[Note: In part one of this series I talked about the six basic motivators that filmmakers can uses to get people excited about their films. The next few parts will look at each motivator in depth.]
Part 2: Make Them Laugh
We filmmakers need to get people excited about our films. Rather than hoping to stumble across a successful marketing approach for a film, it’s better to plan one from the very start–ideally before you commit to making the film–and tweak it based on what really gets people to pay to watch movies. “6 Ways” is about those things that motivate someone to say, “I’ve got to see that!”
So how do movies like Napoleon Dynamite or The Hangover rocket from obscurity to national reknown in the blink of an eye. Is it the big stars? The special effects? The action scenes? Actually, it turns out these movies are really, really funny.
Casey Puckett, four-time Winter Olympian and skiercross pioneer, talks to IndieFlix’s Lois Fein in his first interview since the January 9 injury that may have ended his Olympic dream.
Puckett, subject of the new IndieFlix documentary “Appointment in Vancouver,” suffered a substantial shoulder injury at a recent World Cup race in France and may not be able to participate in what would would be his fifth Olympic competition. He shares candidly with podcast interviewer Lois Fein about what this setback might mean for the upcoming Vancouver Olympics.
Beyond the story of Casey Puckett, 36-year-old father of two, the IndieFlix documentary “Appointment in Vancouver” examines the dangerous new Olympic sport skiercross and the athletes who risk serious injury on the slopes. Puckett has already sustained six injuries but remains determined to compete.
“I go to win, and hopefully this course might work out for me, especially if I can get my shoulder back. I mean, I was a wreck. I was in the operating room two days ago. I just came up against a whole other challenge, but the good thing, the good news is that when I went down, I was on top.” – Casey Puckett.
The podcast interview at showmeyourindies.com also featuers “Appointment in Vancouver” producer Seth Caplan and director Anna Christopher. The filmmakers talk about the process of bringing the film to the screen, their thoughts on Puckett’s chances, and their expectations for this year’s Olympic games.
Listen to their interview here, and order your DVD/VOD copy of “Appointment in Vancouver” from IndieFlix.com today.
The short documentary “Thompson,” directed by Jason Tippet, tells the story of best friends Matt and Ryan and the bonds they share over things like dirt bikes, speech impediments and weapons. The film captures the two men at life’s crossroad – Matt is working hard to become a commercial fisherman and finish high school; Ryan has been expelled during his senior year for calling in a bomb threat. The film captures the two life-long friends at a difficult point in their relationship, where go-carts and RC cars can’t outrun adulthood.
“Junko’s Shamisen,” written and directed by Solomon Friedman, blends the aesthetic traditions of Japanese kabuki, contemporary Manga illustration and stop-motion animation in this beautifully produced animated short. Junko is a young orphan who returns to her home in the rural backwoods of feudal Japan to find her grandfather brutally murdered. She inadvertently encounters the evil samurai lord responsible for her grandfather’s murder, and avenges his death through gruesome acts of poetic justice.
“Meatwaffle” is a fascinating short animated film written and directed by Leah Shore. It features an old man who reflects back on his bizarre memories in jumbled tangents of clocks, conversations and strange patches of skin-cloth. The film is told with a combination of stop-motion, pixelation and 2D hand-drawn animation.
Comedic short film and English import “Can We Talk?” focuses on that dreaded–usually final—relationship conversation. Vince gets dumped by his girlfriend, again. This time, he gets more than he bargained for. The film was written, directed and edited by Jim Owen.
“His and Hers,” directed by Ken Wardrop, is a cinematic mosaic that tells a 90-year-old love story through the lives and voices of 70 Irish women at different points in their lives. The film celebrates the ordinary moments that make the extraordinary, creating a graceful portrait of love across generations.
with Special Guest 2010 Olympic Skier Casey Puckett?
Listen to the Movie: Appointment in Vancouver (0:59)
“The only thing that would keep Casey Puckett from doing the Olympics
is flat out getting injured.” (2:12)
How the heck do you get front row seats to watch Casey Puckett race Skier Cross
in the 2010 Olympics? (3:41, 5:30, 6:08)
Anna and Seth: The Katherine Hepburn-Spencer Tracey team of filmmakers? (4:32)
“What’s important to me in producing projects is always finding a good story,
a good narrative…excellent characters who face big challenges.” (6:41)
Casey Puckett’s journey to his record-breaking 5th Olympics (8:09)
What makes Skier Cross so dangerous? (9:02)
“What defines ‘greatness’ is how you deal with things beyond your control.” (9:27)
Does Casey Puckett have to win the gold on February 21st? (10:55)
“I saw in Casey what I feel about filmmaking – just a complete dedication
to doing something that so many people would give up on.” (12:08)
Is Casey Puckett ready for “Dancing with the Stars”?
(12:47, 32:30, 34:35, 35:07)
How to find and tell the most compelling story in a documentary (13:59)
It’s all about the journey to the Olympics (15:42)
The most challenging aspect of making Appointment in Vancouver (16:32)
“The finished film looks outstanding.” (17:56)
How to see Appointment in Vancouver (18:55)
Casey Puckett’s first interview after his January 10th World Cup injury (19:35)
Can Casey recover? (20:38)
“He did the surgery that was necessary to get me back on the snow.” (21:42)
“How much pain are you in?” (21:53)
“Even without my ligaments I might still be able to perform,
but it’s going to be a challenge.” (22:27)
What will it take for Casey to “go for the gold” and make it? (23:38)
Casey’s reaction to Appointment in Vancouver (24:40, 34:05)
“If you didn’t feel pain, you wouldn’t be alive.” (25:05)
What goes through Casey’s mind before the start of a race? (25:20)
“In the first few seconds, either you’re looking at someone’s butt in front of you
or an open course.” (26:15)
“All of a sudden you’re going 50 mph…you have to trust
that your body is going to do what you visualized.” (27:20)
“I’m gonna state a goal: I’m gonna win that medal.” (28:05)
“I go to win, and hopefully this course might work out for me, especially,
if I can get my shoulder back. I mean I was a wreck. I was in the operating room
two days ago….I just came up against a whole other challenge,
but the good thing, the good news is that when I went down, I was on top.” (29:22)
“A week ago, I was pretty sure my year was over – that I wasn’t going to be able to ski in the Olympics… I still have hope.” (30:32)
Does ANYONE have extra tickets to the Olympics for Seth and Anna? (31:15, 38:06)
“Casey, you ski on February 21st. What happens February 22nd?” (31:42)
Post-injury interview: a discussion about Casey with Producer Seth Caplan
and Director Anna Christopher (36:06)
Seth Caplan’s “Gold Medal” (38:36, 40:07)
Anna Christopher’s “Gold Medal” (40:53, 41:43)
“We’ve been editing Appointment in Vancouver at breakneck speed
to make the film available to the public before the Olympics.” (41:25)
Lois Feinis IndieFlix Filmmaker Interviewer,
Podcaster, and Host for IndieFlix Play It Again Podcast. Lois is a recording artist, songwriter, and performer.
Her songs “It Ain’t Easy” and “Chasing the Moon”
are featured on IndieFlix Play It Again Podcast.
Listen to more of her music from her debut CD Step Into the Water at: www.LoisFein.com
THE ANSWER to IndieFlix Podcast Puzzle (1/5/10) is
“All of the Above”
THE ANSWER to IndieFlix Name That Voice (1/5/10) is
“Paul Fitzgerald -- Director, Actor, Writer of Forgiven” __________________________________________________________
1/26/10 Edition -- IndieFlix Play It Again Podcast
Slamdance is taking the film industry to the chopping block this year and all filmmakers should take notice.
We are at a a unique time in film’s history: tried and true marketing strategies are falling flat and new talent is rising faster than you can say “Paranormal Activity.” These days, anyone can call themselves a filmmaker (if even only on YouTube) and the commercial film world doesn’t seem so high and mighty anymore.
The mission? To jointly craft a new charter for filmmaking, storytelling and content distribution with and by the global filmmaking community.
They’ll be talking about hard issues facing filmmakers in a new DIY distribution and marketing world. Audiences can log in to the Workbook Project Filmmaker Summit page and ask film-making questions, which are collaboratively answered and edited by other users. Users also get the opportunity to pose their vision of a truly independent film industry and share the tools and resources they’ve discovered along the way. Ultimately, it’s the users who decide which questions and answers will be answered at Saturday’s panel.
Tune in on Jan 23rd for the live stream from Park City, Utah at www.slamdance.com/summit.
Lois Feinis IndieFlix Filmmaker Interviewer,
Podcaster, and Host for IndieFlix Play It Again Podcast. Lois is a recording artist, songwriter, and performer.
Her songs “It Ain’t Easy” and “Chasing the Moon”
are featured on IndieFlix Play It Again Podcast.
Listen to more of her music from her debut CD Step Into the Water at: www.LoisFein.com
THE ANSWER to IndieFlix Podcast Puzzle (12/22/09) is
“Bill Moyers”
THE ANSWER to IndieFlix Name That Voice (12/22/09) is
“Lois Fein – IndieFlix Play It Again Podcast Host” __________________________________________________________
Slamdance 
