the screener special edition september 2013- trinidad and tobago film festival 2013 edition

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what’s inside 1.Official Selections of ttff 3.Film Festival Funding 4.Content Development 5.Carnival Film Series 7.Outreach To Develop Audience 8.Why Film in T&T 9.TTFC Luncheons 10.UNESCO/ ttff Conference 11.Secondary Schools Winners 12.Directors Boot Camp 13.SSSFF for ttff/13

On the cover(top to bottom): ‘God Loves the Fighter’, ‘No Bois Man No Fraid’, ‘The Blue and the Gold’, ‘After Mas’

↘ Trinidad and Tobago Film Company’s Special Edition for the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival 2013 ▪ September 2013

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www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.comttff/13 official selections

market. The marketing committee has put in place policies to govern the provision of financial assistance to filmmakers to attend festivals, to generate marketing and publicity materials, and to support premieres.

All locally produced films are entitled to apply to TTFC for funding for marketing. Funding varies according to the depth of financial involvement of the TTFC in the production. Films which were produced without financial assistance from the TTFC can more readily access marketing assistance. Both “God Loves the Fighter” and “No Bois Man No Fraid” were independently produced and applied for marketing grants from the TTFC.

“Coming to the end of a film that took over two years to complete, especially with a bare minimum budget, It could not have been more timely for TTFC to come in and show their support; for that I am greatly appreciative,” said Damian Marcano, director of “God Loves the Fighter”.

↘ TWO of the five feature films from Trinidad and Tobago that have been named as Official Selections in the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) this year were funded by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC). Those films are the drama “God Loves the Fighter”, directed by Damian Marcano, and the documentary “No Bois Man No Fraid”, directed by Christopher Laird.

The TTFC has been putting a great deal of emphasis on assisting filmmakers move from production to

ttff/13 official selections

↗ Official Poster Artwork for ‘God Loves the Fighter’

↘ Official Poster Art for ‘No Bois Man No Fraid’

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ttff/13 official selections


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Marcano is originally from Morvant, Trinidad, but made the dramatic feature through his US-based company Blue Cinnamon Productions. It was filmed in Trinidad on state-of-the-art RED digital cameras in 2011, and used an all-local cast.

The urban drama about poverty and the dark underbelly of life in the city of Port-of-Spain stars Trinidadian spoken-word artist and actor Muhammad Muwakil. It was a line from one of Muwakil’s poems that gave the film its name, according to a newspaper report: “I believe as much as God loves the prayerful penitent so too must he love the persistent, up against all odds, death coming endlessly in waves, but never go under, God Loves the Fighter.”

“No Bois Man No Fraid” is a documentary about stick-fighting in Trinidad. Laird himself directed, filmed and edited it and co-produced it with the Bois Academy of Trinidad and Tobago. Bois, French for “wood”, is the cry of the crowd when a stick-fighter scores a hit against his opponent in the ring. The film’s international premiere took place on September 4 at the Red Carpet Gala of the Caribbean Tales Film Festival in Toronto, Canada. The TTFF screening will be its Caribbean premiere.

Laird, who is the Chairman of the TTFC, said of “No Bois Man No Fraid”, “This film, which—like all my other films—was produced without financial assistance from the TTFC, was still eligible to receive financial assistance for marketing from the TTFC in order to attend the festivals, mount a premiere and generate marketing materials.

“The producers, having limited resources after navigating the production costs of the film and the publication of the accompanying soundtrack CD, would have been unable to take advantage of these opportunities without such prompt assistance.”

IN ADDITION TO THE FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS, ONE SHORT DOCUMENTARY AND ONE SHORT DRAMA FUNDED BY THE TTFC ARE ALSO OFFICIAL SELECTIONS OF THE TTFF THIS YEAR.

“The Blue and the Gold”, produced by Alex de Verteuil, documents the challenges of the blue and gold macaw, which is indigenous to Trinidad but had been virtually wiped out here 40 years ago by the pet trade, habitat loss and hunting. De Verteuil’s documentary shows how the species has been reintroduced to the island through the work of a research scientist from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW).

Director Karen Martinez filmed her 15-minute interracial love story “After Mas” over Carnival, 2013, and then re-created J’Ouvert in March for additional footage. The short drama used hundreds of local extras as well as locals in key crew positions. It stars T&T actors Khafra Rudder and Carly Coutts.

“It was fantastic that for my first short drama I got the support of the TTFC because having a grant in place from a national film agency was a powerful endorsement,” Martinez, a UK-resident Trinidadian, said. “It gave the film real kudos and meant I was able to firm up financial support and in-kind support from other sources.

“I think that short films can be a great way to prepare for the huge challenges of feature filmmaking, a sort of training ground not just for a director but also for the crew. I know that for me it has given me the confidence to aim for a feature film project. I would not have had the confidence to approach that idea if I hadn’t first made my short.” ▪

↗ A macaw being assisted in the film, ‘The Blue and the Gold’

↗ Production still from ‘The Blue and the Gold’

↗↙ ‘After Mas’ lead character Abi (Carly Coutts); Lead characters Curtis (Khafra Rudder) and Abi embrace


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Supporting film festivals for industry growth

and best local short. A State Enterprise, the TTFC has also sponsored workshops during the festival—a vital addition to the training available to AV professionals in T&T.

It is not unusual for government agencies to fund film festivals. For example, the press reported that the Toronto International Film Festival received more than CAN $362,000 in Canadian Federal Funding last year. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Cannes Film Festival, probably the most prestigious in the world, gets half its funding from the French Government. Foderingham said, “TTFC’s sponsorship to the TTFF over the years has allowed for more local films to be screened across the country, encouraged debate on the importance and potential of the local film industry, rewarded film-makers through the granting of awards and most importantly provided an important platform for local audiences to develop an appetite and appreciation for T&T film content.”The TTFF had over 17,000 visitors in 2012—giving audiences the chance to see T&T-made films that are too infrequently shown in cinemas and on TV. This year the TTFF boasts of plans to screen a large number of T&T-made movies: 28 short or medium-length, and five feature-length films (including one dramatic feature and four documentaries).

FILM FESTIVALS IN T&T ALSO PROVIDE OTHER UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILMMAKERS AND AUDIOVISUAL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.

Filmmaker Ryan Khan participated in the 2013 edition of the prestigious Berlinale Talent Campus in Germany—partly with TTFC sponsorship. “From working with the TTFF, that’s what brought it to my attention, the idea of incubators and residencies,” Khan said in a talk about his Berlinale experience. (The TTFC also partly sponsored the participation of Nneka Luke, TTFF’s director of external relations, in the Berlinale.)

↘ “The Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) provides sponsorship funding to several national film festivals, including the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF), the Animae Caribe Animation Festival; the Secondary Schools Short Film Festival; the Community Short Film Festival and the Trinidad and Tobago TV Film Festival,” notes TTFC CEO Carla Foderingham.

The TTFF provides a good example of the potential of film festivals for growing the audiovisual industry. Beginning as the Kairi Trinidad and Tobago International Film Festival in 2002, what is now called the TTFF has grown into an international calendar event. Some of its earliest financial support came from the precursor to the TTFC, the Film Desk at the Tourism and Industrial Development Company (TIDCO). The TTFC has continued to back this important celebration of Caribbean and T&T film.

Festival Founder Dr Bruce Paddington said in a recent interview that the TTFC “has been the most loyal (sponsor), with us from the beginning when others weren’t willing to take a chance on us”. He added, “A lot of [the funding from TTFC] is targeted specifically to help develop the industry and to put local filmmakers in touch with grant programmes and other financial rewards, and with other regional and international filmmakers.” The TTFC, he noted, specifically funds prizes for the best local feature

Khan, who has made three short dramatic films and is working on his first feature, said of the Berlinale Talent Campus, “It is a very rewarding experience just to get accepted. The technical class gave me food for thought about the project I’m working on.”

Apart from opening doors for T&T’s filmmakers, the TTFF also provides a platform for the screening of the works of teens through the TTFC-run Secondary Schools Short Film Festival (SSSFF). Dozens of schools and youth groups submit five-minute films to the SSSFF annually and these are screened as part of the TTFF. An early participant in the SSSFF, Steven Taylor, has made film his career and won a People’s Choice Award in last year’s TTFF for a film he directed, “Buck: The Man Spirit”.

