Firewall of Sound - a documentary by Devin DiMattia

Firewall of Sound comes to Kannapolis! With swag!

2011-09-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to stop by the Historic Gem Theatre in Kannapolis, NC on Saturday, October 1 at 3 PM for our screening at this year's Modern Film Fest. After the screening will be a Q&A with director Devin DiMattia, as well as Avett Brothers manager Dolph Ramseur!

As if that weren't enough, we will be selling the last of the official Firewall of Sound t-shirts, and we will also be giving away tons of free swag, like soundtrack CDs, posters, and a bunch of other stuff.

It's our victory lap after an amazing year of awesome film festivals and screenings, and it wouldn't have been possible without your support!

ALSO, don't forget to come to Wilmington, NC, this November, as DiMattia's latest project, a music video he directed for the local band Fractal Farm, will make its debut at this year's Cucalorus Film Festival! Help them raise the funds they need to run a successful fest by donating to their Kickstarter page!

FREE screening at Hopscotch!

2011-09-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

We are very happy to announce that Firewall of Sound will be screening at this year's Hopscotch Music Festival in downtown Raleigh, NC! This is a FREE screening, and it will be taking place this Saturday, Sept. 10, 12:30 PM at the Lincoln Theatre! Did we mention that it's FREE?

We'll be screening right before the Drive-By Truckers documentary The Secret to a Happy Ending, which we had the privilege of screening alongside at Athfest earlier this summer. There will also be free music playing outside the Lincoln Theatre, including a set at 4 PM from Merge artists The Rosebuds. You can find out more info about this event by visiting the festival's official website.

So come on by, take in a flick, get a free haircut courtesy of Bottega, and enjoy the festival! We hope to see you there!

Just Off the Radar interview now online!

2011-08-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Just Off The Radar #274: Firewall of Sound Feature by Just Off The Radar on Mixcloud

You can now stream the episode of the Athens, GA music program Just Off the Radar featuring an interview with director Devin DiMattia, as well as music from Merge recording artist Richard Buckner and Wilmington, NC band Fractal Farm, by using the player above or by visiting the show's official website.

Director Interview on Modern Film Fest

2011-08-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Director Devin DiMattia was recently interviewed by Michael Knox, the festival director for this year's Modern Film Fest, which Firewall of Sound will be playing at this October.

In the interview, DiMattia discusses why he decided to tackle the complex issue of music in the digital age, the meaning behind the film's title, and offers some pieces of advice for up-and-coming documentary filmmakers.

Firewall of Sound screens at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Modern Film Fest, at the historic Gem Theatre, Kannapolis NC. Tickets are just $4 each and DiMattia will be in attendance for a Q&A at the screening.

Firewall of Sound comes to San Francisco!

2011-07-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

We are super-excited to be screening as part of this year's San Francisco Frozen Film Festival! If you are in the San Fran area, you can catch us on Friday, July 8 at 7:30 PM at the Roxie Theater! Here's where to get more info and to buy tickets.

And, in case you need more proof of our awesomeness, check out this glowing review by the University of Georgia independent student paper Red & Black:

This should be required viewing for any local musicians—much like “The Godfather” for men and “When Harry met Sally” for women.

Things to Do At Athfest (in addition to seeing Firewall of Sound!)

2011-06-21T15:21:00.001-07:00

We learned the hard way when we premiered Firewall of Sound at CMJ: Festivals can be a bit overwhelming.

