The Secret Adventures of the Projectionist was shot over four days for the final competition at Filmaka.com. Filmaka.com is a Los Angeles based online competition for undiscovered filmakers. The winner of the final competition will be announced April 28th, 2008.

As with all films at Filmaka.com, The Secret Adventures of the Projectionist had to be conceived, financed, cast, shot, processed, telecined, edited and uploaded within a month. To view the result, please click on the player below. If the player does not load, please click here.

MAX SACKER ON "THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF THE PROJECTIONIST

When we received notice that the topic for the final level film at Filmaka.com was "The Secret Adventures Of..." my produer Heleen Gerritsen and I breathed a sigh of relief. We were hoping the topic would allow us to make a historical costume drama of some kind and we were both concerned that the topic would be "how not to use your cellphones," or something to that effect.

It was clear from the beginning that this film would cost money, so I immediately depleted my savings accounts and completely nullified my inheritance. It was a huge financial gamble for me, but looking at the result, I believe it paid off. As Heleen rightfully said "film is more important than money."

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The inspiration in telling a story divided into three time periods, as well as dividing the visuals into three unique aesthetics came from my fanatical obsession with all things cinema and is meant to be an example for a larger project I have in mind and have pitched to the producers at Filmaka.com. It is also a kind of homage statement to the great filmmakers of the past.

All too often up and coming filmmakers turn their backs on what came before them, claiming to have discovered a new style, a new approach, a new aesthetic etc. I believe it's important to acknowledge and honour those that paved the way and I believe audiences are nostalgically looking back to a time when cinema felt like cinema and not cheaply produced home video, or over glossed perfect images that are too detached from reality.

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But regardless of style, story or structure, I believe the most important element in successful filmmaking is finding and getting the best out of versatile and talented actors, and I feel fortunate and grateful to have worked with Nikolai Kinski and Senta Dorothea Kirschner. Not only did they make the process very easy with their craftsmanship, patience and professionalism, but they also improved the film by adding to it their own ideas and interpretations. My gratitude and respect also goes out to our support cast, many of whom are very talented, unique actors who soldiered on through freezing weather conditions and inhaled toxic fumes in unsanitary locations only to appear in the film for several seconds. They are not to be overlooked and I hope to work with many of them in more prominent roles in the future.

Naturally, none of my megalomanic ideas could have materialized without the devotion and perseverance of my ecclectic crew. In addition to my (hopefully) permanent team, we had different people on set every day performing demanding tasks pro bono, and my sincere gratitude and respect goes out to each and every one of them for weathering the elements and doing a fantastic job from start to finish. To view the credit list of our fantastic cast and crew, please click here.

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