Slog Comments
Can We Talk About SIFF?
1
I hate the fucking trailers. When I first attend SIFF (and also WIFF), I was startled and gratified that as soon as the house manager introduced the film and reviewed expected audience behavior, the film started. None of that 10 or 15 minutes of sitting through trailers like you usually had to. But that's the delay you get now with all the SIFF ads and City Arts ads and trailers. (And I have seen more than one trailer at screenings, by the way.)
2
I saw the same City Arts Magazine ad twice before a movie this year, although at least the ad is better than the crappy ones in years past. They have waaay too many SIFF ads, and they never change. I'm only seeing 10 movies this year, but I'll see the same ads 10 times (or 11 if they repeat them like they did on Wednesday). I can't imagine how awful it must be for a Passhole.
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I agree that earlier would be better, although it worked out well for me this year with an early May vacation. Another thing to do is to stop scheduling so many screenings with 4-4:30 weekday start times. Only people who can take off work can see those screenings and I'm always bummed out that there's a movie I want to see but I can't because of when I get off work.
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I agree that earlier would be better, although it worked out well for me this year with an early May vacation. Another thing to do is to stop scheduling so many screenings with 4-4:30 weekday start times. Only people who can take off work can see those screenings and I'm always bummed out that there's a movie I want to see but I can't because of when I get off work.
3
Oh yes, please move SIFF to February! That would change my whole relationship to going to movies. Seattle needs something so cool to happen during the dreariest month of the year. Who cares if it's during the academy awards? It would be awesome and I would be able to attend many more events. Please move to February!
4
1. I agree entirely about making SIFF earlier in the year.
2. Seeing multiple ads for SIFF when I am already at SIFF is irritating. The fact that they are always the same ads is even more irritating. So is having to listen to the host sell SIFF again after watching these ads. Knock it off!
3. I like the idea of starting movies at 5 or 5:30 instead of 4:30. There are a few that I skipped because I didn't want to leave work early. Not sure if this will work with their schedule or not.
2. Seeing multiple ads for SIFF when I am already at SIFF is irritating. The fact that they are always the same ads is even more irritating. So is having to listen to the host sell SIFF again after watching these ads. Knock it off!
3. I like the idea of starting movies at 5 or 5:30 instead of 4:30. There are a few that I skipped because I didn't want to leave work early. Not sure if this will work with their schedule or not.
5
Wait, they start showing trailers and this causes you to ask why they are "so trailer-averse"?
Others have suggesed they run the siff ads before prior to the scheduled start time, which makes sense. Also, they apparently only created two different siff ads when in the past they've had three (or more?). (I'm referring to the fish and forest ones.) They need more varity to keep people interested.
Others have suggesed they run the siff ads before prior to the scheduled start time, which makes sense. Also, they apparently only created two different siff ads when in the past they've had three (or more?). (I'm referring to the fish and forest ones.) They need more varity to keep people interested.
6
@2/4 Starting at 5/5:30 knocks everything back by 30-60 minutes. So, a 120 minute movie at 5, ends at 7:15 (including trailers and talking), the next 90min movie starts at 7:45, ends at 9:30, with the final movie starting at 10 and ending at midnight...sucktastic for the working guys as well.
I mean, I had to miss Trollhunter because I really needed to see The Pillow Book at 9:30, and that movie lasted until 11:45.
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Also, @2 there is only 1 City Arts ad this year...2 weeks ago, I started noticing the learning-student's flaws in sound mixing and wanted to go perfect it since it was the first decent one in years.
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Also, I half support moving this to March. The only issue is standing in line for an hour in the rain. I was good this year, and scheduled most of my films (except secret) for 7pm or later. Little sunlight missed.
I mean, I had to miss Trollhunter because I really needed to see The Pillow Book at 9:30, and that movie lasted until 11:45.
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Also, @2 there is only 1 City Arts ad this year...2 weeks ago, I started noticing the learning-student's flaws in sound mixing and wanted to go perfect it since it was the first decent one in years.
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Also, I half support moving this to March. The only issue is standing in line for an hour in the rain. I was good this year, and scheduled most of my films (except secret) for 7pm or later. Little sunlight missed.
7
generally I agree with the suggestions, but I disagree that a "buckshot" approach is good - the festival is too big and too many awful films get in. Isn't the whole idea of curating a festival to have some baseline? It used to be you could pretty much take a chance on anything and you were likely to come out glad you'd gone in - that's no longer the case.
Double ++ on moving the event earlier in the year. I've felt compelled on to many occasions to ride the bike past the theater and give my ticket away on a lovely day when I simply cannot bear to be inside in the dark (a sentiment strengthened by the above-noted decline in overall quality).
Double ++ on moving the event earlier in the year. I've felt compelled on to many occasions to ride the bike past the theater and give my ticket away on a lovely day when I simply cannot bear to be inside in the dark (a sentiment strengthened by the above-noted decline in overall quality).
8
Let me see, standing outside in the rain in February, or better yet having the city paralyzed by a February snowstorm that shuts down the city for two days (gee did that happen this year??? twice??) during the festival. On top of that the opening, closing and center piece galas, which are set in venues where you can enjoy a spectacular evening outside with a drink and fellow movie goers can't be replicated in February. If you haven't attended one of the galas, opening, closing, saturday nights, you're missing one of the best parts of the festival. I love it the way it is.
BTW saw To Be Heard last night at SIFF Cinema. Best FIlm I've seen at the Festival yet. One of the main characters was in attendance and performed one of her slam poems on request during the Q&A after the film. Amazing. A second standing ovation. Do not miss it this Saturday at 11 am at SIFF Cinema. Hopefully it'll be raining...... :-)
BTW saw To Be Heard last night at SIFF Cinema. Best FIlm I've seen at the Festival yet. One of the main characters was in attendance and performed one of her slam poems on request during the Q&A after the film. Amazing. A second standing ovation. Do not miss it this Saturday at 11 am at SIFF Cinema. Hopefully it'll be raining...... :-)
9
@2: i too saw the same City Arts ad repeated before a film. I wonder if a programmer can tell us if this is done for time extension, or because they worry that the audience may have forgotten the ad from three minutes earlier, or the SIFF staff made a contractual obligation to show the ad maybe 460 times, and they ended up with only 350 screenings...
10
The city arts and siff cinema ads are both horrendous. The siff cinema one ("films for every season" or whatever) is always so ugly and pixelated. At least make it nice to look at?
11
Consolidate the SIFF ads and show an extra preview or two. Given the number of films shown during the fest it's really hard for even regular SIFFgoers to research all the films, and an extra preview or two could help generate a little more interest for films that might get overlooked.
As for the timing of the fest, I think it's fine where it is. Having a three-day weekend at the beginning of the fest really helps build some momentum, and a nice day or two isn't gonna dissuade too many folks who are into what SIFF offers. And I'd hate to be standing in lines in February or March.
As for the timing of the fest, I think it's fine where it is. Having a three-day weekend at the beginning of the fest really helps build some momentum, and a nice day or two isn't gonna dissuade too many folks who are into what SIFF offers. And I'd hate to be standing in lines in February or March.
12
I love SIFF and have volunteered for it the last two years. My biggest problem with the festival is the strict rule against late entry.
A woman from Brazil who works in my building was excited to learn about the Brazilian films showing this year. She is new to Seattle and was looking forward to experiencing a little slice of home. She was turned away from the theater... despite having already paid for her ticket.. for being five minutes late. When she told me this I was apologetic to her (on behalf of Seattle and SIFF) and embarassed that SIFF had done that to her.
SIFF is awesome and amazing but it is not the opera. Allowing folks to get in a little late won't hurt anybody. If fancy SIFF passholders get their panties in a bunch over allowing late entries, they can go buy themselves some new panties somewhere and get over it.
