Film Festivals & Online Syndication

Part of my “Article of the Month” series in 2000

May marked a very new chapter for me. Two very Significant Events happened and their ramifications have gotten me so far behind in writing about them, that it’s now June and May’s article is terribly late.

Allow me to explain:

Significant Event #1

At the beginning of May, I took it upon myself to attend the USA Film Festival. Suffice it to say that it was a very bold move for me.

By no means a film “insider,” I was certainly a little nervous. For you see my intention was to attend as a journalist, not merely as a movie buff. With pen and notepad in hand, I watched a slough of films, shorts, and documentaries in over a week’s worth of evenings.

It was like entering a different world. Not necessarily higher class, although there were plenty of three-piece suits and glamorous evening gowns milling about. Neither was the festival entirely made up of nerdy film fanatics, although there were a handful of stereotypical eccentrics in attendance (the people you might expect from online movie sites like Aint-It-Cool-News.com).

No, it was all very unique. Most of the attendees were right in the middle of those two extremes. I got a chance to discuss filmmaking with Daniel Yoon, director of Post Concussion. As it turns out, Daniel has no film school training. In fact, he too was an engineer! Then there was Brook Langton, co-star of Playing Mona Lisa. I couldn’t forget her if I tried. I also spoke with the director (David Feldman) and producer (Carl Dupre) of a great film calledBroke Even.

Then I met the guys from ShortFilmNetwork.com, a new online venue for filmmakers and their short films. They’ve got some great new short films on their site right now, including Film Club (a parody of Fight Club) and 82,309 Feet. Be sure to check them out!

Significant Event #2

Later in the month of May, I received a curious email from a new acquaintance by the name of “Nutcase.” This deranged fellow offered me a journalism position with the online magazine/forum BeGroovy.com.

BeGroovy is an internet-based magazine with news, reviews, and public forums with its focus on the Be Operating System. This article isn’t the best place to explain all these specific topics, so check out both sites for further information.

Anyway, despite his handle, I accepted Nutcase’s job offer. By the way, as online anonymity goes, most members of such forum boards go by aliases. Hence Ryan Abrams is actually the land-locked name of my future employer at BeGroovy, just as my handle there is “Ruprect.” Also as first-time writers’ positions go, my “employment” at BeGroovy won’t yet constitute a salary until they start making money themselves. One can hope!

So with these two Significant Events in mind I wonder: do they represent a fork in the road for me, a crossroads as it were? Or perhaps just a mere change of pace (a quicker one to be sure). I don’t know that even I can answer these questions. All I know is that it’s an exciting time for me. I feel most at home when I write. And that’s a worthwhile feeling, to be content.

I’ll let you know when I figure it out. Until then…

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