Last night we had a test screening of my new film, Melvin.
Test screenings, by their very nature, are really tricky beasts to tangle with emotionally and intellectually. But I really have to say, there is a MONUMENTAL difference between seeing the film all by your lonesome in a dark room — and sitting in a room watching the film, presented as a film, with other people watching it with you. I felt hyper-aware and I felt like I could literally feel when the energy of the room was up or down or in between. It’s an all together mind-bending sort of experience… and as I do them more and more in my filmmaking life, the feeling of hyper-awareness hasn’t gone away at all.
That all said, the feedback and comments were thought-provoking and helped solidify the what’s working and what needs a little more love kind of choices. I’m reminded of an article in Filmmaker Magazine awhile back that said, “Don’t make your festival premiere your first test screening.” I feel like we haven’t with Melvin — and as a result, we’re going to have a better film.
Many, many thanks to the folks who shared a couple of hours in a dark room watching Melvin and I on our journey.
THE HAPPY POET will play 3 times in Venice in the coming month — and Writer/Director/Lead Actor Paul Gordon and Producer David Hartstein will be in attendance. This is the film’s INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE and a very, very exciting time for all the folks in our poet camp.
Screening Dates/Times:
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 (Press Screening)
15:00 hours at Sala Volpi
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
18:15 hours at Sala Darsena
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
22:00 hours at Sala Volpi
SCREAMING will screen as part of the closing night program, The Texas Show, at the 23rd Annual Dallas Videofest in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, September 26th. Bart Weiss, the director of festival, has been gracious to enough to screen a lot of my work over the years. And honestly, I am always excited to see what makes up The Texas Show, as Bart programs and sheds light on works from in and around Texas that I sometimes don’t hear about or stumble across on my own.
Here’s the official blurb about the Texas Show showcase: Its been the closing night program for 23 years. We take all the shorts submitted that were made, directed or produced by Texans and have an independent jury select the best of Texas shorts. Usually a collection of dramas, comedies, documentaries, and experimental work it offers the diversity as big as… well you know.
And the official blurb about Videofest: SEPT 23-26, 2010 Angelika Film Center, Mockingbird Station, Dallas
For twenty-three years The VideoFest been a celebration of vision and technology. VideoFest has a long history of exhibiting work from outsiders. Some of them have become more familiar then others over the years. VideoFest special guests have been stars such as: Terry Gilliam(12 Monkeys), Paul Ruebens (Pee Wee), Robert Smigel (TV Fun House), Steve Allen (TV Host), Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens), just to name a few.
THE HAPPY POET will be playing in Austin, TX at the Alamo Drafthouse on Monday, August 30th at 7:00PM. This is one of my all-time favorite places to see a film — and Fandango recently called the Alamo Drafthouse their “Best Overall Theatrical Experience” of 2010. What else do you need to convince you?
Details on the Venue:
Alamo Drafthouse – The Ritz
320 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 476-1320
As we put the finishing touches on MELVIN, we’re building out his online presence as well. We hope you’ll follow him — and the film — on both Facebook and Twitter. We promise to have some interesting, participatory kinds of things to share in the coming months.
I’m definitely guilty of writing only about films on this site, and more specifically, films that I’m somehow a part of — or promoting. But that said, that WAS the original idea behind having this blog/website. But, I do want to be better about sharing things of interest to me… people or places, ideas or artistry, that I find wonderful – or intriguing – or humbling.
So here’s a new post with that in mind.
I decided to shine a light on a friend of mine, an incredibly talented photographer, Mr. James Rexroad.
I see James every once in awhile, not nearly enough — since he’s a world traveler and I find myself traveling all the time now. Our paths rarely cross, but I keep up with him online and try and track the work he’s doing. He’s the real deal. He’s a helluva nice guy and somebody who has completely mastered his craft. I urge you to wander around his site.
His bio (from his website):
James was born in Marcola, Oregon to Luella Rose Rexroad, his mother and inspiration, and has three brothers, David, Robert, and Thomas. After developing an interest in photography at Powell’s City of Books, James started working as a newspaper photographer in Portland, Oregon. James’ photographs have since appeared in a number of national and international newspapers and magazines.
I wanted to share some great news about Gregory Collins and his new film THOKOZANI.
Some quick backstory… Gregory and I have been friends for years — and collaborators nearly the entire time. We’ve helped out on each other’s short films, talked constantly about new projects, and sketched out a handful of upcoming feature scripts together. Gregory is also one of the reasons that MELVIN was created — he helped kick it all off. (and hell, we debated having him the play the lead character in MELVIN, for awhile)
So, I am incredibly happy to share, that his first feature film, THOKOZANI, will be the Opening Night Film of the 2nd Annual Malawi International Film Festival. THOKOZANI will kickoff a 4-day event that describes itself as “Beyond Imagination.”
Gregory shot THOKOZANI in Malawi, literally pulling together a cast and crew from the community he was living among. The film is truly ‘A Love Story From Malawi’ — and I couldn’t be happier that Gregory’s film will have its World Premiere in the country of its creation. If you’d like to keep up with the film, jump on over to its facebook page.
A few weeks ago, Mr. Ryan Long from Screen Door Film asked me if I’d be up for answering some questions for a new installment of his “5 Questions with…”
The Austin Film Society was wonderful enough to grant me a Texas Filmmakers’ Travel Grant, which helps with travel costs associated with attending prestigious film events or festivals — so that I could attend the IFP Labs with my new film MELVIN.
I wrote a festival dispatch about my experience… Please check it out on the Austin Film Society’s online journal, Persistence of Vision. Read it here.
Thanks AFS!
About the Texas Filmmakers’ Travel Grant:
The program is intended to help offset travel costs for Texans whose work is invited to prestigious film festivals and events around the world. Eligibility is based on the festival or event that the film has been invited to, not on the film itself, and you need not be a member of the Austin Film Society to apply. More info about the program can be found here.
Recently, I wrote a guest blog post for Ted Hope’s wonderful site, Truly Free Film. My post is called The Mentoring Mindset as A Key to Film Sustainability and it went live on his site this morning — you can check it out here.
Many thanks to Ted for letting me share some thoughts on his page — and to my two close friends, Gary Temple and Gregory Collins, who gave me some much needed writing/editing assistance.
THE HAPPY POET has got its International Premiere set — in Venice! We’re incredibly excited to be able to screen the film for the very first time outside of the US. The film will screen as part of Venice Days, which runs from September 1st through September 11th.
From the Official Press Release: The Venice Film Festival’s independently run Venice Days section has unveiled its 12-title largely European lineup comprising nine world preems. Modelled on the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, the Lido’s Venice Days splinter section, now at its seventh edition, will feature works by name auteurs, including Oscar-winning Bosnian helmer Danis Tanovic, Gaul’s Bertrand Blier and Belgium’s Marion Hansel, alongside works by lesser known filmmakers, including four first works. The only U.S. entry unspooling is ultra-indie comedy “The Happy Poet” by Austin helmer Paul Gordon.
And if you’ve got access to the Variety site — you can read the announcement here as well.
I realize there are literally hundreds of film related Kickstarter Campaigns going right now — but I have to throw my arms — and support — around the campaign that Rooftop Films has launched. Mark Rosenberg and Dan Nuxoll run an amazing summer series program (that EXPECTING, LOVERS OF HATE and THE HAPPY POET all played in last 12 months) and above all, at the end of the day, they’re great guys.
If you can give anything, in these tricky economic times, this is an organization incredibly worthy of every dollar you can give. Follow the widget below (or this link) to help out Rooftop.
About Rooftop Films:
Rooftop Films is a New York based non-profit whose mission is to engage diverse communities by showing independent movies in outdoor locations, producing new films, coordinating youth media education, and renting equipment at low cost to artists.
Well, we’ve got a handful of screenings coming up in the next month… THE HAPPY POET is finding his way out there, for sure. If you would, please forward this on to anyone you might know in these different cities… we’re covering a lot of ground in less than a month’s time, so we need all the help we can get in drumming up interest for the Poet!
Traverse City, MI — Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 12:00PM Traverse City Film Festival – Programmed by Michael Moore
July 27th-August 1st, 2010
tickets and more info HERE
Flagstaff, AZ — Opening Night Film, Monday, August 14th, 2010 Flagstaff Film Festival
August 9th-16th, 2010
tickets and more info HERE
Salt Lake City, UT — (our screening time is still TBD) Salt Lake City Film Festival
August 12th-15th, 2010
tickets and more info HERE
It’s always a tricky balance of optimism and realism as you begin any new project… and films are no different. I am excited to say that we have taken our first steps in the evolution of a new project I am helping bring to life. Good friend and partner in numerous commercials and music videos over the years, Matt Muir, is directing a new project (that he also penned) called THANK YOU A LOT. It’s a wonderful story that we’ve been talking about for the last couple of years… I’ll be at the producing helm — and the super-talented Blake DeLong will play the lead.
Needless to say, we’re far from having all of the pieces in place to go before the cameras, but we’re up and running and I’ve slowly been learning to better navigate the tricky time that is bringing a project to life. We’ve got a couple of other great pieces of the puzzle in place, outside of Matt and Blake, but I can’t share those just yet. That all said, I’m happy to say that THANK YOU A LOT has taken its first steps in the world.
Here’s a screengrab of Blake, taken during some script workshopping/rehearsal that we did a few weeks ago in West, Texas.
On Friday, July 30th, THE HAPPY POET will be playing as part of the 2010 Traverse City Film Festival. The film plays at the Lars Hockstad Auditorium at 301 W. Seventh Street in Traverse City, Michigan on Friday, 7/30 at 12:00PM. Both the writer/director/lead actor Paul Gordon and producer David Hartstein will be in attendance.
To visit the festival’s box office, follow this link.
About Traverse City:
The Traverse City Film Festival is a charitable and educational non-profit organization that holds an annual event in one of the most beautiful areas of the country — Traverse City, Michigan. The festival is committed to showing “Just Great Movies” and helping to save one of America’s few indigenous art forms — the cinema. The sixth annual Traverse City Film Festival will be held July 27 through August 1, 2010.
I’m late getting this out, as the date/time of the screening has shifted around a little bit…
But, I am happy to report that THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS is playing in San Francisco as part of LOL-SF: A Celebration of Comedy On Screen on Friday, July 9th at 9:30pm at the Vogue Theater (3290 Sacramento Street).
From the LOL-SF Press Release: LOL-SF: A CELEBRATION OF COMEDY ON-SCREEN — July 8-15 at the Vogue Theatre!
A weeklong festival of funny films introduced and discussed by stand-up comedians. If it doesn’t make you “laugh out loud”, it doesn’t belong in this festival! Featuring comedians Will Durst, Bob Sarlatte, Father Guido Sarducci and more!
Check out www.sfntf.org for more information or download the flyer below.
LOVERS OF HATE keeps on tearing it up out there in the world… and now, the film’s got a busy July ahead. If you’re in 1 of these 4 cities, you owe it to yourself to get out and see the film that the New York Times calls, “Viciously Amusing.”
I am so very, very happy that the movie keeps finding its way to people/audiences — it’s been the ‘little movie that could’ from the get-go and I really think that that’s a testament to making a great film from what started as something great on the page. It was a very well-written script by Mr. Bryan Poyser — that morphed into a very, very well made film.
Check out these screenings dates/venues and see if you can’t find your way to one of them:
San Francisco, CA — June 28th thru July 1st @ 9:30PM Roxie Theater
tickets and more info HERE
By all accounts, the screening this past Friday Night of THE HAPPY POET at Rooftop Films in NYC was an outstanding success. (note – due to a very much last minute family emergency in Maine, where I am typing this entry from, I was not able to attend the screening at Rooftop, but was getting text updates throughout).
The total number in attendance for the screening of THE HAPPY POET was somewhere between 600 and 700 people. Many, many thanks go out to Mark Rosenberg, Dan Nuxoll, and the whole Rooftop Films Team — as they continually and consistently have packed-house event-style screenings. I give them a hell of a lot of credit, as it’s really difficult to get people to go out and see a small movie in a theatrical setting these days. So again, many thanks have to be given to both Mark and Dan for all that they do…
And I might add that LOVERS OF HATE also had an amazing screening last weekend as part of the Rooftop Films Summer Series, on June 19th.
Keeping up with writer/director Bryan Poyser’s blog for the most up to date sort of info on LOVERS OF HATE — is a really, really good idea… the film just keeps on truckin’ and he’s doing a much better job (than I am, for instance) of sharing upcoming screening and venue information. So get on over there and get your fill of LOH info!
A few months ago, I had a handful of photos taken by a photographer named David Bornfriend. I had happened across the amazing work he was doing with the wet plate collodion process… And long story short, as I’ve been preparing all of the elements for the collection of short films I am going to release later this year, I realized that David was VERY MUCH doing the kind of photographic work that I wanted to include as some of the key art in my short film collection.
So, one meeting and a handful of phonecalls later, David was snapping photographs of me for the photo I wanted for the DVD. Below is one of the photos WE AREN’T USING (as we are saving ‘the one’ for the DVD itself), but I am so very much impressed with David and his process, that I wanted to share one of the photos here, right away. (so with his permission, this is one of our outtakes).
And realize, this ‘ain’t no photoshop filter’ or anything like that… These are chemicals reacting and causing this look and feel. I credit David with his ability to pull off this very unwieldy process, as not only are there all the elements of ‘normal photography’ to contend with (like lighting, composition, exposure, focus, etc), he also has to be part-chemist and scientist mixing these ingredients at the right times while trying to not stain skin and inhale toxic fumes… an undertaking for sure… And tack on to that, each exposure was 8 seconds long — so the difficult part of ‘my job’ was standing perfectly still for 8 seconds at a time. I did this with varying degrees of success, I might add…
Here are a couple of photos I took, reciprocally, of David and his camera at work.
A great experience for sure — that yielded some amazing photographs for us to work with for my long in-the-works short film and video collection, currently titled RED KNOWLEDGE.
Like a lot of folks trying to get films made these days, it’s an incredibly difficult process. And if you’re reading this blog, you probably read Ted Hope’s blog over at Truly Free Film… for a lot of us, it’s a must read.
But on a slightly different note… I’ve been keeping this quote (from another of Ted’s blogs) on a post-it near my edit system as well as in a file right on my desktop. It’s a simple reminder, but more than that, it’s help me to believe we’re doing a few things right with our new film, MELVIN. The quote below — and the the link to the post, here.
When did American movies start trying to clarify absolutely everything? What is our national obsession with trying to provide a psychological explanation for all characters’ behavior? If you ask me, I think we have gone overboard. Way overboard. Time to leave that practice behind.
It’s refreshing to see a few films recently start to abandon this practice. Miyazaki’s PONYO did not try to explain the magic (at least in the version released Stateside). Neil Blomkamp’s DISTRICT 9 did not try to explain why the aliens landed here or how people learned their language.
It is fun for the viewer to come up with their own explanations, to discuss these possibilities with their friends. We certainly don’t know everything about our world and leaving some gaps in the narrative feels truer as a result.
We’re incredibly excited to be a part of Rooftop’s programming this year – and this is our FIRST public screening outside of Austin, Texas. During the 2010 SXSW Film Festival, the film premiered to rave reviews and had 3 standing room only, sold-out screenings. The event kicks off with Live Music by Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez – followed by a screening of THE HAPPY POET (85 minutes) – and will continue with a open-bar/afterparty at Fontana’s. Writer/Director/Editor/Lead Actor Paul Gordon (aka the Poet) will be in attendance (and I’ll be there as well).
Event Info: Friday, June 25, 2010 / $10 at the door (or online)
Open Road Rooftop: LOWER EAST SIDE / 350 GRAND ST., NEW YORK, NY 10002
8:00PM – Doors Open / 8:30PM – Live music by Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez 9:00PM – Film begins / 11:30PM – After-party: Open Bar at Fontana’s (105 Eldridge St.) Courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner
And if you still need convincing — this what a few folks have to say about the film:
“My favorite movie so far at this year’s SXSW is a little comedy, at once wistful and wonderfully dry-witted, called The Happy Poet. Shot here in Austin the film tells the story of one debt-ridden man who attempts to change his lousy fortunes by opening up a vegetarian food stand. It sounds modest. It is modest! But damned if my heart didn’t swell during the film’s great climax to say nothing of the last shot that left me touched to the point of tears. Austin filmmaker Paul Gordon, who wrote, directed, edited and starred in the movie ought to be mighty pleased with himself.” -Karen Valby, Entertainment Weekly
“The Happy Poet, a deadpan charmer directed by Austin filmmaker Paul Gordon, moves along at the brisk pace of a light romantic comedy. Gordon stars as a loner hoping to turn his organic food cart into a success, but the finances never come together. (There’s probably a helpful metaphor here for the state of the independent film itself – trimmed down and in business against all odds…) Everything about The Happy Poet is cheerily conventional, save for Gordon’s hilariously monotonous delivery, an ironic performance that incessantly contradicts the movie’s title.” -Eric Kohn, IndieWIRE
“Admittedly, the film’s muted rhythms take a little getting used to, but once you’re acclimated to Gordon’s long takes and just-short-of-painful pauses between reactions, it’s easy to understand and sympathize with Bill’s ambition…Even better, the film’s dry sense of humor belies sincerity, rather than the kind of ironic detachment that seems to pop up frequently in independent films…The Happy Poet is a modest, funny little charmer – a textbook ‘independent film’ in many ways – but it’s got the romantic heart of a mainstream movie, which is why you want to see its dreams become reality, and after watching it, you feel like yours can, too.” -Todd Gilchrist, Cinematical
“Director/star Paul Gordon’s film is right up my alley, which is to say that I tend to revel in the awkward…The Happy Poet is nothing but awkward, a slice-of-life tale about a weird guy who feels that he should sell organic, mostly vegetarian food out of a hot dog cart…I really, truly dug it.” -Mark Bell, Film Threat
“If Slacker defined the shaggy eccentricities of Austin life circa the early ’90s, then Gordon’s similarly low-key comedy is a delightful, deadpan reappraisal of the town’s prototypical charm some two decades later. …What makes the film so winsome, beyond a lively supporting cast of believable kooks, is Gordon’s sincerity, both as a performer and filmmaker.” -Aaron Hillis, Greencine Daily
Recently, I struggled when I was asked the, “What are the best films you’ve seen in a movie theater?” question. And then I realized, that’s a little too open-ended… What the person was really asking was, “What are the best experiences you’ve had seeing a film in a theaterand why?”
And as I mentally flipped through my movie-going history, I came up with a short list of ‘break-through’ sort of movie experiences that changed the way I looked at the world.
And now, as I start to watch more and more films on-line or on DVD or On Demand or (god forbid) on airplanes, I realize films are (in sheer mathematical terms) effecting me less and less in a theatrical setting.
When I boiled down my “best theatrical experiences” list – I came up with this short list of 5. And it’s a personal list – and it’s a also list that shows what sort of cinema-goer I am and what age bracket I fall into – but more than that, I hope it shows that these films effected me in a powerful, life-changing, IMPORTANT, sort of way.
Down below in the COMMENTS SECTION, I really do hope that a few readers will share their “BEST CINEMA EXPERIENCES IN A MOVIE THEATER” and why that particular experience really hit home.
Here are a handful that really hit home with me:
1) Lost Highway – Keene, NH (Colonial Theater)
This film viscerally took me over. I never had a film attack me in a subconscious — and at the same time, sensory-overload kind of way. I was humbled and nearly screamed aloud repeatedly at the darkened hallways of Lost Highway.
2) The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover – Tucson, AZ (The Screening Room)
This, for me, was my first experience of Cinema as TRUE ART. This wasn’t a “film” I walked out at the end of, it was a painting, a piece of art, a ‘something’ that should be a time capsule. Peter Greenaway and his film opened my eyes to making films that can exist as art, framed within the confines of a cinema.
3) (tie) Fassbinder Series – Austin, TX (Alamo Drafthouse)
I think I saw every one of the films screened in this series, presented by the Austin Film Society. A filmmaker so prolific and so astute, Fassbinder showed me melodrama and people surviving by any means necessary. Real people… humans… good and evil and a little bit of both in every single person.
3) (tie) A Tribute to Sam Peckinpah Series – Austin, TX (Alamo Drafthouse)
Muscular, intelligent, from the gut filmmaking… I felt like every moment, in every one of the films in this series, I was exactly where Sam Peckinpah wanted me to be.
4) Requiem for a Dream – Austin, TX (Dobie Theater)
I won’t ever watch this film again. I felt despair in a way that I had never had a film make me feel before (I was also in a tough place personally, I should add). When the film let out, it was mid-afternoon and it was raining. I walked quietly to my car and realized that there is terrible sadness EVERYWHERE – and Darren Aronofsky made me wade through it for two hours… and then two more days… and then two more weeks… Really and truly, a humbling and all together frightening film-experience.
5) The Last Emperor – Austin, TX (Village Cinema)
The BIGGEST FILM I have ever seen in the movie theater. David Waingarten and I sat up close — and every single frame, every single shot, every single moment – a true marvel. An awe-inspiring movie — to be seen on the bigscreen and nowhere else. Enough said.
I’ll write more really, really soon… but long story short, the week in NYC at the IFP Independent Filmmaker Narrative Labs was an absolutely AMAZING one. I feel like a better, healthier, smarter filmmaker because of it. And MELVIN will be a better, more prepared, supported film when we get it OUT THERE into the world. Mr. Gregory Collins (the co-writer of MELVIN and the director of the forthcoming THOKOZANI) attended with me — and together, we spent an intensive week discussing all things relevant to finishing, marketing, promoting and distributing MELVIN in the current film landscape… An exhausting — absolute BLAST!
Many, many thanks to the wonderful folks who made it all happen at IFP and walked us through a career’s worth of material in one week: Scott Macaulay, Susan Stover, Jon Reiss, Amy Dotson and Rose Vincelli… and the couple of folks who tagged in to specifically talk to me about MELVIN; editor Tricia Cooke and filmmaker Sol Tryon.
Here’s a photo taken by Danielle DiGiacomo, an IFP staffer who was generous enough to share the photo with all of us in attendance. 10 films that’ll hit the world in the coming year or two — and 10 teams of filmmakers to be reckoned with. More soon…
Normally, I wouldn’t write about a concert on this site… as it doesn’t necessarily feel appropriate and I hesitate to wade in to mixing my personal and professional life completely.
That said, I saw NEIL YOUNG on June 5th in Austin, TX. He played a solo show. 90 or so minutes on a stage by himself… playing a handful of different instruments… rarely talking (or looking, for that matter) at the audience… and it was — and still is — an incredible, mesmerizing, phenomenal performance that I can’t shake. And by the end of it, I realized that I had seen, what I consider to be, an absolute artistic genius at work. It is so very rare to see… and to really and truly encounter. The Bass Concert Hall acoustics were stellar, and Neil Young, a man 64 years young, made me realize what it is to make art that transcends time and “what’s currently popular” and create a body of work that couldn’t be anything but his… In a strange way, I walked out and felt like I had been taught an important ‘artist lesson’ — stay true to what you are and what you create — as it will live LONG beyond you.
This essay/article by Kevin Kelly has been circulating for a couple of years now – but in the age of when I am constantly thinking, “How the fuck am I going to continue making a living – doing what I do?” I thought it appropriate to bring back up (again).
To copy from the article, the basic idea is:
“A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author – in other words, anyone producing works of art – needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.
A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can’t wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans.”
I hope that many of us can acquire and nurture 1,000 (or more) True Fans that will allow us to continue to create the works that WE MUST CREATE. I think it’s essential as part of artist sustainability and keeping THE SUFFERING at bay.
The link to 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly. Definitely worth your time.
We’ve got a great FREE SCREENING of THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS on Wednesday, June 16th @ 7:00PM. Presented by The UT Documentary Center and Screen Door Film, the screening kicks off at 7:00PM and will be followed by a panel with writer/director John Bryant, the lead actors Nathan Harlan and Mark Reeb — and yours truly.
Should be exciting — and I haven’t seen the film end to end in about 6 months, so I’m excited to see it (with a crowd) again — and on the big screen! And if you haven’t seen the film, here’s our trailer to wet your appetite…
Come on out for the screening… it’s the right price. FREE!
MELVIN has been selected for the 2010 Narrative Independent Filmmaker Labs, held in New York, June 7-11, 2010. MELVIN is 1 of 10 narrative rough/fine cuts chosen for its “creative vision and promise.” From the official press release, “The Labs will provide you with five days of mentorship, support and one-on-one advice from top technical, creative, and industry experts. The week-long workshop is only the beginning of your year-long fellowship with IFP.”
I can’t even tell you how excited I am for Gregory and I to be a part of the Labs this year. I’ve watched from afar as a number of filmmaker-friends have participated and reported back about how influential and inspiring the Labs have been for them. I think it’s a tremendous opportunity and I’m thankful to Amy, Rose, Scott, Jon and the other folks at the IFP for including MELVIN (and our team). More news to share very soon!
Here it is — in its entirety. My long in the making short film, SCREAMING. Hats off to Mr. David Hobizal who provided the motion graphics and title design that I struggled with on my own for months.
Turn this one up LOUD — and while you’re at it — go FULLSCREEN as well. And please, feel free to comment below, if you feel like sayin’ something after seeing SCREAMING — then say it.
As we begin the process (and yes, we’re overdue) of getting the word out about MELVIN, we’re starting to populate our different online destinations. One of them will of course be the MELVIN facebook page — where we’ll definitely share the most up to date and soundbyte-y information… We hope you’ll become our friend — or “like” us — as it’s now officially presented. More to come of course — and some great news to share in about 4 weeks.
On Thursday, June 3rd, we’re throwing a big event/fundraiser for THE HAPPY POET. 2 Screenings of the film (7:30pm and 9:30pm) will take place at the Marchesa in Austin, TX. We’ll have DVDs, tee shirts, buttons and all sorts of other goodies available — many of the cast and crew will be in attendance. Should be a helluva good time! Come on out and support the poet!
LOVERS OF HATE has two upcoming screenings in New York City during the month of June. New Yorkers, here’s your chance to see the film if you haven’t already!
BAMcinemaFEST BAM – (Brooklyn Academy of Music)
30 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, NY June 17th, 2010 @ 6:50PM
read the indieWIRE press release
Rooftop Films
Open Road Rooftop above New Design High School
Lower East Side
350 Grand Street, New York, NY June 19th, 2010 at 8:00PM
purchase tickets here
And of course, if you can’t make it to NYC… you can watch the film via IFC Films On Demand — and you may ask, how do I find IFC Films On Demand?
Enter your zip code and cable provider here — and they’ll do the rest.
(FYI – Time Warner and Cox cable customers – April 16th was the last day to order LOVERS OF HATE on On Demand. Comcast & Cablevision customers, you have until June 15th)
On April 1st, we launched a Kickstarter Campaign to raise $3,000 in 30 days – for finishing funds for our new film, MELVIN.
I can happily report that, WE MADE IT!
The much-needed financial help is wonderful, but the Kickstarter campaign has also given us a tremendous boost in terms of energy – and project recognition. I think Kickstarter is a wonderful tool and it’s been a great experience (although at times during the campaign I have been incredibly anxious waiting for the dollar amount to move up the slightest bit incrementally).
I saw Ted Hope’s tweet early yesterday morning, Kickstarter: $1.5 million in pledges the past month, more than 1,000 successfully funded projects overall. This makes me realize that there are a lot of success stories out there (and it seems that for every victory on Kickstarter, there is unfortunately, another project that did not find funding) but I’m happy to see that in difficult economic times, artists in a variety of different disciplines are finding ways for their work to be realized.
In the next week, we’ve got other great news to share about MELVIN – but we can’t report on it just yet…
That said, I do want to thank the folks behind Kickstarter. Their tool has been an invaluable one and has truly helped give this project a renewed life at a time that it needed it most.
If you are in, or anywhere near, Rochester, New York on Friday, May 7th – you owe it to yourself to get over to the GEORGE EASTMAN HOUSE. There’s a triple feature playing that night, by 3 very different, very talented filmmakers (and yes, I consider them all friends – but can honestly say that they’ve all made quite good films).
ST NICK (directed by David Lowery)
Friday, May 7, 2010 5:15 PM
LOVERS OF HATE (directed by Bryan Poyser)
Friday, May 7, 2010 7:30 PM
“The riskiest thing you can do is play it safe,” said the late, legendary creative director Bill Bernbach.
I read this a couple of mornings ago in an industry magazine — and have kept the whole publication around for days because of it. It really hit home, at a time I am creating a lot of content in a variety of different ways. I didn’t know anything about Bill Bernbach until I looked him up (pardon my Advertising industry ignorance, and even though my significant other is knee deep in the ad biz, I don’t think I had ever heard Bernbach’s name — but only of the world famous agency he started, DDB), but this sentence from Ad Age tells me that I should know a whole lot more about him…
“After Bill Bernbach’s death in October 1982, Harper’s told its readers he ‘probably had a greater impact on American culture than any of the distinguished writers and artists who have appeared in the pages of Harper’s during the past 133 years.’ Sixteen years later, Bernbach’s impact continues undiminished. And today he emerges as No. 1 on Advertising Age’s 20th century honor roll of advertising’s most influential people.”
Playing as part of ROOFTOP FILMS wonderful summer series, THE HAPPY POET will be playing in New York City on Friday, June 25th at 8:00pm. Many of the cast/crew will be in attendance, including writer/director/lead actor Paul Gordon, producer David Hartstein, actor/co-producer Jonny Mars, and yours truly.
My short film, EXPECTING, played at Rooftop in 2009 — and I had an absolute blast attending the screening and seeing the film with a standing-room-only crowd. Mark Rosenberg and Dan Nuxoll run a great screening series — and they’re able to program great works, from all over the world.
Tickets are available for the June 25th screening of THE HAPPY POET via Rooftop’s Ticket Page.
For more information, check out THE HAPPY POET page on Rooftop Films’ site.
This will be a strange sort of entry, as I can’t reveal a whole lot about any of the 3 projects just yet. But I’m a part of 3 new projects that, with any luck, will find their way into production in the coming 12-18 months. Two great scripts and another in great treatment form — an exciting time, as I feel like I’m changing back over into production mode. More soon.
Nice surprise yesterday — waking up to see MELVIN profiled as part of indieWIRE’s column In the Works. (I knew the film might get profiled at some point, but wasn’t sure how soon it would be).
**UPDATE — The Screening is now on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16th at 7PM. (same venue)
The good folks at Screen Door Film, with the help of the UT Documentary Center, are having a screening of THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS on Friday, June 18th at the University of Texas.
The Details: When: Friday, June 18th, 2010 – film begins at 7:00 PM, with a panel to follow Where: Studio 4D in the CMB Building, UT Campus, 2501 Whitis Avenue, Austin, TX How much? FREE
Wow. It’s wonderful to say that with 11 days left (of our 30-day Kickstarter Campaign) – we’ve reached our fund-raising goal for MELVIN!
I’m so, so grateful for the outpouring of support — and it’s definitely injected the project with a new burst of energy as we push towards the finish.
*NOTE – Although we’ve reached our $3,000 goal, we’re trying to raise another 10% ($300) to offset Amazon.com’s service fees, and the cost of shipping our rewards. So, to clear and collect our full $3,000 — we need to reach $3,300.00. (Hint… Hint…)
If you’re a fan of THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS — and haven’t yet had a chance to see the film On Demand — you don’t have much time left. What are you waiting for?
April 27th, 2010 is the last day if you’re a Comcast Customer
May 11th, 2010 is the last day on ALL OTHER Cable Providers
See the film that the Seattle Weekly said: “As indie road comedies go, John Bryant’s The Overbrook Brothers is about perfect. Centered on a bombshell familial revelation that forces two quarreling adult brothers into a used Lincoln and on the long road from Colorado to Texas, virtually every scene belongs to Mark Reeb, who plays Todd, the chief egger-on of the sibling pair. Reeb so nails his hilarious character that the movie’s only real shortcoming is that it isn’t 20 minutes longer, to give Reeb more room to run. That’s not to take anything away from Nathan Harlan, the more subdued, artsy brother, Jason, who can’t help but stoop to Todd’s level time and again. In both looks and deadpan demeanor, Harlan is reminiscent of Jason Bateman, the ultimate comedic straight man (who’s usually funnier than his not-so-straight collaborators). If there’s any justice in the cinematic world, Reeb and Harlan’s pairing will go down as one of the greatest of its genre.”
and Ain’t It Cool News had this to say about the film: “The performances in the film are outstanding. Nathan Harlan plays the more sensitive yet immature Jason in such a way that his surrender to his brother’s ridiculous challenges seem totally realistic even if they are completely childish. As Todd, Mark Reeb gets to portray the quintessential big brother bully with gusto. He bravely dives into a most unlikeable character that shows glimmers of humanity, but always turns out to be a dick and is never fully allowed to win over the audience. Some many times I’ve seen films like this get boring and overindulgent with deep meaning, but THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS never falls victim to this indie film pitfall at all. It is a smart and funny film that I definitely recommend checking out if you ever get the chance.”
And if that’s not enough to get you to watch the film, check out our trailer!
LOVERS OF HATE will be a part of the 2010 Maryland Film Festival in Baltimore, Maryland (the festival runs from May 6th-9th). The film screens on May 8th at 10:00pm — and if you have a chance to see the film in any one place, make it the wonderful Maryland Film Festival.
I attended in 2009 with a bunch of the guys from our film, The Overbrook Brothers, and Maryland was one of the best stops on the festival circuit. The staff is wonderful, and the screenings are intimate and well-attended. I highly recommend seeing LOVERS OF HATE in Baltimore, if you’re in the area.
This news is about a week old — but this ‘found object’ film has really stuck with me since I saw it back in early March at the SXSW Film Festival. TRASH HUMPERS is hard to explain… and I find myself quoting it, or singing the ridiculous little nursery rhymes that the main characters do from time to time throughout the film… but that said, I know this film, or this kind of film, appeals to the smallest of a small percentage of movie-goers. I can’t really begin to explain it very well, so I’ll copy the synopsis from the good folks at Reverse Shot:
A gang of elderly degenerates wanders aimlessly through suburban neighborhoods, wreaks havoc, and films their exploits on a decrepit VHS camcorder. All we see for the film’s 80 minutes are the images captured on this device: The trash humpers squatting to crap on driveways and doorsteps; the trash humpers smashing televisions, cinder blocks, and boom boxes in a desolate parking lot; the trash humpers hosing down their wheelchair in a carwash at night; the trash humpers jumping on a trampoline in the middle of the street; the trash humpers partying with some fat prostitutes; the trash humpers ogling a garbage can, while offscreen other trash humpers grunt lustily, cackle maniacally, and chant, sing, or simply yelp, “Git it!”
Yeah. It seems easy to dismiss. But I just can’t shake it. The film has stuck with me and I have found myself thinking about it repeatedly…
That all said, the good folks at Drag City (a record label, mind you) have taken on the task of distributing the film theatrically. I can’t say that I recommend you see the film, but I can say, that I’m really happy TRASH HUMPERS is going to get a chance to get out into the world in some way, shape, or form. The film is memorable — and different than anything else I’ve seen — and it may just be the best movie theater experience of 2010 for me so far.
SCREAMING, a short video piece that I’ve been tweaking for longer than I care to admit, is now done. Many thanks to Mr David Hobizal who helped bring the motion graphics to life.
With any luck, SCREAMING will find a home on one of the touring programs (or something similar) that some of my other short works have been a part of. Time will tell. I’ll let you know, when I know.
LOVERS OF HATE will be screening as part of the 8th Annual Independent Film Festival of Boston (April 21st thru the 28th) on Saturday, April 24th at 7PM. More info about the screening/venue can be found here.
Saturday, April 24th, 7:00 p.m. – Somerville Theatre Screen 5
And if you can’t get to Boston, you can always watch the film On-Demand via IFC Films!
From the LA WEEKLY, “…the most exciting American indie I’ve seen in a while.”
From MOVIE CITY NEWS, “…the kind of tiny brilliant gem that low-budget indie films ought to be and so seldom are.”
From GreenCine Daily, “…cleverly structured and cringe-inducingly honest.”
In our efforts to start bringing MELVIN to life, we’ve started a KICKSTARTER Campaign… and in 5 days we’ve raised $660. That’s just about where we need to be… we gave ourselves 30 days to raise $3,000 (or $100/day). That said, we still need A LOT of help.
On our KICKSTARTER PAGE, you’ll see different PLEDGE AMOUNTS for various levels of giving. But rather than looking for a donation to the film, we are pre-selling goods from the movie in order to finish MELVIN. This way, we’re both giving and receiving.
We’re asking you to buy a digital download of MELVIN, or a limited edition dvd, a signed poster or a MELVIN-Customized SIGG Water Bottle. Or you can simply pledge $10 to add your name (and link) to our special thanks on the website and in our film’s closing credits. All you need to do is go to our page and click the green box:
And Amazon Payments handles the rest… If you’ve ever bought anything from Amazon.com, it’s just that easy to pledge to our film. So if you would, jump on over to our KICKSTARTER PAGE and take a look at what we’re offering. It’s much appreciated. (and to get a better understanding of Kickstarter, here’s a link to their FAQ)
We’re constantly updating news about THE HAPPY POET in a couple of different places… but for now, the most up to date info can be found on our facebook page. Jump on over and become a fan of the poet!
As MELVIN begins to come to life (as we’re in finecut mode of the film) we’re releasing more and more pieces of the puzzle. Our talented friend Mr. Yen Tan has finished a new design for our first MELVIN poster. Simple. Bold. Melvin. That’s what we were looking for. Let us know what you think (in our comments box below). More MELVIN goods are coming your way constantly, from here on out. (click here to see a larger version)
NPR – March 28, 2010:Movies, Film And Acting At South By Southwest
At the SXSW Film Festival, we profile the new film Lovers of Hate, hear how distribution will change in five years and attend Jeffrey Tambor’s acting seminar.
(I’ve been having trouble with their embeddable player, go directly to the NPR pagehere)
After a bunch of great screenings (at Sundance and SXSW) you can now catch LOVERS OF HATE at the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival or the Independent Film Festival of Boston.
And if you can’t catch the film in either of these places… you can always watch it in the comfort of your own home [...]
I’ve posted a couple of collections of press breaks for THE HAPPY POET (set 1 here and set 2 here) — and here are the final couple of post-SXSW press mentions.
Cinematical
“Because The Happy Poet is a modest, funny little charmer – a textbook “independent film” in many ways – but it’s got the romantic heart [...]
I’m late to help get the word out on this (as SXSW has been all-encompassing) – but without further ado:
These are the 3 “teasers” for LOVERS OF HATE, the new film by Bryan Poyser, premiering on IFC On Demand on March 12, 2010. It premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in the US Dramatic [...]
Well, I posted our first round of reviews during our SXSW run of THE HAPPY POET. Here’s the second round of what folks had to say about the movie.
Hollywood Elsewhere
“Writer/director/star Paul Gordon plays Bill, a man with uncommon intellect who can’t bring himself to submit to an “ordinary” life. He decides to open up [...]
Well, after two wonderful, sold out screenings of THE HAPPY POET, we’re starting to generate a lot of great press — as well as serious interest in the film. Here are a few of our first press breaks, with many, many more to come! You’ve got one more chance to see the film [...]
Wonderful news for LOVERS OF HATE as it’s been picked up by IFC Films!
(and it also happens to be good news for a little movie called THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS).
Check out the press release over at indieWIRE… Many many congrats are due to Mr. Bryan Poyser and Ms. Megan Gilbride — the writer/director and producer, [...]
Make A Stand. I think it’s a great tagline.
Big shout-outs to Jason Wehling and Jonny Mars for doing a lot of the hard work getting this created and finished… The final poster for THE HAPPY POET.
And if you haven’t already, sign up for updates and franchise information over at THE HAPPY POET’S official site. And [...]
I’ve been working with THE HAPPY POET team as we get ready for the World Premiere — 2 weeks from tomorrow. We’re in that time period that is the amazing onslaught of finalizing everything pretty quickly, but working with Paul, Dave, Jonny, Jason — and now publicist Matt Johnstone — has been a treat [...]
THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS is on the home page of ifcfilms.com — and since I know it won’t stay there for too too long, I went ahead and grabbed a screengrab of it.
Some other different mentions around the web:
IFC.com includes The Overbrook Brothers in its Spring Preview, while The Austin Chronicle has a short article [...]
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who [...]
This one has been in the works for a long, long time… REMEMBERING is one of those projects that’s been 95% complete for longer than I’ll ever admit. With the help of motion designer extraordinaire Mr. David Hobizal — I’ve finally been able to put the cherry on top of this new short [...]
Sundance was a great experience this year — great to see a lot of old friends and make a bunch of news ones as well. LOVERS OF HATE played well throughout the fest, and I was able to attend 3 of its screenings (at the Library, Eccles and Racquet Club). There have been [...]
In anticipation of THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS February 17th on-demand world premiere via IFC In Theatres — here’s the trailer that IFC Films created. Very excited for this to go live and help promote our big day — less that 2 weeks away. Also, check out the press release that Cinematical sent out with [...]
I’m very, very excited for the LOVERS OF HATE team and the Zellner Brothers’ FIDDLESTIXX screenings at Sundance. I’ll be at most of these, so please come out and support the films. Check out the festival schedule for more information. We hope to see you there.
LOVERS OF HATE
Paul Gordon’s new film has an upcoming Narratives-in-Progress on January 27th. (sadly, I won’t be in Austin to attend). Register at austinfilm.org to check it out. Attendance is free, but seating is limited.
The details (from the AFS website)
Wednesday, Jan 27 @ 7 PM
Austin Studios Screening Room (1901 E. 51st St.)
About [...]
I somehow missed this completely… it didn’t get on my radar at all. It looks absolutely amazing – and IFC Films is releasing it in theaters in February 2010. Red Riding is described as, “The search for a killer told through three different points of views.” Wow.
*UPDATE
“Red Riding” Roadshow (from indieWIRE)
Coming February 5th, [...]
So… THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS Video On Demand Premiere is one month from today, February 17th, 2010. To check availability with your cable provider, check out IFCFILMS.COM and look half way down the right hand-side for the “Watch IFC Films On Demand” box and enter your zip code.
We’ll have more info very soon, including a [...]
LOVERS OF HATE has its WORLD PREMIERE in one week — next Sunday, January 24th at 5:15PM at the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL.
I’ll be updating, when I can, from the festival. So stay tuned here for more news. And just this week, the LOVERS OF HATE poster landed. Check it out! Another [...]
Some long-in-the-works news that Mr. John Bryant and I can now finally officially share; IFC has acquired THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS. We’ll be premiering on Video On Demand platforms nationwide in February of 2010. We’re very, very excited to get the film out to a whole new audience. I’ll continue to share information [...]
LOVERS OF HATE – Official Screening Times at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
There are 5 chances to see LOVERS OF HATE at Sundance in January, with one of the screenings at the enormous (1000-plus capacity) Eccles Theater on January 28th.
Sunday, January 24th, 5:15 p.m. – Racquet Club, Park City
Tuesday, January 26th, 2:30 p.m. – [...]
I don’t know if this qualifies as any sort of real post, but Jean-Luc Godard is 79 years old as of 12/3/2009. His new film, Socialisme, will be out in 2010.
