Fog City Pictures is very excited to have its latest full-length feature film accepted into the prestigious Mill Valley Film Festival.
A quick update from SFSDF.
WHAT: Filmmakers Boot Camp
WHEN: May 2-4, 2008 (Fri., 6pm-10pm, Sat. 10am-6pm & Sun., 10am-6pm)
WHERE: San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking,
2565 Third St., San Francisco, CA
WHO: Writers, Directors, Producers, Anyone!
HOW: Register online at www.filmboot.com for SF boot camp.
FEES:
• GENERAL ENROLLMENT: $395
• STUDENTS: $150 (enter SFSTU150 as discount code when registering online)
• FILM ORG. DISCOUNT: $300 -- available to members of BAWIFT & SF CUTTERS. (enter SFORG300 as discount code when registering online.)
The Filmmakers Boot Camp is taught by Larry Meistrich, NEHST Studios Chairman, Founder and Hollywood insider. Meistrich offers a rare opportunity for local aspiring filmmakers and writers to learn the A-Z’s of successful filmmaking from his own experiences and successes. Meistrich founded the first indie film studio ‘The Shooting Gallery’ and is the award-winning producer of Sling Blade, Belly, You Can Count on Me, and Croupier. “We are working hard to help break down the Hollywood barriers and make sure other talented aspiring film makers and actors can have access and take part in the industry as well,” states Meistrich.
The Filmmakers Boot Camp is a three day intensive workshop which will cover the how to's of; producing, financing, filmmaking, and content creation. Topics include: how the business is changing/strategies you can use to succeed, career opportunities in the new media, and secrets to pitching your ideas and producing/negotiating/distributing a feature film. All Film Boot Camp attendees will get an insider’s look at how to navigate the film industry and then will have the chance to pitch and potentially sign their own production deal. Over 7 deals have been made already… Are you next?
For information and online registration, visit www.filmboot.com or www.nehst.com
“Around June” Movie Trailer Contest Invites Aspiring Filmmakers to Cut the Trailer
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 15) – An online editing contest to cut the winning movie trailer for the upcoming feature film, “Around June,” will launch on October 15th on the CineWave station at Podango (http://cinewave.podango.com).
During his weekly CineWave online video show, director James Savoca will introduce themes from his movie, “Around June,” over the course of seven weekly shows, offer tips on how to cut a great trailer, and invite the participation of film editors and enthusiasts.
“We’re launching the “Around June” movie trailer contest to involve aspiring filmmakers in our motion picture and create buzz in advance of festival screenings,” noted director James Savoca.
Web-based contestants will be provided with downloadable clips from the film and access to online editing tools. To qualify, movie trailer submissions must be between 60 and 90 seconds in length. Music should be original scored music that you own the copyright for or cleared for use by the copyright owner. The submission deadline is November 22, 2007. Based on the votes by judges and viewers, the winning trailer will be announced in a CineWave podcast on December 3, 2007 and included in the “Around June” DVD. The winning entrant will receive an iPhone.
Entrants should upload movie trailers to YouTube and send an email with a link to the video to Around.June@gmail.com In your email please provide full contact information with your email, your website/blog and “snail mail” address.
"Around June" is a feature film directed by James Savoca (Sleepwalk) starring Samaire Armstrong (Dirty Sexy Money, Entourage), Brad Wiliam Henke (October Road, Sherry Baby) and Jon Gries (Napoleon Dynamite, The Astronaut Farmer), currently in post-production.
For more information visit http://AroundJune.com.
Production Team
Writers/Directors: James Savoca, Achim Voermanek
Producers: Scott Bourne (Podango Productions)
Executive Producers: Jeremiah Birnbaum, Stephen Kopels (San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking)
Editor: Staci Degagne
# # #
About CineWave
CineWave is a video podcast station covering emerging trends in the marketing and producing of independent films. Featuring new voices in independent cinema, CineWave provides a platform for young filmmakers to promote their movies and discuss their filmmaking technologies.
About Podango
Podango is the online video and audio network that enables publishers and advertisers to “get heard” by today’s hard-to-reach, niche audiences. Featuring such hit shows as The Apple Phone Show, Podango hosts over 1,000 programs — including a number routinely found among the top twenty-five podcast shows on iTunes — on a wide variety of interests and topics. Through the company’s hosting and syndication services, corporate, professional and independent publishers deliver episodic video and audio programs, and targeted ads to highly qualified audiences. Podango also owns and operates its own a state-of-the-art production studio in the Bay Area. For more information please visit: www.podango.com <http://www.podango.com/> .
STUDENT FILMMAKER
San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking:
³Paul Wade² - Michael Cho
³Lanesplitting² - Chet Patterson
³World Within Worlds² - Marlene Sinicki
³Improved Odds² - Dawn Green
³San Francisco In the Eye of the Beholder² - Ephantus Njenga
Films will be showing on Saturday, October 5 between 4:45 to 5:15
For info: http://www.berkeleyvideofilmfest.org/entry%20info%202007.shtml
SFSDF Student Chet Patterson's 'LANESPLITTING'
Accepted Into Canadian Film Festival
Fresh off the heels of his film's acceptance into the highly competitive 16th Annual Berkeley Video and Film Festival, SFSDF summer workshop Chet Patterson's documentary 'lanesplitting' has been
accepted into yet another festival –the WILDsound Film Festival to be held October 23rd at the Canadian National Film Board theatre in downtown Toronto, Canada. "It's unbelievable," said Patterson. "Getting accepted into the Berkeley festival was SUCH an
honor, and it's extremely validating to have the film accepted at another festival." In addition to having his film screened in another country, Patterson noted there were only ten films accepted into the entire festival program, and there was no distinction between those produced by students and those produced by professionals.
