Genre: Thriller
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Elias Koteas
Directed by: Olatunde Osunsanmi
In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document ... until now.
Structured unlike any film before it, The Fourth Kind is a provocative thriller set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where—mysteriously since the 1960s—a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered.
Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.
Using never-before-seen archival footage that is integrated into the film, The Fourth Kind exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.
Friday, August 7, 2009
CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT
CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT will be released by Universal Pictures on Friday, October 23, 2009.
MOVIETICKETS.COM AND ROGUE UNVEIL THEIR LARGEST PRIZE GIVEAWAY EVER
$100,000 or a trip to Hawaii for the next 10 years
Moviegoers Who Purchase Tickets for “A Perfect Getaway” Exclusively at MovieTickets.com Aug. 5-9 Will Have the Chance to Win an Annual Trip to Hawaii for 10 Years or $100,000
LOS ANGELES – MovieTickets.com announced it has partnered with ROGUE for an exclusive prize package tied to the suspense thriller “A Perfect Getaway,” in theaters Friday. Moviegoers who purchase tickets for the film at MovieTickets.com August 5-9 will be entered for a chance to win their choice of either an annual vacation for four to Hawaii for 10 years, or $100,000. The extensive vacation package includes round-trip airfare from the continental United States, accommodations in a four star hotel and a rental car.
“We’re thrilled to partner with ROGUE to provide our consumers the opportunity to win a prize of this enormity that can be enjoyed for years to come,” said Walt Borchers, senior vice president of sales and marketing, MovieTickets.com. “We hope this sweepstakes engages movie enthusiasts online and continues to position MovieTickets.com as not only the destination for advance ticket sales but also exclusive movie sweepstakes.”
"What we love about the ROGUE audience is that they are actively engaged in our brand, and have a stake in the direction of the company," said Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity Media LLC, which owns ROGUE. "This partnership with MovieTickets.com is an exciting example of how we will continue to reward audience participation, which we deeply value. At its core ROGUE is built by and for the audience, and we will always look for ways to encourage and build their participation.”
“A Perfect Getaway” stars Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich as Cliff and Cydney, an adventurous young couple celebrating their honeymoon by backpacking to one of the most beautiful, and remote, beaches in Hawaii. When the pair comes across a group of frightened hikers discussing the horrifying murder of another newlywed couple on the islands, they begin to question whether they should turn back. Unsure whether to stay or flee, Cliff and Cydney join up with two other couples, and things begin to go terrifyingly wrong. Far from civilization or rescue, everyone begins to look like a threat and nobody knows whom to trust. Paradise becomes hell on earth as a brutal battle for survival begins…
The sweepstakes at MovieTickets.com begins at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, August 5, 2009, and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9, 2009. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of Continental U.S., 18 and older. Please visit MovieTickets.com for complete rules and details.
Moviegoers Who Purchase Tickets for “A Perfect Getaway” Exclusively at MovieTickets.com Aug. 5-9 Will Have the Chance to Win an Annual Trip to Hawaii for 10 Years or $100,000
LOS ANGELES – MovieTickets.com announced it has partnered with ROGUE for an exclusive prize package tied to the suspense thriller “A Perfect Getaway,” in theaters Friday. Moviegoers who purchase tickets for the film at MovieTickets.com August 5-9 will be entered for a chance to win their choice of either an annual vacation for four to Hawaii for 10 years, or $100,000. The extensive vacation package includes round-trip airfare from the continental United States, accommodations in a four star hotel and a rental car.
“We’re thrilled to partner with ROGUE to provide our consumers the opportunity to win a prize of this enormity that can be enjoyed for years to come,” said Walt Borchers, senior vice president of sales and marketing, MovieTickets.com. “We hope this sweepstakes engages movie enthusiasts online and continues to position MovieTickets.com as not only the destination for advance ticket sales but also exclusive movie sweepstakes.”
"What we love about the ROGUE audience is that they are actively engaged in our brand, and have a stake in the direction of the company," said Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity Media LLC, which owns ROGUE. "This partnership with MovieTickets.com is an exciting example of how we will continue to reward audience participation, which we deeply value. At its core ROGUE is built by and for the audience, and we will always look for ways to encourage and build their participation.”
