A quick note for everyone in the Steel City (or thereabouts).
Steve Vesolich and Jerome Wincek 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.
And both of them have music for sale on their respective MySpace pages. Go. Buy it. Be a good person.
Plus, you can check out our videos of Jerome in action. Like this one:
Also, our friends at the Hodgepodge Society have a free show tomorrow, 26 January at 9:30pm at the Backstage Bar at the Cabaret at Theater Square.
Um...I'm sure there's more, but I'm short on time. Later. Oh, and thanks to everyone who saw far beyond frail on their recent tour.
25 January 2008
15 January 2008
Notes from Festivus
You 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.
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.
For the inaugural Festivus Film Festival, 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.
The festival kicked off with Wasting Away, a zombie movie about from the zombie's point of view (they see themselves as "super soldiers" and everyone else is infected) and Kill Kill Faster Faster, which looked really cool, but I came in half-way through and was too tired from the jet lag to follow it.
Saturday, we screen bright and early at noon as part of the "Popcorn Matinees" with Maine Story, Taken, In Times of War: The Ray Parker Story (winner for best documentary short), Simulacra, PK-Granny, and Revolver. The screening went well. Maine Story 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 gravida isn't the worst. No one walks out. No one boos. Well, except for these guys:
Then, a Q&A (that's yours truly on the left wearing a "Debs '08" shirt, even if you can't see it):
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.
But there were 2 more whole days of films. Notable films were Avec la Moustache (the best film in the entire festival, I thought), Cabbie, Partially True Tales of High Adventure! (the narrative short winner), Hope Springs Eternal (animated winner), Beauty 24 (a bad documentary about a fantastically interesting photography project, also the documentary feature winner...go figure), Indestructible (a heart-breaking doc about ALS), and Life With Fiona (I didn't see it, but the filmmakers were really nice and helpful).
And that is about it. Don't forget to purchase a DVD or a tshirt. Be one of the cool kids.
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.
For the inaugural Festivus Film Festival, 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.
The festival kicked off with Wasting Away, a zombie movie about from the zombie's point of view (they see themselves as "super soldiers" and everyone else is infected) and Kill Kill Faster Faster, which looked really cool, but I came in half-way through and was too tired from the jet lag to follow it.
Saturday, we screen bright and early at noon as part of the "Popcorn Matinees" with Maine Story, Taken, In Times of War: The Ray Parker Story (winner for best documentary short), Simulacra, PK-Granny, and Revolver. The screening went well. Maine Story 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 gravida isn't the worst. No one walks out. No one boos. Well, except for these guys:
Then, a Q&A (that's yours truly on the left wearing a "Debs '08" shirt, even if you can't see it):
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.
But there were 2 more whole days of films. Notable films were Avec la Moustache (the best film in the entire festival, I thought), Cabbie, Partially True Tales of High Adventure! (the narrative short winner), Hope Springs Eternal (animated winner), Beauty 24 (a bad documentary about a fantastically interesting photography project, also the documentary feature winner...go figure), Indestructible (a heart-breaking doc about ALS), and Life With Fiona (I didn't see it, but the filmmakers were really nice and helpful).
And that is about it. Don't forget to purchase a DVD or a tshirt. Be one of the cool kids.
03 January 2008
a question for our fans, etc.
simply put:
What can we do better and/or differently? What opportunities are we missing? What would you do if you were us?
any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
thanks a lot.
What can we do better and/or differently? What opportunities are we missing? What would you do if you were us?
any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
thanks a lot.
02 January 2008
01 January 2008
Jerome Wincek kick-starts your New Year
A 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.
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.
On to the good stuff...
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.
Enjoy.
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.
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.
On to the good stuff...
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.
Enjoy.
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.
13 December 2007
And 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...
First..."he finds tinsel distracting..."
Word in my email box this morning is that gravida is an Official Selection in the inaugural Festivus Film Festival, 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!
If you're scoring at home, that makes gravida 2 for 3 in the festival circuit, with the one negative being Sundance, which was a long shot anyway.
And if for some strange reason you haven't yet seen gravida, don't forget that we're having a Christmas, etc. sale at the store where you can get FREE
Shipping on the DVD and the
"un filme" shirt. The sale runs until 22 December and both items would make excellent presents for everyone you know (including yourself)
On to the section of the update where we pimp our friends & fellow artists...
Ilona V's old band, the Arrangement, has posted one of their old songs (written and sung by Ilona) on the Studio Eight Boston MySpace page. The song, "Sisters of the Storm" is from the point of view of a religious extremist.
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.
Check out Amy's MySpace blog for more info:
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 MySpace page for info, and to purchase some of his new tunes.
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 MySpace page to see when (or if) they're coming to a town near you.
Ok, that's it. If you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy an aluminum pole.
First..."he finds tinsel distracting..."
Word in my email box this morning is that gravida is an Official Selection in the inaugural Festivus Film Festival, 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!
If you're scoring at home, that makes gravida 2 for 3 in the festival circuit, with the one negative being Sundance, which was a long shot anyway.
And if for some strange reason you haven't yet seen gravida, don't forget that we're having a Christmas, etc. sale at the store where you can get FREE
Shipping on the DVD and the
"un filme" shirt. The sale runs until 22 December and both items would make excellent presents for everyone you know (including yourself)
On to the section of the update where we pimp our friends & fellow artists...
Ilona V's old band, the Arrangement, has posted one of their old songs (written and sung by Ilona) on the Studio Eight Boston MySpace page. The song, "Sisters of the Storm" is from the point of view of a religious extremist.
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.
Check out Amy's MySpace blog for more info:
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 MySpace page for info, and to purchase some of his new tunes.
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 MySpace page to see when (or if) they're coming to a town near you.
Ok, that's it. If you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy an aluminum pole.
03 December 2007
Sundance?
Hi all,
2 things that happened within hours of each other this weekend:
1. Yours truly broke his nose assembling IKEA furniture. It's not Owen Wilson bad, but you can see where it happened.
2. Contrary to our wildest hopes and dreams, gravida did not make the Sundance cut. This is not a surprise at all, but still. There were over 8500 submissions for 200 spots.
So it goes.
Remember, the Free Shipping sale contines until 22 December. Load up on Christmas presents for everyone you know.
That is all.
2 things that happened within hours of each other this weekend:
1. Yours truly broke his nose assembling IKEA furniture. It's not Owen Wilson bad, but you can see where it happened.
2. Contrary to our wildest hopes and dreams, gravida did not make the Sundance cut. This is not a surprise at all, but still. There were over 8500 submissions for 200 spots.
So it goes.
Remember, the Free Shipping sale contines until 22 December. Load up on Christmas presents for everyone you know.
That is all.
01 December 2007
26 November 2007
every Friday is Black Friday
Here at d press Productions we believe that you should be allowed to
celebrate the religious holiday of your choice, so while most of us around here observe the sacred traditions of Festivus, we understand that others might not. So, in the spirit of cooperation and...um...togetherness, we've decided to offer...wait for it...
A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SALE BLOWOUT BONANZA!!!!!!! (or Hanukkah, if you prefer)
From now until the randomly chosen date of 22 December, any and all items purchased from the Store will be shipped to you for absolutely free. That's right, free. A savings of up to $6 on a DVD/shirt combo.
What do you have to do to realize such amazing savings? Simply go to either the DVD page or the "un filme" page and follow the buttons.
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.
Also, if you're in a shopping mood, our good friend Jerome Wincek has a new album that you can purchase directly from his MySpace page. I've heard it. It's awesome.
That's it. Get thee to the internets. Happy holidays from your friends at d press Productions
celebrate the religious holiday of your choice, so while most of us around here observe the sacred traditions of Festivus, we understand that others might not. So, in the spirit of cooperation and...um...togetherness, we've decided to offer...wait for it...
A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SALE BLOWOUT BONANZA!!!!!!! (or Hanukkah, if you prefer)
From now until the randomly chosen date of 22 December, any and all items purchased from the Store will be shipped to you for absolutely free. That's right, free. A savings of up to $6 on a DVD/shirt combo.
What do you have to do to realize such amazing savings? Simply go to either the DVD page or the "un filme" page and follow the buttons.
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.
Also, if you're in a shopping mood, our good friend Jerome Wincek has a new album that you can purchase directly from his MySpace page. I've heard it. It's awesome.
That's it. Get thee to the internets. Happy holidays from your friends at d press Productions
12 November 2007
thoughts from 3rff
In case you'd forgotten, last night was the first half of the competetive Shorts Program of the 2007 Three Rivers Film Festival right here in Pittsburgh, PA. The rest of the 21 films will screen on Wednesday, but they were kind enough to make sure we saw the winning films from that group, so we've got a pretty good idea of where gravida falls overall.
Sadly, we did not come away with any prizes, but you'll have that.
The program was a mix of narrative, documentary, and avant-garde, so it's difficult to compare, but here goes. The judges were all film professors from the city, and the shorts program is more or less put on by Pittsburgh Filmmakers, an organization known for focusing on "art" over narration, which is part of the reason I thought L'Attente would get in and gravida might not.
Anyway, the best film of the 3 winners was clearly Adam Taylor's Adam Taylor's Dracula, a simple comedy that images Count Dracula as a janitor at Pitt. It was a simple premise that was well-written and didn't strain itself in trying to get your attention. The audience loved it.
But it didn't win. The winning film was Elizabeth Henry's Through These Trackless Waters, a montage of wildlife footage representing sex. There wasn't a single shot in the film that didn't come from stock footage, meaning at no point did she use a camera. Some would call that less filmmaking and more editing (actually, it's entirely editing). Numerous people walked out, and I don't blame them. It wasn't very good, even for what it was trying to be. It's the type of film that makes people hate avant-garde cinema.
Third prize went to A. Wallace's El Otro Lado, a documentary about the fence on the U.S./Mexico border. Basically a series of voiceovers paired with a long, tracking shot of the fence, it was interesting, but hardly award-caliber.
Other notable films were Kun-I Chang's Fission, Justin Crimone's Wooden, but wonderful, and Jose Munian's Sampsonia Way: City of Asylum.
As for gravida, something was amiss in the projection, as the film was very dark and the color washed out so that the red light at the end was mostly pinkish. It certainly didn't look as good as it did at the premiere. Despite that, audience reaction was pretty good. You could sense that they were uncomfortable at times, and no one booed, which is always nice. I'd say it was probably one of the 3 or 4 best films of the 12 shown last night. So it goes.
Of course, you can always purchase your very own copy of gravida from the webpage
In other news, Trent Wolfred tells me that the "un filme" shirt will be featured more prominently in this week's "Something to be Desired", so keep an eye out for that.
It isn't up yet (well, it might be, depending on when you read this), but it should be sometime today. Make sure you check it out.
And buy one of the shirts for yourself.
That's all for now.
Sadly, we did not come away with any prizes, but you'll have that.
The program was a mix of narrative, documentary, and avant-garde, so it's difficult to compare, but here goes. The judges were all film professors from the city, and the shorts program is more or less put on by Pittsburgh Filmmakers, an organization known for focusing on "art" over narration, which is part of the reason I thought L'Attente would get in and gravida might not.
Anyway, the best film of the 3 winners was clearly Adam Taylor's Adam Taylor's Dracula, a simple comedy that images Count Dracula as a janitor at Pitt. It was a simple premise that was well-written and didn't strain itself in trying to get your attention. The audience loved it.
But it didn't win. The winning film was Elizabeth Henry's Through These Trackless Waters, a montage of wildlife footage representing sex. There wasn't a single shot in the film that didn't come from stock footage, meaning at no point did she use a camera. Some would call that less filmmaking and more editing (actually, it's entirely editing). Numerous people walked out, and I don't blame them. It wasn't very good, even for what it was trying to be. It's the type of film that makes people hate avant-garde cinema.
Third prize went to A. Wallace's El Otro Lado, a documentary about the fence on the U.S./Mexico border. Basically a series of voiceovers paired with a long, tracking shot of the fence, it was interesting, but hardly award-caliber.
Other notable films were Kun-I Chang's Fission, Justin Crimone's Wooden, but wonderful, and Jose Munian's Sampsonia Way: City of Asylum.
As for gravida, something was amiss in the projection, as the film was very dark and the color washed out so that the red light at the end was mostly pinkish. It certainly didn't look as good as it did at the premiere. Despite that, audience reaction was pretty good. You could sense that they were uncomfortable at times, and no one booed, which is always nice. I'd say it was probably one of the 3 or 4 best films of the 12 shown last night. So it goes.
Of course, you can always purchase your very own copy of gravida from the webpage
In other news, Trent Wolfred tells me that the "un filme" shirt will be featured more prominently in this week's "Something to be Desired", so keep an eye out for that.
It isn't up yet (well, it might be, depending on when you read this), but it should be sometime today. Make sure you check it out.
And buy one of the shirts for yourself.
That's all for now.
23 October 2007
as seen on .tv!
In this email: d press merchandise shows up in an unlikely location...people play songs live on the radio...more on the festivals...and, as always, rambling from yours truly
As I'm sure some of you are aware, Pittsburgh has it's very own web-series, which films all over the city on a budget of, like, zero. Despite the complete lack of a budget, they've managed to film 4 complete seasons (now 7 episodes into season 5) and score a cover story in City Paper, among other places. So, when earlier this summer I was in an award-winning play with Trent Wolfred, one of the actors in Something To Be Desired, I got to thinking and we got to talking about films in general and, lo and behold, look who's wearing an "un filme" shirt in the latest episode. So, go, check it out. I'm told Trent will be wearing the shirt over a couple of episodes, meaning a hell of a lot of people will see it in action.
Oh, and when you watch the series and don't know who any of the characters are, don't ask me. I don't know either.
And I know what you're thinking now, "gee, I sure would like a shirt like the one I saw on .tv". Well, you can. Just go to the webpage and buy one already.
Upcoming shows:
24 October (Wed), Steve Vesolich plays live at Club Cafe at 6pm ($5). If you can't make it (and with LOST not on right now, you don't have a good excuse), it'll be on the radio. Check it out on the internets.
27 October (Sat), Steve again plays Club Cafe, but on a Saturday. 7pm. $5
Much thanks to everyone who went to the far beyond frail and/or Any Crawford shows recently. Some of you saw the far beyond frail shows in Boston and NYC (in fact, probably more of you than did in Pittsburgh), which is very cool. Isn't supporting artists fun?
Also fun is film festivals, such as the Three Rivers Film Festival, who's full schedule is now online. Peruse it and you'll find some nice stuff (in addition to gravida), such as Frownland (recommended by David Lowery), Grace Is Gone (that John Cusack film about war), a new print of Woody Allen's Manhattan, and Strange Girls, a Pittsburgh film featuring our very own Joanna Lowe and crew work by some of the crew from gravida (maybe all, I can't be sure).
Tickets for the Three Rivers Film Festival can be purchased all over the place. They're $8 each, or for $40 you can get 6 tickets and a free t-shirt (oooohhhh.....aaaahhhh)
So, that's it for now. Watch the web series. Go to Club Cafe. Buy stuff.
As I'm sure some of you are aware, Pittsburgh has it's very own web-series, which films all over the city on a budget of, like, zero. Despite the complete lack of a budget, they've managed to film 4 complete seasons (now 7 episodes into season 5) and score a cover story in City Paper, among other places. So, when earlier this summer I was in an award-winning play with Trent Wolfred, one of the actors in Something To Be Desired, I got to thinking and we got to talking about films in general and, lo and behold, look who's wearing an "un filme" shirt in the latest episode. So, go, check it out. I'm told Trent will be wearing the shirt over a couple of episodes, meaning a hell of a lot of people will see it in action.
Oh, and when you watch the series and don't know who any of the characters are, don't ask me. I don't know either.
And I know what you're thinking now, "gee, I sure would like a shirt like the one I saw on .tv". Well, you can. Just go to the webpage and buy one already.
Upcoming shows:
24 October (Wed), Steve Vesolich plays live at Club Cafe at 6pm ($5). If you can't make it (and with LOST not on right now, you don't have a good excuse), it'll be on the radio. Check it out on the internets.
27 October (Sat), Steve again plays Club Cafe, but on a Saturday. 7pm. $5
Much thanks to everyone who went to the far beyond frail and/or Any Crawford shows recently. Some of you saw the far beyond frail shows in Boston and NYC (in fact, probably more of you than did in Pittsburgh), which is very cool. Isn't supporting artists fun?
Also fun is film festivals, such as the Three Rivers Film Festival, who's full schedule is now online. Peruse it and you'll find some nice stuff (in addition to gravida), such as Frownland (recommended by David Lowery), Grace Is Gone (that John Cusack film about war), a new print of Woody Allen's Manhattan, and Strange Girls, a Pittsburgh film featuring our very own Joanna Lowe and crew work by some of the crew from gravida (maybe all, I can't be sure).
Tickets for the Three Rivers Film Festival can be purchased all over the place. They're $8 each, or for $40 you can get 6 tickets and a free t-shirt (oooohhhh.....aaaahhhh)
So, that's it for now. Watch the web series. Go to Club Cafe. Buy stuff.
16 October 2007
13 October 2007
Manny, and Amy, and Shar...oh my
Howdy, all.
The Red Sox are scheduled to continue their romp through the American League tonight (by the way, has anyone seen the Yankees lately?), but before that, here's a quick reminder of some stuff you have to check out.
** Amy Crawford's set at NYC's The Bitter End will be webcast Sunday, 14 October at 9pm. Word is it will not be archived, so if you want to catch it, you gotta catch it live.
** far beyond frail will also be playing at The Bitter End on 13 October ($5), but more importantly, they'll be making their triumphant return to Pittsburgh on Monday, 15 October at the Garfield Artworks (4931 Penn Avenue) for a mere $8. Some of you who don't recognize the name will remember Sharylnn Verner from days past. I expect to see you all there. No excuses.
Also, we have a date now for the Three Rivers Film Festival. gravida will play as part of program A on 10 November at the Melwood Avenue screening room.
Of course, you can still purchase a DVD from the website and the ever-popular "un filme" shirt as well.
And I don't want to be a pest (well...that's probably not true), but a recent glance of our records shows that 6 of you (you know who you are) said long ago, "oh sure, I'll definitely order a shirt" but haven't yet. **sigh**
The Red Sox are scheduled to continue their romp through the American League tonight (by the way, has anyone seen the Yankees lately?), but before that, here's a quick reminder of some stuff you have to check out.
** Amy Crawford's set at NYC's The Bitter End will be webcast Sunday, 14 October at 9pm. Word is it will not be archived, so if you want to catch it, you gotta catch it live.
** far beyond frail will also be playing at The Bitter End on 13 October ($5), but more importantly, they'll be making their triumphant return to Pittsburgh on Monday, 15 October at the Garfield Artworks (4931 Penn Avenue) for a mere $8. Some of you who don't recognize the name will remember Sharylnn Verner from days past. I expect to see you all there. No excuses.
Also, we have a date now for the Three Rivers Film Festival. gravida will play as part of program A on 10 November at the Melwood Avenue screening room.
Of course, you can still purchase a DVD from the website and the ever-popular "un filme" shirt as well.
And I don't want to be a pest (well...that's probably not true), but a recent glance of our records shows that 6 of you (you know who you are) said long ago, "oh sure, I'll definitely order a shirt" but haven't yet. **sigh**
05 October 2007
going to the show
Dear reader,
As if the day can't get any better, what with the Red Sox winning
yesterday and the Yankees getting blown out tonight, there's this bit
of film festival news, courtesy of my inbox:
Dear Lucas,
Congratulations! Your film, Gravida, has been selected to screen at
the 26th annual Three Rivers Film Festival. The festival will be held
from November 2nd through the 15th. Our Shorts Program will be
presented in two parts with one screening each night, Sunday, November
11and Wednesday, November 14, at the Melwood Screening Room at 477
Melwood Avenue in Pittsburgh. For more information please visit the
festival's official website, www.3rff.com.
The Three Rivers Film Festival has, in the past, had a local shorts
program, but that doesn't appear to be the case this year (this, of
course, could change). If I'm not mistaken, last year's shorts program
contained a film by Canadian auteur Guy Maddin but, again, that's just
off the top of my head.
Anyway, if you haven't bought a DVD yet, now might be a good time.
As if the day can't get any better, what with the Red Sox winning
yesterday and the Yankees getting blown out tonight, there's this bit
of film festival news, courtesy of my inbox:
Dear Lucas,
Congratulations! Your film, Gravida, has been selected to screen at
the 26th annual Three Rivers Film Festival. The festival will be held
from November 2nd through the 15th. Our Shorts Program will be
presented in two parts with one screening each night, Sunday, November
11and Wednesday, November 14, at the Melwood Screening Room at 477
Melwood Avenue in Pittsburgh. For more information please visit the
festival's official website, www.3rff.com.
The Three Rivers Film Festival has, in the past, had a local shorts
program, but that doesn't appear to be the case this year (this, of
course, could change). If I'm not mistaken, last year's shorts program
contained a film by Canadian auteur Guy Maddin but, again, that's just
off the top of my head.
Anyway, if you haven't bought a DVD yet, now might be a good time.
04 October 2007
26 September 2007
putting the "c" in collective
While there are a hell of a lot of you on this email list, I think it's pretty safe to put you in 2 groups: 1) You're saddened, nay distraught, that you haven't heard anything from your favorite film collective recently. This, of course, is keeping you up nights and affecting your job performance. 2) You're glad, nay thrilled, to have a break from all these damned emails.
Love us or hate us, here's a quick update, powered by the new Breathe Owl Breathe album.
First, some bits of cross-promotion for our good friends:
14 October 2007: Amy Crawford is playing a short set as part of a NYC singer/songwriter thing at the Bitter End. It'll be broadcast on the internets. Tickets are $5
15 October 2007: far beyond frail plays the Garfield Artworks in Pittsburgh as part of their on-going tour schedule. While based out of Kansas City, the band has significant Pittsburgh roots (Sharlynn Verner went to school with us) and this is their very first Pittsburgh show. Tickets are $8
27 October 2007: Steve Vesolich
has a couple of shows coming up, most notably this one at Club Cafe in Pittsburgh. Tickets are $5.
Occasional musician Matt Reed has a new song, "Hymn to Liberty", available at his MySpace page.
For those of you with time to kill at work, there's 2 (!) groups for you to join on your favorite social networks. Both are titled "i [heart] d press Productions", and while we haven't yet figured out what to do with them, surely we will soon. There's one on MySpace and one on Facebook. Join the fun.
And if you're wondering what we've been up to lately over here at d press....well....we're trying to set up some "gravida" screenings in different cities like Philly and New York and yours truly has been working on the next script, although perhaps working is the wrong word. Do you remember the piano player on Sesame Street? The one who would always bang his head on the keys and wail, "I'll never get it right. Never!"? Yeah, it's kind of like that.
But you know what would help? If we sold some DVDs and t-shirts. At very least, it couldn't hurt.
Oh, and if you've bought a shirt, send us a picture of you wearing it and we'll post it on the webpage. And if you reserved a shirt but haven't purchased it yet, what the hell are you waiting for?
Love us or hate us, here's a quick update, powered by the new Breathe Owl Breathe album.
First, some bits of cross-promotion for our good friends:
14 October 2007: Amy Crawford is playing a short set as part of a NYC singer/songwriter thing at the Bitter End. It'll be broadcast on the internets. Tickets are $5
15 October 2007: far beyond frail plays the Garfield Artworks in Pittsburgh as part of their on-going tour schedule. While based out of Kansas City, the band has significant Pittsburgh roots (Sharlynn Verner went to school with us) and this is their very first Pittsburgh show. Tickets are $8
27 October 2007: Steve Vesolich
has a couple of shows coming up, most notably this one at Club Cafe in Pittsburgh. Tickets are $5.
Occasional musician Matt Reed has a new song, "Hymn to Liberty", available at his MySpace page.
For those of you with time to kill at work, there's 2 (!) groups for you to join on your favorite social networks. Both are titled "i [heart] d press Productions", and while we haven't yet figured out what to do with them, surely we will soon. There's one on MySpace and one on Facebook. Join the fun.
And if you're wondering what we've been up to lately over here at d press....well....we're trying to set up some "gravida" screenings in different cities like Philly and New York and yours truly has been working on the next script, although perhaps working is the wrong word. Do you remember the piano player on Sesame Street? The one who would always bang his head on the keys and wail, "I'll never get it right. Never!"? Yeah, it's kind of like that.
But you know what would help? If we sold some DVDs and t-shirts. At very least, it couldn't hurt.
Oh, and if you've bought a shirt, send us a picture of you wearing it and we'll post it on the webpage. And if you reserved a shirt but haven't purchased it yet, what the hell are you waiting for?
27 August 2007
gravida and the infield fly rule
A quick little update while I take a break from packing stuff up for a move across town and drink brandy out of a coffee mug because that's all I can find.
A note on moving: you want to make sure to keep all of your adult beverage stuff together. For example, you don't want to pack the corkscrews apart from the wine, especially if the move is spread out over several days.
There's another gravida review up at the influential blog Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule (that's 10, if you're scoring at home), and like the other nine, it's a thumbs up:
"[McNelly] and Shaw effortlessly illustrate the moment when she grasps the temporal fleetingness of this comfortable, familiar sort of pain and longing, which is about to become but a wistful memory. In the end, the movie slips through our fingers, like a memory itself, which is, as it turns out, its most impressionable, poetic quality. gravida marks the first sure steps in what one hopes will be a long and
fruitful filmmaking career for its director." (Dennis Cozzalio)
In addition to the review, Dennis was kind enough to do an in-depth interview with yours truly about the origins of gravida, as well as tidbits about L'Attente and guard duty. It's quite interesting stuff, if I do say so myself.
After you read Dennis' blog, head on over to the d press store and get yourself a gravida DVD, the coolest DVD out there (not counting all the Criterion DVDs).
Also, don't forget to pick up your "un filme" shirt. We're running low on certain sizes, so get yours before they're gone. And don't forget to send in pictures of you in your super cool shirt for the webpage. Be one of the cool kids.
A note on moving: you want to make sure to keep all of your adult beverage stuff together. For example, you don't want to pack the corkscrews apart from the wine, especially if the move is spread out over several days.
There's another gravida review up at the influential blog Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule (that's 10, if you're scoring at home), and like the other nine, it's a thumbs up:
"[McNelly] and Shaw effortlessly illustrate the moment when she grasps the temporal fleetingness of this comfortable, familiar sort of pain and longing, which is about to become but a wistful memory. In the end, the movie slips through our fingers, like a memory itself, which is, as it turns out, its most impressionable, poetic quality. gravida marks the first sure steps in what one hopes will be a long and
fruitful filmmaking career for its director." (Dennis Cozzalio)
In addition to the review, Dennis was kind enough to do an in-depth interview with yours truly about the origins of gravida, as well as tidbits about L'Attente and guard duty. It's quite interesting stuff, if I do say so myself.
After you read Dennis' blog, head on over to the d press store and get yourself a gravida DVD, the coolest DVD out there (not counting all the Criterion DVDs).
Also, don't forget to pick up your "un filme" shirt. We're running low on certain sizes, so get yours before they're gone. And don't forget to send in pictures of you in your super cool shirt for the webpage. Be one of the cool kids.
14 August 2007
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.
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.
01 August 2007
15 July 2007
so...how did it go?
The online reviews are good-to-glowing (with more to come). It was mentioned in City Paper. The city was covered with posters. The emails bordered on annoying and overbearing. But how did the premiere go?
In addition to the crew and other various people who worked on the film, we had 45 paying customers at the beautiful Hollywood Theatre. I'd guess about half of them were people I knew, which means we drew roughly 20 people who I've never met.
The evening started with the music of Jerome Wincek (with special guest Nate Custer). Jerome rocked out on the banjo and mandolin, while Nate played the guitar. Despite some tuning problems with the banjo, the set went over well and a lot of people got introduced to some great music they might not have otherwise.
A quick note: Jerome and Nate will be playing Club Cafe on 15 August at 7pm, followed by our good friend Steve Vesolich, so be sure to check that out.
After Jerome and Nate was an intermission, with a charming little movie with dancing hot dogs. You know, the type of thing you used to see when you went to the movies as a kid.
The three films followed immediately after. All played without incident and looked fantastic on the Hollywood's high-def projector. I dare say it's the best digital projection I've ever seen in Pittsburgh. The response to all three films was very positive. I overheard one person say, "that was tremendous" as the credits for gravida rolled.
Then we all drank wine and socialized.
Almost as soon as the film was over, people started talking about encore screenings and future screenings in the city (and elsewhere), so you could take that as an indication that the word of mouth will be pretty strong.
Thanks to everyone who helped get the word out.
So, the question then becomes, "how can I see the film?" Well, that's easy. For the small sum of $8 you can purchase a DVD of gravida, L'Attente, and guard duty. One of the first things you'll notice is the DVD cover, designed by the brilliant Ryan Davis, the guy who also made our posters. If you have paying graphic design work you need done, you couldn't do much better than Ryan.
To buy a DVD, either get me $8 (checks via mail payable to "Lucas McNelly") or purchase them via the website. Oh, and if we have to mail it to you, there's a $2 shipping charge.
And don't forget the super hip "un filme" shirts. They are here, in a box in my apartment. Get yours now. Plus, if you take a picture of yourself wearing the shirt, we'll post it on the webpage for the world to see.
Those of you who've purchased stuff already, you should be getting it sometime this week.
And now, if you'll excuse me, Tuesday I'm going to Maine for a week of doing little but laying in a hammock by a lake.
In addition to the crew and other various people who worked on the film, we had 45 paying customers at the beautiful Hollywood Theatre. I'd guess about half of them were people I knew, which means we drew roughly 20 people who I've never met.
The evening started with the music of Jerome Wincek (with special guest Nate Custer). Jerome rocked out on the banjo and mandolin, while Nate played the guitar. Despite some tuning problems with the banjo, the set went over well and a lot of people got introduced to some great music they might not have otherwise.
A quick note: Jerome and Nate will be playing Club Cafe on 15 August at 7pm, followed by our good friend Steve Vesolich, so be sure to check that out.
After Jerome and Nate was an intermission, with a charming little movie with dancing hot dogs. You know, the type of thing you used to see when you went to the movies as a kid.
The three films followed immediately after. All played without incident and looked fantastic on the Hollywood's high-def projector. I dare say it's the best digital projection I've ever seen in Pittsburgh. The response to all three films was very positive. I overheard one person say, "that was tremendous" as the credits for gravida rolled.
Then we all drank wine and socialized.
Almost as soon as the film was over, people started talking about encore screenings and future screenings in the city (and elsewhere), so you could take that as an indication that the word of mouth will be pretty strong.
Thanks to everyone who helped get the word out.
So, the question then becomes, "how can I see the film?" Well, that's easy. For the small sum of $8 you can purchase a DVD of gravida, L'Attente, and guard duty. One of the first things you'll notice is the DVD cover, designed by the brilliant Ryan Davis, the guy who also made our posters. If you have paying graphic design work you need done, you couldn't do much better than Ryan.
To buy a DVD, either get me $8 (checks via mail payable to "Lucas McNelly") or purchase them via the website. Oh, and if we have to mail it to you, there's a $2 shipping charge.
And don't forget the super hip "un filme" shirts. They are here, in a box in my apartment. Get yours now. Plus, if you take a picture of yourself wearing the shirt, we'll post it on the webpage for the world to see.
Those of you who've purchased stuff already, you should be getting it sometime this week.
And now, if you'll excuse me, Tuesday I'm going to Maine for a week of doing little but laying in a hammock by a lake.
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