T. Arthur Cottam
{{Short description|American film director and screenwriter}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = T. Arthur Cottam
| image = 2010 T. Arthur Cottam on set of film Objects.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt =
| caption = Cottam on set of film Objects in 2010
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| occupation = Film director, screenwriter, and producer
| website = {{URL|www.misfitfilms.com}}
}}
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, an alternative mashup adaptation, created and directed by Josh T. Ryan. Cottam directed short films along a topical series called "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 Milano Film Festival in Italy, and was recognized with a nomination 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.
Education
Cottam graduated from the Film and Television Production program at the Tisch School of the Arts of New York University.{{cite news|url=http://www.misfitfilms.com/carbuncle.html|access-date=2011-02-09|title=Filmmakers/Cast|work=Misfit Films presents Carbuncle|publisher=www.misfitfilms.com|year=2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.brooklynfilmfestival.org/films/detail.asp?fid=399|publisher=Brooklyn Film Festival|work=Film Library|year=2004|title=Film Details|access-date=2011-02-10}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://sahmmy.com/TwoNewDads.html|publisher=sahmmy.com|work=Sahmmy|title=T. Arthur Cottam|year=2011|access-date=2011-02-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122172638/http://sahmmy.com/TwoNewDads.html|archive-date=2011-01-22|url-status=dead}} He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from NYU in 1998.{{cite news|url=http://alumni.tisch.nyu.edu/object/tacl_alumni_weblinks.html|publisher=Tisch School of the Arts of New York University|title=Alumni Web Links (TACL)|work=Tisch School of the Arts at NYU|year=2011|access-date=2011-02-10}}
Career
File:2007 T. Arthur Cottam at Florida Film Festival.jpg (2007)]]
T. Arthur Cottam is an actor, and film-maker,{{cite news|first=Gary |last=Dowell|date=July 9, 2004|title=What's best at the fest?|work=The Dallas Morning News|page=3H; Section: The Movies; Dallas Video Festival}} based in Los Angeles, California.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-mar-25-fg-vienna-porn25-story.html|access-date=2011-02-09|title=Sexual Imagination on Display|date=March 25, 2009 |first=Borzou |last=Daragahi|work=Los Angeles Times}} Cottam was a member of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group, and performed along with co-founder, Josh T. Ryan, and actors Denise Devin, Bernadette Larsen, and Zombie Joe, in 2000 for a series of productions titled "Sketches 7: Bury the Hatchet", directed and created by Josh T. Ryan and Zombie Joe.{{cite news|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Theater Beat; Details Are Sketchy in 'Sketches 7' Show|first=Jana J.|last=Monji| date=August 25, 2000|page=26; Section: F, Entertainment}} He continued performing in theatre in Los Angeles in 2001.{{cite news|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Stage Light; Intelligence Comes Out of 'The Box'|first=Robert|last=Koehler|date=May 3, 2001|page=F34; Section: D}} In 2002, Cottam received an Artistic Director Achievement Award from the Valley Theatre League for his role in the theatre production Othello created and directed by Josh T. Ryan. Cottam's short films were produced along a topical series titled, "Dirty Little Shorts". His film Pornographic Apathetic debuted in 2002.{{cite news|title=Midnight Movies|work=The Orlando Sentinel|date=February 28, 2003 |publisher=Sentinel Communications Co.|page=10; Section: Special section}} The existential plot features four individuals (two women and two men) who recreate dialog from pornographic film while in a state of apathy.{{cite news|title=Welcome to the reel world – Film festival celebrates cinema from mainstream to independent and global to local |work=The Kansas City Star|date=April 16, 2004 |publisher=The Kansas City Star Co.|page=18; Section: Movie}}{{cite news|url=http://www.fr-online.de/kultur/hosen-runter/-/1472786/3259682/-/index.html|title="The Porn Identity": Hosen runter |language=German|work=Frankfurter Rundschau|date=January 1, 2011|access-date=2011-02-09}} 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".{{cite news|title=Fantastic Movies to Return for PiFan|work=Korea Times|date=June 29, 2004|publisher=Hankook Ilbo|location=South Korea}} The movie was shown at the Paris Porn Film Fest at the Le Brady cinema, in Paris, France.{{cite news|url=http://www.ecrans.fr/Vu-sur-le-www,5381.html|publisher=www.ecrans.fr|language=French|title=Vu sur le www : Un compas dans l'œil, un script porno, etc|work=Ecrans|date=October 10, 2008|access-date=2011-02-09}} The film was featured in an exhibit in Vienna, examining the nature of pornography.{{cite news|url=http://www.openspace.ru/news/details/8839/|publisher=www.openspace.ru|script-title=ru:В Вене открыта порновыставка|language=Russian|work=OpenSpace.ru|date=March 25, 2009|access-date=2011-02-09 |title=Openspace }}{{cite news|url=http://www.ural.ru/news/culture/news-88994.html|publisher=www.ural.ru|work=URAL.ru|date=March 26, 2009|script-title=ru:В Вене открылась порновыставка|language=Russian|access-date=2011-02-09}} 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.)"{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Greenberg|title=Brave, new world of creative short films emerging on the 'Net |date=February 4, 2007|work=San Antonio Express-News|page=04J; Section: S.A. Life }} 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.{{cite news|first=Robert W.|last=Butler|date=April 16, 2004 |title=Top 10 to see at the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee|work=The Kansas City Star|publisher=The Kansas City Star Co.|page=17}} 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".{{cite news|first=Marc|last=Mohan|title=Beyond the multiplex a filmgoer's declaration of independents|date=October 21, 2005 |work=The Oregonian|location=Portland, Oregon|publisher=Oregonian Publishing Co.|page=42; Section: Arts and Entertainment}} In 2007, The Orlando Sentinel characterized Cottam as a favorite film-maker at the Florida Film Festival.{{cite news|publisher=Sentinel Communications Co.|work=The Orlando Sentinel|page=10; Section: Special section|title=Shorts: Competition Shorts|date=March 9, 2007 }} 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 Milano Film Festival, alongside another U.S. film titled The Blood of my Brother by Andrei Berends.{{cite news|url=http://www.milanodabere.it/articoli/movies/milano_film_festival_2006_1571.html|language=Italian|publisher=www.milanodabere.it|title=Milano Film Festival 2006|work=Milanodabere.it|date=September 13, 2006|first=Rosario|last=Pipolo|access-date=2011-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722042515/http://www.milanodabere.it/articoli/movies/milano_film_festival_2006_1571.html|archive-date=2011-07-22|url-status=dead}} Carbuncle received a nomination in the category of "Best Feature Film" at the Milan Film Festival.{{cite news|url=http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-arhiva-1153703-marilena-p7-fost-numita-cel-mai-bun-lungmetraj.htm|publisher=www.hotnews.ro|work=HotNews|title="Marilena de la P7" a fost numita "Cel mai bun lungmetraj"|date=September 27, 2006|language=Romanian|access-date=2011-02-09}} Cottam's 2006 film Filthy Food was featured in the San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival,{{cite news|url=http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-08-29/calendar/christ-almighty/|title=Christ Almighty|first=Michael |last=Leaverton|date=August 29, 2007|work=SF Weekly|publisher=www.sfweekly.com|location=San Francisco, California|access-date=2011-02-09}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.solonews.net/3361/news/la-video-art-si-fa-strada-a-visionaria-2010.html|publisher=www.solonews.net|work=Solo News|title=La Video Art si fa strada a Visionaria 2010|date=September 20, 2010|language=Italian|access-date=2011-02-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316100832/http://www.solonews.net/3361/news/la-video-art-si-fa-strada-a-visionaria-2010.html|archive-date=March 16, 2012}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.sienafree.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15102:al-via-visionaria-2010-con-pupi-avati-e-isa-barzizza&catid=256:eventi-e-spettacoli&Itemid=522|publisher=www.sienafree.it|work=SienaFree.it|date=October 14, 2010|title=Al via Visionaria 2010 con Pupi Avati e Isa Barzizza|language=Italian|access-date=2011-02-09}}{{cite news|title=Visionaria 2010|url=http://www.exibart.com/profilo/eventiV2.asp?idelemento=98191|publisher=www.exibart.com|language=Italian|date=October 23, 2010|work=ExibArt|access-date=2011-02-09}} 52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs was featured in AFI FEST 2010,{{cite news|url=http://filmguide.afifest.com/tixSYS/2010/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=4758¬epg=|publisher=American Film Institute|title=52 Takes of the Same Thing, Then Boobs|year=2010|work=Shorts Competition|access-date=2011-02-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107072009/http://filmguide.afifest.com/tixSYS/2010/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=4758|archive-date=2010-11-07}} where Lane Kneedler associate director of programming called it "the most outrageously 'out there' film that we have scheduled".{{cite news|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/2010/11/01/afi_fest_2010_previewing_the_short_film_programming|publisher=www.indiewire.com|work=Indie Wire|date=November 1, 2010|title=AFI FEST 2010: Previewing the Short Film Programming|first=Kim|last=Adelman|access-date=2011-02-09}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.badlit.com/?p=7390|publisher=www.badlit.com|title=2010 Black Rock City Film Festival: Official Lineup|date=August 30, 2010|first=Mike|last=Everleth|access-date=2011-02-09}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |
| rowspan="3"|2002
|Between Us |Director, producer, cinematographer, writer |
| Beer Goggles
|Director, producer, writer |
| Pornographic Apathetic
|Director, producer, cinematographer |
| rowspan="2"|2006
|Carbuncle |Director, executive producer, cinematographer, writer, actor: "Director", Composer |
| Filthy Food
|Director, producer, cinematographer, writer |
| rowspan="2"|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 |
| rowspan="2"|2012
|Laser Blasters |Director, producer |
| Objects
|Director, producer, cinematographer, writer |
| 2013
|Pollywogs |Co-director, Co-producer, Story |
| 2013
|Actor |
=Theatre=
| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Production ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Organization ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |
| 2002
|Zombie Joe's Underground |Actor |
Awards and nominations
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|1584626}}
- [http://www.misfitfilms.com/ Misfit Films] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202001423/http://misfitfilms.com/ |date=2011-02-02 }}, official website
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cottam, T. Arthur}}
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:Screenwriters from Los Angeles
Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)