Hallmark Hall of Fame movie that featured Huntsville's Space Camp drew 6.85 million viewers, according to ratings site
Published: Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 4:54 PM Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 5:06 PM
Filming
of "A Smile as Big as the Moon" took place at the U.S. Space &
Rocket Center in October and in Wilmington, N.C. (The Huntsville
Times/Robin Conn)
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, "A Smile as Big as the Moon," which aired Sunday night on ABC, attracted 6.85 million viewers, according to final broadcast ratings by tvbythenumbers.com.
And the movie is already having an impact at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Space Camp, where filming took place in October.
"We've had 31,173 hits to our website, spacecamp.com," from Sunday through late this afternoon, said the center's strategist Tim Hall. "We booked 89 camps on Sunday and Monday," for people who were using the Hallmark promotional code, compared to 20 camps booked the same weekend last year.
"We're expecting an even greater response," said Hall, adding that the center continues to receive e-mails and phone calls from people interested in Space Camp.
The movie will also be shown on the Hallmark Channel:
• Saturday, Feb. 4 - 7 p.m.; 9 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 5 - 1 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 12 - 3 p.m.
The movie is based on a book by the same name written by Mike Kersjes, with Joe Layden. Kersjes was a high school football coach and special-education teacher from Grand Rapids, Mich., who worked with another teacher to bring the first group of special-needs students to Space Camp in 1988.
Spacecamp.com had 256 hits every minute during the movie Sunday night, Hall said.
© 2012 al.com. All rights reserved.
1/31/2012
ATTN Actors:
Meisner Technique and On-Camera Acting Courses –
Starting SOON!
With Professional Actor and Hollywood Veteran, Victor McCay
In Associate with the Birmingham Film Actors Lab
Meisner Technique 1
When: Tuesdays 6-8pm Feb 21st - March 27th
Where: Samford University, Harrison Theatre, Rm 226
Investment: $180/6 weeks
- Learn to really listen
- Be fully present in the moment
- Become less self-conscious
- Let go of the need to control
- Connect quickly and deeply to circumstances
- Access emotions authentically
Meisner Technique provides a reliable foundation to help actors “get out of their heads” and focus their attention on the core elements needed to act honestly and genuinely. In the introductory class, students will focus on learning the fundamentals of the technique. For more info: victormccay-actingcoach.blogspot.com
On-Camera Acting 1
When: Wednesdays 6-8pm Feb 22nd - March 28th
Where: Samford University, Harrison Theatre, Studio 60
Investment: $180/6 weeks
- Perform on-camera acting exercises
- Sharpen your skills take after take
- Receive individual feedback on your work
- Learn about close-ups and continuity
- Develop sold film audition technique
- Improve your cold reading skills
- Perform actual film sides on camera
As the film and television market in Atlanta continues to thrive, now is the time to develop your on-camera training. Receive in-depth instruction, honest critique, and gain valuable information about the business of acting as you enhance your abilities and build your confidence. Build a foundation and begin to apply your skills to scripts from tv and film.
LIMITED SEATING! To reserve your spot now – email BirminghamFilmActorsLab@gmail.com
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Victor McCay has worked professionally in the Film and Television Industry for the last 13 years and has appeared in dozens of films and television shows. His credits include Harry’s Law, CSI:NY, NCIS, Boston Legal, West Wing, The Ring Two and upcoming Warner Brothers feature, Argo.
His IMDB page can be seen here: www.imdb.me/victormccay
Victor has worked with many of the top talents in the industry including:
Robert Downey, Jr., Kathy Bates, Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Naomi Watts, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Candice Bergen, John Larroquette and Kenny Ortega .
Victor received his MFA from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts where he trained under legendary acting teacher William Esper and Maggie Flanagan who are widely regarded as the foremost instructors of the Meisner Technique.
Mobile's film industry big for employment, creative diversity
Published: Thursday, January 26, 2012, 10:11 AM Updated: Thursday, January 26, 2012, 10:11 AM
View
full sizeStudent filmmakers from
Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, film in Washington Square in
downtown Mobile on Jan. 10. Their professor, Craig Schaefer,
brought them to the area for more than a week as part of his
media studies class for 2012. (Michael Dumas/BW)MOBILE, Alabama -- Mobile was that close.
Up until recently, it looked very possible that Tom Hanks, director Paul Greengrass and a large studio production was going to descend on the Port City to film a drama centered around captain Richard Phillips, who was rescued by Navy SEALS from pirates who had hijacked his ship, the Maersk Alabama.
Yes, Mobile was that close to having a Somali village smouldering on the shores of Dauphin Island. But when issues arose regarding the container ship the production was to use locally, filming was moved to Morocco.
And so, with thoughts of unbuilt tanker planes and an empty cruise terminal lingering, some in and around the Bay area sighed that old familiar sigh: "We were that close."
Such wasn't heard from those actually working in the film industry in Mobile, however. They're far too busy.
Constant independence
During a record year spanning from October 2010 to September 2011, 72 projects came through the Mobile area, according to the folks at the Mobile Film Office, which helps facilitate location scouting, casting and other services for local and visiting productions.
Fourteen of those projects were feature films, but the majority were projects ranging from commercial shoots to music videos to television programs. These projects may not have the budgets of a Hollywood blockbuster, but their frequency keeps Mobilians employed and lays the foundation for future big-budget productions.
"The small, independent production is so important because it's a constant," said Eva Golson, executive director of the Mobile Film Office. "We're talking about employment; we're talking about jobs."
Golson said she's delighted when larger productions like Michael Mann's "The Insider" and Steven Seagal's "Under Seige" come to town, but Mobile's doing just fine without them.
Executive
Producer Andrew Glassman wields a camera during production of
"Sweet Home Alabama." (photo courtesy of CMT)Reality TV has been a boon for the area in recent years, with the success of CMT's "Sweet Home Alabama," and the surprise History Channel hit, "Big Shrimpin'." And in the last month, the Discovery Channel mainstay "Dirty Jobs" featured segments shot in Mobile in back-to-back episodes.
Visiting productions are welcome (many primarily hire locals for their crews) and carry the excitement of the film industry's "bigger picture," but Golson is even more proud of those local filmmakers who continue to do more in, and for, the area.
"It's always been my desire to develop and bring (the industry) along locally," she said. "Because then we have a constant place for our people to work.
"We love to get the big (productions), but we love to help the smaller ones grow so they can be making movies here."
Ring in the New Year
The momentum of 2011 is carrying right along into the new year, too. According to the Mobile Film Office, there are currently four independent films in production locally, as well as a music video. And all are helmed by filmmakers from south Alabama's stable of talent.
First-time feature filmmaker Terron Parsons and his team at Studio 213 Films in Fairhope are currently in post-production on their horror film "Hayride," which stars Mobile native Richard Tyson.
Parsons and co-producers Thomas Hatchett and Jon Kelly led a crew of about 35 through principal photography in the fall of last year, and are now engaged in foley work, which adds sounds and sound effects to the film.
The project, which involves a towering killer named Guffin, was shot in Mobile and Baldwin counties. It took flight after Parsons had approached Tyson about another film, which couldn't find financing. He and the "Kindergarten Cop" star ended up talking about low-budget horror films, and how they were easier to finance. A story Parsons and Hatchett had developed years earlier came up, and things went from there.
View
full sizeActor Richard Tyson is
pictured in a production still from the film "Hayride," which
was shot in Mobile and Baldwin County. (Photo courtesy Terron
Parsons)"We wanted to actually make a good movie in the slasher genre," Parsons said. And with the help of the artistic fundraising website Kickstarter.com, his team raised more than $13,000 to finish post-production.
"I'm happy to say that we pulled off the smaller, first project and now we have people re-interested in the bigger one," he said of the original project with Tyson. And if they can get the money together, they'll shoot that one here, too, Parsons said.
More bang for the buck
Veteran writer/director/producer David Prior isn't native to the area, but he's made about 20 of his 45 films here, including "Night Claws," which he is wrapping up now. The film, featuring a horrific killer Bigfoot created by Fairhope artist Bruce Larsen, was shot "all over Mobile," including locations downtown and in the Fowl River/Belle Fontaine area, Prior said.
He said he expects "Night Claws" to be released this year, but definitely isn't sitting idly by waiting on distribution. Prior is set to direct two films which he'll begin shooting in March. The first, "Relentless Justice," stars Eric Roberts and will shoot for three weeks.
And after a couple of days off, Prior and his crew of 25 will turn around and shoot "The Deadliest Prey," which is a follow up to his 1980s film "Deadly Prey," which has developed a surprising international cult following, the director said.
View
full sizeA killer Bigfoot is seen
in this production still from the film "Night Claws,"
co-written, produced and directed by David Prior. The film,
starring Frank Stallone, was shot in the Bay area in 2011.
Bigfoot was designed by Fairhope artist Bruce Larsen. (Photo
courtesy David Prior)Prior said there are many reasons he continues to make movies here (besides living in south Mobile County, that is), but one stands out.
"More than anything, the reason I like shooting here is that it's simplified to a great degree," he said. "There's a huge lack of red tape, where in other states it's utterly ridiculous."
Before "Night Claws," Prior wrote and executive produced 2011's "The One Warrior," a fantasy/sci-fi/action film he said he's hoping will be bought by the SyFy Channel. The CGI-heavy film took two years to make and was directed by Tom Stout, another local filmmaker hard at work in the new year.
Stout worked on "Night Claws" as well as the 2010 film "The Saints of Mt. Christopher," which also filmed in Mobile.
The filmmaker said he has a number of "pretty fantastic" irons in the fire, and chief among them is an action/adventure film tentatively titled "The Fox," which is currently in pre-production. He said once casting, locations and other concerns are nailed down he'd like to start shooting in Mobile and on the Eastern Shore in early April.
And in the meantime, he has plenty of work with Full Resolution Design, a "filmmaking, design and motion graphics studio" based in Mobile which does a tremendous amount of video and commercial work in the region and beyond. The studio currently has a contract producing content for the state department of health, he said.
All about the movies
Another local studio with roots in scientific videography is Mudbrick Media, which got its start producing educational videos that could be downloaded free through iTunes University.
Production manager Frank Hall said the studio is fully focused on making feature films now, however, and has even had to turn down other projects to maintain that focus.
