tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94364032024-03-07T01:00:32.595-05:00d press Productionsmelancholia since 2000Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-33197725403253822052009-01-14T11:00:00.001-05:002009-01-14T11:15:29.573-05:00Things to do in Pittsburgh when you're dead****we're assuming, of course, that you'll probably freeze to death before the end of the week.<br /><br />In order to keep you, dear reader, moderately involved in-between d press events, and in an effort to appease people we'd like to work with again, we give you another run-down of all the things worth paying attention to in the collective.<br /><br />++ On 22 February Amy Crawford and the hit band <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ilovedeleon">Deleon</a> are at long last playing their first Pittsburgh show at the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville. Naturally you should go, but you should also purchase a copy of Amy's new EP. It's pretty damned good and definitely worth the cost.<br /><br />++ Jerome Wincek's been doing some interesting things on his <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeromewincek">MySpace page</a>, essentially releasing numerous cuts and edits and mixes and whatnot of whatever songs he's been working on. You're best bet is probably to just keep checking in every couple of days and see what's new, as he's approaching a rather prolific pace.<br /><br />++ 21 January is, you guessed it, the start of the 5th season of "LOST". I'm hearing from people in the know that the first 5 minutes or so are awesome, and hit or miss in the middle before finishing strong. Just thought you should know.<br /><br />++ Yen Tan's film <a href="http://www.ciaomovie.com">"CIAO"</a> (edited by our friend David Lowery) is currently playing in major cities cooler than Pittsburgh. If you're fortunate enough to live in one of them, get thee to the theater. Per screen averages are key for a film like this. <br /><br />++ <a href="http://www.myspace.com/farbeyondfrail">far beyond frail</a> is playing two shows next week in the Dakotas. Really, Shar? The Dakotas in January? Did that seem like a good idea?<br /><br />++ Steve Vesolich is playing Club Cafe in Pittsburgh on 30 January in support of his album "This Continual Flight".<br /><br />++ Congrats to our friend Brian Kazmarck, as his short film "Game Theory" just played in competition at the Festivus Film Festival.<br /><br />That's pretty much it for this quick rundown. And now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a pile of screeners to watch before my awards ballot is due at the end of the month (quick version: there's nothing even close to as good as "Wall*E", although the French film "A Christmas Tale" is pretty good) and the Wii Fit is yelling at me to exercise more.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-22192227091438492802008-09-10T18:53:00.000-04:002008-09-10T18:54:21.049-04:00festival 9.0...and news from around the collectiveIs your fantasy football team reeling from injuries to Tom Brady, Merriman, Colston, and/or Burleson? Well, we've got some good news for you: <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmRwcmVzc3Byb2R1Y3Rpb25zLmNvbS9ncmF2aWRh"><i>gravida</i></a> is an Official Selection of the 2008 Tacoma Film Festival. Click <a href="http://www.grandcinema.com/page.php?id=43">here</a> for more info.<br /><br />We screen on 4 October and 7 October in Tacoma, WA. This is our third festival on the West Coast and number 9 overall. There's a good chance that this is our last one (unless we get invited to one or highly motivated to send out some more submissions), and if that's the case, then we've had a hell of a good run, thanks in part to your help. There's 2 or 3 more screenings that may or may not happen, and we'll let you know as soon as we know.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />Oh, and I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet, but look what happens when you <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vZW4ud2lraXBlZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpL0dyYXZpZGE=">look up <i>gravida</i> on Wikipedia</a>.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />I've been out of town for the last couple of weeks, so let's catch up on what's going on around the collective, shall we?<br /><br />+++ John Gallagher (a.k.a.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> the co-producer on <i>gravida</i>) has a short film he produced in the Dare To Direct 2 short film contest sponsored by Chiller TV.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> The short <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmNoaWxsZXJ0di5jb20vRDJEMi9WaWRlb3MvP3V2PTUzNzAyNQ=="><i>Wreck Room</i></a> is a horror short in a horror contest, so if you have a weak stomach and/or aversion to horror like I do, be fair warned. Anyway, you know the drill. Watch it. Give it a "thumbs up". Tell your friends.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />+++ Also worth checking out this month (and beyond) is the <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGdobmVpZ2hib3Job29kbmFycmF0aXZlcy5jb20v">Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives</a> project.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> Basically, it's <i>Paris, je t'aime</i>, minus all the famous people and set in Pittsburgh instead of Paris. Our pitch for a segment about Dormont (complete with roto-scoping and some dream-like lighting ideas) was actually a finalist for this project (basically our pitch wasn't very narrative, which may have been the problem), but we aren't bitter. Rachel Shaw is in the Homestead film and our good friend Justin Crimone of Zeno Films is doing the Downtown segment.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />Anyway, it premieres 25 September at Regent Square and then will show all over the city after that.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> Go to their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pghneighborhoodnarratives">MySpace page</a> for more details.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> You can find the trailer <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=42452461">here</a>.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />+++ <a href="http://www.myspace.com/amycrawfordmusic">Amy Crawford and her band The Electric</a> have an EP coming out late summer and they're also on tour in a <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vY29sbGVjdC5teXNwYWNlLmNvbS9pbmRleC5jZm0/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj1iYW5kcHJvZmlsZS5saXN0QWxsU2hvd3MmYW1wO2ZyaWVuZGlkPTcyOTcwNTYyJmFtcDtuPUFteSslMjYrVGhlK0VsZWN0cmlj">town near you</a> (but not in a town near me....what the hell?)<br /><br />In other Amy news, she finished 3rd in the 2008 Shure/Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition in Switzerland. Oh, and her MySpace page also has some live tracks up. Check them out.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />+++ <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ilonamusic">Ilona V</a> has a new song on her MySpace page, called "Summer's Almost Gone". Check it out.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />+++ <a href="http://www.myspace.com/farbeyondfrail">far beyond frail's</a> song "Portland" is included in the new compilation CD <a href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnZpc2lvbmFyeS1jb25jZXB0cy5uZXQvaG9wZS8=">"Hope, Volume One"</a>, which benefits the group "Suicide Awareness Voices of Education". Also included on the album are Tegan and Sara, Trisha Yearwood, Kevin Max, Lisa Loeb, and Joanne Cash (I think she's Johnny's daughter). Also, they seem to be using the same webpage template we are, which is weird, especially since they're about hope and stuff.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />far beyond frail is also touring the country (and also not playing a city near me). Check them out when they get near you, and tell them I sent you.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />+++ <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeromewincek">jerome wincek & the old hats</a> have a new song up, titled "the intranet man all redd up". The title is some sort of Pittsburgh something that I don't even remotely understand, and I don't really want to.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/><br /><br />And I think that's it. Enjoy the warm weather while it's still here.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/>Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-63784569116468091432008-05-28T10:08:00.001-04:002008-05-28T10:08:53.158-04:00once more around the blockVoting continues in the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a>. So, if you haven't voted...bloody hell...what are you waiting for?<br /><br /><a href="http://myspace.com/nowfilmfest"><img style="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2415099654_59bc8e1289_o.jpg" alt="vote gravida" height="197" width="200"></a><br /><br />Until we hear those results, a quick run-down of what's happening around the collective...<br /><br />+ This past weekend was the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/oilregionindie">Oil Region Indie Songwriter's Festival</a> in Oil City, PA. It was quite a lineup (featuring Brad Yoder, The Old Hats, Newmen, Nate Custer, Jeremy Jack, Namoli Brennet, Secretly Plotting Your Burial, and many more) and the weather was nice. Word is there may be more shows in the works, so we'll keep you updated as we hear about it. I can't seem to find the actual article in newspaper's online archives, but the Derrick ran a story about the festival, featuring a photo by yours truly. <a href="http://www.thederrick.com/gtimes.shtml">Click here for proof.</a>.<br /><br />+ In other Oil City news, Jerome Wincek has put out a couple of live videos of himself and the Old Hats. They're available on his <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.showvids&friendID=120684592&n=120684592&MyToken=298f81c0-4c53-4388-926e-6fad2fd05a0d">MySpace page</a>.<br /><br />+ <a href="http://www.myspace.com/stevevesolich">Steve Vesolich</a> has a new album ready to drop. "This Continual Flight" will have a CD release party on 27 June 2008 at Club Cafe in Pittsburgh. The cost? $7. <a href="http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.showDetails&Band_Show_ID=30027118&friendid=191071889">More info</a>.<br /><br />+ The Futility Parade has a new song ("based on a short story by ambrose bierce of which i can't recall the title") on their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thefutilityparade">MySpace page</a>. I'm told it was recorded on the side of the road. They do stuff like that.<br /><br />+ We may have already told you about this, but <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ilonamusic">Ilona V.</a> has a new-ish song on her MySpace page, "Deliverance Coffin". Honestly, I'm not sure if this is new info or not. The method is to look for songs that have a lot fewer plays than the rest. So...yeah.<br /><br />And...I think that's it. If I'm missing stuff, let me know. I try to include as much as I can remember and/or find quickly on MySpace, etc. As for new d press stuff...well...we're working on it, but it's so damned hard with all these playoff games on every night.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-7474248425637125382008-05-07T18:02:00.000-04:002008-05-07T18:03:35.784-04:00we won something! (sort of)No, the results of the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a> aren't in. You'll hear as soon as possible, trust me.<br /><br />But, this past weekend <i><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida">gravida</a></i> was in the <a href="http://www.twinriversmediafestival.com/">Twin Rivers Media Festival</a> in Asheville, NC, where we nabbed a Honorable Mention in the short drama category. It doesn't seem to be on the webpage anywhere, but I've gotten 2 emails about it, so we're going with it. Victory.<br /><br />And don't forget, voting continues in the Now Film Festival. So if you haven't voted yet, then what the hell are you waiting for? Click on the sweet button to go where you need to go.<br /><br /><a href="http://myspace.com/nowfilmfest"><img style="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2415099654_59bc8e1289_o.jpg" alt="vote gravida" height="197" width="200"></a><br /><br />Find the "5" under <i>gravida</i>. Tell your friends. Spread the word. It'll take longer for you to think of a good reason why you didn't vote when we ask, and you'll feel better about not having to lie.<br /><br />So take 30 seconds and help your favorite film collective out.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-11542352719667832112008-04-18T18:13:00.000-04:002008-04-18T18:14:04.530-04:00vote "gravida"Are you ready?<br /><br />Big weekend here at d press as <i><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida">gravida</a></i>, everyone's favorite film about pregnancy, is in 2 film festivals (one in West Virginia and one in Chicago) and today voting starts on the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a>.<br /><br />Forget the plus/minus stuff. This is the important part. Click on the sweet button to go where you need to go.<br /><br /><a href="http://myspace.com/nowfilmfest"><img style="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2415099654_59bc8e1289_o.jpg" alt="vote gravida" height="197" width="200"></a><br /><br />You can rate each film on a 1-5 scale. 5 is the highest. So...go...vote vote vote. Tell your friends. Spread the word.<br /><br />Want to add the "gravida" button to your webpage/blog/myspace/whatever? Feel free to grab the image.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-83235492615164604002008-04-11T07:46:00.000-04:002008-04-11T07:47:19.813-04:00Festival 7.0 (with a twist)Howdy,<br /><br />First, some email history for you:<br /><br />7 March 2008<br><br><i>"Thank you for submitting to the Lake Forest Film Festival. As we received nearly 200 submissions, we were only able to accept a little over 30% of the films. Many deserving films were cut from the program. Unfortunately, your submission will not be shown at this year’s festival."</i><br /><br />Our initial thought was that not making the 30% cut probably wasn't a good sign, but these things happen. We've gotten a number of emails just like this one.<br /><br />Then, out of the clear blue sky, today I got this email.<br><br><i>"I want to apologize for this late notice and incredibly horrible mistake we made when notifying filmmakers, but also want to congratulate you. Your film Gravida, was marked as not accepted, and it is in fact accepted into the Lake Forest Film Festival and is competing in the short live action category. For information in regards to your screening, please visit our website at http://www.lakeforest.edu/life/orgs/film/default.asp.<br /><br />I am so sorry for this terrible inconvenience, but am delighted to screen your excellent work next weekend!"</i><br /><br />This, of course, is something close to an artist's dream, to get accepted for something he previously thought had rejected him. Kind of the equivalent of having a critic retract a negative review. It's also a little weird and unexpected. <br /><br />Oh, and Sundance, if you're reading this, there's still time to accept us for the 2008 festival. We don't even care that it's already over. We just want the leafy thing for the <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida">webpage</a>.<br /><br />So what, you ask, do you need to know about the Lake Forest Film Festival? Well, it's April 18-20 at Lake Forest College outside Chicago and we're in competition with Academy Award nominee <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0442001/"><i>Binta y la gran idea</i></a> and fellow <a href="http://www.festivusfilmfestival%22">Festivus Film Festival</a> entry <i>Simulacra</i>. So, based on that it should be pretty cool.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-75130011032477789312008-04-04T17:32:00.001-04:002008-04-04T17:32:58.822-04:00festival 6.0Kids, string up the banjos and dig the gut bucket out of the cellar. <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a> is an Official Selection of the <a href="http://www.appyfilmfest.com/">Appalachian Film Festival</a> in Huntington, WV. [insert joke here]<br /><br />We screen on Friday, 18 April at 11.45am at the Keith Albee Theater in downtown Huntington.<br /><br /><i>And now, news from around the collective...</i><br /><br />**<i>gravida</i> musicians and indie rockers extraordinaire <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thefutilityparade">The Futility Parade</a> have posted a recording of their song "a january carol" on their MySpace page.<br /><br />**Also on the MySpace, newly-engaged <a href="http://www.myspace.com/matthewlreed">Matt Reed</a> has posted a few songs, "Put Me In Your Colophon" and "Look Out the Window". <br /><br />**The general rule with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeromewincek">Jerome Wincek's</a> music updates is just to check every couple days, because that seems to be the rate at which he puts stuff out. By the time you read this, he'll probably have released 3 new songs. <br /><br />**<a href="http://www.myspace.com/ilonamusic">Ilona V.</a> has a couple new songs on her MySpace page (see a theme yet?). Go and check out the "Gone" demo and "Deliverance Coffin".<br /><br />**<a href="http://www.myspace.com/amycrawfordmusic">Amy Crawford</a> has added "See It Through" to her MySpace page.<br /><br />**<a href="http://www.myspace.com/stevevesolich">Steve Vesolich's</a> new album, "This Continual Thirst" is done and awaiting a late May release.<br /><br />**Finally, Justin Crimone's zombie film <i>planet of the living dead</i> is in the running for a George Romero sponsored contest on MySpace. <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=29253695">Click here</a> and show it some love.<br><br> <br /><br />Unless I'm forgetting something, that should be about it. Enjoy your weekend.<br /><br />Don't forget to purchase a DVD or a tshirt. Be one of the cool kids.<br /><br /><a href="http://dpressproductions.com/filme.html" title="un filme"><img src="http://www.dpressproductions.com/images/shirt%20test%203.jpg" alt="un filme" height="108" width="195"></a><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/dvd.html" title="DVD"><img src="http://www.dpressproductions.com/images/myphoto.jpeg" alt="DVD" height="108" width="76"></a>Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-68578909649407579142008-03-19T14:44:00.001-04:002008-03-19T14:44:21.487-04:00Let's try againAs you may or may not remember, last week we got bumped. And since I'm busy filling out my brackets, I'm just gonna use the last email and tweak it.<br /><br />Tonight, <s>12 March</s> 19 March, yours truly will be featured on <a href="http://www.blogcritics.org">BlogCritics</a> Radio. I'll be discussing <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a>, the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a>, and the state of indie film in general. I'm told my segment will start around <s>9.40</s> 9.30 and you can hear it anywhere in the world. Click on the image below to get there.<br><br><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/bc/bcradio"><img id="BTRButton" alt="Listen to BC Radio Live on internet talk radio" src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/img/180x60_wht.gif" border="0"></a><br /><br />And for all of you who asked: they archive everything, so if you miss it, you can listen to it later and stuff.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-89760098582182890692008-03-12T09:30:00.002-04:002008-03-12T15:33:46.173-04:002niteJust a quick reminder.<br /><br />Tonight, 12 March, yours truly will be featured on <a href="http://www.blogcritics.org">BlogCritics</a> Radio. I'll be discussing <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a>, the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a>, and the state of indie film in general. I'm told my segment will start around 9.40 and you can hear it anywhere in the world. Click on the image below to get there.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/bc/bcradio"><img id="BTRButton" alt="Listen to BC Radio Live on internet talk radio" src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/img/180x60_wht.gif" border="0"></a><br><br>Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-58977919501587088332008-03-04T21:54:00.000-05:002008-03-04T21:55:15.980-05:00Lucas on the radioHere in Pittsburgh we've had a nice run of weather: several inches of snow and sleet this weekend, followed by 70 degrees on Monday, and tonight it's 40 and raining there's a flood warning. So...if we don't get swept into one of the 3 Rivers, here's what'll be happening soon. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a> is inching closer to our goal of 20,000 views in the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a>, as we've got a total of 15,685 combined on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaIhuNTHy7E">YouTube</a> and <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=28376274">MySpace</a>. It's nowhere near the BAFTA nominee that's in the lead, but it's doing ok, probably in the upper half. But don't worry, the voting hasn't started yet. Still, if you haven't started telling your friends, what are you waiting for?<br /><br />In other MySpace news, our good friend Justin Crimone over at zeno films is in a contest of his own. His short <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=29253695"><i>planet of the living dead</i></a> is in the running for a spot on George Romero's new <i>Diary of the Dead</i> DVD. You know the drill. Watch it, thumbs up, etc.<br /><br />Back to <i>gravida</i>. We are currently in the process of being added to everyone's favorite film information source, <a href="http://www.imdb.com">IMDb</a>. For whatever reason, it's harder than you'd think to get added, and it takes forever for all the information to get uploaded, but we're there. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194125/">Go here</a>.<br /><br />And about that radio thing. Next Wednesday, 12 March, yours truly will be a guest on the <a href="http://blogcritics.org/">Blogcritics</a> Radio Network, which you can conveniently listen to on your very own computer. I'll be talking about <i>gravida</i>, the Now Film Festival, and "indie filmmaking in general" sometime between 9 and 10 EST. Want more info? <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/bc/bcradio">Check it out</a>. This week's guest, you may notice, is Debbie Gibson. That sound you just heard? That was Ryan Estes' head exploding. Remember to gather ye olde kids around ye olde internet radio and listen in. Maybe I'll make a fool of myself.<br /><br />For the moment, I think that's it. Don't despair, you'll be hearing from us again real soon.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-31024770869735317482008-02-21T10:10:00.001-05:002008-02-21T10:10:35.743-05:00a Pittsburgh screening and festival 5.0As I write this, <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a> is nearing 9,000 total views on <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=28376274">MySpace Film</a> (rating of 82%), and <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=qaIhuNTHy7E">YouTube</a> (rating of 4.8 out of 5). Our goal is 20,000 total views, so we're on the way.<br /><br />If you haven't watched it yet and rated it, then what are you waiting for? It's so easy (and fun!). You can see it on the front page of <a href="http://film.myspace.com">MySpace Film</a> as the featured short. But, for those of you having trouble with it, click the image just below this one:<br><br><a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=28376274" title="gravida in the Now Film Festival"><img style="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2019/2279023295_976dc4c3ed_o.jpg" alt="Now gravida" height="227" width="240"></a><br /><br />Much thanks to everyone thus far who's been helping us out, either by watching it, or embedding the video on their MySpace pages and/or blogs, or just getting the word out. I'd list everyone, but there's too many and I'll forget someone and then they'll be mad. So, thanks to everyone.<br /><br />But, wait, there's more.<br /><br />We've been invited to participate in <a href="http://www.myspace.com/viewervideo">Viewer Discretion</a>, a Pittsburgh screening thing. (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&q=brillobox&near=Pittsburgh,+PA&fb=1&cid=0,0,8907982220363189555&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image">click here for directions)</a> See? It's even on a flyer.<br><br><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2281/2281933506_de51c3fdbf_m.jpg" alt="VD2_08web2" height="240" width="192"><br /><br />The plan is to play <i>L'Attente</i> and <i>guard duty</i> and maybe <i>gravida</i>, but probably not, as they try to keep things under 10 minutes. So, Tuesday, 26 Feb, 8.30pm. $3. See you there.<br /><br />Oh, and that festival 5.0? We're in the <a href="http://barebonesfilmfest.com/">Bare Bones Film Festival</a>, the schedule just hasn't been announced yet.<br /><br />Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna see if I can't get myself added to the Oceanic Six.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-2536789203975022522008-02-18T20:03:00.001-05:002008-02-18T20:05:15.572-05:00publicity and myspace and suchYou may have heard something in the air about a film festival we're in right now. You may be tired of hearing about it. Either way, we've got more information for ya.<br /><br />The idea behind this festival, as I understood it, was that we were going to be on the front page of <a href="http://film.myspace.com">MySpace Film</a> for a week. And I suspect that's still the case. I'm told there was something of a crisis situation over at MySpace this weekend and as of right now (7.43pm on Monday), the featured short is still "Bedhead", which I'm beginning to hate the sight of. But, if you click on it, you get us, so that's something. Also, if you go to MySpace TV and go under the film heading, well, <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.splash&placement=entertainment">there we are</a> as the "hot video".<br /><br />The other semi-finalists in this fest have amassed anywhere from 5,000 to 20,000 views, so our new goal is to get 20,000 views (and keep our ranking as high as possible). As of right now, we're at 2,170 views with a 87% rating, so we're on the way.<br /><br />How can you help? View it as often as you'd like. Tell your friends. Click on the "thumbs up" (and not the "thumbs down"). And if you've got a blog/MySpace/whatever, embed the video on your page somewhere. You can find the code <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=28376274">here</a>. If you need any help, don't hesitate to email me. I can help you tweak the links on it, if you want.<br /><br />Also, we've got some media coverage to tell you about. We were featured today on <a href="http://www.nerve.com/CS/blogs/screengrab/archive/2008/02/18/spotlight-on-shorts-quot-gravida-quot-and-the-now-film-festival.aspx">ScreenGrab</a>, the pretty awesome film blog, and the equally cool <a href="http://daily.greencine.com/archives/005535.html#more">GreenCine Daily</a>. ScreenGrab called it "the best of the lot thus far" and "a mature character study about a young pregnant woman trying to keep her loneliness at bay." <br /><br />Go, watch. If you don't have a MySpace account (only needed for rating the film and commenting on how much you love it), then make one. It takes like 5 minutes.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-84726456505317942062008-02-15T14:50:00.000-05:002008-02-15T14:51:24.739-05:00Hey look, we're in the paper...and on MySpace...and elsewhere...As promised, the promotional stuff for the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a> continues. <i>gravida</i> is on the festival webpage for your viewing pleasure, on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaIhuNTHy7E">YouTube</a>, where people are arguing about a pregnant woman drinking wine, and later today on <a href="http://film.myspace.com">MySpace Film</a>, where we'll be the featured selection for a week.<br /><br />Today brings a little bit more for your reading pleasure.<br /><br />First, those of you in Pittsburgh can pick up a copy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and find us on the back page of the Mag&Movies section. Or, you can read it online <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08046/857588-254.stm">here</a>.<br /><br />Also, there's an interview with yours truly about <i>gravida</i> in <a href="https://www.nowcasting.com/actorsink/">Actor's Ink</a>, which is some sort of newsletter/publication with a circulation of roughly 70k. The interview starts with a short review that contains the note that, "With a shoestring budget and a few friends, Lucas McNelly tells a story of loneliness and uncertainty better than most of the filmmakers in Hollywood can imagine." You can read the entire interview <a href="https://www.nowcasting.com/actorsink/article.php?articleID=1716&lastUpdate=20080211142746">here</a>, including the parts where I do some name-dropping of fellow filmmakers.<br /><br />Speaking of name-dropping our fellow filmmakers, our friend <a href="http://www.road-dog-productions.com/weblog/">David Lowery</a> has made the cut of South by Southwest, no small feat.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-66552984915074416692008-02-13T21:44:00.001-05:002008-02-13T21:49:08.852-05:00watch us on YouTube<a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2247996565_fa6a887d6b_o.gif" alt="logo" height="145" width="211"></a><br /><br />Just in time for Valentine's Day, everyone's favorite love story, <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a> is now online in conjunction with the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com">Now Film Festival</a>. Today we're on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaIhuNTHy7E">YouTube</a> and starting Friday we'll be a featured selection on <a href="http://film.myspace.com">MySpace Film</a>. It's been up for an hour and I've already started getting feedback from "industry" people.<br /><br />Exciting, no?<br /><br />Here's what we need you to do: follow the links and boost our numbers/favorites/ratings/whatever. It won't factor into the voting for the finals (and the Hollywood screening), but it can't hurt, right?<br /><br />I know what you're thinking. Now that <i>gravida</i> is online, does that mean we won't pester you about buying a copy? No way.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-86763016755140511282008-02-05T08:40:00.000-05:002008-02-05T08:41:56.542-05:00Festival 4.0So the good news we thought we were going to bring you, that's not going to happen (but fear not, we shall survive).<br /><br />Instead, we've got something a little different for you.<br><br><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a> (you remember <i>gravida</i>) has been selected to screen as part of the <a href="http://www.nowfilmfestival.com/">Now Film Festival</a>, which runs primarily via the internets, both on their webpage and the <a href="http://film.myspace.com">MySpace Film</a> page, and <a href="http://youtube.com/pryor15">YouTube</a>, with a final screening (if I understand this correctly) in Hollywood on 20 May 2008. More information as we get it.<br /><br />By my math, we should be up and running around the middle of March, at which point you should all go and check it out. And then, go to the <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/store">d press Store</a> and buy a <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/dvd">DVD</a>.<br /><br />Ok...um...there was something else...Oh, right. The <a href="http://www.pghplaywrights.com/">Pittsburgh Playwrights</a> is running a Spring Reading Series where every day for the month of February, a different play will get a staged reading. Our friends are all over this event, too many to name without forgetting someone. Check it out when you get a chance.<br /><br />And...that's it. If you can vote this Super Tuesday, make sure you do so. Me, I'll be watching the returns and muttering about how badly screwed up the major parties are.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-85368427693288494362008-02-01T14:07:00.000-05:002008-02-01T14:08:43.348-05:00Festival 3.0Quickly on this snowy Friday afternoon:<br /><br /><i>gravida</i> has been selected to appear in the 4th(?) Annual <a href="http://www.mvvfest.org/">Mid-Valley Video Festival</a> in Salem, OR. We will screen Thursday, 21 February at 9pm with James Spooner's <i>White Lies Black Sheep</i> at the Northern Lights Theatre Pub.<br /><br />Also appearing in the festival is David Lowery's <i><a href="http://www.road-dog-productions.com/weblog/">A Catalog of Anticipations</a></i> and the Butler Brother's <i><a href="http://www.subprod.com/">Confusions of an Unmarried Couple</a></i>, both films by friends of ours.<br /><br />Strangely enough, we hoped to get a good news update to you this weekend (assuming the news was good, of course), but about a completely different subject, so stay tuned. Cross your fingers.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-4038361056698764622008-01-25T12:48:00.000-05:002008-01-25T12:51:01.469-05:00tonight (and tomorrow)A quick note for everyone in the Steel City (or thereabouts).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/stevevesolich">Steve Vesolich</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeromewincek">Jerome Wincek</a> will be playing Club Cafe in Pittsburgh tonight (that&'s Friday) at 7pm. I don't know how much it cost, but it probably will be under $10. Anyway, you should go. It'll be fun.<br /><br />And both of them have music for sale on their respective MySpace pages. Go. Buy it. Be a good person.<br /><br />Plus, you can <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/jerome">check out our videos of Jerome in action.</a> Like this one:<br /><br /><embed src="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" flashvars="m=25103956&v=2&type=video" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="386"></embed><br /><br />Also, our friends at the <a href="http://www.hodgepodgesociety.com">Hodgepodge Society</a> have a free show tomorrow, 26 January at 9:30pm at the Backstage Bar at the Cabaret at Theater Square. <br /><br />Um...I'm sure there's more, but I'm short on time. Later. Oh, and thanks to everyone who saw <a href="http://www.myspace.com/farbeyondfrail">far beyond frail</a> on their recent tour.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-57365467615541937042008-01-15T13:05:00.000-05:002008-01-15T13:09:48.352-05:00Notes from FestivusYou know you've been at a festival a long time when on day 3 you say to someone, "You know, I vaguely remember watching a zombie movie, like, a week ago." Such is life in the festival world where you routinely watch films from noon until nearly midnight, drink alcoholic beverages, and talk to fellow festival goers about what films they saw that you completely should have seen. Depending on your level of cinephilia, it's either completely awesome or a bit much.<br /><br />It helps, certainly, when you've got a film in competition and the badge of honor to prove it. Everyone makes a point of telling you they liked your film (even when they didn't), or how they wish they could have seen it. It's no wonder filmmakers love going. <br /><br />For the inaugural <a href="http://festivusfilmfestival.com">Festivus Film Festival</a>, we hit Denver around 10am Mountain Time and promptly hit a local micro brew house that featured a beer dedicated to the late, great Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. From there, we hit the festival, housed (for our purposes), at the historic Oriental Theater.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida" title="Oriental Theater"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2124/2195519458_7d0e2aea75_m.jpg" alt="Oriental Theater" height="180" width="240"></a><br /><br />The festival kicked off with <a href="http://www.wastingawaythemovie.com/"><i>Wasting Away</i></a>, a zombie movie about from the zombie's point of view (they see themselves as "super soldiers" and everyone else is infected) and <a href="http://www.killkillfasterfaster.com/"><i>Kill Kill Faster Faster</i></a>, which looked really cool, but I came in half-way through and was too tired from the jet lag to follow it.<br /><br />Saturday, we screen bright and early at noon as part of the "Popcorn Matinees" with <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033486/"><i>Maine Story</i></a>, <i>Taken</i>, <i><a href="http://www.intimesofwar.us/">In Times of War: The Ray Parker Story</a></i> (winner for best documentary short), <i>Simulacra</i>, <i>PK-Granny</i>, and <i>Revolver</i>. The screening went well. <i>Maine Story</i> is clearly the best film of the set (or maybe I'm biased because it's set in Maine and the accents aren't all screwed up), but the important thing is that <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida"><i>gravida</i></a> isn't the worst. No one walks out. No one boos. Well, except for these guys:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida" title="critics"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2065/2194770809_948922e27d_m.jpg" alt="critics2" height="168" width="240"></a><br /><br />Then, a Q&A (that's yours truly on the left wearing a "Debs '08" shirt, even if you can't see it):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/gravida" title="Festivus Q&A"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/2195520222_a0cd77f017_m.jpg" alt=""Festivus" Q&A" height="180" width="240"></a><br /><br />There were basic questions about budgets and cameras and whatnot, and we got a few questions asked specifically about our film (such as, "Where did you find a pregnant actress?"). And that was it. A number of people came up to me over the course of the day to say how much they enjoyed the film and we were able to make a number of contacts with other filmmakers and pick their brains about the whole festival sequence. Part of the value of going to this festival was to see what other companies do to support their films, and I think we've picked up a number of good ideas we can use for next time.<br /><br />But there were 2 more whole days of films. Notable films were <a href="http://www.myspace.com/aveclamoustache"><i>Avec la Moustache</i></a> (the best film in the entire festival, I thought), <a href="http://www.myspace.com/martycabbie"><i>Cabbie</i></a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/partiallytruetales"><i>Partially True Tales of High Adventure!</i></a> (the narrative short winner), <a href="http://www.nobletown.com/"><i>Hope Springs Eternal</i></a> (animated winner), <a href="http://www.thebeautyproject.com/"><i>Beauty 24</i></a> (a bad documentary about a fantastically interesting photography project, also the documentary feature winner...go figure), <i><a href="http://indestructiblefilm.com/">Indestructible</a></i> (a heart-breaking doc about ALS), and <a href="http://www.lifewithfiona.com/"><i>Life With Fiona</i></a> (I didn't see it, but the filmmakers were really nice and helpful).<br /><br />And that is about it. Don't forget to purchase a DVD or a tshirt. Be one of the cool kids.<br /><br /><a href="http://dpressproductions.com/filme.html" title="un filme"><img src="http://www.dpressproductions.com/images/shirt%20test%203.jpg" alt="un filme" height="108" width="195"></a><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/dvd.html" title="DVD"><img src="http://www.dpressproductions.com/images/myphoto.jpeg" alt="DVD" height="108" width="76"></a>Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-10308311377465258662008-01-03T11:32:00.001-05:002008-01-03T11:32:41.998-05:00a question for our fans, etc.simply put:<br /><br />What can we do better and/or differently? What opportunities are we missing? What would you do if you were us?<br /><br />any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.<br /><br />thanks a lot.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-45070861633694076302008-01-02T11:35:00.000-05:002008-01-03T11:41:13.779-05:00"un filme" number 5Daniel Stiker, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/filme" title="daniel stiker"><img src="http://www.dpressproductions.com/images/dan_filme.jpeg"/></a>Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-61902831544516270652008-01-01T21:10:00.000-05:002008-01-02T21:14:28.358-05:00Jerome Wincek kick-starts your New YearA Happy New Year from all your friends at your favorite film collective. Some of us are a little, um, hungover, so we'll make this short-ish and sweet.<br /><br />Last night I was asked if we had any New Year's Resolutions, and we don't, really, only the constant one of making d press Productions cooler and more kick-ass than it was previously. We did a pretty good job of that in 2007, so fingers crossed that we can do the same in 2008. <br /><br />On to the good stuff...<br /><br />Recently I was in Franklin, PA to see Jerome Wincek and his band the Old Hats play a show with Matt Reed. Jerome and I had discussed maybe putting together some video of him, so I took my camera and was able to come up with two lo-fi music videos of him playing live. <br /><br /><br><embed src="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" flashvars="m=25103956&type=video&v=2" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="386"></embed><br><br /><br /><br><embed src="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" flashvars="m=25104273&type=video&v=2" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="386"></embed><br><br /><br /><br />Enjoy.<br /><br />Also, Jerome Wincek will be playing a show with Steve Vesolich at Club Cafe in Pittsburgh on 25 January, if you feel inclined to check him out for yourself.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-29269591612522285452007-12-13T21:02:00.000-05:002008-01-02T21:08:41.042-05:00And now...the feats of strength!!!In this update: we hear about festival number 3, we put our mind on our money, a quick tour around the collective, and maybe--just maybe--we'll finally get somewhere in this whole bagel strike...<br /><br />First..."he finds tinsel distracting..."<br /><br />Word in my email box this morning is that <i><b>gravida</i></b> is an Official Selection in the inaugural <a href="http://www.festivusfilmfestival.com">Festivus Film Festival</a>, which runs from 11 January until 13 January in Denver, CO. This is obviously cool for a number of reasons, including the fact that the Festivus episode of "Seinfeld" is one the favorites of the McNelly household. It's another Festivus miracle!<br /><br />If you're scoring at home, that makes <i><b>gravida</i></b> 2 for 3 in the festival circuit, with the one negative being Sundance, which was a long shot anyway.<br /><br />And if for some strange reason you haven't yet seen <i><b>gravida</i></b>, don't forget that we're having a Christmas, etc. sale at the <a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/store">store</a> where you can get FREE<br />Shipping on the <a href="http://dpressproductions.com/dvd.html">DVD</a> and the<br /><a href="http://dpressproductions.com/filme">"un filme" shirt</a>. The sale runs until 22 December and both items would make excellent presents for everyone you know (including yourself)<br /><br />On to the section of the update where we pimp our friends & fellow artists...<br /><br />Ilona V's old band, the Arrangement, has posted one of their old songs (written and sung by Ilona) on the Studio Eight Boston <a href="http://myspace.com/studioeightboston">MySpace page</a>. The song, "Sisters of the Storm" is from the point of view of a religious extremist.<br /><br />Amy Crawford is playing another show at the Bitter End in NYC on Sunday, 16 December at 9pm. Tickets are $5. To quote Amy, "I'm *thisclose* to getting a featured night there, so I would REALLY appreciate it if you came out to support!!" So, you know, go and be supportive.<br /><br />Check out Amy's <a href="http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=72970562&blogID=336492388">MySpace blog</a> for more info:<br /><br />If for some reason you're going to be anywhere near Franklin, PA tomorrow (like, say, you got lost on your way to the middle of nowhere), Jerome Wincek is going to be playing a show at the Summerhouse Coffee Shop with a special guest, the ultra-reclusive singer/songwriter/folk hero Matt Reed. There are dead musicians who play live more frequently than Matt, so don't miss out on this rare event. Doors open at 7pm. Go to Jerome's <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeromewincek">MySpace page</a> for info, and to purchase some of his new tunes.<br /><br />Our good friends far beyond frail have yet another tour lined up, this one visiting such hit towns as Nashville, Charlotte, New Orleans, Austin, and Ambridge, PA (yes, Ambridge). Check out their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/farbeyondfrail">MySpace page</a> to see when (or if) they're coming to a town near you.<br /><br />Ok, that's it. If you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy an aluminum pole.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-11206789360357196122007-12-03T21:00:00.000-05:002008-01-02T21:01:23.920-05:00Sundance?Hi all,<br /><br />2 things that happened within hours of each other this weekend:<br /><br />1. Yours truly broke his nose assembling IKEA furniture. It's not Owen Wilson bad, but you can see where it happened.<br /><br />2. Contrary to our wildest hopes and dreams, <i><b>gravida</i></b> did not make the Sundance cut. This is not a surprise at all, but still. There were over 8500 submissions for 200 spots.<br /><br />So it goes.<br /><br />Remember, the Free Shipping sale contines until 22 December. Load up on Christmas presents for everyone you know.<br /><br />That is all.Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-57712348799395919162007-12-01T11:44:00.000-05:002008-01-03T11:45:46.783-05:00"un filme" number 4Levi Stahl, Pittsburgh, PA<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dpressproductions.com/filme"><img src="http://www.dpressproductions.com/images/levi_filme.jpg"></a>Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9436403.post-19889986371299296272007-11-26T20:56:00.000-05:002008-01-02T20:59:49.071-05:00every Friday is Black FridayHere at d press Productions we believe that you should be allowed to<br />celebrate the religious holiday of your choice, so while most of us around here observe the sacred traditions of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus">Festivus</a>, we understand that others might not. So, in the spirit of cooperation and...um...togetherness, we've decided to offer...wait for it...<br /><br />A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SALE BLOWOUT BONANZA!!!!!!! (or Hanukkah, if you prefer)<br /><br />From now until the randomly chosen date of 22 December, any and all items purchased from the <a href="http://dpressproductions.com/store.html">Store</a> will be shipped to you for absolutely free. That's right, free. A savings of up to $6 on a DVD/shirt combo.<br /><br />What do you have to do to realize such amazing savings? Simply go to either the <a href="http://dpressproductions.com/dvd.html">DVD page</a> or the <a href="http://dpressproductions.com/filme.html">"un filme" page</a> and follow the buttons.<br /><br />What an absolutely perfect way to fill your shopping list and support your favorite film collective at the same time. And if you've got any moody teenagers floating around, word out of a certain high school in Pennsylvania is that the kids love the "un filme" shirt. Everyone wants one.<br /><br />Also, if you're in a shopping mood, our good friend Jerome Wincek has a new album that you can purchase directly from his <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeromewincek">MySpace page</a>. I've heard it. It's awesome.<br /><br />That's it. Get thee to the internets. Happy holidays from your friends at d press ProductionsLucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047006924444489024noreply@blogger.com0