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Sacramento International Film Festival Wraps

2012-05-01T06:20:16Z

Filmmakers took 48 hours to incorporate an object, a name, a phrase and a genre into a four- to seven-minute short film last month as part of the Sacramento International Film Festival. Saturday night, the Crocker Art Museum hosted the 26 completed submissions in the three-hour 48 Hour Film Challenge screening event.

The following night attendees found out who won during the awards ceremony on the Delta King.

As a first-time filmmaker, W. Mark Dendy found the 48 Hour experience harrowing.

“It was managing the whole crew and keeping in contact with them,” he said. “I got a text message at 11 on the second night that one of the main supporting actors was pulling out. We were shooting all her scenes that very night from 2 a.m. to 8 the next morning, so I had to find a replacement for her quick.”

Christa Quinn’s film fell a few seconds short of the four-minute requirement, so it was unable to be shown, but she did participate as an actor in four other films.

“It’s just fascinating to me how some directors will think, then interpret the work that is assigned to them randomly, and then create something that is totally their own in the end,” she said.

Sunday evening gave recognition to the festival winners. The master of ceremonies was Patrick Walsh, the radio sports announcer at KFBK 1540 AM. Among those honored on the Delta King were the filmmakers from the 48 Hour Film Challenge. Crowd favorite “Stare Straight Crew” won Best Comedy. “The Prosecution” won Best Drama, and “CSI: Sacramento” won the coveted overall title.

Clint Quillan directed and starred in “CSI: Sacramento.” A humorous trait throughout the short film is that Quillan’s character is eating something different in each scene, including an extra large Costco pizza.

“The idea for the pizza box came from the fact I was eating in all the other scenes,” he said. “It came from writing the script on pizza and beer the night before.”

The festival had many other winners in a variety of categories.

Jaylani Roberts’ “Mercury’s Rule” won for the Cine Soul event. The feature film follows two sisters as they avenge their mentor’s death from a rival drug lord in Oakland.

While the Grand Jury Prize for Cinematic Vision went to the opening night film, “A California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown,” produced by Julia Mintz and Sasha Rice, which took a personal approach of Hilary Armstrong learning about her grandfather, one of the most influential of California’s movers and shakers.

To participate in next year’s events or to help volunteer join the conversation at the Sacramento International Film Festival website.

Disclosure: Rich Beckermeyer is a community contributor. You can follow him on twitter @Leland_Beck.

Sacramento International Film Festival In Full Swing

2012-04-25T06:00:48Z

The Sacramento International Film Festival opened to a packed house this last Saturday at the Crocker Art Museum to the film “A California State of Mind: The legacy of Pat Brown” directed by Sascha Rice.

The Sacramento International Film Festival, in its current inception since 2003, has three objectives: serve as a skills incubator for the local film community, bring international films to northern Californians, and provide a forum for conversation between independent filmmakers and industry professionals from Hollywood.

W. Mark Bendy is a first time director, who participated in Cine Visionaries and the 48 Hour Film Challenge events, shared some of his experiences last night during the 48 Hour War Stories.

“It was kind of like someone stepping on your chest and letting someone pull out all the hair on your chinny chin chin.” He went on to explain, “It was harrowing and it took a lot of patience and a lot of coordination.”

Cheryl Leff has organized the 48 Hour Film Challenge for the Film Festival since it was first offered in 2003.

“We had 32 teams go out the door Friday night and 26 of them turned in finished films.”

Cine Soul, one of two Sunday events, is important stage for local African American filmmakers. Directed by Jaylani Roberts, “Mercury’s Rule” premiered during Cine Soul. The film took five years to finish on a $100,000 budget and is set in Oakland, California, the filmmaker’s hometown.

“There aren’t any movies out there like mine… There are a lot of gangster movies out there, but there aren’t a lot where there’s strong female characters that drive the story.”

The rest of the week will be a whirlwind with nightly films covering documentary, surrealistic, western and music genres shown primarily at the Artisan Art Complex on Del Paso Blvd.

The international premiere of, “Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy” will occur Friday night, while Saturday will be devoted to the 1st Trans-Media Creators Conference and the 48 Hour Film Festival. Finally, Sunday morning will be full with the American Screenwriting Conference and the Sacramento Film Awards Ceremony on the Delta King.

