Downtime Decisions

Back from the Park City / L.A. trip with a new perspective and the seeds of a revised Game Plan taking root.  One of the biggest dangers a filmmaker faces is tweaking the "finished product" so much that you completely screw it up. At some point you simply have to let go and let the movie gods take your film and do what they will with it. But here's the thing...I was lucky enough to be able to screen Beautiful Noise to over 2,500 people in 3 completely different geographic locations over the last 6 weeks or so and can now incorporate their response to the film into my thinking. The happy dilemma I now face is to leave the movie as-is after a quick re-edit of some small things I noticed that could be improved...or reshoot entire sequences that are good...but that I've decided could become great. It's not just an artistic decision, but a pure business determination as well. The feedback from the film fests and from industry pros I've shown the film to thus far has formed a consensus in my mind that we're closer than I ever dreamed to having something that could rival some of the best indie musicals ever made...in particular, the wonderful film Once. If you haven't seen Once, do yourself a favor and go rent it today. The same formula I used in making BN was employed: Great original Soundtrack; unknown actors who were accomplished singer/songwriters; a poignant Story; and shot on an extremely low budget. I love the film and it not only found distribution worldwide but had a terrific box office run and dvd/soundtrack sales thanks to the skilled rollout marketing approach Fox Searchlight utilized. I actually like our Soundtrack far better overall and, like Once, believe that if we get any kind of traction that one of Kimber Cleveland's songs could easily be nominated for a Golden Globe or Academy Award. Bold words to be sure...but no hype here. Buy our Soundtrack online at ITunes or at our website and you'll understand my bravado on the subject.

So there it is. I can choose to leave Beautiful Noise pretty much as-is or double down and redirect resources targeted for the prequel and sequel and go for the potentially bigger return that could come from some targeted reshoots. After all the excitement and non-stop running I've done over the last few months to get to this point in the process, I'm prone to take the advice of close associates to just chill for a week or so and do nothing but get my tan together at Siesta Beach and catch up on some sleep. Sounds like good advice.

I have an important conference call today that I think will help me determine the next move. A member of an entertainment family considered by one and all as "Hollywood Royalty" is now in the mix to review Beautiful Noise and give me her unvarnished take on the best course of action. The accomplished producer/story editor comes from a legendary Family Tree of directors, producers and actors that have created some of the most memorable and successful dramas and comedies of the last three decades, so once again, I'm very lucky to have access to that kind of professional critique. At the end of the day, it's my call...and with so much riding on this next critically important decision I'm blessed with the option to just take my hands off the wheel for the moment, take a breather, go walk the beach and get my mind right. I'm confident that once things settle a bit and after I make the trip to SoCal to huddle with the new Hollywood contact that Clarity and Direction will once again rule the day.

It may be a little while before I make the next post to this blog 'cause nothing much is gonna happen until I decide which path to take...but when I do, it will be full steam ahead.

ST

Rocky Mountain High & California Dreamin'

Now that the first leg of taking Beautiful Noise on the film festival circuit is complete, I get a chance to sit back and reflect on things a bit. The response to the film in all 3 markets that it has played - Sarasota Florida, Dayton Ohio and Park City Utah - was exactly the same. Audience reaction was uniformly positive, at times emotional, and in all cases in complete agreement that the Soundtrack is amazing. It hit me at Wednesday nights' Park City screening that the film really works on multiple levels. There's something in it for every demographic. I saw where I can tighten up 2-3 edits in the first 20 minutes of the film to help the pacing and I still wanna oversee some additional work on the color correction - but other than that, I came to the realization that the movie is extremely entertaining and marketable. Yeah, I know...I've been saying that all along...but there was just something in that Rocky Mountain environment that allowed me to really critique the film in a way that I haven't been able to do before. I was flying solo in Utah as my stars and co-producers were not available to attend with me, and there were no distractions like the sheer excitement of the Sarasota World Premiere or the rush of family and friends who attended the Dayton screening. Wednesday night it was just me, the movie and Park City film enthusiasts who had no ties whatsoever to Beautiful Noise...and in those moments sitting with that new audience I finally got the chance to see BN like any other movie goer will. And I liked it a lot. The theatre was a major venue that's used for the celebrated Sundance Film Festival. The sound was fabulous as the music rang through the theatre in the richest stereo mix I've heard at any of the screenings so far...which is vitally important for a Musical. Chatting with people after the screening, fielding their questions and explaining how we made the film, I had the overwhelming feeling that it's not going to matter where Beautiful Noise plays. It's a damn good indie film that makes people laugh, makes 'em cry, and makes you think a little bit about the message of the piece. What more can a filmmaker ask for?

I flew to SoCal from Utah to spend a coupla days to rest up, finish polishing the prequel, Serenade, and review the Game Plan to secure a distribution deal. The film festival circuit cranks back up later this summer and fall, so I have time to work all the distribution angles and raise $ for the upcoming Dublin trip. I not only want to test screen BN in Europe to gauge the foreign box office appeal (another selling point to acquisition agents) but we're also holding auditions for a key role in Serenade. I'm on the hunt for an Irish version of Kimber Cleveland. Adding a new cast member who is a singer/actress from Ireland, as yet unknown to USA audiences, holds a lot of interest to me. I want to populate the Beautiful Noise Trilogy with amazing performers and produce Soundtracks that are unique from each other...which is another reason I'm here in L.A. - as I'm catching Ana Popovic's show this weekend and working to add her to our international Cast of Serenade.

It's almost June. This time last year we had a Table Read of Beautiful Noise in Sarasota and held the fleeting hope that we could somehow find a way to shoot the movie. Now here I am, a year later, writing another blog post about the completed film, its current success at film festivals across the country, the planned European premiere of the movie and the prep of the next 2 BN installments that will start principal photography this year. It's incredible how your dreams can be realized if you're willing to draw a line in the sand and make a firm decision, work your ass off, and never ever give up.

ST

The Dayton Embrace

I can't tell you what a relief it was to see how the Dayton audience matched the enthusiastic response we enjoyed at last months' Sarasota Film Festival World Premiere of Beautiful Noise. I mean, you just never know how your film is gonna play from one region of the country to the next. In Sarasota, I'm a relative unknown - so the audience response came from a place that had no preconceived notions. The Dayton crowd, on the other hand, walked in with a hint of skepticism due primarily to the fact that the last time anyone in town saw a Steve Tatone production it either featured General Motors products or appeals to support the local food banks through a series of TV specials and documentaries I produced over 20 years ago. I was a known commodity back in the day in southwest Ohio and the notoriety had nothing to do with feature filmmaking. Fortunately, it appears our indie musical-drama instantly created a brand new picture in the hearts and minds of the sizable crowd that screened our movie at this past weekends' FilmDayton Festival. The 'Prodigal Son' came home and conquered - as the audience responded with an enthusiasm that made me incredibly proud of my Cast & Crew. They laughed, they cried and they bought the Soundtrack CD in the same ratio of audience # to CD sales as the Sarasota screenings. In short - Beautiful Noise was a big hit in Dayton, Ohio! Nice to see the old hometown embrace the movie in such a passionate way.

Now it's on to Utah this week and the next big test at the Park City Film Music Festival. I hope we hit the trifecta in this, our 3rd Film Festival experience.

And just so you don't start thinking that all I'm gonna write about are the good things that happen along this indie filmmaking trail, I'm still a bit confounded by the technical challenges I suspect all filmmakers experience from one film fest to another...as every screening of the movie so far, from the Sarasota to Dayton showcases, has looked and sounded different from the final cut product we delivered. One screening looks better from a color-correction standpoint than another...and the sound quality - which I know is fantastic in the first place thanks to the time and money we spent on the overall sound mix in post production - continues to be less than perfect. I know that each theatre has different sound and projector settings and it's driving me crazy to watch the movie and see/hear the glitches...most of which have nothing to do with anything my Team did to the film. Amazingly, when I mention my disappointment of these technical flaws, people look at me like I'm nuts. They just don't notice the things I'm wincing about and think I'm overreacting. But I'm not. We worked hard to get it right...and yes, I still have just a coupla more minor tweaks to make in the film. But at some point soon I hope I can see the movie projected in a theatre that dials in just the right settings so the audience can see and hear the movie the way we've produced it.

Is it possible I doth protest too much? Yeah...probably so. But if the film is causing such an emotional stir as-is, I can't wait to see what the full effect of seeing and hearing the movie in all its technically pristine production glory will have on an audience. Don't get me wrong, the film fest tech folks in Sarasota & Dayton did great work overall...but damn...I just feel like we haven't quite hit the sweet spot yet. Maybe Park City can dial up that perfect technical screening I crave...

ST

FilmDayton Festival update & the 'Ana' Connection

Just a quick blast to say it's been a fast & furious trip to the old stomping grounds so far. The FilmDayton Festival is in full swing and I'm having fun reconnecting with Family & Friends from days of yore and making new friends. The Dayton film fest organizers are working extremely hard in this, the 3rd year of the event, and it's been great to be a part of this growing effort to develop a full-fledged film industry in the Miami Valley. I've met with serious players here in the community whose sole interest is to create and sustain a vibrant environment for filmmakers to bring their projects to Dayton - and I'm enthused by the level of interest in the possibility of bringing one or more of my film projects to the area. I still have a soft spot in my heart for the town I grew up in, so we'll see where that road leads...

I met with an absolute killer blues-rock artist - Ana Popovic - yesterday in Columbus and am working to sign her to co-star with Danielle & Jay in the BN prequel, "Serenade". Ana nearly was cast in the role of 'Candy' for the current film, but the logistics didn't work out - which turned out just fine because I went on from there to find and cast the incredible Kimber Cleveland - and the rest is history. There's a time and a place for everything...so it looks like this year is the time and Sarasota is the place for Ana to join the cast of "Serenade". Danielle and I will be meeting with Ana soon to discuss the details, so hopefully we'll have another casting announcement in the near future. For more info on this fantastic talent who is extremely well-known on the European music festival circuit and who is blazing a trail for herself in the USA - check out http://www.anapopovic.com/. The pivotal supporting role I have in mind for Ana in "Serenade" could become a breakout event for her and a tremendous boost for the BN Franchise overall, as the foreign box office potential expands greatly having her on the Team.

The "Beautiful Noise" Dayton premiere happens this afternoon - and Kimber, who is in town with me for the screening, performs her solo concert tonight at the legendary Gilly's nightclub in downtown Dayton. I'll report back in later and let you know if the Dayton crowds' enthusiasm for our film matches the Sarasota response. It's certainly going to be a 'teachable moment' for me.

ST