17th Raindance Film Festival Spotlights Women Japanese Directors
Since 1998, Raindance Film Festival has continued in its strong support for Japanese filmmaking, with its Way Out East section the largest annual showcase for new Japanese cinema in the United Kingdom, screening at least ten recent features and documentaries annually. The 17th Raindance Festival, held between 30 September – 11 October 2009, this year turns its spotlight on the rising number of women filmmakers in Japan, with a special selection of five features and one shorts program from some of the country’s most exciting talent.
Director Momoko Ando will be in attendance to introduce the World Premiere of her debut feature, A PIECE OF OUR LIFE - KAKERA -. The film, scored by Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, is a touching portrait of a romantic relationship between Haru, a college student whose relationship with her self-centred boyfriend is going nowhere, and Riko, a bisexual medical artist who makes prosthetic body parts. Born in 1982, Ando is the daughter of the acclaimed actor-director Eiji Okuda and the sister of rising starlet Sakura Ando (LOVE EXPOSURE, AIN’T NO TOMORROWS). A former student of the Slade School of Fine Art, her return to London to present her new film promises to be an unforgettable experience.
Also in attendance will be Sachi Hamano, the most prolific female director in Japan with over 400 films to her name, mainly in the genre of the erotic pink film. She will be here to present her 2001 non-pink title LILY FESTIVAL, a comedy drama in which the inhabitants of a residential home for women, aged between 69 and 91, find their passions rekindled when the first man moves in amongst them, a 75-year-old lothario with a charming manner and a colourful past. Hamano will be accompanied by LILY FESTIVAL’s screenwriter Kuninori Yamazaki.
More on the Japanese Films at this year's festival.
The Final Countdown
Less than a week until the 17th Raindance Film Festival. Get updated on what's good with the UK's largest independent film festival.
A trailer so good it had to be controversial.
Newsletter
Festival info
A trailer so good it had to be controversial.
Newsletter
Festival info
How To Fake Being An Indie Auteur
Part 1
by: Suzanne Ballantyne
This is not about how to make Hollywood films, made-for-tv films or even low budget films. This is not about making films whose purpose is to entertain. This is about a different species altogether - the indie auteur film, short or long - the darling of the latest 'it' festival - with city names likes Gotenburg, Hamburg, Kerala and Rotterdam in their title. The kind of film that press people, pretentious programmers, art house proprietors and film academians piss themselves for. The kind of film that might just launch your career.
So here goes - ten tips to indie auteurdom
1. The Plot
When thinking of your indie auteur script think sexual triangles.
Two women fighting over a man - two men over a woman. It's a well trodden path to indie genius.
2. The Script
Come up with a script which pays 'homage' that is, closely follows the plot points of a previous indie gem by a bona fide indie genius- i.e Francois Truffaut's JULES ET JIM. Most of the audience won't have seen the film you're paying homage to anyway and even if they have they won't quite get in what way you have been paying 'homage' to it.
3.Dialogue
Dialogue should be minimal. You do not want to overstate the case. Keep the audience guessing as to what exactly your film is about. Pauses are more important. Have lots of them and keep them long. The camera can then focus on the motionless faces of the actors as the audience desperately try to interpret their thoughts while struggling to figure out exactly what is going on.
4. Casting
Cast your friends and family. They should be weird looking but photogenic. Don't shy away from the fat, the frail and the ugly. It's your job to go where no director has gone before. If they can't act shoot them without sound and add voice over or shoot them from the back. You can always edit out any hints of amateurishness.
Alternatively,
Cast actors who can really act - In fact cast the best actors you can as they will save your ass and add weight to your project that should stifle all and any niggling questions about your ability. Great actors want to preserve their own reputation and they may carry you along with them.
5. Direction
Take a scene with a few people then go back and shoot it again - each time from a different characters point of view. This will be interpreted as the director making a point and will add weight to your wafer thin plot. In fact just taking a very basic plot line and retelling it from each characters point of view is enough of a script for the indie auteur.
If you liked tips 1-5 read 6-10.
by: Suzanne Ballantyne
This is not about how to make Hollywood films, made-for-tv films or even low budget films. This is not about making films whose purpose is to entertain. This is about a different species altogether - the indie auteur film, short or long - the darling of the latest 'it' festival - with city names likes Gotenburg, Hamburg, Kerala and Rotterdam in their title. The kind of film that press people, pretentious programmers, art house proprietors and film academians piss themselves for. The kind of film that might just launch your career.
