Music and Movies: An Interview with Music Supervisor Randall Poster

Randall Poster from The Credits on Vimeo.

In this exclusive interview, The Credits chats with legendary music supervisor Randall Poster about Moonrise Kingdom, working with director Wes Anderson, and the importance of protecting creativity at all costs. And for more insight into where Randall Poster draws inspiration from, check out this iTunes playlist of his favorite tracks from movie scores:

The Wired Theater: Audiences Get Social At The Cinema

There is a well-known myth of movie audiences in the late 19th century fleeing for the exits at the sight of a train that seemed to be barreling straight toward them. In reality, audiences’ early fascination with motion pictures quickly turned to admiration, a sacred respect for the movie going experience. Talking during movies became, almost instantaneously, strictly verboten. Decades later, other rules reared their heads to stomp out social distractions in the cinema. First it was,

Venice Film Fest Trivia

In honor of the Venice Film Festival—and the official kick-off to the 2012 film fest season—this week’s quiz honors movies that have been awarded and/or recognized at the VFF.

[wpsqt name="Venice Film Festival Trivia" type="quiz"]

Stars, Stripes, and Scene: Cinema’s Greatest Depictions of US Political Conventions

One could say that the national political conventions are as much a form of entertainment as they are a step in the presidential electoral process—after all, James Taylor is slated to perform at the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina this year, while Kid Rock and Journey are rounding out the entertainment roster at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. It’s not surprising, then, that the real-life drama surrounding the conventions has been inspiration for many a Hollywood scriptwriter over the years.

Publicity Gone Wild: 10 Great Movie PR Stunts

In 1910, the head of an early movie studio spread the rumor that silent film actress Florence Lawrence had been killed by a streetcar in New York. After basking in the attention for a time, the studio, IMP, took out an ad and declared that Lawrence was alive and well. Lawrence soon became the very first movie star.

Since then, outrageous and ingenious publicity stunts have catapulted some films (think: The Blair Witch Project) to success.

The Return of Smell-O-Vision, the Advent of 4D Cinema, and the Brave New World of Sensory Film

TIME Magazine might have deemed it one of the worst 100 ideas in history, but it’s hard not to harbor a fond nostalgia for the wonderfully bizarre promise Smell-O-Vision once afforded moviegoers. Making movies that smelled was a bold and definitively quirky concept intended to persuade the television-hooked masses of 1950s Americana to migrate from their plastic-covered couches and microwaved TV dinners in order to experience movies in a ‘scent’sational new way. Of course,

2011 Global Box Office Results

Our latest infographic tracks the global box office earnings of 2011.

Back to School Movie Trivia

With schools across the country gearing up for a brand new school year, this week’s quiz takes a look at some iconic back-to-school feature films. [wpsqt name="Back to School Quiz" type="quiz"]

Movie Poster Masterminds: An Interview With Allied Creative

Everyone knows movie ad campaigns are crucial to the industry. After all, who hasn’t let an eight-foot billboard of an impressive movie advert persuade them into making a trip to the local theater queue? But, like most things in the business, there’s more to making movie posters than meets the eye. Creative agencies are devoted to achieving the optimal aesthetic of movie posters and ad campaigns—from appealing to the target audience, to capturing the ambiance and essence of the movie itself.

Special Effects for Everyone: The Democratization of CGI Technology

You could say independent filmmaker Gareth Edwards is a surprising champion for CGI technology. After all, his feature film Monsters (2010) wasn’t a big-budget summer blockbuster, nor did it star Tom Cruise, Matt Damon or any other major A-list actor. In fact, he made his film for a mere $800,000—and that’s with CGI technology included. In an interview with film critic Mark Kermode, Edwards said, “You can go in [a] shop now and buy a computer that’s faster than the computers they made Jurassic Park on.”

Content Everywhere: Key Examples of Content Availability

Want to know where to find your favorite video content? This infographic will help you find and watch the movies and TV shows you love.

MPAA and DGA Present: An Evening With Director Michael Apted

Senator Chris Dodd interviews British director Michael Apted in the inaugural installment of the MPAA’s new series, “An Evening With…,” which celebrates the work of cherished film icons and aims to shed new light onto contemporary issues facing the industry—from expanding into international markets, to raising awareness about copyright issues, to fostering an ongoing dialogue about innovations in the world of cinema.

Michael Apted is a critically acclaimed director, writer, producer,

Film and Fin Fans Celebrate JawsFest 2012

Movie lovers and shark fans flocked to Martha’s Vineyard last weekend to kick-off the annual celebration of JawsFest: The Tribute. The four-day festival celebrates one of America’s most cherished and iconic films while also commemorating Universal’s new Blue-ray release of Jaws.
–Video edited by Katia Vannoy

Now available on Blu-Ray and DVD here.

Getting the End of the World Right: Astrophysicists Weigh in on Their Favorite Asteroid Disaster Movies

A young boy gasps in the dark as the asteroid plummets towards Earth, spelling certain death for everyone he knows and loves. Like those around him, he is transfixed by the notion of his own imminent obliteration. He begins pondering the uncertainty of time, of existence, of the scope of human imagination. He shoves another handful of popcorn into his mouth, chewing furiously, as these ideas take root.

It could be anyone, but in 1953,

Social Cinema: Start-Up Screens Viral Videos At Local Theaters

Surely, it’s happened to you: While watching a favorite flick at home, you suddenly realize that the laughs you found tear-inducing and stomach-ravaging in the theater are, on this solitary viewing at least, sadly amiss. What gives? According to an innovative Dutch start-up called Upload Cinema, not only are you missing out on the infectious and sporadic laugh-track of dozens of other moviegoers, you’re also missing out on the effervescent, hard-to-define ambiance of the traditional movie theater experience.

On Location in Albuquerque: The Film Industry Drives a Creative and Economic Resurgence

If you ask Ann Lerner when the film industry landed in New Mexico, she’ll say it all began in 1898 with a one-minute silent documentary called “Indian Day School.” Then she’ll laugh and tell you that even though Hollywood has been shooting in the state for more than a century, it wasn’t until 2003 that a rumble erupted into a boom.

Lerner is the film liaison for Albuquerque’s Office of Economic Development, and she’s witnessed firsthand the surge in local film and television productions over the past few years,