Denver Film – The Emerging Filmmakers Project

Meet the Filmmaker: Karen Morris, “Sham Cooke”

Posted on July 16, 2014 by efpdenver

Sham Cooke – Karen Morris

EA: Why did you become a filmmaker?

KM: First, because I am a movie buff. Second, in order to make movies that I wanted to watch but weren’t being made. Motion Pictures could represent so many more experiences than we’ve been conditioned to expect of them.

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

KM: “Sham Cooke” has not screened anywhere else. It is part of a larger project of four non-sequitur shorts that are all interviews, the first was a dinner date called “Dinner at Hate”, and “Sham Cooke” is the second piece, an interview between a barkeep and a customer. They are both heavily processed in their look.

EA: What else are you working on?

KM: I just finished a short story called “The Summer of Love”.

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

KM: Well, the movies themselves are a bit weird. I was going for a Glamor Shots Saloon from outer space sort of look with “Sham Cooke”. I felt “Sham Cooke” and “Dinner at Hate” should look like melted VHS postcards recovered from the trunk of someone’s brain.

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

KM: Vimeo, Youtube, Facebook and Linked In.

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

KM: I’m very grateful that you’ve included me! I hope to see more people get involved with local film production and events like The Emerging Filmmakers Project are a big step forward in achieving that. I’d like to see local movies achieve parity with the local music scene in terms of levels of involvement and awareness.

Sham Cooke will be screening at the July Emerging Filmmakers Project!

Meet the Filmmaker: Tom Khazoyan, “The Enemy God” Trailer

Posted on July 16, 2014 by efpdenver

The Enemy God – www.10XProductions.org

EA: Why did you become a filmmaker?

TK: I was always interested in the arts in general and was a musician, training to be a recording engineer, when I started college. But I had also made a few Super8 movies with my dad when I was a kid. I decided I didn’t want to spend my life recording punk bands in a garage, so I stayed in school and got a degree in tv/film production. I love to be able to tell stories through multiple mediums and I liked the connection of art and technology that filmmaking offered. What gets me excited these days is working cross-culturally to create visual stories and mentoring young filmmakers in other cultures. Been doing it 30+ years now (“emerging”!)

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

TK: My film is the trailer for a dramatic feature I produced a few years ago. It’s the true story of a Yanomamo shaman in the rainforest of Venezuela and the spiritual battle for the survival of his people. We did screen it in a number of festivals, the Denver Film Society gave it a weekend at the StarzFilmCenter, and it has had some kind of release in 12 foreign territories, but little in the US. Our distribution deal recently expired so we’ve decided to put some effort into a very soft re-launch on our own. Coming soon to VOD. Just sent deliverables to Spain for a broadcast release in Spanish. (AND, you can buy the DVD on our web site: www.TheEnemyGod.com)

EA: What else are you working on?

TK: I’m currently polishing two feature screenplays. My team is working on eight short films for internet release in other languages. And I teach filmmaking and screenwriting online to high school students.

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

TK: Most of the films I’ve made in the last 15 years have been in languages I don’t speak.

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

TK: This film’s web site is www.TheEnemyGod.com and we have a Facebook page you can easily find. My team’s site is www.10XProductions.org. We’re a non-profit film production team.

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

TK: I love EFP because it is a time for people to show their work to the public that’s just about encouraging the work. It’s about the journey of filmmaking, not about the hype. I think that’s an incredibly valuable contribution to the filmmaking community here in Denver.

The Enemy God Trailer will be screening at the July Emerging Filmmakers Project!

Meet The Filmmaker, Mona Maser, “Rite of Spring”

Posted on May 15, 2014 by efpdenver

While passionately chasing my dreams I ran into Mona who was kind enough to leave the rope swing long enough to answer a few question for me… and if you were wondering I did catch the ice cream truck. Who says dreams don’t come true.

MM: Why did you become a filmmaker?

MM: I thought I was being brave and following my dream — now I’m wondering what I was thinking.

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

MM: This is a short film I did for fun. Well, I really did it to submit to the traveling New Belgian Short Film Fest – but it didn’t get in.

MM: What else are you working on?

MM: I’ve been working on web videos for small businesses but am also working on a short documentary and educational short films for elementary age children on social issues.

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

MM:The weird thing is that I cannot come up with the weird thing unless you count that I seem to have a persistent desire to work on film projects.

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

MM: www.bereelparthena.com

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

MM: Nice to be here.

MM: Thank you Mona for chatting with me… and for making me look like I was talking to myself.

“Rite of Spring” will screen at the May 15th Emerging Filmmakers Project!

Meet The Filmmaker, John Hosack, “Cracks”

Posted on May 15, 2014 by efpdenver

While taking a break from arguing with the voices in my head… oddly enough they always seem to win… I skipped down to the Elizabeth Fire Station to meet up with John who was kind enough to take a break from his temporary job as a window repair man to answer a few questions for me.

MM: W cracks poster DRAFT3 hy did you become a filmmaker?

JH: I watched films instead of going to class when I was studying engineering.

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

JH: It has only been screened once at the Cinema Grill for some CFS students. I have no further plans for the film.

MM: What else are you working on?

JH: Nothing at the moment. Still trying to figure out to do with some cool costumes and props from a film I was developing that never got made.

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

JH: Chantelle (Julia Raynor in the film) actually broke the window at the Elizabeth Fire Station while filming the scene where she is trying to escape- of course it was while we were filming the wideshot. You can see the cracks later in the close up.

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

JH: Facebook probably has the most information (https://www.facebook.com/john.hosack.39)

But I’m fairly off the grid at the moment.

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

JH: EFP is awesome and vital to the Denver film scene. I have attended several times and the community is overwhelmingly kind, quirky, supportive, and just plain cool.

MM: Thanks John for taking the time to chat with me… and for directing films and not designing buildings!

“Cracks” will screen at the May 15th Emerging Filmmakers Project!

Meet The Filmmaker, Alex Brisson, “Campus Cops”

Posted on May 15, 2014 by efpdenver

While enjoying my favorite late afternoon snack, chocolate & peanut butter sandwich, I was able to get down to the bottom of what Alex Brisson is all about… and then I stopped eating.

MM: Why did you become a filmmaker?

AB: I chose to be a filmmaker because I am a storyteller and I love making people laugh. Also I have literally no other skills.

MM: Wh 1441411_641129325939250_1761791655_n at are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?

AB: Campus Cops is the story of a renegade campus security guard Monahan and his new by-the-book partner Stew solving their biggest case yet. It has thus far only been shown at the ColoradoFilmSchool, but has been submitted to a few comedy film festivals, and we’re looking forward to hopefully hearing back from them.

MM: What else are you working on?

AB: I just completed a short romantic-comedy “Love at First Stalk” which won the ColoradoFilmSchool’s Student Show Best Picture award for the semester, I plan on taking this film to festivals as well, and I’ve started in on writing my next short comedy about a blanket fort.

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

AB: The poop was actually chocolate and peanut butter

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

AB: Go to my website http://www.zombiesandwichproductions.com or my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zombie-Sandwich-Productions/234376276614559

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

AB: I’ve gone to a few of these in the past and have always had a great time. I’m very excited to be able to be a part of this one!

MM: Thanks Alex for taking the time to chat with me, and ruining my favorite snack!

” Campus Cops” will screen at the May 15th Emerging Filmmakers Project!

Meet The Filmmaker, Todd Bradley, “Agriculture Supporting Community: The PEAS Farm”

Posted on May 13, 2014 by efpdenver

While taking a mid summer day siesta in the local farmers field… or that was where the aliens decided to drop me off… I ran into Todd and he was kind enough to rest the high wheel cultivator long enough to answer a few questions for me.

MM: Why did you become a filmmaker?

TB: At some point a few years ago, I felt like I had learned enough from working on other filmmakers’ project that I should try making my own. That led to about a dozen short films of my own, and ultimately to a second career as a freelance videographer.

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

TB: This video is about a small farm in Missoula, Montana that is run by a non-profit organization. The director of the project, a professor from the local university, describes the farm and its impact on students and the community. I shot the footage in 2011 when my wife and I were traveling the western United States. But I didn’t edit it until early 2014, as a submission for the Real Food Media Contest. The film’s public premiere is right here at the EFP.

MM: What else are you working on?

TB: I have a backlog of a half dozen other video projects from the same trip, and I’m always working on roller derby videos. But my biggest current project is for the Library of Congress’ Veteran’s History Project. It’s a long interview with my father, who is a Vietnam veteran.

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

TB: I’m the only person I know whose subconscious composes original soundtrack music for his dreams.

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

toddbradley.com

explodingcorpse.com

vimeo.com/toddbradley404

youtube.com/toddbradley

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

TB: If it weren’t for the EFP, I’d never have learned about John Hartman.

MM: I believe that earns you an awkward one-standing-leg hug, YAY!!

” Agriculture Supporting Community: The PEAS Farm” will screen at the May 15th Emerging Filmmakers Project!

Making of the Spider

Posted on June 19, 2013 by efpdenver

Meet the Filmmaker: Kevon Ward

Taking a break from re-writing “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, our Mark Mook was able to trap Kevon Ward in his web long enough to answer a few questions.

MM: Why did you become a filmmaker?

KW: My background is SFX, but in general I just love entertainment. Through film, your work and legacy can last forever.

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

KW: I will be showing my “Making of the Spider” video. A step by step video of how my animatronic was built. It has been aired at the Oriental Theatre and will be featured in the upcoming indie film “Gray Matter”.

MM: What else are you working on?

KW: An animatronic head, SFX makeup, set design for the 13th Floor, illustration and graphic design and acting in a few upcoming films.

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

KW: I have a fetish for creepy, crawly things. This is why I made the spider originally. I’ve had many tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, rats, etc.

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

KW: For now Facebook under Kevon Ward. Soon I will develop a website and some more demo reels.

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

KW: These events have helped me come a long way in networking and landing film opportunities.

MM: Thank you Kevon for taking a break from creating creepy-ness and bad dreams and allowing me to interview you. You can come see his work Thursday June 20th at The Emerging Filmmakers Project.

The Emerging Filmmakers Project is held every third Thursday at the historic Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., Denver CO. Doors open at 7:30pm and films start at 8.

The Low Down Dog

Posted on June 19, 2013 by efpdenver

Meet The Filmmaker: Raoul Vehill

Taking a break from saving the planet from the eventual alien invasion, our Mark Mook was able to get the low down from Raoul Vehill on his latest screening, “The Low Down Dog” trailer, at the June 20th EFP .

MM: Why did you become a filmmaker?

RV: My best friend & I found his dad’s super 8 camera when we were in the 4th grade & we somehow made a 3 minute, 1 reel, in camera edit, stop motion, sci fi, silent epic that somehow told a story, was in focus and lit. His dad had movie lights too.

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

RV: The Low Down Dog trailer which screened at the last 5 minute Film Fest at the Deerpile. We’ll screen it at Open Screen Night at the Oriental and a friend is screening the Avengers in her backyard on Saturday night and I want to crash that party. Low Down Dog itself is a 35 minute experimental crime thriller which will premiere at the Oriental on August 7th at 8pm.

MM: What else are you working on?

RV: Mostly promoting and crowdfunding for Low Down Dog to send it to fests. I have files of notes or scripts for about 5 projects but I’m working on changing my attitude and SHOULD be working on becoming a used car salesman or finding a real job.

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

RV: I’ve stopped and come back to filmmaking because it doesn’t make sense to do it or not to do it. With punk rock and writing novels too but mostly with movies. It makes absolutely no sense but the reason I don’t stop is because I don’t know how to do anything else.

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

RV: Go to Indiegogo & search Low Dow Dog or go to

www.daygloflix.org

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

RV: I’m totally grateful to have, in the 1st place, a place to come and see great local work, and in the 2nd place, amazed and humbled that you’ll screen my work. Thanks!

MM: Big thanks to Raoul for taking time to be interviewed. You can come see his trailer Thursday June 20th at The Emerging Filmmakers Project being held every third Thursday at the historic Bug Theater, 3654 Navajo St., Denver CO. Doors open at 7:30pm.