DISQUS

Jeff Geoghan · 8 months ago

Nice review. I'm a bit suprised at your description of the venue and tech support - given that it's a film festival (and presumably planned more than 2 moths in advance) one might expect a more thoughtful venue, screen presentation and redundant tech apparatus. Perhaps that's an indicator of why more seasoned industry types didn't present here.

Max Phillips · 8 months ago

Excellent observations. You make me simultaneously want to see it and avoid it.

Allen Clements · 8 months ago

What a fantastic and well written review! This is an important part of growth!

I think you would find it very enlightening to interview Michael Hoober. His ethos stems from social solutions and getting people together to accomplish projects as a team and as an alternative to questionable or dangerous youth activities.

Bryan Schaefer · 8 months ago

I just wanted to say that Mixed Nuts was actually shot in a bar that was specifically built for filmmakers to shoot their films in. 81st Street Productions kept on hearing filmmakers complain about not being able to find bars to film in so we went ahead and built the best bar we could to fulfill a need. By the way bar owners are not very open to allowing film crews into their bars, from what I can gather from the bar owners that I know a lot of it has to do with the way PA liquor licenses are structured. I’m not going to pretend that I know why, because I don’t, but that is what I have been told. There are also other challenges for a filmmaker to overcome, the biggest being the Trademark issues. Films cannot show Trademarks that are easily distinguishable without express consent and since there are a lot of those items in a bar it makes it hard to shoot around them. So for a film that was made for fun, between projects and on no budget I think the bar looks good.

Also about the technical difficulties, it is understandable how they can happen but there is no way that they should happen. Planning a film festival is though, and I should know I’m planning the Lancaster Area Film Festival. There are so many things going on and so many things to take into account that sometimes the most important things fall trough the cracks. That is why we are requesting mastered DVD’s by the filmmakers to insure that we have the best possible presentation, and why we are testing each DVD with the equipment that it will be played with at the festival. It is a pain but it is necessary.

I also think that advertising plays a big part in film festival attendance. Even though I thought that we were doing a good job with it for the Lancaster Area Film Festival most of the filmmakers that I spoke with at the Rumschpringe festival were not aware that there was another film festival in Lancaster. I have spoken with a lot of people outside of the filmmaking world and they are generally interested in the film festival and want to come. So I think that there is interest out there but the problem is getting the word out, so if you would like to help us please let us know and I can get you some cards to give to your friends. You can contact me at bryan@lancasterareafilmfestival.com

Bryan Schaefer

Nik Korablin · 8 months ago

Ha, wow didn't expect to see others blogging about Rumschpringe. Glad you enjoyed my film.
www.nikovision.com

Michael Hoober · 8 months ago

I appreciate the feedback and props. i do intend to make it tighter and more effective over time. it is very tough to get things accomplished on a shoe-string budget and obtaining the creative talents of so many (thank you all) , without micro-managing everything.

i get it about the screen and the projection/set-up. i will try to advance this more in the future; however, i am determined to aid the Seventh Sister the best i can through Rumschpringe. keep in mind, Rumschpringe (and the Film Comp/Fest) is a work in progress and you can help put it together for next year (or donate the use of a larger screen/better equipment.) if i had unlimited funds, it would all be on film and there would be a portable film projector stored in the theater... plus, it would be at all potential sites downtown (like the Fulton) with tons of films to see over a weekend.

for now, it is what it is... with intention to grow.

otherwise, thanks for the article/review.

-michael hoober