This is a follow up to the rather unforseen reaction to the teaser from Kent Sutton's debut feature film Miranda, which racked up over 100 views in less than 48 hours on Youtube alone (not to mention Blip.tv). When a company that produces as many features at a time as we do receives that kind of immediate reaction, it does more than flatter its makers or us - it actually informs us. The Miranda reaction has also helped us to focus in on what these responses mean, and which genres, subject matters, or approaches to material really solicit which responses. It is almost like market research, and has forced us as a company to take notice of how certain promotional materials work, as well as which genres "the people" may happen to respond to during certain times (the teaser also appeared during the much talked about physical dispute between Rihanna and Chris Brown). Its been very interesting, to say the least. And we are very happy that it happened, and continues to happen, as we move forward to make decisions on marketing Miranda, as well as the rest of our current and future slate.
Once in a while, you get involved with a project that has a little more behind it than just a creative idea to explore with a talented director and cast. Miranda is one of such projects, and has a backstory (similar to Uptown and Cookies & Cream) that could possibly be nearly as intriguing as the film itself.
Kent Sutton really enjoys acting (he appears in Cookies & Cream as Mike), but felt he wanted to say something that he hadn't been able to yet say. After catching the "film bug" as a production assistant (and extra) on the set of our first short film Phish back in 2005, Kent began writing a script entitled "A City Called Heaven," that he had hoped to one day turn into a film. His idea was to write the script, then somehow adapt it into a play to be performed live for an audience, in hopes that he could solicit interest in film producers who would eventually want to help him finance the film and make it into a feature. An interesting approach, albeit tedius and unorthodox.
Well Kent, like most first time filmmakers, is an artist. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), he was not a producer/business man, and the planning, execution, as well as artistic merit of the rehearsals and directing the cast (that included several actors including One Way alumni Derek McAllister, Chris Riquinha, and others) combined with all the performance production aspects of scheduling, negotiating, and overall organization, took its toll on both Kent and the production itself. The play/reading was subsequently shut down, and Kent went into a slight depression.
Add into all of this, the fact that when something like this happens in our business, harsh and immediate criticism usually follows, and Kent took a beating - even by us at times, and 'City Called Heaven' temporarily withered away.
As often the case, Kent would gain the strength to make a comeback and ultimately his mark on the theatre/film community, with a follow up script that he would eventually make into a feature and therefore prove once and for all that he should be taken seriously - at least enough to get his future dream projects going. He pushed and pushed the project, waited patiently on guidance from some of the people at this particular company, and made sure he was moving forward - with or without us.
Finally Kent found his time block, and was "wedged" in between post for Uptown and Carter, as well as the first NYC screening of Cookies... Kent's project had taken a back seat for so long, that it was only a matter of time before it would be his project in primary focus. He took my advice wisely, and used the 'stand around time' to prepare. Like a prize fighter, he spent most of his time shadow boxing. He read, listened to directors commentaries, watched a ton of movies, and wrote. He started to silently watch actors in his troupe, the prestigious David Triacca-led Groundworks Theatre Group in New York City. Thats where he saw and worked with Maria Guzman. The rest is history.
A version of Miranda is currently being cut into a short film that will give Kent some necessary feedback and creative juice to finalize the feature film. Production on the rest of the feature commences this summer.
Its good to see this happen for him personally, both as a friend and as his production company - if even for the fact that now (and its already happening), Kent no longer has to convince apprehensive, future collaborators who up till this point, only had a failed play attempt to associate him with. Now they have to call him, "Most Viewed in 48 hours Director" at One Way or Another Productions. For whatever its worth.
(From me to you personally, congrats Kent. Welcome back.)
- Princeton
See the teaser HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy9rSKsfpes
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