Tag: "Black Filmmakers"

5th African American ShortsFest – Feb. 11th

5th African American ShortsFest at the American Cinematheque5th African American ShortsFest
at the American Cinematheque

Saturday, February 11th, 2012
The Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA  90028

Our annual collaboration with the American Cinematheque to celebrate a new generation of filmmakers who are expanding diversity of storytelling and redefining characters in independent American Cinema.

Tickets $7.00 – $11.00 – available via Fandango or at the Egyptian Theater box office

program #1 – 5:00pm program #2 – 7:30pm
tickets tickets

 

 

 


program #1

MonKKey ‘500’      8 min.
Dir. Ajamu M. Frasier
A young girl witnesses 500 soldiers desperately attempt to apprehend one lone monk.

The Truth About Beauty and Blogs        13 min.
Dir. Rosalyn Coleman Williams
A social media diva is thrown off her game when her boyfriend starts acting up on Facebook.

Love Lockdown      18 min.
Dir. Nadia Hallgren
Shoshana is a young mother from the Bronx who is fighting to keep her family together while awaiting the fate of her fiancé Felix, who is locked up and on trial.

Vision         3 min.
Dir. Lemuel Thornton III
An autobiographical experimental journey.

This Weekend Update      5 min
Dir. Victor Dean
A weekly web news show as only Paul Mooney, Jr. can bring it!

Mourning News          9 min
Dir. Kimberly Denise Sanders
Laurie, an overworked and underappreciated stay-at-home mom, finds her day taking a turn for the worse when two cops show up at her doorstep with news.

Solace           13 min
Dir. Tchaiko Omawale
Sole, a socially awkward recluse, discovers through her window-watching that her pretty and popular neighbor Jasmine has a secret.

Fanti Love Song           4 min.
Dir. Sam Kessie
Ghanian artist M3NSA has to choose between two loves – his career or the woman in his life.

Salvation Road           18 min.
Dir. Ka’ramuu Kush
Business becomes unusual when an unsuspecting hit man senses that he’s been witnessed executing his traitorous mentor.

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Filmmaker Holiday Party – Dec. 11

 

FILMMAKER HOLIDAY PARTY

&

Short Film Program #2

Sunday, December 11

5pm – 8pm

Dim Mak Studios
(formerly Cinespace)
6356 Hollywood Blvd., upstairs
Hollywood, CA  90028


‘Tis the season!


Join us for some holiday cheer, and to celebrate a wonderful year of filmmaking with our HOLLYWOOD SHORTS family!

Bring your family and join us for a fun holiday party and  a special Kid-Friendly program of short film & animation.



5:00pm – 6:30pm

Filmmaker Holiday Party


6:30pm – 8pm

Short Film Program #2


 

 

 

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Meet The Filmmakers – February 2011

4th African American ShortsFest

meet the filmmakers

 

february 2011

 

American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre

 

Get to know the 14 filmmakers honored this month
at our annual African American short film festival

presented by The American Cinematheque

 




ANACOSTIA
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ANTHONY ANDERSON
Washington DC

Creator, Director, Writer, Star of the ground-breaking, mega-award winning web-series soap ANACOSTIA.

Writer and Producer of 2006 feature film “The Ties That Bind” starring DeLon Howell, Lori Lewis, Nicole Pettis.

Writes and produces thru his Southeast Boy Productions, and is considered one of the leading forces in a burgeoning Metro DC indie filmmaking community.

CLOSE
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TAHIR JETTER
NYC

At age 16, discovered his passion for filmmaking; attended film school at Tisch.

His short film CLOSE just screened at Sundance ’11, and looks like it will have a big fest run.  The film shows his exceptional ability to direct drama, and to craft compelling modern characters.

Tahir is developing more short films, and several feature screenplays.

GOOD INTENTIONS
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IHUOMA OFORDIRE
Los Angeles

Actress, Writer, Producer originally from DC., she created the intense drama “Good Intentions”to challenge herself as an actress.

She is currently starring in the short film “Kwame”, named Best Short at Pan African ’10, & Sci-Fi feature “Thrillseekers:  The Indoscheen”.

She is also creator of web series “Life, Love & Hollywood”.  She is scribing and developing several new projects via her Good Luck Productions.

I CHEAT
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KEVIN HEROD
Toronto

Veteran stand-up comic, popular on air host & actor.  Also the voice of Canadian animated series “Ninjamaica”.

His hip-hop music video “I Cheat” showcases Kevin’s creativity, guerilla filmmaking acumen, and exceptional comic writing ability. His on-stage humor translates seamlessly to film/video.

KATRINA’S SON
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YA’KE SMITH
Ft. Worth

Shot his first film at 15 while in high school in his hometown San Antonio. Has quickly built an impressive body of work which has already had over 40 fest selections; major award wins, including Regional Student Academy Award, DGA Student Film Award, HBO Short Film Award. Current film “Katrina’s Son” continues to show Ya’Ke’s unflinching storytelling style and bold directing instinct.  His next film is the feature “Wolf” through his Texas-based Exodus Filmworks.


KNOW YOUR ROLE
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DANEL K HUNTER
Los Angeles

Teaming up with his veteran actor/improv pro brother David Hunter, this DC native created their new film “Know Your Role” as part of his move into the directing ranks of the LA film community.

Daniel is a veteran sound editor, with extensive TV network credits.  His extensive music/post background has given him a great foundation to transition to the director’s chair.

MEN OR MICE
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KIARA JONES
NYC

A native New Yorker, Kiara began her artistic journey as a poet and hip hop artist.  She transformed her love for storytelling into an award-winning career in broadcast radio & TV. She has also worked in Vegas producing live shows and has now returned to New York to focus on her filmmaking.

“Men or Mice” explores themes central in Kiara’s films, reflecting the varied American experiences of minorities and women.  Kiara has produced an impressive body of work under her Cultivated Films banner.

Hilton Carter www.fresh-kill.comMOTH
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HILTON CARTER
Los Angeles

Classically trained as a fine artist, Hilton is an alum of the Fine Arts program at the Maryland Institute College of Art, holds an MFA in Film from the Art Center in Pasadena.

Hilton’s visual sensibility and evocative storytelling style has intertwined powerful images and compelling characters into exceptional commercials & music videos.  He now brings these elements together into narrative live action with his debut drama “Moth”.


MR. OKRA
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ANDRÉ JONES
New Orleans

André is a 12 year entertainment industry veteran, with extensive Post Production experience.  He began his career as an assistant to editor/director T.G. Herrington, and they now run the exclusive post house (literally) MAISON in New Orleans, and their in-house production group NOM DE GUERRE Productions.

Mr. Okra is a heartwarming post-Katrina doc that brings the spirit and magic of New Orleans to the screen through one man’s story.

Andre studied at Loyola in N.O, & did his grad work at Morehouse.

THE “F” WORD
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ISSA RAE
Los Angeles

One of those rare LA natives, Issa begin her filmmaking while at Stanford, launching “Dorm Diaries”, a soap type web series she streamed to her college mates via Facebook. She is now a one-woman wrecking machine on the web entertainment scene, and is changing the images and voices of African American writing and characters via the web.

She discovered the comic genius of the hip hop trio THE FLY GUYS while directing a music video for the group, and together they launched one of the funniest web series ever “The “F” Word”. The show is now into their 5th season.

February hails the launch of her much anticipated new episodic online series “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”.

THE KISS
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CAREY WILLIAMS
Los Angeles

From Pensacola, FL, Carey moved to LA after attending film school at Florida St. University.  He began as a PA, eventually landing a gig on the feature TRAINING DAY, working as Ethan Hawke’s assistant.  He then jumped into directing music videos for local hip hop and rock acts, with two of his vids winning MTVu’s FRESHMEN 5 contest, and getting airplay on VH1 and MTV2.

Carey works extensively as an editor and is in prep to direct his next short film CHERRY WAVES.

 

THE NEXT DAY
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AL ROBBINS
Atlanta

Filmmaker/Writer Al “Skip” Robbins was born in Queens, and started as an actor after attending SUNY/Old Westbury. He became an extra on New York Undercover, then booked several commercials.  He moved behind the camera in 1995 forming his production company Bottom of the Net Filmworks, where he directed his first short “One for the Money”.  After several successful shorts he wrote and directed the feature film “Trust”, and has been writing, producing and directing feature films and web based entertainment.

He is currently in Morocco directing a feature film, and has three feature films projects in development.

Lamont Wayne - animator THEM BONES (2010)
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LAMONT WAYNE
Lynchburg

Lamont Wayne is a freelance animator and artist.  In early 2010, he discovered a new website GoAnimate.com and used it as an educational tool to teach his nephews about how animation is made.  This process led to an animated series based on the boys called Jamari and Bralyn.  The series received unexpected attention thru social media, and let to Lamont being named a Filmmaker To Watch 2010 by HOLLYWOOD SHORTS.

Lamont was a guest speaker and presenter on Animation at the International Children’s Film Festival at the Amazement Square  Children’s Museum in 2009.  He continues to develop JAMARI as well as a short about a bible based superhero kid, and an intergalactic war toon based on the Civil War’s Buffalo Soldiers.


TROUBLESOME (2010)
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HILLIARD GUESS
Los Angeles

A veteran actor, and alum of both the Bill Cosby TV Writers Fellowship and Nickelodeon’s Writer’s Lab.  His feature script SECTION 8 was a Quarterfinalist in the Nicholl’s Fellowship.  He co-wrote & c0-produced horror feature “Blackout” released in 2006.

“Troublesome” is his directing debut. and is already garnering significant festival attention.  Hilliard has three TV pilots available, as well a slate of feature scripts in development through his Hilldog Productions.

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RASHAAD ERNESTO GREEN – a SHORT Road to Sundance

 


Rashaad Ernesto Green makes the move from shorts to feature

Choices (2009) by Rashaad Ernesto Green
Choices (2009)

Rashaad Ernesto Green is a very successful and prolific short filmmaker.  Seven films to be exact – all between 2007 and 2009.  His most recent short films Premature (2008), Choices (2009) and Cuts (2009) have each scored massive festival selections and awards, from Sundance premieres to the coveted HBO Short Film Award. On January 24th, Rashaad will premiere his debut feature film Gun Hill Road starring Esai Morales, Judy Reyes and Harmony Santana at Sundance.

In addition to a staggering list of accolades and international recognition, Rashaad has been an honored filmmaker at HOLLYWOOD SHORTS’ annual AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST at the American Cinematheque twice, and he was named to our 2009 Filmmakers To Watch list.   He was also selected to indieWire’s exclusive 2009 Top Ten list of New Voices In Black Cinema.

We each spend a great deal of our short film journey discussing, plotting, and planning for our own trek from short to feature.  Watching Rashaad’s path to this goal has been inspirational, so we invited him to share a little insight.


Happy New Year Rashaad!  You have officially crossed the bridge from short film to feature film.  You have had several shorts in Sundance – how are things different with a feature premiere?

I have a lot more people behind me this time with a lot of support. And yet, I have so much more to do and accomplish before the festival surrounding the film. It’s been a full on sprint for about 3 months now.

 

Premature - Rashaad Ernesto Green
Premature (2008)

Where did the story of GUN HILL ROAD start for you?  What inspired the screenplay?

Gun Hill Road was actually inspired by a family member who went through something similar as Enrique in the story. My entire family is from the Bronx, and I wanted to investigate another side of the borough than we are used to seeing.


How did your short film work prepare you for the feature film process? What was the most challenging part of making your feature that was different than how you approach your short film work?

Directing the feature was just like directing a short, but with more people, more time, and more toys. The most challenging difference was how little time I spent directing, and how much more I was responsible for lifting the morale of the cast and crew.


Sundance has played a major part of your short film experience over the years.  What does it mean to you to now bring your first feature to the festival?

Sundance has been like a filmmaking family for me. They really look out for filmmakers who have come through their ranks, and I’m deeply appreciative of that. I am humbled and honored to premiere my first feature in a place where so many wonderful films have had their start.


How did the success of your short films play a role in getting your feature film funded and produced?

Esai Morales in Gun Hill Road - Sundance 2011
Gun Hill Road (2011)
(pictured:  Harmony Santana, Esai Morales)

The success of the shorts played a substantial role in getting noticed. I would have never have been trusted to direct a feature if I didn’t have the shorts under my belt.


Any advice for fellow directors who are in the process of the transition from short to feature?

Don’t rush. Get very comfortable in the medium before taking the leap. Shoot as many shorts as you can. Once you’re comfortable and get in the groove, it’s like riding a bike. You’ll be smooth sailing.




Rashaad E. Green on the set of GUN HILL ROAD

Rashaad Ernesto Green on set of Gun Hill Road


Gun Hill Road World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival

Monday, January 24                                
Library Center Theatre
5:30 pm

Full Screening Schedule

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Call for Films – 4th African American ShortsFest

American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre





CALL FOR FILMS & ANIMATION

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 17, 2010

 

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM

We are accepting short films of all genres and animated shorts for our annual AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST with the American Cinematheque in Hollywood.

As part of our Signature Screenings Series, the 4th AFRICAN AMERICAN SHORTSFEST continues our mission to share the outstanding work of new voices exploring new themes and crafting new storytelling styles that will expand the future of American Cinema. We are thrilled to return once again to the historic Egyptian Theatre, both right in the heart of Hollywood, and just a few feet in front of Oscar Micheaux’s star on the Walk of Fame.


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