Quick Bits

Just wanted to take a moment to give everyone a few updates (only one of which is strictly Tohubohu-related, but I figure that at this stage I can be forgiven a little digression).

First of all, the “director’s cut” of “Please Forward” is now up and available for viewing at our official site. Not a whole lot different from the original 48 Hour Film Project version, but just a couple of minor alterations that we hope will give it a little life beyond the 48 Hour audience. Give it a look and let us know what you think! We hope to start sending this out to festivals shortly.

Second, a sort of follow-up shout-out to Barry Gribble and the Integral Arts team for their independent TV pilot, “Dog.” Last time I mentioned that it had been accepted into the Independent Television Festival in LA (and, of course, dropped the little fact that I did a little production design work on it). Well, as it so happens, the pilot took home the Best Overall TV award! The pilot should be viewable at the festival site soon, so be sure to check back — it’s definitely worth seeing (as if the fact that they won the top award didn’t give you a little clue). Congratulations!

Edited to add: Actually, the pilot won’t be viewable at the ITV Fest site right away — because it’ll be screening at the New York Television Festival in September! And as a special bonus, you can check out the trailer for “Dog” right here! (It’s kind of NSFW, though the language is muted. Use your own judgment.) And if you look carefully, you’ll see one of my poster designs in the opening shot. Just sayin’.

Third, a call to arms for fellow filmmaker Francis Abbey, of Boxing Day and video blog “Running Commentary” fame (or notoriety, depending on your point of view). His latest feature, 6 Nonsmokers, is looking for background actors right now. As in this week — Wednesday and Friday, to be specific. It’s a non-union shoot (and not a paying gig), but does promise to be a fun time. You can check out the official site for details on the film — a comedy about conflict resolution — but as for the pertinent practical details, here goes: On Wednesday, they’re looking to shoot a big crowd scene at the Oxon Hill Public Library, and need to fill an auditorium with journalists and academics. And on Friday, they’ll be staging a college party along with some bar gatherings (a regular bar, country-western bar, and a club). If you’re interested, you can contact casting director Laura Carlson at lauracarlson74 [AT] hotmail [DOT] com. Preferably sooner rather than later.

And finally, I just wanted to call attention to some promising new web series for your entertainment (as if my ramblings weren’t entertaining enough). First is “Shrinkage,” starring Gia Mora as an online advice columnist with a less-than-traditional therapy style (written and directed by the aforementioned Barry Gribble). Next is the ever-popular “Appletinis with Ken,” starring Ken Arnold as... well, Ken Arnold — not exactly a “new” series, but I haven’t mentioned it here before, and it has featured a few Tohubohu veterans in the guest chair. And finally, there’s “ParaAbnormal,” a show about dysfunctional paranormal investigators, featuring Ken Arnold and “All Roads Lead Away” star Joe Hansard. So give ’em a look-see and spread the word if you’re so inclined — gotta do what we can to expand the audience for the DC indie production community!

That’s it for now — thanks for listening (or reading), and we’ll be back in touch soon!

“Number One With a Bullet” Update

Well, things are moving quickly. Casting is complete, and we’ve got a phenomenal bunch of people on board! We had somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 submissions, and saw close to 120 different actors. The selection process was brutal — we had so many great candidates — but in the end, I think we’ve made the best choices for our little ensemble. Kudos to Bjorn Munson for organizing our casting, and thanks to Barry Gribble for letting us use the Integral Arts offices. And a special thanks to all the actors who came out and gave it a shot. I was truly humbled by the efforts you all put forth, and hope to see you again for future projects.

Preproduction is proceeding apace; with just three weeks to go before the cameras roll, we’re right about on schedule. And while I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t stressing just a bit (okay, more than a bit), I’m also getting more and more excited as the day grows closer. In fact, I’ve gone ahead and cut together a little “teaser trailer” that I’m hoping will get people psyched for the big shoot. You can view it at the film’s official website — onewithabullet.com — or via YouTube or MySpace as well. It really is just a teaser (since we obviously haven’t shot a frame yet), but I’m hoping it at least sets the stage for our little venture.

We’re still locking down some locations, so if anyone has any leads (preferably in or very near the city), please let me know as soon as possible; while we’ve got our main location (the office) all set, we still need a large house exterior and driveway, a walk-in-freezer (or wine cellar), and a well-apportioned study. And we’re also in the process of filling out our crew roster; if you want to join in, drop me a line ASAP.

And as if that weren’t enough, we’re also signed up for the 48 Hour Film Project, scheduled for the first weekend in May. So if you want to help out there, be sure to let me know as well.

Okay, enough talk. Go watch the trailer and have a nice weekend!

New Viewing Options

After seeing the sheer number of NFC films that are available via third-party distribution sites, we’ve gone ahead and joined the pack. We have finished uploading our entire film catalog to both YouTube and MySpace; not only does this expand our potential audience, but it also provides viewers with a chance to rate our films and provide feedback (something we really haven’t had time to build into this site).

So head over to those sites (via the preceding links), watch the films, and let us know what you think! And while you’re at it, go ahead and subscribe to our films at YouTube (and make us your friend), and add us as a friend and make us one of your favorites at MySpace!

It’s all about promotion...