.: “Uncertainty Principle”

Thought I’d send out a quick (and long overdue) note about our latest short film, “Uncertainty Principle,” produced as part of the 48 Hour Film Project International Shootout, and let you know about a special local screening this Saturday evening. (Nothing like giving you plenty of advance notice, eh?)

The competition itself — open to the top 100 48 Hour Film Project teams worldwide — saw 55 teams turning in finished films over the weekend of December 4–7 (we get an extra day in there to account for the need to mail the films in to the “central office”). Five local teams were in the mix — us, Integral Arts, WIT Films, DC Dogs, and Red Hat Memory.

The competition itself proved a bit unusual, as we found out Friday evening when we received our “required elements”... or, rather, when we didn’t receive them. That’s right — no required character, prop, and line, and no randomly assigned genre. All we had was a theme: The End of the World.

I’d say that we agonized for hours about what to do, but in reality we hit upon a basic idea early on (well, Robin did), and we were off and running. We were pretty limited in terms of available locations this time around, so that helped define the scope of what we were able to tackle. But thanks to a great script, a stellar cast (including John C. Bailey, Anna Coughlan, Erin Rose Coughlan, Linda Gabriel Deutsch, Belén Pifel, and Stuart Scotten), and a dedicated crew (both Saturday and Sunday were pretty exhausting shooting days), we were able to deliver a really solid entry, and one I’m personally really proud of.

Here’s the official “summary”: Dire warnings of immminent disaster have proven justified, as global destruction begins raining down from purple-hued skies. A Washington family struggles to cope with the advancing armageddon until a lone physicist proposes an unorthodox course of action.

Unfortunately, because the judging is still under way (the plan is to distribute the top 10 films commercially), we can’t post the film online, or even show you a trailer. (At the earliest, we won’t be able to show you anything until March.) But you will have one chance to see the film this weekend, along with entries from the other local teams.

There will be a special screening — a free screening, no less — of all five DC-area films at CDIA in Georgetown (where the old Foundry Theater used to be) on Saturday, January 16. The screening starts at 7:00 PM and is expected to run about an hour; the films will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A afterward (and having worked with several of these filmmakers before, let me say that they can be an entertaining bunch). This promises to be a fairly packed event — remember, these are entries from the top teams in DC — so be sure to get there early. (Directions are available at the CDIA site, and feel free to get back to me with any questions.)

Hope to see you there!

.: Rosebud Film & Video Festival 2009

Just wanted to remind everyone that the Rosebud Film & Video Festival Nominee Showcase is this Saturday at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre (1611 North Kent Street in Arlington — just two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro station)! The (twenty-film) screening runs from 12:30 p.m. until about 5:30 p.m., but (for those of you who may not be inclined to stay for the entire event), “All Roads Lead Away” will be showing at 2:00. That said, there are some really great films in the lineup — be sure to check out the official site for details!

Tickets for the all-day event are just $8.00, and include an invitation to the Rosebud Awards ceremony at the Clarendon Ballroom on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 703-524-2388.

Hope to see you there!

Oh, and while I’ve got you here, I wanted to give a quick shout-out to Barry Gribble and the Integral Arts production team, whose independent pilot “Dog” (for which yours truly made a very small production-design contribution) was just accepted into the Independent Television Festival in LA. Congratulations!

.: The Results Are In...

“Please Forward” has taken home the Audience Award for screening group G in the 2009 48 Hour Film Project! (We’ve got a nice little certificate and everything.) And given that there were four films from our screening group represented in the “Best Of” screening, that’s no small feat. I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who helped make this effort such a success. The screening itself went great, and was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate with a veritable Who’s-Who of the DC filmmaking community.

The full listing of results are posted at the official site, but I thought I’d point out a few personal highlights. (Just my own opinion, of course, but I like to think my opinion’s pretty significant. It is to me, anyway.) Fellow Audience Award winners included Dobler’s Pen entry “He Drove,” Card Sharque’s “Cry Guy,” and River Run’s “Happy Hour.” Cinematography and Editing honors went to Dead City Films’ “The Imperial.” The WIT Films entry “Rakirovka” took home the Best Directing award (as well as Best Sound Design). And our frequent collaborators (co-conspirators?) Integral Arts took home Best Costumes, Best Special Effects, Best Writing, and Best Film awards for “Gwendolyn Dangerous and the Great Space Rescue.” (Whew!) I also want to give a quick shout-out to The Quest for their film “Stonking,” Cavegirl Productions for “Motivation,” and Star Wipe Films for “Like It’s Your Last” — all worth a look.

That’s it for today, but I’ll sign off with another reminder to keep your calendars open (not to mention passing the news along to anyone who might be interested) on June 27 for the Rosebud Film & Video Festival, where “All Roads Lead Away” will be screening. And in the meantime, I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted on any other showings or events to come!

.: Best of the 48 Hour Film Project 2009

Well, it’s official — “Please Forward” will be screening as part of the Best of the 48 Hour Film Project this Thursday evening. We’ll be showing with the 7:00 show, and in glorious HD, no less. (I dropped off an HD master with the editor last Friday.)

If you’d like a recap of the big shooting weekend, Pam posted one earlier, so I won’t go into detail here. But I will say that everything came together fantastically. The writing (from “You Pay Your Dues” scribe Robin Brande) was spot-on, the crew was totally gung-ho (a big help given the daunting number of setups we had), and the cast (including a couple of very talented young newcomers) was enthusiastic and extremely dedicated.

Here’s the official listing of films (with links where available):

Screening 1 — 7:00 p.m.

• Eastern Avenue Films: “American Institution” (Mockumentary)
  
• Roadside Productions: “Cirque d’Amour” (Comedy)
  
• Unfinished Productions: “Decidophobia”
  
• South County United: “From Behind the Corn Hole” (Buddy Film)
  
• River Run: “Happy Hour” (Surprise Ending)
  
• Two Meter: “Looking for You”
  
• Hugs Productions: “Make a Difference Day” (Holiday Film)
  
• Cavegirl Productions: “Motivation” (Thriller/Suspense)
  
• Bad Media: “Nowhere, Man” (Historical Fiction)
  
• Tohubohu: “Please Forward” (Holiday Film)
  
• WIT Films: “Rakirovka” (Foreign Film)
  
• Woge Sloth: “’Za” (Stoner Film)

Screening 2 — 9:30 p.m.

• Card Sharque: “Cry Guy”
  
• Second Minute Films: “Family Outing”
  
• Integral Arts: “Gwendolyn Dangerous and the Great Space Rescue” (Film de Femme)
  
• Dobler’s Pen: “He Drove” (Comedy)
  
• Ad Infinitum: “Ivan Pagoda: A Feel Good Story” (Comedy)
  
• The BetaMacks: “Janice and Jonas” (Silent Film)
  
• Cardiff Giant: “Life Is Super”
  
• Star Wipe Films: “Like It’s Your Last” (Sci Fi)
  
• Loud Noises: “Pipe Dream” (Fantasy)
  
• Dusty Negatives: “Propagation 8” (Sci Fi)
  
• The Quest: “Stonking” (Mockumentary)
  
• Dead City Films: “The Imperial” (Detective/Cop)

I’ve actually seen quite a few of the other films screening on Thursday, and if the ones I’ve seen are any indication, it promises to be an entertaining show. (Be sure to get your tickets soon, as they will likely sell out.)

Beyond that, be sure to mark your calendars for the Rosebud Film & Video Festival on June 27, where “All Roads Lead Away” will be showing. And we’re scrambling to finish up music for “Number One With a Bullet” so we can start shopping that around to festivals in earnest (though we have already made one submission). More news as we have it!

.: Preparations, Screenings, and the IMDb

Just a few days away from the 48 Hour Film Project now. We are still looking for anyone who’s interested in makeup and guitar or keyboard work — otherwise we’ll likely have to go for the wild card if we draw “Western or Musical” or “Horror.” Please get back to me ASAP if your skills fit these categories!

If you’re not working on the film (and that includes most of you on this list) but are inclined to follow our progress, we’re going to try providing at least semi-regular status updates via Twitter, which you can follow at twitter.com/coughlan. No guarantees we’ll make it through the whole weekend, but we’re optimistic.

Our official screening has been set — Friday, May 8, at 7:00 p.m., once again at the beautiful AFI Silver Theater. Be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible to make sure you don’t miss out!

In other news, “All Roads Lead Away” was accepted as a Nominee in the Rosebud Film and Video Festival. The screening will be at the Rossyln Spectrum Theater on Saturday, June 27. Stay tuned for details, but be sure to mark your calendars!

And one final notification — the Internet Movie Database now has dedicated pages for “Homemade Hero” and “You Pay Your Dues,” and both “Screening Process” and “Number One With a Bullet” will be following shortly. While not all of the details are up there yet, be sure to check out the pages to make sure all of your personal info is correct (and congratulations to anyone who’s earned their IMDb page with these additions)!

.: Springtime Update

Spring’s finally here, which (hopefully) means the weather will be brightening up a bit soon (though admittedly, the forecasts for the weekend aren’t looking particularly promising). But in my own attempt to raise spirits a bit, I thought I’d throw out some quick positive notes.

One, we’re now just about a month away from the 2009 48 Hour Film Project, and we’re actively working on assembling our team. If you’d like to join in and haven’t gotten back to me with that decision, now would be a really good time. We can use everything from actors to crew to offers of interesting or unusual props and locations — so if you think you may be able to offer a contribution, drop me a line ASAP!

Two, our short film “The Big Lie (That Solves Everything)” has joined “Quite Contrary,” “Machinations,” and “All Roads Lead Away” in being listed at the Internet Movie Database! So when you get a chance, head on over, check the page out, and submit your own rating for the film (and if you worked on it, take a second to make sure your listing is correct).

And three, “All Roads Lead Away” will be screening on Friday, April 3, as part of the 2009 Heritage Film & Video Festival. Check out the site for details as they become available, and I hope to see you there!

Okay, so maybe the sky’s still a little overcast — but I think I see the sun poking out from behind a cloud up there. Cherry blossoms can’t be too far behind...

.: Reminder: DC Shorts This Weekend

Just wanted to remind everyone that the DC Shorts Film Festival opens this Thursday, with a gala opening night party on the rooftop terrace at Carroll Square (open to anyone with an opening night ticket). And “All Roads Lead Away” is screening as part of Showcase 3 — be sure to pick up your tickets before they sell out. And don’t forget to tell all your friends and neighbors; let’s generate some prescreening buzz! (Drawing attention to our MySpace page and our Facebook group would be a good start.)

Remember, our screenings are:

• Friday, September 12, 7:00 p.m. (with Q&A afterward — this one I’ll definitely be attending)
  
• Saturday, September 13, 3:00 p.m.
  
• Sunday, September 14, 9:30 p.m.
  
• Tuesday, September 16, 4:30 p.m.
  

And then we can all celebrate at the closing night party at Bar Louie on Saturday night! Hope to see you all there!

---

P.S.: On a side note, I’m just about finished with the first full cut of “Number One With a Bullet” (except for some pickup/establishing shots we still need to get in there). From here, we’ll be showing it to a select group of people to gauge reactions, and then polishing the edit and diving into cleanup, scoring, etc. If you’d like to be an early viewer, drop me a line (no promises — offhand, I’d say this is limited to cast and crew — but I’d just as soon have people who want to offer critiques).

P.P.S.: If you’re not going to be in the DC area this weekend, I suppose we’ll be missing you this time around. But if, on the other hand, you find yourself in New York, be sure to catch the first public screening of the pilot for “Saving Corporate America” at the New York Television Festival. Produced by our friends over at Integral Arts for Fox Television Studios, the screening — at the New World Stages — is free (though space is limited), and will be followed by a Q&A from creators Barry Gribble and Kevin Good (as well as Fox exec Caitlin Foito). Click here for details. (After all they’ve done for us lately, the least we can do is give ’em a little plug. Though for the record, I have seen and loved the pilot, so it’s not an empty endorsement.)

.: Summer Progress Report

Okay, so summer slowed things down a bit. But I did want to give everyone a quick progress report, and to let you all know that tickets to the DC Shorts screenings are now on sale!

Editing on “Number One With a Bullet” is proceeding fairly well; we’re about two-thirds of the way toward a true “first cut” of the film. In truly nonsensical fashion, I’ve been working my way in from both ends — so right now, we’ve got scenes 1 through 9 cut together, and scenes 28 through 32, but nothing in the middle (other than a rough stringout). We’ll still have loads of work to do in terms of audio leveling, color correction, effects finalizing, scoring, etc., but once we get that middle portion finished, we’ll have something that we can show to people. Cast and crew get first dibs, of course, but after that, I’ll be sure to let people here know.

Individual screening tickets have gone on sale for the DC Shorts Film Festival. Generally speaking, you can just go to the DC Shorts website, then click on the “Films” tab to find either a particular film or browse through the schedule; then you’ll be able to buy tickets to a particular screening. A reminder that “All Roads Lead Away” is screening as part of “Showcase 3,” and we’ve got four screenings throughout the festival (you can direct-link to our screening schedule here). The first screening will also feature a filmmakers’ Q&A afterward — definitely the preferred option.

For the record, our screenings are:

• Friday, September 12, 7:00 p.m. (with Q&A afterward)
  
• Saturday, September 13, 3:00 p.m.
  
• Sunday, September 14, 9:30 p.m.
  
• Tuesday, September 16, 4:30 p.m.

It’s also worth noting that thanks to the DC Shorts screening, “All Roads Lead Away” now qualifies for inclusion in the Internet Movie Database (joining our earlier entries “Quite Contrary” and “Machinations”). You can find the dedicated page for “All Roads Lead Away” here — go give it a visit, add your ratings and comments, etc. (Do note that last I checked, they were still adding some of the information, so there might be some gaps in the crew listing; if you notice anything missing, let me know and I’ll investigate further.)

And I’ll also put in a reminder to visit our MySpace page and our Facebook group; we’ll be posting occasional updates and information there as well (though we’re not abandoning the email list just yet).

That’s all for now — hope to see you all at DC Shorts in September!

.: DC Shorts 2008

We just got word that “All Roads Lead Away” has been accepted into the 2008 DC Shorts Film Festival. As one of the premier short-film festivals in the country (they received more than 630 films and screenplays for consideration this year), this is a great honor. And on top of that, it’s a great festival experience to boot (both for viewers and filmmakers)!