“A Perfect Getaway” stars Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich as Cliff and Cydney, an adventurous young couple celebrating their honeymoon by backpacking to one of the most beautiful, and remote, beaches in Hawaii. When the pair comes across a group of frightened hikers discussing the horrifying murder of another newlywed couple on the islands, they begin to question whether they should turn back. Unsure whether to stay or flee, Cliff and Cydney join up with two other couples, and things begin to go terrifyingly wrong. Far from civilization or rescue, everyone begins to look like a threat and nobody knows whom to trust. Paradise becomes hell on earth as a brutal battle for survival begins…
The sweepstakes at MovieTickets.com begins at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, August 5, 2009, and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9, 2009. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of Continental U.S., 18 and older. Please visit MovieTickets.com for complete rules and details.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Red Carpets Roll Out in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, FL—KillaCozzy Productions announces that the world premiere of the feature film "Chiaroscuro, Baby" will be held at the Florida Theatre on November 4th, 2009.
The red carpet premiere will be black tie required and is expected to be one of the biggest film events in the city’s history. Tickets officially go on sale August 7th at the Florida Theatre box office as well as through Ticketmaster.
Christopher Bolla, Christianna L. White, and Milan Alley star in the film, produced entirely in Jacksonville under the working title, "Self-Portrait". The story follows an aspiring painter who compromises his ambition for his seductive girlfriend, only to be torn when his empowering new muse reignites his passion.
The picture takes cues from the classic and underground cinema of the 1960s, with inspired vintage costumes and makeup, not to mention an aged black & white design to the finished product. A retro soundtrack composed by local rocker Joe Parker and his band, Celestials, also stands out.
See the teaser trailer for "Chiaroscuro, Baby" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynpT3X0HwfM, and visit killacozzy.com for more about the film and its grand premiere.
The red carpet premiere will be black tie required and is expected to be one of the biggest film events in the city’s history. Tickets officially go on sale August 7th at the Florida Theatre box office as well as through Ticketmaster.
Christopher Bolla, Christianna L. White, and Milan Alley star in the film, produced entirely in Jacksonville under the working title, "Self-Portrait". The story follows an aspiring painter who compromises his ambition for his seductive girlfriend, only to be torn when his empowering new muse reignites his passion.
The picture takes cues from the classic and underground cinema of the 1960s, with inspired vintage costumes and makeup, not to mention an aged black & white design to the finished product. A retro soundtrack composed by local rocker Joe Parker and his band, Celestials, also stands out.
See the teaser trailer for "Chiaroscuro, Baby" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynpT3X0HwfM, and visit killacozzy.com for more about the film and its grand premiere.
FIRST LOOK: Alice In Wonderland
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (In Disney Digital 3D™)
WALT DISNEY PICTURES
Release Date: March 5, 2010
Watch the first teaser trailer now:
Directed by Tim Burton with an all star cast including Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Crispin Glover.
From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER.
Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll’s beloved “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass” (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history, ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010.
Director Tim Burton and actor Johnny Depp reunite for this new adventure. The pair first worked on the 1990 hit “Edward Scissorhands,” and quickly became close friends. Together they continue to create extraordinary and unusual films including “Ed Wood,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Corpse Bride” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
Coming to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010, ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an epic 3D fantasy adventure starring JOHNNY DEPP as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter.
REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA COMIC-CON MIDNIGHT MADNESS ENSUES
MORE SPECIAL GUESTS ANNOUNCED! ALEXA VEGA, BILL MOSELEY, TERRANCE ZDUNICH, DARREN BOUSMAN & MORE...
REPO! The Genetic Opera will once again take on San Diego Comic-Con. This time the film is traveling to the comic Mecca packing an army of fans, and a year of cult creation as the newest member of midnight cinema madness. This special midnight show will be chock full of what the nation is experiencing; Shadow Cast Performances, audiences adorned in REPO! regalia, attendee sing-a-longs and screen screaming audience participation. This Midnight show features guest appearances by Director Darren Bousman, Co-creators and cast members Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith, cast members Alexa Vega and Bill Moseley, Music Producer Joe Bishara, scene journalist and creator, of Repo! The Genetic Opera, Spooky Dan, and more. Repo! The Genetic Opera screens Saturday, July 25th at 11:59 PM at the Gas-lamp Stadium located at 701 Fifth Avenue:
http://www.fandango.com/gaslampstadium_aaeet/theaterpage?date=7/25/2009
REPO! continues to book theatres coast to coast from Arlington, VA to Albuquerque, NM. Local theatres are making REPO! The Genetic Opera a permanent part of their late night calendars. Why watch REPO! at home alone when you can be a part of an event and a community?
REPO! The Genetic Opera is in stores and available on DVD and Blu-Ray NOW.
REPO! The Genetic Opera: In the no-so-distant future, a worldwide epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GENECO, a biotech company that offers organ transplants...for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by THE REPO MAN. By fusing ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and BLADE RUNNER, this futuristic tale of horror modernizes the "rock opera" genre with original music and rich, dark production design.
This rock opera boasts an entirely original soundtrack that blends equal parts goth and punk rock to form an eerie and powerful musical narrative and features vocal performances by an amazing cast; Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Sarah Brightman, Anthony Stewart Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Ohgr and more. Instrumentals and score provided by an all-star lineup that features performances from Joan Jett( who cameos in the film), Richard Patrick (Filter), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Clown (Slipknot), Ray Luzier (Army of Anyone), Brian Young (David Lee Roth's band), Sonny Moore (From First to Last), Richard Fortus (Guns & Roses), David J (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets), Daniel Ash (Love & Rockets), Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne), Tommy Clefetus (Rob Zombie's band), Melora Creager (Rasputina). Also lending her voice to the soundtrack is the edgy pop star Poe.
For behind the scenes footage and more visit the film's main page www.repo-opera.com.
REPO! The Genetic Opera will once again take on San Diego Comic-Con. This time the film is traveling to the comic Mecca packing an army of fans, and a year of cult creation as the newest member of midnight cinema madness. This special midnight show will be chock full of what the nation is experiencing; Shadow Cast Performances, audiences adorned in REPO! regalia, attendee sing-a-longs and screen screaming audience participation. This Midnight show features guest appearances by Director Darren Bousman, Co-creators and cast members Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith, cast members Alexa Vega and Bill Moseley, Music Producer Joe Bishara, scene journalist and creator, of Repo! The Genetic Opera, Spooky Dan, and more. Repo! The Genetic Opera screens Saturday, July 25th at 11:59 PM at the Gas-lamp Stadium located at 701 Fifth Avenue:
http://www.fandango.com/gaslampstadium_aaeet/theaterpage?date=7/25/2009
REPO! continues to book theatres coast to coast from Arlington, VA to Albuquerque, NM. Local theatres are making REPO! The Genetic Opera a permanent part of their late night calendars. Why watch REPO! at home alone when you can be a part of an event and a community?
REPO! The Genetic Opera is in stores and available on DVD and Blu-Ray NOW.
REPO! The Genetic Opera: In the no-so-distant future, a worldwide epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GENECO, a biotech company that offers organ transplants...for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by THE REPO MAN. By fusing ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and BLADE RUNNER, this futuristic tale of horror modernizes the "rock opera" genre with original music and rich, dark production design.
This rock opera boasts an entirely original soundtrack that blends equal parts goth and punk rock to form an eerie and powerful musical narrative and features vocal performances by an amazing cast; Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Sarah Brightman, Anthony Stewart Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Ohgr and more. Instrumentals and score provided by an all-star lineup that features performances from Joan Jett( who cameos in the film), Richard Patrick (Filter), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Clown (Slipknot), Ray Luzier (Army of Anyone), Brian Young (David Lee Roth's band), Sonny Moore (From First to Last), Richard Fortus (Guns & Roses), David J (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets), Daniel Ash (Love & Rockets), Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne), Tommy Clefetus (Rob Zombie's band), Melora Creager (Rasputina). Also lending her voice to the soundtrack is the edgy pop star Poe.
