Indie Film Depot - NewsWire

Buried : An On Demand Film Review

2011-05-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

By Brandon Stevenson
on May 31st, 2011

For a film that started with a budget of about five grand, Buried has gone quite far.

From landing well known star Ryan Reynolds in what is by far the best performance of his career, to gaining a slightly (sarcasm) larger budget of approximately 2 million and grossing nearly 20 million worldwide this film is sure to become the calling card for many of the obviously talented individuals involved in the production. I would imagine that the Director Rodrigo Cortés and writer Chris Sparling must be quite proud. While I would like to know how much of the budget went toward the actual production of the film and how much went toward Ryan Reynolds' salary, it is quite irrelevant as it is obvious that someone made great decisions based on the final product. Reynolds' performance is amazing and it isn't a stretch to say that he is the film. It is just over 90 minutes and the opening scene, closing scene and everything in the middle remain in the coffin with Paul Conroy, played by Reynolds.

For those that are already feeling claustrophobic watch this film at your own risk, the entire film remains inside of the coffin. While this is the most serious role of his career, it is not 100% smirk free. You may be curious how one would create a reason to laugh, smirk or create any form of comedy while buried alive. If I had not seen the movie, I would most likely be thinking the exact same thing as the mere thought of being buried alive is a scary enough premise to make me cringe. However, you must watch the film as I believe that revealing the quip would require far too much explanation and therefore result in spoilers.

While I watched this film last year in the cinemas it wasn't until my second watch, at home, on demand that I felt prepared to write about the film. Honestly, both viewing experiences were bothersome to me. Cortés has an ability to shoot this film in a way that keeps you interested from the very beginning. The writing by Chris Sparling is nothing short of incredible. Match that with Reynolds' acting chops that you never knew he had and you've got yourself a movie. One that could easily have you attempting to tell the television what you want to happen next.

After writing an article that relentlessly pitches the film, I will say that I don't believe it is flawless. There is one small detail that bothers me. However, yet again this revelation, I feel, would result in another potential spoiler and I am not willing to approach that possibility.

That being said, those of you who are looking for something rare in the days of explosions and special effects should watch Buried during your next movie night. This Hitchcock-influenced piece of cinema is created by matching a character driven story that is nearly non-existent in modern films with camera angles and lighting that will entertain you in a way that no other coffin-based experience will.

IFD goes digital with streaming content!

2011-04-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

It is quite obvious that digital video is no longer the future. . .it is now!

Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Vevo. Need I continue? Well it is time to add Indie Film Depot to that list. For quite sometime now independent filmmakers have had no dedicated option to distribute their film via the internet. Let's be honest too, gaining distribution is no easy task in the first place. No filmmaker wants their film to get lost in the mix of piano playing cats or other random videos that dominate platforms such as YouTube. Enter Indie Film Depot.

For the last year, IFD has been building a platform that allows independent filmmakers to stream their films online and make some money too! There are two ways to make money with the streaming platform. The first option is a profit sharing model. With this option, IFD will give filmmakers up to 50% of actual advertising revenue generated by their film(s) while being shown on the IFD platform. The second option is to submit your film for a licensing fee. This will allow IFD to show your film for an agreed upon period, in return you will be paid cash!

If you would like to sell physical copes of your film, that is offered as well. Just check out the film store! Here you have the option to list and sell your DVD's to the public. What will this cost you? Nothing. IFD never charges filmmakers any upfront fees. A flat fee will be taken from each DVD you sell. Anything above this will be yours to keep.

To keep this short. . .there are great offerings from IFD that will allow filmmakers an edge that hasn't quite been offered before. Get involved now and support a new film platform that wants to support you! Contact info and links included below.

Home Page
Distribution Details
Film Store

Email : info@indiefilmdepot.com

LA Film Weekend : Festival Prizes, Films and Updates

2010-08-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

We have watched a ton of great submissions for the upcoming LA Film Weekend and have secured some great festival prizes as well. All filmmakers and film buffs should begin preparing for the festival now!

For those who don't already know, the festival will be held this November in Beverly Hills, CA at the WGA theater and Laemmle's Music Hall Theater. We have over 1000 available seats at any given time, great films, great sponsors and some amazing festival prizes.

Winning films may receive cash and/or prizes from sponsors such as Final Draft, Indie Rentals, Indie Film Depot, Glidecam Industries and more!

To learn more about LA Film Weekend please visit our site or email your questions below. We also have a surprise judge to announce! Stay tuned for details!

LA Film Weekend
Follow Us On Twitter

General Email : info@indiefilmdepot.com
Festival Programmer: brandon@indiefilmdepot.com

LA Film Weekend - Press Release

2010-07-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Indie Film Depot Announces First Annual Film Festival and Call For Entries

LOS ANGELES, CA – July 26, 2010 – On November 12^ththrough November 14^th, 2010, The 1^st Annual LA Film Weekend will be held at the Writers Guild Theater and Laemmle’s Music Hall. LA Film Weekend will be hosted by Los Angeles based Indie Film Depot, owned by Brandon Stevenson, and produced in association with Storytellers, Inc., owned by Daniel Lisberger.

LA Film Weekend, taking place over 3 days and featuring approximately 100 hours of programming which will shorts, features, how-to seminars, conversations, Q & A sessions and more. Occupying both the Writer’s Guild Theater and Laemmle’s Music Hall in Beverly Hills, CA. The event is estimated to bring in over 20,000 guests. With four separate screens and a total capacity of nearly 1,100 seats at any given time, event attendees will enjoy endless on-screen entertainment, from talented filmmakers all around the globe. Current sponsors include Final Draft, Inc., Indie Rentals and Kate Mantilini.

In 2008 Brandon Stevenson moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Interested mostly in acting Brandon achieved some success by landing roles quickly. However, after deciding to take a break from auditioning for a short period Brandon began contemplating a business idea that had come to him. Over the next year he began building Indie Film Depot, the parent company of LA Film Weekend.

Over the last several years Daniel Lisberger has worked in many professions including fashion, film, public relations and event production. From founding the acclaimed clothing line ‘Cyrus & Sonny’ to designing creative PR campaigns for music, fashion and special events Daniel more than prepared to turn LA Film Weekend from a vision to a reality.

“We just want to hold a large successful event and bring together filmmakers and industry professionals from around the globe,” the two young business partners said. “We hope to help independent filmmakers make a splash with their art and move to the next level of their careers.”

# # #

If you would like more information or to schedule an interview please contact:

Brandon Stevenson
Brandon@indiefilmdepot.com

LA Film Weekend : Call For Entries!

2010-07-21T22:17:00.001-07:00

Indie Film Depot is proud to present our first annual film festival titled LA Film Weekend.

The festival will be held in November 2010 in Beverly Hills, CA. You can learn more by

viewing the festival website. Don't forget to follow us on twitter, you can submit easily via

Without A Box as well! If you have any questions feel free to let us know, we look forward

to hearing from you.

Contact Info:

Website : http://www.lafilmweekend.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lafilmweekend

Email: info@lafilmweekend.com

brandon@indiefilmdepot.com

Battle : A Film

2010-06-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

Battle : Feature Film

Stephanie Sunata

Though the upcoming movie “Battle” is an independent film, the creators wanted a big-time, war flick feel with a situation that applies not only to music producers, but to any struggle of achieving one’s dreams.

“What we’ve done...is give it a big-budget feel,” Eddie Singleton, one of the producers said. “We wanted the whole nine yards like you see in the big movies.”

Singleton is joined by producers Bennie Swint and Marin Kelley who all agreed the film’s numerous shot locations, music selection, high-definition shooting and cast takes brings it to a higher level.

The three producers were joined by director LaRon Austin in creating this film about a music producer’s struggle to accomplish his dreams.

The four Atlanta-based men previously worked together on the project “Beat Makers,” which documented the life of music producers.

“We took what we learned from the documentary and put it into the script,” Austin said.

The idea for the movie began three years ago, shortly after the completion of “Beat Makers.” The script was written and filming was finished last year. The project is currently in post-production, anticipated to be released in the fall of this year.

The film follows Jackson “Jack da Rippa” Wayne on his quest to make it as a top hip-hop producer. The creators said the movie shows many struggles, like economic and financial ones, on top of the protagonist’s battle.

“One thing we didn’t want to do was make a stereotypical hip-hop movie,” Singleton said.

Austin explained the title reflects a conflict of war, which he chose as the theme of the movie, mentioning “Saving Private Ryan,” “Paths of Glory,” and “Seven Samurai” as his influences for this project.

Singleton agreed the film is reminiscent of “Gladiator,” but instead of a sword, Rippa’s weapon is his music.

The visual arts of de Lacroix paintings also served as inspiration in Austin’s direction, especially for his color palette choice.

All these factors lead to a movie with an applicability that reaches beyond the world of music production and sets it apart from other hip-hop films.

“(‘Battle’) has a more humanistic quality you don’t see in a lot of hip-hop movies,” Austin said.

Kelley agreed the movie presents a unique side to the culture and said the creators wanted to bring uplifting qualities as found in “The Karate Kid” or “Rocky.”

The big-time feel also applies to the cast and music selection, which Singleton said was very specific.

“We have assembled the best actors in Atlanta that were available,” he said.

In addition to professional actors, the film incorporates music producers to play parts in the film on top of appearances on the soundtrack.

Though the music selection is not quite complete, the creators said the beats are specifically chosen to reflect each character and that character’s mood.

Singleton explained in the beginning the music is angry and uptight, like Rippa’s characteristics, and transforms as he does.

This transformation is the backbone to the movie, which is not just about the hip-hop culture, Austin said.

“I’m pretty sure a lot of people are going to relate to this,” Austin said, explaining the story is applicable to any struggle to achieve one’s dreams.

This goal is evident in Swint’s tagline that “every dream has a fighting chance.”

“Battle” not only encompasses the personal battle, but those that are economic and financial as well. Overall, the production should relate to a general audience by using the specific medium of hip-hop music production.

“The ultimate thing I want people to get out this is to follow their dreams,” Austin said.

The Lookout : Review

2010-05-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

James Martinez

High school hockey star. Popularity. Friends. Babes. Parties. Life in the fast lane. Hard to attain. Easy to lose. One mistake, and 'poof' it's all gone, just like that. Mr. Popular, Chris Pratt, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, is living the life. It's prom night and four friends are headed to a party. But before they do, they have to see the mating ritual of these fireflies that light up once a year at the same time, just before they die. Of course driving past them is not enough, all the Mustangs lights must be turned off. It's beautiful. Like driving through the stars. The lights are left off a little too long and the night turns from a thing of beauty into a night of life altering destruction, leaving two friends dead and his girlfriend without a leg.

Four years later, Chris is still struggling with the wreck. He's had some brain damage that made him a little bit slower physically and mentally than he was before the wreck. The change in is life style is drastic. He has one friend. He's not popular. No more sports car. No more girls. Life in the fast lane? He's not even on the freeway.

Extremely guilt ridden over the accident and the change in status has made him bitter and angry. He's fighting with all his being to get back to the way things used to be. He hasn't accepted his new way of life, even though not accepting it is causing him more pain and heartache. He wants things to come as easily as they once had. And therein lies the problem. Never before has he had to be patient, to struggle, to fight, to fail over and over, and to stick it out and hang in there to get anything in life. It was all so easy. But now he's on his own. Nothing is going to be given to him on a silver platter, and since he hasn't learned how to struggle and to be patient to get what he wants, he heads into a little bit of trouble, trying to make it happen.

