Take 5 with "Family Matter"

The 7th annual Oxford Film Festival is getting closer every day. Before we kick off another fun-packed festival, we thought we would take five with filmmakers and get to know them just a little better.

Jarratt Taylor's film "Family Matter" screens Saturday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. with Mississippi Queen.

OFF: In 10 words, describe your movie and why someone should see it.

JT: Ever argue with siblings over what really happened that one Christmas or why your parents got divorced? See this movie!


OFF: Biggest lesson learned in getting the film made? Best part in getting the film made?

JT: I really learned to accept that the story will change whether as a result of participant's issues with the material or the material itself leading you down a new path. I really appreciate this about the documentary process but it definitely takes some getting used to. It was really great to actually see the mountain of preproduction and production come together in a final piece.

OFF: Tell us about you. What is your movie making background?

JT: I have been producing pieces through the Northwest Film Center School of Film for the past four years. I focus on documentary studies while also creating shorts of other genres depending on the assignment. I feel a strong pull towards stories dealing with family issues and history.

OFF: What’s your dream distribution plan for the film?

JT: We submitted this piece to various film festivals and have been accepted into a few, which is very encouraging! This is really the extent to which we will try and "distribute" the film.

OFF: What’s the future hold in store for your film and for you?

JT: It's really hard to say what the future is for the film. I'm not too concerned with going to great lengths to market the piece because I don't really think it exists for that purpose. It's probably destined to hang out on Vimeo for people to randomly come across it or to show to family members. I also haven't really honed my distribution skills yet so maybe it will have a future once I am better at it.

I will soon be starting my final project at the film center so I am going to be focusing on developing ideas for that. It will again pertain to family history and memory in some respect.

For more on Jarratt Taylor, visit some of his videos at: http://www.vimeo.com/jarratttaylor