What's the BuZZ?

Bill Dever from the B-Movie Festival - Director, Franklin "B" Movie Celebration

The term "B movie" originally referred to a motion picture made on a low or modest budget and intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature during the so-called "Golden Age of Hollywood." Although the U.S. production of movies intended as second features largely ceased by the end of the 1950s, the term "B movie" continues to be used in a broader sense, referring to any low-budget, commercial motion picture.

From their beginnings to the present day, B movies have been an important means of entry into the motion picture industry. Celebrated filmmakers such as Anthony Mann and Jonathan Demme learned their craft in B movies, which also gave emigrant directors from Europe such as Douglas Sirk, an opportunity to establish themselves in Hollywood. B movies are where actors such as Robert Mitchum and Jack Nicholson got their starts, and the B's have also provided work for former A-movie actors, such as Vincent Price and Karen Black. Some actors, such as Bela Lugosi and Sybil Danning, worked in B movies for most of their careers. The terms "drive-in movie" and "midnight movie," which emerged in association with specific historical phenomena, are now roughly synonymous with "B movie."

During this celebration the B-Movie Festival will screen 30 noteworthy films from the history of B filmmaking. The pool of films will be decided from a poll taken from various filmmaking bodies, like The Indy Film Co-op. As well we will have a series of live presenters and filmmakers to discuss the history, the process and the future of "B" filmmaking. It is imperative to the organizers of this event that this celebration have both a strong entertainment and educational focus.

The "B" Movie Celebration will take place in Franklin Indiana on August 10-12.

The BuZZ Beat

Mat Beck - Visual Effects Veteran, Director Smallville's Prototype

Visual Effects Veteran Mat Beck directed the May 10 episode of Smallville - Prototype. As a veteran collaborator, Beck has executive-supervised all of the visual effects for Smallville since 2002 and has directed a number of its more dramatic action sequences, including shots that bookend the program's main title. This is the first full episode under his direction. His work in the industry also includes such TV shows as Six Feet Under, Band of Brothers, Nightstalker and Fight Science as well as music videos, commercials and more than 60 feature films. Prototype was the first episode he flly directed.

Beck started out in the entertainment business shooting personal films and documentary footage, having completed an education in computers, physiological psychology, film theory and photography. After designing and programming digital tools such as motion control systems and working as a camera operator, he moved into director of photography and visual effects supervisor roles and was invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in 2002.

His current memberships include The Directors Guild of America, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, The International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600) and the Visual Effects Society. He is also a member of the The Writers Guild, and penned an episode of the multiple Emmy Award-winning drama The X-Files in 1996.

Beck's lengthy list of credits ranges from movies such as Titanic, The Abyss, Moonstruck, The X-Files, True Lies, Galaxy Quest, The Nutty Professor, The Aviator, Spider-Man 2, Herbie: Fully Loaded and Miami Vice to Band of Brothers, for which he was Emmy nominated in 2002. Also an entrepreneur, he founded visual effects companies Light Matters, Inc. and Entity FX in 1994 and 2002, respectively.

Prototype drove the show toward an exciting sixth season of Smallville, ratcheting up the action towards the season finale, titled Phantom which aired on May 17. The plotline of Prototype, shot over ten days on locations in and around Vancouver, sees the emergence of a deadly super soldier (Tahmoh Penikett) from a clandestine program designed by Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) to imbue military veterans with alien super powers. When the Über-G.I. is dispatched to kill a whistle-blowing senator (Alan C. Peterson), Clark Kent (Tom Welling) must face off with the formidable fighter to save intrepid reporter Lois Lane (Erica Durance).

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Your chance to get your technical and creative questions answered.