project

VOAT probable Game Changer: How are we doing?

FableForge — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:56:25 +0000

Hey people!

Well, the original plan was as follows (names in no particular order):

CAMP MACHETE: Dxarach and MelioraEric

HELLION: OuchMouth and Veenotph

GETTING A HEAD IN THE BUSINESS: Cpparker and VictorPeceno

RUDOLF: BrendanMorrisey and moi.

Now, you noticed I bolded some names up there, those are the people that I know are working to make the film a reality. It doesnt mean the ones not underlined arent, it just means I havent seen blog posts about it, or the like.

So we have two choices at this point:

Choice A: Do we continue with the original plan, and count on the movies not currently bolded getting made, then release the DVD with 4 pairs of shorts?

Choice B: Or, do we throw away the "variations on a theme" idea, and simply make "The KarmaCritic DVD 2008", and throw other shorts in there, maybe HOUSE OF SMOKING GUNS, UNWRITTEN LAW (I and II), LAND OF THE WITCHES, CUTTING LOOSE, CAMERA GUY, SOUVERNIR, THE CALL, etc?

Pros of choice A is well, its the plan!

Pros of choice B is that it seems more "doable", though I could be wrong.

Another major difference: if we go with choice B, we basically chuck away the contest angle and just split profits equitatively per script/short.

I dont think one option would inherently have more sales than another, its just in how we market it. (OR, if option B has a shitload of shorts, then that may be more attractive to potential customers. Maybe). It also brings new problems: how do we determine if a short is good enough to make it into the DVD?

What do you think people?

I'd like to hear from Steve and Christine, since they have put effort in doing their part, and I feel queasy throwing a game-changer at you guys, it doesnt feel fair; and yet on the other hand, it feels even more unfair to not have a DVD at all, or one that has just four shorts in it.

And I'd like to hear from OuchMouth, Brendan, Peceno, and Dxarach, because if you guys tell us we'll definitely have the original VOAT assignment from you, then we don't need a game-changer after all and we just continue with option A.

So lets chat people, our ultimate goal is to get a DVD out there and make some money :)

Tempered Zealot Productions New Horror/Thriller

frightymcgee — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:25:32 +0000

This isn't as much of a casting notice for this site as it is just me being happy to be back in the saddle off on a new adventure. It's been a while since I sat in the head chair on a project and the last time went really well and has been one heck of a roller coaster ride. I'm extremely excited to move into something new. Being part of Tempered Zealot's 'Dream Thirteen' project was cool, it gave me something to do and I got to direct and do nothing else which was nice. But I really want to get back into making stories that I have a deep connection to and try to show the world that you can make horror/thriller movies that are driven by story and character relationship developement.

Another thing I'll enjoy with this is getting back into the promotion aspect of getting the word out that we are doing something, and then pushing it out to every place we can get some attention for it.

There are definite challenges along the way and I've already encountered a couple big ones. It's cool though, I stressed out about it for a day and now I'm ready to put my feet forward and press on. It won't be a smooth ride but it should be fun when it's all said and done. I'm looking to keep up and improve on the production quality we've delivered previously. I want to really deliver on all fronts, not just with the movie but with the hype as well. I've begun work on a myspace page and an official movie page. I have a teaser poster all done up and I'll be working on graphic ads and banners to help promote the movie.

I'm just really ready to do something else. I've been working on group stuff and community stuff and other people's stuff for the past year and I'm totally in need of some me time. With the new relationships I've cultivated locally and online I'm hoping to get a lot of support for the project and I'd really like to get some outside involvement in a few aspects of the production. This of course comes with experience that you just want to "up your game" each time out and you hope beyond hope that the people you have met will help out even in the smallest way.

This project means a lot to me and I can't express enough how much I just want to get going and not have those little road bumps along the way. The stress from just the first round of those really got to me and that was bad. I should know better, but I guess I've been idle too long from my own work that it just took a minute for me to remember that it's the story that is important and not the things that don't go well like people you want to cast not being available or locations not coming through. In the end if I press on it will all work out.

At the same time I'm scared because I want it to be better than my last project in every way, but I'm unsure if I can pull it off again since the last project was really freakin' good. I just need to get the right people in the right places. It's like playing a high stakes chess game and you can't really settle for less than a win.

