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Meet the Filmmaker: Steven Fox, “Out Spot!”

EFP: Why did you become a filmmaker?

SF: I became a filmmaker because at the time I was doing a lot of theatre and wanted to branch out and tell a different kind of story that could be more visceral, and I ended up falling in love with the musicality of the camera in concert with the performers. 

EFP: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?

SF: You are going to see Out Spot! which is a short adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” told from the point of view of Lady Macbeth as she slips deeper and deeper into the nightmare state of her “out, damned spot” sequence. It has screen at the Horsetooth International Film Festival in the fall of 2020 as well as the Shakespeare Shorts Film Festival in 2019 where it won its category of best short film inspired by a Shakespeare play and was review by Sir Kenneth Branagh “This is a really confident, kinetic pocket-epic. The images are bold, the colour palette is striking. The relish for a gothic psychology underlying this murderous nightmare is wonderfully explored. It’s another visually striking, beautifully integrated account in miniature, of the play’s ferocious energy. Performances of urgent intensity light up the film like the garish grab of the spectacular exteriors. A Shakespeare short that catches you by the throat and does not let go.”

EFP: What else are you working on?

SF: On October 22nd, 2021 a film I have produced, another “Macbeth” inspired film, calle Peter Anthony’s: Sleep No More will have its world premiere at the Lyric Cinema Cafe in Fort Collins, CO at 7pm. The film began as a Front Range Community College stageplay production of “Macbeth” that was shutdown by COVID-19 just two weeks from opening. We then transformed the production into a feature film that summer. I have also completed a short film entitled Hecate that is a graphic-novel-like examination of the story of “Macbeth” told through the perspective of the witch goddess Hecate.

EFP: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?

SF: I am clearly fascinated by the works of William Shakespeare, and though I make films and content around other subjects, I am great influenced by those masterpieces.

EFP: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

SF: stevenfox.net and factorfivefilms.com

EFP: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?

SF: I am very grateful this organization exists and gives an avenue for new and unknown voices to be heard and their films to be seen.

Out Spot! will screen during The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at The Bug Theatre.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Michael Bliss, “2020 Double Feature V and Lazarus”

EFP: Why did you become a filmmaker?

MB: I started making films at the age of 15 and on my 16th birthday I wrote in my journal that I want to be a director/filmmaker and to always be doing video productions. Through the years I have made that dream a reality by directing many of my own films and working at ABC, FOX, and ESPN, A couple of highlights of my life was working with Robert Rodriquez on the film “The Faculty” and working at an art gallery helping frame artwork for Richard Linklater, and Quentin Tarantino. These three filmmakers have been an inspiration and a big influence in my independent filmmaking career.

EFP: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?

MB: I will be screening a couple short films that I created during the pandemic. This is a premiere screening.

V 2020 I used some footage from the 2019 Zombie Crawl I run in Colorado Springs and footage from the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall which was all boarded up with no human activity during this crazy time.

Lazarus 2020 uses some Denver footage I shot during the pandemic when everything was shut down. On Easter 2020, I was watching Martin Scorsese’s “The Last temptation of Christ” and saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead and that is when the Lazarus character was born for this film. This video was very strange to shoot because it was the first time I left my house in quite a while. We had the stay at home order going on and I was dealing with a lot of fear and anxiety. Making Lazarus 2020 helped me calm down and be creative. Art is very healing. I reached out to Swara Nanda to help me with the soundtrack and I was inspired by Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor) 2020 Pandemic Album Ghosts V-VI
so she helped and composed the soundtrack for this film.

EFP: What else are you working on?

MB: Old School Musical “The Worst Musical Ever” I am having so much fun going back to the beginning of making films. Bringing back the passion of filmmaking. Not worrying about what others think because it is the worst musical ever. LOL!!! No expectations just having a blast!!!

EFP: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?

MB: I have dressed up as a clown since I was a little kid. Clown will make an appearance in Old School Musical.

EFP: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

MB: Blissfest333.com, Michael Bliss on Facebook

EFP: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?

MB: I love and miss Patrick Sheridan. I am so grateful for everybody involved with EFP. Thank you for The Bug Theatre and all the wonderful people that help run EFP. Thank you so much for supporting our film and art commUNITY.

2020 Double Feature V and Lazarus will screen during The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at The Bug Theatre.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Andrew Pichot, “Horsing Around”

EFP: Why did you become a filmmaker?

AP: I’ve always had a general interest in movies. Growing up I loved watching them but we almost never went to the theater so I was limited to what we owned, or what my friends had. It wasn’t until I moved to Colorado in 2009 and started working at AMC that my movie-watching experience widened dramatically. I watch so many movies now that I’m basically “the movie guy” to a lot of my friends and family. Really getting into indie and foreign films got me to appreciate the actual filmmaking side and gave me a strong desire to get into the industry someday. The movie I would cite as the clicking point was David Lowery’s ‘A Ghost Story.’ I was blown away by how much he was able to do with so little. I’ve done PA work and camerawork on other people’s projects but now that I’ve written and directed my own short I think I know where my goals lie.

EFP: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?

AP: EFP is going to experience a buddy film like no other. The film has screened twice at The Bug as part of the Denver 48 Hour Film Project. We’ve had great reception at both screenings and were nominated for best film and won an award for best song. This film, ‘Horsing Around,’ is also available on Youtube on the Mooger Entertainment page.

EFP: What else are you working on?

AP: I have small bits of ideas floating around but nothing tangible at the moment. I’m currently just enjoying the positive reception this film has received so far but now that I’ve experienced the filmmaking process I’m eager to get back to work.

EFP: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?

AP: One weird thing about me in regards to movies; I don’t want to go into specifics but if I told you the long list of “classics” and “must-sees” that I haven’t watched yet (despite owning a lot of them) you would be flabbergasted!

EFP: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

AP: You can find Mooger Entertainment on Facebook. I don’t post very often but might change that if there’s traction. I also stream games sometimes on Twitch so there’s updates on that there too. If you want to see what I’m up to in general you can follow me on Twitter @bogardeth

EFP: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?

AP: This will be my first time attending EFP but it won’t be my last. I appreciate them showing my film but I’ve been wanting to attend anyway, especially after going to the awesome Bug for the first time through the 48. I’m really glad there’s a resource for local filmmakers to get their films seen on a big screen with a crowd. What a thrill!

Horsing Around will screen during The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at The Bug Theatre.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Susan Lyles, “The Son of Spies and Whispers”

EFP: Why did you become a filmmaker? 

SL: I work mostly in the medium of live theatre and wanted to expand my story telling skills and audience reach.

EFP: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?  

SL: Son of Spies and Whispers by Rebecca Gorman O’Neill. We originally created this film for the London 48 hour film project and it screened online and in London( this was our second and we just completed our third this past September) because doing a 48 in the same city wasn’t enough of a challenge 😉 There are some thoughts to expand this into a feature script and really getting to know these people.

EFP: What else are you working on?

SL: Currently waiting to see where our new London 48 hour piece –B.O.B lands, we may tweak it and send it out on the festival circuit.  Then getting ready for the Four Points Film Challenge in November.

EFP: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?

SL: One weird thing…I keep the ashes of my dogs on a shelf in the bathroom, because when they were alive they would always follow me there, maybe more sentimental than weird.

EFP: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

SL: We should probably get a website, but for now https://www.facebook.com/Ruff-Ruff-Dog-Films-321158691987930

EFP: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?

SL: I think it’s wonderful that this platform is here to share Colorado filmmakers work with audiences.

The Son of Spies and Whispers! will screen during The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at The Bug Theatre.