Comedy

Podcasters – What, How & Why?

Posted on by indiemacuser

podcast1The podcasting medium is now as popular and visible as ever; in-part thanks to big-name podcasters such as Kevin Smith, Adam Carolla, Marc Maron & Leo Laporte. However the majority of podcasts are started in obscurity by people with no previous media/radio experience. So why do people do it?

We talked to a group of podcasters from around the world and asked them what their show is, how they created it and why they do it.

“In poker they say all you need is a chip & a chair to play. Well I learned in podcasting all you need is a laptop & a mic…”
‘Doctor Squee’ (Gallifrey Stands)

“I’ve always believed that podcasting needs the content to attract a listener and then loads of personality, truth and storytelling to keep them listening.”
Jason (7 Days A Geek)

“I love podcasting. I love everything about it. It is such a great medium. It takes work and dedication to build an audience but anyone with passion and motivation can create a successful podcast” –
Scott Holden (ThatmanOnFatman)

Continue reading →

Movie Gem of the Week: Death at a Funeral (2007)

Posted on by indiemacuser

Death at a Funeral (2007) is a classic British farce comedy directed by Frank Oz (Little Shop of Horrors) and written by Dean Craig (A Few Best Men). It features a great comic ensemble cast including Matthew MacFadyen, Kris Marshall, Ewen Bremner, Alan Tudyk Andy Nyman, Peter Dinklage, Rupert Graves and Keeley Hawes. death-at-a-funeral

The film follows the great tradition of british ‘farce’ comedies (i.e. The Ladykillers, Carry On). The story revolves around Daniel (MacFadyen) who is left to deal with the funeral arrangements for his late father. Things are complicated when his fathers ex-lover Peter (Dinklage) turns up at the wake and a hilarious comedy of errors ensues. Continue reading →

Documentaries or Shockumentaries? 5 of the best.

Posted on by indiemacuser

The trend in popular documentary film-making of recent years has been the ‘shock and awe’ approach. These are almost (anti)propaganda films in their use of music, graphics and shocking images and boldly covering a wide range of provocative subjects.

It is now also an acceptable and widely used device to include the film-makers difficulties during production in the film itself. Popularised by Michael Moore & Nick Broomfield this technique even forms the basis of MTV’s ‘Catfish: The TV Show‘.

The Corporation (2003)
https://indiemacuser.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/e51f8-corporation_ver2_xlg.jpg-A classic of the genre this film describes the concept of a corporation as a person in a way that all can understand and uses a series of well documented examples, interviews (including Moore & Noam Chomsky), excellent polished production and graphics.

Directed by Mark Achbar & Jennifer Abbott. Continue reading →

Blu-Ray Review: Withnail & I (Limited Edition)

Posted on by indiemacuser

Arrow Films is releasing a new limited edition Blu-Ray set of the British cult comedy Withnail-Iclassic Withnail & I (1987) from Writer/Director Bruce Robinson and starring Richard E. Grant , Paul McGann & Richard Griffiths. This exclusive limited edition set will come packaged as a hardback book and includes new writing on the films, reprints of key press articles, deleted scenes and more over 200 pages and features original production stills.
Continue reading →

Review: The Shoot (2014)

Posted on by indiemacuser

From Wonder Wheel Productions and joint writing/directing team John Adams & Toby Poser ‘The Shoot’ stars John DiMaggio (“Futurama,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”), Keith Allan (“Z Nation,” “Mad Men”), Doug Spearman (Cradle 2 The Grave), and Toby Poser (The Lucky Ones).

The main protagonists are Tommy (Adams) & Dougie (Sam Rodd); a pair of struggling musicians that are in debt to a loan shark represented by token ‘Bad Guy’ Steve (DiMaggio) while trying finish off their recording sessions. Continue reading →

1OVE (2014) – ‘A Romantic Comedy For Pop Music Nerds’

Posted on by indiemacuser

1OVE is a fun internet comedy short from GDB Films; written by G. Daniel Bailey & directed by Reynaldo Rodriguez.

The ensemble cast includes G. Daniel Bailey, Laura TenZijthoff. Keith C. Wade (Burn Notice, Graceland) and Frank Francisco (Univision’s Va Por Ti).IMG_1918-0

The concept here is ‘a romantic comedy for pop music nerds‘. This is achieved through the dialogue which is mostly referencing or byorrowed from well known song lyrics (both recent and classic). With everything from Rihanna to The Who there is something for everyone here. Continue reading →

UPDATE: Kevin Smith’s ‘Tusk’ UK Release Date & Premiere

Posted on by indiemacuser

UPDATE – 29/05/15

Latest

Tusk is available to Buy on iTunes in the UK. Click here. Also now available on Sky Store, Amazon Instant Video and Google Play.

Tusk is already released for Pre-Order on DVD in UK. Release date currently 8th June.
Available from Amazon and Zavvi.

People tweeted (@sonypicturesuk) using hashtag #TuskUKYes to show support for a UK release. Some tweets featured below. Continue reading →

Movie Gem of the Week: War, Inc. (2008)

Posted on by indiemacuser

There exists a great tradition in cinema of political satires that highlight current and future issues ironically through their use of dark comedy; whilst not actually featuring factual characters or events (i.e. The Manchurian Candidate)…this is one such film.

War Inc. is the 2008 dystopian sathttps://i0.wp.com/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/68/WarIncPoster.jpg/220px-WarIncPoster.jpgire from director Joshua Seftel and writers Mark Leyner, Jeremy Pikser and John Cusack; starring John Cusack, Hillary Duff, Marisa Tomei, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Cusack and Ben Kingsley. Continue reading →

Movie Gem of the Week: Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Posted on by indiemacuser

Safety Not Guaranteed is the big screen debut from American director Colin Trevorrow & writer Derek Connoly (both currently at the helm of the new Jurassic Park sequel ‘Jurassic World’) and stars Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass & Jake Johnson. Producers Peter Saraf and Mark Turtletaub were also involved with 2006 indie hit ‘Little Miss Sunshine’.

Continue reading →

Movie gem of the week: The Living Wake (2007)

Posted on by indiemacuser

The Living Wake(2007) directed by Sol Tryon & written by Mike O’Connel/Peter Kline is a delightful and somewhat disturbing trip to the absurd in a similar vein to Withnail & I, Napolean Dynamite & Wes Anderson’s ‘Rushmore’. 

Continue reading →