July 1998

The Mirror Project, created in 1992 by Colombian-born Roberto Arévalo, involves outreach to teenagers and their relatives, video teaching sessions, and the creation of individual video works by the teenagers. In addition, a video diary which documents the participants’ learning process, and the individual productions are premiered in the community; cablecast locally; and shown at national and international festivals, conferences and workshops.

A little backstory: About two weeks ago a major writer/director whom Howard W. Koch at Paramount had brought into a project we were developing dropped out to direct another picture, and Ruben, resourcefully volunteered us to do the job (write the treatment and script) instead. To which Koch had replied, "Get to work."

Meet Rocky Collins, writer, filmmaker, and Mainer-in-exile. Having spent many years making documentaries, he recently began his foray into feature films with the black comedy Pants on Fire, which he wrote and directed. Pants is hot, and that’s not just a bad pun – Collins won Best Writer at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival for the screenplay, and the film has been selected to close the upcoming Maine International Film Festival. Collins read more...

Since the first audience watched a motion picture flicker on a screen in 1895, the art of filmmaking has exploded into a megaplex of ideas and images that have entertained audiences for the past 103 years.

Over the years, film financing has become one the most complex and risky investments. Though it is easier for the DeMilles, Hitchcocks, and Spielbergs of the world to land financing deals, there are viable avenues for independent filmmakers to secure financing.