Studio System News

Top Crowdfunds for Crossover: RocketHub

Diane Panosian — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:46:45 +0000

Thanks to founder Brian Meece, highlighted in SSN's latest Spotlight interview, RocketHub is the place to find socially conscious, science-ingenious projects that just need that extra bump to get off the ground. SSN has combed RocketHub for concepts and talent too captivating to stay online. So take a look and discover that next untapped talent ready to leap off the web and fill your DVR or multiplex screen.

Next Disney Channel Star

At eleven years old, singer Isabela Moner already has experience on Broadway in Evita alongside Ricky Martin and Michael Cerveris. She’s proud of her Peruvian heritage and speaks confidently in Spanish. Her robust voice is sure to stir envy in the likes of Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus. Along with her technical talent, her pure joy coupled with her ease on camera effortlessly shines through making her an easy casting choice for the next Disney Channel series.

Procedural with a Twist

What starts off as a straight-laced Boston cop drama called In Plain Sight, quickly shifts to a smart pitch video involving actors who explain crowdfunding while never breaking character. Creator Joseph Conforti’s pitch perfect writing walks like a cop drama and talks like a campaign video, explaining the series needs for money for equipment like a Red epic camera. One character wryly asks for funding by saying, “We can’t conduct this investigation without you. The major is a cheap SOB and our budget is limited.” With a hot cup of joe in hand, Conforti would be right at home in the writer’s rooms of Castle or Rizzoli & Isles.

Best Filmmaker for a Reality Show

Filmmaker Natasha Vermas isn’t afraid of a little sweat and the star of her film Hardy, female boxer Heather “The Heat” Hardy, isn’t either. Vermas successfully raised over $10,000 for her documentary about the last sport to allow women to participate. She would make an excellent fit for reality programming and would bring a good deal of pathos into a Lifetime type reality show. Crisp music video edits, textured cinematography, and a complex subject combine wonderfully here to achieve an engrossing trailer for a documentary. The trailer for Hardy could run without nearly an edit as a commercial for the next TLC/Oprah reality show about women with gumption.

The Ken Burns of Surfing

Serendipity, an Australian doc with polished, modern graphics and a soundtrack Jack Johnson would love, is the entire package- lush landscapes, rugged Aussie voiceover, an inspiring score, and a true-life story. Filmmaker Simon Lamb has managed to mesh all production aspects seamlessly to form an engrossing trailer not just about a surfer but about how bad luck can lead to a fortuitous discovery and the adventure of a lifetime. RocketHub partner A&E should take note as Simon Lamb has the chops to direct their next documentary with a fresh point of view the 18-34 market can get behind.

Next Eco-Friendly Reality Show

Highlighting RocketHub’s affinity for science and social action, Eco Village Off the Grid Living is a project that could be fashioned into a great reality show combining a sustainable, eco-friendly commune with a steady influx of tourists. This eco village could live off the land residing in cob houses straight out of the Lord of the Rings’ shire. The fact that the plan includes a Bed and Breakfast so outsiders can see how this community lives would provide endless comedy in the form of interactions between the kooky residents and relatable families and couples who come to visit. In addition to a reality show, this quirky concept would be right at home as a mockumentary film or TV project in the vein of Christopher Guest's Best in Show. The eco-centric cause at the base of this concept has vast cross-marketing potential with the numerous brands yearning for an outlet to espouse their latest green efforts.

Notable Past Campaign – The Cat's Meow of Cartoons

Among the internet’s plethora of cat memes, videos, and blogs, the lovely character design of the cat in this short film entitled Final Call elicits more intrigue than most. Unlike other animal animated films that pump up the cuteness factor, this film anthropomorphizes cats, dogs, and tortoises in a dramedy set at the Airport x-ray line. The cadence of the piece is akin to Bob’s Burgers or Wallace & Gromit, which is no surprise as filmmaker Sara Barbas’ credits include the latter. The animatic is pro and shows a range of human emotion eloquently expressed by likable animals. Give Sara a ring if you’re looking for a storyboard artist or character designer in your next animated tale.

