'Cowtown Film Series' features wide array of short films

Local festival returns to The Continent with reworked format

By Reyan Ali

Special to Metromix

In September of last year, Columbus filmmaker Peter John Ross began the inaugural “Cowtown Film Series,” an extended celebration of homegrown movies that pulled an array of talented Ohio residents into one program. Over 10 weeks, 11 features and a handful of shorts were screened, with the diverse bill offering a stoner comedy, a WWII horror movie and an intense action flick.

Returning this week, the 2009 incarnation of “Cowtown” will contain some significant changes. Instead of running over two months-plus, the screenings will take place on two days (7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6) at the Screens at The Continent. Unlike the feature-heavy 2008 edition, this year's roster will consist entirely of shorts, and in the most significant change for attendees, both days are entirely free to the public.

Metromix caught up with Ross to get the scoop on the film festival’s many changes before the big opening night.
 
In the press release for “Cowtown” 2009, you said, “I’m amazed at the increase in quality of movies being made in Ohio. In just over a year, the bar has been raised for filmmaking here.” How big of a rise are you talking about?
I’ve been doing this for 10 years in Columbus, and in the last two, I’ve seen a sudden spike in the quality of writing, editing and camera work. The number of people making quality movies is exponentially higher than what has happened here before.
 
What has been the primary factor in that rise?
There have been some movie companies who moved to town, like Vital Film Works and Rave Pictures. They’ve opened shops to do both commercial and film work. Friendly competition is going on. There’s also an availability of certain equipment, like 35mm lens adapters for camcorders. One of the big differences between video and film is the shallow depth of field where you can really play with focus. The availability of these lenses for regular camcorders is a lot more prevalent than it used to be.
 
What was the attendance for last year’s festival like?
We had a decent turnout. We're talking about 10 weeks of films. It varied week to week. The filmmaker each week had to promote themselves, and some were better at it than others. The film community was very supportive. We had a core group of 30 to 40 people there every week. Aside from that, the general public would show up in various numbers. Sometimes, we had over 200 people; sometimes, under 100. The big difference this year is that the screening is free. Given what the economy is like, I think we’re going to pack the house, which is 400 seats.

What led you to modify last year’s model?
The main factor was that this is a world premiere for many of the movies. Since it’s a world premiere, it’s an unwritten rule that the first time the cast and crew see the movie, they shouldn’t have to pay. The difference between this year and last is that this is just a compilation of short films. There are no features. With all of these short films that have never screened, it was a chance to turn a cast and crew screening into a larger event open to the public.
 
What’s the most notable lesson you’ve learned from that first year?
Ten weeks was too long. I need to focus on building up to something like that again. I would never do 10 weeks again.
 
What will the films be like this year? There was a great variety in genres in 2008’s selection.
It’s the same thing. We’ve got a two-part science fiction series called “Aidan 5,” which is absolutely amazing. We’ve got a lot of dramas … comedies of various types. It’s a pretty wide range.

Tell us about your films (“Accidental Art” and “Relationship Card”) that are a part of Cowtown this year.
[“Accidental Art”] is premiering here. It’s a dark, dark comedy. It’s a throwback to that old Blake Edwards style with a Quentin Tarantino twist. “Relationship Card” is something that I made to be a viral web video, but it’s doing really well on the small film festival circuit. I’ve never submitted it to any of the big festivals, but all the little ones I submit it to, it keeps getting accepted and winning awards. 
 
What are your current plans for a 2010 event?
This year, we don’t have features, so we’re going to do another set of feature films. I know about three or four features that are being finished. I’d like to screen them next year.

Looking toward the long term, would you like to see the “Cowtown Film Series” end up as something more akin to last year’s format or this year’s?
I’d like to keep doing a hybrid of both, where maybe one night it’s a production of shorts. I always like to play a couple of shorts before a feature. Short films have found their way back into the mainstream. Shorts used to be all that they’d show for Saturday matinees. That was where “The Little Rascals” and “The Three Stooges” came from. We’re seeing a return to that because of all the desktop filmmaking.

The “Cowtown Film Series” runs at The Screens at The Continent at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. Admission is free. For more information visit the “Cowtown Film Series” Web site.