Fun with Backyart's 3rd Annual Film Fest

This past weekend, Carlo Fiorletta and I participated in what has become a delightful annual event: we shot a movie for Backyart's 3rd Annual Film Fest (see http://www.backyartbrooklyn.wordpress.com/).

This fest is the essence of immediate gratification: at 5 PM on Friday, the organizers provide a theme that MUST be included in all movies. The movies must be written, shot, and submitted by 5 PM on Monday (minimum of 30 second, maximum of 5 minutes). This year's theme was: "So this is the myth you've been sleeping with?"

Carlo wrote, directed, and cast a delightful comedy called All About Audition, culled from his years both casting and being cast, and I served as the camera(wo)man and producer.

The cast featured the talented and experienced actors Haley Zale, Jay Rivera, Simcha Borenstein, Troy Dane, Alex Goll, and opera-singing Luigi Fabricini. And he rounded it out with acting newcomers playwright Gary Morgenstein and Gabe Baitz.

The movies (submitted by filmmakers in NYC and Dublin, Ireland) will screen at CultureFix (see http://www.culturefixny.com/) in Manhattan on Friday April 1 at 8 PM; they're at 9 Clinton St., just south of Houston Street. Check it out if you have a chance!

Enjoying A Tomato...

I had the pleasure of seeing Gary Morgenstein's new play A Tomato Can't Grow in the Bronx last night at the Producers Club in Manhattan, and definitely recommend it, although it only runs through Sunday Sept 26.

Carlo Fiorletta's expert direction brings out the best in the actors and keeps the play moving briskly. Donna Castellano and Bruce Levy shine as a feuding married couple who probably should have divorced 20 years earlier. Jessica Renee Russell is delightfully flustered as newly-minted real estate agent Madeline, while Simcha Borenstein, Alyson Linefsky, and Troy Dane are excellent as the equally dysfunctional next generations of the family.

The play's best moments come toward its conclusion, as 25 years of anger and frustration are released - and not gently. But the story manages a hopeful note, and the audience can leave with a smile.

The story takes place in 1964, but its theme of a family yearning for a house with a yard resonates today, especially as we deal with the aftermath of the real estate bubble.

Vote for "The Last Supper" in an on-line movie contest!

My short movie The Last Supper is in an on-line movie competition; you can (please!) watch and vote for it here:

http://www.nextventertainment.com/web/mini-competition/

Please note that it's alphabetized under T - I would have put it under L but they didn't ask my opinion!

The Last Supper stars Donna Castellano (in photo at left) as Mary and Carlo Fiorletta (who also directed) as Joseph, and asks:

What might life be like if Mary and Joseph were raising Jesus in 21st century NJ?

Jesus is played by newcomer Tommy Divins; as my sister Amy said when she saw the movie: "Now THAT'S a saviour I can get behind."

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Photos from the Indie Gathering

Top left: Jay Pulk (writer/director, Copper Penny), Taryn Hough (writer/director/actor, Unit 30), and me

Top right: Taryn and me; she's holding her trophy for Best Short Movie

Lower left: Ray Szuch, director of the Indie Gathering (http://www.theindiegathering.com/) with Carlo Fiorletta, star of Foreclosed (http://www.foreclosedthemovie.us/)

The Indie Gathering, Aug 6 to 8, 2010

I'm really looking forward to the Indie Gathering this weekend - Ray Szuch puts on a terrific festival.

We've got 2 shorts screening: Carlo wrote & directed "Calamity 666" - it screens Saturday in Room A in the 1:35 PM block of micro-movies. The best line:
"That's 'arlo. He's dead. But he died happy." Second place in the MicroMovie Comedy Drama category!!

"Foreclosed" is screening in room B at 2 PM on Sunday. The machete going into the guy's head always gets a great audience reaction. It took 3rd in the Horror Comedy category - Taryn Hough's terrific "Unit 30" took first.

And as an extra added bonus, my feature screenplay "Two and A Half Sisters" took 3rd in the Drama category (I'm currently in pre-production on this, with shooting scheduled for summer 2011).

I never thought I'd spend so many August weekends in the suburbs of Cleveland (Westlake, to be exact!) but this is always a fun place.