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San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Announces New Executive Director
Oct 24, 2011
Press release: The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival announced its new Executive Director: Lexi Leban, who begins working with the festival November 7, 2011. A longtime member of the Bay Area film community, Lexi has worked in all aspects of film, from production to distribution. She’s also worked with numerous film festivals, including the Mill Valley Film Festival, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Global Social Change Film Festival in Bali. Lexi is currently Academic Director of the Digital Filmmaking & Video Production Program at the Art Institute of California, where she built the department from its inception. Her most recent feature documentary, Girl Trouble, which follows young girls in San Francisco’s juvenile justice system, aired on PBS’s acclaimed series Independent Lens in January of 2006, and won Best Bay Area Documentary at the San Francisco International Film Festival. More at sfjff.org.
Home

Innovative Characters, Concepts Inform New California Website
Adam Hartzell
Sep 13, 2010
A new film/photography website offers compelling characters, bold artistry and innovative storylines.
Q & A

Innovative Characters, Concepts Inform New California Website
Adam Hartzell
Sep 13, 2010
A new film/photography website offers compelling characters, bold artistry and innovative storylines.
September 16, 2010

Innovative Characters, Concepts Inform New California Website
Adam Hartzell
Sep 13, 2010
A new film/photography website offers compelling characters, bold artistry and innovative storylines.
Home

'Them Greeks' Tests Independent Digital Production Model
Jessica Sapick
Sep 7, 2010
An animator collaborates over the ether to bring 'Them Greeks....!' to life.
Q & A

'Them Greeks' Tests Independent Digital Production Model
Jessica Sapick
Sep 7, 2010
An animator collaborates over the ether to bring 'Them Greeks....!' to life.
September 9 2010

'Them Greeks' Tests Independent Digital Production Model
Jessica Sapick
Sep 7, 2010
An animator collaborates over the ether to bring 'Them Greeks....!' to life.
Q & A

Polk Street Lures Boswell's 'Stranger'
Michael Fox
Jun 23, 2010
Scott Boswell’s marvelous debut feature, The Stranger In Us, plays out on Polk Street and in the Tenderloin, far from the oft-photographed glamour spots of San Francisco.
Digital

A Digital Glossary
Hannah Eaves
Jun 8, 2010
What s the difference between streaming and download rights? Here s a glossary of terms filmmakers should know before signing a contract or hiring a web developer.
Reviews

Streetfilms' Two-Wheeled Revolution
Adam Hartzell
Mar 31, 2010
Pedestrians have always propelled cinema narratives, but the bicycle has rarely had a starring role.
Festivals

San Francisco International Film Festival's 53rd Edition
Susan Gerhard
Mar 30, 2010
Director of Programming Rachel Rosen and programmers Rod Armstrong, Audrey Chang and Sean Uyehara shared thoughts on 177 films from 46 countries.
Reviews

Green by Design: Purebred Productions
Michael Behrens
Mar 28, 2010
San Francisco has a variety of excellent soundstages, but one is trying to save the earth.
Digital

Sights and Sounds of South by Southwest
Hannah Eaves
Mar 24, 2010
Tens of thousands of artists, aficionados and businesspeople flock to Austin for a festival that is part online conference, part film festival, and more than part music.
Q & A

Karim Ahmad on ITVS's Forward-Thinking FUTURESTATES
Adam Hartzell
Mar 21, 2010
Think of U.S. public television and science fiction or any type of fiction doesn't spring to mind. ITVS aims to change that perception with a series of mini-features.
In Production

Laotian Tourists Focus Murray's Camera
Michael Fox
Mar 2, 2010
When Laos revised its visa structure to allow visitors to stay for more than one week, Westerners with digital cameras surged over the border.
Story Structure

Best Length for Documentary Films
Karen Everett
Feb 9, 2010
How long should your documentary be? If your audience begins to glaze over or feel restless, you've lost the opportunity to leave them wanting more.
Reviews

Pacific Film Archive's Young Filmmakers on Big Screen
Jane Riccobono
Feb 3, 2010
In the YouTube-Facebook-viral video era, it's hard to remember the time when youth-made media was rare.
Digital

Chat It Up: Livestream, UStream and Justin.tv
Hannah Eaves
Feb 1, 2010
When President Obama took office, CNN brought it online, allowing viewers to chat with friends and strangers, their conversation appearing next to the video.
In Production

Connie Field's Magnum Opus on Anti-Apartheid Movement
Michael Fox
Jan 12, 2010
By any measure, the long-awaited release of Have You Heard from Johannesburg? shapes up to be one of the major documentary events of 2010.
Q & A

Animal-Rescue Mine In Katrina's Emotional Aftermath
Michael Fox
Jan 7, 2010
Geralyn Pezanoski s doc about the separation and occasional reunion of pets and owners in post-Katrina New Orleans beat the shelf-life odds.
Reviews

Thoughts On the Aughts: Best/Worst Trends
Susan Gerard
Dec 31, 2009
While the U.S. moved from rebuilding decimated skyscrapers to the rebuilding of an entire economy, film moved from the multiplex to the mailbox to the mobile.
Story Structure

Best Practices For Naming Sequences
Karen Everett
Dec 30, 2009
For handy access to your most valuable footage, here s a method of organizing sequences.
Reviews

After Sept. 11, 2001, A Decade Found Its Way
B. Ruby Rich
Dec 23, 2009
On Sept. 13, 2001, I stood in a Toronto park and spoke to Canadian television: Movies wouldn't be the same. I was wrong.
In Production

Bay Area Narrative Filmmakers Thriving in Doc Capital
Michael Fox
Dec 23, 2009
Michael Fox shows independent filmmakers who are thriving in the Bay Area.
In Production

Legal Eagle Eye Kristine Enea Zooms 'Off the Grid'
Michael Fox
Dec 8, 2009
Kristine Enea's documentary shows The EcoCenter, a San Francisco environmental educational facility that treats and recycles wastewater and generates its own solar power.
Digital

Coming Around to 'Convergence'
Hannah Eaves
Dec 7, 2009
The 6th Screen: Hannah Eaves compiles some questions about "convergence", the increasingly popular practice of combining television and computer usage.
Story Structure

Sequence Names
Karen Everett
Dec 1, 2009
The Edit Room: Karen Everett shares tips on how to track multiple versions of Final Cut Pro projects and sequences.
In Production

Antonelli's 'Crossing Over' and Cooke's Soulful Genius
Michael Fox
Dec 1, 2009
Marin County filmmaker John Antonelli talks about his documentary on influential late singer-songwriter Sam Cooke for PBS's "American Masters" series.
In Production

Marissa Aroy Unearths Forgotten California history
Michael Fox
Nov 3, 2009
Aroy's film excavates the history and contributions of Filipino farmworkers in the Golden State since the 1920s.
Festivals

SFFS's Debut Cinema by the Bay
Robert Avila
Oct 22, 2009
A new, four-day showcase of local filmmaking doubles as a forum for the region's influence as subject and setting for filmmakers beyond the bay.
Story Structure

Organizing your bins effectively
Karen Everett
Sep 22, 2009
The Edit Room: Learning how to organize saves you time and money in the editing process; a walk-through just how to do it.
Digital

Free and Open: Video's Cambrian Explosion
Hannah Eaves
Jul 27, 2009
The Sixth Screen: Veteran journalists and filmmakers alike are polishing up their resumes, contemplating the hospitality industry, and wondering: Who stole my career?
Documentary

The Real Deal
Fernanda Rossi
Jul 21, 2009
Ask the Documentary Doctor: How do I choose the right crew for my story?
Q & A

Kutner and Goldstein on 'The Snake'
Michael Fox
Jul 6, 2009
Adam Goldstein and Eric Kutner discuss their debut, The Snake, an unapologetically impertinent, made-in-S.F, comedy that marks its creators as resourceful wiseguys.
Q & A

