MFM Writer Mike Flanagan Completes Production on Intrepid/Focus Feature of Oculus (News)

Posted by on Nov 3, 2012 in Articles, Behind-the-Scenes, Industry, MicroFilmmaking, News | 0 comments

After Mike Flanagan's masterful release of Absentia--which won best feature film at LA's 2011 Shriekfest and was distributed by Phase 4 films earlier this year--his Oculus franchise was picked up by Trevor Macy and Marc D. Evans of Intrepid Pictures for the major Feature treatment. (The original Oculus short is a cult classic that was made for $1500, garnered a 9.5 from MFM when it came out, and used a single room, a single actor, and a cowled mirror to strike fear in the heart of viewers everywhere.) Intrepid is a production company that seems to be taking a page from the origins of New Line and focusing on films that have very targeted audiences. While they're most recently known for producing James McTeigue's (V for Vendetta) film, Raven, starring John Cusack, they've also produced or presented such varied works as The Cold Light of Day, Crush, and Balls of Fury.

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Litepad Loop (Review)

Posted by on Oct 31, 2012 in Equipment, Reviews, Reviews (Equipment) | 1 comment

Having attractive fill lighting is something that can really separate the pros from the amateurs when it comes to cinematography and photography. Close, soft light is most ideal, especially when filming and photographing women (where harsh light and shadow demarcations are undesirable), but the security mirrors which are the human iris have a tendency to reveal artificial shapes in distracting ways. Thus, circle or ring lights are the preferred way to get closeups, as the circles of illumination reflected in the liquid-coated human iris seem natural and organic.

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Roundabout American (Straight Shooter Film Review)

Posted by on Oct 20, 2012 in Straight Shooter Reviews (Feature Narrative) | 0 comments

However, when he meets a high priced call girl named Helen (Marielle de Rocca-Serra) he begins to look for reasons to stay in America awhile longer. And a new friend, Ron (Patrick Zielinski), helps him come up with just that reason: The Extra Topping, a pizza and prostitution combo platter. The money from the venture seems to what can turn their lives around for the better, but when a dangerous party with a group of ruthless politicos goes south, Alex will have to decide what he’s willing to die for and who he wants to live for.

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The MFM Straight Shooter review to be unveiled… (News)

Posted by on Oct 4, 2012 in Awards, Industry, MicroFilmmaking, News | 0 comments

Our filmmaker fans have long had a single request for an improvement here at MFM: film reviews! While we are very well known for our film critiques, which are aimed at helping filmmakers learn from their mistakes and improve their craft as filmmakers, the technical details which make these critiques so helpful aren't as great for folks who want to get publicity on the film viewer side of things. As such, we will now be launching our Straight Shooter Film Reviews. A "straight shooter" is someone who doesn't shovel manure, but tells you the unvarnished truth. These reviews will be all the things our filmmakers have said they want for publicity: short, non-technical, and designed for film watchers!

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Tumbleweed! (Critique)

Posted by on Jul 7, 2012 in Critiques, Critiques (Short Narrative), Narrative, Short Length | 23 comments

For their first foray into digital (at least that I've seen), the Varavas (Justin wrote andd Jared directed) went with the RedOne (which is arguably the highest end digital rig that most microbudget filmmakers can afford to rent and still stay microbudget). But what to tell with this digital exploration? Why, what else? A Western tale about a tumbleweed, of course! But not just any tumbleweed, of course. A loner tumbleweed who marches to the beat of his own windstream!

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