IndieGoGo heads to Int'l Calgary Film Fest for panel on Financing and Selling your Film in the Digital Age

Heading up to Calgary this weekend for the 10th Anniversary of the International Calgary Film Festival?

If so, stop by GoGoSlava's panel: Financing & Selling Your Film in the Digital Age.

Synopsis:
Panelists will discuss challenges faced by independent producers who are increasingly looking to non-traditional sources and partners to finance their films in challenging economic times. The session will also focus on the erosion of the traditional model of film distribution, and how filmmakers can build audience within the new models, including Video on Demand, day & date distribution, and online communities.

Panelists:
Shirley Vercruysse (Burns Films Ltd.), Tom Alexander (Mongrel Media), Robin Smith (KinoSmith Films), Aida LiPera (Visit Films) and Slava Rubin (Indiegogo.com).

When:
Saturday, October 3, 11:30 am

Where:
Cantos Music Room, 134-11th Avenue SE, Calgary, CANADA

Week-O-Tweet #24

A weekly dose of favorite IndieGoGo posts.  Follow at @GoGoSlava and @GoGoDanae

1. Seven projects selected for Power to the Pixel Pitch - http://bit.ly/19Rnpj These are types of projects that will be relevant in the future10:53 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
       
2. 10 (9 actually) Responses to the Issues Brought Up at the “Indie Film Summit” http://bit.ly/yNwMp10:33 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
       
3. Are product placements the future? RT @WSJPersonalTech: HSN Starts to Use Product Placements http://bit.ly/3nTV839:52 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
      
   
4. RT @AdweekDotCom: Media Outlook 2010: Crawling From the Wreckage - a special report http://bit.ly/rySkk4:01 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
    
   
5. HRTS just posted video from their panel on the future of media in the digital age: http://bit.ly/3jzio0 RT @FilmTiki: RT @ScottKirsner2:21 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
       
6. Indie Summit Hashes Out Crisis: http://bit.ly/4es9II thank to RT @akstanwyck for the coverage2:08 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
       
7. 'Paranormal Activity' expanding after selling out nearly all midnight shows http://bit.ly/LrKye RT @LATCompanyTown1:26 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
       
8. HBO Unveils Multiplatform Storytelling Experience: http://bit.ly/HBOmse Trailer: http://bit.ly/HBOimagine #transmedia RT @Gennefer1:24 PM Sep 27th from TweetDeck
      
   
9. For digital content, consoles best route to living room- Xbox has 31% share of digital VOD biz second to Apple’s 52% http://bit.ly/lkspw11:02 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
       
10. The Lost Ring was a trans-media production / ARG jointly sponsored by McDonalds and the 2008 Olympics - case study http://bit.ly/nZF4O10:56 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
        
11. Three Best Ways to Make a Viral Video - http://bit.ly/3w0evU10:50 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
        
12. $5 an hour to watch a movie in theatre, $0.25 online - Iger's Screen Test: Disney Film Goes Digital - http://bit.ly/gitOt10:48 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
        
13. @akstanwyck @tedhope Anyone can use IndieGoGo.com to organize screenings, through customer "demand-it" and event functionality10:41 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck in reply to akstanwyck
        
14. RT @FansOfFilm: @AdamChapnick #RT Inspiring words for entrepreneurs (filmmakers: that's you too) from a surprising source http://ad.vu/kvfz1:56 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
        
15. RT @Video_On_Demand: For digital content, consoles best route to living room - Video Business http://bit.ly/svlrA #vod #streaming1:50 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
        
16. exciting to see all the new projects on IndieGoGo after announcing the Fiscal Sponsorship partnership with San Francisco Film Society12:34 AM Sep 26th from TweetDeck
       
    
17. Yesterday's Good Pitch Session has some amazing films in progress - great platform for filmmakers looking for funding and distribution9:53 AM Sep 25th from web
        
18. where are consumers going? TV+ VOD, Internet +P2P will account for 91% of global consumer traffic by 2013. (via Cisco) RT @juliettepowell9:50 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
       
    
19. Netflix is still on course to revolutionize the business (shhhhhhh ....) http://bit.ly/5MMae via @wired9:42 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
       
    
20. "In a World of Social Networks, What is the Future of Television?" http://bit.ly/i9Qbr RT @henryjenkins Interesting stuff. Thoughts?12:47 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
        
