MethodFest is premiere Calabasas business event.

In the crowded field of Southern California film festivals, MethodFest makes itself stand out with an emphasis on the performances of the actors rather than on big names or spectacular effects.

The festival, which will be held for the second time beginning March 31 in Calabasas, is not just a self-congratulatory indie lovefest but actually a business event getting the attention of distributors who can get the films before wider audiences.

"We want to build relationships with directors and actors and writers," said festival executive director Don Franken. "To create an environment conducive to people doing business and that is friendly to the entertainment industry."

"Opportunity" seems to be the keyword for the filmmakers--both those starting out and veterans in the business--whose work will be screened over the eight days of the festival; opportunity to get a message out, to see and hear an audience reaction, to get their work before new eyes.

Westlake Village filmmaker Lee Krieger will screen a version of his "December Ends" that is 25 minutes shorter than one shown at a festival in San Francisco.

The 2005 USC film school graduate worked with performers with limited onscreen experience for his story of a young man who turns to selling drugs with tragic results.

"It's an opportunity for me to see the shorter cut in front of an audience," said Krieger, who is also looking forward to meeting other filmmakers and performers.

Getting exposure

Kavi Raz, director and actor in "The Gold Bracelet," the story of an American Sikh family who is mistaken as Arab in the days following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, wants wider exposure for his film and perhaps catch the eye of distributors.

Screenings of "The Gold Bracelet" before Indian and non-Indian audiences, including at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, have been receptive, Raz said.

"It sends a very important message that as Americans we all believe the same thing regardless of what minority group you belong to," said Raz, who as an actor was a regular on medical drama "St. Elsewhere."

Considering Method Fest's track record in getting distribution--47 films have been released theatrically or on video or DVD-Raz's chances may be good.

Certainly being in the Los Angeles area makes it that much easier to get distributors to attend Method Fest, which took place in Pasadena and Burbank before moving to Calabasas in 2005.

"When screening a film before a live audience, a distributor can get a sense of how an audience reacts," said Mark Litwak, an entertainment attorney who negotiates distribution deals. "You can't get that if you watch a film by yourself in an office or at home."

Getting chosen

But even if a distributor representative is not present at a particular screening, it's still a feather in the cap of a filmmaker to be chosen to show their film at the festival, said Litwak, who has represented two filmmakers whose work was screened.

Producer Jen Prince, who had a short film shown in the festival several years ago, said that in an area where one is always being invited to screenings it was hard to discern what films are worth seeing.

Method Fest, however, has high-quality films with the unique feature of highlighting the acting, Prince said.

"I feel everything I saw then was worth it," said Prince, producer of "Eve of Understanding," a feature film having its West Coast premiere at Method Fest. "This is an opportunity for a lot of people who might not otherwise see the film."

Named after the famed Method Acting style, the festival was lured away from Burbank by financial support from the Calabasas city government. This year the festival received $50,000 and an additional $25,000 in-kind contribution.

Through that partnership with the city and the sponsorships the festival receives from local businesses, Method Fest can succeed at being a "festival of discovery," Franken said.

"We look for films with a unique vision that really have something to say," Franken said. "Films that reach the heart and the mind."

MARK R. MADLER

Staff Reporter