Live online interview — “Independent Artist Chat” with Matt Sesow in Kaleidospace’s Kaleidospeak chat room

Full text

The complete transcript as Kaleidospace published it, including the chat-room traffic. Saved copy on the AI drive.

Kaleidospeak Chat With Matt Sesow 06/12/97

Independent Artist Chat - June 26,1997

Sesow

hi jeannie, pete, and marcel....

Pickle

Great gif! I'm going to check out your page.

Sesow

this is challenging... :)

Sesow

thanks pickle... it's at button
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Pete

Matt, what prompted you to leave the East Coast for California?
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Jeannie Novak

Everyone: I believe we have

solved the problem! This has never happened before. (Sorry it had to

be on your time, Matt. Let's do another one soon!) Again, Matt's page

is at button
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Sesow

my wife carole has a lovely job out here making the big$$$... my paintings had been selling well, so i quit my job and moved out here to paint full time... and do film work... THE AMERICAN DREAM!
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Pete

Hi various anonymous people! Remember to put your name in the

"Your Picture URL" field...
Nance

No prob, J. Hey, I read the blurb on the chat. Matt, you are also

a visual artist? Where in San Jose are you showing your work?

Sesow

thanks jeannie... i'd love to do this again... maybe too many people showed up and clogged the server??! :)

Sesow

at the kismet gallery... 434 south first st.. i think... i have stuff there until mid august...
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Sesow

where is abkin?

Jeannie Novak

Everyone: Matt Sesow was also one of the winners of the Kspace Indie

Filmmakers contest - and he was recently featured in our book, *Creating

Internet Entertainment*... He also has a site on AOL. Matt, could

you give out the URL?

Sesow

you can stop and see my art at my studio/house if you promise not to "case" the joint... send me email at sesow@aol.com
Pickle

What's on the video collection that you're selling through Kspace?

Sesow

certainly... my web page is at button (or "members.aol.com/sesow")

Pete

Matt: In your filmmaking you've worked in unusual media like the

PXL 2000. What kinds of storytelling work best in these gritty

media environment?

Sesow

i'm just selling "the box" thru kspace... it's done fairly well in contests and at bars...

Jeannie Novak

Matt - Well, we did post your URL all over the place. Perhaps no one

could resist after reading the description! :)

Sesow

i have strong influences from bukowski and lynch... they are both fairly gritty... i try to tell stories about myself... i've had a sometimes gritty life...

Pete

Matt: As an indie filmmaker with experience with the Internet, you

are in an as yet small group. What is your perception of how filmmakers

can use the current Internet for promotion and contacts?

Jeannie Novak

Matt - What is your view of DVD technology? We believe it will help

indie filmmakers get more exposure (as indie musicians have through CD distribution).

Are you planning on using it?

Sesow

thanks jeannie... i really love the look and feel of pxl... it is a nice balance... i don't want to show too much in a frame! :)
Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Anonymous

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hidebound

Hey, who's the Shriner at "button?"

Is this an alternate identity for someone in the chat room :->

Sesow

pete... i think the internet is the perfect vehicle for the indie filmmaker and artist... it's virtually free. and all "classes" of people in the industry are on the web... anyone with a story to tell can "luck out" and get noticed by "big" people... it takes a little luck and a lot of great layout....

Jeannie Novak

Matt - Please send your new contact info to artists@kspace.com when you

get a chance. I'd like to have you join the Internet panel I'm putting

together for the Hollywood Film Festival.
Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Sesow

hidebound: that's me SHRINER MATT! that's me flipping around during a hot dance scene during "the box"...
SEan

hi caitlin
Karaoke

I agree that DVD is great. I need to learn more about it. There aren't

enough ways for indie filmmakers to get seen. And I have noticed that

not enough filmmakers have taken advantage of the Internet.
SEan

hi caitlin

Sesow

jeannie... i'd love to... i'll send you a mail message tomorrow...

Pete

Matt: We've noticed that some people jump right in and figure out

what they can get, and other respond only to the extent that it

appears like the media they're working in. So they see the jerky

video and decide it is safe to ignore.
Anonymous

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Jeannie Novak

I liked the "shriner" touch in that scene - great tassle-swinging.

Sesow

karoke: i agree... it's hard to find film clips on the web... check out my movies page button
Marcel

So what is The Box about?

Sesow

thanks... i just love to dance...
Anonymous

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Pete

Matt: Interested in enlightening us on your choice of character names?

They fit the way I would tell a story--if I told stories like that!
SEan

hi caitlin

Sesow

ah the box... check out this canned answer!

the box is in a way a self portrait of myself... at least the way i used to deal with jealousy...

its the story of a guy and girl.. the girl has met somebody else that interests her (a dog)... the girl is enriched by this meeting (the box).... the girl shows the guy the box.... the guy is jealous... and tries to become more like the object in the box (he tries to enhance the girls life in the same way)... in doing this, he confuses the girl, where she can no longer understand (recognize) him.... she ends up leaving him...

i guess its a bit surreal.... odd.

Sesow

oops the "3" and the "2" are ( ) respectively...

Pete

Hi Hidebound! From your message you've seen the home page for

Matt. Matt is an independent filmmaker and visual artist and

won the Kspace independent film contest last year....
hidebound

Pete, are you the chat host? (with the most :->)

Sesow

oh well, the names are take offs of all those silly pet names we give our girl/boyfriend/spouse... i call my wife sweetrees sometimes... it's a bit freudian... fruit on trees... i dunno

Pete

Matt: Besides your own site, are there any other resources for

independent filmmakers on the Internet you can recommend?

Pete

Hidebound: Jeannie and myself are the founders of Kspace, and set up

the chat room. The home page is at this button , and a

(huge) list of our artists is available at button .
hidebound

Thanks pete :-> Where do you live?
Pickle

Hi SEan - I don't think Caitlin is here right now!

Sesow

ah yes! there is a great site at button "www.birdhouse.org/birdhouse.html"... it's very strange and right up my alley... also, i've had some luck with people trying push technology... some place called "notv" is just starting... there is a link to them on the front of my homepage
Nance

Are you going to be putting your art on Kspace as well?
Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Sesow

i would love to... i'm not sure how to go about it... any help from kspace is most appreciated??? i have the images...

Jeannie Novak

We're working on a project to integrate push technology with disc

technology.

Sesow

my paintings have been really taking off lately,,, mention this chat and i'll give you a huge discount! :)
beri

hiya everyone
Quack

hi!!!
beri

hi quack what's up

Pete

Matt: another resource worth mentioning is the Internet Movie Database--it

grew out of a Usenet group into the biggest listing of movies on the

Internet. Their largest single visitor is Disney. BTW, I should mention that

I'm a "primitive animator"--I've got aboout 8000 hand-drawn frames waiting

for the advance of digital technology. Also, Jeannie done film scoring...

Sesow

quack!
Anonymous

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Walt

Are you working on any features?
hidebound

Hi Quakk.n.Berry :->

Sesow

wow... do you think the internet movie database would be interested in my stuff? i'll have to drop them a line... do you want to do a project pete and jeannie?

Jeannie Novak

Hi "Quack & beri" - We're chatting with surreal indie filmmaker Matt Sesow.

His site on Kspace is at this button
hidebound

And I'm crunch-berry, but you'll never get that on film :->

Jeannie Novak

Sure Matt!

Sesow

right now i do all my editing on my computer, so doing a feature might be beyond the scope of my hardware right now... but i am hoping to go in that direction, given proper inspiration, funding, opportunity...
Anonymous

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Walt

You said you were influenced by Lynch. What's your favorite Lynch

film?
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Sesow

i live just up the street (hiway 101) from you... you're in la right?

Jeannie Novak

Isn't there a short film festival starting up now? The format will

make more sense as technology moves forward (e.g., DVD). It seems

like the "industry" hasn't embraced it yet.
Anonymous

hello

Sesow

i was captivated by eraserhead... i really enjoyed lost highway... it's good to get a reaction from the audience (good or bad)... he's really an artist... i think it's impossible to "get" his films without some previous help from him (explaination)... i still don't "get" it though...
Pickle

Didn't I hear something about the academy awards wanting to

get rid of the short film category?!
Lady Raven

how is everyone tonight?

Pete

A project sounds very interesting...the push idea is interesting. Possibly

one could set up a channel to *slowly* download a reasonable-sized

work. Another idea would be a RealVideo work using PXL resolution. I

was also interested in our last guest's approack (Dr. "T" of MIDI fame)

who does something like a fast slide show with discordant images.

Sesow

i think there are always film feastivals to be found... actually, i've entered quite a few on the internet... had some of my films shown in seattle and on cable in los angles... stuff like that...
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Jeannie Novak

Lynch is also one of my favorites. I loved Eraserhead. Haven't seen Lost Highway yet...

Jeannie Novak

Hi Lady Raven - We're chatting with Matt Sesow, surreal indie filmmaker

and visual artist whose site on Kspace is at button

Sesow

yeah... animated gifs work well for the really short stuff (no audio)... my biggest constraint now is that i have a limited amount of space on aol to put my clips... 2mb

Pete

Hi Lady Raven! We're talking to indie filmmaker Matt Sesow. His

home page on Kspace is at button and there's a link

to his main page. Please feel free to comment or ask questions!
Anonymous

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hidebound

Hi Raven :->

Sesow

aol is a good place to put up a web page though... and start getting noticed...
Pickle

Hi Lady Raven
Anonymous

Enters the room ...

Pete

Matt: Our main site is in Santa Monica, just off the 10

Jeannie Novak

Matt - We plan to have a KspaceLA party in September at a artist's loft

downtown (Daniel Hayes Uppendahl's place - he's another visual artist/

filmmaker on kspace at button We'd *love* to have

you show your films there!

Sesow

ve completed 5 other films in addition to the box... im making these available on vhs tape as well... if anyone is interested, they can drop me a line at sesow@aol.com....

the films are....

seize the day, poster boy, the trinket, a short by matt sesow, and the allen vincent promo....

the first four are similar to the box in that they deal with anxious themes... the allen vincent promo is a bit that advertises a film im working on now...

Walt

Matt, did you go to film school?

Sesow

no problem... a road trip sounds good to me... i'll check out his site... i should have two more done by then....

Pete

Matt: One interesting thing we've noticed is that the big film studios

generally produce "better" web sites than other entertainment companies

in that they're more interactive and act as entertainment in their own

right. Why would film people "get" the net better than, say record

companies, when it is so much easier to send sound over the Internet?
Pickle

Oh, I thought you were selling several shorts on one VHS tape on the

Kspace site.

Sesow

ah ha! no, i didn't go to film school... i am a true folk artist (self taught)... after i got in a bad car wreck, i took the money from getting my car totalled and invested in computer/film equipment... the rest is up to me now i guess... i wish i had gone to school sometimes... film is very tough, and it can be expensive! i've wasted a lot of good film because i didn't know what i was doing at the time... i'm better now though, but always learning.
Marcel

Matt, your stuff sounds real interesting. I'm going back to check out

your site again. Thanks for the fun chat. Bye everyone.

Sesow

pickle... right now, you can get the box from kspace... i send the others out from my site on aol...

Sesow

great marcel... don't be a stranger... email me and email often! :)

Jeannie Novak

Bye Marcel. Thanks for joining us!

Jeannie Novak

Matt - I'll send you an email about the videos. We have some ideas.

Pete

Matt: How does the market work for independent film today? How does

it compare, to, for example, the market for your art?

Sesow

i spend most of my days now painting. my paintings are abstract representations of people... in a way, they are very similar to my films... kindof self-portraits as well. ive sold quite a few, and am having success in some galleries now.

a few of the paintings can be seen at button

i have many many more, but have not had time to put them up on the web.

other than that, i do some film work when i can (editing two right now).... i also spend a lot of time with my wife thrift shopping, tending to the garden, feeding the stray cats in the neighborhood, sleeping... stuff like that...
Walt

Do you recommend the PXL?
hidebound

Whatsa a PXL? :->
Pickle

You have the life I envy! Maybe I should be in your film!

Sesow

the market for my art is much more established (i have an agent... etc...) the indepent film is still INDEPENDENT for me... i am free to do whatever i want... the art/painting is a little less free... but the agent let's me do mostly what i want... i think i like doing the film better, but it is MUCH MUCH harder... and right now there isn't a big demand for my films... but i hope that will change... and exposure thru the internet is a BIG part of it.

Jeannie Novak

You can use a thrift shop as the backdrop for your next film!

Sesow

YES! GET A PXL! if you can find one, get it... i love using the pxl more than any other format... pxl is a "pxl-2000" camera... made by fisher price (ala "bubble mower")... it shots very grainy pics at a slow frame rate... dream like and very surreal... wonderful!
Pickle

Thanks J, P & Matt. See you next time!

Pete

Matt: Do you find your art contents (particularly agents) are aware

of the Internet. Are they interested, feel threatened, etc?

Sesow

many of my friends work in thrift stores... there are 1,000 stories there... beautiful people.
Nance

If they're made by Fisher Price, are they cheap??
hidebound

Bubble mower? Pete, you guys are too arcane for me. Sorry that I

live in Dallas not sunny CA :(
Anonymous

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Anonymous

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172-116-69.ipt.aol.com

Jeannie Novak

I saw the PXL 2000 scene in Nadja - but I haven't seen it in any other

films in distribution. Do you have any recommendations of indie collections

out on video?
Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Sesow

yes, the pxl was cheap.. but now they stopped making them (used to cost $60 or so)... now they go for $200 or more... but sometimes you can buy one from somebody that doesn't know what they have (cleaning out their kid's closet while at college)... i've bought three... none for more than $60... yes, i am lucky.

Jeannie Novak

Bye Pickle! Matt - Do you imagine stores full of DVDs instead of CDs -

with film and music combined??
Nance

I'm going to get me one!
Anonymous

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hidebound

PXL are like kid's toy movie cameras, but they work? Do they have

film or are they TV cameras?

Sesow

i was part of a pxl film fest last year... and i think they produced a video tape... i'd like to know if my film made it!? but the fest was called "pxl this six"... you can find it by searching alta vista... i'm pretty sure... or email me, and i'll point you there.

Jeannie Novak

Matt - We're going to close up the room soon. Before we do, please let

us all know about any upcoming projects, exhibits, screenings, or press

info . . .
Nance

Cool chat guys!
hidebound

I want one!

Sesow

i hope dvd takes over cds... cds don't hold enough information... dvds are now available on the macintosh i think... i'd rather send stuff out on dvd... you'll get more resolution and higher quality audio... i'd prefer that!
Anonymous

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Sesow

well, i paint every day... and those projects should continue until i die... i'm working on two films right now... "where did she touch you?" (which is about a girl)... and "allen vincent" about an alcoholic minister... they should be done by september... check my page for updates...

Pete

All: We're coming to the close of the chat in the next few minutes,

so feel free to ask any final questions. Matt: I think we'd definitely

like to re-schedule another chat, since things are starting to get

really interesting.

Sesow

hopefully we can all chat again...

Sesow

i'd love too... i have a lot to say about the internet and film... i've worked in both industries for quite a long time! thanks for the opportunity! :)

Sesow

please don't be strangers folks... i am always home!
Nance

Thanks for the chat. Very informative. I will check out your pages soon.

Good evening everyone.
Anonymous

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Pete

Matt: Since you're in LA, we should mention that we will be appearing

**live** at various bookstores this summer--check the calendar at

button for more info.

Sesow

thanks!
Anonymous

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Sesow

great... but unfortunately i am in san jose... i was joking about (up the road)... :)

Jeannie Novak

Matt - Thanks for doing the chat and hanging in there! As you can see,

we did go over the hour! I'll send you email soon. Everyone, thanks

for coming. To find out more about what's happening on Kspace, you can

join our list at button Check out Matt Sesow's site

at button

Sesow

thanks jeannie! goodbye everybody! have a great life!

Jeannie Novak

Matt - I thought you weren't down here!! :)
Send us the contact info!
PlentyO

I was lurking in the background. Enjoyed the chat.

The Kaleidospace logo, wheel and "Kaleidospace" are trademarks of Kaleidospace. The Kaleidospace logo ["Jeannie with Kaleidoscope Eyes"] is used with permission of artist [(c) 1994 MaryLou Novak].
Kaleidospace / Jeannie Novak - Founder

For more info, send email to editors@kspace.com

© 1994-1997 Kaleidospace

Full text

Complete page text.

Sesow/Video

Experimental

The Box (QuickTime; 2.3 mb)

Mailbox

The Kaleidospace logo, wheel and "Kaleidospace" are trademarks of Kaleidospace. The Kaleidospace logo is used with permission of artist [(c) 1994 MaryLou Novak].
Kaleidospace / Jeannie Novak - Founder

For more info, send email to editors@kspace.com

© 1994, 1995, 1996 Kaleidospace

Full text

Complete page text.

Sesow/Video

Click above to find out more about the filmmaker.

Check out the transcript
of Matt Sesow's visit to the
Kaleidospeak chat room
on June 26, 1997.

Experimental Film/PXL 2000

ITEM: 1138SR-1 PRICE: $10.00 (VHS)

Mailbox

Video Clips

The Box (QuickTime; 2.3 mb)

Click above to view the video clip.

".. a grainy PXL2000 piece about rejection and failed
metamorphosis... this one has enjoyed a lot of success and gave me a good kick in the pants
to produce more film stuff...."

Check out Matt's other site at http://members.aol.com/mwsesow/movies.htm

The Kaleidospace logo, wheel and "Kaleidospace" are trademarks of Kaleidospace. The Kaleidospace logo is used with permission of artist [(c) 1994 MaryLou Novak].
Kaleidospace / Jeannie Novak - Founder

For more info, send email to editors@kspace.com

© 1994-1997 Kaleidospace

Full text

Complete page text.

Matt Sesow - Kspace Screening Room

Click above to find out more about the filmmaker.

Exhibition Schedule

Experimental Film/PXL 2000

ITEM: 1138SR-1 PRICE: $10.00 (VHS)

Mailbox

Video Clips

The Box (QuickTime; 2.3 mb)

Click above to view the video clip.

".. a grainy PXL2000 piece about rejection and failed
metamorphosis... this one has enjoyed a lot of success and gave me a good kick in the
pants to produce more film stuff...."

Exhibition Schedule

(Check out the complete Kspace Arts & Entertainment Calendar here.)

Check out the transcript of Matt Sesow's visit
to the

Kaleidospeak chat room.

Check out Matt's other site at http://members.aol.com/mwsesow/movies.htm

The Kaleidospace logo, wheel and "Kaleidospace" are trademarks
of Kaleidospace. The Kaleidospace logo is used with permission of artist [(c) 1994 MaryLou
Novak].

Kaleidospace / Jeannie Novak - Founder

For more info, send email to editors@kspace.com

1994-1998 Kaleidospace