Jace Nicole in the Maryland Black Film Festival

The feature film TORN, directed by Richard Johnson, Starring Chris Clanton (Savino from The Wire), Jace Nicole (Carmen from Cookies & Cream), Tiphany Johnson (Bree from Hangman), Tyeshia Gibson (Kendall from Hangman), Paul Weidecker, Monet Ravenell,Tony Holden, and Mia Barnes will be playing the Maryland Black Film Festival.

DATE: MAY 16TH
TIME: 6:45 PM
LOCATION: THE REGINALD F.LEWIS MUSEUM
830 E Pratt St Baltimore, MD 21202

Here is the trailer:



www.myspace.com/themovietorn

Looking for a Great Place to Screen Your Indie Film?

After a sincere recommendation from Sujewa Ekanayake after he screened his latest dramatic feature Date Number One, we were encouraged to try out the conveniently located and hip art gallery Aeon Logic Art in Brooklyn. On Saturday night, we had the privilege to screen Brian Ackley's debut feature film Uptown privately for cast and crew.

The screening was a wonderful experience. We lugged our heavy projection screen since Rachael, the owner of the gallery, already had a projector and computer set up to screen films. Turns out, we didnt need the screen at all; the large wall on the opposite side of the space was perfect for projecting our film - it also offered us a much wider view than our screen would have. The sound speakers worked well, and the amount of chairs was perfect to the person. The screening was fantastic!

We would like to encourage filmmakers in the area to take full advantage of this great find - an independent filmmaker-friendly space that accomidates filmmakers and even will provide your guests with refreshments including wine! Rachael is very reasonable, and you wont find a better deal in the area. Its also conveniently located at 4 Malcolm X Blvd (off of Broadway). The J train takes you right there - just get off at the Kosciuszko Street stop.

Aeon Logic Art gallery, a new gallery based in Brooklyn, New York which seeks to represent and support the needs of artists through programs of international value by dynamic exchange of information and face-to-face meetings through a worldwide networking of artists' exhibitions and residencies. They also seek to promote the understanding of international arts and the development of contemporary arts in all cultures worldwide and across all creative media. Their aim is to provide visual and performance artists with the marketing, and press coverage necessary for them to get their work noticed, exhibited, and sold. They also aim to recognize the talents of artists working in their own style and medium, and preserving this freedom amongst artists in our community and around the world.

Make sure to check them out, their latest events, as well as contact Rachael directly here:

http://www.aeonlogicartgallery.site90.net/

Inside the Actors Studio

This post is not about the Bravo show. This week, Throwback Sundays revisits the internet sensation Four Eyed Monsters web series about the making of the IFC/Slamdance indie smash Four Eyed Monsters, directed by our friends Susan Buice and Arin Crumley. For those of you that keep hearing about this film, or these episodes, here is a good piece to wet your appetite. If you like what you see, see the instructions below on how to see the full 13 episodes series (they are no longer all available on Youtube). Trust us. It's incredibly addicting. After this episode, I personally was hooked, and couldnt stop watching. And keep in mind, that the interviews are not people making fun of themselves, and it isnt some parody. Its all real.

Here is Episode 6 picks drops you into a New York City acting school and explains what went on behind the scenes of creating some key scenes in Four Eyed Monsters as well as sets up why the directing credits later became a point of contention among certain people who had helped out with our film.



For the complete series with all episodes, go now to:
http://www.ifc.com/foureyedmonsters/

Miranda featured on OneWayTV

Check out the new Youtube design for OneWayTV. This week, Kent Sutton's Miranda is featured. Check it out below. Also, make sure to add Miranda's ever growing Myspace page to your friends, to see "friends only" photo albums, etc!

www.youtube.com/onewaytv

www.myspace.com/mirandamovie

Sonic-Cinema Reviews Uptown

How ironic that on the very day of the private cast/crew sneak preview screening of Uptown, that it receives its first review, from the ever consistent and prolific Brian Skutle from Sonic-Cinema. Brian saw all three films in a matter of a few days, and wasted no time writing reviews for all 3, (not to mention all of them positive). We have never met Brian in person; yet the man seems very involved in the art of independent and DIY cinema. Despite covering Hollywood and large budgeted projects with big stars attached, he still seems to seek out good stories and good performances from both the Hollywood world as well as the independents. Here is a snippet of the review below:

"Ackley has done a wonderful job at capturing the emotional journey in his story, and Hampton and Riquinha are wonderful in conveying their character’s respective dilemmas. Such is the strength and intelligence of this film that nothing feels forced, and more importantly, everything feels real."

- Sonic-Cinema.com

Read his Full Review HERE:
http://www.sonic-cinema.com/film_reviews_individual/507/uptown

Private Screening of Uptown

There will be a private cast/crew sneak preview screening of Brian Ackley's debut feature film Uptown tomorrow evening at Aeon Logic Art Gallery in Brooklyn (where Sujewa Ekanayake recently screened his last narrative feature Date Number One). We will keep you posted as to how the screening went, who showed up, and hopefully who reviewed it.

"Making 'Cookies & Cream'" - Episode 4

In this Episode (4), day 2 of production begins in Central Park. Armed with only 2 actors, a camera, and No Permits, the crew runs around stealing shots, climbing over rocks, and getting on trains to go to different sections of the greatest park in the country. Communication between the director and the DP continues to challenge the production, and tempers begin to rise as the crew tries to become the only known film in history to actually record picture and sound on a real moving horse-pulled Central Park carriage ride. Features music from: The Beatles, Yael Naïm, and Rage Against the Machine.

From INDEPENDENT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC comes the 4th in the web series from director Omar Hernandez on the making of the handicap budgeted tour de force, feature film "Cookies & Cream" - by One Way or Another Productions.



http://www.cookiesncreammovie.com/

Living Room Film Festivals

If you're going to compare DIY filmmaking to indie, punk rock music making, then let's just say that film festivals are about as important to filmmakers, as performing live and playing their actual music onstage is to musicians. For the most part, these days this is common knowledge, in all of this self-distro mumbo-jumbo. Festivals are nothing now but the new theatrical release, or one to be incorporated into your overall release strategy. That said, Time Magazine has a great piece on how this is how fast, things are changing:

"Director Joe Swanberg went to bed in Austin, Texas, last Friday evening excited about the world premiere of his new movie, Alexander the Last, the following night at the South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival. But by the time he woke up — still more than 12 hours ahead of the debut — his inbox was already flooded with e-mails from colleagues in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, congratulating him on the movie they had just finished watching and the reviews they had read in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and the New Yorker. Within a single day, Swanberg had experienced a process that usually takes even the luckiest independent filmmaker a year — or longer — to go through. Reached via phone on Sunday evening, he was clearly overcome by it all. ' feel like I can say this is a watershed moment,'he said. 'The promise of the digital revolution, this democratization of movies, is now really happening.'

Swanberg's breakthrough with Alexander the Last was largely a result of a nationwide video-on-demand venture undertaken by distributor IFC Films. For several years now, the studio has programmed two separate on-demand initiatives that can be accessed by home viewers across the U.S. via their cable system's movies-on-demand platform. One venture, IFC in Theaters, reaches 55 million U.S. households, offering viewers the chance to buy and stream movies currently in limited theatrical release. Festival Direct, meanwhile, offers 37 million households six films a month that the studio has picked up from film festivals around the world."

Full Piece HERE:

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1885670,00.html

For An Actor In A Film Festival

Below is some really cool and important info for actors. Seems also like an ad for a press kit writer, but it doesnt matter if you used him or not. There are some really useful tips for Actors in Films That Are Playing at a Film Festival:

"You’re on your way to a film festival. Be prepared with ammunition for the press to devour. Have your press kit packed with Rob Tencer’s recommended press kit.

If its your first film festival, or if you're making a return visit as the lead actor, supporting actor, director or producer, you should have a press kit ready in anticipation of press.

First, understand that the film you’re in has hired a publicist. The reality is this publicist is not concerned with your career and have a different goal, to help the filmmakers sell the film, recoup the cost to the investors.

There is no guarantee that your film at festival will further your career, even if you are the star. Hiring a publicist like Rob Tencer is your first step to getting the press you not only deserve, but the press necessary to further your career. Even if you built a press kit on your own, how would you get it into the hands that could help you most? Why would you give it to the film publicist if you were not their priority? By the end of the festival, or after your film was shown for the last time, what do you have to show for it? What if the film was not bought or released until years after the festival? Would you’re big break be wasted?"

See Full Piece HERE:

Where the Wild Things Are.

One of my favorite childhood storied, brought to life by acclaimed director Spike Jonze.
The best part of the trailer is the amazing soundtrack...ARCADE FIRE!
I'm really looking forward to this movie.
There was all kinds of rumours about the production...including that after a test screening the studio peeps said it was too scary...Well I hope so!

Sonic Cinema Reviews Cookies & Cream

Sonic Cinema gave Cookies & Cream a higher grade than the new Julia Roberts movie Duplicity. Despite the tiny budget and having virtually no crew, this is another huge statement for what this revolution in DIY filmmaking can do - it can shine a light on what Hollywood is lacking a lot of nowadays - good stories.

Brian Skutle reviews Cookies Here:

"Admittedly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect after the first few minutes of this film. Written and directed by Princeton Holt, the first scene seems like one of those cheesy online videos you find on certain websites (if you don’t know now, you will in a few), not just in the look and feel but in the performances. Admittedly, some of that feel continues throughout the film’s 90 minutes, as so much of the dialogue sounds ADR-recorded, with even up close shots containing lines that sound more after the fact than naturally delivered on the day. There are a few times (a lot of times, in fact) when it threw me out of the movie.

But after that introduction, this movie finds its’ heart, and you know what? This is a really good story. "

Full Review HERE:
http://www.sonic-cinema.com/film_reviews_individual/504/cookies-cream

The Dirty Garage

Saw this funny short/parody on mumble core called "DIRTY GARAGE". Starring mumbler Kent Osborne and other mumbler Tipper Newtown.

The Dirty Garage - watch more funny videos

Free Beer and a Play!

Got your attention? Good! "Free beer" tends to get ours too. Fans of our friend Gabrielle Archer (who stars in One Hour 2 Live, Miranda, and the directors of Natural Causes new work in progress film) will be able to catch her live on stage! See the info below:



What? Gabrielle! She is performing in a comedic monologue play called "Happy Hour!"

When? Thursday 26th of March at 8:30 PM

Where? At The 45th Street Theatre between 8th and 9th avenue on the 2nd floor.

How? You can reserve a seat by calling (212) 340-1962.
*Limited seating because this is Off-Off-Broadway (small theatre, few seats).*

How much?$21 but... you get unlimited free beer!

Who? Gaby!

Join us for a night of outrageous, raunchy, sexy, rowdy, controversial, laugh-out-loud fun!

(Our audience depends on our invites.)

I've got a woody for Woody.

In a Woody mood? how about a look at his 1970's films---

Warner Brothers Late to the Party

As usual.

"LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Warner Bros on Monday became the first studio to open its film vault to "made-to-order" DVDs, as it sought new revenues in a slumping DVD market by making it possiblefor fans to buy decades-old films.
Warner Bros, owned by Time Warner Inc, made an initial batch of 150 titles available for purchase online at www.WarnerArchive.com , including 1943 comedy-romance "Mr. Lucky" starring Cary Grant and the 1962 release "All Fall Down" with Warren Beatty and Eva Marie Saint.

Sales are not expected to approach those of new releases on DVD, but the service gives Warner Bros another way to make money from a film archive it already exploits by selling titles for broadcast in the United States and internationally."

Full Piece HERE:
http://abcees.net/2009/03/23/warner-bros-launches-madetoorder-dvd-service.aspx?ref=rss

Thanks to our friends at ABCees for the link!

Mind Your Own Beeswax

Here is a very cool review from Cinematical of Andrew Bujalski's new feature film Beeswax, that reportedly had very mixed reactions at its premiere in Berlin:

"The latest film by Andrew Bujalski, Beeswax had its U.S. premiere at SXSW on Monday. You might remember Bujalski's earlier features: Funny Ha Ha and Mutual Appreciation. The term "mumblecore", which describes a certain kind of low-budget indie made by a certain group of people, became popular after an interview Bujalski gave about Mutual Apprecation. But I'd like to talk about Beeswax without mentioning the term and all its associated baggage. Beeswax is a good movie that does some surprising things in a quiet way.

The story in Beeswax takes a backseat to the characters and the way they communicate. Two sisters, Jeannie (Tilly Hatcher) and Lauren (Maggie Hatcher), are sharing a house in Austin. Jeannie is co-owner of a vintage clothing store, and the other owner and former friend, Amanda, is threatening to sue her or possibly buy her out. Jeannie seeks legal advice from an old friend, Merrill (Alex Karpovsky), who's preparing for his bar exam, but a barely mentioned, possibly romantic past colors their interactions. Lauren is trying to help her sister out, but is also trying to get a teaching job, which is complicated by the fact that she's interviewing with Lee (Nathan Zellner), and Lauren just broke up with Lee's brother Scott (David Zellner)."

Full review HERE:
http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-review-beeswax/

Remembering Short Cuts

Throwback Sundays this week celebrates Robert Altman's brilliant epic feature film Short Cuts. It contains one of the most incredible monologues ever recorded on film, delivered by the late, great Jack Lemmon. Here is the Criterion trailer:




www.criterion.com

What Makes a Bad Director?

Here is a Vital piece from Illiterary Fiction on "Signs of a Bad Film Director."


"Every movie director will have a specialty. Some directors pay more attention to the performances, some to production design, some put all the emphasis on the camera work. No matter what the differences may be amongst film directors, the one thing that will ultimately lead to their downfall is lack of people skills. Nothing is more indicative of the possibility of a filmmaker failing in the future as not knowing how to treat people.

Yelling, Poor Manners

Raising your voice without even knowing it and without provocation is a good way to alienate people. It is one thing if you scream rarely when the pressure is really high and time is running out, but to do it as a habit is not good. Interrupting people's conversations because you need to ask them something trivial right now is a great way to make people hate you, expecting to be treated like royalty is a great way to get people to pee in your coffee. Treat people the way you would if they could punch you in the face and you will probably be ok.

Withholding Praise

When people do a good job, they do not necessarily know it. If you see someone going above and beyond and impressing you, give them genuine compliments. There is a school of thought that praising people will make them work less hard, but many management theorists and I have not found this to be the case. Once people get some praise, they will want more. This encourages even better performance in order to get more praise. To get the best of your cast and crew: be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."

Get the rest of this list at:
http://www.illiteraryfiction.com/bad-filmmakers-movie-directors

'Uptown' and The Angry Princess

The Angry Princess talks about Uptown at thisissomescene.com.

Here is a snippet:

"A young lady and man sit at a table in a restaurant making idle chatter as they get to know one another. The girl is Isabel and seems to be nervous and distracted while Ben seems to be interested and taking her in. They talk of their likes and dislikes while Isabel tries to show him her salt trick. After they finish their dinner of spaghetti they walk around the city getting to know each other."

Read full piece HERE:

http://thisissomescene.com/?p=788

www.myspace.com/uptownfilm

Alexander, the last NYC Premiere

If you are in NYC on Monday, Please come support our friend Joe Swanberg's new film!

"Making 'Cookies & Cream'" - Episode 3

"All you might be able to do is slow them down. But you cannot stop them." - IndieSlate Magazine

In Episode 3, without any real money in place, the team goes into production. Right off the bat they are chased out of their first location, the director and the DP develop tension between themselves, and the first location is stolen.

Features music from: Johnny Cash, The Beatles, and Weezer.

From INDEPENDENT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC comes the 3rd in the web series from director Omar Hernandez on the making of the handicap-budgeted, tour de force feature film "Cookies & Cream" - by One Way or Another Productions.



http://www.cookiesncreammovie.com/

Entre Nos

Here is the official trailer of the new film written and directed by Paola Mendoza and Gloria La Morte to premiere at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. The world premiere is on April 25th at 6PM...

Check http://www.entrenosfilm.com/ for updates.

Cookies & Cream Official Trailer

In the last 24 Hours, the producers of Cookies & Cream revealed not one, but two trailers that were voluntarily cut by Brian Ackley (Cookies actor and producer, director of Uptown). After having two versions they liked equally, they left it up to their friends from the film's Facebook group (as well as their Myspace friends) to decide which trailer would represent the film. After a nearly unanimous decision, the Official Trailer was chosen, and therefore unleashed to the public. And with Youtube's latest competition-busting technical upgrade, viewers have the option to click a button at the bottom right bar, and watch it in the highest quality possible.

Forever dead and gone is the nearly 5 minute teaser (that reportedly went up within 24 hours after the film wrapped production but racked up well over 3000 views), as well as the other "phantom" trailer (you know, the one that "lost"), which may never again make an appearance either now or in the future. Who knows?

We would like to thank all of our family members (friends) for their help. Here it is below:



http://www.cookiesncreammovie.com/

Movies Soar During Bad Economy

Filmmakers rejoice. Movies are up in a down economy. How is this possible? Film Journal International has some numbers:

"You would hardly believe that a recession was in full swing in the country if you attended a major multiplex in the U.S. during a recent weekend. This editor caught two films at the AMC multiplex in the Garden State Plaza Shopping Mall in New Jersey and it was evident from the huge crowds that box office for the weekend was up considerably. The crowds spanned all ages and it was wonderful to experience the power of the movies.

For decades, it has been said that the film industry is recession-proof or, as it is referred to now, “recession-friendly.” During these uncertain economic times, people are being very careful about how they spend their money and tend to be attracted to lower-cost, closer-to-home entertainment activities. So what’s better than the movies?

There may not be an abundance of cash in the hands of John Q. Consumer to take expensive vacations or eat at the best restaurants or buy a new car, but there certainly appear to be enough dollars to feed the hunger of the masses for filmed entertainment. Week after week since the beginning of the year, movies have performed extremely well. Holdovers are stirring the fire, and the impressive hot streak of 2009 continues. As of Feb. 16, year-to-date box office was 15 percent higher than last year’s, and the Presidents’ Day weekend gross was up an impressive 32% from 2008. People are flocking to nearly everything on the big screen, and with this kind of depth in the marketplace, 2009 can be a giant year."

http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/columns-and-blogs/in-focus/e3i81e87508e923955fb433337796dfeee9

Jace Nicole Interview!

TCWReviews conducted an interview with Jace Nicole on her lead role as Carmen in Cookies & Cream. Check it out HERE!


http://www.tcwreviews.com/2009/03/exclusive-interview-with-actress-jace.html

Matt Dentler and Joe Swanberg Interview

Matt Dentler, former SXSW producer, did an interview with filmmaker Joe Swanberg.



I think the section where they discuss Swanberg's acceptance into the sort of main stream audience and he discuss's how his film Alexander the last, reflects more of cultural landscape shift, rather then a sort of disloyalty to his previous work.
The interview is great and I think really tunes in on the maturity of the work and its creator.

Rock the Vote

The producers of Cookies & Cream are looking to their friends on Myspace and Facebook to choose the Official Trailer for Cookies & Cream! Our very own Brian Ackley (director of the feature film Uptown) volunteered to cut both trailers. We love 'em both. Now its your turn exclusively to choose which trailer you like best. The trailer with the top votes will become the Official Trailer!

To join in the voting, go to the Facebook group for the film, or the Myspace profile.

www.myspace.com/cookiesncreammovie

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32763598663&ref=ts

Les 400 Coups

Throwback Sunday this week remembers one of the landmark films in the French New Wave movement of the '60s.

"(Les 400 coups). If François Truffaut had never made another film, The 400 Blows would have earned him an enduring place in film history. Its semiautobiographical story of a lad who is unwanted by his parents, bored by school, and attracted to petty crime is told with an energetic blend of anarchy and rigor, the kind of unsentimental lyricism that was to become Truffaut’s trademark. As a portrait of adolescence, it is still unmatched in cinema; as a portrait of Paris through a young boy’s eyes, it is a thoroughly unromanticized picture of cramped apartments, cold schoolrooms, and the narrowing confines of the streets. Even snowballs have stones in them. Jean-Pierre Léaud, in his first appearance as Truffaut’s alter ego Antoine Doinel, reflects the strange sobriety of watchful youth. Truffaut’s real-life ordeal went far beyond that of Antoine, who escapes incarceration to a moment of truth by the sea. Truffaut escaped into art."

—Judy Bloch

• Written by Truffaut, Marcel Moussy. Photographed by Henri Decaë. With Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy, Guy Decomble. (99 mins, In French with English subtitles, B&W, ’Scope, 35mm, From Janus/Criterion Collection)

Here is the Criterion Collection's trailer!



www.criterion.com

Jace Nicole Stars in Hangman

Here is a fun short film that stars our good friend Jace Nicole. It's called Hangman, and its directed by Richard Johnson (who directed the feature film Torn that also stars Jace). Enjoy!



http://www.vimeo.com/3459061

B-Side Creates Groundbreaking DIY Distribution Model

"On Jan. 25, The New York Times ran what was a fairly glum take on the 2009 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. There, mixed in among various Chicken Little-isms, reporter Michael Cieply quotes filmmaker Joe Swanberg, director of Alexander the Last, as saying, "I've come to realize that my festival run is my theatrical run." Cieply's use of Swanberg is meant as a reinforcement – a personification of the woe afflicting his picture of things as they stand. And it's in that spirit, as he turns from Swanberg to continue his article, that Cieply offers the following bridge: "If Sundance was a lesson in diminished expectations for most ...." He doesn't stop to wonder if his implication – that every filmmaker whose work misses a theatrical run is some poor sap suffering from "diminished expectations" – is a fair one.


For the record, Chris Hyams' Sundance was not as gloomy as the one portrayed in the pages of The New York Times. On the Friday the festival opened, Hyams' Austin-based B-Side Entertainment – which was already busy providing a select group of filmmakers with some pretty savvy public-relations help and the cinema-nerd world at large with a free, easy-to-use Web-based interface for film festivals – announced that it would receive $4.25 million to help fund a full-on play for a slice of the feature-film distribution world. For Hyams and B-Side (http://www.bside.com/), this fresh infusion of cash did indeed mark a sort of arrival. But, more to the point, it also signaled a further business-world endorsement of Hyams' approach to distributing films – one that would seem to totally recast Swanberg's comments.'

READ full piece HERE:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:744086

Swanberg Week is better than shark week!

I hope its not overkill, that I've been posting so many Swanberg-related articles, but there's a lot of great press regarding "Alexander, the last" and I feel its important to share.
This particular article, I read at nypress.com and its about Joe Swanbergs creative relationship with Noah Baumbauch and Greta Gerwig, both of which are equally interesting and important to american cinema.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE!

There is also a frank and honest article with Greta talking about working with Joe on "Nights And Weekends"---the film that informed "Alexander, The Last".

HERE!


Regarding the Baumbach-Swanberg connection, Im very excited about. I love both filmmakers work, and the idea that they will be able to influence each other, inspire each other and work together is a good sign of american cinema's future.
They both have the unique ability to equally to destroy and create our perception of high brow and low brow characters.
I don't want to start drawing connections between their work, but allow this thing to unfold. Ultimately, they are two different human beings and some experiences may be similiar but they will be individualistic with their portrayal of the truth.

1,000 True Fans

Here is another fascinating Peter Broderick article about building a fan base and quitting your day job.

http://www.peterbroderick.com/distributionbulletins/files/3d759e56a372ab072cdfc091087f378c-7.html

Bypassing the Festival Circuit

Surely our friend Sujewa Ekanayake read this Business Week article when he declared on his blog that he would bypass festival submissions completely for his latest documentary "Indie Film Blogger Road Trip" and only focus on festivals that invited him personally, or those that offered him a waived submission fee. It sounded crazy to us, and was the cause of several friendly exchanges of varying opinions. But this wonderful piece, may in fact prove his point - especially for documentary filmmakers.

We can now vouch for this grass roots line of reasoning, based on the response we are getting to our currently in-post-production feature documentary Ink, which grows its own vast supporters, and whose myspace page boasts dozens of new adds daily. The page itself is now run by the actual owners of a tattoo shop in Massachusetts, where some of the documentary was shot, and whose loyal base of followers and past customers has sparked an automatic interest in the film.

This allows us the option to consider not having to take any time for submissions to film festivals, and simply roll the film out to it's loyal base over and over again, both theatrically (with self bookings) as well as effectively make the DVD available for sale directly from its future website. Tattoo enthusiasts are forwarding the film's page to their friends, who add us, then send it to their friends. Also, the page is becoming interactive in a way, so that tattoo lovers can send pictures of their most loved tattoos for direct upload into the page.

This makes sense when reading the below article, about how a couple of smart women who made the feminist film Whats Your Point Honey?, bypassed traditional film festivals and ended up with a distribution deal after they self released their documentary in theatres in NYC, as well as on DVD.

Enjoy!

Business Week article Here:
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2008/sb2008065_226261.htm?chan=search

Indie Film Blogger Road Trip:
www.indiefilmbloggersmovie.blogspot.com/

Ink's Myspace Page:
www.myspace.com/inkmovie

Love letters from Married Couples

Spout's Noralil Ryan Fores did a wonderful interview with Joe and Kris Swanberg about both of their films.
They brought up some interesting themes regarding SXSW and making films, that in a way, speak to each other.
Joe calls "Alexander, the last" both a love letter and artistic public apology to Kris, and they debate Kris's "It was great, but I was ready to come home" as being either an intentional film about commitment or lack there of, or if it was something more subconscious.
With all of the blogger debate about the legitmacy of the Swanberg's work, it's important to note: We are Team Swanberg!

Read the interview here!


On a side note, I have seen Joe's "Alexander, the last" twice now, on IFC on Demand, and I think it's an interesting note on his previous work, and an exciting leap into new cinematic territory.
The characters are fully engaging, the ideas and themes are ultra fluid and he challenges the viewer with new experimental ways of telling a story through sound and editing.
Hopefully I will have a full review soon!

Kris Swanberg Interview!

Indiewire has a nice interview with filmmaker Kris Swanberg about her new feature "It was great, but I was ready to come home" screening at this years SXSW film festival.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE!

I really admire her documentary approach to narrative fiction, allowing the place and characters to find the story. I would like to see more art emerge so organically. We are looking forward to seeing her film, in the near future. Hopefully IFC or the like, will pick it up and either screen it at the IFC center in NYC or put it on demand...which I just discovered, ha, and LOVE!

How Much Self Promotion is Too Much?

Here is an interesting older post from the blog Self Reliant Film. Interesting thoughts on bad self promotion for filmmakers, as well as the tricky line of adding too many of your own credits to your film.

Check it out here:

http://www.selfreliantfilm.com/?p=64

Rochelle Aytes on NCIS March 17th

Our good friend Rochelle Aytes will be starring on NCIS this Tues. March 17th. on CBS 8pm. Check your local guide to be sure of the time in your area. Congrats Rochelle!

www.myspace.com/rochelleaytes

"Making 'Cookies & Cream'" - Episode 2

From INDEPENDENT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC comes the 2nd in the web series from director Omar Hernandez on the making of the handicap budgeted tour de force, feature film "Cookies & Cream" - by One Way or Another Productions.

In Episode 2, the director finds a top of the line camera to shoot the film on, while still awaiting money to come in for production. He meets actor Rick Borgia for the first time to try to get him in the film before filming begins.

Episode 2

Joe and Greta and Paste OH MY

Paste Magazine did a great piece with Greta Gerwig and Joe Swanberg, Who appear on this months cover. CONGRATS TO BOTH!!! We are, of course, big supporters.
Seems suitable to post it, the same night I got to show my friend "Hannah Takes The Stairs" and discuss the underground film scene with all of its victories and flaws.

Check it out:
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/03/greta-gerwig-joe-swanberg-the-penny-pinching-futur.html#more

Black Metropolis

Make sure to check out talented Uptown, Cookies & Cream, and Miranda supporting actor Derek McAllister is in a cool off-Broadway play called "Black Metropolis." Its playing at 3 different venues for your convenience - The Drama Book Store, The Producer's Club, & Joria Studios - all in Manhattan.

Show dates that are currently still open are: 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/19 @ Joria Studios; 4/4 @ The Drama Book Store; 4/11 @ The Producer's Club.

Tickets and more info can be found at http://www.theatermania.com/

Once on theatermania's website, just type "Black Metropolis" in the search box in the top right corner.

See you guys there!

Film Festival Myths

One of the things we have discovered in the last month or so, is that as assumed, Tier 2 and 3 festivals seem to be running a pretty ethical and fair ship. According to several filmmaker and producer friends of ours, 2nd and 3rd tier festivals including the Garden State Film Festival (which premiered the no budget DVD distributed festival hit Four Dead Batteries) , the Sexy International Film Festival, the Staten Island Film Festival, and several others we have heard about seem to be straight up and fair - blindly accepting (without any "connection" into the festivals), actually watching, and inviting films they like or that have interesting stories or cinematic approaches to screen at their festivals. This is particular refreshing, as the news and further exposition of most of the top tier film festivals has been rather disturbing as well as enlightening. Star studded, Hollywood fashion shows that were once top tier film festivals have caused several filmmakers to revolt in a way - even to go as far as telling the readers of their blogs or profiles to bypass them entirely - which is kind of a cool and refreshing reaction within itself.

Its good to know that this lack of fairness doesnt apply to all film festivals, and just as suspected, (although not perfect) several of these tier 2 and 3 film festivals still run pretty fair operations, and seem to remember what made them want to create their film festivals to begin with - to provide a way to celebrate their love for the art of cinema and share them with other like-minded people.

Cheers to them!

http://www.gsff.org/
http://www.sexyfilmfest.com/
http://www.sifilmfestival.org/

Embracing Genre

Smile, make light of, or dismiss it as genre if you want, but our friend Rick Borgia's (from Cookies & Cream) well-made feature Twists Of Fate , will be in competition at the STATEN ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL, JUNE 4-7. Make sure you go to their website for more info and how you can see the film.


http://www.sifilmfestival.com/
www.myspace.com/twists_of_fate_the_movie


Here is the trailer:

One Hour 2 Live Website

Check out the official site for One Hour 2 Live, the play, where info on the film can also be found. It will be fully updated soon.

http://www.onehour2live.com/

Maria Guzman as "Miranda"

Here is the temp poster for Miranda by J. Lynn Menzel.



A little about Maria Guzman.

After more than a decade of dance training, legendary dance instructor Cindera Che pushed Maria toward her goal by asking "What are you waiting for?". Without hesitation, she chose to go for it, and after her very first audition she booked "Jack and Hill" and was hooked. She always believed that dancing was the best way to express yourself, until she caught the acting bug of course. Once in New York, she soon started taking lessons at HB Studio and was well on her way.

Maria volunteered at Manhattan Theatre Source and submersed herself in the work by appearing in seasonal productions of Spontaneous Combustion, each written, cast and performed within 48 hours. She has booked commercials for Macy's, Verizon and was hand picked by Brett Ratner for the NBC acquired TV pilot, "Blue Blood". She is the lead in the upcoming independent feature film, Miranda as the title character. "BN4 Real", her first web series for which she is also proud of, is due out soon. Her IMDB link is: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2975814/

Miranda's Myspace Page:www.myspace.com/mirandamovie

Brooklyn Fantastic

Sujewa Ekanayake has a potentially exciting new project called Brooklyn Fantastic - a dramatic/comedic narrative feature in pre-production starring Susan Buice from Four Eyed Monsters and several other actors that will be announced soon. He is actually in the casting process now, and we assume there will be announcements on his blog(s), when that process is complete.

As a fan of micro-budgeted cinema as well as cinema in general, it would an interesting response to see Ekanayake hush some of his harshest online critics by paying as much attention to camera choice and/or visuals as he does to clever words and inspired, loose performances this time around - thus joining them into one cool, interesting palette to serve the story. Whats his story?

"Brooklyn Fantastic is a film about attempting to start over in a new city & searching for a valuable object" - Ekanayake states on his blog. BF also stars Amir Motlagh (Whale), and features several other talented actors from the emerging NYC DIY/new independent film community. BF is written & directed by Sujewa Ekanayake (Date Number One).







Make sure to keep up to date with this project at his BF production blog below:

http://brooklynfantastic.blogspot.com/

Help!

Omar Hernandez is seeking some help for what has been labeled by us as "the beef episode." For an upcoming webisode from "Making 'Cookies & Cream'" Omar has wanted to utilize several tools as an aid to reinactment - animations, claymation, illustrations, etc. If anyone wants to assist him in this experiment for this anticipated webisode with help in animation, claymation, illustrations, etc, or even if you know anyone you can recommend, make sure to drop us a line at info@1wayoranother.net or even leave a comment below.

Thanks!

www.youtube.com/onewaytv

Raising Victor Vargas

Throwback Sundays this week spotlights the feature length debut of Peter Sollett. Sollett made a short film called Five Feet High and Rising that opened at Sundance. He returned there a year or two later with this feature, same characters (with a few more), same story, same approach, same genius.

"Raising Victor Vargas is an achingly lovely movie about the denizens of a Lower East Side Puerto Rican neighbourhood made by a Caucasian director (Sollett) who's big on subverting expectations. The novice cast members improvise their dialogue with unself-conscious ease, cinematographer Tim Orr makes a tenement building look warm and inviting, and the ending is so low key as to induce goose pimples. Humane until it feels revolutionary."

http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/toptens/top102003.htm

See the trailer below, then do yourself a favor and rent or buy this film at once:



www.amazon.com
www.netflix.com

Jon Ashby interviews Princeton Holt

Here is the audio Jon Ashby's interview with Princeton Holt from www.commonfilm.org about Cookies & Cream. The interview was conducted yesterday, and appeared on their site the next day. Enjoy!

www.cookiesncreammovie.com

Keats' Handwriting

One of my favorite things to do is get a random message from a band, actually stumble onto their page and love what I hear (its rare, thats why its so enjoyable when it happens). The latest find is a cool band called Keats' Handwriting. Im sure you'll hear a lot more about this band.

Keats' is an indie boy/girl electronic music duo from Tallahassee, Fl. They use fresh, innovative techniques to make live instruments such as the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, dulcitar, melodica, violin and the human voice sound like a computer, and they make a computer sound like a live instrument. Coming soon. . .We're working on some new tricks for our live shows - like a sonar/light harp, video projections and interactive visuals!

Check out some of their cool music now at: www.myspace.com/keatshandwriting

Cookies & Cream interview

Just completed my interview with Jon Ashby from the good folks over at http://www.commonfilm.org/

It went very well. Look for it on their site as well as here by tomorrow, Monday morning the latest.

http://rewindvideo.com/jonashby/flashsite/html/

- Princeton

The Magic of "Miranda"

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

New Paola Mendoza Film

From the team who brought you the DIY theatrically released Indie Spirit Award Nominated film On the Outs, comes the based on a true story film Entre Nos directed by Paola Mendoza & Gloria La Morte. The very talented Mendoza gave us the reviting performance in the Michael Skolnik co-directed On the Outs as "Marisol," is also a writer and a filmmaker. Entre Nos, which is also being co-produced by Skolnik, is her feature length debut. The film is nearing completion. Here is the synopsis:

Mariana (Mendoza) is determined to keep her family together. Her children, Gabriel (Sebastian Villada Lopez), 9, and Andrea (Laura Montana Cortez), 6, have grown up without their father. Antonio immigrated to the United States years earlier in order to make a better life for his family. Finally after many years of separation the family is reunited in the US.

After coming home late from work one night Antonio announces he has found work in Miami and will be moving there alone. He will send for the family when he is settled.

Days go by and Mariana does not hear from him. Worried and desperate, she goes to her only friend’s home only to find out Antonio is not coming back. With no more than fifty dollars to her name, Mariana must find work. She must keep the dream alive.

Mariana makes homemade empanadas (meat patties), which she tries to sell on the streets, however this quickly fails. With all her options closing in on her, Mariana turns to the city’s trash in order to put food on the table. With Gabriel and Andrea working beside her collecting cans, the family finds the most stability they have known since their arrival. And it is during these challenging moments that the family triumphs.

In Entre Nos, Mariana, Gabriel and Andrea take us on a remarkable journey where we bear witness to a family’s commitment to survival and are inspired by their hope for the American dream...one soda can at a time.



To know more about the film and watch it develop, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Entre-Nos/57478241769?ref=s#/pages/Entre-Nos/57478241769?v=info&viewas=1091964429

Or go to their website at:
http://www.entrenosfilm.com/

OneWayTV Updated Design

This week's design for our Youtube channel OneWayTV features the webseries "Making 'Cookies & Cream," by it's co-producer Omar Hernandez. Check it out!





www.youtube.com/onewaytv

World Premiere of "Making 'Cookies & Cream'"!

An honest note about “Making ‘Cookies & Cream’”

March 31, 2008



"One of the subjects of my first documentary (now cut up into episodes) was obsessed about making his movie. I mean, this guy desperately wanted to direct his first feature film. I always remembered that. That’s all he would talk about. He had his reasons. One has to know the ins and outs of the film industry to fully appreciate what an accomplishment like making your first feature film means and why it is so important. He had something to prove to his investors for upcoming projects he has in development. He had something to prove to himself. It meant more to him than I had ever seen it mean to anyone I had met. And he was burning with passion and determination about it.

I made a ton of mistakes co-producing this film for him. Most that I can never take back. So did he. So did some of the actors. So did some of the crew. Making a film for peanuts doesn’t always get you peanut butter. But we all learned from them. Hopefully you can too. You may see others’ mistakes in this film. You may see mine. I also always dreamed of being a documentary filmmaker and “telling the truth.” Now’s my chance.

I have recorded the process of a child-hood dream finally becoming a reality, in spite of all of the seemingly resistant forces all around us stopping it from happening. In all my 23 years, I have never witnessed such unflinching, and at times frightening determination in a single human being in my life. I didn’t want to forget it. So I recorded it. That’s all.


What you will see is the impossible process of a dream coming true. These are episodes about that process. This is the process of a filmmaker shooting his first feature film thru rain, sleet, hail, and snow.

I truly thank you all for your interest in my exclusively-online episodes on the making of “Cookies & Cream.” As the one who shot this behind the scenes footage, I guarantee, as we get further along into them, you will NEVER believe, nor foresee what’s ahead in this process that I both witnessed and recorded."

Sincerely,

Omar Hernandez
Director / Co-Producer
(Former production assistant)

"Making 'Cookies & Cream'" - Episode 1

Making a movie is never easy. In episode 1, the filmmakers begin putting together the production team without much money in place. In order to do this, they find themselves having to attend strange events, mingle with even stranger people around the NYC area, while also trying to raise the full film's budget.

From INDEPENDENT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC comes the first in the web series from director Omar Hernandez on the making of the handicap budgeted tour de force, feature film "Cookies & Cream" - by One Way or Another Productions.

(please allow some loading time)

http://www.cookiesncreammovie.com/