HOLLYSHORTS, BLOG

Interview with Kim Ryan Producer 'Desire'

2011-09-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Kim Ryan Producer
'Desire' premiered in the Music video block at 2011 Hollyshorts Film Festival

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me more about your video ?

Its sort of a long form music video/short film/ musical
It was created to go along with the 1st 4 songs on the album of the artist J Natural. Her new album is called love is on hiatus and so we made this short to go along with her album. It is a story sort of a love triangle kind of timeless very dramatic piece

-From the outset did you particularly want to make it a music video rather than a short film?

Yeah, actually she came up with the concept. Her album was finished, she was overseas, in her hotel room one night and came up with the story and when she got back she asked me to help her produce it. So it definitely was created to go along with those 4 songs

-The concept that is now the finished product did it meet your expectations?

Yes it did definitely. it was sort of a first for all of us as far as Eric Heights Director he had done a lot of music videos but this was the first time he had ever done anything that long it was actually 28 minutes long and Janelle and I did all the pre production and that was really a first for both of us too so we definitely learned a lot along the way and we were all really happy with the way it turned out

-What was the message you were trying to put across to your audience?

Kinda about doing something different and involving the music. Actually apart from the 4 songs off her album we had someone compose the music for the rest of it so it was really heavily about music and sort of tying that in with film.

-In view of the fact it wasn't the traditional short film or music video per se .. how long did it take you to finish it?

We did about a month of pre-production we shot it all in 4 days and then it was about 6 months of post production it was definitely our most challenging.

-So have you enjoyed the Hollyshorts film festival?
Of course this is probably the 3rd or 4th year that I have been back actually. This year is the first that I had something entered in the festival. The festival gets bigger and better every year and I have seen some really great films...

Links
http://jnatural-desire.tumblr.com/

Thanks for your time

Interview about Short Film 'Byron'

2011-09-12T00:12:00.000-07:00

“Byron” by Yolande Geralds
Shaqwan Lewis, better known as a Hip Hop MC and your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper “Skillz” Actor and writer
Cisco Reyes Actor
Willis Chung Producer
Dominic Comperatore Actor 'role of Byron'

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me a little bit about the role of 'Byron'? (at Dominic Comperatore )

He is the only 'white' guy in the film and I have been playing white guys all my life.....

-I guess it is a bit of a 'Steve Martin' thing going on here?

Yeah, I was uniquely qualified for the job. So they called in all the white guys and I think that I was the whitest! I was pale and I stayed out of the sun for a couple of weeks whilst I was shooting ..I am a dedicated sort...

-Please outline briefly the movie?

(Shaqwan Lewis,). It's about circumstances and karma. Cisco Reyes plays a character named Dee who is not thinking about his actions or anything thereof and some things come up that he has to deal with and that is the basis of the movie.

-I am curious to know where did this concept arise from? Where did you get this idea to make this movie?

It actually came from a song the original version was a song I used to play it for my friends. I would play it and stop at about one minute and a half into the song and everytime without fail they would want to hear the end of the song. From that point on I started thinking that it might be something special and we developed it into a short film.

-How long did it take you from the initial concept to the finished product?

About 5 years, when I wrote the song there was no such thing as get your own camera and film your own movie. Technology hadn't caught up to us yet. There were no red cameras or DSLR

-Were you waiting for this development in technology to nail down your idea?

No, I thought I could buy a camera and shoot this myself even though I didn't, it worked out that way

-Which format did you shoot in?

DSLR'S 5D 7D's

-Do you think that the final product met your expectations?

Exceeded it..

-What message were you trying to bring to your audience?

That you can't control everything and be careful how you treat people as you never know those feet you step in might be attached to the 'ass' you have to kiss later on in life

-Most definitely and I think that is a lesson to everyone...

-How long is your short?

15 minutes around 14.46 minutes..

-How have you enjoyed the festival?

I have been here a few days and have seen some amazing films so we are definitely up against some good films but I think we have a good chance.....

Thank you

Links

http://www.yolandegeralds.com/2010/12/%E2%80%9Cbyron%E2%80%9D-a-short-film-by-yolande-geralds/

http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2011/02/03/22575375.aspx

Interview with Bryan Loudon & Jason Barber 'Rape Kit'

2011-09-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Bryan Loudon -Writer,director & producer
Jason Barber Musical score composer
'Rape Kit' premiered at the 2011 Hollyshorts Film Festival

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-I am extremely curious to find out from you both – why such a stark title 'The Rape Kit'?

It puts people on a back foot a little bit, it's a dark comedy actually. It puts people on one track and then they have to come to the comedy from an alternate direction.

-Would you like to outline your short film?

It's about a guy who has this horrible idea that he is going to rape his ex-wife for revenge. He buys this mask but he can't fit his glasses over the mask and so he ends up getting the wrong girl, because he has bad vision. He gets locked in this room in the basement with this girl who he just raped... and then he finds out that it is not the girl he thought it was. The movie is basically about this conversation between these 2 people in this confined space. They are both locked in this space for the whole night. To take a situation like that's so horrible and to find a way to bring humor to it was what really interested me in writing it. It's twisted but it does get funny

-So what you are saying is that you took an extremely devastating situation and tried to cast a positive light on to it?

No, it's not a positive light at all.... it just keeps getting worse. You can find humor in how badly it goes for these characters. It's definitely darkly comedic.

-Where did you get the idea to write such a story?

I like the idea of 2 people being confined and one of them has just done the worst thing he has ever done in his life. He is forced to sit across from the person whom he has just harmed. That in itself is such a charged moment and what sort of conversation would come about with that. That's what intrigued me. The way the girl takes it is unusual, she is a strange girl.

-This strange and unusual situation did it provide challenges during shooting? Did you change a lot of the original script to what actually happened whilst you were shooting it?

I tried not to, only a little bit. We lost some elements by making it shorter to keep it tighter. There were some changes and I tried not to do any improvisation. I personally, don't like that. In a script that's so specific as this one is if you get offline it could just go bad. It was written very precisely and its such a delicate situation that if you go off in different directions it could go really bad …..

-So in summary you keep everything precise and to the point?

Yes, that was the intent

-How long is the short?

Thirteen and a half minutes

Did you cut it down a lot to get to this time?

Originally it was 20 minutes, but at first pass I was not heading for length, I was just trying to get everyone’s best stuff together.

-In view of the delicate topic of the short film, how did you arrive at an appropriate theme score that would suit the elements of this particular short film? and obviously still maintain the message that you wished to convey via the musical score? (at Jason Barber- musical score composer)

Yeah, the subject matter, or should I say, the films title conjured up a lot of emotional responses at first. The great thing about working with Bryan is that he's so open to ideas, and was completely trusting from the minute we sat down about the music. We both wanted the music to play an almost transparent role, which is something I strive for anyway. We worked closely together in my studio along with Brad, and I wound up composing about 3 or 4 cues that developed out of a set of sounds, I designed using some 'ErHu' or 'Chinese Fiddle' recordings I'd made several years ago. Ultimately I arrived at at balance between musical tone and color that blended almost invisibly into the films sound bed. The only real exception to this is where Tommy's character attempts to explain his motivation for committing his crime. We really wanted to bring out the sappy, almost pathetic attempt of the character explaining something so horrible. So we went with a very short, soft piano and violin motif. It's a very funny touch. Bryan was wise to play this up. The audience reaction has been overwhelmingly spot on with Bryan's intention. It's the point in the film where the audience really seems to "get" how satirical the story really is. After the cues were finished we worked hard to arrive at a balance between music, sound design and dialogue that would allow the characters room to stand out. I think we did a very nice job.

-What's next in the pipeline for you both?

I have a feature script that I wrote called 'The Charm' that Jason Barber is going to produce and we are out taking meetings on it on this trip and taking the opportunity to talk to people about it. We are starting to gather different ideas we have for talent to start the casting.

Thank you for your time

Links
Bryan Loudon

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4182074/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1777602/combined

Jason Barber

http://www.jasonbarbermusic.com/

http://www.jasonbarbermusic.com/main/2011/4/21/bryan-loudons-latestjasons-score-slated-for-newport-beach-fi.html

Interview with Monique Ganderton 'Seven Layer Dip'

2011-09-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Seven Layer Dip Premiered at this year's 2011 Hollyshorts Film Festival
Monique Ganderton Co-director, producer & writer
Sam Hargrave, Co director

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me your participation in this short film?

My boyfriend and I are the only 2 people in this movie. It's a little action comedy and it may be based on true events...

-And the true events being?..

I made seven layer dip one day and he scooped off the entire top layer of cheese and I got a little upset. I said 'why wouldn't you eat the rest of it? Your dip etiquette is horrible! I made 7 layers and you only ate 1, it doesn't make any sense?'... He said 'why does it matter how we eat it?' and then we started laughing about it. It was this man versus woman moment in time and I thought it would be funny to re-create that in a 3 and half minute video,including a massive fight.

-What were you expecting from your audiences with this?

I don't know what I was expecting. I was hoping people would laugh and just enjoy themselves. It's short, when we made it we never intended it to go to film festivals. We put it online and got such a huge response from it. So we went back and re-edited a lot of stuff for sound. It has been in a bunch of festivals and this has been the only one that I have actually been able to go to, so it has been really exciting....

-So this true event that has been re-created for screen how long did it take to get it festival ready?

A day of shooting and then a day of editing for the first pass at it and then we spent about 2 days re-shooting a couple of things and doing some ADR to make it festival ready.

-What format did you shoot in?

Little Sony HD Handy Cams. It was just the 2 of us and so we shot each others coverage. We just got really creative. We bought ropes and pulleys and strung a line up in between 2 trees. We had our camera on a zip line, we had a string attached to it puling it up and really tried to find inventive angles and tricks to make it just the 2 of us completely. It was challenging but fun...

-Inside information tells me that you are also a stunt woman! Would you like to tell us a little bit about that? And how did you get into that?

I have no idea... I was modelling in Toronto and doing a runway show on a TV show called Femme Nikita at the time and I saw this girl she rolled down some stairs, shot a gun and kicked some guy in the face and I thought that makes so much more sense... like a lot of fun so I started taking acting classes and taking martial arts I am really tall so I think that maybe they needed someone like me..

-Are you pretty athletic, gymnastics as well?

I did when I was shorter..when I was little and when my legs started dragging over the parallel bars I had to stop. I did diving and have been riding horses my whole life, also track and field.

San Hargrave my boyfriend and partner who made this short with me is also a very well known stunt man and we were actually working on a movie at the time doubling 'Nicole Kidman'. He was the Assistant stunt coordinator and that's when we made seven layer dip. It was on our day off, in Shrevport, Lousiana

-So what is next for you?

We have a couple of scripts that we are working on. We have another project that we would love to do, another little short film just the 2 of us. We are gong to step it up a little bit 4 characters and 2 people. It will be difficult but really cool and then looking forward to a couple of movies that I worked on last year. Also just writing and thinking about new projects.

-Its sounds very creative! And I wish you the best with everything and hope you enjoyed the festival..

It has been a blast!

Links

Monique Ganderton

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1244650/

Sam Hargrave
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1092087/
Thank you for your time

An Interview with Alex Feldman with 3 short film entries 2011

2011-09-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

The following films premiered at the 2011 Hollyshorts Film Festival -
“Fit to be Tied” by Alex Feldman.
“Trixie” by Dave Kebo. Alex Feldman Lead Actor
"The Ally” by Slobodan Gajic-USA put together by Alex Feldman's Company

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

We are very happy to return to the Hollyshorts Film Festival, we have been here for the past three years. We originally came here with a series called 'Floored and Lifted'

Website link http://flooredandlifted.com/

Hollyshorts has supported us very much and we are excited to return for the 3rd year running.

-I note that you have 3 films entered into the film festival,could you give me a quick breakdown of each one?

“Fit to be Tied”
Website link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt197265

I directed this film – It is an offbeat modern day fairytale that centers around a girl who ties people's shoelaces for a living. Its a 'coming of age story' about a young female entrepreneur who is trying to get a business going, the obstacles she faces along the way and the support that she gains from her piers in her town. We really tried to maintain a traditional storytelling point of view of fairy-tales in there...

-Where did the concept for “Fit to be Tied” come from and how long is the short?

It's 14mins long. The writer is a genius named Tim Tori with whom we have worked together on 7 or 8 different projects. The first time we worked together was a project that he wrote and I acted in 'One Believes'. Since then we have gone on to really relate to the language that he writes, the tone that he says, the themes that are important to him. We have really have discovered that I have a good ability to take his tone and translate it to a visual medium and I think that we are a strong team together. We can have him come up with very creative dialogue that I can then translate to images. We have had success with it in the past with the web series, this seemed like a logical next step to take. We also got some budget from Jordana Berliner, who funded the whole situation and she was also the lead actress in the film.

-So you were able to give something back to her in return?

Absolutely. Yes It was really a labor of love with the whole crew.

-Could you tell me about your 2nd entry into the Festival?

"Trixie" – also known as Trixies Last Case which was a 2 story of 2 detectives that are trying to solve a crime,

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1965255/

-This being a total opposite to the first film?

Yes, it focuses on the answer to the current 1 hour dramas the CSI's etc.. in Los Angeles. I as an actor I have been in every CSI type drama and I really wanted to be present something that builds upon that... but also creates a new avenue and an ability for a new audience to relate. So we created this scene and it was shot over one day only in my friend Keenan Henson's apartment. We made it look like a wonderful interrogation room. David Kebo who is a very creative and very capable Director,he put all that together. We shot the scene and its all about these detectives that are trying to crack a case with the help of a canine helper named Trixie. Honestly we shot this in true independent film making style over several hours and got it all done and that is a testament to what independent film makers can do in a short period of time.

-Yes, one could say that, that is the beauty of the short film to be able to put it together in a short period of time as opposed to a feature movie?

Right

-With regards to your 3rd short film entry into the Festival?

3rd film is called "The Ally” by Slobodan Gajic-

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1886695/

Keenan Henson who is a close associate of mine, he is the lead actor in the film. The film is directed by Slobadan Gajic who is a very, very intelligent film maker. This is a period piece and a departure from stuff that we have done in the past.

-In my estimation you enjoy a lot of contrasts, rather than staying in one genre?

Yes, my Production Company has diversified as much as possible and this particular project is something we are trying to do that is a little different Slobadan Gajic has come on to write and direct this project. This is a period piece that takes place in Eastern Europe during World War 2 and it is a relationship between an American solider and her Eastern European child who find a way to help each other out during a very immense conflict. I think that it is a fascinating study of human behavior and I think that audiences will be very intrigued by this film so I recommend that you check out The Ally

-I certainly shall and recommend it to the wider audience...

-What are you expectations in total for the 3 films? What are you hoping that they perceive and that they get from all 3 of your short film entries into this film festival?

I have not necessarily put the pressure upon the audience to perceive something or come over with a message. I'm curious to see what their responses will be but our company is putting together a couple of different feature films at the moment. I am hoping that the different variety of films that we are presenting is going to build confidence within the audiences, that we are capable of presenting a very solid product and the features that we have coming out should reflect that.. you guys should look for a comedic feature called 'All in'

-Are you saying that you want to provide films that have that wow factor, are different and provides a curiosity as to what the company may do next – to maintain an interest, by not staying with the same genre and material....because you are presenting this in a totally different way and diversifying you are hoping that you audience will see that?

Yes absolutely, we are a group of very talented and a conglomerate of people. The best way I think that we can benefit for ourselves by creating a product for the consumer that is continiously creative and diverse productions

-Especially in today's world...

Anyone who is interested in our projects can always look us up on my personal website which is

http://alexfeldman.info/

We try to create opportunity for new film makers.

I have a brand new Acting Studio here in LA which is called the Acting Studios of Beverly Hills

Website link http://www.actingstudiosbeverlyhills.com/

and that is something I am focusing a lot on at the moment and we welcome anyone who has a desire to get into the entertainment industry but does not necessarily know how.

Come to Acting Studios of Beverly Hills and we will hook it up

-Thank you very much for your interview about your 3 films you have provided a very detailed insight into your films and current and ongoing projects. For those just starting out artistically in acting etc I think you have given them hope and inspiration.....

Interview with Steven Galarce Actor 'The Long Journey Home'

2011-09-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada (via email)

-I asked Steven a range of questions: from details about the short film, his involvement with that, his preparation process, and his future projects etc..

The film "The Long Journey Home" premiered on August 18th 730pm

It takes place in a barber shop when a War Veteran walks in for a haircut, and he shares his story with the barber.
He begins to morph into different War Veterans with similar stories.

The movies idea came from true war stories.

It was shot with a Canon 7D, because of the dark mood which is easily created.

As an actor I wanted to deliver an honest performance, so I had to do plenty of research, being that I've never been in the military.

"The Mile" (an action film) was shot in Miami where I play the role of "Esteban" a crazy cool time bomb. It was wrapped up last month, and I am currently working on a pilot for a pre World Cup 2014 TV show.

"The Long Journey Home" has already shown in the L.A, Shorts Festival, and is being submitted to other festivals. This was my first time at the Holly Shorts Film Festival, and the experience will have me returning next year.
Here is a clip from my scene in the movie "The Long Journey Home"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr-89DgkGL8

Please check out Steven Galarce's links: -

/http://stevengalarce.com/
http://lacasting.com/StevenGalarce
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/StevenGalarce
http://www.imdb.me/StevenGalarce
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08e-itK-Cao&feature=player_embedded

'En Heritage' Interview with Guillerme Sharon, Producer & Michael Mayart, Executive Producer

2011-09-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

Filmmaker Reda Mustafa (France)

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me a little bit about the short?

It s a family short about a father and his son. The father made a decision because his son is sick and needs new organs and there is no money in the family to help. So the father decides to go into a private clinic to have his organs removed and to raise some cash to give to his sons. He needs to leave behind some 'heritage' – inheritance and wants to leave some money behind by accepting to die..

-This sounds like the character of the father is making a sacrifice in order that he can leave inheritance behind for his sons?
Yes

-Where did you come up with the idea for this short film?

Reda Mustafa the Director, he put the idea on the table when we were talking about the producing the new movie. He had already had made 2 shorts which had success in the USA. The 1st one won the award at the Aden Films Festival in New York and the 2nd one 2 years ago won this festival.

-Is your short film in English or French with subtitles?

Its in French with English subtitles

-Are you enjoying the festival so far?

Yes its great we saw some great movies and surprising talents in the student movie section – 'Goldenbox & John Doe

Do you return back to France?

Yes

-Do you have something coming up in the pipeline?

2 more short film projects and the 1st one will be called 'Le Forgon' Like the van story involving the political story of the French President Pierre Sarkosy's son. The character will be interpreted by Jean-Baptiste Maunier from 'The Chorus'

We would like to say that we saw another good movie - 'Hollywood Superhero'

-I shall certainly put forward your recommendations and your favorities

Thank you for your time
Unfortunately photo was unavailable

Interview with Thomas Berg – Dance Video Teaser- 'Hjerteknuser' - Heartbreaker

2011-09-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-This music video teaser has been causing some sensation on the screens at the Hollyshorts Film Festival and it was my 'mission' to find you by whatever means – Twitter etc and interview you...What is the name of your video teaser?

It's music video for Kaisers orchestra called 'Hjerteknuser'(Norweigan) which in English translates to 'Heart breaker.'We are also the creators of Believe The Dance teasers which have been been tearing up the screens at Hollyshorts..

-For sure it has been providing a lot of entertainment? Where did this idea come from?

The film idea came from a dance that we choreographed in theater school back in 2005. This guy, 'the dancer' who the film was based around has a life of his own, moving to different projects until we decided to make the whole thing into a film. That's where we are at now..

-Its kind of intricate but has a very simple meaning in in terms of the way it has been produced especially the dance move at the end of the teaser it's very simple ….

He is a dancer that goes with the flow there is no choreography..

-So was this last part of the teaser improvised?

Very much so, 'the dancer' does his own thing

-What are you hoping that your audience perceive from this teaser?

We are hoping that they will follow us in the process of actually releasing the film. At the moment we are in the final stages of post-production right now. Hopefully we will have it done within a month or two and we will ship it out to festivals. At the end of that we will release it on U tube for everyone to see. People can follow us on Facebook and Twitter, also it's very easy you can Google it on U tube also.

Thank you for your time

Link:- http://believethedance.com

Video teaser and further information

Interview about short film 'Knight to D7' with Angelo Salvatore Restaino & Greg Wilson

2011-08-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Knight to D7 directed by Nathan Scoggins,
Premiered August 17th 1030pm
Angelo Salvatore Restaino- Co-writer & Actor,
Greg Wilson Co-writer & Producer
Emily Moss Wilson Producer
film also with actor Hector Elizondo

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me a little bit about the film?

It's about 2 best friends Brady Collins and Dustin Harper. Its a single day in their friendship when Dustin comes back from a business trip to see his friend on his way stopping through. His friend lays some heavy news on him that his cancer has come back, so it becomes serious. Its two young guys.. so the last thing Dustin wants to do is talk about that kind of thing ..and tries to deflect, dodge and joke and does anything but talk about the main issue.. We set out to capture how do guys deal with serious stuff?

-As the co-writer - I am curious to know where this idea came from?

Well the other lead actor Brett Mack and I had met a couple of times for coffee and we wanted to do something that had a little more substance, than a lot of the audition stuff that we go out on. We started chatting and he told me a story about his stepdad and how he had lost him to cancer. I almost lost my Mum when I was little too, she had rheumatic fever,so we identified on loss and set the context... from there it was just writing and discovering the friendship - whats at stake,whats really on the table and some of that is inspiration and some of it is just hard work and discovery

-Just goes to show for the budding screenwriters etc... just starting out in Hollywood, that they could take a real life situation and turn it into something great...

Correct, the difference is that with film all the 'fat' is trimmed off all the dialogue is clear. As humans we say things we don't mean, we stutter,we stammer,or we don't use the best word, we repeat ourselves 'uh, umm and pause' and all those other things. In writing you have taken all of that off and given the best essence...

-What you are saying is that for a short film you have left literally in the script only 'the essence' and just left all the 'relevant' stuff in?

Correct. There are often times in other films where part of the style is more conversational, more dialogue and more real to life in the way that people talk. We had to deal with this being a short film and only having a certain budget for the short film which was 9 minutes.

The short was 9 and a half minutes long without the opening and closing credits

Have you guys enjoyed this Hollyshorts Film Festival this year?

This is our first time, I have to say the red carpet was a little un-organised we spent 2 and a half hours outside, everyone was nice though and there was a red carpet event which was fantastic. The screening went well, it played well and that made me more excited than anything else

Thank you for your time
*this interview for me showed that creativity can stem between good friends where the audition and casting may seem bland, also bringing to screen something that is true and relevant to life without the extras..note by Jasmina Nevada*

Interview about Short Film 'Street Pillow' or the Sidewalk Sleep

2011-08-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Interview with
Charles Drexler -Actor,Director,Writer & producer
Michael Green- Executive producer & Editor

'Street Pillow' premiered Wednesday August 17th 12 noon

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me a little bit more about the short film?

The film tells the story of Walt who is a dopey down on his luck bike messenger,who falls in love with this girl on his route and in order to win her over he brings her a flower every day to try to win her heart.His friend Pike doesn't like what is going on so he tries to prevent them from from getting together

-Is there a bit of a sabotage situation going on here?

Yes, more than a bit the friend is 'actively' trying to get Walt from getting together with this girl

-How did you come up with the idea for this movie? What inspired you?

I wrote the script and I was sent this idea and both of us fell in love with this idea and some of the secrets that I cant give away. I thought it would be a great little short film. Years later when we dusted it off, I was looking for a project to actually make I went back to that source email outlining the ideas etc I looked at it and changed a few things but we remained very true to that original idea and that original ending

-Which format did you shoot the movie?

We shot on the Panasonic HVX200 and it was all digital

-Are you enjoying this festival so far? What are your expectations after the festival?

Well the festival has been amazing has been a lot of fun met a lot of film makers who are like me making films and it has been interesting to see everything on the big screen. Also to see how it works on the big screen.

We are excited as this was our world premiereand has been a great time

The Hollyshorts staff has been great and helped us to connect with other film makers and meet other people

-Thank you for that comment!

Thank you for the interview

An interview about Commercial 'Freaky Old Man”

2011-08-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

Premiered on Tuesday 16th August 5pm
Interview with
Imani Shakur Producer,Director, Writer born in Trindad and Tobago, Caribbean, grew up in Miami, Florida
Alisha Liliana -Actress, Writer and Co-producer - from Austin Texas has been in LA 2 years
Daniel Taylor from Indiana, Actor in the 'commercial' freaky old man

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Will you be submitting this commercial to the Trinidad and Tobago film festival in mid September?

If there is one 'hell yeah'
(under investigation whether this festival accepts commercials... watch this space..)

-Would you like to tell me a little bit more about your commercial? What's it's about? Where the idea came about? What inspired you to make this commercial?

Well it all started from Alisha suggesting that we compete in the Superbowl Doritos contest. I had seen it and decided that I did not care about that, but there would be big money if you win. Alisha and I came up with the idea together. Originally Alisha had something about a blind guy and a stoplight or something and a car, I elaborated on it and said we would take him to the park...... it just went from there

We sat and wrote the script and went over and revised it a few times and put it together and shot it

-How long did it take you from concept to filming it to the final product?

Maybe a few months – we spent over a month thinking of an idea, we had tonnes of ideas.....

So did you change the original idea etc during the shooting process?

No we changed it during the pre-production and the casting process.

After we had the casting we saw how the actors were reacting to the lines, how they were saying them, we revised it at that point to sound better, more conversational,when you hear it it is different from the written. We even had to change the character at first - it was the father and the son and then I thought it would be a better idea to have his wife catching him

-So there were some last minute modifications.... great.. So how long is your commercial?

1 minute

-You crammed all of this into one minute?

That's where the good film making comes in

-The climax, the climax and the climax!! and nothing else! High action,high energy and it's done?

Exactly

So what is next in the pipeline for you?

He has a couple of big things going on (Imani Shakur). We are am working on a short film 'Laced in' he will direct I will be the lead actress. It's a good story about 2 sisters trying to work out their troubled past but in 2 different ways and coming to a resolution. The resolution will surprise you........

-Are you enjoying the film festival so far?
Yeah, opening night was great, we came last night and was a lot of fun. Absolutely

-We look forward to the future to seeing that in it's totality....

*This interview proved that even the actor at an audition can change everything for the director etc,important therfore in my opinion for those actors auditioning to show their scope and variety which can influence a director etc and his script- note by Jasmina Nevada*

Thank you for your time

Interview with Jeffrey P Nesker 'Apocalypse story' Filmmaker

2011-08-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

Short film premiered Sunday 14th August 230pm

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me a little bit more about the short movie you have entered into the Festival?

Apocalypse story is my 2nd short film and it's about the end of the world and a boy and a girl meet mid to late teens and have an awkward sleepover at the end of the world sort of thing.

There is only one line of dialogue in the whole film. Its funny as I don’t like to give context to one film by talking about another. My plan was always to make 2 shorts and then segway into features and the idea was is that the 1st short which was called Nightclub Story and just loosely the plot is a boy and a girl meet in a line up to a night club and have an entire relationship before they get inside. Very much a dialogue heavy piece,tight shots in a single location. So for this short I wanted to do something more expansive and visual and a lot less reliant on dialogue and in addition I am a huge sci fi freak so I really wanted to try my hand at a sci-fi film but essentially they are both stories about relationships - boy meets girl kinda thing and it's a little bit over 10 minutes long it's proudly Canadian. The first shot in the film is a street sign for Toronto

Just to confirm you are from Toronto?

Yes, Toronto Canada

We are easily over 20 festivals for Apocalypse story. We have won quite a few awards and we will keep it going. Club story did the same

Having a great time here at Hollyshorts the quality of the program has been absolutely fantastic its hard to watch so many short films as they are all little worlds and you literally are flipping dimension to dimension, every 15 to 20 minutes but I found that that easy because of the strength of the overall films.

-So did you find overall that the shorts program was generally of good caliber?

Different strokes for different folks! There were some that I thought were just 'flipping' fantastic!

-I am curious to know why did you decide or want the film to be more expressive in terms of not having much dialogue? Is that the reason for not putting dialogue in?

That's a very good question.. the first answer is that when I was at film school, one of the 1st lessons that was hammered home at screenwriting and production classes is that dialogue is the least important aspect of film that it's all about structure.

Additional to that I don’t know if they do this anymore because the technology has increased exponentially,but when I went to film school in our 1st year we were shooting on a Super 8 Canon. Canon cameras don’t have the sound unless you get a Super 8 camera with sound in which case the sound is recorded on a feeble little magnetic stripe. In a way it was very much like shooting proper movies where you have a guy with a boom and the separate sound equipment ,the camera department but as a consequence of this most of our films were silent.

-Now you have told me about the silent aspects of film which you admire I wonder whether you were inspired from silent films from the past? Did this influence you in any way?

It did absolutely as I said before I wanted to make something that was less dialogue based and in this instance this is the most important everything is rooted in story. These 2 characters are nomads,they have been wandering around alone so it felt very dis-ingenious to me that they would be speaking English all the time. In the world of my story I would expect that if you don’t have to use a skill it sort of disappears

-Where did the concept or idea come from?

I think it has been in my head for a very long time,in different ways. I knew that I wanted to make 2 shorts and originally I wanted to make this one first but I talked to a lot of mentors and colleagues that I really respect and they said no this one is a lot bigger make nightclub story. First to get that out of your system and then approach this one and they were absolutely right I knew that I had them both on deck and ready to go and would say that I had the initial idea from the mid to late 90's

-When you decided to pin the nail down and decide that you were going to do this right now... how long did it take from the initial step to the final product?

Writing did not take very long pre-prroduction I had a great crew and many people invested in the project

-How many did your crew consist of?

Probably about 30

We shot for 3 days and the edit and post production is the longest process between 5-6 months from wrapping to printing the tapes

-What expectations did you have from the audience? And were your expectations met?

Absolutely every festival is worth attending. Personally there is always a moment where I would hope to hear laughs then I know that I have achieved my tone that I am going for and I got that at this screening and I haven’t at other ones where I thought people are still a lot on the fence I thought people were in to it and was well received,I am certainly proud of it. I thought the Q and A went well.

We are all sensitive artists we can all live in our head and scratch that itch of self reflexivity......

-a message to other artists that we are humble at the end of the day and have feelings about everything....

Or completely self obsessed and can fall into the pit of despair and dis-illusion

Fantastic experience and was great that it screened here

Thank you for your time...

*and thank you for the DVD copies I look forward to seeing them at home in my personal cinema- appreciated- note by Jasmina Nevada*

Interview with Evan Hart Director,Writer 'Nice tie Italiano'

2011-08-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

Premiered at the Hollyshorts Film Festival 730pm August 16th

-Are you are actor, writer, and/or Director for this short film?

Writer and Director, I have acted in the past this is my writing & directing debut

-If you would like to tell me a little bit about your movie?

The movie is a homage to old Italian cinema mixed with noir thriller. Its a love story,basically about 2 people who want love but they can't have it. The job gets in the way.. what do people do when they have the opportunity they choose love?..... they choose something else?..

-Its a movie based on making a choice?

Yes

-Where did this idea/concept for the movie come from?

Well Tom Stoppard once said it's all about love at the end of the day, a great screenplay, a great movie - it's all about the love story. This is sort of a slice in time of two people if they can make it happen if they can choose to be in love or choose a different fate in their jobs and the rest will be seen in the film..

-How long did it take from the initial story to the final product?

It took a long time I wrote it in a day, and wrote a true story in 30 minutes in between writing a feature. I was stuck and I needed to check out and check in to something else and this thing just sort of hit me. I was like an animal I had to get it out and it worked. It was simple and that was probably 3 years before I filmed it. We ended up filming it very quickly here in Los Angeles

We shot it in one day, in a bank foreclosed house that had been re-possessed,we were essentially squatting without a permit. We went in dressed the set, made it look like an Italian villa. The crew and cast did not know about this,just the producers and myself.

So whilst we were filming every minute we were wondering whether the Sheriff would show up and luckily they didn't!? We wrapped in that one day. Editing the short film from beginning to end was probably 3 and a half years. But when we really got down to it we started to get the money pre-production in June and shot it in August edited it and had it done in October.

-During shooting the movie did you make a lot of changes to the original script or did you keep it more or less the same?

No we shot a couple of inserts and that was it. We kept it unanimously the same and I needed a blurprint to go by we had one day to shoot and if we darted all around the place it wasn't going to work

-I'm curious to know as you seem to be a person that likes to delve into many projects at the same time.. What is your next project in the pipeline?

I just sold a show to Fox TV – TV Pilot which is exciting, I have some meetings around town. I have a script that I wrote that Eric Watson has signed on to direct and produce and he is the guy behind Requiem for a Dream also Protozoa with Darren Aronosfky. He(Eric Watson) is directing the script that I wrote and I just finished another TV show that we will go around town with next month and I am also getting ready to be a Dad.

-You certainly have a lot on your plate and many things to balance up, but of course the most important thing is becoming a Dad?

I think so and its going to form everything, my life as a person, as a film maker it will provide balance and it will be the best.

-I congratulate you on that and I hope that everything goes well with your wife and the birth?

I hope so too otherwise I might have to make another movie very quickly......

-Are you enjoying the festival?

Yes I am I was part of this festival 5 years ago in it's second year as an actor with a film that screened here but unfortunately that Director is no longer with us. He was an amazing director, a young kid and we had a huge connection, so I am sad that we did not get to work more together and that's how I originally heard about this festival

Thank you for your time

Interview with Winner Grace Huang Best Actress 'Bloodtraffick' Jennifer Thym Director & Gerrit Wunder, Film Composer

2011-08-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Can you outline the plot of the short?
It's a universe where angels are fighting vampires and we have human vigilantes which is the character of Eva played by Grace Huang. Evas is looking for her 2 missing sisters and she walks into the den of a vampire

-How did this idea come about?

I was actually working on a comic about street traffic and then at around the same time I met Grace Wong at an acting workshop. We talked about different roles and things that we could work on together and I realized that she would be a really good actress for this character that I had been thinking about. Combined that with a couple of vampires and other things and boom you have a super natural action flick.

-Just goes to show for us actors in the business- Its good to know that even if you go to an acting workshop you never know what will come out of it, if you are personable and you know how to interact with people, look where you can reach today.....

Yes

At Gerrit Wunder (Film Composer) - I would like to know more about the score music how did it come about? How did you decide on the theme?

What I always do is take a character motif, the main idea of the movie or story and try and find a theme for it In this case it was Eva I wrote a theme for Eva the main character.

-What theme did you have in mind for Eva the main character?

It is epic also emotional I tried to capture both sides of her character

-What type of theme did you end up with?
The music is orchestral with rhythm and synthesizers too but mainly orchestral sounding

-How long did it take you to come up with the score for the short?

I think I worked on the movie for about 2 weeks

-From the initial idea to the finished product? How long did that take? And did you tweak the script here and there?

The original idea had been with me for a while but when we started to actively work on it probably about 3 months. We were in post production for probably another 9 months after that. It was a fairly long process but we really wanted everything to be what we envisioned it as, and I think that these things take time when you are starting out.

-What is the message you are trying to convey to your audience?

What I would love to see from them is that they want to see more of this character especially since we are working on a feature film version of this. We would like to see them excited about seeing her on screen with this kind of environment and this kind of really cool music

-How long is your short?

11mins and 15 seconds

-15 seconds! That must be the vital component I am sure?

That’s right

Thank you for the interview

Interview with Hollyshorts 2011 Winner Best Student Short Film 'Goldenbox' Director Matt MacDonald

2011-08-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

Goldenbox premiered at Hollyshorts Film Festival Tuesday 16th August 730pm

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to explain which genre is your movie and what your short film is about?

Goldenbox is an action comedy following 2 best friends who have to break into a UPS like facility to steal back a package and hope that their friendship survives the adventure.

-I have already seen this film so I wont give too much away but it was extremely action packed and I was curious to know where did this concept or idea originate from?

Well Goldenbox came from being 11 years old and playing a lot of video games. Back in the day there was a game based on the James Bond Movie, Goldeneye that came out and it became this instant classic because you could play it with your friends. I started thinking well what would be a fun thing to do - so my writing partner and I started to think what would be really fun....
We both came around to this game that we both played as a kid and thought that we had so much fun with our buddies having a great time. OK we have this great game lets just do some kind of heist and it went from there..

I love action movies ….I love James Bond

-Did you change the original script whilst you were shooting, or did you pretty much go with the original script?

It was pretty close to the script. One of things that I really wanted was this improv. feel between the 2 main actors so we did a lot with them so maybe 80 per cent of the actual dialogue is scripted

-I noticed that you had submitted this short also to the LA Short Film Festival as well as this one, so will you be submitting to any more ?

I think so, we have tried to target some of the most prestigious festivals and material that we think the audience will really like. The cool thing about the Hollyshorts Film Festival is it feels like a very hip, fresh, perspective and it is still new and up and coming. I thought what a great opportunity, situated right in the center of Hollywood, what could be better than that? I have so many friends here and it's a great place and a great venue...

-I take it then that you are enjoying the festival very much?

I love it. It has been great so far. The films have been really solid. The panels have been awesome I have really enjoyed it.

-What format did you shoot in & how long is the short?

We shot on the Red MX camera and the film runs 18 and a half minutes with credits

-How long did it take from the initial idea to the finished product?

I started writing summer of 2009 and then we shot the summer of 2010. We finished post production everything up in May 2011.

-What are the expectations and perceptions you are expecting from your audiences?

I want people to have fun I think it is a fun movie and it is meant to be nostalgic and show the fun of video games and having a good time

Thank your for your time

*It was of course an honor for me to be able to interview one of the winning entries- note By Jasmina Nevada*

Interview with Pedro Castro, Director & Writer – Twenty Something Ninja Turtles

2011-08-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Please state your full name, involvement in the short film - whether you are a director, writer etc?

Pedro Castro. I am the director and one of the many writers for Big Dog Eat Child's web series, Twenty Something Ninja Turtles.

-Where are you from?

I am from Alsip, IL and making plans to move to LA next summer.

-When had your movie premiered at the Festival?

The film premiered Tuesday Aug 16th at 10pm. The web series block.

-Could you outline what your movie is about?

The series was about how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were grappling with being in their 20's. For those who are unfamiliar, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a cartoon show that rocked my brain and ruined my chances to do well in school.

-Where did the concept for your short movie come from?

Our group was talking about the stupid stuff people in their 20's have to go through (marriages, divorces, getting older) and thought it was funny to imagine what the TMNT would be going through. At first we wanted to be live action and get into costumes but every other parody we saw did a bad job in costuming. And there was no way we could pull off the Animatronics the feature films had. One of us had the brilliant idea to use the action figures as well as to simply take photos and build sets with doll furniture. Even with no sound and small set pieces the shooting took over 12 hours to complete.
- How long did it take from the concept to written script to finished product?
About 2 months from concept to finished product. We recorded all the dialog, built the sets, remade the musical intro and editing all the episodes.

- What was the message you were trying to get across to your audience?

That being in your 20's is a hilariously difficult time and we wanted to see what we could do with familiar characters in quasi realistic settings.

-Your short film is 92 seconds- could you please tell me why you decided on this length of time and was it hard to achieve?

We thought that was the best length for the internet audience and it gives them more incentive to replay the film and share with their friends. We also had a very successful series of viral videos. Called Jones Big Ass Truck Rental and Storage

Here are some related links and contact details for Pedro Castro
Website -bigdogeatchild.com
youtube page: youtube.com/bigdogeatchild
email :pedro@bigdogeatchild.com
Also :www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0gb9v4LI4o

Thank you for your time

Interview with Pedro Hernandez - Lead Actor for Their Eyes Were Watching Gummybears

2011-08-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

That's an interesting title, how'd you come up with it?

My roommate from college wrote it, I think he just liked the play off Their Eyes Were Watching God.

What's it about?

It's a coming of age story, a guy in his senior year in college trying to choose between a career and a woman, and gummy bears play a big part in that.

Did you have any part of writing it?

I'm the lead actor in it, but I did have a big part in the development of the script...like I said the writer is my best friend, we were college buddies, frat brothers.

Is this your first lead in a film?

Yeah it sure is, it's the biggest thing I've done to this point you could say, and it felt really good. It was alot of fun to do.

So what's next for you?

What's next for me, well we're still riding this short out, still have a few festivals to go to. I've gotten a couple of best actor nominations, so just trying to shop it around. We would like to pitch it as a series so we're treating this short as a pilot. So yeah, trying to move on from there. I'm also a stand up comic so I'm always doing that.

What do you want people to take away from this film after they've seen it?

I'd like for them to first of all laugh, it IS a comedy. And after that I think the whole point of us doing this is to showcase black people in a light that you haven't quite seen us in. It IS a black movie but it has nothing to do with being black. We were just seniors at Princeton University, we shot at Princeton, we're alumni from there, so we just sort of wanted to highlight our experience from there, and our experience there wasn't about being black, it was about being human, it was about being normal, and growing up and having fun.

Their Eyes were watching Gummybears premiered at the Holly Shorts Film Festival on Thursday at 12 pm.

You can get more information about this movie at http://gummybearsthemovie.com/

Interview by Elesia Marie

Interview with Mark Cote Singer/Songwriter "Fun House" Director Daniel Mitchell

2011-08-17T17:06:00.001-07:00

Mark Cote Singer/songwriter -wrote the song 'Fun House' and performed in the music video Fun House which premiered on Monday 15^th August 730pm

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me a little bit about the style of the video and how did it come about?

I would say that the video evolved, it was a process that began initially with my sitting down with my director Daniel Mitchell. He heard the song Fun House that I had written and pitched to me a concept. The concept involved the use of a flip book in which images would take place as the pages turn and I like that kind of whimsical idea,that had a retro feel that I thought was appropriate we had some more discussions and eventually presented me a rough story board of his whole vision from A to Z. When I saw his vision I was sold and from there he brought on the producer Steven Sweeney who had a production company called Devil's Table productions. They produced the video and we used an incredible cinematographer Jazz Shelton as well as an amazing art director who flew over from Sydney to art direct the video called Bob Hill. He did all the incredible dressing of the sets with the props

-How long did it take from the initial concept to the finished product?

After Dan and I met, we agreed and approved where we were going forward with the video & we sat down with the producer. We had probably about a week's worth of meetings to work within the budget and kind of tailor the vision to work within the dictation of what the budget was and from there we worked out a shooting schedule. We had a two day shoot prior to that. There was about a week spent in terms of getting the permits, getting the props and getting everything approved as far as assembling the crew. The actual shoot was a 2 day shoot, the first day was all exterior, we shot that in Topanga Canyon in a grotto of trees which actually had a standing film set. It was a house(where we got the permit to film) which had been built for a movie filmed about 15- 20 years before there was no working electricity and plumbing,it worked as far as an exterior house. We shot the interior on day 2 in a nightclub in Los Angeles called the Bordello bar

-What is next for you after this video?

We are using this video to bring about public awareness and to promote about the release of the CD

-Is this the message you were trying to bring across?

I think our goal was to give the audience an idea of what we can expect from the album and the sense of fun and style of just whimsical playfulness which characterises the music and the CD. We are using this to kind of launch the CD which is called 'Fun House of your Mind'. From here we would like to build out and do more music videos in the same style

How would you describe your style of this particular video?

The style I would say we were definitely trying to think outside the box and approach this, and give it the production values of a feature film in terms of the cinematography and just the overall production values we were trying to do more than just a traditional music video. Something more along the lines of a short film that actually had music in it and it incorporated sound effects just to kind of bring the viewer into the story and bring the story along

-What kind of format did you shoot in?

We shot with a red camera

-Where are you from?

I Mark Cote am based in L.A. My website is

http://markcote.com/

Director is Daniel Mitchell he can be found at his website which is

http://steelypictures.com/Steely_Pictures_Main.html

-I certainly hope that viewers will have a look at both these websites because your music video was very inspiring interesting tasteful and stylish and it touched a few hearts..

Thank you for your time

3 Minute Interview with Ashley Scott-Writer/Co-director (with George Mays) of Women

2011-08-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

What is this film about?

Well we wanted to do something that was a wink back at the French new wave films and the predicament women fall into in society to become wives and mothers or to become independent.
We decided to shoot it in French because French women embody femininity differently than American women.

Where did this concept come from?

I don't know exactly. I just sat down one day and said this is something to write about.

This is your first film. How did you feel about directing and the whole process?

I loved it. It's the most fun I've ever had.

What's next for you?

I've got a feature script that's almost finished and ready to go. It's a dark comedy with a "what if" situation.

Where are you from?

Right here in Los Angeles

Women premiered at the Holly Shorts Film Festival August 17th at 2:30pm
You can find out more about Women on Facebook at Women- the movie.

Interview by Elesia Marie

2011-08-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

filmmakers and hollyshorts fans don´t miss next panel at The Mondrian Hotel, Moviola panel with Johnathon Amayo....live streaming at hollyshorts.com :D

An Interview with Geoffrey Caple, Craig Cochrane & Terrence Leclere - Sweepers.

2011-08-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

The Sweepers directed by Justin Davey, Emmy Award winning Director

Geoffrey Caple-write, actor, co-producer, and is from Perth Western Australia

Craig Cochrane co-producer, actor character Agent Hanson. Craig is from Adelaide, Australia

Terrence Leclere Actor - character 'Bo' the bad guy & the music composer, he is originally from Paris, France but grew up in New York

Premieres at 10pm Wednesday 18th August

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-I have some inside information that told me that this is kind of a competition to 007.. Would you guys like to give me a little more information about your action thriller short, I believe was a 10 minute short?

Yes, well essentially what it is, is 2 Australian Secret Service Agents are sent to Los Angeles to retrieve the Prime Minister's wayward daughter. So the Australian Prime Minister's daughter has come to L.A, no-body is really sure why. He has a re-election campaign that is going on and word is getting around that she is getting into trouble over here so he needs her back in the country putting on a good family face. So our 2 characters are sent to L.A. to retrieve her without the press knowing about it, much fuss, once we get here, we don't know why we are coming here, we do know that we will receive our assignment once we get here, once we get here we discover that we are supposed to retrieve the Prime Minister's daughter. As it turns out, I was conducting an affair with her back in Australia secretly she is now pregnant carrying my child. So I see a light of hope saying I am going to leave all this behind abort the mission and try for a life albeit somewhere and try and flee the government and that's when the complications start. The other character says we have to abort the mission and go back to Australia and tell everybody. I say that there is no way and it is a real conflict between the two agents, one wants to continue with the mission, one doesn't and I don't want to give away what happens...

-Best to keep it as an enigma...

Therein lies the conflict basically is a race against time to try and retrieve her

-How long is your short film?

10 minutes

-How did you come up with this concept and idea?

Well I can give you the short version, we had a development deal at ABC family for a comedy that we had done, the three of us were in, so our management ended up threatening to sue us and threatening to sue the network and that fell apart. So we wanted to keep the momentum going and do something immediately and take advantage of the fact that we were Australians in L.A. I came up with the idea of the Jason Bourne type world and doing an epic drama in a short film. I came up with this world started running ideas with Craig sort of developed an outline of a story went off and wrote the screenplay and there we have it

-So you were able to turn this negative situation into something full of drama and action.... and how long did it take you from the concept to paper to the final short film?

Well to be honest it happened quite quickly I think the screenplay was originally 26 pages which took about 3 or 4 weeks to write and took 3 days to shoot and we shot at LAX completely guerrilla style at LAX which we could have gotten arrested for,

-So it was very gung ho then you just did it off the bat?

Completely

We were very much in the habit Justin Davey who directed the short did the film, that's how I met 'the dingo brothers' Craig and Geoff so Justin and I actually we had met doing a lot of short films, we all got along so great that we were just pumping out content whether it was small Internet films we already had a working model of making content, so I think in answering your question as to how quickly it got made was pretty quick- 3 days

-I think that you guys are setting a good example here in Los Angeles to those of us from different countries, pursuing artistic dreams here, so you all put all your heads together and come up with something like this?...

Yeah,

To add to that we could think off a thousand reasons not to make a film and then justify that, but we have to think of what we can do, not we haven't got enough money, we need this location etc.. no we have everything we need we just need to make it

The example then would be to be creative and just go with it..

Right

What we don't like is that there is all this technology and everyone think they are a film maker in a way it's good in another it's bad because there is this glut of ideas that are just thrown together and only a small percentage of them are really worthwhile. So if you are going to do something and have actors and producers and create something make it worthwhile

-Basically what you are saying is put 100 per cent effort into it..

Don' t waste people's time with garbage do something that's quality at least

-What expectation then do you have for your short?

Academy Award....

-OK watch this space.....What kind of response are you expecting from your audience? What are you perceiving?

We look at a lot of short films and we see credits and they have 30-40 crew. We have basically 3 maybe 4 of us shooting, with this and seeing the quality of the film we have made I think we are going to get a good response and imagine we had $50,000 behind us and a crew of 30 people it's going to be something else

We also have a feature script written for it, and a 1 hour TV pilot so basically we have follow up..

What's appealing about this movie is the 2 lead characters Handsome and Wenks story where 2 Australians orphans become Secret Service Agents, it's a very cool premise that could be additive to a pilot and a feature I think that is the appeal of this film. I think that people will definitely get into that and also the way it's shot. Justin Davey has a great gritty style of shooting that we explored and this film played on a lot of peoples strengths

The thing is that Justin is an Emmy award winning Director, he won an Emmy Award for his Snickers commercial and is he is a real student of Michael Mann so he loves that visual gritty style so its like incorporating that visual style into a 10 minute action thriller so we have always maintained that short films are not that so at the very least what we are doing is something different that you don't often see in 10 minute short film and if people can walk away saying at the very least it was different and it looked great and the performances were good That's great!

I suppose you are hoping for something that captures the attention from the beginning to the end with no waiver in the middle...?

It moves.. and some of behind of the scenes we chopped it......chopped it up..

-Oh, would like to ask you then..Did you change the original script when you were actually shooting it?

Absolutely. Originally was 26 minutes and Justin went away after a couple of weeks and cut it down to 10 minutes and sent it to Jeff. It was a 26 minute cut to a total of 6 minutes and we thought that this was 'brutal' and then came back again with 10 minutes Jeff viewed it amazed and that was it 'wow' and that cut all of the fat out and got to the point it moves so well kept wandering but you understand it the whole way

Which is a crazy thing as writing the 26 page screenplay and I have written a pretty tight script and then you realize in the editing room and with a total of 10 minutes all the essential elements of the script were there

So it's an amazing experience to see this from 26 minutes to 10 minutes and the pace of the short is bam, bam, bam and the pace of it is pretty frenetic

-In summary then what advice would you have to lets say to 2 young film makers, actors directors etc who are trying to do the same thing as yourself in terms of what you guys have just told me?

(they all shared their opinion)

Probably give me a call,

Get your cheque books ready

1st class airfares.... (all laughing)

For me, (Terence) keep making stuff even if you don't think it's good enough, keep making it and almost as important more importantly in some senses if you can find people you like working with keep working with those people because really creative energy, when you are with a certain group of people you think certain ideas and you really execute different ideas differently

-So like minds then...

Like minds & inspiring minds and so me (Terrence) Justin, Geoff & Craig. Every time we hang out we have a blast and so I know that every time it will be a good product.

Thank you for your time

*I think that this interview provided a great insight into the movie and also great pointers, advice for those of us trying to find our path way into the industry from different countries etc-Jasmina Nevada*

3 Minute Interview with Willaim H. Simmons - Writer/Director/Producer of Source

2011-08-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

What is Source about?

It's a post apocalyptic sci-fi movie that takes place a century after a nuclear holocaust in a world without oil. An enslaved mercenary discovers the source of an alternate energy supply. He must decide whether to remain bitter and isolated and keep the truth about it to himself or sacrifice for the greater good.

Where did the concept for this film come from?

It actually came from watching the news. Imagining a future without oil with an alternate energy source and how it would come about.

Are you based here in LA?

Yes, we're based right here in West Hollywood.

What's next on your agenda?

I've got a couple of features in the works. One is a crime thriller called The Undertow.

Source premiered at the Holly Shorts Film Festival on August 16th at 5 pm .

Interview by Elesia Marie

2011-08-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

3 minute Interview with Maggie Franks Writer/Director 'The Board Meeting'

2011-08-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

My name is Maggie Franks and my film is “ The Board Meeting' it's a documentary

-Are you a Director, Film maker, producer?

I am a writer and director

-Would you like to tell me a little bit more about your documentary?

The film is about two 79 year old guys with one goal on their agenda to keep surfing until they are 80.

-What inspired you to come up with this movie about surfing?

I have surfed with them for about 20 years, I have surfed most of my life I used to go and see my Dad at an Alzeimers facility in the morning and in the afternoon I had to go surfing I would take all my boys and that's when I first met them, they were in their 60's then and that's when I realised there is an alternative to growing old

-How long did it take you from concept to paper to screen?

It took us about 3 months to nail down 2 retired surfers, is not an easy task

(laughing) I agree

So I had to convince them to break away from their surfing day of course that's like pulling teeth. From there we had to work around their schedules and their naps

-When is your documentary film screening?

Monday 15^th August afternoon 5pm slot. I am hoping that it being screened at 5pm it will be a happy hour and will put a smile on their faces and make them think that there is alternatives

Are you from here?

I was actually born about 6 blocks from here and now I live at the beach, native Californian

-So you are taking a contrast between the beach and the city and taking advantage of the film festival?

It's a great life!

I thank you for your time

3-minute interview with Bailey Kobe Director 'La &Prochaine & Producer/Director Commercial 'Your Shape' for the X Box system

2011-08-16T04:56:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

La Semaine Prochaine premiered at the Festival August 15^th 730pm, Commercial 'Your Shape' for the X Box system will premiere August 18^th at 5pm

-If you would like to state your name and your participation in the films, and the name of your 2 films please?

I am Bailey Kobe Director “ La Semaine Prochaine' a music video that's being shown here as well as a producer and director of a commercial called Your shape for the X Box system

-That's very interesting! If you would like to tell me a little bit about your 1^st and 2^nd entry into the Festival?

'La Semaine Prochaine' was a music video that I did for a French icon called Marc Lavoine and it immediately never won in French speaking countries and I am so excited to show it here in Los Angeles, even though it is kind of has been distributed all over the world it really hasn't had much of an LA presence.

-So 'La Semaine Prochaine' means 'the next week'?

Yes

-Is it subtitled?

No not for the Festival, so everyone will have to learn French before the screening and if not you are uneducated....

-Where did you get the inspiration to produce 'La Semaine Prochaine'?

Working with the artist, asked me to collaborate with him find a photographer Moona Koone on a kind of one piece that he thought would be kind of emblematic of the entire album and the collaboration was just so beautiful, that Universal asked for 5 more music videos right after. We were just like Wow! this is just what we want and exactly what we are talking about when it comes to music videos that have a variation on the formula that still deliver what's impactful about the music, interpreting the music in an individual form

-Do you feel that you have achieved all your goals in interpreting and bringing what your goal was to screen?

For “La Semaine Prochaine' Absolutely, it realLy struck a chord for me emotionally because the artist wrote this album when in the same month his Father died his son was born and there was so much emotion just saturated in each line ?

-So every emotion was real in that case?

My gosh, it's overwhelming and so pleasing for me to bring this to the screen as was so deep

-Sounds wonderful of course I will be present at the screening, so now I have very high expectations..

Oh great I have raised the bar.. darn it..

-I would like to talk to you about your 2^nd entry into the Festival that you mentioned? A commercial?

They saw the music video and said could you do something for us Unisoft and paired me with the Salter Brothers very experienced commercial directors, we shot very sort of top secret piece which about what was then called the project Natal which is now commercially known as X Box Connect where the controller looks at you with a 3D camera and there is no physical control that you push buttons with, it reads your body motions it was very exciting as no one had seen what it looks like before and I was literally one of the 1^st to see and they brought it down and covered it and everyone signed NDA's and so was exciting to work on and the product itself is fantastic to see at E3 where they show all the video games and to see Steven Speilberg trying out the game was amazing and he commented on it

-Steven Speilberg ! That must have really tickled your bones!

Yes every one all over every one of my bones

-Its nice that you have 2 entries in the Festival and I wish you lots of luck with that

Thank you very much for your time

-You are welcome

-Are you from here?

Yes I am from Los Angeles, one of the few native sons.

-Great! one of the native sons that has done good and put 2 short movies into the Festival

Has gone International with it and brought it home....

3 Minute Interview with Sean Mc Carthy Writer/Producer and Elizabeth Mitchell Producer/Actress - “ Simoom Cutting Seams” Director Sean O'Hare

2011-08-16T04:42:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

-Would you like to tell me your names and your part in the short movie video?

I am Sean Mc Carthy, writer director of the music video cutting seams

Elizabeth Mitchell, producer and actress

-When does your short film premiere here at the Festival?

15^th August 730pm

-What inspired you to come up of the concept of this particular music video short? Where did the idea come from?

I guess the writer she came to me by doing a video for this band and I went through some surgery and I was having a lot of nightmares from these painkillers that they prescribed me, so I was having a very vivid nightmares and just like really weird dreams and then I just wanted to kind of perceptive based storytelling, like from someone's perspective and I just wanted to create the feeling of what it feels like to be in a dream mixed in with a music video and the feelings that you have in a music video like fear and anxiety and paranoia I wanted to kind of visualise that

-You wanted to express this feeling?

I wanted to create the primal feelings that you have in a nightmare and still do justice to the song and the band. Our Executive producer and Manager of the band he basically was really into horror films and allowed us really like let me go loose and the 2 of us really attacking it. There is no instruments in the video and wasn't what nightmares are based of, it would break the reality for the viewer

-Would it be right to say that it was more of a literal dream that you wanted to put into reality in terms of film?

Yes, blended with like a movie that we both saw, -Phantoms of Paradise really obscure like that Brian de Palma horror musical I just wanted to do something that was very horror based, nightmare orientated and kinda like what Polanski does with perspective and there is like some singing, but that works within the nightmare There is a little bit of music video like the genre of the music video what it is but I did not want to ruin it with the instrumentation and just wanted to have that fluidity that nightmares have

-So it would be right in saying that you did not want to mix a dream with the actual physical?

Yes we don't really think of it so much as a music video but more of a short film that happens to be set to music. There is no dialogue just a short film and there is a song playing in the background?

-What is your message that you are trying to put across to the audience? What are you hoping that they perceive?

There is no rules in dreams that's what really fascinates us and you know that feeling you get when you are with your best friend but it is not your best friend, so the thing about dreams is that there are no rules and can look like yourself, not look like yourself, you can see yourself in the dream and not see yourself in the dream. It's universal everybody dreams and some of them are really terrifying

-How long did it take from start to finish to make this short film/video?

10 months, pretty much a year with the pre-production talking with the band

-How long is the video?

About 6-7 minutes with the credits

-Are you enjoying the festival so far?

Loving it! Meeting people and saw some great films

Thank you

12 minute interview with Jonathan Martin Filmmaker/Director/Writer etc ' An Evening with my Comatose Mother'

2011-08-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

*This originally was intended to be a 3 minute interview but the film maker was so happy to discuss his film with me and kept demanding more interview time which I gave, on listening and in transcribing the interview I thought I would leave the original interview intact and by enlarge unedited as in my opinion I considered that the interview provided a great depth & insight into this short film providing many pointers for those in the industry behind and in front of the camera. Also that it would provide readers into an idea of the personality behind the whole idea, production and execution - Jonathan Martin. * Note by Interviewer Jasmina Nevada*

This short film premiered at the Hollyshorts Film Festival Friday August 12^th 10pm

-Where are you from?

Born and raised in Houston Texas, but I currently reside in Provo Utah

-What was your inspiration where did this concept for this particular short film come from?

What happened was I was asleep one night, suddenly I woke up in a cold sweat and I heard a voice, it was in a deep some might say satanic tone 'Jonathan, Jonathan - you must make a movie about my comatose mother' - I said what if I add 'an evening with' to that 'that's good enough make the movie put a clown in it put a tiny Tim make it funny make it good' (comments made in character!) (very funny)

-Having seen your screening as were aware from my response in the theater, what kind of response did you anticipate from your audience? also what kind of perception did you hope for from them?

What I always appreciate is when the audience laugh, and they are getting the joke and the fun of the film and I think by enlarge the audience bought into the fun spirit of the film. I think it is creepier than it is scary

-Was that your intention?

Yeah, I did not necessarily want to like to scare you to death, but again it depends what you are scared with? Are you scared of clowns, are you scared of old people are you scared of crippled children? I think there are all sorts of things that you know it is a little bit of a carnival of thrills in a sense and so if that stuff scares you then you might actually get scared but the intention was more to have creepy fun. It's more of a throwback to the classic horror film that I think that we have drawn away from, and it was really nice to see that the crowd really, really responded well, but to be perfectly honest we played at a lot of film festivals and every crowd that I experienced it with has loved it, really have and we have gotten fantastic responses.

-Fantastic, I am glad to hear that I am curious to know what format did you shoot the short film in and why did you choose that particular format?

We shot it in high definition we did it 16 x 9 and also shot on the Canon 5D. Honestly the reason why we shot the short on that format was because the cinematographer owned a 5D and had a whole cannon range of lenses and when I looked at the footage that he had done of his previous work I was like that was going to work great and we will touch it up here and there and we will do some things with the lighting and all that to make it even more cinematic. For my and our purposes it was what we needed you know, I am sure that we could have shot it on a Red or any of these other devices but if it cost's more money why? Well it would look just as good and all that.

-With regard to your last comment about cost are you pleased with the finished result?

As pleased as one could be I would say I am tickled like a pig in a pen

I like that response.

-How long will you be here in Los Angeles? Just for the Festival?

Yeah, through the end of the Festival then I actually fly catch a flight to DC, a red eye after the Festival is over, for another one we are up for 6 awards.

Wow! I Congratulate you on that

(at this stage the intent was to conclude the interview- however Jonathan wanted to talk some more..)

-Are you enjoying the Festival so far?

I think it is the best Festival we have been to

-How long did it take you from start to finish for this short?

From the beginning of the script, I started writing the script in late November beginning December 2009 didn't finish the draft really, got about halfway through and didn't finish the draft until January, but basically that's not your question that you are asking fully.

Basically from the very beginning of the concept, very beginning of writing was like November December and finished the film, sound design everything getting done was March 2011

-Just to clarify you are the writer and director for the movie?

Also, Producer and uncredited Art Director and I did a few things that are uncredited I even built the set with my assistant director it was just me and him

-Did you go with the original script or did you change a lot of it when you were into the practicalities of it shooting it etc..?

In the first draft we had the Tiny Tim and the clown spoke a lot more and then in the 2^nd draft I actually switched it to a headless horseman with Tiny Tim, and that would have been really cool but in the 3^rd draft we switched back and I streamlined it a bit more I wasn't too happy with the talking clown bit and so it was pretty much the same to the 1^st draft but tweaked up, I believe we had 3 drafts on the film.

-I am curious to know where did you come up with the character of the Mother? How did you develop that character?

Well as I was saying earlier the satanic voice spoke to me in the night and told me, well commanded me to make Mother come to life

-How was it casting for the role of 'Mother'?

It was pleasurable,.. so good, all the stories about the casting couch all true!

-The lead actress in it – how hard was it to find the right person that would understand the material in the way that you had written it?

Well the film has a very tongue in cheek playful tone, and I casted a girl, in fact we had a really great demand in the casting, so by the time we got to the 2^nd half of the casting just had everyone read 2 lines and have them get in and out, because there was a lot of people reading for it and she was the only one in that 2^nd half Wendy Macey who stood out in that group so I had her read a little more than others. She wasn't my favorite there were 3 that we called back, she wasn't the favorite of my 3 initially but she became kind of the obvious choice in the callback but even then we still had to work with some things as a tongue and cheek approach to things is not necessarily what you are asked to do a lot so you have to kind of understand that but I think that she did a really great job. I think that sometimes to have a very honest answer is sometimes that it doesn't work for some people, I think it is a matter of preference I think that it if you are buying into it and seeing the tongue and cheek performance and the fun that is being had, I think that you can really enjoy a performance but if that is not something that is up your alley or that you are seeing you might not fully appreciate or understand the performance and you might not like it in the end but for me I think it for me I think it is fantastic

-I have to say I enjoyed it thoroughly and you know from my laughter in the theater it was absolutely excellent

Yes like a hyena,

You kind of went for it, maybe the honey badger even

-I don't know if I am going to accept that from you, your short movie was really funny and really touched me in the heart and I expressed that so it was nice

Of course you are nothing like a hyena, truthfully, you were just having a great time I could see it

-Yes I was having a very fun time and I have to say that horror is not my best genre but I am kind of warming to it now

That's right

-Where did the development of the clown come from? The actual makeup and everything etc..

The clown is I think, not like people know, people actually think it is an actor in there, but it is an animatronix doll, there were 3 of them and obviously we did some trick photography, little tricks here and there. I gave him the perception I said really wanted to be creepy on the edge of pedophile, with this clown so I wanted to really make him creepy, you know what I mean and even give a little harlequin sense and even in his makeup on the clown doll himself has a little bit of a Geisha quality to it that I asked him to do. The actual modelling of the doll itself came out after Freddie Mercury. If you look at the credits his name is Ready Mercury

I thank you for your very informative interview!

3 minutes interview with Bailey Kobe, La Semaine Prochaine

2011-08-16T02:20:00.000-07:00

Bailey Kobe , new talent and co-worker with French artist Marc Lavoine.

La Semaine Prochaine is one of the first music video where Kobe had the challenge to experiment with boundaries , work in a good team researching for the little pleasures of daily life for a better appreciation.
The music video shows a subtle and delicate treatment on the images,shot in old Red with especial Photography effect, creating a soft atmosphere which involves the audience into the inspirational moment of the main character, where you almost feel the breeze.

-In our routine we can find certain changes in life; things as people can evolute and evolve into new experiences as well as new characters-explains Bailey .

This is the main theme which attracts Bailey looking for contrast of different aspects in life to enhance its natural beauty .

With an incoming project Ghost 's Office, a thriller/comedy, we have at Hollyshorts another selection from this young filmmaker, the commercial "Your Shape".

All the best from Hollyshorts Bailey, Vive Le France!

Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4knfD2OA6I

post by Kapneanimation

3 minute interview with Friederel Fisher, The Almost Runaways

2011-08-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

Today we had the pleasure to meet Friederel Fhisher who shared some details of Hollywood Superhero, written and directed by Jonathan Pezza.

This is the 4th work of Friederel who has been trained since very young within the world of filmmaking becoming a producer of several web & Tv shows, besides making short films to explore human reactions confronting real life versus ideals based on heroes from childhood, either real life.

Among his favorite directors Kurosawa and Kubrik; even though if his work doesn't reflect a direct influence of such directors, he is very interested in people reactions, how we argue with each other, what is behind of our daily masks, what is the story of our lives.

He focus more on the figure of female hero (heroine): protective and strong as the main character .
Hollywood Hero is a psychological drama which explores the way we create and wear masks, and the nature of true heroism, and cowardice.
Friederel is currently working on several shorts, a TV pilot and two future feature films.

Thanks for your time Friederel , we wish you all the best.

Shot on the Canon Eos 7d with a especial glow effect
Length: 13 minutes

More at http://www.hollywoodsuperhero.com/#!

Post by Kapneanimation

3 minute interview with Utku Celik – Producer & Chas Ryan Fatur Producer/Editor/ Screenplay- 'Bisqilet'

2011-08-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon, where are you guys from?

I am from Turkey.

What is the name of your movie in the Festival?

'Bisquilet' – The Bicycle

Ok, and what was the inspiration for making the film, where did the idea come from?

I am the Producer of the film,well the idea came from the Director of the film he had a bicycle with a missing tyre in his basement so he wrote that script like a few years ago and one of our Professor's asked us for a short film from us for graduation, short film without dialogue, so we made a team together and shot the film

Did you say it's a short film without dialogue?

Yes,

It's all in the expression..

Yes

Are you pleased with the finished product?

The finished version yeah actually I am more pleased with the American version it was like a 17 minutes film but Mr Chas when he brought it to the United States he decided to make a shorter film and he made it 10 minutes duration of short film. I am quite pleased about the latest version of the film.

I am happy to hear that.. and when does it premiere here at the Festival?

Premiere was today at 12pm

How long are you here from Turkey? Or do you live here?

My cousin is American and lives in Los Angeles so I am visiting him, I came a few months ago

So you came to visit your cousin and take up the opportunity with your film too..

Yes

Thank you for the interview

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

3 Minute Interview with Elizabeth Knowelden Actress/Filmmaker representing Phillipe Leone Director "A Fistful of Sandwich"

2011-08-15T16:11:00.001-07:00

-Where are you from?

I am from London but I live here in Los Angeles

-Fantastic,what is your movie?

It's called 'A Fistful of Sandwich'

-When will it be premiering at the Festival?

It's Tuesday at 730pm it's in the Action slot

-Are you the Filmmaker,the actress in the movie or a combination of both?

That's a very good question,independent of this production, I am an actress and film maker and the Director Phillipe Leone he's in London, he can't be here, and I am going to be working with him very soon in some new productions so he has asked me to represent him on his behalf.

-So you are the Ambassador for the movie?

I am the Ambassador for the film, exactly

-Could you tell me what was the inspiration for the movie and what is the movie about?

Sure, well the film itself it's a tale of everyday heroism and I guess that is his real inspiration behind it, you know,the everyday man who when pushed, when tested you never know what is lurking beneath and what strength we all have in us....so that's the inspiration

-How long will you be here in Los Angeles? Or do you live here?

I live here permanently, yes so I will be here for the whole of the Festival.

-I hope that you enjoy the rest of the Festival

Thank you every so much, likewise

Interview by Jasmina Nevada

3 Minute Interview With Roger Nelson - Writer/Producer/Director of Mother of Pearl

2011-08-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Where are you from?

Chicago, but now I live in Australia

Where did you get the concept for this film?

I wrote it for a contest. Basically its based off of my daughter and the sadness
I would have felt if I hadn't been there for her.

How did you get the funding for this film?

It was self-funded. The people who worked on the project did it for free because they loved the script. The budget was $3000.

What's next for you?

I'm working on a low budget film called Zombie Honeymoon.

His film Mother of Pearl was shown August 14th at 12 pm

Interview by Elesia Marie

3 Minutes With: DJ Markuson, Writer/Director/Producer of Santa Preys for Xmas

2011-08-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Name?
DJ Markuson

Name of Film?
Santa Preys for Xmas

What was your role in this film?
Writer/Director/Producer

Where are you from?
Originally from Buffalo, NY. But I live in LA now.

What was your inspiration?
The short is actually the first episode of my webseries at dicktheelf.com. Basically I just made a bullshit YouTube video for my friends. We thought it was funny. But people really ended up liking the script and when I shot it as a short, it turned out being way more serious.

What is your film about?
A foul mouthed elf and two detectives teaming up to destroy a zombie Santa Claus, using X-mas magic.

What time does Santa Preys for Xmas premiere at HollyShorts?
Tuesday (August 16) at 10pm.

3 Minutes With: Rodrigo Fonseca, Director/Writer/Producer of Two Lives for Antonio Espinosa

2011-08-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Name?
Rodrigo Fonseca

Where are you from?
Saõ Paulo, Brazil.

Title of Film?
Two Lives for Antonio Espinosa.

What was your role in the making of this short?
Co-Directed/Writer/Produced along with Caio D’Andria.

What is the film about?
It is a western about revenge between brothers. It was one of two thesis screenplays selected at my school, FAAP, as part of a competition to gain funding.

What was your inspiration?
Westerns are uncommon in Brazil.

When will it be screened?
Thursday at 2:30.

How long will you be in LA?
Until Friday.

3 Minutes With: John Wynn, Writer/Directer of Pillow Talk with starring actress Moniqua Plante.

2011-08-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

Name?
John Wynn

Where are you from?
Originally Virginia, but I live in LA now.

What is the title of your film?
Pillow Talk

What role did you play in the making of it?
I am the writer/director and much more.

What was your inspiration for Pillow Talk?
Relationships, in general. And a lot of coffee.

What is your film about?
It’s a sexy, action-thriller about two lovers, who have to discover what their future is going to be.

When does your film premiere at HollyShorts?
Tuesday, August 16 at 7:30pm.

How long will you be at the film festival?
All week!

3 Minutes With: Ezra J. Stanley, Writer/Director of True Love

2011-08-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Name?
Ezra J. Stanley

Where are you from?
Born and raised in San Francisco. Also raised in Belize.

What is your film called?
True Love

What was your role in the making of the film?
Writer/Director

What was the inspiration?
A broken heart (laugh). I’ve had my “Lover’s Lane” kisses at midnight in the park, etc. Always get distracted by cops or whatever. All my romances, personal and on film, are disturbed by catastrophic events!

What is your film about?
Two kids go off together in the desert of New Mexico in the 1960’s and aliens take them away. Crazy things happen!

When does True Love premiere?
Tonight at 10:00.

How long are you in town?
For the rest of the festival!

3 Minutes With: Paolo Licata, Director/Writer/Producer of The Novel

2011-08-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

What is your name and where are you from?
Paolo Licata, from Italy.

Which film is yours and how were you involved?
Directed, wrote, and produced The Novel.

What is your film about?
It is a psych thriller set in 1840's Victorian England and was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. The character suffers from writer's block and begins to spend time with a mental hospital custodian who helps him search for inspiration. It is a sort of prequel to a feature that I hope to make soon.

When will your film be showing?
Thursday in the 2:30 program.

And how long will you be staying in LA?
Until Friday the 19th.

3 Minutes With: Jhene Erwin, Co-Director/Actress/Producer/Writer of The House I Keep

2011-08-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

Name?
Jhene Erwin

Title?
I produced, wrote, co-directed and played the lead.

What is the name of your short film?
The House I Keep

Where are you from?
I ‘m from Seattle but I used to live here in LA. Originally, I’m Canadian.

What was your inspiration?
The House I Keep is a story of loss and transformation that centers around a woman’s miscarriage. I have had a personal experience with miscarriages. I had problems with my second pregnancy and began talking to other women. I learned that women who have miscarriages feel that there isn’t a voice for their experiences. I’m hoping my film gives them that voice. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation asked me to write a blog to contribute to their Still Birth series that connects to some of the stigma that exists here and in other countries about miscarriages.

What is your film about?
One woman examines the juxtaposition of the interior and exterior world of a woman going through this grief of miscarrying. The day we spend with her is actually the day she experiences hope that will lead her back to peace.

What time is your film playing?
5pm today (August 14).

How long are you in town for?
I leave early tomorrow. I have to get back for my little girl!

3 Minutes With: Ari Dassa and Scott Gleine, Makers of The Man Who Talked to His Bulb

2011-08-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

Names and Titles?
Ari Dassa- Director
Scott Gleine-Director of photography

What is the name of your short film?
The Man Who Talked to His Bulb

Where are you guys from?
Ari-I’m from here (Los Angeles).
Scott-Originally from Cleveland, but I live in LA now.

What was the inspiration for your film?
Ari-I really wanted to make a comical black and white film. This movie is about the whole writing process. It really pokes fun at the seriousness of being a writer.

What is your film about?
It is a film noir approach to the struggle of a writer’s creative process.

When does your film premiere at the HollyShorts Fest?
2:30pm today!

3 Minutes With: Jeffrey P. Nesker, Director of Apocalypse Story

2011-08-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Name?
Jeffrey P. Nesker

What is the title of your short film?
Apocalypse Story

Where are you from?
I flew in from Toronto, Canada.

What time is your short film playing?
Today at 2:30pm.

What is the inspiration for your project? What is it about?
I wanted to make two short films before I went into features. I really wanted to do a film that was mostly visual. There’s only one line of dialogue in the whole movie. Apocalypse is about a guy and a girl meeting at the end of the world and instead of working on repopulating the earth, they sort of have an awkward guy-girl sleepover. I’m a huge Sci-Fi nut and I always wanted to make a big epic.

How long are you in LA?
August 19 then I go back to Toronto and try to like it after coming to beautiful LA.

3 Minutes With: Kevin Moss, Creator of The Small Assassin

2011-08-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Name?
Kevin Moss.

What is the title of your project?
The Small Assassin

Where did you come in from?
I’m originally from Chicago but I live in LA now.

What's your short film and when does it play at HollyShorts?
Today (August 14) at 7:30pm.

What was the inspiration behind the project?
It’s based on a short story from Ray Bradbury. The film was primarily filmed in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. It is a 1950’s remake about post-partum depression with a Sci-Fi twist.

What is your film about?
Basically, a couple gives birth to their first child and they believe that the baby is plotting to kill them.

How long will you be in LA?
I will be in LA until August 22.

3 Minutes With: Matthew A. Brown, Director/Writer/Producer of "Crush"

2011-08-14T12:46:00.001-07:00

Matthew A. Brown
Director, Writer and Producer of Crush

Where did you come in from?
I flew in from New York for the festival and meetings for feature projects. I just heard that one of my features is fully funded. I'm shooting South African gangster thriller in Cape Town next year.

What's your short film and when does it play at HollyShorts?
Crush plays here today at Laemmle at 2:30pm.

What was the inspiration behind the project?
I had met the camera man on another project Bjoern Knechtel. He and I connected so well we decided to do something immediately. We have a similar sensibility and aesthetic approach. Because Bjorn and I were so happy with Crush, we ended up abandoning the other short we were going to shoot. He is shooting my first feature in South Africa.

How long will you be in LA?
I will be in LA until the 22n'd of August.

HOLLYSHORTS UNSPOOLS Inaugural Indie Film Summit

2011-07-29T14:54:00.001-07:00

The organizers of HollyShorts are announcing the inaugural HollyShorts Indie Film Summit, a week-long conference that will feature marquee panels, seminars and speaking engagements for filmmakers and industry executives. The HSFF Indie Film Summit will take place in various locations throughout Los Angeles during the 7th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival, August 11-18, 2011. The core of the panels will take place at the Mondrian Hotel and will be live streamed on www.hollyshorts.com courtesy of Dyal Productions.
#HSFF

HOLLYSHORTS TO WORLD PREMIERE EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE FROM FUGEES STAR PRAS MICHEL’S NEW DOCUMENTARY FILM ON HAITI“SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT”

2011-07-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hollywood, July 18, 2011---The organizers of HollyShorts (www.hollyshorts.com) announced today that Grammy Award-winning artist and Producer Pras Michel from The Fugees will world premiere exclusive footage from his new documentary film “SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT,” during the opening night of the HollyShorts Film Festival. The film, which is a stunning account of the Haitian election following the earthquake that ravaged the island nation features appearances and interviews from Sean Penn, Ben Stiller, Danny Glover, Wyclef Jean, Nigel Barker among others. HollyShorts opening night takes place Thursday August 11 at the Arclight Hollywood. The festival takes place in various venues throughout Hollywood August 11-18, 2011.

“SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT” was produced by Pras Michel, and directed Ben Patterson. Michel and Patterson will be on hand to showcase the clip and participate in a special Q&A with attendees.

“SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT” is a look through the election after the earthquake and also gives a historical account on Haiti, a hybrid story on the island nation.
As previously announced, HollyShorts opening night will also feature acclaimed writer Jamie Linden’s (Dear John, We Are Marshall) short film “The Envelope in the Glovebox” which he used to pitch into the star-studded feature film adaptation “Ten Year,” that stars Channing Tatum, Kate Mara, Rosario Dawson, Justin Long, Anthony Mackie, and Scott Porter. The opening night lineup also includes Jacob Chase’s short film “After-School Special” which was written by Neil Labute (In the Company of Men, Nurse Betty), and produced by Andrew Carlberg. The festival will also present Labute with a special Maverick Filmmaker Award. His short film “Sexting” will screen during the festival.
In addition, the opening night celebration will honor the award-winning production team of Kevin Chinoy and Francesca Silvestri with the inaugural HollyShorts Maverick Producer’s Award and feature a screening of their top shorts including Kristen Kiwi Smith’s “The Spleendectomy,” starring Anna Faris, Jennifer Aniston and Andrea Buchanan’s “Room 10;” Jennifer Aniston’s “Free Burma,” starring Woody Harrelson; Kate Hudson’s “Cutlass,” starring Dakota Fanning, Virgina Madsen, Kurt Russell, and Kirsten Stewart; and Sean Baker, Spencer Chinoy and Dan Milano’s hit “Greg The Bunny.”
From August 12-18, HollyShorts is showcasing 300 short form projects including short films, music videos, web series, and commercials. HollyShorts sponsor Company 3 is supplying a total of $30,000 in post production and finishing services for the winners in the Best Short Film ($10K), Best Director ($10K), Best Commercial ($5K) and Best Music Video ($5K) categories respectfully. The winners will be announced during the HollyShorts awards on August 18.
For tickets please visit www.hollyshorts.com.

Fangoria.com: Rosenthal's "HALLOWEEN II" screening at HollyShorts

2011-07-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Jul 15, 2011 In anticipation of Universal's 30th-anniversary release of Rick Rosenthal's HALLOWEEN II on Blu-ray in September (see here), the seventh annual HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood, California will host a special midnight screening of the cult classic on Friday, August 12 presented by Rosenthal and FANGORIA!

Taking place at L.A.'s Laemmle Sunset 5 (8000 Sunset Blvd), the screening will be presented by Rosenthal immediately following the HollyShorts horror shorts program. After the film, Fango's Justin Beahm will moderate a special Q&A with Rosenthal and the audience. Then, on Saturday the 13th, HollyShorts will premiere the director's new short, BLINK during its 5 p.m. short program.

The HollyShorts Fright Night short film program schedule that precedes the HALLOWEEN II showing is as follows:

AN EVENING WITH MY COMATOSE MOTHER (Jonathan Martin)
INCARNATE (Jordan Fuller)
NOWHERE ROAD (Benjamin Dynice)
NOBODY BUT HER (Phillip Jordan Brooks)
A TASTE OF LOVE (Chase Weston)
DEADER LIVING (Destin Pfaff)
MY UNDEADLY (Dave Reda)
PANIC, FEAR (John Francis Conway)
GOOD MORNING BEAUTIFUL (Todd Cobery)
HALO SEALS (Jorge Marcial)
SIN WORLD (Ches Yim)

For tickets to the HALLOWEEN II screening and Rosenthal Q&A go here. For tickets to the short film program that precedes, go here.

For more information on HollyShorts, including the full programming schedule, head here.

HOLLYSHORTS UNVEILS STAR-STUDDED LINEUP FOR 2011 FESTIVAL

2011-07-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

7th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival Takes off August 11-18 at Various Locations in Hollywood, CA

Hollywood, July 13, 2011---The organizers of HollyShorts (www.hollyshorts.com) have announced the full lineup for the 7th annual HollyShorts Film Festival, which takes place August 11-18 in various locations throughout Hollywood. Acclaimed writer Jamie Linden (Dear John, We Are Marshall) will premiere his short film “The Envelope in the Glovebox” which he used to pitch into the star-studded feature film adaptation “Ten Year,” that stars Channing Tatum, Kate Mara, Rosario Dawson, Justin Long, Anthony Mackie, and Scott Porter. “The Envelope in the Glovebox” written and directed by Linden will be featured at the HollyShorts opening night celebration at Arclight Hollywood, Thursday August 11.
Also joining Linden in the festival’s opening night celebration is Jacob Chase’s short film “After-School Special” which was written by Neil Labute (In the Company of Men, Nurse Betty), and produced by Andrew Carlberg. At HollyShorts opening night, the festival will also present Labute with a special Maverick Filmmaker Award. His short film “Sexting” will screen during the festival.
As previously announced the opening night celebration will honor the award-winning production team of Kevin Chinoy and Francesca Silvestri with the inaugural HollyShorts Maverick Producer’s Award and feature a screening of their top shorts including Kristen Kiwi Smith’s “The Spleendectomy,” starring Anna Faris, Jennifer Aniston and Andrea Buchanan’s “Room 10;” Jennifer Aniston’s “Free Burma,” starring Woody Harrelson; Kate Hudson’s “Cutlass,” starring Dakota Fanning, Virgina Madsen, Kurt Russell, and Kirsten Stewart; and Sean Baker, Spencer Chinoy and Dan Milano’s hit “Greg The Bunny.”
From August 12-18, HollyShorts is showcasing 300 short form projects including short films, music videos, web series, and commercials. HollyShorts sponsor Company 3 is supplying a total of $30,000 in post production and finishing services for the winners in the Best Short Film ($10K), Best Director ($10K), Best Commercial ($5K) and Best Music Video ($5K) categories respectfully. The winners will be announced during the HollyShorts awards on August 18.
“In our seventh year, HollyShorts has grown to become one of the top independent fest’s in the country and the biggest short film festival in Los Angeles with over 300 short form projects being showcased, a one of a kind star-studded opening night premiere at Arclight Hollywood, a week-long celebration of the top shorts from around the world, multiple industry panels, networking events, and major meet and greet opportunities,” said Daniel Sol and Theo Dumont, co-founders and co-directors of the HollyShorts Film Festival. “Along with our festival coordinator Nicole Castro, we look forward to once again bringing great shorts to Hollywood. HollyShorts is the starting block for many of the top next generation filmmakers and we can’t wait to unite everyone."
This year HollyShorts received a record 1,000 submissions with filmmakers from 36 countries submitting. The festival is showcasing a record number of films with an international array of countries represented in competition including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, UK and the US.
HollyShorts will also showcase two Oscar® winning short films Luke Matheny’s God of Love (Best Short Film, Live Action winner) and Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan’s The Lost Thing (Best Animation winner) .
This year’s in competition short films includes top talent and recognizable stars such as: Jason Ritter, Bobby Canavale (The Other Guys), Alicia Witt (Friday Night Lights), Anthony Michael Hall (The Dark Knight), Dante Basco (First Glance), Beau Bridges (Max Payne) Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker), Carla Gugino (Watchmen), David Morse (The Green Mile), Devon Gummersall (Independence Day), Ernie Hudson (Ghost Busters), Gil Bellows (Unthinkable), Hector Elizondo (Monk), Jackie Harris (Yes Man), Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), Joel Edgerton (Warrior), Rider Strong (Boy Meets World), David Dastmalchian (Sushi Girl), Jon Huertas (Castle), Robin Wright Penn (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Tom Arnold (Roseanne), Paul Ben Victor, Tom Hardy (Dark Knight Rises), Victor Rasuk (How To Make it America).
This year’s festival programs will include such genres as: Animation, Family, Horror, Drama, Thriller, Romance, Action, Experimental, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Documentary, Web Series, Commercials and Music Videos.
Advanced tickets and all access passes are now available on www.hollyshorts.com and opening night and fest all-access passes available at: http://hollyshorts2011.eventbrite.com and hollyshorts2011passes.eventbrite.com. 2011 HollyShorts sponsors include Company 3, Final Draft, Moviola, Showbiz Store and Café, SLS Hotel, Martini Crew Booking, Celebrity Suites LA and the production entertainment showcase BEATBOXLA.

View the full lineup for HollyShorts 2011 by visiting www.hollyshorts.com

2010-06-03T22:13:00.000-07:00

HollyShorts to open 2010 fest with David Arquette's 3D short film www.hollyshorts.com.

Opening night August 5, 2010
Festival August 5-12, 2010

HollyShorts interviews David Dean Bottrell, 2010 HollyShorts Judge

2010-05-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

David Dean Bottrell co-wrote the screenplay for the 2001 Fox Searchlight release KINGDOM COME. A former off-Broadway playwright and sometime TV actor, he is probably best known these days for his reoccurring role as the creepy “Lincoln Meyer” on “Boston Legal.” Over the past twelve years, he has written scripts for Fox Searchlight, MTV Films, Paramount and Disney Feature Animation among others. His first short film, AVAILABLE MEN premiered in March 2006 at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival and has since screened in over 130 film festivals, winning 17 “Best Short Film” awards. His weekly blog, PARTS AND LABOR (a serio-comic look at being middle-class in Hollywood) has quickly gained a dedicated following. www.partsandlabor.tv David just finished writing a musical for Fox Searchlight and is currently appearing in the underground sketch comedy hit, STREEP TEASE at the Bang Comedy Theater in Hollywood.

Discuss the adventure that was your short Available Men. What it was that brought you to the decision to create your own film?

The idea for "Available Men" came to me on one of the darkest days of my life. I had just gone through a major break-up. I was broke and felt like my career was basically over. Somehow, out of that despair, this idea for a little mistaken identity comedy bubbled up from my subconscious. As soon as I had the idea, I laughed out loud. I remember thinking "If this idea can make me laugh today, it must be good." So, I decided to at least try to write it.

What roles did you play in the development of the project? What were some of the unique challenges and rewards of writing/directing/producing your own film vs. writing/acting for someone else?

I had never directed anything in my life, but I'd certainly seen it done -- both beautifully and horribly. I managed to scrape together a minuscule budget and began begging favors from every human being I knew. Luckily for me, everybody liked the script and before I knew it, we were actually making the film. Directing, is on the one hand, a very fun job because you're sort of "God." Everyone is turning to you for answers and they pretty much have to do your bidding. On the other hand, it's a tremendous amount of pressure. You get hit with a lot of gnarly decisions and sometime you just have to guess. You have to act confident, even when you're not. And you can't have a meltdown. Everybody's looking to you to keep the film on track.

What impact did Available Men have on your career/life?

It totally changed my career. I had been sort of pigeon-holed after the success of KINGDOM COME and could only get work on African-American projects. Sort of ironic considering how "white" I am. The short got me a lot of attention and a new manager. I began to get jobs adapting books and for a while I was even in the running for a few directing jobs. On a personal level, it restored my confidence that I could write funny material. I had taken quite a beating in the studio system and had sort of lost my edge. The short gave it back to me. It was an invaluable lesson.

You created Available Men in 2006, in 2010 it seems more and more actors/writers/directors are looking to produce their own shorts, what advice might you have for others looking to create/promote their own short films.

Do it. That's my advice in a nutshell. A short film may not necessarily advance your career, but the process of making one is going to teach you a hell of a lot. It will sharpen your skills. When you make a short, you're the boss. If it's a mess, you can't blame anybody but yourself. Experience gives knowledge and knowledge builds confidence.

You are a judge at this year’s HollyShorts Short Film Festival, what will you be looking for in these shorts?

When I judge shorts, I pay particular attention to content. Film students often get obsessed with production value at the expense of engaging material. I personally like shorts that take the audience on a quick trip from point A to point B. That's all that's really required. I'm not fond of shorts where the filmmakers seem to be asleep at the wheel. It's fine to tell a personal story, but you've got to remember that you're making this for an audience that doesn't live inside your head. I also really admire young filmmakers who know how to edit. It's really tough to watch a one-joke movie that goes on for about ten minutes after the joke stopped being funny.

You’ve written both features and shorts - are there some less obvious differences between the short medium and the feature medium?

Features are very structured. You have to keep an audience engaged for 100 or more minutes and a layered story structure is the only way to do that. Shorts are different in that you are asking for a much smaller time commitment from them. That can free filmmakers to tell their stories in a more instinctual way.

Again, so many people look to create their own shorts for myriad reasons - what are some of the common pitfalls writers/directors/ fall into when creating shorts?

The biggest pitfall is usually the script. If writing is not your strong suit, then find somebody who can write and either let them write it for you or listen to their advice. No matter what the length or genre, all film is about story. Whatever kind of story you're telling, make sure you start it in one place and end it in another. And I'm not talking about multiple locations! Even if your film has no dialogue, there needs to be some sort of clear struggle; some movement that creates a real change in your characters. If that doesn't happen, your audience will walking out of the theater saying "What the hell was that about?" You don't want that.

What are some of the best short films you’ve seen recently and why?

Since I don't want to get into any trouble, I think I'll pass on actually naming any specific titles. I'm just glad people are making them. I advise both my acting and writing students to make shorts, just for the experience of it. Oddly enough, I just gave a friend of mine notes on his short the other day, but happily they were minor. It was actually very good. Funny, but I just wrote a column back in January about my experience (and the aftermath) of making AVAILABLE MEN. If anybody's interested, you can read it here: http://partsandlabor.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-recently-discovered-that-short-movie.html And you can watch the actual film at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og-9HYAC-mk

2010-05-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

6th HollyShorts Film Festival is star-studded Hollywood showcase

HOLLYSHORTS
FILM FESTIVAL
www.hollyshorts.com
www.withoutabox.com/login/4655
Hollywood, California - USA
August 5 to 12, 2010
In the Spotlight this week is the 6th Annual HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL (HSFF), offering prime industry exposure and a great slate of prizes in Hollywood, California.

HSFF is primed to continue the impressive momentum it has built since its first edition in 2004. With a unique tradition of exhibiting the independent short-form work of celebrities and filmmakers like David Lynch, Eli Roth, Paul Haggis, Scarlett Johansson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kirsten Dunst, Courteney Cox, Jessica Biel, David Arquette, Demi Moore, and Josh Brolin, HSFF creates a wonderful opportunity for undiscovered talent to showcase their work alongside industry heavyweights.

Filmmakers can be confident that their work is in good hands, as the HSFF jury is full of successful industry pros like Mark Fergus (Writer, CHILDREN OF MEN), Jimmy Jean-Louis (Actor, "Heroes"), Bill Purple (HOLE IN THE PAPER SKY), Jesse Terrero (SOUL PLANE), Jamie Linden (Writer, DEAR JOHN), and Maurissa Tancharoen (Writer/Actress, "Dollhouse"). The industry presence at HSFF does not escape the attention of the press, and the Festival has received favorable write-ups in The Los Angeles Times, In Style Magazine, and indieWIRE. MovieMaker even named HollyShorts one of 25 festivals "worth the entry fee."

UPCOMING DEADLINE
May 14, 2010 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 on this deadline
MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
HollyShorts is dedicated to showcasing the best and brightest films from around the globe.
MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
HSFF's 2010 prizes include over $10,000 USD in production and post-production services, including a RED ONE rental package, a post and VFX services package, studio space rentals, and more. Winning filmmakers can also look forward to distribution opportunities with HollyShorts partners, and the winner of the Best Director Award will receive a profile in H Magazine. The Arthouse Marketing Group will offer a select group of shorts the chance to be screened on 238 screens in major markets across the country. All HollyShorts filmmakers will meet and network with celebrity guests, as well as reps from the top agencies, management companies, and more.

HollyShorts 2010 will feature over 90 of the top short films, music videos, and webisodes from around the globe, along with select feature films by alumni. The 2010 star-studded Opening Night reception will take place at the world-famous Directors Guild of America Theatre in Hollywood, and screenings will take place at Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatre in Hollywood.

Plug into a high-profile network of powerful industry connections - submit your project to the HollyShorts Film Festival today!

hollyshorts 2010 call for entries announced!

2010-01-11T22:20:00.001-08:00

Extravaganza Takes Place August 5-12, 2010 in Hollywood, CA

Hollywood, CA January 6, 2010 – On the heels of the most successful HollyShorts Film Festival (www.hollyshorts.com) to date which featured participation from such stars and filmmakers as Demi Moore, Kirsten Dunst, Darren Lew, Eli Roth, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Joel Moore, and Tom Everett Scott, the organizers of the event announce today the official call for entries for the 6th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF).

Ranked by Moviemaker Magazine as “one of the top film festivals worth the entry fee,” HollyShorts will take place August 5-12, 2010 in Hollywood and feature a marquee opening night world premiere event, short film and feature film screenings as well as industry panels and exclusive receptions and parties. The announcement was made today by festival directors Daniel Sol and Theo Dumont.

Submissions can now be completed directly online by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or by submitting on Withoutabox directly at www.withoutabox.com/login/4655.

Submissions must be 30 minutes or less. Categories include Live Action, Animation, Documentary, Student, Webisode and Music Video. HollyShorts also has a discounted category for student projects. Deadlines to submit U.S. and International short films for the 2010 HollyShorts Film Festival are:

• February 19, 2010 – Early Submission deadline
• April 16, 2010 – Official deadline
• May 14, 2010 – Late deadline

Completed U.S. and international short films may be submitted and must arrive in office by February 19 for early consideration and a reduced submission fee. Complete information and eligibility requirements are available on HollyShorts.com.

Marketing
To promote this year’s HollyShorts Call For Entries, the organizers are initiating the following initiatives: HollyShorts page videos and clips on Openfilm.com; HollyShorts banner placement on leading film industry sites such as Haydenfilms.com and Moving Pictures.com; Submission discounts for participants at upcoming HollyShorts monthly screening series at the Echo Park Film Center.

The 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival took place August 6-13 at the DGA and Laemmle’s Sunset 5 Theatre in Hollywood with top honors of Best Short Film going to “La Petite Lilia,” Directed by Reda Mustafa. Mustafa took home a prize package from Clifton Production Services which included a RED ONE digital cinema package valued up to $5,000.00, while Johnny Gill took home a $10,000 cash prize for the Haydenfilms Online Film Festival contest for his short film “My Turtle's Name is Dudley.”

The submission link and complete information regarding eligibility and entry rules for the 2010 HollyShorts Film Festival are available on the HollyShorts Film Festival website at www.hollyshorts.com. Information is also available through the HollyShorts hotline at 818-760-9897 818-760-9897 , by email to staff@hollyshorts.com. For sponsorship information, please email admin@hollyshorts.com with your query.

Follow HollyShorts

Follow us on Twitter at: @hollyshorts

Follow us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marina-Del-Rey-CA/HollyShorts-Film-Festival/55505096704

Follow us on Myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/hollyshortsfilmfestival

Follow us on Openfilm at: http://www.openfilm.com/users/HollyShorts/

About HollyShorts
HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com.

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HOLLYSHORTS ON LA TALK RADIO!

2010-01-11T22:19:00.001-08:00

HollyShorts Film Festival co-founder and Director Daniel Sol was a featured in-studio guest this past weekend on LA Talk Radio's Film Courage show hosted by David Branin and Karen Worden. The insighful segment was a roundtable with fellow fess EgoFest and Festivus. Listen to the show by clicking on the photo below:

BEN LYONS TO HOST 5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS OPENING NIGHT

2009-07-27T22:43:00.000-07:00

5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS
FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION AT DGA THEATRE HOSTED BY E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION PERSONALITY AND CO-HOST OF THE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED, “AT THE MOVIES” BEN LYONS

July 28, 2009 Hollywood, CA—Ben Lyons, E! Entertainment Television personality and co-host of the nationally syndicated, “At the Movies,” will host the 5th annual HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) opening night celebration, which takes place on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at the DGA Theatre in Hollywood. NBC’s “Open House” and “1st Look” correspondent, Viviana Vigil, will be the special guest presenter. The announcement was made today by Daniel Sol, Festival Director, HollyShorts Film Festival.

“We are delighted to have Ben Lyons, one of the sharpest correspondents in the industry today hosting the HollyShorts Opening Night Celebration and can’t wait to gather the top and fastest rising talent in Hollywood all under one roof,” said festival organizers Theo Dumont and Daniel Sol.

Ben Lyons is one of the most sought after television personalities in Hollywood. At the age of 27, Ben is the resident film critic and an entertainment correspondent on E! Entertainment Television, co-host of Nickelodeon’s “My Family’s Got Guts” and co- host of televisions most popular and respected movie program, “At the Movies.” Ben is also a regular correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America.

“It is a great honor to be involved with the HollyShorts Film Festival this summer. I have always respected and admired short films and find that they are a great way to get familiar with the next generation of talented filmmakers,” said Lyons.

“HollyShorts is a place where up and comers can rub elbows with their mentors and opening night is the big kick off to a week of screenings, panels and major parties, a can’t miss opportunity for any filmmaker,” states Theo Dumont.

Ben's movie reviews and celebrity interviews are seen on “E! News”, “The Daily 10”, and E! Online as well as in his signature segment and webpage called, “The Lyons Den”. Ben is no stranger to the red carpet. He covers film festivals, award shows, film premieres, and visits movie sets with Hollywood's biggest stars for E! Entertainment Television.

5th Annual HollyShorts Opening Night at a Glance: (Thursday, August 6- DGA)

The HollyShorts Film Festival opening night celebration will feature a number of high profile short film projects shot by critically acclaimed cinematographer Darren Lew:

“Streak,” directed by Demi Moore (starring Rumer Willis and Brittany Snow)
“Welcome,” directed by Kristen Dunst (starring Winona Ryder and John Hawkes)
“Bugcrush” directed by Carter Smith (starring Josh Caras and Donald Cumming)

The festival will honor the talented Darren Lew and will also present Eli Roth (Inglorious Basterds) with the inaugural HollyShorts Indie Film Visionary Award during the festival’s opening night celebration.

The HollyShorts Opening Night celebration also marks the Hollywood Premiere of “Kidnapping Caitlynn,” a short film directed by Katherine Cunningham-Eves, starring Jason Biggs (American Pie), Julie Benz (Dexter), Rhys Coiro (Entourage) and Jenny Mollen (My Best Friend’s Girl).

The evening will also feature a special screening of the award winning DVD producer David Prior’s (Zodiac, Fight Club) horror thriller “AM 1200.”

Tickets for the HollyShorts opening night celebration are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or www.brownpapertickets.com.

Tickets for the August 7-13 HollyShorts programs at Laemmle Sunset 5 are now available and can be purchased by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or www.laemmle.com

About HollyShorts
HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced in 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com.

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HOLLYSHORTS 2009 AUGUST 6-13

2009-07-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

HOLLYSHORTS TO HONOR ELI ROTH, FEST SET TO UNVEIL 1ST TIME IN US CABIN FEVER DIRECTOR'S CUT!

2009-07-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

5th ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL KICKS OFF WITH STAR STUDDED OPENING NIGHT AT DGA THEATRE

Festival Set to Honor Eli Roth and Unveil Directors Cut of Cabin Fever for 1st Time in U.S.

Hollywood, CA—The 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival (August 6-13, 2009) kicks off on Thursday August 6 with a special opening night celebration at the DGA Theatre in Hollywood. HollyShorts will present Eli Roth (Inglorious Basterds) with the inaugural HollyShorts Indie Film Visionary Award during the festival’s opening night celebration. With the honor, HollyShorts will screen for the first time in the U.S. Roth’s Director’s cut of Cabin Fever on Friday August 7 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 during a special filmmakers showcase presented by Haydenfilms.

Fest schedule and tickets are now online visit:B SIDE.COM

The HollyShorts opening night celebration will also honor acclaimed cinematographer Darren Lew. The event will feature a showcase of three top short films that Lew has shot including:

*”Streak” Directed by Demi Moore (Bobby)
*”Welcome” Directed by Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man)
*“Bugcrush” Directed by Carter Smith (The Ruins)

Darren Lew

The HollyShorts Opening Night celebration marks the Hollywood Premiere of “Kidnapping Caitlynn,” a short film starring Jason Biggs (American Pie), Julie Benz (Dexter), Rhys Coiro (Entourage) and Jenny Mollen (My Best Friend’s Girl) Directed by Katherine Cunningham-Eves (Murdering Mamma’s Boy), all confirmed to attend and participate in a special Q&A session.

The evening will also feature a special screening of the award winning DVD producer David Prior’s (Zodiac, Fight Club) horror thriller “AM 1200.”

The opening night celebration will be hosted by Ben Lyons (E! Networks resident film critic , ABC’s “At The Movies” correspondent). NBC’s LXTV First Look correspondent Viviana Vigil will be a special presenter for the evening.

Get ready for the best and brightest short films from around the world, industry panels, Q&A’s with filmmakers and a number of high profile receptions and networking events!

Tickets are now available for the HollyShorts opening night celebration which takes place on Thursday, August 6 at the DGA Theatre on Sunset in Hollywood presented by Royalty Rope Events. The official media partner for the evening is H-Magazine (http://www.h-monthly.com).

To purchase opening night tickets, just click here: www.hollyshorts.com

5th Annual HollyShorts Schedule at a Glance (August 6-13, 2009)

• HollyShorts 2009 Opening Night Celebration (Red Carpet), Thursday August 6 DGA Theatre, 7920 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90046.

• HollyShorts Short Film Screenings, Industry Panels, Q&A’s and special receptions: August 7-9 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood, 8000 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, 90046.

• HollyShorts and Haydenfilms Showcase, $10,000 Award Presentation to Haydenfilms Film Festival online winner and US. Debut of Eli Roth’s Director’s Cut of Cabin Fever: Friday, August 7, 2009 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood.

• HollyShorts and Actor Jimmy Jean Louis’s (Heroes) Hollywood Unites for Haiti Charity VIP Celebration: Saturday, August 8, 2009 at The Kress in Hollywood Presented by Royalty Rope Events. The evening will feature a Webisode Showcase, marquee lineup from Floored and Lifted.

• HollyShorts Awards: Sunday, August 9 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood.

• HollyShorts and More: Festival winners and feature film screenings: August 10-13 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5.

• HollyShorts closing night celebration, Thursday August 13 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5.

About HollyShorts:
HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) is an annual short film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe. HollyShorts is devoted to the advancement of filmmakers through screenings, Q&A sessions and networking events. HSFF showcases the top short films produced in 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com.
###

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Press Contacts:
Erica Sardarian 818.632.2718
esardarian@gmail.com
Isandra Gonzalez 818.668.4718
isandra@22entertainment.net

Save the Dates…HollyShorts Film Festival (August 6-13, 2009)

2009-06-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

Save the Dates…HollyShorts Film Festival (August 6-13, 2009)

WHO: THE 5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Filmmakers and Stars Set To Align for HollyShorts ‘09, a week of Screenings, Industry Panels and Networking

WHAT:
• Festival kicks off with opening night celebration At the DGA Theatre in Hollywood presented by Royalty Rope Events to honor and feature 3 short films shot by acclaimed cinematographer Darren Lew:

*"Streak" Directed by Demi Moore (Mr. Brooks)

*"Welcome" Directed by Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman)

*“Bugcrush" Directed by Carter Smith (The Ruins)

*The HollyShorts Opening Night celebration also marks the Hollywood Premiere of “Kidnapping Caitlynn,” a short film starring Jason Biggs (American Pie), Julie Benz (Dexter), Rhys Coiro (Entourage) and Jenny Mollen (My Best Friend’s Girl) Directed by Katherine Cunningham-Eves (Murdering Mamma’s Boy), all confirmed to attend and participate in a special Q&A session.

• Festival to showcase over 90 of the best and brightest short films, music videos and webisodes from around the world.

WHEN: August 6-13, 2009

WHERE: A variety of high profile venues throughout Hollywood including:

• Opening Night Celebration: Thursday August 6, 2009 at the DGA Theatre in Hollywood, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

• HollyShorts Short Film Screenings, Industry Panels, Q&A’s and special receptions: August 7-9, 2009 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood, 8000 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, 90046.

• HollyShorts Red Camera Seminar Presented By Clifton Production Services: Friday August 7, 2009 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood.

• HollyShorts and HaydenFilms Film Festival Showcase: Friday, August 7, 2009 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood.

• HollyShorts Industry Panels hosted by Jamie Linden (We Are Marshall): Saturday, August 8, 2009 and Sunday, August 9, 2009.

• HollyShorts and Actor Jimmy Jean Louis’s (Heroes) Hollywood Unites for Haiti Charity VIP Celebration: Saturday, August 8, 2009 at The Kress in Hollywood Presented by Royalty Rope Events.

• HollyShorts Awards: Sunday, August 9, 2009 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood.

• HollyShorts Back lot: Festival winners and feature film screenings: August 10-13 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5.

• Hollywood premiere of acclaimed independent film Knuckle Draggers Written and Directed by Alex Ranarivelo: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood.

WHY: HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. Last year’s festival featured appearances and short films from actors Jessica Biel, David Arquette and Josh Brolin, the festival awarded legendary filmmaker David Lynch the 2008 HollyShorts Visionary Award; Oscar winner Paul Haggis with the 2008 HollyShorts Outstanding Achievement in film award and fast-rising actress Paula Garces with the 2008 HollyShorts Future Star award.

HOW: Tickets and full festival schedule: www.hollyshorts.com.

For Interviews and Press Credentials, please contact:

Erica Sardarian (erica@hollyshorts.com) 818-760-9897

Talent Submissions please contact:
Isandra Gonzalez (Isag22@gmail.com) 22 Entertainment (Talent)

2009 HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL OFFICIAL JURY
• Mark Fergus, Writer (Ironman, Children of Men, Consequence)
• Jimmy Jean-Louis, Actor (Heroes)
• Bill Purple, Writer, Director, Producer (Hole in the Paper Sky, Iron Ocean Films)
• Jesse Terrero, Writer, Director, Producer (Soul Plane, music videos for 50 Cent, Sean Paul, The Lox, G-Unit)
• Lucas Carter, The Weinstein Co. Director, Production and Development
• Larry Hankin, Writer, Actor, Director (Friends, Seinfeld)
• Peter Russell, Story Analyst (Walden (AFG) Films (The Chronicles of Narnia), and Participant Productions (An Inconvenient Truth), Imagine Films, and CBS Television Network)
• Amy Draughn, Production (Josh Brolin Productions)
• Jeff Vespa, Writer, Director, Actor (co-Founder Wireimage, Nosebleed)
• Jayme Linden, Writer (We Are Marshall, Dear John, The Dogs of Babel)
• Maurissa Tanchoreon, Writer, Actress (Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
• Jedd Whedon Writer, Composer, Actor (Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
• Arianna Jackson, Partner, Producer, Chill Entertainment (G, Confessions of a Memory Eater)
• Leah Meyerhoff, Writer, Director (Twitch, Unicorns)
• Eric Robles , Executive Producer, Creator Nickelodeon's Fanboy and Chum Chum
Stacey Parks, Stacey Parks, founder of Film Specific and author of The Insider's Guide To Independent Film Distribution
• William Olsson, Director, An American Affair

2009-05-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

HOLLYSHORTS LATE LATE DEADLINE IS JUNE 5th, FEST ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL JURY

OFFICIAL LATE LATE DEADLINE FOR HOLLYSHORTS SUBMISSIONS IS JUNE 5 ON WAB

FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL JURY OF INDUSTRY HEAVY HITTERS FOR
5TH ANNUAL EVENT

June 5 marks the official late deadline for submissions for the 5th annual HollyShorts Film Festival, so act now and submit your short! HollyShorts is accepting music videos and short films in a variety of genres including animation, live action, documentary, and for the first time ever in a partnership with actor Jimmy Jean-Louis and his non-profit organization Hollywood Unites For Haiti (HUFH), we have a webisode category which will be judged by Writer/Actress Maurissa Tanchoreon, and Writer/Composer/Actor Jedd Whedon. Murissa and Jedd are responsible for the Streamy Award Winning online phenomenon Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and are writers on Dollhouse. You can submit now by visiting:
hollyshorts.com or withoutabox.com. June 5 is the Withoutabox extended deadline.

In addition, we are glad to announce our official jury for the 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival (August 6-9, 2009). See the jury below, which features a who’s who of industry heavy hitters.

HOLLYSHORTS 2009 JURY

Mark Fergus, Writer, Ironman, Children of Men (Academy Award Nominee for Adapted Screenplay), Consequence, First Snow (Writer/Director)

Jimmy Jean-Louis, Actor (Heroes)

Bill Purple, Writer, Director, Producer (Hole in the Paper Sky, Iron Ocean Films)

Jesse Terrero, Writer, Director, Producer (Soul Plane, music videos for 50 Cent, Sean Paul, The Lox, G-Unit)

Lucas Carter, The Weinstein Co. Director, Production and Development

Peter Russell, Story Analyst (Walden (AFG) Films (The Chronicles of Narnia), and Participant Productions (An Inconvenient Truth), Imagine Films, and CBS Television Network)

Amy Draughn, Production (Josh Brolin Productions)

Jeff Vespa, Writer, Director, Actor (co-Founder Wireimage, Nosebleed)

Jamie Linden, Writer (We Are Marshall, Dear John, The Dogs of Babel)

Maurissa Tanchoreon, Writer, Actress (Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)

Jedd Whedon, Writer, Composer, Actor (Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)

Arianna Jackson, Partner, Producer, Chill Entertainment (Confessions of a Memory Eater)

Leah Meyerhoff, Writer, Director (Twitch, Unicorns)

Eric Robles, Executive Producer, Creator Nickelodeon’s Fanboy and Chum Chum

Stacey Parks, Stacey Parks, founder of Film Specific and author of The Insider’s Guide To Independent Film Distribution

William Olsson, Director, (An American Affair)

GO LEAH GO LEAH: JOHANNA BRADDY AND KYLE GALLNER TO STAR IN ‘UNICORNS’

2009-04-28T07:44:00.001-07:00

JOHANNA BRADDY TO STAR IN INDIE FEATURE ‘UNICORNS’ FROM PRODUCER HEATHER RAE
ROLE LATEST IN STRING OF PROJECTS FOR BRADDY

LOS ANGELES Johanna Braddy will star in the independent feature UNICORNS written and to be directed by HollyShorts Alumni Leah Meyerhoff and being produced by Heather Rae (FROZEN RIVER), it was announced today.

Braddy will star opposite Kyle Gallner (THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT) in the story about an awkward and eccentric teenage girl who struggles to find herself as she alternates between real and fantasy worlds.

This latest role in UNICORNS comes hot on the heels of Braddy’s recent recurring role on the pilot A MARRIAGE from Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick for CBS, a recurring role on the series SOUTHLAND from John Wells on NBC, and her nine-episode arc on GREEK for ABC Family which began airing two weeks ago.

Braddy’s other film credits include Paramount Vantage’s BROKEN BRIDGES and Sony’s SURF’S UP. In television, she has appeared on Fox’s LIE TO ME and ABC’s SAMANTHA WHO?.

Rae recently produced the much acclaimed independent film FROZEN RIVER starring Melissa Leo. She is currently producing AMERICAN TRAGIC starring America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, Melissa Leo, Ana Claudia Talancon, June Raphael and Diego Klattenhoff.

Leah Meyerhoff previously directed the critically acclaimed and Student Academy nominated short film TWITCH.

Braddy is represented by UTA and Tower 10 Entertainment.

# # #

5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL TO OPEN WITH SPOTLIGHT ON CINEMATOGRAPHER DARREN LEW

2009-03-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL, PRESENTED BY ROYALTY ROPE EVENTS, TO OPEN WITH SPOTLIGHT ON CINEMATOGRAPHER DARREN LEW

Event to Showcase Three Award-Winning Short Films Shot by Lew:
"Bugcrush" Directed by Carter Smith
"Streak" Directed by Demi Moore
"Welcome" Directed by Kirsten Dunst

Festival Takes Place August 6-9, 2009
Royalty Rope Events To Also Host HollyShorts and Actor Jimmy Jean-Louis's ("Heroes") non profit organization Hollywood Unites for Haiti's (HUFH) special VIP celebration at The Kress

HOLLYWOOD, CA March 17, 2009---The 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival (August 6-9), presented by Royalty Rope Events, will open in Hollywood on Thursday, August 6, with a special spotlight on award-winning cinematographer Darren Lew (www.darrenlew.com). The event will showcase three of Lew's most celebrated short films: "Bugcrush," directed by Carter Smith (The Ruins), "Streak," directed by Demi Moore, and "Welcome," directed by Kirsten Dunst. The announcement was made today by Festival Director Daniel Sol.

With a resume consisting of over 11 notable short films, as well as a reel of commercials for Madison Avenue's biggest brands, Darren Lew is one of Hollywood's fastest-rising cinematographers. Most recently Lew teamed with Ashton Kutcher's Katalyst Media and Myspace Celebrity to shoot a slew of famous personalities making pledges of service to President Barack Obama. Directed and produced by Demi Moore, the video featured Cameron Diaz, Eva Longoria Parker, Sean "Diddy" Combs, George Lopez, Ashlee Simpson, Courteney Cox, and Dakota Fanning, among many others, and was broadcast on the Oprah Winfrey show.

"On the heels of last year's festival, which featured the likes of David Lynch, Paul Haggis, Josh Brolin, Jessica Biel, and David Arquette, we are honored to spotlight one of Hollywood's fastest-rising cinematographers," said Sol. "Darren signifies what HollyShorts is all about.
Continues…
5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL/Page 2
He goes out of his way to give first-time filmmakers access to his services, and it's definitely time he gets recognized for his excellent work and efforts in this business."

The Darren Lew HollyShorts Opening Night Spotlight will include the following short films, photographed by Lew:

"Bugcrush," directed by Carter Smith (The Ruins) was the Sundance '06 Grand Jury Prize winner for Short Filmmaking and official selection Cannes Film Festival '06. "Bugcrush" stars Josh Caras (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2), Donald Cumming (The Favor), Eleonore Hendricks (Creative Nonfiction) and David Tennent (The House is Burning). "Bugcrush" is the story of Ben (Caras), a small-town high school loner, whose fascination with Grant (Cumming), a dangerously seductive new kid, leads him into something much more sinister than he could have ever imagined.

"Streak," directed by Demi Moore (Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Ghost, A Few Good Men). Part of Glamour Magazine's Reel Moments project, "Streak"stars Brittany Snow (Hairspray), Rumer Willis (The House Bunny), Sarah Wright (The House Bunny) and Madeline Zima (A Cinderella Story) and tells the story of a high school senior, Baylin (Snow), who's been feeling a little claustrophobic. With graduation just around the corner, she realizes she has very little in common with her so-called best friends. One day at the gym she hits it off with free-spirited Drea (Willis). Soon Baylin's new friendship takes her on a lucky streak she won't soon forget.

"Welcome," directed by Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman, Marie Antoinette, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People), also part of Glamour's Reel Moments, stars Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands), John Hawkes (American Gangster) and Lexi Jourden (Two and a Half Men). The short tells how Bill (Hawkes), Cynthia (Ryder) and their daughter Alice (Jourden) move into a new house and find themselves confronted by an unexpected occupant. However, as they decide what to do, the young family learns that sometimes, living peacefully means learning how to get along with anyone-or anything....

Darren Lew is one of Hollywood's fastest-rising cinematographers. He has worked on projects with such recognizable creative artists as photographer Annie Leibovitz, director/DP Lance Acord (Marie Antoinette), art director Fabien Baron, feature director Ben Younger (Boiler Room), documentarian Albert Maysles, and Vogue photographer Steven Meisel.

His commercial work includes clients such as Nike, Lacoste, Versace, Stella McCartney, Estee Lauder, Volkswagen, Rolex, Canon, Dr. Pepper and GMC. He served as the Director of Photography on Glen Luchford's "Dark Yellow," which took home the top prize for short films at the 2008 Jackson Hole Film Festival, Jennie Livingston's short "Who's The Top," and doc "Through The Ice," Ranier Judd's short film "Remember Back, Remember When." Lew is also in production on Kirsten Dunst's and Jacob Soboroff's new documentary, "Why Vote," which is being produced by Participant Media.
Continues…
5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL/Page 3
Lew is represented by the Endeavor Agency.

The HollyShorts opening night event will also feature several additional acclaimed short film projects and awards.
On Saturday, August 8, Royalty Rope Events will host the HollyShorts and actor Jimmy Jean-Louis's ("Heroes") non profit organization Hollywood Unites for Haiti's (HUFH) special VIP celebration at The Kress, a premiere dining and entertainment venue in Hollywood.
HollyShorts is currently accepting submissions for the 5th Annual Festival.

Filmmakers can submit now by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or by submitting on Withoutabox directly at www.withoutabox.com/login/4655. All submissions must be 30 minutes or less. Categories include Live Action, Animation, Documentary and Music Video. HollyShorts also has a discounted category for student projects. Deadlines to submit U.S. and International short films for the 2009 HollyShorts Film Festival are:

April 17, 2009 - Official deadline
May 15, 2009 - Late deadline
June 5, 2009- Withoutabox.com extended late deadline

The 4th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival took place August 7-10, 2008 in Hollywood with top honors of Best Short Film going to "Bloom" directed Lance Larson. Larson was awarded $2000 VFX package courtesy of Clifton Post for his next project. The Best Student Short honors went to David Jibladze, for his short film "Beholden." Jibladze took home a 5-day HVX-200, HD Camera rental package courtesy of Martini Crew Booking. Over $25,000 in prizes were awarded. The submission link and complete information regarding eligibility and entry rules for the 2009 HollyShorts Film Festival are available on the HollyShorts Film Festival website at www.hollyshorts.com. Information is also available through the HollyShorts hotline at 818-760-9897, by email to staff@hollyshorts.com .

For sponsorship information, please email admin@hollyshorts.com with your query.

About HollyShorts
HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com. Filmmaker news available at www.hollyshortsfilmfestival.blogspot.com.

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Contacts:
HollyShorts
Erica Sardarian (erica@hollyshorts.com) 818-760-9897
Isandra Gonzalez (Isag22@gmail.com) 22 Entertainment (Talent)

Royalty Rope Events
Sean Dubravac (Sean@RoyaltyRope.com ) 310-488-0056

The Kress
Andrea Oreckinto Feuerstein (andrea@kravetzpr.com)

INCONVENIENCE AND JAY VS. LIFE ARE VOTED IN AT HOLLYSHORTS MONTHLY SCREENINGS

2009-03-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Christopher De Maria's short film Inconvenience received the most votes at the March HollyShorts Monthly Screening Event at the Echo Park Film Center. With the win, Inconvenience and receives an automatic bid as an official selection into the 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival (August 6-9, 2009). At the February Monthly Screening Event, Greg Munion's JAY VS. LIFE received the most votes for an automatic bid.

InCONVENIENCE
Directed by Christopher De Maria (cdemaria@msn.com)
When brothers Brad and Victor, short on money and not exactly long in street smarts, decided to rob a convenience store, they didn’t count on the cash register holding only 35 bucks. But they’ve come too far to turn back. “InConvenience” is the story of why they should have!

ZOE MCLELLAN CAST AS LEAD IN CBS PILOT

2009-03-14T00:56:00.001-07:00

Congrats to HollyShorts Alumna and last year's HollyShorts Best Actress winner Zoe McLellan (Dirty Sexy Money). According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zoe has been cast and will play the lead in a CBS pilot called "A Marriage." Zoe picked up the Best Actress at last Year's HollyShorts for her role in "Person Place or Thing."

HollyShorts Monthly Screening, March 7th

2009-03-01T01:29:00.001-08:00

Our next monthly screening is March 7th @ The Echo Park Film Center, 8pm.

Hope to see you there!

Daniel
www.hollyshorts.com

HOLLYSHORTS FOUNDERS HAVE THEIR HEADS IN THE RIGHT PLACE

2009-01-31T15:50:00.000-08:00

HOLLYSHORTS FOUNDERS HAVE THEIR HEADS IN THE RIGHT PLACE
January 31st, 2009

Article from: Haydenfilms.com

Monday, January 26, 2009
HollyShorts Founders Have Their Heads in the Right Place

By Jess Novak, Haydenfilms Hollywood Corrrespondent

Founders Daniel Sol and Theo Dumont have earned significant recognition for their film festival, HollyShorts, which takes place annually in Los Angeles. By integrating independent filmmakers from all over the world and industry professionals including Josh Brolin, Jessica Biel, David Arquette and a long list of others, HollyShorts is quickly becoming the independent festival to watch.

HollyShorts offers filmmakers the opportunity to share their work with an ever-growing audience in the heart of Los Angeles. Through question and answer sessions following films, industry panels addressing important issues facing the film business, and various opportunities to mingle with other filmmakers, producers, actors and professionals, HollyShorts offers an ideal environment for up and coming filmmakers and film viewers.

“Initially we had no idea the festival would get so much attention,” explained co-founder Daniel Sol. “However, now it annually brings attention and awareness to some really incredible talent.”

Last year the event featured many world premieres among films also submitted to other festivals, including Haydenfilms own competition. The screenings offer filmmakers the chance to share their work with fellow industry professionals and general audiences on the big screen in several L.A. theaters. Since HollyShorts began in 2005, films from the United States, Poland, the U.K., Canada, Thailand and France have been featured.

Plans for this year’s festival are already finalized and submissions are being accepted. Films to be considered must be 30 minutes or less and can be submitted on HollyShorts.com or through withoutabox.com.

This year’s festival runs from August 6-9 in Hollywood and will be sponsored by Martini Crew Booking, h magazine, Moving Pictures magazine, Clifton Coast, Holiday Inn Express Hollywood, Film Specific, Dry Soda Co., Pura Casta Tequila, Showbiz Software Stores and others, many of which contribute significantly to the events’ impressive list of prizes and awards.

“Last year ShowBiz Software Store donated film software packages worth $2,000,” said Sol. “Normally people wouldn’t go out and buy these types of programs and tools, but they really should have them. They are a huge benefit.”
In addition to offering the opportunity for exposure, other software packages, coverage in magazines including Moving Pictures, complementary hotel stays, and equipment rentals offer filmmakers additional incentive to become involved in HollyShorts.

“We chose to give prizes like these out for a reason,” explained Dumont. “Rather than just giving winners cash, we give them something they can directly use and benefit from, which is exciting for young filmmakers.”

One of the most endearing qualities of the festival is its strong attempt to draw in not only professional and more experienced filmmakers, but students as well.

“Many times student films are the best submissions we receive,” said Dumont. “We showcase students every year and regularly receive films from major film schools including USC and NYU. We also offer students a discount and really encourage their participation. The more entries, the better.”

However, students aren’t the only filmmakers submitting. In fact, many professionals from another end of the experience spectrum have also become extremely involved throughout the festival’s history.

HollyShorts boasts an impressive list of professional involvement through film submissions, actors in the films and panel participants. David Lynch, Adrien Grenier, Jason Ritter, Richard Reel and Mark Fergus are just a few celebrity professionals, who have participated in the event.

“The goal of HollyShorts is to create a community,” said Sol. “We’re bringing together a variety of people involved in the film industry in a way where they can benefit each other.”

Since it began, HollyShorts has seen tremendous growth, starting with 23 short films and ending last year with 57 in competition. Last year 615 submissions were received and the anticipated goal for this year is 1,000. The festival has also garnered coverage from outlets including Access Hollywood, The Los Angeles Times, US Weekly, E! News and an impressive number of film media outlets (http://hollyshorts.com/main/press/).

HollyShorts has enjoyed so much success, that Sol and Dumont decided to begin monthly film showcases after last year’s event. The showcase offers filmmakers who just missed the festival cut, an opportunity to still share their work, network with other professionals and answer questions regarding their films.

“It’s a smaller, simpler, more intimate and casual event that really helps to spread awareness of HollyShorts and offers really good films a chance to be seen,” explained Sol. “We showcase as many as possible throughout the year in an effort to help support these independent filmmakers as much as possible.”

Having both studied and worked in the film industry in several capacities prior to beginning the festival, Sol and Dumont understand the importance of this exposure and opportunity to reach out to audiences and other professionals.

“After studying film in school I saw what I difficult process it was for students and felt like it was something we should try to help,” said Sol. “Our festival has gone so well since.”

However, the success of HollyShorts isn’t simply attributable to a smart idea and thorough execution, but also to the personal involvement of both founders.

“We are very personally involved in every aspect of HollyShorts,” said Dumont. “We really care about the event and are constantly working to make improvements so people see why they should become involved.”

HollyShorts has been making significant improvements recently including working toward a more prominent web-based technological presence, composing compilation DVDs of past festivals and working to create a better atmosphere for everyone involved.

“We really work hard to pick the very best films so we don’t over-saturate the event and so we can guarantee everyone prime times for their film to be shown,” said Sol. “We work hard to bring in credible names to the panels and try to pick timely topics that will be worthwhile and helpful for audiences.”

It is amazing what artists participating in HollyShorts can create on such small budgets and for no other reason than love of the craft. It is equally amazing how two individuals can aid others by sharing their gifts, talents and creativity for no other reason than their passion to help spread the commendable work of others.

August 6-9, 2009 guarantees to deliver the best HollyShorts to date and you are invited (http://hollyshortsfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2008/08/get-your-tickets-now-to-hollyshorts.html). Don’t miss your opportunity to experience one of the best and most promising independent film festivals happening today.

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FIRSTGLANCE AND PROJECT TWENTY1 TO HOST

2009-01-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

January 11, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nicole Greene
(610)505-3571
Nicole@projecttwenty1.com

FIRSTGLANCE AND PROJECT TWENTY1 TO HOST

"SHOW US YOUR SHORTS" SCREENING JANUARY 31ST

Philadelphia, PA – Project Twenty1, the creators of Philadelphia's largest filmmaking competition, and FirstGlance, Philadelphia's longest running independent film festival, will be co-hosting a film screening, "Show Us Your Shorts," January 31st at Marbar, located at 40th & Walnut Streets in Philadelphia. The event will be the first official event hosted by both of these festivals, and will feature an open-mic-style screening of short films provided by audience members on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Project Twenty1 Executive Producer Stephanie Yuhas sees these screenings as a great way to increase exposure for the Philadelphia film community. "We decided to make the Show Us Your Shorts event an open-mic-style screening in order to help burgeoning independent filmmakers in Philadelphia," says Yuhas. "This sort of screening will provide a larger and more diverse audience for those who might not normally have access to feedback outside of their immediate social circles."

The organizers will screen both finished works as well as works in progress up to 20 minutes in length. Films will be chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis. FirstGlance and Project Twenty1 will be offering over $300 in prizes to the Best Short of the evening consisting of all-access festival passes to both festivals in 2009, DVDs from both festivals, and additional material. "We're thrilled to offer these prizes to encourage the spirit of creativity and competition. In addition, for 'Show Us Your Shorts,' the attendee who arrives wearing the most hilarious short pants will also receive a door prize," added FirstGlance Festival Director Bill Ostroff.

This screening is set to be the first of many to be organized jointly by the two festivals. "One of the many reasons that we decided to partner is to provide more screenings around the city throughout the year as we build towards our festivals in October," says Matt Conant, Festival Director of Project Twenty1. "FirstGlance and Project Twenty1 have so many similar goals in terms of the Philadelphia film community, it only made sense to work together."

This event is free and open to the public. Films will begin screening at 7:00pm and will run approximately 2 hours.

For more information, please visit www.firstglancefilms.com, or www.projecttwenty1.com.

2008-12-26T14:49:00.001-08:00

HOllyShorts call for entries now open. thanks Dave Branin for the artwork!

2008-12-25T13:28:00.001-08:00

new holly banner by Dave Brannin.

2008-12-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

Following the most successful HollyShorts Film Festival to date, in which David Lynch and Paul Haggis were honored and shorts from Josh Brolin, Jessica Biel, and David Arquette were showcased, we are now accepting entries for the 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival. Ranked by Moviemaker Magazine as “one of the top film festivals worth the entry fee,” the 5th Annual HSFF takes place August 6-9, 2009 in Hollywood and will feature an opening night event, screenings at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 Theatres, panels, receptions, and our awards ceremony. Last year, we gave over $30,000 dollars worth of prizes to our winners. Submissions can be completed online by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or via Withoutabox at www.withoutabox.com/login/4655

HOLLYSHORTS CALL FOR ENTRIES NOW OPEN

2008-12-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Calling all filmmakers, HollyShorts is now accepting submissions for the 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival which takes place August 6-9, 2009.You can submit by clicking on our Withoutabox icon below!

The fest takes place in Hollywood with screenings at Laemmle's Sunset 5 and a major opening night premiere scheduled on Thursday, August 6.

Holly Friday

2008-12-16T17:19:00.000-08:00

HollyShorts monthly screening takes place this Friday at the Echo Park Film Center 7:30pm! Free Drinks, Q&A with the filmmakers and raffle.

HollyShorts Monthly Screening October 3rd @ Echo Park Film Center

2008-09-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

HOLLYSHORTS MONTHLY SCREENING SERIES FRIDAY OCTOBER 3 @ ECHO PARK FILM CENTER!
April 20th, 2008

Festival's Acclaimed Short Film Showcase Returns This Week

On the heels of the successful star-studded 4th annual HollyShorts Film Festival, which took place this past August, HollyShorts is back with a new installment of the festival's acclaimed monthly screening series this Friday, October 3rd at the Echo Park Film Center in Los Angeles. Join us as we prepare for the January 2009 Call For Entries for the 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival. This Friday, we are celebrating 5 top notch short films with the directors/producers and talent on hand to discuss their projects and the state of the industry in the October installment of the monthly screening series.
Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Doors open at 7:30 pm, screening begins at 8pm, event ends at 11pm. Q&A session, raffle, and reception to follow screening. Free Wine, Beer---soda courtesy of our sponsor Dry Soda co. and tequila from our sponsor Pura Casta. The Echo Park Film Center is located at 1200 N. Alvarado Street (@ Sunset Blvd) Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Also, we will be raffling off tickets to the ELEVATE Film Festival which takes place Oct. 5th!
To RSVP: staff@hollyshorts.com.

Friday's lineup includes the following shorts:

BEATS PER MINUTE

"BEATS PER MINUTE" Directed by Andrea Ball (andrea@beatsperminutefilm.com). Through very lovable and entertaining choreography, an incredibly talented French street dancer leaves Europe with a one-way ticket to Hollywood to show the world a style of dance they've never seen before. But in order to reach his dreams of becoming a professional break-dancer he must first confront his past and learn to control his fate.

PIGEONHOLE

"Pigeonhole" Directed by Nicole Tanzabel (ntanzabel@gmail.com). An elderly man lives alone in a high-rise council flat - boxed in and detached from the world below. Nobody visits him; he has only his TV for company. He never leaves his flat; he never needs to due to his unique system of self-sufficiency: using a booby-trapped birdhouse placed on his window sill he catches pigeons, roasts and eats them. Until one day he captures a dove...

SLEEPER

"SLEEPER" Directed by Philippe Casseus (casseus@gmail.com).
(Final Cut) Simeon wakes up in a coma with no idea how long he's been sleeping. The sound of Noelle's voice reaches him, urging him to wake. But Simeon's ego has other plans for his id.

THE STAIN ON THE SIDEWALK

"THE STAIN ON THE SIDEWALK" Directed by Adam Schlachter (adimafilm@hotmail.com). Andy, a high school freshman, secretly longs for Vanessa, the beautiful girlfriend of the neighborhood bully. In a fumbling, yet poetic exercise, he searches for the right words to declare his love for her, hoping she notices him. But ultimately, Andy discovers that actions may speak much louder than words.

VAMONOS

"VAMONOS" Directed by Maurice Compte, written by Marina Valle (holamarinavalle@hotmail.com). Marisol and Manny are weary travellers looking for a quick bite to eat. Little do they know how their pit stop will change their lives.

INDUSTRY NEWS

HOLLYSHORTS ANNOUNCES DATES FOR 5TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL
That's right, the 5th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival will take place August 6-9, 2009 in Hollywood. A great portion of the screenings program will once again take place at Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatre! Stay tuned for details on the opening night extravaganza, which will take place on Thursday, August 6, 2009. Details on the January Call For Entries are also forthcoming.

4TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS DRAWS RECORD NUMBER OF MEDIA ATTENTION
The 4th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival drew over $1.8 million worth of media impressions with national broadcast and print press coverage in outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, Variety, US Weekly, Life and Style, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, E! News, Reelzchannel and much more. Check out the coverage by visiting http://hollyshorts.com/main/press/.

GOOOOOO ELEVATE!

Come experience the world's fastest growing global filmmaking competition
and awards show of its kind, ELEVATE, at the 7100 seat Nokia Theatre L.A.
Live on October 5th celebrating this year's theme "All Tribes Unite"! The
first ever filmmaking competition that challenges the international film
community to create works of social and global importance will premiere in
one star-studded event with judges including producers Michel Shane, A.
Kitman Ho and Martha De Laurentiis. With music videos from Black Eyed Peas' Apl and Grammy Award winning Keb Mo.
ELEVATE will bring together twenty professional filmmakers from around the
globe who will compete in the categories of documentary, music video,
narrative and commercial. The catch? They only have 7 days to complete the
mission! ELEVATE Film Festival is a night of cutting-edge cinema devoted to
stimulating positive change-a show so priceless it's FREE! Free general
admission tickets available the day of the show on a first come-first save
basis. Premium tickets can be purchased through ticketmaster for $35.
For more information please visit: elevatefilmfestival.com.

About HollyShorts

HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) is an annual film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe. HollyShorts is devoted to the advancement filmmakers through screenings, Q&A sessions and networking events. The HollyShorts Film Festival showcases the top short films produced 30-minutes or less. For sponsorship queries, please email us at staff@hollyshorts.com.

To submit to our Monthly Screenings (Rolling Submissions for $10), email: admin@hollyshorts.com.

Filmmaker behind the scenes news at: www.hollyshortsfilmfestival.blogspot.com
About EchoParkFilmCenter

Echo Park Film Center is a volunteer-run, non-profit media arts organization located in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. We provide equal and affordable access to film/video education and resources via:

a community microcinema and meeting space
free and nominal cost media arts education programs
a comprehensive small format film equipment and service department
a touring film festival showcasing local established and student filmmakers
For more information, visit: www.echoparkfilmcenter.org.

Short Film Starring HERO THE GREAT Producer Tracy Perez to screen at LA Int'l Latino Film Fest

2008-09-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

St. Paul will screen at the LA Int'l Latino Film Festival on Monday Sept. 15th at 5:30pm at the Egyptian.

Paul Ramirez, a senior in college wears his atheism on his sleeve like an intellectual badge of courage. In fact, he preaches the word of doubt to all that will listen. He has had a particularly cogent influence on his girlfriend Samantha. When Samantha's mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer she is, as one would expect, devastated. Paul desperately searches for something, anything that will make her feel even just a little bit better, but to his horror he quickly realizes that her conversion to atheism has stripped her of the ability to comfort herself through a belief in the afterlife. Soon after, Paul begins wrestling with the growing suspicion that maybe, just maybe, God is punishing him for his sins.

To watch trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_ZAD-2U5Z4

BACA RECEIVES LATINA ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

2008-09-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

HollyShorts Filmmaker Shawna Baca picked up the Latina Entrepreneur Award at the
Latina Symposium last week.

HOLLYSHORTS FILMS TO PLAY AT GREEK FILM FEST

2008-09-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

A selection of HollyShorts Short films will play at the upcoming AZA Digital Cinema Festival in Greece.
In addition to HollyShorts films, check out the other fests represented:
basque cinema
romanian cinema
shorts by: polanski, kieslowski, zanussi
britfilms & coffeeshorts from u.k.
special experimental/video art (poland,brazil,france)
pocket films from Forum des Images, france

HollyShorts Opening Night Photos

2008-09-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

4th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival opening night. Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood.

HollyShorts Opening Night Segment

2008-08-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES TIMES: HollyShorts Festival: At the Egyptian, every minute counts.

2008-08-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Times

Screening Room
HollyShorts Festival: At the Egyptian, every minute counts.
By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 7, 2008
The 4th Annual Holly- Shorts Festival kicks off this evening at the Egyptian Theatre with Josh Brolin's "X"; Bill Purple's "Hole in the Paper Sky" starring Jessica Biel; Jeff Vespa's "Nosebleed" starring David Arquette; and Alex Ferrari's "Red Princess Blues Animated: The Book of Violence." Friday features a music video celebration at the Nacional in Hollywood. It all then moves to the Laemmle Sunset 5 on Saturday and Sunday where 50 short films will be screened. www.hollyshorts.com

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences examines the sound and the music of animated films with "The Sound Behind the Image II: Now Hear This!" presentation Friday at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Sound designer and rerecording mixer Mark Mangini hosts the exploration of sound and the role it plays in animation.

Sunday at the academy's Linwood Dunn Theater, Oscar-nominated composer Michael Giacchino ("Ratatouille") hosts "Normand Roger and the Animation Soundtrack." Roger has scored 13 animated shorts, including six Oscar winners. Also taking part will be Oscar-winning animator Frédéric Back in conjunction with the opening night of the exhibition "Frédéric Back: A Life's Drawings" in the Linwood Dunn lobby. www.oscars.org

During the 1950s and early '60s, director Richard Quine made a series of sharp comedies, films noir and dramas at Columbia -- several with his then-girlfriend Kim Novak. And the Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosts a retrospective that kicks off Friday with 1954's gritty "Pushover," with Fred MacMurray and Novak in her film debut, and "Drive a Crooked Road," penned by Blake Edwards and starring Mickey Rooney. On tap for Saturday is the evocative 1960 melodrama "Strangers When We Meet" with Novak and Kirk Douglas as illicit lovers, and the 1956 comedy "The Solid Gold Cadillac" with Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas. www.lacma.org

The American Cinematheque presents the U.S. premiere Sunday at the Egyptian Theatre of the new animated "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." A benefit for the Cinematheque, director Dave Filoni and producer Catherine Winder will attend.

Tuesday, the Cinematheque honors the late composer Peter Ivers and the release of his biography with a restored print of David Lynch's seminal 1977 "Eraserhead," for which Ivers wrote the song "In Heaven." A discussion with Josh Frank, author of "In Heaven Everything Is Fine," will follow. www.

susan.king@latimes.com

ANGELENO MAGAZINE: LONG AND SHORT OF IT

2008-08-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

Angeleno Magazine The Long and Short of It
The HollyShorts Film Festival started in a tiny, hole-in-the wall theatre in Hollywood four years ago with just 23 films on the roster, but this month, it moves to the Egyptian with more than 70 domestic and international entries. Founded by industry insiders Daniel sol and Theo Dumont (who work, respectively, in distribution at Lionsgate and public relations at MGM), the festival is now gunning to be L.A.’s own Sundance with big names and big independent spirit. Josh Brolin is making his directorial debut with X, a film starring his daughter, eden. David Arquette also stars in an opening-night film, and even Jessica Biel gets in on the action, as both star and producer for a flick called Hole in the Paper Sky. The founding duo---who were basketball teammates while attending high school in Miami---additionally host monthly screenings at the echo Park Film Center, where “higher-ranked entries that don’t make the cut for the festival have the option of screening,” says Dumont. That means the HollyShorts community is a year-round platform and not just a one-off summer celebration. August 7-10. Fri-Sun., times vary. Tickets $10. At the Egyptian theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood and the Laemmle Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd. , West Hollywood. www.hollyshorts.com ---Alexis Johnson

HOLLYSHORTS TO HONOR DAVID LYNCH, PAUL HAGGIS AND ACTRESS PAULA GARCES

2008-08-06T13:34:00.001-07:00

HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL TO HONOR DAVID LYNCH, PAUL HAGGIS AND ACTRESS PAULA GARCES AT OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION EVENT

LOS ANGELES August 7, 2008--- The organizers of HollyShorts announced today three special awards that will be presented at the 4th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival opening night celebration, which takes place on Thursday, August 7. Creative mastermind David Lynch (Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive) will be honored with the 2008 HollyShorts Visionary Award. Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis (Crash, In the Valley of Elah) will be honored with the 2008 HollyShorts Outstanding Achievement in Film Award and actress Paula Garces (Harold and Kumar, “Knight Rider”) will be honored with the 2008 HollyShorts Future Star Award.

The awards will be presented during the festivals special opening night celebration which takes place at Egyptian theatre in Hollywood in conjunction with the American Cinematheque. The HollyShorts Film Festival opening night celebration begins at 8pm and will be hosted by Jill Simonian, correspondent “Dailies” for ReelzChannel. The event will feature a number of high profile short film projects including "Hole in the Paper Sky," produced by and starring Jessica Biel and directed by Bill Purple, "Nosebleed," starring David Arquette and directed by Jeff Vespa, as well as the Hollywood premiere of actor Josh Brolin's short film "X." HollyShorts opening night will also feature “Verboten” by Martin Keegan, “The Outlaw Emmett Deemus” by Stephan S. Fleet and “ Red Princess Blues Animated: The Book of Violence” by Dan Cregan.

In addition to Lynch’s Visionary Award for his dedication to craft and the art of filmmaking, HollyShorts is partnering with The David Lynch Foundation to launch The HollyShorts David Lynch Foundation Student Short film competition. The contest, which launches in January will call for high school and college short film short films 15 minutes and under, which will be selected and screened during the 2009 HollyShorts Film Festival. A portion of the proceeds will go to The David Lynch Foundation. In the past year, the Foundation has provided millions of dollars for thousands of students, teachers, and parents to learn to meditate. The Foundation also provides funds for independent research institutions to assess the effects of the program on creativity, intelligence, brain functioning, academic performance, ADHD and other learning disorders, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

Paul Haggis is the recipient of the 2008 HollyShorts Outstanding Achievement in Film Award for transcending a dream into one of the most compelling and successful careers in Hollywood. Paula Garces is a fast rising actress in Hollywood. With starring roles in the Harold and Kumar franchise, she will next make her appearance on NBC’s upcoming series “Knight Rider.” She will be presented the 2008 Future Star Award by the late legendary filmmaker Stanley Kramer’s wife Karen Sharpe-Kramer and her daughter actress Katharine "Kat" Kramer.

HollyShorts has several events taking place in the Hollywood area during the 4th Annual Festival. On Friday, August 8 there will be 11 music videos in competiation during the festival’s inaugural music video celebration at Nacional in Hollywood. August 9-10 will feature 50 short films in competition during special screenings at Laemmle's Sunset 5 theatres 10:15am-7:30pm

Tickets for the HollyShorts opening night celebration are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Fandango at www.fandango.com or the American Cinematheque website at www.americancinematheque.com.

About HollyShorts
HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com.

Get Your Tickets now to HollyShorts

2008-08-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

The regular HollyShorts website is experiencing technical issues due to the high volume of viewership. You can purchase tickets for the Saturday and Sunday screenings at Laemmle's Sunset 5 by clicking on the following:

BACKSTAGE WEST: HOLLYSHORTS TO SHOWCASE NEW FILMMAKERS, BROLIN

2008-08-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

Backstage West
HollyShorts to Showcase New Filmmakers, Brolin
August 06, 2008
By Robert C. Nicolais
In four years, Daniel Sol and Theo Dumont have seen the HollyShorts Film Festival they co-founded grow from a one-day screening to a four-day film festival attended by some of Hollywood's top stars. Now they hope to give a similar boost to the directors, producers, and actors who will showcase their work at the fest Aug. 7-10, at Hollywood's Egyptian Theatre and Nacional nightclub, as well as Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatres in West Hollywood.

"The festival is a great platform for indie filmmakers to get their work out there and advance their careers," said Dumont, producer of the event that features some of the best films under 30 minutes from around the globe. "These are up-and-comers, and we want to give them the exposure they deserve. Los Angeles is the hub of the acting and filmmaking world, so why not have a short-film festival out here? We can bring in local people, and they can network and work together afterwards. That was our goal from the start." HollyShorts will also help educate new filmmakers with panels Aug. 9 and 10 that will explore the creative and business aspects of filmmaking.

However, not all the actor-filmmakers participating in HollyShorts are unknowns. SAG Award winner Josh Brolin will premiere his directorial debut, X, on the fest's opening night. Brolin's film will screen alongside Hole in the Paper Sky, directed by Bill Purple and starring Jessica Biel, and Nosebleed, directed by Jeff Vespa and starring David Arquette.

"With shorts, more than anything you want to see what people can do with 20 minutes," Brolin said. "It says a lot about them. I'm looking forward to all the films. I'm nervous about mine, but I'm excited for the festival."

Like many of us, Brolin scours sites such as YouTube and FunnyOrDie, which have made short films more popular than ever. "You find a lot of filmmakers online that you usually wouldn't come across," he said. "It makes it a lot easier to put together a story and not have to spend a lot of money. I think it's positive because people get a chance to manifest something creative."

Dumont believes that the Web gives filmmakers the opportunity to be creative and possibly make a career out of online shorts. "The Internet allows filmmakers and actors to build a fan base, audience, and network for free," he said. "Blogs and websites help aid actor's résumés, add a revenue stream, and build a platform for a feature film. You can put a movie online, come up with a marketing campaign for it, and eventually make a living off of it. Sites like YouTube have created all of those opportunities for filmmakers and actors."

Paying Homage

HollyShorts will also honor two iconic directors on its opening night: Writer-director Paul Haggis will receive the HollyShorts Outstanding Achievement in Film Award, and David Lynch will be awarded the HollyShorts Visionary Award. The fest will introduce a new award titled the HollyShorts David Lynch Foundation Student Short Film Award next year.

Another awards ceremony for the participating filmmakers will close the festival Aug. 10. "Last year we gave out awards for best actor and actress along with awards recognizing achievements in editing, direction, and cinematography," said fest director Sol. "We expect to give out even more awards this time around."

Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatres are located at 8000 Sunset Blvd.,West Hollywood, Calif. The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. Passes for the fourth annual HollyShorts Film Festival are $20-$40. Tickets for individual short-film program — including opening night — are $10. To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.hollyshorts.com.

THE ENTIRE WORLD IS ON THE VERGE OF KNOWING FILM TALENT OF FOUR YOUNG MEN

2008-07-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

El Siglo De Torreon (Mexico)

The entire world is on the verge of knowing the film talent of four young talented men.

Anwar "Duck" Safa, Rodrigo Oviedo, Federico Gutiérrez Schott and Adolfo Franco creators of the project Terregal Films, are busy with the short films that carried out in 2007 which will be exhibited in various festivals on a worldwide basis. Their hard work, combined with the dedication that they put forward with their respective works is already giving fruits to their labor. This also stands with a grand achievement for the Region of Lagunera and the state of Coahuila.
With the idea for the State to be recognized inside the National film industry and International culture, Terregal Films in conjunction with Governor Humberto Moreira, had the opportunity to write the short film Verano 79, En Pos De Dios, Vroom! Vroom! and La Gordiranfla which have had the honor to be selected to be a part of diverse festivals in the states and abroad. The tour started the fifth of this month. The films participated in the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Shorts Film Corner.
This month of July, En Pos De Dios, of Adolfo Franco, and La Gordiranfla, of "Duck" Safa, will be seen in the most important event of short films, of Latin America, and the third in the planet, Expresión en Corto (Expression in a Short) This will take place from the 18th to the 27th in San Miguel of Allende and in city of Guanajuato.
In turn Vroom! Vroom! of Federico Gutiérrez Schott, Summer 79 of Rodrigo Oviedo and La Gordiranfla will form part of the Latin American Festival that will hosted by HBO in New York City.
In the interim, from the 7th to 10th of August they will be in Hollywood, California with their films Verano 79 and La Gordiranfla participating in The HollyShorts Film Festival.
They will also be participating in The International Festival of Movies of Monterrey to be carried out in North Sultana from the 15th to 23rd of August. After a difficult selection process from more than 650 films from the five continents, En Pos De Dios and La Gordiranfla were selected to be included in DC Shorts Films in the city of Washington, the second week of September, emphasizing on very good criticisms toward the work of these four talented men.
Safa, Oviedo, Gutiérrez Schott and Franco do not plan on sleeping on their triumphs, on the contrary, they will continue to work hard so that their films continue to be highlighted in festivals of the Mexican Republic and other countries.

REELZCHANNEL'S® "DAILIES" ON-AIR TALENT JILL SIMONIAN TO HOST 4TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION AT EGYPTIAN THEATRE

2008-07-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

July 22, 2008 Hollywood, CA- Jill Simonian from "Dailies" on ReelzChannel®
the only cable/satellite network and website dedicated to "Everything About Movies, 24/7™," will host the 4th annual HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) opening night celebration which takes place on Thursday, August 7, 2008 at the Egyptian theatre in Hollywood in conjunction with the American Cinematheque. The announcement was made today by Daniel Sol, Festival Director, HollyShorts Film Festival.

The HollyShorts Film Festival opening night celebration will feature a number of high profile short film projects including "Hole in the Paper Sky," produced by and starring Jessica Biel and directed by Bill Purple, "Nosebleed," starring David Arquette and directed by Jeff Vespa, as well as the Hollywood premiere of actor Josh Brolin's short film "X." Tickets for the HollyShorts opening night celebration are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Fandango at www.fandango.com or the American Cinematheque website at www.americancinematheque.com.

A former Miss Hollywood (Miss America Organization), Simonian is known for her movie coverage on "Dailies," ReelzChannel's® signature daily movie news and information program. Simonian has conducted a number of insightful interviews with today's biggest stars in Hollywood including Sarah Jessica Parker, Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, Steve Carell, and Nicole Kidman.

ReelzChannel® features entertaining original programs that offer a fresh perspective on the movies, from behind-the-scenes to what to see tonight. The network covers movies wherever they are playing - in theaters, on DVD, VOD, and premium channels. In addition to cable carriage in markets across the country, ReelzChannel® is carried via
satellite on DIRECTV (Channel 238) and DISH Network (Channel 299), and is currently reaching more than 35 million homes nationwide. ReelzChannel® also operates the website www.reelzchannel.com, which offers deeper coverage of the movies, and information on all the latest movies available at home and in theaters.

In addition, the HollyShorts opening night celebration will also feature "Red Princess Blues Animated: The Book of Violence" Directed by Dan Cregan, Written and Produced by Alex Ferrari with voice by Paula Garces ("Harold & Kumar"), "The Outlaw Emmett Deemus" Directed by Stephan S. Fleet, Written by and starring Larry Hankin ("Friends," "Seinfeld") and Director Martin Keegan's Award-winning short film "Verboten."

2008 HollyShorts Film Festival Schedule

* HollyShorts Film Festival Opening Night Celebration, Thursday, August 7, 2008 Egyptian Theatre in conjunction with The American Cinematheque 8-11pm

* Inaugural HollyShorts Music Video Celebration and Competition Friday, August 8, 2008 Nacional in Hollywood 8-11pm

* HollyShorts Film Festival Screenings August 9-10, 2008 Screenings take place at Laemmle's Sunset 5 theatres 10:15am-7:30pm

About Jill Simonian
Since joining ReelzChannel® in January 2007, Simonian has interviewed hundreds of industry legends, A-listers and newcomers alike. In addition to covering red carpets and one-on-one interviews, her personality-driven feature stories have included learning what it takes to become a 'believable' movie cowboy, discovering the secrets underneath Sony Pictures' famous Stage 15, and exploring the reasons as to why there is a shortage of female action stars on the big screen. A cum laude graduate of UCLA's Communication Studies program, Jill began working in television in 2005 with KTLA's The Audition, a live, month-long nationwide contest to find the station's next Weathercaster. She became the Viewer's Choice winner (garnering over 11,000 online votes) yet finished as the 1st Runner-up. The following year she served as a Feature Reporter for KTLA's Morning Show. Previous noteworthies include singing the National Anthem at LA Lakers and Dodgers games, winning a UCLA Carol Burnett Musical Theatre Award and motivational speaking for Southern California high schools (for Monster.com's national program 'Making It Count'). She is a former Miss Hollywood and Miss Southland, and was once 2nd Runner-Up to Miss California (Miss America Pageant). Simonian is based in Los Angeles.

Tickets for the August 9-10 HollyShorts programs at Laemmle Sunset 5 are now available and can be purchased by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or www.laemmle.com. Complete schedule with the official selections, details on the selected films and special festival passes available on www.hollyshorts.com.

###

About HollyShorts

HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com.

HollyShorts '06 Official Selection Producer Perrin Chiles Nominated for an Emmy!

2008-07-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Perrin Chiles, Producer of HollyShorts 2006 official selection The Locrian Mode. Chiles' gripping documentary "Autism: The Musical," has been nominated for an Emmy in the category of Outstanding Nonfiction Special.

Autism: The Musical • HBO • Bunim-Murray Productions and In Effect Films in association with HBO Documentary Films
Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
Janet Grillo, Executive Producer
Kristen Stills, Executive Producer
Nancy Abraham, Senior Producer
Perrin Chiles, Producer
Tricia Regan, Producer
Sasha Alpert, Producer

SHORT FILMS STARRING JESSICA BIEL AND DAVID ARQUETTE HEADLINE 4TH ANNUAL HOLLYSHORTS OPENING NIGHT EVENT

2008-07-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

HollyShorts Unveils Lineup for 2008 Film Festival
Event Takes Place August 7-10 in Hollywood, CA

July 11, 2008 Hollywood, CA—The 4th annual HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) kicks off on Thursday, August 7, 2008 with a marquee opening night celebration featuring a number of high profile short film projects. The opening night event, which takes place at the Egyptian Theatre in conjunction with the American Cinematheque, will feature director Bill Purple’s short film “Hole in the Paper Sky,” which stars Jessica Biel (“I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”), and Gary Marshall (“The Other Sister”); Wireimage co-founder Jeff Vespa’s short “Nosebleed,” which stars David Arquette (“Scream”) and director Alex Ferrari’s short film “Red Princess Blues Animated: The Book of Violence” voiced by Paula Garces (“Harold & Kumar”). The event will also showcase the Hollywood premiere of actor Josh Brolin’s (“No Country For Old Men,” “American Gangster) short film “X.”

The HollyShorts opening night celebration will also feature the Hollywood premiere of actor Larry Hankin’s (“Friends”) short film “The Outlaw Emmett Deemus” and director/radio personality Marty Keegan’s Award-winning short film “Verboten.”

Friday, August 8, will mark the festival’s inaugural HollyShorts Music Video celebration, showcasing clips from some of the world’s fastest rising new music video directors at Nacional in Hollywood.

The film festival core screenings and industry panels take place at Laemmle Sunset 5 theatres Saturday, August 9 and Sunday, August 10.

“We are stepping up our Hollywood presence in a major way this year with a marquee opening night celebration in conjunction with the American Cinematheque, a new music video category and an official a lineup of high profile short films,” said HollyShorts Film Festival director and co-founder Daniel Sol. “With networking events, super-panels and after-parties accompanying our strong lineup, we look forward to providing filmmakers, movie enthusiasts and industry executives a platform to unite, do business and have a great time!”

Recently Ranked as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Top 25 Film Festivals worth the entry fee, HollyShorts received over 650 submission from 25 countries for the 2008 edition of the HollyShorts Film Festival, a festival record. Along with a strong domestic presence, the 4th annual HollyShorts Film Festival will feature a slew of shorts from the international community, with 11 countries represented.

Vying for the Best Student Short Film Award, HollyShorts has selected student projects from: Cal State Northridge, UCLA, USC, Chapman Film School, Savannah College of Art and Design, Binghamton State University of New York, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York Film Academy, AFI, and Temple. The Best Student Short Film Award will win a 5-day HVX-200, HD Camera rental package from festival sponsor Martini Crew Booking.

Tickets for the August 7, 2008 HollyShorts opening night celebration on go on sale on July 21 and can be purchased on HollyShorts.com or through the American Cinematheque at Fandango.com. Tickets for the August 9-10 HollyShorts programs at Laemmle Sunset 5 are now available and can be purchased by visiting www.hollyshorts.com or www.laemmle.com. Complete schedule with the official selections, details on the selected films and special festival passes available on www.hollyshorts.com.

NEXT FLOOR WINS TOP SHORTS PRIZE IN CANNES

2008-05-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Canadian short film wins Cannes prize
Canwest News Service

CANNES, France - Next Floor, an 11-minute Canadian film about gluttony, has won the grand prize for short movies at the Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Next Floor was filmed in an abandoned Montreal factory that was being demolished, and shows a group of diners eating piles of food - everything from rhinoceros to deer - before crashing through to the floor below.

Villeneuve (Maelstrom) shot the movie while taking a break from editing his new feature Polytechnique, about the 1989 Montreal massacre.

The Cannes award is given by the French TV network Canal+, which acquires the right to broadcast Next Floor. Villeneuve wins 6,000 Euros (about $9,000) to shoot his next project.

TRIBEC SHORT FILM WINNERS ANNOUNCED

2008-05-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

Tribeca has announced their short film winners...

Best Narrative Short: New Boy, directed by Steph Green.

Best Documentary Short: Mandatory Service, directed by Jessica Habie.

Student Visionary Award: Elephant Garden, directed by Sasie Sealy.

MAJOR HOLLYSHORTS NETWORKING EVENT COMING UP

2008-05-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

HOLLYSHORTS Film Festival will be hosting a major networking event in May, stay tuned for details. This event will take place before the next installment of the Monthly Screening Series, free drinks, free food!

CANNES FILM FEST SHORTS IN COMPETITION

2008-05-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Cannes Film fest kicks off in a couple of weeks. Check out the short films in competition...

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
JERRYCAN by Julius AVERY
13m

EL DESEO (The Desire)by Marie BENITO
13m

MEGATRON by MARIAN CRISAN
14m

411-Z by Dániel ERDÉLYI
7m

EN MOINS by Mélanie LAURENT DE MOINS
7m

MY RABIT HOPPY by Anthony LUCAS
3m

BUEN VIAJE(Good Trip)by Javier PALLEIRO, Guillermo
ROCAMORA
12m

SMÁFUGLAR(2 Birds)by Rúnar RÚNARSSON
15m

LOVE YOU MORE by Sam TAYLOR-WOOD
15m

HOLLYSHORTS WITHOUTABOX SPOTLIGHT

2008-05-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

Check out the Holly WAB spotlight...tell everyone you know and submit now!

HOLLYSHORTS
FILM FESTIVAL
Hollywood, California - USA
August 7 to 10, 2008

Dear Distributionlab,

In the Spotlight this week is the 4th Annual HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL. Recently selected by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the "25 film festivals worth the entry fee," HollyShorts presents exceptional short films from around the globe for audiences full of industry influencers and executives in the heart of Hollywood.

Boasting star-studded events, industry attendance, and a history of excellent programming, HollyShorts is ripe with opportunity. Attending filmmakers can walk away with agency meetings, distribution deals, over $40,000 in cash as well as in-kind prizes from industry sponsors, and press coverage from major outlets. Selected films will even be invited to tour to destinations around the world including New York, Greece, and the United Kingdom.

HollyShorts 2008 will kick off with the Hollywood premiere of X, by Actor/Director Josh Brolin of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, at the famed Egyptian Theatre (in conjunction with the American Cinematheque), with weekend screenings at the Laemmle Sunset 5. The Festival is packed with parties, panels, and networking opps, and concludes with the HollyShorts Awards ceremony, where winning filmmakers receive top honors.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
May 16, 2008 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 off this deadline.

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
HollyShorts Film Festival is an annual short film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films of 30 minutes or less from around the globe.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Recent HollyShorts alumni include "Entourage" star Adrian Grenier, who screened his short film EUTHENASIA at the 2007 Festival; Michael Attardi (ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS VILLAGE) was shortlisted for the Academy Awards, and is now working on a feature film; Rob Meyer (AQUARIUM) has gone on to receive an Honorable Mention at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival; and David Alcalde (Y QUE CUMPLAS MUCHOS MAS) is in pre-production on a thriller starring Diego Luna. Many other HollyShorts filmmakers have received representation and distribution offers.

Director Alex Ferrari (BROKEN) sums it all up well: "HollyShorts is one of the best filmmaker-friendly festivals I've ever been to. They treat the filmmaker like a star and give your film one hell of an LA audience." Be there; submit your short to HollyShorts Film Festival today!

HOLLYSHORTS FILM FEST SELECTED AS ONE OF MOVIEMAKER'S TOP 25 FESTS WORTH ENTRY FEE

2008-04-23T18:36:00.001-07:00

"Behind The Shorts" HollyShorts 2007 Video hosted by Damon Campbell

2008-04-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

2008-04-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

Easy Rider
Marcus Ashley on Music, Movies and Modern Masculinity
Interview by Hara Finnegan

As I sit down for my very first interview with actor and musician Marcus Ashley, something dawns on me. There is a way a person is perceived and the way a person really is. Sitting down with someone for a few hours is surely not going to let me know who a person really is, but I did in fact gain some insight into the dark recesses of Mr. Ashley’s mind. And there was light to be found. To be more specific, provocation.

Sitting in a dirty wicker chair, he puts his boots up along the edge of a wall, tucked a bit uncomfortably. He is tall, clearing a decent 6 foot 3, and he resembles a young Peter Fonda. Within the first few minutes, I notice what would be the theme of our interview. “A man out of place in the modern world.”

At once guarded about his privacy, yet very genial, we sit across from each other chain smoking and drinking burnt coffee.

He lets me know that he is a bit uncomfortable about being interviewed, mentioning a previous interview he had to give while shooting a “Lifetime” movie, something you can’t quite imagine that he would do. The movie, not the interview. “It was embarrassing. In fact, I was so embarrassed all I could do was smile, like a goon. I don’t even remember what I said, but I remember thinking how stupid I must have looked just smiling like that. Embarrassed like that.”

I get the feeling he’d like to forget the past and focus more on the man he has developed into. I also get the feeling that he’d like to be quoted and assessed accurately. I will do my best.

We talk movies. We talk music. We talk politics and what he calls, “the over feminization of the concept of masculinity that is perpetuated by the media and advertising.” I am clearly dealing with someone who has read voraciously, in fact probably lives surrounded by piles of books.

Yet, Marcus Ashley uses words like “Radical” and “Yeah Man” with such adoptable easiness that it makes you want to use them in your own daily vernacular. As we talk and I scribble (I left my tape recorder at home, in hopes of avoiding a more prohibitive type of interview) my feeling is that an interview in of itself is kind of an invasion of privacy, though necessary in our PR-fueled world. Left only to my own powers of observation, one particular thing I do start to notice is that this guy is really cool and really smart. Forget what he looks like. For years we have swooned over movie idols, projecting our wildest and most romantic or heroic fantasies onto them. It makes sense that we would want to project onto Mr. Ashley in black and white or glorious Technicolor. He is soulful. He reminds me of characters long gone from the screen. He reminds me of Hud. He reminds me of Bullitt. He reminds me of Dirty Harry. A cowboy incapable of intimacy, a cop in silent turmoil, and well... Dirty Harry, who’s just downright bad ass.

For sure, Mr. Ashley seems interestingly out of place. None of it is put on, though secretly, like a private detective, I insist on finding his Achilles heel, since his complexity somewhat eludes me. In his work to date, he’s displayed the gangly physical comedy of Nicolas Cage in “Raising Arizona” and the cool, reserved, cocky, self-possession of Paul Newman in “The Hustler.” Carrying both of these personas both at once and both with equal seriousness can only be pulled off by an actor in a Paul Thomas Anderson film.

As he sits there chatting about movies and acting and his ideas about men crying in movies, I start to daydream. I’m a bad interviewer; all I can think of is Phillip Seymour Hoffman in “Boogie nights” crying in a Corvette, juxtaposed with images of Marcus Ashley. And I can’t help but stare at his face and his amazing hair. I interrupt him for a moment to ask him where he gets it cut. “It’s not the cut,” he says, “A stylist on a photo shoot put some gunk in it earlier today.” I have to say, that is some amazing hair gunk. He’d prefer I didn’t mention his looks, though he modestly recognizes them. “I don’t really wanna talk about it", he says. He’d rather talk about art and music and cognitive dissonance. Marcus Ashley is not even a narcissist. Great, what am I gonna do now? I so imagined him as a bad guy. Or wait, maybe I was just projecting. Projection is something a lot of people do when they first meet Mr. Ashley. In fact, I am so instinctually sure of this, I decide to probe deeper and ask, “So, what do you think people’s first impressions of you are?”

“People assume because of the way I dress, the way I look, that I’m an asshole. Mostly women,” he says. “Fuck stick,” I say. He nods and laughs. He says that sometimes people mistake his shyness for “not being very nice, or bright. People just make assumptions, ya know?”

I nod, but I don’t do much talking. Instead, I notice how unbound he is in his own skin, and his speech pattern, which is relaxed, direct, self-assured and without a hint of neuroticism. This is counter to my own fixed neurosis, yet sitting with him is somewhat relaxing, in a “sitting on the front porch, drinking lemonade and watching the tumbleweed skirt by” kinda way. It reminds me that there can be a deep, mutually respective relationship between the sexes. A very relaxing idea for a woman and the stuff chick flicks are made of, or should be made of.

I'm excited to next barrage him with questions about his new ‘self-titled’ album release, “American Weapon,” and his recent work as an actor, when he is interrupted by a call (as I am later told) from his mother. He steps away from the table, excusing himself. Moments later when he returns, he explains that he is having his mom ship an old guitar to him that he left at home years ago, and that he had to explain to her how to loosen the strings in order to ship it properly. It could have been a call from his agent or publicist or even a girlfriend perhaps, but no, it was his mother, and somehow that makes me like him even more.

When he sits back down, we talk about his career path and where he is with things at this very moment. “I find that people tend to talk more than they think and that unless you blow your own horn in this town, it takes a little longer to get noticed. That was me.”

I'm not sure how this could be. To me he stands out like a sore thumb, or more appropriately, a diamond in the rough. We talk about music and his musical influences, mainly producers and below the line guys, with the exception of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Portoise Head, and The Cowboy Junkies to name a few, and notably Daniel Lanois and Jandek. I can tell from his speech pattern when talking about these two musical geniuses that he is very very inspired.

He even starts to remind me of Kurt Cobain from some old interview footage from the early 90’s I had been recently researching. “We are a very conflicted race and there is a tremendous amount of growing to do. We have biologically hardwired behavior that results in a lot of pain towards other people. It also hurts to not have definitive answers. Whatever your spiritual beliefs are, we are in a painful predicament." He makes loneliness and self reflection sound absolutely glamorous, but more importantly, he makes the internal contemplation of this existential journey seem quite refreshing and stimulating.

His frankness about the subject of insecurity erases any kind of shame or stigma about it. "It’s not easy, looking at your own life and exploring it in your art.” As depressing as some of that matter can be, he holds himself with a bit of nobility when he speaks about it. When I look at his body of work, I see an actor whose looks never dominate a performance, though up until this point in his career his looks have quite confined him. “People see you a certain way,” he says. He plays the drunken, whiskey-swilling, distraught loner type well, but somehow I glean from our conversation that there is a well of chameleon-like performances that have yet to be had. This is an actor on the brink…of falling… out of recognizability, yet fully into a character’s skin. I believe that’s how stars are made.

Distracted once again, I start to hear Cobain’s “Oh Me” playing in my head.
“Would you like to hear my voiceSprinkled with emotionInvented at your birth?I can't see the end of meMy whole expanse I cannot seeformulate affinityStored deep inside me”

I ask him his likes and dislikes, what discourages him and what excites him. He says beauty excites him, emotional, intellectual, sonic, great film performances; any kind of craftsmanship below or above the line. And hope excites him. I tell him my middle name is Hope. His reply, “Well, then I guess you excite me.”

I ask him about his dislikes, “carrot cake and any cake with fruit or vegetables for that matter.” He makes light of it. His modesty comes back as I sense that he senses that we’re on an episode of “Inside the Actors Studio.”

“So what made you want to become an actor?”

“I would watch movies and I’d want to be part of that story. Stories had a huge impact on my life and my imagination. And I was shy, and I wasn’t happy being so shy, and I discovered that being out in the world in this way wasn’t personally painful. A character has a choice to decide to do something or not do something, and it will serve the story to tell that truth as accurately as possible.”

I can tell accuracy is very important to him.

I ask him about ‘Masculinity’ and what he thinks of it and if it impacts him as a man and as an actor playing a male character.

“We are, for the most part, somewhat insulated from survival issues these days. There’s a conflict inherent in modern man, dealing with traditional gender roles while as a society we are a bit removed from circumstances that created those roles. There are traditional ideas of strength.” He pauses to gather his thoughts. "But in the same breath we are told that men need to be more evolved, more emotionally sensitive. Being strong and responsible... there is something biologically inherent in that, I don’t think that’s wrong. But along with that there should be concepts of chivalry and honor that seem... a little lost these days. And in the media milieu, we’re told that being more sensitive is a positive improvement upon traditional precepts, but in reality, the propaganda is a mixed bag: half the time, emotions are okay and half the time, not okay. There is a legitimatization of male vulnerability, but it isn’t always legitimate. People look at men and say, ‘Aww, look, he’s growing, isn’t that cute?’ But I don't know if deep down a lot of men really want to be 'cute', or view that as a positive. And I think there's an underlying uneasiness... a feeling that masculinity is somewhat threatening. So it's a period of upheaval... confusion. You see it on TV. Ads featuring beer drinking troglodytes sandwiched between ads for male moisturizer. Or better yet, beer drinking troglodytes using moisturizer.” He grins, though with uneasiness.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, I have a feeling he wants to kick a curb, but instead swiftly steers the conversation towards his music and “American Weapon.” I believe his music is possibly a way for him to get out his angst and frustration about the matter.

I ask him what his music is about, a deceptively simple question, met with a complex answer about his auspicious beginnings.

“I started my recording career at Prince's Paisley Park Studio in Minnesota . I had signed with this label, and I just felt like, they didn’t get what I was trying to do, sonically or texturally. It all felt so wrongly produced, so I left, bought some recording equipment, and sat in my house for the next 8 years writing and recording music and so this is some of it.”

His music sounds like that of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley combined. He says, "I like the idea of music being transportive; sonically…it has to take you somewhere." As I listen to it, I can only describe it as musical opium addiction. A deeply emotional experience skating on razor blades of placidity. As music, it fits into an indefinable complex category, yet is utterly contagious.

We get on the topic of acting again and the thing he’d like to talk about is the concept of the ‘Underdog.’ “The humble contender, the unbelievable contender… it’s that step right after sitting on the bench to pummeling out of the gates.” Like “Smarty Jones,” I think to myself. It’s the moment of transition, of growth into manhood, which most excites him, as that moment can happen at any moment, and at many moments, in a man’s life and mythic journey.

And as I listen to him and nod in agreement, I can’t help but think to myself, that to truly risk, we must advance with brave disregard for the scrapes and scratches that we will incur as a result. One cannot always walk with bold confidence, not if one chooses to be an artist, as that is a world internalized, externalized, stretched, torn and pulled in every direction. A life well worn, a life well examined perhaps.

We talk about ‘paying dues,’ a term frequently heard in this town. In a sense we are all paying our dues, but isn’t that what even the greatest artists still do? Isn’t that what we all do anyway, pay dues? We are the judge and jury of our own merit and the journey has plenty of places to be lost and found. Isn’t that why and how actors cloak ourselves in a character, in the seams of their skin, to pay their dues?

For all of his intelligence and seriousness, I find myself laughing hysterically at Mr. Ashley; his stories, his audition nightmares, his episode of “Days of Our Lives” when he first migrated out to LA. I say my goodbyes to him and toss away my half empty cup of burnt coffee. He leans over graciously to give me a hug. I walk to my car thinking, all in all, this guy is really funny and smart and sensitive and good-looking and sweet and engaging on so many levels, so much so that I realize I was just sitting across from a pile of dreamy Stardust.

His ambition cannot escape him. This is an actor who has his best work still ahead of him. One to watch, one to listen to and certainly one to project our wildest depth-provoking fantasies onto.

Daniel Sol, HollyShorts Festival Director, on the Faux Show LA!

2008-03-23T18:03:00.001-07:00

HollyShorts Film Festival 2008 to Open with Josh Brolin Short film "X"

2008-03-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

Brolin Film to Open HollyShorts Festival
March 22nd, 2008

backstage_logo.png

Backstage West
Brolin Film to Open HollyShorts Festival
Brolin_Getty.jpg
March 21, 2008
By Nicole Kristal
The Josh Brolin-directed short film X will have its Hollywood premiere Aug. 7 as the opening film of the fourth annual HollyShorts Film Festival at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Festival co-organizers and directors Daniel Sol and Theo Dumont are thrilled to include the film. “We are delighted to kick off this year’s HollyShorts with the Hollywood premiere of Josh Brolin’s short film X, in conjunction with the American Cinematheque,” Sol said in a statement. Hollyshorts is scheduled to run Aug. 7-10.

X follows an inmate who escapes from prison to reunite with his daughter and search for her murdered mother’s body in order to give her a proper burial. The film stars Brolin’s two daughters — Eden Brolin and stepdaughter Eleanor Lambert — alongside Vincent Riverside as the inmate, Jack.

Brolin, who won a 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the No Country for Old Men ensemble and was nominated as part of the American Gangster ensemble, said in a statement, “I’m honored that HollyShorts has chosen my directorial debut film, X, to open their fourth annual festival. I’m proud of the stark nature of this film, how it explores the parent-child relationship, and appreciate the support of those willing to embrace my journey into filmmaking. We’re excited to show the film and be a part of this event.”

HollyShorts’ opening night will also feature other acclaimed short films from around the world, to be announced in late June. The complete festival lineup will be unveiled in the first week of July. The festival also features networking forums, receptions, and entertainment-industry panels.

Sol said the festival is designed to help filmmakers at all stages of their careers and he’s excited to expand the festival to four days: “We look forward to presenting a great slate of high-quality short-form content and continue creating platforms for filmmakers to advance their careers to the next level.”

For more information about HollyShorts, visit www.hollyshorts.com.

Short Film Series 'Green Porno' to Premiere on Sundancechannel.com

2008-03-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Isabella Rossellini's eight-part short film series about the sex life of insects and various creatures "Green Porno," will premiere on sundancechannel.com and on HELIO's mobile service on May 5, 2008. The series will be available on Sundance Channel VOD in June, 2008 and will air on Sundance Channel in July, 2008. A selection of Rossellini's "Green Porno" shorts premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and the 2008 Berlin international Film Festival. The series will be available beginning May 5th, 2008 at sundancechannel.com/greenporno; for more information on HELIO go to helio.com.

HOLLYSHORTS AWARD WINNING FILM "SPIN" TO BE FEATURED WITH JASON REITMAN'S SHORTS AT BOSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

2008-03-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

''Evening of World's Best Short Films'' comes to The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Features Short Films of Jason Reitman, Director “JUNO” and “Thank You for Smoking”. Guest Host: Sara Edwards, Producer and Co-host “Backstage with Barry Nolan”.

Asbury Shorts New York, in conjunction with The Chris Britt Foundation, will present its acclaimed program, “An Evening of the World’s Best Short Films” in Remis Auditorium at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston on Saturday March 22nd @ 8:00pm. Asbury Shorts New York is a 27 year touring exhibition of award winning short films. Doors open at 7:15pm when OTIS GROVE, a popular Boston jazz band will perform. Tickets are $ 10 for members and $12 for non -members. For info and on-line ticket purchasing go to: www.mfa.org.

Featured in the 2-hour presentation will be 3 award winning shorts directed by Jason Reitman, currently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for the surprise feature film hit “JUNO.” The short films “Gulp,” “In God We Trust,” and most recently, “Consent,” have been instrumental in shaping Mr. Reitman’s Hollywood career. Producer and Entertainment Reporter Sara Edwards will serve as Special Guest Host of the program, which includes some of the elite, international award winning shorts from the past 10 years such as 3-time “Best of Show” & “Audience Favorite” honoree “SPIN” from Denver filmmaker Jamin Winans, 2001 Oscar nominee “Fait d’Hiver” by director Dirk Belien of Belgium, the hilarious Matthew Ehlers classic: “LUNCH,” and 2004 Student Academy Award Winner “Perpetua Motion” from animator Kimberly Minor, to mention just a few of the evening’s highlights.

The Emmy Award Winning Sara Edwards is familiar not only to the Boston area but across the country. In her 20 years of entertainment reporting, Sara has graced the red carpet at the Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes and other huge Hollywood events. For nearly a decade, she was the entertainment reporter and film critic at over 200 NBC TV affiliates across the country. She was also the arts & entertainment reporter for WHDH-TV in Boston. At CNB, Sara is a reporter, co-host and producer for “Backstage with Barry Nolan,” CN8’s national entertainment program. OTIS GROVE, a Boston based organ trio, will open the evening’s festivities with a set beginning at 7:15pm Their music has been described as a melting of jazz, hip-hop and rock into a fresh sounding, high energy funk machine.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is located at 465 Huntington Avenue. Information for this show can be obtained by calling 617-369-3907. The Box office number is: 617-369.3306.

HollyShorts Monthly Screening, MARCH 14th at the Echo Park Film Center

2008-02-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

March 14th HollyShorts Monthly Screening short film lineup
The Chameleon Directed by Elliott Owen (8 min.)
Signerz Directed by Roman Cortez (15 min.)
Parallel Cut Directed by Edgar Metro (22 min.)
Ghandi at the Bat Directed by Stephanie Argy/Alec Boehm (11 min.)
68 & Clear Directed by Dawn Westlake (12 min.)

Tickets to the screening are $10. Free Wine and Beer. Event hours 7pm-11pm. Filmmaker Q and A to follow screening. For more, www.hollyshorts.com

About
HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) is an annual film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe. HollyShorts is devoted to the advancement filmmakers through screenings, Q&A sessions and networking events. The HollyShorts Film Festival showcases the top short films produced 30-minutes or less. The 2007 festival took place August 12-13 at Cinespace: Digital Supperclub in Hollywood, CA.
For more information, please visit: http://www.hollyshorts.com.
Call for entries for the 2008 HollyShorts runs from January 15th - June 5th.
For sponsorship queries, please email us at staff@hollyshorts.com.
To submit to our Monthly Screenings (Rolling Submissions for $10), email: admin@hollyshorts.com.
Filmmaker behind the scenes news at: www.hollyshortsfilmfestival.blogspot.com

HollyShorts Film Festival History
The inaugural HollyShorts Film Festival took place at The Space Theatre in Hollywood August 2005 and featured 23 short films from the U.S., UK, Poland, Canada and Thailand. The 2nd annual HollyShorts Film Festival took place at Cinespace in Hollywood, CA and featured 53 of the best short films from around the world. 13 different countries were represented. The third annual HollyShorts Film Festival took place August 10-12, 2007, drawing over $26,000 in prizes awarded. The festival featured three screening venues. Best Short film honors went to "Songbird" Directed by John Thompson. Thompson was awarded a one week audio rental package courtesy of Action Audio and Visual, featuring sound and communications equipment rentals to utilize for his next film project. The festival featured Actor Adrian Grenier's short film "Euthanasia," a DJ performance from the legendary hip hop DJ Biz Markie and 57 short films in competition; three days of screenings, parties, insightful panels along with a slew of networking platforms for HollyShorts participants. The 2007 HollyShorts Film Festival included the following partners: Ourstage.com, h Magazine, Showbiz Software Stores, Action Audio and Visual, Si-Mi.com, Stash DVD Magazine, UCLA Extension Department of Entertainment Studies, Dreamhouse Ensemble, LA One Stop, LBN E lert, Indiepix, Choice Hospitality, Film Radar, Shortend Magazine, Sand Jewelry by Therese and Vice Hollywood. For more information, visit www.hollyshorts.com.

About HollyShorts
HollyShorts is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced 30- minutes or less. For more information, please visit www.hollyshorts.com. Filmmaker news available at www.hollyshortsfilmfestival.blogspot.com
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DREAMHOUSE ENSEMBLE UNLEASHES ‘THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940’ AT THE SPACE THEATRE

2008-02-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

DREAMHOUSE ENSEMBLE UNLEASHES
‘THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940’ AT THE SPACE THEATRE

Hilarious Production Marks First Play of LA-Based Theatre Group’s 2008 Season

Los Angeles February 20, 2008---Get ready for murder, mayhem and laughter, as the Dreamhouse Ensemble unleashes their first production of the 2008 season with THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 by John Bishop at The Space Theatre in Hollywood. The story reveals a German maid, a NY policeman, an Irish tenor, an eccentric millionaire, and a group of overzealous show people inside of a mansion full of comedy and mystery.

THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 opens on March 7th and will run through April 20th. Advanced tickets can be purchased online today by visiting www.dreamhousensemble.com. THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 is directed by Dreamhouse Ensemble Chairman Alex Sol. Sol recently directed the critically acclaimed and LA Weekly Theatre Award nominated play “Galatea.”

In making the announcement Director, Producer and Space Theatre owner Alex Sol said “We are delighted to bring audiences one of the most hysterical and dynamic experiences on stage THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940. We’ve picked a group of the most talented actors in the community and we truly look forward to our first production of the season.”

THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 is set in ritzy Westchester County, New York and stages a wacky whodunit mystery for all ages. When ten theatre types gather together to audition for a new Broadway musical, a blizzard traps them in a luxurious mansion. The one hitch? There is a killer on the loose in the house just waiting to put a little twist in the limelight! With sliding panels, secret passages, and a German maid who apparently has more lives than one, accusing fingers point in all directions in this drop dead comedy!

The play is a brain teaser: Who killed who? What's going to happen next?
Reviewers and press: RSVP your seat by contacting HS Public Relations at staff@hollyshorts.com.
The hilarious performance can be seen at The Space Theatre when The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 opens March 7 and runs through April 20th. Friday and Saturday, Curtain time is 8PM, Sunday, 7PM. Tickets are on sale now at www.dreamhousensemble.com. Tickets are $15 online, $20 at the door.
About The Dreamhouse Ensemble
The Dreamhouse Ensemble is a Non Profit, independent theatre company that performs at THE SPACE THEATRE, located in Hollywood, California at 665 N. Heliotrope, between Normandie and Vermont Ave.

For ticket reservations, visit www.dreamhouseensemble.com or call (323) 661-2585. Press and critics, staff@hollyshorts.com or call 818-760-9897.

HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL LAUNCHES MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION

2008-02-18T23:00:00.000-08:00

HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL LAUNCHES INAUGURAL
MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION

Official Selections to Be Screened at 4th Annual
HollyShorts Film Festival
August 8-10, 2008

Contest Winner Gets Meeting With Top Music Video
Director Agent at Partizan

February 19, 2008 HOLLYWOOD, CA--- HollyShorts
announced today a call for submissions for the
festival’s inaugural music video competition.
Finalists will be screened during the 4th annual
HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF), which takes place
August 7-10, 2008 in Hollywood and the winner of the
contest will get a meeting with a top music video
director agent at Partizan. The chosen music videos
will be screened in competition alongside the official
short film selections of the festival.

In making the announcement, festival director and
HollyShorts co-founder Daniel Sol stated: “As we enter
the 4th year of HollyShorts, we are quickly reaching
our goal to be the premiere destination and platform
for artists worldwide to showcase their projects in
front of the right audience in the heart of the
industry. We look forward to screening the best and
brightest music videos from around the globe and thank
our friends at Partizan for helping make this contest
and new category into a reality.”

Submission forms can be completed directly online by
visiting www.hollyshorts.com or by submitting on
Withoutabox directly at
www.withoutabox.com/login/4655.

All submissions must be 7 minutes or less. Deadlines
to submit U.S. and International music videos for the
2008 HollyShorts Film Festival are:

Music Video category
Regular: $20 (at office by 4/11/08)
Late: $30 (at office by 5/16/08)

Complete information and eligibility requirements are
available on HollyShorts.com.
The submission link and complete information regarding
eligibility and entry rules for the 2008 HollyShorts
Film Festival are available on the HollyShorts Film
Festival website at www.hollyshorts.com. Information
is also available through the HollyShorts hotline at
818-760-9897, by email to staff@hollyshorts.com. For
sponsorship information, please email
admin@hollyshorts.com with your query.

###

Oscar Shorts Review

2008-02-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

Hollywood Reporter deems Suzie Templeton "Peter & the Wolf" "Most Successful" amongst animation nominees.

PBS will feature the short on March 26 on its GREAT PERFORMANCES series. (check local listings)

Sergei Prokofiev's fanciful musical tale, Peter and the Wolf, is given new life in this innovative animated interpretation. Conceived and directed by award-winning animator Suzie Templeton, this modern-day "Peter & the Wolf" uses stop-frame model animation, puppets and digital photography to re-tell the enduring classic, and features the Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Mark Stephenson performing Prokofiev's beloved score. Check out the GREAT PERFORMANCES promo from PBS...

Reuters
By Sheri Linden
LOS ANGELES For a third consecutive year, the 10 Oscar-nominated shorts hit the theatrical circuit thanks to Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International.

They're nearly all films whose craftsmanship and detail fill the big screen, and to varying degrees their stories compel. The shorts arrive in about 50 cities Friday, with the Rain Network providing digital distribution.

Among the five live-action nominees, three deal in some aspect with the everyday world of work. Italy's "The Substitute," by Andrea Jublin, is a spirited 17-minute collision between a typically self-absorbed group of teens and the strangely confrontational man who's subbing as their teacher -- and who has a hidden agenda that's as much about his own needs as theirs. For all its energy, the film is more concerned with an idea than characters and leaves the least impression of the bunch.

But the office drones in the Belgian film "Tanghi argentini" are vividly drawn. Before his date with a woman he met online, nebbishy Andre (Dirk van Dijck) enlists the help of an aloof colleague (Koen van Impe) for tango lessons. Elegantly lensed and crisply edited, the 14-minute tale unfolds with wit as the unlikely duo perfect terpsichorean flourishes amid the filing cabinets. The film by Guido Thys provides a nice twist.

For the hapless protagonists of "The Mozart of Pickpockets," the workday involves city streets and acts of petty crime. French writer-director Philippe Pollet-Villard co-stars with Richard Morgieve, and their terrific sad-sack chemistry as these clownish thieves gives the half-hour its punch. Their luck changes after a homeless deaf boy latches on to them, but it's a less-than-convincing narrative element.

The two most affecting live-action entries are the spare Western "The Tonto Woman" (U.K.) and the heartrending hospital-set drama "At Night" (Denmark). The former, based on a story by Elmore Leonard, centers on a high-plains Hester Prynne (Charlotte Asprey), a woman physically marked by her Mojave captors and ostracized by her community after her release. She finds unexpected human connection in the form of a Mexican drifter (Francesco Quinn). The half-hour film by Daniel Barber uses archetypal widescreen desert vistas to strong effect.

In a far different setting, three young women have formed a community within the coolly lit rooms of a cancer ward in "At Night." The 43-minute film by Christian E. Christiansen is direct and intimate but never maudlin. Restrained performances by Julie Olgaard, Laura Christensen and Neel Ronholt -- and Henrik Prip as one girl's father -- have a devastating emotional power.

The animated contenders deliver an array of imaginative narrative filmmaking. "I Met the Walrus" (Canada) is the exception in the sense that it's a documentary snippet. Josh Raskin uses audiotape of John Lennon, recorded in 1969 when 14-year-old Jerry Levitan snuck into the Beatle's Toronto hotel room and coaxed an interview out of him. In its brief five minutes, the film free-associates line drawings and other playful 2-D visuals to Lennon's down-to-earth intelligence and subversive humor.

Offering its own brand of playful subversion is France's "Even Pigeons Go to Heaven," by Samuel Tourneux. A wily priest-cum-huckster, brandishing a list of his would-be customer's sins, urges an old man to buy a contraption built of "celestial titanium" that's guaranteed to transport him to heaven.

A mood of dark mystery pervades another Canadian entry, Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski's "Madame Tutli-Putli." The silent claymation fantasy unfolds on a night train, where a woman in cloche and pearls, surrounded by her precariously stacked belongings, faces her fears. The imagery is rich with texture and atmosphere.

Four-time Oscar nominee Alexander Petrov (who won for "The Old Man and the Sea") takes a classical approach in "My Love," a fever dream set in 19th century Russia, where a pampered 16-year-old boy is attracted to his glamorous neighbor and his family's good-natured servant. At 25 minutes, the piece feels a bit long, and its melodrama is not always absorbing, but with their watercolor shimmer and nightmare depths, the impressionistic visuals are fluent.

Most successful is "Peter & the Wolf" (U.K.-Poland), by Suzie Templeton, which fills its affecting half-hour with a delightfully rendered array of human and animal characters. Precisely choreographed and edited to Prokofiev's music, the piece is a ballet both comical and poignant and a triumph of CG personality.

Suzie Templeton bio
BAFTA-winning director Suzie Templeton burst onto the international animation scene with her multi-award winning film Stanley, a surreal and darkly comic story of a man who falls in love with a cabbage. She followed this with the phenomenally successful Dog, a heart-breaking and chilling film about a boy coming to terms with the death of his mother. This film has won many of the animation world’s top prizes, including a British Animation Award and a BAFTA. In collaboration with BreakThru films, Suzie is now developing on a new half-hour adaptation of Prokofiev’s classic Peter and the Wolf, for cinemas and television.

WRITING A GOOD SHORT FILM SCRIPT

2008-02-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

WRITING A GOOD SHORT FILM SCRIPT
February 13th, 2008

Thanks Times Online UK for this cool story,:

Marilyn Milgrom, script consultant

This is a short article in which to deal with a big subject: how to write a good script for a short film. Rule number one: there are no hard and fast rules.

But, if your aim is to get your film funded, there are definitely some guiding principles that will help to ensure that your project is taken seriously.
short film book.jpg
Why Am I Making this Film?

No-one makes a living out of writing or directing short films. Most people see short films as a tool for learning and testing ideas, or a way of demonstrating that they have the talent to do something else. Generally that ‘something else’ is to make features.

Whether you are working alone or as part of a team make sure that the project you are developing plays to your strengths and is achievable within your budget. Don’t make an intense character study if you’re scared of actors or develop an action story that will require stunts, car chases and special effects if you know you will only have £5K to make it.

What is a short film?

The most important thing to say is that a short isn’t a feature film and that it is generally a bad idea to try to squeeze a story you are developing (or have written) as a feature into a short.

Most festivals will accept as a short anything that is under 30 minutes, but many programmers and curators also say that they find it difficult to place longer short films (ones over 20 minutes). If your film is over 20 minutes long it may well need and be able to cope with more characters and a secondary story strand. The majority of funding in the UK is aimed at films that are around the 10 minute mark.

If your film is basically going to function like a joke then keep it short (2-3 minutes max) and make sure the audience won’t see the punch-line coming a mile off. Films like this will make far more of an impression if they not only make us laugh but also manage to allude to something that gives us pause for thought.

Finding the Story

Any kind of dramatic story requires 3 basic elements:

A world

A character

A problem

Short films are no different; you just have less time to establish and develop each element. Most successful short films focus on ONE moment or event in the life of ONE main character. Because of that it is unusual for a short film to take place over a long period of time – it’s usually just looking at the immediate build up to and/or consequences of that one event. A lot of the best short films play out more or less in ‘real’ time, and a story that spreads over more than a few days is unlikely to work well as a short film.

The World

Because of the need to establish an instantly recognisable world in order to get on with exploring a character’s problem, it can be useful to set your film around a familiar event or ritual: a wedding, a birthday party, the first day at school, tea with stuffy relatives, Christmas Day etc. With a setting of this sort you can take for granted the audience’s familiarity with the situation and you have immediately placed your characters into a story world full of barely suppressed emotions, which is always useful for generating dramatic tension and story events. The other advantage to choosing a setting of this sort is that it gives the story a finite time frame.

Another popular setting for the short film is the journey. Most short films focus on a pivotal, significant event in the life of the main character so that the story inevitably takes the character on a metaphorical emotional journey and it can work well to use a literal journey as its setting.

The Character & the Problem

The most important questions to ask yourself when you begin to develop your story are:

Who is the main character?

What is their problem?

How will the audience recognise the problem?

Are the stakes high enough?

Am I telling the story from the best point of view?

The audience must be clear from the outset who the film is about and they won’t be if you aren’t. Your main character is the one who has the problem and if there isn’t a character in the story with a problem then you don’t have a film, or at least not one that will work as a dramatic narrative.

What is driving your main character through the story must be one of the following:

a want

a need

an obligation

And in all cases it must be clear to the audience, even if it isn’t to the character, what this is. But what must also be present in the story - and apparent to the audience - is something that is making it hard for the character to pursue their want, need or obligation. The fact that something is making it hard is what turns it into a problem and, like we said before, no problem, no film.

Making Problems Manifest to the Audience

The way in which you turn a character’s inner problem into the heart of your film and make sure that the audience can SEE it is one of the most important ways that you can demonstrate your skill as a filmmaker and not just as a story-teller. When we’re reading books we can be inside a character’s head but when we’re watching films we need to see characters DOING things that show us what they are thinking and feeling.

Are the Stakes High Enough?

Ensuring that there is something at stake in the story means that the audience can understand what the character stands to lose if they do not solve their problem. If the story hinges around a life or death situation then it is clear what is at stake but if it is simply that the car breaks down think about how you set the film up so that the audience knows why it really matters that the character completes this particular journey.

Am I Telling the Story from the Best Point of View?

Think about the story of Cinderella and imagine if you told it with one of the ugly sisters as the main character. You could still make a good story but it would not have a happy ending (in one of the earliest versions of the story the sisters have their eyes pecked out by blackbirds at the end!) and therefore would have a very different meaning – it would function more as a cautionary tale than as a feel-good fairy story.

What Does My Story Mean?

You probably don’t set out to write a film with a moral or even with a conscious awareness of what your story means but every story communicates some meaning to the audience. Once you are sure how the story begins and ends then you have a clear indication of its meaning and this will help you make important choices as you refine and develop your script particularly in relation to…

The Tone of the Film

Tone is intimately connected to genre and though genre is less of an issue in shorts than in features it is still important to think about what kind of film you are writing in broad terms.

To summarise so far

A good short film needs a story in which something happens that has a discernible effect on the main character. All successful short films focus on one moment/event. That moment is likely to be:

one of universal significance

a moment that is of significance to the protagonist (whether s/he knows it at the time)

one that produces a situation in which the stakes are high for the protagonist

This is an edited extract from Get Your Short Film Funded, Made and Seen, the Shooting People Shorts Directory. To buy this book, go to www.shootingpeople.org/shortsbook