DIY FILM FESTIVAL

Getting close to the finish line!

2012-01-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

The deadline for submitting to the DIY Film Fest for films made in 2011 LOOMS LARGE.

The deadline is the 25th of January.

Films that arrive after the deadline, will be eligible for the following year's festival and awards.

Happened to hear the filmmaker Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog

talking about his "Rogue Film School" on NPR the other day. He doesn't post the location of his school, he doesn't allow students to bring in camera, recorders, or laptops. It's just you and him in a room. Alone. (oooh. scary!)

He teaches his students how to make rogue films. He includes lessons in "how to pick locks" and "how to fake film permits" - I love his droll delivery and his dry sense of humor. For any of you who've had to "get the shot no matter what" you'll appreciate what he has to say on the topic. (and here's more on FB)

One thing he did say jumped out for DIY Film Fest notice: "It only costs about ten thousand dollars nowadays to make a film. You should take a job that allows you to get enough money to make that film and go and make the film. Get a job that's interesting, a bouncer in a strip club, working in an emergency room, something that is exciting and gives you characters, so when you make your film it will be rich."

I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea. And nothing embodies the DIY spirit more than the above paragraph. So here's to you Werner, and here's to your Rogue Film School! Cheers!

Couple of New Books to Check Out

2011-12-12T18:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple of filmmaking books brought to our attention at the DIY Film Fest. Check 'em out!

FilmCraft: Editing

FilmCraft: Cinematography

Available Now!

New York, NY - November 30, 2011 - Ever wanted advice from today's most respected film insiders? Look no further than theFilmCraft Series, the latest books in filmmaking featuring a visually stunning look at each topic through the eyes of respected professionals in each field. The first releases in the series, entitled 'FilmCraft: Editing' by Justin Chang and 'FilmCraft: Cinematography,' by Mike Goodridge and Tim Grierson, each offer deep insight into the working practices of the world's most distinguished professionals, covering their inspiration, collaboration, and work on set. These two installments in the FilmCraft Series feature interviews from Bob Murawski, (Oscar-winning Editor for "The Hurt Locker," "Spiderman"), Dylan Tichenor (Editor: "Boogie Nights," "Brokeback Mountain", "There Will Be Blood"), Pietro Scalia (Editor: "Gladiator," "Good Will Hunting," "JFK," "Black Hawk Down"), and Vittorio Storaro(Cinematographer: "Apocalypse Now") to name a few.

These two books provide readers with a fascinating inside look at the filmmaking art, and a wealth of knowledge that they can apply to their own work. For more information or to purchase your copies, visit: http://amzn.to/vkcjET (Editing) & http://amzn.to/ukQcKz(Cinematography).

Each book in the FilmCraft Series features:
Discussions with the world's most notable filmmakers, giving concrete examples of their craft and insights into professional practice, working relationships, and influences
Sidebars featuring practical advice on topics that filmmakers can apply to their own work
"Legacy Sections" focusing on the work of past filmmaking greats

'FilmCraft: Editing'
This book employs stills and screenshots to show how an editor created a scene with the filmmaker and explores the complex relationship between a director who has just shot a movie and the editor who must complete the director's vision. Click here for an excerpt from this book: http://bit.ly/uTX9dX

'FilmCraft: Cinematography'
This book covers the complex craft of cinematography (motion picture photography) through interviews with well-known cinematographers. The book also features extraordinary photos and in-depth exploration of contemporary projects, such as Memoirs of a Geisha, Chicago, and Nine.'Cinematography' gives readers exclusive access to lauded professionals, providing them with the perspective to think like professionals and create a compelling visual story. Click here for an excerpt from this book: http://bit.ly/uG3uKL

About The Authors:

Justin Chang - 'FilmCraft: Editing'
Justin Chang is senior film critic at Variety, editing and overseeing the paper's film reviews. He currently serves as secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. He holds a journalism degree from USC. Before joining Variety in 2004, he was a freelance entertainment writer for the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times.

Mike Goodridge - 'FilmCraft: Cinematography'
Mike Goodridge is the editor of Screen International and has been writing about film for over twenty years. He is an accomplished critic and has written for many outlets including The Times, The Independent, The Evening Standard, El Mundo in Spain, and Sight & Sound. He is is a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the London Film Critics Circle, and FIPRESCI.

Tim Grierson - 'FilmCraft: Cinematography'
Tim Grierson is a film and music critic whose writing has appeared in Screen International, L.A. Weekly, Blender, Revolver, Vulture, Wired, and The Village Voice. He is the Rock Music guide at About.com and the author of the forthcoming book "Blinking Lights and Other Revelations: The Story of Eels." Tim has spoken at the Palm Springs International Film Society and the EMP Pop Conference in Seattle. He is currently vice president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Here's where to locate the books via FOCAL PRESS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2011-11-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

We've been getting in quite a few films from around the planet - first off, congratulations on finishing your film! It's so very cool to be able to actually sit back and watch your finished project. So congratulations are in order and its key to celebrate every step of the way!!!

DIY Fest co founder Rich Martini with FFC, Dean Tavoularis, Ed Bradley foto by John Glenn, NOLA

We at the DIY Film Fest are thankful for all the terrific filmmakers who take the time to find us and submit their films. We've been around for ten years, and the reason is because we do really care about completely independent film - if you build it, they will come. If you film it, and cut it, and finish it - it will be seen. Okay, not as catchy, but true either way. As you may know, we began as an offshoot to the DIY Convention - (www.diyconvention.com) which highlights the best indie projects in music and books. They're still going strong as well, and we join forces every year for a mutual love fest of do it yourself filmmakers and authors.

One of the biggest questions we get asked is about DIY Distribution. We usually point people in the direction of those who've been really successful at it. CD Baby is still going strong in the music world, and has spawned a number of other DIY music labels - (www.cdbaby.com) - but the model makes sense in finding a way to market and sell your product. We're also a fan of Create Space (www.createspace.com) which has been purchased by Amazon - so if a filmmaker decides to market and sell the product by themselves, create space is a logical outlet as the resulting product is listed through Amazon.com. They offer DIY packaging in simple (well, not totally simple, as little knowledge of how jpgs and photoshop helps) ways to producer your music, book or film and get it into the marketplace. They also offer live streaming of those films.

We've got submissions from Italy, Romania, Hungary, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand!

That puts the publicity into the filmmaker's own hands - and is key. Let's say you can get your film into a festival at a college near you - you approach the college paper and ask to do an interview for the film, and list the website for the film when its shown. If the website includes a way to purchase the film, it's just another way to maker and sell your product. Certainly putting up clips or trailers at youtube helps (see the panel to the right) but to include a link to the film's home page where someone can purchase it with a click is also a way to go.

The world is your oyster, and that's why we folks at the DIY Fest are happy to encourage any and all filmmakers to get their vision out into the planet. There's never been a time like today where anyone can pick up a camera and create something for people to see.

"When the cost of filmmaking is as much as a pencil and piece of paper, then we'll see true art." Jean Cocteau

DIY FILM FEST NEWS

2011-09-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, we're back online at withoutabox.com - Thankfully!

This statue to the left depicts how I felt the past couple of days, while I waited for someone in management to manage our site.

By the way, this photo was taken in Juhu, one of the soundstage complexes for Bollywood films outside of Mumbai. Not far from it was a hand painted sign depicting a black jaguar and the warning "Don't wander off the set, as people have died here." So - if you're ever lucky enough to make a Bollywood film, these are the kinds of things you need to consider.

Meanwhile, we're back to celebrating the DIY filmmaker and the DIY film. We've got entries from all around the world. Documentary Filmmaker MIREL BRAN from Romania, won last year's winner for Securitate Hunter

has submitted two new documentary films. We've got entrants from as far away as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

We like to feature and promote filmmakers who create their own DIY experience - and we believe that everyone who has a story to tell and a camera, should be encouraged to pick it up and show and tell.

Here's a photo of a cappuccino made by a barrista in Santa Monica the other day. Looks like a golden laurel. An appropriate award for someone who puts all the effort into one small cappuccino - and yet, it's a work of art. You can find art anywhere if you only look for it. And the more we can encourage people to look for art in their own lives, a better place the planet will be.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS

2011-09-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hi All, I'm in contact with the management at Withoutabox.com - which is a feat unto itself! Now that they're owned by IMDB which is owned by Amazon, it really is the one stop shop for the DIY filmmakers.

Just a note about DIY Distribution - if you're not aware of createspace.com - it's something to check into. You follow their fairly simple instructions and submit a DVD of your film which they digitize and can offer as streaming video. Of course it's up to you to advertise, promote, sell and otherwise wave the flag of your film high. But while you're waiting to sell it to a larger studio concern, your friends and family can purchase the DVD and have it on their tv in a day or two.

Create space is www.createspace.com - We contacted them here at the DIY Film Festival to see if they wanted to be listed as an Ad on our website - but they're not up and running in that area at the moment, still trying to manage content. But I can recommend their business model - it makes sense. Just make sure you own all the rights to the music, to the content, to the visuals etc from your film - and have all the permissions necessary before listing it. A fairly simple process - it's a way for DIY filmmakers to make money from their film while its in the festival circuit - and at a screening you can stand up and announce "Go to my web page if you want a copy!" and provide a link to your product.

