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MoviePass will invest in films to have a stake in their success
MoviePass' pseudo-unlimited subscription theater service is increasingly popular, but that doesn't mean it's profitable -- it currently has to subsidize tickets, which isn't exactly sustainable in the long run. The company's solution? Secure a stake in the movies themselves. It's launching a MoviePass Ventures subsidiary that will "co-acquire" films alongside distributors. While the details aren't entirely clear, MoviePass expects to benefit from the entire pipeline, whether it's the initial theatrical release, streaming services or in-flight viewing.
'Science Fair' shows the challenges teens face in Intel's competition
Intel's science fairs are pressure cookers: imagine pitting some of the world's brightest students against each other while they're already grappling with teenage anxiety. And now, there's a documentary that illustrates just how rough it can be. Muck Media has released the first trailer for Science Fair, a doc that follows nine high schoolers as they strive for glory at Intel's International Science and Engineering Fair. The students aren't just worrying about their technical accomplishments, although those are notable by themselves (such as calculator that generates Shakespearean insults) -- they also have to deal with their confidence, socio-economic hardships, rivalries and raging hormones.
Amazon will focus on 'bigger' movies to lure people to Prime
Having made its name buying smaller, niche independent projects to build its TV and movie division into a multi-award-winning studio, Amazon plans ramp things up a little moving forward, Reuters reports. According to sources, the company will increase its spending on new films, dedicating as much as $50 million to more commercial projects. Amazon will reportedly reduce the number of art-house movies it buys, which it typically acquires at events like the Sundance Film Festival for figures in the low millions, in its bid to lure more people to Prime and onto its expanding streaming service.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will display an iPhone 5s
Director Sean Baker ripped up the filmmaking rulebook by shooting his Sundance hit Tangerine on an iPhone 5s. Now, over two years since the flick scooped more than seven times its budget at theaters, the Oscars has come knocking. No, the filmmaker isn't getting a belated gong (although his current indie success story The Florida Project could change that). Rather, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is pinching one of three iPhone 5s handsets used to film Tangerine to display in its upcoming Academy Museum. You'll be able to see it for yourself, alongside film memorabilia from The Wizard of Oz and Alien, when the 300,000 square foot space opens its doors in 2019.
‘Dinner Party’ relives an interracial couple’s alien abduction in VR
On the night of September 19th, 1961, Barney and Betty Hill were the victims of the first widely publicized alien abduction in US history. The Hills, an interracial couple active in the civil-rights movement, were on their way home from a trip to Niagara Falls when they noticed an unusual light in the sky. Shaken by the erratic behavior of the UFO, they headed in the direction of the closest town but never made it.
What to expect from the Engadget Experience, our immersive art + tech event
New mediums like augmented reality, virtual reality and artificial intelligence are pushing the boundaries of art, entertainment, gaming and performance -- but immersive media isn't always accessible. For one day only, we invite you to experience what happens at the outer limits of creativity. The first Engadget Experience is set to bring together some of the brightest minds in technology, art and entertainment next month, and we want you to be there. The agenda is nearly complete, and we're proud to say it's going to be a killer show.
Netflix strikes biggest Sundance deal with race drama 'Mudbound'
Streaming giants Netflix and Amazon spent big again Sundance, perhaps pushing traditional rival studios to up their games, too. Netflix snapped up the post-WW II segregation film Mudbound for $12.5 million, the most paid for a film at this year's festival. Directed by Dee Rees, the story centers around a black and a white man who find commonality in the racially divided South thanks to their shared war experiences.
Wevr: The virtual reality studio you need to know
It's pronounced "weaver." And you might not be familiar with it now, but the LA-based virtual reality outfit is quietly positioning itself as the backbone of the industry. With one foot firmly planted in the production side of the business (the studio's recent slate includes Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue) and the other in distribution, Wevr is primed for the impending mainstreamification of virtual reality. So when the public eventually goes gaga over VR goggles, Wevr will be right there, ready to deliver that content.
Sundance champ 'Birth of a Nation' chose Fox over Netflix
This weekend Nate Parker's film The Birth of a Nation won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury and Audience prizes for a drama, just days after signing a record $17.5 million distribution deal with Fox Searchlight. That was in contrast to a number of other flicks that ended up signing with Netflix or Amazon, and there's a reason. While reports from The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter claim Netflix offered as much as $20 million during an all night bidding war, Parker wanted a large theatrical release for the movie. While Netflix movies are open for theatrical releases, so far they've had extremely limited showings because the company insists on offering them for streaming on the same day -- most theater owners don't want the competition.
Reggie Watts made a weird comedy just for VR
Reggie Watts is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of both technology and humor, and he just found a way to do both at once. He recently produced Waves, a mind-melting comedy (it involves joining a cult, among other things) that's tailor-made for virtual reality. And it's not just the camera angles or attention-grabbing visuals, either. Watts tells Wired that the relatively distraction-free VR environment allows for subtle laughs that wouldn't fly in movies or TV, where you're more likely to miss them.
Amazon and Netflix go on movie shopping spree at Sundance
As the streaming war rages on over original content, the most active buyers at the Sundance Film Festival aren't traditional studios and distributors. Instead, Amazon and Netflix, both of which tout portfolios of original series and movies, are behind a lot of the action. The 11-day festival started late last week, and so far, Amazon had purchased four films while Netflix secured three. While the latter company is said to have its sights on more, The New York Times reports that traditional distributors have been much less active.
ICYMI: California water woes, VR arcade life and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-599462{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-599462, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-599462{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-599462").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: California adjusted the details in the project to address the water crisis in the state by diverting water, called WaterFix. VR gaming is being visualized at Sundance as a multiplayer theme park paradise. And a new smart mirror designed to simply take photos of full outfits has us feeling a little crazy. Which is where this Japanese product to capture bad guys comes in for the laugh relief. Please share any interesting science or tech videos, anytime! Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag to @mskerryd.
The VR arcade of the future will look something like this
I knew I was on solid ground. I knew that no matter if I misstepped, I wouldn't fall hundreds of feet, plummeting to my death in some CG-Egyptian ruin. And yet, I was shaky, desperately reaching out for a handhold to steady myself, unable to calmly place one foot in front of the other as I attempted to cross a chasm bridged by a collection of meager wooden beams.
Werner Herzog AI documentary to debut at Sundance
During this week's Sundance Film Festival, legendary director Werner Herzog will debut new work produced by cybersecurity company Netscout. Herzog's latest is a documentary on artificial intelligence and robots titled Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World. In the film, Herzog examines the state of AI and the internet, addressing how technology is changing the world and how we as humans interact with each other. Lo and Behold includes interviews with the likes of Elon Musk and others, so it's sure to be worth a watch, especially with the Rescue Dawn director at the helm. The documentary is set to debut Saturday, January 23rd, but for now, you can watch the trailer down below.
Sundance's experimental New Frontier looks beyond virtual reality
Virtual reality found itself front and center of Utah's wintery celebrity village earlier this year, virtually dominating the conversation around this past Sundance Film Festival. The technology, a burgeoning new medium for artists, game developers, filmmakers, and journalists alike, had reached a cultural tipping point, with the Park City fest playing host to the announcement of a dedicated VR animation studio from Facebook-owned Oculus VR and ten VR projects that stole the headlines from Sundance's edgy, experimental New Frontier showcase."Last year was one of those historic moments where it was like the perfect storm," says Shari Frilot, chief curator of New Frontier's VR-heavy 2015 showcase. "Not only were there significant developments in the technology and a commitment by storytellers, content creators, filmmakers and journalists to grasp onto it, [but] there was also this ramping up of industry -- manufacturing, as well as kind of peaking of interest in more mainstream content creators. That all converged at the festival in a way that was really explosive. ... That's sort of the unicorn that came out of New Frontier."
Sundance and Jaunt are looking for VR filmmaking visionaries
Sundance Film Institute has announced a six-month residency aimed at helping budding virtual reality filmmakers turn their ideas into dynamic projects. To make this a reality, the institute has teamed up with VR firm Jaunt, most likely because of the company's "cinematic VR" platform which consists of a 360-degree camera and specialized tools for editing VR experiences. "We hope their unique voices, diverse perspectives and creativity will help define the potential of this new medium," said Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam. This isn't the first experience Sundance has had with VR, some directors have already shown completed projects to festival-goers. After giving rise to revolutionary filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Ava DuVernay, the institute is now looking to produce stories that are complex, visually stunning and also totally immersive.
AMC's channels come to PlayStation Vue
If you were intrigued by PlayStation Vue as a substitute for cable TV but refused to sign up until you could watch The Walking Dead, it's time to hop aboard. Sony has added AMC Networks to Vue's channel roster, giving you AMC proper as well as IFC, Sundance and WEtv. Be prepared to pony up if you just have to catch Portlandia, though -- while you'll get AMC and WEtv in the base Access package, IFC and Sundance are only available if you've subscribed to Core or Elite. This certainly isn't the best deal if you care about AMC or IFC above all else (Sling TV offers it as part of its $20 bundle), but it'll make Vue a better value for your cord-cutting dollar.
'Tron'-like headphones, virtual reality at Sundance and other stories you might've missed this week!
We get it. It's been a busy week. Luckily, we're here to catch you up on the release date of the Apple Watch, VR headsets in Hollywood and all the other cool stuff you may have accidentally glossed over during five days on the daily grind.
Recommended Reading: Reliving virtual reality in the '90s
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. A Look Back at the Doomed Virtual Reality Boom of the 90s Kyle Fowle, Kill Screen With the revival of VR, it's important that we take a look back to the last big push for virtual reality. Kill Screen recently dedicated an entire issue to the topic, including a piece that recalls what VR was like in the '90s, when it was all circle pods, massive headsets and plastic guns. Ah... the good ol' days.
Sundance hit Tangerine was shot on iPhone 5s with a $8 app and some accessories
Given the spread of affordable high-quality video cameras in the modern world, there's probably never been a better time to be an amateur filmmaker. You don't even need more than a nice smartphone if Tangerine is any indication. The Sundance Film Festival hit was shot completely using an iPhone 5S, the $8 app Filmic Pro, a Steadicam rig, and anamorphic adapter lenses made by Moondog Labs. Here's Sundance's synopsis of the film: It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity. In an interview with the Verge director Sean Baker provides some sound advice for aspiring filmmakers looking to work on a budget. Ransone said that the key to shooting Tangerine was having a team well-versed in traditional filmmaking. "You still need to know how editing works. You still need to know how sound works. You still need to know how a camera works," he says. "You can't just go out and shoot." iPhone footage hasn't yet caught up with true 35 millimeter film - a high bar - but Ransone expects it will some day. "Yes, you can make a beautiful-looking film on a shoestring budget," he says. "But you have to know 100 years worth of filmmaking." It's important to remember that Baker was only able to shoot the film on the iPhone because of the unending independent development from private companies like Moondog Labs to create cutting edge enhancements for the ever-evolving iPhone. Still, the reliability and power of the iPhone is what inspires those companies to build, and it's an incredible step for the iPhone to be used to create a film that was screened at a prestigious film festival like Sundance. Head over to the Verge for its full interview with Baker, including the roots of the film's development and his comments on the peculiarities and benefits of filming with an iPhone.
