Industryites dig digital derby
Week choc-full of high-tech events
The week began on a high note for digital gurus, as the news of George Lucas’ decision to digitally lense the next installment of his "Star Wars" trilogy broke. In mid-week, the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival set up camp, with a number of skedded digital unspoolings in tow … and then there was Wednesday evening’s Daily Variety’s Ten Digital Directors to Watch shindig at the restaurant "Reign."
Five of the 10 spotlighted directors — Nichola Bruce, Marc Forster, Jon Reiss, Scott Saunders and Todd Verow — were on hand to celebrate. Also present were Daily Variety’s new publisher Charles Koones, LAIFF fest director Rich Raddon, managing director Linda Rattner and IFP/West’s Dawn Hudson.
"The bottom line tonight is that we recognize the creativity of these ten individuals, who all embody it in their own amazing way," Koones said.
Reflecting on his honor, Forster told Daily Variety, "The greatest gift that digital video gives audiences is the ability to live directly in the moment. Some people live in the past, some live in the future, digital presents a moment to moment existence."
"Digital film is a great tool for character acting because it’s intimate and immediate. I retrieve images and responses from my actors that I would never imagine on celluloid," Reiss said.
Honored in absentia were the other five, Michel Negroponte, Aiyana Elliott, John Carney, Ian Kerkhof and Bennett Miller.
