It was the last night of the first annual Poppy Jasper Film
Festival. More than 1,000 people dropped by the Granada Theater for
the film screenings and to rub shoulders with filmmakers, actors,
producers and directors.
It was the last night of the first annual Poppy Jasper Film Festival. More than 1,000 people dropped by the Granada Theater for the film screenings and to rub shoulders with filmmakers, actors, producers and directors.
After the last film screening and awards ceremony that Sunday night, the festival’s steering committee hung out in the theater, crowing over their success and what they want to do differently next year.
Among them was director Josh Carmichael whose film “Reckless Abandon,” a drama about a chance encounter, a twist of fate and how love can be deadly won the PJFF award for best drama.
“You’ve got a great thing going here and I’m sure it will be twice as big next year!” said Carmichael.
PJFF hit the mark Nov. 12-14 with an eclectic mix of documentaries, dramas and comedies. A series of workshops on creating, promoting, and distributing independent film rounded out the festival.
Chairwoman Kim Bush attributes the festival’s success to her steering committee members who come from high-tech, media, business, education, art, videography, marketing and customer service.
She said some of the changes and plans for next year include increased film screenings, evening screenings, additional venues and interactive workshops.
PJFF plans to keep its short film (30 minutes or less) format and are looking forward to an increase in entries of high-quality films when submissions begin April 2005.
Because the short film format does not compete with San Jose’s Cinequest, the team believes that like Cinequest, which is in its 15th year and gets more than 60,000 attendees in two weeks, that over time, they, too, can grow to that level.
“With the generosity of sponsors and donors along with excellent attendance, we ended up on the positive side of our festival ledger. On all levels, we exceeded our expectations,” said Bush.
“We know that we are going to grow – we’re already getting films in before publishing our submission dates,” she added.
Rosemary Rossell, marketing chairwoman, is already looking ahead
“I hope we can duplicate this year’s success so that we can provide scholarship funds to students seeking careers in film and to attract businesses and people to the South County,” Rossell said.
Gary Whiteaker, known as the money guy, was responsible for sponsorship and program advertisement money. He said he liked the festival idea after attending the first meeting last fall because of the quality, skill set and commitment from the core steering committee.
Brent Bear’s most noted contribution was bringing the festival’s keynote speaker, John Bruno, an Academy Award-winner in visual effects for “The Abyss.” During Bear’s career as a celebrity photographer, among those he photographed were Bill Cosby, Hugh Hefner and Barbara Streisand.
PJFF’s publicity guru, Aaron Blas worked in the film industry for Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions and as a production assistant on: “Forever Young,” and “Maverick.” He has been writing spec screenplays for more than 10 years and is represented by Jeremiah Hahn at Brant Rose Agency in Los Angeles.
Bob BrownKorbel decides which films make it to the final screenings. He heads the juror committee. BrownKorbel teaches Video Production, Computer Animation and Digital Photography at Live Oak High School.
Juror Bob Freimark is an artist, a professor emeritus in art at San Jose State University and visiting professor at Harvard University. Freimark’s art is in the permanent collection of over 350 museums and art institutions around the world.
Currently, Freimark has California landscapes exhibit showing at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
Freimark’s, most recent film, “Los Desapaprecidos: The Disappeared Ones,” was screened as an invited film during the festival.
Because the Logistics Chair Aaron Hicks put together the festival logistics and operations template, the team can look forward to a smoother operation next time around.
“When I heard Bush’s vision for the festival, I was honored when she asked me to be a part of her team,” said Hicks.
PJFF has benefited from Jay Jaso’s writing, organizational and promotional skills seen in the festival’s outbound marketing collateral, Events Program and advertising.
The attractive look of the marketing collateral such as ads, posters and programs could not have happened without the creativity of Bob Snow of Design Factory Graphics.
“I’m looking forward to next year’s festival growing in size and I’m already working on a new poster design for next year’s festival,” said Snow.
Other key members include, Hospitality Chair, Rosemary Rideout, treasurer, Charlotte Berger, her husband, Gary who is studio manger for MHAT Channel 19 and on the festival’s technical committee and Vera Fisher, who is the secretary.
Bill Lehman, who conceived PJFF, is the team’s technical chair. Lehman is CEO of Leaman Video Productions and Digital Dream Studios, president of Leaman Equipment Company and has produced and directed many film and video projects.
Bush’s charisma like her leadership is warm, open and practical. She is responsible for the momentum and the moving and shaking that keeps the team pressing forward.
“Working with the festival is like putting together a television program or a film,” said Bush.
www.poppyjasperfilmfest.com