"Initially, I submitted 'lanesplitting' to the festival because they guaranteed feedback on your film, even if it wasn't accepted," said Patterson. "Now, because it's an 'audience feedback' festival, I'll have an entire theater giving – hopefully – constructive criticism of my work, rather than just a couple of reviewers."
Scheduled to moderate the film festival discussion is Jerry Ciccoritti, "one of Canada's most provocative and in-demand directors" according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), and the director of such critically-acclaimed films as Trudeau, Boy Meets Girl and Paris, France.
Patterson noted that after the screening, 'lanesplitting' will get posted on their website (see http://www.wildsound-filmmaking-feedback-events.com/watch_films_online.html), which, according to WILDsound organizers, receives thousands of visitors every week, "and they’ll actually pay me when people watch my movie. Very cool."
When asked about works in progress, Patterson is somewhat coy about the subject of his next documentary, saying only that it's a piece about "car communication … it just seems I tend to gravitate more towards 'contemporary social issue' documentaries, rather than, say, personal portraits," he said.
He noted he's already worked on other productions since this summer's workshop, most recently with fellow classmate Michael Connell on a documentary about the Benecia Yacht Club. In between festivals and gigs, Patterson continues to seek full-time video production work, noting that "having a documentary shown on the festival circuit hopefully adds to my marketability."
chet patterson
www.echet.com <http://www.echet.com>
starving fish productions
September 18th, 2007
Filmmaker Nikhil Prakash won the Columbine award for best short film
at the Moondance International Film Festival, which was held from
September 7th to 9th, 2007, at the Universal City Walk in Hollywood.
The film, "Name Day", which follows an Agnostic Arab-American's
journey from the dusk of murderous revenge to the dawn of spiritual
awakening after his devout Muslim brother is killed in a hate crime
during the aftermath of 9/11, is both powerful and timely.
"I hope people see this as more than just another nine-eleven story,"
comments Prakash. "My vision for the movie was to observe a man wade
through the ocean of hatred, depression, and loss that is drowning him
to finally experience a glimpse of the pure, pristine state that's at
the core of us all. The current world with its anti-Muslim hostility
and fear of terrorism is simply a backdrop for this character's
journey."
"Name Day", which was made for a thousand dollars with limited crew,
was one of many projects Prakash made while he was attending the San
Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking. The film premiered earlier
this year at the Arclight Cinemas as part of the Indian Film Festival
of Los Angeles. This marks the first project where Prakash
simultaneously wore the hats of writer, director, producer, and lead
actor.
Moondance International Film Festival's primary goal is to present
films and scripts that have the power to raise awareness about vital
social issues and that inspire positive action. The Moondance
Columbine award is intended to recognize films which reflect
non-violent conflict resolution.
Prakash is currently working on multiple feature scripts while
actively seeking fresh projects. He was recently invited to shadow the
director for an episode of the hit CBS show, "Cold Case"; having found
the experience very rewarding, he is also focusing his efforts on
opportunities within television.
His website is www.atmafilms.com, and he can be reached by email at
nikhil@atmafilms.com, or by phone at 510-299-9437.
Nikhil Prakash
SFSDF Graduate
1-Year Digital Filmmaking Program
"Call time is 10 am and I still have to pick up the lead actress I met via a craigslist ad. It is now a quarter past 10 and I still have now clue where I am driving to as my phone continues to ring. I try not to answer it as I try and make sense why there are two different Mission street exits. I crumble my mapquest directions and throw it in the back seat. My phone rings again, it is a crew member asking me where I am and verifying that they are on time despite the director not knowing where he is going. My phone rings again. The lead wants to know where I am and I tell her I will be there in seven to ten minutes (the typical answer I give to anyone when I am running late). As I am explaining my tardiness to an actress that I have talked to once in the back of my head I am thinking that in the back of her head she does not trust me and probably questioning the validity of our prior conversation. I bring a female crew member to avoid scarring off the actress from the feel of a shady adult filmmaker. I stop by two gas stations and against my internal instinct ask for directions and of course neither of them know where I am going. That’s makes 3 of us. A strange coincidence occurs when they both try to get me to buy maps. At this point I want to punch them in the neck for lying in order to sell a 3 dollar map, but I am trying to make a commercial so I will save this for tomorrow. I jump back in my car to see 3 missed calls. So I drive following my instincts which have done nothing for me. Welcome to 10:40 am. This is when God realizes he is done laughing at me and I see a road sign that shows me where to go. I quickly call the actress saying, “I am here.” I still have another 2 minutes until I am there so I kept her on the line. Finally I see her and introduce myself. I quickly call my crew members that are waiting at a coffee shop and I tell them I will be there in 7 to 10 minutes. At this point my brain is thrown off track and I am trying to figure out how to make up this time when I only have one day to shoot and need the daylight. So I tell myself it is just 30 seconds that I need despite knowing that telling a story in 30 seconds can be more difficult than telling a story in 5 minutes. I arrive at the coffee shop 15 minutes later. I am try rushing everyone as they all make smart ass remarks saying I am late not them. I know this. I rush everyone into the parking lot where I do a quick wardrobe check. We then all begin our 5 car motorcade to the beach. We arrive to the beach and begin setting up in what should have been a clear day by now, but the fog has yet to burn off. We start shooting and things finally begin to run smoothly. Once I get the take I needed for the first shot, a huge weight lifts off my shoulders. I am able to have fun with the shoot now. It turned out to be my favorite production day of all my projects."
