The Future of Film is Now

December 2, 1997

Desktop computing (yup, that machine you're sitting at right now) has revolutionized (and metamorphosized) every media it's touched: from "desktop publishing" to "internet broadcasting", computers give ordinary people the power to express themselves. Now, the "desktop" revolution is starting to collide with the "home video" revolution to give us "desktop filmmaking". We're not talking about making "big budget looking" films on your desktop someday in the future: we're talking about doing it now.

ResFest is at the front line of this revolution, bringing "digital films" to audiences in Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Chicago, New York, London, Rotterdam ... and Orlando? Friday and Saturday, O-Town (with its burgeoning film, entertainment and digital media community) can fill up on digital inspiration with 29 short films and music videos from the cutting edge of low-budget cinema.

Yes, you'll see some rendered, trippy rave pieces. You'll also see films that you would never know qualified as a "digital film": Spike Jonze brings us glimpses of a Liliputian skateboarder in "Dinky"; Max Osterwies presents a comedy bank robbery in "Jimmy Young and the Job"; Roman Coppola's "Taxloss" uses hidden miniDV cameras to document throwing $40,000 into a rush hour commuter crowd.

Festival director Jonathan Wells knows that filmmaking isn't about technology: it's about the creativity that technology empowers. "While the digital age has brought about a proliferation of wonderful tools, it is important to us that they remain an aspect of this festival, not the focus," he wrote. "Great films come out of great ideas, and not from new tools and techniques."

Held at Enzian Theater on Friday and Saturday, Resfest will give you a chance to catch two different showings of the "Shorts" program and four of the "Cinema Electronica" music video program for $10 a pop. If you go Friday night, hang on to that ticket stub - the Opening Night Party at Go Lounge is free with the stub ($3 otherwise) and includes Eighth Dimension DJs and all the Absolut vodka you'd care to drink.

Brian Clark
I've worked as a professional musician, a pizza deliverer, a graphic designer, a record promoter, a database programmer, a youth empowerment coordinator and a recording engineer (not necessarily in that order.)