Poagao's Journal

Absolutely Not Your Monkey

Mar 25 2005

Urban

We’re pretty much set up for the Keelung tunnel shoot on Sunday. It’s going to be interesting seeing if we can purloin electricity from houses halfway up the cliff from the tunnel’s mouth. At least there aren’t any sarcophagae in there (that I know of). On the 5th of April, we’re going to shoot out at Chengchih University, which should be much more comfortable as it’s in a large congressional hall/NASA control room-like area.

Dean and I will be going to the Urban Nomad Film Festival tonight at Treasure Hill. They’re going to be showing films by several members of our crew, including Dean, Paul and Darrell. The teaser trailer for the new Lady X film is being shown tomorrow night. It’s a little over 2 minutes; I hope people enjoy seeing the first bits of footage for the film.

First night: Dean, Paul and I arrived at Treasure Hill at 7:30 last night, to find a few people trying to get the screen back up. Apparently it had blown down. Down by the river, they were hanging a huge sheet with “Urban Nomad” spraypainted on it underneath the riverside freeway. Groups of people were tugging on lines as the sheet listed ponderously in the wind, slowly tangling itself up.

The first few films didn’t get off the ground until about 9, and due to sound problems we saw the beginnings several times, which was disappointing. A fairly large crowd was present by then, and they shouted the now well-known lines along with the films as the crew tried to fix the problem.

The films, as is usual for Urban Nomad, included both indecipherable art pieces as well as poorly done no-frills slapstick, and not much in between. The setting was great, if a bit chilly. The cliff of old houses rose behind the screen, and the highway matched it behind us. At one point I was thinking a bonfire would be a really good idea. Also, snacks and something to drink other than beer.

I’ll be going again tonight, as I should probably see how the trailer goes down. Also, I’d like to take my big digital camera to get some good night shots.

Second night: Much more serious films on Saturday night, including one on the tsunami aftermath in Sri Lanka by Kloie Picot, and another devastating one about Liberia. I caught myself hoping the trailer didn’t come after one of those, because it would seem really inappropriate. Thankfully, it didn’t, but right before they showed it it started to rain, and people went running for cover. Those who stayed did cheer, and the shots of Dolly coming out of the water got a few cat calls. I think it went over pretty well.

Urban Nomad IV was nice, but after four years I’m getting the idea that the festival isn’t really going anywhere. The quality of the films is about the same, as is the organization. It’s too bad, in a way; it has real potential. I didn’t even stay until the end, actually. I had to get back home and get ready for the tunnel shoot on Sunday. More on that in the next entry.

posted by Poagao at 10:05 am  

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