Answer Print- Winter 2013/14 by Calgary Film

ANSWER PRINT WINTER 2014

METAMORPHOSIS

STAFF Operations Director Jessica McCarrel operations@csif.org Programming Director Nicola Waugh programming@csif.org Communications Director Nicola Waugh communications@csif.org Production Director Yvonne Abusow production@csif.org Programming & Communications Intern: Anne Garth communications@csif.org Production Coordinator: Dan Crittenden production@csif.org Designed and Compiled by Dave Reynolds + Nicola Waugh Editors Anne Garth + Nicola Waugh Cover Photo: Still of Loop: A Chance in Time by Patrick Murphy Advertising Inquiries: communications@csif.org The Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF) is a non-profit, member-driven media arts cooperative that encourages the production and exhibition of independent film. Suite 103-223 12 Avenue SW Calgary, AB Canada T2R 0G9 Phone: 403.205.4747 Hours: Tues-Sat, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5pm Web: csif.org

IN THIS ISSUE QUARTERLY MANIFESTO 4 FILMMAKER PROFILE 5 MEMBERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MISSIVES 7 SCREENWRITING TIPS 11 HUMBLED BY DARKNESS

ON THE SLATE 15

CSIF is grateful for the involvement of its members, the network of artist-run cooperatives throughout Canada and for the financial assistance of its funders: The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, The Canada Council for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, and from its donors, members and individuals.

QUARTERLY MANIFESTO Because Answer Print has made the decision to shift from print to digital in the coming months, we have chosen the theme “metamorphosis” for this last print issue. Metamorphosis is defined as a marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function. While this term is often used to reference the changing physical state of insects and amphibians throughout their development, metamorphosis holds a great deal of significance in reference to the film industry and society’s digital shift. In Alvin Tophler’s book Future Shock, (Later adapted into a documentary) he states that in the post-industrial age, “change is not merely necessary to life, it is life” and those who cannot adapt to change are suffering from Future Shock. So, like a newt adapting to life on land, Answer Print will adapt to the electronic frontier with a new digital metamorphosis rather than falling victim to Future Shock (and beastly printing costs). While the ever-changing climate of the digital age calls for constant adaptation, it does not mean the past holds no value. The $100 Film Festival is an excellent display of the relevance and beauty past technologies still hold in the present. This is not to say the $100 Film Festival has not evolved over its twenty-two years of operation. The small festival, which began as a challenge to make a film on $100 budget has evolved into one of the world’s few celluloid-only film festivals. While the evolution of film into a digital media has allowed filmmaking to progress as a whole, the $100 Film Festival challenges filmmakers to evolve their artistic ability and technique by experimenting with small format film. 4

Taking on a new shapes and forms with new functions is a concept that ties into film in many ways. The evolution from analog to digital, the function of film from entertainment to art or the housing of film from theatres to galleries; film is growing and shifting into new metamorphoses all the time. In this issue we take a look at various shifts and changes, which occur in film. Neil Champagne discusses the transformational power of the rewrite versus the edit in his screenwriting tips. In this filmmaker’s profile Dan Zimmerman talks to local filmmaker Andres Gallarza about adapting to working as a part of a crew after years of working solo. Julien Testa shares his One Eight Challenge experience and how his first attempt to make a celluloid film took the shape of something completely unexpected. Ron Devitt discusses the showcase of community support in the November On Location: Members Screening and how this support has fostered growth and evolution in Calgary’s filmmaking industry. Enjoy the pages of Answer Print between your fingers this last time. We hope to see you again in the Spring as we emerge from our cocoon, a beautiful new digital publication. Anne Garth, Programming & Communications Intern

FILMMAKER PROFILE: ANDRES GALARZA By Dan Zimmerman

Andres Galarza is an independent filmmaker and avid soccer fan with unique roots from a tiny South American country. Galarza graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Cinematography and Film/Video Production from SAIT in 2013.

A: In the future. Right now I’m really focused on pitching my own ideas, and working on my own features. The nature of my Dad’s work is very corporate driven, where as I want to pursue film because it’s more of an artistic medium.

D: How did you become interested in filmmaking?

D: It’s interesting from an artistic standpoint that you decided to go to SAIT. SAIT is known as a technical school? How has your education been there?

A: I was born in Ecuador, which is a very small country, so the film scene is not very big there. We’re film fans, but we don’t have the means to make films. I was always destined to leave to pursue filmmaking. My Dad is actually involved in the industry there, and has been since before I was born. I wanted to be an actor when I was twelve, and so one day he took me on a film shoot. I wanted to see what the actors did, but I ended up liking what happened behind the camera more. I made my first short when I was fifteen with my dad. Since then I’ve been working steadily on films.

A: SAIT definitely focuses more on the technical side of any industry you go into. I tried to go the Vancouver Film School first but it was really expensive. I actually did a contest with the Vancouver Film School where they accept twenty high school students from across North America.You send them your film and go see them for a couple days. But SAIT you know, I came here and did the student for a day and realized the education is pretty good, so naturally I ended up here. It is a very technical school but at the same time there is an art that goes into it.

D: Were you still in Ecuador at that time?

D – So you were making your own short films before SAIT. How much has the SAIT driven process changed things for you?

A: I had moved to The States, to Florida. That’s where I got the acting bug. Then I came to Calgary about three years ago. I lived in the states for seven years and then I went back to Ecuador for a year and a half and worked with my Dad in the industry. I shot a few commercials with him and then came here and did my own work. D: So are you thinking about working with your Dad again?

A: Before SAIT I was a one-man crew. I was doing camera, I was directing, I was doing editing, I was doing lighting. I did everything because the actors were my friends. With SAIT obviously it becomes a lot more industry oriented, and the protocol changes. It’s a transition from no experience, and no budget, to a regimented way of doing things, but I gotta tell you, I enjoy doing independent stuff more than I enjoy doing school work. 5

There’s not a lot of freedom in school-driven productions because you have to meet certain standards for your marks, where as if you’re doing something independent, it is what you want it to be, so I kind of miss doing the independent stuff more. D: Are you influenced by any films in particular? My whole vision is to do features, primarily Hollywood features. I know that sounds cheesy but that’s really where I want to end up. Not because it’s Hollywood and there’s a glamour to it - that’s not it at all, it’s that it’s the biggest market. It’s where the most people will see my work, and that’s the whole idea; to get your story told. But also because my influences come from those films. In particular Steven Spielberg. I just think his sense of direction is quite perfect, but more on the dramatic side. I don’t think I would ever make a movie like Jaws or Jurassic park; I love them, I just don’t know how to make them. I just don’t have that vision or really that inclination. I’m looking at the Schindler’s List or the Saving Private Ryan dramas. That’s where I think my ambitions lie. D: How does your Ecuadorian heritage filter into your filmmaking?

A: Ecuador is a really small nation, and we’re really in conflict with ourselves. Very rarely do we get into conflicts with other countries. Our conflicts are very internalized. And I think that is something that shapes the way I process films. I was always raised with the notion that family is the most important thing and that people matter, but also you are constantly surrounded by this eternal struggle between the lower class and the middle class. There was this huge contrast between what I was taught at home, and what’s actually happening in my society. I like to think I’ve developed a maturity to discern between what’s right and what’s wrong, plus living in Florida and then living in Canada is a whole different world. That all somehow ties into the way I write my scripts. All those experiences shape how I write dialogue. People like Bob Marley, or Muhammad Ali, they inspire me more than most filmmakers. They used their fame and influence not for themselves but for their people. They remembered where they came from and paid attention to what was going on. In Ecuador there is such a middle class mentality, where people rarely want to raise higher simply because they were raised to think small. That’s really why I’m interested in this industry, to show those kids back home that they can dream big.

Andres Galarza on set

MEMBER’S MISSIVES ON LOCATION: MEMBER SCREENING

By Ron Devitt

Members of the Calgary Independent Society of Filmmakers got a chance to show off their work and talk about it at the CSIF Members Screening and Directors Talk on Thurs, Nov. 28. The evening started with three Super 8 films from the One Eight Challenge, including a student film from the 2013 Summer Media Arts Camp, Sign of Life by Kaz Nagao and Loop: A Chance in Time by Patrick Murphy. Nagao’s period piece was set in Lithuania during the Second World War. The three-minute film was shot in camera and based on the real-life events of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese serving in Lithuania. He helped thousands of Jews leave the country by issuing transit visas, earning him the title as the Japanese Schindler. “I really feel proud of what he has done,” said Nagao, who felt strongly about making the film. “It’s my definition of what a hero is.” Murphy’s short film Loop: A Chance in Time, was also shot on Super 8 as part of the One Eight Challenge. The black and white film had a great time travel concept with a strong payoff ending. “It was definitely a challenge but it was a good experience,” said Murphy of his first attempt at making a film in the One Eight Challenge. Between Us, a short by Moshen Shafizadeh, was set in London and revolves around an Iranian couple who had broken off their relationship and were trying to reconcile their differences

through a closed door and Internet chat. The subtitled short proved that lost love and heartbreak are truly universal.

“We’re not just filmmakers with blinders on. We know each other.” Alice and Evee, Gillian McKercher’s contemporary story about two teenaged sisters growing up on their own dealt with very real issues facing Canadian youth. It was well-acted and delicately handled the world of parties, drinking, love and lust. McKercher said she couldn’t have made her film without the help of the CSIF “family”. “It’s pretty cool how you do develop a community where we get to know each other,” said McKercher. “We’re not just filmmakers with blinders on. We know each other.” Olaf Blomerus’ film Dawn Part 1 had a great cinematic look to it. The Looper-style film also dealt with time travel. And despite its “blockbuster film” feel was made on a $2,000 budget. Eric Hayes’ mob hit short film In The Grip is a well-shot suspense thriller that grips and releases the senses in just seven minutes. Shadowy figures and well-executed special 7

My Dinner With Andrea by Hernan Moreno

FX keep the story moving smoothly. It is the 18-year-old filmmaker’s first attempt at a live action film. “I got pretty lucky,” said Hayes of casting local actors. “I got some great actors. All of which were more than helpful and I’m very grateful for it.” Hernan Moreno’s colourful romantic comedy My DinnerWith Andrea was shot on Super 16 and transferred to HD. The quirky short featured terrific comedic acting from its cast and offered great visuals, attention to detail and colours. Moreno used the CSIF’s $3,000 Fish Fund to help finance the quirky film that chronicles a couple’s first date. Moreno admitted it was nerve-wracking shooting on film.“I wore a diaper the last week on set,” joked Moreno. “We couldn’t afford to waste any film.” Moreno gave credit to the art direction for helping give the film the colourful and quirky look he wanted. “I think that in this film, art direction was a silent character.”

Alice & Evee by Gillian McKercher

The last film shown on the night was Todd Kipp’s Computer Potato. This quirky comedy offers a present-day look at people whose social lives revolve almost solely around the computer and not physical human companionship. Kipp received 3,000 video submissions as part of the audition process. He ended up casting actors from Europe, Canada and the U.S. “I chose the actors completely based on their talent – not where they were from,” said Kipp, agreeing that collaboration is key to making good films in Calgary.

SCREENWRITING TIPS Transforming Your Script: The Re-Write vs. The Edit

By Neil Champagne

Sticking with the theme of this month’s Answer Print, I thought I would address something most writers confuse when re-working a draft of their screenplay. While both the edit and re-write are essential to transforming your work into something more coherent and respectable, they are two distinct practices. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the difference let me elaborate. When one edits a screenplay they merely change subtle elements, usually grammar, spelling and tweak dialogue, but when you do a full re-write you expose larger elements of story like plot, timing, structure and character. Think of an edit like an artist adding a final layer of paint to an already well-crafted canvas - just a few extra brush strokes making meticulous changes. A re-write is often a more arduous process where the writer guts the inside of the screenplay. Much like a mechanic rebuilding an engine, there may be some useable parts, but many new pieces go into making a new and functioning engine. The changes you make while you edit really transform your script into something that is more professional from a prose perspective. It’s one of the oldest principles we learn as writers. Even back in elementary school emphasis is put on knowing how to spell and structure a sentence. Believe me, when someone who you respect is reading your screenplay, you don’t want to lose them on the first page by mixing up “then” and “than”.

Unless you’re Quentin Tarantino, spelling and grammar matter! The changes made during a re-write, on the other hand, are those that compel your reader to continue turning the pages. Story and all of its elements could easily be a stand-alone article, but for the sake of understanding the re-write, let’s take a look at a few key concepts. When you re-work your screenplay, you have to make drastic changes to the elements that are not working. Sometimes this involves changing plot points when they occur, or completely re-inventing conflict that propels the plot forward. Other times it’s showing another side of your characters. Perhaps finding an active way to create depth or adding an event that reveals their driving nature.You may even have to make your characters more likeable (a note I happen to hate!). Regardless of the adjustment, usually a ripple effect is sent through the entire script you’ll have to address on subsequent pages. One change begets another. Think of your favorite shows and movies. Whether it’s the character of Walter White, the plot twists in your favorite Marvel film or the world of THE WALKING DEAD, all have the proper balance of elements to tell their stories. Not to be presumptuous, but I’m sure some of you might be asking “how do I know what changes to make?” Normally reliable notes from trusted readers help you evaluate what would be good additions or omissions. Of course take all notes with a grain of salt because if you constantly make changes based on everyone’s input you will never have a finished draft. I find taking time away from the project 11

mixed with good notes and your gut instinct is the best recipe for a better draft.

Unless you’re Quentin Tarantino, spelling and grammar matter! Writing is re-writing, and I can’t even count the number of drastically different drafts of screenplays I have written. Nevertheless each draft has taken on a transformation, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. For your screenplay to grow, a mix of conscious story changes have to be formulated but don’t negate the ones that organically pop into your head during the writing process. After all, no one knows how to tell your story better than you!

HUMBLED BY DARKNESS Reflections on the One Eight Challenge

By Julien Testa

Words cannot fully express the strange mixture of shame, anger, sorrow and frustration that overcame me when I finally saw what my first experiment with 8mm yielded. A terrible, blank, soft and totalizing blackness, with shadows of things that may be considered images (if one is to be so kind) but really just incomprehensible ghosts. By any stretch of the imagination my film for the One Eight Challenge was a failure. But in art, much as in life,

sometimes failure can be more revealing and revelatory than success. This is one such case. It must be said however, that a part of me expecting this outcome. I had made a few short films before but always on digital and I had no real experience using 8mm or any other gauge of film for that matter. Anyone with any sense would know that you should at least have some sort of working knowledge of celluloid film before making an investment in it. So failure was a possibility that I had considered from the outset of this adventure. But no matter how much you steal yourself for the worst, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re never truly prepared when it happens. Although I searched for something

or someone to blame for this under exposure (the camera! The house!) I knew in the end that the onus rested on my shoulders. I found myself in deep thought after the initial disappointment. I wanted to understand, to conceptualize and somehow salvage this experience into something useful. Nietzsche after all said that true victory comes from taking any situation and turning it to your advantage. What then, led to this and how can it salvaged? First of course, comes the technical explanation: I simply did not have any lights at all, thus it was under exposed. But there was a larger, underlying factor at play here. I hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually done any kind of research, I had treated that 8mm camera like a digital one: point and shoot. The economy of celluloid is necessarily one of austerity, every shot every second is a risk. There is no playback, no test shots, no do overs. When you play, you play for keeps. Now this seems obvious (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure many readers are at this very moment rolling their eyes at my naivety) and I know this intellectually as well. But, as a child of the digital

age part of me refused to give the medium the time and precision that it warrants. Fools they say, rush in, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly that I did and I was repaid in darkness. Now in this moment I am grateful for that single reel. I did not keep it I only viewed it once but I am grateful all the same. In the end I think that the ease and comfort of the digital world had me be lazy, arrogant even. Art should never be comforting or easy. It should be daring, it should push you to new realms, new challenges, new mediums and make you feel unsettled and uncomfortable. You will fail, but this failure should only embolden you, not hinder you. This was a humbling experience, one that grounded me back into humility, and ultimately taught me the value of patience and endurance. It has ensured that I will return with my 8mm camera, with new reels, new vision and new courage and try once more to capture something beautiful. Anything less would be a true failure, a true defeat.

ON THE SLATE HOLIDAY CLOSURE: CSIF will be closed from December 14th to January 7th PROGRAMMING THE SHORTEST DAY: Dec 21st 7:00pm at The Old Y (223 12th Ave SW)

In partnership with Telefilm Canada, CSIF is presenting a selection of award-winning short Canadian films. We are one of over 60 venues across Canada celebrating the shortest day of the year with short film. More info at www.theshortestday. ca 22nd ANNUAL $100 FILM FESTIVAL: March 6-8 at The Globe Cinema

Celebrate small format film with big vision! Over 30 films from local and international artists showcased exclusively on Super 8 and 16mm, including out ever-popular Film/Music Explosion! More info at 100dollarfilmfestival.org

WORKSHOPS Shooting with the Scarlet: Feb 22 How To Make A Film 2014: Feb 27- July 13Â Creative Writing Workshop: April 12

Check our website for full workshop listing and descriptions SCREENWRITING CLUB Screenwriters club meets once a month to help writers with their script by providing feedback, discussing the intricacies of screenplay writing and inspiring creative writing. If you have a screenplay or two under your belt and are looking for some human interaction the Screenwriters Club could be the solution to your hermitude. The second Tuesday of every month from 7pm - 9pm at CSIF participants will meet to review a script or two and give feedback. This is a FREE group led initiative. Bring your experience, imagination (and a few snacks for the group) and become a member of this club.

EXPERIMENTAL FILM CLUB Join us at the Old Y on the second Saturday of every month from 10am where the film club will be working on different experimental film techniques. Drop in costs vary with the number of the participants and the costs of processing and film stock. The Film club is a collaborative group that shares the cost of shooting on Film as they work on a variety of filmmaking techniques. To join clubs contact Yvonne Abusow @ 403.205.4748 or email production@csif.org CSIF is always looking for engaging stories by new and experienced members for upcoming issues of Answer Print. We welcome critical work, film reviews, personal reflections and visual works. Email answerprint@csif.org to get involved.