Table Tennis Movie - Award Finalist
Duel at Red Table - $50,000 Prize Finalist
First published on Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Last updated on Sunday, January 8, 2006
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Duel at Red Table, a seven-minute short film featuring an action-packed table tennis match, has been named one of five finalists in the second Amazon/Tribeca Short Film Competition. Duel, which beat out 300 other entries for this honor, can be viewed at the following website until October 28th, when voting ends:
In order to cast your vote you need to have an Amazon account. If you do not, the above link will connect you to a login screen; you can easily create an account by entering your email address, clicking �new customer,� and entering a password.
At this point you will be taken to the Tribeca Screening Room. In order to vote, you need to watch the five finalists in random order; they range in length from 90 seconds to seven minutes. At the end of each movie, you will be allowed to click on a rating from one to five stars.
After October 28th, the film with the highest average rating will win a $50,000 pre-paid credit card from American Express, to be used for a future film project.
The Director
After his very first movie project, Misfortune Cookie, placed second in the original Amazon/Tribeca short film competition, director Jack Paccione Jr. knew there was no turning back.
�I always wanted to be a filmmaker,� says Paccione, who currently owns a computer repair shop in Brooklyn, NY. �Ever since I was a kid, watching Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, martial arts movies. When Misfortune Cookie got all the attention it did, it was like�maybe there�s a chance for me. A small one, but a chance.�
Misfortune Cookie is a fast-paced comedy about an obnoxious customer in a Chinese restaurant who receives the following message: �You have two minutes to live.� The majority of the film is what happens in those two minutes, played out in real time.
�I was really fortunate with the first film [Cookie], because I had a clever story to work with and a terrific lead actor in Shawn Ramos. But it was more of a learning process for me�I made so many mistakes. For the next movie, I wanted to do something a little more challenging. Something different, but with a lot of action.�
The writer of Misfortune Cookie, Jerry White, had a suggestion: �What about the table tennis movie?�
The Movie
Paccione and White have been close friends since kindergarten, and in addition to a love of movies, the two share a lifelong passion for table tennis.
�Most of our best ideas come when we�re pounding the ball at each other in his basement,� Paccione says, laughing.
Then, mock seriously: �I always win.�
Both friends had always loved the idea of filming a movie about table tennis; the up-close, in your face action and constant motion seemed ideal for cinema.
Unfortunately, they had to reject a more realistic approach right away. �We filmed without a budget, so hiring actors was out of the question. And our friends who do act aren�t exactly table tennis masters. A straight sports movie would have looked ridiculous.�
Luckily, White had another idea. Taking Paccione at his word that he wanted to do something �completely different,� White suggested crossing table tennis with the horror and comedy genres.
�The idea was this guy, Devin Candle�he�s the best table tennis player in the world and he knows it. He goes into the woods and meets this player in a black cloak�kind of like the devil�who promises to give Devin his powerful paddle if he can defeat him. But if Devin loses, the devil gets to take all his skill.�
Though the movie itself is all about the match (backed by a spirit-rousing score composed by Paccione), the story traces the arc of Devin�s redemption, as he learns that some things are more important than winning.
�The little girl [Eliot Schiaparelli] was a really key twist for us,� says Paccione. �She gives our movie its heart.�
Filming
Duel at Red Table was filmed over six days in the bug-infested swamps of Staten Island.
�By the end of the day we all really smelled,� says assistant director Robert McCormack. �My clothes, my hair. Everything. I still have some bug bites. I think they�re permanent.�
�The first few days were really fun,� says Paccione. �Sean [Walsh] and Eddie [Fontana] really got into the roles, staying in character and ad-libbing between takes. But after a few days, it became less like fun and more like work. The stunts the last day were really hard. I had to make Sean dive in the dirt like five time in a row. But he never complained.�
McCormack adds: �You can question Sean and Eddie�s athletic ability. But not their dedication.�
Editing took approximately a week. Paccione finished twelve hours before the contest deadline.
�There were a few things I didn�t have time to add, but overall I�m really happy with it. The cast and crew all did amazing work. Even if we don�t win, everyone should be really proud.�
The Contest
Paccione wasn�t sure how Duel would sit with a mainstream audience, and he admits to being �pleasantly surprised� when he found out he made the finals again.
�I think it�s the table tennis element,� says Paccione. �It really struck a chord with people. You can tell from the reviews, people are really excited to see a movie about table tennis.�
With this in mind, Paccione has decided to film a full-length table tennis movie, if Duel wins the $50,000 Grand Prize.
�It�s amazing, when you think about it. Baseball has Field of Dreams, Bull Durham. Basketball has Hooisers. Hockey has Slapstick. There�s been a great film made out of every major sport, except table tennis�which in my opinion is the most exciting to see on film!�
Paccione is quick to mention Ping Pong, a big hit in Japan, which he �enjoyed immensely.� It is, however, far different from what he imagines.
�We want to make a hardcore, ultra-realistic movie, for serious fans of the sport besides just a regular audience. We�re already researching, watching professional matches, learning the terms. If we can somehow get a budget, we�re going to make the first great table tennis movie. It�s time.�
You can vote for Duel at Red Table until October 28th at www.amazon.com/screeningroom.
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