CinemATL.com

Atlanta Film This Week

atlflickchick — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:04:55 +0000

Lots going on this week. Enjoy!

ATL Flick Chick

Monday (1/30)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 2/2

Tuesday (1/31)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 2/2
@The Plaza–The Room–9:30p, $9

Wednesday (2/1)

Emory Cinematheque–Shanghai Express–7:30p, FREE
@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 2/2

Thursday (2/2)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist
@Emory–Tenenbaum Family Lecture in Judaic Studies/Neil Gabler (Film Critic)–7:30p, FREE
Wonderroot’s Filmmakers’ Night @The Plaza–9:30p, $6

Saturday (2/4)

It Came From The Web–Bad Manor–8p, $5
@The Plaza–Old Man Cabbage–10p, $10

Sunday (2/5)

@The Goat Farm–Thrive–4p, FREE

Discovering Encuentrate

Martin Kelley — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:57:45 +0000

Sundance season has kicked off 2012 for the independent film world but CinemATL is looking ahead with a local production that will be making noise in the near future.

Encuentrate is a film about a young woman, Anais, who alienates herself from her family, her culture and her grandfather’s spiritual teachings because of issues she has with her mother. However, The death of her grandfather brings her face to face with everything she ran away from resulting in Anais discovering a secret.

Michelle Rivera-Huckaby wrote and produced this short film in Georgia and Jessica Imoto Harney served as Co-Producer on the project.

I was able to speak with both of them about their project.

Questions

Michelle Rivera-Huckaby

What made you want to make this film?

I’ve wanted to write a screenplay for a while and officially said it out loud in April 2009, a couple of months after my youngest was born. I had been a single mother for 10 years, got married and had another baby. Became super domesticated and felt like I was forgetting my dreams which I hear many mothers/wives can relate to. So I started planning time to write a screenplay and outlined tons of ideas until the one that hit closest to home stood out to me.

How long have you been planning to make this project?

I first started planning about 12 years ago but was overwhelmed with 2 jobs, raising twins with only my mom’s help so I put it aside and put my family first. In April of 2009, I made the decision to make a go at it but it wasn’t until late Aug./Sept. of 2009 that I really started a timeline and working with someone to hold me accountable so from that time until we actually shot it – I’d say a couple of months shy of 2 years of actual planning.

You reached out to many mentors during this process, how did that impact the project?

In so many ways – from length it should be (short or feature), to financing, hiring the right crew, direct it or be in it, when it was shot as it was originally planned to be shot early 2011 as opposed to late July of 2011.

What are you plans for Encuentrate?

To do the 2012 film festival circuit and win in our category at an Oscar qualifying festival and also be an inspiration to people. I’m a woman who grew up in Brooklyn, NY with all the odds against her and everyone was quick to remind me of that when I was pregnant with twins at 19 (sophmore in college) and all I ever heard even after having the twins was how I wouldn’t get anywhere and I look back and can only count my blessings. I want to inspire my children and set an example that there is nothing they can’t do. I want to inspire young people who don’t feel they are entitled to be great. I want to inspire single mothers who are so overwhelmed that they just want to give up. I want to inspire wives/mothers who have dreams but think they can’t purse them because they give everything they have to their household. I can only hope that Encuentrate will be the beginning and allow me to share with and inspire others.

What was the most challenging aspect of making the film?

There were a lot of challenges but I think the biggest one was funding the project. We created an indiegogo campaign and raised some funds but not even close to what we needed and even going to family and friends was difficult because you got to see who really believed in you but it also made me stop and ask myself do I believe in this that much and without hesitation we plowed forward.

Do you have plans for any new projects?

Yes, currently working on a few things: a feature which I hope to have in pre-production by the Fall of this year, a comedy series and a drama.

Jessica Imoto Harney

Tell me a little bit about your production company Captain Crazy. What projects other than Encuentrate have you been involved with?

In 2011 we also helped produce “Altered”, a horror film by Kely McClung, shot primarily in Chicago , IL and the infamous Gary , IN (a location all filmmakers should use). We worked on Dave Quay’s “Night on the Lam”, a handful of Atlanta artist’s music videos, Sam Carter’s “Good Grief Suicide Hotline”, and an assortment of other Atlanta based productions. We definitely stay busy helping friends and peers in the community create their projects in any aspect possible because we love doing it…no matter what. Viva Indie Filmmaking!!

What brought you to the project?

Michelle’s go-getter personality and work ethic! Michelle contacted me looking for a Director of Photography, but through discussion we realized I would ultimately take a larger role in the production of “Encúentrate” and actually co-produce the film. So I brought in the Crazy crew, with limits, and we collaborated with a fun lil’ crew imported from Puerto Rico to help create Michelle’s vision. It was an awesome experience… AND I learned lots of Spanish! Ultimately working with Michelle Rivera-Huckaby has been one of the best decisions of 2011, and we’re already starting to conspire her next project together.

What’s your take on the film scene in Atlanta ?

We’re… growing. In a productive way. It’s exciting to see so many people collaborating to share stories and entertainment. Because of the nature of our community, so many of us can actually call each other ‘filmmakers’ instead of ‘a singular union created role’… and I think that’s awesome advantage we have here in Atlanta . Ultimately, I have high hopes for our future, AND with the growth of the Atlanta Film Festival, we’re really making huge steps in having everyone take us seriously as a community and as an industry of professionals.

What do you have on tap in terms of future projects?

In 2012 we’ll be focusing a lot of our energy on doobious.org, our interactive magazine that shares stories of Atlanta filmmakers, musicians, and artists of all mediums. Doobious.org is lead by my awesome brother Ace and Captain Crazy TV helps out with creating visual content for all our articles. As a non-profit organization, we strive to help spread word of the Atlanta scene and inspire our readers to get out there and experience their lives to the fullest. We’re like cyber hippies minus the petruli.

To learn more about the film, please visit the film’s website here: http://encuentratethefilm.com/blog/

Atlanta Film This Week

atlflickchick — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:01:56 +0000

Enjoy!

ATL Flick Chick

Monday (1/23)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 1/26

Tuesday (1/24)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 1/26

Wednesday (1/25)

Emory Cinematheque–The Crowd–7:30p, FREE
@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 1/26

Thursday (1/26)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist

Saturday (1/28)

@The Plaza–Benjamin Smoke & Lawrence of Lawrenceville–9:30p, $10

Atlanta Film This Week

atlflickchick — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:27:02 +0000

ATL Flick Chick

This weekend you have a chance to boogie with Dirk Diggler. Enjoy!

Thursday (1/19)

Feminist Film Forum–Hedwig and the Angry Inch–6:30p, FREE

Friday (1/20)

@The Plaza–Full Metal Alchemist–Through 1/26
Movie Mania–The King’s Speech–7:30p, FREE

Saturday (1/21)

TabooLaLa @The Plaza–Boogie Nights–10p, $10

Sunday (1/22)

@The Plaza–Ace the Zombie–9:30p, $9

Atlanta Film This Week

atlflickchick — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:33:02 +0000

ATL Flick Chick

Scare yourself silly this week at Atlanta’s non-profit theater The Plaza! Enjoy!

Tuesday (1/10)

Splatter Cinema @The Plaza–Friday The 13th–9:30p, $9

Friday (1/13)

Splatter Cinema @The Plaza–Friday The 13th–9:30p, $9

Saturday (1/14)

@The Plaza–White Reindeer–7:30p, $9

Notes From a Festival Programmer: I have No Idea What This Dude Wants, Or Why Am I Still Watching?

Charles Judson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:35:38 +0000

I’m very much a proponent of three act structure. Not so much in one has to strictly adhere to it, as much I strongly believe when the writer and the director understand the strengths of it, the more powerful I believe a story can become.

Atlanta Film This Week

atlflickchick — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:43:15 +0000

ATL Flick Chick

This week may be the last time you can see The Shining on 35mm film. Enjoy!

Tuesday (12/13)

Splatter Cinema @The Plaza–The Shining–9:30p, $9

Thursday (12/15)

@The Contemporary–Outrage–6:30p, FREE

Friday (12/16)

@The Plaza–The Dead–Through to 12/22

Saturday (12/17)

Splatter Cinema @The Plaza–The Shining–9:30p, $9

Sunday (12/18)

Movies with a Mission–The Black Candle: A Kwanzaa Celebration–3p, FREE
Movies in the Garden @The Mansion–An Elf’s Story–4:30p, $15-$25

Notes from a Festival Programmer: NEVER, EVER Hire That Guy (or Gal) for Sound Again. Or, Why We Loathe Omni-Directional Mics

Charles Judson — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:10:39 +0000

Of all the advice festivals and festival programmers will give, sound is likely the one that will appear in everyone’s list. Sound is the one element almost no film can overcome when it’s noticeable for all the wrong reasons.

“Getting good sound is one of the most affordable things that you can do to up your production values and make your movie look better” - David Hechenberger

In the past, the biggest issue in this area has had to do with productions relying on the on camera mic. That was even more so five or so years ago when the digital cameras indies were using would be of the more affordable prosumer quality, which would have a mic built in. In general, they’re terrible for capturing sound on narrative productions. There’s almost no compensating in camera. The mic’s are omni-directional so they’re pulling all sounds that are within range. The mic is at the mercy of the acoustics of wherever one is shooting. And you’re pretty much stuck filming close ups and medium shots, because they only pick up sound at relatively short distances.

Fast forward and the mantra of “boom mic, boom mic, boom mic” is one we don’t scream at the screen much anymore. More filmmakers, especially self-trained, are aware that shooting on set without a boom mic is a non-starter.

Which brings me to a new issue, that’s really an old one, and that’s having people who know nothing about sound running it on set.

I’ve watched films this submission process that have been filled with:

dresses rustling against the lavaliers
clearly audible mic bumps
scenes that sound like they were filmed in a bathroom, but weren’t
extraneous background noises, such as cars honking and passing on the street
mic pops
the sound of the dreaded, overbearing, and pretty loud, refrigerator and or drink machine

I’ve personally been on indie film sets in which the person running and monitoring the sound has immediately after the take, let everyone know when they didn’t get clean sound. They’ve never let production move on till they were sure they had something usable. To watch a film and hear such errors, angers me.

No, it pisses me the fuck off.

Why would you do that to a filmmaker? And filmmakers, why would you find that acceptable?

Now, the reality is that sometimes you can’t actively monitor sound as you’re shooting. Or, get as fancy as you’d like. Logistically and budget wise there are constraints, we get that. Here’s some advice and observations from a layman, who isn’t an expert, but knows he detests bad sound, especially in what could be good movies.

Always include the sound guy when making final decisions about locations. Figure out what the issues will be before the day you start shooting.
When in doubt, ask the guy behind the counter for a uni-directional microphone.
If you can hear the car, dog, plane, door slam, yelling without a headset, you know for sure the microphone picked it up. Do another take.
Always be monitoring the sound as you’re shooting, not afterwards. And a semi-decent headset is better than no headset at all.
If you can’t afford to monitor the sound–which means you probably shouldn’t be shooting, but if you decide to go ahead anyway–then build in time to review sound on set every few takes. Missing a key line of dialogue could come back to bite you in the ass, don’t let it. However, this will EAT UP time. Monitoring is the faster, cheaper way to go.
If you’ve got a dialogue heavy, or quick paced scene, with lots of back and forth, and you’re only working with one microphone, you may need to get more coverage. Shoot more with a few takes focused on just getting the dialogue of one character. Yes, you may have to add shoot days, or hours, however, this may save your butt in editing.
If you can use multiple mics and multiple recorders to record each character to a separate track do it.
If you’re using lavaliers, work with your costume designers, or in the case of most indies, the actors who will be picking their own costumes, to make sure the mics are firmly secured and the costumes won’t present any issues. If it dangles, jangles, or swings, it WILL bump up against something. ALWAYS.
ADR for exterior scenes (almost) never work for low budget films, and even at best, are just barely convincing. ADR for interior scenes can kinda work for low budget films (but rarely do), and are convincing after lots of work and manipulation, i.e. you’ll be spending extra cash or extra time. Aim to avoid ADR if you really don’t have the budget, or find ways to shoot key scenes without the dialogue–even if you plan the shot to be entirely silent, or to only have music, still capture on set sound to give you the option of layering that back in.
Use the same mic(s) and gear, throughout an entire scene, and ideally the entire shoot. If your sound person owns her own equipment and won’t be on set for next week’s shoot, see if you can rent her gear for a nominal fee if she won’t allow you to use it without her present. Trust me, that extra bit of consistency will be worth it.
You can NEVER fix it in post. You can only patch it up.
Never be afraid to fire the sound person as soon as you know something is wrong, even if they are your friend.
And following that up, unless you know your friend, or anyone for that matter, is really great at sound, don’t hire them. Take your time and find the right person, not a person for right now. Delaying shooting may save you the heartache of having a nearly useless film.

Good reading:

Recording Good Sound For Film and Video

Cliches in Film Sound Design

Notes from a Festival Programmer: 60 Seconds Or Less, That’s What You’re Competing Against

Charles Judson — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:34:24 +0000

Sixty seconds or less. There are so many good films capturing my attention in that amount of time this year. As a filmmaker, this is what you are up against. There is no “wait till you get to the good part.” There is no waiting for Act II to kick in.

As a filmmaker who is submitting to festivals, or will be submitting to festivals, you must keep in mind that your film is not existing in a void. If your film doesn’t grab us till ten, twenty, thirty minutes in, and the ones before did it from the jump, which ones will we gravitate to most?

If you’re worried that this means you can’t have a film that is more meditative and takes its time, fret not. A few of the films I’ve seen have fallen into this “category”* and they’re still captivating. One film I’m really digging so far has a ten minute long, dialogue free scene, with no other characters but the main one.

So what has that 60 seconds entailed?

For me so far, it’s ranged from a series of beautifully composed shots, to an opening joke that made me choke on my drink, to a character introducing herself with some misleading dialogue, to a high energy action sequence. Will these films all get in?

Not sure yet. There are still so many more films to consider, however, they are the ones that I easily remember without having to refer to any of my notes. More importantly, I instantly remember why.

*Every year there are several filmmakers who email us asking if we take “slow, thoughtful” films. Their impression is that festivals don’t program them much. One, they really haven’t been to enough festivals, because “slow, thoughtful” films are selected all the time. Two, programmers may love those films, that doesn’t mean their audiences do, nor does it mean those audiences still aren’t adventurous. Festivals still have to put butts in seats and serve their audiences and not just dictate to them. Three, harsh reality here, if you’re a filmmaker that describes your film as such, and your film has been rejected time and time again and hasn’t been accepted into any festivals, it probably means your film is not slow, it’s boring. Four, the issue with some “slow and thoughtful” films is that they’re the intellectual flipside of the action blow ‘em up coin. Just as we’ve seen the drug deal gone wrong movie a thousand times, we’ve also seen the contemplative movie in which a character wanders the Earth learning lessons a thousand times. However, when we see someone with a fresh take, we will take notice and maybe even fist pump (yes, I’ve done that, several times this year in fact) and nearly shit our pants because we enjoyed the film so much.

Atlanta Film This Week

atlflickchick — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:08:42 +0000

Enjoy!

ATL Flick Chick

Tuesday (12/6)

Art Papers Screening–The Forgotten Space–7p, FREE

Wednesday (12/7)

@Emory–Walk on Water–7p, FREE

Friday (12/9)

Film Love–Andy Warhol#8: Kiss–8p, $5

Saturday (12/10)

@The High–ASIFA presents Best Animated Shorts of 2011–2p, 8p, FREE