Bee and Puppycat: From Pilot to Premiere

It started as most trips did for my friend and I: half a tank of gas and a GPS that we suspected was secretly trying to kill us. It was the just the right mix of confused and justifiably concerned that we needed to get us anywhere. And on a particularly sunny morning in June we found ourselves crossing over into the land of maple leaves and no highway rest stops: Canada. We were sleep-deprived, listening to the only station that would come through clearly (a strange mix of jazz and 80s-esque rock and roll), and had long gotten over trying to read the kilometers conversion on our speedometer when it struck us.

We had actually just traveled to another country to meet someone who has been one of the biggest inspirations to us art-wise (and for me, film-wise). See, my friend and I have a strange sense of humor that consist of a series of half-assed miming and off-beat puns. It’s become a second language to us and it’s something that’s defined the things (of comedy) that we enjoy. That being said, we had had the amazing opportunity to stumble across the works of Natasha Allegri, creator of Bee and Puppycat, earlier in the summer and just so happened across this convention she was attending (the “Toronto Animation Arts Festival International”). Now, Natasha had been a well-known name in the cartoon-industry, for her work on award-winning shows such as Adventure Time and Cartoon Hangover-curated Bravest Warriors, but it was the unique style of her animation and writing that hooked us.

Bee and Puppycat premiered on Cartoon Hangover’s youtube channel in July of 2013. It was originally a quirky little short about a girl who loses her job, bumps into a dimension-skipping puppycat, and takes on a freelance job in Fishbowl space. Pretty ordinary, right? But the amazing thing about Bee and Puppycat is not only the visual style and natural flow of dialogue, but the process it has gone through (and the influence it has had on my own filmmaking) to become an actual full-length series.

With a kickstarter that launched back in October of 2013, Bee and Puppycat collected $872,133 by the end of its fund-raising period making it the most successful animation kickstarter in the history of the website. And after months of waiting, the newest and most re-vamped version premiered yesterday (November 6th).

And I remember sitting in the third row of a lecture hall, out in Toronto, watching the original storyboards for the first episode (of the newer version). It’s a weird and nostalgic feeling to realize that I was there witnessing the creation of something truly delightful. It was worth the moments of panic as we missed our exit more than once, and that one time that biker got mad at us and flipped us off.

Fast-forward a few months and everything that had been discussed was a completed thing. It’s gives me goosebumps, in a good way. Because what was Bee and Puppycat before was not what Bee and Puppycat was now.

For starters, the visual look of the series has changed significantly from its pilot-era. While it definitely threw me off for a few seconds, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it just shows how much can change in the production process and how much power you (as a content creator) has to to change the things that you want. For me, this new style only helped match the ideals and characteristics that screamed Bee and Puppycat.

You look at how Bee is drawn, you look at Deckard, you look at Puppycat, and any of the other characters and you see diversity. And it’s sadly hard to find that in mainstream media. You know, a female character who not only looks like someone you’d see in everyday life but someone who has embraced this sort of can-do attitude for the things (that would be trivial to some) in her life.

And the dialogue of the series only attests to the sense of realness that comes with such a personality as hers (and the others). It’s like you’re physically in the room having a conversation with the characters, or at least observing in close proximity. It’s natural. It’s insanely natural and it adds to the atmosphere.

Bee and Puppycat at its base, is a very whimsical story but it tackles very serious and actual problems in our lives: unemployment, heartache, betrayal, budgeting, ugly work uniforms. Haha, well not every problem is a very serious one but you get my point.

Sure, it’s not what it was a year ago but that doesn’t make it any less of the show that attracted thousands. And sitting in the back of that mildly-warm room, in an unfamiliar city in Canada, I didn’t feel like I couldn’t make it anymore: as an artist, as a filmmaker, etc. Hearing how Natasha cried when she had run, sweating in an uncomfortable business suit, through the streets of California to get to a pitch meeting that she utterly bombed, was strangely inspiring. Because it had failed. She had failed. But that didn’t stop her. She pushed on and it pulled off because someone was interested. And that’s the best thing to keep in mind these days. That no matter what, there will be on person who will be avidly captivated by your work. So let yourself fail. Let yourself make that wrong turn, and get over it. Because you learn from it and you learn to pick yourself up and to find a different route.

So here’s me pointing a big arrow-shaped stick at this series. Hopefully you’ll give it a chance, if not a quick glance, because it did something great. Maybe not to you, but to someone.

