As the Cannes Film Festival continues into its second week, a Clifton Park native has already secured a showing of his short film at next year’s gathering in France.
Philip Nobert, now a resident of Las Vegas, took first place in a 48 Hour Film Project contest last month with his film, Yard Sale. The challenge to him and his crew was to create a short feature in just 48 hours. On a Friday evening, filmmakers are provided with a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre, and then it’s off to the races.
`The 48 Hour Film Project is a perfect opportunity to go and get something done, because you know you’re going to be walking out of there with a film on Sunday,` said Nobert.
His `Yard Sale` idea was in place as a feature length film he wrote 10 years ago, but Nobert and his crew decided to adapt it to whatever genre they were given (the team selected Buddy Film).
The film follows the goings on at a yard sale held by a couple whose house is facing foreclosure. The events are a great deal more lighthearted than the plot, revolving around a cast of absurd character types and the discovery that a beloved heirloom stein is fantastically valuable.
It clocks in at just under nine minutes, including credits.
In 2008, roughly 30,000 filmmakers in 70 cities participated in the program. The project is touring all over the world this year and kicked off in Las Vegas in April.
Nobert describes `Yard Sale` as being in the vein of Judd Apatow’s work, including a cast of hilarious characters.
`I have my poor man’s version of those same guys, and they’re all brilliant,` he said.
It took Nobert time and effort to reach this point, though. He made amateur films while attending Shenendehowa, where he graduated in 1988. He then went to college in Plattsburgh, intending to get involved in broadcast journalism. Like many looking to break into the broadcast and film industry, he went to New York City.
`I wanted to be the next Bob Costas, then I went to New York City and realized there was another 4,000 guys just like me,` said Nobert.
After several years in New York he moved to Las Vegas, where he worked as a creative director on a number of projects. In 2005, Nobert made his first movie. With the success of `Yard Sale,` Nobert has formed his own production company, Kingmaker Productions, and hopes to get involved in more independent film efforts.
Though he has participated in the 48 Hour Film Project before, two previous attempts hadn’t been done in time. One, `Breaking Bread,` was a satirical interpretation of the Last Supper with improvised dialogue.
The point is, said Nobert, making art requires a lot of hard work and determination. With the means of filmmaking in the reach of many more than ever before, though, those hoping to succeed in the industry also have the means to experiment. Making a living with a lens is by no means an easy task, but the first step is to pick up the camera and produce something.
`To anybody who’s trying, hats off,` said Nobert. `If it was really easy to make a movie everybody wouldIf you make a good film, good films eventually see the light of day.`
You can see `Yard Sale` on Youtube.“