His best friend and roommate, Lewis, played by the charismatic Jeff Daniels, is blind. His blindness has made him more perceptive with all his other senses. He brings a comic light to the movie with his talkative nature and his witty dialogue. He cares for Chris and genuinely wants to help him as a friend would. Chris is taking a class to help him with his day to day tasks. He has a hard time remembering what he has to do throughout each day and also with sequencing events that have happened. He keeps a notebook on him that helps him to remember if he has any appointment or if there is anything that needs to be done. Lewis gives him some tips to help him out with his sequencing. His tips are working for Chris.

Chris get very angry throughout the beginning of the film whenever he is incapable of completing a simple task, and justifiably so. Constant disappointment would eventually begin to wear down on anyone. Itís said that the last thing that we lose is hope, and constant disappointment can be a precursor to losing it. Chris also wants to return to his glory days. He is continuously fighting against thinking about his past. The way his life once was. People with troubled pasts are always told to stop thinking about the past and focus on the present and the future. Well for Chris, the same could be said about people that had a considerable past and lost it.

Chris works at the local bank as a janitor, though he wants to move up and become a teller. His boss doesnít think he can handle it and when asked about moving up, heís very condescending to Chris and pretty much tells him to stick with being a janitor.

Chris decides to go out to a bar one night and meets Gary Spargo, played by Matthew Goode, who says he was two years ahead of Chris and that he was in the same class as his sister. They get to talking and having a good time. Chris opens up to Gary. Soon Chris is hanging out with Gary more often and is introduced to Luvlee, played by the beautiful Isla Fisher. One thing leads to another and Chris and Luvlee are a couple. Gary and Luvlee are leading him down a road of their choosing, with Gary convincing Chris that attaining what he once had is possible.

Lewis starts questioning Chris about his new friends and Chris doesnít give too much information because he knows Lewis wonít approve. Lewis smells a rat and questions Luvlee. She clams up also. Lewis doesnít like the situation but thereís not talking Chris out of it. Gary finally reveals to Chris that they are planning a heist and that they need him to help, since he works at the bank. The rest of the movie sees Chris slowly being lead down the wrong path, but will he realize it before itís too late?

This is a great film that is more focused on the character study of the protagonist than on the actual heist, which is refreshing in a way. Though heist films that focus strictly on the heist are usually great, the drama and plot of this story make it great in its own right. Superb acting all around with talented actors that have impressive resumes and skills, great locations, and wonderful direction make for one very entertaining movie.

Get your copy of 'The Lookout' here.

Making of 'My Step-Dad's a Freakin' Vampire': One young man's do-it-yourself adventure

2010-05-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Claire Wasmund

I was incredibly eager to speak to filmmaker David Matheny at the Bare Bones Film Festival where his feature film “My Step-Dad’s a Freakin’ Vampire” was screening. I’m not a member of a family with a stepfather, so some sort of revenge fantasy didn’t drive me to the screening; it was the impressive trailer with well done special effects that first drew my interest. As I nosed around about the production process and project budget I found a young filmmaker with a rare optimism and a seemingly endless supply of energy.

If the title itself doesn’t make you smile, I mean, come on, the log-line should: “High school student, Rusty Funkouser, finds out his brand new step-dad is a vampire looking to raise some serious hell.”

David Matheny, who also does not have a stepdad, is an intelligent and enthusiastic 25 year old filmmaker who shot his debut feature film in Kansas City. “We came up with the idea in high school,” he tells me, “I wrote the screenplay with the screenwriter Kyle Mangrum when we were 21, we went into production when I was 22, and all the crew members and lead actor, Lahcen Anajjar, were 21 or 22.”

The film and the making of the film share a youthful “can-do” attitude; a blatant disregard for the fact you’re up against potentially over-powering forces. In the film Rusty battles evil forces, in reality, David battles budget demands and schedule changes, things many people in the film industry would rank up there with “evil forces”. David’s been championing the film these last few years by doing the cinematography himself, creating his own costumes, shooting green screen in his garage, and learning After Effects on his own. David tells me, “I wanted to make a movie that I wanted to see when I was a kid, like 10, 11 or 12.”

Creating a feature-length film is an incredibly ambitious event, especially a feature-length film with make-up and special effects. I asked David what the response was when he told people he wanted to shoot a feature-length horror film. He said someone told him, “You can’t make a movie for $50,000, you’ll never make your money back because a studio can make it better than you.” He continues, “There was a lot of discouragement because everyone said I was competing against Hollywood. But the people actually involved in it were all for it.”

I ask about community reaction. He says his answer matter-of-factly, he seems too nice a human being to harbor any prolonged bitterness. “Um, let’s see here, a little bit,” he says when I ask if the community was behind it. “A lot of people just thought it was kids making a home movie, that’s what most people thought of it. And when we filmed no one really took us seriously. We asked to film at a couple schools and they said, ‘Oh, you guys can’t do this because you don’t have insurance’ and I was like, ‘Oh yes, but I do have insurance’ and they said, ‘Ok, well, let me talk to the superintendent’ and they would come back and say ‘Yeah, we just can’t have a vampire movie filmed here’ or they’d say ‘If there were serious people involved then we would do it, but because there’s not serious people involved and it’s just a 21 and 22 year old involved, we don’t want to do it.’ Some people were really behind it, but I’d say half were not behind it.”

Ouch, right? But considering I’ve seen the finished product, David didn’t let the lack of support slow him down. If anything, it seems to have inspired an enviable one-man-film-army.

While a focus on the budget gives me pause it will hurt the magic of the film, I do inquire how he got a horror/fantasy feature done for around $75,000. David tells me he wanted to pay the actors $100 a day with an original shooting schedule of about 28 days; this increased to 40 days. There was also the cost of the supplies for the masks, costumes, food and equipment.

The film was shot on the Panasonic HVX 200 with a 35mm adapter. David purchased the equipment for the film. “I originally decided to buy the equipment, that way I didn’t have a responsibility to anyone but myself if I broke it. Another thing was it would be cheaper for me to buy it and then sell it after we got done than to rent it for how many ever days I needed it for.”

David has a Youtube channel aptly named “MyStepDadVampire’s” channel where he’s documented his filmmaking journey. One of the most interesting videos on it is where David creates his own foam latex vampire mask and then tries to bake the mask in his hot car. It works, it just takes three days. In the interest of time, David then builds an oven with his brother out of chicken wire, aluminum, wood, and two work-lights to raise the temperature inside.

“I have seen lots of special feature films on making costumes and masks and stuff. I figured if they could do it I could certainly find a way to do it. Online there are tons of forums about making your own stuff. I bought three or four DVDs about making masks and they talked about how you had to cook all that stuff in an oven because it was latex, foam latex. I saw what the oven was supposed to be like, so I saw what they did with theirs and sort of pieced it together, and went for it. My brother and I put it together in a day.”

I ask about the special effects for the film that he did himself. “Well what happened was I wanted everything to be in camera because I love special effects and I love miniature specs, not green screen, but it just wasn’t in the budget to do that. So after we shot the initial 30 or 35 days I edited the movie and there were a few scenes missing and I looked around for some visual effects artists but I didn’t know the lingo so when I told them what I wanted, first of all it was kind of hard for them to understand what I wanted, and then I’d get emails and I’d say ‘Well I need some green screen stuff done,’
and they’d say, ‘Well, what you’re looking for is a compositor.’ I didn’t know the difference between a matte painting and a digital matte painting and what a digital matte panting really was, and also the money wasn’t really there to hire anybody, so what I did was I downloaded a trial version of After Effects and there was this great website called “videocopilot.net”, it’s absolutely phenomenal and the guy who runs it and does all the tutorials, his name’s Andrew Kramer, and he was able to show really, really cool tutorials, in really fun ways. So basically I spent a few months on that web site watching the tutorials and learning the ins and outs of After Effects and then I started actually working on the scenes. But the thing is, with “Step-Dad”, my practice was the movie. So what would happen was I would go in and shoot the shot, shoot the green screen stuff. We actually shot two different green screen scenes before I knew anything about green screen. I took that green screen footage and I worked on it for about a month, and I was able to come up with something that was useful, but all my practice is what is seen in the movie. A lot of it was trial and error. I would go in my garage, we’d set up a green screen and I’d film it, and sometimes it wouldn’t turn out right so we’d have to go back in and reshoot it.

And the crew who shot this feature film over 40 days? David says, “On average I probably had three people, they were friends, we had nobody who really knew anything about real filmmaking, nobody knew how to be a grip or production assistant, we didn’t know what that stuff really meant, we had a pretty good idea but none of us really had any experience.”

David took off his fall semester of college to shoot the film and when production ran longer he took the next semester off as well. A 40 day shooting schedule, while not much compared to a Hollywood film with special effects, does take a considerable chunk of your time.

The film has screened at several festivals including the Kansas International Film Festival, Black Swamp Film Festival, Little Apple Film Festival, Killington Festival, Bare Bones Film Festival, and Lighthouse International Film Festival. While screening, the film’s scooped up several “Best Picture” awards. Pretty good for a film people didn’t take too seriously.

I ask David about his advice to new filmmakers, “The main thing is if you want to be a filmmaker, just go out and do it. Use whatever you have and just do it and as you start getting better, just work on getting money together to add to the project. If you want to make short films make them; keep on writing scripts if you want to be a screenwriter; keep on filming stuff. Just keep on working on it.”

So essentially, don’t let little things like inexperience, nay-sayers, lack of budget, or those evil forces keep you down.

More about this film at: http://www.mystepdadvampire.
Read more reviews like this at : Indie Film Depot

War Is A Bitch : Review

2010-04-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

War Is A Bitch : Review
By: Stephanie Suanta

While “War is a Bitch” is a fusion of a war flick and science fiction, it tackles a deeper message that makes audiences think about what it means to be human and how deep are we able to love in an “us” versus “them” plot setting.

At the center of the film is the newly assigned soldier, Hope, who is on a secret mission to assassinate “Father,” the head of state that is hindering the civil rights movement for clones. The leader of Hope’s all-female group is Zoie, who holds a secret connection to Hope.

The actors all give believable portrayals of their characters and allow the intention of the dialogue to show. Director and writer Ron Armstrong’s statement said the film is to reveal “the poison of hatred.”

This idea is filled out as the gang of women go through an adventure of betrayal in order to find the true capacity of love. Hope, so appropriately named, is the living proof of love’s extent and exemplifies that the future can be optimistic if we can learn to harbor this emotion.

The choice of setting added a surreal realism that was filmed with intriguing shots. The fort mirrored a cold concrete world that is offset by the orange leaves in the outside forest.

Overall, the message of the story was strongly portrayed by the entire production from the writing to acting to filming. Such an intriguing story as this, though, felt rushed in the amount of time and could prove to be a spectacular full length piece.

For more information on this film go to the official film website : http://www.warisabitch.com/

Graffiti Verite : A Series

2010-04-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Graffiti Veritè : A Series
Stephanie Sunata

Hip-hop is a familiar phrase that can encompass a variety of meanings. For some it is a form of dance, for others it is a style of clothing. For director and producer Bob Bryan it is a culture that is misunderstood by many, including those involved in it. In response, Bryan created the Graffiti Veritè series that dispels mainstream assumptions and reflects the creator’s passion and love, not just for hip-hop, but people as well.

