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Above: The film "Styria" is in the final weeks of a Kickstarter online fundraiser to pay for post-productions costs.
Monday, October 8, 2012
A pair of filmmakers who graduated from the SDSU Television, Film, and New Media program have completed production of a feature film shot in Hungary. Now the filmmakers are in the final week of an online fundraiser to pay for post-production.
Above: KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando speaks with "Styria" filmmakers about their Kickstarter online fundraiser.
Kickstarter For 'Styria'
Aired 10/9/12
A pair of filmmakers who graduated from the SDSU Television, Film, and New Media program have completed production of a feature film -- "Styria" -- shot in Hungary. Now the filmmakers are in the final week of an online fundraiser to pay for post-production.
Filmmaking is always an adventure but when you shoot your first feature in a castle in Hungary it can be controlled chaos says Mauricio Chernovetzky.
"Because it was such a bizarre mix of elements, like here we were in another country trying to shoot with actors from all over Europe. Money was always an issue."
"Like we would have to check what the exchange rate was everyday and like oh we gotta lose 5 crew people, oh the dollar's failing a little bit," Mark Devendorf. Overall, though, he felt shooting in Hungary was a plus. "Because you're there and you walk into a castle everyday and you're excited to be there."
But even the castle posed unexpected problems.
"We discovered that Angelina Jolie decided to shoot one scene there which meant that she took the castle for two weeks to prep it," says Chernovetzky.
That meant having to redo their whole production schedule. But the filmmakers were undetered and pushed forward on their updated retelling of Carmilla.
"We didn't want to create this film where it's just the vampire and the victim, we really wanted to deal with the fantasy of vampirism as well and the idea of the pull to the darkness and of the mystery of the night," Chernovetzky says.
Most of the money for the film came from family and friends, and all that money is up on the screen. Now the filmmakers are running a Kickstarter online fundraiser to pay for the post production expenses to get the film ready for distribution.
"So the Kickstarter ends October 14 and we're trying to raise $25,000," says Devendorf, "this is the big final push and we're trying to hit up everyone who can just give a little something to make it happen.
You can view a trailer for the film here.
Comments
Missionaccomplished | October 11, 2012 at 9:32 a.m. ― 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Okay Beth, so, the obvious unanswered questin is . . . how much have they spent so far?
Whatever happened with that Lebanese-American Telecom grad from State who made a film shotl mostly in Tunisia, in the late 90s, which was screen at the Ken for a week? A remember he even came on as a guest on KPBS and I had the opportunity to ask him a question. He kind of came and went. I don't recall his name but I never heard of him ever again!
I met a Mexican guy in 2010 who was a UCLA film grad. He was unable to get much of ANYTHING on either side of the border at the time. When I met him he was a either a camera operator or a DP for low-budget direct-to-DVD Mexican movies. And that with UCLA behind!
In a KILLER JOE interview, the legendary Friedkin claimed it was easier to get into the industry today. I beg to differ. I think he just wants people to think that he psersonally had a very tough time getting his feet in the door!
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Missionaccomplished | October 11, 2012 at 9:52 a.m. ― 7 months, 2 weeks ago
And lots of luck raising that money in this economy!
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Beth Accomando, KPBS Staff | October 12, 2012 at 11:13 a.m. ― 7 months, 1 week ago
They have already surpassed their goal and still have 2 days to go.
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Missionaccomplished | October 13, 2012 at 2:34 p.m. ― 7 months, 1 week ago
Good for them! Although one must admit, it's a bit cocky. I guess the Roberto Rodriguez-Robert Townsend route would have been much too risky these days!
Next stop: No, not Greenwich Village, but FINDING a distributor!
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Len | October 13, 2012 at 4:58 p.m. ― 7 months, 1 week ago
Stephen Rea doesn't appear in amateur films. As a former film maker I find the trailer, at least, seems to present professionalism. Distributors have gone with worse.
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Beth Accomando, KPBS Staff | October 15, 2012 at 1:07 a.m. ― 7 months, 1 week ago
It is very professional and well deserving of release.
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Missionaccomplished | October 15, 2012 at 11:58 a.m. ― 7 months, 1 week ago
I guess today's definition of "professional" and "amateur" depends on legal definitions--not aesthetic: SAG membership, ASC, ACE, etc. AND of course, having an agent.
That, however, doesn't change the fact that a "professional" film like CASA DE MI PADRE, can be amateurish in its execution, while an indy non-union film in Hollywood's periphery can be "professionally made" by non-professionals.
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