And maybe you’ll find yourself traveling across the border with half a tank of gas and a GPS out to get you. Who knows? I guess the point of this entire thing is that you just have to create.

Downgrade Magazine

Downgrade Magazine is the name of a currently non-existing magazine with a particular focus on downhill skateboarding.

It has the been the collaboration of 5 different artists for the past 2.5 years, and now they finally feel that they have enough material to come out with their first issue.

There are plenty of downhill skateboard magazines already:

http://wheelbasemag.com/

http://www.skateslate.com/

http://www.heelsidemag.com/

But I feel that Downgrade is bringing something entirely new to the table. All magazines are designed to be ad free, with no forced influences from outside sources. They will be releasing 3 magazines a year, each with a different focus and theme. 

Issue 1 will feature only photographs and will be printed on unbound, heavy weight newsprint, designed to be taken apart and displayed. Issues two and three will have their own unique focus's, ranging from the history of downhill skateboarding to the current people that make the industry what it is. 

Another thing that makes this magazine so unique are the influences of the five photographers who make up DGM. They all come from different photography and skateboarding backgrounds, giving this magazine a vibe that is different from any magazines currently in the industry. 

(Matt K, photographer for DGM and famous skater. PC:Thomas Trnka)

The people behind the magazine are extremely devoted to their craft, and it shows. To make the first issue a reality they are asking for $20,000 on kickstartr. This sounds like a lot, but for the first print of a magazine that is ad-free, it is a reasonable amount. Here's their kickstarter video: 

DGM's photographers are so unique and have such immense skill that I believe this magazine has the ability to both non-skaters and skaters alike. I strongly encourage you to watch their video, if not to donate, just to see what they are about and appreciate their take on photography.

Wrapping Your Brain Around Marketing

Let's paint a scenario...

You've been working endlessly on your newest film for the past two years. The shots look fantastic, your audio was mixed by a serious professional, and your actors nailed their performance. Through all the blood, sweat, and tears (also known as pre-production, production, and post-production) you finally have a beautiful film that you're especially proud of.

Awesome.

But now what?

You just spent thousands of dollars putting this thing together. But how are you going to make that money back? And if you're lucky enough, make a profit?
Well, this is where marketing comes in. That's right, marketing... that thing you thought only business and IMC majors had to worry about. And unlike the normal three-step production process, marketing and sales is something that spans the entire filmmaking process. Here's a helpful diagram to illustrate:
(sorry for the eye-squinting sized text)

In case you can't read it, the diagram suggests that the moment the development process starts, it's time to start thinking about how the film will be marketed. In other words:

WHO is going to watch your film?

&

HOW will you make them remember it?

A recent article on nofilmschool.com highlighted six points that were stressed as part of a panel at IFP Week entitled "Wrapping Your Brain Around Marketing". These points (which I've summed up into four) can help insure your film is a success when you're finally ready for it to be viewed by the public.

1. Stay on Topic

It's important to remember that your film is not just a singular product but more like a brand. With every piece of production material, there has to be a sense unity between it all. In their article they use the example of the the "Super-Size Me" poster:

Other good examples of posters that exemplify their film include "Her" and "Pulp Fiction".

Even without knowing any concepts of design you can tell these posters give an accurate, and most importantly memorable, depiction of their film. But it's not just about having a poster. Which brings me to their next point:

2. Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

From wide shots to production stills, having additional content can save you that sinking feeling when you're deep in editing and realize you don't have enough content in terms of coverage. They also recommend having a professional photographer on set for at least a few days to capture behind the scenes material which can be used for promotion and possibly even poster ideas. Once you have all of those extra pictures though... be careful with them. If your lucky enough to have your film featured in a magazine, they will want exclusive photos. Having professional, exclusive content can make or break the promotion of a film. 

3. Distribution

So you've got your great film and pretty poster but now it's time to move on to the serious part. Interestingly enough though, they don't ramble on about how hard it is for your film to be shown at a festival or featured in a movie theater. Instead they mention the rapidly growing market of video-on-demand (VOD) for documentary filmmakers. 

Films that people don't want to go see in movie theaters are the very ones they want to watch at home on their Mac, Kindle, Xbox, or whatever they use to watch films at home these days. Watching epic films at the movie theater will never loose it's charm, but for indie and doc filmmakers VOD might be the way of the future. 

4. Funding

Let be real. Having professional posters, pictures, and a distribution plan is great, but how the hell are you going to afford that? Money does not come from thin air, and I doubt you have enough money in your pocket to create that dream project. Thankfully though, raising money is easier today then it ever was!

These crowd-sourcing fundraiser websites have paved the way for thousands of independent films. They stress in the article that a filmmaker has to take advantage of every resource available to them – that includes the "old-fashioned" email list and yes, even that cold hard phone call.   

The main point... (tl;dr) is that marketing is not an extra task started after the film is created but part of the entire filmmaking process. It starts in the earliest parts of the development process, and finishes well after the film is released. 

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Indiewire's Project of the Day

As student filmmakers, I think it's really important that we take a look at new and upcoming independent filmmakers and their current projects. A great way to do this is by checking Indiewire's Project of the Day. Every day, they post another indie project in development that you can learn all about. Each project comes with a Tweetable Logline, Elevator Pitch, Production Team, About the Film, and Current Status. They also often have a clip or behind-the-scenes look at the project, as well as links to their IndieGoGo or Kickstarter page. Today's Project of the Day is "California Dreaming," a comedy/fantasy about an old lottery addict – his fed up wife – a multimillion-dollar jackpot and an armed robbery! While that "Tweetable Logline" didn't catch my attention, their "Elevator Pitch" sure did:

John has been playing the lottery over the last fifty years that he and Molly have been married, but never won. As always, she nags him for wasting money while he watches the draw on television at a diner. But today is John's lucky day! He has the winning ticket and is just about to hit multimillion dollar jackpot, when two robbers barge in for a stick-up! "California Dreaming" is a film about a relationship. A love story about discovering that you are the richest person in the world, as long as you have your loved one next to you!

For more information on "California Dreaming," go to http://www.indiewire.com/article/project-of-the-day-california-dreaming-20140919.

Staying in the loop of upcoming independent filmmakers can be great, but let's be real. We're all thinking it. It'd be sick if one of our projects made it onto Indiewire's Project of the Day. So how do we do it? Simple. Just fill out a form. Indiewire wants to help filmmakers like us get exposure. But there's more. At the end of every week, they ask readers to vote for their favorite POTD and the winner becomes Indiewire's Project of the Week. Then, readers can vote again at the end of the month and the winner becomes Indiewire's Project of the Month. The weekly winner gets a digital distribution consultation form SnagFilms and the monthly winner gets a creative consultation from either Tribeca Film Institute's Director of Narrative Programming or Director of Documentary Programming. Those are some pretty awesome opportunities for filmmakers like us. So what are you waiting for? Here's the form: http://www.indiewire.com/article/projectoftheday

Internet Slowdown Day

There recently was an online protest called "Internet Slowdown Day", a movement which brought attention to a proposal the FCC is currently going over which would split the internet into two lanes, a "fast lane" and a "slow lane". If websites pay content provides (AKA Comcast, TWC, and the like) a premium, they gain access to the "fast lane".

The protest gained recognition from several major websites including Kickstarter, Mozilla, reddit and Netflix. On September 10th they all featured a loading sign on their sight in reference to what the internet could become if the proposal were to be passed. 

In this post I aim to tackle two main questions:

1. What exactly is this proposal?

and

2. How does it affect filmmakers?

First off, what is this proposal in its simplest terms? Well, quite simply it turns cable companies into the mafia. And that isn't a harsh exaggeration. If you want your website to have protection from the slow lane, you've got to pay your Internet Service Provider (ISP) a premium. No premium, no protection. 

Hmm... sounds like a business model I've heard of. 

This has been a continuous battle (and probably wont stop any time soon) for what people are calling "net neutrality". Which, as John Oliver points out below, is a rather boring phrase and should be accurately renamed to "Preventing Cable Company F*ckery".

Clearly this proposal wouldn't benefit anyone (besides ISP's), but how would it doom filmmakers especially? For that I turn to an article written by nofilmschool.com, "The Doomsday Scenario: Net Neutrality Dies & Independent Film Along With It". 

