Timecode: NOLA Suits its Film Fest to the City

The Timecode: NOLA Indie Film Festival represents the breadth of cinema, but tries to keep the vibe fun.

For Jacquelyn Shulman, atmosphere is key. As the producer of Timecode: NOLA’s second annual indie film festival, she and her team have been learning the dos and don’ts of bringing indie film to New Orleans, starting with location. “We’re keeping everything downtown this year - Marigny, Bywater, French Quarter,” says Shulman. “That way it's in one general, consolidated area. It's more walkable.”

“Last year we did stuff on Freret, second line stages, City Park. We were all over the place. It was a lot at once, especially while being fairly new and people not knowing about you. But this year we’ve just got so much going on, and we know all your asses are too lazy to get over to Canal Place and then wherever else. We might as well make it easy for you and keep it all downtown.”

But locational convenience is only the first challenge of marketing such a blanket genre as "independent film." A quick glance at the festival’s press release reveals a sweeping array of activities that might leave one confused over the anticipated attendance demographics. “It's a something-for-everybody type of event,” she says, making sure to note that while the festival is largely designed to facilitate dialogue between filmmakers, it is also an opportunity for New Orleanians to scratch the surface of independent film on whatever level they choose.  

The celebrations open up with the vulgar lounge singer created by comedian Andy Kaufman in a screening of Tony Clifton: Live on the Sunset Strip, at One Eyed Jacks at 9 p.m. Wednesday. A live appearance by Clifton will follow the screening in what Shulman calls the Timecode: NOLA Indie Film Festival's “highly offensive celebrity kick off.” 

But the screenings will shift moods almost constantly throughout the weekend, and some films will screen in uncommon spaces. Saturday morning is dedicated entirely to a Skateboard Film Fest at the Krewe of Muses Den at 11 a.m., and the world premiere of Humidity at One Eyed Jacks  at 9 p.m Saturday will offer a glimpse into New Orleans crime and culture as seen by local filmmakers.  

“We have crews coming in from all over the place, but there’s also a big effort to focus on New Orleans film," says Shulman. "Most of our screenings are either about New Orleans or from local filmmakers, but it’s not supposed to be where people can say, ‘Oh, I’m not into weird movies’ or ‘I don’t go to film fests.’ We’re going to be showing stuff at some of these venues for three days straight. Just stop by some time, eat something. Watch this cool movie.”

This “stop by sometime” attitude lends itself to the leisurely, all-inclusive vibe of so many characteristically New Orleans celebrations. It’s no coincidence that Timecode: NOLA and its organizers are unfazed by the variety of their screenings. In fact, they embrace it. Timecode: NOLA began ten years ago as a “support group for filmmakers outside of college,” and it now dedicates itself to bringing its art and style to all walks of city life, not unlike the idea of a krewe coming out each Mardi Gras to parade with the public. It’s no surprise then that several of Timecode’s most highly anticipated events bring in an emphasis on audience participation.

“We’re starting the archives this year, which is huge,” says Shulman, referring to the first annual New Orleans Home Movie Archive, held at The Old U.S. Mint at 11 a.m. on Sunday. “It’s completely free and open to the public, which I think is a big thing because a lot of film conferences have panels or workshops that charge people.” The archive calls for home videos from New Orleanians, with the intent to document a selected number for their cultural and historical value. “We’ll have workshops there for everyone as well. We really do have a big free aspect to this festival.”

Audience involvement and live performance is also stressed for the Super 8 One Reel show at One Eyed Jacks at 9 p.m. Friday. It will screen the results of an open call contest of three and a half minute Super 8 cartridges, all to the live commentary of local comedian Chris Trew and piano accompaniment.  “We have professionals, locals and amateurs in the contest, and they’ll all be seeing their films for the first time that night," Shulman says. "It’s like Christmas.”

There are few concrete requirements to a film festival: a screen, an audience, something with a Play button.  Much of the rest, as Shulman makes clear, is in the style. Timecode: NOLA projects the image of accessible cinematic entertainment and education, informal but professionally orchestrated, a fluid string of extremely varied attractions that often blur the distinction between audience and spectacle. The festival’s ambience seems modeled off that of its native city - sometimes picaresque and nostalgic. “We wanted to make it fun, with Q&A’s attached to the screenings and attached to the parties,” says Shulman. “It's about keeping people together, keeping the dialogue, keeping the party going.”

This story was written for My Spilt Milk by Casey Donahue. For a schedule of events, visit TimecodeNola.com.