As part of our ongoing with relationship with the great folks at IFP, a clip from MELVIN will screen during Independent Film Week (Sept 19th-24th) in New York City on Tuesday, September 21st. We’ll be in attendance all week long as part of our next step in the year-long fellowship with IFP. All I can say is that I’m incredibly excited to have MELVIN as part of the showcase and happy to have the chance to attend the five-day series of panels, workshops and meetings that make up the Independent Filmmaker Conference. It’ll also be great to re-connect with the 9 other filmmaking teams that made up the Narrative Labs a couple of months ago… Can’t wait to see and hear how all of their films are taking shape!
the details of the screening: IFP LABS SHOWCASE SCREENING
Tuesday, September 21st — Doors Open at 8PM — Free and Open to the Public
Solar One, 2420 FDR Drive — at 23rd Street and the East River http://rooftopfilms.com/
The IFP Labs Showcase presents short scenes from each of the documentary and narrative feature works in progress participating in IFP’s 2010 Independent Filmmaker Labs. More info on the projects can be found at http://labs.ifp.org
And more about INDEPENDENT FILM WEEK (from their site):
Independent Film Week remains the oldest and largest forum in the U.S. for the discovery of new projects in development and new voices on the independent film scene.
THE HAPPY POET is currently selling his wares as part of the Venice Film Festival — but on the horizon, this month, we’ve got a slew of other screenings as well. (and this is just September!)
So, if you happen to be in Brooklyn, New York; Oldenburg, Germany or Cambridge, UK, here’s your chance to see THE HAPPY POET. Please spread the word and let’em know the poet is coming! Writer/Director/Actor Paul Gordon will be in attendance at most of these screenings, and I’ll be at a handful of the screenings in Brooklyn.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.”
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).
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…)
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.
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)
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)
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 Competition and screened at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival.
“In this savage comedy about deceit and sibling rivalry, two estranged brothers, Rudy and Paul, have nothing in common but their love for the same woman. When Paul whisks her away to a romantic mountain retreat, the lovers have no idea that Rudy has made it there first. From the shadows of the posh chalet, Rudy tries desperately to sabotage the relationship in director Bryan Poyser’s brilliantly executed game of cat and mouse.”
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 an organic food cart called “The Happy Poet” to compete against the flood of indistinguishable hot dog stands littered across Austin. He picks up a following and a couple of assistants, and things hum along nicely. He meets an attractive young woman who digs poetry and what he’s trying to do with his food cart. Going further than that would spoil the movie. The thing I like most about Poet is that it’s about something. It puts forward a forceful argument about the power of an individual to affect change in the world. Few films try to do this anymore, and even fewer do so effectively. In a way, the various people and institutions that surround him with doubt and pessimism awaken a sleeping, mostly-vegetarian and organic giant.”
Smells Like Screen Spirit “I think The Happy Poet is currently enjoying its position as my favorite film of SXSW 2010 (though Cyrus, Putty Hill and Lovers of Hate are not far behind). I think part of the reason that I enjoyed The Happy Poet so much was because I actually related to the lead character, Bill (Paul Gordon), and that character was so perfectly written for Gordon by Gordon. The Happy Poet is a perfect example of a writer and director knowing their own strengths and range as an actor.”
indieWIRE “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 independent film itself—trimmed down and in business against all odds—but that’s probably taking things too far.) 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.”
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 what the hell… become our friend on facebook too.
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 and I am really and truly excited to see how the film plays when it’s unleashed to the world. Paul Gordon (as actor/writer/director/producer/editor) has such an amazing/unique comedic film ‘voice’ — that getting to see his film with a crowd — will be really, really intriguing. And the tagline is pretty stellar… MAKE A STAND.
More info coming real soon, but here are some screening times for our 3 screenings at SXSW.
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 titled Family Programming about the film’s on demand release — and Home Media Magazine sent out a basic press release as well.
“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 errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”
Theodore Roosevelt – Paris, Sorbonne 1910
This was one of my father’s favorite quotes. He kept it on single sheet of paper on a bulletin board in his office for as long as I can remember. I stumbled across this quote today and am reminded about how much it means to me as well…
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 film/video art piece. Here’s a peek at a still from the opening title card (which does no justice at all to David’s work). I’ll start sending this one out next month and it’ll be one of the last pieces on my soon-to-be-released collection of short films.
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 many, many great things said about the film — here are a couple of them:
indieWIRE
1 of the 10 Best Films at Sundance — “An engaging, well-crafted film made on a minimal budget that is well-acted and cleverly written. Bryan Poyser’s latest showcases a bizarre love triangle with the elements of a stirring thriller.”
LAWEEKLY
“Lovers of Hate is a star-free, bare-bones comedy in which three actors talk and walk around a house for 90 minutes. It’s also the most exciting American indie I’ve seen in a while.”
Movie City News
“Bryan Poyser’s Lovers of Hate is the kind of tiny brilliant gem that low-budget indie films ought to be and so seldom are.”
FirstShowing.net
“It’s a charming film with real comedic teeth.”
The Wrap: Covering Hollywood
“Some movies build Sundance buzz; others deserve it. Bryan Poyser’s “Lovers of Hate” falls into the latter category.”
Film School Rejects
“Deeply felt, operatic emotions lie at the heart of Bryan Poyser’s Lovers of Hate. That they’re disguised beneath the exterior of a low-fi indie picture makes for an experience that’s strange, unsettling and wholly unpredictable. Few comparable dramas boast such an offbeat, creepy edge. While largely sticking with one location Poyser lends the central triangular relationship sinister, biblical overtones, producing a three character movie that inspires a mix of sympathy and revulsion for everyone involved.”
Voice Film
“Lovers of Hate puts the sparse means of production and naturalistic feel of mumblecore to the service of a genre film — physical comedy with a gilding of near-horror — fueled by the Swiss-watch comic timing of leads Chris Doubek (his nearly-wordless performance in the film’s second half is silent-horror perfection) and Alex Karpovsky and grounded by the bravery and emotional precision of actress Heather Kafka.”
I’m incredibly happy for the Lovers of Hate team — and couldn’t be happier for Writer/Director Bryan Poyser and Producer Megan Gilbride — both of whom willed this movie into existence and brought it full circle from shooting in Park City, Utah — to 1 year later World Premiering the film at the most prestigious film festival in the country — in Park City, Utah.
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 the film’s trailer debut.
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
Sunday, January 24th, 5:15 p.m. – Racquet Club, Park City
Tuesday, January 26th, 2:30 p.m. – Library Center Theatre, Park City
Wednesday, January 27th, 10:30 p.m. – Broadway Centre Cinemas IV, Salt Lake City
Thursday, January 28th, 12:15 p.m. – Eccles Theatre, Park City
Saturday, January 30th, 8:30 a.m. – Library Center Theatre, Park City
FIDDLESTIXX
*screens with All My Friends Are Funeral Singers
Tuesday, January 26th, 9:00 p.m. – NEW FRONTIER on Main, Park City
Wednesday, January 27th, 9:00 p.m. – Egyptian Theatre, Park City
Thursday, January 28th, 2:00 p.m. – Holiday Village Cinema II, Park City
Friday, January 29th, 7:30 p.m. – Broadway Centre Cinemas IV, Salt Lake City
Saturday, January 30th, 3:00 p.m. – Yarrow Hotel Theatre, Park City
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 the film:
THE HAPPY POET follows a one-time poet’s attempt to run a successful vegetarian foodstand despite pressure to sell something easier—hot dogs. Complications with the foodstand jeopardize budding friendships as well as Bill’s sense of self-worth and faith in humanity.
About the Narratives-in-Progress series
Filmmakers screen their “rough cuts” (or “near-fine-cuts”) for a filmmaker-member audience, and receive constructive comments and feedback. The meetings are moderated by experienced Austin film professionals. Participants will be expected to agree to confidentiality regarding the film and the comments received, as the films to be screened have not been finalized. Read more here>>
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, for one week only, IFC FIlms will present “Red Riding: Special Roadshow Edition,” screening the entire 305 minute trilogy at their New York IFC Center. The films will be broken up by a pair of intermissions at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. showings. There will be only be fourteen performances, according to an IFC announcement today.
The three separate “Red Riding” films, which screened last fall at the Telluride Film Festival, were directed by Julian Jarrold, James Marsh and Anand Tucker and written by Tony Grisoni, based on the novels by David Peace. The films will open with separate admissions on February 12th at IFC Center and will alos screen separately at Landmark’s Nuart in Los Angeles. [Eugene Hernandez]
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 NEW TRAILER and dates/times for some UPCOMING SCREENINGS.
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 great design from the incredibly talented Yen Tan.
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 as our page on the IFC website goes live, as well as where and when you can see the film on VOD.
Check out the official press release on indieWIRE.
When I stop and think about the last two-plus years of actually getting the film made and seen, it feels like a lifetime. Some interesting dates in the film’s evolution (and you can see our ever-changing potential title).
The 1st Draft of the Script (”Hearts on Fire”) that John sent me to read: Sunday, August 5th, 2007
The 1st Meeting with our future Production Company/Partner, Sixth Street Films: Monday, November 18th, 2007
The 1st Day of Official Pre-Production (with a production office open in Austin, Texas): Monday, January 28th, 2008
The 1st Day of Principal Photography (”Brotherly Love”) in Fort Collins, Colorado: Monday, March 17th, 2008
The 1st Public Screening/World Premiere (”The Overbrook Brothers”) at SXSW 2009: Sunday, March 15th, 2009
The 1st International Screening at the 17th Raindance Film Festival 2009 (UK): Monday, October 5th, 2009
The 1st Available Video-On-Demand Date: Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
From the release: THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS will be released via IFC Films’ movies-on-demand platform, available nationwide in 50 million homes on virtually all major cable systems, including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Cablevision and Brighthouse. Slated to premiere on February 17th, THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS will be available on VOD for three months.
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.
Fiddlestixx is about a monkey. A very special monkey.
Fiddlestixx was created by The Zellner Brothers.
Fiddlestixx will screen as 1 of 35 short films in the U.S. Dramatic Shorts category.
Fiddlestixx also tweets from time to time… if you’re interested, check him out on twitter.
Enough said.
The folks at Range Life, who I had a chance to hang out with for a short bit last week, are doing something really special, in my opinion. An indie film tour — taking movies across the country and bringing them to a theater near you. The company’s model utilizes social networking and [...]
2009 is winding down… But I am happy to say, that many of the film projects in the pipeline, whether in post-production or finishing or prepping for distribution, will have lots of news to share in the coming weeks and months. This will be my first place to post it – and one of [...]
Lance Hammer’s BALLAST is now available on BLU-RAY and DVD. An amazing film that has had a well documented festival run and DIY distribution approach – now’s your chance to own it on DVD.
In my “works-in-progress” kind of news, we have a finecut of my first feature film. Seeing the film, from end to end, is enthralling, scary, calming and humbling all at the same time. Of course it needs many, many more man hours of work and there are things that work and don’t quite [...]
