UPDATES
(02/18/06)
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Dam Shorts

Jon and I just got back from the Dam Shorts Film Festival in Boulder City (aptly named because of its proximity to the Hoover Dam). Dam Shorts was a little gem. Though it's only in it's second year, they pulled in huge crowds and created a very friendly, supportive environment where we met a lot of ofther filmmakers and saw a bunch of really great shorts. The festival was also very well run by Lee Lanier with no noticeable problems.

Apartment 206 had two crowded screenings (with an audience of about 80 on Friday night and an audience of over a hundred on Saturday). Both screenings had a Q&A. I also partook in a panel on Saturday morning.

Sunday night was a very nice awards ceremony in the lobby of the Boulder City Hotel, an old hotel that housed the construction workers who built Hoover Dam. Apartment 206 won 1st runner up (or second place) in the science-fiction category. First place went to a very clever short called Spin.

Jon and I also snuck off onSaturday afternoon to see Hoover Dam. Overall, a very memorable weekend.

Lee Lanier introduces the science fiction films before the Friday night show.

Greg answers a question about the budget.

Jon at the Hoover Dam (left)—and outside the door to the theater (right).

"If it don't leave your body, don't put it in the potty!"

Apartment 206 in print!

MovieMaker magazine highlighted the San Diego Film Festival in their Winter 2006 edition. Because Apartment 206 won best short at SDFF, Greg was quoted:

"Best Short Film Award winner Gregory Zymet, who wrote, directed and composed Apartment 206, marveled at the festival's prime location and described SDFF as 'the first urban festival that I had been to that had great support from their city. Lots of people from the community came out... and everyone there was genuinely excited and happy to be part of it – which is so key to the vibe of the festival."

Apartment 206 has been in the news several times this holiday season. I was recently featured in an interview on the website, Icons of Fright. "Mainstream" director, Adam Barnick interviewed me via email, asking questions about the film and my experience making it and after the fact. And believe it of not, the site published the entire thing! (Give yourself a good twenty minutes to read it—I couldn't shut my yap!)

Also, we just got two amazing four-star reviews. One is from Horror Bob at HorrorReview. Bob called Apartment 206 a gem and one of the best written independent shorts he's ever seen! This other is from HorrorView which says, "Apartment 206 succeeds on every level of filmmaking, from crafty dialogue to a setting that bleeds depravity and abandonment. The story contains so many effective undertones and themes that after 24 hours, I'm still unraveling the true meaning of the film. Hell, even the score contains emotional substance that Hollywood producers would die for. This short is the real deal,"

Plus, I just found out it made it to Matt Foster's list of Best Modern Shorts along with some other amazing titles. Matt is the festival director at Dragon*Con.

Also...

Last September and October were AMAZING! If you missed the news, Apartment 206 won best short at San Diego Film Festival. Another highlight last fall was the Breckenridge Film Festival!