matthew toffolo wildsound

Interview with Festival Director Amanda Macchia (Toronto Indie Doc Fest)

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Amanda Macchia is an independent director and producer from Toronto, and the founder of Moderna Pictures. She founded the production company upon completing her undergraduate degree in journalism and documentary filmmaking at Ryerson University, where she began collaborating on student film projects and as a production assistant at the CBC. Since then, she has worked for industry leaders at both Rogers Communications and VICE Media, and curates the Toronto Indie Doc Fest film festival, now in its second year of programming.

 

I recently chatted with Amanda about the Indie Doc Festival:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Amanda Macchia: Toronto Indie Doc Fest is an affordable opportunity for independent filmmakers to have their documentaries screen at a historical cinema in one of the biggest film cities in the world.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

Amanda: You can expect a well-curated showcase of short to mid-length documentaries from all over the world for an affordable entry fee. Because we are a small festival, we take great care in ensuring the limited amount of time we do have to screen films is packed with the best quality subjects and cinematic executions of those subjects.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Amanda: We currently accept any documentary, or mockumentary, films that have running times of under 50 minutes. Any subject goes, but we are especially interested in films that explore subjects or personalities that you normally would not get a chance to learn about.

Matthew: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

Amanda: Absolutely. There are so many variables that go into whether festivals – especially the larger and more prestigious festivals – will program your film. Often, as an independent filmmaker, particularly one that is working with little to no budget, you don’t necessarily have a chance of getting programmed. And although TIDF obviously cannot offer the kind of benefits that you would derive from having your film screen at these other festivals, we can and do offer a realistic opportunity to have your film screened in a proper cinema to a diverse audience.

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Amanda: This festival was born out of my own frustration with getting some of my own independent documentaries to screen in Toronto and other major cities around the world in an affordable manner. Not every film you make is Harlan County, USA, so there should be festival options for filmmakers who are making great films and telling incredible stories, but may not be at the point in their career where they are receiving funding and initiating large-scale productions that would qualify for more competitive festivals.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Amanda: This is the second annual TIDF, so we have not seen much change since last year, although we do hope more filmmakers are aware of our festival this year and will therefore have a bigger and more diverse pool of content to choose from when programming.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Amanda: I would like to see this festival grow outwards, rather than internally. Our goal is not to have more consecutive days of programming in Toronto necessarily, but rather to have simultaneous one-day festivals in other major cities in North America, such as Montreal and New York.

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Amanda: The Last Waltz

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Amanda: For me, a great film is not so much in the story, but in the themes hovering beneath the surface and how they are delivered visually. White Chimney, for example, a Finnish documentary we programmed last year, outlines the story of the tragic and mysterious death of the actress Sirkka Sari in 1939. You might read that description and wonder why you would care about the death of a Nordic actress that you’ve likely never heard of that took place 77 years ago. But you would care – because the film isn’t really a documentation of her death – it’s a film about youth, nostalgia, and other themes that I find difficult to even formulate words for in my mind, but they are there on the screen.

Sorry, that was not one sentence.

_____

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go tohttp://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Shane Burzynski (Northwest Horror Show)

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The Northwest Horror Show is a way for cult and horror fans to experience their favourite genre films on the big screen with special guests, giveaways, trailers and short films before each feature. All films will be screened on 35mm prints and Uncut whenever possible.

http://www.viff.org/theatre/series/northwest-horror-show

Interview with the Festival Director Shane Burzynski:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Shane Burzynski: The Northwest Horror Show is still very new, so at this time its pretty much just having the chance to have their films screened for audiences of like minded genre fans and help promote their work among the festival guests from the audience to our guest speakers. I’m also trying to start issuing awards so that they can also have the laurels for their posters.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)? 

Shane: Some very enthusiastic film goers, a lot of beer and some of the greatest junk food cinema ever produced! Maybe a little bit of emotional trauma for those heading into our 40th anniversary screening of Salo as well. It’ll be a very positive atmosphere despite the subject matter of a couple of our films.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films? 

Shane: They just have to be made within the last couple of years, be under 15 minutes and be in the horror/exploitation genre. Seen a lot of great stuff so far!

Matthew: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why? 

