I worked on a film recently (and put a thread in mpsims, but I can’t find it due to indexing) that is premiering tonight at the Sundance film fest.
According to this article from our local paper http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/story/158209
Spike Lee has agreed to executive produce the film.
Spike Lee.
Whoo.
Felt I had to share.
Congrats!
I had always assumed an Executive Producer was someone who was involved with a movie from the beginning, perhaps providing funding, or lending their name to get funding, and providing some level of guidence. Apparently this is not correct?
Soon, we’ll be able to say “and to think we knew FilmGeek when.”
Seriously - sounds wonderful. Please do post a link to the original thread, or quickly summarize details (plot summary, your role in making the film, etc.) when you get a chance.
Wow Wow Wow!!! Great stuff. Congrats!!!
IANAEP, but basically you are right in most cases. In this case, though, the EP is the guy who knows other guys. It doesn’t matter how good your film is if you don’t have distribution. And Mr. Lee knows distributors. If his name is in HUGE LETTERS on the poster (or DVD case, or whatever) this increases sales. This makes everyone happy.
How many films have there been which proclaim WES CRAVENpresents some generic crappy horror. Same idea.
Executive Producer explained quite thoroughly.
Here’s a link to the film that I found. Hopefully FilmGeek will be back to supply something better than my feeble efforts.
That picture of Kevin cracks me up because he rarely looks serious. Thanks for the link.
I was involved from the beginning, I was second unit director of photography (I shot maybe a quarter of the finished film) and first and second camera assistant for most of the rest of it.
Quickly: director of photography (or cinematographer) controls the ‘look’ of the film from lighting to camera lens and film stock choice. First camera assistant is in charge of the camera package at all times. She pulls focus and aperture when needed during a shot. On smaller shoots, she is responsible (usually insured for large packages) for the camera and any damage to it. Second camera assistant is in charge of loading, unloading and cleaning magazines and generally making sure the 1st has everything she needs. I was usually 1st and 2nd at the same time.
I wonder if I can get profit sharing on this… 
Update:
CSA: The Confederate States of America has been picked up by IFC Films for North American Theatrical Distribution.
Again, just had to share.
Look for it in your local arthouse soon!
Woo hoo! I can’t wait to see it!
You should suggest to the appropriate authorities to submit the film to the Indie Memphis film festival:
It’s not nearly as prestigious as Sundance, of course, but from the title it seems like it would fit in pretty well with their theme: “The Soul of Southern Film”.
Very cool! CSA is one of the titles in this year’s Sundance fest I’m really interested in seeing.
Filmgeek, as strange as the numbers may seem, my grandfather was a Confederate soldier. I am only 60. He told my father that it would never have done for the South to have won the war. I wonder what he envisioned – continued slavery, I assume.
I cannot wait to see someone else’s vision of the consequences. This is one of those ideas that make me say, “Now why didn’t I think of that?”
It is fantastic just to be accepted at Sundance, but for Spike Lee to pick it up is incredible! Congratulations!
I posted a thread once in Cafe Society about films that are particularly visually beautiful. Days of Heaven is my favorite. Do you mind if I ask what yours is?
I’m really excited for you!
The IMDB has CSA: Confederated States of America on it site now. There’s not a lot of info yet, but they do have a link to one review at filmguru.net, with a rating of 8 out of 10. I hope it plays somewhere around me.
The basic premise is that after the war, slavery moved north because of tax breaks given by the government for owning slaves. Abolitionists moved to Canada (including Abe Lincoln who escaped on Harriet Tubman’s underground railroad and who lived to be an old man) The numbers would work Kevin’s father was born in 1898… so it’s not that far-fetched. 
My favorite cinematography is more of a style than any particular film. Some examples are Moulin Rouge, The Usual Suspects and anything shot by Roger Deakins, most especially The Hudsucker Proxy. I also love the work of M. David Mullen (also a friend of mine with whom I had the extreme pleasure of working). He most recently shot Northfork, which I have not seen, and Twin Falls Idaho, which is a wonderful film.
Thanks!
UPDATE!
If all goes well… the film should be out in theaters Jan or Feb 2005.
I went to a cast a crew party recently and saw the “final” cut of the film (this was our chance to correct credits or anything spelled wrong, etc).
I’m excited! I’ll post exact details as they become available.
YAY!
Will there be boobies, barechested kung fu kick ass scenes and big orange firey explosions?
What?
Should we organize a rally of *Reasons Why You Should Not Watch CSA * to help drum up interest, ergo, create a blockbuster megahit?
Congrats!
I hope this brings you eveyrthing you ever wanted a few things you never expected!