Who knew that submitting a film to a New York festival could be as tricky as auditioning for a Broadway musical? My latest feature, a guide to what (and what not) to do to make the cut at area film festivals, appears in this week's edition of Show Business Weekly, available on newsstands this week. (If you missed it, contact me and I'll send you a copy.) I had a great time interviewing some of the people behind New York's most esteemed film events, from the eclectic and edgy Tribeca Film Festival to Lincoln Center's selective and streamlined New York Film Festival.
As a person steeped in theater, I love learning more about the fascinating world of film, and there are so many basic elements that translate across the genres. It's a given that you should focus on the truth of your story in any successful artistic endeavor, but I was surprised to note the many parallels between low-budget/big-budget movies and Off Off Broadway/Broadway productions. One administrator essentially told me that "image certainly isn't everything" when he reviews films, and he often wishes that filmmakers would spend less time trying to make their film look "professional" and polished and more time on the nuts and bolts of what makes a good story: a captivating script, gripping plot, and honest, compelling acting.
That would be good advice to many theatermakers as well. In tiny Off Off Broadway venues, the play very often becomes the (only) thing. Stripped of pyrotechnics and devoid of dollars, these shows can focus on the very heart of their stories. Too often, valiant efforts are made to mimic the luxurious gadgetry of commercial productions to an often depressing and disastrous effect. Show me what you know and what truth you can create with what you have, I want to exhort them. Otherwise, it's like stuffing a helicopter through a storefront window--explosive, violent, and just plain wrong. Your room may be tiny, but the impact can be huge.
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