“My series is meant to engage people intellectually and otherwise,” Bryan said in an interview. “…Hip-hop is much broader than big booties, gang-banging and bling-bling.”

Specifically looking at “GV9 Soulfulways: The DJ,” Bryan is able to reveal the technical skills required in a turntablist as well as the impact spinning has on the hip-hop movement. He interviews a variety of people from DJs to emcees to painters and allows them to express their own opinions about the subject.

“I kept the narrative strictly from the mouth of those who were actually doing the actions,” Bryan said. “I really wanted to be inside.”

By creating a film fueled by the artists, Bryan is not just telling a story about spinning. He is telling a story about people, who create the sounds that the untrained ear mistakes for background noise. He is telling a story about a culture that is not just limited to DJs or rappers or painters or dancers. It is a movement that includes all of the above.

Bryan started his series after moving from New York, where he grew up with a specific notion about graffiti art. He described trains as moving art galleries and was used to seeing these styles from his upbringing.

“When I came to LA, I realized the expression…is completely different from New York,” Bryan said. “After being exposed to LA graffiti, I decided if I didn’t know the true story of LA graffiti art, nobody did.”

Bryan completed various jobs for various companies and gradually moved up the ranks and gained enough experience to start his own company. His first project was “Graffiti Veritè: Read the Writing on the Wall.”

Since the first film was released in 1995, the series has expanded to 11 films, which cover all facets of the hip-hop culture. The latest production, “GV11: Don’t Believe Da Noize,” is the first film in Bryan’s two-part series that looks at hip-hop as a whole.

It allows viewers both inside and outside of the culture, to see hip-hop in a way other than through the eyes of mainstream media. The film acknowledges pioneers of the underground movement and the difficulty such artists can encounter with mainstream competition.

GV11 explores a world that Hollywood historically exaggerated or misconstrued. It brings to light deeper aspects about hip-hop and points out that this movement is unique its applicability to so many different forms of expression.

“Hip-hop is a dialogue, is an expression, is a communication medium,” Bryan said. “It’s a multi-intelligence model…Various people with various skill sets are able to come to hip-hop and express themselves. It’s not like any other art form you’ve ever seen.”

The series has gained critical acclaim from sources at Harvard University to the LA Times according to Bryan. He attributes this success to his desire to “turn people’s lights on.”

“I just want the dialogue,” Bryan said. “I think very few people talk about things anymore. They’ve been silenced for whatever reason.”

Bryan brings dialogue. His series is fantastic in the way it exposes the grime and glamour of hip-hop. The movement is not about fame and fortune, though sometimes people assume it to be. The movement is about expression, and Bryan is doing his part in expressing himself.

He said everything reflects its creator, and for the Graffiti Veritè series, we can see the passion and love Bryan has for his work and people. The realist in him comes out in the film’s style, but his compassion comes out when you understand why he has created such films.

“If you really look a my work, it’s literature,” Bryan said. “Everything I do is about positivity and love.”

The twelfth film is currently in production, which Bryan said looks at the darker side of hip-hop. He said he will explore materials like gangs and racial slurs, and how the hip-hop movement was able to give ownership to these otherwise hurtful things.

The films need not be watched in numerical order, but they should be watched for anyone interested in hip-hop. The series gives an invaluable look at the culture through the eyes that are living it and will be certain to open your eyes no matter if you are inside or outside the movement.

For more information on the Graffiti Veritè Series please visit : http://www.graffitiverite.com/

Chad Mathews : Hill Country Film Festival

2010-04-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Claire Wasmund

The debutante ball of film is the film festival where filmmakers present their hard work and mingle with like-minded and sympathetic creators. Once a film is completed, rarely is your work done. That’s a misconception that after being shaped and molded and cut and scored your film suddenly develops its own sense of ambition and takes care of itself. Not usually. Do children ever actually leave home? Now comes the stage of promotion, gently nudging your film out into society. It’s a stressful time but it should also be a rewarding and fun time, and there’s no better person to know and propagate this fact than a filmmaker.

I was excited then to speak with actor and filmmaker Chad Mathews who has taken what he’s learned from his experience on the film festival circuit and has started his own festival, the Hill County Film Festival. The Hill Country Film Festival takes place this year from April 22^nd to April 24^th in Fredericksburg, Texas. Begun with programming director Gary Weeks, an actor, writer, and producer also well acquainted with the film festival circuit, the festival will showcase over 25 feature and short films at the Fredericksburg Stagecoach Theater.

So many things can motivate the creation of a festival and I wanted to learn a little about Chad before the festival’s opening on the 22^nd. One of the first things I noticed while talking to Chad was how warm and well-spoken he is. As a professional actor with such credits as NBC’s: PROFILER, GENERAL HOSPITAL, and the independent feature film DEADLAND, you’d assume he’d mastered talking which is usually a job requirement; but Chad doesn’t speak as a performer just selling you his festival, he speaks as an enthusiast and as a creator, genuinely inviting you to participate and enjoy an event he has well-deserved pride in.

When I took note that “OFFICIAL REJECTION” was one of their selections I asked if it fit with any sort of theme for the festival over all. Chad explained there isn’t theme; that his goal for the first year was to find quality film from Texas filmmakers and filmmakers around the world. There’s not a tinge of bitterness in his voice as he speaks about his festival, something that can creep into the tone of independent filmmakers. He didn’t create The Hill County Film Festival out of revenge over personal project rejections, (an attitude that has spawned many an event), in fact, as mentioned, his films have been quite successful on the festival circuit, with one short film, “CLONES GONE WILD”, making an appearance at around 30 festivals. He created the festival out of a personal love of independent film, of the events that celebrate film, and the desire to have them closer to another love of his, Fredericksburg, Texas.

