'Memphis Muck' trailer

Another shameless self-promotion for my "Memphis Muck" documentary. See the trailer here of the doc on the musician that John Beifuss calls "Memphis' clown prince of hip-hop." The 30-minute video chronicles the Muck Sticky Revue of March 31, 2006, also featuring music and interviews with El Dorado and the Ruckus, Taco & the Mofos and the incomparable Mr. Safety.

"Memphis Muck" will screen at the Indie Memphis Film Festival on Oct. 16 at 8:30 pm. For the schedule and synopses of the festival, go here.

Indie Memphis party at Burke's Book Store

Filmmaker Craig Brewer and Burke's Book Store present Indie Memphis Film Festival Preview Party ... Local Filmmakers and Storytellers Gather to Promote Southern Films

On Friday, Oct. 6, Craig Brewer and Burke's Book Store host a preview party for the Indie Memphis Film, a project of Delta Axis. This event at Burke's will highlight local storytellers and the filmmakers featured in the weeklong Indie Memphis Film Festival, October 13-19.

It's at Burke's Book Store, 1719 Poplar Avenue, Friday, October 6th, 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Live music and trailers for the films to be premiered at the film festival along with trailers for Craig Brewer's forthcoming movie, "Black Snake Moan," will be presented in an outdoor theater at Burke's. Brewer will also sign "Black Snake Moan" posters for any one who makes a purchase that evening from Burke's.

The Preview Party is free and open to the public. Indie Memphis Film Festival passes will be sold this night only for a discounted price of $50 each (regular price $60) The passes provide admission to all films during the festival, and also guarantee a ticket to the special performance on Saturday October 14th, of Alloy Orchestra's live soundtrack to the 1925 Phantom of the Opera film.

Burke's Book Store: 1719 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38104, 901-278-7484/800-581-5156
burkes@netten.net, http://www.burkesbooks.com
Hours of Operation: Monday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The complete Indie Memphis program

Go here for PDF files of the program for the Indie Memphis Film Festival -- synopses, schedule, sponsors and everything.

Craig and Jodi Brewer create cancer awareness PSA

John Beifuss writes in the CA:

Grizzlies guard Mike Miller, Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton and Muck Sticky, Memphis' clown prince of hip-hop, are among the local celebrities who appear in a new public service announcement about the battle against breast cancer, directed by Craig Brewer and produced by his wife, Jodi Brewer.

The TV spot is the second the "Hustle & Flow" creator has directed to kick off a campaign to raise money for the local affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization working to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. This year's campaign -- dubbed "Passionately Pink for the Cure" -- asks companies to pick any day during October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) to encourage employees to wear pink in exchange for a $5 donation to Komen. More information is available at passionatelypink.org.

All participants donated their time for the public service announcement, which was created at Beale Street Studios, with studio owner Geo Holmes acting as videographer and Shan Sanford in charge of editing and digital animation.

Here's the Live at 9 program with Craig, Jodi, Muck and all.

Another film comes to Memphis

From today's story in the CA by John Beifuss:

Memphis director Craig Brewer will reunite with his "Hustle & Flow" star Terrence Howard, who will portray country singer Charley Pride, in a movie biography under a deal expected to be signed with Paramount Pictures.

Although Pride achieved fame in Nashville, Brewer said, "One of the reasons I went after this project is because I knew I could shoot a majority of it in Memphis." ...

The Charley Pride biopic -- to be produced by Southern Cross the Dog, the company founded by Brewer and his producing partner Stephanie Allain, with the participation of other producers connected with Pride -- could represent the first time Brewer has directed a film he didn't write. Brewer said he is too busy writing his next film, "Maggie Lynn," to script the Pride movie; he said he and Allain are looking for "the right writer" for the project.

Assuming a script is accepted, the movie still likely wouldn't be ready to go before the cameras until 2008.

"I want the project ready to direct after I do 'Maggie Lynn,'" said Brewer, whose ambitious slate also includes a possible broad-canvas film about the Memphis sanitation strike of 1968 that would link the city's music and civil rights histories.

Feature Film Auditions and Crew Call

Wordmonger Pictures, LLC is pleased to announce auditions for a feature film called "The Rabbit's Prayer," written and directed by Stephen Leet.

Story Line: Three travelers journey to the fictitious town of Riverton in the Depression era South. Each carrying a different, secret goal which together will ignite a spiritual awakening, a spiritual death and a long awaited judgment.

Jeanie - Starring / FEMALE / 18 TO 22 / Caucasian

Naive, innocent, shy, petite young adult without much direction in life; looking instead for others to guide the way. She is calm, contemplative and short on words. As the story progresses and Jeanie communes with her naturalistic environs, she will experience a spiritiual awakening. Her characterization will define the narrative's core.

Foster - Starring / MALE / 45 TO 55 / Caucasian

A Baptist preacher who acts as a self imposed father figure to the two other main characters. His faith is strong to the point of fallacy. He is full of songs and saying, folksy wisdom and religious ambition.

Harper - Starring / MALE / 20 TO 23 / Caucasian

A tormented young man who believes in little other than the weight of his own conscience. He is Jeanie's companion and is desperate for the promise of new work in the town of Riverton.

It will be shot on high definition and produced under the Screen Actor's Guild Low Budget Agreement. SAG as well as non-union performers are able to audition. Casting will also take place in Los Angeles.

For sides and/or more information, please send an email to: therabbitsprayer@hotmail.com

Auditions will be held 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 21st, 2006 at First Congo Church, 1000 S. Cooper, Memphis, TN 38104. Please enter via the handicapped ramps.

Craig Brewer directs for the cure

Director Craig Brewer and local musician Muck Sticky are promoting breast cancer awareness. Brewer has created a 30-second public service announcement for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in conjunction with its “Passionately Pink for the Cure” Campaign.

The commercial features Muck, Shelby County mayor AC Wharton, Grizzly Mike Miller, Beauty Shop chef Brett “Shaggy” Duffee and local breast cancer survivors. You can see/record it Tuesday during WREG-TV’s “Live at 9" show on Channel 3.

More on Village Roadshow Pictures Group

In the CA story referred to below, Rey Flemings asks local governments for money for his new film enterprise. Here's a story from an Aussie paper that offers more detail. And the Smart City Memphis blog has a thing or two to say about it.

"Just the Two of Us" is a winner!

The DogDay Entertainment/ Pittstop Productions film "Just the Two of Us" won the Grand Prize at the American Artist Film Festival in Kansas City. Way to go Keenon and Rod!

See it at the Indie Memphis Film Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:15 p.m.

Indie Memphis preview at MeDiA Co-op

The MeDiA Co-op is proud to present an Indie Memphis preview at the MeDiA Co-op Tuesday, October 3 7:30 pm. Donations accepted.

The Indie Memphis Film Festival will give a preview of their 9th annual film fest, screen some films, and talk all about what's in store for their 2006 installment, October 13-19, at Peabody Place/Muvico Theatres downtown, Memphis.

Go here for more info on Indie Memphis.

Have some extra time? Wanna volunteer some hours helping the MeDiA Co-op w/events, and various in-house projects, please respond to memphisdigitalartscoop@gmail.com with general inquiries, and availability. We appreciate it!

"Across the River" at Indie Memphis

John Harvey's "Across the River" has been accepted to the Indie Memphis Film Festival and is on the schedule to show at 8:45 pm Monday, October 16th. The plot revolves around a young man who has just died and bargains with the Grim Reaper to allow him to stick around to tie up some loose ends. Rock 103's Dennis and Ric -- Dennis Phillippi and Ric Chetter -- are the Grim Reaper and the Soul Eater.

Meet the Angry Filmmaker at Indie Memphis

On Sunday, Oct. 15, there's a 1 p.m. workshop with The Angry Filmmaker at Indie Memphis. Find out about this director/screenwriter/producer at his MySpace site and at his Web site AngryFilmmaker.com.

Shelby County taxpayers asked to help film company

The proposed Village Roadshow Pictures regional facility in Memphis wants public money. Here's an excerpt of the story by reporter David Williams in today's CA:

Rey Flemings, leading the movie company recruitment as a Memphis Music Foundation board member, wouldn't discuss the amount but said Friday it was small "in the world of corporate incentives."

The funds would supplement recent state film-incentive legislation that provides a rebate of 15 percent of in-state company production spending, if certain qualifications on the company and its spending are met.

The foundation is working with the city, county and other entities on the project, although there's not yet an agreement that could be presented to the City Council and County Commission as part of a funding request.

The proposed deal calls for Village Roadshow -- an Australian-based company behind "The Matrix" and other hits -- to spend $250 million on productions here over five years.

"We continue to build a case that film and music are real industries that are having and will continue to have great impact on the economic well-being of this community," said Flemings, who recently resigned his paid position as foundation president to work for hometown pop star Justin Timberlake's organization.

Timberlake plans to relaunch Stax Records in a partnership with California-based Concord Music Group, whose owners -- Norman Lear and Hal Gaba -- own part of Village Roadshow.

"These deals mean a lot in terms of job creation and tax benefits for local and state government," Flemings said, "and that's in addition to the real obvious soft benefits in marketing and civic pride."

Village Roadshow Pictures has made:
The Matrix
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Twelve
Miss Congeniality
Cats & Dogs
Two Weeks Notice
Mystic River
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Eight Legged Freaks
Zoolander

"What Goes Around" at Indie Memphis

"What Goes Around..." has been accepted into the Indie Memphis Film Festival. It's a comedy-drama that follows Talal (Patrick Henry), a young man with cold feet, who after growing increasingly frustrated with the worrisome ways of his girlfriend Marie (Chris Brown), decides to see what else is out there. He thinks he's struck gold when he draws the attention of Angela (Lisa Miller) an attractive classmate who seems to have everything he’s looking for in a relationship: beautiful, smart, funny and sexy. But little does he realize; everything that glitters isn't gold.

The film is by Rod Pitts of Pittstop Productions.

"Memphis Muck" at Indie Memphis

"Life is too important to take too seriously."

What's it like to make music in Memphis? The 30-minute documentary "Memphis Muck" will be shown Oct. 16 at 8:30 pm at the Muvico in Peabody Place. Most of the doc was taped during a March 31 concert by Muck Sticky and includes music performed on the stage of the New Daisy as well as interviews with the Thoreau-quoting, feel-good, herbal-centric, R-rated musician/entertainer/actor as well as his other guests that night: El Dorado and the Ruckus, Taco & da Mofos and Mr. Safety discussing Memphis music, the creative urge and how it all comes together.

Kudos to Last Train From Memphis Entertainment

Last Train to Memphis Entertainment is proud to announce that two of their films have been selected to be shown at the Script-2-Screen Independent Film Festival and Movie Biz Conference, October 5th-8th. Ken Axmaker, Jr's film, Man-tute, has been selected to represent Memphis independent filmmaking. It will be shown opening night, Thursday, October 5th, with an introduction by the director. Man-tute will also be shown at it's regularly scheduled time, Saturday October 7th at 8:40 p.m. Axmaker's feature film, Service With a Smile, will also be showing Friday, October 6th at 7 p.m. Service is the film John Beifuss of the Commercial Appeal has called, " the Charles Bukowski meets Shemp Howard dipsomaniacal comedy..."

Axmaker says: "This is a great honor to have one of my films chosen to represent Memphis filmmaking. I think that this will help bring more attention and support to the Memphis independent film scene."

For more info on the films:

www.LastTraintoMemphis.com

to watch:

www.MySpace.com/lasttraintomemphis

For more info on the festival and movie biz conference:

http://www.script2screenfilmfestival.com/

Last Train to Memphis lineup

Last Train to Memphis Entertainment is proud to announce the October line up for the monthly shorts festival airing on WYPL-18. This is our fifth episode, and we have an excellent line up.

The Players:

Blown - Directed by Michael Cruickshank
Will O'Loughlen
Kaleo Quenzer
Rick Venable

Prom Queen - Directed by Ben Siler

Block - (a BR2 film) Directed by Melissa Crouch

Music for ending credits: Cat Head Biscuits and Gravy a duet by Nancy Apple and Rob McNurlin from the River Road or Rail album.

Be sure to watch the bonus film at the end of the credits-

South Dakota Trilogy in Three Minutes - Directed by Will O'Loughlen

The Times:

Sunday night/Monday morning 12 am
Thursday morning 2:00 am
Thursday night 10:30 pm
Saturday morning 1:30 am
Saturday night 11:00 pm

Congratulations to all the filmmakers. If you would like to submit a film or song to the festival, go to www.LastTraintoMemphis.com and click on the festival link.

or, http://www.MySpace.com/lasttraintomemphis

Please email us at: LTTM1@aol.com with any questions or comments.

FABA Film Festival

Did Indie Memphis reject your film, because they just had too many entries? Well have no fear, FABA! is here. On October 11th and the 12th we will be holding the first ever FABA! Film Fest at MO's (Memphis originals).

ENTRY IS FREE!!!!!

FABA! wants you to show us what you've got!

Shorts, Features, Documentaries... Bring it on!!!

Prizes include cash and DISTRIBUTION!!! Through Knight entertainment.

For entries, call 901 859 4979

Send all entries via US mail to :

For Artists By Artists
2121 Poplar ave # 74
Memphis TN 38104

All entries must be postmarked by October 7th

Li'l Film Fest 3 -- Watch out!

Now you can watch the little movies that made up last Saturday's "Li'l Film Fest 3: Kung Who?...No, Kung Fu!" Go to the LiveFromMemphis.com site here and sit back for unlimited minutes of chop socky hilarity.

Congratulations to John Pickle whose "Electric Ninja Acid Test" won the audience fave award. And thanks to everyone -- all 92 of you -- who participated in my production and to all who came to the screening and supported local indie filmmakers. I hereby christen all of you Associate Producers.

Indie Memphis lineup

Here are dates, times and titles for the Indie Memphis Film Festival. More details are to come, but now you can start filling in your calendar. Screenings are in two theaters at Muvico in Peabody Place, so there are two listings for each day.

More more details, see John Beifuss' blog about the upcoming festival.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 8:00
Come Early Morning, directed by Joey Lauren Adams (attending). Starring Ashley Judd with Nancy Ellen Mills and Ann Marie Hall.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14
1:00 This is Keith Rolyat
Stomp! Shout! Scream!
3:00 Youth Showcase
5:15 Films by Phil Chambliss
Shadow of the Hatchet Man
The Mr. Visit Show
The Devil’s Helper
7:00 Awards Ceremony

===

11:00 Workshop: SAG Indie
12:45 Last Thoughts
2:30 Documentary Shorts Program
A Cheaper Way to Go
The Cole Nobody Knows
Driving for Freedom
Bowl Digger
Confederate Pennsylvania
Crunch!
Soul of the Delta
4:45 The Proper Care and Feeding of an American Messiah
7:45 Shorts Program #1
Kubuku Rides (This Is It)
Electric Ninja Acid Test
Hyperthrust Overdrive
Peace
Love is Deaf
The Color of Motion
Attache
Testify
8:00 The Phantom of the Opera, (1925; Silent; B&W and hand colorized) with live accompaniment by The Alloy Orchestra

9:00 Live From Memphis Music Video Showcase

9:45 Rex Fears Dogs
The Other Side



SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15
12:45 Art From the Street
2:30 Dear Mr. President
August in the Empire State
5:00 American Cannibal: The Road to Reality
7:00 The Bottle Tree
Old Joy
8:45 Eat

===

1:00 Workshop: The Angry Filmmaker
2:45 Shorts Program #2
Ad Man
Anti-Arktikos
The Rabbit League Must Prevail
The Shovel
Imagine
Drinking Man
At Rope’s End
Katrina’s Wake
4:45 Jumping Off Bridges
6:45 Shorts Program #3
Made in Taiwan
Fence Dogs
Leave Me a Message
Mateo’s Tattoo
Give Me Ducky
A Riot in the Dark
Night Comes Down
Plenty 4 Days
The Bread Squeezer
8:30 When I Find the Ocean

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16
6:30 Cocaine Cowboys
8:45 Across the River
The Bridge

===

6:45 Fraternity Massacre at Hell Island
8:30 Delusions
Memphis Muck

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17
6:15 Just the Two of Us
8:45 What Goes Around

===

6:30 Dia de los Muertos
The Garage
8:30 Grim Sweeper


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18
6:15 Severance
8:30 Found
A Reel Man

===

6:30 Bodies and Souls
Of Good Courage
8:15 Send in the Clown

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19
6:45 The Importance of Being Russell
9:00 Mike McCarthy presents…

===

6:30 Playing With Rage
8:45 Nobody