August 2002

It may not seem possible to become a professional screenwriter, director, producer and entrepreneur all before you hit 30-something. But Robert Patton-Spruill did it.

With a solid background in theatre at the age of 20, Spruill joined the Writer’s Guild of America with over 50 productions on and offstage already under his belt. At the time, Spruill also wrote screenplays for American Playhouse WGBH in Boston and worked as a casting director for Collinge/Pickman Casting.

Kona Khasu leans into the microphone, eyes shining behind intellectually trendy specs, and says, "Thank you very much for this opportunity and thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this real, and special thanks to my brother..."

He stops for a moment and looks up. He grins -- a smooth dead-ringer for a young Samuel L. Jackson -- and then continues, spouting off thank-yous like a kid on Christmas.

In 1998, filmmaker and musician Steven J. Lawrence decided to learn how to film a "talkie." With a theater background and two visually stunning, silent short films under his belt, Lawrence embarked on an ambitious project: "to explore as many conventions of movie storytelling as possible, while maintaining a budget of $100."

According to Anthony Kaufman of The Village Voice, independent film died on May 2, 2002. This fateful day signifies Universal Studios acquisition of Good Machine, a film company whose name embodied the very essence of "indie." The genius of Good Machine’s James Schamus and Ted Hope created independent classics such as Hal Hartley’s "Simple Men" (1992), Ang Lee’s "The Wedding Banquet" (1993) and, most recently, Todd Field’s "In the Bedroom" (2002) to name a few. Although this loss may truly read more...

Hairdo

If you think you’ve seen every version of the family documentary, think again. Cambridge natives George Kachadorian and Courtney Bent have created both an unusual and charming first film that surely diverges from all expectations.

Becoming an adult must somehow involve coming to grips in some way with the adults that mean the most to us -- our parents. In Noah Nuer’s “Get a Way,” Didier (Maxime Desmons) unsuccessfully reaches out to his estranged father (Christian Hinninger), who pushes him away, deriding him as a queer. At the same time, he needs to help his mentally unstable mother move into her new apartment, prodded by his bitter sister Claire (Josy Bernard). Driving around Paris in a fury, he nearly runs over the bicycling Anne (Agnes Roland), who has troubles of read more...

Unless you’re the descendant of a big-time director, securing television exposure for your independent film can feel like a frustrating series of roadblocks. Getting the right person at the right outlet to screen your tape is an exercise in polite pushiness, and even if that person loves your film, there’s always a selection committee with veto power waiting in the wings. It takes persistence -- and knowledge of how the submission process works -- to get your film past the first step and onto viewers’ screens.

Boston University graduate Richard Bean’s latest film "Tattoo, A Love Story" was one of the most popular features at this summer’s Nantucket Film Festival. The film tells the story of a conservative teacher who loses control of her life when she falls in love with a giant tattooed biker. Bean is no newcomer to the filmmaking arena. His past work includes 15 feature films including "Chasing Amy" and "The Opportunists," short film, commercial films, and documentaries for Lifetime television and the Discovery Channel.

"The artists fellowship program is designed to encourage the continuing artistic development of artists who are seriously committed to their art form. It is Connecticut’s way of supporting it’s base, the vital center of the arts community," says Linda Dente, Senior Program Associate of the Connecticut Artist Fellowships.  The Artists Fellowship is devoted to residents of Connecticut who have demonstrated a history of professional activity in the state.  With funding from the National Endowment for the read more...

Sut Jhally doesn’t want to make art.

Although he’s produced over a dozen films and heads a highly successful production and distribution group, Jhally has one goal: to foster critical discussion.

"I’ve never thought of myself as a filmmaker," Jhally says. "I think of myself as a teacher."

But he does recognize that film and video are more than just handy visual aids; they’re almost a classroom necessity, providing a way to connect with students.