Year: 2017

Under 5min. Film: BEYOND, 4min, Italy, Drama/Mystery

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

BEYOND, 4min, Italy, Drama/Mystery
Directed by Manuele MandolesiNight. Anonymous suburbs. A woman lies on the floor in a pool of blood. Two paramedics of Saint Mary’s Hospital are beside her. She’s a victim of violence by a wanted man. From the beginning and throughout the entire short film we will only see fragments of reality and sense external noises from the limbo of unconsciousness.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

A four minute mystery drama, BEYOND walks us through the last moments of a woman’s life after a traumatic accident. We aren’t given much information, except that, while in the ambulance, something is very wrong.

We see the piece almost totally through her eyes- until the close and never reopen. But we do see the seen once more, this time through a different, newer pair of eyes. A heartbreaking twist ends the piece.

For being simply and efficiently shot, this piece packs a stronger emotional punch than anticipated. It will certainly leave you with a strong feeling- the true test of any dramatic piece.

Under 5min: VOICING SILENCE, 3min, UK, Animation

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

VOICING SILENCE, 3min, UK, Animation
Directed by Lucy LeeHow do you move forward when events from a distant past continue to cast their grim shadow on the present? Can breaking the silence ever bring a much longed for quietude? Voicing Silence is one woman’s attempt to find her words that have remained muted for so long.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

A three minute piece coming out of the UK, VOICING SILENCE is an mixed media journey of an adult womans’ recount of her victimization when she was a child. Speaking out in order to heal and give strength to others, her piece is a strong and emotionally impactful one. It’s message is deep and powerful.

What makes this short unique is it’s use of animation. As our heroine recounts her events, she relives the memories in the form of an animated scene. To soften the accounts of abuse by looking through the lenses of animation helps ease both the viewer, and the reteller. It is, as the proverb goes, dipping the tip of the sphere of truth in honey. An excellent cinematic choice and giving the film a unique look, VOICING SILENCE is both powerful and beautiful to watch.

Under 5min: DATE TO THE CINEMA, 4min, USA, Romance/Drama

festreviews Kierston Drier, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , ,

Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

DATE TO THE CINEMA, 4min, USA, Romance/Drama
Directed by Giovanni Ferrari

Share the inner thoughts of a young man at the very fist date with a woman.CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

This 4 minute USA film follows a nervous man on first date. Our hero has the nervous-but-loveable vibe found in classic Woody Allen characters and the often-relatable habit of overthinking everything.

The charm in this films comes from its authenticity. It’s easy to believe the character’s personal concerns and anxieties as he gets ready for the date- as they are the concerns we all have- is my hair okay? Does this sweater give the right impression? Talk. Talk a lot. But not too much.

Our character also self-sabotages himself with his own concerns, making his date not actually go so well. And perhaps that’s the subtle beauty of this delightful offbeat romantic comedy. Everyone watching it knows that guy, has been that guy or has gone on a date with that guy. But this film, is about what it is like being in his own head.

Under 5min. Film: DAN, 1min, UK, Comedy

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

DAN, 1min, UK, Comedy
Directed by Uzo OlehDan and Steve are identical twins that live together. Steve is fed up with being guilted into covering for Dan’s frequent “sick” days from work. So Steve decides to get himself (as Dan) fired.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

Stunningly short and still marvelously funny, this one minute UK comedy is laugh-a-minute brilliance. An twin begs his identical brother to take his place at his office job so he can have a day off. But his fed-up twin decides to wreak havoc instead. Bright, tight and witty, this piece is seamlessly efficient, colorful, fun and even sports a great twist. It has breathless pacing and delivers its comedy at lighting face speed.

Perhaps what sets this piece apart is that is is exactly the length it needs to be. True craftsmanship and professionalism can be found in a piece that knows when to stop- because it leaves you wanting more. And you will want more when you watch DAN?

Under 5min. Film: EYE OF INDIA, 3min, India, Experimental/Adventure

festreviews Kierston Drier, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , ,

Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

EYE OF INDIA, 3min, India, Experimental/Adventure
Directed by Benn BerkeleyEye of India is a visual record of a journey across India that showcases the diverse culture of one of the world’s fastest developing nations.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

EYE OF INDIA, a three minute short, is utterly breathtaking with its camera movements and captivating cinematic in its’ approach. The camera moves fluidly, giving us an almost fly-on-the-wall feeling as we zoom in high contract through the back alleys, bright streets and varying textures and colors of India.

An experimental exploration of the inner workings of a country with a rich history and vibrant culture- EYE OF INDIA is nothing short of dazzling.

From the first image to the last you will be engulfed in picture, color and sound. A film where you fear to blink, for missing a stunning shot or frame. Special attention must be paid to the camera, the editing and the director of photography. This film might be the visual expression of India itself, a feast for your sense.

Under 5min. Film: LAST CHANCE, 3min, Hungary, Drama/Sport

festreviews Kierston Drier, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , ,

Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

LAST CHANCE, 3min, Hungary, Drama/Sport
Directed by Daniel FuzesWhat if you are a boxer, but you can’t fight back?

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

LAST CHANCE a three minute Hungarian drama, is a short that leaves you with philosophical questions lingering underneath it’s straight forward story. A boxer training for the professional world keeps getting into street fights- and he needs to stop, or he’ll lose his chance to advance in this field. But intercut with his boxing in the ring, is a fight in the street where he doesn’t punch back- and ends getting beaten up instead.

What is this piece trying to tell us? Is our character the victim of vicious attackers, or is there some long standing physical back-and-forth between this man and his assailants.

Beautifully shot and vividly cinematic, LAST CHANCE is a visual metaphor about picking your battles. It delivers to the very last frame.

Under 5min. Film: BLURRY, 5min, USA, Thriller/Mystery

festreviews Kierston Drier, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , ,

Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

BLURRY, 5min, USA, Thriller/Mystery
Directed by Jake HonerA young man cannot see his demise.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

Blurry is scary short cinema at it’s best, because it employs the super effective trick of never being able to see the villain. Literally. This American short follows a young man getting ready for bed in the early hours of the morning (He stays up late). When he takes his glasses off and puts his phone down and goes to brush his teeth, he realizes both have been taken upon his return. Unable to see what’s going on, he quickly figures out someone, or something is in his house with him.

Movies like the iconic Jaws and the suspense thriller The Fourth Kind are famous for employing the “never-see-your-villain” tactic, and it is psychologically brilliant. The scariest thing possible isn’t what the film can dream up- it is what the audience can dream up. The demon you can’t see will always out scare the demon you can see. In BLURRY, this is taken to a terrifying new extreme. Wwe see things from our hero’s point of view and thus sympathize with him more. On top of that, we get an incredible amount of emotional response from understanding his handicap. It is one thing to go against a threatening unknowable foe- it is another to do it handicapped.

Congratulations to BLURRY, it takes to a new level, and for that, make this simple short film terrifying and complex.

Under 5min. Film: MORE THAN LOVE, 3min, USA, Drama/Romance

festreviews Kierston Drier, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , ,

Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

MORE THAN LOVE, 3min, USA, Drama/Romance
Directed by Mitchel ViernesA woman sits on a beach one night and reminisces about her life. Amidst the nostalgia, she struggles with the more traumatic memories of her past, and considers the prospects of opening herself up to newfound love.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

There is an adage that when a man dies a library burns. And MORE THAN LOVE plays on that notion of a the depth of a life’s complexity from a different angle. It attempts to show a life’s story in just few moments.

A woman, sitting on the beach, recounts her life- in moments both good and bad, leading her up to this point. Falling in love, falling out of love, having children, loving her life, and being terrified within it. In only a few short minutes we are taken on an emotional roller-coaster of flashbacks through the triumphs and adversities of a human being. We hold our breath for her. This is a piece that reminds us that our destination is all the sweeter, for having had the journey.

Under 5min. Film: MISSION: APO11O, 4min, France, History/Comedy

festreviews Kierston Drier, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , ,

Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

MISSION: APO11O, 4min, France, History/Comedy
Directed by Daniel JennyThree men are flying to the moon, one of them should have stayed home….

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

This four minute film takes it time setting itself up. But it reminds us that some twists are worth waiting for. This slender cinematic feat, hailing from France, is only 4 minutes long, but it will nicely tie history into a punchline and wrap it up with a bow.

MISSION APOLLO is a fun little film because it will show us the personal inversion of a well known historical event. Set against the backdrop of a few men get ready to jump into outer space, an out-of-this-world love story is about to take off. Cute, quick and funny, MISSION APOLLO is delightful.

Inside The Chaos: Networking: Keeping in Contact – Part 3

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Jesus that was exhausting, wasn’t it? But YOU MADE IT.

It’s not as easy as it sounds!

  • You went to the Event/ Party/ Industry Night
  • You talked to People
  • You grabbed contact information

But now what? How do you bridge the gap between casual meeting and business contact? The last part can be the most tenuous, but also the most rewarding!

This secondary phase contact depends greatly on several factors

  • The context in which you met
  • The context in which you exchanged information
  • The difference in your professional status’s
  • Contextual Needs

Context in which you met:

  • Did you meet at a Party? A wrap party? A swanky professional conference?
  • Did you talk professionally or about only topics directly related to your work or the field in general, or, was your meeting more relaxed and talked about a variety of topics?

Context of exchanging your information:

  • Did you exchange your information because that was what was happening all around you (everyone passing out lots of cards)? Or did you exchange based on mutual interest?
  • Who offered to exchange first?

Professional status:

  • Is this person at the same level as you? Or do they have considerably more or less experience?
  • Are you in directly related fields, or peripherally related?

Contextual needs:
–  Do the two of you have positions that can mutually benefit each other.

What to do:
– Wait for 18-48 hours before writing.
-If they offered a preferred form of contact, use that  (Facebook, email, etc)

DO:
-Personalize your contact with thoughtful details (Ex:
(Ex: Hello (Name) is was so nice to meet you last (weekday/weekend) at (Event Name). I really enjoyed our conversation about (Topic) and (Insert comment on topic). It would be great to  (Bump into you again/ grab a coffee sometime to talk more about (insert topic) I‘d be happy to buy you a coffee sometime and hear more about (Industry Item)/ etc).
– If you have the ability to talk about something other than the industry, include that too!
-Spell check.

DON’T:
-Directly ask for a job, favor or professional courtesy (UNLESS they specifically told you they were looking to hire/asked you to send in your resume/offered to do favor for you in person)
-Use more than one mode of contact (email them AND text them AND add them to facebook. Do this gradually)
-Make off color humor (even if you were raunchy-humored in person, it may translate poorly through text)
-Panic if you don’t hear back. Deep breath. They may honestly be busy, they may remember you next time you bump into each other!