End of my time here
I have made the difficult decision to close this blog and focus more on the process of making films, writing for my local newspaper and working on other pursuits. While I continue my love, nay, obsession with films, I have not had my heart in this blog anymore and others are keeping folks up to date. I will continue to let people know what is going on in the Oxford Town and on Facebook but it is time to say goodbye to Oxford Film Freak. Thank you to those who have followed along over the years.
Casting call for theater production tonight in Oxford
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Casting call for Female in mid-20’s for film
CASTING CALL for PRINCIPAL FEMALE in MISSISSIPPI, TENNESSEE.
Please send headshots and resume to Bscott_fx@hotmail.com
Information is on a strict need to know basis, as the project is in a very tight-lipped stage of production.
Seeking female model/actress for starring role.
UNDISCLOSED FEMALE LEAD: Mid-20s, slim/slender/athletic build. Blonde. Given the sudden and extreme circumstances, a once beautiful and sexy young woman is transformed into something unnatural. Despite this, she still maintains a sultry, beautiful and radiant screen presence.
-Must be able to appear for public events and promotional gatherings.
-Must be familiar, or open and comfortable with going under the application of heavy special effects makeup.
-Must be willing to travel if necessary.
More info will be given to applicants.
New fest in North Miss for short films
The North Mississippi FIlm Festival will be held on March 24 at the Malco in Corinth, Miss and is a one-day new festival for short films as a project of the Corinth CVB.
All films must be less than 40 minutes and be submitted by Jan. 28. To obtain the application form or get more information, you can e-mail Karen Beth Martin at karenbeth@corinth.net or check out their Facebook page.
OFF announces 2012 line-up
Oxford, Miss — The Oxford Film Festival is pleased to announce the selections for its 2012 Festival to be held Feb. 9-12, 2012 in Oxford, Miss. The ninth annual film festival will include a selection of panels, over 60 films and other surprise events. Full info at www.oxfordfilmfest.com.
Narrative Feature
Butterfly Rising (Mississippi), Dir: Tanya Wright, When her brother dies, singer Lilah Belle sets out to escape her grief and embarks on a road trip, but not before coaxing the new-to-town, most scandalous woman in Artesia– Rose Johnson– to go with her. These two broken souls steal a vintage truck and head out on the open road to a fated encounter with the mythical, magical ‘Lazarus of the Butterflies’. What occurs with the strange Butterfly Man transforms their destinies and binds the women together– forever. MISSISSIPPI Premiere.
Happy (California, non-competition), Dir. Roko Belic. A look at the search for happiness.
After-School Special (California), Dir. Jacob Chase. A man and a woman have an awkward encounter at an indoor playground in this Neil LaBute penned slice-of-life starring Sarah Paulson and Wes Bentley. MISSISSIPPI Premiere.
Founded in 2003 as a project of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, the Oxford Film Festival is an independent non-profit 501c3 organization committed to celebrating the art of independent cinema. The Oxford Film Festival entertains and educates its participants, providing residents and visitors with the opportunity to watch independent films as well as to meet the filmmakers and learn from industry professionals. The variety of films and panels attracts filmgoers of all ages and backgrounds. The 9th annual Oxford Film Festival will be held February 9-12, 2012. The festival lineup will be posted online in early January, and a printed program will be available around town at the end of January.
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Faulkner stories optioned with HBO
– Reprinted from The Oxford Eagle
Oxford literary great William Faulkner’s work may no longer lay dying on the shelves.
Select Faulkner novels and short stories are just a couple years away from making it to the big screen, as a new, first-look option with producer David Milch was announced Wednesday.
The result of two years of discussion after the Faulkner Conference in 2010 led to the partnership with Milch and the Faulkner Literary Estate.
At the Conference, Lee Caplin, executor of the William Faulkner Literary Estate and CEO of Picture Entertainment Corp., spoke about developing Faulkner films and thereby met Olivia Milch, the daughter of David.
“It developed right there in Oxford in a fortuitous meeting of Livvy and Mr. Caplin,” David Milch said by phone on Wednesday.
Both daughter and father were fans of Faulkner, with David Milch teaching at Yale alongside Faulkner scholars and Olivia doing an adaptation of “Light in August” as her bachelor and master’s thesis at Yale.
“I think I’m probably preaching to the choir, but he is the decisive voice in American Literature in the 20th century and I’ve always felt that if I got lucky enough that I’d like to take a swing at adapting several of his works,” David Milch said.
Caplin said he is happy to see the work move forward, not only because he has been trying to get the movies made, but the renewed interest will also tie back into book sales and attract others to Faulkner.
“Obviously this is something I have been trying to do for many years,” Caplin said. “I wish Mr. Faulkner was alive to see this happen.”
Caplin grew up next door to Faulkner when he moved to Virginia and Caplin became executor of the estate after Faulkner’s daughter, Jill, passed away. Caplin has visited Oxford numerous times including the film festival, Faulkner Conference and location scouting visits for potential Faulkner films.
Filming in Mississippi is a serious possibility and production could begin as early as next year, with a completed film within two years.
“These books are written for Mississippi and it is our intention whenever possible to film in Mississippi,” Caplin said. “For financial reasons we may do some of the movies elsewhere, but I have a commitment to the people in Mississippi and I would like to see these works made there.”
Local film commissioner Mary Kathryn Herrington said that the news is exciting for Mississippi.
“Any time people are exposed to William Faulkner in some way it highlights Oxford,” Herrington said. “If they were looking at Mississippi as a film location, the Oxford CVB is prepared to help them in any way we can.”
While David Milch has not yet been to Oxford, he calls it the country of his imagination and looks forward to visiting early in 2012.
Oxford resident Olivia Milch said she is honored to be part of an opportunity to help bring Faulkner’s work to the screen.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be of service to Faulkner’s work. I am so thankful for the support of the Oxford community and grateful to call Oxford my home,” Olivia Milch said.
David Milch’s Redboard Productions entered into a new multi-year exclusive television deal with HBO, which will cover his upcoming series “Luck,” starring Dustin Hoffman and future Faulkner works.
The Faulkner deal covers 19 novels and 125 short stories, as well as other works with the exception of those contracted with other parties.
Currently only “As I Lay Dying” is optioned by James Franco. The film was set to begin filming in 2011 or 2012 in Lafayette County, but is currently still in pre-production and may not be developed anytime soon.
“James and I have been working for over six years and we talked to David (Milch) about having that be one of the things we do,” Caplin said. “It is not left behind at all.”
Both David Milch and Caplin will act as executive producers of the projects, with Milch serving as the executive writer in charge of adapting the works. The agreement gives HBO an exclusive first opportunity to finance, produce and distribute the projects as movies, mini-series and series. Olivia Milch will serve as coordinating producer on the projects.
As to which production may move forward, both David Milch and Caplin said it is too early to tell but that they want to start soon.
“We are probably a year out before beginning production,” Milch said. “The wheels could be turning though and it is not unrealistic to hope within two years we could have a film made.”
Milch has a long standing history in the television world, first writing shows such as “Hill Street Blues” and “NYPD Blue” before creating the HBO award-winning series “Deadwood.” He is currently developing a feature film, “Heavy Rain” for Warner Brothers.
“We are especially pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with one of the industry’s most talented contemporary writers,” Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming, said in a press release. “We know that whatever David brings to the HBO table will be exciting and innovative.”
Caplin said the enormous opportunity to work with HBO means that Faulkner will be in the right hands.
“HBO has taken the lead internationally in terms of doing TV the way people envisioned,” Caplin said. “They have the choice as doing something as a movie or doing something like Mildred Pierce, which with works like “Light in August” is something we are going to do. It cannot be a single movie.”
But not everything may eventually be produced.
“Mr. Faulkner told me when I was a little boy that not everything I write is a movie,” Caplin said. “Some things are movie-like and others are much more challenging.”
Caplin said among those in consideration for the near future are “Intruder in the Dust” and “Wild Palms,” as well as “Light in August.”
Caplin said the people at HBO are extremely literate, and while it is hard to find commercial venues interested in more challenging works, that HBO is the venue for such a thing.
As for which project Milch may most look forward to, his favorite book is “Absalom, Absalom,” which he calls an “embarrassment of riches.”
Music video call for entries in Memphis
The 7th Annual Live From Memphis MUSIC VIDEO SHOWCASE announces a Call For Entries!
Live From Memphis™ is announcing a call for entries for the 7th annual Music Video Showcase. The Music Video Showcase will take place at The Warehouse in Downtown Memphis, TN from March 1st through 4th, 2012. The multi-day event will include music video showcases, panel discussions, parties, an award show and more!
Music Videos (not exceeding 5 minutes in length) will be accepted through January 31, 2012.
Videos from all over the world may be submitted. Awards include a jury award for “Best Music Video,” an “Audience Choice” award and a “Best Local” award. Each award receives a trophy and prize package. If you are a filmmaker, musician, or band with a music video – submit it now!
Since 2005, the Music Video Showcase has rocked the theaters with the best in Memphis music videos. In 2011, The Music Video Showcase expanded to include videos outside of Memphis and to be a multi-day event.
This is your chance to ROCK THE BIG SCREEN!
For more information about LFM’s Music Video Showcase and to submit your entry please visit: http://www.livefrommemphis.com/mvs, give us a call: (901) 523-9763, or email mvs@livefrommemphis.com
Indie Memphis Wrap Up
It’s been a while for me on blog posts and for that I apologize. I’ve had a wild ride this fall with festivals, films and fun. A film I helped write and produce, Where I Begin, has been active on the circuit the past few weeks, picking up a few awards including Best Mississippi Film at Miss. International FF a couple of weeks ago and this weekend an award at the Maryville Film Festival. With that going on, I have ignored my duties as a blogger, but after the experience of the 14th annual Indie Memphis, I knew I had to try to find a way to explain just what all went on.
The first film I saw set the tone for the festival this year. Jeff, who lives at home by Jay and Mark Duplass was introduced by Craig Brewer who told fond stories of their time at Sundance when they all felt like the new kids and talked about if they would all still be doing this in ten years. Yup, they are and doing it well. And it inspired me to think that they had stood in the same place as the rest of us newbies, wondering if anyone would watch their movies someday.
The film, about destiny and following your instinct and the signs put in front of you, got me thinking about proper story telling and finding a way to tell universal truth while also entertaining. This film has the perfect mix to do just that. I’ve seen all the Duplass brothers films and this is hands down my favorite of their work so far (and I am quite the fan girl of theirs so that is saying something). It comes out in theaters in March. Mark your calendars.
I spent some time talking with Craig Brewer afterwards about the film and filmmaking as well as future plans. Like the great champion of filmmakers he is, he was encouraging and kind to my future goals as he was with many others this weekend.
After the film and some socializing, I caught the première of the Memphis film Losers Take All which had the audience enjoying seeing the final product after filming locally. The Memphis Film Commission presented a check to the producers after they participated in a special program that takes on newcomers to the film industry on crew and helps teach them on set. Then 41 percent (I think that was the number?) of their pay is recouped. It is a clever local incentive but the producers did note it helped since the Tennessee Film Commission never came through on the real incentive package (curious to know more about this case).
Later that evening in short films #4: Dark and Stormy I caught a few friends films that I have seen and love greatly including Pillow, Lukos, Murderabilia and got to enjoy Gerry Bruno’s Seven Souls which I hadn’t seen before but was a nice discovery.
I missed out on some other great films that day to hang out at the P&H with the great Coop Cooper and John Beifuss (it was a film critic love fest) before heading to the annual final party graciously held by Chris and Laura each year. It is always a treat and I was happy to spend time with friends from across the country that I only get to see at fests such as this one.
Sunday I caught up with the super talented Tanya Wright whose film Butterfly Rising played that evening. She and Christine Elise McCarthy (her film Bathing and the Single Girl also played) spoke on a women and film panel and took every opportunity to shift the focus away from being “women filmmakers” to focus on being filmmakers and using their time as actresses to help shape who they were as writers and directors. Both women also spoke about taking on challenges and embracing the unexpected in life similar to the tone of Jeff, Who Lives at Home. Both are writers first and Wright championed the writer as the original creator and the reason we are able to work in this business.
While I found the panel to be inspiring and uplifting, I couldn’t help wonder if I was being told something about being better about listening to my instincts and following this filmmaking thing through. As I head out this week to assist on Kim Voynar’s first film, I am encouraged to have met so many strong, talented women finding a way to express their voice. This includes running into the fantastic Ashley Martin Bias after her screening of Prairie Love (which won the Oxford Film Fest Best Narrative Feature earlier this year). If I had a smidgen of that woman’s talent, I’d be a lucky girl.
As if the entire weekend was not enough to inspire me to pick up my pen again and write something, then to cap it off as I was heading out, I run smack into Jason Baldwin after the screening of Paradise Lost 3. Standing there looking at a true life happy ending (such a rarity) I couldn’t find the right words to say anything about how inspiring it is to see the three free or how in awe I am of the tremendous filmmakers behind the three-part documentary. Several friends also met him at the same time. With all of us roughly the same age as the three, we all felt connected in similar ways to their story and to them. There was no way to not be moved by the moment.
As I am sure he is quite used to this reaction, when he asked if I wanted a hug, I realized that yes, it really was exactly what I needed to end the festival. So I hugged Jason Baldwin, in Memphis, as he stood free amongst supporters and filmmakers. And really there are no words that could have expressed what that hug did. People like Jason are why films need to be made. Stories to be told. Truths to be shown brightly on the screen. It’s time for me to remember that I have something to say and so do many other talented people and I want to thank Indie Memphis and the people I met along the way recently for reminding me that this is why we embrace the madness of indie filmmaking. Free hugs.
Low budget movies continue to roll in the L-O-U community
– OXFORD TOWN
A new low budget feature filmed in Oxford this summer is expected to premiere in early 2012 after Ole Miss cinema minor and junior Benjamin Cunningham managed to film for less than $2,000.
Cunningham, is a psychology major in the honors college and growing up did not have cable TV.
“My childhood was spent watching and rewinding VHS tapes when I wanted to be entertained,” Cunningham said. “Movies have always been a part of my life, and as I grew up, I began to fall in love with the ‘game’ of it — convincing millions of viewers to believe in your piece of art.”
His favorite genre is comedy but he wanted to find a way to blend laughter with a message.
His film, “Roommates” is the answer to that.
“It is absolutely hilarious, but you feel like you’ve really connected with the characters and learned something by the end,” Cunningham said. “It’s 60 minutes of fast-paced fun. The idea for the story came from deep, spiritual, inner longing. OK, not really; I’ve always wanted a pair of handcuffs, so I wrote the story around cuffs to give me a reason to buy them. I tell people those are the most expensive cheap handcuffs anywhere. The story was perfect for the actors, and the chemistry clicked instantly.”
“Roommates” centers around Cole Martin who comes from a private school in Nashville and drives a coupe. Dwayne Cutter, also known as “Peanut,” grew up on okra and deer meat. The only things they have in common: They’re both freshmen, and they’re now roommates. Cole can’t take it, but his girlfriend made him promise that he would give it a week before he tried to switch roommates. Finally, he reaches his last nerve and drags Peanut to the housing department. The housing secretary is an eccentric lady who tells them that the switching deadline has already passed. She does have a little trick, however, that will fix their problems in 24 hours. They agree to try it, and before they can react, she handcuffs them together, telling them to come back the next day. The pair hesitantly accepts it, but suddenly realizes that today is Friday … and tomorrow is Cole’s first debate tournament! By the time they get back to the office, however, it’s closed for the weekend. They are now men on a mission, looking for the lady with the keys.
Cast includes Jay Barnhart as Cole, Samuel McKay as Peanut, Stormie McClelland as Sarah and Adebanke Alabi as Hasina. Cunningham served as cinematographer, Dan Cunningham was sound and gaffer and Stormie McClelland was costume designer. Cast and locations were free and props were the only expense.
“Film is a mission for me. Making movies without sex scenes and F-bombs usually doesn’t cut it in the indie film markets. But there are so many people, especially in college, who are begging for quality work that doesn’t compromise,” Cunningham said. “There are several projects on my desk that are going to help fill this void, but I mostly want to encourage others who are interested in this same concept to go full steam ahead with their ideas. “Family film” is Hollywood’s response, but it is usually boring and dry. I want to create an entirely new market for movies oozing with conscious passion and technical precision.”
“Roommates” was filmed on a Panasonic AG-DVX100B in August. It is expected to premiere in 2012.
Oxford Film Freak 