How long did the post-production take?
Having filmed in the afternoon, we edited in the evening at Simon’s house. It was largely a matter of finding the right take and syncing it up with John Cooper Clarke’s recording. Simon spent quite a few hours a day or two later experimenting with different colour grades.
How did the experience of working on a short film differ to the feature films you have worked on?
They are a million miles apart. My short had a crew of three, no money and we shot it in a day in my hometown. Home of the Brave had a crew of several hundred, cost around $12 million and was shot over a couple of months in both Morocco and the US. In Chrysanthemums I was the producer and director – the ultimate responsibility for the entire film was in my hands. I organised the whole shoot: crew, location, equipment, shot list, schedule etc. In Home of the Brave I was a second assistant director so I dealt with the cast, call sheets, reports, extras etc and we had an entire crew of professionals working in each department.
For the other big films I worked on – The Doors and Born on the Fourth of July – I was a runner. Most of my time was spent away from the main action and, whenever I was close to it, I was usually too awestruck to take in anything significant. That said, it was an invaluable experience – some of the first steps of my journey into film.
What did you do with the film once it was completed? did you have a strategy for distributing the film before you started making it?
No real strategy other than to send it to the Nokia festival. Then I came across Withoutabox.com and realised that there are hundreds of film festivals worldwide, year round. So I sent it to a few more and it was selected at a couple. It became a bit like a drug, I wanted the film to be accepted at as many festivals as possible so I sent it to loads of festivals. But, like all good drugs, it got expensive pretty quick and the more rejections I got the less enthusiastic I felt. I had to become more selective, sending it to festivals that were interested in very short films and/or specifically comedies. Since then it’s been selected by 15 film festivals (at the time of writing) in five different countries and has won two awards with two more festivals in the offing.
What has come out of showing it at film festivals etc?
A big part of working as a freelance filmmaker is self-promotion. You’ve got to get in touch and maintain contact with as many people in the business as you can. Having the film selected for film festivals has turned it into my calling card. Whenever the film is accepted at another film festival, I email my entire contact list to let them know. It’s not considered very English blowing your own trumpet like that, but it has to be done. I try to lighten it up a bit with a couple of jokes. I’m sure most people delete the email straight away… although I hope they at least have a laugh. But it’s definitely worked in my favour. I sent one to a production manager who I’d been a runner for in Los Angeles, Brian Frankish. He was curious and said he might be able to get me a job on a film he was working on in Morocco. I immediately checked out flight prices to Marrakesh and told him I’d work for free if he paid for my flight and lodging. I sent him my CV and I think he was impressed with what I’d done since we’d last worked together. He ended up giving me a job as assistant director on a movie with Samuel L Jackson and Fifty Cent. Similarly, I sent emails to a record producer, Steve Weltman, who consequently asked me to direct a music video for one of his clients. Like it or not, self-promotion is the name of the game.
It was at one of the festivals in Clermont-Ferrand, in France, that I met Dawn Sharpless. She’s head at Dazzle Films, a short-film distribution company, and has since taken Chrysanthemums on. So as well as prestige and continuing work, I also have a distributor thanks to the festival success of the film.
What did you learn from your experiences making Chrysanthemums the Word? In retrospect, are there any things that you would have done differently?
I certainly learned that you can’t be prepared enough. Storyboards, rehearsals, recces – they’re all vital if you can afford the time. But the most important thing I learned as a director is to think about the way you want the piece to look, the meaning behind the shot, what it is you want to say. Anyone can put a camera on a tripod and say ‘action’, but it’s the creativity behind it that’s key. I often look back at work that I’ve done and cringe, thinking ‘Surely I could have done better than that’. Uniquely, with Chrysanthemums I haven’t had that feeling yet. Maybe it’s because it’s so short. Or because it’s done so well on the festival circuit. I suppose it would have been nice to have shot it on HDV for the experience, and maybe I could have added some music, but that might have distracted the audience from the poem. So, on the whole, I would say that I wouldn’t have done anything differently.
What did you do after completing Chrysanthemums the Word?
I sent the film to Nokia and waited. A couple of months later there was an announcement online of the ten finalists. Sadly, Chrysanthemums wasn’t one of them. Disappointed, but not overly surprised, I threw away the postal receipt – I’d sent it via the Royal Mail’s Special Delivery to ensure it got there. Then I pulled it out of the bin again and called the Royal Mail, just to double-check. They told me they’d lost the DVD package. What?! ‘Yeah, a few months ago. Sorry.’ Sorry? ‘This is my career’, I protested, ‘not some bloody birthday card!’ So they sent me a cheque. For £6.50. I was furious. As a knee-jerk reaction I decided, sod them, I’ll send it to a load of other film festivals! In retrospect, of course, this was of no loss to them, quite the opposite. But I couldn’t think of anything better.
Since then it’s been a resounding success. Recently, the 15-second film festival ran again. I sent them another copy. I was on holiday when the deadline came up, so I called them a week later when I got back to make sure it had arrived. They hadn’t received it! Would you believe, the Royal Mail had lost it in the post? Again! I explained to the festival judges that I’d made Chrysanthemums over a year ago especially for their festival and told them about the whole post office thing. They said, if I can bring it in, by hand, that day, they would consider it for the festival. I took a train into London and 90 minutes later it was in their hands. Next week, as a result, I’m going to the Hammersmith Palais, joining with the likes of Helen Mirren, Ken Loach, James Nesbitt and Stephen Frears to compete for an award at the British Independent Film Awards.
If my filmmaking career goes to pot, I think there’s room in the market to set up some competition against the Royal Mail.
What are your plans for the future?
One of the festival prizes I won was 5,000 Euros to go towards the budget of another film, provided generously by itsallelectric.com. We’re doing a sequel (also a prequel) to Chrysanthemums in which we resolve where the flowers came from. Keeping up the flower theme, we’re calling it Back to the Fuchsia.
Having made a music video this summer in Los Angeles for solo artist Tara Chinn, I’m hoping in early 2007 to direct another promo for the same record company Zest Music/Greensleeves. They have a Reggae artist Nasio Fontaine, based on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean, where we’re hoping to shoot the film.
In the meantime, I’m developing a feature film to be shot in the US. Whatever happens, I plan on continuing working in the film business, at least until the inspiration runs dry.
What advice do you have for filmmakers considering making a short?
Give up, you’re insane! Have you seen the competition? You don’t stand a chance. It’s become a completely flooded market. Go into something worthwhile, something that guarantees an income, something sensible. You’re wasting your time. You know, deep down, you’re not good enough.
If that puts you off in any way, then take the advice. If it doesn’t, you’re half way there. Now just do it… but don’t trust your film in the hands of the Royal Mail.
What do you enjoy most about making short films?
I love the camaraderie, working with a selected group of mates, cast and crew. I enjoy the process of overcom
ing obstacles as a team, even if it is sometimes nerve-wracking. And there’s a tremendous sense of pleasure and pride in screening the final product in front of the crew, friends and family.
RESOURCES
ACTING UNIONS
www.equity.org.uk
www.sag.org
CASTING RESOURCES
www.spotlight.com
www.sagindie.org
www.freecr.co.uk
www.uk.castingcallpro.com
www.castnet.co.uk
www.ukscreen.com
www.castinguk.com
www.thecastingsuite.com
www.craigslist.org
CREW AND EQUIPMENT AND POST-PRODUCTION DIRECTORIES
www.mandy.com
www.ukscreen.com
www.shootingpeople.org
www.kftv.com
COMPOSITING/EFFECTS SOFTWARE
www.apple.com/shake
www.apple.com/motion
www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects
EDITING SOFTWARE
www.adobe.com
www.apple.com/finalcutpro
www.avid.com
www.dvs.de
FILM COMMISSIONS
www.filmlondon.org.uk
www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk
GENERAL RESOURCE SITES FOR SHORT FILMMAKERS
www.britfilms.com
www.bfi.org.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork
www.filmmaking.net
www.film-center.com
www.shortfilmchannel.com
www.ukfilm.org
www.pact.co.uk
www.theknowledgeonline.com
www.nypg.com
www.exposure.co.uk
www.dfilm.com
www.freefilmsoftware.co.uk
GRADING
www.redgiantsoftware.com
www.geniusofdavinci.com
MUSIC RIGHTS
www.prs.co.uk
www.musiciansunion.org.uk
PRODUCTION SOFTWARE
www.junglesoftware.com
www.write-brain.com
SCRIPTWRITING SOFTWARE AND RESOURCES
www.screenwriting.com
www.movietools.com
www.finaldraft.com
www.screenplay.com
SOUNDTRACK SOFTWARE
www.digidesign.com
www.apple.com/logicpro
www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/soundtrackpro
SOUND EFFECTS LIBRARIES
www.sound-effects-library.com
www.sonomic.com
www.a1freesoundeffects.com
www.soundeffects.com
www.grsites.com
www.filmsound.org
STORYBOARDING SOFTWARE
www.storyboardartist.com
www.powerproduction.com
SHORT FILMS ONLINE
www.atomfilms.com
www.shortfuzed.com
www.depict.org
www.nokiashorts.com
www1.orange.co.uk/60secondsoffame
www.ifilm.com
www.youtube.com
www.alldaybreakfast.ca
www.pixar.com/shorts
www.newvenue.com
www.channel4.com/film/shortsandclips
www.clipland.com www.bijoucafe.com
SHORT FILM DISTRIBUTION
www.dazzlefilms.co.uk
www.bigfilmshorts.com
www.onedotzero.com
www.britshorts.com
www.sgrin.co.uk
ONLINE FESTIVAL DISTRIBUTION
www.shortfilmdepot.com
www.reelport.com
www.withoutabox.com
SHORT FILM FESTIVAL LISTINGS
www.filmfestivals.com
www.netribution.co.uk
SELECTION OF INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVALS
Angers Premiers Plans (January)
www.premiersplans.org
Aspen Shortsfest (April)
www.aspenfilm.org
Berlin International Film Festival (February)
www.berlinale.de
Bilbao International Festival of documentary & Short Films (November)
www.zinebi.com
Brest European Short Film Festival (November)
www.film-festival.brest.com
Brooklyn International Film Festival (June)
www.wbff.org
Cannes International Film Festival (May)
www.festival-cannes.org
Cardiff Screen Festival (November)
www.cardiffscreenfestival.co.uk
Chicago International Film Festival (October)
www.chicagofilmfestival.com
Cinema Jove International Film Festival (June)
www.cinemajovefilmfest.com
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (Jan/Feb)
www.clermont-filmfest.com
Cork International Film Festival (October)
www.corkfilmfest.org
Cracow International Festival of Short Films (May/June)
www.cracowfilmfestival.pl
Edinburgh International Film Festival (August)
www.edfilmfest.org.uk
Encounters International Short Film Festival (November)
www.encounters-festival.org.uk
Filmfest Hamburg (September)
www.filmfesthamburg.de
Flanders International Film Festival (October)
www.filmfestival.be
Flickerfest (January)
www.flickerfest.com
Fluxus – International Film Festival on the Internet
www.fluxusonline.com
Halloween Short Film Festival (January)
www.shortfilms.org.uk
Leuven International Short Film Festival (December)
www.shortfilmfestival.org
Los Angeles International Short Film Festival (September)
www.lashortsfest.com
Mecal International Short Film Festival (September)
www.mecalbcn.org
Melbourne International Film Festival (July/August)
www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au
Oberhausen International Short Film Festival (May)
www.kurzfilmtage.de
Palm Springs International Short Film Festival (August)
www.psfilmfest.org
Raindance Film Festival (October)
www.raindancefilmfestival.org
Resfest (October)
www.resfest.com
Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival (Nov/Dec)
www.curtacinema.com.br
Rotterdam International Film Festival (Jan/Feb)
www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com
Rushes Soho Short Film Festival (July/August)
www.rushes.co.uk
São Paulo International Film Festival (Oct/Nov)
www.mostra.org
Short Expression: International Film Festival, Guanajuato (July)
www.expresionencorto.com
Short Shorts Film Festival (June)
www.shortshorts.org
Sundance Film Festival (January)
www.sundance.org
Sydney Film Festival (June)
www.sydneyfilmfestival.org
ernational Short Film Festival (March)
www.tamperefilmfestival.fi
The Times BFI London Film Festival (Oct/Nov)
www.lff.org.uk
Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival (June)
www.worldwideshortfilmfest.com
TCM Classic Shorts Competition (November)
www.tcmonline.co.uk
Uppsala International Short Film Festival (October)
www.shortfilmfestival.com
Venice Film Festival (September)
www.labiennale.org/en/cinema
Vienna Short Film Festival (July)
www.shortfilmcompetition.at
Copyright
First published in 2007 by Creative Essentials,
an imprint of Oldcastle Books Ltd,
P O Box 394, Harpenden, AL5 1XJ
; www.kamerabooks.com/creativeessentials
This ebook edition first published in 2010
All rights reserved
© NATHAN PARKER 2007
The right of NATHAN PARKER to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly
Short Films Page 25