The town where the festival is held is about an hour from Austin, and Chad’s obvious fondness for it induces a sense of nostalgia in me, even if I’ve never set eyes on the town myself. The home of wineries, antique dealers, bed and breakfasts, and the National Museum of the Pacific War, Chad states he feels it has a sort of “Park City feel”. Chad’s even taken the time to provide potential visitors with links of attractions on the festival site.

One film that definitely has Chad excited is “THE INHERITANCE OF WAR”, a story with personal accounts from WWII Veterans and Bataan Death March survivors. Chad explains it is a “unique find for us”, describing it as “fascinating and well-made”. Discovering the film and having Fredericksburg as the location of the National Museum of the Pacific War was a coincidence they wanted to take advantage of to successfully promote the story the film shares; a story that isn’t well-known to many Americans. The festival plans to have a raffle and donate the proceeds to the museum, and Producer James W. Parkinson will make an appearance at the festival to support the story he’s dedicated his life to telling.

I asked Chad a little more about his background. A graduate of TSU with a Bachelor of Science in Radio, Television, and Film, he’s got a busy resume with many acting roles along with screenwriting and producing credits. It’s a resume that demonstrates the ambition required of someone who builds a film festival from the ground up. “Number one, I am an actor,” he states, but in his downtime he writes and produces and hopes to continue. The festival itself is in no way a detour from being in front or behind the camera. “A film festival is a lot like putting on a production,” he explains, mentioning he wants to “bridge the world from L.A. to home”.

As I study the website for the festival I can see he is doing just that, encouraging the Texas filmmaker, exposing the festival’s participants to films from all over the world and carefully mixing the world of independent film with the hometown pride and charm that’s so appealing to many. It lets you forget that this is a fledging festival and you feel that the festival’s already got a good set of roots that will let it grow and keep it strong for years to come.

Resevoir Dogs : Review

2010-04-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

James Martinez

Welcome to the criminal world, Tarantino style. Plenty of blood, violence, and swearing and a great story in the middle. Beautifully written and shot this movie grabs your attention and never lets go. Job: Steal a shipment of polished stones - diamonds - that came in from Isreal. Location of job: Local jewelery shop. Number of men needed for job: five. Time needed to complete job: 2 minutes. Sounds easy enough right? Maybe not. Joe, the big boss, and his son Eddie, played wonderfully by the late Chris Penn, bring together five of their most trusted criminal friends and aquaintances for a diamond heist.

None of them know anything about each other which is how Joe wants to keep it. He instructs them not to offer any personal information about themselves to each other. No names, no history, nothing. That should keep everyone safe in case one of them isn't as trustworthy as they thought. He also gives each one of them an alias. Mr. Brown, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, Mr. White, and Mr. Pink. "Why do I have to be Mr. Pink. It sounds like Mr. P****y. Can I pick my own name. I'll be Mr. Purple." "No you can't pick you're own names becaue everyone will want to be Mr. Black. You will be Mr. Pink. Be thankful you're not Mr. Yellow." It's great dialogue like this that make this movie that much more entertaining to watch.

Mr. Brown, who we don't see very much of, is played by Tarantino, and he's the wheel man. He waits patiently in the car for the rest of the crew to complete the job. Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, and Mr. Orange played by are crowd control. They keep everyone in check. "Someone steps out of line, smash the butt of your gun into the bridge of their nose. That will keep everyone too scared to be a hero." Just like Mr. Brown, we don't see too much of Mr. Blue either, but we see Mr. Blonde throughout. He's the crazy one. The man with no boss. The old term that someone has blood as cold as ice, well that's him. Calm, cool, calculated. Will he ruin the plan by going too far? Mr. White and Mr. Pink, played by Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi, are the men who'll take the manager to the back to get the stones. Mr. White plays the character that is lead by his emotions. All the decisions he makes seems to be based on emotions whether it be anger or empathy. Mr. Pink is the opposite. Rational. Straight to the point. Doesn't let emotions get in the way of making decisions, and he usually seems to be right.

Usual Suspects : Review

2010-04-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

James Martinez

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled, was convincing the world that he didn’t exist. New York. Five felons put into a line up for the theft of a truck load of gun parts bound for destruction. We have Dean Keaton, played by Gabriel Byrne, a former NY Police Officer who was kicked off the force and jailed for criminal activity and who is now trying to go straight. Then we have Michael McManus, played by Stephen Baldwin, the crazy one. He likes to stir things up, and doesn’t hesitate when it comes to violence or killing. Fred Fenster, played by Benicio Del Toro, is McManus’ right hand man. He’s a wise ass, slickster type with his unbuttoned shirts and slicked back hair. Next come Todd Hockney, played by Kevin Pollak, who cares for no one but himself. He’s good with bombs and afraid of no one. Rounding out this group of misfits is Verbal Kint, played by Kevin Spacey, who is a physically handicapped, zero confidence having man.

But what happens when you put a group of criminals together in one cell? They plan their next job, of course. They end up doing a job together and when it’s complete, they go to California to make the delivery and collect the payment. When the same people offer them another lucrative job offer will they take it? And will it be one job too many? Is there more going on than is being told? And who is behind the strange events that seem to keep occurring?

This is a complex story with a lot of turns that keeps you guessing throughout viewing. Written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer, this movie is meant to be entertaining and that it definitely is.

Not too late : Sign up for our mailing list to win a free DVD!

