A Pagan's Life (For Me) - A blog and site for the modern, fashion conscious, pop culture crazed Witch. Yes, I said it, Witch. Witch, Which, Witch...
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Amanda Palmer is creating Art
HOLA COMRADES!
well, here we are.
the next frontier.
here i am again, asking.
it's been almost five months since i launched this page and there's over 5,000 people here, supporting my weirdness - i'm in awe. and really grateful.
if you're just showing up here for the first time....here's the lowdown.
if you're a fan of mine and want to support me in the creation of new songs, film clips/music videos, long-form writing and more random, unpredictable art-things (comics? podcasts? random ninja public performances that require a huge budget?.....who knows)....this is your chance.
since march, i've released about a Thing per month...including two new songs, two beautifully-produced webcasts, and a strange animation. all the content is on a list here: http://amandapalmer.tumblr.com/post/126884237426/a...
the feedback has been really great. it's working.
the backstory:
i've been struggling since i got off my label in 2008 to find the right platform for ongoing support, through which i can release constant material (and get paid). i think this is it.
i've gotten to know myself. as a creator, as a songwriter, and as a recording artist, i thrive on instant gratification and a direct mainline to my audience without having to go through labels, distributors, the machine, the mass media. i love making things and instantly sharing. and i know my fanbase: you're smart, kind, supportive, future-embracing people.
we've all started learning how to trust each other with kickstarter, pledge music, indiegogo. i think subscription sites like patreon are a new revolution in music-release and art patronage.
i'm planning to release pretty much ALL MY ARTISTIC CONTENT for free: on youtube, bandcamp, my site, wherever.
it's yours, it's everybody's, you can take it, you can share it.
but i need support, true patronage, from you you YOU if i'm going to take the plunge and have money to live and make this art.
i'm friends with jack (the CEO) and the fine folks at patreon, as i was pals (and still am) with yancey over at kickstarter. i really believe in what these people are doing, and i've been really astounded and inspired to see what all these other artists, from writers to cartoonists to singers, are doing with crowdfunding.
it isn't making world news, because it is what it is: a quiet, underground network of artists connecting directly with their fans, bypassing the entire commercial system. this is AWESOME.
it is, in these days of negativity and tumblr outrage, the bright side of the net: it is how the internet can really save artists and the art they make. it also means YOU need to step up and support the artists you love, the political cartoonists you want to see bravely satirizing the system, the painters you want to see reflecting their realities, the musicians you want filling your hearts and your speakers, the journalists you want to see writing about the state of the world.
almost 25,000 of you supported my kickstarter, and i don't expect those kinds of numbers here - this is more of a commitment: though you do get to road test it if you're scared (you can pull out before you're charged at the end of any month - so it's risk-free).
my kickstarter was a one-time all-in deal, this is more of an ongoing commitment to me and my music and spontaneous art-making. kickstarter was like a serious date, this is like....going steady.
more backstory? i've been flailing (often happily, for sure) since i left my label in 2008. self-releasing and distributing vinyl & CDs isn't easy. giving my music away for free online has been an adventure, but not as profitable as i expected. you may be surprised to know that "theatre is evil" - even with 25,000 backers and rave reviews in the press - sold relatively few copies in stores.
i really believe that putting content up for free on the internet is Fundamentally Good: it means everybody can share....but i honestly don't make enough through pay-what-you-want alone to support a recording studio and video-making habit...there are months when my revenue from bandcamp and my website combines totals less than a few hundred dollars. that means the only way to pull in money is to tour, sell merch, or...to do yet another kickstarter to call upon everybody's support and goodwill. that's what i've been doing.
the problem with kickstarter is that, while it's great for huge projects, i don't want to do get repetitive and exhaust the fanbase with "HEY I'M MAKING YET ANOTHER RECORD, PRE-ORDER HERE. AGAIN!."
i just want to be able to go into the studio, make music with friends, call a film director, make a video, take a few months off, write, record, and press PUBLISH when i'm done, the way i can with my blogs. bam, bam, bam.
i also don't want to have to think up clever merchandise (i know we love fuzzy posters, and t-shirts, mugs and tea-cozies....but how much Stuff is too much Stuff before we don't need any more Stuff cluttering up landfills?)
don't get me wrong: i'm not going to give up on physical or merchandise (i mean, manufacturing my own vinyl and nudie pens brings me great joy) and i'm not going to give up on collecting my music into "albums".
but i know me and i'm addicted to PUTTING OUT THE THING NOW. i've seen what's happened to me when i'm able to slave all night on something and wave it around immediately the next day online or at a show. without that drive, 8in8 (the all-night record i made with ben folds and damian kulash and neil gaiman) wouldn't have happened, and i don't think i ever would have written "gaga, palmer, madonna" if i hadn't been able to upload it directly to YouTube that night. the immediate thrills me.
i don't find it as inspiring to work for two years on a bunch of songs, knowing that i'm going to have to spend TONS of time raising funds for a record, a few more months (or years, in some cases) going through the record-biz "album cycle".
i just want to MAKE STUFF AND PUT IT OUT.
and get paid.
and then keep going. does it mean i won't ever get a grammy? yes, it does. but who cares? who am i making music for anyway....you, or the grammies committee? right.
here's the key: THIS IS A HUGE EXPERIMENT.
we can keep tweaking this as we go. if the patron levels seem too high, too low, aren't working....we can shift and change them. the community has already proven to be really great at giving me feedback. if anybody comes up with a brilliant idea of what would be wonderful to include in a new level, we can ADD it. if i decide that i want to spend a year doing cover songs, we can build in a system by which i can take requests from all patrons. et cetera.
this is a platform where we can be in constant communication.
if you guys know me, you know i LISTEN. we're here to make this sucker work together, and we will.
even if you're a one dollar backer, i want to know what you're digging about the platform and what's bugging you.
every patron who's supporting me is important to this community, YOU'RE who i'm creating for, and
i'm glad you found me here.
whether you're backing me for a dollar or ten dollars...THANK YOU.
ALLL THE THIIIIIIIIIIINGS!!!
let's DO THIS SHIT!!!!!!!!
love,
AFP
p.s. if you're just finding out about patreon and you're like JA JA JA JA OMG, here are a few other artists/creators i suggest you look into:
neil degrasse tyson (making a startalk podcast!) https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio?ty=c
monica byrne (writing a column about pop culture) https://www.patreon.com/monicabyrne?ty=c
the doubleclicks (makin musical songs & videos!) https://www.patreon.com/thedoubleclicks
p.p.s. if you're not familiar with MY music, i've made a great primer page to acquaint you, it's called "a walk through amandalanda" and has streams of my biggest records and best videos:
http://amandalanda.amandapalmer.net/
............
THE FAQ (frequently asked questions)
if you have questions, please submit them on twitter, on facebook, on my blog, or here on the patron stream once you sign up.
Q: "i'm kind of confused by the Things you keep referencing in your video. what other Things are you talking about besides songs?"
A: well, videos is the obvious one. making music videos can be way more expensive than recording music, and i still love making them. one of the first songs i'm released here on patreon was "bigger on the inside", a song i'm really proud of, featuring zoe keating on the cello. i see a really beautiful music video for it in my head, but i can imagine it costing at least $20k to film when all is said and done. i'd also love to experiment with what art and patronage really is....maybe i'll write something, maybe i'll decide to do a marathon recording webcast, maybe i'll start doing an interview podcast with special people i meet or know, maybe i'll decide to lock myself in a room and spend five days creating a painting using content from the feed.....i really have no idea. i think i'm going to push the limits and see where the pushback happens (if any). it's this lack of knowing that makes patreon so exciting to me. i like not knowing things.
Q: "you asked about charging Per Thing versus charging Per Month in your blog, and I want to pay Per Month, it's easier! Why Per Thing?"
A: i thought hard about charging Per Month instead of Per Thing, because patreon lets you do either, and a lot of artists are successfully charging per month. however, that makes me nervous: what if i'm traveling and touring and/or taking off time for three months in a row and don't have output to share? i'd feel guilty. i know me well enough to know that i don't work consistently: this isn't a weekly web comic, i'm a sporadic weirdo. Per Thing seemed safer. here's the way I figured it: patreon has a MONTHLY CAP, so if you want the security of only EVER paying $10 a month, because that's what your budget allows, you can CAP at $10. that way it's like paying $10 per month, WITH the added advantage that if i decide to post No Things in a given month, you'll be charged NOTHING. so it's technically better for you, and i won't feel guilty, ever.
Q: "but if i cap my backing at $10 a month, does that mean I won't get ALL THE THINGS? i want ALL THE THINGS"
A: lucky for you, i'm treating everybody equally. you don't lose access to ANYTHING when you hit your cap. you'll still get EVERYTHING emailed to you if you're backing at the email level, and access to all streams even if your cap is $1 a month. you don't get punished for capping.
Q: " I want to join your Patreon, but I don't have any idea how much to donate. I want to do it for about $25-35/month. You say it's donating "per thing" - how often do you do those "things" - so I can get an idea how much to donate per thing. For example, if you do a "thing" every 3 months, I will donate $100 per thing.
so: guidelines on "thing" timetables... at least roughly?" (from samaire provost on facebook)
A:
wow - that's really generous. the $100/month option is full right now, and i'm trying to figure out what to do about that. right now you have two options: you could just back me at $10/thing, which is the closest denomination (in general i put out about one thing a month and haven't put out 2 or 3 yet... but might!) and i'd cap your donation at $30, or $60, or $60....so you never pay more than you're happy with. OR if you're feeling more generous, you can actually "write in" a higher amount per thing (i.e. you can write in $20/$30/$50 at the $10 level) and that extra dough per thing, until you hit your monthly cap, is just considered generous gravy.
Q: "when are you going to put out an Actual Record I Can Touch? call me old school, but i just want to buy a simple record."
A: i dunno. check back in about six months. meanwhile, you can purchase one of the gazillions of physical records & CDs I've released if you're super keen on touching things:http://shop.amandapalmer.net/
Q: "um....what if i want to just donate money to you once? this is weird."
A: um. that's fine. you can make a one-time donation to my site's music page here...down to the right where it says "support my art". thanks. (http://amandapalmer.net/music/)
Q: "i love you. i just wanted to say that."
A: "i love you too. here's a hug ((((((((((())))))))))))"
well, here we are.
the next frontier.
here i am again, asking.
it's been almost five months since i launched this page and there's over 5,000 people here, supporting my weirdness - i'm in awe. and really grateful.
if you're just showing up here for the first time....here's the lowdown.
if you're a fan of mine and want to support me in the creation of new songs, film clips/music videos, long-form writing and more random, unpredictable art-things (comics? podcasts? random ninja public performances that require a huge budget?.....who knows)....this is your chance.
since march, i've released about a Thing per month...including two new songs, two beautifully-produced webcasts, and a strange animation. all the content is on a list here: http://amandapalmer.tumblr.com/post/126884237426/a...
the feedback has been really great. it's working.
the backstory:
i've been struggling since i got off my label in 2008 to find the right platform for ongoing support, through which i can release constant material (and get paid). i think this is it.
i've gotten to know myself. as a creator, as a songwriter, and as a recording artist, i thrive on instant gratification and a direct mainline to my audience without having to go through labels, distributors, the machine, the mass media. i love making things and instantly sharing. and i know my fanbase: you're smart, kind, supportive, future-embracing people.
we've all started learning how to trust each other with kickstarter, pledge music, indiegogo. i think subscription sites like patreon are a new revolution in music-release and art patronage.
i'm planning to release pretty much ALL MY ARTISTIC CONTENT for free: on youtube, bandcamp, my site, wherever.
it's yours, it's everybody's, you can take it, you can share it.
but i need support, true patronage, from you you YOU if i'm going to take the plunge and have money to live and make this art.
i'm friends with jack (the CEO) and the fine folks at patreon, as i was pals (and still am) with yancey over at kickstarter. i really believe in what these people are doing, and i've been really astounded and inspired to see what all these other artists, from writers to cartoonists to singers, are doing with crowdfunding.
it isn't making world news, because it is what it is: a quiet, underground network of artists connecting directly with their fans, bypassing the entire commercial system. this is AWESOME.
it is, in these days of negativity and tumblr outrage, the bright side of the net: it is how the internet can really save artists and the art they make. it also means YOU need to step up and support the artists you love, the political cartoonists you want to see bravely satirizing the system, the painters you want to see reflecting their realities, the musicians you want filling your hearts and your speakers, the journalists you want to see writing about the state of the world.
almost 25,000 of you supported my kickstarter, and i don't expect those kinds of numbers here - this is more of a commitment: though you do get to road test it if you're scared (you can pull out before you're charged at the end of any month - so it's risk-free).
my kickstarter was a one-time all-in deal, this is more of an ongoing commitment to me and my music and spontaneous art-making. kickstarter was like a serious date, this is like....going steady.
more backstory? i've been flailing (often happily, for sure) since i left my label in 2008. self-releasing and distributing vinyl & CDs isn't easy. giving my music away for free online has been an adventure, but not as profitable as i expected. you may be surprised to know that "theatre is evil" - even with 25,000 backers and rave reviews in the press - sold relatively few copies in stores.