A woman from Brazil who works in my building was excited to learn about the Brazilian films showing this year. She is new to Seattle and was looking forward to experiencing a little slice of home. She was turned away from the theater... despite having already paid for her ticket.. for being five minutes late. When she told me this I was apologetic to her (on behalf of Seattle and SIFF) and embarassed that SIFF had done that to her.
SIFF is awesome and amazing but it is not the opera. Allowing folks to get in a little late won't hurt anybody. If fancy SIFF passholders get their panties in a bunch over allowing late entries, they can go buy themselves some new panties somewhere and get over it.
14
The City Arts trailers are always great. So are the SIFF genre/track ones.
You're all sourpusses. Grow up.
You're all sourpusses. Grow up.
15
Agree with all your comments, especially about moving SIFF to Feb or March.
@6: If the early evening movie started at 7:45 or so instead of 7pm, that would be great! A 7pm movie is too close to rush hour, and it's too difficult to get to the theater on weekdays, especially for those of us who have to cross a bridge to get to a Seattle theater.
@12: I agree with changing the late entry rule. It would be better to just require them to sit in the back so they can see the movie without disturbing the people who got there on time.
I really wish that SIFF would post the results of the voting on their web site for all the movies. I'd like to see how the general audience voting compared with what I thought of some of the movies. Also, seeing the SIFF voting results would likely get me to see more independent movies throughout the year: if I saw that a SIFF audience had rated a movie reasonably well, I'd be more likely to get out to see it if it showed up in general release.
@6: If the early evening movie started at 7:45 or so instead of 7pm, that would be great! A 7pm movie is too close to rush hour, and it's too difficult to get to the theater on weekdays, especially for those of us who have to cross a bridge to get to a Seattle theater.
@12: I agree with changing the late entry rule. It would be better to just require them to sit in the back so they can see the movie without disturbing the people who got there on time.
I really wish that SIFF would post the results of the voting on their web site for all the movies. I'd like to see how the general audience voting compared with what I thought of some of the movies. Also, seeing the SIFF voting results would likely get me to see more independent movies throughout the year: if I saw that a SIFF audience had rated a movie reasonably well, I'd be more likely to get out to see it if it showed up in general release.
16
Some interesting points raised but I have to point out:
1)Moving a major film festival is a bit like moving a small mountain...possible, but very very difficult. The major festival circuit is a bit of a fixed thing and moving one can cause a lot of headaches.
2)SIFF does best attendance wise when it's "meh" outside. Sunny/nice weather obviously hurts attendance, because who the hell wants to be in doors on a rare nice day, but hardcore rain ALSO hurts attendance as well. Gray, "it might rain", kinda coolish weather is the ideal. A February/March festival could fall victim to some unpleasantly bad weather.
3)Sad about the Brazilian lady, but SIFF is pretty strict about late seating for the simple reason, it REALLY pisses off the people already in the theater who have to put up with some latecomer stumbling around in the dark trying to find a seat in a nearly full theater.
1)Moving a major film festival is a bit like moving a small mountain...possible, but very very difficult. The major festival circuit is a bit of a fixed thing and moving one can cause a lot of headaches.
2)SIFF does best attendance wise when it's "meh" outside. Sunny/nice weather obviously hurts attendance, because who the hell wants to be in doors on a rare nice day, but hardcore rain ALSO hurts attendance as well. Gray, "it might rain", kinda coolish weather is the ideal. A February/March festival could fall victim to some unpleasantly bad weather.
3)Sad about the Brazilian lady, but SIFF is pretty strict about late seating for the simple reason, it REALLY pisses off the people already in the theater who have to put up with some latecomer stumbling around in the dark trying to find a seat in a nearly full theater.
17
@12: Despite the stated policy, late seating is allowed and enabled. An usher, with a flashlight, will show you to the most unobtrusive seat possible, just as @15 describes.
