A Good Excuse

It's not like we've been just laying around these months:
www.thecommunemovie.com

Hollywood is Listening!

Lis' fabulous script just won 2nd place in the Action category for the annual Fade In Magazine screenwriting contest!

How effing cool is that?

She's one of only three women to be mentioned this year in case you were under the impression the Hollywood Boys' Club is a thing of the past. Doing our part to bust up the Club and kick some ass!

We're told the winners get page space in Variety, etc and get a spark of attention around town. Of course the site is full of "How winning the contest started my career" testimonials. We're working on a plan to leverage any attention, meetings, etc. for the good of the film and our careers.

Fingers crossed, champagne popped. Pistoleras won't be ignored!

Viva!

Our Girls Kick Ass!

In preparation for their roles as our four heroines, our lead actresses have been taking the IMPACT basics self defense course that inspired the training sequence of this movie. IMPACT teaches full-force self defense techniques against fully-padded assailants so that the body trains in an adrenalized state...like it would be in a real assault situation.

Lis and I took the class last fall and I've gone on to take more advanced courses and become a training assistant in their program. That's how important I think this is for women.

Sunday, Lis and I watched proudly as three of our four leads had their graduation which consisted of three fights each. I felt my body twiching with each kick they landed, each hit thrown, like I wanted to help power their strikes. And I was moved to tears watching these tiny girls beat the crap out of a big padded man. The universality of that fear of attack by a man never leaves us. I think it's hardwired into women. Our girls and all the fighters that day were a total inspiration.

While you're waiting for the film's release, how 'bout getting yourself into an IMPACT class and get that confidence that comes from knowing, no matter what, you can defend your life.

Mutant Swingers From Mars

From my friend Bill Cunningham at www.D2DVD.Blogspot.com:


http://headbangersblog.com/2007/05/10/movies-for-metalheads-sex-machine-white-slave-collection-swamp-zombies-a-secret-handshake-ghost/

Thank you all for taking a look at the link and please spread the word about Christopher Sharpe's cool little flick that's winning the hearts and minds of pulp moviegoers across the globe. I am proud to represent this movie (distributed worldwide by Anthem Pictures) as well as the upcoming scifi-horror-comedy MUTANT SWINGER FROM MARS featuring Jack White (of The White Stripes in his first movie role).

MUTANT SWINGER FROM MARS is writer-director Mike Kallio's love letter to Ed Wood, swing music and cinema cheese. You can watch the trailer on YouTube .

All rights to MSFM are currently available.

Hey Cinderella

Ah, we heart Carlos Carrasco.

Just working on beefing up a scene of his in "Pistoleras," and felt the urge to share some work of his from the cult hit "Blood in, Blood Out." Don't worry boys, it cuts out right before he demands some chun chun. Popeye is one scary mofo.

Will Ferrell Movie Plot Generator

Totally worth a click.

Pistoleras Love The Fuzz

Just got home from a screening of "Hot Fuzz" from the creative team that brought us "Shaun of the Dead."

Two words.
Bril
Liant.

They hit the blend of humor and gratuitous violence that we are shooting for only goofier humor. Superb soundtrack featuring Jon Spencer. Cameos from everyone from Steve Coogan to Bill Nighy to Cate Blanchett.

In the Q & A, I asked how they pitched this project since it's clearly a great concept but what's the logline? Director Edgar Wright answered that they already had funding in place after Shaun so it wasn't a pitch as such. Oh well. Didn't find out any secrets about pitching Pistoleras but it was enough that he remembered me when I went up to him at the after-gathering. He was happy I noticed a small detail. For when you see it, which I know you will, note that after Timothy Dalton mentions a life drawing class and his table dancing clerk, in the next shot there is a framed drawing of a naked chick in the background. He wished us luck on the project and me pulling my old chicken-out, thanked him and walked away.

"But No! I can't leave the evening like this! Again" I thought. And it would have been WAY too dorky to go back over and give him a card or ask for a blurb. So I waited to talk to Edgar's creative partner and the film's star, Simon Pegg. Just as I made my way to Simon, he walked off, strike two!

But just then, I found I was standing next to the film's other star, Nick Frost. I told him the film was brilliant, which it is. And then just got to hang around and joke for a few minutes. At last, a natural moment to talk Pistoleras. He seemed to dig it. His advice to not go over an R rating was to use plenty of red, red fake blood so the violence is more laughable and cartoony (my words). Excellent plan! So yes kids, I finally pulled a producer move and gave him the Pistoleras card, being careful to point out the graphic novel cover on the back which he totally dug. I joked that the card hand-off was super LA cheesy of me but I had to. He agreed it was but laughed that it was his first card of the night and told me I give good card. Tell mom, I'm so proud! With any luck he'll actually check out the website and so forth. The important thing is a proven filmmaker now knows about Pistoleras and who knows where that could lead.

All in all, a super-cool evening. I highly recommend the movie! My guess is "Hot Fuzz" will outstrip "Shaun's" success easily. Well-acted, fab script, well-crafted story, funny, carefully placed details - clearly made by a crew who loved this project. Hmmm, where have I heard about a project like that before?