21. Indie films' hot new venues are online - http://bit.ly/1xMcYn12:27 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
        
22. IFP Panel: The State of Distribution - http://bit.ly/RLkYV - flash back one year - what has changed?12:24 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
        
23. @Gennefer agreed, thats why we like to say production is the new promotion. never to early to build the audience in case discovery fails12:18 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck in reply to Gennefer
       
    
24. "Cause Marketing 4 Small NPOs". Important 4 little guys 2 know they can do it! http://bit.ly/2O6CEH RT @Michael_Hoffman12:16 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
       
    
25. Content Is Not King - http://bit.ly/poxGj - interesting perspective12:10 AM Sep 24th from TweetDeck
        
26. To brand or not to brand, build your audience early, use social media - consistent theme across conferences this week in NYC5:42 PM Sep 23rd from TweetDeck
       
    
27. Neurocinema Aims to Change the Way Movies are Made - Neurology meets Film neets Marketing http://bit.ly/165aL4:50 PM Sep 23rd from TweetDeck
        
28. TV Shapes Up as Web Battleground, via WSJ http://bit.ly/4zRxqm RT @AdweekDotCom10:35 AM Sep 23rd from TweetDeck
        
29. Confessions of Indie Web Series Creators: Things They Wish They Knew - http://shar.es/1q1kx RT @FilmTiki:9:43 AM Sep 23rd from TweetDeck
       
    
30. RT @DutchDoscher: Everyone please check out #wonderproject. 9 films, Same Script. wonderprojectmovie.com6:11 PM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
31. RT @1basil1: Attn Docmakers: Fast Company's 7 Fascinating Filmmakers to Follow on Twitter http://is.gd/3zKba #documentary6:11 PM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
32. IndieGoGo Fiscal Partnership announced on SF360 #ifpfilmweek - http://bit.ly/40pSur6:00 PM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
33. RT @indiewire: QuickShots | Jonze’s “Wild Things,” SF Society and IndieGoGo, New York Critics Circle: San Fra.. http://bit.ly/zBjQ35:48 PM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
34. IndieGoGo and San Francisco Film Society announce Fiscal Sponsorship Partnership-PLEASE RT-more ways to raise money- http://bit.ly/2Yx6p1:27 PM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
       
    
35. 51 tweets about media and technology - Week-O-Tweet #23 - http://bit.ly/18ytgu11:55 AM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
36. Toronto Wrap: Indie Bloodbath - http://bit.ly/12dE1N1:24 AM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
37. The Age of Stupid Is the Future of Film - http://bit.ly/3SxTJe1:18 AM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
38. Declaration of Independence: The Ten Principles of Hybrid Distribution - http://bit.ly/4aPIRQ1:14 AM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
        
39. Thanks all for joining the IndieGoGo party tonight. It was a great way to kick off the fiscal sponsorship partnership with SFFS12:56 AM Sep 22nd from TweetDeck
       
    
40. Talking Crowdsourcing at Film conference today (2:30pm in nyc). Stop by and say hi or join the party tonight - http://bit.ly/3wSpxa10:18 AM Sep 21st from TweetDeck
41. "If filmmakers establish a well-known personal brand, they don't need media moguls' swollen bureaucracies to exploit 'em." http://ow.ly/qVTH3:30 PM Sep 24th from HootSuite
        
42. To say that "content is king" in today's world is like saying "a grain of sand is precious." - interesting http://ow.ly/qVSk #indiegogo3:27 PM Sep 24th from HootSuite
        
43. RT @FilmNewsBriefs: Our first FNB Innovator: Sally Potter - she discusses filmmaking, new media, & more... http://bit.ly/oGHz83:22 PM Sep 24th from HootSuite
        
44. RT @SkollFoundation: Interesting post on Stanford Soc'l Innov. Rev on social entrepreneurship vs. activism. Thoughts? http://bit.ly/4qrs432:36 PM Sep 24th from HootSuite
       
    
45. An experiment worth trying "Everyone must have a CD [DVD], even if free." Please RT #indiegogo http://ow.ly/qO7M11:42 PM Sep 23rd from HootSuite
        
46. RT @gogoslava 51 tweets about media and technology - Week-O-Tweet #23 - http://bit.ly/18ytgu2:22 PM Sep 22nd from HootSuite
        