Make sense? To sign up with Amazon.com to supply content, go to their Advantage Account. But if you sign up with CreateSpace.com and provide the content, they'll provide the package, and instantly offer the film as a streaming video - for whatever price you decide. Don't forget to thank us at Oscar time.

Long live the DIY Film movement!!!! (why the shots of Rome? Perche no?)

Without a Box Entries!

2011-09-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

A glitch has appeared in the WithoutABox entry system... for some reason, they're listing as as "CLOSED FOR THE SEASON" - Apologies - we aren't closed for the Season - in fact we're trying to catalog the entries that have come in over the past two weeks, and as soon as we can RATTLE THEIR CAGE we shall have them listed. This happened last year as well, a temporary glitch - we hope. Hopefully in a day or two back to normal. So please, be patient, will post an update as soon as we're LIVE AGAIN!!!! Best, DIY Film Fest Team

Telluride Film Fest News

2011-09-05T13:22:00.001-07:00

DATE:

02nd Sep 2011 - 05th Sep 2011

LOCATION:

Telluride

Each Labor Day Weekend, the tiny town of Telluride, Colorado, triples in numbers. Swells of passionate film enthusiasts flood the town for four days of total cinematic immersion, embarking on a viewing odyssey, blissfully spending entire days in flickering dark rooms. With only an appreciation of celluloid to guide them, these devotees flock to the show, year after year. Why? Blind faith. The Telluride Film Festival doesn't reveal the program until everyone lands in town, yet attendees trust that a unique experience will unfold. The top-secret program features premieres, classics, seminars and discussions with the world's leading filmmakers and stars.

News From Venice Film Fest!

2011-09-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Le Carre, Clooney, Carnage contest Venice film prize

Mike Collett-WhiteReuters

September 5, 2011, 12:54 p.m.

VENICE, Italy (Reuters) - The Venice film festival has largely lived up to its billing so far, providing a steady stream of A-list actors on the red carpet and a lineup of movies which has pleased most critics.

As the world's oldest film festival hits halfway Monday, an adaptation of John Le Carre's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," George Clooney's political thriller "The Ides of March" and Roman Polanski's comedy "Carnage" lead the charge for the coveted Golden Lion for best picture.

They are among 22 movies announced so far, soon to be joined by a 23rd "surprise" film unveiled Tuesday, vying for top prize, which is announced Saturday.

Although festival juries are notoriously difficult to second guess, an informal poll of critics published by trade magazine Variety puts Carnage marginally in the lead, but ratings have been generally strong.

Booing at the end of press screenings is common at film festivals, but there has been little this year, suggesting a happy ending to festival director Marco Mueller's term in charge.

Carnage is Polanski's adaptation of stage play "God of Carnage," and stars Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly in a critique of bourgeois values set in real time in a single location.

Waltz's constant Blackberry interruptions, barbed exchanges between two New York couples and in particular Winslet's "vomit scene" had journalists laughing out loud.

Polanski would not be able to collect his prize should he win, facing extradition to the United States where he is still wanted for sentencing for a crime committed in 1977, but victory would be generally popular.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which premieres Monday, also emerged as a strong contender, with early reviews glowing for the melancholic adaptation of Le Carre's 1974 classic.

Gary Oldman takes on the central role of George Smiley, famously played by Alec Guinness in a television series, and Colin Firth and John Hurt also star.

"The big-screen version of John Le Carr's 1970s spookfest is hot favorite for the ... Golden Lion," said Jason Solomons, film critic for the Observer weekly.

"Just how Swedish director Tomas Alfredson got under the skin of British behavior so intuitively is remarkable."

NO SHAME IN "SHAME"

Clooney got the 11-day cinema showcase off to a strong, starry start with opening film The Ides of March, a thriller set in the world of American politics in which he, Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman appear.

And Steve McQueen, a British artist-turned-director, got what many consider the performance of the festival so far from Irish actor Michael Fassbender as a sex-obsessed New York professional in "Shame."

"Fassbender...might already have the Coppa Volpi (for best actor) in his pocket," wrote La Stampa daily.

Oldman also won praise for his nuanced portrayal of Smiley, and among female leads, Aggeliki Papoulia in Greek tragedy "Alps" and Keira Knightley in David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" impressed.

Alps and Italian entry "Terraferma," tackling the hot topic of immigration, had plenty of admirers, but "That Summer," starring Monica Bellucci, was poorly received.

Outside the main competition, Madonna presented "W.E.," her stylish re-telling of the story of American divorcee Wallis Simpson and her relationship with King Edward VIII.

Andrea Riseborough was singled out for her role as Wallis, but overall the movie got a lukewarm critical reception.

Steven Soderbergh brought with him a stellar cast in "Contagion," a slick examination of the spread of a deadly disease and the global panic it causes.

Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne all hit the red carpet, as did Hollywood veteran Al Pacino who was honored with a lifetime achievement award.

At 71, the "Godfather" actor drew big and noisy crowds on Sunday, as he presented his documentary "Wilde Salome."

(Additional reporting by Silvia Aloisi, editing by Paul Casciato)

Singing the praises of Withoutabox.com

2011-08-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

For Filmmakers

A worldwide audience for your films

— Discover more than 5,000 festivals across six continents
— Securely submit films, forms, & fees online to 850 festivals
— Promote your films to over 57 Million fans on IMDb
— Upload screenplays, trailers, clips, posters, & photos
— Get the latest on fests, competitions, & exhibition opps
— Self-distribute on DVD, VOD, & streaming video

Start a Free Filmmaker Account >mmaker Frequently Asked

Hi DIY Filmmakers.. just wanted to take a moment to sing the praises of Withoutabox.com - one of those great ideas we all wish we had, which was then bought by IMDB.com (another great idea from a film buff who lived in Switzerland - I spoke to him once) which was sold to Amazon.com - ...

okay, so it's part of a larger culture of owning everything that's out there.. the googalage of the universe!

But it is pretty easy to sign up and get your film into a festival. Soon we'll add the feature that allows you to upload your work to our festival.. But now Withoutabox allows you to upload your film, and sell it through amazon.com (www.createspace.com) with just a few clicks.

Then its up to you to market and sell it - which is the future of distribution. Anyways, here's the front page of Withoutabox.com - pretty much says it all. So it's also a way of saying, "when you're making your film, think for a moment where you want it screened. In festivals? Would you like to find your audience on your own and sell it that way? Try to imagine in advance where you'd like it to appear... and that will help dictate where you're going to submit it."

Just a tip of the day from your friends at the DIY Film Festival.

DIY Outdoor screening July 5th

2011-07-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful evening under the stars. Attendees were gifted a small trinket from Avid.com, and an immaculate screen and terrific surround sound dolby sound system. Nestled in a patio next to umami burger (listed by many as the best burgers in LA) movie goers were treated to a tasty sampling of the 2011 DIY Film festival winners.

Christine Elise in "Bathing & The Single Girl"

There was John Tupper's "On the Rise" to start things off, then some of the various great shorts like Jesse Griffith's "Cockpit," starring Ronny Cox, "Bathing and the Single Girl," Christine Elise's debut film, Johnny Ma's dark and thrilling "The Robbery" and Cody Blue Snider's tour de force "All That Remains."

umami hollywood's patio

With the CNN tower keeping the screen backlit with its omnipresent red scrawling logo, it was remarkably better than some of LA's great outdoor viewing venues; less chaotic than Century City's outdoor series, better sound and screen luminosity than Santa Monica's Pier series. A steady stream of diners and movie goers were treated to some excellent viewings, which they put on every Tuesday night.

The DIY Film Fest is hosting another screening the night of July 23rd, so stay tuned to this page for further information. Thanks for coming out, and we'll see you at the next screening!!!

DIY SCREENINGS JULY 5TH!

2011-06-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

Couldn't make it to the Cannes Film Fest?

The DIY Film Festival is please to announce that we're going to be screening some of our films outdoors at the "umami urban" Cafe in Hollywood on July 5th.

It's at 1520 North Cahuenga in the inside of the SPACE 15 TWENTY.

Oooh. Umami.

It's a very cool venue, an outdoor patio with a huge screen, state of the art speakers, with the some of the best burgers being served (check out their menu and full bar) next door. This is something the umami folks have been doing in the past, having outdoor screenings next door to their restaurant, and they offered us a night to highlight some of our DIY festival films.

A Link to their home page: http://umamiburger.com/umami-urban/

Parking is a bit tricky, there are numerous pay lots nearby, be careful to read the signs if you street park.
So if you're in Hollywood around the Nation's Birthday, come on down! The list of films to be screened is evolving as we speak, there will be some former winners, and perhaps a film or two from the upcoming festival - we'll contact each filmmaker to see if they're available.

It's part of our DIY concept to feature the entrants at festivals and screenings around the city, to allow more folks to get a chance to see these amazing films. The screenings will begin at 8 p.m., and after consulting with filmmakers, we'll post a screening schedule. But all of them will be excellent, edge of your seat entertainment. Hope you can make it!!!!

