Dear Friends & Associates:
As the world's first virtual movie studio -- which is how we are billing ourselves -- we have been working hard to direct a flow of creativity into projects and appropriate financial or educational channels. We hope, over time, you will agree that we are earning the billing. Find out exactly what a virtual movie studio is by clicking here.
As one can see by visiting any computer store in the United States, movies on computers are here. We have been letting you gently know this since February 1996 when Paul Gibbons, Eugene Jaeger and myself concluded our research into the possibilities of distributing movies over the Internet as bandwidth becomes available and as CODEC technology, such as MPEG-2, become commonplace.
The new digital HDTV standards that came down last month -- thanks to the insistence of people in the movie and computer industries who care about quality for the many rather than extra Federal Reserve Notes for the few -- will contribute greatly to an era of quality digital-delivery movies via ADSL/twisted pair, satellite and cable -- all three delivery systems working in competition to keep prices competitive.
Matrixx Internet Distribution, in addition to distributing its own pictures (features and shorts) over the Net, is in process of contracting the rights to other producers' and distributors' film-product to do likewise. As bandwidth becomes more available, this new method of distribution will open niche markets for independent producers all over the world. This service is not yet available to the film-going public but if you are interested in being part of an experiment, please visit PAY-PER-VIEW-.COM and fill out the Account Application to let us know what you think and what movies you want to get for your future digital library.
We have had people contacting us from all over the world wanting to download movies. For instance, one college student in Europe sent us an email saying "My parents bought me a $5,000 computer which I would like to put to some better use than just doing homework."
To date there are between 25 and 40 million people on the Internet (depending on whose data you want to believe). Best estimates say the average income of these users is north of $50,000 a year. If 25 to 40 million people have the financial ability to purchase $3,500 computers to watch movies as bandwidth becomes available -- this could be a good future distribution niche for the independent producers and talent of the world who do not particularly enjoy having their net profit participation reduced to zero by certain entities.
On the other hand, if you are a producer, distributor or filmmaker who would like to generate a new and additional source of revenue for your narrative dramatic films, apply to find out how we might be able to help you reach the new global markets.
One of the goals of the LGCI is to make it economically possible for "film" students to actually shoot film instead of video tape -- which is what most film students are forced to shoot today because of the expense involved with film.
From our discussions with many film students, we know that it is commonly agreed that most people, especially film students, preferr the "look" of film over tape. It is also commonly agreed that editing on tape is the easiest and best way to go, whether such is transferred into a non-linear universe or done on/off-line on tape. Again, the problem is most film students cannot afford to shoot in film (either 16mm, 35mm or even Super 8) because of its high expense.
Therefore, the Lee Garmes Cinema Institute is developing an entirely new camera system that will be film student-friendly.
The system will be based on converting 16mm cameras (possible a Bolex, Beaulieu, Arricon and/or Arriflex) into double super 8 cameras. The new double super 8 camera system, known as Double S/8tm, will run 400-foot daylight and core loading specially perforated 16mm-wide film stock which the company will arrange for in-house or via a film manufacturer. Once the footage has been exposed from head to tail, it is run through the camera again from tail to head. The processed film is then slit down its length. Thus a 400 foot core will yield 800 feet of super 8 film. A 400-foot core of 16mm negative costs around $150 and has a running time of about 10 minutes. The same 400-foot core of Double S/8 is anticipated to cost the same, yet it will yield 800 feet of super 8 footage with a running time of about 40 minutes. This system may run rings around the current super 8 system as 1) there is no plastic gate or film-transport involved and 2) image stability will be enhanced (even beyond the capacities of 16mm), due to the fact that there are twice as many perfs down each side of the stock to improve registration. Regular super 8 today is perforated on only one side and provides only half the lateral area a 16mm-wide base would provide in the Double S/8 format.
Plus, what most people do not realize, is that super 8 film, properly exposed, shot with an upper-end camera (such as the Elmo 1012S or the Beaulieu 5008S) and transferred to video tape utilizing a flying spot scanner: produces an image that exceeds the resolution of 1-inch NTSC tape. I am not saying that super 8 looks as good as 35mm film on cable or free TV, but it is usually indistinguishable from 16mm, under the above conditions. The new Double S/8 system will only improve on these specs and cut the costs down dramatically.
We are also asking both Kodak and Panavision, two great companies Lee worked with for many years, to work with us in creating this new system, a system that will train our future 35mm filmmakers how to better originate in the medium of film and edit in the medium of tape.
If you are interested in bringing something to this discussion and creation, please contact me by email.
A hair-raising story of what it was like to work for the Soviet Empire -- closeup and personal.
A SECOND DRAFT SCREENPLAY FOR STALIN'S BACK ROOM IS NOW by Ken Gullekson (formerly with Walt Disney Studios and a native of California). Alexander Murphy, Esquire is production counsel for the picture and Matt Huntington Executive Producer. Mr. Contract, Scott Henkles (an expert on Russian history), a Reader who lives in Russia and another former Georgian (who lives in the Philadelphia area) are all consulting us on the project.
Mr. Contract made a special guest appearance at the offices of Matrixx Entertainment on Friday, 11 October 1996 which was well attended by a good mix of professionals, artists, filmmakers, executives and techies. We were all happy and surprised to see Shorty Yeaworth, director/producer of the original BLOB, drop by.
I took Sasha Contract to see STAR TREK and afterwards we had a cup of coffee and talked a bit. Although I have spoken to him many times by phone and at various events (such as the office event mentioned), it wasn't until last Saturday I realized the wealth of information and stories this former Russian citizen has - stories that could fill many features or be an entire series - a sort of DALLAS in the Soviet Union. You think those folks in DALLAS had a posh and extravagant life-style - you should hear some of the things that went on in an empire four times the size (and ruthlessness) of the United States, an empire where only a small handful got to live the "good life" while the others had to "survive" as best they could by any means.
We have been "taking our time" re-writing STALIN'S BACK ROOM and have been getting feedback so far from about 9 readers from various places in the U.S. as well as other countries including the former Soviet Union. In fact you are welcome to read the screenplay if you wish and give us a report on what you think. To read this screenplay, or any screenplay from the company, you must execute and on-line agreement acknowledging that you will comply with the reader rules and you must be accepted by our VP Development and our Head Reader.
1. written a screenplay.
2. edited a feature motion picture.
3. directed a feature motion picture.
4. seen at least 6 movies per week every week of the last
several years.
Therefore too often their ideas are "unreal" or "not workable" or "not marketable" and all they want is endless re-writes that do nothing but homogenize the screenplay, dilute the point of view of the writer or give the poor person who is asked to direct the picture endless nightmares over continuity and character development.
Our philosophy is to ask sophisticated people -- people who are movie-goers, who know something about filmmaking, and who live in various places (markets) around the world -- to prepare honest and nurturing Reader Reports which we can simply forward to our writers and let the writer on a project do his or her thing with as little interference as possible.
Think about it -- if you are getting positive Reader Reports from qualified people who represent, and are living in, the markets they represent -- aren't they really the bottom line? Why then "development hell"? Why endless re-writes before a green-light is given? Life doesn't need to be that way. Sure two or five drafts and a polish is fine. But not everyone saying -- "if you just put this in it and take this out and modify this character, et cetera." I know more than five people who did that - writers and producers -- and their film has still NOT been financed or the original screenplay ends up being acknowledged as best -- 15 drafts later. Too many people do not know how to differentiate or visualize.
One of the things that is incredibly exciting about independent films is: while you're watching them you can have NO IDEA of what will happen. In other words: NO FORMULA. Since some independent pictures are allowed to be the vision of basically as few a number of people as possible (possibly guided by readers who represent the market) -- their projects turn out to have an exciting and unpredictable point of view and possibly even say something of value about life or death.
STALIN's BACK ROOM -- Based on the true life story of a Jewish captain in the KGB and Joseph Stalin's personal bodyguard/food taster. New material to be released into the public domain.
FOUL WEATHER FRIENDS -- The great, grandson of a famous poet encounters the dating scene and tries to handle it in a gentle, poetic way - until his crass friends "help" him out.
ECOSPHERES -- Two brothers inherit a gemstone from their astronaut-father which has the ability to transmute lead into gold. Their discovery upsets the powers-that-be in the nick of time.
BEN FRANKLIN -- Autobiographical story of Franklin's accomplishments and life in Philadelphia.
THE SILENT YEARS -- (Formerly THE MISSING YEARS) The story of the life of Jesus Christ prior to the time he began preaching. (Based on a conservative interpretation of the Bible.)
THE NIT-WITS -- Gramps and his off-beat neighbors, give the neighborhood something to talk about in this high-paced mad, mad, mad, mad movie. This project is now packaged with an excellent cast and we are almost financed for an October shoot.
Mickey Rooney, an old friend of Matrixx Entertainment's co-founder, Lee Garmes (GONE WITH THE WIND), has been in touch with the company and gives his full support. Other news to be announced soon.
Chris Mancini, a nationally known comic, seen on A&E's IMPROV and countless stages across the country, has a first draft screenplay for THE NIT-WITS. Reader Reports on the screenplay are welcome so long as you report in a professional, non-derrogatory way, a way in which the writer can benefit because you have presented a carefully considered view of the pros and cons of the writing.
If you are interested in one or more of the feature motion picture projects in development from the point of view of producing, writing, financing, distributing, directing, acting, score, production design, cinematography, editing, production management, staff or crew, please review the specific project(s) carefully to determine what elements we have and what elements we need. Then contact us by email at contact@mecfilms.com or regular mail to let us know what you would like to do or bring to the project.
Our doors are always open to professionally written screenplays. Please see Employment Opportunities first before making any submissions and realize that you must release the company and acknowledge that you understand the virtual nature of our studio and authorize us to transmit literary properties over the Internet for evaluation.
o A number of easy to use cgi forms have been added throughout the web site.
o Now you can get useful, byte-size pieces of informatin by getting Movie Memos
o New MEC and MOVIE PUB logos have been created to give the home pages more presence. Movie Pubs can be found here.
o New movie projects have been added
o Employment materials have been added to and clarified and new easy-to-fill-out Reader Rules and Reader Reports have been added.
o Writers' submissions have been encouraged to be electronic to do our part in discouraging the use of pulp which destroys trees
o Easier to read buttons have been added through out
o Ordering instructions for MOVIE PUBS have been made simpler
o Portions of the Independent Producer's Manual and Screenplays can now be downloaded.
Corey New has joined the Company as Head Reader. If you are interested in reading screenplays, and you qualify as a Reader, contact Corey at FilmZealot@aol.com.
Five new Readers from all over the world, have joined to read screenplays.
Douglas R. Boehr, C.P.A., formerly with Du Pont, has been working with the Company in preparation for an audit.
Janice Wildemore, executive assistant to the Valley Forge Music Fair's CEO, is working with the Company as a part-time Script Reader.
Matt Huntington, in addition to his duties as VP Development, has signed to write DISPOSAL.
Hugh Casey, Director of Creative Affairs, has been working with story editors and writers developing company and reader/studio-approved concepts, stories and books into treatments and screenplays the Company will package, produce or sell to other entities.
Carol Snyder is the Company's new VP Quality Control and is heading up MOVIE PUBS.
Lorraine Sterling has joined staff as Director of Public Relations and has been liaising with celebrities and government officials to brief them on the Company's goals and determine how a feature film company might enhance the local economy. The company recently met with Tim Chambers, with the State Film Office and Sharon Pinkenson of the Greater Philadelphia Area Film Office who both have been very supportive.
Eugene Jaeger, brings 20 years experience in computer technology to the position of computer consultant, CIO, for the company. Mr. Jaeger also provides consulting services to Decision One which provides technical support for Netscape Communications, Compaq Computers and Commerce Bank. From 1975 to 1985, he operated computers and supervised operating staffs, for IBM mainframe computer systems that serviced the U.S. armed forces, Bell Atlantic, Ameritech and the Exxon Corporation.
We continue to look for readers and executives who have experience working in studios and agencies, executives who can handle many projects at once and who think in global-marketing terms. Specifically, the Company is looking to hire executives with experience working for a major distributor or studio who are ideally, formerly from the Tri-State area. Specific positions being sought are: President of Production, VP Production, VP Development, VP Finance, Senior VP Marketing.
The Company is also looking for a paralegal, contract administrator, entertainment attorneys (familiar with motion picture Reg D offerings), and a CFO familiar with commonly accepted standards in the accounting and motion picture industries.
Various entry-level staff positions and apprentice posts are also available. If you would like specific information regarding the requirements of any of the above positions, or you wish to apply, please contact Phil Congleton at 800/576-2001 or visit our Web Site at http://www.mecfilms.com/employ.htm.
Ruth Garmes has offered her support to the Company and may be able to help us acquire several literary properties that were of interest to her late husband, Lee Garmes.
William L. Van Alen, Jr., Esq., President of Cornerstone Entertainment and Producer of WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDS. . . (based on the life-story of Ed Beck) with screenplay co-written by director Joe Pytka (SPACE JAM, LET IT RIDE), is an advisor to the Company on (script development of) STALIN'S BACK ROOM and other matters.
