Making Movies

by Emma Wunsch, Free Press Contributor

n unhappy couple inherits a piano which they decide to push home in order to save money. In Santa Monica, a homeless man runs for city council. A young actress disguised as a young man explores a male rite of passage. From Gregg Lachow's Money Buys Happiness, which sold out the cinerama at a SIFF benefit, to Richard Cohen's soon to be screened documentary Taylor's Campaign to award winning Susan McNally's current work-in-progress, Out of the Blue: these are just a few examples of Seattle's local film scene. And it's a scene you could be a part of. Who doesn't want to make a film? Or, do something with the four hours of video footage you have from your cross country trip on the Greyhound bus?

911 Media Arts Center and WigglyWorld are two nonprofits that will actually help you make a movie. Making even a low-budget short film can seem daunting when you consider the cost, the technical headaches, lack of experience. But through classes, workshops, low cost rentals and grants, 911 and WigglyWorld make artistic media expression just a little bit easier.

911 Media Arts Center, founded in 1984 as a center to provide affordable access to video and multimedia editing suites, offers more than 100 workshops a year, screenings, and community media resources. Currently there are five editing suites as well as internet and web access. Communications director Peter Mitchell describes 911 as a "democratic access center with an emphasis on art." The editing suites range in price from $8.00 an hour for straight cut video editing to $40.00 an hour for the avid suite. Most prices are in the $12-17 an hour range. 1999 marked the first year of 911's Media Artist Grant. This grant provides $2,000 of production services to an independent filmmaker/media artist. In addition to the artist grant, 911 is in the process of establishing an artist-in-residency program.

911 is staffed by or has access to independent editors, producers and instructors. You can walk into 911 with your 94 hours worth of Tibetan video footage and say, "This is important stuff. I want to make it watchable." At this point you could take a class and learn how to edit or you could hire an editor who will come equipped with all the technical skills and his/her own vision to make your footage into a documentary. Since the editors are independent they have their own rates. 911 offers a wide range of media classes. Tim Coulter and Jeff Brunk teach four beginning editing classes that run evenings from June through September. A weekend class is offered August 21-22 from 11am-4pm. The class costs $150.00.

Or take a World Wide Web class or 3D in a day (July 17/August 6/September18) or on Wednesday evenings in September (for $600 which includes 6 hours of lab time) learn avid, the most popular non-linear editing system.

911 has 3-4 screenings a month, not including the open screening the second Monday of every month. As long as your video is under ten minutes, you can screen it and get a free critique. 911 Media Arts Center is located at 117 Yale Ave North and their phone number is 682-6552.

Four years ago, out of 911 Media Arts, WigglyWorld was founded as a place dedicated to film production and screenings. Not only can you make your 16mm film at Wiggly World, you can exhibit it right next door. WigglyWorld is part of the Northwest Film Forum, which includes the Little and Grand Illusion theaters. WigglyWorld produces one film a year through their Start-to-Finish grant. Money Buys Happiness was the first film produced through this grant.

Start-to-Finish recipients are nominated, but WigglyWorld also offers a variety of other grants that active members can be apply for. Out of the Can provides unlimited free access to 16mm post-production facilities. The Roll Camera grant offers limited use of WigglyWorld's 16mm production package. Fiscal sponsorship grants extend the NWFF's non-profit umbrella to selected productions, enabling filmmakers to apply for individual and foundation grants/contributions. The insurance partnership grant allows property insurance privileges with local lighting and camera companies.

Grant recipients have to be local, as community is a major aspect of WigglyWorld. Executive NWFF and WigglyWorld director Jamie Hook says community is what makes Seattle a different kind of movie making city. "Seattle has no film industry, which is a good thing. Film industry always overwhelms an artistic community. Not being under the thumb of film industry allows the Seattle artistic community to get closer, which is a great asset."

Hook also points out that Seattle has an impressive mid-size alternative arts scene including theater, dance and music. "Seattle is a place where conceivably a filmmakers could do a lot of collaboration."

In addition to grants, WigglyWorld also offers equipment rentals and workshops. A portable moviola rents for $100 a month while a Super-8 camera/projector is available for $7.00 per day or $15.00 for a weekend.

Starting July 19, running on Mondays through August 16, WigglyWorld is offering a montage workshop with filmmaker Serge Gregory. Tuition ($175 member/$225 non-member) includes Super-8 film and processing. Sunday July 25 for $20.00 Tom Moor, biologist, zoologist and animator, will lead a Animating Puppets workshop. Or if mise-en-scene intrigues you, register for that class which will run for five Tuesday evenings starting July 27.

Seattle is not New York or LA, thank god. If it were, you wouldn't be here. While 911 and WigglyWorld do their best to democratize the cost of media productions, film is not cheap. So even in Seattle, to finish your film you might have to sell your car. But in other cities it would be your soul.