If you’re going to remove the sound from a film, you’d better do it right. Not being able to hear what people are saying is very odd and kind of disconcerting, especially for a modern audience. Luckily for The Artist, there is a way to make it work, and work fantastically at that. The Artist opens during the late 1920’s, at the height of our star, silent film actor George Valentin’s (Jean Dujardin) career. He’s a loveable guy, instantly showing his charisma at a premier (evoking some shenanigans from Singin’ in the Rain) for one of his movies. After the premier he bumps into Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) a beautiful young dancer who soon falls in love with him. Unfortunately for George, hi

  Access Sacramento is excited to kick off PCS 2012, our thirteenth year, on this Thursday February 2nd at the wonderful Crocker Art Museum. If you would like an opportunity to see all 10 films on the big screen in the museum's theatre, now's your chance. It's a one night only event and rare chance to see all the films from 2011 together again. We hope to see you there!     The Crocker Art is pleased to present an encore screening of the 2011 "Place Called Sacramento" film festival. Friends of Access Sacramento, PCS filmmakers and fans are invited to celebrate, again, the 10 short films first premiered last October at the Crest Theatre.   Crocker Art Museum 216 O Street Thursday Fe

"A Place Called Sacramento" premieres ten new local short movies on the big screen at the Crest tomorrow at 1:00 PM. But be sure to arrive early (1) to avoid the long line that forms every year from folks arrivng at the last minute overwhelming the single box office and (2) "Cheap Therapy" with Charlie Holliday will perform a special improv comedy skit at 12:45 for those early arrivals. After the premiere, stay because the party is just getting started. The Crest Lobby will "jump n' jive" to the harmonizing of "Sister Swing" as the cast and crew from ten wonderful movies mingle and buzz with excitement and camraderie. This is the 12th year for this unique Sacramento based event. In 12 ye

For the twelfth year, Access Sacramento is planning the world premiere of “A Place Called Sacramento” (PCS), a scriptwriting and short film production project for local writers and producers. PCS challenges local scriptwriters to write ten-minute scripts about the people, places, and events that make our community such a unique place to live (submission guidelines on-line at www.AccessSacramento.org). Neighbors and friends will gather at the 2011 World Premiere at the CREST Theatre on Sunday October 2, 2011 at 1:00 PM. $10 (general seating) is a fundraiser for community media. Advanced ticket purchase is recommended at Tickets.com, the Crest Box Office, or the offices of Access Sacramento

Each day Access Sacramento's studio and office are filled with activity but this week has been particularly busy. Yes, T.D. Trice and Shane Carpenter continued to schedule television and radio programming 24/7. Yes, volunteers came and went with new programming and were busy with their focused production efforts. The phones continued to ring as Amy Lawrence signed up new members. Whew! Here's a snap-shot of a very busy day in the life of Access Sacramento - let the "name dropping" commence. Studio production was busy with Richard Langley renovating the small room and working with community producer Bob Crimmins on using the "green studio" for a new program in partnership with Senior Magaz

Celebrating our 25th year of incorporation, the nonprofit community media center Access Sacramento hosts the annual membership meeting Thursday June 16 7-8 PM . You are invited to attend the event in the television studio at the Coloma Community Center or just watch the event on cable TV channel 17 or streamed on the web site www.AccessSacramento.org to any computer in the world. The 15 member Board of Directors will offer highlights of the year past and look forward to another year of Hometown-TV events, Game of Week football and basketball, "Listen Up, Sacramento" local music, and arts and entertainment reporting weekly on "Livewire". Ten new films are in production in the 12th Annual "

“Cast & Crew Call” from ACCESS SACRAMENTO 2011 “A Place Called Sacramento” Film Project Wednesday May 18 from 6 – 9 PM “Make a Movie This Summer” -- All Are Invited For the Twelfth year, Access Sacramento launches “A Place Called Sacramento” (PCS), a scriptwriting and short film production project for local writers and producers. PCS challenges local scriptwriters to write ten-minute scripts about the people, places, and events that make our community such a unique place to live (details and past films on-line at www.AccessSacramento.org). Script evaluation and judging have been completed. Dozens of scripts have been reviewed by local professionals and ten have been selected for producti

Sign-up today for three, 4-hour workshop classes on writing “short form” film scripts. Polish your “Place Called Sacramento” entry or further your film script writing skills and practical knowledge. Limited enrollment - $50 Fee per session. Register in advance at Access Sacramento by calling (916) 456-8600 “0” with a credit card. Need not be an Access Sacramento member or Sacramento County resident to sign-up for this class. Sign-up early – class will fill fast. DEADLINE FOR PCS FILM SCRIPTS IS TUESDAY APRIL 12 AT 5:00 PM IN ACCESS SACRAMENTO OFFICE. For submission guidelines, go to: www.AccessSacramento.org Session #1 – Saturdays – February 19, 26, & March 510 AM-2:30 PM (30 minute lunc

The Sacramento Film and Music Festival’s Winterfest will bring 31 films to the Crest Theatre over three days. The festival, now in its 12th year, is returning to its roots as a small affair after growing to as long as 10 days in the past. The festival begins Jan. 15, “This is truly indie film,” said festival Co-Director Tony Sheppard. “Most of the indie films you can see in movie theaters aren’t truly indie. These ones are.” Winterfest is an all-genre, juried film festival with everything from a four-minute short film to feature-length works and documentaries. “Most of these are things people will never have the chance to see in Sacramento again,” said Co-Director and founder Nathan Sc

Hello- Recently I was watching the movie Burlesque starring Christina Aguilera and Cher and a legal issue was raised that piqued my curiosity. In the movie (spoiler alert!) Cher and Xtina are able to save the burlesque club from foreclosure by selling a nearby developer the "air rights" over the club so that the view for the developer's skyscraper will remain unimpeded. Is there such a thing as "air rights" for the space above a building and can one purchase them, or is this just an example of "movie magic"? Thanks, Becky A: Believe it or not, “air rights” are for real, and the deal you describe is entirely plausible. The owner of land generally owns not just a particular bit of the sur

A film crew has been shooting footage inside Naked Lounge, The Shady Lady and Clubhouse 56. The film, “Untitled,” is a collaboration between two Ink Eats & Drinks employees. Theater director Anthony D’Juan Shelton directed the film, and Celia Crain, co-wrote and co-produced it. Nanci Zoppi (New Helvetia Theatre’s “It’s Only Life,” “Tick, Tick…BOOM!” and “Hedwig and The Angry Inch” and “Graham-A-Rama”) plays Angelica De Grassi, a rising singer and the film’s main character. Zoppi and Shelton previously worked together for an Actor’s Theatre of Sacramento production of “Othello.” “Untitled” will be both Shelton’s and Zoppi’s film debut. Shleton said he wanted to make a film about a huma

Background Notes Harvey Milk was a leader in the gay rights movement who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. This made him the nation’s first openly gay man elected to public office in a major U.S. city. It was on November 27, 1978 when San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk were shot to death by a former city supervisor, Dan White, who had just recently resigned but changed his mind and wanted his seat back. This sent a shockwave throughout San Francisco, California, and throughout the nation when the major networks carried the story during the evening newscasts. On October 12, 2009, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the highly contro

"Touching Home" was a film that shouldn't have been made, claim identical twins Logan and Noah Miller, who wrote, directed and starred in the semi-autobiographical movie. But the aspiring filmmakers tend not to take "no" for an answer. The twins, who were raised in the Bay Area, had an alcoholic father who was homeless for the last 15 years of his life and died in jail. As depicted in the based-on-real-life The movie portrays how the twins kept each other strong and trained together to be college (Noah) and professional (Logan) baseball players. The film had its Sacramento premiere Friday night at the Crest Theatre in front of nearly 1,000 people. The Millers were joined on the red carpe

About 250 people showed up Thursday evening to meet astronaut and Sacramento native Stephen K. Robinson at the Sacramento premiere of IMAX film "Hubble 3D" at the Esquire IMAX Theatre. The film opens April 23.  It chronicles the 2009 Atlantis shuttle mission that repaired and upgraded the Hubble telescope. Leonardo DiCaprio narrates. "This event is exciting because it allows everybody to get a taste of what it's like to be in space, not just to be in space but to work in space," Robinson said. "And to do useful work, in this case, to upgrade the Hubble telescope. The Hubble has given us all eyes that we all wish we had. To see out into the universe, and when you look far out into the uni

Art met environmentalism Thursday at the Crest Theater when the first annual "Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival" made a one-night stop. This version of the "Wild and Scenic" is an extension of the original film festival that is in its eighth year in Nevada City. The event is sponsored by the South Yuba River Citizens League. The condensed festival in Sacramento also was sponsored by the S.O.S. Cranes, Habitat 2020, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) and several other local environmental activist groups. It was made possible by a grant from Patagonia as well as donations from other organizations, including Clif Bar, Tom's of Maine, Osprey Packs and Sierra Nevada Brewi

A group of Roseville filmmakers have made their dreams reality with an inspiring full-length film. No Parking is a beautiful story written by Seth Shore made into a full-length film directed by Hector Marquez. It premiered with great local acclaim that hopes to propel it to further success as a project that is much larger than the movie alone. Much like the movie’s tagline, “the ride is the destination”, the film is only the beginning of the overall drive for No Parking. Grief coerces Paul and Ray to embark on a high school dream they never entertained with action. An 11 day road trip in a ’73 Volkswagen Bus is impetus for revelation into the human heart at its rawest point; when ‘the da

Rodolfo Huerta, lucha libre wrestler and one of Mexico's most beloved film icons, is known as El Santo, or "The Saint." What's surprising though, is that the masked wrestler-cum-actor lived up to his exalted moniker on and off the screen. El Santo "saved" the Mexican film industry as it was on its deathbed, creating films that drew patrons back to the big screens, said Fred Dobb, film curator at La Raza Galeria Posada. When El Santo died in 1984 at the age of 66, thousands watched as the famous actor/wrestler was buried in his signature silver mask. For one week, starting Monday, La Raza Galeria Posada will show an El Santo film every night. The free series is sponsored by the Consulate

The Crest theatre brought back memories for one pair of Sacramentans Tuesday Night. Dick and Joanne Cossairt, both 76, were among hundreds on hand to celebrate the Crest's 60th anniversary with the screening of "That Midnight Kiss." "The new Crest marquee looks the same as when we were kids," Joanne Cossairt said. "They did an amazing job." The evening began around 6 p.m. with many in line at the concessions table for the 60th-anniversary special: ten packs of Smarties candy which were popular in the 1940s, soda and popcorn for $3. Then at 7 p.m., Crest manager Sid Heberger took to the stage to make a presentation. She thanked those who were there at the original screening and a young

If applause is any indication, those who attended Friday’s opening night of the Sacramento Music and Film festival at the Crest Theatre were far from disappointed. Mayor Kevin Johnson and directors Nate Schmel, Tony Sheppard and Laurie Peterson gave introductory speeches before the showing of the feature film, Sensored, to the delight of the near-sell-out crowd. Rousing ovations came between pauses of each speaker, who all repeatedly thanked the audience and everyone who was involved in all the preparation for the 10-day festival. Then came Sensored, which starred Robert Picardo and lived up to every bit of the hype surrounding it and the groundbreaking Red One ultra-high definition came

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the Sacramento Film and Music Festival opens its doors again Friday night at the Crest Theatre on 1013 K st. The 10-day event features films of all topics ranging from amateur to professional quality created by people from and outside the city of Sacramento. "It's not seen as a particular type of film festival, such as the gay and lesbian festival or the French festival," said Sid Heberger, manager of the Crest Theatre. "It encompasses all types of films and genres from horror to documentaries, to short films and features and competitions specifically for this festival." Founded in 2000 by current co-director Nate Schmel and now Los Angeles film edit