Wednesday, November 02, 2005

asheville the movie update

From their website: "asheville the movie is a feature film. it's a comedy, a collection of short stories (short films) set in the new freak capital of the united states (rolling stone magazine), one of the top destinations for retirement (modern maturity magazine) and the happiest city in the U.S.A. (outdoor magazine): asheville, north carolina. the stories are loosely woven together and stitched shut by one confounding event."

Intriguing, isn't it? Although I can't figure out why these creative types eschew capitalization. But that's another rant for another day.

Here's some up-to-the-minute production news that director/producer/writer Chusy Jardine e-mailed me a few days ago:

  • Filming was delayed when Jardine caught a nasty case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever at the end of the summer (recconoitering location spots in the mountains, perhaps?). Jardine has recovered and filming started yesterday in locations around town.
  • Because of the filming delay, Jardine lost his director of photography, Patrick Rousseau, who just had his first child, a son. All is well with him, his mother and father. Congrats, Patrick!
  • However, the camera test by the new director of photography, Kenny Wilson looks phenomenal, according to Jardine. Wilson worked on a few local projects, namely ALL THE REAL GIRLS.
  • The film's temporary trailer played at the opening of the Asheville Film Festival last weekend and went over well (or so they heard--anyone see it?). The trailer is fricking hilarious. It has been playing before the evening flicks at Asheville Pizza and Brew Company (for the best date night in Ashvegas: a pitcher of Roland's ISB, the Sheer Delight pizza, and a second-run film at APBC).
  • One of asheville the movie's actors will appear in a play directed by British playwright David Mamet in London.
  • Los Amigos Invisibles have been nominated for a Grammy. "This is the ass-shaking super suave band that will be working with us on some of the soundtrack for the film," says Jardine.
  • They still need help with food, especially Friday lunches. A number of Asheville restaurants have stepped up (including my friend and neighbor, Tracy Taylor of Everyday Gourmet), but if you know anyone willing and able to feed 30-40 people lunch between now and January, let me know or e-mail Andy at andy@foundfilms.net.
  • The Film Commission has stepped up to the plate and is helping them out considerably. As are a number of local businesses, individuals, and volunteers.

One of the reasons Asheville is soooooo cool is because many of us give time, $, and moral support to independent arts projects like asheville the movie. Having worked in independent production, I know how difficult it can be to pull off a project like this. Sending vibes and positive karma to offset the exhaustion, caffeine overconsumption, and stress that I know you all will be living through over the next few months.

I've wrangled an invitation to some of the filming, so on-location reports and stories will be coming soon. And edgy black t-shirts and bumper stickers with the slogan "Asheville: where normal is weird," are available for purchase here.

8 comments:

Edgy Mama said...

Wow, Uptown. I just noticed that Storm Mountain is up in the sidebar. THANK YOU!

Admin said...

=)

modpez said...

about eschewing capitalization: digital - in the former sense of the word - dyslexia might explain it. but i look foward to any rant about it.

arratik said...

i've heard several arguments in favor of typing in all lower-case, but it's mostly a stylistic thing. for me it's the antithesis of typing in allcaps, which several books on "netiquette" (god, i hate that word) will insist is the equivalent to shouting. also, as far as using the lower-case convention in a blog is concerned, if you're having to put together reports all the live-long day, it's kind of nice to have a retreat where you can leave grammar rules in the closet by the front door, a la mr. rogers.

sometimes it's necessary in self-expression to ignore existing rules of grammar and typography. farbeit for me to quote e.e. cummings, but i think he said it best: "since feeling is first / who pays any attention to / the syntax of things / will never wholly kiss you" (on the surface he was writing about love, but that sentiment perfectly applies to language itself as a means to a creative end)

just my 0.0000892857 ounces of palladium...

modpez said...

well said mr. syntax. i think of it as a quiet, restrained low key voice instead of the explosive volcanic rantings of the less than perfectly balanced. some of us have no choice: life lived all caps or all lower case. no middle ground, and i've worn out all caps thank god.

Edgy Mama said...

There's a fricking movie being filmed in Asheville and all y'all wanna talk about is the rationales behind all lower case typing? Bloggers are weird.

arratik said...

one of us! one of us!

Sweet Tea said...

I just found out that one of my friends is doing special effects and make-up for Asheville the movie.

My only claim to fame.