Lecy Goranson was a jurist for the Seattle Short Film Festival last weekend. She reviewed and judged each film although she was unable to attend with us here in Seattle. Most people remember Lecy from one of her more famous roles as Becky on Roseanne. She is all grown up and thrilling the theater scene in some amazing and interesting roles. You may have caught her on a couple of television shows as well. She took a few moments to speak with Equality365 about short films, theater life, cooking and of course Rosanne. The winners of the film fest are listed at after the interview. Take a look and congratulate the winner. There was a great amount of work put into each and every entry.
Check out our interview with Lecy Goranson!
Tell me a bit about your participation in the SSFF?
Well, I am on the jury. A friend of mine, Joseph Marconi, had a short film in the festival last year. I attended with him and they asked if I would be interested in being on the jury. I just had an amazing time in Seattle. Everyone is just so nice.
What do you think makes up a good short film?
I think you have to have a vision. It needs to be very specific. I think that film festivals add urgency and clarity to the directors which ends up coming through in the films. They know that they have to work really hard because this is their chance. While watching the films we can feel the urgency of their vision. I think that kind of scrappy notion of ambition is very exciting. They are polling all of their pennies and talent together for their vision.
Roseanne Reunion 2014
How do you think technology has affected or changed short films? We can shoot 4K video from our phones now.
It is really remarkable. My best friend in college was in the film department. I was in a lot of short films. I was always kind of visiting her in the editing room. At the time, there were no computer editing systems. I would walk in and my friend would be just covered in a ton of film. The minutiae of cutting, splicing and taping together the films often ended up losing track of where you were in the first place. I think because I experienced the precipice of the new technology in that way that it is hard not to feel nostalgic. There was just something really romantic about the old technology and seeing people just drowning in actual film. Now it seems like it might be a lot easier and cheaper to make films. I think the technology has really opened it up to so many more people. I think that is an exciting element. An old gal like me can still reminisce about the romantic 8 and 16mm.
You have played a lot of different roles since Roseanne. What was your favorite?
Well, here in New York I do a lot of stage work. I would say that a lot of my favorite roles have been on stage. I did this Neil LaBute play, The Furies, a couple of years ago that was really fun. I played this rock star that had polyps. My characters brother was breaking up with his boyfriend who was married and I would kind of whisper to him all sorts of things he should say to the guy that was breaking up with him. At the end of the play I regain my voice and basically turn into a demon. The lights all turn, I am hissing and smearing pudding on my face. It was very intense, There was just something fun, liberating and ridiculous about it. I liked getting a little messy. I got to put pudding on my face and spit at my costar. That is a good time for me.
What are you working on next?
I have a couple of my own projects in the works. They are in the very early stages so I don’t want to put it out there in the universe yet. It is all very exciting. They are actually projects that I would be writing and producing. I may even act in them. I am excited to be on the screenwriting and production side. Meanwhile, I am still doing other theater stuff and auditioning. There is a lot of television stuff being filmed in New York now so that is good as well. I am just being me and cooking a lot.
What is your favorite thing to cook?
I am kind of a casserole gal. I love making beans from scratch. I like a lot of tofu and curries. You have to keep it interesting as a vegetarian.
Lecy Goranson
What is the weirdest question anyone has asked you about the Roesanne show?
That is an interesting question. I often get one question that doesn’t really have to do with the show but people walk up to me and ask if I am their cousin. I guess because the show was so realistic that I think they actually think that I might be a family member. Everyone asks ‘what is Rosanne really like?’ I just think what is anyone really like? How do you answer that question? What is the essence of a person? That has always kind of stumped me.
What is your fondest memory of working on the show?
There were a lot of times that I remember when we were in rehearsal or even performing and we couldn’t stop laughing. There were just these moments that the chemistry was so great. It was just so much fun. We would start laughing and couldn’t do our jobs because we were just overtaken with laughter. I think of that so fondly. I have so many great memories of our times together.
Seattle Short Film Festival Award Winners!
Grand Jury Prize – The Haircut (Directed by Alexis O. Korycinski)
It’s 1976, and petite eighteen-year-old Amy, Bailey Noble (True Blood) is among the first class of female cadets accepted into military service academies. Under incredible emotional and physical strain, Amy struggles to survive her first day, battling vicious sexism, swallowing self-doubt, and fighting to prove she has what it takes in “The Haircut.”
Best Director – Alexis Korycinski, The Haircut
Alexis O. Korycinski is an award-winning Los Angeles based filmmaker with a penchant for raw human stories. She has directed narrative and feature documentaries and recently was a participant of the 40th annual AFI Directing Workshop for Women. She spends her days developing content and writing film and television projects with her husband.
Best Actress – Laya Lewis, Beverley (Directed by Alexander Thomas)
Beverley follows a mixed race girl Laya Lewis (Skins) struggles to carve out a sense of identity in a confusing, shifting cultural landscape, 1980 Leicester. Bev tries to shape her new environment into something palatable, but the result is the opposite of what she is trying to achieve.
Laya Lewis is an English actress, best known for her role as Liv Malone in the fifth and sixth series of the hit British TV drama Skins.
Best Actor – Eduardo Enrikez, Sin Frontera (Directed by Iz Gutierrez)
Inspired by true events, Monica and Gabriel are a couple struggling to survive both a decaying relationship and a broken immigration system after a deportation tears them apart. While Gabriel is stuck in a dangerous city, they rekindle their love and must find a way to reunite. Love will transcend any boundary.
Best Cinematography – Jeremy Asher Lynch, Tomgirl (Directed by Jeremy Asher Lynch)
Girls play with dolls and boys love sports, right? This film takes a look at what happens when those stereotypes are called into question. Jake, a lovable gender non-conforming seven year-old, invites us into his world to explore the transforming power that love and support can have when young children are accepted for who they really are.
Born on a chicken farm in Hebron, Maryland, Jeremy Asher Lynch wandered from Alaska, Florida, to California. At just eight years old he started filming skate videos and short films. Film school graduate. Self-taught artist with showings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Barcelona, and London. His specialties include writing, directing, painting, photography, and is a creative thinker.
Best College Student Short Film – Sin Frontera (Directed by Iz Gutierrez)
Inspired by true events, Monica and Gabriel are a couple struggling to survive both a decaying relationship and a broken immigration system after a deportation tears them apart. While Gabriel is stuck in a dangerous city, they rekindle their love and must find a way to reunite. Love will transcend any boundary.
Best Animation – The Apple Tree (Directed by Scott Storm)
Tommy Willis is the self appointed custodian of all things in his life. He helps things grow, keeps things nice and clean and even watches over those meant to watch over him. His constant companion is nagging hunger, but he does his best. On an early morning autumn visit to a favorite haunt, he finds things there that challenge everything he believes.
Best Documentary – The Edge of Impossible (Directed by Conor Toumarkine)
Showcasing human potential and friendship, The Edge of Impossible follows High Fives Foundation athlete Tony Schmiesing’s journey to become the first quadriplegic to heli-ski the Alaskan Chugach backcountry: the Mecca of the extreme freeskiing world.
Special Merit Award – Fishbone (Directed by Sandra Tan)
When seven-year-old Jade catches her divorced father with another woman, she is forced to choose between telling the truth and staying in his good graces.
Audience Awards were given to the following films:
Home
The Mobile Stripper
Hidden Worlds
Signs Everywhere
Music and Story
The Out & Out’s
Pluck
D. Asian
Fortitude
Fog City
Strong Women
Beverley
Note: All of the awards and descriptions came directly from the festival. I didn’t actually watch all of the films and write the description. That was a lot of work and I didn’t want to take credit.
