Friday, September 19, 2008

First Annual CAMM FELLOWSHIP!!!!

First Annual!
CAmm Fellowship Program
Jan 09-Dec 09


The purpose of the CAmm Fellowship Program is to promote growth and expertise in filmmaking and time based media arts of all genres and to support the development of finished, professional film, video and media arts projects. Each year CAmm awards one Fellowship to a filmmaker or artist working in time-based media living and working in Maryland, for a specific film/video project planned for completion in 2009. Fellows receive extended free use of CAmm Cage gear and the CAmm Media Lab and editing suite, for a specified time period. The Fellowship also includes a work-in-progress critique with established members of the film community (determined by the subject and format of the project) and concludes with a screening opportunity at The Patterson. Applications are evaluated on the strength of the proposed project and quality of past work. Works in progress are encouraged.

To Apply:

Submit the following materials by Fri Nov 7:
• Project description, including treatment, length of proposed work, budget and production timeline.
• List of gear and/or facilities you would like to access from CAmm. A complete list is available here www.cammcage.blogspot.com
• Reel of previous work, and/or excerpts from proposed work in progress (short films or clips from longer work, not to exceed 30 minutes total). DVD or Quicktime files are preferred.
• Written description of previous work, including title, date, media and running time.
• Resume, including contact information
• Three personal references, their relation to you and their phone number.

CAmm Fellowship Timeline:
Fri Nov 7 CAmm Fellowship Applications Due
Nov 2008 Selection Process (Strength of proposal and quality of past work evaluated by Jury)
Dec 2008 2009 CAmm Fellowship award announced
Jan-Dec 2009 2009 CAmm Fellowship (access to equipment scheduled, mid project critique, work completed and screening opportunity scheduled based on project timeline and description).

Applicants are encouraged to contact CAmm Director, Kristen Anchor with questions and to discuss your proposal. 410-276-1651, kristen@creativealliance.org

About Creative Alliance MovieMakers (CAmm):
The Creative Alliance is a dynamic artists’ organization based at The Patterson, a multi-art center in a former 1930’s movie theater in Highlandtown. Creative Alliance MovieMakers is a programming division of CA, created by artists working in film, video, and digital media with the goal of establishing Baltimore as a national center for film and new media. CAmm currently presents approximately 40 screenings and 50 professional programs annually. CAmm Cage and Media Lab offers film, video, sound and photo gear rental, a digital editing suite, DVD duplication, an iMac Lab, and a flexible classroom/screening room.

Jury: Lee Boot, Filmmaker; Jed Dietz, Maryland Film Festival, Catherine Pancake, Filmmaker

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Take 5 Interview with Kelley Baker!

1. What’s the last movie you loved and what was the last movie you hated?

I loved NorthFork by the Polish Brothers. I watched it back to back I was so wowed by it. I can’t tell you what it’s about exactly, but I loved it. I also loved The Hand That Rocks The Barley.

As far as hating any movies, I can’t stand anything by Lucas, Spielberg, or Michael Bay so I don’t even bother watching their movies anymore. I thought Once was over rated, but I can’t really think of anything I have seen recently that I hated.


2. What’s your guilty pleasure movie or TV show?

This is embarrassing, as it is supposed to be I guess, I am a sucker for Dirty Dancing. It might be because I can’t dance, and I went to school with a girl who looked like Jennifer Grey and I had a wicked crush on her. I have seen it too many times to count. I don’t have a TV so I am not current with any of the TV shows.


3. How’d you get into filmmaking?

I have always loved movies, I watched a lot of them growing up. I never thought a kid from Portland Oregon could make a living making movies but here I am. I went to USC’s Film School and left LA to make Independent Films. 25 years later I am still doing it.



4. What’s your fave piece of gear?
C-47s. I can’t imagine doing any film without lots of C-47s.
I don’t think of filmmaking in terms of gear, it’s all interchangeable to me. A camera is a camera and it doesn’t matter what type, what matters is what you do with the camera. I am like the most un-equipment kind of filmmaker.
After C-47s my favorite piece of gear is probably my lap top, that’s what I use to write my films with.

5. What’s the one thing you’d warn a new filmmaker NOT to do on their first film?

Don’t make something you can’t pull off within your budget. I see too many filmmakers trying to do these huge complex things on their first film. Make your first film as simple as possible, you would be amazed at how complex even making a simple film is. Practice your craft and do something tougher on your second and third films.
Also, don’t go in to debt. I ended up losing my house because of debts incurred in making my first feature. The IRS does not have a sense of humor.




Kelley Bio

Kelley Baker has written and directed 3 full-length films (“The Gas Café”, “Kicking Bird” and “Birddog”) and was the sound designer on six of Gus Van Sant's feature films including, “My Own Private Idaho”, “Good Will Hunting”, and “Finding Forrester”. In addition, Baker designed the sound on Todd Haynes feature film, “Far From Heaven”.

Kelley has written and directed 8 short films which have aired on a variety of channels including PBS, The Learning Channel, and Canadian and Australian television. His films continue to be shown at Film Festivals like London, Sydney, Annecy and Edinburgh, Sundance, Chicago, Mill Valley and Aspen.

Kelley attended the University of Southern California's "Famous Film School”, where he received a BA and an MFA in Film Production. He did post-graduate work at the American Film Institute. This and four bucks gets him coffee at Starbucks.

Kelley is currently promoting and distributing his short and feature films. His book, The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Making The Extreme Low Budget Film will be out shortly. Kelley has spent the last six years touring the U.S. teaching his subversive brand of filmmaking at workshops during the day and showing his films to audiences at Art House Theaters and colleges in the evenings.

CAmm Cage INTERNSHIP!!

CAmm Cage Internship Position
CAmm Cage is seeking part time intern for our film and video production rental program and media center. Responsibilities include assisting CAmm Cage Manager, some event documentation/video editing, and assisting artists/filmmakers in our iMac computer lab. Candidates must be friendly, organized, detail oriented and must have experience using both film and video equipment. Experience with non-linear editing and Mac troubleshooting also required. Creative Alliance strives to create an open and inviting environment for the community and to that end, this position requires excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Send resume and 3 references to jaimes@creativealliance.org (Work samples encouraged but not required.)

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