It's 1AM.

And we hope you are having a Happy Halloween!

From all of us here at Muddy Colors. 

Check it out!

Megan Fisher, carved these pumpkin as homages to my 'Fair Game' and 'Warbreaker' covers. Super cool!

Pulp Movies' Article About "The Butterfly Chasers"

The guys at Pulp Movies have written a very cool article about our "The Butterfly Chasers" project, as well as about our growing history as a production company! Here is some of it below:

"Princeton Holt is a producer/writer/director well worth watching. Cookies and Cream, which he wrote and directed, was a genuinely moving drama about a group of people with whom you don’t normally expect to identify. The film was one of my high points of 2009. Through his production company, One Way or Another, he has also managed to pull together a community of very talented film-makers with some fascinating stories to tell. This has led, over the past few years, to a catalogue of films all of which are well worth seeing."

Read the full piece HERE!

Meet Dante' Brown

Character interview of Dante' Brown (played by James Parris) from The Butterfly Chasers.



To find out more about this film, click the link below, watch the video and learn about our cool perks and gifts!

"The Butterfly Chasers"

- Lena

Congratulations, Kinuko!

The Muddy Colors Crew would like to extend its warmest congratulations to Kinuko Y, Craft upon being presented with the World Fantasy Award for Best Artist at the WFCon in San Diego this past weekend!





Here's the complete list of this year's award recipients:

• Life Achievement: Peter S. Beagle and Angélica Gorodischer


• Novel: Who Fears Death, by Nnedi Okorafor


• Novella: “The Maiden Flight of McCauley’s Bellerophon,” by Elizabeth Hand


• Short Story: “Fossil—Figures,” by Joyce Carol Oates


• Anthology: My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me, edited by Kate Bernheimer


• Collection: What I Didn’t See and Other Stories, by Karen Joy Fowler


• Artist: Kinuko Y. Craft


• Special Award—Professional: Marc Gascoigne, for Angry Robot


• Special Award—Non-professional: Alisa Krasnostein, for Twelfth Planet Press

ILLUXCON 4

ILLUXCON  4   NOVENMBER  3rd - NOVEMBER 6th, 2011

ILLUXCON 4 will be taking place this week in Altoona, PA. For those of you not familiar with this event, Illuxcon is the premiere arts gathering that focuses on the art of the genres of  Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy and related disciplines. This is a chance to meet fellow artists, collectors, art students and art directors from around the world. There is a student program track,  portfolio reviews and a number of demonstrations. Attendance / and memberships are limited.  I would suggest checking the Illuxcon website for the availability of remaining memberships.



A number of Muddycolors members will be attending and exhibiting their work, including:  Dan Dos Santos, Jesper Ejsing, Eric Fortune, Justin Gerard, Donato Giancola, Petar Meseldzija and John Jude Palencar.



From the website:

“Illuxcon is dedicated to the validation of the original painting as more than a means to an end and, through that validation, the recognition that the art of the fantastic deserves to be brought out from the shadow of literature and publication, its creators permitted to stand beside their peers in other artistic schools, and their works accepted to hang side by side with the best of all the past generations of artists.  Illuxcon is also dedicated to the continuing development of the field, inspiring students and emerging artists to look at the world through the prism of the fantastic and encouraging the professional and personal interaction necessary to allow the masters of the field to share their experience, knowledge, drive and dedication with all those who would follow in their footsteps.”



Illuxcon website



Hope to see you there!

Here are a couple of promo clips from previous Illuxcons :

Happy Halloween

My 7 Best Memories As a Filmmaker

I really am looking forward to the opportunity to engage once again in the collaborative act of making my 3rd feature film, The Butterfly Chasers, which we are in the middle of campaigning for via Kickstarter. I feel very lucky to be able to work with some of our people again, as well as some new people. I look forward to learning from them, not necessarily the other way around.

I also had a chance to do some reflecting last night, while hanging out with some of the cast & crew of Uptown, at our reunion. This recent memory is now one of several, stand-out memories. Here are 7 more:

7) A Call from Kent Sutton:

As the director of our short film Miranda, Kent was the only one who attended the far-from-home premiere screening in Bryan, Texas at the Red Wasp Film Festival. I knew he was there alone - alone to graffiti the town with posters and flyers, alone to get out and talk about his film, alone to answer the Q & A questions thrown at him afterwards. This seemed to me to be the best way to "break" a new, first-time filmmaker. Put him out completely on his own - with little support besides a cell phone to call back to his company (us), and his friends and family. He called from the lobby about how well the screening went, about the lady who was touched by his domestic violence short, and how being the only person of color in not only the theater but the entire town made him feel (he found it hilarious). I told him to keep his hopes small as they read the award-winners, and that he had already done the film well by screening it to a receptive audience. I wanted to keep a fragile, first-time filmmaker's expectations low. It would be safer that way, less painful. 5 minutes later, he called back with, "We just won the Audience Award." I flipped out on the phone - I was so besides myself. I remember it being so late, because of the time zone difference, and I still hopped up, gliding around the room, laughing to him on the phone. I was proud and very happy for him as my director and as my friend.

6) Discovering New Retailers:

I would get a rush when I would awake and stumble on a new retailer stocking our first 2 features. Although we signed with a distributor that we knew could get us into some cool retail spots, there were others that I had never seen them place in the locations that they placed ours in. I wasn't surprised to be stocked in Blockbusters, Best Buy, Barnes & Nobles and Amazon - that's what we signed up for. I was surprised to see us stocked in Walmart, Target, FYE, and Turner Movie Classics. I remember that for one month straight, early in their release, I woke up every single day to a new retailer carrying our titles. For 2 films made under the disadvantages of DIY scrambling, it was a surreal time for me to witness.

5) The 10 Commandments of Chloe party scene:

My co-writer/co-producer Naama Kates and I somehow put together a rather large group of actors that we cast for this sequence, a party scene where everyone is intoxicated, and having separate conversations at an apartment after-party. With the help of our associate producer, actress Wendy Keeling, we assembled the most eccentric, hilarious group of actors (including Naama) to each construct their own stories, create their own characters, names, and scenarios. I gave each set of actors a certain amount of time to do this, and then I turned on the camera, started rolling, and went around the room. Each actor pulled off funny, genuine moments in one single take each. Easily one of my favorite memories as a director so far.

4) Cookies & Cream preview screening:

We first screened a preview version of my first feature Cookies & Cream at the Helen Mills Theater on West 26th street in Manhattan, thanks to the very generous and always supportive Jason Turley, head of the Sexy International Film Festival. It was our idea to bring together everyone who hadn't yet met but who had worked on our first 3 titles, to at one time finally meet, hang out and talk shop. It would also be the first time many of these people would see our first intro film, Cookies & Cream. This event also sparked several future movie collaborations - something I had fantasized about for a while. The film opened with the trailers for Uptown and Carter, with both directors and their nearly all of their cast & crew in attendance. Afterwards we took pictures, had drinks and a great time.

3) The Case of the Actors' Writing Credits:

I will never forget when we were on our 2nd or 3rd day of shooting Uptown in the middle of Central Park, and Brian Ackley, Uptown's director approached me after watching his incredible actors perform another take. It was the scene where Meissa Hampton as Isabel tells Chris Riquinha as Ben that she is less than happy in her marriage. Her fingers linger alongside a fence that reveals several buildings from our skyline. Brian uttered "cut," then glided over to me and whispered something like, "I've been watching and listening to these two very closely, as I know you have. They are contributing so much and the dialogue is basically their own. What do you think about us giving them both writing credits?" My heart melted instantly. I smiled and replied, "Absolutely." I think I skipped home that night. It was the epitome of the self-less, collaborative method of filmmaking we had always strived to engage in. And it simply made me happy. I don't know how else to put it.

2) Cookies & Cream in Idaho:

I will never forget what is still my best film festival experience ever, and that was premiering Cookies & Cream in Idaho at the Idaho International Film Festival. They flew me out and put me up in top notch, 4 star hotels for 6 days and 5 nights. I met so many filmmakers that I still keep in contact with from time to time, including guys like John Gavin, Joe Sorrentino, Paul Osborne,Todd Giglio and Chris Springer. Former programmer Bruce Fletcher is the best programmer ever - and I'm not saying that because he selected my film. The whole team was on time, helpful, professional, and enthusiastic, and the owner of the festival Lyle Banks saw my film personally and volunteered to conduct my Q & A! After screenings, there were always the best parties and bars on the main strip full of patrons of the film arts and a cool, fun, college crowd.

My first screening was a disaster - I learned the hard lesson that filmmakers sometime learn about not pre-testing your film before your screening. I shot Cookies on mini DV, which means most of the time it had to be adjusted for contrast pre-screening. Feeling that my digi-beta master copy would suffice, I foolishly did not test it, and before you know it, way-too-dark images of my first film began screening to (thankfully) a very small audience. I apologized to everyone that attended and urged some of them to attend my next "main" screening which was on a prime night (Saturday), and one I promised them would be pre-tested. Most of them did, and the film screened to a packed house of people I had never met before. That was also the night we got our first couple of distribution offers.

The most life-affirming memory I have of this was the night after Cookies screened for the last time. I went around the town collecting my (very expensive) movie posters that I used to promote it. As I was taking down the last one, the woman who owned the place asked me if I directed it. I told her I did, and was I taking the posters back to NY with me. She proceeded to tell me that a young, fragile woman named Natalie had asked her to save it for her just in case I never came back to get it. Apparently Natalie shared a lot in common with Cookies & Cream: the film being about a single mother who accepts an adult industry job to take care of her daughter rang true for her. She was the daughter, and some of the words that Carmen says to Candace in the movie are some of the exact same words that Natalie's mother said to her. I reacted with surprise. I was very touched, and moved. I immediately took a Sharpie and signed my name on it, "To Natalie. We're honored to have made this for you." Then I gave it to the lady, and followed up when I got back in town to see if she gave it to her. She did.

1) Calling actors Chris Riquinha and Meissa Hampton:

My favorite memory ever is another producers' memory. It was when I first heard from the LSU Cinema Club's Outhouse Film Festival director that both Chris Riquinha and Meissa Hampton were nominated for Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress for their performances in Uptown. It felt good not only because they are now some of our favorite actors and personal, good friends of mine, but because I really felt they deserved it. The icing on the cake was calling Meissa to inform her that she had won. It made my day, and I would bet that it made my day even more than hers. I gloated all day, I was so happy for her, and for Brian.

These are the types of memories one can get addicted to, and I can't wait to relive some of these moments in new ways, while creating new ones.

Help me make some new memories, by pledging anything you can towards our campaign for The Butterfly Chasers. You won't be charged unless we make our goal. Here is the LINK.

Thank you for reading,

- Princeton

New Vid

by Eric Fortune

Today I thought I'd share a new video. I meant it to be a ten minute video. But it went into a little overtime. Sorry for all the "ums". I'm um gonna work on that. Below is a recent scan of the area I was working on.

Hope you find this helpful. As always, if you would like any clarification on anything I'm doing please ask and I'll do my best to answer for you.

Spanish Painters

by Donato



I am waist deep getting paintings ready for IlluxCon next weekend, but thought I'd share some thoughts on painters I have been inspired by as I tackle my tragedies in Middle-Earth.

One of the greatest, and somewhat little known, is Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652). His work was heavily inspired by Caravaggio during his lifelong stay in Italy. If I had to live in another past as a painter, I would certainly select the early 17th Century, for the world was filled with some of the painters I most admire, such as Ribera and Caravaggio, but which also included Rembrandt, Velazquez and Rubens. What an incredible time to be an artist!

What I love about Ribera is the tragic and humanistic nature to his paintings, a characterization also shared by his famous contemporary, Diego Velazquez. Ribera's figures are gritty, real, and human. He idealized little in his works, and was best when his saints feel like they are culled from the very streets of the city you and I can walk. Certainly he took from Caravaggio's example and did just that- pulled models from the streets. He is unparalleled in his rendering of the flesh, and the rough close up provides just a taste of what he could do with his specialty. Much like Bouguereau was cast into his genre of young peasant girls, Ribera mastered again and again the boney, sagging and breath taking frailty of wizened old men.



Every time I tackle a Gandalf portrait, I put on my Ribera hat and see where it will take me...

Gifts of Paper

You guys made some fantastic cakes! It was really hard picking favorites. So, we decided to add a few more prizes so that we could pick a few more cakes. We have added 2 prints by Jesper Ejsing to give away, in addition to our other 9 gifts.



