The music of flowers, bugs and leaves.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film.

Jim Downer: Animators have been making synesthetic films for years--visually interpreting sound. In this realm Compost is nothing new. At its core it's an experimental film made with sticks and leaves. On another level, through the symbolism provided by nature's cycles Compost represents continual change through rebirth and decomposition. The film includes the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and other conditions through quick successive interchanges of subject matter.

RF: What was your inspiration?

JD: Found animation--multiples--easily accessible everyday objects. While food shopping I couldn't help looking at piles of vegetables and thinking, "This stuff would make a great series of animated replacement objects." The idea later shifted from produce to things in the backyard.

RF: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

JD: It would have never been made without Diane, my wife, who had looked at some tests I'd done earlier in the year and then suggested we create an entire film. She's the primary force behind the film. It wasn't apparent to me at first, but now looking back on the project I see it as a documentary, a record of all the walks Diane and I took together with our four dogs to collect specimens. Things go by so quickly on the screen, when in reality they took months to collect and assemble. There's a lot of wonderfully peaceful memories associated with this film. Also, along with being entertaining the film also has scientific value. It represents a cross section, a sampling of Rochester's biomass. Grade-school children always seem to make that connection when they watch the film.

RF: What is the piece of music playing along with the images?

JD: Dave Shaw and John Nyerges are the musicians. A couple of talented individuals--easy going, intelligent, open minded, fun to work with. I'd been working with Dave, getting digital recording lessons, torturing him with avant-garde musical directing when John stopped in. He sat at the piano and I asked him to play some Baroque jazz. That's the longest piece of music in the film. All the bits and pieces are improvisational tinkerings done by Dave. At the time of recording there were no plans to make a film, it was just the three of us doing what we do as artists.

RF: What, if any, is the correlation between the images and the tonality and rhythms of the music?

JD: I relied heavily on intuition. Shooting each series of replacement objects, then testing them against the music for appropriateness. In the back of my mind I kept a visual catalogue of shapes and colors. Listening to the music I'd run through the visual possibilities internally before doing any cutting of image to music. I purposely wanted to keep the improvisational spirit of the film free from over analysis.

RF: Where did you find all of these lovely, colorful, natural images to work with? How did you select which would appear in the film?

JD: ll of the collected objects come from property around our home. Again I give Diane most of the credit here. She's a painter whose sensibilities in selecting color and texture really comes through in the film. I would have discarded, or overlooked many of the things she picked up. I had to learn not to edit, or over-think while gathering.

RF: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

JD: Now and then we picked up a stowaway--insect or spider. A couple became a part of the film and were later released. It's tough to photograph a bug who's running around an animation table. I also suffer from plant allergies. Some things we brought back into the studio made my eyes water and nose run. I had to shoot right away and then get them back outside as quick as possible. Thorns and splinters where also a bit of a painful issue. Some plants just don't want anyone touching them--understandable. On the upside, I never got poison ivy.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

JD: Yes, as full-time as I can be. As well as a full-time husband, graphic artist, illustrator and college professor. All simultaneous responsibilities. My wife and I also volunteer as a wildlife rehabilitators for the Department of Environmental Conservation.

RF: What is your current/next project?

JD: Just after Compost an unexpected film happened-- The Bringing of Spring. A one minute puppet film that was recently selected for screening at the LE:60 festival in Cambridge, MA. I don't talk much about current project(s). It's superstition, I don't want to jinx things. I'm also not a fan of verbal portfolios, however I will say it's a drawn animated piece, approximately four to five minutes in length.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

JD: I must say the Rooftop organizers have been fantastic--kind, generous, courteous, helpful. They do a great thing for independent filmmakers and I hope they continue for a very long time. Hats off to Rooftop--the work they do is not easy. They deserve enormous amounts of credit and thanks.

RF: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

JD: Reaching a larger audience, and potentially influencing / encouraging someone else to make a short film.

RF: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

JD: Feedback is always appreciated--good, bad or ugly. Like compost, it may stink sometimes, but it helps artists grow.

By Rooftop Films in Animation, Environmental Films, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (3)

Tags: Compost, Jim and Diane Downer, LE:60, Rooftop Films, The Bringing Of Spring

Manhattan Canyon (Gregory King | New York | 2:03)


For two full days in the summer of 2004, Gregory King strapped three cameras (two Super-8 and one video) onto his body and trekked up and down the length of Manhattan, taking one picture at each intersection. Music by Rachel's.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film.

Gregory King: It's an experimental/poetic portrait of Manhattan that highlights its architectural density and pace of life. I slung three cameras (two Super 8mm film and one mini-DV video) around my neck and shot either one frame of film or a short second-burst of video at every intersection of the city, looking south, starting from as far north as I could go safely on the east side, and an equivalent spot on the west side. It's a miracle I wasn't run over, cause once I was in the zone shooting, I wasn't watching traffic much at all.

RF: What was your inspiration?

GK: Loving the sense of a 'canyon' one feels when looking down an avenue in Manhattan, and how this creates a powerful effect of space and light .

RF: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

GK: The process of shooting it was really enjoyable, because it offered me a unique experience of the city and its neighborhoods, compressed in the span of a couple days. I started with the east side, on Madison Ave and walked the length of the city in one day. This took me through an enormous diversity of neighborhoods and cultural expressions in a way that was so thoroughly 'New York', but which I hadn't experienced before.

RF: How long did it take you to gather all of this footage?

GK: Two days; one for the east side, and another for the west side. It took about 9 hours each day to capture all the shots. Not as much as I thought!

RF: Tell us a bit about the aesthetics of the film. Why did you choose to place the eastern and western images horizontally side by side as opposed to vertically? What effect did you hope this would achieve?

GK: To create in essence a 'third form', that being the negative space shape of the sky, that has a life of its own and which I felt was a more original approach to the subject matter. I've seen other artists depict the streets of Manhattan, but none in quite this manner. I wanted to give the sky equal footing to the buildings, which would have been lost had I set them in a 'normal' orientation.

