"Sundance is an overpriced ski party. Cannes, a bunch of models on the beach. Tribeca... little more than an American Express ad. There is no venue today for real artists to show their films to other artists, not for money, or fame, or multi-picture first-look deals, but simply for the love of making movies.
Well all of that is about to change...On the brink of his 30th year on this planet, Scott is getting ready to reinvent the motion picture as we know it with the debut of the "6 Hour Film Festival" which will culminate with a gala premiere at the world renowned Red Vic Movie House. But he can't do it alone. He needs artists that share his passion for movie making. Artists who aren't caught up in the Hollywood machine, who don't rely on things like "budgets", and "scripts", and "talent". Artists who would rather not spend months shooting an elaborate, multi-hour film when they could instead spend hours shooting a simplistic, 5-minute long film. Artists for whom pre-production is drinking a few beers, and post-production is drinking a few more beers. In other words, artists like you!
Here are the details: Teams will have one afternoon to create a movie short which will be premiered that evening in a midnight showing at the Red Vic Movie House at 1727 Haight Street in San Francisco. Join us at the Shack at 1:00 PM for lunch. Here you will get teams, equipment and movie theme. Then you’re off, with 6 hours to write, story board, location search, set design, mark, light, costume, score, rehearse, learn to use camera, and shot and download your film. We will reconvene for dinner and drinks, then on to the Red Vic Movie House for the midnight movie screening, awards and other surprises. No movie-making experience or equipment is required. Just come out, have a good time, and try to remember to take the lens-cap off."
That was our mission.
And damn it all if Julia and I didn't pull it off!! Our supposed 6-person team, shrunk to just the two of us...the two girls who didn't work at ILM, didn't have a creative arts degree, graduate from Stanford or recall the last time we even held a video camera in our hands, and yet...we proudly have a 10-minute film stamped with our names on it!
Scott's theme/topic of choice: "Aging" -- could be used or ignored in the making of our film. We took it and ran....
Stream-of-consciousness brainstorming: All we know how to do it go to bars and drink/How about a video documentary?/What if we just ask people of varying ages their take on life?/Where are we going to find people drinking at a bar at 3 in the afternoon?!/We need shock value/What about asking them about their "first time"/Nah, could be boring and long winded/What about asking them if they had a "freak flag" how they would fly it?/Nah, could be scary....
So for some time now, I've given Julia a hard time about being such a "ageist" -- seemingly she is predetermined NOT to like someone if they are younger than her. There could be potential but she won't even give it a chance if she finds out too early how old they are because she'll shrug them off without getting to know them. So, here we dug...we asked the people: "Would you date someone significantly older or younger than you? And, why or why not?"
You'd be surprised what comes pouring out of people's mouth by offering to buy them just one drink. I guess it supports the theory that people love hearing themselves talk. (And they were intrigued by the video camera and free booze.) Regardless, the commentary was poignant and down right hilarious. The result? Julia and Kimi's 10-minute film titled "Younger Men." For us, a fitting topic not only to push Julia's envelope but because Scott married Akemi, who is 3 years his senior ;-).
The day's basic itinerary: November 17, Saturday
1:00 PM Lunch and team assembly @ the Shak -- given packet of instructions, loaded camera, tripod and theme
2:00 PM Hukilau brainstorming session
3:00 PM First interviewee "Lawrence"
3:30 PM Run home, grab Julia's work office and head downtown to her office
4:00 PM Julia's office, second interviewee via Facebook "Sal"
4:30 PM Walk a block to Sutter Station for interview 3 (cutting room floor, boring) and 4
5:30 PM Ace's Bar for interview 5 (cutting room floor, too dark)
6:00 PM Hukilau for interiew 6
7:30 PM Download, edit and burn final cut of DVD movie
9:30 PM Kezar Pub for drinks and buffalo wings
12 midnight Gala Premiere at the Red Vic Movie House
1:30 AM Awards ceremony: "Younger Men" awarded the Kevin Smith Award for most dialogue
Even for the most naive amateurs (that would be me and Julia), seeing your work on the "big screen" is an awesome feeling. Kudos to Akemi and "Tech Team" for logistically planning out and executing a FULL days' events. As much as I grumbled, this was the most fun I've had in an afternoon in a while. No doubt, a memorable 30th for the birthday boy and myself included.
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When we get the movie on YouTube, I'll link it here...until then, you'll have to use your imagination.
