Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Film Festivals Vs.The Web





Wow, how time flies... it's been almost a year since I graduated from Ringling.
It's been an amazing year full of great experiences and opportunities.

When Stevie and I finished working on our short film Defective Detective we were really debating what will be the best way to get it out there. Send it to festivals, or put it online? from talking to students and other film makers I understand this is a common dilemma, so I decided to put together all of our notes on this topic from the past year.


I hope you find this helpful.

Cheers,

Avner

Monday, March 12, 2012

Apartment Hunting



I recently moved to San Francisco.


My work set me up with a studio apartment for the first month
.

After a long flight, and an even longer shower,
I was ready to lay my head down, and get some rest.



Just as I finally fell asleep, a huge rumble woke me up...


I knew that San Francisco is known for its earthquakes, but this felt like something else...


just my luck...


Apparently my temp apartment was just above a night club on mission street.


It was clear that I have to start looking for a new place... fast..


Early the next morning, I opened up Craig's list, and started to reply to some ads.
I typed a nice email, telling a little bit about myself...


And waited.


And waited...


Aaaaaaand waaaaaiiiiiiteeeed.....

I didn't get!!! WHY AM I NOT GETTING ANY EMAILS BACK???

Until...



I was SO Excited!! not only I got a reply, They are inviting me to a party!!
what a great opportunity to meet new people from the city.


Little did I know...


I got to an apartment filled with about 30 people...


Everyone was ignoring the fact they are all fighting for the apartment,
and seem to have a great time!


" So I guess you are.. the competition"



"You don't have a chance Missy..."


"Ha.. Ha...Haa.."



It got late, and the owners of the apartment started to get annoyed that people are not leaving.
"why the hell are they not going? don't they have a place to stay??"


It felt like the gusts are playing their own game of SURVIVOR,
where the person who stays last wins the room.


While all the guests were hanging out awkwardly, the house mates had
a better idea how to pass their time.



They Even took pictures of everyone so they can rate them later!!!



In other houses I've seen, people seem really desperate.


Unfortunately, the situation on the street was not much better.


"Guys seriously, for this location, you won't find a better price!!"




One night I went to see an apartment in Haight Ashbury,
a neighborhood that is famous for being the center of the

Hippie movement in the 60s, and keeps that reputation today as well.


no one answered the door. It was a typical cold windy night in SF. but I decided to wait.




"Hi!!! this is Avner speaking!"


"We talked earlier..."


"About seeing the room tonight..."


"wohhhhaaa Duuuuuude!!!! ammmm.... hold on..."


"...ammm... this is kind of a bad time... do you mind coming back tomorrow dude?"




"F#@king Hippies..."


Some apartment were not quite sanitary...


Some just didn't... fit.



Some asked only for a female roommate.



probably wouldn't have worked anyway....


It was almost the end of the month and I had to find a new place. I was getting really desperate!!

And then... Just when I was about to lose hope, my phone rang!


I got a call back!! from an apartment I've seen a week earlier!


I moved in a week later, with this fabulous group of 3 personal trainers,
and 1 police dispatcher, whose hearts are just as big as their muscles!
oh! and there are two Chihuahuas too!

-HAPPY END-