Hello ladies and gentlemen, your pal Muldoon here with this week's selection of short films created and submitted by fellow AICN readers. It's been over a year now that we've been screening and you'd think "Eh, it'll eventually taper off" and while I'm sure it might some day way later than now, I'm still happily surprised each time I check my email. I think you'll catch some pretty refreshing shorts today. In this week's lineup, we have genres from all over (as you can tell by the insanely creative title...). I'm actaully pretty damn excited with this week's selection and think you will be too, in fact I more than invite you to share your thoughts (even if you didn't care for something - just don't be a dick about it) in the Talkbacks below. Enough yip yap, let's watch some badass shorts, eh?
Go grab yourself some popcorn, lock your kids in a closet, kill the lights, relax and check out this little weekly film fest we've got ourselves here:
C (299,792 KM/S)
TRT: 14:45
(SciFi)
Bam! Let's kick this week off right with a spectacular short sent in from cinematographer Clint Byrne. A little bit of interesting info: "The film is shot without the use of any CGI, so laser guns, blast doors, spaceships, zero gravity, all is done with old school camera tricks, miniatures, stop motion, etc." So in 2013, when CG is at everyone's finger tips (Cheap software/YouTube tutorials galore available to everyone with a computer) it's incredibly refreshing to see the stylistic decision of "No CG." Ballsy, time consuming, and ultimately a joy to watch.
C (299,792 km/s) from Seaquark Films on Vimeo.
SUDDEN DEATH
TRT: 19:14
(Musical Comedy)
"A musical?" Hell yes, an incredibly well crafted musical featuring the likes of Doug Jones and John Larroquette. From director Adam Hall, we get to dip our toes into the end of the world, in the most pleasant way. Not into musicals? You fool! Give this one a shot and it might just have you digging for some old Sinatra fun.
"Los Angeles has been overtaken by a virus known as Sudden Death Syndrome, a disease that causes it's victim to die suddenly and has only one symptom... spontaneously breaking into well-choreographed song and dance."
Sudden Death! is writer/director Adam Hall's USC MFA thesis film and played in multiple countries around the world for at festivals like the Cleveland International Film Festival, St. Louis IFF, Savannah IFF, Rhode Island IFF, Hollywood FF, Short Shorts Film Fest and Asia, Shanghai IFF, Beijing IFF, Chicago Comedy FF, LA Comedy FF, and many more - racking up over 50 awards, including multiple awards for Best Short, Best Comedy, Best Director, Best Music, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Choreography, etc...
A FINGER, TWO DOTS THEN ME
TRT: 7:40
(Drama/Experimental)
Here's a treat, an unusual film that in just seven minutes crosses a gamut of concepts all told in a poem. The film was shot, directed, and cut by David and Daniel Holechek and features Derrick Brown. It's played all across the festival circuit at over some 70 different fests and rightfully so.
ATTACK OF THE PAPER BAGS
TRT: 7:23
(Comedy)
So in case the title didn't give it away, here's a pretty fun short from Patrick Crowley of 5x5 Films. It's packed with creativity and was shot as part of the 48 Hour Film Fest in San Jose, CA. where it took home the "audience favorite" award. "When brown paper bags begin attacking people, two exterminators must take action to defend the human race."
THE ASTRONOMER
TRT: 4:32
(Documentary)
And to wrap the week up we have an interesting doc for all you space lovers out there (which should be all of you, becuase space is kind of amazing.) Phil Garrett takes us on a journey into the mind of Professor Tom Burns of Ohio Wesleyan University, where he discusses "the importance of mankind's understanding of its interconnectedness with the universe." "The interview was conducted as part of the documentary elements of the new experimental, intermedial theatre/live cinema experience All Things Shining. The plot of the project centers on the journey of the human experience as seen through the experience of a lone spaceman facing his own mortality while his ship is locked in orbit around Mars."
"The Astronomer" from Phil Garrett on Vimeo.
That's it for this week ladies and gents. No matter what your taste in film, hopefully you had a healthy serving of it this week. I'll check you folks next week with something a little more horrific. As always, thanks for reading/watching - and be sure to shoot your questions off below! Check out past posts here:
Supernatural Goodness (6/30/12)
SciFi Explosions With Aliens (7/14/12)
Dark Comedy Extravaganza (9/8/12)
Goofy Comedy Laughsplosion (10/6/12)
Genre Basket of Awesome (12/1/12)
Horror-ish Creepfest (12/22/12)
If you have a short and think it belongs here or are on the fence about whether to send it in, please do send it in - I'd love to see what you've put together. I've already seen hundreds of fresh new filmmakers' shorts and like any good addict, I need more!
Shoot me an email at "Mike@aintitcool.com"
In the subject line include:
“SHORTS” + “Your film’s name” + “The film’s genre”
Then, in the body of the email, please include a synopsis of the film and any contact information you might think I need or would want published. The more info you send my way, the more info there is to put with your short.
Please don’t feel the need to submit multiple times.
Remember, the filmmakers might still be in the audience, so feel free to share your thoughts in Talkbacks below. (JUST DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE). I picked them, so you know I think highly of all of these, but how about you fine folks? How'd you like 'em?
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
