Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! Here’s what’s playing Feb. 20-26.
A Movie About a Film
posted by Nicholas Beckman
At the time of their interview with Jackalope Magazine, the group of SFUAD film majors had received roughly $700 in crowd funded donations. By the next morning, that number had jumped to $1,390. While that’s still short of the $5,000 goal, the group spearheading a recently launched IndieGogo campaign for their upcoming project, A Film, were more than giddy about the sudden spike in donations. The brainchild of junior film major Alvie Hurt, who serves as writer-director for the project, A Film is a sort of “meta” comedy. The story follows a young writer attempting to write a screenplay for a film. Along the main character’s journey, his hyperactive thought process throws the viewer into a cinephile’s mindset, breaking the fourth wall any chance it can while paying homage to various styles and genres along the way—a fitting story for a group of film majors to undertake. A Film is comprised of all film majors: Hurt, Austin Ross, Nathan Regier and Amy West with the film’s marketing being handled in part by Shantanu Sagara. “It’s literally getting in the head of a writer,” explained Hurt. “—and that’s where it all came [from].” Hurt previously made this project for one of his production classes at the film school, shooting in two days and editing in one. Displeased with its production value and listening to his friend’s excitement for improving the film, Hurt decided to remake the project and raise enough money to meet his visual expectations. “I find it very personal to Alvie’s experience and I think that that’s really cool,” said West, one of the producers of the project. “It’s very relatable, though,” added Regier, the director of photography for A Film, noting that while the story’s main character is a direct reference to Hurt’s experience, viewers can find its appeal in not only the satirical nature of its writing, but the visual parodying of mainstream film styles. “It’s an inside joke that everyone can be apart of,” added West. The way IndieGogo campaigns work is that, contrary to other crowd funding sites like Kickstarter, the money raised equals money earned for the production even if their projected goal is not met. “This is the most money I’ve ever worked with myself,” said Ross, EPK director for A Film, who was not alone with his statement. Hurt, Regier and West all explained the anxiety working with that amount of money, though their nerves seemed undisturbed with camaraderie at a high. A Film isn’t the only crowd-funded project being headed by film majors. ArcadeTV and Waterless Petunias all launched this semester and are currently underway, though the team of A Film doesn’t think competition is the right word to describe the other projects. They expressed their love for all members of the other crews and the excitement for the amount of budding talent within the department. Hurt’s film is set to begin principle photography March 27, following spring break. In addition to A Film, Sagara will be making a film about the making of A Film, to which Hurt added, “Christopher Nolan has nothing on us!”...
Dyanna Taylor
posted by Ashley Costello
Dyanna Taylor, long-time Santa Fe resident, award winning cinematographer and granddaughter of master photographer Dorthea Lange will be joining a post-film Q&A session Saturday, Feb. 14 after the encore showing of her latest documentary film Dorthea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightening. The film screen at 3 p.m., at the Center of Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail Santa Fe, New...
Film Students Take on YouTube
posted by Nicholas Beckman
Jackalope Magazine recently sat down with senior film student William Khouri whose latest project is ArcadeTV, a comedy series planned for YouTube.
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
For the 10th consecutive year, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films with all three categories offered: Animated, Live Action and Documentary. Check them out at The Screen Feb. 6-12.
FILM SCHOOL TAKES ON PSA
posted by Nicholas Beckman
While discussing the integral role networking has in the film industry—a point he would continue to emphasize throughout the rest of his interview with Jackalope Magazine—Film School Chair Chris Eyre readied his computer to unveil his latest directing gig: a drunk driving PSA for the Wyoming Board of Transportation spearheaded by Wyoming First Lady Carol Mead. Eyre had just returned to Santa Fe from the Sundance Film Festival, where he served as both a Film School liaison to the festival as well as an alumnus, having received the Audience Award and Filmmakers Trophy Award in 1998 for his film Smoke Signals. “It’s important to maintain the network and then bring it back to the Film School,” Eyre explained, going on to mention a casual run-in he’d had with Peter Farrelly, an old friend. On Jan. 17, Eyre’s crew, consisting of (many) Film School students, shot the 30-second Drunk Driving PSA in a single day. “We had a budget here so we paid everyone for their time.” Eyre chuckled, motioning to his computer screen displaying his portfolio of work. “That’s why we’re all here.” Eyre played two other PSAs he had done in 2008 for the state of New Mexico. Similar to his recent work, the NM spots carried a vignetted style that plays like a 30-second feature film. ‘The way that I shoot, you know, I’m always making a movie out of something,” he said. The PSA hosted various paid positions for faculty, students, local acting talent and area film workers, including 13 students, one Film School alumnus and four faculty contributors. Film School Chair Paula Amanda served as producer, alum Seth Fuller was a camera operator and post-production efforts were handled by sophomore film student and Redford Scholar Alec Brown, with color-correcting and sound-mixing by Mark Sewards and Brad Wolfley—both full-time faculty members. “The grip department definitely knew their stuff,” said senior film student Tyler Sherek, who served as a grip/electric production assistant on the shoot, “the stress level was near non-existent.” “I use all different crews…” Eyre said when asked about his process in formulating a team. “There’s a lot of talented people out there.” He expanded by saying he seeks out team members that are more skilled than he. “It’s not always about your tight network of friends, you know, it’s about who makes the best product.” Eyre spoke about his work with reknowned cinematographers Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi), Elliot Davis (Twilight) and most recently Santa Fe resident Dyanna Taylor (North Country) with whom he collaborated on with this particular PSA. “I have worked with Chris on a project in LA in the past,” said Taylor of her past experiences with Eyre. “Because of his excellent reputation and the various Native American film projects I’ve DPd, our paths have crossed at various times.” Taylor began her career in San Francisco roughly 30 years ago and has since worked on projects across the world, including Africa, Europe and New York City, creating films for ABC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel. She believes that student jobs like these are essential to advancing in the film industry and shed some tips for budding filmmakers. “Working professionals remember you if you were attentive, worked well and easily and demonstrated your intentions,” explained Taylor, noting her admiration for the students participation. “The students were attentive and fun to have there. My only regret was that I couldn’t spend more time with...
Oscar Animations
posted by Charlotte Martinez
The 2015 Oscar-nominated Shorts Program, screening Jan. 30—Feb. 5 at The Screen, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and as expected the animated selects do not fail to impress! Though disappointed in the lack of animated hosts (the giraffe and ostrich from last year was a hoot) the artistic splendor of the pieces this year needs no help in keeping the audience entertained. From eight selects and four admirable mentions, the Oscar-nominated animations range from Disney’s sentimental story to the independent somber sketch. “Me and My Moulton” A Childhood In Norway (Torill Kove, Norway) Partnering with the National Film Board of Canada, Torill Kove’s depiction of her childhood in 1960s Norway is similar in style to her previous narrative and shape-driven animations. “The film tells the story of me and my family when I was little and how weird I thought things were,” Kove says in an interview with Animated World Network. “It’s not a story of an unhappy childhood. It’s a story about looking back and making sense of things I thought were strange at the time.” Though the plot is a bit scattered, I think most viewers can relate to the awkwardness of growing up in an abnormal family and can especially remember details like the lush carpets of a downstairs neighbor verses the awkward three-legged stools of your home. Perhaps Kove’s exploration of childhood reveals that the abnormalities sometimes make the best memories. “Feast” Through Your Dog’s Eyes (Patrick Osborne, USA- Disney) Disney sure knows how to capture Cute, and I think most of us can agree that we’re suckers for dogs. In this story of friendship and love, a dog is taken in by a food junkie who spoils his new friend by feeding him the bachelor-favorites: pizza, spaghetti, ice cream, pretzels, etc. At first it seems like the story will focus on the connections between man and dog, but of course Disney turns to its best plot device: a love story. The dog, seeing the change of his master with his new girl friend is furious to be suddenly eating healthy. Director Patrick Osborne, who worked as an animator on Bolt and directed the recent Disney film Tangled, is again showing how the large eyes and loyalty of animals can conjure the classic, “awe…” “The Bigger Picture” The Best of Artistic Expression (Daisy Jacobs, UK) Daisy Jacobs’ short “The Bigger Picture” sure does redefine your idea of motion art. The motifs of water, tears and rain pieces this brother feud narrative together in a humorous and dark way. Each set is captivating, making you feel the tension in this domestic and artistically sketched home. A result of her master’s thesis from the Central St Martins School of Art, Jacobs’ hand-drawn animation, stop-motion and life-size paintings allow her characters freedom of movement and interaction with a very 3-D looking environment. “A Single Life” Literally, A Record of Your Life (Job, Joris & Marieke, The Netherlands) Products of the Dutch studio Job & Joris & Marieke is described as cute, funny, poetic and sometimes disturbing. Their Oscar-nominated short “A Single Life” is no exception. Using a clever concept, skipping through your life by literally skipping through a record, managed to induce humor and horror all within two minutes. The music is the best part. The record itself is its own character and the soundtrack makes for a complimentary atmosphere. And no surprise!, the film’s composer, called Happy Camper, is most famous for the music clip “I’ll Take You Along,” a YouTube video that has over 17 million views. “The Dam Keeper” Little Pig, Little Pig, Why So Sad? (Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, USA) Robert Kondo’s and Dice Tsutsumi’s short “The Dam Keeper” is a colossal short, if you’ll pardon the oxymoron. The complex narrative, intricate animation and masterful soundtrack is a grand feat for a category of filmmaking called Short. After watching it, you will feel like you’ve watched a feature. The lack of dialogue allows us to focus on movements of characters as well as the brooding...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Jan. 30 – February 5 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. 