“’Their real influence is their own imaginations’: Dorothy Supri on the International Student Film Festival Hollywood”

By James Latham

Young filmmakers today have more and better opportunities than ever to make movies and get them seen. At the VFF, we’ve screened some films made by teenagers, while other festivals are solely devoted to the work of young filmmakers. Recently I spoke with Dorothy Supri, who, along with Robin Saban (pictured, second from right, with student filmmakers), runs the International Student Film Festival Hollywood. For nine years, the ISFFH has screened a wide range of works by students from all over the world. I wanted to talk with Dorothy about her organization as both a youth-oriented program and a fellow LA-based independent film festival.

James Latham: The ISFFH shows works made solely by student filmmakers of all ages. Tell us more about it.

Dorothy Supri: Like we say on our website, art is and always has been our universal language and the ISFFH has been successfully reaching out to student filmmakers all over the world for more than eight years. We have screened films from all seven of the world’s continents.

The ISFFH reaches out to student filmmakers of all ages, from elementary to graduate school. It is this generation of story tellers that will be influencing the following generations. The ISFFH gives them a platform to be seen, offering students the unique opportunity to gain the recognition of film industry leaders and create career development opportunities.

The film industry is constantly searching for creative, new artistic talent and vision. We seek to serve as an international liaison bringing together promising creative talent from all corners of the earth.

The constant reach of human creativity for more refined and powerful methods of artistic expression has led to the creation and expansion of new media: music videos, abstract features, hybrid film, animation, etc. We seek to open a flow of international talent and to celebrate new artistic discoveries from all over the world. We seek that singular, challenging, and passionate student talent.

JL: You screen a wide range of films—features, shorts, dramas, comedies, animation, documentaries. What trends, if any, have you seen recently in the documentary films? What kinds of information / issues are especially interesting to young filmmakers these days?

DS: Personal stories have been a big part of documentaries, such as the life struggles of a filmmaker’s family. It may be a story of a life lost in a battle of one form or another; or of a previous generation and how it has built the character of that family today.

I’ve seen a number of films without dialogue. Personally, I really enjoy seeing a story told without words, you simply watch it unfold with image and sound. It can be very dramatic and very touching.

JL: Yes, sometimes the lack of technology can be a plus. What are some other films you’ve screened that were technically simple, but still very creative, emotionally powerful, entertaining, or informative?

DS: One film that comes to mind is Omer, a documentary about a quirky street performer that simply told his story on camera. It was the chosen character himself that made the story so incredibly touching and powerful.

Also, elementary age animation and claymation have got to be some of the simplest, yet most creative and entertaining films! Kids are able to tell their story in a fun, simple and direct approach without over thinking and fuss. Their real influence is their own imaginations.

JL: How has your location in Hollywood helped the ISFFH and its filmmakers? What challenges has location posed, if any?

DS: Our location has a tremendous advantage for student filmmakers as it allows them to visit the epicenter of filmmaking. Many students make plans prior to the festival to visit schools while here where they may have the opportunity to further their education. Others may visit working studios and most will take time to see Hollywood itself.

JL: What's the biggest misconception about your festival? OR, what do you feel is the biggest misconception about film festivals generally?

DS: I don’t know what misconceptions anyone may have of our festival, but I do know that our participants are given a tremendous opportunity to interact with each other and other guests including working people in the industry who attend to lend their support. The ISFFH allows the filmmakers to have their film screened in front of an audience and to build connections. We have a warm, welcoming atmosphere where even the most timid filmmakers end up engaging with others.

JL: Any parting words of advice for filmmakers who want to submit to the ISFFH?

DS: When applying to the ISFFH or any film festival, be sure to fill out the entry form completely, yet keep your answers concise. Also, be sure to give correct contact information; there is nothing worse than to win an award that will never make it to you.

Also, don’t miss an opportunity to have your film screened among your peers and receive friendly feedback. It is a rare occasion that you will have so many likeminded people in one place; from different cultures around the world to exchange ideas and techniques with—memories that will last a lifetime.


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The International Student Film Festival Hollywood takes place this November 5-6th. The deadline for entries is August 31st.

For more on The Valley Film Festival, visit our website or Facebook page.

Looking Ahead: Comic-Con 2012

Photo Courtesy of Erik Engman

Yes. We know. We're a little late in recapping Comic-Con 2011. If you don't live under a rock, you already know that Cowboys & Aliens had its world premiere there, and that Steven Spielberg announced the return of the Jurassic Park franchise at this year's convention. Since you already know this, we're going to prep you for 2012.

