Love: The Movie 
| Directed by: | Adam Bertocci |
|---|---|
| Written by: | Adam Bertocci |
| Starring: | Robert Berliner, Rachel Chadderdon, Carolyn J. Siegel |
| Country: | U S A |
| Created: | 2005 |
| Runtime: | 9 min. |
| Member: | AdamBertocci |
|
Film Description:
Synopsis
Love: The Movie is a short experimental romantic comedy that breaks down the formal elements of cinema and shows, in its own special way, that love and filmmaking aren’t all that different. It’s the story of two sweet college kids named Bill and Aphrodite—a story brewing in the mind of a passionate student Filmmaker. The Filmmaker introduces a new cinematic element at every turn—cinematography, sound, editing, etc.—to highlight a change in the budding relationship between the pair of lovers. Bill and Aphrodite meet, go on a date, have awkward conversations, share a first kiss, and, finally, realize it’s the true love they’ve always longed for. Then, this being a movie, stuff blows up and it’s really cool.
Forms: Experimental, Narrative Fiction, Multimedia, Short
Genres: Comedy, Independent, Romantic Comedy, Satire
Niches: Student
Screenings & Events
Studio 22 Premiere
OTHER
Evanston, IL, U S A
June 2004
Smogdance
Film Festival
Claremont, CA, U S A
January 2005
Flicks on Fairbanks
Film Festival
Winter Park, FL, U S A
February 2005
Fargo Film Festival
Film Festival
Awards: Best Student Comedy
Fargo, ND, U S A
March 2005
Johns Hopkins Film Festival
Film Festival
Baltimore, MD, U S A
April 2005
Bare Bones International Independent Film Festival
Film Festival
Awards: Nomination for Best Experimental / Alternative Film
Muskogee, OK, U S A
April 2005
Flicker Film Festival
Film Festival
Evanston, IL, U S A
May 2005
deadCENTER Film Festival
Film Festival
Oklahoma City, OK, U S A
June 2005
Somewhat North of Boston Film Festival
Film Festival
Concord, NH, U S A
November 2005
Cast & Crew
Adam Bertocci (Producer, Director, Executive Producer), Dana Silver (Producer), Elizabeth Petersen (Producer)
WritingAdam Bertocci (Writer)
PerformanceAdam Bertocci (Supporting Actor), Carolyn J. Siegel (Lead Actor), Dana Silver (Supporting Actor), Elizabeth Petersen (Supporting Actor), Rachel Chadderdon (Lead Actor), Robert Berliner (Lead Actor)
CameraJoe Filipas (Cinematographer/DP)
Post ProductionQuinn Stephens (Picture Editor)
MusicBrian Sadler (Original Music/Composer)
AcademicDana Hodgdon (School Administrator), Dana Hodgdon (Academic Advisor)
-----
Two years ago, 06/05/04, was the premiere of "Love: The Movie". It's still, even now, not only my favorite film in my collection, but (in my opinion) the most significant thing I've ever done.
You know, I enjoyed my first two years at Northwestern (more the second than the first), but they weren't marked by amazing accomplishments or career advancements. I was still finding my way, you know? Workin' on other people's stuff, doing little things of my own here and there, just having fun. Nothing to apologize for, but... I look back and wish I could have done more.
I returned to school junior year having accomplished the following over the summer:
- Spent ten really boring weeks in a cubicle.
- Made a short of some little note called "Sparky"... and a truly awful short called "The Diviner" (there's a reason none of you have seen it).
- Lamented, often, not getting into the Creative Writing for the Media Program. Thanks for having faith in me, NU!
- Set a goal for junior year: to get a MOTHER@#?!ING STUDIO 22 GRANT and make MY OWN DAMN MOVIE.
I will spare you the gritty details. The making-of diary is available on the Web site if you are that interested. Suffice to say the following:
- Practically nobody at Studio 22 seemed to think this was a good idea, and we got very soundly rejected at the first round of grants. They chose two other films instead; a little Googling tells me that neither of those films seem to have gone on to any significant acclaim. Hmm.
- Second round of grants came, and we got it, probably more because of our basic competence / persistence level than because they liked the project. Indeed, our "you got it" e-mail was phrased as a backhanded compliment, which sort of put a damper on the moment.
- We hunt for crew. People do not seem to want to work on this. Only one person applies to DP. Dana has to beg Nazan to gaff. Stuff like that. It's like pulling teeth to get good crew, and it shouldn't have to be that way.
- Casting. Only four guys show up to fill two male roles. We found a usable one, thank God. After casting, one of our womenfolk drops out, just to make life tougher. We return to our audition pool and replace her with a dark horse out of nowhere, a nice senior girl named Carolyn. (And that's the origin of THAT.)
And then the big premiere she happens. And I sit there, my heart in my throat, about to find out if my year has been wasted or not.
It screens. And no one's laughing.
And then a few people are laughing.
And then you get the sense of a certain electricity in the air.
And then the screen goes black,
and my name comes up,
and the crowd goes MOTHER@#?!ING APE.
Believe me, I can tell polite applause from genuine enjoyment. I am a very modest person, I do NOT exaggerate to impress people. We did not get polite applause. We got cheers.
I had students, faculty, everyone coming up to me during intermission to shake my hand. (I'll never forget when Joey spotted me in the crowd and pointed and smiled in that happy Joey way. Heh.) Because we'd @#?!in' done it. We'd pulled it off and made one of the best Goddamn films that year. The people had spoken, on NU student film's biggest night, and "Love" got the love.
"Love: The Movie" went on to play at several festivals around the country and snag a couple of pretty little things for my trophy rack, and indeed it remains one of the most successful Studio 22 films in the organization's history.
No one thought we were gonna make it. We weren't the popular film, we weren't the in-crowd. It was more like "Whaaaat? Adam and his stupid little bunch? To hell with them! They aren't worth my time! I'm going to go to the homecoming dance with Tommy from the football team and let him get me drunk and grope me in the back of a limo, and surely won't regret it. I make good decisions!"
(Tortured analogy, I know.)
This is the lesson of that night, and indeed my junior year. It proved that I can do it. No more excuses for being anything less than the best, people (which means I have a lot to answer for). Confirmation that I can write a good script, find the right people and get what I want out of a film, and by association life. It may be a long road filled with unpleasant sidetracks, as "Love" certainly was. But it is without a doubt in me to stand on top, victorious over my numerous enemies. Ohhhhhh yes.
I take with me the spirit of 06/05/04 every time I need to freakin' bring it and do a good job. Like the current masterpiece, "The World of the End"; I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and "just create something!"... Oh yes, "Love"'s major influence on its little sister is, um, pretty easy to spot. (*cough* carolyn *cough*) But this comes in second. Because junior year was about God nudging me to say "Hey, you. Start accomplishing something with your life. You can do it; the proof's right there, in black and white and pink and blue."
And last time someone named Adam disobeyed God, it didn't go real well for anyone. I'm just sayin'.
Anyway, today's wondrous achievements were working for less-than-impressive wages, cleaning my ears several thousand times and making this post. Dammit. Don't look at me.
Leave a comment about Love: The Movie