Author Archives: Michael Rodríguez Torrent

PSFN #10 wrap-up

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PSFN audience enjoying a film in 3S ArtspaceJune 2015 screening

A wonderful crowd made the most of a rainy evening this past Sunday and filled up 3S Artspace for our June screening. If you missed it, we’re sad, but never fear – we have our screening scheduled for next quarter, and details on all the films from this event down below. Hope to see you next time!My Mom's Motorcycle screening at Portsmouth Short Film Night

Next date

Come back and join us at our next scheduled screening, Sunday, September 27, at 3S Artspace.

Line-up & filmmaker links

Nuance

by Marc-Antoine Locatelli (France)

My Mom’s Motorcycle

by Douglas Gautraud (Kentucky)

Erlösung

by Mark Gerstorfer (Austria)

Not currently available to watch online – keep an eye out for it on the Erlösung Facebook page. In the meantime, check out the trailer:

https://vimeo.com/88682509

Horseface

by Marc Martínez Jordán (Spain)

Not currently available to watch online – keep an eye out for it on the Horseface webpage. While you’re waiting, you can watch the trailer:

Harold

by Katey Carson (South Africa)

Not currently available to watch online – keep an eye out for it on the Harold website. In the meantime, check out the trailer:

Also, take a peek behind the scenes:

Last Ex- Girl Seizure

by Gabe Mangold (Portland, OR)

Lila

by Carlos Lascano (Argentina)

For more background on the film, watch this BTS video, featuring an interview with director Carlos Lascano:

Screening #10 – Sunday, June 28

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Still from LilaDouble Digits

Get out of the house this cold, rainy Sunday and come join us in front of the warm glow of a movie screen as we break into double digits with the tenth edition of Portsmouth Short Film Night! We’re continuing in our new home at 3S Artspace, with all the comfort, high-quality projection, and tasty food and drink which that entails.

Still from HorsefaceEssentials

Buy tickets ($5 online or at the door)
When: 7:30pm – 9pm (doors at 7pm) on Sunday, June 28
Where: 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St, Portsmouth, NH 03801 (get directions)

Program

Still from ErlösungThis quarter’s selection remains true to PSFN’s eclectic style, featuring drama, comedy, documentary, dance, music, and magical realism. Films hail from such diverse locales as South Africa, Argentina, Austria, Spain, France, Kentucky, and Oregon. The evening’s program will run approximately 90 minutes, non-stop.

See you there!

 

PSFN #9 wrap-up

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"On Loop" screening at PSFN

Photo courtesy Michael Sterling

March 2015 second birthday screening

Last week’s Portsmouth Short Film Night saw a great turnout to our second anniversary screening, and our first in the brand-new 3S Artspace. It was wonderful to be able to show the films in their best possible quality, thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities, and we’re very happy to be able to do right by our filmmakers in this way.

Michael presenting the lineup at PSFN

Photo courtesy Michael Sterling

2015 screening schedule

PSFN will continue through 2015 on a quarterly basis with 3S Artspace as our permanent home. Screenings will be held in June, September, and December, with exact dates to be announced soon.

March 2015 line-up

For your cinematic pleasure, here’s a recap of all the films we saw on the night, links to view online where available, and links to further information about the filmmakers:

The Mysterious Disappearance of the Town’s Last Resident
by Damon Mohl (Indiana)
Not currently available to watch online – keep an eye out for it on Damon’s Vimeo.
Still from "The Mysterious Disappearance of the Town’s Last Resident"

Searcy County
by Noam Osband (New York)
Trivia: Noam, a PhD student in anthropology, once competed on Jeopardy and Who Wants to be a Millionaire — where he won $250,000!

https://vimeo.com/39247973

Voluntario
by Javier Marco (Spain)
Not currently available to watch online, but you can check out the trailer in the meantime:

Rattle
by Rene Dongo (Massachusetts)

Room 8
by James Griffiths (United Kingdom)
Room 8 was made as part of a film competition where all the filmmakers were given a script with the exact same dialogue, but no stage direction. Take a look at some of the other ones to see how different they all turned out!
Trivia: Director James Griffiths was the editor on a previous PSFN film, Stanley Pickle.

Big Willow
by Jared Katsiane (Massachusetts)

https://vimeo.com/58688400

On Loop
by Christine Hooper (United Kingdom)
Trivia: PSFN organizers Catherine and Michael went to university in the UK with the woman who appears in the film, Jayne Edwards.

TORO
by Lynn Kim (New York)

Art to Self: Ree Katrak
by Chris Spencer (New Hampshire)

Driving Without License
by Canal180 (Portugal)

Portsmouth Short Film Night audience watching a film

PSFN #7 wrap-up; get ready for a spooky screening!

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Portsmouth Short Film Night audience watching a filmJuly screening

A little later than usual, but here’s our wrap-up of Portsmouth Short Film Night #7! We were generously hosted at the West End Studio Theatre by New Hampshire Theatre Project, which made for our most cinematic seating ever. And we have to say, we liked it! Audience members also enjoyed tasty snacks provided by the always-supportive Portsmouth Brewery (check out their new website!).

In keeping with our constant experimentation with format (and because we had a backlog of  brilliant films to share!) we did something radically different from any of our screenings to date by not holding any Q&As. This let us pack in even more great films, but there were those who missed the chance to hear from and meet the filmmakers – as did we.  Not to worry, though, Q&As will be back, and we’re looking forward to introducing you to lots more local filmmakers at the next PSFN! Speaking of which…Portsmouth Short Film Night snacks by Portsmouth Brewery

The next, spooky PSFN!

As the seasons wind on towards fall, that means that there’s only one PSFN left for the year! We plan to go out with a bang, and we’re excited to announce that Thursday, October 30 at 7pm in Portsmouth Public Media, we’re bringing you a Halloween-themed evening of short films known only as… Portsmouth Short FRIGHT Night!

We already have some excellent submissions picked out, including a great local throwback: a spooky short film shot in Strawbery Banke in the ’70s! Come prepared for an evening of eclectic short films, conversation with the filmmakers, and spooky fun. And, hey, why not come in costume?! Join our Facebook event or sign up to our mailing list to be reminded — don’t miss it! And if you have a spooky or Halloween-related short you’d like to screen at the event, don’t forget to send us your film!

Prescott Park update

Finally, a little bit of sad news: we’re very disappointed to announce that our previously-advertised short film pairings will not be playing at this summer’s Prescott Park Arts Festival after all, as PPAF unexpectedly cancelled our program. We worked hard to make this happen for you, but unfortunately it will not. Maybe next year!

July line-up

And now, without further ado, here’s the low-down on all the films we screened for you at PSFN #7:

  • Fishhooks
    by Lunch and Recess (Charleston, South Carolina)
    https://vimeo.com/92512363
  • The Runners
    by Banyak Films (London, United Kingdom)
    https://vimeo.com/87169386
  • Justin Boyd: Sound and Time
    by Walley Films (San Antonio, Texas)
    https://vimeo.com/78213028
  • Behind the Move
    by Kendy Ty (Paris, France)
    https://vimeo.com/74573072
  • Why We Laugh
    by Sam Price-Waldman for The Atlantic (Washington, DC)
    https://vimeo.com/97532321
  • Gumshoe
    by Matt Steinauer (Los Angeles, California)
    https://vimeo.com/90199254
  • Stanley Pickle
    by Vicky Mather (London, United Kingdom)
    https://vimeo.com/28177151
  • Tumult
    by Johnny Barrington (Glasgow, United Kingdom)
    Full film not available online, but here’s the trailer:
    https://vimeo.com/18812335
  • Johnny Express
    by Alfred Imageworks (Seoul, South Korea)
    https://vimeo.com/94502406

See you in October!

PSFN #5 (The Anniversary Edition) screening wrap-up

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We Like to Pack ‘Em In

Portsmouth Short Film Night crowd February 2014First of all, a big THANK YOU to the standing-room only crowd of approximately one hundred film fans and filmmakers who got us off to a fantastic start to year two of Portsmouth Short Film Night this past Friday at Portsmouth Public Media. We’ve got lots more in store, and we can’t wait to share it with you throughout the rest of the year.

Support Us

 A number of people have asked how they can contribute to help sustain these screenings, and we’re happy to say that it’s now possible to make a donation to PSFN through PayPal. So, if you liked what you saw, and would like to see even more varied and interesting independent film, please help us out with a small donation. $1, $10, $100 — any amount can help!

The Films & Filmmakers

Here’s your chance to watch the films again, catch some of what you missed, or check out more from the filmmakers. Tell your friends about the films and filmmakers you loved! Without further ado, February’s line-up:

  • Selfie
    Andy Martin
    https://vimeo.com/87447382
  • The Janitor
    Mark Battle
    Video not currently available online, sorry!
  • Crazy: A Story About Cake (And Other Things)
    Madeline Herec

    Check out more from The American Recipe Project
  • Motel
    Hammer & Saw Films (Mike Mooney and Ben Watts)
    https://vimeo.com/16208123
  • 3S: Making Space
    Film Unbound (Catherine Stewart & Michael Rodríguez Torrent)
    https://vimeo.com/74722029
  • From 1994
    Mindcastle (Danielle Krieger & Casey Warren)
    https://vimeo.com/81111195
  • The Making Of: From 1994
    https://vimeo.com/80748235
  • les Perruches
    Julie Voison
    Video not currently available online, sorry! Check out les Perruches on Facebook for more opportunities to watch.

Coming Up Next…

Portsmouth Short Film Night crowd, February 2014Looking forward to the next PSFN? So are we! Get your next short film fix at 7pm on May 29 at Portsmouth Public Library. Following that, we’re in the process of confirming plans for an outdoor screening this summer and an end-of-the-year homecoming screening at a new venue near you (hint hint)! Mark your calendars.

Show Us Your Moves

Last, but certainly not least, send us your films! The submission deadline for May’s screening is April 30. We want to get your work out there to an audience and share your interesting, exciting, beautiful films with the world. Can’t wait to see them!

September 2013 screening wrap-up

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We had a great time at September’s Portsmouth Short Film Night and hope you did, too. Check back for an announcement of our December screening date soon!

If you missed us this time, want to watch some of the films again, or want to find out more about the filmmakers, we’ve got you covered:

Illegal

John X. Carey

This is Ben: A Documentary

Pam Severns

Check out more Ben & Eric on Funny or Die and Pam’s YouTube channel.

Off to the Races

Megan Lovallo
Off to the Races isn’t available for online viewing, but check out the trailer:

Megan works for Boston-based production company Long Haul Films. Watch more of Megan’s films on Vimeo.

Address is Approximate

Tom Jenkins

100 Head/Heart/Feet

Mike Mooney, Ben Watts, Zak Wieluns
Hammer & Saw previously joined us to screen their short Exit 7A. This month, we saw a trailer for their first-ever feature film, 100 Head/Heart/Feet as well as an exclusive preview clip. If you weren’t there, you’ve missed the preview, but we’ve got the trailer for you:

Keep an eye out for the latest updates on 100 Head/Heart/Feet on Facebook and Twitter

Prince of Pixel Tower

Jim Sass and Leah Astore

Subscribe to SassoStudios on YouTube for more of Jim’s videos, and visit the Sasso Studios website for even more of his work.

New England Blood

Dylan Ladds and Ryan Scura

Subscribe to The Granite Stoke blog for more of Dylan and Ryan’s videos and updates on their feature film.

The Man at the Counter
Brian McAllister

Check out the trailer for Patti and Me, Minus Patti, Brian’s newest film, and catch the full thing at this year’s New Hampshire Film Festival! Brian’s production company is Note to Self Films.

Frame from New England Blood

September 2013 screening preview

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We have an exciting series of screenings lined up for you tomorrow night, and we wanted to give you a little preview of what’s in store. We asked some of the filmmakers a few questions to gain a little insight into their thoughts on filmmaking, and here’s what they said:

PSFN: Why do you make short films? What can a short do that a feature can’t?

Frame from New England Blood

New England Blood

Dylan Ladds and Ryan Scura (New England Blood):

We make short films because we love making videos and short films are a great way to experiment with different ideas, techniques, and methods of storytelling. You can invest months and months into creating a three minute video, but you can also loosen up and make a short film in a day to keep yourself fresh and try something new. It is exciting to see the incredible variety of short films being created today. For our situation in particular, we are working on a larger feature film about New Hampshire surfers and making short films helps us familiarize ourselves with all of our footage, helps us keep people interested in our project, and lets us experiment with techniques we are using for our feature.

Off to the Races poster

Off to the Races

Megan Lovallo (Off to the Races):

I make short films because I believe they allow filmmakers to to focus on the bare essentials of a story. It allows the filmmaker to hone the craft and make mistakes, learn what works well and what rules can be broken. Short films are accessible in so many ways–easier most of the time to make than features because of time and budget, and they are also able to portray a simple story or idea in a cohesive way.

Jim Sass (Prince of Pixel Tower):

One of the best aspects of making short films is the challenge of telling a story and connecting with an audience in a limited amount of time. Shorts have the advantage over features of being more shareable, especially thanks to mobile devices so it’s a very exciting time for short films.

Frame from This is Ben

This is Ben

Pam Severns (This is Ben):

I mostly create short films because most of my current ideas are situation- or character-based comedy and often come in the form of sketches. I have a few ideas for feature length films, but I think I’m just getting my feet wet making sketch videos and shorts for now. I’d rather not risk compromising the quality of a longer film due to lack of experience or budget and stick to doing the best work I can, even if it’s only 30 seconds long. And shorts are really great if you’re working with a puppet that doesn’t speak!

PSFN: Does the changing way we consume media affect your filmmaking and distribution? How?

Dylan Ladds and Ryan Scura  (New England Blood):

The way we all consume online media has certainly influenced the way we make our videos. It has pushed us to be more concise with our videos; we try to keep everything around 3 minutes. It also has pushed us to be more active on social media, which has encouraged us to publish more photographs and produce more videos. While short attention spans can be frustrating, it is also helpful to push ourselves to make shorter videos because it really makes you evaluate what is essential to your story and why you are telling it the way you are. In terms of distribution, so far, we have published all of our videos online for free. We never expected to be making money from this project and, right now, we are just thankful that it is so easy to make our videos available to such a large audience.

Megan Lovallo (Off to the Races):

I wouldn’t say the way we consume media affects the way I make a film or how I approach a story, but I do think the distribution factor does. It’s never been easier to be a filmmaker in America today; the beauty is that anyone and everyone can make a film and put it online. But that’s also its downfall–there are so many ways to get your piece out there and there is just so much content, so it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.

Frame from Prince of Pixel

Prince of Pixel Tower

Jim Sass (Prince of Pixel Tower):

There are so many avenues for media on the Internet; even creating a YouTube video is different than creating a Vimeo video. The emphasis on shorter and stickier content can have a big effect, as well.

Pam Severns (This is Ben):

Of course! Everything is digital now, and anyone can share their work on any number of video sites. Which is both good and bad. It makes my work more accessible and I’m able to share it with a wider audience, potential producers, collaborators, or employers. But there’s more to compete with which makes it hard to stand out.

There will be more of a chance to hear from the filmmakers tomorrow night, when they will be on hand to answer your questions and listen to your comments. The screening starts at 7.30pm in the Strawbery Banke visitors’ center, so make sure you come early enough to grab some food from White Apron and a good seat. See you then!

Call for Submissions, September 2013

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Portsmouth Short Film Night is happening again in mid-September, and you know what that means — time to send in your films! We’re looking for all kinds of interesting shorts to screen and filmmakers to talk to. So it’s time to dig out that old film, finish off your current project or, if you are up to the challenge, see what you can create in the next few weeks.

Remember, we’re open to basically anything from anyone and ideally we’re looking for filmmakers who can attend to talk about their work. Try to send in your film by September 6th, because that’s when we’ll start making decisions about what we can screen this time.

Finally, if you already submitted your film, don’t worry — we still have it, so no need to resubmit. Otherwise, head on over to the submissions page for details and to submit your film. Can’t wait to watch it!

May screening wrap-up

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Recap

PSFN audience at the Press Room, May 2013We had another great turnout last night for our second-ever Portsmouth Short Film Night. If you were there, thank you! If not, we’ll deal with you later… (see below!) As always, if you have suggestions or comments, please get in touch. And, most importantly, send us your film to screen next time!

We saw a wide variety of films by filmmakers from all over the local area who came to talk about their work, as well as a couple from further afield. It was fantastic to hear about everyone’s experience, details of making their films, and plans for the future.

We also had a few growing pains this time, with some audio issues that we’ll improve upon next time. Speaking of next time, we’ve got lots of exciting plans for the future. First up is the next PSFN, which will be an outdoors screening in August! After that, we have some special PSFN-related screenings in the works. Stay tuned for all the details by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter or Google+.PSFN audience at the Press Room, May 2013

Films

So, if you couldn’t make it last night or if you’d like to watch any of the films again, here they are for your viewing pleasure:

Exit 7A

Hammer & Saw Films
Exit 7A isn’t publicly available online yet, but keep an eye on the Exit 7A website for more chances to see it. In the meantime, check out the trailer:

This is Chiang Mai

Jordan Schopick

Dead Astronaut

Michael Costello

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yjxe1iM020

Simpatica

Dean Merrill

Mum

Monkey Dribble Films

Ben & Eric Go Drinking

Pam Made This (Pam Severns)
Follow Pam on YouTube and check out some of her recent press.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7un2rudSq08

Requiem for Black Gold

Amy Kaczur

Cows

Newd Films

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjFkSWZgobE

Howlin’ Wind

Emily Falcigno

Watch Howlin’ Wind on Emily’s website

 

See you next time!

Screening preview: Cows

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This is part of a series of posts from the filmmakers previewing the different films that will be screened at Portsmouth Short Film Night.

This post is from Andrew Gibson, about his film “Cows”:

Still from "Cows"I studied Communication Arts at the University of New Hampshire, where I began making music videos and short films. Eventually a few friends and I started making comedy shorts under the NEWD FILMS moniker. To this day, most of our work is focused in the comedy genre, and we are currently working on developing several web series, sketches, and hopefully a feature in the future.

My sister is a die-hard vegan. I made the short film “Cows” to piss her off and gross her out. Let’s be honest, no matter where you stand on the issue, who doesn’t love a juicy Hamburger?

Come to Portsmouth Short Film Night on Thursday, May 9 at 7:00pm in The Press Room in Portsmouth, NH to see this and the other great short films being screened!