Approaching its 43rd year, San Diego Comic-Con is produced by CCI (Comic-Con International), the non-profit organization also responsible for WonderCon and Alternative Press Expo (APE) both held in San Francisco.

Despite Hollywood's increasing presence, the biggest misnomer is that Comic-Con is only for the socially inept, awkward super fans of science fiction. Wrong! Sure, you'll find people from all over the globe wearing Stormtrooper costumes, or dressed up as Dr. Who, but you'll also find families, bucket list checklister's, collectors, thrill-seekers, and pop-culture hounds. Somewhere in this mix, you will fit in.

First, save the dates: July 12-15, 2012. Preview date, for badge holders only, July 11.

Next, decide now whether you want to attend for 1 day or the full 4, or somewhere in between. This is critical. Trust us. Trying to find a hotel in San Diego a month before the convention is near impossible. And, if you do find a room that late, it'll average $300+ a night. We once paid $400/night for a hotel, so listen to us when we tell you to book now for 2012. FYI, the hotel you want to be at is the Marriott Marquis Hotel and Marina.

"Like" Comic-Con on Facebook and follow them on Twitter, so you know when 2012 tickets go on sale. Pre-registration for 2012 took place during the 2011 convention, and festival badges and single tickets will go on sale around February 2012. Queue up at your computer the day they become available because they sell out in a matter of hours. Once the first batch of inventory is sold out, Comic-Con will not release more tickets until just days prior to the convention, which may thwart your plans. If you are applying for Professional Accreditation, we suggest you purchase a day pass anyway, as security. If you do get the professional badge, Comic-Con will allow you to return your ticket for a refund within a certain time frame.

OK. You've saved the dates, booked your hotel, and have purchased your ticket. Now what? You wait. You wait until the schedule of panels, screenings, autograph signings, etc. get published, which can be as late as 3-4 weeks prior to the convention. If you're a super fan, you know exactly what you want to do, see, touch, and create. But if you're just a regular Joe or Jane trying to get the most out of this experience, listen up:

Comic-Con is overwhelming even when planned out properly. There will be lines for everything. From the smallest of seminars to the largest of studio unveilings, to the coffee kiosk and bathroom, there will be long, long lines. Get used to it. You're going to have to choose between spending 1/4 of the day waiting for Frank Miller's autograph or waiting 45-minutes for the panel, Trends in Young Adult Fiction. If the autograph isn't a must have, explore the various panels and choose to attend one on a topic you know very little about. Take advantage of the MySched feature to help you plan, and just know that you will not be able to do everything, so don't even try.

If panels aren't your thing, Comic-Con also has a film festival component. From ANIME, to documentaries, to narrative shorts and features, we can guarantee you'll find peace, quiet, and plenty of seats at a screening. The Comic-Con International Film Festival is held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel and typically the filmmakers, cast and crew are in attendance. VFF09's Enigma screened at CCIFF in 2010. Additionally, previously released studio features and kid-friendly films can be found.

Photo Courtesy of Erik Engman

Looking for retail therapy? You need not look further than the convention floor where you'll find collectibles, clothing, original artwork, music, DVD's, and more from the likes of indie artists and large corporations like Hasbro and LEGO. Bring cash. Cash will allow you to keep track of what you're spending and may give you some price negotiating leverage. The best time to buy is Sunday at 5pm, an hour before the convention ends. Retailers don't want to pack up the merchandise they brought, they want to get rid of it and, in most cases, they slash their prices ridiculously low, and have been known to give stuff away for free.

Speaking of free, swag is plentiful...but you're going to have to go outside of the convention center to find it. Roam the historic Gaslamp Quarter and you'll be able to collect goodies galore. From t-shirts, to posters, to buttons and other promotional items, it's all out there if you look. One of the coveted pieces of swag this year was a Pan Am Airways replica tote to promote ABC's Pan Am. Sadly we were not able to get our hands on one.

If the crowds and convention become too much for you, don't forget that you're in San Diego! Steps away from the Pacific Ocean, world class dining, a world-renowned zoo, and Tijuana, Mexico! Explore and have fun.

Countdown to VFF11...T-Minus 100 Days!

It's that time of year again...the countdown to The Valley Film Festival's opening night: 11.11.11.

