Foreign Filmmakers Guide To Hollywood

Here's an interesting project. Director Hideo Nakata, the man who introduced to the world the creepy Sadako in the Ring series of films and who remade the same film as his Hollywood debut, has directed a documentary that is basically a "guide" for other international directors with aspirations to break into Hollywood. The documentary essentially recounts his experiences making the U.S. version of The Ring while he explores the differences between the way they do things in Hollywood versus Japan. The film also includes interviews the likes of Walter Parkes (producer), Michele Weisler (producer), Roy Lee (Asian remake producer extraordinaire), Gabriel Beristain (cinematographer), Michael Knue (editor), Hans Zimmer (composer), Joe Menosky (television writer), Takashige Ichise (producer), Takashi Shimizu (director of The Grudge), among others who speak frankly about the business side of things based on their experiences. Ultimately, the documentary is more of a cautionary tale than a "how-to." Nakata's intent, I believe, is to let other filmmakers know what they are getting themselves into before they come to a rude awakening on the set of their American debut film. I think this one should definitely have legs in the festival circuit.

You can find the trailer on the Official Site (Japanese only).