Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival 2008 Schedule
Thu, July 24 |
Fri, July 25 |
Sat, July 26 |
Sun, July 27
All films and programs are in Room 26AB, on the south side of the Convention
Center, above Hall H.
Thursday, July 24
10:00-11:30 Comic-Con Film School 101: Preproduction and Screenwriting—
For the fifth year in a row, Comic-Con
Film School returns with a four-day, hands-on, nuts-and-bolts series of classes
on how to make a movie for very little money, using available video technology
and desktop postproduction software. Whether you're shooting your first Zelda
fan film or that story about the leather-clad girl who hunts werewolves, this
course will take you from script to DVD so that you, too, can enter your own
movie into the CCI: IFF. This first class covers the specifics of preproduction
on the cheap, including screenwriting, casting, scheduling, location scouting,
crewing-up, getting equipment for nothing, and so on. Panelists for the class
include Matt Kohnen (NYFA, writer/director of Wasting Away), Valerie Perez
(producer/star of Paula Peril—Trapped in the Flames
and Tears of the Dragon, a Lara Croft Fan Film), Nick Murphy (director of Tears of the Dragon), Aaron Shoenke
(director of Batman Legends and Patient J),
and Sean Rourke (writer/director of 1st Person Shooter).
Action/Adventure
11:30-12:10 A.W.O.L.—1972. An American soldier (David Morse) is
captured and tortured in Vietnam. At the height of agony, suddenly he’s home
living an idyllic life with a wife and two children he doesn’t recall ever having
known. But the cruel torture of war is not over after all. It resumes at midnight
every night—an unending cycle of pain he has one chance of breaking. Escaping
will take wits and require a gun. Jessica Wethington (producer) and Lynda
Nicolay (director of photography) talk about the making of the film.
12:10-12:40 The Living Sword—A short film about three high school
friends, Sheen, Kwan, and Madison, separated by a bus accident and reunited
through the phenomenon of dark fables and folklore. But when friend turns against
friend, one is forced to become dependent on a sword enchanted with the soul
of a legendary sword-maker. Participating panelists include Patrick Hurd
(director), Mick Minh Nguyen and Kevin Leung (supporting actors),
Richard Chiu (lead actor), and Gabriel Smith (final audio mixer).
12:40-1:15 Bookie—At a raucous soul/R&B nightclub in 1963,
a gambling bookie risks everything he has for a waitress down on her luck. Tran
Quoc Bao (writer/director), Shaun Mayor (cinematographer), Ken
Quitugua (An Act of Revenge), JT Jackson (Bacardi and Cola),
and Sam Looc (Rush Hour 3) will be present to talk about the film.
1:15-2:05 ATF: Asian Task Force—In this tongue-in-cheek homage
to shows such as The A-Team and Miami Vice, an elite police force
is assembled to investigate Asian crimes in Southern California. In this "pilot
episode," the ATF is on their first mission to take down one of Los Angeles'
most nefarious drug lords. Participating panelists include James Huang
(Women's Murder Club), Teddy Chen Culver (Shadow Man),
Aaron Umetani (director of photography), Jerome Lu (producer/visual
effects artist), and William Lu (writer/director).
2:05-2:30 Shinobi Warriors—Two words: ninja mayhem! Featuring
Hanna Jun (female stunt ninja), Shaun Charney (stunt ninja/ fight
choreographer), Jeff Centauri (camerawork/wire stunt coordinator), and
Phil Guye (set construction/ 2nd camerawork), talking about the creation
of their film.
2:30-2:55 Citizen—In an eerie not-too-distant future, a young
man tries to escape from his homeland in the dead of winter. As this teenage
boy is chased by hunters through the harsh wilderness approaching the border,
he recalls the perilous steps of his journey and the fateful doctor's visit
that motivated his departure. Boy or man? Hero or traitor? Refugee or
fugitive? Citizen. Participating panelists include James Darling
(writer/director, Love Train: 1 2 3, Mom Vs. The Undead), Erik
Desiderio (composer, Tomten Hollow, Rusty Forkblade), Tim Meyer
(Hunter #2), Rebecca Blake (concept artist), and Helen Truong
(writer/director, 2012, Double Vision).
Comics-Oriented
3:00-3:30 New York Chronicle—B, a comic book artist, decides to
create a graphic novel based on a ten-day relationship he had in order to move
on. Peov, writer/artist from Comic Book Tattoo and writer/director
of New York Chronicle will talk about his film.
3:30-4:10 Woman’s Work—A mild-mannered housewife accidentally
discovers that she is a superhero. Navigating her way through the fantastic
world of comic book illustrations and the harsh live-action reality of life
at home, Janet Sancy juggles the jobs of fledgling crime-fighter and mom-at-home
and fights for respect from both. Writer/director Chad Benton, actor
Tiffany Laufer (Christmas At Maxwell’s). and editor Rebecca
Aldana (Little Wings) talk about their film after the screening.
4:10-5:55 The Crusaders #357: Experiment in Evil!—Taking the secret
identity of Furie, Connie Ferranti joins a team of working-class superheroes
as they go up against a billionaire mogul who may or may not be the fulfillment
of an ancient prophecy. And the greatest threat of all may be the darkness
within themselves! Panelists include Robb Wolford (director/producer/co-writer),
Bruce Heinsius (director of photography), Lyn Macomber (La
Femme Fatale), Jeffrey Stackhouse (Warlock), and Dov Schwarz (editor).
Documentary
6:00-6:25 Masked—As with many, what started off as creative Halloween
costumes grew into a long-time hobby and real art. In this short documentary
we see cosplay at its finest and we meet the man behind the mask. Participating
panelists include Jenny Sargent (director), JJ Conway and Jen
Fiore (subjects of the documentary), Nicole Exposito (crew), and
Jim Holmquist (music).
6:25-8:00 Independents: A Guide for the Creative Spirit—What does
it really take to be a successful comic book creator? This documentary explores
the personality traits and driving passions of the successful writer/artist,
through interviews with dozens of acclaimed comic book creators. Post-screening
Q&A participants include Wendy Pini (Elfquest),
Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Jim Woodring
(Frank), Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man), Keith
Knight (The Knight Life), Dr. James Kaufman, and director
Chris Brandt.
8:00-9:45 Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown—A chronicle of the life,
work, and mind responsible for the creation of the Cthulhu mythos, featuring
interviews with Guillermo Del Toro, Neil Gaiman, John Carpenter, Peter Straub,
Stuart Gordon, Ramsey Campbell, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Robert M. Price, Andrew
Migliore, and S. T. Joshi. Participating panelists include Frank H. Woodward,
writer/ director; James B. Myers and William Janczewski,
producers; Mars, composer; and Robin Atkin Downes,
narrator of Lovecraft and co-star of Babylon 5.
9:45-11:00 Night Gamers: A Tale of LARP—This verité-style documentary
explores LARP, a theatrical game in which participants dress and act like vampires
and battle one another using paper, rock, scissors. Follow players like Scott
Lynch, a fantasy writer, as he struggles for his character to remain Prince
of the Vampires. Geeky fighting words are said...“I hate you even
more now, Jesse. My spider sense is tingling,” as the Machiavellian battle
ensues. Juliah Inez Rueckert (director/producer), Brad Greenspan
(Fop Productions web cinematographer), Marvin Cheng (Fop Productions
web producer), and gaming enthusiast Ian Dull, discuss the film.