These are just some of the socially conscious, inventive concepts found on crowdfunding site RocketHub. With their A&E partnership locked in, expect to see a plethora of content and inventions spring from this ground-breaking site in the future, perhaps promoted along with your favorite episode of Duck Dynasty.

Spotlight Interview: RocketHub Founder Brian Meece

Diane Panosian — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:45:58 +0000

SSN had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Meece, the CEO of crowdfunding site on the rise, RocketHub. Along with Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, RocketHub is at the forefront of this new frontier, enabling creators and filmmakers the world over to finance projects leveraging the ever-expanding online audience. We asked him about why he created this launching pad, his influential work on the JOBS Act, and RocketHub’s new partnership with powerhouse cabler A&E.

Why did you form RocketHub and how has it evolved? My background before RocketHub was in creative media. I went to undergrad for film and have been playing in bands since High School. As a creative, I recognized a pattern that was popping up with many of my colleagues using their communities to fund projects. In the late 1990’s, I heard about Darren Aronofsky using the crowdfunding model to raise $60,000 from his community to make the movie Pi. That blew my mind.

Crowdfunding was already starting to happen in the world of art, but I wanted to bring it into the mainstream and to new verticals. So, in 2009 we launched RocketHub, and in the last 3 years we’ve seen massive growth of the crowdfunding movement. RocketHub is a world leader in the space – and we’re proud of that.

How would you differentiate RocketHub from other crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo? We all do crowdfunding, but RocketHub does it a little bit differently. We’re big on three core values as a company: to liberate ideas, to strengthen communities, and to teach the world about how to use crowdfunding effectively and responsibly.

Unlike some platforms, at RocketHub we don’t curate, we let the crowd choose the projects that they believe are worthwhile. We also teach people how to use the format, which is core to our community building. Much of this educational content lives in our Success School. We’ve lectured all over the world – speaking at places like South by Southwest, Harvard, Columbia, White House roundtables, and we’ve even testified in Congress.

In conjunction with A&E, RocketHub just launched Project Startup. How did this propitious partnership with A&E originate? A&E reached out to us last summer - and right away I enjoyed connecting with their team. A&E’s perspective was all about adding value to the RocketHub community. They did this by addressing the two key needs our project leaders have: the first one being how to raise more money, and the second being how to get the word out for their ideas. These two components are at the core of the A&E partnership. This partnership is historic in scope and elevates the RocketHub platform to a whole new level.

What will Project Startup offer filmmakers and media entrepreneurs? Project Startup takes the stories of our project leaders and dials them into A&E’s wide audience. Our project leader’s now have a chance to be showcased across A&E’s multitude of platforms - over 100 million TV sets, web access, live events, as well as A&E’s magazine. In addition to exposing project leaders to a wide audience, A&E is also giving funds to crowdfunding projects on RocketHub.

Can you tell us about a recent project creator that’s been showcased by Project Startup? We have one group called Big Vision Empty Wallet that’s been showcased on A&E. They’re a group of media professionals that also provide a networking support community for filmmakers, theater groups, and artists. Big Vision Empty Wallet is a wonderful example of new media entrepreneurs that add value to communities, and they have an engaging story behind them. For startups pioneering new ground in content, distribution and core business models, there’s now an opportunity at RocketHub for their venture to get noticed and showcased on A&E.

In terms of success stories, can you talk about a filmmaker who utilized RocketHub to launch their project? We’ve seen director Darko Lungulov use RocketHub to crowdfund his art house release of Here and There; which featured Cyndi Lauper and won at the Tribeca Film Festival. Here and There became a top ten art-house film running in theaters, and he used RocketHub to generate pre-buzz that also got people out to the screenings.

In June 2012, RocketHub’s CFO, Alon Hillel-Tuch (pictured left) testified in Congress supporting the JOBS Act, which enables non-accredited investors to invest in crowdfunding. The act was signed into law last year. How will this effect online film finance? Title 3 of the JOBS Act will enable crowdfunding to become an investment model; this means entrepreneurs will be able to self-publish their own “mini-IPO” for up to a million dollars. Instead of giving out rewards, goods or perks, they will soon be able to give equity in their venture. For media makers that are further along in their careers or for those that have unique business opportunities, investors looking for financial return may choose to take a stake in their business.

In a nutshell, filmmakers will be able to sell equity via crowdfunding and their investors will have a financial upside in the success of the venture. Investors from "main street" will be able to participate as well.

Veronica Mars is just one example of a crowdfunded project from a well-known name. There have been supporters and detractors to name players and celebrities coming into the fold. Where do you fall on this and how has this shift affected crowd-funding and/or RocketHub? Overall, big crowdfunding hits are really exciting... At the end of the day, one core driver of the entertainment industry is fan engagement. If celebrities use crowdfunding to deepen the relationship they have with their fans, I think it’s fantastic. Think of crowdfunding as the new “like” button – only one that is immeasurably more valuable than a “like”, since funding is where the real rubber meets the road.

What does the future hold for crowd-funding in terms of narrative content projects? We’re really still in the early stage of crowdfunding. In the year of 2003 we were talking about social media in its infancy, and speculating on the impact it would have. Now in the year of 2013 we’re talking about social funding in its very early stages. It still has a lot of room to run. We’re going to see the new media landscape crowdfunded, and this model will become the new norm.

Thanks are rightly due to Brian Meece for catapulting the JOBS Act in Congress and giving creators the chance to leverage A&E’s vast network to break through the crowd. After the interview, we filtered through RocketHub’s reserves to find you the Top Crowdfunds for Crossover. From true life stories to procedural dramas with a twist, the talent behind these projects are diamonds in the rough that with a little industry prowess could become your next surefire hit.

TV Castings For 5/22/13: Mia Maestro Set For ‘The Strain’ At FX

Studio System News Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:18:17 +0000

Pilots:

Mia Maestro, Jonathan Hyde,and Richard Sammel have been set as leads in FX’s The Strain from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. The series premise involves a viral outbreak in the United States that causes panic as those who are exposed to it either die or become vampires.

Current Series:

Anderson Cooper will lend his voice to FOX’s The Simpsons later this year. He will play himself three decades into the future. Emma Roberts has joined the cast of FX’s American Horror Story: Coven. Jennifer Westfeldt will appear on HBO’s Girls; her character description has not been disclosed yet. Billy Baldwin is set to guest star in the final two episodes of the upcoming season of BBC America’s Copper.

New Series:

Letoya Luckett, Damien Wayans and Lesley-Ann Brandt have been added as recurring cast members to VH1’s Single Ladies. John Barrowman (Arrow) is set to host alongside judges Deborah Gibson and Darrell Hammond on ABC’s new singing competition show Sing your Face Off. The celebrity contestants will be Sebastian Bach, Lisa Rinna, Jon Lovitz, China Anne McClain and Landry Fields.

Summer’s Biggest Box Office Risks, Lionsgate’s $250M In Cannes Sales, Zack Snyder On ‘Man of Steel’

Karl Gibson — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:15:21 +0000

Summer’s Riskier Bets: What’s On The Line For The Majors

A studio by studio look at their biggest box office gambles for summer. (THR)

Lionsgate Doubles 2012 Cannes Take To The Tune of $250 Million

With a deft hand for launching franchises and its Summit acquisition, Lionsgate stock per share has more than tripled; $250M Cannes haul is for nine films. (VAR)

Zack Snyder On Superman Iconography and ‘Man of Steel’

The NYT’s interview with Snyder on what’s different this time as director of the latest attempt to revive the 75 year old pop-culture bastion. (NYT)

Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn Reteam, ‘Only God Forgives,’ Booed At Cannes

Only God Forgives, now screening at Cannes, takes a mass critical drubbing. (HUFF)

‘The Hangover III’ and ‘Before Midnight’ – A Tale of Two Trilogies

A look at the evolution of the two franchises on the eve of their third acts. (TDB)

HBO Leads Critics’ Choice Nominations

HBO and FX landed the most nominations with HBO garnering 21 nods to FX’s 19 for the June 10 ceremony; full list of nominees included. (VAR)

Deal Buzz: Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts Re-Up With ABC Studios

Berg and Harberts, whose credits include GCB, Pushing Daisies and Off The Map, have signed a new two-year overall deal and will be executive producers of Revenge’s third season. (DH)

Cannes: James Toback Q&A

Toback, long a film business soothsayer, discusses his pairing with Alec Baldwin for their Seduced And Abandoned documentary. (TOH)

Julie Delpy Discusses ‘Before’ Trio

Delpy on the making of the critically acclaimed Before movie series, all co-written by Delpy, Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke. (WSJ)

Rachael Harris Moves Over To ICM

Harris, currently recurring on USA’s Suits as well as landing co-star role in David Spade’s ABC pilot contender Bad Management, has signed with ICM; she was previously with UTA. (DH)

Sony Stock Hits 2-Year High, Kickstarter Spotlight, Cannes Roundup, TV Pilots Report, The Webby Awards

Karl Gibson — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:43:24 +0000

Sony Stock At Two-Year High On Potential Stock Offering

News from Japan that the Sony board is considering a proposal from Daniel Loeb’s Third Point, after purchase of $1.1B stake last week, sends stocks soaring. (DH)

Top Crowdfunds for Crossover: Kickstarter

SSN’s first in a series of top picks from crowd-funding campaigns ripe for traditional media crossover, beginning with Kickstarter . (SSN)

Cannes Roundup: Fourth Edition

SSN’s roundup of the latest announcements from the Cannes Film Festival. (SSN)

TV Pilots For 5/21/13: Amblin Entertainment & Space Floor Enter 'Portal House'

A look at recent television pilots. (SSN)

The Best of the Web in Five Words or Less: 2013 Webby Awards

SSN’s look at the 17th annual Webby Awards, hosted by comedian Patton Oswalt, as the show honors the best of the Web; list of this year’s winners are included. (SSN)

Microsoft Announces ‘Halo’ TV Series

Microsoft revealed the news – and the participation of Steven Spielberg – at today’s Xbox One event. (MASH)

Cannes: ‘Behind The Candelabra’ Q&A With Matt Damon & Steven Soderbergh

Stateside, the anticipated HBO film airs May 26, while it shops international theatrical distribution overseas; Damon and Steven Soderbergh go behind-the- scenes on the making of the film. (VUL)

Monday TV Ratings: ‘The Voice’ Most-Watched As ‘Goodwin Games’ Underwhelms & ‘Oh Sit’ Empties Seats

Dancing With The Stars hit a 9-week peak as ABC won the night in total viewers while NBC topped the 18-49 demo ; Univision beat the CW in 18-49 and beat Fox and CW in total viewers. (VAR)

Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘Travis McGee’ Set For Dennis Lehane Adaptation

Ubiquitous fiction crime novelist and screenwriter Dennis Lehane will adapt the DiCaprio vehicle based on The Deep Blue Good-by John D. MacDonald. (THR)

TV Writers Read Between The Lines

TV writers translate what TV notes say vs. what they really mean. (THR)

Cannes Roundup: Fourth Edition

Studio System News Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:17:18 +0000

Bad weather, a string of robberies and alarming physical attacks all threatened to put a damper on the parties at Cannes. Film Tree execs Graham Begg and Ed Sharp were robbed, Gersh agent Jay Cohen and Waterstone Entertainment’s Stephen Bowen and Jeff Kalligheri were nearly mugged, and the villa of CIT Group managing director Kevin Khanna and Silver Pictures co-president Steve Richards was also robbed. Evidently, robberies at Cannes are nothing new. However, nothing could stop the screenings and deal-making from soldiering on, most notably the great Japanese director Hirozaku Kore-eda discussing his film Like Father, Like Son, while the cinema of the Philippines steps into the spotlight. Let's see what else has been happening at the fest. ATTACHMENTS Spanish director Carlos Saura will direct Argentina, a documentary about tango. Producers behind In a Better World and Girl With Dragon Tattoo team for Viking epic The Long Ships. Oscar-nominated writer Roger L. Simon is set to pen The Future of Now, Primeridian Entertainment's second feature. COMPANY NEWS IM Global and Switzerland’s Impuls Pictures have joined forces on a new output deal. Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Asia (VREG Asia) has teamed with Hong Kong production company Irresistible Films. Rainmark Films Partners and Beta inked a deal made a deal for of Derek B. Miller’s novel Norwegian By Night. SALES Glen Basner’s FilmNation locked down multiple major territory deals on Tarsem Singh’s self/less, starring Ryan Reynolds. It's the first pic to sell out at Cannes this year. The Weinstein Company close to acquiring all U.S. rights to Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 3D adventure The Young and Prodigious Spivet. David Cronenberg’s Maps to the Stars has gotten some major deals for eOne. The Weinstein Company triumphed in the bidding for the Keanu Reeves/Reese Witherspoon romantic sci-fi project Passengers. Junya Sakino's first feature Sake-Bomb has been sold to Third Window Films for U.K. distribution from Pictures Dept. French indie Distrib Films gives Our Children a U.S. release. We Are the Best!, the new film from Swedish director Lukas Moodysson, gains traction at Cannes with Metrodome nabbing U.K. rights. Main Street Films announced that Mike Newell’s Great Expectations with Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes, and the William Forsythe-starring Jack LaMotta biopic The Bronx Bull will be released in the U.S. on October 11, 2013. Indie distributor Swipe Films has acquired Alexandre Castagnetti’s Love Is In The Air. CAA is selling North American rights to Reese Witherspoon-starrer Devil's Knot, and The Weinstein Co. is handling international sales. Universal has acquired rights to Latin America and Spain on the Studiocanal's Shaun the Sheep. Jia Zhang-ke’s bloody fest title Touch of Sin has sold in 10 territories and Kino Lorber takes U.S. REVIEWS Behind the Candleabra is "the most bigscreen-worthy film Steven Soderbergh has made since Che," says Variety. Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty is "densely packed, often astonishing." Variety calls The Last Days on Mars "a first feature of considerable ambition for Irish helmer Ruairi Robinson." Of A Castle In Italy, The Hollywood Reporter writes, "Valeria Bruni Tedeschi's big-screen roman a clef drowns its sincerity in self-consciousness."

TV Pilots For 5/21/13: Amblin Entertainment & Space Floor Enter ‘Portal House’

Studio System News Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:16:29 +0000

Portal House Network: Turner Network Television Production Company: Amblin Television, Space Floor Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner, Josh Applebaum, André Nemec Logline: A group of young scientists stumble upon a portal into the time-space continuum. SSN Insight: Series is one of two shows that Spielberg has in development at TNT. The other is a re-imagining of Peter Gunn, which originally aired in 1958. A Bend In The Road Network: Turner Network Television Studio: Warner Horizon Television’ Production Company: Nicholas Sparks Productions Executive Producers: Nicholas Sparks, Theresa Park, Brandon Camp Logline: A sheriff tries to solve the murder of his wife. SSN Insight: This is the first time that one of Spark’s books is being developed for TV. So far, eight of his books have been turned into features with more in development. Guilt By Association Network: Turner Network Television Executive Producers: Marcia Clark, Dee Johnson Logline: A Deputy District Attorney who works for the Special Trials unit of the D.A.'s office for L.A. County. SSN Insight: Clark is mostly known as the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial. Including the above-listed projects, there are seven scripted and four unscripted shows being developed by TNT. Tribeca (working title) Network: TBS Production Company: Carousel Productions Executive Producers: Steve Carell, Nancy Carell Logline: An eccentric but brilliant group of people who investigate crime and reveal too much personal information about themselves in the process. SSN Insight: Carell’s company has developed a few scripted shows for USA and NBC, but has yet to receive a green light on a TV project. Dad, Stop Embarassing Me Network: TBS Production Company: FoxxKing Entertainment, Marsh McCall Productions Executive Producers: Jamie Foxx, Marsh McCall Logline: Explores the dynamic between a parent and a child and all the embarrassment that comes with it. SSN Insight: Foxx is not only developing this show for TBS, he also has an untitled project at SyFy that will air this season Clipsters Network: TBS Production Company: KoMut Entertainment Executive Producers: Max Mutchnick, David Kohan Logline: An eclectic cast of stylists working in a barbershop in a Boston suburb. SSN Insight: Kohan and Mutchnick are developing this workplace comedy for TBS after their recent show Partners for CBS was cancelled after only six episodes. TBS has recently announced the development of five scripted and two unscripted shows. FX/Untitled Ray William Johnson Project Network: FX Network Production Company: 3 Arts Entertainment Executive Producers: Mike Gagerman, Andrew Waller, Dave Becky, Troy Zien Logline: A comedy inspired by the life of the Internet star. Details: Project is based on Johnson’s YouTube series =3 in which he offers snarky comments on viral videos. He has about 8.7 million subscribers and has had about 2.3 billion views. The Arrangement Network: USA Network Production Company: Universal Cable Productions, Hypnotic Executive Producers: David Bartis, Doug Liman Logline: A Colombian woman who trades her tragic and mysterious past for a fresh start in Miami by entering into a marriage of political expediency with a well-meaning and ambitious politician. Details:Inspired by a short story from the Elmore Leonard anthology When The Women Come Out To Dance. The Edge Network: USA Network Production Company: Universal Cable Productions, Get Lifted Film Co. Executive Producers: Adam Hoff, John Legend, Justin Herber, Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius Logline: An idealistic man leaves an NGO to join the world's top venture capital firm but soon learns the company not as altruistic as it seems. Bank Network: USA Network Production Company: Universal Cable Productions, Hypnotic Executive Producers: David Bartis, Doug Liman, Lilla Zuckerman (co-executive producer), Nora Zuckerman (co-executive producer) Logline: After an unconventional act of heroism gives her the opportunity to choose her next assignment, a young FBI agent surprises everyone by choosing the bank crimes division in Los Angeles. Siberia Network: NBC Entertainment Production Company: Infinity Films, Sierra/Engine Television, Welldone Productions Executive Producers: Michael C. Ohoven, Chris Philip, Slava Jakovleff Logline: 16 contestants descend on Siberia for a reality series. But when their safety is threatened, competing contestants must band together in an effort to survive.

Top Crowdfunds for Crossover: Kickstarter

Diane Panosian — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:48:22 +0000

Veronica Mars and Zach Braff have pushed Kickstarter into the public eye like never before, but there’s more to crowd-funding than celebrity names or launching that next indie film.

Looking for the next great VFX team, animator, production designer, comedian, or cool concept for film or television? Crowd-funding is that untapped resource to find talented creatives thirsting for the right opportunity to break-out. Rummaging through thousands of campaigns can be overwhelming, so SSN has done the heavy-lifting for you and compiled a list of top talent and concepts to leverage in your next project.

This is the first in a series of top picks from crowd-funding campaigns ripe for traditional media crossover from recent and active Kickstarter campaigns. Contact these creatives now and see your next project flourish. And don't forget to donate to your favorites!

Next Tim Burton Meets Pixar Team

Writer/Creator Adam Kline asked for $30,000 and has so far captured $34,850 and change for his children’s book entitled Lucy and the Anvil with expert art by Scottish artist Brian Taylor. The tone of the children’s book conjures Coraline and The Iron Giant with the attitude of Tim Burton and the warmth of a Pixar short. Adam Kline showed Lucy and the Anvil to his lawyer, and although not a sad story, the lawyer had quite the reaction as Adam points out, “I had never made a lawyer cry before.” If a lawyer can have that emotional response, it bodes mighty well for the story’s aptitude for resonating with a large audience. The duo paired up on Brian Taylor's brillant original work, Rustboy, about a “curious little orphan made of metal” and tried to get it made at Sony Animation. Kline has the skilled ability as a writer to walk that line between quirk and mainstream while Taylor is more than ready to launch into the world as an animation director.

Best Judd Apatow Protege

Teenager Spencer Howsen is the writer and director of the short film Synth-City for which he’s raising money and his couth bravado is downright hilarious. Akin to Michael Cera’s confident alter-ego in Youth in Revolt, Howsen exudes an adorable, assured refinement interspaced with words like “boo-yah”. He describes his short saying, “It’s like a mix between Fight Club, The Dark Knight, Dodgeball, and The Departed…with synthesizers.” We watched the promo three times and laughed every time. If you're looking for the next wave of Judd Apatow proteges, start with Spencer Howsen.

Next A&E/History/Discovery Documentary

Films about magicians can sometimes come off as hokey, but the documentary, Our Magic, brings back a feeling of childlike wonderment and promises to show you “how and why magic works”. A whimsical score combined with producers’ expert knowledge, infuse the promo video with passion. Filmmaker Paul Wilson describes the endeavor, “The documentary will introduce you to a real world of wonder, much richer and deeper than you ever suspected. Forget the clichés, we’re going to show you the truth.” Instead of releasing trade secrets from a traitorous magician, it pays respect and tribute to this long-lived craft. If the polish on their promo is any indication of its long form counterpart, this doc would be a well-suited addition to The History Channel.

Best Sci-Fi Concept

On the edge of cool sits Share, a concept ripe for a film or a one hour drama. While it uses SciFi to introduce the concept, the short is really about relationships. Filmmaker Jason Lange pitches a film about the near future in which couples can digitally share a complete memory or life in crystal clarity. The promo video makes you think about how far you would go for true intimacy with your partner. If you were given that choice, would you share? If so, how much would you share and how would that alter your relationship? The concept combines “intimacy and technology” to curious effect. If a studio released it as a feature, the social media campaign would write itself.

Next Nickelodeon/Disney/Cartoon Network Show

A cross between Space Ghost and Pigs in Space, Dogonauts is a 3D stop-motion film pitched with professional concept art. Justin Rasch, an animator on ParaNorman, along with wife and choreographer Shel, completed principal photography and are now raising completion funds. The story revolves around a dog pilot (a Doberman to be exact) who faces off against his mortal enemy the Space Flea on an alien planet in this twist on the galaxy far, far away genre. This is the type of show that has that wacky sense of humor that only kids can understand. We can already see them gleefully begging their parents for action figures.

One to Watch- Animation Director

Asking for $2,750 and receiving $4,205, 12 year old director, stop-motion animator, and Steadicam operator Trinity Anderson deserves an honorable mention as one to watch. Her well-lit studio houses a miniature hill with real grass that is clipped with scissors to maintain continuity. She filmed this short about a male sheep trying and failing to impress a female sheep entitled “Me & Ewe”, similar to the award-winning Chipotle commercial, over the course of a month and then edited the piece herself. If nothing else, Trinity would be an awesome intern at Laika.

These crowd-funding campaigns showcase just some of the talent and concepts waiting to be discovered online and utilized to great effect in film and television properties. The next top five lists in SSN’s crowd-funding series will take a look at projects from IndieGoGo, RocketHub and Slated. Let us know in the comments if you’ve found any other diamonds in the rough for future lists.

The Best of the Web in Five Words or Less: 2013 Webby Awards

Dina Gachman — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:47:45 +0000

Over the past few years, online content has become a treasure trove of undiscovered voices and fresh stories, thanks to creative and captivating new blogs, Twitter feeds and viral videos. But you have to sift through an ever-growing mountain of online content to find the true gems in the online rough. And that's why you need to be paying attention to the Webby Awards. The Webbys find the gems for you!

This week brings the 17^th annual Webby Awards, hosted by comedian Patton Oswalt (one of our Five Actors To Follow On Twitter). The show honors the best of the Web, from comedy to sports to “Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics” to singling out the “Webby Person of the Year” (this year, it’s singer Frank Ocean). NFL player-turned-author Chris Kluwe was named this year's “Webby Athlete of the Year.” Kluwe has a book of humorous essays coming out this summer, and he’s made an outspoken name for himself online.

David-Michel Davies, executive director of The Webby Awards and The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, started making websites in college for extra money. “The first day I saw the Web, it was sort of like a light flickered,” he recalls. “I knew it was going to be a big deal. I learned about interactive content and grew passionate about that.” He credits the release of Adobe’s Flash Player 7 for revolutionizing how people watch videos online. "For regular people it could take ten minutes to download a video, and the Flash 7 made it simpler. Then we started seeing new apps and sites, namely YouTube.”

Obviously today, we simply click “play” and watch an endless stream of videos online, whether they’re professionally written Web series, the latest viral video on Funny Or Die, or a clip of Kanye West ranting about being a celebrity during the upfronts in New York. But for industry insiders, the online world is an excellent resource: If you’re a development exec looking for a new writer or a casting director searching for fresh faces, Davies says, “our gallery of nominees and winners is a great place to start.” Some of the nominees and winners are familiar (Tom Hanks, Lena Dunham and Jerry Seinfeld definitely don’t need to be plucked out of obscurity by a casting director), but check out a nominee like “Man Therapy,” an unexpectedly humorous show in which digital therapist Rich Mahogany coaches people through mental health issues. And the sheer writing in Webby winner “Presidential Clippings” is worth checking out as well.

The Webby Awards are held annually, and great online content goes viral 24/7/365, so you’ll definitely find new talent simply by keeping up with what’s trending online from day to day. A slew of online videos and series are making the leap to film and TV: the Amy Poehler-produced Broad City, the web series Tiny Apartment, which Comedy Central took notice of in 2012, and Issa Rae’s online web series The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl, which caught the attention of Shonda Rhimes and ABC, to name just a few.

It’s also good to check out the nominees and winners for creative, innovative marketing techniques that have worked. Some of the shows, sites and events picked by the judges utilize online marketing in powerful ways, finding groundbreaking new strategies to spread the word about content.

Social media and entertainment are intertwined, so it’s worth checking out the new, Webby-nominated social media platforms like Medium, still in beta. Medium is a space for writers to share content and stories, and it could change the face of online publishing. If you’re looking for top-quality writing, check out "Sex House" by The Onion or "Hashtag Killer" by DDB NY.

Unlike most awards shows, the Webbys announce the winners weeks before the actual event. Davies says, “We used to announce the winners at the show, but that ends with 80% of the people in the room being unhappy at the end, so we changed it to a winners’ celebration, which is more fun and exciting.” The winners all give five-word speeches (that's something other awards shows might want to experiment with!), and we’re looking forward to hearing the acceptance micro-speeches from winners like musician Grimes, Kevin Spacey (he and co-producer Dana Brunetti are being honored with a special achievement award for the Netflix series House of Cards), Ben Stiller and Jerry Seinfeld.

Known both for his acclaimed comedy and his considerable Internet savvy, Oswalt is another reason to check out the show. “We’re always looking for a host who is really funny but who also gets the Internet, and he’s the perfect host for that,” says Davies. “Nobody can out-nerd Patton Oswalt. You’ve got to be a native of the Internet, and he definitely is.”

Check out the 17^th Webby Awards, available on demand on May 22, 2013. For a list of winners, see below.

2013 Webby Award Winners

Webby Special Achievement Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti Webby Person of the Year Frank Ocean Outstanding Comedic Performance Jerry Seinfeld in "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" Webby Breakout of the Year Obama for America 2012 Webby Artist of the Year Grimes Webby Special Achievement "Burning Love" Webby Athlete of the Year Chris Kluwe, punter for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings Webby Lifetime Achievement Steve Wilhite (inventor of the GIF file format) Rainn Wilson's Soulpancake won two People's Voice Awards for Best Variety and Best Variety (Channel) in Online Film & Video category Funny or Die earned two Webby Awards for its videos 'Charlize Theron Gets Hacked' and The Wire: The Musical.' The Onion earned its record 18th and 19th Webbys for Best Humor Website. Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight blog earned its second consecutive Webby Award for the Best Political Blog. The ESPN 30 for 30 Short Film Series, which featured shorts about legends Muhammad Ali, Arnold Palmer and Walt 'Clyde' Frazier, won a Webby Award for Best Documentary Series.

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Karl Gibson — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:34:18 +0000