lfv_5_2012 by Media Index Publishing Group

LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

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Lafayette, Louisiana Centered at the intersection of I10 and I90- Lafayette Parish, in south central Louisiana is an ideal area for film production and support services companies to set up shop. In Lafayette, you’ll be in a central location to access or supply anything a production could need. Local programs, when paired with statewide entertainment industry tax credits, make filming in Lafayette Parish a great deal for your next project. ■

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Free permitting and locations assistance from the Lafayette Entertainment Initiative (LEI)

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Locations, crew, talent and support services database on LEI’s Reel Scout

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Film friendly local government and diverse, low-cost locations

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Significantly lower cost of living

Julie Bordelon Lafayette Entertainment Initiative 337.291.3456 jbordelon@lafayettela.gov www.LafayetteEntertainment.org

CONTENTS

VOLUME EIGHT

ISSUE FIVE

Olympus Has Fallen crew set up a shot in Shreveport/Bossier.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andrew Vogel andrew@louisianafilmandvideo.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Katie Sauro contact@louisianafilmandvideo.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS W. H. Bourne, Natalie Hultman SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins SALES Eric Iles, Eric Schneider, Kori Valentine, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER John Rusnak DESIGNERS Dawn Carlson, Beth Harrison, Christina Poisal

PHOTO BY PHILLIP V. CARUSO. PHOTO PROPERTY OF AND COURTESY OF MILLENNIUM FILMS.

WEBMASTER Eric Pederson OFFICE MANAGER Audra Higgins

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

OLYMPUS IN SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER: FILMING WITH THE GODS

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A replica of the White House stands in the background as crew shoots a scene for Olympus Has Fallen. PHOTO BY PHILLIP V. CARUSO. PHOTO PROPERTY OF AND COURTESY OF MILLENNIUM FILMS.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

’d like to introduce myself. My name is Andrew Vogel, and I’m replacing the one and only Shanna Forrestall as Executive Editor of Louisiana Film & Video Magazine. I met Shanna in the early stages of what has become my career in the film industry, and I was immediately inspired by her passion and determination to excel as a person. I feel privileged to have worked with her on multiple film projects and to now be following in at least a footstep of her road to success. As a Louisiana native, I’m truly humbled to have the opportunity to contribute to the wealth of creativity and passion that is the Louisiana film community. On that note, it’s amazing to me how the sense of community in Louisiana never stops growing. The amount of people that are genuinely interested in contributing to the common good of the industry, even if it means working for free, is invigorating. New organizations are forming and old organizations are building strength, all with the mission of unifying filmmakers and artists. Timecode:NOLA is making waves within the independent community with film contests and their first ever film festival, FF ONE (see pg. 14). The 23rd annual New Orleans Film Festival is bigger than ever, and the bar on quality is higher than ever (pg. 18). People around the world see us now. People are recognizing what our film industry is accomplishing every day, and they are looking for excuses to make a trip down to bayou town so they can be a part of

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the action. We know that major out-of-state productions are itching to do filming in Louisiana, and that is a beautiful thing, yet many of these big-budget films don’t stick around for post-production. The good news is we now have the resources, the talent and the expertise to take a movie from pre-production all the way to the finished product. This is big, and people are joining hands to make sure everyone knows it and won’t soon forget it. Since I’ve been involved in the film industry, I’ve had several people ask me if I have plans to move to Los Angeles or New York, and it is a great feeling to be able to respond, “Why would I do that?” The truth is Louisiana has everything I need, and I have high hopes that it will remain that way. Sincerely, Andrew Vogel Executive Editor

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LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

OLYMPUS IN SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER: FILMING WITH THE GODS STORY BY W. H. BOURNE • PHOTOS BY PHILLIP V. CARUSO • PHOTOS PROPERTY OF AND COURTESY OF MILLENNIUM FILMS

ince July 9, Shreveport/Bossier residents have been seeing stars, as Millennium Films/Nu Image Entertainment lenses Olympus Has Fallen, a tent-pole action film starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Dylan McDermott, Angela Bassett, Ashley Judd, Robert Forster, Cole Hauser, Radha Mitchell, and Rick Yune. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Brooklyn’s Finest), the film also features Academy Award winners Melissa Leo and Morgan Freeman. “I think the thing I like about the Shreveport/Bossier area is that we have great cooperation with both cities,” says production designer Derek Hill. “The residents are real friendly. We frequent the restaurants in the evening, and it’s a small-town feel. It’s like you’re a celebrity coming in, and they remember you. Combine that with the ease of shooting and the convenience of getting around without traffic—it’s 15 minutes to most anywhere—that’s the advantage of shooting here. For instance, you get up from the hotel I’m staying at downtown, and Millennium is two minutes away and Stage Works is one minute away—it’s not like you have to leave at 6:45 for an 8am call.” While most of the film’s details are being kept tightly under wraps, Olympus Has Fallen is rumored to be a gritty, realistic action thriller about the takeover of the White House. Hill was hired to transform Shreveport/Bossier into Washington, D.C. “I got a recommendation from Oliver Stone,” says Hill. “Antoine (Fuqua, the director) said, ‘The people who you’ve worked with think you’re the guy for this film.’” Hill does have extensive experience recreating the White House. He was art director on JFK and production designer on W. “About 1991, I worked on JFK in New Orleans,” says Hill. “We started the film in Dallas, then moved to New Orleans, and then did about a week in Washington, D.C. At the 8

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Crew builds a replica of the White House for Olympus.

time, most of the crew was from Los Angeles or Dallas and traveled with the production. About 2008, I did W. in Shreveport. I brought key people with me, as did other departments, bringing in best boy, key grip, camera op and gaffer, but more local crew was used than the previous time. This time, it was mostly Louisiana crew. I brought an art director, and they brought in a costume designer, but the gaffer, key, grip and camera ops were from Louisiana. You can tell in the last years, especially since 2008, the crews have grown and are more experienced.” He continues, “One of the concerns that was going through my head when I came in was that there was so much (shooting) going on in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. ‘What am I going to do? Who am I going to get up to Shreveport?’ But I started making phone calls to people I had worked with before in the art department, and eventually, I was able to get good working people. You go into places and you get worried when they say, ‘you can’t bring in anybody,’ but in Louisiana they have the crews to support it.” Olympus producer Danny Lerner concurs. “Louisiana has the best crew in the world,” he says. “Both cities gave us space and the police were fantastic. They’d close streets for us,

which is really important when you’re shooting an action film.” “Having shot W. here in Shreveport five years ago, I knew there were buildings (interiors and exteriors) that would work for Olympus Has Fallen. But because our film is an action thriller, I knew you wouldn’t be able to do some of the action with some of the exteriors,” says Hill. “We were able to find some of the large spaces over in Bossier City, where we built the exterior of the White House, the driveway, Pennsylvania Avenue, and the White House roof. We did a satellite Google Earth image, found the spot, and then made all the locations work for us.”

Prepping for a scene at the White House set.

“Millennium has their studios here now, and so now we have our home,” says Lerner. “It’s been a huge difference since they opened the studios. You feel at home. If you go into New Orleans and you build something and you like it and want to use it again, you can’t. You have to strike it. With our studio, we can leave the sets for the next movie.” “We found as much practical locations as we could and then filtered in the interiors to make

Production designer Derek Hill

it work for us,” says Hill. “We built the balance of what we needed for the interiors at Millennium Studios and Stage Works. We used the old Scottish Rite building for the exterior of the Treasury Building, but the Treasury Building is over 200 yards long, so we used set extensions to make it look that long.” For any sets that the production team couldn’t find or build, they used visual effects to create. “Shreveport is great because it can play a big city, a medium city or a small town,” says Lerner. “It’s like a backlot of America. Right now with CGI technology, you can paint out or paint in anything you need. You take downtown Shreveport and paint in the Washington Monument, and you make it look like Washington, D.C. So Shreveport is a very good place to shoot a movie. And people are learning that after so many movies in Louisiana, the technicians are now really good.” “Evan Jacobs is the visual effects supervisor,” says Hill. “We meet with him every day to go over stuff and run plans by him just to make sure we’re giving him what he needs. Like right now, we’re downstairs getting the fighter jets and Black Hawk helicopters ready, making sure we have all the space and all the working elements to achieve the shot. Then we have a C130, which we’re going to use as the real cockpit of the airplane at the downtown airport. Then we’re going to green screen the stage shots, so we can marry the F22 and the C130 together to create the right elements and make it work.” This is not Hill’s first intensive visual effects film. He was art director on the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, but he explains that the crew and sets were so huge that he really didn’t work that closely with the visual effects team 10

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back then. “This film is different,” Hill explains. “Jacobs did the previz (pre-visualization) for us for a lot of the shots of the roof of the White House and the attack of the White House. We’d sit down and it would be a progression of the previz of the C130 attack of the White House. He came up with the game plan of where (the attack) is coming from, over the Potomac and around the Washington Monument. We’d talk about it from the (perspective of the) art department, about where we could make those passes work.” “We’re trying to create Washington, D.C.,” says Lerner. “After 9/11, you can’t shoot there, and you can’t fly over it, so that’s why we’re here.” “We shot on the golf courses in town,” says Hill. “We shot on the same golf course for W. It was the front lawn for the White House, and by the fairway of the green, we put the Oval Office. Then we figured out where the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial was, and we would place flags to show where they were located so people would know where they were when they were acting.” Explains Lerner, “When working with technology and green screens, the actors need to know exactly where they are and what they are looking at. The cast and director were very sophisticated regarding what we were creating. And the White House, inch by the inch, looked exactly the same.” “We built the exterior facade and the interior cross halls and entrance halls at locations,” says Hill. “Then we built our roof separately because we had scenes that happened on it. We built the roof four feet off the ground so we wouldn’t need a crane and we used set extensions.” “Because the Oval Office is such an expensive set to shoot, I put a hold on all the existing sets so we could rent one,” says Hill. “We were going to use the one I used for W. that ABC owns, but at the last moment, Disney decided they needed it for something they were shooting. There’s only a certain number of those sets available. GI Joe was shooting and using one, and there were several TV shows that needed them. So then you start sweating because instead of renting something for a reasonable price and shipping it and fixing it, you’re looking at $500,000 to build it.” Hill eventually tracked down an Oval Office set to rent, and re-assembled it in Louisiana. “I think the biggest challenge was the time frame,” says Hill. “We came aboard, and we had 10 weeks of prep. We didn’t have that big of a crew, so then you’re trying to create a lot. The concept up front was that they were going to use a lot of visual effects, but with the set extensions and the explosions and the large scope—it’s like you’re building a football field! The White House was 170 feet wide, and the driveway was 250 feet wide around—and when you start looking at that size and scale,

you say, ‘whoa!’” He continues, “On this particular film, when the actors and the director—especially Antoine Fuqua who has done some big films— and the two technical advisers walked onto the set, and they went, ‘wow,’ and their mouths dropped, and they said, ‘Man, I can’t believe how accurate this looks; how did he get it to look like this?’ That’s the greatest achievement for me, the verbal recognition of how accurate it looks.” “Here we are in the South, shooting the opening of the movie at (what’s supposed to be) Camp David in the snow,” says Lerner. “Thanks to the technology, it will look like it’s the winter, but it was really hot. It’s weird. We had a snow machine, and it was 103 degrees outside. People were sweating.” “We lost a couple of crew members to the heat, so then we had to switch to a night crew,” says Hill. “We had to get work lights so we could build at night. Then you have a crew shooting and prepping and dressing the set during the day, as well as the crew building at night. That extends the day quite a bit.” He continues, “I think that overall it’s been a great experience... I know they’re rushing to get visual effects ready, and they’ve already got 400 visual effects scanned.” “Worldwide (Fx, in Shreveport) will be doing the visual effects in Louisiana for the film,” adds Lerner. “We’ve worked really hard to put together a good-looking film,” says Hill. “I’m a filmmaker,” explains Lerner. “The financiers, they like the tax credits (in Producer Danny Lerner

Louisiana), and it helps because it’s expensive to make movies in America. But here, you also have the support of the state and the cities (of Shreveport and Bossier)—without that, we couldn’t make this movie.” LFV 10

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POWER PLAY

wo of Louisiana’s top actors end up face to face on Olympus Has Fallen, one of the state’s biggest films of 2012. Sam Medina and Shanna Forrestall met in an acting class in 2008 studying the Ivanna Chubbuck acting process called “The Power of the Actor” with coach Jerry Katz. Their class friendship was forged while studying this intensive program, utilized by actors like Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron and Halle Berry.

Shanna Forrestall

In 2009, the pair produced their first short film together called Where Strippers Go to Die, with Medina starring as a hard-hitting strip club bouncer named “Juice” and Forrestall playing the club’s house mom and manager, “Candy.” As both actors’ careers started to excel, the two only maintained occasional contact until they discovered they had both booked roles on the feature film Olympus Has Fallen. “When Sam heard I’d been cast in Olym-

Sam Medina

pus, he called me right away,” says Forrestall. “When I answered the phone he said, ‘You can run, but you can’t hide.’ I was thrilled to find out he was playing a great role, and that I’d have the chance to work opposite him. We are unable to release any character or story details, but let’s just say things get tense between us.” “Shanna inspired me to take my craft to the next level, after I visited Jerry Katz’s studio

years ago,” says Medina. “She is one of the bravest actresses I have ever worked with. The process that she and I had to go through to play opposite of each other in this film is intensely difficult. It truly takes courage to go to these places.” The two actors both have much praise for their coach, Jerry Katz of Katz Acting Joint (www.katzactingjoint.com), and for the group of actors they were able to work with on the film. Academy Award winner Melissa Leo, who stars in Olympus Has Fallen, had this to say about working with the duo: “I adored working with Shanna and Sam, and as I think about it ... there really is an amazingly good pool of actors down in the city (of New Orleans) ... that care and electricity forgot ... serious and committed.” Leo’s wit was in response to hearing that Forrestall was still without electricity three weeks after Hurricane Isaac. “It was an amazing opportunity to work with the amazing director Antoine Fuqua, and the talented team that made Olympus Has Fallen possible,” says Medina. “It was an amazing cast and crew. I’ve learned so much from being in scenes with Aaron Eckhart, Melissa Leo and Dylan McDermott, and being able to watch their process.” Both Medina and Forrestall are committed to the process of acting and to their personal goals of producing their own films as well. “It doesn’t surprise me that both Shanna and Sammy are booking continuously,” says acting coach Katz. “Since we’ve started working together over the last several years, they have successfully integrated their art of acting with their own creativity, translating into dynamic characters combined with a will to win in their careers as actors. They are booking consistently, and earning the praises they deserve. “Congratulations to the both of them! And they better not forget to mention me when they win an Academy Award!” LFV Sam Medina (www.sammymedina.com) is represented by Landrum Arts in Louisiana. Shanna Forrestall (www.shannaforrestall.com) is represented by Open Range Management in Louisiana.

Two of Louisiana’s top actors end up face to face on Olympus Has Fallen, one of the state’s biggest films of 2012. 12

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LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

TIMECODE:NOLA MAKES BIG MOVES IN NEW ORLEANS

imecode:NOLA is bringing together the New Orleans film community in a major way. The motivated staff at Timecode recently organized two original film contests to engage local artists, as well as their first annual film festival, called FF ONE, which was held September 28 through 30. What is Timecode:NOLA? In 2003, a group of inspired filmmakers formed a non-profit organization to pursue their goal of a united creative community in New Orleans by providing an outlet for the independent film community and creative organizations. Timecode:NOLA soon after launched a unique television show that coupled local short films of various genres with insightful filmmaker interviews that shared their production adventures. Recognizing the need to connect face to face with other filmmakers, they then organized screenings and international film exchanges to connect independent filmmakers with a global audience.

“New Orleans is a place where if you have an idea, you can make something happen,” says Randall Perez, founding member and director at Timecode:NOLA. “There are Shulman and Randall Perez (right) of Timecode:NOLA work behind so many great venues and Jackie the scenes of Where y’at? (hello) with David Zalkind of Studio DMZ. resources. And there’s tons staff member and producer, Jackie Shulman. of people who want to be here. And now with Coming from New York, her reputation an influx of production, it’s a no-brainer. precedes her with credentials as producer, People just need to start working together and cinematographer, editor and director. To that’s what Timecode is about. A community name a few, she has produced popular reality of artists who are working together.” shows like Steven Seagal: Lawman and Swamp The organization recently welcomed new

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LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

People, and worked on Oscar-nominated documentary Jesus Camp. “I wouldn’t have left New York for anywhere else but New Orleans,” says Shulman. “Jackie was an important addition and

David Zalkind takes part in the Where y’at contest, produced by Timecode:NOLA.

brought a lot of experience from living and working in New York,” says Perez. “Jackie comes from an environment where everyone expects their movies to make it to Sundance, and Tribeca, and Toronto. It’s expected that the films they make will make a festival run. The bar is much higher.” Shulman has already played a large role at Timecode in helping organize the two film contests, as well as FF ONE. “This is the perfect time for Timecode to break out and do an indie film fest,” says Shulman. “The film industry down here is getting so big now and there is a great independent scene emerging with Tchoupitoulas and Beasts

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of the Southern Wild. People are coming from all over and adding to the creative environment here, and there are plenty of local filmmakers that have been here making short films that many people aren’t aware of.” What are these film contests all about? Where y’at? (hello) In this contest, participants are randomly assigned a street corner in New Orleans and given three weeks to write, shoot and edit an original five-minute story that embodies the character of their assigned neighborhood. “All the neighborhoods in New Orleans are so unique and have something different to offer. The best 15 or so films will be put together to make a feature-length film to be shown locally at different film festivals and at film exchanges internationally. So it is guaranteed to go other places,” says Shulman. “It’s a fun contest, but at the same time we are pooling together to make a feature film with these short films, which is really exciting. Trying to make a feature film is a huge endeavor that many filmmakers rarely accomplish because of a lack of resources and the ability to motivate a large crew for no money over a long period of time.” Super 8 ONE REEL The second annual Super 8 ONE REEL contest brings filmmakers back to the roots of

filmmaking by utilizing Super 8mm film. Participants create a three-minute, silent, black and white short film on a single roll of Super 8 film. They utilize in-camera editing since they will not be able to edit, which means they shoot the film in the exact order they want it projected. “This is the contest that people who have never touched a camera before will do,” says Shulman. “We give them a packet on how to use the camera, fun tips, and ideas on what to do. It’s the old home movie cameras that everyone used to have that can be found in thrift stores now. All the films will be processed at Pro 8 mm in Los Angeles. It’s the only place Timecode’s Perez and Shulman.

that still does Super 8. They are the big sponsor for this contest.” The Super 8 films premiered at One-Eyed Jacks on the first day of FF ONE and featured a live band playing an original score. LFV

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LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

THE 23RD ANNUAL NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL

he 23rd annual New Orleans Film Festival is upon us. Last year drew a remarkable crowd of over 13,000 attendees, and this year is expected to surpass those numbers. MovieMaker Magazine named the New Orleans Film Festival one of the “25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” and PremiumBeat.com named NOFF one of “15 Fests You Should Enter.” The cultural wonderland and production headquarters that is New Orleans brings together filmmakers and artists from all over the world to compete, network and learn in one unforgettable experience. “We’re incredibly excited about this year’s lineup at the New Orleans Film Festival,” said Jolene Pinder, executive director of New Orleans Film Society. “We’re thrilled to be showcasing so many local filmmakers and female directors. This year alone, we’re screening 42 films made in Louisiana and 36 of those are made by filmmakers living and working in the state. Thanks to an outpouring of support from companies doing business here, we are awarding over $75,000 in cash and prizes to filmmakers at the 2012 NOFF.” Out of 1,250 submissions, 15 films were selected to compete in this year’s feature narrative and documentary categories. Each film is making its Louisiana premiere. The line-up is as follows:

NARRATIVE FEATURES Dead Dad (dir. Ken J. Adachi): When their dad dies unexpectedly, estranged siblings Russell, Jane, and their adopted brother, Alex, come home to tend to his remains. Though a stubborn and proud bunch, they are able to agree on one thing: nobody wants to keep the ashes. Four (dir. Joshua Sanchez): A steamy July

The cultural wonderland and production headquarters that is New Orleans brings together filmmakers and artists from all over the world.

PANELS + CONVERSATIONS NOFF 2012 offers a wide array of panel discussions and workshops. Here are just a few of the options: Pitch Perfect: Student Pitch Competition Saturday, October 13 10 – 11:30am (Documentary Pitch Session) 11:30am – 1pm (Narrative Pitch Session) Freeport-McMoran Theater at the Contemporary Arts Center In its second year, Pitch Perfect is a rare opportunity for Southern film students to practice the art of pitching to a panel of industry insiders. Taking Delivery: Film Distribution in the Age of Ones and Zeros Saturday, October 13 11:45am – 12:45pm Rehearsal Hall at the Contemporary Arts Center (Second Floor) Panelists: Neal Block (Magnolia Pictures), S. Leo Chiang (New Day Films and 2012 NOFF Filmmaker), Michelle Satter (Sundance Institute), Lois Vossen (Independent Lens). Moderated by John Desplas. From Princess to Pixels: Animation in the Modern Age Saturday, October 13 2pm – 3:30pm

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4th night brings four people together in two tales of seduction and conflicted desire. Joe is a black, middle-aged, married man on an Internet date with June, a white teenage boy. Abigayle is Joe’s precocious daughter, out herself with a wisecracking, Latino basketball player. Based on the play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Christopher Shinn, Four stars Wendell Pierce (HBO’s The Wire and Treme) and Emory Cohen from NBC’s Smash. Francine (dir. Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky): Academy Award winner Melissa Leo gives a fierce and restrained performance as Francine, a woman struggling to find her place in a downtrodden lakeside town after leaving behind a life in prison. It’s a Disaster (dir. Todd Berger): Four couples meet for Sunday brunch only to

Rehearsal Hall at the Contemporary Arts Center (Second Floor) Panelists: David Burton (Pixomondo), John Durbin (Moonbot Studios), Ray McIntyre, Jr. (Pixel Magic), Joey Shanks (Director of Wiggle Room, 2012 NOFF selection), Huck Wirtz (Bayou FX). Moderated by Henry Griffin. New Frontiers in Post-Production: Louisiana + Beyond Sunday, October 14 1:30pm – 2:30pm Rehearsal Hall at the Contemporary Arts Center (Second Floor) Panelists: Bradley Greer (Cineworks), Greg Milneck TBD (Digital FX), Tom Vice (Fotokem), Peter Cioni (Light Iron), Sergio Lopez (Storyville Post). Moderated by Chris Stelly. From Script to Screen: Funding Your Indie Project Sunday, October 14 3pm – 4pm Rehearsal Hall at the Contemporary Arts Center (Second Floor) Panelists: Will French (Film Production Capital), Andrew Larimer (The Drink Show Web series), Glen Pitre (Independent Documentary Filmmaker), Jay Thames (Producer, The Tell Tale Heart, The Power of One), Lisa Valencia-Svensson (Producer, Herman’s House). Moderated by Carroll Morton.

NOFF VENUES Film screenings take place in several venues throughout New Orleans. Here is a brief rundown: Contemporary Arts Center (900 Camp St.)

Chalmette Movies (8700 W Judge Perex Dr., Chalmette)

The Joy Theatre (1200 Canal St.)

What began as an artist-run, artistdriven community organization now dedicates 10,000 square feet to rotating artistic exhibitions throughout the year.

Chalmette Movies opened July 30 with brand new stadium seating and digital sound.

Featuring a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, the Joy Theatre is within walking distance from the French Quarter and can hold up to 900 guests.

New Orleans Museum of Art (One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park)

Opened in 1911, The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is New Orleans’ oldest fine arts institution. Today, the museum holds a collection of over 40,000 pieces. Theatres at Canal Place (333 Canal Street – 3rd Floor)

Enjoy luxurious leather seating, gourmet dining, and a wide selection of wines and spirits as you watch your movie in an alldigital cinema at Canal Place.

discover they are stuck in a house together as the world may be about to end. Starring Julia Stiles, David Cross and America Ferrara. Leave Me Like You Found Me (dir. Adele Romanski): Big trees. Broken hearts. Beginning again. The story of a lovesick couple’s breakup and makeup while camping in the wilds of California. From first-time director Adele Romanski, producer of much acclaimed Myth of the American Sleepover, winner of the Best Narrative Feature Prize at 2010 NOFF.

Ashé Cultural Arts Center (1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd)

Started by the non-profit group Efforts of Grace, Ashé is an award-winning, 18,200-square-foot multi-use facility designed to engage and cultivate the artistic community. Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center (1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd)

Old U.S. Mint (400 Esplanade Ave.)

The Old U.S. Mint is known as the only mint to produce both American and Confederate coinage. It now hosts The New Orleans Jazz Club Collections of the Louisiana State Museum, and the new performing arts center. Prytania Theatre (5339 Prytania St.)

Started by a local theatre troupe, Zeitgeist began as a producer for several plays before becoming the volunteer-run alternative cinema hub that it is today.

Now, Forager (dir. Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin): Lucien and Regina are foragers— they gather wild mushrooms and sell them to New York restaurants. Their lifestyle is simple, their income unstable. As Regina seeks more stability and Lucien wants to devote himself to full-time nomadic foraging, their individual desires put the marriage to a test. A food lovers’ film. Pilgrim Song (dir. Martha Stephens): Seeking escape from his stalled relationship and

Opened in 1915, the historical Prytania Theatre is the oldest operating theatre in New Orleans, and only single-screen theatre in New Orleans. The theatre features a massive new screen and state-of-the-art sound and projection.

unhappy place in the world, James, a recently pink-slipped music teacher, sets out to hike Kentucky’s arduous Sheltowee Trace Trail. Ignoring his girlfriend Joan’s plea to stay in Louisville and look for work, James sets out on his two-month journey in hopes of discovering the source of his restless dissatisfaction. DOCUMENTARY FEATURES Bayou Blue (dir. Alix Lambert and David McMahon) U.S. premiere: In a povertyISSUE FIVE

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stricken area of Southeastern Louisiana, 23 men were murdered between 1997 and 2006. Local police departments had great difficulty finding the perpetrator. This documentary reconstructs the events and reveals some of the least attractive aspects of this mysterious swamp region. Call Me Kuchu (dir. Malika Zouhali-Worrall and Katherine Fairfax Wright): This film describes the life of David Kato, Uganda’s first

million young women who became pregnant in the 1950s and 60s and were banished to maternity homes to give birth, surrender their children, and return home alone. They were told to keep their secret, move on and forget. Informant (dir. Jamie Meltzer): Vilified by some and venerated by others as the FBI informant largely responsible for the imprisonment of two youths following the 2008 Republican National Convention, Brandon

Out of 1,250 submissions, 15 films were selected to compete in this year’s feature narrative and documentary categories. openly gay activist, and his comrades-inarms. His is a life constantly pervaded by fear of attack, but also characterized by moments of happiness and celebration. Captive Beauty (dir. Jared Goodman): Jailed for murder, kidnapping, revolution, and conartistry, four women in a Colombian prison are brought together by a surreal beauty pageant held inside the prison walls. The weeklong pageant transforms the prison into colorful and controlled mayhem, and serves as a jumping off point to explore the contestants’ lives. A Girl Like Her (dir. Ann Fessler): A Girl Like Her reveals the hidden history of over a

Darby was once a charismatic activist mythologized by the American Left for his aid work in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward in the aftermath of Katrina. The film meticulously constructs a portrait of his life through intimate interviews with Darby and tense reenactments starring the man himself. The Mechanical Bride (dir. Allison de Fren): The fantasy of creating the perfect woman is as old as Pygmalion, but how close is it to becoming a reality? This provocative documentary reveals the state-of-the-art in artificial companions—from life-sized silicone sex dolls to humanoid robots—and offers a surprisingly

human, at times humorous, look at the men who build, animate, and love them. Trash Dance (dir. Andrew Garrison): Sometimes inspiration can be found in unexpected places. Choreographer Allison Orr finds beauty and grace in garbage trucks, and in the men and women who pick up our trash. On an abandoned airport runway, thousands of people show up to see how in the world a garbage truck can “dance.” Ultimate Christian Wrestling (dir. Jae-Ho Chang and Tara Autovino): In 2006, two filmmakers flew to rural Georgia to capture a traveling pro-wrestling Christian ministry with the intention of coming back to New York with a documentary about the ridiculousness of American religious expression. What they found instead were three men within the ministry using their faith as a way to guide them through the most dire of circumstances, a faith that clashes not only with the conservative religious views of the Bible Belt, but also with the people who have chosen to reject Christianity as a direct result of its overbearing presence in the South. LFV Visit the New Orleans Film Society Web site (www.neworleansfilmsociety.org) for the rest of the festival lineup, ticket information, and more. All information and photos courtesy of New Orleans Film Society.

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FACE2FACE WITH KATHERINE BROOKS STORY BY W. H. BOURNE • PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIG EASY PICTURES

ew Orleans Film Fest is right around the corner, and many locals are anxiously awaiting the New Orleans premiere of Katherine Brooks’ Face2Face. Brooks’ documentary explores the importance of real-life interactions (as opposed to virtual) as she travels the country to meet 50 of her 5,000 Facebook friends.

Director Katherine Brooks (right) and Facebook friend Chris Rosier (left).

“Being that it’s my hometown, I’m looking forward to sharing this with people in my life and also showing the profound effect moving away from New Orleans to Los Angeles had on my soul,” says Brooks of her upcoming screening in New Orleans. Brooks ran away from her small-town home in Louisiana to pursue a career in television and film in Hollywood when she was just 16 years old. Working her way up from the bottom, she found her footing in reality television and quickly advanced to directing hot shows such as The Osbournes, The Real World, and The Simple Life. “Reality has changed over the years,” says Brooks. “It started out being very much shot like a documentary but began to evolve into scripted reality, which I didn’t like. I wanted Face2Face to be shot as real and raw as I could go with it, holding nothing back.” In Face2Face, Brooks holds nothing back as she deals with her loneliness, depression and addiction. But the people she meets on her jour22

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Director Katherine Brooks in Hollywood.

ney have their own powerful stories that have a healing effect on Brooks, as well as the audience. “It’s been an amazing experience,” says Brooks, as she talks about her experiences with Face2Face on the festival circuit. “Watching and sharing such a personal journey with so many people and observing how it affects them emotionally has been surprising. The Q&As after the film have not been what I’m used to. I believe because I put so much of my

Director Katherine Brooks (right) with Facebook friend Victoria Venturo (left).

pain out there, people in return are open to sharing their own trials that they go through in life.” Of course, Brooks has done quite well for herself despite her trials. Her first narrative feature film, Loving Annabelle, made its premiere at the prestigious Cinequest Film Festival where Brooks won the Emerging Filmmaker Award, as well as HBO’s award for best first feature. It was released in 2006, and soon became the number one selling film in the LGBT genre. Her second film, Waking Madison, featured an all-star cast and was released in 2011. Brooks is one of the few female members of the DGA (Director’s Guild of America). She was honored with the Power Up Award for being a strong voice and activist for the LGBT community. In 2010, Brooks returned to New Orleans where she started her own production company, Big Easy Pictures LLC. “I do believe Hollywood offers a lot of opportunities,” says Brooks, “but it doesn’t mean you can’t make those same connections in New Orleans. This business is about two things: who you know and talent. I would offer for part of your work to at least try Los Angeles for a minimum of three years and see how you like it. But I believe New Orleans will continue to grow stronger and stronger in the film community... it already has.” Brooks is keeping very busy these days. In addition to trying to find the best distribution fit for Face2Face, she’s shooting her next documentary, Little Monsters, as she follows Lady Gaga fans in the UK and Amsterdam. “Don’t wait—get a camera and start shooting,” says Brooks, offering advice to aspiring filmmakers. “Start writing scripts, join film groups, and enter your films in festivals. Be productive!” LFV

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NOFF 2012: LOUISIANA SHORTS STORY BY NATALIE HULTMAN GUEST COLUMNIST

ne of the components of the 2012 New Orleans Film Festival is the Louisiana shorts segment, which gives up-andcoming filmmakers a platform to showcase their films. Directors Kd Amond, Trent Davis and Gwendolyn Granger give you a closer look at some of the short films screening this year. THE WOODSHED Filmmaker Kd Amond is a Louisiana native from the small town of Livingston. “We just got a stoplight!” Amond says, laughing. “And a Subway—that was huge!” Despite humble beginnings, Amond is garnering much praise for her latest film, The Woodshed. Amond is a 2012 graduate of the University of New Orleans (UNO) with an M.F.A. in Film. Her thesis film, The Woodshed, won Best of Fest, Best Director and the Audience Choice award at the 2012 UNO Film Fest. It also won Best Directing at ITVFest in Los

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Angeles, where it was also nominated for writing, acting, and best dramatic. It is currently nominated for Best Psychological Horror Short and Best Short overall at Fear Fête in Baton Rouge, and is an official selection of NOFF. In The Woodshed, filmed over the summer of 2011 on the Laura Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, 16-year-old Grace and her brother Aaron flee the severe confines of a communal religious cult. Aaron is quickly recaptured, but Grace escapes and is found by a quiet Southern recluse named Bari, who harbors his own dark secrets. With Bari’s help, Grace must return to the compound to face “the family” and try to save her brother’s life. “I aspire to be a good storyteller, whether I’m directing comedy, drama, or horror,” says Amond. “Production value is one thing, but I value storytelling over that.” Amond encourages other filmmakers to bring their productions to her home state. “I believe that the talent for filmmaking (acting, directing, editing, cinematography, etc.) is in

Louisiana. From soup to nuts, it’s all here. It just needs to be utilized.” In addition to screening at multiple film festivals, The Woodshed is currently being shopped

Kd Amond

around as a TV series. “There’s gonna be a lot of writing going on this year, and then getting pitch packages ready,” says Amond. Amond most recently completed a sizzle reel for a New Orleans-based, mockumentarystyle comedy Web series called Bayou Talent under her company, Some Pulp Productions. BLOOD IN THE GRASS A UNO graduate with an M.F.A. in Film,

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Trent Davis comes from the small town of Finger, Tennessee. “We’re kind of like the Kennedys of Finger,” he explains. “First my uncle was mayor, and then my cousin.”

Trent Davis

His film Blood in the Grass deals with the combination of being homosexual and living in the South. In the film, widower Joseph Burr is granted the legal right to execute his only son’s convicted killer, who also happens to be his son’s best friend. The film follows Burr in a series of dialogues that illustrate his doubts leading up to the execution. He also learns that there may have been more to the boys’ relationship than he knew. “The most important thing is to get a visceral reaction from the audience,” says Davis of filmmaking. The film confronts issues that have personal significance for Davis, as well. On being an openly gay filmmaker, Davis says, “I don’t want that to box me in, but it’s as much a part of me as being Southern. It’s one element of me that influences my films but

I will continue to make films that are and aren’t LGBT-themed.” The 2012 NOFF will continue the sidebar introduced last year called “OUTakes,” which focuses on LGBT-related films. Blood in the Grass will be screened next at the LGBT Film Fest in Washington, D.C. Davis is currently working on several new projects. “I’m writing hopefully what will become my first feature, and a puppet-based Web series with some of my mates from Blood in the Grass.”

Granger is currently at work on her senior thesis film entitled The Veil, which also deals with religion. In The Veil, a young woman struggles with conflicting emotions over her impend-

IMPRESSIONABLE Growing up in Northern Virginia, religion was a hot button issue in Gwendolyn Granger’s household. “My father is an Atheist and my mother is a hard-core Catholic,” she explains. It’s not surprising that, as a third-year graduate film student at UNO, she chooses to explore the subject of religion in her films. In her short Impressionable, a young boy accompanies his mother to check out a new church and, while there, discovers a secret about the pastor that his mother is unaware of. “It’s a reminder that religious leaders are still human,” says Granger. “It’s fine for people to have a religion but they shouldn’t let it force them to do things that they feel are wrong or let people get away with doing wrong things because they have the trust of the community.”

ing marriage to the highly respected pastor of her religious community, whom she doesn’t love but believes God has told her to marry. Granger is also planning to do a documentary called Amomaly, which will explore why women become moms and why some choose not to. “For women, is there really something missing if you’re not a mom?” she asks. As for future films, there’s one genre she has her eye on. “I’m a sucker for sci-fi!” she laughs. “I like the idea of showing worlds that don’t exist and events that never happened as if they did exist and did happen. Whatever genre I do, I want to take people on a ride for a couple of hours and if they leave the theater thinking about the film, then I’ve done my job.” LFV

Gwendolyn Granger

All films will screen at the 2012 NOFF, held October 11 – 18 in New Orleans.

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CAJUN COAST MOVIE TOUR A FILM-THEMED ROAD TRIP THROUGH ST. MARY PARISH

egin your tour at the end of Four-Mile Bayou Road in Stephensville at T-Man Bailey’s Store. The original T-Man Bailey’s was blown up during the shooting of Tony Scott’s movie Déjà Vu, starring Denzel Washington, the story of an ATF agent who goes back in time to prevent a terrorist act. Heading back towards Stephensville along Four-Mile Bayou, the swamps you’ll see represented the jungles of Africa in the first Tarzan of the Apes, a silent movie featuring Elmo Lincoln that was filmed in Morgan City in 1918. Driving along Highway 70, you’ll see more swampland near Doiron’s Landing. This swampland was used as the backdrop for Willie Stark’s campaign speech in All the King’s Men, a political drama loosely based on former Louisiana Governor Huey Long and starring Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Patricia Clarkson and James Gandolfini. This swampland was also the location of the family home in the sci-fi, futuristic flick, The Fire Next Time, a story about global warming and the greenhouse effect that starred Bonnie Bedelia

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and Craig T. Nelson. Once in Morgan City, travel to Railroad Avenue. Railroad Avenue and its stores were dressed out to represent the 1940s hometown of Willie Stark in All the King’s Men. From Railroad Avenue, travel to the Front Street area near the docks. This site was the scene of the terrible flooding in The Fire Next Time. The wharf area was the major setting for the movie Thunder Bay, starring Jimmy Stewart in the story of the conflicts between the fishing and oil industries. Willie Stark in All the King’s Men made another campaign speech at the docks. Most recently, the dock, storefront and waterway were the setting for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which received 13 Academy Award nominations and starred Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. From Front Street, travel to Berwick and the wharf area. The Berwick dock and several locations throughout the downtown area were the setting for The Yellow Handkerchief, starring William Hurt, Kristen Stewart and Maria Bello, about three strangers brought together

by their respective feelings of loneliness, who take a road trip through Louisiana. From Berwick, travel to Franklin along Highway 182 to Dixie Plantation (private), the site of a scene starring Jude Law in All the King’s Men. In Franklin, visit Oaklawn Manor, the setting for The Drowning Pool, starring Paul Newman. The plot revolves around a big city detective called to the South to help out an old girlfriend and her hellion daughter. An aviary built during the production of the movie is still used today. From Franklin, travel to Baldwin to the Baptist Church on Martin Luther King Road, the setting for an impassioned political speech by Willie Stark in All the King’s Men. The last stop is Albania Plantation (private) in Jeanerette, the setting of scenes during the characters’ idealistic youth between Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Mark Ruffalo in All the King’s Men. LFV For more information about filming in St. Mary Parish and the Cajun Coast, visit www.cajuncoast.com.

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LOCAL FILMMAKERS WORK WITH LEARN TO LIVE GLOBAL

The Learn to Live Global team.

orth Sulawesi is a rather remote part of the 8,000 islands of Indonesia, and not normally visited by Westerners. But when local RN and former set medic Yanti Turang dreamed up her vision for Learn to Live Global, she knew that was where she wanted to start. Alex Willson, local filmmaker, accompanied the team with his filming partner, Amanda Clifford, and shot a series of documentary shorts.

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Yanti has strong connections to the area; her father was born and raised in the area before he immigrated to Australia. Visiting North Sulawesi throughout much of her life, she was always struck by the juxtaposition between the casual wealth of the West, and the daily struggles of people in this part of the world. Since a young age she has wanted to come back to this area and work with the people here to make their lives better, and with that life-long goal in mind, she founded Learn to Live. Learn to Live Global is a New Orleans- and Australia-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing sustainable, preventive

healthcare and education to remote developing areas that otherwise do not have access to this vital resource. Learn to Live is also figuring out ways to implement inexpensive, viable, clean water systems for the villages that have little access to it. The organization is completely funded by donations, and run by a diverse group of volunteers that includes nurses, doctors, architects, support staff, translators, and documentarians. Last year a small Learn to Live team, that included talented local photographer Jason Prowell, went on a scout mission to determine which areas were most under-served by healthcare. A full team returned and spent July and into August of this year going village to village setting up free health clinics and treating the local people. A total of 23 people were on the team this year, and Yanti hopes to expand not only the team, but the number of

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(left and above) Yanti Turang leads the Learn to Live Global organization. Photo by Amanda Clifford.

areas covered with each passing year. In total this year, Learn to Live visited four villages, and treated over 1,500 different people. They provided treatment for people with severe infections, gout and tuberculosis, did malaria testing, and even birthed two babies. The team undoubtedly saved lives, as they treated some very severe infections that would Amanda Clifford shoots images in North Sulawesi as part of the Learn to Live team.

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have gone septic had the clinics not arrived. Lack of access to basic sanitation often means that in these areas, conditions such as infections that are easily treatable by Western standards get out of hand and become deadly. Without access to medicine or hospitals, many people die young of things that would have been preventable if treated earlier.

Tragically, the team also came across a few terminal cases, but there are so few resources in the region that there was little they could do for these patients. In a village called Beringin, an elderly man named Engel, who had just been told that he had terminal liver cancer, profusely thanked the team, though there was little they could do to treat him. Without the clinic coming to his village, he never would have known what was wrong with him. Now, he told Yanti, he can at least start settling his affairs. Heading up the Clean Water Initiative is a close friend of Yantiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Louisiana-based art director, Mara Lepere-Schloop. An architect by trade, she took time away from a busy film career to donate her skills and knowledge to a cause she believed in. The water team worked with the local village chiefs, and sketched out plans to install rain water catch-

ment systems at the schools there, which will be implemented next year if the money can be raised. Local documentary filmmaker/photographers Alex Willson and Amanda Clifford accompanied the team, and shot a series of short documentaries on the lives of the patients they treated, and on the work that Learn to Live is doing. These documentaries will be used for promotional purposes for the organization, but eventually the footage will be used for a longer piece on the lack of healthcare in the developing world. Willson previously collaborated on a documentary with local producer Shanna Forrestall

Yanti Turang

Learn to Live Global is dedicated to bringing sustainable, preventive healthcare and education to remote developing areas. in India that touched on similar themes, and Clifford has worked all over the world shooting humanitarian documentaries. She described working with the Learn to Live team as one of the most amazing experiences and groups of people of her life. Heading into the future, Learn to Live plans

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to continue to visit North Sulawesi every year, but wants to expand its mission outwards to other developing countries. In November of this year, the documentary team will be traveling with Yanti and a small crew to Laos on a scout mission to see where Learn to Live

could set up clinics there. LFV To find out more about the organization, watch the documentaries, find out how you can help, or to donate muchneeded funds, visit www.learntoliveglobal.org. To contact the documentarians, visit www.pandavisionfilm.com.

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PHOTOGRAPHER’S CHARITY PROJECT INSPIRED BY FAMILY H Richard Scudder

ollywood photographer Richard Scudder is inspired by his relative, Dr. John Scudder III, who was instrumental in saving lives during WWII, and like him, is using cutting-edge tech-

nology to tell his story. We take blood transfusion as a standard procedure today, but at the beginning of WWII the procedure was in its infancy. In 1939 Plasma transfusion was possible, but still experimental with no solution for storage. Dr. Scudder was from a family accustomed to leadership. He was a professor at Columbia University and the grandson of the first medical missionary to India. His sister, Dr. Ida Scudder, was in the first graduating class of women at Columbia Medical School and founder of

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what has become today one of the largest medical centers in India (www.scudder.org). Dr. John Scudder was tasked to create the “Plasma for Britain” project; he recruited Charles Drew, after whom the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles is named. The two men coordinated a massive effort involving over 2,000 volunteers, 6 New York hospitals, and the appearance of the first blood mobile, as thousands of New Yorkers offered their blood to save British lives. Blood plasma was a significant innovation because it could be given to the injured on the battlefield, without the need to determine blood type. It took only minutes to give a transfusion on the battlefield; a huge advance in the care of the injured. In the 1960s, after the new technique developed for the war effort was refined and in use for the civilian population, a conflict arose over the donated blood. An agency wanted to turn the voluntary donation of blood into a profitable

business venture. The Red Cross took the position that “blood donation should be a matter of civic responsibility, not profiteering.” Dr. Scudder took a very public stand on the issue, settling the dispute in favor of the Red Cross and establishing the precedent we have today. Today, Richard Scudder is collaborating with celebrities to highlight their charitable work in a unique convergence of technology and compassion. He is creating a coffee tablestyle book of original photography to benefit a national charity along with documentarystyle film footage putting the “spotlight” on an epic collection of the most recognizable faces around the world. His still images are captured with the Mamiya, 80-mega pixel medium format digital camera with Mole Richardson carbon arc lighting on a number of exterior locations. Documentary-style footage is filmed with the ARRI Alexa EV+, with anamorphic lens to achieve the most beautiful cinematic images illustrating these stories of compassion. LFV

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COMING ATTRACTIONS: SOUTHERN SCREEN FILM FESTIVAL ARRIVES THIS FALL

rom November 15 – 18, Lafayette will host their second annual Southern Screen Film Festival.

The Southern Screen Film Festival (SSFF) is a four-day event that aims to engage filmmakers and film enthusiasts in the art and education of filmmaking. The festival will provide residents of the Acadiana area an opportunity to view award-winning independent films from around the world in the form of short film, documentary and feature film. Southern Screen will also provide open discussion panels, workshops and demonstrations for filmmakers, hosted by artists and professionals in the entertainment industry, ranging from directors and writers to radio producers and 3D experts. “It is more than an opportunity to view screenings; it is also an excellent educational opportunity for those that are interested in

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learning more about the art of filmmaking,” says board member Erin Ryan. “This will be the second year for SSFF, and we are focusing on accepting submissions from Southern filmmakers. This gives the more local filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their films in addition to the premier film festivals that we have invited.” Southern Screen’s goal is to encourage community enrichment and investment in the art of international independent film and filmmakers in Acadiana by sharing creative works, valuable knowledge, and the Southern way of life with artists and their audiences. “I’m excited about this year’s Southern Screen Film Festival,” says Joey Durel, Lafayette City-Parish President. “In addition to bringing recognition to Lafayette and Acadiana’s contribution to the movie industry, it gives our residents an opportunity to taste the many aspects of that unique industry.” Adds Ryan, “Lafayette has a culture that is

one of a kind. The Southern Screen Film Festival is a great opportunity to experience our Cajun-culture firsthand, while enjoying the art of film for pleasure and education.” The film festival will be held in multiple locations around the city. Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE) and the Acadiana Center for the Arts (ACA) will be two of the premier venues for the event. LFV For more information, visit www.southernscreenfilm.org or contact executive director Julie Bordelon (julie@southernscreenfilm.org; 337-291-3456).

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LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

FLETCHER LOUISIANA HOSTS OPEN HOUSE PHOTOS BY LINDA REINEKE

ouisiana production professionals met up for a night of fun, food and film at the Fletcher Open House on August 23. Fletcher’s 6,000-square-foot facility, located in the Elmwood/Jefferson Parish region of New Orleans, opened this summer with an extensive inventory of camera equipment for rent. Open house attendees—including major industry players like Sean Bobbitt (DP, Twelve Years A Slave) and Theo van de Sande (DP, Homefront)—were able to check out the new facility, and were even treated to a demonstration of the latest filming technology from Arri, Codex and Technicolor representatives. The night also featured live music by Joe Simon’s Jazz Trio, catering by Food Art, and a fine selection of beer and wine. For more on Fletcher Louisiana, visit www.fletch.com.

Above: The staff from Fletcher Louisiana and Fletcher’s Chicago headquarters: (l to r) Scott Mohrman, Stan Glapa, Megan Donnelly, Zoe Borys, Thomas Fletcher, Tim Caldwell, and Kelli Bingham. Left: (l to r) Thomas Fletcher, VP Marketing, Fletcher Camera & Lenses; Sean Bobbitt, BSC; and Guenter Noesner, technical sales representative, ARRI.

Above: (l to r) Sean Fairburn; Dan Lion, director of technical sales, post production services, Technicolor; and Jennifer Braddock. Far left: Angelo Sanders and Craig Carter. Left: Zoe Borys, GM, Fletcher Camera & Lenses, and Theo van de Sande, ASC.

LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

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TM EQUIPMENT RENTALS AND SECOND LINE STAGES LOOK FORWARD TO BUSY FUTURE TOGETHER

M Motion Picture Equipment Rentals, Louisiana has been the exclusive supplier of grip, lighting and electrical equipment, as well as grip and lighting expendables and tow plant generators, for Second Line Stages and recently completed Django Unchained, the highly anticipated big-budget Quentin Tarantino film. Tom D. May, president and COO, states, “We are thrilled to be working with Susan Brennan and Second Line Stages. We are looking forward to a successful partnership on many exciting projects in the future, including the addition of 28,000 square feet of new office space and support space to the Second Line Stages studio facility.” TM Motion Picture Equipment Rentals is a leading supplier of grip, lighting and electrical equipment, servicing the motion picture industry as well as television and commercial productions for over 27 years. With their three locations spread across the United States—

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Burbank, Hawaii and New Orleans—and their comprehensive grip and lighting inventory, TM Equipment Rentals can provide everything from overall package deals on equipment expendables and generator rentals to logistical solutions for filmmakers. TM Equipment Rentals, Louisiana has a 21,000-square-foot facility located in the Elmwood Business Park, Jefferson Parish area, 15 minutes from the airport and Second Line Stages. Second Line Stages is situated on 210,000 square feet of prime New Orleans real estate and offers three soundstages and a five-story production office building. Located in the

lower Garden District of New Orleans, Second Line Stages is five minutes away from the historic French Quarter, home of world-class restaurants, hotels, and live music and entertainment. Second Line Stages is the first stateof-the-art, full-service media production facility in New Orleans, and the first independent green studio facility in the United States. TM Equipment Rentals, Louisiana has supplied the grip, lighting and electrical equipment packages on numerous projects at Second Line Stages, such as Green Lantern, Killer Joe and Looper. TM is also currently supplying equipment on the star-studded feature film The Butler, now filming at Second Line Stages, starring Forest Whitaker, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding, Jr., John Cusack, Robin Williams, Lenny Kravitz and Oprah Winfrey. LFV

The CAMERA

LOVES US P

icture a sampler of everything Louisiana offers. Head into the wild and exotic beauty of primal swamp in the Atchafalaya Basin. Antebellum and Victorian homes. Picturesque small towns. A 19th century boulevard of cast iron street lamps and mosscovered oaks in a community with over 400 historic buildings. Plenty of inland waterways, bayous and the Gulf of Mexico. Even an authentic decommissioned offshore drilling rig and other locations in the heart of the petroleum industry. Filming is always easy on the relaxed and friendly Cajun Coast. And we’re less than 90 minutes from New Orleans or Baton Rouge. Explore the Cajun Coast, the heart of what National Geographic called this “hauntingly beautiful land,” when you’re scouting locations for your next production. Call 800-256-2931 or visit the photo gallery of our website at www.cajuncoast.com.

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RECAP: 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT Left: The Prytania Theatre hosted the evening’s festivities. Below: (l to r) Brent Henry, team leader from Negative Ion Productions; Joseph Swider, co-team leader, The Swider Bros.; and John Swider, co-team leader, The Swider Bros. Bottom: Host Alex Garcia led Q&A sessions with each filmmaking team’s leader.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NOLAGRAPH PRODUCTIONS

he Prytania Theatre welcomed a packed house of eager filmmakers, artists and observers for this year’s 48 Hour Film Festival screening. The night was broken down into three groups of films. Event host, Alexander Garcia, led Q&A sessions with team leaders following each group. The ambitious efforts of filmmakers to write, shoot and edit a short film in 48 hours was evident in the outstanding quality of work this year. Congratulations to all the winners of the 2012 48 Hour Film Project. A special congratulations goes to the team of Zombie and the Brain for taking home 10 awards, including Best Film. The team will be moving on to Filmapalooza 2013 in Los Angeles. The award ceremony was held at the U.S. Mint on September 5. Results, courtesy of 48 Hour Film Project: New Orleans, are as follows: Best Film: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Runner-up for Best Film: A Violet Fluid by Negative Ion Productions Best Directing: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Writing: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Editing: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Actor: Ladson Deyne – The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Actress: Rebecca Elizabeth Hollingsworth – A Violet Fluid by Negative Ion Productions Best Cinematography (tie): Friends of the Saturn Bar by Patois and A Violet Fluid by Negative Ion Productions Best Sound Design: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Use of Character: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Use of Line: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Best Graphics: Telestar by Team Alphazero Best Special Effects: A Violet Fluid by Negative Ion Productions Best Musical Score: A Dirty Reality by Breathe Video Best Choreography: Co-Workers by Kickaah Productions Best Costumes: The Adventures of Keith Flippen... by Zombie and the Brain Audience Award (Group A): The Singer by MishMar Productions Audience Award (Group B): Size Matters by The Neverland Underground Audience Award (Group C): the perfunctory discord. by implicted 46

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With over 36 years of experience providing exotic and domestic animals for the ﬁlm and industry. television industry. We deliver results, We excuses. x not excuses.

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Providing Wrangling and Livestock for the Movie Industry for over 32 Years. Whether it for Feature Films, Commercials, or Photo Shoots we have the knowledge and experience to help with all your project needs. We supply both large and small animals plus some exotics. We offer wrangling, training, and rentals. Call Roy Burger at 512-294-0231 or Melissa Burger at 512-718-4128. Royburger.rblivestock@gmail.com Melissaburger.rb@gmail.com ISSUE FIVE

LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

HOLLYWOOD TRUCKS AMONG FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES NATIONWIDE

ollywood Trucks, LLC has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in North America. The entertainment transportation company is ranked #3 among the fastest growing companies within the state of Louisiana, and #15 among all national Logistics & Transportation companies in the United States. The company ranked #676 overall in the Inc. 5000. “We are humbled and thankful to be included in such a prestigious list,” says Andre Champagne, founder and CEO of Hollywood Trucks. “This could not have happened without the dedication of our team and the cooperation of Louisiana Economic Development.” Louisiana Economic Development (LED) is the state agency that manages the motion picture investor tax credit program. Founded in late 2007, Hollywood Trucks has grown from 2 employees and 7 vehicles to 15 employees and over 300 vehicles. The

company’s rapid expansion will continue over the next two years as more than 100 units are added to the Louisiana fleet, followed by domestic expansion into Park City, Utah, and Los Angeles, along with an international expansion into Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France, and Shanghai, China. “The whole company is excited about

embarking on our largest expansion to date. It’s been very invigorating,” says Champagne. “And as we expand, we will continue our mission of deploying new products previously never available to the entertainment industry.” Hollywood Trucks is based at Second Line Stages in New Orleans, and Raleigh Studios at the Celtic Media Centre in Baton Rouge. LFV For more information, visit www.hollywoodtrucksllc.com.

“The whole company is excited about embarking on our largest expansion to date.”

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Tel: (504) 835 -1685 / Fax: (504) 835 - 5773 / E-mail: mail@thebattman.com 48

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Louisiana

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Visit LouisianaProductionIndex.com

for more resources! ISSUE FIVE

LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE

HOLBROOK WINS NATIONAL TV COMMERCIAL AWARD

n a recent national competition, Bobby Holbrook of Lafayette-based Holbrook Multi Media brought home the top award for the best Dow Chemical “Great Stuff ” commercial. Director Drew Polchalski and producer Michael Twombly sought out Holbrook to join their team as director of photography, editor and DaVinci color artist, and together, the team submitted their creation to the national contest and brought home top honors. Holbrook credited much of his success to his entire team, which also included Gayle James of Division Camera out of Los Angeles; Celtic Studios; brother Sam Holbrook on grip; as well as lighting and support from Holbrook’s Lafayette production company and many others behind the scenes. “I am beyond humbled and grateful to be recognized with such an award,” said Holbrook. “This is more than just an honor; this is a reflection of where I hope to take

On the set of the Dow shoot.

Holbrook Multi Media for the next 35 years. There is so much talent around me and I am constantly inspired and constantly pushing myself to bring the absolute best for us and our clients. With a passion this deep, it’s easy.” LFV To see the winning commercial, go to www.youtube.com/user/HolbrookMultiMedia. For additional information, visit www.holbrookmultimedia.com.

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