In the entertainment world, short films are underrated. Rarely do they get media hype or awarded for their makers’ resourcefulness. Every September, these short films are feted at the DC Shorts Film Festival, where short films are seen for what they really are: imaginative and ingenuous works of art.
DC Shorts will celebrate its ninth year this month by showcasing 140 films from 27 nations. On Tap had the pleasure of discussing five films with their respective filmmakers for an in depth look at what it takes to make these diminutive bits of storytelling.
Charlie
Four youngsters face the differences between fantasy and reality in this dramatic short.
Written by Evan Littman, Directed by Brett Cramer
Brett Cramer and Evan Littman are from Northern Virginia. They both currently reside in Los Angeles.
Evan Littman and Brett Cramer on the set of "Charlie"
Evan Littman: Brett has been making movies since he was little, and I’ve been involved in the performing arts since then as well.
Brett Cramer: My dad was a stay-at-home dad. He would go to the movies every week and take me with him (even if the movie was rated R…something my mom yelled at him for almost weekly). Consequently, I developed a love for storytelling at a very early age. At first I used writing as an outlet. I would write stories, and then eventually I started writing screenplays. Later on my dad bought a VHS home video camera and then the fun really began. I would dress up in a tux and pretend to be James Bond while he filmed me doing random "action" scenes. This went on for awhile until I entered high school, which offered a video production class that I immediately signed up for. I made short skits for the local school news show that aired every Friday. That was really cool because the videos I made would get broadcast to the whole school, which was about 2,500 kids. I usually got a great response from everyone. Satisfying an audience is the best feeling in the world. I couldn't get enough.
EL: We used to make fake movie trailers [for the school’s news broadcast]. When Busplan, our spoof of the Jodie Foster film Flightplan, turned one of our friends into a local celebrity, I think we knew something had clicked.
OT: Without giving anything away, where did the idea for this story come from?
BC: I've always wanted to shoot an action film where kids have a no-holds-barred supersoaker battle (like the ones I used to have with my friends when I was little). I had never really seen that put on film before. I was also very interested in bullying. I was never bullied when I was younger, but I would see it happen to other kids and those images really stuck with me. Should I have done something to help? It's never an easy answer, especially when you're younger because your view of the world is so skewed at that age.
EL: A lot of times you'll see little kids playing on screen and it's very romanticized. They're young and fun and full of innocence. What nobody tells you is that children, when left to their own devices, are not that nice.
OT: Charlie has a pretty heavy underlying theme. What are you hoping the audience will take away from the film?
BC: Kids have a lot to learn about social situations. Specifically, they often can't distinguish between what's serious and what's not. They can spend hours blowing away zombies in a video game but when someone actually gets hurt in real life, they usually can't comprehend the situation and don't really know how to deal with it. We aren't necessarily trying to blame video games or violent films for kids' violent behavior. I played tons of gratuitously violent games when I was younger and turned out just fine. However, luckily I had great parents to teach me how to distinguish between fake "fantasy" violence and real violence. The kids in Charlie obviously lack this.
EL: One of the most important things about this film is what's missing: the parents. Video games, movies, and the internet are all fun, but they're no substitute for a family. They don't often teach right from wrong.
OT: Are your story ideas random or do they trend toward a specific them or genre?
EL: We lean toward supernatural or fantastical elements because it gives us more tools for our toolbox. We can explore themes in a new way, and the audience gets to see something they've never seen before.
BC: It [fantasy and sci-fi] gives us more opportunities to think of ways to include dynamic editing and scene architecture. We're always thinking about how to tell a story in a unique way. With Charlie, we accomplished that with intercutting between the "real world" and the "imagined world."
OT: Evan, you wrote the script for the film. Was it difficult to pass it off to Brett to direct?
EL: No, Brett and I have a great relationship and our tastes overlap in a lot of aspects. We worked very closely together every step of the way.
OT: Do you plan to collaborate on future films?
BC: Yes, we have a similar understanding of story structure and almost identical creative sensibilities. Furthermore, we've been working together for so long that we've developed a shorthand when we talk to each other.
OT: Are there any concrete collaboration plans in the works?
BC: We’re actually in the middle of writing our first feature film. It will be science fiction and another excellent opportunity for us to find a unique way to tell a story. We’ve also just wrapped another short film that will be finished in October. With any luck, that will be making the festival rounds sometime next year!
Charlie will screen in Showcase 9 on September 8 at E Street Cinema: 555 11th St. NW, DC; 202-452-7672; www.landmarktheatres.com.
Cockatoo
In an attempt to get over his ex-girlfriend, Michael hires a young woman to pretend to be her.
Written and Directed by Matthew Jenkin
Matthew Jenkin runs the production company, Ninja Milk. He currently resides in New South Wales, Australia.
On Tap: What made you want to get into the film business?
Matthew Jenkin: I was 16. A heavily edited TV version of Pulp Fiction absolutely blew me away. I taped it on VHS and watched it over and over again. I always enjoyed writing stories but that film made me realize I should write for the screen.
OT: Where did the inspiration for this film come from?
MJ: I was reading a newspaper article about a companion service that is offered in Sydney. If you’re lonely and would like someone to join you when you go shopping or to the movies or the museum, you can contact an agency who will match you up with a ‘friend.’ The article also sighted a similar service in Japan where men who are soon to get married could hire a woman to play their future wife in order to prepare them for married life. I thought the concept of hiring someone for a non-sexual personal service was fascinating so I combined this idea with an old script that I had written about 10 years earlier and put it all together. However, the first draft started as a dark drama/thriller – it was about Michael getting revenge on his ex-girlfriend and ultimately killing the actress portraying her. Like all first drafts it was pretty awful and I showed to a few select friends for feedback and as is the case with one mate of mine, it started getting silly… a little too silly. But at the end of the meeting he had planted the seed – why not make it a comedy? So I did and after five drafts we got there.
Alan Dukes and Matilda Brown in "Cockatoo"
MJ: Sporadic. However, I'm getting more disciplined. It can be difficult juggling work and your creative endeavours and ultimately, the creativity comes second because you've got to pay the rent. But I now schedule one hour every Monday to Friday to write (5pm – 6pm) once I've completed all my work, plus write all day Saturday. I'm finding when I treat my writing like work, results come. I'm training myself and my brain that that time of the day is writing time and as I only have a small window of opportunity, I have to make the most of it. It's starting to work.
OT: Do you have any advice for filmmakers just starting out?
MJ: Pre-production. Pre-production. Pre-production!! The better prepared you are at the start, the better your film will be. Plan a film festival calendar. Research the festivals you want to enter and their previous years’ programs – look at what the festivals are after and if your film suits their programming. And try and hold off from uploading your film to YouTube and Vimeo for as long as possible if you’re doing a film festival circuit. Many don’t accept films that are available online.
OT: You are currently adapting Cockatoo into a TV show. How do you plan to stretch the idea into a lasting series?
MJ: Cockatoo is Michael’s story. The planned TV series will be Melanie’s story. Each week we follow her and the clients she helps all while being a totally new character every time. The scenarios are endless! At the moment, I’ve written a pilot episode and we’re in the process of meeting with a production company to try and get it off the ground. Fingers crossed!
OT: What are you most looking forward to at DC Shorts Film Festival?
MJ: Unfortunately, I can’t attend due to work commitments. I hope the audiences respond to our film, have a laugh and maybe even shed a tear.
OT: What will you be working on?
MJ: I’ve got commitments to my production company, Ninja Milk, which I run with my business partner. We have a retainer client who keeps us very busy and the next few months is going to be a particularly busy period. Plus I’m continuing to write more episodes for the TV series and we’ve got some key meetings coming up with producers and production companies, so the next few months are going to be very exciting.
Cockatoo will screen in Showcase 10 on September 8 at E Street Cinema: 555 11th St. NW, DC; 202-452-7672. Learn more about Matthew’s production company at www.ninjamilk.com or www.facebook.com/ninjamilk.
Chores
What at first appears to be a beautiful and idyllic country existence for a solitary man, quickly takes an ominous turn when he senses that something or someone is watching him.
Written and Directed by Terence Bernardo
Terence Bernardo is the founder of Fine Tooth Arts. Originally from Edmonton, Canada, he currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.
On Tap: This project started with your desire to compose a soundtrack. How did it morph into an actual film?
Terence Bernardo: I’ll admit that one of my early motivations for making Chores was so that I could write a film score. Music production is my day job and I was looking to create some new work outside of what I usually do. Then I thought the best way to present it would be to film a story. I had this lullaby melody in my head and the idea for Chores came from there. Of course, as I got more into the writing and planning for the movie, the totality of the filmmaking process naturally took over. I realize now that my original plan was absurd, sort of like building a house so that I could have a new kitchen. It’s entirely possible I subconsciously used music to get over the fear of directing.
