#ondi timoner

[k-wame]

Matt Smith as Robert Mapplethorpe & McKinley Belcher III as Milton Moore MAPPLETHORPE: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT (2020) dir. Ondi Timoner

[dare-g]

We Live in Public (2009)

[greensparty]

Fundraiser for Ondi Timoner

There's a lot of fundraisers and Gofundme campaigns right now set up to help those impacted by the L.A. wildfires. Filmmaker Ondi Timoner and her partner Morgan were among those impacted. They lost their home while both were overseas and in addition to personal belongings their film equipment, research, awards, etc were destroyed as well.

Ondi is one of the great documentary filmmakers of our time. I was so blown away by her 2004 years-in-the-making doc Dig! about the friendship and rivalry between indie rock bands The Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre after I saw it in the movie theater that I actually reached out to her via her website and she got back to me. I sent her my short film Musician For Hire, which had some similar themes as Dig!, and she gave me some great feedback and we later met up at the Dig! DVD Party in NYC. We have met a few times since and stayed in touch. Since Dig! she has made several fascinating docs such as Join Us about escapees from a cult and We Live in Public about an early dot-com pioneer. In early 2023 I interviewed Ondi via phone about her phenomenal and deeply personal documentary Last Flight Home (which I named Best Documentary of 2022) and she was super cool (as usual).

me with Ondi at the Dig! DVD Release Party in NYC on 4/11/2005

I donated to the Gofundme for her and I encourage you to consider donating if you can: https://gofund.me/01daa3ec

[originalharmonysalad]

Dig! XX - Official Trailer 

20 years ago, Sundance was rocked by DIG!, Ondi Timoner's genre-topping rockumentary about two Gen-X bands and their journey to alt-rock glory. Shot over nearly a decade, DIG! explores the collision of art and commerce through the star-crossed friendship and bitter rivalry of dueling 90s bands The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Through their loves and obsessions, gigs, arrests and death threats, uppers and downers, and ultimately to their shot at mainstream success, they stage a self-proclaimed revolution in the music industry.

DIG! XX – a bigger, better, crazier expanded reimagining of the original cut – reminds us why the original is canon and why sometimes, more is better.

[screenzealots]

"The New Americans: Gaming a Revolution"

An energetic documentary about the younger generation of disenfranchised Wall Street disruptors who are unafraid to lose it all, if it means they can shake things up and change the world.

Internationally acclaimed documentarian Ondi Timoner‘s latest work is one of her most timely. In “The New Americans: Gaming a Revolution,” the director examines the world of normal folks turned millionaire stock traders by taking a deeper look at the influence gaming, social media, and digital avenues had on the traditional American Dream. By interviewing the founders of WallStreetBets and…

[influencermagazineuk]

Two decades on from its initial release, Ondi Timoner's seminal documentary *Dig! * has been re-released with extra footage and a new perspective on the legacy of two of the most fascinating psych rock bands of the 90s: the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. The movie, now expanded by 40 minutes of additional footage and a haunting coda, examines the concurrent paths of these two bands, their ultimate triumphs, their disastrous falls, and all that transpired in between. The added footage provides insight into where the bands are today, including the bittersweet revelation that one member of each band has now retired from music to sell real estate. This sudden update starkly contrasts with the previously vibrant, frenetic lives of these musicians, compelling a consideration of the passage of time. jus10h, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons It recalls the opening scene of Stardust Memories, in which two trains packed with winners and losers crash at a desolate, abandoned place. The documentary, Dig! XX, is a sprawling, complex examination of rock and roll's glamorous highs and soul-destroying lows. It chronicles the tense, yet compelling, competition between the Dandy Warhols, a more commercially viable band, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, a band whose fixation on staying true to art had a tendency to steer them in the direction of self-destructive tendencies. The film, first filmed over the course of multiple years, is narrated extensively by two protagonists: Courtney Taylor-Taylor, leader of the Dandy Warhols, and tambourine man for the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Joel Gion. Their different viewpoints give audiences an unvarnished glimpse of the disorganized underworld of the rock culture of the 90s, with egos, aspirations, disillusionments, and surrealism. Right from the start, *Dig! * appears to imply that the Dandy Warhols were destined for commercial success. But even this success was haunted by a lingering sense of selling out—a tension between the desire for fame and the yearning to stay pure to one's art. In contrast, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, never famous in the same way, always seemed destined to be an underground classic. Their route was defined by art purity, but also by disorder and chaos. Even with the BJM's staggering musical ability, their own internal strife and addiction problems, combined with the charismatic but frequently mercurial leadership of Anton Newcombe, drove the band towards disaster. It was a lovely, heartbreaking shambles—one that was, in a way, a greater tribute to the ethos of rock 'n' roll than the Warhols' glossy success. The tension between the two bands is palpable throughout the documentary, and it captures the essence of rivalry and friendship that characterized their interactions. The Dandy Warhols, who were usually considered more commercially astute, had success with albums such as Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia and the catchy single "Bohemian Like You." But their success was never quite completely without emotional cost. Courtney Taylor-Taylor's account captures the ambivalence that so frequently goes hand in hand with success in the music world. He is the frontman of a band that achieved the commercial success they desired, but one that was achieved at the cost of compromises—compromises that, for Taylor-Taylor, tended to feel like they were at the expense of artistic integrity. Meanwhile, the Brian Jonestown Massacre never attained such heights of mainstream popularity, but their tale, as told by Joel Gion, was infused with a sense of realness that endeared them to the masses. Gion, a character who exudes the group's charm and absurdity, recounts with humor and pathos the manner in which Newcombe's revolutionary approach to music was prone to causing stormy band dynamics. Despite all the dysfunction, the BJM's music had a profound depth to it. It was always apparent that the band had what it took to make it big, but their own internal conflicts and Newcombe's mercurial personality too often derailed their opportunities. The narrative of the film alternates back and forth between the two bands, comparing and contrasting them. A compelling dichotomy exists at the center of the documentary: the Dandy Warhols' fight against success and the Brian Jonestown Massacre's constant struggle with failure. It's a tale of ambition, disillusionment, egos, and the self-destructive tendencies of rock star culture. *Dig! - reveals that success and failure are not always what they appear to be. While the Dandy Warhols had chart-topping singles and fame, their efforts to keep their artistic integrity in the midst of mainstream success are exposed. Meanwhile, the Brian Jonestown Massacre's commercial failure, which at first glance appears to be a failure, can also be interpreted as a form of artistic integrity that was admired by many fans. Throughout the course of the documentary, Timoner reveals the usually uncomfortable truth of the rock 'n' roll existence. The drugs, the egos, the clashes of personalities—it all get to these bands, leaving them broken and emotionally battered. The raw footage records flashes of genius and despair, offering a glimpse of the explosive temperament of the music business. And as the years pass by, it is evident that the world of psych rock—so promising and rebellious—cannot shield its stars from the inexorable passage of time. The most affecting scenes in *Dig! * XX appear in the final coda, which provides a glimpse of how life has been for members of both bands two decades on from the original release. The grey-haired former rockers, some of whom have moved on to more "normal" existences, are a poignant reminder of the passing of time. A few members, once rock gods, are now selling real estate rather than albums. It's a disconcerting photo, but one that says something about the transience of stardom and the eventual return to reality of once-elevated ambitions. Seeing these ex-stars come to grips with the everyday reality of life is tragic and, in a curious way, reassuring. It's the natural progression of life—the young stars shoot up and burn out, and eventually time drives them off the stage and into the everyday. Ultimately, Dig!undefined XX is not so much a film about two rock bands.undefinedIt's a reflection on the dynamics of success and failure, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the search to maintain something significant in the midst of commercial stress. It's a tale of two bands, two bands with visions, battles, and their own individual brand of redemption—be it through success, failure, or just making it through the mayhem of rock 'n' roll. Read the full article

[cybilsaenz]

HOW TO MAKE A GREAT DOCUMENTARY (In My Opinion)- Masterclass Trailer from Interloper Films on Vimeo.

WATCH FULL CLASS HERE: gum.co/UoOC In this two-hour masterclass, critically-acclaimed two-time Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning director Ondi Timoner (DIG!, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, BRAND: A Second Coming, and most recently her new series for Viceland JUNGLETOWN) takes you through the process of creating a great documentary - from choosing a subject to developing your idea into reality. Timoner shares clips from her films to demonstrate tips and techniques that will forever transform how you approach filmmaking - from pre-production through production, to post-production through distribution and beyond!

Part One: DECONSTRUCTING THE PROCESS Choosing a Topic • Pre-Production • Production

Ondi discusses assessing the relevancy and longevity of your topic. She offers personal insight into selecting a format (feature? short? series?) and how to set a schedule and create a budget. Finally, Ondi talks about interviewing methods and how to deftly use b-roll.

Part Two: THE EDIT

Opening Your Film • The Long Road • Music • Graphics • Closing Your Film

Ondi addresses how to open your film in a way that grabs the audience. She gives tips on how to stay focused and overcome hurdles during the long editing process. She demonstrates how and when to use music, motion graphics and animation to (literally) illustrate a point or an esoteric concept. Lastly, Ondi discusses how to end a film so effectively that people can't stop talking about it over dinner afterwards! Part Three: DISTRIBUTION

Festivals • Finding Your Audience • Redefining the Gatekeeper

Ondi talks about how to find and build an audience before the film is completed and then how to mobilize that group to promote your film. She explains how to plan the premiere to attract the best distribution options. Finally, she shares how filmmakers are redefining the gatekeepers of distribution by utilizing new platforms. Note! The two-hour Full Version includes a 45-minute Q&A in which the audience asks insightful questions about artistic integrity, choosing main characters, organizing the edit, audio gear & more!

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Ondi Timoner is known as a dynamic force in in the documentary world. Bestowed with the honor of opening the 2015 SXSW Film Festival with her latest documentary, "BRAND: A Second Coming," Ondi has put herself in the upper echelon of doc makers through such brilliant features as DIG! & WE LIVE IN PUBLIC - both awarded the prestigious Sundance Grand Jury Prize and in the permanent collection of the MoMA NY. Ondi's vision goes far beyond what she infuses into her own feature docs. As an entrepreneur, curator, and web pathbreaker, Ondi continues to push the boundaries through such web-based projects as atotaldisruption.com - a "constantly releasing" documentary that profiles entrepreneurs, inventors and artists of our time from a place of passion & humanity - and BYOD (Bring Your Own Documentary) - the only talk show about documentaries in the world, 5 years strong with over 300 episodes. Her latest project is JUNGLETOWN, an ongoing television series (season one will be ten hours) and feature-length documentary (to be shot over years) which follows the building of “the world’s most sustainable modern town” through the eyes of the young adults who, facing climate disaster, are moving to the Panamanian jungle. It will premiere on VICELAND in 2017. She has also written the script for MAPPLETHORPE, the story of controversial visionary photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, which she is set to produce and direct in the spring of 2017.

[oldfilmsflicker]

I really wanted a life of my own. | Directed By Women Viewing Guide

[ulrichgebert]

“Wenn du mich jetzt verläßt, werde ich schwul.” sagte Robert Mapplethorpe zu Patti Smith. Spürend, daß er nur kurz zu leben habe, wollte er etwas unvergessliches schaffen, was ihm schließlich auch gelang, als er merkte, daß Schönheit und der Teufel das gleiche sind. Wegen seiner katholischen Erziehung! Mapplethorpe ist nicht die psychologisch ausgefeilteste Künstlerbiographie, und irgendwie auch nicht das große Kunstwerk, daß es hätte werden müssen, aber weil Matt Smith aussieht, wie er aussieht und es auch sonst einiges zu sehen gibt (Mapplethorpe-Photos!) schauen wir’s trotzdem gerne.

