January-February 2016

January-February 2016

Oscar Benjamin: The Saturn Awards Cliff Weimer: Noir Nights

20x20 with

Chris Kisela

The

NOR-CAL Film Festival Guide

Sinking:

Exploring an INDIE Author

On the Darker Side with QUROSCURO

Presents: The Film Festival Guide

2016

The NorCal Film Festival Guide was created when Capitol INDIE Collective nested Sacramento Mayor Johnson’s For Arts’ Sake Initiative (Strengthening Film festivals). The CIC expanded the service from a rack card of listings to a comprehensive guide in 2015 and with INDIEblush’s generosity, the Festival Guide continues for 2016.

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Inside INDIEblush Jan-Feb:

Cover Stories: #NorCalFilmFest

The NorCal Film Festival Guide: Plan your year of festivals with INDIEblush.

64

Chris Kisela

20x20Q: A Photo Essay

By Christina Marie

52

8

Features:

The Saturn Awards

By Oscar Benjamin

Noir Nights in Sacramento by: Cliff Weimer

14

On the Darker Side: A QUROSCURO Fashion Editorial

86: Sinking In to Sarah’s New World

An interwiew with Sarah Armstrong- Garner

INDIE Young Adult Fantasy Novelist

Thank you for your readership!

All stories and reprints used with permission.

All rights reserved.

Please direct any questions or comments to our website.

Editor-in-Chief/Founder: Christina Marie Staff photography: Quroscuro, CMYK Photography Proofing: Pamela Finney

In every issue:

Indie Fashion & Indie Music Collide this month:

88: Abandon Theory, Embrace the Kicks!

92: Regional Wine Maps

About Our Contributors for this Issue: Christina Marie, Founder, Editor-in-Chief:

Christina Marie is a Writer, Producer, Director, and Actress with over 30 years experience in the entertainment business. She obtained her Theater Arts degree from CSU Sacramento with a Minor in Music. After working on the stage for several professional theaters, she converted to film. She is driven by the INDEPENDENT spirit in film, fashion, wine & food, and the outdoors. When not working, Christina enjoys camping, crafting, regional wine tours, day spas, and spending time with her extended family.

QUROSCURO

With over 30 years of combined photography experience and the creative minds of Darren Paquette, Craig Fouts and Jessie Rand we work to create a high-end finished product ready for print in magazines, billboards and all other advertisement needs.

Cliff Weimer, Film Historian

Clifford Weimer is a Sacramento-based writer and film historian; his website, inthebalcony.com, is celebrating its tenth year, and he also writes a regular column for ClassicFlix.com. He’s contributed bios, documentaries, and other material for numerous DVD releases for various companies, including VCI Entertainment, AC Comics, and others. Some of his work can be found on such DVDs as The Green Hornet, The Phantom Empire, and Buck Rogers.

Arlene Barshinger, Media Outreach

Arlene Barshinger is a model, film producer, actress, and photographer. She is half German and half Korean, and was born in Fort Belvoir, VA. She’s been involved in such projects as Fruitvale Station, HBO’s Looking, HP commercials, and worked as an American Express Print Model. She also currently models for INDIEblush Magazine and Hopelessly Romantic.

Oscar Benjamin, Music & Film Industry Writer/Photographer:

Oscar has always lived with the idea that an individual should always pursue their dreams and interests to the fullest that they can. This philosophy shaped Oscar’s career and positions he’s held over the span of his adventurous life. Oscar’s been a mobile disk jockey, a truck driver, a commissioned artist, and more. He relishes his current life as a professional photographer and writer who’s documented a number of high profile motion pictures, TVshows, red carpet premieres and numerous other entertainment events. He continues to enliven IndieBLUSH with his first-hand tales of the entertainment industry.

Pamela Finney, Sales, Features, and Proofing:

Pamela Finney has a Bachelors in Communication and an ABT Masters in Education from Simpson College, along with a Masters in English from CSU Fullerton, and spent many years as a college English professor. Pamela is a breast cancer survivor who has also spent most of her life acting, always dreaming of becoming a full-time SAG-AFTRA actor, an accomplishment she is finally realizing.

April Potter, Sales and Marketing

April Pirl Potter has been involved in the Fashion, Arts & Entertainment industry for over 15 years, working in film, television, music and fashion in various capacities. She is an Actress, MC, Stylist, Producer, Director, Writer, Videographer, Talent Booker and Promoter of the arts. She is fiercely dedicated to inspiring and connecting with others using media and entertainment as her medium, sharing it through Megatude Media.

If she’s not on a production of sorts, April can be found playing out in nature with her two dogs Johnny Cash and Pirl.

Do YOU have what it takes to make us INDIEblush?

Send us a sample of your writing, photography, video, or join the sales team! INDIEblush aims to be a competitive magazine in the INDIE market. We need writers who are PASSIONATE about writing and all that is INDIE, photographers who have a unique eye with a knowledge of commercial production, and videographers who get 1 minute journalism. Is that you? email us at indieblush@gmail.com.

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Noir Nights in Sacramento: Sacramento Noir Film Festival at the Crest Theater, Jan. 15-16

By Cliff Weimer

Film noir is, along with the Western, one of the two great American cinema genres, but unlike the cowboy movie, the power and artistry of the great film noir motion pictures are locked in the place and time they were made, from roughly 1940 (Stranger on the Third Floor) to 1958 (Touch of Evil).

In the Post-War era, the French – exposed to American films again for the first time since the Nazi occupation – were shocked to discover that the lighthearted, carefree American musicals and comedies they had been used to – Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in Top Hat, Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in Bringing up Baby – had been replaced by dark, bleak, doom-laden films like Double Indemnity, Shadow of a Doubt, and Laura. As early as 1946, they were referring to this new wave of American drama as “film noir” because of their dark cinematography: a world of night,

crime, betrayal, bitter women and men who knew they were walking into a trap but couldn’t help themselves.

Producers and directors – many of whom, like Otto Preminger, Richard Fleischer, and Fritz Lang, specialized in noir – didn’t set out by saying, “I’m going to make a noir.”

It was a stylistic choice they were making, to film on rain-soaked streets, look at life through shutters casting long, street-lamped shadows, and – a big break from previous Hollywood productions – film on location in the streets and alleyways where crime actually occurred.

In January the Crest Theater is presenting a superb Noir Nights film festival, with five of the very best examples of the genre.

On Friday, January

15, the Empress Tavern hosts a Speakeasy in the Crest lounge off the lobby from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a screening of Orson Welles’ 1958 masterpiece Touch of Evil (1958) starring Welles, Charlton Heston, and Janet Leigh. A masterpiece full of weird people doing odd and mysterious things unpleasantly to each other (Coen Brothers fans will love this one, which deals with the aftermath of a car bombing on the U.S./Mexican border).

The second film of the night is one of the rare noir “women’s pictures,” as Joan Crawford stars in her Academy Award-winning role as a woman who gives up her own happiness to support her spoiled daughter in Mildred Pierce (1945), written

by James M. Cain (The Postman Always Rings Twice) and directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca).

It’s a triple-feature on Saturday, January 16, beginning with Stanley Kubrick’s great crime thriller The Killing (1956) starring Sterling Hayden (Dr. Strangelove, The Godfather) and the Queen of Film Noir, the delightfully sleazy Marie Windsor. Next is the film many rank as one of the very best of all noirs, Out of the Past (1947), starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas and directed by Jacques Tourneur (Cat People). The festival ends with the one and only Technicolor noir, Leave Her to Heaven (1945), which features Gene Tierney as very possibly the most loathsome woman ever depicted in a mainstream American film. Cornel Wilde co-stars; John Stahl directs.

Tickets for individual films will be on sale, or you can purchase a full weekend pass for only $35. See http://www.crestsacramento.com/event/1016229-noir-nights-fil m-festival-sacramento/ for more information.

You could be advertising HERE!

contact us at

info@indieblush.com

On the Darker Side

A Fashion Editorial With:

This and next 8 pages: Photography: QUROSCURO Model: Diana Azalea Jeanette Hair: Mone’t Ha-Sidi MUA: Emily Sarah Mua Steampunk skirt ensamble available through QUROSCURO

The

NOR-CAL Film Festival Guide

2016

Year 2016 brings many festivals to the Northern California region.

Will you be there?

The following is a compellation of the region’s festivals, researched and brought to you by the Capitol INDIE Collective, Inc. They have nested the “For Arts’ Sake” Initiave: Strengthening Film Festivals in Sacramento.

The initiative was developed by Sacramento Mayor, Kevin Johnson and key members of the community. The original output was a rack card for tourism. Since then, the funding has discontinued, and Executive Director, Christina Marie, expanded the mission to provide so much more. Please click on the listing’s sites for current dates and times.

The festivals are sorted by the month in which they usually occur.

Please submit corrections, suggestions, and more information on festivals that they may have missed in listing to INDIEblush.

Thank you for your interest and participation in growing Northen California’s Film Festival Circuit!

January Join us January 14 - 18, 2016 in Nevada City and Grass Valley CA SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Fest is a call to action.

At Wild & Scenic, film-goers are transformed into a congregation of committed activists, dedicated to saving our increasingly threatened planet.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

For more information on Noir Nights, please see Cliff Weimer’s article on page 8.

Other Festivals worth mentioning but not occurring in NorCal are below:

January 22-28, 2016

February

2016 SHOW DATES: SATURDAY, February 13th, 2015: The Rocky Horror Picture Show “Valentines” Edition FRIDAY, June 24th, 2015: The Love Horror Short Film Festival 3 SATURDAY, June 25th, 2015: The Rocky Horror Picture Show FRIDAY, October 7th, 2015 SUNDAY, October 9th, 2015: The 10th Annual Sacramento Horror Film Festival.

SATURDAY, October 15th, 2015 - SUNDAY, October 16th, 2015: Sinister Creature Con 2016

Imagery from SHFF’s Site

THE SFFF, IT’S NOT JUST IN JUNE ANYMORE...

We also present three other annual events: a Winter Short Film Screening and the multi media event Serge! A Celebration of french Music, and, since 2014, a Mini Fall French Film Festival. In addition, we host special screenings as opportunities arise. The SFFF is proud to partner with local arts organizations like the Crocker Art Museum, Verge Center for the Arts and the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra. (see site for datesand pricing) SAVE THE DATE: San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF Indie) will be February 11-25, 2016. This annual festival showcases the best in independent, alternative, and subversive cinema from around the globe.

“One of the city’s biggest film festivals” – SF Station SF Indiefest is a year-round, 501c3 non-profit organization that has been operating since 1998. We present three annual festivals: the SF Independent Film Festival (SF Indie for short), the SF Documentary Festival (DocFest for short) and Another Hole in the Head, our genre film festival. Last year over 21,000 film and event goers attended SF Indiefest events.

“Sundance may have sold out, but SF IndieFest keeps it real” - Annie Lo, Flavorpill Past guests have included Gregg Araki, Abel Ferrara, Larry Kent, Robert Romanus, Chris Gore, Don Argott, Don Coscarelli, Bruce Campbell, Penelope Spheeris, Jon Cryer, Jennifer Beals, Ryuhei Matsuda, James Duvall, Toyoda Toshiaki, Uwe Boll, Bill Plympton, Christopher Coppola, Glenn Shadix and many more. Check out the lineups of past festivals in our Archives and some of the PRESS from past festivals.

California Film Foundation Presents: Fashion On Film Wednesday February, 27th 2016 Time: 7pm Location: Fusion International Arts Center (501 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA) Cost: $10 (Purchase tickets at Brown Paper Tickets) Presented by the California Film Foundation as an official part of Sacramento Fashion Week. Sacramento’s Glam Squad plus Cinema Royalty converge for this one-of-a-kind art spectacular.

See fashion as you’ve never seen it before in this multi-faceted cinema event. In addition to films, meet the artists, see live fashion and enjoy beverages from the bar. Lastly, special DJ entertainers will get you grooving as this fabulous event becomes a full party. Don’t miss this chance to be entertained, enlighted and energized.

March

2016 Sacramento Jewish Film Festival March 5 & 6, 2016 Advance tickets $15.00 each/film or $25.00 each/day pass On sale beginning at 10:00 am on Jan. 11, 2016 Newly relocated to the California Museum, the 2016 Sacramento Jewish Film Festival will feature contemporary films focused on the Jewish experience from around the world.

Examine the diversity of Jewish food and culture through selections “In Search of Israeli Cuisine” (2016) and “Dough” (2015) on Saturday, March 5. Then, explore the lives and legacies of visionaries embodying the Judaic concept tikkun olam (“repairing the world”) through “Rosenwald” (2015) and “Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict” (2015) on Sunday, March 6.

Advance tickets: $15.00 each per film or $25.00 each per day pass, and door tickets on the days-of are $20.00 each per film. All levels include admission to view all current Museum exhibits, a $9.00 value, and parking for attendees. For more information or to buy tickets beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Mon., Jan. 11 on this webpage and SacJewishFilmFest.bpt.me

The Sacramento International Latino Film Festival (Cine Latino) began in 2007 as an off-shoot of the Sacramento Film Festival.

Since then, Cine Latino has grown to incorporate several events throughout the year celebrating Latino cinema world-wide.

MAR. 1 - MAR. 13, 2016 San Jose, CA / Silicon Valley

A vanguard organization set in the Silicon Valley, Cinequest’s uniqueness and impact result from being ahead of the curve in the powerful integration of creativity and technology. Cinequest fuses the world of the filmed arts with that of Silicon Valley’s innovation to empower youth, artists and innovators to create and connect.

Cinequest has been voted Best Film Festival by USA Today Readers.

Cinequest Film Festival has discovered countless films, innovations and artists who have reshaped the landscape of film and media. Set in the Silicon Valley yet serving the globe, Cinequest Film Festival programs the vast majority of its premieres through its open submissions process and cares for new artist as much as the legendary. “Cinequest is the cure...while we’re here, we’re in a world that’s different.”

— Harry Knowles, Ain’t It Cool News.

13th Annual San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival March 10 – 13, 2016 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center

The mission of the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival is to inspire people to appreciate and care for the ocean by revealing its wonders through independent films.

April From their site: The Tiburon International Film Festival (TIFF) is an annual event, which seeks to provide a greater understanding of the world and its many cultures through the artistic medium of film, and through the top quality films from around the world. TIFF wishes to enhance tolerance between people of all backgrounds. Its goal is one of cultural enrichment and heightened cultural awareness, and to create a platform for the independent filmmakers to express their talent and vision from any nation.

TIFF strongly believes in its motto: “Understanding the World through Film”®

April 7-16, 2016

Created in 2012, the Sacramento Food Film Festival was born from the idea that we must educate the public about our food system, and work collaboratively to create positive change. We seek to bring educational films to our region that are otherwise ignored by traditional theaters – and to create a community dialog to improve food literacy and invoke action to improve our food system.

Please join us at the Twelfth Annual Davis Film Festival. This year’s festival features films on topics ranging from movement and music to community and includes innovative short works by new filmmakers as well as feature-length films from around the world.

Sacramento International Film Festival From their site: In 1993 a group of Sacramento based writers and filmmakers had a vision to create an organization that would support the professional development of its members and establish the region as the capital of California’s independent cinema movement. “Northern California Writers and Artists” as it was known, became the first film support organization in the capital, and remains the only organization in Sacramento dedicated to engaging both its members and the general public in a lifelong understanding of film history and film culture.

Sacramento Wild and Scenic Film Festival on Tour Historically in April or November Please check site for details. http://www.ecosacramento.net/about-us/ our-work/events/wwsfsac/

The Davis Feminist Film Festival started in 2005 as a fundraiser for international internships with grassroots feminist non-profit organizations run through the Gender and Global Issues Program (GGI) housed in Women and Gender Studies at UC Davis. In 2007, when the funding for GGI ended, the Consortium for Women and Research partnered with other campus units in order to sustain and grow the festival until 2014. Currently, the 2015 Davis Feminist Film Festival is being run through the Women’s Resources and Research Center.

All proceeds generated go toward operating costs and providing invaluable internship experience for the student organizers.

May UC Davis Asian American Association Film Festival The Asian American Film Festival is a two-week festival of films involving Asian Americans and Asian American issues, held annually in May. The Film Festival was launched in 2004 to showcase Asian and Asian American media. It aims to break stereotypes and to provide an alternative view of Asians and Asian Americans not generally seen in the American mainstream. Admission is free and open to the public.

Please visit our website listed above, and our Facebook Page: Please “Like� the page and invite your friends!!

From their site: Brendt Barbur, Founding Festival Director, was compelled to start the Bicycle Film Festival when he was hit by a bus while riding his bike in New York City. He insisted on turning his negative experience into a positive one. In 2001 Barbur started the Bicycle Film Festival as a platform to celebrate the bicycle through music, art and, of course, film.

The Bicycle Film Festival has been a major catalyst for the urban bike movement, one of the most powerful and culturally relevant forces of the last decade. The BFF is sure to carry this momentum into the next decade.

The BFF is a huge catalyst for the rise of CITY CYCLING internationally More and more people are riding bikes daily. People now identify with bicycling as a lifestyle. There is a huge fervor for bicycle culture. The Bicycle Film Festival is the place for brands to interact in an authentic way to this demographic. The Bicycle Film Festival is here to raise and reinforce the positive profile of cyclists to celebrate bicycling in its myriad of forms.

There is no denying the environmental and health benefits that bicycling inherently entails. Bicyclists promote a healthy lifestyle using an ecologically sound form of transportation. Our base audience is composed of young, trendsetting city-dwellers who love and identify with film, art, music and sports. We have a loyal following that travels to different cities and countries to be part of the Bicycle Film Festival. The festival has had a significant impact on youth culture and has been embraced by many, including leaders in the realms of music, fashion, design, fine art, sports and film.

ABOUT SAPFF (From Site) The signature event of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Cultural Village, SAPFF serves alongside a continuum of events and programming in support of traditional and contemporary Asian and Pacific Islander artistic expression within the Sacramento Region.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsianPacificFilmFest Twitter: @SAPFF, www.twitter.com/sapff Vine: AsianPacificFilmFest Instagram: AsianPacific FilmFestival YouTube: Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival, www.youtube.com/AsianPacificFilmFest Vimeo: SAPFF Videos, www.vimeo.com/SAPFFVideos Flickr: sacramentoasianpacificfilmfest, www.flickr.com/photos/sapff For more information about the Sacramento Asian Pacific Cultural Village, the Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival, or to see how you can get involved send an email to info[at]SAPFF.org, or call (916) 776-6036.

The UC DAVIS Film Festival sets your finger on the pulse of student-produced cinema. Each year the array of short films is unpredictable and exciting. Filmmakers include a wide range of undergraduate and graduate students from across the campus. Categories include comedy, drama, animation, documentaries and all things in between.

The annual festival is produced by the Department of Theatre and Dance, Cinema and Technocultural Studies, and Art Studio. It is co-sponsored by the Department of Design and presented by the Davis Varsity Theatre.

Festival tickets are sold only at the Varsity Theatre beginning one week before the event.

June

Sacramento French Film Festival June 17th - 26th 2016

SFFF Planning Committee & Board of Directors onstage while Cécile Downs receives the medal of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from Denis Bisson, Attaché Culturel to the French Consulate in SF. - Opening Night 2013 The SFFF, organized by the Sacramento French Cultural Society, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization created in 2010, is the second largest French film festival on the West Coast. The SFFF is a unique cultural event that brings people together around films and French culture in a festive atmosphere. With the diversity of its programming, the SFFF appeals to a broad, educated and affluent audience of all ages. Held at the Crest Theatre, Sacramento’s last art deco movie palace and the only independent and locally owned movie theatre in Sacramento, the Festival plays an important part in the cultural life of Downtown Sacramento.

Reno Tahoe Film Festival

CON Film Festival at Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con this month, June 2015! The team is very excited to be an official selection of this fest a second year in a row.

We had such a blast attending last year. This will also be Sacramento’s second year hosting Wizard World Comic Con and the CON Film Festival.

“Love Horror” Shorts

(Sacramento Horror Film Festival) See February for all SFFF event listings

SF DocFest is an annual festival devoted to documentary cinema. Since 2001, this two week-long event has brought the most weird and wonderful aspects of real life to the big screen.

“Docfest offers a zippy blend of politics, music, social issues and youth-oriented subcultures. The good news is that DocFest promotes documentaries as a vibrant, irreverent form of entertainment to a younger demographic, blasting the notion of educational films to smithereens. There’s no room for anything approximating — watch it, I’m about to blaspheme – the obsessively measured and utterly somnambulant musings of Ken Burns.”

- Michael Fox, KQED

July From TFO’s Site: TFO PRODUCTIONS is a Sacramento-Based Motion Picture Production Company specializing in High Quality, Low Budget horror and exploitation films for the global market. TFO also produces the wildly successful Trash Film Orgy Midnight Movie Film Festival which takes place annually since 2001 at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento.

The company is a partnership between Darin Wood, Christy Savage and Amy Slockbower, although TFO relies heavily on the involvement and support of local talent, volunteers and business sponsors to create their unique brand of movie-magic.

TFO Productions past projects include the features “Curse of the Golden Skull” and “Monster from Bikini Beach” as well as short films (‘Cheerleaders from Hell”) and music videos (Heathen’s “Dying Season” and SoulMotor’s “Down in Mexico”).

TFO is also commonly credited with inventing the worldwide phenomenon that is the Zombie Walk in 2001 in Sacramento.

SACRAMENTO JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL 11th Annual July 2015 www.sacjapanesefilmfestival.net From site: The Sacramento Japanese Film Festival began as a one day festival, Japanese Movies at the Crest, in 2005. In 2010 it grew to a three-day festival with five films. In 2011, it had expanded to six films. Seven feature films and a documentary short were screened in 2012. Sacramento Japanese Film Festival is one of only four film festivals in the continental United States which dedicates itself exclusively to Japanese cinema. The film festival is sponsored by the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church, 6929 Franklin Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95823. Phone: (916) 421-1017. www.sacjumc.com.

The San Francisco Frozen Film Festival (SFFFF) is a Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006 that is dedicated to creating avenues for independent filmmakers, youth, filmmakers of conscience, and artists from under served communities to come together and exhibit their work to the widest possible audience.

With the decline in price of equipment, anybody can make a film, but we still believe that until a film gets seen on the big screen, it hasn’t been born yet. We aim to create a lasting and sustainable Film Network exhibiting films made by people without an overflowing Rolodex and 3-picture deal. San Francisco is traditionally a place with extremely mild summers because of its close locality to the ocean. The San Francisco Frozen Film Festival was named after this fact. Our name derives originally from a quote that many attribute to Mark Twain, “The coldest winter I ever spent was my summer in San Francisco!”

Our name is FROZEN, because we offer an exceptional and truly independent collection of cutting edge film, premiered yearly during the heart of the cool San Francisco summer. We are cool like that.

The world of film and media has changed dramatically since 1980 when we invented the idea of the Jewish Film Festival. That idea has clearly caught on: there are now over 150 Jewish Film Festivals worldwide. After 35 years and over 1,500 film screenings, we thought it was time for a little reinvention. We are proud to announce the Jewish Film Institute as the new name for the media arts organization presenting the world renowned SFJFF and all of our year-round programs. We have gone from celluloid to cell phones, and DVD to VOD. Throughout all the changes, we continue to offer innovative and thought-provoking content on the platform of the day. To learn more, visit our new website at www.jewishfilminstitute.org.

August The Sacramento Film and Music Festival (SF&MF) is a large, multi-day, allgenre international film festival. It has been in operation under consistent direction and ownership since 1999. In 2014 the festival was voted “Best Film Festival” of Sacramento by the News and Review. The Festival’s mission is to celebrate and showcase filmmaking from around the world and also to foster the creative works of local filmmakers in California’s Capital region.

Brought to you by Councilmember Steve Cohn and POPS in the Park. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating and snacks. A sweatshirt for the cooler evening weather and a flashlight are also recommended.

September The Nevada City Film Festival is made up of a group of passionate filmmakers and artists that have worked to create an outlet for emerging new voices and ideas while providing audiences with a unique experience in a picturesque location.

A Cinematic Feast in the Valley of the Moon (Sonoma) An eclectic five day celebration of cinema, the arts and cultural exhange.

Films screen outdoors in a spectacular setting at Deerfield Ranch Winery In Kenwood & inside the winery’s Grand Room Cave theatre, and at nearby venues in the Heart of the Valley.

Live Performances Premium Wines Gourmet Food Trucks

The California Independent Film Festival (CAIFF) is one of the most successful and fastest growing film festivals in California. Since its inception in 1997, CAIFF has captured both national and worldwide press. This star-studded event provides both local Bay Area residents and visitors with an opportunity to see world-class films, meet filmmakers from around the world, international celebrities and build exposure for CAIFF corporate sponsors. We invite you to become part of the fastest growing film festival in California.

Held at Freemont park, The Modern Italian Film Festival returned for a 2nd year, offering free feature-length films and shorts that celebrated contemporary film making from Italy. Movie-goers were encouraged to bring blankets or chairs and may purchase pizza, panini, and salads with beverages to-go at Hot Italian.

Click above for the latest information through their Facebook Page.

October

2016 brings TOY’s 20th Anniversary!

This Sacramento Sierra region all teen youth media and communication arts organization is dedicated to organize and promote digital literacy, education system modernization, a world class media workforce, economic and community development through its training, partnership networking and media showcase programs. Empowering youth voice is the heart of our work by introducing, elevating and channeling computer supported creativity to its highest accomplishments. YOUTH ARE THE SOLUTION! The Tower of Youth shows the way to bring youth, educators, industry, community and government leaders together in a new paradigm of breakthrough excellence and quality in all our lives.

The PCS Festival creates new product every year by facilitating a screenplay contest. The selected screenplays go on to be produced in Sacramento and all that finish post production by the deadline, screen.

Tower Roseville will bring it’s 5th Annual Festival in 2016 For more information, click above.

25th Anniversary October 2016!

Founded by Allen Cole, the Film Festival in Sacramento started in 1992, based on the student run gay and lesbian film festival at Fresno State. Organizers joined forces with the students from the California State University, Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Alliance and the brothers of the Delta Lambda Phi Fraternity and received grant funds from CSUS Associated Students Inc. to use as seed money and get the Festival started.

Held on October 8, 1992, the first year was a big success, with a sold out, one evening event at the Crest Theater. We continue this tradition of presenting the Festival in early October to celebrate “National Coming Out Day.�

Each year brings growth and opportunities to show more films, give more money to beneficiaries, and support our newest program, providing completion grants to film makers.

Please see January’s listing of SHFF for the complete list of events

November Filmmakers, Chefs and Wineries.

THE ULTIMATE FILM, FOOD AND WINE EXPERIENCE

http://vimeo.com/105582739

Join us for the largest film and music festival on the West Coast that speaks out against economic and social inequality by showcasing upcoming artists, filmmakers, and musicians both nationally and internationally. We are promoting the efforts of talented and impassioned filmmakers in their pursuits to create film that encourages equality and basic rights for minorities and those that are oppressed and voiceless members of the American and Global community.

A SF Indiefest Sister Festival

December

Fleet Feet Sports Sacramento and New Balance were excited to be sponsoring The Trail Running Film Festival.

An evening of the latest and greatest full length and short films showcasing the challenges, beauty and community inherent in the world of trail running. From world class filmmakers to the best works made by weekend warriors The Trail Running Film Festival takes the audience on a virtual run through forests, up mountains, beyond emotional obstacles and across the finish line. It’s a night filled with friends, fun and inspiration.

Facebook: The Trail Running Film Fest Website: www.trailfilmfest.com Twitter: @trailrunfilm

Our annual festival of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy and exploitation cinema defies convention to bring you the most outrageous genre films from both emerging and established filmmakers. Ten days of celluloid mayhem not usually found in your local cineplex!

“San Francisco’s original genre film festival is characterized by a scrappy, DIY aesthetic that eschews big studio content and recent trends towards elevated genre. Holehead’s programming remains curatorially committed to the genre’s graphic roots in shockploitation, visceral thrills and gleeful mayhem.”

– Michael Guillen, The Evening Class

About the Event: The Tahoe Adventure Film Festival (TAFF) is like no other film festival in the world.

This is not your typical stuffy film festival. This fun high-energy evening will fuel your passion for action, and ignite your senses for adventure. We highlight the best adventure sports films of the year and showcase the action sports world best talent.

All of our films are specially selected and edited to fit our festival’s fast pace format. Our festival is exciting and entertaining on and off the screen. The night includes special guest speakers, action photo displays, break-dancers, DJs, and always a few special surprises.

Other Film Festivals in NorCal

NorCalfilmFest.com: The Northern California Film Festival

The Northern California Film Festival is an International film festival providing a venue for films and documentaries of all genres and lengths. We are a cutting edge festival. We offer producers an opportunity to have their films broadcast over the internet TV station myTV26.

reelpride.com: Fresno Reel Pride

Fresno Reel Pride is a celebration of gay and lesbian cinema and is a premier cultural event in central California.

Buy your membership today!

The SF International Women’s Festival

List of Film Festivals in CA provided by CA Film Commission: 48 Film Project https://www.48filmproject.com/

Hollywood Film Festival hollywoodawards.com

Red Nation Film Festival www.rednationfilmfestival.com

American Black Film Festival www.abff.com

Humboldt Film Festival http://www.hsufilmfestival.com/

Sacramento Film & Music Festival www.sacfilm.com

American Film Institute Film Festival - AFI Fest www.afi.com/onscreen/afifest/2009/

International Family Film Festival www.iffilmfest.org

Sacramento French Film Festival www.sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.com

American Film Market www.afma.com

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival www.vconline.org

Sacramento International Film Festival www.sacramentofilmfestival.com

American Indian Film Festival - San Francisco www.aifisf.com

Los Angeles Greek Film Festival http://lagff.org/

Arpa International Film Festival www.arpafilmfestival.com

Los Angeles International Film Festival www.lafilmfest.com

Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival http://siglff.org/

Beverly Hills Film Festival www.beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com

Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival www.latinofilm.org

Big Bear Lake International Film Festival http://www.bigbearfilmfestival.com/

Malibu International Film Festival www.malibufilmfestival.org

Big Sur Short Film Screening Series http://www.henrymiller.org/shorts.html

Marina del Rey Film Festival http://mdrfilmfestival.com/

Broadway International Film Festival http://www.biff-la.com/

Mendocino Film Festival www.mendocinofilmfestival.org/

Burbank International Film Festival burbankfilmfestival.org/

Method Fest International Film Festival www.methodfest.com/

Calabasas Film Festival http://www.calabasasfilmfestival.com/

Mill Valley Film Festival www.mvff.com/

California Independent Film Festival caiff.org

Napa Valley Film Festival www.napavalleyfilmfest.org

Carmel Art & Film Festival www.carmelartandfilm.com/

National Film Challenge, The http://filmchallenge.org/

Cinequest - San Jose Film Festival www.cinequest.org/index.php

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) www.nfmla.org

City of Angeles Film Festival www.cityofangelsfilmfest.org

Newport Beach Film Festival www.newportbeachfilmfest.com

Contra Costa International Jewish Film Festival www.eastbayjewishfilm.org/09/home.html

Ojai Film Festival www.ojaifilmfestival.com

San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival www.womensfilminstitute.com/sf-womens-film-festival

Culver City Film Festival www.culvercityfilmfestival.com

Outfest www.outfest.org

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival www.sfjff.org

Etheria Film Night www.etheriafilmnight.com

Palm Springs International Film Festival www.psfilmfest.org

San Francisco Silent Film Festival www.silentfilm.org

Film Arts Foundation - San Francisco www.filmarts.org/home.php

Palo Alto International Film Festival www.paiff.net

San Joaquin International Film Festival www.sjiff.org/sjiff3/

Fresno Reel Pride Film Festival www.reelpride.com

Pan African Films and Arts Festival www.paff.org

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival www.slofilmfest.org

Hollywood Black Film Festival www.hbff.org

Pasadena Film Festival www.pasadenafilmfestival.org

San Pedro International Film Festival www.spiffest.org

Sacramento Japanese Film Festival www.sacjapanesefilmfestival.net Sacramento Jewish Film Festival www.sacjff.org/index.html San Diego Asian Film Festival www.sdaff.org/festival/festival.php San Diego Film Festival www.sdff.org San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival www.sdkidsfilms.org San Diego Italian Film Festival www.sandiegoitalianfilmfestival.com San Diego Latino Film Festival www.sdlatinofilm.com San Fernando Valley International Film Festival www.viffi.org San Francisco Independent Film Festival www.sfindie.com San Francisco International Film Festival www.sfiff.org

Santa Barbara International Film Festival www.sbfilmfestival.org Santa Catalina Film Festival www.catalinaff.org Santa Cruz Film Festival www.santacruzfilmfestival.org Santa Monica International Film Festival www.smfilmfestival.com Sonoma International Film Festival www.sonomafilmfest.org Sunscreen Film Festival www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com Tahoe Adventure Film Festival www.laketahoefilmfestival.com/ Topanga Film Festival www.topangafilmfestival.com United Nations Association Film Festival www.unaff.org Wine Country Film Festival www.winecountryfilmfest.com

Special Thanks to the CA Film Commission for the list. To browse this list directly at their site, please visit: http://www.film.ca.gov/Festivals.htm

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The Entertainment Industry’s “Open Secret” Known As:

The Saturn Awards Actress Chloe Moretz receives an award for her role in “Let Me In” in 2010

Story and Photography by Oscar Benjamin

There is a period of the year that is called “awards season” and it traditionally begins in November and ends in February of the following year. The majority of the public will recognize such well-established award ceremonies as Emmy, Oscar and Grammy, but how many have heard of Saturn? The Saturn Awards is perhaps the entertainment industry’s most visible and yet invisible awards ceremony that is conducted on a yearly basis.

The Saturn Awards is a ceremony that recognizes and rewards Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy multi-media which includes motion pictures, television programs, plays and DVD/ BLU-Ray special edition collections. The awards ceremony itself was created by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, which was a group founded by the late Dr. Donald A. Reed. Reed was a film historian who had loved films that had a sense of wonder, and he founded the Academy in the year 1972 as a natural progression from a social group that had gathered to discuss gothic literature and films

that had been considered to be classics. The following year, Dr. Donald A. Reed and his newly formed Academy decided to begin an awards presentation. The year was 1973 and the winners were “Slaughterhouse-Five” (Best Science Fiction Film) and “Blacula” (Best Horror Film). It was immediately evident from the first awards ceremony that there was a sense of intellectual irreverence that influenced the voting members of the academy. It should also be noted that the famed actor William Shatner presented the awards during the ceremony’s first year.

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation.

Membership in the academy is open to all, and there are a number of membership tier levels that are all tax deductible that allow one certain privileges that reflect one’s contribution amount.

All membership tier levels allow individuals to vote, attend screenings of films if you are in Southern California and enjoy other perks like actually attending the awards presentations.

Actor Camden Toy dips Miss Saturn Awards Valerie Perez.

Director Robert Rodriguez.

Actress Madison Dylan has fun with “The Thing From Another World.”

Director Frank Darabont and actor Thomas Jane enjoy a relaxed conversation with the press.

This once-a-year event is held at the Castaway Restaurant in Burbank, which is a very scenic location that includes sweeping views of Burbank and other nearby cities in the Southland.

Typically the ceremony is held in the month of July, which places this awards ceremony far from the traditional awards season that the rest of the industry adheres to like a comic book collector’s habit of placing issues in collector boards and bags. This fact may contribute to the public’s lack of knowledge of the ceremony, but it is perhaps the decision not to televise the ceremony that might be the real factor as to why the general public is blithely unaware of the event.

The awards were actually televised three times beginning in the year 1978 and gained unintentional notoriety with host William Shatner’s rendition of Elton John’s “Rocket Man” among many of the disco-era themed dance numbers.

This particular performance has become a muchwatched and celebrated clip on YouTube. This columnist has not received an answer as to why the Academy has not produced a nationally

televised awards show since 1997, but one can speculate that the 1978 telecast and any fallout from it might have contributed to a decision not to continue televising the ceremony.

The Saturn Award itself is a gold plated statue in the form of the planet with a ring that was sculpted to resemble a strip of celluloid film.

There is a solid base with an area for an inscription of the category and the name of the recipient of the award. It is a photogenic award statue that this columnist has often had the opportunity to play with during several past award ceremonies that I have covered.

Beginning in the year 2010 I have had the opportunity to document and report from the Saturn Awards ceremony and have marveled at the incredible parade of A-list talent that have posed, received and spoken at the show. I have photographed Zachery Levi, Anna Torv, Scott Bakula, Chloe Moretz, Zack Snyder, Richard Donner, Leonard Nimoy, Guillermo del Toro,

Actor Andrew Lincoln

An impressive prop from "Thor."

Astronaut suit prop from the 2015 Saturn Awards.

Malcolm McDowell, Vince Gilligan, Gregory Nicotero, Dean Devlin, Grant Gustin, Noah Wyle, Bryan Fuller, and so many more.

There are elaborate props, which include larger life figures from past films that decorate the main awards hall and outdoor patio area.

Past props have included a life-sized mutant rat, the alien creature that was featured in the 1951 film “The Thing,� working telescopes for planet gazing, and many other photo opportunity items throughout the years. These wondrous props have inspired many actors and actresses to revel in photo opportunities in various humorous created scenarios. Two actors that have had the most fun with these props were Madison Dylan and Doug Jones. Photographic samples of their inspired creativity can be seen in images that accompany this article.

The awards ceremony begins with the traditional red carpet photo and interview opportunity that is a popular ticket for media to attend.

There is a noticeable and contagious level of enthusiasm that is shared with those that are walking and those that are covering the event.

The talent is wonderfully cordial with the press that goes far beyond more well-known award venues. After the red carpet is officially closed, the show itself begins during a lavish dinner that is given to guests attending the show. There is no separation of talent and voting members of the Academy, so there may be an added thrill of attendees sitting and sharing a dinner table with those who may or may not receive a Saturn Award during the night. Members of the press are invited to stay in a separate press room adjacent to the main ceremony hall, and the show can be monitored on a direct feed that is telecast in the room. It should also be noted that the press is also given the same meal that guests are given, which may also explain the popularity of covering this event as well.

The Saturn Awards have been hosted by comedienne Jeffrey Ross for a number of years

Chandler Riggs wins for The Walking Dead.

Mel Brooks accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award in front of Academy employees fixing a backdrop

Jennifer Blanc-Biehn and Micheal Biehn

Doug Jones posing with a giant rat prop

now; and his sense of humor skewers a bit on the bawdy side during the time I have covered the ceremony. The show is a no-nonsense event free of dance routines, musical numbers and microphone grandstanding. Notable exceptions have recently included actor Malcom McDowell humorously relishing his moment of infamy on screen when his character Soran killed Captain Kirk in the film “Star Trek: Generations.� It was one of the finest comedic acceptance speeches that this columnist has ever had the pleasure of watching, and it is a shame that it was not viewed by more than just those in attendance that night at the Castaway Restaurant!

attending. Joyous revelry spills onto the outdoor party area as popular D.J.-mixed music prompts many winners to hit the dance floor. Directors, producers, actors, actresses, visual effects artists and Academy members alike enjoy what is essentially a celebration of imagination in multi-media. It is a community affirmation that this artistic expression (which had been castigated for so many decades) is now the most sought after entertainment commodity. The after party lasts well after midnight with deals sometimes being brokered that reflects that time honored industry tradition that sometimes the best negotiations occur during parties.

After each award is presented and received, the winning recipient is ushered into the press room and once again is photographed with the actual winning award. It is also a chance for the press to ask questions and mingle with the winners. It is at this point that the event begins to separate itself from other awards presentations.

The winners will often relax and personally talk to the press one-on-one in a manner that resembles friends sharing a story over a drink or a meal.

During one such moment, director Guillermo del Toro spoke to members of the press for what amounted to be an hour of non-stop laughs and reminiscing of horror films of the past and favorite moments from such films! If there are handlers in the vicinity, it appears that they are given a directive not to limit any interaction between the talent that they represent and the members of the press.

Will the Saturn Awards be televised or perhaps live streamed in the future once again? Can and should the Academy allow an ambitious production company the opportunity to reformat the ceremony to match the other awards ceremonies? It is an idea that is probably due to be answered soon because the three genres that the Academy celebrates are the most popular and one can just glance at the topten-grossing films to verify that statement. It can also possibly damage the rather inviting, hip and cool atmosphere that the nominees and press alike feel when they are part of the ceremony.

The fact that there currently is not a national and international audience that the Academy needs to cater to can be seen as beneficial and continue to add to what essentially is a private and exclusive party. It will be fascinating to see what the state of the Saturn Awards will be when the Academy celebrates forty-two years in 2016 in what many believe to be the new golden age of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy!

~OB

The end of the ceremony itself is just the beginning of some of the best after-awards parties that this columnist has ever had the pleasure of

20x20 with

Chris Kisela of

CMYK Photography All credits provided by Chris Kisela. All photos by ChrisKisela. Photos without credits are undisclosed clients of Chris Kisela.

Below: Christina and Eric Harcar

What do you get when you mix passions for scuba, dance and photography? How does one survive as an Artist in a boutique market nestled in one of the most picturesque regions of the world? How does anyone stand out as a distinct professional and maintain their Art-driven edge? Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Chris Kisela, a photographer with passion.

1.

~Christina Marie

What kind of Photographer are you?

I am a people photographer from newborn to seniors and everything in between.

Cycle Gear- Stylist Edi

2. Who inspires you?

Photographers, Jerry Ghionis, Jose Villa, and local Artists.

They are clean, simple, yet complicated at the same time.

3. What is you hardware of choice?

I shoot with Canon and I am a PC. I like the upgradability of a PC- with a Mac I feel stuck.

4. And software?

I use lots of different programs. I usually start with Lightroom, then Photoshop, then if my client wants an album, I use Fundy and create a custom album.

Rachael Jensen

Model: Ace Ryder Kisela, Stylist: Christina Day, Chris Kisela

5. Why Canon?

I feel Canon is top of the line for stills. It’s a great portrait camera. My current model I have had for three years and it really stands up to the amount of work I do.

6. What is your “go to lens� for Weddings?

The Canon 70-200 2.8, and I really enjoy shooting primes. I have been switching back to primes as they have better rendition of color and light.

7.

Let’s talk Fashion Spreads.

Twenty five percent of my work is Fashion. Adrielyn Christi always puts together a great team. Maria Noel does great make-up which makes post production easier for me.

Stylist: Adrielyn Christi

8.

Fashion vs. Brides- which is harder to shoot?

Because of the number of photos, Brides are harder. Fashion spreads usually only want 5-10 photos. I put equal effort into both, but with Brides, I am preserving memories and with Fashion it’s more of an Art piece.

My big sister gave me a film camera at 16 years old and I wanted to do what she did. At 20 years old I started shooting professionally, two years later, I finally decided I wanted to be a Photographer and never turned back.

9. When did you start taking photos?

Model: Amanda Strachan Hair: Heather Werner

10.

Do you have any hobbies?

11.

Have you shot underwater?

I’m scuba certified, enjoy spending time with my family, and iphone photography (haha).

Yes! I have a special housing I use underwater. I wanted to combine scuba and photography with Dance.

12.

Has a certain photo shoot stretched you as a Photographer?

The dancing underwater shoot. Dancing in the air is complicated enough- shout out to Kelly from CORE Dance Collective! The dancers at CORE are super-fit, but they basically had to tread water for four hours.

Folsom aquatic Center allowed us to shoot at a depth of 8-16 feet. I couldn’t see if the images were sharp and the dancers got sunburned and tired.

Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre

CORE Contemporary Dance

13. Where are you based?

I am based in Sacramento, but I travel to the Bay Area at least once a week.

14. Speaking of locations, do you have a favorite?

Tahoe... It’s just so beautiful. I also liked Georgia.

15. Is that the farthest you have travelled?

Yes. I shot engagement photos of a couple from a personal referral. It was one of the few opportunities to see each other before the wedding.

16. How do you feel about the Sacramento Area Market?

I have found my niche here, but I never feel settled. As a small business owner, I can never rest.

On location in Georgia

Tina DeVine of CORE Contemporary Dance

17. What do you like about the local marketplace?

I love working with the local businesses from Anna Apple to Tesco, it’s great working locally.

18. What advice would you give others?

It’s a competitive market. Find your niche without undercutting the others.

Model: Brandon Jones Hair: Nikki Gates MUA: Jayna DeSoussa

19. What’s your dream job?

In the rare event that you can get paid to do personal projects as well as commercial work, I call that a win for the day.

20. Best/worst gig?

Capturing the story of a wedding is magical...then after 50 weddings a year, the job can get a bit lackluster....

Then come wedding season the next year I’m like, “Oh yeah! This is what I love!”

Sinking In To Sarah’s New World:

Sarah Armstrong- Garner has been writing since she was a child, but it wasn’t until college that she fell in love with screenwriting. After writing for the screen, she decided to try her hand at novels so she could control the overall look of the story. With screenplays writers are at the mercy of Directors, Producers, and the multiple artists that come together to tell the story on the screen. Imagine how “Little Miss Sunshine” would have turned out if they didn’t drive the VW Bus and Dakota Fanning played the role of Olive. By writing the novel first, the Directors and Producers are bound by unspoken rules to please the existing fan base as in J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series.

perstitious crew, he finds himself intoxicated by her— willing to give up everything for her. He soon finds he cannot live without her.

Sarah’s first novel, “Sinking”, a young-adult fantasy novel, and has beautifully done cover artwork featuring a feminine figure in a white gown sinking into the depths of blue green water. The image evokes a response of wonder and mystery. What is the amulet that shines through the gloom?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahArmstrongGarner/

For Sarah, the difference between writing a screenplay and writing a novel is that she can “...see the colors” as she writes. Sarah goes on to say, “Some stories don’t work visually unless they are a novel.”

Another perk about novel writing is that the author can live in Jackson, CA, and raise a family without the pressures of networking in Los Angeles or Sacramento. “With novels, it’s all about your publisher; with screenplays it’s all about who you know.” Sarah was fortunate enough to have friend and editor, Michelle Harper, discover her talent. Harper sent it to Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing and here we are.

Sarah’s process is simple. She usually writes at night as she is a working mom and she writes one chapter at a time so she can get a sense of completion. “I let the characters take charge,” Sarah says, “They start writing themselves.” When asked what the best part of writing novels is, she replied, “You get to create worlds that people haven’t had a chance to explore... to have that creative control is best.”

Here’s a peek at her new world: Jocelyn washes up on the shore of eighteenth century Ireland, alone, naked, and missing all of her memories. Taken in by a lonely old woman full of plots and schemes for the lovely yet enigmatic creature, Jocelyn knows only one thing. She longs for the sea with every ounce of her being. Yet it tried to kill her. Aidan Boyd loves two things. His ship and the sea. When Jocelyn is thrust upon his vessel in the midst of his su-

But something holds Jocelyn back. The whisper of another’s love. The embrace of water. Does she belong to this world? Or could Jocelyn possibly be from the sea? You can visit SarahArmstrongGarner.com to learn more about her and her upcoming releases.

Social Media Links: Website: http://www.saraharmstronggarner.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahTwyla Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/ show/33156298-sarah-armstrong-garner Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahtwyla/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-armstrong-garner-b35b6932

Abandon Theory,

Embrace the Kicks: Two Indiegogo Campaigns.

It seems these days everybody wants you to fund their online campaign for whatever is this they are doing.

From, “Fund my move to California” to “Make my next movie” contributors have funding fatigue and need to be “wowed.” Many contributors are concerned that their funds won’t go too far on partially funded campaigns or they won’t receive their perks in fully funded campaigns, which is why these two Indiegogo Campaigns deserve a second look.

Abandon Theory, an Independent band from Sacramento, Ca has four albums under their belt and now they want to put out a live album. The upside? They found a recording engineer to take a risk and record their live performance.

They already have a product halfway there.

They have also listed very specifically how they will use the funds. This campaign is a Flexible Funding campaignmeaning they keep what they raise- even if the overall goal is not met- so you can see what will go where, even if not completely funded. Perk levels include digital pre-purchase as well as CD pre-purchase as well as many other perks. The Downside? You may not see your pre-purchased product if the product does not get completed. The insurance? The amount asked for the campaign is really quite low- only $6,900, so if they don’t fund all the way, the band could probably find another contributor outside of the campaign and eventually make good on any pledges raised. So why are they noteworthy? It’s the sound! I was hooked instantly. I cannot describe what it reminds me of accurately enough. There are tones of Primus, Cake, Violent Femmes, and feels like what it might be if a banjo picker vacationed in Jamaica. Honestly- you just have to hear it for yourself.

It is innately Sacramentan- meaning the same quirkiness

and originality that we all loved in Cake can be found is this trio.

And here is where you need to have a heart: They would be self-sustaining and making this album without your help if they could gig more. According to the campaign, “Jhon, the bassist and banjo picker, has been battling a debilitating autoimmune disease for several years. It has caused the band to cancel shows & tours, which is really bad for credibility. Most gigs are scheduled 3 months or more in advance, and live shows take a great deal of energy. So until Jhon’s health can be more reliable, the band has been unable to commit to most gigs. That being said, he is doing all that he can to restore his health.”

Dealing with Auto-immune disease is no joke and the band is still determined to put out product. In this instance, the recordings are already there and YOU could be the difference in seeing them through. As of the first of January, there are 20 days left. Please go check them out and listen to their unique sound.

Shiftwear, customizable kicks also chose Indiegogo as their platform. According to their campaign, Shiftwear is, “a team of entrepreneurs, futurists and engineers who dream of disrupting the fashion and technology industries. We have great ideas and determined to push ahead on our goal to make these sneakers a reality. Everyone loves to look a certain way and we want to put this power back into your hands. We will do everything in our power to bring you the coolest sneakers ever! While we love to innovate and push the boundaries, we are really annoying perfectionists who will not sacrifice on quality.” The product

result is a sneaker that can be customized through a cell phone app, digitally displaying the result right onto the shoe itself. AND they are giving back to the design community by letting designers upload and sell their looks through their company.

“The app you use to program new designs on your shoes is the same app that will connect you to a marketplace with the freshest designs from artists all over the world. Buy their designs right from the app, and they’ll show up on your shoes in seconds. And unlike shopping for traditional shoes, you know that any custom design you pick out will fit just right.

Designers couldn’t ask for a better outlet to showcase and sell their art. Why let a few big names decide your color schemes? ShiftWear lets people take their shoes back. Design your own pair. Take pictures, tag and share. Enter the marketplace and become a top seller.”

Their original goal was $25,000. Eighteen days into their campaign, they blew through that goal and their stretch goal of $200k by raising $417,376. December 22nd they closed their campaign at $837,565 that’s 3097% of their original goal.

The upside? Perks included discounts off of sneaker purchases in exchange for Tweets. Pre-sales of products at different levels allowed for more sales. Bulk-price ordering was offered at the higher perk level of $600 for 3 pairs, allowing for

interesting cyber-gift giving at Christmas. The downside? The shoes aren’t made yet.

They $25k was supposed to put out their first prototype. The $250k level was to support front-loading the Manufacturing. They projected completion time of Fall 2016. The insurance? Honestly, I don’t see much insurance on this campaign. the bigger the project, the harder it may fall. However, they team seems to be driven by quality and technology over fashion, so they may be able to find additional support though major Silicon Valley investors. What makes it so noteworthy? They had an EXPLOSIVE campaign. Besides having a decent concept, they structured well and partnered with a ton of companies to have an insane reach. This is an example of meticulous planning. They really stepped up their game in exposure.

You can continue to order and follow along on their progress on their site. It will interesting to see how they do by Holiday Retail Season in 2016.

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