Okay, so the armageddon-esk picture at the head of this article is a little dramatic, but there are a lot of important points in this article that deserve attention. For one, the internet has become one of the largest markets for independent filmmakers. Vimeo and YouTube are of course the more popular platforms, but there's several other sites that filmmakers use to share their films too. (Shoutout shortoftheweek.com) But with this new proposal it's unknown which platforms would be able to reach your intended audience. It's also unlikely you would be able to do it for free if the platform now had to pay extra for your video to stream at a bearable speed. Kickstarter, providing a new and innovative way for filmmakers to fund their films, made their stance on the matter very clear:

We're speaking out against the FCC's draft Internet regulations that would allow cable companies to create a two-tiered Internet, divided into fast and slow lanes. These proposed rules would stifle innovation, discourage creativity, and destroy the Internet that we know and love.

What makes the internet so beautiful is that all data is created equal. Right now, I can upload a my film to the internet and know that it will load at the same speed as every other film uploaded. It doesn't matter how popular it is or how deep the creator's pockets are. History has already taught us that picking favorites does a lot of damage to society.

 Let's not repeat ourselves, shall we?

Ithaca Casting: A Social Networking Site for Casting

While majors in the Park School are notorious for the minimal amount of gen-ed's they require, we Television/Radio majors need to take a business class in order to graduate. Having forgot this and scrambling to find a half-way decent course to take last minute this semester, I picked up "Intro to Business." For the final, we are required to get into groups and come up with a business proposal. For my project, we decided to create a proposal for an Ithaca-based casting social network site. I figured this might be of interest to this audience and would welcome any idea for improvement.

One of the biggest issues we as student filmmakers face is finding and organizing actors. I know on my own productions, actors have created huge problems in the time management and scheduling of projects. While holding individual auditions, trying to steal the illusive casting DVDs that keep changing hands, and begging friends to make time in their own schedules to act in our films have worked out in the past, I have always felt there should be a more reliable and structured way of getting decent actors to commit to film projects. And I am sure I am not alone in this feeling.

Ithaca Casting (a tentative name) would be an Ithaca-based social networking site, created to connect local filmmakers with local actors. Both student and local filmmakers can create project pages where they can describe their needs and schedules. Actors can create profiles where they can upload their reels, describe their experience, and include their availability. Actors will also be able to post audition tapes and comments on filmmakers' project pages. Think of Ithaca Casting as the beautiful love child of Craigslist, LinkedIn, and Kickstarter.

There are a few big projects that have used similar approaches to find talent. The Queen Extravaganza is looking for talented musicians to perform with the surviving members of the band for the celebration of Queen's 40th anniversary. Interested performers can post auditions tapes to their website to win a chance to perform in the show. Fox's Glee is using a similar format to find new talent for their show as well.

While my project is proposing that members pay a monthly or annual fee to be able to access the website, it's still up for debate. Are there any other elements you would like to see in such a site? Any other features you would think that would make the casting experience a little friendlier?

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An interesting article on this sort of idea: Social Media is Changing TV Casting - thedefectorsblog.com

Financing Your Projects Through the Internet

One of the biggest concerns as student filmmakers (among the many we face) is how we are going to finance our projects. A lot of people use their savings, apply for grants, or simply ask mommy and daddy for help. But recently, many people have been looking somewhere new for funds: the internet. There have been a number of websites that have been launched that support artists by creating an avenue that both gains awareness and funding for their projects. The two biggest sites out there right now are Kickstarter.com and IndieGoGo.com.

Kickstarter.com is a strictly free fund raising platform for creative projects. Anyone can sign up and anyone can pledge money to a project. No matter the size of the project, you can set up a project page and start advertising. However, in order to actually get the money you raise, you need to reach the quota you set initially for your project.
IndieGoGo.com works a little different, but serves the same general purpose. There are two small fees taken out of the money you raise that go to the website and the service they use to handle the money, but regardless of whether you meet your goal, you get the funds you raise.

Both sites allow you to create incentives for the funding backers. Instead of royalties or other monetary incentives, the production team can create personalized mementos that show their thanks. Popular incentives including things like a DVD of the project, a thank you video from the cast and crew, an associate producer's credit, and signed memorabilia from the production.


A specific example of how this new kind of funding is working is an Ithaca College student production called 'The Market.' They set up an IndiGoGo account and have raised over $4,000 to make their originally short film a feature length production.

These websites are perfect for us fledgling filmmakers, but it's also important for any other creative projects you may be involved with. Both sites provide avenues for funding for traditional art, comics, video games, theater, and more. If you can think it up, you can fund it. I would suggest these sites for anyone with a solid idea and a good marketing campaign to help get your good ideas off the ground.