Just add baby: 'Iron Baby' impresses 'Iron Man' director
Posted Friday, May 28, 2010 at 12:25 PM Central
Last updated Friday, May 28, 2010 at 12:26 PM Central
by John Couture
Having worked in this industry for almost 15 years, I've certainly seen my fair share of change. I've seen VHS get usurped by DVD and now Blu-ray is starting to take over as the dominant home format with 3D Blu-ray lurking in the shadows of the horizon.
One area in particular that has seen an explosion in terms of its impact on the film industry is the Internet. Back when I left school, the Internet was in its nascent stages and the concept of being able to instantly download high quality movies to your TV via the Internet was as foreign as being able to send a letter electronically and instantaneously.
But lo, times they are a changin' as that wordsmith Bob Dylan once said and now the impact of the Internet on filmmaking goes so far beyond simply making movies available to watch that it's almost impossible to imagine how they made films before the Internet. You've got everything from Tom Hanks twittering pictures and updates from his latest movie to aspiring filmmakers reaching out for funding for their projects via sites like Kickstarter.
In particular, Twitter has allowed the average Joe to bridge that seemingly impossible gap between him or herself and their favorite celebrities. So much so, that at times, the line between cyber pals and real life friends become blurred.
But, the upshot of this increased reach and accessibility to the creative people in Hollywood means that with a bit moxie and a whole slew of online peeps behind you, you might actually be able to get noticed by your favorite celeb. Heck, even yours truly is proud of my "connection" with my favorite writer-director.
And so, that brings us to Patrick Bolvin, a French Canadian with a dream. A dream that combines the blockbuster Iron Man franchise with babies. OK, it might not be a dream per se, but he did make it a reality, creating this really cool trailer that you can see below.
In fact, the video became such a hit that Iron Man director Jon Favreau took notice and yesterday he tweeted about it to his followers. So, while Patrick surely got the instant gratification of connecting with someone like Favs, one has to wonder if this is the next step in how the Internet will affect movies.
Surely there has to be some studio execs or agents on Favreau's feed who noticed Patrick's level of talent, especially with no budget. So, perhaps in a few years, we'll be lining up in droves to see the next big Patrick Bolvin action flick.
In the meantime, enjoy "Iron Baby" below and let us know what you think.