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THE FESTIVAL RAG >> 12.03.2003 v01.03
 

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A quick editor's note regarding the response to our last issue. We are truly astonished. Astonished at the response, yes, but moreover at what is crystal and clear: independent filmmaking is alive and kicking and ferociously ready for a strong voice. Your voice. All of your voices. What arrived at our offices and in our email left us agog, left us wondering why this community – your community – has not integrated sooner? Well, now it has and we have big plans. So, welcome.


 
 
 
 
 
 

At this year’s AFI International Film Festival, the so-called “somebodies” like Charlize Theron, Jon Favreau and Sir Ben Kingsley walked the red carpet while the "nobodies" flanked them famelessly on both sides. A good image to keep in mind when talking about film director Azazel Jacobs and his recent feature, Nobody Needs to Know, which screened at the festival as the only US entry in its International Feature Competition. The low-budget film illustrates how our culture can make ordinary people into stars through constant photographic surveillance.

When I spoke with Jacobs during the festival, he explained the unconventional vision he had for this film. He and his cinematographer, Daniel Andrade examine the lives of the so-called “nobodies” by using common black-and-white surveillance cameras. That footage makes up 75% of the film, which they both edited. Jacobs is a graduate of the AFI Film School, and names among his influences Jim Jarmusch, the Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki, and his own filmmaker father, Ken Jacobs.

The surveillance footage used throughout the film pushes Nobody Needs to Know into the realm of social commentary. It creates an intentional unease, blurring the lines between pretension and authenticity, between fame and ordinary life. While co-writing the screenplay with Curtis Winter, Jacobs tried "to make it so the stars become extras and the random people become the real stars of the film without being on film.”

The film's actual cast is led by Tricia Vessey (Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai) as Iris, an actress who comes to the abrupt realization that she is not willing to die for fame. Alvin Seme stars as Lamont, a character inspired by Lamont Cranston from Orson Welles’ The Shadow. Jacobs describes Lamont as a man “pushed by the constant surveillance of his everyday life to discover the real power is off-screen."

Other featured performers include Liz Stauber (Three Kings, White Oleander) as an actress desperate for fame, Matt Boren (Pranksters), as a weary schlock-film director and Norman Reedus (Blade II, 8MM) as a famous actor willing to trade his stardom for the public's notice of his absence.

"[The actors] didn’t get paid nearly what they should have been paid,” Jacobs confesses. His budget for the three-year project was $65,000. This did not include the blow-up to 35mm for the festival.

Jacobs financed Nobody Needs to Know primarily by asking friends for cash, though Peggy Weix, one of the producers, also came up with money. Jacobs was candid: “I had this crazy idea, that they [should] all know they weren’t going to make their money back," But he "promised them the best film [he] could possibly do." This approach was only partially successful. "Obviously I lost friends by asking them for money, as well.” The film will be travelling the festival circuit this year, seeking a distributor.

Jacobs' next project is Greased, a feature about a young couple’s road trip from New York City to Los Angeles.

You can contact Azazel Jacobs at: www.nobodyneedstoknow.com

- Michelle Paster
michelynn345@yahoo.com

3WK

If you’ve ever received an e-mail from Hunter Todd, the Chairman and Founding Director of WorldFest, you’ve more than likely been greeted with his easygoing salutation: "Howdy from Houston." In this month’s Rag Megaphone, however, Hunter offers up hard-hitting thoughts on the festival circuit and, between the lines, offers a solid reminder: Don’t Mess With Texas. 


 

 

"Why Even Bother with a Film Festival?"

First of all, a warning: most of the 300-plus "film festivals" in North America are not really film festivals. They are screening events. They show a few films and tapes in a less-than-excellent venue and generally do very little for your film. A lot of scams are out there too... One in NYC (we won't mention names here, but they are easy to check on) attempts to charge the filmmaker anywhere between $300 and $3000 to "participate" in their so-called Independent Film Festival. Think that’s bad? Some "festivals" don’t actually exist, let alone show a single film. So, my first advice? "Filmmaker Beware."

Second, the reality: after you've poured your blood, sweat and tears into your film, along with 27 credit cards, you’ll have reached the “now what” phase. Film festivals are truly the best avenue to gain notice for you and your film, since it's almost impossible to get a studio or distributor or network to look at an independent film. Trouble is, you have to be accepted into that festival. Sundance has such a perverse agenda that no one can really figure out what they are looking for. Casting a major star in your film – or an offspring of a major star – helps, but Sundance has essentially become a promo platform for the major studios. Nearly 80% of the films they screen have distribution already in place, or worse, were actually financed by a major studio.

So, what to do? Find a festival that’s right for your film. Talk to other filmmakers, go to www.filmfestivals.com and look around, though you may be boggled by the vast selection. Check with www.filmthreat.com. Key point: watch out for the “1st Annual” anything. No track record may mean no real event. Checking out websites helps; professional-looking sites will at least indicate a feel for the business. No website? Big problem. Choose festivals that accept the kind of film you have made. There are specialized festivals for shorts, docs, children's films, features of all kinds and shorts of all kinds. Toronto is the 900-pound gorilla, but hard to get into. San Francisco has a good short-film festival, so does St. Louis and Doubletake. We hear good things about Ft. Lauderdale and Seattle. And I would be remiss if I did not mention our festival, the upcoming 37th Annual WorldFest, in Houston, Texas.. We show about 60 features and 100 new shorts on film and digital.

The European festivals are great, with low entry fees, or often none at all. European festivals receive huge government grants, so most don’t charge an entry fee – though some are starting to do so. Many of these fests have very strict guidelines on things like running time and format. Cannes screens only 35mm, and they don't accept shorts longer than 15 minutes. Some Euro fests do accept DVD and VHS, you just have to do your homework to find them. Most US festivals are not recipients of government largesse, so most charge entry fees. Important note: avoid any festival that has an entry fee and then a "Finals Fee" as this is a big hint there is a scam going on.

Finally, your film is accepted: congratulations. Now the work really begins. Attend the festival. Be everywhere. Be a charming pest! Hand out lots of flyers, business cards, DVDs of your short. Work the festival, and work it hard. Be noticed. You may get a studio interview, a real job offer, maybe even a look at your feature script! Spielberg actually got his first job offer at WorldFest. Frank O'Connor, the Senior VP of Universal was at WorldFest, saw his film (Amblin') and told Spielberg to look him up when he got to LA... The rest is cinema history.

Good luck, keep rollin'...

- Hunter Todd
Chairman & Founding Director
the 37th Annual WorldFest
www.worldfest.org

Napster's Back

City-Planner-turned-Indie-Producer Joel Sadilek was tired of hearing the same lame chorus from LA production companies: "It's a good script but can you make it more commercial?" Determined to remove the middle man and find his own funding, Sadilek wrote a letter titled "Joel's Tin Cup" to 400 of his closest friends requesting the $400,000 he needed to complete Truth or Fiction, his first feature.

Rag writer Emmett Williams trades emails with Joel to find out if and how his tin cup is filling up.


 

 

Emmett Williams: What's been the reaction to your letter?

Joel Sadilek
: There are many follow-up calls to be made, but so far I have about 30 people who want to invest somewhere between $75-$100,000. I've also received donations for equipment and locations valued at about $75K.


EW: Have you ever done anything like this before?

JS: In film school I tried to fundraise by approaching people like presidents of large companies. What I realized is that most people won't invest in a film unless they know you.


EW: What brought you to the point to where you felt you had no other choice but to write the letter?

JS: I've been producing for long enough that I know how to get it done. The difference came down to the financing. I have a lot of connections outside the film world. Many of these people saw me transition from one career to another and have followed my progress. All have admired my ambition so I figured now is the time to see how much support I can muster up.


EW: Is there a schedule for getting Truth or Fiction completed?

JS: That depends upon how much I raise by January. It's nice to have some financing committed already so that when I approach new potential investors they don't feel like they're taking the first leap.


EW: What will you do if you don't get all the necessary funding?

JS: I don't like to think about that, but it's a good question. This will happen no matter what. At this point, it's just a matter of when.

To drop a dime into Joel's tin cup: Jrsadilek@aol.com


- Emmett Williams
www.emmettwilliams.com



Get Your Kill Quentin T-Shirt!


 
 

 

Canadian filmmaker Paul Kell’s feature documentary, 5 Sides of a Coin, premiered at this year’s 2003 AFI International Film Festival. It showcases interviews and footage from some of the world’s top hip-hop artists, including Grandmaster Flash, Phase Too, Run DMC, Afrika Bambaataa, Jurassic 5, Prince Paul, The Beatnuts, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Mix Master Mike, Rahzel, Spearhead, and DJ Krush, among others. The Festival Rag’s Michelle Paster heaves Qs towards Paul Kell, who throws back some As.


Michelle Paster: Why hip-hop as opposed to another musical genre?

Paul Kell: For me, hip-hop isn’t about being a genre. It transcends musical boundaries, which is probably why it’s spread so far abroad. It’s giving people a new way of living, a new way of thinking. I suppose you could draw the parallels to what rock 'n’ roll once was as a movement, but I have a feeling that is because of the multiple elements (emcee, deejay, writing, breakin’, beatboxin’, etcetera). Hip-hop goes so much further, much deeper. Ultimately, I think it’s something that comes closer to touching what’s innate or primal within every one of us.


MP: What is hip-hop to you? Has your definition changed since making this film?

PK: The best answer I can come up with is that it’s a way of life. I don’t know if I ever had a definition when I started out, and I still don’t know if I do today. The bottom line is that it’s many different things to many different people. Perhaps your definition is affected by what your relationship is to it, which in my case would mean that I’m an outsider looking in, and that I don’t really have the right to have an opinion. On the other hand I did grow up with it and it was a major influence on my development. At one point, as an 11-year old, I tried breakin’, but learning from a K-Tel record’s pullout poster didn’t cut it.


MP: Jeru says hip-hop is the “earth, the dirt” and the “ultimate outlet of artistic expression.” This reminds me of hip-hop's roots in vaudeville, blues and jazz. What do you think about that?

PK: Hip-hop’s roots go back much farther than the Black experience in America, even though they are a part of its history. The truth is you can go as far back in time as is possible for humans: it all started with the drum and hip-hop just brought the drum back to the forefront.

MP: Dash 167 says, “White people like you – they won’t come to the Bronx to see you, [but] Roxy performances led to deals and international status.” Did you have difficulties getting honest material?

PK: Back in the '70s white people didn’t go to the Bronx because they’d probably get into trouble. Today things are different, but even while I was shooting in New York there were white New Yorkers that thought I was nuts for spending so much time in Harlem and the Bronx, especially at night. Perhaps I was too naïve to see the dangers, but I always felt welcome, and I always felt safe. The truth is, I’ve gone into a number of neighborhoods, restaurants and clubs where I was the only white guy. I didn’t have a problem with it, and nobody else did either. On the other hand, if a black person went into an all-white neighborhood, they probably would have themselves a problem. What does that say about tolerance in America?


MP: Did any of the artists or public relations people think it strange or out of place for a white man to be inquiring about hip-hop culture for a film?

PK: Nope. Race was never an issue, which almost everyone in hip-hop will tell you. I might have felt or have been out of place in certain circumstances, but once you get to know people, you forget about skin tones.


MP: Tell me how you went from saying, “I want to make this film” to actually making it.

PK: It’s taken me almost four and a half years to get to where I am today. It started out as an idea for a short documentary on the local scene and it grew into what it became. As for how I took it from an idea to the camera, I just bought a camera and did it.


What’s next: Paul has an emcee-battle reality TV show called Scorch the Mic in the works. He will also be producing and directing the pilot for Teddy's Vittles, a show that will introduce the world to the genius of Theodore Thomas.

Contact: paul_kell@hotmail.com

- Michelle Paster
michelynn345@yahoo.com

Vancouver International Digital Festival.

Otherwise know as VIDFEST, this festival wants to see your digital movie whether it's MiniDV, 3D animation, Flash or some crazy-ass method that hasn't been thought of yet.  Heck, here's a festival that wants you to mix and match technologies and explore all the options that digital formats afford. They'll take most genres:  drama, comedy, tragedy, music video, docs, experimental, game sequences, and animation.  Your project must be digital, and it must be under 22 minutes.

Deadline: February 13, 2004
www.vidfest.com



Doesn't the Mafia get enough screen time already?
 
Does the world really need The MAFIA Documentary Awards?  Actually, yes.  Especially when MAFIA is an anagram for Music And Film Independent Artists.  The MAFIA Documentary Awards, now in their third year, are the only Australian film awards dedicated solely to showcasing independent short documentaries.  During the first two years they gave away more than fifty thousand dollars' worth of prizes.  No specific theme is necessary to enter, but unusual issues are highly encouraged (a short documentary on how three guys in New York started a newsletter called The Festival Rag, perhaps). Films must be completed in 2003/2004 to be eligible for submission.

Deadline: March 1, 2004
www.mafia.com.au



Third Year to Dance on the Road.

One.  This festival takes place outdoors on the roads and in the parking lots of Park City, Utah... Hence the name: ROADANCE.

Two.
The Festival will take place in Park City, January 15-24, 2004 during the same 10 days of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival... Hence the name: ROADANCE.

Three.  The theatre that will show your film is actually a 16-foot truck with digital projector, DV deck, genny and a screen, parked on a Park City street... Once again, the name: ROADANCE.

[Four. ROADANCE is looking for filmmakers who want exposure at Sundance but can't afford the time or the money to actually go to Park City during the Sundance festival.]

Deadline: January 12, 2004
www.roadance.com



Newport Beach Party

More than 250 features, shorts, documentaries and animated films will compete for both Jury and Audience awards during the fifth Newport Beach Film Festival, April 15-25, 2004.  Newport's programmers are looking out for filmgoers, too. Newport Beach isn't just the standard mix of independent and studio worlds, but a lively international melange – films from Asia, Europe, Africa – providing a unique cinematic blend of genre and culture.  And a note to all filmsters making shorts: last year NBFF unspooled one wonderful short after after another, for nearly ten days straight. Well-recommended to vie for this fest.

Deadline: January 15, 2003
www.newportbeachfilmfest.com

Clean Films

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