Loving The Community
Dancing With Jane Austen
Page. 49
Nerd Civil War
Page. 21
Who is
Page. 7
Jordan Inconstant?
Our Community
Page. 39
Page. 13
For The Cause Page. 25
The World of Jane Page. 19
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
The Brilliance of Author Fair Page. 23
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TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
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Triskele Press
Chief Editor Stefanie Warner
Executive Editor Eugene Cordell
Staff Editors
Andrew Avak, Sophia Wang
Staff Writers
Andrew Avak, Radhiya Shah
Publisher
Chairman & CEO
Eugene Cordell
Stefanie Warner
President
Art Director
Stefanie Warner
Nina Reyes
Designer
Vice President
Sally Duong
Danny Gonzales
Media Manager
Corp. Secretary-Treasurer
Diana Keeler
Eugene Cordell
Photographers
Elysia Funtiveros, Daniel Irvin, Kyle Niitsuma, Jeffrey Clark
How to Reach Triskele Press: Events:
For the latest updates and news on Triskele Press events, follow us on facebook.com/triskelepress
Visit: triskelepress.com Email:
Call:
818.925.0322 All calls are hosted by Azure Lorica Foundation
Write to Triskele Press:
10756 Redmont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 91042
Letters to the Editor: e.cordell@azure-lorica.org
info@triskelepress.com
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TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
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Table of Contents 05
Press Media
23
The Brilliance of Author Fair
07 10 11
Nerd Civil War
For the Cause
Donors & Partners
25 29 39
13
Our Community
43
Winners of the Fan Film Awards
19 21
The World of Jane
46 49 50
FanFilm Program & Details
Editor’s Note
Dancing with Jane Austen
The Importance of Indie Who is Jordan Inconstant?
Loving the Community Azure Lorica Sucess Stories
23 43
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25 4
Triskele The Nerd Civil War
Confessions by Eugene Cordell, hosting all three Nerd Civil War Panels in both Ninja-Con 2014 and 2015, and at BentCon 2014.
Blog
Magazine
Press Media triskelepress.com
News and reviews of the independent entertainment industry, and societies.
ninja-con.com
Our Community
History of the relationship between the Azure Lorica Foundation and Ninja-Con.
Annual anime convention, and other programs hosted in certain west coast comic conventions.
fanfilmawards.com
Introducing Jane Austen
The most famous authoress and the “Janeites” behind the society we know today.
Annual film and screenplay festival information.
azure-lorica.org Dancing With Jane Austen
Jane Austen Society hosts a panel about Waterloo and the Richmond Ball.
Business updates and official press releases from the Azure Lorica Foundation.
driftplume.com
Theatrical Ensemble producing radioplays.
Who Is Jordan Inconstant?
Feature Interview with the winner of the FanFilm Awards 2015, for Best Film: Pirates of the Caribean: The Edge of Oblivion.
nocturnalnotes.com
Radioplays by Drift Plume. Romantic-Comedy Radioplays of the year 2007.
Loving The Community
Danny Gonzales unveils the lifestyle of being a founder of the infamous Ninja-Con.
tumblr.com/triskelepress Brief and beautiful, Triskele Press publishes sneak peeks, press releases, and countdowns to all the programs under the Azure Lorica Foundation
facebook.com/ninjacon
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fatependulum.com
Radioplays by Drift Plume. Supernatural-Thriller Radioplays on demons.
facebook.com/azurelorica/events
All events hosted by every program under the Azure Lorica Foundation can be found here: Ninja-Con, FanFilm Awards, and deadlines for submissions in art, film, and literature.
twitter.com/driftplume
The collected blog posts of every radioplay episode can be found in one network. Follow and stay up to date.
The official events committee of the Azure Lorica Foundation, updating you on the newest festival, party, and gatherings for patrons, volunteers, and fans alike. TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016 © 2016 Azure Lorica. All Rights Reserved.
FanFilm Awards 2016 Nominee: Best Actor
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
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Nerd I
CivilWar
It has been almost two years since the premiere of the Nerd Civil War at Ninja-Con 2014. The panel room was empty, the speakers were nowhere to be found, and the new program seemed to be a flop. Ten minutes in, friends and some attendees filled a few seats. I nearly lost hope, and devised an idea to have a small circle to discuss the issue of “Fake Gamer Girls”.
mal society, as is that case. But that act disables everyone from expressing themselves freely in an environment made to be outside of the norm. A complete oxymoron of the niche community the Cons were built upon.
Cynically, a mother would regard her argument as hypocritical, as much of Chocolate Covered Cosplayers’ work is them in skinrevealing outfits, and very much seductive in Right before the circle was complete, nature. One would obviously conclude that their the guests arrived, and with them, a flood of photos and media representation encourages a people raring to speak their minds. We weldemeaning status for women, as sexual objects. comed cosplayers Celeste Orchid, Dust Bunny, But the contrary is preached. Ginger and Ashand two members of the Chocolate Covered phord are not the only ones who confirmed the Cosplayers (C3), Ginger and Ashphord. These popular misconception. Though the photos are ladies comprised of different ethnicities and made for a sexually empowered representation, it backgrounds, revealing an unspoken world of is not for the sake of self-demeaning, according hurt that no one had ever heard of in convento Celeste Orchid: an Asian-American Cosplayer, tions. As a subculture, many “con-goers” found Gamer, and Actress. It’s entertainment, not poliit disrespecting to seem aggressive against their tics. We, as a society, are entertained by violence aggressors, in public view – perhaps, in humili- and racist jabs everyday, but it is not to be taken ation or low self-esteem. Simply, no one fights extremely. As a woman, she explains that though back. But our guest cosplayers encouraged people say that women have an equal playing otherwise. field in the industry, reality holds nothing back Ashphord, the strongest voice among to reveal that the concept is a lie. We all play the the four, expressed her personal issues on game, and we all have disadvantages. There are racism and sexism in the community. As an no promises as to how successful we’ll be withAfrican-American female, playing videogames out using what weapons we have to fend for our and cosplaying at comic and anime convenown. She explains this with a confession in how tions, she protests that the role of a female she flirts with male gamers to gain advantages in has nothing to do with the limitation of their experience points and seeking aid from “white representation in the community. Her color is knights” – a term meaning gamers with a hero obstructed from practicing the same craft others syndrome towards female gamers. in popular ethnic groups represented in the conventions were not due to her lack of skill or Xander, a former player in the show inability to produce perfection. No! It is by the King of Nerds, joined us abruptly, as a special stigma of being labeled as an invalid by bullies, appearance, to confirm this reality. Disadvantagand the silence that many won’t stand up for es extend even with homophobia in the gaming the equality the community deserves. Fear con- community, as the infamous “Gaymer” expresses sumes them, as the majority of the community his complex in losing camaraderie over sexual naturally believes that they are outcasts in nor- orientation. His testament opened a huge bridge
for our audience to come out of their own closets. Some veterans are of the age-old discrimination, and some fresh to the world of LGBT. From lesbians to transsexuals, people from all walks of life within the room confessed their concerns over this exact issue. They have been used to hiding out of fear and a so-called “respect” for their conservative friends and relatives; holding back their identity, as if they were something to be ashamed of. The discussion exploded, with attendees standing wall-to-wall, participating in the Nerd Civil War. It took a full hour to cover the full spectrum of the panel’s vast topic to a near close. Ultimately, we all resolved the one factor of the bullying culture that we all suffered from: standing up as a group against bullies. If we allow a bully to convince us that we shouldn’t stand up for that one victim, then it is our fault that the victim remains a victim. The cowardice is our making, not just the bully’s. Our time ended well before we could have had a cool down from the discussion. The attendees were left empowered, restless, and even enraged. All in all, the program was a complete success. How could this be a bad thing? At least now, people have acknowledged where the problems stem from, and that we are not going to be taking it sitting down anymore. Because now, we’ll be fighting back – no longer alone, but as a society. No more Mr. Nice Guy.
II
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Passing by through Summer, after Ninja-Con’s great success as the last anime convention of Spring, I awaited for another event where the Nerd Civil War can hit harder and accurately: BentCon. This convention was and still is made specifically for the LGBT community to enjoy their comics, novels, films,
and all hobbies under the geek interest. Bear in mind that I am not active in the LGBT scene, nor have I been bullied for years, lest you consider clients as a source of personal infliction. My job has managed my social pressures into equilibrium, so the consequence of inequality hasn’t bothered me since high school. To reflect, I am 1.5 generation Filipino, my skin is brown, and I grew up in the 1990’s in North Hollywood. Mind you, though I am a straight, Christian, and am legal in my status here in the United States, I was designated to be associated with gang members due to my color alone. Fighting was a fact of life for me. To be bullied was to be caught as a tool for dealers in the streets of LA. I had choices to make, and a life to live. As rough as that sounds, it did not at all prepare me for the type of animal the LGBT community was. My train of thought was to gain support from a group that was politically outside of the conservative system of California. Racism dissipated when I grew older and left for college. The rat game was left with the rats, extending what depravity they demanded to keep as their identity in the “hood”. But to be gay, to be bisexual, and isolated from a normal lifestyle, this in itself does not leave when one reaches college, or when a career is secured. Gay men and women are hindered in our society, as a nation, from adopting, property ownership, and experiencing the most sacred of honored traditions: marriage. Compared to dealers and thugs, facing a convention filled with them was probably the scariest ordeal I had to face. At least, in the ghetto, even if your parents didn’t love you, the church will. Here, at BentCon, the idea of their world was lonelier than I could even imagine. Or is it? Checking the program, I naturally was not the only anti-bully campaign that day. However, my strategy was to encourage discussion. No guest speakers, no sensitive speeches, just dive right into the attendees’ issues of interest. Joining me was Stefanie Warner, CEO of the Azure Lorica Foundation. With her, we presented the same questions and topics from the original Ninja-Con panel. Their reaction was nothing like we expected. They blamed the victim first, and crushed the argument of the self-embodied bully. One attendee spoke out, saying, “She asked for it!” Another mentioned that the only person to blame is oneself, and others supported with steadfast contempt against this challenge of acting as a society, and to “grow some balls.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Stunned, for not only did their conviction blasted aggression, but within myself, I couldn’t disagree more. They were right. Why aren’t we standing by our pride and fighting against this self-hate? No one contributes to this problem more than us, as self-appointed victims.
I suddenly felt accustomed to their stance. If I agreed that my skin and status in life was the end for me, I would not be engaged to my fiancé, I would not reach outside the valley for a better occupation and lifestyle. I did not want to be confined to be just Brown. Waking up to this skin was not my full identity; I am more than that. And they know that this is a reality that everyone has to face. There is no bully. Explaining our original stance, to close the panel discussion in full circle, Stefanie and I mentioned that our Foundation produces Ninja-Con annually. This changed the playing field altogether, as their qualm directed us to use our influence to help improve this argument at a larger scale. “Why don’t you make this your mission,” one of the attendee’s asked, challenging us with contempt. If the problem devastates society, why face the individual? Why not the institution? It is, after all, what’s forcing everyone into the corners they deem victimization. My heart had to hold its breath. There was a contradiction to the resolve. According to this suggestion,there is a bully, in fact, there’s a man: the Man. The Man that controlled my fate as a minority, the same Man that held the keys from kids in the ghettos from real education, real freedom, real careers that could fix all of our problems. He was the conspiracy that I believed was fib. Yet, here He was: The Man was us. Stefanie and I had access to His institution, the same institution that pressures young girls to believe that a man will fix all their problems, giving birth will suffice as a fix to a failed aspiration, career, or education. It was what made the ghetto a hell, and it was haunting me, as they pronounced the Nerd Civil War as a force for social change.
eastern and western descent, plus size, and going against the odds between jobs that have mistreated her as a woman, and student loans up to her neck. How did she make it through? I, myself, have had my glass ceilings, but she has social crabs pulling her in a bucket. We’ve had our havens at masquerades and conventions too, but when it’s time to go back to the grind; the bashing repeats, we find ourselves having bouts with demons before we rest for the next day. I, as a man, can at least be expected to fight, but her, as a woman, she’ll be mocked for being too strong, and taken advantage of if she’s too weak. The world can be a cruel beast.
III
In the months after, Ninja-Con had solidified its first committee. Their task: to protect members through bylaws and policies. This first step allows us to later build a Human Resource department that adheres to state laws and solidify the conduct of our representatives, staff, and volunteers. At the same time, another program under Azure Lorica Foundation went through a re-branding: Triskele Press. Once a blog, reposting media reviews from several users, it is now an eMagazine that secures the promotion of our community’s interests as a cultural lifestyle. Both of these brands are working hand in hand to promote the interests of this community. Lead by Vice President, Danny Gonzales, and myself, the Nerd Civil War panel was revived with a new topic for Ninja-Con 2015: facing demons.
With the return of Xander and Dust Bunny, along with new guests: Lily Lovely My knees finally shook. My integrity and Chise-chan, we opened the discussion for as a carbon-based compound was ready to fall. the next generation of geeks. Much of it was After years of rebelling against this system, I was managing to clarify Christians in their actual compelled to improve it. I am no politician, nor stance against the Westboro Baptist Church’s was our organization made to lobby in politics. aggressive protests at comic conventions, and We are entertainers, theatre folk, but entreprecosplaying as an artistic expression beyond the neurs that know how to market, and market with scrutiny of the few. The panel’s attendees and style. I felt more like an Alan Watts than a Martin speakers exchanged hugs and affirmed their Luther – doors weren’t made to have nailed camaraderie as a community – delivering an posts that only the priests could read. Doors are exchange of understanding. made to open upon the toils of isolation and to avoid suffocation. The Nerd Civil can make a As one person, I can only attest to fashion campaign look fabulous, if this is what my own experiences and past. Who knows it demands, but it is a position of leadership that what pressures others are going through now? will tax everyone for constant feedback and a lot Technology changes the way we interact, and of work. And I didn’t know if the organization it changes us quite swiftly – today’s body was ready for this kind of responsibility. shaming may change into tomorrow’s baby shaming, the transgender groups might divide The panel ended. We shook hands with into denominations of societies, and the sexual our participating attendees. Thank you all. And harassment problems might become family then Stefanie and I returned to the real world related issues. The pain may never go away, but once more. no one has to face it alone. Not anymore. Nerd Civil War is open for discussion for everyone. We got in the car and drove back And we’ll be waiting for you when you are home. While taking Glenoaks from the valley ready. back to the hills, I looked at her, and her hand 8 holding mine. Here she was: a mixed girl of both
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016 Nerd Civil War will be returning to Ninja-Con 2016. For more information, visit: triskelepress.com.
FanFilm Awards 2016 Nominee: Best Actor and Screenplay
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Editor’s Note
I notice that my year goes by through seasons rather than months. At Azure Lorica, we seem to have some sort of happening: our organization’s birthday at the end of each beginning of the year, roaring in with new ideas and proposals in the Board meetings, the Titan called Ninja-Con in the end of Spring, followed by gatherings and new productions into the Summer and Fall. Every one of these things always take me back a little, and I think to myself “Is this really happening?”
We have just finished setting up our first annual mark of the FanFilm Awards, where we’re meeting some of the most amazing talented individuals. I can’t write this without a smile on my face, knowing that not only had I made new friends, but I’m seeing the arts in action, unfolding right before my eyes -- there is a stage to showcase just a handful of the thousands of artist looking for a place to share and learn. There’s a bit of whimsy when they gather - the flow of ideas and the strike of inspiration pour out, and impact a person, regardless of an individual’s state of life. It’s an exhilarating feeling, more so, because you can see it in the faces of others around you. This is how we begin to build the foundations of a community, and it’s through these types of events that the strength of independent arts breathes life. We’ve taken the concept of our events a step further by creating this magazine. This will be the first of hopefully many to come. Here we have a collective of talented individuals that have volunteered there time, to document all the happenings that Azure Lorica has to offer. Consider this as a show-and-tell of the progress that we are making, and the headway that we hope to continue in the arts community. As our first issue, it is so fitting to showcase the progress that the Fan Film Awards has made in a humble year. From independent film reviews, to interviews of the past winning filmmakers. This is the first time that Azure Lorica has spread it’s skills of gathering and communicating with artists beyond the United States. With eager and endearing pleasure, I present to you the first issue of Triskele Press magazine. Thank you for your continuing support! We hope to see you as the seasons change!
-Stefanie Warner, Chief Editor
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Donors & Partners We thank the following Donors for their great contribution to the Azure Lorica Foundation. 2015 Danny Gonzalez | Pedro Ortiz In-Kind: Chado Tea Room | Tea Rose Garden | Google For Nonprofit | GoDaddy 2014 Danny Gonzalez | Pedro Ortiz In-Kind: Reuben Langdon | GoDaddy 2013 Danny Gonzales | Lea Willoya | Kim Williams | Carlos Estrada | Pedro Ortiz In-Kind: U.S. Department of Transportation (Jonathan Klein) | Reuben Langdon 2012 Stefanie Warner | Lily Bauer | Lauren Bauer | Eugene Cordell In-Kind: The Walt Disney Company (Marialyce Pederson) | Glendale Public Library (Patricia Zeider) |Revolution Prep (Kate Staben) | Law Offices of Joseph F. Hart (Joseph Hart) | Google For NonProfit | OneLegacy 2011 Jennifer Manaog | Stefanie Warner In-Kind: ICF International (Leslie Nardoni) | Corin Hooper 2010 Mrs. Teresa Del Rosario† | Corazon Docena | Stefanie Warner | June Del Rosario | Eugene Cordell
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FanFilm Awards 2016 Nominee: Best Director and Actress
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Our Community: The Story Behind Azure Lorica
Once upon a time, there was a Cosplay group wanting to raise funds for their next convention. The idea was small, but the production grew in scale, as venue rent cheapened during each finding. The first was a community hall - large, though limited in capacity and operations, the second was a theatre - small, but all the doors opened for multiple days’ rent, and capacity, and installations and more. The group discussed the endeavor, and threw their all for a grand opportunity! Suddenly, conventions seemed petty in comparison to a career in the arts, and so their company ventured anew. Today, they call themselves the Azure Lorica Foundation (ALF). The nonprofit organization provides community programs to promote the arts through blogs, a theatrical ensemble, and festivals. Its service to the community has come out of pocket from its Board and Leaders, and spent more than earned in every production - aiming to impact the community with their time and
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collaborative efforts.
Beginning with Ninja-Con, founded by Vice President, Danny Gonzales, the indie anime conversation has made phenomenal progress in showcasing independent artists, choreographers, and celebrities giving back to the community for the annual exhibition - delivering new Patrons to support young artists, and exposing families and people of all ages to the arts culture of Los Angeles, California. The idea arose between productions. In 2012, Danny, was producing his own comedy shows called Big Laughs In Little Tokyo, in Downtown LA. At the time, we were just called
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
Azure Lorica, and we (mainly consisting of Eugene Cordell, Stefanie Warner, and Jennifer Manaog) were producing Plays in Pasadena and North Hollywood. Both productions were becoming stale, as not only did social media make it difficult for live performance to grow with frequent pics and tweets of spoilers, but so did the financial mentality of society during the aftermath of the first few years of the recession in 2008. People spent, but people wanted to spend where it counted. The golden hand that answered our prayers came from none other than Danny. He came to us with the idea of a convention, and we were stunned, scared, in disbelief… “Sure, why not?” Stefanie mentioned. None of us had any better ideas at the time, so an audacious one was better than nothing! There were doubts, of course. We’ve all returned from a good time at the “Cons”, and some of us even learned the pattern so well that we predicted how bad it could get if and when we attended at certain times. There came
a point when we all became bored of the Cons, and the pressure of friends were the only motivation we had left to buy a ticket to anything - it got old. We explored our market, reviewed our experiences, and had to rethink of why a convention would be a better idea than a theatre production. In theatre, we at least knew the unlucky peaks of the stage, and predict it. Stefanie directed, and Eugene and Jennifer produced and managed tech for several Plays in both Pasadena and Noho; Danny had done all three jobs in his comedy shows; both, managing cast and patrons, have been fine. But the idea of “just fine” was enough to kill the soul. Perhaps it was the artist within that demanded the challenge? But an entrepreneur’s dream sprouted leaves when someone said, “this is impossible.” There were moments when we could cry over the stubborn cynicism of the public. He said, she said, they said - beloved or strangers, they all had a misunderstanding over what was going on. There was no building yet, but it felt almost as though everyone had a hammer ready to demolish any foundation we were ready to call home. This was the sign that proved to us that we were doing something right. Call it jealousy or fear, but when there is an opposition to something we never thought was important, it becomes important. And so we fought for it. Three years in, coming to a fourth, Ninja-Con returns to the Little Tokyo Arts District, in Downtown Los Angeles, with this same motto every event: “For the fans, by the fans, from a fan.” This has brought immense criticisms from others that consider themselves our competitors, and we don’t flinch. Mostly because we think they’re silly, but mainly because we have been there before - we were the attendees that paid for disappointing shows, we were the press that were treated badly, we were the panelists that were overshadowed by commercial exploitations, and we were hurt - why would we want that to continue in our turf? Why not come to grips that a celebrity will attend even if we weren’t about selling DVDs? Why start a hentai panel, when an equal rights panel would help us listen to our community better? Can’t
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
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kids enjoy an animation feature with their grandparents anymore? Geeks have been around for decades, it was high time we gave them the community that represented them. Getting technical though, we have currently found a kink, and perhaps an old ripple, in the system. As an anime convention, we know that this is something that can stay pure for only so long. Much like SciFi and alien conventions, we could die as a fad someday. And that some day can come tomorrow. So, to step up, we have been planning, and we are listening. Ninja-Con is growing, and it might even change like comic conventions no longer being about comic books, but the brands that stemmed from them. Who knows? Dreadpunk just became popular, and so did Seapunk - are we to turn away what the fans and indie artists will turn them into? Whether a fashion, a lifestyle, or just a hobby, Ninja-Con will make it happen.
Ninja-Con is only the beginning. Working behind the curtain, The Azure Lorica Foundation has taken steps to insure its future productions to serve your needs. Producing panels and stand up shows at other conventions, we made the alternative programs people, like us, wanted. Danny and his Ninja-Con committee make people laugh through Last Comic Standing - allowing talents to express their common trifles through comic relief; while Eugene and his Triskele Press committee - the publishing press department of ALF - present Nerd Civil War. His program consists of one main issue: to discuss social issues in the nerd community. It’s more dramatic, in comparison to the comedic side of the organization, but it is a very effective program to get nerds to open up, either as the self trained victim or the skeptical bully. Neither programs rival each other,
In fact, committees have been made to solidify this. Protecting our volunteers and members, we’ve made it a mission to collaborate and understand the growing societies of the old and new subcultures living under the wing of Los Angeles County. We’ve met Lolitas, the Jane Austen Society, Fairefolk, and many more. It seems, they hide in tea shops, camp areas, and college classrooms. They invite their own celebrities, non-household faces who make their world better. Even without the Cons, their fandom lives on privately, as a collective. Perhaps, they’re better off there - we’re sure than no Bronte Society member would like to share a stage with a Janite, or vice versa. Or we could be wrong. The challenge is how. Whatever the future may bring, we, us, our community won’t go unheard. This has become the basis of the Azure Lorica Foundation. As much as we love the traditions of our favorite theatrical industries, we have a new generation that is moving faster than the internet. Live Streamers have become international gaming champions, film celebrities have Vine channels, and Radio Plays have bred a new audience. We’ve accommodated for the Manga Readers, the Metalheads, and Bronies, we see no reason why we cannot extend the invitation further.
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rather compliment the other to encompass the purpose of understanding the community as a whole. When the company began, we served just suburban families. The act was fun, as we presented Plays after Plays after Plays in North Hollywood. But there did come a point when the audience demanded to be heard, and their involvement had to come before your own desire to produce our favorite shows. The conundrum led further into how suburbans were returning to the city for the same shows every week, and how we were not ready to move to suburbia to make their patronage easier. We soon succumbed to the reality that we were not connecting with parents at all, nor were the parents staying any younger. To be frank, we were too geek for their taste, and this formula did not make it easy for either side to win over this business we called theatre. The stubbornness of both led to a failure in the system. People may not know what they want all the time, but it is important to test their reaction to new ideas. In theatre, this would be a long year’s worth process of changing the ending and directing the lines to sound sympathetic, perhaps with a change of gender role, perhaps a change in costume and timeline - who knows? It can be anything, and it was slow. We grew very tired of it, especially when World of Warcraft had instant gratifications that had no consequences in having a pic shared all over facebook.
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016
On the other hand, the shift to festi-
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vals came with amazing perks. When traditions became stale, innovations sparked inspirations. By inviting artists with new mediums, new ideas, and new audiences, we were able to provide a real cultural experience. Exposing kids to stunt artists in videogames, musicians for animation, and artists from published novels. The arts had never died, it just could not sustain itself without collaboration. The industry cannot support itself anymore. Game developers need film makers, choreographers need composers - the list goes on! It’s a whole world of fresh opportunity. You just need to find a way to get it out there. And that is where we come in. “There” is the Azure Lorica Foundation, and “it” can have our venue, our press releases, our festivals - it is there for you. After Ninja-Con, we’ve had the Skullgirls Fan Expo, Fate Pendulum’s Theatrical Readings, Fighters United, etc. All of these events brought to life an array of entertainment, from DJs, Actors, to Gamers to enjoy. We’ve thrown barrages of events within a year, and we are not afraid of throwing more. As a charity organization, it is our pride to offer free admission at certain hours in our events for the public to enjoy. As a nonprofit company, we are more than willing to spend for you, our deserving community, the festivals and artistic outlet we all need. And as the people behind all of this, we thank you for allowing us to build something so beautiful together. Without you, our foundation would’ve never have grown in service. Our humble beginnings, in 2010, as a small NoHo theatre company, has now bloomed into festivals for the new generation of today. We are happy to give you the stage, the chance to meet your celebrities, and the culture where our community can grow. The Azure Lorica Foundation is here for you.
