thank you so much for the award for best short film, ‘Our Sea Forest’ this was a film a few years in the making, that helped make real change, so it was very heartwarming to receive the lovely comments about the film. I am just sorry i couldn’t be there in person. I am sure the hospitality and networking would have been 5 *
It was an honour to win best short here – Matthew and the team really care and take the time! The addition of the viewer feedback was great and something that you don’t really see elsewhere. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for showcasing (PLASTIK) – the team absolutely loved receiving all the feedback and we are so happy to win the BEST MICRO-SHORT! We hope that more people will be drawn to watch our “small but mighty” film and remember that people are the problem but also the solution to the plastic pollution crisis.
I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for the remarkable experience I had at the Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival.
The entire event was impeccably organized, and the selection of films and screenplays presented was not only enlightening but also inspiring. It was evident that each piece was chosen for its powerful message and its potential to provoke thought and stimulate discussion regarding our environment and sustainability.
What truly stood out to me was the audience engagement. The feedback and reactions during the screenings were profound, reflecting a diverse audience deeply invested in environmental issues. This interactive aspect of the festival enriched the experience, providing invaluable insights and fostering a community spirit that was truly special.
Thanks from Paris for the best short film award we got for our film The Flood. Great festival, it’s so nice to get filmed feedbacks from the audience!
Submit to these exciting festivals today. Festivals that offer feedback from the industry, plus performance videos.
FANTASY/SCI-FI Screenplay Festival:
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
Submit your MYSTERY 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.
History is a narrative that describes, analyzes, and questions past events, and examines the patterns of cause and effect. Itโs a collection of stories told by many different people, and is subject to constant revision and reinterpretation.
3 options to submit: 1st chapter. full novel. performance reading.
Sign up for the FREE 3-day trial to watch the film and 450+ award winning films.
In Between tells the story of Blake, who lives a happy heteronormative life with her long time partner, Eric. After some vivid unexpected dreams, she gets a visit from a love from her past life, Adeline, who shows up to her home from across the world. If your past showed up on your doorstepโฆ what would you do?
Some stories in our lives donโt end the way we would like them to, but In Between takes you into a world where it can. We rewrite the story in our imagination, feel what could have been so we can move forward and allow ourselves to be vulnerable and love once again.
SOLITARY ROAD, 76min., Sweden Directed by Johan Palmgren There is a road in the middle of the wilderness, far North of the Arcitic Circle in the Swedish mountains. It was built 1955 and was supposed to lead to Norway. The work was interrupted and now there is only a fragment of a road of 20 kilometres without connection to the general road system. Along the road there are five villages, where time has stopped. There is no electricity nor any water. The villagers have transported old cars over the ice of the lake Tornetrรคsk from Kiruna to this unique place. The cars date from the 60 ฬs and 70s. We filmed big and small aspects of life here for three years.
SOLITARY ROAD, 76min., Sweden Directed by Johan Palmgren There is a road in the middle of the wilderness, far North of the Arcitic Circle in the Swedish mountains. It was built 1955 and was supposed to lead to Norway. The work was interrupted and now there is only a fragment of a road of 20 kilometres without connection to the general road system. Along the road there are five villages, where time has stopped. There is no electricity nor any water. The villagers have transported old cars over the ice of the lake Tornetrรคsk from Kiruna to this unique place. The cars date from the 60 ฬs and 70s. We filmed big and small aspects of life here for three years.
ย James Doh is one of the most sought after Storyboard Artists in the industry today. His imprint is on most of the top action movies in the last 15 years. In 2016 alone, he worked on โThe Conjuring 2โ, โSuicide Squadโ, and โStar Trek Beyondโ. He also worked on the blockbusters โGhost in the Shell (2017โ, โAquaman (2018)โ, and โThe Predator (2018)โ.
Matthew Toffolo: You have worked as a Storyboard Artist on over 30+ productions in the last 15 years. Do you have a favorite experience?
James Doh: It is sometimes rare to work with other storyboard artists, but through the years Iโve had the good fortune of having met some great colleagues.
That will probably be what I remember most from my work experience.
Iโve been fortunate to work with and meet some wonderful people.
PHOTO: Jamesโ storyboard from X-Men: Origins:
MT: The film DRIVE (2011), is a very stylistic film, but not the conventional action/thriller film that you work on. How was your experience working on that film?
JD: That show had a great crew from the top down. It was a low budget production, but the crew were all top talents.
Credit to the EP for bringing together such a great team.
They wanted to bring me in for the car chases and sequences that required production prep.
When I read the script, it was one of those that you rarely get as a storyboard artist. Hossein Amini wrote a great screenplay. I was also a fan of Nicolas Refnโs Pusher series of films, so I thought it was an exciting combination of material and director.
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Interestingly, Nicolas was batting around different ideas for that elevator scene where Driver stomps the hitman to death. He had me board a different version that certainly was more brutal, but I like the elevator because it works so well for the entire sequence.
MT: How important is the creation of the storyboard to the production team for the action and fight scenes?
JD: Storyboards have several key roles. One of them is a communication tool for the production. Itโs a visual script of those sequences.
Itโs important to get the sequence down, to allow various departments to prep.
Boards are also important early on for budgeting, and to start developing what the sequences will look and feel like.
There are amazing fight and stunt choreographers, whose ideas we will integrate into the boards if they are involved at the time.
Other times, the boards are a jumping off point for the stunt/action team and a way for the director to convey his ideas on action sequences.
By the way, 2nd unit also can have their own storyboard artists to plan out their sequences too. Again, for communication, a drawing is a fundamental tool.
They are especially important for VFX intensive films, where costs and feasibility have to be looked at and planning is vital. Storyboards put everyone on the same page.
On Furious 7, we had the tragic death of Paul Walker and had to go into some very specific VFX planning to make the film work. There was some innovative work there and the storyboards were a part in planning those shots and sequences.
There are a multitude of uses for storyboards, so it can be a very powerful tool for directors to utilize.
PHOTO: Jamesโ storyboard from Fast & Furious 7:
MT: Whatโs the general working relationship and process between a storyboard artist and the director? How early do you meet before production begins?
JD: Very early. Many times we are the first ones on the show, months ahead of production many times. Often they circle back in post, and need storyboards once VFX gets into the nitty gritty of creating shots.
The working relationship is different with everyone but itโs really about developing the ideas or getting the boards to convey what the director is looking for.
MT: What are you looking for in a director?
JD: Good communication, convey vision, intent, style of the sequence. Iโm looking to get as clear a vision as I can for the sequence.
Sometimes itโs wide open and they want you to run with it, and other times itโs very specific. Many times it falls somewhere in the middle.
I have been fortunate to work with directors that love to collaborate, encourage creative contributions, and understand the process of storyboarding.
MT: What does a director look for in a storyboard artist?
JD: To translate their ideas into a viable sequence. Directors look to you to visually lay out the sequence with creative solutions, in a way that they can shoot.
I also think itโs important that you have a good working relationship, because you can spend a lot of time hashing out ideas.
For storyboard artists, the fundamental key is visual storytelling.
You need to hash out the sequence and make it work for the director.
MT: What advice would you have for people who would like to do what you do for a living?
JD: Translating scripts to visual sequences can take a lot of time. If someone wants to become a storyboard artist, 1. Watch a lot of films. 2. Think about where you are placing the camera 3. Be able to draw anything at any angle. I know that sounds so broad, but if you learn to draw the human figure, you will be alright with everything else.
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Most importantly, donโt be precious about your work. Things can and will change often for a multitude of reasons.
Storyboarding is a process. Sequences are developed. Things are culled, new ideas crafted, budgets changeโฆ you have to roll with that and adapt.
Did you see the Amityville flashback sequence in Conjuring 2? Look at the basics. Look at how he staged and told the story inside the house. He had a house, and a few actors to work with.
How do you tell that story in a way thatโs fresh? That is film school. The Conjuring and Conjuring 2 are film school.
I would tell people to look at movies, and see how they tell the story. See what it takes to make simple things interesting. Ask a lot of questions while you watch a film. Itโs about decisions. What setups are you choosing and why?
Push yourself to improve. Always be a student of film and be a good listener.
I think we all push ourselves every show to do better, and push ourselves creatively.
MT: What movie have you watched the most times in your life?
JD: Aliens (extended edition) and Heat (Michael Mann) are ones iโve seen a million times.
I love genre films and Korean films.
Korean cinema is tremendous, and I would encourage anyone to give it a try.
So many films on heavy rotation in my library! Tony Scottโs work, Gareth Evansโฆ
BTW, one of my favorite scenes of brilliant acting is Christopher Walken in Catch Me if You Can. The scene in the restaurant when his son (DiCaprio) tries to give him a Cadillac. That is just masterful. Every moment tells you a story, and within a couple minutes you deeply know this man. Itโs amazing, most of it unspoken.
MT: Where did you grow up? How did you get into the film industry?
JD: I had always been interested in design and film.
My introduction to art in film was with my college teachers Tim Flattery and Warren Manser who are brilliant concept artists and designers in their own right.
They really sparked the possibility to enter the film business.
My first job was with RGA/LA (now Imaginary Forces) a main title company. I learned an appreciation for typography and graphic design there.
Then moved on to feature film storyboarding because that is where my passion was.
MT: Is there a type of film that you love to work on that you havenโt worked on yet?
JD: What is rewarding for me is working with great directors and crew. The projects rarely get me more excited than the possibility of working with great people.
Itโs not so much the material itself as the directorโs take on the material that gets me excited.
And by the way, itโs not just directors but all the other departments you interact with as a storyboard artist. Those professionals are at the top of their respective fields. You are working with the absolute hallmark people in every department and thatโs really exciting to see.
The challenge to board for these directors is in pushing the creative solutions and coming up with ideas that work for their respective visions.
Dear WILDsound FEEDBACK Film and Screenplay Festival,
Congratulations! Your festival has ranked as one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway for the month of March!
According to reviews from real FilmFreeway users, your festival ranks in the top 1% of more than 14,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world. No doubt, this ranking is a testament to the countless hours of hard work and care that you and your staff have devoted to creating such a wonderful event.
Weโre especially proud to be partnered with amazing events like yours that help independent film continue to thrive.
This festival was amazing. Wildsound is full of surprises is the best place to go if you want your script reviewed. They will even get actors to do a script read! Who does that! You rock WILDsound!!!! until next time:) Best! NLKimmel (Kimmel Screen Productions)
This is my second time screening a film with Matt and his team. They have been wonderful to work with, and they clearly have a heart for supporting and empowering filmmakers. They go above and beyond to provide us a platform for our work!
This is a great festival. The audience feedback is first rate and all the folks involved in putting it on are professional, timely and go the extra mile.
I really enjoyed being a part of this festival! The feedback was amazing, they were very responsive and doing everything in their power to help the filmmakers shine!
Loved the feedback scenario – comments from unrelated parties is especially interesting. Thanks!
Quality feedback and personalized communications. I highly recommend this festival format
Submit your HISTORICAL FICTION 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.
A historical fiction story is a fictional story that takes place in the past and incorporates details about the time period to achieve authenticity. These details can include social norms, customs, traditions, and manners. Historical fiction stories can include actual historical figures or events, but the people and their actions are invented by the author.
Garner FULL FEEDBACK on your crime/mystery novel by our committee of industry professionals. Get a transcript reading of your book performed by professional actors at the Crime/Mystery Festival and made into a promotional video for your novel.
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.
As Luna sees…, 5min, Australia Directed by Zi Yin Each individual will fills in their own way to fill the void created by death. I try to use the form of animation to tell the story of a girl saying her final goodbye to her kitten. With joy as a passing scene, smiling and waving goodbye.
What motivated you to make this film? I considered for a long time when I decided on this theme, and I also considered doing a more positive and lively subject, but some of my past experiences attracted my attention like a spot of light at night every time when I moved onto a different topic. This theme was also an outlet to liberate myself from the impact of the past, to express these feelings and realizations. In 2021, my grandfather went progressively paralysed by a cerebral infarction, and eventually became bed-ridden and died within a year. I took part in all the stages of his remaining life time,being at the hospital,at the funeral and in the crematorium to collect his ashes. During that time, I was filled with the strongest feelings and the most peaceful moods at the same time, and it made me feel as if I had passed through that time without caring about it. However, when I look back on it now, my heart is still filled with complex and unclear feelings. My family members who accompanied me also changed a lot during this period, and the routine at home was also different in one way or another. But we all stayed strong through that time and remembered the deceased in our own way. That’s why I wanted to make an animation to show the meaning of death to different individuals: people use their own way to go through this time of grief. No matter what else people do to fill the gap, it is not as much consolation as what the individual finds on his own. What fills the gap is the individual’s remembrance of the deceased, the memories that have been washed away by the time, and the growth of a finite life that has to be accepted in the river of time.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Actually it is a school project, my master degree graduation project. The whole production time is only 3 months
3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Dreamy/happy
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Actually it is my first time making a 2D animation. I didn’t have animation training/experience with completed animation project before this course. I learn the animation software 4 months ago just before this animation project. Although I’ve changed the story a lot from my original version, I couldn’t make the graphics look great because of my limited animation skills. It’s a shame that I like my story so much, but I couldn’t express it better.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I’m glad there are a lot of people that can accept my narrative style! And I’ve seen people in tears because of my animation at some offline animation shows. I’m glad that my stories can touch some people. This makes me feel happy that my purpose of storytelling has been achieved.
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I’ve always had a desire to tell stories, I guess. Because I’m very introverted, socializing isn’t my strong suit, but I love taking notes and observing. I was originally an illustrator, and I had strong ideas about writing my own stories when I was an undergraduate, and then I expressed those ideas by making them into games and drawing them as illustrations.After being exposed to more things at school, I also started experimenting with more dynamic narrative expressions. This time it was with the intention of wanting to tell a story of my own that I came to this current major.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit. ๐
8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Probably posting more artwork and updates on Instagram. Right now it feels like the instsgram account for this festival isn’t very well developed.You can also add some live FESTIVAL photos.
9 .You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
It’s clean, it’s fast. But because there are so many festivals, it takes careful discernment as to which of those are appropriate for my work and which I need to be apprehensive about.
10. What is your favorite meal?
Sushi, Hotpot…
11. What is next for you? A new film?
Yes. I want to create another story of mine using 2D animation. I think it’s surprising that my current narrative has been accepted. There will be more creative work to be done after optimising my narrative.
Stakaya, 12min., Canada Directed by Bruce Crawford, Malcolm Sparrow-Crawford In the heart of a corrupt city, David, a young Indigenous man trapped in the criminal underworld, encounters Raven, a mystical guide who awakens his inner strength and leads him on a transformative journey to become Stakaya, the wolf. With newfound power, Stakaya must navigate world of mystical beings, balancing the fight against corruption with the threat from those who seek to exploit their abilities.
Get to know filmmaker Malcolm Sparrow-Crawford:
1. What motivated you to make this film?
As an Indigenous filmmaker and actor, writing and telling our stories has always been very important to me. Both my father and I have been in the film industry for many years. My dad’s been a stunt performer/coordinator for nearly 30 years and I’ve been an actor for 11. At a certain point we started writing together. Being an Indigenous man, I want to see our stories be brought to life. Stakaya was heavily influenced by my culture. A lot of elements were inspired by my culture. Stakaya was a name given to me by my great grandfather when I was 7 years old. It means Wolf in our language. I’ve always loved that and it inspired me to make something fun and heartfelt. Filmmaking is scary. It can leave you feeling very vulnerable because you’re putting yourself out there. But my father and I combined what we knew through our individual experiences to make this film and we’re both extremely proud of the final result.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It actually took a lot longer than expected. We did this film with almost no budget. It was just a bunch of friends that got together to make something fun. The idea came about when the strikes were going on and we were all itching to get back on set in some way. But then things picked back up slowly and shooting days were fewer and farther in between. Overall I’d say it took about 6 months to finish filming.
3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Spiritual Awakening
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest obstacle was simply time and getting everyone together to film. After writing the script with my Dad, we decided to just film it. We were fortunate enough to be able to use free locations on my reserve as sets and they were absolutely stunning to shoot in. But we started the shoot during the writers strike. Everyone had more open schedules, but shortly after we started, the industry started to pick up again. Fortunately for us there were little to no constraints on the filming locations we chose because it was all free. So we were able to take our time and get the shots right rather than rushing to get the finished product.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I’m just glad people were able to enjoy something that was so fun to make. Any time you put your ideas onto the screen there’s a bit of fear as to whether people actually enjoy it. Fortunately we had an amazing cast and crew full of extremely talented stunt performers to bring some of that action we were aiming for into the film. The story itself is one of finding your own voice and it made me really happy to see that people enjoyed that and wanted to see more.
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
Like most other actors there’s always been that thought in the back of my mind wanting to make films and for me it was always about timing. I wanted to do something fun that was enjoyable to show up to perform every day we were on set and I think we did that.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
This may sound funny, but it’s the Lion King. If we’re talking about sheer numbers that wins by a landslide. I was addicted to it as a child to the point where my parents started calling me Simba. It’s still one of my favourite movies of all time. The older I got the more I realized that it was inspired by Hamlet, which definitely lead to my love of Shakespeare and pushed me towards getting an English Literature degree in university.
8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Nothing. It’s really been an amazing experience as a first time filmmaker. I will definitely be recommending it to filmmaking friends in the future.
9. What is your favorite meal?
Well I grew up in a Native fishing community. Anything prawn related, you have my heart.
11. What is next for you? A new film?
My father and I are looking to continue developing the Stakaya story. We have a lot more written, but as of right now it’s just a timing thing for everyone who was involved.
