THE BIG JOHNSON, 95min., USA Directed by Lola Rocknrolla Dean Johnson was a famous New York drag queen, rock star, sex party promoter and late in life escort. In 2007 Dean went on a job and never came back. Was it just an accidental OD, Dean had a history of drug use or was it something more sinister? Another escort died in the same apartment four days earlier. The mystery of his death is only part of Dean Johnson’s wild life. Dean was the first in many things, the first bald drag queen, the first to throw sex parties in the 80s during the AIDS crisis, the first openly gay singer on Island records (which cost him his record deal). The first and only person to throw a LGBTQ party at the iconic rock club CBGBs. Through Deans ups and downs, heroin, sobriety, love, sex, music, community, HIV, poverty, Dean survived them all. Until he didn’t. This film brings you into the burned out, fabulous world of the 80s East Village where the looming AIDS crisis made you want to live every day like it was your last. Dean Johnson personified this time in New York and in gay history. Dean Johnson was the man, the myth, the Big Johnson.
The process of creating the soundtrack for the visuals of a film. Since silent films began to talk, filmmakers have been looking to improve the post production of their film. It has become a whole new creative world as people like George Lucas proclaim that “It is 50% of a film.”
CINEMATIC SOUND DESIGN MULTIPLIES TWO OR THREE TIMES THE EFFECT OF THE IMAGE
IT HAS FAILED IF IT DISTRACTS THE AUDIENCE
SOUND DESIGNING IS ABOUT EMOTION, STORY AND RHYTHM
QUIET IS GOOD – THE BEST SOUND DESIGN IS THE SOUND INSIDE SOMEBODY’S HEAD
THREE COMPONENTS IN SOUND EFFECTS AND SOUND DESIGN SPOKEN LANGUAGE MUSIC SOUND EFFECTS
SPOKEN LANGUAGE -An actor can emphasize one word over the other and thus change the meanings of the sentence completely. -It all depends on the dramatic contract -Two types of spoken language- MONOLOGUE AND DIALOGUE -Interior monologue-what the actor is thinking
MUSIC -Directs channels of emotions that are already present with the audience -Propels the action and increase the audiences emotional involvement in a project -Powerful and manipulative art form that never needs translation into a foreign language -Effects the entire spectrum of emotions -Moves us to think and feel a certain way -Can take us into realms we have never experienced -Can provide ironic contrast -Characterization can be suggested. Certain characters have certain music -Underlines speech, especially dialogue
If you’re a DIRECTOR, remember the MUSIC when there is silence in a shot. At times you can hold the shot longer as the music will give it a greater effect
-Music can take awhile to make its statement. HOLD THE SHOT
MUSIC PERFORMS THREE BASIC FUNCTIONS IN SOUND DESIGN 1) To play the action in a scene 2) To play obliquely or play the subtext of a scene 3) To play against the action in a scene
MUCH LIKE THREE PRIMARY COLORS -These three functions can be combined and manipulated to create many gradations of MUSICALINTERPLAY The best music taps into the core emotion of a film -Moves plot along -Enhances cohesiveness of the drama -Reflects what’s obvious on the screen, what isn’t -Speaks to the deepest levels of emotion the audience is suppose to feel
GOOD FILM MUSIC BECOMES A CHARACTER ALL ITS OWN
Give film a THIRD DIMENSION
MUSIC SHOULD ONLY BE IN THE FILM WHEN THERE IS A DRAMATIC REASON FOR ITS EXISTANCE
“So much of what we do is ephemeral and quickly forgotten, even by ourselves, so it’s gratifying to have something you have done linger in people’s memories.” -John Williams, Composer (Star Wars,Superman,Jurassic Park)
SOUND EFFECTS IN SOUND DESIGN
The first thing in approaching a new project for the DIRECTOR is to make a list of sounds which they think might be effective. Thinking about the characters in the film and the environment in which they move.