I just took a quick glance at the official selections list, and with the exception of “The Bad News Bearer” (winner of this year’s 48 Hour Film Project for DC) and “Attack of the Hot Female Alien Man-Eaters” (starring Tohubohu vets Joy Haynes and Kevin Good, and directed by my occasional Integral Arts co-crewmember Janine Sides), there didn’t seem to be many I was familiar with (though I could easily have missed something). But there’s definitely a lot of variety there, and if past years’ festivals are any indication, there’ll be a lot of great films to see. We’ll be screening in high definition (we submitted the film into the HD Short Film competition), so if you missed seeing it in HD before (our premiere was just in standard definition), this’ll be another great opportunity to see it in all its HD, big-screen glory.

The festival runs from September 11th through the 18th of this year (the main events being from the 11th through the 14th, with additional screenings through the 18th), and there will be film screenings, screenplay readings, and meet-and-greet parties. We’ll know more as the date approaches, but I wanted to get this little tidbit of information out as soon as possible. Hope to see you there!

.: “Best Of” Wrapup and a Special Request

Well, last night was the “Best of the 48 Hour Film Project” screening, and I have to say it was a blast. Seeing “All Roads Lead Away” up on the big screen in high definition was an awe-inspiring experience. Once again, we were shut out of the major awards, but regardless, I’m immensely proud of our movie and extremely grateful for all of the hard work everyone put into making it.

I’m sure they’ll post the award-winners on the official site soon, but I thought I’d go ahead and let you all know directly. They should all be viewable on 48.tv sometime in the not-too-distant future, but I’ll post links to the ones that are already viewable online (as near as I can tell, anyway).

• Audience Favorite, Group A: “The End” (Flat Feet Films)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group B: “The Bad News Bearer” (Sprezzatura)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group C: “Fairy Bust” (3mm Films)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group D: “Skip to the End” (JSC Productions)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group E: “I’ll See You in Hell” (Everyday Astronaut)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group F: “Get Closer” (Dead City Films)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group G: “iLoveU2” (WIT Films)
  
• Audience Favorite, Group H: “Mementos” (Integral Arts)
  
• Best Use of Character: “The End of the Rainbow” (Musky Adventures)
  
• Best Use of Prop: “Spy, Gina, Spy!” (The Quest)
  
• Best Use of Line: “The Loins of America” (Has Been Productions)
  
• Best Sound Design: “I’ll See You in Hell” (Everyday Astronaut)
  
• Best Graphics: “The Mark” (oops! Productions)
  
• Best Editing: “May Day” (Oozing Sarcasm)
  
• Best Acting: “Mementos” (Integral Arts)
  
• Best Directing: “The Mark” (oops! Productions)
  
• Best Script: “The Bad News Bearer” (Sprezzatura)
  
• Best Cinematography (tie): “American Revolution” (Roanoke) and “Get Closer” (Dead City Films)
  
• Second Runner-Up, Best Picture: “The Mark” (oops! Productions)
  
• First Runner-Up, Best Picture: “I’ll See You in Hell” (Everyday Astronaut)
  
• Best Picture: “The Bad News Bearer” (Sprezzatura)
  

Now for a request: As many of you are aware, we had to cut a lot of material (more than two minutes’ worth) from “All Roads Lead Away” in order to keep our running time under the seven-minute limit. And while normally I’m a big fan of that forced editing — it almost always makes for a tighter, better-paced film — in this case I fear we may have trimmed a bit too much. With that in mind, I’ve posted both the original 48 Hour Film Project cut and a somewhat longer cut that reincorporates some (but not all) of the lost material on the official site.

And I figured what better “test audience” to provide honest feedback than this group?

So if you get a chance, take a look at both versions with a critical eye. Do the new and extended scenes add to your understanding and appreciation of the story, or do they drag the pacing down? Do they add genuine character moments or are they mere directorial self-indulgence? Consider this a “director’s-cut-in-progress,” and one in which your reactions may have an impact.

For our final “archival” cut (i.e., the version we’ll be submitting to festivals) we may go with the full extended edit. Or we may keep to the original shorter cut. Or something in between. So go ahead and let your opinion be heard — at the very least you’ll be getting a glimpse into the filmmaking process.

.: Best of the 48 Hour Film Project

Straight from the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner (where several 48 Hour Film Project films — including “The Kumbio Takedown” — screened this week) comes word about the upcoming “Best of the DC 48 Hour Film Project” showcase.

And “All Roads Lead Away” is in, one of 24 films selected for the honor. As was the case last year, there will be a separate slate of films shown across the two screenings (one at 7:00 and another at 9:30), and our film will be part of the second (i.e., we’ll be at 9:30); all shows will be on Thursday, May 29th, again at the AFI Silver Theater.

Furthermore, we’ll be screening in high definition; we’ve been working with the 48 Hour production team to get them our full-HD files (rather than the standard-definition version that was shown at the premiere screening). If you’re at all able to make it, this is going to be worth seeing. In fact, tickets are available (or, as of this writing, soon will be) for both shows, and there are some strong offerings in both screenings (judging by what I’ve seen so far). And after the second screening, there'll be a wrap party at McGinty’s Pub — so do plan on sticking around!

Congratulations to everyone who pitched in on this little picture. I’m so proud of the efforts you all put in, and I hope to see you next Thursday!

P.S.: Here is the full screening lineup — unlike last year, there are no duplicates this time around. (My understanding is that the judges’ final decisions are not yet locked down, meaning there’s no way to pick the “front-runners.”) And I’m just listing these in alphabetical order by team name; we don’t know the screening order yet.

Screening 1 — 7:00 p.m.

• Actors With Strings: “The Chair” (Historical Fiction)
  
• Butch’s All-Stars: “Commitment”
  
• Dead City Films: “Get Closer” (Spy)
  
• Double Deuce Films: “The Hauntening, Part 3”
  
• Flik Productions: “Road to Greenwood”
  
• Flat Feet Films: “The End” (Fantasy)
  
• Habitual Offenders: “Recalculating”
  
• The Quest: “Spy, Gina, Spy!”
  
• Roadside Productions: “Sales of a Deathman” (Road Movie)
  
• Roanoke: “American Revolution” (Historical Fiction)
  
• 3mm Films: “Fairy Bust” (Fantasy) (behind-the-scenes video)
  
• WIT Films: “iLoveU2” (Sci Fi)
  

Screening 2 — 9:30 p.m.

• Elbow Productions: “al-Kinda”
  
• Everyday Astronaut: “I’ll See You in Hell” (Comedy)
  
• Faisonfilm Productions: “The Invisible Werewolf” (Comedy)
  
• Integral Arts: “Mementos” (Drama)
  
• JSC Productions: “Skip to the End” (Road Movie)
  
• Musky Adventures: “The End of the Rainbow”
  
• oops! Productions: “The Mark”
  
• Oozing Sarcasm: “May Day” (Holiday Film)
  
• Revolver Films: “Dick and the Vault” (Historical Fiction)
  
• River Run Films: “The Dinner Party”
  
• Sprezzatura: “The Bad News Bearer” (Comedy)
  
• Tohubohu: “All Roads Lead Away” (Road Movie)
  

.: 48 Recap

Hard to believe this is our fifth year participating in the 48 Hour Film Project (and our sixth film — what were we thinking doing two films at once in only our second year?). And every time I’m reminded that this really is film school; as far as I’m concerned, we’d better take advantage of that and try something new each time.

So if our big “add-on” last year was bringing in a professional author to write our script (well, and pushing the envelope with noir-styled lighting — no small feat given our meager lighting kit), then this year had a few new elements. We brought in another professional author (Barry Lyga), worked with two great SAG actors (Joe Hansard and Jennifer Massey) as our leads, shot in HDV, and even managed to use a homemade car mount for our “road movie.”

With a lot of our regular troupe (both in front of and behind the camera) unavailable this time around, we’d be a little leaner than usual. But there’s something to be said for keeping things small — and coming right off of “Number One With a Bullet,” we’d honed our workflow pretty well. Of course, the time we’d spent on the earlier shoot also meant we hadn’t prepared as much as usual, so we’d be winging things a bit.

So, about the weekend. After the kickoff event, I spent the drive home brainstorming with Barry (and some really wild ideas got tossed around at that stage), so that by the time I’d arrived at our “base of operations,” we already had a good handle on the story, and Pam and I could begin working out casting and logistics (including borrowing a neighbor’s beat-up old car — as Pam says, the “third star” of our movie). It was still a late night, but we were in great shape to start shooting first thing Saturday morning.

Saturday was (as usual) a loooong day, but we managed to remain pretty flexible. We did have to switch the timing for one location (which meant we lost an actress for that scene and had to recast at the last minute), but we still managed to finish everything by around midnight. And we got some really great performances — and shots — in the process. Then it was time to get the overnight editor (Jacob Cremer, back in town for the weekend) set up and grab a couple of hours’ rest before the big scramble on Sunday.

We did run into a few snags at that point. We weren’t able to get in touch with the artist whose music we’d originally wanted to use (he was out of town without phone or email access), so that was out. (Fortunately, the 48 Hour Film Project organizers had worked out a music licensing deal that gave us a few options.) Jacob wasn’t able to get as far as I’d hoped (we had a lot of material there), which meant I still had to string out a lot of footage before I could start polishing anything. And our initial cut — once we reached that stage — came in at more than nine minutes. The upper limit being seven. Whoops.

So as unfortunately happens at that stage, you make tradeoffs. And in our case, that meant sacrificing color and audio correction for really taking the time to look at the piece and make intelligent cuts. So while it may not be as technically polished as I’d like, it’s a lot more creatively rewarding. And that “second choice” music really ended up complementing the story perfectly.

And most importantly, we got it finished. (Just one copy, though — no time for a backup.)

Oh, and the title? “All Roads Lead Away.”

Will there be a “director’s cut”? Probably — but that’ll mostly be just to correct those technical issues. The old mantra about editing holds true — the forced necessity of cutting it down really does improve the flow of the story. So while I may add a couple of shots (and maybe one scene) back in, it certainly won’t be going back up to that nine-minute version.

Now I can’t wait to see it up on the big screen; it promises to be a great capper to the whole experience. (And for the record, I’ve also gotten a sneak peek at the Integral Arts entry — so I can say that attendees at tonight’s 9:30 screening will not be disappointed. Do you have your tickets yet?)

Hope to see you all there!

.: “All Roads Lead Away”

I’m still tired from the 48 Hour Film Project, and I wasn’t even that involved in yesterday’s work. The experience of making a film in two days is so intense that it takes a lot out of you. Our script by Barry Lyga was ambitious, and our filming went from our Saturday 8:30 a.m. call time until almost midnight. It was a very long day for the crew and our two lead actors, who really carried the piece. Well, three lead actors if you include the beat-up car which we considered the third star of the movie.

Barry gave us an amazing script, dramatic and contemplative. Bill and I selected two strong actors (Jennifer Massey and Joe Hansard) who could pull off the emotion of the film. We got to test the new camera car mount, to the delight of the cameraman. I kept asking for reassurance that the expensive camera was not, was NOT, going to fall off the hood of the car. After a last-minute location change, I was slotted for a small part in the movie — which ended up on the cutting room floor in the interest of meeting our seven-minute running time requirement. I’m still in the background helping a customer, and my hair is in a later office scene. Oh, the glamour.

Bill spent Sunday editing the film at his workplace, while I searched for music at home. I found the piece that we ended up using within a few minutes. Unfortunately, I then spent almost two hours continuing to search for music, finding almost nothing, and deciding to stick with my first choice. After Bill was forced to make some difficult decisions about editing, he sent me the film online so I could look at it. With my fresh perspective — having not spent the last six hours putting it together — I was able to suggest different places to cut, allowing some great moments to fit back in (though not my scene, alas). For later festivals, we may look at putting in a lost scene where the couple fights outside the car. It was a crew favorite as Jennifer screamed, “GET IN THE CAR!!!” with pure fury.

Our screening is Friday at 9:30 at the AFI Silver Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. We’re really proud of it, and I can’t wait to see it on the big screen. If you’re in the area, you can order tickets online — but do so soon, because the shows always sell out. If you can’t get to the show, the film — “All Roads Lead Away” — will be available on our website sometime after the screening.

.: The Adventure Continues

One last message to everyone before we bury ourselves in this weekend’s filmmaking frenzy. Tickets to our 48 Hour Film Project screening — we’re part of Group H, showing next Friday, May 9, at 9:30 pm — are now on sale online or at the AFI Silver Theater box office. The show is expected to sell out, so if you’d like to attend (and for the record, I’d like to see as many friendly faces in the audience as possible), be sure to pick up your tickets sooner rather than later.

And as an aside, I’ve recut the trailer for “Number One With a Bullet” slightly — mostly just adding in a few extra shots to help explain the plot a bit better. (It’s amazing what another eight seconds can do.) Go ahead and give it a look-see.

P.S.: If you’re on this weekend’s production team, expect to hear from us with more info tonight. And if you want to be on the team and haven’t said so before now... well, talk fast.

.: Something Old, Something New

Just so nobody starts thinking that our older projects just sit on a shelf somewhere, I thought I’d pass along the news that “Machinations” has just been selected for the SFF-rated Film Festival in Athens, Greece — our first international screening. The festival’s in March, though we don’t have a specific date just yet (so you may want to hold off on booking your tickets for the moment).

Then there’s the matter of our newest project, “Number One With a Bullet.” Well, folks, we’ve been working like mad on the script, nailing down some key locations (and clearances), and trying to get the paperwork rolling. It’s been a much longer process than we had anticipated, though I think it’s been worth the wait. But finally, in the interests of getting our butts in gear, we’ve locked shooting dates: the weekends of April 5–6 and 12–13, 2008. We’re working backward from there — which means it’s time to start booking our cast and crew. As to the former, we expect to have a casting call out soon. Very soon. We’re looking for two leads, seven supporting actors, and three or four day players (plus assorted extras), and we’re planning to produce the film under a SAG short-film agreement (deferred payment).

As for the latter? Let us know ASAP if you can help out. We’ll need help pretty much across the board — starting with a dedicated production team. And department heads. And lots of equipment. Okay, so really everything.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the project (or who’ve forgotten in the many months since our last communication), here’s the skinny: “Number One With a Bullet” is a fast-paced black comedy short that we’ll be shooting in HD and submitting to the festival circuit. The story follows Jack Reade, a mild-mannered academic who finally has a chance to publish his own Great American Novel. But just as he thinks his tome will see print, Pete Willoughby, a smug and influential editor, informs Jack that the book will remain locked in publishing purgatory. After an accident befalls Pete, Jack forges a desperate alliance with Carrie Singer, a disgruntled employee who also happens to be the book’s number-one fan. Together, they concoct an insane scheme to cover up Pete’s death and greenlight the book. Unfortunately, the publishing process is chock full of approvals and before long, other denizens of Dennison Publishing may fall prey to “accidents.”

Speak quickly — the ball’s rolling...

.: “You Pay Your Dues” Screening and More

Just wanted to post a quick note that our latest outing, “You Pay Your Dues,” will be screening along with the rest of the “Best of DC” 48 Hour Film Project entries, at the Government Video Expo this Friday, November 16th. Entry to the exhibit floor is free, and the films will be screening from 1:30–2:30; if the screening order we received is correct, we’ll be screening last. That said, given some of the other films screening beforehand (including WIT Films’ remarkable single-shot effort “Seasonal Disorder” and Burning Toast’s webcam-style “While You Still Can,” among some other great entries), you won’t want to be late.

In fact, if you can, you might want to get in on Thursday’s screening, which includes “DeLeon Crossing,” directed by our own Bjorn Munson, and “The Kumbio Takedown,” winner of the overall DC competition and featuring a number of people apt to check these updates (and a crew with whom I’ve happily worked on not one but three recent productions). Schedule permitting, I’m going to see if I can get out to as much of the expo as possible (particularly given the digital asset management content, Apple’s presentations on Final Cut Server and Panasonic’s P2 workflow talk), but I do know I won’t personally be able to attend Thursday’s screening (as I’ve got an unbreakable meeting commitment). But if anyone’s planning to go, please let me know and maybe we can coordinate.

As I said, entry to the exhibit floor is free, but you do need to register at www.gvexpo.com.

In other news, I also want to note that development is proceeding on “Number One With a Bullet,” though we’re looking at early 2008 before we begin actual production. We had hoped to get working before the end of the year, but we’re happy enough with the script that we really want to do this right rather than forcing it too early. We’ll be polishing it (i.e., sending it to a couple of knowledgeable critics and asking, “Where are we going wrong?”) and doing budget breakdowns first, and then looking at doing auditions as soon as we have our ducks in a row (and since I know we’ve got a lot of actors reading, rest assured — you’ll get first notification).

On a largely unrelated side note (it’s my news blog and I’ll say what I want to), I’d like to mention that comedy troupe Crisis Lab’s effort at the New York Television Festival’s “PGP Comedy Show” is finally available for online viewing. I’m still kicking myself for not being able to attend the big show itself, but this is at least some small consolation. Speaking purely for myself, I still say they were robbed. Danny “Buddy Jackson” Gavigan, Danny “FunnyDanny.com” Rouhier, Casie “Just Met Her This Weekend But Still Think of Her as Junie B. Jones” Platt, and Kevin “Yes, I Can Do Everything” Good are in top comedic form, even if they weren’t commensurately rewarded. (And as a special bonus, you can see a large Codeword Secret contingent sitting right behind the judges during the final live show. Almost makes you think the audience was stacked. Which it was not. Unfortunately. Dammit, I should have gone.)

You can watch the show (it’s broken down into three parts) here, see the group’s original audition video, “David Beckham in LA,” here, and another sketch series from the group, “Doctors & DJs,” here. (I want to make it absolutely clear that I had nothing to do with this group’s work — I’m just a fan, and thought it worthy of commendation. Kind of like how I keep plugging Buddy Jackson.)

All right, I’ve rambled on long enough. I’ll let you get back to your nachos.

.: Side Project Alert: “Codeword Secret”

This isn’t strictly Tohubohu-related, but it’s worth a mention anyway. As I mentioned before, I had the opportunity to work as a production designer on the latest project from DC 48 Hour Film Project winner Integral Arts: the independent action/comedy pilot “Codeword Secret.” It was an absolutely phenomenal experience (you can see some behind-the-scenes photos here), and directly informed some of our own purchasing decisions (let’s just say that Tohubohu will be going hi-def from now on). And on top of that, the show itself turned out great (in my oh-so-humble opinion). Developed by the same team behind the web sitcom sensation Buddy Jackson (you have been watching, haven’t you?), the show premieres this weekend at the New York Television Festival; if you’re in the area, be sure to catch it!

You can see a trailer for the show at the official site (and if you look carefully, you can see yours truly ducking in panic as a background extra). If all goes well, the pilot may be picked up for production — but whatever the outcome, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of this story...

.: Quick Updates

Just thought I’d let everyone know that while we did submit “You Pay Your Dues” to the 2007 DC Shorts festival, it was not chosen for inclusion. We are continuing to submit to other festivals, though, so I’ll be sure to let everyone know about any future screenings.

We’re also working on a few script ideas for production this fall, as well as a fairly large-scale undertaking to launch under the Tohubohu.tv banner (the details of which we’re keeping pretty much under wraps for now).

And this weekend I’m serving as a production designer for the first episode of the follow-up to Buddy Jackson. Partly it’s because I’m a fan of the show itself (and if you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to head over and give it a look), but mostly because it’s a chance to work with Barry Gribble and the award-winning team at Integral Arts — and with an luck, learn a few things and make a few contacts along the way.

.: Screening Wrap-Up

Well, beyond the selection as part of the “Best Of” screening, “You Pay Your Dues” didn’t take home any additional honors. A disappointment, to be sure, but not one we can really begrudge anyone — particularly given the representation of Tohubohu alumni among some of the winning entries. Veteran contributor Bjorn Munson’s Team Jabberwocky took home Best Cinematography honors for “DeLeon Crossing,” and Ryan “Machinations” Mulkay worked with Integral Arts’ “The Kumbio Takedown,” which won not only the Best Acting award, but also Best in City for Washington, DC. Congratulations!

Other notable winners were Best Directing for WIT’s “Seasonal Disorder” (which also won the Audience Award for our screening), Best Original Music for the musical “Leon!” and Best Special Effects for “Urine Cake.”

Thanks to everyone for your help and support — and I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted about upcoming opportunities!

.: Tonight’s Screening/Wrap Party

Just wanted to let everyone know that the official 48 Hour Film Project wrap party tonight will be held at McGinty’s Pub, located at 911 Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring. Basically, it’s right around the corner (well, a couple of corners) from the AFI Silver Theatre. There will technically be two parties, one after the 7:00 screening, and one after the 9:30 screening. However, since Pam and I will be staying through the second screening, I can tell you right now that we’ll probably only be at the second party. Which will be the cool one.

They haven’t said anything about when they might be announcing awards, though my instinct is that it’ll be after the second screening (i.e., after all of the films have been shown). So while our film will be shown as part of the 7:00 show, you may want to pick up a ticket for the second show as well. Your call.

As far as parking goes, I’ve found the Town Square garage to be convenient (go North on Colesville past the theater, then take your first right and then turn left to enter the garage; there’s also the Wayne Avenue garage, just another block away. My understanding is that parking is free after 6:00, but don’t quote me. You can find a little parking map at the AFI Silver’s “directions” site.

This has been a phenomenal experience, and I just wanted to thank everyone who made “You Pay Your Dues” such a success. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Hope to see you tonight!

.: Best of the 48 Hour Film Project

Better late than never, right?

We just received word that “You Pay Your Dues” is one of 22 films (out of 93 completed films) selected as the “Best of the 48 Hour Film Project” for Washington, D.C. — and as a result, we will be screening this Thursday evening at the AFI Silver Theatre. Because of the number of films selected in this round, the films will be shown in two separate screenings, one at 7:00 and another at 9:30. Our film will be showing as part of the first screening — that is, 7:00 p.m. (as will Tohubohu veteran Bjorn Munson’s directorial effort, “DeLeon Crossing”).

Right now, it looks like tickets are available for both the 7:00 and 9:30 screenings (I suspect they may have opened up a second screen), so if you’d like to come out, be sure to pick your tickets up right away. We’re waiting to hear more details about awards presentation and the after-party, but as soon as I know more, I’ll pass along the info.

Congratulations to everyone who helped make this film the success it has been. I’m immensely proud of you all! Hope to see you Thursday!

P.S.: Here is the full screening lineup — there are some duplicates in there (specifically “Inquisito Libellus,” “Seasonal Disorder,” and “The Kumbio Takedown”), presumably to fill out the schedule (though I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that they’re the front-runners for the top awards).

Screening 1 — 7:00 p.m.

• 3mm Films: “Urine Cake” (Comedy)
• Team Diamond: “Cult of the Groove” (Comedy)
• Integral Arts: “The Kumbio Takedown” (Detective/Cop)
• Tohubohu: “You Pay Your Dues” (Detective/Cop)
• FAYM Productions: “When You Wish Upon a Fish” (Fantasy)
• Roadside Productions: “Inquisito Libellus” (Fantasy)
• Team Jabberwocky: “DeLeon Crossing” (Fantasy)
• The Quest: “Holy Saturday” (Holiday Film)
• WIT Films: “Seasonal Disorder” (Holiday Film)
• Everyday Astronaut: “Leon!” (Musical/Western)
• Burning Toast Productions: “While You Still Can” (Romance)
• Oozing Sarcasm: “3027” (Sci Fi)

Screening 2 — 9:30 p.m.

• The Beta-Macks: “A.P.E.” (Animal Film)
• Cardiff Giant: “Wing Woman” (Buddy Film)
• ReelLight Films: “Semi Sweet” (Buddy Film)
• Integral Arts: “The Kumbio Takedown” (Detective/Cop)
• Agile H Productions: “C.O.P. 2000” (Detective/Cop)
• Ningen Manga Productions: “Posi+ive” (Drama)
• Gaucho Pictures: “Rooster.com” (Fantasy)
• Roadside Productions: “Inquisito Libellus” (Fantasy)
• Unknown Penguin Pictures: “Rochambeau Kid” (Ghost Movie)
• WIT Films: “Seasonal Disorder” (Holiday Film)
• Two Jews, a Goy and an Asian: “Helpful Cowboys” (Musical/Western)
• Kiss Productions: “A Bus Story” (Romance)
• Elbow Production: “E.T.R.I.P.” (Sci Fi)

.: Screening TONIGHT at 9:30 p.m.

Just a reminder to everyone that our latest filmic exercise, “You Pay Your Dues,” will premiere TONIGHT at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring. As of my last check, tickets are still on sale — so be sure to grab them while you can!

Hope to see you there!

.: You Pay Your Dues

Whew! I was going to post yesterday about our movie-making experience with the 48 Hour Film Project, but I was too tired to successfully string words together. Here’s how it went.

Bill went to the kick-off event and drew our genre literally out of a hat. The required elements were given out to the hundred participating teams. And we were off.

Bill and I talked about our genre, “detective/cop,” and what he wanted to do with it. I wasn’t surprised when he wanted to go for a film noir feel. But I was a bit scared. We tossed around a few basic concepts, including placing some actors in the roles, and then called author and blogger Robin Brande.

Our call was the briefest of hellos — no small talk for this chick — and down to business. We told Robin our genre (she groaned) and the required elements. (The character: Roosevelt or Rosie Adams, President; The prop: A bracelet; The line: “That’s what I’m talking about.”) We talked about some things we’d been thinking in terms of style, actors, and settings. She said, basically, “Okay, I’ll call you back in an hour.”

After we hung up, Bill and I didn’t know what to do with ourselves. We’ve always had to help the writer brainstorm or actually write it ourselves. This... this... freedom was a little unnerving. We did have to make some calls, coordinate some logistics and such, but having time to do it was just... wild.

Robin checked in with the script, and she was right on track so she kept on going. We got a full script about 10:30, and we loved it. LOVED IT! Very sharp, very creative, very witty. We needed to make a couple of changes to keep with the locations we had, so she retooled that and we had an absolutely amazing script by midnight. A new record for us. Bill and I talked about the film schedule, costuming, call times, and needed props. Bill sent out an email to the team, and we went to bed.

We had the crew meet at our house at 8:00, but it was more like 9:00 when we had everyone we needed. We decided to film an office scene at my in-laws’ home. The set dressing and camera set-up took much longer than we thought, so we really didn’t start filming until 10:30. Not a stellar beginning. We were also filming some of the harder scenes, which also made it difficult.

But we’ve got great people on our team, and got through those scenes before a late lunch at 2:00. The crew took turns eating and setting up for the living room scene, which we also did at my in-laws’ house (they had taken the kids to the zoo by now). I ran the actors through their lines while the crew worked on lighting, and then Bill came in to direct that scene.

We left the house by 4:00 to do scenes closer to my home. My friend provided the front of her house when one of my locations fell through, and we did a few things there. Then we used the front of my house for a long scene involving five actors and finished just before it got dark. It was supposed to be a gardening scene, but since it was cold and lightly raining, we had to make some adjustments.

We sent home most of the team, and went inside to do voice-overs until about 10:00. It was a more leisurely session, though, involving pizza and joking. When the rest of the team went home, we sent our composer some music ideas and then went to bed.

Sunday was reserved for editing the film together, doing color and audio correction, adding the music and credits, putting in the title, and probably ten other things I don’t even know. This was mostly Bill’s show, with me there for moral support and to lend another set of eyes and ears to the film. We dumped out a backup tape at 5:30, so we’d have something, and Bill worked until 6:45. We arrived at the drop-off location a whole five minutes early, and turned in the final product.

I think you know a film is great when you’ve watched the same scene twenty times in editing, and it still cracks you up. That’s the case. The script was wonderful, we have some knock-out performances, and interesting camera work. We’re very happy with the results.

Our screening is this Thursday (Group F, 9:30 p.m.), and after that the film it will available online at our website. Let’s hope it’s a winner. The title for our film — involving a hardened detective, a sultry lady, a homeowners’ association, and self-help books — is You Pay Your Dues.

.: Weekend Update

Still deep into the edit of “You Pay Your Dues,” a detective/cop picture.

But I wanted to let everyone know that tickets are now on sale for our Thursday night screening — grab ’em while you can!

.: Seattle Debrief

I’ve got to say, the Science Fiction Short Film Festival was an amazing experience. The trip itself was nightmarish — there’s nothing like having your travel agency neglect to actually book the ticket, and then try to stick you with an additional $480 charge if you actually want to make your flight. And neglect to inform you that the cost of your hotel room will unexpectedly skyrocket for the second night of your stay.

But despite all of that, the festival itself was fantastic. First, I participated in a special teachers’ session at the Science Fiction Museum; basically a live director’s commentary and Q&A session. (It’s kind of nice to know that Seattle-area teachers are going to be using “Machinations” to teach students about visual composition in film.) And I got a free pass to the museum and the Experience Music Project — not a bad way to kill a couple of hours before the festival proper.

(Speaking of commentaries, I should take a second to note that we have finally added a new entry to our long-neglected podcast: A commentary on “Machinations” with me and D.P. Adam Young. Enjoy.)

As for the screenings themselves, I couldn’t have asked for a better venue. The Cinerama Theatre is a surprisingly well-kept, 800-seat theater with a huge curved screen. And a good old-fashioned balcony. The filmmakers had prime reserved seats, of course — and we needed them, as the theater sold out both screenings. And that’s an audience of regular filmgoers, not a crowd stacked with the filmmakers’ friends and family.

The quality of the films varied, as one might expect. In some cases the concept was intriguing but the execution lacked. In others those two factors were reversed. A few films missed on both counts. And some were right on the money. Some personal favorites of mine were “Transgressions” (which ended up taking home the Grand Prize), “The Un-Gone,” “Maklar, Anyone?” (the Audience Favorite winner), “Singularity,” and “TV Man.” I also enjoyed “Haunted Planet” and “Face Machine,” and got a real kick out of the animated romp “The Tragical Historie of Guidolon the Giant Space Chicken.” The space effects in “Mizar” were absolutely asonishing (and on full 35mm film, no less). And I want to make special mention of “Agnieszka” and Douglas Trumbull award-winner “13 Ways to Die at Home”; I definitely enjoyed both of them, but they both fall firmly into the category of “What the hell was that?”

We didn’t take home any awards — not that we expected to, given the quality of the competition and the fact that there really weere only three awards given. But the audience really seemed to love our little picture; and in that theater, that was really some reaction. Talk about a rush. And even beyond the films, the experience of being to able to interact with other filmmakers and film fans was priceless.

Of course, lest I leave the experience thinking all was well with the world, I was brought back down to Earth on the return flight, where I had what was supposed to be a four-hour layover at Midway airport. Which kept on creeping later and later, until it reached nearly the six-hour mark. Sure, I was able to sit and watch the Superbowl (or at least the first three quarters) in an airport bar in Chicago, but that novelty wore off pretty fast. Didn’t manage to crawl out of a largely-abandoned National airport until one in the morning. Lost the whole day just trying to get home (and had to get up for an early meeting the next morning).

It was so worth it.

---

While I’m rambling, I might as well add a few quick news bullets:

• Thanks to the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse screening, Tohubohu has taken in its first appreciable revenue; at just over $100, it doesn’t really begin to cover the amount we’ve spent on production (and the even greater amount we’ve since spent on promotion), but it’s still a really nice feeling to get that check in hand.


• Still no news on any potential awards from the National Film Challenge, and we probably won’t know anything until Filmapalooza in March. And that’s assuming they post any announcements immediately: While we’d certainly like to have a representative in attendance, our budget is pretty much spent after the aforementioned Seattle trip...


• The Internet Movie Database now has reasonably complete listings for both “Quite Contrary” and “Machinations” — so if you worked on either of those films, be sure to give those entries a look to make sure you’re credited properly (and even if you didn’t work on either of them, go give them your ratings and comments)!


• The 2007 48 Hour Film Project for Washington, D.C., will take place over the weekend of May 4th through the 6th. Clear your calendars...

.: Baltimore’s Battle of the Films... and DAVE

Right on the heels of our screening at the Science Fiction Short Film Festival next weekend, we will have one — and possibly two — screenings at the inaugural Battle of the Films in Baltimore. The first screening — on Thursday, February 8 — will feature “Screening Process,” and if we make it to round two (only five films will move on), the second screening — on Thursday, February 15 — will feature “Quite Contrary.” Now, as befits a true “battle,” these are all about viewer reaction — how we do is measured by the rigorously tested and eminently scientific method of audience applause volume.

In other words, we need people to show up. Preferably loud people.

The screenings will be hosted by The Cinema Lounge at Gardel’s, located at 29 South Front Street in Baltimore, and they’ll start at 7:30 pm. So please come if you can!

I also wanted to take a moment to give a quick shout-out to Tohubohu alumnus David Seitzinger, who just finished a program of grueling work at The DAVE School (as in Digital Animation and Visual Effects) in Orlando, Florida. His class’s final project, “Creepers,” is up for viewing on their website. Give it a look — some pretty remarkable stuff! Congratulations, David!

.: Bicoastal Machinations

We’ve got not one but two screenings to highlight today.

First, “Machinations” has just been accepted into the Science Fiction Short Film Festival, taking place February 3 in Seattle, Washington. We’re pretty damned proud of this little accomplishment, and are really excited about the opportunity to showcase all of our hard work to an appreciative audience. If anyone wants to fly out — or if any of our West Coast contingent wants to give it a look-see (not to mention giving us the chance to catch up) — let us know and we can get tickets and coordinate schedules!

Congratulations — and my personal thanks — to everyone involved in our achieving this honor.

And more locally (well, for our DC-based contingent anyway), the film will be screening at 4:00 p.m. on January 13 at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse. This screening will be a showcase of locally-produced films for the National Film Challenge, and we’re really happy to have this venue in which to host it (sure beats the hell out of my office’s common room). Tickets are only $5 apiece — and since it’s a restaurant to boot, there’ll be plenty of food and drink available as well. We really want a big turnout for this one — especially since theater revenue (well, once we recover the amount we paid to get the theater in the first place) will be divvied up by which film attendees are there to support (you’ll have a chance to express your preference upon entry). Frankly, it’d be nice to make back some of our expenses for a change... So while we’ll understand if you can’t make it all the way out to Seattle, this one there’s no excuse for missing...

Well, unless you’re a left-coaster, of course.

.: Save the Date!

“Machinations” will be showing as part of a special screening of locally-produced entries in the National Film Challenge on January 13 at the Arlington Cinema ’n’ Drafthouse. And frankly, I don’t think we could have asked for a better venue. Dinner, drinks, and movies. Tickets will be only $5 — and remember, you’ll be supporting us in the process: Revenue will be split according to which movie you’re there to support. So it’s vital not only that you come out and enjoy yourself, but that you tell all your friends and neighbors about it.

We’ll have more details as the date draws closer, but for now, be sure to write it in on your calendars. In ink — none of this “pencil” crap.

.: New Viewing Options

After seeing the sheer number of NFC films that are available via third-party distribution sites, we’ve gone ahead and joined the pack. We have finished uploading our entire film catalog to both YouTube and MySpace; not only does this expand our potential audience, but it also provides viewers with a chance to rate our films and provide feedback (something we really haven’t had time to build into this site).

So head over to those sites (via the preceding links), watch the films, and let us know what you think! And while you’re at it, go ahead and subscribe to our films at YouTube (and make us your friend), and add us as a friend and make us one of your favorites at MySpace!

It’s all about promotion...

.: Photos from DC Shorts

This is a little late, but I thought a few people might be interested in some photos from this summer’s DC Shorts festival, from the opening night party at Drinx, to the screening Q&A sessions, to the closing brunch at Clyde’s.

Photos by Tom Kochel: http://www.gannagency.com/dcshorts/gallery/kochel.shtml
(Featuring Tohubohu contributors Bill Coughlan, Nello DeBlasio, Arvi Gowda, Brian Grundstrom, Karen Hutchinson, Bjorn Munson, and Emily Skelton. Not to mention a whole bunch of other filmmakers, as well as DC Shorts organizer Jon Gann and “Close Quarters” character inspiration Tim Tate, gay glass sculptor extraordinaire.)

Photos by Moshe Zusman: http://www.gannagency.com/dcshorts/gallery/zusman.shtml
(Featuring Tohubohu contributors Bill Coughlan, Nello DeBlasio, Bjorn Munson, and Emily Skelton. Again, among others.)

Photos by Mia Faith: http://www.gannagency.com/dcshorts/gallery/faith.shtml
(Featuring Tohubohu contributors Nello DeBlasio, Arvi Gowda, Brian Grundstrom, Bjorn Munson and Emily Skelton. Et al.)

.: Georgetown/Adams Morgan Screening and NFC News

Well, as much as we were looking forward to the Georgetown/Adams Morgan festival, I do have to say I was a little disappointed. The audience for our screenings was... somewhat smaller than I’d expected. As in absolutely nonexistent. Well, not including me, Brian, the people running the show, and a couple of people who meandered in. I did get a chance to meet and chat with organizer Eric Sommer, and saw a really interesting ukelele-rapper, and a couple of interesting films, so it wasn’t a total loss. But really not what I’d hoped for.

In other news, the current schedule has the first round of judging for the National Film Challenge wrapping up on November 30th, with the announcement of the first-round selections shortly thereafter. Just thought people would want to know.

.: Slight Schedule Change

For the Georgetown/Adams Morgan Film & Music Festival showings this Friday, “Quite Contrary” will still be screening as part of the 1:30 Film Block (now dubbed the “Bazooka” block), but the start time for the “Machinations” screening (now called the “Dada” block) has been pushed back to 4:30 p.m.

Everyone make sure to adjust your calendars!

.: Georgetown/Adams Morgan Film & Music Festival 2006

Just wanted to pass along the news that both “Quite Contrary” and “Machinations” will be screening with the Georgetown/Adams Morgan Film & Music Festival on Friday, November 17th. “Quite Contrary” will be screening as part of the 1:30 block, and “Machinations” will be with the 3:30 block.

All screenings are at the DC Arts Center Theater in Adams Morgan (2438 18th Street, NW), and tickets and passes are exclusively available at the Idle Time Bookstore (located right across the street). Tickets for a film block are $5 apiece, day passes are $50, and all-access passes are $100.

Congratulations to everyone involved, and I hope to see some of you there!

.: “Machinations” Is Now Online!

Just wanted to drop everyone a quick note to let you know that our latest short film, “Machinations,” is now available for online viewing (at least in its “Large” and “Medium” incarnations — still working on the version for those with slower ’net connections).

We (that is, I) also did some minor tweaking of the site — mostly behind-the-scenes stuff, but I did try to more prominently feature our shorts toward the top. If anyone wants to take a moment to check it out — kick the tires, so to speak — I’d appreciate it. (In fact, if anyone wants to redo the site a bit, make it look less like something that was slapped together by a rank neophyte, I wouldn’t turn that down either.)

In other news, after its successful run at the DC Shorts festival, we are submitting “Quite Contrary” to the Cleveland International Film Festival, as well as the Georgetown/Adams Morgan Festival. And given the positive reception of “Machinations” so far, I think it’ll be hitting the festival circuit as well.

That’s all for now — hope everyone’s having a nice weekend (don’t forget to set your clocks back).

.: Festival Wrap-Up

Well, the DC Shorts film festival is over — though you can still catch one of the “Best of DC Shorts” screenings across this week, something I would highly recommend. No, “Quite Contrary” isn’t part of that show, but there are some really fascinating films that are. Some are viewable elsewhere, but not all, so you really won’t want to miss this.

The festival itself — apart from the screened content itself — was truly a remarkable experience, and hats off to Jon Gann and everyone involved in the DC Film Alliance for putting together a truly memorable weekend. Next year I will definitely be submitting again, and even if we’re not in the show, I’ll likely be springing for a VIP pass. Yes, it was that good (the nonstop stream of free beer probably didn’t hurt either).

As for the content itself — other than our own, of course — there were some personal highlights (and even this is by no means a comprehensive list):

• “Available Men” — just plain funny, without going too far into caricature
• “Bone Mixers”* — a surprisingly engaging documentary
• “The Cell-Phone” — a pretty damned amusing bit of animation
• “Checkout” — this could have been a one-gag bit, but the characters make it a lot of fun
• “The Cole Nobody Knows” — I may be biased by my affinity for the music, but this was a compelling documentary
• “Full Disclosure”* — a really funny first-date film starring Arrested Development’s Judy Greer and Deadwood’s Brent Sexton
• “Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot” — some absolutely hysterical animation
• “Hairlady” — an intriguing experimental film, and some absolutely amazing time-lapse, steadicam, and editing work
• “Ignotus” — an Italian period piece, weaving an artistically speculative tale
• “Jesus Beer” — a funny (if verging on blasphemous) gag commercial
• “Karma Café” — a fun (and funny) little treatment on self-improvement mantras
• “The Leeward Tide” — a remarkable story, but also fantastically shot... and on MiniDV, no less
• “Multiverse” — the Washington Improv Theater’s award-winning HD 48 Hour Film Project entry
• “Olyver Brody” — really dark, but a great story and performances
• “The Package” — a dramatic tale of money, self-interest and betrayal
• “Victoria”* — a spec music video that tells a truly moving story
• “Zombie-American”* — The Daily Show’s Ed Helms is a zombie just trying to fit in

Once again, thanks to everyone involved — and I can’t wait until next year. Maybe this’ll finally get me off my ass to finish my next (non-contest) film...

* Screening as part of the “Best of DC Shorts.”

.: Double Reminder

First of all, I just want to remind everyone that the DC Shorts screening of “Quite Contrary” will be THIS FRIDAY at 4:00 p.m. at the Landmark E Street Cinema. Tickets are still available!

Yes, I know that’s during the afternoon on a work day. Alas, we didn’t have a say as to our screening slot. But for those of you who can make it, it should definitely be worthwhile.

Furthermore, all ticketholders are invited to attend the opening night party at Drinx on Thursday at 9:00. All you need is a ticket! Whether or not you can make our screening, I do hope to see as many of you as possible there.

Secondly, I can officially announce that we are signed up for the National Film Challenge, taking place over the weekend of October 20-23. We’re already talking preproduction at this point, so clear your calendars and get back to be ASAP regarding your availability, your preferred job function (which we’ll do our best to accommodate, but we can’t promise anything), and any other special information you may have to impart. We’re going to try to be even more organized than usual this time around, so the more we can nail down the better!