AIFF 2014: Tuesday's Offerings Include Ambassador To Bern and The Empty Chair

I can't believe it's only Monday night as I write this.  The weekend was packed with all sorts of interesting events and good films.  So, what about Tuesday?

My Picks

Greg Chaney, Director of The Empty Chair, Sunday

The Ambassador to Bern  and The Empty Chair (Made in Alaska #6)

I saw The Empty Chair Sunday at its world premiere.  It's a great Alaskan documentary that looks at the Japanese-American community living in Juneau when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  Although they were well integrated into the small town (one of the people interviewed said there were about 5000 people), they were all evacuated to internment camps after the attack.  Through interviews with the survivors - both Japanese-Americans and not, the movie paints a picture of a community that worked hard to support their neighbors.  The empty chair in the title refers to a chair on the stage of graduation for John Tanaka, who would have been the valedictorian had he not been sent to an internment camp.  This is a powerful movie that uses interviews with people who were there - including Katie Hurley - and archival footage and photos.  This was a very low budget film and gets my highest ratings on quality per dollar spent.  It captures some Alaska history while the eyewitnesses are still alive.  7pm at the AK Experience Theater Small.

Attila Szász director of Ambassador to Bern

The Ambassador To Bern - I've only seen the trailer, but I did a Skype interview with the director Attila Szasz which I'll get posted later today.  This is an historical feature film.  Based on a true story about two Hungarian immigrants who try to take over the Hungarian embassy in Bern, Switzerland, a couple of months after the Russians crush the 1956 Hungarian revolution.  This one feels like it's going to be good.  It is in competition (as are the other two films at the Bear Tooth tonight.)  5:30pm Bear Tooth

Ambassador to Bern is set to end at 6:46pm, so there is time to get down to the AK Experience in time to get to the 7pm showing of The Empty Chair.  This is a documentary, so if you get there a few minutes late, it will be ok.  For those sticking around at the Bear Tooth, there's over an hour between films.

The Others

You shouldn't dismiss the rest just because these aren't included in "the picks.' I just haven't been able to track everything. I Believe in Unicorns  (8pm Bear Tooth) and Six Bullets To Hell (10 pm Bear Tooth) are both features that are 'in competition.' You can see more about them (and Ambassador) at my post on the features in competition.

Québékoisie- A Canadian documentary.  From festival genius:

Mélanie and Olivier decided to cycle the North Shore of Quebec, Canada, to better understand the complex relationships that exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. This quest for identity would push them to travel deep inside themselves and to faraway lands. Their encounters, both planned and spontaneous, include the surprising tale of an Innu man in search of his ancestors in Normandy, and the heart-wrenching story of the sister of Corporal Marcel Lemay, who was killed during the 1990 Oka crisis.

6pm at AK Experience Large


These Hopeless Strangers  - Another Brooklyn film (Monday night's Appropriate Behavior also took place in Brooklyn.)   From Festival Genius:

When big news comes in for the constant bachelor Shawn, he makes it a mission to visit everyone who has shunned him for years. This includes his old friend Greg - a children's musician living in the cozy, domestic confines of Brooklyn. After the two hit some hilarious re-acquainting pains, they soon hit the American road for a trip that will show them the gifts and the costs of real friendship.

8pm at AK Experience Large 

The Making of the Cebra

This is one of the film brought in by the Mexican Consulate. Here's the description from Festival Genius: Mexican filmmaker Fernando León's award-winning film "La Cebra (The Zebra)" will be shown as part of the 2014 AIFF Mexican Consulate Program at the Bear Tooth Theater on December 10. Here's what one critic had to say about The Zebra: "A visually stunning debut by longtime screenwriter Fernando León, The Zebra feels like what might have resulted had Luis Bunuel adapted Homer’s Odyssey and set it in Mexico circa 1915" Come to the inlet Tower hear Sr. León director discuss his film, and then go see La Cebra at the Bear Tooth the following night.  7pm Inlet Towers, 

AIFF 2014: Monday Choices

The craziness of the weekend schedules - multiple movies playing simultaneously from 11 am to 11 pm - is over.  But one is still left with decisions.  Here's today's schedule.

I've had trouble keeping up with all the feature films and all the documentaries.  My focus has been on those 'in competition' to start with and then look beyond.  I did see "Listening" last night and enjoyed it and I'll post more on that later.  Just because a film isn't in competition doesn't mean it's not good, and the decision to pick one film over another often is divided.  Every year, there's at least one feature or documentary that I think is better than one in competition.

But tonight, I'm going with Appropriate Behavior (feature in competition) and Mala Mala (documentary in competition.

Appropriate Behavior is about an Iranian-American lesbian.  I bet you haven't seen too many films on that theme.  I have more on the film in my list of features in competition.   5:30pm Bear Tooth

Mala Mala is about the Puerto Rican trans community.  Another topic you probably haven't seen on film before.  This one is a documentary and I've covered it a bit more in my list of docs in competition.  8pm Bear Tooth

These two films are part of the Festivals traditional "Gayla" program.


Other Films being shown tonight:


Porch Stories
This feature sounds promising.  From their Indie GoGo fund raising page (which got $7900 out of their goat of $7500.)

Maddie is engaged and closing on a house when a man from her past walks by, throwing her planned out life into question. From nearby porches, neighbours young and old witness Maddie’s quandary unfold and are in turn moved to act radically in pursuit of their own happiness. Maddie’s actions inspire her next door neighbours - an elderly Portuguese couple and a musical brother/sister duo - to follow their hearts’ desire, even if it means going against convention.

And here's an interview with Sarah Goodman, the director, before it was finished if you want to  find out more.   The film takes place in Toronto.   8pm Alaska Experience Large

Made in Alaska #4  includes an aurora film.  You can get more info on each film here.  When you go to the link, click on the titles.  7pm Alaska Experience Small

• The Mystery of the Copper River | Mikhail Malakhov

• Tracing Roots | Ellen Frankenstein 2014

• Aniak to Dillingham | Luc Mehl 2014

• The World Beyond the World | Paxson Woelber 2014

• EPIC AURORA & Natural Phenomena | Todd Salat 2014

The Homestretch is a documentary that follows the lives of three homeless high school students as they struggle to graduate.  I heard good things about this movie from people who saw it Saturday, and I'm sorry I'm going to miss it.  6pm Museum


Mr. Intangibles  -  A bit from their Kickstarter Page (which also has a trailer):

MR. INTANGIBLES has been a labor of love from the beginning.  Over the course of 3 years, we wrote, re-wrote, raised money and finally shot our passion project.  We pulled together an amazing cast and crew and shot a film that is both heartfelt and hilarious.  And now we are seeking your help to finish post production and bring this film to a theater near you!
SYNOPSIS:Inspired by (probably) true events, MR. INTANGIBLES is the story of Billy “Junk” Wainwright, a guy who only loves two things: his girlfriend, Celia, and his college football team, The Bulldogs. But when Junk finds out that Celia is leaving him to date the team’s star quarterback and nation’s golden boy, Tate Armstrong, Junk’s world is turned upside down and kicked in the nuts.  8pm Museum

Sacrifice

The description at Festival Genius:

"Deep in the woods, four teenage boys come face to face with their own conscience."

  The Hollywood Reporter review, gives a little more detail.

"To celebrate their winning season, Hank and his friends Kaz (Brandon Smith) and Benny (Lewis Tan) decide to go on a hunting trip, with Tim begging to come along. Things begin well enough, with the usual drinking and boisterous spirits, until . . ."

I don't want to spoil it so I'll stop there.  And it's in Texas.  6pm Ak Experience Large



  

AIFF 2014: Khalil Sullins, Director of "Listening"

This is the kind of thing that happens at the film festival all the time.  I meet a director and actor and I end up seeing their film instead of what I had planned.  In this case, Saturday afternoon, I had an hour before Rocks in My Pocket began nearby at the museum.

So after making this very brief video, I went in to see 'Listening' - a feature I knew nothing about, except someone had told me it was good.  It's also Khalil's first feature.

So I decided to at least see the beginning.  

It starts out with a young man sweating his way through a Cambodia forest until he reaches a remote temple where he meets the head monk (or at least a monk who spoke English) and says he needs to gain self discipline because he's done something very bad.  Then we cut back to, well, I don't want to tell you too much.  Let's just say two young men are experimenting with brain reading technology.  What I saw was reasonably well done and I wanted to stay, but I knew it would be playing again -   And I'm planning to go see the rest of it tonight:

Sunday, Dec. 7, 8pm Bear Tooth

Here's the festival's  description  of Listening.

[There are going to be a few of these quick and dirty videos.  I was on my way to another film, and in all but one case, hadn't seen the film yet.  I wanted to give you a chance to see and hear the filmmaker, but didn't have the time to push for more than their canned quick "my film in 30 seconds' speech.  I'll get better stuff up during the week when the films are only in the evening.]

AIFF 2014: Films (and events) For Sunday, Dec. 7 [UPDATED]

It's Pearl Harbor Day.  A couple of years ago we had a great film, The Red Machine (scroll down), that was all about trying to decode the Japanese messages just before Pear Harbor Day, but it wasn't programmed for Dec. 7.  I don't see any such films for today. [UPDATE:  Actually, The Empty Chair was a good film for Dec. 7.  They even had clips of the bombing of Pearl Harbor AND footage of people playing in the snow that day in Juneau.  It was a very good movie, and a great capture of Alaska history while Juneau folks who experienced the internment of Japanese in WWII are still around to talk about it. NOTE:  Empty Chair (see bottom of post for more) is at 11am at Alaska Experience Theater.]

My picks (that I've seen):

Petter Ringbom Dec. 5 at Bear Tooth

Shield and Spear, which I saw last night, is an outstanding documentary on the contemporary on the edge art and music scene in South Africa.  The filming itself is beautifully shot  
and Petter Ringbom (who is here in Anchorage for the festival) did this as a one person film crew - which you wouldn't know.  But when I talked to him after the film, he said he thought this helped him gain the trust of the artists he filmed, had a painting vandalized when the ruling party's lawsuit to have it taken down was unsuccessful.  A photographer had her hard drives, with all her work, stolen.   Interesting characters and their stories are revealed well.  1pm Alaska Experience Large



Rocks In My Pockets -  This is a full length animated feature.  Word I'm getting is that the programmers and juries were split on this, some loving it and some hating it.  I'm on the loving it side.  The Latvian born American film maker, tells her family history with depression and suicide, which takes you through the history of Latvia in the last century as well.  It's very droll and she talks about things individuals and their families normally want to hide with straightforward images (they are simple in one sense but not really - each frame is a piece of art you could put on your wall).  I can understand if you like traditionally told stories this will not be your thing.  If you like original films that have a look and feel you probably have never seen before and are full of serious and honest content (and if you don't, why spend time at a film festival?) then this is a must see film.  5pm Alaska Experience Large



Film Archival Viewing and Talking at The  Museum

Rick Prelinger Image from Spots Unknown

Jim Parker, Director of Film Programming,  has put together a  day at the museum featuring archival film and discussions and demonstrations of interesting ways it can be used.  I'm struggling with words here because I haven't seen this yet.  But he's got a film archive living legend - Rick Prelinger - here with his film No More Road Trips  made up of old home movies he's gotten from people all over the US.  The film, as I understand, edits together all these home movies into one cross country road trip.  This again, is the kind of thing you can get at a film festival - unique kinds of films and a chance to talk to the people who make them.  There are also some vintage Alaska film.  Check out all the stuff going on at the museum today.  Here's an earlier post I did on Rick Prelinger.   No More Road Trips? is at the Museum at 2pm. 

Richard Gray director of Lookalike

The Lookalike  - I saw this last night against my better judgment, but it was well made and kept me watching the whole way through.  This is a typical Hollywood action murder movie with a good dose of violence, drugs, and sex.  The musical score, when I noticed (and mostly you shouldn't), was good.  But I'm just not into movies that use women as sex objects and for target practice.   But if you like that sort of thing, it's well done.  The film maker is here.  And he just finished shooting a film in Seward, that I'm guessing we'll see at the festival next year.  2pm Alaska Experience Small

Dec. 5 at AK Exp Theater

Listening    - I saw the first 45 minutes or so of this yesterday and plan to go back for the rest tonight. Two college plus another, develop brain reading technology.  Based on the opening scene, it doesn't go well.  This is a first feature for film maker Khalil Sullins, who is here in Anchorage.  I'm putting up a short post with video of him later today, so look for it.  8pm Bear Tooth





Global Village Short Narrative Program -   I'm looking forward to this because I've been scoping out the short narratives  in competition.  This program has four of them.  Based on what I saw in yesterday's short narrative program, they're going to be as good as my expectations.  I did talk to one of the film makers via Skype last week and you can see that here.  This is high on my todo list. Here's an overview I posted of all the short narratives in competition - by program.  You can get more details of each film there.  1pm Alaska Experience Theater Large

Alaska films  -   As you can see on the schedule, there are a bunch of Made in Alaska films to see as well.  This is a chance to see what Alaskan film makers are doing, and I think you'll be surprised by the quality of many.  Check the grid above of times and places.

Particularly look at the 11 am program which is the first program of the day.

The Empty Chair (11am at Alaska Experience Theater) looks worth seeing.  Here's the description

In 1942 an Empty Chair was set aside for the Juneau born Japanese American valedictorian of the Juneau High School. The Empty Chair is a unique story about how Japanese Americans from Juneau Alaska were sent to prison camps during WWII and how the community stood in quiet defiance against the immoral internment of American citizens.

The director, Ed Chaney, did a movie that followed a couple who walked, skied, and kayaked across Alaska.  You can see him talking about that film here.

AIFF 2014: My Saturday Highlights

I started at the short narratives program Love and Pain.  I missed the first film and came in during the second one.  Of the rest, I particularly liked two:

• Universal Language
• Reaching Home

Based on what I'd read and seen about Universal Language, I was a little unsure if the director would really be able to pull it off.  And at the beginning I still wasn't sure, but it worked very nicely.  An American in Paris meets a Parisian woman - they don't speak each others' languages.  

Reaching Home was just a very good short family drama - family gathering at Thanksgiving - some sibling rivalry among the two adult sons - as they try to resolve what Mom should do about Dad.  Sailing plays a big role in this movie.  This shorts program plays again Thursday evening.

Rocks In My Pockets

Then on to the museum for Rocks In My Pocket.  I was looking forward to this one - an animated feature film where we learn the history of Latvia in the 20th Century through a family in which depression and suicide  are passed on from generation to generation.  This is a film that has had the programmers and judges divided.  The animation programmers didn't even select it to show in the festival.  The feature programmers not only picked it, but made it one of their films in competition.  

The  animation is playful, and relatively simple (not pixar-like) and the story does go on awhile, but all the history gives us context for the end.  This is probably the most unique film in the festival, but if you like Hollywood action films, this one may not be your cup of tea.  

Rocks in My Pockets plays again Sunday (today), Dec. 7, at 5 pm at the Alaska Exp Theater.

Petter Ringbom after showing of his film Shield and Spear

Shield and Spear

Then to the Bear Tooth for the 5:30 film Shield and Spear, a film about cutting edge, generally below the radar artists in South Africa.  The Swedish born director, Petter Ringbom, who lives in New York was here.  Just very briefly, this a beautifully shot film - wonderful images - of artists on the edge in South Africa.  Petter did this as a solo film crew, something that he says helped him gain the trust of the people who filmed.    Interesting topic, well done.  

Shield and Spear plays again today - Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014 at the Alaska Exp Theater (large) at 1pm.

Hands Up, Don't Shoot - Anchorage

As I left the Alaska Experience theater about 2:50pm to catch Rocks In My Pockets at the Museum, I heard want sounded like a drum?  chanting?  I'd just seen the short "What Cheer?" where the main character is followed around, closely, by his own bizarre brass band.  So I was wondering if I was hearing that in my head.

But I looked back, as it got louder, and there were marchers coming down 4th Avenue to cross C St  where I had just been.  There were marchers in Seattle last week, but I was driving and had to make a left turn before our path was blocked by the marchers.  So no pictures.

But this time i was on foot and so here's a super short video to just document the march.

AIFF 2014: Bob Curtis-Johnson On The Digital Data Management Workshop

I ran into long time Anchorage film maker Bob Curtis-Johnson, who has been promoting film making and new film makers for decades.  I knew he was doing a workshop, but I didn't know the details, so I asked.  When we have national talents in town for the Festival,  I think there should be more technical workshops aimed at local film makers.


This workshop - Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014  at 2pm at the Museum - on Digital Data Management is the kind of workshop I was talking about.  But listen to Bob describe it.





The official Title is:

Archive Before You Shoot: Media Management 

for Digital Filmmaking

The official description is:

Illustrated with an eclectic assortment of digital media and film clips, this open conversation will explore workflows used by digital filmmakers and how media can be optimized to aid repurposing (such as stock footage licensing) and ongoing preservation. Jeff Consiglio, editor on multiple Academy Award-recognized documentary films, will Skype in from L.A. to discuss his media management workflow. Included in the conversation will be a discussion of the digital and analog preservation technologies utilized for the recent restoration of UKSUUM CAUYAI (The Drums of Winter), a 90-minute feature documentary listed on the Library of Congress' National Film Preservation Registry. Also: "52 Cats and 1 Kitten" makes its triumphant return to the Alaskan screen.

AIFF 2014 - Saturday - What To Do?

I'm throwing up my hands here.  Lots of good things and some I really want to do are at the same time.  And the alternative times conflict with something else.  But that's the nature of festivals like this.  More than anyone can see.

I'm going to try to get to Global Village Shorts Program which has four films in competition and to Rocks in My Pocket.  I hate to miss The Homestretch at Loussac and will try to get to the discussion at least.  But I may change my mind.  The grid below will get bigger if you click on it.  Or go to the original at Festival Genius.  There, if you mouse over a film, a popup will give you more detail.

Note the Frost Drive-In.  And there's a family friendly drive-in, in the Loussac Parking lot (I think that's what someone told me, the program just says Loussac.)  That's at 7pm.  You'll use your car radio to get the audio I was told.  

AIFF 2014: Who Is Rick Prelinger?

Image from Spots Unknown

Lots of really interesting people show up in Alaska at one time or another, and they can walk down the street and you would just see "a tourist" or "some old guy" or whatever.  I never would have known who the man in the museum waiting for his wife one Sunday afternoon was 25 or so years ago if the museum director hadn't said, "Steve, have you met Arthur Miller?"

Well coming to Anchorage for the festival is one Rick Prelinger.  He teaches at UC Santa Cruz but more important he's a HUGE old film buff - specifically home videos and sponsored videos made to promote companies, ideas, and, not incidentally, cultural values.  So if you see this guy on the left, say hello.

In my tips for how to get the most out of the festival I include the advice to go to programs that include the film maker.  Well, I think in this case, it's a chance to meet a man who has spent a lot of time and effort learning about film making in the US and how it shapes us as a nation.  This is a big deal.

 He collected thousands of such films and we'll have the chance to see a road trip across the US made up of many of these old films and you'll be able to hear him talk about his truly remarkable Prelinger Archives that is part of the National Archives now.

Check out this short video to learn about one big aspect of Rick Prelinger.







 You have a chance to see his film Saturday night and see and hear him on a panel Sunday at the Museum.   From Festival Genius:

No More Road Trips?

Documentary

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Matches: participants

No More Road Trips? isn't a conventional documentary. It's made completely from home movies that were shot by hundreds of people, starting in the mid-1920s. Its narrative traces a composite automobile journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific, beginning with the shoreline and historical monuments of New England and ending on a beach in southern California.

more>

Sat, Dec 06, 9:00 PMAnchorage Community Works

The Past and Future of Moving Image Preservation

Event

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Matches: synopsis

Join us for a scintillating and wide-ranging panel discussion on the history and future of moving image preservation in Alaska and the U.S. Our panel of experts will consist of Bob Curtis-Johnson of Summit Day Media in Anchorage, Kevin Tripp and Greg Schmitz of the Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association (AMIPA), and San Francisco Film Archivist and Filmmaker Rick Prelinger. 

more>

Sun, Dec 07, 6:30 PMAnchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center

Here's what Wikipedia says about him:

"He worked at The Comedy Channel from its startup in 1989 until it was merged into the comedy network HA!, and then worked at Home Box Office until 1995. Rick has taught

in the MFA design program at New York's School of Visual Arts and lectures widely on American cultural and social history and on issues of cultural and intellectual property access. He sat (2001–2004) on the National Film Preservation Board as representative of the Association of Moving Image Archivists, was Board President of the San Francisco Cinematheque (2002–2007), and is currently a board member of the Internet Archive. In July 2013, he was appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Film & Digital Media at UC Santa Cruz.
His feature-length film Panorama Ephemera, depicting the conflicted landscapes of 20th-century America, opened in summer 2004. With spouse Megan Prelinger he is co-founder of the Prelinger Library, an appropriation-friendly reference library located in San Francisco. In recent years he has produced archival compilation films on the history of San Francisco (Lost Landscapes of San Francisco, eight annual films, 2006–2013, and Lost Landscapes of Detroit, three films, 2010–2012 and a fourth, "Yesterday and Tomorrow in Detroit", 2014.) He was awarded a Creative Capital grant in 2012 to make the film No More Road Trips?, which premiered in Austin, Texas, at South by Southwest in March 2013.^[5]He wrote The Field Guide to Sponsored Films (2007) which "describes 452 historically or culturally significant motion pictures commissioned by businesses, charities, advocacy groups, and state or local government units between 1897 and 1980." It is available as a book and as a free PDF from the National Film Preservation Foundation. He worked at the Internet Archive (2005–2007) on a large-scale texts digitization project and (2004–2005) helped organize the Open Content Alliance."

AIFF 2014: Alaska Film Industry Discussion Focuses on Alaska Film Credit

Johnston, Worrell, Schildt, Green, Mazzei

Frank Hall Green, Director of WildLike
D.K. Johnston, Executive Producer/Director of Alaska Filmmakers
Deborah Schildt, President of the Alaska Film Group & Production Manager at Piksik
Dave Worrell, Development Specialist at the Alaska Film Production Promotion Program
Kelly Mazzei, Executive Director of the Alaska Film Office







This is pretty rough note taking, but it will give you an idea of what they talked about.

Johnston

DK Johnston is talking about the Alaska Filmmakers group and its growth since the tax incentive program went into place.  People  starting to come here to start their film careers now because there is now a huge supportive film network up here.

Deborah Schildt, the Alaska Film Group, moved here from LA.  What can Alaskans do with film?  A lot?  I got my degree in BC and then to LA.  Eight years and 20 features later, I came to Alaska for vacation and loved it.  I'm working in film here now.  We realized we needed an incentive program and we got together.  Industry is changing.  High end commercials coming here changing.  More independents, internet.  If you take your film passion and get on the job training - features, realities, docs, you move up the ladder.  $75,000 you can get the incentive - and benefit for being an Alaskan.  First you need the passion.  Then pursue it.  Join the Alaska Film Group, talk to me, Do it!

Dave Worrell - Our incentive program.  What's it all about.  Signed into law 2008 - also recreated the Alaska Film Office.  It had existed in 80s and 90s, but when film group started, it realized it needed an incentive program.  The industry has become incentive driven.

Provides a tax credit against productions in Alaska.  Makes it more affordable to do the work here in Alaska.  We have the program created by the Legislature.  About diversifying the economy.  I'm in the Division of Economic Development.

Online film.alaska.gov  - allows Alaskans to create a listing of the products or services etc.  So when producers are looking for Alaskans are looking for Alaskans to work on projects, we tell them to look.  Also, they mostly don't have a tax liability, so they can sell their credit to Alaska businesses.
Program divided ito two sections - Dept. of Commerce where I am and also Dept. of Revenue which runs the program.

1.  Website is for productions to learn about production here, find people, locations, and about the credit. Good site.
2.  We answer the phone and answer questions.  Important that we have a permanent personal contact is critical.
3.  Partner with the Alaska Film group and ??? to have a presence at Outside film conventions.  People ask all sorts of questions about Alaska.  Our job to make Alaska attractive to productions companies.


Kelly Mazzei, Exec. Director of the Alaska Film Office.  Since July 1, 2013 we had 63 applications

Mazzei, Alaska Film Office

for the film credit, of them, 13 features or short films, 37 unscripted ??, ?? documentaries, and commercials.  Films are utilizing our state resources - particularly the documentaries.  Commercials are keeping Alaskans working and showcase Alaska.

Some changes - Commission must approve all applications with majority vote.  Credits can now be used ???, changed to incentivize greater Alaska hire.  She's going through the steps for applying and getting tax credit for a film.

Frank Hall Green

Frank Hall Green - director and producer of the film WildLike. (Opening the festival tonight)  I'll talk about filming WildLike and what it's like to film in Alaska.  It's definitely not difficult - that's the question I get from others at film festivals.  It wasn't hard.  Working in the state with Alaskans.  I'd come again, I'm an avid backpacker and in 2003 we were in Denali.  On the train back I really saw the state differently.  Interesting place with diversity of culture and people - away from the US.  So much more than people realize.  So started writing the story and it made sense to take place in Alaska.

Alaska came first and tax credit came second.  My producer said we should do it in Oregon or Washington.  I said No.  Has to be in Alaska.  Traveled around the state to explore it for the film.  Back to talk with Film Office.  Two helpful things:

1.  The film community was strong, good film network
2.  Tax office and credit

Ultimately for the entire budget of the film - it saved us about 25% of the budget.  It has to be one of the strongest in the country.  The promotion of the tax credit program is really key.

You have pluses and minuses
Plusses:  Incredible landscape and scenery;  all the different ways you can shoot - Anchorage big city, Palmer a small side
Negative:  Short season, but I don't see that as problematic.

We tried to bring as few people as possible.  Thought we couldn't find too much here - others in crew really surprised at all the people working in the industry here in various capacities.

There are so many stories here to tell.  Someone here in Alaska can tell those stories much better than Outsiders.  Comments I get from people who see WildLike - wow, didn't realize it's so beautiful or that it has cities.

Q&A:

Q:  Tax Credits in other states become a political football.  What about here?
Worrell:  Passed on bi-partisan basis, we have firm support, but budgetary and leigslative landscape changing.  In effect to 2018.  But won't make any predictions.
Kelly:  Not a time to sit passively by, but need to be talking to your legislators and you need to tell them you support the incentive.

Q:  What's the timeline for approval?
Kelly:  Want to be fair to producers.  Once a month we get everything approved that we have ready.  The quorum is important.  We need 3 of 4 commissioners to approve.  We're getting applications through on consistent flow

Q:  (I think it was about starting out making a film)
Frank:  You've got to find the money yourself, you have to network for it, you have to make the movie fit the budget.  $75,000 is probably the lowest threshold in the country.  I would try to meet everyone I could in the film industry here.  And I'd meet everyone who could be interested in the story of the film.  Looking in the film network for money isn't helpful, but for people who can help out and share.  It's so easy to get the film bug.  That gives you a bigger community.  Getting people who are not involved i films who aren't normally involved, that will grow the community.
Worrell:  Network, network, network.  Get feedback.
DK:  Community here understands - give a little, get a little.

Q:  Frank, where did you get your story from?
Not from Alaska, more from me.  Wanted outdoors stuff, being on a journey and AK is a great place for that.

Q:  Is the new commissioner supportive?   B.  Made in Alaska stamp issue?
A.  Kelly - change of administration - you know what I know.  It's all just happening this week.  Dust isn't settled yet.  Statute pretty straightforward, not a lot of wiggle room.  Financial impacts will come out in legislative audit reports.  People are excited about the change.
B.  The Logo - we are tasked with administering the program according to the law, so the logo has to be in the end of any production using the tax credit.
Q:  Size requirement, where it has to be shown, etc.  And commercials don't want it shown.
A:  Inent to promote Alaska and film office . . .??

Q for Frank:  how many days and season did you shoot?
A:  Varies, but for us.  Came up at end of June, landed here.  Started shooting on Aug. 1 - 31 shooting days in the five weeks.  Down time spent traveling.
Worrell:  Filming in summer, will compete with 2 million visitors for hotel rooms and rental cars, so later in the season, you get end of season lows.  Still get the look but



Q:  How does subject matter affects credit for approval?
A:  Kelly:  yes, in statute - situations that would never be allowed  - political, sexual (porn), anything on , anything internal for institutional purposes, can't be contrary to natural resources in the state. Some content won't be allowable.  Best interests of the state also there - commission or office, must look at interest of - some employment of Alaska residents, film industry in Alaska, etc.  not contrary to natural resource policy in the state.
One of the first things we do in the review is look at the script and content - not out to not give a tax credit if it fits in the statues.  Give advice to film makers on how to adjust if necessary.

A:  Old program, we did turn down some features because of production company track record in sttate, had nothing to do with
A:  We have objected because determined to be political,  if bring all cast and crew from out of state and zero support of Alaska film industry, not in state's interest.  We're here to help, to help them find out what's available.  Can modify application to show they are hiring.
Worrell:  I'm a resource for productions, I don't issue permit, I know how to get to the agencies that do give permits - NPS etc.
Come to us early and let us help you meet the criteria  We're here to create an industry.  That doesn't happen if you don't approve projects.
Kelly:  left out something in content area, if shown on screen to be breaking laws or bad for promotion of Alaska.  Negative publicity, press, laws broken in the state - that can be a reason to not give credit.  That is not subjective.