Is it real or is it improv?

SFSDF is excited to host a LIVE event with Charlie Todd of the world famous Improv Everywhere. MC’d by SFSDF Film Acting instructor and all-around amazing actor, Jeffrey Weissman, the evening will feature Todd delivering some insider-info from one of the most entertaining and creative improv organizations in the world. Event will be held on Wednesday, August 17th from 6:30 – 7:30pm.

From the response we’ve gotten already, it looks like we’ll have a full house – 100+ in attendance! So, yeah. You may want to get a ticket soon.

The Improv Everywhere Live! show is an hour of behind-the-scenes stories from Charlie’s unique personal experiences as the organizer of Improv Everywhere’s legendary missions. The show also features clips of Improv Everywhere’s best videos with Charlie’s live commentary and an interactive question and answer session.

Charlie Todd is the founder of Improv Everywhere, producing, directing, performing, and documenting the group’s work since 2001. Charlie is the author of Causing a Scene, published by Harper Collins in 2009. Based in New York, Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places and has executed over 100 missions involving thousands of undercover agents including the legendary Grand Central Freeze and the infamous No Pants! Subway Ride. The group’s videos have received over 170 million views online.

Also, we are super-lucky to have a a Full Festival Pass to raffle off for one lucky winner! Call it a ‘Golden Ticket’ to what is sure to be one of the biggest improv events of the year! Email Christopher@sfdigifilm.com to enter!

SFSDF student? You’re getting in for 50%-off! Email to get on the list! Everyone else – you can get your tickets HERE!

SFSDF makes a return to the Roxie Theater in San Francisco’s Mission District to screen the hell out of some killer shorts. This time we’ve got Class 11 of the 1-Year Program throwing up some of their best work. On tap:

DECIMATOR
A DAWG IN THE FOG
THIRST
INTO THE BLACK
ZOMBIFICATION 2
NOVELTY
THE HEART OF SAN FRANCISCO
GO FISH

“We, the Class of 11, look forward to sharing the fruit of our loins with fellow filmmakers and movie fans,” shouted renegade ringleader and part-time Atmospheric Vibrancy Constable (AVC) Richard Falzone from atop a still-smoldering snowmobile somewhere outside Seguin, Texas.

Tickets? A paltry $10 at the door. GO! GO! GO!

There’s been a bunch of good news zipping around SFSDF as of late. From film festival screenings to great gigs and new classes to miscellaneous artisty, seems that our students and alumns are doing great things. Not knowing how to choose the subject matter for this post, we lobbed a dart at our Successful Alumni board which landed on the dastardly, determined and darned talented duo of Franck Tabouring and Deepa Pathak. (Narrowly missing news of Frank Lucatuorto and his Santa Cruz Film Festival screening, btw.)

These guys formed a tight friendship at SFSDF and have continued on as pals and creative cohorts even after leaving our hallowed halls. While one lives in LA and the other resides in San Francisco, they own and operate a successful production company and are booking shoots all along the West Coast. (See? Long-distance relationships CAN work!)

I reached out to Deepa for an update on their cinematic shenanigans.

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WHO is involved with the company FilmTwist?
Two students from Class 10 of the 1 year SFSDF filmmaking program. Deepa Pathak and Franck Tabouring.

WHAT are you doing – past clients, current projects, new work – and how have you landed gigs?

So basically, Franck and I decided half way through our program that we wanted to start up a production company together. We played around with some names, but Franck had the URL reserved for filmtwist.com and it seemed like a solid brandable name so we went with that. When we did our first gig we didn’t even really know that it was going to get bigger. We did a music video for Judy Zimbleman and a wedding for some friends and they really liked it. At that wedding we met photographer Joseph Pascua who liked our work and contracted with us to follow him for a year going to weddings, engagement sessions, etc., and then we did a sit down interview with him and produced a short promotional piece. That relationship that we forged with the photographer triggered us getting a number of other wedding and event gigs. Now we have around eight weddings booked this year and already have several booked for 2012. Believe it or not we even had a gig in Cancun, Mexico, but it was on our graduation date so we had to turn it down.

Our strategy has been to create a business that can fund our own film projects and also provide us with a living. So there are two sides of our business;  Wedding Cinema and Cinema Production. When people think of wedding videography they think ‘boring’, but because of the DSLR revolution wedding cinematography has changed a lot and has started to utilize alot of the same camera techniques you would use in shooting a feature or short film. It’s really just like making a movie, we are telling a story; a love story about a couple coming together and there are many creative ways to do that. So in the process of creating wedding videos we are able to serve people on one of the most special days of their lives, as well as hone our own cinematography, editing, direction, and production skills. The cinema production side has us doing some corporate promotional videos, but primarily our own projects. Currently, both of us are working on writing our first features and may shoot a few shorts before the end of the year.

