Hybrid Cinema

For Immediate Release:

LOS ANGELES, CA – December 29, 2011 – Hybrid Cinema, The Colburn School and the California Dance Institute (CDI) are pleased to announce the Los Angeles premiere of the feature length documentary Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance at Zipper Concert Hall at The Colburn School on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 8:00pm.  Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, directed by Bob Hercules, is the first film to chronicle how the legendary Joffrey Ballet revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet.  The Los Angeles premiere will include a Q&A immediately following the screening moderated by Sasha Anawalt, Director, Arts Journalism Programs at USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, with panelists Leslie Carothers-Aromaa, Artistic Director of the Colburn School’s Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, Carole Valleskey, Founder and Director of CDI, Francoise Martinet Moriarty, former Joffrey dancer from the company’s earliest days in the late 1950s, and Jodie Gates, Artistic Director of the Laguna Beach Dance Festival, Associate Professor of Dance at UC Irvine and former Joffrey principal dancer.

General admission tickets are $20 and will go on sale the first week of January.  The Los Angeles event follows the film’s world premiere, which will be held at Dance On Camera Festival January 27th in NYC at Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center.  Zipper Concert Hall at The Colburn School is located at 200 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Public parking is available at lots adjacent to the school and limited street parking is also available within the area.  For more information, please visit http://www.joffreymovie.com/

Joffrey Ballet Dancers April Daly & Fabrice Calmels 2007 Photo courtesy Joffrey Ballet

Synopsis –
Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance
Director: Bob Hercules
Country: USA, 2012, 90min.
This insightful documentary, executive produced by Harold Ramis and Jay Alix and produced by Una Jackman and Erica Mann Ramis, examines the dynamic trajectory of the groundbreaking American ballet company – The Joffrey Ballet – which daringly combined traditional ballet and modern dance at a time when it was not routinely accepted. Weaving together a wealth of archival footage, behind-the-scene photos and interviews with former and current Joffrey star dancers, director Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones: A Good Man) documents the struggles and achievements of the Joffrey from its newfound beginnings in 1956 to the Company’s present international success. The film features rare excerpts from many seminal Joffrey works including Astarte, Trinity and Billboards, as well as breakthrough collaborations with choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, Leonid Massine, Laura Dean, and Kurt Jooss. Founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino and a host of ballet notables, including Gary Chryst, Trinette Singleton, Helgi Tomasson, Kevin McKenzie and more, are featured in the film. Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin, the film is a rich chronicle of a ballet company that continues to reinvent itself, raise the bar and invigorate audiences worldwide.  See list of full credits at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1829041/fullcredits.

Gerald Arpino's "Light Rain" Photo credit: Herbert Migdoll

Distribution –
Following the film’s world premiere in NYC in late January, Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance will embark on a U.S. tour through Spring 2012 with stops not only in Los Angeles but also in Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, Aspen, St. Louis, and many other cities. Special one-off events with Joffrey alumni and limited theatrical engagements are planned. The documentary will then have a VOD/DVD/digital release in June of 2012 through New Video.

Simultaneous Screenings –
The film will also simultaneously premiere in theaters around the country via simulcast through Emerging Pictures network of theaters on the weekend of Saturday, January 28th. A pioneering project, this marks the first time a film has simulcast its world premiere out of a major festival (learn more here).  Audiences at screenings across the country will be able to participate in a Q&A session from the New York City world premiere through a live Twitter feed.  Visit http://www.emergingpictures.com/2011/12/19/joffrey for updates on exact theater locations.


Multimedia – The Expanded Joffrey Story –
Hybrid Cinema is also releasing multimedia companion projects with exclusive content for fans wishing to further explore the Joffrey legend beyond the film.  The first of these initiatives is a series of digital photobooks called Joffrey Maverick Moments.  Each new edition will be available for free from the film’s website and Facebook page.  The digital photobooks are based on themes and time frames found in the film with photos accompanied by quotes from Robert Joffrey, his friends and associates, as well as alumni interviews that provide further insight and background into the Company. Future Joffrey Maverick Moments may explore such themes as Joffrey’s Nutcracker through the years, Joffrey’s psychedelic rock ballet Astarte, Arpino’s most well regarded ballets (The Clowns, Trinity, Olympics, Round of Angels, Light Rain), and more.  Hybrid Cinema has started releasing a series of audio podcasts with exclusive new interviews of Joffrey alumni.  These podcasts utilize the SoundCloud platform and are available through the film’s Facebook page for fans only.  The multimedia companion projects will be released over the next few months, through the premieres and leading up to the DVD release in June.  Regular content, including film clips, bonus outtakes, and blog articles, is also available on the film’s website and YouTube channel.


Director Bob Hercules –
Bob Hercules is an award-winning veteran producer/director (Forgiving Dr. Mengele, Bill T. Jones: A Good Man, Senator Obama Goes to Africa).  The co-founder of Media Process Group, his work has been seen widely on PBS, The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel and the Independent Film Channel (IFC). He has also directed commercials for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Alzheimer’s Association, McDonald’s Corporation, Gap Clothing Stores and the Obama For President Campaign.  His documentary, A Good Man, co-directed by Gordon Quinn, chronicles the intense creative journey of Bill T. Jones – a 2010 Kennedy Center Honors recipient and two-time Tony® Award winner for Best Choreography.  It premiered on November 11, 2011 on PBS’ celebrated series American Masters.


The Joffrey Ballet –
For more than a half-century, The Joffrey Ballet’s commitment to taking world-class, artistically vibrant work to a broad and varied audience has created a solid foundation that continues to support the Company’s unprecedented capacity for achieving important “firsts.” Today, the Joffrey, which has been hugely successful in its former residences in New York and Los Angeles, lives permanently in a brilliant new facility, Joffrey Tower, in the heart of America – Chicago, Illinois. The Company’s commitment to accessibility is met through the most extensive touring schedule of any dance company in history, an innovative and highly effective education program including the much lauded Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, and collaborations with myriad other visual and performing arts organizations.

Co-founded in 1956 by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey and dancer Gerald Arpino, who would become the organization’s principal choreographer, The Joffrey Ballet began as a DIY dance company of six dancers touring the United States in a borrowed station wagon. What started as a childhood dream quickly grew into one of the world’s most exciting and prominent ballet companies. Together, Joffrey and Arpino transformed the face of dance by merging classical ballet technique with bold new perspectives for edgy new ballets that challenged conventions. Aggressive touring took the Company from school auditoriums across America’s Heartland, to the White House at Jacqueline Kennedy’s invitation, on to Russia for a month-long tour during the height of the Cold War, and beyond.  They also garnered extensive media attention for their daring originality, which included appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, the cover of Time Magazine, and in major motion pictures such as Save the Last Dance and Robert Altman’s The Company (which is based on the Joffrey).

Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique, inclusive perspective on dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its Company, audiences and repertoire, which includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces, and contemporary works. The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley C. Wheater and Executive Director Christopher Clinton Conway. The Joffrey Ballet has become one of the most revered and recognizable arts organizations in America and one of the top dance companies in the world. To learn more, please visit http://joffrey.org/.


The Colburn School/Zipper Hall –

The Colburn School’s mission is to provide the highest quality performing arts education in an optimal learning environment. Founded in 1950, The Colburn School was established as a small preparatory school in connection with the University of Southern California’s School of Music. The School became an independent, nonprofit institution in 1980 through the generous support of its benefactor, Richard D. Colburn. In 1998, The Colburn School moved to its current location on South Grand Avenue. One of LA’s most popular performance halls, the intimate 435-seat Zipper Hall at The Colburn School is home to many arts groups from the greater Los Angeles area, including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Pacifica, Southwest Chamber Music, Monday Evening Concerts, Lark Musical Society, and Piano Spheres. For more information, please call 213-621-4514 or visit http://www.colburnschool.edu.

The California Dance Institute –

California Dance Institute (CDI) is an in-school and after-school arts education program for low-income elementary school children that encourages discipline, self-expression and the pursuit of excellence through dance. CDI is the newest affiliate of the world-renowned National Dance Institute, founded in 1976 by New York City Ballet’s Jacques d’Amboise, and the subject of the Academy Award-winning film He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’.  Directed by former Joffrey Ballet principal dancer, Carole Valleskey, the CDI program consists of weekly dance classes in the schools, primarily for 3rd – 6th grade students.  Today the program serves 1,400 students in eight elementary schools in which over 91% of students qualify for the Free Lunch Program (indicating income of less than $33,000 for a family of four). http://www.californiadanceinstitute.org


Hybrid Cinema –
Hybrid Cinema was created by filmmaker and author Jon Reiss (Think Outside the Box Office, Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul) to help filmmakers navigate the ever-changing world of film distribution and marketing.  Hybrid Cinema consults with filmmakers to help them with the new digital era of distribution and marketing by utilizing modern strategies of audience engagement, special theatrical events, as well as innovative merchandising and release patterns.  Hybrid Cinema also supervises film releases. Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance is Hybrid’s second full release of a film following the graffiti documentary Bomb It.  Indicative of the innovative release and audience engagement strategies used by Hybrid, the Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance release marks the first time that a film has simulcast its film festival world premiere throughout the U.S. as the launch of its theatrical release.  Hybrid Cinema orchestrated this pioneering release strategy by, among other things, bringing the participating organizations together for these milestone premiere events.  For more information on Hybrid Cinema, please visit http://www.hybridcinema.com/

Key Links –
Official Movie Site – http://www.joffreymovie.com/
Movie YouTube Channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/JoffreyMovie
Movie Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/JoffreyBalletMovie
Movie Twitter – http://twitter.com/#%21/JoffreyMovie
Joffrey Ballet Site – http://joffrey.org/

For more information, or to request screeners, images, and interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com

Gerald Arpino's "Light Rain" Photo credit: Herbert Migdoll

Hybrid Cinema is pleased to announce the world premiere of the feature length documentary Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance at Dance On Camera Festival’s opening night in New York City on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 8:30pm. A repeat presentation will occur at Dance On Camera on the following day, Saturday, January 28th at 1:30pm. Both Dance On Camera screenings of Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance will be held at Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center. A stellar line-up of dance world panelists will be featured in Q&A sessions at both New York City screenings of the film.  Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, the first film to chronicle how the legendary Joffrey Ballet revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet, will also simultaneously premiere in theaters around the country via simulcast through Emerging Pictures on Saturday, January 28th. An accompanying art exhibit, featuring bold photos and posters by Herbert Migdoll (painter and official photographer for The Joffrey Ballet) will also be displayed during the month of January at the Frieda and Roy Furman Gallery at Walter Reade Theater.

