About The Film
Scott MacMillan is a young man with an unusual hobby. At least, some may think it's a bit strange. Scott collects vacuum cleaners. Not only does he collect them, he takes them apart and puts them back together (sometimes). Scott also has a vast knowledge of the history of this household appliance. If you were to ask his friends and family, however, this interest in vacuum cleaners is not at all out of the ordinary. Scott loves science and engineering and wants to, some day, work for NASA. So, perhaps his hobby - not to mention the 150 or so vacuums he's collected over the years - is less a quirky obsession and more about a young man who just wants to figure out how things tick.
See the Dirt is a short documentary about a young man who, even when they call him weird or strange, sticks to his interests and has become an expert in everything regarding vacuum cleaners. Scott MacMillan is an example of someone who does not let the perceptions from others dissuade him from being himself.
**Read more about Scott on the Austin Monthly website.
The Scoop
We had great expectations for this film, but we never expected the journey it's about to take. Our film has been accepted into a well-know European film festival. We can't officially announce which festival it is until they announce the program first. But, we are very excited to share this film with an International audience.
Attending a big film festival like this is a great opportunity for independent filmmakers like ourselves to make valuable connections with the festival staff and other filmmakers for future projects. It also is a way to talk with distribution companies about possible distribution for the film, which would allow even more people to be able to see the movie.
But in the end, it's a great feeling as a filmmaker to be present at the screening of your film to a theater of strangers. Plus, the filmmaker can answer questions at the end of the screening, which is a priceless opportunity for theater audiences and the filmmakers.
We Need Your Help
It's very expensive to travel abroad, especially as a freelance filmmaker in Austin. So, only one of the directors will be able to attend the festival, but still, funds are tight. We need your help to get co-director and editor Chelsea Hernandez to the fest! She will be there for the screening of the film and to partake in the festival activities.
Your generous contribution will not only help her sleep in a clean bed during her stay, but will also go toward the screenprinting costs for film posters she will be taking to the festival! Texan artist Ashley Ward has designed an awesome poster that she will screenprint herself. These are one of a kind!
**See more of Ashley's work on her website DrawComicDesign
A Gift For You
Your contribution to this campaign is a HUGE support for not just the film but the careers of the directors and we cannot thank you enough. As a small token of our appreciation, we would like to offer some cool gifts with each reward. No donation is too small. Anything helps!
Festival Success
See the Dirt was accepted and screened at some great film festivals. Check out the list!
- Austin Film Festival - BEST SHORT DOC WINNER
- Irvine International Film Festival
- Thin Line Film Fest
- Big Muddy Film Festival
- Bare Bones Film Festival
- Indie Grits Film Festival
- Atlanta Film Festival
- Independent Film Festival of Boston
- Marfa Film Festival
The Filmmakers
Chelsea Hernandez began her media career at the tender age of 9, hosting a television craft show in Austin, Texas, called Kids Ideas. She gained film experience in New York City while interning for award-winning filmmakers Ric Burns and Jon Alpert. After returning to Austin in 2007, Chelsea eventually finished her film degree at the University of Texas, screening several of her school projects at film festivals around the country. She has worked as an associate producer and assistant editor on the national PBS special Fixing the Future with NPR Marketplace host David Brancaccio. Currently, she works as post-production supervisor for former Frontline producer Hector Galan on his new miniseries The Road From Christ to Constantine. Chelsea is also an accomplished camera operator, producer, and editor.
Erik Mauck studied journalism in college and worked as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Central New Hampshire, The Citizen. He eventually went back to school to study filmmaking at Southern Illinois University, where he also produced, photographed, and edited for a PBS documentary project on the life of former US Senator Paul Simon. After moving to Austin in 2003, he began covering the local film community, which is how he eventually met the subject of his first feature-length documentary Zombie Girl: The Movie, which screened at film festivals around the world and was broadcasted on television in the US, Canada, and Europe. Erik has also screened several short and one feature-length narrative, Straight to the Bone, at the Austin Film Festival. Currently, he is a freelance camera operator and editor in Austin. See the Dirt is the first documentary he has screened at AFF.
