Archive for October, 2009
Spooky Indie Films to Watch this Halloween
There are many reasons to love Halloween: free candy, pumpkin carving and maybe best of all––scary movies. Check out some of our favorite spooky video shorts below.
PIN POINT (TRT 3:43)
When an evil orphanage caretaker tries to poison the children, a little girl takes matters into her own hands…
THE FURNITURE (TRT: 2:23)
Short, sweet, dark and funny––when confronted by the demons of loneliness, are you really alone.
LA FE’E ROUGE (TRT: 6:14)
Audience Award
This fantasy short peers into the world of doll remakes. You’ll never look at Barbie the same way again.
DRY CLEAN ONLY (TRT: 6:26)
When a couple shows up at a dry cleaners in bloody clothes, the clerk recalls one of the first rules of the trade–don’t ask questions.
Filmmaker Hugo Perez Recounts Unlikely Collaboration
SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON, airing in November on public television, tells the story of the unlikely collaboration between a Blackfeet poet and an unconventional classical composer, which resulted in a provocative symphony about the Lewis and Clark expedition from the perspective of American Indians today. Filmmaker Hugo Perez recounts the adventurous story of how the collaboration occurred and how he and composer Rob Kapilow were accidentally mistaken as federal agents.
Stanley and Livingston. Holmes and Watson. Calvin and Hobbes. Who can forget the first time they encountered these dynamic duos? As the director of SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON, I had the fortune to be present for the first fateful meeting of Rob Kapilow and Darrell Kipp––the subjects of my documentary.
I had begun my film journey following the story of maverick (have we rehabilitated that term yet?) composer Rob Kapilow on his quest to compose a symphony inspired by the Lewis and Clark expedition. Where else could this lead us but to the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission Convention in Great Falls, Montana where a certain Blackfeet writer and educator named Darrell Kipp was the keynote speaker? I have to admit that the groggy encounter between Darrell and Rob by the indoor pool at the Best Western––where we were all staying––lacked a certain electricity. However, it ended with an invitation from Darrell to come and visit him on the Blackfeet reservation. And we did come back to Montana and had a wonderful visit with Darrell at the Nizipuhwasin Blackfeet Language Immersion School.
COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS Screenings Demystify Hip-Hop Sampling
Kembrew McLeod, co-producer of COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS, answers questions from the audience with Tony Berman of Berman Entertainment and Technology Law, who is featured in the film.
From our first event at the Saratoga Springs Public Library in Saratoga Springs, New York on October 3 to our last two events on October 29 in Charleston, South Carolina and Indiana, Pennsylvania we’ve thrilled audiences with live DJs, hip-hop dancers and fascinating panelists from musicians to lawyers. Co-producer of COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS Kembrew McLeod told us “I feel honored to be part of the Community Cinema program which has allowed the film to be seen far and wide by a diverse range of audiences. Plus, it’s free. Who doesn’t like free?”
For more than 30 years, as hip-hop evolved from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry, hip-hop performers and producers have been reusing portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. But when lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.” Through interviews with many of hip-hop music’s founding figures—like Public Enemy, De La Soul and Digital Underground—along with emerging artists such as audiovisual remixers Eclectic Method, COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS by Benjamin Franzen and Kembrew McLeod illuminates both sides of the debate, from traditional musicians who view sampling as pillaging to those who argue that the practice of borrowing is by no means new nor is it unique to hip-hop or even music: Think of Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup cans.
With OVER 50 free screening events from coast to coast audiences were able to sample the flavor of hip-hip and electronic music first-hand from some of the subjects featured in the film. The Philadelphia event featured worldwide DJ sensation based in Philly, RJD2 (RJ Krohn – pictured to the right, on the left). The photo is a TwitPic uploaded live from the event. Our event in Oakland welcomed DJ legend Jeff Chang. Local hip-hop radio DJs hosted events in St. Louis and Seattle. In Seattle, KUBE 93 FM DJ Hyphen who co-hosts “Sunday Night Sound Session” introduced the film. “Sunday Night Sound Session” airs every Sunday night at 10:45 PM. “J. Moore and I offer listeners the newest, dopest hip-hop from all around the country, including local music from our own backyard,” boasts DJ Hyphen. Tune in around the Puget Sound Region or online worldwide. DJ Hypen introduced COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS and left the audience with some things to think about while watching the film.
Read on for more video clips, photos, and community connections.
Native American Heritage Month: Upcoming ITVS Programs
POWER PATHS, airing November 3 at 10:00 PM on Independent Lens on PBS
SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON, airing in November 2009 on public television
As the nation observes Native American Heritage Month throughout November, PBS will air programs that examine and celebrate the many aspects of Native American life and history. Be sure to check out these two new compelling ITVS documentaries:
POWER PATHS, airing November 3 at 10:00 on Independent Lens (check local listings), looks at how Native American tribes are turning to solar and wind sources to provide clean sustainable energy for cities across the west. Their traditional values regarding conservation and the earth offer real solutions to America’s energy crisis. A co-production of NAPT.
SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON, airing in November 2009 on public television (check local listings), tells the story of an unexpected collaboration between a Blackfeet poet and an unconventional classical composer that led to a unique work of art from the perspective of American Indians today.
Encore presentations of ITVS programs this month also include: TRUE WHISPERS: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers, MISS NAVAJO and MARCH POINT.
Get broadcast listings and more information about upcoming ITVS programs >>
Ask Programming: Seven Criteria for Your Film Proposal
Each year, ITVS fields well over 1,000 applications for program funding. In reviewing a documentary proposal, there are seven criteria that ITVS and its peer reviewers consider in their evaluations.
As you craft your own application for funding, these are important to keep in mind.
1. What is the overall quality of the project. Is the idea well conceived? Is the subject matter compelling? Does the approach make sense as a TV program?
2. What is the quality of the treatment. Is it well written? Is the storyline clearly delineated? How does it address the visuals, structure and style?
3. Is this project innovative? Does the subject matter present an untold story? In terms of format and presentation, how does the program take creative risks?
4. What is the quality of the work-in-progress video? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the production values, presentation of characters and visual style?
5. Does the proposal identify a target audience? Will this program serve the needs and interests of an under-represented audience? Will this program appeal to a national broadcast audience? Is it an appropriate program for public television?
6. How experienced and capable is the production team? Would the team be able to produce the program on time and for the amount of funding requested?
7. How does the filmmaker demonstrate credible access and rapport with the proposed subject(s) and story?
Want to know more about ITVS policies and procedures for funding? Read past entries of Ask Programming >>
Recent Talkback About Independent Lens This Month
Always thought-provoking, sometimes controversial, Independent Lens brings you documentaries, dramas, shorts and Web-exclusive projects made by independent thinkers. Check out some of the recent Talkback from viewers about films airing this month.
HERB & DOROTHY
“What an inspiring film! If the Vogels are ‘greedy,’ it is yet a selfless compulsion–the best kind–that recognizes beauty and the persons that grow with the art. And thanks to the filmmaker who persevered to tell this intimate, quirky story.”
Posted by: Cynthia Pon on October 15, 2009
“Congratulations to all: Herb and Dorothy for your beautiful collections and sharing your love of each other and your wonderful collections. PBS you did your viewers a great service by bringing us this magnificent presentation… It touched my heart as I am sure it did others. Thank you very much.”
Posted by: Nancy on October 14, 2009
“What an informative film, captivating. Thank you to the Vogels for sharing their story with all of us and especially for supporting artists for so many years. And thank you for the gift to the National Gallery of Art.”
Posted by: Patricia Macklin on October 14, 2009
View more Talkback and submit your own for HERB & DOROTHY >>
JOURNALS OF A WILY SCHOOL Premiering Tonight on Independent Lens
“An especially colorful episode of Independent Lens travels to Kolkata, India––a city teeming with pickpockets––to present a portrait of a young thief every bit as engaging as Charles Dickens’ Artful Dodger.”
- The Week
Forget Slumdog Millionaire––here’s the real-life story of survival on the streets of India. Follow Azad, a young pickpocket, who pushes his limits only to get caught by the police. In an effort to crack down on more serious crime, the police offer Azad a full pardon. But there’s a catch––he must turn in his fellow grifters. Will he collaborate or risk it all for life on the streets?
JOURNALS OF A WILY SCHOOL premieres tonight, Oct. 27, at 10:00 PM on Independent Lens on PBS (check local listings).
In the News: The Latest on ITVS Programs
Correspondent Jeffrey Brown interviews Megum Sasaki, the director and producer of HERB & DOROTHY. [TRT: 7 minutes].
Listen now >>
“Independent Lens begins its eighth season with Megumi Sasaki’s HERB & DOROTHY, about the unlikely art collectors Herb and Dorothy Vogel of New York, which Nathan Lee called a ‘modest, touching documentary’ in The New York Times.”
Read more >>
Director Bo Boudart discusses his film POWER PATHS on New American Media.
Listen now >>
“…Roberta Grossman’s beautifully made BLESSED IS THE MATCH… Won audience awards at numerous Jewish film festivals and a spot on the shortlist for the Academy Award for best documentary feature (though it ultimately didn’t receive a nomination). It also is slated to air next April on PBS.”
Read more >>
Community Cinema Screens COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS with Filmmaker Kembrew McLeod
This month Community Cinema is screening the Independent Lens film COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS, which examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money. Find out what happened at recent screenings in Kansas City, MO, and Iowa City from filmmaker Kembrew Mcleod.
Filmmaker Kembrew McLeod
It’s been a busy time for me. In the past three days I attended two screenings of COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS in two Midwestern towns: Kansas City and Iowa City. Lots of miles covered, and a ton of great questions from viewers. It made me wish I were able to attend each and every one of the 50+ Community Cinema screenings of COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS across the country during October. However, that would have been an insane (and impossible) journey, because several times the film was playing in two or more cities on the same night. I feel honored to be part of the Community Cinema program, which has allowed COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS to be seen far and wide by a diverse range of audiences. Plus, it’s free. Who doesn’t like free?
The really cool thing about the recent screenings I attended was that they took place in “real” theaters—Tivoli Cinemas, in Kansas City, and Iowa City’s Bijou Theater. I’m used to seeing my films in all sorts of nontraditional venues, but there’s nothing like seeing your documentary on a nice, big screen and in a room with a great sound system. Sound quality is important, especially for a film about music, after all. Whenever I show COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS, I like to sit in the back of the audience because it’s fun to watch everyone’s heads nod to the rhythm of the film’s soundtrack. The cool thing about music is the sometimes-unconscious reaction it provokes in people; my bet is that most of the folks don’t even know they’re even moving in their seats. The music just takes them over.
The other thing I like about attending my own screenings is talking to an engaged audience. The Q&A sessions in Kansas City and Iowa City were no exception, though I’ll focus on the latter screening, because it’s freshest in my mind. Given the nature of the film, there were more than a few questions about copyright law. For instance, “Did copyright law impact the making of your film?” (Short answer? YES!)
Filmmaker Maya Stark and Adi Lavy Discuss SUN KISSED
ITVS’s Open Call provides finishing funds for single non-fiction or animation public television programs on any subject and from any viewpoint. Projects must have begun production as evidenced by a work-in-progress video.
Check out the clip below with filmmakers Maya Stark and Adi Lavy, who received Open Call funds for their film SUN KISSED. The film follows a Navajo couple who embark on a journey to discover more about their children’s rare genetic disorder. Learn more about the film, how they approached the subjects and what they hope will be the impact.
Upcoming Screenings
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Community Cinema selections are screened in over 50 locations throughout the United States. In March, Community Cinema presents Dirt! The Movie, directed by Bill Benenson and Eugene Rosow.
It’s under our feet and under our fingernails, but what is it? And how did it get there? Inspired by William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, find out how industrial farming, mining, and urban development have led us toward cataclysmic droughts, starvation, floods, and climate change. Dirt is a part of everything we eat, drink, and breathe. Which is why we should stop treating it like, well … dirt.
Check out the schedule and find Community Cinema in your neighborhood >>Recent Posts
- Top Five Predictions for Films and Digital Distribution: Second Part
- FUTURESTATES Theatrical World Premiere at SXSW
- Inspiring Stories of People Living With MS
- Live Webinar Tomorrow Night: Copyright and Fair Use in the Art World and Classroom
- Encore Presentation of Between the Folds Tonight on Independent Lens on PBS
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