SEEING REUNION at AVIGNON FILM FESTIVAL

First of all - need to tell you a little about what the dogme technique is about. Two cameras, two takes for each actor, no dubbing.
The acting was superb!

High school reunion - 20 years later. Generation Y will relate to those 80's along with anyone who has ever attended or was considering attending their high school reunion.
Remember the expectations on that day?
The most popular, the geek, the most likely to not succeed, the musician?
Remember the reality?
The most popular has been in the skids; the geek is highly successful; the one who had promise is working a K-Mart.
We never turn out the way our peers expected because we were young then and only saw our contemporaries at face value.
Dogme was a good choice for this type of storyline.

Since the script is a study of characters - and Reunion's web site has the premise for all the characters, I think that our take (Maxine and myself) on each actor in his and her role will do.

SORT OF A REVIEW OF REUNION

Max and Cyndie's Review REUNION REVIEW

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE Q & A

1. Kimberly Shane O'Hara - screenwriter. 2. Marlene Forte -- "The Mayor". 3. Leif Tilden. 4. Rainer Judd. 5. Dwier Brown. 6. Billy listening intently. 7. Andres Faucher.

Q: How did you get financing?
A: Kimberly Shane O'Hara answered: We had the money before the script. My team had dropped off another project and had the money for it left. Rather than give money back, we decided to find another project.
Ms O'Hara came up with 7 Characters in 8 days and the screenplay.

Q: What was the shooting schedule?
A: Director Leif Tilden answered: 12 shooting days, 39 locations, 2 cameras, only 2 takes per actor. What the film goers see on tape is the written word but also the reactions between the actors. I tried to pick actors who I felt "were the characters". The bonding between the actors was very important to get the closness of the characters to work.

Q: Question to producer O'Hara: What did you learn from this project? A: That less is more -- smaller, simpler --- intimate works better. I also suggest anyone wanting to try this - to learn your techniques before attempting this type of medium.

Q: How did your actors get into character for your parts? What did you draw on?
A: Billy Wirth (Brad) answers: I went back to my own 10 year reunion. I found myself surrounded by very successful investors, company presidents, moguls, with money, families, etc. And here I was an actor in LA still trying to get to the top. Thinking back on our hopes and dreams ...... hoping to have been further along and more of a success.... and trying to relate to where the 10 years had gone.

Andres Faucher (JC) answers: My character is a lot like myself and it made it easier for me to understand him.

Rainer Judd answers: Mindy was a challenge. With two cameras rolling all the time and having to stay in character all the time, it was very exciting.

Dwier Brown (Patrick) answers: I found by talking to each other, learning about my fellow actors made it easier to get into character and understand the others.

Jennifer Rubin (Jeanie) answers: Since my character has a camera in her hand most of the time, I found pulling off my character as a world known photographer a challenge and had to concentrate on the use and believability of that most of the time. I feel happy when I have a script and can work from it.

Marlene Forte (The Mayor) answers: The Dogme techique causes the actors to bond and be friends in order to have it work for the film. I enjoyed the challenge of a new medium.

Corey Glover (Ty) answers: Music was the personal choice of my character. The film leaves you to decide what will happen to his choices.

Q: What did you discover by doing the dogme film?
A: Leif Tilden answers: You have to have trust....have faith in your actors and be willing to fail. You have to know that you are shooting personalities and it is up to the actors and their understanding of their characters and each other to pull it off.

1. Marlene Forte -- "The Mayor" 2. Leif Tilden. 3. Rainer Judd. 4. Dwier Brown. 5. Billy laughing. 6. Andres Faucher. 7. The Beautiful Jennifer Rubin

cg 11/05