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TCFF 2019: 'The Soviet Sleep Experiment' – Review + Interview w/ director Barry Andersson + actor Chris Kattan
On October 23, 2019 By ruthIn Film Festivals/Events, FlixChatter InterviewsLeave a comment
The Soviet Sleep Experiment
In the late 1940s, Soviet researchers kept four patients awake for thirty days using an experimental gas-based stimulant. The researchers were cut off from the world and asked to do a series of tests on the subjects for the benefit of the Red Army. What started as a purely scientific research study soon escalated to insanity. What happened next will change the way you view humanity.
The Soviet Sleep Experiment had its world premiere at Twin Cities Film Fest last Friday. Many of the cast/crew were present (many are Minnesota-based) for the red carpet interviews. It's fitting that the film has a Minnesota premiere, given that it was filmed in the Twin Cities' southern suburbs of Lakeville (check out this article from the set visit).
FlixChatter media correspondent Holly Peterson had a chance to chat with director Barry Andersson (whose film The Lumber Baron won TCFF's Best Audience Award last year) and actor Chris Kattan (of Saturday Night Live and A Night at the Roxbury fame). Check out the interview below:
A few bts photos filming The Soviet Sleep Experiment*:
*Photos courtesy of IMDb + The Soviet Sleep Experiment FB page.
Review of The Soviet Sleep Experiment
The Soviet Sleep Experiment is directed and produced by Minnesota native Barry Andersson and written by Michael Patrick McCaffrey. Andersson is back at the Twin Cities Film Fest in 2019 after a successful 2018 Twin Cities Film Fest, where his feature narrative film The Lumber Baron, a period drama about the heir to a failing lumber business and the enduring rumors of a treasure left behind by his grandfather, won the 2018 Audience Award for best feature. The Soviet Sleep Experiment stars Eva De Dominici as Dr. Anna Antonoff, Rafal Zawierucha Dr. Leo Antonoff, and Evgeny Krutov as Captain Yegor Sokolov. It also stars Chris Kattan as Subject 3, Michael Villar as Subject 4, Charles Hubbell as Subject 5 and Paul Cram as Subject 6.
The movie was filmed in and around Lakeville, Minnesota (per IMDB) and is a psychological thriller based loosely upon the urban legend which follows a married research team — Dr. Anna Antonoff and Dr. Leo Antonoff (De Dominici and Zawierucha) who, under close watch of a Red Army Captain Yegor Sokolov (Krutov) , and they set out to study the effects of forced sleep deprivation on four patients locked inside an observation chamber for 30 days. These four patients are given the names of Subject 3 (Kattan), Subject 4 (Villar), Subject 5 (Hubbell) and Subject 6 (Cram) and are placed inside a controlled tank where anti-sleeping gas is pumped into the chamber and each of the Subjects are mentally tested every eight hours, with their reward being a small earing ration about the size of a hockey puck.
Rafal Zawierucha + Eva De Dominici
After several hundreds of hours inside the chamber, the Subject start turning on each other and the doctors and Soviet Captain are forced to shock them using implants that are surgically implanted inside their necks to give them a jolt of electricity to have them calm down. The hundreds of hours outside the chamber also pays a toll on the doctors performing the experiment, with their also lack of sleep and mental exhaustion. This is brilliantly portrayed by Argentinian actress Dominici (of the 2018 film You Shall Not Sleep) and Polish actor Zawierucha (Roman Polanski in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) acting against Russian actor Krutov (Stranger Things Season 3). Soviet Captain Sokolov, who represents the overshadowing Red Army back in Moscow overseeing the experiment, is compelling and alarming at the same time — making a perfect antagonist to the already tense story!
The actors inside the chamber, most notably Kattan (of Saturday Night Live and A Night at the Roxbury fame) and Villar (of the 2018 film Skin) are featured much more prominently than Hubbell (of the 2013 film Walking with the Enemy) and Cram (of the Minnesota-made film Wilson, which was first shown in Minnesota by TCFF in March, 2017). All four actors portray the victims/subjects of The Soviet Sleep Experiment quite well and make for one bombastic showcase of horror and gore. They act opposite each other very well inside the isolated 1940s Soviet testing facility. The set design team who put together the chamber must also be commended as it is quite believable that such a "deep sea" diving chamber could be used for such a callous experiment. Overall, this is a very creepy and worthwhile movie to see in the lead up to Halloween season.
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TCFF 2019 Film Spotlight: 'Go Back To China' – Q&A with writer/director Emily Ting
On October 23, 2019 October 23, 2019 By ruthIn Film Festivals/Events, FlixChatter InterviewsLeave a comment
Synopsis: When spoiled rich girl Sasha Li blows through most of her trust fund, she is cut off by her father and forced to go back to China and work for the family toy business.
Review of GO BACK TO CHINA
When I first heard of the title, I did a double take. It has that anti-immigrant sentiment, but yet that provocative title works perfectly in the context of this film (read below on my Q&A about how director Emily Ting arrived on that title). This is the first time I saw Anna Akana (I wasn't aware she's a famous YouTube star), but the casting is spot-on as she brings a natural whimsy and playfulness to the drama. Although her character Sasha spoiled and even delusional at first (as illustrated in the hilarious opening scene where she goes on a job interview at a fashion house), you can't help but empathize with her and wants to see her do well.
L-R: Lynn Chen, Anna Akana and Richard Ng in a still from GO BACK TO CHINA
This is a coming-of-age story of sort, with Sasha being forced to terms with her father's wishes of working at his factory, and finally finding her footing in the family business. The fact that the film was shot in Shenzen, China definitely makes the film feels very authentic. There are some tough moments between her and her old-fashioned father (Richard Ng), especially in regards to him constantly getting divorced and remarried. Naturally they differ in what each consider familial duty, with Sasha's loyal step-sister Carol (Lynn Chen) sometimes caught in the middle. At times the story feels like an adaptation of the prodigal son from the Bible.
If I had to nitpick however, at times the fact that Sasha gets acclimated in the business and excels as a toy designer feels too good to be true. Somehow the toy factory crisis in the third act is resolved all too conveniently as well. But those are small quibbles in an otherwise charming and entertaining familial drama. Having grown up with an entrepreneurial, head-strong grandmother who's Chinese-Indonesian, I can certainly relate to the story.
This is a terrific sophomore feature from Emily Ting. I really enjoyed her debut film Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong, and here she stepped up the game with a more complex story and also a bigger cast. I particularly enjoyed the scenes between Anna Akana and Lynn Chen, two strong Asian-American performers I'd love to see more of. I also have to mention the extremely-underrated Kelly Hu as Sasha's mother, I wish she had more screen time but glad she's part of the cast.
It's wonderful to see more Asian-American stories coming out the past few years. Emily Ting is a gifted filmmaker I hope would continue making films. Oh, and after watching this, I suddenly got the urge of getting a bunch of stuffed animals! 😀
Interview with Emily Ting
1. Go Back To China was inspired by your own experience and certainly felt personal. Would you share a bit about that experience working in Shenzen at your dad's company?
I feel like everyone has one story that has shaped the trajectory of their life and defined who they are today. For me, going back to China to work for the family business is that story. I learned a lot about myself in the 12 years I spent working for the family business, and making this film was a really cathartic experience. When I decided to go back to Asia, I thought that meant giving up on my filmmaking aspirations forever. But ironically, that experience ended up inspiring all the films I've made since.
On set with lead actress Anna Akana
2. How did you decide on making the semi-autobiography into a comedy, has that always been your vision from the start?
This was actually my attempt at making a serious drama! But I naturally have a very light touch, so this is just my filmmaking voice coming out. Also, I think that a lot of the comedy is a result of Anna Akana's performance. She is a comedienne, and she brought a lot of her comedic chops to the role. I don't think the film would be as funny if someone else had played Sasha.
Anna Akana in a scene inside the factory's sample room
3. The title is certainly quite provocative, and it's perfect for this story. How did you come up with that?
I finished the whole script without any idea on what to call the film. I was playing around with some more mundane ideas for the title, like "The Family Business" or something like that. And as almost a joke, I slapped "Go Back to China" on the draft as a working title, since this is a film literally about a girl who goes back to China. But I didn't think that we could actually call my film that. I think that my manager was the first person I sent the script to and he took to the title right away. And then everyone else that I sent the script to told me they loved the title and that I shouldn't change it. So it just stuck! I still can't believe that I got away with making a film called Go Back to China!
