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| Calling Card Shorts .Karina Epperlein (independent filmmaker) has thirty years of experience as a theater artist, teacher and filmmaker. A native of Germany, she came to the United States in 1981 as a dancer, choreographer and actress. Her film credits include Women's Rites (2000), I Will Not Be Sad In This World (2001) and We Are Here Together (2003). Her latest film Phoenix Dance takes a closer look at Homer Avila, a professional dancer who lost a leg to cancer, yet recovered and returned triumphantly to the stage. Kenneth Sherman
(Director): After a lengthy career as an internationally acclaimed
designer, Kenneth trained as a multimedia artist at the Emily Carr
Institute of Art and Design, graduating in 1996 with the Helen Pitt
Award for the most outstanding artistic achievement. His debut as
a dramatic film Writer-Director came with his feature film “The
Time Being”. Sherman has since been involved with many cutting-edge
technology companies (Sony, Avid, Mainframe) in developing original
workflows with new production technologies including CGI, digital
film, and HD. His recent film “Go-Go Boy (Prelude)”
won numerous Leo Awards, and his most recent project ‘Auto
Erotica’ was selected from nearly 1000 films as one of the
best short films at Cannes in 2006. |
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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 shortt.
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.
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