Open-source films attack Hollywood

It's 2018 and the Nazis are about to return from space to an unsuspecting Earth.

Sound weird? It could happen. And it does in Iron Sky, a new movie whose preview will be available for download on the 5th of May.

The story is a follow-up from the guys who made the cult film Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning. That $20,000 sci-fi parody of Star Trek has been downloaded 8 million times since it appeared on the Internet three years ago.

This is the story of Iron Sky:

In 1945, when World War II is almost over, SS officer Hans Kammler and his staff make a breakthrough in anti-gravity research. From a secret base in the Antarctic, they launch the first Nazi spaceships and establish a military base on the so-called dark side of the moon.

By 2018, they're ready to return to an unsuspecting Earth, but they face some serious trouble.

(Credit: Star Wreck Studios)

The Star Wreck Studios team, based in Tampere, Finland, has built a virtual studio for Iron Sky and an open-source platform that gives anybody the chance to make a film at no cost. They have recruited American Stephen Lee as managing director, and the chairman of the board is John Buckman, mostly known as the founder of Magnatune, a record label he created in Berkeley, Calif., in 2003.

Board member and serial entrepreneur Peter Vesterbacka says the aim of the open-source project is "wrecking the Hollywood model."

"Hollywood only distributes 700 films a year, but there are 100,000 people in Hollywood with film ideas," said Vesterbacka, who formerly worked for Hewlett-Packard and is also co-founder of the global social event Mobile Monday.

With this Web-based platform, people interested in film can make high-quality productions at almost no cost. The content can be anything from short films to feature films and can be distributed on the Internet or mobile devices or in theaters.

Vesterbacka says open source for film hasn't worked so far, because of the complex production requirements.

"But now anyone can buy a HD video camera on a level with Hollywood. It's all more affordable, and for special effects, such as rendering of a spaceship, you only need a PC."

Then again, a PC and an HD video camera don't automatically make you George Lucas.

Nonetheless, like Iron Sky, a number of companies and artists are using the Web to get around the studio system. Crackle, formerly called Grouper, has evolved into a site for up-and-coming artists. The site is also pulling in major sponsorship and ad dollars from known companies. Before, when Grouper showed user-generated videos, advertisers stayed away, General Manager Jonathan Shambroom told CNET News.com recently.

And as with software, the quality of a movie can actually be better the more people are involved. Universal had professional translators doing the Star Wreck subtitles for the Norwegian market, but the collective work of the fans was more accurate.

The business model for Star Wreck Studios is reversed--first free, then for pay and there is a very long tail; Star Wreck has spilled over into other things such as games, merchandise, and a very lively discussion on sci-fi.

The board has discussed moving the whole self-funded operation to the U.S., but think that they're still fine "with these crazy guys from Finland."

[i_am_still_wade]

Bring back MST3K

Because it looks like we might have a glut of really bad movies coming out. Someone remind me why a space Nazi invasion is a GOOD idea for a movie.

[Salmar80]

culture shock

Iron Sky's tagline: "In 1945 the Nazis went to the moon, in 2018 they are coming back" is only half of the story. The brilliant idea in this film is this: The Nazis have been living in isolation for since the 40s. What will the world of 2018 look like in their eyes, and how will the people of the world consider these guys, who truly are a blast from the past? Talk about culture shock!
I think this setting offers some real chances for a good black comedy.

[cohaver]

Remember Outer limits

Outer limits Had a idea we will control your TV your Thought and Culture.
Hollywood Does this through Patents, Copyrights,
Media kickbacks(ISP'S ,Cable Networks,Telephone systems) and Lobbyist.
Idea that everyone has a voice and Idea makes Hollywood afraid and Many others.
Freedom of Ideas Keep us out of the Dark age.
Remember that Group that Controlled are Thoughts
and the Little problem in Spain in 1400's
Freedom to make and Market a Idea ,Film Movie ,New story and Dare i Say a thought .
Freedom and Human Rights must be protected

[meh130]

Talent is now the limiting factor

Don't think bringing production costs to zero will increase the number of good movies. It just means talent is not the limfac. Talent of writing, talent of directing, and talent of acting.

For example, budgets have never significantly limited legitimate theater. But there is a huge difference between a play which is written, directed, and acted by amatures in an a community theater compared to a high-end Broadway show.

The real question is how to winnow the wheat from the chaff, to bring the medium to high quality talent together to make a quality movie, then market and distribute it.

[Salmar80]

There's talent in the masses

You are partly right: Low costs don't equal good movies. And a movie production's core talent and skill positions have to be manned by professionals.

But:

The innovation of collaborative filmmaking a la Iron Sky is to utilize the diffuse talent spread across the globe. This is done by getting them together in a web community.

There is plenty of real pro-level talent with spare time out there. Get them involved, make the movie their hobby, and voila. Plus in some tasks numbers trump small teams of professionals. Say you need to find an exotic location for a shot. If you have a large and worldwide community, you are bound to get plenty of original ideas.

As i said, a good core team is needed to filter the input from the community. But it is doable.

[TRUTH SPEAKS]

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS OUR RIGHT!!

http://truth0speaks.wordpress.com/about/


READ THIS BLOG ON OUR INDUSTRY AND POLITICS!!!

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE IN WHATEVER FORMAT WE WISH, HOLLYWOOD CONTROL OF THE ARTS, IN ALL WAYS MUST GO!!

[norfunk]

Freedom of expression just needs to be expressed.

Why are you shouting? Nothing is stoping you from creating art, you would have to be incrdibly stupid to think that beacuse hollywood has alot of money to make big budget films it somehow invalidates your artform!