Virginia Film Is on the Rise

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Virginia’s film scene might not be Hollywood, but that doesn’t mean it can’t feel like it.

On Feb. 28, the Virginia Film Office and Virginia Production Alliance are co-sponsoring the Virginia Independent Film Festival at the Byrd Theatre, which showcases the best independent films produced in the state. In its third year, the Film Festival features filmmakers who live and shot their movies in Virginia, ranging from high school students to seasoned professionals.

Three categories will be presented: Documentaries, Short and Feature Films.

To select the entries, filmmakers from across the state were invited to submit their films, and a panel chose the featured selections. A separate panel will judge the winning entries and name the top movie in each category.

The festival will also feature audience choice awards, where festival attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite film in each category and select a winner.

“The audience choice awards are going to be great,” says Kathryn Stephens, Industry Relations Manager for the Virginia Film Office. “In addition to the winners selected by the panel, we’ll give ballots to the audience, they’ll submit their choices, and we choose winners based on their feedback.”

Stephens points out that the feedback will enable the filmmakers to receive honest critiques on their films’ effectiveness, which is a crucial component in any creative endeavor. “Sometimes the audience chooses films that the judges haven’t chosen,” says Stephens, “and they receive plenty of [creative] support.”

According to Stephens, a supportive environment is the foundation of Virginia, and Richmond’s, film industry.

“The Virginia film community is amazing,” continues Stephens. “They are incredibly professional, a lot of them work on the big budgets as crew, and then make smaller films with their own money. They have a passion for this, and they’ll make incredibly professional products. Hopefully the festival will accomplish [highlighting their success] and give them a venue to have their films screened.”

The festival falls at a time when Virginia’s film industry is currently receiving a lot of attention. Compared to many other states, Virginia has no tax incentives to help woo Hollywood to make big budget movies here. Consequently, films such as Secretariat (about Virginia’s famous racing horse) moved their location to Kentucky, which represents a huge loss for Virginia.

“The sad thing is Virginia was one of the top states [for Hollywood films] almost 10 years ago, but its gotten to a point that even Steven Spielberg can’t film here because it doesn’t make sense,” says Stephens, “even though the [actual] cost of filmmaking is a lot lower here than LA or New Mexico.”

Gov. McDonnell is currently trying to turn that trend around with a newly proposed bill that seeks to create a motion picture production tax credit.

“We are very excited the Governor is supporting the film industry,” says Stephens. “It’s a great time to be a filmmaker in Richmond. People are collaborating more, they’re networking, and they just want to work with great artists.”

And with a recent increase in film festivals throughout the city, apparently Richmond wants to see great movies too.

To learn more about the Virginia Independent Film Festival or the Virginia Film Office, please visit www.film.virginia.org.

Photo courtesy of the Virginia Film Office

Connecticut Finds its New Haven at Odell

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Public art is meant to inspire a community.

After three weeks of differing viewpoints, proposals and opinions, the celebrated Richmond sculpture and former Diamond fixture, Connecticut, has found a home atop the Lucky Strike building belonging to architectural firm Odell Associates in Shockoe Bottom.

We were fortunate enough to sit down and talk with Fulton Hill resident and Connecticut Sculptor Paul DiPasquale, and dive into his perspectives on public art, and what Connecticut’s new home means today, and tomorrow.

Below is an edited transcript of the interview.

RL: Were you surprised at the public’s interest in finding Connecticut a new home?

PD: It’s not a surprise to me, because over a quarter of a century, people have called me up and brought classrooms of students over to talk about Native Americans. [Over the years] I’ve had [various] schools bring buses of students to look at the sculpture at the Diamond, and then come see my studio. I’ve gotten all these emails, saying ‘I grew up with the Indian, and I’m so happy to see Connecticut stay in Richmond.’ The RMA just looked at it as something that was a part of the building. They had to wash it, and people came to see the sculpture, which didn’t make them any money; meanwhile, they just wanted people to come to baseball games. It’s interesting because there was a discussion to leave Connecticut at The Diamond, which would have been fine. What I was told was the Flying Squirrels thought it would be fine there. However, it is on a false parapet, so they’d have to do work on the base.

RL: You must feel satisfied about Odell’s purchase of the statue?

PD: Odell gets it. And I hoped for it, as it was perilously close to being shuttled off to a high school. The decision [to purchase Connecticut] was up to Odell’s CEO. He and I knew each other before this all started. He admired my work, and when he knew the sculpture was available, we were able to talk about it. The other thing to remember is [at Odell] they’re architects and designers, focusing on the presentation of buildings. They’re all over Connecticut and have an historical art perspective, combined with structural and architectural insight.

RL: And they are honoring the Native American history Connecticut represents, which was your original artistic purpose.

PD: [This discussion] really is about public art, and one of the main things [public art] can be about are symbols. What’s happened for Connecticut is it’s been a symbol for a baseball team for over 20 years. And now it gets to be a symbol for the Native American. High school mascots, they are signs. But politically, are the signs appropriate? [Connecticut as a school mascot] becomes less and less appropriate, as soon as you realize how little people know about Indian history. In general, we’ve ignored their history for so long, we’ve lost so much of it. That’s the purpose of the sculpture. Most people don’t realize that the Indian wasn’t a commission for the stadium; it was built to honor Native Americans, instead of being a sign for a baseball team. Now Connecticut can be a symbol for the people he represents. Changed from mascot to indigenous people. I think that’s what caught everyone’s imagination and interest.

RL: This brings up the process RMA employed for finding Connecticut a home. What are your thoughts on the proposal process?

PD: There are a lot of ways that public art gets installed. The request for proposals is not a way to find a home for a structure. You need to find the location and what would look best for the structure first. When you look at land use and planning a city, democracy doesn’t have as much to do it. You have to look at plans and how those plans affect the city.

There was no deadline to [find Connecticut a home]. RMA could have taken time and had their committee come up with particular sites, instead of having people bid on the location. I think it would have been better to find the site first, instead of look for interested people. Regardless, [the decision] is going to continue to raise dialogue, and that means [the sculpture] is doing its job. I feel strongly that Richmond gets a chance to make Connecticut work for them well, and work for them better [than before].

Photo courtesy of Paul DiPasquale

Day-Tripping Down the Street, Part 2: James River Plantations

Friday, February 12, 2010

During the ongoing winter weather, we like to take advantage of sunny days and hop into the car for a scenic drive down Route 5 to the James River Plantations.

Located between Rocketts Landing and Williamsburg along the James River, the Plantations are steeped in history and offer a glimpse of Colonial life with stunning architecture and elegant gardens. While many plantations are scattered throughout the region, our quick daytrip features five plantations: Shirley, Berkeley, Westover, Sherwood Forest and Evelynton.

Shirley Plantation
House open daily, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Grounds and gift shop close at 5:00 pm.
Erected in 1613, Shirley Plantation was established six years after the Jamestown settlement was declared, becoming Virginia’s very first plantation and one of the first businesses in the New World. Shirley Plantation has remained under the leadership of one family (eleven generations), making it the oldest family-owned business in the United States, dating back to 1638, and a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can take a guided tour of the Great House, which highlights America’s only remaining architectural examples of features such as the “Flying Staircase” and Queen Anne Forecourt. Formal gardens and eight original outbuildings complete the grounds. Birdwatching at Shirley Plantation is also a popular attraction with guided tours available throughout the year.

Berkeley Plantation
Open daily, off-season hours are 10:30 am to 3:30 pm
Home to the very first “official” Thanksgiving dinner in 1619, Berkeley Plantation is rich with history. Signer of the Declaration of Independence Benjamin Harrison V was born at Berkeley; US President William Henry Harrison “Old Tippecanoe” was born at Berkeley; and the infamous song “Taps” was composed at Berkeley in 1862, when the plantation served as the headquarters and supply base for McClellan’s Union Army. The plantation’s original Georgian mansion, built in 1726, is featured as the oldest three-story brick house with a pediment roof in the country. Thomas Jefferson is credited as directing the design of the house’s Adam woodwork and double arches. The grounds are home to hundred-year old trees and cover nearly 1000 acres, which feature five terraced gardens dug by hand before the Revolutionary War. Interesting schedules of events are also planned throughout the year.

Westover
Grounds open daily, 9 am to 6 pm. House not open to the public.
Established circa 1730, Westover Plantation was built by the founder of Richmond, William Byrd III, and named for Henry West, 4th Lord Delaware and son of Thomas West, Governor of Virginia. The mansion is recognized for its many secret passages, elaborate gardens and architectural details, and is a stunning example of Georgian architecture. The main two wings of the house weren’t originally connected, and the east wing once housed the famous Byrd Library with over 4,000 volumes that burned during the Civil War. According to historians, the Westover grounds also host the 3rd oldest tomb in America, that of Captain William Perry who died on Aug. 6, 1637. When you explore the gardens be sure to check out the many shady tulip poplars that are more than 150 years old.

Sherwood Forest
Open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Dubbed as the longest frame house in America (over 300-feet long), the Sherwood Forest house was built in 1720, and is a prime example of Virginia Tidewater architectural design. John Tyler, 10th President of America, lived at Sherwood Forest from 1842 until his death in 1862, and the Tyler family still resides there today. Featuring one of the most complete plantation yards left in the country dating back to 1680, the grounds include 25 acres of gardens and lawns, which are especially well-known for its trees: Sherwood Forest is home to the oldest Ginko tree in the country. Enjoy self-guided tours or call ahead for a scheduled appointment to tour the house.

Evelynton
House and grounds not open to public.
Though still a private residence and not open for visiting, Evelyn Plantation completes the plantation collection along Route 5 and was once part of the Westover Plantation. Named after William Byrd’s daughter, Evelyn, the plantation has been home to the Ruffin family since 1847. Edmund Ruffin, family patriarch, is credited as firing the first shot of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, and is also known as the “Father of American Agronomy” due to his substantial activism in Virginia agriculture. In fact, historians attribute his contributions as the driving forces that rescued 19th-century Virginia from a drastically declining agricultural economy. The plantation is home to a 2500-acre farm that is still family owned and operated.

Photo courtesy of Shirley Plantation collection in Charles City, Virginia.