…An Incredible Simulation - Jeff Economy & Darren Hacker, 60:00, video

As any tribute band will tell you, a tribute band is not a cover band. A cover band merely plays hit songs by many artists. Tribute bands, however, are created in a much more obsessive act of maniacal fandom. A tribute band seeks to replicate the look and sound of one specific artist or band, working hard to nail down their heroes’ intonations, body moves, make-up, and hairstyles.

Follow filmmakers Jeff Economy and Darren Hacker (Velvet Welk – MCF’97) as they discover an entire subculture you never knew existed, inhabiting a parallel universe that looks and feels almost real. Featuring incredible simulations of Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Molly Hatchet, Adam & The Ants, Joy Division, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones – even Gary Numan and Guided By Voices. Plus the inimitable, truly touching artistry of America’s Singing Sweethearts Lightning & Thunder as Neil Diamond & Abba.

If the title, …An Incredible Simulation sounds familiar, it may be because a work in progress short version of this film was shown at MicroCineFest ‘97. At the time, it was credited to four filmmakers. Since then the quartet has parted ways. Economy & Hacker finished this film, while another of the original four, Russ Forster (La Vie en Rose, Slumber Party’s ‘I Don’t Mind’ – MCF 2000, So Wrong They’re Right) completed his own tribute band feature documentary, Tributary (the trailer was shown at MCF 2000). Expect Tributary to make it’s way to Baltimore sometime in 2002.

Jeff Economy & Darren Hacker, 2208 N. Clybourn #459, Chicago, IL 60614-3012, 773-278-3119, rugburnfilms@yahoo.com, http://pages.ripco.net/~economy/ais.html

Minutemen - Mark Whittington Jones, 26:40, Super8 (shown on video)

Mikey has a problem. A nuclear missile is coming AND he hates his parents. Time is running out.

Mark Whittington Jones, 4008 Speedway Unit C, Austin, TX 78751, landlocked@mail.utexas.edu, 512-653-8665

Resolving Power - Francois Miron, 18:00, 35mm (shown on video)

Metaphorical fiction film on the industrial society, where we follow a character trapped in several visionary surrealistic situations. A film about alienation and paranoia with a strong German expressionistic influence.

Filmgrafix Productions, 927 Marie Anne St., Montreal, Quebec, H2J 2B2 Canada, 514-522-3859, francois@filmgrafix.com, www.filmgrafix.com

Nowhereland - Ted Mills, 32:00, Super8 (shown on video)

A worker must choose between love and duty in this post-Orwellian tale. Number One works on a distant planet on the lowest rung of a three-man satellite data processing mission. His coworker, Number Two, is a brown-nose, and his boss, Number Three, is a grumpy old bully. One day our hero begins to receive signals from another world, from a woman! Females being outlawed in this part of the galaxy, this is exciting stuff. In a vision, he meets her and our dubious tale of desire, duty, and radio waves begins… Shot silently in glorious black & white Super 8 film.

Stekki Daiyo! Productions, 310 Barranca Ave., Apt. C, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, 805-962-0977, mills@rain.org, www.stekki.com

Airplane Glue - Kirk Hostetter & Evan Mather, 12:25, video

The latest short from MCF alum, Evan Mather (Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars and Godvilla Vs. Disco Lando - MCF ’98, Booger, Fansom The Lizard, Les Pantless Menace and Vert Remixed – MCF 2000). The story of twin brothers Randy and Rusty McNally, who are convinced the Apollo moon landings were faked in an unholy pact between Hollywood and the government. Filmed in widescreen, the film features multiple film stocks, wireless mikes, seizure-inducing split screen panels, and Mr. Kirk Hostetter (Vert Remixed – MCF 2000) in an acclaimed dual role as the twins. (Featured in the Sept. 2001 issue of Wired).

www.evanmather.com, evan@evanmather.com

Hot Rod Circuit's "Flight 89" - Gorman Bechard, 2:40, digital stills (shown on video)

A music video comprised of 417 digital still photographs dissolving together to create a flip-book effect depicting a girlfriend going nuts when her rock star boyfriend tells her it’s over.

Gorman Bechard, PO Box 6260, Hamden, CT 06517-6260, gorman@gormanbechard.com, www.gormanbechard.com

John's Voice - Bob Kaputof, 4:16, video

The filmmaker remembers the amazing vocal powers of his father.

Bob Kaputof, 1751 Apple Dr., Concord, CA, 94518, 925-682-8549

Left Sideways - Jesse Miller, 2:51, video

A playful stop-motion animated music video for Texas band, The Foxymorons.

Jesse Miller, 1414 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, 510-526-0645, girl@firstworld.net

Noise In My Backyard - Geoff Adams, 22:00, video

A personal documentary charged with a dilemma: how can video maker, Geoff Adams, manage the ecology of his backyard, and restore it to its original condition from before settlers landed on this continent? In a series of diverse video vignettes, Adams, who wrote, shot, edited, animated and created all the music and sound for NIMBY, confronts the history, philosophy, business and practice of personal land management.

Geoff Adams, 23 Colonial Rd., Providence, RI 02906, 401-331-0929, geoffadams@home.com, www.geoffadams.com/nimby

Solex: That's What You Get With People Like These On Cruises Like This - Birgit Rathsmann, 3:05, 16mm & video (shown on video)

A music video in which Solex, the Mermaid entices the sailor.

Birgit Rathsmann, 851 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222, brischitta@earthlink.net

Subconcious Art Of Grafitti Removal - Matt McCormick, 16:00, video

Graffiti removal: the act of removing tags and graffiti by painting over them. Subconscious art: a product of artistic merit that was created without conscious artistic intentions. It is not coincidence that funding for "anti-graffiti" campaigns often outweighs funding for the arts. Graffiti removal has subverted the common obstacles blocking creative expression and become one of the more intriguing and important art movements of our time. Emerging from the human psyche and showing characteristics of abstract expressionism, minimalism and Russian constructivism, graffiti removal has secured its place in the history of modern art while being created by artists who are unconscious of their artistic achievements. An experimental documentary from Matt McCormick (The Vyrotonin Decision, Sincerely Joe P. Bear – Best Experimental Film Award, MCF 2000).

Rodeo Film Company, PO Box 40835, Portland, Oregon 97240, 503-282-6082, matt@rodeofilmco.com, www.rodeofilmco.com

Tangerine Crows - Joseph Christopher Schaub, 3:00, video

A music video for the band, The Slow Jets, which combines a discordant array of stop-action animated creatures with South Western landscape photography to show the tragicomic dance between predator and prey.

Joseph Christopher Schaub, 410-215-2941, 13 S. Collington Ave, Baltimore, MD 21231, octar.demakety@verizon.net

What's In It For Me? (Kann ich was abhaben?) - Johannes Kassenberg & Klaus Reinelt, 22:00, 35mm stills (shown on video)

An evil scientist conducts dream experiments on a sleeping man who dreams he can fly. When overdosed on dream-energy, the man gains the ability to fly while awake and promptly escapes. Once outside, the man meets a woman and tries to relax by a lake. But then the evil scientist shows up, intent on recapturing him and taking him back to the lab. Painstakingly made using 15,000 35mm still photographs, creating a mesmerizing animated visual effect.

Johannes Kassenberg, Bunsenstr.93, 45145 Essen, Germany, kassenberg@gmx.de, +49/201/744426

The Bootlegger – Bo Price, 13:00, Super8 (shown on video)

The Bootlegger sells concert tapes in NY’s East Village. But the Internet eliminates the need for street peddlers. So he uses his equipment in a blackmail scheme – with surprising results.

Bo Price, 61 St. Marks Pl. #2, NY, NY 10003, 212-473-6634, Zoner13@aol.com, www.zonerproductions.com

Deli Very - Thomas A. Griffin, 3:45, Super8 (shown on video)

Following a delivery boy’s curious pursuit of a stolen head, a mischievous Dutch girl leads our hero into a frantic chase of visual head games and self-discovery.

Thomas A. Griffin, 107 Franklin, Austin, TX 78751, 512-420-8738, stink73@hotmail.com

Hillbilly Robot - Todd Rohal, 22:00, Super16mm (shown on video)

WORLD PREMIERE!!! The long awaited new film from Todd Rohal (Single Spaced, Knuckleface Jones – Best Short Film Award, MCF’99, East Of The Mississippi – MCF 2000). A Robot family is tormented and ridiculed by small-minded townsfolk, but it only brings the family closer together. Featuring a real-life Bulgarian dancer, a troop of girl scouts, a dead raccoon, and Baltimore’s own Kelly Conway (aka Stella Gambino) as a corpse.

Todd Rohal, 6A Bellefonte Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301, 703-535-6660, littlefatgirl@yahoo.com, www.comeandgetitfilms.com

Momma's Girls - Patrick Martz & Frank Siaca, 14:00, 16mm

Reminiscent of the early films of John Waters, Momma’s Girls takes family values and turns them inside out. Momma believes in the traditions of marriage, loyalty and love, but she doesn’t believe in waiting around for Mr. Right. She teaches her daughters that any man can be the right man with a little "training"; shackles and torture being the preferred instructional tools. With daughter Rosemary about to be married in the woods, will things be spoiled by an unexpected local county prison escapee?

Patrick Martz & Frank Siaca, 325 S. Pacific Ave. First Fl., Pittsburgh, PA 15224, Patrick.Martz@gte.net

Pottersville - Ben Scholle, 22:00, 16mm

Jill Bailey graduates from college, runs away from home, sells her soul, gets crucified, and learns the true meaning of Christmas. Made in the Baltimore/DC area before Ben Scholle’s recent relocation to Dallas, TX.

Ben Scholle, 3904 Hawthorne Ave., Dallas, TX 75219-2219, 214-528-6412, benscholle@yahoo.com

The Prince And The Pee - David Lilley, 3:30, video

A fairy tale about a man torn between his desire to be rich and his reluctance to put his hand where any normal hand would not go.

David Lilly, 27 Rosetta Road, Nottingham, UK, NG7 7GX, +44-0115-9249740, monkey@rations.freeserve.co.uk

Water From The Moon - Jenny McCracken, 8:30, 16mm

Using live action marionettes and glorious black & white film, Water From The Moon tells the story of a lonely woman who discovers a winged man in her closet.

Jenny McCracken, jennymccracken@hotmail.com, 617-983-8563