Creative Economist

Exciting News and Updates to Share with Our Filmmaking Family 🎥🌟

Hello Filmmakers,

I hope this message finds you thriving and creating amazing stories in your corner of the world.

I am delighted to announce that Filmmaking Central is soon to be back up and running after the challenging times of Covid! 🎉 We have overhauled the website, given it a facelift, and are ready to dive back into our mission of nurturing, inspiring, and supporting filmmakers around the world. Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure we can continue to provide resources, coaching, and networking opportunities in a safe and welcoming environment.

Here’s a quick overview of what’s coming:

A new podcast called the Creative Economist podcast, diving into the nuances of the creator economy, film and video production, and entrepreneurship.
A new YouTube series called Classic Film School explores the intricacies of classic cinema, offering deep dives into classical movie analysis, behind-the-scenes stories, and insightful commentary on iconic films.
New Mastermind groups to connect and grow with fellow industry professionals designed to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and networking among peers, with the aim of enhancing individual talent and contributing to the growth and innovation of the cinematic world.

Secondly, I would like to share some personal news with all of you. I have recently made a big move to the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas! 🎰 The vibrant energy, limitless creativity, and dynamic spirit of this city is truly inspiring, and I’m excited about the endless opportunities it presents for storytelling and filmmaking.

In addition to this move, I started a new production company, Momentous, almost one year ago and have been lucky enough to work with brands like Walmart, Hilton, LEGO, and Visit Las Vegas. 🎬 From concept to screen, this venture aims to bring together talented filmmakers, artists, and creatives to produce powerful and compelling content for the world's largest brands. We are committed to pushing boundaries, elevating voices, and driving change through our work.

I am incredibly grateful for your continued support and look forward to embarking on these exciting new chapters with all of you!

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this incredible journey together.

Best,

Alex Darke

The Latest

Oscar Winners The Daniels To Appear At Salute Your Shorts Film Festival For Panel On ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ VFX

The Daniels will moderate a panel titled “The Disruptive VFX of Everything Everywhere All At Once” on August 18
The festival is free to the public, but space is limited and an RSVP is required.
The film won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
It made over $140 million worldwide and received praise for its visual effects.
The festival runs from August 18-20 and aims to showcase independent filmmaking.

The Industry

Gotham Awards Eliminates Budget Ceiling, Opens up Categories to International Filmmakers

The Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced significant changes to the eligibility criteria for the Gotham Awards.
The previous $35 million budget cap for submitted films has been completely removed, allowing both studio films and smaller-scale independent films to compete.
International films are now eligible to compete alongside US titles in several categories, including Best Feature and Best International Feature.
The decision to eliminate the budget cap was made to broaden recognition and accessibility to a wider community of filmmakers.
The Gotham Awards have a history of fluctuating accommodation for larger-budgeted titles, but this year’s changes aim to welcome the world’s best storytellers into the awards season conversation.

The Tech

Avid Finally Sells Out, Now What Does Its Future Hold?

Avid Technology has been acquired by an affiliate of private equity firm STG for $14 billion.
The acquisition is an all-cash transaction and is subject to stockholder and regulatory approvals.
Avid Media Composer, the company’s flagship NLE software, is expected to remain unchanged for the time being.
STG focuses on market leaders in the software and tech services industry and has a global portfolio of companies.
There is speculation that STG may sell parts of Avid’s business in the future, but it is unclear if Apple or Adobe will be involved.

What To Watch

Sacha Baron Cohen Is Bringing Back Ali G In Some Kind Of Mystery Project

Sacha Baron Cohen is planning to incorporate his satirical interview character Ali G into a future comedy tour to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
The project is not a new movie and is not in violation of the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike rules.
Ali G, a character inspired by hip-hop culture, was last seen in 2021 during Baron Cohen’s stand-up set in Australia.
Ali G has been at the center of wild news stories and controversy.
The return of Ali G is not attached to any announced project, but he is expected to appear in Baron Cohen’s next stand-up tour.