10 Lessons Learned Making My First Film at Fifty

10 Lessons Learned Making My First Film at Fifty “Your mother recognized you today.” It started with a phone call and those five words my father said to me about six years ago. I was shocked because my mom was in a nursing home, battling the last stages of Alzheimer’s. She never recognized me anymore.  But…

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Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead “Prequel” Short Film: Within the Woods

Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead “Prequel” Short Film: Within the Woods Within the Woods is a 1978 horror short film written, directed, and produced by Sam Raimi. Raimi drew inspiration from his earlier short film Clockwork, deciding to produce a proof of concept horror film to help build the interest of potential investors. Raimi cast his…

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Stanley Kubrick’s Short Film: Day Of The Fight

Stanley Kubrick’s Short Film: Day Of The Fight Day of the Fight shows Irish-American middleweight boxer Walter Cartier during the height of his career, on April 17, 1950, the day of a fight with middleweight Bobby James and was directed by Stanely Kubrick. Kubrick and Alexander Singer used daylight-loading Eyemo cameras that take 100-foot spools…

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Francis Ford Coppola’s Legendary Short Film: Captain EO

Francis Ford Coppola’s Legendary Short Film: Captain EO Captain EO was a 1986 American 3D science fiction film that was shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1998. The movie stars Michael Jackson was written by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola(who came up with the name “Captain EO” from the Greek,…

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Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein Masterclass: Learn Advertising and Creativity

 Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein Masterclass: Learn Advertising and Creativity Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein, the founders of the legendary advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners, deconstruct their best advertising campaigns in their new MasterClass on advertising and creativity. Learn creative storytelling and how to make work that connects with millions from the iconic duo.…

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Steven Spielberg’s Micro-Budget Short Film: Amblin

Steven Spielberg’s Micro-Budget Short Film: Amblin Amblin’ is a short film made in 1968. It is the first completed film shot by Steven Spielberg on 35mm. The film is a short love story set during the hippie era of the late 1960s about a young man and woman who meet in the desert, attempt to…

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George Lucas’ Micro-Budget Short Film: Freiheit

George Lucas’ Micro-Budget Short Film: Freiheit Freiheit (German for “freedom”) is a 1966 short film by George Lucas, made while he was a student at the University of Southern California’s film school. His third film, it was the first to contain a narrative. The film follows a student’s attempt to escape to freedom. This student…

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Darren Aronofsky’s Micro-Budget Short Film: Fortune Cookie

Darren Aronofsky’s Micro-Budget Short Film: Fortune Cookie After Aronofsky’s graduation from Harvard in 1991, he moved to Los Angeles to obtain his MFA in directing from the prestigious American Film Institute.  The two-year program resulted in the creation of two short films, the first of which is 1991’s FORTUNE COOKIE— an absurdist comedy inspired by…

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George Lucas’ Micro-Budget Short Film: Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138

George Lucas’ Micro-Budget Short Film: Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB Electronic Labyrinth: THX-1138 4EB is a 1967 social science-fiction short film written and directed by George Lucas while he attended the University of Southern California’s film school. The short was reworked as the 1971 theatrical feature THX 1138. Lucas had had an idea for a…

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John Wick Director’s iPhone Action Short Film: Snowbrawl

John Wick Director’s iPhone Action Short Film: Snowbrawl David Leitch, the director behind John Wick and Deadpool 2 decided to direct an EPIC short film using just an iPhone. The short film is called Snowbrawl and it is REMARKABLE. I wanted to highlight this because it just goes to show you you do not need…

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Sara Blakely Masterclass: How to Become a Self-Made Entrepreneur

Sara Blakely Masterclass: How to Become a Self-Made Entrepreneur With just $5,000 and an idea, Spanx founder Sara Blakely went from selling fax machines door-to-door to launching an apparel company that became a global sensation. With Spanx, she not only invented a product that women around the world now love, but she also reinvented an…

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