Apr 1, 2014
Festival
The 57th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 24-May 8) will present an exciting slate of Master Classes and Salons, designed to deepen and enhance the Festival experience, giving filmgoers the opportunity to go beyond the post-screening Q&A. Presented by the Film Society’s Education department, Master Classes offer an opportunity to engage with Festival guests and learn about various cinema-related subjects, while at Festival Salons, film scholars, filmmakers and industry professionals will lead unique in-depth discussions about major issues and ideas related to the art form.
MASTER CLASSES
Dolby Labs: The Sound of Movies
Saturday April 26, 12:15 pm, New People Cinema
Angus McGilpin, director of content development at Dolby Laboratories, and a guest sound designer will explore the art and history of sound in film-from how it is created and designed in the mixing room to how it is experienced by audiences in the theater. Using their animated short film Silent as a guide, they will examine the role of sound in the filmmaking process and how sound and picture work together to tell stories on screen. 75 min. Tickets are $15 for SFFS members, $20 general. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Funny Or Die: Anatomy of a Comedy Short
Friday May 2, 4:00 pm, Sundance Kabuki Cinemas
Producers, writers and directors from the award-winning destination for comedy on the web, Funny Or Die, will offer insight into how they create their online video content. For aspiring writers and directors who are passionate about comedic filmmaking-or anyone interested in what generates laughs online-this is a chance to gain real-world experience in how to produce and market short form comedy videos for the web. 75 min. Tickets are $15 for SFFS members, $20 general.
Painting with Pixar: A Workshop for Kids
Sunday May 4, 10:00 am, Walt Disney Family Museum
Join Pixar digital matte painter Paul Topolos (The Incredibles, Cars, Up) for a hands-on look at the work of the art department in the production of animated films. Topolos will use his own work and the Walt Disney Family Museum’s Mary Blair exhibit as sources of inspiration, and students will learn how to create their own works of art, experimenting with color theory and design through digital hands-on painting activities. Presented in partnership with the Walt Disney Family Museum. 3 hours. Tickets are $20 for SFFS members, $25 general (note: ticket price does not include museum admission). For ages 10-16.
SALONS
How Do We Know If We’re Making A Difference?: Why Filmmakers, Funders and Evaluators Should Talk About Impact
Monday April 28, 5:00 pm, SFFS FilmHouse
What’s behind the big push to measure the influence of media? Is it to attract and please funders? Improve engagement strategies? Prove the power that film brings to social change? Join Active Voice and the Active Voice Lab for Story & Strategy for an interactive session about how different kinds of films can help fuel different kinds of movements. Using Festival films as examples, participants take an early peek at a new lexicon that creatives, funders, and evaluators can use to communicate intent and expectations of which measurement methods might tell us what we really want to know. 90 min. Tickets are $13 for SFFS members, $15 general.
Future Audience: Engaging Young Viewers Through Educational Outreach
Tuesday April 29, 6:30 pm, SFFS FilmHouse
Engaging young people in a classroom environment is a highly effective way to reach them where they live and learn, and to provide an educational context for issue-driven films. Join members of the SFFS Education team, Bay Area educators, and filmmakers Jonathan Duffy (Hellion) and Marcia Jarmel (Havana Curveball) for an in-depth discussion of how and why to get films into schools. Using the Film Society’s new online platform FilmEd., participants will explore some of the resources and strategies available to make educational outreach possible and productive. 90 min. Tickets are $13 for SFFS members, $15 general.
The $11 Billion Year: From Sundance to the Oscars, An Inside Look at the Changing Hollywood System
Monday May 5, 3:45 pm, Sundance Kabuki Cinemas
Using her new book The $11 Billion Year as a starting point, film critic/reporter Anne Thompson will moderate a spirited discussion about the future of the film industry with Co-Founder & Chief Content Officer of Fandor Jonathan Marlow, Gary Meyer of the Telluride Film Festival and EatDrinkFilms, and SFFS Executive Director Noah Cowan. A book signing will follow the salon. 90 min. Tickets are $13 for SFFS members, $15 general.
For general information visit festival.sffs.org.
To request interviews or screeners, contact your Festival publicist.
For photos and press materials visit sffs.org/pressdownloads.
57th San Francisco International Film Festival
The 57th San Francisco International Film Festival runs April 24-May 8 at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, Castro Theatre and New People Cinema in San Francisco and the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley. Held each spring for 15 days, the International is an extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery and innovation in one of the country’s most beautiful cities, featuring 200 films and live events, 14 juried awards and nearly $40,000 in cash prizes, upwards of 100 participating filmmaker guests and diverse and engaged audiences with more than 65,000 in attendance.