The 11 recipients are:

If your cake is shown here, email us at: muddycolors@gmail.com

Send us your full name, shipping address, and a link to the image above which belongs to you. Also, please list your top 3 gifts in descending order of preference, and we'll do our best to make everyone happy! No promises you'll get what you want, but we will certainly try.



Thanks again for all the wonderful birthday wishes. It means a lot to us.

Jace Nicole Interviewed about "The Butterfly Chasers"

Here is a cool interview with acclaimed actress Jace Nicole from our upcoming relationship comedy "The Butterfly Chasers."



Go HERE to see how you can be apart of this experience with us!

Werwolf

By Jesper Ejsing

This is one of the paintings I got into Spectrum 18. I added the thumb too. I think I covered most in that little thumb. 6 days later it looked like the final.

Meet Our 4th Backer!

Our campaign for our next feature film The Butterfly Chasers started with early pledges from the Los Angeles area. Yesterday we received our first New York-based backers. One of them is The Indies Lab's own Rosebud Baker: Professional actor, and producer.

Rosebud Baker is a New York City actress working in film, television, and stage. She earned her Bachelors in Acting from Emerson College in 2006, then completing a two-year conservatory training program at The Esper Studio, studying with William Esper directly. Rosebud is also an alumna of the LAByrinth Theater Master Class, where she workshopped LAByrinth Co. member, Rebecca Cohen’s “Into The Sunset” on the stage of The Public Theatre.

In Summer of 2010, Rosebud decided to tackle production; in the most ambitious project she had done in NYC, she produced five different one acts, by different authors, with five different directors and casts. She and her producing partner presented the night of One-Acts under the title, “Clandestine”. Rosebud originated one of the roles, ‘Lily’ in Alex Goldberg’s award-winning play, Lying Naked, which garnished her awards for her work as an actress and as a first-time producer. Rosebud took home the award for “Best Actress”, as well as an award for “Best Overall Production”, in Planet Connections Theatre Festival in the Summer of 2010.

Rosebud then plundered the world of reality television without a drop of shame, and starred in The Sundance Channel’s “Girls Who Like Boys*Who Like Boys” alongside of Lisa Kudrow’s critically acclaimed HBO series “The Comeback”, by “Sex and the City” writer, Michael Patrick King.

In the FALL of 2010, Rosebud was invited to become a member of The Indies Lab in NYC, Founded by the award-winning actor and unstoppable artist George Katt. Through The Indies Lab, Rosebud has produced and starred in the ensemble feature film “Miracles of The Misfitted” (directed by Mr. Katt), as well as The Indies Lab’s evening of one-acts, “Face Divided” by Edward Allan Baker , and “The Mutilation of Saint Barbara” by Mark Borkowski.

Ending 2011 with two different independent feature films, Rosebud has been cast in the role of “Nikki” in the dramatic comedy, “The Maladjusted” and has also been cast in “Turnabout”, a drama, directed by Eric B. Hughes, shooting in December of 2011. She is preparing to start work on a new short film called The Kids Are Awake.

Here are Rosebud's links: Personal Website, Facebook Page, Twitter

A sincere thanks to Rosebud for her support!!!

Make your PLEDGE today!

- Lena

Meet David

Character interview of David (played by Chris Riquinha) from The Butterfly Chasers.



To find out more about this film, click the link below, watch the video and learn about our cool perks and gifts!

"The Butterfly Chasers"

- Lena

Happy Birthday !!!

Muddy Colors turns one year old today!



Traditionally, first anniversaries are celebrated with 'a gift of paper'. So that's what we intend to do. We are giving a few lucky readers some sweet books and prints. But here's the catch... if want one, you gotta make us a cake! A virtual cake, that is.  (Mmm mmm.... Virtual.)



Go HERE, and make a cake just for us. Then, post a url link to your cake in the comments section of this post (Do not embed it, and do not email it to us... just post a link). We will look at all of them tomorrow, and our favorite cakes will receive gifts.



What gifts, you ask?

Well, we've got:

2 copies of Masters of SFF Art

3 prints of St. George and the Dragon, painted by Donato Giancola

1 print of Warbreaker, painted by Dan dos Santos

1 print of Conan, painted by Greg Manchess

1 copy of Ilene Meyer: Paintings, Drawings, Perceptions.

2 prints, painted by Jesper Ejsing



Unfortunately, since we have to mail all of these things (at our expense), we have to limit the winners to those of our readers that live in the continental US. But our overseas pals are still welcome to play.

Good luck!

Scholarship

by Arnie Fenner



You might think we'd forgotten: we haven't. Dan's post about enrollment opening to the 2012 Illustration Master Class (June 9-15) got your attention: now it's time to turn it up to 11.



With the cooperation of the gracious Dean Rebecca Guay, Spectrum Fantastic Art will award a scholarship to an artist—young, old, or in between: age doesn't matter—to attend the IMC.



Getting to Amherst, Massachusetts and back home (as well as securing any materials needed for the workshop) will be the responsibility of the artist: the scholarship pays the tuition to IMC, which includes food, a dorm bed, and an unparalleled intensive learning experience with some of the most amazing artists working today. Though there will be all manner of workshops and lectures covering every aspect of a career in the arts, the emphasis will be on drawing and painting with traditional media: count on long days that are both exhilarating and exhausting—and definitely plan on getting some paint beneath your fingernails.



We'll keep the process simple: send Cathy and me one or two jpegs (say 7"x9" or so, 100dpi) of your best work and a few lines about yourself (not a lengthy term paper, just a few sentences about who you are and what you want to accomplish by attending the workshop) via e-mail to: director (at) spectrumfantasticart.com



In the subject line of your-email, put "IMC." The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2011. We will announce the recipient of the scholarship on the Spectrum website December 5, 2011.



Don't send us everything you've ever done. Don't feel like you have to drop everything and create something new to submit. Don't spin tales of woe ("Life is not a comparison of Chambers of Horror," as Harlan Ellison says). Do visit the IMC website and read through the info and what is needed to participate: then decide if it's something you have a passion to be a part of. The Illustration Master Class isn't a vacation, it isn't a social club (though there will be lots of camaraderie), it isn't a convention: it's a place to work the craft, to have a personal learning experience with some of the best instructors you'll ever have. We're looking for an artist with "promise," a promise that can be nurtured and hopefully advanced through this opportunity.



Ladies and Gentlemen: the ball is in your court. Show us what you've got!

My Favorite Movie Scores

Its been a while since I have contributed something to our blog here - and even longer since I contributed something "original." But I had a few thoughts that I thought would be good to share here.

When writing a film script, I am usually at a handicap if I am not listening to music to write to. Especially for my current movie, a relationship comedy, music was essential to the contruction and rhythm of the script as a whole.

When reflecting on my process this time around, I couldn't help but think of some of my all-time favorite film scores. Here is my list:

10) "8 1/2" - Nina Rota

A film that played with the line between fantasy and reality, "8 1/2" was unanimously praised by fans and critics as Fellini's magnum opus. One of the greatest films of all time, along with La Dolce Vita and Amarcord, its essence is captured in the soundtrack of Nino Rota, one of Italy's most prolific and acclaimed composers. Rota is perhaps most widely known, however, for his soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola's first two Godfather films.



9) "Pursuit of Happyness" - Andrea Guerra

The true story of a struggling salesman who takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor. Andrea Guerra's beautiful score is at times both subtly heartbreaking and optimistic, propelling an already epic story about the human experience to heightened proportions.



8) "Cast Away" - Alan Silvestri

This score was very sparingly applied, as most of the film takes place on a very lonely island. The scoring was mostly reserved for Hank's escape. I still get choked up when Hanks, while rowing his handmade paddle boat, takes a final look back on the island he struggled for years to leave.



7) "Mo Betta Blues" - Bill Lee

The last and final film to be scored by Spike Lee's father, Bill Lee (who I have had the pleasure of meeting and collaborating with). Some of the score was arranged and/or performed by The Branford Marsalis Quartet, along with one of my favorite composers ever, Terrence Blanchard, who would go on to be Spike's primary composer. For those of you who already know the theme title song to the film, this opening credit sequence variation (beginning at the 40 second mark) is simply breathtaking.



6) "American Beauty" - Thomas Newman

I'm no musician, but I would assume that this film would be any composer's dream gig - a fully financed studio picture that had real heart and was about real people, that featured moments when nothing but an image is seen, and the only thing left to bring it home was music. It sounds like a musician's playground. And boy did it pay off here. It was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe, and won Newman a Grammy.



5) "Friends with Money" - Craig Richey

Craig Richey's wonderful score to Nicole Holofcener's amazing 3rd feature reminds us that composers don't always need to tell the audience what to feel. Richey's interpretation of the film and its characters leads him to a "middle" ground - its melancholy yet hopeful. Just like the film itself. Couldn't find an example of it other than the trailer below, but you can find Craig Richey's website through Google.



4) "Punch Drunk Love" - Jon Brion

Jon Brion may be most famous for the "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" film score, but for those that have seen this movie you may recall the music was fantastic. Could be my favorite "from beginning to end" score. At times to me, this film felt like 50% score, and 50% narrative.



3) "Magnolia" - Jon Brion

Here is the coolest clip ever of Jon Brion actually conducting the live taping of the orchestra for the score he composed. A young, genius PT Anderson looks on.



2) "When the Leeves Broke" - Terrence Blanchard

I included this film's score for the famous dead body montage that appeared towards the end of either Act 2 or Act 3. Here's another example of his work on this film.



1) "Malcolm X" - Terrence Blanchard

I can't think of a better example of a great choice by a composer than this, my favorite scored scene - maybe of all time. Try this out with me: at around the 6:51 mark, take a look at the two men on screen, what real life characters they represent. Think about what their persona was at the time (and still till this day), and the myths surrounding the nature of their relationship as well as their characters. But while watching the exchange and dynamic between the two, listen to Blanchard's score choice. That should reveal to you all you need to know about the nature of these two men and their relationship, at times, to each other. (stick around to the very next scene if you want to also see one of the best acting choices I have ever seen too! ;)



- Princeton

Read all about my next film HERE!

Spectrum 18 Preview

In case you've missed it, a preview flip-through of Spectrum 18...

This is an advance copy we received last week. The bulk of the print run is scheduled to arrive from overseas in a few weeks. It is currently available to pre-order from Amazon if you want to ensure getting it as soon as possible!

A Dream



by Petar Meseldzija

I don’t know if these words will be for you – the right words, on the
right place, at the right time, or the wrong words, on the wrong place, at the
wrong time, or any other combination in between these two extremes. You have to
decide for yourself.



-----

Some time ago I had a strange dream. I was
walking along the steep path that led towards the hills and a mountain behind
them, when I came across a man who was descending down the same road. When we
approached each other he said:



“Hello there! It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it!

“Yes, a very pleasant day, a perfect day for hiking”,
I replied.

“Every day is good for hiking, though not every hiking
path is good for you. Talking about hiking, how is your latest painting
progressing?”

I probably had that funny expression on my face of
somebody who was suddenly struck by a great surprise, for a wide and friendly
smile appeared on his face.

“Do we know each other, sir? How did you know that I
was an artist?”

“Well, perhaps it’s my job to know. Sorry, I can’t
tell you more about that”, he answered, and then quickly added, “ but there is
something else I can and should tell you”.

“I know that you are enchanted by the technical side
of creating Art and the impact it makes on others. Therefore I perfectly
understand why you are on your way to the top of this mountain. This mountain,
in fact, is not built of rock and soil, but of skillful drawing, lucid picture
compositions, appealing color combinations, intelligent use of light and
breathtaking brushstrokes. It contains  ideas of promoting your work and
selling yourself and your art. Likewise it is partly composed of  the
wishes that you might one day be able to say - I have worked for this or that
prestigious company. And at last but not least, it contains hopes for filling
your piggy bank with glittering coins, your ears with flattering compliments
and your shelves with golden awards. 



You say “I am hiking on this road”.
No, my dear, you are not hiking. The truth is that you are dancing the
everlasting dance in a vicious circle. You are dancing a perilous dance of
vanity and idleness. Above all, most of the time you are dancing to somebody
else’s music. And although you claim that this music contains some notes of
your own, it is still being composed and played by others. You might say after
all: “well, I am just a dancer and need some music to dance”. But you are
wrong, for you are much more than a mere dancer.

However, once you have finally climbed the steep and
tricky slopes and have reached the highest peak of this mountain, you will
discover that there is even a greater mountain in front of you. This mountain
will be covered in mist, and although you will not be able to see the peak, you
will sense its presence behind the curtains of fog. You will then know that
there is a splendid peak that is waiting to be conquered by you. You will be
attracted by this newly discovered mountain.  In order to reach its
invisible peak you will have to rely on your own intuition and your previously
gained insights. There will be no charts or maps to show you the way. You will
have to create them for yourself. And because most of others did not dare to
leave the comfortable position on the lower mountain peak, there will be not
many whom you can turn to and  ask for advice.

And when you ( if you) reach this higher ground, there
will be no one to witness your great achievement, except for the mountain
itself. If you in the meantime did not manage to realize who you are and how
good you are, you will be in trouble, my friend.”

“I believe I know these things; why you are telling
this to me?”, I replied in an angry manner.

“Believing and knowing is not the same. Besides, who
says I am telling it to you only?

He then lightly touched his hat and went down the
road. I stayed behind puzzled by his words and asking myself who this guy was.
The conviction that  I have previously seen his face quickly grew in my
mind.

”Damn it” , I finally realized, “ it’s William Blake!”.

Then I woke up. My eyes fell on the book that I read
last night just before I fell in sleep. The book’s title was: William Blake,
The Complete Poems.

William Blake, painted by Thomas Phillips in 1807.

                 

Meet Michael Green From "The Butterfly Chasers"

Here is our first character interview of Michael Green from "The Butterfly Chasers."



To find out more about this film, click the link below, watch the video and learn about our cool perks and gifts!

"The Butterfly Chasers"

- Lena

It's that time again....

Heritage Auctions is once again holding it's Illustration Art Signature Auction. As usual, the Heritage site has posted incredible scans of thousands of pieces of art. There are some absolute gems in there, so be sure to check them out as soon as possible. The live auction starts tomorrow, and soon after that, the scans won't be available any more.



Here is a little taste of what's in store for you!

BC - Our First-Day Backers

Hi everyone! Lena here, with an update:

Today we kicked off our page - the campaign for The Butterfly Chasers and it started off with pledges from Los Angeles. It's also pretty cool that the first 2 people to donate to this campaign today are both film producers. Here is a little about them both:

David Bianchi: Professional Actor and award-winning Producer.

As an actor he's landed roles in major films including Elizabethtown, Priest, Filly Brown and Politics of Love where he co-starred with the likes of Paul Bettany, Orlando Bloom, Karl Urban, Maggie Q, Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Ann Lynn McCord.

His producing career starting with an Award Winning Film called David Bianchi's Soldier, which was selected by 24 domestic festivals including Palm Springs, Los Angeles. It won Best Short at Queens, Rochester, San Tan and was voted the #2 best film not seen in 2006 by Film Threat Magazine.

Here are David's links: Personal Website, Production Company Site, Twitter

John Paul Rice: Indie Film Producer

John has produced three films with his company No Restrictions Entertainment. The critically acclaimed indie feature One Hour Fantasy Girl, written and directed by Edgar Bravo. The following year, they teamed up with Ten Thirty One Pictures to produce The Magic Stone and returned as a duo for Mother’s Red Dress. All three films deal with challenging social issues while telling an entertaining and original narrative story. Mr. Rice is currently preparing for his fourth feature in four years, Monster Killer, a supernatural, psychological thriller to shoot in 2012.

You can actually help John make his next social issue film by renting Mother's Red Dress HERE

Here are John's links: Production Company, Mother's Red Dress, Twitter

Thank you both for your early support!

To make a pledge to our campaign for our upcoming feature film "The Butterfly Chasers," visit HERE.

- Lena

"The Butterfly Chasers"

So, after launching on Monday this week, our campaign page has finally been made public. Hopefully you guys have been keeping up with the announcements and free online screenings we are hosting in celebration of this campaign for "The Butterfly Chasers."

Our readership of this blog has been steady - 40,000 views is nothing to sneeze at. Therefore we encourage you loyal readers to help us - spread the word, donate, or do both!

Here is the video, and the campaign link below it for more details and great, GREAT GIFTS!



More info & GIFTS on our Kickstarter PAGE!!!

George de Forest Brush

Here's some inspiration from the book  "George de Forest Brush - The Indian Paintings". I've always admired his work and thought I'd scan a few images to share here.



Hope you enjoy them,

-Justin