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~~~~~<\/p>\n
Raring to unearth the (stock) tools of your trade, hardy creatives? In the second of a series, we turn our attention to Michael Wiese Productions<\/span><\/strong><\/a> of Studio City, California<\/strong>, a premier publisher since 1976 of trade books that cover various aspects of motion picture development, production, and distribution. The imprint\u2019s founder, Michael Wiese<\/strong>, is a native of Urbana<\/strong> and contributes to the company from his home in Cornwall, England<\/strong>. Once a month for the next few months, we will share with you a brand-new review of a choice title from their catalog to demonstrate the breadth of subject matter.<\/p>\n Our next title is Stock Footage + Everything under the Sun<\/span><\/strong> by James Forsher<\/strong>, published by MWP in February 2019. I believe that Forsher\u2019s effort does its part to reduce the stigma of \u201cold is too old;\u201d producers should find its guidance very worthwhile when it comes to generating concepts for how to better tell their stories, especially ones that can only become stronger by picturing the past. You can unearth more about Stock Footage<\/span><\/span> on the MWP website<\/span><\/a> or purchase it through Amazon<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, while you can listen to a podcast interview between Forsher and host Alex Ferrari<\/strong> from early last year on this episode of Indie Film Hustle<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Condensed versions of the set will be collected in a MWP feature that we are planning for an upcoming issue of C-U Confidential<\/span><\/strong>. Please keep an eye out for our next entry in the series!<\/p>\n ~ Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Stock Footage + Everything under the Sun<\/span><\/strong> Michael Wiese Productions<\/em> We\u2019re often encouraged to not repeat the past, but repeating remnants <\/em>of the past can be invaluable to film producers as they bring alive their stories in the present. From major Hollywood<\/strong> features and documentary programs to prime time news specials and informational Web series, archival material is regularly worked into narratives in order to dramatize the thrust of a situation or contextualize the pivotal moments in our shared history. A quote, a photograph, a document, an audio sample, a film clip, a videotaped broadcast, or a physical artifact can lend an air of scope and authenticity to a project more effectively than any facsimile created by the most talented writers, directors, cinematographers, or craftspeople. However, many of these elements can\u2019t simply be picked up at the local variety store and dusted off for their shining moment. One must employ an archaeologist\u2019s mettle to find the right pieces to complete the puzzle and exercise a businessman\u2019s skill to clear the proper rights within a set budget.<\/p>\n Stock Footage + Everything under the Sun<\/span><\/strong>, a primer on the vast reaches and specific quirks of ephemera and its use in modern media, is written by the veteran filmmaker, retired academic, and footage archivist James Forsher<\/strong>. On one level, it provides a compact non-linear tour through the development of mass communication forms. More directly, it serves as an off-the-shelf idea generator and relatable guide to this specialized world. Forsher undoubtedly loves the allure of tales to be retold with old elements \u2013 Paramount Pictures<\/strong> co-founder Adolph Zukor<\/span><\/strong> was his first major screen subject<\/span><\/a> \u2013 and generously peppers the text with his own anecdotes from working in the industry. He has certainly dealt with plenty of victories as well as close shaves and setbacks in his years handling content. This volume is his mentorship to anyone who has ever wanted to take advantage of \u201crecycled\u201d film materials.<\/p>\n Three self-explanatory sections \u2013 \u201cWhat to Look For,\u201d \u201cWhere to Find It,\u201d \u201cHow to License It\u201d \u2013 walk the reader through the wilds. \u201cWhat to Look For\u201d investigates more than a dozen different kinds of materials and breaks down the strengths and possible difficulties for each. \u201cWhere to Find It\u201d suggests both obvious storehouses and out-of-the-way sources for obtaining the best-quality versions of materials that will look crisp when photographed or added in post-production. \u201cHow to License It\u201d is as much a cautionary tract as a helpful primer that touches on several tenets of the process such as preparedness, backup plans, third-party services, legal ramifications, and other nuances involved in negotiating rights for materials. Forsher tempers expectations with his discussion from the get-go to the fourth and final section, \u201cHow to Love Archival Material,\u201d constantly reminding the reader that first choices for material may not be the ones most appropriate for inclusion in the final cut.<\/p>\n A few bells and whistles augment the sections. \u201cAssignments\u201d challenge the reader to apply the author\u2019s suggestions to their own film planning. \u201cSpotlights\u201d interview colleagues on their specializations and include film researcher Bonnie Rowan<\/strong>, clips clearance expert James Tumminia<\/strong>, David Seevers<\/strong> of Footage.net<\/strong>, and the late Eric Caidin<\/strong> of Hollywood Book & Poster Co.<\/strong> A plethora of illustrations are set throughout the pleasing layout design, conveniently putting the lessons into practice as they hail from expected government repositories like NASA<\/strong> and the Library of Congress<\/strong> as well as private collections like Bison Archives<\/strong>, Footage.net, and Forsher\u2019s own Footagesource.com<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. All in all, Stock Footage + Everything under the Sun<\/span> is a thoughtful and enjoyable release for active producers, vintage movie fans, and history buffs who can happily scour its pages for good finds to apply elsewhere.<\/p>\n ~ Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Review \u00a9 2020 Jason Pankoke.<\/p>\n Graphics: courtesy Michael Wiese Productions \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Back to the fore, MacDuff\u2026<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n
\nBy James Forsher<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPaperback, 246 pages, $29.95 SRP<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nThank you to Ken Lee of MWP for his assistance and kind words!<\/p>\n