Mystery Films: Investigating the Unresolved

Written by Varun Raman, Tom Hancock

“Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see.”

Belgian surrealist painter, René Magritte, saw mystery as something hidden being incrementally made visible, but never fully revealed. Our experiences in life don’t amount to the whole truth. It is simply not possible to have complete knowledge of events we don’t participate in, or of things we don’t see. As in theatre, there is a stage on which we witness developments unfolding before us, but we remain oblivious to what occurs behind the red curtain.

Read more: Mystery Films: Investigating the Unresolved

Tim Kang Launches Short Competition

Actor Tim Kang, best known for his role on CBS’ critically-acclaimed show THE MENTALIST has launched a film production company called One Shoot Films (OSF). Beginning Tuesday, January 24, 2012 One Shoot Films is accepting entries into the OSF Short Film Competition 2012. 

As an homage to Kang’s support of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), all story ideas are limited to the topics related to child abduction and/or child exploitation. The competition prize is an opportunity for the winner(s) to see their idea go from the page to a finished production. The winning writer/director or writer and director team will receive up to a $15,000.USD production budget to shoot their film, overseen and produced by OSF. 

Additionally, OSF intends to actively push the winning short film for entrance and competition to relevant U.S. and International film festivals. The winner(s) will also have travel and housing expenses paid for during the shoot dates, pre- and post-production, as required by OSF.

Scripts must be submitted online at www.oneshootfilms.com/submit. There is an online submission form with detailed instructions. Entrants must submit their log line and full script/resume in PDF format, along with a reel link and a $25.00 entrance fee. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 12, 2012. At the end of the submission period there will be a week for the judges to review the submissions and select three finalists. These three finalists will then pitch their ideas to the judges (Monday, March 19, 2012 – Wednesday March 21, 2012). The winner will be announced on Friday, March 23, 2012. 

Story ideas must include the topic of child abduction/child exploitation and issues of NCMEC. Submissions will only be accepted from a Writer/Director or a Writer and Director team. The script submission must be no less than 5 (five) minutes and no more than 15 (fifteen) minutes screen time and no more than 20 pages in length, and will be shot in the Los Angeles area. Contestants must be 21 and older. Only US entries will be accepted. 

The shoot schedule for the winner will be as follows:


Pre-production (4weeks) Monday, March 26, 2012 – Friday, April 20, 2012

Production (1 week) Monday, April 23, 2012 – Friday, April 27, 2012

Post-production (4 weeks) Monday, April 30, 2012 – Friday, May 25, 2012

For more inquiries on the OSF Short Film Competition 2012 please contact shortfilmcompetition2012@oneshootfilms.com. For media inquiries regarding Tim Kang, please contact Mona Loring of MLC

Examining the Sports Narrative, Part 5: Legacy

Written by Matt Meier

“If you lose the last one of the season, nobody gives a shit about the others.” – Billy Beane, Moneyball (2011 Motion Picture)

Despite our limited cultural attention span, it would be far too simplistic to claim that Beane’s quote is an accurate metaphor for all aspects of our lives, especially with regard to death.  We generally reflect upon our departed with forgiving hearts, willing to overlook (or diminish) their more negative qualities or actions while glorifying their commendatory contributions to society.  In 2010, Forbes ranked Al Davis (principal owner of the Oakland Raiders, at the time) as the #1 most disliked figure in all of sports—Michael Vick was #2, if that helps provide some perspective.  Davis died little more than a year after the article’s release and was hailed as a “pioneer,” “trailblazer,” “legend,” and other flattering (and often euphemistic) terms for his legacy; the same person so vehemently hated only a year prior was all but canonized by every major network following his passing.

Read more: Examining the Sports Narrative, Part 5: Legacy

John Carpenter's Reluctant Hero

Written by Varun Raman, Tom Hancock

Joseph Campbell defines the reluctant hero as one who, at first, refuses the call to adventure and has little desire, or belief in their ability, to save the day. This refusal of the call is borne of fear or selfishness, embedded deep within their personality, and from past experiences long before the audience meets them. They become embroiled in the adventure at the hand of external forces beyond their control.

In the 1980s, John Carpenter helped further define the reluctant hero. He created outsiders who led isolated existences, until they were challenged by antagonistic forces and became relied upon by friends and allies they didn’t want to make. Although not all box office hits, Escape From New York, The Thing and Big Trouble In Little China are regarded as cult classics today. 

Carpenter places his reluctant heroes in surroundings, which reflect the characteristics that informed their original reasons to refuse the call. In these environments, he confronts them with what they each believe to be the most aggravating circumstances, set in motion by formidable antagonists.

Read more: John Carpenter's Reluctant Hero

Examining the Sports Narrative, Part 4: Bandwagon

Written by Matt Meier

My examination of the sports narrative up to this point has largely focused on the types of stories we find in sports, the importance of perspective, obstacles, and pathos as different sources of narrative foundation.  However, the inherent appeal of these narratives is only half the story—equally important is the cultural reaction that surrounds it.

Read more: Examining the Sports Narrative, Part 4: Bandwagon