Other SSSFF alumni have gone on to further work in film.

On another front, the TTFC’s sponsorship of the animation festival Animae Caribe has been pivotal to the growth of the local animation industry. This festivals focuses on five areas: submission of pieces for awards, a schools day, a new media element, an outreach programme which continues after the actual festival, and knowledge transfer with international guests at the festival. This year’s Animae Caribe will include sessions with director Peter Lord, co-founder of the studio behind the “Wallace and Gromit” claymation series, and T&T-born filmmaker Shaun Escayg, who will take his audience behind the scenes of his work in progress, “The Noka Wheel”. ▪


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PASD- Children’s Call Awardees 2013 - Front row from left to right: Beverly Singh ‘A Steelpan Story’, Rodney Seemungal ‘JJ and Friends Television Series 2013’, Joanne Johnson ‘Sally’s Way’, Cathy- Mae Sitaram ‘Super Sensei’, Sonja Dumas Avocado and Zaboca and Carla Foderingham, CEO of TTFC. Back row from left to right: Christopher Din Chong ‘PiJohn’, Roger Alexis ‘Hey Leroy’, TTFC Chairman of the Board of Directors, Christopher Laird, and Jamie Lee Loy ‘Super Me’. *Not in photo: Steven Edwards ‘Why the fox Left Trinidad’; ‘By the Bay TV Series Pilot’

Creating films for T&T↘ Three calls for content went out from the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) in 2013. The TTFC made calls under its Feature Film Programme, and its Production Assistance and Script Development (PASD) Programme for Children’s Content and Documentary Films. The TTFC has also held a number of “how to” workshops to assist stakeholders in submitting their best possible applications. As is customary, independent juries adjudicate each call. Juries do not include any staff or board members of the TTFC.

Coming out of the Children’s Content call, which closed May 31 and attracted 25 completed applications, nine projects were awarded PASD grants. The Documentary call closed July 31 and

of deliverables. There is a Monitoring Committee of experts that guides each filmmaker through the process, and funds are not released unless each deliverable is satisfactorily completed. In this way, filmmakers are held to a high standard of timeliness as well as artistic integrity and production values. “The TTFC has helped organise an entire industry—and more than that, it has created the conditions whereby a stronger, more vibrant one could emerge,” says Janine Mendes-Franco, a writer and producer who is a member of the Monitoring Committee.

“By working with video veterans who saw the potential we had to tell our own stories and by seeking the input of stakeholders who understood the importance of a society seeing its own face on the screen, the TTFC has created a functional framework within which filmmakers can actually make films: original, independent, thought-provoking local content that reflects the best and worst of who we are and which people pay to see. As a result, Trinidad and Tobago is richer not only culturally, but economically as well,” Mendes-Franco said. ▪

attracted 12 completed applications. It was scheduled for adjudication by September 3. The Feature Film Programme call closed September 5 and will be subsequently adjudicated.Since 2006 the TTFC system of grants has funded dozens of short and feature-length projects, including documentaries, children’s TV series and dramatic features. Over 90 grant-winning projects have been completed, with about another 30 in production.

The list of films includes award winners such as Dalton Narine’s feature-length documentary on Carnival designer Peter Minshall, “Mas Man”, which has won ten awards regionally and internationally; the dramatic short produced by Jason Harnarine, “Doubles with Slight Pepper”, which copped an award for the Best Live Action Short in the Canadian Genie Awards in 2012; and Natalie Wei’s “Chinee Girl”, a documentary on Chinese-heritage women in Trinidad and Tobago, which was selected for a number of film festivals and won the People’s Choice award in the 2011 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.

Each PASD grant recipient is required to agree to conditions and a timeline


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Carnival Film Series celebrates National festival

↘ Carnival is a significant part of the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, and in recognition of this the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) in 2013 sponsored the Carnival Film Series. The series was part of the T&T Film Nights community film screenings initiative of the TTFC in co-operation with the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF), and showcased

Carnival Film Series celebrates National Festival

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6Carnival Film Series celebrates National festival

Carnival-themed films from January 23- February 5, 2013.The programme opened the TTFF’s activities for 2013.The Carnival Film Series screened the films “Jab: The Blue Devils of Paramin”, by Alex de Verteuil; “Rat Race” and “Masman: The Complete Work”, two films by Dalton Narine on master mas designer Peter Minshall; “Mystic Fighters”, a documentary on stickfighting by Sophie Meyer; a short drama called “Jeffrey’s Calypso”, written and directed by Vashti Anderson; and “Centre-staging the Jamette”, which shows Sr Theresa Vialva interviewing soca star Machel Montano.

Another aspect of the Carnival Film Series was the screening of rare video footage of Mighty Sparrow, Lord Christo, Desperadoes, Cavaliers and others, presented by Carnival researcher Ray Funk. Completing the list of films screened were the comedy “Bacchanal Time”, a classic film by Kamalo Deen, and a series of shorts on traditional mas and the fire dance, by Yao Ramesar. Screenings took place in Tobago, Woodbrook, St Augustine, Port-of-Spain, and Couva. They were all free to the public. ▪



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↘ A film without an audience has not achieved its full potential. With this in mind, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) has devoted a great deal of resources to spreading the word about local and regional film in Trinidad and Tobago, especially among young people. It has done this through a number of means, including the Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase and the TTFC’s outreach programme.

Now in its fifth year, the annual Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase is held in conjunction with UNESCO. It highlights regional films in countries across the Caribbean. This year, the Trinidad and Tobago launch of the series took place on July 30 with the screening of a 2011 Puerto Rican film directed by Gabriel Cross and Israel Lugo, “Sonó, Sonó: Tite Curet”. The film is a biography of the prolific singer, songwriter and composer Tite Curet Alonso.

Following the launch, some 19 screenings of the films in the Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase took place around Trinidad, at venues such as Nalis (Port-of-Spain), the National Museum and Art Gallery, Holy Faith Convent (Couva), Maracas Bay Community Centre and the Toco Regional Complex. Audiences included Harvard Club Summer Camp, Casa de Corazon orphanage, Rainbow Rescue orphanage, St Mary’s Children’s Home, Operation Smile orphanage, Newtown Boys’ Summer Camp, Niherst UTT San Fernando Summer Camp and Couva Children’s Home, among others. About 550 people attended the month of screenings.

Apart from bringing film to young people, the TTFC brings young people to film by hosting in-house outreach sessions at its Port-of-Spain office. Over 30 schools, camps and children’s homes visited the TTFC to watch local films and discuss the film industry with expert facilitators between April-July, 2013. Each institution normally brought between 15-20 children per visit. Some of the groups were Credo House, Sophia House, St Jude’s Home for Girls, Servol-Beetham Life Centre, St Ann’s RC, Princess Elizabeth Centre, Four Roads Government, Lower Morvant Primary, and the University of the Southern Caribbean camp.

Career days at various secondary schools also call on the TTFC to make presentations on the film industry. This year, the TTFC participated in career days at St François Girls’ College, Corpus Christi College and Cunupia Secondary School. Plans are afoot to visit the St Stephen’s College career day on September 20.Adults are not forgotten in the outreach. In conjunction with the five groups that took part in TTFC’s inaugural Community Short Film Festival last year, the company helped set up screenings of the groups’ films in Caratal, Southeast Port-of-Spain, Kelly Village, San Fernando and San Juan over the July-August period. ▪

Outreach to develop audience

↘ 1.The possibility of a 50 per cent cash rebate. Through the Production Expenditure Rebate Programme, filmmakers filming at least 50 per cent of their project in Trinidad and Tobago are entitled to cash rebates of between 12.5- 35 per cent, up to US $3 million. The rebate is based on an initial spend of US $100,000 and depends on what the money is spent on in this country. The rebate is also available to local filmmakers spending between TT $100,000 and TT $19,200,000. There is an additional possible rebate of 15 per cent if specialised local labour is hired—creating a total possible rebate of 50 per cent cash back on money spent here. Another incentive is a 150 per cent tax rebate programme for local companies investing in film productions.

2. The landscape. The two most southerly islands of the Caribbean archipelago, Trinidad and Tobago can double for parts of Africa and Asia, South

Five great reasons to film in Trinidad and Tobago!REBATE

Outreach to develop audience www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com

LANDSCAPE

T&T doubles as India


8 Five great reasons to film in Trinidad and Tobago!

focus pullers, assistant camera operators, soundmen, location managers and property managers—with skilled audiovisual industry professionals from this country.

5. The facilitation of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC). The TTFC is a one-stop-shop for filmmakers. It will assist with the Customs and Excise Division to allow equipment into the country. It will liaise with other Government agencies, such as the Police and Fire Services, for filming permits. The TTFC facilitates media accreditation and liaises with the Copyright Organization of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) for the protection of Intellectual Property Rights. It offers information on airlines, hotel accommodation, and other support services available in Trinidad and Tobago. The TTFC also provides information on services available by certified and approved tour guides. Additionally, the TTFC hosts a user-maintained database of audiovisual industry professionals. ▪

Five great reasons to film in Trinidad and Tobago!America, and other Caribbean islands. The islands’ geographical features range from mountainous tropical rainforests to white and black sand beaches, from bustling modern cities to sprawling farmland. Architecturally speaking, you can find Christian churches, Hindu temples and Islamic mosques here, as well as homes of every description: hacienda-style mansions, grand colonial houses, modernist high-rises and rustic shacks. In the 2013 film “Home Again”, Trinidad flawlessly doubled for a variety of settings in Jamaica.

3. The people. This country’s many trained and experienced actors come from diverse racial groups. Because of the country’s history, the population includes people of African, South Asian, Chinese, European, and Middle Eastern heritage.

4. The crews. Fill every crew position—including directors, producers, gaffers,

PEOPLE

CREWS

TTFC SUPPORT

Rebate available to locals

Expenditure $TTD Rebate*$100,000 - $19,200,000 35%

*An additional rebate of 15% on labour cost incurred for hiring citizens of Trinidad & Tobago for film production is also being finalized.

Rebate available to regional and international

Expenditure $US Rebate*$100,000 - $499,999 12.5%$500,000 - $999,999 15%$1,000,000 - $3,000,000 35%

* An additional rebate of 15% on labour cost incurred for hiring citizens of Trinidad & Tobago for film production is also being finalized.


T&T doubles as Miami


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www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.comFilm Company pushes T&T in US

↘ Potential film investors were the guests of honour at luncheons hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) in New York and Los Angeles on June 26 and 28, respectively. The main selling point of Trinidad and Tobago at the luncheons was the Production Expenditure Rebate Programme, which the TTFC administers. Under the programme, productions filmed in Trinidad and Tobago are entitled to cash rebates of up to 50 per cent, depending on their total budgets and what goods and services are purchased in this country.

Film Company pushes T&T in US

Each TTFC luncheon was also used as an opportunity to share information on Trinidad and Tobago’s airline, hotel and communications networks. There were 22 invited guests from the music, TV and film industries at the New York luncheon. Thirty US film and television industry executives were invited to the luncheon in Los Angeles.

The value of such ventures lies in “putting Trinidad and Tobago on the radar within the entertainment capitals of Los Angeles and New York, where Trinidad and Tobago is a late entrant into the field and not as well known as some of its regional counterparts,” TTFC CEO Carla Foderingham said.

US producer and director William A Baker, of D’Licious International, who attended the luncheon in Los Angeles, said in response to an e-mailed question, “My experience at the luncheon was amazing. If you love the film industry you love your work, but to work in Trinidad and Tobago is working in paradise at half the cost! I do look forward to filming there soon.” ▪

↗ Carla Foderingham, CEO of Trinidad and Tobago Film Company, addresses attendees at the LA luncheon

↗ Director on the Board of Trinidad and Tobago Film Company, Barry Bidasee (3rd from right), at the LA luncheon


10 www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com T&T hosts Caribbean film conference

↘ Trinidad and Tobago will be the venue of a meeting called Cameras of Diversity for a Culture of Peace: Developing the Caribbean Film Industry, from September 25-27, as part of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF). The Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) is one of the sponsors of the meeting.

