2009 Traverse City Film Festival Film School
By DAFT board member,
Andrea M. Beaudoin
“If you have a dream, make it happen…stick to it.”
--John Prusak--
What does it take to get started in filmmaking?
Lots.
And for just $3 many people learned bout the art of filmmaking at the first ever Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) Film School. The Film School made its debut on July 29, 2009 and kicked off with a class on “Screenwriting." Other sessions throughout the five-day program included: Documentary 101, Women in Film, Making Shorts, and Very American Comedy.
Creating a film takes work.
Many elements go into making a film like scriptwriting, creating a budget, story boarding, finding locations, securing equipment and funding. Other tasks include selecting the cast and crew, securing locations and of course shooting and editing the film. One of the most important aspects is the people that are willing to help.
Writer/Director Mike Smith told a group at the Making Shorts class that even though a lot of resources are needed to make a film—there is help available. “There are a lot of resources out there for aspiring filmmakers, especially for students,” he said.
Organizations like Digital Arts Film & Television (DAFT) and The Art Place (TAP) are great resources and eager to help filmmakers—especially students.
TAP, based in Traverse City, has been offering area students workshops and networking opportunities since 2003. The Art Place was also instrumental in bringing the Film School and its guest speakers to the film festival this year.
Among those speakers was filmmaker and DAFT co-founder John Prusak. Founded in 1969, DAFT provides educational resources for students and teachers interested in filmmaking through workshops and scholarships. DAFT also organizes The Michigan Student Film & Video Festival, recognized by the American Film Institute (AFI) as the oldest of it's kind in the nation. “DAFT is a good resource for people getting started,” said Prusak. “DAFT can help in media education, mentoring programs, support for independent films and networking.”
The Making Shorts class at the Film School introduced several short films and the invaluable advice of many speakers. Featured filmmakers spoke about the hard work, skills, equipment and dedication needed to create such a project. For those interested in production, shorts are a good place to start. “There are so many outlets on the internet and the low cost makes shorts a good route to making films,” said Prusak.
A short film can be about anything, an idea, an emotion…anything you can imagine. Subjects are limitless. Like all projects a short must start with an idea. From that the filmmaker creates a script and begins to tell their story. “One common factor in good shorts is that it (the message) hits you,” Home Cooked Meal producer Sarah Klegman, said.
“A short is about one choice a character makes. Even the most mundane things that happen in everyday life can make for a great movie,” said Aaron Jaffe----Trim.
After your idea is born and a script created, there are still a lot of resources, hard work and people needed to see your idea come to life on the screen.
Help often comes from many sources; from companies that loan you production equipment; to restaurants that are willing to feed your crew. Klegman and Smith said the budget for their movie was projected to cost around $30,000, but thanks to the help of many people they spent around $4,000. The pair set out to make connections. They had all night planning sessions and worked hard. Most of all, the film was possible thanks to the volunteers who devoted their talent, time, labor and resources to the film.
Smith added that making a film requires teamwork and people who are excited and support the project. A good attitude, passion and networking are also important to success.
Make connections.
Many in The Biz will tell you that networking is critical to success. Volunteering for projects will get you experience. Meeting people in the industry is a great way to jumpstart your filmmaking career. Following through with your work and displaying a positive attitude will get you noticed. Talent helps, but will only take you so far. You must do the work to make your ideas happen.
A filmmaker must also find a little magic believing in their idea and working to make it real. There will always be challenges, and the chance of rejection. Anny Slater, an Australian filmmaker and speaker at the Film School talked about her movie, The Ball. “The film had its own consciousness,” she said. “I realized I was just a conduit for this thing that was born…it just wanted to live.”
Slater told the group there will always be challenges and roadblocks along the way. For her it was her own insecurity. A fear of rejection. She began filmmaking at an older age and was unsure about how she would be accepted. Slater came to realize, “Filmmaking is something that anyone can do regardless of age. “It’s never too late in life to pursue your dream of filmmaking.”
