Our Desert Community Plants the Seeds for a New Doc

I apologize for not keeping up with my Reel Inspiration reviews for the past few months - even though there have been several meaningful films that really touched my heart.  I started writing reviews to help promote inspiring, thought provoking movies. I especially felt drawn to films that spoke to the important issues of our time.  In the process, I learned so much! I was inspired to start a new blog that has taken up much of my attention:
 www.sustainablelivingtucson.org. 

Since Dan and I started blogging about our journey to a more sustainable lifestyle we have had the opportunity to come in contact with so many inspiring community groups cultivating an oasis of sustainability here in Tucson.

Emma demonstrates how to shore up a catchment basin.

Tohono O’odham Community Action (TOCA) is reviving their cultural traditions by having tribal elders mentor youth on their native foods. Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace re-built the Mission Garden, a living museum, to demonstrate how to grow crops from pre-Columbian to those that Father Kino established in that location.  Native Seeds/SEARCH 

maintains community food traditions by preserving diverse and heritage seeds. Manzo Elementary, Changemaker High and City High tend to the next generation of desert gardeners. Through their community garden programs, the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona doesn’t just feed the hungry, but teaches them to grow food for themselves. Iskashitaa Refugee Network assists refugees in becoming self-sufficient (and reduces food waste) by harvesting fruit that would otherwise go unpicked. Dunbar Springs neighborhood worked to make their street an example of an edible, urban forest irrigated by rainwater. Watershed Management Group is building a community that works together to restore Tucson’s aquifer by implementing rainwater harvesting techniques and desert landscaping in people's yards, gardens, streets and businesses. These groups (among others) are gleaning from Tucson’s rich cultural history ways to live in harmony with the desert. This is truly an exciting time to be a part of this vibrant community!

Shooting the first segment with Brad Lancaster at Dunbar Springs

I decided to make a documentary about the accomplishments of these communities with the hope that it would inspire others. So I approached activist/ documentarian Evan Grae Davis with the idea. Evan had just read Edible Baja Arizona’s article about Tucson being the first US city to be designated a UNESCO World City of Gastronomy for the same advancements. He was excited to tell our story!

Our last shoot was for the rainwater harvesting segment featuring Watershed Management Group. Dan and I have planted our roots into the WMG community. In addition to being members of their co-op, Dan recently got the good news that he was accepted into their docent training program!  We love being a part of a community that is working to restore our groundwater and get our rivers flowing again.

Here we are shooting in Jason and Connie Carder's yard. (See Jason working alongside of Emma in the pic above.) They had 3 roadside catchment basins (wow!) and berms installed to control the runoff after their house had been flooded during a recent storm.

Happy owner Connie Carder

Co-op members Grant and Carrie Stratton share why they volunteer

Where's Waldo...uh...Dan? 

Emma helps a co-op volunteer arrange rocks 

Two hard workers: workshop instructor Emma Stahl-Wert and my baby Dan

Purslane!!!

A little patch of purslane ignited a conversation about edible weeds. Later in the day, Dan heard someone call out, "Don't step on the purslane!" A woman after my own heart! It's so great to work alongside kindred spirits who feel as passionate as we do about getting our rivers flowing again and protecting purslane!

Movie blessings!
Jana Segal-Stormont

Indivisible: Love Knows No Borders

One of the reasons I started Reel Inspiration was to reach an audience for diverse films that create understanding by showing that we are more alike than different. There was one time in particular that I managed to accomplish just that.

It was 2010 and border issues were really heating up here in Tucson, Arizona. Hundreds of people were dying in our desert, trying to reach America for jobs to feed their children. The ones who made it lived in constant fear of being deported. Parents were dragged off in front of wailing children, not even given a chance to pack a bag or say, “Goodbye.” It wasn’t that long ago that not having papers was considered a misdemeanor, the equivalent of running a traffic light. But politicians used “illegals” as scapegoats, accusing them of causing the recession by taking American jobs. To bolster ratings, the corporate owned media exploited people’s fears by bombarding us with images of crimes conducted by Mexicans. They created the illusion that all undocumented Latinos were violent drug smugglers and home invaders.

In May of that year, local indie filmmaker LuisCarlos Davis invited me to a screening of his short doc, “389 Miles: Living the Border.”  When I arrived at the theater, it was standing room only. But LuisCarlos pulled out a chair for me. The audience watched transfixed as LuisCarlos documented the problems along the border with his camera. Seeing what was really happening was somehow empowering. People asked where they could get copies. He explained how the producers were in the process of getting distribution, so he could only screen his doc in person. I requested the mic. I told him flat out to forget distribution – that this film was too important. With so much miscommunication in the media, it was imperative that as many people as possible see his doc. Incredibly, LuisCarlos agreed. I put out a call to the Reel Inspiration community and my facebook friends asking them to set up public screenings at their clubs, organizations, churches, anywhere. LuisCarlos became an outspoken advocate for the undocumented, travelling the globe to speak on border issues.

(See the entire movie, "389 Miles: Living the Border" for free.)

This story was brought to mind by a recent screening of “Indivisible: Love Knows No Borders” presented by the Arizona International Film Festival.

Road trip! We ride along with a group of college students headed to Arizona. They are in turns excited and contemplative. They hadn’t seen their mothers since their mothers were deported. For one young woman, it had been six years! It’s not hard to get caught up in their whirlwind of emotions. And that’s exactly the point. Social Justice Activist Hilary Linder got fed up with the way that the corporate media was presenting undocumented teens (Dreamers) as statistics, so she set out to humanize their journey. In the doc “Indivisible” she shares three Dreamers stories of growing up in America and their efforts to be reunited with their families through activism.

I was astonished by the bravery of these students navigating their teen years (in a country that has become increasingly hostile towards undocumented immigrants) without the protection of their parents. One of the girls returned to the parking lot where her mother was pulled over by a policeman. She recalled how she watched in shock as her mom was dragged away in handcuffs like a criminal for not having a license. Despite growing up in the United States, these teens lived in constant fear of being deported themselves. They were raised to be quiet and invisible. But instead of staying hidden in their room, they decide to fight for a path to citizenship and a chance to be reunited with their families. They are making a lot of noise as activists, raising their voices in protest. They are drawing attention to their cause by organizing and attending protest marches, making speeches in the media, and even confronting congressmen. Remember when Obama announced the Dream Act? That was the direct result of their courageous actions.

After watching their profound stories, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the sobbing teens hugged and kissed their sobbing moms through the metal border fence.

Unfortunately, a wall still separates the Dreamers and their families. Our politicians have stonewalled the Dream Act, using it as a hot button election issue. It is up to the American people to pressure their representatives to get the act passed. During the Q & A, Hilary mentioned that she will be presenting the doc at film festival and community screenings before seeking distribution. She started her Tucson trip with a screening/discussion at Pueblo High School.

“Indivisible: Love Knows No Borders” is a great example of how powerful films can be – how a film can change people’s perceptions, open their hearts, and inspire action. I’m delighted to continue a Reel Inspiration tradition by putting a call out to our community. Please, support these brave Dreamers by hosting a screening of “Indivisible” at your church, club, organization, or anywhere with a movie or TV screen.

Find out how to arrange for a screening at: http://www.indivisiblefilm.com/

I'm delighted to announce that "Indivisible" won a Special Jury Award for Inspirational Filmmaking at the Arizona International Film Festival!

PLEASE, SHARE.

Movie blessings! 

Jana Segal-Stormont

www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com

Growing Up at the "Lucky U Ranch" Trailer Court

Chubby eleven-year-old Junior (Trevor Robins) awkwardly lowers himself onto the tracks. The hollow whistle of a train dissolves into the heckling of cruel classmates - a fresh memory of being bullied at school. He puts his ear to the rail listening for the far off roar of a train. Trains hold a special wonder for Junior as he dreams of escaping to follow in the footsteps of his father. Startled awake by an old-timey locomotive in his dream, he picks up his discarded school books and wistfully tramps home through the harsh desert to the end of the trail: the Lucky U Ranch trailer court. 

Junior has plenty of time to daydream left alone in their trailer while his mother works long hours to support them. His longing for a father is always just under the surface. It comes out in fantasies where he plays a film noir private eye who rescues a little girl. The police detective raves, “Once again you saved the day. Your father would be proud.” His mystified mother (Harris Kendall) is doing the best she can. She can see how much he needs a father. She allows him his fantasies to protect him from the painful truth. But his expansive fantasy life is only making matters worse. When he misses the ball while daydreaming out in left field, he is ridiculed by his classmates.

Then, one day, a shiny Air-stream backs in next to their dilapidated trailer. A vision in pigtails chases her dog into his yard. Melissa (Donovan Droege) asks him to teach her to play jacks, and in exchange she gives him much needed baseball lessons. I love the way this confident pre-teen girl doesn’t shy away from sharing her expertise while coaching. She enjoys his sense of humor and really gets him. There are people who appear in your life just when you need them to teach you a pivotal lesson, and Melissa is one of those angels. Despite dealing with alcoholic parents that fight all the time, she saves Junior. Empowered by their friendship, Junior gains the confidence and courage he needs to face reality and to handle a life altering event.  

The running theme is one that many of us can relate to – longing for the love and approval of an absentee parent. It brought back my own fantasies of running away to find my birth father or of my father just showing up and being so proud of me that he was sorry he ever left. It takes real courage to accept them for who they are, faults and all.

This touching coming of age story draws from writer/producer Ginia Desmond’s years at the Lucky U Ranch trailer court. Like the character of Melissa, she was stuck in a trailer with alcoholic parents who fought. And baseball was one of the joys of her young life.

Guided by director Steve Anderson, the bond between the two child actors is so natural. Brian Shanley’s beautiful cinematography creates a melancholy atmosphere using our stunning desert to good effect.  Production designer Adam Sydney enhances Tucson’s small town feel with a keen attention to detail that gives "Lucky U Ranch" an authentic, nostalgic fifties vibe.

This Tucson-based indie does Arizona proud.

Movie blessings! 

Jana Segal-Stormont

www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com

MARK TRAVIS “STAGING THE SCENE” WORKSHOP

August 14-16, 2009, Fri 6-9 p.m. Sat/Sun 9a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pre-register now to save your place. (Sign in 5:30 Fri.)
Tucson Marriott University Park, 880 E. Second Street, Tucson, AZ

Cost for Observing Directors/Actors: $100.)($10 off for pre-registered Pan Left, APA, PIFMG, ZONIE, IFASA, NALIP, and IFP members).

Cost for Participating Actors: $50 (chosen by Participating Directors for scene work, pre-workshop prep required including scene memorization and rehearsal with Director, apply by e-mailing headshot/resume.)

STAGING:
*individual body language; how characters move in relationship to each other and the space.
*a powerful tool used to trigger emotional responses within the actor and the audience.
*illuminates the subtext or unspoken desires, needs, fears and fantasies of the characters.
*can stimulate the character in a desirable direction or make it harder to perform the scene.

IN THIS WORKSHOP:
*students learn tricks of the trade Mark has developed from decades of experience in television, film and theatre.
*staging techniques that support the dynamics of the scene such as the characters’ objectives, character arcs, conflict, adjustments, and shifts in relationships are demonstrated as participating directors stage two actor scenes in front of the class as Mark coaches.

What Mark’s students are saying:

“Mark has an in depth understanding of how an actor works and what an actor needs to give their best performance. His techniques are simple yet profound. Directors and actors alike were astounded by the results.” Eric Schumacher, Actor.

“What an amazing learning experience. I feel like we only scratched the surface. I'm very anxious to incorporate his technique into my rehearsal process.” Alan Williams, Director

Mark wrote the Best Seller, THE DIRECTOR’S JOURNEY: the Creative Collaboration between Directors, Writers and Actors; as well as DIRECTING FEATURE FILMS. He shared his techniques at The Directors Guild, The Actors Studio, American Film Institute, Pixar Animations Studios, and UCLA Extension. Mark is creative consultant to film directors Mark Rydell, George Tillman, Chazz Palminteri, Cyrus Nowrosteh, among others. Television directing credits include: The Facts of Life, Family Ties, and Capitol. Graduate training in Theatre Directing at the Yale School of Drama. www.markwtravis.com

Registration info at: reelinspiration@hotmail.com or www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com

Mark Travis Directing Workshop: "Working with Actors in Rehearsal, Staging and Performance."

Reel Inspiration is hosting an intensive weekend workshop with master directing instructor Mark Travis.

The workshop runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on March 21-22 at Artfare, 55 N. 6h Ave. Downtown Tucson, AZ. (third floor) The cost to observe for pre-registered directors and actors is $70 (with a $10 discount for APA, IFP, IFASA and NALIP members.) Students with school ID, are $40. The cost at the door is $80 where only cash and money orders will be accepted. *Lunch is available at a modest price at Artfare's restaurant.

Space is limited so don't wait to register. To get the pre-registration price register before March 16. Interested actors and directors, contact Jana for registration information at 325-9175 or reelinspiration@hotmail.com.

The workshop is sponsored by Artfare, the Tucson Film Office, APA Tucson Mariott University Park, and Reel Inspiration.

Mark is the author of the Best Seller, THE DIRECTOR’S JOURNEY: the Creative Collaboration between Directors, Writers and Actors as well as DIRECTING FEATURE FILMS. Mark has shared his techniques at The Directors Guild, American Film Institute, Pixar Animations Studios, UCLA Extension, and workshops around the world. Mark is a creative consultant to film directors Mark Rydell, George Tillman, Cyrus Nowrasteh, among others.

Mark Travis did his undergraduate training at Antioch College and his graduate training in Theatre Directing at the Yale School of Drama. Mark’s television directing credits include: The Facts of Life, Family Ties, Capitol and the Emmy Award-winning PBS dramatic special, Blind Tom: The Thomas Bethune Story. In 1990, he completed his first film, Going Under, for Warner Bros., starring Bill Pullmanand Ned Beatty. In 2001 he wrote and directed The Baritones (parody of The Sopranos)as well as the short documentary, Earlet.

DIRECTING ACTORS SCHEDULE

Working with the Actor in Rehearsal, Staging and Performance.

DAY ONE:

Mark Travis will introduce the entire group (8-10 directors and 20-30 observers) to the unique process of working with actors that is called The Travis Technique. This is a powerful and experiential way of exploring and exposing the characters that exist within the actors.

Mark will detail how this process works and why it is so efficient and will demonstrate this Technique by working with 3 or 4 actors.

Areas covered:

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DIRECTOR, SCRIPT AND ACTOR
(9:00 - 10:30)
This is the Golden Triangle, the heart of every movie. It is the Director’s ability to understand Story and Script and how a script works that is so necessary prior to including Actors. Then the Director has to understand how Actors work, think and respond that is so essential to eventually eliciting powerful performances.

THE REHEARSAL PROCESS
(10:30 - 12:30)
The Director-Actor Relationship in rehearsal and performance. In this section of the seminar participants will learn how to work with Actors to create credible and powerful performances. This is the beginning of The Travis Technique. Participants will learn, in this Master Class approach, how to Rehearse with actors, how to stimulate the character and how to invigorate the relationships and bring each and every scene to life.

STAGING THE SCENE
(1:30 - 3:30)
Staging is one of the film director's most powerful tools. Used appropriately it can bring a scene to life illuminating the subtext and character relationships. Misused it can hamper the work of the actors. In this seminar Participants will witness the power of staging and see how you can actually stimulate specific emotions with the Actors (Characters) and in the audience. Participants will learn how to employ the techniques that Mark Travis had developed over many years of directing.


DIRECTING ACTORS
(3:30 - 5:30)
At the core of every film are characters in relationship and every writer and director must understand both the psychology of character and the techniques and tools of acting. In this phase of the seminar Mark Travis will take Participants through a wide range of approaches and techniques (all part of the Travis Technique) that are guaranteed to create the relationships, characters and performances desired.


DAY TWO:

On Day Two Eight (or Ten) Participating Directors will get an opportunity to work on their material with actors of their choosing under the guidance of Mark Travis. This is an opportunity for each director (and the actors) to explore and experiment with the Techniques they have learned in Day One. These rehearsals are an examination of the Process of each director. Each Director gets 40 minutes of Individual time (with the rest of the Participants and Observers watching the Process). The focus is not about the results but rather about the Communication with the Actors, the Effectiveness of Character development and the Efficiency of the Rehearsal Process.

Websites: www.travis-johntz.com
www.markwtravis.com

REEL INSPIRATION CONTEST FINALISTS UPDATE

Two RI contest finalists' films, "The Runners" and "Not 2B Toyed With," were screened Saturday, February 9 at the TucsonFilm.com Shorts Fest

Justin Mashouf was a 2004 RI Film Contest Finalist for his moving film, "Morning Submission. Morning Submission" is a lovely short film about why Moslems pray. Justin spoke at several Reel Inspiration screenings and on Arizona Illustrated. He expressed how important it was to him to share his film to create greater understanding. It is moments like this that make organizing the RI contests really worth it. Justin is still making films that promote understanding. Justin and JorDan Fuller's film, "The Runners," was screened at the Santa Fe Film Festival, the Lone Star International Film Festival, and the Tucson Film and Music Festival, among others. "The Runners," is the story of a Mexican man who crosses the border illegally, marries an American woman, and finds out that the American dream is harder than it seems. Congrats Justin and JorDan!

Congratulations to Not 2B Toyed With Filmmakers Hal Melfi, Tina Huerta, and Steve Bayless for being included in the FilmTucson.com Shorts Fest!

Since Reel Inspiration's Pura Inspiracion Film Contest, "Not 2B Toyed With," has been screened nationally and abroad including England, France, Canada, Denmark, and our own Arizona International Film Festival and RI's screening at the Oro Valley Arts Fest.

"Not 2B Toyed With," is the story of an obsessive Star Wars toy collector who is about to discover the "power of the dark side" when his nephew invades his perfectly packaged world. 

Explorer News Article on Reel Inspiration

http://www.explorernews.com/ (Life section)

More than film buffs

Local group Reel Inspiration aims to get everyone involved in movie-making process

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By: Laura Marble

November 21, 2007

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If you keep waiting for Hollywood to flood the market with inspiring, uplifting films, Jana Segal has a tip: Make your own.

These days, amateur moviemaking requires nothing complicated.

All you need is a cheap video camera, free downloadable editing software and a venue for showcasing your work.

Segal has that last one covered.

Her organization, Reel Inspiration, holds a film festival once every two years to encourage local filmmakers to forget about gore, violence briefly and create short flicks that derive meaning from the world and people’s relationships.

Select films from the 2004 and 2006 contests received a viewing last month at the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council’s fall festival at Riverfront Park. Several of the filmmakers featured have Northwest connections.

“I started the contest to say there’s really an audience if you want to make meaningful films,” Segal said.

But if Reel Inspiration’s reaches seem geographically limited, you’re not seeing the broader picture. Not only does the organization support fledgling filmmakers that sometimes go on to receive wider acclaim, it also inspires ordinary moviegoers to vote with their feet, so to speak. Hollywood puts much stock in opening-weekend ticket sales, so Segal writes reviews of films that move her, and she encourages her organization’s 100 members by e-mail to see the films quickly and tell friends about them.

“All they have to do is forward the reviews,” she said.

Reel Inspiration began in 2003 after Segal, who holds a master’s degree in dramatic writing from Brandeis University, tried to market a screenplay she wrote in Hollywood. The work received praise at conferences in America’s movie capitol, but still, it ended up in a shoebox under her bed.

“I got good comments from people there who wanted to encourage me, but they said the screenplay didn’t have enough edge, and nobody wants to see a movie about old people,’” Segal said.

At the time, the Academy Award-winning movies depressed her, and she suspected such films also were darkening the collective conscious.

“When someone tells you something negative, it sticks with you all day,” she said. “It runs through your mind and becomes part of you.”

Segal believed consumers could consciously affect the success of movies. And if a movie of substance brought in big bucks the first weekend, Hollywood would likely take a chance on a movie again.

In 2005, Reel Inspiration held its first filmmaking conference featuring big names, such as Linda Seger, a top Hollywood writing consultant, and Pamela Jaye Smith, who consults with the big studios about how to incorporate myth into films.

A writers and directors workshop is planned for later this year.

Reel Inspiration’s top awards in its 2004 film festival went to Bill Kersey, who lived in Oro Valley at the time. Kersey’s short film “Solace,” about a man grieving the death of his son, won the audience’s choice award, and the film “Garpenfargle,” a joint project with a fellow University of Arizona student exploring what dogs do when their owners leave, won top honors in the juried category. “Garpenfargle” is what a dog hears when you say, “Stay out of the trash.”

By the time the organization’s film festival arrived, the short film made the rounds to 10 festivals, including ones in Toronto and Los Angeles. It also had earned the distinction of regional finalist for the Student Academy Awards.

Kersey’s prizes involved encounters with well-connected people in the filmmaking world.

“Winning these awards allowed me to put myself in very helpful situations,” he said.

Other films shown at the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council’s fall festival included “Just One Wish” by Warren Lazar, a short piece about a teenage daughter of a single mom whose life changes forever with just one wish.

Segal said she wants to see Reel Inspiration grow to the point at which members are taking an active role and are writing guest reviews. Last week, she posted the first guest review at her blog site, reelinspiration.blogspot.com.

“If they’re going to preach to me, that’s not what we’re about,” she said. “I want to be moved, and I want to see films that make me think.”
To become a REEL MEMBER and get FREE reviews of meaningful, inspiring films, please, e-mail: reelinspiration@hotmail.com

2006 Pura Inspiración Winners Announced

It was a fantastic screening at the Fox Tucson Theatre. I want to thank all the filmmakers for creating meaningful films! What a inspiring program! The ambiance was enhanced by our soulful singers Eric Hansen and Lupita Duran.

Thanks to Cox Communications for sponsoring the event and our partner Puro Mexicano: Tucson Film Festival and to all our generous prize sponsors. Also, thanks to our judges, hosts, entertainers, and volunteers. We couldn't have done it without you!

Reel Inspiration and the Puro Mexicano: Tucson Film Festival are proud to announce the winners of the 2006 Pura Inspiración Film Contest:

Celebrating Cultural Diversity Award: New York City Spirit by Muriel Stockdale of New York City.

Best of Tucson: Have Coffin, Will Travel by Sarah Sher.

Best Narrative: Linear Progression by Kat Kosmala from La Habra, CA.

Best Narrative, 2nd place: Mariposa Canyon by Ben Lobato

Best Documentary: 87 Topaz by Bill Kersey from Tucson

Best Documentary, 3rd place: Just Coffee by Roberto Gudins & Eli Cordova

*Bill Kersey also won Best Film for Garpenfargle and the Peoples Choice award for Solice in the 2004 competition!

TEEN COMPETITIONFirst Place: Multiple Choice by Teresa Tuan
Second Place: Atordecer by Oscar Rivera
Third Place: A Long Walk Home by James Curtis
Best of Tucson: Essence of Ironwood by Csenge Molnar
Cultural Diversity Award: Culture by Avijit Halder

CHILDREN'S SHOWCASEFirst Place: The Pen by Lineweaver Elementary Cub Club Advanced Media Arts Class
Second Place: The Amazing Defiant Monkeys by Joshua Segal
Third Place: Wheels by Lineweaver Cub Club
Best Use of Music: The Power of Music by Jeremy Nelson
Budding Writer Award: The Tamale Bully by Jeremy Segal
Most Creative Award: Gender Clash by Lineweaver Cub Club

Congratulations to our filmmakers! You all are winners!

Arrange for these films to be screened at your fest, church or organization, contact:  reelinspiration@hotmail.com

Reel Inspiration Contest Winners Update.

Wonder what became of our Reel Inspiration Contest Winners? Here's what they're up to....

The 2004 Winners Reel has been screened at writers organizations, churches, schools, and the Arts Festivals around Tucson, AZ. All the winners were screened October 27 -28, 2007 to an appreciative audience at the Oro Valley ArtsFest. (See October archives for list of films.) Justin Mashouf (Morning Submission) represented the contest finalists on Arizona Illustrated.
Bill Kersey:
2004 RI Film Contest Winner for Garpenfargle
2004 RI Film Contest, Popular Choice Award for Solace
2006 PI Film Contest, Best Documentary, 87 Topaz
After playing the festival circuit around the world, Bill's award winning shorts are still popping up here and there. Garpenfargle recently played at CineGlobe in Switzerland.
Nicole Koschman's Black, White, and Yellow, (which Bill edited) was screened as part of the Loft's Cinema Lounge in Tucson, AZ. The short film, Life List (16 minutes) directed/produced by Tom Dunlap and edited/produced by Bill Kersey was also featured. Bill is currently editing another film.
For a complete list of Bill's screenings and awards or to watch his short films , go to:
http://www.raintownpictures.com

BLACK, WHITE AND YELLOW (56 minutes)
Directed by Nicole Koschmann, Edited by Bill Kersey
BLACK, WHITE AND YELLOW is a compelling documentary look at racial identity, familial bonds and cultural differences. Growing up in a multi-racial family in three different countries, two sisters (one black, one white) struggle to define their own identities as well as their relationship with each other. Black, White and Yellow won the 'Best of Arizona' award at the 2007 Arizona International Film Festival.LIFE LIST, an insightful and often humorous documentary, explores the world of birding by examining the philosophies and field behaviors of two master birders. It's been in several film festivals, including last year's AZ International Film Festival, and it won Best Documentary Short at the Northern Lights Film Festival in Massachusetts. It's been picked up by a short film distributor.

http://web.cfa.arizona.edu/mediaarts/index.php/story?storyid=1179

Derek Griffith
2004 RI Film Contest, Best of Tucson Award
Somebody Loves Me.

Derek writes,

"Somebody Loves Me," but not as much as Garpenfargle! Man, that was a classic film! Since that cool September night when that little white dog warmed the audience's heart, I have been working on several films that vary in an array of genres. From horror to comedy and from drama to musicals, I've dabbled in it all. Most recently, I'm working on a feature script entitled "Visors Down" that is a political-thriller depicting slanted political views. As I circulate my filmmaking-dabbling, I will once again cycle into a light-hearted comedy/drama in the vein of "Somebody Loves Me" but for now, I must plug away, plug away at my baby, "Visors Down".

For more on Derek, visit: www.DirectorsSeat.com
Muriel Stockdale,
2006 PI Film Contest, Cultural Diversity Award
New York City Spirit
Muriel Stockdale is an accomplished artist, writer, filmmaker, costume designer, and was a valued member of the teaching faculty at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Graduate Design Department for 14 years. She is completing a final draft of her second screenplay, Gabriel’s Flight, and she has won a commission to write the book for the musical version of the Indian epic myth, Ramayana. She is in pre-production on the feature length version of New York City Spirit.

New York City Spirit depicts a composite day in New York through rich and colorful images of New Yorkers practicing the diverse ways that they choose to connect to God or Spirit. The film travels through all five boroughs of New York City and presents an unbiased display of multiple cultural, religious and spiritual disciplines. It is about how individual New Yorkers choose to connect to a higher truth and meaning in everyday life.

http://www.nycspirit.com/about.htm

Sarah Sher
2006 PI Film Contest, Best of Tucson
Have Coffin, Will Travel

Sarah Sher's film about Bisbee-based artist/activist Dale Clark, Traveling Coffin, has been picked up by Al Gore's TV Network, Current TV. Traveling Coffin -- originally titled Have Coffin, Will Travel -- follows Clark as he hitchhikes around the country with a coffin to draw attention to the deaths of children in Iraq, Afghanistan and other current war zones. Sher is the owner of Red Eagle Post (a post-production studio.) Visit the Current TV web site to see film:http://current.com/pods/protests/PD05308

Kat Kosmala
2006 PI Film Contest, Best Narrative
Linear ProgressionStrange creatures! Beautiful animation! Grass! What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Such conundrums abound in this charming traditionally drawn and digitally painted short. Simple but rich in its design, and with a dialog track of only grunts and sighs, animation proves itself once again to be the universal story-telling language.

Linear Progression has won several awards since Pura Inspiracion including Best Animation at Hollyshorts, Veneration, Pencilheads Dusk 'til Dawn Animation Festival, and Woods Hole Film Festival, as well as winning the Ai Showcase at Dam Short Film Festival. It has screened at over 50 film festivals. Currently, Kat is working
as Supervising Animator at Animax, an LA based Flash Animation studio. A new film is in the works, but won't be finished until next year. For a list of screenings, visit:http://audience.withoutabox.com/festivals/event_item.php?id=3916&fetch=details

Check back for more winners' updates as they come in.

Reel Inspiration Screening, Oro Valley ArtFest

October 27-28, 2007

ArtFest is a celebration of visual, performing, and culinary arts, with musical entertainment, food demonstrations, over 75 exhibitors of fine arts, and children's entertainment, at CDO Riverfront Park. Create your own "moving picture" at our Zoetrope Activity.

Selection of finalists from Reel Inspiration's Film Contests

"From Chameleons to Chocolate" by Todd Lampe

People and their passions.

"The Bear" by Tracy Ann Sagalow

A teddy bear comes to life to save the girl he loves.

"The Mysterious Mystery of Something Important"
by Jacqueline Véissid

A whimsical magician and a young girl journey to find where all the color has gone.

"Solace" by Bill Kersey

A father's musical tribute to his son.

“Somebody Loves Me” by Derek Griffith

A man takes a moment to get to know a homeless woman and it changes their lives forever.

"Morning Submission" by Justin Mashouf

The morning routine of every Muslim before the sun rises.

"Garpenfargle" by Bill Kersey & Edward Kim

A dog dedicated to making the world safer, one trash can at a time.

"Just Coffee" by Roberto Gudino

An organization works to alleviate immigration through coffee sales.

 "Linear Progression" by Kat Kosmala

 Two orange and green creatures cross paths.

 "Just One Wish" by Warren Lazar

 A teenage daughter of a single mom changes their lives forever with Just One Wish.

"Not to be Toyed With" by Hal Melfi and Steve Bayless

An obsessive STAR WARS toy collector discovers the power of the dark side when his nephew invades his perfectly packaged world.

"87 Topaz" by Bill Kersey

A grandfather's musings on life and cars.

"Have Coffin, Will Travel" by Sarah Sher

Dale Clark hitchhikes with a coffin to bring attention to the over 8000 children that have lost their lives since 9-11.

"New York City Spirit" by Muriel Stockdale

Diverse New Yorkers connect to their spirit and each other.

Children's Showcase

"The Pen" by Lineweaver Elementary Cub Club
This silent film follows the story of an object rather than a person.

"The Amazing Defiant Monkeys" by Joshua Segal
Two defiant monkeys learn the importance of family.

"Gender Clash" by Lineweaver Elementary Cub Club
The boys and girls change genders.

"The Power of Music" by Jeremy Nelson
Abstract visuals compliment original composition

"The Tamale Bully" by Jeremy Segal
Standing up to a Bully.

Teen Screening

"Culture" by Avijit Halder
Compares the lives of two young adults from different cultures.

"Essence of Ironwood" by Csenge Molnar
A depiction of nature on the IRHS campus.

Arrange for these films to be screened at your
fest, church or organization, contact:
reelinspiration@hotmail.com
(Also ask about our Zoetrope activity.)