CALIBURN, 16min., USA
Directed by Bryce Ury
The legendary King Arthur goes to the Lady of the Lake for guidance, recounting both his noble deeds and tragic mistakes.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I've always been fascinated by medieval fantasy and the power of fairy tales to distill reality into one story. My wife used to teach the story of King Arthur to her 5th grade students and the image on the front cover was of a hand reaching out of the water, grasping Excalibur. That image was very impactful and I felt like there was a way to explore that chapter in the legend of Camelot in a way that was fresh and surprising while also feeling thoroughly Arthurian.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

About five years passed between the first inkling of an idea and the final edit being made on the project. Passion projects can take a long time. The "passion" can come and go. One of the greatest lessons I learned was that waiting for creativity to surface is much less productive than diving in and finding it yourself.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Refreshingly Mythic.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

One of the biggest obstacles I faced was finding the motivation to fit the mundane aspects of the process into my everyday life. A day of filming is thrilling and energetic. Editing at 4am is not.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

The audience feedback video I received from the festival was very surreal to witness. Knowing that there were people I hadn't met who were watching my film and enjoying it, lauding the parts of it I was proud of, was very encouraging.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I've had a love of storytelling for as long as I can remember but it was in high school that I really started directing that energy towards film. Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" helped open my eyes to how a popcorn flick could also be extremely meaningful. I gradually started to realize that entertainment and art didn't need to be separate.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy has definitely been a mainstay. Anyone who has seen those movies will see the influence in my work. Myths and legends are, in a sense, the most true stories we can tell; so I admire the sincerity and depth within a genre that is sometimes disregarded as silly or childish.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

The audience feedback video is such a cool feature of the festival! The only thing that might have made it better would be to know a little something about the people who were commenting.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

My experience with FilmFreeway has been helpful in directing me to festivals that seem suited to my film. I like that you can read other people's reviews of each festival so that you can be aware of the positives and negatives while choosing festivals in which to invest the entry fee.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I like a good steak. The quality of a steak is largely hinged upon how it is prepared; like a story. A perfectly good steak can be cooked horribly. A perfectly good story can be told in an uninspired way.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

My next film will be an adaptation of a short story by the fantasy author, George MacDonald.

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