Day 5: IFP Market
Nothing in particular scheduled for today -- no screenings, no industry meetings. The only thing to attend is the Awards Luncheon where we find out if we've won the $10,000 Award for Socially Conscious Documentaries (given by The Fledgling Fund).
In the morning, I went to see a film called "Row Hard, No Excuses", a doc about two friends who decide to enter a rowing race across the Atlantic. Very interesting (although not very well shot) and sure to appear on something like the National Geographic channel. I actually left that film after an hour so that I could see "To Be Heard", a doc about a Bronx school trying to motivate its students through a spoken word/poetry class. Hmmm.... very similar premise to our own film. On the whole, the film is quite compelling and I would be very interested to see it. Strangely enough, though, I didn't feel like it had the depth and character of our own film. I'm probably a bit biased, but I just felt like the key to the doc was the poetry readings, as opposed to the development of the doc's subjects. Lastly, I saw "Waiting for Hockney", a doc about one artist's nine-year quest to paint the perfect portrait -- very engrossing film filled with wonderfully kooky characters.
At 1pm, I headed over to the China Brasserie for the Awards Luncheon. Upon arrival, I was whisked away for a few minutes to take pictures of the nominees in front of the IFP logo. From there, I was seated at a table with three other industry types: a film editor, another doc filmmaker, and the president of IFP. Unfortunately, I quickly came to understand that none of them were particularly interested in talking to me -- probably because I'm just a small player in the industry. I did learn one key thing from the other filmmaker (Rodney Evans of "Brother to Brother" fame): he said that ITVS signs a contract with you for exclusive domestic TV distribution rights, but that they will most likely let you out of it if another broadcaster comes calling. That's a huge relief and makes me more willing to work with a program like POV.
Then the awards came -- or should I say, didn't come. We didn't win the award; it went to a doc called "Promised Land", a film about the land redistribution issues in South Africa. I have to admit that I clapped very half-heartedly because it was very disappointing not to win. I didn't think I would be that sad, but I really was actually expecting to win. I did, however, take solace in the fact that at least it was won by another minority filmmaker.
Knowing that the award-winning films would be re-screened in an hour, I raced over to the Angelika Theater to catch the film that beat us. I have to say that I was quite underwhelmed. I was expecting to see something very moving and exceptionally shot, but all I saw was a bunch of talking heads. They were saying very interesting stuff, but it didn't really take the viewer along on a story the way our film does. Again, maybe it's just sour grapes, but I was still disappointed that we hadn't been beaten by a better film.
The last film I saw was "Man Up", a short doc about a teenage boy and a father with very "different" expectations about what makes a real man. This was truly the most amazing film I had seen in the entire market. Everything about it was masterful: cinematography, editing, use of color, sound, etc. -- and it was all done by ONE person (director Arturo Cabanas)! The story was so compelling and had the kind of depth to it that wins Academy Awards. After the screening, a bunch of us just gathered around the director, peppering him with questions about how he made it. Really, we were all just amazed at his skill. Look out for him in the future -- especially if he turns his short into a feature.
Went back to the main meeting area of IFP where I met up with my producer Jillian. Spoke to her a bit and then communed with a bunch of other doc directors. Even though all the IFP staff were closing up shop all around us, I felt like I didn't really want to leave and just soak in all the good things that had happened to us during the market.
Eventually, I said my goodbyes, walked out onto the street, and made my way home, eternally grateful for having had this wonderful experience...
In the morning, I went to see a film called "Row Hard, No Excuses", a doc about two friends who decide to enter a rowing race across the Atlantic. Very interesting (although not very well shot) and sure to appear on something like the National Geographic channel. I actually left that film after an hour so that I could see "To Be Heard", a doc about a Bronx school trying to motivate its students through a spoken word/poetry class. Hmmm.... very similar premise to our own film. On the whole, the film is quite compelling and I would be very interested to see it. Strangely enough, though, I didn't feel like it had the depth and character of our own film. I'm probably a bit biased, but I just felt like the key to the doc was the poetry readings, as opposed to the development of the doc's subjects. Lastly, I saw "Waiting for Hockney", a doc about one artist's nine-year quest to paint the perfect portrait -- very engrossing film filled with wonderfully kooky characters.
At 1pm, I headed over to the China Brasserie for the Awards Luncheon. Upon arrival, I was whisked away for a few minutes to take pictures of the nominees in front of the IFP logo. From there, I was seated at a table with three other industry types: a film editor, another doc filmmaker, and the president of IFP. Unfortunately, I quickly came to understand that none of them were particularly interested in talking to me -- probably because I'm just a small player in the industry. I did learn one key thing from the other filmmaker (Rodney Evans of "Brother to Brother" fame): he said that ITVS signs a contract with you for exclusive domestic TV distribution rights, but that they will most likely let you out of it if another broadcaster comes calling. That's a huge relief and makes me more willing to work with a program like POV.
Then the awards came -- or should I say, didn't come. We didn't win the award; it went to a doc called "Promised Land", a film about the land redistribution issues in South Africa. I have to admit that I clapped very half-heartedly because it was very disappointing not to win. I didn't think I would be that sad, but I really was actually expecting to win. I did, however, take solace in the fact that at least it was won by another minority filmmaker.
Knowing that the award-winning films would be re-screened in an hour, I raced over to the Angelika Theater to catch the film that beat us. I have to say that I was quite underwhelmed. I was expecting to see something very moving and exceptionally shot, but all I saw was a bunch of talking heads. They were saying very interesting stuff, but it didn't really take the viewer along on a story the way our film does. Again, maybe it's just sour grapes, but I was still disappointed that we hadn't been beaten by a better film.
The last film I saw was "Man Up", a short doc about a teenage boy and a father with very "different" expectations about what makes a real man. This was truly the most amazing film I had seen in the entire market. Everything about it was masterful: cinematography, editing, use of color, sound, etc. -- and it was all done by ONE person (director Arturo Cabanas)! The story was so compelling and had the kind of depth to it that wins Academy Awards. After the screening, a bunch of us just gathered around the director, peppering him with questions about how he made it. Really, we were all just amazed at his skill. Look out for him in the future -- especially if he turns his short into a feature.
Went back to the main meeting area of IFP where I met up with my producer Jillian. Spoke to her a bit and then communed with a bunch of other doc directors. Even though all the IFP staff were closing up shop all around us, I felt like I didn't really want to leave and just soak in all the good things that had happened to us during the market.
Eventually, I said my goodbyes, walked out onto the street, and made my way home, eternally grateful for having had this wonderful experience...
posted by cccwong at 3:44 PM
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