Inside Job

I have watched this American documentary film "Inside Job" now 6 times, and each time I am at a loss for words. I know it is one person's perspective, I know it is the film maker's point of view, I know it is one man's story, but, it smacks of facts that cannot be ignored. And it touches on the out-of-control greed that is plaguing the world.

Just before the end of this compelling piece of work, there is an interview where the subject says "Why should a financial engineer get paid up to 100 times more than a real engineer; a real engineer builds bridges, a financial engineer builds dreams. and when those dreams turn out to be nightmares, other people pay for it".

So many countries in the world are suffering on the economic front, and greed sits at the centre of it all. These words "stimulus" and "bail out" are all about delaying the pain. By artificially propping up these failing systems we are trying to cheat nature, and it is going to come bite us in the ass like never before.

I am anxious about the next 6 months - the world is going to look very different in 2012.

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

All the President's Men

A friend sent this to me - it was good not to share:

Four United States Presidents get caught up in a tornado and off they whirled to the land of Oz. They finally made it to the Emerald City and went to find the Great Wizard."

What brings you before the great Wizard of Oz?"

Jimmy Carter stepped forward timidly and said, "I've come for some courage."

"No Problem!" said the Wizard. "Who's next?"

Richard Nixon stepped forward, "I think I need a heart."

"Done!" says the Wizard.

"Who comes next before the great and powerful Oz?"

Up stepped Bush and said, "I'm told by the American people that I need a brain."

"No problem!" said the Wizard. "Consider it done."

Then there is a great silence in the hall. Bill Clinton is just standing there, looking around, but he doesn't say a word.

Irritated, the Wizard finally asks, "Well, what do you want?"

"Is Dorothy here?"

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

Perspective

We saw the film on Monday, and my heart tells me that it is wonderful. But my head reminds me that we need perspective. This is a fundamental thing of all endeavours - we all need perspective. Perhaps we think the film is magical but others won't. Oy!

So, on Tuesday evening next week a group of people who don't know anything about the movie, and who don’t know us, are coming to see the film in a small, focus group. That will be an important milestone, and it will hopefully give us some peace of mind. How will we know if they like it? Well, if they laugh a lot that will be a good sign, and if they reach for a tissue at the end (we will have a Kleenex box on hand) then that will be the ultimate acknowledgment.

And so the anxiety continues ... but soon we will know. Soon soon.

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

The whole enchilada

A movie has to be enjoyable from start to finish. You don't have to love every minute of it, but if at any point something doesn't ring true, then the illusion is over. It is the same for all products and services. The whole experience has to be smooth, or we won't be impressed.

If you order a steak at a restaurant, for example, and one piece of it is green with a nail in it, then the whole meal is ruined - even if the rest of the steak was good. A movie can't have a crap opening and a good ending or vice versa - it has to all be good. Just like love. You can't love your wife/husband 6 days a week and then on Sunday be a lunatic - you are either in or you are out.

On Monday afternoon we sit down to watch the next cut - please God it is the whole enchilada. I got a feeling magic is coming!

PS - we need all the support we can get - please go to the Material movie on Facebook and "Like" it.

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

The horizon is wonderful ...

We just watched the 1st cut of Material, and, I am very very very happy to say that I could see magic on the horizon.

Craig, I am inspired!

Riaad, Vincent, Joey and the rest of the amazing cast ... wow wow wow!

Robbie, Allison, Megan, Allison, and everyone else ... thank you!

Let’s not count our chickens before they hatch, but, I am confident that something wonderful is unfolding here.

This is the best journey I have been on since the start of Internet Solutions. Yes, there is definitely magic coming. We have a diamond that we need to cut and polish. Diamond cutting is a very specific skill - one wrong move spells disaster. Let's hope we are good diamond cutters. We have just under 3 months of editing left and so much to do. I better get to sleep - we have a lot of work ahead ...

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

Distribution

An independent film (an indie film), is like an independent soft drink, ie, a drink not backed by Cola Cola. If you don't have distribution tied up you are nowhere. And that's life, in just about every industry. A studio film has distribution. Coca Cola has distribution. The big brands have the supply chain nailed down. That is why that Vitamin Water stuff is everywhere. Coca Cola made it happen. And that is why we sometimes have bad movies out there - their destinies are tied up long before the film is shot. And this means we all gotta take the good with the bad.

Indie films, like indie drinks, or anything indie for that matter, really has to battle to get these products out there. But one thing is always certain: if you create something with magic, it will find a way to market. Someone will give you a slot in their distribution machine, for a fee of course. Because magic gets eyeballs, and for a share of those eyeballs, the majors will always want in.

This coming weekend I get to see the 1st cut of Material. Please God there is magic in it. If there is, finding a distributor will be a good journey.

Posted by Ronnie Apteker