Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "movie"

The Artist

2012-02-03T21:15:35Z

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, his world is quickly turned upside down by the advent of sound in the motion picture industry. As he struggles and begins to lose his near perfect life, Peppy’s film career takes off. George must then find a way to put his life back together. But don’t worry it’s not as depressing as that sounds...

Like I said it’s not easy to sit through a whole movie with no sound but the phenomenal soundtrack by Ludovic Bource more than makes up for it. It’s wonderfully upbeat, like the music you hear when you walk down Main Street in Disneyland. It’s also jazzy at times, and quite bombastic at times. If it wins best soundtrack at the Oscars I won’t be surprised.

And while the soundtrack is wonderful, the actors are what sell the movie at the end of the day. Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo are incredibly charismatic as they smile, wink, and dance their way through the movie. I completely fell in love with Bérénice Bejo after watching this film. She has such a beautiful smile and wonderfully expressive eyes. She also evokes a sense of eternal joy and fun that permeates every scene she is in.

Dujardin looks like he’s the illegitimate love baby of Hank Azaria and Gene Kelly; and that’s a good thing. He, like his costar, has a great smile and is fantastic at delivering emotions through simple glances and looks. He’s also serious about his career as George, his hubris and his belief that “talkies” are not a serious form of art is communicated brilliantly by Dujardin.

Michel Hazanavicius’s direction is brilliant too. He uses a variety of intriguing shots throughout the film while also evoking the feel of an old silent movie. I especially liked a wide shot he used of an interesting set featuring staircases. Peppy leaves the scene going up the stairs to the next level (just as her career is beginning), while George walks down the stairs to a lower level (just as his career is beginning to die). How often do you see things like that in Pirates of the Caribbean or Transformers? Never.

It’s a rare thing to see a director who can tell a story so well using only the visual aspect of filmmaking when so many rely on expository dialogue too often. “We’re gonna to do this thing next because it will mean that that thing is happening because of this!” Show me! Don’t tell me.

Having seen The Artist I understand why it’s been nominated for so many awards. It’s a beautiful film that evokes the essence of the silent film era while also celebrating the magic of film as a whole. And despite being a silent film, the sheer charm of the leads and the fantastic soundtrack will win you over. 4 out of 5 stars.

Editor's note: "The Artist" is playing at various local cinemas, including Tower Theatre.

CROCKER ART MUSEUM & ACCESS SACRAMENTO present - "A Place Called Sacramento" - Thursday 6:30 PM

2012-01-31T06:28:49Z

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 February 2, 2012

Show starts at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $4 for Crocker Members

Advance tickets: Non-member $8.00 (online at crockerartmuseum.org or Admission Desk)

At the door: Non-members $10.00

"A Place Called Sacramento" (PCS), is the original, local scriptwriting and short film production project for local writers and producers. PCS challenges local scriptwriters, new and experienced, to write 10-minute scripts about the people, places, and events that make our community such a unique place to live (entry forms and submission guidelines are available online at www.AccessSacramento.org. The deadline for script submission is 5pm Tuesday April 10, 2012 in the Access Sacramento office. The Crocker screening serves as the official launch of the 13th annual "PCS" production process.

Want to know more about making a movie this summer? Do you have a good story but need to write a script? All scripts entered are reviewed by local professionals and 10 are selected. These 10 scriptwriter/producers are then introduced to volunteers, actors and technicians at The PCS "Cast and Crew Call" Wednesday, May 23, 2012. Production teams are formed and shooting - editing commences during the summer months. Finally, after weeks of hard work and great fun, friends gather at the World Premiere to a packed house at the CREST Theatre 1:00 PM on Sunday, October 7, 2012. All films are family friendly. The PCS production process is unique to Sacramento.

To view the films completed for the 2011 & previous PCS film festivals, go to the web site www.AccessSacramento.org. In the twelve years of PCS, over 119 short films have been created.

Access Sacramento is a nonprofit, community media organization building better communications between individuals and groups in Sacramento County for 25 years. With our TV studio, radio and television production equipment, media lab, and mobile production truck, we train and manage volunteers, programming cable radio and television channels 17 & 18.

CONTACT: Ron Cooper, Executive Director, Access Sacramento

4623 T Street, Suite A - Sacramento, CA. 95819

(916) 456-8600 ext. 112

Disclosure: Ron Cooper is Executive Director of Access Sacramento

Local Movies, Improv Comedy, and Swing Music at Crest Sunday 1:00 PM

2011-10-02T02:43:48Z

"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 years, 119 films have been completed. Bring the whloe family and enjoy our wonderful creative community. Artober begins at the Crest Sunday October 2 with "A Place Called Sacramento".

Ten Local Films - Sunday 1:00 PM Crest Theater - 12th "A Place Called Sacramento Film Festival

2011-09-27T08:52:05Z

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 during business hours.

Special highlights for the 2011 “Place Called Sacramento” Film Festival --

10 more films completed this year means in the 12 years of the event, 119 (out of 120) approved scripts have been completed and shown on the Crest big screen.
2011 featured our oldest filmmaker (78) - Burt Wilson "CSI Sacramento" and our youngest (9) Claire Elizabeth "The Chozen"
6 of the 10 films were written and produced by women and region-wide with films from West Sacramento, Cameron Park, Grass Valley, Fair Oaks, Carmichael, Davis, Citrus Heights, and Sacramento.
All films are volunteer created with only out of pocket expenses for incidentals and food.
"A Place Called Sacramento" is unique – local films created by volunteers and professionals.
Opening the PCS event at 12:45 will be a performance by "Cheap Therapy" - a local improv comedy team organized by SAG actor and local acting teacher Charlie Holiday.
Immediately following the showcase of the ten films, "Sister Swing" will perform in the Crest Lobby. They sing a modern up-tempo version of "Andrews Sisters-style" harmonies.
We will be visited once again by infamous Hollywood shark, the big fish director - Quentin Sacramento – the mascot of the festival.

To view the films completed for previous PCS film festivals, go to the web site www.AccessSacramento.org. Access Sacramento is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using community media to build better communications between individuals and groups in Sacramento County on cable radio and television channels 17 & 18.

CONTACT: Ron Cooper, Executive Director
Access Sacramento
4623 T Street, Suite A
Sacramento, CA. 95819
(916) 456-8600 #112
www.AccessSacramento.org

Disclosure: Ron Cooper is Executive Director of Access Sacramento

A Busy Day in the Life of Access Sacramento

2011-07-17T05:05:41Z

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 Magazine. He and Liz Harrison then welcomed public radio's "Insight " host, Jefferey Callison to read a chapter from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for the Sacramento Bee "One Book Project". Simultaneously in the large studio, volunteers from the local Republican party interviewed citizen tax advocate Ted Costa. Evening production in the big studio continued with two local musical artists, Parie Wood and also Zach MacLachlan, recording individual episodes of "Listen Up, Sacramento!" under the watchful eye of co-producers Michelle Barbaria and Erika Kjelstrom.

Production knowledge also kept us busy as training sessions and staff recordings were conducted in a variety of locations throughout the County. Monday night found T.D. helping record Roseville's park and recreation department public meeting in their City Council chambers. Carlos Hernandez and Liz Harrison worked Tuesday morning with Sacramento County Public Health personnel training on the use of Skype. Liz finished the afternoon training staff and youth at Asian Resources on the fundamentals of Neighborhood News video production. Steve Bourasa welcomed 7 students to the latest Digital Camera class to finish a long "training day".

Video editing sessions were productive as well. The Media Lab was busy with multiple volunteer projects. Bhim Kumar-Reyes recreated the opening for the Little Capital Miss Pageant recorded on-location last Saturday night and commenced editing on the two-day "Disability Summit" Conference recorded in partnership with the California State Department of Rehabilitation. Carlos H. finished the editing on five one-hour programs capturing the day-long entertainment provided at the recent Pacific Rim Festival.

Your truly was busy making recommendations on a national e-mail thread on how to improve the national "Hometown Video Awards" judging procedures while simultaneously completing the minutes for last week's successful Neighborhood News and Youth Media Task Force meeting. I finished the day in a meeting with other local film festival leaders, celebrating the publication of a new "rack card" promoting the year-round film festivals - including Access Sacramento's Twelfth Annual "A Place Called Sacramento" in October.

And the fun continues this morning as the "green studio" welcomed Carlos Alcala, Bee reporter, to the Tom Sawyer project. Richard and I are leaving shortly for a production site survey at Fairytale Town for an upcoming Hometown-TV shoot. Later today, we will have a new member orientation session with more than 30 participants immediately followed by a quarterly radio producers meeting to discuss future LPFM applications for community radio, "The Voice". Livewire will have special guests from the "Restitution Project" and celebrate another weekly episode in this long-running series (since 1992).

But as busy as we currently are, there is always room for you - join us and you too can "make a difference, one voice at a time."

Disclosure: Ron Cooper is Executive Director of Access Sacramento

Access Sacramento Annual Meeting - "LIVE" on Channel 17 Thursday at 7:00 PM

2011-06-15T05:07:07Z

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 "Place Called Sacramento" film project.

Learn more about the latest project - South Sacramento's five Neighborhood News Bureaus (NNB). To check out new online stories from underserved communities, go to www.AccessLocal.tv and join in the year-round training workshops.

Want to learn more? Tune-in and watch or call (916) 456-8600 ext.0

"Make a Movie" This Summer - Attend the "Cast & Crew Call" May 18 6-9 PM

2011-05-03T22:12:36Z

“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 production. Meet the ten scriptwriter/producers May 18 (Wednesday) at the “Cast & Crew Call”.

2011 “A Place Called Sacramento” Film Festival
Cast & Crew Call
May 18, 2011 - Wednesday
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Coloma Community Center Courtyard
4623 T Street
Sacramento, CA. 95819

All potential actors and production teams experienced and inexperienced are invited to attend. Ten production teams shall be formed and production continues on the films during the summer months. Finally, after weeks of hard work and great fun, friends gather at the CREST Theatre on Sunday October 2, 2011 for the World Premier of all ten films. The PCS production format is unique to Sacramento. In the previous eleven years, 109 films have been successfully created.

To view the films completed for the 2010 & previous PCS film festivals, go to the web site www.AccessSacramento.org. Access Sacramento is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using community media to build better communications between individuals and groups in Sacramento County.

CONTACT: Ron Cooper, Executive Director
4623 T Street, Suite A Sacramento, CA. 95819
(916) 456-8600 #112
Postmaster@AccessSacramento.org

Disclosure: Ron Cooper is the Executive Director for Access Sacramento.

ACCESS SACRAMENTO presents Short Form Script Writing Class with Screenwriter Matt Perry

2011-02-01T05:54:20Z

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 5
- 10 AM-2:30 PM (30 minute lunch break) Coloma Center
Session #2 – Saturdays – March 19, 26 & April 2
- 10 AM-2:30 PM (30 minute lunch break) Coloma Center

Biography
Matt Perry received an MFA in filmmaking from New York University’s graduate school of film and is the author of several screenplays. He teaches Screenwriting and Film Studies at the Art Institute of Sacramento and Cosumnes River College. He is a devotee of yoga, running and the mighty Michigan State Spartans.

Disclosure: Ron Cooper is Executive Director of Access Sacramento

12th annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival

2011-01-06T05:24:35Z

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 Schemel. “They’re independent films people have mortgaged their houses to make, or maybe they were really high-quality senior projects in college.”

All films will be shown on the big screen at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., which can seat up to 975 people.

In the past, the festival has spanned as many as 10 days, but Sheppard said it got cumbersome and didn’t allow organizers to have the close contact with the filmmakers they strive for.

This year’s three-day event allows that, he said. The shorter event allows more interaction with the filmmakers.

He added that the festival “has a large diversity of programming, and there is something for everyone.”

New this year is the emphasis on social justice documentaries on Jan. 17 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“We have a reputation for bringing strong political documentaries,” Sheppard said. “We get a disproportionate number of them submitted to us, so we end up having some very strong content.”

One of the documentaries, “Sowing the Seeds of Justice,” has a local connection.

The film follows Cruz Reynoso, who was the first Hispanic justice on the California Supreme Court and is now a professor at the University of California, Davis.

“He was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown the first time around,” Sheppard said, “and we do expect that Justice Reynoso will at the screening.”

Another film with local connections is “Death or Taxes: The Sad Truth Aout our American Taxation System,” which documents the lives of people seemingly targeted by IRS agents.

“It was made by a Sacramento-based production company (SIMZ Productions), and it looks at the actions of rogue IRS agents who go after people with large back tax bills,” Sheppard said. “It doesn’t try to suggest that the IRS is evil, though.”

Fictional feature-length films are scheduled for the nights of Jan. 15 and 16.

“Boy Wonder” will show at 8 p.m. Jan. 15 and tells a story about a high-school senior who witnessed his mother’s murder at age 5 and has spent the intervening 12 years planning his vengeance.

“He ends up becoming a straight-A student by day and a vigilante by night,” Sheppard said. “It has some elements of comic book and graphic novel in it.”

The festival includes films from nine countries. The Jan. 16 evening feature comes from Italy.

“It’s called Febbre de Fieno, which means ‘hayfever,’ ” Sheppard said. “It’s a lighter, bubblier romantic comedy. It’s a fun, neat, well-done movie about a group of people who work in a store selling ’70s and ‘80s vintage memorabilia.”

The film is sponsored by Hot Italian, and Andrea Lepore, the restaurant’s creative director and development partner, said she is excited to be able to bring an Italian film to the festival this year.

“We like to be associated with modern Italy and support the local arts,” Lepore said. “We’re just excited that there’s a great film festival industry in Sacramento.”

Tickets are $10 per screening, and passes to the whole festival can be purchased for $30. Students can get discount passes to the whole program for $20.

Tickets can be purchased at the Crest Theatre box office or online at tickets.com, but Sheppard said discounts are only available at the theater.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Images one through three are stills from "Boy Wonder," "Sowing the Seeds of Justice" and"Febbre de Fieno." Image four by Brandon Darnell.

Ask the County Law Librarian — Air Rights

2010-12-11T20:42:17Z

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 surface of the Earth, but the ground beneath it and the air above it, too. Your neighbor can’t drill sideways into your yard for oil; likewise, he can’t build a deck that hangs over the yard.

Back in the olden days, a land owner owned everything on his plot of land, from the center of the Earth to the outer reaches of the universe. As the English common law classic Blackstone's Commentaries put it, “Land hath also, in its legal signification, an indefinite extent, upwards as well as downwards.” This infinite ownership caused no real problems, since no one could actually get up all that that high, but that changed when airplanes were invented. Technically, airplanes were trespassing whenever they flew above land without permission, regardless of how high they flew.

In United States v. Causby 328 U.S. 256 (1946), the Supreme Court noted that “It is ancient doctrine that at common law ownership of the land extended to the periphery of the universe… [b]ut that doctrine has no place in the modern world.” Instead, the Court ruled that land owners own only the airspace they can “reasonably use,” and that the airspace above that is a public highway.

So, airspace isn’t infinite, but it can be very valuable in the right circumstances. In some places (mostly dense cities), there is a thriving market for air rights. For instance, railroads frequently sell air rights above their tracks, so that people can build on platforms above them. Owners of buildings that use solar energy may purchase air rights from their neighbors to preserve their access to the sun. These are perfectly valid sales; if the railroad or neighbor ever sells its land, the new owners have no rights to the airspace.

I haven’t seen Burlesque, but it sounds like the club found a creative solution to raise money out of “thin air.” The low-rise burlesque club has no use for its air space, while the neighboring developer wants to prevent any future high-rise buildings on the club site. The neighbor now literally owns the air space above the club, guaranteeing that no one can ever build a building tall enough to block the view.

Do you have a question for the County Law Librarian? Just email sacpress@saclaw.org. If your question is selected your answer will appear in next Thursday's column. Even if your question isn't selected, though, I will still respond within two weeks.

Coral Henning, Director
@coralh & @saclawlibrarian
www.saclaw.org

Midtown Film Project Wraps Up

2010-09-01T00:52:39Z

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 human journey.

“It’s about a total breakdown and rebuilding,” Shelton said. “Bad things happen, but good can come from it.”

While filmed in Sacramento, Shelton said the story’s location is undisclosed within the film, and he likes it that way because it makes the film more relatable.

“Someone in any city could watch it and not think it was Sacramento,” he said.

Crain said both she and Shelton are huge fans of music, which influenced their creative process. Included in the film is an original song adapted from a poem written by Crain.

Film is a new medium for Crain as well. Most of her experience comes from stage dancing. Crain said she has danced for Disney, the Los Angeles Fringe Festival, and the Key Club Choreographer's Ball.

The film is in the editing stage, and the creators plan to show the film at Ink Eats and Drinks on 28th and N streets in about a month.

Here are some behind-the-scenes videos of the making of "Untitled":

Anthony D'Juan behind the scenes of "Untitled"

Anthony D'Juan directs and films "Untitled"

Complete Guide to Harvey Milk Day Events in Sacramento

2010-05-15T20:33:51Z

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 controversial bill (S.B. 572) establishing “Harvey Milk Day” to take place each May 22nd, Milk’s birthday. This makes the slain gay civil rights activist only the second person in state history – in addition to conservationist John Muir – to gain such a designation. The signing came on the heals of President Obama awarding Harvey Milk posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom last August.

Though Harvey Milk Day is not a state holiday, the measure encourages schools to conduct lessons “remembering the life of Harvey Milk, recognizing his accomplishments and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to the state.”

Saturday, May 22, 2010 will be the first Harvey Milk Day and Equality Action Now, an all-volunteer; grassroots civil rights organization took the lead in organizing events for Sacramento. In the past, the organization hosted several large rallies at the State Capitol protesting Prop 8, the same-sex marriage bill that passed in 2008 and upheld by the State Supreme Court in 2009.

EAN leadership wanted to make sure the city wasn’t left out in providing fun, educational, and affordable events that is all-inclusive to celebrate the life and legacy of Harvey Milk. With the help of their sponsors, Badlands, Outword Magazine, Uptown Studios, Great America, California Faith for Equality, Sacramento PFLAG, Red Bull USA, Stephan’s Auto Haus, Rainbow Chamber, Sacramento International Gay Lesbian Film Festival, Equality California, B’nai Israel, A Chorus Line, and Depot, it seems they have been successful.

“Milk and Cookies” at the Crest Theater – May 19, 2010 – K Street, between 10th and 11th Streets

This special evening at the Crest Theater begins at 6:00pm with a VIP Reception. Equality Action Now invites everyone to become a VIP. Enjoy complementary wine and cookies as well as the opportunity to converse with other Harvey Milk admirers. Special guests will include Sen. Mark Leno, sponsor of SB 582, making Harvey Milk Day a “special day of significance”, and the first out gay man to be elected to the State Senate. You will also have the opportunity to speak to Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, formally a personal friend of Harvey Milk. Also, in the movie, Milk, actor Emil Hirsch played a young collage student who was befriended by Milk and was recruited to work in his Castro Street election office. That young man, Cleve Jones became a powerful AIDS and LGBT and civil rights activist. Participation in the VIP Reception will allow you to personally meet Cleve.

Beginning at 7:00pm the Crest Theater doors will open and participants will move to the main theater for a fun and educational Harvey Milk Panel Discussion. This event will start off with a performance by the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus and “Spoken Word” artists, Jovi Radtke and C. Foster. Mark Leno, Tom Ammiano, and Cleve Jones will then speak about the life and legacy of Harvey Milk.

Beginning at 8:00pm Equality Action Now will present the screening of Gus Van Sant’s biopic movie, Milk, starring Academy Award winning actor, Sean Penn. This special one-time screening should be a highly educational event for those who didn’t see the movie the first time around and an exciting evening for those seeing it again on the big screen with a theater full of Harvey Milk admirers.

The cost of the VIP Reception, which includes the panel Discussion and special screening, is $30. Cost of attending the Panel Discussion and the movie Milk is $10. Tickets are available at Tickets.com or at the door.

NOTE: Both the Panel Discussion and movie, Milk is rated “R” – Panel Discussion entertainment for language and Milk for language, some sexual content, and brief violence. No one under the age of 17 will be admitted without Parental or Guardian permission.

Harvey Milk Day Rally and March – Saturday, May 22, 2010 – California State Capitol – West Steps – 4-6pm

Equality Action Now is happy to host this free, family-friendly event at the State Capitol on Harvey Milk’s 80th birthday. Participants will, many for the first time, experience a rally much like Harvey Milk organized in the late 1970’s. Voices from the past, present, and future are the main themes and speakers representing each will speak to the meaning Harvey Milk has for them personally.

Highlighting the entertainment portion of this event will be the traveling cast of Broadway’s A Chorus Line straight from their run at the Sacramento Community Theatre May 19-23. Cast members will perform a musical number from A Chorus Line’s, “What I Did for Love”. Additional entertainers will include Irina Rivkin, Outmusic Awards Recipient, Small Differences Woman’s Choral Ensemble, and local artists Cooper Rae, Jovi Ratke and C. Foster.

The final speaker, introduced by a young activist, will be Harvey Milk himself (Eric Baldwin) reciting excerpts from two of his inspirational and historic speeches including the highly emotional “Hope” speech. This portion of the rally will take participants back to what was going on in the late ‘70’s but is highly relevant to today and the issues many Americans still face today. At the end of his speech, Tina Reynolds, co-founder of Equality Action Now and Harvey Milk will lead participants in a march around the Capitol Building.

For this event, there will be a special children’s section close to the front so they can easily see and hear the event unfolding before them. Activities for the children will be provided. Organizers hope students of all ages have the opportunity be a part of this historic event.

Open House at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center – May 22, 2010 - 1927 L Street, Midtown Sacramento – 6-8pm

After the Rally and March the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center will hold an Open House. Sponsored by Congregation B’nai Israel, an exhibit about Harvey Milk’s early cultural and religious life will be on display. The new Executive Director, Wendy Rae Hill and her staff will be available to speak about the current services the Center provides the community and her vision of how it can expand to be even more relevant to Sacramento and the surrounding areas it serves. This will be a great time for visitors during the Open House to learn about California’s Pride Festival here in Sacramento, volunteering opportunities and how to become a member of the Center.

Harvey Milk Day After-Party Activities – May 22, 2010 - Midtown – K Street and 21st Streets – 6-10pm

After the Rally and visiting the Gay and Lesbian Center, choose a favorite visit the Badlands or barhop to the beat of music filling the streets in celebration of California’s first Harvey Milk Day. Equality Action Now volunteers will be at the door of Badlands, Depot and Headhunters asking for donations to help cover the cost of the events.

For more information about Harvey Milk Day Events here in Sacramento visit www.EqualityActionNow.org, email info@equalityactionnow.org or call (916) 446-1082.

'Touching Home' playing at The Crest

2010-05-03T04:50:38Z

"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 carpet by co-star Ed Harris, producer and Sacramento developer Brian Vail, and Mayor Kevin Johnson, who introduced the film.

The brothers are hard to tell apart at times. They finish each other's sentences and stories.

"It doesn't matter really (who is who)," they said in response to a question from a fan after the movie. They might have meant that they've been through so much together that they're pretty much the same person.

They essentially play themselves in the film, giving viewers a glimpse of their strongest differences in how they react to adversity. Noah's character, Clint Winston, appears more laidback and thoughtful, while Logan, Lane Winston, is stubborn, headstrong and emotional when they're both cut from their respective baseball teams on the same day.

The Millers were physically and emotionally powerful in their acting debuts. The scenes in which they played baseball were realistic. Shots of the Bay Area, especially the nature surrounding Marin County, were especially beautiful.

The audience cheered as the opening credits rolled, the loudest for the Millers, Harris and Vail.

Harris plays Charlie Winston -- based on the twins' father, Daniel Miller -- with passion and fearlessness. He's a troubled man who can't overcome his alcoholism, yet teaches his sons about unconditional love.

It was while their father was in jail that the brothers first joked they would have Ed Harris play him. All three respected the actor and agreed that he resembled Daniel Miller.

When their father died in jail, the brothers didn't have a chance to say goodbye, so they visited his body in the morgue and promised that they'd make the film as a way to say goodbye.

They tracked down Harris in a San Francisco alley and pitched their movie. "They asked me if I would play their dad and they said I was the only guy to do it for them, and that was kind of interesting to hear," Harris said in a question-and-answer session after the film. "One thing led to another and they wouldn't let me say no."

Despite this being the twins' first screenplay, and the fact that they had no training in film-making, Harris called them nine days later and agreed to be in the movie. Still, the Millers had no funding and few Hollywood contacts.

Enter Vail.

"Brian pretty much wrote us the ($2 million) check and let us run with it," said Noah Miller, which elicited cheers from the audience.

"Touching Home" plays at the Crest Theatre through Thursday, at 5:15 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $6.50-$9 and available at the Crest Theatre box office, 1013 K St.

Local Astronaut Promotes Launch of IMAX'S "Hubble 3D"

2010-04-10T05:44:21Z

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 universe it's like looking back in time because that light is very old. So, here's the space and time machine that is Hubble, and everybody gets a chance to go work on it in this movie."

Robinson answered questions and narrated a slideshow about his space mission in February aboard the shuttle Endeavour.

The purpose of the mission was to construct the final permanent modules of the International Space Station. They included a life-support hub called Tranquility that contained exercise, water recycling and environmental control systems. Robinson directed three spacewalks from inside Endeavour and was chief mechanic in preparing Tranquility.

After his presentation and a question-and-answer session, the audience members donned their 3D glasses.

The film documented the history of Hubble, life on the shuttle, preparation of crew members and their spacewalks. Sounds of awe were heard when Hubble's photographs came on the screen.

Seven astronauts aboard Atlantis worked to extend the lifespan of the 20-year-old telescope. Two instruments were installed, and two others received new batteries and gyroscopes. New thermal insulation panels were attached to protect Hubble from the intense temperature changes in space. It is hoped that the work will extend Hubble's life to at least 2014.

The two new instruments included a camera that allows Hubble to photograph in ultraviolet and infrared spectrums.

"It was awesome," audience member Ellen Savage said of the film. "What I liked best was seeing the image of the astronauts on the spacewalk and repairing the Hubble. As a kid you imagine what it must feel like, but to actually see their perspective looking up at the Hubble and down at the Earth is amazing."

Hubble's images illustrated the immensity of space, from the deep reaches of neighboring galaxies back to planet Earth.

"I think if you're really curious about getting some perspective on our Earth itself, all this talk about global warming and all these things going wrong, it really gives you a sense of respect for what we have," said IMAX's Heather Atherton. "And it's so unique and so special that we really do need to preserve it. All these space films always brings that message home, that this is a really precious resource and we're unique, and if we don't take care of it, who knows what will happen? Seeing all of that out there, well, we don't know what's out there, but we know what we have here."

The Hubble was launched in 1990. It took more than 10 years and 10,000 people to build it, according to the film. It travels 320 miles above Earth at a rate of 17,500 miles per hour. The film documents the fifth and final servicing mission. The first, and probably most famous, occurred in 1993 when it was discovered that the telescope's primary mirror was not shaped correctly.

Doug Link, senior consultant of theater resources and marketing and operations, said that IMAX has a history of working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"We have a history of space films and a great relationship with NASA. When we came out with 'Space Station 3D' in 2002, NASA was very good about providing astronauts to come out and talk about the film," Link said. "We had 'Magnificent Desolation' and Steve Robinson at that point had already done his big famous spacewalk, and we knew he was from Sacramento. So we called NASA and requested him. He jumped on it and came out and helped us promote and launch the film."

Three space films are in the Esquire IMAX Theatre's library, but Link states that "Hubble 3D" is completely different:

"We've had films about the space shuttles, we've had films about the space station, we've had films about the moon, but this one is about the Hubble space telescope. It's also about what the telescope is seeing. People have seen some of the nebula images on TV or on their computer, but the thing about the IMAX screen is the detail and how immersing it is. It's going to be like being in those nebulas because there's a significant portion of the film that's showing the pictures Hubble has taken. Those are high definition photos and it'll transfer very uniquely onto the IMAX screen in 3D."

Robinson signed autographs after the film.

"I thought the movie was inspiring," he said. "I learned a whole lot about the reaches of the universe. I did not know that the Hubble could look far to the edges of the universe, or as far as we know, at least. It's like looking back in time. Who doesn't want to do that?"

When asked what the greatest thing the audience may take away from this film was, Robinson replied:

"Faith in humanity and what we all can do. Those people that you see in those movies, I know them, they're regular people. They're very fortunate people, very hardworking, rather stubborn people. But they're like you and I. It just goes to show that as audacious an idea it is for humans to go up into space, to go outside, and fix and repair a very delicate telescope with their hands, as crazy as that sounds, it takes regular people like us with our motivation and our intelligence and our curiosity and our irrepressible spirit to actually do things like that. And I think when people walk out of the theater, they'll have more of a feeling like that. I want them to think that it's not those guys, it's us."

The G-rated 43-minute film will run through the summer, according to Link.
Tickets are $10 general admission, $9 for seniors and $8 for children 12 years old and younger. Active military members receive a $2 discount.
Esquire IMAX Theatre is at 1211 K St.. (916) 443-IMAX.
For more information, visit here.

Photos:

1) "Hubble 3D" poster details

2) The Esquire IMAX Theatre located at 1211 K St.

3) "Hubble 3D" poster

4) Astronaut Stephen K. Robinson

5) Robinson being interviewed before the premiere

The Crest Goes Wild and Scenic

2010-02-06T04:27:25Z

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 Brewing Company.

The event benefited the California Heartland Project, a program that targets conservation and preservation of the biological diversity of the Sacramento Valley.

Eleven films were chosen from the original 120 film, three-day festival in Nevada City. The films ranged in length from 3 minutes to more than an hour. The topics of discussion covered everything from climate change and grassroots activism to natural beauty and generational problems.

"We tried to select films with local appeal," said Matthew Baker, habitat director of ECOS. "This is a pretty exciting night."

The master of ceremonies, Koula Gianulias of Channel 13 News, kept the evening flowing with commentary.

The longest film, "A Sea Change" by Barbara Ettinger, told the story of a man and his grandson on a quest of knowledge about acid levels in the ocean. Just as impressive as the knowledge they gained was the bond they built.

Each film had a touch of artistic flare or humor, but the serious nature of the matter resounded. We face serious environmental issues today, and amassing knowledge at events like these may be our only hope for a future. I have never experienced people so eager to share ideas with strangers as at the "Wild and Scenic Film Festival."

For more information on the largest environmental film festival in the United States, see www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org.

Roseville Filmmakers Just May Change Your Life

2010-01-07T17:21:04Z

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 darkness takes all the good memories’ and all the cheer-up clichés are stripped away. The journey relieves a sense of hopelessness thru goading discussion and sometimes the frank challenge of a friend.

No Parking was filmed in majority on the road. The actors and crew traversed the California countryside in a caravan led by the film's true star, a cherry red VW Bus affectionately dubbed ‘Lucille’. In a testament to tenacity of entire project, Lucile would be the only vehicle not to experience mechanical trouble the entirety of the trip.

The film quality is not as strong as its commanding story, but as a stepping-stone to the overarching project, No Parking is an outrageously promising dream you cannot help but cheer-on to reality. At present it is a gripping story accompanying a breath-taking film montage of the state of California, but its future is one without time.

Marquez says the next step is to finish the "final cut" and discover an agent to represent the film for domestic and foreign theatrical release.

“Fox Family Home Entertainment has extended a domestic DVD release offer for retail release (Target, Wal-mart, Best Buy, etc.), and rental licensing (Blockbuster, Amazon, Netflix, etc.)!”

The greater goal is for as many people as possible to be able to see the story. Marquez adds, “If it makes a difference in their experience of life, then pass it on!”

Keep an eye on their journey, but do not stop there. Join the journey at noparkingmovie.com or follow them on twitter @noparkingmovie

A week of "El Santo" films at La Raza Galeria Posada

2009-10-26T07:12:08Z

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 General of Mexico.

El Santo was a poor child and sacrificed to get into wrestling, Dobb said. After his career took off, he was turned into a comic book hero, then became a film superstar.

Dobb described the familiar plot of El Santo's 50-plus films: The good guy, El Santo would fight a number of enemies, which included monsters, vampires, werewolves, martians, evil geniuses and Nazis.

"These films are unique in that they combine genres (such as) sci-fi, horror, action, adventure and wrestling," Dobb added. "His first film was in the early '50s, during the end of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema."

"Lucha libre is next to soccer and before bullfighting (in significance) in the cultural psyche of Mexico," said Michael Collett, the gallery's education manager and photographer. "It has elements of prime-time soap operas and WWF."

Although entry, popcorn, beer and wine are free, donations are welcome. Films begin at 7 p.m. at La Raza Galeria Posada, 1022 22nd St. On Thursday, Dobb will speak about El Santo's life and legacy.

The films are:

Monday: Anónimo Mortal (Anonymous Mortal), not subtitled

Tuesday: Santo y Blue Demon en la Atlántida (Santo and Blue Demon in Atlantis), subtitled

Wednesday: Santo vs. Las Lobas (Good vs. The Wolf), subtitled

Thursday: Santo en el Museo de Cera (Ghost in the Wax Museum), subtitled

Friday: Santo y Blue Demon vs. Los Monstruos (Santo and Blue Demon vs. The Monsters), not subtitled

If that's not enough lucha libre films, on Halloween the gallery will show Revolucha, a 2007 documentary about a lucha libre match in Detroit. It stars El Hijo del Santo, the only one of El Santo's 11 children who became a professional wrestler. Costumes are suggested.

'That Midnight Kiss' lights up the Crest's 60th anniversary celebration

2009-10-08T03:09:57Z

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 couple celebrating their second wedding anniversary. As they all stood up, they were congratulated with a round of applause.

After the film, people of all ages, wearing fedoras, three-piece suits and vintages dresses, mingled in the lobby while eating cake provided by the Village Cake Shoppe. Others stood outside to look at the bright new marquee.

"It's beautiful that the Crest is being preserved, and we should not forget about (old) times," said Bob Herron, a 42-year-old downtown resident. He comes to the Crest regularly, he said, and recalled attending punk concerts there in the 1980s.

"I'm glad the city put money into the marquee instead of knocking it down and building another Parygary's or sushi or froyo," said Patrick Skiffington, a New Era Park resident. The 33-year-old is a washboard and kazoo player for the jazz duo Freebadge Serenaders.

"The Crest is cool, having to pay (only) 60 cents (for a movie) is even cooler and I think it's really cool that they showed the original film," Skiffington added.

"It was a fun movie, but cheesy," said Liz Sivell, 23, from Oak Park. Sivell said she had been hanging around at the Crest for a while, and she regularly helps out with the Trash Film Orgy, so it was just a typical night out.

"Watching the movie for a second time, you hear different things," Dick Coassairt said.

"We laughed a lot more this time," his wife added. They both saw the film the first week it opened at the Crest, but they didn't go together, she said.

In fact, Joanne turned town Dick when he asked her out on a date nearly 60 years ago, in high school. They eventually went their separate ways and both were married to other people.

Dick became a widower first when his wife died, and then Joanne was widowed when her husband passed away in 1993. Both Grant High School alumni, class of '51, the pair were reunited at their 55th high school reunion in 2006.

They were married on May 30th of this year and live together in Citrus Heights.

Several weeks ago, the recently-wed couple read a story about the Crest marquee being relit. When they saw the theater would screen "That Midnight Kiss" for its 60th anniversary celebration, they realized they both saw the movie 60 years ago.

"(The film) brings back a lot of memories," Joanne said. "I used to listen to (Mario Lanza) and do my homework."

"We used to cruise K Street," Dick added. "We would go to Stan's Drive-In down the street."

"The Crest used to be the tallest building on K Street, but now it's the shortest," Joanne said. "We would never come downtown without hats, dresses and gloves. It felt like we were kids again."

Opening night a success at Sac Film and Musical Festival

2009-07-26T03:22:03Z

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 camera used to film it. Said to contain four times the resolution of a standard high definition lens, the picture was as sharp and clean as any that’s graced Hollywood’s bright lights, despite the film’s limited budget.

Directed by amateur filmmaker and local product, Ryan Todd, the film told the story of a disturbed children’s book author, Wade Mixon (Picardo), whose solitary life caused dark thoughts and a miserable existence.

Throughout the movie, Mixon struggles to find answers in a troubled world, one that’s scarred his inner-self since his childhood, where his father left him and other traumatic experiences followed suit.

The director and main cast stayed for a question-and-answer period, followed by an after party at the Cosmo Café across the street.

There are still eight days left of events, which are detailed in a previous article here. Tickets for each event can be purchased on-site at the Crest Theatre. More information on ticket prices and further festival information is posted on the event's website, sacfilm.com.

Sac Film and Music Festival turns 10

2009-07-21T03:32:49Z

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 editor Evald Johnson, the festival’s creation was originally only two students at Cal State Northridge wanting to provide their hometown with a broad music and film festival. Although it wasn't easy, both men committed to the project and spared no expense in the process, costing them more than they had bargained for going in.

"After a couple years of going to college together, we got a couple projects to show up in Sacramento because we were both from here," Schmel said. "So we decided to put together a festival of music and film, and that's how we started it. We probably lost about $25,000 the first year because we did two theaters at the Crest and we had paid for some bigger bands to come from Los Angeles, and we lost a lot of money on that. That was a very steep learning curve for us."

The two men then decided to provide a more community-based product in the festival's second go-round, with production costs much more manageable for the event than before, but still in the negative. Although the festival was a success, Johnson decided to head a different direction the following year and began working in Los Angeles editing reality shows, leaving a void in event planning and directing that Schmel needed to fill in order to keep the show going.

"It was the third year that Tony (Sheppard) and Laurie (Pederson) began to step in and be other co-directors of the festival," Schmel said. "Since that third year, we've been able to break even. We don't make a lot of money doing the festival, but we don't lose any, either. The goal's to show a bunch of really good films in town and to highlight ones you might not see at other places. They're talented filmmakers, and they deserve some coverage."

Once the festival's staff and recognition began to expand in its fourth year, Schmel was able to work with Sheppard and Pederson to create many unique programs that helped define the annual festival's identity. Expectations began to form in the attending public's eyes as more interactive programs were formulated to further engage the community, something Heberger said added a new element to the event.

"They've really done a great job creating community and national partnerships to strengthen the festival," Heberger said. "Programs like the 10x10, Filmmaker Challenge, Sac Music Seen and the opening night local film have really contributed a lot to the experience."

Suggested and instituted by Sheppard and now one of the most anticipated features of the festival, the 10X10 program gives anyone the opportunity to create a 10-minute film in the span of 10 days. This extremely limited time period allows participants to rely on creativity and teamwork to deliver the best product possible by deadline, with awards given for the best films the day they're presented. To read a previous article about the 10X10 competition, click here.

There are very few constraints outside of the allotted time, something that Sheppard said has made for some very interesting productions over the years.

"We had one mythical film that we couldn't play because the content was so extreme that I cannot begin to describe it," Sheppard said. "And this year, for the first time, we actually had someone shoot a documentary. So there's always something that comes along that's a little bit different."

Film Festival Lineup

Opening this year's festival on Friday night is a ticketed reception catered by Rubio's restaurant, partnered with opening remarks and presentation of the 2009 Film Arts Service Award. Capping the night off is a screening of the local film "Sensored," starring Robert Picardo, which was filmed entirely on the revolutionary Red One ultra-high definition digital camera that Sheppard said "...not even Hollywood is using yet". Following the film will be an after party for the cast and crew at the nearby Cosmo Cafe.

Saturday's festivities begin with a locally produced film called "Rivers of a Lost Coast," a documentary about the diminishing steelhead fishing culture in Northern California. Also screening is "Running of the Sahara" and a biographical documentary on the life of blues musician Floyd Lee. The night ends with one of the most anticipated annual events, the Sac Music Seen music video program, where local bands and filmmakers combine their efforts to create music videos specifically for the festival.

"It's one of the most unique programs out there," Heberger said."Having local filmmakers and bands to work together to make music videos has been a great experience for them and the people watching them."

On Sunday, the spotlight will revolve around an international showcasing of world short films and a feature film from India. Closing the day will be Friends (With Benefits), a love story surrounding the sexual relationships that form between six close friends.

Monday kicks off with a documentary about straight and gay marriages entitled "Inlaws and Outlaws." Following the film is a concert of songs specifically for the festival on the Crest's main stage.

The headline event on Tuesday is a film focusing on justice and injustice within California, coupled with a personal testimony by a woman who suffered years of extreme abuse before retaliating by murdering her husband. "Do As I Say," a local documentary that cites examples of politicians who say one thing and do another, will finish the evening's festivities.

Wednesday will focus on films and shorts produced specifically from Northern California, followed by the feature film, “Nightbeats.” In conjunction with the Parlare Eurolounge, all proceeds for the evening will go to the Capital Film Arts Alliance.

Thursday’s films and shorts will all be presented by students from the Art Institute of California.

Friday's schedule will consist of an exclusive sneak preview screening of "Paper Heart," starring Charlene Yi and Michael Cera, a story of elusive love. The feature movie, "Boppin' at the Glue Factory," and other short films round out the night's showings.

On Saturday, those who missed "Rivers of a Lost Coast" will get a second opportunity to see the documentary. Other documentaries and shorts will follow the second showing, followed by the much-anticipated 10X10 Filmmaker Challenge projects. The 10-minute clip presentations will be followed by a question and answer period with the makers of the films, something that Sheppard said always provides a little entertainment.

“Sometimes we show things a little rough around the edges because it's on a budget,” Sheppard said. "And some people in the audience are like, 'Oh my God, what do we have to do to be sure that this wins the best documentary academy award, because this is the greatest film we've seen.' It’s always interesting to see how the crowd responds to all the films.”

Wrapping up the festival on Sunday is “The Power of the Powerless,” a documentary concerning the rise and fall of communism in eastern Europe, particularly in Czechoslovakia. More short films will also be presented, with a recap of the best moments from the last 10 years as the finale of the 10-day festivities, along with an awards ceremony. There will also be an after party at Parlare on 1009 10th st. to close out the night.

More information regarding times and prices of all events spanning the 10-day festival can be found at sacfilm.com

What's happening at the Capitol: July 15, 16, 17

2009-07-15T03:46:20Z

Wednesday, July 15

9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. A "green information fair" will be held on the west steps of the Capitol. About 200 people are expected to participate.

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Department of Corporations will be holding a staff appreciation lunch near the fish pond. About 100 people are expected to gather for the lunch.

Thursday, July 16

8 a.m.-10 p.m. Filming for a movie entitled Power and Pride, starring Stephen Baldwin, will be taking place on the west steps of the Capitol. The film is about a Senator named David Fletcher who rapidly ascends in power while risking his family, faith and personal values. Approximately 50 people are expected to attend.

5-9 p.m. A monthly "Food for Thought" event will be held near the Capitol in the California History Room, at 900 N St., Room 200. The event includes a film screening, refreshments and a post-film discussion. This month's film is Apollo 13. About 80 people are expected.

Friday, July 17

No events planned on this day.

California Steelhead Documentary to play at Sac Film Festival

2009-07-13T22:11:44Z

60 years ago, Land Park resident Walt Bennett, was a die-hard steelhead fly fisherman, something that doesn’t sound very impressive until you’ve seen the new documentary film Rivers of a Lost Coast. From the 1940s to the early 80s California’s remote north coast was host to a culture of consumed anglers that mirrored the dedication and passion of Hawaii’s earliest big wave surfing pioneers. Complete with a cast of superbly talented anglers, egos-to-boot and a camaraderie that resembles an armed forces unit, Walt Bennett will tell you California’s north coast fly fishing community was something else in its day. Local filmmakers Justin Coupe and Palmer Taylor spent 4-years producing a documentary that attempts to prove exactly what Bennett claims.

The feature-length documentary which first premiered in San Francisco has played in 19 cities across the West Coast including two sold-out showings at Sacramento’s Crest in late April. On this past Tuesday, the filmmakers were honored with a special commendation from the Placer County Board of Supervisors for their work preserving “an important fabric of California’s history.” The film and filmmakers will be present at screenings of the film at this year’s Sacramento Film and Music Festival beginning later this month. Rivers of a Lost Coast will be playing at 11am on Saturday July 25th and again at 11am on Saturday August 1st.

2nd Saturday weekend doesn't disappoint

2009-07-09T21:14:51Z

Ahhh, yes, it's that time of the month again folks. Second Saturday weekend that is! Although there are great things going on all month long throughout Sacramento, many locals will argue that the second weekend of the month in Sacramento is their favorite time to venture out on the town. In addition to the Art Walk on Saturday, this weekend has a plethora of cool things to check out. And for Sactown, mid-July is looking to bring us some relatively mild weather to boot! Take a look to see if any of these events can lure you to venture out...try something different this week!

Thursday 7.9

Food & Wine: California Grape & Gourmet -- $50 ($70 day of)
Where: Sacramento Convention Center
When: 5:30-8:30pm
Why: A charity event produced by the California State Fair to benefit the Friends of the California State Fair Scholarship Fund. This exquisite wine and food tasting event features more than 600 award winning wines and delicious food from nearly 90 of Northern California's best restaurants. Take home a commemorative wine glass and maybe even purchase some of the award winning wines! There will be also be live musical entertainment, an assortment of exceptional cheeses and award winning micro brews (Commercial Cheese and Commercial Craftbrew Competition winners) to enjoy. This is touted by many Sacramentans as “The Best Wine Event in Sacramento” as well it should be!
Details

Music/Nightlife: DJ Kaskade -- $17 (presale)
Where: The Park Ultralounge
When: 8pm
Why: If you missed him last time, you should really try to make this show. I am not much of an electronic music fan these days but Kaskade really knows how to mix some good music! He’s not your average DJ…
Details

Music: Beyonce -- $20.75+
Where: Arco Arena
When: 7:30pm
Why: She’s not the best paid celebrity in America under the age of 30 for nothing! Her big debut to fame was back in 1993 (!) with Destiny’s Child, but only after she broke away as a solo act did she really come out of her shell. She is now married to rap superstar Jay-Z and makes over $80 million a year! See what the hype is all about while she’s in town- you’re not likely to leave disappointed.
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Music/Nightlife: Cheese & Olive Oil Pairing -- $45
Where: Cest le Cheese
When: 6:30-8:30pm
Why: Decadent pairings inspired by ancient times. Explore the rich world of artisan cheeses paired with extra virgin olive oils. Laura Martinez, cheese and olive oil connoisseur and author, guides you through California's finest offerings while dipping into timeless and surprising food pairings. Perfectly accompanied by sparkling wine.
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Music/Museum: Night at the Museum featuring the Pyronauts -- $Free w/ admission ($8/7/4)
Where: California Auto Museum
When: 6-9pm
Why: Don’t miss your chance every Thursday during the summer to cruise down to the CA Auto Museum, enjoy the evening, & experience car culture as it comes alive! This Thursday enjoy live music from The Pyronauts, a local surf band who specializes in the sounds of Dick Dale and The Del Tones, The Surfaris, The Ventures and more! Take some time to browse around the museum’s current exhibit “Carved Elegance: Woodies, Wheels, and Waves” while you’re there.
Details: http://www.sacramento365.com/event/detail/39351

Friday 7.10

Music: Concert in the Park -- $Free
Where: Cesar Chavez Park
When: 5pm-9pm
Why: This week features Kate Gaffney & Boulevard Park along with West of Next, Christopher Fairman & The Stilts! If you live and Sacramento and have still not checked out a CIP, you are missing out! Its free family fun that the adults can enjoy too! Afterwards, don’t forget about the weekly concert crawl (Post Concert Specials!!): Show your concert wristband and receive specials at local bars and restaurants. Receive special happy hour deals on food and drinks when you ask for the Concert Crawl Deal.
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Music Festival: Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival --$
Where: Sleeptrain Amphitheatre
When: 2:15pm
Why: The most electrifying carnival to ever hit the summer concert circuit, is back…and bigger. MARILYN MANSON and SLAYER will top the bill on this year’s highly anticipated tour kicking off here in Sacramento! Featuring many of rock’s heaviest bands: Marilyn Manson and Slayer headline joined by Bullet for my Valentine and a special guest; also Trivium, All That Remains, God Forbid and the Jägermeister Battle of the Bands winner, Cannibal Corpse, Job for a Cowboy, Behemoth, Black Dahlia Murder and Whitechapel. In addition to catching a slew of “speaker-shredding performances”, play the newest video games, peruse vendors, attend autograph signing sessions and a host of other interactive activities that will add to the festival experience. Stage sponsor Jägermeister will be sampling their products and providing fun surprises for attendees.
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Special Event: News10 Blood Donor Day-- $Free
Where: News10 Studios
When: 6am & 7pm
Why: The summer months are a critical time for blood banks so we need everyone to be a hero and donate a life saving pint of blood. News10 Blood Donor Day with Delta Blood Bank is the perfect opportunity to do some good, and also have some fun!! Every donor will receive a free t-shirt, as well as a coupon for a pint of ice cream from Baskin Robbins!! In addition, you will also get a coupon for a free cherry limeade at Sonic!! Plus, you can get swabbed to be on the national marrow donor list and the swabbing fee will be waived for this one day only! Thank you for being a hero and helping us save lives. For more information, please visit news10.net.
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Film & Video: MOBS presents, Rock That Uke w/ Ukulele Loki's Gadabout Orchestra -- $5
Where: Guild Theatre (2828 35th Street)
When: Screenings, 7:00pm & 9:30pm; Performance, 8:00pm
Why: The screening of "Rock That Uke" will be accompanied by a live performance by Ukulele Loki's Gadabout Orchestra! Ukulele Loki's Gadabout Orchestra is a Denver based 6 piece chamber-pop band that features ukulele, tuba, trombone, clarinet, glockenspiel, drums, and synth. Additionally, the Director of the film- William Preston Robertson will be in attendance. Robertson has lent his voice to numerous Coen Brothers films and authored the definitive book on the Coen Brothers, "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film!" Come see the movie at 7 and hang around for Ukulele Loki's performance at 8 PM, OR come to see Ukulele Loki at 8 PM and stay for the second screening. About the movie: “A funky, curiously philosophical cinematic love poem that examines the near mystical allure of the four-stringed underdog of the musical world and the recent surge of alternative, post-punk musicians on the American mainland who have taken up the instrument, and have incorporated the ukulele not just into their raucous and irreverent original compositions, but into a counter cultural, post-punk ethos.”
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Music: American Idols Live 2009 Tour -- $40.50+
Where: Arco Arena
When: 7pm
Why: Calling all American Idol fans!! It’s your chance to see your favorite “Idols” live and in person! Only featuring the top 10 contestants: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre, this is sure to be a great show. The phenomenon that American Idol has become is sure to be well received here in Sacramento.
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Saturday 7.11

Kids & Families: Downtown Kids Week -- $Various
Where: Saturday 7/11-Saturday 7/18
When: Various
Why: Families from around the region are invited to join in the fun of Downtown Sacramento’s first annual Downtown Kid’s Week. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP), California State Parks, local museums, theatres and restaurants have come together to make Sacramento’s central city the place to be this summer vacation by offering family-friendly events, activities, exhibits and special offers throughout the week.
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Art: Progeny Exhibit w/Artist Talk -- $FREE
Where: 40 Acres Art Gallery
When: 4pm-5pm (Artist talk)
Why: Progeny pairs Deborah Willis and her son, Hank Willis Thomas, in their first official collaboration. Willis is a photographer, educator and curator. Thomas has become known for his stinging critique of advertising and its impact on contemporary life. Consisting of photographs and video, the exhibit is a narrative of their family history, their developments as artists, and the fusion of the two. Exhibit previously shown at the Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Florida and the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York. This will be an excellent opportunity to get the artists’ perspective before the exhibit opens July 14th.
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Music/Art: 2nd Saturday for Families: Gordy Ohliger, the Banjo-ologist -- $Free
Where: Crocker Art Museum
When: 12pm-3pm
Why: The Crocker aims to bring family fun events to the 2nd Saturday lineup! Banjo-ologist Gordy Ohliger will present a heritage you can hear with his movable museum of antique instruments. Toe-tapping, clap-along music, California paintings and hands-on art bring the early years of the Golden State to life. This is a limited seating event so reservations are required.
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Kids & Families: Butterfly Bash -- $6/5/4
Where: Discovery Museum Science & Space Center
When: 12:30pm-3pm
Why: The Discovery Museum hosts many fun and interactive exhibits for your little ones to enjoy. Have any fans at home of these mesmerizing winged insects? There is really no other insect that I can think of to hold such beauty as a butterfly. There will be cases of local & exotic butterflies on display to peruse. How many butterflies can you spot in our butterfly garden? Also, kids will be able to design their very own butterfly ring to wear.
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Film/Video: Esquire IMAX Theatre 10th Anniversary Celebration -- $Free
Where: Esquire IMAX Theatre
When: 10am-5pm
Why: To celebrate the Esquire IMAX Theatre’s 10th anniversary the public is invited to enjoy a free movie this Saturday! Beginning at 10:00 a.m., the Esquire IMAX Theatre will run eight free shows, up to 400 seats each, of the film Wild California! on the hour each hour. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Make sure to get there early!
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Food & Wine: Common Table: AgFest 2009-- $25-100
Where: Freemont Community Garden/Guild Theatre
When: Tours & workshops, 8:30am-3:00pm; Movie, 2:30pm & 4:00pm; Dinner, 5:30pm
Why: Brought to you by Slow Food Sacramento, Common Table is a day of tours and workshops culminating in a sit-down gourmet dinner in the Fremont Community Garden. Benefitting the Sacramento Hunger Coalition and the Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition, the goal is to raise awareness about local urban gardening and food programs, as well as to advocate for improved city, county and state food policies that enable more locally grown foods in urban locations. The dinner of fresh, seasonal faire will be catered by Magpie Caters. Dinner speaker Braham Ahmadi of Peoples Grocery in Oakland will share his insights on Innovative Solutions for Food Justice. Additionally, the Avid Reader will be on hand selling a variety of books on gardening and the urban food movement, and a live auction will feature an array of culinary opportunities, including local gourmet restaurants that will offer private dinners, private gardening consultations and an opportunity to dine out with a prominent food critic Blair Anthony Robertson. During the day a variety of workshops will be held relating to community gardening, backyard organic gardening, composting, food gleaning and local food swap programs and a special showing of the movie "FRESH" will be showing at the Guild Theater. "FRESH" celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.
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Classes & Workshops: Macrobiotics Wellness Class -- $20
Where: Arden Hills Resort & Spa
When: 10:30am
Why: Never heard of a macrobiotics diet before? It’s a low-fat, high fiber approach to foods designed for optimal health and longevity through nutrition. Don’t miss this special “Macrobiotics” class to learn how a simple diet rich in whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, vegetables and soy products might be the right approach to improve your diet and overall well being for a longer, more healthful life. We can all use a little dose of healthy habits right?
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Sunday 7.12

Kids & Families: Sacramento Street Scenes -- $Free
Where: Old Sacramento
When: 10am-6pm (Every Sat & Sun through August)
Why: The Historic Old Sacramento Foundation in collaboration with the City of Sacramento is proud to introduce a new Street Scene Program beginning this month. Calling upon the talents of musicians, jugglers, storytellers, re-enactors, volunteer fire fighters, artisans, and even some burros, Old Sacramento will offer free, family-friendly and historically educational entertainment every Saturday and Sunday June through August. This Sunday there will be Storytelling, Children's Games, Bowling- Gold Rush Style, Juggling, & Shootouts!
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Special Event: Antique Fair -- $3 Adults/ Children Free
Where: X & 21Sreets
When: 6:30am-3pm
Why: An Outdoor Antique and Collectible Marketplace held the 2nd Sunday of every month!! Hundreds of antique dealers from throughout Northern California selling furniture, textiles, architectural pieces, jewelry, cultural pieces, china and glassware, garden accessories, rugs, art and collectibles of all kinds will be on hand with their quality goods. Browse around and who knows what sorts of treasures you’ll find!
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Theatre: Much Ado About Nothing~ Sacramento Shakespeare Festival -- $18 General/15 Students
Where: William Land Park
When: Doors: 6:30pm; Curtain: 8pm
Why: This is the 24th season of the Shakespeare Festival in Sacramento! Its recommended that you buy your tickets online to avoid the ticket line. Plus, get free parking by showing your printout to the parking attendant. Don’t hesitate to bring a picnic, low lawn chairs and a blanket and enjoy Shakespeare under the stars!
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Also, if you want to mention an event that I didn't squeeze into this little article- add it to the comments below! Have a great weekend!!

Sacramento is filled with music & talent this weekend...

2009-06-25T23:28:03Z

Summertime is here and Sacramento is stepping up to the plate! Sounds like it's going to be a scorching weekend at upwards of 100 degrees but the music and entertainment events are equally as sizzling! With a nice mix of free and low cost things to do as well as a few splurges, June is going out with a jam packed weekend! Browse this list to find plenty of opportunities to laugh, feast & learn along with local talent & tons of live music. It's sure to keep you and yours entertained all weekend long...

Thursday 6.25

Theatre: Hedwig and the Angry Inch -- $25
Where: Artisan Theatre (1901 Del Paso Blvd)
When: 8pm (also showing Fri & Sat nights this week)
Why: This is the last weekend to see it if you haven't already...New Helvetia Theatre is a brand new theatre company in Sacramento. Founded in January of this year, NHT is “committed to the preservation and rebirth of the American Musical…By unearthing forgotten gems, exploring classics, and producing new works, the company seeks to enrich the community through productions of creativity and depth”. Directed by Matthew Schneider, “Hedwig” is New Helvetia’s first production. This rock musical is the story of Hansel, an East German boy who has undergone a botched sex change operation and becomes "Hedwig." After being left by “her” husband, Hedwig forms a band called "The Angry Inch." It may go without saying that this show is definitely intended for mature audiences only- leave the kids at home.
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Friday 6.26

Music/Fundraiser: Celebrate The Arts at Special Concert in the Park -- $Free
Where: Cesar Chavez Park
When: 5pm-9pm
Why: This week join the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC) at a special Friday night "Concerts in the Park"!! This arts awareness event is part of the regular Friday night concert series, however SMAC is inviting Sacramento arts groups to participate by hosting booths that feature their organization. This is a great opportunity for arts groups to introduce concert go-ers to their organization, make new contacts and raise awareness for the arts! There will be over 25 Sacramento arts organizations represented, a lively art raffle, good food & fun- all accompanied by the lush and festive sounds of Mumbo Gumbo & The Nibblers. Donations will be accepted to support the arts and arts education programs for our youth. Plan to visit the booths, participate in the raffle and have a great time!
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Music Festival: In The Flow Festival --$Various ($20 Wristband for all 3 days- some shows are free)
Where: Along Broadway
When: 6pm-10pm (also Saturday, 11am-9pm & Sunday, 11am-8pm)
Why: The In The Flow Festival is a Sacramento celebration of jazz and creative music, art and local businesses. Over the course of the weekend, an array of talented musicians will be performing at various venues along Broadway. Beatnik Studios, a trendy new photography studio/gallery that operates under a collaborative philosophy; Java Lounge, an unconventional coffee house serving pizza, beer & wine along with live music & art; R5 Records, an eclectic records store with great staff & live music and Comedy Spot, where you can go for a good laugh every Fri & Sat night. Some of the performers include: Harley White Jr. Orchestra, Tony Passarell's Thin Air Orchestra, Byron Blackburn Trio, Darren Johnston and Devin Hoff, Alex Jenkins' Sound Immersion, The Alegria Quartet as well as many other groups from the Sacramento and Bay Area. Check ‘em out!
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Comedy: David Allen Grier -- $15
Where: Punchline comedy Club
When: 8:30pm & 10:30pm
Why: If you grew up as a teen in the 90’s, and maybe even if you didn’t, you should be familiar with the show “In Living Color.” If not, you missed out! David Allen Grier was one of the hilarious cast of the show that helped put the likes of Jim Carrey and the Wayans Brothers on the map. Grier is currently the Star and host of Chocolate News on Comedy Central and is also known for being the 3rd host of Loveline with Dr. Drew. He is only in town for two nights so try to make it!
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Film & Video: MOBS presents, Guest of Cindy Sherman -- $5
Where: Guild Theatre (2828 35th Street)
When: 7pm & 9:30pm
Why: Here is MOBS’s synopsis: “Filmed over the course of 15 years and including interviews with a veritable who's who of the art and entertainment world (including Roberta Smith, Ingrid Sischy, John Waters, Robert Longo, Carol Kane, David Furnish, Danny DeVito, Molly Ringwald, and Eric Fischl), "Guest of Cindy Sherman" paints a vivid picture of a New York art scene increasingly driven by money and fame. H-O also tackles-with more than a bit of humor-the role his own fragile ego plays in his relationship with Sherman. The end result is a witty, illuminating look at celebrity, male anxiety, and art.” I was not disappointed with my last visit to MOBS, a definitely unique cinema experience!
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Music: Albino -- $10
Where: Marilyn’s on K (10th & K St)
When: 9pm
Why: This 10 person ensemble band brings Sacramento some West African Funk! They call it Afrobeat. In addition to the funk, they mix a little politics and protest along with unity & community to reflect some of the current events affecting us all…What better way to spread the word than through music, right? Being the diverse and eclectic city it is, Sacramento is a perfect place for Albino.
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Saturday 6.27

Music Festival: Sammies Award Show & Music Fest -- $FREE
Where: Cesar Chavez Park
When: 3pm-9pm
Why: Music stages, SAMMIES Awards, Beer garden, dunk tanks, carnival games, awesome vendors, and more bands to be announced! So far the bands include: Category 7, Silver Darling, Sol Peligro, Agent Ribbons, Alak, Be Brave Bold Robot, Righteous Movement, Dog Party, Justin Farren, Light Rail, Arden Park Roots, The Other Poets, DJ Shaun Slaughter and Sister Crayon. This event is part of 2009 SAMMIES - Honoring the best musicians in the Sacramento area.
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Art: Sacramento Potters Group Annual Show -- $Free
Where: Shepard Garden and Art Center
When: 10am-4pm
Why: The group's annual show and sale is back! One day only at McKinley Park. Come and buy yourself a nice present or find that perfect early holiday or birthday gift for a special someone. There will be a wide variety of clay sculpture, pottery, glass art and metalwork along with wheel throwing demos throughout the day.
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Music Festival: Baby Boomer Music Fest-- $10 at door/ Kids 10 & under Free
Where: Sacramento Convention Center
When: 11am-7pm (also Sunday, 11am-5pm)
Why: The name says it all! With Classic Cars, live music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and over 100 exhibitors this event focuses on the good memories, the nostalgia, the dreams and the needs of America’s “Baby Boomer” generation. Musicians will include the Woodstock icon, Country Joe McDonald, and a list of major tribute bands performing the music of the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Elvis, Santana, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding and others. There will be Inspirational Speakers and Seminars convering important and valuable topics relating to finance, health and energy. Exhibitors reflect the needs and interests of the Boomer generation, including health & fitness, finance and investments, arts & crafts, wineries and restaurants. And to top it off, know that you’re support our youth with 10% of the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento.
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Food & Wine: King of Feasts -- $50 general/$45 members/$60 Day of event
Where: Sacramento Zoo
When: 5:30pm-8:30pm
Why: Everyone loves to go to the Zoo! I can’t think of a better time to visit the animals than when there are over 50 restaurants, wineries & breweries dishing up food & drink for you to enjoy along the way! 3 of my favorite things in one place! Don’t forget to don your “safari” attire (Because all Sacramentans are sure to have this in their closet…) to fit in with your “Wild” surroundings. You will also be entertained with live blues by the Rhythm Vandals. An all around feast fit for a King (in this case-of the jungle)!
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Food & Wine: Gourmet Cooking Class With Chef Linda -- $20
Where: Arden Hills Resort & Spa
When: 11am
Why: Eating healthy foods can be fun and exciting, too! Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa is proud to offer monthly gourmet cooking classes designed to tempt your palate with interesting new and delicious meal ideas. On the menu this month is elegant and easy Asian Vegetable Rolls and Summer Fruit Compote with Orange Honey Sauce. Mouth watering yet? It will be! Learn to cook, live and eat well, reserve your space today.
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Sports & Rec: Urban Dare Adventure Race -- $100/team or $40 per person
Where: Starting point, MVP Sports Grill
When: Check-in, 11am; Start, 12pm
Why: Urban Dare is the team race that’s part photo hunt, part trivia and part dares. The challenge is to be the first team to cross the finish line after successfully completing checkpoint dares and getting required photos. Teams of 2 must solve clues to find checkpoints throughout the city. To move on they must take photos or perform dares to earn passport stamps. You can run. Walk or use public transportation, however bikes are not allowed. The winner receives a 3-Day Royal Caribbean Cruise next February where they
will compete in Super Dare with a first prize of $5000. Additional prizes will be awarded for best picture & best costumes. The remaining proceeds from this event help raise money to fight breast cancer. Do you dare to take the Urban Dare? This dare may result in some great prizes and guarantees a full day of fun!
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**There are so many other things happening on Saturday: Art classes & Featured Tours at the Crocker Art Museum, Pops in the Park Family Concert Series, Family Fun Program at the California Auto Museum & many more…find them all at Sacramento365.com.

Sunday 6.28

Sports & Rec: WWE- The Bash -- $17.50+
Where: Arco Arena
When: 4:45pm
Why: It’s been 8 years since the last time the World Wrestling Entertainment came to Sacramento. If you’re a wrestling fan, this is your chance to see your favorite superstars from RAW, SMACKDOWN & ECW all under the same roof on the same night! Some of you may smirk but I know that there are some WWE (or maybe the old WWF) fans out there! Show them some Sacramento support!
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Keep in mind that all of these events and many more can can be found on Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events. If you have an event you would like to add to Sacramento365.com, visit the website. Its easy and free to add your events! Also, if you want to mention an event that I didn't squeeze into this little article- add it to the comments below! Have a great weekend!!

What's happening at the Capitol: June 20, 21

2009-06-19T20:58:30Z

Saturday, June 20

9:30 a.m.-noon The 22nd annual Pride Festival, sponsored by the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, will begin with a march and parade from the west steps of the Capitol to Southside Park. This kicks off a two-week-long schedule of events including the all-day Pride Festival at Southside Park. View the Pride Festival's schedule here. 3,000 are expected to participate in the march, parade and festival.

Sunday, June 21

7 a.m.-9 p.m. Karma Productions 12 LLC will be shooting a film on the west steps of the Capitol. 700 people will participate in the filming.

Activists, Vegetarians Descend on Downtown Sacramento for Film Premiere

2009-05-23T00:23:04Z

Let’s face it: Sacramento is rarely visited by celebrities. But on Wednesday night, actor Martin Sheen visited the Crest Theatre to help State Senator Dean Florez welcome about 200 guests to a screening of the new documentary film Food, Inc. Sheen does not appear in the film, but he clearly shares a passion with Sen. Florez for fixing our broken food system.

Food, Inc. offers a critical look at the way America grows, distributes and eats its meals. A food system dominated by a few mega-corporations and unevenly regulated by the government is making us sick. This system has wrought havoc on the environment, and many farmers, ranchers, and laborers are trapped in a hopeless spiral of debt. Still, the film makes clear that it is ultimately the consumer who has the power to change this bleak landscape.

Food, Inc. is co-produced by Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and takes source material from Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. To the delight of many in the audience, Schlosser and Pollan appear prominently in the film. And the author of this article was secretly hoping one or both of them would pop up unexpectedly from the crowd, but it was not to be.

The audience, made up of food system activists, local foodies, farmers, and vegetarians, was treated to a lively panel discussion after the film. Sheen, first introduced as West Wing’s President Bartlett, was a witty and engaging participant. “I can feel the anger in this room. Anger can be good. Anger can motivate us to push for real change. Anger is only bad when we push it down and swallow it,” Sheen said.

Chef and food activist Alice Waters spoke about the vital importance of providing America’s children with fresh, wholesome food every day. She also described the battle between the corporate fast food, quick profit system we now have and a healthier system of localized grower-eater relationships as one in which there can be “no compromise.” Waters, co-owner of Berkeley’s Chez Panisse restaurant, reportedly visited Sacramento’s Grange Restaurant and Bar on her visit and called the restaurant “an Oasis.”

Carmen Hirkala, a lab technician and teaching assistant at Sacramento City College, was in the audience for the film and for the discussion. She thought the film was very effective and hit all the right points, but wondered how extensively it would be seen by those who are not already educated on the current state of the food system. Hirkala also challenged Waters’ no-compromise attitude toward food. “I have a lot of respect for Alice Waters, but she has to understand that for a lot of people, food is just something they have to eat for sustenance. We have to think about better ways to reach those people as well. I hope this film helps.”

Food, Inc. opens Friday July 3rd at The Crest Theatre.

For more information:

Food, Inc. Official Website: href="http://foodincmovie.com

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan: http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php

Chez Panisse: http://www.chezpanisse.com

Grange Restaurant and Bar: http://grangesacramento.com

Crest Theatre: http://www.thecrest.com

250 Join forces to "Make a Movie This Summer" - 10th Year of "A Place Called Sacramento" Intros 12 Movie Projects"

2009-05-21T19:16:03Z

Access Sacramento welcomed more than 250 eager filmmakers to the Coloma Community Center last night for the Tenth Annual "Cast & Crew Call" event. Twelve short films were "pitched" to the large group, short video auditions of each participant were recorded by Access Sacramento staff, and sign-up sheets for each film invited all to "make a movie this summer".

The festive evening was kicked off by welcoming comments from Executive Director Ron Cooper and Lucy Steffens, Sacramento Film Commissioner. Youth and adult mentors visiting Sacramento from their community media center in Honolulu, Hawaii offered a welcoming chant and presented Cooper with gifts from their home state.

Each of the 12 filmmakers then presented their film ideas to the crowd and asked for their help. When completed and shown on the big Crest theater screen October 4, 2009, the 12 films will round out 100 completed films in the ten years of "PCS" filmmaking. Most of the past films are available for viewing at any time at www.AccessSacramento.org or on You Tube's Access Sacramento channel.

There is still time to get involved. Go to the Access Sacramento web site, read the log lines for the 12 films, and contact the films you find most interesting via the e-mail addresses provided. Cast and crews are still being formed. "We build our community by working together, asking others for help, and sharing our stories with all our neighbors", said Cooper. "We had a great time and the real fun has just begun."

Photos by Kati Larson Garner

Dinosaurs Alive in Sacramento's IMAX theater (in 3D!)

2009-04-22T07:26:18Z

Dinosaurs Alive 3D (IMAX)

Written and directed by David Clark and Bayley Silleck

Sacramento Press was fortunate enough to preview Dinosaurs Alive 3D in the Esquire IMAX theater. Narrated by Michael Douglas, this movie journeys from the breathtaking Gobi Desert in Mongolia all the way to the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.

Through archival footage, the film tells the history of American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews, an Indiana Jones-style adventurer who traveled to the Gobi Desert and discovered a large repository of dinosaur fossils. It then follows a team of modern-day paleontologists and their graduate students from the American Museum of Natural History in New York as they retrace Andrews' path.

Although younger audience members may find this film exciting, and it may give them the inspiration to become scientists, archeologists or fossil hunters, the older crowd might see through the contrived narrative of the film.

The part of the film shot in Mongolia is done in a very nationalistic, glamorous and melodramatic fashion with grad students and paleontologists carrying their American flags through the desert. Though its purpose is supposed to be to educate, the paleontologists speak in scripted dialogue that is supposed to appear spur of the moment, but it is clearly prewritten.

Andrews (as shown in black and white archival video footage), who stole dinosaur fossils from another country is an underappreciated hero, says the narrator, because he inspired Americans to research dinosaurs.

Clearly Andrews was simply heroic for being the first to venture into remote areas of the world in motorized vehicles, and discovering some of the worlds oldest dinosaur fossils. Yet it still remains that in some people's opinion he (as was normal in his day for explorers, scientists, and tomb raiders) stole another country's natural history, and this film glances over this.

In other words, the film seems to perpetuate the idea that Mongolia's desolate Gobi Desert, seldom explored since Ghengis Khan, is hiding important findings needing to be hand plucked for our own museums.

If you can get past this film's "Great Game" mentality (where Central Asian land, artifacts and fossils are merely up for grabs) the visuals alone are what makes the movie worth the time.

There was exciting and unique computer generated imagery (CGI) illuminating in realistic detail how dinosaurs interacted with their environment. Also, the modern shots of the desert landscape both in New Mexico and Mongolia are among the most beautiful 3D IMAX footage ever shot.

Dinosaurs Alive 3D also illuminates some common Hollywood misconceptions of dinosaurs - like the fact that velociraptors are usually portrayed as scaled in Hollywood films, but they were actually feathered dinosaurs.

Overall, it would be a great film for teenagers and children under 12 interested in seeing gigantic dinosaurs or learning about how cool paleontologists' work is.

Dinosaurs Alive 3D makes its Sacramento premier at the Esquire IMAX theater, located at 1211 K Street on April 24.

Dinner and a Movie, for the Homeless?

2009-03-18T23:37:50Z

Sacramento is now also known for the "Tent City" for the homeless. That’s okay. If Sacramento, the capitol of the seventh or eighth largest economy in the world has to be the poster child city for the homelessness problem in America, then so be it!

Probably every man, woman and child in our area is aware of the growing homeless community. It does not matter where you are in the Sacramento area, homelessness happens. In fact, some of the people interviewed for the stories about our tent city, said "we never dreamed that we would be homeless and in this condition". I have never dreamed of being homeless, have you? Maybe we are next.

I come from a very large family and I believe if my world got to the point of having no place to go home to or sleep, someone in my family would give me a place. My dear mother, Marilou Nordby, whenever she would see someone less fortunate than herself would always say, "there but for the grace of God go I". Which means, that could be me in those peoples shoes, but because of God's grace it is not me. One time she confided in me and said that her greatest fear was becoming homeless. I was shocked! My mother had nine children and at the time she told me this every one of them were still alive. I told her that as long as I was alive she would never be homeless. I hope that gave her some peace in her fears.

As compassionate people we need to be reminded that not all homeless are mentally unstable, drug addicts, alcoholics or even losers in this game of life, but rather each of them at one time had a home, a mother, a father, brothers and sisters and even children and we should treat them as if they were our mom or dad, or a sister or a brother because we don't know their circumstances.

I have been stirring the idea around with friends that I know that we should have a dinner and a movie night for our homeless. Today I want to share this idea with the readers of the Sacramento Press with hope that this will go further than this online news source.

Here is what I am envisioning for that night.

We will ask the churches and clothes closets to donate clothing for all ages and gender and we will have an opportunity for anyone who needs a new set of clothes to pick out what they want to wear for that dinner and to leave in. We will have a place to dispose of old clothes. Of course we will have some sort of changing rooms available and port-a-potties on 10th street.

This banquet honoring our less fortunate neighbors will be done on the west side of the Capitol building using this glorious building as a backdrop for this event. The Capitol also represents the state government for the people, all the people, even the homeless. The grounds will be decked with tables all decorated like a fine restaurant(except everything is disposable) a tablecloth with a candle and a flower, nice plastic ware and napkins. We will serve steak, chicken, potatoes, fresh veggies, milk, or soda, coffee or tea, and a dessert that is fit for a politician or cupcakes and cookies for the little children.

After dinner we will show a movie on a giant screen with a great sound system. The movie should be heart warming with some comedy and rated for all ages. Perhaps the newly released "Marley and Me". I have never seen it, but I think everyone would enjoy it. There will be popcorn, movie type candy and bottles of water and other drinks.

After the movie we will have blankets, sleeping bags and personal items for anyone in need of these things.

I don't know all the logistics of this yet, but if enough of us get together with our influences and connections we can totally bless our homeless and let them know that we care. Perhaps the lawmakers and city leaders will see this event as a wake up call and put some real attention towards helping ease the sting of the plight of the homeless which now include many little children.

I know everyone reading this is now thinking, 'this is going to cost some money'. Yes it is! But I believe every good cause can be very easily funded by anyone who can afford a little to help. Some who can afford more will also help. I believe if we make this event known to everyone, there will be plenty to take care of the cost. I am also sure that many who have other needed resources will also want to be involved. I am going to put my money where my heart is so I will make the first donation to this cause and I believe the rest will come. Kind of like the “Field of Dreams”, build it and they will come. I say “do it and it will come”.

I was talking to a homeless man today and asked him about this dinner and a movie idea and he was very excited about it. I asked if the homeless would come? He said "oh yes they will". He also shared with me of his hope of the "Ten Year Plan" to get the homeless problem under control. We can't wait for ten years. We need to do something now.

I realize that this is not a "fix" to a serious problem, but if we can bring some joy to people if only for a night, it will be well worth it.

If anyone who reads this article would like to get involved somehow, someway, your service and willingness to serve will be much appreciated by those who come. Leave a comment and contact me personally at jacknordby@hotmail.com

P.S. When was the last time a homeless person heard the words, "your table is ready" or, "how did you like the movie"? Lets give them something to talk about. Better yet, lets give them some love with hope that things can turn around for them.

Is Tower and Crest Closing Still a Threat?

2009-01-20T00:06:55Z

It has been a topic of discussion in the area for years, could the Tower and Crest Theaters have to close? With new giant movie chains in the area and the economy how it is, it’s a very real possibility. They have always seemed to be on the brink of closing, the Crest has closed before in the 80s, and the marquee on the Tower reads "savethetowertheater.org". So this threat must be pretty real.

A large banner on the Tower reads "SAVE THE ALHAMBRA", that is; the huge gorgeous theater that the city was unable to buy and save in 1973, it was soon demolished and made way for the Safeway that resides on Alhambra blvd today. The only thing that remains of the Alhambra is a fountain on the south side. Could this be a foreseeable future for our other theaters? Well perhaps if we don't do anything about it.

I admit, I don’t make it out to either as much as I should. Usually only go to Crest for the Trash Film Orgy or Sacramento Film Festival, and Tower even less. But sadly, the last few times I have been have left me feeling disappointed. The Tower has seen better days; it has become rundown and has poor quality projection, seats, and structure in general. I have to believe that if their attendance were up they would have the money to fix it up.

With the news of the Sacramento Ballet being in peril, the arts In Sac could quickly disappear if we aren't careful. If you’re in the mood for something artsy, indie, or foreign, or just don’t feel like supporting big movie chains and you want to help out local buissneses. Come downtown and make sure we keep theaters like this in Sacramento.

Film group discusses business

2009-01-19T23:39:12Z

Many people are surprised when they hear that California doesn’t have a film commission that offers incentives to film production companies to film in the state. 44 states do, as do many countries, but California, well...we have HOLLYWOOD!

But film production companies are leaving the state to shoot in much lower-cost locales, many of which are cheaper because the local governments offer tax breaks and other incentives to lure production to their jurisdictions. California, argues state Assemblyman Paul Kerkorian (D - Burbank), needs to institute such incentives.

The members of the Capital Film Arts Alliance agree, which is why the 750-strong Sacramento area filmmakers organization has invited Kerkorian to speak to its first meeting of the new year, tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 20) at the Art Institute of Sacramento, 2850 Gateway Oaks Drive. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.

Kerkorian will speak on the importance of establishing incentives such as those that are luring production out of California. That loss of revenues costs the state tens of millions of dollars, argues Laurie Pederson, a local film producer who is hosting Kerkorian’s visit.

“44 other states subsidize film production,” she says. “I can spent $10 million in California, or I can do a $10 million film for $6 million two states away. It makes a difference in whether you can cast Mary Lee Jones or Charlize Theron in your film.”

In general, production costs are roughly the same everywhere, says Pederson, because it’s dictated by the number of people and number of production days. Hotel and other costs vary some, but that’s not what makes the difference.

But, she says, “If you give incentives, you reduce the costs to the producer. There are creative ways to do it. Most of the incentives are a tax incentive or rebate, or a politically-authorized or -funded savings. It ranges from 25-45 percent, it’s huge. Canada will hand you 50 percent, and guarantee that their people have a large role in the production.”

In California, local film commissions court producers, and some communities do pretty well, San Francisco being the obvious case. But that’s because if you want a film set in San Francisco, you’ve got to go to San Francisco. Sacramento is a different matter, a harder sell. And Sacramento doesn’t have a film commission. We get films done here, occasionally, but not often. And it’s costing us.

“For every dollar spent, you will see a return of $3-6 to that community,” says Pederson. “Food, recreation, lodging, transportation - there are a huge number of expenses that stay in a community. Most political people see this in terms of brick and mortar: If we bring in this big box store, we’re going to get this much in taxes or whatever.

“Films are different,” she says. “It’s like pitching green energy, because it’s new and it’s hard to understand. So they don’t fight for it. So for us, it’s an education process that has to begin somewhere. If we don’t start it and keep at it, it’s not going to happen.”

Pederson cites the Sacramento area’s most successful film producers as an example.

“Redwood Palms Pictures is based in the El Dorado Hills-Folsom area,” she says, “And they’ve got multi-million film productions. But they film everything out of state, because their business is not being pursued here. The Redwood Palms guys would love to stay here and put their money back in the community, but they have to go out of state to stretch their budgets.”

And, it might be added, they DID get Charlize Theron, for their 2008 film, “Battle in Seattle.”

“So we’re working to just continue to draw attention this, to beat that drum,” says Pederson. “We’re building this film community so that when all the storms converge, the timing will be perfect, and we’ll have the organization and process together.”

Grind Hard ENT. – Showing the world Sacramento is serious about Music

2008-12-12T00:59:40Z

As most of us know, Sacramento is a City that continues to expand and display its talents through many avenues. Whether it may be through local artwork, musical artists, or the film industry, many Sacramentoian’s, are continuing to bring the spot light to the Capital City. With this topic in mind, I wanted to share a recent story from a local music production company from our very own City of Sacramento.

Grind Hard Entertainment (G.H.E.) is a company that was created by Jose “Flowmatic” Jimenez, after the disconnected feeling he experienced while being a part of a music company that did not allow him to voice his ideas and took control of his desired projects. This is commonly seen in the music industry.

He also felt that those who were responsible for producing, and providing the creative talent of post production where not given the proper recognition. This unfortunate reality helped motivate the beginning of Grind Hard Entertainment which has been independently owned and operated since its establishment in 2004.

G.H.E. and its production team has completed, and contributed work with several local and nationwide hip-hop artists, such as: The Game, Jim Jones, Brotha Lynch Hung, Keak Da Sneak, The Federation, Skee 64, T-Nutty, Krytykal, and Doey Rock just to name a few.

This exposure has created a buzz in the Hip-Hop world of music coming out of Sacramento, and has brought an interest in their production team, specifically to one of their Master Producers who just recently turned 18, but has been composing music for the last five years. He is known in the industry as Armando “Complex” Jimenez, who has been highly instrumental in the company’s success.

The talents of Grind Hard ENT. caught the attention of Deon Taylor Enterprises, which is a local film production company out of Sacramento that has been featured in the Sacramento Film Festival, and currently has numerous projects that are in the works.

This lead Grind Hard Entertainment in composing the score for Deon Taylor Enterprises, film: Nite Tales, which aired nationwide on the B.E.T. network hosted by Flavor Flav on Halloween Night. They are in the process of composing additional scoring work for projects that have yet to be released.

Flowmatic CEO of Grind Hard ENT. stated “Our main goal is to continue to advance Sacramento in the Music and Entertainment business and expose the talents that come from the Sacramento area through Films, and Music Albums”.

The experience that I had with Grind Hard Entertainment was very professional and the company was really focused on showcasing Sacramento as a prominent place for local art and talents. You can learn more about the company or if you have questions about the work that they do simply visit their website at www.grindhardent.com

As we continue to expand as a City it is important to welcome local companies or individuals who are exposing Sacramento through the talents that they bring, showing the world that Sacramento is serious about Music and Entertainment.