What to show? Or, How to save and promote silent films

[silentfilm]

Dennis Doros has some great suggestions for running a film society on the Milestone Film website. These could certainly be applied to holding a festival too.

My suggestion would be to run film (16mm or 35mm) whenever possible, and try to get quality prints. That is easy if you are renting 35mm, but you need to find a collector with good quality prints for 16mm.

And if you are running a silent film, a live music performance always makes the screening an event!

[drednm]

Maybe in a year, after I retire (woof) I'll be able to devote time to starting something here in Santa Fe. My trouble is I don't know the people who organize this sort of thing.... as for music, it's Mont Alto or nothing! LOL

[Frederica]

Maybe in a year, after I retire (woof) I'll be able to devote time to starting something here in Santa Fe. My trouble is I don't know the people who organize this sort of thing.... as for music, it's Mont Alto or nothing! LOL

I'm surprised Santa Fe doesn't have something, it's such an art-oriented city, you'd think there would be some interest. Perhaps a connection with he Santa Fe Opera? Santa Fe is not an easy place to get to. On the other hand, it's worth every minute of the trip.

Fred

[drednm]

Yes we have the opera and a film festival in December which I've never been to....

We also had the film study center funded by Greer Garson at College of Santa Fe, but they went bankrupt this year....

[azjazzman]

Yes we have the opera and a film festival in December which I've never been to....

We also had the film study center funded by Greer Garson at College of Santa Fe, but they went bankrupt this year....

Back in the early 1980s, the same people who do the Telluride Film Festival held a festival in Santa Fe, which I went to (Santa Fe isn't that hard to get to, coming from the west you go to Albuquerque and turn left ).

The festival seemed to be well attended (I remember seeing Leonard and Alice Maltin, Bill Everson, Adam Reilly, etc there), and there were numerous big events at the historic Lensic theater downtown with a ton of guest stars. I don't know why the festival didn't take off like Telluride (now *there* is a place that is not easy to get to!), but it certainly had all the potential in the word in a lovely setting.

On this page, Leonard Maltin remembers the Santa Fe Film Festival, about 3/4ths of the way down the page.

http://www.leonardmaltin.com/Photos.htm

[drednm]

thanks for the Maltin link..... I guess this festival hamatured into the current Santa Fe film festival.... but as I've said the focus is on new stuff

[Christopher Jacobs]

Don McCaffrey (Donald W. McCaffrey), who edited Focus on Chaplin and wrote Four Great Comedians, among other film books, mainly on comedy, retired to Santa Fe about 10-15 years ago. I haven't heard from him in over a year, so I don't know how his health might be at this point, but he was the one who pretty much single-handedly ran the UND Film Society from the late 1960s through the early 1990s, and when he left, there was no more film society on campus. If he's still got the interest and energy, he might be a good resource to help start up some sort of film series or organize a classic film festival in Santa Fe. If you can get a bookstore involved, there might also be the potential of screenings tied in with book signings and/or a lecture-discussion, which could draw more interest (and press exposure) than merely a list of film titles.

--Christopher Jacobs
http://hpr1.com/film
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs

[Frederica]

Don McCaffrey (Donald W. McCaffrey), who edited Focus on Chaplin and wrote Four Great Comedians, among other film books, mainly on comedy, retired to Santa Fe about 10-15 years ago. I haven't heard from him in over a year, so I don't know how his health might be at this point, but he was the one who pretty much single-handedly ran the UND Film Society from the late 1960s through the early 1990s, and when he left, there was no more film society on campus. If he's still got the interest and energy, he might be a good resource to help start up some sort of film series or organize a classic film festival in Santa Fe. If you can get a bookstore involved, there might also be the potential of screenings tied in with book signings and/or a lecture-discussion, which could draw more interest (and press exposure) than merely a list of film titles.

--Christopher Jacobs
http://hpr1.com/film
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs

Santa Fe is a city with great potential for such an event; people travel from all over to get to Santa Fe opera, I'll bet they'd do the same thing for a silent film festival, if it was handled properly. A small one, even one day of 4-5 silent films with live accompaniment, perhaps modeled on San Francisco's? It could be tied in with Santa Fe's other attractions, not least of which is the food. I'd be there in a heartbeat, I love Santa Fe.

Fred

[Penfold]

Santa Fe is a city with great potential for such an event; people travel from all over to get to Santa Fe opera, I'll bet they'd do the same thing for a silent film festival, if it was handled properly. A small one, even one day of 4-5 silent films with live accompaniment, perhaps modeled on San Francisco's? It could be tied in with Santa Fe's other attractions, not least of which is the food. I'd be there in a heartbeat, I love Santa Fe.

Fred

Perhaps the opera connection could be a way in, for funding/publicity if nothing else; plenty of opera titles in the silent film repertoire....the 1920's French (but location-filmed) version of Carmen shown at Pordenone this year would be an obvious choice....

[drednm]

Although I've been in NM for 25 years or so I've only been in Santa Fe 5 years... another connection to pursue (someone mentioned) is to tie in silent films with films shot in NM in the 20s....

And then there's Mae Marsh, who was born just down the road in Madrid. New Mexico's first movie star!

[azjazzman]

thanks for the Maltin link..... I guess this festival hamatured into the current Santa Fe film festival.... but as I've said the focus is on new stuff

No, I am certain there is no connection whatsoever. The connection was with Telluride.

[spadeneal]

If you can get a bookstore involved, there might also be the potential of screenings tied in with book signings and/or a lecture-discussion, which could draw more interest (and press exposure) than merely a list of film titles.

Indeed, you can do that and not even hold a film festival. In January, Larry Marotta and I presented a silent film screening at a bookstore in Delaware, Ohio. He presented the films that he has scored for Kino's Avant-Garde and Experimental sets, and I presented my "Uncle Dave Film Program" of public domain silents I have written musical scores for. We didn't charge, although the store paid us in books we wanted, and Larry sold some of the Kino sets he had brought with him.

Delaware is a small town, but it's a college town and the local film professor invited her students. A fair number of others showed up and we had a capacity crowd, a very interested and entertained crowd. They asked tons of questions about the movies and I don't recall any walkouts. This kind of grass roots silent film screening ANYONE can do, and it helps to build a base for interest in silent film where one would think there would be nothing. Admittedly, in cities like Los Angeles where there are all kinds of screenings it might be a harder sell, but in smaller communities where entertainment options are few -- especially with the bad weather that Larry and I were forced to brave that evening -- you can win hearts and minds to silent film, without breaking the bank.

spadeneal

[Ed Hulse]

Right, it's that other Michael who's constantly haranguing you for fliers for Syracuse, Columbus and San Francisco, which more often than not I don't get. And when you did give me some for SF this year, it was roughly 200--hardly adequate for a festival that draws thousands of people. And I've long given up hollering about updating the website, getting out the registration form earlier, creating an e-mail newsletter, publicity in general and Lord knows what else because everyone else complains as well, but no action is ever taken.

This might be a silly question, Michael, but what's stopping you from updating the website, creating an e-mail newsletter, or creating your own flyers for distribution?

I'm currently helping to run a convention that very effectively uses its website for promotion. The four primary committee members all have the site password, so any or all of us can post updates at will, rather than rely solely on the chairman. I don't know how the Cinecon site is set up, but I imagine it has similar features and can easily be accessed once you have the password.

Likewise, it's not a big deal to send out e-mail updates. There are various templates for on-line newsletters; you can adapt one for Cinecon use in a matter of minutes if you're so inclined. And I'm guessing that Bob would be delighted to turn over the mailing list to you for such a purpose -- if you don't already have access to it.

Designing flyers will be trickier if you don't have or lack the knowledge to use programs like Quark or InDesign. Do any of the current committee members use with these graphics programs? I imagine there's got to be at least one volunteer with a working knowledge of one or the other. So why not collaborate with that person, come up with your own flyer, run it down to the local Kinko's, and make a few thousand copies? Again, this is just a guess, but I'm thinking Bob would be happy to cut a check for the printing costs as long as somebody was willing to take the initiative to do the work. Whip up a flyer yourself, run it by the others at the next committee meeting, make whatever changes are needed (if any), and you're off to the races.

I've been involved with enough Cinecons (and other fan-run conventions, for that matter) to know that the best ones are collaborative efforts which fully utilize the various talents and strengths that their committee members bring to the table. The most effective volunteers are self-starters who look to the chairman for oversight instead of hand-holding. And Lord knows the Cinecon committee doesn't lack for bright, talented people. Just a suggestion....

[missdupont]

The people on the committee are selfstarters, it's just that whatever they do gets vetoed or pulled or they don't get the information.

[precode]

Right, it's that other Michael who's constantly haranguing you for fliers for Syracuse, Columbus and San Francisco, which more often than not I don't get. And when you did give me some for SF this year, it was roughly 200--hardly adequate for a festival that draws thousands of people. And I've long given up hollering about updating the website, getting out the registration form earlier, creating an e-mail newsletter, publicity in general and Lord knows what else because everyone else complains as well, but no action is ever taken.

This might be a silly question, Michael, but what's stopping you from updating the website, creating an e-mail newsletter, or creating your own flyers for distribution?

I'm currently helping to run a convention that very effectively uses its website for promotion. The four primary committee members all have the site password, so any or all of us can post updates at will, rather than rely solely on the chairman. I don't know how the Cinecon site is set up, but I imagine it has similar features and can easily be accessed once you have the password.

Likewise, it's not a big deal to send out e-mail updates. There are various templates for on-line newsletters; you can adapt one for Cinecon use in a matter of minutes if you're so inclined. And I'm guessing that Bob would be delighted to turn over the mailing list to you for such a purpose -- if you don't already have access to it.

Designing flyers will be trickier if you don't have or lack the knowledge to use programs like Quark or InDesign. Do any of the current committee members use with these graphics programs? I imagine there's got to be at least one volunteer with a working knowledge of one or the other. So why not collaborate with that person, come up with your own flyer, run it down to the local Kinko's, and make a few thousand copies? Again, this is just a guess, but I'm thinking Bob would be happy to cut a check for the printing costs as long as somebody was willing to take the initiative to do the work. Whip up a flyer yourself, run it by the others at the next committee meeting, make whatever changes are needed (if any), and you're off to the races.

I've been involved with enough Cinecons (and other fan-run conventions, for that matter) to know that the best ones are collaborative efforts which fully utilize the various talents and strengths that their committee members bring to the table. The most effective volunteers are self-starters who look to the chairman for oversight instead of hand-holding. And Lord knows the Cinecon committee doesn't lack for bright, talented people. Just a suggestion....

It's an excellent suggestion. The problem is, only one person has access to the website and the e-mail address list. (Hint: it's not me.) I did make flyers once a few years ago, and was admonished not to do so anymore. Sic Transit Gloria Hendry.

Mike S.

[Stan16mm]

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These were my thoughts above regarding all that has transpired on the previous pages before that I decided not to post. I wish my fellow co-Cinecon exec board members would do the same.

This is as bad as John & Kate!

[precode]

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These were my thoughts above regarding all that has transpired on the previous pages before that I decided not to post. I wish my fellow co-Cinecon exec board members would do the same.

This is as bad as John & Kate!

The discussion has been moved off-line. Apologies for the unseemly exchanges.

But nothing's as bad as Jon & Kate!

Mike S.

[Bob Birchard]

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......................................
.........................

These were my thoughts above regarding all that has transpired on the previous pages before that I decided not to post. I wish my fellow co-Cinecon exec board members would do the same.

This is as bad as John & Kate!

The discussion has been moved off-line. Apologies for the unseemly exchanges.

But nothing's as bad as Jon & Kate!

Mike S.

Which is too bad for us, because we might have become America's new top reality TV stars! ;-}

[Marilyn Slater]

An email from my friend Rob King, the author of The Fun Factory (no, the one published in 2009 by University of California Press, not the Brent Walker book) came yesterday; as some of you are aware I posted a note back in September regarding a copy of When Doctors Disagree sitting at a film archive in Brussels, Belgium. Well, dear sweet Rob had some good news for us to start the grand 2010 odyssey of the coming year; he is going to Belgium in February.

It seems that When Doctors Disagree (Goldwyn 1919) is in
viewable condition! He thinks that the only unfortunate thing is that the titles are in Danish. It doesn’t matter, we can always get the title cards translated or as William T Sherman remained me, USC may have the cards in English already. Rob will let us know what he finds.

What is important is that it can be viewed, which means it could and should be restored. Mabel Normand is now recognized as an American cultural treasure, thanks to the National Film Registry but we all know she is an absolute gem and it doesn’t matter if the copy of When Doctors Disagree belongs to Belgium or Demark, Mabel belongs to the world, how glorious.

If you know anyone at the Belgium Online Archive, please put in a kind word and suggest that Mabel’s Goldwyn movie deserves a lot of attention. The world is waiting.

Here is a link to the information at Looking for Mabel. http://looking-for-mabel.webs.com/whend ... sagree.htm

Cinematheque Royale http://www.filmarchives-online.eu/

[spadeneal]

That's wonderful news! When I wrote my bio of Mabel Normand for allmovie I had stated that there were only two survivors among her Goldwyn films, and just noted the other day that, "Oh, I got that wrong, there's only one." So I'm glad to be correct again.

spadeneal

[DShepFilm]

Well, folks, it's not that hard. We're going into our fifth year in Redding, California (stony ground if you ever saw any) and the Kansas Silent Film Festival in Topeka has been going a dozen years or more.

I think the first rule is to tie in with an institution that has a member or audience base, and a space -- a college (like Washburn University in Topeka), Friends of the Library, County Arts Council (as in Redding).

Find an enthusiastic collector who will provide prints, equipment, and competent projection. Too often these days rental prints are junk. Even that curmudgeon Richard M. Roberts does an annual comedy weekend in Niles! It's nice to be able to promote actual film rather than video.

Really good live music makes a huge difference. Try to go first class and expect to pay the performer(s). If you use an acoustic piano get it tuned the day before ths show. In Redding we import the fabulous Frederick Hodges (a local b&b contributes his room) , but there's a decent pool of talent all over. Go for competence, which does not always equate with willingness.

You can charge some $ to cover expenses. Free is nice if you have a subsidy but I don't think people are discouraged by a modest tariff. We charge about the same as the local cinemas. We also persuade local businesses to underwrite particular shows with a tax deductible donation to the sponsoring institution. The Arts Council actually makes $800-$1000 on our weekend festival.

Clear the rights for anything that's copyrighted, at least if the owner knows or cares that they own it. Balance it out with PD stuff. Yes, we paid to show CITY LIGHTS, but hey, it's CITY LIGHTS! And you can deal, sometimes even with evil Swank.

Show enough films to make it an event, not so many as to fracture and exhaust the audience. In Redding we have one show on Friday night (this year it will be CHICAGO) and run for about 12 hours on Saturday. These shows are targeted to different audiences: Rin-Tin-Tin or PETER PAN for kids, with actors reading the titles aloud; a serious drama (This year, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS), lots of comedy (one program of shorts, one feature, comedy shorts before some serious features), and one knock-em-dead blockbuster (this year it will be WINGS).

Don't try and do everything yourself. The film show is the fun part. In addition, at the least get someone who will do publicity and someone who will manage the house. Get capable people to introduce each show. We get nice graphics, and T-shirts for the staff. Our volunteers get to see the shows for free and get free food (supplied by local restaurants).

On with it!

David Shepard

[Marilyn Slater]

That's wonderful news! When I wrote my bio of Mabel Normand for allmovie I had stated that there were only two survivors among her Goldwyn films, and just noted the other day that, "Oh, I got that wrong, there's only one." So I'm glad to be correct again.

spadeneal

I have viewed 3 of the Mabel Normand Goldwyn Films and with the possibility of the restoration of “When Doctors Disagree” perhaps 4 before too long. The other 3 are: “Head Over Heels” (the last film she made for Goldwyn before returning to Sennett to make “Molly O’”); “What Happened to Rosa”; “The Floor Below”

[Brent Walker]

Marilyn, that's great news!

Brent

An email from my friend Rob King, the author of The Fun Factory (no, the one published in 2009 by University of California Press, not the Brent Walker book) came yesterday; as some of you are aware I posted a note back in September regarding a copy of When Doctors Disagree sitting at a film archive in Brussels, Belgium. Well, dear sweet Rob had some good news for us to start the grand 2010 odyssey of the coming year; he is going to Belgium in February.

It seems that When Doctors Disagree (Goldwyn 1919) is in
viewable condition! He thinks that the only unfortunate thing is that the titles are in Danish. It doesn’t matter, we can always get the title cards translated or as William T Sherman remained me, USC may have the cards in English already. Rob will let us know what he finds.

What is important is that it can be viewed, which means it could and should be restored. Mabel Normand is now recognized as an American cultural treasure, thanks to the National Film Registry but we all know she is an absolute gem and it doesn’t matter if the copy of When Doctors Disagree belongs to Belgium or Demark, Mabel belongs to the world, how glorious.

If you know anyone at the Belgium Online Archive, please put in a kind word and suggest that Mabel’s Goldwyn movie deserves a lot of attention. The world is waiting.

Here is a link to the information at Looking for Mabel. http://looking-for-mabel.webs.com/whend ... sagree.htm

Cinematheque Royale http://www.filmarchives-online.eu/