Tampa Film Fan

campus moviefest usf finale tonight

The University of South Florida Campus MovieFest finale is tonight at the Sun Dome Corral at USF at 7:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public (and there will be door prizes!). Tonight’s screening will showcase the top 16 movies made by USF students during the recent Campus MovieFest competition at USF. Email info(at)campusmoviefest.com for more info.

(Note: This is a different event than the Campus MovieFest screening March 1 at the Gasparilla Film Festival, which will show the top films from the entire 06-07 Campus MovieFest nationwide tour.)

gone film festin’

Light posting over the next few days, as I won’t be home much. (Regular readers know that this is not unusual around here; sadly, the unusual part is that I’m giving advance notice before disappearing for a few days.)

I’ll be watching movies, making painfully awkward attempts at small talk, gushing over filmmakers and watching more movies at the Gasparilla Film Festival.

i’ve blogged, been blogged about, and even blogged about blogging: now I’ve been blogjammed and i think i like it

I’ve been called a cartoon character before. Now, according to the Tampa Tribune’s BlogJam section, I actually am one!

Visit www.myspace.com/wikiworld to see more of Williams’ talent and creativity on display.

spike lee at usf on march 4

The USF University Lecture Series is bringing filmmaker Spike Lee to Tampa on March 4 “as part of Black Emphasis Month ‘Celebrating Black History Doesn’t End In February’.”

7 p.m.
Sun Dome Corral
Tickets: Free for USF Students with valid USF ID; $3-USF Faculty, Staff, and Alumni with valid USF ID;
$8-Public

Visit http://ctr.usf.edu/uls/spr08.htm for more info. Do the right thing and mark your calendars. (Do The Right Thing…get it?…c’mon, it wasn’t that bad.)

(h/t to Eric Sturm)

tampa weekend film school march 15 and 16

Received via email:

Filmmaking is perhaps the most expensive art form in which to partake. No matter how talented a filmmaker may be, unless he/she has the proper lights, equipment and crew, the filmmaker may never be able to create that perfect film that properly showcases his/her talent and launches his/her career.

Cost:
OPTION 1 - Tampa Weekend Film School - SINGLE - FULL WORKSHOP Classroom sessions + Team Competition + Editing Workshop - $50 per person
OPTION 2 - Team Registration (up to 10 people) - FULL WORKSHOP Sign up your entire team for the Classroom sessions + Team Competition + Editing – ($300 a team – savings of $20 per person)
OPTION 3 - Tampa Weekend Film School - CLASSROOM SESSION ONLY - $30

Visit www.tampaweekendfilmschool.com for more info.

updates from the sunscreen film festival

The Sunscreen Film Festival will offer audience voting via text messaging this year:

Tony Armer, executive director of the Sunscreen Film Festival, has announced that audience members will be able to vote on their favorite films. “It works like American Idol,” he said. “We’ll provide audience members with a special number. They can then text message their vote for their favorite film in various categories.”

Armer said that the application remembers votes so that folks can vote only once for a film. The technology will be provided by Agile Communications Group from Tampa.

Remember when I mentioned that I was dying to write about the Sunscreen Film Festival’s celebrity guest but I was sworn to secrecy? I can finally spill the beans:

The Executive Producers of the Sunscreen Film Festival are pleased to announce that this March, actor and Florida resident John Travolta will join local filmmakers and film festival supporters for a reception celebrating the launch of the Film Festival’s third season.

Tony Armer, Executive Director of the Festival, said that the support of Mr. Travolta and others is taking the Festival to a new level. “Each year Sunscreen grows and attracts more attention,” he added. “We are extremely grateful and honored by this support from Mr. Travolta, an accomplished artist and an industry leader. He is making a tremendous contribution.”

The festival’s website is www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com.

next film movement screening is february 28

Here’s the WHO, WHAT and WHEN on the next Film Movement screening, received via email:

WHEN: Thursday, February 28 at 8:00 p.m.

Awards: Official Selection: Sundance, Seattle, Cleveland, Sydney, Toronto, San Francisco, Helsinki and Singapore

Click here for more info.

news and notes:fmpta, gasparilla film festival, local film alarum, dali museum

• Ten crew members of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship the St. John’s attended last night’s Tampa Bay Lightning game. This trip was made possible by the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association, the USO and the Tampa Bay Lightning. (hat/tip to Sheri Lawrence from the FMPTA)
• The Gasparilla Film Festival is still looking for volunteers. Visit www.gasparillafilmfestival.com for more info.
• Filmming recently wrapped on the short psychological thriller Alarum, starring local actress Krista Grotte. Grotte worked with Playboy photographer Bo Hitchcock on the story idea and collaborated with local filmmaker Rick Danford on the script. Grotte says “The story sends a powerful message regarding the lifelong effects of sexual and physical abuse- something I have always wanted to put out there-very much so.” Grotte is currently working to involve mental health foundations and victims’ organizations so that the film’s message can reach more people. Learn more about Alarum at www.myspace.com/alarum. (h/t to Sheri Lawrence)
• The Salvador Dalí Museum is having a look-alike contest called Double Takes “to celebrate Dalí’s unique character and personality. The contest is open to both men and women, over the age of 18, who best epitomize the spirit of Dalí. The first annual Double Takes contest will culminate at a festival on May 10 at the museum where a winner will be selected by a panel of celebrity judges and the public.” Double Takes entries can either be in person at the May 10 party and/or with a one-minute video online at www.salvadordalimuseum.org/doubletakes. “Online entries will be judged by renowned filmmaker, actor, writer and art collector John Waters. As prizes will be given for the best Double Takes online and in person, entrants can do another double take and enter both ways. Winners will receive a weekend getaway for two at a Celebrity Resort in Florida, a getaway for two at the Tradewinds, a family membership to the museum and $500 online shopping spree at the museum store. For full rules, regulations and other details, visit www.salvadordalimuseum.org/doubletakes. The Salvador Dali Museum reserves the right to screen and select online entries.” (h/t to Guzzo Brother #1)

tenth annual environmental film festival february 23-march 1, 2008

The tenth annual Environmental Film Festival began today at Eckerd College in St. Pete. The festival ends March 1 and all programs are free and open to the general public. Here’s the schedule according to the festival website:

All screenings are at 7 p.m. in The Dan and Mary Miller Auditorium at Eckerd College except the February 24 screening, which is at 2 p.m. All programs will be preceded by a short reception with the presenter and will feature an opportunity for audience questions immediately after the program. Refreshments will be available in the lobby of The Dan and Mary Miller Auditorium.

Sponsored by: The Phoenix Venture Philanthropy Foundation. With additional support from the Program for Experienced Learners at Eckerd College, The Letters Collegium and The Environmental Studies Program at Eckerd College.

Visit www.eckerd.edu/eff/ for more info. In addition to these films, the festival is offering a one-day workshop for filmmakers on March 1:

Run by the acclaimed Dutch/Indonesian documentary filmmaker Leonard Retel Helmrich (The Shape of the Moon), who is here for the 2008 Visions of Nature, Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival, this one-day workshop will combine a theoretical overview of his acclaimed “Single Shot Cinema” method with a rare opportunity for hands-on exploration of the technique. The workshop is open to filmmakers at all levels (some camera experience strongly recommended).

Time: March 1, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Location: Franklin Templeton Building, Room 209, Eckerd College (4200 54th Ave. S., Saint Petersburg, FL 33711)
Cost: $125 for non-Eckerd participants, $75 for Eckerd College students (proceeds go to Mr. Helmrich) – cash or checks made out to Leonard Retel Helmrich (cash only on the day of or day prior to the workshop)
For more information or to register, contact Nathan Andersen at andersnt(at)eckerd.edu or 727-864-7551. Participation is limited to 25, and participants will be accepted (upon receipt of payment) on a first-come, first-served basis.

(Thanks go to David Audet from the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image for sending me the workshop info.)

(cross-posted at www.sticksoffire.com)

second annual gasparilla film festival february 27-march 2, 2008

After a successful debut in 2007, the Gasparilla Film Festival has bigger and better plans for this year’s festival, which opens February 27. At a recent press conference, festival executive director John Rosser and president Eric Odum presented the film line up, announced guest appearances, and listed the panels, receptions and special events planned for this year. 81 films from ten countries will be screened over five days, with at least 20 of the selected films having a connection to the Tampa Bay area.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the special events and screenings planned for this year:

Wednesday, February 27:

• Opening Night VIP Reception at the Tampa Theatre
• Opening night film Kabluey, a “hilarious, unique and heartfelt comedy” starring Lisa Kudrow, Chris Parnell and Christine Taylor. **Executive producer Jeff Balis is a Tampa native.**

Friday, February 29:

• An exclusive screening of The Good Fight, an “exclusive sneak-peak, work-in-progress” about FSU Seminoles’ coach Bobby Bowden by acclaimed filmmaker George Butler (Pumping Iron). Following the screening, George Butler and fellow producer Elisabeth Haviland James will be on hand to answer questions from the audience. (Tickets to the screening and the reception may be purchased separately or together.)

Saturday, March 1:

• A special, 45th anniversary screening of Blood Feast, the “first film ever to showcase explicit gore!” Legendary filmmakers Herschell Gordon “Godfather of Gore” Lewis and David F. “Mighty Monarch of Exploitation” Friedman will be in attendance! There’s a reception at 8 p.m., the film screening at 9 p.m., and then at 10 p.m. Lewis and Friedman will participate in a Q and A session with St. Pete Times film critic Steve Persall! (Sorry about the overuse of exclamation points, but I’m really excited about this event. !) “True fans of independent filmmaking will no doubt appreciate Lewis and Friedman’s fearless and pioneering cinematic legacy. However, the fact remains that their blood-soaked repertoire continues to influence people of all stripes to this very day…most notably, curious youngsters eager for kicks,” said Andy Lalino, producer at Film Ranch International, the sponsor of this special event and screening. I’m told that there will be a nurse on scene at this event, just in case. This event will put the GASP in the Gasparilla Film Festival, for sure. (While I wish I had thought of “GASParilla” myself, I must give credit to Film Ranch International for coming up with that.)
• Women’s Power Hour — The Gasparilla Film Festival is supporting Women’s History Month by showcasing the short films Ten At The Top in Tampa Bay (**by local filmmaker Renee Warmack**), In Between, Drive Lesson and Loose Ends. This event will take place at Channelside Cinemas at 5:30 p.m., followed by a complimentary networking session from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. and is sponsored by local publishing company JimSam, Inc. There will be gift bags for the first 50 people to enter the theater for this screening. Also on March 1, Channelside Cinemas is hosting the 3rd Annual Focus on Females Women’s Healthcare Symposium, a free day-long series of health-oriented seminars, screenings, demonstrations, and classes.
• Campus MovieFest — Sixteen of the best five-minute movies from the 06-07 tour of Campus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival, will be screened. Don’t ignore or dismiss this because of the “student” or “five-minute movies” aspects. Last year, the Campus MovieFest films were some of the best short films I’ve seen in the past few years (and I’ve seen hundreds of ‘em, at film festivals, at local screenings, online and on DVD). I have high hopes for this year’s Campus MovieFest crop as well.
• An exclusive screening of The Flock, a “heart-stopping psychological thriller” starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes.
• Several panel discussions/seminars, including: Worldwide Marketing and Distribution of Your Film, Budget Techniques for Producing Your Film and Working in 16mm and Other Filmmaking Techniques.
• Screenings of Requiem, a documentary about “one of the most misunderstood predators on our planet — the shark” featuring beautiful underwater photography. Requiem will screen at the Florida Aquarium and the filmmakers will be in attendance.

Sunday, March 2:

• The Young Filmmakers Series screenings.
• A special family screening of the kids’ action/adventure film The Flyboys starring Stephen Baldwin and Tom Sizemore. One free children’s ticket with each adult ticket purchase.
• The Closing Night/Award Ceremonies — hosted by Wendy Ryan of ABC’s Action News.

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST, FOLKS: I have permission to announce that Shane West, star of TV’s ER and the GFF selection What We Do Is Secret, will be at the Gasparilla Film Festival this year. I’ll post more details when I get ‘em.

Other films to be screened at the festival include:

Special American Indies (Features):

• Autism–The Musical (U.S. premiere) — A documentary about five autistic children in L.A. who write, rehearse and perform their own full-length musical.
• Big Rig (Florida premiere) — This documentary is “an extended portrait of modern American as seen through the eyes of long-haul truck drivers as they span 21,000 miles, 45 states and dozens of truck stops.”
• Daydreamer (Florida premiere) — A mystery/drama/sci-fi feature that “zigs and zags, defying convention.”
• Judy Toll:The Funniest Woman You’ve Never Heard Of (Florida premiere) — A documentary about Judy Toll, “one of Hollywood’s funniest and talented comedy writers in the 80s and 90s…whose lifetime career achievements remain largely unknown even today.”
• The Memory Thief (Florida premiere) - A “fascinating and unsettling film about a young tollbooth worker whose search for meaning leads to an obsession with the Holocaust.”
• What We Do Is Secret — This drama takes a look at the Germs, “the seminal band from the late 70s L.A. punk rock scene,” and Darby Crash, “their enigmatic lead singer.”

Fun and Fear (Features):

• American Fork — Comedy starring William Baldwin and Kathleen Quinlan.
• 100 Tears — A horror film about two reporters drawn into “the bizarre world of a serial murderer known only as The Teardrop Killer.” **Locally-produced film.**
• Viva (Florida premiere) — “A comic tale of a suburban housewife in 1972 who is abandoned by her husband and goes out to find herself in the middle of the sexual revolution.”

Latin Panorama (Features):

• Death of a Bureaucrat — A “hilarious tale of the ludicrousness of bureaucracy” from Cuba.
• Drained — A Brazilian comedy.
• Dream Havana — Cuban documentary about two friends “faced with a life-altering choice” of whether or not to attempt escape from Cuba.
• El Custodio — An Argentinean drama about a man trapped in the thankless role of bodyguard.
• It’s Better That Gabriela Doesn’t Die (East coast premiere) — A Mexican comedy about soap opera obsession.
• Making Tom Ze’ — A Brazilian documentary about the controversial musician Tom Ze’.
• The Man of 2 Havanas (Florida premiere) — “Everything your parents never told you growing up about U.S.-Cuba relations…”
• Tocar Y Luchar (Florida premiere) — A documentary about a network of hundreds of orchestras in Venezuela.

And shorts, shorts, shorts. Lots of short films, many of which are locally produced, several that are making their premieres at the festival, and all of which sound interesting.

Visit www.gasparillafilmfestival.com for details on the films, filmmakers and the schedule. A variety of festival passes and ticket packages are available through the website as well.

See you at the festival. (If you get there first, save me a good seat, will ya?)

(cross-posted at www.sticksoffire.com)