Life is busy – you’re learning what NFTs are, mourning the ArcLight and Yahoo Answers, and finally, finally getting around to seeing some of the movies that have been winning awards. 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 over the past month. So take some time to catch up with this month’s good reads.
This Month’s Good Reads (April 2021)
A Massive List of Spring 2021 Grants All Filmmakers Should Know About (via Oakley Anderson-Moore for No Film School)
Get those money-grubbing hands ready to type out some submission forms!
Every Film in This Oscar Category Is an Underdog You Can Root For (via Nicolas Rapold for The New York Times)
A history of the Oscars’ Live Action Shorts, from Laurel & Hardy and Walt Disney to Jim Henson and Taika Waititi.
Why Most Actors Won’t Even Attempt a Philadelphia Accent (via Sam Adams for Slate)
Kate Winslet took to the accent like a duck to wooder.
Kentucker Audley’s Microbudget Discovery Site NoBudge Launches Subscription Service (via Kate Erbland for IndieWire)
A new showcase for films that “don’t have another home.”
Monte Hellman: 1932-2021 (via Scout Tafoya for RogerEbert.com)
Honoring the Roger Corman protégé/director of Two-Lane Blacktop.
‘It Needs to Change’: Are Music Supervisors the Most Unsung People in Film? (via Dorian Lynskey for The Guardian)
Show some respect for the needle-droppers!
Your Moviegoing Experience Is About to Change (via Shirley Li for The Atlantic)
Your local cinema won’t be the same.
Scott Rudin Scandal: Swimming With Sharks Tried to Warn Us (via Anthony Breznican for Vanity Fair)
Catching up with the writer/director of the 1994 indie that put the spotlight on Hollywood A-holes.
Why Chloé Zhao’s Historic Best Director Oscar Win Matters (via Justin Chang for Los Angeles Times)
From a 2015 Sundance micro-budget indie to the first woman of color Best Director winner.
50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2021 (via MovieMaker Magazine)
Where to fest your film this year.
Indie Film Temperature Check: Vaccines Roll Out And Production Revs Up But Insurers, Banks Still MIA (via Jill Goldsmith for Deadline)
How the indie industry is getting back to work.
SAG-AFTRA Just Made It Easier to Report Sexual Harassment in Hollywood (via Laura Bradley for The Daily Beast)
A way to report on-set abuse from your phone.
In case you were ignoring us (aka blatant self-promotion)
SAGindie & Helix Collective Film Music Connect Workshop
Learn the basics of collaborating with a composer at our May 15th virtual workshop!
2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Award-winners and event recap from this year’s (virtual) celebration of indie films and TV.
Filmmaker Interview: Maureen Bharoocha, director of Golden Arm
The director of the arm-wrestling comedy talked to us about improvisation, segment directing, and podcasts.
A video worth watching
A history and analysis of production company/studio logos (via Little White Lies)
How ’bout you? Read anything good this month?
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If you’re an independent filmmaker or know of an independent film-related topic we should write about, email blogadmin@sagindie.org for consideration.