[k-wame]

Robert Mapplethorpe & Milton Moore ↳ You're perfect. And we'll take care of you. ↳ MAPPLETHORPE: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT (2020) | dir. Ondi Timoner

[greensparty]

Stuff I'm Looking Forward to in January

Welcome to 2025! As we begin this year, there's still Hanukkah (ends 1/2) and Kwanzaa (ends 1/1) both continuing into this month and then there's New Year's Day (1/1), Armenian Christmas (1/6), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (1/20), Inauguration Day (1/20), and Lunar New Year (1/25). Here's what else is on my radar:

Movies:

DIG! XX 

Ondi Timoner's 2004 documentary Dig about the friendship and rivalry between The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols is one of my favorite documentaries of the 00s. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Timoner revisited the film with an extended edition that, after playing festivals, is getting released 1/17.

Presence

Steven Soderbergh is one of those directors I always check out. Good or bad, there's always a unique take on a genre he's jumping into. Now he's got a thriller about a haunted house opening 1/24.

Music:

Ringo Starr Look Up

I'm a big fan of Sir Ringo Starr and after years of EP releases he is back with a new full length album for the first time in years. It's a country album produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett. Album drops 1/10.

TV:

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live and there are going to be multiple celebratory shows. First up is a docuseries about SNL produced by Morgan Neville premiering on 1/16 on Peacock.

Severance Season 2

I named the first season of the high-concept workplace series Severance my #2 TV Show of 2022. After multiple delays due to the strikes, season 2 is finally premiering on 1/17 on Apple TV+.

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

Speaking of SNL50 celebrations, there's a primetime special co-directed by Questlove about the musical guests over the last 50 years on SNL, airing 1/27 on NBC.

Awards Season:

Now that 2024 is over, it's time to hand out some awards for the Best of 2024. Kicking off awards season this month is Golden Globe Awards on 1/5.

[esperwatchesfilms]

Dig! (2004)

ESE: 25/100

50 +10 for titties -10 for narcissistic bullshit -10 for F-slur -10 for Anton Newcombe AND The Brian Jonestown Massacre in-fighting +5 for The Dandy Warhols being properly productive -10 for Anton’s father killing himself on Anton’s birthday +5 for the photo shoot at the BJM house +5 for Zia -10 for Anton suggesting police search his van full of drugs in Georgia +5 for Courtney Taylor -10 for R-slur +10 for the wise decision to send Joel instead of Anton to NY -10 for the creepy “present” Anton gave The Dandy Warhols +10 for The Dandy Warhols’ success in the UK and the rest of Europe -5 for an obviously biased viewpoint

[serotoninnoradrenalinthoughts]

Mapplethorpe (2018) directed by Ondi Timoner

[dakotadanger]

Mapplethorpe (2018) is about photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. He dropped out of college to become an artist, then abandoned painting for photography. He was known for taking sexually explicit photos of gay men in black and white.

This isn’t a great biopic because Mapplethorpe is neither likable nor particularly interesting. Due to his Catholic upbringing, he sees homosexuality and BDSM as profane, which is why it’s his art and why people like it. In the scene of his first sexual encounter with a man, he takes acid and believes his lover is the prince of darkness. It’s not surprising that sexually explicit work would be popular and lead to fame. His biggest problem is that no gallery will show his entire body of work at once because they don’t want flowers, celebrities, and cocks next to each other.

Mapplethorpe is completely unlikable when he manipulates a stranger into becoming his personal muse and fetishes his dark skin. He crosses into unforgivable when he insists on continuing his promiscuous sex life as usual after it’s obvious that he has AIDS. The film is well made and colorized like it was shot in the 70s or 80s, but that can’t make up for its protagonist.

I watched this film because I knew a trans actress was in it. She had two lines.