The Whistler at Trunk Films

"The Whistler," a short, SouthPark like animation by Layla Atkinson of Trunk films may not please kitty lovers, but it manages a miniature version of those old Looney Tunes' elaborate animal machinations. The bird in this one minute epic may be caged, but it's no birdbrain.

"The Whistler" and other very short, clever animations from Trunk directors are available on their Web site: Trunk

Highly recommended animations! They're funny, subversive, different, and very effective.

This was another of Indiefilm's top ten funny choices from Aspen's Short Film fest.

23 of a 24 frame rating for Trunk.

If There Were No Lutherans, Would There Still Be Green Jello?

"If There Were No Lutherans, Would There Still Be Green Jello?" by Minnesotan Gayle Knutson, is about the hilarious signs posted regularly by Rev. Steve Molin, pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minnesota, on the Church marquee.

They include such messages as: "In Eternity, only three things matter: Location, Location, Location." Molin is obviously a very funny guy. He advertises his Sunday remarks this way: "Have trouble sleeping? The Pastor's sermons are avaiable on tape."

You can check out the rather inadequate trailer, buy the dvd and book and learn more here: Jello

Reviews of Aspen Shortsfest: Choque

Kim Adelman,the author of "The Ultimate Filmmaker's Guide to Short Films" reviews the funniest shorts at the recent (April 5) Aspen Shortsfest over at Indie Wire's new Shorts section. The best shorts inevitably make the round of festivals internationlly and many are now available online, a great boon to the short film fan or short filmmaker. Filmmakers could certainly learn a few things from the elegant, action-oriented structure of "Choque."

Adelman's list of the funniest shorts at Aspen includes "Choque," (Crash)by Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo, who was nominated for an Oscar for his last short film, ""7:35 in the Morning."

I didn't find it particularly funny. It's a bumper-car version of Latin machismo carried to extremes and the title is certainly apt. Here's a bit of bumper car inside info (I used to run the bumper car ride at an amusement park summers as a teenager) - there's only one front wheel and it goes in one direction, so you turn it completely around once to reverse direction. Which is why so many people, like the hero of Choque, get stuck in corners). The hero of Choque certainly gets turned around in more ways than one in this 10 minute 2005 short. His gorgeous date becomes the target of a group of young punks, evoking his ire (and idiocy). It's well shot, moves fast and has a clearly defined beginning, middle and end. In fact, the funniest and most defining line in the film is the last one. You can watch it for yourself (ain't the Interet wonderful?) here:
CHOQUE

Project TV Short Film Contest offers loot

TheProject.TV is a new online entertainment platform for launching film projects and contests that give producers & directors the opportunity to display their work and be recognized & rewarded for their efforts. Projects hosted on this site may be public or private and are geared towards the independent producer and director. Work for hire projects will also be posted to our site in an effort to create not only a viewing platform, but a market place for buyers and producers.

TheProject.TV will host a series of contests in an effort to build a viewing audience which centers on the producers & directors and their ability to create quality content. The more popular your films are, the greater your chances are of winning the contests and developing business relationships with traditional and online media and entertainment companies.


Project 1: 3 Episode Short Film Mini Series Contest

To kick off TheProject.TV website and create awareness, the first of several projects launched will be a Short Film Contest for enrolled College and University film students. Similar to American Idol and other Reality TV mini series, the contest uses a process of elimination to determine a winner. In order to win, a Director’s short film mini series must successfully make it through 3 rounds of new episodes without being eliminated by popular vote. The winners are those Producer/Directors whose film episodes received the most votes in the final round.

Prizes awarded the winners are as follows:


First Place - $25,000 Cash + Prizes
Second Place - $10,000 Cash
Third Place - $5,000 Cash

Get the lowdown here: Project TV Short Film Contest

Indie Wire short film site

The Indie Wire Short Film page is outstanding for its comprehensive coverage of news about the short film world.

It's so good we're going to refer you there and to the Shortsheet (see links on the sidebar) for news like a good blogger should.

I was sorry to see their syndication option disappear. We carried it over at www.bestfilmfests.com and www.NCflix.com.

I'm actually glad to see someone with their obvious firepower cover news about shorts this comprehensively. It allows me to focus on interpretation, evalutation, and assorted levels of analysis, from pop cultural reverberations to Barthes-like demythologizing.

What the heck was that I just said? Geeeeeezzzzzzoooo, Al.

Anyway, if you're interested in short film news, surf on over to the Indie Films site and check out their page.

Magnolia to Show Oscar Nominated Shorts

Photo from Oscar Nominated short, "The Mysterious Geographical Explorations of Jasper Morelloby

Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International announced a partnership to bring this year's 10 Oscar-nominated shorts (live-action and animated) to theaters before the Academy Award ceremony on March 5. The series kicks off Friday, February 24, in New York and Los Angeles. It will also play in select theaters in San Francisco, Detroit, Berkeley, Atlanta, Seattle, Denver, Austin, Portland and Chicago. The two distribution companies anticipate adding more markets in the coming weeks.