Not So Small Screen: TV Stands On Its Own

tvTelevision was once the newest medium on the block. Decades after other forms of entertainment like radio and film, TV gained its prominence in the mid 20th Century, as alternative and oft-times complement to radio. Soon after, as sets became more affordable and more technologically advanced, one could find a television, and people in front of it, in nearly every home in America. Responding to such demand and popularity, studios and networks began producing programming to match the promise of entertainment for these talking boxes, expanding the platform from its original few hours of content to hundreds of channels and endless media, in our present time.

Since then, television as the sort of new and personal form of entertainment, became a respected institution in its own right, but one noticeably separate from the glamour of film. In fact, television was seen as the stepping stone for film, a sort of audition in which actors would prove their worth and transition to film as a result of their merit and/or popularity. Similarly, those who had achieved success on the silver screen and then transitioned to television were perceived as struggling and/or unsuccessful. Movie stars simply did not do television–the media were separate and exclusive, with the former considered better than the the latter. That is not so much the case anymore.

Today, television is holding its own, carving a space that will be remembered with awe and excitement. With more daring, creative scripts, large budgets, diverse talents, highly skilled directors and new ways of presenting (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime) television is in vogue, with some arguing that its relevance has eclipsed that of the traditional movies we pay top dollar to see in theaters. While I think the theory is too far of a reach, I think those who postulate such mean that television is in no way inferior to film–the small screen isn’t so small anymore, particularly in our flatter, increasingly global world, where anything and everything can easily be accessed online.

Kyle Buchanan writing for Vulture had this to a couple years ago about the topic: “Why would you worry about a film career when TV can now offer greater acclaim and bigger audiences?” It certainly seems that way for some of the industry’s best talents. Consider Orange Is The New Black’s Uzo Aduba, who plays the character Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in the award-winning Netflix series. I doubt anyone would argue that she has not become a massive star, alongside the likes of some of the biggest names one can recall from the big screen, despite having never acted in a film.

Similarly, a gamut of stars have turned to television from movies to find their stars shine even brighter, rather being dimmed. Take Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey for example, whom Kyle also mentions in the article, who transitioned to a role of even greater acclaim in the HBO series, True Detective, which he also produced. Or Oscar nominated star, Viola Davis, whom I mentioned last month but at the height of her career, following a nomination for The Help, made a break into television and began seeing more success than anytime in her career.

Of course, these two stars can and have returned to film at any time, just like Uzo Aduba will be making her debut this coming year, but it’s not a necessity, it’s an option. Movies are no longer the culmination of an acting career but another texture, rather another shade of the same color, for many of today’s stars. And that’s a good thing.

Why Hollywood’s Embrace of Older Women in Film Makes Sense

older woman on a benchThe history of Hollywood is the creation of the fantasy world. A world in which people overcome all obstacles, and always fall in love, with happy endings that include living happily ever after–but never growing old. Such is perpetuated by the America’s infatuation with youth, and the centering of such in a way that makes the idea of getting old something to fear. Especially among women in the industry. For years, even, women were encouraged to be slim and attractive, and to remain youthful at any cost (even if that means plastic surgery) if they’d hoped to maintain any long-term success in the industry. Men have rarely had that problem: 10 of the 15 oldest nominees for an Academy Award are men. However, we’re currently seeing a shift from that idea.

In the 21st Century, Hollywood is still driven by fantasy–after all, many watch movies and television as a means of escape and entertainment. Why not create worlds that can’t exist elsewhere, if given the opportunity to do so? Yet, while fantasy continues to be a cornerstone of what great movies are made of, there is a facet of film that is equally exhilarating, and which resonates with the audience in a different way: reality. Indeed, as much as people love the worlds of make believe that movies provide, they love to see themselves on the screen, they’re attracted to believable characters and narratives that build on history and also reflect the times in which we currently live.

Those times in which we live are determined by a number of factors, more specifically, by the demographics of our populace. America is getting older, with the Baby Boomer generation, those born between 1946 and 1964, accounting for over 20 percent of the American Population. Boomers are the second largest group of citizens in the country (slightly smaller than millennials), and nearly all of them are retiring or near retirement. This generation, which was the first to grow up with with multiplex theaters and colored TVs in the home, are key part of what drives entertainment and culture. Thus, creating stories that reach them are necessary as a part of business strategy, with regard to adaptation and natural evolution.

In doing so, Hollywood has created new spaces in which aging women can continue to be a part of the industry; not just in supporting roles, which use them to a lesser extent in telling a story. Now, these ladies are the story–the centerpiece of the films and television shows in which they star. Take this year’s film’s like, Grandma, The Lady in the Van, or the the British drama 45 years, for example. The latter has resulted in an Academy Award nomination for 70-year old Charlotte Rampling, and the other two, featuring Lily Tomlin and Maggie Smith, respectively, are among the highest rated this year, with critics. On Television, as well, there’s been an increase in the range of roles for older women, with Jessica Lange receiving a spate of accolades for her roles in American Horror Story, and Viola Davis making history at the Emmys with her sultry character, Annalise Keating, on ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder.

Each of these career defining roles for these women, later in the lives and careers, are a welcome sign of progress for legends like Oscar Winner Meryl Streep, whose efforts to get movies greenlit for women writers over 40 years old, are becoming more of a reality. She spoke recently at the Berlin Film Festival about the “positive direction” she, herself, is witnessing in Hollywood. That is not to say that youth is not still prized over maturity. Rather, it seems, the industry is making an effort to adjust the fantasy in a way that projects the good life, in some way, for everyone.

Is There Any Creativity In Hollywood?

night-television-tv-theme-machines-large2015 was a big year for movie buffs, and an even bigger one for studios and those behind last year’s blockbusters. With the release of Star Wars in the fourth quarter, Jurassic World in the summer, and the hugely popular Avengers series in the same year, 2015 now ranks as the biggest year for movie sales in U.S. and Canadian box-office history. Beyond record breaking sales, the awards season has also been riddled with a plethora of very popular, critically acclaimed films like The Martian, starring Matt Damon, the emotional rollercoaster of a drama, Room, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest effort, The Revenant. Each of those  took away a Golden Globe this past week. And like the Avengers and Jurassic Park, Room and The Martian are adaptations of books turned into feature films.

These few mentioned aren’t exceptions. Other award winning films like 2011’s The Help, 2014’s Wild, and series from Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Twilight, are all adapted from books. The popularity of this trend has resulted in over half of all top grossing films in the last 20 years; 2016 shows no signs of breaking this trend, with at least 40 film adaptations already slated for release this year.

Of course, such practice is not novel (no pun intended), the most popular film of all time is based on a book a of the same title: Gone With The Wind. Still, the idea of something like Star Wars or the nearly equally popular film, Avatar, being created by a lone writer, specifically for film, seems less likely to be picked up or promoted by Hollywood.

The reason for such is likely rooted in the track record for adaptations. With piracy still a concern for executives, as well as other factors like economic uncertainty, home entertainment options, and, now, mobile as well, film producers are more likely to push something with an established fan base or with a remarkable story, with which they can repurpose more than once. Further proof of such can be seen in the industry’s proclivity to release a number of remakes in the last few years, rather than taking a gamble on newer, fresher films. Furthermore, though remakes have declined in the last decade or so, sequels continue to trend upward (the next two Star Wars films are already in the making).

As a result, some have questioned whether Hollywood rewards creativity any more, or if there are any original ideas even being proposed. The reality, however, is that screenwriting or even screen adaptation does require a great deal of skill and creativity. A book is but a blueprint and source of inspiration for writers; they are not conflated though similar in that the goal is to create a story. Hence, the role and/or level of creativity of the screenwriter should not be judged on the source of inspiration alone.

Furthermore, just because a book is adapted into a film doesn’t mean the story isn’t new. Indeed many films are the reason certain books become popular; and even then, the two are different experiences. Of course, we all would like to see and experience new stories and more risks in Hollywood, but until that time comes, a good movie is a good movie. If you’re still unsatisfied, make your own. It could be the next big hit!

Recording Movies With iPhone: A Growing Trend

Geno Scala recording using an iphoneToday, billions of people use smartphones, and despite their overwhelming popularity already, that number is only expected to grow. Indeed, experts have predicted that total number of overall users will exceed 6 billion in as little as five years. For many of those users, smartphones are more than mere tools used for communication, rather they are used for everything from entertainment to telling time. And for the more creative and photographically inclined, they can be used to make movies.

Using one’s phone to shoot and publish video is not a novel concept, of course. Websites like Vimeo and Youtube exist mostly for that reason. Most of the user generated content on those sites, in which cell phone is used for recording, are rather casual, including tutorials, reviews, comedy and the like. However, in recent years, more and more individuals are using their mobile devices to create films, not merely for the entertainment of a few friends on social media, but to be released and considered alongside traditional media.

Such is the case for the 2011 short film, Framed. Created by French filmmaker, Maël Sevestre, the film was shot on iPhone 4S and recorded over the course of just a few days, using minimal materials. Yet, the film was lauded by critics for its beauty and simplicity, despite minor problems with regard to things like color. Similar to the writing and shooting process, the editing of the film was completed in less than a day and uploaded to Vimeo. It currently stands at nearly half a million views.

More recently, a movie entitled Tangerine employed this method, using a more updated iPhone 5S. The movie, created by Sean Baker, was released at Sundance, where it took both the audience and judges by surprise. Despite its lack of convention, the film was considered one of the best at the festival, and was the only feature to be shot almost completely on a smartphone (others had used one for certain shots or scenes, but not as a primary source).

These two are just examples of the many filmmakers who are beginning to employ the devices they use daily into their normal line of work. Of course, for both of the aforementioned films, the process was not just using an iphone in hand. There were a few apps, add-on lenses and tripods involved, in addition to editing; each was a completely professional endeavor which just happened to be made using instruments that are not so common within the industry.

What’s promising about these new developments, though, is both access and cost. Not only will more individuals have means to create somewhat professional films at their disposal, the cost of using iPhone versus other cameras is significantly less. Of course, the quality of the camera itself is not better than that of, say, a 35mm. However, it’s likely the quality of camera on smartphones will only improve with time, and, perhaps, it will become the norm.

5 Movies Worth Seeing Right Now

With awards season just around the corner, many pundits are making predictions about what is likely to be honored by organizations like the Academy of Motion picture Arts and Sciences, otherwise known as the Oscars. Many are good at such predictions, using what and who the Academy has awarded in the past as some sort of scale. Nevertheless, this blog is not about what will or should be honored, rather it is a list of great movies which have come out this year, many of them within the last couple of the months, that should be seen by viewers and movie lovers.

  1. Geno Scala's image for the Martian Movie

    20th Century Fox

    The Martian: America’s fascination with capturing outer space appears to be making a resurgence. Given the 2013 release of the award-winning, Gravity, and the highly anticipated return of Star Wars this winter, this incredibly popular film captured audiences globally, because of growing interests. The film is shot beautifully, with the support of a more than stellar cast and expert direction from none other than Ridley Scott. While literary lovers typically lament when movies are adapted from books they love, there weren’t many with a lack of appreciation for this production, and for good reason.

    Geno Scala's image for the film Spotlight

    Open Road Films

  2. Spotlight: This film is as bold as the true story it’s based on. Yet, it balances somehow, with incredible poise, the controversial subject matter, leaving the audience to judge for themselves who is at fault. With a spate of power-house actors on the cast, one might assume that there would be clashing of some sort, or that one would inevitably outshine the other, but that doesn’t happen here. Consequently, a large part of the film’s success should be attributed to the film’s director and co-writer, Thomas McCarthy. Bring this film to life in the way that he did is true artistry.

    Geno Scala's image for the movie Chiraq

    Amazon Studios, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

  3. Chi-Raq: This is one of the more creative films to be released this year, which had movie critics raving that Chi-Raq is the Brooklyn native, Spike Lee’s, best film in years, decades, perhaps. Based on the classic Greek comedy, Lysistrata, the film expertly uses satire to carry its message of the staggering amount of murders happening on Chicago’s south side, as a result of gun violence. While unbalanced with regard to pacing and story development, the film is incredibly poignant and relevant, and, as previously stated, beyond creative.

    Geno Scala's image for the movie Room

    A24 Films

  4. Room: Also based on a novel, this movie is an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. Any film that can keep the audience intrigued, even when it knows the premise, is exactly why people enjoy the art of movies. The relevance of the story itself cannot be understated, in light of very similar events that have taken place in the news within the last few years. And not unlike Netflix hit, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but certainly with a different approach, the movie allows us to understand the emotional toll but incredible strength of the victims which endure abductions and kidnapping, and relate to them as more than mere headlines.

    Geno Scala on Amy Winehouse Documentary

    Altitude Film Distribution

  5. Amy: This is the only documentary on the list; it needed to be included. This movie shows the gone-too-soon British pop star’s rise and demise. The importance of the film is its ability to highlight the beast of the industry and other contributing factors to one’s ruin and, in this case, death. Yet, it’s not all pain and sorrow. The innate, raw talent of the singer is carefully highlighted, and the director is careful to center her love of music as her ultimate passion, which suggests it, rather than the horrendous way she passed, should be her legacy.

Three Survival Tips For Entering The Entertainment Industry

Image of Filming CameraThe business and politics of film industry can be a murky, intimidating world to enter, even for the most passionate and committed artists and potential filmmakers. As in most professional realms, mentorship is absolutely crucial in regards to finding your footing and making the most of every opportunity you are lucky enough to enjoy. The Script Mentor exists to provide support to aspiring and rising screenwriters for just this reason. However, some broader knowledge is widely available online that applies to more than just writers, but to people interesting in filling just about every role in the entertainment industry. Barbara Freedman Doyle, who – in addition to establishing herself as a successful coordinator and production supervisor in television and film – has served in leadership roles of various film departments at the University level, curated a list of things you need to know to make it in the film industry. Although Geno Scala and his presence in the world of arts and entertainment have been most heavily centered around scriptwriting, these general insights serve him (and everyone) well as gentle reminders about the reality of breaking into the film industry and finding success therein.

Reputation Is Everything

In every business where people are wheeling and dealing with any level of frequency, your reputation will make or break you. This is especially true in a relatively close-knit, small, and exclusive industry like film and television. It is an intimate enough industry that many (if not most) negotiating happens verbally. Any established presence can contact just about any other party with just a phone call. Everyone, especially the kinds of people who make the most important sorts of decisions behind the camera, talk all of the time. What all this constant communications means is that there are no secrets. It is one thing for information like your typical job title and pay rate to be public knowledge. In the entertainment business, however, people can and will discuss so much more. This can include how hard you work, if you are honest, and how you treat people.

Therefore, if you nurture a reputation for yourself as reliable, capable, and an overall positive workplace presence, more and more doors will swing open. Again, this may hold true in most industries, but in entertainment this reality is magnified and multiplied many times over. On the other hand, if someone has a negative experience working with you, then your reputation as difficult, high-strung, irrational, or just plain unpleasant will intensify your troubles finding work to an extreme extent relative to what you might experience working in a different field. It is important to realize that this is your employment and nobody is interesting in cutting you slack because you had a long day or were simply in a bad mood for whatever reason. Without a proven track record, your talent simply does not count for much. You have to deliver, and be prepared to follow through and execute every single time. It just takes one slip-up or one bad experience with one person to potentially sink your entire reputation (and career). Rationalizations for why you came up short once or twice just do not count and extenuating circumstances do not matter. Recognize that every decision you make and action you take is feeding into your reputation and take ownership of how people will describe you when, eventually, your name comes up on future projects.

History Trumps Friendship Every Time

An incredibly dangerous combination is for a word to be both overused and misused, which is exactly the case when it comes to the term, “relationship.” That is especially true in film and television. One of the most common anecdotes you will hear is that some person in a position of authority gave a lesser known individual a shot because they had “a relationship.” Another frequent scenario people in the entertainment business often quote is two people who always work together because they “have a relationship.” Sometimes producers won’t interfere or otherwise decline to argue with a director’s first choice for talent (behind or in front of the camera) because, although the producer might have a different preference, the director and the person in question “have a relationship.”

When it comes to the working world, relationships have little to absolutely nothing to do with friendship. If you are serious about breaking into film or television in any capacity, you need to be able to sever and separate your understanding of relationships in your personal sphere and what they are in the professional one. Working relationships are all about history. In the entertainment industry, turnover is incredibly high. Everyone is ambitious and has a dream, yet people who are here today will undoubtedly be gone tomorrow. This extreme degree of volatility is very deeply rooted into the very soul of the industry. As such, history – having worked or even just studied together in the past – can be a protection against the certainty that every production or project will be battling uncertainty at some point in the future. Shared goals, loyalty, and the all-around comfort of a “known quantity,” so to speak, can be an enormous source of strength in what is a very challenging and demanding line of work. Successful working relationships can sometimes involved a genuine friendship, but they are built and exist for so much more. Frankly, people will almost always choose working with someone who was unpleasant in a partnership that has previously produced success over someone who they sincerely like but with whom they have no working history at all.

The Decision Makers Play The Odds

Think about the view from the top of the proverbial food chain. The individuals who call the shots in film and television very much interact with projects that come across their desks as educated gamblers would. There is certainly a large amount of anxiety involved, given the amount of financial resource which can be on the line. Major decisions are nearly never spontaneous. In truth, even the smallest of details is often a carefully considered choice. This extends from the inception (which script they choose and who they choose to re-work any aspect of it) through production (every single tiny aspect of the filming and editing process) to its conclusion (marketing can be the difference between a box office bomb and blockbuster hit). As someone looking to break into the industry, this means everything you do needs to be crafted towards the purpose of minimizing risk. When considering who to hire, you want the person making the call to look at you and see that not only are you more talented, positive, and passionate – the most important thing you can be as a candidate is the safest choice. If these movers and shakers in the entertainment business are looking to stack the deck in their favor so that the project at hand is most likely to be a success, be sure you are doing everything in your party to make yourself an obvious asset. This harkens back to history as the basis of every working relationship. Thriving as an intern can be a struggle, especially since starting at the lowest possible rung on the latter is not necessarily going to be compensated immediately with the most inspiring financial incentives. However, your motivation should be the knowledge that one great reference can have the power to get someone to roll the dice and choose you. Once you have a foot in the door, the opportunities to work your way up are much more immediate and real. You need to do more than just tell people you have potential – if they are going to bet on you via the hiring process, you need to be sure your experience shows them that potential beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Horror Film “Debris” Locked!

Geno Scala

Hey guys! So it’s official – we’ve locked picture on DEBRIS! Woo-hoo! There’s still a lot of work to do, but it’s a major milestone.

Yesterday, we had our ADR session with the actors. They all did an amazing job. We were very fortunate to have veteran actor Yuki Matsuzaki (you’ve seen him in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:ON STRANGER TIDES and THE LAST SAMURAI) provide the voice of the mad swordsmith… and the cursed sword itself! Hearing the sword whisper “I’m thirsty…” in Japanese literally gave me chills. Now it’s up to our talented sound design team to bring it all to life!

Speaking of sound design – huge congrats to our sound supervisor Lisa K. Fowle (she worked on LORD OF THE RINGS and CHRONICLES OF NARNIA) for winning Best Sound Design at this weekend’s Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. In 31 years, they’ve never given an award for Sound Design, but Lisa’s work was so amazing, they made an exception just for her. Can’t wait to hear what she comes up with for DEBRIS!

Later this week, we’ll be checking in with our legendary composer, Harry Manfredini, and our visual effects artist, Daniel DelPurgatorio.

It’s all starting to come together, folks… Stay tuned for more updates!

 

Nicole & the rest of Team DEBRIS
Geno Scala, Shark-Eating Man Productions; Executive Producer.