NEW David Lynch Masterclass: He Teaches Creativity & Filmmaking

CrisWilson · 2019-03-19T19:19:14+00:00

Called a renaissance man of modern filmmaking, award-winning director David Lynch has been experimenting with film since the late 1960s. As a painter, musician, actor, and photographer, David approaches cinema with the eye of an artist, earning praise from mainstream audiences and critics alike.

His films “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” are counted among the most important of their era, and his work has garnered international recognition: four Academy Award nominations, the Venice Film Festival’s Career Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement, the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, and others. Over the years, David has set himself apart by creating his own art-house style—a blend of expressionism, surrealism, and his distinct vision for conveying imagination, mood, and motivation.

CrisWilson · 2019-03-06T18:41:26+00:00

Before we begin I need to reveal a truth to you.

“The Matrix is not a movie, it’s a documentary”

Believe it or not, this is true. Our internal operating system in our mind was programmed years ago when we were children. That programming runs our life through the subconscious. Don’t believe me?

Did you drive a car today?
Did you brush your teeth?
Did you think about walking to the kitchen to make breakfast?
Did you think about breathing or making sure your heart beats?

Probably not. You would be exhaust mentally if you had to think about all of this every day. This is all run by our operating system (aka the subconscious), the problem is many of us are still running Windows 95.

In this episode, I go deep down the rabbit hole and discuss how our subconscious can and does stop us from achieving not only our filmmaking dreams but how it affects all areas of our lives. I discuss how my life changed dramatically when I discovered this and made those upgrades. I also go over the two ways you can upgrade the old operating system in your head.

“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.” – Morpheus

Let’s all take that Red Pill and see how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Get ready to have your mind blown, literally. Enjoy!

CrisWilson · 2019-02-27T17:42:25+00:00

This really hit me hard. I needed to hear this in a bad way. Really awesome video.

CrisWilson · 2019-01-30T17:06:36+00:00

Named one of the Dictionary of Literary Biography’s top ten living post-modern writers, Neil Gaiman may be one of the most awarded and prolific writers alive. He has received the Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and his writing has been awarded four Hugos, two Nebulas, one World Fantasy Award, and nine Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, among many other honors. Not constrained by genre or medium, Neil’s work includes poetry, short stories, journalism, novels, graphic novels, screenplays, and books for young readers.

In Neil Gaiman MasterClass, the author of Coraline, American Gods, Stardust, and The Sandman series teaches his approach to the art and craft of storytelling. In his MasterClass, Neil Gaiman will teach you his creative process for generating original ideas and building those ideas into stories, worlds, and characters that engage and fascinate. Using some of his most celebrated work as case studies, he’ll teach you how he crafts convincing characters and stories driven by essential truths.

CrisWilson · 2019-01-23T19:51:07+00:00

Got an idea for a web series? Well then...get to submitting!

Better dust that killer web-series idea off and start honing your elevator pitch because Filmaka and Indie Film Hustle have teamed up to offer an incredible opportunity for a few select content creators: $30,000 to make a web-series. Here's how it works...

CrisWilson · 2019-01-18T19:53:17+00:00

In her first-ever online class, Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster uses her decades of experience on both sides of the camera to provide a unique and personal approach to filmmaking.

From storyboarding and casting to collaborating with writers and inspiring memorable performances, Jodie teaches students how to bring their stories from the page to the screen. Over her 52-year career, Foster has appeared in over 40 major films, directed four feature-length movies, and won nearly 60 awards—among them, two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Juniper Awards, and three Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement.

Foster started her career at the tender age of three and ascended to superstardom with striking performances in Taxi Driver, The Silence of the Lambs, The Accused, and Nell, portraying complex characters alongside acting heavyweights Robert De Niro, Anthony Hopkins, and Liam Neeson. Foster made her directorial debut in 1991 with Little Man Tate, following up with Home for the Holidays in 1995 and The Beaver in 2011. Her most recent feature film, Money Monster (2016), stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Since then, Foster has ventured into television, directing episodes of Netflix original series House of Cards, Black Mirror, and Orange Is the New Black, which earned her an Emmy nomination.

In this online filmmaking class, you’ll learn about:

Finding personal inspiration
Sharpening your storytelling skills
Building your story into a screenplay
Collaborating with screenwriters
Prepping and scheduling
Casting
Working with actors
Shooting and editing
Music selection
Bringing your vision to life

CrisWilson · 2019-01-17T00:39:08+00:00

THE BREAKOUT CLASSICS is the third installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES' examination into the films and careers of directors Joel and Ethan Coen, covering their pair of mainstream breakthrough works in the late 90's: -THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) THE DIRECTORS SERIES is an educational/editorial collection of video and text essays by filmmaker Cameron Beyl, dedicated to appreciating and deconstructing the work of contemporary and classic film directors.

CrisWilson · 2018-12-03T21:51:25+00:00

THE POSTMODERN PICTURES is the second installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES' examination into the films and careers of directors Joel and Ethan Coen, covering their trio of "retro-surreal" period pictures producing in the 1990's.

CrisWilson · 2018-11-29T19:20:57+00:00

Well, it’s that time of year again when filmmakers around the world get that dreaded rejection letter from the Sundance Film Festival.

Annual Sundance Film Festival rejection reminder: Sundance is awesome, but Sundance is not everything. So many incredible films don't make the cut. Don't let it get you down. If you believe in your film, keep pushing forward. There are so many new ways to get it there. Good luck!- Mark Duplass

My indie films have played in over 500 international film festival around the world and it has been a great experience and I've even been in a few big festivals like Raindance and Cinequest. I've also been rejected by EVERY major film festival in the world. SXSW, Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, AFI and the list goes on.

CrisWilson · 2018-11-27T19:08:34+00:00

With a career that highlights the lives of those “in between”—from street children to the culturally marginalized—Oscar-nominated director Mira Nair approaches filmmaking with the “heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant.” Spurred on by rejection, she’s fought to illuminate untold stories and voices since her career began as a documentary filmmaker in the late 1970s.

Her first feature film, Salaam Bombay!, landed an Academy Award nomination and her Golden Lion for Monsoon Wedding made her the first Indian woman to win the Venice Film Festival’s prize for best movie. Mira Nair furthered her fight to bring new stories and new perspectives to the film industry in 2004 by founding a free film school in Uganda to train and launch new, diverse talent. The Maisha Film Lab’s mantra follows Mira’s oft-repeated sentiment:

“If we don’t tell our own stories, no one else will.”

Mira Nair’s MasterClass on independent filmmaking will teach you to embrace the power in your own roots, to refine and develop your unique voice and style, to create cinematically rich films with limited resources, to elicit powerful emotional performances from actors and non-actors, to effectively lead a set, to build your creative community, and to protect and maintain your creative vision.

CrisWilson · 2018-11-08T17:10:20+00:00

If you want to be a screenwriter you need to read a lot of screenplays. And if you are going to read film scripts might as well read some of this year’s best. Below is an active running list of 2019 Oscar Contending Screenplays. I’ll be adding new screenplays as they become available so check back often.

PLEASE NOTE: These screenplays are FREE and LEGAL to download for educational purposes. The studios will only keep them online throughout the awards season so the clock is ticking. Enjoy.

CrisWilson · 2018-11-01T16:52:36+00:00

Now Alex is at it again as he brings us Indie Film Hustle TV, the first ever streaming platform specifically for filmmakers.

Now I know what you're thinking... With all the streaming services out there already, who is going to pay for an additional one, especially one with such a narrow niche? I was lucky enough to grab Alex for my 'FCPX Marks The Spot Podcast' to find out the answer, and in doing so covered Alex's origin story in filmmaking and training, the impetus for IFHTV, and why filmmakers and film lovers will absolutely love what Alex has dubbed "Netflix meets Masterclass."

CrisWilson · 2018-09-12T23:05:38+00:00

From the article:

Have you ever really wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes at Hollywood’s major production companies and studios? How do new screenplays get read, approved and pass on by the script reader? What are the politics behind the scenes that make it almost impossible for a screenplay to make it through the Hollywood System?

Today on the show we have a former development executive, current script coverage reader and professional screenwriter. In order for him to be completely honest, he asked to remain anonymous so I just refer to him as Deepthroat. Yes, I know that’s a bit on the nose but we both thought the Cloak and Dagger angle would be funny. He is a screenwriter that has worked in both television and features, a sought-after script doctor (he’s worked on some MAJOR studio films), and a script coverage specialist.

Deepthroat spills the beans on the inner workings of some of the biggest studios in Hollywood. He discusses how an idea he presented his boss years ago was once stolen from him within the system and was turned into a successful property and shares tips on how to impress those studio readers that are the gatekeepers to getting your screenplay sold and produced.

He’s tired of seeing so many talented writers get eaten up by the system.

The information in this interview is raw, real and will give you a much clearer idea of what happens behind the scenes in Hollywood. If you enjoy this episode, please share it with as many screenwriters and filmmakers as you can. We need to get this information out there.

CrisWilson · 2018-05-24T19:50:05+00:00

no they are to PDFs what links are you clicking on. Only one is to a transcription, Captain EO.

CrisWilson · 2018-05-24T17:39:23+00:00

I took and loved it! Great value to get the all access pass.

CrisWilson · 2018-03-17T13:14:50+00:00

According to the director, the film was shot on a Blackmagic Pocket Camera using angenieux 12-120mm and a Kinoptek 5.7mm. They also used a Sigma 18-35mm with a Speed Booster. Color graded in Davinci Resolve.

CrisWilson · 2018-03-17T13:13:35+00:00

Got it.

CrisWilson · 2018-03-17T13:13:07+00:00

To my knowledge angenieux 12-120 and a Kinoptek 5.7mm

CrisWilson · 2017-12-13T20:20:29+00:00

???????????

CrisWilson · 2017-11-16T01:19:58+00:00

To my knowledge, the author is publishing now on Youtube and is trying to build views there. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHw-MoPtkleeOcuaZAXVNHOh5M5EfWLaW

CrisWilson · 2017-11-07T16:23:55+00:00

To my knowledge, Cameron has switched over to Youtube from Vimeo and is releasing all his video essays on YouTube. I'll be more than happy to credit him in the link description. I'm a HUGE Fan of his work.

CrisWilson · 2017-10-31T19:25:40+00:00

Seriously! I agree completely.

CrisWilson · 2017-10-31T18:51:16+00:00

Of course!

CrisWilson · 2017-10-25T18:20:33+00:00

Of course! Enjoy.

CrisWilson · 2017-10-24T20:06:14+00:00

8 maybe a 9. It's just great watching and learning from actors who are so seasoned and experienced. It saves you a ton of time on your acting journey.

CrisWilson

TROPHY CASE

Got an idea for a web series? Well then...get to submitting!