T. Arthur Cottam
Encyclopedia
T. Arthur Cottam is a screenwriter
, actor
, producer
and film director
. A graduate of the Film and Television Production program at the Tisch School of the Arts
of New York University
, Cottam resides in Los Angeles
, California
. He acted in theatre
, and received an Artistic Director Achievement Award from the Valley Theatre League for his role in the theatre production Othello
as a cast member of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group. Cottam directed short films through his banner, "Dirty Little Shorts". His existential
work Pornographic Apathetic deals with four people recounting pornographic film dialog in a state of apathy
. Pornographic Apathetic was featured in numerous movie festivals, and received eight film awards as well as critical acclaim. Cottam's film Carbuncle was featured in 2006 at the Milan Film Festival in Italy
, and was recognized in the category of "Best Feature Film". His 2006 film Filthy Food received the award for "Best Experimental Short Film" at the festival CineKink NYC. Cottam's film 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was an entrant in the 2010 International Short Film Festival in Piombino
, Italy, and was featured in AFI FEST in the same year.
of New York University
. Cottam's thesis
work at NYU was titled Beer Goggles, the film received the Best Editing award at the First Run Film Festival and was featured at the Chicago and New York Underground Film Festivals. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree from NYU in 1998.
, and film-maker
, based in Los Angeles
, California
. Cottam was a member of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group, and performed along with actors Denise Devin and Bernadette Larsen in 2000 in a series of productions titled "Sketches 7: Bury the Hatchet", directed by Zombie Joe and Josh T. Ryan. He continued performing in theatre in Los Angeles in 2001. In 2002, Cottam received an Artistic Director Achievement Award from the Valley Theatre League for his role in the theatre production Othello
put on by the Zombie Joe group. Cottam's short films are produced through the banner titled, "Dirty Little Shorts". His film Pornographic Apathetic debuted in 2002. The existential
plot features four individuals (two women and two men) who recreate dialog from pornographic film while in a state of apathy
. Pornographic Apathetic garnered eight film awards, and was featured at more than 50 film festivals.
Pornographic Apathetic received positive reception from journalist Gary Dowell of The Dallas Morning News
, who described it as "Especially notable ... an experimental work that strips the mystique from porn". Pornographic Apathetic was selected for inclusion in the Puchon International Fantastic Festival (PiFan) in South Korea
; the festival "aims to identify the important elements of fantastic films, such as creativity and popularity". The movie was shown at the Paris Porn Film Fest at the Le Brady cinema, in Paris
, France
. The film was featured in an exhibit in Vienna
, examining the nature of pornography. Writing for San Antonio Express-News
, Mike Greenberg observed, "T. Arthur Cottam's Pornographic Apathetic is just about the funniest thing I've ever seen. (The excellent actors are mostly clothed, never touch each other and are nearly motionless, but the dialogue is not suitable for children or bluenoses.)" The film was given a favorable review by reporter Robert W. Butler of The Kansas City Star
who covered the piece during its presentation at the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee. Butler wrote, "Your ears will burn while watching T. Arthur Cottam's superlative satiric essay on the desensitizing effects of pornography, but you'll also be laughing. ... It's lurid. It's raunchy. It's vile. But all this nasty lubricity is delivered deadpan, a device that deconstructs the whole intention of porn." Marc Mohan reviewed the film during its feature at the Portland International Short Short Film Festival, and wrote that it "makes the most of its one-joke premise". In 2007, The Orlando Sentinel characterized Cottam as a favorite film-maker at the Florida Film Festival. Los Angeles Times
journalist Borzou Daragahi cited the film as an example of problems with the adult film industry in an article about a sexual art exhibit; he commented, "The piece makes you laugh while illustrating one of the paradoxes of smut: At its core, it's rather idiotic and boring."
In 2006, Cottam's film Carbuncle competed at the Milan Film Festival, alongside another U.S. film titled The Blood of my Brother by Andrei Berends. Carbuncle received a nomination in the category of "Best Feature Film" at the Milan Film Festival. Cottam's 2006 film Filthy Food was featured in the San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival, and received the award for "Best Experimental Short Film" at the festival CineKink NYC. In 2010, Cottam's film 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was an entrant in the International Short Film Festival in Piombino
, Italy
. It was featured in a section of the International Short Film Festival which included selections of films that were considered "visionary" and contributed a "visual impact" to cinema. 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was featured in AFI FEST 2010, where Lane Kneedler associate director of programming called it "the most outrageously 'out there' film that we have scheduled". In an interview with Girami, Cottam stated he had intended to direct a feature-length film for some time, and wanted to combine his talents with actors who could improvise in front of the camera. Cottam said he had a great experience working with the actors on the film Carbuncle, and stated he let improvisation be the tool by which the actors could show emotions and create their characters. In September 2010, 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was shown at the Black Rock City Film Festival located at the Burning Man
site in the Nevada
desert.
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. A graduate of the Film and Television Production program at the Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, Cottam resides in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He acted in theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, and received an Artistic Director Achievement Award from the Valley Theatre League for his role in the theatre production Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
as a cast member of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group. Cottam directed short films through his banner, "Dirty Little Shorts". His existential
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
work Pornographic Apathetic deals with four people recounting pornographic film dialog in a state of apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
. Pornographic Apathetic was featured in numerous movie festivals, and received eight film awards as well as critical acclaim. Cottam's film Carbuncle was featured in 2006 at the Milan Film Festival in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and was recognized in the category of "Best Feature Film". His 2006 film Filthy Food received the award for "Best Experimental Short Film" at the festival CineKink NYC. Cottam's film 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was an entrant in the 2010 International Short Film Festival in Piombino
Piombino
Piombino is an Italian town and comune of circa 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno . It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the northern side of Maremma.-Overview:...
, Italy, and was featured in AFI FEST in the same year.
Education
Cottam graduated from the Film and Television Production program at the Tisch School of the ArtsTisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. Cottam's thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
work at NYU was titled Beer Goggles, the film received the Best Editing award at the First Run Film Festival and was featured at the Chicago and New York Underground Film Festivals. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
degree from NYU in 1998.
Career
T. Arthur Cottam is an actorActor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and film-maker
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
, based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Cottam was a member of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group, and performed along with actors Denise Devin and Bernadette Larsen in 2000 in a series of productions titled "Sketches 7: Bury the Hatchet", directed by Zombie Joe and Josh T. Ryan. He continued performing in theatre in Los Angeles in 2001. In 2002, Cottam received an Artistic Director Achievement Award from the Valley Theatre League for his role in the theatre production Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
put on by the Zombie Joe group. Cottam's short films are produced through the banner titled, "Dirty Little Shorts". His film Pornographic Apathetic debuted in 2002. The existential
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
plot features four individuals (two women and two men) who recreate dialog from pornographic film while in a state of apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
. Pornographic Apathetic garnered eight film awards, and was featured at more than 50 film festivals.
Pornographic Apathetic received positive reception from journalist Gary Dowell of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
, who described it as "Especially notable ... an experimental work that strips the mystique from porn". Pornographic Apathetic was selected for inclusion in the Puchon International Fantastic Festival (PiFan) in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
; the festival "aims to identify the important elements of fantastic films, such as creativity and popularity". The movie was shown at the Paris Porn Film Fest at the Le Brady cinema, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The film was featured in an exhibit in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, examining the nature of pornography. Writing for San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...
, Mike Greenberg observed, "T. Arthur Cottam's Pornographic Apathetic is just about the funniest thing I've ever seen. (The excellent actors are mostly clothed, never touch each other and are nearly motionless, but the dialogue is not suitable for children or bluenoses.)" The film was given a favorable review by reporter Robert W. Butler of The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star is a McClatchy newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes...
who covered the piece during its presentation at the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee. Butler wrote, "Your ears will burn while watching T. Arthur Cottam's superlative satiric essay on the desensitizing effects of pornography, but you'll also be laughing. ... It's lurid. It's raunchy. It's vile. But all this nasty lubricity is delivered deadpan, a device that deconstructs the whole intention of porn." Marc Mohan reviewed the film during its feature at the Portland International Short Short Film Festival, and wrote that it "makes the most of its one-joke premise". In 2007, The Orlando Sentinel characterized Cottam as a favorite film-maker at the Florida Film Festival. Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
journalist Borzou Daragahi cited the film as an example of problems with the adult film industry in an article about a sexual art exhibit; he commented, "The piece makes you laugh while illustrating one of the paradoxes of smut: At its core, it's rather idiotic and boring."
In 2006, Cottam's film Carbuncle competed at the Milan Film Festival, alongside another U.S. film titled The Blood of my Brother by Andrei Berends. Carbuncle received a nomination in the category of "Best Feature Film" at the Milan Film Festival. Cottam's 2006 film Filthy Food was featured in the San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival, and received the award for "Best Experimental Short Film" at the festival CineKink NYC. In 2010, Cottam's film 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was an entrant in the International Short Film Festival in Piombino
Piombino
Piombino is an Italian town and comune of circa 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno . It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the northern side of Maremma.-Overview:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It was featured in a section of the International Short Film Festival which included selections of films that were considered "visionary" and contributed a "visual impact" to cinema. 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was featured in AFI FEST 2010, where Lane Kneedler associate director of programming called it "the most outrageously 'out there' film that we have scheduled". In an interview with Girami, Cottam stated he had intended to direct a feature-length film for some time, and wanted to combine his talents with actors who could improvise in front of the camera. Cottam said he had a great experience working with the actors on the film Carbuncle, and stated he let improvisation be the tool by which the actors could show emotions and create their characters. In September 2010, 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was shown at the Black Rock City Film Festival located at the Burning Man
Burning Man
Burning Man is a week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, in the United States. The event starts on the Monday before the American Labor Day holiday, and ends on the holiday itself. It takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy on Saturday evening...
site in the Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
desert.
Film
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Between Us | Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Writer |
| Beer Goggles | Director, Producer, Writer | |
| Pornographic Apathetic | Director, Producer, Cinematographer | |
| 2006 | Carbuncle | Director, Executive Producer, Cinematographer, Writer, Actor: "Director", Composer |
| Filthy Food | Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Writer | |
| 2008 | Dirty Words: The Letter C | Director, Writer, Actor |
| Je dis non, Ali | Co-producer, Cinematographer, Actor: "Le Jongleur" | |
| 2010 | 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs | Director, Executive Producer, Cinematographer, Writer |
Theatre
| Year | Production | Organization | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Othello Othello The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565... |
Zombie Joe's Underground | Actor |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Organization | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Artistic Director Achievement Award | Valley Theatre League | Othello Othello The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565... ; Zombie Joe's Underground |
Lead Actor, play, comedy | Won |
| Best in film | First Run Film Festival First Run Film Festival Each Spring, the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television presents the First Run Festival to showcase over 120 intermediate and advanced projects in film, video, and animation.... |
Beer Goggles | Best editing | Won | |
| Christopher Wetzel Award | Gene Siskel Film Center Gene Siskel Film Center "The Film Center" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Film Center Building in New York CityThe Gene Siskel Film Center, formerly The Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and commonly referred to as The Film Center or The Gene Siskel, is the cinematheque attached to The... |
Pornographic Apathetic | Independent Film Comedy | Won | |
| 2003 | Best in film | Milan Film Festival | Best Short Film | Won | |
| Bunny Award | Boston Underground Film Festival Boston Underground Film Festival The Boston Underground Film Festival is an annual event held in the Boston, Massachusetts area that specializes in alternative film and video. The Boston Underground Film Festival, also known as BUFF, is the largest underground film festival in New England, spotlighting short films and feature... |
Most Effectively Offensive | Won | ||
| 2004 | 10 Degrees Hotter Award | Valley Film Festival | Best Short Film, Jury Award | Won | |
| Audience Award | Brooklyn International Film Festival Brooklyn International Film Festival The Brooklyn Film Festival ', prior to 2011 called the Brooklyn International Film Festival ' is an independent film festival held every June in Brooklyn, New York... |
Best Experimental | Won | ||
| 2006 | Best in Film | Milan Film Festival | Carbuncle | Best Feature Film | Won |
See also
- 2002 New York Underground Film Festival2002 New York Underground Film FestivalThese are the films shown at the 9th New York Underground Film Festival, held from March 6–12, 2002.-See also:* *...
- 2003 New York Underground Film Festival2003 New York Underground Film FestivalThese are the films shown at the 10th New York Underground Film Festival, held from March 5–11, 2003.-See also:* *...
- Akira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film CompetitionAkira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film CompetitionThe Akira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film Competition is a major international short film awards ceremony, run by the Akira Kurosawa Foundation. Since the inaugural 2004-2005 competition, the Grand Prix and numerous other prizes have been awarded on an annual basis.- 2007 :The Akira Kurosawa Memorial...
- CinematographyCinematographyCinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
- Directorial debut
- FilmmakingFilmmakingFilmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
- List of directorial debuts
- List of film and television directors
External links
- Misfit Films, official website