Links, Books, & Other Stuff

March 24, 2010

Moses and I are cooling our heels in St Louis right now. Got a few meetings in the area and I’m going to try and get some work done.

I have added more links to “Links & Other Points of Interest” on my Bio menu. Check out the new stuff. If you have a link that you think I should put up on my list send it to me. If you would like to link to my page as well, I would really appreciate it.

I have been re-reading Morrie Warshawski’s book, Shaking The Money Tree and I have forgotten how much good fundraising stuff is in there.

I am also reading Scott Kirsner’s book, Fans, Friends & Followers. I saw Scott speak at SXSW and I was impressed. The book is really good.

I know some people are waiting for me to go off about SXSW since this was my first time there. I had a good time and I couldn’t believe all of the people that were there. It felt more like a tradeshow than a film festival to me, but I never made it over to see any of the films. I sat in on some panels, did my own panel, checked out a lot of the Vendors in the Trade Show area and reconnected with a lot of old friends. I have to say that I picked up a lot of information, but felt like I was one of many. I was gone before the music portion started so I didn’t get to see any of that craziness.

It seemed like you had to stand in line for lots of things and people there seemed to be having a good time. I guess I missed the art. I only saw one of the organizers, Jared (I hope I spelled that right) and he was great. He was sincere in wanting to make sure that Jim and I had no problems with our panel. Next time I am in Austin I’d like to buy him a beer.

We’ll see if I get asked back.

I am still trying to get on All Things Considered and/or Fresh Air. A lot of people have been sending notes to them on my behalf and I have to say that all I get is still the automated responses to my emails. Do you think they even read those things? I am beginning to doubt it, but I am going to keep trying.

Don’t forget to check out my tour sponsors, The Write Brothers (www.screenplay.com), Pollard Design (www.pollarddesign.com), Zoom Creates (www.zoomcreates.com), and IMD Independent Media Distribution, (www.imdfilmsdvd.com). If you haven’t checked out their sites and their services, you better.

Check out the DC Shorts Film Festival website (http://www.dcshorts.com/ ), it’s a great festival!

Feel free to link to me.

I got work to do, so we’ll talk later.

Kelley

Chicago, Write Brothers, SXSW, NPR and other stuff...

March 3, 2010

Lots of stuff going on. Last week in Chicago was great. Thanks to everyone at the SEA Conference and at Columbia College and Northwestern for turning out.

I want to welcome the Write Brothers on board as Tour Sponsors for the 2010 Moses Tour. They are the ones who wrote Screenwriter and Dramatica, check out their site at www.screenplay.com.

While you are there follow this link (http://www.screenplay.com/t-AngryFilmmaker.aspx) to read an article about me written by Jay Tormohlen. It’s a nice piece.

I am getting ready to head to SXSW next week where I will be doing a panel with Jim LeBrecht on “How to Avoid Fixing it in the Mix”. Monday March 15th at 2 pm. I am also going to be doing a full blown Sound Design Workshop on Tuesday March 16th for Reel Women. More details to follow on the Reel Women Workshop.

On Saturday March 20th from 10 am to 2 pm I will be in Houston doing my Sound Design Workshop for SWAMP. Call 773-522-8595 ext 2 for more details.

I have a new Tour Poster and I am looking for more sponsors. The poster will be on my site shortly. Check it out.

And speaking of my site, I will be re-launching the new and improved Angry Filmmaker site in the next 10 days. It is looking pretty good and will be much easier to navigate. I’ll let you know when it goes live, I just need to stomp on a few more bugs…

Help me get on to NPR and talk about my book and my tours with Moses. Go to http://help.npr.org/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=5670&task=ticket and send a note to either All Things Considered or Fresh Air and tell them they should do a story about me. I am going to send them a proposal once a week until I get on. Let’s see how long this takes especially since I don’t have some big PR & Marketing firm working with me. Thank you.
Don’t forget, The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part One: Making The Extreme No Budget Film. It’s full of things to help you make your film. So why haven’t you bought it!

Go to my site, (www.angryfilmmaker.com) and buy it for a mere $15.00 + $3 S&H. You’ll feel better about yourself in the morning.

