Guest Contributors

Visiting Viewer highlights

Sal Milazzo

Tangle • Remix • Fold

This week, guest contributor and co-producer of The Sparrow Film Project Sal Milazzo shares his picks from Edition No. 9: Tangle, Revision Edition No. 10: Remix, and No. 11: Fold.

About this week's visiting viewer:

Sal Milazzo is a New York native and proud resident of Astoria, Queens for nearly 20 years. He started out as the local bartender who organized fun events. The events quickly grew into productions gaining some notoriety and eventually had him landing as co-producer of The Sparrow Film Project, a local short film festival that started in 2008. He and his partner Michael Freeland grew the festival from a projector screen in a bar, to an annual red carpet gala at The Museum of the Moving Image. He loves gaming, editing, his girlfriend Camille and his dog Carl.

Sal is currently an Engineer at NBC for SNL, The Tonight Show and Late Night.

Want to contribute to the next Visiting Viewer Highlights? Send an email to SequesteredFest@gmail.com.

Sal's picks:

Tangoled (No. 9: Tangle)

Created by Azalea Lewis and Maggie Metnick

Ya got me. First I thought “Oh boy, here’s an artsy film school piece”. Then I was pleasantly surprised it was much sillier than that. I’m a big lover of silly and it did a good job of depicting the boredom we’ve all gone through during this pandemic, especially how it was early on.

Remix and Rematch (No. 10: Remix)

Created by Mike Dowd

New York, NY

@mikedowdcomedy

I’ve always appreciated someone sticking to an absurd concept for a joke and not letting go. The art of the wrestling promo is also something I’ve always loved having grown up engrossed in that world on Saturday mornings. This concept reminded me of a piece called “Spite Marriage” from my favorite sketch comedy show of all time, Mr. Show. Anything that makes me think about Mr. Show makes me happy and is great in my book.

SPROUTED (No. 10: Remix)

Created by Isabella Jane Schiller

This was pretty adorable and very well made. It’s awfully difficult to find the right pacing in very short films. Especially when you only have a week to create them. Sometimes the concept is too big for the time allotted. Other times the filmmaker doesn’t know when to cut the fat in an attempt to pad a simple idea. This is all meat and finds the right balance appropriate to its message. Excellent work!

I Wanna Quarantine With You (No. 10: Remix)

Created by Pablo Velez

New York, NY

Wow! Having a week to not only shoot and edit a film but produce a song too and make it all work? On top of that it’s funny and topical. This captured what a lot of us have gone through during the pandemic. Very clever and poses a situation I’ve often wondered about… what is it like to be in a new relationship during quarantine? Also always good to see SFP alumni ;)

The Question We Can’t Fold (No. 11: Fold)

Created by Lisa Whitten

@liliwit

I cannot imagine what it’s like to raise a child in 2020. Hopefully there are more conversations like this happening out there. More teaching children to develop the compassion and empathy they are all capable of. Well written with a sweet message that leaves me with a little bit of hope for future generations.

Side note: The line “Did you say anything to Karen?” could be a slogan for 2020.

Visiting Viewer highlights

Zora Iman Crews

Honey • Awe • Myth • Agenda • Fortune

This week, guest contributor and actor/writer/producer Zora Iman Crews highlights ten submissions from Editions No. 1: Honey, No. 2: Awe, No. 3: Myth, No. 4: Agenda, and No. 8: Fortune.

About this week's visiting viewer:

Zora Iman Crews is an Atlanta born, New York City raised actress and writer. She is a proud LaGuardia High School and Syracuse University graduate, and holds a MFA in Creative Writing from Pratt Institute. She enjoys writing free verse and prose poetry, essays, as well as dialogue and creating characters.

Currently in post-production: The Daphne Project starring, co-written and produced by Crews, directed by Alec Tibaldi (Spiral Farm)

Want to contribute to the next Visiting Viewer Highlights? Send an email to SequesteredFest@gmail.com.

Zora's Picks:

Honey Farmer’s Market (No. 1: Honey)

Created by Jesse Judy, Anna Cameron, Miranda Roldan, and Katie McCarty

@annacameronart

Love the idea of a farmers market being so crucial to people’s routine that it continues over zoom. It’s also great to see this film echo the conventions of a zoom or video call. It is relevant and funny. I’m curious how much of this was improvised and how much was scripted. It feels like an awesome balance of both.

Twenty (No. 2: Awe)

Created by Alexandra Wesser, Emily Carroll, Bill Gaffery

Brooklyn, NY

Really shows the tedium of quarantine. Time, energy and the concept of “the day” are all warped. The film also captures the labor of arming yourself in order to go outside and run errands, with a mask, gloves, etc. Also the idea of this pandemic being an April Fool’s joke is absurdist and great.

The Craft (No. 2: Awe)

Created by Corinne Britti and Maggie Metnick

Brooklyn, NY

@corinnestagramster | @magnadoodler

Mother/Daughter dynamic felt real and relatable. I’m a big fan of projects that bring the digital into their making and mirror how communication feels and operates these days. The voice over work was also great. Lastly, calling Rachel Maddow “That lesbian you like” cracked me up!

Interjections (No. 2: Awe)

Created by Anna Cameron

@annacameronart

So. Real. I have paid extra attention to my sounds and inner dialogues with myself that have become external during quarantine. I really relate to this film.

422 East 75th Street (No. 2: Awe)

Created by Annie-Sage Whitehurst and Sal Joseph
Queens, NY

@anniehyphensage | @sald0gg

I love a good mockumentary/reality show concept! Ghost makeup is amazing. It’s unique to think of a spirit and a living person cohabitating during quarantine. I cackled.

Mythread (No. 3: Myth)

Created by Darby Puckett

Queens, NY

@darbster1

I am here for social commentary and satire of influencers and vloggers as well as people who have hoax theories about the virus although science and events have proven otherwise. The sound effects were also spot on and added to the realness of the world and the comedy.

Harwood’s House ep. 1 (No. 3: Myth)

Created by Mike Brown

New York, NY

Cracking up over this laugh track and audience reaction audio. I’m a sucker for animals as actors too! The sitcom feel is really fun, the interstitials felt like they were parodying FRIENDS. The moments with the cat were reminiscent of Salem on Sabrina the teenage witch too!

Closet Day (No. 4: Agenda)

Created by Parker Damm

Kudos on making the dad and son so different acting wise. The dad was so cheery and his “okay” interjections were funny. The son’s teen angst and eye rolls were priceless. The countdown to dinner was also a great recall. This was such commentary on the pressure we’ve all felt to get our lives together each day of quarantine.

Daily Agenda of At-Home Employees (No. 4: Agenda)

Created by Mike Dowd

New York, NY

@mikedowdcomedy

Really cool to have the vhs quality to the filming. The satire of the voiceover and the actor’s reaction worked so well together. Also the recall to the John Cusack myth entry worked really well.

Wide Eyed (No. 8: Fortune)

Created by Ashley Kristeen Vega and Laura Kay

@ashleykristeenvega | @laurakay813

Quarantine really has felt like an identity crisis and an opportunity to find yourself, so this hyperbole felt very real and hit close to home. I also liked how this film felt more mysterious and darker and its connection to quarantine was a little less literal and more symbolic.

Zora Iman Crews

Zora Iman Crews

Zora Iman Crews

Sal Milazzo

Zora Iman Crews

Zora Iman Crews

Visiting Viewer highlights

Sal Milazzo

Sal's picks:

Tangoled (No. 9: Tangle)

Remix and Rematch (No. 10: Remix)

SPROUTED (No. 10: Remix)

I Wanna Quarantine With You (No. 10: Remix)

The Question We Can’t Fold (No. 11: Fold)

Visiting Viewer highlights

Zora Iman Crews

Zora's Picks:

Honey Farmer’s Market (No. 1: Honey)

Twenty (No. 2: Awe)

The Craft (No. 2: Awe)

Interjections (No. 2: Awe)

422 East 75th Street (No. 2: Awe)

Mythread (No. 3: Myth)

Harwood’s House ep. 1 (No. 3: Myth)

Closet Day (No. 4: Agenda)

Daily Agenda of At-Home Employees (No. 4: Agenda)

Wide Eyed (No. 8: Fortune)