By: Ruth Ferguson, NDG Editor
The film community in Dallas continues to grow and thrive. The Frame 4 Frame Festival in Arlington this weekend, is one of the growing festivals film lovers in the Metroplex support. Kicking off this weekend, Sept. 20-22, this is the fourth edition of the festival which spotlights the diverse creative filmmakers. The festival features not only studio and indie flicks but also a blend of well-known and up and coming musical artists from the Dallas-Fort Worth community.Â
For several years, the buzz has been about the Austin film community. But Frame4Frame Festival showcases why you just need to drive across town instead of down 35 to enjoy quality films.
Musically, fans of Tom Braxton and Joe McBride will be delighted to see them on the schedule. The Soul Patrol Tour ft. Blake Aaron, Larry Braggs, and Tom Braxton are scheduled to perform on Friday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. at the Arlington Music Hall. Then on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. Joe McBride and The Texas Rhythm Club will perform at the same venue.
Frame4Frame first and foremost is about movies with several new films and old favorites. One must-see move on the schedule is Purgatory, written and directed by Malcolm Johnson opens the festival on Friday night at 7 p.m.Â
Less than 30 minutes long, Purgatory packs solid performances, outstanding camera work, and most importantly, a thought-provoking story. A young woman is accused of murder – who did she kill and why? This is a movie you will want to pay close attention because everything may not be as simple as you first believe. On that note, I won’t spoil the experience for you. Just simply say — SEE IT! Go with a friend, because you will want to compare notes and discuss the issues raised.Â
“What I attempt to do is foreshadow, but it is not in your face,” Johnson shared this week. “The inspiration for my films is all about me having a question or curiosity about something.” Redemption was his crucial focus for Purgatory.
There is a standout moment of cinematography when the suspect is being interviewed by the police. The shot is not edited to jump from facial shots of one police detective to the other, it simply glides through the scene seamlessly.Â
“The camera is a character in every film I do,” Johnson stated. Even later in the movie, the camera walks the viewer through the crime scene.Â
This is his third project with cinematographer Cordell D. Franklin. “I go into every film with a book full of notes, but I also leave room for creativity,” Johnson added the scene was done in one take.Â
Sheran Goodspeed Keyton is an associate producer for the film, working with her producing partner Charles W. Bush. A well-known fixture in the Dallas filmmaking community, Bush brought Keyton into this project because they needed, “a really good production scout and other production work,” according to Keyton.
As a producer, her role changes from project to project.
“Sometimes it is more administrative, handling contracts, managing budgets, making sure everyone is paid on time,” Keyton stated. “When you are a producer on a small indie film, you wear all different kinds of hats,” according to Keyton.Â
She was not always behind the scenes, as an entertainer for more than 20 years, Keyton landed on her first major film set 12 years ago.Â
“While I enjoyed it as an actor, I was equally intrigued at what they were doing behind the scenes,” Keyton stated. She was already directing and producing in the live theater arena, and this felt like a natural progression.Â
She believes audiences will enjoy Purgatory because it deals with issues we have all wondered about.
“It is an age-old question, where do we go when we die? Every single person has been faced with that thought, as young as six and seven years old,” Keyton stated. Purgatory does not answer the question, but Keyton is confident audiences will see it as a cleverly written piece, which furthers the conversation.Â
For tickets and schedule information, visit http://frame4frame.org.
