Life is busy – you’re spending your time being scared (because of Halloween… and also, well, because of the world). It can be tough to stay up-to-date on all 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 (October 2023)
5 Distribution Deal Red Flags, From No Money Upfront to Pay-to-Play Deals (via Tim Molloy for MovieMaker Magazine)
When to walk away from a deal.
Top Film & TV Studios Spent Over $660 Billion on Stock Buybacks While Actors and Writers Live ‘Paycheck to Paycheck’ (via Lexis-Olivier Ray for L.A. Taco)
An economist’s analysis of studio/streamer stock buybacks.
The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets (via Noah Gallagher Shannon for The New York Times Magazine)
Meet Jack Fisk, legendary production designer who has worked with Scorsese, De Palma, Lynch, Malick, P.T.A., and Iñárritu.
After the Writers Strike, Hollywood Staggers Back to Work and Finds Joy, Chaos, and Hurt Feelings (via Joy Press and Natalie Jarvey for Vanity Fair)
Working in a post-WGA strike world.
Letter to a Young Filmmaker (via Ira Sachs for Mubi Notebook)
The Passages and Love Is Strange writer/director offers guidance for filmmaking newbies.
Remembering Terence Davies, the Greatest British Director (via Richard Brody for The New Yorker)
Reflecting on the career of the man behind The Long Day Closes and The Deep Blue Sea.
The 100 Greatest Film Books of All Time (via Scott Feinberg for The Hollywood Reporter)
Get reading!
Why Contemporary Filmmakers Can’t Stop Copying Jacques Demy (via Oisín McGilloway for Little White Lies)
The continuing influence of the Umbrellas of Cherbourg auteur.
Passion River Leaves Filmmakers Up a Creek (via Kelly Thomas for Distribution Advocates)
The messy fallout from a distribution company’s sale.
After Shaft, Black Americans in Film Were Never Portrayed the Same Way (via Sam Fulwood III for CNN)
The legacy of Richard Roundtree beyond Blaxploitation.
‘Pitching is Performing’: How Filmmaker Thembi Banks Goes After a New Gig (via Thembi Banks for Los Angeles Times)
A day in the life of an indie filmmaker’s hustle.
John Carpenter, Dark Lord of the Film Score (via Tim Greiving for The Ringer)
Behind the music of of Halloween and more.
In case you were ignoring us (aka blatant self-promotion)
Stowe Story Labs SAGindie Fellowship
A new season has opened for our fellowship to send a filmmaker of color to one of Stowe Story Labs’ retreats.
Variety Gotham Week 2023 Highlights
video highlights from the east coast indie film networking and education spectacular.
Film Independent Forum 2023 Highlights
Video highlights from the west coast indie film networking and education spectacular.
2023 Gotham Awards Nominees
See the projects and people up for the annual (no-longer-restrained-by-budget-limits) awards.
A video worth watching
Roger Corman’s Criterion Closet Picks (via The Criterion Collection)
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.