The Entertainment Corner

Beneath the White City Lights: The Making of an American Story Ballet, Broadcast Debut – Interview with Emmy Award®-winning filmmaker Christopher Kai Olsen

2012-02-15T05:46:00.001-07:00

L-R: Christopher Kai Olsen, Melissa Thodos, Ann Reinking

Photo courtesy of www.ckop.com

In early 2011, Emmy Award®-winning Chicago filmmaker Christopher Kai Olsen created nearly 50 minutes of original film projections for Thodos Dance Chicago's multimedia story ballet The White City: The Columbian Exposition of 1893. The ambitious original work – set against the backdrop of the famed Chicago World's Fair – was co-conceived and choreographed by Melissa Thodos and Tony Award® winner Ann Reinking

As part of the story ballet creative team, Olsen was afforded unprecedented access to the visionary endeavor, and in addition to his own artistic process, began documenting the making of the ballet, from concept, through rehearsals to its March 2011 premiere at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park. The result is the visually arresting half-hour dance odyssey Beneath the White City Lights: The Making of an American Story Ballet

Scene from: Beneath the White City Lights: The Making of an American Story Ballet

Photo courtesy of www.ckop.com

Christopher Kai Olsen took time to talk, in depth, with The Entertainment Corner about the making of Beneath the White City Lights: The Making of an American Story Ballet:

Kristine (K): Did you have the idea from the get go of making the documentary?

Christopher Kai Olsen (CKO): First off, I don’t consider myself to be a very traditional documentary filmmaker, but I knew going into this project that we were embarking on a very special and unique project, and it was important to me to record the journey.

As a visually oriented person, much of how I interpret the world is through observation and documentation, so it was important for me to immerse myself in the dance creation and rehearsal process as things were growing and being developed. Capturing all of this on film was critical to my projection design process, but also preserved some really fascinating events along the way. Editing these moments into a document of the experience was a very natural and rewarding extension of this process.

Mireille (M): Was it difficult to select which elements of the whole process you would include in the documentary, because there is so much there, there is such an experience. Did you find it difficult to say, “I have to fit so much in a certain amount of time”?

CKO: There are a couple main stars in this film. The music is one of them, the dancing is another, the physical actors, and their roles… but the lighting, the costumes, and of course the story are all essential to talk about as well. As the story ballet itself runs about an hour, trying to touch on every element just wasn’t doable, so I had to ride a fine line to showcase the experience.

Seeing THE WHITE CITY live is incredibly compelling, so once I began editing, my goal was for the film to be this really awesome companion piece. I was able to get a lot of the music in there, but only maybe half of the dances. There are entire numbers that had to get cut. As I began playing with the edit, I had to focus on the elements I thought best spoke to that part of the story.

For example, there is a fascinating “Killer’s Duet” duet featuring Prendergast and Holmes that we don’t touch on in the film. And there is another whole piece where we get to see even more of the Mayor, called “Sidewalk Strut”, which is just awesome. It’s really hard to try and not show everything, you only have so much time.

M: Did you go through several edits, how long did it take before you had the documentary down to half an hour?

CKO: The very first cut was probably two and half-hours, which obviously is far more than actual physical length of the piece. But there were just so many fantastic stories, and so many great things to talk about. There are also a lot of amazing people that were critical to the success of the project. For example, we have two brilliant designers on the film… Nathan Tomlinson who designed the incredible stage-lighting, and Nathan Rohrer who designed the beautiful costumes.

I really wanted to be able to touch on their stories as well, but the story ended being so succinct as told by Melissa (Thodos), Ann (Reinking), and the dancers in particular ... that’s what we ended up going with. I am sure there will be some little featurettes that are going to pop-up to focus on these other areas that went into “the making of”.

Thodos Dance Chicago, which is the dance company, is a very special company. They dancers are extremely talented hard working, and they’re some of the best I’ve ever seen and had the pleasure of working with. Every day they come to the table with such such determination, grace and intelligence. You couldn’t find a better group of creatives to want to work with and just being able to share their experiences was an honor on its own. So much of what I love doing is working with people who have that appreciation of what they’re doing, that it’s all about the work.

K: That really came through for me when I watched Jeremy Blair, who played John Root, talk about his experiences as the architect and having his vision. He describes how emotional it was every day to have to go through and do that dance and put him-self out there. When he got on stage and performed it and he finally got to see his vision realized, which is what you had projected on stage, and how he just started crying. I thought, wow, what a testament to what you contributed to his performance. How does that make you feel listening to him talk about that?

CKO: It’s pretty wonderful. This is an experience that gave back as much as everyone put into it, and everyone put their heart and soul into it. THE WHITE CITY gave us even more heart and soul back.

I think the key here is that is what happened to everyone on this project. Having the dancers perform at their best raised my game as a filmmaker, and most importantly, by the choreographers leading this entire process so creatively, openly and collaboratively it allowed all the individuals to raise their game. Everyone was doing better work because of the other person in the room.

K: It seemed to me like you stood on each other’s shoulders and where giving and supportive of each other.

CKO: When you collaborate creatively like this with someone and everyone is giving their all, it is so rewarding, so positive and so fulfilling. There is no better experience than being able to stand at the back of the room with everyone and look at a piece and know that everyone contributed to the success of this piece. Without everyone’s involvement it would not have been the same thing.

M: It is good that you can continue to feel that positive energy even a year after the start of the project. That it is still something that is rewarding and you are proud to talk about. It really shows through in everything you say and do about it.

CKO: So much of my work, my art, occurs on the sound stage or in the studio working with the other performers, working with the other collaborators ... that is where we are making the art.

What you see is the result, the painting on the wall or the dance on the stage is just evidence of all the art we made during that process. So the final film that you see is just the evidence of all the work that we did.

That’s why I am so excited to be able to share the actual art making process, because that’s where you have all the fun. That stage performance only lasts an hour, the film only lasts a half an hour, that experience we had was a year of our lives and boy was it good!

M: There is a very dark and horrific aspect to the story as well. Was there any apprehension about how much detail you would cover in your documentary? Or how you would go about not making that the main focus of it, because there certainly are many moments of light as well.

CKO: From the beginning, this is something that Ann was very aware of; it is a dark story, but it is a very true story. The goal is to not glorify it.

I love that in the stage version we kind of show his (H.H. Holmes) comeuppance. The truth is he did these horrific things, but he was caught and hung. It was important to me to echo from the original stage play within this piece is that story that he was a very, very bad man and yes he was a very dark character and yes justice occurs.

The actual story, and the choreography is just enthralling how Ann wove that piece together. She was very drawn to these specific story elements. Again it was a very collaborative effort, Ann and Melissa were feeding into each other all the time and working in tandem.

You can begin to identify, once you get to know them, which dance might be more in Melissa’s style or more in Ann’s style, but there are a lot of pieces that are truly a blend of the two.

That being said, Ann had some very specific visions about the dances with Dr. Holmes and the victim; the music is some of the most haunting, and the dances are so compelling. It is really important to be able to show the dynamic that beget them.

They are just fascinating to me; I will get very emotional watching these on stage and watching the performers, because the dancers are giving 100%. It’s not about being a dance anymore, that’s what’s so wonderful about this work and what draws me in my own work is the same thing. Using the most primal of instruments, your own body, to tell a story is a lot of what my work is about. To be able to be involved in a project this scope and scale with others who have the same ideology is remarkable.

M: At one point in the documentary Jessica Miller Tomlinson uses her scarf to get Holmes (Brian Hare). She talks about having fun and being sassy on stage; it’s her way at getting back at him for being such a bad character. Her partner, Brian, is very much into the role. You can see that they are dealing with something very serious, but it doesn’t have to be “heavy” and weigh everything down. You highlighted that very well in the documentary.

CKO: I am glad to hear that come through. Dance is about trust. When you are partnering with someone like this, it is so intimate, you have to be trusting and open yourself up. You get very vulnerable, if you don’t have a partner that you can trust with, it doesn’t work.

I don’t know if you would have noticed this, Brian Hare and Molly Mock, who plays the female architect, they were the leads characters in Fancy

K & M: That’s why they looked really familiar!

CKO: I worked with them originally on Fosse Prelude, and really enjoyed working with them. Worked with them on Fancy again. I love everyone in the company, but it’s been fun to be able to on other projects continue to work with these dancers because they are just remarkable people with talent.

Being able to do a third piece with them almost right away, working on White City, was just phenomenal. They’re just cool and Brian (Hare) is just funny!

It’s remarkable the chemistry that Brian and Jess (Jessica Miller Tomlinson) have on stage and how the Holmes character woos this woman and entraps her. In the end she comes back and as Jessica says, “really kicks his butt”.

It’s one of my favorite pieces in the doc how it sort of plays out. You get a real sense of who they are and how they made these roles happen. And how it would not have happened again if they hadn’t both been there, working together so tightly and being so trusting and knowing they could trust each other.

Beneath the White City Lights: The Making of an American Story Ballet, premieres Thursday, February 23, 10:30pm on Chicago's WTTW11

The week immediately following the broadcast, The White City stage performance returns to Chicago as the centerpiece of Thodos Dance Chicago’s 20th anniversary concerts. Performances are Friday and Saturday, March 2 and 3, 8pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 East Randolph Drive, Chicago. Tickets, $25-$60, are available at (312) 334-7777, or online at harristheaterchicago.org

Scene from: Beneath the White City Lights: The Making of an American Story Ballet

Photo courtesy of www.ckop.com

CUPID’S ARROW - Review

2012-02-11T17:56:00.002-07:00

Guest Review By: MICHELLE HASSENSTAB

Cupid’s Arrow is a dark comedy about a strange college Professor named Grimes (C.Thomas Howell) who plays Mother Nature and creates a love potion called (Cupid’s Arrow). This potion controls the brain’s love gland to make a person to fall in love with another of who he or she truly desires. One of his female students Samantha (Najarra Townsend), who wants to be an intern and decides to help the professor him with his secret scientific project. But, she doesn’t know that she’s the secret research.

Samantha’s boy friend Alan (Chandler Rylko) starts seeing changes in her. He notices that the professor and her are spending too much time together in the lab. Alan investigates the Professor Grimes and what he is up too. He finds out about the professor’s love drug and the dangerous side effects. He now knows why his girlfriend was acting so strange, which lead to their break up. Now, it’s up to Alan and three other scientists to save her from Grimes control, and to see which one she truly loves. You just got to watch the movie to find out what happens. This movie also stars Aris Alvarado (Billy) and Cassidy Gard (Erika). I found that this movie was a good film to watch and I haven’t seen C. Thomas Howell in a movie for a long time. Cupid’s Arrow is now on DVD.

MICHELLE HASSENSTAB is a writer for MovieVine.com - Michelle started writing when she was eleven years old and it has been a passion of hers ever since. She enjoys writing short stories, poems, articles, and reviews.

Actor Chandler Rylko, Talks About "Savanna”, "Cupid's Arrow" And More - Interview

2012-02-07T20:15:00.001-07:00

Chandler Rylko is an up and coming young actor who has demonstrated his ability to handle various film roles with ease. He portrayed Tyler in Sanja Banic's 2009 short drama "Savanna". I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Chandler about his career and his newest movie, "Cupid's Arrow" which is now out on DVD.

What or who inspired you to become an actor?

I grew up watching movies with my father, who has a huge movie collection. I kind of burned up a lot of my childhood watching a lot of movies starring such greats like Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Johnny Depp. I watched all kinds of movies, everything from "Star Wars" to "The Godfather". I was about 13 when my dad took me to see "Braveheart". That movie struck a chord in me. Mel Gibson's performance in my opinion was devastatingly real. I could never get over the magic of that movie. Even at a young age I appreciated the storytelling and the power of amazing acting.

You starred in director Vincent Grashaw’s 2009 short film "Savanna”. How did that project come to your attention?

A couple years before that, I had auditioned for another project that Vince was directing. One day out of the blue, he asked me if I would like to be in this short film he was directing for someone. At the time I did not know anything about the project but really wanted to work with Vince. I knew he would make something worthwhile.

"Savanna" deals with a heavy, yet very relevant topic. How did you prepare for the role, and was it a daunting task?

My character, Tyler, was a guy who was in a relationship that wasn't working and had to deal with a really difficult situation that he couldn't control on his own. Tyler and Savanna made a decision and they suffered the consequences. I basically tried to tap into what that might be like and how could I find the will to keep on trekking into the darkness of our doomed relationship. The shoot was physically and emotionally draining and I'm glad it was a short.

What was it like working with the cast and crew on "Savanna"?

I really enjoyed working with everyone on set. The cast consisted of Sanja Banic, Jessica Remmers and myself. It was my first time working with the Coatwolf Team, who are the mastermind geniuses behind the indie cult hit "Bellflower". The uber talented team mainly consists of Vincent Grashaw, Evan Glodell, and Joel Hodge. Vincent is a great director with promising talent. Very easy to work with. Evan Glodell is just a genius because he built the camera that we shot "Savanna" on and it is the same camera that was used in his directorial debut "Bellflower". The camera was homemade, looking like something out of "Star Wars" with wires running all over the floor from it to the macbook computer that sat across set. I was blown away by what I saw onscreen. Evan built a camera that just made what the actors do, look so much more powerful. Dramatic art. Every one brought their A game and because it was such a well oiled machine, it was one of my favorite projects to work on yet. I look forward to the day when I can work with the Coatwolf Team again.

One of your next projects, was a comedy called "Cupid's Arrow". It had you working alongside C. Thomas Howell. Please share with us a bit about the movie's premise and what was it like working on set.

The film is about a young college couple that fall in love, only to have their happiness wither away because of a creepy college professor, who is doing scientific experiments on his students. In the film I play Alan, who is dating Samantha played by Najarra Townsend. Its the classic story of boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy must get his girl back from the bad guy. It is also sort of in the vein of Sandra Bullock's "Love Potion Number 9". I had worked with the director, Dan Peterson, on another feature a couple years back, so working with him again was an easy decision. It was a pleasure to work with C. Thomas Howell. I had grown up watching "E.T." and "The Outsiders", so for me it was pretty cool to work with someone whom had been around for so long and had worked with such great talents. It was great working with everyone involved and I really I enjoyed making the film.

What aspect of the story appealed to you?

The film had a scientific element to it that caught my attention. The premise of the movie deals with something that seems actually possible due to the fact that the writer of the film is a doctor. He did lots of research on potential scientific theories and incorporated that into a fun, quirky script. I have never done anything science fiction related, so I thought it might be fun to explore this world, maybe even learn something.

How different is your process in preparing for an emotionally challenging role such as the one in "Savanna" compared to your process in getting ready for a role in a comedy like "Cupid's Arrow"?

Im still figuring out my process. But I guess with "Savanna" I knew I had to go to a dark place and stay there for the remainder of the shoot. Tyler, my character, goes through a pretty traumatic experience with his girlfriend and has to learn to keep going. I had to find the heart of the story and keep everything grounded. For "Cupid's Arrow", I would say things were tossed upside down for me from the get go. When I originally read the script, I envisioned the tone of the film to be much more dramatic. Sometimes you don't quite get a scene or get certain elements of the script when you're reading it off the page. Being on set with the other actors allowed me to figure out what I was missing. Sometimes you figure everything out when you get there. With "Cupid's Arrow" I kind of threw my homework out the window and went with the flow.

"Cupid's Arrow" has recently been released onto DVD correct? Where can people go to buy the movie?

Yes, the film is now on DVD. Folks can check out the film by going to http://cupidsarrowthemovie.com. There you can watch the trailer and there are links to buy the film off the distributor's website and Amazon. Friends of mine have been purchasing it off Walmart's website as well. It will also be coming to Netflix soon.

We understand that you are slated to work with director Todd Theman Pollakoff on a new project titled “Little Black Lie”. How did you become involved with the project and what can you tell us about it?

I had met Todd at the premiere of "Savanna" at the Beverly Hills Film Festival back in 2009. About a year or so later, I got an email from him asking if I wanted to read this script he wrote. I read it and fell in love with it. It's a dark, gritty drama that deals with relationships, love and the lies we tell. As an actor, this will definitely be my most challenging role to date. The roller coaster and journey my character goes on will most likely leave the audience with a very unsettling feeling.

Raiding The Lost Ark: A Filmumentary By Jamie Benning

2012-02-05T11:45:00.001-07:00

Back in December of 2011, I interviewed Filmumentaries creator, Jamie Benning (Read Interview Here).

Jamie's newest Filmumentary, "Raiding The Lost Ark" is now available for viewing. "Raiding The Lost Ark" is an unofficial audio and visual commentary on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The filmumentary gives unprecedented insight into the development and creation of the film and is a must watch for all Indy fans as well as any one who appreciates learning how films are made.

HOW DO YOU WRITE A JOE SCHERMANN SONG - Official Trailer

2012-02-04T09:52:00.001-07:00

Musical/Drama | 104 mins | 2012

Joe (Joe Schermann) dreams of hitting it big on Broadway. After landing an opportunity to write for an Off-Broadway musical, he is forced to cast either the love of his life Evey (Christina Rose) or his newly discovered muse Summer (Debbie Williams). The realities of show business prove to Joe that writing is easy, living is hard.

Starring
JOE SCHERMANN
CHRISTINA ROSE
MARK DiCONZO
DEBBIE WILLIAMS
DARYL RAY CARLILES
JENN DEES

Written, Shot & Directed by
GARY KING

Film Review: Sinners and Saints (2010)

2012-01-20T18:39:00.000-07:00

By: Kristine Orlob-Radford

Last week I was looking for a distraction from my current studies when I was reminded by my Facebook feed that ‘Sinners and Saints’ (2010) a film Written by William Kaufman and Jay Moses and Directed by William Kaufman was out on Blue Ray and DVD. So I headed out to my local video store with one mission…to procure this disk for a private afternoon screening at my house.

‘Sinners and Saints’ takes place in New Orleans and centers around two police detectives, Sean Riley, played by Johnny Strong, and Will Ganz, played by Kevin Phillips. These detectives come together to investigate several brutal murders, thought to be related to gang crime, but as the investigation moves forward they are led down another path leading to crimes of a more horrific nature.

The action in this film is fantastic. There are gun fights, cars, foot chases, knife fights, a little something for everyone and all of which are intense enough to keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire film. But what caught my attention was the dramatic element of the film.

William Kaufman was able to develop multiple story lines between and within the characters and capture the performances delivered by the amazing cast, which also includes: Costas Mandylor, Sean Patrick Flanery, Tom Berenger, Method Man, Kim Coates, and Bas Rutten, just to name a few. No character was too over the top nor was the action out of character for the film. It all complimented each other while moving the story forward. Not an easy job when you think about it. You may be thinking ‘why is this such a big deal?’ well it is a big deal because so many police dramas don’t get this far. The police drama sits on a precarious fence where it could get knocked off and land into two possible worlds. One being the over dramatic rent a cop movie the other a comedic super dudes flick. Only if the filmmaker can find the right balance of action and drama for their film can they land on the fence and maintain that edgy action filled realism needed to hold the audience in the police drama that ‘Sinners and Saints’ accomplishes.

William Kaufman combines great story telling with exciting action sequences and gives us a thrilling police drama. ‘Sinners and Saints’ an original film by William Kaufman…I recommend it.

Sinners and Saints on Facebook Here

Hostage - Official Movie Trailer

2012-01-19T17:51:00.001-07:00

The Paranormal has just become real

Synopsis:
A story about Eugene (Holt Boggs), a man dealing with a personal tragedy of his family’s death by living at the vacation cabin that they last stayed, only to discover he’s completely snowbound. During Eugene’s desperate attempts to dig himself out, he discovers he’s not alone.

Hostage
Starring: Holt Boggs, Liz McGeever, George Katt
Director: Mike Yurinko

Studio: Batpig Pictures

Fighter-Actress-Producer, Francesca Zappitelli - Interview

2012-01-17T19:03:00.001-07:00

Fighter-Actress-Producer, Francesca Zappitelli

Francesca Zappitelli is as a fighter and actress/producer. Francesca recently directed and produced and starred in a short called “Frankie”. She started under development with WWE, then did the Indie circuit; and New Japan - which combines pro wrestling with real shoot fighting. She also starred in an all female show - The Girlie Girl Cat fight Show. Francesca has a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) and she is also certified in teaching yoga. Francesca found the need to be constructively creative and started her own production company. She recently took time out of her busy schedule to chat with me about her career.

Who or what inspired you to become a fighter?

I've always been fiercely competitive and athletic. I was at a crossroad in my life where I felt really vulnerable and small. The thought of upbuilding myself with strength and skill was exactly what I needed and thus led me to pursue the training to be a pro fighter.

You have a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and extensive wrestling experience. Do you have a preference for one sport over the other? And, do you still practice BJJ?

I love BJJ because it's a physical chess game. Figuring out how to get out of one hold and what moves to set up in order to get your checkmate.

I also think every women should know basic Jiu Jitsu. If they're ever attacked, heaven forbid, they know how to get someone much larger off of them and run away to safety.

Presently I'm more into boxing. It's a great workout and a new skill set I'd like to sharpen.

What lead you to become an actress and producer?

I'm not the kind of person who sits around and waits to see how life unfolds. I much rather go make something happen. By becoming a producer, I've learnt the business of acting and have the power to make my acting dreams come true.

As for acting, since I was a little girl it was my favorite thing to do. I used to dress my brother up and we'd perform skits I wrote for my parents. To this day, acting is still my favorite thing to do. They say if you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. That's my goal!

Do you consider yourself a fighter first and foremost or an actress/producer? Does one take precedent over the other in your life?

To live a successful life you've got to have a warrior spirit. I'll always be a fighter first because that mentality and discipline will help me win in acting, producing, and anything else I choose to do.

What do you think the public's perception is of female fighters? What would you like people to know about female fighters?

I think female fighting has come along way, yet it still has along way to go. I'd love to see equality in the pay rate between male and female fighters. In the fight game, women are still in the fifties; lucky to make a quarter of what their male equivalents make and that's just not right!

You worked on a project called “Ballerina I’m Not”. It’s the story of the journey of three women finding their way in a male dominated fight industry. Please share with us why you felt it important to make this project?

It's predominantly a boys club in the fight world. When I first started BJJ eleven years ago, I was the only girl in the Dojo, and the same thing at UPW- the University of professional wrestling. Women have to work harder to be taken seriously. I made 'Ballerina I'm Not' to show the world what it's like to walk a mile in the shoes of women who want to fight and shine a spotlight on them.

You recently directed, produced and starred in a short called “Frankie". What can you share with us about this new project?

It's a narrative story of a girl named Frankie and her journey to find herself. There's definitely a big part of myself in the story and a character that everyone can relate to.

What has been the most rewarding part of your journey thus far?

I've really become comfortable in my own skin and seeing myself grow is really rewarding. I'm living my dream; I'm one happy gal.

What other projects do you have in the works?

I'm in preproduction for a sci-fi Creature Feature, Embryo. It's X Files meets 24 in a nutshell. The alien in it is totally awesome!!!!

Francesca Zappitelli's Website: www.francescazappitelli.com

"Ballerina I'm Not" Website: www.ballerinaimnot.com

Actor Kevin Chapman - Truly "A Person of Interest"

2012-01-11T21:44:00.001-07:00

Actor Kevin Chapman

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Chapman's Official Facebook Page

I recently had the opportunity to chat with actor Kevin Chapman. Kevin's resume boasts diverse credits in both television and film. He was a series regular on the award-winning Showtime television series, "Brotherhood". Kevin also had recurring roles in "Lost", "Rescue Me", and "24". Among his numerous film credits are roles in "Ladder 49", "Sunshine Cleaning", and in the Academy Award-nominated films "Mystic River", "21 Grams", "The Cider House Rules" and "In The Bedroom".

Being a fan of Clint Eastwood's, I could not pass up the opportunity to ask Kevin about his experiences working on the film "Mystic River" with Mr. Eastwood. Kevin said that Clint is a professional who knows what he wants from a project and is also generous with his actors.

Kevin is currently starring in the CBS hit crime-thriller show, Person Of Interest (POI). The show is the brain child of two very talented minds, Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams. POI follows the story of a presumed dead former-CIA agent who teams up with a mysterious billionaire to prevent violent crimes by suing their own brand of vigilante justice. Chapman plays Detective Lionel Fusco, a bad cop who gets a chance to make amends.

Kevin speaks of his fellow POI cast members with professional respect and describes them as unique individuals who bring a strong and varied back ground of work experience to the show.

I asked Kevin what appealed most to him about the character of Detective Lionel Fusco, he told me he enjoyed the complexity and dual nature of the character. Kevin does not define the Fusco character as either good or bad; his true nature is left to the interpretation of each viewer.

One of the things that interests me as a viewer is to know if an actor wants to see a particular storyline or situation develop for their character. Kevin says that as an actor he prefers to enjoy the journey and not know too much in advance about what will happen to his character.

There was no coaxing Kevin to divulge any information about the upcoming episodes of Person Of Interest. POI creator, Jonathan Nolan, had made it clear to the entire cast to keep all information strictly confidential. We will all just have to keep tuned into find out what happens next on Person Of Interest. Certainly not a difficult task as the show is engaging and faced paced enough to keep our interests going for a long time to come.

I asked Kevin if he has more fans recognize him and stop him on the street to ask questions or request an autograph. Also, did he have any unusual fan experiences. He said, thankfully no unusual fan encounters, just an amusing experience during the filming of "Ladder 49". During filming he went into a local dry-cleaners, the person behind the counter thought he was truly a firefighter. Once the person learned he was working on the film, they requested an autograph. Kevin was happy to oblige them, but they then clarified they wanted John Travolta's autograph instead. Kevin chuckled at the memory of the incident.

When asked about other projects Kevin has on the go, he replied that during filming POI there is not much time to take on new projects. However he has a movie he produced, called Lonely Street, that is now out in stores. Lonely Street stars Jay Mohr, Robert Patrick, Joe Mantegna, and is the story of a gullible private detective, who becomes the prime suspect in a tabloid reporter's murder after being hired to snoop on him by a mysterious celebrity.

We are delighted to learn that Person Of Interest was recently nominated and just won a People's Choice Award in the New TV Drama category!!

Love Person Of Interest, then sign-up at CBS' POI Ultimate Fan

Kevin Chapman's Online Outlets:

Official Website
Twitter @POIFUSCO
Official Facebook

Interview with Jamie Benning, creator of Filmumentaries; Star Wars Begins, Building Empire, Returning to Jedi, and Raiding the Lost Ark

2011-12-13T10:49:00.001-07:00

Jamie Benning is the creator of Filmumentaries - Star Wars Begins, Building Empire, Returning to Jedi and the soon to be released Raiding the Lost Ark. Jamie recently took time to chat with me about his filmumentary projects.

You are the creator of some fantastic filmumentaries about two iconic film franchises: Star Wars, and Indiana Jones. What inspired you to create these filmumentaries?

I always felt that DVD commentary tracks could be pushed in the visual as well as the audio arena. I felt that commentary tracks and DVD extras can sometimes be lazy and sanitized. For Star Wars I knew there was plenty of material out there to make something new and different. There was so much disparate material, which if drawn together, would make something that would at the very least be interesting.

Have you had the opportunity to meet and speak with George Lucas or Steven Spielberg? If yes, what are their thoughts on your work?

I haven't heard from the two masters. I hope they see my Filmumentaries for what they are though; love letters to their wonderful films.

Please share with us a bit about the process of making a filmumentary.

First of all, I lay the entire film on a Final Cut Pro timeline. Then I go about collecting and collating as much material together from books, DVDs, VHS, and online resources. It is then a matter of deciding which parts to use, and which parts to omit to create a story. With this project the narrative I wanted to create is about Lucas being at the top of his game and Spielberg trying to prove the point that he can shoot a film within budget and within time. He had quite a lot to prove to the studios after the cost of Close Encounters and the time spent on 1941.

Which software programs and/or computer gadgets do you use to collate and edit your material?

I use an Apple Macbook and iMac running FCP7. I also use MPEG Streamclip, Compressor, Photoshop and After Effects.

What do you consider to be the biggest challenge in making a filmumentary?

The challenge is to use material that is already available, to make something new and interesting, not only for the casual viewer but also for the avid fan. I have been accused of just ripping off other peoples work and putting it in a different order. But quite often that is how a documentary is made. The wonderful film Senna is an example of how a person can make an emotional and interesting piece by using only archive footage along with contemporary interviews. Obviously my Filmumentaries are in a different format. But I hope that with the combination of old and new material, some of which I will have created myself, that I can create a new way of looking at and enjoying a film. I also think the format can add life to films that have been parodied, copied and for want of a better phrase, done to death.

What are the most valuable things you have learned from undertaking your filmumentary-making journey?

I am pleased to say that whilst I really made the Star Wars one's for a small online forum and myself, I was so humbled to get such a huge amount of positive feedback from so many people. Since February 2011, not a single day has passed that I haven't had a kind email from somebody who has enjoyed my Filmumentaries.

Watch Jamie's Filmumentaries, read interviews, and more at: http://filmumentaries.com/

Sean Patrick Flanery: The Man Who Transforms On Screen

2011-12-10T08:58:00.001-07:00

By Lynn Tackitt
People who follow television shows or the movies almost always have their favorite actors or actresses that they enjoy watching and they follow their careers to see what they are doing next. Some of us follow what they do and where they go more closely by following them on Twitter or Facebook or go to see them at Comic Cons if they are doing an appearance. Is there anything wrong with that? I would say, no, if it is done respectfully and not to the point of needing a restraining order.

I have watched movies, with some of my favorite actors/actresses in them, just because they are in them. Sometimes I might be disappointed but I support them by going anyway. A lot of times I see that actor/actress playing that part, although believable in the role I don’t often see them “become” the role. I have also sat through movies with some actors/actresses I don’t care for, that the movies went on to be classic. To be truthful, those actors/actresses weren’t the reason they were a good film. The script carried it; the lines that were written could have carried a trained chimp.

Every now and then you will see a movie and realize that you have seen that actor before but it might take you a minute to remember where you have seen them and then a few more minutes to remember their name. Is it because of their acting? Is their acting so bad they weren’t memorable? I don’t think so. I think it’s because these are the few actors/actresses that actually become the role. You don’t see an actor in the role; you see the character that was written, in the film.

Sean Patrick Flanery is one of these actors. From the beginning small roles in “The Grass Harp” and “Frank & Jesse”, he’s not just an actor with a small role, he is the character in these films that you see briefly. When Mr. Flanery was in “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones” I never saw Sean as Indiana Jones, I saw a young inexperienced, passionate young man becoming the man, Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. I have watched him become “Powder” and wrap himself so much in that character that you can forget you are watching a film with an actor and feel what the character is going through and who that character is.

He can become a tormented person who has lost his love “Zack & Reba”, to a no nonsense business man who opens himself up to love in “Simply Irresistible” and a hopeless romantic in “A Crush On You” to a very bad man in “Citizen Jane” and “Sinners & Saints” and a corrupt politician in the series “The Dead Zone” and his most recognizable role as an Irish brother who seeks justice with his brother in “The Boondock Saints”.

Sean becomes these people in these films, where you believe the characters and believe in the characters.

Out of a career, which spans over 20 years, there have only been a few films that didn’t leave me wanting to see it over and over again but it was scripting not the acting. He puts himself into each and every role and you can see the work. Often, at the end of the film you will once again realize, that Sean, the actor, was in the film, because once the story begins it is no longer Sean on the screen, but the character that he brings to life.

I look forward to all his upcoming work to get the chance to see what characters and storylines adventures he will take me on, because to watch Mr. Flanery on screen is always a wonderful journey.

Old School New School - Documentary Film Review

2011-12-04T17:30:00.001-07:00

Poster courtesy Blue Dog Productions, Inc.

And Where A Great And Unique Man Speaks Small Men Should Keep Silence - Franz Xaver Kappus

Old School New School, by writer-producer Steven Fischer, is an educational short documentary which explores ‘an artist’s journey’. The documentary is comprised of three homologous themes: Finding your Own Voice, Security versus Risk, and Defining Success in the Arts.

Steven Fisher conducts engaging interviews with ten accomplished artists in order to chronicle each of their experiences and opinions in regards to each of the three stated themes.

The interviewees include Emmy®-winning actor Brian Cox (King Lear, X-Men, Manhunter), Tony Award-winning producer Emanuel Azenberg (Rent, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Lost in Yonkers), Oscar®-nominated cinematographer William Fraker ASC, BSC (Bullitt, Rosemary’s Baby, WarGames, Tombstone), Grammy-winning jazz pianist McCoy Tyner (My Favorite Things, Sahara, Illuminations), Accomplished actor Tomas Arana (CSI, 24, Law & Order, Tombstone, Gladiator), Renowned cinematographer John Bailey, ASC (The Big Chill, American Gigolo, The Accidental Tourist), Actor-turned-Congressman Ben Jones (Dukes of Hazzard), Acclaimed theater actor and professor Sam McCready, Distinguished poet James Ragan (Too Long a Solitude, In the Talking Hours), Award-winning improvisational dancer Kirstie Simson.

Some of the key points I distilled from watching the documentary are:

Be honest with yourself
Be willing to make sacrifices and take (smart) risks
There is not just one path to success
You are the person who defines your own success.

I asked the filmmaker about his choice of title for the documentary, not that I found the title to be incongruous, but I wanted a better understanding of how he thought it related to the content of his film. This was Mr. Fischer’s response to my query: “I felt it incorporated each aspect of the movie's overall idea of the younger generation going to the older generation for knowledge: younger, older, and schooling.”

Each interviewee speaks candidly and shares anecdotes that are easily relatable. Although the knowledge they share is not entirely new information to this reviewer; the sage advice is significant and beneficial to hear (whether it’s for the first time or the upteenth time).

Old School New School’s agenda is a well defined at the beginning of the documentary and is cleanly executed. It’s well worth the 33 minutes it takes to watch Old School New School, you will gain a positive insight into the journey of artists.

About The Writer-Producer:

Steven Fischer is a multi-award winning writer/producer noted for artistic and socially conscious storytelling. His credits include Freedom Dance (2007), featuring Mariska Hargitay, as well as documentaries and scripted stories commissioned by: Maryland Public Television/PBS, Nextel, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, TimeWarner Cable, and AmeriCorps

To learn more about Old School New School, go to: http://www.stevenfischer.net

PATS CATS ETC Founder Chats About Her Upcoming Book About Celebrities And Their Pets

2011-11-24T19:03:00.001-07:00

As a person who holds the welfare of animals dear to my heart; I was pleased to chat with the founder of PATS CATS ETC ELDERLY ANIMAL RESCUE. PATS CATS ETC is an animal sanctuary based in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. The sanctuary is dedicated to the care and well being of all types of animals, with particular reference to elderly animals who may otherwise be difficult to home.

When did you first become involved with rescuing animals? 1986

How did Pats Cats Etc become to be, and what is the sanctuary’s directive?

I started with cat rescue founding a Cats Protection League group in Oxfordshire to help ferals and strays in that area but after six years wanted to expand to help any animal in need so went independently working from a small paddock at home. Eventually I needed much more room so sold up and moved to a 12 acre small holding in Wales. The main aim is to help old, sick or terminally ill animals since these are the ones who are always difficult to find placement for. If a new, forever home comes up then, following stringent home checks, neutering and micro chipping they can be adopted but, failing that, they have a safe home here for life. However, any animal in trouble is welcome if it is at all possible to find space. Being entirely voluntary there is no outside funding and it is essential to ensure there is sufficient backing for accommodation, food and veterinary care. I would like to stress here that any animal coming to Pats Cats Etc who is likely to remain for the rest of its life is given as near to a family environment as possible, not just permanently placed in a kennel or cattery.

How great is the need for animal sanctuaries such as Pats Cats Etc? Has there been an increase in the number of animals in need of a good home since you’ve started your rescue mission?

Absolutely. Animals needing help have increased and there is a massive need for sanctuaries. Far too many animals are put to sleep daily. As the economic situation and cost of living have expanded then so, too, very noticeably, has the dumping of animals.

Actor Richard Briers CBE (Doctor Who, Much Ado About Nothing) serves as patron to Pats Cats Etc. How did Mr. Briers become affiliated with the sanctuary?

Please check these productions, Richard is best known for the series The Good Life. We first met when I interviewed him to write a profile for Oxon Magazine many years ago. He had a wonderful rescued dog called Fred at the time. We kept in touch and this last year he agreed to become our patron. He has also helped by writing the foreword for my previous two books, A Cat in Every Corner and Sticky Dewi.

Funding for animal rescue and animal care comes from donations and the sale of books you have available on your website. You are currently working on a new book; what details can you share with our readers about this new book?

This new book is to focus on celebrities who have adopted rescued animals. The idea is to encourage people to do the same rather than buying from shops, breeders or puppy farms. There are far too many animals, particularly dogs, who are unwanted and so many put to sleep for lack of a loving home. The general public are often unaware of this and do not always realize the benefits to themselves as well as the animals, of helping to rescue. A rescued animal has so much love to give and what you see is what you get by way of behavior.

You already have some celebrity contributors lined up for the book, correct? Would there be any particular celebrity you would love to have contribute to the book?

Delving into this I have discovered an amazing and pleasing number of well known celebrities who do more than just adopting an animal but who actively support sanctuaries and animal welfare groups. It is quite difficult to single out one in particular. People do have their own favorites and like to emulate certain aspects of their life styles and that is what I am hoping the book will encourage more to do. I am delighted with the response received so far but need many more. I can only add that anyone, famous or not, who adopts a rescued animal is wonderful in my view.

If a celebrity wished to contribute to the book, what is the best way for them to connect with you/your sanctuary?

I do try to keep a low profile with regards to the specific location of the sanctuary to protect the animals in care and to avoid animals being simply dumped on the doorstep in the night, which has happened many times to myself and other rescues. Visitors are welcome but only by appointment.

However, if any celebrity would be willing to help by contributing to this book then there is the web site: patscatsetc.org.uk, Face book (click on the green logo), email; dixiesmum@btinternet.com or by telephone (appreciating that not everyone is computerized) 01558 669070. The time involved is kept to a minimum, appreciating how busy celebrities are, but I do hope more will come forward. Revenue from the book will go towards expanding Pats Cats Etc to enable more animals to be saved.

PATS CATS ETC ELDERLY ANIMAL RESCUE Website: www.patscatsetc.org.uk

PATS CATS ETC ELDERLY ANIMAL RESCUE on Facebook

THE BOONDOCK SAINTS’ GRAPHIC NOVEL TO LAUNCH ON NOV. 21ST WITH A SIGNING AT LOS ANGELES BARNES & NOBLE

2011-11-16T16:36:00.001-07:00

LOS ANGELES, California---November 8, 2011

TROY DUFFY and J.B. LOVE - the writers behind The BOONDOCK SAINTS' initial foray into comics will be signing the collected GRAPHIC NOVEL edition at BARNES & NOBLE in LOS ANGELES and they’re bringing DAVID DELLA ROCCO as well!

TROY DUFFY’s original BOONDOCK SAINTS film is one of the most successful independent movies of all time, with a fiercely devoted fan base - with nearly 5 million online followers of the franchise. With the hit comic series "IN NOMINE PATRIS", creator/writer/director TROY DUFFY launched the first "Saints" story to take place outside the iconic films. Written by Duffy and comic scribe J.B. LOVE, the comic series is the perfect companion to the films.

The story masterfully interweaves the events of the BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY with brand new material to reveal the secret history of the original saint, NOAH MACMANUS (IL DUCE) as he wages a bloody war against 1960's New York's Underground Crime world. The storyline is intercut with brand new adventures of the BROTHERS MACMANUS (The Boondock Saints) doing what they do best; doling out their special brand of justice to those that deserve it. "In Nomine Patris" brings a new chapter of the Saints saga to life while revealing the family legacy that created this trio of "Shepherds".

Featuring a forward by Connor MacManus himself - actor, SEAN PATRICK FLANERY - Join Troy Duffy and his comics team in this thrilling new Saints Adventure by pre-ordering the collected edition. This special trade paperback collects all six comic issues, never before seen art, a cover gallery, behind the scenes sketches and more. This is the collection the fans have been waiting for!

BARNES & NOBLE will HOST the first signing of the Graphic Novel before it’s available in stores! The FIRST 200 Guests will Receive a FREE COPY of the Exclusive Comic, “THE LOST GIG” starring fan favorite, ROCCO. The FIRST 100 GUESTS will also receive a FREE BOONDOCK SAINTS POSTER.

The Signing is November 21^st at 7pm at the BARNES & NOBLE at THE GROVE at Farmers Market (189 Grove Drive Suite K 30, Los Angeles, CA 90036. The Store Phone Number is 323-525-0270.) For Additional Event Information please visit http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/74348

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About BOONDOCK SAINTS

Boondock Saints, LLC is the official marketing, promotion and communication arm for all things “Boondock.” The company creates and produces special events for the growing community of Boondock Saints fans worldwide, manages media inquiries and requests for personal appearances and operates two websites: www.boondocksaints.com and www.boondockstore.com to provide the public with a dynamic interactive forum for discussion and user-generated content along with instant access to updated information about the films (The Boondock Saints and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day,) related music, merchandise and a variety of other creative developments in progress. Follow the Boondock Saints on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/boondocksaintsfans

About INNFUSION

INNFUSION is a creative ideas company. Founded by Eben Matthews in 1997, the company creates, develops and produces a wide variety of content across multiple platforms and delivery systems. The companies current focus is largely in the entertainment industry the production of The Boondock Saints comic series, pioneering the Motion Comics arena (as half owner of production company, M2) and developing and producing original entertainment properties designed for exploitation across multiple mediums. Additionally INNFUSION’s creative services division designs and creates branding, advertising and interactive media for companies such as Nike, Met Life, Konami, Disney, THQ, Target and many others. For more information please visit www.INNFUSION.com or email Hello@INNFUSION.com

About the Publisher

12-Gauge Comics was founded by Keven Gardner in 2004 and currently publishes some of the most successful and critically acclaimed independent comic books in the marketplace today. 12-Gauge members Jason Pearson, Brian Stelfreeze, Cully Hamner, and Doug Wagner are creating new and innovative multi-media concepts for the company, including Pearson’s run-away hit BODY BAGS and THE RIDE, which was the top-selling black and white debut comic of the year in 2004. 12-Gauge solidified its position as a force to be reckoned with by packaging THE O.C.T. (Occult Crimes Taskforce), an original comic book concept co-created and starring actress ROSARIO DAWSON. THE O.C.T. has been featured on “The Today Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Access Hollywood,” and in many other media outlets. In 2009 12-Gauge began publishing under its own banner (prior titles were through Image Comics), starting with the company's first licensed property, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: The Comic Series -- which made a major splash. The all-new stories by series creator/director TROY DUFFY exposed the 12-Gauge brand to an all-new audience. 12-Gauge then moved into the untapped market of country music with superstar recording artist TRACE ADKINS. In LUKE MC BAIN, Adkins lends his likeness to a hard-as-nails character in an adventure story of revenge and redemption. Trace went on a wide publicity tour for the comics; highlights being a guest appearance on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and a feature story in “USA Today”. Recently, 12-Gauge launched the high-concept series MAGUS, R.P.M. (from NYT #1 Bestselling author MICK FOLEY), the border drama ICE, and the critically acclaimed southern-crime-romance, LOOSE ENDS. For more information, please visit www.12gaugecomics.com or email info@12gaugecomics.com

Interview with the cast of “Off The Boulevard”

2011-11-08T22:48:00.002-07:00

Interview by Lynn Tackitt

Recently I watched a film called “Off The Boulevard” written and directed by Jeff Santo. Mr. Santo has done other films like “This Old Cub” and “Jake’s Corner” and he has a unique perspective to the films he does.

As I started watching, I immediately liked the film and throughout the entire film I felt like I knew exactly what they were going through, although in truth, I had never been through any of it. I got ticked off when they weren’t given their due and happy when it looked like it started to go their way and was impressed with all they went through but still stayed the course of their dream.

Five of the cast members were nice enough to find time in their busy schedules to answer a few questions for us and give you a little insight to their world.

Entertainment Corner: What first started you on the path, in the industry, that you are on?

Keith Jackson: When I was very young, I was surrounded by music. Most of my family either played an instrument or sang. Long before MTV or Cable television there was radio and radio was magical to me. I would spend hours, late at night, with my little transistor radio, listening to the AM stations in the mid 70’s. A steady stream of wonderful songs from the Beach Boys to Thin Lizzy! This was before there was a ‘set’ pop programming structure so any one station would play just about everything. It was my true source of communication to the world outside of my bedroom.

Bob Rubin: When I was in grade school, I’d always try to make my classmates laugh. When they did, the teacher would always say, “Go stand in the hallway”. When I was in 5th and 6th grade and standing out in the hall, my old first grade teacher, Miss Minor, would come out and take me into her classroom to tell stories to the first graders and help them learn to read. The hallway in this little red brick schoolhouse was my first Green Room.

Sanel Budimlic: Jeff asked me to play a part in ‘Jake’s Corner’. Other than that, I knew I had a passion for movies and never thought I’d be a part of it.

Nick Nicholson: My father was a drummer in a few rock bands which stirred the interest… and I never stopped wanting to be a rock star.

Troy Duffy: I needed an outlet, a release valve of sorts, for my crappy life at the time. Writing was it.

EC: What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Keith Jackson: Having to make a living and also continue to create! Don’t get me wrong, I made a lot of money and sold a lot of records into the 80’s with various bands like Shock Therapy, The Beat Angels and many others, but, the days of landing the ‘elusive’ record contract are long gone. There’s so much more now. It’s not just about the music craft so much as it is marketing and the bottom line on the corporate machine and media blitz that now controls popular music. It has become cookie cutters and soulless digital instrumentation. Pre-fabricated if you will. The younger audiences are fed a steady stream of shit. They no longer make up their own minds about what they want to listen to or buy. They are barraged with what the industry wants them to absorb and seem to mindlessly follow fashion ad music trends set in motion by huge multimedia gargantuan companies. I run into kids who get it and they are seeking out music in the underground and making those choices for themselves. It’s refreshing to see.

Bob Rubin: If you’re speaking strictly about the industry, the biggest challenge is not letting it get to you. They will beat you down and beat you away time and time again, but, so what. You always have to remember that you have a real and complete life to live, your own life. Remember your family and friends and the fun you have. As for the rest of it, you have to stay in love with what you do and never quit.

Sanel: Going to all those auditions.

Nick: Obviously, the business, trying to wade through the bullshit of liars and thieves and still continue to stay true to what you love and believe in, because if you can do that it separates you from the industry bottom feeders, eventually, I’m told! Hahaha

Troy: Dealing with the politics of this business.

EC: Is there someone in the industry that you would like to work with and why?

Keith: I’ve worked with many of my teenage heroes and I’ve been lucky that way, but I’d have to say Bruce Springsteen! The reasoning is simple, he has continued to crank out good music, not all of it, but his longevity in never changing himself or the sounds he creates. Staying true to his influences and his beliefs musically. He never bent in the wind of pop cultures fickle breeze.

Bob: I’m not really sure. Being a person who is not in a position to pick and choose right now, I just want to work, period. But to answer your question, I’d say Steve Martin and Bill Murray. They were both heavy influences on me since I was a teenager, and they’ve always made me laugh really hard. Oh, and I’d also like to do a short film, or an animated show the The Pope.

Sanel: Clint Eastwod, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott or Michael Mann because they make great films.

Nick: I would have to say Toby Keith because he’s a true rebel in the Country Music side of things plus he showed up to one of my shows New Years Eve 2010/11 and asked if he could sit in. Of course I said, “Hell, yeah” Besides that, he didn’t treat me as a nobody in the industry because of not having a record deal. He has stayed true to what he believes in and doesn’t care what anyone on the upper management scene says, It’s ALL about the people who Love Music!

Troy: Clint Eastwood. I don’t know how this would happen since we’re both directors. Eastwood uses the same crew every time. I would love to see that and pick his brain. Maybe just follow him around on a set for a couple of days.

EC: What is your next project that you are lining up?

Keith: Trying to release the new ‘Glass Heroes’ CD, produced by legendary punk pioneer Rat Scabies of ‘The Damned’.

Bob: I’m shooting a stand-up performance DVD in Phoenix, Arizona that will be produced and directed by the great Jeff Santo, who did ‘Off The Boulevard’. I’m also working on producing a trailer for a children’s show I wrote called, ‘Adventures In Vervetown’.

Sanel: Jeff and I finished writing ‘Made In Bosna’ and now we are trying to get it made. I started a website with the same name, www.madeinbosna.com , so people can go and see what it is all about and get a little of my culture.

Nick: Shoot, I’m just trying to get through this one.

Troy: “The Blood Spoon council” It’s a story about a vigilante group that hunts down serial killers.

EC: What is the most memorable thing that has happened to you?

Keith: Which of the thousands would you like to hear? Lol Becoming acquainted with my personal and late icon Joe Strummer of ‘The Clash’.

Bob: Professionally speaking, it was doing a stand-up in front of 40,000 people at an out door comedy show in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, back in the 80’s. When I walked out on stage, they all started chanting, “RUUUBE!” It was a trip. Personally speaking, it was meeting my girlfriend. I met her in Toronto when I was there filming Boondock Saints II. That’s also when I met Jeff Santo, but Jeff and I didn’t hit it off romantically, we’re good friend though.

Sanel: Being alive to answer these questions and having a family.

Nick: Has got to be Toby Keith sitting in with me. I sang one of his mega hits ‘Whiskey Girl’ with him playing guitar on the same stage. I don’t think I will be forgetting that anytime soon. Haha!

Troy: A seagull crapped in my eye once.

EC: Would you like to add anything else gentlemen?

Keith: I’d like to quote something Joey Ramone once said to me back stage in Detroit.” Just keep doing what you do, eventually you’ll get there”. Cheers to that!

Bob: Yes, of course. Please buy a copy of ‘Off The Boulevard’. If you’re wondering when your dream will come true and your faith is wavering a bit, watch this movie and you’ll be inspired to stay the course and you’ll be reminded that there’s no room to doubt yourself. Oh, and about your dream, it will probably come true tomorrow. Keep the Faith.

Sanel: Once again, please go to www.MadeInBosna.com, check it out.

Nick: I have a kickass music video that was shot by Santo Films!!!! Woohoo!

Troy: Bacon. It makes everything a little better.

If you would like to get to know more about the cast of ‘Off The Boulevard’, you can order a copy at www.santofilms.com. Check it out and you might want to check out some of the other wonderful films done by Jeff Santo, and start following along with some extremely talented men.

Interview with Jeff Santo “Off The Boulevard”

2011-11-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

Interview by Lynn Tackitt

For those of us who follow movies and like to know more about the actors and actresses and the background stories, often the most hidden of jewels in the movie industry is not the major blockbuster, big time movie exploits and commercials shoved down our throats, but the ideas and visions of the independent film makers. Often on a small budget, but that is just where their hard work begins. They have to delve deep down inside them to get that vision across to the moviegoer in creative but effective ways. The independent filmmaker does not have the luxury or a huge budget and you know what? That’s what makes their films even better, the fact that you focus on the storyline and the ride they take you on while you get to sit back and be taken along on their journey.

A little while ago, I watched a documentary called “Off The Boulevard” a Jeff Santo documentary. I’m not usually one for documentaries as they tend to drone on and I never really “get” the feel of the film. So I was not only shocked but also pleasantly surprised that this film not only got my attention and kept it but I felt like I was right there with these gentlemen on their personal journeys.

Mr. Santo tells the life stories and struggles of seven men (including himself) on their dreams, visions, struggles and obstacles that they have had to overcome and what they have to deal with in order to live their dream. It’s edited in a way that I never got bored and I was anxious to see what that person was going to say next. He had a story to tell, but it’s not just about the trials and tribulations of just these men, but of people like them and trying to get themselves heard. The independent filmmakers of the world, like Jeff Santo, are interesting, talented and have dreams and stories to tell that we should not miss out on.

He took time out of his schedule to answer some questions for us so we could get to know him and his projects a little better.

ENTERTAINMENT CORNER: How did you first get involved in the film business?

JEFF: Back in 1987 I helped train John Cusack for the baseball film, Eight Men Out. He got me a small part in the film where I hit into a double play for the St. Louis Browns. It was great to be on the set and watch John Sayles direct. I took it all in. everything. I said to myself, "I'm going to do this one day". So after that experience I went to the library and got as many books as I could on filmmaking and screenwriting... and studied the craft for the next several years. Film schools weren't available like they are today, so I had to learn or at least try to learn the craft on my own. My first real experience was a stage play I wrote, produced, and directed in 1992. It was hard to make films back then so I decided to write a play just to see how an audience would react to my writing and directing. It was a sobering experience to say the least but it definitely got me hooked... then I moved to Los Angeles in 1994 and directed my first film in 1997.

EC: Has your career gone the way you expected?

JEFF: I have written a lot of screenplays over the years and the ones I've been fortunate to make into films never go the way you expected. Most writers map out their careers as if they're writing a screenplay about it... I'll make this film, then this film, and then shoot the next one on some exotic Island. Good luck! So the answer is "no", it hasn't gone the way I expected. But I have become a better writer, better director, and better person by learning how to deal with things in this business when they don't go the way you expected. Filmmaking is an art form that requires many experienced artists to participate, in sync, to create a quality film. The road to that experience does not have signs pointing to a destination of expectations.

EC: What filmmakers have inspired you?

JEFF: I grew up in a Major League Baseball Clubhouse, my dad played for the Chicago Cubs. My brother and I always hung out with him during the summer so my childhood was like a great kid's movie, hanging out with all these famous cool athletes. So I guess I was always fascinated by directors who dealt with interesting and powerful men. Like Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, Barry Levinson. Scorsese dealt with the tortured man. Mann dealt with the lone, isolated man. Levinson dealt with the group of man, friends. All these kind of men were in that baseball clubhouse I hung out in when I was a kid. So I guess I could relate to their characters, they seemed familiar to me. They all had different filmmaking styles, and I after studied their films all their different styles made sense to me. Your main characters are everything when it comes to making a film. Your tone and style of the film is really determined by the presence and evolution of your main character(s). These great filmmakers inspired me to move forward in finding my main character.

EC: What inspires you to do your next projects?

JEFF: Usually my previous project somehow and in someway inspires me to my next project. "This Old Cub" led me to make "Jake's Corner". There was this guy in Arizona who was inspired by watching This Old Cub and decided to walk from Prescott Arizona to Wrigley Field in honor of my father and This Old Cub to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a foundation my dad has raised over 60 million for the past thirty years. I wound up meeting this person in the town of "Jake's Corner", one of his stops along his journey that was in the Arizona mountains. I fell in love with this little town and wrote a story about it. That became my next film. I made Off The Boulevard because I had such a difficult time in dealing with our distributor on Jake's Corner that it lead me to finally telling the story I had brewing in my mind for years. I had some very interesting random footage over the past ten years on myself and friends of mine in the entertainment business that I started to take a real close look on how I can make this into something. So I forced myself out of pure frustration into a small room, with my girlfriend Christie Collins, for almost two years editing this random footage. Most couples in a room that small for two years would definitely split. We got married. That shows you how much Off The Boulevard means to us. It's like we birthed our own child and her name is Off The Boulevard. Yes, it's a girl.

EC: As your career has advanced, what have been the most difficult obstacles you have had to overcome?

JEFF: Distribution. It's a mess right now for any talented indie filmmaker or musician. My mission is to hopefully spread the word that we need something new for those who have the experience and talent to produce quality film and music. We need to all band together so that we can control the selling of our work. We have all the creative control in making our art but when it comes to selling it, we have none and that's sad and deadly. If you don't get picked up by a studio or major label, which today is becoming harder and harder... they are locking their gates to what they think the public wants. Also, it doesn't help when so many people today think they can be a filmmaker or musician because technology and the Internet gives them access to a public forum. I'm not against that access because there's always a great talent out there that will rise from all this. But unfortunately more inexperienced people will just get in the way, polluting the waters for nothing new and good to be discovered. So we need to find a balance that will give those who have the talent and the experience to have an opportunity to succeed. This is a need that needs to happen. With a new honest distribution system in place to protect the artist, more and more undiscovered talent will have a chance to be found and to flourish. As Slash said on a radio interview, "I don't think Led Zeppelin would make it today".

EC: On your new film,’ Off The Boulevard' why did you choose this group of men? Were you friends before the movie or because good friends during the filming?

JEFF: They were friends of mine. Some I've known for over ten years like Troy, Rocco and Sanel. Some not as long but long enough to know they will always have a special place in my heart as a true friend and true artist. We all fit, it just seemed right. That's why I chose who I chose.

EC: Is there one story or event in your life that you remember above all your experiences?

JEFF: My wedding. I never thought I'd get married and it just happened. That's what's so cool about life... I didn't write that script, someone else did and it turned out to be pretty amazing. Christie and I got married on 10/10/10. That was my father's number, which is retired now and hanging on the left field foul poll in Wrigley Field. My dad was at our wedding just before he passed away and he got a chance to see the rough cut of Off The Boulevard and really liked it. It was even more special when he got a chance to meet all the guys in person at the wedding; it was like he already knew them from what I showed him. He told me to keep making documentaries, that I was good at them.

EC: You had to have admired your father a great deal for you to make such a great film about him. Was your father surprised that you made a film all about him?

JEFF: At first my father was reluctant for me to do a documentary about his life. He was a very humbled man, so it took me about a day to convince him. He was just about to have his second leg amputated so he could be healthy with two prosthetic legs to announce the first Spring Training game. I told him that this film, if you let me tell your story, would inspire millions of diabetics or anyone dealing with a disability. I really believed that because I was so inspired just witnessing everything he was going through. So he said, "let's give it try, but if I don't like what's going on we'll end this in a couple of weeks". It was like he was being a studio head warning me if he sees that I don't know what I'm doing, I'm fired... that was funny. After two weeks he didn't say a thing. I remember when I first showed him the film, he was very quiet, totally focused on everything... sometimes he would let out a smile or a small laugh. He did ask me how I got in his bedroom to shoot him putting on his legs. I was with him so much just helping him out with everything that when it came to filming him he forgot I had a camera in my hands. I think that made the film very natural and realistic. At the end, we were both very proud of the film. This Old Cub changed my life! My dad is my hero, forever!!!

EC: When everyone sees your new film "Off The Boulevard" and reads the articles they are going to see just how busy you are. How many projects do you keep in the hopper at once?

JEFF: If I'm working on a film that's the only project I'm working on until it is finished and into the market place. Being an independent filmmaker, you don't have the luxury to do multiple projects. The ones that say they're working on a number of things means they are working on nothing. I do have projects I plan to do in the future but that future changes all the time. I just hope I have the opportunity to keep making films that move people in some type of way.

EC: Is there anything else you would like to add?

JEFF: Please spread the word to support the independent artists. Without the support from the public, we have no support.

Thank you Jeff, for taking time out of your schedule to let us get to know you a little better. I know I look forward to your next project.

If you would like to order your copy of “Off The Boulevard” go to santofilms.com where if you would like to check out “This Old Cub” and “Jake’s Corner” has recently been added to their site, you won’t be disappointed.

Under review: “Off The Boulevard”

2011-11-08T17:04:00.002-07:00

Review by Lynn Tackitt

In the past, I have overlooked documentaries and never given them much thought. They didn’t seem to strike a long enough cord to make it through the entire film. Don’t get me wrong; I respect people enough to have a passion and want to get the word out enough to make a film about it. Of course, when I was younger I didn’t pay too much attention to the world’s problems around me let alone give the time and attention these films deserved.

Lately, I have taken a look around the world and see that these films, for the most part, have an important message that we as a collaborative, should listen to.

Jeff Santo has directed a documentary written by him and Christie Collins titled, “Off The Boulevard” and follows seven artists. Those artist being, two musicians, Nick Nicholson and Keith Jackson, two filmmakers, Troy Duffy and Jeff Santo, two actors, David Della Rocco and Sanel Budimlic and one comedian, Bob Rubin.

If you follow “The Boondock Saints”, you will see familiar faces. As the film progresses, you see that the group seems to formed a nice “independent” family.

They all have something in common though, they have a dream of what they want to do and they are pursuing it to the best of their abilities. Some have part time jobs in order to keep living the dream but always seem to keep that dream on the horizon. As they go through their trials and tribulations, it shows that each one has confronted obstacles that could destroy their pursuit if they had been lesser men.

They are honest about the hard work, the potholes of each of their life choice professions but they still keep going forward. They are learning to adapt on how to get their work and visions out in an ever-changing world of technology and economic changes.

They film moves along at a steady pace and is edited well. I liked that it didn’t stay on one person till you were tired of looking at them and then move on to the next. As it went from person to person on their views you got to see just how different these men were but all share that common bond of a life goal.

“Off The Boulevard” also has interviews with other well-known artist such as Peter Fonda, Joe Mantegna, Gibby Clark, Sonny Barger, Dan Haggerty and Eddie Vedder as well as cameos of other familiar faces.

Santo has shown that all walks of live sharing the creative lifestyle has brought them together and made them friends as well as colleagues and can understand what the others go through. As David Della Rocco says, “There’s not a lot of us that can live this life.”

After watching this film, I feel that no matter how high up the ladder of success they feel they have gotten so far, the world is a much better place with these men living their dreams and sharing their visions with us.

“Off The Boulevard” has a running time of 96 minutes and will have an on-line DVD release date this summer.

Holt Boggs Talks Hostage, Sinners and Saints, & More - Interview

2011-10-31T17:50:00.002-06:00

Actor-Writer Holt Boggs is a Houston, Texas native. He is well known for the action-crime-drama film, The Prodigy. Holt appeared in FX’s television series Son’s of Anarchy and in the soon to be released movie, Sinners and Saints. He's also slated to star in the upcoming paranormal thriller, Hostage. Holt took time out of his busy schedule to chat with me a bit about the exciting new projects he has in the works.

Can you give us an update on the release status of the movie Sinners and Saints, where you play detective Tom Wyatt?

The release date is under wraps, but I can say early next year.

William Kaufman, the writer/director of Sinners and Saints, is a long time friend of yours. You also worked with William on a number of previous projects; what was it like working with him on Sinners and Saints?

Will's great to work with. We've been close friends for a long time and so the working relationship is easy. It's cool for me because I remember back when both of us were broke, I was sleeping on his floor and we were shooting little no budget short films with a borrowed camera. Now, to walk on a set, a much bigger set and see him directing Tom Berenger or Cuba Gooding Jr is really cool. I'm so proud of him.

My role in Sinners is more of a cameo, but it was a ton of fun to shoot. It was Will's first film since we shot The Prodigy together and so it was like old times.

Sinners and Saints had you working alongside an impressive cast. Would you share with us a little bit about what it was like working with them?

Although I didn't have a lot of on-screen time with the cast, I got to know a lot of them and really cool people. Johnny Strong did an amazing job and Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy, Waterworld) was the coolest guy ever. It was funny, I remember one of the extras, just being nice went and introduced herself to Tom Berenger while he was eating breakfast. She said, "Hi, I'm one of the extras. Are you an actor too or part of the crew." Tom was really cool about it and just replied, "Yeah, I'm one of the actors." On a side note, I think one of the standout performances in the film is my buddy Louis Mandylor. Really great stuff and fun to watch.

I understand that you are currently working on a new script called Ohana with hit man, Shane Stant. How and why did you team up with Shane on this project?

I had met Shane a few years back and he's been one of my best friends in the world. A super great guy, but the funny thing is that I had known him for a couple of years before I found out about his past. We were hanging out in his garage working on my motorcycle one day when his brother mentioned something about Shane's interview with E! True Hollywood Story. My ears perked up and then he told me that he was involved with the Nancy Kerrigan saga. It blew my mind to say the least.

Long story short, he's paid his debt to society and has turned his life around in a major way. He's also a huge movie buff and interestingly enough, more into indy films and romantic comedies then the expected action or martial arts flicks. We started talking and out came the idea for Ohana.

What else can you tell us about this new project, Ohana?

The story is 100% Shane's idea, and I'm cleaning it up and penning the screenplay. It's basically about a guy who comes from money and always had a silver spoon in his mouth. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he's taking a bus trip across the country and along the way, he makes some new friends and learns a lot about life, but more importantly, about himself. It's an amazing heartfelt story that I think we can all relate to in one form or another. It's funny at times an sad at times, but it's definitely a message movie too.

You recently got cast in the upcoming film, Hostage, by director Michael Yurinko and producer Robert Gordon Spencer, correct? How did that come about?

You know, I've been a big fan Of Michael's (Yurinko) for several years. He wrote a film called, For the Love of Jade and it was one of the best screenplays I'd ever read. I was attached to that, but it got shelved for a while and I'd heard about Hostage through my friend Robert Spencer. When I heard that Michael was writing and directing it, I read the first draft and was blown away! I knew I was right for it, so I gave Michael a call and started begging. There were several people considered and I wasn't really what Michael was looking for initially, but I put a screen test together and fought for it. Whether it was my screen test of the fact that I kept bugging the hell out of Michael, he gave me the part.

Hostage is a paranormal thriller in the vein of The Exorcist and Paranormal Activity correct? What else can you share with us about the story?

Yeah, that's a great comparison. I play Eugene, a man pained by the death of his wife and young daughter. He wakes up alone in a cabin in the middle of the night and takes a look out the window. He sees nothing but snow to the top of the window sill. In a panic, he goes into the attic and tries to break through the roof and finds his cabin is completely engulfed in snow. He's being held hostage by the elements, but we also find that he's not alone. There's something else in the cabin with him.

What drew you to the script and the character you’re set to play in the film?

First and foremost, the script scared the shit out of me on the first pass. Michael is very specific in his writing and you can almost feel the world of the film during the read. The character I play is really complex. As a father of three, I can only imagine the excruciating pain that Eugene is enduring with the loss of his wife and child. He's angry at the world, he's angry at god and more so, he's angry at himself for not being able to save them. Dealing with that loss, that anger and rage within the icy tomb he's trapped in; all the while fighting for his life as this unknown force is destroying his will bit by bit. It got me.

When does production on Hostage start?

We are shooting some footage the first week in December then the main stint of production looks like February up in the Poconos.

www.HoltBoggs.com

@HoltBoggs

Celebs, Charity & Cheer: “Boondock Saints Bike Reveal Benefitting Los Angeles Regional Foodbank/Feeding America”

2011-10-22T14:56:00.001-06:00

Celebs, Charity & Cheer: October 13 Event, “Boondock Saints Bike Reveal Benefitting Los Angeles Regional Foodbank/Feeding America”, Hosted by “The Boondock Saints” Writer/Director, Troy Duffy. Melrose Avenue’s “Freak Chic Tattoo” and “Tuff Sissy & Co.” Welcomed Guests at Festive “Boondock Saints” Fan Meet & Greet, and LA Speed Shop Custom-Built “Boondock Saints”-Themed Motorcycle Reveal

October 20, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, October 13, 2011, “The Boondock Saints”(www.boondocksaints.com) Writer/Director, Troy Duffy, hosted a bevy of the movies’ fans, friends, cast and crew, as he celebrated the reveal of his brand new, “LA Speed Shop” (www.laspeedshop.com)custom-built “Boondock-Saints”-themed motorcycle.

The event, officially named “Boondock Saints Bike Reveal Benefitting Los Angeles Regional Foodbank/Feeding America”, was held at Mat Joseph’s Melrose Avenue art venue “Tuff Sissy & Co.” (www.tuffsissy.com) and his neighboring “Freak Chic Tattoo” (www.freakchictattoo.com), and benefited said local charity (www.lafoodbank.org).

“Boondock Saints” cast and crew in attendance – other than Mr. Duffy – included actress Julie Benz,actors Clifton Collins Jr., Daniel DeSanto, David Della Rocco, and Brian Mahoney, as well asadditional celebs who came out to support both Mr. Duffy and the cause, actors Jack Rubio, Jonathan Schaech, Paul Alessi, Sam Macaroni, and actress Amie Barsky.

Fans of The Boondock Saints franchise had been following LA Speed Shop’s progress on-line, as owner Chris Richardson and his crew constructed Mr. Duffy’s bike. The event served as the official reveal of the completed machine. Event guests mixed and mingled, eagerly awaiting the actual bike reveal. At the conclusion of a brief announcement by Mr. Duffy, Chris Richardson pulled the cover off of the custom machine, spurring a flurry of flash photography.

The event also featured a Boondock Saints movie memorabilia auction and raffle, a portion of the proceeds of which benefitted Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. The auction included items such as an official “Boondock Saints II” movie prop painting, signed by Mr. Duffy and a number of attending cast members; clothing and accessories from the movies’ wardrobe department, actually worn on-set; and other signed memorabilia.

Inked Magazine (www.inkedmag.com) served as media partner of the October 13 event, where guests enjoyed a hosted bar courtesy of Sailor Jerry Rum (www.sailorjerry.com/the-rum), as well as the hospitality of Sailor Jerry’s fully-outfitted Airstream trailer, which was parked in front of the venue. DJ Ten Foot Rabbit (www.facebook.com/pages/Ten-Foot-Rabbit/129917050417665) entertained the crowd with intricate sound maneuvers like bits of the movies’ dialogue overlapping and intertwined in the evening’s playlist.

O.N.E. Coconut Water (www.onedrinks.com) was also on-site, as well as Magnolia Bakery cupcakes (www.magnoliabakery.com), and delightfully devoured hors d’oeuvres from soon-to-open Marcona(www.marconarestaurant.com), scheduled to open late-October, directly across Melrose Avenue from Tuff Sissy & Co./Freak Chic Tattoo. Marcona’s menu for the evening included sample bites of their Spiced Spanish Tuna, Gyros Espana, and Burlington Red Onion sandwiches, as well as their Ossi de Morti (almond cookies), Cowboy Oatmeal Cookies, and Spiced Marconas (signature bar nut mix).

For more information about the October 13 “Boondock Saints” charity event or to receive photos, please call Anna Ferguson at 1.877.327.2656, or email info@stilettomarketing.com.

About “The Boondock Saints” Franchise

Boondock Saints, LLC is the official marketing, promotion and communication arm for all things “Boondock.” The company creates and produces special events for the growing community of Boondock Saints fans worldwide, manages media inquiries and requests for personal appearances and operates two websites, www.boondocksaints.com and www.boondockstore.com, to provide the public with a dynamic, interactive forum for discussion and user-generated content, along with instant access to updated information about the films (“The Boondock Saints” and “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day”), related music, merchandise and a variety of other creative developments in progress. Follow The Boondock Saints on Facebook: www.facebook.com/boondocksaintsfans.

About “Tuff Sissy & Co.”

New Melrose Avenue art venue, Tuff Sissy & Co., was created by neighboring Freak Chic Tattoo owner, Mat Joseph, and is meant to serve as a gallery and artist’s lair – a place for local tattoo artists and other artists to showcase their work, as well as mingle and share. Joseph’s motivation for the venue was to revive the Melrose art community and support both the local art movement as well as other community businesses, both old and new.

About Mat Joseph / “Freak Chic Tattoo”

Mat Joseph’s pioneering spirit has kept him on the forefront of the piercing, tattoo and art worlds. Joseph started piercing in 1987, and first entered the Melrose community in 1992, when he became the first piercer on the street. In 1994, Joseph opened his own piercing operation, “House of Freaks”, on the upper floor of the building that sits on the northwest corner of Melrose and Fuller Avenues.

House of Freaks dominated the Los Angeles piercing scene for 14 years, before shuttering in the fall of 2008 when, in pursuit of expansion, growth and reinvention, Joseph joined forces with local tattoo artist partners to open Freak Chic Tattoo, thus providing both tattoo and piercing services to his already loyal customer base.

Freak Chic Tattoo filled a void in the Melrose Avenue tattoo realm by providing a higher-end, upscale – yet comfortable – tattoo shop environment for more discerning clients. The classy space has a ‘30s deco, lounge-y vibe, featuring dark wood fixtures and Joseph’s carefully-curated decor elements, also mirrored in Tuff Sissy & Co.’s design. This year, Joseph plans to add two private VIP tattoo/piercing stations in completely separate rooms, within steps of Freak Chic’s private, back entrance.

Joseph and his award-winning tattoo artists and piercers have fan bases that run the gamut from TV soap stars (such as one of the Days of our Lives cast); to NBA players; to celebrity wives; to musicians (e.g., Phillip “Fish” Fisher, drummer for Fishbone, and singer and record producer, Arnold McCuller). Joseph’s talented staff and/or their work has been featured in numerous media outlets including Tattoo:Savage Magazine,International Tattoo Art Magazine, Skin Art Magazine, Tattoo Flash, and Inked Magazine.

About “LA Speed Shop”

LA Speed Shop specializes in vintage choppers and bobbers with a bare-bones style. Every bike that owner Chris Richardson builds, reflects his out-of-the-box thinking and amazing attention to detail. Richardson has earned the respect of his customers and peers as a “quality guy” who does quality work. Having his bikes featured on the covers of Easyriders, American Cycle, Street Chopper, Iron Works, Iron Horse, Dice, Cycle Source, Kustom and Powerglide, and after earning countless awards at motorcycle shows, Richardson is recognized as a leading innovative builder in the industry

Interview with Director Ryan Pickett and Actress Theresa Pickett

2011-10-19T19:48:00.001-06:00

Ryan Pickett

Theresa Pickett

Director Ryan Pickett earned his B.A. in English Language and Literature with a minor in Film from the University of Maryland, College Park. Ryan studied acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory in Los Angeles and he earned his Post Graduate degree in Directing from Watkins College of Art and Design in Nashville Tennessee.

Actress Theresa Pickett (née Meeker) is an Italian-American actress who has appeared in several films as well as commercials and print work. Theresa starred in the short film Look. She received a BA in history from Flagler College of St. Augustine, Florida and she is pursuing a Master of Education in elementary education at Vanderbilt University Peabody College of Education.

Ryan and Theresa recently took time out of their busy schedules to chat with me about their careers and the award winning experimental short film “Look”, which was shot using the RED ONE 4K.

For Theresa: You studied film and television acting at Michael Howard Studios as well as Larry Singer Studios in New York City; what initially drew you to pursue an acting career?

I was initially drawn to pursue an acting career because of my love for children’s literature while I was a kid. Stories always seemed so vivid as well as imaginative to me, which encouraged me to dream of being on camera. The love I had for immersing myself in a world of books encouraged me to imagine another world where the impossible could happen if someone wrote it that way.

For Theresa: What influence has your other educational achievements, and your new family had on your acting career?

While I was excited to be admitted to Vanderbilt University Peabody College of Education, the program is pretty rigorous and it leaves little time for creative pursuits. The most important thing to me about being in an academic program and being a mom as well as a wife is that I have some real life, authentic experiences, such as falling in love with my family, which I can bring to my acting now.

For Ryan: You are currently earning your Post Graduate degree in Directing from Watkins College of Art and Design in Nashville, Tennessee. Please share with us what or who inspired you to become a director?

I actually left Watkins a couple of years ago. I wanted to become a director because I loved movies as a child and just knew that was what I wanted to do.

For Ryan: Describe your directing style; are you primarily interested in making a strong visual impact or do other elements hold equal importance to you?

As long as there is a strong impact, whether it be visual or otherwise. Both if possible.

For Ryan: Your first film, "You Only Loved Me Twice", earned you a top five spot in film entrepreneurship competition The Race to BE hosted by media mogul Russell Simmons. Please share with us what that experience was like and how it has changed your filmmaking career?

I appreciated being recognized for my craft and it made me work even harder.

For Ryan: Your second film is entitled “Look”. What was the inspiration behind the story of, “Look”?

Short films that Chanel was creating inspired me for “Look,” while I also looked through a lot of high fashion print ads at the time.

For Ryan: “Look” won an award for best experimental film in the Best Shorts Competition and an award for best student film at the Accolade Competition. Do these awards have an affect on how you will approach making future film projects?

These awards show me appreciation for my art and what I’m creating. It helps me understand how to connect to people as well as make something with some meaning that can move people.

For Theresa: “Look” is a non-narrative film, with sparse dialogue. Did you find it difficult to work with a story that called on you to convey almost everything solely through body language and facial expressions?

I had really wanted to work with a mainly silent film that focused on body language and facial expressions. One of my acting coaches did this activity where he would have his students get comfortable doing the most mundane things, such as drinking tea on stage, with the whole class watching. I learned from the activity that becoming comfortable doing mundane things on stage had importance to the art of acting. When I was working with the story of “Look,” I didn’t have to focus energy on the way I was giving my dialogue. All of my focus was on showing the objective of my character with my face and body.

For both Theresa and Ryan: What feelings and thoughts do you hope viewers will take away after watching “Look”?

People take away something unique to themselves.

For Theresa: What other projects do you have on the horizon? Do you plan to continue a career in acting?

I’ve got a couple ideas for some shorts I’d like to work on.

For Ryan: What skills and experiences have you acquired from making "You Only Loved Me Twice" and “Look” that you will take and utilize in future film productions?

I get increasingly confident with every film I have made especially with the recognition I have received from several competitions.

For Ryan: Do you have plans in the near future to produce full-length feature films? What other film projects do you have on the horizon?

I am always looking forward to producing a full-length film and I am currently working on a script for one.

Ryan Pickett's Website: www.ryanpickettproductions.com
"Look" the film on Twitter: @Look_the_film

Review: “The Way”

2011-10-09T21:21:00.001-06:00

By Lynn Tackitt

It’s a known fact that kids often grow up with different goals and dreams than their parents. Kids have also been known to be on a path in life and change it in a totally different direction to satisfy a need in their life.

Emilio Estevez brings to the screen, “The Way”. A story of a son, Daniel, that gets killed on his journey to walk the Camino de Santiago, a historical pilgrimage that covers over 800 miles. Martin Sheen stars as Tom Avery, a doctor from California, who at first is just going to St. Jean Pied de Port, France to retrieve his sons remains but decides to make the historical trek for his son to honor his desire to complete the journey.

Although Tom has his son’s gear to embark on the journey, he is not prepared for the mental toll it may take on him as he leaves his protected world into the real one. He soon is not alone and picks up other pilgrims (Yorick van Wageningen, Deborah Kara Unger and James Nesbit) along the trail and as they go along on the journey together he discovers that each one has come along on the trip for reasons of their own.

Estevez does a wonderful job not only directing but writing the story as well. He weaves a story that reminds us that although we may all walk different paths we are all woven into the same fabric of life. As the travelers go on the path, each brings life experiences to light that the others can relate to, grow from their knowledge and learn to appreciate the lives of others around you and accept them into your own.

The soundtrack is well done against the scenery and countrysides along the trail.

I have to admit that most road movies are about personal journeys and if people get anything out of them and what for, but “The Way” has a certain touch. The love of a father honoring his son even though they didn’t see eye to eye? Maybe. It could be the wonderful team of Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Estevez. Whatever the reason, this movie is wonderfully done and a must see.

“The Way” opened in theatres October 7, 2011.

Press Release - Boondock Saints Bike Reveal Benefitting Charity

2011-10-08T17:20:00.001-06:00

October 13, 2011: “Boondock Saints Bike Reveal Benefitting

Los Angeles Regional Foodbank/Feeding America”, Charity Event

Hosted by “The Boondock Saints” Writer/Director, Troy Duffy

Melrose Avenue’s “Freak Chic Tattoo” and “Tuff Sissy & Co.” Welcome Guests at October 13 “Boondock Saints” Fan Meet & Greet, and LA Speed Shop

Custom-Built “Boondock Saints”-Themed Motorcycle Reveal

September 28, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA – “The Boondock Saints” (www.boondocksaints.com) Writer/Director, Troy Duffy, will host a bevy of the movies’ fans, friends, cast and crew, on Thursday, October 13, 2011, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM, as he celebrates the reveal of his brand new, “LA Speed Shop” (www.laspeedshop.com) custom-built “Boondock-Saints”-themed motorcycle. The event, officially named “Boondock Saints Bike Reveal Benefitting Los Angeles Regional Foodbank/Feeding America”, will be housed in Mat Joseph’s Melrose Avenue art venue “Tuff Sissy & Co.” (www.tuffsissy.com) and his neighboring “Freak Chic Tattoo” (www.freakchictattoo.com), and will benefit said local charity (www.lafoodbank.org).

Fans of The Boondock Saints franchise have been following LA Speed Shop’s progress on-line, as owner Chris Richardson and his crew constructed Mr. Duffy’s bike. This event will serve as the official reveal of the completed machine, as well as a fan meet and greet for a portion of the movie franchise’s more than 4.5 million fans. The event will also feature a Boondock Saints movie memorabilia auction and raffle, and a portion of the sales proceeds will benefit Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.

Guests at the October 13 event will enjoy a hosted rum bar courtesy of Sailor Jerry (www.sailorjerry.com/the-rum); complimentary O.N.E. Coconut Water (www.onedrinks.com); and snacks from soon-to-open Marcona Restaurant (www.marconarestaurant.com), scheduled to open mid-October, directly across Melrose Avenue from Tuff Sissy & Co./Freak Chic Tattoo. Inked Magazine (www.inkedmag.com) has joined the event as a media partner, and due to the tattoo-heavy presence featured in The Boondock Saints movies, Freak Chic Tattoo will be giving a special discount on limited-edition, hand-drawn Boondock Saints-themed tattoos, in the days leading up to the October 13 event’s start. Recipients of these exclusive tattoos will be automatically entered into the event’s raffle.

“We’re thrilled that Melrose Avenue mainstays like Freak Chic Tattoo and Tuff Sissy & Co. will be opening up their doors to our loyal fan base, cast and crew, for this charity event. I support the work of the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, and as excited as I am to see the fans’ reaction to my new Boondock Saints-themed LA Speed Shop bike, I’m equally as excited to see so many businesses and friends coming together to support this very worthy cause,” says Mr. Duffy.

Tuff Sissy & Co. and Freak Chic Tattoo are located at 7367 and 7365 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90046 (between Fuller and Martel Avenues). Tattoo appointments at Freak Chic can be made by calling 323.951.1501. For more information or to RSVP for the October 13 “Boondock Saints” charity event, please call Anna Ferguson at 1.877.327.2656, or email info@stilettomarketing.com.

About “The Boondock Saints” Franchise

Boondock Saints, LLC is the official marketing, promotion and communication arm for all things “Boondock.” The company creates and produces special events for the growing community of Boondock Saints fans worldwide, manages media inquiries and requests for personal appearances and operates two websites, www.boondocksaints.com and www.boondockstore.com, to provide the public with a dynamic, interactive forum for discussion and user-generated content, along with instant access to updated information about the films (“The Boondock Saints” and “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day”), related music, merchandise and a variety of other creative developments in progress. Follow The Boondock Saints on Facebook: www.facebook.com/boondocksaintsfans

About “Tuff Sissy & Co.”

About Mat Joseph / “Freak Chic Tattoo”

Joseph and his award-winning tattoo artists and piercers have fan bases that run the gamut from TV soap stars (such as one of the Days of our Lives cast); to NBA players; to celebrity wives; to musicians (e.g., Phillip “Fish” Fisher, drummer for Fishbone, and singer and record producer, Arnold McCuller). Joseph’s talented staff and/or their work has been featured in numerous media outlets including Tattoo:Savage Magazine, International Tattoo Art Magazine, Skin Art Magazine, Tattoo Flash, and Inked Magazine.

About “LA Speed Shop”

Mother’s Red Dress - A Review

2011-10-06T20:49:00.002-06:00

Mother’s Red Dress is the latest social issue film from writer/director Edward Michael Bravo and producer John Paul Rice of No Restrictions Entertainment

A lone woman in a fire-red dress walks along a beautiful shoreline in Northern California...

“Men can be so kind one minute, so cruel the next. I’ve never met a man who wasn’t that way. Things have never worked out for me, maybe they will for you” - Laura Ullman played by Alisha Seaton.

From the seemingly peaceful scene on the beach we are taken to a scene where a young man, by the name of Paul, witnesses his mother Laura (the woman in the fire-red dress) kill her abusive boyfriend in cold blood. When Paul (played by newcomer Timothy Driscoll) tries to convince his mother to call the police, she turns the gun on him threatening and saying that she isn’t weak. Paul manages to avoid being killed and makes a hasty escape. However; Paul’s troubled past will not let him stay away from home for long.

Paul ends up near Los Angeles, where he wanders into a coffee shop and meets Brenda and Ashely. We witness Brenda’s failed attempt to make Paul take notice of her. Paul instantly feels a deep connection with Ashely; he pursues a relationship with her. Paul’s quiet composed manner and his offer to help Brenda and Ashely deliver their baked goods to other businesses gives Paul the opportunity to get closer to Ashely.

Despite Ashely’s initial hesitation at Paul’s pursuit of her, she and Paul eventually become physically intimate. A call from Laura telling Paul she’s been diagnosed with cancer begins to unravel the remaining threads of Paul’s grip on reality.

Laura shows no remorse for her actions, the murder of her boyfriend is not the only tenebrous and sinister secret she keeps. Laura’s secrets are something that both plague Paul and influence his behavior and actions throughout the film. Laura uses Paul’s long absent father (played by Jeff Davis) as way to manipulate Paul into coming home by claiming his father is on his way home.

The truth of Laura’s previous heinous crime comes to light and Paul completely loses any remaining mental stability. Viewers are left wondering what was real and what were merely delusions resulting from the psychologically trauma Paul has endured.

Laura’s “red dress” is an efficacious use of symbolism; some of the common connotations of the color red are guilt, sin, blood, and anger. This comes from a general Hebrew view inherited by Christianity which associates red with the blood of murder.

The filmmaker’s care and attention to detail shows in everything from selection of locations, to lighting and in the accompanying sound track. The entire cast deserves acknowledgements for their portrayals and commitment to bringing the social issues covered in the film to light. Alisha Seaton seamlessly becomes the hard-hearted Laura. Both Timothy Driscoll and Alexandra Swarens convincingly play their roles. Amanda Reed does a good job of portraying the unpleasant and embittered Brenda.

Mother’s Red Dress is a darkly-realistic and thought provoking film that challenges viewers and leaves us thinking about our own lives and about the lives of those around us. It effectively shows that everyone has their own personal demons to overcome. Domestic abuse, murder and crime truly have a wide and far reaching impact on our society.

Irish Writer/Director Fiona Ashe Wins Best Screenplay Award

2011-09-24T19:39:00.004-06:00

R-L: Writer/Director Fiona Ashe and Will Nugent, director of the International Film Festival Ireland

Screenwriter/director Fiona Ashe has won the Best Screenplay Award at the International Film Festival Ireland with her script: 'Cracks In The Ice'. Inspired by actual events, it's a gritty drama about a New York journalist who risks his life to expose links between blood diamonds, Al Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks.

"The script centres on a Shakespearean-type tragic hero who's the architect of his own downfall" says Fiona - a graduate of the LA Professional Screenwriting Series. "It's a gut-wrenching social issue drama which takes the journalist to the limits of his humanity. I'm very proud of the script and I'm delighted with this honour."

Will Nugent, director of the International Film Festival Ireland, commended the screenplay saying "Fiona humanised and polarised events that were just another news story, making a personal connection to the awful reality of the individual lives caught up in the horrendous atrocities." Hollywood director Mark W. Travis described it as "such a powerful and disturbing story. So brutal, heartless and upsetting. But a great story and one certainly worth telling."

A graduate of the New York Film Academy, Fiona was presented with the award just days before she delivered a workshop on Visual Structure for Directors at the Underground Film Festival in Dublin, during which she shared her expertise gained over the course of 17 years in the film and television industries. Other successes include her black-and-white film 'Shades of Gray' winning the Best Film Noir Award at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival in 2003. It has also been endorsed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jim Sheridan as "very well directed". Her short comedy 'Rapunzel - The Blonde Years' is a viral hit with more than 460,000 views on YouTube:

Fiona Ashe is an award-winning Director with a 17-year track record in the film, television and transmedia industries. She has directed dramas, documentaries, television programmes and a viral hit video. She is also a Social Media Consultant and is developing projects that converge cinema and social media, delivering a richer experience for the audience.

"While working in Dublin, I met Fiona Ashe and was immediately impressed with her background, experience and skills as well as the depth and importance of her projects. Cracks In The Ice is such a powerful and disturbing story. So brutal, heartless and upsetting. But a great story and one certainly worth telling."

Mark W. Travis, LA Creative Consultant on Men of Honor; Director of Family Ties.

"Cracks In The Ice is really powerful! Well researched too. Jango is a particularly good character. When he's off screen, I want him back on again. The US political connections are nicely slipped in. Action sequences are good, working well."

Guy Meredith, Writer of Heartbeat and The Bill.

In addition to 'Cracks In The Ice', Fiona has other several feature films in development, including a low-budget Irish drama, the big screen adaptation of 'The Go-Giver' and an adaptation of a contemporary Irish novel about a terrorist attack on American interests in Ireland.

Website: www.FionaAshe.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/FionaAshe

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Filmflashe

YouTube: www.youtube.com/FionaAshe

Twitter: @FionaAshe

Updated News : Boondock Saints Graphic Novel

2011-09-23T05:47:00.001-06:00

‘THE BOONDOCK SAINTS’ GRAPHIC NOVEL LIMITED EDITION HARDCOVER AND “BLACK LABEL EDITION” NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

LOS ANGELES, California---September 14, 2011

The BOONDOCK SAINTS' initial foray into comics is expanding into two new LIMITED COLLECTORS’ EDITIONS - A DELUXE HARDCOVER with exclusive deleted scenes and an ultra-rare signed and numbered “BLACK LABEL EDITION”.

The HARDCOVER is LIMITED to 850 COPIES and includes 16 pages of never before released, new material and a brand new cover by series Producer, Eben Matthews. This new content brings fans behind the scenes of the comic series and reveals the alternate version of the comic series’ second issue including the full story of IL DUCE’S BETRAYAL by “The Roman” and how we come to find him in Prison during the first film.

The “BLACK LABEL EDITION” is designed for the ‘Psycho Boondock Fan’ and is the ultimate edition of the Graphic Novel. This package includes the Hardcover as well as an exclusive set of mini-posters showcasing all six comic covers by series cover artist extraordinaire, Chris Brunner. It is packaged in a gorgeous black on black museum quality clamshell case and debossed with the Saints celtic cross and iconic “Veritas / Aequitas”. This edition is LIMITED to ONLY 150 COPIES and SIGNED AND NUMBERED by Franchise Creator / Writer / Director, TROY DUFFY.

“IN NOMINE PATRIS” is Troy Duffy’s first foray into comics and the first outing of the Boondock Saints in a whole new medium. While staying true to the characters and tone which has made The BOONDOCK SAINTS films among the most successful independent movies of all time, this brand new story written by Duffy and comic scribe, J.B. LOVE is the perfect companion to the films.

The hit comics series masterfully interweaves the events of the BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY with brand new material to reveal the secret history of the original saint, NOAH MACMANUS (IL DUCE) as he wages a bloody war against 1960's New York's Underground Crime world. The storyline is intercut with brand new adventures of the BROTHERS MACMANUS (The Boondock Saints) doing what they do best; dolling out their special brand of justice to those that deserve it. "In Nomine Patris" brings a new chapter of the Saints saga to life while revealing the families LEGACY OF VENGENCE that created this trio of "Shepherds".

Featuring a forward by Connor MacManus himself - actor, SEAN PATRICK FLANERY - Join Troy Duffy and his comics team in this thrilling new Saints Adventure by pre-ordering these deluxe collectors editions. In addition to the Hardcover’s exclusive content, the graphic novel collects all six comic issues, never before seen art, a cover gallery, behind the scenes sketches and more. This is the story that answers many of the questions raised by the two films, now packaged in two highly collectible editions sure to delight any hardcore Boondock Fan.

Both the Limited Edition Hardcover and Ultra-Rare “Black Label Edition” are AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE OFFICIAL BOONDOCK STORE (www.boondockstore.com) and will ship in time for the holidays.

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About BOONDOCK SAINTS, LLC
Boondock Saints, LLC is the official marketing, promotion and communication arm for all things “Boondock.” The company creates and produces special events for the growing community of Boondock Saints fans worldwide, manages media inquiries and requests for personal appearances and operates two websites: www.boondocksaints.com and www.boondockstore.com to provide the public with a dynamic interactive forum for discussion and user-generated content along with instant access to updated information about the films (The Boondock Saints and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day,) related music, merchandise and a variety of other creative developments in progress. Follow the Boondock Saints on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/boondocksaintsfans
About INNFUSION
INNFUSION is a creative ideas company. Founded by Eben Matthews in 1997, the company creates, develops and produces a wide variety of content across multiple platforms and delivery systems. The companies current focus is largely in the entertainment industry the production of The Boondock Saints comic series, pioneering the Motion Comics arena (as half owner of production company, M2) and developing and producing original entertainment properties designed for exploitation across multiple mediums. Additionally INNFUSION’s creative services division designs and creates branding, advertising and interactive media for companies such as Nike, Met Life, Konami, Disney, THQ, Target and many others. For more information please visit www.INNFUSION.com or email Hello@INNFUSION.com
Press Contact:
Press@INNFUSION.com
About the Publisher
12-Gauge Comics was founded by Keven Gardner in 2004 and currently publishes some of the most successful and critically acclaimed independent comic books in the marketplace today. 12-Gauge members Jason Pearson, Brian Stelfreeze, Cully Hamner, and Doug Wagner are creating new and innovative multi-media concepts for the company, including Pearson’s run-away hit BODY BAGS and THE RIDE, which was the top-selling black and white debut comic of the year in 2004. 12-Gauge solidified its position as a force to be reckoned with by packaging THE O.C.T. (Occult Crimes Taskforce), an original comic book concept co-created and starring actress ROSARIO DAWSON. THE O.C.T. has been featured on “The Today Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Access Hollywood,” and in many other media outlets. In 2009 12-Gauge began publishing under its own banner (prior titles were through Image Comics), starting with the company's first licensed property, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: The Comic Series -- which made a major splash. The all-new stories by series creator/director TROY DUFFY exposed the 12-Gauge brand to an all-new audience. 12-Gauge then moved into the untapped market of country music with superstar recording artist TRACE ADKINS. In LUKE MC BAIN, Adkins lends his likeness to a hard-as-nails character in an adventure story of revenge and redemption. Trace went on a wide publicity tour for the comics; highlights being a guest appearance on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and a feature story in “USA Today”. Recently, 12-Gauge launched the high-concept series MAGUS, R.P.M. (from NYT #1 Bestselling author MICK FOLEY), the border drama ICE, and the critically acclaimed southern-crime-romance, LOOSE ENDS. For more information, please visit www.12gaugecomics.com or email info@12gaugecomics.com.