Not one, but two filmmakers will be honored in this year’s
annual Festival of New Work, hosted by the UCLA School of Theater,
Film and Television. Alumni Catherine Hardwicke and Gore Verbinski
were both selected as Filmmaker of the Year, and will be present on
select days during the week-long festival.
While both Hardwicke and Verbinski share very similar
alumni-turned-success stories, their bodies of work bear little
resemblance. For many, Hardwicke represents independent filmmaking,
with last year’s gritty drama “Thirteen.”
Meanwhile, Verbinski was the master behind such big-screen
successes as “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the
Black Pearl” and “The Ring,” leading the debate
over which direction students want to take in their careers.
“There are going to be people who (follow) Hardwicke, and
there are going to be some that follow in the path of Verbinski,
but that’s the great thing about our school,” said
Angela Sostre, one of two student coordinators of the festival.
“There’s such a variety of filmmakers in terms of
stories they want to tell.”
And this year’s festival is sure to have more variety than
ever, screening two nights of “directors spotlight”
films at the Directors Guild of America Theatre. For continuing
students, it is an opportunity to present the films they’ve
worked on throughout the year, while graduating students present
their thesis films, completed as a requirement for graduation.
“It’s a little like writing a book,” said
Rachel Pearl, whose film, “The Shabbos Goy,” will
screen at one of the spotlights. “You pour so much creative
energy into your film, and you want people to absorb what
you’ve been working on and take something away from
it.”
For many graduating students, the festival stands as one of
their final opportunities to grab the attention of industry
executives before heading out into the real world.
“The students really spearheaded the shift to having two
nights of spotlight by going out and getting enough
sponsors,” said Sostre, who has two films screening at the
festival. “And screening films outside the (campus) is a
great way to bring people in and show them the diversity of our
work.”
The films to be screened on the spotlight nights were narrowed
down by a committee of 25 student volunteers and ultimately
selected by a panel of industry members. According to Sostre, the
decision to create two nights of spotlights was a result of the
high level of talent brought to the table by this year’s
filmmakers.
“It’s great to be able to show these films that are
a product of so many long days and long nights, to have our family
and friends see your work,” said Tamara Maloney, whose
graduate thesis film, “The Three Body Problem,” will
screen during one of the spotlights. “Of course, it would be
great if someone in the industry takes note, but if not,
that’s OK.”
But while showing off one’s film can be fun in itself,
it’s hard to ignore the message the festival’s
spotlight is trying to send: Being an alumnus of the program has
the potential to lead to a successful filmmaking career.
“Our people go in both directions, so we really run the
absolute gamut in terms of types of filmmakers that come out of our
school,” said Hal Ackerman, a screenwriting professor and
chair of the festival. “That’s the beauty of the
program ““ we don’t pigeonhole anyone, and we encourage
everyone to write from an individual perspective.”
While a lot of focus is paid to the films and filmmakers
featured in the spotlight nights, the other festival screenings are
just as important to student filmmakers.
“There are definitely people who are benefiting from being
in the spotlight,” said Maloney, “but in the end, you
really create your own opportunities. While it’s a beginning,
it’s up to you and how you take control of your
work.”
Having control over one’s work can be valuable in an
industry where big budget is often synonymous with rules and
stipulations. But for some, being offered a directorial position on
a high budget movie can be difficult to turn down.
“I’m aiming to go out in the world as a commercial
filmmaker with an independent mind,” said Maloney.
Finding a middle ground is exactly what the festival represents
for many.
“Hardwicke is independent and has worked really hard to
get where she is today,” said David Quantic, who directed
“Garden of Eden,” which will screen on the
festival’s opening night. “She likes doing everything,
and expects people to work just as hard as she does on any of her
projects.”
While Hardwicke’s spirit is admirable for many beginning
filmmakers, it’s unclear if the independent route is where
she will stay. Now working with bigger budgets following the
success of “Thirteen,” her decisions might reinforce
the idea that mainstream filmmaking has its perks.
“We’re raised on big blockbuster films,”
Quantic added. “All of us want to make a “˜Matrix’
or a “˜Pirates of the Caribbean.’ It’s just fun to
get to blow (stuff) up.”
Still, wherever these well-established alumni take their careers
in the future, the paths they have followed to get to there are
important models for many of the graduating student directors
featured in this year’s festival.
“I admire both of them in different ways, especially the
way Hardwicke has really been coming into her career,” said
Sostre. “That’s where I’d like to see my career
going, from starting off with a more independent film and then go
to more bigger budget films later.”
But most student filmmakers will have to wait for the big bucks
to come rolling in, and the festival might be just what those
students aspiring for Hollywood glory need to hold them over.
“Needless to say, regardless if someone approaches me
about my film, it’s a treasure to have the opportunity to
screen it,” said Maloney. “It’s like a pat on the
back.”