclight films and many others for clients including Ford, Jeep, Honda, Mcdonalds, Burger King, AMC, St. Jude's Hospital, and many others, including several feaures, and numerous music videos.  As a director of photography has has shot three feature films, his most recent receiving distribution through Lion's Gate, and has shot commercials, music videos, industrials and several short films. He also is an associate professor at Los Angeles City College teaching cinematographer and editing, and he teaches color grading, visual design and stereography at Columbia College Hollywood. Dirty Robber Website Michael Fitzgerald- Production Designer After growing up in theater in Santa Cruz, California, Michael Fitzgerald moved to LA to attend UCLA's School of Theater, Film, & TV. One of his first jobs was creating Cuba in LA for Josh Evan's "Che," where only a theater nerd would make with a tobacco plant out of lettuce, rope, paint and palm leaves.   Michael has created visual stories for directors including a hippie commune and teen punk world for Adam Sherman's "Happiness Runs," skate ramps, clubhouses, & a con man abode in Cosmo Segursons "Nic and Tristan, Go Mega Dega," a bachelor pad loft and Seattle News station for Slamdance 2009 hit Blayne Weaver's "Weather Girl," Paris apts, Drag bingo, & and Silverlake artist duplex, in Jason Bushman's "Hollywood Je T'aime," a creepy house and a game that comes alive for "The Black Waters of Echos Pond," and the comic book reality for a high school of jocks and geeks in "The Secret Life of Dorks."  Michael had the challenge of building two entire New York apartments from scratch on stage for Slamdance 2010 hit "Four-Faced Liar".  Cur...