NWFilmCenter PORTLAND ART MUSEUM
APRIL/MAY 2015
FEATURING
ESSENTIAL
GUS VAN SANT (& HIS INFLUENCES)
BIGGER THAN LIFE: THE FILMS OF NICHOLAS RAY PLUS
NEW CZECH CINEMA JUNE 22 – AUGUST 21
NORTHWEST TRACKING SPECIAL SCREENINGS
School of Film
JOIN OUR LEARNING COMMUNITY
PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 664
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER 1219 SW PARK AVENUE PORTLAND,OR 97205
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STAFF
WELCOME
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER DIRECTOR: BILL FOSTER EDUCATION DIRECTOR: ELLEN THOMAS FILMMAKER SERVICES MANAGER: THOMAS PHILLIPSON HARRY & ROSE MOYER ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES & NORTHWEST FILM CENTER SCHOOL OF FILM 934 SW SALMON STREET
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PR AND MARKETING MANAGER: BENNA GOTTFRIED
SPONSORSHIP AND EVENTS MANAGER: RACHEL RECORD EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES MANAGER: DAVE HANAGAN
CHAMPION SPONSORS
MEMBERSHIP AND INDIVIDUAL GIVING COORDINATOR: BAILEY CAIN ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR: KAREN WENNSTROM EDUCATION SERVICES COORDINATORS: STEPHANIE HOUGH ANDREW PRICE MILES SPRIETSMA
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THEY LIVE BY NIGHT P.4 NORTHWEST TRACKING PAGE 3
BIGGER THAN LIFE: THE FILMS OF NICHOLAS RAY PAGE 4-5
SPECIAL SCREENINGS PAGES 6 & 18
SCHOOL OF FILM PAGES 7-14
FILM CAMP FOR KIDS +TEENS CENTER PULLOUT
ESSENTIAL GUS VAN SANT PAGES 15-17
NEW CZECH CINEMA PAGE 19
G ENERA L ADM I S S I ON $9 GENERAL $8 PAM MEMBERS, STUDENTS, SENIORS $6 SILVER SCREEN CLUB FRIENDS SPECIAL ADMISSION PRICES AS NOTED. ALL PROGRAMS ARE SINGLE ADMISSION, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SILVER SCREEN CLUB DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS, BENEFACTORS & SUSTAINERS RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION TO ALL REGULAR ADMISSION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FESTIVALS. SEATS FOR ADVANCE TICKET HOLDERS AND SILVER SCREEN CLUB MEMBERS ARE HELD UNTIL 10 MINUTES BEFORE SHOWTIME, AT WHICH POINT ANY UNFILLED SEATS ARE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. BOX OFFICE OPENS 30 MINUTES BEFORE SHOWTIME.
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THEATRE STAFF: KATIE BURKART ERIK MCCLANAHAN ARIKA OGLESBEE TONY OLSEN-CARDELLO ALEX SMITH ILANA SOL LISA TRAN VERONICA VICHIT-VADAKAN LARISA ZIMMERMAN
THEATRE VOLUNTEERS: SARAH BLUVAS JEANNE DEVON CONNIE GUIST DOUGLAS HANES RICHARD HOLLWAY MAGGIE HORTON MADDY HUTTER TRISKA LEE ADAM LICHI INGEBORG MUSSCHE KAY OLSEN PHYLLIS OSTER WARREN OSTER NANDINI RANGANATHAN ELISE SMART DEBBIE STOLLER HANNAH VAN LOON AARON WOLFER AND MANY MORE… PORTLAND ART MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR: WILLIAM WHITSELL VICE CHAIR: RICHARD LOUIS BROWN SECRETARY: LAURA MEIER TREASURER: JIM WINKLER NW FILM CENTER COMMITTEE: LINDA ANDREWS, CHAIRMAN MARK FRANDSEN MARY HINCKLEY BOB WARREN ALICE WIEWEL DON VAN WART PORTLAND ART MUSEUM MARILYN H. & DR. ROBERT B. PAMPLIN JR. DIRECTOR: BRIAN FERRISO NW FILM CENTER CORRESPONDENCE TO: NORTHWEST FILM CENTER 1219 SW PARK AVENUE PORTLAND, OR 97205 EMAIL: INFO@NWFILM.ORG PHONE: 503-221-1156 FAX: 503-294-0874
NWFILM.ORG
CONDUCTA, Ernesto Daranas Serrano, Cuba BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE SUNSHINE SUPERMAN, Marah Strauch, US BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AND BEST NEW DIRECTOR MY FRIEND NIETZSCHE, Fáuston Da Silva, Brazil BEST SHORT FILM AWARD MELVIN THE BIRDER, David Emmite and Spencer Lott, Portland BEST OREGON SHORT AWARD To see complete audience award results visit festivals.nwfilm.org/piff38/
MISSION
The Northwest Film Center is a regional media arts resource and service organization founded to encourage the study, appreciation, and utilization of the moving image arts; to foster their artistic and professional excellence; and to help create a climate in which they may flourish.
PRESENTING
The Film Center’s year-round exhibition program surveys the full range of cinema past and present. From classic silent film to the avant-garde, thematic series, director retrospectives, national cinema surveys, visiting artists, and the latest in regional, independent, and foreign film, the Film Center’s programs open the world of diverse moving image expression.
TEACHING
The Film Center’s School of Film is one of the oldest and largest community-based media arts education programs in the country. The School of Film offers intensive hands-on classes and workshops in film production for adults and youth, taught by faculty members who are accomplished working media artists. Students may earn the Film Center’s non-degree Certificate in Film as well as obtain optional college credit through partnering higher education institutions. In K-12 classrooms, after-school, and community settings, in partnership with many other organizations, the School of Film advances media literacy and expression as core skills for the next generation through screenings, production camps, and other innovative programs and collaborations.
SUPPORTING FILMMAKERS AND COMMUNITY
In addition to exhibition and teaching opportunities, the Film Center circulates traveling exhibition programs featuring work by regional artists, administers the Oregon Media Arts Fellowship, offers fiscal agent services for independent producers in need of non-profit sponsorship, provides low-cost equipment access, and engages in consulting services to community producers and organizations. THE NORTHWEST FILM CENTER IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE OREGON ARTS COMMISSION, REGIONAL ARTS & CULTURE COUNCIL, THE TED R. GAMBLE FILM ENDOWMENT, THE JAMES F. AND MARION L. MILLER FOUNDATION, AND THE SUPPORT OF NUMEROUS CORPORATE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM SPONSORS, MEMBERS & FRIENDS.
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NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
The Autzen Foundation
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PIFF 38 AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
OFFICE INTERNS & VOLUNTEERS: MICHAEL COLLINS JOHN CLAYTON LEE DANIELLE DUHAIME HANNAH FLEMING NOAH HALE IAN WESTMORLAND BRETT WRIGHT
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STATEMENT OF FREQUENCY:
The Lamb-Baldwin Foundation
HEAD THEATRE MANAGER & PROJECTIONIST: MELINDA KOWALSKA
APRIL/MAY 2015 503-221-1156 WWW.NWFILM.ORG
NORTHWEST TRACKING BIG IN JAPAN
A RIVER BETWEEN US AND WE WERE YOUNG
APR 26 SUN 3:30 PM—VISITING ARTIST
MAY 20 WED 7 PM—VISITING ARTIST
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AND WE WERE YOUNG DIRECTOR: ANDY SMETANKA
Andy Smetanka’s work has ranged from creating a short segment for Guy Maddin’s MY WINNEPEG to ‘The Bachelor and the Bride,’ a music video for the Decembrists. For his first featurelength film, Smetanka turned to his fascination with World War I. Three years and over 250,000 individual frames in the making, AND WE WERE YOUNG is a stop-motion animated oral history of American soldiers in France in the last days of the Great War, performed entirely by black-paper puppets and filmed on Super 8 against translucent paper backgrounds. Brooding, brutal and hauntingly beautiful, this epic is a vision of war beyond your wildest dreams and nightmares. (115 mins.) Northwest Tracking highlights the work of independent filmmakers living and working in the Northwest— Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington—whose work reflects the vibrant cinematic culture of the region. Whether presenting single-artist retrospectives, new features, documentaries, or inspired collections of short works, this ongoing showcase offers testimony to the creativity and talent in our flourishing media arts community.
APR 4 5 SAT 7 PM, SUN 7 PM—VISITING ARTIST
BIG IN JAPAN S EATTLE 20 14
DIRECTOR: JOHN JEFFCOAT
“Real-life Seattle rockers Phillip A. Peterson, David Drury, and Sean Lowry, known collectively as Tennis Pro, play reasonable facsimiles of themselves in this semi-fictionalized comedy loosely based on the group’s true-life attempts to boost their careers by making a splash in Tokyo. The three leads are introduced just as they’re near the point of casting aside their dreams and settling into day jobs. Frustrated by their inability to find an audience in the Seattle music scene, they have begun to wonder—and, worse, have been encouraged by significant others to believe—that if it hasn’t happened for them yet, it likely never will. Effortlessly convincing as friends and collaborators whose sometimes jokey, sometimes bickering interactions are informed by a shared past, if these ‘characters’ sometimes seem like stereotypes, that doesn’t make them any less believable as they strive to catch a break and keep hope alive.”—Variety. (100 mins.)
APR 9 THUR 7 PM—VISITING ARTIST
FOR THE RECORD PO RTLAN D 20 1 5
DIRECTOR: MARC GREENBERG
If a court reporter is doing their job well, they go virtually unnoticed. The goal is to capture the record without becoming a part of it. Ironically, that very ability means that court reporting flies under the radar. FOR THE RECORD tracks several stenographers as they strive to break the Guinness World Record and seize the title of World’s Fastest Court Reporter. It also explores the steno culture, the connections people make as interpreters for the hard of hearing, and charts the history of these keepers of the record. Marc Greenberg has spent 20 years working within the court reporting industry, returning to his earlier passion of filmmaking to tell the story of a littleknown world. (68 mins.)
MAY 13 WED 7 PM—VISITING ARTIST
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER MOVERS AND MAKERS DIRECTORS: VARIOUS
A RIVER BETWEEN US DIRECTOR: JEFF MARTIN
A three-term State Senator, Jason Atkinson took a sabbatical from politics in 2012 to produce this film about the decades-old water war centered on the river he grew up on. At the heart of the story are four dams along the Klamath River’s over-allocated basin—symbols of freedom and prosperity to some and symbols of the cause of poverty and downfall to others. The sometimes violently opposing views on how to manage this majestic resource have informed generations of conflict between farmers, who need the river’s water; Pacific Power & Light, which manages the dams; environment activists and experts; fisherman; members of the native tribes, who’ve lived and worked along the Klamath River for centuries; and a myriad of federal, state, and local politicians looking for solution. “The film isn’t about fish or water rights, or even a forty-year water war, it’s about the harm people do to each other, and by extension, the damage people have done to one of this country’s greatest wild rivers.”—Jason Atkinson. (90 mins.)
JUNE 7 11 SUN 4:30 PM, THURS 7 PM—VISITING ARTISTS
More than just a staff show-and-tell, we celebrate short films by Northwest Film Center faculty and staff. The program includes A YEAR & A DAY by Pam Minty, a series of images of Bond Butte taken monthly over the course of a year and then the same butte taken hourly on one day; BALING BALING by Lawrence Johnson captures the efforts of famers in Bali to keep the birds away with rhythmic noisemakers, plastic bags, and scarecrows; SLACKER CATS by Paul Harrod, a pilot demo for a proposed animated WB Network series; JUNE by Lee Krist, an early 21st century visual memoir of Portland shot on 35mm slides; LANDING SHIP X-1 by Dave Hanagan, in which two space traverlers explore a desolate planet and discover a glam rock icon; LIGHT’S JOURNEY by Mark Eifert, a meditation on our presence in the cosmos; MANGO by Geoff Peterson, in which a confident psychic challenges a skeptic’s beliefs; OUT OF THIS WORLD by Melissa Tvetan, an investigation of sex and string theory, promiscuity and parallel dimensions; SPOOKY ACTION AT A DISTANCE by Stephanie Hough, which offers a look at the unsettling nature of affected action—feeling home and lost simultaneously; THE ROUGH RIDER by Jarratt Taylor Aline follows an effort to make it to the state Wrestling Championship; PICTURE by Amy Beth O’Brien, sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand words; and UNREQUITED by Andrew Price, in which an amateur science fiction writer finds himself torn between two worlds. (90 mins.)
THE BEST OF THE 41ST NORTHWEST FILMMAKERS’ FESTIVAL
MAY 17 SUN 4 PM—VISITING ARTIST
JUNE 7 SUN 7 PM—VISITING ARTISTS
DEATH ON A ROCK
Each year, following November’s Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival, a program of shorts tours the region to find new audiences and inspire new artists. Tonight the tour stops back home, offering the chance to see Audrey Hall’s PAINTING JOHN, a portrayal of a portrait artist’s process; Amanda Harryman’s MAIKARU, about a young man overcoming his victimization from violence and human trafficking; Clancy Dennehy’s REZ CARS, which brings to life stories held within the ghosts of abandoned cars; Amy Enser and Drew Christie’s THE BEAST INSIDE, an animated tale recounting memories of homelessness told through rap; Malia Jenson’s THE BEAR’S PROGRESS, which follows an inhabited bear costume wandering through the landscape doing what bears do and do not do; Marshal Axani’s ANXIOUS OSWALD GREENE, about a man who visits a fantastical clinic attempting to cure his crippling anxiety; Joshua Cox’s PROXIMITY, a tale of love and revenge told through kitschy collectibles; Mike A. Smith’s COOPED, a rambunctious cartoon about an excitable dog with cabin fever; Kyle Eaton’s TACO NIGHT, in which two bros’ evening devolves into drinking games with a combative couple; and Evangeline LaRoque’s DAVE’S BEARD, which uncovers the nocturnal secret life of Dave’s adventurous whiskers. (85 mins.)
BARD IN THE BACKCOUNTRY
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DIRECTOR: SCOTT BALLARD
DIRECTORS: VARIOUS
B OZEMAN 20 14
Portland filmmaker and Film Center instructor, Scott Ballard’s (A STANDING STILL, WELCOMING DEPARTURE) latest feature follows a young woman coming to terms with a trying event in her life. Lillian’s (Rachael Perrell Fosket) bright outlook—she loves her job in a flower shop and has a sweet budding relationship with her boyfriend (Joe Von Appen)— is rocked by illness. Days spent in long term care at the hospital bring reflection, desperation, and some family tension. This vibrantly shot tale follows Liliian’s year of happiness, pain, and growth, told through flashbacks and drifting between memories and shifting consciousness. Seen through a framework of loss, Death On A Rock is a bittersweet tale balanced between tragedy and levity. (82 mins.)
DIRECTORS: CINDY STILLWELL, TOM WATSON
BARD IN THE BACKCOUNTRY chronicles a summer season of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, a professional traveling theater company based in Bozeman who not only perform, but also act as their own roadies, make-up artists, and set builders. The film features the season’s cast of ten actors from around the U.S. as they encounter the Montana landscape, culture, and people, many for the first time. Sometimes traveling hundreds of miles every day to set up in their stage, don their costumes, and perform their roles, they learn about discipline, the generosity of spirit needed to become part of a team, and the sheer magnitude of the terrain found across Montana. At the heart of the story is a sense of transformation—for the players and for audiences touched by this beloved company. (57 mins.)
WWW.NWFILM.ORG 503-221-1156 APRIL/MAY 2015
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
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444 IN A LONELY PLACE
BIGGER THAN LIFE: THE FILMS OF NICHOLAS RAY Nicholas Ray (1911-1979) was one of the most innovative and consistently entertaining filmmakers of the Hollywood studio era, remaining legendary for his intense personality, fierce individuality, and restless creative growth. Coming up through the left-wing Theater of Action in New York City followed by the Federal Theatre Project (alongside John Houseman and Elia Kazan), Ray was known as an “actor’s director” for his tendency to allow the actor to define their own role. Despite a relatively short career and working within myriad generic confines—Westerns, film noir, melodramas, and “social problem” pictures—at disparate studios, Ray managed to infuse his films with distinctive visual and thematic style and iconic results. His brash yet sensitive portrayals of American individuality and the collective in flux earned Ray his place among the great American filmmakers; devotee Jean-Luc Godard enthused, “There was theatre (Griffith), poetry (Murnau), painting (Rossellini), dance (Eisenstein), music (Renoir). Henceforward there is cinema. And the cinema is Nicholas Ray.”
APRIL 25 26 SAT 5 PM, SUN 1 PM
After working with Elia Kazan for many years as an assistant, Ray’s directorial debut is the first in a significant line of now-legendary “couple on the lam” works so prominent in American cinema. Bowie (Farley Granger, hot off of Hitchcock’s ROPE) is a wrongly convicted of murder, escapes prison with two pals who have plans to rob a bank to fund their getaway. Bowie is hurt during the heist and left to get caught while the others escape, but Keechie (Cathy O’Donnell), one of his partners’ nieces, comes to his aid and shelters him from the fuzz. The two grow close, but when Bowie’s erstwhile partners return with plans for one more heist, Bowie must face his meager prospects head-on. The film greatly impressed a generation of famous cinephile critics—among them François Truffaut—and helped usher in the concept of film noir as we know it today. (95 mins.)
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
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U S 1 9 50
KNOCK ON ANY DOOR DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
Nearing the end of a highly productive era at Warner Brothers, Humphrey Bogart started his own company, Santana Productions, and gave the young Nicholas Ray—who impressed Bogart on the strength of the as-yet-unreleased THEY LIVE BY NIGHT—a major opportunity to direct the first film for the fledgling company. The product is this taut “law noir” that sees Bogart in good-guy territory, playing lawyer Andrew Morton who is determined to free Nick Romano (John Derek), a young criminal who shoots a cop in the heat of the moment after a string of petty crimes and personal tragedy. Morton, himself made good after a childhood spent on the hard streets of New York City, sees larger societal problems at play, with Nick—and others like him—the victim. However, George Macready’s by-the-book district attorney stands in the way. Far ahead of its time in its critique of institutional power and the death of the American Dream, KNOCK ON ANY DOOR slots into Ray’s filmography as an under-appreciated gem.
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MAY 15 16 FRI 7 PM, SAT 5 PM
(100 mins.)
THEY LIVE BY NIGHT DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
APRIL 25 SAT 7 PM
A WOMAN’S SECRET U S 1 949
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
Written and produced by the esteemed Herman Mankiewicz (CITIZEN KANE), Ray’s second feature for RKO concerns aging, cosmopolitan singer Marian (Maureen O’Hara), who takes the bratty, unpolished upstart Susan (Gloria Grahame) under her wing in an attempt to jumpstart Susan’s career as a performer. When Susan, shot in the chest, turns up at the hospital, all signs point to Marian. The film, told through a series of increasingly tense flashbacks, is a great example of Ray’s directorial promise that would fully flower in subsequent films; his “signature use of staircases and overhead shots to represent conflict is already evident, as is his incredible talent with actors.”—Harvard Film Archive. (84 mins.)
APRIL/MAY 2015 503-221-1156 WWW.NWFILM.ORG
IN A LONELY PLACE DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
In this second of two collaborations with Humphrey Bogart, Ray portrays the murderous side of the movie business, Bogart starring as Dixon “Dix” Steele, a down-on-his-luck, drunkard screenwriter with a proclivity to extreme fits of rage. When Dix is accused of murdering a young woman hired to help him with a script, Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame) —a neighbor who can’t quite see what Dix is made of— comes to his rescue by providing an alibi. With Dix cleared, the two enter into a torrid love affair, and Laurel falls victim to Dix’s considerable charm while helping him get on the wagon and renew his career. But in true noir fashion, all that seems well can’t last, and Laurel comes to realize that Dix isn’t quite who she thought he was. “A superb example of the mature Hollywood studio system at the top of its form.”—Roger Ebert. (94 mins.)
MAY 15 17 FRI 9 PM, SUN 2 PM
ON DANGEROUS GROUND U S 1 9 52
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
Injecting atmosphere and detailed character development to an already very strong script by A.I. Bezzerides, Robert Ryan stars as Jim Wilson, a hardboiled-as-hardboiled-can-be New York detective sent upstate to investigate a murder. What Wilson happens upon, however, is far more complicated, as the murder-suspect Danny (Sumner Williams) is mentally ill, and Wilson is quickly paired with Walter Brent (Ward Bond), father of the murdered man. Further complicating matters is Wilson’s immediate enchantment with Mary (Ida Lupino), Danny’s sister who happens to be blind and saint-like. Wilson, sensing his own deliverance and rejuvenation, has a choice to make: help the clearly ailing Danny or succumb to the pressures of traditional justice. Although met with luke-warm critical and popular reception upon release, the film has since become widely considered “one of the loveliest of Nick Ray’s movies.”—Dave Kehr. (82 mins.)
THE LUSTY MEN
MAY 30 SAT 7 PM
KING OF KINGS US 1961
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE JOHNNY GUITAR
MAY 23 24 SAT 6 PM, SUN 7 PM
BIGGER THAN LIFE U S 1 9 56
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
MAY 16 24 SAT 7 PM, SUN 4:30 PM
THE LUSTY MEN U S 1 9 52
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
Shot primarily in Pendleton, Oregon, THE LUSTY MEN was produced during the Howard Hughes RKO era, a period of relative financial failure. Naturally, Ray does his best with meager resources, directing Robert Mitchum as Jeff McCloud, an injured cowboy who decides to hang it up and return to his hometown after many years away. He signs on with a local ranch and quickly befriends Wes (Arthur Kennedy), a fellow hand with big dreams, who convinces Jeff to train him in the rodeo. Wes’s wife Louise (Susan Hayward) sees the reality of ranch-hand life, however, and fears that Wes is going down the wrong path. Despite immediate success and minor fame, Wes must grapple with this harsh reality when Jeff, by now fully washed-up, decides to re-enter the rodeo. “This film is not a Western. This film is really a film about people who want a home of their own.”—Nicholas Ray. (113 mins.)
MAY 22 23 FRI 7 PM, SAT 8 PM
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE U S 1 9 55
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
Ray reinvigorated and expanded upon the generational-crisis motif of his earlier works in this Warner Brothers-made, mythical tale of a trio of troubled teens. Jim (James Dean), Plato (Sal Mineo), and Judy (Natalie Wood) meet while in jail, each there for a minor transgression stemming from problems at home. Jim, new to town and at odds with his parents, befriends the outcasts but gets into hot water when he crosses Buzz (Corey Allen), one of Judy’s delinquent “friends.” Jim and Buzz are immediate rivals, but after Buzz has an accident during a game of chicken, his friends latch onto the idea that Jim had something to do with it, setting up a showdown at Los Angeles’ famed Griffith Observatory. Featuring beautiful Cinemascope lensing by Ernest Haller, an unsettling score by Leonard Rosenman, and the nexus of the expansive myth of James Dean following his death just before the film was released, Ray’s film remains a American masterpiece of the era. (111 mins.)
Moving to 20th Century Fox for this indictment of traditional masculinity in the American home — in addition to the perils of substance abuse under a pearly-white façade of self-improvement—Ray continues to hone his storytelling ability, here focusing explicitly on the crisis of the American Dream. Ed Avery (James Mason), a schoolteacher and father, begins experiencing debilitating pain, and, told he has only months to live, begins an experimental treatment with cortisone. But when his pain diminishes, Avery continues on the cortisone, transitioning to an abuser of the drug, which threatens not only his career but also his family and, ultimately, their safety. “In their intricate imbrications of star text, iconic Americana, and insinuating directorial commentary, [BIGGER THAN LIFE and films like it] systematically subverted the reassuring conventions of classical Hollywood.”—Paul Brunick, Film Comment. (95 mins.)
KING OF KINGS, Ray’s second film for MGM, is truly his “epic” (featuring narration by Orson Welles!), a lavish historical ensemble drama chronicling the life of Jesus Christ (Jeffrey Hunter), but still very much a Ray film in its intimate focus on individual crises. The film’s main temporal focus is the lead-up to Jesus’ crucifixion, complete with the shady, backalley political maneuverings and sweeping drama. While the film was shot in Technirama 70mm, with thousands of extras, excessive studio involvement made it so “the tension between ambition and compromise is rarely more glaringly obvious than it is with KING OF KINGS.”—Bernard Eisenschitz. (168 mins.)
MAY 31 SUN 7 PM
LIGHTNING OVER WATER US 1980
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY & WIM WENDERS
Ray, dying of cancer, fought hard to make this last film, a document of his final days in New York City. Wenders, by then a close friend of Ray’s, comes to New York after being on location shooting a noir in Los Angeles. What follows is Ray, with Wenders’ tender assistance, reminiscing about his life and MAY 29 31 FRI 7 PM, SUN 4:45 PM work—all in his tiny loft, surrounded by friends, family, and a film crew, on his own terms. The result is a film that “lays JOHNNY GUITAR testament to a man’s will, the creative consistency of one of U S 1 9 54 the greatest individuals in cinematic history who persisted in DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY Widely cited as an allegory for the anti-Communist hearings over- his craft and breathed film even in the twilight of his life.”— seen by the House Un-American Activites Commission that led to the Goethe Institut. (91 mins.) Free admission. Hollywood blacklist in 1955, JOHNNY GUITAR is one of the fiercest Westerns ever made. Vienna (Joan Crawford), a saloon owner in a JUNE 6 SAT 7 PM small Arizona town, walks a fine line between the conservative towns- WE CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN folk, led by vicious ex-rival Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), U S 1 973 and an outlaw gang led by the Dancin’ Kid (Scott Brady). When the DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY mysterious Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden) arrives into town, it In 1971, Ray, at the invitation of experimental filmmakers dredges up a tumultuous past with Vienna, and further drives a wedge Larry Gottheim and Ken Jacobs, took a teaching post at SUNY between the warring parties. McIvers, the local sheriff (Ward Bond) Binghamton in the fledgling film production department. gives Vienna, Guitar, and the gang 24 hours to leave town, which sets The major project to come out of the period is this film, an up one of the most unexpected showdowns in Hollywood history. Shot in experimental meta-narrative centering on a teacher (Ray) retina-searing Trucolor by veteran Harry Stradling, JOHNNY GUITAR is and his students (played by his real-life students), who are all one of the most original films of the 1950s. (110 mins.) engaged in creating their own small stories inspired by their mentor. Remarkable for its technique of using several simultaneous images at once and featuring profound contributions from many of his students (most notably Tom Farrell), Ray continued to tinker with this wrenching, highly personal labor of love until his death in 1979. (93 mins.)
MAY 30 SAT 4:30 PM
PARTY GIRL U S 1 9 58
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS RAY
A latter-day mob tale made for glamorous MGM—ironic, at that most softboiled of studios—Ray follows the gritty gangster classics of the 1930s by crafting the center of PARTY GIRL’s story on mafia lawyer Thomas Farrell (Robert Taylor), who has a sterling record defending crooks and murderers. Farrell, in the course of his work for archetypal boss Rico Angelo (Lee J. Cobb), meets Vicki (Cyd Charisse), a stunningly beautiful yet cynical nightclub dancer. Vicki and Farrell’s lives coincide at just the right time and they enter into an unspoken pact to help each other break free from the vicious cycles in which they’re caught. Rico, however, sees things much differently. “It’s hard to think of another [film where] two wooden actors are used more creatively and movingly than Robert Taylor and Cyd Charisse.”—Jonathan Rosenbaum. (99 mins.)
WITH
DON’T EXPECT TOO MUCH
U S 20 1 1 DIRECTOR: SUSAN RAY Nicholas Ray left behind a great deal of unused footage from WE CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN upon his death in 1979. With DON’T EXPECT TOO MUCH, Ray’s widow Susan combs through the archive, seeking a representation of her husband through his very personal late work. What follows is a poignant, spellbinding answer to the question: who, exactly, was Nicholas Ray, and what kind of relationship did he have with his own creations? (70 mins.)
WWW.NWFILM.ORG 503-221-1156 APRIL/MAY 2015
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
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SPECIAL SCREENINGS ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
AMERICAN HOT WAX
A YEAR IN CHAMPAGNE
APRIL 11 12 SAT 2, 4 & 7 PM, SUN 2, 4 & 7 PM
ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
AN EVENING WITH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN STORYTELLERS: VANPORT HISTORIES
FRANCE 2014 DIRECTOR: PASCAL PLISSON Plisson’s César-winning documentary extols the true worth of getting, and getting to, an education. Shot in Kenya, Patagonia, Morocco, and the Bay of Bengal, the film follows the perilous journeys of four children on their ways to school: Jackson crosses the savannah on foot, avoiding elephants; Carlito rides on horseback across lonely plains and rushing rivers; Zahira treks over treacherous Atlas Mountain passes; and Samuel, in his antediluvian wheelchair, is pushed by his brothers over sand dunes and through swamps. While the breathtaking cinematography reveals the splendor of their homelands and the dangers of these voyages keep you on the edge of your seat, at the heart is the children’s resilience and their unstoppable yearning to learn and improve their lives. Suitable for ages 10+. (77 mins.) Sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Oregon.
APRIL 3 4 5 FRI 7 PM, SAT 5 PM, SUN 3 & 5 PM
APRIL 16 THUR 7 PM
US 2014 DIRECTOR: DAVID KENNARD Only sparkling wine produced within the boundaries of the Champagne region is truly “Champagne.” Wine importer Martine Saunier leads us on a tours of six Champagne makers to see how they make their product, from small independent producer Saint-Chamant to the illustrious houses of Gosset and Bollinger. Most Champagne is not just the product of a specific year. Signature house styles are creations that happen behind closed doors and in the miles of cellars beneath the countryside. Pull back the curtain and see how the people of a cold, tough land with a grim history of wars and conflict triumph in producing the drink of joy, seduction, and celebration. In Champagne, they don’t sell Appellations, they sell Brands, many of which have been famous for 200 years. (82 mins.)
AMERICAN HOT WAX
A YEAR IN CHAMPAGNE
APRIL 10 FRI 7 PM
AN EVENING WITH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN STORYTELLERS
Journalism and media work are no longer performed by journalists and media professionals alone. The public wants to create, contribute, and share news and information. Tonight, filmmakers Elaine McMillion (HOLLOW, an interactive documentary and community participatory project that examines the future of rural America through the eyes and voices of those living in McDowell County, West Va), Michael Premo (SANDY STORYLINES, stories of the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Sandy), Laura Lo Forti (VANPORT HISTORIES, an oral history project to capture and honor the stories of Vanport Flood survivors), and panel moderator Jigar Mehta (18 DAYS IN EGYPT, an interactive storytelling website documenting a year of revolution in Egypt) will describe their interactive projects and documentaries, which are indicative of how journalists and media makers are redefining storytelling to engage with communities. This screening and panel discussion is part of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication’s “What is Journalism? Conference,” April 9-11. The public conference explores the past, present, and future of journalism as we move into the digital age. journalism.uoregon.edu/whatis/ journalism. PAGE 06
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
APRIL/MAY 2015 503-221-1156 WWW.NWFILM.ORG
nwfc and stumptown theater present US 1978 DIRECTOR: FLOYD MUTRUX “You get the idea that rock ‘n’ roll was born and all but killed off over one weekend in New York in 1959, and the compression of lived history makes this glorious film—with career performances by Tim McIntire as the doomed, all but death-seeking DJ Alan Freed and Larraine Newman as a Carole Kinglike songwriter—a fever dream in which anything can happen and almost everything does: a touching backstage harmony on ‘Hushabye’. Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis in their 1978 bodies appearing as themselves in the movie [set] almost twenty years earlier and making you believe every note and gesture. A doo-wop group throwing songs at each other on a street corner in a way you know will never translate to the stage. A flip from a bandleader, a wide-open mouth from a record producer, a slow, film-noir walk down a dark and rainy street—it all makes you feel as if the music and its moment was too good to be true. It was—but it happened. And it should have happened just like this.”—Greil Marcus. (91 mins.) Co-presented by Stumptown Theaters, whose production of “Soul Harmony: The Story of Deborah Chessler, Sonny Til and The Orioles” chronicles a key chapter in the formative years of rhythm & blues, runs April 16-May 3. Rock music critic Greil Marcus will introduce the film.
APRIL 17 FRI 7 PM
AN EVENING WITH KELLY SEARS
Kelly Sears’ experimental animation cuts up and collages imagery from American culture and politics to intervene with the history embedded in the frame. Working with appropriated images ranging from thrift store cast-offs to archival material, she uses animation to rebuild American histories that shift between the official and the uncanny while exploring contemporary narratives of power, including manifest destiny, occupation, and surveillance. This program contains films that address failure – of technology, of progress, and history—but this failure creates an opportunity to reexamine and envision other speculative narratives. A full list of the films and decriptions is on the Film Center website. April 18,10-2 pm Sears will conduct a workshop “Bigfoot Re-interpreted: A Community StopMotion Animation Project” in which participants will learn the basics of 2D cut-out and collage stop motion animation filmmaking by setting up and operating a basic downshooting rig with Dragonframe software. See the School of Film, page 12 for additional description and registration.
APRIL/MAY 2015 We are a place where individuals find and cultivate their personal voices as storytellers and image-makers. Our classrooms and facilities bring a diverse crosssection of community members together for skill-building, friend-making, and technical support. We are a center where access, aesthetics, and action combine to help people realize their aspirations and where new films and filmmakers are launched into the world. Challenge yourself to make films and start now! PHOTO BY ROBERT LAYGO
PHOTO BY RICHARD BLAKESLEE
STUDENTS
Our students are artists, communicators, educators, and business professionals who want to connect to the film scene and explore filmmaking with others, whether professionally, avocationally, or in between. Many have completed college and are exploring career options; some are cross-enrolled in degree programs with PSU and other institutions. Enrollment is open to all. Simply sign up for what interests you.
PHOTO BY JOEL CONRAD BECHTOLT
FACILITY
Our 10,000-square-foot building in downtown Portland contains classrooms, editing labs, an equipment cage, and the Film Center’s administrative offices. Equipment is provided with class registration. Our friendly equipment room staff will answer your technical questions and will make equipment check-out as easy as possible. We also rent a variety of equipment to the general public.
FACULTY
Our faculty are working filmmakers who humanize and enrich the learning process by teaching and guiding from real life experience, encouraging class dialogue and supportive critique. Among our region’s finest documentary, narrative, and experimental filmmakers, their award-winning work appears in film festivals, art houses, microcinemas, and exhibition programs worldwide.
PHOTO BY ROBERT LAYGO
CURRICULUM
Take a class or two at your leisure or challenge yourself further by enrolling in our optional Certificate Program in Film. We offer classes and workshops in most aspects of film production: cinematography, editing, screenwriting, and more. Most of our classes are no larger than 15 students. Classes generally meet once a week, most often on evenings and weekends. Equipment is provided with registration.
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REGISTER NOW AT NWFILM.ORG DROP-IN TOURS AND ADVISING: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday–10 AM & 2 PM 934 SW Salmon Street, Portland, OR 97205 Corner of 10th & Salmon
JUST SIGN UP
APPOINTMENTS: info@nwfilm.org.
SPRING CLASSES AT-A-GLANCE 2015
We offer a variety of classes and workshops (see below) in hands-on production and related aspects of independent filmmaking. Simply sign up for what appeals to you. Most have no prerequisites. Equipment is provided. There is no registration deadline; registration is open until a class is filled. Early registration is encouraged, however, as our classes are small in size. College credit is optional (see below).
Faculty
Tuition
# Sessions
Start Date
Day of the Week
Art of Filmmaking I
Azzouz
$1,145.00
14
Fall '15
TBA
Art of Filmmaking II
Azzouz
$1,245.00
14
Fall '15
TBA
Art of Filmmaking III, Part 1
Azzouz
$1,145.00
14
Winter '16
TBA
Art of Filmmaking III, Part 2
Azzouz
$1,145.00
14
Summer '15
TBA
Art Direction
Harrod
$495.00
8
Apr 13
Mondays
Creative Visual Storytelling
Tvetan
$345.00
4
Apr 15
Wednesdays
Digital Editing
Azzouz
$365.00
4
Apr 6
Wednesdays
Essential Gus Van Sant
Falsetto
$175.00
8
Apr 25
Saturdays
Grantwriting for Film
Hermann
$155.00
3
May 7
Thursdays
Narrative Production
Hermann
$765.00
9
Apr 7
Tuesdays
Post-Production Management
Bryant
$495.00
9
Apr 9
Thursdays
Screenwriting: Fundamentals
Aldrich
$765.00
9
Apr 8
Wednesdays
Basic Lighting
Faculty
$65.00
1
Apr 25
Saturday
Canon XA-10 Camera Operation
Faculty
$55.00
1
Apr 25
Saturday
Get Your Work Into Film Festivals
Phillipson
$10.00
1
Jun 3
Wednesday
O'Brien
$95.00
2
Jun 7
Sundays
Sears
$35.00
1
Apr 18
Saturday
Monroy & Dornieden
$65.00
1
Apr 19
Sunday
iFilmmaking Basics: Shooting Tips & Tricks
Tvetan
$45.00
1
Apr 4 or May 2
Saturday
iFilmmaking Basics: Editing Tips & Tricks
Tvetan
$45.00
1
Apr 4 or May 2
Saturday
iFilmmaking Project: Group Shoot on Location
Tvetan
$90.00
1
May 16
Saturday
Blubaugh
$485.00
5
Jun 22
Mon-Fri
Prerequisite
Free Admission to NWFC Screenings
CORE SEQUENCE
TOPIC COURSES
WORKSHOPS
Sound Recording
VISITING ARTIST WORKSHOPS Bigfoot Reinvented: Community Stop Motion Animation Project In Direct Contact: Printing Images & Objects onto 16mm Film
iFILMMAKING
FOR TEACHERS Digital Filmmaking for K-12 Teachers
WANT MORE ?
If simply taking a class or two doesn’t seem focused or challenging enough, consider enrolling in our optional Certificate Program in Film. Certificate students complete the Core Sequence above and select Topic Classes and Workshops to round out their studies. Since the program was initiated in 1994, more than 50 individuals have launched their film practice through this opportunity for extended study and mentorship. Please see page 9 for more information.
8 APR/MAY 2015
nwfilm.org/school
PSU credit
Portland State University students in the College of the Arts may receive credit for selected School of Film Core Sequence and Topic Classes by requesting a transfer of credit upon successful completion of the course. Please note that School of Film credits do not count towards PSU full time status. The School also offers cross-registration with Marylhurst University. For more information, please contact info@nwfilm.org.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
CERTIFICATE IN PROGRAM FILM Challenge yourself to set artistic and/or professional development goals in filmmaking beyond simply a class or two. Our optional, non-degree Certificate Program in Film provides a structure within which you can progress from the beginning to advanced level, while creating works that showcase your achievements as an emerging filmmaker. Through a Core Sequence (see below), the Program teaches the concepts and techniques of cinematic storytelling, helps you develop your vision as a media artist, and supports you in creating film work that demonstrates your potential. The Core Sequence is supplemented by Topic Classes and Workshops in the general curriculum which you choose based on your interests. These may be focused on a particular area (e.g., documentary) or be spread across a variety of topics. A Certificate may be earned at a Level One or Level Two, depending on the depth of knowledge desired (see below). The Certificate track at both levels concludes with a public screening of your final film project in our state-ofthe-art Whitsell Auditorium. Certificate students receive ongoing advising and mentorship from faculty and staff. A Certificate may be completed in as little as two years when pursued at a rigorous pace. However, you can also move along at your own pace and take up to six years to complete all requirements.
REQUIREMENTS CORE SEQUENCE ART OF FILMMAKING I—two beginning-level film projects ART OF FILMMAKING II—three intermediate-level film projects ART OF FILMMAKING III—one professional-quality advanced film project (see right for full class listings) PUBLIC SCREENING OF ADVANCED FILM PROJECT LEVEL ONE Core Sequence (above) + 3 or more selected Topic Classes + 10 hours selected Workshops LEVEL TWO Core Sequence (above) + 6 or more selected Topic Classes + 15 hours selected Workshops
HOW TO APPLY
CORE SEQUENCE ART OF FILMMAKING I FALL TERM 2015 14 sessions Tuition: $1,145 BUSHRA AZZOUZ Beginning-level introduction to the basics of visual, cinematic storytelling. Topics: The components of film language; basics of HD digital camera operation, sound recording, shooting, and editing; hands-on working knowledge of basic HD digital video production process and workflow; shoot and edit two individual or collaborative short films; bring in work-in-progress for class critique. Textbook: SHOT BY SHOT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FILMMAKING, 4th Edition, by John Cantine, Susan Howard, & Brady Lewis (ISBN 978-0-9637433-8-1) Projects: Two individual or collaborative projects Allocated gear: Canon XA-10 cameras, basic sound and lighting gear, Film Center Avid Edit Lab Prerequisites: None Related courses: ART OF FILMMAKING II, ART OF FILMMAKING III
ART OF FILMMAKING II FALL TERM 2015 14 sessions Tuition: $1,245 BUSHRA AZZOUZ Intermediate-level exploration of cinematic storytelling skills and techniques. Topics: More ambitious shooting styles and lighting techniques, refining your creative eye by envisioning a scene or concept; in-depth pre-production and planning techniques to support your vision; art direction and mise en scene; shooting and hand-processing 16mm film as well as HD video; editing for character, story, and rhythm; all phases of post-production including color correction and sound design; as part of a crew, shoot and edit three short individual and collaborative projects (either HD or 16mm); bring in work-in-progress for class critique. Projects: Three individual and collaborative projects Allocated gear: Canon XA-10 cameras and Bolex 16mm cameras, professional shotgun/ wireless microphones and field mixers, lighting and grip gear, Film Center Avid Edit Lab. Tuition includes film stock and film processing. Prerequisites: ART OF FILMMAKING I or previous shooting and editing experience Related courses: ART OF FILMMAKING I, ART OF FILMMAKING III
ART OF FILMMAKING III PART I – Pre-Production & Production WINTER TERM 2015 14 sessions Tuition: $1,145 BUSHRA AZZOUZ PART II – Post-Production |SUMMERTERM 2015 + NOVEMBERPUBLICSCREENING: TBA 14 sessions Tuition: $1,145 BUSHRA AZZOUZ Produce a professional-quality personal project showcasing your skills and interests.
Download an application and get more information at nwfilm.org/school. Applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis. Notification will be made within four weeks of receipt. Acceptance is based upon the clarity of your stated goals and whether the goals align with the School of Film mission and Certificate curriculum. You may be at any stage of your formal education (pre-college, in college, post-college, pre-graduate school). There are no prerequisites. If you want to test the waters before diving in, you are welcome to enroll in and complete ART OF FILMMAKING I and up to two Topic Classes prior to applying to the Program. Upon your acceptance, these will be automatically transferred onto the Certificate transcript at no additional charge (a letter grade of B or higher is required). For more information, email info@nwfilm. org or call 503-221-1156.
Topics: Plan, write, shoot, and edit a polished film with professional-level production values, in any genre or combination of styles, with a finished running time of up to 12 minutes; assume one or more primary creative roles on the film (e.g., director, cinematographer, editor, writer), drawing upon others to create a full crew; crew on at least one other class project in a supporting role (e.g., producer, assistant director, or technical position); progress through rough cut, final cut, color correction, sound mix, music, titles, and final outputting; create an artist statement, biography, and synopsis for the film and present the film to a public audience; emphasis is on student-generated critique and feedback, with faculty acting as mentors and facilitators. This is a continuous two-term class. Enrollment for Part II immediately follows completion of Part I. Projects: One individual project Allocated gear: Canon XA-10 cameras and 16mm cameras, professional shotgun/wireless microphones and field mixers, lighting and grip gear, Film Center Avid Edit Lab. Tuition includes 10-day use of HD or 16mm camera package. Out-of-facility expenses are a student responsibility. Prerequisites: ART OF FILMMAKING I and ART OF FILMMAKING II or instructor consent Related courses: ART OF FILMMAKING I, ART OF FILMMAKING II
9
SPRING CLASSES + WORKSHOPS ART DIRECTION
DIGITAL EDITING
MONDAYS, APR 13-JUN 8, 6:30-9:30 PM NO CLASS MAY 25 8 sessions Tuition: $495 PAUL HARROD Overview of all aspects of visual design for film and moving image applications, for visual artists and filmmakers of all levels. Topics: different approaches to pre-visualization, including creating models with readily available materials, and storyboarding; determining the demands of shooting through pre-visualization; collaborating with the Director of Photography to use light as a means of creating and defining space; creating lighting diagrams and production drawings; designing the allinclusive 2D or 3D set (where everything, including the characters, are designed); manipulating and enhancing existing locations, including use and placement of props; total environmental manipulation with green screen technology, CG models, and matte paintings; and the possibilities of art direction for gaming, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality platforms. Assignments can support those who have film projects in production (as an option). Class includes multiple guest presenters with expertise in visual design, and a private field trip and tour of LAIKA’s Hillsboro studio. Pre-requisites: None Related Courses: NARRATIVE PRODUCTION, CREATIVE VISUAL STORYTELLING
BASIC LIGHTING SATURDAY, APR 25, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM 1 session Tuition: $65 FACULTY Use basic light kits to dramatically vary the mood and quality of light in a scene. Topics: using key, fill, backlight, and kicker/rim light; how cookies, flags, scrims, and silks affect a light source; use of light meters; lighting the interview subject; lighting an outdoor scene; tips and tricks. Prerequisites: None Related courses: CANON XA-10 CAMERA OPERATION
CREATIVE VISUAL STORYTELLING WEDNESDAYS, APR 15-MAY 6, 6:30-9:30 PM 4 session Tuition: $345 MELISSA TVETAN
WEDNESDAYS, APR 6-27, 6:30-9:30 PM 4 sessions Tuition: $365 BUSHRA AZZOUZ Introduction to editing styles, concepts and techniques using Final Cut Pro X. Topics: how editing creates meaning; how sound and picture work together; defining what you are trying to accomplish; principles of continuity; matching action and montage editing styles; setting up a project and organizing materials; experimenting with rhythm and pacing; adding sound effects, text, music, and narration; basics of titles; edit one short film using your own footage or provided footage; bring in work-inprogress for critique. Projects: Individual Allocated gear: Film Center Edit Lab Prerequisites: None Related courses: NARRATIVE PRODUCTION, POST-PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
ESSENTIAL GUS VAN SANT SATURDAYS, APR 25-JUN 20, 10AM-12:30 PM + FILM SCREENINGS (NO CLASS MAY 23) 8 sessions Tuition: $175 (includes admission to corresponding exhibition series films. See page 15.) MARIO FALSETTO A course revolving around the films and cinematic context of Gus Van Sant, one of the most iconoclastic and imaginative directors of the last thirty years. This informal course for filmmakers, film-lovers, and generally curious culturalistas examines the films and filmmaking of Gus Van Sant, emphasizing those works that form part of the canon of the American indie movement: the Portland Trilogy (MALA NOCHE, DRUGSTORE COWBOY, MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO); the experimental features which redefined his relationship to Hollywood (GERRY, ELEPHANT, LAST DAYS); and a variety of shorts, many rarely exhibited. Participants are invited to view the films on the big screen by attending the Film Center’s exhibition series of the same name (note: attendance is encouraged but not mandatory). Through lecture, film clips, and lively discussion, weekly classes will provide background and commentary on the individual works and delve into their rich network of meanings. The director’s filmmaking process, influences, and perspectives on independent filmmaking will be thoroughly explored and clarified. Pre-requisites: None
Learn the fundamentals of filmmaking while making a short film combining techniques of fiction, documentary, and experimental filmmaking. Topics: approaches to creative filmmaking (reflection, essay, collage, movement, autobiography and other inspirations); story pre-visualization; writing and recording narration; basics of camera operation, lighting, shooting, microphones, and audio recording; bring in fair use materials and personal archives for import (optional); creative editing techniques; adding titles and music; shoot and edit one short “creative” individual film; share work-in-progress for class critique and feedback. Project: Individual Allocated gear: Canon XA-10 cameras, Film Center Edit Lab Prerequisites: None Related courses: CANON XA-10 CAMERA OPERATION, SOUND RECORDING, DIGITAL EDITING, NARRATIVE PRODUCTION, ART DIRECTION
PHOTO BY ROBERT LAYGO
10 APR/MAY 2015
nwfilm.org/school
GET YOUR WORK INTO FILM FESTIVALS WEDNESDAY, JUN 3, 7-9 PM 1 session Tuition: $10 THOMAS PHILLIPSON Practical advice for navigating the myriad of choices out there. Topics: Practical overview of the film festival submission process; how to research different festivals and prepare a submission; what film festival programmers are looking for; what exactly happens inside the film festival jury room; what you can do to ensure that your work receives the consideration it deserves; preparing a strategy for your particular film; nuts and bolts of writing compelling and useful synopses, biographies, and taglines; how to avoid common pitfalls; see examples of effective press releases, synopses, and promotional materials; walk through the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival entry form step by step with the festival coordinator. Prerequisites: None Related course: GRANTWRITING FOR FILM
GRANTWRITING FOR FILM THURSDAYS, MAY 7-21, 6:30-9:30PM 3 sessions Tuition: $155 COURTNEY HERMANN Develop the strategy and components needed for a competitive grant application. Topics: developing a fundable idea; types of grant making entites; researching and approaching funding sources; interpreting grant guidelines; how pitching relates to grantwriting; how/when fiscal sponorship applies; how to prepare a logline, synopsis, outline, treatment, one sheet, artist statement, budget, and filmography; tips for selecting and preparing work samples and reels; traits of an effective promotional video; see and discuss successful grant samples, then bring in what you’re working on for feedback and critique. Projects: Individual Prerequisites: None Noteable grant deadlines: RACC Projects Grants, early August; and Oregon Media Arts Fellowships, October 1; Women In FilmPDX Vision Grant, TBA.
JUNE 22 – AUGUST 21 2015
BY J O PHOTOS
ENTERING GRADES 2–12
EL CONR
AD BECH
T O LT
Calling all kids + teens grades 2-12 with an interest in creative selfexpression, hands-on learning, and fun with technology! The film arts are an excellent way to learn about group decision-making, build selfconfidence, and uncover and nurture those special talents within. Experiment with and learn about media arts and technology from our School of Film faculty. No previous experience is required—just the desire to participate in an active, fun, and educational learning experience. All equipment and supplies are included. You bring the ideas!
The Northwest Film Center School of Film, initiated in 1972, is one of the largest and oldest community film schools in the nation, offering classes and workshops on an avocational basis, as well as for academic credit in partnership with local colleges and universities. School of Film faculty are working artists who devote a portion of their professional lives to teaching. An optional Certificate Program in Film allows individuals to pursue a sequential course of study toward their personal goals in film. The School’s statewide outreach arm, the Young Filmmakers Program for Kids + Teens, conducts hands-on filmmaking projects with schools and community groups, provides professional development for K-12 teachers, and produces the annual student recognition program Fresh Film Northwest for teens. The School operates in tandem with the Film Center’s year-round exhibition program of foreign, classic, experimental, and independent works which showcases a wide array of regional, national, and international cinema and includes the annual Portland International Film Festival and Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival.
2
FILM CAMP 2015 nwfilm.org/school
REGISTER ONLINE Register online at nwfilm.org/school. Tuition and lab fees are due at time of registration. Returning students already have an account on file. Please contact the School of Film at info@nwfilm.org or 503-221-1156 to obtain your user name and password. You will receive a confirmation of your registration by email. When maximum enrollment is reached, a wait list will be generated, and you will be contacted as space becomes available. Classes may be canceled due to under-enrollment, in which case students will be contacted by phone in advance and a full refund issued.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Families with a high-interest child or teen and significant financial need may request tuition assistance to any of the camps offered. Applications will be accepted until this year’s funds are exhausted. Download the application form at nwfilm.org/school/ info/camp. REFUNDS The refund policy is as follows: 30 or more days before the first day of camp – 90% refund; 15-29 days before the first day of camp – 50% refund; 0-14 days before the first day of camp – NO refund.
NOTE: Grade level refers to Fall 2015.
Location: Northwest Film Center, 934 SW Salmon Mailing Address: 1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
Staff Help: Monday–Friday 9 AM–5 PM 503-221-1156 Register online: nwfilm.org/school
ANDREW BLUBAUGH is a filmmaker and performance artist whose work has screened at Sundance, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, ClermontFerrand, PDX Fest, and the Seattle International Film Festival. He has taught Film Camp classes for ten years and regularly instructs the Media Arts Academy for Teens.
MADDIE LOFTESNES is a freelance illustrator/ animator with a background in art and design. As part of the Animated Arts Program at the Pacific NW College of Art, she facilitates technical support for students. She also teaches stop motion animation at Open Meadow High School. This is her second year of teaching Film Camp.
EMILIE-ROSE (POSIE) CURRIN teaches filmmaking and art at the youth and adult levels with a focus on inspiration and collaboration. Her films merge conversation, poetry, community building, and sometimes visual art and dance. She holds an MFA in Studio Practice from PSU. This is her second year with Film Camp.
HAZEL MALONE has worked as an animation set dresser, prop maker and character fabricator for such entities as Bent Image Lab, Ackerman Films and LAIKA. She has been teaching animation to young people for more than seven years. This is her fourth year of teaching Film Camp.
BRENDA GRELL is an experimental filmmaker with an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design who works in digital design and new media. This is her fourth year teaching computer animation for Film Camp. She also teaches at Washington State University, Vancouver. LEE KRIST specializes in hand-processed film techniques and the century-old tradition of the hand-crank projector. His work includes BIG FILMS, screened at the Whitney Museum and San Francisco Cinematheque, and TABLEAUX VIVANTS, an installation. This is his eighth year of teaching Film Camp.
JEAN MARGARET THOMAS, a graduate of the Pacific Northwest College of Art, is a director of photography, gaffer, and electrician for the stopmotion animation and live-action film industries, working on feature films, television shows, commercials, independent films, and music videos. She returns for a third year of Film Camp. MELISSA TVETAN is an experimental filmmaker with a background in both live action and animation. As an editorial manager at LAIKA/house, she worked on commercials for Sony, M&Ms, and Planters Peanuts. For the Sundance Institute Directors Lab, she helps emerging filmmakers. This is her second year of teaching Film Camp.
CAMP
Grade
JUNE 22
JUNE 29
JULY 6
Digital Moviemaking
2-4
Digital Moviemaking
4-6
X
Stop Motion Animation
4-6
X
Digital Moviemaking
6-8
X
Computer Animation
6-8
Green Screen Visual Effects
6-8
Stop Motion Animation
6-8
16 mm Shoot + Process + Edit
9-12
Vintage Film Remix
9-12
Computer Animation
9-12
Media Arts Academy for Teens
9-12
JULY 13
X X
JULY 20
JULY 27
AUGUST 3
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
AUGUST 10
AUGUST 17 X
X
X
X
X
X X X
X
X X
X X X
X
X
X
DIGITAL MOVIEMAKING FOR 2ND-4TH
DIGITAL MOVIEMAKING FOR 6TH-8TH
COMPUTER ANIMATION FOR TWEENS
SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUN 22-26, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, JUL 20-24, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 3: MON-FRI, AUG 3-7, 8:45 AM-3:00 PM SECTION 4: MON-FRI, AUG 17-21, 8:45AM-3:00 PM Learn how filmmakers use camera angles, lighting, sound, and editing to tell stories and how film crews work together to make movies. Experiment with different visual storytelling techniques. You’ll make several short films in different styles, trying your hand at live-action directing, shooting, and editing. You’ll gain the insight and skills to keep making your own movies! The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be compiled and uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 12. Select one of four sections. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUL 6-10, 9 AM-3 PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, JUL 13-17, 9 AM-3PM SECTION 3: MON-FRI, JUL 27-31, 9 AM-3 PM Make a dramatic movie in five days! The pace will be fast, but you’ll learn the basics of working together as a movie crew, operating a professional-level digital video camera, directing actors, sound recording, and digital editing. At the end of the week, a short drama will be “in the can.” The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 14. Select one of three sections. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUL 13-17, 9 AM-1 PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, JUL 27-31, 9 AM-1 PM SECTION 3: MON-FRI, AUG 3-7, 9 AM-1 PM Bring two-dimensional graphic artwork to life using Adobe Flash software on Apple digital workstations. Learn how animators create motion using techniques such as squash and stretch, staging, timing, and parallax scrolling. Animate video and/or scan in and manipulate your own artwork. Record your own voiceovers and sound effects and create your own animated sequences frame by frame. The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 11. Select one of three sections. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
DIGITAL MOVIEMAKING FOR 4TH-6TH SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUL 6-10, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, JUL 13-17, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 3: MON-FRI, JUL 20-24, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 4: MON-FRI, AUG 3-7, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 5: MON-FRI, AUG 10-14, 8:45 AM-3 PM SECTION 6: MON-FRI, AUG 17-20, 8:45 AM-3 PM Learn how filmmakers use camera angles, lighting, sound, and editing to tell stories and how film crews work together to make movies. Experiment with different visual storytelling techniques. You’ll make several short films in different styles, trying your hand at live-action directing, shooting, and editing. You’ll gain the insight and skills to keep making your own movies! The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be compiled and uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 12. Select one of six sections. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
GREEN SCREEN VISUAL EFFECTS FOR 6TH-8TH MON-FRI, JUL 27-31, 1:30-5:30 PM We’ll start by filming you and/or your props in front of a green background. Then you’ll go into the editing lab to pick your own backdrop and, using professional digital editing software, electronically transport yourself and/or your objects to another world: outer space, foreign cities, underwater, or...your own idea. Go ahead—wear a green shirt to camp and watch your body disappear! The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 11. TUITION: $215 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
STOP-MOTION ANIMATION FOR 6TH-8TH SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUL 20-24, 9 AM-3PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, AUG 17-21, 9AM-3PM Bring your drawings, artwork, three-dimensional objects, cutouts, and graphic images to life. Learn how animators create movement using traditional stop-motion animation and a video camera to shoot sets. Record your action frame by frame to make up your own animation sequences. The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. The completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 14. Select one of three sections. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
STOP-MOTION ANIMATION FOR 4TH-6TH MON-FRI, AUG 4-8, 8:45 AM-3 PM Bring your drawings, artwork, three-dimensional objects, cutouts, and graphic images to life. Learn how animators create movement using traditional stop-motion animation and a video camera to shoot sets. Record your action frame by frame to make up your own animation sequences. The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. The completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 14 TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
PHOTO BY JOEL CONRAD BECHTOLT
FILM CAMP 2015 nwfilm.org/school
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16MM SHOOT + PROCESS + EDIT FOR 9TH-12TH MON-WED, JUN 22-24 & MON-WED, JUN 29-JUL 1, 12-5 PM This is your chance to experience actual black-and-white celluloid motion picture film, the industry standard until the arrival of videotape and digital video. Learn to load and operate a basic 16mm film camera. Sharpen your understanding of cinematography techniques as you plan and shoot a series of short outdoor scenes in the downtown area. Then work with the instructor to handprocess the film and prepare it for transfer to a digital file. Using the Film Center digital editing lab, edit your footage into a finished short “collage” film. The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 11. Lab fee includes film stock and supplies. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
COMPUTER ANIMATION FOR TEENS MON-FRI, AUG 3-7, 1:30-5:30 PM Bring two-dimensional graphic artwork to life using Adobe Flash software on Apple digital workstations. Learn how animators create motion using techniques such as squash and stretch, staging, timing, and parallax scrolling. Animate video and/or scan in and manipulate your own artwork. Record your own voiceovers and sound effects and create your own animated sequences frame by frame. The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 11. TUITION: $295 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
VINTAGE FILM RE-MIX SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUL 6-10, 1:00-5:00 PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, JUL 13-17, 1:00-5:00 PM We’ve pulled some cool-looking 16mm films from the 1950s and 1960s out of storage and transferred them to digital just for fun (sports, documentaries, educational, industrials, TV shows and more). Now its your turn to lay down a music “bed” (bring in something you love or select from our music library) and exercise your creative powers to edit everything together into something that’s truly your own. Using Final Cut Pro X software, you’ll learn to set up a project, organize shots, add sound effects and text. Experiment with rhythm and pacing and learn about “matched action” and “montage” editing styles. The week will culminate in a family screening, complete with popcorn. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 11. Select one of two sections. TUITION: $225 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $50
This is the ultimate destination class for the highly motivated, film-interested teen. SECTION 1: MON-FRI, JUL 13-17 & MON-WED, JUL 20-22, 9 AM-5 PM SECTION 2: MON-FRI, AUG 10-15 & MON-WED, AUG 17-19, 9 AM-5 PM ANDY BLUBAUGH If you’re thinking about going to film/art school, or want to experience the excitement (and challenges) of creating an entire dramatic film from scratch, you don’t have to go to New York or Los Angeles. Now in its 16th year, the MEDIA ARTS ACADEMY FOR TEENS is the School of Film’s premier opportunity for teens to: • Learn with award-winning film professionals • Use professional HD digital video equipment • Be part of a film crew • Get involved in scripting, planning, casting, directing, working with actors, shooting, • Learn Avid Media Composer industry lighting, sound recording, editing, and more! standard software Bring several script ideas to the first day. You’ll work as a group to determine what is produceable, and what attributes make a story great. One or more ideas will come together into an original screenplay, and production will begin! Come prepared to work hard and learn an amazing amount! Expect at least one long shooting day during the class. The week will culminate in a screening for family and friends in the Film Center’s state-of-the-art Whitsell Auditorium. Tuition includes catered lunches. No previous experience is required. Completed films will be uploaded to a special class online video album. Enrollment Limit: 14. Select one of two sections. TUITION: $995 EQUIPMENT/LAB FEE: $125 PSU CREDIT FEE: $260 (optional) PSU REC CTR FEE: $41 (required with PSU credit option)
CALL FOR ENTRIES! FRESH FILM NORTHWEST TEEN FILM FESTIVAL ENTRY DEADLINE: AUGUST 20 Open to any young person, age 13-19, living in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Chosen films are included in a free public screening presented in November in the Whitsell Auditorium as part of the 2015 Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival. No entry fee. For more information, visit nwfilm.org/festivals.
DIGITAL FILMMAKING FOR K-12 TEACHERS: INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES MON-FRI, JUN 22-26, 9 AM-4 PM A five-day intensive opportunity for K-12 educators from all endorsement areas to learn the hands-on basics of media production. Undergraduate and graduate credit available through PSU. See complete class description on page 11.
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FILM CAMP 2015 nwfilm.org/school
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT: The Academy may qualify for high school arts or elective credit through your school district. Inquire with your local guidance counselor. THE FRANK HOOD SCHOLARSHIP: A full scholarship to the MEDIA ARTS ACADEMY FOR TEENS is available on a competitive basis to an individual with high interest and demonstrated capacity (need may also be a factor). The application deadline is June 12, 2014. Download the application form at nwfilm.org/school/info/scholarships.
THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS Oregon Arts Commission Henry Lea Hillman Jr. Foundation James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation Sonic Media King Family Foundation Women in Film PDX Frank Hood Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Portland State University ZGF Architects Regional Arts & Culture Council Marylhurst University Pro Photo Supply Anne E. Berni Foundation Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation Juan Young Trust
REGISTER NOW NARRATIVE PRODUCTION
SCREENWRITING FUNDAMENTALS
TUESDAYS, APR 7-JUN 2, 6:30-9:30 PM 9 sessions Tuition: $765 COURTNEY HERMANN
WEDNESDAYS, APR 8-JUN 3, 6:30-9:30 PM 9 sessions Tuition: $765 KYLE ALDRICH
The art and technique of shooting a scripted, dramatic short film.
Take your ideas to the next level and get a solid start on a feature-length screenplay.
Topics: overview of the process that takes a fictional story idea and turns it into a film; break down a short story or dramatic script into units, organize a shot list, and create a shooting schedule and storyboard; plan for coverage of a scene with camera placement and movement and blocking of actors; learn to handle logistics related to budgeting, casting, locations, lighting, and sound; log footage to prepare for editing; learn principles of continuity; outside time is required for planning and shooting; bring in work-in-progress for class critique; shoot one short dramatic film (editing as time allows) and crew on others; emphasis is on achieving maximum production value through planning and cinematographic skill. Projects: Individual or collaborative Allocated gear: Canon XA-10 cameras, Film Center Edit Lab Prerequisites: None Related courses: SCREENWRITING: FUNDAMENTALS, ART DIRECTION, DIGITAL EDITING, SOUND RECORDING, CANON XA10 CAMERA OPERATION
POST-PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT THURSDAYS, APR 9-JUN 4, 6:30-9:30PM 9 sessions Tuition: $495 DAVID BRYANT+ GUESTS How to navigate the technical, organizational and financial aspects of getting your film to final edit and master. Topics: the components and sequence of the post-production pipeline; why and how post-production planning begins before shooting; connecting shooting format with workflow strategy; file management; how to troubleshoot technical problems along the way; the language of specifications and deliverables; preparing for the sound mix, color correction, graphics and titles; when and how to hire an editor, consulting editor and/or post-production manager; overview of the different types of post-production facilities in Portland; how to assess their services, negotiate a deal and forge a relationship; class includes behind-the-scenes, private field trips to a variety of post-production facilities with presentations by post house professionals, and a panel of guest filmmakers talking about their post experiences on specific projects.
iFILM SERIES PHOTO BY ROBERT LAYGO
Topics: Screenplay structure and formatting; creating characters with depth and purpose; writing effective dialogue; the difference between plot and story; structuring scenes and sequences; solving the second act droop; write an outline and at least the first 30 pages of your screenplay; bring in work-inprogress for class critique. Projects: Individual Prerequisites: None Related course: NARRATIVE FILMMAKING
SOUND RECORDING SUNDAYS, JUN 7 & 14, 1-5 PM 2 sessions Tuition: $95 AMY O’BRIEN Basics of recording dialogue, interviews, narration, and effects. Topics: First session is general overview of microphone types and uses, from lavaliers to shotguns; operation of the Marantz PMD-660, Sound Devices 702 Digital Audio Recorder, MixPre, and 302 Field Mixer; single versus dual system recording; second session is devoted entirely to hands-on practice; rotate through common recording scenarios for scripted dialogue and basic interviews; learn about sound recording gear rental options. Prerequisites: None Related courses: CANON XA-10 CAMERA OPERATION, NARRATIVE PRODUCTION, POST PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
iFILMMAKING BASICS: SHOOTING TIPS & TRICKS Select one of two identical sections SECTION 1: SATURDAY, APR 4, 9:30AM-NOON SECTION 2: SATURDAY, MAY 2, 9:30AM-NOON Tuition: $35 Optimize the video recording capability of your iPhone or iPad. Topics: understanding focus, exposure and dynamic range; audio recording techniques (in the field, narration); using filters and apps; optional accessories and how they might improve or affect quality; stable recording with or without a tripod. Practice shooting and receive feedback and troubleshooting advice. Bring your iPhone or iPad or use a Film Center iPad (for inclass use only)
iFILMMAKING BASICS: EDITING TIPS & TRICKS Select one of two identical sections SECTION 1: SATURDAY, APR 4, 1-5 PM SECTION 2: SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1-5 PM Tuition: $45
Prerequisites: None Related courses: DIGITAL EDITING, NARRATIVE PRODUCTION
Optimize the video editing capability of your iPhone or iPad. Topics: basic concepts of video editing; in-depth instruction on iMovie for iOS; media management and sharing files from iOS to computer; audio mixing (combining narration, music, sound effects); exporting final projects to social media sites. Practice editing and receive feedback and trouble-shooting advice. Bring your iPhone or iPad or use a Film Center iPad (for inclass use only)
iFILMMAKING GROUP SHOOT: ON LOCATION SATURDAY, MAY 16, 9AM-3PM Tuition: $55 Brush up on shooting and sound recording techniques and head out as a group to the nearby Portland Farmer’s Market at PSU. Record interviews with vendors and visitors, document the setting and wares for sale, and capture the overall market experience. Share your best takes with fellow iFilmmakers in a post-shoot wrap-up. Bring your iPhone or iPad or use a Film Center iPad (for inclass use only) PHOTO BY RICHARD BLAKESLEE
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SOUND EVENTS BYTE
FOR K-12
TEACHERS
DIGITAL FILMMAKING FOR K-12 TEACHERS MONDAY-FRIDAY, JUN 22-26, 9 AM-4 PM OPTIONAL OPEN LAB THURSDAY, JUN 25, 4-9 PM ANDY BLUBAUGH Tuition: $485 Learn to conduct small-scale videomaking projects that foster integrative learning in the K-12 classroom. Topics: how the media arts can enable students to demonstrate academic content proficiency in science, social studies, language arts, and other core subjects; how the media arts can help students develop skills in critical thinking, leadership, and media literacy; shoot and edit simple exercises that can easily be replicated in the classroom without fancy equipment; learn strategies for engaging beginners as well as production of larger narrative and documentary projects; how to lead groups through the scriptwriting process; hear from guest educators about their success stories; create and receive feedback on lesson plans for next school year; open to educators from all grade levels and endorsement areas; available for 35 PDUs. Prerequisites: None “THE COOLEST FIELD TRIP EVER” The Film Center’s GLOBAL CLASSROOM program screens teen-friendly, content-rich independent and foreign films in its Whitsell Auditorium to classes of high school students during the school day, free of charge, throughout the school year. More than 2,000 young people from 30 different schools attended selected Portland International Film Festival films as part of the program this February. Additional screenings will take place this spring. For more information, contact info@nwfilm.org.
OUT OF THE ARCHIVES: YOUTH-MADE FILMS FROM ACROSS OREGON FRIDAY, APR 10, 5:30 PM LOCATION: WHITSELL AUDITORIUM Since 1977, the Film Center’s statewide Filmmakers-in-theSchools Program has partnered with K-12 schools and community organizations around Oregon to bring the power of filmmaking to young people through artist residencies with Film Center faculty. Hundreds of youth-made films have been made, many of them now a capsule in time. With support from a grant from the Oregon Heritage Commission and Oregon Parks & Recreation Department, 84 of these films have recently been rescued from the clutches of aging videotape stock by being digitized onto archival media. Drawing from these archives, this screening presents a vintage youth-eye view of how family and community define and reflect us and includes: KEEP OUR LAND FOR THE FUTURE (1991), about how young people are helping to shape the future of the rural community of Pine Creek, Oregon, created through an artist residency with Kristy Edmunds; THOUGHT I KNEW: FACING REALITY FROM THE INSIDE (1993), a call out from incarcerated teens in the MacLaren Correctional Facility in Salem, Oregon, about living a life of honesty, sobriety and personal responsibility, created with artist-in-residence Christopher Ley; and FRIENDS FIRST (1992), a Romeo and Juliet-inspired story of escape and recovery, created with Taft High School in Newport, Oregon, and artist-in-residence Sharon Genasci; Free with admission to the Portland Art Museum, which is $5 after 5 PM on Fridays.
THOUGHT I KNEW: FACING REALITY FROM THE INSIDE
SCHOOL OF FILM OPEN HOUSE WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 6 PM LOCATION: SCHOOL OF FILM Find out about the School of Film and whether its offerings, including the Certificate Program in Film, are right for you. This evening, we’ll review current and upcoming course offerings and talk about how the Certificate Program fits in. Learn about the Core Sequence, planning your course of study, scholarship options, and college credit options. Hear from current and past students about their experiences and plans. Equipment Room staff will discuss our equipment. Registration staff will be on hand to answer your questions. Open to prospective and enrolled School of Film students. Attendees are invited to attend the 7 PM NW TRACKING program in the Whitsell Auditorium (see p. 3). Free admission.
SCHOOL OF FILM STUDENT SCREENING SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 4:30 PM LOCATION: WHITSELL AUDITORIUM Everyone is invited to watch the many short films created by students in the classes of Winter Term and Spring Term 2015. Whether the first attempt of a beginner or something more ambitious from an advanced student, it’s an uncurated, allcomers program for anyone who has decided they’re ready to show their work on the big screen. Join in congratulating them on this important step in their journey toward self-expression through film. Free admission. (120 mins)
PHOTO BY GARRETT DOWNEN
12 APR/MAY 2015
nwfilm.org/school
SPRING TERM FACULTY BIOS KLYE ALDRICH is a writer, producer, art department director, and post-production supervisor for feature films, commercials, and web content with an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. His is the writer and producer of such films as THE STATEMENT OF RANDOLPH CARTER, selected by Cthulhucon: H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, and D IN SPACE, Winner of Best In Show at the 48 Hour Film Festival in 2011. Other projects have screened at such competitions as the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival (THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF ANSE AND BHULE IN NO-MAN’S LAND, which he associate produced), filmed By Bike Film Festival and Oregon Independent Film Festival. He first taught screenwriting at Lights Film School in New York. Currently, he teaches screenwriting and film production at the Art Institute of Portland, and serves as a pitching consultant for Willamette Writers.
MARIO FALSETTO, Professor Emeritus in Film Studies at Concordia University (Montreal), is the author of CONVERSATIONS WITH GUS VAN SANT (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015), which contains extensive personal interviews conducted with the director over a twelve-year period, along with his critical commentary on all of the director’s films. Falsetto holds a Ph.D. from New York University in Cinema Studies, and while at Concordia served as Chair of the Cinema Department. His other publications include STANLEY KUBRICK: A NARRATIVE AND STYLISTIC ANALYSIS (2001), DIALOGUES WITH INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS (2008), and ANTHONY MINGHELLA: INTERVIEWS (2013). PAUL HARROD has worked for three decades as a designer, art director, and director of both animated and live action projects, with a special emphasis on stop-motion. He began his career sculpting aliens for STAR TREK V, building miniature sets for PEE WEE’S PLAYHOUSE, and setting the tone for commercial campaigns including Chevron “Talking Cars” spots. As Senior Art Director at Will Vinton Studios, he designed and directed episodes of the Fox series THE PJs and UPN’s GARY AND MIKE, among many other projects. His directorial work at Bent Image Lab has received extensive recognition for outstanding creative design (and understated humor), where his clients have included Quaker, Hallmark, Lowes, and Aflac. His most recent project is an action packed sequence for the end credits of 22 JUMP STREET. www.paulharrod.com
BUSHRA AZZOUZ, lead faculty member for 20 years, is the director of the award-winning documentary AND WOMAN WOVE IT IN A BASKET..., an exploration of traditional Klickitat river culture through a contemporary Native American woman’s point of view. Her two recent films, NO NEWS, a personal reflection on 9/11, and WOMEN OF CYPRUS, a collaboration with the women of the divided island, investigate the imprint of war on everyday life. She holds a BA from Reed College and an MA from San Francisco State. She is the lead mentor on the School of Film’s Project Viewfinder and is currently working on A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM IN PRISON, which follows inmates at an Oregon state prison as they produce Shakespearian comedies. COURTNEY HERMANN is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose films have won ANDY BLUBAUGH’s experimental documentaries have screened at the Sundance, Clermont- grant funding from The Paul Robeson Fund for Independent Media, Native American Public Ferrand, Edinburgh, and Seattle International Film Festivals, among others, and have been broadcast Telecommunications, “POV”/American Documentary (CPB), The Playboy Foundation, The Seventh by the PBS program “POV” and the Logo Network. He is the recipient of a fellowship from the Tribeca Generation Fund, and other sources, including multiple highly successful Kickstarter campaigns. Film Institute and was identified as one of “25 New Faces of Independent Film” by Filmmaker Among her recent projects are a film appearing in the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission’s Magazine. His debut feature, THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM, premiered at the FrameLine Film Festival in travelling exhibition, UPROOTED, about Japanese farm labor camps during World War II; STANDING San Francisco and won Best Narrative Feature at the 37th Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival. SILENT NATION, chronicling the Lakota Indians’ struggle against the US Drug Enforcement DAVID BRYANT has worked with and for post-production houses, advertising agencies, corporate/ Administration, which screened on PBS’s “POV” series, and EXOTIC WORLD AND THE BURLESQUE industrial clients, and independent filmmakers for nearly three decades in editorial, design, systems REVIVAL, about the last days of an old Route 66 roadside attraction. Holding an MFA in Film from management, and post-production supervision. Nationally, these have included A&E, CBS, Disney, Columbia College, she has an extensive background as an educator, including a decade-long stint Cline Davis Mann, the National Video Center, and Prelinger Associates; and in Portland over the last with The Art Institute of Portland’s Digital Film and Video Program. two decades: Coates Kokes, CMD, nonbox, and HMH. He recently completed post-production on Jeff Winograd’s THE KID, Howard Mitchell’s THE BUS and THE STREETCAR, Christen Kimbell’s CREATION, Ned Thanhouser’s THE THANHOUSER STUDIO AND THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN CINEMA, and Mona Hundeidi’s mix of live action and animation MIDNIGHT SPECIAL FOR INSOMNIACS. As a filmmaker, his work focuses on the use of film/video in performance and theatrical environments, which has lead to collaborations with such artists as Mary Oslund, Minh Tran, George Cartwright and Les Miserables Brass Band, and to exhibitions nationally and internationally at venues including The Kitchen and PS122 (NYC) and the Melbourne Museum of Contemporary Art. He has also contributed as a curator to programming at Tin Pan Alley (NYC), Simon Fraser University, and The Cinematheque (Vancouver, BC).
RENT ME
AMY O’BRIEN is a documentary and narrative filmmaker/editor with a background in theater and web design. Through her production company, Purple Macaroni Productions, she creates short films that document personal stories and explore the lighter side of life. These have included FOUR, which screened in the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival, and NO SOLICITING, which screened at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival. She also creates promotional films for nonprofits such as Literary Arts and the Tucker-Maxon School for the Deaf and recently edited “Blue Fiddles,” a web series. An active member of Women in Film PDX, she studied media at the New School for Social Research after taking classes at the School of Film. purplemacaroni.com MELISSA TVETAN has a background as an editorial manager for six years at the animation studio LAIKA/house, where she worked on commercials for Sony, M&Ms, Sony, Honda and Planters Peanuts. She has also served as post-production supervisor for the annual Sundance Institute Director’s Lab since 2008, supporting editorial support to the emerging filmmakers in residence. A former student at the School of Film, she screened her new experimental film, OUT OF THIS WORLD, in the Experimental Film Festival Portland Throwdown 2014.
The School of Film supports the use of media in our community as a means of self-expression and cultural advancement by making its film/video equipment, editing rooms, and other facilities available to artist and non-profit users at subsidized rental rates, and to commercial users as availability allows. Download a Rental Rate Sheet at nwfilm.org/equipment for a complete list of available items, services, and pricing. Rental requests must be received at least 48 hours in advance and will be confirmed within 24 hours. For more information, contact 503-221-1156 or reserve@nwfilm.org.
Cameras for rent:
Editing Stations for rent:
Other equipment for rent:
Facilities for rent:
Film stock for sale:
Canon XA-10 Camera Package Panasonic DVX-100 Camera Package JVC EX555 Handycam Package Canon, Minolta and Beaulieu Super-8mm Cameras Arri and Bolex 16mm Cameras
Soundtrack Pro Audio Work Station Avid Media Composer Work Station Final Cut Pro 7 Work Station Final Cut Pro X Work Station
Microphones and Sound Mixers Digital Audio Recorders Light Kits and Grip Equipment On-camera LED Lights Tripods Portable Green Screen Portable Video Projectors
Voiceover Recording Room Casting and Audition Rooms Small Screening Room (private screenings only)
Color Negative Super-8mm Film Stock Tri-X B/W Reversal Super-8mm Film Stock Color Negative 16mm Film Stock Tri-X B/W Reversal 16mm Film Stock XX B/W Negative 16mm Film Stock
THANK YOU!
The Northwest Film Center’s School of Film is supported by: National Endowment for the Arts Oregon Arts Commission John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Henry Lea Hillman Foundation James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation
King Family Foundation Women in Film/ Faerie Godmother Fund Frank Hood Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Wieden+Kennedy Portland State University
ZGF Architects Pro Photo Supply Rode Regional Arts & Culture Council Marylhurst University Chipotle Mexican Grill
Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation Anne E. Berni Foundation Juan Young Trust Individual Donors and Friends
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CLASS + EXHIBITION SERIES ESSENTIAL GUS VAN SANT SATURDAYS, APR 25-JUN 20, 10AM-12:30 PM + FILM SCREENINGS (see p.15) (NO CLASS MAY 23) 8 sessions Tuition: $175 (includes admission to corresponding exhibition series films) MARIO FALSETTO A course revolving around the films and cinematic context of Gus Van Sant, one of the most iconoclastic and imaginative directors of the last thirty years. This informal course for filmmakers, film-lovers, and generally curious culturalistas examines the films and filmmaking of Gus Van Sant, emphasizing those works that form part of the canon of the American indie movement: the Portland Trilogy (MALA NOCHE, DRUGSTORE COWBOY, MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO); the experimental features which redefined his relationship to Hollywood (GERRY, ELEPHANT, LAST DAYS); and a variety of shorts, many rarely exhibited. Participants are invited to view the films on the big screen by attending the Film Center’s exhibition series of the same name (note: attendance is encouraged but not mandatory). Through lecture, film clips, and lively discussion, weekly classes will provide background and commentary on the individual works and delve into their rich network of meanings. The director’s filmmaking process, influences, and perspectives on independent filmmaking will be thoroughly explored and clarified. Pre-requisites: None
VISITING ARTIST WEEKEND APRIL 18-19
BIGFOOT RE-INTERPRETED: A COMMUNITY STOP-MOTION ANIMATION PROJECT
IN DIRECT CONTACT: PRINTING IMAGES & OBJECTS ONTO 16MM FILM
SATURDAY, APR 18, 10 AM-2 PM 1 session Tuition: $35 (includes admission to screening, below) KELLY SEARS
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 10 AM-5 PM 1 session Tuition: $65 (includes film stock and processing) JUAN DAVID GONZALEZ MONROY & ANJA DORNIEDEN
Roll up your sleeves and become part of a Portland/Seattle effort to re-invent Pacific Northwest history using stop motion animation.
The theory and practice of copying images of all kinds onto 16mm film, and how they transform in motion.
Learn the basics of 2D cut-out and collage stop motion animation filmmaking by setting up and operating a basic downshooting rig with Dragonframe software. Frame by frame, shoot iconic Pacific Northwest images from books, magazines and other ephemeral sources (such as Bigfoot, frontier explorers, wild animals, and other folkloric lore) and shape them into a new way of looking at our regional identity. Discover how animators use the medium as a means of visual politics and critical practice. The segments created during the workshop will be combined with work created through a similar workshop at NW Film Forum in Seattle. Everyone will receive a Vimeo link to a downloadable copy of the final compilation.
Using flashlights and color print film, learn to copy Super 8mm, 16mm, and 35mm negative or positive footage onto 16mm, frame by frame. Imprint the shapes of diverse materials (such as crystals, color gels, fabric, stencils etc.) to create 16mm photograms. Explore tinting and toning techniques. Using color reversal chemistry, exposed film will be hand-processed throughout the day on site. Experiment to see how different printed images transform when projected. Please bring in materials to play with such as lace, threads, salts, dried seaweed, foils, 35mm slides, flowers, feathers, dead insects, leaves, and film negatives or positives.
Pre-requisites: None
JUAN DAVID GONZALEZ MONROY and ANJA DORNIEDEN are Berlin-based filmmakers who have worked together under the moniker OJOBOCA (Spanish for Eye and Mouth) since 2010. With Super 8mm and 16mm as their primary media, they practice Horrorism, which they describe as “a simulated method of inner and outer transformation.” Rich in visual and sensory texture and drawing upon and inspiring an imaginative, creative spirit, their work encompasses films, performances, installations and workshops. They have presented their work internationally in a wide variety of venues to a wide variety of audiences. They are members of the artist-run film lab LaborBerlin. www.ojoboca.com
KELLY SEARS’ collage animation media practice, a combination of analog and digital approaches, appropriates imagery from Post WW2 America, reworking discarded magazines, books, orphaned films, and other ephemera to investigate contemporary political narratives of power that include manifest destiny, expansionist doctrines, occupation, and surveillance. Her work has screened at museums, galleries, and film festivals throughout the US, and she has been awarded multiple artist residencies. With a B.A. from Hampshire College and an M.F.A. from the University of California, San Diego, she currently teaches experimental film and animation at the University of Colorado, Boulder. www.kellysears.com AN EVENING WITH KELLY SEARS, screens at the Whitsell Auditiorium on Friday, April 17, at 7 pm.
14 APR/MAY 2015
nwfilm.org/school
Pre-requisites: Some film processing experience is recommended but not required.
Cinema Project presents HORRORISM FOR BEGINNERS, BEGINNERS FOR HORRORISM, a selection of OJOBOCA films and projector performances, Friday, April 17, 7:30 PM, at the Clinton Street Theatre.
MALA NOCHE
ESSENTIAL GUS VAN SANT
(& HIS INFLUENCES)
HEART OF GLASS Over the last three decades, Gus Van Sant has created an extraordinary body of film work. His first long-form films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, known as the “Portland Trilogy”, feature rebellious characters on the fringes of mainstream society who yearned to form new communities. The films became instant cult classics, earning Van Sant acknowledgment as one of the most talented and imaginative filmmakers of the indie film renaissance. Over the next decade, he directed a number of films that brought him critical and commercial success (the hugely popular GOOD WILL HUNTING and his bold remake of Hitchcock’s PSYCHO), before embarking on a re-evaluation of his artistic process and a return to his early indie roots. This later remarkable group of films features innovative visual style and groundbreaking sound explorations. Along with this survey of his films, we offer an exciting selection of works by filmmakers that have influenced the Van Sant’s film practice, including works by Stanley Kubrick, Werner Herzog, and Béla Tarr.—Mario Falsetto. Mario Falsetto, Professor Emeritus in Film Studies at Concordia University, Montreal, and author of the just published “Conversations with Gus Van Sant,” is teaching “Essential Gus Van Sant,” an eight-session non-credit course April 25—June 20. See School of Film, page 14 for registration information.
APRIL 23 THUR 7 PM
MALA NOCHE U S 1 9 85
DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
Based on Portland poet Walt Curtis’ autobiographical novella, MALA NOCHE impressed both European and American critics and quickly established Van Sant as an important new voice in independent cinema. Set on the dark, rainsoaked streets of downtown Portland, Walt (Tim Streeter), a gay liquor store clerk, becomes obsessed with Johnny (Doug Cooeyate), a handsome young Mexican illegal immigrant who manipulates Walt’s lust for food and shelter but turns down his affections. Walt is forced to settle for Johnny’s friend Pepper and becomes his protector but can’t shake his fixation on the boy of his dreams. “A film of rare tenderness and longing, involving both humor and anguish.”— Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times. “Poetic, moody and impressionistic —the title is Spanish for ‘bad night’ —the fim is something to savor for the squalid world it introduces, and the way it presents its story, rather than for the specifics of that story.”—The Washington Post. (78 mins.) Mario Falsetto will introduce the film and sign books.
WITH
MY HUSTLER u s 1 9 65
DIRECTOR: ANDY WARHOL
Starring Warhol superstar Paul America as the titular hustler in his only feature film credit, this Fire Island-shot, loosely structured tale of an aging man searching for sexual satisfaction is one of Warhol’s least-known yet most curious films, made during a period of Warhol’s most intense creative flowering. (79 mins.) WWW.NWFILM.ORG 503-221-1156 APRIL/MAY 2015
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
PAGE 15
ESSENTIAL GUS VAN SANT
DRUGSTORE COWBOY WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES
MAY 9 SAT 2PM
BURROUGHS: THE MOVIE U S 1 9 83
DIRECTOR: HOWARD BROOKNER
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
GERRY
APRIL 25 SAT 2PM
MAY 2 SAT 2PM
G ER MANY 1 976
DIRECTORS: VARIOUS
HEART OF GLASS
Brookner’s feature debut—which began as his senior thesis film at NYU with friends Jim Jarmusch and Tom DiCillo— is a devout, unflinching portrait of the late writer William S. Burroughs (1914-1997) shot and edited over several years in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Burroughs, at the time teaching at City College but once again addicted to heroin after temporarily kicking the habit, leads us through old haunts. Interviews with Allen Ginsberg, Patti Smith, Francis Bacon, and others also help peel back the layers of Burroughs’ persona for all to see. “Rarely is a documentary as well attuned to its subject.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times. (86 mins.)
EARLY INFLUENCES
MAY 14 THUR 7 PM U S 20 0 1
APRIL 30 THUR 7 PM
This program presents a selection of experimental works from the 1960s, made by some of the foremost practitioners of the personal cinema style that reached its early peak during this period. Included in the program are: Robert Enrico’s INCIDENT AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE (1962), an award-winning adaptation of Ambrose Bierce’s Civil War story of a martial hanging gone awry; Arthur Lipsett’s VERY NICE, VERY NICE (1961), a rapid-fire, mid-20th-century slice-of-modern-life portrait; Bruce Conner’s A MOVIE (1958), an idiosyncratic, free-associative collage with—of course—movies as its target; Kenneth Anger’s SCORPIO RISING (1963), a legendary occult-biker mythological tale piercing the cult of male celebrity; Stan Brakhage’s SCENES FROM UNDER CHILDHOOD SECTION ONE (1967), the filmmaker’s vision of his children’s view of the world; and George Kuchar’s HOLD ME WHILE I’M NAKED (1966), one of Kuchar’s finest works, an exploration of sexual isolation with a twist. (117 mins.)
U S 1 9 89
MAY 7 THUR 7 PM
DIRECTOR: WERNER HERZOG
Herzog’s film, something of a curiosity in film history due to the fact that almost the entire cast performed while under hypnosis, tells the story of a small, 18th-century Bavarian village thrown into chaos after the death of its foremost resident—a glass blower and the lone holder of the secret recipe of the brilliant “ruby glass.” A local baron, owner of the glass factory where the master blower toiled, has been obsessed with the glass for some time, and soon the rest of the townsfolk pick up this fascination. However, all anyone can do is wander aimlessly, distraught and anxious following the loss of the secret recipe, until an outsider herdsman with prescient visions of the future appears in town one day. (94 mins.)
DRUGSTORE COWBOY DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
Van Sant’s acclaimed second feature is a daring and uncompromising look at outlaw junkie life based on the novel by James Fogle. Set in Portland in the early ‘70s, Matt Dillon gives the performance of his career as Bob Hughes, the superstitious leader of an awkward band of addicts who go directly to the source for drugs by robbing drugstores. Bob’s extended family includes his wife, Dianne (Kelly Lynch), the dim Rich (James LeGros) and his teenage girlfriend Nadine (Heather Graham). With a good dose of black humor, Van Sant follows the group’s escapades, which finally come undone when Nadine overdoses. Understanding that “Just Say No” doesn’t say anything to the drugged out, Van Sant neither romanticizes nor condemns drug use, but probes the addict’s psyche without giving way to moralistic overtures. “Compelling, unnerving and often darkly funny . . . Every minute is vital and alive.”—David Ansen, Newsweek. (100 mins.) PAGE 16
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
GERRY
DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
Filmed in the stunning deserts of northern Argentina, Utah, and Death Valley, GERRY falls into the category of minimalist road movie—trek movie, actually—as two friends (Casey Affleck and Matt Damon, both named Gerry) set off on foot in the wild in search of the elusive. Very soon they are completely lost, disoriented, and in peril. Inspired by a real-life story and largely improvised on location, the film calls to mind Antonioni’s searching, existential meditations of the ‘60s, or perhaps the mystical visions of Andrei Tarkovsky or Béla Tarr. While the mystery of their destination challenges, the complexities of the journey provide a visually striking opportunity to think about where you might be going, the power of nature, the bonds of friendship and Van Sant’s continuing willingness to explore the possibilities of filmmaking. (103 mins)
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
MAY 16 17 SAT 2PM, SUN 7 PM
DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
H U N GARY 20 0 0
U SA 1 99 1
Mike (River Phoenix) is a prostitute with narcolepsy—a handicap in any case, but especially when one’s profession involves letting your guard down in the presence of strangers. We see the world through Mike’s eyes, falling into slumber when he does, sharing the disjointed sense of time he feels and experiencing his confusion about where he is and how he got there. His only protector is his friend Scott (Keanu Reeves), another hustler, but one who is biding his time until his 21st birthday arrives and with it, a huge inheritance. They are an odd couple; Scott rejects his wealthy politician father, while Mike longs for the mother that abandoned him. The story’s parallels to “Henry IV” and the use of Elizabethan dialogue marks a high point in Van Sant’s examination of the hidden eloquence of the lives of the underprivileged on the streets of Portland. “Invigorating—written, directed, and acted with enormous insight and comic elan.”—Vincent Canby, The New York Times. (105 mins.)
APRIL/MAY 2015 503-221-1156 WWW.NWFILM.ORG
WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES DIRECTOR: BÉLA TARR
During the Soviet era in a bleak and brutal unnamed town on the Hungarian plain, a mysterious circus arrives in the dead of night touting the appearance of the biggest whale in the world. Despite the fact that it’s only a carcass, in the following days people gather from miles around, slowly filling the dreary hamlet. János, a young, average citizen, along with his uncle György, a composer in the romantic vein, live a peaceful existence. However, the Prince, the faceless, magnetic authority behind the circus, has the power to incite riots and chaos— which, as the mob increases in size and fury, threatens the already tenuous existence of the small town and its inhabitants. Shot in glorious black and white, meticulously paced, lit, and edited, WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES remains one of contemporary cinema’s most influential works. (145 mins.)
ESSENTIAL GUS VAN SANT
LAST DAYS MILK
ELEPHANT
EYES WIDE SHUT
MAY 21 THUR 7 PM
MAY 23 SAT 2PM
JUNE 4 THUR 7 PM
U S 20 03
U S 1 999
U S 1 9 84
ELEPHANT DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
Winner of the Palme d ‘Or and Best Director awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Van Sant drew inspiration for his key protagonists from the real-life Columbine High School tragedy. Rather than attempting to offer easy explanations, Van Sant creates a highly stylized evocation of a day in the life of a “normal” American high school, conveying a surface that in its very universality provides a telling portrait of an undercurrent of complexity and unease untied to specific events. Long, rhythmic takes and tracking shots subliminally map a topography in the viewer’s mind that is later revisited by the student killers. (81 mins.)
MAY 21 THUR 8:45 PM
ELEPHANT U K 1 9 89
DIRECTOR: ALAN CLARKE
Via the depiction of a series of anonymous murders drawn from real police reports during the late 1980s, Clark offers a highly original, affecting look at the troubles in Northern Ireland. Conceived by Danny Boyle during his tenure at the BBC, Clarke’s film is especially noteworthy for its use of Steadicam 16mm in its view of the Northern Irish countryside gripped by fear, but also for its unflinching—and at the time highly controversial—view on the intense social issues on the forefront of the nation’s mind. (39 mins.) Free admission.
EYES WIDE SHUT
THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
DIRECTOR: STANLEY KUBRICK
In the late 1990s, near the end of his career, Kubrick, known for his painstakingly crafted visions of Western culture— infused with a deep, unsettling malaise—enlisted Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, at the time Hollywood’s hottest power couple, for a visceral exploration of marital un-fulfillment and existential dread. While at a lavish party, the couple is torn in different directions, both sexual and adulterous, which sets them off on a deeply disconcerting journey that will shake the foundations of their marriage. One of Kubrick’s most unjustly maligned films, and a passion project for which the director had long owned the adaptation rights—the film is based on Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novel TRAUMNOVELLE— EYES WIDE SHUT provides a dream-like, otherworldly vision of late 20thcentury upper-crust marital politics. (159 mins.)
MAY 28 THUR 7 PM
Epstein’s landmark portrait of Harvey Milk (1930-1978), the first openly gay public-office-holder in United States history, retains its original power through the use of extensive archival footage that brings Milk’s singular, infectious charisma into clear view. Milk, a small business owner in San Francisco’s Castro district, ran for city office in an attempt to uphold community, rather than succumb to corporate interests. But upon election and brief service was, in late 1978, assassinated along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, by rival politician Dan White. Epstein covers Milk’s early life, political service, and the aftermath of his untimely death with aplomb, creating both a portrait of a fearless man and a city overcome with terrible grief over a senseless tragedy. Winner, Academy Award for Best Documentary. (90 mins.)
JUNE 5 FRI 7PM
MILK
LAST DAYS
U S 20 0 8
DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
U S 20 0 5
DIRECTOR: GUS VAN SANT
DIRECTOR: ROB EPSTEIN
Michael Pitt portrays a hauntingly familiar figure in this meditation—dedicated to Kurt Cobain—on the final days in the life of a famed musician retreating from the clamor of the world and its myriad, insistent demands. “Success is subjective,” an earnest Yellow Pages salesman tells Blake (Pitt), as he invites him to consider how a directory listing may best serve his “business needs.” Blake, however, doesn’t need more calls and prefers to wander the grounds of his secluded estate, build himself a campfire and ironically sing “Home on the Range” to no one in particular. ( 97 mins. )
Leading an all-star cast (Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco) in Van Sant’s intimate and meticulously researched new biographical drama, Sean Penn gives an astonishingly sensitive and astute performance as political iconoclast Harvey Milk, the self-described “Mayor of Castro Street.” “MILK tells Milk’s story as one of a transformed life, a victory for individual freedom over state persecution, and a political and social cause. . .[the film] never tries to show Milk as a hero, and never needs to. It shows him as an ordinary man, kind, funny, flawed, shrewd, idealistic, yearning for a better world.” (128 mins.)
WWW.NWFILM.ORG 503-221-1156 APRIL/MAY 2015
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
PAGE 17
SPECIAL SCREENINGS BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
HARD TO BE A GOD
APRIL 18 19 SAT 2, 4 & 7 PM, SUN 4:30 & 7 PM
MAY 2 3 SAT 6 PM SUN 2 & 6 PM
fran ce 20 14
RU SS IA 20 13
DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS VANIER
DIRECTOR: ALEKSEI GERMAN
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
Set during World War II in the French Alps, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN is based on a beloved 1960s French TV series featuring resourceful young Sebastian and the giant mountain sheepdog he calls Belle. Sebastian is a lonely six-year-old boy who dreams of the day his mother will return from America—the place that his adoptive grandfather tells him she’s gone. He finds needed companionship with “the beast” that local farmers are convinced is killing their sheep—an enormous sheepdog that quickly proves anything but dangerous, instead becoming the boy’s best friend and protector. With Nazis rooting out the Resistance fighters helping Jewish refugees cross the border, Belle and Sebastian soon prove their courage. Suitable for ages 10+. (104 mins.)
MAY 1 FRI 7 PM — VISITING ARTIST
nwfc and cinema pacific present
BALIKBAYAN #1 MEMORIES OF OVERDEVELOPMENT REDUX III PH I LI PPI N ES 20 1 5
HARD TO BE A GOD Imagine an alien world—much like ours, except 1,000 years in the past—entrenched in a kind of alternate middle ages. This concept forms the core of German’s final film, a sci-fi mind-bender of epic proportions. Modern-day Russian scientists, led by Don Rumata (Leonid Yarmolnik) become marooned in the aforementioned world which is undergoing a purge of its intellectuals by its ruling class. Treated like gods but unable to tinker with the affairs of this mysterious place despite their “modern” perspective, Rumata and his colleagues seem helpless, forced to watch the alien land devour itself. Based on a novel by the acclaimed writers Boris & Arkadiy Strugatsky, German’s 15-years-in-the-making, posthumously-released fable is one of the dirtiest (in the sense of mud and grime) films ever made, but a true cinema experience like few others. “Pulses with intelligence, a mordant compassion, and yes, incredible wit.”— Glenn Kenny. (170 mins.)
MAY 4 MON 7 PM
nwfc and bravo youth orchestras present
CRESCENDO! THE POWER OF MUSIC
DIRECTOR: KIDLAT TAHIMIK
This latest piece by acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik (THE PERFUMED NIGHTMARE) was 35 years in the making. Winner of the Caligari Prize at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival, BALIKBAYAN #1 tells the story of Enrique of Malacca, Magellan’s slave and arguably the first person to ever circumnavigate the globe. “In the film, Enrique (played by the director himself) does not appear as the object of European exploitation, but rather as a kind of shrewd cosmopolitan from the Global South. Kidlat Tahimik began working on his film about Enrique in 1979, but for personal reasons never completed it. Not until more than three decades later has he now been able to finish it, almost without a budget – partly thanks to new developments in media technology (some of the new footage was shot with an iPhone). . . BALIKBAYAN #1 weaves together the official story [of Magellan’s circumnavigation] with that of Enrique, as well as with the director’s cut of what Tahimik started filming 35 years ago. . . The actors are no longer the same, and Tahimik [as Enrique] has grown older.”—Berlin Film Festival. “A sui generis historical epic, the film freely mixes genres, integrates a variety of formats and features a carousel of actors spanning three generations – it may very well be Tahimik’s magnum opus.” —Filmmaker Magazine. (146 mins.) Kidlat Tahimik will introduce the film. Co-presented with the Cinema Pacific Film Festival in Eugene, April 27-May 3, with support from the Consulate General of The Philipinnes in Portland.
U S 20 14
DIRECTOR: JAMIE BERNSTEIN
“El Sistema” was created 40 years ago in Venezuela to help foster social change by building youth orchestras among disadvantaged children. It has grown into a musical movement, counting among its graduates Gustavo Dudamel, the charismatic Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. CRESCENDO! THE POWER OF MUSIC follows students in two “Sistema”inspired youth orchestra programs: “Play On, Philly!” in West Philadelphia; and the Harmony Program in Harlem, New York City. The film’s young musicians struggle against significant emotional and cultural roadblocks, sometimes set up by their own families. We meet Raven, a natural violinist whose rambunctiousness gets her in trouble (“Fortissimo, y’all!”); Zebadiah, an introspective boy who makes friends via the viola; and Mohammed, whose father insists he quit the trombone if he keeps failing classes. Music educators Stanford Thompson and Anne Fitzgibbon are heroes in these kids’ lives, helping them and countless others unlock their potential through the inspirational power of classical music. (85 mins.) Co-sponsored by the BRAVO YOUTH ORCHESTRAS.
SILVER SCREEN CLUB POP-UP MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Join the Silver Screen Club as a Supporter ($200) or Director ($400) and get 10% off your first year’s membership! To receive this offer, attend one of these Northwest Film Center screenings: April 30–DRUGSTORE COWBOY; May 22–REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE Current Silver Screen Club members can receive 10% off their next membership renewal by referring a new member who signs up at the film! Offer available on Apr 30 or May 22 in person only at the Whitsell Auditorium. One discount per current Silver Screen Club Member.
PAGE 18
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
APRIL/MAY 2015 503-221-1156 WWW.NWFILM.ORG
TO SEE THE SEA
NEW CZECH CINEMA
Czech filmmakers have long been recognized for their innovative FAIR PLAY contributions to international cinema. The legacy of the Czech New Wave, the period of stylistic experimentation and social critique that accompanied political and social reforms in mid-1960s Czechoslovakia, still resonates in a new generation of voices offering skilled takes on diverse genres from comedy to gritty realist drama, from stylish period thrillers to animation, and more. They share, however, a deft eye for lyric beauty and absurdist humor even in the most mundane or difficult circumstances as they probe social and economic conditions and questions of Czech identity and culture. The Northwest Film Center presents this six-film selection of influential and emerging voices in Czech cinema in conjunction with the nationally touring program “Czech That Film,” organized by the Czech Center, New York; Embassy of the Czech Republic, Washington, D.C.; Consulate General of the Czech Republic, Los Angeles; Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, Portland; and the Czech Society of Oregon. Special thanks to Michal Sedlacek, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles, for making MAY 9 SAT 7 PM these films’ presentation in Portland possible. TO SEE THE SEA CZECH R EPU B LI C 20 14
MAY 8 FRI 7 PM—VISITING ARTIST
FAIR PLAY
CZECH R EPU B LI C 20 14
DIRECTOR: ANDREA SEDLÁČKOVÁ
Anna, a talented young sprinter, is training for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Following official instructions, she takes anabolic steroids masked as prescribed vitamins to boost her performance. When she finds out, she risks everything by refusing to continue, forcing her dissident mother, who sees the Olympics as Anna‘s escape route, to conspire against her. Highlighting the Eastern Block policy of doping athletes, Sedláčková provides a powerful account of how the Communist regime sought to control lives and the resulting moral dillemmas. This year’s Czech submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. (100 mins.) Join us for a reception following the film. Director Andrea Sedláčková will introduce the film.
MAY 9 SAT 4:30 PM—VISITING ARTIST
VÁCLAV HAVEL – A LIFE IN FREEDOM CZECH R EPU B LI C 20 14
DIRECTOR: ANDREA SEDLÁČKOVÁ
The 1989 Velvet Revolution was led by Václav Havel, a playwright and poet who became Czechoslovakia’s first democratically elected president and one f the great figures of twentieth century Europe. Andrea Sedláčková (FAIR PLAY) maps Havel’s life with extensive film clips and interviews to fashion an elegant portrait of a bohemian artist whose life below and then above ground was rich in paradoxes. (70 mins.) Director Andrea Sedláčková will introduce the film.
CLOWNWISE
MAY 10 SUN 7 PM
THE ICING CZECH REPUBLIC
DIRECTOR: JIŘI MÁDL
The charming directorial debut of Jiř í Mádl claims instead to be the work of his film’s protagonist, intrepid 12 year old Tomáš. In fact, the whole film is presented as if it really were shot and edited by Tomáš, who dreams of becoming the next Miloš Forman. Tomáš is making a film about his family. By hiding a camera in his father’s home office, Tomáš discovers that he leaves the house on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, when Tomáš confronts his father about his behavior, he denies it. Tomáš’ best friend Haris also starts using a camera to document his family’s goings-on, albeit mostly in self defense. Ultimately, courage and friendship lead the plucky investigative duo to a final great revelation. . . (90 mins.)
This explosive comedy, based on the successful play, takes place one evening in a remote village pub during an Ice Hockey World Championship match. Many things can happen when a kidnapped bride gets drunk with the best friend of the groom and a barmaid and the only one who is able to stop and save everything, is not coming. A laugh-out-loud film proving that what is meant to be your perfect day can sometimes turn into a not-so-perfect tragedy. (77 mins.)
MAY 11 MON 7 PM
KRÁSNO
CZECH R EPU B LI C 20 14
DIRECTOR: ONDŔEJ SOKOL
MAY 10 SUN 4:30 PM
CLOWNWISE
DIRECTOR: JAN HŔEBEJK
CZECH R EPU B LI C 20 13 DIRECTOR: VIKTOR TAUS Oskar, Max, and Viktor, once a superstar clown trio, split up over a heartbreaking fight. Now they’re paying the price after thirty years of separate grueling lives on and off the stage. Their irresistible sense of humor is challenged by the proximity of the physical end and other joys of old age. They’re about to risk everything to find out whether there is one more show left in them, a re-staging of the famous clownery that launched the group’s career while also facing the hardest challenge yet: clowning their way out. A splendid tale of the comedy of life. (120 mins.)
A black comedy with a touch of detective genre begins with Michal and Adam, two childhood friends coming back to their hometown of Šumperk after 20 years. Michal’s mother’s dead body was mysterious pulled from lake Krásno several years before. Now, Michal’s father dies on the day they return. Without knowing the truth about the weird events, all that is left is anger and sadness. The father’s new wife (now a widow) behaves suspiciously, which encourages Michal and Adam to investigate. The pair embark on a tangled journey to solve a mystery, unaware that disaster awaits. (119 mins.)
WWW.NWFILM.ORG 503-221-1156 APRIL/MAY 2015
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
PAGE 19
FILM CALENDAR
NWFilmCenter
APRIL/MAY 2015
FILMS SCREENED AT NORTHWEST FILM CENTER • WHITSELL AUDITORIUM PORTLAND ART MUSEUM 1219 SW PARK AVENUE
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
support the NW Film Center! Join the silver screen CLub! 1
pop-up membership driveS—Apr 30 and may 22
5
6
2, 4 & 7 PM ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL (P.6)
12
13
4:30 & 7 PM BELLE AND SEBASTIAN (P.18)
19
7
7 PM WATCHERS OF THE SKY (SEE
PARTY GIRL8 7 PM P.5 FOR THE RECORD (P.3)
20
9
14
15
7 PM AMERICAN HOT WAX (P.6)
16
21
22
7 PM MALA NOCHE
23
NWFILM.ORG FOR DETAILS)
LAST DAYS P.17
2
APRIL
SEE nwfilm.org or call 503-221-1156 for details 3 & 5 PM A YEAR IN CHAMPAGNE (P.6) 7 PM BIG IN JAPAN (P.3)
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
7 PM A YEAR IN CHAMPAGNE (P.6)
3
5 :30 PM OUT OF THE ARCHIVES: YOUTHMADE FILMS FROM ACROSS OREGON (P.12) 7 PM AN EVENING WITH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN STORYTELLERS (P.6)
10
2, 4 & 7 PM ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL (P.6)
11
7 PM AN EVENING WITH KELLY SEARS (P.6)
17
2, 4 & 7 PM BELLE AND SEBASTIAN (P.18)
18
24
2 PM HEART OF GLASS (P.16) 5 PM THEY LIVE BY NIGHT (P.4)
25
WITH
MY HUSTLER (P.15)
5 PM A YEAR IN CHAMPAGNE (P.6) 7 PM BIG IN JAPAN (P.3)
4
SINGLE OR DOUBLE FEATURE
7 PM KNOCK ON ANY DOOR(P.4) 1 PM THEY LIVE BY NIGHT (P.4) 3:30 PM AND WE WERE YOUNG (P.3) 7 PM A WOMAN’S SECRET (P.4)
26
2 & 6 PM HARD TO BE A GOD (P.18)
3
MAY 4:30 PM CLOWNWISE (P.19) 7 PM THE ICING (P.19)
10
2 PM ON DANGEROUS GROUND (P.4) 4 PM DEATH ON A ROCK (P.3) 7 PM WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES (P.16)
17
4:30 PM THE LUSTY MEN (P.5)
24
7 PM CRESCENDO! THE POWER OF MUSIC (P.18)
7 PM KRÁSNO (P.19)
27
28
4
5
11
12
18
25
19
29
GERRY6 7 PM P.16 MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO (P.16)
6 PM SCHOOL OF FILM OPEN HOUSE (P.12) 7 PM NORTHWEST FILM CENTER MOVERS AND MAKERS (P.3)
13
7 PM A RIVER BETWEEN US (P.3)
20
26
4:45 PM JOHNNY GUITAR (P.5) 7 PM LIGHTNING OVER WATER (P.5) 4:30 PM THE BEST OF THE 41ST NORTHWEST FILMMAKERS’ FESTIVAL (P.3) 7 PM BARD IN THE BACKCOUNTRY (P.3) 23RD PORTLAND JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL OPENS
JUNE 14–28
7 PM GERRY (P.16)
7
14
7 PM BALIKBAYAN #1 MEMORIES OF OVERDEVELOPMENT REDUX III (P.18)
1
2 PM EARLY INFLUENCES (P.16) 6 PM HARD TO BE A GOD (P.18)
2
7 PM FAIR PLAY (P.19)
8
2 PM BURROUGHS:THE MOVIE (P.16) 4:30 PM VÁCLAV HAVEL–A LIFE IN FREEDOM (P.19) 7 PM TO SEE THE SEA (P.19)
9
15
7 PM IN A LONELY PLACE (P.4) SINGLE OR DOUBLE FEATURE
9 PM ON DANGEROUS GROUND (P.4) 7 PM ELEPHANT (P.17) 8:45 PM ELEPHANT (P.17)
21
27
7 PM LAST DAYS (P.17)
28
3
7 PM THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK (P.17)
4
SINGLE OR DOUBLE FEATURE
7 PM BIGGER THAN LIFE (P.5)
7 PM 30 DRUGSTORE COWBOY (P.16)
7 PM REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (P.5)
7
14
TO SEE THE SEA 1 P.19
8
2
9
16 $9 GENERAL 15 $8 PAM MEMBERS/ STUDENTS/SENIORS $6 SILVER SCREEN FRIENDS/ CHILDREN UNDER 12
10
7 PM THE BEST OF THE 41ST NORTHWEST FILMMAKERS’ FESTIVAL (P.3)
16
SINGLE OR DOUBLE FEATURE
7 PM THE LUSTY MEN (P.5)
22
2 PM EYES WIDE SHUT (P.17) 6 PM BIGGER THAN LIFE (P.5)
23
SINGLE OR DOUBLE FEATURE
8 PM REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (P.5) 7 PM JOHNNY GUITAR (P.5)
29
BALIKBAYAN P.18
31
2 PM WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES (P.16) 5 PM IN A LONELY PLACE (P.4)
5
7 PM MILK (P.17)
JUNE
11
18 BOX OFFICE OPENS 3017minutes before showtime. ADVANCE TICKETS are available online at nwfilm.org SILVER SCREEN CLUB Directors, Producers, Benefactors
4:30 PM PARTY GIRL (P.5) 7 PM KING OF KINGS (P.5) 7 PM WE CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN
30
6
WITH
DON’T EXPECT TOO MUCH (P.5)
12
13
A RIVER BETWEEN US P.3
19
All programs are single admission unless otherwise noted. Special admission prices may apply.
& Sustainers receive free admission to all REGULAR ADMISSION programs.
4:30 PM SCHOOL OF FILM STUDENT SCREENING (P.12)
20