Filmmakers Notebook /

As I've mentioned before on this blog, staying aware of what's going on in the entertainment industry is essential for any aspiring filmmaker. Knowing what movies are being made and which executives are switching jobs, when they're doing so faster than children playing a game of musical chairs, is important if you want to keep current. Recently I recommended Baseline Studio Systems as a source of intel and I also receive email updates from The Wrap and Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood.

However, with crazy schedules and time demands, it is easy to become too busy to sift through lots of data, so sometimes what you really need is a quick daily summary. If that's what you're looking for, Film News Briefs may be just the answer. This is another website that offers a free newsletter you can subscribe to. Daily emails feature a one page overview highlighting Project Announcements/Updates, Acquisitions/Film Festivals, Business/Legal News and websites you should be checking out. Another added plus is that a significant amount of the content comes from the two tried and true perennial favorites of entertainment info, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. There are also contributions from festival sites, such as Sundance, and industry newcomers like Biracy www.biracy.com.

When you have the time to spare a few extra minutes on the Film News Briefs site, you will also find informative and interesting editorials in the Opinions section including interviews with people like Leslie Poston of Film Pop and Parisian filmmaker Laurent Touil Tatour.

Started in 2007 as a daily executive memo for a movie mogul, Film News Briefs was originally designed to detail the day's most important entertainment, technology and media news. During the past few years it has continued to increase its readership, which now includes film industry personnel from studios, agencies, management firms and also filmmakers themselves. Redesigned and re-launched in September of 2009, it is growing rapidly and constantly adding subscribers. If you're on the go and want to stay in the know, definitely have a look at www.filmnewsbriefs.com.