In addition to it being International Spinal Tap Day ("The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven...") it's the 11th Annual Valley Film Festival. Kismet!

There's still time for you to submit a short or feature, in any genre. The VFF11 call-for-entries is open through August 15th. The VFF11 program will be announced around September 15th, with ticket sales starting October 1st.

Our countdown will celebrate our small victories and our 2011 sponsors & supporters, as well as share our day to day ramblings and submission musings until T-Minus 1 arrives. Join us!

For example, a trend that our screening group noticed was, practically every short film we reviewed this week included a shot of the iconic Hollywood sign. No joke. At one point we took bets. Cyrus won.

Now it's your turn! What trends have you seen in films recently? This could be anything from genre, to product placement, to audience participation in the theatre. 

Contribute. It's fun. 

The 2011 Valley Film Festival will take place November 11-13 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks.   

On the Road in Morocco: An Interview with Sébastien Rossi

By James Latham

Last year we screened Sébastien Rossi’s short film, Big H Story, and now he’s finished shooting a feature, Road Nine, filmed on location in Morocco.

James Latham: So tell us about Road Nine. What’s it about?

Sébastien Rossi: It’s an independent film, a road movie mixing drama, action, and romance between the two main characters, Nadia, played by Beatrice Rosen, and Yanis, played by Assaad Bouab. Nadia is a French-Moroccan waitress and singer in Youri’s pub, who ends up running for her life on Road Nine, the road from Marrakech to Rabat.

JL: Where are you now in the production process?

SR: We’re finishing post-production. The main editing is finished; we’re just polishing it. The score by François Letiec has just been finished. His team had been recording in a studio in the south of France (La Farinière) and we were exchanging ideas by phone. Sometimes he played his recordings over the phone for my feedback; that was funny, but it worked!

The VFX team supervised by Bertrand Demare and Michael Bolufer is working on a bullet-time special effect that I created without any motion control, because of the low budget. We all had to be very inventive at times during the shoot to make it happen. We’re also working on several compositing and picture improvements, although I have made every effort to be as authentic as possible in the principal photography, so that visual effects are mainly just for correcting problems.

JL: Where are you with marketing and distribution?

SR: With my assistant editor Matt Causseque and our sell and marketing agent Nabil Bouhajra, we worked on a teaser for the Cannes Film Festival, and it has been a great success. We had a lot of great feedback from studios in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain. Now everybody is waiting for the finished movie. Hopefully in August we’ll screen in the US to find a deal there.

JL: How were you able to get funding?

SR: The movie was funded by an independent Moroccan producer, Cedric Bulard (One Shot Media), who I met last year at the Marrakech film festival. We both wanted to do a feature in the amazing landscapes of Marrakech, and one thing led to another….

JL: Any interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes to share?

SR: As on every production, you have a lot of anecdotes, especially in a country like Morocco, which is full of surprises. One thing was during a very cold night in the desert—we usually think of deserts as just very hot, but at night they can be freezing cold. Anyway, on that night I had to warm a piece of rocky land with two little heaters for a sequence where Beatrice is laying on the floor in a t-shirt. The temperature was around 0°C, and the rocks where so cold that it would have been torture to make anyone do that. But with the two little heaters, and a courageous Beatrice, we got the job done.

JL: Temperatures aside, what were some other challenges or rewards that you got from shooting on location?

SR: Authenticity was a big advantage. So were the people, because, especially in Morocco, when you hire a location set, you always get some local people who know the area and how things work there. And local talent is much more affordable. But of course the downside is that local talent—even the serious film professionals—won’t always know how things work, whether it’s the technologies, or what it takes to keep a set quiet during filming, or….

Another problem was when we shot interiors; we couldn’t get the light exactly where we wanted. Usually interior lighting is easier to control than exteriors, but many of the rooms we worked in were very small, which complicated everything. The props team had some very long nights figuring out how to fix that! For exteriors, our lighting challenge was that we were shooting in winter, so only had about six hours a day of good light.

JL: How did making short films and music videos prepare you (or not) for making a feature?

SR: For me it was pretty much the same. A feature is just more stressful because you have like ten times the amount of time for shooting, which means 100 times the problems!

One thing I learned that may not be so obvious is the need to be physically healthy and keep that going as much as possible, especially good eating and sleeping. Shorts are like sprinting, and features are like marathons; you need to keep fit for the long haul and for various challenges that come along the way.

Making short movies and music videos was great preparation for knowing all kinds of aspects for making a feature. It gave me a respect for things like deadlines, budgeting, and negotiating with famous actors or first-class technicians to get them interested in working on your low-budget indie movie.

It gave me what I guess you’d call “indie reflexes,” or the ability to adapt well with limited resources; or the confidence to know what can and can’t work with all the limitations of things like time, money, manpower, and technologies. Like, if I want to put some complicated visual effects into a scene but we can’t do it because of the expense, then I can find a way to do it “homemade” and it works fine. In Road Nine, we did a crazy one-shot opening scene of three minutes starting outside near the roof of a luxury hotel and moving the camera to the ground to catch a car, next into the lobby, next in the elevator to finish by a rub into a suite. This could have been very time consuming and expensive to do, but with my previous experience, a Steadicam, and a lot of perseverance, we made it work!

We also did a bullet time effect only with one camera and one simple grip (traveling).

JL: How did that work?

SR: I designed a motion of what I wanted and then began making it. Basically, we combined the footage as layers, like a multilayer Photoshop composition, but with film clips instead of individual photos. Our biggest challenge was to be as precise as possible in the motion, which is normally electronically controlled, and so ultra precise. But we “only” had Rashid, our Gripman, who did the motion almost 30 times at the (almost) same cadence to make the “layering” actions possible. After that, in post, Bertrand did a composite of the four best footages in NUKE (soft). And Michael created some 3D objects to include into the final composition. It was all very complicated, but, in the end, it worked out very well.

JL: Looking ahead, do you prefer being based in France, or are you aiming to eventually “go Hollywood”?

SR: I dreamt of Hollywood when I was young, and think I’m gradually heading there, mainly because I’m closer to Hollywood’s way of doing movies than the French way. In France, it’s not an entertainment cinema, and it’s not an industry. It’s a problem because even an ordinary movie—not a big complicated blockbuster—can sometimes take several years just to get started. By that time, your actors have already gotten too old for their parts (laughing). So yes, going Hollywood and feeling ready for it.

In fact, I’m going to be working on a U.S. feature called Swapped, written by Peter Rodger. We’re aiming to start polishing the script and casting actors in L.A. in early 2012, maybe sooner. But I also got a good proposition just before Cannes to direct a thriller in France in the vein of Se7en, with a great French cast. Maybe it’ll be my last work in France. We’ll see.


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For more on The Valley Film Festival, visit our website or Facebook page

Cannes 2012...The Application Process

If you consider yourself “in” the industry, then attending the Cannes Film Festival, or Festival de Cannes, is a must. After, of course, attending The Valley Film Festival. Fortunately, the two are months apart.

Yes, we understand that your credit cards are maxed out from your last production, and that you’re between projects, and like most of the industry, you haven’t worked in months. Trust us, VFF gets it. We’re all volunteers with various stages of work and project commitments, or lack thereof. That being said, if your presence at work/home can be spared for one week, attending Festival de Cannes is a must to revitalize your artistic soul and renew your industry contacts.

Worried about the logistics? Don’t. VFF will tell you how to do Cannes on a budget that even an unemployed screenwriter can afford. Really! With almost a year to go until the next festival, you, too, can Cannes.

In this post, we’ll focus on the application process.

First, save the dates for the 65^th Festival de Cannes: May 9-20^th, 2012.

Next, follow the Festival de Cannes on Facebook, Twitter, or via the festival's RSS feed to know when the accreditation process opens. And, when it does, apply as early as possible. Oh, yeah, and it’s free. Yes, a full festival, professional badge to the most prestigious film festival in the world is FREE. You have nothing to lose by applying.

Navigating the badge system seems straight forward – the festival website offers accreditation in four different categories: Festival (film professionals), Press (media professionals), Marche du Film (professionals who buy or sell films) and Cannes Cinephiles (lovers of film) – but it’s really complex, with different levels of access and priorities.

Additionally, there are 1, 2, and 3-day passes, and Short Film Corner badges. 

Most likely, you'll apply for the Festival badge. This is the badge for film professionals and it grants you access to the Palais des Festival, Marche du Film, Village International, badge-only hotels such as the Majestic and Carlton, Short Film Corner, and Official Selection screenings.

Just a few years ago, one had to snail mail a CV and physical collateral supporting professional claims. Now that festival accreditation is online, it’s pretty simple. You’ll be asked to supply a link to your credits or attach a PDF. You should link to your IMDB page or an online CV that best showcases your artistic talents. If you’re a freelancer, you should have your own website (not a Facebook page) or, at the very least, a LinkedIn profile.

MMV Cannes-Mandelieu Resort

You’ll also be asked to indicate where you’ll be staying while in Cannes. This seems like a trick question, right? Who knows where they’re going to stay four months down the road? Don’t leave this section blank. It’s our belief that if the Office of Accreditation sees that you have accommodation lined up, they’ll know that you’re already committed to the festival. VFF uses the physical address of the MMV Cannes-Mandelieu Resort, because it’s an affordable hotel we’ve stayed at before, and it's our trusted back-up plan if nothing better comes along. And by better, we mean something closer to the Croisette or near the beach. The MMV Cannes-Mandelieu Resort is an all-suites hotel, about 4 miles from the Croisette, and it offers free shuttle service to and from the Palais des Festival. It’s an awesome hotel and can comfortably sleep 4 in a standard suite.

Finally, you’ll be asked to leave a comment. Again, don’t leave this section blank. If you don’t have a specific question to ask, say something nice about the festival (it’s not hard) or mention why you want to attend. By saying something, anything, you're letting the Office of Accreditation know that you respect their time and the festival.

It goes without saying, but if your primary email address is something along the lines of “PartyGirl55” or “NFLKid007” @, you should probably create a free Gmail account, use your work email (even if you’re not attending on your company’s behalf), or ask a really good industry friend, with their own domain, to create a temporary email account for you. 

Now, if you’re a filmmaker with a spare $100 USD to submit a recent short film to the Short Film Corner, do it! It’s so worth it. Submitting to the Short Film Corner is NOT the same thing as submitting a film to the Festival de Cannes. While organized by the festival, the Short Film Corner is a mini-market for short films, and has a slew of fantastic opportunities for filmmakers. Provided your film meets certain conditions, filmmakers are all but guaranteed inclusion in the Short Film Corner...which comes with two all-access festival badges. The Short Film Corner badge will get you into everything the professional “Festival” badge will get you into: Palais des Festival, Marche du Film, Village International, etc.  By the way, it’s free to submit a short film to Festival de Cannes, so you should do that too. Competition is fierce, but you have nothing to lose.

Ok, let’s suppose you don’t have a short film to submit to the Short Film Corner, and you just received a rejection letter for the professional “Festival” badge. Now what? Chances are, the Office of Accreditation will soften the blow and offer you a Cannes Cinephiles badge instead. If your main goal is to soak up the sun and perhaps catch a film or two, go ahead and accept it. The Cannes Cinephiles badge was originally designed as a “locals only” badge and will not allow you to access the Palais des Festival, Marche du Film, Village International, etc. It will only allow you access to select Cannes Cinephile screenings, in select screening rooms, somewhere in Cannes. We’ve never been able to track down this screening room, so it’s off the beaten path for sure.

If you want more out of the festival, thank the Office of Accreditation for their consideration and clearly indicate that you do not wish to accept the Cannes Cinephiles badge. Be gracious and respectful. 

Why refuse the Cannes Cinephiles badge, you ask? Great question. If you’re in the Festival de Cannes computer system as a Cannes Cinephiles badge holder, you will not be able to purchase a day pass.  There is some weird technicality that will not allow you to buy a temporary badge if you’ve already been assigned one.

You can purchase a 1, 2, or 3-day pass for about 20 euros a day. The days are consecutive and you can only make the request once. A day pass will give you access to all of the areas covered by the professional Festival badge. If you’re in town for a week, you should wait at least a day to acclimate yourself to the festival before buying your day pass. If you know someone at the festival with a Festival, Short Film Corner, or Marche du Film badge, ask them to accompany you to the day pass office. You don’t need to have a “sponsor” to purchase a day pass, but having someone vouching for your professional reasons to be inside the Marche is a plus.  This is not the time to flaunt your credits or pull rank. Instead, use this moment to say you’ve made an appointment with XYZ company or have been invited to a Short Film Corner screening.

Now that you’ve been granted a badge, or have decided to go without one, we’ll cover logistics, festival must-dos (with our without a badge), non-festival activities, and more. We want you to enjoy Festival de Cannes as much as we do!