MARIANNE was the winner of BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY at the May 2020 Experimental Film Festival.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Eduardo De La Cerda: Cuando filmas comerciales o peliculas siempre queda la sensacion de haber podido hacer mas y mejores tomas, muchas veces no depende de ti ni de tu crew. Ese sentimiento nos llevo a realizar esta pieza y contar la vivencia de lo que a nosotros como equipo nos maravilla tanto; dive into the Xibalba doors.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
Work on the idea for about 2 hours as the freediving process is always the same. I gave it a simple dramatic structure and applied to a cyclic narrative as well; which begins as it ends. I was with the story board waiting until we had a commercial filming in the Mayan Riviera and take advantage of the fact that the crew would be complete in that beautiful location. We finished the assignment of the commercial and filmed two pieces, Bull Shark and Marianne, which took us at least 4 hours of filming in the Cenote.
The editing process was not very long since everything was very clear from the beginning, as director and editor I often have the complete piece in my head and I only film what I know I am going to use. In fact in the color correction the post-producer believed that we had lost material due to the small amount of data … but no, we did not film more than one card in 8k.
The color correction was relaxed in a couple of days, while the process of making the original music took a little longer, it should be perfect.
I calculate 8 months in all processes.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Team work
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The score process
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was incredible. Many of the opinions I had heard were from friends and collaborators, but hearing opinions from real viewers is indescribable. I was very touched to get into their emotions and take them to that place and be part of it.
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
Carl Zeiss camera and Lenses division LATAM ask me if I would test the Supreme Primes for underwater shots, so I accept the assignment and start to think in Ideas.
Talk to my crew in Mexico and Playa del Carmen and we decided to shoot a mini documentary after filming a commercial… but when we arrived in the Riviera Maya and I showed the Marianne’s storyboard they all responded with a smile, indeed Marianna Tombinni smiled wider.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
The all Alien Saga, I just did it yesterday… some times I skip “Resurrection”
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
This is so great platform and the opportunity of many filmmaker around the world to show up.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
I don’t know if its Halo or The World in your Eyes from Depeche Mode.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
We are waiting for this pandemic to end, there are some film projects and a test for Zeiss that will turn out to be an interesting piece.
TEARS was the winner of BEST DANCE FILM at the May 2020 Experimental Film Festival.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Max Rothman: I wanted to explore the words, themes, and underlying emotions of old poetry through the lens of a more contemporary art form – namely, dance – to show how the issues and prevailing attitudes of the past are the same as they are today, just within a different context. Ultimately, I want to show that our society today is shaped by and merely a reflection of our past narratives, accomplishments, and mistakes.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
About 2 Months
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Lyrical, a cry for help
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Coordinating the core of the film, that being the single-tracking shot of the dance performance. Working in an underground tunnel, with a whole series of rigged lights that needed to be timed perfectly for maximum effect, was a feat of ingenuity and ambition that my team executed with flying colors!
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Pride that I made something that could touch people, and relief that this relatively esoteric concept for a film could resonate with people viewing it without the context of the process that created it (a voiceover artist read the poem, a composer then interpreted their reading into a piece of music, and the dancer then interpreted the music into what you see on screen).
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
Poetry and dance naturally go together, as they are focused on form rather than narrative, so I wanted to tie them together in a meaningful and have their respective strengths feed off of one another.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Pulp Fiction, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are your feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I like it a lot! There are always great festivals on there, and I am always surprised to find great high quality festivals that I would not have heard of if not for FilmFreeway working with them to facilitate submissions. at the high quality festivals I find open for submissions but that were ones I
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
Nights on Broadway by the Bee Gees
10. What is next for you? A new film?
More films of this nature – merging dance and poetry together, as well as two narrative short films, and – hopefully within the next two years – my first low-budget indie film.
IN MY ROOM played to rave reviews at the May 2020 Experimental Film Festival.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Kyle Vip: I approach my music practice from a visual artist’s perspective. I began producing electronic music because I was interested in the idea of invisible art. Techno music in particular has been historically regarded as one of the most anonymous if not faceless genres, so there hasn’t been much in the way of underground electronic music videos or narrative filmmaking up until recently. I wanted to honour the artists’ creative process by creating narrative between art and music.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
Approximately three years.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Alcoholics Anonymous.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
I think the biggest obstacle we faced in completing this film was the scene with the bubbles. We had a very tight budget to work with so each bubble had to be masked by hand, frame by frame.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was pleasantly surprised and delighted to hear such positive feedback about our film in the feedback video. Whether it’s about my work or somebody else’s, it’s always gratifying to hear people embrace new ideas with such openness.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
Colin and I discussed a number of ideas before production began. While we were having this ongoing dialogue over the first year, I began dreaming a lot about my art, film, and music practice. I introduced the idea to Colin to use a nightmare I had as inspiration for the music video. I also understand that Colin is a very talented filmmaker with many original ideas so I wanted to give him the opportunity to express himself as freely as possible. We finally decided on a conceptual reinterpretation of the dream, which continued evolving until completion.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
The Face of Another by Hiroshi Teshigahara.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are your feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
The FilmFreeway is an efficient way for emerging filmmakers to submit their independent film projects to a number of international open calls and film festivals. My only feedback for them would be that there seems to have been a bit of a loss of quality when it comes to the compression of video files uploaded to their website. We managed to work around this by providing festivals direct download links via third party file transfers.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
L.A. Nights by Yasuko Agawa.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
I am currently reproducing an ongoing series of paintings, sculptures and short films from my dreams.
TRISKELION was the winner of BEST SOUND & MUSIC at the May 2020 Experimental, Dance, Music Festival.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Stuart Birchall: I was initially planning to make a shorter more conceptual piece, a music based film that was more about themes rather than a more structured narrative. As I began developing the project I saw that I had an opportunity to explore the structuring of the three elements into a more confident idea with what I hope is a more interesting structure, maintaining the experimental spirit but sprinkling enough tropes and references in the design to keep an audience interested and on semi-familiar ground.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
We shot the first sequences in 2016! But due to some delays and overlapping projects It wasn’t until 2019 that I had the full film in the can. The post process was roughly 3 months.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Subjective Realism
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Because we shot most of the film in Thailand, the crew didn’t speak much English and I knew just a few words in Thai, this was a hurdle but by no means to the detriment of the film. The crew were exemplory.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It is such a gift to get a response from people who are passionate about film, indie film especially. Feedback is often daunting but really gives a boost to your confidence as the main function of the film for me is to engage and captivate. Personally I love to hear the various interpretations of the work, as I firmly believe we all take a unique and valid experience from all forms of art.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
Its hard to be specific, I have a few practices that spark ideas, meditation and walking play a huge part, I tend to absorb books and films as I am planning and I have note pad filled with ideas and sketches so when an opportunity comes along to develop a project I often dive into that first and get the creative gears turning.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
This film/s I have watched the most times in my life are probably: Apocalypse Now, 2001:Space Odyssey, The Assassination Of Jesse James, The Thin Red Line, There Will be Blood, Interstellar….
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I have nothing but good things to say about Filmfreeway, much like other similar platforms It certainly helps indie filmmakers by saving a lot of valuable time on lengthy administration and chasing festival contacts.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
Pink Floyd, Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Pt1-5)
10. What is next for you? A new film?
I am currently developing two projects, both experimental genre hybrids in Horror and Sci-fi.
ALORA was the winner of BEST FILM at the March 2020 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival in Toronto.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Nick – We originally wrote Alora for Houston Film Society & NASA’s partnership festival called CineSpace. We had to combine real NASA footage with our own to make a film that fit a few of their categories. It was quite fun to operate within those parameters. I’m sure we’ll do it again.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
Nick – When we first learned of the CineSpace competition it was about 2 weeks from the final deadline. We wrote in a couple days (each of us taking a stab at a story) casted, shot and edited over the course of the remaining week and a half – which was crazy. Felt similar to a 48 hour film challenge. What you see now is a slight update in editing and VFX work culminating in about another two weeks of work. To answer your question finally, it took about a month.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Nick – Tender / Inspiring. Go call your parents, they want to hear from you.
Michael – Love / Choices.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Nick – Executing with only a three-man crew. When you’re aiming for at least a high-end indie product that’s quite difficult to obtain with just three people (and 0 budget). The other obstacle we had is scheduling. It was very difficult to get everyone in a room together for post because the three of us live in completely different parts of Texas (within an hour of each other, though).
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Nick – Major gratitude and some water works. It’s quite something to hear your passions and skills validated by someone who doesn’t know you and maybe hasn’t seen any of your work. It was very inspiring and surprisingly in depth. I appreciate all the feedback we received. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Michael – I teared up. It is was so amazing taking these words that we wrote together, getting amazing to embody your vision from the page, and getting others to be moved and stirred from something we created and put out into the world.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
Nick – It was originally developed for the CineSpace competition mentioned earlier. The idea for the story came from my leaving home for a new job a few years ago that took me three states away. I thought about how I missed my family and used love and family as a backbone to this vast sci-fi story. Dreams, ideas, and love can transcend time And can be felt by, or shared by anyone and I liked exploring that. There is so much more we wanted to explore with this but didn’t have the time due to the competition’s constraints. For example, we shot another version of the “A-107A = Alora” scene where it was a fight between Alora and her mom instead of tender, and that didn’t play as well (despite looking better than the current iteration due to some camera problems). The idea always was that Alora didn’t know mom had been offered this mission of a lifetime, finds out, they quarrel, mom passes, and Alora eventually carries her mother’s torch. We just didn’t have time for all that.
Michael – We decided to take on CineSpace competition challenge and met at a bar to brainstorm. Nick, being a white guy from Nebraska, who moved to Fort Worth, and myself being a black guy born in Jamaica, but grew up in Fort Worth for over 36, we wanted to challenge ourselves to create a powerful story from a strong female perspective. We talked out the main beats and feelings we wanted to achieve. We went to our separate corners and wrote, coming back to compare notes. The decision to tell it without words was due to the running out of time to workshop the dialogue, so we voted to remove it all. It wasn’t until we saw the initial edit, I decided to do a quick re-write of the ending, giving only one line of dialogue to a character. Doing so, brought the whole piece to a emotional head and really punches the viewer in the gut. I still tear up watching it.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Nick – That’s really tough—I’m an obsessive viewer. It’s either Jurassic Park, Gladiator or Tim Burton’s Batman.
Michael – I would have to say it’s a toss up between Fight Club, Memento, or The Godfather Trilogy.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
Michael – It has really been a Godsend as a resource for finding festivals your film is the perfect niche for.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
Nick – That’s hard to say because I tend to create a playlist based off the tone of whatever I’m working on to help me write in that feeling and to help me come back to that place mentally after stepping away, so I’ve heard many songs hundreds of times. That said, it’s probably Experience by the great Ludovico Einaudi. If you listen to him you’ll find his music has been used in many commercials, specifically P&G Olympic spots; I hope to work with him one day.
Michael – I’m very eclectic in my musical tastes from classical to pop and everything in between. But rock is my usual go-to. Like my Godfather example, I still believe listening to an album (usually more times than not) is an overall time capsule of artist’s expression. As far as songs go, I find myself bouncing between a couple. “Favorite Things” by Incubus, which is my favorite band of all time. Skunk Anansie is a British band and in my top 3 favorites, but their lead singer Skin did a song called “Trashed” from her debut solo album, Fleshwounds that also really spoke to me. Both singers have this vocal quality that is beautiful and unique. While “Trashed” deals so much about the melancholy of heartbreak that I have personally felt coming from a relationship, “Favorite Things” sticks a finger back at the world in a rebellious spirit because “too bad the things that make you mad are my favorite things.”
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Nick – I’m currently working on far too many things. I have a sci-fi historical fiction series I’m chipping away at and hope to sell, a few feature scripts I’m 40 pages into (ugh, I know, one at a time please lol), and a new short I’m trying to ideate with my producer from Alora and a coworker. Tell me what to do, haha!
I think it’s a blessing and a curse to be a creative. You always want to do everything, and can’t rest until you have in some fashion. It can even scare you into being paralyzed for fear of not spending the right time on the right piece. It’s so bizarre.
Thanks for your time, for managing this festival and all the great things you’re doing. I’m honored to be apart of this festival, to have won, and to have the chance to reflect on Alora a year later. Thank you!
Michael – I have so many pokers in the fire creatively. I am the host of the Avert Your Eyes Podcast where I talk with other creatives about their backgrounds and what drew them to their creative endeavors, which can be found at http://www.avertyoureyespod.com.
I also dabble in and out of the world of comedy and improv. I just took part in an improvised show called Socially Distanced Comedy, which is available on Facebook.
As far as films projects, I am currently writing a short film that will be a modern re-telling of a fairy tale, but as a prequel. I’m also writing a feature that focuses on several issues, the main being tackling the migrant situation between Mexico and the U.S., but with a twist.
SONDER was the winner of BEST PERFORMANCES at the February 2020 Experimental & Dance Festival in Los Angeles.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Kevin Ulibarri: Our film was born from a desire to create with friends while we were all in LA at the same time. We were a group of dancers and filmmakers, and we wanted to make a dance piece that felt cinematic – that was as much about a story as it was about showcasing beautiful choreography. We had about 2 weeks to shoot it before our group would disperse, so that approaching deadline also motivated us to dive right in. Our concept came from a unanimous feeling of fear and helplessness shortly after the inauguration of the 45th president. Collaborating on a piece that addressed those overwhelming feelings was a source of empowerment and creative release for all of us involved.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
From the idea to filming, we had two weeks, very little time to gather our dancers and rehearse. The edit, score, and coloring happened over the next year and a half.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Empathy incarnate.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The greatest challenge in our creative process was composing the score after the dance itself was filmed. We chose to take this counter-intuitive route because we wanted the dancers’ movements to drive the narrative, rather than react to a song. During rehearsals, we would challenge our choreographers (Darla MacDonald, Juliet Ulibarri) to question any movement that seemed unmotivated by the story, even if it would look good performed on stage; an audience and a camera are two very different observers. The next challenge became crafting a score that would elicit the narrative, and match the movements in time and tone. Our sound engineer and composer, Paul Olsen, understood the importance that sound had for this piece, and together him and I worked to create a score that pushed the concept of the film. It took many sessions and countless hours in his studio, but it was a very rewarding process. And fun!
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
There was definitely some excitement and nervousness around it, because this was the first festival screening of Sonder. Something that got mentioned a few times was how great our location was, which at first seemed a bit trivial but then I realized that the observation is warranted; the environment played a huge role in the tone of our film and also posed many challenges when shooting: a 3 hour drive from LA, minimal daylight hours, the wind and cold, and perhaps most of all, the rough sand that our dancers had to perform barefoot on the entire day. So to hear that the location really stood out to the audience makes those challenges worth it.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
We knew we wanted to make a dance film that carried emotional, story-telling qualities – we just needed a concept. It was February 2017, and the one thing on everyone’s mind was the new president, along with his racist policies like the travel ban on certain Muslim countries. In those first few weeks of his presidency, so many communities were under attack and the bad news seemed to pile on top of itself everyday. It was easy to feel overwhelmed, pulled in all directions and not know where to focus one’s energy and emotion. We crafted a narrative around that feeling of human empathy, of not knowing how to help the many that need it, and what can happen when we take on that battle alone.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
I’d like to name a film a sophisticated filmmaker would watch again and again, but in all honesty it’s probably a Disney movie from the 90s…or Nacho Libre.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I’m new to the film festival process, and at first I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of festivals on FlimFreeway, but because our film is rather specific in form and content, it wasn’t too hard to find a good fit. For newer, independent filmmakers, it’s cool to see that there are many chances to have your work shared with a broader community, and for not too expensive if you plan ahead.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
That’s a tough call, but my family has always loved Queen and I’ve been listening to them since I was a kid. I’m gonna go with “Bohemian Rhapsody” because we would always start headbanging when the epic guitar part came in.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
The creators of Sonder are on diverging paths now, but all of us are still dancing or making films in some capacity. I have been working as a DP more and want to continue to shoot and build those skills. It is also a goal of mine to write and direct a short film this year. We shall see how everything pans out with the industry currently at a stand-still. It seems that now is the time to edit, write, and dream of the day we can return to set.
TAKE ME THERE played to rave reviews at the February 2020 Experimental Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Chantal Cherry: This film was created as part of the Experimental Film Virginia (EFV) residency and festival program. It’s a two week intensive of collaborating with other artists – dancers, musicians, cinematographers – all with the purpose of creating a dance film. Set in Cape Charles, Virginia, EFV encourages artists to create something that could only be made in this geographical location and inspired by this community. I knew I wanted to make a group piece since I had access to multiple dancers; I knew the style of movement I wanted to work with; and I knew I wanted the piece to incorporate queerness. Once I found the location, it became the foundation for the creativity to flow.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
It was a two-week turn around. The first week of the residency was spent location-scouting, engaging with the other artists, and figuring out who I wanted to work with. The second week was reserved for filming and post-production. We had 6 hours maximum to use for the shoot. I shot my film on the first day of week two and the films were screened on day six of week two at the EFV Festival. I was lucky in that I had a lot more time for editing than some of the other film-makers.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Queer, exhultation
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The time restraint was the biggest obstacle because the film had to move from conception into a finished product in such a short time frame. We had one hour-long rehearsal in the location to explore ideas with only two dancers (since filmmakers were sharing performers) and then a three hour rehearsal in a studio with the full cast. So we hadn’t actually done the movement on the tracks until the day of the shoot. I’m used to having a lot more time to develop movement with the dancers and often my concept is driven from movement exploration. Since this wasn’t possible given the nature of this residency, I relied on the location to provide conceptual inspiration. Deciding on and securing a location in just a few days was tricky since I wasn’t familiar with the area and I needed to make sure I’d chosen a place in time to move through the process of getting permission in time for shooting.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
This is so exciting! People feel and think things about something I created. A favorite part of the process for me is hearing how other people see my work – what interpretations or take-aways they get from it.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
I was out walking and saw the neglected train tracks. I followed them in both directions, first one way, then the other, to see where they would lead. The feeling of adventure and excitement I felt following the tracks influenced the playfulness present in the piece. The train tracks provide a clear sense of past, present, and future – a venturing from something and into the unknown. What are the characters moving away from and what are they searching for? Cape Charles as a town has a somewhat abandoned feeling as things once working have become neglected. There is the sense that once upon a time life existed. Once the Chesapeake Bay bridge was built, the main purpose for this town disintegrated and with it, its economy. Now life in Cape Charles is adapting (as is human nature, we adapt so that we may survive). For example, running this festival gives life and purpose to the town, which is very different from the original reason the town was built. The town is repurposed in the process. This influenced the dystopian feeling I wanted to invoke. The train tracks are remnants of a civilization yet they are clearly no longer in use and we never see life outside of the characters in the film who are journeying together. As a queer artist I am committed to providing queer representation, which influenced a portion of the narrative. In addition, I am interested in very physical, athletic, strong movement, and particularly this type of movement being performed by womxn, which was the drive behind the movement vocabulary we explored.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Probably Matilda. I know we rented the VHS 17 times in one month from the video store when we were kids. And we rented it many more times after that!
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
It’s always so helpful to the creative process to receive feedback. It’s also really important to me to know the audience response to the work and if it is what I intended. Did my intention land with the audience? If so, I know the work was successful and if not, I need to pay closer attention to where the work fell short so as to rectify it for the next project. I appreciate the nuance that audiences are able to read into the work that are in alignment with my vision but a different point of view. For example, one of the audience members mentioned the train tracks could be seen as a metaphor for the queer experience at large. This is not something I thought about during the making of the film but is something I definitely agree with in retrospect.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
I have two projects I’m currently working on. The first, Our Bodies At Night, is a duet that explores intimacy between women that I’m crafting into an evening-length piece. The other project I’m working on is still in its early phases of development. It’s a three-part multimedia project – photography, film, and live performance – that explores power dynamics in relation to notions of queerness, gender, and race. The photoshoot has already taken place and I am in the process of conceptualizing the film aspect.
BODY LANGUAGE was the winner of BEST FILM at the January 2020 Experimental, Dance, Music Film Festival in Toronto.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Anouk Brouwer: We live in a world that seems to overly focus upon stereotypes like gender, class, sexual identity, ethnicity and skin color. I believe that human creatures possess one homogenous vocabulary. A language without words that we know how to operate before we even speak. In this system of communication, the body serves as the human instrument.
With this film I wanted to express my love for body motion and the different messages our instrument can send across. I wanted to visualise the power of the way we move our body in this complicated world. The moving body offers an unrelenting dialogue.
Overall, I wanted to express that without words, we can communicate everything. I am always focused on discovering innovative ways to look at the world around me, and I see that we, as the human race, tend to focus on what differentiates us from each other. I believe that body language can bring us back together.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
The process of making the film lasted three months in total. It was a crazy whirlwind rollercoaster ride, to say the least. From the moment I came up with the insights relating to the moving body, I instantly went into the actualisation mode.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Experimental and introspective
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest obstacle I faced in completing this film was accumulating a team that understood the objective and philosophy behind the film. The shooting days did not consist of a script or tightly rehearsed movements, but about an emotional intention.
Not only Judith, the dancer, needed to be in the correct emotion, but the whole team needed to understand what feelings were being conveyed. This is exactly why all components came together so beautifully in the end. The bodily movements became aligned with the camera movements, the light, the sound, the editing and the art direction. One component goes hand in hand with another and that is exactly how a creative process should work in my opinion. Elements need each other. This is what makes a single objective so very powerful.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
There is no wrong or right way to interpret this semi-abstract film. Everybody can see something different in it. I found it absolutely heartwarming to see how people had such emotional and intuitive reactions to the film as this exactly what I am trying to do with my work. I want to make people feel. Seeing how the audience related to the character and gave comments relating emotion, feeling and empathy was thrilling for me.
Of course there is a specific philosophy behind this film, but I want to trigger the audience with maximum abstraction, allowing people to intuitively connect with the work.
Watch Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
The idea behind the film was originally inspired by the fashion industry and the ever-growing demand for consumers to relate to a fashion brand. Body language can become an embodiment of all brand-movements, being an outward expression of the values and objectives of a brand.
My philosophical fashion short film consists of three scenes, in which the protagonist finds herself in different environments, ultimately affecting the manner in which she moves her body. The three different settings are a metaphor for fashion brands, each embodying different values and objectives, changing the body language of the protagonist. The brands I was inspired by were (in order of appearance); Jacquemus, Gucci and Comme des Garçons.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) by Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I am happy that there are platforms out there where young filmmakers like myself have an accessible opportunity to showcase their work.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
It Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by Tame Impala. I am a great fan. I saw them live last summer and cried my eyes out.
A close second is Dreams by Fleetwood Mac.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Yes. I am currently in Japan, soaking up inspiration and writing a lot. The new film will have similar artistic abstract features, but will tackle a whole new philosophy. It is going to be big, it is going to be emotional and it is going to be innovative. I am thrilled about the prospect of creating a film again.
MINSTRELL VS PUPPET was the winner of BEST FILM at the January 2020 Experimental FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
Hannah Bonecutter: The trials, tribulations, and conflicts (internal and external) that I, as well as many others, endure as a woman of color today motivated me to make this film. Upon careful observance and personal experience of the various stigmatization, stereotypes, and limitations society places upon women of color, and with the current wave of women empowerment here in America, I was compelled to make a statement on these important issues; a statement that force people to face, discuss, and hopefully work to improve these issues facing women of color today. This film is that statement.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
It took about 3 months from the idea to the finished product. I remember having the idea in December during holiday break, then immediately reaching out to people I wanted a part of it, including the Director Marcus Aubin for his thoughts on his abilities to make my vision come to fruition. We got the team together and it was shot in early February over two 8-hour long days. Final product was ready by March.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Paradigm Shifting
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The biggest obstacle in completing this film was deciding on final dialogue between the two characters – a significant amount was cut from the initial script – and finalizing the last 20 seconds of film during the editing process in post-production. I always knew we would end the film with the split face image, but right leading up to that was carefully contemplated over and discussed between the Director and I for some time.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was extremely excited and happy while listening to the audience feedback in film! I think many of them understood the duality in the film quite well, and the women’s responses were extremely satisfying to hear, especially the comments on how Minstrel vs. Puppet was “refreshing” and how it calls for us to “pull together.”
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
Reflecting on my own life and the roles I have to play at various times, in particular contexts in order to achieve specific goals was the foundation of this film vision. From this, I knew two characters would need to represent one person, and these characters needed to be quite opposing.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Training Day
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I think FilmFreeway is a great, extremely efficient submission platform to use for any filmmaker, especially independent filmmakers.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
Intentional by Travis Greene
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Often referred to as a Renaissance woman, I keep my hands busy in a few things. My latest endeavor is obtaining a Masters of Public Health (MPH) with a division in Health Policy and Administration as well as a Global Health Concentration and Health Disparities Certificate at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). In addition to being a graduate student, which takes up much of my time and energy, I am also a licensed eductor, currently privately tutoring students. Further, I presently balance professional organizing for clients with my business BoneClutter. While I am not acting as much right now while pursing my MPH, I am still writing, performing spoken word poetry live, and public speaking at various events.
In terms of Minstrel vs. Puppet, it is still on the film festival circuit worldwide and may even be screened at a city near you soon! There is a lot of planning and organizing going behind Minstrel vs. Puppet right now, as it is far more than a film. It is an educational tool that must be used for exposure, awareness, and learning purposes. Indeed, it has begun its journey in this direction with its first private screening, presentation, and facilitated activity (given by me) held on February 21, 2020 at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). I plan to do many more similar events across the nation at universities, colleges, high schools, and various organizations in the near future. Further, I and other professional educator peers of mine are creating curriculum around Minstrel vs. Puppet to be used in courses at higher education institutions across America and beyond, so be on the lookout for that in the future too!
I will indeed make future films while serving in multiple roles on these films, such as actress, writer, executive producer, director, and more. I have several visions for these films and even scripts written already! However, I believe these films, as well as other related projects and endeavors, will be within a brand new industry that I aim to trailblaze in years to come. This industry will provide informative content to the mass public on important societal issues that they need to understand, but in a highly engaging, creative, and entertaining way that demands their attention. My goal is to utilize my knowledge, skills, and networks within my careers of education, professional organizing, public health, and film entertainment to create and grow this new industry.
SOLDIER ONLINE was voted BEST ANIMATION FILM at the January 2020 DANCE & MUSIC Festival in Toronto.
Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?
John J.A. Jannone: Daniel Munkus, one of the three musicians in the band Old Robes, was my student in the M.F.A. program in Performance and Interactive Media Arts (PIMA) at Brooklyn College. We became friends and collaborated for several years. When Old Robes’ new album The Spider and the Spectator was coming out, Daniel commissioned a bunch of artists to make music videos, and I created this video. The mystery and energy of this song struck me in particular, and I was interested in who the “Soldier Online,” the character in the song, was.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
I worked on this animation for about a month. Since it is a sound-responsive, generative animation, it is both an animation and a piece of software, so much of the work of creating this piece was coding.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Inner War
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
There were many technical challenges. The language I was working in is very good at creating real-time, sound-responsive animation, but much less well suited to “editing” a structured film. So the biggest challenge was to leverage the strength of the language while “bending” it to function more like conventional editing software.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was very pleased that people responded so positively to the animation. I was not surprised to hear that reactions to the music were not as positive – I’ve heard a lot of negative contents about the music – but I find it very interesting and challenging music.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
I found the animated soldier figure, and he guided the whole process – I worked through various permutations – breaking him into polygons, slicing him into ribbons, distorting his form and re-constructing it. I was also interested in creating a hand-drawn feeling from a totally software-based animation, which lead to a lot of work with applying structured randomness to the lines and forms.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Probably La Dolce Vita and Persona, as I teach an audiovisual aesthetics class, and we watch both films in the class.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I love it – I reach many more festivals than I would without it, and it keeps track of submissions for me!
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
Ha – possibly this one – when making an animation, one listens to the song many, many times. But, other than this, I think I’ve probably listened to Mahavishnu Orchestra’s album Inner Mounting Flame, and John Scofield’s Still Warm, pretty darn extensively. Also, everything by Foals and LCD Soundsystem, always on repeat.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Just finished it! A feature I produced and composed the music for, four years in the making, premiering at CINEQUEST next month: http://smallTimeFilm.com/