Hybrid Cinema Presents
 New Documentary
Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance

World Premiere & Theatrical Release Launch in New York City

At Dance On Camera Festival

January 27-28, 2012

Simulcasting Throughout the U.S. via Emerging Pictures


LOS ANGELES, CA – November 21, 2011 – Hybrid Cinema is pleased to announce the world premiere of the feature length documentary Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance at Dance On Camera Festival’s opening night in New York City on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 8:30pm. A repeat presentation will occur at Dance On Camera on the following day, Saturday, January 28th at 1:30pm. Both Dance On Camera screenings of Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance will be held at Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center. A stellar line-up of dance world panelists will be featured in Q&A sessions at both New York City screenings of the film.  Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, the first film to chronicle how the legendary Joffrey Ballet revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet, will also simultaneously premiere in theaters around the country via simulcast through Emerging Pictures on Saturday, January 28th. An accompanying art exhibit, featuring bold photos and posters by Herbert Migdoll (painter and official photographer for The Joffrey Ballet) will also be displayed during the month of January at the Frieda and Roy Furman Gallery at Walter Reade Theater.

Dance On Camera’s opening night celebration will launch with the world premiere of Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance and include attendance by the director, Bob Hercules, and several members of the cast. The film, and associated Q&A session for the Saturday, January 28th matinee screening at 1:30pm, will simultaneously premiere for dance enthusiasts in participating theaters across the country via the Emerging Pictures network of theaters. A pioneering project, this marks the first time a film has simulcast its world premiere out of a major festival. Audiences at premiere screenings across the country will be able to participate in the New York City Q&A session on Saturday through a live Twitter feed. Walter Reade Theater and the Freida and Roy Furman Gallery are located at 165 West 65th Street, Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023. Tickets for the screenings go on sale Thursday, January 5, 2012 at the Walter Reade Theater’s box office and online at FilmLinc.com. For more information, please visit www.joffreymovie.com.

Synopsis –
Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance
Director: Bob Hercules
Country: USA, 2012, 90min.
This insightful documentary, executive produced by Harold Ramis and Jay Alix and produced by Una Jackman and Erica Mann Ramis, examines the dynamic trajectory of the groundbreaking American ballet company – The Joffrey Ballet – which daringly combined traditional ballet and modern dance at a time when it was not routinely accepted. Weaving a wealth of archival footage, behind-the-scene photos and interviews with former and current Joffrey star dancers, director Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones: A Good Man) documents the struggles and achievements of the Joffrey from its newfound beginnings in 1956 to the Company’s present international success. The film features rare excerpts from many seminal Joffrey works including Astarte, Trinity and Billboards, as well as breakthrough collaborations with choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, Leonid Massine, Laura Dean, and Kurt Jooss. Founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino and a host of ballet notables, including Gary Chryst, Trinette Singleton, Helgi Tomasson, Kevin McKenzie and more, are featured in the film. Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin, the film is a rich chronicle of a ballet company that continues to reinvent itself, raise the bar and invigorate audiences worldwide.  See list of full credits at www.imdb.com/title/tt1829041/fullcredits.

Screening Schedule –
Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance screenings at Dance On Camera are accompanied by special appearances at panel discussions related to the film:

Friday, January 27 [8:30pm] at Walter Reade Theatre:

Moderator Anna Kisselgoff, former Chief Dance Critic of The New York Times; Ashley C. Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet; Bob Hercules, Director of the film; Kevin McKenzie, Artistic Director of American Ballet Theater and former Joffrey principal; and former Joffrey Ballet principals Brunilda Ruiz, and Adam Sklute.

Saturday, January 28 [1:30pm] at Walter Reade Theatre:

Moderator Sasha Anawalt, author of The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an American Dance Company (Scribner, 1996); Trinette Singleton, principal dancer of The Joffrey Ballet who appeared on Time Magazine’s cover in 1968 for rock ballet Astarte; current Artistic Director Ashley C. Wheater; and former Joffrey principal Christian Holder.

Simultaneous US Premieres –
The simulcast premieres across the country mark the launch of the film’s distribution by Hybrid Cinema, which brought Dance Films Association and Emerging Pictures together for this series of events. The simulcast of the Saturday screening, which includes introductions as well as the Q&A session featuring top former Joffrey stars, will also be streamed live into participating cinemas. Audience members throughout the US will be able to ask the stars questions live via a live Twitter feed. Visit www.emergingcinemas.com for updates on exact theater locations.

Photo Exhibit –
The screenings are accompanied by a colorful photo exhibit in the Frieda and Roy Furman Gallery by Herbert Migdoll, painter and official photographer for The Joffrey Ballet. The exhibit highlights Joffrey’s Carousel: Celebrating 50 Years of Dance, a photographic parade of Joffrey’s dancers in costume, representing the Company’s classical and contemporary repertoire.  The multiple images on panels were shot in 2005 at the famed outdoor carousel on Chicago’s Navy Pier. The Frieda and Roy Furman Gallery is located in the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street, Plaza Level at Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023. Gallery admittance to the exhibition is free to the public during normal Walter Reade Theatre hours – seven days a week, 1:00pm to 10:00pm, throughout the month of January.

Gerald Arpino's "Light Rain" Photo credit: Herbert Migdoll

Distribution –
Following the film’s premiere in late January, Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance will embark on a U.S. tour through Spring 2012 with stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, Aspen, St. Louis, and many other cities. Special one-off events with Joffrey alumni and limited theatrical engagements are planned. The documentary will then have a VOD/DVD/digital release in June of 2012 through New Video.

Multimedia – The Expanded Joffrey Story –
Hybrid Cinema is also releasing multimedia companion projects with exclusive content for fans wishing to further explore the Joffrey legend beyond the film.  The first of these initiatives is a series of digital photobooks called Joffrey Maverick Moments.  Each new edition will be available for free from the film’s website and Facebook page.  The digital photobooks are based on themes and time frames found in the film with photos accompanied by quotes from Robert Joffrey, his friends and associates, as well as alumni interviews that provide further insight and background into the Company. Future Joffrey Maverick Moments may explore such themes as Joffrey’s Nutcracker through the years, Joffrey’s psychedelic rock ballet Astarte, Arpino’s most well-regarded ballets (The Clowns, Trinity, Olympics, Round of Angels, Light Rain), and more. Starting December 1st, Hybrid Cinema will start releasing a series of audio podcasts with exclusive new interviews of Joffrey legends.  These podcasts will utilize the SoundCloud platform and will be available through the film’s Facebook page for fans only.  The multimedia companion projects will be released over the next few months, through the premieres and leading up to the DVD release.  Regular weekly content, including film clips and bonus outtakes, is also available on the film’s website blog and YouTube channel.

Director Bob Hercules –
Bob Hercules is an award-winning veteran producer/director (Forgiving Dr. Mengele, Bill T. Jones: A Good Man, Senator Obama Goes to Africa).  The co-founder of Media Process Group, his work has been seen widely on PBS, The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel and the Independent Film Channel (IFC). He has also directed commercials for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Alzheimer’s Association, McDonald’s Corporation, Gap Clothing Stores and the Obama For President Campaign.  His documentary, A Good Man, co-directed by Gordon Quinn, chronicles the intense creative journey of Bill T. Jones – a 2010 Kennedy Center Honors recipient and two-time Tony® Award winner for Best Choreography.  It premiered on November 11, 2011 on PBS’ celebrated series American Masters.

The Joffrey Ballet –
For more than a half-century, The Joffrey Ballet’s commitment to taking world-class, artistically vibrant work to a broad and varied audience has created a solid foundation that continues to support the Company’s unprecedented capacity for achieving important “firsts.” Today, the Joffrey, which has been hugely successful in its former residences in New York and Los Angeles, lives permanently in a brilliant new facility, Joffrey Tower, in the heart of America – Chicago, Illinois. The Company’s commitment to accessibility is met through the most extensive touring schedule of any dance company in history, an innovative and highly effective education program including the much lauded Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, and collaborations with myriad other visual and performing arts organizations.

Co-founded in 1956 by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey and dancer Gerald Arpino, who would become the organization’s principal choreographer, The Joffrey Ballet began as a DIY dance company of six dancers touring the United States in a borrowed station wagon. What started as a childhood dream quickly grew into one of the world’s most exciting and prominent ballet companies. Together, Joffrey and Arpino transformed the face of dance by merging classical ballet technique with bold new perspectives for edgy new ballets that challenged conventions. Aggressive touring took the Company from school auditoriums across America’s Heartland, to the White House at Jacqueline Kennedy’s invitation, on to Russia for a month-long tour during the height of the Cold War, and beyond.  They also garnered extensive media attention for their daring originality, which included appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, the cover of Time Magazine, and in major motion pictures such as Save the Last Dance and Robert Altman’s The Company (which is based on the Joffrey).

Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique, inclusive perspective on dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its Company, audiences and repertoire, which includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces, and contemporary works. The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley C. Wheater and Executive Director Christopher Clinton Conway. The Joffrey Ballet has become one of the most revered and recognizable arts organizations in America and one of the top dance companies in the world. To learn more, please visit joffrey.org.

Dance On Camera –
Dance Films Association’s annual Dance On Camera Festival celebrates the immediacy, energy, and mystery of dance combined with the intimacy of film. Considered the “mother” of dance film festivals, the Dance On Camera Festival presents a broad range of independently made documentaries, short films, features, and animation.  Dance On Camera Festival has been produced by Dance Films Association since 1971, and co-sponsored by The Film Society of Lincoln Center since 1996. www.dancefilms.org/festival

Emerging Pictures –
Emerging Pictures is the largest all-digital specialty film and alternate content theater network in the United States. With a network of arts institutions, media arts centers and independent art house theaters, tied together through digital technology, Emerging is able to cost-effectively exhibit art films, documentaries, foreign language films, independent cinema and cultural programming. The Emerging Cinemas Network currently consists of 95 venues and is rapidly growing. www.emergingpictures.com

Hybrid Cinema –
Hybrid Cinema was created by filmmaker and author Jon Reiss (Think Outside the Box Office, Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul) to help filmmakers navigate the ever-changing world of film distribution and marketing.  Hybrid Cinema consults with filmmakers to help them with the new digital era of distribution and marketing by utilizing modern strategies of audience engagement, special theatrical events, as well as innovative merchandising and release patterns.  Hybrid Cinema also supervises film releases.  Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance is Hybrid’s second full release of a film following the graffiti documentary Bomb It.  Indicative of the innovative release and audience engagement strategies used by Hybrid, the Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance release marks the first time that a film has simulcast its film festival world premiere throughout the U.S. as the launch of its theatrical release.  Hybrid Cinema orchestrated this pioneering release strategy by, among other things, bringing the participating organizations together for these milestone premiere events.  For more information on Hybrid Cinema, please visit www.hybridcinema.com.

