Hobo Film Festival - Seattle

[Dameon]

The Hobo Film Festival hits Seattle next Monday (June 1st), if you're in the area. It'll be $8 to get in, 7 pm at Central Cinema, 1411 21st ave. You know, if you want to watch movies about what you're probably already doing. Maybe people will fawn over you for being an actual hobo and give you money and free stuff or something? I might go.

 

[veggieguy12]

You beat me to the punch on announcing this, Dameon.
But I suppose I will be ahead of anyone else in saying that I've heard that these are kinda lame, showing not much of the good flicks and a bunch of trailers. And a couple seasoned riders have told me the founder of this event is a big ol' jackass.
Even so, perhaps I'll see you there? The chance to be 'fawned over' might be too much to pass up.

 

[ani x]

And a couple seasoned riders have told me the founder of this event is a big ol' jackass.

i went to the hobo film festival when it came to portland (maine) and was pretty disappointed by the films. other than hobo, the short movies weren't very good (just footage of dudes on trains to a sountrack), and the other half of the films were previews for other train films yet to be released. (the promo video for 'listerine on sundays' was almost eight minutes long.)

the organizer, shawn, stayed at my place. he's a fucking dick. he's given male friends of mine advice such as "females cant hop trains/travel/live outoors" and "aren't worth traveling with, fuck 'em".

i've only met him while he was in town, but have also heard bad things about him from others since then, and have seen some of his videos on youtube: (what the fuck?)
("http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gfknxs6a48&feature=response_watch"]YouTube - Angry AgencyFilms Man Mash Up Re: Hobo Living)

the film night might be worth going to if yer interested in meeting other folx who are interested in train culture, but i wish i had known more about the guy and his personal views on riding before i supported agency films. i dont care to talk to him about his fucked up views, because i dont think it would get me anywhere but more angry, but starting a discussion with the audience after the films about gender dynamics and traveling could be really productive.

 

[Dameon]

Meh, sounds like it's not really worth paying for. If I wanted to watch people riding trains to a soundtrack, I'd get an mp3 player and get on a train. The organizer sounds pretty stupid to me.

 

[veggieguy12]

...the film night might be worth going to if yer interested in meeting other folx who are interested in train culture...
...starting a discussion with the audience after the films about gender dynamics and traveling could be really productive.

Good ideas, both.
I think I'll see if I can get let in for free (anyone else in Seattle should do the same), and then hope to meet some decent people there in Seattle, and perhaps ask some questions to see what Shawn says publicly.
Will report back how this goes.
Is Shawn not already on StP, or anyone know what name he has on here?

 

[Dameon]

If I can get in for free, I'll go. I'll see what happens.

 

[Matt Derrick]

if you talk to shawn directly, and tell him you're a train hopper, you shouldn't have that hard of a time getting in for free.

about the sexism and whatnot, i haven't witnessed it firsthand, but to me it's no shocker. shawn comes off as a dick a lot of the time. he was pretty nice to me, but i was never around him with girls and he never shared those opinions with me, but like i said, i wouldn't be suprised.

i liked him as a person, but he was probably one of the worst people ive ever had to hop trains with. the way he described it was that he was from the "old school" mentality, basically meaning pre-911. his philosophy was that he shouldn't have to hide from people/traffic/railroad people. which made for some pretty shitty rail riding. i had fun at parts, but on our first/only trip we got caught/seen 3 times. it basically got to the point where i was like, "uh, ya know what? im going to go to (insert city here) instead. have fun going to (some town in PA we were heading to)." just so i could get away from them.

the one time the cops were involved i basically saved everyone's ass by saying, "this is fucking retarded. why are we just sitting here stopped? we know someone saw us. im going to a different car where i can actually HIDE." and left. shawn and his friend ended up following me to the gondola i was in right before the cops showed up and started searching the grainer we were just on.

anyways, the entire trip like i said was a complete mess, and it really made me mad. i would have fared much better if i had ridden alone (and i was not familiar with that territoriy at all).

but anyways, that sucks about the film fest. i was hoping at least there would be something good coming out of that. oh well.

 

[Angela]

Meh, sounds like it's not really worth paying for. If I wanted to watch people riding trains to a soundtrack, I'd get an mp3 player and get on a train. The organizer sounds pretty stupid to me.

Why would anyone pay money to go to this? The guy putting it on sounds like a complete jackass and why pay $8 to see what you can see for free by living. I went to something like this many years ago, don't know if it was put on by the same fella but it was a complete waste of time and ended up just pissing me off(at least I didn't pay to get in).
Widerstands got some good ones, if anyone's interested your best off contacting him or just finding them to download on the internet and avoid paying money for these "film fest" kinda things. And for folks that are hoping to meet similar folks at these, all I can say is you probably won't. The vast majority of the folks that go to these are railfans and what folks call oogles.

 

[Mogwai]

-------------------------

Awe man, I'd love to watch some more train films, I certainly haven't seen nearly enough!

---------------------------------

Agreed! And as my own two bits, if he lives up to his rep, there's no way in hell I'd support someone like that with my money if I could help it, I'd say to everyone, get in for free, or go do something else.

 

[veggieguy12]

Well that's nice of you, and it's good that someone can redeem themselves in your eyes and also that you can own up to mistakes.
No big deal, dude.

 

[Matt Derrick]

yeah, thats pretty cool of you. i dont hate the guy, i just didnt have much fun on that trip and i think a lot of mistakes were made...

 

[the clinchfield kid]

I am not real happy about the bulk of posts on here surrounding our event The Hobo Film Festival...

I would like to address these posts in a chronological fashion...

May 28th, 2009 07:11 PM
veggieguy12:

I am sorry that we are not able to screen more of the films in the series during screening event... most venues only give us 3 hours of screen time and that only allows for us to screen a couple shorts... trailers and the feature film... also in regards to your comment that we are "not showing the good ones and a bunch of trailers" again we CAN NOT screen every feature film in a three hour span AND also... we were not able to get the rights released to a couple and respecting the filmmakers wishes DO NOT screen them in their entirety... as for not meeting your friends coolness quotient... I can not claim to be the raddest dude or BEST gnarliest train rider they ever met...


May 29th, 2009 07:25 PM
ani x

WOW... really...? for the record... in regards to your statement of the quantity and quality of the short films in our event... 1. feature: The last two years we have featured John T Davis's epic documentary Hobo... don't know where you watched Catching Out but it wasn't at our event... 2. shorts: we have been screening several short films that are made of up of animation, travelogue, narrative and doc. one doesn't even have any "dudes or a soundtrack"... 3. trailers:again the fest is only so long blah blah... and of the three trailers two of the three are "released" (bozo and t.o.t.b.)... Stayed at your house...? Hmmmm... cos' I sure thought I was at the hospital one night into the a.m. and then slept in my car at Rigby yard... I also feel like I may have stayed one night with someone I considered to be a buddy but some how DO NOT remember you and I know I didn't see you in Bethel... so who are you...? NOW as far as the "advise" I have given your male friends... I do not ever recall making those statements... BUT... in my own personal life I have found it not to my advantage to take ANYONE else on the train with me... and this DOES include women... though this has happened many many many times over the years and I have taken plenty of ladies on their first ride or put them safely on trains... I think ladies should ride all the trains they can... I just don't wanna roll with them... In fact in the second issue of the 'zine I used to do I have a whole two or three pages dedicated to why women should ride and a short piece by my WIFE... oh and never mind that we have a good number of films in our event made by women...! The mash up video was made by Brave Dave after an issue about his "Hobo Living" video... It is too bad you didn't address your views and thoughts about my character and etc while I was in town so we could have opened a dialogue sooner... it is always unfortunate to discuss matters like these on the inner web... ALSO...we have had "gender discussions" during/after several screenings and I often mention before 'Milwaukee-portage' screening that "train riding is much like Kevin Seconds said... 'not just boys fun'"...


May 29th, 2009 07:46 PM
Dameon

thanks for passing judgment with out our ever having met...


May 30th, 2009 04:09 PM
veggieguy12

so did they let you in for free...? I told a few folks to "go on ahead" toward the end... There were a TON of rad folks there... I hope you were able to meet a few... also was that you asking ALL the questions during and after the screenings...? Did I answer correctly...? Additionally... this is probably my first last and only post on this forum or web page... I am increasingly convinced that train riding has no place on the inner web


May 31st, 2009 09:46 PM
mattpist

I of course try to let folks in for free... sometimes that is not possible... for instance if I myself personally am nor at the door working it... chances are I am obliged to be elsewhere during the screenings... I appreciate your candor about the sexist remarks... though I make no qualms with speaking my mind and NOT placating people fragile PC egos within the 'scene... this usually awards me with the title of "dick" and that is fine... to reply to your feelings that I made the trip we took bad I mention these facts... 1. I have been riding trains since 1994... I am not from the old school unless you were born in the 80's and consider Rancid your first favorite punk band... and as much as it used to be 'hobos on parade' this is not the case any more and one of the reasons I am less frequently found on fast freight... 2. I was taking someone from my past train riding who was A: an alcoholic who I was taking riding only as a suicide abatement plan... B: from that older less security conscience mentalities who hadn't been on a train since 1998... 3. We (you and I were both shooting footage) were frequently standing up on the different cars we rode aiming cameras at things... this may have had something to do with it...? Also when you say "uh, ya know what? I'm going to go to (insert city here) instead. have fun going to (some town in PA we were heading to)." did you really mean " hey the railroad detective... I'm gonna wait 'til tomorrow... you guys go on ahead...thanks for lending me you scanner..." also... heading to some town in PA...? we were in the NS yard in Charlotte... not really any where near or lined for PA... as for you "saving us"... I don't know that getting off the train and WALKING AWAY from it and transferring to NS was your idea but lets say it was... "thanks"... but you could thank me for getting us a ride with the construction house flipping guy to the yard miles away or lending you my SCANNER for OVER 8 months...!


June 1st, 2009 02:48 AM
Angela

Thanks for your kind words... if you did go to our event somewhere I'm glad to hear you slag it even after you got in for free... I wish I could let everyone in for free but I DO NOT decide how much the venue charges also there have been entirely free shows or pass the hat type deals where you WOULDN'T have to pay ANYTHING if didn't want to... as for your remark about the types of folks that come out to this you are only marginally correct... There have been at our events... oogles... retired railroad employees... people who had a relative ride trains... people who LIVED through the depression... people whose family fed hobos at their back doors... people who make art, music and films about riding trains... FUCKING LEGENDS in the history of train riding... a railroad detective (super cool guy)... etc etc...


June 2nd, 2009 03:55 PM
Mogwai

right on homie... save your money and go do something else... that is exactly what I would rather be doing too if I didn't LOVE riding trains more then LIFE itself and dedicated years of myself to the pursuit and archival of the pastime lifestyle hobby and or passion...


September 8th, 2009 06:37 PM
Widerstand

Thanx man...


September 9th, 2009 08:59 PM
mattpist

Dude... as creator and presumably one of the moderators on here is it not your job to make sure people are not talking shit and starting flame wars...? I don't really care so much that folks have shit to say about me personally... but using our event to attack me is bullshit... I love to think that as I am trying to book European tour that some of the folks at the venues are finding this thread and going "no fucking way are they coming here..." Also... I would have thought that even know you stayed somewhat impartial to the credibility bashing that you would have mentioned that I DID let you borrow my scanner for over 8 months to ride with or that you contacted me about helping you take Train on the Brain to Sundance for screening or that YOU ARE USING AN IMAGE OF ME ON YOUR WEB SITE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHER... even after you consider me a "dick"...

Finally in closing... for anyone else who I forgot... I LOVE RIDING TRAINS and the HFF is one of several different venues that I have chosen to chronicle the lifestyle and experience of train hopping....

If you want to discuss any of the above further... please email me directly here tramptravels@yahoo.com any additional posts to this list will not be replied to by me...

I also implore you all to come out to a screening and approach me directly about your issue with our event or with my personal views... I promise there will discussion and hopefully resolution and if not we can always settle it with a fat lip or black eye... for those interested in the latter this is where I will be in Oct. and Nov. MySpace - HOBO FILM FESTIVAL - 102 - Male - britt, Iowa - myspace.com/hobofilmfest

 

[severegout]

Alright...

I guess i'll put my own two cents in.

I live with Shawn. I've known him for around 4 years (maybe more?) at this point... yeah we have had our arguments/etc. but I wouldn't live with someone I don't get along with. Yes, he has different views as far as riding with women goes but let's be honest here... if you think about it a lot of people won't ride with CERTAIN other people... Shawn has ridden with women and would do it again... I don't personally believe this is a situation he would WILLINGLY put himself in but I doubt he'd complain. As far as his riding style goes... yeah, he does wild shit but it gets him places and he hasn't been caught in quite a long time (as far as i'm aware)... peoples riding styles differ from each other!

Let's be frank here... almost none of you have met him and actually spent time with him (besides Widerstand) ...

He is most definitely open to a dialogue in person so i'd highly suggest if you have a problem with him or his views to talk to him about it. He won't hide anything from you.

 

[veggieguy12]

Fair enough.
If I make it to a screening, I'll introduce myself.