Author: Lou

Ladies and gentlemen get out the silly string and strap on your party hats, the best of the JUMP Society is coming to the JDHS Auditorium on Friday March 12th at 7:00pm. For one night only you will have a chance to see our finest films as selected by a prestigious group of local artists and aficionados. The best part… it’s free!

Do you owe me a favor? Do you want executive seating? If you’re interested in helping to organize this event please contact us at 586-3440 or attend our prep meeting Thursday, March 4th at 5:30pm in the Downtown Library. We’ve got all kinds of things that you can do to help and if we run out there’s a mountain of laundry chewing through the floor of my bedroom.

We’re still waiting to hear from a few of our judges but I’d like to thank those who has successfully sifted through the ninety-eight short films the JUMP Society has received over the past two years.

• Thank you to the hot blooded Donice Falcon and to her handsome and wise husband Zach Falcon
• Thank you to the sagacious and rocking Bob Banghart
• Thank you to the JUMP Society’s adopted mother, the invaluable Patricia Hull
• Thank you to the keen and capable Cheryl Levitt
• Thank you to the artful and cultured Ken DeRoux

University of AK

If you’re a JUMP Society filmmaker and you’re interested in participating in the “Jump Society: Behind the Scenes” show, please contact us. Heck, get a hold of us if you think you can fake being a filmmaker for a day. I haven’t heard back from many interested parties yet. Maybe you think I’m not inviting you specifically because this is a newsletter. Tell you what, I’m going to step out of newsletter mode for a moment and personally invite you to come talk about your films. That’s what I’m doing right now. I’m inviting you. No one else on this mailing list, just you because you’re the most important. The show will be at the University of Alaska Southeast Campus on March 26th and if you want to be involved in a more academic presentation of your work, we’d love to have you there.

Winter Wrap-Up

Our last film festival was, in my opinion, our best show yet. We packed the Silverbow so full of people that it looked like it would burst. By my count we had at least 550 people the first weekend and another 90 for encore Friday. I’ve had a few requests for a venue change because of over crowding but I sure do like a good cozy atmosphere. Maybe we’ll have to come up with some sort of ticketing system instead. We did have some audio issues that were partially due to a faulty speaker. We’ll have to iron that out as well. Right now Greg Cheney is talking to the Gross people about possibly using one of their theatres for a show in the future. I haven’t had much luck communicating with them myself so I thought we’d try sending someone who looked more like an adult and who has a vocabulary which doesn’t rely so heavily on the use of the word “dude.”

I still want to try an outdoor show on the third of July right before fireworks… anyone know who to talk to about that? I guess I’ll go ask some assembly members or something. If you care about where you sitting let me know where you would like to see future shows.

Laters

So long, I’ve got posters to cook up for the big show, swing by the Thursday meeting if you want to help out. Thanks for reading… Catch ya later dude!

Eeek eek ook! Calling all poster monkeys! We’re looking for some able-limbed primates interested in helping hang posters on every bulletin board and bathroom stall in town. The winter film festival is this weekend and it’s time to get the word out. If you want to lend a hand or you own a global media corporation, call 586-3440 and we’ll talk about how you can help. We’ve already got some air time lined up with a couple local radio stations and there will be an article coming up in the Juneau Empire. Aside from that, we’re relying heavily on word of mouth and the devastating charm of our film festival supporters. Yes you. You’re charming. So swagger on up to the next person you see and tell them to be at the Silverbow this weekend. Shows will be Friday and Saturday night, 7:00 and 9:30 in the Silverbow backroom. We’ll be packing folks in until we can pack no more so come over early and get a good seat. So I hope to see you February 6th or 7th, but don’t worry, there won’t be any dates on the final.

University of AK

We’ll be presenting a short show at the University Campus on March 26. The title, “Jump Society: Behind the Scenes”, pretty much says it all. We’ll be showing several of our favorite shorts along with some comments by various filmmakers. We also hope to leave some time at the end for discussion in case anyone has more specific questions or just wants to gush praise for our under budgeted masterpieces. Everyone is welcome to attend and we’re also looking for filmmakers interested in participating. It doesn’t have to involve a great deal of public speaking so let me know if you’re up for it.

Best of Four

We’ve got four of these film festivals under our belts now… well technically three but I can feel this egg hatching as we speak. What I want to do is try to organize a “best of” showing. I think our choices for venues are one of the gross theatres or the JDHS auditorium. This would be a one shot deal and we’d try to snaz it up a bit. Got any left over tinsel, maybe some silly string? If anyone wants to get on the planning committee or the selection committee let me know. We’ll be meeting in a few weeks.

Lights

A new UAS special topics course is being offered, it will be an introduction to lighting and camera work and could be useful in developing your eye… or mine for that matter. The instructor, Marilyn Holms, is a studio still life specialist from San Francisco currently living and photographing in Juneau.
http://www.uas.alaska.edu/humanities/expand/Art-Special_Topics.htm

Laters

A massive thanks goes out to everyone who submitted films and I hope you’re already thinking about what to do for the summer festival… outdoor third of July show anyone? Could be fun if it’s dry. Could be more fun if it rains :)

Ok, I’m outta here.. I’ve got an intermission to film, a sound track to lay down, and Gilder to frame for it. I’m swamped!

I’ve heard lots of talk….

“I want to make a movie about a turtle named tortie.”
“Turtles are so cool, I’m going to make a turtle-umentary.”
“My turtle could make a better movie than that.”
“I’m thinking of doing a film next time. Perhaps involving (dramatic pause) a turtle.”

Newsflash kiddies, this is “next time” so start it up! Turn the cranks, pump the pedals, push the buttons and throw the creative beast in gear. That’s right, we’re back with a feverish vengeance and we’re gearing up for our Winter show at the end of January. We’ll be accepting submissions through January 12th of all shapes and sizes so get those wheels turning.

You may have noticed the new JUMP Society posters popping up around town. If not, then please come by and grab a few to put in all those places you haven’t seen them. I could also use help coloring in the Ninjas.

Compilation Show

Just as a heads up… Hot on the heels of our next show we’ll be having a big compilation show featuring a selection of some of the best films we’ve received over the past two years… Yep, that’s right we’ve been at this for two years already and this winter will be our fourth show. Four. The Greeks used to say that the number four meant good fortune. Actually, I have no idea what the Greeks used to say, I didn’t pay much attention in history class. I guess I could look it up on Google but I’m plowing through this newsletter and I’d no doubt end up getting distracted by the prospect of true love only a click away.

Other Upcoming Hotness

The Panhandle Picture Show in Haines is accepting submissions. There’s a sign on the door of the Gold Town Nickelodeon with all the info but I’m too lazy to walk down the hall, let me check for a website… looks like submissions are due by January 5th. If you need to know more visit: http://www.panhandlepictureshow.com/

Also, the Anchorage film festival kicks off pretty quick. I talked to Tony Sheppard and I might try to carve out a niche for a JUMP showing up there next year. We’ll see how it goes.

Tapes

I’ve had several people come to me wanting to get a tape of our past shows. I usually try to explain that I’d rather be making movies than tapes but it started me thinking… what if I made a few copies of each show and gave them to the library. Then anyone could check them out and bootleg them at home. Of course, part of the fun is the community get together aspect and seeing people react to your work so I’d purposefully wait about four months after each show to put out the tapes.

Equipment

We’re very close to purchasing an editing machine for general use. We’re thinking of charging about $5/hr to edit on it and then kicking all the money back into the JUMP coffers for upgrades and blackjack.

Laters

I strongly suspect that if you’re receiving this e-mail you don’t need to be added to the mailing list but just let me know if you’ve got a friend who’s interested… it also makes a good birthday present (Happy late birthday Dad, see, I told you I loved you).

Ok, I’ve got to go plan my film. It’s going to be about art… and Ninjas. I bow respectfully to you. Sayonara.