The Vermont Film Festival has been busy setting the stage for filmmakers, actors, producers, and industry professionals to share their work on the big screen while enjoying Vermont’s beauty during the latter days of summer. Taking place in the Woodstock area, Aug. 23 -27, the inaugural festival aims to unite filmmakers from around the country while highlighting the potential of filmmaking in the Green Mountains. Matt Vita, one of the festival organizers, said, “We are excited to talk about filmmaking in Vermont, the past, present, and future. We hope to celebrate the films screening from all over the globe while exciting filmmakers about the idea of shooting in Vermont.”
The Vermont Film Festival has been busy setting the stage for filmmakers, actors, producers, and industry professionals to share their work on the big screen while enjoying Vermont’s beauty during the latter days of summer. Taking place in the Woodstock area, August 23rd -27th, the inaugural festival aims to unite filmmakers from around the country while highlighting the potential of filmmaking in the green mountains. Matt Vita, one of the festival organizers, said “We are excited to talk about filmmaking in Vermont, the past, present, and future. We hope to celebrate the films screening from all over the globe while exciting filmmakers about the idea of shooting in Vermont.”
Joining Vita in organizing this event are Collen Doyle, Mark Dudzinski and Claire McKey Berkman. All four of them are TV and film professionals with deep roots in New York City and the central Vermont area. Doyle and Vita brought you the first ever Vermont Comedy Festival this past December which is turning into an annual event. The hope for this is to follow the same blueprint.
The festival is in collaboration with Woodstock’s own Pentangle Arts. Doyle said, “I have been acting for over 20 years and producing films for about 15. I grew up in the theatre locally and moved to NYC when I was 18 to study acting in college. I have always loved Vermont and am always excited with the opportunity to film here.”
Mark Dudzinski, who oversaw production for the Emmy nominated television series “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman,” is becoming a fan of making movies in Vermont. He said, “It is easier to film here than in New York. There are limitations and constraints to filming in the city that you don’t feel in Vermont. There are great local crew and resources to pull from; you feel like you can do more with less money.”
Claire McKey Berkman sits on the board of Okemo Valley TV, and her background in theater and film has brought her to L.A., London, and New York. She was recently hired as the assistant director of the Yoh Theater Players. She said Vermont inspires her. “I find Vermont as a location inspiring and have experimented with creating stories around the landscapes.” Claire, who is a big fan of collaboration, says there is a real mix of artists in the state. She added, “There are opportunities to collaborate with different media and mediums. This, of course, makes for exciting art.”
The team behind the festival has been busy making movies as well. Between the four of them, they have shot three films in the last two years in Vermont, one of which we will be getting a sneak peek at on Aug. 25th at the Town Hall theater at 8 p.m. (this film is a free event). The latest movie the team shot this past spring was filmed in both Vermont and NYC. Vita said, “We are fortunate to be a short drive from New York City, which offers a great contrast to the Woodstock area on film. It also makes for exciting stories.”
It seems they all share the same goal, bring in highly creative people to the intimate setting of Vermont and allow them to showcase their films and network. Doyle said, “We have some really fun activities planned for the festival. Everything from paddle boarding and networking at Mountain Meadows, action sports films screening outdoors at First Stop Board Barn, late-night comedy at Woolen Mill Comedy Club, and a series of networking events called coffee collaboration in the morning and cinema mixers in the evenings. The
