Filmmakers: Two book recommendations that will save you at least $1000's

As a co-producer on the feature film The Selling I have learned more about the in's and out's of film production, festivals and distribution than I ever intended. So now that I'm super smart and superior I can sit on my high horse and tell other people what they should do. There are two books that would have saved us a lot of time and money had we read them earlier in the process. So you should read them.
The first is Thinking Outside The Box Office by Jon Reiss.

This book is a must even if you are planning on going through traditional channels. Read it before pre production if possible. There are things that you can be doing early that will make your life much easier. Building audience, having the right useful things on your website, transmedia and digital rights are all in here. This world is changing out from under everyone and this is a great way to stay on top of the new model. Whatever that is going to be. 
The second book is Chris Gore's Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide. You should read this before pre production too. There are things you need to be doing early for a good festival run. It will make your life much easier if you do them. You can't do them if you don't even know they need to be done. 

There are about a billion festivals and getting into and going to them is a huge job. Reading this book will make it so you aren't a complete idiot. I'd say you should read this even if you know the festival world. 
Another great resource if you're in Los Angeles is American Cinematheque's lecture series by Thomas Ethan Harris. This is a wonderful cool thing that the American Cinematheque is doing and you should take advantage of it if you can. 
There is my sage advice. Feel free to send me some of the money this saves you. I think 15% is fair. 

To The Second Annual Kickstarter Film Festival With Robot Jim

Gabriel Diani and I are thrilled that our Kickstarter project "Replacing the N-Word with Robot in Huck Finn" will be at the Second Annual Kickstarter Film Festival in Brooklyn.

You can check out all the other project videos they are showing here.

I'm very excited to see them and to try several edible Kickstarter projects that will be there. I plan on murdering a scoop or two of ice cream from Phinizy & Phebe.

Here is the wonderful video for the film festival. 

See you on the 9th Brooklyn! 

Mini Dogs in Little Tokyo

I just have one question. Why isn't EVERY bakery doing this? 

It's just whipped cream and a slice of kiwi in a little pastry shell. The extra nice touch is that the eyes noes and mouth are blackberry and raspberry seeds. 

The animals you could make with this method are limited by only your imagination. I'm very disappointed with every other pastry chef in the world right now. Way to go bakery in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. 

Eating them isn't easy. I recommend going with head first. It seems the kindest to the little creatures. 

Not everyone is comfortable with this however. Use your best judgment about how eating a mini dog will affect those around you.

This is not a Kickstarter Shirt

Handsome Yancey, one of the founders of Kickstarter and a backer of 420 projects is making this cool shirt. The shirt will show the stats of the "This is not a Kickstarter Shirt" project when it's all done.

So your cash addition changes the number for everyone. Do you feel drunk with power? I do. A little.

Since there is no Kickstarter shirt this is as close as you're going to get until there is.

It's all very meta. It's also a great conversation starter about Kickstarter and something you could wear every day during the run of your Kickstarter campaign. Which is what?

If you've ever done a Kickstarter campaign or you have one currently running let me know in the comments!

Robot Necklace

I get to make a bunch of Robot Necklaces!

Not long ago my Kickstarter project to change the "N-Word" to "Robot" in Huck Finn was successful. 

We are busily working to make the incentives. Our amazing copy editor Emily Wilder, who's very entertaining blog can be found here at Wilder Goose Chase is busily copy editing. The ten million illustrations (that's how many there were at last count) are being altered to include Robot Jim instead of Human Jim.
I'm responsible for the Robot Necklace.

If you want your very own and missed the Kickstarter campaign then you can get it here on Etsy.
When the book is ready you can get it here at http://DianiDevine.com.

All hail our Robotic overlords! 

The Incredibly Exciting and Dangerous World of Drawer Pulls

We all have drawers to open. You might as well admit it. No one who's anyone keeps their skeletons in closets anymore. Dressers, chifferobes, cabinets and buffets are where it's at.
"But how are we supposed to open these fancy boxes to get to our stuff? Telekinesis?"
No. But enjoy that terrible website. And if you know where those people live feel free to let your dog poop on their lawn and not pick it up. They can remove it with their minds.
Getting to your stuff can be accomplished through knobs.

Etsy has a wide variety.

Michael R Doyle Mrd74 does amazing work in metal with bird skulls and other bits of natural history.

For the more geographically minded Sherry Truitt Studios has these map drawer pulls. Maybe they would be particularly good to pull open the drawers of your map collection.

Monkey Shines has a variety of cool natural history inspired pulls with a clean modern look.

Da Rosa has these awesome Star Wars little guys.

Black Turtle Metals makes all kinds of beautiful accessories for your house.

Dreamery Studio does neat natural history inspired things with drawer pulls and printing on old book pages.

Shimrita makes awesome and ridiculous cupcakes. Don't eat them.

If you can't open your drawers after this then give telekinesis another try. 

Etsy in The Selling

I've been loving Etsy for years. I think it's a fantastic place to find both awesome and truly horrifically wonderful things (thank you Regretsy).  It also gives artists, crafters and junk collectors the ability to sell their work without having to deal with traditional selling venues.

When we were working on our film The Selling I wanted to include some of the etsy things I had bought in the world of the movie. I put some things in front of the costume designer Christine Bean, and the art director Katrin Eder and these were some things that they used.

The lead character Richard Scarry played by Gabriel Diani wears this fantastic Grumpy Owl's shirt.

It is made by the etsy shop Deadworry. I love her stuff!

Then in my character Ginger's apartment we can see this guy from Berkleyillustration.

I love Ryan's work and it is all over my apartment and the houses of at least three other cast members that I know of.

This next really cool shop mostly ended up on the cutting room floor but if you know it's there you can see photos from Swirlingthoughts on the wall of Richard Scarry's mother's house (played by the fantastic
Nancy Lenehan).

These toy photos are super good. The barbie series is particularly awesome.

I also used some of my own jewelry from Underoakstudios.

I will be using more etsy stuff in other things that I produce. If you're going to do this make sure you get a release from the artist.

Thanks guys!