BUILDING ON CREATIVE LIFETIME; FILM FEST FOUNDER HAS STRONG AREA ROOTS.

Byline: VICTORIA GIRAUD

Patte Dee, one of the founders of the Santa Clarita International Film Festival, believes you don't have to be stuck in life.

``You can always use your background to jump to something else,'' said Patte, who has been a model, a musical-comedy actress, a creator of needlework design and a costume designer.

She used her background of 25 years as a fashion model to become a contemporary costume designer, working with producer husband Mitch Matovich on such films as ``Lightning in a Bottle'' and ``I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore,'' which were shown on the Lifetime cable channel.

``The fun part is to tell the story in costume,'' Patte explains.

To aid in costume selection, she has actors fill out a questionnaire noting their favorite and least favorite colors as well as their preferred necklines. If a scene calls for the actor to be depressed, ``I'll use their worst color and worst neckline. It's psychological dressing as well as physical,'' Patte said and added that she'll use scratchy mohair if an actor is supposed to be nervous and agitated.

Patte's heritage in the Santa Clarita Valley runs deep. Her grandparents, the Joneses, came to the area in 1925, and her grandmother ran the Newhall Hotel boarding house for 55 years. Both Patte and her mother attended Newhall Elementary School.

Because her grandfather was a truck driver, she remembered the days before Interstate 5 replaced the Ridge Route, and Saugus was the turnaround point.

At age 16, Patte left small-town life behind and became a swimsuit model for Cole of California. That led to worldwide modeling jobs in all media. Having clothes actually designed on her that she later modeled inspired her to become a costume designer.

She went on to become a contract player signed with Howard Hughes, but instead of doing movies, she insisted on getting an education. Hughes, she said, argued that she should be on screen, but Patte kept backing off, preferring work on stage in musical comedies. Nevertheless, Hughes honored her contract and got her a tutor so she could get her desired college education.

These days the Film Festival, which is scheduled next year from Feb. 6-12, takes up a great deal of Patte's time. ``I solicit the films and screenplays and do the research. It's a yearlong job,'' she said.

The festival was conceived in 1993 by Patte and Mitch and their friends, Chris and Suzanne Shoemaker, who are producers of live family entertainment.

``We banded together to produce a film festival that you could bring your whole family to. It's the only film and screenplay competition in the whole world that is family-themed,'' Patte, a mother of four, bragged. ``What better place than Santa Clarita to have a family festival?''

The first festival, in 1994, had its challenges. It opened two months after the Northridge Earthquake. ``The first day we had El Nino storms, which rained out our sound stage, and we had to go to the Hilton,'' Patte remembered.

Film and screenplay submittals must have no obscenities or profanity, and no gratuitous nudity, sex or violence. Films must be, as Patte emphasizes, something ``I can take my grandmother or granddaughter to and not be embarrassed.''

With the Jan. 5 deadline looming, Patte and the other board members already are screening film submittals, and probably will see as many as 200 films before they pick the final 35-40 films.

Screenwriters have an opportunity through the festival to have their work read by members of the Producers Guild, and by professional film and TV screenwriters. The Screenwriters Showcase will open the festival with professional actors reading a scene from the 10 to 12 final-round scripts in competition.

Santa Clarita children will get in on the festivities as well when about 250 fifth- and sixth-graders are bused to the Edwards Cinemas at the Valencia Town Center to see films three mornings during the festival week.

Making films as a team with her husband remains a passion for Patte. ``I'd like to be making more good family entertainment that can be seen by the whole world.''

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Photo

Photo: (color in SAC edition only) Patte Dee - former actress and costume designer - is busy organizing the family-oriented Santa Clarita International Film Festival.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News