Editorials

Alex Gavin ‘s THE TURN OF THE SCREW: Lake Travis FF 2021 Interview: the challenges of making a horror film for people who don’t like horror

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about making horror movies for people that don’t like horror. We also talk about “using the space” cinematically – in this case shooting a film on a stage (or making us think we are on a stage) and making it interesting, if not frightening, as well as utilizing the sound design to also enhance those efforts. We also discuss the work of Greer Phillips to pull off a performance that had so many challenges to make it all work on so many levels.

Ilir Pristine’s FLORRIE interview at Lake Travis FF 2021 — talks about not spoon feeding audiences and the crime of shooting a black & white film

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talked about trusting the audience and not spoon feeding them plot points and character beats and allowing them to “solve the puzzle”. We also talk about editors saving our lives. And there is the inevitable discussion about the blowback he got for shooting in black and white (Spoiler: One distributor told him to “Go to hell.” And hung up on him.)

Laura Galt, Malibu Taetz, Duncan Putney, Melissa Kirkendall’s : Lake Travis Film Fest 2021 Interview: Shorts #2 – Five shorts directors find what connects us all when we make short films

By John Wildman 5 years ago

This is quite the group of films and filmmakers (from the Lake Travis Film festival) to wrangle into one interview space (four narrative, 0ne narrative/doc hybrid, and one documentary), but it highlights the vast range that short films can demonstrate both as entertainment, in style, ambition, approach…everything really. In the interview, we talked about the question that is always my go-to with shorts filmmakers, and that is “Why did you make a short film, let alone this one?”. We also talk about the discipline that goes into making shorts, due to time constraints, including learning to cut things that we love, but need to lose for the good of the film overall.

Lake Travis Film Fest 2021 Interview: SHORTS #1 women directors talk financing and harmonious sets

By John Wildman 5 years ago

The three shorts screened as part of the 2021 Lake Travis Film Festival and in the interview, we talk about (as I frequently ask shorts filmmakers) why they are bothering making a short film. (Spoiler: we talk about “proof of concept” a lot.) We also talk about the challenges filmmaking-wise specific to being a woman and how to get financing is routinely a bigger hurdle than the actual movie making. They also talk about the value of picking their crew members wisely to foster a supportive set filled with collaborators who point to them as the leader of the project.

Jena Burchick’s MOM & M: Lake Travis Film Festival 2021 Interview: inserting herself and her camera in the middle of a family in order to make a film

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talked about what it’s like to be in the middle of a family fraught with real world issues and problems, etc. with your camera and yet, not disrupting the flow of life with your presence. Jena also talks about trying to capture what was going on with the child in the room, yet not lose the film’s focus while doing so. She also discusses how and what inspired the film growing from an intended short to the feature-length project it eventually became.

Ana Pasti’s IN BETWEEN, Andrej I. Volkashin’s SNAKE: SEEfest 2021 Interviews — Three short film directors discuss the awesomeness and not-so-awesomeness of directing children

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we naturally talk about the challenges and the joys of working with and directing children, including how important it is to “cast” the parents as well as their children. I also have an embarrassing moment where I discover that Ana Pasti actually played the lead in her film and I lamely did not make the connection. We also talk about the filmmakers’ emotional state following the completion of each project and whether they were excited to do the next film or needed to be convinced to do it ever again.

Kata Oláh MY DIGITAL NOMAD, SEEfest 2021 Interviews: talks about documentary filmmaking as a personal discovery process when turning the camera in yourself and your loved ones

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about about Kata’s personal discovery process during the time period making the film and how the insecurity of not having a familiar plan drove the inspiration of wanting to apply it all to the creation of that film. We also talk about the unexpected reaction(s) she had while reviewing footage of conversations that she herself had participated in while filming, as well as finding a balance in her own life once informed by literally watching her life play out in front of her.

Andrei Zinca’s SO WHAT’S FREEDOM?: SEEfest 2021 Interviews: focusing on visuals and giving symbolic characters nuance

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about Zinca’s approach to the visuals of the film, the color palette, the script as seen by a director of photography, and the visual distinction separating the “universes” created within the film. We also talk about the nuance achieved in the characters – weakness in “villains,” conflicted intentions and behavior from “heroic” characters, etc., and how they were set up to be symbolic of entire groups during that time.

Elka Nikolova’s A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL: SEEfest 2021 Interviews; dealing with a central question can make or break a documentary

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about the “responsibility” of the documentarian to choose great spokespeople as interview subjects for their films, as well as how kismet can come into play in finding the right people to put in front of their cameras. Elka also talks in depth about the central question in the film of “Can I consider myself a survivor or not?” as well as how she approached that question helped her unlock the key to making the film.

Bruno Pavić ‘s LANDSCAPE ZERO: SEEfest 2021 Interviews; talks about the taking a different approach and style to the environmental documentary

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about why and how Bruno took the “artistic” documentary approach with this film and its subject, including not wanting to be perceived as an activist through the filmmaking. We also talk about a moment of improvisation he had while shooting the film, and how some of that came from the reluctance of interview subjects to actually appear in the film.