The one meeting you need to attend

If you care anything about making or being in movies made in Tennessee, then you should make every effort to attend this public hearing. There is a talent drain going from here to Louisiana because of the incentives offered by that state (see post below regarding Shreveport).

Here's the info on next week's public hearing:

The newly formed State Film Production Advisory Committee will hold its third public hearing in the state in Memphis on Wednesday, October 12, to discuss the law that created the Committee and to investigate possibilities for future film and television incentives in the State.

It's at the Botanical Gardens, 750 Cherry Road from 2–4 p.m. Producer/director/actor David Keith will be at the hearing. A reception from 5-6 p.m. with committee members will be held at the Botanic Gardens immediately after.

Along with East Tennessee Television & Film Commissioner Mike Barnes, Linn Sitler, Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commissioner since 1987, will sit as an ex-officio member on the panel.
According to Sitler, “I am thrilled that state government has taken such a strong and visible step as the formation of this committee. Although Memphis & Shelby County have pushed for the passage of incentives the last two legislative sessions, this will be the first session where we have the strength of The Governor’s Office behind us. I predict that the Administration’s support will make a huge difference.”

David J. Bennett, Executive Director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission will chair the Committee and will be joined by Matthew H. Kisber, Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and Susan H. Whitaker, Commissioner of Tourist Development. Other members appointed by Governor Bredesen to represent the film and television industries are:

--Martin Clayton: Vice President, Operations, Administration, CMT and Vice President, Digital Media, General Manager, CMT.com.

--Mitchell Galin: Producer, is a veteran filmmaker with an extensive filmography in both television movies/specials and theatrical motion pictures.

--Ted Hatfield: Director of Film Marketing, Regal Entertainment Group.

--Isaac Singleton: Principal of an award-winning television production company, Memphis’ Spotlight Productions.

The Committee has been directed by Governor Bredesen to study film and television production in Tennessee, determine the economic impact of film and television on the State, and evaluate incentives now being offered by the State as well as those offered by neighboring states. The Committee will report its findings along with its recommendations and proposed legislative changes to the Governor and members of the Legislature by February 1, 2006. The initial Public Hearing was held in Knoxville September 14, the second Hearing was held in Nashville September 28.

From New Orleans to Shreveport

Six major projects will be filmed in Shreveport. La. in coming months. Crew members displaced from New Orleans have relocated there at least for a while. Although it's expected that New Orleans will eventually bounce back as the state's film production capital, a story by Cristina Rodriguez in the Shreveport Times newspaper reports that the northern Louisiana city is likely to benefit from long-term growth.

"Shreveport is a part of the state that we are all interested in developing -- the unions, the state film commission," said Mike McHugh, business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 478, which covers Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

The 350-member union used to have its northernmost worker in Alexandria. Now crews are moving to Shreveport, and McHugh wants to build a strong member base here.

"The volume of work that's going to happen in the next six months is not going to happen forever, but I hope there will be a couple of projects going on in Shreveport forever," he said.

The Louisiana Institute of Film Technology, a production service company that works closely with the state, had been meaning to expand to the northern part of the state, said co-founder Kimberly Anderson. She expects that Shreveport will remain popular for production companies, especially once a group of investors finishes building a soundstage in the area.

"Now we can offer the full state as a production venue," she said. "By (productions) having to go to Shreveport, they can still get the look they want, the locations, and have everything they need. It gives outside producers an option of covering the state. Our goal is to keep it that way."

For now, though, the goal is to help companies complete their projects. Here's a look at what will keep the local film industry busy through the beginning of next year:

Project: "Chlorine," a movie through Mercer Films and Miranda Entertainment. Country club member becomes involved in a savings and loan scandal.

Status: Casting call happened Sunday. Filming Oct. 29 through Dec. 9. Expected to be out in fall 2006.

Stars: David Arquette, Ray Liotta and Julianna Margulies.

Local jobs generated: About 100 jobs expected with production.

Cost: Producer would not say.

Project: "Road House II," a movie being filmed using crews from LIFT. Nephew of Patrick Swayze's character in "Road House" has his own bar to defend.

Status: Filming to start Oct. 17, end before Thanksgiving.

Filming locations: Bars in small towns. Houses being scouted off of Caddo Lake.

Local jobs generated: 100-135, as with each LIFT production. Crew is staying at Stockwell Landing Luxury Apartments.

Cost: $5 million-$5.5 million

Project: "The Guardian," a movie being distributed through Disney. A Coast Guard enlistee is helped by a renowned rescue swimmer haunted by an accident.

Status: Filming to start about Dec. 5, end in the first week of March. Will be in wide release a year from now. About half of locations are secured, but this will be an ongoing process throughout the filming.

