Author Archives 
CASTING OPPORTUNITY!
8/26/10 •
Do you have dreams of acting? Acting for the big screen? This is your chance to get in front of a top Hollywood casting director. This rare opportunity is available one day only. Make plans to attend the Screen Actors Guild Workshop on Saturday morning as part of the festival, then audition Sunday if you [...]
Screen Actors Guild Hosts Workshop at Festival
8/20/10 •
SAG Diversity Acting Workshop The SDFF is pleased and honored to host a very unique event as part of this years film festival. A distinguished team of industry professionals will present an interactive program at this year’s festival designed to develop the business and acting skills of new actors. Sponsored by SAG Affirmative Action & [...]
Kyle Eastwood – Film Score Composer
8/19/10 •
Meet Kyle during our opening session festivities, Friday evening at 7 p.m. and his workshop, Saturday at 2 p.m. The Workshop Session is included in the Full Festival Pass and VIP. This session can be purchased individually for $10/$5 student, and includes the SAG Workshop as well. Kyle is known not only for working on [...]
Rene Haynes – Casting Director (SAG Workshop Panelist)
8/19/10 •
Rene Haynes, CSA – Rene is a two time Emmy Nominee; In 2006 for the TNT/DreamWorks mini-series INTO THE WEST and in 2007 for the HBO feature BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE, for which she also won a CSA Artios Award for “Outstanding Casting”. In addition to being recognized in the entertainment industry as [...]
Winners Announced!
8/18/10 •
After much deliberation, the judges have awarded accolades to the following films. Special “Jury Awards” were given to films that did not win in their categories, but were still very appealing to the judges. They are worthy of merit for a variety of reasons including technical, content, performance, or just plain funny. Thanks to all [...]
Reel Injun to Show Friday Night
8/18/10 •
WINNER – BEST OF FESTIVAL Hollywood has made over 4000 films about Native people; over 100 years of movies defining how Indians are seen by the world. Reel Injun takes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through the history of cinema. Traveling through the heartland [...]
SD Department of Tourism to Hold Round Table Discussion
8/18/10 •
Two representatives from South Dakota Department of Tourism will conduct a round table discussion about how the state Film Office can assist filmmakers in logistics when it comes to filming in South Dakota. Wanda Goodman and Katlyn Richter will be at the Ward Plaza, Friday afternoon at 4 pm for a one hour discussion. The [...]
Additional Day Added!
8/17/10 •
Due to an overwhelming number of top quality films, we are adding an additional day of screenings. And the best part is, the ticket prices will stay the same. Showings will now begin Thursday, September 9 and run through Sunday the 12th. We received a record number 100+ films and we will be exhibiting nearly [...]
Chris Eyre – Filmmaker (SAG Workshop Panelist)
8/05/10 •
Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho) – Chris’ first feature film Smoke Signals (1998, Miramax) starring Adam Beach, Irene Bedard and Gary Farmer, was the first Native American-directed movie with a national theatrical release. Last year, Chris directed We Shall Remain, a five-part PBS mini-series which was the highest-rated Native American series ever on television. Other film and [...]
DeLanna Studi – Actor (SAG Workshop Facilitator)
8/05/10 •
DeLanna Studi (Cherokee) – Chair of Screen Actors Guild President’s National Task Force for American Indians. DeLanna starred in the Hallmark/ABC mini-series Dreamkeeper, Chris Eyre’s Edge of America (winner of the WGA, DGA and Peabody Awards) and The Only Good Indian. She performs the Encompass “Compassion Play” KICK, a one-woman show, which explores the power [...]
Brian Wescott – Actor (SAG Workshop Faciliator)
8/05/10 •
Brían Wescott (Athabascan/Yup’ik) – Member of SAG President’s National Task Force for American Indians. Brian was born and raised in Alaska. He studied acting there with the inspirational Gene Dewild and Molly Smith (he from The Pasadena Playhouse and she founder of the Perseverance Theatre and now artistic director of the Arena Stage). Subsequent teachers [...]
Adam Moore – Screen Actors Guild
8/05/10 •
Adam Moore – Since 2005, Adam Moore has served as Associate National Director of Affirmative Action & Diversity for Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and leads the department’s New York office. In this position, he is responsible for developing and implementing a national diversity plan of action to achieve accurate representation of those groups historically excluded [...]
Katlyn Richter – SD Department of Tourism
8/03/10 •
Katlyn Richter – Media Relations Representative, South Dakota Office of Tourism Katlyn joined the Media & Public Relations team in the Office of Tourism in February. She serves as a resource to connect the local film industry to the national film industry. Not only does she work to promote South Dakota as a film location, [...]
Wanda Goodman – SD Department of Tourism
8/03/10 •
Wanda Goodman – Media & Public Relations Manager, South Dakota Office of Tourism Wanda joined the South Dakota Office of Tourism in September 2006. Her and her team work to tell the story of the South Dakota experience to local, regional, and national media, while building strong media relationships with key media contacts. Wanda and [...]
Greg Carlson – Filmmaker
8/02/10 •
Greg Carlson is an educator, moviemaker, and writer. He is the senior co-chair of the 2011 Fargo Film Festival, the Associate Film Editor of the High Plains Reader and teaches film at Concordia College. Work that Carlson has directed or produced has been screened in the Orlando Film Festival, the Free Range Film Festival, the [...]
Amy Kernan Bennett – Filmmaker
8/02/10 •
Amy Kernan Bennett was born and raised in South Dakota and eventually moved to California where she attended U.C. Berkeley, receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Film Studies with a minor in Business Administration. After three years of professional experience at such companies as Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks and the talent agencies [...]
Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson – Filmmakers
8/02/10 •
Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer strive to make films that emanate from the voices of those on the outside, that inspire creativity, that incite us to abandon our comfortable role as spectators and compel us to question and to act. Their documentaries on controversial and often ignored human rights issues have received numerous awards including [...]
Patrick Wynne – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Patrick Wynne is a recent graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. Before getting his degree in film, he received a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of North Dakota. while there he interned for the college television show Studio One for 2 1/2 years and later worked as a photographer for WDAZ out of [...]
Dalton Coffey – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Dalton Coffey is a filmmaker from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, known for his creative storytelling and visual aesthetic. Originally from Harrison, Arkansas, Dalton began his creative career as a musician, recording engineer, and songwriter. His passion for storytelling led to a desire to share his stories with a broader audience, providing a new medium for [...]
Brent Clouser – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Brent Clouser is a filmmaker/photographer from Sioux Falls, SD. Originally from Wolsey, SD, Brent began making short films while attending South Dakota State University. After graduating, Brent moved to Sioux Falls and started 229 Films. He continues to make films and freelance as a photographer/videographer. His film First Date screens Saturday night during Film Session [...]
Randy Ericksen – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Randy Ericksen is an filmmaker who loves to be out with the subjects of his films. Before the Dawn was the result of being out with the racers for 10 days. FYI Paulette Kirby of Team 37 in the film is Randy’s wife. Randy’s film One Riot…One Ranger was named Best Film at this years [...]
Joseph (J) Jolton – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Joseph (J) Jolton is a flimmaker and professor based in Minneapolis. He has a wife, two boys, a dog, and he’s never made a zombie movie before. His film, Winter’s Discontent screens during Film Session 7 which begins at 1 pm, Sunday.
Shaun O’Connell – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Shaun O’Connell, Aberdeen, SD, has worked in film and video production since 1997. He has written, directed, and produced multiple projects. Clients include Paramount Pictures, National Geographic Channel and many more. He received an ADDY® Award for the film Mirrors, a docudrama about domestic violence. Matthew Klundt and Shaun O’Connell co-founded Labyrinth Films in 2006. [...]
Zeke Richter – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Zeke Richter is an aspiring writer/director from Brookings, SD, where he graduated with a media production degree at SDSU. Get Commercial represents Richter’s fourth short narrative. He belongs to a burgeoning group of filmmakers called Sponge Migration. His film will be shown during Film Session 7, Sunday at 1 pm.
Don Hamilton – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Don Hamilton, Spokane, WA, studied acting, lighting, and set design at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria California and at UC Irvine. He worked for a number of years with the South Coast Repertory Company in Costa Mesa, California before moving to Spokane, Washington in 1980. There he founded the Hamilton [...]
Ryan Wood – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
As early as he could remember Writer-Director Ryan Wood has focused his vast reservoir of insecurity and social awkwardness into comedy. His films have tackled such riveting topics as Man vs. Zit, Man vs. Girls, and, of course, Man vs. His Mom. Ryan’s interests include arranging vegetables in edible tulips designs and total world domination. [...]
Towle Neu – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Towle Neu is a filmmaker and recovering attorney living in Minneapolis with his wife and one-year old son. After eight unfulfilling years of private practice with downtown law firms, he said goodbye to his firm job to pursue his passion for filmmaking. Since then, he has written and directed short films and music videos, produced [...]
Harlan Hegna – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Harlan Hegna – Los Angeles, received his BFA in Film and Theater, Writing and Directing from the University of Colorado, Denver. While in film school, Hegna wrote and directed many of his own shorts, the most successful were his two life drama’s titled Inside Looking Out, and Seasons. Hegna was born and raised in the [...]
Mark St. Pierre & Mitchell Zephier – Filmmakers
8/01/10 •
Mitchell Zephier (Pretty Voice Hawk) has been a nationally celebrated Silver Smith for 40 years. He has also worked in film producing a Rock Video “Sacred Spirits II” for Virgin Records. His album ”Cherish the Children for They Are Sacred” won a NAMMY (Native American Music Award). He and Mark St. Pierre and Tilda Long [...]
Bill Freitag – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Bill Freitag is a filmmaker/photographer from Aberdeen, SD. He is currently the video and multi-media director at McQuillen Creative Group in Aberdeen, SD. Bill began making silly video shorts while attending Northern State University. He has a background in music, is a instrumental and vocal performer, as well as a composer. After graduating he began [...]
Tucker Lucas – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Tucker Lucas (b. April 1, 1985) is a moviemaker based out of Fargo, ND. On 2010, Tucker launched the website www.amovieamonth.com as a resolution to make a short film for each month of the year. His film for April, First Mow, most recently played in the Free Range Film Festival. See First Mow during Film [...]
Saturday Night’s Band Is…
8/01/10 •
Gary Farmer & The Troublemakers!!! The Troublemakers” came together in 2004 on the LaJolla Indian Reservation in Southern California. Their first gig was in Santa Fe, NM during the SW Indian Market. Band leader, Gary Farmer liked it so much he stayed in New Mexico and maintained the The Troublemakers. The band currently gigs and [...]
Kyja Kristjansson-Nelson – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Kyja Kristjansson-Nelson is a filmmaker whose work has been presented at festivals and galleries in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. She has screened at venues such as the Walker Art Center, the D.C. National Museum for Women in the Arts, the European Media Arts Festival, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, and the Croatian [...]
Conor Holt – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Conor Holt is a student filmmaker at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He is from Roseville, Minnesota, and started making short films in High School. The Librarian’s Assistant is his first film at the South Dakota Film Festival. Watch for his film, The Librarian’s Assistant, which screens Sunday afternoon during Film Session 7.
Curt Gienger – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Curt Gienger is a filmmaker from Aberdeen, South Dakota producing video as a hobby since 1978. His passion for producing led to a desire to share his talents with a broader audience. In 2008 his opportunity arose, and he produced When Coffee Goes Cold, for the Fischgaard 48 hour Short Film Project. With his passion [...]
Ben Pimlott – Filmmaker
8/01/10 •
Ben Pimlott is a student filmmaker from Minneapolis and is currently attending Minnesota State University, Moorhead for Film Production. His work has appeared at the Fargo Film Festival and has garnered the awards for Best Writing and Best Directing in the juried screenings of the MSUM film department. Folie Simultanee was a final semester project [...]
Sneak Preview of Opening Session Video
10/12/09 •
There have been a lot of requests to “relive” the events from the opening night of the 2009 festival. An edited program was created and will be aired by South Dakota Public Broadcasting August 26 at 8 pm. This snippet gives you a sense of the Constner/Guggenheimer interview…and how much Costner loved the wolves from [...]
Film Set Demonstration Big Hit
8/11/09 •
For the third time, the SDFF featured a film set demonstration with gear provided by Spectrum Films of Sioux Falls, SD. Students and filmmakers had the opportunity to handle professional grade equipment which included HD cameras and the revolutionary RED camera system. Labyrinth Films of Aberdeen provided the RED camera and accouterments for the students [...]
