“The Harp” film considered an eye-opener for society.
A group of student film makers wrote, filmed and produced a movie that evokes audiences to think about the value of life if only one day was left. The twist: the spotlight is on a homeless man.
The film, “The Harp” will double as a feature and charitable event for the homeless, stemming from the desire to be selfless. The film is the story of Frank Roots, a homeless man, as he goes through his last day on earth.
The story-line begins is about how Roots has become untrusting to society and closed off too many of his friends. A harmonica falls from the sky onto Frank’s head through a random act of God, and that harmonica leads him down a journey where he reconnects with some old friends and makes a vital new one. Along the homeless man’s journey, he struggles with pride and is faced with a revelation of his own death. The harp, the harmonica, will eventually lead to Frank’s death, as it is the only thing he will not let go.
This redemption through death story was written and directed by senior Sam Pool Creative Media Institute, who was inspired to make the film when he observed the homeless around town. Co-writer and assistant director Jacob Bonner, Jake Bayless the director of photography, Joe Meier the executive producer and George Robert Snead, the lead actor, helped Pool with the production of the film. Snead is an actor who worked on many projects including one feature film for Colin Powell.
Snead was asked by the production team to be its lead actor after seeing a film he had made for PBS with Colin Powell. Snead said the making of this film was a “real eye-opener.” He was able to live as a homeless man for one week and understood more than he had before: their living conditions, the scrutiny and careless way some are treated.
“Right now I’d suggest to anyone who has a chance to see the film to go,” Snead said. “Especially in today’s society.”
Bonner, co-writer and assistant director said, he and Pool were fascinated by the way people view homelessness and how most people “let it go.”
“The biggest element was the sense of alienation and sense of one man set apart from the rest of the society,” Bonner said. “Hopefully some people can relate to that and see elements of themselves within the character, which is what we thought would be interesting. To see how a normal audience relates to a homeless person.”
The co-writer said this film is really about the sense of humanity, which is what the production crew is trying to bring to this situation. He said there are so many people living on the fringe of society and most people who consider themselves good-natured just pass them by.
“We met a lot of people in the course of the making of the film,” Bonner said. “By the end of the film, I had a whole new view on society.”
The Harp was made possible by the Mark Medoff scholarship fund, which was rewarded to the students when they presented their senior thesis to the CMI professors. Bryant Marcontel, a junior in the CMI department at New Mexico State University, produced the film and is close friends with the writer and director.
“We filmed seven locations in El Paso, Texas and in Las Cruces, New Mexico,” Marcontel said. “It was the first film made downtown since the La Pacila Plaza was constructed.”
The film will be premiered at the Rio Grande Theater May 19 and in honor of the message, the entry fee will be in the form of donations; canned food and money will be accepted for the soup kitchen.
“Our film is targeted to film makers who want to see a good film, and to the people in positions of power who we will inspire to do good for the less fortunate,” Bryant said. “It is a good opportunity to see a local film and to support the film community.”
The Harp took approximately one year of preproduction and development, with 40 people involved in the project. Bonner said the 35-minute-film was an arduous process but well worth it. There is consideration to expand it to a feature film, but nothing has been set in stone.
“Everybody has a story and a certain kinds of circumstances that leads them to where they are,” Bonner said. “Hopefully this (film) can lead people in the direction of thinking more about selfless.”
Vicky Diaz | Executive News Producer, Cherish Marquez | Staff Writer
http://roundupdaily.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_a95f1418-9a48-11e1-a4ab-0019bb30f31a.html
Behind the Scenes of SCARY OR DIE: Horror Movie
We would like to announce CMI junior, Basil Pina (Butcher Role), has a part in the new R-Rated horror film SCARY OR DIE, which can be seen on Comcast’s Video-On-Demand starting today, May 1, until July 30.
SCARY OR DIE marks the directorial debut of the highly respected 2nd unit cinematographer Igor Meglic (The Borne Ultimatum, Salt, Resident Evil)
Prior to coming back to New Mexico, Basil worked on this project in the Los Angeles area. He has been working in the film industry as an actor for the past 6 years.
SCARY OR DIE will also be featured in the Troma Dance Film Festival at the Albuquerque Comic-Con, June 8-12.
A midnight showing of this film is in the works on June 7th, at the Cineport 10 at the Mesilla Valley Mall.
———————————–
Dawna Lee Heising of MoreHorror in Hollywood had the opportunity to sit down and talk behind the scenes with SCARY OR DIE writer, producer and director Michael Emanuel as well as stars Bill Oberst Jr. and Shannon Bobo of the feature film.
Watch the exclusive video interview below the details about this much buzzed about horror anthology.
“SCARY OR DIE” also stars Domiziano Arcangeli and will premiere at Raleigh Studios in May 2012. The video was filmed and edited by Renah Wolzinger and prodced in association with Dismal Productions.
Additionally starring in the SCARY OR DIE anthology is Bill Oberst Jr., Christopher Darga, Alexandra Choi, Elizabeth DiPrinzio, Shannon Bobo, Charles Rahi Chun, Andrew Caldwell, Shawn Caulin Young, Nicole Moore and many other faces familiar to fans of the genre.
The creation of filmmaker Michael Emanuel, SCARY OR DIE tells five interwoven horror stories that take place in and around the “City of Angles”. A flesh-eating clown desperately trying to protect the person he craves the most; A dirty cop and a hit gone wrong with a vengeful Necromancer; a beautiful but mysterious woman and a lonely man looking for love in all the wrong places; a gruesome blood splattered uprising of Illegal Mexican Zombies; and a Cajun conjure grandfather whose gift of never ending love goes terribly awry…SCARY OR DIE is unique experience in horror filmmaking certain to fulfill all your twisted horror film experience needs.
Written and directed by Emanuel and starring teen heartthrob Corbin Bleu, the segment titled CLOWNED tells a story of young street hustler Emmett, who gets bitten by a clown at a birthday party and begins to undergo a Kafkaesque metamorphosis with horrifying consequences. Arcangeli steals the show as an evil dancing clown, and Shannon Bobo’s haunting spectre in a tight purple dress is unforgettable.
Bill Oberst Jr. is a great actor and describes how Michael Emanuel contributed to his acting style by telling him that “less is more”.
SCARY OR DIE marks the directorial debut of highly respected 2nd unit cinematographer Igor Meglic (The Bourne Ultimatum, Salt, Resident Evil) as he directed the Emanuel-penned segment titled “Taejung’s Lament”.
By Dawna Lee Heising, MoreHorror.com
http://morehorror.com/MoreHorror-in-Hollywood-Exclusive-Behind-the-Scenes-of-SCARY%20OR%20DIE
‘The Odd Way Home’ to film in Las Cruces
‘The Odd Way Home’ to film in Las Cruces
Film sheds light on autism ‘The Odd Way Home’ to film in Las Cruces
The goal was not to create a film about autism, but rather a film where the main character, Duncan, just happened to be autistic.
The independent film “The Odd Way Home” is in the final stages of pre-production, ready to cast, and on track to start filming this summer in southern New Mexico, including Las Cruces. Unlike most films, this one takes aim at a specific issue without really addressing it head on.
“The main character, Duncan, has autism but instead of feeling sorry for him, we’re empoweringhim,”said Rajeev Nirmalakhandan who co-wrote the script, is a producer and will direct the film. “I don’t want to put that label on him. All we see is that he navigates and thinks differently.”
Duncan, who possesses savant-like qualities, is introduced, in a rather amusing way, to Maya, described as a “firecracker of a woman, scarred by abuse and fleeing her shattered life in Los Angeles.”
The two quickly strike up a friendship as they travel through New Mexico on a journey neither of them intended to take. Opposites attract, a common theme in films, but with a backstory that might hit home for some people.
Nirmalakhandan realized after taking part in a documentary about families with autistic children, that, although autism had become a common issue, there were still many preconceptions. He chose to approach the issue in a slightly unconventional way, in a fun, road-trip movie that’s meant to tug at the heartstrings, tickle the funny bone, educate and inspire all at once.
“It’s a very poignant and compelling story,” said Producer Peter Touche. “It depicts a very authentic and true-to-life portrait of a man with autism.”
Touche, a London native, brings 15 years of producing and financing experience to the project. He recently finished the movie “Goats” that was partly filmed in Albuquerque and “Blaze You Out,” filmed in Española, N.M.
Touche admits to having an emotional reaction to the script, “And that’s always dangerous,” he said.
“It’s been a long rewarding process bringing the film to where it is today,” said Patrick Nelson, also a producer of the film. “We brought Peter in from Albuquerque, who has produced big films and big names, to help us make it a true-Hollywood film.”
Nelson said his reasons for agreeing to produce the film came from the authenticity of the script and a subject that was familiar to him. “My older brother has Asperger’s,” Nelson said. “He was an adult when he was diagnosed. At the time it was difficult to get a diagnosis, until we came to Albuquerque.” Based on his experience, Nelson is confident in calling the character of Duncan “authentic” and empowers the character.
Not only does the film already have two seasoned and committed producers, it has gotten approval from the two of the autistic community’s most recognizable faces.
Temple Grandin and Stephen Shore, bestselling authors, professors, prominent speakers and advocates for autism, have voiced their support.
“(Grandin) and (Shore) told us that typically in films you are meant to feel sorry for autistic characters, it’s not centered around the wonderful qualities they possess,” Nelson said.
Grandin even agreed to a small role in the film.
“We’re making this film on a tight budget and will be using students from New Mexico State University,” Touche said. “Our team is eager to create something that will be impossible to ignore.”
Nirmalakhandan’s connection to the Creative Media Institute at NMSU means students will play an active role in the film’s production.
“We want to get two recognizable names for the lead roles, so we’re sending scripts to Los Angeles,” Nirmalakhandan said.
Once completed, Nelson said they plan on sending the film in to Sundance for consideration.
Not only is the film meant to shed a little light on an issue that is becoming more prevalent in the country, but as a project that involves local organizations that provide services, resources and therapy for those affected by autism, and help with fundraising efforts.
By Lorena Sanchez
For the Las Cruces Bulletin – 04/06/12
For more information, visit The Odd Way Home
NMSU filmmaker wins ‘Centennial’ award for movie
A screen-writing instructor in the Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University has won the New Mexico Centennial Award for her film that aims to humanize the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border. “Red Mesa,” won best New Mexican film during the Taos Shortz Film Festival held March 1-4.
“The big challenge for me was to tell a human story, that wasn’t a political story, that wasn’t ideological or trying to hit the audience over the head with anything, but just the realities of the border” said Ilana Lapid, the film’s creator.
The 17-minute film is a coming-of-age story about a young woman living with her grandfather along the U.S.-Mexico border when she begins a forbidden relationship with an undocumented worker from a nearby ranch. Seventeen-year-old Lynn, is torn between the love she feels for her grandfather and the Mexican laborer. Ultimately, she must make a difficult choice that results in a tragic set of circumstances.
“She has to decide what borders she’s willing to cross,” Lapid said. “It really explores the complexities of the border, as I understand it.”
Shot at Corralitos Ranch, just west of Las Cruces, the film was based on previous experiences for Lapid.
“I grew up in a lot of border regions,” she said. “I lived in Israel and Canada, in Ottawa, along the border with the U.S., so I’ve always been interested in border issues and the ways in which things are often not black or white along borders. Borders can often be places of intersections and unlikely meetings between people from different worlds.”
The film was a master’s of fine arts thesis project for Lapid as a graduate student in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She made it in collaboration with NMSU’s Creative Media Institute, the Film Technician Training Program and with support for the New Mexico Film Office and the New Mexico State Office of the Governor.
Lapid currently teaches history of cinema, screenwriting and cinema review at NMSU. On March 13, she began teaching the CMI/SOC mini semester course, “Border Cinema Around the World.”
Lapid has made 11 other short films, and she’s screened her two most recent films at various national and international film festivals. She hopes “Red Mesa” will be made available for download on iTunes in the near future.
To view a trailer of the film, visit http://www.redmesamovie.com/.
Date: 2012-03-15
Writer: Tonya Suther, 575-646-6233, suther@nmsu.edu
CMI Featured in Newsletter of Toon Boom Animation
The following is excerpted from an article in Toon Boom Animation’s Winter magazine, circulated internationally and online:
New Mexico State University’s Creative Media institute (CMI) offers a Bachelor of Creative Media degree with a focus in either Digital Filmmaking or Animation and Visual Effects. The CMI Animation concentration focuses on the art, craft, and business of storytelling through animation; and has already produced several talented artists. Theory and practice are integrated at every step as students manipulate text, sound, and images using the latest technology. For them, it is the place to learn their craft and find their voice – to master the artistic process and the technical skills needed to realize their vision. Areas of study within Animation include; 2D/classical animation, character animation, 3D computer animation, visual effects, voiceover, storyboarding and previsualization. The goal is to teach students to tell stories in ways which are innovative and original using industry-standard tools.
The CMI Animation concentration emphasizes imagination, creativity, and critical thinking. Students start creating projects and animatics in the Project Development class taught by Jess Gorell then move on to 3D study, or to the beginning 2D class with Eddie Bakshi where they further explore Toon Boom Studio. Working from a storyboard or animatic students construct animations – creating scenes with multiple shots, importing backgrounds from Photoshop, adding multi-plane camera moves, dollies and effects. Using Toon Boom Studio they go through the creation process step-by-step. Those who proceed to the intermediate Class with Prof. Bakshi master animation principles, focusing on drawing and animation fundamentals while also moving ahead with the software, building motion skills that can apply to all animation styles. “Students can pick up Toon Boom Studio quickly, so they can make their drawings move without too much stress. They gain control over the tool, letting them concentrate on learning the art of animation right from the beginning” commented Jess Gorell. Once students reach the advanced classes, they are exposed to a more “real-life” 2D production pipeline that includes compositing and more advanced sound integration. They often work in teams to reproduce a studio environment and tackle larger projects.
Toon Boom News
The Animation Community Platform
Winter 2011 – 2012 : Toonboom.com