Category: News

Submit Your Film for Season #17!

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Submission Deadline: August 29th

We have opened our submission window as we start preparations for SEASON #17!!We can’t wait to see your new short films, docs, animation, music videos, and web series. International films are welcome, and films up to 30 minutes are accepted.

Our monthly series will continue at our Hollywood Blvd,. venue, now dubbed THE ATTIC. The new renovations are complete, and the new sound system and projector are installed.Looking forward to another fantastic year sharing your phenomenal films with the Los Angeles filmmaking community.

Click here to submit your film online

Jul 07, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

Venue renovation! Dim Mak Studios is now THE ATTIC

RENOVATION ALMOST COMPLETE!!

We will soon be announcing our revised spring screening schedule as our home for many years, Cinespace… a.k.a. Dim Mak Studios, goes through a new transformation with a new name:

THE ATTIC

The new dates for our 2014 African American ShortsFest and our annual Women Directors fest will be confirmed shortly, as well as our regular monthly screenings.

Our venue sponsor The Blvd Group is completing a series of renovations on both the screening room and the lounge that will happen throughout the year. First up is the screening room! I got a peek at the space and it looks amazing!

Today they are installing the sound and AV system, and if all goes according to plan, we will be able to get back to our regular schedule just a few more weeks.

Thanks for your patience, as we await our renewed and refreshed screening room.

We will be referring to the venue for now as THE ATTIC, but it is the same address and location that maintains the spirit, and history of Cinespace – and the indie film community it has supported over the years.

Mar 19, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

AFIFEST 2013 announces Short Film lineup

AFI FEST 2013 presented by Audi
ANNOUNCES SHORT FILM LINE UP

AFI FEST 2013 presented by Audi, a program of the American Film Institute, announced today the films that will be featured in the New Auteurs and Shorts sections at this year’s festival. AFI FEST will take place November 7 through 14 in Hollywood, California, at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre, the Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

Short film programs, screening dates and times will be announced on the festival’s website on October 22nd.

SHORTS SELECTIONS

This year’s line up includes 36 short films from 16 countries

BALCONY – An entire village reacts to a boy dangling from a balcony in this one-shot tour de force. DIR Lendita Zeqiraj. SCR Lendita Zeqiraj. CAST Arben Bajraktaraj, Sevdai Radogoshi, Osman Ahmeti, Edona Reshitaj. Kosovo.

BUTTER LAMP – This travelogue of culture and context told through the eyes of two Tibetan photographers and their clients is an inventive and heartfelt exploration of the relationship among reality, dreams and memory. DIR Hu Wei. SCR Genden Punstock & Hu Wei. CAST Genden Punstock. France.

CARLOTA – He will be in love with her very soon. He is sure of this. DIR Nacho Vigalondo. Spain.

CATHERINE – Catherine is ready to come back to work. DIR Dean Fleischer-Camp. SCR Dean Fleischer-Camp & Jenny Slate. CAST Jenny Slate, Brandi Austin. USA.

DATAMOSH – Yung Jake raps about tweet culture, data-moshing, hashtags and memes as he merges with Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and Instagram. He’s not on PhotoBooth. DIR Yung Jake. USA.

THE DATE – Tino’s manhood is put to the test when he hosts a date for the family’s stud cat. DIR Jenni Toivoniemi. SCR Jenni Toivoniemi. CAST Oskari Joutsen, Anna Paavilainen, Päivi Mäkinen. Finland.

DECLARATION OF WAR – A mesmerizing montage of audiences reacting to George W. Bush’s announcement of Operation Enduring Freedom told entirely through footage captured during the speech. DIR Dustin Guy Defa. USA.

DEMOCRACY – Please gather in the conference room. The boss has a life-changing announcement guaranteed to boost morale. DIR Borja Cobeaga. SCR Alberto Gonzalez Vazquez. CAST Oscar Ladoire, Luis Bermejo, Alejandro Tejeria, Raquel Guerrero. Spain.

THE EVENT – Love and a severed foot, at the end of the world. DIR Julia Pott. SCR Tom Chivers. CAST Alex Britton, Laura Free. USA, United Kingdom.

FAMILY IN THE PARK – On a Sunday afternoon in the park, happiness exists but it comes at a price. DIR Pedro “Zulu” González. SCR Pedro “Zulu” González. Mexico.

I KILL – A gruesome, honest portrait of the man who kills your food. DIR David White & Paul Wedel. CAST Beatie Tarrant. New Zealand.

K.I.T. – A guilt-ridden yuppie goes to great lengths to prove she is a decent human being. DIR Michelle Morgan. SCR Michelle Morgan. CAST John Beach, Stephanie Allyne, Ryan Harrison. USA.

KARAOKE! – On a night out in New York City, a young man avoids his problems. DIR Andrew Renzi. SCR Andrew Renzi. CAST Brady Corbet, Clemence Poesy. USA.

MACHSOM – A 19-year-old Israeli soldier stationed at one of the most dangerous checkpoints along the West Bank must contend with pressures on all sides in the face of a high-stakes incident. DIR Joel Novoa. SCR Joel Novoa & Frederic Richter. USA.

MAGNESIUM – A talented young gymnast makes a life-changing discovery as she prepares for an important tournament, and her last chance to reach the top. DIR Sam de Jong. SCR Shady El-Hamus. CAST Denise Tan, Samira Maas, Vanja Rukavina. Netherlands.

MARILYN MYLLER – Marilyn maketh, Marilyn taketh away. It will be epic. It will be tear-jerkingly profound. It will be perfect. DIR Michael Please. SCR Michael Please. USA, United Kingdom.

THE MASQUE – The Masque was L.A.’s first punk rock club. This is all that’s left. DIR Mike Plante. CAST Rudy Garcia. USA.

MISTERIO – They say that if you put your ear to the back of his neck you can hear the Virgin talk. DIR Chema García Ibarra. SCR Chema García Ibarra. CAST Jose Manuel Ibarra. Spain.

MOVIES MADE FROM HOME #15 – Robert has big plans. He’s going to live as long as he can. DIR Robert Machoian. SCR Robert Machoian. CAST Bruce Graham. USA.

NOAH – Noah’s relationship takes a rapid turn for the worse in this fascinating study of romance in the digital age set entirely on a teenager’s computer screen. DIR Patrick Cederberg & Walter Woodman. SCR Patrick Cederberg & Walter Woodman. CAST Sam Kantor, Caitlin McConkey-Pirie, Nina Iordanova. Canada.

ON SUFFOCATION – This dialogue-free film about an execution describes what happens when the system becomes more important than human life. DIR Jenifer Malmqvist. SCR Jenifer Malmqvist. CAST Ali Dawoud, Poyan Karimi, Peshang Rad, Zana Penjweni. Sweden.

PLACES WHERE WE LIVED – His parents are selling his childhood home. What a terrible, terrible feeling. DIR Bernardo Britto. SCR Bernardo Britto. USA.

#POSTMODEM – A pop musical that predicts technological singularity in the form of a series of cinematic tweets. DIR Jillian Mayer & Lucas Leyva. SCR Jillian Mayer & Lucas Leyva. CAST Jillian Mayer, Kayla DeLacerda. USA.

THE RANCHER – A series of terrible dreams unhinge a man in power. DIR Kelly Sears. USA.

THE ROPER – A black man – and young calf roper – works through the all-white rodeo circuits in the Deep South as he dreams of competing in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. DIR Ewan McNicol & Anna Sandilands. USA.

RPGOKC – In a world on the brink of war, two video game characters find love on a dating website. DIR Emily Carmichael. USA.

THE RUNAWAY – A social worker at a detention center for juvenile offenders must bring one of the girls to court for sentencing. It’s going to be a hard day. DIR Jean-Bernard Marlin. SCR Jean-Bernard Marlin. CAST Adel Bencherif, Médina Yalaoui. France.

SAFE – A college student works at the illegal exchange booth attached to the pachinko. She’s fed up with people addicted to gambling, but the more she tries to escape, the deeper she’s stuck. DIR Byounggon Moon. SCR O Kwang Gwon. CAST Min Ji Lee, Tae Young Kang. South Korea.

SHADOW OF A CLOUD – On a sweltering summer day in Bucharest, a priest is called to a dying woman’s side to say a final prayer. DIR Radu Jude. SCR Florin Lazarescu. CAST Alexandru Dabija, Serban Pavlu. Romania.

SKIN – A young taxidermist and loner resorts to drastic measures when an entrancing girl finds his work beautiful. DIR Jordana Spiro. CAST Albert Flood, Sara Clark, Vickie Peterman, Patrick Graham. USA.

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY – In the south of France, a 30-year-old American woman wanders into a teenage party. Nobody seems to know what she’s doing there. DIR Lauren Wolkstein. SCR Lauren Wolkstein. CAST Anna Margaret Hollyman, Camille Claris, Ulysse Grosjean. France, USA.