4. I LOVE the cast here, esp. Anna Akana & Lynn Chen as the sisters. How did their casting come about? I'd love to hear about Richard Ng & Kelly Hu's casting as well if you wouldn't mind sharing.
At the time when I was working on the script, I was doing a lot of general meetings at digital companies and Anna Akana's name kept coming up. I wasn't familiar with her work, so I looked her up on Youtube and went down a rabbit hole watching her videos. She is immensely watchable and embodied who Sasha is. Even though she has a huge following on Youtube, she hasn't acted in a lot of traditional films. I took a leap of faith and made an offer. She responded to the material and came on board. I still can't believe that this is her first lead role in a film!
After Sasha was cast, the role of Carol was much easier to fill. I had been a fan of Lynn Chen for a long time and knew that she would knock the role out of the park. I asked my friend Dave Boyle (who worked with her on several films) to pass the script along to her. She responded in a few days that she was in! Even though I already knew Lynn could act, her performance in this film still blew me away. She made me cry behind the monitor on set many times!
Director Emily Ting on set with her GO BACK TO CHINA cast
The hardest role to fill was the father. I had to push the production several times because we couldn't get the role cast. The father's casting process was in a way very reflective of a film about daddy issues! I had wanted a name Asian actor for the role. Actually, one of the first people I thought of was Richard Ng, who is a very beloved veteran Hong Kong actor, and we had worked together on Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong previously. But the internal consensus was that, at almost 80, he was too old for the role. We started sending offers out to younger name Asian actors. But we just couldn't get anyone to read the script! After months of this, I returned to my initial idea of Richard. I thought, what if we just aged him down through HMU and wardrobe? My producer was on board with this idea, and I wrote an email to him. He read the script in about two weeks and agreed to take on the role. We gave him a new haircut and a more stylish wardrobe, and he was transformed into Teddy instantly. In hindsight, I wish I would've just followed my gut and could've avoided months of anxiety.
We were really lucky to get Kelly Hu for the mother role. It is a very small role and my casting director didn't think any name actors would want to take on what is basically a glorified cameo role. But I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. We sent the offer to her on a Thursday, and by the following Tuesday, she signed on. Even though her role would be small, she loved the script and wanted to help the project any way she could.
5. Some of the toys featured in the film are adorable. How did you get them, did any of the ones you designed make it to the movie?
The sloth was actually from our family's toy company's Christmas line! I did come up with an idea for a Christmas sloth in real life, and the item was sold at Dollar General, Kroger, and some other stores. All the other toys that you see in the movie were products that were being manufactured at the factory on the days we were shooting. We went around the production line and picked toys that fit with our pastel color palette to appear on camera.
6. What are some of the challenges you faced making this movie compared to Already Tomorrow In Hong Kong, which also has elements from your own personal journey?
The two movies are such different beasts, and both had totally different challenges. Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong was shot in very uncontrolled environments and situations (running around the streets of Hong Kong). We didn't have any control of the weather, traffic, or the people on the streets. Every day was unpredictable. But it was a very simple movie in terms of coverage, because we just had two people walking and talking. We shot the film in 14 days and only worked 6 – 8 hours on most days. For Go Back to China, the locations were all very controlled, since we shot mostly in locations that my family owned, but it's a much more complicated film in terms of coverage. This is a much bigger story, with a lot more characters and scenes. We just had so much more to shoot in order to get all the coverage we needed. We shot for 21 days and worked the maximum 12 hours every day. And this is also a much more personal film for me than the last one. This film is about my family and not just a random encounter. It felt more meaningful and the stakes higher.
On set with Lynn Chen and Anna Akana
7. Lastly, with the release of Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell in the past couple of years, and the ongoing diversity/inclusion discussion, do you think the cinematic landscape has changed for Asian filmmakers?
I definitely think that Crazy Rich Asians opened a lot of doors and the industry is more receptive to Asian American stories. At least now, they can't use the excuse that Asian stories can't attract an audience. I have been having a lot of general meetings with companies that are actively looking for Asian content or Asian filmmakers, and it's certainly an encouraging trend. But at the end of the day, Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell are still the rare anomaly and not the rule yet. However, I'm much more optimistic about the future than ever before.
Thank you for chatting with me, Emily!
TCFF screening times of Go Back To China:
Wednesday October 23rd 12:15 PM
TCFF 2019 MN Filmmaker Spotlight: Cynthia Uhrich on her short films 'Oh My Stars' + 'Everyone Goes In The Lake'
On October 22, 2019 October 22, 2019 By ruthIn Film Festivals/Events, FlixChatter Interviews1 Comment
Hello friends! Ruth here. If you've been reading the blog for a while you know that here on the blog we care about diversity in filmmaking, both in front AND behind the camera. So I love highlighting female filmmakers, both locally and internationally, and today we've got a veteran MN artist Cynthia Uhrich, founder of In The Moment Films, who constantly wear many, many hats: Writer, Director, Filmmaker, Casting Director, Producer and Educator.
Two of her short films, Oh My Stars and Everyone Goes In The Lake are both Twin Cities Film Fest's 2019 Official Selections! So read below on my conversation with Cynthia on her journey as a filmmaker and making the two films.
You have been in the film business for a long time, and you have a BA in theatre. Would you tell me a bit about your journey from acting into filmmaking?
Well, it's been an interesting transition…pretty much facilitated by the fact that I fully grasped about 12 years ago that there were so few roles for women 40+. Since I love every aspect of the entertainment business, I decided that I needed to reinvent myself. I'd been acting since the 3rd grade when I wrote and directed my first play. I was a member of SAG and AFTRA for 26 years, and had worked in the Twin Cities, then Florida, then Los Angeles and then came back to the T.C. at 40. I did some acting when I got here and started teaching acting classes. But, I realized that I needed to shift gears so I started teaching a class called "I Got The Part: Now What?" which took actors through the process of preparing for a role–and I did 3 showcases of the actors work (on stage) for the public–both to help the actors have a chance to be seen, and to sharpen my own directing skills.
I then transitioned into creating acting classes that were for film prep and used those classes to teach actors what I knew about film acting and made a few shorts to expand my knowledge about directing for film. While I'd been on a lot of sets over the years–both as talent and in Hollywood also working crew as assistant coordinator on commercials and working as a production assistant–I needed to start to understand how to plan and direct films. So basically, I'm self-taught and I still rely very much on having a smart, knowledgeable crew around me to help with the things that I'm still figuring out. I looked around and noticed that so few women were in crew roles…so I applied with Springboard for the Arts and created my non-profit film production company, IN THE MOMENT FILMS. The mission is to create employment opportunities for women both in front of, and behind the camera. And to make films about women's stories and to make socially significant films. As a non-profit, I am able to secure funding for projects and those contributions are tax-deductible for individuals–that's helpful to incentivize individuals to contribute to film.
I first saw your film Robert in the Bedroom (that you wrote and directed), a heart-wrenching short about a woman dealing with memory loss. I've since seen two more short films that you directed. How do you choose your projects?
I have known a few people with Alzheimer's and started to notice that more and more individuals and families were grappling with this disease. When I started to research, I discovered the statistics for the future are frightening. The percentage of the population that will develop Alzheimer's and Dementia is expected to grow exponentially…and is going to impact families enormously. Family members are often the caregivers. The financial burden will also be catastrophic to some families…let alone the emotional burden. My experience with a friend's mother was so profound–it left a real mark on my heart. When I learned about people having to re-live a loss over and over because they weren't able to recall that it had happened (such as the loss of a spouse) it broke my heart. I didn't feel as though people were fully grasping just how devastating the illness was to families…and to the person experiencing memory loss. I felt it was a compelling topic to explore.
"Code Green" is based on a true story about a young woman's (Kayla Coffland's) battle with her eating disorder. She had been a long-time student and is extraordinarily talented and interesting. She shared a monologue with me that she had written about a specific period of time in her life and it struck a chord with me. I asked her if she'd be interested in making a short film about her illness–and she said "I was kind of hoping you'd ask me." We had many, many conversations about her struggles and I wrote the screenplay based on those talks. It was a painful film to make. The cast and crew who were there know how much love and support was needed…emotionally one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. We captured really raw, naked truth from Kayla, who stars in the film. Not nearly enough people have seen it–it's still on the festival circuit and I hope to screen it for the public early next year. Her story is important. I screened it to a group of teens and their parents–and the response to it was overwhelming. It really touched people. It is hard for me to watch. I love Kayla and I think she is incredibly talented and courageous.
I love that your projects often feature women and actors of color. As a casting director, how important is diversity and inclusion in your projects?
Diversity in casting is SO important. I recall living in Los Angeles and I was dating a Hispanic man for a year named John Vargas. He was an actor, and shared the statistics with me. Being a Caucasian, it had never really occurred to me that there was an inequity in casting. So, it was the mid-90's and he told me 20% of all roles were going to actors that were African-American, 7% to Latinos and only 2% to Asians. (Native Americans weren't even in those stats!) He shared with me how he would ask his agents or casting people to ask directors to please consider a non-Caucasian for roles–because there wasn't enough opportunity for him to audition. It was such a frustration for him–and he was a really hustling, talented guy. I never forgot that. So when I started casting…I made a point of asking directors or writers to consider seeing people of color. I also like to point out that certain roles don't need to be cast as male…to open up more opportunities for women, too. But, at the end of the day, it always must be the best individual for the role, regardless of gender or race. That's paramount.
The last two projects I'm focusing here, Oh My Stars and Everyone Goes In The Lake, were both written by someone else. How's the filmmaking process different from directing something that you wrote yourself?
Oh, it's easier in some ways, and more challenging in others. Lorna is an amazing writer…prolific and so hard-working. She wrote two screenplays for us to choose from, both approaching the story from very different perspectives. One of the screenplays had far more of the protagonist (Violet) as the older woman on-screen reliving her past. Greg Winter (my cinematographer) and I both preferred the piece with more narration. It just felt more active to see more of the protagonist's struggle as a young woman on the screen…and it felt more like a memory, using the narration as the thread weaving through the story. I also really liked the way 1979 served as book-ends to the film. We also used chocolate filters and pushed towards sepia in those 1930's scenes because my vision was to really give those early years the feeling of memory–and the sepia just felt like the way to go. As the film goes on, the chocolate fades and as Violet's life changes, more color comes into the pictures. These ideas were in my head from day one and Greg was onboard with the ideas. It was fun to expand scenes visually, though, on bits of the dialogue in ways that I don't think Lorna had expected.
With "Everyone Goes in the Lake," Rudy Pavich had written a funny screenplay ('cause he's a funny man) that just needed a bit of fine-tuning so I recommended that we get my former MCTC colleague Jeremy Bandow's eyes on it. Both Jeremy and I weighed in with notes and Rudy was open to making adjustments and that collaborating really helped me to hone my vision for that project. When it's not my script: It's much easier to just focus on the actors and to not stress about the dialogue and wonder constantly if it's working. It's one of the monkeys that's off my back!
Oh My Stars was adapted from a novel by Lorna Landvik who also wrote the screenplay. Can you tell me how that project come about?
I had been teaching a commercial class at the Sabbes JCC and met a woman named Jan who happened to be in a group that Lorna was a part of. Lorna had been sharing with the group that many of her books have been optioned for films (one as a vehicle for Ashley Judd) but that none had ever made it to the screen. Jan suggested Lorna and I meet…we did, she looked at some of my other projects, we met again and I (of course) ran out before our first meeting and bought and read 50% of the book so I could really talk to her about "Oh My Stars" and it worked out.
The trend now is to make "proof-of-concept" short films to pitch a longer feature. I suggested we do that–and build a platform via festivals and word-of-mouth and here we are! It was also important to me that our proof-of-concept was more than a "pitch" but also a stand-alone film…one that piqued the viewer's interest and that made them want to see more. I think we succeeded in that. It's the most amount of money I've ever had to raise for a film. Fundraising went on for a full year on that one. Both through GiveMN.org and we did special fundraising events. Lots of heavy lifting to get it finished. And more work now shepherding it through the Festival gauntlet.
Have you ever done a period drama before? What is your favorite genre to watch and to work on?
I had never done a period piece before…that element made pre-production terrifying. Truly daunting. I started 4 months ahead of filming to prepare…for a short film! I couldn't sleep at night for all the thoughts of the details running through my head…it's amazing what a motivator fear can be in the creative process! I wanted to get it right. I knew this was an extraordinary opportunity for me as an artist and I didn't want to fail Lorna, the cast, or the crew. Lots of pressure. Then, things fell through in the 11th hour–specifically—two vintage vehicles. That was so disappointing and we had to scramble to re-write and conceptualize those scenes to accommodate for those missing elements.
On the set of 'Oh My Stars'
I remember after I saw the film, the amount of voice over is perhaps the most extensively-used in any short (or even features) I've ever seen. How did you come to such an approach, was it something Lorna specifically wanted for the film?
Yes, that was the way she wrote one of the two scripts…and I thought it was a really interesting way to tell a story. I knew it was a bit risky—but it makes the film special, I think. To primarily see the emotions coming from young Violet, but the narration from older Violet works, and here's why: distance (as in time) creates a bit of an emotional disconnect—so while Violet's narration is somewhat "these are the facts" all of the emotion from when the original events occurred are living in the depiction of Violet as a young woman experiencing the events in the moment.
Now, as for Everyone Goes Into The Lake, is this the first comedic film you've worked on?
No, I wrote and directed a short called "M4W" that screened at the Bryant Lake Bowl as part of IFP's Cinema Lounge (now "Film North"). I didn't submit that one to festivals. I simply didn't have the confidence in my work at that time. It has also screened on MNC6 now. I learned so much making that movie. I realized doing that one that I had much to learn—but again—I had amazing people around me to support me. These projects are never just "mine." I'm always a little bothered when I read a director/producer/writer indicate in a posting "come to see MY film." I try to always write or say "our film" because it is such a team effort. Every single person is working hard, tired, fighting the elements, working with small budgets, doing the absolute best they can in their positions—it's kind of like going into a battle. As an introvert, I have to put on a special pair of pants when it comes to directing. I'm not entirely comfortable with being at the helm, but someone I suck it up and get it done. I always have a strong sense of what I want, but I'm working on having more ease about making a film. I want to enjoy it more and stress less.
On the set of 'Everyone Goes Into The Lake'
The cinematography is beautiful, but I was really in awe by that cabin. How did you come to find that location, and how involved are you with the location scouting?
I am very hands-on with location scouting—mostly because I don't have the budget to hire someone to do it! Charlotte Ariss was an incredible help on "Oh My Stars" really pointing me in the right direction and offering wonderful suggestions. I'm so grateful for her help. I have to see and feel a place before filming…places have energy and I need to walk the space myself to be able to block and visualize the pictures for a film.
The cabin in "Everyone Goes in the Lake" belongs to dear friends of mine (Dan and Marie Hilliard) I had been dating Marie's brother for 3 years or so, and finally got up the courage to ask if we could film there…to my amazement she said "yes!" It was able to sleep our entire cast & crew and has an incredible kitchen where my significant other at the time (Michael McColl) was able to cook up some incredible meals for the team. He also made some meals for "Oh My Stars." We were all lucky to have someone on the team with such amazing culinary skills. I will forever be grateful to that family for their help with my projects.
Cynthia on set with her mostly-female crew
Lastly, just for fun, can you share an anecdote from filming either one of the TCFF shorts that you find particularly memorable?
On "Oh My Stars" we had rain off and on our final (4th) day of filming—all outdoor shots. It was the longest day of my life…by the time we got to our very last set-ups of the day (the bus crash) I was beyond exhausted. I will never forget driving in pitch-black to our location—a remote country road…and seeing the headlights from around 20 cars with all the cast and crew following me…I was so oddly moved by that…and so nervous that I would miss the turn-off in the dark and the mist. There were so many roads we shot on and I'd scouted them 3 times over and made maps and did everything possible to make sure we weren't all driving out in the country, lost. I prayed the entire time I was driving. I almost cried when I saw the little graveyard that was on the corner—that was the marker I needed to see. So, it's been a funky day and it feels like maybe the rain will clear…and we have all these extras who've been waiting on us all day due to the rain delays—and my gut tells me we'd better shoot the dialogue with the leads first…and then we'll get all the sweet extra's bits. So we shoot the dialogue—and I swear, the moment we got the take we wanted—the skies opened up and it was a torrential downpour. I miss those little vignettes we'd planned with some wonderful actors. For the sake of the film, I'm grateful I listened to my gut—but sad we had to sacrifice some background artists to the fickle movie Gods.