The very cool art/retail SPACE 15 TWENTY at 1520 N. Cahuenga in Hollywood

RESOURCES for the DIY Filmmaker

2011-06-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Oscars are pretty heavy.

Ted Hope's "HOPE FOR FILM" is a great resource for the DIY Filmmaker. Here are some random clips from his website listed below:

Creating a fan base:
http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/issues/summer2008/audience.php

Wired: Why $0 is the future of Biz
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-03/ff_free

Self Distribution
https://www.createspace.com/

Financing tools
http://www.indiegogo.com/
http://www.kickstarter.com/

Film Distribution DIY style
http://www.filmbaby.com/
http://indieflix.com/

Orgs to help the DIY Filmmaker
http://www.filmindependent.org/
http://filmmakerscollab.org/

These are just a sampling of sites from Hope For Film.com - a blog by Ted Hope, Producer of a number of Sundance films, geared to the DIY Filmmaker. Check it out here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/tedhope

Just putting up a random link to a book on DIY Filmmaking.... for those in need!

Hope for Film

2011-05-24T00:03:00.000-07:00

Hope for Film

This is an excellent blog for the DIY Filmmaker. It's written by Ted Hope, prolific Indie producer, and scan down to see the many outlets for digital distribution that are featured on his blog. We'll link these up in future posts.

Opening day of Cannes!

2011-05-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

The mother of all film festivals opens today in the Cote' D'azur. For DIY Filmmakers it may seem like a long way off - but fear not, your intrepid webmeister has been a few times and has some tips about the Festival.

1. If you can go to Cannes, go. If a friend has a film playing, if your uncle has a couch nearby, if you have a friend of a friend who thought about going; go. It's a rare opportunity to meet and greet filmmakers from across the planet.

2. How do I get into film screenings and parties? I should write a book about this one. "How to get by in Cannes on no dollars a day." I went for six years in a row at one stretch, and had more fun than a barrel of monkeys. "Where there's a will, there's a way" has always been the DIY motto - just doing the circuit on the Croisette, going into the various film suites in the Majestic, Carlton and others, is a way to meet people, and ask if they know of any parties or lunches. If you state loudly and clearly "I'm a filmmaker from such and such place and I have a film I made (even if its DIY) and I'd like to show it to someone" - they have no idea if you're the next Tarantino. You might be. Lisa Tarantino too.

3. People are jet lagged, tired and usually tipsy by the time they are walking around Cannes. I've met and spoken to just about anyone you can think of in Cannes - not because I was trying to sell something, but because I'm generally interested in people and what makes them tick. That being said, heading into the American Pavilion is a way of meeting fellow travelers ("How do I get a pass? Go down to the main office and use your passport, a business card with your name and film on it to get yourself a pass.) They're trying to keep non filmmakers out, not people like yourself.

4. Think outside the box. Want to get a ticket to an event? Find out who the publicist is and stop by their offices, see if you can hire them for a day (it's not unheard of) to publicize what you're up to - and in return they may get you some tickets to events. That's kind of how it works - you don't need money per se, but if you don't have it, you should bring some charm, wit and a gift or three. Quid pro quo.

5. Where do I stay if I can't afford a hotel? Believe it or not, there are all kinds of places to stay - I've rented couches, foldouts, I know some folks snooze at the train station and use the shower facilities. Basically the parties go all night, you need a bed to stash your stuff. The ideal thing is to join a group of friends who want to go as well - and get one room and use the floor. Chances are, you'll only use the room for showers anyway. (or like Entourage - use the beach!)

6 . Don't be afraid to say hello. It's a long way to get to Cannes and everyone is a stranger in a strange land - if you like someone's work, tell them. After all, the difference between standing behind the velvet rope and snapping pix, and being on the other side of the rope and walking the red carpet may be just a matter of happenstance. I know, I've done both.

7. When you make your DIY film, try to save some money for promotion - that doesn't mean a suite at the Martinez, but it could mean some flyers, it could mean some screening copies, it could mean going to film festivals armed with promotional material for your dream - or a link to your dream online. It's a way of meeting people that may one day change your life and help you make your dreams. Or.. it might be just a fun vacation in the south of france.

8. The story of the film biz is littered with folks who were "DIY Filmmakers" who eventually ended up on the other side of the red carpet. Steven Soderbergh. Quentin Tarantino. Michael Moore. If there's a compelling reason you want to be a filmmaker, then you need to find other filmmakers, producers, writers, directors, financiers, and let them in on the secret.

Bon Voyage!

The 2011 DIY Film Fest Banquet

2011-03-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Cody Blue Snider and Jesse Griffith
(photos courtesy John Chapman)

"It was an absolute blast..." had by all.

Sponsored by Avid.com, the 2011 DIY Film fest was held in the historic Academy room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Friday night. About half of the winning filmmakers were on hand, some flying in from the East Coast and others coming down from Portland, Oregon.

Jointly hosting the awards for the Los Angeles Book Festival and the DIY Book Festival, JM Northern Media held its annual banquet honoring the best in DIY books and film. About an hour's worth of films and trailers were shown during the gala, which featured such DIY supporters as Carl Weathers, Maria Conchita Alonso, Christine Elise and Dee Snider. Snider was on hand to see his 21 year old son Cody Blue receive the Best Film and Best Director award for his haunting "All That Remains." In his acceptance speech, Cody revealed that his mother did all the makeup and hair for his under $15K super 16mm film, which featured his father playing the role of "Death."

Though one would never recognize the former Rock n Roll and current reality star layered under yards of cloth; the film is about an elderly man's relationship with the Grim Reaper, and how in his current state of dementia, Death has become an all too frequent visitor. For those who ever wondered what might be going on in the mind of an Alzheimer's patient, this 18 minute breathtaking story filled with memories of a GI who fought valiantly in WWII will give solace to anyone who's ever had a relative suffering from the condition. Writing, directing and editing this moving piece which was shown at the banquet, the award winning young prodigy Cody Blue Snider shows an immense amount of untapped talent.

Cody giving DIY advice to
a young filmmaker

Wade Wofford was on hand to accept Best Feature award for his film "Perception" which delves into a Roshomon like journey in NYC, and Honorable Mention director Matt McLaughlin brought his DP from his film "Gone" which details a clever twisted journey into a former junkie's world. Director Storme Wood was on hand to accept an award for his film "Paradise Recovered" which explores religious cultism. Best Student director Kaileigh Brielle Martin was on hand for "Be Good To Eddie Lee," and brought her parents to see the CSUN student accept the award. John Tupper showed his hilarious Animated short winner "On The Rise" about a farmer with a unique solution to the methane gas problem, and Jesse Griffith showed a clip from his sci-fi thriller "Cockpit; the Rule of Engagement" which stars veteran actor Ronny Cox.

Christine Elise received the award for Best Debut film, and gave a hilarious Charlie Sheen infused speech, which showed why her film, which features her one woman show "Bathing and the Single Girl," was so well received. Chris Wilson was on hand to accept the Best Comedy Short film for his "James Vs Reality," and the clip he showed from the film brought gasps from the crowd with its amazing special effects. Chris said in part:

"Thank you for inclusion in the festival and such a wonderful night out. We weren't sure what to expect; it was an absolute blast in a really amazing location, I'm so glad we came down (from Portland) for it. The recognition from the festival was very nice to get... I spent two and a half years working on the film (the effects were very labor intensive), so it's great after all of that work to be included in something like this!

Jennifer Cron accepted the award for "Mental," a beautifully shot Dramatic short about psychotherapy directed by Joy Gohring. She spoke of the passion that needs to be involved with making DIY films, and was thrilled with the reception the audience gave the film after watching it. Alex Bernstein's "The Goat" was also an honorable mention for Best Comic short film, and thanked the DIY Fest for featuring his efforts.

Mikayla and Shayna with
Karean's award

The book winners are listed in at the DIY Convention site, but special thanks to philanthropist and author Daphna Ziman, an award winner for her book "The Gray Zone," who brought a large contingent with her to celebrate the evening. And kudos to the LA Book festival author Karean Chapman, whose award for her book "Who Me? What Should I be?" was accepted in rhyme and song by their daughters Mikayla (12) and Shayna (10). We hope to see more of them in the book and film world!

The 9th annual DIY FILM FESTIVAL Results Are In!

2011-02-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The results of the 9th annual DIY Film Festival are in!

First of all, thank you to all your DIY filmmakers and warriors out there. We had some awesome entries this year, amazing filmmaking. The premise of this festival has always been that you don't need corporate sponsorship to make a compelling, awe inspiring film; you only need filmmaking equipment, a compelling story, and the ability to tell it in a compelling fashion. Whether a documentary, an animated short, a science fiction drama, or a piece of the heart, all of this year's films were extraordinary.

That being said, here's the list of winners for this year's festival.

