With the Oscar nominations out terrorizing the community, we turn to IMDB Managing Editor Keith Simanton to discuss why the Academy Awards still matter, how the voting environment works, and why Harvey Weinstein always seems to control the conversation. Plus, Landon Palmer explores the death of the movie star and the rise of franchises. Could it help the revival in independent filmmaking? As if that weren’t enough, Cinema Blend‘s Editor-in-Chief Katey Rich squares off with Hollywood.com Movies Editor Matt Patches in a Movie News Pop Quiz that will change everything. Download This Episode

Why Watch? In this bizarre work (half authored by the internet), artist and academic Sebastian Schmieg loaded a transparent image into a search engine, nabbed the top result, searched with that new image, and repeated the cycle. Almost 3,000 images later (2,951 to be exact), he created a 12 frames per second flip book that is both stunning, confusing, and somehow also banal. It’s our everyday extrapolated and turned into what might be called Found Object Short Film. Or it might just be true Found Footage filmmaking. How do you go from images of the universe, to breasts, to Rage Comics, to Google (the search engine itself), to graphs? Let the internet do the directing. Ingenious. What will it cost? Only 4 minutes. Skip Work. You’ve Got Time For More Short Films.

On January 11, 1991, the then-head of Disney studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg, circulated an incredibly important memo about the state of the movie industry and the products they were making. It was called, “The World is Changing: Some Thoughts on Our Business,” and it had a simple purpose: to locate the root of a growing problem and to take steps to avoid falling victim to it. Katzenberg began the memo by stating: “As we begin the new year, I strongly believe we are entering a period of great danger and even greater uncertainty. Events are unfolding within and without the movie industry that are extremely threatening to our studio.” As we begin a new year two decades after this memo was written, it’s critical to look back at the points Katzenberg made to see that his period of great danger is now our period of great danger, to note that the same events unfolding within and without the industry still threaten the entire studio system in 2012, and to predict our future based on the past.

This week, on a very special Reject Radio, we talk with the filmmakers behind The Devil Inside about going guerrilla in Vatican City (and responding to negative reviews) and writer Derek Haas (3:10 To Yuma, Wanted) about jumping between screenwriting, short stories, and his “Silver Bear” novel series. Plus, it’s Rob Hunter vs. Robert Fure in the first Movie News Pop Quiz of the season. Let the slap fight commence! Download This Episode

In our first show of the 2012 season, we set off the filmmaking fireworks by finding out why Innkeepers director Ti West doesn’t believe in spooks, and by talking to indie icon Ed Burns about the twitter revolution, his $9,000 budget, and his new must-see movie Newlyweds. Plus, Neil Miller stops by to dangle the hope and potential of 2012′s most anticipated movies over our noses. Will he say the movie you’re thinking of and validate his opinion to you, or will he neglect it, making everything he says in the future suspect? Be prepared to find out a metric ton about movies and their makers, because it’s our third season, and we’re only getting started. Download This Episode

Why Watch? Can you create animation in real-time? It’s a fascinating question and a challenge that clearly comes from a unique mind. Instead of hand-drawing every cel or stop-motioning objects you move a centimeter at a time, Katy Beveridge decided that she could create animation using the natural, real-time flip book effect of something you probably have on your porch right now. The result here shows the method’s limitations, but it also manages to produce an oddly mesmerizing effect. What does it cost? Just 2 minutes of your time. Check out The Bicycle Animation for yourself:

Remember the time in college when you were strapped for cash and ended up working as a subconscious prostitute where anyone with a few bucks could have their way with you in your sleep? Yeah, we had that wiped from our memory too. Thankfully, Julia Leigh‘s new film Sleeping Beauty won’t let us forget. Here’s the trailer if you want to refresh yourself and get some context for the big spooning image of Emily Browning and your grandpa to the right. It hit Cannes with a mixed vengeance, and it should be in theaters (limited style), but it’s also available right this second on SundanceNOW. That is, if you like paying for things. Since we don’t, we’re giving away a free online ticket to see the movie through that wonderful website. How do you enter? How do you win? Glad you asked.