Filming locations: Classrooms, a swimming pool, houses and restaurants. The former BPCC campus will be used.

Stars: Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner.

Local jobs generated: A crew of more than 200 is expected. Union and non-union jobs will be offered with a preference for Louisiana residents, not necessarily from New Orleans. Resumes can be dropped off at the Clarion Hotel.

Cost: Producer would not say.

Project: "The Thief," a television series through FX Networks. The head of a robbery crew, though recently reformed, plans one final heist.

Status: Filming to start the third week of October. Five episodes will be shot, and parts of the pilot will be reshot.

Stars: Andre Braugher.

Project: "Factory Girl," a movie through LIFT. About Andy Warhol's muse.

Status: Shooting will start Nov. 28.

Filming locations: Warehouses, older parts of town that will be converted to look like New York.

Stars: Sienna Miller and Guy Pierce.

Cost: $8 million.

Project: "Premonition," a movie through LIFT. A housewife finds her husband is dead, then wakes up the next morning to find he's alive.

Status: Preproduction begins in two weeks. Filming likely to start in early 2006.

Stars: Sandra Bullock.

Cost: Just below $20 million.

Ira Sachs and "The Delta"

The MeDiA Co-op 1000 S. Cooper 901.278.9077

presents

THE DELTA (1996 85min)
directed by IRA SACHS, award winning filmmaker of "Forty Shades of Blue"

Ira's first feature film, shot in Memphis will screen at the MeDiA Co-op
Saturday October 15th 8pm
Sunday October 16th 6pm
$5 suggested donation

Plot Summary
Lincoln, who's not yet 18, leads a straight life most of the time: he has a girl friend, goes to dances, jokes with guys. But he also has a secret life, in which he's drawn to dark places where he has sex with men he doesn't know. One night, while visiting a gay video arcade, he connects with John, a Vietnamese-born gay man, in his 20s probably, whose father was an African-American US soldier. John invites Lincoln to spend some carefree time with him, and Lincoln takes him to his father's boat. John then convinces Lincoln to take the boat into the Mississippi delta, where setting off some fireworks out of season precipitates betrayal and revenge.

"Slow Down ..." in the Indie Memphis Film Festival

Filmmaker David Lee (Triple Sticks Productions) says his movie "Slow Down ... You're Dating Too Fast" has been accepted for the Indie Memphis Film Festival and will be screened October 26th at 6:30 p.m.

It's an all-local production -- cast, crew and locations -- that came together earlier this year with a Herculean effort by David. Congratulations.

Five grand

A widescreen thank you to all of you for visiting and telling your friends. This site has now topped 5,000 hits in a little over two months.

This Wednesday: Thesps, Tramps, Figs and Clones at the Brooks

A reminder: It's an evening of creative delights at the "1st Wednesday" soiree at the Brooks museum on Oct. 5 -- this Wednesday.

Naturally, I want you to see "Someone to Call My Clone," a 25-minute comedy video written by Memphis Cool's alter ego and produced by Amber O'Daniels and a team of Meisner methodologists with grand hearts and commitment.

But if you won't come for that, then come to see and hear the astonishing Archer Records rockabilly royalty Amy LaVere, who will thump bass with her group, the Tramps.

And if you won't make it for Amy, then get over to check out "Inventing Van Gogh" vignettes by Playhouse on the Square -- a preview of a terrific collaboration blending art and theater featuring some of Memphis's best actors: Jonathon Lamer, John Maness, Brian Mott, Jeff Godsey and Joanna Lipman.

If none of this is enough for you -- and you should start feeling ashamed -- there will also be a guided tour of Fred Wilsons' Old Salem: A Family of Strangers in the museum itself.

But wait, there's more:

You can have dinner at the Brushmark with Petite Grilled Lamb Chops with Blueberry Shiraz Reduction, Lobster and Caviar Deviled Eggs, Grilled Figs with lardons, shaved Parmesan, and arugula greens.

All in one evening. Oct. 5, from 6-9 p.m.

It's presented by CB Richard Ellis and sponsored by Paulsen Printing. You get in free if you're a member of Brooks; $5 if you haven't joined yet. Call 544.6219.

Brewer on BSM: Week three

Craig Brewer has been kind enough to give memphis . cool . movies an occasional insight to how "Black Snake Moan" is going. Here's his comment on the process:

I am now in my 3rd week of filming and I can tell you it is a very different movie experience than "Hustle." I brought back the same family to make this one (the same artists, composers, producers, etc.) but we all want to make a "blues" movie, not a rap movie. The music has inspired the look and tone.