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Articles You can access the IIE ARCHIVE for past articles.
APRIL 2006 Featured Articles: THE RUM DIARY _______________________________ THE RUM DIARY In 1980, we were first introduced to the likeness of Hunter Thompson onto film, as he was portrayed by a basically unknown Bill Murray in the movie Where the Buffalo Roam. It took us on a fictional ride through four years of Thompson's life as a journalist in the rough Nixon years, as he battled the legal system, the Super Bowl and his own creativity. It wasn't a huge success, but it paved the way for many more Gonzo stories to come. And they did. Eighteen years later, we were bashed in the back of the head by another tale, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. First published in 1971, the book glamorized Thompson's alter ego Raoul Duke's wild ride into Las Vegas' neon grasp in a drug frenzy, during the afterglow of the 1960's. Alongside, his 300 pound Samoan attorney, Dr. Gonzo, fed him advice, along with every drug known to civilized man, as they menaced around the Vegas strip in search of the non-existant American dream. The project was taken on in 1998 by legendary director Terry Gilliam. Starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, the film quickly became a cult classic, and Hunter Thompson was established to an entire new generation of fans and followers alike. I,like so many others, was thrilled to hear that there was talk of bringing another one of Hunter's creations to life with The Rum Diary. The Rum Diary was Thompson's first book written in 1959, when he was only 22-years-old. A brilliantly tangled love story of jealousy, treachery and a violent alcoholic lust in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the late 1950's, it was rejected by publishers, and eventually was lost in pile after pile of other projects over the years. Almost forty years later, it resurfaced in 1998, and became a bestseller. The rights were acquired by Bruce Robinson, who will be directing it and wrote it for the screen, and was originally slated to be produced in 2004, but due to unknown reasons, it was put on hold. Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro quickly jumped at the chance to be involved with a project created by their close friend Hunter, who has since committed suicide. Other stars of the film include Nick Nolte and Josh Hartnett. Not much is known about the production of the film, but we do know the story begins with reporter Paul Kemp (Depp) on an airplane bound for the island of Puerto Rico, as it is being unwound by political turmoil. