Summer Cinema Slam returns on August 27th at New England Youth Theater, 100 Flat Street, Brattleboro. The doors will open at 5:30pm. Come join us for evening of films made by Vermont filmmakers and meet the directors as well. We are welcoming some amazing Vermont filmmakers to this year’s event. Check out our event page at Brattleboro Film Festival facebook page. http://www.brattleborofilmfestival.org/2016-special-events/
The event will include live music during the intermission, free ice-cream. and food trucks, food, beer and wine will be available for purchase.
J’ville Brewery and Honora Wines of Jacksonville Vermont will provided the beer and wine.
Tickets maybe purchased at the event also at: Everyone’s Books at 25 Elliot Street Brattleboro and online at https://www.eventbrite.com/
Summer Slam
Looking forward to this event. Be certain to catch an interview with one of the filmmakers on the Chris Lenois Show on WKVT on Tuesday 8/23 at 7:30 am.
Radio Interview,
Be sure to catch the interview with the event organizers and filmmaker George Woodard on WKVT on Tuesday 8/23/16 at 7:30am
Summer Cinema Slam
Tickets are still on sale at Everyone’s Books 25 Elliot Street and online at Eventbrite. They can also be purchased at the event the day of. However last year we sold out so besure to get your tickets early!
Summer Cinema Slam
There is a great article about the event and interviews with the event organizers in the current edition of the Commons News! You can read it online if you don’t have the hard copy.
Tickets
Tickets are starting to sell, don’t miss out!
Confusion and Respect
I am very glad that Vermont films have a showcase here in Brattleboro, and grateful for the work that is put into this series. I used to run the Sevincer Animation Festival, here in town, and know how much effort this takes.
As part of that festival, we always included two youth entries. The audience voted for their favorite animations, and determined the winners.
I was however confused last year, when I attended this event, because it was called, as it is this year, a “Slam.”
My confusion came because the term slam was created in the poetry world, and the following is the definition of a poetry slam, taken from the Urban Dictionary.
“poetry slam
A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Everyone who signs up has the opportunity to read in the first round; the lineup for subsequent rounds is determined by the judges’ scores. Though rules vary from slam to slam, the basic rules are:
* Each poem must be of the poet’s own construction;
* Each poet gets three minutes (plus a ten-second grace period) to read one poem. If the poet goes over time, points will be deducted from the total score.
* The poet may not use props, costumes or musical instruments;
* Of the scores the poet received from the five judges, the high and low scores are dropped and the middle three are added together, giving the poet a total score of 0-30.
Slam is engineered for the audience, whereas a number of open mike readings are engineered as a support network for poets. Slam is designed for the audience to react vocally and openly to all aspects of the show, including the poet’s performance, the judges’ scores, and the host’s banter. Audiences can boo or cheer at the conclusion of a poem, or even during a poem.”
The live audience judging and competitive vibe, of the poetry slam, is both what makes it invigorating and at times destructive to the artists who participate, and may or may not be suitable or desirable for a screening of short films made by Vermonters.
But, last year, I was expecting that format of a slam, because it was billed as a slam. Not included in the definition above, but I think part of the essence of a slam, is the concept that all the participants are on nearly equal footing, and able to compete with each other, on some level.
When I arrived, I saw a truly excellent animation, a truly excellent drama, and some student films, but no slam, which was confusing. I felt a little duped, though I also felt very grateful to have gotten a chance to see the two excellent films.
Interview
In case you missed it here is a interview Chris Lenois of WKVT did with filmmaker George Woodard and one fo the event organizers.
http://wkvtradio.com/gmm/cineslam/
Summer Cinema Slam
Tickets are still available, but they’re starting to sell like crazy, but they are still available online at EventBrrite, at Evryone;s Books until 2pm today and at the door. See Ya there!