Actress in 50s

Actress in 50s sought for new project involving 10 minute plays. Contact Alan Scott at scottair58@hotmail.com

Indie Memphis -- get ready

Excerpts from John Beifuss' story in the CA:

The Indie Memphis Film Festival has unveiled its beautifully redesigned Web site (complete with mockingbird mascot) — and revealed most of its lineup of more than 40 narrative and documentary features and a score or more shorts.

New Indie Memphis director Erik Jambor, a veteran festival organizer, has assembled an impressive roster of film professionals to serve as jurors in the Features, Documentaries, Shorts and Hometowner categories. (“Hometowner” awards are given to movies with a definitive Shelby County connection.) Judges include Elvis Mitchell, the former New York Times film critic who has become a celebrity in his own right, thanks to his regular reviews on NPR and his hosting duties on “Independent Focus” on the Independent Film Channel and “Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence” on Turner Classic Movies; Peter Gilbert, a producer on the acclaimed documentary “Hoop Dreams”; and Alison Bagnall Standefer, co-writer of Vincent Gallo’s “Buffalo ’66.”

Native Memphians Morgan Jon Fox (“omg/HAHAHA”), Brett Hanover (“Bunnyland”) and Brittany Blockman (“Bi the Way”) will be among the filmmakers represented. Films that sound promising include “Chasing the White Dragon,” a violent drama about small town crystal meth addicts; Alex Karpovsky’s “Woodpecker,” a faux documentary about the obsessive search for the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas; the actual documentary, “Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie”; and the documentary ” ’Bama Girl,” about a black woman’s quest to become homecoming queen at the University of Alabama. “Midnight movies” will include “Interplanetary,” about ancient monsters on Mars, and “Dance of the Dead,” in which zombies (what else?) battle dateless nerds at a high-school senior prom.

Returning from last year’s festival will be the Global Lens series, a collection of 10 international films.

The festival takes place Oct. 10-16 at Malco’s Studio on the Square, which will dedicate all five screens to Indie Memphis for the event’s opening weekend.

You be the judge

You can be the judge of the Finalists in the 11th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. The only place in Tennessee to participate is at Malco Studio on the Square this Thursday. Find out the details at On Location: Memphis.

ArtsMemphisTV with Live From Memphis -- Stax Academy

Check out the latest video created by Live From Memphis for ArtsMemphis. It's on the Stax Music Academy, nice interviews and a peek at how the youngsters are getting some incredible instruction.

Cody 'Hounddog' Hanford in the CA

Here's an excerpt from John Beifuss' story in the CA on young actor Cody Hanford:

Standing 5-foot-3 and weighing 90 pounds, Germantown's Cody Hanford, 13, is small for his age.

He's smaller still in "Hounddog," the controversial film with Dakota Fanning that was shot in North Carolina in 2006, before Cody's recent 6-inch growth spurt.

Cody's size belies his show business experience and what casting directors say is his big acting talent -- a talent that in the past few years has put him in movies, taken him to Broadway and placed him alongside Radio City Music Hall's famous Rockettes.

Memphians who have missed Cody's many local stage appearances can see him Friday, when "Hounddog" opens at Malco's Ridgeway Four.

Clips from 'Nothing But the Truth'

Here are five clips from the made-in-Memphis film "Nothing But the Truth."

Hanford in 'Hounddog' -- this Friday

"Hounddog," starring local actor Cody Hanford, opens here Friday at the Ridgeway 4 as a limited release. Here is the trailer: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/hounddog/trailer

Actress needed

Drew Whitmire is casting the female lead for “Sapphire,” a locally produced dramatic feature film scheduled to shoot in and around Memphis in late November/early December. The film centers around an eccentric, mentally unstable woman dealing with the death of her mother amidst a backdrop of characters gathered for the wake. Ages 35-55 preferred. Improvisational skills a plus. Please send headshot/resume to info@drewwhitmire.com.

Improv workshops

The Wiseguys improv troupe and Comedy, Tennessee comedy club are
presenting Improv Workshops for Beginners. This six week course to
teach improvisational skills will meet on Saturdays from 11/1 through
12/13 (off 11/29) f rom 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Comedy, Tennessee,
6102 Macon Road. The classes will be taught by award-winning
improvisor and stand-up comic Joe Leibovich with guests including
Comedy, Tennessee owner/comic John Marks and improvisor/comic/writer
Andy Fleming. A showcase performance for students will take place
12/17 at Comedy, Tennessee. Classes are $150 for the series. In
addition to the classes and performance, all students will receive two
tickets to each Saturday night 8:15 p.m. show at Comedy, Tennessee on
class nights (except for 12/6, which is a special show) and will
receive a portion of the proceeds from the 12/17 showcase. Enrollment
is limited.

For more information, see www.wiseguysimprov.com, email
info@memphiscomedy.com, or call 901-481-9362 or 901-384-4222.

Actor needed

Looking for a 70ish male actor for a short film. It would be the lead role in a film concerning Alzheimer Disease. Email headshot and resume to Tim at trmagic2@aol.com

Extras and standins needed

Extras and stand-ins for the film N-Secure are needed on and off for the next couple of weeks.

Contact Abby Elzemeyer, Elzemeyer Talent Agency
149 Monroe Ave
Memphis, TN 38103
www.etamemphis.com
901-527-9263
901-340-0529

Premiere of "Nothing But the Truth"

What was it like? Here's the tale.

Blogging from Toronto

I'm guest blogging on John Beifuss' The Bloodshot Eye for a few days. I'm at the Toronto International Film Festival reporting on films with Memphis connections. And I'm gonna see the premiere of "Nothing But the Truth" to make sure they didn't cut out my scene.

And, of course, to check the buzz and meet beautiful people at the afterparty and tell you all about it.

All of you Red West fans will like what I've got up there already, so go....

Got a spare morgue laying around?

From Mike McCarthy:

Does anyone know of a MORGUE-TYPE location we could use the morning of Saturday September 20th? It would be dark lit and does not have to be perfect.

It is also important that I have three gurneys (or table that ROLL).

Any suggestions are appreciated!

All the best,
Mike McCarthy
901-486-6325

http://www.guerrillamonsterfilms.com/index2.html

Red West at Toronto Film Fest

Read John Beifuss' blog "The Bloodshot Eye" for info on Red West's latest film:

In the tradition of Richard Farnsworth (“The Grey Fox,” “The Straight Story”), Ben Johnson (“The Last Picture Show”), Jessica Tandy (“Driving Miss Daisy”), John Houseman (“The Paper Chase”) and other shall we say seasoned performers who won their most significant movie roles late in their careers, 72-year-old Memphis native Red West is poised to secure some long overdue attention and praise for his acting chops this week when his new film, “Goodbye Solo,” debuts during the prestigious Venice and Toronto film festivals.

Interns sought for "N-Secure"

The production crew for the film N-Secure is seeking interns to apply for various positions for the film N-Secure, a mid-budget movie, scheduled for local production the weeks of September 2 – October 6, 2008. The executive producer is local promoter Julius Lewis who is also co-writer along with local media personality Christie Taylor. The film director is David Matthews.

We are requesting interns for six hour shifts for the art department, production assistants, as well as hair and make-up assistants. Those interested in applying for the above mentioned internships must submit their resumes and/or bios to nsecurefilms@gmail.com .

If you require further information regarding the internships or the film N-Secure, please contact (901) 388-0069. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Team Picture on DVD

Terrific film. For more info: http://www.myspace.com/teampicture

A studio in Nashville?

Here's a story in the Tennessean about some investors wanting to build a sound stage in Nashville. An excerpt:

Picture this: a film studio complex and public entertainment venue in Nashville that would capture the look and feel of Universal Studios Hollywood — only without the rides and with a project pipeline loaded with films targeted at heartland audiences.

That's the pitch being made to redevelop the Tennessee State Fairgrounds by Woodland, Calif.-based Tower Investments and Nashville's 821 Entertainment, whose projects include a forthcoming film about the life of the Rev. Billy Graham, as well as a biopic on music legend Hank Williams.

But whether that studio concept turns out to be one of the four ideas selected by the fair board to revamp the 117-acre site doesn't seem ultimately to matter to Tower Investments Senior Vice President Alex Marks and 821 co-founder Eric Geadelmann.

What matters most to the partners is being able to secure a suitable spot in the Nashville area that allows them to tap into what they said is intense interest from well-heeled potential tenants who want to see movies added to Music City's entertainment portfolio.

Perry Gibson, executive director of the Tennessee Film & Music Commission, said that without a sound stage that's built to accommodate film projects, movies probably will continue to look to Tennessee primarily for its combination of incentives, locations and available crew.

That's where Marks and Geadelmann said their project comes in.

By building what amounts to a film-studio lot — which would include retail, a hotel and a 5,000-7,000-seat indoor music venue, as well as an attached film school — the pair hopes to make Nashville as much of a destination for movies as it is for music.

ArtsMemphisTV with Live From Memphis

From Sarah Fleming:

Christopher and I launched our latest project yesterday. It's called ArtsMemphisTV. This project is a joint venture between Live From Memphis and ArtsMemphis, and is basically a series of webisodes that will highlight our local arts scenes. We're super excited. At the moment ArtsMemphis has committed to doing 6 episodes with us... one every other Monday.

It's excellent ... check it out.

Nothing But the Truth: Sept. 8 at Toronto Film Festival

From John Beifuss in today's CA:

“Nothing But the Truth” — the political thriller with Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon and Alan Alda that was shot in Memphis last fall — will have its world premiere Sept. 8 at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Festival officials are scheduled to make the announcement today. The movie will be part of the event’s prestigious “Gala Programme,” a high-profile showcase for North American and international films that are screening out of competition. ...

According to Variety, the Toronto International Film Festival is “second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile pics, stars and market activity.” A Toronto screening often marks the start of a picture’s Oscar campaign.

After its Sept. 8 premiere, “Nothing But the Truth” will open Dec. 19 in New York and Los Angeles, to be eligible for Academy Awards consideration. It will open in Memphis and other cities in early 2009. A special preview screening for local cast and crew members likely will take place before its Memphis opening.

The full story is here.