47. IndieGoGo and San Francisco Film Society announce Fiscal Sponsorship Partnership-PLEASE RT-more ways to raise money- http://bit.ly/2Yx6p2:21 PM Sep 22nd from HootSuite
        
48. Report: Nine Scientifically Proven Ways to Get Retweeted on Twitter #indiegogo http://ow.ly/qv4V11:01 AM Sep 22nd from HootSuite
        
49. Sony - 1st big label to experiment with variable pricing. Lil indie music site influencing the big guys. #indiegogo http://ow.ly/quRp10:46 AM Sep 22nd from HootSuite
        
50. The Dec. of Indep.: 10 Principles of Hybrid Distribution - P. Broderick. A Must Read. #indiegogo #ifpfilmweek http://ow.ly/quO810:42 AM Sep 22nd from HootSuite
       
    
51. Crowdsourcing not just for docs. Fiction films have plenty to leverage to engage fans: themes, topics, characters, how film was made. # ...3:13 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
52. Audience-engagement is just another creative process along side the creation of a film. #indiegogo3:09 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
53. Websites with lots of traffic want cool content. Offers yours up and turn their traffic into yours. #indiegogo3:06 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
54. Go to where the crowds are and make them your crowd. #indiegogo3:05 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
55. 10 yrs ago: 7 steps btwn filmmakers and customers. Today: filmmaker knows Joe ... Very powerful #indiegogo3:04 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
56. Fan engagement is more than just tweeting. It's sharing relavent articles, inviting guest bloggers to blog... Be creative #indiegogo2:52 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
57. It's all about action... Most successful filmmakers over last year were ones who stopped talking and started taking action & using tools ...2:50 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
58. Crowdsourcing panel starting with gogoslava. #indiegogo2:42 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
59. Filmmaker made 2 horror films: 1) was pirated 2) was not pirated. 1st film sold way more DVDs. #indiegogo #ifpfilmweek2:03 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
60. Piracy: an independent filmmaker's best friend for some. #indiegogo2:03 PM Sep 21st from txt
        
61. RAGE case study: mobile debut this week. Then online and DVD simultaneous release #indiegogo2:02 PM Sep 21st from txt

IndieGoGo and San Francisco Film Society Strike Fiscal Sponsorship Partnership

Hey Folks,

We're excited to announce our new fiscal sponsorship partnership with the San Francisco Film Society!

In joining forces with SFFS, now filmmakers have a single platform solution integrating fiscal sponsorship with their audience-building and crowdfunding efforts.

SFFS fiscally sponsored films using IndieGoGo now enjoy:

• Tax receipts for donations raised on IndieGoGo, including donations less than $250
• Discount on Fundraising (IndieGoGo's 9% fee is 100% waived)
• Automatic IndieGoGo project profile creation upon Opt-In
• Integrated social media and community management tools

For IndieGoGo filmmakers interested in fiscal sponsorship, see our new SFFS Resource.

To read more about the partnership, see our press release below.

 

Week-O-Tweet #23

A weekly dose of favorite IndieGoGo posts.  Follow at @GoGoSlava and @GoGoDanae

1. Screening Movies Off a Pocket Projector via iphone, etc.- is this the future? http://bit.ly/15VXlb6:26 PM Sep 19th from TweetDeck
       
2. The Aesthetics of Transmedia Storytelling in 3 Parts by @henryjenkins: http://bit.ly/hjTM1 RT @Gennefer:6:22 PM Sep 19th from TweetDeck
      
   
3. Went to a Blockbuster in NEPA. Renewed membership. They said business is better since rolling out the one night 2.99 option. Got Defiance1:03 AM Sep 19th from TweetDeck
       
4. A great piece about IFP - its origin, impact, and evolution - IFP Film Week starts Saturday - http://bit.ly/1RaWMC12:44 AM Sep 19th from TweetDeck
       
5. Film Chief at Disney Steps Down - New York Times http://bit.ly/244KN1 RT @rahuljrark12:27 AM Sep 19th from TweetDeck
       
6. RT @Gennefer: Paranormal Activity’s Demand It Campaign - The Future of Small Film Distribution? http://bit.ly/2vcdUc U can too on IndieGoGo12:03 AM Sep 19th from TweetDeck
       
7. Tracking Tweets prior to film release to predict how a film might do: http://twitterboxoffice.com/ RT @HollywoodBoys #filmmakers10:07 PM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
      
   
8. Music Industry Wants Apple, Amazon to Pay Up - http://bit.ly/3It2O3:46 PM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
       
9. Hulu to Launch Subscription Service [RUMOR] http://bit.ly/DqINr Which one will you pay for? HULU, itunes, Netflix, Amazon, other?3:40 PM Sep 18th from web
       
10. You can now watch Hulu on Facebook in a cool way: http://apps.facebook.com/hu... RT @MattDentler RT @akruglov3:35 PM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
       
    
11. Musicians Are Never Just About The Music: I wrote about how musicians need both good music and marketi.. http://bit.ly/eOtOB RT @MediaReDEF3:08 PM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
12. Toronto panel: Indie sector predicts carnage - many indie films could miss out on North American deals - http://bit.ly/I7vje10:30 AM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
        
13. Valencia reveals new $26m funding scheme for international producers: http://bit.ly/KwxO3 RT @netribution: RT @Screendaily10:30 AM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
       
    
14. When Paid Crowdsourcing Hits the Mainstream: - http://bit.ly/Fs96L1:16 AM Sep 18th from TweetDeck
       
    
15. 18 Actions Towards A Sustainable Truly Free Film Community via @tedhope - http://bit.ly/19tgWX11:06 PM Sep 17th from TweetDeck
        
16. Are There Too Many Film Festivals? - http://bit.ly/XKUuJ5:38 PM Sep 17th from TweetDeck
       
    
17. Jon Reiss on the changing face of film distribution - http://bit.ly/clm4h12:53 PM Sep 17th from TweetDeck
       
    
18. Great @DigitalLA panel tonight: How classic animated characters extend their brands in digital age. http://ow.ly/pFHB RT @michaelpilla2:30 PM Sep 16th from TweetDeck
       
    
19. P&G to pay publishers based on online engagement http://bit.ly/mtTC1 RT @powertothepixel12:24 PM Sep 16th from TweetDeck
        
20. Cable Clicks on Interactive Ads Again http://bit.ly/9vq99 RT @WSJMedia1:20 AM Sep 16th from TweetDeck
       
    
21. DIY vs DIWO?- Thanks @tedhope and @eug for spreading the Do-It-With-Others message from @indiegogo - http://bit.ly/j97jg2:28 PM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
       
    
22. 13 tweets about media and technology - Week-O-Tweet #22 - http://bit.ly/b2fBX
    
23. Smart money making concept - make documentaries about mainstream/cult movies and their fans - Twilight did it - http://bit.ly/1ocUwG10:08 AM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
       
    
24. Move to digital ads at cinemas = shorter turnaround times for ads = more "real time" ads http://bit.ly/4i7wgw via @powertothepixel9:49 AM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
        
25. One Plan For ‘Saving’ The Music Industry-Windowed Releases and copying film? http://bit.ly/18IoFT RT @AmericaFreeTV RT @JamesPew not so much9:42 AM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
        
26. Chinese Film Market is hot - http://bit.ly/TiaU69:32 AM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
        
27. Full stream ahead for some HDTVs and internet tv - http://bit.ly/mVIyI9:28 AM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
        
28. IODA and Brazil's Tratore Partner - http://bit.ly/dADkb RT @indyfilm8:58 AM Sep 15th from TweetDeck
       
    
29. IndieGoGo to be on Best of the Bay TV on Tuesday September 15, @ 1:30pm on KRON 4 (Comcast 704 HD in San Francisco)11:20 PM Sep 14th from TweetDeck
       
    
30. New Events Module on IndieGoGo! Post all your upcoming events - incl. time, date & tix details P/s RT http://ow.ly/pmra7:38 PM Sep 14th from TweetDeck
        
31. Exploring New Routes to the Indies (via NYT) - http://bit.ly/qXa9C2:40 PM Sep 14th from TweetDeck
       
    
32. Liesl Copland on the State of the Film industry - http://bit.ly/imCT411:18 AM Sep 14th from TweetDeck
33. Great DIWO self-distribution case study if you missed it: Valentino: The Last Emperor: http://ow.ly/qeR6 #indiegogo10:07 PM Sep 20th from HootSuite
        
34. Thanks, Ted! #indiegogo9:52 PM Sep 20th from HootSuite
        
35. 3. Support an open free internet, and 4. Think "small." Think of your 1st feature as a building block to your 2nd feature... #indiegogo9:52 PM Sep 20th from HootSuite
        
36. 1. Show you have 5000 people who want to hear what you have to say. 2. Build a support group of 20 filmmakers.... #indiegogo9:51 PM Sep 20th from HootSuite
        
37. Ted Hope's 4 Steps to Making Your First Feature Film are.... #indiegogo9:49 PM Sep 20th from HootSuite
        
38. All this creative marketing and social media tactics mean nothing if you don't start with a great films #indiegogo3:33 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
39. Use incentives to build fans: give away tickets or DVDs to encourage fans to share your film with friends #indiegogo3:30 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
40. As a self-distributing filmmaker practice your Q&A skills! You're your own best marketer #indiegogo #ifpfilmweek3:14 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
41. - Ned hinkle3:11 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
42. "Distributors look for films that have a buzz, Twitter following, and audience" - arthouse distributor #indiegogo #ifpfilmweek3:11 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
43. If you've done a film, you've just become a rock musician. Set time & $ aside to go on tour w/ film. That will make your film! #indiegogo3:09 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
44. One Key for self-distribution: work with good publicist in conjunction with all your FREE sociAl media #indiegogo3:04 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
45. National screening in conjunction with simultaneous house party screenings... Playing w/ windows2:52 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
46. Emerging Pictures following Fathom in staging one-off one-time only national theatrical screenings #indiegogo2:50 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
47. Today: communication is free. now the successful filmmakers Are the hardest working, not the ones w/ $12:18 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
48. Lance weiler: fans want a conversation. #indiegogo12:16 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
49. Ted Hope : discovered next film Super on Twitter. Got it financed because of Twitter. Power of an audience right there12:03 PM Sep 20th from txt
        
50. Ted hope: build your audience over time. Don't start filming till you've built that critical mass audience #indiegogo11:56 AM Sep 20th from txt
        
51. Trad'l financiers don't want to take chances on first time filmmakers anymore. So make your first film for s litle a s possible11:55 AM Sep 20th from txt

New IndieGoGo Resource: Film News Briefs

Check the new Film News Briefs Resource.  Read by many of the most influential industry executives as their favorite way to stay in the know.  For the full digest, go to www.filmnewsbriefs.com and subscribe.

IndieGoGo Giving Away 15 All Conference Tickets to Independent Film Week (worth $5000)

 

=============================================================

TWINNERS:

Day One (8/31) : comike011 ART HOUSE & ALTERNATIVE VENUE PROGRAMMING looks good #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek 

Day Two (9/1): erincrum #IFPFilmweek #indiegogo Also, want to see this panel: PAYING THE BILLS – SUSTAINING YOUR FILM CAREER

Day Three (9/2): MalikMcNish #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek  I can't wait to attend the FRESH FUNDING: MODERN IDEAS FOR DOC FINANCING panel

Day Four (9/3): UrbanThinking Looking forward to the IFP Independant filmmaker conf panel on "The Global MarketPlace"  #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek
Day Five(9/4): Ianfischer Want to see who represents panel #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek

Day Six (9/7): monkeyplex  #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek L.A. invasion for The Next Wave of Distribution & Unlocking Global Financing. Gotta love the indie red-eye!
Day Seven (9/8): hhwj #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek. Who is A CONVERSATION WITH… (The Truth About Non-Fiction)? Suspense is killing me.

Day Eight (9/9): anneflournoy 9/21 4PM NYC #IFPFilmweek panel:The Next Wave of Distribution (DIY + digital) Give yr card to panellist Eugene Hernandez! #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek
Day Nine (9/10): indiefanfare "What's the Deal?" filmmaking 2.0 #IFPFilmweek sponsored by  #indiegogo http://tinyurl.com/kvo2jn

Day Ten (9/11) PhilanthropyCFP "Engaging The Audience" looks like a relevant issue, not just for filmmakers #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek

Day 11 (9/14): philseneker RT @EitherOrFilms: Our fave panel for #IFPFilmweek is TIMES R A CHANGIN on 9/20 w @TedHope~plz RT & help us win tix from #indiegogo!
Day 12 (9/15): zaffi Trying to go to #IFPFilmweek via #indiegogo 4 tips on first feature...Crowd Sourcing: Building Fans, Bloggers & Press Allies sounds crucial
Day 13 (9/16):  telegraph21 so much to connect and see at #IFPFilmweek esp Crowd Sourcing on 9/21 looks like its going to be a great resource.#indiegogo

Day 14 (9/17): @saturdayknight @majormoves the panels on sat & sun. More so probably sunday. I'll look at them all again. #IFPFilmweek #indiegogo

Day 15 (9/18): Caravanoflight  A CONVERSATION WITH MIRA NAIR would be interesting #indiegogo #IFPFilmweek
No tickets left!  Congrats to all the Twinners!
=============================================================

IndieGoGo is giving away one All Conference Panel Ticket (worth $320) every weekday to IFP's Independent Filmmaker Conference until it begins on Sept 19.  That's 15 All Conference Panel Tickets in 15 days (worth $5,000 total)!

Tickets include access to all 30 conference panels during Independent Film Week (Sept 19-23)

To enter:

1. Twitter about your favorite IFP Conference panel session
2. Include both #indiegogo and #IFPFilmweek in your tweets
3. No limit on number of tweets per twitterer per day (no bots please :)

Daily IndieGoGo "Twinners" will be selected at random from the respective day's tweets and announced below.

More Info on Independent Film Week's Independent Filmmaker Conference here:

• Conference Schedule
• Purchase Tickets

Where Internet & Film Collide - Independent Film Week NY (Mon, Sept 21)

DIY vs DIWO (IndieWIRE captures Ted Hope at the Toronto Film Festival)

Monday, producer Ted Hope (21 Grams, Lovely & Amazing, American Splendor) spoke out at the Toronto Film Festival about filmmakers' new role as community builders.  indieWIRE's Eugene Hernandez summarized Ted's talk (included below) which focused on how filmmakers should be embracing web-based tools and mobilizing fans through dialogue and action in order to "Do It With Others!"

• Thanks for the DIWO shout-out, Ted!
  

• Interested in hearing more from Ted?  Check out the Industry Dinner we recently hosted with DIYDAYs and Storybids: VIPs Talk the Future of Filmmaking: Watch Now

    
• Read Hernandez' full write-up below or click here. 

 

Eugene Hernandez: DIY v. DIWO

by Eugene Hernandez (September 14, 2009)

Ted Hope yesterday at the Toronto International Film Festival. Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

Toronto, Canada, September 14, 2009—How many of you have blogs? How many of you are on Twitter, on Facebook, or are curating a film series? Those are the questions that indie producer Ted Hope asked yesterday at a film financing conference here at the Toronto International Film Festival. He’s certain that web 2.0 tools and social media can bolster audience building and networking that are crucial to the survival of the sort of micro movies being made (and released) by independent filmmakers today.

Even more importantly, they may be crucial to the survival of film culture.

Hope is a self-described recent convert to blogs, social networking and transmedia who said yesterday that he may not have all the answers yet, but he’s certain that if other filmmakers, producers and aficionados don’t take action now, we may lose our film culture. In his mind, it all starts with connecting with other “elitist film snobs” supporting the movies that we all care about.

According to Ted, we need to be watching, talking about and Tweeting about the movies that mean something to us.

“As much as I love making films and seeing films, I love talking about films even more,” Ted Hope said yesterday. To that end, he and business parter Anne Carey curate a regular series of screenings in New York City and they host a small reception after the showing. This week’s they’ll be showing Tze Chun’s “Children of Invention” at the Goldcrest Screening Room in Manhattan.