Fortunately, Athfest promises to offer a no-nonsense lineup of awesome bands, films, artists, and a whole lot more! Here's what we recommend you check out at this year's festival:

Laughfest 2011: If you happen to be in Athens tomorrow, you're in luck because that night is when the 40 Watt Club trots out an impressive roster of comedians for the 2nd Annual Laughfest. Headliner this year is Dan Telfer, who some of you may know as one of the hosts of The A.V. Club's "Pop Pilgrims" web series, but most of you probably know him from his rant on which dinosaur is the best. (Wed, June 22 at 8 PM; $10 at the door/$5 with Athfest wristband; 40 Watt Club)
The Found Footage Festival: Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher celebrate twenty years of digging up old VHS tapes from all over the world for their annual exhibition of odd and hilarious found footage. Trust us; the stuff they show at these things is insane. Think Everything Is Terrible! but more so. (Sat, June 25 at 8:30 PM; $10 general/$8 with Athfest wristband; Ciné)
Washed Out w/Reptar and FLT RSK: Okay, look. I'm gonna be honest with you. You can pretty much just keep your feet planted in either the 40 Watt Club or Ciné all weekend long because both venues are offering some choice events. It all comes to a head on Saturday night, when 40 Watt presents chillwave maestro Washed Out, along with local favorites Reptar and FLT RSK. (Sat, June 25 at 9 PM; wristband-only event; 40 Watt Club)

Of course, we do not hesitate to remind our viewers that you can also see Firewall of Sound at this year's Athfest, not once, but TWICE! We'll be screening Thursday, June 23 at 7:30 PM and again Saturday, June 25 at 5:30 PM, both times at Ciné. See you there!

Firewall of Sound comes to Canada TONIGHT!

2011-06-20T09:57:00.000-07:00

Firewall of Sound will be making its Canadian premiere TONIGHT at 7:00 PM as part of the Sled Island Music Festival! The screening will be held at the Plaza Theatre in Calgary, Alberta. If you have a Sled Island wristband, admission is free! Otherwise, it's just $9 general and $7 for students and seniors.

Make sure you stick around after the screening for a Q&A with director Devin DiMattia, as well as the Alberta premiere of the film Everything Louder Than Everything Else, featuring members of Black Mountain and Frog Eyes.

Click here for more info about the lineup of films at Sled Island this year.

Director Interview on CJSW

2011-06-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Firewall of Sound director Devin DiMattia was recently interviewed about the movie on Calgary independent radio station CJSW, in preparation for our Canadian premiere at the Sled Island Music Festival. If you live in or around the Calgary area, you can catch it June 20, 7 PM, at the Plaza Theatre.

See us TWICE in Athens, GA!

2011-06-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

We're very excited to be screening at this year's Athfest in beautiful Athens, GA, home of two of the people we interviewed for the film, Julian Koster and Bertis Downs.

Speaking of twos (segue!), we are screening Firewall of Sound not once, but TWICE, both times in the awesome Ciné on 234 West Hancock Avenue. Catch us on Thursday, June 23 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, June 25 at 5:30 PM. Both screenings are $5, or free with an Athfest wristband! And director Devin DiMattia will be on hand to do a Q&A for both screenings.

Please come out and support independent cinema, and independent music! And because Athens is amazing (but you already knew that).

Firewall comes to L.A.

2011-05-16T11:22:00.001-07:00

We are excited to announce that Firewall of Sound will be making its West Coast debut on Thursday, June 2! The venue is the awesome Echo Park Film Center in Los Angeles, and we are screening as part of their Thursday Night Microcinema Series. Tickets are only $5, and there will be a director Q&A following the screening.

Los Angeles residents: Don't miss your chance to see one of the most talked-about music documentaries of 2011! Visit our event page for more info, and don't forget to swing by our Vimeo channel for trailers and clips from the movie!

Julian Lynch on Firewall of Sound

2011-05-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

I sent a link to Firewall of Sound to one of my favorite musicians, Julian Lynch, and he had this to say about it:

I think that what you've presented here is generally fair and accurate content-wise. I found myself agreeing with a lot of the commentaries on one's changing engagement with music enabled by new technologies, and also it was nice that you incorporated issues of labor etc by including information on sales and the experience of musicians and shop owners. You also did a good job avoiding any kind of medium-is-the-message type of reductive logic, by presenting people who were taking control of their circumstances and using the internet in productive ways...rather than offering a story with less dimension that is necessarily all about submission under an all-determining technological force.

In terms of film-making, I think you did an excellent job managing and editing your content...I can't imagine the amount of work that would go into a process like that and so I have a lot of respect for documentarians...and to me you successfully built up a strong overall narrative that I found really engaging.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really liked it!

Please visit Julian's Bandcamp site and buy one of his awesome albums (including Pitchfork Best New Music recipient Mare)! And don't forget to see Firewall of Sound for FREE on Monday, May 9 at 9 PM in The Opera Room!

We've taken over Google (and one more screening in Wilmington!)

2011-04-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

My friend Alex snapped this pic of a Google search, and as you can see, when you search for "firewall," the second suggestion the Instant Search menu makes is for Firewall of Sound. True, Google sometimes tailors its search suggestions in regards to location and past searches, but I'd like to think this is a worldwide phenomena. :-)

Also on the docket is yet another free screening in my hometown of Wilmington, NC! This time, we'll be showing at The Opera Room at 119 Grace Street downtown on Monday, May 9 at 9 PM. That should be pretty easy to remember, right? May 9 at 9, 119 Grace St? Enjoy the film with a 75¢ mug of PBR (the official drink of hipsters everywhere)! Here's the Facebook event page if you want more info.

As always, follow us on Twitter to get the latest scoop about upcoming screenings! We've got some exciting news coming soon for our friends in L.A., as well as our neighbors to the north! Stay tuned...

See Firewall of Sound This Friday @ CIMMfest!

2011-04-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

Hey, you! Yes, you! Do you live in Chicago? You do? Then you need to head down to the Nightingale this Friday at 7 PM to see Firewall of Sound at this year's CIMMfest! Director Devin DiMattia will be in attendance, as well as The A.V. Club's managing editor Josh Modell and music editor Steve Hyden, and also Epitonic.com founder Justin Sinkovich!

Tickets are just $10, and once you have bought yours, let us know by visiting our event pages on Facebook and Do312.com!

Finally, if you don't feel like dropping ten stones to see us, we'll be giving away a free ticket sometime this week, and the only way to find out how to get it is by following us on Twitter!

CIMMfest Trailer posted to YouTube

2011-03-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the newly-revised trailer we posted to help promote our upcoming screening at CIMMfest in Chicago. We're screening on Friday, April 15 at 7PM at the Nightingale, and not only will director Devin DiMattia be present, but so will A.V. Club head writer Nathan Rabin and managing editor Josh Modell!

New clips posted to Vimeo!

2011-03-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

To get people excited about our upcoming screenings, we've just launched a new Vimeo channel, complete with clips of our interviews with Mac McCaughan of Superchunk, Julian Koster of Neutral Milk Hotel, and an opening montage featuring all of our interview subjects! We'll be adding a couple more clips before the end of the week, so keep visiting!

Also, don't forget that we're screening at Motorco in Durham this Thursday, as well as at the Satellite in Wilmington on Saturday! Both screenings are at 8 PM and both are FREE! Director Devin DiMattia will be on hand for a Q&A after each screening.

Firewall in Encore + FREE Screening @ Satellite

2011-03-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to Encore for their write-up about us in this week's issue! If you haven't read it yet, check it out.

Also, we are insanely happy to announce that Gravity Records will be presenting a FREE SCREENING of Firewall of Sound at the Satellite Bar + Lounge in Wilmington on Saturday, March 26! And not only that, we've got musical guests playing afterwards: Wilmington's own King Beard and Boston's Radio Control! Click Attend on our Facebook event page, and tell everyone you know about it!

Once again, big thanks to everyone who voted for us in Encore! We hope to see each and every one of you at the screening!

CFVF Awards "Firewall of Sound" Best Documentary!

2011-03-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

We would like to thank everyone at the Carolina Film and Video Festival for awarding us with the Best Documentary prize! We are truly honored. Thanks again to everyone who attended the screening. And also, congrats to our friend Kenneth Price for winning Best UNCG Film for his short First Sunrise. You can see more of his (awesome) work on his Vimeo page.

I am excited to say that we have many more NC screenings coming soon, including Durham, Kannapolis, and a return to our hometown of Wilmington! As always, to get the most up-to-date info on screenings, please follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook group!

Thanks again, CFVF! We look forward to returning very soon!

In Greensboro? See our movie!!

2011-02-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that we are screening at UNCG as part of the Carolina Film and Video Festival this Friday, February 25 at 3 PM in the Elliott University Center! Tickets are only $5 if you're a UNCG student, and $6 for general audiences. Director Devin DiMattia will be on hand to do a Q&A afterwards. Please visit our Facebook event page for more info and to let us know you're attending!

Firewall takes home Best Local Independent Film at Encore Awards!

2011-02-18T10:09:00.000-08:00

We would like to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who voted for us for Best Local Independent Film at the Encore Best of 2011 Awards! Encore will be posting about all the winners over the next few weeks, so we'll give you a heads-up when they get around to us! And also, big congrats are in order for Gravity Records, who took home Best Place to Buy CDs in Wilmington (although, personally, I swing by for the vinyl a whole lot more often than I do for CDs).

New interview posted + FREE screening on Saturday!

2011-01-27T13:29:00.001-08:00

Lee Cahill, a blogger who attended our CMJ screening, has just posted an interview with director Devin DiMattia on her site. Please check it out when you get the chance!

Also, if you happen to be in or around Goldsboro, NC, this Saturday, you can catch Firewall of Sound for zero money! We're screening as part of the PRAXIS Film Festival on 1/29 at 10 AM at Wayne Community College. Our co-producers, Neil and Daniel, will be in attendance for a Q&A afterwards.

See Firewall of Sound for FREE tonight!

2011-01-19T09:58:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to swing by Lumina Theater at UNCW tonight at 7 PM for a FREE screening of Firewall of Sound. We'll be showing alongside some awesome alumni short films, and I'll be on hand to give a Q&A afterwards. Stop by and say hi!!

Two more chances to catch Firewall of Sound in NC!

2011-01-06T15:11:00.000-08:00

If you missed out on our awesome screening at Cucalorus back in November, you're in luck. The University of North Carolina Wilmington will be giving a free screening of our film (and a bunch of awesome short films) as part of the UNCW Alumni Film Series! There's also gonna be a filmmaker Q&A after the screening. All the fun starts on Wednesday, January 19 at 7 PM in Lumina Theater. Lumina Theater is located in the Fisher Student Center on the UNCW campus. Click here for a campus map.

As if that wasn't enough, we're very proud to be screening as part of the PRAXIS Film Festival in Goldsboro, NC, on Saturday, January 29 at 10 AM at Wayne Community College. We'll be screening alongside one of our favorite picks from Cucalorus, Skeletons, which you can catch later that day at 4:30 PM.

We've got some other awesome announcements to make, but until things get finalized, you're gonna have to just wait and see...(or you can just follow us on Twitter for the latest updates).

Vote for us in Encore's Best of 2011 poll!

2010-12-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

Every year, Wilmington's own Encore Magazine polls its readers for the Best of Wilmington, and among their numerous categories is Best Local Independent Film. If you would be so kind as to vote for Firewall of Sound in that category, we would love you forever! However, for your ballot to count, you must vote in 24 other categories, so here's some of our picks to get you started:

Best Live Music Venue: The Soapbox
Best Local Band/Performer: Fractal Farm
Best Place to Buy CDs: Gravity Records
Best Theatre Production Company: Pineapple-Shaped Lamps
Best Theatre Venue: The Brown Coat
Best Comedy Troupe: Thursday Night Live
Best Local Filmmaker: Devin DiMattia (if you wish)

Click here to get started and thanks again for your support!

Thank you, Cucalorus!

2010-11-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

Cucalorus 16 has come and gone, and we are proud to have been a part of it! I would like to thank everyone who worked on the festival for their hard work and support! If you were tuning in to WECT 6 on Friday, you might have seen our screening during a report on the festival. Have a look:

Cucalorus Starts Tomorrow! (Firewall on Friday!)

