Notes from Austin, Volume 2 #15

Including:

Stuff going on this week

The Arbor

ABCD

Casino el Camino w/ DJ Sue

A phone call from Rich

G.I.R.L.S.

The short films of Richard Allen

LubeTV

No Doubt - I have been channel surfing MTV too much

plus The assorted important e-mail I get at filethirteen including calls for entries from Cinematexas and Austin Film Festival

The guitarist from the Titz was there. I wonder who he gigs with now? Are the Titz still together - or have they broken up? If the Titz break up, would they reform as Mastectomy? Anyway, I thought I saw him working at Waterloo Records the other day. Could have been some other groover with those godawful muttonchops.

There were some cute guys here and there but the one that rocked them all was this adorable little waif that came in late. He looked like Holly Woodlawn's bastard child. I decided right then and there that I didn't care if it was male or female, it was exceptional. Later, upstairs, while I ate my awesome Casino burger, I overheard him talking to his friends in an obvious male voice. He was great. He was skinny and wore a green T, black slacks with a motorcycle belt and platform shoes. Wish I would have been sober enough to tell him how simply divine he was. This, of course, made my night.

Rich is also developing a show for the UT access channel. I think it will air next fall. I let you know the details when I find out more. Hopefully I'll get a small part on it. Or a guest slot.

Finally, he told me he is going to be in an episode of "G.I.R.L.S." which currently runs on the UT channel. This is some sort of show about girl spies or girl P.I.'s or something. Rich plays an evil industrialist and Kelly has a cameo as his minion or something. I have to find out when it's going to air. I HAVE to see that.

How come no one ever offers me an acting gig? I still need to send my headshot and resume to austinactors - the website put up by my buddies John Christensen and Mark B. or LubeTV fame.

Also included was another sort of visual essay, with some narration seemingly by Allen called "Making Hooky" which presented wonderful pictorial images of young neighborhood kids, NYC circa the early 70's. Allen's sense of the moving image as extrapolated "Life" magazine pictorial was nothing short of haunting. The images and facades evoke strong memories and an almost historical sense of urban life. These were important images, fresh yet dated, crisp yet faded. It was really fascinating viewing. Moreover, it represents a decision by Allen as a filmmaker to exercise his craft using the tools and resources available to him. But "Making Hooky" begins to delve into the nature of violence and crime that is suddenly permeating this urban landscape. It ends on a disheartening and rather sad note, where Allen decides to not make a film after a crime occurs in his apartment building.

Less enchanting is "Hooky," a film allen does indeed make with two of the neighborhood urchins. Unlikely and slapstick, the film is rather weak. Allen would be wise to use "Making Hooky" as a resume piece rather than this seeming finished product.

Allen told me, a few weeks ago, that he was working on several new projects, including a dramatic piece. Since all of the images I have seen by him are almost 30 years old, it is hard to imagine what he might be capable of today. Yet the sense of style and the sense of visual panache cannot be lost, can it? Allen finds and frames wonderful images. I can only begin to imagine what magnificent work he is capable of today.

And for some damn reason I like the new Slim Shadey vid too. I really don't like rap much but white-boy pop rap is palatable to me for some reason. Shady, Limp Biskit, Vanilla Ice, Kid Rock. It's more about humor than thug mentality, I guess.

5/4-6/4 - Pride's Crossing - Zach Scott Theater

5/4-5/6, - BARBARELLA - MIDNIGHT - Alamo Draft House

5/5 - Films Released Nationwide

I DREAMED OF AFRICA (KIM BASSINGER)

GLADIATOR (director - RIDLEY SCOTT)

UP AT THE VILLA (JEREMY DAVIES, SEAN PENN)

HUMAN TRAFFIC (FOREIGN FILM - HUGE HIT IN UK)

5/5 - Make a Film in a Weekend - Cinemaker - Artplex - 5pm!

5/5 Jerry Jeff Walker - Antones

5/5 Punchy - J. Gilligan's (Arlington)

5/5-5/6 - South Korean Cinema - MFA Houston

5/6 - aGliff Garage Sale - 912 Hillside Oakes - 8a-4p

5/6 - Elliot Smith - Lazona Rosa

5/6 - Soulhat - Stubbs

5/6 - Stellar Cabaret (Joe York/Karen Kuykendall) - LBJ Wildflower Center

5/6 Punchy - Reverb Lounge (San Antonio)

5/6 - Obi Won & The Force - Seabrook Beach Club (Clear Lake)

5/6-14 - Love Letters (w/ Joan Collins and Stacy Keach) - Paramount Theater

5/7 - (8:00 & 10:00) - HONG KONG SUNDAYS: HEROIC TRIO - Alamo Draft House

5/9 - Little Feat - Stubbs

5/9 - Videos Released Nationwide

AMERICAN BEAUTY

BRINGING OUT THE DEAD

MYSTERY ALASKA

STRAIGHT STORY

5/10 - (7:00 & 9:45) - THE TEXAS DOC TOUR - ELLEN SPIRO - RETROSPECTIVE - Alamo Draft House

5/10 Punchy - Triple Crown (San Marcos)

5/11 - Supersucker - Emo's

5/11 - Joe Satriani - Austin Music Hall

5/11-14 FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH - MIDNIGHT (5/13 & 14, 4:30p) - Alamo Draft House

5/11-12 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Mercury@Jazz

5/11-21 - The Music Man (with Larry Gatlin) - Palmer Aud.

Los Angeles - The Slamdance Film Festival today announced the launch of a new original production wing devoted to short films directed by Slamdance festival alumni. Dubbed "$99 Specials," the films will be shot on a micro-budget with digital cameras and are specifically geared as original content to premiere on Slamdance.com.

"Nine Slamdance alumni, selected from the last six years will go toe to toe with some of the biggest names in dotcom and produce a five minute film (or less) with the fixed sum of $99 (or less)," said Slamdance '97 Grand Jury Winner (BIBLE AND GUN CLUB) Daniel J. Harris. "We have a lot of talented filmmakers aimlessly wandering up and down Hollywood Boulevard disseminating Scientology literature and we have decided to get them back to work. We at Slamdance are delighted to see some of the best and brightest back were they belong - behind the camera, shooting and cutting!" Harris, together with writer Kennedy Taylor, will be in charge of the "$99 Specials" production.

The films will be shot on DV, posted in house on high-end consumer editing systems and will premiere on Slamdance.com early in the fall of 2000. A second cycle of shorts from nine additional participants will go into production in September for a year-end premiere.

"Our aim with the '$99 Specials' is to continue our support of filmmakers and grow the film festival," said Slamdance Executive Director Peter Baxter. "Working with $99 and new technology will be a challenge which, hopefully, can lead to some invention, building and destruction of filmmaking ideas. At the same time, the '99's' are a realistic way for Slamdance to begin making films!"

Slamdance.com is currently running a year-round, online version of the film festival called "Anarchy," which is now taking submissions on a rolling-deadline basis. Web users from around the world have been viewing films and voting for their favorites since January, when Anarchy was launched. As a result of her experience with Slamdance, the winner of the first Anarchy competition, Monika Mitchell (NIGHT DEPOSIT), since has gone on to play her film at 17 international film festivals in addition to signing with both an agent and manager, getting a feature development deal, a production deal for two more shorts, and selling the distribution rights to her film.

Slamdance, which is billed as "by filmmakers, for filmmakers," was started in 1995 by a group of writer/director/producers and continues to be organized and programmed by active filmmakers. Now in its sixth year as a festival that runs simultaneous to the Sundance Film Festival, Slamdance has established a unique reputation for premiering independent films by first-time directors working with limited budgets. The E! Entertainment Channel recently named Slamdance the 7th best film festival in the world. In addition to the festival itself, Slamdance also has an annual screenplay competition, a very active website at Slamdance.com, and a series of "On The Road" mini-festivals, including an upcoming event in Cannes.

For more information on "$99 Specials" or other Slamdance activities, please refer to the website at http://www.slamdance.com or call the Slamdance office at 323 466 1786.

Moving into its fifth year, the Austin, Texas-based Cinematexas International Short Film and Video Festival brings together those who share a passion for the ever-mutating short cinema. Rapidly emerging as one of the premiere short film festivals in the world, the fest also features multi-media performances by musicians and artists such as '99 guests Michael Snow, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, and Miranda July. Previous retrospectives have included the short films of Robert Altman, Hal Hartley and Mike Leigh. Finalists compete regardless of format, genre or category for the prestigious Gecko awards. Up to $20,000 in cash, services and in-kind prizes. Submissions of films and videos 50 minutes-long or less, completed on or after January, 1999 are welcome. Festival Date: October 18-22. Early deadline (Entry Fee $25): June 16, 2000. Late deadline (Entry Fee $35): June 30, 2000. Entry forms available on our website @ cinematexas.org, or by calling (512) 471-6497. Send VHS tape(s) and completed entry form(s) to: Cinematexas Festival, Radio/TV/Film Department, University of Texas, CMA 6.118, Austin, TX 78712. E-mail us at cinematexas@cinematexas.org.

1) Austin's Own Youth Film and Video Festival Kick-Off Party Come to our Kick-Off party, Monday, May 22, 2000 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at the Austin Children's Museum. Support the new young filmmakers in the Children's Museum Film Festival by meeting the youth and screening last year's youth films, signing up to be a mentor, and sponsoring a child for the film festival. There will be food and drinks provided and you can tour the Museum all free of charge. Bring your little ones! For more information, call Tasha Ponczek, Teen Program Coordinator, 512-472-2499 X274 or email at ponczekt@austinkids.org.

2) Austin's Own Youth Film and Video Festival 2000 is looking for a few good mentors! Joe is thirteen years old and as he steps through the doors of the Austin Children's Museum he says, "Cool!" Joe is coming to a weekend video production class and in the course of seven hours, he will shoot a video and learn about making a script, but more importantly, Joe will meet two local filmmakers and make plans to edit his first ever video entitled, "Blowing things up in the yard!" Hopefully, with a little patience and guidance from his new mentor, Joe will expand the scope of his film to include a plot and some acting, but for now, the inspiration is all that matters. Many other youth like Joe are looking for one good mentor to help them create their vision and develop their first ever video or film project. The Children's Museum is offering many summer camps and free workshops for youth to learn about multimedia, but in order to have their art come to fruition, they need a compassionate and caring adult to mentor them.

If you have skills in video, multimedia production or filmmaking please help the youth of Austin develop their skills by offering your time. Time commitment may vary by youth, but budgeting your time to two hours every couple weeks could mean the world of difference to a struggling young media artist. Help them develop their ideas and use the skills they learn from our classes here at the Museum. Encourage them to enter festivals and display their work. This mentoring project is sponsored by the Austin's Own Youth Film and Video Festival, October 13-14, 2000, through the Austin Children's Museum and Austin Film Festival. For more information, call Tasha Ponczek, Teen Program Coordinator, 512-472-2499 X274 or email at ponczekt@austinkids.org.

INSTRUCTORS NEEDED AT UT:

The Dept. of Radio-Television-Film has some openings for temporary instructors for next Fall. UT Dept. of Radio-TV-Film seeks video/filmmakers to teach for Fall:

Introduction to Image and Sound, lecture course (180 students) Film 1, non-synch-sound production (15 students)

Film 2, synch-sound production (15 students)

roducing for Film and Television, lecture course (85 students)

Internship Supervisor (for Spring 2001)

Qualifications: Teaching experience at college level, appropriate practical experience, BA/BS in related field, MA preferred. Send letter of application and resume, by May 10, to: Bert Herigstad, Dept. RTF CMA 6.118, UT Austin Austin, TX 78712

DEADLINE for SUBMISSIONS: June 15, 2000 No Submission Fee but welcome donations to go towards screening & artist costs

1. We ask that these works be made by women-only or at least majorly woman-produced and will give preference to women-oriented content/context/issues

2. We Prefer Pieces Under 30 Minutes but will consider feature-length work. (Please understand that we only have so much space and we want to show as many artists as we can.)

3. We welcome artists that may present In-Person at the festival and may possibly be interested in Q & A with audience members - though we don't have much money we will do what we can to get people here

4. We ask that artists include an artist's statement and a brief description of the piece they'd like to show, along with their submissions.

Please mail CUED preview tapes - ON VHS 1/2 INCH ONLY PLEASE to: LadyFest 2000 Attn: Bridget Irish, Film/Video P.O. Box 1784 Olympia, WA 98507 (please include SASE if you'd like yr tape back)

Inquiries & Questions to: bridget_irish@hotmail.com

Never heard of LADYFEST2000? Check out www.Ladyfest.Org !