Checkout Canada’s new welcome ambassador, a talking beaver: More stories about Canada. Photo credit: Klaatu42
Selected by jokeandbiagio
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Most Topular Stories
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Welcome to Canada! Bienvenu! New welcome ambassador
Holy Kaw!18 May 2013 | 5:21 pm -
5 Writing and Productivity Links You Can Use
Copyblogger18 May 2013 | 5:00 amThis week on The Lede … How A Copywriter Evaluates A Great Website The Unexpected Antidote to Procrastination The Daily Rituals of the World’s Most Creative People 4 Things That Lead to Success (or Failure) with Email Signup Forms How to Do More By Planning Less: The Power of the Anti-Plan Want to grab even more useful links (beyond those that make The Lede)? Follow @copyblogger on Twitter. // The Unexpected Antidote to Procrastination Procrastination: that merciless thief of our time, creative output, and potential reward. Mr. Bergman delivers a unique — but convincing… -
RADiUS-TWC Makes First Major Deal Of Cannes: Jeremy Saulnier's 'Blue Ruin'
News18 May 2013 | 3:36 pmRADiUS-TWC has made the first major deal of a film screening at Cannes: Jeremy Saulnier's "Blue Ruin," which is world premiering in the Director's Fortnight.Full press release below.Cannes - May 18, 2013: RADiUS - TWC proudly announced tonight that it has acquired North American rights to BLUE RUIN, one of the select few American films world premiering in Director's Fortnight.Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier's whose first feature MURDER PARTY was a cult hit, BLUE RUIN tells the story of a man who finds his quiet life upended by unwelcome news and subsequently sets off for his… -
The Curious Case of Benicio del Toro in 'Jimmy P'
The Wrap Movies - Entertainment Industry Analysis, Breaking Hollywood News18 May 2013 | 11:48 amA curious story debuted at the festival in main competition on Saturday with Arnaud Desplechin's "Jimmy P," telling of the relationship between a troubled native American vet, played by Benicio del Toro, and his equally idiosyncratic therapist, played by Mathieu Amalric. The story of Jimmy Picard (del Toro) is true, and the film is based on a 1951 study by the French ethnopsychiatrist Georges Devereux (Amalric), which tracked the daily treatment of Picard's debilitating headaches, partial blindness and constant pain. Related Articles: The Scene at The Cannes Film Festival 2013 (Photos)… -
Are You Good In A Room?
Joke and Biagio14 May 2013 | 6:47 amAs owners of our production company, Joke Productions, Inc., we’ve been on both sides of a Hollywood pitch meeting. The selling side, when we’re out convincing networks to buy our shows, and… The receiving side, when taking unscripted TV pitches from agents, producers, talent, and some of you. In more than a few emails and tweets many of you have asked us for pitching advice. We thought about writing a post series detailing the finer points of the Hollywood pitch meeting. However, Stephanie Palmer has already beat us to the punch (more like knocked us out) with her terrific…
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Holy Kaw!
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Welcome to Canada! Bienvenu! New welcome ambassador
18 May 2013 | 5:21 pmCheckout Canada’s new welcome ambassador, a talking beaver: More stories about Canada. Photo credit: Klaatu42 -
12 tips to delight your social media connections
18 May 2013 | 5:10 pmPeople flock to delightful personalities and what works at the water cooler works on social media, too. As Pam Moore explains: According to Dictionary.com, the word delight is defined as “to please someone greatly.” Notice the key word of “greatly.” Delight does not equal status quo. It does not mean doing, writing, posting, tweeting, pinning, +1-ing the same exact thing every other business in your niche is doing. So, how can you stand out from the crowd while making people smile? Start by trying these twelve helpful tips and watch your following grow. 1. Be human. Humanize your… -
A step-by-step guide to starting a small business website
18 May 2013 | 4:49 pmSmall business owners wear many hats that, at a big company, could be laid on the minds of an extensive staff. While a website might seem like the straw that could very well break the camel’s back, when one considers the amazing long-term benefits an appealing web presence can have, it might be time to bump this task to the top of the to-do list. Fortunately, Samir Balwani at SiteFox has covered everything from spelling out the benefits to maintaining leads to get you started. Full story at SiteFox. An extra boost for small business. Photo credit: Fotolia -
Weekend dose of cute: Marmoset eating macaroni [video]
18 May 2013 | 8:40 amSorry, Yankee Doodle, but it’s time that macaroni got a brand update and we’ve got just the guy. The adorable pygmy marmoset is one of the smallest primates, and you may be interested to know that when there are too many males around, they’re also polyandrous. Full story at YouTube via Miss Cellania. Adorable animals. -
Shades of cool in the movies [video]
18 May 2013 | 8:28 amThe sun’s out and that means it’s time to update your sunglasses for the season. Will it be a Blues Brothers kind of summer or is Sylvester Stallone more your style? Find out with this shade-y supercut of forty-seven flicks by FoundItemClothing. Full story at FoundItemClothing via The Mary Sue. Fun with the movies.
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Copyblogger
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5 Writing and Productivity Links You Can Use
18 May 2013 | 5:00 amThis week on The Lede … How A Copywriter Evaluates A Great Website The Unexpected Antidote to Procrastination The Daily Rituals of the World’s Most Creative People 4 Things That Lead to Success (or Failure) with Email Signup Forms How to Do More By Planning Less: The Power of the Anti-Plan Want to grab even more useful links (beyond those that make The Lede)? Follow @copyblogger on Twitter. // The Unexpected Antidote to Procrastination Procrastination: that merciless thief of our time, creative output, and potential reward. Mr. Bergman delivers a unique — but convincing… -
How to Become a Content Marketing Expert
17 May 2013 | 9:00 amYou hear everyone talking about online content marketing, because with today’s Internet-empowered prospect, content marketing is what works. And yet, you may be struggling with creating content that works for your business or your clients. Or maybe you’re just trying to take your game to the next level. There’s a lot to learn, and even then you’re left asking potentially expensive and time-consuming questions: How do I apply this particular strategy for my business? Is this a solid idea, and how should I execute it? Has anyone taken this approach before, and what were the… -
Why We Still Need to Write, Even When We’re Scared
17 May 2013 | 8:00 amWriting is scary. Sometimes when we publish something, it makes us feel like our insides are hanging out, for all the world to see. We feel vulnerable. We feel naked. We feel … terrified. But here’s the thing — we have to keep writing, in spite of the fear. If we let fear stop us, our content will have no spark, no life. And everything we write will be completely unremarkable. Right now, I’m working on a blog post (on a different topic) that scares the living heck out of me. I am afraid of the strong opinions and passion that are rising from some long-buried place inside me. -
5 Ways to Bond with Your Blog’s Audience
16 May 2013 | 5:00 amYou’re smart. You know you need to be helpful on your blog in order to grow your audience. You share useful tips. You give away free tutorials. But somehow you’re not connecting with your readers. Your blog seems a little quiet. Sure, you’re getting some traffic. But a certain spark is missing. It’s not the enjoyable party you’d imagined it to be. Is it getting you down? Today I’m sharing five tips to engage with your readers, make them feel at home, and to turn your blog into a nice and warm get-together. Sound good? 1. Write conversationally Nobody… -
Could Mobile Responsive Website Design Hurt Your SEO?
15 May 2013 | 4:00 amAllow your jaw to become unhinged at this statistic: There are over 1 million more mobile devices activated every day across the world than there are babies born. Yeah, mind = blown. Indeed, designing with a mobile-first mindset becomes more important — quite literally — by the day. As does answering burning questions related to mobile design best practices. For example: Is mobile responsive web design good for SEO or not? This has become a hotly debated topic, even right here in the Copyblogger comment sections, with reasonable minds making reasonable arguments on both sides.
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News
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RADiUS-TWC Makes First Major Deal Of Cannes: Jeremy Saulnier's 'Blue Ruin'
18 May 2013 | 3:36 pmRADiUS-TWC has made the first major deal of a film screening at Cannes: Jeremy Saulnier's "Blue Ruin," which is world premiering in the Director's Fortnight.Full press release below.Cannes - May 18, 2013: RADiUS - TWC proudly announced tonight that it has acquired North American rights to BLUE RUIN, one of the select few American films world premiering in Director's Fortnight.Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier's whose first feature MURDER PARTY was a cult hit, BLUE RUIN tells the story of a man who finds his quiet life upended by unwelcome news and subsequently sets off for his… -
Kino Lorber Takes Berlin and Tribeca Winner 'The Rocket' Out of Cannes
18 May 2013 | 2:54 pmKino Lorber has acquired all U.S. and Canadian rights to "The Rocket," the first feature film by director and writer Kim Mordaunt. Produced by Sylvia Wilczynski at Red Lamp Films, with funding from Screen Australia, the film had its US premiere at this year's Tribeca Film Festival and won three major awards: Best Narrative Feature prize, the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film and the Best Actor in a Narrative Feature award (given to 10-year-old Sitthiphon Disamoe). At this year's Berlinale, "The Rocket" also won the "Crystal Bear" (Generation Kplus prize for Best Film) as well as the Best… -
ACLU to 'Modern Family': Let Cam and Mitch Tie the Knot
18 May 2013 | 2:19 pmAmericans love Cam and Mitch, from Barack and Michelle Obama to Anne and Mitt Romney. The two men aren't just the funniest duo on ABC's hit sitcom "Modern Family," they're easily the most visible fictional gay couple in the U.S--and perhaps the nation's most visible gay couple, period. Along with their adoptive daughter, Cam and Mitch are funny, engaging and relatable: the perfect manifestation of the show's title. One thing they aren't, however, is married. That's something the American Civil Liberties Union--one of the oldest and most influential civil rights groups in the… -
IFC Midnight Takes on Femme-Empowered Slugfest 'Raze'
18 May 2013 | 12:45 pmIFC Midnight bought North American rights to Cinipix’s action/thriller "Raze." Directed by Josh Waller and written by Robert Beaucage, the film stars Zoe Bell, Rachel Nichols, Tracie Thoms and Sherilyn Fenn. "Raze" made its world premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. READ MORE: Tarantino's Go-To Stuntwoman Zoe Bell on Headlining the Bloody 'Raze' and What She Learned From the 'Death Proof' Director "Raze" follows a woman who's abducted to an underground lair where she's forced to battle for the amusement of unseen spectators. Said reviewer Gabe Toro from The Playlist… -
Cannes 2013 - Morgan Freeman, Diane Keaton Are Couple Caught In Real Estate Bidding War In 'Life Itself'
18 May 2013 | 12:16 pmMorgan Freeman has signed up to co-star with Diane Keaton in a dramedy titled Life Itself, which is based on a novel by Jill Ciment titled Heroic Measures. Here's Amazon's description of the novel:New York City is on high alert—a gasoline truck is “stuck” in the Midtown tunnel and the driver has fled. Through panic and gridlock, Alex and Ruth must transport their beloved old dachshund—whose back legs are suddenly paralyzed—to the animal hospital, using a cutting board as a stretcher. But this is also the weekend when Alex and…
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The Wrap Movies - Entertainment Industry Analysis, Breaking Hollywood News
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The Curious Case of Benicio del Toro in 'Jimmy P'
18 May 2013 | 11:48 amA curious story debuted at the festival in main competition on Saturday with Arnaud Desplechin's "Jimmy P," telling of the relationship between a troubled native American vet, played by Benicio del Toro, and his equally idiosyncratic therapist, played by Mathieu Amalric. The story of Jimmy Picard (del Toro) is true, and the film is based on a 1951 study by the French ethnopsychiatrist Georges Devereux (Amalric), which tracked the daily treatment of Picard's debilitating headaches, partial blindness and constant pain. Related Articles: The Scene at The Cannes Film Festival 2013 (Photos)… -
'Fast & Furious 6' Opening Day Universal's Best-Ever in U.K.
18 May 2013 | 9:41 am"Fast & Furious 6" raced out of the gate as the No. 1 film in the U.K. and Ireland on Friday, posting Universal's biggest opening day ever in that market with $4.6 million. That figure beats the $3.6 million that the fourth film in the franchise, "Fast & Furious," opened with in 2009 and is the year's second-best opening day in the U.K., just behind the $4.7 million of "Iron Man 3." Warner Bros. rolled out "The Great Gatsby" on Thursday in the U.K., and that film has taken in $2.5 million. Related Articles: CinemaCon: 'Fast &… -
'Star Trek Into Darkness' On $80M Pace After $21M Friday at Box Office
18 May 2013 | 9:35 am"Star Trek Into Darkness" cruised to more than $21 million at the box office on Friday and J.J Abrams' space epic sequel is on pace for an extended weekend total of around $80 million. That's big, but on the low end of analysts' expectations and under the $100 million that distributor Paramount had hoped to see. Saturday and Sunday will be critical, and the film received an "A" CinemaScore from first-night audiences, so word of mouth should be strong. Related Articles: How the Battle Over 'Star Trek' Rights Killed J.J. Abrams' Grand Ambitions… -
Good Morning, Cannes: Much Ado About Absolutely Everything
18 May 2013 | 7:31 amSeveral thousand miles away from the South of France, the Seattle International Film Festival opened this week with Joss Whedon's version of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." But on the Croisette, the motto might as well be "Much Ado About Everything." The opening night film was Baz Luhrmann's ultra-extravagant "The Great Gatsby," about a wealthy pretender who throws ridiculously lavish parties … and it was followed by yep, a ridiculously lavish party. Related Articles: Cannes: Gunfire Interrupts TV Broadcast, Man Firing Blanks Taken Into Custody The Scene at The Cannes… -
Wentworth Media Launches to Finance, Produce Movies
18 May 2013 | 2:03 amA group of entertainment veterans have launched Wentworth Media & Arts, a London-based independent film finance, production and distribution company, led by the former chairman of EMI, Eric Luciano Nicoli, the company announced on Saturday. According to a news release, the company will both acquire films and seek to produce three to four feature films per year "in various budget ranges." See Photos: The Scene at Cannes Film Festival 2013 Related Articles: Good Morning Cannes, May 12: Bienvenue Chopard Jewelry Heist at Cannes Film Festival The Scene at The Cannes Film Festival 2013…
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Joke and Biagio
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Are You Good In A Room?
14 May 2013 | 6:47 amAs owners of our production company, Joke Productions, Inc., we’ve been on both sides of a Hollywood pitch meeting. The selling side, when we’re out convincing networks to buy our shows, and… The receiving side, when taking unscripted TV pitches from agents, producers, talent, and some of you. In more than a few emails and tweets many of you have asked us for pitching advice. We thought about writing a post series detailing the finer points of the Hollywood pitch meeting. However, Stephanie Palmer has already beat us to the punch (more like knocked us out) with her terrific… -
Now Casting A New Bridal Party Show from Joke and Biagio
8 May 2013 | 1:57 pmWe’re casting a new show — let us know if you or anyone you know might be right for it! Here’s the official casting notice: Let Us Capture the Planning of Your Wedding! MTV is searching for Bridal Parties to star in a fun new docu-series that will document all planning and events leading up to the wedding day! Must be under the age of 26 and be part of a wedding taking place between November 2013 and February 2014. Currently planning engagement parties, showers, bachelorette parties, and other bridal events. Email us if you or someone you know would be right for this show! -
Doc Style Shooting with Shallow Depth of Field Now a Snap
7 May 2013 | 9:14 amSeveral months ago we told you about a Kickstarter project we were backing called SnapFocus from Midas Mount. It’s an ingenious piece of indie film making gear made from spare bicycle parts that allows you to control your camera’s focus using bicycle brake handles. It was invented by a filmmaker and former editor of ours, Brandon David Cole. Brandon has started delivering the SnapFocus, and he shot some video of us trying out it around the office. Changing How We Work In the video, we both talk about why the SnapFocus is going to change the way we work in documentary and… -
Zach Braff Can Use Kickstarter All He Wants
1 May 2013 | 2:25 pmThere was a little “controversy” over at Huffington Post about whether or not a star like Zach Braff should be able to use Kickstarter to raise money for his films (he just raised $2,300,000.) Especially since he has so many “Hollywood” connections. Should he really have access to the same platform many starving indies count on to get by? Yes, he should. First of all, Zach Braff is not Brad Pitt. It’s silly to assume “Hollywood” will just write him a check to do whatever he wants. Think about it: you’re a studio and want a guaranteed return on… -
How to Sell Two TV Pilots in 8 Months
30 Apr 2013 | 9:59 amWho wouldn’t want to sell two TV pilots in the course of 8 months? Well, that’s what Wendy C Squirewell did. How? We’re very proud to share this message we received from Wendy yesterday: “Since joining the list and taking your advice I have two pilots ordered at two different networks.” Just what list is she talking about? Our free newsletter, that has one goal — helping you break in to Hollywood. Since Wendy joined the list back in August, she’s been having a pretty good run! Two pilots at two different networks. Congrats, Wendy! We’re so happy…
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Film Threat
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STEADFAST
18 May 2013 | 4:16 pmLike looking at a wonderful painting, but with a mesmerizing aspect of motion added to it…Read More at FilmThreat.com -
AND/OR
17 May 2013 | 4:03 pmMultiple individual choices add up to a fixed, static pattern…Read More at FilmThreat.com -
THE BOOTLEG FILES: SUSPENSE – A CASK OF AMONTILLADO
16 May 2013 | 9:01 pmPhil Hall’s The Bootleg Files explores the wild world of memorable films and TV productions that can be found in unauthorized presentations. This week, Phil confirms that Bela Lugosi is dead...Read More at FilmThreat.com -
THE CAPITOL OF THE MULTIVERSE
16 May 2013 | 3:55 pmThe video made me aware of how ubiquitous this particular trope of architectural language is…Read More at FilmThreat.com -
GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – CANNES 2013 SPECIAL REPORT #1 “RAIN RAIN, DON’T GO AWAY!”
16 May 2013 | 8:05 amMost buyers enjoy doing their buying at restaurants on the sand or in ridiculously overpriced posh hotels. The Carlton Hotel Terrace and the Majestic Hotel Patio are two cant-miss hot spots, where you’re sure to run into an A-list buyer with deep pockets. However, the rain changes all of that....Read More at FilmThreat.com
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Film Directing Tips, Film Making Articles and Online Resources for the Independent Filmmaker
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6 Filmmaking Tips From Shane Black
18 May 2013 | 5:21 amby Scott Beggs. If people really pay attention to directors, a lot of them found out who Shane Black is this weekend. Iron Man 3, his second best film as a director, sees him transitioning to a phase that he’s lived in before as a screenwriter. He found success in his twenties after acting in Predator and selling his script for Lethal Weapon, following-up with even more stories about kidnapping and Christmas. He’s brash, great with a comeback, and known for inserting fourth wall-breaking jabs into his scene descriptions, but he’s also been on both sides of the studio coin. That’s… -
Film Directing Tips: Publishing Daily Filmmaking Articles for Indie Filmmakers Since 2007
18 May 2013 | 5:03 amI’m Peter D. Marshall and I created this film directing blog in 2007 as an online movie making resource center for Independent Filmmakers like yourself. (As of May 18, 2062 film making posts have been published on this blog!) For over 40 years I’ve worked (and survived) in the Film and TV industry as a Film Director, Television Producer, First Assistant Director and Creative Consultant. (See IMDb Credits.) In 1999, I started my website, ActionCutPrint which has grown into one of the top film directing websites for Independent Filmmakers on the Internet today featuring online movie… -
Marketing Ditches Advertising for Film Making
17 May 2013 | 5:15 amby Shireen Qudosi. You’ve probably heard of Netflix, but what about their on-Netflix-only show House of Cards, a re-make of the original British version? Whether or not you have, you need to be paying attention and taking a cue. Long struggling with customer retention and profit earnings in the wake of Red Box and On Demand features, Netflix took a revolutionary new direction in its marketing. Instead of trying to get your attention via conventional marketing routes, they gave you something to give your attention to. They gave viewers a phenomenally casted, super charged show that was… -
South Africa Filmmaking: A Diverse Country Finds its Own Voice
16 May 2013 | 5:09 amby George Szalai. When Cannes closes its 2013 program with the French crime drama Zulu, starring Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker, South Africa will add yet another title to a buzzy film résumé that includes the 2014 release Mad Max: Fury Road, the 2012 comic-book adaptation Dredd and Clint Eastwood’s 2009 drama Invictus. The films represent an impressive spate of work spurred by generous production incentives; cutting-edge studio space; skilled, English-speaking crews; and versatile locations. Now, it seems the foreign (that would be Hollywood) production boom that has fed the… -
Euphonia Director Danny Madden Explores How Technology Impacts Personal Relationships
15 May 2013 | 5:06 amby Max Blau. Danny Madden’s interest in filmmaking formed at an early age. The Georgian director grew up surrounded by both his brothers, who helped him make movies, and his father, a blue-collar worker who fostered his sons’ creative curiosities. The 25-year-old filmmaker says the latter remains best exemplified in a moment that happened nearly a decade and half ago. “My dad saw The Matrix, called my mom and said to drive my brother and I, 25 minutes from our home, to the dollar Fayetteville theatre,” he says. His dad, affectionately referred to as “big…
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Filmmaking Stuff | For Independent Filmmakers
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Film Acquisitions
17 May 2013 | 11:44 amIn the old days, the model of film acquisitions meant that you would give up your film to a distributor for years at a time, in exchange a cash advance and a back-end percentage. You would then move on to your next project and the distributor would send you a quarterly statement. This film acquisitions [...] -
Rae Dawn Chong and The Celebrant
9 May 2013 | 12:40 pmRae Dawn Chong is an actor, writer and producer. As the eldest daughter of comedian Tommy Chong, she started acting at age 12 appearing in Disney’s “Whiz Kids of Riverton.” Years later she is still making movies appearing in the Duplass brothers film “Jeff who lives at home” which also starred Susan Sarandon and Jason [...] -
Release Window
8 May 2013 | 8:03 amWhen filmmakers talk about a movie release window, they are describing the time between a theatrical run, a TV broadcast and a DVD release. And as a filmmaker, planning a “Release Window” strategy is essential. But what worked in the old days for studio releases is not applicable to small indie films. Why? Because video [...] -
The Social Window
1 May 2013 | 11:09 amDo you remember the old days when you would see a movie in the theater and then wait months for the movie to come out on video? This is an example of a release window. Windows worked for major motion pictures because they put millions behind marketing. And in some cases, having a theatrical release [...] -
Sell Directly To Your Audience
25 Apr 2013 | 9:04 amThere are a lot of filmmakers that tell you it is NOT okay to sell directly to your movie fans. The reason for this is based in our industry-wide belief that we must follow traditional release windows, or miss opportunity. “I’m going to do festivals. Then I’ll hopefully negotiate theatrical. Then I’d like to focus [...]
