I loved hearing all the different interpretations from the different audience members. Everyone comes to a screening with different backgrounds and history, and that all informs the way in which they receive and perceive a film; it was fascinating to me, and I thought everyone had very valuable things to say.

– Filmmaker Sarah Deakins, on the WILDsound Film Festival Experience (Review)

GREECE was awarded Best Performances at the April 2015 Film Festival.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of GREECE:

Matthew Toffolo interviews Director/Actress Sarah Deakins:

Matthew: What motivated you to make this film?

Sarah: I’m interested in how people connect when their mutual pasts are fraught. I wanted to create a situation where only one person could communicate, but had no idea if they were affecting the other. I wanted to visit the last moment of shared connection between these two people, even though they didn’t know it was…

I always thought that once a film is finished (or abandoned, as someone said once…), it no longer belongs to the filmmakers – it belongs to the audience. The WILDsound festival is the perfect illustration of that. I very much appreciate the fact that your audience took the time to watch MEDIATION in the first place, and then chose to stay after the screening to discuss it. As a writer-director, I couldn’t ask for more – if there is an audience that cares enough to talk about a film I wrote and directed, then I’ve done my job.

– Filmmaker Francisco Lorite, on the WILDsound Experience (Review)

Mediation was awarded Best Cinematography at the April 2015 Film Festival

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of MEDIATION:

Matthew Toffolo interviews director Francisco Lorite:

Matthew: What motivated you to make this film?

Francisco: The main goal behind making a short film was to…

Ideas to be a great Film Director!

Directing a film is the most intensely solitary and intensely collaborative experience you may ever have. On a psychological level, it’s about keeping your ego in perfect balance with your need for input, and your vision moving forward with your changing circumstances.

Whether you’re running your first independent-film casting call or into your millionth day of shooting, you may find some useful ideas here.

A great movie is about catching the audience on every level.

All the great film directors always say: Direct the stories that you know right now. Express yourself in the films. Put your personal vision in the films.

The main questions a Film Director must answer are:
1. Where do I put the camera?
2. What do I tell the actors?
3. What is the scene about?

David Mamet says that directing a film is about shooting a variety…

THE DIRECTOR’S FIVE STAGES OF PRE-PRODUCTION

-Scriptwriting
-Production Design
-Script Analysis
-Cinematography
-Rehearsal

SCRIPTWRITING
-Dissect the script and come up with gameplan
-Write down ideas for images for each scene
-Look for connections to your own past experiences

PRODUCTION DESIGN
-Scriptwriting answers the WHAT questions of the story;
Production Design answers the WHERE AND HOW
-The Director begins the prep process by having conferences with his or her Production Designer, explaining each scene of the script as he or she sees it
-Break down the script, answering: How long will it take, and how much will it cost?
-TWO TYPES OF VISUAL DESIGNS – PICTORIAL AND SEQUENTIAL
—-PICTORIAL: Set design, costumes, props, make-up, and any elements that are layered on top of a location and must by built, manufactured or otherwise obtained
—-SEQUENTIAL: Skills of the writer, Production Designer, Director, DOP and Editor
-Once locations are secured, the Director develops…

I wrote the poem for our youth who are experimenting with drugs. One person is dying from a drug overdose every 13 to 19 minutes, in North America. It’s my hope that those viewing Addiction Says … will see the ugly truth. Addiction isn’t fun or glamorous. It’s tragic.

– Lorelie Rozzano, Poet

Watch ADDICTION SAYS….. Poetry Turned into a Moive

Over 1100 views in 48 hours!

Poem by Lorelie Rozzano

Narration by Becky Shrimpton

Visual Design by Yujin Song

Produced by Matthew Toffolo

Enclosed are the 25 winners for our inaugural “very short story” festival contest.

All 25 winners will now have their stories made into a movie using a professional voice over artist:

Submit your own Very Short Story to the Festival:
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/140_characters.html

—

Title: Where is the ‘Good’ in ‘Goodbye’?

by W. T. Paterson

At the airport gate she kissed him, and she cried, and he said “I clogged your toilet,” and she cried some more.

—

Title: A New Home For You, Dear

by Ida Ayu Lestari

A woman in red gave a book to a little boy, before he’s gone missing. Later, the mother finds him inside a book in his room, with the woman.

—

Title: The gentle sunset

by B.W.Shearer

A palm tree small but tall
Against the deepening sky
Sits at the centre of
The gentle sunset of
Subtle pink and rusty red
Slowly diminishing around

I got a lot out of the feedback I received from WILDsound. It was thoughtful, and intelligent. I didn’t always agree, but then after a few days of sleeping on it, it sinks in, and you think “Okay, maybe they’re right, let me try this to get there.” Then, after I added it, I could tell it was better.

– Writer Marc W. Johnson

Watch Best Scene Reading of LEGACY by Marc W. Johnson

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Susan Wilson
Virginia – Krista Morin
Rose – Christina Aceto
John – Allan Michael Brunet
Diane – Pip Dwyer
Julio – Dan Fox
Vince/Damon/Carl – Ryan Anning
Gary/Giles – Dan Cristofori

Matthew Toffolo interviews writer Marc W. Johnson:

1. What is your screenplay about?

How the secrets that are kept from us, and the betrayals we encounter have the ability to destroy who we are and remold us into something dangerous.

2…

I have to admit, when “Flat Pennies” performs well in some of the huge competitions this year, I will have to give WILDsound much credit for making my script stronger and far better.

– Writer Robert Ward

Watch FLAT PENNIES First Scene Reading by Robert Ward:

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Susan Wilson
Ian – Dan Fox
Mrs. Guth – Pip Dwyer
Matt/Tyler – Ryan Anning
Antoinette- Christina Aceto

Matthew Toffolo interviews writer Robert Ward:

1. What is your screenplay about?

“Flat Pennies” follows a paraplegic man’s internal and outer struggles — from a lonely existence in a dark apartment filled with a sprawling model railroad all the way to finding love, happiness, and sunshine with the next-door neighbor who’s raising a young child and saddled with an abusive ex-husband. I have worked on this story for almost eight years, refining it over and over again. “Flat Pennies” is the toughest…

The feedback (received from WILDsound) was useful, fair and respectful. I am very grateful for it.
– Writer Giuseppe LiMandri

Watch the TV Spec Reading TV SPEC: JESSIE “We Don’t Have a Clooney”
by Giuseppe LiMandri

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Susan Wilson
Jessie – Christina Aceto
Betram – Allan Michael Brunet
Emma – Krista Morin
Doctor – Dan Fox
Ravi – Ryan Anning
Luke – Dan Cristofori
Zuri/Christina – Pip Dwyer

SYNOPSIS:

A spec for the Disney TV series “Jessie”.

Because of an injury to the butler the children have to assume a new of responsibility….

Matthew Toffolo interviews winning writer Giuseppe LiMandri:

1. What is your screenplay about?

It is a spec for the Disney TV series called “Jessie”. Because of an injury to the butler the children have to assume a new of responsibility.

2. Why does this script fit into the context of the show?

I think…

It’s something I always look forward to. When I get an e-mail asking if I can come and read, it’s always a really exciting moment – I usually respond with a lot of exclamation points. Something I really appreciate is a sense of community that’s present. I’ve met some really great actors and really great people who I’ve gone on to work with in other projects.

– Becky Shrimpton, on performing at the WILDsound Festival.

To date, Becky Shrimpton has narrated 5 movies that WILDsound has produced from the festival. She is also the resident voice over artist for the Video Pitch Logline series, and has also performed at 6 festival readings. Matthew Toffolo sat down with Becky for an interview:

Matthew: You’ve performed over 80 video story pitches at our festival. Is there one story that stands out for you?

Becky: There was a pitch for a Lewis and…