Finding moments in the story where sound can add to the character. Their motives and the story
The pitch, volume and tempo of sound effects can strongly effect meaning of film
HIGH PITCHED SOUNDS often employed in suspense sequences LOW PITCHED SOUNDS often emphasized the dignity of solemnity of a scene
LOUD SOUNDS tend to be forceful, intense and threatening QUIET SOUNDS delicate, hesitate and often weak
SOUND EFFECTS WORK ON A SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL -Also serves sympbolic functions to the characters
ABSOLUTE SILENCE tends to call even more drama. Audience not used to it.
QUALITIES OF SOUND
LOUDNESS -Film sound constantly manipulates volume -Loudness will be effected by perceived distance -Often the louder the sound, the closer the take will be
Some films exploit radical changes in volume for shock value. When a quiet scene is interupted by a very loud noise
PITCH -The perceived “highness” or “lowness” of the sound -Pitch is the principal way we distinguish music from other sounds in the film
TIMBRE -Gives each voice, musical instrument and sound effect its unique coloring and character -The harmonic components of a sound, given in a certain tone quality -At the most elementary level, loudness, pitch and timbre enables us to distinguish amonng all of the sound in a film
DIMENSIONS OF FILM SOUND IN SOUND DESIGN
RHYTHM -A recurring sound that alternates between strong and weak elements -All three types of sound on the sound track have their own rhythm. Possibilities independent of one another -Sound usually accompanies movements and often continues over cuts -Sound many motivate movement in the camera
FIDELITY -Whether the sound is faithful to the source as we conceive it -Purely a matter of the viewers expectations-A slammed door gets a slammed door
SPACE -The source of the sound -From actual actions in the PICTURE or outside source like the film score -Often a filmmaker will use sound to represent what a character is thinking
TIME -Sound relates temporarily to film images in two ways -VIEWING TIME – length of fim -STORY TIME – length of time in film
“The power of sound to put an audience in a certain psychological state is vastly undervalued. And the more you know about music and harmony, the more you can do with that.” -Mike Figgis, Director (Leaving Los Vegas, Timecode)
Grandpa’s Got A Brand New Pill is a short musical film that features an original song inspired by writer, producer, performer Jeffrey George Moline’s eighty year old mother. Grandpa’s Got A New Pill tells the story of Tootie, a headstrong, independent woman on the eve of her ninety-sixth birthday. Tootie feels unseen and constrained by the rules and regulations of Shady Nook Retirement Home. With a little help from her friend Awesome Lee Bodacious Queer Country Superstar – Tootie decides to make sure her party has a happy ending!
Interview with: Director Jacob McCaslin, Writer/Performer Jeffrey Moline, Producer Terrence Mark Franklin.
Excellent festival. Receiving the audience feedback video was so valuable.
Thank you so much for the best director’s award. It was surprisingly fulfilling and encouraging.I had fun listening to all the feedback from the audience and enjoyed the great communication with festival staff members.
Excellent festival experience.I’ve been honored to have won the Student Film category, and the warm welcome of my project was truly heartwarming. I think, that this Festival will continue to grow bigger and bigger, as long as the team behind it keeps putting effort into growing its authenticity and credibility.
Thanks to the organizers for such a great festival.
Very authentic and well run. I love the audience reviews they give you of your film.
A big thank you to the Fantasy/Sci-Fi Film & Screenplay Festival for choosing my project Phaedra’s Odyssey in the TV PILOT category. I am absolutely thrilled and feeling very proud right now. The feedback was valuable and I was delighted to be a part of your festival.
My short film Mosaic won the Best Sound and Music award, and it truly means a lot to my team. I’m looking forward to submitting our future films.
Submit your CRIME short story to the festival here, and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.
Accept only stories that fit into the CRIME genre. A mystery story is a type of fiction that involves a crime or other event that remains a mystery until the end of the story. The main character, often a detective, works to solve the mystery by: Finding clues, Examining motives, Identifying suspects, and Using logical deduction.