For behind the scenes footage and more visit the film's main page www.repo-opera.com.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Michael Moore Unveils Title for New Film
Oscar®-winning filmmaker’s October 2nd Release a “Love Story” About Capitalism
Capitalism: A Love Story is the newly unveiled title of Oscar®-winner Michael Moore’s latest documentary feature. Overture Films will release the film domestically on October 2, 2009, and Paramount Vantage will handle international distribution. As previously announced, Moore will return to the issue that began his career: the disastrous impact that corporate dominance and out-of-control profit motives have on the lives of Americans and citizens of the world.
On why he chose to make a ‘love story,’ Moore stated that it was time for him to make a ‘relationship movie.’ "It will be the perfect date movie," said Moore. "It's got it all -- lust, passion, romance, and 14,000 jobs being eliminated every day. It's a forbidden love, one that dare not speak its name. Heck, let’s just say it: It’s Capitalism.”
Capitalism: A Love Story is the newly unveiled title of Oscar®-winner Michael Moore’s latest documentary feature. Overture Films will release the film domestically on October 2, 2009, and Paramount Vantage will handle international distribution. As previously announced, Moore will return to the issue that began his career: the disastrous impact that corporate dominance and out-of-control profit motives have on the lives of Americans and citizens of the world.
On why he chose to make a ‘love story,’ Moore stated that it was time for him to make a ‘relationship movie.’ "It will be the perfect date movie," said Moore. "It's got it all -- lust, passion, romance, and 14,000 jobs being eliminated every day. It's a forbidden love, one that dare not speak its name. Heck, let’s just say it: It’s Capitalism.”
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
HURLEY AND WARNER BROS. RECORDS SET TO RELEASE THE DRIFTER
HURLEY AND WARNER BROS. RECORDS SET TO RELEASE THE DRIFTER — A FILM DOCUMENTING ROB MACHADO'S TIME SPENT SOUL-SEARCHING IN INDONESIA — TO BE RELEASED THIS FALL
Authentic youth lifestyle brand Hurley and Warner Bros. Records will release The Drifter, iconic surfer Rob Machado's much-anticipated autobiographical movie, this fall. The film will have limited theatrical screenings across the country and will also be released on DVD. Directed by Poor Specimen's Taylor Steele this is a personal journey as much as it is a showcase of some of the world's most flawless waves.
The Drifter starts in Bali, where Machado is looking for life's deeper meaning. That surf trip ends up taking him on a soul-searching journey where he eventually finds himself in Indonesia's outermost reaches with nothing but a surfboard, his journal and a tent. Machado's conclusion after scoring more perfect waves than any surfer could ever wish for? There's always a new dream to chase.
Machado has been chasing dreams ever since he set foot on a surfboard in 1985. From his years as a top amateur surfer to his world runner-up finish in 1995 to his Pipe Masters victory in 2000, Rob has always accomplished what he's set out to achieve. The Drifter is a culmination of the second phase of his career, where he's blazed a path and sealed his legacy as not only one of the world's most stylish surfing ambassadors, but a true humanitarian. This is evident in the film itself, where he helps fund and construct a well for a remote village in Sumba — part of his Hurley H20 campaign.
Much of the dialogue in The Drifter is taken from Rob's own personal journals. According to respected surf journalist Nathan Myers, who co-wrote the movie, there is nothing embellished in Rob's candid, heart-felt passages. It is these passages, in fact, that drive the movie, from Rob's epiphany in Bali, to his ill-fated motorcycle purchase, to his decision to delay his return to California, blindly pick a new island on the map, and just go.
The result is a tender, honest film that will enlighten as much as it will inspire. As Machado says, "Not all who wander are lost."
Authentic youth lifestyle brand Hurley and Warner Bros. Records will release The Drifter, iconic surfer Rob Machado's much-anticipated autobiographical movie, this fall. The film will have limited theatrical screenings across the country and will also be released on DVD. Directed by Poor Specimen's Taylor Steele this is a personal journey as much as it is a showcase of some of the world's most flawless waves.
The Drifter starts in Bali, where Machado is looking for life's deeper meaning. That surf trip ends up taking him on a soul-searching journey where he eventually finds himself in Indonesia's outermost reaches with nothing but a surfboard, his journal and a tent. Machado's conclusion after scoring more perfect waves than any surfer could ever wish for? There's always a new dream to chase.
Machado has been chasing dreams ever since he set foot on a surfboard in 1985. From his years as a top amateur surfer to his world runner-up finish in 1995 to his Pipe Masters victory in 2000, Rob has always accomplished what he's set out to achieve. The Drifter is a culmination of the second phase of his career, where he's blazed a path and sealed his legacy as not only one of the world's most stylish surfing ambassadors, but a true humanitarian. This is evident in the film itself, where he helps fund and construct a well for a remote village in Sumba — part of his Hurley H20 campaign.
Much of the dialogue in The Drifter is taken from Rob's own personal journals. According to respected surf journalist Nathan Myers, who co-wrote the movie, there is nothing embellished in Rob's candid, heart-felt passages. It is these passages, in fact, that drive the movie, from Rob's epiphany in Bali, to his ill-fated motorcycle purchase, to his decision to delay his return to California, blindly pick a new island on the map, and just go.
The result is a tender, honest film that will enlighten as much as it will inspire. As Machado says, "Not all who wander are lost."
Don't Just Watch, RIP! This Film
This "Remixed" Film is the Definite Documentary of the Digital Age
What would it mean if, ten years ago this month, we did not have the ability to share files freely online? The whole idea of sharing viral videos through a site like YouTube would be completely gone. Forget about sharing photos with your family and friends on Flickr, and even those ever-present LOLcats (this is perhaps a mixed blessing). Would we be listening to music over the Internet on such sites as Pandora, or downloading songs without having to buy the whole album from a virtual "record store" like iTunes? Simply stated, the Internet is the most effective way human beings have ever devised to share their ideas. The question of how easy — or not — it is for us to share our music, photos, videos, all our creative works or any media — is the focus of Brett Gaylor's definite documentary of the digital age, RIP! A Remix Manifesto.
RIP! chronicles our media revolution over the last ten years since a teenager named Shawn Fanning in June 1999 changed the face of entertainment, copyright, and the way we look at the Internet. His problem child, Napster, took the idea of sharing "ideas" — notably in the form of music — from the backrooms of bulletin boards to a much wider audience — one very hungry in the late '90s for what they were (not) finding on the radio or "music" television.
If you read the word "Napster" and are thinking "theft" — RIP! is a film that's NOT about making all things free and destroying our system of commerce. This documentary is about our cultural transformation from a media system of a few, very expensive means of distribution, to one where anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can be a consumer as well as a producer of media. Gaylor affirms that balance is needed to ensure that Innovation is: 1) Encouraged and not stifled; 2) Beneficial to all and not just the powerful; 3) A matter of civic cooperation and not for the criminal justice system.
Just how we can strike this delicate balance, RIP! proposes a remix manifesto based on four assertions:
Culture always builds on the Past
The Past always tries to Control the Future
Our Future is becoming less Free
To build Free societies, you must limit Control of the Past
These assertions are then supported using some very captivating studies about several people including: iconic remix artist Girl Talk (whose music you can't find on iTunes except in this film); visionary remix lawyer Lawrence Lessig (author of Free Culture, Code 2.0, and Remix, all available freely at lessig.org/blog); steadfest remix activist Cory Doctorow (co-author of the widely-popular cultural blog BoingBoing); and pioneering remix politician/musician Gilberto Gil (a former Brazilian Minister of Culture, a rare case of a politician who is a contributor to culture and not a controller of it).
To prove that RIP! pays more than lip-service to the debate, the entire film is available for remixing at OpenSourceCinema.org. During the production of the movie, footage was made available for anyone to create "mash-ups" which found their way into the final film. A participatory media experiment from its inception, says Gayor, "RIP! is an attempt to move beyond the traditional relationship of producer and consumer — we want to recognize that this passive era is over ... and that the film remains an evolving conversation about intellectual property in the digital age."
On the consumer end of the spectrum, RIP! is available in a variety of ways. After premiering at the SXSW Film Festival in March, numerous theatrical screenings have been held throughout the U.S. On the filmmaker's directive, a "Name Your Price" campaign exists at ripremix.com where site visitors set their own price (including free) to download the film. The Disinformation Company has launched digital purchases through iTunes and other platforms, and will release on DVD at the end of June. Exactly how the viewer would like to experience RIP! is for the individual to decide, and not a few corporate decision-makers.
So what will we see from here? Who knows for sure, but the place to start discovering what the future may hold is by watching Brett Gaylor's RIP! A Remix Manifesto.
What would it mean if, ten years ago this month, we did not have the ability to share files freely online? The whole idea of sharing viral videos through a site like YouTube would be completely gone. Forget about sharing photos with your family and friends on Flickr, and even those ever-present LOLcats (this is perhaps a mixed blessing). Would we be listening to music over the Internet on such sites as Pandora, or downloading songs without having to buy the whole album from a virtual "record store" like iTunes? Simply stated, the Internet is the most effective way human beings have ever devised to share their ideas. The question of how easy — or not — it is for us to share our music, photos, videos, all our creative works or any media — is the focus of Brett Gaylor's definite documentary of the digital age, RIP! A Remix Manifesto.
RIP! chronicles our media revolution over the last ten years since a teenager named Shawn Fanning in June 1999 changed the face of entertainment, copyright, and the way we look at the Internet. His problem child, Napster, took the idea of sharing "ideas" — notably in the form of music — from the backrooms of bulletin boards to a much wider audience — one very hungry in the late '90s for what they were (not) finding on the radio or "music" television.
If you read the word "Napster" and are thinking "theft" — RIP! is a film that's NOT about making all things free and destroying our system of commerce. This documentary is about our cultural transformation from a media system of a few, very expensive means of distribution, to one where anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can be a consumer as well as a producer of media. Gaylor affirms that balance is needed to ensure that Innovation is: 1) Encouraged and not stifled; 2) Beneficial to all and not just the powerful; 3) A matter of civic cooperation and not for the criminal justice system.
Just how we can strike this delicate balance, RIP! proposes a remix manifesto based on four assertions:
Culture always builds on the Past
The Past always tries to Control the Future
Our Future is becoming less Free
To build Free societies, you must limit Control of the Past
These assertions are then supported using some very captivating studies about several people including: iconic remix artist Girl Talk (whose music you can't find on iTunes except in this film); visionary remix lawyer Lawrence Lessig (author of Free Culture, Code 2.0, and Remix, all available freely at lessig.org/blog); steadfest remix activist Cory Doctorow (co-author of the widely-popular cultural blog BoingBoing); and pioneering remix politician/musician Gilberto Gil (a former Brazilian Minister of Culture, a rare case of a politician who is a contributor to culture and not a controller of it).
To prove that RIP! pays more than lip-service to the debate, the entire film is available for remixing at OpenSourceCinema.org. During the production of the movie, footage was made available for anyone to create "mash-ups" which found their way into the final film. A participatory media experiment from its inception, says Gayor, "RIP! is an attempt to move beyond the traditional relationship of producer and consumer — we want to recognize that this passive era is over ... and that the film remains an evolving conversation about intellectual property in the digital age."
On the consumer end of the spectrum, RIP! is available in a variety of ways. After premiering at the SXSW Film Festival in March, numerous theatrical screenings have been held throughout the U.S. On the filmmaker's directive, a "Name Your Price" campaign exists at ripremix.com where site visitors set their own price (including free) to download the film. The Disinformation Company has launched digital purchases through iTunes and other platforms, and will release on DVD at the end of June. Exactly how the viewer would like to experience RIP! is for the individual to decide, and not a few corporate decision-makers.
So what will we see from here? Who knows for sure, but the place to start discovering what the future may hold is by watching Brett Gaylor's RIP! A Remix Manifesto.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
NEW VIDEO DIGITAL ANNOUNCES LISA KUDROW'S WEBBY-WINNING SERIES "WEB THERAPY" NOW AVAILABLE FOR EXCLUSIVE PURCHASE AND DOWNLOAD ON iTUNES
In her original improvised series "Web Therapy," Lisa Kudrow plays a web therapist with limited patience for other people's problems. She counsels a celebrity cast including Courteney Cox, Victor Garber, Alan Cumming, Steven Weber, Julie Claire & Dan Bucatinsky. Beginning today, "Web Therapy" will be exclusively available on iTunes for $1.99 per episode. Each episode includes five, three-minute webisodes and additional narrative from Lisa Kudrow's character, Fiona. Also available is a free download of the series premiere and behind-the-scenes featurettes from each season.