2010-11-10T14:55:00.001-08:00

This is it, folks. The moment we have all been waiting for. And when I say "we," I mean the film fanatics residing in Wilmington, North Carolina, because it is time once again for the Cucalorus Film Festival! That's right. Nonstop cinematic entertainment for all! The festivities start tomorrow, and Firewall of Sound will be playing on Friday at 11 AM in Thalian Black! Also, don't miss the awesome band Fractal Farm (who provided the end credits theme for my film) opening for Dr. Madd Vibe (featured in the documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone) at the Sunday night Meltdown at The Soapbox!

Back from CMJ! (And Screening Info for Cucalorus)

2010-10-29T13:14:00.001-07:00

We have returned from our triumphant world premiere screening at CMJ 2010! We would like to thank each and every one of you who came out to support the film. We would also like to thank the good folks at CMJ for selecting our film and for just being all-around awesome! We'll post some photos in the next few days.

In other news, I am happy to report that we are screening at Cucalorus on Friday, November 12 at 11 AM in the Thalian Black Box Theater. That's at 310 Chestnut Street in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. Tickets are only $10, but you can get passes and see a whole bunch more films for cheap! Just go to the festival's official website for more details.

Pictured above (from left to right): Firewall producer/director Devin DiMattia, Elizabeth James (director of the awesome documentary No Fun City), Firewall co-producer J. Neil Blackman, and CMJ Film Festival assistant Gabe Travis. Thanks to Wet Paint for the pic.

IMPORTANT if you want to see Firewall at CMJ!

2010-10-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

I already posted this on our Twitter feed, but it bears repeating. If you wish to attend our screening at CMJ this Friday, you need to RSVP with the venue. Norwood requests that all CMJ attendants RSVP before the show. The link will also show you how to buy individual tickets (only $10) to the screening if you don't have a CMJ badge. We'll be screening along with an awesome-sounding short film entitled Hard Rock Havana, about a heavy metal band from Cuba!

And all day Friday, Norwood will be playing music documentaries, including No Fun City (12 PM), about the death of the live music venue in Canada; Everyday Sunshine (4 PM), about an eccentric punk/funk hybrid group called Fishbone (the film is narrated, obviously, by Laurence Fishburne); and Music (7 PM), a documentary looking at 50 influential musicians, composers and producers, including Iggy Pop, Laurie Anderson, Graham Nash, Ziggy Marley, Henry Rollins, and others.

And even though the official CMJ website doesn't state it, there will be a director Q&A following the screening of Firewall of Sound. Keep up with our Twitter feed for all the latest updates during the festival, and we'll see you in New York!!

Help Kickstart a Fellow Firewaller

2010-10-13T19:50:00.000-07:00

My good friend Abram Taber--Boston musician extraordinaire, co-founder of music collective Friendly Square, and one of the stars of Firewall of Sound--needs your help. His lifelong dream has been to release one of his songs on vinyl. And now, thanks to the good people over at Kickstarter, his dream might just come true. But it can't happen without your help. In return, you'll get all types of goodies like t-shirts, buttons, stickers, and (of course) a copy of the finished seven-inch single! Please pledge a few bucks for this awesome project!

New Trailer Posted!

2010-10-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

I took the liberty of updating our old trailer to reflect our recent festival acquisitions. I also incorporated some of the footage we shot in Chicago, as well as a new backing track. This time, it's "Cardinal Rules," a bonus track that came with the new Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin album, Let It Sway. If you order it direct from Polyvinyl, you get the bonus song (and two more!) plus a bunch of other goodies!

Firewall at CMJ 2010!!

2010-10-06T10:03:00.001-07:00

Firewall of Sound has been named one of the 25 films that will be playing at this year's CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival in New York City! We will be screening on Friday, October 22 at 2 PM in the Norwood Club. For a complete list of of films, click here.

About CMJ:

CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival, one of the world’s most important platforms for the discovery of new music and cutting-edge films, will take over New York City from October 19-23, 2010. Join us for five nonstop days and nights of over 1200 live performances from over 30 countries in more than 75 of New York City’s greatest venues and theatres. In addition to hundreds of showcase performances, cutting-edge films and informative panels, CMJ 2010 will present over 70 panels including featured speakers, a music business law seminar, and College Day and will feature live music performances, exclusive parties, an exhibitor loft, a registrant lounge, an artist gifting suite, meet and greets, seminars, mentoring sessions, networking events, comedy showcases, Q&As, and special events.

About CMJ Film Festival:
CMJ Film Festival will celebrate its 16th year of groundbreaking cinema from independent films to major motion pictures produced by Hollywood’s top actors and filmmakers. CMJ Film Festival has launched blockbuster films including Pulp Fiction, American History X, Fight Club, Walk The Line, and Borat. Films are debuted in New York City’s most prestigious independent theatres, including IFC Centre, Tribeca Cinemas, Angelika Film Center, and Clearview and Regal Cinemas. CMJ has hosted over 250 films from various film companies including Dreamworks, 20th Century Fox, Focus Features, IFC Films, The Weinstein Company and Miramax. Not only that, but CMJ’s trademark post-screening Q&A sessions with cast, crew, and music personnel have included leading filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Woody Harrelson, and Vince Vaughn.

Record Labels Adopt the Radiohead Model

2010-09-28T21:15:00.001-07:00

Found on The Daily What, created by Toothpaste for Dinner.

Firewall of Sound Premieres at Cucalorus 16!

2010-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that Firewall of Sound will have its world premiere at the Cucalorus Film Festival in beautiful downtown Wilmington, North Carolina!

There isn't a set date and time just yet, but the festival runs from November 11 thru the 14, so you better go ahead and ask for those days off of work, because they're not just screening my film. They are also screening such buzzworthy works as Gaspar Noe's Enter the Void, the powerful new documentary A Film Unfinished, as well as two new animated shorts from Bill Plympton, plus a new short from Kenneth Price, who in addition to being an awesome filmmaker in his own right, also helped with camerawork on Firewall of Sound!

So swing by the festival's website, check out the slate of films, and grab a pass before they sell out!

Finished!

2010-08-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

We are finally done with editing the film. I would like to personally thank my co-producers Daniel and Neil, our sound mixer Jeordan, and all the people who attended our test screening and offered up their critiques and criticisms, especially UNCW film studies professors Dr. James Kreul and Shannon Silva.

We've already submitted to a handful of festivals. I'll let everyone know when screenings will be held. Wish us luck!

Also, I will be DJing on WUAG 103.1 FM in Greensboro TOMORROW (8/18) from 1-3 PM. You can listen in by visiting the station's official website and clicking on Live Stream.

In other news, Rolling Stone issued a passive-aggressive "thank you" letter to record execs that, while certainly correct, feels like it was issued a few years too late...

(courtesy of I Can Has Internets)

We're now on Facebook!

2010-08-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

We now have an official Facebook page for Firewall of Sound. It will serve similar purposes to our Twitter feed, in that we'll post updates about where and when you can expect to attend screenings, but unlike the Twitter feed, I'll post the occasional clip from the film, along with other exclusive content. So take a visit, click the Like button, and tell your friends!!

Now officially in post-production!

2010-02-27T14:27:00.001-08:00

I am happy to announce that Firewall of Sound has officially wrapped production! What that means is we have finished all principal photography, including interviews, concerts, etc. I'll still be filming bits of b-roll as necessary during the editing process, but for the most part, I will be sitting down in front of my computer for weeks on end, cutting this great big monster down to a more manageable size. I would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who helped me and my crew during our travels. Thank you for your hospitality/letting us interview you/letting us borrow your equipment/putting up with my incessant questioning!

R.I.P. CD Alley

2010-02-11T20:48:00.000-08:00

Save the World Case File: Take Away Shows in Uganda

2010-01-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

As the recent tragedy in Haiti has proven, music is a powerful way to bring people together for a good cause. To prove this point, Vincent Moon and the fine people over at La Blogotheque have teamed up with charity organization Invisible Children and Austin psychedelic band The Polyphonic Spree to collect funds for them to travel to Uganda and shoot a documentary. Like my project, they have a wide variety of perks for people who donate, and every little bit helps. For more information, visit their Kickstarter page or click on the widget featured in this blog's sidebar.

New Trailer!

2010-01-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the brand-new trailer for Firewall of Sound, featuring music by Hemstad:

Go to our page on Vimeo to post your comments. You can also view this video on YouTube.

Follow the Money Case File: Too Much Joy

2009-12-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

A fascinating article was recently brought to my attention, thanks to The A.V. Club. Tim Quirk, lead singer of the band Too Much Joy and current employee of music-subscription service Rhapsody, picked apart his royalty statement from Warner Bros. and found out that not only is it almost completely out-of-touch with the reality of his band's digital sales, it may be the same for almost every other band signed or formerly signed to a major label. And while I unfortunately won't be able to include this topic among the many already covered in my documentary, it does point out that the financial struggles of musicians in the digital age may not be solely caused by illegal file-sharing, but negligent accounting practices as well.

MusicArtGarbage Case File: David Ellis + Roberto Lange's "8 Million Stories"

2009-08-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

One of the people we met during our stay in New York City was Roberto Lange, the leader of Latin electronica group Helado Negro, whose debut album Awe Owe has just been released on Asthmatic Kitty. He has also worked extensively with producer Guillermo Scott Herren, as part of Savath + Savalas and Prefuse 73. In addition to this impressive resumé, he has done frequent collaborations with artist David Ellis, whose music sculptures have adorned every volume of the Verve Remixed series. Here is David and Roberto showing off their latest piece, a musical garbage can entitled "8 Million Stories":

We will be filming a Helado Negro show in Greensboro, NC, on September 8, so be on the lookout for more footage of Mr. Lange in the near future.

We're off to Boston and NY!!

2009-08-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

The Firewall of Sound crew is heading off to Boston and New York City to shoot interviews and band footage for the next week. We'll be talking to Josh Madell (Other Music), Max Brennan (Lit Lounge), Ryan Catbird (The Catbirdseat), Abram Taber (Friendly Square), and Roberto Lange, whose band Helado Negro just put out their debut album, Awe Owe.

Goal Achieved!

2009-06-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

As you can tell in the sidebar, we've achieved our goal of raising $1,000 towards completing the film, and we couldn't have done it without the help and support of you guys! But there's still 16 days left to raise even more funds, so if you still want to receive one of the myriad of cool things you can get by backing Firewall of Sound (like exclusive footage, a DVD of the film, t-shirts, posters, a special thanks credit, and more!) then now's the time to do it!!

Only $50 away from achieving our goal!!

2009-06-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

As of right now, we are only $50 away from achieving our goal of raising $1,000 on Kickstarter.com! But, the rule is if we don't reach our goal by July 10, WE WILL GET NOTHING, so we need people to come to the rescue and get us over that mark! IF ONLY TEN PEOPLE DONATE $5 EACH, THAT WILL BE ENOUGH TO MEET OUR GOAL, so as you can see, every little bit helps! Thanks for taking the time out to read this, and I sincerely appreciate all your support.

Help Fund Firewall of Sound!

2009-05-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

Now, you can have a direct effect in the production of this movie! We have just created a project page on Kickstarter, and we have a crazy amount of rewards for people who contribute funds to our film. But we need to collect $1,000 by July 10, or we receive nothing! So tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell random people you just met on the street, and help fund this awesome independent documentary!!

Fans Fund the Music Case File: Unbunny's Black Strawberries LP

2009-05-29T07:47:00.001-07:00

I've already posted about this on my blog, but I thought it was worth mentioning on this one, since it not only directly relates to unusual and innovative ways to fund independent music, it's also the pet project of Ryan Catbird, a music blogger who will be one of the next people that we interview for this film.