The company has retained the services of the accountancy of DELOITTE & TOUCHE and law firm of OBERMAYER, REBMANN, MAXWELL & HIPPEL for its corporate affairs. With offices in downtown Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Haddenfield, New Jersey and Essen, Germany, OBERMAYER's clients include: AT&T, Campbell Soup Company, Chase Manhattan Bank, City of Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Goldman Sachs, Mariott, Pain Webber, Salomon Brothers, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Trump Resorts, Unisys and many others. John Reilly, Esquire and Bob Whitelaw, Esquire have been working with the company's corporate division.
Alexander Murphy, Jr., Esq., one of the country's top entertainment attornies is working with the company as production counsel on several feature projects, including STALIN'S BACK ROOM, THE NIT-WITS and DON'T BANK ON IT. Formerly Mr. Murphy was an attorney on GHANDI and handles many independent producer's on both coasts.
Dick Dufrain, of NFL FILMS and Linwood Dunn, ASC, winner of the Sawyer Award (longtime friend and associate of Lee Garmes and Mickey Rooney), and inventor of the Acme-Dunn Special Effects Optical Printer in collaboration with Cecil D. Love, (first used for the special effects on many classic motion pictures, including the original KING KONG, WEST SIDE STORY, CITIZEN KANE and IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD with Mickey Rooney) and many other inventions -- have had several discussions with James Jaeger about the viability of a new camera/film system which would be good for film students who do not want to shoot in tape (because of the inferior quality to film), yet cannot afford to shoot in 16mm or 35mm. BackBone Enterprises, the company's technical division, is interested in speaking with anyone interested in promoting this exciting new system. Please email us at contact@mecfilms.com.
The WHARTON SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, at the University of Pennsylvania, continues to be very helpful in providing the Company with consultation over the years as well as referrals from the Wharton School of Business.
The Independent Producer's Manualtm continues to be a premier introduction and reference manual for people contemplating the production of motion pictures. The manual is being published by MOVIE PUBS and continues to do steady sales at selected bookstores around the country including, Larry Edmund's Book Shop in Hollywood (who has sold-out and re-ordered five times), Barnes & Noble, several Encore book stores and Borders Books. Last week Applause Theater Books, the largest cinema book store in New York began carrying The Independent Producer's Manual and the Book of Budgets as well.
A new version of The Movie Mogul Manual® (the first "franchise" manual for motion picture production), is now done and on its way to the printers and into an expert system. This new version goes extensively into raising money and is the real thing. I have read countless books on setting up a company and raising money for film production and I have had the honor of being able to work with some of the best in doing this. My conclusion on this whole matter, after about 10 years of observation, is -- most producers in the film industry go about raising money in such a slipshod manner they should be thrown in jail (for a week or two).
The new Movie Mogul Manual shows you what you really should do if you ever get $50,000 in your hands in one lump sum; you need to raise more than $2,000,000 in the private capital markets and you do not want to give your friendly federal and state Securities & Exchange Commissions any more work than they are having to have to do in protecting the public from other people who do not care about evaporating their investors' hard earned money.
The new edition of the Entertainment Orientation Courses are finally done. There have been may orders for these new Correspondence Courses, even before they were printed. I can honestly say, right now, these courses are relatively inexpensive and are very instructive but the prices will be going up soon so if you want to save some time doing Film School, do one of these courses. Between the Entertainment Orientation Courses and The Mini Mogul Manual® (if you are the type who can just read and apply and don't have to go through the information in such a structured way as a course), you will get into production on your own terms and you will get into production as an able/efficient producer, director, producer-director, director-producer or producer & director. In other words, there is no need to spend $20,000 a year at film school to get your demo reels when you embark on our program, especially when we have fully integrated it with the new Double Super 8 system.
The Book of Budgetstm, which was recently released in California, has been very popular with new producers and production managers looking to get an understanding of the motion picture budgeting process. This book is available from MOVIE PUBS on the Internet and in a growing number of book stores across the country as mentioned above.
You can see a color, photographic brochure and a complete table of contents of all of the above manuals and courses on the Internet. Also, for a limited period of time, we have placed portions of The Independent Producer's Manual on the Internet as well. The URL for both is: http://www.mecfilms.com/mpubs.htm.
You can also call us at 800/576-2001 or email us at contact@mecfilms.com for a brochure. For those who cannot afford to purchase books and manuals, Movie Pubs is offering bite-size pieces of useful information in the form of Movie Memos.
It seems much of the world's talent-base (and parts of its knowledge-base), are interested in making entertaining AND educational features. One can be sure only a portion of these individuals live in the United States of Hollywood.
I am always interested in your questions or feedback and you can contact me by sending email to: contact@mecfilms.com. Thank you for your continued support and interest in Matrixx Entertainment.
Sincerely,
James R. Jaeger II,
President & CEO