The American Film Institute’s annual AFI Conservatory Showcase goes down tonight, 7:30 p.m., at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.
Three shorts — “Slut,” “Starman” and “Tracks” — will premiere at this invite-only event to be attended by industry players, artists and executives. AFI President/CEO Bob Gazzale and AFI Conservatory dean Jan Schuette will make remarks. And tonight, AFI enters the VOD game from a unique jumping point, as Schuette heralds the launch of the AFI Conservatory Online Theater, a first-ever digital archive of alumni films available for public rent or purchase.
More about tonight’s three shorts from AFI:
-In “Slut,” girl reinvents herself to impress the boys of her small town and then finds herself becoming the target of a sociopath. (Chloe Okuno; Director/Writer; Lisa Gollobin, Producer; Benjamin Kirk Nielsen, Cinematographer; Michael Block, Editor; Yihong Ding, Production Designer).
–“Starman” is about a has-been daredevil struggling to reclaim his old glory in a world that’s left him behind. (Josema Roig, Director; Derek Ustruck, Writer; Jo Henriquez, Producer; Nicolas Navia, Cinematographer; Steven Pristin, Editor; Sandra Doyle Carmola, Production Designer).
-“Tracks” follows an aspiring pro skateboarder who finds himself saddled with having to watch his girlfriend’s daughter on the day of his amateur championship. (Logan Sandler, Director; Logan Sandler/Carly Stone, Writers; Daniella Nowitz, Cinematographer; Sunghwan Moon, Editor).
Fellows at the Conservatory are active filmmakers — each make four to 10 movies during their two-year training under the guidance of masters in the art form. Alumni include filmmakers involved with 2014 awards season films and TV including HBO’s “The Normal Heart” and “True Detective,” and Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken.”
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
