WWW stands for Works (in progress), Wrinkles or Whoops (whenever and wherever they happen) and Wraps (completed films and projects of any kind). As always, your contributions to this feature are solicited and encouraged.
Contributors include: Dawn Haley, David S. Weiss, Steven D'Annolfo, Steve Pond, Marie Beauchamp, Silvia Candelaria, Lewis Wheeler and Karel Sloane.

Christy Scott-Cashman as the object of desire in Connell's STOCKING STUFFERS.
Photo by Michael Naimo.

STOCKING STUFFERS PREPARES TO PUT ITS BEST FOOT FORWARD

Writer/Director ANGEL CONNELL informed Imagine News that post-production on his latest film short, STOCKING STUFFERS is near completion. "I'm still in the process of securing a date for the video release party," said the Westford filmmaker. "I'm aiming for the end of August."

Produced under the banner of Connell's production company, Parousian Pictures, STOCKING STUFFERS stars Boston-based actor CHRISTY SCOTT-CASHMAN and WNDS-TV news reporter ERIC SCHEINER of Manchester, NH. Shot on 16mm film by Newton-based Director of Photography MATTHEW WAGENKNECHT in the basement of Connell's home last spring, Connell describes STOCKING STUFFERS as "an intellectual exercise."

"I wanted to examine how an object of desire - in this case, a shapely leg covered in a nylon stocking - is used in two different contexts," explained Connell. "In the first half of the film, the object is used to strengthen and humanize - in a bizarre way - the relationship of a couple. In the second half, the object is utilized - in an equally bizarre way - as a tool which gradually commodifies people to the point wherein the couple at the end of the film feel they can achieve sexual satisfaction only through the use of brand name products - like pantyhose."

"It may sound arty as hell but it's still a fun picture," claimed Connell. "I'm confident many people will have a good laugh by the end of the movie."

Connell praised the cast and crew for their hard work on the film. He admitted attracting the right screen talent to the picture was difficult due to the risque' nature of the film. "At one point I came close to ditching the project and doing something else," recalled Connell. "Then (Wagenknecht) passed the script on to Christy, she liked it, called me up, I auditioned her and the rest is history. Now we await the judgment of the public."

Westford filmmaker Angel Connell (R) shares a moment with notorious cult icon and Baltimore=based filmmaker John Waters ("Pink Flamingos", "Serial Mom", "Pecker") at the Reject Film Festival in Philadelphia AP. Photo courtesy of Parousian Pictures
When asked to comment on Cashman's assessment in last month's Imagine News that STOCKING STUFFERS was "the hardest job" she had ever done ("we rehearsed the heck out of every scene"), Connell smiled. "I'm an actor myself and I consider the rehearsal process crucial in developing a character. Once the actor is anchored in the character I've written, I can concentrate on telling my story through strong, imagistic visuals when it's time for me to wear my director's hat. I hope all of our work on STOCKING STUFFERS will achieve its desired effect."

After the video release party, Connell and his business partner, Executive Producer MARYANNE CRADDOCK, will submit STOCKING STUFFERS to various film festivals with an eye towards selling the film short to an online company like atomfilm.com. "At a running time of less than ten minutes long, I think it'll be a perfect fit," predicted Connell.

Connell is best known for his award-winning film short SHE'S SO COLD (1995). Aside from his post-production duties on STOCKING STUFFERS, he hopes to finish by the end of the year a video documentary on an obscure Massachusetts big band leader. And as if he wasn't busy enough, Connell is putting the final touches on AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVIL, an original screenplay for his first full-length feature film which he says will touch on familiar themes.

"STOCKING STUFFERS and SHE'S SO COLD were warm up exercises compared to what I hope to do with my first feature," confided Connell. "If everything goes according to plan, I hope AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVIL will be my breakout project. At least that's the game plan!"

The video release party for STOCKING STUFFERS is by invitation only. Anyone interested in attending the world premiere of STOCKING STUFFERS is strongly encouraged to email Connell at angelconnell@earthlink.net.

Soup2Nuts Produces 2 Network Pilots

Soup2Nuts. Come take a look inside!
www.soup2nuts.tv
Soup2Nuts, a division of Tom Snyder Productions, is producing two animated pilots, one for MTV and one for Noggin, the 24-hour, commercial-free, educational network from Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop.

The pilots, to be delivered this summer, demonstrate the breadth and depth of talent within the Soup2Nuts creative team. The MTV pilot calls on Soup2Nuts' hallmark improvisational comedy. The Noggin pilot showcases Soup2Nuts' ability to produce engaging educational shows for kids. Tom Snyder, founder of Tom Snyder Productions and Soup2Nuts, co-created both pilots.

The MTV Animation pilot, working title Kick Ass College Radio Show combines comedy and pop music at WJFK, a student-run radio station at a fictitious community college. Each episode will feature different popular musical talent, such as the Canadian rock group, Sum 41, which appeared in the pilot. Sum 41 recently recorded for the pilot at Soup2Nuts' Watertown studios when the group was on tour with Blink 182.

The Kick Ass College Radio Show pilot stars Dave Cross, whose credits include "Mr. Show", "Just Shoot Me", and WAITING FOR GUFFMAN; Brendon Small, star of Home Movies to be launched on Cartoon Network in September (see Imagine June/July 2001); and Angela Shelton star of Oxygen's, "Hey Monie."

"This is a cool show for a cool network," said co-creator and producer Carl Adams. "Kick Ass College Radio Show combines music, animation and comedy so it makes perfect sense for the MTV audience."

