Short Cuts

This week's episode of the Independent Film Channel show Split Screen hosted by John Pierson features a segment produced and directed by Austin filmmaker Tommy Pallotta ("Roadhead") and Texas ex George Ratliff (Plutonium Circus). The segment is devoted to the filmmakers' chat with Seth Warshavsky, Seattle's CEO of the Internet Entertainment Group, which was responsible for bringing Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's sex life to computers throughout the world. Another of the week's segment features a profile of the bolexbrothers of England, whose animation style in such films as The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb are indescribably weird and idiosyncratic. The Split Screen show repeats on Saturday, 4:30pm, on cable channel 71...

A Student Film Showcase of 10 films producedby graduate and undergraduate students in the University of Texas Department of Radio-TV-Film will be presented in Los Angeles to agents, producers, and UT alumni on Thursday, May 27, at the 600-seat Directors Guild of America Theatre. Although this is the third annual L.A. showcase, this is the first time the package will be presented in the prestigious DGA Theatre. Included in the program are such shorts as Elisabeth Sikes' documentary, "Gimme Some Larry," which was featured on Split Screen before it placed as a runner-up documentary short at SXSW '99; Gregory Gilpatrick's "Appetite for Construction," which will also premiere on the Sundance Channel on May 19; and Texas Center for Writers graduate Tasca Shadix's "Twenty-five Cents," which was broadcast on KLRU's Filmed in Texas special last year and won the Best Narrative award at the 1998 CinemaTexas Festival. Anyone in Los Angeles seeking more information about attending the screening should contact contact Bryan Poyser at 512/471-6497. Here in Austin the showcase will preview on May 22, 2pm, at the Alamo Drafthouse before heading out to L.A. The filmmakers will be in attendance for the two-hour program...

The 1999 CinemaTexas International Short Film and Video Festival is scheduled for September 22-26; the deadline for submissions is Friday, June 4. Works under 45 minutes may be in any genre and will be accepted in most formats. For submission forms and complete info see http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~cinematx, send e-mail to cinematx@uts.cc.utexas.edu, or call Bryan Poyser or Jen Proctor at 471-6497...

Here's another reminder that the deadline for the Austin Heart of Film Screenplay Competition is just around the corner: May 15. For entry requirements or registration forms call 800/310-FEST, write to AHFF Inc., 1604 Nueces, Austin, TX, 78701, visit http://www.austinfilmfestival.org or call 800/310-FEST...

Harry Knowles reports that the Robert Rodriguez project that will follow the director's oft-touted next project -- his kids' picture -- will be a screen version of Mike Allred's comic Madman. Allred's wife Laura confirms that Rodriguez has optioned the rights with his own money and the two men have collaborated on an outline. For more info see http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com. While there, you can peruse all the Phantom Menace reviews that have begun to pour in from spies who've attended early exhibitor screenings. The general tone so far seems to be cautiously positive. Most of the spies seem to think that they just don't make these Star Wars things like they used to -- back when they were kids.