Blog

This year has a theme of collaborative leverage. Even with a leviathan of projects that start with a prospectus hand-in-hand with persistent crowd-funding strategies, we’ve found those with the tenacity to keep things on the front burner paid off well — even if it takes years.

Given lower and lower budgets that press us creatives for new and faster ways to collaborate, pioneers like “Girlfriend” director Justin Lerner and “Way of Life” director David Driver kept their work going and going, not by coasting on coattails, but keeping the momentum forward and clearly communicating their updates online.

With 34 posts this year, including several from contributing authors, here is a selection of favorite subjects covered on our blog.

10. How Kodak Can Become Profitable Again
    Once a pioneer, this company lost an edge. Others have been quicker to move forward while maintaining high standards.
9. Making Funny or Die’s GOP Debate
   Spending some “sleepless, dreamless nights working” is one route to seize the day.
8. Thoughts on Dynamic Pricing for Cinemas, Based on Theatre
   How selling tickets early, and raising the cost if seats begin to run out, is one business model in other industries to consider for film distribution.
7. Everything New Is Old Again
   “Figure out how to tell a story with moving pictures and sound or sell a product through video content.” Guest columnist Jack Feuer postulates it’s time to think for twenty-years out.
6. Licensed music for video on a budget
   When you can’t hire a composer, here is what we can recommend that’s different, half the price, and without delay.
5. Making “Girlfriend”
   “Making a film is … war,” Justin Lerner notes. After long battles, he won.
4. Layout: Bringing It All Together
   A learning piece by Dreamworks animator David Badgerow on layout, “the cinematographers of the (animated) movie.”
3. WebGL: How the Future Looks
   An interview with Google’s Michael Chang on how WebGL applies to immersive storytelling and the future of online video.
2. The Benefits of Incentivizing Fundraising
   Everyone’s doing it, but guest author Courtney Robertson spells it out: “As much as we may wish it were otherwise, people rarely, if ever, give something for nothing.” She provides some tips for creative like-minds.
1. Crowdfunding “Way of Life”
   Director David Driver raised over $20,000 on IndieGogo for completion funds. No easy accomplishment. We asked his strategy for every step of the way.

One of your favorites not on the list? Browse the archive and comment below.

Finally, check out our 10 best posts of 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008.