i’m happy to announce that my 2018 feature film THREE WORLDS is finally available worldwide on APPLE TV.
like much of my work, this is proudly not a film for everyone, nonetheless, everyone on earth should in fact buy it ;)
THREE WORLDS
2018
ANIMALS
three eleven or (a meditation on stillness inside chaos) // [free through july]
Starting today (7-11-20), "my latest single-channel film work, “three eleven or (a meditation on stillness inside chaos)” is available to stream for free on Youtube & Vimeo through the month of July. Links below.
You can continue to buy/support the work here:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/threeeleven
**note: headphones advised**
On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the United States went into shutdown to keep citizens sheltered from the threat of a mysterious global pandemic sweeping the world. In this meditative days-in-the-life-of work, a small family experiences the fog of time from a mandatory stay at home order, as a strange, comforting togetherness forms in a very uncertain time.
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directors statement:
"three eleven" is a meditation. It is a reflection of boredom, of togetherness, of uncertainty, and most of all, stillness. It intends to direct the viewer into the granularity of life in its most basic, mundane practicalities, and thus, direct focus into the beauty of routine, and of the nowness, all while under the umbrella of impending & uncertain chaos, a lingering scent of anxiety as the real outside world experiences shocks unlike any other in modern times.
It is intended as an experience, hypnosis, and a reflection. The stillness is the message. While stripping the “narrative” of the filmic medium into its most minimal building block, the frame clicks out of “narrative” time, and into clock time. It’s a universal acknowledgment of this very “moment in time”, and we intend for this to be a visual/audio documentation at its most basic level while conveying the beauty of togetherness and separation at its most minimal.
This work is indebted to Ozu & Kiarostami, who oddly enough (the latter), and without my prior knowledge shares his birthday with our release date.
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credits:
Shot & Directed by Amir Motlagh
Produced by ANIMALS & Charles Borg
Story by Charles Borg & Amir Motlagh
Music by Amir Motlagh (three eleven zazen) - BMI
© ANIMALS 2020
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release date: 06/22/20
trt: 33 min
original aspect: 1:85:1
A spotlight on MAN - Kicking the Seat
in Amir Motlagh, ANIMALS, Cinema, Film, World Cinema
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.
Three Worlds Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Composed by Julian DW Brink now Available on Pandora!
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.
Mirs & KidGusto's RAINBOW SEASON LP now on Pandora Radio
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!
What is the movie "Three Worlds" about?
Every week since its release, I get an email (or several) asking a question similar to this, “hi, can you please explain “the XYZ” scene in your movie Three Worlds (sometimes they spell it “3 worlds”). Occasionally, I get the all encompassing, “what is the movie Three Worlds about?”
I try to reply back to all the sincere questions, but the answer is not a fully satisfied one, though the response to my answer seems to be enough.
I recently tried to think if I had ever thought about “meaning” in a film. And it occurred to me that I had not, at least not in a concrete way, but I assume this is irregular.
My answer is always the same; “I have my ideas about what the scene (film) is about, but yours are better than mine, even if you haven’t decided yet.”
Happy Thanksgiving Friends, enjoy time with your loved ones. And if are particularly feeling alone, reach out and say hello.
Screening dates and events coming up for THREE WORLDS & MAN!
Our producer Charles Borg hosts IFP CHICAGO’s “Filmmakers Friday” on Friday, November 9th at 4:30pm where we present both THREE WORLDS and MAN, followed by a Q/A and mixer.
On November 14th, at 5:15, MAN screens at Tribeca Flashpoint Chicago at the “Screening Room” followed by a discussion.
Both events are free to the public.
THREE WORLDS is HERE!!
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).
Additional info:
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
Film Pipeline Interviews Amir Motlagh and Charles Borg about the feature film MAN
This is a recent article conducted on Film Pipeline (Script Pipeline) about my latest film release, MAN. Both Charles and myself answer great questions posed by Script Pipeline about the process of MAN. You can read the whole interview by clicking here:
Here a small snippet:
"Options and possibilities have opened quite a bit. Filmmakers tend to idolize the big names because they like the toys and scale that comes with moviemaking. Most of the time, that’s just a hindrance because it gets in the way of truth."
MAN is available on Amazon Prime (US/UK) and Vimeo On Demand (worldwide) with a host of other platforms coming soon.
"Three Worlds" wins "Best Feature" at Queen Palm International Film Festival
"Three Worlds" wins a Gold Award for "Best Feature" in the Animation/Experimental category at the Queen Palm International Film Festival. Big congrats to the team. We also have a technical category win, a Silver Award for editing, so cheers to Bryan Tuck.
MAN receives an "Honorable Mention" at EF
Three Worlds is an Official "Crown" Selection at QPIFF
in Amir Motlagh, ANIMALS, Cinema
"Three Worlds" is an Official Crown Selection at the Queen Palm International Film Festival.
WHALE HD Re-Release Season
in Amir Motlagh, ANIMALS, Cinema, Film, Film Festival, MAN
While MAN just launched, ANIMALS secretly re-released WHALE in HD. While I'm generally against revisionism in art, some very slight modifications have been made to the 2010 release. We are in the software eat world age after all, where things get continuously updated. Nothing is ever finished until it ceases to exist.
The project is available for $2 to rent, $7 to buy and is available in all territories on Vimeo. The original SD version has been and still is available on Amazon (along with a few rare DVD's), though the new HD version will be available soon and free to Prime subscribers. If I could dictate your direction, I would say, use the Vimeo route for now.
before.
after.
KEY ART REFRESH
Typography redesigned by Ali Sabet
The feature film MAN is officially live!!!!
in Amir Motlagh, ANIMALS, Art, Cinema, Film Festivals, MAN
Here it is! The second of three releases of the THREE MARKS, TOO MANY SIGNALS series. Only available on Vimeo On Demand (worldwide) over the weekend, then Amazon Prime (US/UK), and then the rest of the digital platforms.
I wouldn't tell you how to watch it, but I do think a solitary experience heightens the effect, preferably with some headphones.
The film is experimental in the structural sense, so, come with open eyes and let it unfold at its pace.
$2 bucks to rent. $7 to buy. A steal!
Enjoy luv.
(ps: If you were part of the IndieGoGo campaign, we got cheat codes :) )
Things and Such....
Project Updates:
Planning to start our release cycle shortly, which includes multiple media types. On the film side, we have gotten multiple offers on the two films but none of them seem favorable to someone trying to retain rights all while viewing things in on a longer cycle. This is a game of leverage, and I'm perfectly comfortable waking away even though I have to rely on my own platform. Which is the great lesson of our time. Build your platform.