CHALLENGES you’ve faced in getting FilmTwist going?
Starting a business has many challenges, but one of the biggest is balance. Trying to create a business that can fund our projects and provide a living, while at the same time still working on our own projects. Another challenge was in the beginning sometimes our costs were more than what we were getting paid, but we always looked at it as an investment in our future. Also Franck lives down in Hollywood and I’m up in the Bay area, but we’ve actually turned this challenge into an opportunity. Now we are trying to get gigs all up and down the West Coast all the way up to Vancouver, BC (where I am originally from) For example, this weekend I’m flying down to LA and then we are driving down to San Diego to cover a book signing event/birthday party. Another challenge is that there is a lot of competition out there, so it forces us to go above and beyond to make our work more personal so it stands out.

FAVORITE experience to date?
Probably one of my favorite experiences was a small engagement shoot that we did for a couple at Jack London Square. Part of what made it so great was the couple we were working with as well as being on the shoot during magic hour.

HOW did SFSDF prepare you to start a business?

SFSDF provided the space and venue to network and meet fellow filmmakers who are trying to enter the industry. Without that arena I would have never met my business partner. Taking one year out of your life and giving yourself the space to commit to something is really how SFSDF prepared us to start this business. Because the reality is that the business model is constantly changing, you can’t really teach people how to do it, you can just show them the path and then they have to find their own way. In two more years we may have to change the way we are doing things.

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So there you have it. FilmTwist is ready to take on a couple good projects so you might want to give them a call. And if you want to see some of their work and read more about them, spin over to their blog.

A couple weeks ago, SFSDF Director of Marketing Christopher F. Smith embarked on an adventure in the East Bay. ‘Twas no ordinary journey, however. It was an Easy Bay filmmaking excursion put together by the good people at Propville Directory. Well known as the Bay Area’s leading resource for filmmaking and other visual arts, the group also organizes fun and educational “field trips” to many of the area’s media centers. Called the Dog & Pony Show, this rolling gaggle of creatives eat, drink and be merry while visiting some of the most interesting and compelling filmmaking, video, photography shops in town.

What is a Dog & Pony Show?

The Propville Directory’s Dog & Pony™ Shows are educational & networking events designed to bring the local production community together to learn new tricks, share ideas and network with other production professionals. Because the production markets (film, photography, theater and event) often need the same resources, we find that a room full of creative people bring all sorts of new elements to the table. Everyone has something unique to offer, from a service, to a viewpoint, to another connection. Dog & Pony™ Shows are held all over the Bay Area, from Bay Area Sound Stages (San Rafael) to Rough House Post (Presidio), with panelists and presentations on topics like HD Workflow, Self Marketing, Any Budget Sound Design and Copyright Protocols.

Smith spent the day with the Show and had this to report.

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I emerged from the Berkeley BART stop and wandered over to the Berkeley Rep where the Show was to start. We gathered around our transportation for the day, the super-cool Teacher Bus, and then crossed to the street to our first stop; Berkeley Rep Theatre. We learned a bit about costuming and wardrobe tips-n-tricks and then we piled back in the bus and rolled out to our next destination, The Saul Zaentz Film Center. In transit, we heard a bit from hair/make-up artist Elizabeth Fox and nibbled on some awesome pound cake. At the Film Center we got to speak with the smart folks at ColorFlow and Berkeley Sound Design and watch some slick reels.

Then we popped back in the bus and drove to downtown Oakland where we had a wonderful, hand-made lunch in the park from the positively vivacious Eva D. from Secret Kitchen. We all mingled and chatted about big projects and other fun, creative stuff before making our way over to KTOP. Big Zig Camera Rentals told us a few things about their operation and we toured the KTOP studios.

Finally, we took a spin through the legendary Alameda thrift shop/prop house, Pauline’s, and piled in the bus for our return trip.

Propville's Chief Instigator Teri Cundall addresses the bus

The entire experience was shot by Sean Donnelly of Corduroy Media and filmed by Scott Stender and Jon Felix of Mill Valley’s Digit. Photographer Meigan Canfield shot for Propville.

Teri and Propville are such a great resource for all things Bay Area filmmaking. While they do have a comprehensive list of Bay Area resources, they go much further by engaging friends and members on a personal level. They are building the crucial community ties that make this area such a creative wonderland. Anyone can print a list but it takes real passion and energy to build and maintain a viable artistic community. I’m super-glad I got to tag along!

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Learn more about Propville or sign up for the next Dog & Pony Show!

About the film:
Saturn Rising is the story of a young woman, Olivia, who must confront how her life is going to change after she finds out she is unexpectedly pregnant. It’s based on the astrological concept of Saturn Return which says that between 27-30 people transition into Act II of their life. Meaning by that age you’ve experienced everything you’re going to and now since you have seen virtually every situation there is your life is now determined by the choices you make. But before you can proceed into Act II their is a major conflict/situation to deal with. In Olivia’s case it’s her pregnancy and the story is about how she faces that news.

Word of Garry’s efforts got around quickly and soon San Francisco culture/deal-making operation ScoutMob reached out and asked for an interview.

Excerpt:
It was during a drive down Fulton that Garry says he was struck with the idea for Saturn Rising’s plot. In a city as inspiring as San Francisco, a lighting idea really can strike at any time. He wrote the script in one night and has spent the last five months raising money, filming, tying everything together in post-production and getting ready to share it with the city, which just happens to be this Friday at The Roxie. It’s the second short he’s made about San Francisco life and says he has plans to make at least four more. He feels lucky he’s found a talented group of people to work with so he doesn’t have to make a move down to Tinsel Town: CONTINUE WITH THE INTERVIEW

Of course, Garry counted on a top-notched crew which, not coincidentally, consisted mostly of SFSDF alum.

- Alex Fletcher (Class 7, 1-Year), DP
- Harmony Nichol (Class 7, 1-Year), Art Director
- Peter Lee, (Class 10, 1-Year) Set Designer
- Dave Malloure, (Class 10, 1-Year) AC
- Khen Shomron, (Class 6, 1-Year) Grip
- Staci DeGagne, (Class 3, 1-Year) Color correction

SATURN RISING will be screening Friday, April 18th (7:30 + 8:30) at the venerable Roxie Theater in the Mission. More than a simple screening, Gary enlisted the talented musician duo of WILD CHILD to play a few numbers and will be featuring poetry by Jonathan Hirsh ahd Bill Taylor. Art by Cassadra Cellini will be on display and tea service is courtesy of Om Shan Tea.

Tickets are a paltry $10 – you should go!

We recently had the opportunity to welcome a big group of High School seniors from our neighbors from the distant north; Marin County. These students from The Marin School were touring the Bay Area checking out the film industry highlights such as Pixar, ILM, famous SF film locations and SFSDF.

We showed them around our new space, gave an inspiring talk about following your dreams (filmmaking or otherwise) and delivered a breakdown of how SFSDF is succeeding as a uniquely effective film school. Over two hours, students were treated to a hands-on, 3-point lighting lecture and watched a few of our best films.

“I love having kids this age come to the school and learn about what we do. They are at such a critical part of their lives; they are thinking about their futures and what they may want to do with themselves. I’m honored to be able to present filmmaking as possible path for these bright young adults, said Stephen Kopels, SFSDF Director of Education.

Who is The Marin School?

The Marin School attracts smart kids who want something different in their education. We honor each student’s unique learning style and act in accordance with an unshakeable belief in the potential of each and every student.

The Marin School faculty is made up of passionate, skilled, motivated teachers who love what they do. They wholeheartedly believe in each student’s unique potential and are equipped with the talent, tools, skill and enthusiasm to meet the needs of multiple learning styles.

Small class sizes naturally encourage more one-to-one teaching, experiential learning, innovative lessons and non-traditional, yet effective, learning opportunities. We offer a challenging, thought-provoking curriculum that effectively prepares graduates for college and life beyond.

About D2S:
D2S Games is revolutionizing mobile and social games by connecting players to each other and their environment. Our formula for fun: combine casual, multi-player games that you play on the big screen TV in your favorite hangout, with your mobile phone as the game controller.  The results are an instant party connecting you to others through awesome social gaming. D2S Games puts big screen fun in the palm of your hand – and gets you in the game.

This new event will bring together the Bay Area’s leading developers, technologists and creative thinkers to discuss the current state of the gaming industry, possible futures and advances and highlight mobile game successes.

D2S Games Underground is a new social mobile game platform for developers who create with Unity, Corona, Flash or raw code on Linux, Windows, Apple, and Android.  Get the insider scoop and become the next hottest game on the next hot platform.

Before you arrive, download the free D2S Games MoJoe app here.

Our Admission Representitive Asha Menghrajani spent seven years as a professional painter working in a dazzling array of acrylics and mixed media. She was recently invited to display her work at an exclusive, solo exhibition in Hyderabad, India. She shipped over 30 of her best pieces and is hoping to sell the majority of them. A big chunk of the proceeds is going to the youth AIDS organization Desire Society.

If you are in India on Apri 4th – May 2nd, you’ll want to swing by the gallery and check out her work. Asha herself will be there there for the gala opening on the 4th. LEARN MORE!

What’s Asha all about?

Asha grew up in the Philippines, and traveled extensively before choosing the United States as her home in 1992. She has extensive training in charcoal drawing, oil, chinese watercolor painting and fabric design. She fuses all her knowledge together into a rich mixed media process. In her paintings, Asha presents chaos as the perfection that it is, allowing for complete surrender. Her painting transports you from reality to a vibrant, mystical and abstract world, where you are the story teller, creating and interpreting your own stories.

“My process in painting is one which is more meditative and intuitive. I experience calmness, peacefulness and solitude. I believe that making art feels good and brings pleasure to others. Looseness and uncertainty, above all, are important to my interpretation of the mysterious energy of the spirit.”

We recently welcomed artist Mike Lai to our green screen + stage where he spent the day working on his latest big piece. Mike is working with out next-door-neighbors at Intersection for the Arts – one of the Bay Area’s oldest art organizations.

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I am creating a fine art video about Immigrants’ journey to the U.S. through the water. Specifically, the project will reinterpret a tragic event of immigrants smuggling across the Niagara River from Ontario to New York in 1988. The incident ended with the death of all passengers, including a six year old girl.

The video will capture passengers in a raft struggling through whitewater. It will devoid of all scenic setting and background, only props and performers. It will focus on performers simulating a raft moving down a river by pulling, pushing and hauling it in mid-air. Not only will they emulate the movement of whitewater, just as the water can transport or take you under, they will push, pull and flip the raft and the passengers within to create the tension between life and death, triumph and failure of the journey.

The final presentation of the video will be a projected installation for the Intersection for the Arts 5M gallery next door to the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking. The scale will be large, similar to 18th century French heroic paintings, and so will the composition of the shot and the style of post-production work. The project is experimental in nature. So, I will explore different performance strategies and camera work during the shoot.

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Who is Mike Lai?

Mike Lai is a multimedia performance artist based in San Francisco. He received his B.A. from Davidson College, NC and M.F.A. from SF Art Institute. His work has been exhibited nationally, including Queen’s Nails Annex Gallery and Southern Exposure. He has been invited to perform at the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival and Washington Square Park in San Francisco, which he received an Individual Artist Commission from the San Francisco Arts Commission in 2007.

Much of Lai’s work is large-scale performance that explores the relationships between Asian identities and the media. He utilizes references from film, history, literature and popular culture as a way to examine and raise questions around how people negotiate their identities and the ones created by the media. Often times, his work also develops into sculpture, video and photography.

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We hope to see the finished video by mid-May. Until that time, you can check out this rough video sketch to get an idea of what it will look like. We’ll post the finished project once Lai gives us the OK.

SFSDF alums Staci DeGagne and Heather MacLean formed Clean White Lines about a million years ago. They started making movies with crude stone and wooden tools and their audience consisted mostly of random hunters and collectors and the occasional well-mannered velociraptor. Good times.

Flash forward to 2011 and we find the seasoned and experienced duo embarking on another bold adventure. But this jaunty journey needs a a few dollars to hit the road. Your dollars. Make a point of coming to the Clean White Lines fundraiser next week at the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco and helping them get this endeavor out the door. Great music, stiff drinks and a guaranteed chortle or two. See you there!

The Entertainment?
Sean Hayes
Bart Davenport
DreamDate (Acoustic)
Anna and Spencer
Chris Garcia

Where & When?
Hemlock Tavern, March 16, 9pm

How much?
A paltry $10! Amazing!

Why?
“So here is a quick breakdown of WHY we are trying to raise money. Clean White Lines so far has been mostly music videos and promotional videos, and we love that. But we also fancy ourselves as writers of narrative film and documentary content. But we have no money for it…yet. So we are trying to fund a short narrative comedy we have written about Santa Claus’s midlife crisis (done in the style of Fellini) as well as a documentary on Muffler Men: The Roadside American Yeti (a three week roadtrip documenting the ellusive “large man” of the US, and the people that keep them). They are definitely passion projects of ours and will take a chunk of change to make and we thought “Well if St. Patrick’s Day is the greenest holiday of the year, why not MAKE some green right before it?!” (see, it’s kinda a Money Punny) So any money made from this event will go directly into funding for these two projects.” – Heather MacLean