Last year, Mudbrick filmed "Counter-Clockwise," a project he said is currently being re-edited to maximize the chances of distribution. But true to Mudbrick's mantra of being in post-production on one project while in pre-production on another, the studio is also working on two other films. "Skyhook," which centers on the concept of an elevator to space, was shot in 2011 and is currently in post-production, he said.
The first of an "interrelated trilogy," the film is expected to be ready for an exclusive screening in March. The second film in the set, "The Phoenix Rises," will begin production on April 2, Hall said, and involve a crew of about 25. Most of the film will be shot in Mudbrick's studio, though it will use other locations within a 60-mile radius.
Landing the big one
Golson, of the Mobile Film Office, called such an active studio as Mudbrick the "answer to my prayers," with employment opportunities that stretch into the foreseeable future.
New incentive laws for filmmakers, combined with an overflowing cup of projects, have transformed the "city of perennial potential" into a hotbed of film production. No longer a city that close to success, but a breeding ground of it, which just increases the odds of bringing in productions controlled by the likes of a Hanks or Spielberg, or others with just as much proven potential.
"The more that we have locally, then the more the large movies will look at us," Golson said.
© 2012 al.com. All rights reserved.
'Sweet Home Alabama' producer Andrew Glassman explains the attraction
Published: Thursday, January 12, 2012, 6:23 AM Updated: Thursday, January 12, 2012, 7:59 AM
Andrew
Glassman wields a camera during production of "Sweet Home
Alabama." (photo courtesy of CMT)MOBILE, Alabama -- Andrew Glassman was born in Philadelphia, grew up in Los Angeles and has spent the last six months chasing love in southwest Alabama.
You could also say it’s been a really intense business trip. Glassman is credited as executive producer of “Sweet Home Alabama,” as is Grant Julian, his partner in Los Angeles-based production company Glassman Media. Like the young men and women on his show, Glassman has been pursuing romance — but in their case, he seems to have been charmed by a region.
“These shows are corny, when people start talking about love at first sight, but this was a classic example of love at first sight,” Glassman said. “We all fell for that area right away.”
Back in mid-July, the show looked like just another entry in the throw-it-against-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks sweepstakes of cable reality programs. But this one stuck, rapidly becoming a hit for CMT. The network described that first eight-episode run as the most-streamed show ever on its CMT.com website, and reported that the finale had been one of its highest-rated telecasts ever, particularly among the young adult viewers coveted by advertisers.
By that point, production work on a second eight-episode season was already well under way. It began airing in October and concluded in December. The third season premieres at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13; a CMT representative said the potential for a fourth season will be decided in coming weeks.
The show appears to be a rare win-win: Just as it has done good things for CMT, it also has been a showcase for the charms of coastal Alabama. Set mostly in the Fairhope-Point Clear area, its cameras have followed its cast on dates to a variety of locales in Mobile and Baldwin counties, with a few outings to the Mississippi coast and Florida Panhandle.
The resulting exposure has been long on scenic vistas, from coastal sunsets to Spanish moss-draped oak trees, and short on redneck stereotypes.
Glassman said he’s been thrilled with the experience and has every intention of continuing it.
“If it’s up to all of us, we’ll be back there for many years to come,” he said, as he shared his thoughts on a variety of behind-the-scenes topics. The bottom line, he said, is that Lower Alabama has given him plenty of reasons — professional and personal — to keep coming back.
“I have definitely been fortunate,” he said. “We’ve shot series similar to this one in Hawaii, Tahiti, Paris, we’ve been through the Caribbean quite a bit. I would put a sunset over the Mobile Bay up there with all of them. I truly would.”
Finding a home
Glassman, who began his career as an investigative TV reporter, has produced a number of programs, including NBC’s “Average Joe.”
He said the road to Alabama started a few years back, when he was introduced to country music. He liked it, and he began to think more about the culture from which it came. Eventually, he connected those thoughts with his work.
“It seemed like a really natural fit,” he said. “One day I was like, ‘You know what? No one has ever done a love story like this that is truly done in the authentic South. And what would that be like?’ And I just became interested in it right away.”
He and Julian began developing the notion. “I have the job of dreaming it up and going, ‘Gosh, I think it would be amazing to set a date show in the South,’ and he has the job of actually making it happen,” Glassman said. Though it’s clear both are hands-on in practice. Glassman sometimes describes himself as “a glorified cameraman.”
The decision to come to Mobile Bay was driven partly by weather, but not the weather you might think of first. Instead of sultry coastal conditions, the decision was driven more by a historic, and tragic, day of tornadoes.
“We knew we wanted to shoot the story in Alabama; that was our first choice,” Glassman said. “The initial decision to shoot in the southern part of the state was driven partly by the horrible storms last April. At the time we felt like we would be more of a burden than anything if we started in northern Alabama. And clearly the officials there had many more important priorities on their minds than answering the requests of some TV producers.”
“I don’t think we scouted more than a day or two,” he said. “We just happened upon Fairhope and Mobile, I think pretty much straight out of the gate.”
As the producers zeroed in on their locations, they also began the work of assembling a crew. According to a CMT publicist, the show uses a crew of 64 people, about half of whom are hired locally.
“I was thinking about it a lot over the holidays,” Glassman said. “I could not be more grateful and appreciative for all the people we’ve met in your area, all the places we’ve been, it’s just been positive in every single way. Personally, creatively, all the friendships we’ve made, all the business relationships we’ve made, it’s just been an incredibly positive experience.”
Southern accents
One aspect of the show that has sometimes seemed a little dubious is its city-versus-country dynamic. For one thing, some of the “country” Southerners have hailed from major metropolitan areas — the prime example being Season Two’s star, Tribble Reese, a Birmingham native living a thoroughly urban life in Atlanta.
Glassman's
view on good reality TV: "If I can tell, looking through the
viewfinder, that I'm interested in knowing what's about to
happen next, or I have no idea what this person's about to say
and I can't wait to hear, that's when I know that the story is
good and the characters are good." (Photo courtesy of CMT)For another, the show’s louder Southerners have often spoken out on “Southern” values, only to wind up endorsing values that are more or less universal, like respecting one’s family.
Glassman defended the cultural aspect of the show, however, saying there was a deeper underlying divide.
“It all boils down to that core engine of two very different lifestyles, two groups that are paranoid about each other and how they might treat a woman that they all care about,” he said. “This current group of guys [in the third season] found all-new ways to express their anger and frustration and sense of competition with each other.”
Asked if his time in Lower Alabama had given him a sense of a distinctively Southern value, Glassman had a ready answer.
“There’s this word that gets thrown around a lot — hospitality,” he said. “I don’t think I truly understood that until I spent a good amount of quality time there. When you wake up in the morning, people in the coffee shop say hello to you and learn your name. When you take your crew to a location, the vendors there are interested in hearing where you’re from and what your life is like. Those are things that you don’t encounter day-in, day-out here in Los Angeles.
“I think the value of treating others as you’d hope to be treated in return in hopefully a universal American value,” he said. “But the day-in, day-out friendship, warmth, caring, taking the few extra minutes to really talk and get to know someone, that I’ve just been very impressed with. It is different, it is special, it is unique.”
If he hasn’t exactly gone native, Glassman has spent enough time to pick up some local sensitivities. Like many Southerners, he’s now slightly irked by the exaggerated drawls heard on some shows.
“When I see these shows now where it almost looks like the producers have gone out of their way to find people who are speaking that way, I actually feel like a local. It bothers me to see that,” he said. “Because it’s not really what you find when you get off the plane at the Mobile airport.”
“In this current season we decided we wanted to shoot something in the swamps of Lousiana because, frankly, ‘Swamp People’ is an incredibly popular television show,” Glassman said. “And so I said, ‘All right, let’s go into the swamp.’ And sure enough, our guide there spoke as eloquently as I do, if not more so.”
Keeping it real
Reality TV can be cartoonish, but Glassman said a show has to have an underlying authenticity to appeal to him.
“The truth is, the thing I loved most about being a reporter is the same thing I love most about my current job, which is meeting new people, going new places, interviewing people, hearing what’s really on their minds and at their core,” he said. “I think all reality shows are at their best when you really feel like you’re getting to know someone, or people are really telling you their story.”
He said he was pretty sure he had a hit on his hands long before CMT saw ratings surge.
“I can tell when it’s happening right in front of my eyes. I just consider myself the first viewer of the show,” he said. “If I can tell, looking through the viewfinder, that I’m interested in knowing what’s about to happen next, or I have no idea what this person’s about to say and I can’t wait to hear, that’s when I know that the story is good and the characters are good.
“I knew this was going to be good before we ever came down there,” he said. “I knew there were characters that you just don’t see every day, that we were about to meet, and to me that’s the strength of the idea, is people you do not see on the other shows are on this one, and they’re incredibly interesting, in the way they behave, the way they express themselves.”
“By the way, I get sad and homesick when I get on the plane to come back to California,” he said. “Just to be totally truthful, there are some people who are my friends here who don’t totally understand it. But the more I explain to them about the level of cooperation we’ve had, the quality of the people we’re working with, the quality of the work that they do, when they see the beautiful sunsets over Mobile Bay, they all turn to me and go, ‘Okay, now I get it.’”
Asked how long he thinks the show can run before it’s run out of sunsets and other fresh scenery, Glassman said that good drama doesn’t necessarily require a dramatic backdrop.
“Everywhere we’ve been in that area, you can look around and find something beautiful,” he said. “The essence of our show is that the big moments can take place in the shade under a tree. And that’s the simplicity of it.
“I like to think the relationships you’re watching are more real, they are developing in real time, the people are acting in a more authentic way, and it’s not about the elaborate things that a producer can do, necessarily,” he said. “Yes, we like the sailboats, we like the trips we go on, and all those things. But the biggest moments in our show have all taken place sitting at the end of a pier, sitting in the shade of a tree, sitting in the back of a pickup truck.
“To that end, I think we can be down there for a great deal of time to come and the show can be fresh.”
© 2012 al.com. All rights reserved.
