Institute for Cinematic Arts

Fort Lauderdale film friends: Reel Lauderdale is a great opportunity to showcase local work and promote the community!

If you have local work to showcase, you should submit. And you should absolutely share with other film folks! 🙂

Reel Lauderdale 2024 Reel Lauderdale aims to nurture and support emerging talent, providing a platform for new filmmakers to showcase their work. This commitment to fostering creativity ensures that the festival remains a breeding ground for innovative storytelling and unique

There was a lot of talk in Cannes about virtual production, and we are here for it—metaphorically, at least. Because the cool thing about virtual production is that you can be anywhere for it.

And the leading technology driving the growth in virtual production is Engine. We're going to share some stuff that we find interesting about Unreal Engine with you periodically.

Learn a bit about it here:

Unreal Engine | The most powerful real-time 3D creation tool Unreal Engine is the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool for photoreal visuals and immersive experiences.

This is a big part of the Cannes experience.

This was profound: MURALS, an immersive experience featuring the works of Banksy in Ukraine, inserting guests into the painful realities of living under constant attack, a reality Ukrainians have faced every day since February 2022.

[Yes, Banksy has actually visited Ukraine since the Russian invasion began and has shared his art there in solidarity.]

Check out on Instagram for more:
https://instagram.com/murals_ua?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

This report is disappointing, but it also puts the ticket struggles we’ve all experienced here in Cannes into context:

“‘Who has all the tickets to the red carpet films this year?’ is the question many industry attendees are asking. The answer is partly: ‘The festival sponsors.’”

https://www.screendaily.com/news/why-is-the-red-carpet-such-a-write-off-for-cannes-market-badge-holders-this-year/5182285.article

Make no mistake; there are plenty of great things about being here in Cannes for the film festival’s 76th year, but even the talks (which have been our primary method of engagement and the most promising aspect of this year’s Marché in the lead up to our arrival) feel very commercialized—literally. Like they’re all infomercials for the companies/entities sponsoring them. Great session names, interesting tools and work, but very much the feel of a timeshare sales event.

[For instance, a session subtitled “What Producers, Funds, Policymakers & Studios Need to Know” would more accurately be subtitled, “What Producers, Funds, Policymakers & Studios Need to Know Is That We Offer This as a Service and You Should Hire Us.”]

We’ve had several great takeaways already (with another 8+ days to go!), but we feel overwhelmingly “marketed to” in every session. A worthwhile attempt, but a miscalculation nevertheless.

The upside even to that, however, is that we’re taking so many notes on what to do differently. We’re also seeing some films, hanging out with friends, discovering new products and processes, and establishing new relationships. All on a beautiful setting, too. So we’ll take the good with the bad. 😉☀️🌊🏖️🏝️🎥🎬✨

Why is the red carpet such a write-off for Cannes market badge holders this year? "This is my 38th Cannes and I have never had problems like this."

Check out this great new tool in support of inclusion in the film and television industry: https://www.inclusionlist.org/

COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Supporting Inclusion in Hollywood

Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative collaborated with the Adobe Foundation to create a data-driven tool that would allow the public to understand who has taken inclusion seriously and been a driving force for industry change. We seek to inform, challenge, and congratulate the entertainment industry and point out where there is room to grow.

There is so much great content here in Cannes at the Marché du Film! We’re taking notes and we’ll be sharing soon.

Thai is so cool!

The Future of Cinema: Epic Games Gave Us an In-Depth Tour of The Volume (Their Virtual Set Tech) Epic Games invited IGN's Ben and Jeffrey to take a tour of their cutting-edge virtual set they call The Volume, the same technology used to film The Mandalor...

Sunday night was jam-packed with great stuff to watch! We didn’t want to spoilt the fun for anyone, but our self-imposed embargo is offocially over on the Oscars and the finale of The Last of Us.

What did you think of each?

HELP SAVE FLORIDA'S FILM ECONOMY!

Earlier this week, the Florida House of Representatives filed HB 5 (https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=78415&SessionId=99), which would, among other things, close the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment (the State Film Commission) and eliminate the Entertainment Industry Sales Tax Exemption program, which would effectively represent a tax increase on Florida's Film industry and would be a huge disincentive for filmmakers considering Florida as a production venue. The potential harm this could do to our recently reinvigorated creative economy cannot be overstated.

WE NEED YOUR VOICES!

Please contact your state legislators to voice your opposition to this measure. You can copy/paste and customize our letter, below, or craft your own using ours as a sample. Whatever you do, don't be silent on this important issue.

Once you've written your letter, please share this with Florida friends who care about the future of our creative economy.
______________________________________________

Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo
409 The Capitol
404 S. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100

Dear President Passidomo,

I am writing to express my opposition to HB-5, a bill that would eliminate the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment and the Entertainment Industry Sales Tax Exemption program. As a concerned citizen and a supporter of Florida's thriving film and entertainment industry, I believe that this bill would be detrimental to our state's economy and cultural landscape.

The Florida Office of Film and Entertainment plays a critical role in promoting Florida as a destination for film and television production, as well as in attracting major motion pictures, television series, and other entertainment projects to our state. This not only creates jobs and generates economic activity, but it also helps to showcase Florida's unique character and diverse communities to audiences around the world.

Furthermore, the Entertainment Industry Sales Tax Exemption program is a vital incentive that encourages production companies to choose Florida over other states for their projects. By eliminating this program, Florida would lose a significant competitive advantage and risk losing out on countless economic opportunities.

As a constituent, I urge you to oppose HB-5 and to support the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment and the Entertainment Industry Sales Tax Exemption program. These programs are essential to Florida's film and entertainment industry and to our state's economy as a whole. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
[Add your name here]

Go to Google and search for "mandalorian".

You're welcome.

The Mandalorian See what happens on Google Search!

A peek behind the curtain…