i really believe that putting content up for free on the internet is Fundamentally Good: it means everybody can share....but i honestly don't make enough through pay-what-you-want alone to support a recording studio and video-making habit...there are months when my revenue from bandcamp and my website combines totals less than a few hundred dollars. that means the only way to pull in money is to tour, sell merch, or...to do yet another kickstarter to call upon everybody's support and goodwill. that's what i've been doing.
the problem with kickstarter is that, while it's great for huge projects, i don't want to do get repetitive and exhaust the fanbase with "HEY I'M MAKING YET ANOTHER RECORD, PRE-ORDER HERE. AGAIN!."
i just want to be able to go into the studio, make music with friends, call a film director, make a video, take a few months off, write, record, and press PUBLISH when i'm done, the way i can with my blogs. bam, bam, bam.
i also don't want to have to think up clever merchandise (i know we love fuzzy posters, and t-shirts, mugs and tea-cozies....but how much Stuff is too much Stuff before we don't need any more Stuff cluttering up landfills?)
don't get me wrong: i'm not going to give up on physical or merchandise (i mean, manufacturing my own vinyl and nudie pens brings me great joy) and i'm not going to give up on collecting my music into "albums".
but i know me and i'm addicted to PUTTING OUT THE THING NOW. i've seen what's happened to me when i'm able to slave all night on something and wave it around immediately the next day online or at a show. without that drive, 8in8 (the all-night record i made with ben folds and damian kulash and neil gaiman) wouldn't have happened, and i don't think i ever would have written "gaga, palmer, madonna" if i hadn't been able to upload it directly to YouTube that night. the immediate thrills me.
i don't find it as inspiring to work for two years on a bunch of songs, knowing that i'm going to have to spend TONS of time raising funds for a record, a few more months (or years, in some cases) going through the record-biz "album cycle".
i just want to MAKE STUFF AND PUT IT OUT.
and get paid.
and then keep going. does it mean i won't ever get a grammy? yes, it does. but who cares? who am i making music for anyway....you, or the grammies committee? right.
here's the key: THIS IS A HUGE EXPERIMENT.
we can keep tweaking this as we go. if the patron levels seem too high, too low, aren't working....we can shift and change them. the community has already proven to be really great at giving me feedback. if anybody comes up with a brilliant idea of what would be wonderful to include in a new level, we can ADD it. if i decide that i want to spend a year doing cover songs, we can build in a system by which i can take requests from all patrons. et cetera.
this is a platform where we can be in constant communication.
if you guys know me, you know i LISTEN. we're here to make this sucker work together, and we will.
even if you're a one dollar backer, i want to know what you're digging about the platform and what's bugging you.
every patron who's supporting me is important to this community, YOU'RE who i'm creating for, and
i'm glad you found me here.
whether you're backing me for a dollar or ten dollars...THANK YOU.
ALLL THE THIIIIIIIIIIINGS!!!
let's DO THIS SHIT!!!!!!!!
love,
AFP
p.s. if you're just finding out about patreon and you're like JA JA JA JA OMG, here are a few other artists/creators i suggest you look into:
neil degrasse tyson (making a startalk podcast!) https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio?ty=c
monica byrne (writing a column about pop culture) https://www.patreon.com/monicabyrne?ty=c
the doubleclicks (makin musical songs & videos!) https://www.patreon.com/thedoubleclicks
p.p.s. if you're not familiar with MY music, i've made a great primer page to acquaint you, it's called "a walk through amandalanda" and has streams of my biggest records and best videos:
http://amandalanda.amandapalmer.net/
............
THE FAQ (frequently asked questions)
if you have questions, please submit them on twitter, on facebook, on my blog, or here on the patron stream once you sign up.
Q: "i'm kind of confused by the Things you keep referencing in your video. what other Things are you talking about besides songs?"
A: well, videos is the obvious one. making music videos can be way more expensive than recording music, and i still love making them. one of the first songs i'm released here on patreon was "bigger on the inside", a song i'm really proud of, featuring zoe keating on the cello. i see a really beautiful music video for it in my head, but i can imagine it costing at least $20k to film when all is said and done. i'd also love to experiment with what art and patronage really is....maybe i'll write something, maybe i'll decide to do a marathon recording webcast, maybe i'll start doing an interview podcast with special people i meet or know, maybe i'll decide to lock myself in a room and spend five days creating a painting using content from the feed.....i really have no idea. i think i'm going to push the limits and see where the pushback happens (if any). it's this lack of knowing that makes patreon so exciting to me. i like not knowing things.
Q: "you asked about charging Per Thing versus charging Per Month in your blog, and I want to pay Per Month, it's easier! Why Per Thing?"
A: i thought hard about charging Per Month instead of Per Thing, because patreon lets you do either, and a lot of artists are successfully charging per month. however, that makes me nervous: what if i'm traveling and touring and/or taking off time for three months in a row and don't have output to share? i'd feel guilty. i know me well enough to know that i don't work consistently: this isn't a weekly web comic, i'm a sporadic weirdo. Per Thing seemed safer. here's the way I figured it: patreon has a MONTHLY CAP, so if you want the security of only EVER paying $10 a month, because that's what your budget allows, you can CAP at $10. that way it's like paying $10 per month, WITH the added advantage that if i decide to post No Things in a given month, you'll be charged NOTHING. so it's technically better for you, and i won't feel guilty, ever.
Q: "but if i cap my backing at $10 a month, does that mean I won't get ALL THE THINGS? i want ALL THE THINGS"
A: lucky for you, i'm treating everybody equally. you don't lose access to ANYTHING when you hit your cap. you'll still get EVERYTHING emailed to you if you're backing at the email level, and access to all streams even if your cap is $1 a month. you don't get punished for capping.
Q: " I want to join your Patreon, but I don't have any idea how much to donate. I want to do it for about $25-35/month. You say it's donating "per thing" - how often do you do those "things" - so I can get an idea how much to donate per thing. For example, if you do a "thing" every 3 months, I will donate $100 per thing.
so: guidelines on "thing" timetables... at least roughly?" (from samaire provost on facebook)
A:
wow - that's really generous. the $100/month option is full right now, and i'm trying to figure out what to do about that. right now you have two options: you could just back me at $10/thing, which is the closest denomination (in general i put out about one thing a month and haven't put out 2 or 3 yet... but might!) and i'd cap your donation at $30, or $60, or $60....so you never pay more than you're happy with. OR if you're feeling more generous, you can actually "write in" a higher amount per thing (i.e. you can write in $20/$30/$50 at the $10 level) and that extra dough per thing, until you hit your monthly cap, is just considered generous gravy.
Q: "when are you going to put out an Actual Record I Can Touch? call me old school, but i just want to buy a simple record."
A: i dunno. check back in about six months. meanwhile, you can purchase one of the gazillions of physical records & CDs I've released if you're super keen on touching things:http://shop.amandapalmer.net/
Q: "um....what if i want to just donate money to you once? this is weird."
A: um. that's fine. you can make a one-time donation to my site's music page here...down to the right where it says "support my art". thanks. (http://amandapalmer.net/music/)
Q: "i love you. i just wanted to say that."
A: "i love you too. here's a hug ((((((((((())))))))))))"
Pledge $1.00 or more per thing
1294 patrons
you're supporting me, and that's huge, and plenty. thank you. you'll get access to the patron-only feed, where the community centralizes and everything gets posted and talked about. so you know: your voice is just as important as some well-off mofo giving a grand.
Pledge $3.00 or more per thing
1691 patrons
you're supporting me even more, and you are awesome. thank you. you'll get access to the patron-only feed, as above, where we hang, and you'll also be DIRECTLY emailed keepable/playable/readable downloads of any content (PDFs, Mp3s, etc).
Pledge $5.00 or more per thing
1943 patrons
you're supporting me a LOT, and $5 a song (or Thing) is really generous. thank you. you'll get all of the above, plus you'll be in the "random surprise" group. i'll email you random surprises every once in a while, including more personal blogs that i don't want out in the public, photos and poetry that aren't for everybody, etc. this one's an adventure. let's see what goes down.
Pledge $10.00 or more per thing
1284 patrons
this is a lot of money to spend on an artist, and you are really showing me some serious art-love here. THANK YOU. i'll try to make it worth it: you'll get all of the above, random surprises + photos and all, plus access to intimate webcasts in which i'll chat/perform live with you top-tier patrons, take questions direct, talk about life, the work, and generally get jiggy. note: the patron base has voted to make these generally later available to the public, because everyone here is pretty generous. but you'll get to interact live, and you'll usually access get the archive before the public does....you'll be a members of the smaller group with whom i discuss deeper issues, business/patron strategies, and so forth. i love doing these, but not with thousands of people. i'll do the monthly webcast even if i haven't made any art, so you may be getting free webcasts if i'm in a funk, and we'll just talk online about how unproductive and depressed i am. FUN!
Pledge $100.00 or more per thing
30 patrons (All 30 sold out!)
Click to be notified when a spot opens
(inner circle - limited to 30) - you're an angel investor. i love you. because you clearly really want to support me and my endeavors. you'll get all of the above, including random surprises and webcasting, plus i'll thank you personally via email or phone (and chances are, i already know you from shows or ye olde kickstarter days). i'll also send you weird postcards from weird places i wind up, or i'll draw original postcards for you (a few times a year, at least). i just bumped the amount, and may even add a higher tier, so watch out. i need to keep it limited enough that i can actually pay attention to everybody / give them guest list / VIP access to all shows, so i can thank people in person when possible. YAY YOU.
Pledge $1,000.00 or more per thing
3 patrons (All 3 sold out!)
Click to be notified when a spot opens
i'll call. we'll talk. we'll have dinner. all the things, pretty much. thank you (holy shit).
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Who will be live tweeting the #AHSHotel debut?
This Witch!
Join me on the 7th October at 10pm eastern on Twitter for a body by body tweetfest!!!
Follow me at @FAccordions and let's enjoy Mother Monster as she checks into Ryan Murphy's Hotel!!!
My Saturday Horror Binge - "Hausu," "Two of a Guillotine," and "The House of Seven Corpses"
Hausu - 1977
Joyfully bizarre. One of the best of the Japanese Schoolgirl Horror genre, it is a must see if you are a fan. Be warned, it make ABSOLUTELY no sense but in the best way possible!!!
Two on a Guillotine - 1966
Starring - Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, Cesar Romero
The leads are cute. The premise is cute. The acting is cute. Dear lord, it is sooooo long....for 1hr 47min, I thought it was much longer. Cesar Romero is the stand out, but is not in I nearly enough to save it.
The House of Seven Corpses - 1974
Starring - John Ireland, John Carradine, Faith Domergue
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Box Office Sept 11-13: 'The Perfect Guy' Is Number 1. But Don't Celebrate Just Yet... - Shadow and Act
As expected (given Friday's numbers and estimates derived from them), "The Perfect Guy" took the number spot at the box office this weekend, beating out fellow newcomer, "The Visit," the latest from M. Night Shyamalan, which he both wrote and directed. As an aside, there was a time when opening weekend for an M. Night Shyamalan movie was a big deal; not so much anymore it seems. There doesn't appear to have been much fanfare for "The Visit" leading up to its opening, and even after.
But yes, "The Perfect Guy," despite terrible reviews, took home the crown this weekend, as fans of the film's 3 stars - Sanaa Lathan, Michael Ealy, and Morris Chestnut - turned out to support them, buying almost $27 million worth of tickets. That means over 3 million of you saw the film this weekend (given that the average cost of a movie ticket in the USA this year is around $8.12).
Aramide reviewed it for S&A (read her thoughts here).
I did see it, and, in short, it was one of the least enjoyable, most disappointing theatrical experiences I've had so far this year. Not that I expected a lot from it (given all the media released before the film opened - trailers, clips, etc), but, at least, I hoped for something that would maybe provide some entertainment (even if it was in that "so bad it's good" kind of way). Instead I was just annoyed. Time wasted.
But the "support black film" brigade was out, chastising any doubters, as is the case whenever any studio film with a black cast is released, no matter how good the film may be, and whether or not each of us is actually genuinely interested in it. None of that is apparently of any importance, because, you know, if we "support" each film, it'll show Hollywood that there's a black audience that wants to see itself on screen and, you know, they'll be encouraged to finance even more movies with black casts. Etc, etc, etc.
We've heard that story so many times before that it's become so rote. And, as is demonstrated each occurrence, what typically happens is that more of the specific kind of film that we're all being asked to blindly rally around, get made, until audiences tire of them (indicated by declining box office), and studios stop making them. That is until another kind of "black film" positively *surprises* at the box office, and the cycle repeats itself.
As a very recent example, consider what the box office success of "Straight Outta Compton" has meant thus far - talk of more hip-hop biopics, even a potential sequel to "Compton." I'm still waiting for Ernest Dickerson's film adaptation of Octavia Butler's "Clay's Ark" (a project that's been in Limbo for years) to finally attract studio financing, as a result of the many black films that have been financially successful over the years; films that we were repeatedly told that if we "supported" on opening weekend, would result in films like Dickerson's getting the production funds needed.
So much for the so-called "black film renaissance" we've been hearing about for the last couple of years, that apparently happens every decade or so.
And when Oscar nominations are eventually announced for this year with very few, if any, black artists (actors, directors, writers, etc) honored, the usual cliché of articles, social media protests, and online petitions critical of the "absence of diversity" among the nominees, will dominated my email inbox, and various news feeds. And then I'll ask the most obvious of questions: did you really think "The Perfect Guy" was going to get a nomination?
I'm being jocular about all this, but, really, I laugh to keep from crying, as the saying goes.
We can't expect *them* to take us seriously if we don't take ourselves seriously, and, in essence, challenge their seemingly limited expectations of us as an audience.
I should note that "The Perfect Guy" was directed by a white filmmaker in David M. Rosenthal (I call attention to that because several mentions of the film I read, credited a black director), although it's scripted by a black writer in Tyger Williams, who also wrote the screenplay for "Menace II Society" 22 years ago.
The budget for "The Perfect Guy" was $12 million, so it's certainly on its way to becoming a reasonably profitable film for Sony/Screen Gems. I predict that it'll likely fall significantly next weekend, unless word of mouth is very strong (critical reviews certainly won't help, the way they played a part in "Straight Outta Compton's" success).
As for the rest of the story...
Shyamalan's "The Visit" came in a close second place, earning close to $26 million.
Rounding out the top 10, of note, the faith-based drama "War Room" which was last week's number 1, dropped to 3rd place, with $7.4 million, and a cumulative total of over $39 million to date (keep in mind that this is a film that cost just $3 million, so it's far surpassed its budget; and even if you considered marketing costs as well, it's probably still a very profitable movie for Sony/Tristar).
Meanwhile "Straight Outta Compton" dropped down to 6th place (from #2 last weekend), adding to its total gross which is now at a hefty $155 million domestic, and over $180 million when you add foreign receipts. By the time its international run ends, this could very well be a $200+ million picture for Universal - a studio that's having a great year, owning 4 of the top 10 grossing films of 2015, including the number 1 film of the year (so far) in "Jurassic World."
Worth noting, another faith-based movie opened this weekend titled "90 Minutes in Heaven," starring Kate Bosworth and Hayden Christensen, directed by Michael Polish. It didn't perform as well as the other faith-based film in the top 10 ("War Room") when it opened, earning $2.1 million, taking the #9 slot.
There are more of them coming, as it seems Hollywood has officially jumped on what it probably thinks will be another ephemeral gravy train in the faith-based film. With the box office success of recent works like "Heaven Is for Real," and TV ratings hits like “The Bible Series,” “Son of God,” and “AD,” it's probably a very good time for filmmakers/content creators with so-called faith-based projects primed for the big or small screen. Coming soon that I'm aware of: "Captive" with David Oyelowo and Kate Mara; and "Miracles From Heaven," which Queen Latifah and Jennifer Garner are attached to.
| 1 | "The Perfect Guy" | SGem | $26,700,000 | $26,700,000 | |||||||
| 2 | "The Visit" | Uni. | $25,690,000 | $25,690,000 | |||||||
| 3 | "War Room" | TriS | $7,400,000 | $39,188,327 | |||||||
| 4 | "A Walk in the Woods" | BG | $4,620,099 | $19,877,024 | |||||||
| 5 | "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" | Par. | $4,150,000 | $188,172,518 | |||||||
| 6 | "Straight Outta Compton" | Uni. | $4,090,000 | $155,712,600 | |||||||
| 7 | "No Escape" | Wein. | $2,879,000 | $24,155,935 | |||||||
| 8 | "The Transporter Refueled" | EC | $2,700,000 | $13,343,496 | |||||||
| 9 | "90 Minutes in Heaven" | Gold. | $2,160,911 | $2,160,911 | |||||||
| 10 | "Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos" | PNT | $1,900,000 | $6,667,352 |
Susan Sarandon Calls Timothy Leary a 'Prophet' in New (and NSFW) Clip From Her Burning Man Tribute - People
In a newly released video from Susan Sarandon's epic Burning Man trip, the actress honors the late Timothy Leary and talks about psychedelic drugs before leading a procession of the late psychologist's ashes.
"This is a ceremony, a very minimal ceremony, for Timothy Leary's ashes," Sarandon said to a group of fellow Burners in the lengthy clip. The 68-year-old brought some of Leary's ashes to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada and "re-cremated" them in artist Michael Galrington's "Totem of Confessions."
"He'll be there until it burns, he'll be doubly crispy on Saturday," she joked.
Sarandon eulogized "profit" Leary, who is regarded by many as the father of LSD and died back in 1996.
"For anyone who doesn't know who Timothy Leary is and you've taken acid, you should be ashamed of yourself," she told the group. "Timothy Leary, for those of you who don't know, was the leader of the whole thing to take LSD away from the CIA and make it a means of exploration for everybody."
The star explained that while most of Leary's remains were "jettisoned" into out space, an "hors d'oeuvres-y" size of the ashes were left to Sarandon and his other friends.
"The first time I went to Burning Man I thought, well, they should live here," she said of the ashes.
The actress said that Leary had an "enormous amount of faith" in both the future and youth, and then asked bystanders to share their "funniest or worst trip" on drugs.
Later in the video, Sarandon, wearing a wedding-like ensemble, leads a processional of costumed burners, musicians and bikers to the Totem.
Leary's ashes were left in the temporary structure, and burned when the structure was set on fire before the festival's end on Monday.
**Blessed Be!!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
“Harry Potter” Fans, J.K. Rowling Says It’s Officially “The Dawn Of The Age Of Hufflepuff” - Buzzfeed
**My daughter, the Hufflepuff, is excited. I, the Slytherin, as always is very disappointed!
Hufflepuffs are friendly, fair, patient, kind, tolerant, trustworthy, loyal as all hell, and seriously unafraid of some toil.
Hufflepuffs are friendly, fair, patient, kind, tolerant, trustworthy, loyal as all hell, and seriously unafraid of some toil.
CBS
We’re, like, real loyal.
2. However, for some reason, many think of us as the leftover house. But believe you me, we’re nobody’s leftovers.
Warner Bros.
4. And according to Rowling — you know, the woman who birthed Harry Potter — it is now “the dawn of the Age of Hufflepuff.”
“This is starting to feel like the dawn of the Age of Hufflepuff… #FantasticBeasts.”
5. That’s right, everyone — it’s Hufflepuff time… and we’re comin’ at ya hard.
Warner Bros.
6. How hard? Star-of-a-trilogy hard.
Starz
ICYMI, the leading man of Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), is a proud and true Hufflepuff. He bleeds black and yellow.
10. …And, most importantly, we’re bringing our swagger.
Warner Bros. / Via harleklown.deviantart.com
Nerdist Presents 'The Hive' Sept. 14, 2015
Date: Monday, September 14
Time: 7:30 p.m. (local time)
Run Time: 2 hours (approximate)
Ticketing: Tickets are available by clicking on the orange “Buy Tickets” button. If online ticketing is not available for your location, you can purchase your tickets by visiting the box office at your local participating movie theater. Theaters are setting up on a rolling basis. If your location does not have online tickets available yet, please check back soon!
Special Fathom Features: Shot in a digitally avant garde style with each camera shot shorter than ten seconds, the zombie-based Nerdist original event will also include exclusive extras featuring Steve Aoki, Chris Hardwick and more!
Fathom Events and Nerdist Industries are partnering up to bring Nerdist Presents The Hive, the premiere of new zombie-thriller, to select cinemas nationwide for a special one-night event on Monday, September 14 at 7:30 p.m. (local time).
At the height of summer, Adam and Katie find love for the first time. Fellow camp counselors Clark and Jess couldn’t care less about the kids they’re overseeing as long as they can hook up. But, when a plane crashes nearby, their investigation unleashes a mysterious plague, putting all campers in danger.
As Camp Yellow Jacket slips into chaos, Adam wakes in a boarded-up cabin with no memory of who or where he is. His only clues are the notes he’s scrawled for himself and memories that aren’t his own. As his friends turn into monsters around him, the key to surviving the apocalypse is locked in one infected counselor’s mind.
Uniquely shot with four different lens/palates to give each frame its own look, and set to the music of internationally renowned music producer Steve Aoki, Nerdist Presents The Hive is an event that sci-fi horror fans won’t want to miss!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
R.I.P. Tom Towles
Rob Zombie @RobZombie · 2 hours ago
Our buddy Tom Towles has died. He was a nice funny guy. We will miss him. #riptomtowles… https://instagram.com/p/1G4OzTzMuP/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)