The only exception would be a sold-out show, in which case the unfilled seats will have been sold to those in the stand-by line. This is, unfortunately, what must have happened to your Brazilian friend.
The only exception would be a sold-out show, in which case the unfilled seats will have been sold to those in the stand-by line. This is, unfortunately, what must have happened to your Brazilian friend.
18
I'd love to see it earlier in the year but agree that the festival circuit is so entrenched is would be nearly impossible.
My biggest complaint is the steady decline over the last five years of the opening night gala. This year had to be the worst ever and I haven't missed one in ten plus years. Crappy space, way less food than normal, lame-ass dj, no outdoor space, etc., etc. Oh, and why the fuck does the whole thing need to end by midnight? By the time the film ends and everyone manages to squeeze through the one entrance you maybe have two hours over there. That $100 open bar ticket doesn't really pencil when the first two drinks are free with the general ticket. Only rum drinks, no vodka. I can keep going on. It used to be the highlight party of the season and now always leaves me disappointed. Does anyone at SIFF know how to throw a party anymore???
My biggest complaint is the steady decline over the last five years of the opening night gala. This year had to be the worst ever and I haven't missed one in ten plus years. Crappy space, way less food than normal, lame-ass dj, no outdoor space, etc., etc. Oh, and why the fuck does the whole thing need to end by midnight? By the time the film ends and everyone manages to squeeze through the one entrance you maybe have two hours over there. That $100 open bar ticket doesn't really pencil when the first two drinks are free with the general ticket. Only rum drinks, no vodka. I can keep going on. It used to be the highlight party of the season and now always leaves me disappointed. Does anyone at SIFF know how to throw a party anymore???
19
I vote no on earlier in the year. Would hate waiting outside in even lousier weather than usual.
I vote yes on the no late entry. Though I'm puzzled by @12's experience. There's never been a year when I haven't seen late entry at films. One year, when they had films @ Seattle Central, people were coming in for half an hour after the film started in a steady stream. I have also volunteer at SIFF and seated people who arrived late. I assumed they put that notice in the catalogue to encourage people to arrive early.
Don't know if you're responding to Kathleen Murphy's article on SIFF, but I agree w/it. The fest is too big. Should be scaled back, get better films, and get more films that won't see general release. It's as if SIFF is now just there to preview the upcoming season of films to be released (though yes, there still are films that dont' get picked up).
I vote yes on the no late entry. Though I'm puzzled by @12's experience. There's never been a year when I haven't seen late entry at films. One year, when they had films @ Seattle Central, people were coming in for half an hour after the film started in a steady stream. I have also volunteer at SIFF and seated people who arrived late. I assumed they put that notice in the catalogue to encourage people to arrive early.
Don't know if you're responding to Kathleen Murphy's article on SIFF, but I agree w/it. The fest is too big. Should be scaled back, get better films, and get more films that won't see general release. It's as if SIFF is now just there to preview the upcoming season of films to be released (though yes, there still are films that dont' get picked up).
20
I really hate having to sit through advertisements for SIFF when I am already at SIFF!
I don't mind a SIFF commercial in a non-SIFF environment, but once I've already given them my money I would really just like to watch a movie, and maybe some trailers for other movies.
Hell, I'm even OK with them advertising other SIFF stuff, like the year round SIFF Cinema calendar, or the other stuff they do.
I don't mind a SIFF commercial in a non-SIFF environment, but once I've already given them my money I would really just like to watch a movie, and maybe some trailers for other movies.
Hell, I'm even OK with them advertising other SIFF stuff, like the year round SIFF Cinema calendar, or the other stuff they do.
21
This! I'm typically less than enthusiastic about going to SIFF because I know many of those movies will be coming out over the summer. Some have gotten nationwide release one week after they were screened at SIFF.
San Jose had a very short-lived, and very fantastic, film festival in the '90s. I saw several excellent movies that never got any kind of national exposure. I think it's a lot more meaningful (and fun) when you know this might be the first and last time you can see a particular movie.
get more films that won't see general release
This! I'm typically less than enthusiastic about going to SIFF because I know many of those movies will be coming out over the summer. Some have gotten nationwide release one week after they were screened at SIFF.
San Jose had a very short-lived, and very fantastic, film festival in the '90s. I saw several excellent movies that never got any kind of national exposure. I think it's a lot more meaningful (and fun) when you know this might be the first and last time you can see a particular movie.
22
@2&9 The doubling up of the City Arts trailer was an error either on the tech sheet or by the projectionist. I can assure you there was no conspiracy involved.
Also @2 I love that "Passhole" is catching on.
Also @2 I love that "Passhole" is catching on.
23
@12 I second what #17 says about late seating. As a volunteer, I don't think we have ever turned away people who came in late other than in the case of a sold out house. I believe the policy officially is that you're guaranteed a seat up until 10 minutes before the film starts. Maybe people at will call and the box office should emphasize this so it's clear that you should show up early.
A tentative +1 on the movies that won't get general release. I imagine when the programming is done, they don't always know that some of the films have gotten distribution. And even for some where they obviously will release, a good Q&A session still makes the SIFF screening very worthwhile. But definitely, I'd like to see more films that I wouldn't get the chance to see elsewhere.
I like the date where it is. Didn't have to wait in any rainy lines this year, woohoo! And is attendance even a problem? Many films were sold out or close to full, and the ones that were pretty empty would have been that way even if it was February, imo.
A tentative +1 on the movies that won't get general release. I imagine when the programming is done, they don't always know that some of the films have gotten distribution. And even for some where they obviously will release, a good Q&A session still makes the SIFF screening very worthwhile. But definitely, I'd like to see more films that I wouldn't get the chance to see elsewhere.
I like the date where it is. Didn't have to wait in any rainy lines this year, woohoo! And is attendance even a problem? Many films were sold out or close to full, and the ones that were pretty empty would have been that way even if it was February, imo.
24
So, it just pains all of you to watch the sponsorship tags which take all of 180 seconds and leave the ticket costs at regular movie prices? Go pee or buy some popcorn...As for it being too big? Really? Do some research, pick 10 interesting films and realize how lucky you are to live in a city where a truly international film festival resides. Next up, start bitching about too many mountains and trees, then pack up and move to Texas.
25
Keep SIFF where it is. I'm much more likely to decide to skip out on going to a movie if the weather is bad, like it would be in February/March without fail.
26
I travel to Seattle annually for SIFF, and love that it takes place around Memorial Day weekend, when I only have to take four days off to get two weekends! I could do that in Feb. if it took place over Presidents' Day weekend, but I think I'd be less likely to attend. I love being able to do Folklife and SIFF and maybe even a day at Sasquatch while I'm in town, and I'm able to stay in the Cap. Hill area and walk to so many venues, from the Neptune to Seattle Center to Pacific Place and the Cap. Hill theaters! (I missed the Uptown this year, alas, change is constant) It's quite freaking awesome to have so much to draw me to Seattle at this one time, and I don't know if it would be as fun walking around when it's colder and wetter in Feb. or March. I was able to fit in 11 films this year in 9 days, plus Folklife and biking all over during the several ridiculously beautiful sunny warm days. I'm coming from a sunny climate though, so it's hard to relate to the Seattle lament that it's a shame to waste sunny days indoors. I sympathize though, and I suppose I'd understand if it were moved. One suggestion: it would be nice if tickets could be exchanged for different movies. I try to buy tickets to all my movies the first day I'm in town, to avoid being left out if the film sells out. But sometimes I change my mind later in the week, and it would be great to be able to return to the box office and exchange for a different movie. Not a refund, just an exchange. But perhaps that would be a big pain in the ass clustermess for the festival? Thanks to SIFF for 2011, it was rapturous.
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