Lights, Camera, Film Fest! http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com The official blog of the Newport Beach Film Festival. Join us – April 28th - May 5th, 2011 posterous.com Tue, 03 May 2011 11:29:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Robert Celestino http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-robert-celestino http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-robert-celestino

By Kelly Strodl

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Today we talk with Robert Celestino, director of LEAVE, a film about Henry Harper - a successful novelist who has it all. But after surviving a recent trauma he finds himself haunted by a reoccurring dream that terrifies him. Henry decides to go to a remote second home to begin work on his next novel, a thriller. Convinced that the only way to understand what the dream means is to write his way through it. While there he encounters a strangely familiar drifter, who confronts him with information that threatens to turn everything he knows to be true, upside down. Director, producers and talent will attend the screening of this premiere!! 

Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

Who doesn't know about the Newport Film Festival? My last film premiered at Tribeca, the one before that at Sundance and now Leave is premiering at Newport -- In horse racing, they call that the Triple Crown.  The producers and I are delighted to be premiering our film here.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

Frank John Hughes and Rick Gomez came up with the story and then Frank, who I think is one of the greatest American writers living wrote the screenplay.  It's a wonderful story with great characters and dialogue.

They guys introduced me to producer Michael Hagerty.  Michael is a hard worker who brings out the best in people.  He brought producer Bettina Tendler O'Mara aboard.  Bettina has the patience of a saint, she believed in the project and along with Michael; she was able to obtain a budget and schedule I could work with.  I had a lot of fun making this film and working with these talented and like-minded people.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

I started in the late 80's with shorts and doc's, and wrote and directed my first feature in 1991. Things didn't go to well with the picture and financing ran out pretty quick.  We were still shooting on film in those days and cutting on flatbeds. A shoestring budget in 1990 was well over $200,000. The days of shooting a feature for pennies on video did not yet exist.   

When I ran out of money the lab tried to auction my negative and I spent the next three years in court trying to hold onto the film.  My efforts proved futile and ultimately I lost the film. But in my eyes, it was my film and I held all aesthetic rights.  So I walked into a local video facility in Yonkers to do some re-cuts, change the title, and hopefully make some foreign sales.  When I showed the film to the owner, he was impressed and asked me if I would look at a film he made for five thousand dollars. The film wasn't a masterpiece but he shot it on film for five grand!  I couldn’t believe it.  I walked out of there inspired. I thought if he can make a feature for $5000, I should be able to do one for $10,000.

I looked over my scripts.  I had one I thought could be produced for very little. I called in every favor and asked for plenty more, still I couldn’t budget the film for less than $20,000 – and that was just to get it in the can. 

But where was I going to get twenty grand?  I had sold my condo to finish the last film and lost every dime.  On top of that I borrowed a bunch of money from guys with New York accents who were showing up at my apartment wondering what happened to the condo I was going to sell to pay them back. 

Two weeks later I set a production date and scheduled a 19-day shoot.  We were set to start shooting in six weeks.  I still didn't have any money.  I was desperate.   My wife was willing to borrow $5000 against her only credit card and I had a friend who owned and gym in CT., who said he would invest $5000 if he could write some of the songs for the film.  That gave me $10,000, half the money, with two weeks left to the start of production.  One of the co-producers said jokingly, “Let’s go to Atlantic City and put it all on the black.”  Of course he was kidding and I the guy who made Yonkers Joe – I know you can’t win gambling, especially when you are desperate.  But I needed a sign, after what I went through on the last film, I thought of the words Carl Jung had posted over his door, “Ready or not the Gods will come.”  I needed the gods to come.  If I was going to stick around it had to be more than me. 

Cut to my co-producer, Brian Smyj and I diving down the Jersey Turnpike in the rain to Atlantic City.  It was a two and a half hour drive from where I lived.  The only rule we had is we’re not going to talk about.  We’re going to the first casino we come to, walk to the closest roulette wheel and bet the entire 10 grand… No thought, no decision, no hesitation – Just make the bet.  And that’s what we did…  The first hotel we came to was Trump’s casino.  We came off the escalator and walked up to the roulette wheel.  The money was in crumpled bills; we were in shorts and unshaven.  I could only imagine what the dealers were thinking when I threw the bills on the table and said “Gimme all black.” 

The dealer straitened out the money as she counted it, then pushed me the chips.  I pushed them right back – all ten thousand dollars worth onto the black.  And this is where it becomes like a movie.  Anyone who has played roulette knows it takes some time for the ball to settle -- it bounces around a bit then plops into a slot.  After what seemed an eternity, the ball plopped into the red. 

I looked at Brian and I thought, this is it… I’m done. The gods have made their choice.  There will be no film and I’m no filmmaker.    Then, at that very moment as if some invisible finger stuck their hand into the slot and grabbed hold of the tiny white ball – it popped out of the red and into the black!  We did it!  We had the money!  I remember Brian screaming and I began to weep.  We left the casino and two weeks later I began production on Mr. Vincent.  Everything that went wrong with my first feature went right with Mr. Vincent.  There was no looking back.  We premiered at Sundance and had a wonderful experience with the film.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

Frank introduced me to Rick Gomez.  I was a fan of Rick’s but I had no idea of his work ethic. I knew where Frank would go, as we had worked many times together.  But the film could not work unless Rick was able to believe in something his character would find impossible to believe.  As a man, there is no fooling Rick; he’s a brave heart who will go anywhere you ask of him as long as he believes it too.  He’s also wickedly intelligent.  So if you start to change things around he’s going to have questions. It was give and take for he and I at first, but then at some point early on we began to bond.  Making a film is a battle; your courage is tested many times. I respect him for his courage and his sensitivity, and a phenomenal ability to make you believe what his character believes. Every part of him, every cell of his body, heart and mind goes into the roll.  That’s how much courage he has. I loved working with him.

Frank John Hughes is more of a partner than I actor I work with.  On every film we’ve worked on together you’ll find us off in some corner discussing an element of the scene we’re shooting.  He’s extremely smart and has a keen sense of what is real and what is believable.  He also has what I believe is the greatest quality an artist can have -- he’s not lazy.  Through the years he and I have had marathon sessions trying to get to the heart of a character or solve a story point.   

Casting Amy was a real challenge, I had to believe that husband and wife shared a bond that went beyond physical attraction -- that went beyond even the love they felt for each other.  I wanted to experience something spiritual in their relationship – as if one doesn’t exist without the other.   A lot of what Henry does in the film comes from how connected he is to his wife.  Vinessa Shaw understood this.  Amy is an emotional roll, whose function in the story to attack the hero’s weakness as an ally.  Vinessa approached her as a strong women, dignified, classy but a little icy.  It was a brilliant approach as Vinessa kept the character’s arc in mind.  She knew it would be more moving for an audience if her character found that deeply emotional part of herself at a time when it would have the most impact. Vinessa nailed it!  It was a great choice and it was all hers. 

Great actors are the smartest people I know.  An ‘alive’ performance must be calculated, thought out in stages, then thrown away so we as an audience may feel like we’re experiencing it for the first time.  If you don’t think that’s hard, try it.  Try experiencing something you’ve done many times, as if it were the first time – then make me believe it!

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

I’m writing smash indie scripts!  Ha!  I write seven days a week, but only in the mornings.  The rest of the day I spend with my beautiful wife, who won’t let me out of her sight, until I pay her the $5000 I still owe her.

LEAVE screens Tuesday, May 3 at 7:45 PM at the Regency Lido Theater.

To purchase tickets visit:

http://newportbeach.slated.com/2011/films/leave_robertcelestino_newportbeach2011

Watch the trailer for the film here:

http://www.facebook.com/thefilmleave

Then click on the videos tab to the left.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:50:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Grant Wheeler http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-grant-wheeler http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-grant-wheeler

By Kelly Strodl

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Today Grant Wheeler, director of The Lone Jackal took a few minutes to answer some questions about his film that will screen as part of the Action Sports Shorts showcase this year. The documentary film follows motorcross freerider, Alastair Sayer on his return to his native African homeland after a successful European FMX tour. His journey home is chronicled through heart-felt narration while visiting friends and family and battling the weather to ride once again. The Lone Jackal documents a major turning point in Sayer's life, when he comes full circle, both literally and symbolically, preparing for the next stage of his life where he blazes a new path in his career and seals his legacy as one of Africa's most stylish freeriders.

Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

I found the festival on Withoutabox.com.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it. 

I've been a dedicated fan of motorcycle movies from an early age, and I've collected almost every single title released since Terrafirma 1. And I've seen the progression of dirtbike films over the decades, following in the footsteps of skate and surf movies. As the years progressed these films started becoming more narrative driven and focused on the athletes and their personal stories. I felt that dirtbike movies needed to evolve into that direction, and I needed to evolve my own filmmaking into that direction too. So I rounded up the most volatile and well respected African freerider, the bushcat from Botswana, Alastair Sayer. 

Alastair has a jam packed schedule traveling around Europe doing shows for Masters of Dirt and competing in the Night of the Jumps series, thus we had to plan our shoot for when he returns to South Africa between events. The premise of the film was to depict the rider 'helmet off', getting a deeper perspective of what it takes to live this rock-star lifestyle, yet still with a healthy dose of great riding sequences. Alastair moved into my house for his time back home, and so did most of the production crew. We followed him almost Cinema Verte style from the moment he stepped off the plane till he left again. 

Jakalas, as his fans know him by, was going through a huge personal battle at the time. He was at a turning point in his career, where he either had to progress to the next level, or quit completely. Each time he left home he risked his relationship with close family and friends. Being away from your loved ones for long periods takes its toll on the toughest of characters. Alastair beautifully narrated his journey and the choices he made. After five weeks of shooting, and an all night session in the voice over studio later, we said our goodbyes and he was off on another adventure. Days later he set the new World Record for set-up and was awarded the best African FMX rider. 

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

I grew up racing motorcycles, broke too many bones and had to find something else I could do creatively while healing up. Shooting my buddies ride was always my passion, and still is. After making some dirtbike movies, I completed my studies at film school and now I'm very fortunate to still be making motorcycle movies, its not really a job. Thats why I love it so much.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

The weather played a big role in the production of this film. We went into production during spring, just as the summer thunderstorms started rolling into Johannesburg. We planned an epic sunset freeride session but day after day we got rained out, and our time with Alastair was also running out. But eventually the bad weather turned into a metaphor for Alastairs personal struggles, so I wrote it into the film. On the second to last day of shooting, we headed out to his favorite freeride spot and the clouds magically parted for us to shoot the most epic sunset sequence. And in his own words, "Every day is a gift, that is why they call it the Present".

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

I try to ride my motorcycle as much as I can. I've just recently had most of the titanium plates and bolts removed from my body, and hope to be injury free for a while. Other than that I'm currently making Extreme Enduro movies for Throttle Entertainment and traveling the world in search of new stories.

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THE LONE JACKAL screens with two other films as part of the ACTION SPORTS SHORTS SHOWCASE Saturday, April 30 at 11 AM in the Triangle Square Theater 4.

To purchase tickets visit:

http://newportbeach.slated.com/2011/films/thelonejackal_jonathangrantwheeler_newportbeach2011

Watch the trailer for the film here:

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Sun, 17 Apr 2011 17:08:31 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Lisa Gossels http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-lisa-gossels http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-lisa-gossels
By Kelly Strodl
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Today we talk with Lisa Gossels, director of My So-Called Enemy, the coming of age story of six Palestinian and Israeli teenage girls who travel to the U.S. to participate in a women's leadership program called Building Bridges for Peace and the transformative journey that follows both in the program and upon their return to their native countries. In July 2002, 22 women came to the U.S. to participate in the program, and during their time learned to reconcile their experience in the program with the realities of life back home in the Middle East over the next 7 years. What unfolds is an emotionally-charged film about the human consequences of all conflicts--as seen through the eyes of 6 young women who are thoughtful, intelligent and articulate beyond their years.

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

From Steve Shor, a Film Festival Advisor to the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

When I started making "My So-Called Enemy" in 2002, I had no idea how long it would take to make the movie, or how transformative the 8-year journey would be.  I did not make the film with any answers;  the process was all about asking questions. 

Right after 9/11, I remember engaging in heated political debates about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.  I came to understand how wars could be fought on words and how easy it is to reduce conflicts to black and white terms. 

Two months earlier, I had the privilege of meeting Melodye Feldman, the founder of Seeking Common Ground (and its Building Bridges for Peace flagship program), at a Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education conference (CAJE) in Denver.  Melodye shared the stage with some Palestinian and Israeli participants from her 2001 summer program.  I was so taken by the stories from the teenage girls about how the program had changed them that I knew I had found the subject-matter for my next film. "My So-Called Enemy" was never a film about an idea, but about young people. And, I loved the idea that those young people were women, because, as Nicholas Kristof once wrote, "focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism."

While the first act of "My So-Called Enemy" takes place in the emotionallly charged 2002 Building Bridges program, to me the film is really about what happens to the six participants when they return home to the Middle East over the next 7 years.

Q.  What is the core message of your film? 

The central message of "My So-Called Enemy" is the transformative power of knowing  "the other," or "the enemy," as a human being.  Through the stories of the young Israeli, Palestinian and Palestinian Israeli women in the film, we see how creating relationships across emotional, ideological and physical borders is a first step towards resolving conflict.  Because "My So-Called Enemy" is an emotional journey, it opens hearts and minds and creates the space for dialogue about not only the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but issues that divide us in our families, schools and communities.  By watching "My So-Called Enemy," viewers will see the complexities of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through a human lens--and the possibility and hope that comes from listening to each other's stories.

Q: Your take on the main characters in your movie (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

Adi, Gal, Hanin, Inas, Rawan and Rezan, the main characters in "My So-Called Enemy," were teenagers when I first started filming them.  Because they live in a conflict region, it took a great deal of courage for them to participate in the movie.  While we had some access issues of where we could film some of the girls, particularly the Palestinians, all of them opened their hearts, minds and lives to our cameras.  Because films can be very manipulative and will be seen by mass audiences, we have an awesome responsibility as  documentarians to not only convey the personal truths of our subjects, but to honor the trust they have bestowed upon us--with the understanding that will have to live in their societies with the final film.  We were always careful to respect not only the girls' dignity, but their personal safety.  We never created high drama, or humorous moments, at their expense.  The young women in "My So-Called Enemy" are my hope. They all have become my family.

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MY SO-CALLED ENEMY screens on Sunday, May 1 at 1 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 3. And Wednesday, May 4 at 3:30 PM at the Regency Lido Theater.

Click on link below to watch a sample of the film:

Click below to buy tickets for the film:

http://newportbeach.slated.com/2011/films/mysocalledenemy_lisagossels_newportbeach2011

Or for more information on the film and program, follow the links below:

www.mysocalledenemy.com

www.facebook.com/mysocalledenemy

www.s-c-g.org

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Mon, 11 Apr 2011 09:58:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Kevin Van Hagen and Drew Pierce http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-kevin-van-hagen-and http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-kevin-van-hagen-and

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By Kelly Strodl

Yup, you know what this means... We're back with the 2011 edition of NBFF Filmmaker's Five a quick and quirky Q&A with independent filmmakers showing their films at the festival each year. For our kickoff edition, I talked with producer Kevin Van Hagen and director Drew Pierce – of DEADHEADS, a postmodern take on the buddy flick, where the two friends just happen to be two inexplicably coherent zombies!

Reminiscent of such 80’s-epics as Goonies, TeenWolf, My Best Friend’s a Vampire, and the like, the story follows two slackers, Mike and Brent, who find themselves surprisingly un-dead amid a disastrous zombie outbreak. After discovering an engagement ring in his coat pocket, Mike enlists his new found zombie pal, Brent, to embark on a quest in search of his lost love. So they’re undead, that doesn’t mean the two can’t embark on a road trip adventure of Goonies proportions – full of high jinks, awkward reunions,  and a search for lost love, unaware that they are being pursued by ruthless, zombie-killing bounty hunters!

Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

It had been recommended to us and we'd read an article about the 10 best fests that were worth the price of submission and Newport was up there. Advice to any new filmmakers like ourselves, budget for festival submission costs and do your homework about which ones are worth it. 

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

It's a zombie/buddy/road trip/action/adventure/romantic comedy. Say that three times fast! It's about two zombie pals newly risen from the dead, Mike and Brent, whom embark on a cross country road in search of Mike's lost love as they are pursued by a team of ruthless bounty hunters. After moving to LA to pursue our dreams we quickly entered the lovely world of production assistant employment. Drew came up with the idea of a zombie buddy film andI chimed in with the lost love angle and we started burning the midnight oil on draft after draft of the script out of fear of becoming permanent PA's. 

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

Drew and I grew up amid the production of EVIL DEAD as kids, our father was the visual FX artist on it. Watching Sam Raimi and the guys spin out their crazy horror/comedy flick got us itching to do the same. We made some zero budget indie films with our friends back in our home state of Michigan and that was our film school. Every weekend someone was shooting something and if you didn't show up to lend a hand (or your camera) you weren't pulling your weight. 

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

Our cast is amazing. Michael McKiddy and Ross Kidder are our zombie comedy duo and it kills me that others haven't picked up on these two yet. Mike and Ross are the type of actors you pray you get. They never flinched that we shot 10 weeks/6 days a week, covered them in fake blood, and rigged them with explosive squibs. Truth is, they wanted to be there just as much as us, they believed in us and the movie. I remember one night we we're setting up for this beautiful wide shot of an old creepy barn with encroaching zombies, and there's Mike next to me in full makup and costume. He looked at me and said with a smile "I can't believe we're doing this!" That makes me smile even to this day. 

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film? 

I'm a production coordinator on a reality TV series and my brother is a freelance animator. After work it's still a full time job on DEADHEADS. The battle for distribution is an entirely different monster and applying to fests can be very up and down emotionally but you just keep moving forward. Making movies is a series of insurmountable problems but it's also the most fun we've ever had in our lives.

DEADHEADS screens on Friday, April 29 at 8:15 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 1. And Tuesday, May 2 at 7:45 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 6.

The Friday show has already sold out, but there are still tickets available for the Tuesday screening.

Purchase tickets here:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=358115


Or watch the trailer on YouTube, here:

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:03:00 -0700 The NBFF 2011 Official Line UP http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/the-nbff-2011-official-line-up http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/the-nbff-2011-official-line-up
The time has come film-frienzied followers for the 12th annual Newport Beach Film Festival. Boasting yet again, a slew of high-quality film, fancy fare, and pimped-out partying, it's sure to be an event for the books. 

Eight days and nights filled with more than 350 films, many starring big names the likes of Lucy Liu, Michael C. Hall, Peter Fonda, Colin Hanks, Harvey Keitel, and more... Spotlight parties that have earned their own reputations as high-quality industry networking events and just a plain good old fashioned time. Food from more than 30 of this international destination's most illustrious eateries. Old friends and new – plus, dancing, drinks, the Southern California sun await the thousands expected to visit this April 28th through May 5, 2011.

With less than a month to go before Opening Night, there will be a ton of giveaways, deals and special announcements to be found right here: 

For starters...

Right now you can sign up to win a pair of ALL ACCESS Passes to the fest through OC Weekly. Valued at $450 each, these laminated golden keys will gain you entrance to all parties, films, social events, free food, drinks, networking and special events you can imagine.

Make sure to get started planning your week, to catch the best of the best in film, fun and entertainment. With several than 350 films and 10+ evening events planned, plus a slew of workshop and the the like there's a lot to pack in to eight days. 

Flip through this year's NBFF Program e-booklet for a peek at all the happenings. (No trees were harmed in the making of this program).

- @kelly4nia your film fest corespondent

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Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:59:00 -0700 OCPAC Presents: Free for All MOVIE MONDAYS http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/ocpac-presents-free-for-all-movie-mondays http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/ocpac-presents-free-for-all-movie-mondays

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:01:19 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Nicolas Simonin http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-nicolas-simonin http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-nicolas-simonin

By Kelly Strodl

Derailedhotelroom

Today I spoke with Nicolas Simonin, director of the short film DERAILED. The film, part of a collection of short films called DETOUR.FR, a project that will take the watcher into a dark side of Paris. In DERAILED, An anonymous man finds himself lost on the no man's land of railways in a strange train station at night, in Paris, as he tries to help a woman. A woman who is not all that she seems. 

Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

I heard about the New Port Beach Festival few months ago in France while I was searching for Festivals to submit my movie to. I found the previous selection of movie interesting and the place really great. New Port Beach is a really nice set for Networking and for enjoying movies.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

DERAILED is part of a collection of short stories I wrote a year ago. My goal is to make one or two shorts per year. All the stories share the same concept: “a dark story happens the same night in a large western city like Paris, London, or Sao Paolo”. What’s important is, it always starts with a simple situation that turns to scary life-to-death situation. I am currently working on the feature version of the short ‘DERAILED’.

Making an Horror movie on real locations was very challenging but it worth it. With DERAILED I had to deal with a lot of elements: the weather, the windy cold, the security of the set and of the actors. My first DA fainted the second day of the shooting. I had no choice but to continue shooting the movie without DA. But at the end, we had amazing images and a really scary atmosphere…as scary as it was on the real set.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
DERAILED is my second short movie. I am a ‘traveling’ film maker. I did my first short in Argentina few years ago. Then with DERAILED I moved to the United States. I am originally an Engineer who switches 8 years ago for a career in the movie industry.

I have been working as a producer assistant in France for 3 years, then as a professional screenwriter for the French TV networks for 5 years. Now I am moving my career toward the Feature movie industry with a first movie in development in France and a lot of projects here in the US. DERAILED is my first success with already 5 official selections since January and two Awards (Honor Award at the NPB Festival and “Best Foreign Film” at the Fearless Film Festival Forth Worth, Texas).

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

Hubert Benhamdine is a well known actor in France. He has done lot of TV shows. His physical performance on the set was so great. He did all the stunt performances. He was so involved physically on the set, that the last day Hubert’s legs were almost paralyzed by the cold.

Julie Louart who plays the Creature of the rail tracks, did an amazing job. We did a lot of rehearsal to built the Creature gestures and movements. She stayed incredibly resistant to the cold. We filmed the movie during 4 cold winter nights in Paris and she was wearing almost nothing during the whole shooting.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

By day, I work as a social media consultant and graphic designer. Internet has always been my thing since 6 years now. I also work as a professional TV screenwriter for France.

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE FILM: www.DETOUR.FR I suggest Internet users have a look to www.detour.fr : we’re building an Interactive game that will allow Internet users to try to save the main character of the short from his curse. The game will start in late summer on this website. You can Join us on Facebook.

JOIN the film's Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=72869249417&ref=ss

Or check out the film's official blog www.aboutderailed.com

Find Simonin on IMDB:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2144991/resume

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Mon, 10 May 2010 16:37:00 -0700 Win a Trip for Two to the Edmonton International Film Festival http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/win-a-trip-for-two-to-the-edmonton-internatio http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/win-a-trip-for-two-to-the-edmonton-internatio
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The Newport Beach Film Festival is proud to partner with the Edmonton International Film Festival this year. 
Win A Trip for Two to Attend this fall. Just Text ALBERTA to 88704 to enter.
* Message and data rates may apply
 
About EIFF:
The Edmonton International Film Festival has prided itself for years on one concept - 'discovery'. Striving to uncover cinematic gems and celebrate unique voices in moviemaking such as directors, writers and producers. EIFF is about films and the people who make them.

Just a couple hours drive from the majestic Rocky Mountains, Edmonton is known for its big sky, endless sunshine, and its glorious crown jewel - The River Valley (which contains the largest stretch of urban parkland and trail systems in North America). Located east of Vancouver and west of Toronto, Edmonton is THE heart of the Canadian Prairies, the northernmost big city in North America. And with a population of more than one million people, this is a city that loves movies.

For nine days each autumn, Edmontonians feast on all things cinematic. It's a veritable buffet of fantastic, independent films from around the globe. Whatever the genre, EIFF programmers search the world over for entertaining films that exhibit great storytelling qualities. The  schedule includes 55 feature-length slots, and 110 short films programmed into feature-length packages. All films screened at EIFF must be Edmonton premieres.

Over the years, they've hosted John Waters, Patrick Warburton, Norman Jewison, Deepa Mehta, Jorgen Leth, Arthur Hiller, Anne Wheeler, Werner Herzog, Don McKellar, Bruce McDonald and more at the festival.

For more information on EIFF visit: 

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Fri, 07 May 2010 19:26:30 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Jason Victor Everett http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-jason-victor-everet http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-jason-victor-everet
By Kelly Strodl 

The_sitdown_-_postcard_4x6_8-2

Today I spoke with Jason Victor Everett, director/writer/producer of the Sitdown, a short film showcased in the “Find Your Voice” set of films that screened the final day of the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. This short film asks the question: How do concerned foster parents cope with today's generation of violent wayward youth? What guidance can be offered to the adopted offspring of abusive homes and troubled streets? Perhaps delivering a few stern words is still the best place to start...

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A:  We've been hearing good things about the festival from various sources for a while now, but the Newport Beach festival was portrayed in an especially good light in the documentary entitled "Official Rejection," which we saw about two months ago.  After attending this year, we can happily attest to the festival's rave reviews.  They really care a lot about the filmmakers and audiences at NBFF.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: THE SITDOWN is a short comedic piece we put together in early 2009.  It's about a concerned foster parent providing advice to a troubled wayward youngster.  We shot it over the course of two weekends in my living room.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: Seems like it's been a long road, since I had sort of an unfortunate detour along the way known as law school.  While working in the legal world in the years since graduation and trying to pay down huge student loans, I attended film classes at night and started up a small production company named Sound & Fury Productions.  We were lucky to start playing the festival circuit with THE SITDOWN in late 2009, which was the first short film out of that venture.  I also want to acknowledge the efforts of Olivia Lee, a very talented graphic designer by day, who helped immensely with THE SITDOWN in terms of both the production and promotional process.     

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A:  Hmmm ... well given that the lead performance was from a non-actor (unfortunately yours truly), I'd have to say the acting was especially weak!   

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

A: Well, as I have a very very long way to go before ever making a "smash indie film," I'd say in my spare time (what is that? some kind of foreign concept?) I'm doing my best to hopefully make semi-competent short films.  But most of the time I'm working the non-film day job, which is both a blessing (glad to be working in this economy) and maybe a curse, since it takes up so much time and energy.  In sum, I truly believe I have consumed enough 5-Hour Energy over the past two years that I could be their official spokesperson by now.

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Wed, 05 May 2010 15:35:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with David Orr http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-david-orr http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-david-orr By Kelly Strodl

Refresh_kelly2

Today I spoke with David Orr, director of Refresh, a sci-fi thriller about Roger Dean, a successful businessman, who has been clinically depressed for years, to the point of suicide. He has attempted a range of remedies, some prescribed, some radical, but none have worked for him. At the end of his rope, he approaches PDLAS, a mysterious private company that promises an effective - but irrevocable - solution. All he is told is that he will emerge 'completely refreshed.'

Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: Through a colleague of mine, Stuart Shook of Shelter Post. He works with our editor, Christopher Willoughby, and suggested we submit to Newport Beach. I'm really glad I did - I saw some great stuff here.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: REFRESH was based on an experience of mine at a sleep study lab - where they monitor sleep patterns during an overnight stay, although in the film that experience is taken to an extreme! I wanted to address the idea that some people would do anything to utterly change their life. We shot on a DSLR with video capabilities, the Canon 5D mark II in May of last year. We were the first narrative piece ever shot with that technology (at the time only Vincent Laforet and Shane Hurlbut had used the camera as a production tool: Vincent for a montage titled 'Reverie' and Shane for some viral packages for Terminator Salvation). Canon had no idea that people would take the 5DmkII seriously as a production tool (the video function was really intended for photojournalists to grab clips on the fly), so had not developed refined controls for filmmakers. As pioneers, we were figuring out a lot of fixes and workarounds on our own. For instance, this was before you could even set the exposure on the camera itself; we'd establish what the exposure should be, point a light in the lens, then move it off the center until the exposure was correct. Then we'd hit the exposure lock and shoot. The week after we wrapped, Canon announced an upgrade to allow setting exposure! Since the production, I've been invited by Canon to consult on hardware and software development.

The results are astonishing. I showed clips of REFRESH at a symposium on emerging technologies at the Directors Guild of America. This was Theater 1 - one of the best screens in the world - and it held up! It looked better than the RED footage we saw there.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: I am a commercial director and fine art photographer. I had done some experimental works quite a while ago (FAIRCHILD and NOCTURNE), which did well in festivals, and were shown repeatedly on PBS here in the states and Channel 4 Britain. This is my first narrative piece, and is a teaser for a feature I'm developing. 

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: I knew that Andrew (Turman, cinematographer) and I could make it look great; but I was adamant that we get great performances. In fact, the production was designed to accommodate faster setups to allow ample time with the actors.

Casting was, by far, the most critical aspect of the production (as it should be), and I have to give thanks to Anthony Krauss, our Casting Director. Luckily everyone: Anthony, actors we approached, and their representation, liked my reel, and really responded to the script. Steven Culp loved it - he's a big 'Twilight Zone' fan - and signed on quickly. That was a game changer - suddenly our calls to Endeavor and CAA were being returned quickly! Scott Michael Campbell signed on after that, and we were good to go. Both, of course, are excellent and accomplished actors, so were a significant asset on a project like this. They were both enormously sympathetic to the rigors and realities of an indie flick, and both worked very, very hard.

Their working styles were different, of course: if pressed, I'd say that Steven works more from the inside out and Scott from the outside in. In order to work more effectively with actors, I'd studied acting at Playhouse West, and had taken the Judith Weston (acting for directors) course, so was able to navigate both styles fairly well. The most exciting moments by far were seeing what a talented actor brings to character and a story. Not only seeing the words come to life, but the nuances that are brought into play - the 'inner life' of the characters and situations. That's gold, especially when those things are something you may not have thought of initially, but seem so dead-on, furthering the story and bringing additional layers to it. Both Steven and Scott have the presence and charisma that makes you want to watch them constantly - especially on a big screen.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

A: I’m also a fine artist. Lately, the main medium has been photography. I love the collaborative nature of filmmaking, but it's nice to be able to create something without needing access to thousands of dollars and a crew! I've had some success with it - I'm in collections with Ansel Adams, John Baldessari, Jim Dine, David Hockney, and Edward Weston, and have shown all over the country and in Europe. I had originally tinkered with still cameras to become more fluid with the mechanics of lenses, exposure, composition etc., but now also love it was a means of expression. I do artists talks and presentations, and have been a guest speaker at UCLA on several occasions. The print work is fairly large, 20x30 inches to 40x60 inches. I will most likely be integrating motion into my artwork as time goes on. In my view, still and motion picture photography are merging quickly so one medium very much feeds and informs the other, both technically (look at my film!), and aesthetically.

Watch the film’s trailer here:

http://www.refreshfilm.com/trailer.html

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Mon, 03 May 2010 10:31:15 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Todd Giglio http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-todd-giglio http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-todd-giglio

By Kelly Strodl

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The festival may have come to a close, but we’re still talking with a number of the filmmakers whose work showed at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. Stay tuned there are many more interviews to come.

Today I talked with Todd Giglio, director/writer/star of DRAWING WITH CHALK a film about a mid-life coming of age. Jay and Matt are two 40-year-old musicians who want to jump start their stalled careers. As Matt's middle-age anxiety sets in, Jay struggles to find a balance between his music and family, all while negotiating the minefields of friendship and marriage when the two worlds don't fit together. The film was written by Giglio and Christopher Springer and became a family affair, featuring Giglio’s own son, Brennan Giglio playing his film son.

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: We first heard about the Newport Beach Film Festival from a documentary about Film Festivals called OFFICIAL REJECTION (which I highly recommend btw). Oh yeah, the NBFF has it's shining moment in the doc.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: DRAWING WITH CHALK is a film about dreams and responsibilities and what happens when the two collide.

Based loosely upon our (Christopher Springer and myself) own struggles with the entertainment business, DWC is a story of two near 40 year old friends trying to give their dreams of being rock stars one last chance. We shot the film with a very small crew and basically wore every hat in the production: from writing to directing, acting to the music.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: Chris and I were great friends back in college (we were both theater students). Later we moved to NYC and shared an apartment together as we hit the streets looking for acting work. Eventually I strayed away from the acting seen and tried my hand at a more lucrative career: being in a rock band :). Chris continued to pursue acting work (via voice overs). I got married and moved out of NYC, and Chris married my wife's sister and also ended up moving out of NYC. Years later we really reconnected and started hanging out watching movies and listening to music in my basement. One night we were discussing how quickly time had passed and what had really happened with our 'careers'. Determined to not give up, we decided to write a story (originally based off of a song I had written years earlier ironically called NOWHERE). Our story (and the film) proves that you should never give up on your dreams. 

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: Ah, the performances!! Yes, they all ROCKED! (of course I have to say that... we played the main roles :)). Seriously, we were very pleased with all of the performances in the film. Since we basically cast ourselves (and my son Brennan) as well as some other working actors (all trying to gain a name for themselves) we had to make sure that all performances were authentic, charismatic and memorable. It's hard enough to make a film with known actors, but to make one with unknowns? You better damn well believe in the characters or you'll never get out of the gate. 

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
A: What do we do? Do we really have to say it? Just kidding. We are both waiters during the night and we raise our kids during the day. All other hours are spent trying to get this film out there. Believe us, our wives can attest to this!

Watch the trailer to DRAWING WITH CHALK here:

http://www.drawingchalkpictures.com/

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Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:43:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Seth W. Owen http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-seth-w-owen http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-seth-w-owen

By Kelly Strodl

Peepers-1sheet-797930

Today I spoke with Seth W. Owen, director of Peepers, an interesting film about a rag-tag group of peeping toms, led by the eagle-eyed Steve, who take to Montreal's chilly rooftops under cover of night to get a vantage of people in their most intimate, within their homes. They're on the prowl for the perfect peep desperate to glimpse a "hottie hookup," a "panty party" or a "big booty buffet" through un-shuttered windows. But their lives are about to change. Enter Annette, a brazen academic who turns the tables by setting her sights on the peepers themselves. Soon it's a Battle Royale for rooftop supremacy will these die-hard obsessives manage to defend their turf, or will peeping as they know it never be the same?


Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
A: Met a fine fellow at Cinequest who recommended it. Then, looking into it, we may have heard something about yacht parties. At that point it became really clear we had to make it to Newport.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
A: The story does not stem from any illicit yoyeuristic experiences in my own life, surely! But Montreal is a city conducive to peeping, in all its many guises, and spending a lot of quality time on Montreal’s glorious rooftops – for purely non-peeping purposes! - sparked the initial idea. Later, when I was writing the film with Dan Perlmutter and Mark Slutsky, our writing room had these big, big windows that looked out at an opposing apartment building’s bathroom windows. There were a lot of hard-to-ignore showers going on over there. So that fed into the script, to be sure, and maybe slowed us down, too, because it took us a few years to finish the thing. Then Andi State came on board as producer, and it was damn the torpedoes full steam ahead right to production. We shot predominantly on the chilly November rooftops of Montreal. We were a little army of peeping toms, making it - under cover of night! With nudity! But it was cold, cold, cold, and we had to hustle. We were shooting like crazy to get the thing done in two weeks, and it was an ambitious little production for the budget and time that we had.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
A: For over a decade, I’ve been making underground films under the umbrella of Automatic Vaudeville Studios, and screening them at our boisterous live events. We’re somewhere between a comedy troupe and a major motion picture studio. We’ve shot every genre under the sun – monster pictures, westerns, musicals, Germanic art films. All for around ten bucks. Peepers was an amazing opportunity to make a film with a real budget, and all the perks that come with it. Now I may have to stay above-ground for a little while longer. That having-a-budget thing – I fear it’s gotten its bejeweled claws in me.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
A: Automatic Vaudeville has a nice little repertory of friends and actors who’ve been in a lot of our films, and our producer Andi State also happens to be a talent agent, so we kind of brought those two houses together to create the ensemble. Montreal is a city with a lot of amazing, undiscovered talent, and I’m so happy we managed to get so many great folks in the film, even in the smaller roles. The actors had it pretty rough on this one. It’s tough to be funny when you’re freezing your ass off on a windy rooftop in the middle of the night. And they all rose to the occasion.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
A: I spend most of the time on the couch, wondering when I am going to be able to make another smash indie film. The couch is also a great place for finding change, and the perfect vantage point from which to indulge my appetite for an unhealthy amount of reality television programming. When it’s nice out, I may even take a walk.

 

PEEPERS screens at 8:15 PM today, Thursday, April 29 in the Edwards Island theater 4.

 

Click here to purchase tickets for shorts showcase:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256887

 

Watch the film’s trailer here:

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Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:54:00 -0700 NBFF Screener CHRISTINA Wins awards at BNFF http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-screener-christina-wins-awards-at-bnff http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-screener-christina-wins-awards-at-bnff

Christina

CHRISTINA, the thrilling drama from director Larry Brand, raked in the awards last week at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival on the other side of the states, winning Best Director, Best Actress (Nicki Aycox), Best Actor (Stephen Lang), and Best Picture.The film showed there as the closing night feature, and drew audiences in with it's powerful story about the destructive power of secrets, and finding a future with the after experiencing a horrifying past.

Inspired by a true story about a young German woman prepares to leave her war-ravaged city to begin a new life in America with her G.I. fiance. But standing between her and a hopeful future is a relentless police inspector, determined to prevent her from escaping her past. He pushes her to face the truth about a child, whose secret the woman has kept all this time. Before she can leave for her new life, she will be forced to confront the past she's been trying to leave behind.

CHRISTINA screened Friday, April 23 and will be showing again, due to raving response, at 1:15 PM on Thursday, April 29 at the Edwards Island Theater 4. Cast and Crew are scheduled to attend the event.  

 

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Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:49:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Marco Amenta http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/17474025 http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/17474025

By Kelly Strodl 

The-sicilian-girl

Today I talked with Marco Amenta, director of The Sicilian Girl, a film about a young girl who is raised within the mafia. Motivated by a combination of idealism and revenge after the murder of her father and brother, both members of La Cosa Nostra, 17-year-old Rita Atria went to Palermo's legendary anti-mafia magistrate Paolo Borsellino and revealed all she had written in her diary since she was seven years old. The contents of that diary unlock a hunt against the mafia with details that can ruin the organization. The magistrate takes the girl under his wing and offered her protection against the sure-to-come retribution. Based on true events.


Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: The US distributor of my film got in contact with the festival. The us distributor is showing the film in many festival before the official US theatrical distribution that will start August 4th in NY (Film Forum). Only 2 Italian films have US distribution this year! So I am so happy abut this. Us audience love the film ! go to the Facebook page "The Sicilian Girl" and become a fan !

 

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: My sister Simonetta is the producer of the film. We have a family business !!! She got money to produce the film from Italy and France. And the film has be sold and theatrical released to many countries - Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

 

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: It is the story of a young Sicilian girl who grows up in a mafia family. She believe mafia is good! And that her father is a good guy, like robin hood! Growing up mafia will kill his father.. and she will go against the mafia... the first girl against the mafia ! a big fight for a young girl.. against powerful and strong godfathers...

 

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: It was very difficult to choose the lead actress, Veronica D'agostino, who plays the girl against the mafia. I auditioned hundreds of actresses and non actresses.. but in the end I was sure : she was the girl! The right one! No doubts! She is perfect in the role. she has the strength but also the tenderness of a young 17-year old girl, and she felt so natural and real in the role since the first audition.

A she has a great energy. We rehearsed a lot before the shooting, exploring the context, I look to do this with all the actors. and it is the moment where we change sometimes the lines, to adapt to the characters. And after, during the shooting we don't need to talk a lot, because they know exactly what i want from them. Veronica was so "inside" the character, that we almost didn’t need to talk...

 

For the role of the prosecutor, because it is based on a famous anti-mafia Italian prosecutor, I wanted that he looked like the true character. and also I wanted a new face. not an actor that everybody knew... So I chose a very famous French actor that in Italy is not famous.

Then the role of the father, the mafia boss, Don Vito, is Marcello Mazzarella a great actor, who is also a friend of mine. he felt do much inside the character, that during the days of the shooting he wanted to go around the village with the motorbike of the character in order to continue to be him... even out of the shooting. I like actors that "do not act,” meaning that feel their emotion. They don't play the emotion in a fake way. During the shooting days "they are the character" and they feel like him/her. They are actors that play with "guts" not with the head. Even if the study and prepare a lot, then they are able to be instinctive and true.

 

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

A: I work full time in film. While not filming a lot of working is for writing the films and also in financing the films. I have a production company together with my sister, so we produce also other filmmakers and we are trying to grow also a s a film company.

 

THE SICILIAN GIRL screens at 7:30 and 7:45 PM today, Monday, April 26 in the Edwards Island theaters 1 & 5.

 

Click here to purchase tickets for shorts showcase:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256843

 

 

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Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:00:00 -0700 UPDATE! Burzynski - 2nd Screening Added http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/update-burzynski-2nd-screening-added http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/update-burzynski-2nd-screening-added
Due to high demand for the documentary filmm Burzynski, we've added a second screening at 8:30 PM, Sunday, April 25 in South Coat Village Theater.
Burzynski
Ph.D biochemist, Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, won one of the largest legal battles against the Food & Drug Administration in U.S. history. Dr. Burzynski and his patients endured a treacherous 14-year journey in order to obtain FDA-approved clinical trials for a new cancer-fighting drug. His groundbreaking medical and legal battles have brought revolutionary cancer treatment to the public. Upon completion, his treatment will be available the world over - sending a shock wave through the cancer industry.

For more #nbff festival updates, celeb spottings, esclusive photos from the parties, filmmaker interviews and more... visit us on our Facebook Fan Page and/or Twitter

- Kelly Strodl @kellyl4nia

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Sun, 25 Apr 2010 14:43:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Tim VandeSteeg http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/17356399 http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/17356399

By Kelly Strodl

Myrun
Today I talked with Tim VandeSteeg, director of MY RUN, a film that follows the epic foot journey of one man over more than 2,000 miles of the US to bring awareness to the plight of single parents. After tragically losing his wife to breast cancer and struggling to raise three young children on his own, Terry Hitchcock seized on an idea. He wanted to accomplish the impossible: run 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days to bring attention to the incredibly difficult lives of single-parent families. He ran in spite of freezing rain and unbearable heat, in spite of chest pains and bone fractures that wracked his 57-year-old body. He just kept running - each day, every day - strengthening an unbreakable bond between father and son--- not stopping until he broke the finish line tape in Atlanta. Narrated by Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton. Special Guests include Terry Hitchcock and the Filmmakers.

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: I heard about the NBFF awhile back, it has great rep as being a “true filmmakers festival”.  We are excited and honored to have our West Coast Premiere of MY RUN this SUNDAY, April 25th at 6PM, at the South Coast Village (at 1561 W Sunflower Ave, Santa Ana, CA). There will be a second screening on Monday April, 26 at (12:45pm) at Edwards Island 6.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: MY RUN is the story of Terry Hitchcock, who after tragically losing his wife to breast cancer and struggling to raise three young children on his own seized on an idea. He wanted to accomplish the impossible: run 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days to bring attention to the incredibly difficult lives of single-parent families.

Terry is a real-life Forrest Gump, someone who had all the cards stacked against him and still managed to come out with a winning hand. What makes Terry’s story special is that after raising his kids, he took it upon himself to make life better for other single parents and their kids. At the age of 57, with a bum heart and knee and ankle problems, he decided to run from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Atlanta in 75 consecutive days to bring attention to and provide a voice for single parent families. Despite the cold and heat, the rain and wind, Terry ran and touched the lives of thousands with his courage and his message along the way.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: As an independent filmmaker, I understand that challenges and obstacles go along with filmmaking. You never know what’s exactly going to happen. The key is how you handle these ups and downs along the way.   I live by my motto: Be Powerful, Be Unstoppable.

I approach filmmaking and my life with what I call the “Rocky Balboa Attitude.” As long as you keep fighting and you don’t quit, you NEVER fail. It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down, smacked around, beat up, as long as you don’t stay down you always have a chance, an opportunity to succeed.

Filmmaking is like a marathon and the story behind My Run is no exception.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: Of course filmmaking is hard, especially being an indie filmmaker. Being an indie filmmaker your day is filled with the constant process of pushing, pulling and pitching your film… and then repeat. It’s constant struggle, but there’s something inside of you that will not let you quit ala, PASSION.  To be successful in independent filmmaking you must be persistent, persistent and persistent! 

And once the film is complete and you receive that positive response from the audience, it’s an absolutely wonderful (and nerve-racking) feeling. One of the moments that stick out for me is our screening of “MY RUN” in Sedona Film Festival and Marathon, during the Q&A a man stood up and said “I’m a marathoner and I came here to be inspired to run, but instead was inspired to love my wife more”… wow, what a powerful thing to say. That’s why I make films.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

When I’m not making a smash indie film, I’m marketing and building the awareness of that soon to be smash indie film. Making the film is only half the battle, the other half is the marketing and distribution…

MY RUN has its West Coast Premiere at 6PM on Sunday, April 25th at the South Coast Village (at 1561 W Sunflower Ave, Santa Ana, CA).

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256876

There will be a second screening on Monday April, 26 at (12:45pm) at Edwards Island 6.

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256877

JOIN FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/myrunmovie - see what the fans are saying!

FOLLOW TWITTER: www.twitter.com/myrunmovie

BROWSE WEBSITE: www.myrunmovie.com

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528463/nbff_gowalla_icon.png http://posterous.com/users/5fiV3Ofvy9RD Newport Beach Film Festival newportbeachfilmfest Newport Beach Film Festival
Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:25:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Chris Landon http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-chris-landon http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-chris-landon By Kelly Strodl

 

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Today I sat with Chris Landon, director of BURNING PALMS, which sold out at last night’s screening and has been slotted again to show at 5:45 PM tonight. I know not much time, but if you get down here you could just catch this smash hit starring Adrianna Baraza, Dylan McDermott, Jamie Chung, Lake Bell, Nick Stahl, Paz Vega, Robert Hoffman, Rosamund Pike, Shannen Doherty, and Zoe Saldana. This subversive comedy takes a stab at satirizing the well-known stereotypes of varying Los Angeles neighborhoods. The stories of five interlocking characters who must deal with their own varied, darkly funny fates, are followed in this entertaining film boasting an ensemble cast large enough to leave Hollywood reporters joking about being out of breath at the end of the litany of names. In this daring romp no taboo is left unexplored.

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: I’ve heard of the festival just from word of mouth, general mentions. I had a short film that cruised the film festival circuit. But this year we were invited to screen BURNING PALMS by the festival. I’ve spent a lot of time though checking out the website.

And the whole thing is really laid back. Which I like. Other festivals seem to have a “douche” factor that is very absent. Here, people come out to generally support movies and that’s great.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: It’s a dark comedy where five stories are all inter-connected. It’s a meditation on loneliness and the really dark places that can take you to… Not for the faint of heart – it’s some really bizarre, outlandish stuff.

I wrote the screenplay six years ago, It’s been gestating for some time. It’s a risky work so getting it financed was risky too. But once it got financed it was a quick pre-production – six weeks. Then a year of post, which is longer than usual, but that’s because we had an animated section of the film.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: Went to film school at LMU. Then, I actually had an internship at Disney, working for a number of producers. They were cool, and made me an unofficial reader, reading scripts all day. Most were not very good and I got to thinking that I could do better. So I started writing my own scripts. And that was the impetus for getting started with the whole thing.

It was such a hobby – I really didn’t think anyone would take it seriously. That feeling never goes away. I know I’m a professional, and the validation is not getting paid. It’s being given the opportunity to make a living creatively. It is a gift. 

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: Zero complaints in actors performances. They were a dream - beyond talented. They brought so much more to their characters and that was the thrill for me. 

We even had some non-professional actors and they were awesome. One of the actresses who played a doctor in a mental hospital – it was written for a doctor that was an Indian woman, but we couldn’t find anyone in casting that really did it for me. Well, one of our investors just happened to be Indian, she just was it. So I turned to her one day in the middle of casting and said, “Can you do it?” She, kind of shocked, said, “I’m not an actor.”

“I don’t care.”

And she was perfect. She was the character. Every screening, when she comes on the people just start laughing hysterically, every time.

It’s those challenges that really push you and make you better as a filmmaker.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

A: I’m a film geek through and through. I see everything. If I hear a movie’s really bad I actually run to see it. You can learn a lot from a bad movie. You're not going to learn every thing you need from just seeing good films. You learn from others mistakes, too. It’s those times when I stop viewing a movie with that analytical eye that I know a movie’s really amazing. Those are the great ones. 

BURNING PALMS screens at 5:45 PM today, Saturday, April 24 in the Edwards Island 4.

Click here to purchase tickets for shorts showcase:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=263284

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:11:56 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Gayla Kraetsch Hartsough http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-gayla-kraetsch-hart http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-gayla-kraetsch-hart

By Kelly Strodl

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We talked to Gayla Kraetsch Hartsough, Writer/Producer of the short film SLAP, which will be screening in the EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED shorts showcase tonight.

Somewhere in an American car garage, two regular guys take a break to discuss world events – and smack each other across the face as it quickly becomes apparent that they will never see eye to eye. A shocking and simultaneously hilarious romp through small talk that quickly turns ugly, SLAP will shock you into laughter, again and again.


Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
I met Ginny Laird, Senior Film Programmer for Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF), when our short film SLAP premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival last June. She had seen SLAP, liked it, and suggested that we submit it to NBFF. I liked her enthusiasm and love of edgy, quirky, indie films. We were ecstatic when we learned that NBFF accepted SLAP. It screens Saturday, April 24, at 4:45 pm in the perfect program title – 'Expect the Unexpected' – at Edwards Islands 2.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
SLAP came together very quickly. I’m a screenwriter who became a producer to make my scripts a reality. I had made an earlier film with Grant Barbeito and he had found a great garage to do a shoot in. He mentioned it would be funny to watch two men slapping. I then listened to the Presidential campaigns and the angry rhetoric around political issues, which formed the basis of SLAP. Our country has become so polarized about issues with a lack of tolerance or appreciation for differing viewpoints. From this kernel of an idea sprang SLAP. We were fortunate to have Calle Borresen, a top cinematographer of Norway, shoot SLAP on the Red Camera and capture the actors’ reactions and gritty setting.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
I’ve written several award-winning, feature screenplays and knew so many talented screenwriters but discovered that few films actually get made. So, in 2008, I decided to make a short film, A PIG’S EAR, which went to about 15 film festivals. I was enjoyed meeting the other filmmakers and hearing the audiences’ reactions and feedback. I finished my 2nd short, SLAP, in June 2009, and it has now been to about 15 film festivals. Tribeca is including SLAP in its AMERICAN: NOW AND HERE traveling museum, which will tour 18 U.S. cities over an 18-month period. Finally, I’m about to release my 3rd short, HELOISE, and am pitching three of my feature scripts.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
As the title implies, SLAP has a bit of slapping in it – 147 slaps to be exact. SLAP stars Clancy Brown and Mel Rodriguez – both superb actors and behemoth men. My major concern was that no one was hurt. Throughout the day’s shoot, Clancy and Mel were artful in projecting their slaps without making contact. In the final take, however, Clancy actually slapped Mel! Mel’s eyes rolled, similar to Tweety Bird in a Looney Tune cartoon. It was all in good humor and no one was hurt. If you watch SLAP, I’d like to know if you can tell which SLAP was real. Christo Brock did a steller editing job so you’ll find it quite challenging to sort out the real from pretend slaps.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
By day, I’m an entrepreneur, president of KH Consulting Group, a management consulting firm that has served 200 clients in 25 states and in 6 foreign countries. I know… management consulting is a major departure from what most filmmakers do. I also have a hubby and a son and travel whenever I can get the chance. 

SLAP screens as part of the EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED shorts showcase @ 4:45 PM today, Saturday, April 24 in the Edwards Island 2. 

Click here to purchase tickets for shorts showcase:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256812

Watch the trailers for SLAP here:

http://www.slapthemovie.com/

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Sat, 24 Apr 2010 11:28:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Brooks Branch http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-brook-branch http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-brook-branch By Kelly Strodl

Multiple-sarcasms

Today I talked with Brooks Branch, director of MULTIPLE SARCASMS, a film about a successful architect who decides to become a playwright – to cope with his mid-life crisis, and finds he does some of his best writing on the john. Gabriel is a man who on the surface has it all-successful professional life, a beautiful wife, and a devoted young daughter. But slowly it dawns on him that he is not really happy. So, he decides that he wants to write a play about the sorry state of his life. He quits his job and starts writing. However, the struggle of composing the play becomes a catalyst in his life, pushing away those close to him and testing his resolve to complete the work that will ultimately change his life forever.

The film screens tonight as one of our Spotlights. 

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: From our PR Gang (MPRM) -- they spoke highly of festival and so we're excited.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: It's a drama which the tone was inspired by quirky late 70's relationship dramas like An Unmarried Woman, Starting Over and other Hal Ashby and Woody Allen type films. This era of film had characters that seemed very real and relatable, but at the same time were in films that were at times imperfect and funny. In Multiple Sarcasms, the lead character, Gabriel (played by Timothy Hutton) is a man who's path to happiness is not cut and dry. Unlike other films, he does not have a cancer to point at for his unhappiness and so (like those of us in real life) has to work hard to figure out what the problem is in an otherwise seemingly happy life.    From the talented crew right through the amazing actors -- everyone was on the same page to try to bring the down-to-earth elements of this story to life.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: I grew up a painter in the incongruous locale of Salt Lake City. Then became a graphic designer and ultimately Creative Director and went into publishing -- then I shifted into entertainment and ran a creative division of Paramount Pictures -- only to then leave and have my own branding company where I have strategically helped heads of most all the studios (as well as other highly visible companies) to produce, launch and leverage their brands and other projects.  While I have written many books, and other projects, Multiple Sarcasms is the first feature film that I have directed. Aside from my professional background, I have been seeing films since I was a little kid and so I'm a true lover of film -- which is my main credential in terms of making a film.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: I was lucky to work with amazing actors who shared a vision that I helped to set with the script.  Once they bought into that, then the rest was just a healthy collaboration. Casting is a long process and boring real life issues enter into it like finances and schedules, but at the core of the process is a chemical chain reaction that you have to both start, and know how to control. Set backs are part of that process and to be expected. And triumphs come in many shapes and require risk, so don't be afraid to try new things or to let the actors. Each actor has a unique set of gifts and also some insecurities... so try to figure out their specific language and then speak it as best you can.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

A: Experience life enough to try and create more and more.
Oh, and watch other people's smash films.

MULTIPLE SARCASMS screens at 6 PM on Saturday, April 24 at the Edwards Island Theater 5.

Buy ticket here:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256900

Watch the trailer for WE WERE FEARED here:

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl
Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:11:00 -0700 NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Danny Buday http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-danny-buday http://newportbeachfilmfest.posterous.com/nbff-filmmakers-five-with-danny-buday By Kelly Strodl

Fivestarday

Today we talk with Danny Buday, director of FIVE STAR DAY, the Opening Night selection for the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival – also the first local film to be chosen as the festival opener since the festival began in 1998.

In the film, Jake Gibson suffers a less than stellar birthday, when his world is turned upside down and all that could go wrong, does – to rub it in his horoscope forecast a perfect 'five star day.’ Determined that astrology has no legitimacy, Jake embarks on a journey to test the theory of astrology by finding the three people born the same time and place as himself. Jake's pursuit in finding his three astrological matches not only will test his convictions, but validate how life's unexpected twists of fate can deliver much more than the anticipated. What Jake learns along the way is an important lesson about life, love, fate and destiny that will unexpectedly change his life forever.

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

A: Both Mike Robertson (our Executive Producer/Producer) and myself have roots in the Orange County area so I first heard of the Newport Beach Film Festival a few years back. Also, I remember hearing good things about the festival while I was at AFI (American Film Institute).

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

A: FIVE STAR DAY is a journey film about a guy (Cam Gigandet) who sets out to disprove the theory of Astrology by finding the other three people born the same time and place as himself. I think what people are most surprised about when I initially tell them the premise of the film is that that it's not a comedy, given its Astrological theme. We filmed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Atlantic CIty on a very tight shooting schedule, so production was like an amazingly organized traveling circus.

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

A: I grew up in Chicago till my family moved to Southern California, where I went to high school in Huntington Beach (Marina High '95). When I finished up undergrad at Cal State Long Beach ('99) I moved up to L.A. and graduated from AFI's (American Film Institute) directing program in 2005. After shorts and music videos along the road to the first feature, Five Star Day is my feature film debut.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

A: Both Cam Gigandet and Jena Malone were amazing to work with. Cam is a focused and quiet perfectionist, and Jena is a magically improvisational wonder to watch act.

They both gave strong performances in the film. I'm definitely excited to have people see Cam as a 'good guy' character. And Jena as a single-mother is so subtle and touching. Brooklyn Sudano is also amazing, but I think Max Hartman's breakout role as an Atlantic City lounge-singer is going surprise a lot of people.

Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?

A: I'm a self-admitted workaholic, so it's rare that I'm not locked up working on some project, but in my spare time I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, playing music; basically getting into as much trouble as possible.

FIVE STAR DAY is the Opening Night film, showing at 7:30 PM on Thursday, April 22 at the Edwards Big Newport Theater.

Plus join the filmmakers and other celebs, VIPs, and more at the OPENING NIGHT GALA in the Bloomingdale's courtyard in Fashion Island. The night's festivities features a performance of Cirque du Soleil's Mystère, a fashion show put on by Fashion Island, food from acclaimed Newport Beach area restaurants, and an Open Bar hosted by Absolut Vodka and Stella Artois and Perrier.

Dress: Cocktail attire, black tie optional. Age: 21 & Over

Buy tickets for FIVE STAR DAY here:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256819

Watch the trailer here:

http://www.facebook.com/l/2f8c2;www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIhxSlLgdiw

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1099933/IMG_0777.JPG http://posterous.com/users/36PsItgOJPm9 Kelly Strodl @kelly4nia Kelly Strodl