I’m speechless and honored that Adam Daniel Mezei of PMD-For-Hire would talk about my projects and cast with such high praise.
And after seeing this…I may even have a next project to work on with Christina Rose.
ADM Videoblog #67 — “Grab-Ass Fridays” — Gary King of “How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song?” from Adam Daniel Mezei | ADMTV on Vimeo.
Here’s an interview I did for Channel APA a few months back:
Thank you Steve Nguyen for connecting with me and conducting the interview.
This past week I visited Los Angeles with actress/collaborator Christina Rose. It was a jam packed trip with many meetings and plans — with everything culminating with a really fun interview on LA Talks Radio’s Film Courage (hosted by David Branin and Karen Worden).
Here’s a quick summary of my trip’s highlights:
DAY ONE (March 31):
Travel Day – NY to LA. Layover in Denver. Opted for the extra $10/day to have GPS in my rental car. It saved me more than a few times. I never hit LA traffic once. Parking on the other hand was a different story.
DAY TWO (April 1):
Had a meeting with independent film producers to discuss directing a supernatural thriller. Can’t say too much at this point, but hopefully everything lines up and we are able to shoot the film in 2010!
Also released my film project trailer for April Fools’ Day
DAY THREE (April 2):
Dropped Christina off to meet with her agency. A hilarious incident happened during the ride along the way — showing how dorky we both are. I’m going to use it in a film someday.
Met Zak Forsman, Jamie Cobb and Kevin K. Shah of Sabi Pictures for lunch, then stopped by their studio for a quick chat. Very inspirational folks doing great things. They are also helping me with Cinefist and my upcoming WHAT’S UP LOVELY screening on May 14th in Los Angeles. I’ll be at the screening along with actress Jenn Dees. You can get tickets online here.
Had a sit-down dinner meeting with Christina to talk about our future projects. We are always so busy running around in NY that we made it a point to just spend some time to talk about our own interests and where we want to head with our careers. It made me really excited about what’s coming down the road.
DAY FOUR (April 3):
Publicity Photo Shoot with Christina all day — all around LA — with one of our favorite friends and DP extraordinaire Aaron Moorhead.
I put out The Bat Signal for that night for my LA friends and colleagues. It was a great time meeting and catching up with friends old and new. Thank you for those who made it out (including John Paul Rice, Nathan Cole, Laura Youngkin, Ashley Cole, Heather Tocquigny, Kevin Riepl, Brian Erzen, Cindy Baer, Matthew Irving, Melinda Hughes, Dayna Laurie Thompson, Gloria Soto and Christina Rose) — sorry we all didn’t have enough time to really spend as much time as I wished we could.
DAY FIVE (April 4):
Film Courage Radio Interview!! We had so much amazing support from our Twitterverse friends who tuned in on Easter Sunday!! It was a wonderful experience sharing our Kickstarter campaign and our career updates/learning lessons.
Listen to the show here:
Christina and I had a nice lunch after the show with David Branin, Karen Worden and Zak Forsman (who was kind enough to meet us as well). We talked about so many things. It felt good to be in such great company. I left very inspired and humbled that such talented people would take the time and spend it with me.
That’s the trip in a nutshell. Well…we did watch THE ROOM (I’ve got a drinking game that I’d be happy to play with you) that night to decompress from our week.
DAY SIX (April 5):
Travel Day back to NYC. Layover in Dallas. Too short of a trip. I’ll be back.
Here is my interview with the sweet Betty Jo Tucker I did to mainly discuss HOW DO YOU WRITE A JOE SCHREMANN SONG and its Kickstarter campaign. We talk about the development of the project, its actors and our shared passion for films. I had a great time.
I also asked how I could offer a verbal “hello and thanks” to my wonderful Twitter friends and supporters who planned to listen live to the show….and they asked me to use the word “pie” during the interview at some point. You can see how I did around the 23:40 mark.
I’ll be appearing on BlogTalk radio’s MOVIE ADDICT HEADQUARTERS live on Tues (March 16th) at 4pm (EST) speaking with Betty Jo Tucker to discuss HOW DO YOU WRITE A JOE SCHERMANN SONG among other projects. I’m told that SINGING IN THE RAIN is Betty Jo’s favorite film so I have no doubt that we’ll hit it off!
Date: Tues (March 16th)
Time: 3pm (CST)/ 4pm (EST)
Website: www.blogtalkradio.com/movieaddictheadquarters
I’m told that During the live 45-minute show, listeners are invited to call in and to participate in a chat, so please pass this information along to anyone you think would be interested.
I’m looking forward to talking with Betty Jo about movies, musicals, the Kickstarter campaign — and hopefully connect with other film lovers out there. It sounds like a fun time. Hope you can tune in!
Peri and his wonderful team (Lisa and Victora) at The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society (APFS) put together this well crafted video about our NEW YORK LATELY screening this month.
You can see the TLC he puts in to not only this video, but his screening series as a whole. It was an amazing experience and I cannot highly recommend attending or screening there — wish I could do both more often.
Thank you Peri, Lisa, Alex, Victoria, David, Nicole from the Ram’s Head on Stage, Coven, Corrie, Susanna, Caryn, Oscar….I know I’m forgetting people so I better stop while I’m ahead and say thank you Annapolis!
Read the (APFS) “Afterglow” Report
Here’s my write up on my experience at the screening
Read about NEW YORK LATELY on THE AUTEURS
Next Up: WHAT’S UP LOVELY sneak preview with CINEFIST in Los Angeles (May 14th)
Based on the article “The D.I.Y Book Tour” by Stephen Elliot, this idea fascinates me:
“I asked if people wanted to hold an event in their homes. They had to promise 20 attendees. I would sleep on their couch. My publisher would pay for some of the airfare, and I would fund the rest by selling the books myself.”
I’m not sure how it could work with film, but in theory it could almost be a similar model.
And we’re not talking about booking theaters or alternative venues — this is actually visiting people’s homes who are willing to hold a screening and can guarantee a certain turnout. But think of how much of a connection this is with your audience — you’re in their home (haha!).
Whether they like your film or not (you’ll know if they hurry you out the door or keep you around for a while), it would be a very fascinating experience to tour the country and meet film lovers who want to see your film. At this point I don’t believe it’s an actual viable business model if one wanted to sustain a living, but the potential is there — and for some reason it really has me wondering about the possibilities.
ps – It’d be great if the person’s home theater looked like this too. That’d be the gravy on top.
Another very proud moment in my life — NEW YORK LATELY hits The Auteurs website. Too incredible for words. See my earlier post on why.
Much appreciation to Andrew James of ROW THREE for the amazing writeup on the film. I’m truly humbled by them:
Gary King’s feature film debut is a unique exploration into the drama of interpersonal relationships and their various stages. With New York Lately, King has created a charming piece of cinema that is as tantalizing as it is engaging in its visual and emotional prowess. Accessible dialogue and skilled acting by relative newcomers, depict a culturally and behaviorally varied group of thirty-somethings who allow the revelations of life’s complications to emerge through missteps, risks taken and personal reflection. The narrative rings as true and believable as anything one would overhear on poker night or at a ladies night out. Still, it manages to push the boundary of intrigue, melodrama and to some extent, even adventure. Combining the use of multi-layered prose and interconnecting plot lines with the visual details of the film, King finds a distinct way of examining the more complicated components of typical emotional situations, reminding us what courage under fire really means. Proudly wearing its influences on its sleeve, New York Lately lashes together the more subtle visuals of Almodóvar, the smoothly intense styles of Wong Kar-Wai and the thematic tones of Paul Thomas Anderson. The devil is in the details here and a first time film maker putting these details exactly where and how they belong with acuity and precision, is step one in the making of a master craftsman. —Andrew James (Row Three)
Working on the special edition DVD and hope to have them for sale on my website by March/April. More details coming soon.
Over this weekend I had the honor to have my first feature film NEW YORK LATELY screen at The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society — an emerging film screening series curated by the selfless Pericles (Peri) and Lisa Lewnes.
What’s unique about the series is that they are choosing alternative/non-traditional venues to screen the films. We played at the Rams Head On Stage and I don’t think there could have been a more appropriate place. It was a matinee screening and the place was quite full — with food and drinks aplenty (yes tasty alchohalic beverages were offered). This to me is an ideal way to view a film.
What Peri did — which I think was a nice touch and helped make this screening feel like more of an event — was he programmed NEW YORK LATELY and advertised that I’d be making an appearance along with my cast members (Mark DiConzo was there — unfortunately Jenn Dees was ill and couldn’t attend). Peri then played 2 of my film trailers (WHAT’S UP LOVELY; DEATH OF THE DEAD) prior to the screening which I think really helped generate interest from the audience in my career. This was one of my main goals of the screening — to generate and build audience awareness for the films and myself.
The Q&A afterwards was the best one I’ve had yet. I received some questions I haven’t been asked before about the film — and about my future projects! The best part was they wanted to know how to see all of them! Amazing.
Learning lessons:
1. Have a Mailing List Sign-Up Sheet – I didn’t capitalize on the excitement and interest from the crowd in the moment. I had a lot of people asking how they can find out more about ALL my projects. I had business cards to give them, but soon after I realized that it puts an extra step on their end in making a connection with me. Who knows if they’ll go home and remember to enter my links on their computer during their busy lives. In all the enthusiasm for my film and being there, I know the crowd would’ve been very receptive to my passing a mailing list around — and even if just a few people signed up I could’ve followed up with them myself with no extra effort on their part. This is definitely an opportunity lost that I will not let happen again.
2. Have Merchandise To Sell - I know I’m preaching to the choir about this. And I’ve already said it myself that it’s important to have something to sell to capitalize on the impulse buy. Audiences are usually so caught up in the moment and wish to support the filmmaker — or just love the film enough to want to own it! Have something to sell so you can make money. Again, I already knew going to this screening that my Spec. Ed. DVD’s were not ready. And my movie only DVD screeners have been depleted. But seeing the audience response just solidifed the point and drove it home for me. Moving forward, I know that I will be ready in this area with WHAT’S UP LOVELY.
3. Have a Story Ready to Start Your Q&A - I can’t stress enough that audiences in the beginning (for the most part) may not know where to begin when you stand there ready for questions. It’s always nice to start with a little anecdote to break the ice. They’ll see that you are willing to talk and ideas/questions may spark in their heads based on what you discuss. I did this for the screening and it led to some really wonderful conversations.
I’m sure more will come to mind but those are the standouts.
BONUS ROAD TRIP FOOTAGE: (Road trip from NYC to Annapolis. We were running a bit late and overshot our destination…then a sheet of ice flew off a car and hit our windshield. Car Occupants: filmmaker Gary King, actor Mark DiConzo, producer Susie King)
After the screening I hung out with some great people – both filmmakers and indie film supporters! I also recorded a quick and fun video interview with Victoria (@vicachic) for the Pretentious Film Society. I will post it once they have it done.
Then it was on to dinner in a pub for some delicious crab meat mac n’ cheese! The only thing I didn’t want to do was drive back to NY that night — we made it but wish we could’ve stayed longer.
Special thanks to Corrie (@corrietweets), Coven (@cndmndprdctns) and the countless others (the Kueblers and fam!) that traveled a ways to see the film. The experience could not have been any better. And not that I hope that this was the last screening in a public venue for this film, but if it was it was a great way to bow out. Thank you Peri and Lisa!! We appreciate your support for us and true independent films!
Now on to the special edition DVD’s! Coming soon!
Filmmaker Coven Delacruz
Mark DiConzo, Pericles Lewnes, Susie King, me
The Kueblers and family/friends
If you are ever given the opportunity to be a “director-for-hire” — would you say “yes”or “no”?
I personally know quite a few talented filmmakers who stick to their guns and will only direct their own work. They are true believers in their art. I commend — and envy — them.
However, one of my favorite living directors Steven Soderbergh has seemed to perfect the balance of being an artist/filmmaker and walking the line between art (The Girlfriend Experience) and commerce (Ocean’s Eleven). He is always on the go and constantly taking risks, so that I am in turn, inspired to push forward as well. His collection of films make me believe and understand that as a filmmaker there is an on-going process of finding yourself, experimenting, exploring and maturing.
Now admittedly, there are some Soderbergh films I do not like. But at his level, he is free to take chances and experiment. Good for him. He makes the films he wants. Even when doing a studio picture he seems to still manage a level of control where both studio and artist come to a happy medium.
But how many of us can afford the luxury of making films for both studios and ourselves? Not many. To me, that would be a dream situation. Can you imagine being paid a healthy sum to direct a film for a production house — and then affording the luxury to take time off and make a smaller, more personal film on your own terms? Again, a dream situation for me — a nightmare for others (the directing for a studio part).
I am fortunate to have been hired to direct 2 feature films — Dismal (horror) and Death of the Dead (zombie action/comedy). These were huge departures from my personal work, but styles of film I love nonetheless. In fact, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. While being paid, I was given the opportunity to tackle other genres and stories that helped hone my craft. They also taught me tremendously about the struggle of balancing one’s filmmaking voice while delivering a product to the producer’s satisfaction. It led me to wonder: without total creative control – how responsible am I on a film’s success or failure (creatively and financially)?
There have been some interesting reactions to Death of the Dead‘s initial trailer. Many love it while others do not — which is a tribute to the nature of the film itself. Its target audience finds it funny and can’t wait to see it — while others may not even crack a smile. What I find intriguing (and perhaps scary) are for those people who weren’t expecting this type of movie from me — what happens? Do I lose them? Or do I gain a whole new awareness from zombie lovers who didn’t know about What’s Up Lovely? Perhaps a little of both?
The prospect of this situation actually makes me very excited. There could be some cross-pollination of people (from totally different target demographics) who may like a film I’ve done and discover my other work — which in turn leads to building and sustaining an audience.
I have come a long way since sitting behind a desk in a 9-5 corporate job to being hired to direct feature film projects. It’s a luxury I do not take for granted. In doing this, there’s a responsibility to deliver what producers want, while trying to maintain my identity as a filmmaker. It is not always easy. But I’ve always said “my perfect job would be to get paid doing what I love.” And that’s directing. How can I complain?
Who knows? Only time will tell on how my body of work is looked at when it’s all said and done. For now, all I can say is stick around cause you’re in for one hell of a ride.
DEATH OF THE DEAD – Teaser Trailer from Gary King on Vimeo.
WHAT’S UP LOVELY – Official Trailer from Gary King on Vimeo.
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