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WORKS, WRINKLES & WRAPS October 2004
WWW stands for WORKS (in progress), WRINKLES or WHOOPS (whenever they happen), and WRAPS (completed films and projects of any kind.)

Emerson Trustee Chairman Ted Cutler '51 and his wife, Joan.The Cutlers, for whom the theater is named, provided a lead gift that enabled the restoration project to proceed. 

WINNERS

EMERSON RECEIVES NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF CUTLER MAJESTIC THEATRE RESTORATION

The National Trust for Historic Preservation presented Emerson College with a National Preservation Honor Award at the group's national conference in Louisville, KY on September 30.

On hand to receive the award were Emerson College President Jacqueline Liebergott, Emerson Trustee Chairman Ted Cutler '51 and his wife, Joan, Vice President for Administration and Finance Robert Silverman, and Theatre Manager Lance Olson. The Cutlers, for whom the theater is named, provided a lead gift that enabled the restoration project to proceed.

"The restoration of the Majestic Theatre is a tremendously successful effort that has increased the vitality of the Boston Theater District," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Emerson College and the many people involved with this magnificent revival of one of the country's finest theaters have gone above and beyond expectations."

The magnificent house 
of the Cutler Majestic 
Theatre.

The National Trust award is the second national accolade the Cutler Majestic has recently received. On July 24, the League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT) presented its Outstanding Theatre Restoration Project Award to Emerson citing "the highest standards of excellence, vision and positive impact on the community" associated with the theater restoration.

Built in 1903, the innovative, 1,200-seat Beaux Arts-style Majestic Theatre was one of the finest playhouses of its time. In the 1950s, however, new ownership converted the Majestic into the Saxon movie theater, with alterations that transformed the lobby and covered much of the Beaux Arts splendor. By 1983, when Emerson College purchased the Majestic, it had fallen into severe physical decline and was slated for demolition.

Emerson renovated and restored the building in phases over a 10-year period. After undergoing exterior restoration and partial interior renovation, the theater reopened for college and community use in 1989. It closed in 2003 to enable the full restoration on the interior of the building and the reopening of the balcony level, which hadn’t been open for decades. The Theatre reopened in May 2004. (See related stories IMAGINE in March, April, and May, 2004).

WORKS

Gravity: Newton Discovered it. Einstein Used it. Gravity LLC Wants to Know: What are You Gonna do with It?

Gravity Director Alan C. Grazioso and DP Steven J. Eliopoulos recently returned from Anchorage, Alaska after shooting the annual sockeye salmon-run on the Kenai River for the Boston-based PBS Kids hit series Zoom. Prior to that, Eliopoulos had spent nearly a month in Paris with Gravity Director Michelle Morgan shooting a French-language DVD for AT Media Services, Inc. Grazioso is slated to direct a project for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts this fall entitled “Crimes Against Persons with Disabilities,” featuring WBZ’s Jack Williams as the show’s host.

[1] Gravity crew on-location at the base of Loon Mt. last
January Shooting for InnSeason Resorts 
[2] Gravity’s Alan Grazioso directs 12-yr old Jordan Juliussen of Anchorage, Alaska for an upcoming scene in a bush plane

After opening its doors in January 2004, Gravity immediately landed (2) TV :30-spots for InnSeason Resorts with Cape Cod agency Maverick MM, which shot for two days up in the Loon Mountain area. While on a roll, Gravity was then approached by 3rd Middlesex District State Senate Candidate John Thibault to shoot a spot for his campaign, which shot and aired in May, featuring Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Grazioso is due to direct two more spots for the campaign this fall. On a national-level, Gravity produced a studio shoot in the spring for the New York agency Wunderman and its client CitiGroup. Next time you’re in a CitiBank branch, look for the life-size cutout of the new CitiBank mascot…Eliopoulos’ own German Shepherd dog. “Whoever warned against working with kids and animals was surely onto something,” joked Eliopoulos when recalling the shoot day in the studio with the dog.

Grazioso and Morgan are both working on a 2-spot spec commercial campaign being developed entirely within Gravity. While they aren’t talking much about it, they do say that it is public health related, and the spots will be posted on the Gravity website for viewing when finished.

Gravity is a fresh player in New England area film, video and digital media production. Offering a crisp and energetic new alternative to today’s advertisers, Gravity’s agile production approach realizes the creative for any project. “We all want choices,” says Grazioso, “and I think that Gravity is designed to offer just that.”

For more information on Gravity, their directors, and on-line demos, visit them at: www.gravityllc.com

 

WRINKLES

ABSOLUTE PRECISION: IN INSTALLMENTS ON THE WEB

 

[1] Director Dan Gorgone films C.C. Chapman starring as
Elliot Brock [2] Director Dan Gorgone films Frank Parker starring as William Campbell
In late September, Random Foo Pictures began the release of ABSOLUTE PRECISION in installments on the web. You can expect a new chapter every Friday and, of course, if you miss you can always go to the archives. We are wondering what is the perfect length of a chapter or segment? While our demographics, psychographics and other measuring devises are changing with helpful (Tivo and others) technologies we are about to be measured differently. The times are changing: there are one, two, and 2 ½ minute markets. It was only two years ago when the short film was considered nothing but a “calling card” for a director, an unmarketable folly. Now the question is, how short can you go (just think you are waiting for a bus)? It’s fun to think about, fun to tryout; it’s part of the “convergence” that we are all still wondering about. Surely happening, but, if ABSOLUTE PRECISION is a “test pattern,” we will have to keep looking at it and recording our responses. Is A.C. Neilson watching…listening…paying attention? It’s obvious Sprint, NetFlix, and others are.

ABSOLUTE PRECISION is the fourth movie in a series following Eliot Brock (C.C. Chapman) and William Campbell (Frank Parker), two gangsters working for Mr. James (Dan Gorgone). Six years have now passed, and Mr. James returns to town hoping to get his gang back together. As the guys return to work, the reasons for Mr. James' sudden departure years ago begin to surface, and Eliot and Billy learn much has changed about each other.
Since founding Random Foo Pictures in 1996 with Dan Gorgone, C.C. has seen the group evolve from two friends running around a college campus with a camera to a large team trying to take the next step toward the professional ranks of moviemaking. Besides acting and directing, C.C. has become one of the front lines of communication between Foo and the outside world, constantly speaking with fans, contacts, and fellow moviemakers.

Dan has acted in nearly seventy movies, directed over twenty, and has donned some of the most ridiculous wigs, costumes, and makeup all in the name of entertainment.

Good work. It’s important to check this out for yourself. Go to www.randomfoo.com/vault/ar chives/2004/09/absolute_precis.shtml


WRAPS

HELEN METROS, A HARVARD SQUARE LEGEND TO BE DOCUMENTARY SUBJECT

 

Impromptu photo of your publisher with the crew of
GROWING OLD, a Documentary Film directed by Michael Neel and Executive produced by Greg Ansin. 
Wrapping this month is GROWING OLD, A Documentary Film directed by Michael Neel. We know this because we found the entire crew with cameras, lights and booms, hanging around in Harvard Square on the sidewalk in front of Charlie’s Kitchen waiting for one of their subjects to get off work so they could follow her home and continue interviewing her. Without asking we knew at once they were waiting for Helen Metros, a legendary figure in Harvard Square and longtime waitress at Charlie’s Kitchen. A septuagenarian, Helen has spent decades working in the Harvard neighborhood counting presidents of the United States of both parties as her admirers, among other luminaries. For the whole story, Neel’s team also interviewed Helen’s family, friends, and co-workers. Ages: 2 - 87. Their subject Helen, it should be clearly noted, is sprightly and successful in her environ filled with people one-half century her junior.

Neel set out on this project to examine some central issues. How the elder generation, the baby boomers, and the younger generations define successful aging. How age-related changes and/or illnesses affect a person’s life.

Neel expressed, “The goal of this film is to challenge all generations to redefine their views on aging and dying. And the fear of growing old and/or dying in people of all ages.” Other topics addressed by the film include: the effect of income on aging, memory loss, dementia, family, inter-generational issues, religion, and the future of aging.

GROWING OLD will help the audience understand the range of emotions elderly people experience, and redefine how the audience views both the elderly and themselves. The film will try to help the audience confront many unpleasant and terrifying aspects of old age, to give the viewer a realistic and healthy perspective on growing old and dying. The final running time is expected to be between 80 and 100 minutes. Greg Ansin at MonkeyRay Productions, LLC is Executive Producer/Editor.

 

RESFEST HAS A BOSTON STOP

The Brattle Theater in Harvard Square set the stage for the successful and hip Boston premiere of RESFEST, an acclaimed touring digital film festival that hit Boston for the first time in September. RESFEST Boston 2004 featured a collection of the year's most innovative shorts, features, music videos and animation through a three-day schedule of screenings.

RESFEST, now in its eight year, continues to explore the dynamic interplay of film, music, art, design and technology. Designed to support and inspire emerging talent, RESFEST launches each fall in the United States and tours worldwide, visiting over 20 cities across six continents, building a global network of creators and audiences.

The cities on tour include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, São Paulo, Melbourne, Cape Town and many more. Plans for RESFEST Boston 2005 include A mix of screenings, parties, workshops and live music events. A complete list of tour dates and more info on RESFEST is available at www.resfest.com

 

DANGEROUS CROSSWINDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

[1] Laurel Brauns performing "live" on air at WSJB, St.
Joseph's College, Stanish, ME [2] Bill Millios (second from right) directs actor Nick Purcell (far left) and crewmembers shooting a scene for DANGEROUS CROSSWINDS at Hampton Beach, NH
In Gilford, New Hampshire, native and indie folk singer/songwriter Laurel Brauns has signed on to New Boston-based filmmaker Bill Millios’ latest project, a feature film titled DANGEROUS CROSSWINDS. Brauns has agreed to license Millios selections from her recorded body of work in the film. Millios, also a New Hampshire native, wrapped principal photography for his second feature on June 12 and has recently begun editing the film, which he hopes to have ready for release in March of 2005.

After reading a newspaper article about 26-year-old Brauns, Millios was intrigued by her do-it-yourself work ethic. Brauns, who writes and records her own music, books her own shows, and handles her own public relations, has self-released two albums. Millios’ approach to filmmaking is similar; he wrote, directed, co-produced, and is now editing DANGEROUS CROSSWINDS, which he also plans to market and distribute himself-with some help from volunteer crewmembers-through his company, Back Lot Films.

Once Millios heard tracks from Brauns’ albums Swimming (2001) and Periphery (2003), he felt he’d found a perfect fit for his film, an edgy drama set in New Hampshire about a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who assists in the mercy killing of a friend. “Laurel’s music is so refreshing that it will balance out the darker aspects of the story,” says Millios. “We’re thrilled to have
a musician of her caliber attached to our project.”

The film was shot during two weeks in May at numerous locations throughout New Hampshire. Though the editing phase of post-production has just begun, tentative plans for marketing the film are already underway. Millios and his Back Lot team intend to screen the film at venues around the state as part of a “Dangerous Crosswinds Tour.” Brauns will lend her talent in this area, too: she has agreed to perform at some of the film’s local screenings.

Millios has earned a reputation as one of the pioneers of independent filmmaking in New Hampshire, and is also considered one of the state’s leading documentary and commercial filmmakers. His first feature, OLD MAN DOGS (1997), premiered before a sold-out crowd at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, Massachusetts, and was critically acclaimed by
Variety, The Boston Globe, and America Online. For more information visit www.backlotfilm.com

 

IMAGINARY WITNESSES: HOLLYWOOD AND EUROPEAN DIRECTORS FOCUS ON THE HOLOCAUST

The National Center for Jewish Film, the Goethe-Institut Boston and Brandeis University are proud to present a special free fall series of 10 films programs focusing on the Holocaust at Brandeis University.

A scene from SCHINDLER'S LIST in the opening film
IMAGINARY WITNESSES: HOLLYWOOD AND
EUROPEAN DIRECTORS FOCUS ON THE HOLOCAUST.

Opening with the premiere of a new documentary about Hollywood holocaust films, featuring films of Steven Spielberg, and Sidney Lumet, as well as footage from the National Center for Jewish Film archive, this series continues with an array of award winning features by some of the most talented European directors including Wajda, Szabo, Weisz, and Holland. Seven of the films were produced by Artur Brauner, a survivor who lost 49 relatives when the Nazis invaded his hometown of Lodz, Poland.

Dan Anker, director of IMAGINARY WITNESSES: HOLLYWOOD AND EUROPEAN DIRECTORS FOCUS ON THE HOLOCAUST will attend the screening on Sunday, October 17, at 4 PM. Other guests include the noted Polish filmmaker Agnieska Holland at the screening of the academy award winning EUROPA EUROPA, Sunday, October 24, at 4 PM and filmmaker and co-authors Philo Bregstein and Salvador Bloemgarten with IN SEARCH OF JEWISH AMSTERDAM on Tuesday, November 16, at 7 PM

All films will be screened in the Wasserman Cinematheque, Sachar Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA. Free admission (donations will not be refused) and free parking. Please note no reserved seating. For more information you can call 781 736-8600 or visit www.jewishfilm.org

 

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