Q and A with Director of SBIFF Roger Durling

Reviewed by Jan Mclaughlin at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2012.

 Roger Durling graciously met with SBCC Film Festival studies class for a Q & A at 9AM on Jan.31st 2012 at the Rose Bud Lounge at the Lobero Theatre. This review is based on my notes.

There are three programmers that hit the film circuit for Santa Barbara International Film Festival (Toronto, Telluride ect). Starting with Cannes they begin studing film. The SBIFF is divided into sections surf, food (screen cuisine), Jewish. SBIFF is representative of Santa Barbara , 35 % of Santa Barbara is Latino so 35% of the films are Latino. Each programmer has a section and Roger has veto power.     

” We have a 3 million dollar budget”. Durling starts the year long process of the film festival the day it ends. Moet Chandon is a sponsor this year and Roger is flying on Feb. 15 to follow up on sponsorship and fund raise. As director he stars to  go over what worked set-up wise, catering  and green room set up (like the Rose Bud Lounge). His programmers start in July and “just jam”. Presently they only work part time but he needs full time programmers and needs to get the funding.

Q. What are your biggest challenges?   Durling: Financial. I love booking the talent and getting the films. I recommend getting business administration classes because as an artist you will still have a budget. Even if you have a marketing director you still have to sit down and go over spread sheets.

Q. Why show Puss n Boots, why not show a smaller film?   Durling: It’s part of our Apple Box Series. 3D movies cost big bucks, 15 dollars a ticket. We are also showing Hugo and Kung Foo Panda 2. These films are for free and marketed to a Latino audience.

Q. Why the timing of SBIFF?   Durling: Every film festival has to have a gimmick. Every town now has a film festival, you have to create an identity and brand that identity. Previously the festival was in March, now it’s after the Oscars are awarded. It boosts an otherwise low tourism season. I Need the help of caterers  and hotels and I can get this in the down time (late Jan, early Feb).

Q. What is the Brand at SBIFF?   Durling: We get big Hollywood names because of the proximity to L.A.. I book the tribute people in May and it’s a roll of the dice.

Q. How has your position changed?   Durling: The budget has grown. I was a shy guy and now I have to be the front man, an impresario. I read PT Barnum and am now reading the Steve Jobs book.

Q. How long have you been with SBIFF?   Durling: This is my 9th year. I presently have a five year contract.

Q. What is your Background?  Durling: I’m from Panama and had to leave. (  To learn more he says google “Roger Durling Nothing to Hide”). I came to the United States and ended up with a scholarship to Syracuse University and moved to Manhattan and went to Grad school at Columbia. I’m a film festival freak. I’ve been going to film festivals for 30 years. I ended up in Hollywood and got caught in a catch 22 with a screenplay and became disillusioned. I co founded The French Bulldog cafe in Summerland. I voleenteered at the SBIFF and saw it was’nt working. I offered to work as Director for a year for free, “Roll the Dice”. Seabiscut was being filmed in Santa Ynez and I asked Jeff Bridges to do the Premiere at the Lobero.

Q.  Who would you love to have at the film festival?  Durling: The Spanish director Pedro Amodovar, but he dosen’t fly. He boated to San Francisco through the Panama Canal to attend the Teluride festival. Tom Luddy the director  at Telluride has been a big inspiration and I consider him a friend.

Q. Any final words?   Durling: Never take no for an answer. Christopher Plummer turned me down three times. This year he agreed to do the festival.  Don’t be afraid of rejection. No should not stop you.