Centerpiece News

~MovieMaker Magazine has released their Top 40 Best Film Schools In The U.S. And Canada. Unlike other lists that just focus on the legacy of a program or institution, MovieMaker takes an eye towards “Forward-Thinking Programs” that can help future film students be set up for success. Of course, along the way you’ll find many of the usual great film schools on the list.~

~Short films are literally becoming cable television programming with “Cake” — and Short of the Week has the scoop. Released by the FXX Channel, this “mixture of original commissions and established festival and web hits” is perhaps the biggest endorsement for short form filmmaking from mainstream channels. Rather than just playing through selected shorts, the program looks to be a “mismash of commission and curation philosophies” for a whole new act of artistic expression. We can’t wait to see how “Cake” continues to develop. (scroll down to watch the first episode)~

~It looks like Apple continues to up the cinematography game on its smartphones. The new iPhone 11 boasts a new 12MP Ultra Wide Camera Lens and four other features that Indiewire has us excited for.~

~One of the fastest growing film programs in the Midwest, Indiana University’s The Media School (Cinema and Media Studies) will be looking for a new director. The founding director Jon Vickers helped put Bloomington, Indiana on the map for its film preservation efforts and cultural events. He even get a THX Certified theater with 16mm and 35mm changeover film projectors installed.~

~LA Daily News has the coverage on Disney’s new high school initiative, the Walt Disney Feature Animation Program. They are going to the advanced film students at Sun Valley/Valley Oaks Center for Enriched Studies magnet. Disney Studios will be taking these lucky students through the entire filmmaking program, including the business aspects.~

~Always rent a movie or TV show just to watch on your Oculus headset? Now FandangoNOW has you covered. Oculus Go and Quest headsets are now compatible with the streaming marketplace, including hundreds of 3-D titles. Time to get really immersive with your favorite new releases!~

Festival Circuit

~Short of the Week follows experimental short filmmaker Ross Hogg and a 360-degree, multi-projection experience called “4:3”. This played at Encounters Film Festival in its installation form — but you can watch the short film version on Vimeo right now.~

~New York Film Festival is just around the corner, and while everyone is talking about Martin Scorcese’s The Irishman, there will be some amazing shorts on hand, including their much-lauded Projections screening section.~

Did You See That?

I’m OK— Cartoon Brew

Following the end of a stormy love affair, Expressionist artist Oskar Kokoschka enlists in the First World War. After suffering serious injuries in battle, he experiences a series of memories and visions as medics transport him through the forests of the Russian front. Playful and imaginative, I’m OK explores the wounds of heartbreak and trauma.