A Method to their movies
Laura Sturza
Burbank and Glendale talent will be showcased in the work of eight of
the nearly 60 feature films and shorts picked from 340 international
entries to the fifth annual Method Fest.
“It’s kind of neat for everybody who has been asking me ‘What do
you do?’ for it to be playing at a place where they can actually see
it,” said Burbank resident Wendy English, who wrote and stars in the
feature “Searching for Wooden Watermelons.”
The festival, which honors outstanding acting achievement, is
April 11 to 18 at the AMC Media Center 8 Theatres. It moves to
Burbank after four years in Pasadena, and city officials hope it will
continue to put Burbank on the map as a media mecca.
The winners were picked by a panel of six including an actor, an
acting teacher, a filmmaker and the festival’s organizer, Don
Franken.
“We only show films that are fresh and new and haven’t played many
other festivals,” Franken said. “They had to be completed in 2002,
had to have breakout acting performances, and be story driven.”
He defines a breakout performance as one by an up-and-coming actor
in a performance that puts him or her on the map, or career- defining
performance by an established actor.
“Watermelons” director and Burbank resident Bryan Goldsworthy and
English met three years ago at NBC where they worked on “Access
Hollywood.” Goldsworthy grew up in La Crescenta and shot some of the
interiors at a La Crescenta home.
Their film focuses on three generations of Southern women in a
story about finding the courage to face down fear in pursuit of a
dream, English said.
The actress hopes premiering the film at the festival will help
attract recognition that will result in its sale for distribution.
Her enthusiasm for being included in Method Fest is matched by
that of Glendale resident Dale Fabrigar, who directed the 26-minute
short film “First Time,” which was shot on Super 16 film. The film
was written by fellow Glendale resident Glenn Magas, and stars
Glendale resident Victoria Collier.
Because Fabrigar grew up in what he describes as “a real
conservative family,” his family was not pleased when one of film’s
two characters was a call girl.
“But in the end, my folks were pleased with the film that we made
and the response that it’s getting,” Fabrigar said.
“First Time” tells the story of two strangers from different
backgrounds who reveal themselves to each other, “but the film is
really about acceptance and understanding,” Fabrigar said.
“It’s pretty great to be able to hop over there to the Media
Center -- where there is so much of the industry so close by,”
Fabrigar said. “[It’s so close that] we can invite most of our
friends.”
Information about the festival is available at www.method-
fest.com or by calling (310) 535-9230.