An initiative of UNESCO, Cameras of Diversity for a Culture of Peace sprang from a programme to link cultural diversity, dialogue, development, security and peace. It promotes the role of creativity, and the contribution of the media to change the perception of different cultures and religions through the promotion of dialogue and the support of co-productions fostering dialogue between media professionals from different cultures.

ONE OF THE MAIN AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME IS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE MEDIA AS A VEHICLE FOR RECONCILIATION, TOLERANCE AND INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.

UNESCO’s Regional Office for Culture in Latin American and the Caribbean,

Tales Worldwide Distribution, and Leslie Fields-Cruz of Afro-Pop Worldwide.

Additionally, the conference will serve as the inaugural meeting of the Association of Caribbean Film Commissions. This comes after the TTFC participated in the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Locations Show 2013.

THE LOCATIONS SHOW IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL MEETINGS OF FILM PROFESSIONALS IN THE WORLD. AN ANNUAL EVENT, IT TOOK PLACE IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, FROM JUNE 27-29, 2013.

At the AFCI Locations Show, the TTFC met with other regional film commissions to discuss the formation of the association. Other regional commissions in the meeting included those of Belize, the Bahamas, Guadeloupe, the Dominican Republic and the US Virgin Islands.

Sponsorship for the attendance of regional film commissioners at the September conference will come from the TTFC.

Belize, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Guadeloupe, and Curaçao are expected to be represented at the conference. ▪

T&T hosts Caribbean film conference

based in Havana, runs the Cameras for Diversity programme. Among the programme’s aims is to strengthen the capacities of Latin American and Caribbean states so they can better meet their obligations and benefit from the opportunities of the UNESCO conventions, in particular the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. There is a need to promote the distribution of varied local content through the media and train local communities in using new technologies for the production of audiovisual materials.

The Convention deals with the need to recognise that cultural goods and services convey identity, values and meaning and consequently cannot be considered as mere commodities or consumer goods like any others. It also addresses the need for states to take appropriate measures to protect and promote diversity of cultural expressions while ensuring the free flow of ideas and works; and the need to redefine international co-operation.Consequently, the themes of the conference will reflect the role that film plays in creating and sustaining a culture of peace. These themes are: education; communication and archives; women in film; film and criticism; social development; film industry development; legal frameworks; and film exhibition. Particular emphasis will be placed on gender equality and the UN Secretary General’s campaign “Unite to End Violence Against Women”.

Structured as ten expert panel discussions over three days, the conference will include such eminent participants as Dr. Christopher Meir of the UWI Film Department, Paula Hippolyte of the Jacmel Cine Institute of Haiti, Maykel R Ponjuán of the International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, Patricia Monpierre of the Association for the Development of Independent Cinema in Guadelope, Frances-Anne Solomon of Caribbean


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www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.comSecondary Schools Short Film Festival 2013 Winners

Secondary Schools Short Film Festival 2013 winners

Winners by schoolARIMA NORTH SECONDARY GROUP 2 The Award for Best Cultural Film

ARIMA NORTH SECONDARY GROUP 1The Award for Best Social Awareness FilmThe Award for Best StoryThe Award for Best Overall Film

A.S.J.A BOYS’ COLLEGE- CHARLIEVILLE GROUP 2The Award for Best Environmental Film

↘ The Award for Best Cultural Film ARIMA NORTH SECONDARY GROUP 2 Farewell to the flesh, where is our culture goin?

The Award for Best Social Awareness FilmARIMA NORTH SECONDARY GROUP 1 Instead

The Award for Best Environmental FilmA.S.J.A BOYS’ COLLEGE- CHARLIEVILLE GROUP 2 What ah dream

The Award for Best StoryARIMA NORTH SECONDARY GROUP 1 Instead

The Award for Best SoundPENTECOSTAL LIGHT AND LIFE HIGH SCHOOL The Discriminator

The Award for Best CinematographyGASPARILLO SECONDARY We all in this together

The Award for Best DirectorGASPARILLO SECONDARYWe all in this togetherThe Award for Best Actor

SHAWN WILLIAMS, GASPARILLO SECONDARY We all in this together

The Award for Best Actress DOMINIQUE FRIDAY, ST. JOSEPH’S CONVENT, SAN FERNANDO Babatude and the roti

The Award for Best EditingGASPARILLO SECONDARY WE ALL IN THIS TOGETHERTheme:

PENTECOSTAL LIGHT AND LIFE HIGH SCHOOLThe Award for Best SoundThe Tobago Award

GASPARILLO SECONDARY The Award for Best CinematographyThe Award for Best DirectorThe Award for Best Actor - SHAWN WILLIAMS

ST. JOSEPH’S CONVENT, SAN FERNANDO The Award for Best Actress - DOMINIQUE FRIDAY

“Say No To Discrimination” “Living In Harmony through Cooperation”

The Tobago Award sponsored by The Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport of the Tobago House of AssemblyPENTECOSTAL LIGHT AND LIFE HIGH SCHOOLThe Discriminator

The Award for Best Overall Film ARIMA NORTH SECONDARY GROUP 1 Instead ▪


12 www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com Filmmakers Boot Camp to boost AV industry

Filmmakers Boot Camp to boost AV industry↘ Fifty people will be trained in Hollywood-style film directing, line producing and film marketing when the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) holds a Filmmakers Boot Camp on September 20-21.

Well-known Hollywood actor and director Bill Duke will be the lead facilitator of the intensive training workshop. Duke’s breakthrough role as an actor was in the iconic 1970s film Car Wash. He has gone on to play a number of prominent roles on TV; his numerous big screen features include “Commando, “Predator”, “Menace II Society” and “Get Rich or Die Trying”.

As a director, Duke’s resume includes “A Rage in Harlem”, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” and dramatized parts of the award-winning PBS documentary

starring Kerry Washington, Craig Robinson and David Alan Greer; and “For Coloured Girls”, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington, Phylicia Rashad and Thandi Newton.

Participants in the workshop will pay a nominal fee. Although it is already heavily invested in training through its annual Community Short Film Festival, Secondary Schools Short Film Festival, and its bursaries to university students studying film and animation, the TTFC has given further emphasis to training because of the increase in the cash-back rebate it offers filmmakers shooting in Trinidad and Tobago.

Films that use local AV industry professionals in key cast and crew positions will be able to benefit from a further 15 per cent cash rebate on money spent in this country during production. This is in addition to the up to 35 per cent cash rebate that already exists for all productions doing at least half of their filming in this country, bringing the possible total rebate to 50 per cent of the money spent in Trinidad and Tobago during production. ▪

“Prince Among Slaves”. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Tribute from the Directors Guild of America.

Duke was appointed to the California State Film Commission Board by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and, among other honours, was appointed to the National Endowment of the Humanities by former US President Bill Clinton.

The workshop’s other facilitators are Corey Redmond, a producer and marketer and Poppy Hanks, senior vice president at 34th Street Films, a production company owned by Tyler Perry.

Corey Redmond is the president CEO of Creative Cultural Inc, an entertainment company that creates online and physical audience experiences using iconic franchises and intellectual property, bringing them into emerging markets in new, interactive and innovative ways. He has produced feature films and acquired and managed licenses to create and develop entertainment projects, increase brand awareness and create revenue streams for licensors of well-established, high profile intellectual property rights in motion pictures, television, sports and music.

Poppy Hanks is senior vice president at 34th Street Films, a specialty film division of Tyler Perry’s movie empire. The company has a first look deal at Lionsgate Films and Hanks has overseen a number of film development projects for the company. She works to find writers and directors for the company’s existing projects and shapes material for upcoming films. Her most recent projects include the film “Peeples”,

↗ Clockwise from top left: Bill Duke, Directors Bootcamp TrainerCorey Redmond, Workshop Moderator Poppy Hanks, Production Workshop Trainer

For information on the boot camp, go to: www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com


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↘ Thousands of secondary school students have been trained in filmmaking—including scriptwriting, acting, direction, lighting, camera work and editing—over the past nine years through the TTFC’s Secondary Schools Short Film Festival (SSSFF), which is held annually with the assistance of the Ministry of Education, the Tobago House of Assembly’s Division of Education, and MovieTowne Multicinemas Limited. The SSSFF is open to all secondary schools and registered youth groups in T&T. Each group is assigned industry experts who conduct weeks of training with the youths in order to facilitate each group’s making of a five-minute film on a prescribed theme from that year’s list of topics. The youths use their respective schools’ cameras and equipment during shooting.

In 2012, the SSSFF had over 500 participants, with 35 films submitted for awards consideration. Annually, each winning group is awarded camera equipment—eight schools have been awarded over $250,000 in such awards over the years.

Steven Taylor made his first film as a Queen’s Royal College student taking part in the SSSFF; Taylor’s film “Buck: The Man Spirit” won the People’s Choice Award for Best Local Short in the 2012 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, and Taylor has been accepted to the Master’s in Film programme at the prestigious University of Southern California. Another SSSFF alumnus, Kyle Walcott, is now pursuing his Bachelor’s in Film Studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine.

The TTFC supports training and education in a variety of other ways as well. One way is through supporting bursaries to high-achieving students in the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) Animation/Digital Media Diploma programme and the Bachelor of Arts in Film at UWI, St Augustine. Twenty-nine bursaries have been awarded to students in these two programmes. ▪

Secondary school students trained to make films

Secondary school students trained to make films

↗ SSSFF trainer Che Rodriguez observing his students’ editing processes and procedures

Photo courtesy Che Rodriguez


14 www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com ↖ special edition ttff/2013ttff/2013 special edition ↗ www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com

On the job

Training through doing↘ Training and development are built into the grants provided to prospective filmmakers by the TTFC. For example, recipients of Production Assistance and Script Development (PASD) grants must have their projects monitored by a committee of experts.

Filmmaker Ryan Khan, whose first two short dramas were produced with TTFC funding, said, “Making the switch from a commercial house editor to a filmmaker is not as easy as just saying ‘I want to make films’. There’s a change in one’s methodology and approach that has to be factored in with the transition, which can take time, resources and money. This process, for a person in my position, is a make or break moment. When I decided to take that step, TTFC was the first supporter/believer interested in investing in my ideas...investing in me. Without them, I don’t think I could have made the switch properly, which in turn has given me the confidence needed as a filmmaker...it’s great to have people believe in you, and if it’s your own government that’s even more powerful.” With TTFC funding, Khan recently participated in the prestigious Berlinale Talent Campus, an incubator for up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world. He is now working on his first full-length feature. ▪

↘ Training takes many forms. Internships are one form of on-the-job training and there are 125 prospective interns in the TTFC’s database. TTFC interns worked222 hours on the set of the Canadian-TT featurefilm “Home Again” when it was shot here in 2012.

The experience of working on an international feature is different from a local production, and to sell Trinidad and Tobago as a location for international films it is imperative to have ample numbers of trained crew available to facilitate multiple shoots at the same time. To this end TTFC continuously conducts workshops on various aspects of filmmaking—such as a workshop on screenwriting conducted by T&T writer/director Tony Hall, and a workshop on documentary filmmaking led by Cuban documentary filmmaker Enrique Colina Alvarez. The TTFC has also held “train the trainer” sessions for its SSSFF trainers, broadening the knowledge base within the industry. ▪

Training through doing

↗ Students and supervising teachers of Holy Cross College and Arima North Secondary, trained by Che Rodriguez, with their SSSFF 2013 T-shirts and filmmaking equipment

↗ SSSFF trainer Che Rodriguez observing his students’ editing processes and procedures

Photo courtesy Che Rodriguez


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God Loves the Fighter No Bois Man No FraidThe Blue and the GoldAfter Mas

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↘ Two of the five feature films from Trinidad and Tobago that have been named as Official Selections in the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) this year were funded by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC). In addition to the feature-length films, one short documentary and one short drama funded by the TTFC are also Official Selections of the TTFF this year. ▪

↘ Trinidad and Tobago Film Company’s Special Edition for the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival 2013 ▪ September 2013


the screener special edition september 2013- trinidad and tobago film festival 2013 edition

Documents

feature film god

tobago film company

film festival funding

tobago film festival

drama god

official selections

official selectionsmarket

director of god