Meetup is a site and tool that allows you to create a group and organize real life meetups (remember those?). Usually these were location based (like Miami Movie Makers) so if you had a company or movement, you couldn’t really enable independent groups to organize and meet.

Well Meetup just fixed that and launched Meetup Everywhere, which allows anyone to organize a meeting around a company, group, or movement.

You’re probably already one step ahead (and are astute and read the headline). Meetup Everywhere could be a great way to determine where there’s an audience that wants to see your film.

When you list what you’re Meetups are about (your film) you could put something in the description like “Meetups with over 150 interested will get a screening,” or something to that effect.

I’m not sure if this has PayPal integration like the regular Meetup does for member dues, because if so you could self enable smaller groups that you couldn’t fly out to to have their own screening and have them buy tickets online.

There’s Eventful, which seems to do a similar thing. But I feel Meetup is really well established, and has a cleaner and simpler interface.

(I could have sworn there was a film specific site that did the same thing, but can’t find it anywhere. Does anyone remember the name?)

Related posts:

1. Forgetting the Audience (and Sarah Marshall)

I’m at TechCrunch Disrupt right now, watching Charlie Rose asking questions about the future of tech.

I’m here to keep an eye out for new technologies that can be used to produce, market, distribute, and engage audiences for films and filmmakers.

So far SCVNGR has been pretty interesting for engaging people at film festivals and in other ways (they already have a deal to market Inception).

I’ll be posting updates on Twitter, and posts later on.

Related posts:

1. Charlie Rose Interviews/ed at TechCrunch
2. On-Set Adventures For 2007-06-15
3. Flattr Beta Testing

A few weeks ago I wrote about the new site Flattr, which is a new venture to try to monetize blog content. Basically it’s a button like a Digg button, you click on stuff you like and depending on how many things you Flattr, the monthly amount of money that’s in your account is evenly divided among the creators.

The other day I got an invite (sign up for one here) and I’ve been messing around with it. It’s really rough. You have to manually submit every article on Flattr, and then embed the code into your post (there’s WordPress plugins, but I haven’t been able to get them work).

The nice thing – even if you’re a content creator, you have to setup a monthly balance (like 2 euros a month – yes, its’ only in euros right now) and you have to Flattr something before you can start posting.

Like I said, the site is really rough and it’s hard to find things on Flattr. I put a few Flattr buttons on some posts and I already got two Flattrs on the Kickstarter post. Of course you have to be a member of Flattr with an invite in order to Flattr something, so the audience is quite small. But I still think it’s an interesting idea.

Related posts:

1. Kickstarter and Flattr
2. Flickchart Beta Invites

Want to control your digital SLR camera from your iPhone (or Touch)? When I was taking pictures of grilled cheese sandwiches, there was a bit of downtime between the grillin’, so I figured out how to work this totally awesome magic, all for less than $4.

(While writing this and researching links, I realized OnOne has their own dedicated tethered shooting app. However, their app is $20 while the one I describe below is only $4. And before you say there’s a $2 Lite version, you can do so much more with Keymote)

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Digital camera¹
• Laptop or computer (Mac) with USB cable for tethering
• Tethering software for your camera (links and free workarounds for Nikon users below)
• iPhone or iPod Touch
• Keymote iPhone App and their free receiver software installed on your computer

First is to get your camera and laptop setup to shoot tethered. Scott Kelby and Joe McNally have great posts on their personal setups and if you want more details on tethering you should check them out.

However, what they leave out is a free tethering option for us Nikon shooters. Canon users have a free ride with the EOS Capture Utility. The Nikon option is Camera Control Pro 2, but it’s $160.

If you don’t want all the bells and whistles and just want to be able to operate your camera from your computer, there’s Sofortbild, a free Mac tethered shooting app. Actually, it’s quiet amazing for free. You can control all your settings, have images displayed full screen, setup time lapse, and probably do 90% of the things you’d want to do in Camera Control, but for none of the cost.

So you’ve got your free tethering setup, now you need to make the magic happen with your iPhone. Keymote is an app that once linked with your computer it let’s you save sets of keyboard shortcuts to specific groups. There’s a bunch of preset program specific ones you can download, such as Front Row, Hulu, Finder, Final Cut Pro, or, in our case, you can create a new one, such as this:

The iPhone and Mac connect via a wireless network. Don’t worry, you don’t actually need to be in a hot spot. You can just create a network with your Mac and join it through your iPhone.

It’s pretty simple from here. With Sofortbild and Keymote launched and the two paired, just press away and watch everything go to work.

This worked out really well with the food when I had to position something and snap a picture before it all toppled over. Other uses I can think of are working with kids, getting a better connection with subjects and models, and anything else where timing or ruining the moment is at risk by running back behind your camera.

And as I said, Keymote will work with anything that uses keyboard shortcuts. So it’s been really nice to sit back on the couch and watch some cuts in Final Cut, and even be able to mark clips and subclip raw footage.

1. This post is specifically geared toward Nikon and Canon shooters, but as far as I can tell, as long as you can tether your camera (that goes for point and shoot too) and you can control it from your computer via keyboard shortcuts, then this should work. ↩

Related posts:

1. InqScribe – Best Transcribing Software
2. Useful Final Cut Pro Shortcuts
3. Grilled Food Photography

The latest cover of Esquire that’s coming out, featuring Megan Fox, wasn’t shot with a still camera but with the RED ONE, the super inexpensive, super high-def movie camera.

Basically Megan acted for 10 minutes, which they filmed on the RED, and then pulled out the best frames. My first thought was doesn’t that defeat the purpose of capturing a moment and photography, and won’t this lead to lazy photography because basically you’re shooting 24 pictures a second, so you know you’ve got something. Plus, at 24 frames per second that’s over 14,000 photos to edit!

I first read about this on Chase Jarvis’ blog. Then this morning it was on A Photo Editor, so I decided to look more into it and it’s actually way cooler than it originally sounded and has some unique potential. First, the photographer behind the cover is Greg Williams, whom I later remembered did one of my favorite photo series ever in the book Bond On Set, which has great set photography from Casino Royale.

Secondly, this wasn’t just a shoot with the end goal of getting a cover photo. The 10 minutes they shot was on sets with a loose narrative, which they’re editing down to 4 minutes and putting on Esquire’s site next month.

But lastly, which I think is the coolest, is you get these really cool, Harry Potter-esque moving photos, or Motos, as Williams is calling them. While this may be the first cover to be shot on RED, Williams has been playing with this technique since Quantum of Solace.

Here’s Megan Fox’s Esquire Moto from Williams’ site:

Pretty awesome, right? Movie posters, National Geographic, photojournalism – there’s all kinds of applications for this, to have a little expanded slice of life. Now we just need digital paper to slap this stuff anywhere.

Related posts:

1. Seven Photos that Changed Fashion Recreated
2. Cheesy Photos
3. Strobist and World Press Photo – Photography Coffee-Break

Last month at TechCrunch 50 I was introduced to Five Sprockets. Their mission is to bring all the tools you’d need to write and manage a film online and for free. Good idea, yes, but I don’t think the execution is there yet.

The main tools of the beta site are an online script writer (vScripter) and production management application (vProduction Office). Through a production management program one that can break down a script and schedule a production. The industry standard for this is this is the few hundred dollar EP Scheduling.

When I talked to Randy Ullrich, the CEO and founder, he said they’ve been putting most of their effort into vScripter.

That’s nice and all, but why? You’re not going to convert any real screenwriter – they’ve either sided with Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter. Plus Celtx is a good free program.

I gave it a little whirl and it was good for free. It formats the script correctly, which is the main goal, and remembers all the good stuff such as locations and characters for easy typing. But there’s no settings, so I couldn’t change the little things that annoyed me, like customizing how the carriage return and tab affect going from one script element to another.

vProduction Office was also decent. You can only work on a script made in vScripter (though you can import outside scripts). It gives you the basic functions you’d need – breaking down locations, props, production elements – and scheduling them on a calendar. 

It’s no where near as functional as EP Scheduling, with production strips, breakdown sheets, and a variety of printing options. Also, every time you want to assign a crew member or actor to a role, they have to be a Five Sprockets member. I can’t imagine some computer illiterate older actor signing up for another web site for a backyard movie they’re doing for free.

But again, it’s all free. Though I’m not sure who the target market is. A little DIY film isn’t going to break down a script, while a larger production will probably stick with EP.

While vScripter and vProduction Office are the main parts of Five Sprockets, it does have some other cool, unique features.

There’s an idea management database, so you can write down stories, loglines, characters, or dialogue. There isn’t too much structure with this, and you can’t tag each idea or add categories. Personally, I’ve been using Google Notebooks and it’s working pretty well.

There’s also a networking area and job posting board, though there were about 4 jobs listed when I checked. There’s also a filmmaking resource with a glossary and how-to videos.

Randy said his goal was to provide the tools filmmakers need to make better movies. When I first heard this pitch, I asked if it was geared towards the YouTube type filmmaker. It isn’t, he says. He imagines it being used by both small and large productions.

I don’t see a large production using this, and if I had to write a feature screenplay in vScripter I’d probably go vCrazy, as in very crazy.

But I think there’s some good ideas here. They just need to find their niche in the filmmaking world, improve the tools and customize it for the audience that’s using it.

Related posts:

1. Producing Tools
2. Screenwriting – Biblio Film School
3. In Production: Day 1 – Off to a Good Start

Peter Shankman’s “If I Can Help a Reporter Out”

This is a very cool site for both sides of the story – the writer/documentarian and source. There’s two parts to HARO.

The main part is where anyone can sign up for the mailing list. A few times a day you get an email with a list of request for experts or opinions on all sorts of topics (life hacking anyone?). You then reply to the reporter if you fit what they need and boom – a reporter gets a valuble source.

The other side is obviously if you’re writing an article or working on something where you need a quote or source on a topic. Fill out the form and your request will go out in the next email.

I’ve now used this twice, once with poor results and the other with very good.

The first time I asked for life hackers to get back to me if they were in California and wanted to be interviewed. Only one person got back and I did interview her and she was great, but still, only one response. Looking back, it’s probably because no one knows what the hell life hacking is.

The next time the headline was ’4-Hour Workweek Followers,’ based on Tim Ferriss’ bestselling book. I sent that a few days ago. I’m still getting responses.

The request was even forwarded all the way to Tim himself and he actually responded to my emails and called me. Yeah, you know I saved that message. We’re now set up for an interview this Thursday.

So some tips I’ve discovered to get maximum responses:

• Use the most well known description of what you’re looking for, even if that’s something very specific. Better to filter out responses than get none.
• There’s a spot if your request is location specific. No one reads that. If it really is loc specific, restate that in the description.
• If you have a site, put it in the description. This is something I wish I did. Even if they don’t respond, it’ll still generate some traffic and awareness.

Related posts:

1. Meetup Everywhere – Organize an Audience for Your Film
2. I Claim Life Hacking Documentary
3. How Obama Got Me Fired

With graduation looming closer and more people asking me what I want to do, I need to come up with a more concrete answer. Director or produce? Fiction or documentary?

With the way the summer’s been going, I’m leaning towards producing. As for fiction and documentary, I feel a certain loyalty towards fiction. It was the classics, such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Pulp Fiction, that got me into filmmaking, not Bowling for Columbine or Super Size Me.

I thought what better way to figure out what I want to make than to analyze what I watch. So I turned to my DVR, to see what programs I enjoy so much I can’t stand to miss an episode.

I went through my series recording list and wrote down all 42 shows. I put them in a Google Spreadsheet, along with their genre and subject matter, trying to keep the categories to as few as possible.

First, genre. Here’s a pie chart that gives a general idea of the types of shows I watch.

A lot of these could basically be grouped into two broader categories: fiction and non-fiction (documentary). Here it is:

This blew me away. I knew I liked reality shows, but to see it so visually really put a lot of doubts to rest.

As for subject matter, this wasn’t as mind blowing nor as important. I feel like subjects could change project to project.

But just to see out of curiosity, here’s the chart:

About half the shows I watch have to do with photography and modeling, design, or science. Not much of a surprise with the photography or design.

In the end, this little exploration into the box below my TV has helped me focus what I want to do, and therefore make concrete goals.

I want to executive produce a docu-reality series.

If you were curious, here’s my list of (semi-embarrassing) shows I can’t miss:

Related posts:

1. So, What Do You Want to Do?
2. The Blacklist Now Playing
3. From Presentation Zen to Filmmaking Zen

It’s back to producing mode, so here’s one of my favorite and least expensive tools: the Ikea Big Blue Bag.

About a year or so ago, Ikea started charging five cents for plastic bags. So I picked up three of these for 59 cents each (and snuck one of the yellow shopping bags in there, too). They’re amazing.

They’re large and durable, but can crumble up really small so I can stash them in my car. With producing, the main thing to schlep is craft services. I take these bags to Publix and Costco to pack all the groceries, where I usually get curious stares and, “What’s Ikea?”

Not only does it save on plastic bag waste, but it saves on trips to the car since I can easily grab two of these bags and be done with transporting.

They’re also great for production design and anything else where you might need a large, durable bag to hold stuff. Unfortunately, Ikea doesn’t even have them listed on their website, but of course you can pick some up on eBay.

Top photo by deeb’d

Related posts:

1. Blue Screen – Set Anatomy
2. Craft Services – The Morale Booster
3. Producing a Happy Crew

Though this pertains more to photography (though adaptable for DV), I’ve had some great experiences with the Lowepro CompuDaypack that I took with me to Europe. This bag is designed to hold both a laptop and camera, and it saved my equipment in more than one way.

First, there’s the obvious padded protection that any decent photo bag offers. The bottom section is your typical, top loading compartmentalized camera section, with enough room for my Nikon D80, Yashica 12 TLR, and some charging accessories. The upper part has a bunch of pockets, two water tight pouches for memory cards, and enough room for a book and some souvenirs. Running the height of the bag is a fully padded laptop compartment and pocket to store papers and magazines.

My other photo backpack, a more dated version of the Lowepro Rover, seems to be more roomier and a bit more padded, but the CompuDaypack held everything just fine. I’d consider the Daypack more urban while the Rover, with a waist strap and ties, is better for the outdoors and hiking.

In Europe, it rained just about everyday, sometimes leaving us soaked. This is another way the bag saved the equipment. While at the end of the day my friend and I were drenched, the protective material of the bag kept everything dry and safe.

Finally, in Prague, we parked the car down a side street many blocks away from our hostel. It was too far a walk to carry my large suitcase, but I easily took my backpack with me. That night, our car was broken into and my bag and my friend’s bags, which contained his laptop and backup hard drive, were stolen. Fortunately, my most valuable possessions (including Harry Potter 7) were with me because of this bag (finding replacements for my prescription medicine in Vienna is another story).

While it’s designed for photo equipment, I’m sure if all the dividing padding is removed you could fit a DVX100 or GL2 in the bottom, with a MacBook Pro in the back for a completely mobile workstation.

Best of all, the bag is only $50 at Amazon. Small price for some excellent security and mobility.

Related posts:

1. Out of Country
2. A Truck Full of Equipment
3. The Little Differences