I have also put my Sound Design Workshop DVD on Special for 20% off! Only $16.00 + S&H. (http://www.angryfilmmaker.com/buy.php)

I think that’s enough…

I am still booking the Spring tour, if you want Moses and I to come by your college, university, media art center, or even to your house for dinner drop me a note at angryfilminfo@aol.com.
Talk later.
Kelley
www.angryfilmmaker.com

SXSW, SEA, Marketing Thoughts & Other Stuff

December 6, 2009

Just got the official confirmation, I will be at SXSW (March 12 – 20) doing a panel with my good buddy Jim LeBrecht of Berkeley Sound Artists. We’ll be talking about audio and ways to avoid fixing it in the mix. Date and Time: TBD. If you’re going to be at SXSW please find us and say hello.

I am also going to be speaking at the SEA Conference in Chicago on February 20th. As long as I am in town … I’ll also be at Columbia College and Northwestern. Let’s see who else we can add to that list.

My friends at Common Film (www.commonfilm.org) are changing their name and re-doing their website. I love these folks and get a lot out of their website. Check them out and I’ll let you know about the name change and the new website when I know more.

I was just on a panel in Portland, the NW Film Financing Conference: Movie Marketing, and I was amazed at how many filmmakers and producers are still naively clinging to the notion that they can raise a million dollars, make a film and get traditional distribution. Many of the people there (and a few panelists) also had no idea or concern that they should be marketing their work. I heard a few people say, I put my films up on the VOD site and am just waiting… SMELL THE COOFFEE PEOPLE!!!!

The old ways of doing things don’t work anymore. You have to promote, promote, promote! I know we’d all like to sit back and just make movies and let someone else deal with the business part, but the reality is you have to be involved and aggressive in all of it! Most distributors won’t even pay advances and I just heard from a couple of friends in the business that Netflix and Blockbuster are buying fewer and fewer films, and hardly any independents.

As filmmakers you have to get off your asses and work just as hard getting your film out there as you do when you made it. It is not getting better, it’s getting worse! The filmmakers who survive and thrive are the ones who do as much as possible themselves and, guard their digital rights, and figure out ways to cross-promote their films. The future of REAL Independent Filmmaking belongs to those who are willing to adapt, and work tirelessly not just making their movies but getting out there to the audiences as well.

Now to the shameless self-promotion…

It’s Christmas time and don’t you think your money would be better spent buying my book or one of my workshop DVDs instead of buying junk from some big company that you’ll use once and never use again? My books and DVDs are great reference sources if you’re really serious about making movies. Check it all out at www.angryfilmmaker.com.

The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part One: Making The Extreme No Budget Film. It’s full of things to help you make your film. So why haven’t you bought it!

Go to my site, (www.angryfilmmaker.com) and buy it for a mere $16.95 + $3 S&H. I’ll sign the book and get it to you before Christmas, what a great deal!

Whoa Pardner! Don’t forget an Angry Filmmaker T-shirt for Mom!

Please ask your local libraries to purchase my book.

On most library websites there is a place to suggest books for purchase. Or just send an email. Here is the information they will need:

The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide: Making the Extreme No Budget Film
ISBN #: 1-4392-3273-3
Author: Kelley Baker
2009

When asked for the publisher direct them to my website: www.angryfilmmaker.com
(The publisher is BookSurge but I make more money if they buy from me...)

Thank you!

I would really appreciate it if people who have purchased my book could go to Amazon.com and write a review. Please tell your friends about the book, but don’t let them buy it on Amazon, send them to my site. I make more money that way.

On to other stuff.

Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/thekelleybaker) or become a fan on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/The-Angryfilmmaker/88965343075?ref=ts

Don’t forget to check out my tour sponsors, Show Biz Software, (www.showbizsoftware.com), Pollard Design (www.pollarddesign.com), Zoom Creates (www.zoomcreates.com), and Cheezy Flicks (www.cheezyflicks.com ). If you haven’t checked out their sites and their services, you better.

And I’m welcoming a new Sponsor, Film Slug, (www.filmslug.com) but more about them later…

As always, feel free to link to my site and you can subscribe to my blog. So what are you waiting for?

Talk later.

Kelley

www.angryfilmmaker.com