THE WORLD OF MISSING PERSONS

cwby: My good friend and fellow filmmaker Leif Peterson now has...

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:48:45 -0500

My good friend and fellow filmmaker Leif Peterson now has some blurbs for his website! Including “strained, pretentious, self-congratulatory, [and] insipid.”

But what’s important here is that he has finally been called out (by Dennis Grunes, a man neither of us know in the slightest, though Google suggests he’s a Portlander) for his utter inhumanity. Truly, from seeing one film and not liking it, Grunes has deduced what the rest of us took years to learn — that Leif operates “in the absence of a heart, a mind and a soul.”

For years we have let Leif move through this life — through our lives — as a heartless, mindless, and soulless monster, making visually gorgeous and dramatically sparse films that rely heavily on abstraction of myth and a dense, layered mood full of broken promises and open spaces. But no more! We must destroy this devil in our midst, this automaton posing as man. I’ve seen Earth, a number of times, and I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed until now how it exposes the filmmaker as a “doodler” with nothing behind those eyes but emptiness and scorn.

Leif Peterson, Dennis Grunes is calling you out. He is your Beowulf. You are his Grendel. No more shall you torment his wordpress mead halls with your cinematic monstrosities!

As I said, I don’t really know Dennis Grunes, so I don’t know if he actually thinks of his blog as a mead hall or not. I just think calling an artist a soulless, mindless, heartless doodler is a bit strong for one short film you didn’t like. But seriously, these two should fight to the death with swords. And make a film about it. Set in the Old West. With inadequate performances and an intermittent backing of ominous chords that seem to whisper to us, “You know the story.”

From our multi-talented kickass producer Laurel Degutis, via her...

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:19:44 -0500

From our multi-talented kickass producer Laurel Degutis, via her website,

While tweaking RACHEL, RYAN, JAMIE & KATIE the other day, I got a little side tracked. Intending to participate in some office spirit, I made an entry for the Film Center’s MAKE IT SHORT contest. There’s basically one rule, it has to be 40 seconds or less (in honor of the Film Center’s 40th anniversary season).

So, using some already acquired footage, I give you Katie… or PARTY GURL.

— laureldegutis.com

vanuaryfilm: VANTASTIC COCKTAIL PARTY FLIER

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:36:59 -0500

vanuaryfilm:

VANTASTIC COCKTAIL PARTY FLIER

vanuaryfilm: A Vanuary Message From The Future This mysterious...

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:13:48 -0500

vanuaryfilm:

A Vanuary Message From The Future

This mysterious video appeared in front of Travis Ezell’s screening of The World of Missing Persons on 12/29/2011.

It appears to be a message from the Dave of Tomorrow, or 1/31/2012, to be exact. Little is known regarding the origin of this video, or how future-me was able to deliver it. Unfortunately, this message has the capabilities of causing a paradox in our timeline, and any statements made by that Dave may or may not become true for present-day Dave.

What we can be assured of is that I will certainly be living in my van during January 2012, and it should prove to be an awesome advanture, so please check out http://vanuary.com or follow along on twitter @vanuaryfilm

Our first review! — from my good friend Mary-Suzanne.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:52:45 -0500

Our first review! — from my good friend Mary-Suzanne.

“Latest hours ever.”

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:49:42 -0500

“Latest hours ever.”

BAR. (Beer & wine only. But good beers!)

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:48:47 -0500

BAR. (Beer & wine only. But good beers!)

After (and counter-clockwise): Katie McNeely, Jen Cyr, Rex...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:47:22 -0500

After (and counter-clockwise): Katie McNeely, Jen Cyr, Rex Carter, and the cool guys from the Waypost.

Snuck a shot during the film itself. Muffled moans, fish tank,...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:45:34 -0500

Snuck a shot during the film itself. Muffled moans, fish tank, and (happily) a chuckling audience.

Enrapt crowd.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:44:16 -0500

Enrapt crowd.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:43:37 -0500

Enrapt crowd.

On the Waypost Chalkboard: we were official.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:41:23 -0500

On the Waypost Chalkboard: we were official.

Thumbtacks, grip clips, and sandbags. It was a four-person job...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:40:40 -0500

Thumbtacks, grip clips, and sandbags. It was a four-person job to “straighten” out our screen.

Lewis, Micki Selvitella, and a framed portrait of Twompy, the...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:38:03 -0500

Lewis, Micki Selvitella, and a framed portrait of Twompy, the production fish!

“You should us your flash. The iPhone has a pretty good...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:36:37 -0500

“You should us your flash. The iPhone has a pretty good flash, and who cares if you disturb the crowd?” — Liz Lewis and a friend I wasn’t introduced to.

Montetré — and the cigarette that may have caused him to miss...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:34:56 -0500

Montetré — and the cigarette that may have caused him to miss his own onscreen premiere.

Montetré, back of Cassie’s head, and (unidentified...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:33:37 -0500

Montetré, back of Cassie’s head, and (unidentified moviegoer?).

Nate Maas, bedsheet technician.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:22:41 -0500

Nate Maas, bedsheet technician.

The restless crowd while we set up.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:20:38 -0500

The restless crowd while we set up.

An astounding amount of the day and night was spent in...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:15:45 -0500

An astounding amount of the day and night was spent in excruciating anxiety over progress bars. This was one of those times.