Don’t worry, your first film festival screening probably wasn’t as bad as mine.

Following is an account of my very first film festival screening for the feature film, LULLABY―a project we’re all very proud of but buried long ago. The film premiered at the 2000 Fort Worth Film Festival (now Lone Star International Film Festival) and went on to screen at the Dallas VideoFest (still going strong). Writer/director, David Lowery, was responsible for keeping the film alive; but last I heard, he’d copied over it, or something. And I haven’t seen my SVHS copy since I graduated college in 2002. Such is life. Introduced by David, and originally published on his website, here’s my accounting of our very first screening at the Black Dog Tavern in Fort Worth (now defunct).

Lullaby First Screening Review

Well, both screenings are now over. The Saturday show was great; however, with the screening on Friday, we had both the honor and the nightmare of being the very first film to play at the Fort Worth Film Festival (and it was more of a nightmare); they obviously hadn’t given their equipment much testing prior to the screenings. Luckily, as I predicted, hardly anyone showed up. Adam was there, though, and he has provided this first hand account of an experience no indie filmmaker wants to go through. So without further ado:

The room was dark―black―the very essence of its name. As I ran into the Black Dog Tavern to present the first screening of “Lullaby”; with sweat pouring down my cheeks and soaking my Kenneth Cole shirt, and rainwater having already dampened my freshly polished Versace shoes, I realized, as I was already five minutes late to the screening with a fresh tape―re-edited, color washed out and sound enhanced―that it was going to be a very long day. Running inside, I was confronted by one of the festival guys: “Are you the filmmaker?” he asked. “Yeah, I’m representing the film,” I responded quickly, “and I’ve got the refined tape.”

I addressed the audience, which consisted of two women at the front table whom I had never seen before; one guy directly behind them and to my right who I think may have been associated with the film playing directly after “Lullaby”; Doug’s father behind him; a good friend of mine, Evan, to the far left, my sister and her friend, Kevin behind Evan; my mother, directly behind them; and two club guys running around. They seemed relieved when the new tape came in, and I was too, despite the fact that I ran all the way from 1st to 8th street and four blocks of cross streets to get there. Panting and sweating harder then ever, I apologized for the delay as the club guys put in the new tape and pressed play. “Great,” I thought, “everything should be fine now.” But to my horror, everything went horribly wrong. The black and white contrast in the images was blurred and shaky, making it impossible to see what was going on at key points in the film. We stopped the film, and I ran to a corner and called David. No answer, so I left a frantic message on his voicemail.

A few minutes later he called and told me to apologize and cancel the screening. I couldn’t do that―most of the people who had gone out there were there to support us totally and I couldn’t take that away from them. So, the club guy went and got another VCR. Twenty minutes later as I was at the end of the bar out of sight, drinking a glass of water, and hiding my face, the VCR came. We plugged it in, taking another slight delay. Relieved once again, I prayed that the movie would run right.

Did it? Of course not, same problem occurred, albeit a tiny bit cleared up. The only thing that kept me from stopping the film altogether was the fact that no one left during the screening. I mean, the most exciting thing that happened during the screening was when the beer guy came with the beer and when an electrician started working outside the bar and then came in and said, “You’re online.” The screening sucked and the worst part was thanking everyone for coming at the end and having to hide my anguish and fear. However, the guy that I didn’t know asked for the website, so I guess that’s good. But, all in all, it was a pretty bad screening. And of course, when I took the tape home and played it on my Super VHS VCR, it worked fine. Bummer.

The less known half of Road Dog,
Adam Donaghey

Stay tuned for a report on the GREATLY IMPROVED Saturday show (we brought our own VCR)…

Filed under: Film Festivals, Fort Worth Film Festival, LULLABY

Maryland Film Fest Wrap Up -or- Yeah, I’ll Continue to Produce Movies

It’s now officially been a year since I upped the ante and started doing film full time. Oddly enough, the Maryland Film Festival, which takes place in May, accurately marks this decision. Last year, ST. NICK screened at the festival and I flew in from Huntsville, Alabama. Upon my return, I immediately packed my belongings and drove back to the Clear Lake Area. Partly due to the fact that I wanted to be closer to my sweetheart and partly because the passion for selling storm restoration services (yep, that’s what I used to do) had completely fizzled out and died. Since then, I haven’t looked back.

This year, EARTHLING, LOVERS OF HATE and MY MOM SMOKES WEED all screened in Maryland. One of the coolest filmmaker hangout festivals in the country, the Maryland Film Festival knows how to show its filmmakers a good time. This year, I got in early enough on Thursday to enjoy some of the sights in the Mount Vernon Historic District before slamming headfirst into films and parties. Strolling through the historic square, I took a gander at the (original) Washington Monument and ducked into The Walters Art Museum before meeting up with friends (including fellow Houstonian, Kelly Sears!) for a relaxing dinner where I sampled famous Maryland crab cakes and cream of crab soup.

As most of you know already, I’m quite a food lover; and Maryland certainly delivers. Golden West Cafe once again catered “Tent City”―the center of festival happenings―where the filmmakers lounge and most importantly, where all the eats and drinks are located. Nonstop complimentary made-to-order food and drink service from around noon to nine is always a plus. I believe I engulfed three rare buffalo bacon burgers in three days. Other complimentary food opportunities included smoked salmon and mussels at the filmmakers’ champagne reception and a gluttonous feast of good ole’ fashioned barbequed brisket at the closing night party.

Along with gorging myself, I happened to catch some really great films as well. The screenings of my films all went really well and the response during Q&A was positive. Maryland is a noncompetitive festival and totally laid back, so it’s a really great forum to hang out with other filmmakers and see lots of films you haven’t had a chance to check out. I used this festival to play catch-up and see some films by friends or acquaintances of mine that I hadn’t had a chance to catch at Sundance or South By Southwest.

DADDY LONGLEGS, a film by Josh and Benny Safdie―ultra-DIY filmmakers with no concern for things like permissions or permits―premiered at Cannes and stars fellow filmmaker and friend, Ronnie Bronstein, as Lenny, a father who’s mastered the art of making life as difficult as possible. Needy, helpless and downright impossible to deal with, DADDY LONGLEGS takes us through a short annual two week period where this completely devoted yet utterly hapless father has custody of his two kids. Most intriguing is the fact that Lenny’s character is based on the Safdie’s real-life father. And so, the film is both a subtly empathetic character study and a disturbingly sentimental portrait of a reckless and irresponsible individual. Distributed through IFC Films, DADDY LONGLEGS is currently in theaters and on demand.

Also picked up by IFC was Aaron Katz’ COLD WEATHER, which bowed at SXSW this year. Katz is often attributed to the esoteric genre “mumblecore.” Sort of a filmmakers and industry only club, mumblecore describes naturalistic, highly improvised low-budget films that started popping up at SXSW circa 2005. COLD WEATHER marks a different approach to the oddly coined genre in that it’s shot beautifully on the RED ONE and mixes in a mystery element, giving the film a richer, more intense, feel. At the same time, the mystery element is really, and brilliantly, beside the point―this film is really dealing with personal relationships of “mumbly” twenty-somethings.

Austin filmmaker and mumblecore actor, Mark Duplass stars in MARS, a film by UT professor Geoff Marslett. MARS is an animated feature about a group of laid back astronauts on a mission to land on the red planet, MARS, amidst a world who doesn’t really care about space travel anymore. An ominous tale of what’s to come; basically, it’s pretty darn close to the world we live in now. With Kinky Friedman playing himself as the President of the United States and quirky sub-genius characters playing highly-skilled astronauts, the film is definitely Austin-based. Marslett actually developed the method of animation used in the film. The film has not yet been acquired.

After leaving Maryland this time around, I was greeted at the airport by my sweetheart and we drove home to Kemah. In an weird sense of justification for the choices I’ve made, I’ve recently become attached to several other projects coming up throughout the year. Even weirder, however, is the fact that AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK, which premiered earlier this year at SXSW, will be having its hometown premiere in Chicago at the Gene Siskel Film Center this month; while the company I represented doing storm restoration is also currently in Chicago selling exterior services after a hailstorm ravaged the northwest suburbs. I’m really not sure what that means; but I am certain I’m too busy to worry about it.

Originally Published in The SCENE Magazine – June 2010

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Filed under: Film Festivals, SCENE Magazine, Baltimore MD, Maryland Film Festival

Dallas Film Festival Loses AFI Affiliation, Gains Independence

The 2010 DALLAS International Film Festival (DIFF) was a tightly run, well-organized and managed event this year; contrary to concerns about the success of the festival sans its American Film Institute (AFI) affiliation. The Dallas Film Society clearly took its role very seriously in maintaining a well-ordered machine, in order to provide festival quality films, along with balancing out celebrity appearances. Now that the red carpet’s been rolled up and the dust has settled―and yet people are still talking about the festival―we can see it from a much clearer perspective.

Chairman of the Board and face of the festival, Michael Cain, has taken what began as a small, independent film festival (Deep Ellum Film Festival) and turned it into what it is today. Not only should a film festival screen amazing, cutting edge films; but at the helm should be all the filmmakers who make these films. Taking care of the individuals behind the films is of utmost importance with regards to festival experience. Dallas knows how to take care of its filmmakers.

This year marked my third anniversary of attending the festival as a filmmaker and I can safely say it’s been my favorite experience thus far. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that I’ve met so many people in the last three years involved with the festival, the press who covers the festival and Dallas film culture in general. But ultimately, I found myself at a festival where a filmmaker can screen his or her film and not get lost in the shuffle of A-list celebrities and big-budgeted films. Not that there weren’t a ton of A-list celebrities and big-budgeted films! There were. But this has to do with the organization of the festival as a whole. In Dallas, it doesn’t matter how successful you are; as long as you’re a filmmaker, you get the rock star treatment. Personally, my week was filled with red carpet appearances, interviews and publicity spots―and I didn’t even star in, write or direct the films I’m associated with!

This year I had two films I produced at the festival, LOVERS OF HATE and EARTHLING. While both films did really well, EARTHLING stole the show―probably having something to do with all the pre-festival press it received as well as being one of Dallas Observer’s most anticipated films of the fest. Not only did it sell out its two scheduled screenings; but received a third screening at the Dallas Museum of Art to accommodate those folks turned away. Several other films received the same treatment due to the foresight and flexibility of DIFF staff.

Aside from packed houses and successful screenings, DIFF cleverly balanced its festival-quality content with all sorts of celebrities, award-winning filmmakers and loads of events and parties. Texas native and Fort Worth regular, Bill Paxton, who I’ve met on several other occasions, was seen at all the events over opening weekend. I also had a great deal of time to spend with my friend, Jeff Scheftel (writer/director/producer “Biography” & “Modern Marvels”) who was there with a Darfur doc, THE LAST SURVIVOR. Bummed about missing WINTER’S BONE for the third festival in a row (it premiered at Sundance), I was relieved when I had a chance to catch up with lead actor and Texas lover, John Hawkes. Additionally, meeting Frank Darabont (writer/director THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION & THE GREEN MILE), Tim McCanlies (writer THE IRON GIANT), and actress Karen Black (EASY RIDER) were high points. The low point was meeting Clint Howard in an elevator and not recognizing him until long after I’d put my foot in my mouth―oh well, he silently forgave me by accepting my Facebook request!

Most of the official parties took place at the Palomar Hotel (across from the Angelika Theatre in Uptown Dallas, the venue for most of the screenings); and DIFF, who’s been known for its festival lounge in the past, certainly didn’t let us down this year. The lounge boasted three arcade machines (with tons of games on each), Billiards, a Foosball table, Wii, full service open bar all ten days, DJ, and “DallasFest After Dark” presented by Red Carpet Crash and Bigfanboy.com nightly coverage. Suffice it to say, the lounge was certainly a convenient destination point for filmmakers, press and festival guests.

Dallas has certainly come a long way with its festival; and as long as strong programming and a welcoming attitude continue to prevail, I’m certain the festival will thrive for years to come. Kudos to the DIFF staff. You can bet I’ll attend next year!

More coverage of film related stuff, with links to all the pics, on my blog at www.adamdonaghey.com and please follow me on Twitter @adamdonaghey and Facebook!

Look out for LOVERS OF HATE, still available On Demand from the Independent Film Channel, and EARTHLING at these film festivals in May: LOVERS at 360 | 365 (ST. NICK is also screening), both LOVERS & EARTHLING, along with MY MOM SMOKES WEED at Maryland, EARTHLING at Santa Cruz and a special screening at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

***Originally published in The SCENE Magazine – May 2010***

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Filed under: Film Festivals, SCENE Magazine, Dallas Int'l Film Festival, EARTHLING, LOVERS OF HATE

2010 South By Southwest Film Festival

The South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas is consistently one of my favorite times of year. This year marked my fourth anniversary attending the festival and, with two films world-premiering (EARTHLING & AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK) and another screening (LOVERS OF HATE, which premiered at Sundance), I was certainly a busy bee! SXSW was jam packed with film industry folks, celebrities, distributors, press and publicity, festival programmers and movie lovers from all over the world. Unfortunately, as much as I love selling out screenings, people were turned away in droves―one issue, I believe, SXSW is remedying next year. As swamped as I was with my own films, I did have a limited opportunity to catch some other people’s films, along with sitting in on a few panels and attending as many parties and film-related events as I could.

The Houston area, in particular, was on the scene in Austin this year with its own party, featuring an appearance by former Houston mayor Bill White, celebrating Houston at SXSW. Several films at the festival were shot in the area and/or documented all things Houstonian; one of those films, FOR THE SAKE OF THE SONG: THE STORY OF ANDERSON FAIR, I actually caught a few days before SXSW, when I happened upon an invitation to a cast and crew screening. As the title suggests, the film documents legendary hippy folk music venue, Anderson Fair. With heartfelt testaments and rare footage from true troubadours like Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt and especially Lyle Lovett―who’s extensively interviewed―the film unfolds a story about an eccentric place where volunteers and performers were paid in spaghetti and the music was all that mattered.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Belgium, the town of MARWENCOL is busy drinking and dancing and fighting off Nazis. Made from 12” G.I. Joe figures and catfighting Barbie Dolls, the inhabitants of MARWENCOL, are mostly all named for real people who’ve interacted with their creator, Mark Hogancamp. Having suffered from brain damage and amnesia after a viscous assault, Hogancamp, in a bout of self-therapy, spends the vast majority of his time building his town, setting scenes, and coping with the horror he knows happened but can’t recall. Not only has Hogancamp built this town in his backyard, but he’s got thousands and thousands of amazing photographs and detailed stories to go with them. The intricate stories set him apart from other hobbyists and toy photographers, but what’s most interesting is that he’s doing all of this while investigating who he was in the past and discovering who he is now.

Other discoveries made at SXSW was painterly shot short doc, SELTZER WORKS, featuring the last bottler in Brooklyn discussing the finer points of bottling seltzer and why it’s a dying trade―women in the workforce, old folks retiring to Florida, one-liter bottles at supermarkets; super bizarre psychedelic trip, ENTER THE VOID, which takes several turns for the weird, culminating in the rebirth of the lead via his sister; and KICK ASS―probably one of the most intense, adrenaline-packed cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. But most appealing were the short festival bumpers―SXSW is notorious for having some of the best on the circuit―which preceded every screening. David Lowery (ST. NICK) was given the prestigious honor of creating four of the five this year. Each “handmade“ piece presents an idea that film, as we know is, is changing―the way films are made and the way films are presented. Most disturbing was a piece where a filmmaker’s head suddenly bursts into flames.

As far as my own films are concerned, we had a great turnout for all of them and most of the screenings were completely sold out. According to io9, EARTHLING is “destined for cult status” and Karina Longworth, film editor for the LA Weekly, writes, “Unjustly underbuzzed was AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK”―perhaps we should have hired a publicist after all! LOVERS OF HATE, which the New York Times called “viciously amusing,” was the feature of an NPR broadcast and became available on IFC On Demand concurrent with the festival. Each of the films has a long festival road ahead and LOVERS OF HATE will go theatrical later this year. Additionally, Lowery, my producing partner James M. Johnston, and I, met with our distributor for ST. NICK. We’re currently preparing deliverables in an effort to get the film out on DVD by the end of the year. A limited theatrical release is also in negotiations. Next up for me is the Dallas International Film Festival, taking place the second week of April; EARTHLING and LOVERS OF HATE will be screening and we’ll be announcing another project as well.

The year’s been great so far, dear readers; and I’m certain it will only get better. To prove this point, I’ll ask that you keep up with my endeavors, not only in The SCENE Magazine, but also on my website at www.adamdonaghey.com. And add me on Facebook; but when you do, mention The SCENE!

***Originally published in the April 2010 edition of The SCENE Magazine***

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Filed under: Film Festivals, SCENE Magazine, AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK, EARTHLING, LOVERS OF HATE, SXSW

2010 Comicpalooza Houston

EARTHLING will have its Houston premiere at Comicpalooza this weekend! I’ll also be speaking on a low-budget science fiction panel and “handling” Nicholas Brendon! Also, a screening of BLOOD ON THE HIGHWAY (which I play a small part in)! Come see me and Barak Epstein at our booth!!

My schedule of events:

BLOOD ON THE HIGHWAY Screening:

• Saturday, March 27 at 11:00 a.m. (George R. Brown Theater C)

Low-Budget Science Fiction Panel:

• Saturday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m. (Room 330)

EARTHLING Screening:

• Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. (George R. Brown Theater C)

www.comicpalooza.com

This post will be updated

Filed under: Film Festivals, BLOOD ON THE HIGHWAY, Comicpalooza, EARTHLING

SXSW Gets All Existential with AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK and EARTHLING

As a film producer, I’m constantly focusing on choosing the right productions to get involved with and for the right reasons. Interested in quality projects that are philosophically viable, it is no surprise that the following two films―both of which will premiere at the 2010 South By Southwest Film Festival―explore the inherent existential obstacles all of us face at introspective times of self-reflection. In two very different ways.

AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK, written and directed by Frank V. Ross, is a comedy dealing with the existential plights of everyday working people from a practical, real-world basis. Written from the vantage point of a guy who’s caught in the middle of this lifestyle―Frank’s waited tables for ten years now―the film realistically depicts a purchaser, Ron Hogan, who’s stuck in the monotonous nine-to-five routine―and he’s ready to snap.

Coming to terms with one’s self while struggling to make ends meet is a desperate and oftentimes quiet, personal conflict. Dealing with this struggle in a purely psychological manner, Frank doesn’t take the easy way out and resort to the old working-guy-goes-postal routine. Instead, we find ourselves caught up in Ron’s workaday life and we find him coming to terms with the fact that he might be trapped in his own mundane existence. His rage rests inside his head, beating on the inner walls of his skull. But the ultimate travesty is not that Ron manifests this rage; it’s that he suppresses it. His only out may be to find another working stiff, Stacy, who shares his lonely sentiments.

Financing this film in its entirety on a dare, I quickly found that people just flock to help out Frank. He’s a no nonsense, likable guy who will do anything to get his movies made. And I was lucky enough to be approached with the project. Somehow he managed to get acclaimed jazz musician, John Medeski, to score the film. And the process was truly unique. They’d just sit around and watch the movie and John would play something and Frank would jump up and down and clap when he heard something he liked.

AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK stars Anthony Baker as Ron Hogan―he’s been in all five of Frank’s films. Playing opposite Anthony is Danny Rhodes, Ron’s roommate, Scott. Stacy is played by Alexi Wasser, who’s built quite a following from her “Boy Crazy” shorts series. The film features cameos from Rebecca Spence (GRACE IS GONE, PUBLIC ENEMIES), Jess Weixler (TEETH, ALEXANDER THE LAST), Joe Swanberg (HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS, ALEXANDER THE LAST), and Nick Offerman (SIN CITY, “PARKS AND RECREATION”).

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Is there meaning in life or is the search for meaning fruitless and will therefore ultimately fail? Is this search merely motivated by the dreadful notion that life is absurd and nonsensical? Anxiety and despair have fueled philosophers with such questions for ages. Billed as a lo-fi sci-fi fable, EARTHLING, written and directed by Clay Liford, physically manifests these questions and focuses on alienation. What would happen if you woke up one day and found an intense disconnect with society and the world around you? Less interested in typical science fiction plot lines, EARTHLING is more of a portrait―a character study―of one person who finds that she’s literally living the life of a different person.

Judith is a high-school teacher in the midst of a personal crisis. She’s unable to conceive and it’s creating personal strife and a separation between herself and her husband. Meanwhile, a crew aboard an orbital space station discover a strange object―perhaps a living seed?―which, upon contact with one of the crew members, sends out an electrical pulse that results in a global brownout on Earth. Judith is immediately plagued with haunted dreams of this astronaut and is eventually found by a small group of other people having similar dreams. Refusing to rely solely on what these people are telling her, Judith takes matters into her own hands. While investigating who she is and where she might come from, Judith discovers that she indeed must make a choice: continue living in her false state of existence, or find a way back home. Those sharing her unique predicament have already made up their minds and they intend to force Judith to make the same choice.

Utilizing a minimal budget, I was amazed that we pulled off all the special effects―both practical and computer generated. Choosing what to show and what not to show were the secret to our success. The imagination works wonders when the artist chooses to tease the audience with subtle imagery, rather than explicitly bombard them. It’s interesting how primitive and natural the film appears at most moments; yet it’s juxtaposed with a fantastic, almost magical, storyline.

EARTHLING stars Rebecca Spence as the film’s protagonist, who I met on the set of AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK six months prior to principle photography on EARTHLING. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but for some reason I kept imagining her as Judith while reading the script. I brought this to the attention of Clay and he immediately saw her as the lead. Her husband is played by Chris Doubek, who I met on the set of LOVERS OF HATE. Up-and-comer, and Austin native, Amelia Turner, plays opposite Judith. Her odd, playful manner lightens the overwhelmingly serious nature of the film (that is, until she has an existential breakdown). Matt Socia plays the astronaut who encounters the seed pod and Jennifer Sipes plays his sister. Thanks to some of our other producers, we were able to land Peter Greene (PULP FICTION, THE MASK, THE USUAL SUSPECTS) and William Katt (“THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO,” HOUSE) in two crucial roles. Savanna Sears, who played the little girl in ST. NICK, even got in on the action, playing a creepy, pregnant little girl.

EARTHLING will beam up to a theatre near you (if you’re in Austin) at the 2010 South By Southwest Film Festival at the following dates, times and venues:

• Sunday, March 14 at 11:30 a.m. (Alamo Ritz 1)
• Monday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. (Alamo Lamar 3)
• Thursday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. (ACC)

More info at www.everythingcomesfromthewater.com

Don’t get in a train wreck on your way to AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK at the following dates, times and venues:

• Monday, March 15 at 12:00 p.m. (Alamo Ritz 2)
• Wednesday, March 17 at 11:30 a.m. (Alamo Lamar 2)

More info at www.audreythetrainwreck.com

Originally published in The SCENE Magazine – March 2010

Filed under: Film Festivals, AUDREY THE TRAINWRECK, EARTHLING, SXSW

LOVERS OF HATE Successfully Premieres at Sundance 2010

LOVERS OF HATE Cast/Crew – Photo Courtesy, Adam Roffman

There’s a certain sense of spectacle and wonder when you’re 7,000 feet above sea-level in Park City, Utah, during the last ten days of January. As you walk down Main Street in the bitter cold, the air is thinner and your breaths shorter. Strings of light glimmer in the night and during the day, despite the weather, there’s a hustle of film industry and festival goers that crowd the sidewalks. As you pass the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre and see the words “Sundance Film Festival” boldly displayed on the marquee, a sense of accomplishment courses through your veins. Whether you’re there to support your own film or just to watch new innovations in independent filmmaking, you’ve found yourself a part of an important paradigm shift in cinema. This is where new trends in filmmaking begin.

In last month’s column, I introduced the two films I was involved in that were graciously invited to screen at this year’s Sundance. Being there and witnessing spectacular moments of glee and tears of joy as the directors of these films, caught in the limelight, reacted to all the hubbub, was a real treat. Although, as a producer, I stand in the shade, that giddy feeling came over me as well. I sat quietly in my seat at the premiere of LOVERS OF HATE and watched as writer/director, Bryan Poyser, walked on stage, already teary-eyed. Exactly one week after getting the call from Sundance on November 23rd, Bryan received another call informing him that his father, Kennedy Orville Poyser, had passed away. As Bryan introduced the film and announced his dedication of it to his father, the tears began to flow and he forced a laugh, promising the audience that it was indeed a comedy. I was particularly touched due to the fact that I had met his father when he owned a comic book shop across the street from the University of North Texas in Denton, while I was going to college, seven or so years prior to meeting Bryan.

LOH is a grown-up film and it’s a very real film. It doesn’t take the easy way out and make “movie characters,” as Bryan puts it, out of the actors. Instead, these actors genuinely feel like real people with real emotions and because of this, the audience sometimes isn’t quite sure how to react. All of the screenings were filled with intensity at some moments and boisterous belly-laughing at others. The queasy, uneasy feelings during uncomfortable moments, subsided with the hilarity of the general situation; and the audience played right along.

For me, each screening presented the film in a new light and to an ever-changing audience. As stated above, the premiere began in tears and might have ended in tears as well. I know it did for me. And it was the culmination of the film itself―the ridiculously amazing performances of actors Alex Karpovsky, Chris Doubek and Heather Kafka―and the fact that we were all right here in Park City in the snowy cold premiering a film Bryan had only just conceived of two years ago (in Park City, during Sundance 2008) and filmed one year ago (partially in Park City, right after Sundance 2009). For a moment it really hit me hard, as I realized how insanely lucky I truly was to have gotten the opportunity to help this film in its fruition. And I was really here, at Sundance; arguably the second most prestigious film festival in the world―second only to Cannes. That’s one of those rare feelings I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

I regret missing the second screening of LOH; however, I attended the third screening in Salt Lake City and, of the three (out of five) I actually caught, it proved to be my favorite. The great thing about having a screening in Salt Lake City is you’re almost guaranteed to have a majority of the house packed with locals just wanting to watch movies. The likelihood of having a great deal of press, industry or other filmmakers is quite slim―mainly, because the drive from Park City to SLC inconveniently requires finding transportation. But when you do get out there, the entire vibe changes. Suddenly, you’re no longer in the hustle and bustle of one of the great film events in the world; instead, you’re just a guy trying to order a sidecar at a local bar because you have no idea how to order a drink in Utah.

A very small group of us went to this particular screening; consisting of me, Bryan and the actors (and a few friends). Bryan introduced the film and we watched the opening sequence and then we hit Johnny’s, a local bar serving up enormous plastic mugs full of intensely weak draft beer. The savvy drinker orders a Hops Rising beer in a bottle at 9% alcohol per volume. Because Utah’s infamous liquor laws don’t apply to bottled beer sold in drinking establishments, the state has several such bottled delights. But the real delight was just hanging out in a total dive, drinking excessive amounts of beer, smack dab in the middle of a city that largely frowns upon alcohol consumption.

After guzzling down our spirited libations, we made our way back just in time to catch our film’s climatic conclusion. The audience appeared knee-deep in the movie and the majority stuck around for a Q&A that rivals any I’ve ever attended. Slightly lit, Bryan and the actors took the stage and entertained the audience with anecdotes and witty repartee, encouraging the audience to ask some really well-thought out questions. The actors talked about Bryan’s rehearsal and introductory process―an interesting combination of what you might find on the first day of kindergarten or at a retreat sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous; they mentioned oddball outtakes and noted uniquely phrased improvised dialogue. Laughter ensued as the audience took it all in and the people on stage were obviously just having a really fun time. Chris Doubek, who plays a jaded failure of an elder brother, resentful of everyone around him, noted the real importance of the venue―this wasn’t a theatre created for the festival or even an art house; this was a real theatre, packed with real people. You could hear the munching of popcorn and slurping of soft drinks; and there were no expectations. This was pure entertainment.

My final screening took place in the famed Eccles Theatre, located in a high school and boasts a 1,300 seating capacity. I’d say we had at least 800 people packed in there―nearly three times the usual screening. Most of the cast and crew, who attended the festival, stayed for the duration of the film. Throughout the screening, I heard roars of laughter and gasps of breath and found myself taking part as I watched the film yet again with a new set of eyes. Hilarious, dark and quirky, LOH is a film I’m intensely proud to be a part of. It’s been reviewed by the likes of The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, L.A. Weekly and The New York Times. We’ve got a long festival road ahead of us; but nothing will be quite like our Sundance experience. Find out more at www.loversofhatethemovie.com.

Adam Donaghey is an award-winning film producer from Texas and his website is www.adamdonaghey.com.

*** Originally published in The SCENE Magazine – February, 2010 ***

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Filed under: Film Festivals, LOVERS OF HATE, Sundance

Let’s Go Exploring!

Two years ago I wrote a blog entry using the title above. We were on the brink of shooting ST. NICK (my first feature film) and, in addition to the conventional impetus during the transition from December to January, I was feeling particularly inspired, partly because director David Lowery and I had just finished scouting the ranch location where, “along with prospecting the land for great shots, we made friends with the cows, the buffalo, and the horses – particularly an overzealous glass-eyed horse with a propensity for biting.” My response to our visit to the ranch had little to do with movie making and more to do with childlike experiences. A renewed spirit had overcome me and this playful mentality seemed to course through the veins of everyone involved with ST. NICK from start to finish. Now, as we enter the second decade of the 21st century, that stimulating sentiment has returned, and I’ll set my sights toward newer projects on the horizon.

The year is looking promising already. In late January, I’ll find myself surrounded by snow in Park City, Utah, at the Sundance Film Festival. Founded, in part, by Robert Redford, Sundance has long been the most prestigious independent film festival in the country. When I was in high school, making short films in lieu of doing homework, I dreamed of one day premiering a film at Sundance. This year I’ve got two films playing there: LOVERS OF HATE (written and directed by Independent Spirit nominee Bryan Poyser) will be making its world premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section and Clay Liford’s short, MY MOM SMOKES WEED, will be screening in a shorts block program.

A dark comedy, surrounding two adult brothers in love with the same woman, LOH relies on deep-seated sibling rivalry to present a convincing tale of deceit. Rudy Lucas is a complete and utter failure at everything. Recently separated from but still in love with his wife Diana, Rudy lives in his car, barely holding on to his job as a door-to-door fact collector for the U.S. Census Bureau. He showers at the car wash or at the homes of unsuspecting home dwellers, constantly bugs his soon-to-be ex-wife, and is all-too-obviously jealous of the success of his younger brother Paul. A children’s author of fantasy tales in the spirit of the Harry Potter ilk, Paul dedicates every one of his best selling novels to his older brother – his inspiration for the lead character and childhood co-collaborator. Oddly enough, upon watching the film you’ll get a few second’s glance at me playing the only “grown-up Paul Lucas fan,” as the author reads a selection from his latest novel. An opportunity arises and Diana decides to visit Paul at a mammoth ski lodge, incidentally located in Park City, while he’s writing a new book. Soon after, Rudy takes a road trip of his own, and, as the intimate moments between Paul and Diana play out, the unexpected visitor silently follows their every move, as he hides in closets and peeks around staircases. Upon discovering the sneaky housemate, tension rises and unexpected events unfold in a climatic, despairing finale.

MMSW premiered at the 2008 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. The film garnered the attention of critics and film programmers as it made its way on the festival circuit via some of the smaller, hip festivals. Sundance caught wind of this and invited the film to screen in 2010. While obviously the film centers around Marijuana, the story is thematically concerned with the unsettling relationship of a mildly resentful, uptight son and his loose, septuagenarian mother. Tension mounts from the very beginning as a disappointed son enters his mother’s smoke-filled room. Although happy to see him, his aging mother has difficulty rising up to hug her visiting son. As if it were a chore, he uneasily helps her up. The mood sets in and the audience is bombarded with awkwardly, uncomfortable situations throughout the film. Apparently, mom has set up a drug deal and her son is to provide transportation. Overly against the whole deal, he reluctantly agrees to drive, though mother and son argue about how to get there the entire way. Upon arrival at the drug dealers’ apartment, the son is filled with anxiety as the pot heads sample the product, and steps outside for some air. Paranoid and distraught, his only recourse is to spill the beans about he and his mother’s relationship, while one of the druggies listens. A moment of satisfaction turns completely topsy turvy as the situation culminates with consternation and the son finds himself in a most compromising predicament.

In addition to screening these two films, I intend to announce several other projects at Sundance, to be shot in 2010. I also have two other films set to premiere at later festivals and one other film currently on the circuit; although, dear readers, you’ll have to wait for another column or check my blog for news. The title “Let’s Go Exploring!” comes from Calvin’s final words to his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, as they embark on their final documented journey in Bill Watterson’s final Calvin and Hobbes strip, published December 31, 1995. The inseparable duo enter the strip, sled in hand, after a hard snow the night before. Hobbes remarks, “Everything familiar has disappeared! The world looks brand-new!” to which Calvin responds, “A new year… A fresh, clean start!” making it quite clear that despite the retiring of the comic strip, the journey will continue off the newspaper pages. As I type this, the year hasn’t quite ended and amidst feelings of complete satisfaction at where this year has taken me, I’ve got a childlike anxiety about entering the new year. It certainly is a fresh, clean start; and I’m ready to explore.

Learn more about Adam and his films at www.adamdonaghey.com

*** Article originally published in The SCENE Magazine – January 2010 ***



Filed under: Film Festivals, SCENE Magazine, LOVERS OF HATE, MY MOM SMOKES WEED, ST. NICK, Sundance

On Assignment from Greece

Publisher’s Note: SCENE Film Columnist Adam Donaghey filed this column while on assignment in Greece at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival using his iPhone. Typing 1200 words on a phone with an Ouzo-fueled buzz further displays Donaghey’s commitment to promoting independent film in the Bay Area.

The Thessaloniki International Film Festival celebrated its fiftieth anniversary this year and ST. NICK chose this festival in Greece to make its world premiere. I arrived via train and conversed with a Greek most of the way. He showed me where my five star hotel was and the staff graciously allowed me to check in at 8AM. I slept a great deal that day, but eventually met up with my coherts in crime, who arrived much later. TIFF is especially interesting because of the films they program. A great deal of the films I saw, I just won’t get to see in the States. Perhaps if I purchase a DVD or maybe, just maybe, some of them might be available on Netflix; but a great deal of them I’d never get to see again, and certainly not on the big screen.

Both of our screenings were packed full of festival goers and industry people; but mostly Greek cinema goers. It’s really a treat to see such an interest in festival films from the masses. As the film played and the Greek subtitles flurried onto the screen, I found myself in a quasi state of a European trance. The festival even flew out the real stars of the show: our child actors, Tucker and Savanna Sears. What a treat it must have been for them to see themselves onscreen amidst a packed house of non-English speaking people. It was all very surreal and an excellent opportunity for travel!

The real highlight of the festival for me, though, was discovering Werner Herzog. I’ve known of the man for quite sometime, as he’s something of a legend; but not in such depth. Herzog has directed over fifty films; a hodgepodge of features, shorts, narratives and documentaries. His work has been well-received and awarded at major festivals all over the world, and he was nominated for an Academy Award in 2008. Most recently, he’s premiered two films for 2009: MY SON, MY SON, WHAT HAVE YE DONE? and THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS. The latter, starring Nicolas Cage, is now playing in theaters. Both films merely scratch the surface of Herzog’s ouvre, but would be interesting introductions.

The festival’s retrospective screened every one of his films, twice. Herzog also garnered a Golden Alexander-the primo award of the festival-and gave a master class. I was bombarded with a true master of storytelling and documentaries of, as he puts it, “ecstatic truth!”

Herzog proclaims that “cinema knows no mercy.” He says one should not be a fly on the wall when filming a documentary, but a hornet stirring things up. He’s known for his stylized style; he even directs the participants in his film to make sure he gets what he wants. This way he can avoid the “brainless idiocy” of cinema verite. Instead of simply observing the facts, he finds a deeper way to experience truth.

Many of his narratives are inspired by, and very loosely based on, extraordinary events. Herzog’s vision is not clouded with outside sources. He claims to see no more than two or three films a year. What makes him a true gem is that his decisions can’t be influenced. He’s written all but a few of the films he’s directed and maintains complete control over all of them. A-list actors like Christian Bale, Tim Roth, Willem Dafoe and most recently, Nicolas Cage, work with Herzog simply to work with Herzog; they don’t do it for the money. A rogue filmmaker, at heart, Herzog announced loudly that in this digital age we live in he won’t accept any excuses from a wannabe filmmaker. Cameras are readily available and if you can’t afford one, “steal one,” he says.

According to Herzog, “The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.” I’m composing this month’s article from a hostel in the heart of Tuscany-Florence, Italy. The church bells just finished ringing as the sun sets. It’s quite cold and rainy outside today, so it seemed like as good a time as any to write my column; that, and my deadline was two days ago. I’m enjoying the art and architecture of Italy during the low season with quieter scenic areas and cheaper lodging.

I began my trip in Athens and the view atop the Acropolis is a sight to be seen indeed! It’s truly phenomenal to experience structures thousands of year old, up close. The Temple of Olympian Zeus stands a whopping seventeen meters high and I actually sat in the Theatre of Dionysos! After five full days of exploring, I took a train to Thessaloniki and watched as many movies as I could.

I caught a flight to Rome and was yet again amazed by the ancient Roman ruins. I recommend viewing the Colloseum at night, so as to avoid a barrage of tour guides soliciting their services and Roman soldiers begging you to take their pictures.

Whether you like his films or not, Herzog is quite an inspiration. He’s traveled across the globe and seen more than most people. The vast majority of his films deal with obscure individuals with unlikely talents or extraordinary hopes and dreams. Oftentimes, it’s man against nature and it’s a toss up as to who will win-and of course, to what end. Typically his characters are driven insane by both their passions and their downfalls. Herzog’s films can be hopeful or despondent, enlightening or frightening. Most important though, is that his films are informative and entertaining at the same time. He takes great care in crafting images on screen so as to interest his audience.

ST. NICK has basically run its course for this year and we’ll be announcing a distribution deal by the beginning of the new year. When asked if Herzog would change anything about his films, he was quite clear that he wouldn’t. His films are his children and because of that he wouldn’t change a thing. I feel the same way about ST. NICK. Sure there are subtle details that would have been better this way or that; but really, the film inhibits the unique personalities of everyone involved. And, for better or for worse, I’m rather comfortable with that.

Several of my upcoming films are locked and loaded and ready to premiere next year on the festival circuit. As I parted with my producing partners, I felt the year coming to an early end. The day I checked out of my hotel, I boarded a flight to Rome and spent three full days walking the city before catching a train to Florence. Rome and Florence were all about seeing the sights and trolling the museums. Tomorrow I’ll head out to Cinque Terre, five villages along the Italian Riviera, and take in a bit of the Ligurian Sea, as I hike along the rigid coastlines and visit the historic neighboring villages. On my way back to Rome to catch my flight back to the states, I plan to stop at Pisa for a half day visit. This trip has been a welcome break from America and a great way to end the year.

Originally published in the 2009 December edition of The SCENE MAGAZINE

Filed under: Film Festivals, SCENE Magazine, Travel, Greece, Italy, ST. NICK, Thessaloniki International Film Festival

2009 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival

Pretty much the consensus

Last year, The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival was a source of several mishaps on my part; I was pranked into being escorted back to my hotel by a fake bouncer, cutting myself and bleeding profusely at the filmmakers’ farewell breakfast; and, in so doing, missing my flight back home. This year, I just missed my flight back home. Although not as many mishaps, this year’s Sidewalk proved to be just as memorable as last year.

I arrived in Birmingham and headed down to ground transportation just in time to catch up with two fellows I’ve become somewhat close to: Joe Swanberg and Aaron Hillis. Upon glancing over and seeing them retrieving their baggage, a devilish smile twisted my face. We’d last seen each other at the 2009 Maryland Film Festival and had a jolly good time.

Opening night reception atop Red Mountain

It was most certainly time to revamp that festival spirit. And what better place than high atop Red Mountain at a ritzy B-Ham attorney’s home? That ritzy attorney is David Shelby, a friend of the arts and a fan of independent film. A few days later he would tell me he’d never met a fellow attorney who’d been practicing alongside him in the ‘Ham for roughly thirty years. This same attorney co-owns a jet with Mr. Shelby.

First night and the tension is palpable. Photo by Michael Harring.

While I was schmoozing, I met filmmakers Michael Harring and Kirsten Marie Barber, who were premiering their film THE MOUNTAIN, THE RIVER AND THE ROAD. We ended up hanging out during the entire festival and became great friends. Sometimes you regret meeting and hanging out with new friends at a festival after finding that you can’t stand their film. For me, this was not one of those times. The film is captivating, beautifully shot, and filled with intimate moments that are heartfelt and sincere.

Bathroom at Bottle Tree

Immediately after the opening night reception, we headed over to the Brown Derby for karaoke and cheap drinks. The smoke-filled dive bar was crowded with regulars who looked at us strangely, as we entered. Although they knew in advance we were coming, they looked upon us as if we were aliens from another planet. One man offered a snide quip as I entered: “When will WE be in a movie” he asked with a snarky laugh. Most of them, however, completely ignored us, given there was some sort of sporting event being broadcast throughout the bar. Several of us left for the Bottle Tree, a hipster vegan establishment where we’d certainly fit in. Bottle Tree is a darkened concert venue inside, but has an amazing patio filled with festive lights and all kinds of cool stuff to look at. You can also play Foosball like me and Mike did (I kicked his ass). I especially like their bathroom because one of the stalls has a huge record cabinet occupying half of its space. The photo above captures the shared area of the bathroom. The photo below captures the wall of the bathroom at Al’s, a greasy, late night burger house that cooks to order. Needless to say, I had a rare bacon cheeseburger. And at $3.95, I was damn satisfied.

Bathroom at Al’s; Bacon Cheeseburger for $3.95, yo!!

The evening continued early into the morning at the abode of Aaron Hillis. James, Aaron and I discussed all sorts of things that evening. And I fell asleep. With a glass of wine in my hand. And spilled it all over Aaron’s sheets. Did I mention it was red wine? This is Aaron before I spilled the wine (you don’t want to see him after I spilled the wine):

Late night romp w/ Aaron Hillis

Filmmaker Luncheon at Bottega. Thank you Frank & Pardis Stitt for the delicious lunch! Photo Courtesy Sidewalk.

Chicken Le Fleuer at Bottega

The filmmaker’s luncheon came early and I needed a little hair of the dog. Several rounds of Bloody Mary’s and belly full of Chicken Le Fleuer at Bottega cured whatever ailed me quite quickly. Plus, I got to try on Mike’s bad ass sunglasses:

Adam rocks my shades. Photo by Michael Harring.

Next up was the filmmaker’s excursion. Last year it was first to look at a huge Vulcan cast iron statue, and then to the Sloss Furnaces to create our own cast iron creation; this year it was all about steel.

1969 Harley Davidson “Easy Rider” at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum; Leeds, AL

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, AL is home to 1,200+ motorcycles. It’s collection ranges from the very first bikes to military issued to quite modern. The museum also sits on a race track that you’d swear ran right through a golf course-it’s that kept up. Following are a few more images from my visit.

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum; Leeds, AL

1925 Pierce Four “The Vibrationless Motorcycle” Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum; Leeds, AL

1943 Harley Davidson W.L.C. at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum; Leeds, AL

1962 Harley Davidson Topper at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum; Leeds, AL

Back in Birmingham, we found ourselves overlooking the city, atop the Kress Building. After pounding a few Abita Restoration Pale Ale’s, I ventured over to the grits bar. Man, they had every topping one could possibly put on grits. Here’s mine with a view of the Alabama Theatre, right before the opening night film:

Grits w/ cheese, mushrooms, sausage, shrimp and pesto, topped w/ sugar-coated pecans, atop the Kress building, with a view of the Alabama Theatre!

Opening night film: BEST WORST MOVIE, a documentary chronicling the lives of the people involved with the making of the worst movie ever made. Despite being so bad, TROLL 2 has built up quite a cult following, especially since technologies in film distribution have lately made it that much more available.

Sidewalk 2009 BEST WORST MOVIE poster. Artwork by Daisy Winfrey.

Given I was already aware, and frankly part of, the phenomenon I was especially interested in seeing this film. I’d missed it at South by Southwest but heard really great things about it. Essentially, the film follows George Hardy, arguably the second most interesting TROLL 2 survivor (the most interesting survivor being his wife in the film and recluse in real life, Margo Prey), his life as a dentist in a small town, and the tour of TROLL 2 screenings the whole team has being doing all over the world. What makes George Hardy so impressive is not what he does now, long after his piss poor performance in TROLL 2 (man, I really like typing “TROLL 2.”); but his amazing stage presence. I mean, the man really should pursue acting again. He’s just such an overly genuine guy with the whitest, toothiest smile-you just can’t help but love to watch him, no matter what he’s doing.

Most fascinating, however, was when the actors finally wrangled the writers/director of TROLL 2 to the United States and we get to see their reaction to this whole craze. Claudio Fragasso and his wife Rossella Drudi have been making bad movies for years. Claudio’s “best” known work is collaborations with the late Bruno Mattei: sleazy exploitation films that attempted to capitalize on the success of wholly unrelated popular films. When asked in BEST WORST MOVIE why his movie is called TROLL 2 when “there are no trolls in the movie,” Claudio seems really dumbfounded; as if he were truly wondering why anyone would care what the movie was called. The actuality is that Claudio or his producers changed the name from its working title “Goblins” (which actually made sense because a) the family’s destination is Nilbog, and, more obviously b) the baddies were described as such in the film) in an attempt to tie the film to the quasi-successful TROLL. Other such marketing schemes include AFTER DEATH (a.k.a. ZOMBI 4), which followed his work on ZOMBI 3, an “in-name-only” sequal to ZOMBI 2 (which itself, is an unofficial sequel to DAWN OF THE DEAD (a.k.a. ZOMBI)); LA CASA 5 (a.k.a. EVIL DEAD 5), which followed two unrelated films, LA CASA 4 and LA CASA 3, that all capitalize as being unofficially part of the EVIL DEAD series (although LA CASA 5 is more reminiscent of THE AMITYVILLE HORROR); and SHOCKING DARK (a.k.a. TERMINATOR 2), which largely resembles ALIENS and attempts to capitalize on THE TERMINATOR. There’s a whole slew of other ripoffs; and what’s most amazing is that both of these men made their entire careers out of it.

If you’re feeling dizzy after reading all of that, then you’re in a similar state of mind as I was during the opening night after-party. As we embarked high atop the roof of the Redmont Inn, the lights were shining, the disco was blaring and the drinks were flowing! I found myself quickly on the ground floor, however, where the drinks were free and most of the filmmakers were congregating. Several of us talked for a few hours outside the hotel and, as we were just about to either fall over or go grab another late night burger, decided to play it safe and go up to our respective rooms and crash. I’m certain I missed some antics, but I was also able to catch up on some much needed sleep.

The next morning, I woke up and showered and hopped into a shuttle, just in time to make Mike and Kirsten’s film, THE MOUNTAIN, THE RIVER AND THE ROAD. As I stated above, the film is spectacularly shot. The meticulous attention to detail mesmerized me throughout the screening. It’s a far cry from the standard “mumbly” movie we’ve all become accustomed to on the festival circuit. Although the non-scripted spirit still persists, there’s something deep-rooted and sincere about the film. All the while remaining charming and sweet. We’re greeted with bold photography in one scene; our two heroes, Justin Rice and Joe Swanberg, are road-tripping in the mountainous environment of Washington. We see the car come around a bend; a beautiful mountain range in the distance. And we see it cross a bridge, as the rushing river flows underneath. Speaking of our heroes, the performances in the film are impressively delivered. Especially Tipper Newton, who play’s Justin’s love interest. In another scene, Justin and Tipper are sledding down a hill. The terrain is dark and all we see are the very intense, intimate moments between the two of them. It’s moments like these where we’re sutured in with charm in lieu of bold photography.

After the screening, I rushed out to catch a mockumentary about a man in love with Condoleezza Rice. COURTING CONDI is extremely funny but the dark turn it takes slammed my emotions against the wall, leaving me woozy and distraught. And that’s all I’ll say about that.

Me and my dear friend, Thomas (he’s the guy that would later help me miss my flight home. Again.) rushed out of the screening in an attempt to find food matter. At this point it was after 3PM and I hadn’t eaten yet! The lunch service at the museum, where the film screened, had already shut down for the day; the diner just outside the museum was closed; so we decided to walk through a nearby park and see what we could find. Sneaky Pete’s Hot Dogs was just beyond the park. And it was closed. There’s another diner over there. Wait, it’s closed. How about fast food? Chik-fil-A was also closed. Is nothing open on the weekends in downtown Birmingham? Finally, we ended up meeting up with Mike and Kirsten and Kyle McKinnon, who loves all of our films and programs them at the festival; and we all decided to head down to Five Points, where all the cool kids go, to grab some BBQ before the next movie. And while I didn’t actually have BBQ, I was in for a tasty treat. I’ll let the photos below tell the tale.

Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ in Five Points; Birmingham, AL

Big Dave’s Bacon & Pimento Cheese Burger w/ a side of Mac & Cheese at Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ; paired w/ a Reverend Mudbone Golden Ale makes for a filling treat!

Next up was Zack Godshall’s GOD’S ARCHITECTS, a stunning doc about five men who’ve been building elaborate structures and castles, all massive in scale and meticulous in detail, for decades, in the name of God. Floyd Banks, Jr. uses bricks he’s found or made to construct a vast network of castle perimeter walls in Greenback, Tennessee. Down in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Reverend H. D. Dennis has been adding on to his wife’s store, Margaret’s Grocery, for twenty-three years, on a promise to build her a castle if she’d marry him. He preaches the teachings of Jesus Christ to anyone who stops in-mostly in a school bus he’s converted into a chapel. Kenny Hill, of Chauvin, Louisiana doesn’t show up for the doc (Zack’s heard he just wants to be left alone), but we meet his neighbor and confidant, Julius Neil, who tours us around Hill’s statue and sculpture garden and lighthouse, known as “The Story of Salvation.” Speaking of, “Salvation Mountain” is home to Leonard Knight of Niland, California. Out in the middle of the desert, Knight has been painting the side of a mountain and constructing an environment of “God’s Love” since 1984, when his hot air balloon crash landed at the site. Finally, there’s Shelby Ravellette, a master stonemason and Freemason, who hails from the Ozark Mountains of Omaha, Arkansas. To honor his deceased daughter, Lacey Michele, Shelby has been building a castle, primarily out of stone, for nearly twenty years.

Check out pictures and video and find out more at Zack’s website: http://www.godsarchitects.com/

Immediately following, I got all spookified at a screening of Ti West’s THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL. And yes, as Aaron Hillis rightly stated: it’s creepy as hell. The film takes place in the 80′s, and is basically a cross between horror-of-the-demonic and a slasher film. Ti doesn’t freak us out with cheap scares or unnecessary gore though; instead, he holds back and slowly consumes us with mystery and suspense. Its slow pace and long cuts are reminiscent of other horror films of the era; and yet somehow it’s also very new. Kudos for Ti for creating a truly suspenseful film that relies more on story and cinematic value than fast cuts and cheap thrills.

After the film, I found myself back in my hotel room just in time for a quick nap and a shower before changing into my track suit for the Saturday Night Bash: “Break to the Future” at Old Car Heaven. There was break dancing, an 80′s cover band, rapping, old cars on display (including a Delorean!), and tons of pizza and beer! Mike, Kirsten and I took the first shuttle back to the hotel; in-so-doing, we apparently missed out on all kinds of fun! Like last year, the Saturday night after party was at Rachel Morgan’s loft, directly across from the Sidewalk office. Think: arcade games, air hockey, framed screen shots from horror films, Star Wars sheets, and all sorts of cool 80′s knick knacks strewn all over the place. Allegedly the party was quite a time; and continued with a select group atop the roof of the Redmont Inn until sun up.

My own personal Plymptoon!

The next morning I heard all about it when I came down to the lobby and caught Hillis scarfing down salmon and eggs, or something. Apparently, he’d gone to bed around 8AM. It was now roughly 10:30AM. What a trooper. I meandered my way to a screening of Bill Plympton’s IDIOTS & ANGELS, grabbing a Polish sausage from a sidewalk (literally “sidewalk”; not the festival!) vendor along the way. The spoils of attending a Plymptoon is that… you get one! Shown above, I’m very happy to have my own personal “Guard Dog” (from his Oscar-nominated short). And, really, all I need to do is flip the post card over to describe his newest film. His words: “This asshole guy wakes up one morning with wings-and he doesn’t like it! Because the wings make him do good deeds. It’s man vs. wings! The film is rude, crude, dark, mysterious, surreal, David Lynchian, noir, funny and finished in 2008!”

Packed house at ST. NICK’s Sidewalk screening

The house was packed at our screening; but oddly enough I could hear crickets chirping back in Texas during the Q&A. Seriously, I think we answered like two questions. It’s really strange how vastly different each and every Q&A is. Luckily, we would soon feel the love at the awards ceremony. After my screening, I was anxious to get back to the hotel and finish my debut article for the Houston Bay area’s SCENE Magazine.

Carol Connors (she wrote the ROCKY theme song)

A few hours later I was at the award’s ceremony, and, after a southwest dinner catered by Rojo and a few drinks, witnessed an amazing performance by Carol Connors; as you can see from the photo above. Carol wrote the theme song to ROCKY; and she’s still got it! An outspoken and talented entertainer, Carol was a welcomed addition to the festival. Carol sang and danced and then there was a comedy show; and then on to the awards!

Accepting the the Mise-en-Scène Award for ST. NICK.

And ST. NICK wins the Mise-en-Scène Award, “for its use of cinematic language to tell a story through atmosphere, sound and bold imagery.”

See how nervous I really was, as I thank the jury for our award (James, on the other hand is succinct and clear!): http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1255542751143 – Thanks much to Mike for shooting the video!

The official after party was at The Garage, one of B-Ham’s favorite local hang-outs and named one of the “Top Ten Bars Worth Flying For,” according to GQ Magazine! This is the location of the infamous money-dropping, “I’ll produce your mooooovie” incidents of last year. This year I brought with me far less cash. And I didn’t get bounced either! I even confronted the female bartender I’d nagged about being my personal assistant last year. She says I offered $30k, but John White, a friend and champion of the festival-who’s not on Facebook and I don’t have his email so maybe Natalie can say “what’s up” for me?-told me I’d offered $75k. Either way, it was dumb and this year we laughed about it. And when I told her I was happily involved in a relationship, she chuckled and bought me a celebratory drink!

Here’s a few photos from the closing night celebrations, thanks to Mike and Kirsten.

Last party of the fest at The Garage. Kirsten, Donaghey, Michael Langan. Photo courtesy Michael Harring.

Last party of the fest at The Garage. Kirsten & Mike, Donaghey, Michael Langan, Natalie Hummel. Photo courtesy Michael Harring.

Hillis, Donaghey, Swanberg – Photo courtesy Kirsten Marie Barber

Donaghey, Mike Harring, John White, Hillis & Swanberg – Photo courtesy Kirsten Marie Barber

The night continued early into the morning on-you guessed it-the Redmont Inn rooftop bar. At one point, Sidewalk’s Twitter status was: “is listening to Adam Donaghey’s stories. He and Aaron Hillis should have tale-offs.” Who updates Sidewalk’s Twitter, anyway? After everyone else had left, me and James, Joe and the crew from the film, 45365, continued conversing and then found ourselves belting out ballads at the top of our lungs until the sun came up. We may have “found” a bottle of Jack lying around and we “might” have climbed on the Redmont sign. But there’s no evidence of either of this. There is evidence, however, of a beautiful sunrise over the ‘Ham; and here it is:

Birmingham at sun up

The next morning, on absolutely no sleep, I gathered my belongings and caught a shuttle over to the annual filmmaker’s breakfast at the Original House of Pancakes. And man do they have good pancakes. And eggs. And bacon. And just about anything else you can put into your mouth. Here are a few pics:

Breakfast at OHOP-I didn’t cut myself this year!

My BFF’s at Sidewalk!

Donaghey and Merrie Lynn Ross (prod. CLASS OF 1984)

And then the long, drawn out adventure home. As I said at the beginning of this post, I missed my flight, as I did last year. Thomas, I don’t blame you. Okay, maybe I do. And I sorta blame you for last year as well. But I’ll take some of the discredit for that. This year, we were already forty-five minutes behind schedule, due to some sort of shuttle mishap. And then we got caught behind a train, while attempting to take a shortcut to bypass rush hour traffic, that’s never present in the ‘Ham. When I finally arrive at the airport, I rush to my gate, only to find there’s no plane waiting for me. Oddly enough, I’d met the customer service agent for Southwest at several Sidewalk parties. She was more than happy to put me on the final flight to Houston. I’d fly to Dallas and then to Houston with a forty-five minute layover. Simple. But wait; it gets better. My new flight’s delayed. Forty minutes. That would give me literally five minutes to get to the final flight from Dallas to Houston, upon arrival. Tension mounts as I get closer and closer to take off. Of course, I’m one of the last to board, so I pop into a seat between two less-than-excited men at the front of the plane. One of which I end up conversing with for the duration of the flight. He’s in stand-up comedy and wants to pursue acting-hey Tim! I make movies. Who would have thought? Anyway, the stewardess assured me she’d call Love Field so they knew I was coming in. Right before I get off the plane, she informs me she was unable to. I ran. I barely made it; but I made it. And then the long sigh of relief, as I fly the final fifty minutes to my destination. I’m met with open arms and I sleep like a baby.

Thanks so much for yet another great year at Sidewalk. I certainly hope to make it three years in a row in 2010! If you’re reading this on Facebook, tagged are all the people involved with the festival, my festival-going friends and those I met along the way.

My friend, Kenneth Price, filmed his entire Sidewalk experience. Here it is in 120 seconds: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=100534903301642

View all my Sidewalk pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=150654&id=598289154&l=9b09648728

View and purchase official Sidewalk photos here: http://sidewalkphotos.com/
Read all about the festival and submit for next year here: http://www.sidewalkfest.com/

Filed under: Film Festivals, Travel, Birmingham, Sidewalk, ST. NICK