Why Watch? What happens when a superhero gets old? What happens if the world needs him again? I know, I know. Superhero movies are so boring that even explorations and deconstructions of superheroes movies are yesterday’s news, but this Austin-shot short film has a charm that outweighs all of staleness that’s come with capes. First of all, it’s silly and owns it. Secondly, its cinematography is sleek, interesting, and aids the actors at every turn. Thirdly, it’s fun. Sometimes that’s all it takes to overcome a genre that’s been beaten like a dead horse. And, yes, it gets bonus points for being made in 48 hours. What does it cost? Just 8 minutes of your time. Check out The Walker for yourself:

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, Homecoming writer/director Sean Hackett discusses a brave new distribution technique, and Koran By Heart documentarian Greg Barker takes us to Cairo during Ramadan. Plus, Landon Palmer culture wars against Movies.com‘s dapper senior editor Pete Hall in a Movie News Pop Quiz that will probably cause your living room to burst into flame. Download This Episode

In 1985, the Graphics Group in LucasFilm‘s Computer Division was on the chopping block. As Robert Sutton relates, George Lucas wasn’t confident that computer animated films had much of a future, and as a result, department heads Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith (two pioneers of extreme importance) were being pressured to fire some of their workers. Instead, they offered up their own names to be culled, which saved the entire division. At least for that moment. It’s unclear what fate might have fallen on the Graphics Group had the Computer Division not been purchased in 1986 by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs for a tidy $5m. Of course, we know this department by another name: Pixar. Jobs put his money down on a company he believed in, and the result stands currently as 26 Academy Awards, an absurd amount of box office money, a legion of fans worldwide and nearly complete animation dominance in the movie world. In 2006, Disney bought Pixar at an evaluated worth of $7.4b, making Jobs the largest Disney shareholder. He is stepping down as Apple’s CEO today, and even though it’s hard to say what kind of effect that might have on the film world, Jobs’s legacy already extends far beyond Pixar and beyond The Mouse.

Why Watch? Because WTF stands for “Genius.” The vibrant, skillful blend of puppetry and animation, the hammer-to-nail satire of children’s programming and the huge wad of creativity make this short a winner all around. As a bonus, the song is catchy as hell. This is what everyone is thinking whenever they see kid’s shows as adults. Fortunately, it’s done as smartly as possible. The easy joke is avoided, and the rest is a frantic, jaw-lowering exercise in insanity. What does it cost? Just 3 minute of your time. Check out Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared for yourself:

Quick. Name the one supernatural movie trend that you’re most tired of. Excellent, now see if you can give it one more, distinctly different chance. The trailer for indie film Daylight Fades looks to take a tortured approach to the vampire story by making it the last resort. In the film, two people meet, fall in love, and then get ripped apart by an accident that leaves one on death’s door in the hospital. There’s a solution, but like most desperate things, the price might be far too high to pay. Check it out for yourself:

Why Watch? Because there is beauty all around. This sentimental short film has a lot going for it. Namely, it plays off the last few frames with greatly judged skill and delivers a voice over that’s as melancholy as it is meaningful. It’s a movie that might take you to another world, another time, or remind you of your own experiences. That’s impressive filmmaking, and it comes wrapped in a pristine package here. Just try not to judge that wrapping before you get to the end. What does it cost? Just 4 minutes of your time. Check out Shooter for yourself:

Why Watch? Because this is painstaking, stop motion genius. Some of the best shorts we’ve featured have been stop motion animation. Why? Because the art form (when done right) is captivating and playful. Perfect for the medium. This particular gem from Tomas Mankovsky is a shining example of those two traits. It was made with a camera aimed straight down at the floor, and the result is young man hurrying to get to an important appointment. Lighthearted meets blood, sweat and effort here. It’s nothing short of amazing. Plus, you can check out a ton of behind-the-scenes information on how it was made. What does it cost? Just 3 minutes of your time. Check out Sorry I’m Late for yourself:

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, we spend some time outside the studio system with Bellflower writer/director/star Evan Glodell who talks about love and flamethrowers. Plus, we have a long-form conversation about film production with Greatest Movie Ever Sold producer Keith Calder and indie horror writer/producer Simon Barrett. Double plus, our very own Jack Giroux goes head to head with The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup in a Movie News Pop Quiz that leaves everything else in the dust. Listen Here: Download This Episode