RF: Is there a specific comment about life in New York City held within this film?

GK: I like to think about the fact that this city is never static, never 'settled' or fixed; it's always undergoing its own organic-if steel, glass and brick can be seen as organic-transformation and realization. Buildings go up, come down, get altered, cleaned or otherwise renovated, layered with scaffolding, spray painted and etched by weather, all of which I find endlessly fascinating. New York tomorrow is a different organism than New York today. Some of that, unfortunately, can be heart-breaking, as in the case of landmark buildings being bulldozed, but as a whole, it never ceases to amaze me.

RF: How did you decide on the pace of the editing in the film? Does its rapid pace have to do with your own experience of the city itself?

GK: I played around with various durations for each frame, corresponding of course to various speeds overall. I found that if each frame lasted only 'a frame of video' (30 fps is standard video), the piece went by too fast and was jarring, but if each frame lasted too long, there wasn't the sense of traveling down the avenue. Ultimately, I felt I found a 'sweet spot' that allowed for both a recognition of its frame-by-frame nature and enough time to feel the character of each part of town represented. But yes, certainly the speed relates to what it is like to live in New York, especially in Manhattan.

RF: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

GK: This was shot only a few years after 9/11, so there was definitely a sense of caution/uncertainty on my part as to what obstacles I might encounter while shooting, since I would be, for the better part of a day, pointing up three different cameras at every single intersection to photograph the buildings of New York. And sure enough, I was met with a host of interesting reactions from pedestrians (mostly positive, I must say): a police officer asked what I was doing the second I entered the upper east side, and said 'people in the neighborhood were asking questions', but he let me go without another thought when I said 'making art' (it felt like a jedi mind trick); a truck driver cursed me out while making a turn, calling me a terrorist; a very put-together businesswoman in Midtown said in a snooty tone, "You shouldn't be doing that"...it was quite an interesting couple days. Ultimately though, the only real obstacle I encountered was at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge (my east side route took me there), where 24/7-stationed police officers said I couldn't film that part of the bridge. So the film lacks two shots because of this, sorry to say.

OH! But also--and this is CRAZY--the second day I shot happened to be one of the days of the Republican National Convention in 2004, and I walked RIGHT THROUGH just throngs of convention-goers, police, and who knows who else on 7th Ave, and not one person asked what I was doing. But they had probably already done a background check on me via satellite before I got even close.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

GK: I am in the sense that I make my living as an editor and cameraman, and the fact that I'm always making something of my own.

RF: What is your current/next project?

GK: I'm in post-production on my first feature-length documentary film called 'Our House', co-directed with Brooklyn filmmaker David Teague (the man behind the NYC chapter of Flicker Film Festival), which should be done in early 2009. It's very New York in its own right; it's about a group of punk rock dudes in their 20s that ran a community house for the poor and homeless in an abandoned warehouse in Williamsburg. The guys are also devout Christians, so it was a truly unique expression of faith and social activism; anarchist-squatters helping people on the street, going to hardcore shows, sleeping in sub-zero sleeping bags in an empty building...all in the name of Jesus.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

GK: I love going to Rooftop shows! They are a fantastic venue to see new work, AND to experience the city, as the locations are all situated in interesting areas. I love the sense of community it supports, and the fact that live music precedes each show; it's a great way to hear new music and feel like you're a part of the cultural bedrock that makes this city great.

RF: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

GK: That it's so accessible, and easy to share. Anyone in the world can see it! You can't beat that. Plus, all the other shorts are awesome, so it's fun to be grouped with such a wide assortment of ideas and talented people.

By Rooftop Films in Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (5)

Tags: Experimental, Gregory King, IFC, Manhattan Canyon, New York, Rooftop Films, Video

Checkmate (Casimir Nozkowski, Dallas Penn, Rafi Kam | New York City | 9:43)

Why are there always jewelry stores next to check-cashing spots? Why is there only 1 bank per 50,000 people living in Bushwick?

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film

Dallas Penn: Checkmate was a video we developed as a response from one of our viewers who after viewing our film 'Bodega' asked us to make a film about another one of the center city's ubiquitous retail locations - the check cashing store

RF: What was your inspiration?

DP: SInce Rafi and I had used check cashing stores previously (and I still do) we thought we could create a film that described them accurately

RF: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

DP: I think the interesting thing we discovered about check cashing locations as opposed to banks was that they were less predatory than we originally envisioned, especially when you consider all the latent fees that banks assess to customers who are less than wealthy.

RF: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

DP: The production for the film was an overall enjoyable experience. We found people on the street who were ready to describe their experiences when dealing with check cashing stores as well as banks. I think the biggest discovery for me was that making it rain (the practice of wantonly throwing wads of cash in the air) outdoors was the quickest method to losing all of your money.

RF: What initially sparked your interest in the idea of check cashing? Why this particular social exploration?

DP: Check cashing stores are fairly ubiquitous in the center city but not too many people know what takes place on the inside of these stores and the people that do know rarely examine them comprehensively.

RF: The tone of the film is comedic but it is clear that there is also a fairly dire social message about the nature of consumerism, debt, urban planning etc in America. How did you balance the two sides in making the film?

DP: I love to laugh before I cry so I don't think having a laugh at a funeral is a bad thing. Discussing serious issues with our Web 2.0675 constituency means that we need to inject some humor into our rants and and messages.

RF: Most of the film was shot in Brooklyn. Do you have any ties to Brooklyn or do the actors in the film?

DP: We all have ties to Brooklyn in various ways from growing up inside of the borough to actively using the landscape today to work, play and live. We would like to make a film in every borough of the city to help us get our points across on the universatility (my word bitches) of the urban experience.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

DP: I am a full-time shit-talker on the web log that I manage daily. My career goal is to make films full time since we are living in a post-literate society. I say that we are post-literate not because people can't read, but because they choose not to. They like to use video for delivering much of the information they use.

RF: What is your current/next project?

DP: We have several projects underway right now. I am anxious to complete them as opposed to talking about them.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

DP: The Rooftop shows have been the most fulfilling aspect of my filmmaking career up to this point. The audience contains the prime demographic that we target with our videos and to see and hear them laugh and enjoy our films is satisfying and energizing. It is one thing to have over a half million views of a film on YouTube and a totally different experience to commune with an audience full of your peers.

RF: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

DP: I'm excited for more people to see our work and follow us as we make more films and tackle more subjects

RF: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

DP: What would you like to see us discuss in an upcoming film. We do make these films for fans you know.

By Rooftop Films in Comedy, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 2 Comments | Recommended (6)

Tags: Bodega, Brooklyn, Check Cashing, Checkmate, Comedy, Dallas Penn, IFC, Internet Celebrities, Rafi, Rooftop Films

"Polvo (Dust)" (Ylva Forner | Spain | 12:45)


A young woman about to get married works cleaning houses for elderly people. One day an old man offers to pay her well if she just undresses and sits in a chair over by the window for him. A story about memories and missing someone long gone.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film.

Ylva Forner: This film "Polvo (Dust)" was actually one of my first short films. The title in Spanish has a double meaning that's lost in translation. It literally means "Dust", but in Spanish slang it can also mean to "Screw". I had lived in Barcelona, for a very short time when I made Polvo and I had to make something that was not based on dialogue, basically because I didn't speak much Spanish. I was interested in making a film where only the audience got the full picture, where as the characters never got to know the objectives of the other. I wanted to start with one character and end with another, like shifting the focus. I would love to make a whole full feature film like that some day, where the story is passed like the baton in a relay race.

RF: What was your inspiration?

YF: For this film my inspiration was dust in afternoon sunlight. Jazz records with Ella Fitzgerald. The shot in Gilda where she takes of her gloves.

RF: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, back-story, production methods, etc.)?

YF: What might be said is that we hade an extremely low budget (non-existent really). The whole film is shot in one day. This was a very strange shooting, basically because there is so much nakedness is the film, on top of that I´m doing the part of the woman in the past myself, which meant that I was walking around the set naked with forties-makeup on the set, directing the crew. After a while everyone got used to it, and there are some very funny photos...

RF: The light in the film was beautiful. How did you create it?

YF: We worked with very little filters and lit a lot.

RF: How did you create the superimposition of the two images of the women in the film?

YF: What we did was first of all to use the same framing and location, but re-decorating the room as it was in the forties when there was still life in the room for the old days - shot. Then we shot the whole part from the past on super-8 to get that "old" feeling. It created a sense of something long gone, maybe our memories are now days on video...Technically we then taped the super-8 projection and superimposed the two images. To me it's very important that when the man's memory begins, the traveling begins and crosses the space from "his corner" in his chair, into the room where the girl is. It's the only time in the film that that happens, and after that moment the story focus has changed from her to him.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

YF: I'm a director and actress hoping to soon be able to take away the waitress... Ultimately I have directed more than I have acted, but I love acting and hope to soon work more as an actress on other peoples films, that's one of the best ways to be a better director too...And the best job in the world!

RF: What is your current/next project?

YF: I've just finished a new short film in Stockholm (where I live), and it's going very well. It's called Greetings From Slussen, Sthlm, and it's is in competition at the Stockholm International Film Festival starting Nov 20th. It's also showing at the Palm Spring Festival in Jan. 2009, and the Scandinavian Film Festival in LA in Jan. 2009. And I'm of course hoping that it will be chosen for next year's Rooftop Films Summer Series. A part from that I have just received a grant to go to LA for 3 months from January - April, to develop my filmmaking and hopefully make a short film there.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

YF: I whish I could say I had. I really wanted to come over last summer, but couldn't get the financing to do so...I think that the idea of showing films on the roof is one of the most beautiful I know, so hope to be part of that some night!

RF: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

YF: I love that people I don't know on the other side of the globe actually see my work and that it hopefully moves them in some way. That's the whole idea of art I suppose... It gives me a bit of Vertigo to be honest... hahaha...

RF: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

YF: I will be in LA from beginning Jan-end of March, and in New York from March 27-April 5. What shall I do? Where should I go? What can I not miss?!

By Rooftop Films in Home Movies, Personal Narrative, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (9)

Tags: Greetings From Slussen Sthlm, Palm Springs Film Festival, Rooftop Films Summer Series, Scandinavian Film Festival, Stockholm International Film Festival, Ylva Forner

The Morning Sun (Bryan Wizemann | Brooklyn, NY | 5:30)


A woman wakes up, takes a shower, gets dressed, and leaves the house. In this fascinating and ephemeral film -- a study in the use of available light and narrative restraint -- it's up the audience to string together the pieces of her morning, and the night before.

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film:

Bryan Wizemann: The film up at IFC.com is actually from last year, called The Morning Sun, and it's really just a story of a girl waking up in an apartment that's not her own. It stars Allison Lawrence, and was shot at Gary's Shooting Lofts here in Brooklyn.

The film that played Rooftop this year isn't on IFC.com, at least not yet, and is called Film Makes Us Happy. That film is a short doc that tries to depict the last fight I'll ever have with my wife about making films. It gets pretty emotional, and I can't quite pull the trigger about it being online. My wife goes back and forth as well, between feeling it's important to see and not wanting anyone to see it, ever.

RF: What was your inspiration?

BW: For The Morning Sun, I was at the Pittsburgh Art Museum with my cinematographer Mark and my friend Sam, seduced by a blurred Andy Warhol film still of a young woman on a bed. My next feeling was that I was completely sure that the film I created in my mind around the still was no doubt more satisfying (and arguably much shorter) than the actual film would prove to be. To be fair, I never saw the film that the still was from, but other Warhol film experiments lead me to believe I wouldn't be able to suffer through it. So we argued and crafted and conceived on the drive home, and decided to try and figure out what the simplest short film could be that captured that kind of feeling. The story of The Morning Sun came out of that conversation. I always wanted to make a low dialogue short, and Mark had just purchased the Panasonic HXV, so we were desperate to shoot something using available light to see what it could do. Inspiration also comes from want, I suppose.

For Film Makes Us Happy, the inspiration literally came from trying to stop having the same fight with Sabina (my wife) about all the money I've pissed away in independent film. I had a screenplay that was personally invited to submit to the Sundance Lab. With the promise of the lab and what that would have meant, and after the third invitation, and the third rejection, and after almost two years of waiting, it was too much for my wife to bear. Her feeling was just that film was a closed society, and only a foray of the rich and connected. Not to mention that we recently had a kid and sold our place to get out of the film debt I amassed from my last credit card feature (Losing Ground, on Netflix, go check it out!).

The fight was easy to start, so after three months of browbeating her she finally relented and agreed to put it on film, the caveat being that she would have final say on the edit and if anybody actually got to see it. By showing her some of the selects to try and convince her to let it screen, she actually ended up helping me edit it. And it did work to some degree; we reference the film more than we fight about all the money I've set fire to. It played the Hamptons and IFF Boston and was recently part of Rooftop's best of summer screening, so I'm happy it got some exposure. I think I'm going to put it back into hiding now though.

RF: Ever been in a similar situation?

BW: For The Morning Sun, kind of. For Film Makes Us Happy, the film was the similar situation, so yes, unfortunately, many times.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

BW: I'm not entirely sure how these people who get to make films full-time get to make films full-time. I don't know how anyone could unless they are independently wealthy and have access and opportunity and a lot of time on their hands. Really I'm just envious, and would love nothing more than to focus more on film. The one time I was able to freelance from home and swallow the debt and focus on writing was a really productive time. It just wasn't sustainable.

And I'm amazed at all the stories I hear of seven-figure indies where the writer/director received no compensation. No compensation. It's been said that no one knows how anyone makes any money in this business, and I think the answer is they just don't.

RF: What is your current/next project?

BW: I've gotten lucky this past year. That script that kept getting invited and rejected by Sundance ended up being one of the top three winners of the Slamdance Screenplay Competition. Slamdance is trying to become a frontrunner in that arena, and offer a lot of different specialized screenplay entry opportunities. I highly recommend it.

I was able to get representation from the awards publication in the trades, and Barbara DeFina recently signed on to produce. I'm a big fan of her work, not just the Scorsese films, but the smaller ones like You Can Count on Me and The Grifters. I think it's a good fit, and it's developing well. We have some key supporting roles cast, and are gearing up for production in the spring. The film is called An Entire Body, and more information is up at the film's website: www.anentirebody.com. I very excited about it.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

BW: I love going to Rooftop shows, but have yet to be on an actual Rooftop. The Yard venue on the Gowanus Canal is my favorite, and the selection of pre-show bands never fails to impress. The music oddly maps to the venue somehow. I was excited to be on the roof of the LES Public School they screen at [New Design High School. -ed.], but alas, there was rain a comin', so it was held indoors. That's the other fun thing about Rooftop, they always have a plan b for shitty weather.

RF: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

BW: IFC is becoming one of the strongest distributors for independent film. Indeed, one of the few. I've always trusted their taste and think they've done quite a bit to push audiences toward great films that would have otherwise struggled. The Morning Sun was actually an early winner of their online Media Lab, and out of that it was able to screen on the IFC channel. It's always exciting for me when something small like that finds a way to get out into the world.

RF: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

BW: Do people really ever read blogs? Do they ever read blogs about filmmakers? I don't have any questions really, but I'll try and check back for comments and do my best to answer them. I once tried to have it out with Mike Plante on a Wholphin blog, but it became pretty clear that we were the only two who were reading the thing anyway. (I actually like Mike and the stuff that Wholphin programs, at least the stuff that isn't film celebrity b-sides). But yes, go ahead, ask away. Most of my film exploits are online on www.ballastfilms.com.

By Rooftop Films in Drama, Home Movies, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (9)

Tags: Ballast, Bryan Wizeman, Film, Film Makes Us Happy, IFC, Rooftop Films, Short, The Morning Sun

Deceptively playful, Snake is a film about stubbornness in the face of change.

Rooftop Films: What was your inspiration?

Becky James: I wanted to make something about growing up and I was kind of feeling like people were forcing me into situations that made me have to change. And then I knocked out nine teeth falling down the stairs. So I had the premise and then I just figured out each scene as I wrapped up the previous one. Animating by hand is so slow that you have lots of time to get to know the character and world and you can kind of just let the situations play out on their own.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

BJ: I also work at James Fuentes LLC, a downtown gallery that shows contemporary art. It is actually really great working there although the job makes it easy to feel satisfied and productive when I am doing nothing of my own stuff. Usually I am motivated by boredom.

RF: What is your current/next project?

BJ: I am working on a new film about a camel. I lost a couple weeks of work when I moved and kind of had a breakdown but actually just yesterday some friends found it in their basement. yay! although I already finished redoing that section last Tuesday.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

BJ: I went to a couple of shows and they were awesome. The crowds were just enormous which was super exciting and the other work was really smart and unique, the kind of stuff I was hoping to see when I first started going to festivals but remained almost completely elusive for ages.

By Rooftop Films in Animation, Comedy, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (10)

Tags: Animation, Becky James, IFC, Rooftop Films, Short, Snake

At Rooftop, we love the quiet, lovely experimentations of The Quavers (who played our festival in 2007), and are glad to post about their latest music-film collaborations. So it's sure to get us excited when you set up this scenario: T. Griffin from the Quavers, Guy Picciotto from Fugazi (other members of which played at Rooftop in 2006) and Athens, GA, indie-folk hero Vic Chesnutt, brought together by a screening for Brooklyn indie-film legend Jem Cohen . . . on a rooftop!

Observe, listen, reflect and enjoy.

* * *

"Holed up in a basement once used as a bolthole for Latvian sailors, Brooklyn's T. Griffin teamed up with singer/violinist Catherine McRae for this spectral third album. His grainy blend of electro-folk and found sounds (he calls it "porch techno") resembles a hushed collision of Vic Chesnutt, Low and Jim O'Rourke. Deathly strings and lonely guitar - allied to telephone static, samples and snatches of Casio - make this record appear salvaged from some creaky urban junk shop. It holds together admirably, though, its wounded ambience both delicate and dense." - Uncut Magazine (UK)

Saturday, November 15th, 8PM
The Quavers play at Barbes
376 9th Street, Park Slope Brooklyn
all ages
$10 suggested donation

By Rooftop Films in Home Movies, Rooftop Music, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (9)

Tags: Fugazi, Guy Picciotto, Jem Cohen, Music, Rooftop, T. Griffin, The Quavers, Vic Chesnutt, Vienna

**FREE EVENT**
Monday, November 10th, 2008

Rooftop Films presents the Best Animation from Rooftop Films on IFC.com

Amazing Independent Animated Shorts

Join Rooftop Films on Monday, November 10th, for our second of three FREE screenings at Chelsea Market. We will be showing 10 amazing independent animated films chosen from Rooftop Films' 2008 Summer Series and our library of shorts.

For the past two years, Rooftop and IFC have been streaming many of our shorts on our page on IFC.com, and on the 10th we'll be screening a selection of some of the best of the bunch--many of which will be premiering on IFC.com in the next few weeks.

Before the films Ivana XL will be performing her beautiful music live, and throughout the show we will have free bottles of beer courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner.

Venue: Indoors at Chelsea Market
Address: 75 9th Ave (Between 15th and 16th Streets, Manhattan)
Directions: A, C, E, or L to 14th Street and 8th Ave
7:00: Live Music by Ivana XL
7:30: Independent Animation from Rooftop Films and IFC.com
Admission: Free!

Free Radeberger Pilsner for all in attendance (must be 21 to drink)

WATCH NEW FILMS EVERY WEEK

Visit our dedicated Rooftop Films page on IFC.com http://www.ifc.com/film/rooftop/ to see some of the best short films in the world. New films are posted to the site three times a week; by the end of the year there will be 100 great shorts up there.

Comedy, drama, documentary, animation--these films come from all over the world and span every imaginable genre in the short film universe. Rooftop Films receives more than 2,000 short film submissions a year and we are choosing the very best of them to stream on IFC.com. The Rooftop Films page on IFC.com will be one of the most exclusive online collections of great shorts available anywhere in the digital world. And all of it is conveniently organized so that film lovers can now discover talented new filmmakers online without having to sift through the millions of unsorted videos on the internet.

These are films you'll want to watch more than once, and now you can. Watch them on a gorgeous New York City rooftop, with the city glittering behind the screen, then go home and watch them again. Share these films with friends who weren't lucky enough to make it to one of our 38 shows this summer.

By Rooftop Films in Rooftop News, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (3)

Tags: Animation, Best Animation, Chelsea Market, IFC, IFC.com, Ivana XL, Rooftop Films, Shorts

This is borderline offensive, but insanely bizarre and brilliant. Made by a mysterious dude named zZalgern0n, who showed his film The Loneliest Probe at Rooftop in 2006.

If you like that, check out zZ's show in LA this weekend:

Existential kids cartoons, documentaries, music videos, cooking shows, and much more! Program features a great deal of not-as-yet-aired TV work, films unavailable on the internet, and a vegan halftime snack!

Steve Allen Theater
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
A paltry $5!

Watch out for a zZalgern0n show in New York City the first week of December.

By Rooftop Films in Comedy, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (11)

Tags: crazy comedy, Los Angeles, Rooftop Films, Steve Allen Theater, The Loneliest Probe, watch short films, zZalgern0n

This shop is the last that remains of Elizabeth Street's Italian American history. At eighty two, Moe is the only employee.

RT: Tell us about your film:

LT: My film documents the changing landscape of Little Italy, told by Moe Albanese, an Italian-American butcher who has never left the famous Manhattan neighborhood.

RT: What was your inspiration?

LT: Moe was my inspiration for making the film. I interviewed him for an oral history course that I was taking at NYU and I was really taken with him. He is a true New Yorker in every sense. When I listened to the audio interview, I realized that the story was so visual and that it needed to be told on film. I enlisted Eugene Lehnert, a truly gifted cinematographer. We decided to shoot on 16mm--as that film stock is becoming as archaic as the local butcher shop.

RT: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

LT: New York City's Little Italy is a community that had changed dramatically throughout the past century. The tumultuous history of Italian-American immigrants has produced nostalgia in its subsequent generations; all Americans with Italian ancestry want to visit Little Italy. Nostalgia for this once oppressed ethnic community has led to gentrification which has, in turn, acted to rapidly change the course of its history and culture.
"Albanese Meats" seems to be the last vestige of what Little Italy once was and unlike the restaurants that line Mulberry Street, Moe does not exploit the nostalgia of his shop for financial gain; he keeps it open because it connects him personally to his past. The last time I visited "Albanese Meats", Vinny Vella , an actor and close friend of Moe's, was teasing Moe, saying, "Look at all of this stuff! When you gonna throw out all this junk?" Moe threw his hands up in the air and said, "I can't! It's sentimental!" The shop serves as a physical reminder not just of his entire life's work, but also of his family. Moe's mother ran the shop until she passed away at age ninety seven. She lived in the tenement building across the street and watched over the neighborhood old timers just as Moe does. Moe keeps the shop open because he can. He keeps the shop open because it reminds him and everyone who passes of what once was.

RT: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

LT: When shooting at the San Gennaro Festival, I really wanted to get a rooftop high angle shot of Mulberry Street. I lived on Mulberry Street for a year right after graduating college but no longer had a connection with the building. I decided that we would try the old New York trick of pressing all the apartment buzzers at once and seeing if anyone would buzz us in and it worked! We scurried up to the roof and were able to get a great shot. Only in New York can you get away with that.

RT: Did you have a prior relationship with Moe and Little Italy?

LT: I grew up in a part of Brooklyn that was predominantly Italian-American. I moved to Manhattan for college and have been living here ever since. In 2004, just after graduating college, I moved to the area of New York City known as Little Italy. Of course, by this time, Little Italy was nothing more than a string of Italian restaurants, many of which were not even owned by Italian-Americans. In the evenings, I would return home from my job and tip my hat to the restaurant barkers from South America who would reply "Ciao Bella" or "Buona Sera Signorina." It was clear to all of us that "Little Italy" was a farce; we inhabited a movie set and a nostalgia factory fueled by tourist dollars. In my explorations of the neighborhood now known as Nolita, I never once visited the "Albanese Meats", butcher shop on Elizabeth Street. The store's placement on a tree lined strip of upscale boutiques made it even more of a mystery. Elizabeth Street's designer storefronts lure customers with flashy window displays, each more flamboyant than the next. Despite my Italian heritage, I still felt more comfortable browsing the racks than I would have entering the butcher shop. The shop was there for the old timers it seemed, and I was a part of the neighborhood's new order. It is not surprising then that it was my mother who finally introduced me to Moe Albanese. I was telling her about my graduate courses at NYU and how I needed someone to interview for my oral history class. She told me that a friend from work had a father who has owned the same butcher shop in Little Italy for over fifty years. I immediately remembered the little shop from my time in the neighborhood and now I know that Moe has the best meat in New York City.

RT: As a filmmaker, how was your experience with Moe different from your experience with other local shop owners?

LT: The local shop owners were all very welcoming since they saw the piece as free advertising. It was actually more difficult trying to do follow up interviews with Moe. Every time I returned he would say, "Again? We already did the interview!"

RT: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

LT: I am not a full-time filmmaker, though I hope to someday be one. I work as the program coordinator for the Center for Religion and Media and the Center for Media, Culture and History at NYU. I am also a graduate student at NYU.

RT: What is your current/next project?

LT: I am working on a few projects. One is a short comedy about relationships. I am also working on two more documentaries.

RT: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

LT: It was a truly exciting feeing. Rooftop films is a really dynamic festival and I'm honored to be a part of it.

RT: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

LT: I'm thrilled that lots of people will see the film!

RT: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

LT: Yes, I'd be interested in hearing about the Little Italy's in their cities.

By Rooftop Films in Documentary, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (8)

Tags: Albanese Meats, Laura Terruso, Little Italy, Moe Albanese, New York City, New York Non-Fiction, Rooftop Films, San Gennaro festival, Summer Series

Many of the filmmakers from Court 13 Productions, the team behind the amazing Rooftop-co-funded film Glory At Sea, have been working for Barack Obama's campaign for months. I can't think of a better group of artists to craft inspirational films with a poignant social message.

Check out a couple short samples of their work. If this doesn't make you weep with hope and joy, and get out of your seat to help change America, I don't know what will:

Rooftop Films is immensely proud to have supported filmmakers doing such honorable work. Want more? Check out another wonderful video on Obama's website and his YouTube page.

Although the election is just a day away, there's still time to volunteer for Obama (or any other candidate, since we're legally required to be non-partisan). Keep in mind, in 2004, as late as November 2, John Kerry was leading in many polls. And in 2000, it was a mere 537 votes in Florida that separated Bush and Gore. Although the election may look decided, it could be crucial for you to go to a swing state to knock on doors or drive people to the polls, or just call voters from your home.

Don't wake up on November 5 and regret you didn't help more.

By Rooftop Films in Documentary, Political Films, Rooftop Filmmakers, Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (8)

Tags: Barack Obama, Court 13 Productions, Glory at Sea, President, Rooftop Films, Volunteer

PRINCESS (Ethan Clarke | 7:05 | Animation)


A likely story of an unbreakable friendship between a woman and her cat. We need them. Do they really need us?

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film: What was your inspiration?

Ethan Clarke: I attempted to write 'Princess' after reading a blurb in the newspaper about an old woman who was found dead in her apartment. The police discovered several bite marks on her that they concluded were from her cat. Her cat was found emaciated but still alive. The whole story fleshed itself out immediately in my mind.

RF: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

EC: I ended up using a little bit of every production program i have. I liked being able to utilize my limited knowledge of 3D animation for creation of the backgrounds.

RF: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

EC: One morning I woke up to find my laptop in a pool of liquid. There were no tipped over cups or anything nearby. I was devastated. I had been sleep walking all week, one night my roomate said I had walked into his room naked while he was with his girlfriend. To this day I don't know what happened but there's a possibility that I urinated on it while sleep walking. That was quite a set back. I lost a lot. Most of the files for 'Princess' had been backed up however and after collecting myself and purchasing a new machine, I was able to continue. I back up my work all the time now. And I work on a tower computer which bares less resemblance to a toilet.

RF: Do you have a pet? Do you have any stories about your favorite pet?

EC: I currently live petless in San Francisco. I feel like i should have a good answer for this one. Pets make good cartoon characters. There's this cartoon called 'Princess' that's a good pet story.

RF: Do you prefer cats above dogs?

EC: I prefer Dogs because cats seem more indifferent to our well being.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

EC: I work full time in a bicycle repair shop. The owner rented me the back of the shop which happens to be a full one bedroom apartment with a back yard. On slow days when it is raining I can open the "employees only" door and my bedroom door, and work on my computer while keeping an eye on the bike shop.

RF: What is your current/next project?

EC: I'm currently working on a piece about godlessness. 'Wind in the Willows' meets Richard Dawkins in space, on acid. That's the quick description. It follows the life of a tadpole as he watches his friends mostly die off. He becomes a frog which is quite an accomplishment for tadpoles. Some tadpoles might even consider frogs the gods of their species, with the ability to leave the water's surface like they do. One of the characters can been seen on the main page of www.mega-beast.com . It is one of the much larger creatures that the frog encounters.

RF: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

EC: I loved coming out to New York and hanging on a roof with the Rooftop squad they are such a nice group of people. Some of my old friends including Amy Seimetz, the co-writer of 'princess', live in New York now so I ended up hanging out with a big crew. Seeing my own drawings and hearing my own voice-over projected out over Brooklyn was exhilarating. I haven't been able to get to most of the festivals 'Princess' has been a part of, but Rooftop, I had to attend.

RF: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

EC: I just like getting it out there so more people can see it. I'm glad there's a place like IFC.com where one can thumb through work by up and coming film artists.

RF: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

EC: Do you have any stories about your favorite pet?

By Rooftop Films in Animation, Rooftop Filmmakers, Rooftop News, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (8)

Tags: Animation, Cat, IFC, Old Woman, Princess, Rooftop Films, Short Film

One of the misfortunes of old age is revealed in this simple slice of life at a relaxing brunch..

Sara Pomerance's short Relax At Home, played as a part of Rooftop Film's "Home Movies" Program this past summer. We were happy to be able to ask her a few questions about her short film and her filmmaking process.

Q & A

RT: So tell us little bit about this film. What was your inspiration for the film? Were these people you knew personally?

SP: My lens observes the behaviors and psychological coping mechanisms of people around me. Rather than psychoanalyze, I use the material to construct a narrative. Through stories, I ask questions such as: Does thinking positively actually change people's lives? Relax At Home, is a portrait of my mother, as she continually reassures my grandfather. She repetitively affirms the positive. He responds non-verbally.

RT: Obviously, you captured some very intimate moments here. How did you approach your subjects about the film?

SP: I always ask permission before filming. The relationships of people around me are a rich territory in which to study contradictions found in everyday interaction.

RT: Did you shoot a lot of footage? And how did you know that these few short minutes were the ones you wanted to become the film?

SP: I do shoot a lot, but only show the moments most relevant to the subject of each piece. By constructing and revealing my characters I form a critique of social mannerisms and routines. My video pieces are intended to function as shorts, but together, when shown in sequence, portray the complexity of individual and family relationships.

RT: How do you feel about growing old?

SP: I hope that life get easier as I age.

RT: What is your current/next project?

SP: I prefer not to talk a lot about projects before they are complete. Currently my fascination is teenagers and I am also interested in autism.

RT: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

SP: I am honored and look forward to having a larger audience.

RT: Do you have any questions for the viewers? They'll post comments.

SP: What do you think is the function of reassurance? Does thinking positively actually change people's lives?

To view more of Sara's work including videos and photography, visit her website.

By Rooftop Films in Documentary, Home Movies, Personal Narrative, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (7)

Tags: Home Movies, Relax At Home, Rooftop Films, Sara Pomerance, Summer Series

THE EUROPEAN KID (Ian Martin | 22:03 | Comedy)


One night, the European kid turns up unexpectedly and wrecks havoc on all the relationships in the house.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film.

Ian Martin: I tell people that "The European Kid" is about a young man who is forced to have dinner with a family who hates him. I don't know if that's really what it's about but my hope is that explanation will get them to watch the film.

RT: What was your inspiration?

IM: Growing up, I had a lot of friends who were immigrants or whose parents were immigrants. It's something I've always been kind of proud of: "I'm friends with immigrants." I guess that's the genesis of the idea.

RT: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

IM: The house in the film is actually five different houses edited together to appear as if it were a single house. We shot in the homes of family and friends and we wanted to piece together the perfect-looking house as well as not overstay our welcome in any one volunteered location.

RT: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

IM: We were fortunate to have a very smooth production. Probably our biggest challenge was banana continuity.

RT: Do you personally have any animosity towards the tight jeans and over spiced food of the Europeans?

IM: No. I love tight jeans and spiced food.

RT: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

IM: I also write. I recently had a short story published in Open City Magazine, issue 24, and I've been working on a novel for about two years. I'm hoping I'll be able to finish it before another two years pass. I also wait tables.

RT: What is your current/next project?

IM: We're putting together a feature that will shoot this spring in Chicago. It's called An Abandoned Werewolf Novel and it's about a married man whose life falls apart when he reconnects with an old college friend.

RT: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

IM: I couldn't make it out to New York but a friend of mine attended and she said it was a lot of fun.

RT: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

IM: Many things. I'm glad that we're online and more people will be able to see the film. I'm glad that we're alongside other Rooftop Films because I feel Rooftop works really hard to get a good selection. I'm glad that we're somehow associated with IFC because they help put out some really exciting stuff.

RT: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

IM: I'm always curious about the people viewing films online. Can you tell me about yourself?

By Rooftop Films in Comedy, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (7)

Tags: European Kid, Ian Martin, IFC, Rooftop Films, Short Film

SHINER!
(E.S. Wochensky | 05:20 | Comedy)


A black eye and a badass plan make for a rowdy revenge ride, pure and simple.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film:

E.S. Wochensky: Shiner is a simple moment of revenge. I like those turning point moments. I don't think you need to make too much more out of it. No super deep meaning. There's a little humor thrown in there as well. 

RT: What was your inspiration?

ESW: A few things. You always see guys driving lawn mowers on the road in rural areas. They drive them for longer distances than they should. I never understood this. Then I got ticked off a friend. I drove by his house and had a little thought.  It's also amazing how many times I've seen tire tracks all over the high school lawn. It happens more often than you think.

RT: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

ESW: I don't think there's anything special to mention here.

RT: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

ESW: Our production started with a party to sell shares in the film. Those people who bought shares more often than not became the helpers on the film (main actor, musicians and wife included). You have to make do with what resources you have. I'm sure having few resources is a trait many of the films in this series share. I had a friend weld the car mounts. We got lucky with the owner of the house. We didn't get so lucky with the explosion which looked much cooler in real life. We barely got the shot. One of those not enough time, not enough experience issues. While we worried a lot about the car we actually had many, many problems with the damn lawn mower. Luckily the big guy driving it is a mechanic and was able to fix it. 

RT: Do you have any of your own revenge fantasies? Have you ever sought revenge in a similar manner?

ESW: If I ever sought revenge in that manner I wouldn't publicize it. The fact that I made a film about it indicates that I probably never did anything like this. I'm more interested in characters I wish I could be then who I am. Who wouldn't want to set a car on fire?

RT: Any significance to the kind of car the main character drives in the film?

ESW: The only significance the car had was that it was really, really inexpensive. It had to be big. It had to be rear wheel drive. It had to be cheap. I think we did alright.

RT: Did you have a particular back-story in mind for the way he got the shiner?

ESW: We talked about a few scenarios and I don't remember if there was ever one specific back-story. I told the actor to come up with his own. All of the stories had to do with women. Women and cars. 

RT: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

ESW: I spend a lot of time on film. I grow garlic for sale plus a lot of other food. I am completely restoring a house. I have a eight month old son. I do freelance film and video work for mostly cheesy television programs. In the last year I tore down a barn for the reclaimed wood. I have painted houses. I have probably done a few other odd jobs as well. 

RT: What is your current/next project?

ESW: I've been working on a full length documentary about a junk collector's 20 year battle with village authorities over his right to keep mounds of junk on his front lawn. It's called the Trial of Tiny Gleed. I'm also working on getting a street band going - The Springville All Stars.

RT: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

ESW: I had a great time at the Rooftop screening for Just Like Golf.  

RT: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

ESW: My mom knows what IFC is so it makes her happy. 

By Rooftop Films in Comedy, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short Films | Link | 0 Comments | Recommended (8)

Tags: Black and White, Comedy, Country, E.S. Wochensky, Farm, IFC, Lawn mower, Rooftop Films, Shiner, Short Film

PUMPKIN HELL
(Max Finneran | 21:42 | Horror-Drama)


A short coming-of-age horror film about sons, fathers and the roles they play and imagine for one another. Abandoned by his father at a highway-side pumpkin patch, an eleven year-old boy spends a peculiar and life changing night.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us a little bit about the film, and how did you come up with the story?
Max Finneran: "Pumpkin Hell" is a short coming-of age horror film about the roles sons and fathers play and imagine for one another. Eleven-year-old Terry is abandoned by his father at a highway-side pumpkin patch, and he discovers an alluring and kindred spirit in Mick, the odd-ball manager of the patch. Circumstances conspire to bring these two weirdos together, and we soon realize there is a dangerous and complex dynamic at play as fantasy and reality interweaves. My hope is that by the end of the film the audience is forced to ask itself: did Terry propel himself into a hopeful future with this new partner, or fall head first into a nightmare of his own making?

My imagination was sparked by a story my sister told me about a lunch-drunk pumpkin patch manager who scared the crap out of a group of school children, screaming: "This is pumpkin fuckin' hell kids!" And I've always been intrigued by pumpkin patches. They're these kind of liminal "no-where" zones that pop up every year and are particularly charged sites of American childhood. On the one hand, pumpkin patches evoke a romanticized agrarian past, where the American family comes together over a seasonal harvest. On the other, the pumpkin patch is the gateway into the collective performance of Halloween, where children are encouraged to put on their masks and purge themselves of their darker demons.

With that dynamic in mind, I envisioned this story about an odd-ball boy on the cusp of adolescence who forms an unusual bond with this strange man whom society has "exiled" to pumpkin hell. In a way, they are two sides of the same person and the psychodrama of their encounter plays out on the stage of the pumpkin patch as it externally reflects their internal states.

RT: In the film, there are some serious adult themes going on, and you were also working with a child actor. Tell me a little bit about that experience.

MF: I was blessed with the remarkably talented young actor Tolan Aman. It also helped that he looked younger but was mature beyond his years. He just really "got it" on an intuitive level (as did his wonderfully patient mother Tilda) so there really wasn't much negotiation involved. I never saw "Pumpkin Hell" as a film explicitly about pedophilia and it was very important to me that Terry be much more then an innocent victim. And that involved finding an actor who could tap into that "darkness" and loneliness of the human heart while still retaining the optimism and innocence of late childhood. That said, there were some awkward moments that Tolan bravely soldiered through.

RT: The actor who plays Mick gives a real super creepy performance. Who is he?

MF: Mick is played by the musician Dean Wareham - one of my indie-rock heroes - who was the front-man for Galaxie 500 and Luna, and currently plays with his wife and former Luna member Britta Phillips as Dean & Britta . I wouldn't have made it through high school without Galaxie 500 so I was incredibly excited when he signed on. I think Dean is a really gifted actor - this was only his second time in front of the camera! Like Tolan, he just had a spot on, intuitive grasp of the character and because he's not professionally trained we didn't get bogged down in the "actor talk" I've been plagued with as a trained actor myself. A great deal of the dramatic tension of the film is formed across the boundaries of these two characters - when do they reach out and step over the line, when do they retreat into themselves, when do they know they're going too far and when are they floating between feelings, unsure which way to turn. I think Dean really nailed this sad, desperate dance in a character who, on the surface, looks like a simple predator but is actually a complex and comically tragic man. I had so much fun editing because every take was so rich, each moment encompassing more then one simple feeling or expression. And Dean achieved that with a deceptively simple rule: "I just always make sure I'm thinking about something each and every moment."

RT: What is your current/next project?

MF: There has been some discussion of a potential sequel set at Mick's Christmas tree farm, but I'm ready to move on from the short form. I'm developing two feature projects right now, working with "Pumpkin Hell" producer Thomas Woodrow. One is a socio-political thriller entitled Ventures. It's about a real estate office worker who takes up an armchair investigation when his partner is found brutally murdered in the old growth forest his company is developing. His investigation eventually leads him to conclude the culprit is a mythical creature living in the protection of the woods. It might be even darker then "Pumpkin Hell"! It certainly plays around with similar themes of the world as it is vs. the world as we wish it to be. I'm also working on a milder road trip western about a grandmother in search of her missing grandson. I certainly haven't earned the right to say this but I see it as a cross between Thelma and Louise and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian.

RT: