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Sharon has been with Tribeca since the festival’s inception, and thousands of short film submissions later, she still gets excited when she watches a film for the first time. She's always looking for new talent, unique stories, and an invitation into a world that she hasn’t seen before. Constantly searching for storytelling that “gets her,” she wants a film that makes her cry, makes her laugh, or causes her to sit stunned by its brilliance.
Watching more than 1,500 short films each season requires self-imposed exile, a great deal of concentration, and a passion for short films. She wrote a book about her passion, Swimming Upstream: A Lifesaving Guide to Short Film Distribution (Focal Press: 2008).
Sharon Badal is no longer answering questions
We are in post production with a short film that has a unique and sad, yet inspiring story. It is based on a book I wrote, Day By Day. Is it difficult to get accepted into film festivals because you tell a real but difficult reality? When reviewers, such as you look at the film, do you say, it is good, but I would change this? Or is it just on what is submitted? I look forward to reading your book. The timing is perfect for us. Christine
Christine Frisbee
New York
, New York
Like This
Answer ThisApr 24, 2011
08:28 AM
Great questions! I think when programmers watch a submission, we're not critically evaluating the film, but rather evaluating the experience of the film as a whole. What effect did it have on us and do we think it's right for "our" audience? We look for a variety of subjects and contents from comedic to dramatic, both happy and sad, easy rides and difficult ones. Make the film you want to make as an artist. Good luck Christine!
When putting together a shorts program, what are some of the considerations in what films you accept? Does theme or running time have anything to do with it, or is it purely about telling a story well?
Cree Tyrone
Like ThisAnswer ThisApr 05, 2011
07:44 AM
The longer the running time, the stronger the script has to be to support that running time. That’s a big challenge facing filmmakers of short films – telling the story in the most expedient way, so I have to say honestly that many shorts are simply too long. When you put a program together you think about the “ride” for the audience – what emotions begin the program, transition it from dramatic to comedic (or vice versa) and how the audience feels when the program ends. We look for a variety of themes, genres and stories. They are not pre-determined, but rather, reveal themselves magically to us when we put the programs together. It’s a really creative process!
What made you decide to do an animated shorts program this year?
Katharine
Like ThisAnswer ThisApr 05, 2011
07:37 AM
We were able to increase the number of shorts programs this year, so that allowed us to consider including an animated program. When watching the submissions, we noticed that we had a really strong “crop” of animated films that represented a wide range of animated techniques and genres, so we were happy that the program came together as we had hoped it would.
Has technology helped filmmakers make better short films?
Jon
Like ThisAnswer ThisApr 05, 2011
07:36 AM
Technology has allowed aspiring filmmakers to create short films who otherwise may not have since the expense of film-based technology was out of reach to so many. I don’t think the technology creates better short films, but rather eliminated many boundaries and made filmmaking accessible. Regardless of the technology, the film lives or dies by its story and the quality of the directing and acting.
Apr 04, 2011
08:16 PM
Not necessarily. I co-produced with Steve Bilich a short film called NATIVE NEW YORKER. It was shot with a 1924 Cine-Kodak hand-crank spring-wound camera. Essentially the Cine-Kodak was the home movie camera of the silent film era. The film's story juxtaposed with its lack of technology is what make it so compelling and at times surreal. It went on to win Best Documentary Short at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival.
Mar 05, 2011
09:58 AM
I think technology has allowed more people to make films, which has increased the number of shorts out there but has also increased the quality of the good films.
Thank you for writing a book on distributing short films as I'm in pre-production in the City on and development on another. I will get your book & read cover to cover to possibly be able to submit both films to Tribeca next year. Thank you! Ros Mickens Writer-Director
Roslyn Mickens
Like ThisAnswer ThisApr 21, 2011
05:30 PM
Thanks Ros! Cheering you on in your filmmaking and look forward to seeing those shorts - keep me posted!
What is the most unique short film in the 2011 TFF lineup?
Jon Patricof
Like ThisAnswer ThisApr 05, 2011
07:39 AM
I have lived with these films since I started screening submissions in October, so this is like asking a mother “who is your most talented kid?” – I can’t answer that because each film we selected has endeared itself to me in its own unique way. Believe it or not, I don’t have a favorite.
Apr 14, 2011
10:49 AM
It's a great answer.
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