2015 Oscar-Nominated Shorts For the tenth consecutive year, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films with all three categories offered – Animated, Live Action and Documentary Animation Global – 2014 – 1 hour 22 minutes “Musing on the passage of time runs through this year’s group of Oscar-nominated animated shorts.” -Al Hoff of Pittsburg City Paper NOMINEES “The Bigger Picture” 7 minutes/UK/English “The Dam Keeper” 18 minutes/USA/Non-dialogue “Feast” 6 minutes/USA/Non-dialogue “Me and My Moulton” 14 minutes/Canada/English “A Single Life” 2 minutes/The Netherlands/Non-dialogue Live Action Global – 2014 – 2 hours “The 2015 theatrical release of Oscar-nominated short films has some unusually strong offerings this year, at least in the live-action category.” – Walter Addiego of San Francisco Chronicle NOMINEES “Aya” 39 minutes/Israel and France/English, Hebrew, Danish “Boogaloo and Graham” 14 minutes/UK/English “Butter Lamp” 15 minutes/France and China/Tibetan “Parvaneh” 25 minutes/Switzerland/Dari and German “The Phone Call”21 minutes/UK/English Documentaries Global – 2014 – 2 hours 40 minutes “This year’s Oscar-nominated Shorts are best when true.” Nick Schager of Miami New Times NOMINEES “Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” 39 minutes/USA/English “Joanna” 40 minutes/Poland/Polish “Our Curse” 27 minutes/Poland/Polish “The Reaper” 29 minutes/Mexico/Spanish “White Earth” 20 minutes/USA/English and Spanish Visit thescreensf.com for movie times 505.473.6494 1600 St. Michael’s Drive Santa Fe, NM 87505...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Jan. 23-29 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. Winter Sleep Awarded Best Picture at Cannes Festival 2014 Turkey – 2014 – 3 hours 16 minutes “Beautiful to look at, with its burnished interiors and magnificent Turkish steppes, this long film builds to a powerful conclusion.” – Farran Smith Nehme of New York Post “Intricate, monumental and mysterious. This is masterfully staged and performed.” – Ben Sachs of Chicago Reader The Girl and Death Awarded Best Picture at Netherlands Film Festival Netherlands – 2014 – 2 hours 4 minutes “What emerges is a hypnotic, strangely wistful and affecting portrait.” – Gary Goldstein of Los Angeles Times “Atmosphere and nostalgia trump all in Pushkin-loving romance.” —John DeFore of Hollywood Reporter A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night The First Iranian Vampire Western Ever Made Iran – 2014 – 1 hour 39 minutes “A new classic, one to treasure endlessly.” —The Playlist “One of the best films of the year.” —The New Republic “Moody and gorgeous.” —The Hollywood Reporter Sunday’s 5 p.m. screening features SFUAD Alumni Freedom Hopkins’ Short Film “Capstone,” shot on 16 mm film Performance at the Screen: La Bayadere Sunday Jan. 25 11:15 a.m. – Moscow -2 hours 55 minutes A Bolshoi Ballet “Svetlana Zakharova, the Bolshoi prima, is breathtaking as Nikiya, her hyperextended legs lifting as effortlessly as a helium balloon, her languid musicality filling every phrase beyond the count.” – Carrie Seidman of Herald...
Valley of the Dolls
posted by Luke Henley
The scene is a familiar one for anyone with rowdy friends who buy beer on a tight budget. Cans of Schlitz and Budweiser litter the living room, someone passes a bong and everyone looks glam. This is not an average Friday night party, though. The cans are mere centimeters tall and each partygoer is a plastic Barbie doll complete with eerie unwavering looks of dull ecstasy. This is the overall gist of the music video for “Picture Perfect” by the retro pop band Yacht Club, co-directed by band frontman Ben Cook and SFUAD film major Emmett Meade.
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience.
Wrapped!
posted by Nicholas Beckman
Crews for both productions (“Oasis Motel,” drama and “The Disposables,” action/comedy) of Shoot the Stars Season 3 finished shooting Friday Nov. 21. John Diehl and Laura Harring served as this season’s name talent and spoke highly of both crews. “I’m really impressed by this place,” said Diehl, mentioning the professionalism of both crews including his assistant to talent, freshman film major LaCharles Trask. “He was like my bodyguard,” explained Diehl. “I never had that as an actor.” With post production already underway, both teams will be launching their social media platforms soon. While “Oasis Motel” has finished shooting, additional scenes for “The Disposables” will be shot in January 2015. “It was very interesting working with the two different directors,” said Harring of directors Bonnie Burchfield and Peter Crowder, “They have completely different styles.” Harring played the roles of Lynn Landon in “Oasis Motel” and KiKi Nass in “The Disposables.” “I’m not treating this film any differently than any other film…” said Harring, ”and I feel like the students did the same thing....
