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Meet the Filmmaker: Jane Darling, “Joyride”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
JD: I love movies, all kinds. And I like creating stories. They go together.

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
JD: Joyride is a personal woman’s story. A woman is driving around in her car with chattering voices in her head – and then they start to appear as different versions of herself. The hot topic is her pregnancy scare and unsure of who the father is. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The entire story takes place inside the car. It was filmed entirely using a green screen in a garage. This is the first public screening for this film.

Q: What else are you working on?
JD: I am working on a science fiction web series about a guy who gets left behind to die on a destroyed world and is discovered about 100 years later and then revived.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
JD: They always have surreal, fantasy, or science fiction elements.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
JD: www.spiropictures.com

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
JD: I am thrilled and honored to be in the film festival. It’s a terrific showcase of Colorado films. I love being part of the event because I meet other filmmakers and often see unique innovations in their films.

Joyride will screen Saturday, March 21st at 6:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Saturday Evening Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Sheila E. Schroeder, “Scary Lucy”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
SS: I became a filmmaker because I had something to say and I found film to be the best way to share those stories with others. My films reflect my passion for telling stories with and about girls, women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ communities and the elderly.

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
SS: Scary Lucy, is the second film created through Project DU F.I.L.M. (film initiative linking mentors). Created in 2015 Project DU F.I.L.M. brings together University of Denver students and alumni to work alongside Denver filmmaking professionals as we work to change the face of filmmaking in front of and behind the camera. Our stories focus on diverse populations and deliberately make room for diverse crews. 
Directed by local filmmaker, Marteene Diaz, the film stars local Denver comics Christie Buchele and Janae Burris. After seeing a hideous statue dedicated to her comedic idol, Lucille Ball, a risk averse comedienne battling a recent breast cancer diagnosis makes it her mission to destroy Scary Lucy. The film has screened across the globe, from Melbourne to Cambridge, UK to Atlanta in over 25 different festivals and venues.

Q: What else are you working on?
SS: I will be filming a new short, Hunting Season, in summer, 2020. In this short film critiquing the impact of toxic masculinity, a comedienne finds herself caught in the crosshairs when she takes a job entertaining a bar full of deer hunters.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
SS: The film is loosely based on a true story of a statue known as Scary Lucy. Google it and see for yourself!

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work
SS: http://scarylucythemovie.com/
https://www.facebook.com/huntingseasonthemovie/
https://www.facebook.com/projectdufilm

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
SS: You all rock! Thanks for your unwavering support of film and filmmakers!

Scary Lucy will screen Saturday, March 21st at 3:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the “A Decade of Colorado Independent Women of Film” block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Maureen Lee Maloney, “Girl Aspiring Episode 5: Elephant Keeper, Maura Davis”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
MM: I originally became a filmmaker to educate people about science, but eventually realized that human stories are more important and more impactful. Now my focus is on educating through the telling of human stories, and really connecting people across cultural and geographic barriers.

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
MM: Girl Aspiring is a web series featuring women in a variety of careers. Episode 5 will be shown at EFPalooza, and it is about Maura Davis, the Assistant Curator of Elephants at the Denver Zoo, and the team of women who take care of the elephants. Maura shares how she came to work with elephants, and what it takes to become an Elephant Keeper.

Q: What else are you working on?
MM: I am currently producing and directing a feature-length documentary called Voice of Vanilla about women vanilla farmers in Madagascar, and the risks they take to bring us our favorite spice.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
MM: I stumbled into my first few jobs by happy accident. For instance, I was B camera for a documentary about a group of Mayan elders leading a sacred pilgrimage through the Lacandon rainforest in Chiapas, Mexico. I just happened to have contacted a filmmaker living in San Cristobal through Couchsurfing.com to see if I could crash on her couch. She asked me if I was available to work on the film, hiking through the rainforest for 3 weeks. Obviously I said yes.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
MM: MaureenLeeMaloney.com

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
MM: EFP is a really special program, and I am always honored to be part of it.

Girl Aspiring Episode 5: Elephant Keeper, Maura Davis will screen Saturday, March 21st at 3:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the “A Decade of Colorado Independent Women of Film” block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Shawna Schultz, “Carrier”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
SS: I became a filmmaker because I’m an interested person. I love learning, and I love stories, so it was the perfect mix of passions to pursue.

Q
: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
SS: Carrier is a film that I directed for Denver’s 48-hour Film Project. In 2018, we won best actor, best actress, best writing, best directing and best film of the festival, and I became the very first female director to win best film and best director. Since then, it went to Filmapalooza in Orlando and has screened at the Denver Film Festival as a part of the Colorado shorts.

Q: What else are you working on?
SS: I’m currently working on animations for a couple feature films and also I’m in writing for a feature narrative that I plan to direct in 2021.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
SS: Until Carrier I had created half a dozen short films, and I never had won a single jury award, only audience choice awards. I had been at peace with the fact they my art is too low for the critics, but audiences thought I was funny. Apparently, my sweet spot is actually drama and thriller.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
SS: I am the co-founder and president of Mass FX Media, a motion design, animation and visual effects house in Denver, and more of my commercial and film work can be found on our website: massfxmedia.com

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
SS: I’m so glad to be a part of EFPalooza and for the support they offer to female filmmakers.

Carrier will screen Saturday, March 21st at 3:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the “A Decade of Colorado Independent Women of Film” block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Ty Bradford, “Sick, Weird, Kid.”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
TB: Ever since I was twelve, I’ve had a camera in hand — to me there’s nothing like telling stories with moving images and sharing that experience with an audience.

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
TB: This is a film I made as a project to give back to then senior LGBTQ community – but it’s meant for all ages. I recently discovered how many LGBTQ seniors are still struggling with being who they are, so I thought it important to share their words of support and wisdom and I must thank the brave folks who were willing to go on camera. It’s been screening at The Center on Colfax, at retirement communities all over the country and it will live on the web.

Q: What else are you working on?
TB: Working with LGBTQ seniors on this film has opened up a whole new realm of interest for me, especially when many of them told me how invisible they felt. I’m currently writing a drama / dark comedy feature film that will hopefully change that perspective and the goal is to shoot it here in Denver. If anyone knows of any senior actors (+/- 70 years young) please send them my way!

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
TB: I’m obsessed with warm chocolate chip cookies.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
TB: My company is Ovo Films / https://www.ovofilms.com

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
TB: EFP deserves a standing ovation for supporting local artists and for screening local work.

Sick, Weird, Kid. will screen Saturday, March 21st at 6:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Saturday Evening Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Alex Killian, “ALM”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
AK: I like to say that film is my native language. I became a filmmaker to move people with the authenticity of a valuable point of view; to incite reflection and change perspectives with the power of empathy. 

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
AK: ALM is nearing the end of its festival run. We premiered the film at Horsetooth Intl Film Festival in September and since then it’s also screened at Showroom Shorts in Sheffield, UK as well as the Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival. It will be screening at Hollywood Screenings Film Festival in April, with two other potential screenings later this year. Overall, I’m really happy with how the film has been received. It’s streaming publicly on YouTube & Vimeo now and I hope people continue to engage with it as I begin working on my next project.

Q: What else are you working on?
AK: Too many things lol I’m currently involved in 4 music video projects, I’m editing a travel documentary I shot last summer, editing a BTS documentary I shot in April, acting in a couple short films, & preparing to relocate to Las Angeles in April.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
AK: My favorite things to do on a film are acting, cinematography, & editing. I don’t know any other actor/DP/Editors so I guess that’s kind of weird.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
AK: Check out my website www.alexkillian.com and follow me on IG: @killianit

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
AK: EFP is so great. I got to screen a little short at last year’s EFPalooza (my first time screening my work at a festival) and that experience inspired me to keep working hard to make films and submit to more festivals.

ALM will screen Saturday, March 21st at 8:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Saturday Night Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: William Briggs, “Darling Nikki”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
WB: I have always been a story-teller and can spin a yarn about the most innocuous of events of my life. I love engaging with people at a “human experience” level, and laughing at myself is a virtue. Despite that, it took my until just a few years ago to find my voice and actually write-write. Since then I cannot seem to stop the flood of stories and have recently been composing 3 scripts at once.

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
WB: This was a fun little effort for the annual “24-hour film race” where we had from 8PM Friday through 8PM Saturday to create a film from nothing more than a theme, a prop, and an action. Christian Chacon got a bunch of friends together to throw our proverbial hat in the ring. He, Marla Kalin, and I wrote for a few hours, then Stephen Steinbacher directed and he and Milad Sami filmed. Bruce Miles produced. And a whole cast of crazies stayed up all night to act!

Q: What else are you working on?
WB: Our feature length romantic comedy mockumentary ColoradoLand is premiering for family & friends March 15th. We just wrapped episode 1 of Replicant Terminus: Revelation series based on the BladeRunner universe on which I’m an active writer. I am in production on my short film noir thriller Silk. And I am composing an unusual western.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
WB: In my solo work I am a word-smith and very particular about word choice for characters. I also try to sprinkle-in literary or film allusions into all I do — we stand on the shoulders of giants, after all, and emulation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
WB:
imdb.me/WilliamBriggs
facebook.com/ColoLand
facebook.com/SilkMovieProject
facebook.com/ReplicantTerminusRevelation

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
WB: I love the EFP and the Bug and it’s board. They are keeping indie film alive: from cell-phone movies to Red camera films, silents, experimental, regional. They give us all a moment to shine, to have our voices heard, to connect with others and support each other.

Darling Nikki will screen Saturday, March 21st at 6:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Saturday Evening Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Michael Bliss, “Cinnamon”

Q: 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 filmmaker and a director. Through the years I have made that dream a reality by working at ABC, FOX, ESPN, and working on many films and documentaries. 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 filmmaking career.

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
MB: Cinnamon is a 48 Hour Film Project that has won four awards so far.It also screened at the Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival and won for as the audience favorite.Our plans are to keep screening it at events and film festivals.

Q: What else are you working on?
MB: Festival creator and director of the  Denver Regional Youth Film Festival
Restoring Historic Elitch Theatre and creating a cultural revival on the original grounds of Elitch Gardens. 
The Troll – This is a story about a troll that gets lost in the city. 
ZombieFest II “Sloppy Seconds” – The Dead are Alive3 Degrees of Insanity – 3 stories, 3 minutes long tied all together with a bridge. (similar to a bridge in a song)

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
MB: Clowns

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
MB: www.blissfest333.comwww.etfest.comwww.historicelitchtheatre.org

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
MB: Thank you always for your support of Indie Films and our CommUNITY!

Cinnamon will screen Saturday, March 21st at 8:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Saturday Night Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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

Q: What else are you working on?
SF: Currently I am working on a documentary about Shakespeare; specifically, the history of the political and social circumstances he and other artists were influenced by and how the interpretations of his plays have been interpreted for audiences over the years, how adapting the plays for film can both enhance and impair the stories, among other things. And writing and stuff.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
SF: I think the weirdness of my films kinda speak for themselves.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
SF: FactorFiveFilms.com

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
SF: Thanks from our whole team for including us and we are stoked to see our film on the big screen at The Bug!

Out Spot! will screen Friday, March 20th at 9:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Thriller & Horror Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.

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Meet the Filmmakers: Grant Worden and Kyle Homan, “Poetic Burden”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
GW: I am attempting to become a writer/director/producer (filmmaker) to serve the characters, worlds and themes I find compelled to doodle, script-out and rehearse. Filmmaking a collaborative team effort that has surrounded me with great people, life long friends, and like-minded creatives. I enjoy seeing the script come to life on screen through the hard work of a “film family.”
KH: I always loved telling stories and creating worlds out of nothing. My imagination always ran rampant as a kid, and I found a home for it on screen. I think film is one of the best mediums for truly portraying what goes on in your mind, in a real and relatable way for the audience, and that opportunity provides infinite possibilities. I was always drawn to the collaborative nature of production as well. I loved building my crew and working together with talented and creative people who ended up becoming some of my best friends.

Q: What are we going to see at EFPalooza? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
GW: Poetic Burden is our team’s 2018 48-Hour Film Project Western entry. The production focuses on the old history between a limping Sherif and a troubled town youth. This film has screened in the 48HFP weekend event as well as the June 2019 EFP. 
KH: We are screening our 48 Hour Film from Denver’s 2018 competition. It also screened at the 48HFP screening event, which takes place the weekend after the hectic 48HFP weekend of writing, shooting, and editing. We currently don’t have any plans for this film specifically, but we do plan on participating in the Denver 48HFP this August for our 5th year in a row!

Q: What else are you working on?
GW: I am currently working and living in Kigali & Rubona, Rwanda as a photography and videography fellowship / “cousin” with the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village. Learn more about the community living and learning village at ASYV.org.  My main responsibilities are teaching 60 students in photo and video extra-curricular classes, managing the 87 member media club and media center equipment as well as documenting campus-wide events. The most important job I have at ASYV is igniting creative and outside the box thinking. In my downtime, I am working on screenplays, poetry and small-documentary style editing projects.
KH: I’m currently working as a freelance filmmaker and videographer in Denver, from small scale one-man-band videography to full-blown commercial production. I do a lot of editing as well, from documentary to broadcast to corporate and commercial work. Creatively, I have a few scripts that have been cooking for a little while now, but nothing that’s ready to come to the surface just yet. 

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
GW: Not necessarily a weird fact about me, but my character development process. Without fail my characters always start as a doodle and possess a personality trait that I find in myself. I enjoy “odd couple” stories and will reflect on why that trait is within me and my character then formulate the counter character or story structure based on the opposing view/character trait.
KH: I have a collection of over 300 DVDs, and I try to watch at least one movie every day.

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

KH:

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about EFPalooza or The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
GW: The Bug Theatre is my home theatre and the first place my work was shown on the silver screen. I am thankful for all the opportunities The Emerging Filmmakers Project has given my productions. The cast and crew of Poetic Burden worked really hard to create this poetry driven Western. I am sorry I cannot be in attendance ((because I am in Rwanda)) but I trust my friend and  Producer, Kyle Homan, as well as the rest of the cast and crew will represent. Cheers to film in Colorado. Thank you for promoting our work!
KH: The EFP is an awesome organization giving a platform to filmmakers here in Colorado. This will be my 6th time at the Bug Theatre showing off one of my films, and every time I’ve gone, it’s been a great chance to meet new faces, watch unique and imaginative films, and hear about everyone’s approach to production. I’m looking forward to going again this year!

Poetic Burden will screen Saturday, March 21st at 1:00 p.m. at The Bug Theatre as part of the Saturday Afternoon Shorts block during the 2020 EFPalooza Film Festival.