Shane: It’s hard to say as I haven’t really had the opportunity to experience any others myself. With the sheer volume of films flooding into them I’d imagine its hard to choose between all the submissions. I had to turn down some really terrific films last year and we only had 50 submissions, I can’t even imagine what its like for some of the big festivals. Luckily though there are tons of niche festivals for practically any subject these days and a lot of very supportive festival organizers/audiences. There’s an audience for pretty much anything these days, just gotta get your stuff in front of the right one.

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival? 

Shane: Mostly just bringing these classic genre films back to Vancouver and introducing some programming to the city that wouldn’t have been shown otherwise. For instance, last year I got to finally bring in these two Duke Mitchell films in which I had wanted to see here for a long time and it was a blast! People seemed to really enjoy themselves so that was really great.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception? 

Shane: As it’s only our second year, not too much. I’ve got some deals I’m making that will make it a bit more interactive and fun and am also adding more awards for the short films, but the atmosphere will pretty much be the same layout as we did last year.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020? 

Shane: Hopefully still running! We had a great first year and momentum just seems to keep on building. I dont think it will get much different than it is now but maybe a bigger crowd. I’m hoping to have the funds to bring more guests in as well as to start recreating some of the old gimmicks that came with the films I’m screening.

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life? 

Shane: I think its a tie between a few movies. I’ve seen the first two Lone Wolf and Cub movies a ton due to how many people I’ve felt the need to show them to. Brain Damage and Taxi Driver are also playing constantly as well.

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film? 

Shane: To me a great film is a passionate film. If you love what you’re doing and believe in the project you can make a great film, even if its not necessarily  talented. Ed Wood made terrible movies but charming movies that have stood the test of time because they were so hilariously sincere.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Shane: Its there but a little hard to get people out. Luckily my festival is offering something unique enough to pique peoples interests as no one else seems to wanna show things like Cannibal Holocaust or Salo, especially on 35mm.

It’s definitely a rarity in this city so it really helps to get people motivated to come out. They seem to be really happy to get these movies too which makes me even happier to bring them in.

Hopefully we can reach out to more people and keep it all going for as long as possible.
—

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Reham Alsamerai (Green Caravan Film Festival)

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The Green Caravan Film Festival (GCFF) is a traveling festival of environmental and socially conscious films that was founded by the environmental company Equilibrium in 2009. It has toured Kuwait and Dubai and London. In 2016 it returns to the Gulf for an expanded tour of several Gulf cities. The festival hopes to bring together a variety of audiences, filmmakers, NGOs and supporters that can discover, share and cooperate on the vital issues presented by the films in an atmosphere of inspired camaraderie and passion.

I recently sat down with the Co-Festival Director  Reham Alsamerai:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Reham Alsamerai: As of 2015 Green Caravan, which up until that point was focused mainly on environmental films, launched a new section for Middle Eastern shorts. This is was during our London edition and we felt it was a good opportunity to give exposure to up and coming filmmakers from the Middle East, and to give the London audience access to these stories that might otherwise not get told to them. Filmmakers from the Middle East region suffer from a lack of support and weak infrastructure, not that this deters their creativity, but what it does is make everything much harder than it should be. Taking their films with us to multiple platforms where the reception is overwhelmingly positive means that we are helping in our own little way in ensuring that there is a future for filmmaking in the region.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

Reham: This year we are taking a batch of films on a Gulf Tour, multiple cities and multiple venues. In each place we’re screening a programme of Middle Eastern shorts as well as a feature film or documentary. Later in the year we go back to London for another run- 3 to 4 days of social and environmental films including a selection of Middle Eastern shorts.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Reham: When it comes to shorts, they have to be succinct, impactful, and stylistically impressive. With environmental features and documentaries, we look for films that don’t come across as sensationalist, that tell stories seldom heard before, and of course that are well crafted and can hold an audience’s gaze.

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Reham: Happy faces, angry faces, shocked faces, teary-eyed faces.
When someone comes up to me after a screening and says something that starts with “I never knew…” or “thank you” or “what can I do about…”

When we know that we have changed someone’s perception of or perspective on something, that makes it all worthwhile.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Reham: The festival began as a local event meant to raise local levels of awareness about environmental topics. It is now a traveling festival showcasing films of environmental as well as social relevance, and includes a section dedicated to short films from the Middle East.

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Reham: Within the themes we cover: balance, honesty and creativity.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Reham: In Kuwait city where I’m from and where the festival is headquartered, there isn’t a film ‘scene’ per se. There is a handful of filmmakers all working tirelessly to get their work produced. Most of the time they have to self-fund. There is excellent work being made with extremely low budgets. In neighbouring countries there are multi-million funds available to filmmakers every year, but this is a concept still absent in Kuwait, although I am told there are plans in the pipeline for a local film fund, and I do hope it gets realised in the near future.

—-
Reham Alsamerai is co-founder and co-director of the Green Caravan Film Festival, a traveling festival for social and environmental films, established in 2009.She holds an MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from Goldsmiths College, University of London, and has been managing cultural events and happenings since 2008. Responsible for multiple start-ups, mainly in the fields of social and cultural entrepreneurship, Reham also currently holds the title Entrepreneur in Residence at Goldsmiths College.

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival President Sergey Mavrody (Blow-Up Film Festival)

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The 2016 BLOW-UP ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL brings the most original storytellers together with very adventurous audiences for its annual program of dramatic and documentary films, shorts, animations, experimental films, and student work. The Festival was named after the Michelangelo Antonioni’s iconic film “Blow-Up”.

For more information, to go: http://www.blowupfilmfest.com/

I recently sat down with the Festival President Sergey Mavrody:

  • What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

We believe we succeed in promoting authentic voices that can awaken new ideas that have the power to push creative boundaries, spark new levels of compassion and understanding, and even lead to social change.

  • What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

I would expect to bring the most original storytellers together with very adventurous audiences. It would be a great range of quality art-house films from all over the world. I would also expect a smart audience, people, who love art-house films.

  • What are the qualifications for the selected films?

The Festival welcomes serious, independent films aimed at a specific audience rather than a mass-market consumer. We would like to see films made primarily for aesthetic and philosophical reasons rather than commercial profit. The festival would like to approach the caliber of films made by such great directors as Eisenstein, Antonioni, Fellini, Tarkovsky, Godard, Truffaut, Kurosawa.

  • Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

Yes and no. On one hand, many films have to try very hard to get seen and recognized. On the other hand it is hard to miss a truly great and talented film.

  • What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

The main motivation would be to discover new talented artists promoting that type of films that fit well into our vision, that push creative limits and educate audiences. On the other hand, if we have passion we don’t really need a motivation.

  • How has the festival changed since its inception?

The festival is always evolving. We have changed names, concepts, and places of screening, websites, staff, jury, method of film submission.  This is a great question and answer could be very long.

  • Where do you see the festival by 2020?

By 2020 the festival will be making an even greater impact on the world cinema by discovering talented filmmakers and setting new standards.

  • What film have you seen the most times in your life?

The most times in my life I have seen the films I made, of course.

  • In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Well, Jean-Luc Godard once said: all you need for a great movie is a gun and a beautiful girl J That was an irony, of course. Truth: that’s what makes a great film in a nutshell. More specifically, this includes an authentic story and a sincere unpretentious artistic expression.

  • How is the film scene in your city?

The MovieMaker Magazine recently unveiled its list of cities with the best film scene. You’re probably wondering who topped the list? Well, it’s my Chicago! According to the magazine – the criteria they used include festivals, film schools, movie-related vendors, local theatres, living standards, unemployment rate, median home price and aggressive tax incentives. Chicago is also rich in filmmaking history and has seen an increase in both independent and Hollywood film productions in the last few years. As we speak, a bunch of film production trucks parked right on my street. They are filming the “Empire” TV series.

BIO: Sergey A. Mavrody

Sergey Mavrody moved to US from Moscow, Russia in 1990. He was granted a green card as an “Alien of Extraordinary Ability”.  Sergey received his first graduate degree in animation from VGIK film school, Moscow, Russia. Sergey earned his second MFA degree in Computer Animation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Sergey was a Production Designer for the Emmy Award-winning musical film “The Bridge”. Sergey produced and directed several animated films. His films have received numerous international awards.

Sergey is also a professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and DeVry University. Sergey served as a board member and as a head of the jury at several film festivals. He is a founder and a president of the Blow-Up Arthouse International Film Festival.

 

http://blowupfilmfest.com/

 

 

 

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go tohttp://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Sean Gabriel (Shortfest International)

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Shortfest International is aimed to promote as much as possible the productions created by our submitters. All foreign films must have English subtitles. Genres including: Sci Fi, Animated, horror, experimental, drama, comedy, thriller, action, documentary. Live screening will be held during the festival on 3 nights where elite personalities from the local scene will be attending this event. There will be a winner for each category. All those who will make it to the end and are nominated for the final award ‘The Best Overall Film’  will have the opportunity to attend or virtually attend to the final night as All films and any other kind of production which are submitted to this festival will be aired on an IPTV channel and it will be promoted on our websites and Facebook pages. This could be a one time opportunity!! Our aim is to turn this event in an annual event where here filmmakers will be able to meet and share their thoughts and ideas, hopefully from all around the globe.

Interview with Festival Director Sean Gabriel:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival ​succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Sean Gabriel: This is our first edition of The Shortfest International Festival and we are hoping that we can be a good helping hand to those producers who dedicate their time and money in creating short movies. Being ourselves a production house and having produced a couple of short films ourselves, we know the dedication and sometimes even financial sacrifices these producers do to get their film casted and produced. When the production is ready and presented to different festivals around the world, some succeed and others not, and are then put on a disk and archived to be forgotten and never given the opportunity to have the chance to screen them and get promoted properly. So we hope that through our initiative, where we created an IP TV channel dedicated solely for short movies incorporating both short film festivals and also content submission for free, we will be able to give the well deserved attention to all these productions having their films screened on an international platform.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

Sean: It will be a wonderful experience for everyone present at the festival. Being our first edition we are very limited financially but we are still giving it our best both in setup and organisation. Several distinct local producers and filmmakers will be present to this festival, some of which will be giving their contribution as part of the judging panel. This will be a good opportunity for those attending to meet up with some of the best local producers and filmmakers having the opportunity to meet in person and maybe share some ideas for future projects they might collaborate in.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Sean: There are no specific qualifications for the selected films. All short films are welcome as we believe that every film has its story, then it is up to our judges to determine whether a film should be qualified to the next level or not.

Matthew: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

Sean: I don’t think that there are any specific reasons the way a film is judged and not given a fair shake but then again that is just my opinion. When we participated with our productions we always had what we thought was fair for us, always depending on which festival we were participating in.

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Sean: The need for more exposure and promotion for such small productions drove us to come up with the idea of this festival boosting it with the idea of having all movies promoted on our channel to which we asked the permission to have their films aired as part as the festival procedure. Some had other commitments and withdrew their submissions and others greeted this idea with enthusiasm to the extent to give us consent to air their production anytime we want during the year.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Sean: This is the first year of our festival therefore there has not been much time for changes even though i have to admit that from the the day we started this festival project to present day we have changed, added and improved alot the festival in terms of promotion and presentation….. and it keeps getting better.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Sean: Our aim is to make this festival an annual event. In 5 years time we hope that we manage to make it a calendar event in the media industry in Malta, something that filmmakers, producers etc will be looking forward to. Hopefully with some help we could be getting some international professional people in the field to attend our Festival which will definitely make it an important event for the short film enthusiasts.

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Sean: One of the films i love and am never fed up of watching is Gladiator – watched it last week again in fact ….. probably it was the 300th time i watched it lol!!

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Sean: A great film is made when it has an artistic core and every aspect of filmmaking is well prepared and executed.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Sean: Malta has d same equivalent value in terms of the city you are referring to. With its 440,000 inhabitants the film industry is still very strong. We had some of the best blockbusters here in Malta, to mention a few Gladiator, Troy, Munich, Assassin’s Creed and recently 13 hrs. The people involved in the film industry are very competent and recently a new fresh overhaul in the Film Commission has given the desired results attracting more and more film producers and directors who chose Malta as part of the filming location for their film. As for the local scene unfortunately things are somehow different with alot of emerging filmmakers not having enough opportunity to express their creativity and passion for this industry. This happens just because in the technical dept of filmmaking locally we ar not given much opportunity as most of the films bring their technical crew with them which makes it even harder to get involved.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go tohttp://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Founder/Director, Susan Johnston (New Media Film Festival)