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FanFilm Awards 2016 Nominee: Best Animation and Director
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The
World of
Jane By: Andrew Avakyan
November 19, 2015
“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” —Jane Austen Who can discuss satire and witty humor without uttering the name Jane Austen? Jane Austen has intrigued the minds of millions and has become a household name to readers, since the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Through her clever narrative and loveable characters, she has introduced readers to the charming and quaint lifestyles of the English social class. Characters such as the Dashwood sisters (Sense and Sensibility) and Emma Woodhouse (Emma) have acquainted readers to some of the liveliest protagonists that English fiction has produced since the time of her presence in the literary spectrum. With a knack for portraying peoples’ socioeconomic status vividly, Jane Austen takes readers into the depths of the middle and upper social classes that the general public had not seen in such a particular fashion, and adds a little satire to arouse readers’ curiosity. Her depiction of established, English men and women and the lives of the wealthy challenges the social conventions that remain prevalent till this day. She also developed plots in a satirical manner to comically emphasize gender hierarchy and show how the notion of marriage, as a means for women to solidify social and economic strength, is ridiculous. With masterful works such as Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen has been a force to be reckoned with in the world of fiction. Born on December 16, 1775, in Hampshire, England, Jane began writing epistolary novels at an early age, but quickly abandoned the letterform writing to develop her own personal style. As a child growing up in a large family—she was the sixth sibling, with six brothers and one sister—Jane had a flare for writing down domestic activities observed on a day-to-day basis. She learned about the workings of social structures through witnessing her own family prosper
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by such gentrified ranks. Her parents George and Cassandra ascended from the position of land ownership to a family business in wool manufacturing. As a result, this rise in the social ladder, along with getting acquainted with other well-off gentry families, gave Jane the inspiration to narrate the socioeconomic changes that helped in developing her fictional characters. Although Jane’s work was known and published during her time, her global fame skyrocketed during the late nineteenth century; which is where the gradual progression of fan clubs dedicated to Jane became a public ceremony, and the term Janeite first achieved notoriety by George Saintsbury in an 1894 introduction to one of Jane’s novel publications. This led to the revival of Jane’s work, grabbing the attention of fans, book enthusiasts, and your average social trend follower. Now, a Jane Austen society exists in almost every continent, some of which include the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA), The Republic of Pemberly, and of course the Jane Austen Fan Club—their online forum is under the webpage fanpop. Like the Janeites, the magnitude of fan clubs has become a major theme in book culture, and its impact remains evident through other fan-based cultures following Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, and sharing identical textual beliefs that the Janeites uphold. The Janeite phenomenon, or Janeitism, can be compared with today’s Trekkers and Star Wars fans as well, arguing how Jane’s work was one of the first to build a literarybased cultural group of its kind. With the advancement of technology in the twenty-first century, book publication quickly shifted its course in medium, continuing to delight fans through media, graphic novels, and parodies of classical literature. Today, Jane Austen fans have developed an enticing new
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Editor: Andrew Avak
theme that revives classical tales and puts a touch of the new into its motif. An example of this is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, of how the traditional literary work is brought forth from the world of convention and is resuscitated to fit in to the zombie-infatuated world we live in today. It’s a form of Renaissance, but with that World War Z edge to it. With technology and the demographical range of book readers constantly changing, one may wonder whether fans will venture into interactive, three-dimensional (3D), or other modes of entertainment to tickle their fancy with Jane Austen’s work.
Andrew Avak is writer, editor, and proofreader, working out of Los Angeles, California. During his adolescence, he enjoyed reading the twentieth century classics written by Hemingway, Saroyan, Steinbeck, but as he grew into adulthood, he began reading English literature from Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton, all the way to Orwell, Maugham, and Joyce. In September of 2015, he published his debut novella Eyedentify and is currently working on a variation of short stories. During his adolescence, he enjoyed reading the twentieth century classics written by Hemingway, Saroyan, Steinbeck, but as he grew into adulthood, he began reading English literature from Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton, all the way to Orwell, Maugham, and Joyce. In September of 2015, he published his debut novella Eyedentify and is currently working on a variation of short stories. He currently lives in Glendale, with his wife Alina.
It is difficult to turn a page in a romantic novel or watch a romantic comedy without seeing a character from Jane Austen’s pages come to life. Whether it is a book enthusiast who loves literature of the Romantic period, fans of parody novels, or lovers of English wit, Jane appeals to the likes of many and her presence in the literary world continues to engage eager minds. Her artistic prose has paved the way for that delightful touch of romantic fiction that we see over and over again in film and media. Films such as Becoming Jane, directed by Julian Jarrold and novels like Shannon Hale’s Austenland (now a major motion picture) continue to praise and demonstrate how influential Jane’s overzealous form of sensibility has been. It is no surprise how the queen of romance plays a part in the world of fiction and media till this day. For more information, please visit janeausten.org, where you will learn more about her biography, see destinations where her work lives on, and download online readings of her collective work.
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Dancing
By: Foxstreet September 28, 2015
with...
Everyone knows of the story, and bookstores never stop selling the 19th century masterpiece. The fans have seen the movies, and know the lines by heart. But not everyone knows the world behind Jane Austen’s captivating story. Far from the romance of marriage, social politics, and Collin Firth’s version of Mr. Darcy, the time of Pride and Prejudice was merely a fantasy, to escape the grim reality of Jane Austen. On September 26, 2015, the Jane Austen Society transported us to June 15, 1815: the night of the Duchess of Richmond’s Ball. Famously known from Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, two experts in the time of the event were invited to give an unforgettable lecture for the Society’s members: Peter Graham, an English professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia (also known as Virginia Tech), and Fritz Bronner, actor, producer, and director of The War Horse & Military Heritage Foundation. Needless to say, it was an amazing treat for Bibliophiles, Historians, and Janeites (devoted fans of Jane Austen). Graham’s lecture covered the history of the Grand Ball. He presented the fashion and dances that captivated the culture of the time, reciting excerpts from Byron and Austen, and favorably, the Duke of Wellington. From his notes, he shares the importance of Balls of the time, coinciding with the Napoleonic War. It was impressive as to how diversions and espionage improved the party scene, as much of the luster for more elaborate parties came due to the timing of vulnerability. Battle strategies were very well dissected throughout the day, especially much after, with Bronner’s Greys and Glory, representing the Royal Scots Greys: A group reenacting the capture of Napoleon’s personal gold eagle that sat atop a flag for victory during the day-long battle. Waterloo was the key term to know in this event, as the Ball and battle supplied us with several inspiring paintings, capturing history too close for comfort; relieving us with less imagination that one would expect. Through Grays and Glory, Bronner’s Foundation aids in not only education through historical reenactments, but providing healthcare for horses. Due to the energy for the care taking of Equine Kind horses, they take only the best riders for the reenactment battle scenes, a majority of who were women. It is crucial to know that the female role had much to do about everything in Austen’s stories, and our reality feeds us with no less than such influential prowess to boot—in the ballroom or out in the battlefield. The Jane Austen Society is an epic group of Literatis that know their stuff. Loving to learn and easy to associate, this meeting felt more like a conference of history makers, gathered to review their findings, and their endeavors to improve our culture’s future through preservation. Romance isn’t dead. You just haven’t met the right society yet.
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“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” — Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016 For more information about the Jane Austen Society, visit: jasnasw.org.
Jane Austen
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Author Brillance of Fair The
By: Foxstreet October 10, 2015
As I was looking for parking for the infamous Art Night in Pasadena, I stumbled upon the Author Fair. Hosted in the grand Pasadena Central Library, the Author Fair took over every wing, room and floor, and theatre that the historic property had to offer. Larry Venderveen has performed his theatrical monologue rendition about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s biography at the Pasadena Central Library for a few years. His personal contact with the Fitzgeralds’s living relatives has revered his work as a powerful redemption for the legacy of both Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. This opened doors to something that the general pubic had never seen. It allowed people to explore every corner with a friendly face and sit with their newly published books to explore. Small Press and Self-Publishers extended an open hand to welcome each potential patron to read their covers and pages, and even signatures—pronouncing their pride and honor as Authors, Coauthors, Publishers, and the unexpected— of activists, filmmakers, and musicians. Swimming between the bustling crowd, I found myself floating from table to table (whichever was open), starting up discussions with writers about their books. I was enamored by a sea of booths, and the temptation was too much to handle—reaching the next aisle was all I could’ve asked for, once I learned the Author’s/Publisher’s name. Not to say that the intrigue in them was far from my interest, as their enthusiasm reflected what adventure could have been between their novels’ tantaliz-
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ing pages. I wish I could’ve taken a peek, but the night was too young, and I hadn’t even reached the second floor, third floor, or the theatre and outdoor cafe serenade. Dan McLaughlin is a local Pasadena Librarian, whose written works on the history of Pasadena, reveals the drastic cultural changes of its rich heritage, spanning from the popular to its most unpopular progressions. By the end of the night, I must say, I had learned almost all of the vendors’ names. Although I was too distracted to speak to the public, I was happy to learn that children were very much apart of this fraction of Art Night. The city was filled with music and open doors, raining with fresh faces, bringing life to the Old Town, Playhouse District and the colleges year-round. But I must admit that, out of all the festivities, the Author Fair was my favorite. Publishers and authors showed off their merit and cause, allowing readers to find their work where most commercial bookstores would not. Their superior quality to Target’s million copies of the book Kardashian Konfidential was a breath of fresh air. Amazon couldn’t provide this kind of presentation on good days, and the intimacy to comfort most loyal readers on the bad ones. Author Fair is one of a kind and a real introduction to the world of the Bibliophile. Meet the writers behind the books, the soul between the chapters, and the adventure through their pages. Support the Pasadena Central Library for more events like this. Author Fair happens twice a year and is free to the public. For more information visit: cityofpasadena. net/library.
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For The
Cause
The Azure Lorica Foundation will be six years old by January 26, 2016, and it is still growing. Just when the organization believed that it was enough when they produced Ninja-Con, in 2013, its Ninja-Con Committee fortified the future of the festival, as no longer a one-man production, by 2015. From a Board, to the new Committee, and the returning Volunteers, the nonprofit thought more years would be needed to expand as far as it has. For now, Azure Lorica seems solid. What else was there to build, with an annual convention, and a willing operations team? Between the years of forming the Committee, much of the vision for the Azure Lorica Foundation was redirected back to its original mission: to produce the arts for the public. This began the reconstruction of the old Azure Lorica ensemble. But there was a minor detail that made us worry. Times have changed. When live shows were novelty and a ticket meant the world in the early milennia, a YouTube video nowadays is enough to procure your future in today’s industry. If we were to return as an ensemble, we had to either get into stand up comedy and musicals or go home! We needed to think. And think fast. As a nonprofit corporation producing festivals, we thought about how to match that grandeur on stage. Naturally, we needed to be extravagant, but if it didn’t need us to spend as much, why we’d be in a better position! YouTube was saturated and filled with mainstream selections. As much as we could benefit in being part of a ready-made community, we needed something as traditional but as innovated as theatre. As ironic as it sounds, this is where we turned to podcasting. The production was well seasoned, and we were able to produce a few episodes in a matter of weeks. The honeymoon stage of the production was great, but soon the press releases need to be published, and then that needed attention. This was the birth of Drift Plume and Triskele Press. While Drift Plume produced radio plays - downloadable episodes for our listeners, Triskele Press would publish press releases and write content for the blog. The job wasn’t so hard, until the scales became serious.
For one, Triskele Press had to build up their team - from bloggers, to now an emagazine publishing group - producing not only online content of photography, videos, and stories of “500 words or less”, but now a refined version of what looks like a Quarterly Journal. To improve, our photographer needed to be an advertisement team, our bloggers be Editors, and our artists now designers. The idea was fantastic, who wouldn’t want this kind of upgrade? But the toils in between the reconstruction is fraught with peril, especially when the deadline is in four months. Secondly, Drift Plume is taking human resources by the reigns, and making policies and operation improvements for it’s ensemble. There’s no need to build a squad when the challenge is in the mind. Discipline is like fire, the challenge is not to snuff the blaze, but to channel the light. With proper practices, the Ensemble can act as the society and culture of the new Ninja-Con. One might think that this is ridiculous. That a philosophy practiced is just a promise meant to be broken. This is just politics, and it won’t take long to break in the heat of battle. What good is it going to do? The deal in this business is not build promises. It is to be a testament. When radio began as an industry, it created a new home culture. When movies began, it made a new city culture. We are no different. If a company does not prepare for such changes, then they are a disservice to their community. One may not realize this, but this is common, and a
Ninja-Con announced it was going for a two day show.
If anyone knows how production works in festivals and conventions, then you’d see how this was a feat. Ninja-Con is Azure Lorica Foundation’s largest project. It’s an animal that could take over your life, if you’re not careful. Much like taming a cat, you had to learn from experience in how to feed it, how it loves you back, and what benefits it has for everyone that meets you…and Ninja-Con. Being a two day venture, the cat has become a tiger. And unlike a small pet with sharp claws and a mischievous nature, this beast can break your neck with it’s teeth. Progress has sacrifices necessary to fulfill it’s promises, and we had to pull harder with a press release this big. Drift Plume excels in singing, making costumes, and building stages and trains and castles. Triskele Press can write and market, and make your dimes look like platinum! And working with Ninja-Con, the emerald city for geeks, the work ahead of us was not going to be easy.
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instagram.com/tar0pand4bear/
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practice that builds any community. Romantics, after all, did not populate as idealists without a small society to grow with. In doing this, the we are expecting something bigger in the future. Something great, something beautiful, and if we’re right, this something can be for everyone to share. For now, we will be building the foundation. We invite what challenges may come. It’s already made
a stronger community for us, and because of them, nothing can stop us. The Arts are important, and it is the cause we stand by as a charity, as a community, as the Azure Lorica Foundation.
Photo: Cosplayers at Ninja-Con 2015
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The Importance of By: Andrew Avak November 25, 2015
Sometimes less is more, especially when it relates to independent films. Over the last three decades, we’ve seen a massive rise in films being produced with a flare for cognitive aesthetics, rather than the vanity of Hollywood glamour. The subjective term for independent or indie films is when the production is completed at a low budget or has not been financed by a major blockbuster enterprise. Examples of such production empires are Paramount or Warner Brothers. However, films can also be distinguished as an indie film based on the level of thought and artistry depicted by the film crew and how influential the film’s message is conveyed to the audience. By definition, independent films focus on substance and style and the intent in which the artist’s personal vision is illustrated onto the screen. In 2014, we witnessed a conglomeration of films like The Imitation Game, Boyhood, Whiplash, and many others, where the scale of innovative brilliance was uncanny thanks to their high budget, but more importantly, the thematic intent signified in the film. One of most euphoric films that year, Birdman, not only won Best Picture (along with Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography), but also exemplified the superfluous manner of cinema in which independent films embody. Cinematic marvels can come from all facets of entertainment, and the big blockbusters are no longer the only films that carry a large financial support to allure moviegoers. People have different definitions of a good film. There are some movie fans that enjoy seeing CGI, and there are those who get a thrill out of watching and hearing loud explosions, while others go see a film for the purpose of witnessing something bigger (metaphorically speaking). If you’re like me, you go to the theaters to see a film with rich dialogue, artistic cinematography, phenomenal acting, and a poignant musical score to accompany the work. Sure, a little action here and there would be nice, but only if it appropriates itself with the theme or plot. Nothing is worse than to witness an extraordinary action scene, or a moment of overzealous emotion, splurging onto the screen without a thematic purpose. Luckily, films like Birdman appealed to indie film fans for its drama, comedy, but also to its methodical action and a dash of fiction for the fans who enjoy suspending their disbelief for a
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Indie
few hours. You never know until you see it
My first experience with an independent film was at the age of fourteen—as I bought a VHS copy from a long forgotten music and film store named Warehouse—when I watched Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. That video tape has long vanished, but I still remember the title in crimson letters standing out, four sketched men in suits in the lower foreground, and a fragmented picture in the top of two extended arms, with weapons defensively pointed at each other. The film had a $1.2 million budget, which is small even for the 90’s, but it had a great cast, which included Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, and several other favorites. It was the first time that I watched a film and distinguished one of the fundamental traits of an effective indie film, and that was dialogue and camera angles. It would be downright naïve to simply describe indie with two basic elements, however, for the sake of emphasis I’d like to add that that was what allured me to the film. It had great music— Grateful Dead’s “Stuck in the Middle” playing in the background while Michael Madsen proceeds to amputate an officer’s ear—and the wonderful direction of Tarantino capturing unique scenes and executing with meticulous detail, that may have been missed by a less skillful director. Right in the beginning scenes, we see an example of raw dialogue that defines indie films, where we get a three-and-a-half minute take of Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) engaged in a socio-economic discussion with the rest of the gentlemen sitting around a table, on what constitutes the waitress from earning a tip if the service was unsatisfactory. Congruent to the subject of dialogue, the debate between Mr. Pink and the remaining crew over the etiquette of tipping and the justification of leaving nothing for the waitress was portrayed as though the audience was in the scene, sitting right beside the actors in a heated discussion. Tarantino’s touch of the unexpected, ambiguous dialogue—not knowing where and which way the plot’s angle dictates—introduced an impeccable mode of direction that has made the film a classic within indie circles. The importance of an indie film does not always have to be great, in order to leave an impression. Often a great film emerges onto the screen that is merely appreciated for its mer-
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its in a certain area of expertise (e.g. acting, direction, cinematography). However, when all areas of film are handled with mastery and great detail, regardless of size of the budget, it leaves the mark that compels the audience to ponder the universal message of the film strives to achieve, leaving those in wonder, even as the ending credits have begun and the film has finished.
Sadly, that is not the case with most films and their method of admittance to the big screen. So many great films with a potential to become a cult classic get turned down due to budget issues or lack of funding. However, this is an exciting time because indie film fans are beginning to see more films get released frequently, in comparison to former generations. Every year, a fresh new film gets released that aims to ponder the metaphysics, challenge social issues, or address political upheaval without being turned down due to greedy notions of profit, or for fear of financing the next box office disaster.
There is hope for all indie cinemas
Who says that indie simply revolves around films? To the remaining lot that succumbs to the fate of denial by major production companies, streaming sites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime have become their saviors, taking the leftover scripts under their wings and preserving the essence of films that may, perhaps, demonstrate a successful prospect. A few years ago, Netflix began purchasing scripts that were stored away and forgotten. But Netflix acquired the rights and brought to life works that have won numerous Emmy Awards including House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Narcos, the drama series that has been receiving promising reviews for an Emmy in theforthcoming year. By the same rights, Amazon Prime acquired Transparent (winner of 5 Emmys), paving the way for production companies to reevaluate their method of production approval. With so many noteworthy films and shows, rich with dialogue and direction, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other global enterprises are now taking the time to review soon-to-be films and mini-series compilations. After realizing its potential, Netflix has now begun their own production, where
they accept scripts directly (as opposed to buying them from third parties), and produce independent films with the rights of their agency. A Netflix original that has been catching the eye of viewers this year is Beasts of No Nation, a drama about the civil war and turmoil in Africa, and how a orphaned youth (Abraham Attah) is trained by a vicious warlord, played by Idris Elba, to recruit the young child into his group of guerilla fighters. With an “A” level actor like Idris Elba, who’s starred in such films as Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Pacific Rim, the film has produced a great cast, a sound production, and a recipe for socio-political appeal (due to current social and economic issues in Africa). Beasts of No Nation is one the first Netflix originals that has
executed a stronghold film receiving immediate praise by critics, and has gotten the attention of the Academy, perhaps, clinching in for a nomination and a chance to become the first streamed motion picture that has never hit theaters to receive an Oscar. Some independent films have even gone so far as to be acquired and transformed into a series or mini-series, preserving its cinematic elements; without being dismissed and terminated because it cannot be made into a major motion picture. Today, Netflix encourages films to be delivered to its enterprise directly, rather than being sent to Paramount, Disney, etc. To screenplay writers, this prospect may seem more feasible due to its longevity, of how a series has the advantage of airing for multiple seasons and playing in production for years, where a film
appears in the box-office for a shorter period of time. Whether is it on the big screen or in the comfort of your home, the impact of an indie film is far more grand than the digital effects behind a blockbuster production. As long as the key elements of an indie film are there, you no longer have to have a multi-billion dollar production company to finance a film. The content and fabric of the material is what makes a film stand out from other competitive movies. Check out indiewire.com to learn more about indie movies, television, and independent filmmaking.
Pirates of the Caribbean to The Edge of Oblivion July 3, 2015 By: Reyaan Shah In Jordan Inconstant’s short film “Pirates of the Caribbean to The Edge of Oblivion”, central character Jack Sparrow has a tough time accepting that he has been fired as captain of his ship and crew. In fact, Sparrow is completely surprised when the character of Barbossa fires him and announces that he will be the one to take his position. After hearing this unfortunate news, Sparrow flees and spends his time getting drunk alone and trying to figure out how to leave the island. However, he soon encounters two pirates that look oddly identical to himself. He gets into a fight with one of them and then becomes the leader of the remaining pirates. After, he orders his pirates around and tries to strike up a deal with a lady he believes shares a common interest with him. While there are many possibilities, the most reasonable would be that he is planning his revenge against Barbossa. Aside from such an interesting and unique plot, the film is amazing for many reasons including the breathtaking scenery. Inconstant does a fantastic job of including beautiful ocean and sky views. Also, there is great use of lighting and angles to highlight important and noteworthy scenes. Additionally, the costumes are extremely appropriate for all characters and their personalities. However, the costumes are not what define the characters at all. In fact, the characters all do a spectacular job in the way they act and commit to their roles. Specifically, it amazed me how the actors were able to stay in character throughout the intense fighting scenes where their every moves and expressions were captured. Their acting enhances the overall quality of the short film and makes it much more enjoyable to watch. The brevity of this film is both beneficial and consequential. For one, the fact that the film is only around nine minutes long is beneficial to the viewer because they get to see something that is concise and to the point. Additionally, the short length of the film helps the viewer stay entertained and eager to watch. However, the downfall to the time is that there is less room for detail. Also, the viewer can potentially be left feeling upset because of their desire to see more. Nonetheless, this film could be two hours or two minutes but it will leave you anxious to see what happens next. Jordan Inconstant did an amazing job with his short film “Pirates of the Caribbean to The Edge of Oblivion”.
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99 Homes October 17, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 52 min
[8/10]
The hardest part of making political commentary in a narrative film is being subtle about it. Having one’s opinion on display in a dramatic film and making sure that it doesn’t come off as preachy or overt from any angle is incredibly important and equally difficult to pull off. For the most part however, Ramin Bahrani’s new film “99 Homes” does an effective job of keeping its message about the housing crisis and capitalism as a whole in a strictly “show not say” manner. Still an independent director, this film additionally sports quite the cast of mainstream actors compared to much of his previous work. “You are to vacate these premises today.” And that is exactly the sentiment the film begins with. Rick Carver is a real estate shark simply doing his job, going from house to house to deliver sad news to sad families: their houses belong to the bank now. The interesting part, however, is that Carver feels little for the news others might dread delivering. Shortly after evicting a young man named Dennis, as well as his mother, Carver decides to hire Dennis to clean out recently foreclosed properties with him- the point at which the seedy underbelly of the government’s involvement in the housing crisis gradually reveals itself. This exposure would mean little if not portrayed in an honest and informative manner, and director Ramin Bahrani for the most part succeeds in this regard. Bahrani does an excellent job of putting on display the government’s shady tactics (such as, using Dennis to clean out appliances, so the government pays to replace them), as opposed to merely referencing them. This film’s issue doesn’t quite lie with how subtle Bahrani is with his commentary, but rather how the film has a slight tendency to lose its message in the midst of needless thriller clichés towards the film’s end. It is understandable for a film this informative to not have very much meat on its plot bone, but it is still certainly unfortunate that the film’s message has to suffer as a result. Thankfully, the performances more than make up for this drawback. Andrew Garfield gives quite the surprising performance as Dennis Nash, proving once more, that losing his accent is nowhere near a problem for him. Michael Shannon provided quite the impressive performance as a cavalier, self-interested, and arguably sociopathic Rick Carver- the polar opposite of Garfield’s character. While these two actors are for the most part the film’s only legs to stand on, they are more than sturdy enough to last. The sick feeling left in most every viewer’s stomach will likely be the best indication of this film’s success. “99 Homes” ultimately does a great job of showing what is wrong with the government’s role of seizure in the housing crisis instead of simply telling.
Forev August 4, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 28 min
[6/10]
One thing most people can likely agree on is that the romantic comedy genre needs a bit of a refresher. Thankfully, it seems as though the independent crowd has actually taken to the genre’s reinvention, whether through the addition of a far more original style and presentation, or perhaps just with the application of that good ol’ indie quirk.
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The latter is certainly more the case with Molly Green and James Leffler’s Forev. The film, somewhere between road trip comedy and love story, presents the series of unexpected events that can occur when a simple joke between two neighbors about getting married becomes a full on reality. Despite a script that can read quite bare and stretch quite thin, our three main actors (plus some very welcome supporters) do well to make the whole experience relatively enjoyable nonetheless. “You guys are idiots.” Simplicity and focus is certainly the name of the game in Forev. It is certainly admirable that the film chooses not to deviate from its central plot in a genre that constantly suffers from uninteresting and forced subplots. This being said, there is unfortunately not very much meat on this film’s only bone. Thankfully the film’s neighbors-turnedlovebirds (played by Noël Wells and Matt Mider) outdo themselves, almost always, pushing the script to the point of “awkwardly hilarious” instead of “hilariously awkward”. Despite what this film lacks in substance, Molly Green and James Leffler’s directorial efforts certainly pay off in the way of cinematography. Forev strangely succeeds in creating a very immersive atmosphere, most notably during the many roadside and desert scenes where lighting proves to be no issue. In addition, the film’s very focused shots and seamless transitioning from fixed to moving camera placement give the whole package a very squeaky clean feel. It’d be cruel not to mention the quirky supporting characters that join our main crew of three on their journey, one very subtle way in which Forev will certainly please its audience. From the endlessly weird AAA mechanic (played by Timmy L’Heureux) to the bearded nomad (played by Chuck McCarthy), the supporting cast at work here does well to provide a multitude of memorable moments in an otherwise relatively sparse script. And that’s not all. If you remember internet sensation Kelly, Liam Kyle Sullivan makes a very subtle voice-over cameo here. It’s a shame more than anything that this film’s rare focus for a romantic comedy works to its detriment. There are several moments in which Forev proves to be something quite special. Thankfully, the film’s cast of hilarious and talented actors are able to power through the script to yield an overall pretty enjoyable time.
Grandma October 12, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 18 min
[9/10]
There is no denying that all athletes will begin losing their skills and all singers will begin losing their voices with age. It’s nothing to be too upset about as it’s purely natural and moreover their legacies are bound to live on. This said, a film will come around every now and then that proves that similar simply cannot be said for an actor or actress. Such is the case with “Grandma” pretty undeniable proof that an actress not only retains her acting prowess with age, but only continues to grow in her acting ability. With a relatively simple road-trip narrative that allows for a colorful cast of characters along the way, Lily Tomlin is able to prove her worth right alongside the younger actors that won’t be replacing her anytime soon. “You need to be able to say ‘screw you’ sometimes.” Quite the activist in her heyday, Elle Reid is now an older woman who is still recovering from the loss of her longtime partner to
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cancer less than two years ago. When her teenage granddaughter Sage stumbles to her door pregnant and needing money for an abortion however, the the film quickly turns from sad and withdrawn to a weird and unlikely charming road-trip to collect the much needed 600 dollars. It’s a film that cares quite a bit about not really caring, illustrating that the way to get things done is only by telling it like it is. Through this trip, the two encounter faces old and new that come together to create quite the variegated array of characters and personalities. This array consists of a trans-gendered tattoo artist played by Laverne Cox, a coffee shop owner played by Elizabeth Pena, and lastly Sage’s unruly boyfriend who refuses to admit that the baby is his (resulting in quite the whooping from her Grandma). The cast and each of their introductions into the film are all executed incredibly naturally, illustrating that there are several ways in which a director can still make this narrative format feel fresh. Young actress, Julia Garner certainly does a fine job in her role as the misguided Sage, but the spotlight undeniably lies on Lily Tomlin and everyone knows it. Her first lead role in 27 years, Tomlin’s return to center stage is as entertaining as it is earned. There is also quite a bit to be said about the chemistry between these two actresses, resulting in an interestingly charming and hilarious final product despite the intense amount of grit underlying in the narrative. “Grandma” is a simple movie that doesn’t quite reinvent the wheel. This said, it is an endlessly cute display of a very unlikely bond resulting from pretty dire circumstances. The precision in which characters are introduced and pulled off by their respective actors is enough to justify the wheel being left alone this time around. cancer less than two years ago. When her teenage granddaughter Sage stumbles to her door pregnant and needing money for an abortion however, the the film quickly turns from sad and withdrawn to a weird and unlikely charming road-trip to collect the much needed 600 dollars. It’s a film that cares quite a bit about not really caring, illustrating that the way to get things done is only by telling it like it is. Through this trip, the two encounter faces old and new that come together to create quite the variegated array of characters and personalities. This array consists of a trans-gendered tattoo artist played by Laverne Cox, a coffee shop owner played by Elizabeth Pena,
Hungry Hearts Cotober 11, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 49 min
[7/10]
Psychological thrillers might be the most effective genre of film when it comes to stories and questions plaguing the viewer’s head for days after viewing. One must however be a little cautious, as this effect can be easily watered down if a director isn’t careful enough and their psychological thriller slips ever so slightly into the horror genre. Such is somewhat the case with “Hungry Hearts”. It is a film that begins light and cheeky with two lovebirds, one from a foreign country, of course, accidentally meeting in an embarrassing situation and soon after falling in love, tying the knot, and having a child. Soon after however, the film slowly creeps into more sinister territory and gives into its inner darkness come its second half.
“My wife doesn’t really trust doctors.”
And this distrust is important to note as it provides this film with its main conflict. Upon our lovebirds, Mina and Jude, discovering that Mina is with child, Jude is ecstatic that she can marry him and that she no longer needs to move back to Italy for work. However, it is only
upon handling Mina’s pregnancy and ultimately raising her child that the two begin to encounter their biggest issues. There are thousands of ways, many of them published, to properly raise a child, but Mina’s sworn method of avoiding medicine and placing the child on a vegan diet in pursuit of absolute purity is certainly not one of them. The concept of such an obsession tearing two parents apart is certainly one director, Saverio Costanzo, tries to be very careful with, and this is to some avail. The manner in which Mina’s character is portrayed is far more paranoid and delusional, as opposed to overtly psychotic, which is refreshing. This said, the aforementioned tendency for films like this to slip into horror mode definitely kicks in towards the film’s end, carried out for one example by unsettling wide angle fish-eye shots over the child, representative of Mina’s point of view. Choices like these (of which there are several more) paint her character as demonic and evil, whereas every other aspect of the film does well to avoid this cliché. The excellent performances of Alba Rohrwacher and Adam Driver make it all the more heartbreaking that directorial choices like the previous example are prevalent in the film’s intense second half. For all the film’s cinematography might do however to paint Mina and Jude as “psycho” versus “innocent straight man”, the Rohrwacher and Driver are very much able to hold their own and make their performances feel as genuine as possible. Just because this film falls victim to becoming more horror than psychological thriller towards the end, credit is deserved in that it doesn’t turn into any sort of fright fest. “Hungry Hearts” remains stellar in concept and pretty great for the most part in execution.
In Lieu of Flowers Cotober 11, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 30 min
[6/10]
When it comes to comedy, simplicity can sometimes be the key to a hilarious bit or joke. Romance on the other hand isn’t always so easy to accomplish in a simple manner, as complications are bound to ensue. Who even knows what could happen when you try to accomplish both at the same time in the simplest way possible? Thanks to “In Lieu of Flowers”, that question can pretty much perfectly be answered. The film is a pretty straightforward love story between two people who have lost and how they help each other heal. There isn’t an ounce of thematic complexity in sight here. What this film may be proof of however is that there doesn’t really need to be.
“I think I’m okay.”
Eric and Rachel are two attractive adults who meet at a support group for people who have lost. While Rachel is trying to recover from the death of her husband, Eric is struggling with his own loss: a loss of love rather than of life. It’s a false equivalence that thankfully does not go unacknowledged in the film, and actually makes for quite a bit of conflict for the characters and possible discussion for the viewer. But bear in mind, this would be solely discussion and far from analysis, as there is little deviation from the film’s linear plot into anything more complex. A directorial debut for William Savage, the shot composure and scope of the film are executed surprisingly well. Savage also however was responsible for the film’s script, and the result is dialogue that stretches as thin as it possibly can to cover what seems like as many awkward silences as there are lines. If awkward was the direction this film is going in, that is by no means an inherently negative decision.
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This said, it would be hard to deny that this effect is less by choice and more by consequence of a malnourished script.
informative, but unfortunately not quite with the extremely genuine tone of the other two stories.
Despite the little that these actors are given in the way of dialogue, they are still however able to pull through with some pretty convincing performances. Most of this is a result of the feeling of loss which can very adequately be conveyed without dialogue, a circumstance used quite well by our main two actors Spencer Grammer and Josh Pence. The supporting cast can also be commended for their impressive comedic timings, especially Melissa Rauch who plays a character entirely different but equally as endearing as her character on The Big Bang Theory.
This is regardless a very small price to pay for a film that strikes a terrific balance of informative and emotional. The stress and emotional torture that these independent developers go through is quite difficult to imagine, but there is certainly something to be said for a film that is able to humanize such an unusual topic and make its audience feel the need to act, however that may be.
Simplicity does at times prove to be a cruel mistress at certain segments of “In Lieu of Flowers”. That said, this is definitely a film that wraps itself up in a pretty satisfying package come its conclusion, displaying as best as it can that the decision to stay on the stripped down side was merited.
Indie Game:The Movie Cotober 12, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 43 min
[9/10]
The best documentaries are the ones that make the viewer want to do something. The film doesn’t necessarily have to be persuasive to any real degree. It doesn’t even need to offer the viewer any efforts he or she can participate in. All the film needs to do is convince the viewer that doing nothing simply won’t do. In the case of “Indie Game: The Movie”, it isn’t particularly clear what the correct action to take is for the audience. The film puts on display the extreme stress and physical and mental exertion of independent game developers. Is the solution to buy more indie games? Is the solution to fight the larger studios? One could argue that the mark of a good documentary is its ability to spark such questions.
“This is my identity.”
“Indie Game: The Movie” follows the development cycles of two independent games and additionally offers a third indie developer’s reflection on his own development cycle. All of the stories involve intense stress and fear that the release will not be successful. Perhaps this film’s greatest narrative strength however is its ability to illustrate the very personal territory in which much of the games’ elements originate. It is particularly heartbreaking to listen to developer Edward McMullen explaining how his cute and innocent game Aether actually stems from a deep loneliness felt throughout his childhood. The most impressive thing about this documentary is the amount of risk involved. Much of the film consists of interviews with the developers and their fears that several years of work will have been for nothing if their games do not succeed. It is very important to note however that these interviews were conducted in real time, and there was certainly a possibility that the games would flop. When the games finally release towards the end of the film to critical success, it is not a byproduct of the film in any way as the film only premiered following the release of each game. Another important aspect that a documentary must keep in check is its tone. Since documentaries are grounded mostly in fact, statistics, and non-fiction narrative, it is often not very difficult for the film to lack a certain warmth. In the case of “Indie Game: The Movie”, the film only occasionally becomes cold and strictly factual, almost entirely during Jonathan Blow’s reflections on the development of his own indie game “Braid”. These segments are still certainly very entertaining and
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It Follows Cotober 19 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 47 min
[9/10]
The independent film community is here to save the horror genre and several films as of recent have been proof. It’s incredibly pleasing to see neat and original ideas being presented in wake of the “found footage” style craze that doesn’t seem to want to end any time soon. The original idea on display in “It Follows” might sound a bit out there at first, but there is a lot of neat metaphorical weight to the concept. “It” is a figure that walks slowly towards its victim. It never runs, but it never ceases walking either. If it catches its victim before he or she passes “It” onto another person, its victim is dead. While that’s all fine and simple, the way in which “It” is passed from victim to victim is the heavier and more interesting aspect of this film.
“You don’t believe me do you?”
Jay is an attractive teenage girl who unfortunately falls prey to “It”. This occurs through her having intercourse with her boyfriend in the back of his car, thus passing the curse onto her. At this point it is clear that “It” is sexually transmitted, an interesting metaphor for similarly transmitted diseases. The only difference is that Jay has one real to end her curse: to sleep with someone else and pass the curse onto them. Aside from this terrific core concept, the film shines a bright spotlight on the main cast of suburban teenagers, providing the terrifying horror film with the charm of lockers and passing periods. As terrific and terrifying the concept of this film is, perhaps the aspect of the film more eye catching is the film’s terrific shot composure and cinematography. “It” is a slow-moving stalker and this film as a result adapts to be a slow-moving piece. Jump scares and cheap frills are traded for slow-moving cameras and shots big enough to allow the audience to gradually notice “It” in the distance as opposed to the film cuing the audience through audio or any sort of editing, making for an all the more terrifying experience. And quite impressive this cast is. Maika Monroe does a terrific job as the ordinary girl running for her life as death creeps every towards her. Another interesting surprise for this film however is the unexpected complexity of two of Jay’s friends played by Olivia Luccardi and Keir Gilchrist. While Luccardi’s character is a nerdy best friend who is a joy to watch, Keir’s character in particular has had a crush on Jay since childhood- and knowing the rules of “It”, he has decent enough reason to step up to the plate and play along. The rules are a somewhat less consistent than they might ought to be however, and “It Follows” as a result will definitely leave its audiences scratching their heads for a little bit. This said, it takes no time to forget all the specifics and just marvel at how impressive the indie communities attempts to redefine the horror genre are.
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La Belle et la Bête July 29, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 36 min
[8/10]
In Jordan Inconstant’s film “La Belle et la Bête” or “Beauty and the Beast”, the life of a young prince takes an unexpected turn after an encounter with an old beggar woman. A beggar woman asks the prince for shelter but he refuses because of her unattractive appearance. This decision propels the beggar woman to cast the prince into a beast who can only return to his original form when he learns to love. The beast is given the perfect opportunity to reverse the curse when he meets a woman named Belle who stumbles upon his castle while looking for her father who has gone missing. However, things take an interesting turn when Belle finds that her father has been taken prisoner by the beast. Belle decides to stay in the place of her father in return for his freedom, but is not excited for her life as prisoner. For those who have never seen “Beauty and the Beast”, the ending is not something you want to miss! While the plot captivates the audience and leaves them on the edge of their seats, the film is notable for many additional reasons. The actors display strong performances through their use of emotion and intensity throughout the entirety of the film. The strong acting performances can be seen anywhere from the accents of the paintings to the spookiness of the beggar woman to the impatient tantrums thrown by the beast! Additionally, Inconstant embellishes the film with the use of different types of lighting, music, and angles. In fact, there was use of many different angles during the wolf scene in order to convey a dramatic and worried feeling. Also, the film includes music with different tones to underscore the importance of a scene which can be seen through the prince’s transformation. Other special effects such as pixie dust and bright lighting can be seen at the dramatic ending of the film. This film qualifies as an accurate representation of the original “Beauty and the Beast” Disney movie. While Inconstant uses talking paintings instead of talking candles, wardrobes, and clocks, the film follows uses the plot of the original story. However, Inconstant does an incredible job of giving the film a unique and personal touch unlike anything people have seen before. Between the spectacular acting and special effects this film is not something you want to miss. Overall, Inconstant’s version of “Beauty and the Beast” will leave you satisfied and entertained!
tempting to raise her impossible son, Robbie. Upon discovering a book containing the character of “The Babadook” in the basement one night, Amelia decides to read it to her son. Unfortunately however, Robbie begins to see the character all around the house and at school, the two both begin to lose their minds. Details in this film’s approach to horror make it all the more surprising that this is Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut. A great example is the terrifying demon who his rarely seen, an aspect of the film that is often sloppily executed in such films as the most recent Insidious and Sinister entries. A shortcoming however in her approach is her characters and their occasional lack of rational motivations. Without spoiling, there are many decisions made by the two primary characters that could not possibly spell out a positive outcome, and it can become frustrating to constantly see Amelia or Robbie walking into danger seemingly without a clue. As for these two, the roles of Amelia and Robbie are acted quite exceptionally by Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. While Essie Davis is consistently impressive and Noah Wiseman is certainly better than the average child actor, but their chemistry with one another is where the two actors really shine. There is something about a character slowly losing his or her mind that allows an actor to show their versatility, and these two are certainly no exception. While certainly not perfect, it’s hard to think of a film in 2014 with as many scares as this directorial debut. “The Babadook” as well as other films like “It Follows” have been on fire in the last two years, and if the horror genre needs saving, indie flicks like these are probably gonna be the ones to do it.
The Kid with a Bike October 13 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 27 min
[8/10]
One can argue that a film lives or dies by the performance of its child actor. While this is definitely not always the case, the argument becomes a lot more valid when the child is playing the film’s primary character. It’s pretty easy to assume little of a child’s ability to play a dynamic and ever-growing character, but that may just make it all the more impressive when they succeed in the venture.
The Babadook
Such is absolutely the case with “The Kid with a Bike”, the moving story of a young boy who’s father wants nothing to do with him, and the ordinary hairdresser who decides to take him in and provide him with the necessary care. It’s a film where its child actor gets to shine free of any discernible stigma holding him back.
In an age of dime-a-dozen “found footage” horror movies clogging the mainstream, it’s understandable to have given up hope for the genre. This said, the past year or two has seen the indie film community coming the a genre’s rescue yet again, this time with some really innovative ideas for horror. Jennifer Kent’s “The Babadook” is a great example of the genre dropping most of the horror-film elements one might be conditioned into thinking are vital to the genre. Despite this however, the simple Australian indie flick proves that a lack of gore and jump scares can still make for a good- if not great- horror film.
What sets this film apart however from any other film with a similar theme is that there is absolutely no sap in sight here. The film has no music apart from one short orchestral piece that plays at the beginning and end of each of the film’s three acts as a means of transition. While this allows for a much more realistic atmosphere to be created, the
October 10, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 33 min
[7/10]
“You can’t get rid of the Babadook.”
The horror in this film takes an interesting approach, preying less on the viewer’s obvious fears and more on the viewer’s nostalgia. “The Babadook” depicts a mother, Amelia, on the brink of collapse at-
“I can’t look after him.”
Cyril is a boy who it doesn’t seem like anyone really wants to deal with. Dropped in a boy’s home by his father who promises to come back for him when he’s “ready”, it’s no real surprise that he lashes out and isn’t always on his best. Pedaling around the city and always getting into some sort of trouble, an owner of a local parlor named Samantha sees his need of direction and decides to take him in. Faced with Cyril’s sheer unruliness as well as her unfortunate knowledge that his father doesn’t want anything to do with him, Samantha illustrates the level of strength and endurance needed that can stem from a simple good deed.
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film can often come off as cold and distant as a result. This is not usually an issue, although there are certainly moments of the film that pack an emotional punch but feel a little bit off for their lack of any real warmth. This same lack of warmth is found in the performance of Cecile de France as Samantha, although in this case it’s for the better. The French actress plays her character in a way that is far from motherly and unconditionally forgiving- because the young business owner that Samantha is would have no real reason to be. The same can be said of the 11 year-old Thomas Doret who gives one of the most impressive performances of any child actor in quite a while. He can be at times painful to watch for how difficult and unappreciative he is, but all the discomfort really proves is how good of a job he is doing. “The Kid with a Bike” is an interesting piece as a result of this. With an act-format more like that of a stage play, the film is less of a full-fledged production and far more a medium to display the incredible acting talents of these two actors. This said, simplicity certainly pays of in this regard.
The King of Kong October 18 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 19 min
[7/10]
Competitive gaming can easily make for the most entertaining subject for a documentary, especially when a world record is involved. This said, it is important that such a documentary is able to overcome an existing stigma against video games in order to appeal to the widest audience possible. Whether or not “The King of Kong” succeeds in that regard really depends on who you ask. For the film’s intended audience, the surprisingly dramatic story of a man who dared challenge the Donkey Kong high score of world record holder and hot sauce tycoon Billy Mitchell is definitely one that hits hard. For anyone else however, it’s a little bit more up in the air.
“I gotta try losing sometime.”
The story here isn’t at all complicated. Billy Mitchell is the best Donkey Kong player in the world- and perhaps nobody knows this as much as he does. Steven Wiebe on the other hand is a middle school science teacher with a Donkey Kong machine in his garage. The contrast between “rockstar” and “everyman” is certainly present with these two individuals despite never being overtly stated. While Wiebe desperately yearns to challenge and defeat Billy Mitchell at his turf, the narrative and structure of this film brings far more emotion to the surface. This emotion is simply that of a man who has been down on his luck for the vast majority of his adult life. The innocuous Steven Wiebe is still determined to prove his worth by training in his garage to work his way up to the top, despite the many hoops he has to jump through along the way due to his lowly “everyman” status. Billy Mitchell on the other hand is portrayed hilariously as the unsubtle villain of the film. Stoic and cavalier as ever, Mitchell is a man who refuses to lose and thinks little of any Steven Wiebe sob story thrown his way. Perhaps this film’s most amusing success is the simple fact that it is impossible to tell whether or not Billy Mitchell is playing a character of any discernible irony. And all of these positives reign very true for a member of this film’s target audience: people who occasionally play games but have little interest of knowledge of competitive gaming. For those however who subscribe to the belief that video games are entirely a waste of time,
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“The King of Kong” in all its underdog sentiment will likely not change any minds. Similar can be said of viewers who are more actively involved in modern competitive gaming- although this audience will likely instead find the arcade culture and number-score competition somewhat antiquated for its far more modern tastes. If “The King of Kong” had a slightly better idea of how to overcome existing stigmas regarding video games, it would have a very easy time resonating with any viewer. This said, the film succeeds overwhelmingly in its attempt to bring to the surface incredibly relatable sentiments of inadequacy and determination against all odds.
The Young Kieslowski August 3, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 34 min
[8/10]
Due in part to the recent explosion of John Green novels and their respective film adaptations, quirky young adult films for the mainstream have been on the rise in recent years. One could argue that perhaps a solid character study may be easier to pull of when the characters themselves are of a younger age. Regardless, it comes as no real surprise that directors of the independent persuasion might see an advantage to taking part in this trend. Kerem Sanga’s The Young Kieslowski is no real exception. The film chronicles two college students and each of their vastly different actions and coping mechanisms while in the midst of an accidental pregnancy. It is certainly not a plot that breaks any real new ground, and actually finds itself a little bit on the blander side of the young adult trend at its brief description. However, through clever choices and resoundingly comical and original characters, The Young Kieslowski quickly becomes something special- infinitely greater than its plot description may imply.
“What do you think is gonna happen to us?”
Endlessly quirky and incredibly relevant, the film’s screenplay reads somewhere between a satirical news article and an Urban Outfitters coffee table book. Sanga’s hilarious and mostly unpretentious two lead characters (played by Ryan Malgarini and Haley Lu Richardson) drive the seemingly predictable plot forward with an incredibly satisfying spontaneity. What should be an audience member’s disinterest in such a dime-a-dozen subject matter is instead an incredibly real will for both characters to find happiness in the situation, whether or not in each other. Unlike Kerem Sanga’s previous film, the $4,000 black and white thriller Trigger Finger, The Young Kieslowski is riding on a significantly higher budget with resoundingly apparent results. On display here is not only a full color film, but one that is meticulously crafted and beautifully arranged. At times Sanga’s direction gets a little bit to his head, such as the very awkward black and white monologue that breaks the tension of a dinner table conversation towards the middle of the film. On a more technical level, one of the film’s early shots is a prolonged walking shot in which the microphone sits stationary while the characters on the other hand draw forward, resulting in a small but very real removal from the film’s atmosphere. While Sanga still has a little further to go in the way of art direction and cinematography, he has struck an incredible improvement with this film. In addition to the film’s two lead teenagers in trouble, The Young Kieslowski is supported by the wonderful talents of Joshua Malina and Melora Walters, the latter having quite the track record. These two supporting actors provide particularly heartbreaking performances as parents trying to be as supportive as possible in the midst of their own
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dealings with terminal lung cancer. This subplot rarely forced, and in fact does very well to provide the film with a slightly darker tone that sets it apart from other young adult films.
Two Days, One Night
It is very easy to call The Young Kieslowski “just another young adult movie” or even “just another accidental pregnancy comedy”, and there would certainly be truth to those statements. This being said, in the grand scheme of young adult cinema, there are hardly many films anywhere near as genuine in their message and unpretentious in their dialogue.
There is something to be said about a film that can thrill its audiences without the prevalence of an action-packed narrative. “Argo” is a great example of a mainstream film that had viewers on the edge of their seats despite a gunshot at no point ever even being fired.
Tig
October 10, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 35 min
[8/10]
A combination of “funny” and “tragic” has never been very easy to strike in a film, usually leading to fans of one side disappointed. One could argue that a documentary has the greatest ability to strike this balance. After all, the best example of comedy and tragedy wrapped up as one can be found only in reality itself. And “Tig” may very well be the best example of translating that concept to film. Rarely cheesy or emotionally manipulative, the documentary chronicles the series of unfortunate events in comedienne Tig Notaro’s life, all leading up to one of the most acclaimed comedy sets of all time. It’s unimaginable tragedy that results in similarly unimaginable comedy.
“Good evening, hello. I have cancer.”
It’s important to note that the description above is only representative of this film’s first half- and what a first half it is. Notaro is first diagnosed with a bacterial illness after collapsing on set. Only a week later however, her mother is killed in a tragic accident. It only takes a few more months however before the final tragedy hits: her diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer. But “Tig” is not a movie about cruel nature of life, but rather how incredibly resilient a human being can be. And resilient Tig Notaro is. Only a few days later, the comedienne steps out on stage and begins her set with the simple quote above. Her set continues into a collection of stories- funny and sad- that pushes the limits of how much humor can be found in the situations most would rather shove under the rug. It was a set that, as the film depicts exceptionally, had the crowd in tears and several other comedians in awe of her achievement. The film certainly has downtime however, and the second half is where most of it can be found. It would be unfair to not admit that the segments of Tig’s “crush” on a co-star of hers aren’t quite as exciting and engaging as those regarding her comedy or her cancer. This said, it takes reaching the end of this film to realize that there is a time and a place for the serious stuff, and for “Tig” to put the comedienne’s emotional and romantic life on display shows that she is just as human as the rest of us, despite being a superhero in every other way. But for how much the second half’s content exposes Notaro’s sensitive side, many of these segments are still undeniably pockets of stasis that could have flowed better. Regardless, “Tig” is an absolute must for those who love to see an individual get back on their feet when it seems most impossible.
October 14, 2015 Runtime: 1 hr 35 min
[9/10]
“Two Days, One Night” however takes this idea further into that extreme. Nothing about this film is overtly thriller-like. A woman who has recently been laid off needs to convince the majority of her coworkers to vote to keep her on the job in lieu of a staff-wide bonus- and she only has two days and one night to do it.
“Put yourself in my shoes.”
And despite nothing painting this film as thriller-like on the surface, the film is still bound to receive the edge-of-seat reaction that any other action-packed thriller might. Sandra is faced with an incredible challenge in convincing her co-workers that her continuing to have a salary to support her family is anywhere near more important than all of their bills effectively paid for an entire year. It’s a treacherous task with a ticking clock, which fits the bill of a thriller quite nicely. It is important to note however that the use of the word thriller is only in regards to the edge-of-seat feeling the audience is bound to have with this film. The film moves in a very similar manner to the Dardenne brothers’ previous film “The Kid with a Bike”, albeit significantly more dynamic. This is very fortunate as merging the simplicity of that film with a more dynamic and snappy pacing is quite the winning combination. One could however almost argue that every winning aspect of this film is put to shame by the moving performance of Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard. The terrific actress is able to play her role in such a manner that the viewer will not just sympathize with her in her worst moments, but will rather feel her pain in an almost surreal way. It could be that the fear of being laid of resonates with the general public, but whatever the reason, Cotillard does a fine job of bringing such a situation to life. Despite the film moving in some odd directions towards the film’s conclusion, “Two Days, One Night” is quite the thrilling feat. With a variegated cast of co-workers and a great performance by Sandra’s supportive husband, this is a film that gives its all and rarely ever fails.
Editor: Reyaan Shah Reyaan (Rey) Shah is a high school senior in Coppell, Texas. Although primarily planning to study Mathematics in college, Rey is passionate about writing about music and film of the independent and mainstream persuasion alike, having written numerous independent film reviews for Triskele Press. In his spare time, he leads a team of young aspiring journalists in writing indie music news and album reviews for his website Popchata.com, a venture he plans to pursue further into his higher education alongside his mathematics studies.
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FanFilm Awards 2016 Nominee: Best Film and Cinematography
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FanFilm Awards 2016 Nominee: Best Actress, Animation, Cinematography and Fan Representation
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Who is Jordan Inconstant? For a fan, making fan films is one of the most immersive experiences one can do. We find ourselves in the atmosphere of original films, and it’s an incredible opportunity. Furthermore, the advantage of fan films is visibility. They get a loyal audience from the original work. Therefore, this causes many thousands of views on the net. Thus, one can enjoy this pub to show his original projects thereafter.
Pour un fan, réaliser un fanfilm est l’une des expériences les plus immersives que l’on peut faire. On se retrouve dans l’ambiance des films originaux, c’est une chance incroyable. Par ailleurs, l’avantage des fanfims est la visibilité. Ils touchent un public déjà fidélisé par l’œuvre originale. Par conséquent, cela entraine plusieurs milliers de vues sur le net. On peut ainsi profiter de cette pub pour montrer ses projets originaux par la suite. How is the creative process for you, as an Actor, Director, Writer, and Producer? In the films of the saga «Pirates of the Caribbean», we come back very often about the past of Jack Sparrow, be it about the mutiny generated by Barbossa or how Jack escaped the island. I thought that the public would like to see that, just like me. There really matter to make a prequel . In addition the short format lent itself well. I wrote the story according to the means that I had that it remains credible. Forget the waterfalls, boat ... The fact fighting to regain a blockbuster without the means of Hollywood studios is very informative and interesting. I was inspired by the film “ Cast Away,” Robert Zemeckis or Tom Hanks is seen alone on an island. The challenge for this fanfilm was to make the movie interesting even though there is only one character : Jack .What is an independent filmmaker’s life like? What inspires you to make more?
Au cours des films de la saga “Pirates des Caraïbes”, on revient très souvent sur le passé de Jack Sparrow, que ce soit à propos de la mutinerie générée par Barbossa ou la façon dont Jack s’est échappé de l’ile. Je me suis dit que le public aimerait voir cela, tout comme moi. Il y avait vraiment matière à faire un préquel. De plus le format « court métrage » s’y prêtait bien. J’ai écrit l’histoire en fonction des moyens que je disposais pour que celle-ci reste crédible. Oubliez les cascades, les combats de bateaux... Le fait de reprendre un blockbuster sans avoir les moyens des studios Hollywoodiens est très instructif et intéressant. Je me suis inspiré du film « seul au monde » de Robert Zemeckis, ou l’on voit Tom Hanks seul sur une ile. Le challenge pour ce fanfilm était de rendre le film intéressant malgré qu’il n’y a qu’un seul personnage : Jack.
What is an independent film maker’s life like? What inspires you to make more? As an independent filmmaker, I do not realize that short films. To save my life I ‘m also an editor and freelance cameraman. Therefore I work on various productions (videos, makings of, corporate videos etc ...). I invested what I earn in my projects, involving some personal sacrifices...I like the kind of film, when there is a universe, like those of Tim Burton. Through my various short films , I try to go from one gender to another , fantasy, sci-fi, adventure etc ... In fanfilms we take an existing universe by attaching it as much as possible , but when the film is original must be invented. Creating a universe is really exciting. I attach great importance to the makeup and costumes, which promote to create own incongruous characters in these genres but are their strength.
En tant que cinéaste indépendant, je ne réalise pas que des courts métrages. Pour gagner ma vie je suis aussi monteur et cadreur freelance. De ce fait je travaille sur divers productions (clips, makings of, vidéos institutionnelles etc...). J’investis ce que je gagne dans mes projets, ce qui implique quelques sacrifices personnels...J’aime les films de genre, lorsqu’il y a un univers, comme ceux de Tim Burton. A travers mes différents courts métrages, j’essaie de passer d’un genre à l’autre, fantastique, sci-fi, aventure etc... Dans les fanfilms on reprend un univers déjà existant en s’y attachant le plus possible, mais lorsque le film est original il faut l’inventer. Créer un univers est vraiment passionnant. J’attache beaucoup d’importance aux maquillages et aux costumes, qui favorisent à créer des personnages incongrus propre à ces genres mais qui font leurs force.
Were you always doing film? When did this passion begin? Currently my new short film “ YO SOY PEDRO “ circulates festival. Meanwhile, I just finished shooting a fanfilm of Star Wars, it should come out late 2015 , together with the episode in September I also prepare a short original film, a story of superheroes that we should turn this autumn. I have a passion for cinema from an early age. Telling a story through images and with a point of view is something very interesting. Later I followed studies at ESRA in Paris (School of Audiovisual Production). Thanks to this I was able to improve myself technically, essential thing to make films.
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Actuellement mon nouveau court métrage « YO SOY PEDRO » circule en festival. Parallèlement, je viens de terminer le tournage d’un fanfilm de Star Wars, il devrait sortir fin 2015, en même temps que l’épisode sept. Je prépare aussi un court métrage original, une histoire de superhéros que l’on devrait tourner cet automne. J’ai la passion du cinéma depuis mon plus jeune âge. Le fait de raconter une histoire à travers des images et avec un point de vue est quelque chose de très intéressant. Par la suite J’ai suivie des études à l’ESRA à Paris (Ecole Supérieure de Réalisation Audiovisuelle). Grace a cela j’ai pu me perfectionner au point de vue technique, chose essentielle pour réaliser des films.
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From the mutiny of Bootstrap Bill, to the joke of gathering turtles, Pirates of the Caribbean: Edge of Oblivion had details only fans recognized. How much of a Pirates of the Caribbean fan are you? I think it is important to put some nods to the saga, for true fans and to link the short film to the original film. I’m a big fan of “ Pirates of the Caribbean “ and more generally cinema. I have a little geek side, I have several movie costumes and accessories (eg Spiderman , Batman, Darth Vader etc ...). I love cosplay and to get under the skin of these characters like Jack Sparrow is very exciting. To embark on a fanfilm , I think we really love the original movie and think the expectations of fans.
Je pense qu’il est important de mettre quelques clins d’œil à la saga, pour les vrais fans et pour lier le court métrage au film original. Je suis un grand fan de « Pirates des Caraïbes » et de cinéma plus généralement. J’ai un petit côté geek, je possède plusieurs accessoires et costumes de cinéma (par exemple : Spiderman, Batman, Darth Vader etc...). J’aime le cosplay et pouvoir rentrer dans la peau de ces personnages comme Jack Sparrow est très excitant. Pour se lancer dans un fanfilm, je pense qu’il faut vraiment aimer le film d’origine et penser aux attentes des fans.
How was playing as Captain Jack Sparrow? Do you think you played the role better, in comparison to the original? The work that realized Johnny Depp to embody Jack Sparrow is inimitable and really stunning. He’s an actor I greatly admire. Let’s say the suit helps to get into the character’s skin. In addition, the various elements that comprise it (wig, mustache, makeup, etc. ) favor the resemblance. I think we should avoid over-hitting . The character Jack made a lot of facial expressions and gestures in different films, but there are also many passages where it is placed. My short film I preferred to choose this option. Being alone on an island and having lost everything, Jack must be, I think , a little less hectic .
Le travail qu’a réalisé Johnny Depp pour incarner Jack Sparrow est inimitable et vraiment bluffant. C’est un acteur que j’admire beaucoup. Disons que le costume aide à se mettre dans la peau du personnage. En plus, les différents éléments qui le composent (perruque, moustaches, maquillage, etc.) favorisent la ressemblance. Je pense qu’il faut éviter de sur-jouer. Le personnage Jack fait beaucoup de mimiques et de gestes dans les différents films mais il y a aussi plusieurs passages où il est plus posé. Dans mon court métrage j’ai préféré choisir cette option. Etant seul sur une île et ayant tout perdu, Jack doit être, je pense, un peu moins agité.
How was working with a live Parrot? One might think that the parrot is cute ... Think again ! An AC clamp parrot ... very strong! There were 3 in total, each specialized for action. This has been a very rewarding experience to witness the work of the trainer and his animals. I keep very good memories.
On pourrait croire que le perroquet est mignon... Detrompez vous! Un perroquet ca pince...très fort ! Il y en avait 3 au total, chacun spécialisé pour une action. Cela a été une expérience très enrichissante d’assister au travail du dresseur et de ses animaux. J’en garde un très bon souvenir.
Were the ship and island real? How much of the movie is CGI? The ship mutiny sequence early in the film is a true three-masted “ L’Etoile du Roy”. We shot the sequence in Saint Malo , in Brittany in France . For desert island, we left the Seychelles on the island of “ Denis Island “ to find the idyllic scenery of the original saga. Turn on an island can quickly be binding, wear the costume heat was very hard. Similarly to transport material in the tropical forest ...
Le navire pour la séquence de mutinerie au début du film est un véritable trois mats : « L’étoile du Roy ». Nous avons tourné cette séquence à Saint Malo, en Bretagne en France. Pour l’ile déserte, nous sommes partis aux Seychelles sur l’ile de « Denis Island », afin de retrouver les décors idylliques de la saga originale. Tourner sur une ile peut vite être contraignant, porter le costume par la chaleur était très dur. De même pour transporter le matériel en pleine forêt tropicale...
Do you find making Short Films fulfilling? Do you have any words of encouragement for film makers aspiring to reach your level of art? If I were to encourage young filmmakers, I will tell them to never get discouraged and continue to believe in their dreams. We must have confidence in yourself and the project to motivate his team. Making a film is a very complicated job that requires will and determination, to complete his project is already something great.
Si je devais encourager de jeunes cinéastes, je leur dirai de ne jamais se décourager et de continuer de croire à leurs rêves. Il faut avoir confiance en soi et en son projet pour motiver son équipe. Réaliser un film est un travail très compliqué qui demande de la volonté et de la détermination, pouvoir terminer son projet est déjà quelque chose de formidable.
Where can we find more of your work? You can find my other shorts and track their festival selections on my website: http://jordaninconstant.com/ or my Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/TirakLine
Vous pouvez retrouver mes autres courts métrages et suivre leurs sélections en festival sur mon site : http://jordan-inconstant.com/ ou mon Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/TirakLine
How much of your movie has special effects? There are many plans with special effects in the film. Filming scenes with the parrot and sword fighting were shot in “ Le Touquet “ in France. So that there is no connection problem, it had to make matepainttings mate to add palm trees. Similarly for sequences where there is more Jack Sparrow , we used the technique of “ overlap in the image .” This requires preparation and discipline on the set for the effect to work.
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Il y a de nombreux plans avec des effets spéciaux dans le film. Le tournage des scènes avec le perroquet et du combat à l’épée ont été tournés au « Touquet » en France. Pour qu’il n’y ai pas de problème de raccord, il a fallu faire des mate painttings pour rajouter des palmiers. De même pour les séquences où il y a plusieurs Jack Sparrow, nous avons utilisé la technique de « recoupe dans l’image ». Cela demande de la préparation et de la rigueur sur le tournage pour que l’effet fonctionne.
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How does creating Short Films satisfy you? Why not Featured/Longer Films? For the story I had to tell I think the length of the film is good. Moreover, the film is more longer and it requires a large budget ... Between filming and post-production , it took me two years of work to make this short film. With a longer movie would have been more complicated with the risk of not completing it.
Pour l’histoire que j’avais à raconter je pense que la durée du film est bien. De plus, plus le film est long et plus cela demande un budget conséquent... Entre le tournage et la post-prod, il m’a fallu deux ans de travail pour réaliser ce court métrage. Avec un film plus long cela aurait été plus compliqué au risque de ne pas le terminer.
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Winners of the
Fan Film
Awards 2015
Best Actress and Cinematography: Awaken
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Best Film, Director, & Actor: Pirates
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Best Screenplay: La Cosecha
Best Animation: Star Trek Bats
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Program and Details
Fan Film
TIME FILM/SCRIPT 11:00 AM Si Lunchai, & The Beach Boys
CONTENT Children
11:30 AM The Cold Heart 12:00 PM Aquaman In “The Cast Of The Angler” [see info]
Children Children
12:45 PM Final Fantasy: Seek Revenge
Children
1:15 PM Force-Full Imagination
Children
1:45 PM Star Wars: A Toy Story [see info]
Teens
2:15 PM Knights Of The Old Republic: Legacy Of The Force [see info]
Teens
2:45 PM Star Wars Legends: Legacy Of The Force [see info]
Teens
3:30 PM El Bosque Negro
Teens
4:15 PM The Shadow
Teens
4:45 PM Horla, Elemental, Moustache From The Moon
Teens
5:00 PM The Detectives Of Noir Town
Teens
5:30 PM Knight Rider: Game Of Pretend
Teens
6:45 PM Halloween: The Rebirth Of Michael [see info]
Adults
7:15 PM American Horror Story: Unto Us A Child Is Born
Adults
7:30 PM Crow Prophecy
Teens
7:45 PM What is Crime Without Crime Alley [Batman] 8:00 PM South Park: The Melentock Pickle 8:15 PM Star Wars: Scum and Villainy 8:30 PM Star Wars: The Redemption of Skywalker 9:00 PM AWARD CEREMONY Hosted by Bonnie Gordon & Xander Jeanneret Special performance by Library Bards!
Teens
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Teens Teens Teens ALL
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General Information and History General Information
History
The FanFilm Awards is a film and screenplay festival and award ceremony, produced by Azure Lorica Foundation. FanFilm Awards 2016 is its first anniversary from the original FanFilm Awards, premiered at NinjaCon 2015.
The concept was brought into the Board of Director’s attention, when a few articles about fanfilms were published in triskelepress.com. The niche was still young, and the filmcommunity was growing within the comic convention scene. When CEO, Stefanie Warner, proposed that a live program for a fanfilm competition should be held in NinjaCon 2015, Eugene Cordell produced results that were not anticipated. Filmmakers from around the world submitted countless entrees, and the program was too small to contain their demand. This lead to further planning for a returning program to premiere as its own festival.
The festival hosts both a local and online film festival. The online festival are published via blog at fanfilmawards.com, under the category of “online film fest”. The local festival is premiering at the LA Artcore Brewery Annex, an art studio within The Brewery Art Colony the largest lived in and working art colony in the world: 660 S. Avenue 21, Los Angeles, CA 90031 FanFilm Awards is founded by Eugene Cordell, Cofounder of Azure Lorica Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 charity organization for the arts, and Triskele Press, a publishing press program under Azure Lorica Foundation. For more info, visit: azurelorica.org
The original prize was a full year’s worth of free marketing assistance from Triskele Press. This year, the other Committees of Azure Lorica are providing the following: NinjaCon’s Committee with Street Team Promos, Drift Plume with Local Live Script Readings, Triskele Press with eMagazine Advertising. All of which link back to fanfilmawards.com .
Film & Screenplay Festival, and Award Ceremony Film & Screenplay Festival February 27, 2016 | 11am-8pm We will be opening the doors by 10:30am. The Festival is open to the public by admission. Industry and Press Members may bring a different guest with their complimentary pass included in their Membership. A welcome speech will be made by 11am, and the first screening will begin right after. Q&A will begin right after each screening and reading. Please visit us for details of each program:fanfilmawards.com/program . Photography and Videography is permitted only during Q&A session and Live Reading performances. RECORDING FILM SCREENINGS ARE PROHIBITED.
Each screenings and readings are set as separate sessions under a General Admission pass. After each session, attendees with General Admission passes will be required to exit the screening room. This will give us time to prep for the next session. Patron’s Admission allows attendees to stay for the entire event (11am11pm). Award Ceremony February 27, 2016 | 8pm-11pm Award Ceremony will be hosted by Bonnie Gordon and Xander Jeaneret. Hosts will be announcing winners of the FanFilm Awards, distributing the awards, and giving the stage to the award winners to give their speech. After the ceremony, we will host a small party, until our closing announcement.
Judges Stefanie Warner Theatre Director, Scriptwriter, Freelance Graphic Designer, Campaign Manager, and founder of Drift Plume – the official Ensemble Committee of the Azure Lorica Foundation. Stefanie grew up in the world of classic manga and comics, such as DC, Marvel, and Viz, and is a great aficionado of English literature and Modern Art. A graduate of the Art Institute, she is a brand developer for several companies in industries of film, books, and education. Danny Gonzales Festival and Convention Producer, Stand Up Comedian, and founder of NinjaCon – the official Production Committee of the Azure Lorica Foundation. Danny is strongly connected within the comic convention scene. Growing up with anime and videogames, his intrigue for the current subcultures and industry celebrities allow him to connect agencies and talents easily through any live productions he produces or hosts.
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Eugene Cordell Theatre Producer, Web Developer, Publisher, and founder of Triskele Press – the official Publishing Committee of the Azure Lorica Foundation. Eugene is an avid believer in making dreams come true. From the groundup, his hobbies are building businesses and nonprofits from simple ideas to legal monoliths. Diana Keeler Producer, Editor, and Educator, Diana is the Manager of Digital Production at Occidental College. With a passion for media arts, she has given back to the community and its future generation as a teacher and a versatile artist producer in film and festivals alike.
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Prizes Street Team The NinjaCon Committee is a strong marketing force, travelling from one comic convention to the next. Their Committee divides into teams of two, gravitating to two events at once, each month. In support of the FanFilm Awards, they will be promoting the winning films through their booths. From flyers to bookmarks, sharing films have never been so inviting. Live Readings
eMagazine Publishing The Triskele Press Committee strategically implements content for the winners of the FanFilm Awards, through online media. When looking for one’s work, it’s never easy to be established when no one talks about it. Luckily, Triskele Press has a network of blogs and bloggers ready and willing to build up the filmmakers’ piece. Once the posts have been published online, and the social networks have shared the articles, a eMagazine is published to allow schools, libraries, and professional media cite the filmmakers’ and screenwriters’ interviews, reviews, and articles in the publishing market.
The Drift Plume Committee are an intense theatre ensemble, attracting crowds to their stage. In support of the FanFilm Awards, their Committee will be taking the winning script of this year’s festival, and premiere live readings at the Pasadena Central Library. They will be inviting producers and agents, and the general public for these live readings of the full script, followed by a Q&A. It is a traditional method for professional collaborations that has never gone out of fashion.
Lock/Jaw Lock/Jaw is the Los Angeles based nerd punk foursome full of pent up nitro energy that’s earnest, loud, in your face, fun. They have released two EP’s and are currently under the indie label Entelodon records. They include: Nate Filichia guitar/lead vocals, Memo Hernandez lead guitar, Michael Huezo bass and Henry Huezo drums. You can find their music at: lockjaw69.bandcamp.com
Guest of Honor Xander Jeanneret Xander Jeanneret is an actor, voiceover artist, and reality personality living in Hollywood, CA. He was a fan favorite finalist on the hit TBS show, King of the Nerds (Season 2), and returned to host behind the scenes segemnts of Season 3. Xander also provided the voice of the “Announcer” on the hit indie fighting game, Divekick, the English voice for the main character of “Shogo” in the live action Japanese movie “The Final Judgement”, the old man “Delani” in the anime “The Mystic Laws”, and for “Zampa” in the MMORPG “DragonNest.” You can catch Xander performing at comic and pop culture conventions across the country with his band partner Bonnie Gordon (ABC’s The Quest) as the nerdy parody band The Library Bards! (Follow @LibraryBards on all social media) Bonnie Gordon Although recently seen on many different screen projects and web series, Bonnie is most recognized for her time on ABC’s inventively
fun fantasy/reality show, The Quest (now streaming on Netflix!) If her face doesn’t seem familiar to you, then perhaps her voice will… From video games to anime, some of her voiceover credits include Street Fighter V (Rainbow Mika), Ikki Tousen (Soujin); Akiba’s Trip (PS3); Guided Fate Paradox PS3 (Frunetti/Misery); Demon Gaze for PSVita (Comit, Chronos, and Pluto). Bonnie’s most recent project includes her best friend, Xander Jeanneret, from TBS’s King of the Nerds! Together they’ve created The Library Bards – a nerd parody bandthat takes top 40 hits and transforms them into nerdy, geektastic tunes. Her future plans include living off of cheese plates and world domination. Library Bards ‘Library Bards’ are an edgy nerd humor parody band. Both original songs and covers encapsulate the spirit of the modern nerd, while embracing comedy andshamelessness. For more information and watch Library Bards music videos, please visit: librarybards.com
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Loving the Community By: Danny Gonzales
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
performer and producer. One of my comedian friend, Caitlin Macatee, called me out on her comedy set performance during 2015 Anime California in Anaheim, CA. She caught me hugging girls and bro hugging guys that I know and Growing up in a Christian houseshe yells out “Dude!” What the hell Danny! You hold has always got me thinking of what and know everyone. That’s like the 9th person you why was I made for. For numerous years, I just hugged in the last few minutes.” Like I said, have been hiding behind corporate cubicles I take the time to say hi to everyone i know. It and using my voice in call centers instead of makes me happy to the smiles on their faces like the presences of a stage. I speak as if i knew a forty-niner finding a good piece of gold in the what i wanted to do as a kid. I would always mines. try to tell myself to be a photographer, a game designer, information technology or even join My schedule is usually open during the the military. None of that stick to me like bees weekdays. Weekends however is a whole differto honey. I feel more myself as a producer or ent world. Southern California is known to be the performer. I have been juggling my talents and center hub for events, conventions and festivals living a so called “normal” life for the last 6 happening at every weekend. Aside from that, i years. Let me tell you. It’s been a crazy rollerget invited to meet-up and random get togethers. coaster. I usually create a calendar that helps me plan out my weekends and i also rely on the face Most people ask me “How can you book event page. About 80% of the time i am on manage to attend to events and have a social facebook double checking on event pages since i life with all the things you do?” My time to have so many things on my plate. I volunteer at dedicate for social life is really easy to be hon- church as a head PC tech and as a youth leader est. I take advantage of all the events i attend for a ministry called God’s Army. For some to and use that time to network. Supporting an events i do rely on the support of my crew to go event that someone is running and meeting the in my place since the events i get invited is usupeople that are there is like knocking 2 birds ally on a first come first serve bases. I do try my with 1 stone. Not that I’m a very abusive to best to make it at every events that i can. When I animals but I’m sure you understand. My one do go to an event that is being run by the person of many rules that I apply to myself is “an extra i know, I make it a habit to find them, shake their mile for a smile”. I always do my best to attend hand and tell them “What a great show! Keep it many events, meet with new and old friends up!” Just a few worlds of gratitude is what fuels while still managing the events that I operate. I a producer to keep going. Sometimes construccould easily say enjoy the event and hope a lot tive criticism is need but only at the right place of people will make it. I feel that it’s important and at the right time. for a physical presence is needed in order for the community to know that you exist. Com Would it be easy for me to clone munity participation is very important as a myself? Of course not. Have you seen the movie
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“Multiplicity”? On a serious note though, the life of a producer maker and an event supporter enthusiast works as a double edge sword. Great side is meeting very talented people and networking with new people that share the same ambition and spirit. The downside of that is that it take a small toll when it comes with finance, health and alone time. A lot of hours driving to different areas can cause a lot of wear and tear on your only source of transportation. Its really hard on me since i live in Anaheim and commuting to Los Angeles is a bit far. People are tell me to move to LA already. Is in the works, it’s just a matter of time. Health wise is really important. Eating out a lot and not taking in the right amount of nurturance can make your body a bit sluggish. Bad eating habits can affect you as a performer and won’t allow you to perform at your best. I have had bad comedy sets when i don’t eat right and i have seen it in my videos. Being able to regroup alone is also important so you as a producer stay true to what you want to do and not to be mislead by others. Need to seek your inner desires and clear your mind for your end goal. Another tip that has helped me allot is seeking spiritual help from the Lord. As i mentioned earlier, I did grow up in a Christian household and I thank God for the strength and willpower to do what i can and keep my conscious clear to help others. I really rely on him since i manage what i do on the weekends and on top of my 40 hr work week. I guess one of the minor obstacles that i have not yet overcome is love. It would be nice to have someone to aid me like my board (Eugene and Stefanie). God will provide the right one in the near future. While I’m still in the present, got to work toward the future.
Azure Lorica Sucess Stories Founded January 26, 2010 North Hollywood | May 6, 2010 Theatrical World Premiere of Journey Seekers: A Steampunk Adventure, by Eugene Cordell and Stefanie Warner
North Hollywood | Aug. 14, 2012 World Premiere of Press Program, covering Feel Good Film Festival
Pasadena | Sep. 25, 2012 Theatrical Local Premiere of Captain Clay, by Lauren Bauer
Downtown Los Angeles | Jun. 4, 2013 Exposition World Premiere of Ninja-Con, by Danny Gonzales
Downtown Los Angeles | Jun. 5, 2014 Exposition Returning Premiere of Ninja-Con, by Danny Gonzales
Glendale | Oct. 19, 2014 Online World Premiere of Triskele Press, by Eugene Cordell
Pasadena | Dec. 9, 2011 Theatrical World Premiere of Fate Pendulum: Project Italy, by Eugene Cordell and Stefanie Warner
North Hollywood | Apr. 6, 2012 Theatrical World Premiere of Captain Clay, by Lauren Bauer Feb. 20, 2013 | Downtown Los Angeles First Fiscal Sponsored Production: Big Laughs In Little Tokyo, by Danny Gonzales Nov. 16, 2013 | Long Beach Exposition Local Premiere of Ninja-Con: Skullgirls FanExpo, by Danny Gonzales
September 5, 2014 | Long Beach Theatrical Local Premiere of Fate Pendulum: Project Italy, by Eugene Cordell and Stefanie Warner August 5, 2015 | Long Beach Online World Premiere of Nocturnal Notes Radioplay, by Stefanie Warner
Downtown Los Angeles | Jun. 6, 2015 Exposition Returning Premiere of Ninja-Con, by Danny Gonzales Today, February 2016
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Art by Nina Reyes
Submissions Now Open. Send Your Fanscripts and Fanfilms to fanfilmawards.com! TRISKELEPRESS.COM • FEBRUARY 2016