Short Cuts

A Hedgehog Is a Small, Furry Animal Dept: Unless, of course, you're a fan of sweaty filmmaking (and who isn't?) and then a hedgehog is a small, furry Jewish man from Flushing, Queens. Of course I'm talking about porno superstar Ron Jeremy, who's in town at the moment supporting director Scott Gill's very cool documentary on all things Hedgehogian, Pornstar: The Legend of Ron Jeremy at this year's SXSW 2001 Film Festival and Conference. A veteran of 1,700 "very naughty films," the roly-poly sex machine has single-handedly generated by far the longest and most swollen lines of autograph scoundrels at the fest, supplanting the usual brouhaha reserved for SXSW staple Quentin Tarantino, who exited the scene on Sunday and failed to reappear for Tuesday's planned three-way between himself and directors Robert Rodriguez and Rick Linklater. (That's a three-way panel, folks.) That said, I'll wait until next issue to do a SXSW wrap-up since at press time things are still very much happening down at the Convention Center, or as I like to call it, "Craneville USA"… Drive-in theatres are as rare these days as carhops on roller skates, but that hasn't stopped the folks at Ozone Bikes (3203 Guadalupe) from starting their own two-wheeled variant of Texas' favorite pastime. The premiere of their Austin Bike-In Movie Theater will be held in the alley behind Ozone this Friday, March 16, 7:15pm. Expect short films, live music, and a graffiti party on this first night of what will be a planned weekly event. For more info, call Nick at 505-1906… The Austin Museum of Art continues their highly successful film program with former Chronicle scribe Alison Macor's Film Theory Goes to the Movies class, which runs Mondays, March 19-April 9, 7:30-10:30pm, at the AMOA Downtown (823 Congress). The class will attend current movies and then convene to "discuss narrative structure, themes, and style." Registration is $102/$94 for AMOA members. Call 323-6380 for more info… The Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival has issued a call for volunteers, with their most pressing need being for people to help with their big Oscar 'Do on Sunday, March 25, at the MACC (600 Red River). If you have time to spare for this eminently worthy cause, contact Stacy Furlow at [email protected]. In other aGLIFF-related news, their first annual Make a Gay Movie Challenge is under way and actively seeking eight-minutes-and-under shorts that "have a queer sensibility." Winning films will be screened on June 28 at the Arbor Theatre. All pertinent info and submission guidelines are available online (and conveniently located in a snazzy pdf file format) at www.agliff.org… Austin's Alleywood Studios (1902 S. Congress) will be presenting a workshop on Acting for the Camera, hosted by Gary Chason, Saturday, March 24, 10am-6pm, and Sunday, March 25, 11am-4pm. Chason's casting credits include The Last Picture Show and Logan's Run (among many others), which pretty much covers all thinkable bases. The workshop will explore such topics as audition techniques, camera-acting techniques, and scene study. Cost is $250, parking is in the alley, and more information is available by calling 916-0001 or 441-3738… A fundraiser to benefit the 2001 season of Movie Midwifing: A Series of New Screenplay Readings and Short Films will be held Sunday, April 1, 2-6pm, at the Bouldin Creek Coffee House and Café (1501 S. First). Expect live music, improv, and general good-natured chaos. Oh, and beer. Lots and lots of beer. (Thought that'd get your attention.) Minumum donation is $5 and more info is available from the series' producer Lorie Marsh at 443-8229.