during the Central Florida Film Festival.
By Rob Owen
Over the past Labor Day weekend, one small theater in Ocoee became a refuge for independent filmmaking.
In three of the eight theaters at the West Orange Cinema in Ocoee, 80 films were screened for the 7th annual Central Florida Film Festival (CENFLO). From all over, filmmakers and movie lovers came to display their talents and to indulge in the cinematic machine.
“We had 611 in attendance Friday, and we sold out Saturday,” said Bob Cook, the director of the festival and the man who started it all. “Our first year, we only had 30 submissions. I had to take 24 of those… and it cost me a few thousand out of my own pocket.”
After the first year’s shortcomings, the event quickly grew into an international festival that has been called one of 25 festivals worth the entry fee by MovieMaker Magazine.
This year the festival boasted 80 films, all competing for the award in their respected categories. Documentaries, foreign films, student projects, dramatic and comedic shorts, feature length films, Florida Projects and a special award were given to the film audiences voted as best in show.
The screens were a battleground of incestuous singing twins, psychotic photographers, escaped convicts and silent monsters discovering the beauty of life. The stories were not just on screen either. Off screen, tales of dedication, hard work and broken bank accounts were told in the animated corridors of the theaters.
Jeffrey Ashkin is an unfamiliar name for most, but he directed one of the 80 films selected out of a pool of 203 possibilities to be featured at this year’s CENFLO. Ashkin’s short film “Technical Support” centered on a man who discovers that he lives in a virtual world and is controlled by computer techs. The film was received well by those who attended the screening. Although Ashkin was not in attendance, his mother Pat Ashkin was.
“He directed it. He produced it. He acted in it. He even catered the set,” said Pat Ashkin. “Jeff did not have all the help these other films did. He had a small budget and had to make it work.”
Jeffrey’s dedication and passion made it all possible as Bob Cook explained, “I don’t care what product you’re selling. Whether it’s yourself, a seven minute short, a half an hour documentary… If you give up, you don’t have to worry about it.”
Cook pointed out that if you work hard for something, it will happen.
Art Smith Jr. was on one of the panels of experts showcased at the festival who gave his advice to filmmakers on making budget. Smith has worked on production on a multitude of films including “Anger Management” and 2004’s “The Manchurian Candidate”.
Smith’s philosophy is simple. His belief is that filmmaking is not just about the money, it is about something more and it starts with educational opportunity that teaches dependability, reliability and responsibility.
“If we have film schools where instructors have never worked in the industry, and are only doing student projects, there’s something wrong with that,” said Smith.
That is where the student project portion of the festival comes in.
From three different countries and multiple schools, college scholars and high school students put their names on the big screen, some for the first time. There were films from the New York Film Academy, Chapman University and other big names. There were even films from Tel Aviv High School in Israel and McGill University in Canada. Florida State University, Full Sail, the University of Central Florida and others represented the student filmmakers from Florida.
Among the selected were two films created by teams from the University of Florida’s character animation BFA program. “Box Forts” and “Flower Story” were two of only a handful of animated films.
“When ‘Flower Story’ was showing the other day, I was watching the people’s reactions. I really wanted people to feel what I felt about the film,” said Josh Garriss, the environment artist on “Flower Story.” “When a person came up yesterday and said it made him cry, I was like Yes! So it was great to feel that.”
Overall, there were thirteen individuals working on “Flower Story.” According to Josh and Lauryn Duerr, the editors, there was a lot of research and story editing long before production even began. Even when working most nights until 2 a.m., setting up for production took a year. The actual production took another year as well.
The perseverance of the team, as well as their passion for their work, allowed for them to become finalists in the festival’s student project category.
“Whatever your thing is, if you know it’s right, that’s what you go with no matter what the opposition is,” said Loren Herbert, director of the dramatic short “Operative.” “The end result is when people see you really believed in something, they will believe in you and will want it to come true.”
Herbert is a postgraduate from New York University where he made “Operative” as his thesis. “Operative” was one of the only action films featured in the festival.
“I found it really was the action film that turned me on cinematically. I don’t get turned on by two people having a discussion. For me it’s blowing up a building.” explained Herbert. “I went to NYU where action films were deemed not favorable. I did what I did because that’s what I wanted. If I can wake up and do what I love every day that is success to me.”
As the lights dimmed for what would be the last showing of this year’s CENFLO, fingers crossed for the award show about to start. For some, this would mean recognition and reward for their hard work. Everyone coming away from that night had achieved something few ever get to experience, a credit by films end and applause.
“I don’t think this is the top,” said Cook about the festival. “If I see an empty seat, I haven’t gotten to where I want to be yet.”