indieBlog
SAGindie's online forum for independent cinema, film festivals, industry news, and general tomfoolery.
This Month’s Good Reads (January 2021)
Life is busy – we're kicking off a new year, narrowly avoiding CWII (Civil War II), inaugurating a new president, making Bernie memes, trading GameStop stocks, mourning nonagenarian acting legends (RIP Cloris and Cicely), and experiencing our first virtual Sundance....
SAGindie’s SUNDANCE 2021 Movie Picks
This year's Sundance Film Festival is venturing into new territory: Virtual screenings. As a longtime sponsor of the fest, SAGindie will be there in spirit (and online) for this year's virtual outing - taking place Januray 28 - February 3, 2021. And though we may have...
30th GOTHAM AWARDS – Winners & Nominees
We're living in unpredictable times, but there's still one thing we can always count on: Awards Season! Our friends at the Independent Filmmaker Project (now called The Gotham) held a virtual 30th Annual GOTHAM AWARDS on January 11, 2021. The event was streamed live...
THE ART OF COLLABORATION: Composers and Filmmakers Working Together – Virtual Panel
SAGindie and Helix Collective set out on a matchmaking adventure workshop to pair indie filmmakers with the composer that could bring their ideas to life in sound. Starting with a workshop led by Phil Popham of Helix Collective on how to choose the right composer for...
This Month’s Good Reads (December 2020)
Life is busy – we're all doing what we can to wrap up this hell of a year (figuratively? Literally? You decide). It can be tough to stay up-to-date on the latest film industry news, profiles, analysis, and advice. That’s why we’ve curated some essential reads you may...
SAGindie’s Favorite Films of 2020
Oh, 2020. What more is there to say about you? COVID and Quibi and Biden and Trump; plans canceled, protests held, Animals Crossed, Boltcutters Fetched, doughs soured, interactions Zoomed. And through it all, some movies actually saw the light of day. So in our annual...
NOTICE: New Micro-Budget Project Agreement (effective 12/1/20)
SAG-AFTRA has announced a brand-new contract intended to provide a streamlined signatory process for indie producers working with extremely limited budgets. The Micro-Budget Project Agreement is now available to filmmakers as of December 1, 2020. See the full list of...
Filmmaker Interview: EKWA MSANGI, writer/director/producer of FAREWELL AMOR
When EKWA MSANGI brought her film FAREWELL AMOR to the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, it may have been her first outing as a feature director, but the story has been with her for decades. Inspired by the experiences of her own family members, Farewell Amor follows the...
A Conversation with the Cast: THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
SAGindie presents a conversation with filmmaker/actor RADHA BLANK, winner of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award for THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION. In this virutual panel/cast reunion, Blank brings together actors T.J. Atoms, Oswin Benjamin, Peter Kim, Imani...
This Month’s Good Reads (November 2020)
Life is busy – we're electing a new president, electing a new vice president, and also probably other stuff. It can be tough to stay up-to-date on the latest film industry news, profiles, analysis, and advice. That’s why we’ve curated some essential reads you may have...
This Month’s Good Reads (October 2020)
Life is busy – you're voting, Quibbying your last Quibi, and prepping for a Very Pandemic Halloween. It can be tough to stay up-to-date on the latest film industry news, profiles, analysis, and advice. That’s why we’ve curated some essential reads you may have missed...
Virtual Panel: WORKING THROUGH, PART 3 – Indie Filmmaking in the Age of COVID-19
Panel Details Description: After months of delays, cancellations, and general uncertainty, film productions have begun ramping up again in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. So, how’s it going? SAGindie’s Michael Sládek moderated a panel of film professionals who...
Filmmaker Interview: ALEX H. FISCHER and ELEANOR WILSON of SAVE YOURSELVES!
When it comes to filmmaking - and perhaps also surviving an earth-shattering emergency - teamwork is key. ALEX H. FISCHER and ELEANOR WILSON both had directing careers of their own before they decided to expand their real-life partnership and into a filmmaking...
This Month’s Good Reads (September 2020)
Life is busy – you're mourning a summer you never really had, doing your best to avoid the unhealthy air quality of an entire coast, and watching the news like it's a horror movie. It can be tough to stay up-to-date on the latest film industry news, profiles,...
Filmmaker Interview: JOHN LEGUIZAMO, director/star of CRITICAL THINKING
Whether he's in a leading role or a supporting part, the writer or the director, JOHN LEGUIZAMO commands the screen, the stage, even the room. With decades-long success as an actor, writer, and producer, the Colombia-born, Queens-raised performer has taken on...
This Month’s Good Reads (August 2020)
Life is busy – you're melting in the heat, wondering if you'll ever step foot in a movie theater again, and maybe just having a general breakdown over the state of... *gestures broadly at everything*. It can be tough to stay up-to-date on the latest film industry...
Filmmaker Interview: ISABEL SANDOVAL, writer/director/star of LINGUA FRANCA
In order to bring the story of a disempowered woman in modern-day America to the screen, ISABEL SANDOVAL had to step up to the power position of not only writer and director, but also producer, editor, and lead actor. The result - a romantic drama set in Trump-era...
FILM INDEPENDENT FORUM 2020 Highlights
The FILM INDEPENDENT FORUM returned this year - with SAGindie as Premier Sponsor - in a slightly varied form. Like most events in the time of COVID-19, the 2020 Forum moved to a virtual model, taking place online from July 31 - August 7. Kicking off with a Keynote...