Hotbed News

Hotbed Opens On-line Store

noreply@blogger.com (Hotbed Media) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:29:00 +0000

Hotbed makes films and soundtracks available for purchase through website

January 25, 2010 - Hotbed Media, Inc. launches a store front on its website www.hotbed.com where Hotbed will sell its entertainment content. A new Store tab was added to the site allowing users to purchase, and in some cases rent, Hotbed's films and soundtracks via trusted on-line retailers such as Amazon.com and iTunes.

Two of Hotbed's feature length films Confessions of a Burning Man and Happily, Even After, as well as each of their respective soundtracks are available online for purchase immediately. In the future, Hotbed will add entertainment merchandise, both produced by Hotbed and by other independent filmmakers, musicians and other artists that Hotbed supports. Hotbed hopes its store will become a rich treasure trove of high-quality films and other media it thinks its fans would appreciate.

Visit the Store - >

Hotbed Announces Third Feature Film

noreply@blogger.com (Hotbed Media) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:46:00 +0000

Hotbed announces production plans for it's third feature film VALLEY OF THE SUN.

San Francisco, CA June 4, 2009 - Hotbed Media, Inc. announces that pre-production is underway on it’s third feature length film VALLEY OF THE SUN. The film will be produced under the banner of Ranch House Pictures, LLC and is the feature debut for award winning writer / director / producer Stokes McIntyre. The film will follow Hotbed’s previous two films, Happily Even After and Confessions of a Burning Man directed by Hotbed Partner Unsu Lee.

Working alongside McIntyre will be producers Aaron Tudisco, Christopher Hall, and Unsu Lee. Hotbed and a group of private investors are co-financing the film. An online sponsorship program set up by Hotbed in 2007 through which Internet advertising was sold is also contributing to the film’s budget. John Langston and Peter Tannenbaum conceived the film’s concept and original script in 2002 and subsequently sold the property to Ranch House Pictures in 2003 after McIntyre was introduced to the writers by his sister. Ranch House has since evolved the script to meet McIntyre’s vision for the film. “VALLEY OF THE SUN is both a funny and heartwarming story and I dying to bring it to life.” says McIntyre. The film’s cast consists primarily of senior citizens and will be filmed in the Phoenix Metro Area and Los Angeles with an October, 2009 start date.

VALLEY OF THE SUN is a dramatic comedy that follows the story of Andy Taggert, who suffers a mid-life identity crisis and finds himself in the most unlikely of places, an Arizona retirement community. Andy, a.k.a Vick Velour, a forty-year-old, burned out porn star, has a nervous breakdown and goes to live with his parents in Happy Valley. Andy wants to tell his parents what he does for a living, but can't bring himself to do it. Meanwhile, Andy’s encounters with the senior citizens bring to light his past in the most awkward of ways.

About Hotbed Media, Inc.

Hotbed Media, founded in 1997 by directors Unsu Lee and Stokes McIntyre, develops, produces and directs commercials and entertainment. Hotbed’s mission is to connect with audiences through the power of story.

A New Way to Fund Films

noreply@blogger.com (Hotbed Media) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Hotbed Media launches Pixel Project to finance independent film, Valley of the Sun

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – July 15, 2008 - Hotbed Media, a San Francisco-based film production company, today announced financing for independent film, Valley of the Sun, is now open to everyone.

For as little as $150, any person, business or company with a website is able to sponsor Valley of the Sun, a dramatic comedy about a 40-year-old porn star who suffers a mid-life crisis and ends up living with his parents in an Arizona retirement community.

Sponsoring the film is a win-win situation. It allows individuals, groups, organizations and businesses to impact the filmmaking process and build brand awareness affordably, while the filmmakers make their dream a reality.

“We’re ready to make Valley of the Sun, we just need some cash, that’s all,” said Stokes McIntyre, director of Valley of the Sun and owner of Hotbed Media. “I’ve been working on this film for about five years now, it’s been my passion.”

With capital for small-budget films increasingly difficult to come by, the director and producers of Valley of the Sun hope to introduce an alternative to the painstaking route of traditional film financing. At $1.5 million, Valley of the Sun’s budget is similar in size to films like The Station Agent, Half Nelson, Kissing Jessica Stein and Transamerica. The budget will cover all costs associated with production, post-production and promotion.

“We’re basically selling Internet advertising to finance this film. It’s very exciting because I can reach out to anyone and see if they want to purchase a pixel on the film’s website, which will link to sponsor websites for the life of the film,” continued McIntyre.

As long as the film is around, sponsors will benefit from continued “click-through” traffic to their websites. Beta sponsors have already begun seeing the benefits of pixels purchased and receive approximately thirty click-throughs per month, and that number will only continue to grow.

During the financing stage, production and distribution phases of the film, the filmmakers will use grassroots outreach, media relations and word of mouth as a means to market the film and the website, thus allotting continued Internet advertising for film sponsors.

> Visit the Valley of the Sun website

About Valley of the Sun
Valley of the Sun is being produced by Hotbed Media and Ranch House Pictures.

About Hotbed Media
At Hotbed, we produce and direct commercials, branded entertainment and documentaries. With our work, we’re focused on connecting with our audiences through innovative, organic and truthful storytelling. Each of our stories is a journey of surprise, reflection, creativity and emotion, told by our talented roster of directors. As part of our storytelling portfolio we’re also working on ‘Tony’s Money’ and ‘Valley of the Sun,’ our two current independent film projects.

Nuno Joins Hotbed’s Director Roster

noreply@blogger.com (Hotbed Media) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:47:00 +0000

Hotbed Media continues to build its director roster

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – July 8, 2008 - Hotbed Media, a San Francisco-based film production company, today announced that Nuno, a Portugal-based international director, has joined the company’s talented roster of directors.

Nuno currently works with notable international brands such as Vodafone, Super Bock and Iglo in Portugal and England, directing commercials and music videos. With an eye on expanding his portfolio to include American projects, Nuno approached Hotbed because he liked the company’s raw, organic cinematic style and collaborative vision.

“I like the idea of merging European and American cinematic aesthetics,” said Nuno. “I’ve always had a affinity toward American artists like David Fincher and Mark Romanek and I think this opportunity to collaborate with Hotbed will undoubtedly assist with growth as a director.“

Hotbed is most well known for the raw and organic quality their films portray. With such clients as ALDO Shoes, Comcast, EVEO, Draft FCB and Cahan & Associates, Hotbed continues to raise the bar and produce commercials, music videos and branded entertainment their clients love.

“Our approach to filmmaking is a grassroots collaboration—we make a point of working with top up-and-coming talent that embrace the group effort ideal for the benefit of our clients,” said Stokes McIntyre, owner and director at Hotbed. “Nuno’s focus as both a dialogue and story director and his ability to always raise the bar will be great additions to the Hotbed team and we’re looking forward to working with him.“

> View Nuno's work

About Hotbed Media
At Hotbed, we produce and direct commercials, branded entertainment and documentaries. With our work, we’re focused on connecting with our audiences through innovative, organic and truthful storytelling. Each of our stories is a journey of surprise, reflection, creativity and emotion, told by our talented roster of directors. As part of our storytelling portfolio we’re also working on ‘Tony’s Money’ and ‘Valley of the Sun,’ our two current independent film projects.

TAGS: Bill Cahan, Cahan & Associates, filmmaking, Hotbed, Hotbed Media, film production, Valley of the Sun, Vodafone, music videos, commercials, commercial production, David Fincher, Mark Romanek, Stokes McIntyre, Nuno, independent film, EVEO