1. BEST FILM - ALL THAT REMAINS

ALL THAT REMAINS - Directed by Cody Blue Snider

Synopsis: Cody Blue Snider tells the powerfully disturbing story of a WW2 Veteran with dementia, endlessly suffering in a confused world of the past, present and a lifetime of painful losses with Death as his only companion. When salvation presents itself in the form of a compassionate hospital nurse, a glimmer of hope is rekindled in the joyless old man’s heart. It all comes crashing down when the old man becomes convinced that Death intends to take this simple joy away from him as well. To end his misery, he strikes a deal with Death to wipe out a gang of mobsters, only to find Death has no master …and his own salvation. (from All That Remains site)

Watch the All That Remains Trailer

2. BEST DIRECTOR – CODY BLUE SNIDER. "ALL THAT REMAINS"

From Long Island, this young filmmaker began making films at 12. His award winning short "Lakota" got him a scholarship to the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. Mr. Snider's film shows an immense amount of talent, and the promise of a long and successful career in the film world.

3. BEST FEATURE COMEDY – RAFTBAG

RAFTBAG directed by Grayson Tyler Johnson

Raftbag is a beautifully shot comedy that takes an offbeat look at the lives of America's future generation living in and around Paducah Kentucky. Strange unexplained events keep occurring, and the fine cast keeps us grounded in this surrealistic comedy, seemingly unaffected by the chaos around them. Directed and made with help from film students at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. (Raftbag is apparently slang for the town of Paducah)
From IMDB: Franklin and Pierce spend yet another typical atypical weekend in the small town of Paducah, Kentucky. Renting out costumes and working at a coffee shop to get by, they drift through bizarre normalities and uncanny coincidences, until Lucy comes to town.

Watch the Trailer for Raftbag.

4. BEST FEATURE HONORABLE MENTION: PARADISE RECOVERED

PARADISE RECOVERED Directed by Storme Wood

Unlikely romantic comedy about a girl raised in a traditional religious sect that runs into the adventure of her life at the hands of some free thinking friends. Excellent cast and a wonderful exploration of an unusual take on the Romeo and Juliet story.

Watch a Trailer for Paradise Recovered

5. BEST SHORT COMEDY – JAMES VS. REALITY

JAMES VS. REALITY Directed by Chris R. Wilson, Tim Feeney

A man who lives in an insane asylum escapes nightly to live out his fantasy of being a super hero. Or is it a fantasy? Nicely shot, hilarious comic journey with excellent special effects about a group of inmates who have to save the world.

Watch the James Vs. Reality trailer

6. BEST SHORT COMEDY HONORABLE MENTION - – THE GOAT

THE GOAT Directed by Alex Bernstein

Shot in San Francisco, our hero goes into work one day to find that the guy competing for his job won a competition they had in grade school for making the best drawing an animal. Our uptight hero can’t let go the belief that his competitor cheated, so he finds a variety of ways to get him to finally confess.

7. BEST FEATURE DRAMA - PERCEPTION

PERCEPTION Directed by Wade Wofford

Beautifully shot and compelling drama about a homeless girl in New York who befriends a fellow angst ridden New Yorker. Their unlikely love affair is told in Roshomon style from three points of view – and the miscommunications in perception lead to disastrous results. Here's the Trailer for Perception.

8. BEST FEATURE DRAMA HONORABLE MENTION: GONE

8. GONE Directed by Mathew McLaughlin

Nicely shot, dark film about a former junkie who wants revenge for his brother’s death. He tracks down all the key players involved, and eliminates them in a clever fashion. Well shot, well acted with clever plot twists. From IMDB: Quiet and hard working, Mike is a young man who works and lives in the city. Due to a dark past, he is forbidden by law to be in his home town and have any prior contacts. One phone call four years later will change all of this and Mike will be forced to return to his home. With help from some of Mike's friends and family, he will do what he can to make things right. But can he do it in a place he is forbidden?

Watch the Trailer for Gone:

9. BEST SHORT DRAMA - THE ROBBERY

THE ROBBERY Directed by Johnny Ma

Ben, a small time thief with revenge on his mind, plans an elaborate fake robbery in order to murder his estranged father for a life insurance claim. As he battles internally and searches for the killer instinct to pull off the job, what Ben finds is that (from IMDB) This New York filmmaker brings us a dark, keenly made short film about a wayward son who plans to kill his father for the insurance money – only to discover that his father is already many steps ahead of him.

The Trailer for The Robbery

10. BEST SHORT DRAMA HONORABLE MENTION: MENTAL

MENTAL Directed by Joy Gohring

Cleverly told tale about a psychiatrist whose patient’s stories begin to eat into the fabric of his own reality. from IMDB: Dave is a seemingly normal psychologist who ultimately discovers that his patients aren't exactly who they appear to be.

Watch the film Mental Here

11. BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY – T O IN 24

“TO in 24”Directed by Dale Hildebrand is a breathtaking look at the city of Toronto over a period of 24 hour condensed into 48 minutes. An independent production company sent 24 people out with digital cameras to film some piece of their city, the resulting film is thrilling.

From IMDB: In 24 hours, 24 cinematographers capture the heart, soul and everyday miracles discovered within the microcosm of a single city - in a single day. A cinematic journey across a tapestry of hope, fear, sorrow and joy, T O in 2 4 transcends preconceptions and unearths a greater understanding of humanities global interconnectedness.

Watch the Trailer for TO in 24

12. BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY HONORABLE MENTION: CANINE INSTINCT

CANINE INSTINCT Directed by Nicholas Goodman

Wonderful film about a dog whisperer – a young man who knows how to get into the heads of difficult dogs, and the lives of their owners that are changed by his talents.

Watch the Trailer for Canine Instinct

13. BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY – ABANDONED HEROES

ABANDONED HEROES Directed by David Block

An unsettling look at the failure of the Veteran’s Administration to take care of returning soldiers from Vietnam and more recent wars. The testimonies are powerful and strike at the heart of the lie that wounded veterans are being taken care of. Despite having lost most of his eyesight, this filmmaker knows how to tell a compelling story. Watch the film on the Military Network here:

14. BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY HONORABLE MENTION: ONE BREATH

ONE BREATH Directed by Dale Hildebrand

Excerpts from the Toronto in 24 film, this shorter version is also breathtaking in its study of a day in the life of a major urban city.

From IMDB: In one breath, we have the ability to change the world, through a greater understanding of humanities global interconnectedness. A film without words, One Breath speaks in a language that has no prejudice, as we take an experiential journey across a landscape of rituals, traditions and the appreciation of life's journey

Watch the film on youtube "one breath"

15. BEST STUDENT FEATURE – CITIZEN MAYOR

CITIZEN MAYOR Directed by Koi Walker, Terrence Dai

A compelling look at the behind the scenes race for Mayor of Seattle. A bike riding populist with no money rises from the pack to defeat the front running, well financed candidates to win the Mayorship of this major PacificS coast city

From IMDB: Seven individuals from all walks of life have one thing in common, to be the next mayor of Seattle. Political experience is negligible or non-existent; financial resources are slim. Can passion and determination be enough to overcome the raw power of money and establishment? Out of a pack of underdog candidates, will one emerge against all odds as the next mayor of Seattle in 2009? Up close interviews reveal their naiveté, hopes and dreams, and fears and concerns as the race progresses. As the election draws near and the stakes rise, viewers will be captivated by the bike-riding idealist and environmentalist Mike McGinn, who is consistently out-funded and out-spent by heavy-weight contenders. Commentaries from political pundits weigh the struggles and consequences throughout. Watch the trailer for Citizen Mayor

16. BEST STUDENT SHORT – BE GOOD TO EDDIE LEE

BE GOOD TO EDDIE LEE Directed by Kaileigh Brielle Martin

An insightful short film about three young children – a boy and a girl who feel awkward about playing with the autistic boy next door. However, once they invite him into their lives, he teaches both of them lessons..

From IMDB: A short film that follows the adventures of Eddie Lee, Christi and Jim as they learn the true meaning of friendship and the value that it's really what's inside that counts.

Based on the book.

Watch the Trailer for Be Good To Eddie Lee

17. BEST WORLD CINEMA FEATURE – SECURITATE HUNTER

SECURITATE HUNTER Directed by Mirel Bran

World Cinema. Feature – a beautifully shot film about a man who has made it his life’s work to track down all the bodies of those people murdered by the Romanian government during the dark Soviet years. A haunting film about a haunted man who won’t let the dead stay buried. He travels from town to town, enlisting help from the locals to tell their stories, and then recover and rebury the dead of those that were murdered in the dark of night.

Watch a clip from Securitate Hunter

18. BEST WORLD CINEMA FEATURE HONORABLE MENTION: KRAZE

KRAZE Directed by Matt Davids

Shot in the post earthquake streets of Haiti , this edgy thriller takes us into the world of gangs and power that continue to terrorize Haitians. One man wants to rise above it, and finds a way to out bully those who are bullying his friends and workplace. Film shot in Port Au Prince, Haiti

Watch the trailer for Kraze

19. BEST WORLD CINEMA SHORT - ACHILLE

ACHILLE Directed by Giorgia Farina

World Cinema. Lando Buzzanca plays an elderly man living in Italy who gets one last chance to re-experience his glory days as an Olympic style high diver through trying to coach his grandson to jump from the high board. A terrific, funny, touching film about love, family, and believing in yourself.

Interview with Director Gior gia Farina in Italian

20. BEST WORLD CINEMA HONORABLE MENTION: BORN CHAMPION

BORN CHAMPION Directed by Daniel Soare

World Cinema. From Romania . An excellently told tale about a young boy’s obsession with soccer. There have been famous goalies throughout the history of their national sport, and through flashbacks and dream sequences, this young boy gets to pretend to be them all.

From IMDB: Born (Nascut Campion) Champion: An 11 years old child is sent by his mother to shopping as punishment for breaking something with his football in the house. On the way to the market, his day changes in a unique adventure. Find out how the Romanian Football Legends come to save this Little Champion from the most difficult situations.

21. BEST MOCUMENTARY – MOMENT OF TRUTH; THE ANDY MEYERS STORY

MOMENT OF TRUTH Directed by Steven Canfield Crowley

Clever film about a mental challenged man who asks a filmmaker to document his suicide.The filmmaker finds a producer, and their attorney steps in to talk them out of it. Ultimately, after granting a number of the man’s last wishes, a camera is left behind and he overdoses on pills. The film ends on the note that the filmmakers are being prosecuted by the police for their film. However, the bravura performance of lead actor Rick Haymes playing the mentally challenged man, keeps the audience wondering if this film is telling the truth or not. Brilliant in its skewering of those filmmakers who will film anything if its might have an audience – as well as a tour de force by the lead actor.

Watch the trailer for Moment of Truth; The Andy Meyers Story

22. BEST ANIMATION SHORT – ON THE RISE

ON THE RISE Directed by John Tupper

Short animation about some sheep and their owner dealing with a new source of fuel.
from IMDB: Zeke is a rancher who has a solution for global warming, at least the part made by his sheep. Bullet is the loyal sheep dog who ends up saving Zeke from his own uplifting brilliance. The result is spectacular.

23. HONORABLE MENTION: TWELVE APPLES AND A WRENCH

TWELVE APPLES AND A WRENCH Directed by Adrian Garcia

Animated short about a man sitting under a tree learning about the nature of gravity.

From IMDB: If you don't respect nature, why should it respect you?

24.. BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM - COCKPIT: THE RULE OF ENGAGEMENT

COCKPIT: THE RULE OF ENGAGEMENT Directed by Jesse Griffith

Excellent short film that takes place in deep space – a space ship returns to its mother ship but there’s something wrong in his story that bothers Ronny Cox. He has to make a life or death decision on whether to let him back into the ship.

From IMDB: In 2103, one rule in fighter combat keeps a mind controlling alien race away from Earth's doorstep.

Watch the Trailer for Cockpit: The Rule of Engagement

25. BEST DEBUT FILM - BATHING & THE SINGLE GIRL

BATHING AND THE SINGLE GIRL Directed by Christine Elise McCarthy

Part Bettie Page, part Billie Holiday, this one woman show was conceived and created by the actress. With the help of some very talented DP's, Ms. McCarthy shows lots of talent in this wise, funny short film.

Watch the Trailer for Bathing and the Single Girl

We are gathering for our annual awards banquet on March 4th, 2011 at the historic Roosevelt hotel in the heart of Hollywood. We will be screening a sampling of our winning films, along with cocktails and hors d'eouvres, and mingling with industry professional that we invite to meet the filmmakers. Please respond to the individual email sent to you for further details, reservations. Congratulations one and all!!!!

Sundance, DIY Film Festival and DIY Distribution...

2011-01-23T23:27:00.000-08:00

Interesting article this week in the Los Angeles Times about a Sundance screener, and the 10,000 films that are sifted through to get into the festival. If you're there in Park City, congratulations, it's a wonderful celebration of film. In light of the bidding wars over the more celebrated entries, we wanted to weigh in on some various DIY avenues open to Filmmakers to distribute your work after the DIY Film Festival.

The opportunities for self distribution have grown exponentially every year. A filmmaker is truly only limited to his or her imagination as to how they want to get their film out in front of the public. We've sponsored a number of panels on the subject, and I highly recommend taking a look at what Derek Sivers has to say behind his success at CDBaby.org - There are number of his talks posted there about self distribution - albeit that he's talking about music distribution - but his techniques apply to anyone who wants to learn how to self distribute. His lecture, "How to sell 10,000 CD's a year" applies to filmmakers as well. Here's a list of articles from the DIY Reporter about self marketing, including film.

Recently we received a notice from Quad Cinema Four Wall Select in NYC that offers a unique opportunity - for a set fee, they will screen your film, promote it to the newspapers and allow you to qualify for the various Academy categories for the Oscars. Here's an article about their service from IndieWire . The upside is that your film is in a movie theater in Manhattan. If you can get a review from a newspaper, that goes a long way to selling your film to a distributor, perhaps even qualify it for the Academy awards. The downside is that your film is in a movie theater in Manhattan... you have to drum up an audience to come and see your film in that option rich environment - and as you'll see from the listed prices, it's important to fill the theater. But this is a unique offering, and definitely worth checking into if "four walling" is the route you'd like to take.

There are other outlets that are unique. CreateSpace.com for example allows you to submit your film, your artwork, and they'll print and wrap your DVD. It's in your hands as to the quality of the label, the quality of the film, and you're allowed to set your own price for your film. It's a fairly simple process, that once you've gathered the materials, takes only a few hours to complete. Their company has been bought by Amazon.com, so that means if you choose it, your film will also be available for paid streaming downloads. That's a bit different than what is offered at youtube, and other places that you can earn money from the amount of page views of people watching your film. While that is valuable, being in charge of your own sale of a DVD or streaming video seems to be more immediate.

And once you have your film digitized and ready for sale, then it's only up to your imagination as to how you want to sell it - through facebook, myspace and other social networks, you can immediately reach your audience. By posting blogs and writing about your film, you also can draw attention to it. And finally, once you've submitted it to festivals, gotten a positive response, then its a matter of letting those who can distribute films know about it. But no one will be able to see your work unless you take the time to learn how to make it available to them. Good luck!

"Film will only became an art when its materials are as inexpensive as pencil and paper." Jean Cocteau

Film Fest Celebration Set For March 4th at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood

2011-01-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

Just a note from the Festival Programmer wishing you all a Happy New Year.

We've got a fantastic batch of films this year, and just wanted to say thank you to all the filmmakers out there who've submitted to our festival, now in its ninth year. One never knows where the next blockbuster filmmaker is going to come from, as well as where the next poet will sprout his or her wings as a film maker.

The digital revolution has transformed film making, and by putting the ability to make compelling stories into the hands of film makers has turned out to be a boon for creativity. Time and again we see films that are not about delivery but about content. As Thomas Vinterberg showed with his opus "Festen" (Dogma #1), which was filmed on single chip hand held digital cameras back in 1995, the more compelling the tale, the more successful the film.

Documentaries have been transformed as well - no longer hampered by the cost of footage, or the size and intrusion of cameras, filmmakers are able to go places and tells stories that were never possible before. And through the ability of story tellers to bring their tales to the public in a DIY fashion - through the internet, through their web pages, through word of mouth - has made the experience of gaining an audience truly democratic.

That being said, the ability to make a living doing what you love has remained about the same - starving artists who could only afford paint brushes and a few colors (Picasso's "Blue Period" for example) continue to make compelling and interesting stories, even if they aren't getting paid for it. That being said, there's something to be said for doing what it is that you love, whether its painting, music or film - or all three.

The influence of the independent digital movement has been profound; one only has to look at the film makers and film making behind Oscar worthy films like "The Fighter" or "Black Swan" to see films that aren't dependent on huge budgets; they're dependent on good story telling and compelling characters. Both David Russell and Darren Aronofsky began their careers in the super low budget independent world, and their film making styles continue to be innovative and influenced by digital cinema in their work. The use of digital footage and innovative camera work in "The Fighter" helped keep the story grounded. At the end of "The Fighter" there's even a snippet of the real brothers the story is based on - who wouldn't want to see a documentary about those two characters?

The DIY Film Festival was born out of a desire to honor and highlight those films and filmmakers who didn't spend a fortune to make films or weren't backed by large corporations - the films are made with blood sweat and tears of creativity. It's also a venue to honor and showcase those films and filmmakers that might be overlooked by those in the so called independent cinema because their stories or format don't fit the paradigm as prescribed by the current powers that be. As such we've honored some amazing films and film makers over the past decade. So as we enter into the next decade of 2000, we're please that so many of you continue to craft and create such compelling films.

Last year's winner Jamie Surgener has continued to make short films, and I stopped by his Vimeo page to see what he's up to. "Avabot" was last year's amazingly clever winner, check out his latest short film "Steve Austin vs. David Banner" here. We're in awe of Jamie's talent, and we love to keep up with previous winners and their work. It's only a matter of time before Hollywood finds him.

We're pleased to announce that the evening soiree honoring the films has been set for March 4th at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. More details about the evening will be available soon, but last year's awards ceremony was packed, and the festival winners had a fantastic evening mingling with Hollywood notables and celebrating their films.

Home to many a Hollywood legend, the Roosevelt (directions) was also the sight for an early Oscars party. We look forward to announcing the films and filmmakers who've made it to the finish line in February, and then look forward to spending an evening with you where we honor those films and filmmakers, and mingle with some film industry movers and shakers who can be a sounding board of how to take the next step in your filmmaking career.

Good luck to all of you and keep up the good work!

Best wishes for the New Year,
Rich Martini
DIY Festival Programmer

The Holiday Season

2010-12-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

DIY FILM FESTIVAL - WITHOUTABOX ENTRY

"When the cost of filmaking is as much as a pencil and a piece of paper, then we'll have true art." Filmmaker Jean Cocteau.

The Holiday Season is upon us! Just wanted to note we have a fantastic amount of entries this year with some fantastic films. At the moment we're finalizing the Awards Banquet which will be in downtown Hollywood in Early March.

It's always a bunch of fun, and we get to watch some of the winning films as well as meet the filmmakers. It's a wonderful event, more details will be posted as they come in (www.diyconvention.com). We're excited about this year's festival and hope you are as well. Keep the DIY Flag flying high. And have a little extra nog while you're at it; you deserve it!

"Catfish" and beyond

2010-10-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

Just a note to report we've got another really interesting batch of films from filmmakers worldwide. Over the past nine years we've had festival screenings at the Egyptian theater in Hollywood, at AFI and other venues around the southland. A number of our festival winners have gone on to acclaim, and the filmmakers making feature films in the traditional method.

The film "Catfish" is an excellent DIY film, was celebrated at Sundance, but in our festival we honored "When I Die" a Jason Zink/Alex Luken's documentary about the suicide of a film student - and only at the end do we get a chance to see whether it's a documentary or not. Looking forward to our festival awards which are in Feb. (or March), where filmmakers that can make it in get a chance to share their work with industry professionals. Looking forward to seeing you there!

DIY FILM FEST WINNER "LAST STOP FOR PAUL" FEATURED

2010-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

This article ran in the NY Times about DIY distribution... mentions the 2007 festival winner "LAST STOP FOR PAUL" by Neil Mandt

No Film Distributor? Then D.I.Y.

Freestyle Releasing
Bill Pullman and Rachael Taylor in Randall Miller’s film “Bottle Shock,” which is being self-distributed.

By JOHN ANDERSON
NEW YORK TIMES
When “Bottle Shock” played at the Sundance Film Festival in January, it appeared to possess that mix so tantalizing to well-heeled indie distributors.

A film that didn’t take the maverick route: a scene from “Momma’s Man,” which will be released by Kino International.

“Ballast,” a prize-winning indie film starring JimMyron Ross, is being self-distributed.
It had a name cast, including Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman. The director came with a track record and a critically acclaimed short film. And the story, about a small American winery that triumphed over its French competitors in a blind tasting in 1976 and changed the world’s view of California wine, was an accessible one for audiences who flocked to “Sideways” a few years back.

But “Bottle Shock” found no love among distributors in Park City, Utah. So the director, Randall Miller, is opening the film himself next week in 12 cities. With their hopes for conventional movie deals increasingly dead on arrival, more and more indie filmmakers are opting for a do-it-yourself model: self-distribution, once the route of the desperate, reckless or defiant, has become an increasingly attractive option for movies otherwise deprived of theatrical exhibition. “Ballast,” “Wicked Lake,” “The Singing Revolution” and “Last Stop for Paul” are among the indies currently or recently taking the maverick route.

The motivations can be complicated. For example, John Turturro’s “Romance & Cigarettes” was self-distributed late last year, having been left to languish after its producer, United Artists, was sold. In other cases it’s simply a matter of distributors’ tastes differing from those of the filmmakers.

But increasingly, indie filmmakers find themselves caught in a glutted marketplace with too few theaters to handle all the movies, and the basic laws of supply and demand have depressed the prices they can fetch. In 2007, even with the big Hollywood studios trimming their offerings, about 600 films were released in the United States; five years earlier that number was nearly 450, according to the Motion Picture Association of America.

While the orphan-indie route may not be the way a moviemaker dreams it will happen, do-it-yourself is better than a straight-to-DVD release — and certainly better than outright oblivion.

By going their own way, Mr. Miller (whose directing credits include “Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School” and the upcoming “Nobel Son”) and his wife and co-writer, Jody Savin, retain the DVD and other rights to their dramatic comedy. They also get to control how their movie is rolled out and marketed.

The downside? “An enormous amount of work, an enormous amount of stress, no sleep and lots of people I’ve come to know and love who have given me millions of dollars,” Mr. Miller said.

But Mr. Miller and Ms. Savin said they felt they had little choice. With the rash of prominent distribution houses recently shuttered or placed in figurative foreclosure — including Paramount Vantage, Picturehouse, Warner Independent and ThinkFilm — options for the indie filmmaker are evaporating.

What remains is the slim chance of being picked up by one of the surviving “mini-majors” like Sony Classics, Fox Searchlight or the Universal-owned Focus Features, or finding themselves at the mercy of smaller distributors. While many are well regarded, most offer small cash advances (if any) in exchange for most of the rights (DVD, TV, international release), but don’t usually spend the kind of money necessary to assure public awareness and ticket sales. This, in turn, virtually precludes entree to the racks at Wal-Mart or Blockbuster, outlets without which a film’s post-theatrical existence will be one of obscurity.

“You‘ve got to have the phone numbers,” said Tom Bernard, the longtime co-president of Sony Pictures Classics. “Self-distribution is good, it can work, but filmmakers who are so innovative in making movies have to channel some of that into learning how the marketplace works.” He said major pitfalls were “carpetbaggers” and “middlemen” who may agree to represent a movie at a place like Sundance, but gravitate to the easy sale and leave their less fortunate filmmakers high and dry.

“We’re in the business of discouraging people from self-distributing,” said Gary Palmucci, general manager of the venerable Kino International, which will be releasing “Momma’s Man” on Aug. 22. That film, by Azazel Jacobs, came out of Sundance this year with the all-important buzz, and had a deal with ThinkFilm until that company’s money problems scotched it. Mr. Palmucci said Mr. Jacobs might have chosen self-distribution, but wisely didn’t because the cards are stacked: the enormous expense of opening a film in major markets like New York, the average filmmaker’s unfamiliarity with the logistics of booking a movie, the hassles in collecting money from exhibitors on time.

To help navigate the sometimes treacherous world of film distribution, Mr. Miller and Ms. Savin hired Dennis O’Connor, a former top marketing executive at Picturehouse, to serve as a consultant. Freestyle Releasing of Los Angeles has been engaged, for an upfront fee and a small percentage of the gross, to handle the physical distribution of the movie (moving prints, booking theaters, etc.). And the publicity on the film is being orchestrated by Mr. Miller, Ms. Savin and Mr. O’Connor, with others enlisted by Mr. O’Connor from among the ranks of distribution veterans.

For the possibly lucrative DVD market, “Bottle Shock” has separate deals with Fox Home Entertainment and the all-important Netflix, both of which have helped in the marketing (which ensures them a better return later). Mr. Miller also negotiated his own deals with airlines and with advertising outlets, and has worked out his own price for prints. Most significant, he raised most of the money for filmmaking and prints and advertising through private investors.

“Wealthy people are really into wine,” Miller said, laughing. “You couldn’t do this with a horror movie.”

But most indie filmmakers won’t be able to raise the $10 million Mr. Miller raised for “Bottle Shock.” Instead they will have to use more cost-effective ingenuity.

The established distributors have regular circuits in which they play their films, media outlets through which they advertise and audiences they court religiously. A self-distributed movie like “Ballast,” which is cast with African-American nonactors and is about down-and-out characters (and opens at Film Forum in October), is compelling its champions to think outside the art-house box and explore new frontiers and demographics, like black churches and Southern audiences. (The movie, which won cinematography and directing prizes at this year’s Sundance festival, had a tentative deal with IFC Films before the director Lance Hammer decided to release the film through his own Alluvial Film Company.)

“At one time distributors were paying so much money they could do anything they wanted, maybe consult respectfully with the filmmakers but essentially do what they wanted,” said Steven Raphael, a consultant on the movie. “But now there’s no money and filmmakers get resentful, so they’re taking back control.”

Neil Mandt, the director, producer and star of “Last Stop for Paul,” a comedy about two men traveling around the world sprinkling the ashes of their dead friend, had a prospective deal with Magnolia Pictures. But the distributor was interested only in a DVD release. Mr. Mandt passed.

“I will be the first to admit that I never imagined that the movie would connect as well as it did when it won a prize at 45 festivals,” Mr. Mandt said. “That’s a crazy number. Despite that, we never were approached by another company for a domestic distribution deal again.”

“Last Stop for Paul” opens next week in New York, and Mr. Mandt hopes a successful opening will lead to a larger rollout. “If all of this goes as planned,” he said, “maybe in another year we will make our money back.”

The Making of Avabot

2010-09-01T22:38:00.000-07:00

Making of AVABOT from Jamie Surgener on Vimeo.

We're such fans of Jamie's film, we're posting his "making of" video here on site. If you have your film posted on the web, let us know about it!

The DIY Film Festival Team

The winning film: "Avabot" - check it out.. AMAZING FILM!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-06-30T11:54:00.001-07:00

AVABOT from Jamie Surgener on Vimeo.

Film Festival Winners 2010

2010-02-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

THE DIY REPORT2010 DIY FILM FESTIVAL HONORS "AVABOT"LOS ANGELES (February 8, 2010) _ The 2010 DIY Film Festival has named “Avabot,” an outer space saga that explores the humanity of a robot, as the best film of its ninth annual competition honoring independent and self-produced film.

“Avabot” director Jamie Surgener of Detroit, Michigan is the winner of the best director award for “Avabot.”

The winners and honorable mentions in the competition will be honored at an awards program to be held February 25 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA. The hotel is the home of the first Academy Awards.
Here's the making of video of Avabot:

Other winners and honorable mentions in the competition:

Best Drama Short – “It’s Not As If We Haven’t Been Here For A While…” Kathleen Hepburn

Best Comedy Short – “The Lifter Upper” - Micah Chambers-Goldberg

Best World Cinema – “Lionel”( Australia ) – Eddie Martin

Best Animated Short – The Magnitude of the Continental Divides – Christopher Coleman

Best Student Film – “Eluscid” – Wilson Bessinger

Best Animated Feature – “Archon Defender” – David Krupicz

Best Feature (Drama) – “Vitreous Floaters” – Justin Jones

Best Feature (Comedy) – “When I Die” – Jason Zink/Alex Lukens

Best Documentary Feature – “Remix to Rio” – Ravi Steve

Best Documentary Short – “Into the Zone” – Raphael Bondy

Jury Prize – Experimental Short – “Do You Know How Much I Love You?” - Caroline Clafin

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

“Transfusion” – Tanel Rand

“Reluctance” – Seaton Lind

“The Procrastinators” – Tim Arnold

“Let’s Get Laid” – Melissa Hunter

“Crescendo” – Pierre Terade

“First Come, First Served” – Katherine Skinner

“Debutante” – Kate Rhodes Kennedy

“Turning A Corner” – Salome Chasnoff

“A Broken System” – Kohl Harrington

Stay tuned!

2010-02-06T18:47:00.001-08:00

Finalists for the 2010 DIY Film Festival are about to be announced! Stay tuned!

2010 DIY FILM FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES

2009-09-19T23:49:00.001-07:00

2010 DIY Film Festival Call For Entries
Saturday, September 19, 2009

The 2010 DIY Film Festival is now accepting entries for its year-round program celebrating independent and self-produced films. The festival, which screens in Los Angeles and other cities, seeks to honor films produced without studio or corporate funding.

This year, the DIY Film Festival adds a new twist. In addition to our screenings and our traditional filmmakers reception, the festival will also offer a special salon dinner that will allow our top winners to sit down with film industry experts and plan a course of action for their projects now and in the future. This intimate exchange will put YOU in the seat next to the people you need to talk with and allow you to ask the questions that need to answered!

FILMS SHOULD BE MAILED TO JM Northern Media, DIY Film Festival, 7095 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 864, Hollywood, CA 90028. Deadline is January 25, 2010. Please note that films cannot be dropped off in person.

WINNERS OF THE 2009 FILM FESTIVAL

2009-09-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

2009 DIY FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED
2/14/2009 LOS ANGELES (Feb. 14, 2009)_ The disturbing short film “11 Missed Calls” has been named the Best Film of the 2009 DIY Film Festival, which honors the best of international do-it-yourself filmmaking.

The film, which also won the Best World Cinema category, will be screened at the American Film Institute on Friday, March 13 as part of the 2009 DIY Convention, which showcases the top independent films, music and books of the last year.

“11 Missed Calls” details three people seemingly trapped for an interminable length of time in an elevator. The tension mounts as they try desperately to summon help, quell dissension and find a way out. Director Philip Moran’s surprise ending will linger in your imagine for a long time.

The other winners of the 2009 DIY Film Festival:

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: “Hard Coal,” an examination of the hardscrabble world of independent mining and the stacked deck such operations face;

BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE: “The Appearance of a Man,” a dark look at mysterious lights
over the Southwest;

BEST DRAMATIC SHORT: “Hung Up,” a noir-ish tale told by a red dress;

BEST STUDENT FILM, “Escapism,” a look at how two characters from different worlds find common ground;

BEST ANIMATED SHORT, “Larry and Roz,” a nostalgic look back at a grandfather’s attempts to woo his bride;

BEST WORLD CINEMA: “11 Missed Calls,” which details the interactions of three people in a stuck elevator;

BEST DIRECTOR: Philip Moran, “11 Missed Calls”
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2008-10-20T14:22:00.001-07:00

2008 Winner Jeff Wadlow Directs Feature Film

2008-10-08T17:15:00.001-07:00

DIY FILM FESTIVAL WINNER WADLOW HITS THEATERS
3/15/2008 Former DIY Film Festival winner Jeff Wadlow has his first theatrically-released film debuting this weekend.

Wadlow, who won the first short film award at the inaugural DIY Film Festival, will see his film “Never Back Down” hit theatres nationwide.

“Today is one of the days I've been working my whole life towards,” said Wadlow. “I've got to be honest, there were times, like when I was a PA on “Law and Order” and my only job was keeping the homeless people from eating off the snack table, that I doubted a day like today would ever come. But it's here -- at last!”

The film stars two-time Academy Award nominees Djimon Hounsou, who has appeared in “Blood Diamond,” “Amistad” and “Gladiator.” The initial reviews have been positive, with the Hollywood Reporter noting, “Never Back Down” is “energetic and warm-hearted enough to become a word-of-mouth hit.”

TRAILER: "NEVER BACK DOWN"

Buskers the Movie

2008-10-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Last year's DIY Film Festival winner, "Buskers - For Love Or Money" has put a trailer on line, as well as a list of festivals its currently screening at. Check it out here: "Buskers"

Past DIY Film Festival Winners

2008-09-04T00:17:00.000-07:00

The DIY Film Festival is proud to talk about.. itself! We've had a lot of talented filmmakers in the past 8 years, and we want to brag about a few of them. Early winners from the festival, include Jeff Wadlow, (Tower of Babble, 2002, and Katching Kringle 2004) who won awards in two festivals, once for a comedy short, and another year for an animated short. He went on to win the Million dollar Chrysler Film Festival, and then Jeff went on to direct the feature film Cry Wolf in 2005.
2006 BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE and BEST DIRECTOR for "SELF MEDICATED" filmmaker Monty Lapica went on to release his film theatrically after winning numerous other film festivals.
2006 BEST FILM "AMAZING GRACE: JEFF BUCKLEY" went on to win numerous other film festivals, as well, the terric and moving portrait of the winger, and is awaiting release on DVD.
The 2007 Festival included recent theatrical release "Last Stop for Paul" by director Neil Mandt. "Last Stop" went on to win awards in 45 film festivals and was released theatrically this past spring. And finally, last year's Documentary feature winner "The American Drug War: the Last White Hope" went on to win numerous awards and was purchased by Showtime where it made its debut in March and is now on DVD. Congratulations to director Kevin Booth and kudos to all the filmmakers who've allowed us to get a glimpse of their careers early on! Keep up the good work!!

Last year's winner Best Film "Buskers" is showing at the upcoming Coney Island Festival on Sept 8th.

2007 DIY FILM Festival Winners

2008-09-03T23:46:00.001-07:00

Just to recap.. for those who are new to the blog..

2007 DIY FILM FESTIVAL NAMES WINNERS

"Last Stop For Paul" Wins Best Film Award

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 12, 2007)_ The hilarious comedy "Last Stop For Paul," the tale of two cubicle-bound workers who take an inspired trip around the world with a dead friend's ashes, has been named Best Film at the 2007 DIY Film Festival, which concluded Sunday.

The film was screened as part of the 2007 DIY Convention, which took place Feb. 9-11 at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

In "Last Stop For Paul," director Neil Mandt improvises a film based on the idea of a worldwide journey seeking both pleasure and to honor the memory of a departed comrade. Using local amateurs and actors he picks up along the way, Mandt crafted a hilarious film from a cast that the makers of "Babel" would envy. For his innovative use of resources and his flair for storytelling, Mandt wins the 2007 DIY Film Festival "Best Director" honors to go along with his best film award.

A special award was granted acclaimed writer/director Henry Jaglom, who was named "DIY Filmmaker of the Year" for his vast body of independent filmmaking, which includes 16 feature films. Jaglom was honored at a special Saturday evening screening of his latest film, "Hollywood Dreams," and participated in a post-screening interview with DIY Film Festival programming director Richard Martini and lead actress Tanna Frederick.

The other winners of the 2007 DIY Film Festival include:

BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE – "SHAMELOVE"
In the vein of "Fight Club," a group of friends decide on a novel way to pick up girls: staging a street mugging and then pretending to save them. But things go downhill when one of the friends falls in love with a victim...

BEST SCREENPLAY - "UNDER THE MUD"
An uproarious comedy depicting a dysfunctional family from Liverpool. Reminiscent of "Little Miss Sunshine," the story revolves around a young girl's first communion and her completely wacky family, all told in DIY fashion with residents of Liverpool as the cast.

BEST COMEDY FEATURE – "BIGGA THEN BEN"
Two Russian slackers move to London to scam their way to riches in two weeks. Thoroughly exploring the immigrant underworld of the UK, this film manages to feel like a "Borat" through the eyes of two hip Eastern Europeans.

