This quarter, we’re shifting ShortHaus Cinema to include a workshop component paired with each director’s specialty. Join us each month to discuss the featured director’s body of work, as well as a part of the filmmaking process that they’re particularly adept at. As always, if you have a finished or in-progress film or video work, you’re welcome to bring it in for feedback from fellow creatives.
June: Todd Haynes and the Art of Pastiche
Tuesday, June 3, 7–8 p.m. (Drop in)
For pride month, we’re featuring Todd Haynes, a gay director whose films often feature intimate looks into queer culture, the lives of tired housewives and the careers of beloved musicians.
Haynes made a loud splash with his controversial biopic, Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (available to watch on YouTube). The short film follows Carpenter’s life story, but with one caveat: every scene is acted out with Barbie dolls.
Other musicians subject to Haynes’ creative retellings include David Bowie, The Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan. In fact, before the release of last year’s A Complete Unknown, Haynes’ 2007 film I’m Not There was the premiere Bob Dylan biopic.
Haynes’ work doesn’t have a cohesive visual tone, though he often relies on pastiche to heighten his stories. For example, his films Far From Heaven and Carol have the look and feel of 1950s dramas, whereas Velvet Goldmine feels like a gauzy, hazy tale of 1970s glam rock sleaze. So even though he doesn’t have his own signature style, Haynes’ heavy use of pastiche is unique to his body of work and evokes a particular feel for each of his projects.
Art direction is a huge part of selling a period piece: the sets, wardrobe and props must feel period-specific and authentic, so June’s workshop will cover how to find inspiration for your art direction and where to source materials to enhance the look and feel of your films and videos.
Poison (1991)
Mildred Pierce (2011)
Carol (2015)
Wonderstuck (2017)
July: Liz Sargent and the Art of Personal Experience
Tuesday, July 1, 7–8 p.m. (Drop in)
For disability awareness month, we’re featuring Liz Sargent. Her short film Take Me Home tells a story of sisterhood, grief and the cognitively disabled woman at the center of it all. Sargent’s own sister, Anna Sargent, acts in the film, and her inclusion both heightens the authenticity of this beautiful story and shows that filmmaking can be accessible to all. The short is soon to be adapted into a feature-length film.
Sargent’s earlier shorts and commercial work feature dance and experimental techniques, pulling from her background in choreography. Her evocative visual style is mesmerizing and poetic, often reminiscent of Maya Deren’s choreographed surrealism. Much of Liz Sargent’s work is available on her website, and her most recent short is available on Kanopy.
Sargent’s work is inspired by her personal history, so for July, we will focus on translating personal experiences from script to screen and how to synthesize your life story and knit it into a cohesive narrative.
Strangers’ Reunion (2019)
Take Me Home (2023)
August: Taika Waititi and the Art of Comedy
Tuesday, August 5, 7–8 p.m. (Drop in)
Taika Waititi was supposed to be featured back in December, but our monthly meeting was unexpectedly cancelled. So here he is again, the marvelous Kiwi director. Waititi’s comedic skills were honed through touring comedy groups in the 1990s alongside frequent collaborator Jermaine Clement. His award-winning short, Two Cars, One Night (available to stream on YouTube), offers an early picture of his brash, undercutting humor adapted for the screen.
Regardless of subject matter and tone, Waititi’s comedy is consistent. Māori culture, vampires, pirates, superheroes and soccer are all subject to Waititi’s unique flavor. For August, we’ll focus on the art of comedy and how to master comedic timing in film. This timing is achieved through tight scripts and even tighter editing, knowing when to cut and when to hold for maximum laughs.
Check out Taika Waititi’s diverse catalog from our collection or stream his work on Kanopy or Hoopla.
Eagle vs Shark (2007)
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Thor: Ragnorak (2017)
Next Goal Wins (2023)