Independent Streak Magazine -- October 2015 by Rachel Galvin

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE OCTOBER 2015

MONTHLY

FLI FF preps f or i t's 30th year F lor id a's F unniest C om ed ian SWEDE FEST is back

Spooky Em pir e is com ing...

Bil l Gr ef e King of t heDoubl eFeat ur e w w w .i n d ep en d en t st r eak m ag azi n e.co m

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Oct ober 2015

FLIFF unveil s NEW l ook f or 30t h Year Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLiFF) unveiled the poster representing a fresh new look for the 30 th Annual event Wednesday, Sept. 30 at The Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. (See on l ef t wit h President and CEO of FLiFF Gregory von Hausch.)

As part of the presentation, announcements were made about the film line-up, events and special guests. Evening included a cocktail party with hors d'oeuvres, etc. In addition to the poster, designed this year by Zimmerman Advertising, FLiFF has a new logo and is looking forward to the launch of their new website, also designed by Zimmerman. The 30 th annual television spot, created by the late Peter Langone and edited by Brian Bayerl of 1 Greendoor Productions, was also presented.

For 30 years, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival has introduced some of the finest American Independent and foreign language films to South Florida audiences; many went on to win Oscars, including: Volver, Black Swan, The Artist and The Great Beauty. FLiFF has also honored industry greats and actors most likely to become the next major stars. Under the direction of Gregory von Hausch for 27 of the festival?s 30 years, FLiFF has become one of the most respected film forums in the industry as well as a top destination event. This year, t he f est ival t akes pl ace Nov. 6-22 with pre-fest activities beginning Nov. 2nd. Over 100 films from 35 countries will be premiered, many with talent attending. Opening weekend will include a film and party at the Seminole Hard Rock and the traditional Sunday Breakfast Cruise aboard a Sun Dream luxury yacht. Signat ure event s continue with Centerpiece weekend (Nov. 13-15) at Sunrise Civic Center Theater and Closing Weekend (Nov. 20-22) with the FLiFF Luminary Awards Gala at the Diplomat Resort and Spa, the Closing Night Film at Cinema Paradiso-Fort Lauderdale, where competition and audience film awards will also be announced, and the final big bash ? The FLiFF Wrap Party at The Ritz Carlton-Fort Lauderdale. ?30 is a significant milestone for FLiFF. As we reflect on our achievements, past films and special guests, we also look forward to exciting new programs during the festival and throughout the coming year," commented Gregory von Hausch, President and CEO of FLiFF. ?Since I started on this journey in 1987, American Indies have come a long way; they?re better written, produced and realized and they?ve gained tremendous popularity. Our selections of Indies this year are certain to wow audiences.

"My personal favorites are foreign language films, which tend to be overshadowed by the Indies. To better showcase them, we?re bringing back a version of Around The World in 80 Nights, a program that we presented a few years ago, that pairs films from different countries with native cuisine, art and music.We?re looking forward to a great 30 th Anniversary year and we hope South Florida will experience these truly wonderful films.? Sel ect ing t he f il ms Von Hausch and Bonnie Leigh Adams, who joined the film festival as Sr. Programmer in 1995, are now a husband and wife team who share the responsibility of viewing and selecting films. ?Bonnie and I see thousands of films over several months. With so much excellent product available, selecting those to premiere at FLiFF can be challenging at times. We must also consider our audience and what they would enjoy." Von Hausch remembered, ?When we saw The Artist during the Cannes Film Festival, we were completely enchanted with the film yet we questioned whether audiences would attend a silent, black and white film today. We took a chance and decided to open the 2011 festival with it. After all, what could be more fitting than a love letter from Paris to Hollywood?? St ar power In addition to bringing outstanding films to South Florida, FLIFF has brought to town some of the greatest talent in the film industry. Honorees have included: Peter Bogdanovich, Audrey Hepburn, Michael Caine, Kevin Spacey, Matt Damon, Maria Bello, Jane Lynch, Edward Burns, among others. FLiFF?s Star on the Horizon Award has been presented to new talent they felt were on the verge of becoming stars. Jeremy Renner received the award in 2007 and in 2010 he received an Oscar Nomination for Best Actor for The Hurt Locker, which launched his career. Others who received the award included:

Bailee Madison and Michelle Monaghan. Cinema Paradiso In 1999, FLiFF moved into its first official, year-round home, the former Vinnette Carroll Theatre. The 200-seat, horseshoe shaped auditorium, originally built as a church and renovated as a live performing arts theatre in 1986, needed much repair as well as retro-fitting for film. Renamed Cinema Paradiso-Ft. Lauderdale, today the theater is a gem equipped with state of the art equipment, plush seats, a full bar, concessions and a covered patio. In 2013, Joseph Kaller & Associates began pro bono design work to modify a former pottery shop into an intimate 72 seat boutique ? Cinema Paradiso ? Hollywood. Construction Company of America began building in September and somehow finished and passed inspection allowing FLiFF to open on Oct. 19, 2013 ... an incredible feat! FLIFF Highl ight s Opening Night Fil ms: "Where to Invade Next," a film by Michael Moore" "The Boat Builder," with actor Christopher Lloyd "Jaco," which tells the story of Jaco Pastorius Cent erpiece Fil m: "Silver Skies," which includes actor George Hamilton (featured in previous issue of I.S.) Cl osing Night Fil m: "The Wannabe," which features Patricia Arquette Special Guest s Michael Moore, Robert Trujillo, Ed Harris, Christopher Lloyd, Amy Madigan,Victor Nunez, Loretta Swit, Candy Clark, Estelle Parson s 2

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Oct ober 2015

SwedeFest is back! What is a Swede? It is a movie that purposefully makes fun of another film and is as bad as possible... the result is hillarity. What adds to the fun showcase of all these 3-minute bad remakes is the fact it is being hosted by the equally funny Cheese & Crackers group. This fest usually gets sold out. You definitely cannot just walk in and hope to get in. Get tickets now. Audience chooses which horrible (in a good way) filmmaker wins the staycation at Crane's Beach House! The fest has moved to Manalapan at The Palm Beaches Theatre, at 262 S. Ocean Blvd. Be there for the 6:30 p.m. red carpet and 7:30 p.m. show. Dress funky... wear a beret, get in an artistic mood... have fun! For more information, visit http://swedefestpalmbeach.com.

The 2 Dol l ar Bil l Document ary Ever wondered why we have $2 bills and why they have become a novelty item? This in depth documentary, directed by John Bennardo, answers those questions. Did you know that some people think this piece of unique currency has magical qualities to connect people? Others have superstitions around it. This informative piece will share stories surrounding the $2 bill that will leave you feeling like an expert once you are through.

Watch it at the Ft. Lauderdale Intl. Film Festival Nov. 6 & 10. Find out more at www.fliff.com and www.2dollarbillmovie.com.

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE VOL 2, #10

SEE INDEPENDENT FILMS weekl y at : - Cinema Par adiso -- Ft . Lauder dal e 503 SE 6t h St , Ft . Lauderdal e, FL 33301

- Cinema Par adiso - - Hol lywood 2008 Hol l ywood Bl vd., Hol l ywood, FL 33019

www.fliff.com/ Films_and_Events. Got an event ? Email ravenprods@yahoo.com to ask about inclusion in Events or to place an Ad.

St ay i n -t h e-k n o w : - www.independent st reakmagazine.com

Oct ober 2015

It's that time of the year again, time for Spooky Empire. This is the Ultimate Halloween Weekend. Held Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, this event brings in top actors and directors known for working in horror films, cult classics and more. This year, celebs. like Neve Campbell, Malcolm McDowell, Tony Todd, George Romero, Danny Trejo and even Burt Reynolds are among those slated to attend. There will be a "Fright Night" reunion and "Rocky Horror" fans will be pleased to see some of their favs. Remember that "golden ticket?" The kids from "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" aren't kids anymore. They will be coming out to Spooky too. The list goes on and on. Some celebs. will be available for photo opps. In addition, there will be a film festival, a zombie walk, a Halloween Masquerade Party, a costume/ cosplay contest, a tattoo festival, a Halloween Kids Zone, The Munsters Museum and more. Every year, there are many vendors who bring out their wares. Artists show off their artwork. Fun is all around. For more information, call 954-258-7852 or visit www.spookyempire.com.

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Bil l Gr ef e King of t heDoubl e Feat ur e By Rachel Gal vin Known for his cult classics, Bill Grefe has created over 25 feature films utilizing a minimal budget by embracing an indomitable indie spirit. Some of his classics include "Impulse," with William Shatner, and "The Naked Zoo" with Rita Hayworth. Asked how he got involved in this business in the first place, Grefe said, "I wanted to be an actor at first so I did Summer stock up in Woodstock, NY, [etc.]. Then I went into the military. When I was in service, I got married. I got out and started having kids. I thought, 'Boy, this acting is not too secure so I started writing scripts. I wrote about 10 screenplays and got the rejection slips to prove it." He got a break into directing in an unexpected way. He continued, "Finally, I sold one [a screenplay] called 'The Checkered Flag,' [released in 1963] which was a racing movie that we were doing up in Sebring, and they had 5

Oct ober 2015

me on set as a writer for rewrites. On the first day of shooting, the actor collapsed of a nervous breakdown. In those days, there were no directors, hardly any film people down here. Long story short, they drafted me in a motel room at 1 in the morning to direct the movie and that's how I started directing." With that start, he began taking on film with a passion, wearing multiple hats. His second film was released a year later. "I was very lucky on second movie, 'Racing Fever,' a movie I wrote, produced and directed. It was the first film in the history of Florida to get a major release and Allied artist picked it up and, right then and there, I learned distribution," he said, adding, "The two keys to filmmaking is distribution and finance." He found "shopping around his film" was not always so easy. "Back in those days, all distribution was in New York City. There was no distribution in LA. I went to New York with 35 mm cans weighing 80 lbs. a piece. [I was] flipping them around and showing them to various distribution companies. I screened it for Allied, the VPs liked it, but the VP never makes the decision. I called the president in LA at the studio, went to LA, and he made the decision immediately and picked it up for worldwide distribution." Getting bigger stars could be difficult on a limited budget, but he found a way to get it done.

When asked how he got Rita Hayworth for "Naked Zoo," he explained, "I had a budget of $250,000. The agent wanted [that much] for Rita. How can I pay $250,000? I won't have any money to make the movie. We fought for three days. I called the investors. I said 'Please, guys, you gotta trust me ... wire me $50,000. They wired it to me and I got a Cashier's Check. [I said to the agent], 'You and I have been fighting for three days ... but I kept telling you that $50,000 is all I can afford." I plopped [the check] on the desk. 'There it is. I will put in escrow in any bank in state of California. End of conversation.' He said, 'You gotta deal...' There is an old saying ? money talks and something walks. If you got the money, you can make the deal." When asked what film he is most proud of, he brings up the film "Cease Fire," which he produced and starred Don Johnson. It received critical acclaim and a good box office return. It was the only film, he said, ever to be privately screened at the U.S. Congress and written up in the congressional record. Another film he said that has received a lot of notice is "Stanley," a suspense film about a guy who uses rattlesnakes as a murder weapon.

"That did excellent theatrically and worldwide," he said. "I am still getting emails from Japan, Germany... and it was released not only theatre, but on TV, VHS, DVD..." Snakes are not the only dangerous creature Grefe has worked with. "I [used] underwater sharks for James Bond film 'Live and Let Die.'" he said, "I learned a lot from that. We worked in Bimini. It moved me on to 'Mako: Jaws of Death. I wrote Mako about three years before 'Jaws.' Nobody would give me money. All of a sudden, 'Jaws' came out, the biggest grossing film in recent history, and everybody who remembered my script was calling me up, 'Bill, old buddy, how the hell are ya?' They were throwing money at me because they knew I could get it out immediately. So, we immediately started shooting. We rode on Universal's publicity department. "When we finished shooting, before I even edited the film, I edited a seven minute promo reel and we took it to Europe, and we beat 'Jaws' out in Europe. We had money back just out of cash advances out of Europe before film was even edited because, at that time, if

anyone remembers, everything was shark, shark,shark ... in 'Life Magazine,' 'Time Magazine,' everything ... I thought we had a lot better shark footage [than 'Jaws']because we used real ones rather than a big mechanical one." What has been his biggest challenge? "Fighting to get money for next one," he answered, adding, "Right now is a utopia time for young filmmakers because the way film is... It started out that cameras were heavy, everything expensive. Now, in the digital age, when everything is computerized, you can go out and make a film very reasonably today. I say to do a film today technically is a no-brainer, really simple. Nothing has changed as far as working with actors and temperamental people, and staying on schedule and fighting the rain, and schedules and budgets, and etc., etc. That end of it has not changed a bit." He also worked with producer Ivan Tors, who had a studio in Miami and worked with a lot of the crew there on his films as well. Grefe continues to be involved in filmmaking ventures, including coming in front of the camera as an actor for Jeff Freeman's recent film "A Cask of Amontillado," which was shown at the Pollygrind Film Fest, where Grefe earned a Best Supporting Actor award. The film will be shown also on Nov. 5 as part of the Ft. Lauderdale Intl. Film Festival. Find out more information at www.fliff.com -- schedule there soon.

For more on William "Bill" Grefe, visit www.williamgrefe.com. Pict ured above, right : Bil l Gref e in "A Cask of Amont il l ado."

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Fl ori da f i l m students h ead to top f esti v al By Rachel Gal vin

Independent filmmaker Robert Adanto, who heads the Film & TV Production program at NSU University School, is proud of his students' recent accomplishments. Eight of his current students and two from last year's graduating class have produced films that have been selected for the All American High School Film Festival, the most prestigious high school film festival in the world, which will be held Oct. 9-11 in New York City in various locations.

Oct ober 2015

Internoscia produced a documentary called "Beyond the Numbers", a film exploring the rise in mass killings in the United States, which features an interview with noted Nova Southeastern professor, Dr. Scott Poland. Carlos Doce?s ?The Bizarre Altercation?, which will compete in the Horror category, rounds out the list of University School's top films. Seat ed Lef t t o Right : Ayl a Maul ding, Sarah Topf , Andrew Nemet s and Sierra Bardf el d. St anding Lef t t o Right : Robert Adant o, Quint in O' Connel l , Max Int ernoscia, Jessica Roman and Mit chel l Beinf est .

"We have two documentaries, two experimental films, a music video, a horror film, and two PSAs," said Adanto. "The State of Florida produced 32 Official Selections and NSU University School produced 25 percent of that with its eight official selections." There are over 48 states and 30 countries represented in this year's Official Selections, and the Festivals judges include Henry Winkler, Kristen Stewart, Morgan Spurlock, Ed Burns and other industry notables. The Publ ic Service Announcement s in the competition are ?Keep the Arts", produced by juniors Sierra Bardfeld and Ayla Maulding, and ?The Perfect Image,? created by fellow juniors Sarah Topf, Jessica Roman and Melissa Rabinowitz. The two films in the Experiment al genre are Quintin O?Connell?s ?Tori? and Mitchell Beinfest?s ?Angel.? Ariel Desler produced a document ary about the Holocaust called ?Never Forget?, and Andrew Nemets and Max

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE VOL 2, #10

Con gr at u l at i on s t o...

Oct ober 2015

Fl orida's own Brian Bayerl 's f il m "Dat una: Port rait of America" won Best Feat ure Fil m of t he Fest ival at The 23rd annual Raindance Fil m Fest ival .

Congrat s t o Jesse Quinones, original l y f rom Miami, FL, who won Best Fil m and Best Direct or f or his f il m "Cal l oused Hands" at t he Brit ish Urban Fil m Fest ival . He current l y l ives in Engl and.

Congrat s, Casper Van Dien f or being awarded Best Direct or f or "Pat ient Kil l er!" at t he Best Act ors Fil m Fest ival , hel d in San Francisco.

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Oct ober 2015

Let t er f rom t he Publ isher When people think of October, they often think about Halloween... and that means putting on a costume and going to a party, right? Well, you hope there is a party... Anyway, think about what costume you put on every day. Maybe you don't realize it, but every day we become someone new, don't we? Every day is a chance to make a new start and go in a new direction. What type of character are you projecting to the world? Is it who you want people to see? As an actor, you need to know your character, otherwise known as your brand. If you don't know it, ask your friends. They will tell you. What's your type? Do you look like you could be a lawyer or doctor? Maybe you look more like a teacher or a mom. Maximize your branding. You have a better chance of getting parts that are your brand. If they are casting for a pimp and you look more like a priest, you are in trouble. Would you rather be a different brand? Change it. Sometimes it just takes a few physical changes to make a difference. Other times, there is not much you can do. As we age, it gets harder to be "the student," for instance. I always wanted to be the sexy ingenue, I went to a branding class in LA and the woman in charge asked people who they thought I was, what they thought I did for a living... The answer? Librarian. I burst into tears. At the time, I had really long hair. That day, along with the fact I lost an agent because of my hair. made me decide to finally cut it short, which made a big difference. Who are you and who do you want to be? Think about it. Break a leg! --Rachel Gal vin

SN AP ! Rene Katz & Richard Warren Rappaport enjoy The Emmy's! See Richard's documentary 'Concert" at Cinema Paradiso in Ft. Lauderdale on Nov. 3, as part of the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival. Schedule up soon at www.fliff.com.

Want t o advert ise? Cont act us at ravenprods@yahoo.com 10

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F lor id a's F unniest

Oct ober 2015

C om ed ian

Local comedians will be competing to see who brings the funny more than everyone else.

Prizes:

On Oct. 7 at 8 p.m., prospective funny men and women will take the stage to show off their best one-liners, punchlines, prat falls or whatever they feel is most hillarious.

1st Pl ace -- A 10 week Florida Club tour from all participating locations, a guest spot in LA to showcase for industry (flight and hotel paid for), and, of course, the title of being 'Florida?s Funniest Comedian 2015'

The winners of each round will be chosen by Industry "experts." The Finals are being judged by the biggest names in South Florida Comedy. These are the men and women who book comedians day in and day out for the venues they represent.

2nd Pl ace -- A one week engagement at the club of the comedian's choice.

The event will be held Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. at Palm Beach Improv, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., Ste. 250, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. For more information, call 561-833-1812 or visit www.floridasfunny.com.

3rd Pl ace -- A cool ribbon made of Lycra.

Rising St ar -- The judges will be choosing, strictly from the video submissions that were not chosen to compete, three comics to be named Florida's Funniest' s Next Rising Stars. Each winner will receive private emcee training from the Improv as well as one paid emcee spot. Comedians can submit their best five minutes.

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE VOL 2, #10

Oct ober 2015

If you can dr eamit ... you can do it By Talina Adamo I remember writing a quote in detention hall based on a quote from Winston Churchill, who said that people should never give up. Now, don't go thinking I was a bad girl, because I was actually a very good girl. Looking back now, I am grateful for that private school discipline and the chance to learn this encouraging quote that kept me motivated for the rest of my life. I've always wanted to sing and perform and everyone else in my school knew it, too, but choosing that career path was very challenging, because people strongly doubted I would follow through. Several people often gave me the most discouraging advice, "You'd better get a real job with income" or ?Don't quit your day job!" Today, more than a decade later, I am glad to say I never gave up on my dreams. For me, it has been a long and hard journey on my path to success, although I never became a famous pop star and I am not yet rolling in the dough. I never gave up and I am extremely passionate.

Over the last decade, I have transitioned my passion from performing in the spotlight to storytelling as a filmmaker. I have been in front of and behind the camera, and I love doing both just as much. One of my real-life, behind the scenes dreams came true recently ... I became a mother. My husband and I have been really focused on my son since he arrived, but I have been back to work part-time and co-writing with my friend, John Hamblin. Our feature screenplay is called ?Caught in the Middle.? It?s a coming-of-age story centered on a group of bright High School seniors who are constantly bullied by their classmates for being different. A few secret, big name actors are attached to this script, along with some other screenplays my company is producing. We have a slate of films in different stages of development, along with a trans-media production that will include a little bit of theater, music, dance and film all in one and we are seeking investors for funding. And then, there's my first book release, a science-fiction novel called, "A World Between Worlds". "If you can dream it, you can do it!" - Wal t Disney. Visit www.TalinaAdamo.com & www.BlackOnyxProductions.com for more details about upcoming projects.