at the 2006 Filmed by Bike.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Filmed by Bike is gearing up for its biggest year ever. A truly homegrown success story, the event (April 11-13) has flowered from humble beginnings in 2003 into the West Coast’s premiere bike-themed film festival.
This year, organizers expect over 2,000 attendees to join in, “a celebration of the artistic side of cycling,” at one of eight screenings of 37 films from around the world.
For the past few years, opening night has been a mob scene where bike and film lovers from far and wide descend on the smallish Clinton Street Theater in southeast Portland for what organizer Ayleen Crotty calls the, “opening night throwdown.”
Crotty is one of Portland’s bike culture pioneers. She was riding through the streets, taking part in Portland’s unique brand of creative “bike fun” activism, long before Portland was on the map as a bike culture hotbed.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Formerly the program director at the non-profit Community Cycling Center, Crotty now promotes bike events for a living — and she’s a master of the craft. Crotty’s influence and energy can be seen at such major events as the Portland Century, the Hottest Day of the Year Ride, and many others.
But with Filmed by Bike, Crotty is working off the clock. The event is a labor of love that she has nurtured into one of Portland’s most-anticipated bike events of the year (it’s also a fundraiser for the Multnomah County Bike Fair).
A former photography major in college, Crotty says beyond the obvious link to bikes, what draws her in is the creative side of the festival. “I’m an artist who puts no time into my artwork, and this is a tremendous creative outlet. It’s really refreshing to be involved with the artists who made the event poster, to go through all the submissions, and to work with the amazing filmmakers.”
Crotty said the festival is her way to, “merge the art and cycling cultures together.”
The 37 films (from all over the world) that will be shown during this year’s festival are an engaging look into the art, culture and drama of the bicycle. From raging zombie unicyclists, to a touching profile of a bike messenger, bike love stories, and a film that makes even recumbents seem cool — there promises to be something for everyone at this year’s Filmed by Bike.
If you plan on going Friday night, show up early if you want to get a seat. And if you plan to take the train down from Seattle, you might be out of luck. Last year, Amtrak sold out of all its bike spaces during Filmed by Bike weekend.
Check out all the latest festival info at FilmedbyBike.org.
Thanks for reading.
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This + alleycat = insanity weekend for bicycles have your camera out Jonathan.
I LOVE FILMED BY BIKE. (And the trailer for this year\’s show was amazing.)
thanks, Ayleen, for those free tix. Glad I put off a business trip to be here for the throwdown. If it\’s like last year, people will be locking their bikes to tree limbs 20 feet up.
Well sounds like the reviews for portland are better than:
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2008/03/from-bsnyc-culture-desk-bike-shorts.html
I\’m gonna have to agree with bikesnob on this one.
Great work, Ayleen! You are such an inspiration and you make so many wonderful bikey things happen. I can\’t wait for this year\’s event.
Sorry, I rode the first Portland Century, an event tied very closely to Ms Crotty and her company. All the broken promises, out right lies, and refusal to take responsibility taught me a valuable lesson. If it\’s OrBike, Good Sports Productions, or Ayleen Crotty count me out.
Of course, your mileage may vary.
Kevin
Well Kevin…my mileage has been pretty damn good so far.
Aside from her awesome work at Good Sport Promotion and OR Bike, I thank Ayleen for:
-The Midnight Mystery Rides
-The KBOO Bike Show
-The Multnomah County Bike Fair
If you don\’t like those Portland bike culture institutions, I heartily encourage you to skip Filmed by Bike.
Myself, I\’ll be there. Early.
Thanks for the great write-up, Jonathan! This year has been a mountain of greatness for Filmed by Bike. My special thanks goes to Meghan Sinnott for coordinating the raffle prize, Brad Nelson for helping with all things $ at the event, Matt Phillips for compiling the DVD and interns Maryann Parrone and Kimmie Moran.
And of course this event wouldn\’t be what it is without all of you who come out with your enthusiasm. This year I\’m particularly excited about Jane Machammer and Nancy Breaux\’s movie Bent, a documentary on recumbent culture. They created their own movie poster and there has been a ton of chatter about it on the recumbent blogs. Read more (and see the poster) on our site.
I can\’t wait!
Ayleen
Seattle folks – B.Y.O.F.B.
Avoid the great but too few bike spaces on Amtrak – bring a folding bike!
All of us bent-heads will be descending on the theater Saturday for the 7 o\’clock show. Sure to be big fun for all. Can\’t wait to see Jane & Nancy\’s masterpiece!
Barbara
It\’s not clear on their website, but do any of you remember if they do raffles at both the 7pn and 9pm showings on Friday? I would like to bring one of my artwork pieces to donate to the raffle, but I can\’t get there until the 9PM showing.
Mark
I\’m gonna be there, but that mob scene worries me. eep.
We\’re doing two equally-great raffles at 7 and 9. Both are valued at over $1,000.
If anyone has raffle prizes to donate, we\’ll gladly accept them for 2009, but our 2008 raffle is closed due to all the logistics of getting things in order, MC scripts, and more details than anyone wants to read here.
Ayleen
Here\’s more information about all the shows:
=====
**GET READY TO ROCK! **
Are you ready to rock and roll and play dirty in the streets? Here
are the answers to the to questions we\’re getting at Filmed by Bike
Headquarters
::TICKETS FOR FRIDAY
We can\’t guarantee to arrive at any time to get seat, we just don\’t
know. Come early. $8-15, and if you pay the whole $15 you get 2 free
raffle tix and our signature sticker. No advance sales but we start
selling 1/2 hour before the show, 1 ticket per person. Both screenings
are awesome and rowdy. 9p is a little more controlled mayhem. CASH
ONLY.
::RAFFLE
One raffle for each Friday screening, Both are equally great.
::SAT+SUN
All the great movies of Friday, all the huge crowds, less fanfare, no
raffle, no MCs. Still come early. They will sell out. 5, 7, 9pm.
::SCHEDULE
Friday
Opening Night Throwdown: 7:00 + 9:00 pm (21+) $8-15 sliding scale
$15 gets you two complimentary raffle tickets and the signature
Filmed by Bike sticker.
Doors open 15 minutes before the show. You may only buy one ticket at
a time and you must have your ID.
Saturday
5:00 (all ages), 7:00 (21+), 9:00 (21+) $6
Tickets are sold 20 minutes before the show.
Sunday
5:00 (all ages), 7:00 (21+), 9:00 (21+) $6
Tickets are sold 20 minutes before the show.
Ayleen, you are an inspiration to anyone doing bike culture-y things in Portland. Thanks for all of your hard work.
Post #7- No one can deny that the first Portland Century did not go as planned. Their registration totals went far far beyond what was expected for the first year, with no time to compensate for the difference. I\’m sorry that it broke your heart so much that you can\’t believe in some of the best, and hardest working folks in the biz. Get over it.
Post #4 says it all for me.
You kids go and have your fun though!
In case you didn\’t know there are 2 programs:
Friday night and Satruday afternoon is the 1st program.
Saturday night and Sunday afternoon is the 2nd program.
dont forget to bring the style.
I\’m thinkin\’ that hilarious Bikesnob review (#4) probably applies better to THIS event, also happening tonight:
http://www.mashsf.com/uploaded_images/mash2mash-737156.jpg
Watch in awe as bicyclists
-stand astride their bicycles without moving!
-skid their rear tires!
-ride between cabs and busses!
-ride between busses and trucks!
-ride between pedestrians!
They might even ride backwards and spin their handlebars around.
Seriously, though: The fun and diverse crowd will be at the Clinton Street tonight. We can do trackstands and watch MASH (or *M*A*S*H*) some other night.
Filmed by Bike isn\’t for cliques. Hell, there are movies about unicycles and recumbents in this year\’s fest!
I don\’t understand, if it is so popular why continue with the small venue and short runs? The interest is there, why not think bigger than a one weekend show at a the same small theatre? I\’d love to go, but being turned away last year really disappointed me.