12/6/2011
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2011 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION Charlie Smith 210.446.YH15 (9415) charlie.smith@yourhollywood15.com |
SCREENWRITING AND FILMMAKING COMPETITION LAUNCHES TODAY
WHO: Your Hollywood 15
WHAT: A Screenwriting and Filmmaking Competition in Three Parts -
Phase One: 15-Minute Script Submission
Admire Wilder? Envy Kubrick? Enter your 15-minute script and let your words do the talking. Our worldwide audience will award the best screenplay, creating the catalyst for the rest of the competition. After all, it all starts (and ends) with the script, doesn’t it.
Phase Two: Production Team Auditions
Aspiring actors, producers, directors, and other assorted crew, unite. Prove to the world why you should have the pleasure of bringing Phase One's masterpiece to life. Remember, your cinematography and concept will be as important as who’s in front of the camera. We wanna see that raw talent we can expect and enjoy in the next round.
Phase Three: Film Production
Nice work if you can get it. And if you got it, bring it. Phase Three will reveal the best talent team in a balls-to-the-wall, bone crushing, race-to-the-death fight for the crown. The worldwide audience follows along on each team’s journey to cinematic excellence. But there can only be one winning film. Will it be yours?
WHEN: Phase 1 submissions are accepted today, Monday, December 5, through December 28, 2011. For more information on deadlines for Phase and
3, please visit our website (www.yourhollywood15.com).
WHERE: Upload your submission for competition inclusion at www.yourhollywood15.com.
WHY: Winners will receive:
§ Over $4,000 in cash ($2,000 per screenwriting and production team)
§ Theatrical premiere of winning film
§ Submission of winning film to a film festival
§ Other smaller prizes, including premier scriptwriting software from Final Draft®
About Your
Hollywood 15
Your Hollywood 15 is an online reality competition designed to provide exposure to aspiring screenwriters, actors, producers, and directors by following them along in their journey to bring an original script to life. Winning teams are chosen by the viewing public and our panel of critics. A litany of cash and prizes will be awarded, and the winning film is submitted to a film festival. Your Hollywood 15 aims to provide anyone with their own 15 minutes of Hollywood fame. Discover more at www.yourhollywood15.com.
10/28/2011
Alabama film 'October Baby' to debut today in select theaters in Alabama, Mississippi and Memphis (video)
Published: Friday, October 28, 2011, 8:30 AM
Homegrown
film "October Baby" to debut in select theaters in Alabama,
Mississippi and Memphis today (The Huntsville Times/Courtesy of
Mandi Erwin).
For their first feature film, brothers Jon and Andrew Erwin undertook a controversial topic that most wouldn’t even dare to consider, especially for their motion picture debut.
Instead of the movie focusing on a convoluted love triangle or the most recent apocalyptic trend of pandemics, nuclear disasters and widespread zombie infestations, the Alabama filmmakers tackled abortion – particularly the issue of abortion survivors.
Released today in about 15 Alabama and Mississippi theaters, “October Baby” is a coming-of-age love story that follows college freshman Hannah, who learns she’s not only adopted, but an abortion survivor. After learning of this, Hannah embarks on a road trip to Mobile in search of her birth mother and, perhaps, forgiveness and healing.
Some might assume the story’s topic to be risky, but the Birmingham-based filmmakers disagree. Andrew Erwin, who co-directed and co-produced the film with his brother, Jon, said it would be more of a risk if they had handled it in a way that was more abrasive, but merely presented the issue to get people talking about it.
“Good films handle a tough topic and get people to talk,” said Andrew, who with his brother has worked in the entertainment industry for years directing commercials, music videos and recently two feature-length documentaries. “(The story) very much reflects you as a filmmaker.
“I believe in the story I am telling, and I think we have done it in a way that is very black and white,” he said. “Abortion is a very complicated and tough issue that needs to be talked about.”
The fictional story of “October Baby” was inspired by a real-life abortion survivor, Gianna Jessen. The Erwin brothers were unfamiliar with the issue of an abortion survivor until they heard the anti-abortion rights activist speak.
“She’s a survivor of a saline abortion and has cerebral palsy because of that,” Andrew said. “We were so moved by her story; she has every reason in the world to be a bitter human being, but she has just one of the most fully alive personalities I have ever met.
“We investigated and researched the issue and decided this was the context of a story we would like to tell,” he said. “We worked on it and came up with ‘October Baby.’”
Homegrown talent
It’s safe to say “October Baby” is a bona fide homegrown film.
With a budget of less than $1 million, “October Baby” was filmed in various locations throughout Alabama, including downtown Mobile and Samford University. It also stars newcomer, Alabama native and University of Montevallo graduate Rachel Hendrix, who plays Hannah with other roles filled by John Schneider of the classic TV series “Dukes of Hazzard” and the more recent “Smallville,” andJasmine Guy from “A Different World” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
Filmmaker Andrew Erwin said the intent of Friday’s limited release in three states is to test how the audience responds to the film, thus dictating how wide the national release is during the spring.
The film will be shown at one Huntsville cinema, the Regal Hollywood Stadium 18 theater, at 1:20, 4:20, 7:20 and 9:45 p.m.
As for filming the project in his native state, Andrew said the state’s somewhat new film incentive package made it easier for the production company to stretch their dollar because they didn’t have much to spend.
“It’s (tax incentive package) is a big reason why we filmed the movie in the state,” Andrew said. “A filmmaker or film studio is looking for where they can get the most bang for their buck.
“Alabama has every bit of potential that Louisiana and Georgia are doing,” he said. “If you want to film a project that’s a reasonable price, stretch your dollar and utilize scenery that hasn’t been utilized on film before with great people, come to Alabama.
“It’s the best kept hidden secret in the Southeast.”
© 2011 al.com. All rights reserved.
10/20/2011
Filming starts on Hallmark Hall of Fame movie about special Space Camp
Published: Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 2:11 PM Updated: Thursday, October 20, 2011, 9:35 AM
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The U.S. Space & Rocket Center was transformed into a movie set today as filming started here for a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie that will premier on ABC in January.
"A Smile as Big as the Moon," based on a book by the same name, tells about a high school football coach and special-education teacher who works with another teacher to bring a group of special-needs students to Space Camp in 1988.
"I love Mike's story," said John Corbett, who plays the former coach/teacher Mike Kersjes, who wrote the book with Joe Layden. "I think people will be touched by it."
Corbett, who appeared in another Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions movie, "November Christmas," in 2010, said it's "a great honor" to be involved in another Hallmark project.
Some of the shooting on a chilly, overcast morning took place outside the entrance to the space center. In the scene, Corbett and Jessy Schram, who plays teacher Robynn McKinney, who teams up with Kersjes, meet Cynthia Watros, who portrays Space Camp Director Deborah Barnhart. Barnhart was the Space Camp director at the time of the special camp and is now CEO of the space center.
The movie is "a story of hope," Schram said during a break for the cast before filming resumed for another scene. After reading the first 10 pages of the script, "I fell in love with the characters."
Schram has appeared in "Falling Skies," "Hawthorne," "Veronica Mars" and other TV series and in the Hallmark Channel's "Jane Doe" movies.
Corbett, who was in "Northern Exposure" in the early 90s, played Aidan Shaw on HBO's "Sex and the City" and the movie, "Sex and the City 2." He starred in the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and is appearing this year in the TV series "Parenthood."
Watros, whose TV credits include "Lost," "The Drew Carey Show" and "House M.D.," was also impressed when she read the script by Tom Rickman.
"It's a wonderful story -- a teacher who believes in his students" and doesn't put limits on them, said Watros.
In the movie, some of the special-ed students are played by young actors who have Down syndrome or autism. Space center spokesman Tim Hall said some students from Lee High School and Madison Academy were playing extras during today's filming.
Kersjes, who now lives in the Huntsville area and is a senior systems analyst with Venturi Aerospace, is a technical adviser with the movie.
"Everybody is working very hard to make it as authentic as possible," Kersjes said. "The crew and cast are bending over backwards to make this movie just like the book. I can't be happier."
© 2011 al.com. All rights reserved.
10/18/2011
New Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie
Filming at Space Camp in Huntsville
A new movie for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, premiering on ABC in 2012, will begin filming in Alabama on Wednesday at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp in Huntsville.
About 100 cast and crew members are expected to spend about two weeks here working on the project, said Tim Hall, the center's spokesman.
The story is based on the book, "A Smile as Big as the Moon: A Teacher, His Class and Their Unforgettable Journey," written by the former coach and teacher Mike Kersjes with journalist Joe Layden and published in 2002. The script is by Tom Rickman (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Front of the Class).
The production was assisted by the Alabama Film Office, now a division of the Alabama Development Office. Film Office staff members recommended crew and local vendors, provided logistical support, assisted with labor forms, and helped the company qualify for film tax incentives, which will be applied once the film is completed and audited.
AFO promotes the state to the film and video industry as a site for on-location production for feature films, television, music videos, industrial and corporate training films and commercials.
“Film and television production is a form of economic development that can bring millions of dollars into local economies throughout the state,” said Alabama Development Office Director Greg Canfield. “All of the states are competing aggressively for these film dollars and we are going to make sure that Alabama stays ahead of the race. Alabama now has one of the most aggressive film legislative incentives packages in the country, which is making the state more competitive.”
John Corbett (November Christmas) plays Mike Kersjes, a high school football coach and special-education teacher who teams up with fellow teacher Robynn McKinney (played by Jessy Schram – Hawthorne, The Mentalist) to achieve an impossible dream: to take a group of special-ed children to NASA’s Space Camp.
Space Camp is a competitive education program at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Even though it’s designed for gifted science students, Mike decides participating in the summer program would do wonders for the self-esteem of his students – especially Ben, a boy with Downs Syndrome, who dreams of becoming an astronaut.
Mike Kersjes faced incredible obstacles in trying to make his impossible dream become inspiring reality. School administrators opposed the plan – too expensive, they said. Space Camp officials were understandably flummoxed; they’d never had special-ed students apply before.
At long last, Mike and his students were given the green light. That’s when the real challenges began. It took nine months of rigorous teaching, learning and training before the class was ready to take on the world.
In the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, many of the special-ed students are played by young actors who are, indeed, “special.” with disabilities such as Down syndrome and autism.
A Smile as Big as the Moon is directed by James Sadwith (Elvis, Life Is Wild). The executive producers are Brent Shields (Beyond the Blackboard, The Lost Valentine) and Dan Paulson (Saving Jessica Lynch, Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pictures of Hollis Woods). It is from Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, Inc.