BEST DOCUMENTARY – "THE LAST WHITE HOPE"
Director Kevin Booth exposes the people behind the so-called "War On Drugs" proposed by the Nixon administration and still operating as government policy – or is it? Featuring interviews with a former DEA agent, a conservative judge and other political leaders, Booth uncovers the lies and conspiracy theories of the drug trade.

BEST WORLD CINEMA - "JAB" (Trinidad)
A famous "Jab" dancer passes along his secrets to dancing, life, love and native cooking to a protege.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT – "MARKETING THE MESSAGE"
An insightful and funny look at the new Christian evangelical movement through the eyes of Stephen Baldwin, punk rockers and skateboarders.
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BEST COMEDY SHORT - "SPLITTSVILLE."
A guy loses his girlfriend and goes through an unusual fantasy of what happened – a dream where all the characters are played by her.

BEST DRAMATIC SHORT – "THOMAS IN BLOOM."
Touching story of a young boy whose attempts at communication with his grandmother are stifled until he realizes she's hard of hearing.

BEST ANIMATED FILM – "TENGERS."
This clay-mation animated feature from South Africa takes a look at life and love in Johannesburg.

BEST STUDENT FILM – "PERSPECTIVES"
A fresh and unusual look at a relationship told in split screen, and sometimes in triptych, where our hero's running monologue with himself is played in variations until he gets it right.

CALL FOR ENTRIES!! SIGN UP TODAY!!!

2008-09-03T22:48:00.001-07:00

CALL FOR ENTRIES The International Film Festival Submission System
The DIY Film Festival prefers paperless entries submitted via The International Film Festival Submission System (BrigitFest) – on the Web at Withoutabox.com. Withoutabox provides cost-saving, online entry to major film festivals throughout the U.S. and in Europe with one master entry form, allowing you and us to enter your film more quickly and with greater accuracy. This method is free and easy. Members who choose to join Withoutabox also get $5.00 off their Entry Fees, plus the advantages of Extended Deadlines and Online Press Kit submissions. Click over to Withoutabox, then follow instructions to apply online:CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Click to Enter the 8th Annual DIY Film Festival

2008-09-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

THE DIY REPORT

2008-08-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

The 2009 DIY MUSIC FESTIVAL will again be highlighted by a Feb. 2009 exclusive lunchtime showcase in Hollywood before some of the top music supervisors in the country and an invite-only dinner with top professionals. The luncheon will again by co-sponsored by Bug Music, North America's largest independent publishing company, home to such songwriters and catalogs as Johnny Cash, Bob Mould, Ryan Adams, Gram Parsons and Iggy Pop.

But don't let us tell you. Hear about it from last year's winners: myspace.com To enter, register online at the right.

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THE 2008 NEW ENGLAND BOOK FESTIVAL has officially launched. Dedicated to the best books of the holiday season, with a major post-holiday campaign as one of the prizes. Register on the right side of the page.

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THE 2008 LONDON BOOK FESTIVAL has issued a call for entries to its annual program honoring books worthy of further attention from the international publishing community. Details on registration on the right side of this page.

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2008 HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES WINNERS

HOLLYWOOD (July 12, 2008) _ The 2008 Hollywood Book Festival has named Stan Lerner’s novel “Criminal” as the grand prize winner of its annual competition honoring books worthy of greater attention from the film, TV and multimedia industries.

A graphic but page-turning account of the rise to power of the world’s most calculating and dangerous man, “Criminal” is the story of Sam Noah, who will do whatever is necessary to achieve his ends.

Lerner’s saga of this mastermind of evil was honored during awards that were part of a weekend festival at The Grove at Farmers Market in Hollywood that featured author readings, live music, book publishing panels and children’s entertainment. The event was presented in conjunction with Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

Lerner’s victory earned him $1500 and a week-long stay at the Larimar St. Croix Writer’s Colony in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Other winners and honorable mentions for the 2008 Hollywood Book Festival:

GENRE-BASED:

ROMANCE:

WINNER: Insufficient Mating Material – Rowena Cherry

HONORABLE MENTION:

For The Children – Marin Thomas

SCIENCE FICTION:

WINNER: The Grandmaster – Peter Balaskas

HONORABLE MENTION:

Alpha Rising – GL Douglas

Strike at the Heart: The First Mission – Lawrence Berrie

WESTERN:

WINNER: Seven Ox Seven – Peter Ritzer

DETECTIVE:

WINNER: Black’s Beach Shuffle – Corey Lynn Fayman

BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY:

WINNER:: They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky – Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng and Benjamin Ajak with Judy Bernstein

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Jacko: His Rise and Fall – Darwin Porter

The House of Many Faces – Konstantina Dimitra Mahlia

Crossing Hoffa – A Teamster’s Story – Steven Harper

The Misadventures of a Roving Cartoonist – Tom Gill/Tim Lasiuta

Little Miss Smarty Pants – Suzanne Koupoulis

Running From Coyote – Danalee Buhler

Love is a Four-Letter Word – Robert X. Leeds

UNPUBLISHED:

WINNER: The Willow Falls Christmas Train – William Trombello

HONORABLE MENTION:

Legends of a King – Damian St. Clair

The Pink Dolphin – Laura Ambler and Mary Duncan

GENERAL FICTION:

WINNER: Criminal – Stan Lerner

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

The Maximum Contribution – Rick Robinson

Stolen Boy – Michael Mehas

God Bless Mr. Devil – Andrew Davis

The Rose of York: Fall from Grace – Sandra Worth

Kastle Law – Chris Copeland

The Street Life Series: Is It Passion or Revenge? Kevin M. Weeks

Temple of the Two Jaguars – Edward Curry

Spa Deadly – Louise Gaylord

First, There Is A River – Kathy Steffen

The Happy Soul Industry – Steffan Postaer

We The People – B.L. Hyde

The Badger Game – Norman Shabel

The Street Sweeper – David Riviera, Jr.

Death in Advertising – Stephen Hawley Martin

The Woman Pope – Nelson Clark

GENERAL NON-FICTION

WINNER: When The Mob Ran Vegas – Steve Fischer

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Jesus Goes To Hollywood – William Bramley

Unlocking The Mystery of Skin Color – Thienna Ho

Las Vegas Weddings – Susan Marg

Twisted Confessions – Charles E. Skoller

CHILDREN’S

WINNER: Archibald’s Swiss Cheese Mountain – Sylvia Lieberman/Jeremy Wendell

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Stanley The Elephant – Stan Lerner

Monty The Traveling Cat – B.J. Moesner/Kevin Scott Collier

Mama, Are We There Yet? Rose Saposnek

Kendra Kandlestar and the Door To Unger – Lee Edward Fodi

There’s A Kid Under My Bed – Lisa Funari-Willever/Lon. A. Levin

Why The Dog Chases The Cat and the Cat Chases The Dog – K.L. Vaniko

Circus Fever – Alva Sachs/Patricia Krebs

Melinda: A Mostly Magnificent Moose – Daniel Burch Fiddler

Emerita – Cindy Mauro Reisenauer

The Great Willow – Michael Starr

Born To Dance – Katherine Reynolds

The Wiggle Jiggle Book – Kathy Patalsky

WeeBeasts, Book One: Origins – Micah Linton

TEENAGE

WINNER: Surfer Girl - Penelope Dyan

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Who’s Your Daddy? Lynda Sandoval

Parallel Worlds, Paraworld Zero – Matthew Peterson

Across Time: Mystery of the Great Sphinx – Dr. O.J. Harp III

The Great Book of the Universe – Colette Francis Ashton

COMICS:

WINNER: The 7th Order – Donald Hudec

HOW-TO:

WINNER: Fortune & Freedom: The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Success – Jim Hirshfield

HONORABLE MENTION:

Blood Moon’s Guide To Gay and Lesbian Films – Danforth Prince

WILD CARD:

WINNER:: The Passion of Maryam – Loren Woodson

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Across Time: Mystery of the Great Sphinx – Dr. OJ Harp III

Voices Under Berlin – Mark Hooker

Alpha Rising – G.L. Douglas

The Passion of Maryam – Loren Woodson

Run Toward The Sun – Anton Haardt

The Digger’s Rest – K. Patrick Malone

Dealing With Divas: Shelley Anderson

AUDIO/SPOKEN WORD

WINNER: Your Final Diet – Abby Aronowitz

THE 2008 DIY BOOK FESTIVAL has issued the call for entries to its seventh annual competition honoring the best of independent and self-published work. Full details below and registration on the right side of this page.

THE 2008 HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL will be held on Saturday, July 12 at the Grove at Farmers Market, one of the top dining, shopping and entertainment destinations in the heart of Hollywood. The event is presented in conjunction with Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Over 30,000 attendees are expected for the event, which spotlights books worthy of further attention from the film, TV and gaming community. Details at hollywoodbookfestival.com

DIY FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING HEAD RICHARD MARTINI has posted his "Tibetan Refugee" film online in its entirety. The film is debuting on YouTube in five ten-minute sections, detailing the torture of journey of monks and children who were forced to flee Tibet a few years ago. "The film is available at Netflix and other sites, but I just felt for those who have an interest in hearing from the Tibetans themselves what kind of damage the Chinese are doing, they'd be able to check it out for free." The video is online at youtube.com

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