the tshirts are here. get yours today

So vacation is officially over and it's back to work at d press Productions, filling DVD orders and catching up on all the things that we let slide during the run-up to the gravida premiere. Stuff like paperwork. Ugh.

Some of that paperwork is the invoices for the DVDs and the "un filme" shirts that have to be paid. So, if you've pre-ordered or reserved or whatever a "un filme" shirt, now's the time to actually purchase it, either via the internets or via mail or in person. There's a couple of reasons for this (in no particular order):

1. That way you can get your shirt and start wearing it proudly.

2. You can get your shirt before the size you want sells out. For example, we are nearly out of the women's mediums, so if you're a medium woman (or just a guy who enjoys dressing like one), you want to act quickly, lest you be out of luck and have to wear a men's size.

3. We can send the rest of the money to the people who made the shirts.

4. You can get your picture taken with you wearing the shirt and we can add it to the webpage, thereby proving both that you are an important and hip person and that we have important and hip people wearing our shirts. Everyone wins.

5. We don't end up selling the shirt you reserved, which we'd rather not do and probably wouldn't, but mistakes happen.

So there you have it. Five reasons you should quit mucking about and purchase a shirt (and a DVD, while you're at it) already.

Also, go see our good friends Steve Vesolich and Jerome Wincek play at Club Cafe in Pittsburgh on the 15th at 7pm (I think). It's a mere $5. That's tomorrow, by the way. You really should be there, and if you want to complain about the last-minute notice...well...we announced it at the gravida premiere, so you should have, ahem, heard about it then.

...moving on...

Around here, we've half-jokingly started calling gravida "the best reviewed short film of the year", because, well, there are no bad reviews, some of them are glowing, and how many short films get reviewed anyway? (answer: not many)

If you're scoring at home, add these to the review pile:

"gravida is an excellent short film. Beautifully photographed with a terrific lead performance by Rachel Shaw. Called "A Study In Loneliness", the film effectively creates a very somber tone that it is able to sustain throughout. It almost works as a silent film, as the visuals are so strong." (TalkingMoviezzz.com)

NOTE: this review also contains an interview that looks at some of the creative process of both "gravida" and "L'Attente"

"Filmmaking in general could use a little bit more of Lucas' talent because he uses the medium perfectly: revealing pieces about characters in matter-of-fact glimpses, letting the audience in on what the other characters don't know just yet...The camera work is also a perfect compliment to the story. Long static shots and few edits help capture the stillness of Kristin's life. The camera rarely moves, instead it sits there often from a distance, letting us take in what we are seeing." (LAZY EYE THEATRE)

Just so you don't think we're only picking and choosing reviews (we aren't. you're getting them all), this is the most negative one we've gotten yet (and overall it's still positive)

"gravida fails to explore its subject matter in any great depth, but it undeniably represents a big step forward for its director...I merely feel that he could have penetrated deeper into the underlying causes and nature of his protagonist's despair...That said, I definitely enjoyed the film (which, incidentally, holds up to repeat viewings), and it contains a number of moments that I like quite a bit." (Andrew Horbal)

"Lucas McNelly has made a serenely confident short film, with which he shows a real facility as a director. He never tries to dazzle the audience with flashy technique or camera work, preferring his style to be dictated by his material. Despite his obvious budgetary constraints, he's capable of some lovely low-key touches, like his use of colored lighting in the climactic revelation scene...gravida is small film in the best sense, one that's exactly the right size for the story it tells. McNelly's direction is subtle enough not to overwhelm the film, but strong enough to assure us that there's a firm hand on the wheel." (Paul Clark)

"[McNelly] has produced a film of understated elegance and thoughtfulness that allows the viewer to glimpse, ever so briefly, a moment in time that will be burned for eternity in the heart and mind of its protagonist...He's the best kind of filmmaker there is, the kind driven by a love of the art not a desire for a contract..."gravida" is not a perfect film but considering the budget and time limitations it is quite an achievement." (Jonathan Lapper)


What's that, you say? You haven't seen gravida yet? What the hell
are you waiting for? Get thee to the store and buy a DVD already. It's
only $8. Most of you will spend that much on lunch (or at least
dinner) and/or watching Matt Damon run around with amnesia. And let's
face it, Matt Damon doesn't need the money. He gets to hang out with
George Clooney and Brad Pitt.