RSF(WEST) Update #8: Return of Sanity

First, the big news. DIVINE MANIPULATION OF THE THREADS, has been accepted to another Film Festival. This time we're in Corvallis, Oregon for the da Vinci Days Film Festival. We entered the film in their comedy division. Now, for me it's about a 9 hour drive. Christine and I took the 13 hour drive up to Ashford, Washington to the Rainier Film Festival a few weeks back. It was a very short whirlwind weekend trip. We didn't win anything, the lodging was taken care of (thankfully), the festival was in it's inaugural year and has quite a load of potential, but I did end up being quoted on the festival's front page: www.rainierfilmfest.com. Cool, huh? I guess I'm all famous and shit now...
...Back to the point.
After some of the lag and woes of beating my brain against film festival letters stating that we're not showing in their festival, another one came through the mail with a positive. I was very excited and for the short amount of time that it will last (until I get another rejection), I will have some faith in the festival circuit. At least, people will get to see the film and that is what counts. We want people to see the film. Of course, distribution would be nice... and that is yet another avenue for more people to see the film. Perhaps distribution and somewhat of a media push.
I'll be having a conversation with someone about just that in the next coming weeks. It's a reputable company that seems to have some interest in the film (hopefully, they'll still have some when we hold the conversation).
I've updated the OFFICIAL RUSTED SUN FILMS website this weekend.
and there are all sorts of news updates and new toys to pa ruse through during your workday doldrums.
Here is also a new toy for those of you that absolutely hate me:

Link: PlayMyGame

Link: PlayMyGame

It's a fun little thing I found through www.techcrunch.com . And the only reason I know what the hell that is, is simply because I spent all of Memorial Day weekend editing a piece for Yahoo! Yeah, this production house I've been working for in San Francisco has a lot of Silicon Valley clients. I'm learning all about "the tech" and I now know the meaning behind "I'm about to hackabitch." Blame Beck for that one... yes... the same Beck with the puppet show and bear costumes.
With that, I'll leave you... returning to more work for the week. However, there is one question I have. Ashton Kutcher... what the fuck is that on your head?

The Festival Season: Manic as Ever

Here we are, drenched in a fantastically depressive point of the year where an e-mail can raise my spirits to the heights of Indie Film heaven or with a simple change of verb, crush me like the worthless wannabe nobody that I truly feel like. Rejection is a tough bitch. Each one of those sorrowful little festival letters that say "Thank you for submitting but your film has NOT been accepted to the festival" is like swallowing a mixture of broken glass, rusty thumbtacks, hot sauce, and horse semen. It sucks worse than waking up in jail in the spoon position. Although I am a huge fan of the film festival season... I am not a fan of being told that my film wasn't good enough. It sucks... but it's part of the game.
Make no mistake either. It is a game... much like dodgeball, when you actually get picked for the team.
However, there is a great accomplishment that I'm more than a little pleased to share with all of you. I have been awarded the Bonehead Award for Best Actor at the Barebones International Independent Film Festival. I'm really pleased with the win. There is a great swell of accomplishment that comes with it. Accolades from your peers is almost unmatched. It's that whole teary-eyed Sally Fields, "You really like me..." kind of "fuck yeah" that just makes all of the rejection wounds go away. That is, until the next ones come two at a time during the same day.
You can actually view the festival process on our website www.rustedsunfilms.com/filmfests.htm
It's nothing fancy... just a list of festivals that I've paid to enter, the fests that love us, and the fests that left us out in the cold.
We've also won a 6th place award at the TWIN RIVERS MEDIA FESTIVAL in Ashville, North Carolina.
I'm hoping to hear some positive notes back from the other festivals as the season presses on into the end of the year. I don't know what magic it takes to actually get into some of these festivals - because, as you know, we've got a fantastic film that has great production, entertaining characters and story, gorgeous visuals, talented actors, and a lot of genuine laughs. I have always been of the opinion that DIVINE MANIPULATION OF THE THREADS is perfect for independent film festivals. I don't know, maybe we're not "indie" enough because we're a bunch of straight white dudes that weren't molested, tortured, or have a heroin addiction that causes us to chronically masturbate to Asian Porn that we casually refer to as "foreign films."
So, with all good hopes, you'll be hearing more from us in the near future involving the elements of new film festivals, new awards, and new films.
I'm starting pre-production with a group of like-minded filmmakers here in the Bay Area for the San Francisco 48hr Film Competition. So, no sleep for the weary anytime soon.
However, I do have a video to share. It's my Director of Photography Reel. Pretty pictures. Hope that will tide you over for now...

BEVAN BELL - DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

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