Key Links –
Official Movie Site – www.joffreymovie.com
Movie Youtube Channel – www.youtube.com/user/JoffreyMovie
Movie Facebook – www.facebook.com/JoffreyBalletMovie
Movie Twitter – twitter.com/#!/JoffreyMovie
Joffrey Ballet Site – joffrey.org

#                #                #

For more information, or to request screeners, images, and interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com

(photo credit: Nabil Elderkin)

Award-winning film Bouncing Cats, the inspiring story of one man’s attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda through hip hop, makes its US television premiere on Documentary Channel Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. (EST/PST). The film, narrated by Common and featuring interviews with Will.I.Am, and K’Naan, follows the legendary Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew and b-boy Abramz, the founder of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU), on a journey to unify, empower and inspire youth in the war torn region that has been called one of the worst places on earth to be a child.  The film, produced by Red Bull Media House and directed by Australian filmmaker and photographer Nabil Elderkin, toured the film festival circuit in 2010 and 2011, earning awards along the way at Urbanworld Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, and Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival, among others.  Proceeds from the film benefit BPU.

Award-Winning Documentary

Bouncing Cats
Premieres on Documentary Channel
Saturday, 
November 19, 2011, 8:00pm EST/PST


LOS ANGELES, CA – October 19, 2011 – Award-winning film Bouncing Cats, the inspiring story of one man’s attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda through hip hop, makes its US television premiere on Documentary Channel Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. (EST/PST). The film, narrated by Common and featuring interviews with Will.I.Am, and K’Naan, follows the legendary Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew and b-boy Abramz, the founder of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU), on a journey to unify, empower and inspire youth in the war torn region that has been called one of the worst places on earth to be a child.  The film, produced by Red Bull Media House and directed by Australian filmmaker and photographer Nabil Elderkin, toured the film festival circuit in 2010 and 2011, earning awards along the way at Urbanworld Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, and Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival, among others.  Proceeds from the film benefit BPU. To learn more about the film, view the trailer at http://www.bouncingcats.com and join the conversation at http://www.facebook.com/bouncingcats.

“Bouncing Cats is just the sort of work that the world needs to see coming out of Africa, a story of self-reliance and perseverance against immeasurable odds,” says K’naan.

Encore presentations of Bouncing Cats will air on Documentary Channel November 25, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.; December 29, 2011 at 2:30 p.m.; January 26, 2011 at 9:30 p.m. and January 27th at 12:30 a.m.  All times are EST. Documentary Channel is available on DISH Network (Channel 197) and DirecTV (Channel 267).

UNITING THE CHILDREN OF UGANDA THROUGH BREAKDANCE & HIP HOP CULTURE

Breakdance Project Uganda started in February 2006 by Abraham “Abramz” Tekya out of the belief that hip hop can be used as a tool to engage and empower disadvantaged youth in Kampala and other areas of Uganda. Its mission is to engage young people in hip hop culture in order to build leadership skills and promote social responsibility for positive change.  The Project has attracted people from every walk of life and acts as a catalyst for building mutually beneficial relationships between people of different social strata across Uganda and the rest of the world. After a trip to Uganda with NGO Oxfam, and a chance meeting with Abramz, director Elderkin felt compelled to share Abramz’ story with the hope of shedding light on the situation and motivating viewers to help.

“The work Abramz is doing with the kids of Uganda inspired me,” said Elderkin. “It was something I wanted to capture and share with others.”

Over the past five years, BPU has partnered with not only Oxfam, but also local and international organizations including: MS Uganda, In Movement, People Concern Children’s Project, Danish Centre for Cultural Development, H.E.A.L.S. (Gulu), Global Youth Partnership for Africa, the Embassy of France in Uganda, Uganda FDNC, USAID/NUTI, Straight Talk Foundation (STF), and has carried out activities in orphanages, juvenile prisons, local and international schools, and youth and community centers. Details on BPU, the situation in Uganda and how to donate can be found at:  http://bouncingcats.com

BEHIND THE SCENES

“In short – the movie features some serious hip hop cameos, incredible landscapes, and dancing.” – Chris Farone, Boston Phoenix

The Film’s Title:
“Bouncing Cats refers to the sound made by the kids in Uganda when they have no access to a boombox,” Elderkin explains, shedding light on the film’s title, “They sing the words ‘bouncing cats, baboons and cats’ in repetition to create their own beat – I was quite taken by it.”

Principal Cast:
Abraham “Abramz” Tekya -
Abraham Tekya, commonly known as “Abramz,” is the director and founder of Breakdance Project Uganda, an organization launched in February 2006 that uses breakdance and other elements of hip hop culture to promote positive change and social responsibility. A native of Mengo, Kampala, Uganda, Abramz grew up quickly, as most children in Uganda are forced to. At the age of seven, he lost both of his parents to AIDS and was orphaned, shuffled between distant relatives and different homes. Despite these circumstances, Abramz used his life experience and love of hip hop to educate, inspire and unite youth in Uganda and beyond. http://www.bouncingcats.com/cast/tekya.php 



Richard “Crazy Legs” Colòn -
To call Richard “Crazy Legs” Colòn a pioneer is an understatement. It is nearly impossible to have a conversation about b-boying without giving mention to the legendary Crazy Legs. Not only is he a veteran of hip hop as a culture, boasting more than 3 decades as the driving force behind the hip hop dance movement, but he’s also an outstanding citizen and role model. He has lent his time, experience, and influence to aiding and encouraging the positive advancement of hip hop culture. http://www.bouncingcats.com/cast/crazylegs.php 

Jolly Grace Okot -
Jolly Grace Okot, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, was among the first wave of children abducted and forced to be a child soldier in the beginning of Uganda’s civil war. She is the Uganda Country director for Invisible Children (IC) and has been involved with the organization since the beginning. Her guidance enabled Bouncing Cats‘ filmmakers to see and understand the plight of children in Northern Uganda, and her leadership and direction helped create IC’s initiatives on the ground. Okot also runs H.E.A.L.S., a program that provides play therapy for war-affected children.


Additional Credits:
Nabil Elderkin, Director -
Director Nabil Elderkin, originally a native of Australia, began his photography career when he picked up a camera to shoot portraits of fellow surfers. What started as a hobby, rapidly developed into a working career. From surf portraits, Elderkin began shooting musicians and anyone that inspired him. He later moved to the United States to continue to expand his career. Today, Elderkin lives and works in Los Angeles at his studio downtown. He shoots musicians, sports, fashion, and portraiture. Elderkin recently published a book titled Glow in the Dark with Kanye West through Rizzoli and has directed several music videos and documentaries from here to Africa. Traveling is his passion. He created the film in order to bring attention to the situation in Uganda as well as support the inspiring work Abramz is doing through BPU.   http://www.nabil.com

- 
Executive Producers: Amy Taylor, Scotty Bradfield, Karma Gardner, Charlie Rosene
- Producers: Nyla Hassell, George Mays, Claude Merkel, Charles Spano
- Film Editing: Isaac Hagy
- Sound Editor: Andrew Le Guier
- Genre: Documentary / Music
- Runtime: 75 minutes
- Country: USA
- Language: English
- Color: Color
- Filming Locations: Uganda, USA


Red Bull Media House -
Red Bull Media House is a global media company that creates compelling sports, culture 
and lifestyle programming and distributes it across multiple platforms. From film to 
television, print to digital and games, Red Bull Media House content is optimized for any 
device or platform. For more information, go to www.redbullmediahouse.com or contact Maddy Zeringue at 310-460-5110 or maddy.zeringue@us.redbull.com

Documentary Channel®-
Documentary Channel (DOC) is the USA’s first 24-hour television network exclusively devoted to documentary films and the independent documentary filmmaker, providing viewers with round-the-clock opportunities to see fascinating, eclectic and award-winning documentary films of all lengths and genres.  For more information on DOC, visit the network website at http://www.documentarychannel.com, in addition to http://www.facebook.com/DocumentaryChannel and http://www.twitter.com/doc_channel. Documentary Channel is available on DISH Network [channel 197] and DIRECTV [channel 267].  Don’t get the channel?  Request it by calling your cable provider or visiting http://www.documentarychannel.com/getdoc. Contact: Ashley Sandberg, Triple 7 Public Relations, 347-735-6480 or ashley@triple7pr.com

Through the Red Bull network, hi-res video and still images are captured and made immediately available for editorial use for all media channels including television, film, print, mobile, and digital. The content is centrally located in the Red Bull Content Pool for media partners at http://www.redbullcontentpool.com/.  See Bouncing Cats videos here.

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For more information, or to request screeners, images, and interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

Breakdance Project Uganda reaches youth in the slums of Kisenyi, Uganda (photo credit: Nabil Elderkin)

Joffrey Ballet founders Robert Joffrey & Gerald Arpino, early 1960's. Photo credit: unknown

Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, the first film to chronicle the legendary Joffrey Ballet, is set to premiere in New York City in January 2012 at the Dance On Camera Festival. The feature length documentary takes a look at this groundbreaking cultural treasure, known a s the first truly American dance company. Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin and directed by Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones: A Good Man), the film documents how the Joffrey revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet, and setting it to pop and rock music scores. Following the North American premiere in late January, the film will embark on a theatrical tour to select cities in the U.S. Released through Hybrid Cinema, the documentary is expected to have a DVD release in the first quarter of 2012 as well.
For Immediate Release:

Hybrid Cinema Announces New Documentary

Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance

Chronicling the History of the Groundbreaking Joffrey Ballet

Set to Premiere in New York City
January 2012

Followed by a Theatrical Tour in Select Cities


LOS ANGELES, CA – October 18, 2011 – Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, the first film to chronicle the legendary Joffrey Ballet, is set to premiere in New York City in January 2012 at the Dance On Camera Festival (see that press release here). The feature length documentary takes a look at this groundbreaking cultural treasure, known as the first truly American dance company. Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin and directed by Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones: A Good Man), the film documents how the Joffrey revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet, and setting it to pop and rock music scores. Following the North American premiere in late January, the film will embark on a theatrical tour to select cities in the U.S. Released through Hybrid Cinema, the documentary is expected to have a DVD release in the first quarter of 2012 as well. For more information, please visit www.joffreymovie.com.

Joffrey Ballet founders Robert Joffrey & Gerald Arpino, early 1960's. Photo credit: unknown

Co-founded in 1956 by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey and dancer Gerald Arpino, who would become their principal choreographer, The Joffrey Ballet began as a DIY dance company of six dancers touring the United States in a borrowed station wagon. What started as a childhood dream quickly grew into one of the world’s most exciting and prominent ballet companies. Together, Joffrey and Arpino transformed the face of dance by merging classical ballet technique with bold new perspectives for edgy new ballets that challenged conventions. Aggressive touring took the Company from school auditoriums across America’s Heartland, to the White House at Jacqueline Kennedy’s invitation, on to Russia for a month-long tour during the height of the Cold War, and beyond.  They also garnered extensive media attention for their daring originality, which included appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, the cover of Time magazine, and in major motion pictures such as Save the Last Dance and Robert Altman’s The Company (which is based on the Joffrey).

Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance weaves a wealth of rare archival footage and photographs along with interviews featuring former and current Joffrey star dancers, showing the full history of the Company from its founding in 1956 to the present. It describes how the Joffrey repeatedly resurrected itself after devastating financial and artistic setbacks and introduced cutting-edge choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, Laura Dean and Margo Sappington to larger audiences.

The film features rare excerpts from many seminal Joffrey works including Astarte, Trinity and Billboards, as well as breakthrough collaborations with choreographers Twyla Tharp (Deuce Coupe), Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) and Leonide Massine (Parade).

 Featuring: Kevin McKenzie, Helgi Tomasson, Lar Lubovitch, Ashley C. Wheater, Gary Chryst, Trinette Singleton, Anna Kisselgoff, Adam Sklute, Christian Holder, Dermot Burke, Paul Sutherland, Francoise Martinet, Brunilda Ruiz, Jonathan Watts, Diane Consoer, Sasha Anawalt, and Hedy Weiss.

Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance:
A Lakeview Films Production in association with Ocean Films
A Film by Bob Hercules
Executive Producers: Jay Alix & Harold Ramis
Producers: Una Jackman & Erica Mann Ramis
Writer/Director: Bob Hercules
Narrator: Mandy Patinkin
Directors of Photography: Michael Swanson & Keith Walker
Original Music Composition: Mark Bandy
Editing: Melissa Sterne
Run Time: 87m10s

Gerald Arpino rehearsal shot from the 1980s. Photo courtesy Joffrey Ballet.

About Director Bob Hercules –
Bob Hercules is an award-winning veteran producer/director (Forgiving Dr. Mengele, Bill T. Jones: A Good Man, Senator Obama Goes to Africa).  The co-founder of Media Process Group, his work has been seen widely on PBS, The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel and the Independent Film Channel (IFC). He has also directed commercials for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Alzheimer’s Association, McDonald’s Corporation, Gap Clothing Stores and the Obama For President Campaign.  His documentary, A Good Man, co-directed by Gordon Quinn, chronicles the intense creative journey of Bill T. Jones – a 2010 Kennedy Center Honors recipient and two-time Tony® Award winner for Best Choreography.  It premieres November 11, 2011 on PBS’ celebrated series American Masters.


About Narrator Mandy Patinkin –
Mandy Patinkin is an American actor of the Broadway stage, network television, and film. His credits include starring roles in musical theater presentations of Sunday in the Park with George, The Secret Garden, The Wild Party, Evita and Mamaloshen; television shows Chicago Hope, The Larry Sanders Show, Dead Like Me, and Criminal Minds; and the unforgettable Inigo Montoya in the 1987 comedy classic film The Princess Bride. Patinkin will be headlining on Broadway in November with Patti LuPone in An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin and is currently starring in the new Showtime series Homeland with Claire Danes.


About the Producers –
The film was born through the friendship of legendary multi-hyphenate actor-producer-director-writer Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Analyze This and SCTV) and first time producer Jay Alix.  Fans of the Joffrey, they both saw the need to interview Gerald Arpino before he passed. When they discovered that no documentary had ever been made of this legendary company, they decided now was the time.

Harold Ramis, Executive Producer –
Harold Ramis is a screenwriter, director and actor whose films include some of the most popular and influential comedies of our time – Animal House, Caddyshack, Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Ghostbusters, Back to School, Groundhog Day, Multiplicity, Analyze This, Bedazzled, Analyze That, The Ice Harvest and Year One. Among his numerous professional honors and awards, Ramis is the recipient of the American Comedy Award, the British Comedy Award, the BAFTA (British Academy) award for screenwriting (Groundhog Day), and the Just for Laughs Lifetime Achievement Award.  Four of his films were listed among the American Film Institute’s “100 Funniest Movies” and Groundhog Day was recently chosen one of the “101 Greatest Screenplays” by the Writers Guild of America. Harold Ramis has also directed several episodes of NBC’s acclaimed series The Office.

Jay Alix, Executive Producer –
Jay Alix is new to the documentary film world.  Having completed many private and corporate documentary projects, this film is his production debut for public distribution.  On the road to getting here, he was the founder, past chairman and president of AlixPartners, an internationally recognized firm of corporate turnaround, restructuring, performance improvement, and financial advisory professionals. He was also co-founder, chairman and past president of Questor Partners, a $1.2 billion investment fund focused on investing in turnarounds, underperforming and distressed companies, as well as special situations.

Una Jackman, Producer –

Una Jackman founded the Detroit Friends of the Joffrey Ballet in 2000, an organization that brought the Joffrey to perform at The Detroit Opera House for the past ten years and continues to have a presence in Detroit each year. Jackman was first introduced to Gerald Arpino and The Joffrey Ballet in 1980. While serving as a board member of Dance with Altitude in Telluride from 1995 to 2000, where the Joffrey enjoyed a summer residency for five years, she developed a close friendship with Arpino and the two conceived of the Detroit Friends organization. The making of this documentary, particularly doing the final interviews with him, is her way of paying tribute to Arpino’s life’s work and to the Company he co-founded.



Erica Mann Ramis, Producer –
Erica Mann Ramis is a poet and writer who has spent most of her life in and around the film industry. Her connection with the Joffrey began fifteen years ago when she met  Arpino. Ramis’ lifetime love of ballet and modern dance came to fruition when she and husband, filmmaker Harold Ramis, connected with Jay Alix and Una Jackman, and they resolved to document Arpino’s life and the history of The Joffrey Ballet.


The Joffrey Ballet Mission –
The Joffrey is a world-class, Chicago-based ballet company and dance education organization committed to artistic excellence and innovation, presenting a unique repertoire encompassing masterpieces of the past and cutting-edge works. The Joffrey is committed to providing arts education and accessible dance training through its Joffrey Academy of Dance and Community Engagement programs.


About The Joffrey Ballet –
For more than a half-century, The Joffrey Ballet’s commitment to taking world-class, artistically vibrant work to a broad and varied audience has created a solid foundation that continues to support the Company’s unprecedented capacity for achieving important “firsts.” Today, the Joffrey, which has been hugely successful in its former residences in New York and Los Angeles, lives permanently in a brilliant new facility, Joffrey Tower, in the heart of America, Chicago, Illinois. The Company’s commitment to accessibility is met through the most extensive touring schedule of any dance company in history, an innovative and highly effective education program including the much lauded Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, and collaborations with myriad other visual and performing arts organizations.

Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique, inclusive perspective on dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its Company, audiences and repertoire, which includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces and contemporary works. Founded by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey in 1956, guided by celebrated choreographer Gerald Arpino from 1988 until 2007, The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley C. Wheater and Executive Director Christopher Clinton Conway. The Joffrey Ballet has become one of the most revered and recognizable arts organizations in America and one of the top dance companies in the world. To learn more, please visit http://joffrey.org.

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For more information, or to request screeners, images, and interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

Joffrey Ballet founders Robert Joffrey & Gerald Arpino. Photo courtesy Joffrey Ballet.

For Immediate Release:

The Recently Resurrected William Castle Productions Presents

House on Haunted Hill:

A William Castle Annotated Screamplay

Complete with Emerg-O!

To Be Released on October 31, 2011

LOS ANGELES, CA – October 6, 2011
 – Due out on October 31, 2011, William Castle Productions proudly presents House on Haunted Hill: A William Castle Annotated Screamplay. The book features legendary horror filmmaker William Castle’s authentic working script from his 1959 classic thriller with original formatting and Castle’s own hand-written notes.  This collector’s item even comes with a new twist on Castle’s famous theater gimmick, Emerg-O. The 248-page book includes a foreword by acclaimed director Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling, Matinee), hailing the book as “an important artifact.” It also includes an introduction by William’s daughter, Terry Castle, who shares her personal thoughts on this seminal piece of film history. A critical perspective of the film by writer and illustrator Charlie Largent is also included as well as a special welcome from William Castle himself. The Screamplay will be available in print for $24.99 via Amazon and select retailers through the recently resurrected William Castle Productions (ISBN-13: 978-0578092928). For more information please visit http://williamcastle.com/blog/william-castle-productions.

House on Haunted Hill: A William Castle Annotated Screamplay cover art by Charlie Largent

“It’s not that often that you find a script from this period surviving with annotations,” writes Joe Dante in the introduction, “And that’s what makes reading this script such a pleasant surprise; you can actually imagine what it was like to be there, reading the script on the set with the actors, and coming up with artistic decisions on the spot.”



House on Haunted Hill – the movie – 

House on Haunted Hill remains a classic chiller to this day. Produced and directed by William Castle and written by Robb White, the shocker is beloved not only for Castle’s suspense-filled direction but what came to be known as “The Gimmick,” carnival sideshow trickery that both scared and delighted the audience. The original film stars the inimitable Vincent Price and features the classic gimmick Emerg-O – an inflatable glow in the dark skeleton attached to a wire that floated over the heads of the uproarious audience during the final moments of the film to parallel the action on the screen.

In the film, eccentric millionaire playboy Fredrick Loren (Price) and his fourth wife Annabelle have invited five strangers to a “party” at the House on Haunted Hill, a spooky old mansion with a murder-laden history. Whoever stays in the house for one night will earn ten thousand dollars each. Loren even provides loaded guns as party favors. As the night progresses, the guests are trapped inside the foreboding house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors.

House on Haunted Hill: A William Castle Annotated Screamplay –

The Screamplay features the House on Haunted Hill script’s original formatting, maintaining the integrity of the authentic screenplay replete with Castle’s own hand-written notes. In addition, the book cover imitates the leather-bound binders that Castle used for every movie. William Castle Productions, in keeping with the spirit of “The Gimmick,” presents this book with a print version of Emerg-O – simply flip through the pages and scare yourself silly!

The annotated script “pulls back the curtain on the film,” writes Charlie Largent on the artifact, “Castle’s copious notes shine a light on both his own working methods as the director and Robb White’s as the screenwriter … It’s the closest thing we’ll ever have to an alternate director’s cut of this seminal spookfest.”

William Castle –

Born in New York City in 1914, William Castle made horror films in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and lived his life scaring the living daylights out of people with the numerous horror films he produced and/or directed.  Macabre (1958), House on Haunted Hill (1959), The Tingler (1959), 13 Ghosts (1960), Mr. Sardonicus (1961), Homicidal (1961), Straight Jacket (1964), and Rosemary’s Baby (1968) are a few of his classic credits, the second and third films starring Vincent Price in career-defining roles. In addition to directing and producing, he also made many appearances in films (his own and others) such as Shampoo (1975) and The Day of the Locust (1975).  He also appeared in a non-speaking part in Rosemary’s Baby as the grey-haired man lurking outside the phone booth while Mia Farrow attempts to get in touch with her obstetrician.