Visit the Sacramento International Film Festival website to find out more about events, locations and ticket prices.

Disclosure: Rich Beckermeyer is a community contributor. You can follow him on twitter @Leland_Beck.

Fashion Week Sold Out

2012-02-28T17:30:12Z

Sold-out events and a full lineup of apparel designers are the keys to a successful fashion show. Sacramento Fashion Week accomplished both, capping off events at the Elks Lodge Ballroom Friday and Saturday.

Executive Director Duane Ram spearheaded the creation of Sacramento Fashion Week in 2006.

“People think it’s easy to just put on a fashion show, especially if they haven’t worked in (one),” he said.

Ram credits the area’s collegiate programs with creating an environment rife with talent. He wanted to give students fashion industry experience without having to travel to San Francisco or Los Angeles.

“There’s a lot of schools around here, and the best way to (connect them) is to use interns from each school,” he said.

Each collegiate program has a different strength. Dr. Minjeong Kang is an assistant professor in the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at Sacramento State and teaches apparel marketing and design courses.

“Our program is very unique in that we train all of our students in both the design and marketing aspects, so our students will be fashion designers with a business mind,” she said.

What started out as a launch party and showcase has expanded to include multiple industry workshops, forums and mixers spanning a week.

Guadalupe Castenida, a senior at International Academy of Design & Technology, attended the Student Fashion Association Meet and Greet Mixer at Sac State with classmate Caroline Bo.

“It’s a great way to meet and network with other people that are in the fashion industry,” Castenida said. “We met Antonio who was a model who also does photography, and because I’m a fashion designer that is beneficial to me.”

Gina Kim presented her line, Foreign Made EIG, for the first time at this year’s showcase.

“I feel that Sacramento Fashion Week allows us as designers to express our inspirations in any way we desire, which is how it should be! We were grateful to have Caren Templet as our mentor, who guided us throughout the show to make it look perfect. Sacramento Fashion Week is a great platform for up coming fashion designers!”

People enjoy attending well-planned events. Last year was the first year the planning committee stretched the programming into an entire week-long event. Each year is taking longer and longer to successfully plan, but it’s worth it according to Ram.

“Last year I was afraid we weren’t selling enough tickets,” he said. “This year, I’m worried we don’t have enough seats.”

If 2013’s event is anything like this year’s, it will be a huge success.

Disclosure: Rich Beckermeyer is a top community contributor. You can follow him on twitter @Leland_Beck.

Sacramento Fashion Week

2012-02-21T06:28:25Z

The sixth annual Sacramento Fashion Week begins Tuesday night at Mix Downtown, featuring 15 regionally and internationally recognized fashion designers. It is produced by Magnum Opus Enterprises.

Dolene Simmalavong, designer and founder of DOLZENROK, will show on Saturday night.

“Although it is quite difficult to juggle the process of creating a full line, launching and creating websites, attending promotional events and photo shoots while preparing for a baby simultaneously, it is definitely possible,” she said. “I am eight months (pregnant) and couldn't be more ready to showcase for Sac Fashion Week!”

After the launch party at MIX Downtown, free workshops will expose the public to the runway experience leading up to two sold out showcases at the Elks Lodge Ballroom on Friday and Saturday night.

This year some of Northern California’s most cutting-edge fashion designers will show off their latest collections. Janelle Cardenas, who showed at last year's event, talked about the direction of this season.

“This year, I believe, a lot of my inspiration came from both my mother as well as the ’60s era — again women icons like Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick,” she said. “My 2012 spring/summer collection, I believe, embodies the ’60s mod era with a modern twist and my personal style.”

The Sacramento Fashion Week also gives local models a way to gain valuable runway experience.

Controversy surrounds Maria Luna, the first undocumented model to walk the Sacramento runway. In December 2011, she was interviewed on National Public Radio about immigration reform and the Dream Act.

Modeling, for Luna is another chance to voice her views to a wider audience.

“At first, it was kind of a joke for me,” she said. “Then I thought, why not let it be an opportunity to inspire not just dreamers, but also women and even American citizens that they are capable of doing so much and that they are blessed to even have a head start to be born here.”

Luna will wear Gina Kim’s collection, Foreign Made, on Friday and Julian Gutierrez on Saturday.

Though the showcases are sold out, attend the Launch Party Tuesday night or any of the free workshops on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Disclosure: Promotional images graciously provided by Tim at Engle Photography.

Second Saturday Light at j27 Gallery

2012-02-11T02:57:21Z

It all started with a study of an oak tree in oil paints her senior year at Sacramento State’s studio art program. Now two years later, Kristin Hartman is showing for the first time in Midtown at j27 Gallery, located at 2728 J St., through February 17.

“I never thought of myself as a landscape artist,” she said. “I focus on the light.”

She concedes that for now she needs slightly more defined shapes to give the light and shadow she loves a stability that more impressionistic interpretations of nature would not provide.

When first finding her visual voice, Hartman painted small realistic still life and portraits in acrylic.

“I was afraid of color,” she says of that time of artistic development. “It intimidated me.”

Overcoming her fears, her process now involves a freedom it didn’t possess before by finishing pieces in only a few hours and using a pallet knife to apply the paint. The fluidity and freshness that this provides enables unplanned and surprising treasures to emerge.

“I’m such a perfectionist, but with art, I don’t control it,” she said.

Work included in this exhibition is created from trips to William Land Park, Walnut Grove, Folsom and El Dorado Hills. Exploring her fascination with the mystery and intrigue of light, Hartman says she works best when she explores an idea for a little while as a mini-series before moving on.

“Three people said to me this last week her use of light is reminiscent of established local artist Vicki Asp,” gallery co-owner Susan Rabinovitz said.

Rabinovitz is committed to the local art scene and says that between 70 and 80 artists have been featured since the gallery opened last June.

“We really like to help the emerging artist,” she said.

That spirit will continue after the j27 Gallery closes its doors on February 18 and reopens as Little Relics.

The new boutique and galleria will be located at 908 21st St. and will open February 25, featuring art from Robert Coleman and David Arnold as well emerging local talent.

Enjoy Second Saturday at all the local galleries this weekend.

The American Dream?

2012-02-01T07:12:14Z

Free enterprise is the basis of the American Dream but what happens when there isn’t a large enough demand?

Sukhwinder Aujla owns KMM Cab Company, the second largest taxi company in Sacramento, and has been driving for ten years.

“Sacramento isn’t that busy. There’s not very many local customers. Our business depends very much on cab fare from the Convention Center.”

Fredrick Pleines Jr. owns Yellow Cab Co. of Sacramento, the oldest taxi company in Sacramento, and has a different view.

“Our bread and butter is shorter runs,” Pleines continues, “We try to operate leaner and meaner.” Typical fares might include someone who needs to get home from a dental appointment or has a daily commute to work from home.

A cab driver in West Sacramento who wishes to remain anonymous has been working in Sacramento for 22 years. “I don’t waste my time downtown… It’s too crazy. That’s why I do the airport.”

In 2010 the US Census put the city population of Sacramento at 466,488 while last year 452 taxi vehicle permits were issued from the city. This means there is currently about one taxi for every 950 people.

Last May the Law and Legislation Committee recommended limiting taxi permits by issuing a moratorium on new vehicle permits to the City Council.

“You see five taxis on one side of the street waiting and ten on the other,” This from the West Sacramento driver again.

A large part of the issue surrounds where a customer needs to go. Here’s an example: a person stays downtown at the Citizen Hotel and needs to get to the Capitol Building in the morning. The driver, however, may have been waiting in queue for two hours for their turn.

The ensuing exchange ends up leaving both parties unhappy with the service and the exorbitant price of the fare.

Yellow Cab has had a central dispatch system in one form or another since 1917.

“Well over half of the companies don’t have a central dispatch system,” Pleines again. “The rest rely on taxi stands.” Yellow Cab replaced the check stand model with two-way radio technology in 1946.

So what’s the best solution for the city? Is it legislating even higher regulation or is there a better solution?

Whatever the solution, the mantra "innovate or die" comes to mind.

Disclosure: After only a few years as a cab driver in Chicago, Illinois, my grandfather changed careers.