The Standby Painter - Welcome to the Monkey House

The Manager - Once More into the Breach — Starting Production on a New Film!

The Manager - Speaking Engagement at Writers Junction Series!

I’m excited to announce that I will be one of the speakers in a month-long Writers Junction series hosted by former development exec Daniel Manus, now of No BullScript Consulting.

“The Executive Series for Screenwriters: Making Hollywood Work for You!” will run on several evenings in May from 7 to 9 p.m.  You may buy tickets for single evenings or for the entire series at http://theexecutiveseries.eventbrite.com/

I will be speaking on May 10th on the topic “The Keys to Getting and Keeping Representation” and I look forward to seeing you then.

Tags: Film, Oscars, Filmmaking, Movie Blog,

The Casting Director - SXSW 2011: A (Casting) Review

Looking for talent, but really looking to rediscover my passion for independent film, I went to SXSW 2011 in Austin, Texas. For the past week I have met the most amazing people; filmmakers, actors, internet wizards, marketing gurus and just great people in general. SXSW is more then a film festival, in fact, it has many parts and the interactive and music festival overshadows the film programming. Unlike Sundance, which has grown into a marketing festival for films looking for distribution, SXSW is about the audience. There are film geeks, film bloggers, press and fans passionate about independent film. Standing in line to get into cinemas (something that one does a lot of) I realized how much knowledge this audience has about the work that I am part of and am a fan of. The programmers seem to be keenly aware that the point of this festival is to headline emerging filmmakers with a clear voice and point of view. As in all things, some of the filmmakers make the most of what they are given and some who are given a lot (a big(er) budget) waste it. Filmmaking is a collaborative art form, but the most successful films (in my opinion) at this festival were ones fully realized by the directors. Many of the films did not have a Casting Director. In one case, the Casting Director was the sister of the filmmaker and that film could have really used a professional eye when it came to the acting. Many times, the filmmakers used actors that they saw in shorts or met at other film festivals or went to school with. I had 21 films scheduled to see but due to exhaustion, meetings and wanting to see my friends’ films that were in the festival, I ended up at 18 narrative features and 1 doc. I wish I had time to see the shorts and more of the docs, but I would have to be in Austin for the full 2 weeks in order to see it all. Out of the films I saw, there are clearly some discoveries and future stars in the making. Overall, the quality of acting was very high. So, future filmmakers and casting colleagues, take note: here is my list of who to look out for (film by film) and who my favorite actor & actress overall where: 96 Minutes (Casting by Chemin Sylvia Bernard) – This was one of the best cast films I saw at the festival. Brittany Snow & Evan Ross turned in excellent performances.  A Bag of Hammers (Casting by Brad Gilmore) – I loved this film. It was a little too long, but Jason Ritter was able to show great range and Jake Sandvig has grown into a super cute young man who is funny and nuanced.  A Year in Mooring (Casting by Mary Vernieu, Venus Kanai, Janet Pound) I wanted to like and appreciate this film. From the start the filmmakers wanted to make sure that it didn’t feel “overindulgent.” It kind of did feel that way to me. I appreciate a good “mood” piece, but at some points this just made me, well, moody. Josh Lucas, looking as handsome as ever, turns in a solid and emotional performance. This has a great cast that includes James Cromwell and John Tenney.  American Animal (no Casting Director). The filmmaker, Matt D’Elia, wrote, directed and starred in this intense character study of a man coping with the isolation of a sickness and what that does to him psychologically. I loved this film. Matt’s performance was solid and the rest of the cast worked flawlessly together. The real standout to me in this is the lovely Angela Sarafyan. But all of the cast (Brendan Fletcher and Mercia Monroe) have excellent moments in the film and show that have the ability to do more.  Attack the Block (Casting by Nina Gold) Overall, this was my number one favorite film at the festival. Probably a little bit because it is shot in South London (my spiritual home) but mostly, this film was one of the best cast films that I saw and the talent was all new (except for the wonderful performances by the fabulous Nick Frost, Luke Treadaway and Jodie Whittaker). This film, (a nicer version of Kidutlhood meets Alien in a South London Council block) is exciting, scary and funny. A perfect little film that proves that this genre never grows stale when done right. The standout newcomers (all of whom were great) are: John Boyega & Alex Esmail.  Bad Fever (no casting director) Watching this film made me uncomfortable. Anyone who has a dream of becoming a “star” will know what I mean when they see it. To that end, this was also what I call “a mental health movie.” And while it is clear that the filmmakers avoid the issue of if the main character has some type of medical/psychiatric disorder, the actor playing the lead, clearly delved into the role headfirst and embraced it with skill and reckless abandonment. I love Kentucker Audley’s work on this and his co-star Elenore Hendricks was fully committed to her role as well. Bellflower (no Casting Director) Another film written, directed by, edited, produced by and starring the same person, Evan Glodell turns in a magnificent performance and highly thought out, smart film about the psychology of a breakup. I call this film, “The Straight Man’s Version of ‘Black Swan.’ Jessie Weismann and Rebekah Brandies are total finds and were excellent. I am especially excited about Jessie. She was so compelling to watch on screen.  blacktino (Casting by Angela Burns) This film had a lot wrong with it. A lot of odd choices were made in the making of this film and I think that the Director tried to accomplish many things and forgot that visually you cannot hire actors who look over 30 to play teenagers. It does not work. And he seemed to have a lack of understanding about teen genre films. Also, the dialogue was questionable. The Casting Director is the Director’s younger sister and there were casting choices that did not serve this film and this films potential. However, the positive side to all of this is the discovery of Devyn Rey. She carried the film and was the one part of it, where when she was on screen you were drawn to her performance.  Caught Inside (Casting by Kirsty McGregor) Who doesn’t like to look at hot Australian men surfing and fighting over their women folk? I was into this thriller the moment it started and the cast was well conceived (maybe a little bit too white?) and their ensemble carried the excitement of the film through its entirety. The standouts in this were: Ben Oxenbould and Daisy Betts. I also liked 19-year-old newcomer Harry Cook.  Detention (Casting by Judy Cook) I wanted to like this film, I did, I promise I did…but, I didn’t. From the start, the opening title sequence went so quickly, if I were the CD, or DP or any actor on the film, I would have been pissed off that my name was literally flashed on screen for a second and then gone. The main title sequence was so off putting to me, that it kind of informed me of where we were going with this film. The film seemed rushed. A plush film, with excellent design and potential cast, overall, the film missed its mark to me. It was trying too hard and just became messy and while you wanted to enjoy the storyline, I started not to care about it and the comedy, adventure, time-travel, horror mixed genre, became just that, too mixed and too complicated for the actors to succeed in any way other then just being themselves and hoping for the best. With all that, I am going to surprise all of you and let you know a dirty little secret: I love Dane Cook. I think he has potential as an actor and needs to stay away from this kind of material. He is a stand-up comic, he should do that and then find something dramatic to do and stick to that. That is where he will excel and surprise us all. I have faith in him.  Kevin (Documentary) Go see this. I had a mini-breakdown in the bathroom afterwards. The story touched my soul and anyone who thinks of themselves as an Artist will know what I mean after it is viewed.  My Sucky Teen Romance (no casting director) The SXSW sensation and Austin native, 18 year old director, writer & producer, turned out a cute and perfectly pitched teen comedy. Emily Hagins can tell a story. She understands cinema, timing, acting and writing. She is going to be huge. Overall, I had fun watching this teen, vampire-love comedy. The standout actors are all local to Austin: Devin Bonee, Tony Vespee (who should have his own television series on Nickelodeon) and Sam Eidson.  Small, Beautifully Moving Parts (no casting director) A character study about an expecting Mother seeking closure from her Mother about their strained relationship, this film has a lot going for it. Especially the lead, Anna Margaret Hollyman. I loved watching her on screen. Greta Gerwig better watch out, because this actress is coming after her roles.  Sound of my Voice (Casting by Danielle Aufiero & Amber Horn) I was sucked into this film from the start. A science fiction film that is character driven and smartly written is a winner in my book. The standout here for me is Christopher Denham. He has a lot to cover in this film and he had me totally believing him and his journey in this role from the start. A fully fleshed out performance, he was subtle, complex and utterly compelling.  The Dish & The Spoon (no casting director) A slow paced film, I dug in and let the plot unfold and trusted that I would understand the characters more when the film was over. I did: two lost souls, trying to figure out their lives. Greta Gerwig is seething and upset about finding out her husband cheat on her and Londoner, Olly Alexander, is a love-sick teenager (almost adult) character searching for a connection in this world. Overall the acting was solid, but I do have to wonder why filmmakers ALWAYS shoot Greta with the same close-ups and angles and why she always seems to be dressed in gender-neutral clothing. Maybe her performance in “Arthur” will help me see another side of her. Olly is clearly someone to look out for.  The Key Man (Casting by Ellen Parks) This star-studded cast would hopefully bring the director’s vision to the table. Sadly, the director’s vision is clouded by “technique” and well; it just feels like he is trying too hard to be interesting. I was bored with the plot and was sad for the actors because they were clearly acting their tuchuses off.  Turkey Bowl (no casting director) Shot in 18 days and on a shoestring budget, this comedy showcases LA based actors (some not really actors professionally) who are all terrific. I am a huge fan of Zoe Perry, I think that she has a unique quality to her that other actors only wish they could have. All of the cast in this is fantastic and energized and totally believable. The standouts to me are: Bob Turton and Tom DiMenna  Wasted on the Young (Casting by Gregory Apps) Having cast Australian actor Alex Russell in two features, I was excited to finally get to see this film. I had only seen clips of it from Alex’s reel. This film did not disappoint. Extremely well cast, I was hooked into this storyline and disturbed by it (in a good way) on many levels. Alex’s performance was excellent but I have to give this one to the beautiful and talented Adelaide Clemmens who to me was perfectly cast in this role.  Yelling to the Sky (Casting by Eyde Belasco) I really liked this film. I liked the film even more when I stayed for the Q&A and got to hear the writer/director’s passion for the film, it’s actors and the casting process. Zoë Kravitz did an excellent job and Yolanda Ross and Antonique Smith turned in beautiful performances. But the standout to me in this one is Jason Clarke. Playing an unlikable character but still being likeable on screen to the audience can be a huge challenge. His acting skills were evident here. A solid, well rounded performance by an actor who chose to embrace the good, bad and ugly of who he was portraying. Eyde Belasco did a great job sprinkling this cast with the supremely talented Tim Blake Nelson and Oscar Nominee Gabourey Sidibe.  OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR SXSW:   Matt D’Elia (not represented) for the role of Jimmy in “American Animal.”   OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS AT SXSW:  Anna Margaret Hollyman (Manager: Davien Littlefield) for the role of Sarah Sparks in “Small, Beautifully Moving Parts.”   OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CASTING: Chemin Sylvia Bernard for “96 Minutes” Chemin rocked this cast out! You could tell that she had her hands all over this cast. Her point of view and consideration for the ensemble was thoughtful, creative and nuanced. So much so that Evan Ross won an award for “Breakthrough Performance at SXSW.” Well done and congratulations!

Tags: Movie Theatre, Movie Blog, Film, Actor, Movie

The Manager - HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE Opens Tonight: The Art of Letting Go

Our first Tom Sawyer Entertainment movie ”happythankyoumoreplease” opens this weekend in Los Angeles at the Landmark Theater http://tinyurl.com/htympla and in New York at http://tinyurl.com/htympnyc.  It opens the following weekend, March 11, in Chicago http://tinyurl.com/htympchi

The past two years has been a whirlwind with this movie.  We closed the funding in January of 2009 and then raced into pre-production so we could shoot in June of 2009. Then we had to rush to edit it in order to submit it to Sundance by October of 2009.

Then it won the Audience Award at Sundance in January 2010 and we closed a distributor deal.  But then we had to switch distributors.

Now after almost two years the movie is finally coming out this weekend.

As this is an indie movie without millions of dollars of advertising money behind it, most of the advertising has been through social media and guerrilla marketing.

This past week the director (also writer and lead actor) Josh Radnor and the producers have been doing tons of press, screenings, q and a, and everything possible to get the word out.

After all the craziness over the last two years, the release weekend is finally here.   And of course I woke up this morning in a panic with thoughts like “Will the movie do well? Will people like it? Will they actually go see it or will they download it illegally?” running through my head.

This is where the art of letting go comes in. We have done everything in our power to get the word out and get people to see the film. Now it’s up to the audience to (hopefully) like it and spread the word.

I had to take a deep breath, relax and let go. We’ve done the hard part.  Getting a movie financed, made and released in today’s marketplace is a tall order.  The rest is up to the audience….

That being said, go see the movie this weekend and support indie filmmaking!  (You know how important the first weekend is for independent movies.)

For more info about the film, visit http://www.happythankyoumoreplease.com

See you there!

Tags: Filmmaker, Movie Theatre, Film, Hollywood, Actor

The Storyboard Artist - Expand

I would say that anyone who does storyboard should expand his or her horizons of where to look for work.

So far this year, I have gotten links to work in other cities that helped me stay afloat. These aren’t necessarily film gigs, but I have done advertising and shooting boards for companies in New York City, Maryland, Colorado and Texas

I say this, as Los Angeles has been very slow and it’s been hard to keep things going.

Thankfully, I’ve had good friends who steer gigs my way, when things have slowed down. Like in many industries, you need help from time to time. It’s very important to have a community around you.

In other words, it doesn’t help to be a hermit. Unless you always have work coming at you and are self-contained in your universe.

Tags: Film Industry, Actor, , Filmmaker, Film

The Genre Director - HERDING CATS, RUMBLES IN THE JUNGLES, CONFLICT RESOLUTION: ADVENTURES IN GENRE FILM MAKING…

 

EXTERIOR. CHIAPAS JUNGLE - DAY
An episodic film crew makes the final preparations for a complicated shot. Dolly track has been laid to converge on a tree with sprawling roots. The Director looks at his watch. The Guest Star Who Has Seen It All watches nearby with bemused interest.
The Director looks at his watch again, as if willing the minute hand to stop, and if possible go backwards.
Fluff and Buff, the hair and make-up artists, dab sweat from the brow of the Actor, standing at the base of the tree. Given that the temperature is over 100 degrees, this is a noble but futile effort.

DIRECTOR
Don’t worry about the sweat, he’s meant to look scared.
ACTOR
I am scared.

DIRECTOR
Don’t worry. This is totally safe. Nothing is going to go wrong.

The source of the Actor’s anxiety arrives on the set, his partner in the scene, a male with dangling testicles the size of grapefruit.

Sudan, a large African movie lion, is led out of the bushes on a chain by two Trainers. Two other Trainers follow, carrying short poles. As the Trainers tether the lion to a spike embedded beside the far end of the dolly track, Sudan yawns, and licks his lips to cool them.
ACTOR
Has he been fed today?
TRAINER
If we feed him, he won’t work.

GUEST STAR
I’ve brought an apple for him.
Humor is no comfort.

Everything is in place for the take. The Trainers have been positioned out of shot to protect both the Actor and camera crew, should the lion stray from his designated path. The collar round Sudan’s neck is concealed beneath his shaggy mane, and the trailing leash masked by his body. The Actor has practiced limping backwards while swinging a burning firebrand to deter the advancing beast. The dolly grip and operator have rehearsed the camera move that will keep the lion on screen right with his retreating victim on screen left. It’s a travelling geography shot that will add tension when intercut with compatible dolly shots on the faces of the lion and the Actor. The Director wants the audience to see the lion and the Actor in the same shot; not a static shot, which could be achieved by the elements being photographed separately with a locked-off camera, then fused in the lab, with the vertical split disguised by a tree trunk in the close background. This would spare the Actor any proximity to the King of Beasts. No. The Director wants a Movie Shot, not a get-it-done-move-on episodic approach, but a sense that the camera is almost mounted on the flank of the lion as it slowly closes in on its prey. The Trainer warms up the lion…to get him used to the firebrand.

The time for this glorious cinematic moment has arrived. The Director instructs the Actor.
DIRECTOR
So, on action: slowly hobble back,
wave the firebrand, shout at it to
back off…feel free to improv…
ACTOR
Back off, you fucker..?

DIRECTOR
Something like that, but without the
fucker…Here we go, roll camera.
The Prop master lights the firebrand again. The 1ST AD calls for turnover in Spanish.
The crew, a well oiled machine, commence their respective duties. The Chief Trainer calls commands to the lion.
TRAINER
Sudan! Go! Slow Sudan!
Slow! Good Sudan! Good!
The Director hovers beside the camera, which keeps pace with the ambling lion. Sudan is fascinated by the firebrand, and reacts to its movements. The Actor is In The Moment! Everything is working perfectly.

 

At this point the TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN arrives on set to watch the shot. The 1st AD sees him, and a long simmering feud chooses this moment to erupt.
1st AD (curtly)
No ha puesto el camiones en
donde le dije.
TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN
Cree que es el jefe? Yo soy
el capitan de transporte!
Los camiones parquean en
donde digo yo!
The Director turns.
DIRECTOR
Guys! Sshh!
They neither see or hear him. They are in a world of rising steam.
1st AD
Stupido!
Whoa! Bad word in Mexico. Serious escalation. The tension-meter on the set spikes. Hungry lion, anxious actor handling fire, two departments inching towards civil war, complex dolly shot, etc. It’s understandable. But the net effect of the expanding angst is to push the Actor into the truth zone. It’s a great performance, swinging from fear to rage and back again. Meanwhile, the other drama continues.
TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN
Chinga tu madre!
1stAD
Chinga su madre!
Oh, boy! Now we’ve gone to Def Con 4. After soiling each other’s mothers, there is only one stage the conflict can move to…The Slap.
The Transportation Captain slaps the 1st AD’s face, not to inflict physical pain, more of a formal gesture, a challenge.
Some men go red with anger. The 1st AD’s complexion goes pasty white. His eyes blaze. Detonation is imminent. Luckily members of both departments seize the potential combatants and hustle them to separate corners of the jungle.
The Lion sits down at the end of its leash, awaiting reward. The Actor has started to enjoy himself. Lions? Ha, they’re pussies. Bring it on…

The Director calls for take 2. There’s no producer on the set to stop him.
As you have doubtless guessed by now, this is not another of those whimsical screenplay scenes that crawled out of my id, this actually happened. In 1991. The Actor was Canada’s great Chuck Shamata, whom I have cast in two movies since. The Guest Star was former Tarzan Ron Ely. The Lion Trainers were the incomparable Boone Narr and Hubert Wells, and the Director obsessed with getting a tie-in shot was yours truly.
So the purpose of this story is the issue of conflict resolution. Every movie mixes good intentions under pressure with powerful egos. There Will Be Blood, if you do not head these situations off at the pass. I had ample warning that the clash of personalities was gathering momentum, but chose to ignore it. Naturally Murphy’s Law applied, at the most precarious moment. So I have learned over the years to develop an ear for seismic pre-shocks, and use diplomacy, humor, bribery, alcohol, whatever it takes to help the parties see each other’s virtues.
Too often crews work in an atmosphere of politics, blame and fear. No one gives their best under those circumstances. Part of a director’s job is to set the tone in the workplace, encourage communication, and make everybody’s hard work FUN.

Soon it was Ron Ely’s turn to have fun. Sudan had him tree’d, and wanted more than an apple.

Tags: Movie Bloggers, Film, Movie, Movie, Oscars

The Manager - Today Is Tom Sawyer’s 5 Year Anniversary! I’m Finding This Very Hard to Believe …

But it’s true!

And in a nice twist of fate, the next couple months are bringing our company full circle in a lot of ways.

Our client Jason Ubaldi is going into production on the movie he wrote called THE LOWENFISH PARTY. The funny part is that we took this script as a spec in our second week of business. There was a lot of buzz and it went into all the studios — and, unfortunately, it did not sell.

But we believed in this script and didn’t let it die.  And five years later it’s going to be made!

And our first movie HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE comes out March 4th. It won the 2010 Sundance Audience Award and, while we had some hiccups in the distribution plans, we couldn’t be more excited that Anchor Bay is releasing it!

Don’t get me wrong.  It hasn’t all been sunshine and moonbeams.

There were a lot of lows too: the writer’s strike, the de-facto actor’s strike, the recession, the never-know-when-or-how-we-are-going-to-pay-our-bills, the three assistants in three weeks, etc.

But in looking back over the last five years, here is what I do know:

Every day I get to work with my best friend in the world and I get to work on projects and with clients that I absolutely love. I get to read books, watch movies and watch television for my job! (For the record, whoever says that is not the best job in the world is lying.)

And while it’s true that the industry is in transition and nobody knows what is going to happen and who knows what the next five years will bring …

All I have to say is I am excited to see what happens next!!

Tags: Movie, Movie Blog, Director, Film Industry, Television

The Standby Painter - Trust

What a month off it has been. Not really a month of not working, but a month of not working on film. However, that is all about to change. Very soon I will go to work on the next season of a television series, one that has been in production …

Tags: Movie Bloggers, Director, Filmmaker, Filmmaking, Hollywood

The Manager - The Power of Passing on an Entertainment Industry Deal

Saying no is a scary thing. If you say no you could miss the next great thing!

In fact, this is why a lot of agents and executives will never actually call you back on a project because they don’t actually want to officially pass.

But there is also a power to passing because — as my business partner is fond of saying — you are defined by what you don’t do and not what you do. And recently we put this to the test.

One of our clients was sent a pilot for him to star in and asked to test for the part. We didn’t love the role so we politely passed.  We also said, if it were a straight offer, that would be one thing.  But our client shouldn’t test for something he didn’t love.

That simple pass sparked the president of the network to ask for a meeting with our client to talk about the role.
When our client went in for the meeting, the president of the network, the director and the show creator were there.   Our client expressed his concerns, and the president said that there might be a better role for him in the pilot and they were going to rework this new role specifically for our client.

And then the best news: The network was going to make a straight offer.
It was a win-win for everyone all starting from our saying no. Our client got a better role in the project and a straight offer, and the network  got an actor they really wanted.

 

Tags: Film Blog, Movie, Television, Movie Blog, Filmmaking

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