The pilot for Noggin, Commander in Chief, is a children's comedy that sheds light on government. The show explores the daily life of Jimmy, 13, who becomes the President of the United States. A nice enough kid, Jimmy is neither stupid nor the shiniest lure in the tackle box. He runs the country surprisingly well, despite the antics of his jealous vice-president and his quirky family. Jimmy's omniscient bodyguard and loyal friends, who hang out at The White House, foil his enemies and advise him with simple and effective solutions to potentially explosive domestic and international problems.

"We're glad to be working with a network that values smart-funny the way we do," said producer Lisa Gillim. "We hope to push the term limit with Commander in Chief."

The expertise of Soup2Nuts extends beyond comedy and animation. Under one roof, the studio provides production services, including creating, writing, recording, audio editing, animating, and video editing. The studio composes and records proprietary music for its shows and has a troupe of experienced improvisational comics who add the natural sound and real conversation that distinguish Soup2Nuts shows from others on television and the web today.

Soup2Nuts, formerly called Tom Snyder Productions, expanded into television from its flourishing education software business in 1994 and established a reputation in television as a successful and award-wining creator and producer of animated programming. In 1999, six networks broadcast programs from Tom Snyder Productions. In addition to the Peabody and Emmy Award winning Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, Soup2Nuts programs include The Dick and Paula Celebrity Special, Squigglevision, Home Movies, and Hey Monie. Soup2Nuts is owned by Torstar, a Toronto-based information and entertainment communications company.

 

Moviepalooza!
The film & video series presented by the filmmakers!

Imagine continues to compile stories about indie filmmakers self-releasing and exhibiting their own work. This is one of several stories in this issue. This one is from New York. Moviepalooza, an independent film and video series, will bring four features and a dozen shorts to New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood in August and September. Screening at the Irish Arts Center theatre on 51st street at 11th Avenue, the movies represent styles varying from black comedy (SHADOW OF DEATH), experimental (THE ANONYMOUS GAMBLERS), horror comedy (NIGHTMARE IN SHALLOW POINT), international co-productions (BILLY'S BAD), documentary (DAY PLAYER BLUES), to modern silent films honoring the tradition of Chaplin and Keaton (SADIE'S FORTUNE).

Moviepalooza is a "four-wall" series rather than a traditional film festival, so the filmmakers share the costs of producing the event and the box office revenue. Organizer Joe Murphy told Imagine, "This is a way to support the people who actually make the movies. The money from every ticket sold goes directly to the filmmaker, not some distributor or Hollywood Studio."

Moviepalooza will take advantage of recent advances in video technology by projecting off of video instead of film. The movies will be digitized into a computer and projected with an LCD video projector.

In keeping with the grassroots spirit of the event, the audience can meet and mingle with the directors and actors themselves before and after the screenings.

Ticket prices will be $7 and $10 depending on screening time.

There will also be a Moviepalooza Music Marathon, "music from the movies, performed live," on Sunday, August 19th. Nine bands and solo artists who contributed music to the film soundtracks will perform at Kenny's Castaways, 157 Bleecker Street. The concert will run from 4 pm till midnight, and tickets will be $10. Filmmakers will also be in attendance, and movie trailers will screen in between music sets.

For more information contact MurphyMovies@yahoo.com or visit www.MurphyMovies.com.


ViewPoint Studios Creates Two New Promotional Packages for Discovery Networks International

Boston based ViewPoint Studios recently completed two more on-air promotional packages for long time client Discovery Communications. The first promotional package was for Animal Planet International's "Whale of a Week", which features a line-up of shows revolving around whales and our relationship with them. This programming airs in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

"Our goal," said Molly McCarthy, Associate Producer of International On-Air Promotion for Discovery Networks International, "was to create a promo that would travel across all regions of the world and portray the beauty and mystery of whales, while maintaining the international on-air look of the Animal Planet network. We wanted something that would show whales, as they are - magnificent, tranquil creatures whose continued existence depends so much on our understanding of how fragile life can be."

"The profile of the promo was to keep the design simple and elegant," commented ViewPoint Studios Designer, Tom Bik. "We created two-dimensional representations of whales gracefully animating through a soothing yet vibrant color palette of CGI light and water. As these awesome creatures travel through this environment, the viewer seamlessly journeys into a frame accurate match of real whales and their environment."

The design for this series captures the sublime essence of the shapes, movements and sounds of the whale helping us to see the majesty of one of the planet's great citizens.

The second promotional package was for Animal Planet International's "Action Men" stunt week. This week of programming centers on "The Crocodile Hunter", "The Jeff Corwin Experience", "O'Shea's Big Adventure" and "Shark Gordon".

"The message we wanted to convey in this promo package," said Holly Roessler, Manager of International On-Air Promotion for Discovery Network International "was that Animal Planet offers these adventurous, exciting, super hero type men - "Action Men" you can only see here! We did not want to focus too much on any one show, but rather create a joint promotion for all four shows, that could be aired in the United States as well as Europe."

"We pumped up the Action Men of Animal Planet," commented ViewPoint Studios Design Director, Michael Frederick, "by turning them into muscle bulging cartoon super heroes. Through the combination of illustration, design elements and some fast paced footage we created a comic book approach giving us the ability to take a flat style of art and translate it into a high energy, thrill seeking promo."

This innovative approach brings these Animal Planet stars into the realm of real life heroes. We see how their knowledge of animals and their fearless ability to bring the audience right up close allows us to experience wildlife in ways that would otherwise not be possible.

"We enjoy our ongoing relationship with ViewPoint Studios," continued Roessler, "because we always get 100% from everyone we work with at ViewPoint. They consistently deliver the highest quality, most creative packages money can buy."

ViewPoint Studios is a full service, multi-faceted creative firm with extensive experience in the media industries. Established as an independent resource for design, live action, animation and visual effects, their clients include Discovery Communications, Encore Media Group LLC, ESPN Networks, The History Channel, HBO as well as broadcast groups and TV stations nationwide.