The Scary Cow Screening
I'm not a film critic, but tonight I'm going to play one on LJ. Yesterday, I attended a screening of short films made by various groups in cooperation with the Scary Cow film-making co-operative. I saw a total of 18 films. Of those, 14 were made with no funding (other than what each group provided). The remaining four, the Phase II films, were provided funding of a few thousand dollars.
What amazed me was the broad range of movies, in terms of subject matter and sophistication. Of the really good ones, I personally thought RUMPLED was a standout for the amazing conception, great acting, perfect settings, and just generally working very well indeed. [ETA: It was. It won awards from two of three judges - one of whom gave it all his votes - as well as an "outstanding" for Acting.]
Some others were great, too. FINGERMONSTERS was a very funny, highly competent special effects film involving three guys, a synthesizer, and finger-puppet monsters dancing to music. RE:INVENTION, was a sincere well-made documentary about three people who lost their jobs and/ or money and what they did afterward. HELP FIGHT EPD was a humorous spoof about Extreme Pixellation Disorder (and Black Band Disorder) with the conceit that the ways in which TV hides identities are actually genetic diseases. The idea was superficial, but it was so well-executed that it succeeded. THE EXQUISITE PAIN was a well-acted piece where a character pursues his author until she writes a worthwhile story for him. THE DAYDREAM series - three gorgeously-filmed vignettes - didn't amount to a story, but it was beautifully done.
The audience was responsive and generous with applause. After each film, the lights were put on for a few minutes so we could make notes, and the film-team could stand up and be acknowledged. (Yes, I stood up for RUMPLED... I figured that if my name was on the credits, I could.)
The screening, which started at 3 p.m., broke for dinner at around 5.30. At the dinner break, maybe 25% of the audience left. Then Phase II started - the films that had funding. After each one, the makers came up front and answered questions. (Mainly, what camera did you use? and how many shoot days?)
I thought three of the films were pretty good. GOODBYE MR JORDAN was about a chessplayer turned unwilling killer. The main actor was excellent, but I felt the casting didn't quite work. Much of it was shot in what looked like a storage locker with this guy incessantly cleaning his rifle. Quite intense. THE PITCH was quite well done, but the theme wasn't that fresh. A film magnate gives an interview to a young script-writer who is working across all genres, and we see a clip of each as the script is reviewed. YOU'RE SO FUCKING DEAD CHARLIE ROZNIK is about two guys who are friends until one suspects the other of stealing his girl - while the girl is wiring dynamite into his car. Well acted, but there was no Kaboom. I think if you show dynamite, you owe the viewer an explosion.
Afterwards, I met Brooke Dooley, who worked with Justin on RUMPLED, and she introduced me to some of the others. Then the cast party started, and I left, buying a DVD of the films on my way out.
What amazed me was the broad range of movies, in terms of subject matter and sophistication. Of the really good ones, I personally thought RUMPLED was a standout for the amazing conception, great acting, perfect settings, and just generally working very well indeed. [ETA: It was. It won awards from two of three judges - one of whom gave it all his votes - as well as an "outstanding" for Acting.]
Some others were great, too. FINGERMONSTERS was a very funny, highly competent special effects film involving three guys, a synthesizer, and finger-puppet monsters dancing to music. RE:INVENTION, was a sincere well-made documentary about three people who lost their jobs and/ or money and what they did afterward. HELP FIGHT EPD was a humorous spoof about Extreme Pixellation Disorder (and Black Band Disorder) with the conceit that the ways in which TV hides identities are actually genetic diseases. The idea was superficial, but it was so well-executed that it succeeded. THE EXQUISITE PAIN was a well-acted piece where a character pursues his author until she writes a worthwhile story for him. THE DAYDREAM series - three gorgeously-filmed vignettes - didn't amount to a story, but it was beautifully done.
The audience was responsive and generous with applause. After each film, the lights were put on for a few minutes so we could make notes, and the film-team could stand up and be acknowledged. (Yes, I stood up for RUMPLED... I figured that if my name was on the credits, I could.)
The screening, which started at 3 p.m., broke for dinner at around 5.30. At the dinner break, maybe 25% of the audience left. Then Phase II started - the films that had funding. After each one, the makers came up front and answered questions. (Mainly, what camera did you use? and how many shoot days?)
I thought three of the films were pretty good. GOODBYE MR JORDAN was about a chessplayer turned unwilling killer. The main actor was excellent, but I felt the casting didn't quite work. Much of it was shot in what looked like a storage locker with this guy incessantly cleaning his rifle. Quite intense. THE PITCH was quite well done, but the theme wasn't that fresh. A film magnate gives an interview to a young script-writer who is working across all genres, and we see a clip of each as the script is reviewed. YOU'RE SO FUCKING DEAD CHARLIE ROZNIK is about two guys who are friends until one suspects the other of stealing his girl - while the girl is wiring dynamite into his car. Well acted, but there was no Kaboom. I think if you show dynamite, you owe the viewer an explosion.
Afterwards, I met Brooke Dooley, who worked with Justin on RUMPLED, and she introduced me to some of the others. Then the cast party started, and I left, buying a DVD of the films on my way out.