The Beaufort Film Society is honored to announce that Paul Sorvino will be presented the prestigious Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th annual Beaufort International Film Festival in February. The festival dates are February 19-24, 2019 with the Red Carpet Reception and Awards Gala taking place on Sunday, February 24th at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, Center for the Arts.
"If you look at his body of work in the film and television industries, his work on Broadway, his philanthropic efforts over the past six decades, you can see why we're so very honored to present the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award to the legendary entertainer Paul Sorvino," stated Beaufort Film Society President Ron Tucker.
The award is named for Best Selling Author and Academy Award nominated Screenwriter Pat Conroy, who was a long time resident of Beaufort, SC before his death of pancreatic cancer in March 2016. "Beaufort's long film history began with Pat when his novel The Great Santini was made into a feature film followed later by The Prince of Tides. Both films were shot right here in Beaufort," stated Rebecca Tucker, Co-Director of the Beaufort International Film Festival.
Brooklyn-born actor Paul Sorvino began his career as a 16-year-old singer at a Catskills resort dreaming of becoming an opera singer. And it was no pipe dream. He had studied singing for years and, to this day, has a beautiful tenor voice. But rent and real life led him into a variety of odd jobs and a stint in the Army.
His singing hopes somewhat stifled by asthma, he redirected his career into what promised to be a more promising field—acting. Years of acting and vocal lessons were largely supported through scholarships. After studying dramatic arts under the tutelage of renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner at the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, Mr. Sorvino made his Broadway debut at 25 acting and singing in the original 1964 production of the musical "Bajour."
Over the next three years, Mr. Sorvino worked a variety of jobs (salesman, chauffeur, etc.) while gaining prominence as an advertising writer/creative director and pursuing his acting career. He made his film debut in Carl Reiner's 1970 comedy "Going Ape" and began a career solely dedicated to acting and occasional singing.
At 40, the tenor made his lifelong dream come true with his operatic debut in "Die Fledermaus," selling out six performances at the Seattle Opera (the impresario Glynn Ross told the press Mr. Sorvino had "one of the voices of the century"). The reviews included "he has an astonishing high C." In opera, he would go on to sing the lead in "The Most Happy Fella" in 2006 at The New York City Opera at Lincoln Center and sold out 15 critically acclaimed performances.
Paul Sorvino's resume is as long and varied as any performer could hope for, including over one hundred eighty movies and television shows, two operas, three Broadway plays, musicals on Broadway and at major theaters across the country. For THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, he won six awards including the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Actor, Drama Desk, Obie, Outer Critics Circle, Clarence Derwent awards and a Tony nomination for playing the rich, morally bankrupt Phil Romano.
TV has seen him as "THE OLDEST ROOKIE", in LAW AND ORDER, THAT'S LIFE, BERT D'ANGELO SUPERSTAR with stints on STILL STANDING as well as many singing appearances (He is an internationally known operatic tenor). Public Television has aired his special "PAUL SORVINO SINGS" (he can be heard on the album of the same name). TV was also the medium for DUMMY, the Peabody award-winning drama in which he played Lowell Myers, the ground-breaking deaf trial lawyer.
His films include GOODFELLAS, NIXON (as Henry Kissinger), REDS, MONEY TALKS, SEE SPOT RUN, THE BRINKS JOB, BULWORTH, MAMBO ITALIANO, ROMEO AND JULIET, THE COOLER, DICK TRACY, THE BRONX BULL and and many, many others.
In 1987, Paul founded the AMERICAN STAGE COMPANY on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University. It remains the most successful regional theater in American theatrical history. Of twelve original productions over a period of three years, six had New York openings, including OTHER PEOPLES MONEY, which went on to become a major motion picture starring Danny Devito. The theater opened with ALL THE KING'S MEN, directed by and starring Paul. The response was so favorable that Paul quipped "I think my mother wrote the reviews."
Early on Paul suffered from severe asthma, but as an adult created and mastered breathing techniques that helped control attacks. He wrote the 1985 best-selling book "How to Become a Former Asthmatic" and founded the Sorvino Asthma Foundation to educate the public about asthma and techniques for managing the illness. He has been honored twice by the Pope for his work with asthmatics as well as by the American Medical Association.
Paul Sorvino is a true Renaissance man. In addition to being a fabulous entertainer in almost all genres, he is also an accomplished Chef. Along with his wife Dee Dee, he is the author of Pinot, Pasta, and Parties, a new cookbook that he describes as the "the best Italian cookbook that I have seen. There is no Italian that doesn't love food. There is food that doesn't love Italians, but there is no Italian that doesn't love food," Sorvino says.
An internationally known sculptor, he has created more than thirty figurative works in bronze including installations at The Versace House in Miami, Fla., The Courthouse Square in Scranton, Pa. (a portrait of his dear friend Jason Miller), and the Boca Raton Community Hospital in Boca Raton, Fla.
Paul has been Knighted by the Order of the Carinzia started by St. George in the third century for the protection of the Pope. His title is Knight of The Great Cross and he is also a Knight of the Italian Republic. The Sorvino coat of arms dates from the twelfth century. But as all European Knights eventually learn, no free subway rides come with this title.
An actor, director, best-selling author, screenwriter, professional bronze sculptor, pianist, business man, operatic tenor and passionate cook, Sorvino still returns occasionally to his original dream and headlines his own concerts.
He is the father of Michael, Amanda and Academy Award winning actress Mira Sorvino. Paul was recently chosen to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Paul is currently filming the American Crime Drama Television Series, The Godfather of Harlem, set to debut in 2019.
The "Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement" Award is sponsored by Leslie and Landon Thorne.
For more information about the 13th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival, visit beaufortfilmfestival.com. The festival is produced by the Beaufort Film Society.
The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry.
The Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival (LACFF) is proud to host its second annual festival, screening 21 nominated films from Chinese independent filmmakers and artists, at the Downtown Independent Theater, from November 1st to 4th, 2018.
LACFF is the only film festival in Los Angeles to focus on independent Chinese culture and heritage films. LACFF also aims to foster cultural exchange between the Hollywood and Chinese film industries.
This year, the festival received a total of 255 film submissions from 11 different countries and regions. After two months of expert and jury deliberations, 21 films were nominated; including three features, three documentaries, six narrative shorts, four documentary shorts, and five experimental/animated shorts.
Of the festival line-up, nine films will be making their North American and/or Los Angeles Premiere at LACFF this year. The feature film, E.T. Made in China (Dir. Xiaosha Zhang), as well as stop-animation short, The Quintet of the Sunset (Dir. Jie Weng), will be making their World Premiere at LACFF as well.
This year's films cover a variety of international topics, focusing primarily on the directors' thoughts on the ever changing Chinese and global landscapes. For example, E.T. Made in China looks at the modern Chinese rural reality in the presence of actual extraterrestrials;Speculator (Dir. Yuntao Du) features the ride-sharing app, Uber and the foreign capital flowing into the Chinese market; People's Republic of Desire (Dir. Hao Wu) explores the financial and personal conflicts behind live internet streaming platforms; and Hanzi (Dir. Mu-Ming Tsai) explores Asian culture and identity through a typographic lens.
Jury members this year include Ruijun Li, the director and screenwriter of Walking Past the Future,which has been featured in the official selections of the 70th Cannes Film Festival, the 65th Berlin International Film Festival, and 69th Venice Film Festival; film scholar Gabrielle Kelly, who has taught at UCLA, USC, & NYU and is currently on the faculty at AFI; Rebecca Baron, a Los Angeles-based media artist whose works have screened widely at the New York, Toronto, and London Film Festivals; award winning producer Richard Liang, whose documentary won the Best Chinese Documentary Award at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival in 2016; David E. James, film studies professor at USC's School of Cinematic Arts; Jeff Swimmer, professor of Documentary at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts; award winning cinematographer, Helder K. Sun; and Emmy Award winning visual artist, Lin Zheng.
This year, LACFF is also hosting industry tastemakers to speak at two panels discussing the collaboration and future of US and Chinese entertainment, in both the business and creative fields. The panelists include Rong Chen, Senior Vice President of Perfect World and CEO of Perfect World Pictures, Mike Gabrawy, Chief Creative Officer of Arclight Films; Randy Greenberg, Executive Producer of The Meg (2018); Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President of East West Bank; Jimmy O. Yang, actor on Silicon Valley (2014-2018) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018); Jessica Gao, Emmy Award winning writer for Rick and Morty (2013) and Silicon Valley (2014); Helen Shang, writer on Hannibal (2015) and Invoking 5 (2018); Rachel Song, Founder, CEO, and bilingual producer of XS Media (A Kid Like Jake, 2018); and Rui Yao, screenwriter of Lin Shi Yan Yuan (2017) and Angry Kid (2013).
The LACFF is organized by Chinese in Entertainment (CIE), a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that supports Chinese talent and culture in entertainment and the arts.
For additional information on the 2018 LACFF, including screening times, locations, featured guests and ticketing details, please contact pr@lacff.org.
The vision for "Ask Me How I Feel" was born in Philadelphia, PA in February 2016 when filmmakers Marie Hinson and Thomas Daniel Dwyer met Frank Bey and decided to follow him to the Blues Music Awards in Memphis where he was nominated for two awards that year. Over the next two years the filmmakers followed Bey around the world, capturing moments from Bey's shows and life off the stage. During this time, Bey went to Nashville for the first time in his career to make an album about his life, "Back in Business", with Grammy award-winning producer Tom Hambridge. "Ask Me How I Feel" culminates with this creative and emotional high-point of the 72-year-old singer's life. The official documentary trailer can be viewed here.
The development of the film has brought together a uniquely-special crew, diverse in backgrounds but strongly united in their mission to share the urgently needed voices of the film. The director, Marie Hinson, is an emerging artist and cinematographer whose films have screened at galleries and festivals all over the world. Her roots as a queer transgender woman from rural Appalachia bring to all of her work topics of identity, place and creative voice. Producer, Thomas Daniel Dwyer, is a musician and former public school teacher who entered the film business through acting. Executive Producer, Jamila Paksima, is an Iranian-American documentarian and TV producer. Her recent work includes the award-winning documentary "Until 20" and the eight-part series for PBS "The Contenders."
The making of this independently-produced documentary has been a local, community-engaged effort. Now that the filming is complete, the filmmakers are reaching out to the audience beyond their home and Bey's stage. They are inviting audiences from around the world to join them in a grassroots effort to finish the film through a crowdfunding campaign. Their campaign is running on Kickstarter until Oct 25 and was just picked as a "Project We Love" by the popular crowdfunding platform. For further details, visit the Kickstarter campaign.
In the film, we follow Kyle Harden who tortures himself day after-day by returning to his once happy home where he, his wife, and son all lived. He wants to end the suffering by facing his inner demons in an effort to 'pull the trigger' as he slips further and further into a psychological wormhole of love, loss, and self-exploration.
The film stars Kevin Renwick, known for 'Nocturnal Animals' (2016), 'Win Win' (2011), and 'Left of the Murder' (2015). Also starring Jackie Moore, recently appeared on `The Mindy Project', `West World', Dr. Dre's upcoming series `Vital Signs', and `The Odd Couple'.
Written and co-directed by Kevin Renwick, who is a prolific writer of sorts varying from screenplays to short stories and songs. He has directed several short films as, `Left of the Murder' (2015), `Monkey with a Mustache' (2013), and `The Best Coffee Maker' (2012). Co-director Chris Mammarelli is known for his work on Left of the Murder (2015) and Southern Comfort (2014).
"We are very excited to release the first-time feature of Kevin and Chris, 'Grief,'" says Summer Hill Films President, Ted Chalmers, "Kevin gives an unnervingly entertaining and edgy performance."
"Happy to find Summer Hill after the film's debut at Dances With Films," says Kevin Renwick, "Now let us get this thing out for the masses and hopefully, they'll watch and enjoy it!"
'Grief,' is now available in North America on DVD from Fox Hollow Features with VOD from Amazon, Google Play, and Xbox coming soon. It will also be available on Amazon UK and internationally licensed through Summer Hill Entertainment which attends all the major film sales markets including EFM, Marché du Film, AFM and Hong Kong Filmart!
As the film deals with grief and suffering and suicidal thoughts, Summer Hill Films has pledged a portion of the proceed will go to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). For more information, please visit: www.summerhillfilms.com/charity.
Many people know of firms like Ernst & Young, Deloitte, Mckinsey & Company and Booz Allen Hamilton for the professional services they provide major companies around the world. These award winning brands are some of the best when it comes to Operational Consulting, Financial Advising and Business Management. v2 Management LLC (V2M) is looking to emulate these brands and bring similar services to creative individuals and businesses within the entertainment industry. Some A-List creatives are equivalent to a medium size business, especially when considering revenues exceed 7 figures for one project. Currently, some top creative talent have a combination of Agent, Manager, Publicist, Business Manager, CPA and Lawyer to hopefully grow their career and keep it afloat. This model might not be the best for the client, especially when each service provider has their own agenda in mind, which may not put the client's needs first.
The ultimate goal for V2M is to be a one-stop-shop for creatives, who opt not to bring the above mentioned services "in-house" and would like to hire one company that maintains their singular vision.
Client First, Employee Second and Company Third (1st, 2nd, 3rd) is a term which eventually became the motto in the offices of V2M. "We are a service company first and foremost and if we keep that in mind, we'll prosper and maintain growth for years to come" said Brandon Ross, the company's Founding Partner. The company does not want employees to be treated second rate compared to clients, but an employee's desire to buy a new Tesla should not be put over the well being of the client. Mr. Ross, a former Talent Manager, who took a 10 year break from the industry in order to pursue other passions; noticed that employees and companies would always put commissions ahead of client's well-being and doesn't want V2M to have any part in that.
V2M is backed by Private Equity and US Bank. Upon opening, the company plans on only offering Talent Management and Business Management services, but plans to expand into other key services starting Q2 2019. Click here for the official site - https://www.v2management.com/
Earlier this year director Eliza Brownlie joined Free the Bid, an initiative founded in 2016 that aims to create an equal playing field for women directors to bid on jobs in the global commercial advertising industry.
"This organization is dedicated to promoting extraordinary female directors in the industry worldwide," says Brownlie. "Getting accepted into this network was a huge honor, and I'm so grateful that something like this exists. It's important for so many reasons...it provides accomplished women directors with the visibility and access to jobs that we deserve. Additionally, Free the Bid fosters a diversity of points of view, without which, the narratives that are told become very homogenous."
Some of the other female commercial directors who've been invited to join Free The Bid include Patty Jenkins ("Wonder Woman," "Monster"), Sofia Coppola ("Marie Antoinette," "Lost In Translation"), Kathryn Bigelow ("Point Break," "Zero Dark Thirty") and many more.
By making a pledge to Free The Bid, brands and advertisers promise to include the reel of at least one female director everytime they triple-bid on a commercial production, meaning that of the three directors they pitch to a client one of those will be from a woman. More than 50 global advertising agencies including DDB, BBDO and JWT, and brands such as Coca-Cola, eBay and Levi's have pledged their participation in the network.
Over the last few years Eliza Brownlie has directed commercials and fashion films for brands including Dove, Canon, Cast + Combed, Top Expert and more.
Brownlie says, "My personal directing style is characterized by dreamy, stylized, and atmospheric imagery that feels both intimate and ominous. I'm interested in exploring social constructs and the alienation that humans experience as a consequence of such, often with a focus on women."
One of her recent projects as a director is an upcoming commercial for Angie Bauer, a luxury lingerie collection constructed in Los Angeles using hi-tech fabrics and delicate embroideries created in Italy. Slated to be released on the Angie Bauer site, the world's leading contemporary fashion platform Not Just a Label and various fashion magazines and blogs, the commercial depicts an American woman with an affinity for Parisian culture who embarks on a nocturnal adventure over the course of a night in LA wearing several pieces from the Angie Bauer collection.
"Visually, the aim for the commercial was to reflect the design of the pieces– contemporary, feminine, and delicate yet strong," says Brownlie.
"Angie and I were fans of each other's work and had been talking about collaborating for a while… I loved her design sensibility and I knew her pieces would look amazing on film. I came up with a concept which I put into a pitch deck outlining the story, the directorial approach, as well as visual mood boards. I presented it to the client who loved the idea and brought me on board to direct it."
Emphasising a modern woman who enjoys intimates that are simultaneously luxurious and comfortable, the commercial stars Tarryn Lagana, who also starred in Brownlie's narrative horror film "The After Party," an Official Selection of the Williamsburg Independent Film Festival and the Sacramento Horror Film Festival in 2016 and 2017.
Since beginning her career with the music video for The Darcys' song "Itchy Blood," which developed from an idea she and cinematographer Peter Hadfield pitched to the band and their label Arts and Crafts Records, Brownlie has shown immense creativity and brilliant sensitivity in all of her follow up work. Her use of surrealist imagery and subtle sensuality make her commercials and fashion films feel as though we are being transported into a beautiful dream.
Designer Angie Bauer says, "I knew Eliza would make the video spectacular, and I completely trusted her direction from the start. She has such a distinct personal style and an exceptional work ethic. Her ability to create a captivating mood through imagery and performance is unparalleled. The commercial turned out beautifully, and I can't wait to share it with the world!"
Many of the projects Brownlie has directed to date, such as the series for Dove's Self-Esteem Projectand the pitch deck for Canon Female Hero, have been the result of a colleague showing her reel to a client.
"The production company and client contacted me after watching my reel," explains Brownlie landing the Dove project. "A producer colleague had suggested me for the job. I pitched on it against several other directors and was awarded the commercial. I felt very passionate about the concept and the positive message of it, and I knew it was something that I could do well."
Her empowering portrayal of women artists in the Dove project led Brownlie to be tapped to direct the Canon Female Hero project, a docu-style commercial campaign that tells the stories of three successful women photographers that debuted alongside the release of Canon's new digital camera line.
The level of emotion and humanness she draws out of her subjects makes her a rarely gifted artist in the industry, but if a client doesn't have the opportunity to see her reel, then they can't choose her to direct their project.
"I wish networks like Free The Bid existed when I was growing up. There were only a handful of women directors that were discussed in popular culture conversations at the time, and girls just weren't as encouraged to pursue film or given as many opportunities as their male counterparts," says Brownlie. "Inequality in the industry is still rife, but networks like Free the Bid are working diligently to change this by backing exceptional and unique directors who happen to be women."
As a director, Brownlie is currently in various phases of production on several upcoming projects including a commercial for Vissla and D'Blanc, one of the world's top surf and eyewear brands, a fashion campaign for the luxury department store Departamento, a docu-style commercial for The Spirit Guild, as well as a comedy project that is being produced by Avail Comedy and stars Chris Fairbanks from HBO's "Crashing" and Comedy Central's upcoming series "Corporate."
The comedy film "Home Entertainment" from award-winning writer Sonia Gumuchian and Katherine Eaton has been chosen as an Official Selection of the Austin Film Festival, where it is slated to have its world premiere. "Home Entertainment" will screen at the Rollins Theatre on October 28 at 8:45 p.m. and again on October 30 at the Galaxy Highland at 5 p.m. on screen 7 during the Austin Film Festival.
A film about a wealthy homeowner who rents out his posh Malibu mansion to an array of guests, "Home Entertainment" is the kind of laugh out loud comedy that will make you think twice about using a vacation rental site to book the baller pad that seems too good to be true.
Written, produced and directed by Gumuchian and Eaton, "Home Entertainment" stars four-time Young Artist Award winner Brock Ciarlelli from ABC's "The Middle," Meredith Thomas from the comedy series "Swedish Dicks," Jon Root from FOX's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," and Heather McPhaul from the seven-time Golden Globe nominated HBO series "Veep."
"Home Entertainment" is one of approximately 150 films that will screen during the Austin Film Festival this year, which runs from October 25th to November 1st in Austin, TX and marks the festival's 25th anniversary. Last year Gumuchian's script "Hi Again" became a Second Rounder by the Austin Film Festival's Script Competition, and as "Home Entertainment," which marks her debut as writer and director, prepares to have its world premiere at the festival, it appears things have come full circle for the talented filmmaker.
In a similar vein to the film "The Truman Show," "Home Entertainment" is an anthology that follows three separate waves of renters, none of which have any idea that they're being watched via live stream through the mansion's security camera footage by the eccentric homeowner and his group of rich dinner party guests.
"Each weekend comprises of its own story with different guests each time around," explains Eaton. "Our first weekend story is about a couple on a romantic weekend getaway that turns into a disaster. The second story revolves around a sexual nonconformist's unorthodox memorial party and Part 3 is about a super L.A. spirit guide meetup."
The dialogue in Gumuchian and Eaton's script and the actors spot-on timing combined with the bright lighting and scene pacing make "Home Entertainment" an impeccable comedy in the way of the story and visuals presented.
"We thought it would be interesting to talk about the state of privacy we live in today, and the extent to which technology has encouraged new types of behavior, including strange hobbies adopted by several of our characters," explained Gumuchian and Eaton in a director's statement "After making this film, we'll be paranoid enough to check every nook and cranny of our future vacation rentals and we encourage you to do the same."
A graduate of the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts, Gumuchian has worked with several major networks and studios, including ABC Studios, the Hallmark Channel, HBO and FOX where she learned the ins and outs of creative development. In addition to growing praise for "Home Entertainment,"Gumuchian has gained international attention for her scripts "Loyal Royals," "Hi Again," "Good Cop, Old Cop" and several others. Katherine Eaton, a USC alumna as well, is known for her on-screen work, which includes playing the lead role in the film "Why the Anderson Children Didn't Come to Dinner" from multi-award winning Canadian filmmaker Jamie Travis, the director behind the comedy film "For a Good Time Call" featuring Primetime Emmy nominee Seth Rogan ("This is The End"). Eaton is also known for her work as a floral designer for celebrities such as Heidi Montag, companies such as YouTube, Flora Health, The Fullest and Facebook, and events that include the Grammys.
"Home Entertainment" cinematographer and producer Jarod Wang says, "Working with Sonia and Katherine is simply seamless… Without them, there would be no project. Their script was very funny and well put together, it made it very easy for me to imagine the shots. You can tell they really appreciate the story and the art form and I think that makes them very strong filmmakers."
Aside from being a producer and the cinematographer on "Home Entertainment," Jarod Wang is also known for his work as a fashion photographer. He recently worked on projects such as "Changers' for the popular clothing label Opening Ceremony, as well as Kenzo's "The Everything."
The score for "Home Entertainment" was composed by Benjamin Sturley, who's performed on "Saturday Night Live," "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Good Morning America" and is the guitarist for Selena Gomez and Noah Cyrus. The sound design was led by Sam Vargas ("Heart of Paradise," "Shark Lake") and the film's colorist was Sean Stack ("American Beauty Star," "JFK: A President Betrayed"), who was nominated for the Best Editing Award at the Hoboken International Film Festival for the film "Blood Punch."
A co-production between the U.S. and Canada, "Home Entertainment" was shot on location in Malibu, CA and took one year to complete.
Prior to "Home Entertainment," Gumuchian's original script and pilot "Loyal Royals" earned First Place at the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition, Fifth Place at the London Film Awards, the Best Unproduced Script Award from London Filmmaker Festival and was chosen as an Official Selection of the Atlanta Comedy Film Festival, an Official Finalist of the World Series of Screenwriting and a Semi-Finalist of the Screenplay Festival, among multiple other accolades.
Though Gumuchian has penned an impressive list of award-winning scripts over the years, she says, "Home Entertainment, has by far, been my favorite project."
Visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. All across the globe little ballerinas and pint-sized soldiers, 6 – 12 years old, audition for the opportunity to perform in their town's local production of The Nutcracker. During the months of August and September, Nutcracker auditions are held in every major country. With its lavish costumes, exquisite dancers, and brilliant musical compositions, young ballet students dream of dancing alongside the professional cast.
Many productions cast over 100 children for parts in the Party Scene, Battle Scene, and as Polichinelles with Mother Ginger. Depending on how many qualified boys audition, girls sometimes are cast in the roles of the boy dancers in Party.
This year, with the addition of Disney's upcoming movie, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, audiences will be able to enjoy, The Nutcracker, throughout the holiday season through books, movies and, of course, live performances. We at Fossil Mountain Publishing encourage families to indulge!
To get your tween, 9 – 14, ready for Nutcracker Season, Fossil Mountain Publishing is excited to present, Prince Dustin and Clara: Deep in the Black Forest, a retelling of The Nutcracker. The author, Daniel Lee Nicholson, performed in The Nutcracker for 10 years. Nicholson was sure to include the essence of the ballet, including many of the dance scenes, in the book. As Clara and Prince Dustin, the Nutcracker Prince, race to escape the wrath of Egon, they encounter one adventure after another deep in the Black Forest, the setting of the Snow Scene. Nicholson incorporated much of the allure of the Black Forest in the story.
Nicholson's tale is both fantasy and adventure to appeal to both boys and girls; dancers and non-dancers alike. Prince Dustin and Clara: Deep in the Black Forest is available now at your favorite online and retail bookseller.
Daniel Lee Nicholson was born and raised in the Midwest. He has been a performer and ambassador of the performing and fine arts ever since his first performance as a soldier in The Nutcracker in Chicago. He resides with his wife in the Los Angeles area and works in Productions in the Media and Entertainment industry. Deep in the Black Forest is the first installment in the series Prince Dustin and Clara.
About Fossil Mountain Publishing:
The mission of Fossil Mountain Publishing LLC is to captivate and entertain; engage and inspire young readers and readers of all ages by publishing family-oriented books that promote reading and literature; technology and the arts.
Cinedapt, LLC (Cinedapt.com) announced today that it is currently accepting filmmakers and investors to collaborate as part of its initial horror lineup for the 2020 launch of its patent pending, cinedaptive streaming platform.
Cinedapt is an adaptive film streaming service which provides a customized version of a movie tailored specifically for each person or group of people watching. Dynamic content and effective scene variants are brought together through machine learning to present viewers with their most impactful and unforgettable experience in cinematic history.
In a torrent of countless video streaming services, Cinedapt is anchored as the next major evolution of film in more than a century. This advancement is comparative of the technological enhancement from the silent film era to modern mobile entertainment. While other services are focusing on producing and distributing content, Cinedapt is leading the cinematic evolution with original, personalized films.
Additionally, Cinedapt leverages blockchain technology to end piracy in a similar way forensics of DNA has been used to solve crime. This is accomplished by incorporating blockchain's immutable public ledger for each film containing the user identification and unique rendered film information. However, filmmakers interested in complying with award and festival guidelines may still release a piratable version of their cinedaptive film through conventional distribution such as theatrical, physical, and digital. Cinedaptive short or feature length movies are intended for playback via streaming mobile, desktop, TV, VR, and more.
The initial launch of Cinedapt will focus on the horror genre and allow filmmakers to provide a personalized, relatable, yet unpredictable movie experience by knowing a viewer's fears while using machine learning to adapt the movie seen. With more than ten thousand short and feature length films produced every year, those made with Cinedapt in mind are destined to be more memorable with a greater reaction from its audience… and a greater return on investment.
Cinedapt questions original content providers in Hollywood with "when was the last time you saw a horror movie that gave you nightmares, a comedy that made you laugh, or a drama that made you cry?"
Cinedapt is the solution by providing relatable options for filmmakers which go beyond basic targeted advertising. Examples of this include but are not limited to: displaying alternate scenes based on a user's phobia; randomizing timing in scare sequences for unpredictability; and rendering scenes with recognizable names, locations, and more along with familiar images, audio, and video.
If a viewer has a high tolerance to horror, Cinedapt rewards by adapting further with more frightening mutations of the movie such as: synchronizing a scene beats per minute with a user's resting heart rate before ramping above intense during the scare sequence; synthesizing vocals from frequency extraction of deceased loved ones, so the user hears relatable phrases spoken in a familiar voice (future feature); and introducing disturbing imagery and content based on analysis of the user's online psychological profile. For more examples and descriptions, visit cinedapt.com.
For filmmakers and investors unsure of Cinedapt's potential, Michael Kureth, its Founder and CEO, is reminded of a similar effort he had in 2007 with what he copyrighted as "The World's First Online Movie Theatre" (US Copyright TXu001617004 issued December 20, 2007; US Copyright PA0001735643 issued June 17, 2008; US Design and Utility Patent 12/072,276 filed February 21, 2008). This was a digital streaming service he created to empower independent filmmakers and major studios to be compensated for their films in an online theatre. The response at the time from filmmakers and investors was a concern of piracy in having a film streamed online and an assumption that people would never pay to watch a movie on their computer or phone.
The services and processes of Cinedapt are patent pending technologies. Cinedapt, Cinedaptive, and its logo are filed trademarks. Cinedapt, LLC is an active and registered California company.
Cinedapt is the future of cinematic entertainment. Interested filmmakers and investors may get involved by visiting cinedapt.com or contacting info@cinedapt.com
George Washington's Army and Me, Elijah's Long Journey Home feature film has included the role of Oneida Indian Polly Cooper, a female Revolutionary War Patriot, to highlight her selfless service to soldier's at Valley Forge in 1777/1778.
Writer Michael Dooling shared: "A story about family, freedom, and home—about America's struggle for Independence—would be remiss without honoring Polly Cooper and the Oneida Nation. Cherished by her people for her service to the Continental Army in the face of adversity, Polly aided the American cause at Valley Forge by cooking, nursing, teaching nutrition, and providing corn to the starving—making the difference between life and death for many."
The film's genre is best described as "Tom Sawyer Meets The Patriot movie".George Washington's Army and Me, Elijah's Long Journey Home follows 10-year-old Elijah and his adventures as he follows his father, a farmer who joins the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment after the British invade their family farm.
1000's of mothers and children followed their soldier husbands and fathers during the Revolutionary War, marching up to 9-miles a day under terrible conditions. They provided much needed support to the Army performing various duties, most had no place else to go. Based on letters and diaries from the period, the film is an adventurous, at-times humorous, heartfelt story with a universally relatable message of family, freedom, and home.
Actress Phoenix Bess said: "I love the character of Polly Cooper! And, I love even more that she is a real person in history. Polly's steadfast courage and compassion are inspiring — leaving her village, traveling to Valley Forge, and navigating the perils of war are actions of a hero and a true leader. Her selfless devotion to assisting the American soldiers during the war and her impact on history are incredible. I am grateful and extremely excited to have this opportunity to bring her to life in this film. I hope that through my portrayal of Polly, her story will become more widely known and appreciated, and as a Native American, I feel deeply the importance and gravity of bringing this Oneida heroine's life to light. I am honored to have this role."
"Most Americans know that George Washington is considered the "Father of the Country" but very few know Polly Cooper, from the Oneida tribe and how she played a crucial role in our American Revolution. Through service and sacrifice to the American cause she can rightly be called, the Mother of the Country. I know the entire production team including myself is proud to highlight Polly's war-time service within the film and bring light to her accomplishments. Because of the Oneida's assistance and especially Polly's dedication the tribe have deservedly earned the moniker, "America's First Ally." Said Robert Child, Award Winning Director and Screenwriter.
An Independent Film Production with Fiscal Sponsorship, 1663 Media Arts, LLC has laid the groundwork and is well positioned to attract funding to meet their $700K budget. Filming is forecast to begin late spring of 2019 in Virginia with a goal to release the film October 19, 2019. Individual, Organization and Corporate supports are all welcome; film perks are offered and donations qualify for a US tax credit.
Producer, Andrea M. Clarke shared, "I am humbled and determined to do all we can to honor Polly Cooper within our film by shedding a much-earned light on her strength, compassion and unwavering service to the Continental Army Soldiers during the Revolutionary War."
The vision for the film is to reignite the interest of people young and old to learn more about the real life characters, unsung hero's, surrounding the founding of the United States of America. The story is steeped in family, freedom and home and how resilience and determination through the eyes and actions of a 10-year old boy, the human spirit can and will prevail. It's a story the whole family will enjoy!
