This week we are excited to be joined by one of our former festival winners for a guest blog post. JD Beales is a Metro area-based filmmaker and executive producer of last year’s Best Feature Film, Oros (The Coin Bearer). To kick off this year’s call for submissions, JD describes his film and experience at last year’s festival:
One truth I’ve found is filmmakers always seek an audience. There was no better feeling than screening our first feature film to my hometown of Washington, DC. Oros (The Coin Bearer) is an international film, shot in the Philippines with an all-Filipino cast and crew. Specifically set in Baseco, Tondo Manila, Oros tells a story unique to Philippine culture. Though this film could have only have been made in the Philippines, it has caught audiences off-guard globally with its universal message of compassion. I am proud of our film and was thrilled to premiere at the DC Independent Film Festival.
In the Philippines, “sakla” is a traditional form of gambling utilizing a Spanish deck of cards. The games afford impoverished families to generate income to pay for burial expenses. In 1978, Presidential Decree No. 1602 was passed into Philippine law eradicating all forms of gambling. Though “sakla” is now considered illegal, some local authorities turn a blind eye, allowing residents to continue playing “sakla” only during wakes. Oros is the story of a middleman named Makoy and his reluctant brother Abet. Makoy and Abet rent unclaimed cadavers from a morgue to stage fake, profitable wakes, taking advantage of law enforcement complacency.
I had a wonderful experience attending DCIFF and have formed strong, long-lasting friendships with other filmmakers, actors, festival staff and attendees as a result. The theater was large and inviting. The movie screen was enormous. The staff was professional and accommodating. The question and answer sessions were well moderated. I was so happy just to be a part of the festival that when they announced Oros as the winner of the 2013 Best Feature Film, I was completely caught off guard.
We are still fortunate enough to be showing Oros at film festivals around the world but look forward to releasing Oros to the general public in the near future.
Guest blog: The pros and cons of producing in Los Angeles
LA-based independent film director, writer and producer Jane Clark joins us this week as a guest blogger. Last year, Jane premiered her film, Meth Head at DCIFF and it is continuing to make the festival rounds. She just completed her second feature, Crazy Bitches, and is writing a book on making short films. In this week’s post, Jane describes the positive and negative aspects of independent film production in Los Angeles:
As an independent filmmaker working on tight budgets, I have, by necessity, considered many different production options inside and outside of Los Angeles. It is tempting to take the show on the road to cheaper states considering California’s minimum $1 million spending for tax credit eligibility. But for budgets like mine, the costs associated with travel outside the city sometimes outweigh the rebates. Though I chose to keep my productions in LA, making seven shorts and three features, it’s important to consider the pros and cons to know whether the city is the right match for you.
LA location shoot for “Meth Head”
The Pros:
The Cons:
Personally, the pros of producing in LA outweigh the cons by far. But I also live here. If you are making films with smaller budgets, your hometown or nearby city might be the best place for you to produce and shoot your film. You can always rely on friends, family, working relationships and helpful neighbors to help make your vision a reality.
Interior shots on the set of “Meth Head”
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Tagged alums, cinema, Crazy Bitches, DCIFF, film budgets, film festival, Film LA, film production, indie film, Jane Clark, LA, location scouting, Los Angeles, Meth Head, permits, SAG Indie