Interviews | Screenwriting

Maine Event

1 Jul , 2007  

Written by Eric Aron | Posted by:

Experimental filmmakers Devon Damonte and Nancy Andrews talk about the making of their films being showcased at the 2002 Maine International Film Festival this month.

During the ten days of this year’s Maine International Film Festival, which runs July 12-22, there are almost 100 screenings with over 50 films. One program not to be overlooked is the Visions program, a selection of unique short films mostly from local filmmakers. The 2002 Visions program brings back filmmakers Devon Damonte and Nancy Andrews for another year at the Maine festival in a screening of their latest experimental works.

Devon Damonte, an experimental short filmmaker and former programming director of the Boston Video and Film Foundation, will present his work "Radioactive Spider" at this year’s Maine International Film Festival. The film incorporates painting, drawing, and even ironing patterns and images on clear film stock. Considering himself to be an "abstract cameraless filmmaker," Damonte’s films have no characters, no storyline and no plot. The bizarre imagery is accompanied by music, consisting of both traditional and synthesized sounds.

"[The film] originated entirely from the discovery of a pop culture artifact — a Spiderman plastic tablecloth — that happened to align perfectly on 16mm film to create complex rhythms, colors, and textures in both animated and abstract movements," says Damonte. "I was compelled to challenge myself and see what sort of cinematic experience is created by presenting the material relatively unmanipulated, and preserving the inherent structure created by its graphic layout. The result is a hypnotic film, which definitely requires a leap from the viewer, but one I hope is rewarded with payoff."

Ironically, Damonte had started the film in December 2000 without any knowledge of the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster rendition of "Spiderman." But now he feels it provides a perfect foil.

"I like the extra layers of meaning and experience fostered by the Spiderman myth being so omnipresent in the collective cultural consciousness thanks to the massive muscle of Hollywood marketing (and this sort of brings the whole pop culture artifact idea full circle). Of course, anybody expecting a ‘fan’ film here would probably be even more perplexed than most," says Damonte.

In addition to his filmmaking, Damonte teaches weekly workshops in film technique. He instructs his students in basic film properties and the meaning of 24 frames per second to those used to working with digital cameras. What he enjoys most about his work is that one can get immediate results. The work can be completed in two to three hours with no wait for the film to be processed. First, Devon conceptualizes what he might like to create and then sees what works.

While Damonte uses his odd ways of creating images on film, Nancy Andrews uses puppetry and live performance for experimental effects. Nancy Andrews will present her most recent work, a film entitled, "Reach of an Arm" at this year’s Maine International Film Festival. Recorded live, the film is about western migration. Like her previous works, the film is shot in 16mm as part of a live performance, with sound effects, voice, and music. One of her recent films, "The Lost Colony" (1999) is also historical in nature; it is the story of a colony loosely based on the settlement in Roanoke, Virginia. "The Lost Colony" uses actual diaries from Plymouth, Massachusetts.

What makes her performance unique is Andrew’s use of puppetry to represent some of her characters. She also combines live performance with silent film — in "Reach of an Arm" and her previous work, "Hedwig Page, Seaside Librarian," she later made a sound print. "Hedwig" reads like a story composed from poems and quotes.

Nancy is currently on faculty at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, where she teaches performance art, video making and film history. When asked about what it takes to be a successful filmmaker of shorts, Nancy said it is no different from other filmmakers. Filmmakers must find other jobs to complement their projects, such as teaching. There are always the challenges of raising money, writing grants, and marketing films to festivals.

Andrew’s newest work "Monkeys and Lumps" will feature rod puppets instead of hand puppets. It is about the unknown, strange phenomena, and evolution. The protagonist is Ima Plum, a chalk-talk specialist. Chalk talk originated in Vaudville, where people would see acts, song and dance.

In the end, making shorts is quite satisfying for both Nancy and Devon. The rewards are worth the effort. Damonte concludes saying that "short film is both unique and valuable" on its own and should not be considered merely a stepping-stone to making other films.

For more information about the Maine International Film Vestival, visit the festival website at www.miff.org, email info@miff.org, or call 207-861-8138.

In addition to the Maine screening, filmmaker Devon Damonte’s work will be featured at the DeCordova Museum in a three person show running September 14, 2002 – February 23, 2003. The exhibition, curated by George Fifield, is called ‘The Ambient Electron: Abstract Video Art’ and also includes excellent new work from Boston artists Walter Wright and Dennis H. Miller. Damonte will show several short films presented on video plus some interpretive materials in the 2nd floor media gallery.

In addition, Damonte offers weekly free workshops in Waltham and Providence, culminating with screenings of the group work on July 29 and 30. For more information, contact him at devon@devonimation.com. For more information about his work, visit http://www.devonimation.com/.


For more information about the Maine International Film Vestival, visit the festival website at www.miff.org, email info@miff.org, or call 207-861-8138.In addition to the Maine screening, filmmaker Devon Damonte’s work will be featured at the DeCordova Museum in a three person show running September 14, 2002 - February 23, 2003. The exhibition, curated by George Fifield, is called 'The Ambient Electron: Abstract Video Art' and also includes excellent new work from Boston artists Walter Wright and Dennis H. Miller. Damonte will show several short films presented on video plus some interpretive materials in the 2nd floor media gallery.In addition, Damonte offers weekly free workshops in Waltham and Providence, culminating with screenings of the group work on July 29 and 30. For more information, contact him at devon@devonimation.com. For more information about his work, visit http://www.devonimation.com/.

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