As her presence at the TCFF proves, Slater never gave up and instead found that the success of her first project, led to future successes. She took the risks she feared and found an old saying to be true, “with the greatest risks--come the greatest rewards”.
Chris Allen-Wickler told the audience, all you need is a camera to start making movies. She encouraged young students to go out and get started.
Writer/director of Trim, Aaron Jaffe, also had some valuable advice to share. “Once you find that idea and make it happen it’s important to get your work out there. Enter your work in festivals, because after you are accepted into one--more will follow.”
A Film School is in the works for the 2010 Traverse City Film Festival.
Former DAFT student,
Dan Scanlon,
to screen independent movie!
Click logo to visit
the movie's website.
The film will be screened at the Ferndale
Film Festival on
Saturday, September 5 at 5:30 pm
Here is a link below to buy tickets and watch the trailer...
http://www.dwiff.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=283&Itemid=132
Here is the movie's website...
http://www.tracymovie.com/
ABOUT THE MOVIE
Tracy is a mockumentary about Tracy Knapp, host of the 1970’s children's show, “The Imagination Train Station”. Thirty years after the show’s cancellation an ambitious filmmaker sets out to find the person responsible for Tracy mysterious shooting.
Through interviews with the people that knew him best the filmmaker is reminded of the controversy behind the 'educational' children’s show, how Tracy loved to call out his trademark, 'Correct!' after every answer given, even the wrong ones. This made him wildly popular with children, but fueled the hatred of so many parents, teachers and other possible suspects, including his ex- wife and former clown cast member “Tess Tickles', as well as their resentful son Jim Knapp, a successful business man struggling to distance himself from his father’s “childish” image, a difficult task when you’ve inherited his unmistakable neon blonde hair.
The
filmmaker is determined to find out once and for all who shot Tracy
Knapp, no matter how damaging, humiliating, or irrelevant the truth
may be.
Click here to download the movie poster
THE
SECRETS OF GUERILLA FILMMAKING
FERNDALE FILM FESTIVAL
Saturday, September 5, 2009,
4:00—5:00 p.m.
Como’s Restaurant, Ferndale, Michigan
We are pleased to invite you to a free forum on “The Secrets of Guerilla
Filmmaking” as part of the Ferndale Film Festival on Labor Day weekend.
This forum will take place on Saturday, September 5,
2009, from 4 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Como's Restaurant (northeast
corner of Nine Mile & Woodward -- 22812 Woodward Avenue,
Ferndale 48220) in the second floor banquet room.
>
You can register for this forum at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/417500756
There is no cover charge or fee to attend this forum.
>
This forum will be hosted by Connie Mangilin, curator of the Mitten
Movie Project, co-producer and co-host of the Mitten Movie Show,
producer of “A Little Knowledge” (Best Film at the 2009 Detroit 48 Hour Film
Project), producer of the InZer0 series and feature film, and
producer of various other short films.
>
>
Mangilin will give a presentation on the secrets, tricks, and lessons
learned from making guerilla films. This will be followed by a round
table panel discussion on guerilla filmmaking from a select group of
directors and producers. To end the forum, a Q & A session will be
conducted with the audience.
>
> On the panel are the following filmmakers:
>
> • HOST -- Connie Mangilin (A Little Knowledge, InZer0, Within the Woods
Redux, Mangurt)
> • Robert Joseph
Butler (Retreat, Solitude, Dark Heart, Broken Fidelity, Portrait of a Marriage)
> • Darren Brown (In Love with Lust, Project 313, Death to the
Scorpion)
> • Tommie Green (Literally, Too Much Information, I Am Legend . . .
