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Do a RainDance at Choochokam

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SCHEDULE OF FILMS

Text Box:  Couldn’t make it to Sundance? Can’t sit through epic movies? Then the RainDance Short Film Festival July 12 & 13 during Choochokam, Langley’s festival of the arts, may be just the thing for you. RainDance features the winners and most promising entries into the First Annual Clyde Digital Film Contest, and no film is more than 20 minutes long.

 

The idea for RainDance arose out of Clyde owner Lynn Willeford’s delight in YouTube, and her belief that the creative people of South Whidbey were certainly experimenting with digital films too. She met with Choochokam Arts director Patricia Friedman, who not only embraced the concept, but also convinced her husband, multimedia writer/producer Brent Friedman, to be one of the judges.

 

The rules for the contest were fairly simple: Anyone who lived on Whidbey Island or whose parents lived on Whidbey (or could make a good argument for a strong Whidbey connection) could submit on DVD as many short films as they wanted, short being defined as under 10 minutes each. A Grand Prize of $200 or a one-year pass to The Clyde would be awarded, as well as several category prizes.

 

In late June judges Brent Friedman, entertainment finance whiz Britt Fletcher, and Clyde owners Blake and Lynn Willeford screened the entries. They were looking not just for Grand Prize Winner, but also for the best digital films in other categories as well. The final prize, the People’s Choice Award, will be decided by the votes of the people attending RainDance.

 

The Raindance screenings will be the first time film has been a part of Langley’s festival of the arts. The best films from the contest will show for free on both Saturday and Sunday, and people will be able to go in and out of the theater at will. A schedule of the films will be listed on this website the week before and at the theater the days of the festival, for those wanting to see a particular film.

 

More than 60 films were entered—two or three times what the Willefords expected—and the quality was quite high. There won’t be time to show every one of them during RainDance, but as many as possible will be shown for the  four hours each day available for the festival. (A commercial movie, Kung Fu Panda, is already scheduled to play at 5:00 & 7:30 on those days.)

 

On Saturday afternoon there will also be a special one-time showing of the 20-minute film Monsoon, produced by Joseph Itaya and scored by Eric Lindsay, whose names are probably familiar to fans of the SWHS or Whidbey Children’s Theatre musical productions. In fact, both young men have at one time or another sung and tap-danced their way across the stage of The Clyde during Choochokam, usually in a tuxedo.

 

The last event of RainDance on Sunday afternoon will be the awards ceremony at 3:30. Winners of the various juried prizes will have been informed at the end of June, but the winner of the People’s Choice Award will just have to wait and be surprised.

 

The latest information and scheduling for RainDance will be posted at The Clyde’s website as it becomes available. Just go to www.theclyde.net and click on Special Events.

 

 

 

SCHEDULE OF FILMS FOR RAINDANCE

 

All times are approximate. Films are listed in the order in which they will be shown. All films except the PG-13 films show twice a day.

Admission is free.

Everyone coming to the RainDance Short Film Festival may cast one vote for the People’s Choice Award, their favorite film in the festival.

 

 

Saturday, July 12th

 

11:00-11:15    PG-13 Films  (These films have language or visuals that may be disturbing to young children)

Just MeTH by Patrick Moote, Jury Prize

Nightmare in the Valley of the Dolls by Hans Proppe

 

11:20-12:25    Best Films by Amateurs

          Ben, Age 5 by Nate Baston, Best Film by an Amateur

          21 Accents by Amy Walker, Best Homegrown Actress

The Parcel by Orson Ossman, Best Homegrown Actor

Fishin’ for Chickens by Tom Fisher, Randy Hudson, Tom Walker, and

      Gordy Adams, Most South Whidbey Film

Rounder and Captain Chuggs by Robbie Cribbs, Best Film for Children

Green Lake Dogs by Duncan Kelso

Columbia Beach Break by Bradley Robertson

Clouded by Ajae Clearwater

Ding Dong by Patrick Quinn, Best Music Video

Flux by Aleah Chapin

Green Sense by Clark Sarbaugh

Forty Hands by William Riley

Low Plains Drifter by Jason DeWitt, Best Animated Film

 

12:25-12:35   Best Films by Middle and High School Students

          What Lurks in the Closet by Mitch Worthy and Daniel Estill,  Most Entertaining Student Film

          An Evening with the Bard by Meijiao Jaehning, Best Student Documentary

          Determination by Adrianna Royal

          Chillin’ at the Island Coffee House by Ahren Bader-Jarvis, Best Student

                 Music Video

 

12:35-1:25   Best Films by Professionals

          Somewhere in the City, by Ramsey Denison (with music by Eric Lindsay),

                 Grand Prize and Best Film by a Professional

          Numinous Waters by Kurt Hoelting

          Click Whoosh by Ruth Gregory, Best Documentary

          Argentina Turning Around by Melissa Young and Mark Dworkin

          A Precious Human Life by Jane Winslow and Anahata Iradah

          Inside Nuremberg by Richard Williams

 

1:30-2:35 Best Films by Amateurs repeat

 

2:35-2:45  Best Films by Middle and High School Students repeat

 

2:45-3:35  Best Fims by Professionals repeat

 

3:40-4:00  Monsoon, a 20-minute film produced by Joseph Itaya

 

 

Sunday, July 13th

 

11:00-11:15    PG-13 Films  (These films have language or visuals that may be disturbing to young children)

Just MeTH by Patrick Moote, Jury Prize

Nightmare in the Valley of the Dolls by Hans Proppe

 

11:20-12:25    Best Films by Amateurs

          Ben, Age 5 by Nate Baston, Best Film by an Amateur

          21 Accents by Amy Walker, Best Homegrown Actress

The Parcel by Orson Ossman, Best Homegrown Actor

Fishin’ for Chickens by Tom Fisher, Randy Hudson, Tom Walker, and

     Gordy Adams, Most South Whidbey Film

Rounder and Captain Chuggs by Robbie Cribbs, Best Film for Children

Green Lake Dogs by Duncan Kelso

Columbia Beach Break by Bradley Robertson

Clouded by Ajae Clearwater

Ding Dong by Patrick Quinn, Best Music Video

Flux by Aleah Chapin

Green Sense by Clark Sarbaugh

Forty Hands by William Riley

Low Plains Drifter by Jason DeWitt, Best Animated Film

 

12:25-12:35   Best Films by Middle and High School Students

          What Lurks in the Closet by Mitch Worthy and Daniel Estill, Most

               Entertaining Student Film

          An Evening with the Bard by Meijiao Jaehning, Best Student Documentary

          Determination by Adrianna Royal

          Chillin’ at the Island Coffee House by Ahren Bader-Jarvis, Best Student

               Music Video

 

12:35-1:25   Best Films by Professionals

          Somewhere in the City, by Ramsey Denison (with music by Eric Lindsay),

               Grand Prize and Best Film by a Professional

          Numinous Waters by Kurt Hoelting

          Click Whoosh by Ruth Gregory, Best Documentary

          Argentina Turning Around by Melissa Young and Mark Dworkin

          A Precious Human Life by Jane Winslow and Anahata Iradah

          Inside Nuremberg by Richard Williams

 

1:30-2:35 Best Films by Amateurs repeat

 

2:35-2:45  Best Films by Middle and High School Students repeat

 

2:45-3:35  Best Films by Professionals repeat

 

3:45-4:00 Awards Ceremony, including announcement of the People’s Choice

          Award

 

 

 

Q&A About the RainDance Short Film Festival

July 12 & 13 at The Clyde

 

 

What is RainDance?

 

The RainDance Short Film Festival is the new cinematic element to Chochokam, Langley’s Festival of the Arts. It’s sponsored by The Clyde Theatre, on First Street, and takes place there during the day on both days of Choochokam, July 12 & 13.  More detailed information will be posted as available here—just click on Special Events.

 

What’s its purpose?

RainDance is a showcase for short digital films created by talented folks who live on Whidbey Island, grew up on Whidbey Island, or can make a good case for a strong connection to Whidbey Island. Its goals are to celebrate the creativity that’s an essential element of our rich cultural life here, share our creations with each other, and to inspire creativity in others.

 

How much does it cost?

In the spirit of Choochokam, admission to RainDance is free.

 

How are the films for RainDance chosen?

With the exception of one film, the films for RainDance are the best entries from The Clyde Digital Film Contest. Nearly 60 films were entered this first year of the annual competition, all competing for a Grand Prize for best digital film under 10 minutes of $200 or a one-year pass to The Clyde. Smaller prizes will also be given for best student film, best animated film, and other categories of the judges’ choice. Judges this year were multi-media writer/producer Brent Friedman, entertainment-finance specialist Britt Fletcher, and Clyde owners Blake and Lynn Willeford.

Additionally, RainDance will feature one film that, at 20 minutes, was too long for the film contest. Monsoon, which is set in India, is an exceptionally high-quality film produced by Joseph Itaya and scored by Eric Lindsay. Itaya and Lindsay are twenty-somethings who grew up performing on the stages of South Whidbey, including The Clyde’s, and we are proud to showcase their work at a one-time showing at 3:30 on Saturday.

 

What kind of films will I see at RainDance?

          You’ll see a little bit of everything--comedy, suspense, drama, animated films, cinematic poems, documentaries, music videos, and experiential films. Student films have been clustered together, but the rest are mixed for greater variety. If there’s a particular film or kind of film you want to see, you’ll be able to consult a schedule that allows you to estimate when it will play each day.

 

What’s the format for RainDance?

The Clyde will be running the films chosen for RainDance on a continuous loop on Saturday, July 12th, from noon till 4:00 and on Sunday, July 13th, from 11:30 till 3:30. A schedule of films will be posted here the week before and at the theater that day, so you can see when to catch the films that interest you most.

There will be a brief ceremony at The Clyde on Sunday at 3:30 to award prizes to the creators of the films chosen by the judges and also to a People’s Choice film voted on by audiences during the festival. 

 

How can I get involved in RainDance?

This year you can come and be entertained by the wonderful works of your friends and neighbors. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite film. You’ll find ballots for the People’s Choice Award in the lobby of The Clyde.

Next year you can make your own digital film under 10 minutes and submit it to The Clyde Digital Film Contest by June 1st. You may be a winner, and if not, you still will have had a good time. Films too long for the contest but no more than 20 minutes can also be submitted it for possible showing at RainDance 2009.

 

 

Do a RainDance at Choochokam