The Herald Says Challenge Awesome (or something to that effect)
You might think there are a limited number of plot scenarios that could encompass a fisherman, a fairy tale and being poked in the eye.
But those were the main narrative points that more than a dozen Calgary filmmakers had to work with for the 5th Annual Calgary Super 8 Challenge, a yearly gathering where the city’s fledgling auteurs are given strict guidelines for short films.
Mike Peterson, a director who co-founded and runs the challenge, decided to make the task even more challenging for himself by turning his entry into a trilogy and moving the action to Hungary. Yes, for one part of the three Peterson decided to shoot in Budapest, which added language barriers and befuddled locals to his list of cinematic hurdles.
“I went on vacation and apparently I don’t know how to relax, so I shot a film,” says Peterson. “I rented some fisherman’s boat for $5 for an hour. He looked at me like I was crazy.”
Tonight, all the films will be screened at the Distillery. While there are $12,000 worth of prizes, the challenge is not really a contest. The filmmakers are all invited to participate. The rules are simple. Each filmmaker must make a short film based on criteria that are cobbled together, often by pulling various suggestions out of a hat. This year, the theme was to adapt a fairy tale or fable. A fisherman had to be involved, and each film had to include one slow-motion scene and one without any cuts. Somehow the film must also include a character being poked in the eye.
“I’m pretty curious to see how that one turns out,” Peterson says. “We haven’t heard of any serious injuries yet.”
Peterson’s film is divided into three parts, including his brief foray into Hungarian cinema. Another episode stars Fubar actor Dave Lawrence.
There are no official limits for budgets or length, but most should clock in at around three to five minutes and are made on the cheap, Peterson says.
“It’s low stakes in the best way possible,” Peterson says. “There’s not big number attached to the budget, so I can try things that I wouldn’t have tried in normal circumstances. So I can push my craft. Typically speaking, the films I’ve made for this end up playing in festivals all over the world.”
Co-founder James Reckseidler also took up the challenge, making a film about a boy (played, as it turns out, by Peterson) who gets into trouble while watching the 1988 Olympics.
“It’s the moral story of why you shouldn’t run with scissors set to the background of the 1988 opening ceremonies,” he says. “I got an old ’88 logo T-shirt. Without saying too much, a kid in a downtown apartment is paralleling the Olympic torch ceremony and he is using scissors instead of a torch, and the lesson is learned.”
Both Reckseidler and Peterson have production companies in town and have found success with other short films. Both are in the midst of raising funds for their first features. Peterson’s The Secret Lives of Robots, which was spun from a former Super 8 challenge, has played more than a dozen festivals. Reckseidler’s impressive The Ice Climber’s Waltz, which wasn’t based on a Super 8 challenge, has also been well-received.
Reckseidler says the talent involved in the challenges makes for a unique night of viewing.
“The audience coming down to see this are seeing some really great talent that they normally wouldn’t see,” he says. “On top of that, the local community gets to come out and have a fun night together and celebrate what we’re doing and where we’re at in our careers.”
