Local Film news
Things are a happenin' with some recent films I had some involvement in...
First off, BUNKER HILL:
ACLU OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA
TO HOST WASHINGTON, DC SCREENING OF
KEVIN WILLMOTT’S NEW FEATURE FILM
“BUNKER HILL”
6:30PM, THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AUDITORIUM
KANSAS GOVERNOR KATHLEEN SEBELIUS TO INTRODUCE THE FILM
PANEL DISCUSSION ON CIVIL LIBERTIES IN POST-9/11 AMERICA TO FOLLOW
WASHINGTON, DC -- Bunker Hill, the new, politically-charged independent feature film from director Kevin Willmott (CSA: Confederate States of America) will have an exclusive screening at the University of the District of Columbia’s Main Auditorium on Thursday, June 12, 2008, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of the National Capital Area. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will appear, and a panel discussion on Civil Liberties in Post-9/11 America will follow the screening.
The film stars Emmy and Peabody Award winner James McDaniel (NYPD Blue, Sunshine State); Saeed Jaffrey the legendary actor from India who has starred in more than 150 films including Gandhi, Passage to India, My Beautiful Launderette and The Man Who Would Be King; and Laura Kirk, star and co-writer of the acclaimed feature film Lisa Picard is Famous, which premiered at The Cannes Film Festival.
Bunker Hill is the story of a former Wall Street executive who leaves prison and heads for the small town of Bunker Hill, Kansas, where his ex-wife and their children have started a new life. Soon after he arrives, an apparent massive terrorist attack against America darkens the town. Cut off from the world, the town’s militant past is reawakened and forces coalesce to protect citizens from an unseen enemy. The town’s fear leads to the creation of a posse of gunmen, resulting in torture, illegal searches and eventually, murder.
"The America we live in today is very different from the America we lived in on September 11, 2001. The differences I speak of are the things Americans are doing to themselves, not the terrible things done by those wanting to do harm to this Country. We can rebuild the icons of democracy --- the Twin Towers are being reconstructed; the Pentagon has been restored; the grass on the side of that Hill in Pennsylvania has grown back --- yet, democracy itself is far more fragile. It is not easily rebuilt and restored. Democracy and freedom must not become casualties in the War on Terror. This great film reminds us of that," said Johnny Barnes, executive director of the ACLU of the National Capital Area.
“When writing fiction, you always hope that you’re on to something that reflects what is actually going on in the world,” says Willmott. “Bunker Hill tells a pretty wild story that is amazingly close to what has really happened to us since 9/11, right up to the current presidential election campaign.”
Also appearing in the film are: Broadway, television and film star Kevin Geer (American Gangster); Blake Robbins, from the HBO series Oz; Scott Allegrucci, (Chicago Hope, The Feud), singer / songwriter Kelley Hunt; Ranjit Arab; and Christopher Wheatley. Kelley Hunt co-wrote the film’s musical score with Nathan Towns and performs the original song “Mountain To Move.” The soundtrack also includes music by Pat Metheny.
After returning to Kansas from NYU Film School, Kevin Willmott began writing, first for the stage, and then for television and film. His film CSA: Confederate States Of America premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Presented by Spike Lee and IFC Films, the movie generated critical acclaim during its theatrical runs in the US and Europe. Willmott’s screenplays have been commissioned by Oliver Stone, 20th Century Fox and others. He co-wrote the NBC mini-series The 70’s with Mitch Brian. Ninth Street, a feature film starring Martin Sheen and Isaac Hayes, co-starred and was written, produced and co-directed by Willmott. He is currently in post production on a new feature, The Only Good Indian, written by Thomas L. Carmody and starring Wes Studi (Avatar, Last of the Mohicans).
Willmott directed Bunker Hill from a script he wrote with Greg Hurd. Matt Jacobson (CSA, Bukowski: Born To This) is the Director of Photography. Willmott also produced the film, along with Matt Cullen, Greg Hurd and Scott Richardson. Thomas L. Carmody is the Executive Producer.
For information on the screening:
http://www.aclu-nca.org/boxSub.asp?id=163
Free admission, but seating is limited. To confirm a ticket:
Johnny.Barnes@ACLU-NCA.org or Beverly@ACLU-NCA.org
202-457-0800
For information about the film:
ScottRichardson@Sunflower.com
785-865-3439
or GregHurd@Sunflower.com
785-550-3605
www.BunkerHillTheFilm.com
SUPSENSION should be in stores now and is available online.
Some recent press:
EVibe.com
KCUR interview with actor Scott Cordes
Suite101.com
FilmGecko.com
Hartford Courant
Fox 4 'Screening Room' segment
AIR will screen in Lawrence, KS on Monday, June 16
Recent press:
Rogue Cinema
the Newton Kansan
Wichita Eagle
Showing posts with label Suspension. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suspension. Show all posts
Monday, June 02, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
What's been going on?
Well, first - ACADEMY OF DOOM!... there was a good turnout at the KC premiere. Quite a few of the guys from Mizzou came over - Chip, the director couldn't make it, due to being in Southern MO with a class, but we did hear him via phone just prior to the screening.
So, how was it? Happily, I can say that I was thoroughly entertained - I did get to see a very early and rough assembly of it about a year and a half ago, and though you could tell there was a movie there, it was going to require a lot of shaping - and Robert Swope, the editor, was up to the challenge. The movie was a lot of fun to watch (definitely 2/5ths of whiskey -- 3 bong hit movie), and it'll be interesting what the luchador crowd will make of it. The film should be making the festival rounds later in the year, along with its companion film MIL MASCARAS: RESURRECTION. (Both will debut at the RioFan festival in Rio DeJaneiro that starts next week - playing with SONG OF THE DEAD!)
more SUSPENSION activity - especially if you're in the L.A. area June 1 [per co-director Ethan Shaftel]:
Well, first - ACADEMY OF DOOM!... there was a good turnout at the KC premiere. Quite a few of the guys from Mizzou came over - Chip, the director couldn't make it, due to being in Southern MO with a class, but we did hear him via phone just prior to the screening.
So, how was it? Happily, I can say that I was thoroughly entertained - I did get to see a very early and rough assembly of it about a year and a half ago, and though you could tell there was a movie there, it was going to require a lot of shaping - and Robert Swope, the editor, was up to the challenge. The movie was a lot of fun to watch (definitely 2/5ths of whiskey -- 3 bong hit movie), and it'll be interesting what the luchador crowd will make of it. The film should be making the festival rounds later in the year, along with its companion film MIL MASCARAS: RESURRECTION. (Both will debut at the RioFan festival in Rio DeJaneiro that starts next week - playing with SONG OF THE DEAD!)
more SUSPENSION activity - especially if you're in the L.A. area June 1 [per co-director Ethan Shaftel]:
At 7:30pm on Sunday, June 1st, to kick off the DVD release,
SUSPENSION will have its public LA premiere at Norris Theater on USC
campus. This is a special treat for many of us involved with the
movie that attended USC Cinema. And to top it off, we'll be having a
nice Q and A session afterwards with our local USC alumi (and our
lead actress and co-director thrown in for good measure!) available
to answer questions: star Annie Tedesco, writer/producer Aris
Blevins, producer Kevin Obsatz, Director of Photography Ben Van
Cleave, Editors Hillel Aron and Meg Decker, sound designer/mixer
Kevin Roache, and co-directors Alec Joler and myself.
Tickets are FREE to everyone, and there should be ample seating to
bring whomever you like! Also, Norris Theater has AMAZING picture
and sound and ridiculously comfortable seats. Make reservations here.
We got probably our best review yet the other day at
eFilmCritic.com. ; I'm sure you'll be seeing
quotes from this review on our future posters! And finally, If you
have a chance, check out our slick new website, designed by Team A
Design. Our DVD Presale will start in two weeks, where
you can pre-order your special SIGNED copy! More info soon...
If you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it.
Currently, I'm working on articles for the next MICRO-FILM issue, and slowly
tweaking a documentary on my desktop, while waiting around for word of the next job.
Which is... well, who knows? Last year at this time, I was on one film, and looking
at having 3 projects to keep me busy and solvent - of those, TOGI was the only one
of the three that actually shot -- NEVER SUBMIT (or as I know it, NEVER COMMIT) kept
getting pushed back, and eventually bit the dust in the summer; the other film is
still in limbo, and may possibly shoot this summer - or it may not.
As much as I love what I do, it's an extremely inconstant line of work - at least in NE KS.
You might take a peek to the right to see a new link - SCRIPT GODDESS, a blog
I recently discovered by a script supervisor who writes a lot more elequently
about the job we do.
I still plan to do that last print zine issue, about my adventures in film...
maybe sooner than I think.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Bunker Hill/ Suspension News
Just in from Ethan Shaftel co-director of SUSPENSION:
Also, news about BUNKER HILL - the film will have its premiere in Lawrence, KS on March 29, 2008 at Liberty Hall at 7:30pm. Following is the press release by Charla Jenkins:
LAWRENCE---An advance screening of the newest Kevin Willmott feature film,
“Bunker Hill,” will launch a new support organization for the University of Kansas Film
Program. The first public showing of the film will follow a gala reception for Friends of
Film (KUFF) Saturday, March 29.
The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Big Six Room of the Eldridge Hotel, 701
Massachusetts, in downtown Lawrence. The film will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in Liberty Hall,
642 Massachusetts, across the street from the hotel.
Formation of KU Friends of Film, a companion organization to Friends of the
Theatre (FROTH), has been in the organizational stages for several months.
“The film area of the department felt that having an organization to support
students in their future film endeavors made sense,” explained Tamara Falicov,
associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Theatre and Film. “We are
growing in leaps and bounds—film now has 10 faculty members and film majors
abound. We hope that forming this new organization in partnership with community
members will provide future film studies and film production opportunities for KU
students in the forms of improved facilities and future scholarships for our
undergraduate and graduate students. We feel that raising awareness of the need for a
larger facility is necessary.”
Falicov added that premiering Willmott’s latest work as a KUFF event is
especially exciting.
“Willmott's previous work has put KU Film on the map. He is a fantastic colleague
and one who is always working to support the aspirations of our film students. For this
reason it makes sense that he would offer to show his latest feature film in a special
advanced screening so the local community will have an opportunity to preview the
movie.”
Willmott, associate professor of theatre and film at KU, finished filming “Bunker
Hill” late in 2007. Production began in May 2006 with footage of the wheat harvest shot
between Russell and Hays. Principal photography was shot over a five-week period in
several Kansas locations, including Lawrence, West Mineral, Sedan, Nortonville,
Topeka, and the actual Bunker Hill.
The independent film stars the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor James
McDaniel, who portrayed Lt. Arthur Fancy on the NBC-TV series, “NYPD Blue,” as well
as Saeed Jaffrey, a legendary Indian actor, who starred in more than 150 films,
including “Gandhi,” “Passage to India,” and “The Man Who Would Be King”; Laura Kirk,
a KU alumna, who co-wrote and starred in the feature film “Lisa Picard is Famous”;
Broadway, TV and film star Kevin Geer, whose credits include “American Gangster” and
“The Contender”; Blake Robbins, from the HBO series “Oz” and FOX-TV‘s “24”; Scott
Allegrucci, who appeared on “Chicago Hope” and “The Feud”; and local
singer/songwriter Kelley Hunt.
“Bunker Hill” is the story of a former Wall Street executive who leaves prison and
heads for the small town of Bunker Hill in Kansas, where his ex-wife and their children
have started a new life. Soon after he arrives, an apparent massive terrorist attack
against America darkens the town. Cut off from the world, the town’s militant past is
reawakened and forces coalesce to protect citizens from an unseen enemy. The town’s
fear leads to the creation of a posse of gunmen, resulting in torture, illegal searches,
and eventually, murder.
Filmmaker Willmott, a native of Junction City, attended Marymount College in
Salina and New York University Film School, and then began writing, first for the stage,
and then for TV and film. Willmott’s screenplays have been commissioned by Oliver Stone, 20th Century Fox and others, and he co-wrote the NBC mini-series, “The 70’s”
with Mitch Brian. “Ninth Street,” a feature film starring Martin Sheen and Isaac Hayes,
was written, produced, and co-directed by Willmott. “CSA: Confederate States Of
America,” written and directed by Willmott, premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film
Festival. He is currently in postproduction on a new feature, “The Only Good Indian,”
written by Thomas L. Carmody and starring Wes Studi.
Willmott directed “Bunker Hill” from a script he wrote with Greg Hurd. Matt
Jacobson, KU associate professor of theatre and film, whose credits include “CSA,”
Bukowski,” and “Born To This,” is the Director of Photography. Robert Hurst, assistant
professor of theatre and film, was responsible for the postproduction sound for the film.
Reservations for the reception, which has a $15 admission charge, can be made
through the KU Film Program at Oldfather Studios, 1621 W 9th Street, W. Ninth, Lawrence, KS 66044, or by calling 785-864-1340. General admission tickets for “Bunker Hill” are
available through the Liberty Hall Box Office for $15 for the public and $10 for students.
In other exciting news, more of my reviews have been posted over on the Micro-Film blog - hit the link on the right to check them out. Currently working on more, and on a couple of articles for the next issue coming up.
Just in from Ethan Shaftel co-director of SUSPENSION:
Our movie is finally ready for the public! This May, Warner BrothersSounds like it'll be a packed disc...
Home Video will release SUSPENSION on DVD, packed with special
features including a "Making of the Visual Effects" featurette,
commentary tracks, and deleted scenes. The DVD will be widely
available for rental and retail, but we've also retained the right to
sell it directly off our website.
Also, news about BUNKER HILL - the film will have its premiere in Lawrence, KS on March 29, 2008 at Liberty Hall at 7:30pm. Following is the press release by Charla Jenkins:
LAWRENCE---An advance screening of the newest Kevin Willmott feature film,
“Bunker Hill,” will launch a new support organization for the University of Kansas Film
Program. The first public showing of the film will follow a gala reception for Friends of
Film (KUFF) Saturday, March 29.
The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Big Six Room of the Eldridge Hotel, 701
Massachusetts, in downtown Lawrence. The film will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in Liberty Hall,
642 Massachusetts, across the street from the hotel.
Formation of KU Friends of Film, a companion organization to Friends of the
Theatre (FROTH), has been in the organizational stages for several months.
“The film area of the department felt that having an organization to support
students in their future film endeavors made sense,” explained Tamara Falicov,
associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Theatre and Film. “We are
growing in leaps and bounds—film now has 10 faculty members and film majors
abound. We hope that forming this new organization in partnership with community
members will provide future film studies and film production opportunities for KU
students in the forms of improved facilities and future scholarships for our
undergraduate and graduate students. We feel that raising awareness of the need for a
larger facility is necessary.”
Falicov added that premiering Willmott’s latest work as a KUFF event is
especially exciting.
“Willmott's previous work has put KU Film on the map. He is a fantastic colleague
and one who is always working to support the aspirations of our film students. For this
reason it makes sense that he would offer to show his latest feature film in a special
advanced screening so the local community will have an opportunity to preview the
movie.”
Willmott, associate professor of theatre and film at KU, finished filming “Bunker
Hill” late in 2007. Production began in May 2006 with footage of the wheat harvest shot
between Russell and Hays. Principal photography was shot over a five-week period in
several Kansas locations, including Lawrence, West Mineral, Sedan, Nortonville,
Topeka, and the actual Bunker Hill.
The independent film stars the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor James
McDaniel, who portrayed Lt. Arthur Fancy on the NBC-TV series, “NYPD Blue,” as well
as Saeed Jaffrey, a legendary Indian actor, who starred in more than 150 films,
including “Gandhi,” “Passage to India,” and “The Man Who Would Be King”; Laura Kirk,
a KU alumna, who co-wrote and starred in the feature film “Lisa Picard is Famous”;
Broadway, TV and film star Kevin Geer, whose credits include “American Gangster” and
“The Contender”; Blake Robbins, from the HBO series “Oz” and FOX-TV‘s “24”; Scott
Allegrucci, who appeared on “Chicago Hope” and “The Feud”; and local
singer/songwriter Kelley Hunt.
“Bunker Hill” is the story of a former Wall Street executive who leaves prison and
heads for the small town of Bunker Hill in Kansas, where his ex-wife and their children
have started a new life. Soon after he arrives, an apparent massive terrorist attack
against America darkens the town. Cut off from the world, the town’s militant past is
reawakened and forces coalesce to protect citizens from an unseen enemy. The town’s
fear leads to the creation of a posse of gunmen, resulting in torture, illegal searches,
and eventually, murder.
Filmmaker Willmott, a native of Junction City, attended Marymount College in
Salina and New York University Film School, and then began writing, first for the stage,
and then for TV and film. Willmott’s screenplays have been commissioned by Oliver Stone, 20th Century Fox and others, and he co-wrote the NBC mini-series, “The 70’s”
with Mitch Brian. “Ninth Street,” a feature film starring Martin Sheen and Isaac Hayes,
was written, produced, and co-directed by Willmott. “CSA: Confederate States Of
America,” written and directed by Willmott, premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film
Festival. He is currently in postproduction on a new feature, “The Only Good Indian,”
written by Thomas L. Carmody and starring Wes Studi.
Willmott directed “Bunker Hill” from a script he wrote with Greg Hurd. Matt
Jacobson, KU associate professor of theatre and film, whose credits include “CSA,”
Bukowski,” and “Born To This,” is the Director of Photography. Robert Hurst, assistant
professor of theatre and film, was responsible for the postproduction sound for the film.
Reservations for the reception, which has a $15 admission charge, can be made
through the KU Film Program at Oldfather Studios, 1621 W 9th Street, W. Ninth, Lawrence, KS 66044, or by calling 785-864-1340. General admission tickets for “Bunker Hill” are
available through the Liberty Hall Box Office for $15 for the public and $10 for students.
In other exciting news, more of my reviews have been posted over on the Micro-Film blog - hit the link on the right to check them out. Currently working on more, and on a couple of articles for the next issue coming up.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
SUSPENSION - "Thumbs up"
I went to last night's (Monday) screening of SUSPENSION... and am very happy to report that it was VERY GOOD. Of course, having been a part of the crew, my judgment may be somewhat suspect and biased - you do love your children, even though some of them are highly flawed, or just totally fucked up. Happily, such is not the case here. It turned out to be a solid piece of work -- SUSPENSION held the audience's interest, and I hope that many others will enjoy it as much as I did... and Chris & Jeremy at ThroughAGlass Productions (who did excellent work).
Big kudos to Ethan and Alec, Aris, Scott and Annie, and everyone else involved.
Alec and Ethan will be hitting the festivals for most of the year, and they did drop the news that it should be out on DVD later in the year... more news on that as soon as I hear about it.
SUSPENSION will be appearing at the Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona with the directors in attendance and doing Q & A.
Tuesday, Feb. 26th - 7:00 pm (reception to follow)
Thursday, Feb. 28th - 1:15 pm
http://www.sedonafilmfestival.com/
The following week, SUSPENSION will also appear at the Cinequest
International Film Festival in San Jose, California.
Friday, March 7th - 9:30 pm
Saturday, March 8th - 9:30 pm
Sunday, March 9th - 10:30 am
http://www.cinequest.org/index.php
Another nice surprise was finding out that Annie Tesdesco, the lead actress, was seen by millions this past Sunday in a Super Bowl commercial for CareerBuilder.com:
I went to last night's (Monday) screening of SUSPENSION... and am very happy to report that it was VERY GOOD. Of course, having been a part of the crew, my judgment may be somewhat suspect and biased - you do love your children, even though some of them are highly flawed, or just totally fucked up. Happily, such is not the case here. It turned out to be a solid piece of work -- SUSPENSION held the audience's interest, and I hope that many others will enjoy it as much as I did... and Chris & Jeremy at ThroughAGlass Productions (who did excellent work).
Big kudos to Ethan and Alec, Aris, Scott and Annie, and everyone else involved.
Alec and Ethan will be hitting the festivals for most of the year, and they did drop the news that it should be out on DVD later in the year... more news on that as soon as I hear about it.
SUSPENSION will be appearing at the Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona with the directors in attendance and doing Q & A.
Tuesday, Feb. 26th - 7:00 pm (reception to follow)
Thursday, Feb. 28th - 1:15 pm
http://www.sedonafilmfestival.com/
The following week, SUSPENSION will also appear at the Cinequest
International Film Festival in San Jose, California.
Friday, March 7th - 9:30 pm
Saturday, March 8th - 9:30 pm
Sunday, March 9th - 10:30 am
http://www.cinequest.org/index.php
Another nice surprise was finding out that Annie Tesdesco, the lead actress, was seen by millions this past Sunday in a Super Bowl commercial for CareerBuilder.com:
Sunday, January 20, 2008
SUSPENSION screening in Lawrence, KS.
Back in the fall of 2005, I worked on a feature shooting in Lawrence and Topeka with the working title of REST E-Z -- It's since been retitled SUSPENSION and has started making the festival rounds. Now local audiences - and the cast & crew - will get a chance to see the film.
SUSPENSION for two days only!
Sunday, February 3rd, 1PM and 7PM
Monday, February 4th, 7PM
Director Q & A to follow the movie
Tickets: $5
Liberty Hall: 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS,
SUSPENSION was filmed locally in Lawrence, Topeka, and Kansas City,and directed by Lawrence-born filmmakers Ethan Shaftel and Alec Joler.
Tickets are available the day of each screening at the Liberty Hall Box office, (sorry no online ticketing for this one).
Trailer at:http://www.suspension-movie.com
Theater info at:http://www.libertyhall.net/
Hope to see you there!
Back in the fall of 2005, I worked on a feature shooting in Lawrence and Topeka with the working title of REST E-Z -- It's since been retitled SUSPENSION and has started making the festival rounds. Now local audiences - and the cast & crew - will get a chance to see the film.
SUSPENSION for two days only!
Sunday, February 3rd, 1PM and 7PM
Monday, February 4th, 7PM
Director Q & A to follow the movie
Tickets: $5
Liberty Hall: 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS,
SUSPENSION was filmed locally in Lawrence, Topeka, and Kansas City,and directed by Lawrence-born filmmakers Ethan Shaftel and Alec Joler.
Tickets are available the day of each screening at the Liberty Hall Box office, (sorry no online ticketing for this one).
Trailer at:http://www.suspension-movie.com
Theater info at:http://www.libertyhall.net/
Hope to see you there!
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