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Dec. 5 – 11 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. Viva La Liberta Starring the Great Beauty’s Tony Servillo Italy – 2013 – 1 hour 34 minutes “A smart, refreshingly whimsical and witty political satire that boasts winning performances by Toni Servillo in dual roles. It might as well be called Politics Italian-Style.” —Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru “Haunting, surprising in its humor and beautifully served by the twin performances of Servillo.” —Marshall Fine of Hollywood & Fine Watchers of the Sky Sundance Film Festival Nomination for Grand Jury Prize 2014 US – 2014 – 2 hours “Watchers of the Sky” is a film that can dash hopes about humanity but also raise them in depicting the stories of these tireless defenders.” —Nicolas Rapold of New York Times “Succeeds in throwing a much-needed light on a man whose hermitlike life remains mysterious, but whose legacy will shine on for the ages.” —Olivia Ward of Toronto Star Performance at the Screen: The Pharaoh’s Daughter Sunday Nov. 23 11:15 a.m. – Russia – 2 hours 30 minutes A Bolshoi Ballet “It is hard to imagine a more sumptuous and elegant ballet, delicate and Romantic, moving deftly from one delightful scene to the next.” —Margaret Putnam of TheaterJones Force Majeure Winner of 2014 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize Sweden – 2014 – 1 hour 58 minutes “Östlund masterfully manages the marital tensions that drive the film’s plot forward while imbuing the scenario with these carefully layered philosophical reflections.” —Slant Magazine “It’s awkward, it’s...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Nov. 21-27 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. Pelican Dreams From the Director of “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” US – 2014 – 1 hour 10 minutes “Like ‘The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill,’ Irving’s study of brown pelicans is affectionate, at times humorous and reveals a sense of wonder and awe at the birds’ simple beauty.” -Carolyn Jones of San Francisco Chronicle http://vimeo.com/102655510 Performance at the Screen: The Pharaoh’s Daughter Sunday Nov. 23 11:15 a.m. – Russia – 2 hours 30 minutes A Bolshoi Ballet “It is hard to imagine a more sumptuous and elegant ballet, delicate and Romantic, moving deftly from one delightful scene to the next.” – Margaret Putnam of TheaterJones Force Majeure Winner of 2014 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize Sweden – 2014 – 1 hour 58 minutes “Östlund masterfully manages the marital tensions that drive the film’s plot forward while imbuing the scenario with these carefully layered philosophical reflections.”- Slant Magazine “It’s awkward, it’s biting, it’s uncomfortable, and Force Majeure is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable films of the year.” – Twitch Film Awake: The LIfe of Yogananda US – 2014 – 1 hour 27 minutes The Story of Yoga’s Journey to the West “The film tapped into Yogananda’s humanity in a way that was profoundly moving and inspiring to me.” —Ram Dass “A beautifully crafted film and a powerful story about a spiritual genius.” —Russell Simmons...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Nov. 14-20 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. Force Majeure Winner of 2014 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize Sweden – 2014 – 1 hour 58 minutes “Östlund masterfully manages the marital tensions that drive the film’s plot forward while imbuing the scenario with these carefully layered philosophical reflections.”- Slant Magazine “It’s awkward, it’s biting, it’s uncomfortable, and Force Majeure is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable films of the year.” – Twitch Film That Man From Rio Part of the Ongoing Series Films to See Before You Die France – 1964 – 1 hour 52 minutes “That Man From Rio is a crazy delight, a stylish, early-’60s pastiche that folds in every adventure-movie cliché you’ve ever seen, and possibly invents a few new ones.”– Village Voice Awake: The LIfe of Yogananda US – 2014 – 1 hour 27 minutes The Story of Yoga’s Journey to the West “The film tapped into Yogananda’s humanity in a way that was profoundly moving and inspiring to me.” —Ram Dass “A beautifully crafted film and a powerful story about a spiritual genius.” —Russell Simmons #000000;”> ...
Q/A: Shantanu Sagara
posted by Adriel Contreras
Shantanu Sagara is a second semester freshman film student born and raised in India. He considers the focus of his filmmaking experimental by nature, showcasing the vibrant color and habitation of his native culture. Jackalope Magazine: How did you get into film? Shantanu Sagara: I grew up around a lot of artists because there are a lot of artists in my family. They would have dinners all the time and they would talk about film, art and music. My father is a sculptor and a painter and my mom is a university professor. JM: How did you learn about the Santa Fe University of Art and Design? SS: So, one of my parents’ friends, her name is Linda Bangles, she is an American artist and has a studio a little ways out of Santa Fe. She was just over and we were talking about film schools outside of India because I didn’t want to study in India because I’m not a big fan of Indian Cinema. She told me about this school and I checked it out right away. JM: What kind of influences did you grow up with in terms of film genre? SS: I used to play bass guitar in a bunch of bands in my city. They were older than me and more exposed to western culture like music and movies. One of my friends would always recommend films to watch and I’d watch them. JM: What are you looking to focus on craft wise at the film school? SS: When I first came here, I had no other intention but to be a director. As I go through my classes…I see a lot more things that I can do. One thing I’ve been looking at...
Shoot the Stars Cast
posted by Nicholas Beckman
Two SAG actors were named this week for the third season of “Shoot the Stars.” John Diehl (Miami Vice, Stargate) was announced Nov. 3 to play the male lead of Rick in “Oasis Motel” as well as a character in “The Disposables” with SFUAD Film School alumni, Matt Page in the second film. Diehl has more than 140 acting credits spanning 30 years of film and television. On Nov. 5, it was announced that Amber Midthunder will play the role of Rick’s daughter, Cindy, in “Oasis Motel.” Midthunder has 15 IMDB credits and is the daughter of actor David Midthunder. Principal photography for Shoot the Stars season 3 begins Monday Nov....
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Nov. 7-13 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. Awake: The LIfe of Yogananda US – 2014 – 1 hour 27 minutes The Story of Yoga’s Journey to the West “The film tapped into Yogananda’s humanity in a way that was profoundly moving and inspiring to me.” —Ram Dass “A beautifully crafted film and a powerful story about a spiritual genius.” —Russell Simmons The Blue Room France – 2014 – 1 hour 16 minutes Based on the Novel by Georges Simenon “Every revelation registers in the gifted Amalric’s gaze: infinitesimal physical mutations, emotional detonations.” —Sheri Linden of Los Angeles Times “One of most exciting things about The Blue Room is that it celebrates the radical fragmentation of Alain Resnais’s 1963 film Muriel — a nostalgic blast for modernists, reminding us that, by and large, they don’t cut them like they used to.” —Jonathan Romney of Film Comment Magazine...
Q&A: Lobsang Tenzin
posted by Adriel Contreras
“Listening to that music, I have a scene playing out in my head.” Lobsang Tenzin regards the pianist who has been playing at Iconic Coffee brewery. We sit down to speak about Tenzin’s life and I learn about Tenzin, passionate storyteller. “I am always listening and imagining the stories with music in my life,” he says. “Even the birds or the leaves blowing make up scenes.” Tenzin was born in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. He fled from his country in order to escape the tyrannical government that offered very little freedoms for its people. “Both my parents were activists and I was too. I got in a lot of trouble,” Tenzin says with a smile. “People always say that Tibet is so beautiful as a landscape, as a people and as a culture. But the inside is so sad. There is no human right, no religious right, no educational rights and it’s so hard. I had to escape from Tibet. It is impossible to go back.” He ended up fleeing the country, and is now studying film at SFUAD after transferring from the Portland Community College with a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Media. Tenzin received SFUAD’s 2014 Unique Voice Scholarship through the Robert Redford/Milagro Initiative scholarship program. Jackalope Magazine: What does film mean to you? Lobsang Tenzin: For me, it’s more like a tool or a weapon in order to tell my people’s culture and stories. Now these days, all the older people from the older generations, they are wrinkled and dying, I want to keep all the wrinkles and grab all the stories that they have as much as possible. I can make short films and documentaries for the next generations; even if they don’t see these people, they will know their stories. It just keeps on passing; it must never vanish. JM: How would you define your style? LT: I’m like a Marine, and I think of myself like a sniper. My job is to shoot. I always shoot, even when I’m not working. I’ll shoot the leaves moving in the grass. I build up all the different shots and store them so I don’t have to go looking every time. If I want to make a small story I can just use the shots I already have. I can pick anything when I work. JM: Have you considered what exactly you want to focus on in the film school? LT: For me, it’s about the images. I want to be a cinematographer. But the way I see it, if I want to be a chef, I start from the dish washer. I need to understand how everything works. This semester I’m not taking any big production classes. I’m just taking some normal classes in order to understand this university. I don’t want to get too stressed out this semester. I am taking Native American Arts and History of Contemporary Art. JM: Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to this university in particular? LT: I was still studying at my other college in Portland. One of my professors asked me if I wanted to act. She introduced me to the director and he said I was perfect for the cast. They offered to give me acting classes for one year, Meisner acting classes to learn to work in front of the camera. I learned so many things. So basically I was always behind the camera and now I’m facing the camera. You have to give the perfect shot. So I was doing that while in school and the director of the film asked what I had planned once I graduated with an Integrated Media degree. He told me to look at Santa Fe University of Art and Design. He gave me the information and he even contacted the school for the Robert Redford scholarship. I then got my portfolio together, all...
Playing With Fire
posted by Nick Martinez
In addition to being the director of Photography for “Oasis Motel,” the new drama from Shoot the Stars, junior Amy West has been teaching herself to fire dance. Jackalope Magazine recently sat down with her to talk fire dancing, her filmmaking and performing for yourself. Jackalope Magazine: What brought you to SFUAD? Amy West: I am originally from Petaluma, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area. JM: Oh, that explains the hippy vibe. AW: Yeah, exactly. (laughs) I’m definitely a northern California girl at heart. I went to an art college fair at my high school, and I was interested in getting out of California. I know it’s a little counter intuitive, and I figured there’s probably a shit ton of film students out in California, and Santa Fe looked like it would be a different experience and give me a different perspective. JM: I’m assuming you were a dancer before you began fire dancing— AW: I was not! JM: OK, so how did fire dancing start? AW: I have a best friend back home who goes to Reed College in Oregon, which is like a super hippy liberal college, and they have a fire dancing team. We got together over winter break of my sophomore year, after she’d been doing it for a while, and we made a video together. While we were making it, she was like ‘hey you should do this too,’ and I was like ‘Oh my God I want to.’ I had done color guard in middle school and there’s a prop called staff that she bet I could [use]. So we went and got a curtain rod, and I just started playing with it and my friend said ‘you you can do this,’ so I...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Oct. 31 – Nov. 6 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. The Blue Room France – 2014 – 1 hour 16 minutes Based on the Novel by Georges Simenon “Every revelation registers in the gifted Amalric’s gaze: infinitesimal physical mutations, emotional detonations.” —Sheri Linden of Los Angeles Times “One of most exciting things about The Blue Room is that it celebrates the radical fragmentation of Alain Resnais’s 1963 film Muriel — a nostalgic blast for modernists, reminding us that, by and large, they don’t cut them like they used to.” —Jonathan Romney of Film Comment Magazine Manuscripts Don’t Burn Iran – 2013 – 2 hours 5 minutes Winner of Cannes Film Festival’s 2013 Best Director “Demands to be seen as widely as possible.” – Jonathan Romney of Screen International “The most important moviegoing experience of the year.” -Eric Cohn of Indiewire New York Film Critics Series Presents Elsa and Fred USA – 2014 – 1 hour 34 minutes Starring Shirley Maclaine and Christopher Plummer One Night Only, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. “Elsa and Fred” is both a movie about love and a love letter to movies.” Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times Awake: The LIfe of Yogananda US – 2014 – 1 hour 27 minutes The Story of Yoga’s Journey to the West “The film tapped into Yogananda’s humanity in a way that was profoundly moving and inspiring to me.” —Ram Dass “A beautifully crafted film and a powerful story about a spiritual genius.” —Russell Simmons...
NM Shorts
posted by Charlotte Martinez
The Santa Fe Independent Film Festival‘s New Mexico Shorts Program of 2014 has again reminded the Santa Fe film audience that the voices of New Mexico are alive and well. This year, the Center for Contemporary Arts screened five selected short films, some of which were shot in New Mexico and others which were made by New Mexican filmmakers. The commonality stops there. From documentary-style narratives to formulaic Westerns, the themes and stories ranged in all genres and in all styles. The variety, perhaps, reflects that original guerrilla-filmmaking spirit which set the festival’s foundation six years ago. A Horseback Ride to the Soul, directed by Aimee Barry Broustra SFIFF Description: For the rider and non-rider alike “A Horseback Ride to the Soul” explores the ways in which interactions between human and horse can lead to a deeper understanding of our selves and our relationship to the world. An official selection of the Albuquerque Film and Media Experience and Long Beach India International Film Festival, “A Horseback Ride to the Soul” is more documentary than narrative, but we can overlook that due to the multiple categories the content explores. First, the location of a Santa Fe Ranch filled with beautiful horses makes for some gorgeous cinematography. Second, the subject of horse and rider relationship is not your typical rancher’s story. The technique is Collaborative Horsemanship, and it implies “an approach to groundwork and riding implementing prey-to-prey communication” in order to “establish a relationship of trust between human and horse.” The program is facilitated by Kelly Wendorf, native New Mexican and CEO of The Institute of the Southwest, who believes in a non-aggressive approach to riding. “How can human best serve horse?” Wendorf says in her interview, “How can human, through congruency, act as a herd leader?” Wendorf introduces the term “horse therapy” in her program and the technique becomes especially convincing when...
STS Ribbon-Cutting
posted by Nicholas Beckman
With 31 days to the first shooting date of Shoot the Stars—the Film School’s student-run, union-acted program that integrates students interested in working on a film set with a real-world perspective and mentors to advise—crew members met outside the production offices to mark the “official opening production offices” for Season 3 of the program. The narrow halls of Oñate were filled with people discussing film projects of their own and the ones they were all about to embark on together. Naturally, they made their way to their respective departments; each designated a room in the building with a customized 8.5 x 11 Shoot the Stars sign hanging on the door. The art department for both “Oasis Motel” and “The Disposables” yielded conversations with mentors, story ideas and upcoming meetings for their projects, while the EPK team, when not documenting the chatter, sang sad songs of their often overlooked efforts and groundbreaking documentation of behind-the-scenes activity. Film School Chairman Chris Eyre could be seen wandering around the perimeter of the building, making hand gestures that from afar would appear to be accompanying what can only be interpreted as delightful banter. “Come, everyone!” rang Paula Amanda, Film School associate chair. Students hurried outside the building to witness the grand opening to Shoot the Stars Season 3, four weeks prior to principle photography. Amanda and Eyre gathered the producers and directors of both shoots in front of Oñate Hall. “This is the opening to the production offices—officially—and the kick off for Shoot the Stars Season 3,” said Eyre. “Now I never say a ceremony’s a ceremony until you touch the ground, so touch the ground,” he continued, prompting everyone to bend down and touch the earth. Eyre concluded his speech with a message of hope and good fortune. “Let’s just...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Oct. 24 – 30 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. 1,000 Times Good Night Norway – 2014 – 1 hour 51 minutes Starring Juliette Binoche “An affecting drama. Deeply compelling…Binoche’s transformation is as unsettling as the events she’s chronicling.” John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter “A gripping, emotionally resonant drama starring French luminary Juliette Binoche.” – Ronnie Schelb of Variety Awake: The LIfe of Yogananda US – 2014 – 1 hour 27 minutes The Story of Yoga’s Journey to the West “The film tapped into Yogananda’s humanity in a way that was profoundly moving and inspiring to me.” – Ram Dass “A beautifully crafted film and a powerful story about a spiritual genius.” – Russell Simmons Performance at the Screen: Aida (Arena Di Verona) Italy – 2014 – 2 hours 35 minutes Sunday Oct. 26, 11:15 a.m. “Aida at The Arena is a special experience where music and space combine to form the greatest of spectacles, in a space where a tradition of spectacle stretches back 2000 years to to the Flavian emperors.” – James...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
ing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day. Check out the offerings for Oct. 17-23.
SFIFF Student Shorts
posted by Charlotte Martinez
SFUAD student filmmakers discuss their work showing at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival Oct. 17.
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Oct. 10-16 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. The Two Faces of January UK – 2014 – 1 hour 36 min. Starring Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Dunst “Perfectly fine- as chilly as a cold platter of octopus salad, as bracing as a shot of ouzo.” – Stephen Whitty of Newark Star-Ledger “There’s a mystery here, some thrills, but mostly thre are beautiful people and the kind of human hunger that devours everything and everyone in sight.” – Manohla Dargis of New York Times Performance at the Screen: La Bayadere Sunday, Oct. 12 11:15 am – Russia – 3 hours A Mariinsky Ballet “Probably the most famous ballet company in the world.” – The Telegraph “It’s often said that the Mariinsky’s corps de ballet is the best thing about it, but it’s only when you see them dance La Bayadère that you realize it’s true.” – Sarah Frater of London Evening Standard The Conformist Italy – 1970 – 1 hour 55 min. Part of “Films To See Before You Die” “Juggling past and present with the same bravura flourish as Welles in Citizen Kane, Bertolucci conjures a dazzling historical and personal perspective.” – Tom Milne of Time Out “Probing, unsettling and visually compelling, The Conformist treats its audience as adults, never opting for easy closure.” Philip Kemp of Total Film “The Conformist isn’t just a triumph, it’s one of the greatest movies ever made.” – Richard Luck of Film4 The Trip to Italy UK – 2014 – 1...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Coming Attractions at The Screen Oct. 3 – 9 Showcasing the best in classical, independent and foreign cinema, The Screen cinematheque at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design presents new releases, special cinema events and performances all day every day! See what critics have to say about the latest screenings, watch a trailer, then visit The Screen for a unique movie-going experience. The Conformist Italy – 1970 – 1 hour 55 min. Part of “Films To See Before You Die” “Juggling past and present with the same bravura flourish as Welles in Citizen Kane, Bertolucci conjures a dazzling historical and personal perspective.” – Tom Milne of Time Out “Probing, unsettling and visually compelling, The Conformist treats its audience as adults, never opting for easy closure.” Philip Kemp of Total Film “The Conformist isn’t just a triumph, it’s one of the greatest movies ever made.” – Richard Luck of Film4 Rocks In My Pockets US – 2014 – 1 hour 28 min. An Animated World of Psychology “Boasting a narrative of extraordinary complexity and density, stuffed with irony, humor and tales-within-tales…imaginative…fascinating and very personal.” – Alissa Simon of Variety “Signe Baumane examines her family members’ history with mental illness (as well as her own struggles) with humor, delicacy and eye-catching animation techniques…Her commitment and talent is overwhelming.” – Whitney Matheson of USA Today Performance at the Screen: War and Peace (Mariinsky Opera) Sunday, Oct. 5 11:15 am – Russia – 4 hours Performance at the Screen “Aida Garifullina and Andrei Bonderenko impress as major new talents.” – The financial Times The Trip to Italy UK – 2014 – 1 hour 48 min. The sequel to the 2010 Comedy Masterpiece “The Trip” “Coogan, Brydon and Winterbottom journey to the Mediterranean in this warmly enjoyable continuation of their improved cultural and...
Prepping Oasis and Disposables
posted by Charlotte Martinez
Following selections of Shoot the Stars third season scripts “Oasis Motel” (written by Julie Wittrock) and “The Disposables” (written by Keegan Moore and Dylan Hamilton-Smith), The Film School has recently announced the directors and producers of the ambitious two-day shoot scheduled for November. After interviews with Department Chair Chris Eyre and production mentor Hank Rogerson, Bonnie Burchfield—a senior film major and co-producer of last year’s “Mister Stapleton”—will direct “Oasis Motel,” a contemporary drama with a strong female lead. And Peter Crowder, senior film major, will tackle the “Enter the Dojo” web series spinoff titled “The Disposables.” “It wasn’t a script that was submitted,” Crowder says, explaining the circumstances of “The Disposables” selection. In the past, scripts have been chosen from a pool of student submissions, usually one drama and one comedy. “It was an idea that the school had,” Crowder explains, “a marketing move a bit.” Because College of Santa Fe alum Matt Page has gained wide viewership on his “Enter the Dojo” web series (about the world of an American karate school taught by Matt Page’s character Master Ken), Crowder explains that The Film School was hoping for Page’s “followers” to become aware of Shoot the Stars, while Shoot the Stars would provide an unique opportunity for “Enter the Dojo.” So while the branding of Page’s web series remains consistent, the Shoot the Stars team would have creative rights to an original Dojo offshoot. In preparation for writing a script, Crowder explains that the new Shoot the Stars class watched “Enter the Dojo: 100 Ways to Kick the Groin” in order to “get a feeling” of Page’s style. Consequently, film students Dylan Hamilton-Smith and Keegan Moore (the Dylan and Keegan comedy duo as they’re known in The Film School) wrote a fitting short called “The Disposables.” “If you remember The Expendables,” Crowder says, “about a group of aging action heroes…that could be an [inference] of the title of our project.” Regarding the writers of “The Disposables,” Crowder adds, “they’re absolutely hilarious people.” Despite working closely with Page in branding consistency, Crowder says that the Shoot the Stars team won’t be creating another web series episode, but a “little feature[tte] of what is Master Ken’s life outside of the Dojo.” And though Page’s Master Ken character will be key in the original script, the required Shoot the Stars guest actors (an unidentified 40-year-old woman and 50-year-old man) will also appear in the story. “The script is in motion, it’s fluid and subject to change,” Crowder says. Meanwhile, he prepares for his shoot by analyzing the script and solidifying the “look” of the film. As far as an artistic vision, it helps that Crowder’s range of filmmaking is so diverse. Able to “play with the cheesy and funny action films” to the “bad B movies,” Crowder says he has experience in working with heavy visuals as well as heavy dialogue. And running, for example, SFUAD’s Rock Horror Picture Show on campus for the third year running has made “working with other people” his speciality. “If a script is intentionally bad or even unintentionally bad,” Crowder muses, “there is an opportunity to make it a great movie. It’s so much fun to do that!” Supporting Crowder as co-producers in “The Disposables,” juniors Matthew Krekeler and Anastasia Gendelman have already begun planning for the November shoot. This week, the producers will hold, for example, interviews for positions like director of photography, cinematographer and production designer (a position which Gendelman assisted in last year and says is a “totally different realm” than producing). “Producers should be able to find the right people,” Krekeler says. As previous locations manager for Shoot the Stars, Krekeler knows the importance of “building a team,” a task which Krekeler and Gendelman have found simple due to the “passion” encountered in their “awesome interviews” thus far. With the addition of a Shoot the Stars class, Krekeler and Gendelman say they have started interviews and meetings early this year and have procured, thanks to Film School Assistant Chair Paula Amanda, “Longmire’s” old office space in Onate Hall. They hope to utilize the space for production meetings, storyboarding, scheduling, etc. “It adds to the real world experience,” Krekeler says. Bonnie Burchfield, director of “Oasis Motel,” is also grateful...
Jackalope Magazine is the student magazine of Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Building on the interdisciplinary nature of our education, we aim to showcase the talent of our university and character of our city.
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