Editor’s Note: Projecting features a selection of great film and television focused writing from around the internet.
Michael Guarneri talks with Locarno Film Festival 2014 projectionists on their changing role in a world of DCP, for Indiewire:
Marc shares his colleague’s pessimism. “It is over. Film projection is dead. 99% of the movies at Cannes this year were projected in DCP and, you know, Cannes is supposed to be the ‘Festival International du Film’! So, as you can see, there is no future for film projection. Sure there are festivals such as Locarno or Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna, but I am happy that my son didn’t become a projectionist like me: now film projection is just something that you can do as a hobby, it isn’t a real job anymore,” said Marc.
Erika Olson talks with Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse on just what Hollywood’s love for blockbusters means for the film world, for RogerEbert.com:
A blockbuster strategy is not just about making big bets. Rather, it is about smartly investing in a full portfolio of films. It turns out—this is good news for everyone who wants to see more than just tent-poles—that there is a distinct business need for smaller investments, too. Smaller films often serve as test cases. Placing less expensive bets can help a studio discover the next big-hit franchise, or the next big bankable actor. Smart studio executives continue to experiment with smaller films to make sure the well of ideas and talent does not dry up.
Lukas Kendall recounts the struggles of getting people to see Lucky Bastard, a movie with the dreaded NC-17 rating, for Film School Rejects:
They offered an opportunity to speak to a “rating consultant.” I was dubious but gave it a shot. She warned me that re-cutting to obtain an R would likely take multiple attempts. I took her notes on the first five minutes of the film, then realized an R version of Lucky Bastard would hardly be comprehensible, let alone worthwhile, so we didn’t change a frame.
Matt Patches looks at Jarhead 2: Field of Fire and goes to the source to figure out the story behind secret-sequels, for Grantland:
Non-theatrical sequels are still a brand-first, story-second game. 1440 Entertainment selects projects based on their potential to hit big. Why make a sequel to a movie like Jarhead? It’s still playing big where it matters. The numbers make sense. The EVP’s team looks at DVD rentals, iTunes downloads, streaming numbers, TV distribution, and international markets. When asked of his intel-gathering methods, Ross is transparent: “I got Google.”