Castle is perhaps best known, however, for the marketing strategies he developed to get his fans into theaters. In addition to the tingled butts of movie-goers at The Tingler screenings and insuring moviegoers against death by fright for Macabre, he also created “Illusion-O” a ghost viewer/ghost remover for 13 Ghosts, a “Punishment Poll” for Mr. Sardonicus, and Homicidal audiences were introduced to “Fright Breaks” and the “Coward’s Corner.”  He also introduced audiences to new film making and viewing techniques such as “Percept-O” and “Emerg-O.”

At 15, he began his career on Broadway, securing his first acting role by passing himself off as Samuel Goldwyn’s nephew.  He began his directing career at the age of 18 with a stage production of Dracula before graduating to work as an assistant to director Orson Welles, doing much of the second unit location work for Welles’ noir classic, The Lady from Shanghai (1947). John Goodman’s character in Matinee (1993) was based on Castle. His 1976 autobiography, Step Right Up, I’m Gonna Scare the Pants Off America, was reprinted in 1991 with a foreword by John Waters, who eulogized Castle thusly, “Without a doubt, the greatest showman of our time was William Castle.  King of the Gimmicks, William Castle was my idol.  His films made me want to make films.  I’m jealous of his work.  In fact, I wish I were William Castle.” Castle died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on May 31, 1977.

William Castle Reads to Ghouls - concept art by http://www.kleeproductions.com

Robb White –

Born in the Philippines, Robb White was a preacher’s son who held a wide variety of jobs before landing in the Navy during World War II. He became a prominent Hollywood scriptwriter when he teamed up with William Castle on House on Haunted Hill, Thirteen Ghosts, Homicidal, Macabre and The Tingler from 1958 to 1961. In addition to screenplays, he also wrote television scripts and dozens of novels, mostly adventure stories aimed at younger readers.   Notable among the novels he prolifically penned are The Lion’s Paw (1946), Deathwatch (1972), Up Periscope (1956), Flight Deck (1961), Torpedo Run (1962), and The Survivor (1964).

Terry Castle –
Terry Castle, the real life daughter of cult filmmaker William Castle, grew up in Los Angeles with a dad who made a living scaring the wits out of moviegoers everywhere. Although he was internationally famous, to her he was always just dad, though a larger than life one at that.  While she was growing up in the 1960s her father taught her interesting life skills such as the best recipe for fake blood, the proper way to hold an ax, and how to act out the most terrifying of ghost stories. After working as a writer and producer for years for CNN, Travel Channel, and Nickelodeon/MTV-Networks, she worked with Dark Castle Entertainment (Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis’ production company named after her father).  At Dark Castle she co-produced and consulted on the remakes of two William Castle films to make the plots even more frightening: House on Haunted Hill (1999) and Thir13en Ghosts (2001). Her soon to be released book, FearMaker: Family Matters, is an homage to her father (he’s a ghost writer on it actually!).  Horror is in her blood, as she carries on her father’s wicked tradition of scaring innocent souls everywhere.

William Castle Productions –
Since the 1950s, William Castle Productions (WCP) has been dedicated to scaring audiences with dozens of film and television releases.  The production company is best known for films Rosemary’s Baby (1968), House on Haunted Hill (1959), and The Tingler (1959). Dormant for a number of years after Castle’s death in 1977, the production company has been re-animated in recent years by the ghost of William Castle in collaboration with his daughter Terry Castle.  In addition to the recently released From The Grave: The Prayer (2011), William Castle Productions will soon release another new book, FearMaker: Family Matters written by Terry Castle.  Additional new film, television, theater, and DVD projects are also currently in the works.

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For more information, a copy of the book, photos, or to arrange an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 and lynn@greengalactic.com.

Book Stats:



House on Haunted Hill: A William Castle Annotated Screamplay



From William Castle, Screenplay by Robb White
Publisher: William Castle Productions
Category: Performing Arts / Screenplays
October 31, 2011
paperback • 248 pages • $24.99
ISBN-13: 978-0578092928
8.5″ x 11″ (21.59 x 27.94 cm)
Cover Art by Charlie Largent
Distributed by Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/HOUSE-HAUNTED-HILL-Annotated-Screamplay/dp/0578092921/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317928131&sr=1-2-spell

The Artivist Collective

Celebrate the Artivist Film Festival’s Winning Films And
Award Honoree Kristen Bell
At the Festival’s Closing Night Ceremony
Saturday, August 20, 2011
-
Artivist Film Festival at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood
Thursday 8/18 – Saturday 8/20

LOS ANGELES, CA – August 16, 2011 – The Artivist Collective presents its 8th annual Artivist Film Festival August 18, 19, 20, 2011 at the historic The Artivist Collective presents its 8th annual Artivist Film Festival August 18, 19, 20, 2011 at the historic Egyptian Theatre in the heart of Hollywood, California.  This year the closing night awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 20th from 6:00 to 10:00PM.  Highlights include the Artivist Awards given to ten films and Artivist Award Honoree Kristen Bell, known for her film (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Burlesque, etc.) and television work (Heroes, Veronica Mars, etc.), as well as her philanthropy (Alzheimer’s Association, Invisible Children, PETA, SCPA, etc.).  Actress Rachel Bilson will present the award to Bell.  Also on hand will be Master of Ceremonies Dan Nainan and presenters Persia White and Marco Antonio Regil.  The closing night ceremonies are complimentary to the press and public (as is the entire festival) but seats are limited and must be reserved in advance. in the heart of Hollywood, California.  This year the closing night awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 20th from 6:00 to 10:00PM.  Highlights include the Artivist Awards given to ten films and Artivist Award Honoree Kristen Bell, known for her film (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Burlesque, etc.) and television work (Heroes, Veronica Mars, etc.), as well as her philanthropy (Alzheimer’s Association, Invisible Children, PETA, SCPA, etc.).  Actress Rachel Bilson will present the award to Bell.  Also on hand will be Master of Ceremonies Dan Nainan and presenters Persia White and Marco Antonio Regil.  The closing night ceremonies are complimentary to the press and public (as is the entire festival) but seats are limited and must be reserved in advance.  To do so please visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/193484.  The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028.  To learn more about the festival please visit http://festival.artivist.com.

This year the festival will present a total of 41 independent narrative and documentary films from around the globe over the course of the three-day festival, which kicks off on Thursday, August 18th at 5:00PM.  Seats for many of the screenings can be reserved in advance by visiting http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/69318.  Advance reservations are highly recommended since most, if not all, screenings and events are expected to “sell out.”  To view the At-A-Glance three-day schedule please visit:  http://festival.artivist.com/film-guide/viewing-schedule.html.  To read a synopsis about all festival films please visit:  http://festival.artivist.com/film-guide.html.

During the closing night ceremony ten Artivist Awards will be presented to films that embody the festival’s mission to strengthen the voice of activist artists – Artivists – while raising public awareness for social global causes.  The evening of August 20th begins at 6:00PM with red carpet arrivals.  The awards presentation commences at 7:00PM and an after-party in the Egyptian Theatre’s courtyard gets underway immediately following the Awards Ceremony.

Ten participating films have been chosen to receive a 2011 Artivist Award in these five categories:

• Human Rights:
- Best Feature:  Because We Were Beautiful (Indonesia, Netherlands), Director Frank van Osch
- Best Short:  Umoja: No Men Allowed (Kenya, Australia), Director Elizabeth Tadic

• Children’s Advocacy:
- Best Feature:  Surfing Soweto (South Africa), Director Sara Blecher
- Best Short:  Grace (Philippines, Switzerland), Director Meagan Kelly

• Environmental Preservation:
- Best Feature:  Spoil (Canada, U.S.), Director Trip Jennings
- Best Short:  The Leaves Keep Falling (Vietnam, USA), Director Julie Winokur

• Animal Advocacy:
- Best Feature: Green (Indonesia, France), Director Patrick Rouxel
- Best Short:  Saving Pelican 895 (USA), Director Irene Taylor Brodsky

• Artivist Spirit:
- Best Feature: Love Hate Love (USA), Directors Don Hardy, Dana Nachman
- Best Short:  Crooked Beauty (USA), Director Ken Paul Rosenthal

- To read more about the films and filmmakers honored with these awards please visit:  http://www.artivist.com/festival/media/press-releases/23675-2011-film-awards.html

The Artivist Film Festival and Awards are dedicated to recognizing activist efforts of filmmakers, specifically in the areas of human rights, child advocacy, environmental preservation, and animal welfare.  Each year the festival also honors celebrity advocates.  Past honorees include Peter Fonda, Olivia Wilde, Hank Azaria, Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Daryl Hannah, Matthew McConaughey, Joaquin Phoenix, James Cromwell, Mira Sorvino, Tippi Hedren, Mike Farrell and Ed Begley, Jr.

This year, Artivist proudly welcomes back Petrobras as its Official Community Partner.  Since 2004, Petrobras has supported the growth of the international Artivist Film Festival and Artivist Awards.

KPFK (http://www.kpfk.org) reprises their role as a media sponsor this year.

The festival is also sponsored proudly by Kanon Organic Vodka (http://www.kanonvodka.com) and Hansen’s Natural (http://www.hansens.com).

About Petrobras –
Petrobras, a Brazilian energy company, has a 30 year history of distributing ethanol from sugar cane as fuel for vehicles, and is now committed to increasing the production and exports of ethanol.

At its new research center, scientists are looking for ways to produce ethanol from farming byproducts, which can increase production without the need for more farming land.

Petrobras is the largest funder of Cultural Arts Programs in Brazil, and a partner of hundreds of social, animal welfare, and environmental projects, such as the protection of endangered sea turtles, spinners dolphins and the manatee, as well as initiatives on carbon capture, water protection, biodiversity, and climate change.  As the only company in the energy sector that is part of the Global Compact Board of the United Nations, Petrobras commits its corporate governance to the 10 principles set forth by the United Nations.

Understanding the interdependence between humanity, animals, and the environment is crucial in our global community. By working with individuals and groups, organizations and companies, we can create long-term solutions to our global problems (http://www.petrobras.com.br/en).

About Kristen Bell –
Bell, an avowed vegetarian since age 11, has a long history of working with charitable and NGO-related causes. She traveled to Brazil as a volunteer while a student at New York University.  While there, she helped medics deliver two babies during her work in an underprivileged community. During the time she lived in Michigan, Bell fostered animals from Michigan Humane Society, and she now supports the San Diego-based Helen Woodward Animal Center.

She also advocates for Invisible Children, which works to create awareness of the plight of the people of Northern Uganda, the voter education charity Declare Yourself as well as such well known charitable organizations such as PETA, SCPA and the Alzheimer’s Association. She was a member of the 2007 American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet.

“I believe empathy is our most important impulse. Helping others is what makes human beings great. I am just responding where I see my skills can help meet a current need, and I think we have a duty to protect and love one another. 

Artivist embodies these principles and helps bridge the gap between awareness and action,” says Bell.

Internationally known for her work in Veronica Mars and in the films Burlesque (with Cher and Christina Aguilera) and When In Rome (in which she starred opposite Josh Duhamel), she will next be seen starring in the new Showtime series House of Lies, opposite Don Cheadle, premiering in January 2012.  Soon after, she will be seen in Universal Pictures’ film Everybody Loves Whales, opposite Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski, being released on January 13, 2012.  She also recently wrapped filming Movie 43, for the Farrelly Brothers, which is being released on April 13, 2012.  Currently, Bell is filming the feature film Outrun, for director Dax Shepard.

About Rachel Bilson –
Rachel Bilson’s latest production, her CW pilot Hart of Dixie, will premiere on September 26, 2011.  She also recently wrapped the independent film L!fe Happens opposite Kate Bosworth.  Other film credits include starring as the female lead in Waiting for Forever as well as in Jumper for 20th Century Fox Studios, as well as The Last Kiss, with Zach Braff, which was directed by Tony Goldwyn for Paramount.  She also stared opposite Andy Garcia in a film comprised of a series of shorts called New York, I Love You.   Bilson has also appeared twice as a guest star on the hit television series How I Met Your Mother as well as Josh Schwartz’s Chuck.  Other TV credits include The OC (a series regular for four seasons on the Fox Network) and guest-starring roles on That ’70s Show, Mad TV, 8 Simple Rules, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The Artivist Film Festival, Artivist Satellite Festivals, and Awards –
The Artivist Collective (www.artivists.org) presents the only film festival specializing in progressive issues of the environment, social justice and animal rights.  Since its inception in 2003, Artivist Film Festival has screened 400+ films representing more than 60 countries, and has produced film festival tours in Los Angeles, New York, London, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Lisbon, that have reached more than 35 million people.

Earlier this year, Artivist Film Festival launched a nationwide expansion of its programming with simultaneous screenings in six cities in the U.S., beyond its traditional annual programs in Los Angeles and New York. The other cities included Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Sedona and Washington D.C.

Among the films presented at the Artivist Film Festival over the years have been Academy Award winner Born Into Brothels and Academy Award nominee Super-Size Me as well as the Los Angeles Premiere of critically-acclaimed documentaries God Sleeps In Rwanda, Fast Food Nation, Emmanuelle’s Gift, Zeitgeist, Trudell, Stolen Childhoods, and Regeneration.

The Artivist Film Festival has been publicly endorsed by internationally recognized NGOs such as Amnesty International, Unicef – The United Nations Children’s Fund, HSUS – Humane Society of the United States, Global Green, Greenpeace, by Claes Nobel of the Nobel Prize Family, and by the United Nations Department of Public Information.

For more information, photos, or to arrange an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 and lynn@greengalactic.com.

William Castle (by Leland Cheong/Honolulu Advertiser)

Known for his ingenious marketing gimmicks, legendary horror film producer and director William Castle (1914-1977) has returned from the dead with his first new work in decades, From the Grave: The Prayer (Volume 1), a novel for young adults.  Due out this Halloween season in early October 2011, the 75,000-word book set in Hollywood and Southern France is a compelling thriller infused with history, suspense, and horror.  Dubbed “The Master of the Macabre” and “King of the Gimmicks,” Castle was internationally famous for producing Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and producing/directing countless horror classics such as House on Haunted Hill (1959) and The Tingler (1959).
For Immediate Release:                                                                                                                                            August 4, 2011

“Master of the Macabre” William Castle (1914-1977) Is Back!
The Legendary Horror Filmmaker Has Penned a Chilling Young Adult Novel
From The Grave: The Prayer
To Be Released This Halloween – October 2011
By The Recently Resurrected William Castle Productions

LOS ANGELES, CA – Known for his ingenious marketing gimmicks, legendary horror film producer and director William Castle (1914-1977) has returned from the dead with his first new work in decades, From the Grave: The Prayer (Volume 1), a novel for young adults.  Due out this Halloween season in early October 2011, the 75,000-word book set in Hollywood and Southern France is a compelling thriller infused with history, suspense, and horror.  Dubbed “The Master of the Macabre” and “King of the Gimmicks,” Castle was internationally famous for producing Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and producing/directing countless horror classics such as House on Haunted Hill (1959) and The Tingler (1959).  Castle’s new book will be available in print and eBook versions ($15.99 and $9.99 respectively) via Amazon, Kindle, NOOK, and iBooks through the recently resurrected William Castle Productions (ISBN 978-0615507576 and eBook ISBN 978-1-4507-8404-7).

William Castle - Photo Credit: Leland Cheong, Honolulu Advertiser

“My dad was notorious for both his spine-tingling movies as well as the legendary gimmicks he devised to drive people to the theater again and again,” says his daughter Terry Castle who helms William Castle Productions. “And now, for his latest and perhaps greatest marketing gimmick yet, Dad has written “From the Grave.”  He’s really outdone himself this time!”

Indeed, Castle is as famous for his ongoing gimmicks as he is for the films themselves.  As film critic Sean Axmaker recounts in this review for Turner Movie Classics, “Director William Castle was an ambitious journeyman looking for his breakout film when he hit upon his winning formula with Macabre, a low-budget 1958 thriller that sold its onscreen shock effects with promotional ballyhoo.  In a brainstorm of publicity ingenuity, Castle issued an insurance policy (backed by Lloyd’s of London) to cover all ticket buyers against ‘death by fright.’ The campaign was a success, the film was a hit, and Castle found his new persona: a B-movie P.T. Barnum by way of Alfred Hitchcock. He launched a new gimmick with each succeeding horror film and took to personally promoting and introducing his films, just like Hitchcock was doing on television.”

Castle’s marketing exploits are well documented.  View these two recent articles to learn more (including video clips): “Top 10 William Castle Film Gimmicks” and Film School Reject’s “6 (non 3D) Movie Gimmicks From the Warped Mind of William Castle.”

From the Grave: The Prayer Synopsis –

As the Gypsies gather in the ancient village of Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for the annual celebration honoring their patron saint, a mystical convergence of events brings four adolescents together at a haunted house and sets them on a perilous quest to locate a centuries-old manuscript that holds the power to release the devastating force of the Ancient Ones upon the Earth.

Fifteen-year-old Sarah and her younger brother Luca are lonely Gypsy kids who travel about Europe with their parents. Forced by their Gypsy father to beg and pick pockets for money, Sarah and Luca find it impossible to earn their father’s approval. Fifteen-year-old Edgar cannot stand his parents (and the feeling is mutual) when the family moves from New Jersey to France so that his parents can live out their dream of being French aristocracy. Fourteen-year-old Aleck’s world is turned upside down when his parents are killed in a car crash and his older sister decides that he would be better off in France with their Aunt and Uncle whose real concern is their own lavish lifestyle.

Beset by their parents and guardians, the four young people must also survive the mercurial activities of a spirit haunting the house that holds clues to the location of the manuscript that is also sought by a secret society bent on locating it for its own purposes. In a frenzied chase that takes them from the ancient villages of Provence through the blood-soaked quarries of Roussillon to the macabre catacombs of Paris, the four must put aside their differences and suspicions to outwit the evil forces who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the ancient book.

William Castle –
Born in New York City in 1914, William Castle made horror films in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and lived his life scaring the living daylights out of people with the numerous horror films he produced and/or directed.  Macabre (1958), House on Haunted Hill (1959), The Tingler (1959), 13 Ghosts (1960), Mr. Sardonicus (1961), Homicidal (1961), Straight Jacket (1964), and Rosemary’s Baby (1968) are a few of his classic credits, the second and third films starring Vincent Price in career-defining roles. In addition to directing and producing, he also made many appearances in films (his own and others) such as Shampoo (1975) and The Day of the Locust (1975).  He also appeared in a non-speaking part in Rosemary’s Baby as the grey-haired man lurking outside the phone booth while Mia Farrow attempts to get in touch with her obstetrician.

Castle is perhaps best known, however, for the marketing strategies he developed to get his fans into theaters. In addition to the tingled butts of movie-goers at The Tingler screenings and insuring moviegoers against death by fright for Macabre, he also created “Illusion-O” a ghost viewer/ghost remover for 13 Ghosts, a “Punishment Poll” for Mr. Sardonicus, and Homicidal audiences were introduced to “Fright Breaks” and the “Coward’s Corner.”  He also introduced audiences to new film techniques such as “Percept-O” and “Emerg-O.”

At 15, he began his career on Broadway, securing his first acting role by passing himself off as Samuel Goldwyn’s nephew.  He began his directing career at the age of 18 with a stage production of Dracula before graduating to work as an assistant to director Orson Welles, doing much of the second unit location work for Welles’ noir classic, The Lady from Shanghai (1947). John Goodman’s character in Matinee (1993) was based on Castle. His 1976 autobiography, Step Right Up, I’m Gonna Scare the Pants Off America, was reprinted in 1991 with a foreword by John Waters, who eulogized Castle thusly, “Without a doubt, the greatest showman of our time was William Castle.  King of the Gimmicks, William Castle was my idol.  His films made me want to make films.  I’m jealous of his work.  In fact, I wish I were William Castle.” Castle died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on May 31, 1977.

Terry Castle –
Terry Castle, the real life daughter of cult filmmaker William Castle, grew up in Los Angeles with a dad who made a living scaring the wits out of moviegoers everywhere. Although he was internationally famous, to her he was always just dad, though a larger than life one at that.  While she was growing up in the 1960s her father taught her interesting life skills such as the best recipe for fake blood, the proper way to hold an ax, and how to act out the most terrifying of ghost stories. After working as a writer and producer for years for CNN, Travel Channel, and Nickelodeon/MTV-Networks, she worked with Dark Castle Entertainment (Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis’ production company named after her father).  At Dark Castle she co-produced and consulted on the remakes of two William Castle films to make the plots even more frightening: House on Haunted Hill (1999) and Thir13en Ghosts (2001). Her soon to be released book, FearMaker: Family Matters, is an homage to her father (he’s a ghost writer on it actually!). Much of what lies within the pages of both The Prayer and Nightmare in Beverly Hills is based on real life occurrences shared by the two Castles.  Horror is in her blood, as she carries on her father’s wicked tradition of scaring innocent souls everywhere.

William Castle Productions –
Since the 1950s, William Castle Productions has been dedicated to scaring America with dozens of film and television releases.  The production company is best known for films Rosemary’s Baby (1968), House on Haunted Hill (1959), and The Tingler (1959). Dormant for a number of years after Castle’s death in 1977, the production company has been re-animated in recent years by the ghost of William Castle in collaboration with his daughter Terry Castle.  In addition to From the Grave: The Prayer, William Castle Productions will soon release another new book, FearMaker: Family Matters written by Terry and William Castle.  Additional new film, television, theater, and DVD projects are also currently in the works.

On May 31, 2010 – the 33rd anniversary of his death – Castle began communicating with his many fans again via social media networks not available to him prior to 1977.  He is now communicating through his Facebook page, Twitter (@billcastle), and his personal blog http://williamcastle.com, from the grave.

“I suspect that the development of the social mediaverse has a lot to do with why Dad came back,” says his daughter, “He’s having a blast with Facebook, his blog, and Twitter – with so many cool toys to play with, there’s no telling what Dad will do next!  It’s going to be really interesting to see what he does with it all.”

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For more information, a copy of the book, photos, or to arrange an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 and lynn@greengalactic.com.

Re-Animator™ – The Musical

By Popular Demand
Re-Animator™ – The Musical
Extended AGAIN Through Sunday, August 14, 2011
At the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood

Special Midnight Madness Fridays 6/24, 7/1 & 7/8

“Bloody hilarious.” – Terry Morgan, LAist.com
“Terribly inappropriate … it’s glorious!” – Anthony Byrnes, KCRW

LOS ANGELES, CA – Re-Animator™ – The Musical, the horror-comedy based on the 1985 cult movie hit and earlier H.P. Lovecraft story, has extended its run due to popular demand through Sunday, August 14, 2011 at the Steve Allen Theater.  The new performance schedule for this funny, bloody and tuneful production includes three shows per weekend:  Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8:00pm.  Additionally, the production that refuses to die will hold three special Midnight Madness shows with opening bands on Friday, June 24th, Friday, July 1st, and Friday, July 8th. Midnight Madness shows cost $15 and doors open at 10:45pm for the all ages preshow. Bands to be announced on the Re-Animator site. Ticket prices for 8:00pm shows are $30 for general admission, $15 for students (with ID) as well as all Center for Inquiry members.  The Steve Allen Theater is located at 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027.  For theater information please call 323-666-4268 or visit http://steveallentheater.com.  For ticket purchases only please call 800-595-4849.  For more information on the musical please visit http://www.re-animatorthemusical.com.  Online tickets can be purchased through the Re-Animator or venue web sites.

The production has been setting records and sending grinning patrons out of the theater humming the tunes and washing off blood.  Stuart Gordon, who directed both the new musical and the movie on which it is based, notes “There’s a lot of liquid spurting through the air. The special effects are even better in 4D than they are in 3D.”  Costumes are encouraged and seating is open – come early and sit up front in the “splash zone.”

According to his letters, Lovecraft wrote the original story as a parody of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Re-Animator – The Musical is the story of brilliant yet amoral medical student Herbert West whose discovery, a bright green glowing serum, can actually revive the dead. He involves fellow student Dan Cain and his fiancée Megan Halsey in his research by murdering and then re-animating their cat. Cain, realizing the enormous potential of West’s research, agrees to smuggle him into the hospital morgue, which results in an orgy of bloody mayhem.

Those special effects are being delivered by the same folks who executed them for the 1985 movie: Tony Doublin, John Naulin, and John Beuchler. The blood flows so freely that the first few rows are designated as the “splash zone.” Laura Fine Hawkes, who last designed the equally bloody Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Taper, provides the creepy sets, Joe Kucharski the moldering costumes, and Jeff Ravitz the cadaverous lighting. Stage managing the madness is the unflappable Joe Begos.  Steve Pope helms the Technical Direction.

The cast includes Jesse Merlin, Rachel Avery, Chris L. McKenna, Harry S. Murphy, Mark Beltzman, Cynthia Carle, Brian Gillespie, Liesel Hanson, and Graham Skipper as Herbert West.

Music and lyrics by Mark Nutter. Libretto by Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon and William J. Norris. Adapted from the story by H.P. Lovecraft. Based on the film H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator produced by Brian Yuzna . Play produced by Dean Schramm and Stuart Gordon
. Directed by Stuart Gordon. Musical director: Peter Adams. Choreography by Cynthia Carle.

“Mark Nutter’s songs are absolutely inspired,” says Gordon, “They are dark, twisted and yet also insanely cheerful at the same time.”

Stuart Gordon (Director/Producer/Co-Librettist) –
“Re-Animator” has become Gordon’s middle name since the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won a Critics’ Prize in 1985. The legendary horror film has also spawned comic books, video games, sequels, and fan fiction. Previously, as Artistic Director of Chicago’s Organic Theater Company, Gordon had the opportunity to work directly with Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, and Kurt Vonnegut, adapting their stories to stage.  He also collaborated with David Mamet, directing and producing the world premiere of Sexual Perversity in Chicago.  Gordon is a big fan of Lovecraft and has adapted several of his stories for the screen. They include not only Re-Animator, but also From Beyond, Castle Freak (from The Outsider), and Dagon, as well as the Masters of Horror episode “Dreams in the Witch-House.” Additional directing credits include Dolls, Robot Jox, Pit and the Pendulum, Fortress, Space Truckers, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, King of Ants, Edmond, and Stuck.  Gordon created the Disney blockbuster Honey I Shrunk the Kids.  He also executive produced its sequel, Honey I Blew Up the Kid.  With his writing partner Paoli, he wrote Body Snatchers, and The Dentist.  He lives in Los Angeles with his actress wife Carolyn Purdy-Gordon (who he murders in his films whenever possible) and three daughters.

For Immediate Release:  March 25, 2011

Award-Winning Documentary Bag It
Premieres Nationally on Public Television
During Earth Week
(Starting April 17, 2011)
With Festival & Community Screenings
Planned For Earth Month, Earth Week and Earth Day

Why would you make something that you’re going to use for a few minutes
out of a material that’s basically going to last forever?

LOS ANGELES, CA – Award-winning film Bag It, a touching and often funny documentary about how we use and abuse plastic, is set to air nationally on public television during Earth Week starting April 17, 2011. The film, by award-winning director Suzan Beraza, is an eye-opening look at the environmental and health dangers posed by the global use of disposable, non-biodegradable plastic products. Told with wit and humor, Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. To learn more about the film, please visit http://www.bagitmovie.com.

The filmmakers have a lot planned for Bag It during Earth Month, Earth Week, and Earth Day:

Earth Month:
During Earth Month (April 2011) Bag It, along with five other feature-length documentaries, will screen as part of Whole Foods Market® debut “Do Something Reel” Film Festival. The month-long festival hits 70 cities across the U.S., serving as reminder of small changes people can make for good while supporting budding green-genre filmmakers.  Read below to learn more or visit http://dosomethingreel.com.

Earth Week:
National Broadcast -
Bag It will premiere nationally on public television stations (PBS) throughout the country starting April 17 (Earth Week dates run from April 16 – 22 according to Wikipedia). Please visit the ‘Screenings‘ section of the Bag It web site to learn more.

Community Screenings -
The filmmakers are planning 100 public screenings nationally in communities across the country to inspire citizens nationwide to “bag” their single-use plastic habit (see more below).

The day BEFORE Earth Day:
- Thursday, April 21, 2011 – Live webcast – 9:15pm (EDT)/6:15pm (PDT)
- Join Jeb Berrier and director Suzan Beraza in a live interactive Q&A webcast at http://www.vokle.com/lineups/8709-bag-it

Earth Day:
A portion of the Bag It screenings – PBS broadcasts, public community, and film festival presentations – will take place on Earth Day – Friday, April 22, 2011.  Screening dates and times will be posted on the “Screenings” sections here: http://www.bagitmovie.com/screenings_find.html.

Produced by Reel Thing Productions in association with the Telluride Institute, Bag It is a powerful look at the impacts of plastics on society.  The film focuses on plastic as it relates to our throwaway mentality, our culture of convenience, our over consumption of unnecessary, disposable products and packaging – things that we use one time and then, without another thought, throw them away.  But where is AWAY??  Away is over flowing landfills, clogged rivers, islands of trash in our oceans, and even our very own toxic bodies.

Jeb is not a radical environmentalist, but an average individual who decides to take a closer look at the world’s love affair with plastics. What he discovers is shocking.  The average American uses between 330 – 500 plastic bags a year for an average of 12 minutes before they are discarded (that adds up to about 100-150 BILLION plastic bags used in 2010 in the US alone). There is a floating “island” of plastic and other debris swirling around in the Pacific Ocean known as the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch.’ Unlike most other trash, plastic isn’t biodegradable.  Sunlight does eventually “photodegrade” the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing it to smaller and smaller pieces, but it never goes away entirely. And the levels of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean – much of it resembling plankton, i.e., fish food – has at least tripled in the last ten years resulting in plastic entering into our food chain.*

When Jeb discovers that he and his partner are expecting a child, his plastic odyssey becomes a truly personal one. How can they protect their baby from the health dangers associated with plastics? Jeb looks beyond single-use disposable plastics and discovers that virtually everything in modern society – from baby bottles, to sports equipment, to dental sealants, to personal care products – is either made with plastic or contains potentially harmful chemical additives used in the plastic-making process.

Featuring interviews with scientists and experts from around the world, Bag It is a first-person documentary in the style of Michael Moore, asking how we can incorporate healthy, more environmentally friendly practices into our lives, our cultures, and our communities.

“I didn’t expect a movie about plastic bags to change my life in such a deep and profound way.  Gripping, funny, intelligent, and sure to change your life.”

- Louie Psihoyos, Director of The Cove

Public Television Broadcast of Bag It:
A 56-minute version of Bag It will air nationally on public television stations starting April 17, 2011, just in time for Earth Day. Viewers should check their local PBS stations for showtimes.  Broadcast dates and times will also be posted on the screenings calendar of the Bag It website here: http://www.bagitmovie.com/screenings.html.

Public Community Screening Events During Earth Week:
For Earth Week 2011, Bag It, in partnership with the Plastic Pollution Coalition [http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org], is campaigning for individuals, community groups, institutions and educators to get involved by hosting community screening events featuring the film. Bag It aims to serve as a catalyst for communities to dramatically reduce their reliance on the plastic bag. Earth Day and Earth Week are designated global events that foster appreciation of the earth’s environment and awareness of the issues that threaten it with the purpose of spreading knowledge about how to repair and conserve the environment.  For additional details on hosting a Bag It screening during Earth Week, please the web site or contact bagit@filmsprout.org and/or call 347-682-2483.

Bag It:
A Reel Thing Film
In association with the Telluride Institute
- Executive Producer: Judith Kohin
- Producers: Michelle Hill, Suzan Beraza
- Director: Suzan Beraza
- Cinematography: Leigh Reagan
- Camera, 2nd Unit Director: Jim Hurst
- Film Editing: Casey Nay, Suzan Beraza
- Writer: Michelle Curry Wright
- Original Music: Larry Groupé
- Principal Cast: Jeb Berrier, Anne Reeser
- Genre: Documentary
- Runtime: 78 minutes
- Country: U.S.A.
- Language: English
- Color: Color

Filming Locations:
Bahamas, England, Germany, Ireland, Midway Atoll, and the U.S. (California, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, Seattle, Washington DC)

Awards:
The eye-opening film has been making its way around the festival circuit and racking up the honors.  Bag It has to date received awards at the Sedona International Film Festival, Monterey Blue Oceans Film Festival, Princeton Environmental Film Festival, Mountainfilm in Telluride, Port Townsend Film Festival, Eco Focus Film Festival, Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, Hawaii Waimea Ocean Film Festival, and Ashland Independent Film Festival.

- Monterey Blue Oceans Film Festival “Best of Festival Award”
- Princeton Environmental Film Festival “Audience Choice Award”
- Wild & Scenic Film Festival “Special Jury Award”
- Port Townsend Film Festival “Special Jury Award”
- Mountainfilm in Telluride “Audience Choice Award”
- Eco Focus Film Festival “Special Jury Award”
- Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival “Audience Choice Award”
- Hawaii Waimea Ocean Film Festival “Audience Choice Award”
- Ashland Independent Film Festival “Audience Choice Award”
- Sedona International Film Festival “Best Environmental Film”
- Durango Independent Film Festival “Best Documentary”

Suzan Beraza, Director/Reel Things Productions Founder:
Born in Jamaica and raised in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, Suzan Beraza’s films challenge viewers to examine their lives and consider the impact of their choices. Her films have appeared on national public television and at many festivals. Festival awards include Ashland Independent Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, Blue Ocean Film Festival, EcoFocus, and Telluride Mountainfilm Festival.

Jeb Berrier:
Jeb Berrier is the host for a morning television show on Plum TV.  Working for Plum, Berrier won an Emmy® award for his coverage of the 2008 Democratic Convention.  Berrier also works as an actor and director, doing theater, film, and television commercials and was a member of the National Shakespeare Company in New York City in the mid-1990s.  He also produces the annual Telluride Comedy Festival.

Bag It Links:
- Official Bag It Site: http://www.bagitmovie.com
- Press Kit: http://www.bagitmovie.com/press_kit/PressKit_02.22.pdf
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BagItMovie?ref=ts
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/bagitmovie
- Trailer: http://vimeo.com/5645718
- Purchase DVD (for home viewing): http://www.bagitmovie.com/shop.html

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For more information, or to request screeners, images, and interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

*
- http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/13/eco.plasticbagwaste/index.html
- http://www.savesfbay.org/sites/default/files/bag_factsheet_4.09_final.pdf
- http://www.apmbags.com/bagmyths
- http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

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See video trailer:

Bag It Intro from Suzan Beraza on Vimeo.

Dance Camera West

For Immediate Release:  February 3, 2011

Dance Camera West Announces
10th Anniversary Dance Media Film Festival & Conference
Dance Media: An Active Spectrum
Los Angeles – June 16 – 19, 2011

LOS ANGELES, CA – Dance Camera West (DCW), recognized internationally for its annual presentation and celebration of dance on screen, announces its 10th Anniversary Dance Media Film Festival & Conference.  This year’s festival, entitled Dance Media: An Active Spectrum, which will also include a conference component, takes place at several venues around Los Angeles from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 19, 2011. In addition to a full program of provocative screenings, this year’s special anniversary event will also include a unique series of educational events, guest speakers, and networking opportunities for the international dance media community.  DCW once again partners with the city’s most prominent venues to offer this year’s screenings, installations, and panel discussions with visiting international artists. Please visit DCW’s website for continuous updates at www.dancecamerawest.org.

“In celebration of our decade milestone, we have added a full day conference of presenters and panels to our four day festival schedule,” says DCW Executive Director Lynette Kessler, “In addition to educating, inspiring, and empowering artists, our goal this year is to serve as a catalyst for dance media distribution opportunities while, at the same time, create greater access for new audiences.”

Dance Media: An Active Spectrum -
Dance media, or any media for that matter, has evolved beyond the traditional theater-based cinematic experience which requires today’s media makers to create work with a multitude of platforms in mind.  The “active spectrum” of opportunity today includes multi-screen installations, mobile applications, websites, online social networks, and more.  DCW’s special anniversary panel discussion program will, among other things, take a look at transmedia storytelling that offers creators an opportunity to reach fragmented audiences by adapting productions to new modes of presentation.

Poised at the intersection of dance media’s artistic, academic, and commercial pursuits, Dance Camera West is uniquely positioned to facilitate a robust discussion on the blending of art, technology, and commerce.  The anniversary project will provide a necessary forum for facilitating real-time discussions and international networking opportunities for leading artists, local audiences, and emerging practitioners through panel discussions, talkbacks featuring prominent directors and choreographers, multiple programs of experimental international short dance films, installations and documentaries with special guests.

“Dance media is a technological medium,” adds Kessler,  “Whatever hardware is used for viewing  — computer screens, handheld devices, home projectors, etc. — audiences are now in the position to demand when they want to see work, where they want to see it, and what format they want it in.  All those technological options, along with great content, need to be delivered by dance media makers.”

Dance Media -
Dance on screen, or “screendance,” is a unique cinematic experience that focuses on the intersection of cinematography and choreography. The festival includes this as well as all forms of dance media. The hybrid screendance medium is diverse, encompassing a broad range of cinematography styles, exhibition formats, and subject matter traversing global perspectives.  The festival includes everything from experimental shorts to documentaries – ranging from surreal visual abstractions to strict narratives.

Dance Camera West’s Tenth Anniversary Highlights-
Dance Media: An Active Spectrum, Dance Camera West’s Tenth Annual Dance Media Film Festival & Conference, opens at The Getty Center with a screening and special guests on Thursday, June 16, 2011. The next day, Friday, June 17, DCW will bring together artists, dancers, educators, and film/television industry professionals for a full day of panel discussions followed by an outdoor screening at a venue TBA. Panels cover the state of the art, distribution, funding, art and commerce, as well as the future of dance media.  DCW will then present two days of screenings and a director’s roundtable at the Hammer Museum’s Billy Wilder Theater on Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19.

“Dance Camera West seeks to ensure that Los Angeles remains an international hub for dance media, inspiring and supporting artists and audiences from all corners of the globe,” says Kessler, “We are bringing together the best in today’s dance media to help commemorate our tenth anniversary.”

Lynette Kessler -
Dance Camera West founder and executive/artistic director Lynette Kessler is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and media artist with an MFA in Dance from the University of Michigan and a BFA in Dance from York University in Toronto. Known for her innovative collaborations and dance work for the screen that have been shown in film festivals worldwide, Kessler has received numerous awards including a Lester Horton Dance Award, Alden B. Dow Creativity Fellowship, and an artist residency at Headlands Center for the Arts. She recently made panel presentations at IMZ Dancescreen/Cinedans in Amsterdam and at the Latin American Video Danse Forum in Brazil. She is a founding member of the international Media & Dance Network (MAD), has served on selection committees for EMPAC Commission (Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center), American Choreography Awards, Dance on Camera Festival in New York, Moving Pictures Festival of Dance on Film in Toronto, CHIME (Choreographers in Mentorship Exchange), and is a guest lecturer at UCLA, UC Irvine, and Cal Arts. Kessler sits on the board of directors for the Buckminster Fuller Institute and the California Ear Unit. She is an active member of the advocacy groups: Arts for LA, California Arts Advocates, and Americans for the Arts. And she’s also on the Media Arts Advisory Committee to guide the new Media Arts initiative creating a fifth arts discipline for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

Dance Camera West -
Dance Camera West is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering and promoting the vibrant art of dance media from around the world. DCW connects diverse cultures and environments through its exploration of dance on screen, bringing thousands of challenging and provocative films to Los Angeles from around the globe, effectively bridging the gap between the uniquely influential Los Angeles film community and the significant local dance populace. The organization is unique in its artistic purpose, as no other organization in Los Angeles offers audience exposure to such a diverse range of work by international dance companies.  DCW also strives to create a broader and more engaged audience for dance and dance media by merging both performance and cinematic aesthetics. DCW is one of only a handful of organizations in the world that present the thought-provoking adventure of dance media and the only one of its kind on the West Coast.  Known as one of the world’s premiere presenters of dance media, Dance Camera West aspires to awaken and infuse the public mainstream with critical creative programming.  DCW has expanded the audience for dance in Southern California with the presentation of more than 2,000 dance films from 47 countries since its inception in 2002.

Annual DCW dance media events have been extremely well received by local and national media. The Los Angeles Times has twice named the festival “Best of LA.” LA Magazine selected the festival as its “Pick of the Month,” and Angeleno included the festival in its “Top Ten List” in 2010. DCW was also voted one of the “Top 25 Dance Organizations to Watch” by Dance Magazine in 2005 and 2006.  FOX News has aired three-minute features on the festival for the past three years, and Moving Pictures Magazine ran a full-page feature article with photos.  Publicity also flows from influential online outlets such as The Huffington Post, which ran a full review of the festival in June 2010, and flavorpill, which selected the festival as its “Hot Tip” of the Week for several years. Additional press coverage is available at: dancecamerawest.org/press_archives.htm

This year’s 2011 Dance Camera West anniversary event is supported in part by Mortimer Levitt Foundation, Metabolic Studio of the Annenberg Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

“Dance Camera West has had a tremendous impact during its first ten years, building audiences not only for dance media but for all dance.  Our ongoing support for artists, both locally and globally, inspires new work to be created, as artists know that Dance Camera West supplies a critically important platform for disseminating this very special art form,” says Kessler summing up the festival’s relevancy.

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For more information, press passes, photos, or to interview DCW’s founder Lynette Kessler, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

Banner credits moving from left to right:

Image One
Film Title: For Water
Director: Natalie Metzger
Photographer: Robert Allaire
Choreographer: Natalie Metzger
Dancers: Lisa Long, Anne Moore, Dewi Nurnaeny, Cherise Richards, Helda Yossiana

Image Two
Film Title: Aqua-Booty
Director: Marta Renzi
Dancers: Alethea Pace, Jen Queliz, Jenny Tortorello, Tina Vasquez

Image Three
Film Title: Ecstasy Forbidden
Director: Jonny Silver
Photographer: Marlena von Kazmier
Dancers: Lucy Rupert and Danny Wild
Choreographer: Claudia Moore

Image Four
Film Title: Body of War
Director/Photographer: Isabel Rocamora,
Dancers:  James Hobson and Krysztof Szczenpanski