| | SHORT FILMMAKING ISSUE 77 - Edited by Paul Leo | | 
|  Following Dennis Alexander's Award Winning trailers for the 4th Screen Dance Festival in 2004. Alex Chappel takes on the reigns with the release of his 2:48 minute trailer for Dance Camera Action. Edited by Alex chappel with intro by Satpaul Bhamra . 9MB download Sit back and Enjoy! 
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| | You Cuba(2006)
Gabriel García Márquez said Cuba is ‘The most dance oriented society on earth.’ ‘YOU CUBA’ was originally inspired by the film ‘I AM CUBA’, directed by Mikhael Kalatazov. The many different qualities of Cuba provided motivating starting points for the film YOU CUBA: the people and its many poetic metaphors, the culture; the politics, physical location and
environment. The dance itself is abstract yet passionate and emotional. Shot on DVCam, it was filmed entirely on location in Havana and on Santa Maria beach. |  Margaret Williams (Director) Williams is one
of Britain's leading directors working in music and arts. She has worked as an independent director and producer since 1975, running her own London-based company MJW Productions. She has made several films and series on music and dance for Channel 4 and the BBC. Margaret's work is charaterised by use of humour, a strong sense of composition and visual flair and innovation.
Dance On Film News: Margaret, in your press notes, it says the film was inspired by I am Cuba by Russian director Mikhail Kalatozov, which examined the problems caused by political oppression as well as by great discrepancies in wealth and power. Why was that film so important in the telling of your story? Margaret Williams :I first saw I AM CUBA at a cinema in Montreal, 8 or 9 years ago. For me, technically, no other film compares. As a piece of propaganda, there is none
better. I found both the camera movement and the movement of people in the frame (you could describe it as background action) astonishing. In every film I’ve made, the choreography of the performer is as important as the choreography of the camera and vice versa. In no way was I trying to tackle the issues raised in that film. With the possible exception of the seemingly inherent dichotomy that has always been in Cuban society, despite poverty and exploitation (as shown in I AM CUBA), political crisis and economic sanctions, Cubans express themselves through dance and music in an extraordinarily upbeat way. Partly as a result of the Russian influences on classical training, and also other cultural influences from Spain and Africa, Cuba has the reputation of being the most dance oriented society in the world - everyone dances there. It was that and the people that intrigued me. Dance On Film News: Filmmakers have always found it difficult to film in Cuba. What was your experience of shooting in Havana and on Santa María beach? Margaret
Williams :In general, when I film in a foreign country I go through official channels. Why not? As with anywhere ‘foreign’ the bureaucracy is tedious, but once we were in Havana we had a great Cuban fixer and a great, inspiring time. My experience of filming in Havana was in some ways no different to filming in say, Venezuela, India, the UK or Africa. I didn’t find it more difficult than anywhere else. But every time you go filming there’s ALWAYS something you don’t expect, it doesn’t really matter where you are. If I can, I’ll always film on a beach. Santa María beach is very close to Havana and we were the only people there. Someone did come up and ask us if we wanted drinks, snacks or sunbeds. To which the answer to all three was, yes. Also, I wasn’t interested in making a film about Cuban politics, perhaps that’s the key.
 Jammin' the Blues Directed by Gjon Mili
10 minutes
1944 This film of top jazz musicians is beautiful to the ears and the eyes. The photographer Gjon Mili, who is responsible for the 1943 LIFE Magazine cover story on Lindy Hop, shot this film as though it were a series of photographs. There are some short scenes with beautifully executed choreographed Lindy Hop. Musicians , Lester Young , Illinois Jacquet , Coleman Hawkins Harry"Sweets" Edison Dancers , Marie Bryant ,Archie Savage - (a Katherine Dunham dancer) Jonathan Rosenbaum : 1000 Essential FilmsAmazon.com Jammin The
Blues will feature as a one-of-a-kind film owned by specialist collector & Film historian Lou DiCrescenzo. Tuesday 20th March 2007 4:30pm - 6:30pm Film Seminar with Phil Bertelsen & Lou DiCrescenzo Everyman Cinema
5 Hollybush Vale, Hampstead,
London, NW3 6TX Film Seminar £8.00/ Conc £7.00
Box Office 087 00 664777    or Visit the website to receive the brochure by post http://www.constellation-change.co.uk  TUESDAY 20th MARCH 2007 | | Zydeco (2006, 10mins, USA, UK Premiere)
An-off-the –wall comedy about a young man desperate to join the Sookies, the coolest gang in school, but first he must beat the gang’s leader in a perilous jairajive. dir: Jon Jones | | | Voyage (2006, 26mins, FRA)
A journey into the universe of the British choreographer Russell Maliphant. An abstract dance through solos, duos and quintet. Movements are all about power, lightness and emotions. dir:Dir: Catherine Maximoff , Chor: Russell Maliphant. | | | Wings Of Legacy (2006, 14mins, USA, UK Premiere)
Eva,facing her last hours, silently seeks for someone to give flight to her legacy through the passion of dance. She meets Amy, a differently-abled dancer who is looking for a chance for individual expression beyond her wheelchair..Dir: Neeta Mittal , Chor: Zina Bethune and Auti Angel | | | Mes Mer..(1998, 13mins, NZ)
A female hologram performs a street pantomime and
sparks off a magical communication with a cafe patron. dir/Chor: Morag Brownlie. | | | Spin (2006, 10mins, USA, UK Premiere)
The story of a mysterious DJ sent to a busy city block to mend a series of chain reactions that occur in our everyday lives. Can the power of music overcome fate? Put the needle on the record and find out!.dir: Jamin Winan./Chor:Jay Rincon | Dance Camera Action 1 7:00pm
Everyman Cinema
5 Hollybush Vale, Hampstead,
London, NW3 6TX
Film Seminar £8.00/Conc £7.00
Box Office 087 00 664777 | | CEA (2006, 5mins,Canada,UK Premiere)
CEA, a film without dialogue, uses a combination of original music and graceful dance to explore the richness of our rural history. Dir: Robert Prowse, Chor: Andrea Pass | | | No Man's Land (2005, 7mins, CAN, UK Premiere)
The journey of a man who finds himself torn between two cultures, two cultural voices. He struggles between the two until he discovers a neutral space, a space where both halves can co-exist, a No Man's Land. | | | You Cuba (2006, 13mins, UK)
Filmed in Havana 'You Cuba' is a celebration of dance in Cuba, inspired by colourful culture, vibrant people and outstanding landscape. Dir: Margaret Williams, Chor: Cathy Marston | | | Auto Erotica (2006, 4min, CAN,UK Premiere)
The film is a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the sexualized relationships we have with cars. The short, which features Farley Johansson, has the aesthetic of an eye-catching television commercial. Dir:Kenneth Sherman, Chor: Noam Gagnon. | | | An underwater ballet to the music of Saint-Sciens' AQUARIUM Busby-Berkeley-style! Sea horses playing the harp, urchins swaying, jellyfish on the piano, octopuses changing color, tiny fish turning into a kaleidoscope of color and pattern. Dir/Chor: Nadia Roden | | | Phoenix Dance (2006, 16mins, USA,UK Premiere)
Dancer Homer Avila - after losing a leg to cancer - returns to the stage in a pas de deux by Alonzo King. Their collaboration's magic reminds us that when heart and will are joined, the impossible can happen. Dir: Karina Epperlein,Chor: Alonzo King |
DANCE CAMERA ACTION 2 THURSDAY 22nd MARCH 2007 8:05pm Curzon Soho
93-107 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DY
Box Office – 0870 756 4620 Tickets: £8.00 / Conc £7.00  Paul Leo talks to Karina Epperlein and Kenneth Sherman about short filmmaking. Karina's short "Phoenix Dance" was Academy Award short listed (in final 8 ) for best documentary short.  Kenneth Sherman's film "Auto Erotica" was voted in top 10 audience shorts at Cannes on-line film festival. Paul Leo: Shorts used to be a training ground for filmmakers, and we're rarely seen. Today's filmmaker now
can now upload their films, and immediately have an audience,but what makes a good short?
Karina Epperlein: (photo left) For me a good short is like a good short story, conveying to the audience a situation or person from a unique point of view. It should have a clear precise voice, avoiding cliche, highlighting the heart of the matter, and thus "moving" the audience. Kenneth Sherman:I don't believe shorts are the bastard relation of feature films. The golden rule of entertainment is "always leave them wanting more", and as a genre, short films have a great advantage in this decree. I've seen many filmmakers struggle to try and squeeze a lifetime of observation, or sweeping complex ideas into a short film, but the real key to a successful short is a strong concept that fits
the format; if it tries to say too much, it becomes schizophrenic, if it doesn't have a satisfying ending, it just stops dead. I would say if you can't state the concept in a single sentence or a single image, it's not a strong short concept. Paul Leo: Student filmmaker Jon Chu directed "When the Kids Were away" picked up a studio deal at 23 on the back of his short, and Ari Sandel picked up the Oscar for best short for "West Bank Story" However in your estimation what's the payback for shorts generally? Karina Epperlein: I dislike this "carrot of instant success, money, and fame" being dangled in front of us. It seduces us humans/filmmakers to strive for things outside of us instead of creating from the inside, authentic work. I
believe in working hard on perfecting our craft, pushing the boundaries and exploring, always with our human eye, the heart, learning to make our work deeper. The celebrity cult is everywhere these days, and has taken over the arts sadly enough. Some film subjects are best expressed in a short. And i believe the short will always have a place in the culture, not just as a stepping stone in a filmmaker's career, but in their own right as an art form. Kenneth Sherman In terms of distribution, short films can't be individually commodified like features, but new channels are developing with all sorts of new technologies; cell phones, iPod/iTunes, web streaming, specialty broadcasters, etc. The great advantage of a short film is that they don't usually come with all the preconceived notions or expectations of the highly hyped and marketed feature film world, so they can be
unexpected surprises. In terms of a short being a star-vehicle for a director, if that is your great expectation it will only get in the way of your process. All a filmmaker can really do is practice their craft to the best of their ability. Yes, if you make a great short it will have a great life and can give people a sense of what you're capable of, but don't put the cart before the horse. Paul Leo: With the proliferation of shorts what advice would you give a young filmmaker contemplating making a stand out short?
Karina Epperlein: Well, i feel that i am very 'old guard': i have stayed fiercely faithful to being an artist, and view filmmaking as an art form rather than a commercial enterprise. And my advice to young
filmmakers therefore would be to stay true to their artistic vision, and not give in to the fleeting demands of style, fashion, and whatever sells good. Listen to your inner voice, don't just try to make a "hit". It is as difficult a task as ever before to make a living and be an artist; to find enough recognition in order to go on, and not give up: all that comes with the territory. It makes us strong, humble, and responsible. The work might be labeled as "stand out" or not - many very good films get overlooked, fall between the cracks. It is important to go on, and to humbly hone one's skills, and stay connected to one's inner unique voice. This we owe to ourselves, our audiences, and to the culture as a whole. Being a filmmaker/artist is a privilege, and at its best we are in service.
Kenneth Sherman: The answer is in the question. I've seen thousands of shorts over
the years, to the point where you can see a lot of repetition. If you want to do something original, it needs to be just that. You may not have seen it before, but do some research to know what's out there.
Producer - Outi Rousu
Producer Outi Rousu has worked in film and media since 1985. She has produced feature films, short films, documentaries, children’s films, dance films and international
co-productions.
Outi is an EAVE graduate (1997) and has a national producer’s Professional Diploma (1996) and BA (1984). Her production company Periferia, founded in 2002 produced the Finnish contributions and co-produced the other eight films for MOVING NORTH – a Nordic co-production between all five Nordic countries producing 10 short dance films Outi was a member of the National Cinema Council from 1997-2002. The Council is an expert body for the Ministry of Education and Culture. Outi has also been an active initiator of children’s film culture in Finland. Five of Outi’s films have received the State film quality prize. WANTED, by Milla Moilanen and produced by Outi, received the European Film Academy nomination for the Best European short film in 1999.
Rock Steady - Stolen Moves in 10 Good minutes Original B-Boys the Rock Steady Crew have been imitated by a host of B Boy groups from Asia to Africa for the last 25 years. Filmmaker Ki Curtis explores how their stage shows have been exploited in with whole dance sections of steps, and stage choreography have been reproduced. In music this would be called "sampling" with royalties due, so Curtis confronts these dance mercenaries in 10 good minutes. Shooting April - July 2007, Budget Euros 86,000 , Producer Ellen Brandvold, director Ki Curtis. Shooting as part of Hip Hop shorts 2007. Shooting London, Seoul, and Tokyo. Ellenbrandvold@... | | Screening Monday 19th March 2007 - 6.20pm New Remastered 35mm Print | WEST SIDE STORY (1961) Leaving aside the pliés and pirouettes, West Side Story is a street tuff take on Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet that feels as contemporary now as it did on its initial release in 1961. Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer are star-crossed lovers on opposite sides of a New York turf war in what remains one of the boldest and most breathlessly dynamic musicals ever made. It went on to score ten Oscars, including Best Directing for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Manhattan is the battleground for rival street gangs: The Jets, a bunch of second generation immigrants headed by Riff (Russ Tamblyn), and The Sharks,
a group of Puerto Ricans fresh off the boat and fronted by Bernardo (a brooding George Chakiris). Their violent run-ins are staged in creeping, cat-like dance that builds to a thumping crescendo as Bernardo's sister Maria (Wood) becomes entangled with Riff's old cohort Tony (Beymer). Amid vibrant set pieces, a shadow of portent looms large.  West Side Story Monday 19th March 2007 Digitally Remastered 35mm print Doors 6.00pm /Film 6.20pm 83 Upper Street
Islington N1 0NP, London
Box Office Tel: 020 7226 3520
Price: £9.00 / £8.00 Conc London : DOFN Interviews filmmakers screening (or attending) at this years 7th Constellation Change Screen Dance Festival 19-23rd March 2007. Auto Erotica (CAN) - Kenneth Sherman - director
CEA (CAN) - Andrea Pass and Dominique Keller - producers.
Voyage (FRA) - Russell Maliphant - choreographer.
Spin (US)- Jamin Winans - director
Zydeco (US)- Jon Jones - director
Voyage (FRA)- Catherine Maximoff - director
Phoenix Dance (US)- Karina Epperlein - director
Calling Card Shorts (US)- Karina Epperlein - director
Wings of Legacy US)- Neeta Mittal - director
No Man's Land (CAN) - Peter Chin - choreographer/performer
Dancing Shadow (BUL) - Anna Batcheva - Choreographer/director
Been Rich All My Life (US) Heather Lyn MacDonald - director
Mirror Dance (US) Frances McElroy & Maria Teresa
Rodr'guez - director(s)
Mes Mer (NZ) Morag Brownlie -director
You Cuba (UK) Margaret Williams -director
Aquarium (US) Nadia Roden - director | | About This Newsletter - the smallprint | |
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