Behind the Scenes - focus on the filmmaker

Name: Quinn Saunders
Age: 30 Hometown: Mt. Holly, NJ
College & Degree/s: Rutgers College, B.A. in English; University of Southern California, M.F.A. in Film and Television Production
Current Title: Writer/Director

1) Favorite Film: Wow, that's a tough one--Either Casablanca, Ghostbusters or Apocalypse Now

2) Favorite Filmmaker/s: Billy Wilder, Woody Allen, The Coen Bros.

3) Your Web site: http://www.remorsethemovie.com/

4) Your film “Fortunate Son” was the grand prize winner of the first Haydenfilms Online Film Festival. What drew you to this project? As the son of a Vietnam War Veteran, I guess writing and directing this script was my way of dealing with my experience. My father never talked about his experiences there--all I knew was that there was something bad in my dad's past, and as a child it was my first inkling of my parents as human beings rather than as just perfect protectors. The possibility that you can never know everything about the life of someone you love has always fascinated me.

5) There are several well-known actors in your film, such as Joe Spano. How were they cast? With Joe, it was pretty simple--My casting director wrote him a letter with a copy of the script. He read it and we had a meeting to talk about the role, and that was that. He was fantastic to work with and I think he added more depth to the role than I could ever have hoped for.

6) When and where was the the movie shot? The film was shot in 2003 in and around Los Angeles, ranging from Agua Dulce in the mountains north of L.A. down to an abandoned Marine Corps base near Irvine.

7) What other films have you done? I have directed over 10 other short films on 16mm and video.

8) What plans do you have for the grand prize money? I plan to use part of it to shoot another short film, but most of it I'm going to save--this is the first time in my life I won't be living week to week!

9) What is your next project? I'm going to be directing my first independent feature film, Remorse, in the spring. It's a supernatural thriller with some of the same themes as "Fortunate Son." You can check it out at http://www.remorsethemovie.com/ We have most of the financing in place, but we're still looking for a bit of help if there's any investors out there!

10) What do you consider the best film ever made? I know it's a cliche, but I have to say Citizen Kane. 60 years later, it's still the most visually innovative and thematically powerful film you can find.
11) Where do you see yourself in five years? I plan to be writing and directing movie 5 years from now, and hopefully for the rest of my life...or working at a Waffle House.

"Fortunate Son" Wins $10,000 Grand Prize In First Annual Haydenfilms Online Film Festival

Kutztown, Pa., January 17, 2005-"Fortunate Son," a touching short film about a Vietnam War veteran directed by Quinn Saunders and starring Joe Spano, won the $10,000 grand prize in the First Annual Haydenfilms Online Film Festival.

The award was presented January 12, 2006 at a special ceremony at the legendary Director's Guild of America (DGA) Theater in New York City.

Competing against the winner were "I Killed Zoe Day," written and directed by Powell Weaver; "Life or Breath," written and directed by Steve Desmond; and "SmartCard," directed by James Oxford. The runners-up received prize packages from the festival's sponsors, WriteBrothers, gettyimages and Akimbo. Other sponsors of the festival and the awards ceremony included Withoutabox, Zyr, Sposto Interactive, CMP Books, Station Avenue Productions and Chanterelle's Catering.

A native of Mt. Holly, N.J., Saunders graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University and was accepted into the University of Southern California's Film Production Program in the spring of 2000. He was awarded an MFA in August 2003 and later worked with leading director Robert Zemeckis. "Fortunate Son" is a result of that mentoring.

""Fortunate Son" is an incredibly moving film and we are honored to have drawn that caliber of production to our first festival. The same is true for the three other finalists for our grand prize, as well as all of the films that we received. Haydenfilms is looking forward to Season Two of our festival that will begin on August 30, 2006," said Hayden Craddolph, president and founder of Haydenfilms.

The Haydenfilms Online Film Festival is among the first fully online festivals and began in October 2004 as a way for independent filmmakers to showcase their works on the Internet. Thirty-six films were selected as finalists in Season One of the festival that ran from August 30 to October 30, 2005. The top four films are being shown on www.haydenfilms.com through the end of August, 2006.

Finalists for Season One of the Haydenfilms Online Film Festival submitted short films of 35 minutes or less that were reviewed by a unique, professional judging panel of eight national media professors and film industry experts. Each judge viewed and voted on the films and the top 36 were made available for online member voting. Entries included student submissions, animated works and documentaries. The Haydenfilms Online Film Festival was the first to accept all short films regardless of genre and the first to offer a $10,000 grand prize.

Haydenfilms LLC, founded in 2001, is an independent film production and distribution company based in Kutztown, Pa. Its mission is to create and foster an online network of independent and student film producers and to provide the support and resources necessary for filmmakers to succeed. The Haydenfilms website provides industry news, job and resume posting, message boards and shopping for filmmaking software and equipment.

For more details on the Second Annual Haydenfilms Online Film Festival, as well as other Haydenfilms programs and events, visit www.haydenfilms.com

Photo: http://www.prwebphotowire.com/releases/imid112.htm

Season One Haydenfilms Online Film Festival Winners to be Honored

Kutztown, PA (PRWEB) December 26, 2005 -- The four winners of the Season One Haydenfilms Online Film Festival will be honored at a special ceremony at the legendary Director’s Guild of America Theater in New York City on Thursday, January 12, 2006. The ceremony is open to the public.

The highlight of the ceremony will be the presentation of a $10,000 grand prize to the top entry by film festival founder Hayden Craddolph. Festivities will begin with a VIP reception at 6:15 p.m. A screening of the four films and filmmaker question and answer sessions will follow. Tickets for the VIP event are $50; admission to the screening and Q&A portion is $10.

The Haydenfilms Online Film Festival is among the first fully online festivals and began in October 2004 as a way for independent filmmakers to showcase their works on the Internet. Thirty-six films were entered in the festival that ran from August 30 to October 30 of this year.

The four winning films competing for the $10,000 grand prize are: “Fortunate Son” submitted by Quinn Saunders, “I Killed Zoe Day” submitted by Powell Weaver, “Life or Breath” submitted by Steve Desmond and “Smart Card” submitted by James Oxford.

In addition to the grand prize, the three remaining winners will receive prize packages contributed by sponsors such as Write Brothers, CMP Books and Akimbo. The four films are also being shown on www.haydenfilms.com through the end of August.

“We are extremely pleased with the response our online film festival has generated,” said Craddolph, “and we are honored to be able to hold our ceremony at the DGA Theater, which truly represents the rich tradition of film. Haydenfilms is looking forward to our Season Two Festival that will begin on August 30, 2006.”

Finalists for the Season One Haydenfilms Online Film Festival submitted short films of 30 minutes or less that were reviewed by a unique, professional judging panel of eight national media professors and film industry experts. Each judge viewed and voted on the films and the top 36 were made available for online member voting. Entries included student submissions, animated works and documentaries. The Haydenfilms online festival was the first to accept all short films regardless of genre and the first to offer a $10,000 grand prize.

Haydenfilms LLC, founded in 2001, is an independent film production and distribution company based in Kutztown, Pa. Its mission is to create and foster an online network of independent and student film producers and to provide the support and resources necessary for filmmakers to succeed. The Haydenfilms website provides industry news, job and resume posting, message boards and shopping for filmmaking software and equipment.

To order tickets for the Season One Haydenfilms Online Film Festival at the DGA Theater in New York on January 12, 2006, visit www.haydenfilms.com/ticketsone.html Or send a check or money order to Tickets, Haydenfilms, 131 E. Main St., Suite 2, Kutztown, PA 19530. Or call 610-894-9639.