GOOD NEWS: Run Stack Overflow

Run Stack Overflow
Experimental short gets its world premiere at AmDocs!

Shout out to VPA professional member Patrick Carroll for the world premiere of his experimental short documentary entitled “Run Stack Overflow” at the AmDocs Festival in Palm Springs.

A film about memory, technology and loss. Shot on location inside a box of broken and obsolete electronic gear.

If you’re curious to watch the 5 minute film, reach out to Patrick via his website here!

The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) aims to create a forum to celebrate and promote documentary film – and the independent filmmakers around the world who bring knowledge and awareness through their stories about real people and issues.  Created in 2011, the festival takes place annually in Palm Springs, CA.

Congratulations Patrick!

Read on for Patrick’s take on his experience at the festival!

The odd thing about Palm Springs is that there are mountains, but no trees on them. So you stand out in the sun, next to the theater where the film festival you’re attending is being held, and ask yourself “How close is that mountain? Or is it only a hill? Can I just run over there?” You see, there are no reliable landmarks (trees) to judge if you’re making any progress. And yes, this is a metaphor for making your own short film and then trying to find an audience for it.

During the pandemic’s waning days, I made Run Stack Overflow, a 5 min documentary about memory, technology and loss. After writing what I thought was a nice tight script, I shot it with my iPhone 6 inside a box of broken and obsolete electronic gear in my home office. To explore a jungle of cables, and tiny old video screens I used macro lens, a palm sized camera dolly, and a precarious jib arm. Then the work of rewriting, reshooting and re-editing, and re-re-editing, and re-re-shooting, and re-re-re-editing took a year of part time labour. But with feedback from friends and colleagues I sorted it out and got it done. Then I pulled some favours from other friends, so that the finished piece looked and sounded quite nice. But at that point, almost no-one had seen it.

So then there was another year of applying to film festivals via Film Freeway. Followed by rejection letters. More than 30 of them. Forget about climbing the mountain, was I even getting close to the base of it?  However I’ve been on enough juries and screening committees to know the audience for a short film shot on a phone in box wasn’t that big. But still. If I wanted to pay for this much rejection I’d get back on OK Cupid Premium. When the acceptance letter from AmDocs in Palm Springs arrived offering to screen Run Stack’s world premiere, my first thought was. “Is this a scam? Have they made a mistake? I better wait a couple weeks before I tell anyone.” My second thought was, “Palm Springs in April! Yes please.” The Third thought was, “I better make that DCP I promised them.” 

I booked my flight & accommodations, flew down there, and took in the slightly bizarre boozy vibe of the town (why not put up a sculpture made of shipping containers in the desert?). I also used my filmmaker’s pass to see free screenings at AmDocs. And just as importantly, attended some of the social events this very well organized festival hosted each evening. Keeping in mind, I’m an editor. If I was comfortable talking to strangers I wouldn’t choose to work in a windowless box by myself.
But sometimes you’ve got to stop and smell the Gin and Tonics. And make small talk with other dreamers. Aging South African punk rockers, dog lovers from Atlanta, city planners turned truth seekers, animators from Ottawa, and even other Vancouverites. We were all there for the chance to watch our films play to a live audience. 

Frankly, sitting in a dark theater at 2:00 on a Friday afternoon might be the best place to see your documentary in public for the first time. Everyone is there because they want to be, and they’re paying attention. What more could any filmmaker ask for in a viewer? They even asked questions afterwards.  And after the screening it was still light enough to run up a mountain, come back down, and go to a tiki bar.

Patrick Carroll is a film & television editor. He edited the 2019 documentary feature “Letter from Masanjia”, which was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award, and for which he was also nominated for best editor by the Canadian Cinema Editors. Run Stack Overflow is continuing its festival run and Patrick is found at www.threefifteenmedia.com