Opening Day


Posted by Doug under Blogs Musings Press Screenings  . Comments: Comments Off

Holy crap, the day of our theatrical premiere is here at last!  I did a tech check at the Angelika this morning and came away happy with the projection, especially given that they’re not used to digital projection.  The manager couldn’t have been nicer – treated me to a double cappucino and moved the blow-up of our humongous Sunday NY Times article outside right next to the box office window.

It’s not like I’m hardened to all this, but we have a group of eager young people in our office here, and they’re super excited about the upcoming weekend.  And everyone’s thrilled with the incredible coverage and many great reviews we’ve gotten. A. O. Scott in the New York Times calls The Kids “remarkable” and gives it a Critics’ Pick, as does New York Magazine. Eric Hynes in the Village Voice calls it “nakedly personal” and “profoundly universal,” and Andrew O’Hehir in Salon.com says it’s a “powerful, wrenching movie” (not to worry, he also called it “funny” and “irresistible”).

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The Subject Strikes Back: Lucy Block on ‘The Kids Grow Up’


Posted by Doug under Uncategorized  . Comments: 2

Whenever you make a personal doc, you have to brace for people ripping you, and sometimes in a very personal way.  I’m still amazed that so few slings and arrows have come my way for ’51 Birch Street’ over the years.  But with ‘The Kids Grow Up’ opening this Friday in NY, I’m steeling myself again, and probably with more reason.

It’s one thing to put your parents under the probing lens of your camera, quite another to put your young daughter there.  So I’m gonna get shots taken at me.  In fact, I already have (for the record, Doug Block does like his daughter Lucy).  Luckily, I also have my strong supporters.

But one important thing is that the shots will come at me and not Lucy (or so I’d like to believe).  Another is that I not only made exactly the film I wanted to make, but that Lucy is still speaking to me. Quite often, in fact, thank you.

One thing I promised myself was that before the film opened theatrically I’d have some kind of response from Lucy posted on our website.  And happily, before she went back to college in August, she sat down with me (and my camera) and did a 45-minute interview about her reaction to the film and to being the subject of an intensely personal film by her dad.  I should add that it was the first time I shot with Lucy since the end of filming three years ago.

The video is intended for the DVD extras of ‘The Kids,’ at least that’s the plan.  But I want to give Lucy a platform before then, so the following is an excerpt from the first few minutes of the interview, very lightly edited for better clarity.

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Countdown to Launch


Posted by Doug under Press Screenings  . Comments: Comments Off

In advance of our premiere at the Angelika Film Center this Friday, two great articles on The Kids in the papers today. The New York Times piece goes more in depth (and gives the film some serious real estate), The New York Daily News opts mainly for a director interview.

More press coverage coming in the days ahead, as well: The Village Voice, Wall Street Journal and indieWIRE, among others.

Thanks and kudos to our extraordinary publicist, Susan Norget, who’s believed in the film from the moment she saw it at our first industry screening last fall.  Our entire print ad budget will pay for exactly two postage-stamp sized ads in the Times.  And journalists, face it, generally aren’t interested in any film that isn’t celebrity driven, much less a personal documentary.   So you can see what kind of job she’s done.

And now it all comes down to getting butts in the seats at the Angelika this coming weekend.  If you’re in the NYC area, hope one of them will be yours.

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Modern Media Man – A Look Back


Posted by Doug under Blogs  . Comments: 2

Our country is apparently suffering a serious shortage of modern media men.  There couldn’t have been more than 75 people attending this first national gathering of men-folk bloggers, almost all of whom, like me, were flown down to be speakers.  While seriously depressing for the M3 organizers, not to mention the dozen or so sponsors sitting all alone at their booths, it was a bonanza for Yours Truly.  Just a fantastic opportunity to network and bond with some top dad bloggers and organizations, swap stories and tap into what will inevitably become a growing social force (even if it currently lags far behind the “mommy blogger” movement).

And, I might add, to personally get dozens of dvd screeners of The Kids into some very eager hands.

I tried not to harp so much on how they might help me, though obviously I’d like them to get word out to their readers or membership, at the very least.  I prefered to emphasize the ways The Kids Grow Up might be of use to them, as well.

For national organizations like The Fatherhood Initiative, for instance, the fit for their mission is obvious. They’re looking to foster more positive images of caring and involved fathers in the media.  Check.

For the bloggers, it’s any number of things: giving them some new and interesting content to share with their readers, making them feel like they’re a vital part of our DIY online marketing effort (which they absolutely are), and giving them first dibs at a film that speaks to their own experiences as dads.  Triple check.

Like I’ve said before, when you’re trying to get a movie out into the commercial marketplace on a very limited budget (which includes virtually no money for print ads), you need to enlist some passionate advocates with the widest platform to chat it up.  On my desk now are 30 business cards from those I gave screeners to and who seemed genuinely excited about seeing The Kids Grow Up and helping out in whatever way they can, so people can enjoy this movie at their homes, with a certified and insured tv installation expert which is a great option for this.

Promotion aside, I wish I could say I came away from the M3 Summit with profound new insights about social networking, brand building or the changing role of fathers, though all of that was discussed at length.

I did come away knowing there are some truly dedicated dads out there who are equally determined to share their experiences of fatherhood publicly.  As well as feeling like I made some genuine connections and friendships that will carry well beyond my efforts to get this one film out into the world.

Mission more than accomplished.

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Modern Media Man Summit – Day 1


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9:50 EST – Ok, I give Cal Ripken credit.  Expected he’d just roll in, do a 15-minute shtick, collect his substantial fee and beat it.  But he spent almost an hour giving a talk by the indoor pool, telling baseball stories with leadership themes, answering questions, posing for photos and signing autographs (the dire warnings apparently didn’t come from him).  Can’t say he said anything particularly memorable but it was a living example of his impressive ironman work ethic.  Couldn’t bring myself to hand him a dvd, though I had my chance.  It just felt too cheesy.

Afterwards, talked to a few bloggers over drinks and chicken wings.  They seemed genuinely excited by The Kids, eager to see it.  These guys want to shoot an interview tomorrow.  Another is pushing a book driven by his popular blog and is clearly knowlegable about how to drive sales online.  Collected a handful of business cards, now flavored with medium hot sauce.

I came in with pretty moderate expectations but this could be a very fruitful few days.

*********

6:21pm EST – On the flight down to Atlanta I try to push out of my mind the dozens of outreach emails I need to crank out and try to focus on the task at hand. 

The main one, of course, is I have a film about daddyhood that I want every last daddy blogger here to know — and blog — about.  For that I’ve lugged the usual assortment of screeners, postcards and business cards, and actually given some thought to what I’ll say on my Saturday panel.  Hopefully I can muster a dollop of personal charm, as well. 

Since I want every last daddy (and mommy and son and daughter) to know about The Kids, too, I’m eager to sharpen my social networking skill set.  The M3 website promises that I’ll learn all sorts of cutting edge tips and strategies for “harnessing the excitement and electricity of the Internet’s latest buzz” to build my brand. 

Happy days, because my brand sure needs building.  I mean, is this my brand?  Or is this?

But beyond all the Self-Promotion 2.0 stuff, I really do have a larger goal.  And that’s simply to get beyond any preconceptions about what the M3 Summit is and be open to what can happen when a bunch of thoughtful men who share their day-to-day experiences of fatherhood online get together in one place for a few days.  I’m not just eager for a social media revitalization.  I need to get my manhood mojo rising.

On that note, I’m about to head off to the opening night party featuring baseball great Cal Ripken, Jr.  We’ve been warned ahead of time not to ask Cal for autographs, not to take photos or to record him in any way, shape or form (all cell phones are to be confiscated at the door).  Dire consequences are in store for anyone who disobeys.

But nobody said nuthin’ about giving him a dvd screener.  Hmmm…

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Starting Tomorrow, Call Me Mister Modern Media Man


Posted by Doug under Musings Press  . Comments: Comments Off

When you have a movie opening soon in theaters that’s essentially a documentary about your daughter (ok, it’s a lot more, but still) and you have little money to market it, you better get pretty damned creative with your marketing.  And you better get your sorry ass in gear and start blogging, too.

That’s why I’ll be in Atlanta for the next 3 days at a noteworthy event called the Modern Media Man Summit.  Saturday morning I’ll be speaking on a panel called “Over-Sharing: When it comes to your family, how much is too much?”  It’s meant for bloggers but could there possibly be a more apropos topic for someone who makes personal docs about his family (not to mention, his teenage daughter!)?

If nothing else, the Summit should bring up lots of food for thought.  How are men experiencing fatherhood these days?  How are they writing about it?  Will the “daddy blogger” movement ever grow to anywhere near the level of “mommy bloggers“?  Where oh where is the male Dooce?

I’m bringing along my adorable new notebook laptop, will take it all in like a sponge and hopefully be a bloggin’ and twitterin’ fool.  So check back often, I’ll be updating my posts throughout the event.

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The Edge of Dreaming on POV


Posted by Doug under Uncategorized  . Comments: Comments Off

So you know, the last three years haven’t been exclusively about THE KIDS GROW UP.

A truly extraordinary personal documentary that I helped produce will air in the U.S. on POV tomorrow night (Tuesday).  Amy Hardie’s THE EDGE OF DREAMING takes on the subject of dreams.  And particularly what happens when Amy — a science filmmaker, skeptic and happy mother of three — dreams that her own death will take place within the year.  Then her health progressively starts failing.

THE EDGE OF DREAMING is one of those rare films that will stay with you long after you’ve seen it.  I’m very proud to have played a role in it, and want to acknowledge the contributions of my fellow producers – Amy, Lori Cheatle and George Chignell.  It’s been a long haul, but tomorrow is one of the great payoffs.

So make a date with your local PBS station, 10pm EST (though check your local listings).  I urge you not to miss it.  But, happily, if you do, or live outside the U.S., it can be seen online for free starting Wednesday and continuing for the next three months.

For more info about the film, the trailer, an interview with Amy and all that good stuff, go to the POV website.  An even better trailer can be seen here on YouTube.

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A Special Jury Prize At Silverdocs, And Something Even Better


Posted by Doug under Uncategorized  . Comments: Comments Off

It was a sweet few days for The Kids at Silverdocs.  And not just because we came away from it with a Special Jury Prize in the feature docs competition. 

The first screening was Lucy’s first time seeing the film with an audience, and the first time she took part in a Q&A.   Since she’s been away most of the past year studying abroad in Buenos Aires, we haven’t talked much about the film, either.   Partly by design but mostly following Lucy’s lead.  She hasn’t really wanted to talk much about it.  So, needless to say, I was more than a bit nervous about what her reaction would be.  Not so much about the film itself, but in seeing herself up on the big screen in front of strangers.

As she later admitted, the first Q&A (above) was hard.   She looked a bit shell-shocked and her answers were pretty brief and general.  But by the time of the second screening two days later, she’d had time to think about it and talk to other filmmakers and filmgoers she met while hanging out.   At that Q&A, Lucy was poised and articulate.  She said that it’s been almost 3 years from the filming and she feels like it’s almost another person she’s watching up there.  And that it’s a good film and she’s glad she’ll have this portrait of herself and her family to look back on in the years ahead.  Hopefully no one heard my loud sigh of relief while she said it.

I wish I could have seen more of the great docs screening there (though I’ve seen a lot from my Full Frame jury duty and from the weekly Stranger Than Fiction screenings here in NYC).  I would have especially liked to see Marwencol, which I’ve heard such great things about, and Wo Ai Ni Mommy, the eventual Grand Jury Prize winner.  But I was mostly tending to my two stars.   Marjorie I knew would have a great time, she almost always does at the festivals she attends.  But Lucy was the wild card, and she seemed to really enjoy the whole Silverdocs experience. 

Hopefully, the week marks a new beginning of my ability to write more frequently and candidly about the film.  It’s one thing as a director to be protective of his “star”.   But as a father, I needed to know my daughter was really okay about the film before I could move forward and talk about it in depth.

So, many thanks to Sky Sitney and the Silverdocs staff for a special week.  And, of course, the features competition jury for the very special recognition.

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Shadow Distribution Picks Up “The Kids Grow Up”


Posted by Doug under Uncategorized  . Comments: Comments Off

As announced in indieWIRE and other trades yesterday, Shadow Distribution will handle the North American theatrical release of Doug Block’s feature documentary “The Kids Grow Up.”  The film will premiere on Oct 29 at the Angelika Film Center in New York City before expanding its run to other cities (including the Laemmle Sunset 5 in LA on Nov 12).

Block tackles a similar personal narrative in his follow up to his acclaimed documentary “51 Birch Street,” in which Block dissected his parents’ marriage and his relationship with his father. In a similar vein, “The Kids Grow Up” explores the director’s own bond with his daughter.

“We’re thrilled to be able to bring this moving, honest, funny, beautiful and important film to North American audiences,” said Shadow president Ken Eisen. “Doug’s made a film that’s truly universal precisely because it’s so personal.”

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“The Kids” at Full Frame


Posted by Doug under Musings Screenings  . Comments: Comments Off

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is flat-out one of the best documentary festivals in the world.  It’s relatively small, very intimate and draws a bevy of documentary enthusiasts that fill up virtually every screening, whether day or night, weekday or weekend.

So no surprise that our Saturday morning breakfast special screening (10:10am!) was packed.  And happy to report it couldn’t possibly have gone better.

It’s still a relatively new experience to see The Kids Grow Up with an audience, so I was relieved and thrilled at how loud and frequent the laughs came during the first half hour, which is where most of the intended laughs happen to be.  As for the last half hour, where we invite the audience to go weak-kneed, curl into fetal position and burst into tears, well, it looks like we succeeded on that account, as well.

It was hugely gratifying over the next two days to have people come up to me and Marjorie and tell us how much they loved the film.  Many said it was their favorite film of the festival, which is nice even if they were stretching things a bit, or even flat-out lying.   Feel free to continue to lie to me like that in the future, dear readers.

I return much more confident that the film touches audiences deeply.  The notion has been reinforced by any number of Facebook and Twitter postings, and emails like the following from an audience member named Leah Janosko from Cary, North Carolina.

I just wanted to express my gratitude for your film “The Kids Grow Up.” I was one of the lucky (sniffling) people that had the fortune to attend your screening on Saturday morning in Durham. I was moved and touched. Your ability to put yourself and your family totally out there in such an honest, authentic and vulnerable way is such a gift to anyone who sees this film. I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate it.

I am the mother of a 16 year old girl (my only daughter) and it was as if you made this film specifically for me. The insights of both you and your wife were comforting in the sense that I am not the only one with these feelings. I found it interesting that during one of your answers from the Q&A following the viewing, you explained that your daughter was concerned that people would see this film and think that they know her. I came away not with knowing her but better knowing myself. Lucy represented my daughter with her laughter, intelligence, eye rolls and need for independence. Seeing how you coped (and anguished) with Lucy, is helping me process the complexity of emotions that I am feeling during this similar period of my life.

My only suggestion would be to please include longer credits at the end as I needed more time to compose myself before the lights came up and talking about the improvement in future education technology surrounding kids.

I will keep up with information on your website and look forward to recommending this film to friends who may have an opportunity to view it. I congratulate you on an amazing piece of work and look forward to your future projects.

Leah

Our web design worker bees are working hard to create a discussion forum on the website here, not just for wonderful reactions to the film (though don’t hesitate) but for wise and pithy discussion of parenting issues brought up by the film.   Having had a ton of experience from The  D-Word, I’ll be doing some of the moderating myself, and hope to bring in an experienced co-host, as well.  It will hopefully be up and running sometime in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that.

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