AFI BLOG: Media and Technology

Sundance Panel on Digital Opportunities for Creatives - CinemaTech

This afternoon’s panel at the New Frontier was a heap of fun. I especially enjoyed the interplay between Maria Maggenti, a writer/director in the true indie mode (her last movie, ‘Puccini for Beginners,’ was made with InDigEnt and shown at Sundance two years ago), and Evan Spiridellis, co-founder of JibJab, a digital “microstudio” in Venice Beach.

Maria talked about her experience making a three-minute film for cell phones — she loved it — but asked Evan a lot of questions about how JibJab has cultivated an audience (and an e-mail list) over time, and how they’re making money from their work.

A few bullet points that stood out from the conversation (and the audience questions):

- It’s still hard to find industry types who “get it,” and are willing to experiment with new production/marketing/distribution models. Evan referred to Walt Disney’s embrace of TV in the 1950s as a way to promote his movies… and I think it’s still unclear which studio will follow in Disney’s footsteps with the Net.

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