Take Two June July 2004

Now you really need to get your rest whenever you can, find those comfy shoes, and make your summer film festival plans come true. There are festivals in New England non-stop from now until nearly the end of August. You will see some of the best films from New England, the nation, and the world, many of them world and New England premieres. This issue is loaded with information about them. Please enjoy what we’ve written as well as the festivals themselves.

One of our favorite things that we do every summer is host a celebratory Champagne Brunch honoring New England Filmmakers and Screenwriters at the IMAGINE House at the Nantucket Film Festival. This year promises to be very special with great guests from all over the industry gathering on the island for what is their now well-known sun, sand and screenwriting affair. This year the NBC UNIVERSAL Screenwriters Tribute fetes Charlie Kaufman for which a number of luminaries have been attracted to the event to toast the award. Among them is Jim Carrey and a few days on a small island with Carrey could be an interesting experience. Much to everyone’s delight he will participate in an “In Their Shoes” audience participation afternoon panel during his stay.

Our cover story relates to this festival, as does our special section. Read Carla Stockton’s article about the Festival Director Jill Burkhart and Festival Artistic Director Mystelle Brabbee on pages 16 and 17 of this issue and all about the festival in the same section. This is NFF9. One must wonder what the Directors have in mind for NFF10, their tenth anniversary, how will they make it even better or more memorable defies contemplation. But, we know they’re already planning.

This year, IMAGINE has 5 writers and 3 photographers covering NFF9 and the IMAGINE Champagne Brunch. We warmly thank and toast our industry brunch co-sponsors Moody Street Pictures, Boston Camera Rental, Finish Editorial, and Fade In, Inc. for making our celebration happen again this year. A special thanks to Avid Technology, Boris FX, HB Communications, Triple Eight Vodka, Cisco Brewers, Nantucket Vineyards, and Cape Air who have come together in strong support for this annual event. Many now famous folks first met at this unique industry get-together.

Imagine covers many important film festivals because they provide such wonderful opportunities for filmmakers on all levels of expertise. You will find something for everyone in the New England assortment presented this year. Festivals are for everyone, every age, every expectation. Find the ones that are just right for you in this issue of IMAGINE.

At the end of the summer, IMAGINE prepares and presents a big pictorial review of the summer’s festivals’ best photos, yours and ours. Send your favorite shots, along with good captions and credits directly to me.

We’re looking forward to the World Premiere of my friend Brad Jacques film RETREAT at the Woods Hole Film Festival. We should get some fun photos there. Brad is one of our dearly departed directors for hire who now resides in Hollywood. But, make no mistake; he will bring his work here whenever he can.

We really appreciate all the good comments that IMAGINE has been receiving. It’s good to know, and it’s important to know that our substantial contributions in support of the industry and our eternal optimism for the industry’s success isn’t going unnoticed and is appreciated by so many. We have to thank our advertisers for their support, for without theirs, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do for you and love so much to do: connecting the dots for the Industry in New England. For that we ask our readers to patronize IMAGINE’s advertisers whenever possible, and when you do, please thank them and let them know you see their ad in IMAGINE.

We can take nothing for granted if we are to be a bona fide industry looking to our states and municipalities to legislate budgets, offices, incentives, and other considerations in our behalf. We can no longer be a fledgling industry wondering why government doesn’t do more for us. We must grow up, mature, and demonstrate that we deserve consideration and that it is the right thing for government to do. When we do, I’m confident that H303 (Massachusetts bill to reconstitute the Mass Film Office) will receive substantial funding in Ways and Means as the basis of a new future and economy for the industry and the state. We must do this before we lose even more of our crew base and before any more of our businesses fail and close (see Mick Cusimano’s IMAGINATION this month about what happens when someone calls the old Mass Film Office).

We have opened some new doors within Massachusetts and Boston to be sure, but we must press for direct state funding, personnel and incentives. Incentive is the industry buzzword. Imagine’s upcoming August issue will have a feature story on new incentive packages now available from states around the county. All of New England should take note.

We have good news regarding Gabrielle Savage’s film, THE WOODCUTTER in the finishing stages of post right now. Savage was in a sound session just this week. She has seen her high def transfers from the negative for the first time and even wowed herself, seeing details she hadn’t seen even in the dailies. She calls them, “Quite breathtaking.” Boston’s Sheldon Mirowitz is busily composing the score, which Gabrielle says is coming along nicely. “He’s amazing, he will be hiring Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians to record some of the score,” she said. And added, “Yes, it is an exciting time.” We are anxiously awaiting an announcement. Did I say THE WOODCUTTER stars Danny Glover? We’ll be asking Savage what its like to direct him in a feature story soon.

IMAGINE will be participating in an end of the summer BANG on August 29th. Mark your calendar and save the date and plan to spend it at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA. We are teaming up with Midnight Chimes Productions to present a mega-blockbuster-screening, networking, fun event for all of us to enjoy. New England filmmakers are invited to submit their films for screening consideration. It’s important to show our work, get the feedback, and grow together. Please email mcp_inquiry@yahoo.com for an application. More in the August issue.

Entertainment is still the number one export of the United States, a major chunk of that is movies and television. Our domestic consumption internally is growing exponentially, more cable networks, more delivery systems, insatiable demands for content, even :90 movies will find a home for PDA and other such hand held contraptions ripe for delivery on demand, to say nothing of what the internet is offering. Our industry future is bright and broadening daily. IMAGINE will keep connecting the dots.

My best for a memorable summer,

Carol Patton, Publisher

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