(the old) 500,000 Watts of Good Will - The Sujewa Ekanayake Blog

Link for the NEW 500,000 Watts of Goodwill blog

2011-11-03T22:50:00.001-07:00

switched to a different blog address in order to have it be short, easier to publicize - check it out here & go there for the latest blog updates of mine. thanks!

Occupy Wall Street film project links

2011-10-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Several filmmakers from around the country, with the initial lead by a couple of NYC filmmakers, are working on creating a film about the Occupy Wall Street protests and or documenting a new American revolution. More info below:

From the project's website (http://www.99percentfilm.com/):

"99 Percent: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film is a documentary film project founded by independent filmmakers working in conjunction across the country. Among them are the directors, producers, editors and cinematographers of many award-winning, internationally distributed films. They’ve come together and pledged their time, skills and gear to document the events taking place in NYC and across America. And they’re inviting you to do it with them.

As the protests spread, many have complained that the media is failing in their coverage. The filmmakers are calling for others to join them in this project of documenting the Occupy Wall Street movement: anyone with footage, a camera, film skills or even just a desire to help is encouraged to get in touch. Anyone who contributes footage will be paid a set fee per amount used in the documentary. The fee will be based on the budget the organizers are able to raise to fund the project. Footage will also go up on a community youtube page for everyone to see.

All formats will be accepted. All points of view are welcome. All filmmakers and contributors will be credited. Right now the most current information (including a list of what is needed) is regularly updated on the Kickstarter page. Please check that out and let us know how you'd like to get involved.
Press requests, prospective participants and naysayers can write to: contact@99percentfilm.com."
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Kickstarter video for the project:
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Project related links:

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/egg/99-the-occupy-wall-street-collaborative-film

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/99percentfilm

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/99_film

Website: http://www.99percentfilm.com/

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/99percentfilm

Follow the links above, get involed, help change the world for the better.

NYC Film Culture blog is up

2011-10-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

Also there's a Facebook group for the blog - link at blog - check it out!

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late night accordion player, union square subway station, nyc

2011-09-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

TRBS writing aid poster detail

2011-08-23T01:12:00.000-07:00

Art film/indie film/all volunteer films need not play at many theaters, BUT...

2011-08-23T01:04:00.000-07:00

Since art film or indie film or all volunteer & debt free films are primarily works of art (as far as the production process is concerned - produced to satisfy the creative needs of one or more artists, not necessarily to meet a product demand by consumers) they need not be distributed on multiple theaters at the same time, across the country, across the world, etc. Because, as art, one great exhibition may be enough - perhaps a very long run in one movie theater in one city, or perhaps several exhibitions at special film art events such as film festivals. While a multi-theater roll out of the movie may be difficult to pull off for an art filmmaker, it may be easier & possible to play a movie like a theatrical production - like a long run of a play off-off-Broadway. And THEN, if the film is a success in the one location or in a limited number of locations, then perhaps partnerships can be sought for wider theatrical distribution of the movie.

Yes, I know, dreams of indie theatrical are dead for most. But I still like the idea - a movie theater is still the best place to watch movies.

- S

All Volunteer & Debt Free Filmmaking & Distribution may be a good replacement for Independent Film - 13 quick notes about the idea

2011-08-18T23:55:00.000-07:00

It may be possible to do the following or this probably has already been done many times under many names or under no formal name but the practice does not have the name recognition that "Independent Film" has & perhaps we should develop this brand of filmmaking & distribution, raise its profile, for our (filmmakers & audiences who like art/indie/foreign type movies, new voices, unusual & Off-Hollywood movies) own good. Anyway, here goes:

1. Independent Film originally meant independence from Hollywood, big budgets, Hollywood control, movie stars, etc.

2. Independent Film became popular, driven, in part, among filmmakers, by the chance to get famous, make money, get a job in Hollywood.

3. Hollywood assimilated Independent Film, entities such as Warner Independent were born.

4. One of the foundational ideas of Independent Film consisted of being comfortable with the accumulation of debt, or, in a way, borrowing against future, hoped-for earnings or profits.

5. The above mentioned practice left a lot of filmmakers with a lot of debt.

6. 2011 - the middle class of filmmaking - indie/Independent or otherwise - has disappeared. No budget films get made, and large budget (over $100K in cash let's say) films get made & distributed, and of course studio movies get made & distributed.

7. The act of making a movie, and distributing a movie, has a value to the individuals involved, a value that is outside of financial considerations.

8. There are a lot of people, talented & driven people, who are interested in making movies - cast & crew.

9. It is possible to organize a feature film production, of any scale, with the explicit statement that the film is an "all volunteer" project, and perhaps we should also add to it that the project will be a "debt free" project - meaning things such as deferred pay, borrowing against possible future earnings, using credit cards, or any practice that creates debt for the filmmakers or anyone involved with the project will not be used.

10. Once all labor becomes volunteer - for production & distribution, the actual costs of producing the movie - the hard, unavoidable material costs - cameras, food, etc - should be kept to an absolute minimum - under $10K - $50K if possible, maybe even under $1K, & depending on the project, perhaps even at the cost of $0/nothing (donated food, using cameras & other gear already owned, free locations, etc.)

11. Use donations, sites such as Kickstarter or Indie Go Go, & any other available means (that do not produce debt) to raise the money necessary to make the movie.

12. Treat the cast & crew & all involved very well, finish the film, promote it well, & make copies of the movie available to all who worked on it (something i myself have not yet done for some projects, definitely a habit to break). OF COURSE if you make any money/profit from the movie, share it with the volunteers even though you do not have to/everyone knew going in that the project was an All Volunteer project.

13. Get the film out to the world by all available means. Feel free to use volunteers to distribute & promote the film. Repeat All Volunteer Filmmaking with another project, either forever or until you get a LOT of money from some source (maybe a well paid directing gig, a day job gig) so that you can pay all the volunteers well or from time to time, as the available amount of money dictates. Also be on the lookout for ways to get out of the world of All Volunteer filmmaking - perhaps eventually working in Hollywood for a paycheck - if that option becomes available - may be alright for you - look into it. But feel free to use the All Volunteer method when you must make your own movie - an art movie, a personal movie, a kind of movie that used to be known as Independent back in the day.

I think that covers the basics of All Volunteer & Debt Free Filmmaking & Distribution. Go out & make your movie for no money, make it well, create a happy community of volunteers out of each project, & also develop this new strain of indie film/possible replacement for Independent Film as we know it/this new brand, well. I am going to try this approach on my next movie (if I have to, most likely I will) - The Real Ben Stiller.

- Sujewa

P.S. - Special thanks to the idea of using a lot of volunteer labor to complete massive projects - an idea that comes from the ancient human past in many lands, also more recently, to me, from Sri Lanka's Sarvodaya Shramadana movement - they have used the practice well, to help thousands of poor people.

blog for my new movie is up

2011-08-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

check out the blog for my new movie The Real Ben Stiller.

Furniture, summer light, & music

2011-07-24T10:49:00.001-07:00

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copyright 2011 sujewa ekanayake. shot on a cell phone, unedited/one take, while on a break from a day job, on a very hot july 2011 day. the music was just playing on a radio near the window, some other workers who were using the wood work area went on break, left the music on. the light streaming in, the warehouse look, & the music made it a very interesting/cinematic moment.