So here goes - ten tips to indie auteurdom
1. The Plot
When thinking of your indie auteur script think sexual triangles.
Two women fighting over a man - two men over a woman. It's a well trodden path to indie genius.
2. The Script
Come up with a script which pays 'homage' that is, closely follows the plot points of a previous indie gem by a bona fide indie genius- i.e Francois Truffaut's JULES ET JIM. Most of the audience won't have seen the film you're paying homage to anyway and even if they have they won't quite get in what way you have been paying 'homage' to it.
3.Dialogue
Dialogue should be minimal. You do not want to overstate the case. Keep the audience guessing as to what exactly your film is about. Pauses are more important. Have lots of them and keep them long. The camera can then focus on the motionless faces of the actors as the audience desperately try to interpret their thoughts while struggling to figure out exactly what is going on.
4. Casting
Cast your friends and family. They should be weird looking but photogenic. Don't shy away from the fat, the frail and the ugly. It's your job to go where no director has gone before. If they can't act shoot them without sound and add voice over or shoot them from the back. You can always edit out any hints of amateurishness.
Alternatively,
Cast actors who can really act - In fact cast the best actors you can as they will save your ass and add weight to your project that should stifle all and any niggling questions about your ability. Great actors want to preserve their own reputation and they may carry you along with them.
5. Direction
Take a scene with a few people then go back and shoot it again - each time from a different characters point of view. This will be interpreted as the director making a point and will add weight to your wafer thin plot. In fact just taking a very basic plot line and retelling it from each characters point of view is enough of a script for the indie auteur.
If you liked tips 1-5 read 6-10.
Apple Announces Ipod Video
Pocket size video cameras are all the latest in shooting video. Now Apple is in the game with its Ipod Nano. Here is a video because sometimes words just can't say enough.
Another aspect that I think is especially sexy about the Nano is a built in FM radio. I'll be looking for the first short film contest for the Nano, I'm sure someone will sponsor one soon.
Washington Post Compares Nano with other pocket cams
Another aspect that I think is especially sexy about the Nano is a built in FM radio. I'll be looking for the first short film contest for the Nano, I'm sure someone will sponsor one soon.
Washington Post Compares Nano with other pocket cams
Actors On Acting
What do great actors have to say about their profession? Here is a list of 100 actors' quotes on acting.
"One of the pleasures of being an actor is quite simply taking a walk in someone else's shoes. And when I look at the roles I've played, I'm kind of amazed at all the wonderful adventures I've had and the different things I've learned."
-Willem Dafoe
"I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker."
-Robert Downey, Jr.
"I don't know what its like for most actors, but really clearly for myself acting has always been the fulfillment of personal fantasies. It isn't just art, its about being a person I've always wanted to be, or being in a situation, or being a hero."
-Richard Dreyfuss
"I don't believe in pessimism. If something doesn't come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it's going to rain, it will."
-Clint Eastwood
"Dysfunctional families have sired a number of pretty good actors."
-Gene Hackman
"I decided to become an actor because I was failing in school and I needed the credits."
-Dustin Hoffman
"I think all phases of one's career are serious if you take it seriously no matter if you are doing high profile dramatic pieces or not."
-Bill Murray
"Every time I get a script it's a matter of trying to know what I could do with it. I see colors, imagery. It has to have a smell. It's like falling in love. You can't give a reason why."
-Paul Newman
"I have a hard time with morals. All I know is what feels right, what's more important to me is being honest about who you are. Morals I get a little hung up on."
-Brad Pitt
See more
"One of the pleasures of being an actor is quite simply taking a walk in someone else's shoes. And when I look at the roles I've played, I'm kind of amazed at all the wonderful adventures I've had and the different things I've learned."
-Willem Dafoe
"I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker."
-Robert Downey, Jr.
"I don't know what its like for most actors, but really clearly for myself acting has always been the fulfillment of personal fantasies. It isn't just art, its about being a person I've always wanted to be, or being in a situation, or being a hero."
-Richard Dreyfuss
"I don't believe in pessimism. If something doesn't come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it's going to rain, it will."
-Clint Eastwood
"Dysfunctional families have sired a number of pretty good actors."
-Gene Hackman
"I decided to become an actor because I was failing in school and I needed the credits."
-Dustin Hoffman
"I think all phases of one's career are serious if you take it seriously no matter if you are doing high profile dramatic pieces or not."
-Bill Murray
"Every time I get a script it's a matter of trying to know what I could do with it. I see colors, imagery. It has to have a smell. It's like falling in love. You can't give a reason why."
-Paul Newman
"I have a hard time with morals. All I know is what feels right, what's more important to me is being honest about who you are. Morals I get a little hung up on."
-Brad Pitt
See more
Screenplay Tips: Teach Something
As an intern at Raindance this past summer I had the choice to come to a course each week. The course I chose was the Raindance Writer’s Certificate. We read scripts, watched film clips, and most importantly learned the art of writing and selling the hot screenplay. Here are some of my notes from those Wednesday nights.
A screenwriting tip from the movie Fight Club (1999): Teach your audience something.
My notes are great as you can see, but I remember exactly what this tip means. In the movie Fight Club our narrator Jack has the barrel of a gun stuck down his throat as his alter ego Tyler Dyrden waits patiently for the pending explosion. Of course what would that explosion be without soap. In a few quick scenes at the beginning of the film we see the fruits of project mayhem wrapped around the foundation of ten buildings in the business district of the city. The script paints a prettier picture:
Jack turns so that he can see down -- 31 STORIES.
What else does the narrator teach us? What it's like to have insomnia...
INT. COPY ROOM - DAY
Jack, sleepy, stands over a copy machine. His Starbucks cup
sits on the lid, moving back and forth as the machine copies.
How about how car companies determine recalls on faulty parts…
INT. WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
A giant corrugated METAL DOOR opens.
Two TECHNICIANS lead Jack to the BURNT-OUT SHELL of a
WRECKED AUTOMOBILE. Jack sets down his briefcase, opens it
and starts to make notes on a CLIPBOARDED FORM.
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - MOVING DOWN RUNWAY
JACK
If X is less than the cost of a
recall, we don't do one.
BUSISNESS WOMAN
Are there a lot of these kinds of
accidents?
JACK
Oh, you wouldn't believe.
BUSINESS WOMAN
... Which... car company do you work
for?
JACK
A major one.
Fight Club is full of lessons in its script. I didn’t know how to make a bomb out of soap (still don’t), but it was interesting to hear how it might be done. I didn’t know you could turn people’s own fat into soap, and I certainly hope this car recall business is made up. The points being if you are one of those many people out there working on a script keep this idea in mind.
Screenwriter’s tip: Teach your audience something.
A screenwriting tip from the movie Fight Club (1999): Teach your audience something.
My notes are great as you can see, but I remember exactly what this tip means. In the movie Fight Club our narrator Jack has the barrel of a gun stuck down his throat as his alter ego Tyler Dyrden waits patiently for the pending explosion. Of course what would that explosion be without soap. In a few quick scenes at the beginning of the film we see the fruits of project mayhem wrapped around the foundation of ten buildings in the business district of the city. The script paints a prettier picture:
Jack turns so that he can see down -- 31 STORIES.
JACK (V.O.)
We have front row seats for this
Theater of Mass Destruction. The
Demolitions Committee of Project
Mayhem wrapped the foundation columns
of ten buildings with blasting
gelatin. In two minutes, primary
charges will blow base charges, and
those buildings will be reduced to
smoldering rubble. I know this
because Tyler knows this.
Demolitions Committee of Project
Mayhem wrapped the foundation columns
of ten buildings with blasting
gelatin. In two minutes, primary
charges will blow base charges, and
those buildings will be reduced to
smoldering rubble. I know this
because Tyler knows this.
What else does the narrator teach us? What it's like to have insomnia...
INT. COPY ROOM - DAY
Jack, sleepy, stands over a copy machine. His Starbucks cup
sits on the lid, moving back and forth as the machine copies.
JACK (V.O.)
With insomnia, nothing is real.
Everything is far away. Everything
is a copy of a copy of a copy.
With insomnia, nothing is real.
Everything is far away. Everything
is a copy of a copy of a copy.
How about how car companies determine recalls on faulty parts…
INT. WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
A giant corrugated METAL DOOR opens.
JACK (V.O.)
On a long enough time line, the
survival rate for everyone drops to
zero.
On a long enough time line, the
survival rate for everyone drops to
zero.
Two TECHNICIANS lead Jack to the BURNT-OUT SHELL of a
WRECKED AUTOMOBILE. Jack sets down his briefcase, opens it
and starts to make notes on a CLIPBOARDED FORM.
JACK (V.O.)
I'm a recall coordinator. My job is
to apply the formula. It's a story
problem.
I'm a recall coordinator. My job is
to apply the formula. It's a story
problem.
TECHNICIAN #1
Here's where the infant went through
the windshield. Three points.
Here's where the infant went through
the windshield. Three points.
JACK (V.O.)
A new car built by my company leaves
somewhere traveling at 60 miles per
hour. The rear differential locks up.
A new car built by my company leaves
somewhere traveling at 60 miles per
hour. The rear differential locks up.
TECHNICIAN #2
The teenager's braces around the
backseat ashtray would make a good
"anti-smoking" ad.
JACK (V.O.)
The car crashes and burns with
everyone trapped inside. Now: do we
initiate a recall?
TECHNICIAN #1
The father must've been huge. See
how the fat burnt into the driver's
seat with his polyester shirt? Very
"modern art."
JACK (V.O.)
Take the number of vehicles in the
field, (A), and multiply it by the
probable rate of failure, (B), then
multiply the result by the average
out-of-court settlement, (C). A
times B times C equals X...
The teenager's braces around the
backseat ashtray would make a good
"anti-smoking" ad.
JACK (V.O.)
The car crashes and burns with
everyone trapped inside. Now: do we
initiate a recall?
TECHNICIAN #1
The father must've been huge. See
how the fat burnt into the driver's
seat with his polyester shirt? Very
"modern art."
JACK (V.O.)
Take the number of vehicles in the
field, (A), and multiply it by the
probable rate of failure, (B), then
multiply the result by the average
out-of-court settlement, (C). A
times B times C equals X...
CUT TO:
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - MOVING DOWN RUNWAY
Jack is speaking to the BUSINESSWOMAN next to him.
JACK
If X is less than the cost of a
recall, we don't do one.
BUSISNESS WOMAN
Are there a lot of these kinds of
accidents?
JACK
Oh, you wouldn't believe.
BUSINESS WOMAN
... Which... car company do you work
for?
JACK
A major one.
Fight Club is full of lessons in its script. I didn’t know how to make a bomb out of soap (still don’t), but it was interesting to hear how it might be done. I didn’t know you could turn people’s own fat into soap, and I certainly hope this car recall business is made up. The points being if you are one of those many people out there working on a script keep this idea in mind.
Screenwriter’s tip: Teach your audience something.
5 Steps To Low Budget Film Success
In recent years, we’ve seen a number of directors and producers put together successful films on a relatively low budget such as The Blair Witch Project, (1999) , Clerks (1994) and Open Water (2003) – just to name a few. But on a limited budget, it can be extremely difficult for these filmmakers to be successful in their endeavors. They must carefully follow a certain set of guidelines for a film to reach its maximum potential.
With that in mind, there are a few simple and basic guidelines to keep in mind when attempting to put together a successful film on a limited budget.
1. Draft a Creative, Engaging Script
An important ingredient to any successful film is a good, quality script – which is the most critical aspect to the success of a low budget film. As evidenced through the success of Writer/Director Kevin Smith’s film Clerks, a quality script can carry a black and white film that was shot on a $27,575 budget to an enormous amount of success. The film eventually grossed over $3 million in theaters, with millions more by way of VHS and DVD sales. Due of the cult following of the film, an animated series, a comic book, and a sequel were spawned using the exact same characters Smith created for the film.
The key to writing a good low budget script is creativity and originality. With no budget for special effects, elaborate sets and desirable filming locations, a script must carry the film from start to finish. It’s the creative element that will keep the audience guessing and interested in the development of the story.
2. A Visionary Director
In most cases, successful low budget films are directed by individuals who are willing to take risks, are innovative, and know what it takes to put together a quality film. Examples of this are again, Kevin Smith, who wrote, directed, produced and acted in Clerks, Jared Hess, who wrote and directed Napoleon Dynamite (2004) and Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, who co-wrote and co-directed The Blair Witch project (1999). All of these writers/directors put together an original script and played a vital role in managing and directing the creative elements that made their films so successful.
For steps 3-5 of Andrew John's low-budget film success article. Here
What others are saying about low-budget film success:
- The low-budget equipment our parents didn't have
- The master's at low-budget horror flicks
- The possibility for big bucks on low-budget films
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