30 Second Film Festival

I heard about this online. I feel that it seems like a simple concept, 30 seconds of video with a two second title card, but sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the hardest. I will be submitting something, not sure what yet, to the festival. If anyone else is interested in making something or wants some help or a brainstorming session, feel free to get at me either through my school e-mail soto_jorge@mcastudent.org or on facebook at facebook.com/marijuanista.

Video Collage Version 2.o

Casting

When writing the story I wrote from my own personal experiences using characters that are real people, I was able to use the people the inspired the story to tell the story as well. I was quite lucky that each of these people will be able to act in the short.

Here we have Armando and Incarnacion Gurrero. This was the best picture I was able to get of Inarnacion, I apologize for the quality.

Hugo Garcia

Armando Jr

Armando Gurrero

Internship/Fellowships Research

When looking into the different fellowships and internships I focused on the descriptions that sounded more hands on and with potential for first hand experience. I feel that there is only so much learning that can be done in the classroom and I am defiantly a champion of learning in the field.  The programs that caught my eye the most were the ones associated with organizations and people that have had an influence in what I consider dense or valid filmmaking.

Some examples of the types of filmmaking that I would consider dense would be Adaptation, Directed by Spike Jonez, Slacker, Directed by Richard Linklater, The El Mariachi trilogy, Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Fantastic Planet, Directed By Rene Laloux, Clerks, Directed by Kevin Smith, City of God, Directed by Paul Lins and Katia Lund, JCVD, Directed by Mabrouk El Mechri, Che, Directed by Steve Soderberge.

This is a lose list of influences that I would say make their way into my work. There are many more, but these are the films I could think of off the top of my head. When it came to searching for programs I decided to stick with what I know about the film industry. Checking Cannes, Sundance, and IFC to see if they had any student based programs. To my luck they did.

Cannes Film Fest- This program was the first that I looked into. The program entails a three-day pre-festival orientation that includes round table discussions with people like Spike Jonez, Charlie Kauffman, Jude Law, Michael Moore, Etc. Also part of the arrangements includes getting to stay in the scenic city of Cannes, along with access to extra tickets for the main events. Not only would this be a wonderful program to get into but the diverse amount of students and different backgrounds coming to Cannes would be a great perspective giving experience.

Sundance Institute- This program was very vague, Basically giving you a spreadsheet of possible openings in the institute. Part of the description of what the duties of the employees include keeping track of media, starting up conversations with the directors of the submissions, setting up and tearing down the stands, also generating media to raise awareness about the institute.

Independent Film Channel- This program was probably the most intriguing program that I found, a few of the duties that I discovered that IFC does is things like transcribing subtitles for unreleased foreign films. This seems like it would be a lot of fun, and an interesting opportunity to leave my mark on a film forever. Overall I couldn’t find any direct links in IFCtv.com for an internship page, fortunately I was able to find many interviews with people who were a part of the program and many who went on to be hired on by IFC. 

Revisions for Class

My idea has gone in a completely different direction. I have decided to write a story about a gardener.

Act I.
The main character is introduced as an immigrant worker who is not very rich and has a strong devotion to God.
Act II.
Here our protagonist is met with a bush that bestows upon the gardener a bike. One that his son wants for his upcoming birthday.
Act III.
The resolution is not set in stone. Either the Gardener finds out that the magic bush is just a stash spot for some of the neighborhood kids, this would play pretty funny. The other possible idea for the Gardener is that the short cuts off right when he finds the treasures in the bush.

Elevator Line.
A Gardener is amazed to find treasures in a bush he regularly trims, but is it what it really seems?

Themes.
Satirical God head?
Immigrant roots examination?