Carolina Rebellion descended upon the Rock City Campgrounds in Concord, NC the first weekend in May. The 2013 lineup was impressive with some of rock’s heavy hitters from the 90’s and fresh talent that is resurrecting the heavy side of rock. Headliners Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Bush were set to crown each evening at the event with the sounds of melodic metal shouted across tens of thousands of fans.

From the beginning there were issues that ultimately led to this event being cancelled in such a way that the name Carolina Rebellion was literally drug though the mud.

Typical gripes about food prices were exacerbated by the fact that General Admission ticket holders could not leave the event grounds and return. “No Re-Entry” signs were posted at all exits. You could not bring any food or drinks inside the venue except for one 16 ounce bottle to hold water. They did offer many “Gluten-Free” options, but charged a premium for them. Ticket holders could upgrade to a “VIP” package ($125 more) to be able to come and go and take advantage of a large tented area with separate bathrooms in between the two main stages. The event grounds were a combination of barely mulched trees, loosely packed dirt, and old graveled areas riddled with grass and holes. Trash cans were hard to find and consequently the grounds were littered quickly with discarded food.  There was nowhere to sit unless you waited in line to hang out in the Marlboro Lounge or paid the VIP premium for the tent. Many concert goers brought blankets in the hopes of a picnic style feast of their favorite bands. The weather and ground conditions destroyed all hope of that.

Maria Brink of In This Moment

Day One started with promise, but as In This Moment approached the Carolina Stage, lead singer Maria Brink struggled against the wind on her skull laden platform.  Overcast skies and the promise of rain made it bone chilling cold even in the pit. The set was phenomenal: blazing guitar lead by strong vocals that ached with defiance.  On the other side of the campgrounds, Sick Puppies continued on the second main stage dubbed Rebellion. Exuberant fans reveled in their set and the staples of rock were in full force: crowd surfing, pit slam circles and smiling faces with fists in the air.

Matt Tuck of Bullet for my Valentine

Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix

Chino Moreno of Deftones

Deftones seemed muted emotionally, but sloughed through their set with songs spanning over a decade of albums.

Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst

Limp Bizkit took advantage of the descending darkness as Wes Borland’s black body paint and lit up astronaut style headgear haloed the stage.

Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit

Day one was crowned by Alice in Chains as the Saturday Night headlining band.  A new singer hasn’t changed the tone and intensity of the band, which I credit lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell for maintaining.

Day Two the walls of the pit started to crack. The gates remained closed for several hours due to a rain delay, and the promoters never caught up.  When they finally opened the gates, fans were met with horrid conditions. Coarse dirt quickly became mud as the constant rain intensified to downpours several times but never fully stopped.  Some areas were impassable with mud up to your ankles or running water making rivers cutting off areas. Vendors made a killing off of $5 “ponchos” that were just clear plastic garbage bags.

Philip Labonte of All That Remains

We caught All That Remain’s set in a full downpour. The bassist and guitarists were clustered around the drummer’s platform just to stay out of the wet wind.  It looked like the weather was going to end the concert. Those of us that can feel rage and happiness at the same time are not going to be cowed by a little rain.

Hollywood Undead

Fans remained stage front, covered in trash bags, blankets or soaking wet clothes ready for Hollywood Undead to bring the pain. Men with blowers dried the equipment in the never ending battle with the weather, and stage hands pushed water off the stage.

SqueeGee Man

SqueeGee Man slouged water off the stage with fervor. With so many people standing hundreds deep and all eyes on the stage, he was the only thing to watch. A chant rose up, “SQUEE GEE, SQUEE GEE” and he raised his apparatus high and cursed the rain. SqueeGee Man became the embodiment of Carolina Rebellion’s dedicated fans. Tired, wet, and cold, shoving the same wet slop off the same square of stage but doing it and not stopping until the bands could play.  Halfway through Hollywood Undead’s soaked set, they invited SqueeGee Man to join them onstage. The crowd loved it and it gave them hope that standing in the rain for two days, tripping through the mulched mud for 48 hours, being cold and hungry was all going to be worth it to see their favorite musicians play.

Sevendust's Lajon Witherspoon

Unfortunately it wasn’t. More rain delays left fans standing in the mud before Sevendust finally took the Rebellion Stage. They played with intense emotion and interacted with the crowd. Like the Deftones, they played songs spanning over a decade of albums. This was the last full act at Carolina Rebellion. After their set, there were more delays for several hours. The information booth was mobbed and then simply closed up shop. Police presence increased and still no word from the promoters. In the dark they finally announced that the remainder of the show was cancelled due to safety concerns. They advised people to keep their ticket stubs – the same ticket stubs many tossed because of the no re-entry policy, and those that had kept the tiny piece of paper pulled it from their pocket nearly disintegrated from their soaked clothing. The weather had won and left few Carolina Rebellion fans with much more than frustration in their hearts.




Carolina Rebellion was a broken promise. It reminded me of Woodstock ’99 before the fans burninated it in rage.  The weather was out of the promoter’s control, but steps could have been taken to ease its impact. More free tents and shelters would have been a huge help. Allowing ticket holders to leave and return would have given many people a much needed break from the rain and a chance to dry off. The promoters could have implemented better stage shielding for the rain and wind that was clearly forecast weeks in advance.  The event grounds should have been graveled and sanded or properly graded so that rainwater would run off to appropriate areas.  Trash cans should have been all over the grounds instead of in a handful of places on the perimeter.  The fans were willing to endure a great deal to attend Carolina Rebellion; the promoters should have been willing to do the same to make it safe for the bands to play.  We expect overpriced food and drinks. We expect rain delays. We don’t expect cancelling three main acts of a rain or shine show because the promoters were unprepared.

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About the Author

Claire Hammett is a native North Carolinian and almost graduate of UNC of Charlotte. She consumes two dystopian fiction novels a week and is an avid gamer specializing in the Call of Duty series. She is the wife of an Army Aviator and the mother of two tech savvy children that continually challenge her view of the world. You can find her on Twitter @ClaireJeepChick

Our filmmaker spotlight is on Director Glenn Kiser of Sabbatical. Kiser's film was selected to be part of the NewFilmmakers Los Angeles screenings at the AT&T center in downtown Los Angeles this month. Learn about the film, his inspirations, goals and current projects.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it. 

“Sabbatical” is a film about two people who decide to take a break from their relationship—and what happens to them after they come back. I started writing a feature film version with my friend Erin Engman a few years ago, and last year we decided to make a short to get things going.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

My friends Brian and Marlene let us shoot in their beautiful home, which they had just renovated. And Brian used to be a location manager for films, so he knew better and said yes anyway.


How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at the AT&T Center?

I’m excited to be a part of such an awesome slate of movies, and to be part of NewFilmmkers as it makes the move to new digs downtown.

What inspires you?

Fear and self-hatred. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. That, and Peet’s coffee. Those three things keep me in a productive spiral of panic and euphoria.

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

I admire writers and directors who keep one foot in comedy and the other in pathos. If you can make me laugh and cry in one movie, I’m yours forever. Classic directors like Preston Sturges and Leo McCarey and contemporary directors like Alexander Payne and Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris and James Brooks.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

You have to surround yourself with a group of artists and collaborators you trust and who believe it you. But no one is going to hand anything to you—you have to make your own destiny. And the odds are always against you, so the best thing you can do is just keep your head down and keep working, every day.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

I feel like I have something to learn from just about everyone I come in contact with, so the list would be too long to even contemplate. That said, I’d love to direct Meryl Streep someday.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

It’s not really an experience, but every day I wage war against that voice in my head that tells me I don’t have enough talent to pull this off, that I’m foolish for even trying, that I should be teaching high school rather than directing films. I understand the voice—in some sense it’s trying to protect me from following my dreams and failing. So I salute the voice and thank it, and then I go on about my day.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

The best piece of advice I ever got came to me from a family friend right before I headed off to college. She said, “Say ‘yes’ whenever possible.” And I have.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Never be afraid to tell people what you want to do, and what you need to make it happen.

Where can we expect to see you next?

At the premiere of the feature film version of “Sabbatical.”

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects.

http://sabbaticalfilm.com
https://www.facebook.com/sabbaticalfilm

Anything else you'd like to add?

Come see the film!!

Our filmmaker spotlight is on Writer-Director J.J. Huckin of (Re)Birth. J.J. Huckin 's film was selected to be part of the NewFilmmakers Los Angeles screenings at the AT&T center in downtown Los Angeles this month. Learn about the film, his inspirations, goals and current projects.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it. 

It’s a short film that I have been thinking about for some time.  It is about a woman who must choose between having a child and keeping her husband.  Although it is not stated directly in the film…we can see they have been together for a long time.  It is a “us against the world” type mentality they have and each other is all they need.  Then the wife changes her mind and desperately wants a child.  So the dilemma for the audience to deal with is deciding if it is fair for her to have an understanding and agreement with the husband that they are not going to have children but then change her mind.  Who do you root for?  The truth is…it’s grey.  You can understand her feelings but he has a point too.  So we have to see if this tears them apart or pulls them together.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

I’d like to thank the two actors for going above and beyond to shoot this and I would like to thank the family of the lead actress (Jennifer Wilson McGuire) for allowing us to shoot in her grandmother’s home.


How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at AT&T Center?

It is an amazing feeling and I am very honored.  When I got the call…I was thrilled because this is the one festival that I really really wanted to get into.

What inspires you?

Seeing other people create amazing heart felt art.  The band Sigur Ros inspires me.

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

As filmmakers…I love Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson.  They are operating on another level.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

Nobody is waiting for you.  You must make your own art.  Whether you are an actor or filmmaker or musician or whatever…nobody cares about potential.  You must make your own art and get it out there.  And oh…Facebook is ruining the world.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

Terrence Malick…I would love to see his process.  His films are the most beautiful cinematic things I have ever seen.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

Tearing my Achilles…twice.  And I live up a 100 step step-street.  Sweet.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

You better do what you love in life because in 100 years, nobody will care that you were here.   Your own family prob won’t even know what you did for a living.  I don’t know what my great grandparents did.  I surely don’t really care.  So don’t waste your time not doing what you love.  And try to help a few people along the way.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Find someone whose work you love…beg them to let you assist them…take your experience and apply it.  Repeat.

Where can we expect to see you next?

I’m shooting some musical videos coming soon.  Live stuff from Richie Sambora and Jason Mraz.

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects.

www.jjhuckin.com

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for including me in this piece.  I’m honored.

This week's NewFilmmakersLA Spotlight is on Writer and Producer Alex Hunter of the short film, No Beers for Bradley. Get to know Hunter’s work, learn about the latest project, inspirations and catch a few tips for filmmakers just starting out.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it. 

NBFB was a sort of intervention for my roommate (and star of the short), Brad. He came home one night, hammered drunk, and began to share a story with me of how he told a store to, as he put it, “fuck off,” for not allowing him to buy more alcohol. He thought it was the coolest thing he had ever done. I did not. The rest of the night I, like the store, did not allow him to drink, constantly repeating “No…no beers for Bradley.” I then told him that I was going to write a children’s book about him the next day. Brad would soon pass out and I would finish the book that night. 24 locations and a year later, here we are with a fun little short.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

I would like to thank Cal State Fullerton, for allowing Brad to find his true passion. Boozing.

What inspires you?

Persistence. Someone who decides on what they want and they go for it. Failing can happen, but if you never try, you’ll never know how many STD’s you can accumulate. Wait, what was the question?

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

On a real, I admire anyone who came from nothing. There is something to be said about those who work their way up through talent and passion. I think the director of “Glitter” made it this way. Come to think of it, I admire people who didn’t direct “Glitter.”
 

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

I’ve learned that you need a good support system. Find your special group of friends that bring out the best in you. NOTE: This group should always include one hot female or the group will not succeed.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

My heroes are Trey Parker and Matt Stone. I feel like they capture the essence of society in a half an hour cartoon and that’s how I like to watch my news.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

Becoming a father forced me to grow up much faster than I had expected, as you can tell from this interview. I have matured a lot. Scary.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

Don’t be a dick.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Work hard and do it for as long as you love to do it. Persistence is key in this industry. And…Don’t be a dick!

Where can we expect to see you next?

Oddly enough, we have a screening of “No Beers For Bradley” at the New Filmmakers Film Festival on the 11th of May. You should come out!

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects.

inkybird.net 
Twitter: @alexhunter123 (got real creative with that one)
Instagram: lebowski818

Anything else you'd like to add?

I would like to thank Disarray Magazine and NewFilmmakers for allowing me to act a fool all up in this questionnaire.

Our filmmaker spotlight is on Writer Aaron Himelstein of The Napkin. Himelstein's film was selected to be part of the NewFilmmakers Los Angeles screenings at the AT&T center in downtown Los Angeles this month. Learn about the film, his inspirations, goals and current projects.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it.

The Napkin is a dark comedy about a bereft guy who finds himself hosting his friend’s bachelor party at the house he recently inherited from his father. The film takes place over one night and tracks this guy as he spirals into a bit of a nervous breakdown in front of his friends. Thematically, I guess it deals with the fear of death and the pressure to have fun that I know I feel all the time as a youngish person. The project came together quickly. From conception to production was about 2 and half months. I had just begun working with Mirror Cube Films, a company my collaborator Jess Manafort heads, when she offered me a budget without even seeing a script. I showed her a few shorts that I’d written over the years and this one which I’d written over a weekend. She responded to it and pushed me to get it done asap.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

Jess Manafort. John Robinson for writing the story with me and for providing us with our location. Dov Tiefenbach, who I lived with at the time, for allowing himself to be truly vulnerable on camera. And my mom and dad. And everyone who worked on the film.

How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at the AT&T Center?

It’s an honor. A few friends of mine have had the opportunity to screen with New Filmmakers and they all found it a unique platform to gain exposure and an audience to view their work which is never an easy task. Obviously if you are looking for eyeballs, Youtube has plenty of them, but I mean seeing your own film in a theater with people who you can turn and stare at while they look up at your images on the screen. Not reading reactions on a message board. And New Filmmakers also does more than any other organization I’ve heard of to get exposure for directors and writers through publications such as this one.

What inspires you?

My childhood, music, stand up comedy, books, photographs, plays, anything I guess.

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

A filmmaker and best friend of mine Luke Eberl (Choose Conner) has served as a creative catalyst for me since I was 14 years old. He’s been a part of almost all of my projects an is one the people I know who has screened at New Filmmakers. Just a few filmmaking influences: Hal Ashby, Emir Kusturica, Martin McDonagh, Todd Solondz, Billy Wilder, Roman Polanski, Rob Reiner, Paul Thomas Anderson and Woody Allen.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

This is not an industry that rewards hard work and persistence. This industry is trend based but if you want to make non disposable content with lasting power, it’s a pretty destructive thought process to invest too much of yourself in. A majority of my favorite films were made twenty, thirty, forty years ago so I always like to hold on to that thought when approaching a project, not what’s on the front page of the Hollywood Reporter. I’m not very good with navigating the business side of things so I don’t think I’m a good
person to answer questions on “the biz.”

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

Edward Albee. Or maybe Stephen King.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

I was working with Richard Linklater as an actor and I asked him for some advice on writing. He said “Once you begin the writing process, don’t look back until you have a draft.” I think he was saying that it’s not really your job to judge your work while you are writing it. Like this eastern quote that now I can’t really remember who said it but it goes something like “You can’t plant a seed in the ground and keep digging it up to see if it’s growing.”

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Find a way to meet actors and study acting. The process of performing scenes and breaking down emotional beats will only enhance your understanding of scene structure, pacing and the thought process of an actor.
Again, the business/industry element is not something I can say that I grasp so I’m not really comfortable speaking about agents or anything like that.

Where can we expect to see you next?

As an actor, a film called “All the boys love Mandy Lane” is coming out this summer as well as a TV series. I did a few episodes called “Doll & Em” written by and starring Dolly Wells and Emily Mortimer.

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your Projects. 

I have Facebook. That’s about it. It’s just my name.

This week's Filmmaker Spotlight focuses on Director Mark Cummins, whose film was showcased at the AT&T Center in downtown Los Angeles as part of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. Learn about his film, The Most Girl Part of You, as Cummins discusses making the film, lessons he's learned and where you can catch him next.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it.

I worked on this project for a long time. It started with me reading the original short story by Amy Hempel. Upon finishing it, I immediately went back and re-read it, which is unusual for literature. We don’t think of it as a pop song you put on repeat. But the story was like that. It had a lightness and buoyancy even though it dealt with heavy material, and I felt exhilarated at the end of it. I had just abandoned a short script as overly long and too expensive to produce. I wasn’t consciously looking for material, but it was similar thematically to the story I had abandoned but I realized more optimistic than the piece I had written. As opposed to a story where someone learns they’ll never get what they want, I thought I would now make a short that was about someone getting what they wanted, but having to leave their comfort zone to do so.

This film was made as my thesis film at USC and they are strict about rights and permissions, so first I would need the author’s permission. There was a point where I was afraid I would have to abandon the project when I didn’t think she was going to give me the go-ahead. I took buses and planes to literally stake out her office hours. It was creepy and devotional in keeping with the actions of the character in the story. Today, I probably wouldn’t go about it the same way.

After that things began to fall into place. The film won awards from FotoKem and Kodak that allowed us to shoot on 35mm. Production had the usual snafus--losing your lead actress a week before shooting, getting kicked out of your locations by South Pasadena and shooting in your house (it helped that my roommate was the DP)—but overall it was one of best weeks of my life. As part of the award from Fotokem, I watched print dailies in a dark theater, which is probably an experience I’ll never have again unless I work on a Paul Thomas Anderson movie. The first day I could see the footage looked incredible and the choice to shoot on film in 35 had been the appropriate one. As a director I could also see the movie we were actually making, and understand the actors better and what they brought to the characters. I knew the story we were telling. It was an invaluable learning process.

The post-process was protracted. Despite the lessons learned on set and my happiness with my footage, I spent a lot of time in the editing process looking for the right structure. The film had a trajectory but it wasn’t exactly linear--I had written and shot the film as fragments--so I essentially had infinite options in terms of how the film could be edited. I also could rewrite the voiceover as necessary and always felt like I was just one change away from finally cracking it. But progress was more incremental. I had to overcome the romantic idea of completion, to learn that things are never finished only abandoned.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

Amy Hempel for writing the original story and allowing me to adapt it. Gail Duncan at Kodak, FotoKem, and USC for supporting the film through post-production. My family and friends. The families who let us shoot in their homes. And all my collaborators on the film.

How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at the AT&T Center?

I’m very excited to have the film selected by New Filmmakers. It’s great to see the film connect with other people after living with it for so long. With every screening, it feels less and less like the film belongs to me, which is how I like it. Los Angeles is my home now, so it’s important to me to feel like my neighbors and peers feel like my movie has something to say.

What inspires you?

Anger is an energy that I find more helpful generally than positive feedback. I have a repressed competitive streak, that comes out when someone says I can’t do something, I think, “I’ll show them.”

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

I grew up in New York City, educated by the Jesuits, listening to rap music and reading literary fiction. Those are my earliest influences. In my filmmaking, I’m guided by the kind of humanism practiced by such directors as Ernst Lubitsch, Jean Renoir, John Cassavetes, Ozu, Bresson, Eric Rohmer, Hal Ashby and Edward Yang. I would like to be able as John Huston did to adapt literature freely as feature films.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

The lessons you learn from the industry aren’t ones you should really take it heart, because the logic of industry is depressing. They are programming, so it is a constant fight to preserve your creativity within that.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

I would like to make a movie with Felicity Jones and Daniel Day Lewis.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

I’ve had a largely middle-class life bereft of great trauma or sacrifice. The single toughest thing for me is to overcome a kind of innate pessimism I have about human life, which can be summed up as “Why try?” It’s so much easier to not do stuff than it is to do stuff. Inertia is stronger than will often. The stories I wish to tell are inspired by the rift between things as they are and things as we want them to be: We have our ideals but cannot live up to them; we wish to be virtuous but then act selfishly; we dislike our lives but do not change them; we prefer illusion to reality; and

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

It’s easy to get 90% of the way there, but for the last 10% you really need a buddy. Sort of like moving out of your apartment. Don’t ever try to move alone.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Don’t do the tortured solo genius thing. Find people who share a similar sensibility and bounce your ideas off them. Your collaborators will make your ideas better or suggest better ones. And having to advocate or defend them to trusted friends will make your ideas sharper, smarter and more universal. And if/when you fail, you’ll have more fun with a group.

Where can we expect to see you next?

I’m looking forward to making some weird shit for the web and more adaptations.

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects.

www.themostgirlpartofyou.com

This week's Filmmaker Spotlight focuses on writer and director Jonathan Ade, whose film was showcased at the AT&T center as part of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. Learn about his film, ItsOkayItsOkay as he discusses  making the film, lessons he's learned and where you can catch him next.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it. 

I’ve been working with my DP and creative partner Alexander Paul on the Meditations for the past three years. Each film takes us about a year to make, usually because we slowly accumulate the necessary resources and proper time to execute each project in-between our regular day jobs. That’s why it takes so long.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

Too many people. The production couldn’t have come together if it wasn’t for the help of a number of really crucial folks, especially Henry Lange Jr. at Raising Hope and Mike Carter at Panavision. And of course, we have a tremendous support network of friends and family who have contributed financially to make this project happen. My parents are especially important in this regard.

On the production end of things, the film couldn’t have been made without the hard work of Cassandra Siemon, our production designer, who led a team to build three sets in five days. Her many sleepless nights were the only reason we were able to shoot in the first place.


How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at AT&T Center?

Wonderful. Our previous Meditation, Supper, screened at NewFilmmakers almost a whole year ago, so it feels both like a tremendous homecoming and (hopefully) something of a tradition.

What inspires you?

A number of things. Film, of course, but also a lot of long form non-fiction, poetry, theater, clowning. I’m currently enamored with a series of live events put on by Henry Hoke in Los Angeles, called Enter: Text, which is a kind of art installation meets literary reading, in which the participants find unique and intimate ways of engaging with the audience. It’s really made me think of the way a space changes your relationship to a work, no matter what that work happens to be.

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

On the film side of things, it’s interesting because there are people who I admire that don’t (consciously) influence me, and there are people who influence me that I don’t necessarily admire. Ha! They’re not always one in the same.

The aesthetic of honesty runs deep in a filmmaker like Kelly Reichardt, the single most underappreciated filmmaker working today. Virtually everything I’ve tried to do in the last few years is, in one way or another, some loose, vain approximation of what she does expertly well. For similar reasons, the filmmaker Charles Burnett remains a solid foundation for what I admire about filmmaking, and Killer of Sheep remains my favorite movie.

Strangely, I think I’ve become influenced against my will by some of the work I’ve done as an editor. Through a matter of necessity, I’m frequently a video editor of promotional videos, sizzles, and trailers. And though I’ve downplayed the significance of working in this field (as I said before, it’s felt like a matter of necessity than a burning desire), I think fast-paced editing has sharpened my instinct for saying more with the bare minimum, at whatever pace.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

I’ve learned that something that’s hard doesn’t get easier just because you’ve been at it a while. And occasionally, you’ve got to remind yourself why you’re doing this, and get centered and renewed. This is more important than hard work. It’s so easy to get lost, but when you spend a year or so working on a project, you need a lot of reminders along the way.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

Going back to my answer about Enter: Text and thinking about spaces, I’d very much like to create a film for a particular kind of space. I’d like to work with an interior designer to create an installation of a small living space (think of the strange world of the IKEA showroom) and create a film to be exhibited only in that space. I think that would really interesting. Like a 1970s teenagers bedroom, and the film is a Super 8 projection on his ceiling. Viewers would have to lie in bed to see the movie.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

Gosh, it’s always a tough slog. I wish I had a single experience to give you, but, unless you’ve been exposed to some awful traumatic event, in Los Angeles its usually not one thing. It’s a series of things, threatening to break you down every day: a thoughtless comment by a producer, a director chewing you out on set, an editing note that asks you to make a video “more better”, the general thoughtlessness of a few that makes you feel like thinking critically is an endangered mindset. Feeling alone. That’s what’s so tough. It’s easy to get isolated.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

A fellow filmmaker, Julian Higgins, said that the pre-production, for a director, is not preparation to execute a plan so much as it is the cultivation of instinct. That’s stayed with me for a while. I may have even cited this last year. It’s a great mindset, an important distinction.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Read, be thoughtful, be serious, be daring. If you’re not taking a risk artistically, you’re simply not doing it right. You have a responsibility to stretch your medium.

Where can we expect to see you next?

We’re filming our next movie in June, so perhaps in a year’s time. More information at LayInWait.com.

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects.

Our next film, LayinWait.com, or find us on Facebook. We’re currently fundraising and could use all the help we could get! We’ve been working on that project for well over a year now.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks very much!

For more information, visit: http://www.newfilmmakersla.com/

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This week's NewFilmmakersLA Spotlight is on Director Jacob Groll of the film, mala fide. Get to know Groll's work, learn about his latest project, inspirations and catch a few tips for filmmakers just starting out.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it. 

Let me tell you what I want the viewer to experience: I want them to be thrilled, to go over the film in their heads afterwards, making up their minds if they think what they saw was real or not. I want them to be entertained – while watching the film as well as while discussing it afterwards.

We put a lot of effort into the film – we shot on the best available camera, the alexa, we prepared in detail, we got together a great and professional crew and we attracted highly gifted actors to the project. Working like that is very rewarding – everyone can perform on their highest level but still have that vibe and energy of an indie-project.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

The ones primarily responsible to finance the film – the cast and crew. They worked for nothing except a great catering. We did receive funding from the city of Vienna, the state of Upper Austria and Carynthia and I would like to thank these supporting partners as well. But with no/low budget projects one must not forget that the cast and crew, investing their time, effort and their salary into the movie, really make it happen.


How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at the AT&T Center?

It's the world-f@§ing premiere. Right in the center of the movie world, in Los Angeles. Awesome! I'm looking forward to the heart of downtown at AT&T. Don't know how it works in LA, but isn't the staples center nearby? - Is Kobe gonna show up at our screening?

What inspires you?

People, mostly. Strangers I observe, behaving a certain way that immediately tells or provokes a story. They make me imagine a world, a character, a situation, anything that triggers the storytelling gene.
Any work of art may do the same – a song, a painting, even a performance may be the starting point for a story. Then reality kicks in and I start thinking about the implementations – why is that person, that situation interesting to me? What does it symbolize for me that is relevant to us right now as a society?

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

How long may I go on?
Generally, I admire people who have built a body of work that shows versatility, craft and sort of a steady output. There's one hit wonders that do great stuff, but churning out a new piece every couple of years or more often and still remain fresh, interested and exact – that you don't see too often.  Woody Allen springs to mind, Steven Soderbergh or FF Coppolla.
But there's other qualities that might not be as close to me as others but still function as strong influences – the child-like dreaming qualities of Steven Spielberg, the dramaturgical relentlessnes of Michael Haneke, the complexity of Kieslowsky,... - these are all qualities I love to watch again and again and be inspired by.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

Hard work and casualty. - You can't force anything to happen or anyone to like you. You have to try and try and still keep your cool. 99% of your efforts might be disregarded, but that remaining percent, if that is of quality, people are gonna love you – and hire you for it. Quality prevails, so make sure everything you do shows that quality. I'm not talking about perfection or about doing one thing perfect but everything else so-so. I'm talking about everyday work-life and deadlines, about the steady stream of creativity, about showing a supportive and positive work-athmosphere.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

Ok, you really want that list to be long, right?
Writing-wise I would love to be involved in a great writer's room, lead by a great showrunner. I think that working environment is immensely intense and rewarding – you create and learn at the same time.
So think about Ronald D. Moore, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, David Simon,...
Directing-wise it's people whose work and work-style I admire – directors of photography Vittorio Storaro, Gordon Willis, Christopher Doyle,... producers Scott Rudin, the Weinsteins (althoug I think I have to work on my ego before – and my baritone), with editors like Thelma Shoonmaker or Walter Murch, and – oh god, - these wonderful actresses and actors. People like Philipp Seymore Hoffman, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Edward Norton (gotta boost the ego even more)
Dream-come-true is writing a script with Peter Morgan, produced by George Clooney & Grant Heslov, starring Denzel Washington and Cate Blanchett.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

Years ago, my then writing partner turning to me after really bad criticism on the second draft, saying “Yes, I think so, too. Jacob, you have to solve that.”
What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

Fuck them. Keep writing.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Find a mentor. Never had one, but I heard it's great.

Where can we expect to see you next?

At the bar after the screening?
A TV-series I co-created and co-wrote is being shot and will be shown in Autumn. I hope they show it in the U.S., too. Right now, I'm finishing writing a feature that I hope to get into production this year.

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects.

www.jacobgroll.com

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for inviting me and thanks for all the interest!

Our filmmaker spotlight is on Director Aaron Murtagh of Best Birthday Ever. Murtagh's short film was selected to be part of the NewFilmmakers Los Angeles screenings at the AT&T center in downtown Los Angeles this month. Learn about the film, his inspirations, goals and current projects.

Tell us a little bit about your project and how long you’ve been working on it.

Best Birthday Ever is a short film about a young man, Sylvester, his new girlfriend, Mary, and the girl he’s been hooking up with, Roxanne. And, of course, the birthday party where Mary and Roxanne get territorial and Sly is forced to choose between them. The film was shot in 2010 but has gone through a very long editing and post phase and was completed in January.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping out with this film?

The project was generously supported by a FLIXUS grant from the School of Theater and School of Film/Video at Calarts. I’d like to thank my cast and crew for working tirelessly during our shoot and my roommates who let me use our house as the location for 4 days.


How does it feel to have your film part of the NewFilmmakers Screening at AT&T Center?

NewFilmmakers LA is a great opportunity to share this project with all my collaborators in Los Angeles.

What inspires you?

Boredom is always a good catalyst for action.

Who are your influences and who do you admire?

I have a lot of admiration for the discontent. It means they’re ready to make a change.  But also Taylor McKimens and Ryan Trecartin.

What lessons have you learned from the industry so far?

I once blew up a microwave in the break room on the Warner back lot.  I think the lesson there was that if you’re an intern no one really cares what you do – so go big or go home.

If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it be?

The obvious answer is Catherine O’Hara or Gena Rowlands but I’m making a feature with my wife this summer and that is pretty exciting, as well.

What is the toughest experience you've ever had to overcome?

Learning to tie my shoes.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you?

I think it’s helpful when someone’s advice is ‘don’t do that’. It makes you question how important that choice really is.

What advice would you give to new filmmakers starting out in the industry?

Talk to someone else.

Where can we expect to see you next?

I’m producing and acting in a feature that is shooting in Los Angeles this July.

Let our readers know where they can find more information about you and your projects. 

The movie is called Present Company Excluded. Follow us on Facebook.

The Great Gatsby hits theaters on Friday, and Rdio has the original soundtrack to the 2013 motion picture directed by Baz Luhrman available for full streaming so you can get amped for the release.  The soundtrack features new songs, previously released tracks, and unique covers, such as the dark rendition of Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black performed by Beyonce & Andre 3000.

The film is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish world of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby—and soon enough, Carraway will see through the cracks of Gatsby's nouveau riche existence, where obsession, madness, and tragedy await.

Click below to experience Daisy Buchanan (played by Carey Mulligan) reincarnated under the guise of artists such as Beyonce, Lana Del Ray, Sia, and Florence Welch as well as the rest of the sexy soundtrack by heavy-hitters The xx, Jay-Z, and Jack White.

1. 100$ Bill – Jay-Z
2. Back To Black - Beyoncé, André 3000
3. Young And Beautiful - Lana Del Rey
4. Love Is Blindness - Jack White
5. Crazy In Love (Kid Koala Version) - Emeli Sandé, The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
6. Bang Bang - will.i.am
7. "I Like Large Parties" - Elizabeth Debicki
8. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got) - Fergie, Q-Tip, GoonRock
9. Love Is The Drug - Bryan Ferry, The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
10. "Can't Repeat The Past?" - Leonardo Dicaprio, Tobey Maguire
11. Hearts A Mess - Gotye
12. Where The Wind Blows - Coco O.
13. Green Light - Green Light
14. No Church In The Wild – Jay-Z, Kanye West
15. Over The Love - Florence + The Machine
16. Together - The xx
17. Into The Past - Nero
18. Kill And Run - Sia
19. Over The Love (Of You) - Florence + The Machine, SBTRKT
20. Young And Beautiful (DH Orchestral Version) - Lana Del Rey
21. "Gatsby Believed In The Green Light" - Tobey Maguire, Craig Armstrong

For more information, visit:
http://www.rdio.com/artist/Various_Artists/album/Music_From_Baz_Luhrmann%27s_Film_The_Great_Gatsby_(Deluxe_Edition)_1/

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