FILM FESTIVAL DIRECTOR ENJOYS ROLE : FAMILY-THEMED EVENT REINFORCES REGION'S TIES WITH MOVIE INDUSTRY.Byline: Amy Collins Daily News Staff Writer Chris Shoemaker Chris Shoemaker is a Myrtle Beach, SC based builder of custom motorcycles. His company, Wicked Choppers, was officially born in 2002. Its first from the ground-up custom designed chopper, "Wicked Monster" caught the eye of EasyRiders magazine and appeared on the cover, as is a storyteller. He has told stories as an actor, from behind the stage, on video and through theme park rides. He's practiced his craft in Paris, China and Edinburgh, Scotland. Those experiences all come to bear on his latest side project, the Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, International Film Festival, now in its third year. ``For me, it's fun to work with the festival because I get to work with other people's stories. Stories from around the world,'' said Shoemaker, who is 36. As the executive director of the nonprofit festival, Shoemaker oversees a growing domain tied to the Santa Clarita Valley's increasing business with the entertainment industry. Shoemaker did some globe-trotting of his own before moving his production company to Santa Clarita in 1993. Starting in the business as a child actor, Shoemaker later received a fine arts degree in acting from Ohio State University Ohio State University, main campus at Columbus; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1870, opened 1873 as Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, renamed 1878. There are also campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, and Newark. , but decided he needed more training. ``I literally went to Paris with a couple hundred dollars in my pocket,'' he said. There, Shoemaker studied with Jacques LeCoq Jacques Lecoq (December 15, 1921–January 19, 1999) was a French actor, mime and acting instructor. Born in Paris, he is most famous for his methods on physical theatre, movement and mime taught at l'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq from 1956 until his , a world master in teaching creativity and performing arts. He spent almost two years in Paris, worked at the Edinburgh theater festival, and was then hired by the Communist Chinese government Ever since Republic of China founded in January 1st, 1912, China has had several regional and national governments. List
Shoemaker and his wife, Suzanne, who has a doctorate in theater, traveled to China to help develop some of its cultural programs. They worked on plays, helped actors on their technique, did translating, and in 1987, put together a film festival. Their repertoire sometimes pushed the limits of what the Chinese would bear. ``Our hand was gently slapped many times for our material,'' Shoemaker said. While films such as ``Aliens'' were deemed too visually intense, American classics such as ``For Whom the Bell Tolls'' and ``It's a Wonderful Life'' were loved by the censors This is an incomplete list of censors of the Roman Republic
The scene in ``Aliens'' where the creature rips from the chest of a victim is too shocking to the sensibilities of a culture not accustomed to seeing such things as crime and bodies on the 6 o'clock news, Shoemaker said. ``It's a very curious dilemma you're in. You're trying to balance artistic expression vs. the sensibilities of the audience.'' The question in selecting the film fare was the same in China and Santa Clarita: ``Who is the audience?'' The Santa Clarita festival is the only one in the world that is family themed. ``We looked at the audience who lives in Santa Clarita. It's a very, very strong family community. They are very pro-family here,'' Shoemaker said. The festival, which will run Feb. 7-13, will show 55 full-length feature films plus other student films. Fifteen will be world premieres. Although the list of corporate sponsors has grown - including California Institute of the Arts California Institute of the Arts known as CalArts U.S. private institution of higher learning in Valencia. Created in 1961 through the merger of two other art institutes, it was the first in the U.S. , Kappa Video, Microsoft, Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) ., Target, Bank of America
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. , The Newhall Land and Farming Company The Newhall Land and Farming Company is a land management company based in Valencia, California, United States. The company is responsible for the master community planning of Valencia, as well as the management of farm land elsewhere in the state. - the budget remains under $100,000. ``We pull it off with fantastic volunteers,'' Shoemaker said. The board meets 52 weeks of the year, beginning the day after the awards ceremony. ``It's a full-time job, but I do kinda Adv. 1. kinda - to some (great or small) extent; "it was rather cold"; "the party was rather nice"; "the knife is rather dull"; "I rather regret that I cannot attend"; "He's rather good at playing the cello"; "he is kind of shy" kind of, sort of, rather do it on the side,'' said Shoemaker, who continues to run his own production company with his wife. ``I'm very passionate about entertainment.'' THE FACTS WHAT: Santa Clarita International Film Festival WHEN: Feb. 7-13 WHERE: Edwards Cinemas, Valencia Town Center To order tickets: (805) 257-3131 CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) Chris Shoemaker, a Paris-trained actor, is the Santa Clarita International Film Festival's executive director. The festival will run Feb. 7-13. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion