2011 TVIFF "To Watch List"

This is the 2nd year that I volunteered as a screener for the Temecula Valley International Film Festival. Below are a list of films that I came across that stood out as films worth watching either at the festival or at your local indie theatre or on Netflix. This list is not all-inclusive as I didn't have the opportunity (or would even have had the time) to watch every film that was submitted. I would say that most of the films on the program (listed here) have been well-vetted by a number of capable and critical screeners.

October Baby, Dir. The Erwin Brothers (Jon and Andrew) (2011) (IMDB)
This narrative drama by the Erwin Brothers, as a whole, is both engaging and beautiful. The story is not novel by any means, but nevertheless it is well-written, and from a well-written story was built a great film. Most, if not all, of the arcs all come around in the end and it is well-structured, which I'm sure audiences will appreciate. The cinematography is visually gorgeous as a combination of both great image selection and also great choice of location and geography. (Set in Alabama, I believe) Rachel Hendrix (Hannah) was fantastic playing the lead, a really strong performance. Up and down, the cast performed very well and their strong chemistry was evident on screen. Combine that with a strong, albeit emotional, score throughout the film, with a noticeably fresh soundtrack.
The film, for better or worse, plays it safe structurally. It seems a lot of films nowadays attempt challenging approaches, employing flashbacks, non-linear construction, etc. However, audiences won't find that kind of more challenging structure here; the film does mostly play by the rules and feels very mainstream. This isn't necessarily a knock on the film; if you have a strong story plus a strong cast, in my opinion, there's really no need to make it more complicated than that. "October Baby" certainly had those aspects and it showed.
The film isn't without its weaknesses, though, if you could even really call it that. For example, I didn't feel that the road-trip with the friends and the subsequent hate from Alanna (Colleen Trusler) toward Hannah was really necessary. The biggest strength of the film comes in the Hannah-Jason (Jason Burkey)-Hannah's parents relationship and, as a whole, the Hannah-Alanna arc didn't feel like it added much. In addition, it felt like there was an emotional over-pull during certain stretches of the film, whether through the score being over-the-top or some shots being too long.
Those minor points being said, as a whole, I think the Erwin Brothers should be proud of themselves. "October Baby" is well-envisioned and well-executed. Given the political landscape regarding the subject matter, it was handled deftly and effectively without being preachy or overbearing. Though some may object to the injecting of religious discussion toward the latter half of the film, I believe those who are able to look beyond politics will find a powerful film underscoring forgiveness and grace that can be found in human relationships, even in its complicated interactions and regrettable consequences. I found the film very compelling in both its construct and its narrative, and I do think that audience members that are willing to engage the Erwin Brother's characters will walk away very impressed.

5th and Alameda, Dir. Richard Friedman (2011) (IMDB)
Off the bat, this film is definitely violent and there is certainly some deep psychology involved. No one is spared, regardless of race, gender, profession. It is so equal-opportunity, in a sense, that I think it take considerable textual analysis by most audiences to a conclusion on the film's various social and cultural themes. Beyond the larger thematic arcs, some of the smaller arcs, though they reach their destination, feels underdeveloped; for example, the Detective Trevor (Mario Van Peebles, of all people, how awesome is that??) arc with his son. I felt that the film also got bogged down in some of the dialogue between Sara (Saye Yabandeh) and Derek (Corey Sevier) toward the latter portion of the film. And, yes, as some people have mentioned, it can be hard at times to follow the flashbacks and keep track of who is who and what is what. And yes, the end was not exactly a surprise.
All that being said, why do I think this film is worth watching? The one thing I commend Dir. Friedman on is that he is willing to take on such a complex and challenging style of filmmaking. Even after just two years of doing this screener thing, I've seen a number of filmmakers attempt this style of filmmaking and fail horribly. Few filmmakers attempt and succeed, either as a result of poor planning, poor visualization, or poor general vision. You can't just mash things up and hope it sticks. I don't know this for sure, obviously, but I imagine Dir. Friedman put in the necessary work for what I consider a well-executed film. Beyond just that, responding to the previous criticism, I don't fault him for the (seemingly) confusing flashbacks or non-linear storytelling. I admit it confused me a little bit, too, but I was able to puzzle it together. I think it is important to engage the audience and not just passively entertain them, and it speaks of Dir. Friedman's great confidence to trust that audiences will be able to decipher the film's construct. And considering the deep psychological themes involved, I think the piece-by-piece understanding/revealing is appropriate structurally. (Though, since I think it fades in intensity a little toward the latter half, I can't say much about its presence as a whole structure) Finally, Dir. Friedman does a very good job in character development, as Derek and Sara's (both potential and realized) keeps audiences engaged in a what-will-happen-next, what-will-she-do-next suspense.
All considered, I found it to be a very compelling film. It is intense and there isn't much of a break till the latter parts of the film.

Other Films of Note
Kings (Short), Dir. Barbara Mones. (2011)
The Conquest of High Passes, Dir. Wout Conijn. (2011)
East of Berlin (Short), Dir. Dean Yamada. (2011) (IMDB)
Lost Airmen of Buchenwald, Dir. Mike Dorsey. (2011) (IMDB)
Pepper (Short), Dir. Kim Noon. (2011)
The Man Who Knew How to Fly (Short), Dir. Robi Michael. (2010) (IMDB)

Hope people get a chance to go out and support some great films this year at TVIFF 2011. You can visit the website for more information here .

When submitting: Not-to-do Checklist

Being part of a group of film screeners for a mid-level film festival the last two years, I have observed a few tendencies of filmmmakers submitting their films. Some of these tendencies, in my opinion, can impact the chances your film gets to the next step. The impact might seem incremental, and in many respects, they are probably just that. However, with the probability of your film making it to the second round incredibly slim, avoiding negative points with the screeners might help in the end. At the very least, it'll leave the decision on your work, rather than how you submitted your film. At the very most, you'll have saved yourself time and effort on superfluous things.

Don't be pretentious or presumptuous
Assume that the screener knows how to operate a DVD menu. I saw one case where the DVD menu said "Use the remote to select play." Be careful how you list "cameo" or "special" appearances. It really cannot be either of those things unless they are even slightly well-known. It will just come off as silly.

Don't include anything but the film
This includes DVD jackets, DVD labels, booklet inserts, and letters/notes. DVD jackets, unless it is incredibly accurate and well-written, it can create false or misleading expectations when the film is actually watched. As for the other three, screeners generally don't have time to read them or they don't care to read them. In terms of data not to include, trailers, blooper reels, anything but the film itself. Just a waste of space, in my opinion. The screener, again, won't have to time to watch them. I say just keep it simple. The only exceptions are 1) if it is a working cut 2) it contains temp music/soundtrack, then a small note would be appropriate.

Don't allow corrupted screeners
This really goes without saying. Test your screeners. If it fails, guess what is the chance of acceptance?

Don't assume copyright clearance
If you have copyrighted songs or film clips in your film, listing them in the credits doesn't qualify as clearance. I know it works on YouTube sometimes, but if there is even a question of copyright violations, it won't make it to the second stage, even if your film is brilliant. Obviously, screeners don't know every copyrighted song or film in the history of music and film, but if it is popular enough or well-known enough, it will raise huge red flags. If you do have clearance to use "Saving Private Ryan" in your short, you'd better write a small note saying you do or make it clear in the credits "Used with permission."

None of this will matter, of course, if your film is no good or if your film is just absolutely brilliant. Since you probably don't think it is either, for better or worse, it is important to (or don't) do everything you can to help bump your chances. Remember, film festivals have a limited amount of slots and they are looking for every reason to say no. And lastly, remember screeners are people, too, and you just never know what makes them tick.

Welcome to the Refine Films Blog!

This Thursday I will be heading off to the LA Film Festival and I figured it was a good excuse to start a film-related blog for all my film-related activities and thoughts. This was one of those good suggestions that was relayed to me as I start this thing called my "film career," so here I am.

Hopefully, I can score some interviews with some people this week as I hang around LA and create some buzz with this blog for other filmmakers, in addition to reviews of the films I'll be watching.

Is there a film worth watching at this festival? Well, I looked through the program and got a list of the films I'd like to watch. I don't think I can watch all of them ($12 a pop!) but hopefully I'll get a couple of features and some short programs under my belt.