48 Hour Film Project

The 48 Hour Film Project is a timed filmmaking competition in which teams have just 48 hours to script, shoot and edit a short movie. I have made documentaries in 5 days as part of the International Documentary Challenge (IDC). This is my first non-fiction film in competition. Been gathering my team and need to do more prep. You can't start writing the script till Friday at 7pm. Contact haikugirl if you are available and interested in joining me October 24-26. Here are the official rules and what 48HFP is all about.




The National Film Challenge (NFC), IDC's sister competition is also happening that weekend. Our goal: make 1 film and submit to 2 competitions. Wish us luck or come be a part of it.

Team haikugirl ROCKS!
make a movie in 2 days
have a ton of FUN

blogging on the go

Out with Rich after work and using his new iTouch to post a blog entry. This is what the Internet's all about! Running 13K tomorrow. Hoping for a good movie on Pay per vu.

iTouch is AWESOME!
so sleek, sexy and gorgeous
get one for Christmas?

TIFF a bust | 13 days till Scotiabank Half

Ran 16K on Saturday morning before having breakfast at Fran's then saw RocknRolla, Guy Ritchie's new film. That last burst was the best of the fest for me, next to Les Plages d'Agnes and The Secret Life of Bees. I like the impressions of Agnes' film by a fellow blogger. More of haikugirl's reviews to come. TIFF '08 was frankly a bust. Now to see the ones I missed this fall (coming soon to a theatre near you!)

My half-marathon race is less than 2 weeks away and I fell behind in my training during the fest but back at it now. Have a look at the gorgeous marathon medals for this year's event. I'll be getting the silver antique finish one on the right... provided I run 21K on Sept 28th!

TIFF 2 for 3

For our 10th Anniversary year, TIFF08 feels like a washout. Saw Synecdoche, New York last night at the WinterGarden. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener were there along with writer/director Charlie Kaufman who stayed for Q&A. Kaufman was the screenwriting genius behind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (directed by the filmmaking genius Michel Gondry) and Adaptation (directed by gifted Spike Jonze). Synecdoche was Kaufman's directorial debut. In the hands of a visionary director, this film's premise could have been brilliant. Instead, it was a disappointing, endless piece that underutilized everyone in the cast except PSH and drove my friends crazy.

At the start of Q&A someone asked "Can you talk about the burning house?" to which he replied: "No." Then he tried to justify it by saying his interpretation doesn't matter, he did it for us and what matters is what we take from it. Later, a member of the audience asked: was it your intention to let the film spiral downward deeper and deeper into despair? Everyone laughed. Serves Kaufman right for refusing to answer the first question. I think even Cameron Bailey was surprised at the guy's 'tude during the Q&A.

Listen Charlie, being glib doesn't work with seasoned TIFF moviegoing audiences. The question was fair, and your response was arrogant and insulting, along with most of the rest of what you had to say. Your feeble attempt to backpedal at the end didn't win you any new friends. Stick to writing in your turret, find a publicist to handle questions and leave the directing to somebody else.

haikugirl works!

haikugirl is busy, busy, busy at Showcase Ontario downtown attending a FANTASTIC learning session on blogs, microblogs, podcasts and videoblogs. Her colleagues Sameer V and his co-host Cullen S are excellent facilitators and it's a great hands-on workshop! Now if we can just make it all work in the OPS! Learning a lot while checking out videoblogs and the new apple iPhone.

Tonight is our group pick at TIFF: Synecdoche, New York with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener at the beautiful WinterGarden Theatre. First: dinner at the new Milestones at Yonge & Dundas' Toronto Life Square .

I declare "Martini"

Martini: On-Set Term; the last shot of the day. Preceded by Abby Singer (the second to last shot of the day) and followed by the first drink of the evening.

For more cryptic expressions to impress your friends at the next TIFF cocktail hour, visit the Project Greenlight Movie Terms page.

TIFF Final Schedule

Box 9 was selected and we were Box 23 out of 78 so we managed to get all our first picks! Unfortunately, my Friday Sept 12 screening of New York, I Love You was inexplicably cancelled so I am seeing my second choice that day. My final schedule is:

Thurs Sept 4 - Run 5K

Fri Sept 5 - The Burning Plain

Sat Sept 6 - Run 12K then attend Linda & Tom's Wedding

Sun Sept 7 - The Secret Life of Bees

Mon Sept 8 - Run 5K

Tues Sept 9 (Group Pick) - Synecdoche, New York

Wed Sept 10 - Run 5K then dinner with Les Boys?

Thurs Sept 11 - Les plages d'Agnès

Fri Sept 12 - $9.99

Sat Sept 13 - Run 15K then see RocknRolla

Looking forward to all the fun, film and friends at the fest!