Short Film Update Eleven: A Fine Premiere
The odyssey that is “Arrangements” sort of met it’s logical conclusion. It was programmed into a screening block called “Homegrown,” a showcase for Santa Cruz filmmakers. It took place in the afternoon, between a women-themed program and one on African hip-hop. The screening venue was the Regal Cinemas Riverfront Theatre, a big ol’ twin-plex in downtown Santa Cruz. Many, many years ago I picked up a shift or two there back when it was a United Artists theatre. It’s much nicer now than it was, steeply raked auditoriums with plushy seats.
The program kicked off with a few truly interesting little shorts: A lovely narrative about visiting an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, a few well-done music videos, and a strange little 2-minuter about the “Pink Umbrella Man,” a fixture in Santa Cruz’s downtown who has apparently recently gone missing.
About halfway through the program “Arrangements” started. It was very well received, and not just by the many, many members of the cast and crew in attendance. The audience laughed where the humorous parts were written, gasped when the reality-fraying ultra-fast montages went off. The applause at the credits was genuine, warm and wide-spread.
A few shorts later and the program concluded. The directors, including Chip Street, came to the stage for Q and A. The very first audience question was on “Arrangements:”
“Was that movie based on actual events?”
Talk about a gratifying moment.
I’m paraphrasing here, but his response: “No, it was a work of fiction– but it had some real-life elements to it. Skot wrote it, and he’s here somewhere, I think.” From my seat, I did that modest hand-wave to the audience. Faye, the producer, took the next moment to mention the short film screenplay contest I bested to have it produced.
I don’t think of myself as a fame hound, but it was a rather intense minute or so of public acknowledgement.
Afterwards in the lobby and in front of the theatre, I had a chance to say hello and hang a bit with the artists and craftspeople who made “Arrangements” come to life. I realized, for many, it was in all likelihood a last goodbye. “Arrangements” is sitting on my desk at work as an HDCAM master, and the DVD festival version is already out in the world. Faye took the last Cinemar short (”The Coyote and the Ten Gallon Hat”) into the festival circuit: ours will in all likelihood follow suit.
The story of incredible collective creative effort to bring a modest, unlikely 11-page story to life is over. The next chapter in its life has begun.
–Skot C.