I met Josh Lowman when GMGS screened at the SF Indie Fest. Funny and somehow memorable, the film stayed with Josh and when we was looking for more comedic shorts to round out his self-produced mini-festival, “Shorts and Rock” he thought of me.

If you’re in San Fran around June 19th at the Rickshaw Stop, please stop by.

http://www.wearecroissanwich.com/

Also known as the “crossroads to discovery,” Washougal is a quiet community on the banks of the Columbia, just a short drive from Portland, Oregon; this year is also the town’s 100th anniversary. The festival itself will take place between August 20-23. The screenings will be right in the center of old town, in the new Washougal Town Center — both inside and outside in the courtyard. Any overflow will go to Washougal High School.

Winning filmmakers will be honored with the Mayor’s Medal and prizes in respective categories at the closing night awards ceremony. Films will be valued on merits such as creativity, ingenuity, story, attention to detail, and the ability to challenge and inspire audiences.

More information on the Washougal International Film Festival here.

Be well. Do good work. Keep in touch.

Cheers
Shawn

Well, figuratively. “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” has been accepted to the 4th annual Jecheon International Music & Film Festival August 14th-18th 2008. This marks the first time that any film of mine has played abroad. So, it’s actually kind of a milestone.

As far as I know, no other film I’ve been a part of has screened abroad… except for David Russo’s “I Am Not Van Gogh” in which I played, as David described it, the only visible human in the movie. A bit part really. More of an accident, truth be told, as he panned up the hill, his camera happened to see me standing where I had released the clock—

—Interesting story by the way, we were rolling a giant clock down the side of a mountain for a sequence that would later be played in reverse. My job was to hold the clock in position at the top of the hill. When all was ready, I released the clock and away it rolled, gravity pulling it downward through the brush and uneven mountain terrain, picking up speed and hopping over bumps until it crashed out of site into the ravine below with a thunderous smash that echoed through the trees.

After the clock disappeared, David, filming spontaneously, panned the camera up to the sky, then back down to the hillside where I was standing, hovering on my image for a moment. None of this was by design, although in the final edit it certainly appears intentional.

Come to find out later, the clock—which was really a giant cable spool decorated to look like a clock—had just barely missed our vehicle parked on the road at the bottom of the hill. In fact, had we parked where David had originally intended, the vehicle would have surely been smashed. It was his sister’s truck too. It just goes to show that you can never tell where time, when it’s really rolling, is going to strike.

But, I digress.

The point is, this international premier on the Korean peninsula is quite a pleasant surprise and I’m very proud and happy. My little-film-that-could is seeing a second life, much more than I thought it would.

More information on the festival here

Be well. Do good work. Stay in touch.

Cheers
Shawn

“Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” will be screening twice during the Seattle True Independent Film Festival.

Jewel Box Theatre (at the Rendezvous) Saturday, June 7th @ 4PM
Capitol Hill Arts Center (CHAC) Wednesday, June 11th @ 7PM

More info here

GMGS will screen both times with the feature length documentary “Frank & Cindy.” From the synopsis published in the STIFF program, this sounds like an interesting film:

When Cindy married a rock star, Frank, in 1983 she imagined a life of glamour and GRAMMYS. But the song that propelled Frank to fame -Whirly Girl- would be the only chart-topper from his group, OXO. Years later, out of shape and nearly bankrupt after spending all his money on -gas, food, dry cleaning… and drugs- Frank is not the vision Cindy married. And now, twenty-three years after appearing on American Bandstand, Frank lives sequestered to the basement where he uses coffee cans for a toilet. Cindy’s filmmaker son, GJ, begins documenting the situation. After a year of filming, what began as an attempt to mock his step-father instead creates a candid portrait on the pursuit of happiness.

Moby will also play the festival. Yes, Moby, the DJ. That guy. Him. Sort of a big deal around here. Yup, he’ll be doing a live set June 8th in the evening.

See you soon.

Amore
Shawn

Oh and yes, “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” won the Highest Fidelity award.

The Seattle True Independent Film Festival, or STIFF, as it is more commonly known, has a very interesting mission statement, “As film festivals across the country strive to raise their profile, they continually pass over inventive, risk-taking films so they can give a sneak preview of the new Jennifer Aniston film a week before its world-wide release. Somebody needs to help these TRUE Independent gems find an audience on the lookout for the unusual.”

Now for even better news: My first short film “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” was accepted into the Seattle True Independent Film Festival! The festival is ten days of films, music and comedy celebrating off-beat independent films from the Northwest and the rest of the world; it runs from June 6th through the 15th (overlapping the Seattle International Film Festival!)

Like most festivals, STIFF comes with awards. Most notably, a STIFFY. I know what you’re thinking: Does a STIFFY come with a cash prize? No cash, but winners will receive total consciousness on thier deathbed (so they’ve that going for ‘em). Actually, the festival is working with partners this year who have apparently donated some incredibly unique prizes that may be BETTER than CASH.

Better than Ca$h? Well, STIFF organizers are hoping for prizes that help filmmakers get their films in front of wider audiences. For example, this year, Hollywood Video will give a one hour meeting with an acquisitions executive to the winner of the Grand Jury prize (of course, the winner is responsible for his/her own travel). Breathrough Distribution will also be sponsoring the Breakthrough Award which will give one lucky filmmaker 2000 replicated DVD’s of their movie and a possible retail distribution deal.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Here’s hoping to see you there, STIFFY in hand!

Cheers
Shawn

Friday March 14th, yes, yes, “Beware the Ides of March!” BUT ALSO the Raw Stock Filmfest: “Raw Comedy, Raw Talent, Raw Stock short film festival.”

So please come to ACT Theatre (7th & Union downtown Seattle) 9PM for 13 short films, standup comedy, live music, a full bar and of course, “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter.”

More info here

Hope to see you soon

Cheers
Shawn

My short film “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” will play the 10th Annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival February 7-19, 2008.

GMGS will be screened twice in a series called “Who Loves Ya, Baby?” which is a bundle of films described by the festival as being “In pursuit of new love and renewed commitments to old.”

Sat, Feb 9 2008 12:30 pm Roxie Cinema
Sun, Feb 10 2008 2:45 pm Victoria Theater

If you come out to a screening, be sure to say hi. I’ll be at both. In the back. Vomiting into my popcorn bag.

My short film “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” based on my MFA thesis has been accepted into the Sweet Onion Film Festival in Walla Walla, Washington. Although the Olympia Film Festival turned it down, Walla Walla was glad to have it. There’s just no accounting for taste, is there?

The festival is set for the weekend of October 26-28. “GMGS” screens on Friday night and I hope to be there. More information at the

Sweet Onion Film Festival web site

Still haven’t heard back from Spokane, Sundance, Portland, Claremont-Ferrand (in France, “Viva la france!”) or Nashville. But you will be the first to know.

And if you’re keeping track that’s 2 out of 3 so far (1 Reel and Sweet Onion.)

(To borrow a line form Built to Spill)

As you may or may not know, my short film, “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” was accepted into the 1 Reel Film Festival as a part of Bumbershoot. It screened on Monday September 3, 2007 to an audience of about 300 crowded in the Cinema Seattle theatre in the opera house. The response was overwhelming, especially the penultimate moment when one character asks the other, “Do you want to dance?” Then BAM–screen goes black and roll credits! Some gasped, some laughed, a few groaned or let go of their bated breath… but then they all clapped, some even cheered.

It was the most remarkable noise I have ever heard in my life.

I can’t wait to hear it again!

On the Friday before Bumbershoot 2007, the Seattle Time’s Jeff Shannon made mention of a certain short film by a certain someone whom I’m sure you know.

Of course I’m talking about MYSELF! Who wouldn’t be when the Seattle Times calls your first film “an enjoyably offbeat example of unlikely romance.”

Yee-Haw! That feels good!

Well, enough gloating. I couldn’t have told this story without the talent of my super talented friends whom I’m sure never read my blog but they are: Jonathan Houser, Tony Tibbetts, Alexandra Tavares, Rich Phelps, Winda Benedetti and Neill Barham.

The Time’s quote was taken from their Bumbershoot preview story:

“Made in Seattle” (2-3 p.m.) is a typically mixed-bag category of local hits and misses, and while Shawn Telford’s 13-minute “Gimme Music, Gimme Shelter” (2007) presents an enjoyably offbeat example of unlikely romance, Salise Hughes’ “Everyone I Have Ever Known” (2006) is a trippy, multitextured experiment in no-budget ingenuity.

The piece can be read in its entirety (or verified) on their web site

Seattle Times dot com