VFF17 - Focus On: Meet The Programmers

We can't thank our panelists, sponsors, and attendees enough for joining VFF17 at Columbia College of Hollywood for our first panel of 2017: Meet The Programmers. If you missed the fun, you can watch the magic on Facebook Live. 

Moderated by writer, Ken Storer, Law and Order, Special Victims Unit, VFF was joined by programmers from: 

Dances With Films (@DancesWithFilms)
June 1-11, 2017 @ TCL, Hollywood

DTLA Film Festival (@DTLAFF)
September 21-30, 2017 @ Regal Cinemas, Downtown LA

LA Film Festival (@FilmIndependent)
June 14-22, 2017 @ ArcLight Cinemas, Culver City

SEE Fest (@seefilmla)
April 2018 @ Various Venues (West Hollywood & Beverly Hills)


A special thanks to our sponsors, especially Columbia College of Hollywood, without whom this would not have been possible:


Pete's Coffee in Tarzana - @PeetsCoffee
David's Tea in Woodland Hills - @DavidsTea
Troy Casey in Los Angeles - @Mr.HealthNut
Stonefire Grill - @StonefireGrill

VFF17 @ The Lot Studios

Thanks to our friends at Dances With Films, we're crashing their office space at The Lot Studios for the next two months! Looks like we're in good company with OWN next door. If only Oprah would share her wifi with us....

Love Thy Sound Recordist/Mixer & Boom Operator

If you didn't already know, The Valley Film Festival loves independent films. We love seeing images from nooks of the world we didn't know of, or bands we've never heard before, or feeling chemistry rock between characters on screen. In fact, there's very little we dislike about indie film. But there is one thing we really, really hate (besides a 10-minute vomit scene that serves no purpose) and that is...bad sound! 


In the last 48 hours, we've watched 10 feature films ranging in length from 50 minutes to over 2 hours for our pals at Dances With Films, who are 6 weeks away from their 14th festival. (Check them out June 2-9 at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.) And, in every single film there was some sound element that brought us out of the moment. This is by no means a reflection on the festival itself, because we're willing to put money on the fact that every film festival from Cannes, to Sundance, to Telluride and Berlin, receive submissions with sound issues. VFF does!  OK, maybe if IATSE Local 695 had a festival, this would be the exception. 


There is nothing more annoying then trying to focus on the content of a film and having to adjust the volume up and down for every scene. And, we do mean EVERY scene. Or, watching a documentary about a band and not being able to hear their music over the clinking of beer bottles and audience conversation. Or, having one character mic'd up (and super loud) and not being able to hear the other character(s) in the scene. Or....we could go on and on. 

Production sound equipment available today has come a long way since the talkies -- it's better, easier to use, more affordable and accessible. And, if you don't have access to specific equipment, or didn't account for it in the budget, then perhaps that 2-hour musical isn't the feature film you should be mortgaging your house for. 

There is no place for poorly recorded sound in 2011. Period. 

Focus On: Networking...Monthly Mixer, Sherman Oaks Street Fair, and AFM

It's T-Minus 28 days to VFF10 and we have a lot on our plate in the next few days:

First, The Valley Film Festival will be at the Sherman Oaks Street Fair this Sunday, 10/17, from 10am-6pm. This is the largest community event in The Valley, and takes place on Ventura Blvd., between Van Nuys & Kester. Come find us in booth #322, which is closer to Kester. Or so we're told. 

Next, we're hanging with our friends at Dances With Films on Tuesday, October 19, from 7:30-9:30pm in Santa Monica. We know. We know. It's not The Valley, but we need to mingle with the West Sider's too. There is no charge to attend the event but food/beverages are at your own expense. RSVP on our Facebook page or just show up! Look for either the DWF or VFF logo!

Tuesday, October 19 (7:30-9:30pm)

Angel's Piano Bar

2460 Wilshire Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA

Certainly not least, the American Film Market (AFM) is coming to town, November 3-10, in Santa Monica. If you're an indie filmmaker and can't travel to Cannes, AFM is worth investing in. Sadly, VFF won't be attending the exhibits this year as it's only days before VFF10, but we do want to organize an event so that we can meet our foreign indie filmmaker friends visiting L.A. Let us know if you want to join.