Genus Festuca

Yesterday we went to the Cincinnati Oxford International Film Festival, both to do a story on the festival for FRAMELINE and also because ACCIDENTAL ART the short was playing. We arrived a little late and I thought we missed my little 5 minute movie. Instead it played much later in the set of short films.



All of the movies I saw were of a surpassing quality of camera work. The prevalence of 35mm film adapters, DSLR, and the Red One camera are all raising the bar on indie film in a huge way. Digital Cinema is no longer hampered by the deep focus of DV and regular camcorders. Shallow Depth of Field and using that cinematic tool is now completely in play for under $1,000 cameras. It shows, people with no money are making incredible looking movies. The artistry and craft of cinematography has never been this energized.




ACCIDENTAL ART played pretty well. It hits where I wanted it to. The lines I thought were funny get a laugh and the tense moments make the room get thick. It’s working. I like being in a room with no lights and the sound booming from beyond the screen as we, as engage in the communal experience of watching a story unfold. I’m getting better at it, but I don’t think I’ll ever master this entirely. It’s a lifelong endeavor and I enjoy the pursuit.



We got an interview with one of the original creators of the festival. It started out at Miami University in Oxford Ohio 4 years ago and has since expanded into Cincinnati. There used to be a Cincinnati International Film Festival, and I attended the last one in 2003 where I had 11 movies play. These two festivals combining is a great chance for the good buzz to keep on percolating.



I did the Q&A after the block of short films. I love doing the Q&A with an audience. It’s the same pattern every time. You ask if anyone has any questions, no one EVER does. So you have to start talking about what you did and if you can find something interesting about your project or the making of it; inevitably someone will ask a question. I got about 8-9 good questions be rambling on about changing from the exterior location to the interior house which were 2 miles apart.

We’re trucking along on FRAMELINES. Doing more shooting than editing right now. I’ll get some more footage this weekend for the show. We’re snagging stories here and there throughout the state. I can’t wait for this thing to start airing. It’s gonna turn some heads and I’ll make some noise.

Peace out homies.

48 Fastidious Predilictions

For this year’s 48 Hour Film Project in Columbus Ohio, yet again I did not get involved in making a movie, but I did participate in a way. We are doing an episode of FRAMELINES about the project. So I personally followed 3 teams stopping in on the three phases, scriptwriting to production to editing. Scott followed another 3 teams.

What did I see? You’ll have to watch the episode to find out. The greatest thing about documenting is that it doesn’t matter what their movie is like because we’re solely about finding an interesting story about making a movie. The most interesting subjects may not make the most interesting movie. There are many characters in the film community, so we were able to get in on some of their creative processes.

While shooting for the show, Scott actually fully JOINED a team that needed help. Of course, when you know Scott and how inoffensive he is and that he helped Sam and Sean’s team, two of the nicest guys, no one will go “boo” about this. If it had been me however, I’m certain it would have been the controversy of the year, but alas, I do not give a Shiite about such things. If I was a cameraman and I was covering Katrina disasters, I’d drop my damn camera and pull people into the boat. Scott did the right thing.

The 48 Hour Film Project has become something really special here. The friendly competition inspires a lot of razzing, but also support. Shane Howard drove his lights to Sam Javor’s team on Sunday to help a competitor’s team make their deadline. That’s classy.



Coolest thing I saw? An iPad Slate that worked like a real slate, but with digital entries. Kinda cool, I have to admit. Other than that, over 75% of the movies were shot with the new DLSR still cameras that shoot video. This new trend is indicative of the new movement of “digital”, where they are no longer calling it “video” because there is no tape involved.

Facebook is alive with pictures from everyone’s projects. Congrats to all, it looks like another great year of movies.

Preparation, Perspiration, and Peppermint

It’s go time. I’ve got a lot of preparations for my trip to the Greater Los Angeles Area. I want to do many things while I am there, but none more so than getting together with some old friends.


ACCIDENTAL ART is screening at the very last on Sunday March 21st, 2010 in the “Dark Comedy” block of short films, which is perfect, right before an awards ceremony. I’m not in this for awards. Getting in and getting played is its own reward. I like playing last though, as it’s got everyone revved up and settled in.

To me, I want to make the screening more affective in another way. The screening is across the street from the Paramount lot, so I wonder if that might have any advantages? Can I create an advantage in that?

Maybe. Maybe not. Only time will tell. I know this, not trying and assuming you will fail guarantees failure. I’d rather try and lose than not try and bitch and moan about how the system is screwed or how nothing ever goes my way. I can’t imagine how that feels anymore. I will try and keep trying until I feel like I tried every avenue available to me.

Chins up soldiers. We’re on the march…

Dig this, I just put up a BEHIND THE SCENES look at ACCIDENTAL ART!

Behind the Scenes - Accidental Art from Peter John Ross on Vimeo.

Enjoy,
peter john ross

Happiness, Sadness, and other assorted emotions

I got my first Official Rejection yesterday for ACCIDENTAL ART. SXSW, my most coveted festival in this run turned the short down. Realistically, it was a long shot. I’m not surprised, nor depressed, but I am disappointed. I had 2-3 hours of a bummer, but then the Beverly Hills Shorts Film Festival accepted the movie, so that eased the blow entirely. There are a few dozen more festivals I’m awaiting the answer to. I’m not worried at all. I feel great, actually.



I’m going to go out to LA for this screening. I will try to work this to make this significant in more than one way. It’s the technical “World Premiere”. Cast & Crew and Work-In-Progress screenings don’t count. They say that the Word Premiere is very important, so I don’t mind my losing the cherry to Daniel’s fest, as it’s got a great reputation and the location couldn’t be better.

The goal is to parlay this into something beyond just screening. I have plans and goals to be met and I have barely a month to pull it off. We’ll see if I can, as I am an optimist, but there are no guarantees. The point is to keep your chin up, take the blows, and keep on trucking through.

I hold in my hands today, 3 copies of ZOMBIES OF WAR, the UK version of HORRORS OF WAR. I like the collection of DVD’s for this movie as it’s still something to be proud of. No, the movie is far from perfect, but if all you do is wallow in the negative, you will have done all that work for nothing. Be proud of your movies because they are as children; be proud of them no matter what. No one can really insult the movie or point out something wrong with it that I haven’t already seen, so there’s no insult in opinions.



Now the odd thing is the DVD box art clearly says there is the Commentary Track, Visual FX Demo, Behind the Scenes Documentary, and 5.1 Surround. None of these things are on the DVD. Sadly, I provided all these things for distribution, but they did not add them to the disc. What bums me is that buyers in England are blaming us, the filmmakers for the deception. We very obviously have nothing to do with that.

I did get an email from someone in London who said that at the HMV shop in Piccadilly Circus, ZOMBIES OF WAR was ranked 19th Best Seller for the week. That’s a great ranking considering we’re going toe to toe with big named DVD releases. Looking today, they are sold out of ZOMBIES OF WAR at HMV.COM and AMAZON.CO.UK, so that’s a good sign.

My past and future have merged in a single day.

Toodle,
PJR