10/13/2011
Contacts:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joshua Walsh 352-408-6190, joshuadirect@gmail.com
Jessica Coleman 310-721-7293, jac374@gmail.com
'OCTOBER BABY' FILMED IN ALABAMA
HITS THEATERS OCT. 28
BIRMINGHAM AL – October 12, 2010 – OCTOBER BABY – filmed in various locations across Alabama, opens in theaters Oct. 28 in Alabama and Mississippi in advance of its nationwide release spring 2012.
A touching coming of age film, OCTOBER BABY tells the story of Hannah, a college freshman who discovers she was adopted after a failed abortion. In search of answers, she embarks on a road trip to Mobile, AL hoping to find her birth mother. The film features John Schneider (“Smallville”), Jasmine Guy (“The Vampire Diaries”), Jason Burkey (FOR THE GLORY) and newcomer Rachel Hendrix as Hannah.
“Andy and I were born and raised in Alabama. We love living here. So we also love working here,” says Birmingham native Jon Erwin, who along with his brother Andy co-directed and produced the film. “For years we have directed music videos and we've brought as many of them as possible to Alabama. We have 10 nominations for GMA Dove awards for videos we've done, and almost all of them were shot in Alabama. The people are so hospitable, the locations are amazing, and we can do things much faster and cheaper here. So when it came to shooting our first feature film it was a no brainer. Everyone that sees the film talks about how beautiful it is. I attribute that to the wonderful state of Alabama.” Filming locations across the state include Samford University in Birmingham and downtown Mobile.
It wasn't just locations that Alabama contributed to the production. In addition to crew and countless extras, Rachel Hendrix, who plays the lead role, is a Dothan native and graduate of The University of Montevallo. “We worked with her on another project and knew she'd be perfect for the role,” says Jon Erwin.
The film opens in Alabama and Mississippi Oct 28 and is being released by Provident Films and the American Family Association. The nationwide release is set for spring 2012. The theatrical release of OCTOBER BABY is a first for Jon and Andy. “We are very proud of the film and excited for Alabama audiences to see it on the big screen,” says Andy.
Synopsis
OCTOBER BABY is a coming of age story of Hannah, a beautiful 19 year old college freshman. Despite her lively personality, Hannah has always felt like an outsider. Something is missing. She has always carried a deep seeded sense that she has no right to exist. When she discovers she was adopted it comes as a shock, but Hannah's world is rocked even more when she learns why she was never told before - because she was the survivor of a failed abortion. She embarks on a road trip with some friends (including her oldest and closest friend Jason) to find her biological mother. She needs answers. In the process she unexpectedly discovers hope, love and forgiveness.
This uplifting and beautiful film may change the way you look at the world, your loved ones... and life.
Directors - Jon & Andy Erwin
Director team, Jon and Andy Erwin, have been working in the entertainment industry for many years, both beginning their careers as sports cameramen for ESPN. In 2005 the pair ventured into directing commercials and music videos. They found their greatest success in the world of music, directing music videos and producing concerts and television programs for platinum artists like Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Switchfoot, Skillet and American Idol Ruben Studdard among many others. They have received ten nominations and back to back wins for Music Video Of The Year at the GMA Dove Awards. Recently, the brothers completed the feature length documentaries THE MYSTERIOUS ISLANDS about the Galapagos and THE CROSS AND THE TOWERS which looks at finding hope amid the devastation of the September 11th terrorist attacks. OCTOBER BABY is their first feature film. Andy and Jon Erwin are based out of Birmingham, AL.
American Family Association
American Family Association (AFA) a non-profit 501(c3) organization was founded in 1977. AFA is one of the largest and most effective pro-family organizations in the country with over two million online supporters and approximately 180,000 paid subscribers to the AFA Journal, the ministry's monthly magazine. In addition, AFA owns and operates nearly 200 radio stations across the country under the American Family Radio (AFR) banner. AFA.net
Provident Films
Provident Films, a division of Provident Music Group, produces and distributes faith-based films. Nashville-based Provident Music Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, has been one of the world’s leading Christian entertainment companies for more than three decades. Under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville, Provident Music Group is comprised of Provident Films, Provident Label Group, Essential Music Publishing, and Provident-Integrity Distribution. ProvidentFilms.org
To Learn More, Visit:
October Baby OctoberBabyMovie.net
Facebook Facebook.com/OctoberBabyMovie
Twitter Twitter.com/OctoberBabyFilm
Youtube Youtube.com/OctoberBabyMovie
For interviews, contact:
Josh Walsh 352-408-6190, joshuadirect@gmail.com
Jessica Coleman 310-721-7293, jac374@gmail.com
9/28/2011
Movie services company to locate in Alabama
MONTGOMERY – A national entertainment payroll and production services company that deals exclusively with the television and motion picture industry plans to open an office in the state, the Alabama Film Office announced today.
Entertainment Partners, which has been a leader in providing services to the motion pictures industry for more than 30 years, and its subsidiary, EPPS Purchasing, Inc., expects to locate in October, said tourism director Lee Sentell, who oversees the film office.
Company official Marco Cordova said, “Our decision to open a new office was based primarily on several productions planning to shoot in Alabama within the next six months and the competitive film incentives available for Alabama motion pictures.”
“Based on my experience working in other states, I foresee more production activity in Alabama’s future as long as the state continues to support filmmakers with tax credits and incentives. Alabama has the opportunity to attract even more productions to the state if the Legislature increases the annual film tax credit funding,” said Cordova, the company director of business development and production planning.
The employee-owned California firm locates incentive offices in the states with the most robust filming activity, Sentell said. The company currently operates in New Mexico, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alaska, North Carolina, California, New York and Florida, Cordova said.
Sentell said having EP management services available should attract projects here that might otherwise have gone to other states. “More productions mean more jobs in Alabama for this growing industry,” he said.
The film office staff has been “a great resource for Entertainment Partners and our production clients,” said Cordova. “My experience working and dealing with the film office has been instrumental in our decision to open a new office here. The staff has been great to work with.”
Mobile-based movie producer Scott Lumpkin, who has 28 production credits, said the firm assists productions with schedules and budgets as well as payroll and incentive services. “I am excited to see Alabama on their website as one of the 10 locations. Their presence will show the rest of the industry we are serious about making movies in Alabama.”
Sentell credited film office staff members Kathy Faulk and Brenda Hobbie for supporting EP’s efforts to locate offices in the state.
Under legislation passed in 2009, the state film office rebates a portion of production costs based on the percentage of state residents employed on a project, Sentell said.
Press Release
CYPRESS MOON STUDIOS SIGNS LINDSAY PULSIPHER
AS BONNIE IN THE NEW FEATURE FILM
THE STORY OF BONNIE AND CLYDE
True Blood’s
Pulsipher To Star In New Adaptation Of Classic Story
September 19, 2011, Sheffield, AL – As the buzz continues to build,
Cypress Moon Studios (www.cypressmoonproduction.com)
has announced that Lindsay Pulsipher has signed on to star as the
infamous Bonnie Parker in the new feature film The Story of Bonnie
and Clyde. The film is set to begin pre-production later this
Fall.
Lindsay, who is currently filming the miniseries The Hatfields and
McCoys for the History Channel opposite Kevin Costner and Bill
Paxton, is perhaps best known as werepanther “Crystal Norris” on the
hit HBO series True Blood. One of the busiest young actresses
in the industry, Lindsay also recently starred in the art house
thriller The Oregonian, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance
Film Festival, and will next be seen in the indie film Meth Head
with Lukas Haas. Prior to that, Lindsay was a series regular on the
A&E series The Beast, which starred the late Patrick Swayze in
his critically acclaimed final role. Lindsay is represented by
Mathews Management and The Gersh Agency.
“We are thrilled to welcome Lindsay Pulsipher as Bonnie Parker in
The Story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Lindsay will undoubtedly bring many layers to this critical role,”
said Tonya S. Holly of Cypress Moon Productions. “This is a
gripping story about two of the most legendary fugitives in
history...It demands a powerful cast and that is what we are
assembling.”
The film, a new adaptation of the classic love story tells the
thrilling story of the notorious fugitives. Taking place during the
1930's Depression, the film follows the life and times of Bonnie and
Clyde, uncovering many aspects of their lives that have never before
been seen on the big screen. Holly wrote the script, and will direct
the film that is set to be shot in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and
possibly Missouri. Holly will also produce the film with Thomas
Rogers III.
Media interested in further information or to schedule a time to speak
with Tonya S. Holly please contact Lauren Lewis at (818) 970-0052.
CONTACT
Lauren
Lewis
(818)
970-0052
CMT’S ‘SWEET HOME ALABAMA’ CLOSES THE SEASON WITH RECORD RATINGS
Series Now Ranks as Most-Streamed Show in CMT.com’s History
Season 2 Featuring Fan Favorite Tribble Reese Premieres Thursday, October 20 on CMT
NASHVILLE – September 6, 2011 – Last week’s finale of SWEET HOME ALABAMA scored with viewers both on-air and digitally when the first season came to a close on Thursday, September 1 on CMT. The final episode scored a series high of .5 among P18-49, the channel’s strongest telecast since the 2011 CMT MUSIC AWARDS and saw huge gains with young viewers. With a massive 1.4 P18-24 rating, the finale was the demo’s highest-rated telecast in over 3 years and the third most watched telecast among P18-24 ever for the network. The finale averaged 717,000 total viewers, 507,000 of which were P18-49. Additionally, SWEET HOME ALABAMA now ranks as the highest rated series for CMT in 2011.
A digital win for the network as well, the show now ranks as the top most-streamed show in network history and contributed to overall growth among CMT’s social media sites, which just surpassed one million followers across Facebook and Twitter. The success was due in large part to an aggressive interactive strategy that included weekly live chats and original video content.
Because of the franchise’s tremendous success, CMT has signed on for a second season of SWEET HOME ALABAMA with bachelor Tribble Reese, the runner-up in season one premiering Thursday, October 20 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT. This time, he will be faced with the tough decision of city versus country in the search for his Ms. Right, choosing between girls from all across the country who are heading to Alabama to help mend his broken heart.
SWEET HOME ALABAMA is produced by Glassman Media with executive producers Andrew Glassman, Grant Julian and Carrie Franklin. Claire McCabe and Jayson Dinsmore are executive producers for CMT.
