Attention all editors, directors, filmmakers, film lovers and people with too much time on your hands; the BBC wants you. No, they're not going to hire you (not yet anyway), but they are offering you probably the coolest opportunity I've heard of in years.
From the BBC: "For the first time ever, uncut video for a BBC documentary series, is online NOW for YOU to download and re-edit. Cut it, clip it, mash it, animate it, make fun of it if you like. It's free to use. And you can enter our competition."
That's right. Free, professionally produced footage is just being handed over to you to do with as you will. Better yet, you can win fame and fortune just by being a creative freeloader! I'm going to go ahead and label this my Christmas gift to all of you. Enjoy.
Head on over to their "Digital Revolution" site to download to content and begin editing. Trust me, whether you love the BBC, hate the BBC, or just want to hone your editing chops, this is the perfect opportunity to have professional produced material fall into your lap. But remember, as Spiderman's Uncle once said: "with great power, comes great responsibility."
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The IRA finds religion on Channel 4
Before the troubles in the Middle East became the hot topic of the Western Hemisphere, there were the bloody disputes in Northern Ireland. Now I'm not going to try and recap hundreds of years of hostility in a single column, so if you don't know, I'd recommend reading Thomas Hachey's The Irish Experience: A Concise History (FYI: it's not a short read, but it's well balanced and detailed).
In the meantime, for those who are aware of conflict in Northern Ireland, you'll be as surprised as I am to hear that Channel 4 has asked Gerry Adams (the Sinn Fein leader and suspected IRA member) will lead a documentary exploring who the real Jesus is. Why is that interesting? Let's just say there are some who would argue Adams urged more people to violence than to faith.
There are already many people opposed to this idea because of Adam's background and notoriety among both factions, but Channel 4 has an interesting perspective on his inclusion: "This film will offer an insight into how a man so strongly associated first with conflict and then with peace in Northern Ireland, has reconciled his religion with the decisions he has taken in his life."
Adams' documentary is just one episode in a seven part series called The Bible: A History. Including other contributors like Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe and former BBC correspondent Rageh Omaar, Channel 4 hopes using a wide range of voices perspectives will paint an unusual and engaging view of the Bible.
Personally, with the right direction, this could be a fascinating subject and I'm excited to see how it turns out.
In the meantime, for those who are aware of conflict in Northern Ireland, you'll be as surprised as I am to hear that Channel 4 has asked Gerry Adams (the Sinn Fein leader and suspected IRA member) will lead a documentary exploring who the real Jesus is. Why is that interesting? Let's just say there are some who would argue Adams urged more people to violence than to faith.
There are already many people opposed to this idea because of Adam's background and notoriety among both factions, but Channel 4 has an interesting perspective on his inclusion: "This film will offer an insight into how a man so strongly associated first with conflict and then with peace in Northern Ireland, has reconciled his religion with the decisions he has taken in his life."
Adams' documentary is just one episode in a seven part series called The Bible: A History. Including other contributors like Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe and former BBC correspondent Rageh Omaar, Channel 4 hopes using a wide range of voices perspectives will paint an unusual and engaging view of the Bible.
Personally, with the right direction, this could be a fascinating subject and I'm excited to see how it turns out.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Five fascinating and festive documentaries
At the risk of offending non-Santa followers, we did a little scrounging and came up with some Christmas documentaries worth watching. We had to sift through layers and layers of rather dull films, said a few 'bah humbugs' along the way, and ultimately came up with the top five you see below. They are in no particular order and we are always willing to listen when we've left off a film or two, so see what made the cut and write us back if you disagree!
A Hollywood Christmas – Ever wondered why Christmas films were so popular? I mean what’s the deal with Hollywood’s obsession of capturing the ‘meaning of Christmas’? Well hold onto your doubts because this is the documentary for you. Though 15 years old and obviously a little dated, this is a great resource to introduce you to the wide world of Christmas filmmaking.
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas – Yes, Christmas is chock full of traditions, from carols to decorated trees, but where did these rituals come from? Well you asked, and the History Channel answered. This enlightening program looks at the origins of the Western world's most popular Christmas traditions: whether it’s the significance of December 25th and its relationship to winter solstice or the enchanting legend of Santa Claus or even Prince Albert's unveiling of the Christmas tree in 1841. This documentary has all the festive facts you could possible want.
Road Trip for Ralphie – Everyone loves A Christmas Story almost as much as they love it’s a wonderful life. Of course, there are those crazy people who love it a little too much: this is their story. If you can endure the constant “I’m 8 years old and I just opened the best Christmas present ever” expressions that are plastered on these two road trippers, then you’ll be able to see and appreciate this modern classic from a different perspective.
Rock and a Heart Place – for over 15 years, Tim McLoone has organized holiday music events in soup kitchens, homeless shelters and nursing homes, but shortly after the September 11th tragedy of 2001, he ambitiously arranged for 400 New Jersey musicians to perform 50 shows in 30 days. So sit back and relax as this inspirational documentary follows McLoone and his team as they face the daunting task of setting up shows and traveling 5,000 miles to pull off their "Holiday Express."
10,000 points of light – a little known Christmas documentary with a cult like following (seriously, they’re on Facebook!). This 25 minute film follows a southern family in suburbia that takes their light (and Elvis) displays seriously presenting the public with a odd, bright display for all to see. Good luck finding it though, this documentary is about as rare as they come.
A Hollywood Christmas – Ever wondered why Christmas films were so popular? I mean what’s the deal with Hollywood’s obsession of capturing the ‘meaning of Christmas’? Well hold onto your doubts because this is the documentary for you. Though 15 years old and obviously a little dated, this is a great resource to introduce you to the wide world of Christmas filmmaking.
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas – Yes, Christmas is chock full of traditions, from carols to decorated trees, but where did these rituals come from? Well you asked, and the History Channel answered. This enlightening program looks at the origins of the Western world's most popular Christmas traditions: whether it’s the significance of December 25th and its relationship to winter solstice or the enchanting legend of Santa Claus or even Prince Albert's unveiling of the Christmas tree in 1841. This documentary has all the festive facts you could possible want.
Road Trip for Ralphie – Everyone loves A Christmas Story almost as much as they love it’s a wonderful life. Of course, there are those crazy people who love it a little too much: this is their story. If you can endure the constant “I’m 8 years old and I just opened the best Christmas present ever” expressions that are plastered on these two road trippers, then you’ll be able to see and appreciate this modern classic from a different perspective.
Rock and a Heart Place – for over 15 years, Tim McLoone has organized holiday music events in soup kitchens, homeless shelters and nursing homes, but shortly after the September 11th tragedy of 2001, he ambitiously arranged for 400 New Jersey musicians to perform 50 shows in 30 days. So sit back and relax as this inspirational documentary follows McLoone and his team as they face the daunting task of setting up shows and traveling 5,000 miles to pull off their "Holiday Express."
10,000 points of light – a little known Christmas documentary with a cult like following (seriously, they’re on Facebook!). This 25 minute film follows a southern family in suburbia that takes their light (and Elvis) displays seriously presenting the public with a odd, bright display for all to see. Good luck finding it though, this documentary is about as rare as they come.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Theatrical Releases
Every Friday we update you all with the week's theatrical documentary releases. Now, this is not a perfect process as our beloved genre prefers the rolling/limited release schedule instead of a big nationwide or international-wide release. So apologies if a film isn't out in your area or if you are a filmmaker and we missed the boat on announcing your documentary's big day (if that is the case, please let us know and we'll correct the mistake).
Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
NoBody's Perfect- (no rating provided) Winner of 2009 Lola (German Film Award for Best Documentary), and a contender for 2009 Academy Award selection for Best Documentary, "Nobody's Perfect" follows filmmaker Niko von Glasow, whose short arms identify him as a grown-up “child of Thalidomide”. This film documents his search for eleven other people affected by Thalidomide, to join him in posing naked for a book of photographs. With humour and a surprising lightness of touch, "Nobody’s Perfect" is a portrait of twelve extraordinary characters, from childhood to today. These are people who have gotten used to furtive glances from passers-by, but now they have to stand completely unprotected in front of a camera, and look at their own bodies in a new light. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
NoBody's Perfect- (no rating provided) Winner of 2009 Lola (German Film Award for Best Documentary), and a contender for 2009 Academy Award selection for Best Documentary, "Nobody's Perfect" follows filmmaker Niko von Glasow, whose short arms identify him as a grown-up “child of Thalidomide”. This film documents his search for eleven other people affected by Thalidomide, to join him in posing naked for a book of photographs. With humour and a surprising lightness of touch, "Nobody’s Perfect" is a portrait of twelve extraordinary characters, from childhood to today. These are people who have gotten used to furtive glances from passers-by, but now they have to stand completely unprotected in front of a camera, and look at their own bodies in a new light. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Best documentaries of the decade!
As 2009 comes to an end, everyone, everywhere, is coming up with their own personal "best of the decade" lists. Now while our lovely website drags its heels on the issue (seriously, we have a list for everything else!), the brave souls over at Cinematical have created a thoroughly in depth look at the best documentaries of the decade.
Now, it's not a straight list like something you'll find on this site, but rather a breakdown of all the different documentary genres out there. It's obviously a very personal list, but it's hard to argue with their opinions (though I'd personally put some of their 'runner's up' as winners in certain categories).
But this story isn't about our site's list, it's about Cinematical's. So check out their Best Documentaries of the Decade and feel free to post your impressions here.
Now, it's not a straight list like something you'll find on this site, but rather a breakdown of all the different documentary genres out there. It's obviously a very personal list, but it's hard to argue with their opinions (though I'd personally put some of their 'runner's up' as winners in certain categories).
But this story isn't about our site's list, it's about Cinematical's. So check out their Best Documentaries of the Decade and feel free to post your impressions here.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sundance Film's Announced
While most of us are focused on the end of year holidays, there are some gearing up for the early festival season and there's no bigger film festival in the early months than the Sundance Film Festival starting in January. This is one of the few times independent films get the pop culture treatment and with its rich history, it's no surprise how many film story to enter the festival.
Bur your not here for the films that almost made it, your here to find out which ones will be premiering in Park City Utah in late January. Well you don't have to wait any longer as the festival unveiled their full slate of films, including 17 U.S. documentaries and 13 international documentaries.
After looking at the list, I must say, it's quite impressive (though was their ever any doubt?). Every single film is a world premier and the subjects range from well publicized news stories (Pat Tillman to Benazir Bhutto to Jack Abramoff), to migrant workers in China to female karate kids in Iran. So don't take my word for it, head on over to the Sundance Film Festival website and check out which films will be on display. And if you're able to, buy yourself a festival pass so you can be the first to catch these wonderful documentaries.
Bur your not here for the films that almost made it, your here to find out which ones will be premiering in Park City Utah in late January. Well you don't have to wait any longer as the festival unveiled their full slate of films, including 17 U.S. documentaries and 13 international documentaries.
After looking at the list, I must say, it's quite impressive (though was their ever any doubt?). Every single film is a world premier and the subjects range from well publicized news stories (Pat Tillman to Benazir Bhutto to Jack Abramoff), to migrant workers in China to female karate kids in Iran. So don't take my word for it, head on over to the Sundance Film Festival website and check out which films will be on display. And if you're able to, buy yourself a festival pass so you can be the first to catch these wonderful documentaries.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
'Waiting For Armageddon' Trailer
The documentary team of Kate Davis, Franco Sacchi and David Heilbroner most recent film is of Biblical proportions. Their film Waiting for Armageddon focuses on the Evangelical Christian community's belief in the Biblical prophecies of Rapture and Armageddon.
Obviously, these are two subjects outsiders find of great concern because whether you believe such notions are insane or worth discussing, you can't help but feel the impact these beliefs have on the rest of society.
Waiting for Armageddon tries to understand these beliefs through interviews with Christians, Zionists and Jewish practitioners. The trailer carries a very somber tone, but this may very well be a film that sparks an interesting debate.
The film has already appeared in a few smaller film festivals so don't catch yourself waiting for this one. Go to the film's website, watch the trailer and learn how you can view the film for yourself.
Obviously, these are two subjects outsiders find of great concern because whether you believe such notions are insane or worth discussing, you can't help but feel the impact these beliefs have on the rest of society.
Waiting for Armageddon tries to understand these beliefs through interviews with Christians, Zionists and Jewish practitioners. The trailer carries a very somber tone, but this may very well be a film that sparks an interesting debate.
The film has already appeared in a few smaller film festivals so don't catch yourself waiting for this one. Go to the film's website, watch the trailer and learn how you can view the film for yourself.
Monday, December 14, 2009
50 Free Documentaries!
The good people over at Online School.net pointed me to their recent article on the top 50 documentaries you can watch for free online. Now usually when the words "free" and "documentary" are used in the same sentence it means a list of rejected History channel films that serve as better torture instruments then enjoyable movies, but this list is surprisingly good.
Admittedly it ignores some fabulous films over at Hulu.com, but it's hard to ignore a list that includes major documentary films like Bowling for Columbine, The Fog of War, The Road to Guantanamo, 11th Hour, Maxed Out, Super Size Me and a whole slew of other notables. Frankly, this isn't just a great list of free documentaries, but a great list of must see documentaries.
If you have some time on your hands and no money to spend, what better way to waste your day then watching a few of these documentaries?
Head on over to Online School.net to see the complete list with links!
Admittedly it ignores some fabulous films over at Hulu.com, but it's hard to ignore a list that includes major documentary films like Bowling for Columbine, The Fog of War, The Road to Guantanamo, 11th Hour, Maxed Out, Super Size Me and a whole slew of other notables. Frankly, this isn't just a great list of free documentaries, but a great list of must see documentaries.
If you have some time on your hands and no money to spend, what better way to waste your day then watching a few of these documentaries?
Head on over to Online School.net to see the complete list with links!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Oprah Winfrey turns to Documentaries
Leave it to Oprah to really push the documentary genre to the mainstream public (face it, she has so many followers in the US she puts Barack Obama to shame). In what I would call a surprise announcement and bold move, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) will develop a monthly documentary film club when it launches in 2011.
Following a similar stratagey that has made her book club so successful, OWN's documentary film club will not only involve films airing on the channel, but will also include an online community and exclusive video content at OWN.tv. Even more impressive is a selection of the films will be featured in special theatrical screenings across the country and involve live panel discussions.
OWN CEO Christina Norman says, "OWN's commitment to Self-Discovery provides the ideal platform to elevate documentary films and the real, compelling stories they tell."
If you're worried this will mean more sappy or shallow documentaries geared towards stay at home mom's, think again. OWN is partnering with ro*co Productions to find films for the network. That means documentary powerhouses like Street Fight, No End in Sight, The Weather Underground, What Would Jesus Buy and countless others will potentially be in the mix. That's a wonderful lineup and should have documentary fans everywhere salivating.
"Partnering with ro*co Productions, OWN will deliver the very best documentaries to our audience and give them ways to connect through stories that move them," says Norman.
- http://www.rocofilms.com/
- http://www.oprah.com/own
Following a similar stratagey that has made her book club so successful, OWN's documentary film club will not only involve films airing on the channel, but will also include an online community and exclusive video content at OWN.tv. Even more impressive is a selection of the films will be featured in special theatrical screenings across the country and involve live panel discussions.
OWN CEO Christina Norman says, "OWN's commitment to Self-Discovery provides the ideal platform to elevate documentary films and the real, compelling stories they tell."
If you're worried this will mean more sappy or shallow documentaries geared towards stay at home mom's, think again. OWN is partnering with ro*co Productions to find films for the network. That means documentary powerhouses like Street Fight, No End in Sight, The Weather Underground, What Would Jesus Buy and countless others will potentially be in the mix. That's a wonderful lineup and should have documentary fans everywhere salivating.
"Partnering with ro*co Productions, OWN will deliver the very best documentaries to our audience and give them ways to connect through stories that move them," says Norman.
- http://www.rocofilms.com/
- http://www.oprah.com/own
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Soderbergh Documentary Premiering at Slamdance
Steven Soderbergh, ever the lover of indie films and new ways of putting films into the public's hands, will unveil his latest work at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (don't confuse it with Sundance... it's different). Not one to dabble in documentaries too frequently, this film actually sounds like it could be a major success considering the way it's made.
The film, titled And Everything is Going Fine, plays out almost as if it's a diary of the late writer and performer Spaulding Gray. Admittedly, not exactly a house hold name, Soderbergh's choice to only use Gray's voice (no other narration or interviews) sounds like this could be the next best documentary since Errol Morris' The Fog of War.
Personally, I'm a fan of Soderbergh and by continuing to promote independent work and film outlets he has become a huge fan of the Slamdance Film Festival (a festival that highlights and promotes the true independent artist).
If you are suddenly interested in attending Slamdance, I'd hurry and buy your tickets as the festival (and Soderbergh's premier) take place January 23rd.
The film, titled And Everything is Going Fine, plays out almost as if it's a diary of the late writer and performer Spaulding Gray. Admittedly, not exactly a house hold name, Soderbergh's choice to only use Gray's voice (no other narration or interviews) sounds like this could be the next best documentary since Errol Morris' The Fog of War.
Personally, I'm a fan of Soderbergh and by continuing to promote independent work and film outlets he has become a huge fan of the Slamdance Film Festival (a festival that highlights and promotes the true independent artist).
If you are suddenly interested in attending Slamdance, I'd hurry and buy your tickets as the festival (and Soderbergh's premier) take place January 23rd.
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