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Entries tagged “Rooftop Films”
INTERVIEW WITH HOLLY KLEIN
DIRECTOR OF "DUNCAN"
By Rooftop Films on 02/10/2009
Filed under: Animation, Rooftop News, Watch Short FilmsDuncan ( Holly Klein | 02:46 | Animation) callBrightcove(5724142001, 594, 445, "#ffffff"); Nonchalant animated protagonists rhyme their way through a grade school episode of getting the hots for someone as geeky as you. And then it gets kinda randy. Q&A Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film: Holly Klein: "Duncan" is a film I made back in 2000. It's the story of a boy who likes to knit. He likes girls, as well, and uses his passion for knitting to get the girl of his dreams. RF: What animated shows or films did you like as a child? HK: The... MORE »
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ROOFTOP MUSIC: INTERVIEW WITH KAZ NOMURA, AKA PWRFL POWER
By Rooftop Films on 02/06/2009
Filed under: Rooftop Music"If I was Google, I would feel lonely. People come to me, ask questions, and leave me when they are done." Kaz Nomura, aka PWRFL Power, is a vagabond musician who was born and raised in Japan. He studied music in Seattle and is known for his quirky lyrics and skilled Fahey-esque guitar playing. We spoke with Kaz via email about his upcoming travels, his blog, and the Google song. Rooftop Films: How's Seattle treating you? Kaz Nomura: Good! It's very mellow here and I am focused on writing lots of music. Usually in this time of the year it's... MORE »
INTERVIEW WITH TALMAGE COOLEY
DIRECTOR OF "DIMMER"
By Rooftop Films on 02/05/2009
Filed under: Documentary, Rooftop Filmmakers, Rooftop News, Watch Short FilmsDIMMER (Talmage Cooley | 12:12 | Documentary) callBrightcove(5663587001, 594, 445, "#ffffff"); Talmage Cooley's award-winning documentary short film presents a poignant and memorable snapshot of life within a gang of sight-impaired teenage boys who create their own world among the abandoned factories of Buffalo's rust belt. Q&A Rooftop Films: What was your inspiration? Talmage Cooley: The band Interpol was looking for short film ideas they could commission to accompany the release of their album ANTICS. One of my best friends had been home to Buffalo, NY, for Thanksgiving and his cousin told him about this gang of blind teenage boys who... MORE »
THIS WEEK ON ROOFTOP TV:
FOUND NEW YORK
(2/4/09 on MNN, Ch. 67 and www.mnn.org)
By Rooftop Films on 02/04/2009
Filed under: Rooftop News, Watch Short FilmsWed. 2/04/09, 9pm on MNN, Ch. 67 & www.mnn.org Found New York Sometimes odd aspects of New York's diversity intrude into your daily life--a falcon, a movie shoot, an anti-baby guerrilla art action on a public bus. (The companion episode to next week's Found New York.) Films: Bird Strikes (Chris Cassidy | Brooklyn | 7:00) When technology and nature collide, Bob Leporati uses the ancient art of falconry to clear the runways of JFK. Bodega (Casimir Nozkowski, Dallas Penn, Rafi Kam | Bronx | 4:00) A humorous look at food culture in the South Bronx--"the poorest urban county in the... MORE »
ROOFTOP VET JASON TRACHTENBURG RELEASES NEW MUSIC VIDEO "(I DON'T WANT TO TEMPT) TIME"
By Rooftop Films on 02/02/2009
Filed under: Rooftop MusicTHIS WEEK ON ROOFTOP TV:
LOST NEW YORK
(1/28/09 on MNN, Ch. 67 and www.mnn.org)
By Rooftop Films on 01/28/2009
Filed under: Rooftop NewsWed. 1/28/09, 9pm on MNN, Ch. 67 & www.mnn.org Lost New York The city reveals its secrets in little pockets of forgotten cultures, abandoned caverns, and ubiquitous hovels we try to ignore. (The companion episode to next week's Found New York.) Films: Checkmate (Casimir Nozkowski, Dallas Penn, Rafi Kam | Brooklyn | 08:00) Why are there always jewelry stores next to check-cashing spots? Why is there only 1 bank per 50,000 people living in Bushwick? Is it actually fun to make it rain on the streets of Brooklyn with real dollar bills? Dallas and Rafi take us around check-cashing joints... MORE »
SOUND FIX LOUNGE IS CLOSING IN FEBRUARY
By Rooftop Films on 01/27/2009
Filed under: Rooftop NewsWe have sad news. Rooftop's music partners at Sound Fix Records will be closing their bar and venue at the end of February. The Sound Fix Record Store will stay open. Sound Fix has been consistently fighting with neighbors and the city over noise and other violations for a while now and was closed briefly last Spring. This time, they are forced to shut their doors permanently. This is a real shame. Sound Fix was a fantastic (FREE) venue for music and comedy, and there's really nothing else like it in the city. We hope you'll visit Sound Fix... MORE »
INTERVIEW WITH KEITH WILSON,
DIRECTOR OF "CRACKBABY"
By Rooftop Films on 01/26/2009
Filed under: Comedy, Rooftop Filmmakers, Watch Short FilmsCRACKBABY: FOLSOM STREET (Keith Wilson | 0:55 | Comedy) callBrightcove(5581668001, 594, 445, "#ffffff"); The continuing adventures of one f***ed up looking doll. Directed by Keith Wilson. Q&A Rooftop Films: Where did you get the Crackbaby doll? Did it look like that when you found it or did you have to mess it around? Keith Wilson: I was late arriving to the flea market in Concord, CA and only the trash from the day remained. One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? So I rummaged a bit and buried under a pile of unwanted, mangled and dirty Barbie-esque dolls was... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: OLD PARTNER REVIEW
By Rooftop Films on 01/26/2009
Filed under: Documentary, Rooftop NewsIn my last post, about The Yes Men Fix the World , I wrote about the more obvious manipulations in documentary filmmaking, acknowledging that every documentary contains subjective choices. Lee Chung-ryoul's wonderful film Old Partner contains more traditional manipulations. The film observes a 79-year-old Korean farmer, his wife, and the ox they've had for 40 years, and from a jumbled (and essentially banal) year in their life, the director crafts a narrative with multiple levels of significance, but with the simplicity, charm and clear emotional arc of a children's book. During the film, the central trinity--father, mother, and (surrogate child)... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD REVIEW
By Rooftop Films on 01/23/2009
Much has been written (including by me, ahem) about the evolution of the documentary form, and the ways that films increasingly blur the lines between doc and fiction, "reality" and, uh, "alternate reality." We all know that every film is subjective, that the truth is relative (relatively speaking). Tellingly, of the films mixing staged and captured footage, the ones that are getting the most attention are political exposés--films in which the artists are exposing the lies and wrong-doings of politicians and corporations, films that don't claim to be objective, instead offering a clear opinion of what the filmmakers think is... MORE »
"CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA"
- 2008 SUNDANCE HIT -
OPENS AT IFC CENTER ON FRI., JAN. 23!
By Rooftop Films on 01/21/2009
Filed under: DocumentaryCrips and Bloods: Made in America Short-listed for an Academy Award and distributed by Rooftop Board Member Jim Browne's Argot Pictures New York: One Week Only: Jan 23-29, 2009 IFC Center: 323 Sixth Ave, New York, NY Director Stacey Peralta will be in person for a Q & A at the 7:45 screenings on Friday and Saturday. Los Angeles: Feb 6-9, 2009 Laemmle's Sunset 5 : 8000 Sunset Blvd. Below is Rooftop Films' Artistic Director Mark Elijah Rosenberg's review of the film from Sundance in 2008. Made in America is a radical film about the history of African-Americans in the... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: QUICK REVIEWS
By Rooftop Films on 01/21/2009
Filed under: Rooftop Filmmakers, Rooftop NewsSUNDANCE QUICK REVIEWS: Stay the Same Never Change, Old Partner, Humpday, Stingray Sam Like just about every other scribbler here at Sundance, I'm overwhelmed with all that I'm seeing and all that I want to write about. (In writing the previous sentence, I first was going to call myself a "journalist," but then I realized whom I was, and I'm sadly not a journalist. Then I was going to say "blogger," but I'm not exactly keeping blog form--my pieces are reviews appearing on a blog. "Writer" is too generic, "critic" too critical. So I'm using "scribbler," which Nicholas D. Kristof... MORE »
TUES, JAN. 20TH: ROOFTOP FILMS/SOUND FIX OBAMAUGURATION CELEBRATION!
By Rooftop Films on 01/20/2009
Filed under: Rooftop News**FREE EVENT** Tuesday, January 20th, 2008, 8PM Rooftop Films and Sound Fix Present an Obamauguration Celebration! Rooftop Films and Sound Fix are thrilled to present Brooklyn's coolest and cheapest Obamauguration Celebration! Please join us in thanking and celebrating the Rooftop and Sound Fix staff members, filmmakers, and musicians without whom this historical moment would not be possible! We'll be rebroadcasting Obama's inaugural speech as Sound Fix comedians serve up penetrating blow-by-blow political commentary. Drink specials as always! Venue: Sound Fix Lounge Address: 110 Bedford Avenue (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) Directions: L to Bedford or G to Nassau Admission: No Charge... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: TYSON REVIEW
By Rooftop Films on 01/20/2009
Filed under: Documentary, Rooftop NewsMike Tyson has still got it. The ability to shock, excite, charm and terrify. When the audience found out before Saturday night's screening that Iron Mike would be at the Q&A, the atmosphere became even more electric than it already was. It felt like one of his heavyweight title fights, buzzing with tension and danger. Tyson has always been a hypnotic figure. For me, growing up in the 1980s, his rise and fall took me from junior high school through college, and his character was as engrossing and crucial to my development as that of Kurt Cobain. Both were flawed... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: O'ER THE LAND (REVIEW)
By Rooftop Films on 01/19/2009
Filed under: Documentary, Environmental Films, Rooftop NewsDeborah Stratman's film O'er the Land is not likely to get a multi-million dollar deal out of Sundance. There is no hot-button issue, no unbelievable scenario, no celebrities, crazy characters, or even much dialogue at all. But to me, this is the type of film I'm most pleased to see at Sundance, the type of film that keeps festivals vital. Stratman's experimental documentary explores America's relationship to nature, technology and violence in a way that is smart, poetic and darkly humorous. At the start of the film, man drifts fleetingly through the landscape. A static shot of the woods... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: REPORTER REVIEW
By Rooftop Films on 01/19/2009
Filed under: Documentary, Political Films, Rooftop NewsNew York Times reporter Nicholas D. Kristof is walking through an impoverished village in central Africa. Little kids are swarming up to him, flies on their faces, bellies distended. The director of Reporter, Eric Daniel Metzgar, says in voice over, "Kristof is here for one reason: to make you care about what's on the other side of that hill." Whether that's a starving child, an adult wracked with disease, or a village slaughtered by a warlord, Kristof wants his readers -- wants the world -- to pay attention. And to help. This curious documentary is operating on multiple levels in... MORE »
ROOFTOP FILMS @ SUNDANCE: Johnny Mad Dog Review
By Rooftop Films on 01/19/2009
Filed under: Rooftop NewsJean-Stephane Sauvaire once directed a documentary about the soldiers of FARC (the revolutionary army in Colombia), and brought the same intensity and intimacy to his narrative film about a loose battalion of child soldiers in Liberia, Johnny Mad Dog. The opening sequence, with a murder that is stomach-churning for its ability to bring an deep and meaningful emotional resonance within seconds, thrusts you into the flashing chaos of these young killers' lives -- tight shots, loud noises, a battering of screamed and chanted dialogue, and constant tension and violence. There are but a few moments throughout the film when... MORE »
INTERVIEW WITH STEPHANIE LEMPERT,
DIRECTOR OF "READ MY LIPS"
By Rooftop Films on 01/13/2009
Filed under: Watch Short FilmsREAD MY LIPS (Stephanie Lempert | 2:54 | Comedy) callBrightcove(4058534001, 594, 445, "#ffffff"); A video piece that addresses the role of language as a method of communication through the anthropomorphization of the common goldfish. Turns out goldfish live a pretty exciting life: whoa, whoa, whoa, wow! Q&A Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film. Stephanie Lempert: Read My Lips is a video piece that addresses the role of language as a method of communication through the anthropomorphization of the common goldfish. I worked with speech pathologist Beatrice Dulgarian to decipher the words being "spoken" by each fish, drawing attention to... MORE »
BETH STRATFORD ON HER SHORT FILM
"CHEAT NEUTRAL DOT COM"!
By Rooftop Films on 01/12/2009
Filed under: Watch Short FilmsCHEAT NEUTRAL DOT COM (Beth Stratford | 7:56 | Comedy) callBrightcove(5581676001, 594, 445, "#ffffff"); When you cheat on your partner you add to the heartbreak, pain and jealousy in the atmosphere. Cheatneutral offsets your cheating by funding someone else to be faithful and NOT cheat. www.cheatneutral.com Alex and Christian came up with the idea of offsetting whilst joking around in the pub one night, shortly before Valentine's Day. All winter we'd been talking about how carbon offsetting is such an inadequate and misguided response to climate change. I thought an infidelity offset service would be an entertaining and seductive way... MORE »
MON, JAN. 12TH ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENTS CRAWFORD: A SPECIAL FAREWELL TO W SCREENING!
By Rooftop Films on 01/09/2009
Filed under: Rooftop News**FREE EVENT**Monday, January 12th, 2008 Rooftop Films and B-Side Present Crawford: A Special Farewell to W Screening! "... a poignant account... populated with colorful, contrasting characters..." --Variety Rooftop Films returns to the halls of Chelsea Market for a free screening of Crawford . An extraordinary documentary by first-time filmmaker David Modigliani, Crawford provides a unique perspective on the Bush presidency: through the eyes of the 705 residents of Crawford, Texas. To celebrate the changing of the guard in Washington, B-Side Entertainment is presenting screenings of Crawford all across the U.S., and on Monday, January 12th, Rooftop Films will be... MORE »
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- Rooftop Films on INTERVIEW WITH DALLAS PENN,
CO-WRITER AND STAR OF "CHECKMATE" - 11/26/2008