Mock, ClickAss)
> • Katie Barkel (Draggers & Rip Spots, Taking Drugs at the
Amusement Park, This is 12th Street)
> • Tom Gurisko (Snagged, Snippy on the Road, Snippy in Space,
Snippy Walks with a Zombie, Revolver)
> • Peter Wulff (Mount
of Olives, The Overcoming)
>
In the “Secrets of Guerilla Filmmaking” forum, the filmmakers will
discuss why they make guerilla films, how to shoot your film on an
extremely tight or nonexistent budget, how not to burn bridges, how to
keep your “A-Team” crew over various projects, how to recruit (and
where to find) new crew, among other topics. They will also discuss the
tactics of guerilla filmmaking -- everything from securing food
donations and securing locations without fees to finding actors and
finding free or inexpensive props/set dressing.
>
We
look forward to seeing you there! Space is limited so please register
for this forum at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/417500756
>
For more information on the Ferndale Film Festival, go to www.ferndalefilmfestival.org
Featured web link: Retrevo
Retrevo is a product
review search service focused solely on
electronics. The site aggregates product information, reviews and
articles from blogs, forums, websites and manufacturers. Retrevo does
their best to provide unadulterated product reviews by filtering out
ads, eBay pages and online electronic stores like Best Buy and Amazon.
And,
you can find almost any manual for any electronic product there! Great
for when you lose the manual to your camcorder!
John Prusak has been DAFT for 40 years!
John began as a student at Focal Point and then returned as an instructor the next year, a role he has filled every since. John has also been DAFT Board president (and now is an emeritus member of the Board), chairperson of the Michigan Student Film & Video Festival and instructor in many other workshops, notably 19 years with the Student Animation Workshop and 5 years with Art in Motion.
At a surprise gathering of DAFT friends and family last spring John was presented with a quilt created from the panels of DAFT t-shirts from over the years. The party was planned as a surprise - and it really was. But John noted that it did explain all the t-shirts with huge rectangles cut from the fronts. Here are some photos taken by Nancy Rae Gilliland.
DAFT instructors lead
workshops with artsJam! Detroit WAY (Work Alternatives For Youth)
click
here to read the full
Detroit Free Press news article
Michigan Youth Arts is thrilled to announce the award of six $250 professional development scholarships for arts educators! Made possible through a generous gift from MEEMIC Insurance Company, two educators were chosen by lottery to attend each of three summer professional workshops hosted by Digital Arts, Film & Television, the Michigan Art Education Association, and the Michigan School Vocal Music Association.
Over 100 teachers from across Michigan entered the scholarship drawing. The six recipients teach in Greenville, Hamtramck, Kentwood, Chelsea, Ferndale and Livonia.
The Michigan Youth Arts Association (MYAA) is a statewide arts education association that serves as a collaborative of discipline-specific arts education organizations. The programming of MYAA consists of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, statewide arts education awards, arts education advocacy, leadership roundtables and funding programs for youth, schools and arts education professionals throughout Michigan.
MEEMIC Insurance Company provides personal auto, homeowners, boat, and umbrella coverages to teachers and other educational employees in the state of Michigan. MEEMIC is also the sponsor of the Michigan Youth Arts Educator of the Year awards, which honored 14 distinguished arts educators at this year's Michigan Youth Arts Festival.
DAFT volunteers at
Detroit Public TV's
2009 Pledge Drive
We enjoyed renewing our ongoing
friendship and cooperation with Detroit Public TV, assisting in their
pledge drive by answering telephones.
DAFT members pictured above, left to right:
John Prusak, Len Radjewski, Annette Frank,
Andrea Beaudoin, Jere Stormer, Tom Mansell
Steve Julin
recognized as "Film & Video
Educator of the Year" at
2009 Michigan Youth Arts Festival
DAFT Board Member Emeritus, John Prusak, with
his former student, Steve Julin, who graciously receives
his recognition as DAFT's Film & Video Educator of the Year.
Doug Blush, former
DAFT student,
edits new
documentary "OUTRAGE"
PLEASE help us spread the word to friends, family and neighbors across the country to help get this controversial, entertaining and very important film seen and discussed! Even if the film is not yet showing in your city, please forward the email to those who might be interested, and see below for ideas on using Facebook, MySpace and other web sites.
Below are links to everything about the film, provided by Amy Ziering, our producer.
THANKS! Get OUTRAGED!
Doug
Outrage URL http://www.outragethemovie.com/
YouTube Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgESXQccWi8
Magnolia Pictures Site http://www.magpictures.com/mailer/outragethemovie/index.html
Buy Tickets http://www.movietickets.com/movie_detail.asp?movie_id=72692
Below is a list of things people can do to promote this film
- Send out an email or Facebook update to all of your contacts, recommending the film and linking to the trailers and how to buy tickets.
- Change your status to "I am OUTRAGED" and link to trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgESXQccWi8
- Post links, recommendations, and the trailer itself on the walls of popular film, gay issue or political groups, indivduals or organizations
- Invite friends to group showing of the film.
Chris Houghton, former DAFT
student,
featured in the news!
Detroit Free Press 05/10/2009
ARTISTS +THEIR ART
CHRIS HOUGHTON
Houghton is a junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, an illustrator and cartoonist who has earned national attention for his playful animation style. “Gunther and the Steak Snacking Snake!” — a kid-friendly comic that combines Western and fantasy elements and features that bear-tripping wrangler — is an example of the kind of work that recently won him a $5,000 scholarship from the National Cartoonists Society.
“Gunther,” which he drew and his older brother wrote, will be available along with a few other of his pieces, plus thousands from other CCS students, at the college’s annual Student Exhibition, which opens Friday. The exhibition is a highlight of the year for CCS students and area art fans, providing a great way to scout up-and-coming talent.
Houghton, who is freelancing professionally while attending school, certainly fits that bill. He says he’s driven by “a mix of passion and the desperation to constantly improve” and that he will do “anything I can” to make a career via his cartooning skills once he graduates.
“It’s been an incredible amount of work,” Houghton says of his time at CCS. “The three years has been packed full of learning, experience and picking up new tools.”
-- BY STEVE BYRNE, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
This illustration from Houghton’s
portfolio was drawn with pen and ink and colored
on a computer.
Houghton hopes to make a living using his cartooning skills after
he graduates.
TOMMY SCOTT/College for
Creative Studies
Poetry Foundation Prize
The Poetry Prize recognizes excellence in the arts of poetry and film through the presentation of a cash award for the best film based on a poem. The Prize will be awarded to a filmmaker whose use of verse in film opens new artistic vistas and inspires children to a deeper appreciation of poetry. This unique competition was created to encourage filmmakers around the world to incorporate poetry into their films in new and compelling ways.
Both animated and live action films will be eligible to compete for the Poetry Foundation prize and a special jury will be convened during the summer of 2009 to determine the award winner. The prize will be awarded to the film that truly captures, reflects and expresses the spirit of poetry in film for young audiences. In order to compete for the Poetry Foundation prize, films submitted must be based on poems that are written by a poet other than the filmmaker.
For more information, please visit www.cicff.org
DAFT Announces 2009 Film/Video
Educator of the Year:
Steve Julin
Steve
Julin has been editing, directing and producing video for over 24
years. He was a principal partner in developing Media Power and is an Apple
Certified Instructor as well as Michigan's first Avid Certified
Instructor. He has edited and provided training for such companies as Ford Motor Company, Kmart, Comcast, The Discovery
Channel, CBS, PBS and NBC.
In 2000,
Steve received a Golden Eagle Award
for documentary editing and was nominated for an Emmy in 2001. He also
served as Senior Avid Editor at Grace & Wild HD Studios. Steve is a
graduate of Eastern Michigan University where he received a
B.S. in Television Journalism.
In March
of 2004 Steve’s first book, “Avid Xpress Pro: Power”, was released and
published by Muska and Lipman.
In
2008 Steve create Postapalooza, a retreat and conference for anyone
interested in post production. The two-day conference is held every
fall in Mt. Pleasant Michigan. Currently Steve serves as the Director
of Curriculum Development at the Specs Howard School of
Broadcast Arts and teaches at Media
Power.
Steve
Julin's high school film / video production class photo.
Steve is on the far right. His mentor, John Prusak is the fellow in the
top row with the moustache.
Student Animation Workshop
Featured in Traverse City Newspaper!
"Students' art comes to life"
By CAROL SOUTH
Special to the Record-Eagle
TRAVERSE CITY -- Fade in.
Interior, The Art Place, Saturday afternoon.
Sixteen high schoolers engaged in a vibrant hum of creativity: generating animation cels ... shooting sketches for an animation morph ... meticulously moving fruit characters around for a stop-action scene ... placing cut outs just so for the camera.
http://www.gtherald.com/local/local_story_055192333.html
Meijer Great Choices Student Film Festival
DEADLINE
FOR ENTRIES: MARCH 16, 2009
Just four weeks remaining for Michigan high school students to meet the March 16, 2009 deadline for the "Meijer Great Choices Student Film Festival," targeting CHARACTER ED, DIVERSITY, and HEALTHY LIFESTYLES! For complete information/directions click on the link below:
Announcing Digital Arts, Film & Television's
2009
Focal Point Workshop!
click here to download the application
adults and mature high school students. In one week,
participants will work with video from concept to
finished product. The course covers camera operation,
script writing, storyboarding, special effects and
non-linear editing. All skill levels are welcome. Course
work can be geared to accomodate specific interests
and needs.
Announcing Digital Arts, Film & Television's
2009
Michigan Student Film &
Video Festival!
click here to download the application
This film festival is unique in
the nation for providing a public venue for the work of students in
grades K-12, as well as giving recognition and significant awards to
young media artists. The
38th annual Michigan Student Film & Video Festival will be held at
the Detroit Film Theatre in 2009.
Announcing Digital Arts, Film & Television's
2009
Art In Motion workshop!
click here to download the application
Have you ever wanted to add a new dimension to your own art? Or sought
to bring an exciting multi-disciplinary art form into your classroom?
Art in Motion is designed to provide an intensive hands-on experience in animation for classroom teachers and other interested adults. The instructors have many years of classroom and professional experience in animation and promise a week full of learning and fun.
2008 Michigan Student Film & Video Festival
CLICK HERE
to view the 2008 Best of Show winners!
DAFT Announces 2008
Film/Video Educator of the Year
Kevin
Walsh is a 21-year veteran teacher of video production at West
Bloomfield.
He designed curriculum and help design the school’s
television
studio, editing suites and classroom. He is a 1987 graduate
of the University of Notre Dame where he received
his bachelors and in
1991
received his masters in English from Oakland University.
Prior to
teaching at West Bloomfield High School, Walsh taught for 13
years at
Royal Oak Dondero High School as a video production and
language
arts instructor (with past award recipients Maureen McCarthy
and Dick
Rockwell).
In 2006,
Walsh published Video Direct, through Teacher’s Discovery
(www.teachersdiscovery.com). The workbook
merges language arts analysis
skills
with hands-on projects for any district's video budget. In its
first
year, the book sold to districts in over forty states.
Kevin will
be honored along with Educators of the Year from other
arts
disciplines at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in Kalamazoo.
NEW!
American
Film Institute Launches "Screen Nation" An Online
Video Posting and Sharing Community for Middle and High School
Students and Teachers
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
DAFT featured on PBS
Detroit Public
Television produced a mini-documentary
about DAFT in conjunction with our group's recognition at the 2006
Governor's Awards for Arts & Culture.
You can view this video by clicking the link below.
The video is hosted by YouTube, a great online source for
independent video content.
Click
here to watch the video.
Exciting News:
DAFT wins in
the Small Cultural Organization Category at the
2006
ArtServe Michigan's Governor's Awards for Arts & Culture
Become a
DAFT member
(Choose a member option below)