Around the Block: Doug Block's Doc Blog

Spouted, Blog-Pulsed, Conversation-Tracked And Time-Sucked

It's always odd to stumble across a group of people talking about you.  I experienced the cyber version of that yesterday when I came upon a Spout.com podcast where four twenty-something, regular kind of guys chat for 8 minutes after seeing 51 Birch Street.  Luckily, they had some entertaining AND educational things to say.  I definitely give it three-and-a-half stars.

Spout.com will be hosting a sneak preview screening of 51 Birch in Grand Rapids, Michigan (where many Spouters apparently spout from) on September 28 at the UICA Theater.  Then we'll be doing an online forum over the course of a few days on a topic near and dear to my heart - namely, online marketing.  Among other things, we'll explore how to use social networking spaces like MySpace, IndieLoop and, um, Spout.com to help spread the good word about your underdog film.  And, let me tell you, getting a personal documentary about your parents' marriage into the theatrical marketplace doesn't get much more underdog.  Anyway, whether you live near Grand Rapids or not, you can come join the fun.

Thanks to the ever-vigilant net trouper, outreacher and underdog rooter, Linda Morgenstern, for turning me on to the BlogPulse Conversation Tracker software.  Naturally, the damned link led me down many twisting and turning paths at a moment when I had absolutely no time whatsoever even to journey from point A to B.  But, then, in this cyber age, that's one of life's great pleasures, too.

Can't Make It To Toronto? Read The TIFF 2006: Doc Blog

Multi-tasking Toronto documentary programmer Thom Powers has a fun, new doc blog up and running for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival: <http://blog.tiffg.ca>

As Thom puts it in an email today: "Read daily updates about all the exciting premieres, parties and gossip at the Festival: Michael Moore, Dixie Chicks, Iraqi prisoners, Haitian gang leaders, blind mountain climbers, perverts and more!  If you can't come to Toronto, this is the next best thing!"

(Full Disclosure: This Doug Block fella has a blog entry devoted to one of his most memorable TIFF 2005 experiences.)

A Moment Of Truth In New York - And On HBO

True/False is THE rising star among U.S. film festivals, and documentary festivals in particular.  Probably the biggest reason is the vision and energy of founders Paul Sturtz and David Wilson, who have taken a mini version of T/F to NY City for two evenings of screenings and receptions at the IFC Theater.  Couldn't make last night's opening event, but I'll be there tonight with a few friends and colleagues, and if you're in the area it's not to be missed.

Will probably cut the reception short to rush home for the conclusion of Spike Lee's "When The Levees Broke" on HBO.  Turned it on about a half hour into it last night, way too busy to give it my time and attention.  Then sat there mesmerized for another hour and a half. 

Kurt Engfehr, editor and co-producer of "Bowling for Columbine" and "Farenheit 911", summed it up perfectly on The D-Word Community this morning:

"watched the first half of Spike Lee's Katrina movie.  didn't really want to watch it, was going to turn it off after only a few minutes, had things i needed to do, but ended up watching the whole damned thing. for over 2 hours i fluctuated between horror, intense sadness and anger.

seems to be 2 ways to look at the film: actual structure and filmmaking techniques, and the power of the footage.  basically, all the flaws and scattered structure...don't matter.  footage rules. all the strange self-serving interviews?  don't matter.  footage kicks ass.

this is the kind of film that you're just thankful somebody made."

To which I add... amen.

It's Called Around The Block For A Reason. That's Block. B-L-O-C-K.

Ooops.   In my last post, seems like I credited the terrific Out of Focus blog to the wrong Aaron.   It's Aaron Dobbs who's the responsible party, not Aaron Hillis, who writes the Cinephiliac blog.  Thanks to Filmbrain, "a close personal friend of both," for the correction.  All I can say is thank God I'm not a journalist.

But, really, these modest fellas like A. Dobbs, who can't be bothered to sully his blog with a last name.   I mean, before posting I waste much precious sleep trying to track this info down, learn Aaron X helped program the Tribeca Film Festival (lotsa luck finding a list of staff on their website!), try googling him, read a bunch of interesting non-related articles, lose more sleep and, well, thank God I'm not a detective, either.

Nope, I'm just a documentary filmmaker trying to get his latest doc out into the world.  We can't afford modesty.  So, you're reading Around the BLOCK, get it?  But in case that's too subtle, there's the Doug Block's Doc Blog subtitle thingy.  And perhaps you noticed the teeny weeny film poster on the upper left? That's my film, 51 Birch Street, coming soon to a theater near you (if you happen to live in one of the 6 major U.S. cities it's booked in, that is).

Once I can actually announce all of this -- this week, everyone swears to God (he says, invoking the Almighty, who he doubts even exists, for the 3rd time in 3 paragraphs) -- my faithful readers will curse the day they came upon Around the Block, so filled with not-so-subtle marketing ploys and shameless self-promotion it will be.

Meanwhile, a long overdue kudo to another favorite blogger, Agnes Varnum, who knows how to put her good name front and center.  And, subtle or not, much thanks for her lovely write-up about 51 Birch.

Back In Focus

Checking out the IndieWIRE blogs tonight, I was heartened to belatedly discover one of my favorite film bloggers, Aaron Hillis of Out of Focus, back in action after a long layoff. 

As someone who took a blogging break of, oh, 5 years or so, I can particularly relate.  It takes its toll.  Or as Aaron puts it:

"I think part of the reason I had stopped writing was that this blog had actually gotten away from its original intent. Sure, I always meant to write about whatever popped into my head -- personal or otherwise -- but I never really intended to create an online diary of my life."

I didn't either with the early incarnation of The D-Word, but it's almost inevitable.  With Around the Block, even though I'm determined to think less and write more (or is it live less and write more?), it's a constant challenge to keep the personal at arm's length.  Particularly when my film is so ridiculously personal. 

For the sake of my sanity, I've deliberately kept the focus here on 51 Birch Street, and it's been fun.  There's so much great stuff going on I can hardly contain myself.  And it's going to be better yet when the distribution contract is finalized (soon, very soon, they say) and I can yack all about that side of it in grisly detail.  For now, all I can do is hint (like, mark your calendars... October 18th).  And continue to wrestle with the blurry line between life and art, private and public, marketing strategy and honest self-revelation.

Making HeadSpace For MySpace

Back from my festival travels mostly for good, even as 51 Birch Street goes on to Edinburgh and continues showings in New Zealand and South Africa.  Instead of dealing with a whole backlog of work, though, I farted around tonight fixing up the 51 Birch MySpace site.

Gotta say, I don't really get MySpace, but I want to.  As the countdown to theatrical exhibition begins, 51 Birch Street needs all the friends it can get.  And right now on MySpace, we have an embarassing total of 18.  Very lame.

So, if any of you wants to share your knowledge, or offer some feedback or tips, feel free to email me. In fact, we're looking for a great intern to help us get word out about the film over the next few months.  If you're interested, or know someone who might be, don't be shy.  There's a ton of work to be done, but it's gonna be an exciting ride.