25 January 2013
By Cole Nelson, Staff Writer
Early last November, I attended the annual AFI Film Festival held in LA which featured several up-and-coming talents ranging from actors to directors, from those in front of the camera to those behind it. This experience led me to believe that those small-name folks whose films I eagerly viewed were the true essence of an independent motion picture—that they were the step between someone like myself and, say, Mr. Spielberg. That is, until I arrived at the yearly Idyllwild Cinema Festival.
As you can expect, the atmosphere of the festival was representative of the town of Idyllwild. If you aren’t familiar with the atmosphere of Idyllwild, think of Jaws’ Amity Island (minus the shark) where everybody is tight-knit, friendly and welcoming to tourists of all kinds. With my day pass in one hand and a notepad in the other, I stepped out of the 20-degree weather and into the quaint one-room Rustic Theater where I was accepted with open arms by people who share a particular story-telling passion and the desire to express it. The festival was spread out into three locations in Idyllwild, though the theater acted as the center of attention.
I sat down in the theater to view my first film of the day: a feature-length documentary, The Condor’s Shadow, which explores the causes and effects of the declining Californian condor population. My idea that this festival would primarily consist of creative, no-budget backyard videos completely changed within the first few minutes of The Condor’s Shadow, for it carried the emotional impact, as well as the visual and storytelling qualities, of a professional documentary. In fact, it was a professional documentary. It was then that I realized who surrounded me. Not a bunch of “nobodies” like myself, but people who are truly passionate about telling visual stories and expanding their audience. They were ambitious people who have not yet been controlled by a large studio or corporation, giving them complete artistic control over their work. Having realized this, the fun could now begin.
The Condor’s Shadow was followed by a Q&A with director Jeff McLoughlin, as were several of the other short and feature films that followed. After that, the Rustic Theater hosted a focal event that showcased the work of director Ignatius Fischer. With a full house, we viewed the Freelancers web series, set in medieval times, which he was launching for the first time. A full cast and crew stood on stage to receive much appreciation from the enthusiastic audience.
I continued my viewing experience in the theater while delightedly sitting through two other short films, Shift and The Visit. Both have aspects that deserve much praise for the film itself and those behind it. As usual, the directors of these shorts answered the audience’s questions.
After spending half of my day sitting in a theater, I was unfortunate enough to have to walk half a mile in the snow and 30-degree weather to the event I was most excited for: a seminar entitled “Producing and Directing the Independent Film.” Sitting in one of the closest seats to those who were speaking, my excitement and expectations were satisfied. I sat through three hours (which hardly felt like three hours) of stories and advice from those who had enough experience to provide it. Festival director Stephen Savage, who is also an independent film director, led the seminar with his extensive knowledge of filmmaking and enjoyment of sharing that knowledge. Afterwards, I had the opportunity to meet the down-to-earth Savage, who didn’t seem nearly as stressed as I would have expected for someone who is directing a film festival.
At the end of the day, I was glad to say that my experience in Idyllwild was special—one that I will be more than pleased to repeat at next year’s Idyllwild Cinema Festival. I spent a day meeting astonishing people and thoroughly enjoyed viewing their work in a beautifully charming town. What more can I ask for?
Courtesy of idyllwildtowncrier.com