SYNDROMEDA – No one believes that Leif was abducted by aliens. But then why did he wake up naked and bloody on the side of the road? Aliens, that’s why. DIR Patrik Eklund. SCR Patrik Eklund. CAST Jacob Nordenson, Svante Grundberg, Anki Larsson. Sweden.

THIS MUST BE THE ONLY FANTASY – A magical and lyrical ode to fantasy role-playing games from fashion house Rodarte and their collaborators. DIR Todd Cole and Rodarte. SCR Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski. CAST Sidney Williams with Guinevere Van Seenus and Elijah Wood. USA.

TOKYO GIANTS – Using footage captured by hidden cameras on the streets of Tokyo, the always subversive Nicolas Provost constructs a narrative set to the conventions of Hollywood mysteries in the thrilling conclusion to his PLOT POINT trilogy. DIR Nicolas Provost. SCR Nicolas Provost. CAST Johan Rooms, Miet Warlop. Japan, Belgium.

WHALE VALLEY – Two young brothers living in a remote Icelandic fjord come to terms with the hard truths that make kids grow up before they’re ready. DIR Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson. SCR Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson. CAST Ágúst Örn B. Wigum og Einar Jóhann Valsson. Denmark, Iceland.

WILD HORSES – They captured her heart. She captured their story. DIR Stephanie Martin. SCR Stephanie Martin & Jessica Walsh. CAST Mireille Enos, Brooke Shields, Barbara Tarbuck and Tuff. USA.

About AFI FEST presented by Audi
A program of the American Film Institute, AFI FEST presented by Audi is a celebration of global cinema and today’s Hollywood – a showcase for the best festival films of the year and an opportunity for master filmmakers and emerging artists to come together with audiences in the movie capital of the world. AFI FEST is the only festival of its stature that is free to the public. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for both Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. This year’s edition takes place November 7-14, 2013. Additional information about AFI FEST is available at AFI.com/AFIFEST. Connect with AFI FEST at facebook.com/AFIFEST, twitter.com/AFIFEST and youtube.com/AFIFEST.

Oct 15, 2013 | 0 comments | View Post

HOLLYWOOD SHORTS wraps up our 14th year….

We wrapped up our 14th year with a great summer full of wonderful screening, meeting lots of new creative friends at our monthly Happy Hours, and a full slate of workshops and cinematography labs.

We are excited to being our new season – stay tuned for new panels and seminars, as well as a full Fall and Winter of screenings.

Check out some our our Film Family pics from this summers screenings….

PHOTOS by Aya Long

Oct 01, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Cinematography Lab 1.03: Panavision Hollywood – Jan. 19

GETTING THE BEST IMAGE FROM YOUR CAMERA

CINEMATOGRAPHY LAB with JAY HOLBEN

LAB #1.03: GETTING THE BEST IMAGE FROM YOUR CAMERA

The Fundamentals of Cinematography Lab at Panavision HS/FILMLAB 2012 Cinematography Lab

January 19, 2012
1:00pm – 4:00pm

PANAVISION – HOLLYWOOD
6735 Selma Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028

The age of digital gives us extraordinary flexibility within the camera to manipulate the recorded image. Go inside the camera to learn what all those menu functions really mean – and how to make them work for you.

Learn how to balance an on-set monitor and how to make white balance a create tool. In addition, we will take a look at the similarities and differences between several cameras from a variety of manufacturers in different formats and price ranges.

This lab is designed for all camera experience levels – this is a great primer for filmmakers, camera crew, and anyone interested in learning more about how today’s advanced camera systems work.

REGISTER

HOLLYWOOD SHORTS Cinematography Lab – $35.00
Use our secure payment tool or pay by check at the door.

Jay Holben – Head Educator
HOLLYWOOD SHORTS
Cinematographers Lab

Our Emerging Filmmakers Program (EFP) expands this year with a full line up of filmmaking seminars and labs. We will be launching this new initiative with a new seminar series for cinematographers & camera assistants. The monthly seminars will encompass a wide range of topics and issues, designed for all ranges of experience and formats.

