Nuts and Bolts Are Not the Machine

One of the things I do after the festival is follow up on my offer to talk to those who did not get in about their work. Some of what I talk to them about is stuff that all of us who create need to keep in mind. This is especially true in comedy where our favorite funny bits are more often the problem than the beloved centerpieces we imagine them to be. But they're soooo funny!!!!!

That's when I came up with the image of nuts and bolts. They are the essential connectors for building just about any machine: a romantic comedy vehicle; an action comedy rocket ship; a satire guillotine. It is essential, however, to keep the machine you are building in mind and resist adding more and more nuts and bolts just because you have them. Put them in your catch-all drawer - you know, the one in the kitchen with the batteries and the twist ties and the button you know belongs to something... You will be glad you have that particular comic bit of business one day when it turns out to be the ONLY way to get your machine off the ground. At that point you have my blessing to put it in. But for now, if taking it out doesn't hurt the machine, then it doesn't belong in this movie. Funny though it may be... Take. It. Out.

And the Winners Are...

...All of the Broads and the Broad-Minded who had a great weekend at the festival.    Laughter.  Community.  Inspiration. 

The films were super and the screenplays a blast.  The actors deserve kudos for their performances in the screenlab.  The Broads Brunch proposed web series is going to fly, with several attendees coming up to tell me they already have their idea. 

And the awards went to...

2010 Broad Humor Film Festival Awards

Best Feature
Trippin' by Devi Snively

Best Short
Thank You for Washing by Camille Brown

Best Short Short
Career Virgin by Angela Comer

Audience Award
Action! by Hillary J. Walker

Best No-Budget Film
Casualties by Julianna Eggold

Best Romantic Comedy Screenlplay
Frenching by Marie Rose

Best Character Comedy Screenlplay
Albert Carp by Robyn Jackson

Best Action Comedy
Spy Stuff by Kay Weibel

Best Ensemble Comedy Screenplay
Ratacholo by Teri Carson

Best Comic FantasyScreenplay
Faith's Healing by Valerie Scott

Best Short Screenlplay
Happly Ever After by Kimberly Smith

Best Teleplay
White Trash by Kelly Sarber

A One-Broad Show

Broad actress, Barbara Cole, (Broadsides screenlab and Casualties actress, '10 Best No Budget) performs her one woman show, Surviving Chrysalis, this Wednesday and Thursday night (6/23 & 24) in the 1st Hollywood Fringe Festival.  Surviving Chrysalis is semi- autobiographical:   soulful, funny, and steamy.  We expect nothing less from a Broad. And Barb is always a pleasure to watch. For details and tickets visit: http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/project/view/256

Awards Arrived

The awards have come in from the designer and they look FABULOUS.  I am so happy to have them and can't wait to give them away on June 13.