August 2001

Amazingly, Kon Ichikawa, the subject of an August retrospective screening series at the Boston MFA, is no longer generally regarded as a major force in his own native Japanese film community. In fact, after a brilliant career spanning over half a century, he is thought of in Japan as a has-been, a relic. At 86 years of age, Ichikawa is still making films at a rate of one per year. To Americans, this sounds like staying power, to the Japanese, staying too long. Ichikawa is seen in Japan as being reluctant to throw in the directorial towel read more...

From a mere four pages at the start, to over 4,000 now, NewEnglandFilm.com has grown into an indispensable resource for filmmakers. Despite some pessimism at the start from those who thought it would never work, NewEnglandFilm.com is proud to be celebrating it's four-year anniversary this month. To honor the occasion, NewEnglandFilm.com (NewEnglandFilm) caught up with the site's founder and publisher, Michele Meek, to reflect on the founding of the site and the impact that it has had on the filmmaking community.

SH: What sparked the idea for NewEnglandFilm?

Tinderbox 2

Tinderbox 2 for Mac/PC, from England’s The Foundry, is a set of 20 new filters for After Effects. This is not a version upgrade from the popular and useful Tinderbox 1. T2 is a sequel and entirely new product.

I used to maintain that a book about writing made as much sense as a car about driving. With Rob Tobin’s book "How To Write High Structure, High Concept Movies," I will make an exception because this is an exceptional book.

The book is exactly what the title states: a step-by-step manual on how to write structurally sound, high-concept, "formulaic" screenplays.

TP: What's your involvement in experimental film and video?

The Gulf War seems to occupy an ambiguous space in the collective American consciousness. Most people old enough at the time remember what they were doing when they first heard of the bombing (I sat dismayed in the lobby of my college dormitory). But that moment could never be said to have the prominence of a Pearl Harbor or a JFK assassination -- nor even a Nixon resignation, a man on the moon, or an exploded space shuttle. The Gulf War cannot claim to have infected the American soul as much as Vietnam. And yet the Gulf War was, indeed, read more...

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Film Festivals

The Woods Hole Film Festival continues through August 4th, 2001 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The festival places special emphasis on regional filmmakers. For more information about the festival, please call 617-347-0316, e-mail woho32aol.com, or visit http://www.woodsholefilmfestival.com.

Azeem Robinson is a young filmmaker committed to educating youth on important matters and dedicated to helping the film community in Boston grow. He is constantly pushing himself to become a better storyteller and to enhance his artistic skills. He isn't afraid to tackle any aspect of the filmmaking process and that alone increases the respect his crew and actors have for him.