Ryan Catbird has been working hard to get people to pledge money to his project on Kickstarter, which involves getting the long out-of-print release Black Strawberries by indie stalwarts Unbunny reissued on 180-gram vinyl. Take a listen:

Unbunny - "In a Way" (MP3)

It's a wonderful example of fans directly financing the release of music. $5 or more gets you a high-quality download of the album, $20 or more gets you the LP, and $40 or more gets you the Deluxe Version LP, which promises to feature "special extras, additional artwork and/or customization, hand-numbered and signed by Jarid Del Deo [leader of Unbunny]."

He hasn't reached the $3,500 goal yet, and there's only 37 days left, so if you haven't chipped in, please consider it. Oh, and just so you know, all donors will have their name listed in the liner notes!

Who Owns The Copyright? Case File: The Amen Break

2009-05-17T21:35:00.001-07:00

Throughout the making of Firewall of Sound, we'll be looking at other topics relating to the music industry that we aren't able to cover in the finished film. Here's one such topic:

One of the YouTube clips I keep rewatching simply because of the myriad of questions it raises about music copyright is this fascinating look at "The Amen Break," a six-second drum loop, recorded as part of a 1969 R&B b-side, which has made its way into nearly every genre of music since the advent of the sampler in the 1980s:

It's an interesting look at the difficulties of establishing copyright after sample-based music began to take off. My only complaint about Nate Harrison's analysis is his frank dismissal of jungle music as "highbrow posturing," among other things. Clearly, artists such as Squarepusher aren't intending their work to be "danceable."

Interview with Producer/Director Devin DiMattia

2009-05-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

My interview with Andy Maddison of Inhaler Records is now viewable at Destroy Before Reading.

Back from Athens, GA

2009-05-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

My crew and I just returned from Athens late last night, and I am excited to start logging the amazing footage we got there over the weekend. We had the privilege of interviewing Julian Koster, member of the Elephant 6 Collective and leader of The Music Tapes, and Bertis Downs, the manager and adviser to R.E.M.

I hope to have some photos of the trip uploaded very soon, as well as some video clips from the interviews. In the meantime, enjoy this recording of Koster and his uncle performing "an old Yiddish/Gypsie song" on accordion and singing saw:

April 18 is Record Store Day

2009-04-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

What that means is that every independent music store in America will be selling exclusive CDs and vinyl as well as featuring in-store performances by a wide range of musicians. My film crew and I will be appearing at music stores in Wilmington this Saturday to film people, but even with all the buzz surrounding it, the owners of Gravity and CD Alley still aren't expecting a big turnout.

That's where you come in.

If you'd like to appear in a feature documentary (and help support your local record store in the process), come to Gravity Records on 125 S Kerr Ave. at 10:30 AM, or to CD Alley downtown on 8 Market St at 1 PM. Here's the list of all the exclusive albums that are coming out on Saturday. If you'd like to know what each store will be selling, you can call them at 910-392-2414 (Gravity) or 910-762-4003 (CD Alley).

Most importantly, if you do decide to come out, pleasepleasepleaseplease BUY SOMETHING! Don't let our only source of indie music fade out like Schoolkids in Chapel Hill or B.B.'s in Greensboro!

Welcome to Firewall of Sound

2009-04-15T19:01:00.001-07:00

This is the official website for the upcoming feature-length documentary Firewall of Sound, produced and directed by Devin DiMattia. The film is still in production, but it will ultimately consist of an in-depth exploration of the independent music industry and its ongoing relationship with the Internet, whether it be through alternative distribution channels such as iTunes and eMusic, community networks like Facebook and Twitter, and the wide array of music blogs and the individual niches that they tailor to. In addition to this, the film will also look at the steady downfall of physical media, the increase in record store closings, and the surprising rise in vinyl sales. Here's the official teaser trailer:

There's also a 15-minute short film version, which was completed in the spring of 2008, viewable here. We will be posting additional information about the film in the near future, including production updates, info about the various musicians and bloggers we talk to, and additional footage. In the meantime, subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter!