THE QUANTUM STORM .357 E-MAGAZINE ISSUE 15 IS RELEASED!

 

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TEXAS VETERANS ARE STEPPING UP FOR THIS YEARS CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS HOLIDAYS! THIS ISSUE PRESENTS SOME OF THE BEST HOLIDAY EVENTS AND CHRISTMAS SHOWS IN THE TEXAS LANDSCAPE; STRETCHING FROM SAN SABA TO HOUSTON. BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT THE NEW LIST OF INDIE FILMS TO WATCH IN 2023!

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WHAT DOES "OFFICIAL SELECTION" ACTUALLY MEAN IN FILM FESTIVALS?

 Yeah, it's that time of year again when Indie film teams across the country start submitting their projects into film festivals across the internet. Many of those teams are filled with the overwhelming urge to get an awards laurel stamped on their indie movie poster as "evidence" that something they filmed was produced with "professional prowess." Chins are often held higher with every new laurel that is set on their poster, like an award pendant that is proudly pinned on the chest of a soldier in front of his unit, because he was the guy who went out of his way to do the job, who did his job without complaint and left his family for months while he was on deployment. But is simply receiving a laurel for an "official selection" really something to brag about? Do these awards actually help an indie film reach the next level of success?...No, not really.

Seriously, getting selected just means that someone paid for the admission fee and the check cleared, the indie film submitted by a team hasn't been reviewed at any point of the acceptance procedure. It's not like there's a group of judges that watches each submission and says, "Oh yeah, this one HAS to be in our festival!" - But I am sure that there are films on the submission line that ARE expected to raise eyebrows if the right name is listed in the credits. For now, for anyone to brag about their film "being selected" for this or that festival is like someone getting an award laurel for filling out an application for a 5K run that won't start for another month. Remember, "selection" films are not reviewed for required film format, legal paperwork, legitimate film making experience...nothing. As a matter of fact, a large quantity of films aren’t even previewed by judges.

Furthermore, members who pay for their film being submitted to a festival, must also pay extra fees for "nominations" in their own application. That's right, studio teams have to pay cash and submit for their own nominations! Positions that are paid for consist of various genres film categories for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Producer, Best Director, etc, etc, etc. And again, judges for these festivals don't recognize "instant performances" in every indie film that was entered or selected and giving them awards for their performances. Plus there's no reassurance that all of the films submitted into a film festival are even previewed by final judges at all. I've known all about these "festival follies" for many years; and a solid reason why I never entered into film festivals since I began working on my own indie film productions.

Super-duper amateur film makers tend to jump on the "excitement band wagon" and have a proven record of thriving on their initial success of simply being entered in a film festival. These idiots often release trailers on YouTube [which is a big no-no during the submission process] and try to prove that viewers numbers prove that the film has a large sized group of fans [apparently outside of the film teams line of family and friends] who are interested in seeing the big movie they just finished putting together. 

 

Film teams who boast of having an "editor from LA" ready to take over the projects post production, claim to have one just in case their initial submission turns out to be a bust; I'm not sure why a film team wouldn't have such phenomenal access to an established post-editing credential and not use that person on all of their film projects? - Seems a little odd, wouldn't one think? Oh my oh my, the cracks that slowly but surely begin to form when the truth about someones low-life integrity about knowing absolutely nothing of the film industry begins to show.

It's a known fact that meta-data has proven the members of how an indie film team love to watch their own films over-and-over again, trying to help build the numbers of the viewing counter on their YouTube account. These issues were investigated on in the Quantum Storm .357 E-Magazine [QSE .357] Issue 5, a few issues back, where we proved in a studio video investigation on how to check someones meta-data on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and any other online platform, to see what the real outside viewers numbers were to a film teams "successful" trailer or full feature film. When internal numbers are removed from the equation of viewers, industry professionals will know what the real numbers of views are; and trust me, they do look at all of the meta-data they can on any project submitted to them.

What I honestly like to see are the amateur first time leading indie actors who also enjoy the ride of tasting success through the fruits of their limited experienced performances; most of whom have never really worked on a real production or were never educated on set through experienced directors or assistant directors. Most of these people will never see the light of day as a lead or supporting role on a film project that is a step up from the film they just finished. Most are complete no-bodies who are given roles and promises of "riches to come" when they "ring that bell" of success. And unfortunately, where there is one; there is also a slew of other cast and crew members who are on that ride of just hoping that the film was "selected" by the film festival in question.

I like watching indie movie trailers. Seriously, I enjoying watching them as much as I liked being a child and walking though the toy aisle of a grocery story, looking at all of those hollow plastic cars and airplanes, saying to myself then, "Why would anyone want to buy that crap?" - Amateur indie film trailers are the same. They often boast of "film producers" you've never known [or truly want to know], credits are displayed on top of actors performing their parts, the sound is bad, the nauseating music selection is as horrific and reoccurring as the swishing sound of the ocean being replayed over and over and over. Plus I like the fact that right away, even an unbiased outsider will tell you that someone in that film production never made a film trailer in their life...but it looked like certain people in their group HAD to be presented in it; you know, people that you've never seen before in any film what-so-ever, except in their own film community.

Most normal people [like me] can see it now...a group of amateur indie film makers huddled around in prayer, waiting for that one film festival to accept their film after the entry fee was paid...waiting for the approval email that their film is IN; with some director or indie "film producer" whose already prepared a laurel to post on his or her Facebook page, just waiting for the moment that he can hit the post key. Once the news gets out, the laurel is passed out to their small team of actors an the hype begins. There's no reality but the fact that an entrance fee was paid and now the next big step in the festival process is about to begin, but this time, the next round will prove who is truly the experienced film maker from the people who just put something together with camera and no real idea of how to use them.

And even IF the film wins an award or two, what is the next step for the amateur film makers? Do they post another link on their Facebook page to show the film to the outside "millions of local fans" who are dying to see their film? Has their number one "film producer" ensured that he's paid the yearly subscription to his website to post the film and bring in that lucrative meta-data to provide to future distributors the large numbers of future fans who are wanting to see the film in question? - Something that we introduced on the QSE .357 [Issue 4] is that amateur indie film producers and directors who have no knowledge of what meta-data is or where to get it and are just people who are winging their indie film productions along. But you can bet your ass that after seeing this blog, they'll google it and be the "purveyors of knowledge" the next time you ask them, because they'll have read this blog entry too.

Current Meta Data for QSE .357 E-Mag

The truth of the matter is, if you don't have any experience in promotions, advertising, or proven connections within the indie film circuit, your film will die a sure death of never being seen by anyone that actually matters in the film industry...but hey, there's always another BIG new indie film to make...or perhaps you can be bold enough to pull a "Nanae Volle" and create your own Inde movie award festival and sweep the BIG awards with your super amateur, peace of shit film!

 

Nuff said.

Editorial by D. R. Quintana-Lujan
Editor in Chief

 

 

YOUR DIRECTOR IS CLAIMING A "NETFLIX" DEAL ON THIS NEW PROJECT...???...

Houston, Texas - We've been approached on more than one occasion about what the rules are concerning Independent Film projects who are claiming they have a contract deal with Netflix, Amazon, or a distribution compan far away agreeing to help stream this new project or put it out in store on DVD/BlueRays, so they can receive big checks from investors and the like, bringing the project to the next level of success. A lot of new actors and some talented veteran thespians are often dragged into these projects, that sometimes work on scenes for six months to a year, but eventually die out after some investor backed out or the director and his production crew were unable to make a trip to "LA" [Los Angeles] to meet with the right people.

A large majority of these new Indie films start off with a bright burn of fast cash that all seems legit. A smaller percentage manage to contact some big name in Hollywood; usually an actor from the 80's or 90's that's still trying to make payments on his/her new home or a new car. With all of the cash flying around, the local Indie actor sees very little and extras on the set are just an after thought to brag about it on their resumes or IMDB page. But was all the effort worth the trouble?...Many male directors look at casting strong local talent as an open door policy to attracting "hot babe" actresses who just want to stand in the limelight and garner local attention, which can be plenty of pay enough to sate their thirst for being the "big name" in town. Besides, just knowing that the Netflix or Amazon deal is on the wings now, is just a bonus - "Everyone in the world will get to see my work in front of the camera!"

Well boys and girls, I really hate to break it to you on this blog, but NONE of the streaming services like Netflix, VUDU, HULU, Amazon.com or distribution companies work this way; and for sure, investors don't sign paychecks to anyone in the payroll for projects they helped fund. Although investors maintain ownership of a project until they're paid back in full with the percentage of interest promised in a contract, the production team has to maintain the projects budget through a project manager who ensures the entire project's budget is maintained and every cent accounted for and that it is NOT being used for personal again. They also ensure that the project has insurance to cover any loss in the production. Most veteran thespians should already know all of this, but sometimes their minds lax a bit and they slip through and they wind up grabbing a hold of hope.

Hope won't save anyone's ass should the project fail to produce a promised project and funds are misused and not reported to the investor(s). Case in point is an Indie project called "LEGENDS" out of Los Angeles, where Adam Joiner was able to acquire a little of $14Million in investments from South Korea and China with a brilliant script, through a studio company he called Dark Planet Pictures. The entire thing was sham and Joiner was living the high life until he was arrested by the feds; buying two homes and a beach house in Manhattan with the big money. There are accusations that he swindled more people in the U.S. with this project that had a long list of talent that was going to take part as the production team and cast. You can read more about this true story here. And you have to remember, this guy had previous film credentials and, at one time, was even a winner of an Oscar.

Here in Texas, the claims that an Indie film project is being "seen" by Netflix have been brought more times that anyone can count. In Houston alone, it's part of the status-quo; some projects brought up on prior blogs that wound up being bad productions that eventually were only released on the Internet, having some "small change" views on YouTube.com and they turned out to be webisodes of bad formatted shows filled with acting performances you'll wish you never spent time viewing. We posted warnings about film directors claiming "Netflix status" on more than one occasion, but it seems that either the word just isn't getting out or people would rather ride the wave of sex, film and fun until the magic dries up. Some those choices made by first time actors/actresses prove to be a huge burden and many are never seen again in the Indie film making world.

How do you protect yourself?...well, the first thing to do is to do research on the film's director and crew that you've chosen to work with. What previous works have they submitted to Netflix, Amazon, etc. If they have no previous experience, do your best to ask the right questions; "How did Netflix find out about you and contact you?" - "Can I see some of your previous works?" - "Who's going to be the production manager?" - "Is there a budget?" - "Are there camera requirements for the submission?" - If you get crummy answers [or non-answers] to any of these legitimate questions from the director, then you should have a good sense to know that you could be wasting your time on this film project.

Every streaming network has a format that is required prior to accepting any film project that is submitted; especially the type of camera and data sizes for streaming purposes. There truly isn't a point of contact with the streaming service and they never call anyone about the progress of the film as they only accept completed film projects that have all of the proof as required on their home pages; anyone can look this up. The information posted under their submission procedures doesn't change just because you're a director or producer.

And take warning, if you're in an Indie project that has an actual budget that has money being spent everywhere, be sure that the director isn't also the editor, leading actor, and project manager in the project. If any these things are currently occurring in the film project your in, it's time for you to take any losses you may have incurred and step away.