MorganHillTimes.com | Jasper's a hit with artists, movie-goers

Jasper's a hit with artists, movie-goers

Nov 17, 2008
By Martin Cheek - Special to the Times

Judging by the praise from participants of last weekend's Poppy Jasper Film Festival, the annual Morgan Hill event was a blockbuster hit among people who have a passion for the cinematic arts.

"It was a fabulous fifth festival," said Kim Bush, PJFF chair. "Everything just clicked. We just noticed a whole uptick in the quality of films that came in. And the filmmakers that came in to participate were just of the level that we haven't experienced. I think that it's because the word is out among filmmakers that this is a must-go-to film festival."

A film festival such as the Poppy Jasper devoted to cinema efforts that are 30-minutes or less gives aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to share their works without the pressure of competing with big-budget Hollywood industry films, filmmaker Neal Sickles said. "I think right now, there's a lot to be said in what you can produce in a short amount of time." Also, high-tech electronic devices such as iPhones will require quality short-length works as they become increasingly popular, so the PJFF provides a perfect outlet to share these shorter films, he said.

Filmmaker Donald Li flew from his home in Beijing, China, for the North American premiere of his comedy "Close Encounters of Mahjong." The 12-minute story focuses on how six people who are playing the Asian game of Mahjong discover the truth about their lives.

At a Poppy Jasper filmmakers' party held at Morgan Hill's Ramada Inn Saturday night, Li compared the South Valley film festival with others he's attended and said he likes the Poppy Jasper's "fun and relaxed" ambiance that lets filmmakers discuss their craft together as friends.

"We have some festivals in China, but they're pretty formal so I really don't have the chance to talk to other filmmakers," he said. "But here, it's really nice to be able to chat with other filmmakers. I'm also really impressed by the films I've seen here. They all show a different view of life."

Keynote speaker Terry Windell, a 1974 graduate of Live Oak High School, gave audience members the inside stories on several of the films, TV shows, and commercials he has made during his career as a film director and special effects designer.

For the movie "Ghostbusters," he helped create a haunt in a New York City hotel that was intended to be a subtle salute to the late John Belushi (who died shortly before the 1984 film was made). The original model of the green-colored "slimer" ghost cost $6,000 to sculpt, Windell said. After filming scenes, the model disappeared - most likely as a souvenir by one of the producers. Soon after, Windell received a 1 a.m. telephone call asking him to reshoot the now gone model with the ghost circling a chandelier.

"I was sitting there eating peanuts, and I didn't know what to do," Windell told audience members. "So I got a peanut and painted it lime green and put it on a toothpick and shot it and just prayed. No one said anything and we put it in and there it is."

At a special award presentation Friday night, James Quillinan, locally known for his "Q's Reviews" of movies and theater, announced the various winners of the Poppy Jasper prizes for movie excellence.

"Caring for the Dying: The Art of Being Present," a film by Michele Peticolas on how various people deal with terminal illness, won for best documentary category.

"For the Masses," a short on how people in Los Angeles find quiet in a natural setting, won filmmaker Corrie Francis the best creative media award.

Kim Noonan and Sickle's "Running Dragon," about a Vietnamese-American man dealing with cultural identity issues, won the best social commentary award.

The short "Paquet á Hong Kong," in which a young girl mails herself in a cardboard box from France to the Asian city, won French filmmaker Mark Legaspi the award for best comedy.

The technically startling short "Outsource" won filmmaker Daniel Trezise the best science fiction award. The Scottish film "Silver Tongues" won Simon Arthur the award for best overall film. It deals with a traveling couple who have the tables turned on them when they play a sadistic confidence game with senior citizens at a convalescent home.

"It's a film dealing with aging, confusion, how we trust our elders," Quillinan said. "It's whimsical at times, and it's all done with a Scottish brogue."

This year's Poppy Jasper included its first short screenwriting contest. Sam Buttari won the first place prize for his screenplay "Off to See the Wizard" about two 11-year-old boys who find out from their grandfather what heaven might be like. Buttari received $250 and a one-hour phone consultation with Victor Miller, the writer who created the "Friday the 13th" series.

"He was very helpful," Buttari said of his session. "He really understood how to make my script better."

Noonan and Sickles drove up to Morgan Hill from Los Angeles to participate in the PJFF's award presentation and also to meet with other filmmakers. Sickles said their 20-minute film is particularly relevant for today's society. "We just elected the first black president, so race is a hot topic. This film is about race and multi-culturalism," he said.

Bush mentioned that based on comments from a "Women in Film" workshop, the festival will look into holding a "pitch fest" where aspiring filmmakers can pitch their story ideas to producers. Next year's festival will be held Nov. 13 through 15.

Martin Cheek
Martin Cheek is a free lance writer for South Valley Newspapers. You can reach him by email.