Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "filmmaking"

Put the "art" into film and theater: hollywood film director comes to Sac on Feb. 21

2012-02-08T04:31:42Z

Films always have a particular "look" -- Pirate of the Caribbean has one kind of look, Austin Powers another, and then a quiet drama like House of Sand and Fog has yet another. Sacramento will get the chance to hear from the art director responsible for the look of these films on Tuesday, February 21, when the Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) brings Hollywood art director Drew Boughton to their speaker series.

"Art direction and production design gives the 'look' of a film that defines the mood and atmosphere of the story, and is integral to all movies, and Drew Boughton is a master in the field," said Laurie Pederson, Board Chair for the CFAA. "The Capital Film Arts Alliance is proud to be able to bring Drew to Sacramento to share his craft and expertise with filmmakers, theater professionals, artists, and art and movie lovers alike."

Boughton's talk will be of interest to more than just the filmmakers locally in Sacramento. He has extensive experience in theatrical design as well that will interest the robust theater community in Sacramento, as well as the visual art lovers and designers.

IMDB listing for Drew Boughton: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0099284/
Website for Drew Boughton: http://drewboughton.com/

The February 21 meeting is one of a monthly speaker series from the Capital Film Arts Alliance. Experts in the filmmaking field -- from camera and sound to contracts and funding -- are asked to share their expertise and insights to Sacramento are filmmakers. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm at Art Institute of Sacramento at 2850 Gateway Oaks Dr., Sacramento. For more information about this meeting or the Capital Film Arts Alliance, please contact Laurie Pederson at 916-600-6477 or info@capitalfilmarts.com.

Disclosure: Mary Beth Barber is a board member for the Capital Film Arts Alliance

"The Grey" - Part 2: Interview

2012-01-27T09:23:33Z

INTERVIEW: DIRECTOR JOE CARNAHAN AND ACTOR FRANK GRILLO

[NOTE: THE INTERVIEW CONTAINS SOME MILD PLOT SPOILERS FOR “THE GREY”.]

Recently, in San Francisco, I had a chance to chat with co-writer and director Joe Carnahan and actor Frank Grillo about their new release “The Grey” which opens this week. The film, which is reviewed in a separate article, tells the story of a group of oil workers whose plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, where they find themselves stalked by a pack of almost mythically large wolves. Joe is a Sacramento native and we’ve known each other for several years through the local film community and the Sacramento Film and Music Festival.

As we were setting up for the interview, Joe happened to make a self-deprecatory joke about his own intelligence, which led to an interesting opening:

Tony: You see I would counter that right away. I watched “The Grey” a few weeks ago - I don’t like to read production notes before seeing a film and I knew virtually nothing going in – but I knew it wasn’t going to be “Alive” meets “Cujo”… [they both agree] … because I don’t think you’re capable of writing a script that’s that one dimensional.

Joe: Right. You may hate it for its other dimensions but it won’t be mono-dimensional.

Frank: [laughs]

Tony: The other things you’ve written – even a film like “Smokin’ Aces” which is a ‘shoot-em-up’ has a very intricate story.

Joe: “Smokin’ Aces” to me, the construct, was Iraq. I based the movie on Iraq. It starts with misinformation, it leads to this kind of heedless violence, a bunch of people who shouldn’t die do, they make a better deal at the end, and it’s over – that’s it.

Tony: Let’s come back to the war topic later. As I said, I watched “The Grey” knowing nothing about it and had to write my comment for the studio, and I said this isn’t a film about men and wolves, this is a film about life and death, and going out on your own terms.

Joe: Yes. 100%.

Tony: So, I was intrigued as to whether when you read the short story if it came out of nowhere and grabbed you or if you were already thinking of this as a subject you wanted to tackle.

Joe: No, you know what Tony, I responded to the short story because I was on “Mission Impossible 3” and I was going to quit before I was fired. I had run my course on that and here I was presented with this very simple, spare, kind of bare bones survival story - versus where I was at that moment which was a big star, big franchise, big studio, with a big budget at 33 years old and feeling I didn’t deserve any of that….

Frank: No, by the way you do.

Joe: …at the same time “The A-Team” represents me finishing that business on “MI3” – doing a big popcorn movie. So it [“The Grey”] appealed to me in every way that it could, because its simplicity was beautiful to me. But then Ian [Ian Mackenzie Jeffers who co-wrote the screenplay and wrote the short story “The Ghost Walker” on which it is based] did a draft of his own short story and I took that, and over the next 4-5 years rewrote it, fashioned it, and fine-tuned it.

[Joe continued by describing how, with the passage of time, topics which might not have developed quite so readily in a more rushed circumstance, including religion and spirituality, evolved as the story became more polished.]

Tony: So, you guys met on “Pride and Glory” [for which Joe co-wrote the screenplay]?

Frank: A little before that.

Tony: [To Frank] When this first came to you, did you see the script first or was it still an idea? How close was it to the final script?

Frank: I think it was fairly close to what we actually shot by the time I saw it.

Joe: Yes, I gave it to you in September and we were shooting in January.

Frank: Yeah. He had seen some of “Warrior” and I had said to him “I want to work with you, just whatever it is, find me something, I’ll do anything – I’m a huge fan” and he sent me this script. He said to me “January we’re shooting this movie and that’s the role!” And he could have had anybody he wanted for the role, obviously, and he said “It might take me some time but you’re doing the movie – January – don’t take a job!” And I said “Joe, I can’t…” He said “January, don’t take a job! Go gain some weight, beef up, this is what we have to do.” And there we were in January.

Tony: Although underneath something like three parkas…

Joe: Yeah – I had three parkas on but Frank didn’t!

Frank: [laughs]

Joe: You said you wanted the role pal!

Tony: It’s such a neat story and neat characters. I was interested in what drew you to it. The Ottway part [Liam Neeson’s character] is interesting – he’s watched somebody who didn’t have the opportunity to go out on her own terms and he respects that opportunity when it arises. There’s a scene in the wreckage where a guy is dying and the others are saying “You’ve got to do something” and he goes over and says [paraphrased] “You’re going to die – but that’s OK” You don’t see that often.

Joe: No. You see a lot of people killed but you don’t see a lot of people die.

Frank: In the original script – and at first I was kind of upset that we took it out – but when he says that to him, my character says “What are you doing?” But there was such a rhythm, there was such a gorgeous poetic rhythm to the connection that these two guys had that if I had interjected, interrupted, and taken it away from that, it would have destroyed the scene. And that’s my favorite scene in the movie.

Tony: It reminds me - and I don’t think this is a comparison you’ll dislike [to Joe] given that you say you don’t see people die very often - it reminds me of Giovanni Ribisi in “Saving Private Ryan.”

Joe: Which is a brilliant death scene.

Tony: It’s the best scene of the movie.

Joe: And he says “Tell me, tell me what’s wrong” and the blood is almost black and he’s asking for his mother.

Tony: And he basically instructs them to overdose him on morphine. He’s a medic….

Joe: Right, he’s a medic, he knows he going to die. But that’s … anytime there’s a Spielberg comparison, I am firmly in your camp.

Frank: I got a chance to work with him and he said when he saw that scene he actually went back and wrote more for Giovanni earlier in the movie, so there would be more of him in the movie.

Joe: Oh, wow!

[The three of us then went off on a tangent for a minute or two about Giovanni Ribisi’s career starting as a child actor in the sitcom “My Two Dads.”]

Tony: In “the Grey” it seems to me that there were at least quadruple threats: There’s the location that they’re in, there’s the lack of any kind of supplies they would need to survive in that location, the climate obviously, and the wolves. But this isn’t about the wolves, the wolves are just part of that.

Joe: Tony, you see that – but you’re literally one of the only people that has ever said that, right there.

Tony: It’s an obstacle, of which part just happens to be the wolves. They could have just been eyes in the distance and mysteriously, every now and then somebody dies and you never know how they die. It’s almost a MacGuffin.

Joe: Right – they’re as close to a MacGuffin as a traditional film like this would have. Because essentially it’s a plotless movie.

Tony: In fact, to some extent, the whole bundle of obstacles: location, supplies, climate, wolves altogether are a MacGuffin.

Joe: Absolutely

Tony: It’s just there to cause these people to think about the meaning of life.

Frank: Exactly. That’s an accurate reading of the script. You asked what attracted me to the film. As a middle-aged man – this is what I think about all day.

Joe: And also that the wolves are just a force of nature – like the cliff, like the blizzard, like the river.

Tony: Have you been following the news – the timing is really interesting.

Joe: Oh – OR7 – the wolf that’s crossed into California. Yeah, I invited him to the premiere. It’s a very elaborate joke, a very elaborate stunt when he shows up and around his neck he’s got a little pass, a VIP pass.

Frank: It’s a great story

Tony: You clearly wanted something more profound than an action film and you succeeded. But do you worry about the apparent dichotomy between what films are and how films are marketed?

Joe: You know what, Tony, I don’t because what I would like, in fairness to an audience, this is something where I’d like them to cast as wide a net as possible – to get people who are even casual genre fans, who are casual Liam Neeson fans into the theater. Because I swear to God it will become the water cooler talk for days to come. I really believe that. What I’ve said about this film, my ultimate goal, is that it plays for you for longer than the two hours it took to watch. That’s what I want – because I think so much of movies today are just disposable experiences.

Tony: I guess my question is that we’re sitting here saying this is a profound movie about life and death and the human experience….

Joe: Right.

Tony: …so do you worry that the people who do in fact want to see a profound movie about life and death and the human experience are not going to come and watch “The Grey” based on the trailer somebody’s cut of the film that makes it look like “Alive” meets “Cujo”?

Joe: No. Unfortunately, if those people you just described were in the majority, we wouldn’t all be about to speak Mandarin in the next ten years. You know what I mean? If we had that level of engagement or that level of high mindedness, without trying to sound snobbish or arrogant about it, if those kinds of people were in the majority then I think it would be a radically different marketing angle.

Tony: If you think of film classics like 1936’s “Modern Times” or 1957’s “12 Angry Men” – those were mainstream films because you didn’t have studios, indies, direct to cable, and all those kinds of things, so those were films people were going to watch. They were deep films – but they were either social satires or social commentaries. We’ve had this conversation before – now you see things like “Lions for Lambs” [written by Joe’s brother Matthew Michael Carnahan] which is a brilliant piece of writing and “In the Valley of Elah,” and films like “The Company Men” about unemployment and layoffs. I’ve heard it said that folks on the left don’t want to go and see these stories and be reminded of what they already know and folks on the right don’t want to go and get lectured by Hollywood.

Joe: Yes.

Tony: So, do you think there’s a political divide – is it that we’re telling the wrong stories or are we telling the right stories but telling them too soon?

Joe: Well listen, you mentioned “Lions for Lambs” and “In the Valley of Elah” – those are movie about hot button issues. My brother had written “The Kingdom” which in a lot of ways to me was a knock on the Saudis and the Saudi royal family. It was meant to be, not a condemnation but he was certainly taking a shot – it wasn’t just this kind of prosaic look at a different culture – he was going after them. But if you don’t mix in gunfights it becomes this almost geopolitical…whatever. I found, and I got this from my benefactor Ridley [Scott] – I loved the filmmaking in “Black Hawk Down” but it became very jingoistic. And the part about the Somalis and what they were dealing with … and I understand why that was jettisoned. I get it, but it was also a case of looking at how much more money that made than a film like “Lions for Lambs” which was more about talking points.

Tony: If you get me on “Black Hawk Down” we’ll be here all day. But “The Kingdom” and “Lions for Lambs” are an interesting comparison because they’re both good scripts and they both have a lot to say politically….

Joe: Yes.

Tony: ...and I don’t remember the box office….

Joe: “The Kingdom” made a lot more money.

Tony: “The Kingdom” has a lot of shooting and action and “Lions for Lambs” is more like a play

Joe: Yeah, it’s a three act play. It’s a play.

Tony: So if you want to have political content and you want to get something out there and you want to hit a mainstream audience….

Joe: Good luck

Tony: …do you have to disguise it as something else?

Frank: I think you do.

Joe: Oh, absolutely.

Frank: You have to, not sneak it in, but you have to….

Joe: It’s everything short of sneaking it in. It’s very difficult to come straight at somebody with that kind of argument being that political, spiritual, whatever it may be that you’re trying to tackle. In this country more so than any other in the world – we love to slap labels on as quickly possible. And if you’re doing that it’s a “specialized” kind of film.

Tony: [To Frank] In the film, you’re the tough guy’s tough guy. It reminded me of this kid I knew at summer camp who was tough and would never let his guard down – and then I saw him break down completely riding a roller coaster.

Frank: That’s a great analogy.

Tony: Did you know those guys growing up or were you that guy?

Frank: I wasn’t that guy – I was on the other end of it. But I did know those guys and I also spent some time visiting some jails around New York because I wanted to talk to some guys on the other side of that reality. And they all seemed to be the same – you’re right – it’s the big bully who goes on the roller coaster and that was my jump off point. It’s such a cool journey that this guy makes and we all know those people. And how did I get to the point where my hands are always up and I’m threatened all the time. When you’re afraid you get angry and Diaz [his character in the film] is angry all the time. Why? Because he’s afraid all the time. And it was a gift to me as an actor to get to explore this character.

Tony: The amazing thing about “The Grey” is that I don’t think there’s a weak link in the film. The problem with an ensemble movie is that there’s often a character that you want to get eaten by a wolf early on in the movie just so that you don’t get to see him for the next hour. And this movie doesn’t have that.

Joe: I think you really do come to fall for those guys and you appreciate those guys and you pull for them. And that’s as it should be.

[At this point we discussed several characters and their unusual paths in the movie, including specific outcomes for some of them.]

Joe: But there’s bravery and heroism that isn’t always obvious and that you don’t see coming from a mile away

Frank: But we can talk about this all day – this guy [his character] finally got a chance to be part of something. That’s the beauty of it.

Joe: Yeah – absolutely man

Tony: What’s next for you Joe?

Joe: If I get any real run off the Grey, if it allows me to do something else, I’d like to put all those chips toward “Killing Pablo.” For me that particular project is like this vastly undernourished orphan and I need to get this kid a meal.

Tony: That’s Pablo Escobar?

Joe: Yes. I’ve been to Colombia three times, I’ve been to Medellin three times and I love it – as attrition goes it getting pretty close. Somebody asked me why do you want to make that project so badly and I was interviewing this 78 year old man who was there at the time it happened, and I asked him if he remembered anything that day, when they got Pablo. And he said “I was sitting in my house and I thought it was an early winter thunder storm” because the level of gunfire was such that the guy couldn’t discern individual shots and I thought “I’m ****ing making this movie!”

Tony: And anything back in Sacramento – are we going to see you back in town?

Joe: Tony if I could just get, and I’ve said this before – what you need is a full time film commissioner and we need to quit dicking around. And in that City which is one of the great untapped shooting locations – in two hours you can be in the snow, you can be on the river….

Tony: And the neighborhoods can be anywhere.

Joe: Dude, the Fabulous 40’s – all you have to do is switch the cars out and you could be in the 1950’s. I would love to do it. I think the City has to get a lot more aggressive about what it wants to do. You know Kevin Johnson kept the Kings – and that would not have happened with Heather Fargo, they would have been gone. So if he can apply that kind of determination to getting movies shot there….

Tony: You know the “For Arts Sake” manager just left, this week.

Joe: Really? Well you know I’m looking for a job!

Disclosure: The author is co-director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival and Joe Carnahan is a former special guest of that event.

The Ripple Effect: "The Dark Pool" Showcases A Cooperative of Cross-generational Creativity

2011-10-11T18:03:42Z

[Jim Krall’s six year old daughter has just been kidnapped] ...from her own birthday party in front of his family and friends-and no one seems to care but him. Alone in his devastation, Jim Krall sets out on a nightmarish quest to find his child. This obsession will lead him into a world of Dark Pool investments, DNA manipulation, String Theory, time travel and alternate realities...

It started with Sam.

Sam was a graduate of Natomas Charter School.

He was bright and creative and bored.

He isn’t any of those things anymore.

Last year he took his own life. Now he is an inspiration.

Rick Gott is an actor.

Rick Gott is a teacher.

He was Sam’s teacher.

He sees a lot of students graduate from his classes in theater and film who are bright and creative. Many of them go on to community colleges or university programs.

But for many of them, formal education is not a good fit. Their talent and energy buzzes and crackles and smolders in a post high school limbo that is frustrating and often depressing.

It is a feeling not unfamiliar to actors and other industry professionals in this town, many of whom commute elsewhere to ply their trade with any measure of success; many of whom have simply resigned themselves to other peripheral or even unrelated careers after years of bit work and unreliable pay.

Gott, a long time local actor himself, was becoming more and more discouraged watching his students emerge into the already stagnant job market, in danger of becoming jaded before they’d even tasted the success he knew they had the potential to earn.

What if, he theorized, there was a way to bring all of these people together,
the young, energetic students, still honing their various crafts and the myriad of seasoned professionals who have so much to offer in the way of experience?

“I realized when I opened my eyes that I have a gold mine here!” said Gott, when we spoke recently in the black box theatre that serves as his classroom at Natomas Charter School.

So, last spring he started pitching friends and associates of mine on the idea of collaboration.

“No one had money, but everyone had value to contribute.”

The project they settled upon was a Web TV series.

“It just made the most sense, financially,” explained Gott.

The result is “The Dark Pool,” set to launch October 13.

Gott penned the episodes and five have been produced with support from students; Iron Mountain Film; actors from B Street Theatre and Capital Stage, as well as other local talent; Frank Casanova, who offered his studio; and many others. Nationally syndicated financial columnist Phillip Larrea is acting consultant for the financial matters in the series.

The protagonist, John Krall, works on Wall Street - timely, hmm?

Council Member Angelique Ashby even makes an appearance. Each episode has a different director and a different producer.

To date, about $200 has been invested.

“I had some problems with my printer that had to be dealt with,” shrugs Gott, “Or we might be able to say we hadn’t spent anything.”

The ultimate success would be to create a company with no venture capital.

“Facebook has a partnership program,” explains Gott, who has clearly given the process some thought. “We’d like to be able to use that to finance the next five episodes.” The next goal would be to pay people a small stipend.

But for Rick Gott, it will never be about money.

It will be about watching his students continue to grow under the mentorship of those who came before them, of reciprocal learning.

It will be about providing opportunities and exposure for local industry talent of all levels.

It will be about Sam.

Support “The Dark Pool” project by hitting “Like” on the Dark Pool fan page on Facebook and by jumping into the series October 13 on YouTube. Your support will create further opportunities for young people in projects to come.

Sac Film & Music Fest: New dates and a new "Pitch Sacramento" competition

2010-10-21T09:02:55Z

Sacramento Film & Music Festival
New dates and “Pitch Sacramento” filmmaking competition for 2011

For the past 11 years, the Sacramento Film & Music Festival has screened the best indie films from around the country and the world. And for the past 7 years, it has established a reputation for local filmmaking competitions, with approx. 150 music videos made for the Sac Music Seen program and 100 short films made for the 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge.

For 2011, the Festival is making two major changes: A split into two separate seasonal events and a new competition for local filmmakers.
Rather than continue as a 10-day Summer Festival, the 12th year for the Sacramento Film & Music Festival will be presented as a shorter “Winterfest” in January and a complementary “Summerfest” in August. This better serves audiences and filmmakers by avoiding the daunting 10-day schedule and continues to provide the programming opportunities for the same quantity of exceptional films, including the popular student film category, with continuing sponsorship from Sony Creative Software. The dates for the first Winterfest program are January 15th-17th, 2011 at the historic Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento.

The 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge will continue as a Summer program at the Summerfest, and Sac Music Seen will be join the Winterfest program in 2012. But for Winterfest 2011, a special filmmaking competition “Pitch Sacramento” will help promote Sacramento as a filmmaking community and destination.

During Mayor Johnson’s Arts Initiative discussions, a recurring theme emerged in the need to spread the word about Sacramento as a great place to both shoot films and to be a part of the thriving film, video, and television arts community. With that in mind, the Sacramento Film & Music Festival is calling for short films of no more than five minutes that promote that message for its “Pitch Sacramento” competition. It is expected that these will be of an informative and factual nature, expounding on the locations, resources, cast and crew talent, and opportunities that Sacramento has to offer filmmakers.

Completed films will be accepted through December 31st on miniDV or DVD (two copies: both a data disc and a playable disc) with alternate formats to be approved in advance with the Festival directors. Cash prizes will be awarded to at least the top two films, with a prize of at least $500 being given to the first place winner. Cash prizes funding has generously be provided by the Capital Film Arts Alliance and the Crest Theatre. If more funding is forthcoming, the cash prize pool will be increased. Completed films will be screened during the 2011 Winterfest (if more than 24 completed films are submitted, the festival directors reserve the right to screen only the best 24 entries). There are neither submission fees nor complimentary tickets associated with submitted films for this competition.

Contacts:
For alternate formatting and submission questions: Festival Co-Director Nathan Schemel – nschemel@aol.com
For other questions: Festival Co-Director Tony Sheppard – tony@csus.edu

Completed films must be accompanied by the following information:
Name of primary contact person;
Contact information to include phone and email contacts;
Title of project;
Total running time (not to exceed 5 minutes);
A short statement from the film’s primary producer stating that the film does not contain any offensive or legally protected content;
A short statement granting permission to the Festival to screen the film.
Completed films should include a single credit at the end (in addition to any other credits) that states “Produced for the Sacramento Film & Music Festival’s Pitch Sacramento Program.”

Films should be sent to:
Sacramento Film and Music Festival
10445 Ambassador Dr.
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

Film Industry "Boot Camp" with award-winning Producer

2010-10-12T04:28:01Z

Film studio heads rarely make general public appearances, let alone teach. Larry Meistrich, head of Nehst Studios and producer of the Oscar winner Sling Blade, turns that concept on its head!

Coming to Sacramento October 15,16 & 17, Meistrich presents the acclaimed, weekend-long Aspiring Filmmakers Boot Camp so those interested in film careers can get the rare opportunity of educatation and interaction with a film industry leader who is running a film financing, production and distribution company in today’s entertainment world. At the boot camp Meistrich shares a lifetime of insights, knowledge and powerful tips to help successfully navigate the film business – whether as a writer, director, producer, actor or other interest. Attendees will emerge changed and ready to tackle the film world, armed with the know-how, motivation and tactics to succeed.

Film Boot Camp attendees will:
* Learn the necessary steps and secrets to successfully produce a feature film or series.
* Understand the business side of filmmaking - including financing, packaging, marketing & distribution.
* Get an unprecedented opportunity to learn to pitch scripts & ideas, with an opportunity to make a deal.
* Have an open forum of communication to an industry leader for 3 days.

Filmmakers can learn the skills of their craft in a variety of places - but the only way to learn to enter and navigate the business is from someone who has done it successfully – and who continues to do it. Larry, known for his no-bull, take-no-prisoners approach to teaching, will equip you to swim with the sharks, dive for treasure, and come back alive to talk about it. At the same time, attendees receive valuable access and personal interaction with Larry for the entire 3 days in a comfortable and casual atmosphere – so all questions can be asked and nothing is off the table. Attendees will come out of this camp changed and ready to tackle a variety of film careers, armed with the know-how, motivation and tactics to succeed. Spending an intensive weekend with Larry, learning the thinking process and tools you need to succeed in the complex and competitive film business – attendees will learn to produce a feature film or TV series from beginning to end - securing the script to financing to distribution, and the highlight of the weekend is a pitch session on Sunday where attendees will learn how to pitch scripts, ideas and TV show concepts, and then have a chance to pitch ideas in a safe, comfortable environment - where there is an actual opportunity to make a deal with Meistrich’s company.

Boot camps have already been the source of successful talent ‘finds’. Michael and Daniel Carberry, 19, attended a recent boot camp, showed their reel, and were hired to direct Nehst's national series for Mountain Dew. Kevin Kerwin and Kate O'Neil were‘discovered’ at a recent boot camp and Nehst hired them to direct and produce the feature length documentary "Running America", now in distribution.

Larry Meistrich launched Nehst Studios at Cannes in 2007, creating a cutting-edge film financing, production and distribution company that integrates entertainment with today’s technology. Nehst has offices across the country and a production studio in Cleveland, Ohio - with several films in various stages of development, production and distribution and is always looking for the next great idea or talent! Current films in production include “Lilith”, “Strangeland II: Disciple”, “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers” and more.

In addition:
* Meistrich has produced more than 100 films, commercials and music videos including the Academy Award® winning Sling Blade, the Academy Award® nominated You Can Count on Me, Henry Fool - winner of the Best Screenplay award at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, Croupier, and New Jersey Drive.
* His pictures have won the gamut of international awards including Golden Globes, SAG and DGA Awards, Top Five category awards at Cannes, Sundance and Berlin.
* Meistrich has taught master classes at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, University of Miami, Syracuse University – Newhouse School, and University of Austin; and has been a guest speaker at the Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Berlin and New York Film Festivals, as well as Sacramento's own Film and Music Festival.

Details: The Aspiring Filmmakers Boot Camp is co-sponsored by The Art Institute of Sacramento and the Capital Film Arts Alliance, and will be held in Sacramento on October 15-17, 2010 at the Art Institute campus, located at 2850 Gateway Oaks Dr., Sacramento CA 95833. The cost to attend the 3-day film boot camp seminar is $395 for general public, $300 for CFAA or other film organization members, or only $150 for students or military active or veterans (contact us by phone at 916-600-6477 or email info@nehst.com for specific discount codes). Because of the small group format, seating is limited – so reserve your seat today. For more information or to register, visit: www.filmboot.com

AND – Friday Oct 15th is the opening night for the boot camp and is open to the public at no charge, featuring a discussion on the state of the film industry with Larry Meistrich. All are welcome as Meistrich presents ‘Successful Filmmaking in the 21st Century’ - at the Art Institute of Sacramento. So for all who want to know more about this exciting industry and how to position themselves for success, this is the chance you’ve been waiting for.

Photos:
1) Larry Meistrich, Tony Sheppard, Joe Carnahan at the last Sacramento Aspiring Filmmakers Boot Camp
2) Larry Meistrich takes questions from Jonathan Kieffer at the 8th Annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival, at the Crest Theatre, August 2007.

Lights, Camera, Action!

2009-12-19T01:17:31Z

Sacramento turned into the new Hollywood this week. At several locations scattered throughout the downtown area, Deon Taylor Enterprises has been busy filming their next big-budget comedy/thriller movie.

The crew spent two nights filming on K Street around the 2300 block and scattered along J Street. The last day of filming, December 17, wrapped in the industrial warehouse district off Richards Boulevard.

“As a filmmaker, when I write the scripts, I know where I can get a certain look at,” said director, writer and producer Deon Taylor, a Sacramento resident. “If I want water, I know the Delta is close by. For a colder, darker feel, I come to Richards Boulevard.”

This is the fourth movie produced by Deon Taylor Enterprises in the Sacramento area. Their last movie, Hustle, also featured actor David Faustino.

“Sacramento is a great city," Faustino said. "I try to see as much as possible when I'm here, but the filming schedule makes it difficult. I love the food here, though."

The production has a crew of 35, most from the Sacramento area. Enough local residents have been trained throughout the filming of the previous movies to limit the amount of outside help needed from places like Los Angeles. Deon Taylor Enterprises also trains at-risk teens in the movie industry in jobs such as gaffer and grip. The teens are all local to the Sacramento region.

“This gives the teens a skill, a marketable skill," Taylor said. "No one cares about your background here. You are looked and judged for how well you can do your trade.”

The program to train at-risk teens has been running for two years. By Taylor's estimates, over 10 teens have learned a trade and are now employed in the film industry.

Taylor has already written the script to his next movie. It, too, will have primary shooting location scattered throughout the Sacramento region. Taylor plans on employing close to 100 locals in various positions such as crew, catering, grips and extras.

The next step for the movie is post-production. Sound effects and voice-overs will be recorded before release. The movie is scheduled to be released late next year.

Dumbworld takes over

2009-10-11T05:36:35Z

"There's the normal world and then there's Dumbworld," according to filmmaker Jayson Woodward.

Hundreds of people came out to see unique art at the first Dumbworld Expo at the newly renovated Capitol Towers apartments.

All of the art, showing space, lighting, food, drinks, music, and entertainment were donated and dozens of people volunteered to work the expo.

"Sometimes I buy spray paint before I pay the bills," coordinator Mary Louise Picerno said.

The whole complex, which includes various restaurants that opened especially for the expo, participated. The restaurants, vacant stores, and top floor penthouse acted as galleries that held unique mixed media pieces as well as graffiti while original videos produced by Dumbworld Entertainment were projected in every room.

"Lumens lent us $5000 worth of lighting and the Art Institute decorated everthing," Picerno said

The show is an effort to bring awareness to all types of art in Sacramento

"Art is not for the elite," Picerno said. "We need to reach out to the community and unify our culture and say, 'Hey, we're here.'"

Among the oddities were people dressed as a big rabbit and robot walking around taking pictures with people.

"I saw it in the paper and my grandsons wanted to come and see the graffiti," attendee Sue Edelmayer said.

At 7:30 p.m. there was a fashion show and dance performance showcasing local dancers and break dancers.

According to CEO of Dumbworld Drew Hall, they will be having a new T.V. show on Cable Access channel 17 and 18 entitled "Chinese Math."

"We learn by doing," Hall said. "Anybody can be a part of the Dumbworld."

Sac Film & Music Fest: Sac Music Seen "Listening Party"

2009-04-17T23:39:42Z

The Sacramento Film & Music Festival is in its 10th season this year, and it's the 6th season for the innovative Sac Music Seen program which matches local bands/musicians and local filmmakers to make original music videos. In the past 5 years, approximately 115 music videos have been produced and screened at the Crest Theatre as part of the Festival's regular programming, making it one of the region's largest, collaborative arts programs, counting musicians, filmmakers, actors, crew, etc.

As a part of that process, each year, the Festival hosts a "Listening Party" for interested filmmakers to listen to music that has been submitted for consideration. This year approximately 25 bands have submitted music (some songs are still being submitted!) and that music will be played tomorrow, Saturday, April 18th at 1pm at the Art Institute of Sacramento, 2850 Gateway Oaks Drive, Sacramento CA (off I-5 & West El Camino).

Making a music video is a great way to either start out in fimmaking (because the soundtrack is already done!) or develop skills and production techniques if you are already an experienced filmmaker. If you'd like to be a part of this years program, or just help out another team of filmmakers, check out tomorrow's event.

For more information on the Festival, including deadlines and instructions for feature and short film submissions, visit www.sacfilm.com

(Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is a Co-Director of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival.)