Lisa Kudrow stars as Fiona Wallice, quite possibly the world's worst therapist. She's not a good listener, she's judgmental, she's easily distracted or bored and sifts through everything she hears only for nuggets of information that might further her own interests. Fiona is a Philadelphia therapist of unspecified credentials who used to work in a financial services company until three years ago. She's very proud of her financial background - "I don't live in an ivory tower, I'm a graduate of the rough-and-tumble world of financial powerhouses" - though truthfully she was merely a mid-level account manager. Each season consists of fifteen three-minute sessions of what our heroine calls "Web Therapy" - chat sessions between Fiona and five hapless victims/clients. She starts Web Therapy because "in an hour's therapy, there's only 3 minutes of real work anyway. Why not just cut to the chase?" What she really means is that her clients don't hold her interest for an hour. Her long-term goal is to "franchise" this concept.
Season One
Dr. Fiona Wallice is sick of hearing about "dreams" and "feelings." She decides that 3 minutes over webcam is better then 50 minutes of patients rambling on. In season one, we're introduced to Richard Pratt (Tim Bagley). Fiona is surprised to learn her new client is a fondly remembered old-flame. Next we're introduced to Jerome Sokoloff (Dan Bucatinsky), a 35-year-old neurotic, hypochondriac jingle writer who's a carry-over from Fiona's former in-person practice. Haley (Rashida Jones), much more sane, is Jerome's girlfriend who joins in the second and third sessions. Jerome is followed by client Ted Mitchell (Bob Balaban), a well known, respected and highly skilled psychiatrist. Ted is almost as politely condescending as Fiona herself. He's brought on by Fiona's potential investor, a former client of Lachman Bros., to "test-drive" Fiona's concept. Following Ted Mitchell, we're introduced to Clare Dudek (Jane Lynch), a tightly wound, confrontational advertising executive who's been ordered by her company to undergo counseling after she threw a stapler at an underling. The season wraps up with clients Bryn (Patty Guggenheim) and Justin (Drew Sherman), a young, hip couple in their twenties who come in -- ostensibly -- for couples counseling.
Lisa Kudrow stars as Fiona Wallice, quite possibly the world's worst therapist. She's not a good listener, she's judgmental, she's easily distracted or bored and sifts through everything she hears only for nuggets of information that might further her own interests. Fiona is a Philadelphia therapist of unspecified credentials who used to work in a financial services company until three years ago. She's very proud of her financial background - "I don't live in an ivory tower, I'm a graduate of the rough-and-tumble world of financial powerhouses" - though truthfully she was merely a mid-level account manager. Each season consists of fifteen three-minute sessions of what our heroine calls "Web Therapy" - chat sessions between Fiona and five hapless victims/clients. She starts Web Therapy because "in an hour's therapy, there's only 3 minutes of real work anyway. Why not just cut to the chase?" What she really means is that her clients don't hold her interest for an hour. Her long-term goal is to "franchise" this concept.
Season One
Dr. Fiona Wallice is sick of hearing about "dreams" and "feelings." She decides that 3 minutes over webcam is better then 50 minutes of patients rambling on. In season one, we're introduced to Richard Pratt (Tim Bagley). Fiona is surprised to learn her new client is a fondly remembered old-flame. Next we're introduced to Jerome Sokoloff (Dan Bucatinsky), a 35-year-old neurotic, hypochondriac jingle writer who's a carry-over from Fiona's former in-person practice. Haley (Rashida Jones), much more sane, is Jerome's girlfriend who joins in the second and third sessions. Jerome is followed by client Ted Mitchell (Bob Balaban), a well known, respected and highly skilled psychiatrist. Ted is almost as politely condescending as Fiona herself. He's brought on by Fiona's potential investor, a former client of Lachman Bros., to "test-drive" Fiona's concept. Following Ted Mitchell, we're introduced to Clare Dudek (Jane Lynch), a tightly wound, confrontational advertising executive who's been ordered by her company to undergo counseling after she threw a stapler at an underling. The season wraps up with clients Bryn (Patty Guggenheim) and Justin (Drew Sherman), a young, hip couple in their twenties who come in -- ostensibly -- for couples counseling.
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