2010-03-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to let everyone know that it is not too late to sign up for our mailing list for a chance to win a free DVD from Indie Film Depot. Just go to our front page and fill out the submission form on the right hand side. We will be announcing the winners in the middle of April and you could win a DVD of your choice from our Film Store.

Also, there are some new films on the site so browse through and find something you like. If you are looking for something but don't see it let us know on the forums. There is a thread that is specifically for recommending films, take advantage and let us know what you want to see!

Pioneers of Independent Film : Wes Anderson

2010-03-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Sunata

If the names Dignan, Zissou or Tenenbaum sound like alien attributions, then Wes Anderson must be just as foreign. If these names are in fact familiar, you be familiar with this director’s work and at least have a vague idea of his contributions to the independent film industry.
The closing of the 20th Century marked the initiation of Anderson’s film legacy. At the beginning, he created low-budget pictures that audiences could laugh at and relate to. He contributed to the foundation of independent film making recognized today through these characters and how he portrays life in a quirky, off-beat manner.
Anderson’s interest in film started when he was a kid according to an interview with the British Publication, the Guardian. He started filming homemade thrillers and trying to create pieces like Indiana Jones, Star Wars and his favorite filmmker, Alfred Hitchcock.
His first film for the silver screen started out as a short, which he co-wrote with his friend from the University of Texas, Owen Wilson. The humble beginning included Wilson in the role of the heist-wannabe, Dignan, and his younger brother Luke played Dignan’s friend Anthony.
Less of a caper comedy and more of a movie that reflects the light-hearted nature of its creators, “Bottle Rocket” is about nothing more than three guys trying to fill their time in their hometown. The cinematography is nothing fancy nor are the scenes, but the simplicity of the piece is what makes the film so relatable.
It was initially released at festivals like the Sundance Film Festival until James L. Brooks saw it and fueled the full production, which was released in 1996. Critics were generally approving of Anderson’s fresh take on film making and accepted the sporadic storyline.
“ ‘Bottle Rocket’ is entertaining if you understand exactly what it is: if you see it as a film made by friends out of the materials presented by their lives and with the freedom to not push too hard,” Roger Ebert reviewed. “Its fragile charm would have been destroyed by rewrites intended to pump it up or focus it; it needs to meander, to take time to listen to its dialogue, to slowly unveil character quirks, particularly Dignan's.”
Ebert predicted the creators’ next movie would be better, but called this a good start and encouraging for would-be filmmakers.
From this humble beginning, Anderson went on to create the 1998 comedy “Rushmore,” which began the extensive partnership between himself and comedian Bill Murray. Three years later Anderson collaborated with Murray and the Wilson brothers again to create “The Royal Tenenbaums.”
In his signature fashion, Anderson created a series of events tied together with idiosyncratic dialogue and likeable characters. This movie does set a precedent for him in the realm of character development. He takes risks with allowing them to change in drastic ways throughout the movie and following their changing interactions with the environment.
Tenenbaums marked his first Oscar accolade, being nominated for best writing directly for the big screen. Also notable is his acquisition of well-known names for this movie like Ben Stiller, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Danny Glover. The entire ensemble worked well together on screen to make each of the characters believable yet unique.
Many of these actors would continue to appear in future Anderson endeavors like “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou,” which casts Owen Wilson, Murray, and Huston.
The year 2007 marked his release of the full feature production “The Darjeeling Limited” and a short, “Hotel Chevalier,” which acts as a prologue to the first. Again, he staffs people he was familiar with and this time co-wrote with “Rusmore” star Jason Schwartzman.
Most recently, Anderson’s first animated feature, “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” in the 2010 Academy Awards. Based on a novel by Roald Dahl, Anderson again brings real-life stories to the screen in his charismatically odd way.
Though his career may not be as readily recognized as the works of Quentin Tarantino or Michael Moore for their riskiness, Anderson’s films bring just as much originality to the independent film industry. He covers dark subject matter, but in a light way and proved that quality humor can come in the form of a relaxed, easy-going movie. Anyone looking for a matter-of-fact series of movies that reflect a unique perspective on life should turn to Anderson and will be thrilled.

Tons of great new films. Want to win one? Of course you do, details inside!

2010-03-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

Indie Film Depot has just released our March newsletter. If you aren't a subscriber be sure to join our mailing list by filling out the form on our homepage.

We have tons of great films and you now have a chance to win one free DVD. No purchase necessary. To learn how to win click here.

Have fun, we hope to see you on our all new forums soon!

New films and networking forums.

2010-02-11T10:29:00.001-08:00

As a new resource for independent film, we have been working to provide as many helpful features as possible. As of today, we have launched our free filmmaker forums. So sign on, take advantage and create a new filmmaker community!

We also have many great new films available for sale. Check out our film store to buy the films listed below, among many other great independent films.

The Basketball Diaries - See Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg and Juliette Lewis in this 1995 drama.

Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction. As a member of a seemingly unbeatable high school basketball squad, Jim's life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes a metaphor for the world in his mind. A best friend who is dying of leukemia, a coach 'Swifty' who takes unacceptable liberties with the boys on his team, teenage sexual angst, and an unhealthy appetite for heroin - all of these begin to encroach on young Jim's dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother's mounting concern for her son. He can't go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim “picked up a game” now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity.

The Last Minute - A thriller from Stephen Norrington, director of the vampire thriller Blade.

The Last Minute, is a darkly comic tale of fame, delusion and the high price of failure. The clock is ticking. You're spending your life. Purchase wisely.

Film Festival Listing : 2010

2010-01-21T15:13:00.000-08:00

Feel free to send us information on any other film festivals that aren't listed here! Thanks!

