outdated updates
Posted by: Matt McCormick
i have not been much of a blogger lately, but that doesn't mean i haven't been busy.
first off, i am very excited to announce that my film Some Days are Better than Others will be making its world premiere at the South X Southwest music and film festival. specific dates and times have yet to be announced, but the festival runs March 12-20 in Austin TX, and more info can be found at www.sxsw.com
also, I just completed a new music video for Eluvium (whose head dude, Matthew Cooper, just so happened to pen the soundtrack for the previously mentioned movie). check it out -------->
some days are better than others (trailer)
Posted by: Matt McCormick
i am excited to post the first official trailer for Some Days are Better than Others!
Sports Photographer
Posted by: Matt McCormick
Although it's been nearly 20 years since last doing so, sports photography is in many ways what got me started on the "career path" that I am still on today. Taking pictures of hockey, football, and such for my high-school newspaper is what got a camera in my hands and got me hooked on making pictures. I took hundreds of photographs, taught myself how to use a darkroom, and was even awarded an honorable mention at the Jefferson County Public Schools newspaper photo competition (a major award!)
So anyhow, I was rather excited when the fine folks over at The Portland Sportsman asked me to take photographs at a recent Portland Beavers AAA baseball game. I was a bit nervous, especially once I realized that I just didn't have the right equipment to truly capture the 'in action' moments during a night game. But eventually I got into a groove and just started to look for interesting shots. You can read the story here, and below are some of the photos that did not make it into the article. (as usual, you can click on the image to see it BIG)
ben coonley original mash-up
Posted by: Matt McCormick
Ben Coonley was in town last week for the PDX Film Fest, causing trouble...
Matt + Tess!!!
if you missed Ben's show last week, here is one of his awesome videos:
the 2009 PDX Film Festival is happening...
Posted by: Matt McCormick
even though i am no longer running the PDX Film Fest, I can say with certain confidence that there is some super awesome stuff happening at this year's festival. I mean, we got the Girl Talk documentary RiP! A Remix Manifesto, plus visiting artists Ben Coonely and Peggy Ahwesh, a super-rare screening of the films of Bruce Conner, the Experimental Filmmaker Karaoke Throwdown, and of course we have THE PERIPHERAL PRODUCE INVITATIONAL (which i am proud to say that i am still the bingo-caller for).
The fest starts Wednesday May 7 and runs through Sunday the 10th at the Clinton Street Theatre. for the entire lowdown visit www.pdxfilmfest.com. We will be live-blogging the fest for instant updates, but here are some things to be sure to watch for:
OPENING NIGHT! Bruce Conner: In Memoriam
Co-presented by PDX Fest, NWFC and Cinema Project
We are honored to open PDX Fest 2009 with a very special tribute screening to California artist and filmmaker Bruce Conner (1933-2008). Conner was the modern master of found footage filmmaking. During his 40-year career--first as a pioneer of assemblage art and then as a heralded moving-image maker--he created a unique body of work that examined American society with wit and clarity of vision. His carefully edited montage films, informed by his sculptural practice, draw upon sources as varied as educational films, newsreel footage and television commercials, finding new power and associations in discarded or forgotten images. We welcome Michelle Silva, a representative of the Conner Family Estate, for this special program of works that resonate in surprising ways with American popular culture. Clinton Street Theater May 6th, 7:30
Featured Artist: Peggy Ahwesh
Co-presented by Cinema Project
PDX Fest is incredibly excited to welcome avant-garde filmmaking veteran Peggy Ahwesh to Portland to present a mini-retrospective of film and video works from throughout her 35+ year career. Aptly described as a bricoleur, Peggy works in a combination of narrative and documentary styles, improvisational performance, found footage, noise and nonsense, utilizing a variety of obsolete, low-end and arcane technologies. Peggy will be sharing some of her rarely screened early super 8 work as well as some of her more recent forays into the digital realm. Her work as an actor will also be on display at the festival in Deliver, Jennifer Montgomery's all-woman remake of Deliverance (screening May 10th, 1PM). Peggy plays the role made famous by Burt Reynolds in the original film. While in town for the festival, Peggy will also be teaching a workshop on techniques of improvisation for filmmakers (NWFC School of Film, May 10th). Clinton Street Theater May 8th, 7:30
Featured Artist: Ben Coonley
An evening of pranks, postmodern revisions and 3D fun will be in store as festival featured guest Ben Coonley presents an entertaining evening of his off the wall new media and video art pieces. Ben's work dismantles and rearranges texts and subtexts of contemporary media culture, often to hilarious effect. Ben will share selections from his varied body of work including the world premiere of a documentary begun as a teenager in 1990 as well as a new "avant-PowerPoint" performance! Ben will also be teaching a Do It Yourself 3D moviemaking workshop over the weekend (NWFC School of Film, May 9th). Clinton Street Theater May 7th, 7:00
RiP! A Remix Manifesto
We are very excited to present Brett Gaylor's very timely feature documentary exploring the concept of copyright in the era of Napster, Bit Torrent and peer-to-peer file sharing. Using mash up artist Girl Talk as the film's protagonist, Gaylor takes us on an enthralling journey into the complex world of copyright protection in the midst of a rising generation of steady downloaders. Serving as a rallying cry for the pioneers of a new fair use culture of samplers, remixers, and reinventors, RiP! is an entertaining, upbeat and downright inspiring vision of an open source future. Clinton Street Theater May 7th, 9:00
The Experimental Filmmaker Karaoke Throwdown! Take II! at Holocene
Co-presented by Disjecta
The Experimental Filmmaker Karaoke Throwdown is back for the sequel to last year's premiere event. After the raging success of last year's Throwdown - which featured a stand out performance of Xanadu by Tara Jane O'Neil as well as a full audience sing along to Total Eclipse of the Heart - we are taking the party to Holocene this year. We're back with a brand new katalog of karaoke klassics featuring homemade karaoke videos from our favorite filmmakers including Shana Moulton, Ben Russell, Jeanne Liotta, and Bryan Boyce. Plus, we will also have Rush-N-Disco, Hooliganship and DJ BJ in the house to keep the party rockin' till the breaka dawn. Ahhhh Yeahhhhh! Holocene May 8th, doors open at 9PM, 21+
The 2009 Peripheral Produce Invitational
The Peripheral Produce Invitational (dubbed the 'World Championship of Experimental Cinema') will once again pit filmmakers from Portland and beyond against each other in a rock-em-sock-em, trash talkin' competitive film showdown. Last year's reigning champ Orland Nutt is back to defend his title but a gang of bloodthirsty challengers are ready to give him a run for his money. Who will walk away with the trophy this year? With all the filmmakers in attendance and the audience deciding who wins, you never know what will happen in this battle-royale of experimental film. Come join us and let your vote count in selecting this year's winner! Clinton Street Theater May 9th, 8:30
CLOSING NIGHT! O'er The Land
PDX Fest closes with a loud BANG as we present the Portland premiere of Deborah Stratman's new 16mm feature, O'er The Land. This gorgeous experimental documentary has been wowing audiences from Sundance to Rotterdam this year. Simultaneously a critique of violence, a rumination upon our national psyche, and a ritualized celebration of colossal forces beyond our control, Deborah Stratman's new film explores the ways Americans have come to understand freedom and the increasingly technological reiterations of manifest destiny. Combining high school Friday night football games, Revolutionary War re-enactments, automatic weapon conventions, and a gut wrenching story of survival by a fighter jet pilot, Stratman has crafted a stunning and powerful portrait of our cultural psyche. Clinton Street Theater May 10th, 8:00
BUM EQUIPMENT: The PDX Fest Video Installation Exhibit at galleryHomeland
For this year's PDX Fest, Peter Burr conjured a Cartune Xprez installation showcase featuring work by over 20 artists from around the world. Featuring over 50 monitors, this program takes place in three distinct parts equalling one heavy dose of the video-world unraveled. Single channel video loops, interactive homemade video games, and sculptural installation pieces all comprise this stunning exhibition of modern psychedelia. Opening night party will feature live musical performances and other surprises!
OPENING NIGHT PARTY: May 6th 7PM - 12AM with live performances starting at 9PM
REGULAR VIEWING HOURS: May 7th - 24th from 12PM - 6PM, Thursday through Monday
PLUS new films and videos from a ton of amazing filmmakers (many of whom will be in attendance!) including Lee Anne Schmitt, Michael Gitlin, Rebecca Baron, Adele Horne, Roger Beebe, Sam Green, and Jennifer Montgomery! PLUS PLUS workshops, parties, surprise performances AND MUCH MUCH MORE!!
For the complete PDX Fest 2009 Schedule, ticketing info and last minute updates head to: www.pdxfilmfest.com
Hazel on Hi-8
Posted by: Matt McCormick
I found an old box of Hi-8 videotapes that I shot in the early and mid 90s, including this concert footage of the Portland indie/grunge band Hazel playing at the now defunct venue La Luna in June of 1996. Hazel shows were always fun and a little crazy; they had a designated 'dancer' (Fred Nemo) who'd offer an unpredictable element of danger.
Hazel performing at La Luna / 1996 from matt mccormick.
the duke is back in portland
Posted by: Matt McCormick
important research!
Posted by: Matt McCormick
dear readers, please help me with this important research! please take the poll and feel free to leave comments with any addition thoughts. together we will get to the bottom of this important topic!
sunrise in a cloud
Posted by: Matt McCormick
(click on images to see them bigger!)
Milk (the movie) + Prop 8 + dizzying coincidences
Posted by: Matt McCormick
I have been bumping into a strange pattern of coincidences lately, but nothing more powerful then the one-two punch of watching the Portland premiere of Gus Van Sant's new film Milk, then attending a gay-rights rally that coincidently took place following morning that was part of a nation wide effort to show opposition to the passing of Proposition 8 in California. Milk is a powerful biopic about Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office when he became a City Supervisor in San Francisco in 1978. The film, starring Sean Penn, is incredible and certainly one of Van Sant's best. It combines the artistic flair of his films Elephant and Last Days with the 'pull at your heartstrings' accessibility of Good Will Hunting. Sean Penn is also magnificent, and I believe that with this role he has clearly established himself as one of the best actors of his generation. I will not be surprised if both Penn and Van Sant receive Oscar nods.
here is the trailer for Milk, which opens in theaters next week:
The next morning at the rally, Portland Mayor-elect (and blogger) Sam Adams, who will be the first openly gay mayor of a major American US City when he takes office in a couple months, came out with a blow-horn proclaiming "People of Portland, my name is Sam Adams and I am here to recruit you!" deliberately referencing Harvey Milk and playing off the energy that the previous night's screening had inspired. The crowd of a couple thousand went nuts and it was almost like we were recreating a scene from the movie, but with the very unfortunate fact that here we were fighting the same fight 30 years later. The parallels were dizzying, and it showed both how far our society has come but also how far we still have to go.
This one-two punch really got my head spinning, and I wrote out a long angry rant about why I think denying the right to marry is cruel and bigoted. But instead of getting on my soapbox and posting that, I simply want to say that I am a straight person who completely supports same-sex marriage. I see it as not only a civil rights issue, but also an issue that will ultimately make families and neighborhoods stronger and more secure. With so many problems facing our society and planet today, I believe that stopping two people who love each other from getting married is an embarrassing waste of human energy.
As Sam Adams states in the video below, "the issue at hand is about marriage, but it's really about respect." I couldn't agree more.
