Lover Boy the Film

2008-09-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

right now I'm writing you from a hotel some where in PA I'm working on a highly questionable reality television show. However everyone is nice and the work is easy and well paid. I would go into more details but I am not legally allowed to tell you any more details. The consequence of working on this show? Look up strange matter on wikipedia and it will give you a clue. In other news lover boy got into the upstate new York film festival in syracuse new York. The festival is 8pm Thursday the 25th at gifford hall In the Syracuse univeristy campus. There is an after party at a place called funk and waffles, sounds awesome. Be there or be lame.

More updates coming soon.
billy
ps I would proof read my entry but I'm writing from my itouch

shout outs...

2008-09-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

So I'm in LA now... with no computer, but was able to check my email, which had a message from my number one fan, my mom, directing me to this link:

http://community.avid.com/blogs/events/archive/2008/08/19/rhode-island-international-film-forum.aspx

ya, we got a shout out, check the bottom of the article. or read it below.
xo, Z

Rhode Island International Film Forum
Only published comments... Aug 19 2008, 06:17 PM by brendab
Filed under: User Groups
The 7 day, Rhode Island International Film Festival wrapped up on Sunday. They had record attendance and a lot of fun was had by all. There were 300 filmakers there representing their submitted films. The Key to City of Providence was presented to actor, John Ratzenberger (aka Cliff Clavin). On Thursday there was a film forum at Brown University and Avid's Michael Phillips presented on the panel titled "Changing Technologies in Film". Michael, having just finished his own film was a great source of information. He touched on some important key components of filmmaking. His introduction made some of the basic points such as "have a good story", "maybe you don't want to be both Editor and Director", and then there is always the options of good, fast and cheap. It can't always be all three so there are choices to be made. Michael then spoke on the new file based camera technologies. He gave an overview of the Sony, Panasonic and Red Cameras and the pros and cons of each. Michael also discussed the various deliver methods and also some helpful advise on how to get your film seen.

Also presenting on the panel was Mark Almark Altekruse, Director of Sales and Marketing for Abaltat. He demonstrated their music composing software Muse. This neat software will analyze the colors on your video and create the music for you. It provides a wide choice of musical genre and has seamless integration with Apple, Avid, Adobe and Media 100 editing applications. Mike Bell of Embee Studio also presented on Blue-Ray Authoring.

Finishing up the Film festival on Sunday, August 10th, was the awards Brunch where the winning entries to the festival received their awards. Awards were presented in a variety of categories. Avid Technology also presented a copy of Media Composer Software to the winner of the "AVID's Student Filmmaking Achievement Award". This years award went to Zia Anger, Director, Producer; Billy Feldman, Writer, Producer; and Ashley Connor, Cinematographer/DP for the film "Lover Boy".

Synopsis:
For his ninth birthday Myles asks for nothing but wood. With his once vivacious grandmother slowly dying, and his burdened mother struggling for relevance he is constructing the everlasting life he desires. Within this wintry upstate New York world, there are indeed mighty forces at play.
Link: Avid Student Filmaking Achievement Award Winner

Press Press Press

2008-08-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Ithaca Times just ran a cute little story about us.
Check it out!

When Ithaca College student filmmakers Zia Anger, Ashley Connor and Billy Feldman set out to capture the tender portrait of a young boy who wants to become a vampire last March, they couldn't have anticipated how far the quirky, touching, and at times disturbing short film would take them. But, last week, against the odds, the trio's heartfelt and genuine effort was awarded first prize in the student film category at of the little known yet highly respected Rhode Island International Film Festival. But the award represents much more than just a prize for Anger (the film's director), Connor (the film's directory of photography) and Feldman (the script's bard)-it stands as a testament to months of stress, frustration and unconditional commitment to a project that each collaborator truly believed in. In that sense, the real vindication for their efforts is the film itself, not the award it won them.
Loverboy represents the product of three aspiring filmmakers at their best. It has the aesthetic of a theatrical studio release (thanks to a grant from Panavision), and the casual, natural elements of an art-house film. In Loverboy, each piece works seamlessly into the next. And films like these, where everything just works, aren't made without sacrifices, especially when they're being made by students with empty pockets and limited time. "I missed Christmas with my family in California so we could all work on the Panavision grant application over winter break," says Connor. "I had a 45 pound camera on my shoulder for most of the shoot, so yes, I yelled a couple of times and shed a few drops of blood. But," she jokes, "the blood was really only to pacify the vampires."
"I was so stressed out that I got strep throat (while editing)," says Feldman. "I remember lying on my mattress during the really hot week in may. I couldn't get up. I slept almost three weeks straight and I kept thinking the movie was not going to get done before the final screening."
But the film did eventually get finished, on time, and premiered as an Ithaca College thesis screening, where it was received to some of the highest accolades in the school's illustrious recent memory. It was after this generous reception that the trio decided to take the film on the road.
A film that calls itself Loverboy and focuses on a disillusioned lad with a passion for sucking blood is not your typical student-film fodder. But the combination of Feldman's eerie script, Anger's effortless direction and Connor's haunting camerawork won over the hearts of audiences in Rhode Island with a unique blend of elements that transcends the posturing, immaturity and indulgence that often marks student work.
"I was speaking to another filmmaker who said our film escaped the tropes that so many student films fall into," says Feldman. "You know, being pretentious, confusing, or too long. I said, 'are you sure we're talking about the right movie?' Just kidding. I thanked him. The conversation with that guy actually made the festival for me."
Of course it didn't hurt to have some pretty impressive acting talent on board.
Jax Grey, a local boy who plays the part of vampire wannabe Myles, takes what could have turned into a comical role, and creates a portrait of a conflicted young man who we want both to run from and to hold-to scream at and to nurse back to health.
"The part of Myles was written with Jax Gray in mind," says Feldman. "He's one of the most brilliant people I've ever met. He has a dark side, or I think it's more accurate to call a sagaciously cynical side. He's like a 900 year old trapped in a nine-year-old body."
Enthusiasm for Grey's brilliance is a unanimous sentiment among the group.
"The day I met him he performed a Queen song and a song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show for Zia and I." Says Connor. "That's when my eyes were opened to the fantasy rock child that is Jax Grey."
Myles' mother, is played with equal brilliance by Lynn Sher, a New York City based actress the crew contracted under the advantageous climate of last winter's acting strike. Her rendition of the film's eponymous title song, Queen's "Loverboy", is as unnerving, heartbreaking and harrowing a moment as you'll find in a short film.
All of these elements work to create a truly unique and enthralling experience. But even so, no one ever expects to win in a student film category; the independent, unrestrictive climate encourages an eclectic variety that leaves the group way to wide open for that. So despite the group's confidence in their picture, the win came as quite the surprise, which made for a rather impromptu and awkward set of acceptance speeches.
"Accepting the award was funny," says Feldman. "Zia had the microphone first and said, 'I just want to thank everyone, because before this festival the most exciting thing to happen to me was falling off my bike.' Then I took the microphone and said 'I just want to thank everyone, because before this festival the most exciting thing to happen to me was watching Zia fall off her bike. It was also funny because no one laughed...Ashley didn't say anything."
"I'm pretty sure I looked embarrassed," responds Connor, "sweaty and red. I'm behind the camera for a reason. When the mic was passed my way, I kindly made it clear that no words were escaping from my lips."
After the film's initial success, the group plans on shopping it around elsewhere, seeing if there's any magic left to be squeezed out of the thing-wringing it for all its worth in this precarious world of art.
Connor, who has another year left of school says she sees herself "living in her parents' nonexistent basement in five or 10 years," while Feldman plans on moving to Brooklyn where he figures he'll struggle just to make ends meet.
"We are submitting to Ann arbor, Boulder, Upstate New York, and more festivals if we can get some money. Give us money!" he says. "I mean yeah... it's hard just graduating."

Don't we sound like a bunch of fun loving filmmakers..
-Billy

Grand Prize

2008-08-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Exciting news!! Lover Boy won top honors in the Student Undergraduate Film category on Sunday at RIIFF '08! Titled: "The Avid Award," because we received an entire Avid editing package along with the honors, made the award even more unbelievable. I think Billy, Ashley and I were in complete shock when we received it, although I haven't yet found a picture to verify. If you can't believe it either check here: http://www.film-festival.org/awards08.php

So what's next? Billy, Ashley and I are having a strategic meeting tomorrow. I think we have decompressed long enough. A screening (maybe in Ithaca,) seems to be in works, but that's all I can tell you. You'll know as soon as we do about future festivals, etc. Once I can figure out how to copy some more of the festival pictures from the website I will post them, maybe a few more anecdotes...

Thanks for staying tuned!
Zia

tomorrow!

2008-08-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

before my battery runs out:

LOVER BOY
Tomorrow, August 9th
4pm
MacMillan Hall, Brown Uni.
167 Thayer Street
ten bucks

See you there!

MZ, Zian, Billie

2008-08-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

These are photos taken by the festival photographer, from PVR Photography. The first is us at the event Filmmakers Meet Filmmakers, the second two are Bill and I with Filthy Rich. The website refuses to spell my name correctly, either MZ or Zian, and Billy is now spelled more flirtaciously with an i-e at the end. I have to confess though, my mom emailed me and I have been withholding the c in schmoozing. So forgive me.

Last night we attended Filmmakers Meet Filmmakers and met a young guy named Rob Margolies who is showing his feature on Saturday. It was fantastic to talk to somebody a few years older who raised enough money to shoot his own project with name actors, a decent budget, etc... The film is called Wherever You Are, and I think we're all excited to see it.

Right now I am at a Q and A session for a documentary that just screened, it's getting heated between the families of the murdered victim and the cops on the other side. To quote Billie: "this is awesome". Ashley is working the screening and I hope she has to break something up... We're the only ones here who have seen her carry more than forty pounds on her back for sixteen hours a day, nine days in a row.

Okay, I've got to participate.
Z

yagergirls

2008-08-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

the lanyards given to us to hold our film credentials are squishy foam and say jagermeister on them. Billy is by far the cutest of the jagergirls. We attended opening night ceremonies last night, where ten shorts screened. My very favorite was a film from Ireland called Frankie. Look it up, totally worth it. After the screening we shmoozed, which is the best way to kill your confidence. I think we got in to the swing of things though, and ended up talking to the director of one of the larger films screening here. His name was Rich, and when he introduced himself as filthy Rich, Billy introduced himself as filthy Billy... I thought it was funny... I'm not sure Rich did.

Anyways, our postcards are done and we've been handing them out around town, hoping for a decent turnout on Saturday.

Jeeze. Blogging is weird. We're going to go buy Ashley a new iTouch because she feels left out, then catch a couple flicks. If anybody recognizes the phone number 347.446.6938 let me know. They're playing a game they can't win.

Word, Zia

Publicity and New Venue

2008-08-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

a) check out this write up we got:

http://www.newenglandfilm.com/news/archives/2008/08/riiff.htm

b) we were given a new venue. We now screen at Mac Millian Hall, Brown University, 167 Thayer St. Still Saturday at 4pm.

Okay. We made it. Ashley drove, Billy talked, I slept....

off to opening night shmoozing. Something better in the morning. Maybe avant-garde? (see write up!)

Z

Almost There

2008-08-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

Providence here we come! Billy, Ashley and I leave in the morning. Considering the amount of time for preparation however, I feel completely unprepared for what we are about to experience. I have no idea what our itenerary is or what to expect, but I look forward to updating you using my brand new iTouch (shameless plug... I know). Expect short post with bad spelling since my fingers are a bit too big for the keypad and this thing doesn't come with a spell check I am used to.

If you are new to this blog because Billy, Ashley or I did a good job networking, flirting, or enticing and you would like to contact one of us drop Billy a line at: wfeldma1@gmail.com, Ashley at: aconnor1@gmail.com, or me at: zia.florence.anger@gmail.com.

Nice to meet you, Z

publicity in the making

2008-07-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ashley, Sam and I have been working on some handouts for the festival. This is what we got so far...

(note the time change, we're scheduled to play at 4pm instead of 5pm. Same day. Same place.)

(double click for full res)

RIFF Screening Update

2008-07-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that the screening time/place has been finalized! Find the info below:

Saturday, August 9th.
URI Feinstein Campus. 80 Washington Street, Providence, RI.
5:00 pm.

yay, it's all happening. talk to you soon!

-the enthusiast

We're In!!

2008-07-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

First blog entry, first bit of exciting news....

LOVER BOY has been accepted in to the Rhode Island International Film Festival! RIIFF 2008 is August 5-10th and boasts that it is one of the TOP 12 FILM FESTIVALS in the USA! Wahooooo! We are excited to be included in the New England Student Film Festival program (although not technically from the New England area, but don't tell them!) The screening schedule hasn't been finalized yet, but stay up to date by checking their website:

http://www.film-festival.org/

our personal page on the site is:

http://riiff2008.withoutabox.com/festivals/event_item.php?id=17825

We still have a lot of polishing to do on the publicity side of things, so stay tuned and see where this film travels. If you are reading this you were probably involved in the creation of LOVER BOY, so thank you thank you thank you... it's not over yet!

More to come.... (with less exclamation points... maybe.)

Zia