Richard Levien, from 'Immersion' to 'La Migra'
Jennifer Preissel
Jun 29, 2009
New Zealand transplant Richard Levien, a longstanding fixture of the San Francisco indie film community, breaks out of the editing room with Immersion.
Story Structure

Crafting an Elegant Essay Documentary
Karen Everett
May 4, 2009
The Edit Room: How do you keep your audience engaged rather than putting them to sleep?
Festivals

Local Makers Line Up Next Shot after SFIFF
Michael Fox
May 4, 2009
The 2009 SFIFF has been a launching pad for the numerous Bay Area filmmaker
Reviews

Film Society Awards: Ballard, Coppola, Redford and Toback
Susan Gerhard
May 1, 2009
The San Francisco Film Society honored Francis Ford Coppola, Carroll Ballard, Robert Redford and James Toback. Coppola surprised the audience by turning over the Founder's Directing Award he received to longtime colleague Carroll Ballard.
Documentary

Repeating Yourself?
Fernanda Rossi
Apr 28, 2009
Ask the Documentary Doctor: Fernanda Rossi advises on the distinction between repetition and reinforcement in documentary filmmaking.
In Production

SFIFF52: 'The Professionals' Unites Filmmakers
Michael Fox
Apr 28, 2009
The Professionals an ambitious array of panels, case studies and discussions, makes its debut as a forum for encouraging Bay Area moviemakers to engage with guests and colleagues.
Festivals

SFIFF52: Jennifer Maytorena Taylor and a 'New Muslim Cool'
Sura Wood
Apr 6, 2009
Jennifer Maytorena Taylor's documentary, New Muslim Cool, focuses on Hamza Perez, a Catholic hip hop artist, who converted to Islam; whose life is now a crucible of disparate urban influences.
Festivals

SF International Film Festival Lineup
Susan Gerhard
Mar 31, 2009
The two weeks of programs offers 151 films from 55 countries, awards and prices, and a wide array of San Francisco talent, from legendary names to the fledgling artists.
Festivals

Politics Get Personal in 'Project Kashmir'
Jonathan Kiefer
Mar 19, 2009
Co-directors Senain Kheshgi and Geeta V. Patel, two American friends with family ties to opposite sides of the conflict, went to Kashmir together to see what they could learn–and what the rest of us could.
Festivals

SXSW: From the Producer's Chair
Holly Million
Mar 17, 2009
Holly Million reviews some of the documentaries shown at this year's festival: It Came >From Kuchar, MIne and Motherland.
Documentary

Sound Advice
Fernanda Rossi
Mar 10, 2009
Sound design: in a documentary can be a great ally in bringing real life to the screen, and the dilemma is not whether to use this wonderful story device but rather how and in what context.
Legal

'Medicine for Melancholy' and the Art of DIY Legal Agreements
George Rush
Mar 3, 2009
For many narrative filmmakers, hiring a lawyer is either an afterthought or not a financial reality, but moving forward with a film without considering legal is a huge mistake.
Reviews

Strand Releasing Turns 20
Dennis Harvey
Feb 26, 2009
Twenty years after its founding, Strand Releasing remains an active, irreplaceable and distinctive presence on the U.S. distribution scene.
First Person

Ten Commandments Before Diving into Digital Delivery
Larry Daressa
Feb 24, 2009
First-Person: Larry Daressa provides helpful hints on distribution strategy.
In Production

Peled's Globalization Trilogy in India's Cotton Fields
Michael Fox
Feb 24, 2009
The throughline of Micha Peled's film is a farmer in a village in Vibharba, in central India's cotton belt, over a farming season.
In Production

Leban and Szajko's Gay Marriage Doc
Michael Fox
Feb 18, 2009
The tentatively titled Winter of Love uses Prop. 8 as a framework for a look at the increasing acceptance of gay marriage.
In Production

Ellen Lake's Miniatures Fit Right In
Michael Fox
Feb 11, 2009
When we're finally all watching movies on the most expedient of platforms–our mobile phone–Ellen Lake will be at the head of the parade.
First Person

Funder as Supplicant
John R. Killacky
Jan 20, 2009
First-Person: A program officer at the San Francisco Foundation has a sobering experience making a documentary.
Legal

Casting: Names and Numbers
George Rush
Jan 16, 2009
Avoiding Disaster: George Rush writes on the conundrum of not getting money for a project without a known cast, and not getting a cast without a bunch of money.
In Production

'Tongues' Cracks the Language Barrier
Michael Fox
Jan 13, 2009
The forthcoming film Speaking in Tongues follows four diverse local public-school students enrolled in language-immersion programs.
Q & A

Wendy Levy on the Politics of Participation
Susan Gerhard
Jan 12, 2009
Levy offers thoughts on the program she's presenting at Sundance and what's being called the "New Documentary Movement."
News & Blogs

Unresolutions of 2009
Hannah Eaves
Jan 9, 2009
Certain questions in 2008 endlessly plagued the film world, leading to outlandish predictions, flame-war mayhem and an outbreak of opinionated public speaking.
In Production

Elizabeth Pepin's 'Wasted!'
Michael Fox
Jan 6, 2009
If you've been waiting for a punk-rock doc about sewage and wastewater treatment–admit it–it's in the pipeline and heading your way by year's end.
Q & A

Pamela Harris, GFEM, and Filmmaker Funding
Michael Fox
Dec 22, 2008
Oakland's Pamela Harris and Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media are connecting media makers with financial resources.
Digital

Greenscreen Envy
Hannah Eaves
Dec 5, 2008
The Sixth Screen: Senior Director of Marketing and Product Management and iFanboy producer and co-host Ron Richards talks about Revision3, the next generation of TV.
Funding

What Crisis? Fundraising During an Economic Meltdown
Holly Million
Dec 3, 2008
Fear-Free Fundraising: Holly Million advises filmmakers on where to get funding when the going gets tough.
Documentary

Perfect Pitch
Fernanda Rossi
Nov 21, 2008
Ask the Documentary Doctor: Fernanda Rossi weighs in on how many different pitches you really need for your documentary.
Reviews

Global Lens on Link TV
Judy Stone
Nov 20, 2008
Global Film Initiative's Global Lens series offers a regular spot in your home theater for edgy world-cinema narratives don't often get a place at local multiplexes.
Digital

Basics of Web 3.0?
Hannah Eaves
Oct 31, 2008
The Sixth Screen: If you're interested in the future of online technology, 'jaguar' is the evergreen example used to explain what's called The Semantic Web.
Festivals

Carnival of Nonfiction Filmmaking
Dennis Harvey
Oct 16, 2008
The extreme, the strange, the silly and surreal all have big seats at the SF DocFest table.
Festivals

MVFF: Mulford and Cruz On Chile's Dark Past
Michael Fox
Oct 8, 2008
Marilyn Mulford collaborated with Quique Cruz on the pensive, humanistic, and inspiring Archaeology of Memory: Villa Grimaldi.
Q & A

Jack Stevenson on 'The Superstars Next Door'
Matt Sussman
Oct 6, 2008
Freelance curator and film fanatic Jack Stevenson brings grainy reels documenting live, nude girls to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
In Production

Straight and Not So Narrow 'Crooked Beauty' In Production
Michael Fox
Oct 1, 2008
In 'Crooked Beauty,' mental health is re-imagined and redefined.
Digital

SWAG: Free Feature Films On the Web
Hannah Eaves
Sep 26, 2008
The Sixth Screen: Here are some browser-based legal zones for free online feature film viewing pleasure. No installation required.
Festivals

7th SF DocFest Program
Susan Gerhard
Sep 25, 2008
The seventh San Francisco International Documentary Film Festival has the potential to be every bit as raucous as the other festivals under the organization's umbrella.
Festivals

Mill Valley's 31st Program
Susan Gerhard
Sep 10, 2008
This year's Mill Valley Film Festival shows healthy signs of life for the independent film business.
In Production

Scott Crocker's 'Ghost Bird' Phenomenon
Michael Fox
Sep 2, 2008
Scott Crocker's documentary brings the truth behind the "Lord God" bird phenomenon out of the bushes.
News & Blogs

Second Stage of Film Arts Foundation's Legacy of Advocacy
Michael Fox
Aug 20, 2008
Film Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed by 15 independent filmmakers in 1976, joins forces with SFFS.
Q & A

Stephen Olsson and Link TV
Michael Fox
Aug 17, 2008
SF360.org talks to the senior director of original programming at Link TV, which provides an antidote to the standard television news mix.
Digital

What's Fair is not Foul
Hannah Eaves
Jul 24, 2008
The Sixth Screen: The first installment of a new, monthly column by filmmaker and journalist Hannah Eaves looks at just how "fair use" is being utilized.
Reviews

Screen Test, San Jose
Sean Uyehara
Jun 11, 2008
Exhibitions in San Jose feature art drawn from and inspired by online social networking sites, Youtube, video games and blogs.
Reviews

San Francisco Black Film Festival's 10th
Dennis Harvey
Jun 4, 2008
In 2008 the San Francisco Black Film Festival marks its 10th anniversary with the most expansive program yet, flagging the theme "10 Years, 10 Days, 100 Films."
Festivals

SFIAF: 'Mordake' and Week Two -- Reviewed, Previewed
Robert Avila
May 28, 2008
Composer Erling Wold's solo chamber opera enjoys a thrillingly intimate world premiere this week under the banner of the San Francisco International Arts Festival.
Q & A

Christopher Coppola Wants You
Robert Avila
Dec 6, 2007

Somewhere between iPhone and YouTube there’s a wee festival known as miniPAH. A more slender version of PAH-FEST, the touring weeklong digital film festival founded a year and a half ago by filmmaker Christopher Coppola, “miniPAH: San Francisco” happens this weekend at Coppola’s alma mater, San Francisco Art Institute, ahead of a full-fledged Bay Area PAH sometime next year.
Q & A

Sean Uyehara Talks S.F. International Animation Festival
Eve O'Neil
Nov 7, 2007
SFFS programmer Sean Uyehara gives some perspective on the shifting dimensions of animated filmmaking.
Festivals

Digital Festival
Michael Fox
May 2, 2007
Movies are shifting at mach speed from the theater to the home. The future is at hand.
Reviews

15 Minutes of YouTube
Justin Juul
Feb 2, 2007
The List: A collection of individuals who caught my eye in an intense week of YouTube scouring. Most have gotten upwards of one million views.
Reviews

"Radical Closure" at the PFA
Robert Avila
Dec 7, 2006
This series of cinematic responses to war, curated by Lebanese video artist Akram Zaatari, opens up possibilities for re-imagining the dehumanized landscape of violence.
Festivals

A Cinequest 35
Susan Gerhard
Nov 17, 2006
Cinequest announces a plan to distribute indie films via DVD, the Internet, TV, and some traditional theatrical sales.
News & Blogs

Morpho Power at SIGGRAPH
Sean Uyehara
Aug 16, 2006
The Association for Computing Machinery Ôs 2006 conference and exhibition offered animation, new media art exhibits and the latest techniques in interactivity.
Festivals

ZeroOne Through Ten
Susan Gerhard
Aug 4, 2006
The List: ZeroOne San Jose Global Festival of Art on the Edge presents an array of = augmented realities, artificial intelligences, and interactive pieces.
Q & A

Marc Huestis and a Wrinkle in Time
Susan Gerhard
Jun 13, 2006
Marc Huestis talks about his latest film, , and the pros and cons of getting old.
Festivals

Addictive TV's VJ-style "Eye of the Pilot" at the Kabuki
Michael Fox
May 3, 2006
An intimate group caught Addictive TV's VJ-style show of ÔEye of the Pilot' at the Kabuki, and stayed late for an enthusiastic Q&A.
Festivals

International REMIX
Susan Gerhard
Apr 19, 2006
If you haven't yet found your repurpose in life, SFIFF's International Remix site might be of use.
In Production

Delicious 'All About Evil' In Production

Michael Fox goes behind the scenes on Peaches Christs' slice-'em-up.

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