Paul Osborne isn’t a politician, but he’s no stranger to politics.
The independent filmmaker has worked the film festival circuit to exhaustion, and he’s learned why some films make the cut and others can’t buy a screening.
Osborne turned his frustrations into a funny new documentary “Official Rejection,” which recently played at the Starz Denver Film Festival.
The film breaks down how a film festival operates, from Robert Redford’s Sundance soiree to festivals with far less fanfare.
“This is not what I thought it would be,” says Osborne of the “strange political rules” strangling the festival process. Filmmakers must deal with the timing of world premieres, the peculiar tastes of different film festival bosses and whether a film has enough recognizable names to snare enough attention.
So he tried to find a documentary that tracked the festival process but came up empty.
“Let’s shoot what happened to us,” he says of how “Rejection” tracks how Osborne and director Scott Storm brought their film ‘Ten ’til Noon” to festivals across the country.
“Rejection” is must viewing for anyone considering a career in independent movies, but it’s also a tragically comic look at people ignoring all odds, and budgetary constraints, to pursue their dreams.
Heck, just mailing out screeners to the various festivals can make bankrupt a struggling director or screenwriter.
One way to curry favor with some festivals is to pack a movie with big stars.
Osborne did a little bit of that himself, getting writer/director Kevin Smith, Andy Dick, Jenna Fischer and “Superman Returns” director Bryan Singer to comment on the festival process.
“Films that have celebrities get put in first,” he says bluntly.
Osborne had great praise for the Starz Denver Film Festival.
“I’ve been really pleased with the quality and diversity of the programming. Most of the film are really indie. It’s the biggest festival I’ve been in,” says Osborne, who spent part of his childhood in Denver.
“I made my Super 8 movies using Denver and Arvada as the background,” he adds.
“Official Rejection” came out on DVD late last month via a three month exclusive partnership with Amazon.com. But he still plans to bring “Rejection” to other festivals early in the new year.
One thing his festival daze have taught him is how easy it is to lose focus on the ultimate goal – to let people see your movie.
“You’re there to reach an audience,” he says. “Some people get caught up in the politics or the pettiness … you’re there for a common goal, and people forget that.”
(Photo: Scott Storm peddles his film ‘Ten ’til Noon’ in the documentary ‘Official Rejection’ – Photo courtesy of Shut Up & Shoot Pictures)
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