LAPTOP POST PRODUCTION (PT 1)

A Practical Reality or Just a Reality?

Fighter pilots and post production professionals have something in common, and they may not even be aware of it. Since the advent of the jet age, big thinkers and louder commentators have risen occasionally to declare that technology had rendered the primary function of fighter pilots, which is to say winning dogfights, cool but pointless and redundant nonetheless.

You may not see the connection, but ever since the first Avid editing systems were introduced, thinkers and commentators have said the same thing about post production houses.

History Channel addicts among you, will no doubt be quick to point out that those big thinkers have always been flat wrong about technology's impact on the efficacy of fighter pilots. This time however, they may be right about its effect on future of post production.

One only needs to note the recent fate of well known Chicago-area post houses like Superior Street and S2/Swell. Even though an industry-wide dispersion in ad revenue is partly to blame, technology is taking its toll as well.

Earlier this year the editor of an editor friend of mine asked me if I had any thoughts on the matter and not long afterward, I came across an interview featuring Director David Fincher. He casually mentioned that he'd done most of editing on his new film Zodiac on his laptop while loitering about in airports.

Even if Fincher exaggerated a bit, the viability that statement is still worth looking into.

The Shorts Circuit: Channel 101 (PT 2)

The Bottom Line

In the meantime Channel 101 is open to submissions, the rules are pretty simple and their ten points of advice are truly sight to see. (Follow the Hate, Deny Everything and Turn on the Air Conditioner—to name a few). 101 is truly, where the rubber meets the road.

If you're interested, submit a 5-minute pilot, and Channel 101 may choose to show it at one of their increasingly popular and well-attended monthly screenings. During which an audience will vote, ala Live at the Apollo, to decide which pilots will be picked up for another episode. If yours is picked up, you can be part of the group that selects new pilots.

It's that simple.

The judgments are blunt, the lessons painful and even if a show's "picked up," the deadlines are perverse, the time limits are impractical and the pay for all but the site's owners is non-existent. But, the shows on Channel 101 are almost painful reminders of just how much quality comedy isn't on TV at the moment. And, to say that the right people are noticed is an understatement.

The Shorts Circuit: Channel 101(PT 1)

There seem to be two distinct questions on the minds of those who've followed this series with any level of interest. The first group always revolves around requests for additional markets and venues—to which I can only reply that I haven't been referring to this as an ongoing series for nothing. There definitely are more short film distributor profiles on the way. The second group of questions tends to concern an issue that's a bit more complicated. They usually go something like ...

Is there any room left on the venue side of this new shorts business for ambitious newcomers? The short answer is: Yes. The long answer is: Yes, and if you don't believe me, now would be the time to look at the story of an online cinema call to arms known as Channel 101.

Back in 2003, a pair of former FOX Network employees (Dan Harmon and Rob Scrab) got the idea to expand their private short film challenge parties into the "Super Midnight Movie Show." An almost festival defined by moving them out of Schrab's living room into the Improv Olympic West and setting up rules including a monthly schedule, a five minute time limit on entries and by opening them up them up to the public.

Before the end of the year, the Super Midnight had become the Channel101.com—essentially an L.A.-based underground television network (their sister network Channel 102 is based in NY) that gives participants the opportunity to create a show of their own and attract a fan base.

These days Channel 101 is an almost institution that attracts a slate of fun, creative and conspicuously well-made five-minute "shows" made mostly by unknowns, high profile guest stars (both Drew Carrey and Jack Black have shown up), has its own motto: "Every month you sit around thinking about what you're going to do is a month you could've done something," is available on iTunes and that bills itself as the unavoidable future of entertainment. And, they may just be right.

"We called 101 the Unavoidable Future of Entertainment because we saw this day coming," said co-founder Dan Harmon. "Not only does podcasting make for a bandwidth-friendly way to enjoy our network, we like to think of its syndication via iTunes and Fireant as a way of taking a jackhammer to traditional television's foundation. Never mind. Don't hurt yourself. Just imagine being able to watch our stuff at the laundromat."

Of course, the point is that you don't have to imagine, web-surfers everywhere can visit Channel101.com, iTunes or Fireant and see for themselves—more importantly, short form entertainment fans in New York or Los Angeles can stop by one of those live monthly screenings and see for themselves. "More importantly," because that particular list of cities begs the question at the center of my musings this week:

Why are you sending me questions instead of starting Channel 103?

The Shorts Circuit: BritShorts LTD (PT 2)

The Bottom Line

There are really two important things about BritShorts that aspiring 60-second auteurs will want to remember:

The first is that although they’re based in the UK, Shorts International’s outlook is as good as its name. They operate a satellite office in New York and all the information you’ll need to submit is available on their website - shortsinternational.com.

The Second, is that while BritShorts’ buyers at do have high standards, they also want and need you and your film. They’re looking for shorts submissions of all lengths (but those between 7 and 10 minutes are encouraged) in all “appropriate” genres—because the market they sell to is large and it’s getting larger.