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BrainStorm

Creating Media of All Kinds

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Big Day


Took my Canadian Citizenship test today! I studied hard (so I know for example the maple-leaf flag was officially introduced on February 15, 1965, presumably accompanied by maple syrup), but was still nervous. I had to stand in line to check in, and that was pretty emotional - to be part of this group of people of all ethnicities and languages from a variety of countries all waiting like me to Become Canadian. If I didn't accidentally circle some goofy answer (Q: What is the capital of Nunavut? A: Nunavut City?), then I will have the swearing in sometime in the next couple of months.

And I'm extra grateful to Canada these days, because I found out I got funding through the Winnipeg Film Group production fund, supported by the National Film Board, to make my second short (working title = Rave Review). Totally pumped up for that.

I've got Andrew Forbes, my DP from Coffee Maker lined up again, and this time I'm going to have a Production Manager to help me with all the little details that suck up time and energy. Andrew's already spending all our money on lighting that I can't get from the Film Group, but if he can make pictures as beautiful as what we got for Coffee Maker, I'm all in. And it's my own fault for writing in a bar scene and an alley scene. So, gotta put together a casting call, etc. More details coming soon...

But first, a two-day documentary workshop, and then Sunday I'm meeting with other people who expressed interest in getting together in a screenwriting group - been wanting to do that since my writing group folded last year, so I'm psyched to get that going. Some great people interested, so should be good input and scripts coming out of the group!

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Lucid


Winnipeg director Sean Garrity's new film Lucid opened Friday. I went on the radio at 6:20 a.m. that morning to promote the film and the First Weekend Club, which sent an email to members to promote the opening in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax. Not exactly a glamourous red carpet Premiere, but at least the show we set up for his Q&A sold out! It took a lot of hard work by Sean to get a lot of press for the film, including an interview in the Globe and Mail on Friday. Definitely a tough job, being a Canadian film director!

This was my second time to see the film and I again really admired the story, acting, and this time especially Michael Marshall's cinematography. Check out the trailer at the Lucid site and go see it! There are also some amusing sleep-driving games on the site...

Friday, March 10, 2006

Film Festivals

Had a great time at the NSI FilmExchange. Really impressed with the films - can sincerely recommend all of the ones I saw: Sean Garrity's Lucid, Gary Yates' Niagara Hotel, David Ray's Fetching Cody and Charles Biname's The Rocket.

Lucid opens in Canada next Friday, the 17th, and Niagara Hotel opens the 24th. I'm attempting to revitalize the Winnipeg branch of the First Weekend Club to get the word out for opening weekends of these Winnipeg-shot films.

I also enjoyed meeting filmmakers and going to workshops on writing and producing. Further inspired by watching the shorts, I'm starting to send The Coffee Maker out to festivals. So far:
Worldwide Short Film Festival (Toronto)
Fairytales (Calgary)
OutFest (LA)

And several more yet to send out, hopefully some with the help of the Film Group distribution office. Have to say I'm becoming a fan of WithoutABox, which allows you to put in all the details of the film just once, pay fees online, and just ship off the judging copy of the DVD to the festival programmers. Need to make a press kit, but luckily, I have some experience with that!

This weekend starts the Freeze Frame Kids Film Festival. I'll be helping out with some of the workshops, and apparently will be speaking as an Expert at a couple, which should be fun. I'm all for getting kids into filmmaking!

The Poetry Face-Off went great, incidentally - thanks to those who came out to listen and support! Chandra Mayor will be the Winnipeg representative at the Natinals, but my poem will be read on Ron Robinson's Saturday morning show - probably next Saturday.