Anyway, if anyone is interested full info is available on our site http://www.temperedzealot.com

The new official page is at http://www.temperedzealot.com/films/...

Not done messing with the stupid myspace page but when I get it done I'll pass the link around.

And yeah, there's not much info out there yet because I'm doing my thing where I "pull an Abrams" with the movie info.

Peace out my KC friends!

TOP SECRET INFORMATION. Project Codename: EZVEN

dxarach — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:13:51 +0000

SOME INFORMATION HAS LEAKED FROM THE SECRET BASEMENT OF CUANTICA FILMS. THERE ARE MORE THAN 2 K IMPLIEDS. WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED OTHERS.

NO MORE COMMUNICATIONS WILL BE MADE UNTIL THE CASE BECOME PUBLIC. NO RELATION TO ITS CODENAME. NO RELATION TO THIS MESSAGE. PROJECT CODENAME: EZVEN

Variations on a Theme - Lets make a DVD!

FableForge — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:43:54 +0000

Btw, the title is tentative, if you can come up with something wittier than "Variations on a Theme", please do!!

As you've surely seen by now, the weekly poll is asking us to choose a favorite genre.

The next weekly poll will ask us to choose a particular theme within the genre (or for something really fun, a theme which mixes the first and second place genre choices, for example "Horror-Comedy").

And then Phase 1 of the contest begins. Phase 1 is "lets see who can write the best short script based on the winning theme". I'd like to give no more than 2 weeks for this, but at the same time, I'd like to see at least 10 entries. Does this sound reasonable?

On Week 3 we'll vote to decide which script wins. Thus ends Phase 1, with a nice radio party, as its quickly becoming tradition :)

Phase 2 is "lets see who can make the best film based on the winning script". For this I'd like to devote a month, but at the same time, I'd like at least 10 entries. Again, does this sound like too much to ask? If you think so, please give me feedback, we can always adjust.

And this is where the "Variations on a Theme" name comes in. You see, kinda like the earliest stage of Project Greenlight, we cinephiles will be able to deconstruct and really, really analyze what makes each director unique when we see them all working from the same script. The potential for cafe discussion is nearly endless, and so are the potential games. For example, should we post all 10 films without credits and then play a game of "match the movie to the director"? Something I learned from McKee is that creativity thrives under the pressure of restrictions. Its our limitations, not the lack of them, what makes us creative, what -forces- us to find new solutions and think outside the box. Working from the same script everyone else is working... is, at least in my eyes, a -delicious- challenge, an opportunity to show why my voice is unique, what makes me different, dare I say, what makes someone stand out. Its a competition as fair as a lab experiment. Heck, if OTL had forced contestants to all work from the same script, it would have been a lot more watchable.

And then of course, we vote and choose a winner. What an honor to be crowned best among your peers in this fair-and-square experiment. If needed, we could impose maximun budget caps to have an even even-er playing field?

Now the good part: we can gather all the scripts, and all the films, add 3-minute interviews with all the writers, and all the directors, audio commentary, .. and cram it all inside a smartly designed DVD.

Now who would buy 10 versions of the same film? Filmmakers would. Students of cinema, cinephiles, people who have taken our art beyond the level of entertainment and are looking to dissect it, to find the soul of the beast and cage it, at least from an academic point of view. I can see film schools using this DVD in class. I can see pundits citing the little "lab experiment" to validate their own conclusions on this or that.

Any profits the DVD makes, would go one fourth to whoever wins Phase 1 (the winning writer), one fourth to whoever wins Phase 2 (the winning director), and the rest in equal shares to all other contestants (writers and directors).

That is the basic idea. Now, what are your thoughts? Also, can I have at least 10 writers to commit to this, and 10 directors to commit to this? I only want to start spinning our wheels and going after this full speed if we have all the people we need. Please post back and tell us if you're willing to do this, as a writer, as a director, or both.

Lets do this!! I think it'll be fun, educational, and maybe profitable!

Presenting a Professional "like" Project

frightymcgee — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:53:05 +0000

I know it's important to present your work in as professional a way as possible. To me this includes putting together professional looking packaging and DVD with the right menus and graphics. As for the movie itself that would include high quality looking footage that is lit right and sound that is as good as you can get it. Then in post when I edit the movie I try to edit with the highest quality in mind and try to do what I can within the limits of the software I'm using like editing for 5.1 sound.

I ran into a bunch of people recently who by reputation seem to be people who make quality work. A couple of them are putting out features here and there and though putting a feature together doesn't always mean it will be quality or infer that the people making it know what they are doing, I just normally jump to that conclusion until shown otherwise. I should know better, but for now that's just me.

We got to talking about ways to promote your movies and get them exposure and someone said about presenting your movie as professional as possible. The conversation turned and I got to share some of the things Tempered Zealot Productions does to accomplish this and suddenly I was faced with a group of people who had no idea how to do the things I was talking about, such as editing for 5.1 sound.

My question is now, though I still believe in putting my best foot forward, is it necessary to pull out all the bells and whistels in your book of tricks every time out? If these guys are getting somewhere and they are not putting together uber professional looking packaging, posters, graphics, websites, DVDs, and editing with that professional look and sound in mind, then what is the benefit of doing all that?

The one thing I don't know is how long these guys have been making movies, so I have no way to gauge how far they have gotten. I also try not to compare filmmakers to others in a way that is detrimental, but from a goal oriented POV I just like to know if the work we put into these things is actually necessary when it almost seems you can get the same or better results by just throwing things together without the bells and whistels?

I'll still do it no matter what because I enjoy our DVDs and making them, same with the posters and graphics and web stuff. But I'm trying to fill a curiosity, figure out an equation. My mind just works that way, I need to know how and why things work or don't and I like to get opinions.

So what does anyone think? Is it worth it to pull out all the stops and throw in all the bells and whistels?

Journal

FableForge — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:49:58 +0000

Here you can find Mike's journal entries as he treks along America.

Can we do webisodes now?

FableForge — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:39:36 +0000

Hey friends....

Alright.. I dont want to focus too much attention to any one project and neglect the others. Lately I've been working a lot on the contest; I took a little break to make EZ's poster, for fun, and now I come back to contest things that need taken care of, but I wish to ask you:

Wont you please read the webisodes project and see if there's something you would like to do?

Maybe the webisodes idea is not for you, thats cool. Then do something else. Maybe there's nothing that picques your interest, thats cool too, then suggest something else; I'll jump in in as many projects as I feel I'm able to. Or maybe you're busy doing lots of filmmaking stuff, then tell us about it. I feel we find ourselves offered with great opportunities here in KC, everyday, see here, and here, and here. What are we doing friends? We are being given advice of all kinds. Experience. Encouragement. I feel like everyday there are new things at KarmaCritic that are like... invitations. Printed, stamped, nicely wrapped hand-delivered glossy invitations to your very front door, Re: Your Dreams, and postmarked from the potential future. What are we doing with them?

Lets do guys! Lets DO.

We can help each other. In and out from film. We can learn from each other. Cheer up each other. Learn and live vicariously through our shared experience. Its what the site was made for, are we walking the walk? Lets! What else is needed? Lets do it!

Alright. No more caffeine for me today :)

Webisodes

FableForge — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:51:48 +0000

We're making WEBISODES!

To know what that means, google for "Ask A Ninja".

"Ask A Ninja" is one of several webisodes series supported by Revver.com. Revver.com has expressed interest in supporting webisodes by us! We just have to make'em...

A little about Revver.com: they are like youtube in that they host video and play it over the internet, but they are unlike youtube in that they verify the copyright of every piece, and they embed advertisements either pre-roll or post-roll. Advertisers pay revver when people click on the ads, and part of that money is shared to the site hosting the video (KC) and to the author of the video (you! us! whoever makes each webisode). To be honest, its not a lot of money.. maybe not even gas money. But the thing that attracts me is the distribution potential. "Ask a Ninja" is becoming well known, and I think most everyone heard about another series distributed by Revver, lonelygirl15. They have in particular, a relationship with Verizon's V-Cast (oh, sweet irony), for people who like to view shorts in their cellphones.

All of this is to say, we at least have already one potential distribution venue being very receptive to our work.

I want to give credit where credit is due: although I already knew the people at Revver from my working with them last year, its Ezequiel who got a meeting setup today to discuss these possibilities, thank you.

If we create webisodes, we would not be limited to Revver. We could always try to distribute them anywhere; they carry our name, they build upon our intellectual property, things we can actually say KC created, and be proud of.

Thats all business talk, let me switch now to story. The story needs to be open ended enough for everyone of us to submit webisodes, and at the same time, it must have a certain cohesion, a certain over-arching theme that makes all episodes follow along a certain plotline, and create a whole instead of just a collection of pieces. Jesse and I have done a lot of thought on how to achieve this. See his blog post for details.

We also believe to have found a theme that meets the requirements above. Global conspiracy. Secret societies. Paranoia. Hidden knowledge, shadowy global figures in power, puppet masters... complots to hide and distort THE TRUTH. It starts with this script, which I humbly submit for your perusal and review: Digital Cameras Need No Tape.

I hope you like it, if you dont, I hope you tell me, and I'll make it better! I would love to see everyone getting behind this project... we need filmmakers to show what we're about... prove what we can do, walk the walk.

In short order, I'd like us to brain storm the synopsis for at least 5 chapters, outline them, decide who is filming what.. all that good stuff.

GO CRITTERS! Lets heal by working!! LETS -DO-!

30 Second Manifesto

FableForge — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:26:12 +0000

Again I thank JesseHeffring for the inspiration.

Its very easy for us to notice the dark side of OTL and we have a right to call it out. But at the same time, we need to balance our calling out the negatives, with an equal effort to create our own positives. Ying and Yang. Karmacritic can be SO much more than simply the nemesis of a reality TV show website. We can do SO much more than point out their shortcomings: we can create art. We can MAKE our own messages.

Its time to make our manifesto.

Here's what I wish from all of you, please:

A 30 second clip, preferrably in MPEG format, of your stand. Your beliefs. What you are FOR. Your manifesto.

You have of course, all the creative freedom to craft this manifesto on the screen, speak to the camera, do animation, do a narrative film, zoom in to a 5th floor window from the street, then open it and yell. The format is completely open, do whatever means YOU. And then please send it to karmacritic@gmail.com

Thats my new address. I will collect all your videos, and create something with all of them together. Then we will post our manifesto to the world... and our individual videos on our profile pages.

Sounds like a plan?

Lets do it! Lets move from talking about what is right, and agreeing about what is right, into DOING what is right, into MAKING, into CREATING. We're filmmakers. Lets do this!

Please send me your contribution by May 25... I will spend the weekend of the 26 and 27 editing the compilation, and Monday 28 we shall have something to show to the world.

Update: What exactly is our manifesto about? I'll let Jesse himself explain it, as he does it best:

the truth is...

Submitted by JesseHeffring on May 17, 2007 - 9:39am.

What is the truth?

The truth is usually a paradox. Great art examines the paradox.

We want to be heard. But do we have anything to say?

I am suggesting we agree on a truth, a statement, a sentiment, an aspect of being human, and we all make short films on the theme.

That theme, in this case, should be based around a single truth "the power of the individual".

In our dealings with FOX they have shown us how the individual is treated by the corporation. And everything they have said is true:

One consumer among thousands is a negligible influence. They can afford to ignore us. Our one dollar is nothing compared to their billions.

And we have to understand that they are correct. But here is the paradox, the otherside of the coin that has not been well represented:

Individuals who empower themselves can initiate change. When one person has the courage to speak out, there are thousands of others who did not have the courage but who agree.

Making 30 second films about the individual standing up, speaking out, or resisting against any force which seeks to de-individualize, de-personalize, de-humanize us... well if we put a bunch of those together I could give you a list of THOUSANDS of venues for such inspirational work to be displayed. We have to make a transition from talking about it to doing it. It may be a process, but this site can come of age with a single push like that. Let's make a grouping of films that are inspirational, motivational and promote the value of the individual. There is not a country on this earth that can not benefit from such films.

And they fly in the face of all the institutions out there built around wanting us all to think thing same, watch the same TV shows, drink the same soda pops, and wear the same pants.

It begins with scripts. Write them and lets review each others work and help each other and develop.

I believe in the people here. We are the beginning and we may not grow much bigger for awhile, but we do not need to. We need to do something like this.

Also, such a project needs an organizer. I would love to help out here, but I would be lying if I thought I could. I will contribute to this content in every way possible, but my time is taxed right now.

I would, however, like to post a film in a few days that will inspire, it is a piece from a documentary about autism that I am working on. I won't be able to keep the clip posted for more than a day, but I would like to share it. I will keep you updated on that.

Peace.