January 5-18
Palm Springs International Film Festival (Palm Springs, California, USA)

January 14-17
Festivus Film Festival (Denver, Colorado USA)

January 15-17
Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival (Nevada City, California, USA)

January 15-18
British Shorts Lichtspielklub Kurtzfilmfestival (Berlin, Germany)

January 16-17
15 Minutes of Fame Film Festival (Palm Bay, Florida, USA)

January 21-31
Sundance Film Festival (Park City, Utah, USA)

January 28
Indiana Players Short Film Festival (Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA)

January 29-February 6
Clermont-Ferrand Short-Film Festival (Clermont-Ferrand, France)

February 4-7
Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival (Hollywood, California, USA)

February 5-15
Boston Science Fiction Film Festival (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

February 11-21
Berlin International Directors Lounge Festival (Berlin, Germany)

February 14-21
Southern California Business Film Festival (Los Angeles, California, USA)

February 20-27
San Joaquin International Film Festival (Stockton, California, USA)

February 21
Tropfest Film Festival (Sydney/Melbourne/Canberra/Adelaide/Perth/Brisbane/Hobart/Surfer's
Paradise, Australia)

February 23-March 6
Cinequest Film Festival (San Jose, California, USA)

February 25-28
Amelia Island Film Festival (Amelia Island, Florida, USA)

February 25-28
True/False Film Festival (Columbia, Missouri, USA)

February 25-March 6
Riga International Fantasy Film Festival (Riga, Latvia)

March 1-7
Culver City Film Festival (Culver City, California, USA)

March 5-13
Byron Bay International Film Festival (Byron Bay, Australia)

March 6-14
Omaha Film Festival (Omaha, Nebraska, USA)

March 11-16
Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival (Trondheim, Norway)

March 11-17
Athens International Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival (Athens, Greece)

March 13
University of Toronto Film Festival (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

March 13
Warrambeen Film Festival (Shelford, Australia)

March 17-21
Go Short - International Short Film Festival (Nijmegen, Netherlands)

March 18-21
Gasparilla International Film Festival (Tampa, Florida, USA)

March 24-27
Reynolda Film Festival (Winston-Salem, North Caroline, USA)

March 27-April 4
Riga International Children's Film Festival (Riga, Latvia)

April 2-4
Faux Film Festival (Portland, Oregon, USA)

April 7-11
Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival (Providence, Rhode Island, USA)

April 8-11
Charleston International Film Festival (Charleston, South Carolina, USA)

April 8-11
Tallahassee Film Festival (Tallahasee, Florida, USA)

April 8-12
Ashland Independent Film Festival (Ashland, Oregon, USA)

April 9-10
Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival (Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA)

April 9-11
FirstGlance Film Fest Hollywood 10 (Hollywood, California, USA)

April 9-11
VAFI -International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival Varaždin (Varaždin, Croatia)

April 12-18
Calgary Underground Film Festival (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

April 15-18
White Sands International Film Festival (Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA)

April 15-23
Atlanta Film Festival (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

April 15-18
L.A. Comedy Shorts Festival (Los Angeles, California, USA)

April 15-18
Wisconsin Film Festival (Madison, Wisconsin, USA)

April 16-22
FilmOut San Diego (San Diego, California, USA)

April 21-May 1
The End of the Pier International Film Festival (Worthing, West Sussex, UK)

April 21-25
British Film Festival (Los Angeles, California, USA)

April 22-25
California Independent Film Festival (Orinda, California, USA)

April 22-25
TCM Classic Film Festival (Hollywood, California, USA)

April 22-26
Palm Beach International Film Festival (Palm Beach, Florida, USA)

April 23-25
Schaumburg-Lippe Film Festival (Altenburg, Thuringia, Germany)

April 29-May 2
National Film Festival for Talented Youth (Seattle, Washington, USA)

April 29-May 8
The London International Documentary Festival (London, UK)

April 29-May 10
Brussels Short Film Festival (Brussels, Belgium)

April 30-May 2
Texas Frightmare Weekend (Dallas, Texas, USA)

May 1-2
SkyFest (Asheville, North Carolina, USA)

May 5-12
360 | 365 Film Festival (Rochester, New York, USA)

May 18-27
Kimera Film Festival (Campobasso, Italy)

May 28-29
Calaveras International Film Festival (Murphys, California, USA)

May 28-30
DocMiami International Film Festival (Miami, Florida, USA

May 28-30
Road Junky Travel Film Festival (Berlin, Germany)

June 4-6
Bangkok Indiefest (Bangkok, Thailand)

June 12
Underground Exposure Film Festival and Screenplay Competition (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)

June 23-27
Georgia Film Festival (Athens, Georgia, USA)

June 28-July 4
Ventura Film Festival (Ventura, California, USA)

July 30-August 1
Lights. Camera. Help. (Austin, Texas, USA)

August 6-8
Atlanta Shortsfest (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

August 6-29
Independent Film Month Atlanta (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

August 13-16
Atlanta Horror Film Festival (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

August 20-22
Atlanta International Documentary Film Festival (DocuFest Atlanta) (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

August 26-29
Landlocked Film Festival (Iowa City, Iowa, USA)

August 27-29
Animation Attack! (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

August 27-29
Atlanta Underground Film Festival (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

September 9-12
Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival (Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA)

September 17-19
Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival (Seattle, Washington, USA)

September 22-29
Great Lakes International Film Festival (Erie, Pennsylvania, USA)

September 29-October 3
The Clearwater Film Festival (Clearwater, Florida, USA)

October 7-9
Atlanta Philosophy Film Festival (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

October 10-18
FREAK SHOW Horror Film Festival (Orlando, Florida, USA)

October 15-17
FirstGlance Film Fest Philadelphia 13 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)

October 30-31
Horror UK´s 28 Hours Later (Farham, UK)

November 4-6
24fps International Short Film Festival (Abilene, Texas, USA)