A Guide to this year's Philadephia Film Festival

The Philadelphia film festival can be, in a word - overwhelming to try and attend. It spans almost two weeks and runs in several theaters throughout the city. I have seen incredible films at this festival in the past. But rather than the random chance of picking a night at the movies and seeing if you can get tickets, the best way to enjoy this festival is to do a little research and plan a few purposeful days of film. To help with your quest to find some films worth scheduling your life around seeing - I have a few recommendations.


My first choice for a night at the movies would definitely be "The Brothers Bloom." This film, directed by Rian Johnson (director of Brick, 2005), stars Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo... but in my opinion the real star of this film - is cinematographer Steve Yedlin. I am a dorky huge fan of Yedlin's work. He also worked on Brick with Johnson, but it was his brilliant work on the film "Conversations with Other Women" that really caught my attention. (The entire film was shot in split screen!) I had the privilege of working with Yedlin on the upcoming film Tenure - and my dorky fan-hood is only more solidified. I know that this film will be absolutely beautiful, but after talking with Steve on set about the making of this film - I have every expectation that it will be a fun and entertaining story to watch as well.

"The Brothers Bloom" is showing at the Ritz 5 on Monday, March 30, 2:15 PM ($8), as well as at the Prince Music Theater on Tuesday, March 31, 9:15 PM ($10).

For a true film festival experience, my next recommendation is a film called "Goodbye Solo." I first heard about this film from a producer I worked with on Dare, Jason Orans, and it looks like it's going to be a fantastic story. Award-winning Iranian-American director Ramin Bahrani’s (Man Push Cart, Chop Shop) will be in attendance for both showings. Getting to meet and talk with the filmmakers themselves is the quintessential film festival excitement. It makes a film so much more to know in some way the people who made that story come to life.

"Goodbye Solo" is playing at the Ritz East 2 Monday, March 30, 7:00 PM ($10) and Tuesday, March 31, 2:15 PM ($8).

Another film I have to mention is a love-story called "No Boundaries." This film, directed by Jake Willing & Violet Mendoza (who will be in attendance at the March 28th screening along with cast members), stars Dani Garza (pictured above). Garza is an incredibly talented actress who I've had the chance to work with several times in commercials produced in the area. I am looking forward to seeing her career blossom. This is a first film for Garza as well as for the films directors, but already it has sold out it's Saturday showing and has added a Sunday viewing for the rest of us who haven't had a chance to get tickets.

"No Boundaries" is playing at the International House on both Saturday, March 28, 7:00 PM (sold out) and Sunday, March 29, 2:00 PM.

Casting Sessions

I love running casting sessions. It's a strange kind of power-trip really. It's true. An actor walks into the room and wants to impress you - even if you're not the person who makes the decision on who gets the role. They don't know that - and they'll audition their hearts out for you. What follows that desire is power. I have the power to say "dance" and they will start to dance! It's fun.

I have never actually decided what an actor was to do for their audition. I simply run their lines and exercises for the camera so the director can review the auditions later. But I have been given some fun curve balls to throw to my audition groups. For one audition I had to ask each actor to count from 1-10 giving each number a different emotion. None of the actors seemed phased - they just jumped to it (though one guy got stuck thinking of an emotion half-way through and we were convinced he lost count)!

Headshots

I have recently had the opportunity to run a few casting sessions for a commercial production company in my area. This has been a rather entertaining learning experience. In fact I think there are several blog posts worth of learning to be had, so I will start with the actor's calling card - their headshot.

When an actor walks into their audition it is incredibly important that they have their headshot in hand ready to be given to the casting director as they walk in the room. Their headshot should be 8"x10", printed on quality paper and should have their name printed somewhere on the front image. On the back of the headshot should be stapled a copy of their resume (more on an actor's resume in another post). It's always nice when the resume is printed on the back rather than stapled, but as actors need to update their resume more often than they do their headshot - stapling is the standard and is more than acceptable.

It does an actor no good to have an outdated headshot. I have seen photos that make an actor look 10 years younger with considerably more hair on his head -but when he walks in looking like a great character (but nothing like his headshot) he is starting his audition off on the wrong foot. He'll either disappoint the casting director who expected him to look differently, or he won't leave a photo for them to remember him by if they prefer his more character looking features. If your headshot doesn't look like you then you won't be leaving something for them to remember you by.

I've seen headshots so badly done that you could see the printing on the other side of the page. This is your first impression and a lasting one that will be looked at again and again. Put the right kind of effort into it. There are a lot of good resources out there to help you prepare for having your headshots taken. My personal favorite is www.headshots101.com. The advice given there is invaluable to any actor or model who is looking to have their headshots done or re-done.

I am available for headshot sessions in the New York and Philadelphia areas. For more information about my work and to contact me about rates and scheduling - please check out my website. www.setstillphotography.com

Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour

Last night I had the opportunity to go see the Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour. What a brilliant way to make film festivals more accesible than ever!

Every year in the later fall they hold the film festival in Banff, Albert, Canada (this year's festival will run from October 31 - November 8th). The festival's theme is mountain sports (back country skiing, etc) and outdoor adventure (kayaking, rock climbing, etc). It definitely has it's target audience. The week-long festival is not for everyone, but their tour just might be.

After the festival ends they take several of their short films, and a few short-version edits of their highlighted feature films (generally all documentary style), and take them on tour. For one night you get a real film festival experience. There were 10 short films, some intro speakers, and even a few awesome raffles. Unfortunately I didn't win any of their prizes, but at only 3.5 hour running time it was a great evening and a unique experience - without the commitment of going to Canada for a week.

Knowing how incredible a full film festival experience can be and the frustration of how hard it can be to make the time to travel to them, this film festival tour is definitely something I'd like to see more festivals look to adopting. Each film had their website information posted and I was given resources to be able to buy copies of all of the films I was shown. It could really be a great grass root way to distribute short films and documentary films.

My big brother, Agent FX

When I was a kid, everything my big brother's did was cool - and I wanted to do whatever they did. In fact, I owe my choice to pursue photography to my brother David. He started taking a photography class about his freshman year of high school, so I started wanting to be a photographer around the age of 11 or 12. We didn't compete with each other directly. He did not end up pursuing photography as his life study, but he did one-up me in the end. My brother is an effects animator with an impressive list of films in is resume. The local newspaper just ran a short story about one of his latest achievements, he was one of the animators on the Academy Award nominated Kung Fu Panda. David's job included adding naturalism to scenes involving snow, dust and confetti. He often also works with water effects (he spent 7 months working on the final battle in the Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End)


When asked if he was nervious about Kung Fu Panda's chances at the Ocsars, he joked about how it's not his first Oscar nominated film. He was part of the Oscar winning team that made Crash in 2004. So David may be far out perfoming me so far in the Oscar nomination competition - but you never know - this could be my year! :)

Craft Services

This is a blog post from Director Palmer Enfield's kick-butt blog: Production Assistance 101

In her blog she discusses all kinds of advice for people in production, but amazing advice for PAs. (A PA is a Production Assistant - ie. the entry level position for getting started in the film making world)

CRAFT SERVICE (by Palmer Enfield)

What is Craft Service and why would I want to do it?

Craft service is different from catering in that it is not a designated meal. Craft service is snacks, finger food and drinks that are easily grabbed by the crew as they work. If there is no breakfast caterer, it is to provide a continental breakfast as well.

On big budget feature films, craft services is usually a union position. But on independent feature films, shorts, television commercials and corporate videos craft services is more often than not a non-union position. Many markets have seasoned craft service professionals. These folks make craft services their business and often have extensive kits and gear and may even have a special truck to work out of.

Often, a person new to this business is hired for the position known as craft service. This is not a form of "hazing" but is a trainee position. Like the experience of being hired as a production assistant, working craft service is an entry level position where you are paid to perform a needed service and to learn how production works.

As a craft services person, you'll get yourself on set where you'll get to watch and learn how a production functions, you'll learn the basics to budgeting and money management and how to feed and take care of the food needs of a crew. These seemly basic skills will serve you well as you advance in your career and are especially relevant to those seeking to become production coordinators, production managers and producers.

Too often “new” PA’s will answer a request to do craft services with “I don’t do that” or “I went to film school, why should I do craft services?” If that is your answer, don’t ever expect to get a call from that production company, producer or coordinator again. As a PA just starting out (“green”) you should be willing to do any and all PA duties, Craft Service included. If a PA is not willing to give Craft Service his/her all, why should we believe they’d do more for something else? Craft service is not an easy job. This could be your chance to strut your stuff.

A Craft Service Time Table:

The day before:
• Pick up petty cash from the production coordinator.
• Check on the ammenities of the specific location where the shoot is. i.e. Do they have running water? Will you be in one location all day?
• Get the Agency Food/Brand Preferences List from Production. This list contains other products made by the same client and products made by other clients of the same advertising agency.
• Ask about any Director/Producer preferences.
• Do the shopping. It is a good idea to get a membership to a warehouse store (SAM’s Club, BJ’s, etc.). This will save money and make shopping easier.
• Cut fruits & veggies, when necessary. It is often easier to buy things like mini-carrots, celery sticks, etc. This will cut your prep time.
• Bake! This is not for everyone. Some craft service PA’s like to bake and will make homemade cookies, rice crispy treats, etc. It is not a must, but is a nice touch.
• Arrange for your morning bagel or fresh donut/pastry pickup. Know where your local bagel/bakery store is, and what time they open. If you have an early call, they might not be open when its time for you to head out. They may be willing to open early for you or you may need to go to a store closer to the location. Buy fresh, the morning of, whenever possible.

Craft Service Tips
• Keep the craft service area clean and the food fresh at all times
• Make sure there is hot coffee at all times
• Presentation is important. Arrange fruits or veggies, cheese & crackers nicely on platters. Baskets, white platters, a tablecloth and flowers always make food look more appetizing.
• Replenish the food as it starts to disappear. One bagel sitting in a basket becomes tired looking and left over.
• Gum and mints on the table at all times, including breakfast
• Always remove six-pack holders or other wrapping
• Buy locally bottled water whenever possible. Think about the fossil fuels that were used to move the water from where it started to where it is now...
• Make brewed decaf coffee whenever possible. If not possible, use coffee singles. Never use instant coffee.
• NEVER buy Styrofoam.
• Prepare food to be consumed easily & quickly, e.g. cut food into slices
• Recycle plastic, glass and aluminum
• When the set is not very accessible to camera, put a small cooler with mostly water and seltzer near (but not too near) the camera.* Move this cooler, as needed, to ensure the safety of the camera equipment
• Be aware of the crew. Don’t assume that just because you have a table set up they will be able to get to it. Often times those closest to camera can’t get to you. Go to them. Ask the crew if they need or want anything. Or just walk around with bottles of water to offer them.
• Make yourself useful. For many PA’s this is just a starting point in your career. It is ok to help out with production or other departments as long as you don’t neglect craft service.
• Know your surroundings. Keep a lookout for grocery stores, bakeries, hardware stores, convenience stores, gas stations, copy shop, etc. You will be making runs and not only for craft service.

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There's more... Check out Palmer's blog at http://productionassistance101.blogspot.com/ for the rest of this article. I know - there's more? It's hard to believe how much information she has put out there to help the poor struggling PAs of this world.

Palmer Enfield is a bi-costal commercial director that I had the opportunity to work with in the Philadelphia area. She is a true encouragement to all women filmmakers and a mentor to anyone who waslucky enough to find themselves in her crew.

Narnia at the Franklin

Possibly my favorite part of buying a movie on DVD is getting to watch the special features. I love watching the making of a movie - especially if it's a crew that I'm jealous I wasn't on. I would have loved to be a part of making the Lord of the Rings - not because I'm a fantasy geek - I'm actually not, but because I love the epic movie. The grand scale of the period sets and the amazing skill and artistry that goes into the props and wardrobe. I love the free reign of the imagination that builds those worlds.

So when the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia opened their Narnia exhibit, I couldn't wait to see it. It didn't disappoint. It's an exhibit designed for children - so there were several interactive educational points - how to shoot a catapult was the clear favorite.

For a filmmaker- the real beauty of the exhibit was the wardrobe, make-up and prop displays. I am always amazed by the detail and beauty of period film costumes. To see them close up and then realize how many hundred of them were made - Isis Mussenden's designs and his crew created true artwork. They even had several of the heads used to costume the creatures of the film.


(It's only open for a few more days - so I would definitely go see it if you haven't had the chance!)