Had a glorious time at the NYC Webfest this weekend. In addition to the sheer joy of being in New York City and the flattering hum of MICROAGRESSIONS winning an award (Best Achievement in Sound for Dicky Dahl!) the festival was in a great location (Stonestreet Studios), hosted a couple insightful panels (though I only made it to 2 of them), and most especially, screened lots of great stuff. Also, they screened 2 episodes of MICROAGGRESSIONS, where most series only got to screen one so I am grateful for that. Of the 13 screening blocks I attended 11. (With apologies to the filmmakers in Block 10 and Block 11) here are some of the best things I saw:

Countdown - they showed 2 episodes of this. Different real time scenarios with a ticking clock. The first (Hitched) was amusing and the second (Overslept) was kind of moving in an unfortunate manner.

Scribbles - this really grew on me. engaging and inventive look at an illustrator’s creative process and possible breaks with reality.

Division Street - well made piece about a displaced young girl going to stay with her grandmother.

All Hail Beth about an office lackey who seemingly enters a parallel world where she is suddenly revered. (One of two pieces by creator Misha Calvert). The last shot of the first episode is very impressive.

Step Into My Office scenarios where women are in the power position and men left to squirm and be baffled at obvious and demonstrable sexism. very effective. (2nd piece by Misha Calvert, who sidebar, I really came to appreciate. At a panel she sat at about writing and digital creation when the conversation shifted to the needs of the filmmaker/creator to incorporate marketing awareness at the inception of their projects, she pushed back and called bullshit, saying something to the order of ‘fuck that, the artist does whatever they need to do’ and my interior voice was going ‘yes yes yes’)

SWIPE very well-executed (and disturbing) piece about technology. Got to talk with the creator Martijn Winkler a little at the awards ceremony and was even more impressed after learning it involved no cgi whatsoever.

Girl, Sweetvoiced simple and lovely, based on Sappho poem.

CUDDLE very funny look at cuddle-for-hire. Got to talk with lead actor Hope Shanthi and learned we were both representing the Pacific NW, me Portland her Seattle.

Terreur 404 this episode was about 3 friends at a sleepover semi-accidentally opening the mirror portal to Black Mary. effective.

Home Turf bar none the best thing I saw. beautiful and sad about the displacement of a young girl in a foster home (among other things). This beat us out for the Best Webseries award and I couldn’t be happier to lose to them.

Tuesday Nights they screened episode 4 of this. Two actors in an apartment but it was so powerful and perfectly executed. Really A+ work.

Vows very funny and well-executed. great cast and pacing.

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Big thanks to NYC Webfest for including us. It was an honor to participate. I left feeling inspired and invigorated and hope to return in the future.

NYC Webfest 2019

Beguile Us in the Way You Know

Scott Unrein Interview - Composer for Microaggressions