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7th Annual New Media Film Festival. Honors Stories Worth Telling in all media that are innovative, imaginative & inspirational. Submit Now Attend June 7-9, 2016

They accept submissions through April 25th and notify by May 5th.  You can use promo code twitter10 good in any category at www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com

Susan Johnston founded the critically acclaimed New Media Film Festival ® in 2009 to honor stories worth telling in the ever changing landscape of media, New Media. Legendary judges cull over the content for the annual festival in Los Angeles that offers screening, competition ($45k in awards) and distribution opportunities. Currently there are over 600 titles in their library.

Interview with Susan Johnston:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Susan Johnston: We are proud to say, we advance stories and the people that make them. We have category winners and a Grand Prize winner. For some of our category winners, here is what we have learned:

Snipler®-30 second pitch category, the filmmaker received full funding for his feature while his Snipler®-30 second pitch

3D category winner filmmaker told us Discovery made him an offer after he notified them of his win at our festival

Our recent Grand Prize Winner, What Lives Inside said: “Thanks so much for this prize. ‘What Lives Inside’ made its debut at New Media Film Festival and, after winning the Grand Prize(!!), it went on to win 6 Lions at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity the following week. We’re honored with all this recognition.”
– Molly Parsley – What Lives Inside

The Grand Prize Winner before that, Curio Shop, also a world premiere, had an amazing festival winner streak that included airing on a network!

In addition, we archive all of the submissions, so, if someone reaches out for something specific, we can search and connect. That has resulted in content being interviewed in Press, screening participation at expos and conventions when we speak (NATPE, AFM, NAB and more) and many other opportunities which are at no cost or obligation to the content creator.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

Susan: In January, we do early selections to start press and newsletter and website for a select few submissions. We are excited to announce that we have Artificial Intelligence (yes, AI), Virtual Reality and Drone as new screenings this year, most of them premieres.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Susan: Our Mandate is Honoring Stories Worth Telling, our categories cover the tech aspect (even a New Media category for when you create something that you do not know where it fits, it fits here)

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Susan: Making a difference. Knowing that stories have the power to change our now and our future and remind us of our past so we can keep learning. For me, I often say, What would you like your future to be? Make, write, create, be that story now. You are part of the collective, share wisely.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Susan: Constant change, we are tech and media, always news, always challenging, always exciting.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Susan: Beaming content to Humans in Space whether on a planet or the very least the International Space Station.

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Susan: Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Gene Wilder Version Only – So shine a good deed in a weary world (I have an everlasting gobstopper)

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Susan: Story, implementation.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Susan: Global
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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with J. Michael Seyfert (Cine Pobre)

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Cine Pobre is a self-funded filmmaking genre without a set of stylistic criteria nor format boundaries, involving many geographically separated creators with at least two things in common: a strong desire to tell our story and to do so with our own resources.

You can also find more info at
www.facebook.com/cinepobre/

I recently sat down with J. Michael Seyfert to talk more about the festival:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers? 

JMS: So far Cine Pobre has co-produced 8 films, and we provide post production talent and technical skills through camera stabilization workshops, and help with branding and niche market exposure. Cine Pobre Film Festival is like filmmaking itself, a collaborative and not a competitive concept.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival? 

JMS: Personally , unless you’re talking about Orson Welles or Werner Herzog for example I am not keen on listening to a lot of self-congratulating trivia and gossip staged by most film festivals who appear more like cocktail parties. I appreciate excellent programming that has attitude and teeth, to be intriguing,  that’s what Cine Pobre delivers: New Eyes.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films? 

JMS: Anything goes, but must be self-funded and under $25,000 usd crowd-funding is also accepted, but productions financed by grants and film fund supported budgets are not accepted.

Matthew: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why? 

JMS: The business model of conventional festivals, of which there are literally thousands, is strictly a numbers game no matter how idealistic they may cloak themselves. As soon as an event gains some prestige it becomes elitist and exclusionary, rich in overhead and filmmaker exploitative.

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival? 

JMS: Curating the best self funded films to the widest audience is gratifying, as only the works of story tellers unbeholden to sponsors are censorship-free.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception? 

JMS: Started with small screenings in rural areas to become the largest resource of self-funded film with over 10,000 shorts, features, documentaries, animation, experimental and music videos.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

JMS: We receive entries from about 100 countries and would love to curate films from all 190 states and territories on the planet.

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

JMS: Bye Bye Havana

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film? 

JMS: A story so well told that it holds the attention of a 7 year old.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city? 

JMS: Still emerging from provincialism…. However Cine Pobre is neither stagnant nor static. Over the past 13 years we have taken our screenings to rural areas in Mexico and different countries in Latin America. We hope to also develop events in Africa where many exciting self-funded filmmakers are emerging.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Kristine Renee Farley (MayDay Film Festival)

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The MayDay Film Festival originated in May 2009 at the University of Southern Indiana. It was created by a group of student filmmakers.. Year one was about showing off student films at their event to the student body. Since then, it has evolved into a full fledged festival showcasing films from all over the world.

Website: www.maydayfilmfestival.com

Twitter @MayDayFilmFest

I recently sat down with the Festival Director of the Festival:

Matthew Toffolo: What is the MayDay Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Kristine Renee Farley: I consider MayDay Film Festival’s biggest achievement our audience members. Last year we had 500 people in attendance across our 2-day event. Sometimes it can be difficult for independent film to find an audience, but we don’t have that problem at MayDay. We’re also currently in negotiations with international distribution companies. We want to partner with one to get MayDay Film Festival official selections in front of their eyes, and hopefully the rest of the world.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

Kristine: MayDay is alway a fun experience for attendees. We pride ourselves on not being a pretentious film festival. We have vendor booths similar to what you see at conventions. This gives filmmakers a chance to sell their movies as well as other merchandise like tshirts. But we also invite local businesses and artists to rent booth space as well. We want to be interactive with the whole community, and invite anyone who thinks indie film fans would like to buy their product a chance to get it out there. All the info to get a booth is on our website. We also always have a guest artist or two to do a Q&A panel. We’ve had cosplayer Collin Royster, Emmy-award winning writer of Friday the 13th Victor Miller, Jake Lloyd of Star Wars & Jingle all the Way, and the Star Wars 501st Legion in past years.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Kristine: Our submission guidelines are pretty loose. We like to have a wide variety of films screen at MayDay. During the selection process, we try to keep a good balance of looking at the quality of everything from camera work, image, audio, acting, and story. A filmmaker may not have had the best camera when they made their film, but if the story is amazing, we’ll still take it. Likewise, if a film looks too beautiful to pass up, we sure won’t.

Matthew: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

Kristine: I agree to a certain extent, yes. I think the bigger film festivals only take “independent” films that are only so just because a studio wasn’t involved. Yes, TECHNICALLY they’re “independent,” but they have huge stars and the best equipment. It makes sense for a festival to accept such movies because it will help their festival be more successful, so I can’t really discredit them for that at all. But I do believe that a lot of really amazing films that didn’t have the budget and didn’t have the stars do get ignored sometimes. Just because they don’t have that selling power. Which kind of leads into your next question…

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Kristine: We want to give people a chance to get their films seen. That’s the whole point of making a movie! For people to see it! In addition to our fantastic & growing attendance numbers, filmmakers have the opportunity to secure booth space to sell their DVDs to the right audience – people interested in watching indie film.

For me personally, I’m also an actress working in TV & indie film. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see who’s making amazing films & to check out other actors & actresses who are getting work. We have films that come to us from all over the country & the world. It’s a wonderful networking opportunity for anyone in the indie film scene.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Kristine: This festival has changed SO much! It first started as a few students at the University of Southern Indiana showing off short films that they had made that school year. Then the Filmmakers’ Club was created to give students a more organized foundation to create their films since the school doesn’t have a film program. Each year it’s gotten bigger & bigger, incorporating local filmmakers and businesses. Now we’re in an actual movie theatre (Shout out to Showplace Cinemas in Evansville, IN! They’re the best!), showing films on 3 screens, and have international selections each year. I started helping with the fest in year 3. We had 38 submissions total. This year we had 40 our first day. We’re up to 470 currently, and we don’t close submissions until May 1st! We’ve had to bring on more people to get through the first round of watching films.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Kristine: I certainly hope we continue to grow as much as we have already. At this time, we’re a not for profit event in the sense that we make absolutely no profit, haha. All fees & admissions go straight back into the festival costs. A lot of the time myself and the other coordinators will spend money out of pocket to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. I’d certainly like to see it begin to turn a profit because we have some amazing ideas to expand the MayDay brand into other film related events. If I had my way, we’d have a different themed event each month!

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Kristine: The absolute most times is probably Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I may have been a teenager when it came out, but I geeked hard core over it. My sister and I were probably watching it 3 times a day that summer we were off from school. I started developing a bit of a British accent. It was pretty crazy, haha. As an adult, it’s probably either Kill Bill or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Those films just never get old for me. I notice something new each time I watch them. If you’re talking indie film, you should totally check out Bounty Killer. God, I love that movie.

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Kristine: Oy. ONE sentence? And “great” is so subjective… I’d have to say, “A great film understands it’s audience.” Understanding your audience and how your film is perceived really helps tell a great story. That sentence also allows for films that may not be technically sound, but are still entertaining. &#X1f60a AND it transcends genres. Someone who loves horror may not like romantic comedy, but that doesn’t mean either genre isn’t great.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Kristine: Well, I’m living in New York City now, so pretty awesome, haha. Back in Evansville, things are pretty hopping, too. The work I got there and the experience I gained have been invaluable to me in pursuing my career. Last year at MayDay Film Fest in particular, the quality of local films skyrocketed. Evansville, IN is definitely holding their own against some of the best films from around the country. Some even won awards against them too! I continue to be impressed year after year at how much my friends & associates in indie film have grown.
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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Dave Merson Hess (Rush Process Festival of Handcrafted Animation)

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Rush Process celebrates handcrafted animation. The festival’s first edition – set for August 27-28, 2016 in Houston, Texas – will combine curated and competition screenings with filmmaker Q&As and a DIY animation jam. RP aims to screen visually and emotionally stunning, non-digital animation.

I recently sat down with Festival Director Dave Merson Hess to talk more about the festival:

What is Rush Process succeeding at doing for animated filmmakers? 

On the screening side, we’re bringing handcrafted animated films to an enthusiastic audience that appreciates the gesture of choosing to work with tangible, analog materials. And with our workshops, we’re encouraging absolutely everyone to embrace low-budget, DIY animation as both a rich area for visual exploration and an accessible entry point into personal filmmaking.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival?

Eye-opening screenings of handcrafted animated shorts from around the world, workshops offering the opportunity to collaborate with complete strangers who share a passion for time-based collage and scribbling, and snacks. We’ll definitely have snacks.

What are the qualifications for the selected films? 

I’m not involved with judging, but I can tell you that we only screen handcrafted animation. These are painstakingly produced films made by hand, with real ink and paint, and often by lone practicioners. To quote our site, handcrafted is “a materials-focused practice at the intersection of DIY, auteur-driven cinema and analog animation art.”

What makes a great independent film? 

A great independent film: 1) chooses the discomfort of honesty and doubt over audience-pandering via formula and cliche, 2) embraces the limitations of the particular context of its own making, and 3) demonstrates a passionate dedication to a unique and highly developed personal or collective vision.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

The opportunity to become DIY animation enablers for as large an audience as possible, and the genuine feeling that we’re filling a niche programming void.

>Where do you see the festival by 2020?

I see the workshop element expanding dramatically. Imagine a DIY animation-focused Hack Week, with independent animators, artists and film lovers of all ages meeting and collaborating on free-form, time-bound production challenges.

How has the festival changed since its inception?

Well, 2016 will be our first edition but I’ve been working on Rush Process for a year and a half. It began as an idea for a monthly screening series, then after some reshuffling and delays it morphed into a full-fledged animation festival. On the workshop side, we were inspired by Tom 7’s Crap Art Manifesto, and our friends at Beta Theater’s Make-A-Movie Night, which was this rad monthly happy hour event where filmmakers got together in teams and each made a short start-to-finish in about three hours.

What film have you personally seen the most in your life?

As a teen: Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, Wayne’s World, and Jan Svankmajer’s “Alice”.

While in film school: “Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies”, by The Brothers Quay.

As an adult: I’m not really someone who re-watches films much anymore. Despite this tendency, the films I’ve spent the most time with in the last five years have been: Penny Lane’s “The Voyagers”, Terence Nance’s feature, “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty”, Karolina Glusiec’s “Velocity”, and my friend Dax Norman’s whole body of work.

How is the film scene in your city?

On the production side, it’s relatively small and a bit fractured, with grant-funded video artists at one end of the spectrum, indie genre filmmakers at the other, documentarians somewhere in the middle, and the vast majority of local film professionals focused on industrials and commercial work.

In terms of curating and screenings, Houston’s film scene is downright incredible. We’ve got Mary Magsamen at Aurora Picture Show bringing the likes of Jodie Mack and Roger Beebe, Houston Cinema Arts Fest, annual festivals hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, even more screenings at the CAMH, video art/installations/transmedia madness at Civic TV Collective, Peter Lucas’s “Jazz On Film”, the Menil projecting work in a museum context (William Kentridge, anyone?), plus Mystical Crystal Revelations Movie Club showing rad cult flicks, and newer nomadic programmers like Suplex starting to screen stuff around town.

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Bio:
Dave Merson Hess is an animator, media arts educator and film curator based in Houston, Texas.
Twitter: @lofiaction

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

 

 

 

Interview with Festival Director Bobby Keller (Nepa Horror Film Festival)

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I recently sat down with the Festival Director of the new festival Nepa Horror Film Festival. Bobby Keller is a big champion of Horror and it shows in this interview. Enjoy:

Matthew Toffolo: What is the Nepa Horror Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Bobby Keller: Getting their films shown to an audience. The festival is still just starting out, but as a filmmaker, I am grateful for ANY screening of my movies, so I would hope that I am helping other horror filmmakers out.

Matthew: What would you expect to see if you attend the festival?

Bobby: Our first festival was in October. It was 13 short horror films, local, national, and international. Now I do monthly screenings at Ale Mary’s in Scranton, which have been consisting of ‘cult following’ shot-on-video horror movies from the 1990’s feature films along with a few short films prior to the features. Last month I did a tribute to Todd Sheets and screened his Zombie Bloodbath trilogy. And February 18th, we will be showing Boardinghouse, Death Metal Zombies, and Warlock Video’s remake of Evil Night.

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Bobby: For the short films, basically be under 20 minutes, be horror themed, and don’t suck.

Matthew: What are people’s fascination with horror films?

Bobby: “It’s a way of life, maaaaan!” Seriously though, horror fans are the greatest people in the world. I think that’s part of what makes the festival so much fun. If 100 people show up or 5 people show up, everyone is still going to have a great time and get along. It’s not a bunch of hipsters with Twin Peaks TEETH saying “Shutter Speed” loud enough for girls to hear them.

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Bobby: I started it to ‘showcase’ local filmmakers in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. And maybe one guy in Nanticoke. I had shown my own films locally with a friend of mine, Stachio. He asked me if I wanted to do anything in October, and I figured since it would be around Halloween, a horror film festival would be a great idea. I set up a FilmFreeway page for submissions, and ended up getting dozens of films from all over the world. The theme was “13 Short Films”, so only being able to pick 13 was tough. I guess my love for horror, being a filmmaker, and wanting to provide something for people in my area to do besides GET THEIR GLUG ON.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Bobby: We’re slowly and surely getting to the point where we won’t screw something up at a screening. Haha. It’s usually just little things that I’m sure the audience doesn’t even notice, but I’ll be sitting in the back having an anxiety attack and choking on popcorn.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Bobby: In space.

Matthew: What film have you personally seen in your life?

Bobby: I think I saw Creepshow 700 times.

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Bobby: Chainsaws and The Butter Cream Gang.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Bobby: Not bad.. Voyager Video, JVW, and Twenty Five Eight are doing some cool stuff. But then you have assholes who spend more time updating the trivia on their IMDB page that nobody is going to read. I’m more into the Frog scene in Scranton. Philadelphia isn’t too bad either, check out Johnny Dickie and NEPA native Sam Valenti’s stuff.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.