Filmmaker webmaster Michael Medaglia is also a talented director; I really liked his short, Kitty, Kitty — an eerie piece of psychological horror that reminded me of early Cronenberg. Here’s how he describes it: Kitty, Kitty is a short film about love, cats and brain parasites. The disturbing short was inspired by Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by a brain parasite that can change human behavior and is believe to affect up to a third of the world population. This weekend Medaglia released the film for free on VODO.net, a website that turns filesharing and torrents into a legitimate distribution avenue […]
by Scott Macaulay on Jun 14, 2011Via Nowness comes Film 1, a short by Martin de Thurah for designer Johan Lindeberg. De Thurah is best known for his Fever Ray and James Blake music videos, and his latest stars Iva Gocheva, Bogdan Kwiatkowski and Kate Lyn Sheil. It’s shot by Kaspar Tuxen, one of Filmmaker‘s 2010 “25 New Faces.” From the site: Today’s digital premiere of Martin de Thurah’s Film I spotlights Johan Lindeberg’s new BLK DNM line and takes cues from the designer’s personal life. “I went through a recent break-up and wanted to use my own dynamic to inspire the film,” Lindeberg says. “I […]
by Scott Macaulay on Feb 16, 2011To create a feature with a genuine sense of mystery pulsing beneath the filmed veneer is a rare accomplishment, but to achieve that in a short film? Next to impossible. However, Pioneer — David Lowery’s tender, moody short — is an absolute cryptogram. Little more than a father (well-played by musician/actor Will Oldham) telling a tall and violent tale about an absent mother to his young son, Pioneer manages to stay within the confines of a bedroom yet utterly transports the audience to the high altitudes of childhood imagination. Lowery’s facility to direct children was on fine display with his […]
by James Ponsoldt on Jan 28, 20112010 was a big year for Michael Mohan. His first feature, One Too Many Mornings, premiered at Sundance (and can now be watched – in its entirety – on Hulu). He directed a music video for Fitz and the Tantrums that was blogged about by Justin Timberlake (no, really). And one year later he returns to Park City with a short film, Ex-Sex. Mohan’s short about ex’s hooking up is gorgeous to look at, totally relatable, and so pitch-perfect in its bitter-sweetness that the only logical question would be: Couldn’t you make it as a feature? Please? Characters […]
by James Ponsoldt on Jan 26, 2011The Sundance Institute has announced the inaugural Shortslab: LA, a three-part, all-day workshop that will offer filmmakers inside guidance through the development, production, and exhibition of short films. Shortlabs: LA will be held Saturday, July 31st at the Downtown Independent Theater (251 South Main Street) in Los Angeles. Tickets are $150. For information or to purchase tickets visit: www.sundance.org/shortslab Here is the workshop schedule: Story Development (9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.): Acclaimed filmmakers including Sundance Film Festival alumni share their experiences working with short-form during their careers. These tales from the trenches will focus on conceptualization and script development. Participants […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 22, 2010Alex Curtis at Public Knowledge created a short two-minute clip explaining just some of what’s at stake in the upcoming battle for “net neutrality.” And here’s from Save the Internet, a new website launched by a coalition supporting net neutrality. From the site: Congress is pushing a law that would abandon Network Neutrality, the Internet’s First Amendment. Network neutrality prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you — based on what site pays them the most. Your local library shouldn’t have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to have its […]
by Scott Macaulay on Apr 22, 2006The folks who run Antville, the music site, have just launched Shortsville, a blog consisting solely of links to cool short films and commercial clips. Bookmark it now.
by Scott Macaulay on Feb 15, 2006Here’s a link to Current TV’s very smart “Survival Guide” for those who want to make short videos that can get played on the cabler. Lots of filmmakers and celebs, ranging from director Catherine Hardwicke to Sean Penn, tell you in short Quicktime films how to do everything from telling your story to taking good sound to getting the right clearances.
by Scott Macaulay on Jan 12, 2006