In late September Craig Downing will unveil the inaugural Couch Fest Films, a “cozy shorts film fest” hosted by local homeowners in Seattle. Lucky attendees will be able to stroll from one house to the next, taking in a 30-minute program of shorts at each venue. If you visit every venue, by the end of the day you’ll have seen about 200 films at 15 different houses.

I put a battery of questions to Mr. Downing, hoping to learn more about his inspiration and goals for Couch Fest, and I wasn’t disappointed.

What’s your background in film festivals?

I guess it all started when I pulled the trigger on a super 8 camera only to realize that I had accidently and instantly become a filmmaker. It was such a simple, powerful act and I was hooked. From here, I started working as a volunteer for a couple of super 8 film fests around Austin, Texas. One year, SXSW requested the public to make super 8 trailers for their film fest. Seeing my $15 super 8 SXSW trailer play on a 70 foot screen before films was quite a pivotal moment for me. The following year, I was a screener for SXSW. So, for a while there, I had Jenga stacks of VHS tapes in my living room to review. After I moved to Seattle, I resumed making films and connecting to the film community by teaching at the Northwest Film Forum and volunteering at the Seattle International Film Fest. I still go manic during the Seattle film fest trying to see too many Icelandic films all while surviving on Butterfinger candy bars and Capri-suns.

What was the inspiration for Couch Fest?

Honestly, I don’t remember a specific epiphany that produced the idea for Couch Fest Films. Though, I am pretty sure I could have come up with the idea during a crappy job. I have discovered that the crappier the job is for me the harder I daydream. I suspect that the idea of Couch Fest Films came from some deep crappy-job daydreaming. I do know that I have been toying with the idea of actually following through with this film fest for a while. On a personal level, I’ve been thinking about going to graduate school again but, I kind of decided to just save the money and just produce what I wanted to be doing later–but now. I mean, I don’t think currently there is an available internship where a candidate can run a film fest. So, well, I kind of decided to just create that internship myself and then conveniently select me to fill that position. In the end, though, I really just like movies. I like sitting my rump on a good couch. I also like riding my bike to my friends’ houses. So, I figured this Couch Fest Films idea would be a good way to combine all of these elements.

How did you settle on the format? 200 films spread into themes across 15 houses seems awfully specific.

This is a good point. The reality is that the number of themes and number of houses will really be determined by the diversity of the films that smart-thinking filmmakers submit to Couch Fest Films. The goal is to have each house have its own theme for the program that is played at the house. But, if we receive, for example, an overwhelming amount of really great erotic sci-fi films, well, then we may decide to have two houses with this classic film theme.

Do you have your house venues locked down yet?

No, we don’t have all 15 houses yet. Do you have a couch, a TV and a DVD player, Chris? If so, I can sign you up. As of now, we have five houses that are signed up to host. We won’t be able to determine the overall map until we see what houses we have available. I really wanted to have houses spread over the city in all of the different neighborhoods. But, I also want the houses close enough that forward thinking film fest attendees wouldn’t feel rushed to make it to the next house on time.

I am asking residents to open their houses to other lovers of film who happen to also be strangers. This is kind of one of the goals of the fest. I want to see what happens in the community if people start opening up their living rooms in different parts of the city in order to come together to share the excitement of film. I’m aware that this idea is a little cheesy . . . but it would be too easy to just have my friends that live on my street open their houses for this film fest. The goal of Couch Fest Films is to have houses in neighborhoods that we wouldn’t normally think about going to visit. Let alone, walk into a stranger’s house and sit on their couch and watch a film. And, on the flip side, let’s not forget that houses in all different neighborhoods are opening their doors to their living room to complete strangers too. This will hopefully create new relationships, friendships and experiences. I don’t know…maybe I was getting a little a head of myself there. But, that’s the community goal and I am excited to put the pieces next to each other.

I will visit each location before signing them up to host. I will do this mainly to say hello to interested residents but to also confirm that they can accommodate 15 – 20 people in their house.

Why should a filmmaker submit to Couch Fest Films?

Who wouldn’t want to win the Golden Couch award? Actually, I have been thinking about this. I have obviously looked online and discovered there are so many film fests out there. This wasn’t really a surprise but, I was excited to read about all the different and unique themes. I am hoping that my idea is maybe clever, silly or different enough to draw filmmakers to be a part of this community film fest. Of course, having no submission fees for the chance at $1750 in prize money can’t hurt either.

Filmmakers with short films that are under 5 minutes can submit to Couch Fest Films by August 15th, 2008. There is no submission fee.

You do iTunes? B-Side does… and now our Choice Indies titles are available as part of the IFC, Movies Uncut iTunes channel.

Now on iTunes - B-Side Groundswell™ alum and music industry expose “Before the Music Dies” combines performance footage, industry insight, and humor to document the current mess that is popular music. Filled with interviews by well-respected talking heads like original riot grrrl Jenny Toomey and New York Times critic Jon Pareles, the movie does what all good documentaries should do — elicit dialog and (hopefully) action.

Also available on iTunes is the suspense drama “The Cassidy Kids” that weaves a clever tale of murder, memory, and Saturday morning television. It features “30 Rock” resident nerd-bot Judah Friedlander and 80’s sitcom star Kadeem Hardison — who’s seen a career spark since his “A Different World” days with “Bratz: The Movie” and “Made of Honor” co-starring that McDreamy dude. Yes!

Finally, look for B-Side beer and bro-fest doc, (and Choice Indies grad) “The Outdoorsmen: Blood, Sweat, and Beers” on iTunes later this month.

Phone Sex Grandma reaches 250k on Youtube.com

B-Side raunch-fest selection “Phone Sex Grandma” recently surpassed a quarter million views on You Tube. Nine and a half minutes of pure profanity laced creep-itude, the short shows Grandma Opal (the filmmaker’s mother… no kidding) hard at work operating her in-home phone sex line. I never get offended as I easily have the foulest mouth of anyone at B-Side, but “Phone Sex Grandma” gave me a serious case of the “ickies” – a case that still reverberates over a year after my first viewing. That being said, it’s awesome and provocative and points a long ruby-red-fingernail-tipped-finger at sex line callers who truly believe that the babe on the other end of the line is a blonde 36-24-36 bombshell.

NEW: Dirt Road to Psychedelia: Austin Texas during the 1960s

New to B-Side is the Scott Conn-directed music doc “Dirt Road to Psychedelia: Austin Texas during the 1960s”. Examining Austin’s critical part in shaping the psychedelic scene of the era, “Dirt Road” provides historical footage and uncommon insight into the birth of the psychedelic music movement by way of folky Janis Joplin and purveyors of psych the 13th Floor Elevators (fronted by legendary rock hero Roky Erickson). Music fans, especially those of Janis and Roky, as well as popular modern neo-psychedelic band The Black Angels (who recently toured around the film) will dig the jams as well as the historical reference.

NEW: Shadow Company

Also new is the investigative doc “Shadow Company” that scrutinizes the modern day phenomenon of “Private Military Contractors” — more commonly known as mercenaries. With an estimated 20,000 contractors currently on the ground in Iraq and with last year’s Blackwater scandal, the film asks where do these people come from and what compels them to fight for money regardless of the side they are on?

Interested in distributing your film through B-Side? Contact Steph Layton in Acquisitions.

The hub of activity for this year’s fest was CineVegas Headquarters & Condé Nast Travelers Lounge, known to most as CVHQ. In a stroke of brilliance this converted ballroom served as the info desk and registration area but was also outfitted with a bar and comfy lounge furniture. Daily happy hours raged on mere feet away from more “serious” business, though most of the folks I talked to agreed that for networking purposes CVHQ was a much more suitable venue than any of the raucous evening parties.

Not that those evening soirées weren’t as fabulous as you’d expect. A fair number of them took place in the Palms’ numerous themed nightclubs, of course, but there were also parties up and down the Strip and even a makeshift drive-in theater downtown for a screening of the ’50s classic THEM! (Cinevegas is also the only film festival I know of that has an official gentlemen’s club.)

For most of us, however, the week was all about the movies, and CineVegas’ interactive program guide (provided by B-Side) was the best place to find out the audience buzz about the films. Controversial noir crime flick “South of Heaven” topped the ratings chart, followed by a mixture of shorts and features like the whimsical “Women in Boxes” and hard-core British crime doc “The End.” Other fan favorites included “Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong” (moviegoers had an opportunity to challenge the world champs at an afterparty) and character-study documentary “Hi My Name is Ryan.”

If you were in attendance at CineVegas, there’s still time to create an account at cinevegas.bside.com. Don’t forget about your favorite flicks — let the filmmakers know what you thought by rating and reviewing the films on the CineVegas site.

SCOUTS ARE CANCELLED

New to B-Side is the stark and inventive documentary “Scouts are Cancelled” that uniquely documents the writings of Canadian poet John Stiles and visually interprets his commentary on small town life in rural Nova Scotia. Recently screened at celebrated B-Side partner festival Hot Docs, the film received a glowing analysis in the current issue of the critical film journal CineACTION.

CICADAS

Great news for Austin filmmaker Kat Candler — her beautifully sweet coming of age story “cicadas” will screen as part of WNET’s REEL 13 series on July 19.

BLOOD CAR

“Are gas prices killing you?” B-Side 40 Fridays* favorite “Blood Car” is back on bside.com after screening at the prestigious Edinburgh International Film Festival last week. Part social commentary, part B-Movie slasher flick, part beer-out-your nose ridiculous comedy, Blood Car has enough sex-crazed, bloodthirsty vegans and inappropriate humor to satisfy everyone — and as the CIA agent says in the film “killing people for fuel is not racist… it’s patriotic”. Celebrate your freedom… buy Blood Car!

*40 Fridays – proper noun 1. Research. 2. B-Side working stiffs’ excuse to start the weekend early, watch movies, and drink malt liquor.

Interested in distributing your film through B-Side? Contact Steph Layton in Acquisitions.

The 2008 CineVegas Film Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary June 12th – June 21st at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

CineVegas will be book ended by two fantastic films. Opening night will feature Peter Catteneo’s comedy “The Rocker” starring Rainn Wilson (also known as Dwight Schrute on NBC’s “The Office”) portraying a washed up drummer that joins a high school rock band.

Don’t burn out too early or you will miss the festival close featuring “The Great Buck Howard”, directed by Sean McGinly. This is the story of a law school drop out that answers an ad looking for a “personal assistant to a celebrity performer”.

In between, there are 124 films in 16 categories and offers something everyone. This line up includes a wide variety of genres that will feature festival favorites, world premieres, and new yet to be discovered gems.

Matt O’Brien and I will be in town from Thursday 6/13 through Wednesday 6/18. If you’re coming to Vegas, let us know.

As always, check out the B-Side powered 2008 film guide for the latest schedule of films and to build your own schedule. You can see my selected film schedule online at http://cinevegas.bside.com/2008/user/stomptokyo.

This will be helpful after your eyes are bleary from the all-nighter you pulled at the Blackjack table and your ears are ringing from the constant sound of the slot machines. You will thank us later.

It has been a while since we’ve seen you so we wanted to highlight some of our new releases on bside.com.

Ever wondered what all that nonsense on the Dr. Bronner’s soap bottle means? “A documentary about obsession, compassion and all-purpose soap”, the weird and wonderful “Dr Bronner’s Magic Soapbox” makes its way to B-Side this month and will answer all your questions about the “Moral ABCs” and “Spaceship Earth”… AND make your parts tingle.

New this month is the mumble-riffic “Confusions of an Unmarried Couple”. Fresh off a hugely successful festival run, “Confusions”, helmed by the Canadian Butler Brothers, chronicles the insecurities and dysfunctions of modern romance. With fiery, realistic dialogue, this movie will surely please mumblecore devotees and ordinary film fans alike.

Also new, the documentary “Dreams on Spec” follows three Hollywood screenwriters as they struggle to see their cinematic visions become reality. With interviews by such luminous talking heads as James L. Brooks and Nora Ephron, will these writers overcome near-constant rejection and humiliation to have their stories seen on the big screen?

No budget? No problem! B-Side is always looking to discover new films and help find them an audience.

Interested in distributing your film through B-Side? Contact Steph Layton in Acquisitions.

Over on my film & tech blog, Blue Glow, I posted my first impressions of the Netflix Roku box, which allows you to watch movies as streaming video directly to your television. Boxes like these will play a large part in how we watch movies in the coming years. Indie filmmakers would do well to pay attention to which ones are the most popular and how the rights-holders get paid. Given that only 10% of Netflix’s DVD catalog are available on the Roku box, there’s plenty of room for indies to be seen alongside the other content — and competing with old episodes of Kojak should be somewhat easier than trying to be discovered opposite the latest Pixar release. (I notice that Ondi Timoner’s DiG! and a wide range of other indie documentaries — some of them relatively recent releases — are already available as Watch Instantly titles.)

Read Blue Glow: First evening with the Netflix Roku box.

From CommercialAppeal.com:

With the enthusiasm of revival-tent evangelists preaching the good word about the power of the movies, a Memphis millionaire and a filmfest veteran from Alabama have joined forces to try to elevate the Indie Memphis Film Festival to a “world-class level” as it enters its second decade.

Erik Jambor of Birmingham has been selected as the first-ever salaried executive director of Indie Memphis. The position is being funded by investment capitalist Bob Compton as part of a $100,000 grant that will help the festival triple its operating budget this year, as Indie Memphis becomes a fully independent entity.

If you’ve never met Erik Jambor, you should get to know his name and face; Erik has been a major force in Southern indie film since co-founding Birmingham, Alabama’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in 1999. Sidewalk is the model of an intimate, filmmaker-friendly festival in an unlikely place. It is a favorite destination with filmmakers, audiences, and industry types alike. Jambor moved on to a short-lived experiment at the Bend Film Festival in Bend, Oregon before returning to the South as the director of Indie Memphis.

 According to Jambor, “Indie Memphis has been on the scene for a good number of years, but its first decade focused exclusively on films with a connection to the South. Filmmakers loved it – but that, coupled by the fact that it was a completely volunteer run organization, has kept much of has been happening here under the radar.”

Jambor promises that the South and Southern filmmakers will remain a “major focus” of the festival, but as part of his plans to move the festival into a new stage of development, he will use “Memphis’ rich cultural history to connect independent filmmakers from other regions of the country too. Memphis is known as the home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the city resonates with inspiration and collaboration that is simply unlike anywhere else.”
Read more from Jambor in an interview with the Memphis Flyer, or visit the Indie Memphis web site (call for entries now open).

Welcome to The Show by B-Side, a bi-weekly look at filmmakers, festivals, and audiences.

A few weeks ago, our intrepid Festival Ops Manager Chris Holland brought his Flip video camera to the 2008 Marfa Film Festival. He came back with some great stories about the festival, and some great footage to back it up.

So that gave us an idea.

With over 200 festival partners and counting, B-Side has an average of 5 new partner festivals taking place each week somewhere in the World. And with Flip cameras starting at $99, and fitting comfortably in your pocket, they are an ideal means to profile a festival from the inside. (No, we do not have a commercial arrangement with Flip — we just think they’re really cool).

The idea is this: each week, send a Flip camera to a filmmaker attending a B-Side festival. Have them shoot whatever they want, send the camera back, and we’ll cut together a brief festival profile. This got us thinking about all the other things we could do, and The Show was born.

In coming weeks, you can expect coverage of more festivals, but also profile of filmmakers, films, audiences — basically anything that fits within the ever-expanding B-Side universe.

So welcome to episode 1, featuring the 2008 Marfa Film Festival. In two weeks, our next episide will feature the 2008 Portland Women’s Fest. You can expect a new episode every two weeks (for now).

Let us know what you think. And if you have an idea for a segment, or you’d like to shoot something for us, just drop us a line at theshow@bside.com.

Check out the episode here.