Get FULL FEEDBACK on either the 1st chapter or entire novel book from our committee of Professional Writers, and Writing Consultants. Get your novel performed by a professional actor at the festival.
NEW OPTION: Or, just submit for an actor performance reading transcript of your novel (any 5 pages of your book). Great way to promote the sales of your book if you’re already published. (see examples on the video playlist below)
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.) 1) Full Feedback on your script 2) Actors performance video reading of your script 3) Blog interview promotion. 4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show
Deadline for FANTASY/SCI-FI Film & Screenplay Festival:
THE DAUGHTER, 97min., Ukraine Directed by Egor Olesov 25 February 2022. War-torn Ukraine.
Seventeen-year-old hearing-impaired Olga, along with her father Roman, stepmother Marina and younger brother Sashko, is about to embark on a dangerous journey to the west of the country to escape advancing Russian tanks. Tragedy strikes when Roman’s car is destroyed near their country house and the whole family is trapped amidst chaos and despair in the quiet town of Bucha near Kyiv. The Russians enter the house and effectively take the family as hostages, forcing Olga, who has been hiding to come out from her shelter. Roman is being beaten and interrogated. Marina and Sashko find themselves locked in the basement. Fleeing the violence, Olga establishes contact with a handsome young Russian soldier nicknamed Swan and negotiates to save the family in exchange for money. However, Swan turns out to be a scoundrel and, after receiving the money, tries to rape Olga. One of the soldiers, Private Shalaev unexpectedly stands up in defence of the girl, but is killed by his own soldiers. Olga is doomed. Besides, she learns from Marina that her father, whom she accused of betrayal for many years, is not really her own father. Swan gets permission to dishonour the girl and then execute her, but he is killed by the badly wounded Roman. Roman asks Olga to lead Marina and Sashko out of Bucha, as only she knows the way through the forest. Roman sacrifices himself to cover their retreat. Olga, Marina and Sashko try to evade pursuit and hide in the forest. Marina is killed in front of her son by a grenade thrown by a Russian sergeant. Olga, who has lost her hearing aid, makes a last effort to save her younger brother. But after getting lost in the forest, she stumbles into a military roadblock. Hope is lost. Olga is sure that this is the last moment in their lives.
Michael Abels is an African-American composer known for his orchestra works Global Warming, Delights & Dances, and Urban Legend, and choral pieces such as Be The Change and Limitless. “GET OUT” was his first foray as a composer in the film industry, and it definitely won’t be his last. It was great interviewing this extremely talented musician.
Matthew Toffolo: Where were you born and raised? Was music something you always wanted to do as your career?
Michael Abels: I was born in Phoenix AZ, although I lived on a farm outside Aberdeen, SD with my grandparents from infancy through age 6. My earliest memories are of music — seriously, I can remember my grandmother’s recording of Edvard Grieg’s In The Hall Of The Mountain King terrifying me in the crib. Ironically, that’s now my job.
MT: How did you get the job composing the film “Get Out”?
MA: Writer/director Jordan Peele heard an orchestral piece of mine, Urban Legends, on YouTube. It’s a very dynamic piece in which all hell breaks loose, even though it’s also quite tonal. Jordan said this piece convinced him I could bring a fresh voice to film music. He wanted someone who could use the film harmonic language with an African-American perspective.
MT: How was your working relationship with with director Jordan Peele?
MA: Jordan is whip-smart, unbelievable talented, and refreshingly modest. He knows what he wants, and is extremely capable of communicating what he’s hearing and feeling. At the same time, he respects his team as artists, and enjoys the collaborative process. Did I mention how funny he is? A dream to work for.
MT: What are you generally looking for in a director in terms of guidance and tone for your music?
MA: It’s helpful when a director can communicate the feelings a piece of music brings up for them, or the feelings that a character is feeling, or that they want the audience to feel. Most people who are drawn to directing are great at this, since they are storytellers.
MT: What do you think a producer/director is looking for when they bring on their composer to score the film?
MA: The director is looking for someone who can bring the music they are hearing in their imagination to life. The producer is looking for someone who can bring the director’s musical imagination to life on time and under budget. It’s great when these priorities align!
MT: What is your passion in life besides music?
MA: I appreciate home design, I’ve seen my share of home improvement shows. I also love riding my bike, and try to bike at least once a week no matter how stressful the rest of my life is.
MT: What’s next for you? Will you be composing more films?
MA: I have a wind orchestra commission that I’m working on. Yes more film is in the works.
MT: What move have you watched the most times in your life?
MA: The Sound of Music. Do Re Mi changed my life forever. “One word for every note, by mixing it up, like this…” Rogers & Hammerstein taught me that writing music is simple and fun! Been striving to make that lesson true ever since.
MT: What advice do you have for young musicians who would eventually like to compose movies for a living?
MA: Write the music that inspires you, because writing music purely for money will make you hate your creative life. Try to remove your ego from every piece you write. It’s so difficult to be inspired-yet-unattached, but it’s required to remain in a highly creative state. And you are a composer, regardless of whether you have a high profile project to your credit or not. Be the person you want others to see.
GET OUT Movie:
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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival.
Job Hiring Your Production Crew – When hiring your CREW, first and foremost what you’re looking for is other leaders. People who will take their position and own it – make themselves the LEADER of that job. This is a collaborative medium. Everyone can pour themselves into the film, no matter which position they have, and just plain make the film better.
If everyone on your set works that much harder, and believes in the project with their inner soul, then you have the makings of a great film. In previous films I’ve learned what not when hiring a crew.
As the Producer and/or Director, you are the LEADER of the film. You have to make tough decisions. Hiring Your Crew is the first, and sometimes the toughest, decision you have to make.
I’ve learned two major hiring mistakes in the past:
1) DO NOT hire someone who thinks they are doing you a favor.
If you’re a first-time filmmaker or you are just beginning, you may tend to want to hire a DP, for example, with loads of experience. That is a smart decision, no question, but the danger is that they might think they are just helping you out by coming on board. What happens when they are not emotionally linked to the project? They are there to help out, not to become a part of the overall team.
If you hire someone with a great resume of prior experience, no matter if they are an actor, editor, sound designer, etc., make sure there is an equal partnership in your relationship, and that you are both working with each other because of this great project you have, and for no other reason.
Hiring someone who’s doing you a favor WILL ALWAYS end badly. Every relationship you start has to begin on equal footing.
Same goes for the other way around. DO NOT hire someone that YOU want to do a favor for. It sounds like a nice thing to do, hiring a family member, friend of the girlfriend, etc…BUT nine times out of 10 it never ends well. And these are the people you have a hard time firing, too.
2) DO NOT hire your friend because they are your friend
The film is the ego of the project. Everything must be done for the sake of making the best film possible. And that includes hire the best person for each job.
We all tend to want to hire people that make us the most comfortable, right away. The people we already know, and don’t have to go through the “getting to know you” stage of the relationship. But are they the best person for the job? Is there someone better you can find with the means you have?
This is your film. Your mission is to make the best film, and sometimes making the hard decisions about whom you bring on will give you the best film.
When HIRING YOUR CREW, they have to pass the TEST. A good measure is if they can answer these THREE QUESTIONS with a PERFECT SCORE:
1) Do they have INTEGRITY?
-Do they tell the truth, keep their word, take responsibility for past actions, admit mistakes, and fix them? -You can rely on their reputation in the field and their reference checks (always ask for references, even for freebie films). Reference checks of course aren’t infallible. So ask yourself what YOUR INNER GUT says. When you’re shooting a film, you’re going to have to rely on your instincts a lot, so when hiring your crew you’ll get some good practice. -Even if their resumes, reputation and reference checks are great, if your instinct feels something is off, then trust your instinct.
2) Do they have INTELLIGENCE FOR THEIR CRAFT?
-They understand the practical means of their position, while also being creatively unique. And they understand how to be a leader, too, and bring other smart people to the project for you.
-Take a look at their reels and see if there’s something there that will make you KNOW that they can do your project. -They understand that intelligence for their craft also means showing up on time, showing up prepared and ready for a long-but-insightful-and-meaningful day. And they treat everyone else on the crew with respect for their jobs, and offer kindness and support.
3) Are they MATURE?
-You can be mature or immature at any age. -You can see that a person has grown up when they can withstand the heat, handle stress and setbacks, and enjoy success with humility. Bottom line: They respect the emotions of others.
WHEN HIRING YOUR CREW, THEY MUST SCORE PERFECT ON THESE QUESTIONS
Overall, to build an effective team, as a leader you know that, in order to meet and exceed your goals, you need help from the best. What I try to do is always hire people that are smarter than me.
And this is never about MONEY. Sometimes you have no money, sometimes you have some, sometimes you have a lot. Of course you can’t hire Tom Cruise to act in your film if you don’t have any money, but there is always someone out there, no matter what your budget is, who can do a great job.
The less money you have, the more you have to search, but there is always a great hire out there. NEVER SETTLE!!
Now that you’ve hired the best crew, it’s your job to lead them to victory.
NIGHT FEEDING, 6min., USA Directed by Sarah K. Reimers Exhaustion and sleep-deprivation begin to take their toll on a new mother, who struggles through the strange, dark stillness of the 4am feeding.
There were a of couple things. Firstly, my husband (Robert Rossello who co-Produced, handled the cinematography, color grade and visual fx) and I had been talking about making a really short, no-budget film and using just what we had on hand, or could borrow, with friends who would volunteer their time and talent. The inspiration for the story came from being a new mother myself and struggling with sleep deprivation. One early morning, in the dark hours, I was up feeding my infant daughter and this idea came to me and it seemed like a great candidate for a short, no-budget film. It also made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Shooting the film only took a about a week. About 4 days initially and then a couple days with pick-up shots later on. Because I make these films in my free-time outside of my job editing animated feature films and Robert is doing the same, it can take us a really long time to get these movies done. In this case it was about 5 years. We had the editing done within a year, but then getting the music, sound design, vfx and color grade were much slower to get done. Life gets in the way and we just chipped away at it as we could.
Thank you for choosing our short musical film Grandpa’s Got A Brand New Pill. I appreciated the care that went into all correspondence. I felt heard and respected as an artist and creator. My team is inspired to tell more stories. This festival was a wonderful and surprising experience. JGM
I really enjoyed being a part of LGBTQ + Toronto & LA film Festival. It had so much to offer. I will for sure be submitting my next film.
I am thrilled to share my experience with the LGBTQ+ Toronto Film Festival. The professionalism and communication from the festival team have been outstanding. From the submission process to the announcement of our win, they have been incredibly supportive and responsive. Their dedication to celebrating and showcasing diverse voices in film is truly commendable. It has been an honor to be part of such a well-organized and passionate festival. Highly recommend!
Great experience be part of your festival!!!!
I want to thank the LGBTQ+ Toronto Film Festival for selecting Somnium, and for the award for Best Student Film! I am very honored. What makes this festival stand out is the audience feedback, which was gracious and very appreciated. If you’re a filmmaker and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I highly recommend the folks over at this festival.
Michael Abels is an African-American composer known for his orchestra works Global Warming, Delights & Dances, and Urban Legend, and choral pieces such as Be The Change and Limitless. “GET OUT” was his first foray as a composer in the film industry, and it definitely won’t be his last. It was great interviewing this extremely talented musician.
Festival Reviews 