Call For Entries for the North Country Shorts Program for the 2013 Lake Placid Film Forum. 

Attention!  If you are a filmmaker who would like your short work exhibited at the 2013 Lake Placid Film Forum June 14-16, it’s time to submit!

Here’s the submission form.

Criteria: Films should be no longer than 15 minutes.  Please: no gratuitous gore, eroticism, or violence.

Other Criteria:  A “North Country” affiliation means a filmmaker from the region, a film shot in the region — or make a solid case why your film has a North Country essence!

You can mail the form and the entry fee along with your submission to North Country Shorts, PO BOX 489 Lake Placid, NY 12946.  You may also chose to remit the entry fee by using PayPal from our Adirondack Film Society website.

Questions or concerns?  Contact tjb@lakeplacidfilmforum.com

Happy Friday! We’re supposed to be getting more snow this week so here are some movies playing this weekend at our favorite local movie theatre:

The Croods (PG) 
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
The world’s very first prehistoric family goes on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world. Starring the voice talents of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, and Emma Stone. Directed by Kirk De Mico and Chris Sanders.

Olympus Has Fallen (R) 
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
Disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack; using his inside knowledge, Banning works with national security to rescue the President from his kidnappers. Starring Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, and Aaron Eckhart. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day).

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone(PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
When a street magician’s stunt begins to make their show look stale, superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton look to salvage on their act - and their friendship - by staging their own daring stunt. Starring Steve Carrell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey, and Olivia Wilde. Directed by Don Scardino.

Oz The Great and Powerful(PG) 
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
A small-time magician arrives in an enchanted land and is forced to decide if he will be a good man or a great one. Starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, and Mila Kunis. Directed by Sam Raimi.

Have a great weekend everyone! Stay warm.

How Kirk Sullivan Rose From An Assistant To Direct ‘Dead Men.

Congrats to Kirk on Dead Men! Check out his hilarious and awesome short film THE COME UP above. 

So it can be played on WNYC.

Here is our first in-house film project, an effort to use local talent and resources to see a short film through from concept to exhibition.  Production of THE DEAL is part of our experimentation with endogenous growth theory; that doing is learning, and benefits the community.  The movie stars Michael Fisher, John Kiedaisch, and Jon Fremante.  It was shot in the summer of 2012 with DSLR cameras, a skeleton crew, and a little less than 500 bucks. 

THE DEAL is a 23 minute short film shot entirely on location in Lake Placid, NY, using regional talent and local resources.  The motivation behind creating the film was to draw together people from the community to collaborate on a creative project.  We are thrilled with the results, and think you will be, too!  Plus, by purchasing your copy of THE DEAL, you’re contributing to small town economy, and helping emerging artists establish themselves in their creative fields.

SYNOPSIS:  Jonathan Volcrum, a down-on-his-luck working man, has just lost everything.  When a stranger arrives with a mysterious proposal, Jonathan must decide if the risks are worth getting the life he desperately desires.

PRODUCT FEATURES:  Original front and back cover art on DVD sleeve.  Black DVD case, custom disc image.  DISC MATERIAL:  The entire film, plus nine minutes of funny outtakes, deleted scenes, and still images.

Get all this for $15 with free shipping! It’s, y’know, a DEAL.

We’ve been in recovery mode since the Go Digital or Go Dark trailer shoot  so we apologize for the Spring Break.

Anyway, here are the movies starting this Friday! 

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
When a street magician’s stunt begins to make their show look stale, superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton look to salvage on their act - and their friendship - by staging their own daring stunt. Starring Steve Carrell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey, and Olivia Wilde. Directed by Don Scardino.

Oz The Great and Powerful (PG) 
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
A small-time magician arrives in an enchanted land and is forced to decide if he will be a good man or a great one. Starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, and Mila Kunis. Directed by Sam Raimi.

Side Effects (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. At 2:15
A young woman’s world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects. Starring Rooney Mara, Jude Law, and Channing Tatum. Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. @ 2:15
The ancient war between humans and a race of giants is reignited when Jack, a young farmhand fighting for a kingdom and the love of a princess, opens a gateway between the two worlds. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, and Stanley Tucci. Directed by Bryan Singer.

Here is the final poster for THE DEAL, designed by the great Amanda Coyle.

We’re happy to announce that the film has been released to friends and donors today! You should be getting it in your email this afternoon. Other donors will get their DVDs in the next 7-10 days. 

DVDs will be available for sale through our site in March. 

We made this movie for less than five hundred dollars with a crew of six. The final product shows what a small group of dedicated and talented individuals can put together with the support of our great community, as well as fellow Tumblr peeps Operationfailure, Abhay, and Whitney. Thank you all very much for participating.

We’re proud of the result. Some of the feedback we’ve received from our test audience (parents, friends, colleagues at Paul Smith’s College, sons, and nearly one year-old little girls), say the twenty-two minute film is captivating and left them wanting more.

We’re excited for the rest of you to see the film and would love to hear what you think about it so we can improve for our next film, which we’ll be shooting this summer. Thank you again for your support. 

We’re exhausted from last weekend, and so is apparently the Palace Theatre, because it’s playing the same movies as last week. Click the title to get last week’s description.

Happy Oscar weekend! 

Happy President’s weekend! We’re excited for this long weekend as we’ll be shooting a trailer at the Palace! Come see…another Die Hard movie? I didn’t know they did any of those anymore.

Escape From Planet Earth (PG)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
Astronaut Scorch Supernova finds himself caught in a trap when he responds to an SOS from a notoriously dangerous alien planet. Featuring the voice talents of Brendan Fraser, Rob Corddry, and Ricky Gervais.

A Good Day to Die Hard (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
John McClane travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces. Starring Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney. 

Safe Haven (PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
A young woman with a mysterious past lands in Southport, North Carolina where her bond with a widower forces her to confront the dark secret that haunts her. Starring Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough in another Nicholas Sparks joint.

Identity Thief (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
Mild-mannered businessman Sandy Patterson travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman who has been living it up after stealing Sandy’s identity. Starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. Directed by Seth Gordon.

Attention actors:

This Sunday we’d like to give you the opportunity to act in the trailer we’re putting together for the GO DIGITAL OR GO DARK campaign.

We’re looking for a couple and some teenagers to take part in the trailer highlighting the plight of thirteen Adirondack movie theaters as they try to raise money to convert their film projectors to digital.

We’re shooting Sunday and if you’re able to make it please email adkmogul@gmail.com with your resume, contact info, and headshot. 

Thanks for your time! 

[Poster by Aaron Hobson.]

John Kiedaisch has been a friend of the Adirondack Film Society for years and became a close friend during the student competition. We first came to know John through George Woodard’s The Summer of Walter Hacks. John’s pleasant demeanor and Clint Eastwood-like tone with his work on Peter Sumpter added a level of sincerity and innocence to a character that is pretty manipulative. Kiedaisch as Sumpter calls into question as to who is really the good guy in The Deal.

Kiedaisch will next be seen in Jay Kraven’s new film Northern Borders.

Here’s John on the reason why he got into acting:

In the late nineties, at the encouragement of a friend who was the chair of the theatre department at Mount Holyoke College, I began taking acting classes at the University of Vermont. I took all the acting classes, acted in several UVM and Mount Holyoke plays – WISH FULFILLMENT, THE CRUCIBLE, NIGHT OF THE IGUANA – and began volunteering with the Vermont Stage Company as their Technical Director. I was also practicing architecture at the same time. While acting in a Vermont Stage production I became friends with another actor who recommended me to the writer/director George Woodard for a major role in a film George was about to film. During the filming I met Michael Fisher who ask if I would work with him on some of his films and on films being done as final projects by his students in the Burlington College Film School. I have done six or so films with Michael and several more with his students. Through my work with George Woodard, Michael Fisher and Burlington College, I have met several other local film makers – Mike Turner, Jeff Wager, Jay Craven – and gotten acting roles in their recent films.

I saw Silver Linings Playbook last weekend and I have to say that is by far my favorite award-nominated film of the year. Not Zero Dark Thirty, or Lincoln, but Silver Linings Playbook. The good news? If you haven’t seen that movie yet, it’s here for another week! So don’t miss it.

In other news Jason Bateman continues to destroy the street cred he gained with Arrested Development and is in some movie with Melissa McCarthy:

Identity Thief (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
Mild-mannered businessman Sandy Patterson travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman who has been living it up after stealing Sandy’s identity. Starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. Directed by Seth Gordon.

Parker (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
A thief with a unique code of professional ethics is double-crossed by his crew and left for dead. Assuming a new disguise and forming an unlikely alliance with a woman on the inside, he looks to hijack the score of the crew’s latest heist. Based on the classic Donald Westlake character Jason Statham has arrived to kicksplode a character Mel Gibson played well in Payback. Directed by Taylor Hackford.

Warm Bodies (PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
After R (a highly unusual zombie) saves Julie from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Starring Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class), Teresa Palmer, and John Malcovich (Red). 

Silver Linings Playbook (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN.at 2:15
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own. Nominated for 8 Oscars, this movie stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence (winner of Best Actress in a Comedy at the Golden Globes), and Robert DeNiro. Written and directed by David O. Russell (The Fighter) 

Nineteen Year Old Blake Cortright is making a documentary about the men and women called The 46ers. He’ll be following these adventurous hikers as they hike all 46 peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.

If you’re able, we highly encourage you to donate to his Kickstarter to make this film happen. Good luck, Blake!

Arche Productions Presents
A Blake Cortright Film
“The 46ers: Conquering The Adirondacks”

Aerial Photography provided by Mountain Lake PBS
Music by Justin Michael Brittain

Narrated by John Kearney 

In which The Shared Experience director Nick Homler is interviewed in the Mahwah Patch about the documentary. 

“They are facing a digital conversion,” Homler told Patch. “Basically, all of the big movie companies are switching from reels to digital films, and if theaters don’t pay to update their equipment, and learn how to use and fix the new digital projectors, they are going to be forced to go out of business.”

For small theaters across the country, Homler says the economic impact of switching systems is life-threatening. Converting to the new system – which has to happen by the end of the year – will cost local theater owners $70,000 to $100,000 per screen.

“I was surprised to learn about this, but I really feel that in a year it will be major news,” Homler said. The future of local theaters piqued his interest.

In the market for a capstone film project at Marist, the Radio, TV & Film and Interactive Media major gathered three of his friends, Rivas, Nick Davis, from Queens and Kevin Mahoney, from Rockland County, to help him make the movie. Together, the quartet traveled to several local theaters, interviewed owners, sought out industry experts and put together a 13-minute documentary for one of Homler’s classes last semester. Rather than satisfying the group’s interest in the topic, the short film only inspired them to find out more.

Here’s some of the music Brendan Coyle has done for The Deal called “The Devil Comes Knocking.” 

Congratulations to the State Theater in Tupper Lake, NY for getting funding to convert to digital projection! 

Sorry for the filthy SEO grabbing headline, but if you’re like us and not really into the skull crushing death sport known as American Football, there are plenty of movies to see at the Palace Theater, FOR LESS THAN A BUCK. Here are the movies coming tomorrow, Feb. 1:

Feb. 3RD, 2013
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SPECIAL
ALL SHOWS 99¢

Warm Bodies (PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
After R (a highly unusual zombie) saves Julie from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Starring Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class), Teresa Palmer, and John Malcovich (Red). 

Hitchcock (PG-13)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
A love story between influential filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho in 1959. Starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren. 

Silver Linings Playbook (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own. Nominated for 8 Oscars, this movie stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence (winner of Best Actress in a Comedy at the Golden Globes), and Robert DeNiro. Written and directed by David O. Russell (The Fighter) 

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (R)
7:00 & 9:30
MATINEES SAT. & SUN. at 2:15
In this spin on the fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel are now bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. As the fabled Blood Moon approaches, the siblings encounter a new form of evil that might hold a secret to their past. Starring Jeremy Renner (!), Gemma Arterton (?) and Famke Janssen (Jean Grey?!) directed by Tommy Wirkola. 

This is not the first time we’ve worked with Michael Fisher. We met him at the Sleepless in Lake Placid film competition as an actor, and put his first short film Stations in the North Country Shorts Program. When we were decompressing after the film forum last summer, we decided that it was the perfect time to put together our first short film as a production house. 

Michael was our first thought to play the lead in The Deal. His nervous mannerisms and intensity were perfect to play the desperate Jonathan Volcrum. An extremely accomplished cinematic performer, Michael’s directed two short films, the most recent you can see above.  

We’re so happy that he was able to be a part of this production. His steadfast placement and consistency throughout his performance made it a joy to work with him and made the post-production of the film streamlined and easy.

For more on Michael visit his website at michaelfisherfilms.com.

The issue of digital projection conversion is very thoroughly covered  throughout the North Country, but it’s happening in a quite few other small town.

This moving story talks about Michael Packett who bought the Retro Cinema 4 in Forest City, North Carolina in 2009 when it was at risk of shutting down and spent his life savings to keep the theater in business. Now he finds himself in a similar situation with digital projection and is running fundraisers and other events to keep the theater opened.

We wish the best to Mr. Packett and hope that he’s able to work through this as it’s an issue we care deeply about and is the focus of our documentary, The Shared Experience.

editorial:

We had a great time talking to all kinds of creators at Sundance this year — filmmakers, musicians, animators, artists, fans, wandering prophets — and we’ve got a ton of featured interviews to post on Storyboard real soon. Until we get everything polished and ready, enjoy this little teaser of just a few of the fine folks we chatted with, and some of the fine things they had to say.

It would be wrong to say that Storyboard and Tumblr Editorial are not  major influences behind our blogs and I am very excited to see their interviews from Sundance.