ANIMALS
Tickets and info is available for virtual screenings of “Young Ali: those were the days” at the Arthouse Film Festival Jan 14-20th
you can read a first look regarding my upcoming feature film, “Young Ali: those were the days” below:
https://somewhatcyclops.com/2023/12/11/young-ali-those-were-the-days/
if i thought about cinema differently, i would produce long-form in exacting intervals, but the blending of time into a creative act is essence
from outside, its no activity & then, massive activity, compressed time
from inside, a single movement
new szn starts
(multiples)
Just a quick update I was alerted about a few days ago. Four of my feature works are now available on the US Streaming Platform Tubi, including THREE WORLDS (2018), MAN (2018), WHALE (2010) & RAINBOW SEASON (2019). Like most of these distro services, it is time-bound.
I believe Tubi is North America only, but, VPN, maybe….i dunno?
Cheers & enjoy the beautiful day my friend….
"ya:twtd" has moved one foot into the domain of post-prod (1 of 2 major works in prod for the year 2021)
"ya:twtd" // image 0
©2021(2) ANIMALS
A funny thing happened a few nights ago that succinctly describes the plight of independent filmmaking and the practice of sending screeners. Let me preface that with this; one of the most rewarding aspects of filmmaking in the true independent sense is the process of self-actualization, a partially controllable condition. Now, the uncontrollable condition (everything after the creation) is that the farther a vision strews from established norms, the harder it becomes to attract a certain level of attention. This is woven into the classic gatekeeper paradigm.
Ok, back to the first sentence. Nearly two years ago, Chicago Film Critics Association member Ian Simmons was handed a screener to the film MAN (screening at Chicago at the time) by a colleague, he watched the first ten minutes of it and shut the screener off prematurely, writing it off as not his thing. Fast forward to a couple of nights ago, as he confessed this earlier sin on his “Kicking the Seat Podcast”, and now proclaimed that the film had, “blown his mind” while dedicating an entire episode talking about the film. A massive change of opinion nearly two years in the making, done in a transparent, respectable & honest way.
This is the reality of artmaking and it is unavoidable when the access & context is not in place. One cannot demand that people pay attention to your work. But it is always the artist's responsibility to tell what needs to be told, in the only way that one can.
Time takes care of the rest, not in the sense that people will come around, but in the sense that ultimately, it never really mattered in the first place.
Here is the link to the Kicking The Seat Podcast in which MAN is given a positive, newly minted spotlight in the eyes of one critic.
And below, a link to watch on our preferred platform.
“mirs wonders into the desert in search of an old friend.” (links below to Youtube & Vimeo)
The Julian DW Brink composed, original “Three Worlds” soundtrack is finally included into the Pandora Radio catalog. You can stream the original soundtrack now, and shortly, add the station so that it plays similar songs through the music genome project. (you can also own the record, among other places at the ANIMALS Official Bandcamp Page in full 24bit quality)
The score was mixed by Jake Jackson at Abbey RoaANIMALd Studio 2, London & mastered by Cicely Balston at AIR Studios, London.
My latest album “Rainbow Season” is now included in the Pandora catalog. I personally use Pandora more than either Spotify or Apple Music, as its artist station radio options are great in the car (especially if you live in LA, as you live in a car).
Just another choice….
Mirs & KidGusto’s “Rainbow Season” now on Pandora!
While we initially wanted to release both Rainbow Season, The Album and Rainbow Season, The Film simultaneously, we (KidGusto and I) decided to stagger the releases, with of course, the record coming out first.
The last few years I’ve been releasing films with the records I produce, starting with the release of CANYON in 2016, though I had tried to do it with Spin Cycle back in 2010, but I didn’t have the infrastructure to execute.
Films with music is becoming standard practice to varying degree, and so with this effort, we tried to push that idea further, melding the experience between the two forms in a slightly different envelope.
The first trailer for the new feature length work went live today and we’re having a limited VOD soft release starting on Thurs 07-11-19, It’ll be available shortly after on other platforms, but we priced it to make it a no brainer for anyone interested in an early, ad-free experience. You can of course, buy it to own as well (DRM-Free). It’ll roll out to other platforms shortly after.
(ps: if you buy the film on pre-order (not rent), shoot me an email & I’ll get out the record to you in 320kbps mp3, DRM Free as a bundle. i’ll honor this through the pre-order period as a sincere thank you for the support ;) )
My new record is live!
———
Rainbow Season, the full-length Mirs debut, a collaboration with KidGusto releases worldwide on TrueGrooves, 05/24/19.
Available for purchase & streaming worldwide including:
Direct:
www.mirs.bandcamp.com
www.truegrooves.com
Major Streaming & Purchasing Sites:
Itunes
Spotify
Tidal
Pandora
Junodownloads
Traxsource
Beatport
Qobuz
This is all meta and in the vein of Seinfeld; nothing happens, and all bundled with 99% less laughs. Anyways, as I had feared before I revamped this, that bottlenecks would thwart my consistency. And, yes, they have. So, while I have been perpetually aiming at making these better, or rather, more value oriented & better researched, that has not happened. Will it, who knows? To be honest, it is what it will be.
Though, I do like to talk freely like this, so, maybe I’ll just keep at it. The volume has been increased as my friend Jonathan implored me to bump the gain knob. I noticed that I was mixing it at a volume that film dialogue would be at, and that is probably to low for the web.
What happens in these 7 minutes? A quick chat about the last couple weeks, the weather is spectacular and why you should read ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE by Robert Pirsig.
As always, come say hello and subscribe if you’re feeling generous, if not for these, but for all the other more important stuff.
With love,
am
Slowly turning into a pod(web)cast, lol. This was longer than I wanted, but much quicker to get through on the backend. Still working it out. Fixed the audio drop-out issue, which is a weird Premiere Pro bug.
I have been feeling under the weather (not emotionally man!!), but pushed through to keep consistent.
This episode is more free flowing, as I go through some history of filmmaking in the last couple decades. Again, my preparation is next to nil, which is why so many important points where skipped over. The tradeoff is that I can actually deliver these in a weekly manner.
You can finally watch THREE WORLDS on Vimeo On Demand starting now! This is the soft launch, with many platforms coming soon including Amazon Prime. Though, being an amazing first adapter, you don't like waiting.
I don't want to say too much about the film, but it is a unique experience. Like my other film MAN, it benefits from putting the phone and distractions away for 90 minutes. Though, while part of the same series of works, THREE WORLDS is nothing like MAN on a structural/formalistic level. (if you haven't watched MAN, click here).
Three Worlds is a psychological science fiction drama that explores the three lives, or 'worlds,' of a man who undergoes an experiment that triggers haunting memories and alternate life memories.
Written & Directed by Amir Motlagh
Produced by ANIMALS, Amir Motlagh, Charles Borg
Director of Photography: Amir Motlagh
Starring:
Amir Motlagh
Samantha Robinson
Rey Deegan
Keaton Shyler
Gregory Linington
Editing: Bryan Tuck, Amir Motlagh
Original Score by Julian DW Brink
Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer: Stephen Holliger
1/3 of the THREE MARKS, TOO MANY SIGNALS trilogy.
Press Quotes:
"It's rare to mix rawness with beauty" - Marcus Pinn PINNLAND EMPIRE / ZEBRAS IN AMERICA
"It's always exciting whenever a distinct new voice makes itself heard on the indie landscape. Amir Motlagh is such a voice...."Honest and soulful" - Adam Schartoff FILMWAX RADIO
“There is without a doubt a definitive boldness to “Three Worlds”, both in its tone and aspirations, and it will certainly require viewers to lean in a little closer, which is never a bad thing…..a curious and
fascinating watch.” - David Fowlie KEEPING IT REEL
The experience of both films (MAN + Three Worlds) is one that any film connoisseur must have. To sit with an awareness of the film, and, an awareness of how you are watching it, is a surreal act that can only be described as “art.” Motlagh’s work is definitely a piece of art in the medium of film.” - Jonita Davis THE IRANIAN
Our second feature film for 2018 (Three Worlds) is now available for pre-order! Please show your support by committing early & locking into our lovingly easy pre-release rates.
Available on Vimeo On Demand (worldwide) starting Sept 7th, 2018. (i think we'll let it drop Thurs ;) )
Premieres on Amazon Prime Video in the latter half of Sept, with a full digital rollout in the following months.
The full OST (soundtrack) by Julian DW Brink premieres on all music platforms Sept 14th, 2018.
This release marks the conclusion of the "Three Marks, Too Many Signals" series of works.
PS: If you haven't yet watched MAN yet, now is a good time, after you pre-order this! 💚
Written & Directed by Amir Motlagh
Produced by ANIMALS, Amir Motlagh, Charles Borg
Director of Photography: Amir Motlagh
Starring:
Amir Motlagh
Samantha Robinson
Rey Deegan
Keaton Shyler
Gregory Linington
Editing: Bryan Tuck, Amir Motlagh
Original Score by Julian DW Brink
Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer: Stephen Holliger
“It’s always exciting whenever a distinct new voice makes itself heard on the indie landscape. Amir Motlagh is such a voice.
honest and soulful.. ”
— Adam Schartoff FILMWAX RADIO
“It’s rare to mix rawness with beauty.”
— Pinnland Empire
““These unique experiences are made even more exceptional for their Iranian-American perspective.”
...the experience of both films (MAN + Three Worlds) is one that any film connoisseur must have. To sit with an awareness of the film, and, an awareness of how you are watching it, is a surreal act that can only be described as “art.” Motlagh’s work is definitely a piece of art in the medium of film.”
— Jonita Davis THE IRANIAN
“there is without a doubt a definitive boldness to “Three Worlds”, both in its tone and aspirations, and it will certainly require viewers to lean in a little closer, which is never a bad thing…..a curious and fascinating watch.”
— David Fowlie KEEPING IT REEL