The HS/EFP Cinematographers Lab will also take us into some of the workrooms of some of our favorite camera shops and camera related organizations that every camera department professional and up-n-comer should know…

Seminar Topics will include:

Fundamentals of Cinematography
Getting the Best Image From Your Camera
The Camera Crew
Flavors of HD
The Camera Showcase
Lighting from Home Depot

ABOUT JAY HOLBEN
Jay Holben is an independent producer & filmmaker who worked as a director of photography for nearly a decade. Previously serving as Technical Editor covering film cameras and lighting, Jay has been a contributing editor to American Cinematographer Magazine for 12 years. He is currently the Technical Editor for DV Magazine, with a monthly column, ‘DV101,’ and has contributed to several books including the American Cinematographers Manual. Jay has contributed to several books on cinematography, including the American Cinematographer Manual, 9th Edition. He is the author of “A Shot in the Dark: A Creative DIY Guide to Digital Video Lighting on (Almost) No Budget” which was released earlier this year. This year, Jay also co-founded FILMMAKER IN A BOX, an educational resource for feature filmmakers. Jay has been a member of HOLLYWOOD SHORTS since 1999 with his short film adaption of the Stephen King poem, “Paranoid”, and he is our Department Chair – Cinematography at HOLLYWOOD SHORTS FilmLab.

Jan 16, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

DIY No Budget Filmmaker Workshop starts – Jan. 10

ImprovOlympics is launching a new 7 – week No – Budget Filmmaking course, being taught by writer/director JOE LIPARI. Joe is offering a 20% discount exclusively to HOLLYWOOD SHORTS members ($100.00 discount).

When asked for advice on how to get in to filmmaking James Cameron said “Pick up a camera. Shoot something.”; that’s exactly what you do in this workshop. Over the course of 8 weeks students will collaboratively write, produce, shoot and edit a short film while learning the tools to do it again on their own. Students will learn how to take their ideas and write a script that can be shot on limited time and money while producing a 5 – 10 minute short film in 1080p, full HD. This workshop is perfect for aspiring actors, writers, directors, make-up artists, directors of photography or anyone interested in adding to/improving upon their skills while creating something for their reel/resume.

Tuesdays: 7-10:30 PM (Begins 1/10) – Teacher Joe Lipari (WR)
For HOLLYWOOD SHORTS Discount – Call 323-962-7560 or Email iO

Joe Lipari:

I came up with the idea for this workshop because film school was quite possibly the most daunting experience of my life; which says a lot considering I was in the U.S. Army. Most of my instructors taught a “you can’t make a movie without money” approach, as if all the high dollar equipment found on Hollywood sets were an absolute necessity. But, the only necessity in becoming a good filmmaker is creativity.

In this seven week class we’ll discuss ways to take your idea and break it down to find the cheapest / fastest / easiest way to take it from your brain to the screen; while delivering a top notch final product. We’ll take one of the ideas from class and implement said strategies, collaboratively shooting a short film together. At the end of the 7 weeks students will have something good to add to their reels and the knowledge/confidence to do it again on their own. It’s time to stop waiting to be “discovered” and create your own opportunities…. Make this year the year you take your career to the next level.

Jan 04, 2012 | 0 comments | View Post

Happy New Year from HOLLYWOOD SHORTS!

Happy New Year from HOLLYWOOD SHORTS

Happy New Year

2012

Wishing you a wonderful year

full of laughter and creativity!

Dec 31, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Dec 24, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Call for Films: 5th African American ShortsFest

5th African American ShortsFest

at the American Cinematheque

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 18, 2011

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM

Ya'Ke Smith - KATRINA'S SON

CALL FOR FILMS

We are currently accepting short films, animation, web series and music videos submissions for our 5th AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood.

Our annual AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST in association with the American Cinematheque continues the mission to share the outstanding work of filmmakers and animators exploring new themes and crafting breakthrough storytelling that will expand the future of American Cinema. We are thrilled to return once again to the historic Egyptian Theatre, right in the heart of Hollywood, just in front of Oscar Micheaux’s star on the Walk of Fame.

SUBMIT YOUR FILM AND ANIMATION

Questions? Email Us!

Nov 07, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Short Film Program #9 – Sept. 17

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Saturday, September 17

5pm – 8pm

FREE

DIMMAK STUDIOS (formerly Cinespace)
6356 Hollywood Blvd, upstairs

SEASON 13 CLOSING NIGHT

Join us for the final installment of our 13th season!! We are thrilled to celebrate another year of amazing screenings and meeting so many talented storytellers with a great night of films and animation.

Tonight we will also have a special Cast and Crew reception for the hard working people who worked on THE AERIAL GIRL with Anna & Peter Sands, and COLLISION with Alexis Ostrander and Tiffany Giddes.

5:00pm – Cast & Crew Reception

6:00pm – Screening & Filmmaker Panel

SHORT FILM PROGRAM #9

COLLISION

Director: Alexis Ostrander
Cast: Tiffany Giddes, Teal Sherer

Paralyzed after a near-fatal car accident, Jessica discovers that her rehab training is part of a plan to mold her into a lethal assassin.

A special “work in progress” sneak peek for the cast and crew of COLLISION – the labor of love of actress/activist Tiffany Giddes. Tiffany’s mission is to change the types of roles she gets called in on and how producers/casting directors/filmmakers think of Actors with Disabilities. She brought together screenwriter Katherine Beattie and Alexis Ostrander, the director of the new feature doc Defining Beauty: Ms. Wheelchair America, to create these action-packed Chick Assassin on Wheels characters.

THE AERIAL GIRL

Director: Anna Simone Scott
Cast: Sarah De La Isla, Joel Stoffer

Urban cool teen Taylor’s life is uprooted when her father dies and she moves to her grandfather’s ranch in Wyoming with her mother. There she meets a ranch hand who turns her life upside down.

Longtime HOLLYWOOD SHORTS members Anna Simone Scott and producer Peter Sands (the filmmaking team at Vision Fire Films) teamed up with screenwriter Terri Sissman to create this touching drama.

A LOST AND FOUND BOX OF HUMAN SENSATION

Directors: Martin Wallner & Stefan Leuchtenberg
Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Sir Ian McKellen

When his father dies unexpectedly, a young man seeking to cope with his grief goes on a powerful emotional journey through time and space.

One of the biggest sensations of the 2010/2011 festival season! Martin & Stefan have a young animation company aptly named Dancing Squirrel in Ausburg, Germany. The overwhelming success of this gorgeous animated short created worldwide visibility for these young storytellers.

Event registration for HOLLYWOOD SHORTS September 17 Screening & Reception powered by Eventbrite

Sep 03, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Emerging Cinematographer Awards at the DGA – Sept 25

EMERGING CINEMATOGRAPHER AWARDS

Sunday, September 25, 2011 – 5pm, DGA Theatre Discount Tickets

The International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 has extended a special invitation to the HOLLYWOOD SHORTS community to attend this year’s EMERGING CINEMATOGRAPHER AWARDS! We have been honored to host a special screening of the award winners each spring, and now we can all attend the Award Presentation, and get to see this year’s honored DPs and their short films. The ECAs will be held on Sunday September 25, at 5pm at the Directors Guild of America.

Our own JIM MATLOSZ serves as the Chair of this prestigious ceremony, and it is a unique platform to help nurture talent and gives promising cinematographers the crucial exposure they need to begin the road to a successful career.

The ICG has offered a special 50% discount for HOLLYWOOD SHORTS attendees, so if you RSVP by September 16th, tickets are only $17.50. The evening includes a cocktail reception after the screening.

Sep 01, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Short Film Program #8 – Aug 28th – SUMMER FILMMAKER PARTY

Sunday August 28

5pm – 8pm

FREE

Dimmak Studios (formerly Cinespace)
6356 Hollywood Blvd, upstairs

Edition 13.8

SHORT FILM PROGRAM #8

5:00pm – 6:00pm

FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR

6:00pm – 8:00pm

Filmmaker Panel & Short Film Screening

It has been a crazy summer! Earthquakes on the East Coast! The Demise of SUNSET JUNCTION! A Hurricane in NYC? Tons of new film production, surviving a hectic film festival calendar between – and many of us scrambling to make that Sundance submission deadline! Time to take a minute and take a collective breath.

This is our Summer Filmmaker Happy Hour, and it is a chance for us to sit and chat a bit about what the summer hath wrought. Come by for a cold one, and share what YOU did this summer! We will finish the night with a couple of awesome fun short films!

DIMMAK STUDIOS will be offering some $5.00 drink specials for us, and of course the pizza oven will be on…

Bring your headshots, biz cards, and flyers of any cast/crew calls you have coming up for us to share with the group.

Aug 23, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

CERTIFIED U.S. Premiere on Aug. 13 in LA

Luke Asa Guidici with CERTIFIED cast Rebecca Spicher & Thomas Garne

CERTIFIED a short film by Luke Guidici

a short film by LUKE ASA GUIDICI

U.S. Premiere: Saturday August 13

HollyShorts Film Festival – Los Angeles
5pm – Laemmle’s SUNSET 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd

Tickets: $10.00

_____________________________________________

We are excited to kick off the festival journey of our newest short film CERTIFIED written & directed by our own LUKE ASA GUIDICI! Our friends Theo and Daniel down the street at the annual HollyShorts Film Festivalwill host our US.S. PREMIERE!

CERTIFIED stars Rebecca Spicher, Thomas Garner, Therese Lentz and Timothy Brennen and is set in 1958 West Virginia. The film was adapted by Luke from the beloved short story OPEN WINDOW penned by British literary giant SAKI in the late 1800’s. Luke’s interpretation updates the characters and creepy setting into a gleefully eerie “Twilight Zone” style retelling.

Join us as we celebrate the kick off of an exciting festival run with stops coming soon at Dragon-Con in Atlanta, the Big Bear Film Festival, and Bend Film Festival in Oregon.

Director LUKE ASA GUIDICI & actress REBECCA SPICHER
Opening Night – HollyShorts Film Festival; August 11 in Hollywood

Aug 12, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Meet The Filmmakers: May 2011

meet the filmmakers

edition 13.6

learn more about the directors & animators
featured in our May 21 program

This month we feature the work of lauded Australian stop-motion animation team CHRISTOPHER & CHRISTINE KEZELOS, documentary filmmaker JESS DANG, and New York filmmaker PIERRE STEFANOS.

Christopher & Christine Kezelos

ZERO
www.zealouscreative.com

Zealous Creative is the production company run by husband and wife team, director Christopher Kezelos and producer Christine Kezelos, which relocated from their native home in Sydney to Los Angeles this month. They have been creating award-winning ads, films and viral campaigns & websites for over a decade.

Many of their short films have been highly successful on the festival circuit including DentaMate which screened at the 2006 Rhode Island International Film Festival. Their multi-award winning short film No Butts About It was selected to screen in Sydney Metropolitan Public Schools to raise awareeness of local environmental issues.

In 2009, their 1st stop motion animated short Zero launched on the festival world and has reached massive critical and audience acclaim. The film has won 11 awards including Best Animation at the 2010 Los Angeles Shortsfest and received two Gold Awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society. It was nominated for the AFI Award in Best Short Animation (Australia’s Oscar).

Zealous Creative is just weeks away from finishing their newest short animated film The Maker, and is in development on a feature length stop motion animated film. They are currently seeking to collaborate with an LA based 3D VFX shop and a sound house to finish The Maker.

Email Zealous Creative

Jess Dang

MADE BY ME
www.jessdang.com

Jess Dang is a graduate student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts film production program. She received her BFA in Communication Design from Parsons NYC. She moved quickly into art department, working extensively as an art director and designer specializing in brand identity and advertising. As art director at McCann Erickson, she worked on campaigns for Target, Verizon, Intel, Mobile One, MTV & more.

Jess is focusing on documentary filmmaking in her final year at ‘SC and building her career as a director on doc based film and television. She also continues to work as an art director and is working to expand her commercial success into production designing for film & television.

Email JESS DANG

Pierre Stefanos

BEDFELLOWS

Pierre Stefanos is a native New Yorker, and a graduate of Columbia University. He has been a writer for more than half his life, first as a music critic and opinions columnist for the Columbia Daily Spectator and the vaunted independent music review site InkblotMagazine.com

After several years working with Fortune 100 clients for companies like AT&T and PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Pierre refocused his attention to filmmaking, working as an AD and UPM on many award-winning independent films. He also worked as a script reader for Open City Films/Blow Up Pictures.

Pierre is also an accomplished editor, winning a 2006 Business Emmy nomination as part of the post team for “Crude Awakening” episode on PBS investigative news series “Now”, and he was the editor of the 2008 Emmy-winning epidode of Bravo’s “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List”. He assisted editor Nancy Baker on Karen Goodman’s Oscar nominated doc “Rehearsing A Dream” about the YoungARTS kids. He was also the AE on the 2011 Oscar nominated doc short “Killing In The Name”.

Email Pierre Stefanos

May 26, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

FILMMAKER IN BOX offers unique look at microbudget filmmaking

FILMMAKER IN A BOX is a documentary/behind the scenes case study of the step by step process of making an indie film.

HOLLYWOOD SHORTS member JAY HOLBEN and our longtime sponsor RYAN HARPER of YOUR HALF MEDIA have teamed up to create this very unique tool for filmmakers! They have graciously offered our filmmaking community a massive discount for the DVD series, which includes over 17 hours of documentary interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of their case study film 2 MILLION STUPID WOMEN.

Use promo code HSFIB11 to receive our HOLLYWOOD SHORTS discount. Offer ends May 9th. Special thanks to the FIB team for the awesome hook up!

FILMMAKER IN A BOX Website

FILMMAKER IN A BOX on Facebook

FILMMAKER IN A BOX - Hollywood Shorts special rate

May 04, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Jay Holben’s new DIY lighting manual hits bookstores!

A SHOT IN THE DARK:
A Creative DIY Guide to Digital Video Lighting on (Almost) No Budget

Author: Jay Holben
Release Date: January 27, 2011

Our dear friend, fellow filmmaker and resident cinematography guru JAY HOLBEN has written what is sure to become an essential primer for everyone shooting no/lo-budget video productions. A SHOT IN THE DARK: A Creative DIY Guide to Digital Video Lighting on (Almost) No Budget gives filmmakers the tools and steps to create a lighting arsenal to handle a multitude of situations. The manual lays out tips and techniques, as well as hand-on projects and instructions on how to create lighting tools from inexpensive, readily available resources.

“I love to share,” says Jay, “…and I made a commitment years ago to help as many people as I could – to share my knowledge as much as possible to help other people learn and advance from my experience.”

Jay’s ability to take extremely technical details and find a way to make it accessible makes this book a real gift. “I’ve been teaching for years. Lectures, seminars, articles… I thought I really knew how to impart information,” Jay continues. “But technical editor Jayson Crothers pushed me to really expand the scope of what I was teaching and covering it became a challenge of how much information we can cover in a small space, and yet relate to the audience. I tried to break down the information so that anyone and everyone could learn and improve based on my years on set, through both my mistakes and successes.

Jay Holben will be launching HOLLYWOOD SHORTS Cinematographers Lab 2010

Jay Holben Filmmaker/Author
A Shot In The Dark: A DIY Guide to Digital Video Lighting on (Almost) No Budget

A SHOT IN THE DARK is part Lighting 101, two parts Bob Avila, and a smidge of McGuyver. Bottom line – it is the perfect time for this book. Final Cut Pro and the advent of video cameras propelled filmmakers to break down the barriers between creativity and technical knowledge. This manual opens another massive door to a critical component of filmmaking that will empower storytellers of every experience level.

Visit Jay’s website: ADAKIN PRODUCTIONS

Jan 30, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

4th AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST Official Selections

4th AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST

at The American Cinematheque

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Egyptian Theatre
Hollywood, CA 90028

Ticket details at The Egyptian Theatre

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

ANACOSTIA	Anthony Anderson
CLOSE	Tahir Jetter
GOOD INTENTIONS	Morocco Omari
I CHEAT	Chris Herod
KATRINA’S SON	Ya’ke
KNOW YOUR ROLE	Daniel K. Hunter
MEN OR MICE	Kiara Jones
MOTH	Hilton Carter
MR. OKRA	T. G. Herrington
THE “F” WORD	Issa Rae
THE KISS	Carey Williams
THE NEXT DAY	Alfred Robbins
THE WOLFMAN	Lamont Wayne
THEM BONES	Lamont Wayne
TROUBLESOME	Hilliard Guess

Jan 04, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Bob Ray tours new doc TOTAL BADASS

Bob Ray has been a Hollywood Shorts favorite for years, with his eye-peeling animation from his CRASHTOONS studio based in Austin, TX. He has completed his new AMAZING documentary TOTAL BADASS, a crazy ride of a film following CHAD HOLT, an Austin legend. Instead of sludging through the morass of the festival circuit – Bob is taking his film straight to the people, on a self-booked renegade tour across the Pacific Northwest & Southwest. The tour hits the California state line in San Francisco on Friday August 5th. With Chad in tow, Bob will be screening TOTAL BADASS, his award-winning 2007 chick roller derby doc HELL ON WHEELS, and a collection of his sickest CRASHTOONS.

BOB RAY’S DOWN & DIRTY AUSTIN FILM TOUR

Check out the Tour Journal: http://crashcamfilms.com/filmtour2010.htm

Hell on Wheels: (documentary 2007, TRT: 89 min) Hell on Wheels takes a from-the-trenches look at the dizzying clash of athleticism, exhibitionism, egos, politics and business that is modern-era roller derby. A group of hard-hitting Texas women overcome myriad obstacles in resurrecting and revamping the sport, only to find internal strife ripping the fledgling organization apart. Two leagues emerge from the clash, and what follows ignites an international roller derby revival. Shot over a five-year period by Bob Ray (Rock Opera) and Werner Campbell, Hell on Wheels was edited by award winning editor Conor O’Neill (Murderball, Word Wars, Capitalism: A Love Story) and features original music by …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.

Total Badass: (documentary, 2010, TRT: 91 min) Texas filmmaker Bob Ray catapults the Austin subculture onto the big screen, reveling in its inspiring, unique and deliriously offbeat glory. With his latest documentary, “Total Badass,” Bob Ray takes you on an outrageous and hilariously seedy adventure into the Austin underground music and arts scene via wild man-about-town, social deviant, musical/stunt performer, sex addict, Guinea pig enthusiast, writer-publisher, father, weed dealing felon and local maniac Chad Holt. Exploiting life as his unwitting canvas, Chad’s take-no-prisoners artistry flares up like napalm as he strives to make his creative mark. Strap in for the riotous ride and follow this icon of the Austin counterculture as he defiantly endures his final year of felony probation, living his own brand of civil disobedience while manning the helm of a family crisis and going out smokin!

THE AUGUST SCHEDULE

SAN FRANCISCO
Aug 5 @ Roxie Theater (night 2)

7:00 Total Badass with CrashToons
*with filmmaker Bob Ray and Chad Holt
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135690889782159

9:15 Hell on Wheels with CrashToons
*sponsored by Bay Area Derby Girls
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129816607057042

SACRAMENTO, CA
Aug 6 @ Mystic Cinema

11:59 PM Hell on Wheels with CrashToons
*sponsored by Sac City Rollers
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133616103341598

LOS ANGELES, CA
Aug 9 @ USC School for Cinematic Arts

7:00 Total Badass with CrashToons
*with filmmaker Bob Ray and Chad Holt
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143685495644783

Aug 12 @ Echo Park Film Center

7:00 Total Badass with CrashToons
*with filmmaker Bob Ray and Chad Holt
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126309474077325

Aug 13 @ American Cinematheque

9:00 Total Badass with CrashToons
*with filmmaker Bob Ray and Chad Holt
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133791849975212

PHOENIX, AZ
Aug 14 @ MADCAP Theaters

7:00 Hell on Wheels with CrashToons
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139529252739160

9:00 Total Badass with CrashToons
*with filmmaker Bob Ray and Chad Holt
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130369250332690

LAS CRUCES, NM
Aug 16 @ The Fountain

9:45 Hell on Wheels with CrashToons
*sponsored by Crossroads City Roller Derby
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122846777759968

MARFA, TX
Aug 17 @ Padre’s

9:00 Hell on Wheels with CrashToons
*sponsored by Marfa Roller Derby
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131590343545424

AUSTIN, TX
Aug 21 @ Alamo Drafthouse

7:00 Total Badass with CrashToons
*with filmmaker Bob Ray and Chad Holt
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137563699607066

http://crashcamfilms.com/filmtour2010.htm

Aug 01, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

THE LEGACY wins Best Film Award at Comic-Con!

THE LEGACY wins at COMIC – CON

Mike Doto and the cast and crew from “The Legacy” traveled to Comic-Con to show their superhero film at the 2010 Comic-Con Film Festival. If you were there you may have seen Supergirl handing out free copies of the film.

After a well received screening, the film’s panel (consisting of writer/director Mike Doto, actor Paul Butcher, actor Louis Iacoviello, editor Victor Carbonneau, and composer Joey Newman) answered questions from the audience. Doto is very proud to announce that “The Legacy” took home the award for Best Comics-Related Film at the festival.

Jul 31, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

SEEING RED – Red Camera Workshop at SHOWBIZ EXPO – April 23/24

HOLLYWOOD SHORTS will present the SEEING RED: Everything you wanted to know about shooting on the Red Camera, moderated by JAY HOLBEN, Tech Editor, DV Magazine and contributor to AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Magazine. Jay also serves as the head of the HOLLYWOOD SHORTS Cinematographers Lab Series, and is an accomplished director and writer. He will be joined by a full panel of DPs and a representative from RED.

Apr 21, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Michael Landers’ debut feature PEACOCK premieres!

We were honored to join HOLLYWOOD SHORTS alum filmmaker MICHAEL LANDER and his co-writer Ryan O’Roy at the premiere screening of PEACOCK, Michael’s debut feature film. It was wonderful to see the final finished film, and the house was full of Hollywood heavyweights, both from in front of and behind the camera. Even a Jodie Foster sighting. Michael’s short film SOLID WASTE screened at Hollywood Shorts in 2001, and he soon after began working with Ryan O’Roy on the screenplay for PEACOCK.

CONGRATS TO MICHAEL AND RYAN and their entire cast and crew! Pick up a DVD when the film is released on DVD on April 20th. It is truly a shame that this film isn’t being theatrically released here in the U.S. It is gorgeous and Cillian’s performance is amazing.

Poster for Michael Lander's PEACOCK

Apr 15, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post