I’m really thrilled that Shooting People is involved in so many fantastic events this month – from the Rooftop Films panels on Saturday June 13th to the Short Sighted event at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on Sunday June 21st. And now we are also doing a special screening of the powerful documentary Pray The Devil Back To Hell with producer (and all round amazing person) Abigail Disney in attendance. Please join us at DCTV on Thursday, June 25th – space is very limited so get tickets soon: http://www.dctvny.org/dctvpresents/praythedevil.html

Here’s the trailer:

We (Shooting People) have gotten together with Rooftop Films, Cinereach and IndiePix to bring you some really great filmmaking panels before the screening of Persona Non Grata at Rooftop Films this Saturday, June 13th. This is part of the Rooftop Films 4-day Panorama Weekend which runs from Wednesday to Saturday this week with fantastic films screening each night: www.rooftopfilms.com

Panel Schedule:

5:00-6:00pm

Message vs. Craft: The Art of Effective “Issue” Storytelling

When a filmmaker takes on a topic related to social justice or human rights it is often with the hope of influencing public opinion and inspiring action. To achieve that, a film must reach and engage the right audience, in the right numbers. It must also portray the human impact of the issue or problem persuasively. How does a “social issue” filmmaker balance the need to educate with the public’s desire to be entertained? How does he/she move past preaching to the choir and make a film that can become a catalyst for real change? This panel will provide advice on the above from documentary and fiction filmmakers including Justin Schein (No Impact Man), Fabio Wuytack (Persona Non Grata) and Paola Mendoza (Entre Nos), whose work successfully walks the issue/entertainment line. Leah Sapin of Arts Engine (which specializes in production and outreach for socially relevant films), and New York magazine film critic Bilge Ebiri will join the discussion, to be moderated by Lina Srivastava.

Panelists include: Lina Srivastava (consultant to non profit media companies working for social change) – moderator   Justin Schein (Co-director of No Impact Man) Fabio Wuytack (Director of Persona Non Grata) Bilge Ebiri  (film critic from New York magazine) Leah Sapin (Arts Engine) Paola Mendoza (Director of Entre Nos)

6:30-7:30pm

Filmmaking Strategy: Tips, Tools and Wisdom to Help You Make the Right Decisions For Your Film

Filmmakers have to be both artists and strategists to get their films made and seen and this is the case now more than ever as changes in funding and distribution force filmmakers to shoulder more of the crucial decisions on their own. This panel will help you learn how to be the best advocate for your film by asking all the tough questions that you will have to ask along the way. For example: How much work (and what work) do you need to achieve on your own before approaching a funder? And how can you tailor your pitch to communicate your vision to a foundation vs. an equity investor? What other funding options are there? How do you balance traditional outreach to festivals, sales agents, broadcasters, and distributors with the need to also create your own fan base? Which distribution deals do you accept? How do know when a deal is a good deal? How do you hope for the best but plan for the worst?

Panelists include: Adella Ladjevardi (Cinereach) Janet Brown (Cinetic) Liz Ogilvie (B-Side) Tia Lessin (Co-Director of Trouble the Water) Andy Bichlbaum (Co-Director of The Yes Men Fix The World) Simon Kilmurry (P.O.V.)

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2009

Venue: On the roof of the Old American Can Factory Address: 232 3rd St. @ 3rd Ave. (Gowanus/ Park Slope, Brooklyn) Directions: F/G to Carroll St. or M/R to Union Ave.

Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held indoors at the same location

5:00PM: Panel discussion: “Message vs. Craft,” outside in courtyard

6:30PM: Panel discussion: “Filmmaking Strategy,” outside in courtyard

7:30PM – 9:00PM: Reception in courtyard including free sangria courtesy of Carlo Rossi

8:30PM: Live music presented by Sound Fix Records

9:00PM: Film

The film is the US premiere of Persona Non Grata, directed by Fabio Wuytack. Prosecuted as a rebel. Banned as a priest. Committed as an artist. Loved as a father. An inspiring documentary—co-funded by the Rooftop Filmmaker Fund—about the filmmaker’s father, Franz Wuytack, a radical left-wing Belgian missionary in the slums of Venezuela in the 1960s. With a new liberal movement sweeping Latin America, and people like Wuytack needing to continue the fight for social justice in the US and around the world, this film is crucially relevant today.

It’s going to be a wonderful night! Get tickets at www.rooftopfilms.com

I’ve just been watching Dominic DeJoseph’s wonderful film, Johnny Berlin, and I’m looking forward to seeing the sequel, Johnny Berlin 2, tonight at the Anthology Film Archives where it is screening as part of the fantastic Flaherty NYC monthly series.  Jon Hyrns (aka Johnny Berlin), the subject of both films (and the star of Alex Karposky’s Woodpecker), tells sad, hilarious, wonderful stories about his life. The films are essentially monologues but don’t let this put you off because Jon sees and talks about the world and his place in it in a way that will keep you absolutely rapt throughout – he is one of those people who looks at life sideways (and backwards and upside down). He sees the humor and the sadness, but also the utter ridiculousness. One of my favorite scenes in Johnny Berlin 2 involves Jon exploring the notion of crazy wisdom with a water pistol. Come discover some of your own crazy wisdom at Anthology tonight – 7.30pm. I’ll be hosting a discusssion with Dominic DeJoseph after the screening.

We (Shooting People and DCTV) had a totally sold out screening of Miranda July short films at DCTV on Friday, people were sitting and standing EVERYWHERE. We’ve been experimenting with programming different kinds of events and this one was a definite success. Sweet Tooth of the Tiger provided delicious baked goodies and we completed assignment #63 from Learning to Love You More (Make an Encouraging Banner).

I tell you there isn’t much I like more in life than watching films, eating cupcakes and making things!

Lloyd Kaufman (The Toxic Avenger, Poultrygeist, Tromeo and Juliet – to name just a few films from his prolific output) came to DCTV last night for a Shooting People/DCTV event to talk about his career, and his latest book Direct Your Own Damn Movie!. He talked about his experience working outside the system for many decades. Troma Entertainment is one of the longest running truly independent studios (founded in 1974), an incredible achievement. I wish I had written down some of the things Kaufman said because that man has a way with words, especially words like “assholes” and “devil-worshipping corporate assholes”! But behind the satire and the humor is a very clever man with a very clever strategy for survival. You see, Kaufman said again and again how Troma has survived because of a faithful audience. This audience has supported Troma from film to film and has also prompted innovations for the company. Troma had one of the first websites in the early 90s because their fans demanded it.  Filmmakers are starting to think more strategically about their audience as technology and distribution changes (see Scott Kirsner’s latest book Fans, Friends and Followers: Building an Audience and a Creative Career in the Digital Age) – but this is something that Kaufman has always known is important.

It was a great event, Kaufman is a funny and generous man, and I am now the proud owner of an Official Troma Diploma for supporting truly independent art. Best diploma I have ever received (and probably more useful than my Critical Theory Masters!).

Dara Messinger (DCTV), me and the man himself, Lloyd Kaufman

I’m knee-deep in accounts (such fun!) but wanted to mention this free Rooftop Films screening of David Modigliani’s Crawford in Chelsea Market tonight, Monday January 12th. Live music at 7pm (Matteah Baim), film starts at 7.30pm. Free beer! It’s a special screening to say farewell to Bush – now that’s something I can drink to!

It really saddens me that calls for fair coverage of the situation in Gaza in the US press leads to accusations of anti-Semitism which then seems to stop any possible dialogue dead in its tracks. This really is the “mobius-strip of issues” right now and that can’t be good for anyone. Surely any possible solution requires that the situation is discussed openly with all the issues on the table, which is just a teeny bit difficult if the evidence is so one-sided and nobody is willing to have the conversation in the first place.

Thank goodness for Jon Stewart.

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to celebrate the festive season with Shooting People and the Manhattan Edit Workshop last night. You can’t go wrong with beer, skee ball and cupcakes it seems. I was too distracted to take any pics but the intrepid Jesse Epstein was on the case (when she wasn’t playing Buckhunter!).

I’m at the second and final day of The Conversation today. I’ve been too busy to blog but you can follow updates from me and other attendees on Twitter.

I’ll post an update when footage from the panels is put online. Lots of good ideas coming up that should be shared.

The PaleyDocFest starts tomorrow with a screening of Kristi Jacobson’s Toots, a film about the legendary New York City restaurateur Toots Shor, whose restaurant stood exactly where The Paley Center now stands apparently! I’m personally also looking forward to seeing James Moll’s Running the Sahara on October 24th. This is the unbelievable sounding story of three men who decide to run across all 4,300 miles of the Sahara Desert, averaging 50 miles per day for nearly 4 months without a single day off. As a recent convert to running, I become unbearably smug if I run 6 miles once a week so this Saharan odyssey sounds like something I have to see. I’ve also heard Eric Scott Latek’s Sweet Dreams is very good. Read Pamela Cohn’s Still In Motion review here. Other events include a Documentary Pitch Workshop and a conversation with Liv Ullmann.

Running the Sahara – rather them than me!