“If you are not bringing people to see the movies you love, if you are not spending time every day, there won’t be a culture that’s aiming for anything other than crass commercial explotiation,” Hope reiterated. Ted’s comments come at a time when filmmakers are being asked to do more and more to get their movies seen. He’s saying that not only do individual filmmakers need to build an audience for themselves but they also need to find ways to contribute to a richer community that will embrace indie, foreign, and documentary films overall. It’s not about “Do It Yourself” anymore. It’s about “Do It With Others” (to adopt a phrase being pushed by website IndieGogo). Listening to Ted Hope advocate for elitist movies made me think of food activist Alice Waters, who last weekend at the Telluride Film Festival was speaking out in support of Slow Food, locally sourced ingredients and sustainable farming. Chatting with her, she emphasized a need for pooling resources and working together to support each others efforts. When we consume movies (and food), we have to make choices. And, in order to create a sustainable business for producers and creators, we must spread the word about our tastes. On blogs. On Twitter. On Facebook. Etc. At panel discussions and in conversations with filmmakers and friends I often advocate basic entrepreneurial approaches. To start with, filmmakers should not only have a blog or basic website, but be reachable via Facebook, Linked In or MySpace. It’s crucial to strategically curate a fan base. Who are the fans of you and your work? Can they easily find you online? Are you engaged in a regular dialogue with them? The same advice applies to film critics, journalists, programmers and members of the industry. Many of my own crucial filters for films and information are friends whose opinions I value and advice I trust, enhanced by their presence on Facebook, Twitter or individual blogs. Opinionated filmmakers with exceptional taste in movies, festival programmers who write passionate reviews, industry folks who blog consistently about film and technology. You get the idea. It sounds rather basic, but many folks are still making sense of how to use Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other sites or tools. I am too. At indieWIRE, or in general, how can we use these tools, and others, to bolster our community of creators, executives and fans? Ideas? Eugene Hernandez is the Editor-in-Chief & Co-Founder of indieWIRE and can be reached on his blog, through Facebook or via Twitter: @eug. Login to recommend this article posted on September 14, 2009

Week-O-Tweet #22

A weekly dose of favorite IndieGoGo posts.  Follow at @GoGoSlava and @GoGoDanae

1. 25 Places to Watch the Fall TV Season Online - http://bit.ly/xjce97:46 PM Sep 10th from TweetDeck
      
   
2. IndieGoGo will be featured on Best of the Bay TV on Tuesday September 15, @ 1:30pm on KRON 4 (Comcast 704 HD in San Francisco)1:21 PM Sep 10th from TweetDeck
       
3. Publicis exec on future of branded-content acquisition: http://bit.ly/ckHni RT @Gennefer12:20 PM Sep 10th from TweetDeck
      
   
4. homevideo decline makes room for new market - VOD - http://bit.ly/2VeeZj - RT @indiemoviemaker11:31 AM Sep 10th from TweetDeck
      
   
5. 36 tweets about media and technology - Week-O-Tweet #21 http://bit.ly/KcAyP10:47 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
       
6. Coming to a theater, TV or computer near you ... http://bit.ly/kjw2o9:36 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
       
7. Lights, action, alternative sources of funding - http://bit.ly/2b9twB9:32 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
       
8. How a Small Nonprofit Used Social Media & Crowd-Sourcing to Win the 2009 Global Giving Challenge - http://bit.ly/3wfvgB9:28 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
      
   
9. Links to 133 indie film blogs & sites - http://bit.ly/3kPa0T9:18 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
       
10. Vitaminwater Gets Facebookers Brainstorming on a New Flavor - http://bit.ly/b0KZ39:14 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
        
11. Indie Film's Survival Strategy: 2009 and Beyond via @tedhope http://bit.ly/vllQ39:11 AM Sep 9th from TweetDeck
12. Last Call to submit your film to Sundance 2010... #indiegogo http://ow.ly/p2F26:36 PM Sep 11th from HootSuite
13. RT @GoGoSlava: 36 tweets about media and technology - Week-O-Tweet #21 http://bit.ly/KcAyP7:06 PM Sep 9th from HootSuite

New EVENTS module on IndieGoGo! Take Your Online Fans Offline.

Every project profile is now equipped with an EVENTS tab, where followers can find date, time, location and ticket information for upcoming events. 

Events can range from fundraising house parties  or showings to launch parties and more.  Examples include:

• Festivals / shows
• Broadcasts
• Fundraising or launch parties
• Book signings
• Radio spots
• Workshops / Talks you're hosting
• Release Events (e.g. DVDs, books, games, etc.)
• Open set days

Plus each time an event is added, the project's followers are automatically notified via email.

To View Events & Get Logistics/Ticket Details: 
Go to a project profile and click on the EVENTS tab.

To Enable Your Events Tab: 
Go to your project and enter EDIT mode. Click on the EVENTS tab, and fill in the details for an event.

To Edit / Add Additional Events: 
Go to your project and click on the EVENTS tab.  Click "ADD AN EVENT" or "EDIT EVENTS."