Capsule Reviews. What exactly are they?
Before I can accurately reply to the comments from my last post, I need clarification. What IS a capsule review? Is it merely a summary of the film? Is it a brief review/critique of the film? What is it? Anyone care to illuminate me?
That said, my beef was with the content of the capsule review, not the film itself. My rewrite suggestion was based on the review, not the film. Because the review failed to mention things like directing, acting or script I took that to mean those things didn't warrant a mention and reflected that in my rewrite. My apologies to people who took that too seriously or read too much in to that.
I look forward to seeing Cthulhu someday when the planets align and Dagon says he'll give me the money to see it. Until then I'll refrain from any future speculation on its content.
Also, I don't see Annie writing a review of a film in a festival she's getting paid to cover as a "favor" to any of us. Cthulhu has received a lot of press via The Stranger already (Oh, the Horror, written by Wagner as well as the director's Genius award nomination, summary also by Wagner) so it's not like they were ignoring this local film. Considering how hard it is to get press even after a film is made I think these pieces are considerable favors. And, I think it's great - the more coverage of local film the better. Perhaps at a later time, or maybe over a Coke at Bill's, we could discuss why Annie said, during an April 13th, 2006 Filmmaker's Saloon, that The Stranger doesn't cover local films because they don't pay for the ads. And that a local film won't get coverage unless it plays for more than a week at a local venue. Why, if this were true, did Cthulhu get a mention before they even began filming? I'm not saying there's a conspiracy, but it'd be nice to know what the Cthulhu people did right in the whole press game. Anybody care to enlighten here? Dan, Grant? Are you reading? 
June 21st, 2007 - 15:03
What is the crime here? That The Stranger recommended a local film that they didn’t really think was great? I actually like that the review was honest, while still recommending local fare.
My guess is that if you or any one of us got a hearty recommendation from the Stranger about one of our films we would be very thankful. Especially since having the Stranger behind your film seems to be one of the only ways to guarantee its inclusion into SIFF. Sure it’s kind of funny that just getting a C-lister like Tori Spelling to show up in Seattle to shoot for a couple days seems to be all it takes to get a nomination for a Genius award in film, but is it any real secret that marketable talent is important in filmmaking? Are there any of us who aren’t trying to get our own C-list celebs up to Seattle for a cameo?
I don’t understand why Eric seems so bent out of shape about them getting behind Police Beat either. Should they have ignored it simply because one of their writers was involved with it? I can’t imagine that a writing job at the Stranger lines one’s pockets in gold. Shouldn’t one of the benefits be that at least your co-workers want to see you succeed?
Looking for a by the numbers on how to get the Stranger’s support for your next film? Cthulu seems to provide some tangible clues that most of us already know and can actually be applied to other media outlets than just the Stranger:
1) Marketable Talent – OK. No secret there. Most of the mouth breathing public wants to vote on who the next American Idol is and they want to see the next “(insert celebrity here) movie”. Get some marketable talent. Is there a filmmaker alive who doesn’t know this?
2) Hire Stranger or Ex Stranger staff to work on your movie.
3) Base it off of an existing literary work with a built in audience. Want to get Carl Spence to notice it too? Bonus points if you can match that source material up with a movie that just played SIFF the year prior.
4) Politics plays a part. Is that really any secret? Why get mad about the same filmmakers getting press for Police Beat, Zoo, Cthulu, etc? Those producers obviously know how to work the system. Try to get them to work the system next time on your behalf. They won’t call you back? Try to get a job getting them coffee on their next film or something..
5) Make it gay.. The Stranger is a gay paper after all.
6) Move your office a couple blocks from the Stranger office and write the name of the movie on the building. This move at very least should qualify someone for a Genius award
7) Discuss it over a coke at Bills? Are you kidding? Do you even read the Stranger? Maybe you meant a LINE of coke? If you want The Stranger to take you seriously, I think you need to re-evaluate that no drinking policy
Good Luck!
Clint
June 23rd, 2007 - 16:31
I think Clint’s checklist is a good start. I can’t speak for the Stranger, or any other paper for that matter, but it’s not unheardof for a press organization (e.g. print, radio, or TV) to repackage press releases as “news.” Sometimes, complete with the byline of a writer from the paper.
Is this bad journalism or simply “expedient” journalism when the deadline looms and you have a big empty space on the page to fill? I can’t say. I’m just saying that it’s been known to happen.
Journalistic ambiguities aside, given that this sort of thing “might” happen, it’s in the filmmaker’s (or the filmmaker’s publicist’s) best interest to make sure that all possible outlets have a fresh press releases from which to harvest interesting tidbits for the current edition, should the mood strike (or deadline loom).
My guess (and this is just me talkin’) is that most local news about local filmmakers comes from this sort of “push” journalism rather than the reporter actually sniffing around for a scoop. I mean if local filmmakers can’t easily find out what’s going on around town, it’s got to be darn near impossible for the press to figure out. But I’d be interested to hear from a more informed source to know what the percentage is of “push” vs. “scoop” type news in the local film/arts/dance/music scene.
If you build it, they will come, but only if you’ve papered their offices with press releases.
June 24th, 2007 - 19:23
I have no hard data to back anything it up, but I would guess 99% of press comes from a “push” rather than a “scoop” unless it is something like Lindsay Lohan not wearing undies.
July 3rd, 2007 - 13:21
Make it gay.. The Stranger is a gay paper after all.
The Stranger is a LIBERAL paper. Not a GAY paper. Part of being liberal is covering gay life. But I do agree that the best way to get your work covered is to befriend a staff member. For a local artist, it may be the ONLY way.