Why Watch? Because there are few things as powerful or unnatural. Things to look for in this stark short include an attention to camera angles, and the concept of objects (and their destruction) as a window into human tragedy. The less said the better, as the film does every ounce of the difficult work here, but this is a poetic example of where minimalism done right can tell a rich story without using words or character development. What does it cost? Just 3 minutes of your time. Check out (Dis) Assembly for yourself:

Why Watch? Because we want to guess at the future. Samir Rehem was just hired to direct the adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s “Invisible Monsters.” It’s an adaptation that’s been a long time coming, and it might dishearten you to see that a smaller indie outfit have to take it on after the larger budgets passed on it. Or it just might excite you. I wanted to check out some of Rehem’s short film work to get an idea of his capabilities, and I was blown back through my office door. The man has skills, and this darkly playful story about a man consumed by finishing an overdue answer key in a post-industrial world shows off a keen storytelling sensibility alongside some strong acting and camera work. Plus, Rehem wrote this engaging story and edited the film himself. He may be working on Invisible Monsters, but this particular flick could definitely work as a feature, and it would be great to see it expanded. With this movie, Rehem has instantly become one of my new favorite up-and-coming directors. Think that’s hyperbole? Watch it and see. What does it cost? Just 20 minutes of your time. Check out The Answer Key for yourself:

Last week, as I watched Quentin Dupieux’s Rubber, I noticed that the trailers on the rental Blu-Ray were all of titles sharing space at the top of my queue: titles like Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins, Kim Ji-woon’s I Saw the Devil, and Jason Eisener’s Hobo with a Shotgun. All, I quickly realized, had been released by the same studio, Magnet Releasing, whose label I recalled first noticing in front of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Bronson. After some quick Internet searching, I quickly realized what I should have known initially, that Magnet was a subsidiary of indie distributor Magnolia Pictures. The practices of “indie” subsidiaries of studios has become commonplace. That majors like Universal and 20th Century Fox carry specialty labels Focus Features and Fox Searchlight which market to discerning audiences irrespective of whether or not the individual titles released are independently financed or studio-produced has become a defining practice for limited release titles and has, perhaps more than any other factor, obscured the meaning of the term “independent film” (Sony Pictures Classics, which only distributes existing films, is perhaps the only subsidiary arm of a major studio whose releases are actually independent of the system itself). This fact is simply one that has been accepted for quite some time in the narrative of small-scale American (or imported) filmmaking. Especially in the case of Fox Searchlight, whose opening banner distinguishes itself from the major in variation on name only, subsidiaries of the majors can hardly even be argued as “tricking” audiences into [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Why Watch? Because the camera is a memorycatcher. It’s not easy to tell how this film was put together because the images don’t always follow in a distinguishable pattern – nor do they need to. This absolutely stunning short from Graham Burns seems to take found footage from a personal collection and edit it into a new narrative. The story focuses on a man returning from WWII only to find he’s still affected by what he’s seen and done. The structure is taken apart in hauntingly sweet segments that ultimately devolve into a projectionist’s flicker as Burns toys with the mechanisms of filmmaking and watching, exposing a part of the exposure we don’t usually get to see. All of it is backed by a thoughtful score by Radical Face that squeezes even more life out of every moment. What does it cost? Just 6 minutes of your time. Check out The Train Home for yourself:

Why Watch? Because you might just love splurt because of this one. HitRECord is such a brilliant project – one of the few that really understands crowdsourcing and the artistic merit found by people not on the payroll of the majors. HitRECord produced this short, and everyone involved deserves praise. It may be a hallmark of their ideals, but it’s also a serious reminder that movies are the art that combines all arts. With silent film era style (there’s even a Mélèis moon involved) and cut-out artwork setting the stage, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and co-star Lexy Hume navigate a live-action/animated dating world that seems written by a wine-happy George Orwell, and designed by the lovechild of Charlie Chaplin and the Squirrel Nut Zippers. What does it cost? Just 5 minutes of your time. Check out Morgan M. Morgansen’s Date With Destiny for yourself: