Indie Film Class SBIFF Panel

A panel of four filmmakers that have feature films in SBIFF visited my Independent Film Class yesterday. It was a very intriguing and entertaining conversation because of how personal and down to earth they all were and was also really cool because I had met one of them at the press breakfast a few days before.

These were the films represented:
Disfigured
Summerhood
Frayed
Remarkable Power

I am actually going to have to miss the director's panel on Saturday because of our last re-shoots of Chimes, so I'm really happy that I got to see these directors instead. Below is a summary of the conversation; the quotes range from advice about financing a film to just plain silly exclamations that arouse.

"Get the money to make the choices"
"You should be making an indie film with no expectation of making the money back"
"Do not use credit cards"
on first film seen: "I saw God too when I was 31/2 and he was a vengeful bitch"
"Learn about money and distribution for film before you start"
"Enough people just give money because they want their name in a movie"
on viewers:"the less you care about it, the more you a reopen about liking it"
"it's all about strategy"
ask for money from "people who are sympathetic about your ideas"
"everyone has a story...the ability to translate that is what makes you a filmmaker"
"You're not being desperate when asking for money, you're providing a service"
"What a bunch of bullshit, but they took it"
"important to think about other things besides money...that's not what film making is"
"you can make genre films in an independent way"
"the thing that is going to make a good film, is making five other films"
"DVD's are your film school"
"we sold fitness gear..made infomercials, which in itself was practice making short films."
"It doesn't matter how you make it or where it shows...if it's good it will be seen"
"I don't care about distribution...I can do it myself"
"Pick a date to start and end and do it"
"If you can get over the vanity of a theatrical release, you'll never look back"
"you must figure out goals with your team"
"you must manage and figure choices in terms of how final product will sell"
"you have to be resourceful."
"you should be willing but not mandated to make moral decisions, even if it has to increase budget"
"writing is free"
"are you interests in a western...you never know"
"if you're gonna write a feature make sure it is 100 pages or less"
"Day 1 of shooting: 8,000 dollars in the bank. By the time I crawled out of bed, the money was gone and spent on phone calls"

It was refreshing how the panel was so engaged in the discussion and the moderator position was so fluid that they were able to ask each other and at one point ask the students some questions. This brought new optimism to me about the passion to make films.

don't take yourself so seriously..go to the movies

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!

SBIFF Producer's Panel

On Saturday Jan 26th, there was a Producer's Panel at the Lobero Theatre as part of the SB International Film Festival.

Those in attendance:

Daniel Lupi (There will be Blood)
Craig Zaden and Neil Meron (Hairspray, Chicago)
James L. Brooks (The Simpsons)
Leanne Halfon (Juno)

Lupi: "Paul Thomas Anderson gets what he wants"- (haha that's basically all he said!)

Zaden: "invaluable to have private and prior prep with actors."
"As Producer you can't really behave badly"

Meron: "Make what works, even try to enhance what you have and be responsible."

Brooks: "To direct, you have to have some sort of insanity that this is the most important thing at the time."
"Tone ranks up there with story."
"You have to let someone go if they are not going to work."
"If everyone is doing their work and disagreeing, everything will be okay."
"Loyalty is confused."
"Being a producer is very vague because you do everything."

Halfon: Being a Producer means you "have to have that pitch in your head and keep it constant."
"Smaller budget is lecense to be talked to less."

I was intrigued by the conversations. I was, though a little surprised about how little the panelists acknowledged those in the audience. The panel felt a little impersonal, yet it was informative. Maybe that's why I found myself not being very motivated to talk to anyone of them afterwards. I guess I didn't want it to be a meeting in which I just say my name and what film I am represented followed by a meek "well...nice to meet you." But nonetheless I'm glad I went because they said many things about producing that I agreed and could relate with. And I look forward to the Directors Panel later this week!

re-living leaps

Today I used the term “leap of faith” twice and in both senses I meant it in relation to love.

I find that repetition pretty interesting.

Everything seems to be fitting into place and when I say that I don’t mean at all that everything is turning out alright or that I am getting everything I want. Because honestly, it’s far from it. But, things seem to be sailing by and making all the right pit stops.

( I am tired of explaining everything and answering questions that I have answered already and then again. The rest of this passage may not have anything to do with leaps of faith, but then again, it does. I trust you to figure that out. Sometimes explaining just makes my ideas more unexplainable and that just makes me frustrated…)

I like repetition and replays and redo’s. I like remembering how reality is and how things keep flowing and fluxing back, washing away until things change; until wearing away means new growth. I like how I can change the way I see things. I like when people can see that change, but feel a little fake when they think I was like that originally. I love the people who lead me toward change. I feel light and porous and get that feeling inside and take a deep breath--feel it again and then smile inside. I then smile inside toward the person or image or sound that helped me get there. I like to return to those things that gave me that feeling--and even better feel so nice when they re-visit me.

I like that I can sometimes be forward and feel better that way. The things I originally had to suppress can now be happily expressed. I like having emotion; but ironically I like when movies show characters who lack a lot of emotion. I have found over this week that I am full of contradictions. I admit it, but somehow get offended when people agree. That in itself a contradiction? I don’t know. But a good friend taught me that things need to be questioned and re-thought and I guess that’s how I can understand that contradictions are not only natural but more dependable than clear-cut, prideful opinions.

I like long sentences and exhales of understanding. I like that repetitions allow for change and re-visiting.

The ability to re-visit an idea gives more freedom and questioning leads to perhaps clearer comprehension.

The thing I don’t like about repetition is that the original or the previous wave can sometimes be washed away by all the copies and new memories.

-promise me one thing---don’t let me forget how much I care about you

Timon at SBIFF...wOOt!

This short film that I produced, (written by Michael Weinreich and Directed by Max Littman), for the UCSB Reel Loud film festival is showing at SBIFF this weekend! Below is info to check it out. Wooot!

Saturday, Jan. 26th: 10pm
Marjorie Luke Theatre
721 E. Cota Street

Tuesday, Jan 29th: 9pm
Victoria Hall
33 W. Victoria Street

"You'll be tapping your feet to the melody of generosity and revenge!"

http://www.sbfilmfestival.org/
www.moseshouse.com/timon

cycling over and over

I like the feeling of...

being uncontrollably widemouthed in front of a big screen
telling stories for the first time that have been in my mind for years
snippets of coincidences noticed, but not necessarily noted
intriguing conversation
mutual understanding of love
forgetting the time
"being the same person!"
becoming more modest after a compliment

feeling like someone has occasional checks and balances on me
non-exclusive "personal jokes" that get funnier each time
heart to hearts that lead to something
personal squinting nod of understanding
pro-active sharing
giving paragraph long and really direct compliments
on the dot understandings
peaceful emotional catharsis
one sentence help for a stressful situation
suppressed tear jerker

being thought of and leaving a mark among
bringing people together
teaching an appreciative student
someone wanting my help
true constructive criticism

natural smiles and laughter pictures
being natural
unspoken connection
beginning sentences with "i feel"
accidentally making a difference

different handwriting each time pen to paper

Change used to scare me. This is not to say that "I don't like change." I guess I may be just starting to understand how it works. Every day seeming like a different life used to make me feel like that's not what it's supposed to feel like.

I am so fascinated on how people can change. Looking back at photos, thinking about the gaps in memory, and initial reactions of difference help me uncover this change. I don't think change will ever cease to fascinate me.

I'm trying to look at events and moments of difference and the present equally connecting to the past and the future in a transcendentalist viewpoint. I like soaking things in just enough to allow them to reflect and bounce right off me as if sparks of light off a block of aluminum foil. Somehow I feel held back to my original state; as if these reflex's are somehow remembered and copied and stored in a side compartment for me to grasp occasionally.

I kind of feel as if the evolution of myself is like those early mario brothers video games (which btw I always felt awkward playing). I'm talking about the ones where mario jumps up and over a conveyor belt city or skyscrape and if he misses the mushroom or gets hit by a rock he automatically starts back at the beginning. I am mario and even though I am freely riding this conveyor belt toward somewhere, sometimes I'm strung back to the beginning. But I should mention that when playing these games alone, I always had a fascination of not going forward. I tried to test what would happen if I went backwards or just hung out among these mushrooms or question marks. Sometimes I would just stop and chill. Some people say video games are a way to go to another world and become that character. I always felt more conscious of myself while playing. I was not mario. I was Lisa awkwardly pressing A and B and occasionally that back button, to control mario.

(Haha that extended metaphor just got me psyched for my video games class).

Change use to scare me. I don't necessarily think that uneasiness of it's workings has gone away, I just think I am more conscious of it with every day.

blllizzarrd

upright gazing

mid-way meeting

I talked to another guy I don’t know yesterday...this is turning into a regular thing I guess. This time it was on a blog site. There were about 45 comments on a topic board before it ended up being a conversation basically just between the two of us, except for a nice person who was being kind to me. His blogger name is big daddy, which actually turned out to be an opportune name in the discussion, if not for anything than for my personal entertainment. I was creative in my name- Lisa.

If your so inclined or interested in this blog-sesh, which will make my observations below more clear, or more broadly, if are interested in the new movie, Cloverfield that is coming out, (which actually I'm not even that interested in)...just click here. I guess it also shows a more feisty side of LShap, but still with the tint of hopeful sentiment that you know.

Anyways, here's what I gleaned from this experience:

Never doubt that there will be an unexpected nice person to back you up
It feels better to argue in a respectable way
It’s easy to resolve an argument when at least one person welcomes understanding
Your attitude of someone can shift if you can let go of the past
It’s easy to make judgment; but easier to not.
Look for ways to meet someone half way.
Trying to understand, with practice, will become natural.
Overconfidence is a form of insecurity. Move on.
Being naïve is not the worst thing.
blogging=sharing.

big daddy- if you’re reading this, thanks again for meeting me half way. As you made me realize a few things, I hope I was able to plant some naïve and optimistic seeds in you. I’m still wondering if your name refers to that Adam Sandler movie or something else interesting. Frankly, I’ve been thinking about that more than Cloverfield.

show that you care

On January 12th there will be a mock rally at UCSB to save the Gaviota Coast, to be filmed for the mockumentary, Chimes of Gaviota or: I've Got the Real Estate Blues.

It is staged and led by our main actors, but it is still important because it's a real issue. Come and show that you care!

For more info, check out our facebook event or support the cause and Save Naples!

the first of the month; not just a number

New years for me is kind of like thanksgiving. It's a time for me to look toward the past and evaluate my current state. I barely look toward the present; memory is too important for me to jump to what has yet to occur. I figure I'll glean on that later. It's also a time to have fun. Somewhere in between the two, I of course make time to make a list.

Every year I make a list of "firsts" when I get home from my new year’s eve celebrations. It means more to me than any top ten list ever would. It’s fast and spontaneous and totally candid. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes there’s surprises. And it only includes the instant things that happen that night. Any other categories are listed but I don’t wait for them to happen or encourage them to happen. I will mentally fill them in when they do and (perhaps) post some of those when they are filled in. I sometimes contemplate why I don't do a "last" list; I guess my answer is because that's just plain sad.

It would be nice if everyone made a list like this and posted it so the people involved can see. It's nice to stop and think of the little things in life beyond booze and vast resolutions. Feel free to steal my categories but it’s the best to add some of your own! (I never look back at my previous year until the next new years day).

Here they are as of 12:00.01- 2008:

First hug- Michelle
First cry- EK
First call- Steven
First words: “woo!”
First "deep" intellectual convo- Michael
First Aim- EK
First I love you- Tessa
First song- Bright eyes- First day of my life
First drink- Starbucks Christmas Blend Coffee
First bite of food- Homemade lemon cake
First face book wall post- Justin
First real laugh- Steven
First solid thought- “I’m lucky for what I have”
First saved photo in my 2007 college album: chimes cast and crew group
First TV show watched: tie: New Year’s Rockin Eve confetti clean-up and new years wish from Hugh Hefner
First “that feeling inside:” When wishing friends happy new year and contacting a few even though “it’s been a while”
First news watched: ABC weather report
First website visited: umail (duh)
First news read: Ski accident that kills Michael Kennedy
First incoming email: Facebook: “Ryan wrote on your wall”
First thing read: LA times Calendar section

Still waiting for:

First laugh until I cry:
First cry until I laugh:
First kiss:
First joke that people laugh at:
First real LOL:
First movie in a theatre:
First film related task:
First live performance:
First You tube Video commission by someone else that I actually enjoy:
First use of a personal joke:
First disappointment:
First complaint:
First photo:
First lesson:
First regret:
First sent email:
First compliment given:
First compliment received:
First surprise:
First memorable saying by a friend or someone I admire:
First purchase: