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Filmwax Radio Interview Series: VCFA Alumnx Jason Rosenfield

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VCFA is proud to be partnering with Filmwax Radio for a special series of interviews featuring VCFA alumni. The third installment of the series is with editor Jason Rosenfield ACE (’18) whose projects include, among many, the documentaries LOST FOR LIFE (2013), SWIFT CURRENT (2016), and BREAKING POINT: THE WAR FOR DEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE (2017), as well as the Amazon docuseries LORENA (2019). In the interview Jason also discusses his VCFA thesis project, Everything Matters, a memoir about editing and his journey over the decades in the profession. [Jason’s rich and captivating memoir will–without a doubt!–be published sometime in the near future with broad appeal for filmmakers and general readers alike. Stay tuned for more news on that front!]

Be sure to have a listen–enjoy!

The podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play & Youtube.

 

 

You are writing the final draft, in essence. It all happens in the editing room… It is a huge responsibility and you have to honor that responsibility.
-Jason Rosenfield, on editing

What I am talking about is making an experiential film, as opposed to an informational film. The goal is to have the audience go on a journey with the characters… not relaying information, but reliving an experience… I learned how to speak body language, and if I knew how to speak it, I knew how to read it…
-Jason Rosenfield, on character driven documentaries

 

 

Jason Rosenfield, ACE, is a three-time Emmy Award-winning film editor recognized for his storytelling and stylistic skills in character-driven long-form documentaries, feature films, and television series. Jason’s narrative credits range from Robert Altman’s classic COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN to the improvisational television comedy FREE RIDE.  His documentary credits include the Oscar-nominated BLUES HIGHWAY, HBO’s Emmy-winning Memphis PD and Teen Killers, Dick Wolf’s groundbreaking NBC series Law & Order: Crime & Punishment and CNN’s The Seventies.  He has collaborated with three-time Oscar-winner Mark Jonathan Harris on Netflix’s award-winning LOST FOR LIFE and SWIFT CURRENT, both directed by Joshua Rofe, and Harris’s own BREAKING POINT: THE WAR FOR DEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE. Additional production awards have included an RF Kennedy Award, DGA Award and Peabody Award, as well as three Emmy Awards and multiple nominations.

In 2001, Jason was elected to membership in American Cinema Editors [ACE], an honorary society of distinguished editors.  He has served as Associate Director of the ACE Board and three terms as Governor of the Television Academy, where he has developed and produced a number of symposiums and ongoing panel series. A Professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts Masters Program as well as Columbia College – Hollywood, Jason is a Mentor at the Stowe (Vt.) Story Labs Screenwriting Workshop and serves as story and editorial consultant for independent films.

Alumnx Spotlight: Martin Castañeda (’16)

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VCFA’s MFA in Film alumnx Martín Castañeda has recently been hired as a full-time visiting professor at New Mexico Highlands University  in the Media Arts Department starting August 2019. Castañeda has been teaching as adjunct faculty in film at the Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) for the past 2 years. In addition to his teaching, Castañeda has been working on commercials and several smaller productions as Assistant Production Coordinator.

In 2018, Castañeda directed the short BAD SITUATION (written by Leon Gaitanis), with a crew entirely composed of CNM students. BAD SITUATION has seen some fantastic festival action this year, including: official selection in 5 festivals in NM, Canada, LA, and TN (so far!); nominations for Best Actor, Screenwriting ,and Original Idea; the “Platinum Award: Best New Mexico Short” at Mindfield Film Festival in NM; Semi-Finalist at Los Angeles CineFest; and winner in its category at New Mexico Filmmakers Showcase 2019.

We caught-up with Martín and asked him a few questions about the project:

The synopsis of BAD SITUATION reads, “a final discussion with death.” Can you share a bit more about the tone and tenor of the film? 

The film is about Jack, a self recluse in the middle of nowhere that receives an unexpected visitor. Jack knows who this is: death finally coming for him. He’s been expecting it, but what he doesn’t know is death first wants to go over some uncomfortable loose ends about his past before deciding his fate.

Your crew was comprised of CNM students, were there any unforeseen challenges that you noted when working on this project with them? Do you find you have to work harder as a director when you have a greener crew?

I had to constantly remind myself that it was a film executed by students in their first term of school, and as such, I couldn’t just jump in and intervene to get what I had in mind. I had to really let go and let them do everything. This is something I learned at VCFA in my third semester when I worked on ABOUT BARBARA, a film developed mostly by the actors during a month long laboratory. On BAD SITUATION, I had a couple of students coming from working in theater, so their previous skills really shined through in the film’s set dressing and wardrobe.

I actually never expected much life beyond the classroom environment for BAD SITUATION. It was Scot, one of the actors, that asked if he could send it to festivals, and the result really surprised me! It’s ironic, I would make an expensive film and no one seemed interested, but this one, made with zero budget (besides school equipment and facilities of course), was picked up by everyone around here.

What elements of filmmaking do you most enjoy teaching and why?

Teaching is a passion I discovered while chasing my first passion: filmmaking. What I enjoy the most is the second half of the term when the students have gone through learning the technical and technological elements and it’s time for them to apply it all to their creativity. That’s when I become less of a professor and more of a supervisor and advisor.

To see more of Martín’s work, find him on vimeo!

Martín Castañeda is US-Peru dual citizen filmmaker. He’s worked in advertisement, teaching, as in-house videographer for institutions and writing, acting, directing and editing films. He received his MFA in Film degree in April 2016.

His feature length screenplay WRITTEN BY VICTORS won a Royal Reel 2016 Award at the Canada International Film Festival and was officially selected at the Berlin Film Fest International 2016. His short film BOX won Best Experimental Film at the 2015 Oregon International Film Awards, and his latest short JOAN IN OWL LAND was officially selected at the Vermont International Film Festival 2016 and ITVfest 2016.

 

Filmwax Radio Interview Series: VCFA Alumnx Amy Hesketh

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VCFA is proud to be partnering with Filmwax Radio for a special series of interviews featuring VCFA alumni. The second installment of the series is with the brilliant and prolific Amy Hesketh (’18) whose aesthetic is quirky and smart–sometimes dark, sometimes funny, but always beautiful. In the interview Amy discusses her films, PYGMALION, OLALLA,  and BEARDBATH, among others. Amy and Adam cover a range of other topics including: Bolivian cinema, rural living, pushing boundaries, the value of long walks, and the collaborative nature found in Montpelier VT! Be sure to have a listen–enjoy!

The podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play & Youtube.

 

I make a lot of films about what I am experiencing in life. Some of my darker films were written and made in a time when I needed to translate the negative experiences in my life… I don’t know what writer’s block is! I just need to wash my hair, or sleep, and then I have an idea.

-Amy Hesketh on making films and where she gets her inspiration

 

Filmmaker Amy Hesketh has made 6 feature films and numerous shorts to date, including her most recent, PYGMALION, which is due out soon. In addition to being a graduate of the VCFA MFA in Film Program, Amy is also an adjunct professor of film at Olympic College in Washington State and one of the filmmakers at Pachamama Films.

Filmwax Radio Interview Series: VCFA Alumnx George Nicholas

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VCFA is proud to be partnering with Filmwax Radio for a special series of interviews featuring VCFA alumni. The first installment of the series is with the delightfully affable George Nicholas (’18) who discusses his two most recent short films,  ANTIGONE and SMOKE N SUDS, which both made the festival rounds last year. In the interview George and Adam cover a range of topics including: Orson Wells, DIY animation, grief unfolding, Hell’s Kitchen in the 80’s, the genius of Michel Negroponte, Moby’s secrets, and more! Be sure to have a listen–enjoy!

The podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play & Youtube.

 

The animated film might as well be a documentary… Like a one punchline joke–it’s my favorite anecdote about living in New York [City]. I was there at a very special time, and of course when you are somewhere at a very special time you don’t realize it is a special time. I’m a huge fan of animation…I’ve taught animation and I know how hard it is to animate. So, like an idiot, I thought, how hard can this be?

-George Nicholas on creating his animated short SMOKE N SUDS at VCFA

 

 

George Nicholas is an award-winning New York-based filmmaker and director of photography. Nicholas holds a BFA in Film Production from the State University of New York at Purchase, and an MFA in Film from VCFA. His most recent films include shorts, ANTIGONE and SMOKE N SUDS, as well as the feature film, 7 SPLINTERS IN TIME, which he worked as DoP and Producer. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Radio, Television, Film at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Ian Cheney’s (’18) films, THIRTEEN WAYS and PICTURE CHARACTER, premiere

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Alumnus Ian Cheney’s (’18) thesis documentary, THIRTEEN WAYS, will screen at the DC Environmental Film Festival on Thursday, Mar 21, 2019.

A series of scientists (and, for good measure, a few nonscientists) travel to a plot of Maine land they have never seen before. One-by-one, through all four seasons, they walk the land and describe what they see. What unfolds is an unusual meditation upon the human relationship to the natural world and the power of different ways of seeing.


PICTURE CHARACTER, directed by Cheney and Martha Shane, will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC on Sunday, April 28, 2019.

Emojis (Japanese for “picture character”) have emerged as a way for billions to communicate. Their widespread use and ability to convey complex and subtle feelings could mean the world is on the cusp of discovering a new language. Directors Martha Shane and Ian Cheney take us deep into the world of picture characters, from the private non-profit international consortium that standardized emoji offerings and decides on the introduction of new ones, to the campaigns for new emojis such as those depicting menstruation and Argentinian mate, and to the very beginnings of emojis in Japan. 

Picture Character follows the path of smiling poops and heart-eyed faces, tackles the development of skin tones, and tracks the evolution of the global digital language. Like a good use of a chin scratching emoji, the documentary is both thought-provoking and fun, and it will insure that viewers never look at another emoji, or think of language itself, the same way again.  (Sudeep Sharma)

Be sure to check out the full lineup of 2019 Tribeca Festival films.

We expect to see both of these films have a busy festival year–stay tuned!

Festival Roundup: Alumnus John Bruner’s (’17) thesis short, GROUNDED

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Alumnus John Bruner‘s (’17) thesis film GROUNDED has had tremendous festival success this past year screening at: Woods Hole Film Festival, Maryland International Film Festival, Austin Indie Fest, Canada Shorts, Short and Sweet Film Festival, Great Lakes Shorts Festival, Independent Shorts Awards, as well as at the UFVA (University Film and Video Association) Conference.

GROUNDED will next be screened this April (2019) at the Ft. Myers Beach International Film Festival.

 

James is a pilot trying to move into management. He might miss his big chance because he has to take his aging and very proper mother home after her extended visit. As James struggles to get back on course, his mother runs out of time to reveal a secret that could be what finally slows James down.

​The film is semi-autobiographical, recounting road trips the director took with his own mother more than a decade ago. It’s a story about some universal truths: how we sometimes put careers in front of people, how fears can block our enjoyment of life, and how we all crave a closeness within our families that’s sometimes hard to achieve.

 

 

 

 

More about John: John Bruner teaches film and media production at Taylor University. John has worked in film and broadcast/corporate television as an executive producer, director, writer, camera operator, editor and engineer. He envisioned and co-founded Taylor’s Los Angeles semester, preparing students to work in the entertainment industry. His career has taken him as far as Russia and Australia, from documentary and narrative filmmaking to television coverage of live concerts, political events, and sports.

 

Alumni Spotlight: Angelique Webster’s (’18) short doc RESPECT AND LOVE

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Angelique Webster’s thesis short doc RESPECT AND LOVE is on fire! In addition to past screenings we highlighted last fall, here is a round up of upcoming film festival showings, with no doubt more on the way! (Keep on eye out on RESPECT AND LOVE’s official facebook page to keep apprised of all of the details.)

March 2019 Events:

Women in Media Film Festival– Newark, New Jersey

Rapid Lion Film Festival– Johannesburg, South Africa

POW ( Portland Oregon Women’s) Film Festival– Portland, Oregon

Universe Multicultural Film Festival -Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

2019 New England Graduate Media Symposium– Boston, MA

April 2019 (and beyond) Events:

American Doc Film Festival–  April 2019 Palm Springs, CA

Langston Hughes Film Festival– April 2019 Seattle Washington

Creatively Speaking Double Exposure Film Series– Maysles Documentary Center June 2019  Harlem, NY

It has been said that Gloria was the first African-American woman to sue the Catholic Church. RESPECT AND LOVE is a short experimental documentary, in which the filmmaker sits down with her mother 30 years later to gain insight on how those experiences have shaped her mother’s life.

 

 

We recently caught up with Angelique and asked her a few questions, here is what she had to say:

RESPECT AND LOVE is a deeply personal story for you and your family, in what ways did the concept change or evolve from the start of the project through its completion?

I think the major change to my film was adding my voice. My plan was to use my mother’s interview to tell the story. As I was going through the footage I realize that strong transitions were missing. Along with the need for smooth transitions, I decided to juxtapose my thoughts along side of my mother’s. The two storylines made the film fuller and much more three dimensional.

What is the most valuable piece of advise, feedback, or inspiration you received here at VCFA as an MFA in Film student?

The most valuable feedback I received while at VCFA was to go out on a limb and try something different. I never imagined that I would write a script, but I did. I was nervous and not very confident… but had really great support and feedback. It actually felt good to write. With the next film I am working on, I have started with writing. The writing allows me to see themes and ideas that may be useful with making a stronger piece.

Where do you see yourself and your work in the next 3 years?

In the next 3 years I see myself teaching, making films, and creating a community space for inter-generational filmmaking projects.

Angelique Webster is a filmmaker and educator. She  is a graduate from Lincoln University and received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in April 2018. Since 2003, Angelique has worked with community members to use media as a tool to share their stories and promote the importance of media literacy. She recently finished her first short film RESPECT AND LOVE. She lives in Worcester, MA with her wife Isabel and 3 year old daughter Vivian.

 

 

 

VCFA at Sundance Film Festival 2019!

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VCFA had fantastic representation at the Sundance Film Festival this year! In addition to pleasure-goers, like our own Annie Howell, several alumni and students were there to speak and show support for their projects.

Ian Cheney (’18), Jason Rosenfield (’18) and VCFA faculty member Annie Howell

 

Recent VCFA graduate Jason Rosenfield was at the festival in support of the new Amazon docuseries LORENA which he worked on as Supervising Editor. LORENA will be available to stream on Amazon February 15th, 2019.

Lorena Bobbitt became a household name in 1993, when accounts of a mutilation dominated headlines: she cut off her husband’s penis, and the country collectively gasped. Twenty-five years later, Joshua Rofé excavates the scandalized case through a modern cultural lens. Each episode of this four-part docuseries, executive produced by Jordan Peele, builds upon the last, exposing the issues surrounding the couple and their criminal trials—Lorena’s then-husband, John Wayne Bobbit, for marital sexual assault, and Lorena for malicious wounding. In unearthing the long-term abuse that precipitated the infamous night, Rofé dives into a wider discussion about the lack of support for domestic-violence victims, the power and fragility of the word penis, John’s increasingly unpredictable life post-recovery, and how the public’s insatiable appetite for the Bobbitts’ story paved the way for the 24-hour news cycle. Rofé’s re-examination restores depth to a woman reduced to parodies and caricatures and prompts us to reconsider our preconceptions.

 

Alumnus Ian Cheney (’18) was at the festival as one of five inaugural Science Sandbox Nonfiction Project fellows to participate in a panel discussion titled “Exploring Boundaries” which focused on the intersection between science and storytelling. Cheney was selected as a recipient of the Science Sandbox Nonfiction grant in November 2018 for his film THE MOST UNKNOWN which he directed and produced.

Ian Cheney (’18) center, enjoying a meal with Lena and Werner Herzog, and Greg Boustead (co-producer THE MOST UNKNOWN).

Through imagination and exploration and a deep sense of wonder, scientists and artists aim to reveal deeper truths about our world—in different and sometimes surprisingly similar ways. Join us, our project fellows, and other special guests as we celebrate the inaugural year of the Science Sandbox Nonfiction Project and engage in a conversation between legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog and renowned astrophysicist and novelist Janna Levin about experimental science storytelling.

 

Current VCFA student Damon Davis also attended the festival, as did recent VCFA residency special guests Ramona Diaz and Nancy Schreiber. We hear Mike Day was also spotted out in the crowd!

 

Susan Kelechi Watson (THIS IS US), Annie Howell, and Anna Margaret Hollyman (SISTER AIMEE). Kelechi Watson and Hollyman starred in Howell’s 2012 film (co-directed with Lisa Robinson), SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS. Hollyman also starred in Howell and Robinson’s 2016 film CLAIRE IN MOTION.

 

Alumnus Jay Koski’s (’16) THE PEPIE LEGEND’s latest festival showing, plus short doc BAIT SHOP screens

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Alumnus Stewart Jay Koski’s thesis documentary, THE PEPIE LEGEND, will screen at at the Wildwood Film Festival  March 22nd-23rd, 2019. This will be the third festival showing for THE PEPIE LEGEND, with more to come!

About the film:Full-time folklorist and book author Chad Lewis reveals a 150-year-old legend that continues to resurface in modern day. In an attempt to solve the puzzle of this long-sought legend a $50,000 reward has been offered for indisputable proof of this Midwest lake monster. Filmed entirely on location.

Additionally, Koski’s short doc, BAIT SHOP, which he also created while here at VCFA, is an official selection to the Speechless Film Festival March 29th-30th, 2019. Films selected for this festival celebrate the art of visual storytelling with little to no dialogue.

Alumna Kathy Bruner’s (’17) feature length documentary, LAST YEAR AT THE CROSSING, screening at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

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Alumna Kathy Bruner’s (’17) thesis feature length documentary LAST YEAR AT THE CROSSING will be screening at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, MT on February 16th, 2019.

About the film: A heartbreaking, raw and ultimately hopeful story of four teens trying to earn a diploma at a last-chance high school in Indiana. Their struggle against hopelessness, drug culture, failed family structures and poverty is met by a dedicated school administrator who tries to help them rise above their circumstances.

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