The 2019 Something Wicked Film Festival is over but there is
still so much that still needs to be said.
We would first like to thank all our Sponsors for contributing to the success
of our event because without them we would not have had an event. I would also like to thank our staff and
volunteers who helped make the experience for our visiting film-makers the best
that it could be.
 |
| Zacky the Zombie |
August 2-4 was a huge deal for everyone at SWFF as it marked
our fourth continuous year in operation and a shift in a lot of things behind
the scenes as we make preparations for next year’s fifth year anniversary. We had a lot of the same things that
film-makers had come accustomed to from previous years such as our panel
discussions, screenings mixed with both features and shorts, our very our “festival
posters” that were hung on walls and placed in frames throughout the venue, pictures
with our mascot Zacky the Zombie, and film-maker Q&As after the screenings,
among other things. We did bring back
our film-maker one-on-one interviews (which have subsequently become part of
our “An Interview With…” web series) and we gave out gift bags to all the
visiting film-makers.
One of the things we want to do for film-makers and audience
members is to bring them a weekend experience unlike what they might get at any
other film festival. Some of my staff are
film-makers whose films have been screened in various film festivals and they’ve
all been different types of experiences but the worst is an experience that leaves
you with nothing as a film-maker in terms of the appreciation of the screening
experience and/or extended education as a film-maker from networking
opportunities to seminars and panel discussions. The film festival experience can be pretty
hollow if you get nothing out of it.
 |
| Krissy Notes |
My staff and I want film-makers’ experience to be something
that they remember so that they continue to submit their films to us and come
to our event every year. For those that
are unfortunate to make it out, we want them to be able to see what an
experience they are missing so that they decide to make it out the following
year (whether they have a film screening or not).
 |
| Lynn Lowry |
This year I want to give a special thanks to accomplish
actors Lynn Lowry and Krissy Notes. Both
of these actors were part of our 2019 Georgia Spotlight program in which we
screened a curated selection on material from their career followed by a
Q&A with audience members. This is a
program we’ve done for all four years of our event highlighting the talents of Georgia
based film-makers. We think this sets us
apart from other film festivals as we make it a mandate to support our local
film artists. We are especially thankful
for Lynn for being our Opening Night Presentation on August 2nd
which we’ve never done with one of our Georgia Spotlights so this was
especially special for us.
 |
| Sonya Thompson |
We’d also like to give a special thanks to our 2019 Lifetime
Achievement Award recipient Sonya Thompson who was on hand August 2nd
to receive her award and present all weekend to meet and greet film-makers
throughout the event. She has worked
with numerous Georgia film-makers her entire career but may be best known to most audiences as one of
the most iconic zombies used in the marketing campaign for AMC’s The Walking
Dead since the very beginning (and continues to be used even today almost ten
years later). I’ve personally worked
with her numerous times but the reason we chose her as our Lifetime Achievement
Award recipient for this year is because of her reputation with Georgia
film-makers who place her on the top of their lists for influential and dependable
actors in the state. I’ve yet to
personally meet a film-maker who wouldn’t love to work with her or continue to
work with her.
 |
| "That's What She RIFFED" |
We’d also like to thank the hosts of the live improv comedy
show “That’s What She RIFFED” which gave a live presentation on Saturday,
August 3
rd of the classic cult film Heavy Metal (1981), which none
of the cast members had seen before that night; it made for a very “special”
screening for audience members.
They
also assisted with this year’s Awards Ceremony on Sunday, August 4
th!
Check out this All-Female hosted live riffing
show once a month (
https://www.facebook.com/thatswhatsheriffed/)
and we were honored for their assistance this year.
And last, we would like to thank all the film-makers that
came out this year for the weekend event!
For without you to be on site to represent your films and watch all the
other films being screened we wouldn’t have an event. Year four may be at an end but our 5th
Year Anniversary is just around the corner and we hope to continue bringing film-makers
and audiences a great experience that they look forward to from year to year!
