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Nov
24
3

Thanksgiving

It’s been an amazing year. I finished my film. Released it theatrically and on DVD. And just closed the biggest deal yet which will get the movie into the mainstream. Announcement to come soon, I promise.

So much to be grateful for. Especially the supporters who believed in the film from the start (before they even saw it) and stood by it despite the naysayers. A big thanks to (in no particular order):
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Nov
11
7

Sticks and Stones

When you make a film, you steel yourself for reviews. You know intellectually that not everyone will be a fan. Like real life, most documentaries are flawed. Your characters aren’t make believe. There’s no script for them to follow. You can’t just make shit up.

And indeed, as expected there have been 2 kinds of reviews – love and hate. Luckily, for my emotional well-being, the positive reviews run at 75%. I’m happy with that. Especially when they come from film critics whose opinions I respect.
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Oct
14
3

The Latest David and Goliath Saga in the Beer Wars

I just got off the phone with Matt Nadeau of Vermont’s Rock Art Brewery. I’ve been following the story of Matt’s fight to keep the rights to his Vermonster beer. For those of you that don’t know the story, it’s one that is unfortunately becoming all too familiar. Big corporation (in this case, Hansen Beverage Company, makers of Monster energy drink) going after a small entrepreneur (Rock Art) over the right to trademark a name (Vermonster). Read and watch more about this ludicrous story:
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Sep
4
0

2 Thumbs Up

I like the company we’re keeping… My turn to see Inglourious Basterds this weekend.

From today’s USA Today “Pop Candy”:

Best movie I watched: The last couple weeks have been a wonderful blur because of my vacation, but I thought Inglourious Basterds was just fantastic. I also saw Beer Wars, the documentary about independent breweries. I’ve always been pretty picky about what I drink, but this film really makes you think about the industry.

Aug
27
7

Filmmaker as Enforcer

Social media means no more secrets. I was surprised to see a screening of my film advertised and retweeted over the past few days. It was happening at a bar in San Diego. One problem. I knew nothing about it. No one contacted me. Or asked for permission. Read the rest of this entry »

Aug
5
13

Craft Beer on TV

On Friday I met with yet another craft beer enthusiast who wants his own craft beer show on TV. Since I starting making the film, I’ve been approached by at least a dozen folks who want to do the same. What surprises me isn’t that everyone has the same idea (a TV show about travels to breweries and bars in search of great beers) or that no one has any TV experience but that there is no forethought about why a TV network would be interested. Read the rest of this entry »

Jul
31
1

What I learned from the White House Beer Summit

  1. The mainstream media knows absolutely nothing about who makes what beer.
  2. The same media didn’t understand why craft brewers were upset over the beer choices, especially Bud Light (see #1).
  3. Most Americans didn’t care about the beers themselves.
  4. Some Americans did care about who made the beers.
  5. Many of the small brewers who made media appearances used it as an opportunity to promote their own breweries as opposed to the community.
  6. There wasn’t much opposition to the idea of the BEER Summit from the anti-alcohol folks.
  7. The story was played out as soon as the beer choices were revealed.
  8. It was a one-note story that didn’t lead to a bigger conversation. Yawn.
Jun
26
9

Does Size Matter?

I just read this comment about the trailer on YouTube : “This is such propaganda! Why is Jim Koch talking about his products when everyone knows that most of the Sam Adams line is contract brewed by Miller. In addition, he is one of the largest brewers in the country. I personally like a lot of different styles of beer, and I think it is up to the consumer as to what they drink. You can’t sit here and tell me that every micro brew out there would not like to sell more of their product! The elitist attitudes will destroy the craft beer movement.”

Wow. This guy is certainly passionate. And some of his comments were echoed by people I met at screenings and panels over the past few weeks.

One thing is certain. There is no singular craft beer enthusiast. And perceptions vary widely.
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Jun
16
3

Beer Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Need a last minute gift for dad? How about something beer related? Sure, you can buy him a six-pack at the store but if you want to get more creative, here are some ideas…

And feel free to suggest your own. Just add a comment.

Jun
12
10

DVD Release

I couldn’t sleep last night. From excitement and anticipation. And fear. While I’ve had a long and eclectic career, I’ve never created a physical product before. And now, I’m about to see my first Beer Wars DVD all packaged up and ready to ship.

And being the eternal optimist, I have 10,000 of them! But please, don’t ask me for freebies. This has been a long road. What many people don’t realize is that I financed Beer Wars with my “house money” and my passion.

So for me, it is and always will be about broadening the conversation we have to include not only the beer industry but also the future of the American Dream and entrepreneurship. But I have to say that I also see this as a time to replenish the bank account and finally get paid for all the hard work I put into making this film.

Thanks for your support. And please, help spread the word. I can’t emphasize enough how I can’t do this alone.

Oenophiles have SIDEWAYS and BOTTLE SHOCK; now their beer-loving counterparts can claim a film as their own.
- Rotten Tomatoes
A David and Goliath story pitting the country's smallest brewers against the largest.
- CNN
Beer Wars: Brewed in America, is an eye-opening, funny and righteosly infuriating documentary by first-time filmaker Anat Baron. Her film (think of it as Suds: A Love Story) is also a pretty damning idictment of not just the beer industry but contemporary unfettered unregulated capitalism's disturbing excesses.
- Box Office Magazine
In Beer Wars, entrepreneurialism and opportunity go awry when tainted by greed and a thirst for power.
- Los Angeles Times
Beer Wars certainly raises some interesting questions, the most potent of which is, is this what capitalism is meant to be?
- New Times
For those who are keeping the American dream alive, this spirited documentary raises a toast.
- St Louis Post-Dispatch
A trenchant analysis unapologetic in its rebuke of Big Beer, Beer Wars is heartily recommended for patrons already inclined to opt for the local brew at every tap. It will also appeal to patrons interested in craft foods as well as homebrewed beer and wine and others particular about quality.
- Library Journal