Prescott eNews

It is surprising in our fast paced culture that short films have not found a way into general distribution. One of the bittersweet aspects of attending a film festival is getting to see some absolutely wonderful short films and then realizing that few people will ever see these gems. This is truly a tragedy with the film Gone Fishing. This is a film that fills its 13 minute length with beautiful imagery and a powerful message.

Like most in the audience, when the closing credits rolled I found myself wanting more. Not because the story was incomplete, but because the journey had been so rich and enjoyable. So enjoyable, in fact, that when the movie's surprising moment comes, it caught me completely off guard. This was a lovely experience because I usually figure out such twists before they come. I think that Gone Fishing was able to keep its secret so long because you are caught up in the story and enjoying the delightful tale that is unfolding before you. The length also lends to this. Because of the short form I didn't find my mind wandering and trying to figure out what is going on - I was just enjoying the ride.

Director Chris Jones has a very deft touch and I hope that he is able to continue his filmmaking and move on to a feature length production so that more people can enjoy his craftmanship. One of the surprising treats in the film was seeing Devon Murray, better known for his role as Sheamus Finnegan in the Harry Potter movies. He plays Young Bill in the film and his efforts to catch "Goliath" the giant pike is at the heart of the movie. Without any dialogue, he does a wonderful job of conveying the passion of this young man to capture his quarry. Bill Patterson and James Wilson are captivating as Old Bill and Simon, the emotional heart of the film.

I wish I could tell you where to go see this film, but that's the problem with the genre, there just isn't a venue for them. I would love to see some of these great short films available on iTunes or some other modern distribution channels that might bring a wider audience. Until then, you can order the DVD from the Living Spirit productions website (http://www.livingspirit.com/MOVIE-GONEFISHING/DVD/). There is also a trailer availble for the film (http://www.livingspirit.com/gonefishingMOVIE.htm).

The film has won numerous awards at film festivals around the world and was short listed (top 10) for best short at the recent Academy Awards. It has won Best Short Film at the Bahama and Barbados International Film Festival and the Kodak Awards (London, '08), and Best Film at Barbados International Film Festival. Chris and the gang can now add Best Short Film and Director's Choice award for Best Foreign Short Flim to their list of accomplishments! Congratulations.

 

Update: This afternoon I had a lovely conversation with director Chris Jones about Gone Fishing and his career in film making. Chris has made several other features, including Urban Ghost Story and The Runner. He also has a very entertaining video blog of his experiences at Sedona (http://livingspirit.typepad.com/). Chris is the author of a very popular series of books called the Guerilla Film Maker's Handbooks and has become more well known for them in recent years than his films. He told me that a student at one of his filmmaking courses asked him, "So you've given up film making and become a writer?" When he said that he hadn't, she said, "Yes, you have." Chris said, "I realized that at some point I had! ...So I made Gone Fishing, in part, to get back to film making and I made a point to follow what I had written in the books." If Gone Fishing is any indication of the instructions given in the Guerilla series, then every prospective film maker should give them a read!

Chris is an engaging person to talk with and he is filled with ideas about film making in the modern world. We spoke at some length about the challenge of finding new distribution channels for films, especially short films. In days gone by every feature film had a short that screened before the feature. But with the development of the multi-plex, according to Chris, that went by the wayside. It didn't generate revenue (in fact it cost money) and took up time that could be another paying slot for the feature. Today the best prospective channel for getting a short film out is iTunes. Unfortuantely, Apple will only accept short films from one distributor. "They're happy to sell you their software (Final Cut Pro) to make your movie, but they won't help you distribute it - even though they have the best distribution channel available." I, for one, hope that Apple will open their doors to help independent film makers distribute their films. They trumpet their software and hardware as the perfect tool for indie films, they need to go the final mile and truly become promoters of these free spirits that are using their products! (I didn't see a PC in the filmmaker's lounge all week at Sedona!) I was also intrigued to hear that one of the occasional problems with the film festival circuit has been that so many people at these festivals are expecting heavy "angst-filled" movies. So they just aren't prepared for the uplifting message of Gone Fishing. Fortunately that hasn't been the case at Sedona. It has been very well received by audiences. Its final showing is this afternoon at the Sedona International Film Festival.