Check out this BTS video of Oh My Stars
(courtesy of IN THE MOMENT FILMS)
Thank you for chatting with me, Cynthia!
Everyone Goes In The Lake is screening as part of the Lost & Found shorts block
Tuesday, October 22nd 5:00PM
TCFF 2019 Film Spotlight: 'Only Dance Can Save Us' – Interview with writer/director John Kaiser
Hello FC readers. It's Ruth here. Today we've got another MN film and MN filmmaker whose film Only Dance Can Save Us is premiering tomorrow at 7:20pm.
I got to see the film last week and I'm really impressed! Kudos to John Kaiser on his feature film debut–it feels like a personal film which highlights the artistic process and the struggle of an artist. Even more impressive that he chose dance, which apparently is an uncharted territory for him, yet he's able to capture the beauty of that world.
Larissa Gritty as Sophie
I like that that the film didn't spoon feed everything to the audience, it's not drowned by exposition. The pacing could've been improved a bit however, but overall it's a terrific film that gives me an insight into the world of dance that I'm not familiar with. As someone working in the creative world, I can relate to the challenges of making a living as an artist.
Matt Bailey as Alan
The acting, especially Larissa Gritti (Sophie) and Matt Bailey (Alan) are strong and believable, which is important in a dialog-heavy film. The dance sequences by choreographer Berit Ahlgren are lovely to watch, and it works wonderfully with the music by Sarah James Elstran. The dynamic camera work by DP Tim Schrader also highlights the dance sequences beautifully.
It's one of the most unique and creative indie films I've seen at TCFF, worth seeing on the big screen so don't miss the screening tomorrow at 7:20pm! Get your tickets here.
Synopsis: Following the death of her estranged mentor, contemporary dance choreographer, Sophie Florence, seeks to make sense of their relationship through her art. As she faces her past, she can't help but be influenced by her present. By weaving performance and narrative, Only Dance Can Save Us creates an interdisciplinary portrait of the artistic process.
Interview with John Kaiser
1. The film explores the ups and downs of the artistic process. Was the story inspired by your own journey by any chance?
As an artist it's impossible not to infuse a little of yourself into your work, nor should you ever resist that urge. For this film in particular I wanted to incorporate that sense of insecurity that we artists feel around our work. Those questions of, "Why are we doing this? Should I be doing something else with my life?" Like our protagonist Sophie, I definitely have had those moments of self doubt. We all have. Maybe a project doesn't turn out how we thought, or we get rejected from festival after festival, and we question why we're dedicating so much of ourselves to art. Then we have another great idea and we're pulled right back into that cycle.
2. You've written quite a bit of shorts and a few features, including DARK CLOUD that I covered last year. What made you decide to direct this story in particular for your debut?
For this project I really wanted to explore that artistic process. That self-doubt, that inspiration, how the world around us shapes our work. The key was finding the right medium to explore on film. Dance was an uncharted territory for me, I've grown to appreciate it over the years and it felt like the perfect vehicle to showcase that process.
Having written and directed a couple shorts, I knew I wanted to try my hand at a longer narrative. With all films, sometimes things just come down to timing, finding the right project at the right time. This was a story that had been bouncing around my head for awhile and felt like the right project to apply for a Jerome Foundation Artist Grant with. Low and behold, much to my surprise and delight, they liked the project and funded the majority of the production costs.
3. I love the dance sequences. Can you talk a bit about the process of casting those dancers, in addition to casting the actors for the film?
When it came to casting dancers, I leaned completely on our choreographer Berit Ahlgren. I gave her carte blanche to bring in anyone she thought would be a good fit. In this case some of our restrictions acted in our favor. Due to some scheduling issues not everyone was available every day. So Berit developed pieces that required only a handful of performers and other pieces that required a lot more. She herself performs an incredible solo at the beginning at the film, so it's a little like you never know who's going to show up in the sequences. As the film progresses we see the pieces grow and become more complex, with more and more dancers joining in.
In terms of casting our actors, one of the challenges with some of the roles was finding individuals who could both act AND dance. This requirement really helped narrow our field and gave us a more strategic pool to focus on. And we were lucky in that we had enough talented people express interest that we didn't have to sacrifice quality on either front.
4. I also notice that the music seems to appear in the dance sequences, while it's mostly music-free in the dialog scenes. How was the process of incorporating music into this film?
I often joke that when characters in this film aren't talking, they are dancing. And that was sort of the approach with the music as well. I personally like to let the dialogue (and there's a lot of dialogue in this film) speak for itself and not compete with the score. I like to find a rhythm and pacing with the actors that feels musical at times.
This also gives our dance sequences their own energy and feel when we finally do add music into the film. The dances and dancers are there to act as a Greek Chorus of sorts and really portray Sophie's mental state. We were incredibly lucky to have Sarah James Elstran (The Nunnery) contributing the music. Her work sounds like nothing I've heard and that's what jumped out to me when I was exploring composers. It's haunting at times, celestial at other moments, but it's also incredibly catchy and upbeat when it needs to be. It really gives the film its own unique sound.
Larissa Gritty w/ supporting cast Jessie Scarborough Ghent + Alex Galick
5. The film practically takes place in a single building, save for a couple of scenes. What has been the biggest challenges of setting a film that way?
As a writer it's always a fun challenge to create something with as few locations as possible and this piece for the most part takes place not only in one building but one room for the majority of the film. So it's this fun little challenge where you give yourself limited resources to work with.
As a director though, focusing your story on one particular space presents a different set of challenges. Namely, how can we keep that space fresh for the audience. We were able to do a lot with lighting, playing with the time of day the scenes are set in. I also wanted each corner of the room to feel more like it's own space. There's a space for socializing, one for business, one for reflection, then of course a big empty space for the dancers to move in.
6. When I first noticed the dancers' costumes, I thought I noticed the specs of blood in them. Is that just my imagination thinking that perhaps it's hinting at the 'bad blood' between Sophie and her recently-deceased mentor, or just a coincidence?
Oh that's a very interesting observation. I hadn't thought of that before, but that's the fun thing about getting this film out in front of an audience. Everyone brings their own interpretations to things. Part way through the production I noticed the blood-like spots. For me that represented the dedication and passion these artists have for their craft.
The costumes themselves were created by the incredibly talented Caroline Sebastian. She and I shared vision boards and had several discussions about what these pieces should look like. We wanted something that made them stand out from the rest of the world. We drew a lot of inspiration from dancer costumes of decades past. In particular we were both drawn to those used by the choreographer Merce Cunningham in the 1970's and 80s. Caroline had the brilliant idea of adding this tie-dyed pattern which gave the outfits a texture that stands out in the space and on film.
7. How excited are you that your first feature is premiering at TCFF, on its 10th anniversary no less?
I'm ecstatic. TCFF has always been a great supporter of the local film community and it's always fun to play to a hometown crowd. There's just a different energy when you know your friends, family, collaborators, and colleagues are in the audience. It gives the screening a Sunday dinner kinda vibe.
8. What's next for you? Would you share about some of your current/future artistic endeavors?
The next thing on my agenda is to breathe and to unplug for awhile. This project has been my life for the last year and a half and now it's out in the world. We're hopefully going to focus on taking it around to other festivals across the country and get it in front of as many eyeballs as possible.
Beyond that, I'm writing for the fun of writing. Playing with new ideas and seeing what the next story to take root in my mind will be.
Set Visit – Fall 2018
I had the privilege of visiting the about a year ago in St. Paul MN, thanks to writer/director John Kaiser, executive producer Jay Ness, and producers Ellie Drews & Kirstie House for arranging the visit. Jay, Ellie and Kirstie, plus DP Tim Schrader + costume designer Caroline Sebastian were actually part of the crew of my own film Hearts Want). I really enjoyed the visit and meeting some of the cast/crew, here are some pics from the fun visit:
Thank you for chatting with me, John!
TCFF screening times of Only Dance Can Save Us:
Tuesday October 22nd 7:20 PM
TCFF 2019 Spotlight: The Ringmaster documentary + Interview w/ creator/producer Zach Capp
On October 20, 2019 By ruthIn Featured Actor/Filmmaker, FlixChatter Interviews4 Comments
What do world-famous onion rings, legendary band KISS, a beloved chef from Minnesota and a former gambling addict have in common? A loving tribute to a special family in Minnesota.
Hi everyone, Ruth here. This is perhaps one of the most unusual documentaries I've seen… it's rare that a documentarian ends up being part of the subject of the film he's creating, but that's what happened here. Zach Capp initially wanted to make a film about a film about the Worthington chef and his famous onion rings, but The Ringmaster is what I would call a 'meta' film as it turns the camera on the filmmaker and ends up documenting the efforts and almost-failures over a 3-year journey. The result is something extraordinary… bizarre, sometimes even painful to watch, but also fascinating and endearing. I think the film is a sweet love letter to chef Larry Lang and perhaps even the town of Worthington as well. Zach said to me at the beginning of our chat that the film reminds us of an onion – the more you peel away the layers the more you discover.
Before I get to the interview, let me share a bit about the background behind the film, and Zach Capp specifically.
Zach's subject, shy, quirky chef Larry Lang, is loved by his town, Worthington, MN and known for making the best onion rings in America (as verified by food critic Tom Sietsema of the Washington Post). Zach's mother is from MN and his family vacationed in southwest MN when he was a young boy. Zach never missed an opportunity to sample the world-famous rings at Michael's which was the Lang family's restaurant. Larry's father Michael created the "secret recipe" in 1949 – the 70th anniversary in 2019.
Zach's beloved grandfather, Martin Capp spent his formative meager beginnings in St. Paul and later in life became a huge philanthropic figure in the Twin Cities area. His name appeared on downtown hotel towers in Minneapolis and St. Paul and thousands of families would live in houses built by his company, Capp Homes, which pioneered affordable pre-fabricated housing in the postwar years. Martin and wife Esther Capp aided many charities in the Twin Cities including the Minnesota Children's Museum.
Papa Martin with his grandson Zach Capp – photo credit: Zachary Capp
Martin Capp thought that his grandson Zach should pursue his passion and become a filmmaker. When Martin passed away, Zach decided to use the inheritance his grandfather left him to make a documentary. The young former gambling addict began a four-year journey filming onion ring chef Larry and sister Linda Lang with the intent of making them and their onion rings world famous. Much of the hundreds of hours of filming took place in Minnesota. Additional footage was shot in South Dakota and Las Vegas.
Larry Lang and his famous onion rings – Photo Credit: The Daily Globe
This documentary was made in loving memory of Martin Capp, who had such strong roots in The Twin Cities. Zach is continuing his grandpa's philanthropic endeavors. Part of the proceeds from the film will go towards Alzheimer research.
Check out the trailer:
Listen below for the Q&A with Zach Capp:
1. Have you shown this documentary to Worthington residents who knew Larry? If so, how has the reception been?
2. In the doc, you said that 'maybe I should've cut my losses and walk away.' I'm curious as to the main reason why you didn't walk away and persisted in telling this story?
Zach Capp & Larry Lang – still from The Ringmaster
3. Watching the doc, it's evident that you really had a heart for Larry Lang and want to see him succeed. But it was evident that you faced some challenges in making this film. What was the toughest day filming in your 3-year journey?
4. How was working with directors Dave Newberg + Molly Dworsky?
Dave and Molly helped me see what I couldn't see because I was too close to the story… they really reshaped the whole narrative, they breathe new life into this whole project. I'd say they helped the film find its voice.
5. Some people might see the film and think that you and the directors were unfairly coercing Larry into doing something he didn't want to do. How do you feel about that viewpoint?
Larry Lang with a KISS band member and the band promoter – still from The Ringmaster
6. The part in the film with the KISS band and seeing Gene Simmons ate those famous onion rings, that must have been surreal. How did that scene come about?
7. Now that Ringmaster film is done. Are you still interested in making the American Food Legends series?
Thank you, Zach, for chatting with FlixChatter!
TCFF screening time:
Monday, October 21st 7:15 PM
TCFF 2019 Film Spotlight: 'International Falls' – Review + Interview with writer/director Amber McGinnis
Synopsis: A woman stuck in a small, snowbound border town has dreams of doing comedy when she meets a washed up, burned out comedian with dreams of doing anything else.
International Falls is hard to fit in a genre. Dee (Rachael Harris) is born, raised, and settled in International Falls. Tim (Rob Huebel) is a traveling comedian who has a two-day stop in Dee's little middle of nowhere Minnesota town. Both characters have reached a breaking point in their lives, and their meeting briefly gives them a human connection they both have been desperately missing. The two bond over their brokenness and by the time the credits roll both characters have made a huge decision.
Counterintuitive as it may sound, International Falls is a coming of age film. Sure, its protagonists are well into their forties, if not past that, but both are wrestling with decisions that will dramatically shape their futures. As Ernest Hemingway taught us in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, not all of us grow up on schedule, sometimes we have to grow up more than once, and more often than not there is collateral damage to that growth.
Amber McGinnis (writer/director) excels at directing emotionally fraught and comedically awkward scenes alike. She has a unique ability to make space for her actors to really dig deep into the non-verbals of their characters, which both Harris and Huebel put to good use.
Tonally, International Falls is almost romantic, but neither character is available. Their sweet moments are almost always intruded upon by their families. It's a funny movie, but only in very short bursts. And the dramatic tension is broken every single time Dee's husband Gary (Matthew Glave), who is every inch the caricature of a Minnesota native, steps on screen.
This leads me to my biggest, pettiest quibble about this movie. The accents were bad and unnecessary. Unless you're trying to make a comedy (which International Falls is definitely not) the accents just get in the way. Do some people talk like that here? Sure, a couple. But they are few and far between and most of them are living in retirement homes at this point.
My only other quibble is that all of the standup writing is bad. For Tim, that's kind of a given. He tells us a million times that he is bad and we are supposed to believe him. But (very mild spoiler alert) when we get to see Dee do her standup routine, it is also quite bad. Worse than that (she is a newbie after all, we can forgive her a little), her standup has a completely different tone that her character does. It doesn't feel like the kind of standup that she would write.
Overall this is a great movie. It relishes in the frigid Minnesota landscape, pays homage to a couple of our favorite eyesores (hello Smokey the Bear dressed up as a lumberjack holding ice skates), and subtly pokes fun at the Minnesota nice stereotype. I have a feeling that non-Minnesotans are going to like it better than those of us who live here (seriously those accents are grating), but it's a nice reminder that the puberty isn't the only chance that humans have to turn into adults.
– Review by Holly Peterson
Interview by Ruth Maramis
with Amber McGinnis
1. How did you get into filmmaking and how do you choose your projects.
This is my first feature and it's been one of the most fulfilling, exciting, and hardest things I've ever done. I'm a trained theatre director, so I'm used to doing more long form storytelling in that medium, but up until this project I had only done shorts and industrials with film. I was ready to take the next step and make a feature but I had a hard time finding traction and funding. So in the spirit of true indie filmmaking I decided to stop waiting on someone else to give me an opportunity and set out to make one for myself. That meant partnering with our amazing writer Thomas Ward to develop the script, starting my own production company, and learning the nuance of producing a film alongside my co-producer Nick Dunlevy. It hasn't been a perfect process. It's been long and grueling but I have learned SO MUCH! And I am so proud of how we persevered. There were so many times when it felt like it wasn't going to happen. Luckily I am a very stubborn Southern gal so when we hit obstacles I just dug in that much harder.
BTS photo at Voyageurs National Park
2. I read that this film is based on a 2-people play, which I find so intriguing. How was the process of adapting a play and what are the challenges of doing so?
Thomas really deserves all of the credit for the brilliant writing and adapting of this script. The two person play is basically a more stream-lined version of the same story. It all takes place in one night and in one location. So developing the screenplay was really about breaking open the possibilities that existed for the story visually: adding more locations and characters and time, while maintaining all of the heart and soul of the original story. One of the biggest changes that I love is that the town of International Falls now feels like another character in the film. We had the generous support of the Chamber of Commerce in International Falls and I think it really shows. Also the screenplay focuses more on Dee's story and journey which excited me as a female filmmaker.
3. I also read that you were pregnant when you made this film? How was that experience, especially as the film deals with a protagonist dealing with a broken marriage?
I tell ya, giving birth to a feature film and a baby in the same year is no small task. We were still in the process of finishing the sound/color when I went into labor, and my husband has this insane picture of me sending emails from the hospital between contractions haha. "Hard" doesn't even begin to describe it. But it was so WORTH IT. Our protagonist is on a journey in the film towards authenticity- for her it means confronting some really ugly truths in her life so she can fully be herself and chase her dream. I've been on a similar journey over the last few years. But once you set your mind to doing that, it doesn't matter how hard or exhausting it is. Because being true to who we are will always, ALWAYS be less hard than faking it and living inauthentically.
4. Looks like you filmed it in Minnesota, was that in International Falls? Were you set on filming in the Winter months, which I'd imagine also possess an inherent challenge to tackle.
Yes, even though we filmed on location in International Falls in March we were still battling sub zero temperatures. We filmed on a frozen ice lake at Voyageurs National Park for 3 days and every day the park ranger had to come out and measure the thickness of the ice to make sure it was safe for us take all of our trucks out to the tiny island that served as our main shooting location. We had to put hand warmers on the camera batteries to keep them from shutting off. But our Twin Cities based crew was so amazing. They never complained about the cold or the long hours or the grueling work. It was such an awesome group of people, I am forever indebted to them.
Rob Huebel and Rachael Harris on set
5. The casting looks great for this film, would you talk a bit about the casting process?
The cast IS amazing! Everyday I feel so lucky that we got such an all star cast. We had an incredible casting director, Matthew Lessall who brought the core ensemble together. He had a keen eye for actors who could do comedy but were also not afraid of the dark and dramatic. Our lead Rachael Harris was also a great advocate for us as we rounded out the cast with some of the supporting roles. It was truly a team effort.
*All BTS photos are courtesy of Amber McGinnis
Thank you for chatting with me, Amber!
TCFF screening times of International Falls:
Saturday October 19th 7:25PM
Interview with Avengers: Endgame's co-director Anthony Russo – 'We Love You 3,000' Tour
On August 19, 2019 August 19, 2019 By ruthIn Featured Actor/Filmmaker, FlixChatter Interviews2 Comments
Marvel Studios celebrated the in-home release of Avengers: Endgame with the 'WE LOVE YOU 3000' tour. Those who have seen that movie knows the significance of that line, uttered by Iron Man's cutie-patootie daughter.
Nine cities and 3,000 giveaways, it's Marvel's way to thank fans who've invested 11 years in the MCU! Beginning in San Diego at Comic-Con International on July 20 and ending in Anaheim at D23 Expo 2019 the weekend of Aug. 23-25, special guests from Marvel Studios and the MCU greeted fans at various cities.
So, last Wednesday August 14, Best Buy hosted director Anthony Russo for fan meet-n-greet and signing. Thanks to Allied Global Marketing, I and three other MN film bloggers got a chance to interview Mr. Russo on the red carpet prior to the fan event.
On Display at Best Buy were a few props from Endgame, including the broken Captain America's shield at the hands of Thanos' mighty sword.
So I was part of the red carpet interview with fellow Twin Cities film bloggers, Paul McGuire Grimes from Paul's Trip To The Movies, Jared Huizenga from Man Versus Movie, and Mark McPherson from TwinCitiesGeek.com. Each of us took turns asking Anthony Russo a question, but because of time constraints, we only got to ask 1-2 questions each.
Listen below for the Q&A with Anthony Russo:
Paul: I have to ask what your first thoughts were when Kevin Feige told you and your brother Joe that you'd be directing the last two Avengers movies?
Ruth: In regards to your time working in the MCU, what makes you the proudest?
I'm proud that we put our best work in and I'm also grateful that it ended up working for others.
Jared: Now that we've come to the end of the Infinity Saga and there are 21 films. Which one is your favorite?
Mark: There's a lot of elements you juggled on Endgame. Was there any one key aspect that you wanted to maintain throughout Endgame as things were changing?
The important things for us is in regards to the character who's going to die in the film. We made sure we give Tony Stark a proper arc, to give them the most we could do with that arc…
Paul: How has the technology changed now since The Winter Soldier. Was there anything that you could do in Endgame that maybe you could not have done in The Winter Soldier?
Ruth: How's your working relationship is w/ the two writers, Christopher Markus + Stephen McFeely whom they've worked together for 4 movies. Was there ever any friction between all four of you, and if so how did you resolve that?
"Why my brother and I like to work as a team is because we have opposing points of views… it's like point, counterpoint, point, counterpoint, it's like a socratic dialogue we have all day long. We love that. So not disagreeing is actually a part of why the creative relationship has value, because it helps you heat up your ideas and pushes out of your comfort zone…"
Thank you Mr. Russo for chatting with us!
Your fans love you 3000 🙂
Have you seen Avengers:Endgame? Feel free to share your thoughts about the film and/or the interviews.
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Hello I'm Ruth!
Film is in my blood. LOVE movies of all genres, from Jane Austen to James Bond. Official blogger for the Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF). I've wrote and produced my first short film » HEARTS WANT in 2017 and currently working on developing the full story as a feature film.
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text:
1Q 2015 GDP and investment in intangibles
Some bad news this morning from BEA's advanced estimate of U.S. 1st quarter GDP. According to this first estimate, GDP grew by only 0.2% in 1Q 2015. The growth in business investment in intellectual property products (IPP) remained at a high level at a 7.8% increase with a positive trendline (see chart). Software investment picked up a little with a 5.8%. R&D slipped somewhat to a still strong level of 12.3%. Investment in entertainment, literary, and artistic originals actually declined by 1.2%. Of course, this is only the advanced estimate, subject to considerable revision.
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 29, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on 1Q 2015 GDP and investment in intangibles
Why trade agreements are so difficult
Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee took up a new Trade Promotion Authority bill (aka TPA or "fast track") in the face of hardening battle lines on the subject. The vote to approve the bill was generally party line with Democrats somewhat split and tea-party wing of the GOP raising some concerns (for example that TPP will undercut U.S. immigration law.
Technically the voting was on negotiating authority and trade enforcement measures (see the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 S. 995 and H.R.1890 and H.R.1907 Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015). But underlying the debate is the current negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – a potential deal among 12 Asian-Pacific nations. The TPP includes the U.S. and Japan but does not include China. The push for rules for Congressional consideration of trade agreements (TPA/fast track) is seen as a preliminary step toward approval of TPP. It is argued that without these rules, which limit Congressional modifications to the deal, it will be impossible to finalize TPP.
Trade agreements such as TPP (and the rules for negotiating those agreements such as TPA) are highly controversial. Such agreements are also difficult to negotiate. TPP talks basically started in 2005. The broader Doha Round of multilateral trade talks at the World Trade Organization (WTO) started in 2001 and is essentially dead in the water.
Trade agreements have always been difficult and controversial. But the current environment is heightened. As globalization is seen as a factor in stagnating worker income, trade agreements are seen as the mechanism of globalization and therefore a cause for the anxiety. This anxiety is increased by one simple fact: trade agreements are no longer about trade; they are about economic harmonization.
Earlier fast track legislation and trade agreements were more narrow. For example, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 which authorized Kennedy Round of trade negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and the Trade Act of 1974, which authorized the Tokyo Round, were mostly about tariffs. As I have noted before, trade entered a new era in 1994 with the inclusion of TRIMS (Trade Related Investment Measures), TRIPS (Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) and GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) in the Uruguay Round. These moved trade negotiations past tariffs and at-the-border issue to internal economic and regulatory policies.
One amendment to the TPA bill in the Senate Finance Committee serves to dramatically illustrate this point. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) added a section on human trafficking (see stories in the New York Times and the Washington Post). According to the stories, the amendment would deny fast track to any agreement with countries on the State Department's list of top human traffickers.
A more public debate about economic harmonization has to do with the addition of currency issues in to trade agreements. In Can trade agreements stop currency manipulation? Kemal Derviş of Brookings argues that "trade negotiations are not the right forum for discussing the causes and consequences of current-account imbalances and reaching agreements on macroeconomic-policy coordination; that is what the IMF and the G-20 are for." Fred Bergsten (Addressing Currency Manipulation Through Trade Agreements) agrees that the IMF would be the best forum to address currency manipulation. However, he argues that "it would be anomalous and unacceptable for such a "21st century trade agreement," one that seeks to become the new template for global economic accords, to ignore an issue that clearly has greater impact on trade than any other, especially when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other institutions have failed to resolve it for so long." Thus, he believes that adding a currency chapter to the TPP is both appropriate and necessary. In an op-ed in the New York Times earlier this year ("How to Stop Currency Manipulation") Jared Bernstein echoed this approach. As he noted:
It's important to recognize that deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership are not necessarily about "free trade." They are instead a set of rules; some, like lowering tariffs, lead to freer trade, while others, like expanding patent protections, are more protectionist. Rules governing currency tactics certainly fit the framework.
Moving beyond the correct forum for crafting the rules is the debate over the rules themselves. It is this economic harmonization that is at the core of the clash over TPP and TPA. Proponents argue for TPP saying the rules will benefit the U.S. and that if the U.S. doesn't write the rules, China will (see "Pass Trade Promotion Authority and enable conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations"). Opponents don't like the rules that the U.S. Government seems to be writing (see "The Trans-Pacific Partnership is great for elites. Is it good for anyone else?"). In essence, the clash over TPA/TPP is a continuation of existing debates over domestic policy.
Here is where the issue of content meets the choice of forum. The shift from trade to economic harmonization changes the dynamics of the negotiation process. The old dynamics don't work. During my Senate staff career, I was involved in the beginning and the end of the Uruguay Round. When we finally passed the implementing legislation, I mused out loud that I thought this would be the last global round of trade negotiations. None of my colleagues agreed – and some of the old hands seemed taken aback at such heresy. They argued that you can only get an agreement by linking everything in a big package. (In diplomacy – this is known as "linkage.")
Almost three decades later, I still think I am right. Linkage doesn't work the way it used to. In previous negotiations with a focus on tariff reduction, the dynamic was simple. I'll reduce my tariffs on steel if you reduce your tariffs on autos. This allowed for a win-win (from economists point of view) situation that pushed for lower and lower tariffs. Everyone agreed that the end point was lower tariffs. The question was how to get there.
In the new talks, it is unclear how the trade-offs work, and in what direction the dynamics points. I'll lower my tariffs on steel if you increase your copyright protection to 100 years? I'll allow you to subsidize your aircraft industry if you don't ban my genetically-modified beef? I'll decrease my agricultural subsidies if you reduce regulations on investment banking?
We don't have any agreement on what the end point should be. We have a general idea – "open economies" – but we differ dramatically on what that means and on the specifics. The internal clash over what the rules should be makes it hard to agree with other nations on best policy (i.e. which policy is correct and which is not) when we can't agree within the nation.
Thus my unease with large multi-issue, multilateral negotiations such at the TPP. I'm not sure we understand the trade-offs any more. And I'm not sure what we really want to accomplish in any one specific area i.e.less regulation on the financial sector or more regulation?. Rather, as I've argued before, we may have to approach each of these economic regulatory issues separately – possibly in separate forums, such as the OECD and the G20. Yes, this being a negotiation, there will be linkage. But the complex web of links will not become so great as to bring the entire structure down. And it will allow all parties to clearly focus on a specific issue not the trade-offs — leading, one would hope to a better outcome.
Having said that, the TPP is in process and likely to be finished soon. Given that, there may be a role for an agreement like TPP to serve as an enforcement mechanism for agreements negotiated elsewhere. The negotiating objectives in the TPP legislation already reference a number of other international agreements. The anti-human trafficking section added in the Senate Finance Committee to the TPP legislation is an example of an explicit attempt to use of TPP to enforce an international agreement.
Another explicit attempt to use TPP as an enforcement mechanism can be found in Rep. Sandy Levin's alternative legislation (Right Track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Act 2015 – see also the summary). In a critical difference, the Levin substitute explicitly directs the President to "establish strong and enforceable rules, consistent with or building upon Article IV of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund." Article IV requires members to "avoid manipulating exchange rates or the international monetary system in order to prevent effective balance of payments adjustment or to gain an unfair competitive advantage over other members." As noted earlier, the IMF has not proved to be an effective enforcement mechanism. A trade agreement could be. [Note: Rep. Levin is the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee. The Levin substitute was not allowed to be considered by House Ways and Means during the mark up. I suspect part of it may show up during the House and Senate floor debates.]
In summary, it is time to look beyond trade agreements as a mechanism for economic harmonization. But I doubt that will happen immediately. I assume that once the TPP is concluded attention will turn to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Agreement (TTIP). And the debate will continue, just as the economic policy debate will continue domestically.
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 28, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on Why trade agreements are so difficult
Losing relational capital: the Intuit case?
Intuit seems to be a company with strong Relational Capital – a good reputation and a strong customer base. But recently they have had their share of problems. [In the interest of full disclosure, I use Intuit products TurboTax and Quicken – which I love. But I had a problem with TurboTax this year, as explained below.] Earlier this year, the company apologized for forcing customers to buy an upgrade. But they did so in a way that raised privacy concerns (see Forbes story "Intuit Cries Uncle, Will Reverse TurboTax Deluxe Changes"). Then came the news that TurboTax might have been used to file fraudulent returns (see Washington Post stories "TurboTax resumes processing state returns after fraud reports prompt halt" and "Fraudsters found a new way to steal refunds from TurboTax customers"). Now comes word of a potential class action lawsuit alleging that TurboTax's lack of security enabled that fraud (see "Potential class-action lawsuit filed against the maker of TurboTax").
Oh, and by the way, Tax Day saw stories about how the tax software companies such as Intuit are lobbying against tax simplification (see L.A. Times "The tax-prep industry lobbies hard to keep Tax Day a torture for you" and New York Times "Would You Let the I.R.S. Prepare Your Taxes?"). Intuit came back forcefully with a detailed response (Intuit Statement on Tax Policy).
I can't speak to the fraud or lobbying issues. But I can speak to the earlier problem of because I am one of the people negatively affected by their action. I bought the software version I have been using for years. Then was told that I needed to purchase an upgrade for $42.30 (which doubled the price). Then I was told that was a mistake and I could get $25 back (not the full amount). Then when I applied for the refund, I was told that it was a limited time offer and time had expired. Why they chose to limit the amount and the time does not make sense. So, not only did they make a mistake, their attempts to rectify it have left me, at least, with a bitter taste.
Not a good way to build Relational Capital. But why does this matter? It matters in two ways. First is how customers respond to their products. I for one will be a more skeptical next year about buying TurboTax. The company will have to show me that I won't get screwed again. And I am not alone in those feelings. As of the time I am writing this, TurboTax has 2495 "5 star" ratings on Amazon and 2973 "1 star" ratings. Illustrative of the negative is this comment, "I hate being gouged, and I hate weasel word explanations even more." Granted this was written in December 2014 before TurboTax admitted its mistake. But 5278 readers out of 5378 found the review helpful. And so far I see few if any positive responses to the refund offer.
Second, and possibly more important, is how the reputational damage might play out in other areas. Intuit gets high marks from some for its eventual response to the refund issue (see WSJ: "Crisis of the Week: TurboTax Combats Customer Revolt"). But the fumble may undercut Intuit/TurboTax's ability to garner a positive public response to the other issues.
So far, any damage has not become apparent. Earlier this week Intuit announced that it expects TurboTax revenue to show an 8% increase. The real test will be how the public reacts to the lawsuits and how customers react next tax season. Intuit understands the importance of Relational Capital. As their latest financial statement (10K) states, "Our business depends on our strong reputation and the value of our brands." It will be an interesting case to see how they maintain that reputation.
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 23, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on Losing relational capital: the Intuit case?
Three discussions on the changing economy
Over the past few weeks there have been a number of meetings and conferences on the economy. Here are videos of three I found most interesting.
Making Sense of the Information Economy: A Mixed Record? is one session of a larger conference on What's Wrong with the Economy–and with Economics? put on by The New York Review of Books. Most of the other sessions deal with the state of the economics profession. This session deals with a particular part of the economy. I was particularly interested in Shoshana Zuboff's overview of what she calls the "advocacy capitalism" versus "surveillance capitalism" forms of the digital economy and society — including how this affects the relationship between buyer and seller.
The Hutchins Center Explains: Productivity slowdown was a meeting at the Brookings Institution of three noted economic experts on productivity. The problem is that they (and other economist) can really explain changes in productivity. Martin Baily offers a myriad of possible factors, including conflicting theories of the rate of innovation. Of special interest to me was Harry Holzer's call for "incentives and assistance for employers to go 'higher road'." While this was mentioned just in passing, resurrecting the notion that high performance organizational structures matters is a good idea. [For more, see my earlier paper Time to Get Serious About Workplace Change.]
Then there was last week's Institute for New Economic Thinking conference New Economic Thinking: Liberté, Égalité, Fragilité. The opening plenary on economics and inequality is available on-line [note that the event does not start until 23 minutes into the video and the panel discussion with Angel Gurria, Thomas Piketty and Joseph Stiglitz does not start until 55 minutes into the video]. Papers and presentations are also available. Angel Gurria's (Secretary General of the OECD) discussion of how inequality hurts economic growth was especially of interest. I was also interested in Andy Wyckoff's presentation "Innovation & Inequality: Exploring the Role of KBC and Business Dynamics" [note: KBC stands for Knowledge-Based Capital aka intangible assets].
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 13, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on Three discussions on the changing economy
Customer data is an asset – or it is?
By now you probably know that RadioShack is going through bankruptcy proceedings and closing stores. Last week, the bankruptcy court approved a plan to sell the company to the hedge fund Standard General who would co-locate the remaining stores with Sprint stores. (The sale is actually to the General Wireless subsidiary of Standard General). But, as the Wall Street Journal reports, General Wireless/Standard General appear to only be getting the stores and the workers:
The new RadioShack has only temporary rights to its name and certain patents as it gets back on its feet. Unless Standard General comes up with more money, RadioShack might need a new name after six months.
Rival bidder Salus has first claim on the RadioShack intellectual property, including the trademark, patents and customer lists.
Owed $150 million, Salus will get only partial payment out of the sale to Standard General. The intellectual property could be sold separately, and it could be sold to Standard General. However, Salus is in active talks with other potential buyers of RadioShack's intellectual-property, valuation adviser David Peress, of Hilco Streambank, said in court. [Hilco Streambank is handling the sale of the intangible assets.]
Now, here is where it get really interesting. Some of those intangible assets may not be assets after all. Specifically, customer lists may be subject to privacy laws that restrict their transfer to another owner. According to stories in the Washington Post and Bloomberg Business, the Attorney Generals of Texas and Tennessee have raised the possibility of filing suit to stop RadioShack from selling its customer lists. And, according to AdAge, the New York Attorney General is looking at the case. They argue that RadioShack made an explicit promise when it collected the data to not sell their customer lists. Since the sale of the lists would violate the company's privacy policies, they argue that it also violates state law.
These lawsuits might be a bit of a stretch. What the stories don't point out is that there is already a process to deal with these cases. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 contains a specific set of provisions known as the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman provisions. This part of the bankruptcy code describes what type of data/information is or is not considered protected under privacy restrictions. It also sets up a process to appoint a Consumer Privacy Ombudsman to report to the court as to what data is protected, what may or may not be sold and under what conditions. For example, in one case, the buyer was required to contact those on the list and allow them to be removed (an "opt out" process). The goal of these provisions is to balance the traditional mission of a bankruptcy court to maximize repayment to the debtor (by maximizing the sale of all assets) with individual's privacy rights. [See here for a more detailed explanation of the law.]
The ruling by the Ombudsman can be complicated by the lack of a standard privacy clause. Some companies, such as Google and Facebook, have clauses in their privacy policies explicitly allowing the transfer of customer data in cases of an ownership change or asset sale. However, even in these cases questions can remain, such as which version of the company's privacy policy applies: the policy when the data was first collected or the most recent policy? And who collected the data: the parent company or an independent franchisee?
It remains to be seen what will ultimately happen to RadioShack's intangible assets. In the RadioShack case, the appointed Ombudsman has told the court that the lists are not yet being sold. Therefore she does not have a report for the court at this time. Obviously the Ombudsman needs to know the terms of any deal before making findings and recommendations.
But regardless of the final outcome, the case raises interesting questions about how these assets are restricted and how they may or may not be utilized. One more factor to take into account when managing your intangible assets.
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 6, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on Customer data is an asset – or it is?
March employment in tangible and intangible industries
Today's job numbers from BLS are only somewhat ok. Employment is up by 126,000 in March with the unemployment rate staying a 5.5%. Economists had expected an increase of 245,000 jobs.
Employment in tangible producing industries grew by a meager 25,700 in March. Employment in Manufacturing, Construction & Mining and Tangible Business Services all declined. Intangible producing industries added 100,400 jobs with most of that gain in Educational & Health Services. (See tables below.)
As the charts below shows, U.S. employment in tangible producing industries and intangible producing industries is just about equal. Up until March, employment in tangible producing industries had been growing slightly faster than in intangible producing industries.
For more background on this data, see my earlier posting.
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 3, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on March employment in tangible and intangible industries
Update on new trade data process
As part of this morning's trade data release, BEA announced that it and Census would be releasing an advanced estimate of trade data to be incorporated into (and improve the accuracy of) the advanced estimate of GDP (see BEA's blog announcement)). The advance estimate of the June trade data will be release July 30 (the same day as the 2nd quarter GDP advanced estimate) with the regular report released on August 5. Note that the regular report will still be subject to the standard revisions (the next month and after 6 months).
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 2, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on Update on new trade data process
February trade in intangibles
Good new this morning on trade. According to data from BEA, the U.S. trade deficit dropped by $7.2 billion in February to $35.4 billion. The bad news is that exports were down $3.0 billion and imports were down $10.2 billion. The slowdown in trade may be attributable to the bad weather and a West Coast dock strike. Interestingly, our deficit in petroleum products also dropped, due to falling oil prices.
However, our surplus in pure intangibles declined again slightly in February after a drop in January. Exports were down while imports were up. The surpluses in maintenance & repair services grew with an increase in export and a decline in imports. The surplus in financial services did just the opposite, declining as exports went down and imports up. The deficit in insurance services improved slightly. Net revenues from the use of intellectual property dropped slightly as revenues from foreign sources (exports) were up but charges for the use of intellectual property paid out to foreign sources (imports) increased more. The surplus in business services continued to grow a long string of declines last year.
Our Advanced Technology deficit once again improved in February to $3.1 billion. And once again the improvement was due improvement in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) deficit as imports dropped by $2.3 billion even though exports were down $1 billion.
Advanced Technology goods also represent trade in intangibles. These goods are competitive because their value is based on knowledge and other intangibles. While not a perfect measure, Advanced Technology goods serve as an approximation of our trade in embedded intangibles. Adding the pure and embedded intangibles shows an overall surplus of $11.8 billion in February compared with $9.9 billion in January. Again, much of this was due to the lower ICT imports.
Note: I am now reporting the trade data using the new BEA classifications for services trade, which breaks services into more categories. In the past, the intangible trade data was the sum of Royalties and License Fees and Other Private Services. Under the new classification system, intangibles trade data is the sum of the following items: maintenance and repair services n.i.e. (not included elsewhere); insurance services; financial services; charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e.; telecommunications, computer, and information services; other business services.
Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e. is simply a renaming of Royalties and License Fees. This includes transactions with foreign residents involving intangible assets and proprietary rights, such as the use of patents, techniques, processes, formulas, designs, know-how, trademarks, copyrights, franchises, and manufacturing rights.
Maintenance and repair services n.i.e., financial services, and insurance services, were previously included in Other Private Services. Telecommunications, computer, and information services is a combination of those two items (telecommunications and computer & information services) that were also previously included in Other Private Services. Three categories previously in Other Private Services — education-related and health-related travel and the expenditures on goods and services by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers — were removed and reclassified to travel. The new category of other business services is a continuation of the older category Other Private Services with those components removed.
Thus, other business services includes categories such as advertising services; research, development, and testing services; management, consulting, and public relations services; legal services; construction, engineering, architectural, and mining services; and industrial engineering services. It also includes personal, cultural, and recreational services which includes fees related to the production of motion pictures, radio and television programs, and musical recordings; payments or receipts for renting audiovisual and related products, downloaded recordings and manuscripts; telemedicine; online education; and receipts or payments for cultural, sporting, and performing arts activities.
For more information on the changes, see the March 2014 Survey of Current Business article, "The Comprehensive Restructuring of the International Economic Accounts: Changes in Definitions, Classifications, and Presentations."
Author intangibleeconomyPosted on April 2, 2015 Categories ArticlesLeave a comment on February trade in intangibles

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl