Tubefilter News

Snowy greetings from Park City, Utah, home of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival!

This year, in addition to introducing the world to many of the independent films we’ll be talking about for the next 12 months, Sundance embraced new media. Through official programs and partnerships as well as non-official events, the possibilities and promise of the Internets as a creative and distribution medium was the subject of much discussion.

On Friday, January 22nd, the fest kicked off with Digital Dive, an all-day, immersive event aimed at upping the digital media literacy of attending filmmakers. Jigsaw Global produced the event in tandem with the Festival. Panels were held at the New Frontier on Main (NFOM), the home venue for the New Frontier strand of the fest, which focuses on experimental work that “explores the limits of traditional aesthetics and the narrative structure of filmmaking.” In other words, the section features lots of cool, site-specific pieces that embrace everything from art installations to Google Earth to multimedia performances.

Shari Frilot, Sundance Film Festival senior programmer and curator of the NFOM exhibition, told me that Sundance decided to do the Digital Dive in response to Festival filmmakers’ queries about new media. She said that in talking with them, many were curious about taking advantage of online opportunities, but didn’t feel they had a proper understanding of the digital tools at their disposal.

Panels focused on building websites, using social media, iPhone apps and the digital development process. Lisa Osborne, founder, Jigsaw Media, was thrilled with the turnout for the event, and with Sundance’s commitment to keeping the festival relevant and modern. “A snowstorm hit the night before the workshop, so we were shocked when we opened the doors at 10:30 am the next day and there was a crowd of people waiting to get in,” says Osborne. “By the time the social media panel started at noon, we had to add more seats to the 115 that were already in the room and turn away a long line of people. So, yeah, I think that filmmakers are hungry for digital media training and advice. They want to know what works, how much it costs, and who are the best in the business. I can’t wait to do this again at another festival.”

I attended “Cross-Platform Storytelling for Filmmakers,” which showcased several innovative projects that made use of both online and real-world elements. Julia Oh and Rudy Adler from Wieden + Kennedy presented the marketing strategy for Focus Features’ Coraline; MTV’s EVP of New Media David Gale gave us a sneak peek at Season Two of the channel’s $5 Cover; and Jason Yim, President and Executive Creative Director of Trigger LA, shared the process of creating cutting-edge content for District 9 for Sony Pictures.

This week Obama told me that we have a lot of work to do. So let’s get right to it.

My Indie Life
Look at these two! They’re adorable! It’s like Urban Outfitters: The Show! I really like this. It’s a music talk show hybrid where “two chums talk about music” is the order of the day. It comes off like some sort of cable access show*, but it’s oddly charming. Weirdly enough, I think stuff like this is the future of music television – the world needs more of this. Even if I don’t agree with the musical taste all that much (Sweater Rock), I really dig the fact that they’re trying and at least SOUND like they know what they’re talking about. Not too shabby, you guys! Try a few risks, maybe, but if you keep at this for a while longer this jusssst might be the little music-webshow that could.

*The main presenter guy reminds me of a cross between Garth Algar and The Brave Little Toaster for reasons I just can’t explain in words. Interpretive dance, maybe, but we don’t have time for that here.

Leidy’s New Boyfriend
Not too sure about this one. Perhaps it’s the Cinemax porn music playing in the background or perhaps it’s the girl in rollerblades (I was weaned on Thrasher Magazine, y’all). I keep thinking this is going to turn into some hardcore. Sadly, it doesn’t. The actors seem pretty cool, though. Who wrote this? Do they also write Skinemax?

This is classic Film School (capital F capital S) stuff, with (sadly) laughable dialogue (FILM SCHOOL KIDS. LEARN HOW TO WRITE DIALOGUE. THE WORLD IS NOT A FRENCH NEW WAVE FILM), yet despite the actors best efforts it’s highly unbelievable and laugh out loud silly. That said, it’s shot pretty well. Ho hum.

Here’s my main gripe: In episode 5 the main dude is in chains and in a basement and you’d think that I’d give a shit but I really don’t – it’s just kind of boring. I’m going to have to pass on this. C’mon, film school kids. Stop trying to be someone else, be it David Lynch or Tarantino, and start being yourself. I’ll give props to the actor and the main actress, who seem to be bulletproof, and must be, after acting in something like this.

Jordan And Bear
Finally, a show that I’ll come back and watch again on my own accord. It’s gritty, middle-paced, and fun to watch. I don’t want to spoil any surprises so I’ll leave out the plot, but it’s very watchable. Weirdly enough they haven’t made any episodes since May of last year, which is a shame, because I like this one. Perhaps it’s just because I have a weird sense of humor. Perhaps I’m a closet Furry. Perhaps my name on Yifftalk is ‘FoxBro69′ and you’d like to chat sometime. Perhaps we drink absinthe and watch the Disney version of Robin Hood while I give you a massage in full costume. However. I digress. Not a bad show.

I suppose if one were to consider the ongoing legacies of former New York City mayors, you’d have to agree that Ed Koch remains an intriguing presence on the cultural landscape (at times annoying, others endearing), especially when compared with the likes of David Dinkins or the perpetually jack-ass impersonating Rudy Giuliani.

After a short stint in the late 1990s at the bench of the People’s Court, Koch is now reviewing movies. No film critic is he, but some will find his frankly honest, folksy delivery quite funny, and charmingly reminiscent of the late, great quintessential grandpa Al Lewis, or really any aging male that loves to kibitz and name-drop.

Mayor at the Movies is shot inside the office of the law firm where Koch is currently ensconced as a partner. In some installments Koch will address the camera directly, at other times with eyes wandering towards a non-existent cue card, and still others referring to a printed page held over his desk. The Mayor is never coy about coming clean: “I liked it!” he says about Inglorius Basterds. “Go see it, you’ll love it!” he adds with his still-present-at-84 Bronx-Jewish accent and a reassuring nod, in reference to the cathartic killing of Nazis as his review draws to a close. Koch also doesn’t deal with thumbs. He ultimately closes each review with: “This movie gets a plus (+)” or “This movie gets a minus (-),”

There’s an intimacy here that fans of Old Jews Telling Jokes will find familiar and others will find endearing. Koch is by no means polished. His reviews come complete with a plethora of uh’s and a steady patter of stammering, just to let you know that here, at Mayor at the Movies, everyone acts casual and we’re all friends.

If you’ve been spending even a little bit of time online this week, you’ve no doubt bumped into the Grammys massive campaign for your attention, centered by what could be the largest social media roll-out ever for a televised awards show. For the 52nd Annual Grammys we’re not just talking about the standard Twitter, Facebook and YouTube approach—they have all those of course—but instead a full-on rethinking of what ‘social’ actually means.

Probably the most visually compelling is the We’re All Fans site custom built around the theme of this year’s awards. Grammys tapped their agency of record, TBWA\Chiat\Day to craft an immersive hub for user-generated videos, photos and tweets surrounding their favorite artists. You have to head to the site to fully experience it, but you can get the idea in the Beyonce video below, which weaves together fans singing—often in their bedrooms—their best attempts at covering the pop star’s hits. There’s even a real-time visualizer to see which stars are getting the most UGC fan love. (As of now, Lady Gaga is in the lead with 170,976 fan posts with Beyonce close behind at 112,105).

In a possibly insane move—for those that have to staff it—GRAMMY Live! kicks off today at 2:00 PM (PT) with 72 hours of continuous live streaming coverage of the pre-awards hoopla on Grammy.com. For the live stream, the Grammys tapped Ooyala which will deliver the feed to an expected audience of “millions” over the three day period. On camera talent for the marathon of music include a number of video bloggers like CBSNews.com’s Shira Lazar, Drew Hinze from the Recording Academy and HardRockChick.com’s Jamie Harvey. For a complete run-down of the Grammys use of social media this year, check out Mashable’s in-depth look.

Social Media Reaches New, Galactic Heights. This week a NASA astronaut, with nothing better to do while circling the earth on an “important” mission, took time out of his day to send the world’s first LIVE tweet from space to the Twitterverse. Takeaway: Even astronauts need a work break. [CNET]

Get Ready To Open Your Wallet (or Purse) for Hulu Content. Rumors have been flying for months about Hulu preparing to offer a subscription model to watch shows. Not surprisingly, its owners NBC Universal, News Corp., The Walt Disney Company and private investors would like to make some money from this business. Are you willing to pay? [LA Times]

AOL Getting into a Video Groove. AOL will soon look more like YouTube as it struggles to redefine itself and regain its financial footing. The company has acquired StudioNow, an online platform for video creation and distribution for $36.5 million in cash and stock. Like YouTube, AOL is eyeing online videos, especially original programming, as a way to boost its bottom line. StudioNow will be integrated into Seed.com, an online entertainment manager and distributor for AOL’s more than 80 branded and niche websites. [Variety]

Is Apple’s New iPad a Game Changer for Content Creators? As the dust settles on yesterday’s iPad unveiling, both geeks and Hollywood are busy pondering what the potential impact of this “iPod Touch on steroids” means for consumer entertainment possibilities. [CNET, Variety]

The internet has made it clear our future will be filled with angry, amateur YouTube pundits. Technological advancements have given the masses the necessary tools of production and distribution to be get their opinions recorded and broadcast. It’s a beautiful thing, except for all the noise.

So when everyone has a virtual soapbox, how do you stand out from the chatter? The viral successes of sketch comedy and fake news have made it clear that if you want people to listen to your point of view, you have to entertain them while you do it.

Enter That’s Gay, a recurring segment on Current TV’s popular infoMania news show. Propelled by the charisma and sharp wit of host Bryan Safi (who conceived of the segment after being offended by Millionaire Matchmaker and Kathy Griffin), That’s Gay engages contemporary gay issues with refreshing honesty and insight, accompanied by a dose of devastatingly sardonic humor.

Like most infoMania segments, That’s Gay is driven by its host’s commentaries on news and pop culture, employing news footage, television clips, and the occasional skit to examine an issue. Unlike other infoMania segments, That’s Gay loads up on the satire and utilizes a more editorialized style, the bread and butter of which tackles how homosexuality is portrayed by the media. Past segments examined the gimmicky exploitation of lesbianism on soap operas, the lack of positive gay portrayals in film and television, and, most entertainingly, the suddenly widespread use of “no homo” as a disclaimer.

Mr. Safi, a regular at the Los Angeles UCB and a former staff writer at Funny Or Die, is consistently pitch-perfect in his role as host, eschewing easy punchlines or moral heavy-handedness for a frenetic, dexterous delivery. Each episode of That’s Gay delivers three to four minutes of pointed comedic commentary, but it does so without proselytizing or overselling its messages. After all, the show’s repeat viewers almost certainly share its opinions. That’s Gay embraces the choir it preaches to, and, as a result, can translate uncomfortable or sensitive topics into accessible and entertaining commentary.

I will be honest. I don’t know what byCHANCE – a new web series from Noah Craigwell, Darrus Sands, Miranda Craigwell, and Miles Craigwell of Beyond Measures Productions – is about. “People,” I guess? It’s the only other option besides completely BSing my way through this review, but I don’t write for Buddyhead.

So, here is what I think I know about byCHANCE: It’s a web series consisting of a variety of random, unconnected stories set in and around Boston that “deal with real people in real situations.” The first story “In Limbo” is about a homeless actor named Mace. The second story “Grey Line” is about a girl who likes a boy, and owns a cell phone.

Now here is what I don’t know about byCHANCE, and may never find out: Why is Mace homeless? Why does Mace have “thanks for a good time last night” written in marker on his chest? Why is the woman in “Grey Line” so head over heels for the man even though he’s distant? Granted, that last one poses a side question about women and relationships that not even the great Elayne Boosler has been able to answer.

As it pertains to “In Limbo,” limbo is the operative word. At its beginning the lead character Mace is talking to a friend in a snow covered park about a two day old party and his last acting audition. It’s a touchy subject. Day turns to night and Mace has no place to stay so he phones a friend to ask if he can crash on his sofa. The friend, too busy watching reruns of Martin, puts Mace on hold to pretend to ask for permission. It’s a tense and shameful scene. The answer is no.

Mace finds another place to sleep, and the next morning receives a phone call from the casting agent about his prior audition. Hooray, it’s a call back. Woops, his phone runs out of minutes in the middle of the call. That is the last mention of it in the story. So Mace hangs out at a bus stop. He asks a woman for a dollar. Eyes her purse. The end.

A Comicbook Orange debuted Season 5 today (season 5!), with none other than Rick Remender getting honors for the first episode back. My how time flies, it was just yesterday that Season 3 pranced across our monitors. This season Orange creators Casey McKinnon (pictured right) and Rudy Jahchan have an excellent line up of guests for this new season, including Zack Whedon, Felicia Day, Brea Grant (Heroes), Bryan Lee O’Malley. [A Comicbook Orange]

Qik, the live online video platform popular amongst iPhone 3GS users, launched a private beta of its new live streaming desktop app, which amongst other things allows for some basci editing of live video streams. So you can finally trim those awkward intros, and get to the good stuff when sharing the video clips. [Qik]

MSN premiered Ultradome this week on its Parallel Universe sci-fi site from creator, and Heroes star, Milo Ventimiglia. Fitting with its geek culture face-offs, episode one (below) delivers a high-tech battle between Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. [Parallel Universe]

Apple unveiled the iPad today, its much anticipated new tablet computer today, which isn’t really news at all unless you were stuck shooting on location in Pyongyang (which has killer tax credits right now). Notably missing from the new device was a camera or any support for Adobe Flash video. So in terms of web video content, it’s not that revolutionary, with Apple still preferring users head to iTunes and YouTube for video viewing. There’s plenty of coverage around the web today, check with All Top for a round up. Also check out Mad TV’s gut-bustingly prescient iPad skit from 2007 (below). [YouTube]