RED BANK’S UPCOMING FILM FESTIVAL CONNECTS NEW TALENT TO NEW AUDIENCES

BY MARISA PROCOPIO

“I’m mostly a creative producer/entrepreneur who finds joy in supporting artists and empowering storytelling however possible…I think bringing powerful stories to the right audience is a natural path to a happier, more connected community.”

So said Jay Webb, co-coordinator of Red Bank’s upcoming (and first ever) Indie Street Film Festival as he described his position, and in effect the essence of what he and his team are shooting for. The Festival, scheduled for July 6 through July 10, has a goal of playing matchmaker between struggling filmmakers and audiences, as well as giving new and talented storytellers a leg up.

“[We’re] supporting smaller-budget creators that are sort of scratching along,” said Webb, who got into video production while at Rutgers Business School. He later took NYU graduate classes in film editing and became a film producer. His participation in Indie Street was fueled by wanting
“to tell stories that will be most beneficial to the world, stories that need to get out there and that matter.”

In early 2014, Webb and Jim Scavone, ISFF festival director and Red Bank River Center liaison, partnered, and wisely chose an established arts community to host the Festival. “Red Bank seems to be the town for it,” said Webb. The magnificent, nearly 100-year old Count Basie Theatre on Monmouth Street is ISFF’s presenting sponsor.

The Basie has been an enthusiastic partner in “getting behind the event” and “trying to stimulate the community in New Jersey,” said Webb. The winners of the theatre’s Project FX (a statewide, high-school and college student film festival) will be screened at ISFF, affording these young filmmakers “a next step…to really come together and learn.”

The Festival will feature original works shown at a variety of venues throughout Red Bank, showcasing four categories of feature films: Documentary, Narrative Fiction, New Jersey Select, and Feature Presentations of “groundbreaking films, embodying story over budget,” as Webb put it. “And we’ve had hundreds of film submissions already.”

Nicole Spread

The festival theme is Escape and Connect.

“Going to watch a film in a theatre is one of a very few ways to escape and connect at the same time,” emphasized Webb. “To watch another human’s vision….and we’re hoping to inspire connections of many kinds through that.” To this end, the ISFF team will host a Q&A session after almost all of the films, as well as panel discussions each morning for interested audiences.

The Festival kicks off on July 6 with an opening night gala reception at the Molly Pitcher Inn promenade—a ticketed event that promises celebrity guests, live music, and a film under the stars.

July 8 features Seed & Spark Crowdfunding Specialists, who will present a panel on crowdfunding for independent filmmakers. On July 9, bring the family to see “Time Travel Through Film,” an interactive exhibit that combines storytelling, art, and film to show visitors the past, present, and future of cinema. A ISFF red-carpet awards ceremony at Count Basie Theatre follows, while the closing night party will be held at Gotham on Broad Street, where badge-holders will be treated to passed appetizers, live music, specialty cocktails, and dancing.

Indie Street Film Festival
indiestreetfilmfestival.org