Terence Bernardo directing with DP Nina Kuhn
TB: It’s funny you should ask that. At the time, I honestly thought I was making something kind of funny, or at least with a macabre sense of humor. I’m a huge coward when it comes to slasher films so I’m not sure I’m the best person to address the state of the horror genre. If anything, Chores is a homage to old-school thrillers like The Innocents or Hitchcock movies like Rebecca or Psycho. I suppose I’d like to see more movies that leave more to the audience’s imagination. Creepiness rather than goriness.
OT: I agree! Thrillers, I feel, are scarier than those gory and bloody horrors. You wrote and directed, and composed the soundtrack of, Chores. What was that process like for you?
TB: The process of making Chores was at once exhilarating and exhausting. I had a tight schedule, limited resources and a small crew. That I fulfilled multiple roles never occurred to me to be an obstacle. I just did it because it was the path of least resistance. The story came naturally and for some reason, I could see it in my head before it was even shot.
OT: Filming began ominously with a freak storm. Did that make you superstitious about filming a scary movie?
TB: The storm and the blackout immediately following it certainly made me think twice about shooting out in the country. The scariest part of that was being knocked off schedule right from the get-go. Maybe I wasn’t superstitious enough. We weren’t able to shoot a single frame in the first day of production!
OT: Do you have any plans for future film projects at the moment?
TB: I have been writing and collaborating with friends on a few feature-length stories that I hope to make sometime soon. In their own way these ideas are more personal. One is inspired by my brief time working in advertising and some of the characters I've seen in that world. Indeed, truth can be stranger than fiction. The other is about psychotherapy and babies. Both ideas couldn't be more different than Chores. I also have plans to make a short narrative based on a voiceover artist I read about. In the meantime, I'm also trying to complete a series of music videos to promote my upcoming record Dirge. Those are more abstract.
OT: What are you most looking forward to about the DC Shorts Film Festival?
TB: I’m really looking forward to meeting other filmmakers and seeing their work. Since it is a short film festival, I’ll be able to see more movies. I am in awe of so many of the directors I’ve met and I often feel like an interloper at festivals because there are so many incredibly talented people out there. It’s always fun to hear their stories and what inspired them to travel down this treacherous path!
Chores will screen in Showcase 11 on September 8 at E Street Cinema: 555 11th St. NW, DC; 202-452-7672. Learn more about Terence Bernardo at www.terencebernardo.com or www.finetootharts.com.
One Nightstand
Two twenty-something’s wake up the morning after to discover they are awkwardly handcuffed together.
Written and Directed by Giancarlo Iannotta
Giancarlo’s commercial work includes campaigns for Mercedes Benz, Chevrolet, and a high-profile Senate race. He currently resides in Chicago, IL.
On Tap: Is there a funny story behind this film or was the idea random? Where did your inspiration come from?
Giancarlo Iannotta: I wish there was but [it was] totally random! I had the initial idea then my co-writer went off and came up with the rest. I pitched the script to a producer in LA last year and he said, “That’s great but tell people this crazy one night stand story happened to you and you couldn’t walk away.” Typical Hollywood, right? So if anybody asks, that’s what happened!
Drawing by Kevin McShane
GI: Great question. I do a lot of car commercials and essentially have to teach acting within a short amount of time. Most of these reps have never been on camera before which can be absolutely dreadful but hilarious. It also helps better develop my craft though when I get on actual sets (getting a line or performance out of someone). Similarly, you’re always against the clock and trying to “make your day.” And it’s fun!
OT: How long were your actors handcuffed to that headboard? Did that plot device make the set more enjoyable or tougher?
GI: Between 10-15 hours! We shot over three days last summer for about five hours each day. On the first take of the shoot, the handcuffs broke which set the mood for the whole weekend (we bought cheap ones so they kept breaking, hah!). Marian and Justin were pros though and never complained. I’d even see them still cuffed together after we cut. I think they liked it!
OT: Do you have any advice for filmmakers just starting out?
GI: My advice would be to embrace the mistakes. Some of my first films were absolutely terrible and I’ve never shown them to anyone. But making those films helped me better understand filmmaking and embrace more collaboration. The next film I ended making went on to SXSW, so trust me when I say embrace mistakes, especially if you’re in film school!
OT: What are you most looking forward to at DC Shorts Film Festival?
GI: I think it's ridiculously hilarious that our sexy handcuffs film is playing in an historic Navy Museum, that's going to be wild. Otherwise I'm really looking forward to the films, network opportunities and meeting the staff (they've been great so far.)
One Nightstand will screen in Showcase 16 September 8 at US Navy Memorial: 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC; 202-737-2300. Learn more about the film at www.wherearethekeys.com.
The Carrier
After her son’s death, a grieving mother discovers the secrets he was hiding.
Written and Directed by Scott Schaeffer
Scott Schaeffer has worked on features including The Aviator and Frost/Nixon. Recently he has been the 1st AD on Big Love, Enlightened, and True Blood.
Scott Schaeffer, Director of "The Carrier"
Scott Schaeffer: I have been extremely fortunate in the projects I have worked on. I feel that when I am involved in high profile shows I try not to be aware of what successes they are or can be, you just try to do the best job that you possibly can. This helped with the production of The Carrier. I was able to bring the same work ethic and skills to the short that I had learned and refined on the bigger projects.
OT: Where did the inspiration for this film come from?
SS: I have has always been intrigued by legacy. What do people leave behind? Some people leave behind money, belongings or real estate and others leave chaos.
OT: Your film touches on a lot of emotions in a short span of time. What do you hope the audience will take away from it?
SS: I hope that they relate to all the emotions or at least have an understanding of it. I want the audience to walk out of the theatre wanting more, involved in discussions about what do you think happened next.
OT: Do you have any plans to do more with the story of The Carrier?
SS: I do, we hope to turn it into a feature and I am working on the script right now.
OT: Do you have any advice for filmmakers just starting out?
SS: Work on things that resonate with you, that touch your heart or you feel like the story has to be told. There is nothing worse than working on a project that you don’t believe in. Make it count.
OT: What are you most looking forward to at DC Shorts Film Festival?
SS: All the great films and networking possibilities and of course DC itself. [I] love that town.
The Carrier will screen in Showcase 3 on September 6 at US Navy Memorial: 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC; 202-737-2300. Learn more about the film at
www.thecarriershortfilm.com.
DC Shorts Film Festival will take place throughout DC, September 6 through 16. For more information on DC Shorts and a full schedule of events and screenings, visit www.dcshorts.com.
DC Shorts 2012: Film/Chef Pairings
This year, DC Shorts will be pairing several films with local chefs. Each chef has created a menu item inspired by a film featured in the festival. These special dishes will be available at the respective screenings! Here’s a look at the tasty menu:
Liberty Road, Liberty Road Crab Cakes
Set in a Maryland crab house, Liberty Road explores the journey of one man searching for redemption after losing his house and his job on the same day. At his boiling point, he pulls a gun on his boss. That’s when a chain of good deeds, inadvertently set in motion by the gunman himself, brings the film to its striking conclusion. Paired with the film is Chef Peter Smith of PS7’s. He has created Liberty Road Crab Cake as a unique menu item inspired by the film. Like the main character, these crabs are prepared under pressure and then guided, with a little help, to their positive finished product.
Liberty Road will screen in Showcase 3.
More Menu Inspiring Films:
Murder Mouth – A real life look at where your meat comes from. 701 Penn Ave. Showcase 1
Look to the Cookie – Glaser’s Bake Shop has created mouth-watering delicacies for 110 years. Whole Foods, P Street. Showcase 4
The Man at the Counter – A young barista is forced to deal with some of life’s most basic questions. Vigilante Coffee. Showcase 5
Murgi Keno Mutant – A team of kung-fu fighting chefs must hunt mutant birds in order to keep chicken on their menu. Rasika West End. Showcase 11
The Capital Buzz – Out of sight of local authorities and neighbors, amateur beekeepers are setting out to propagate bees all across DC. Chef Mark Timms. Showcase 14
Tastes Like Chicken? — A single chicken believes a different life is possible — and she’s willing to take the risks to achieve it. Matchbox. Showcase 15
The Order – A man orders a meal expecting flawless service, but his condescending and absurd demands push a waitress to a critical point. Bibiana. Showcase 16
Learn more about the Film & Chef pairings at www.dcshorts.com/films/film-chef-pairings
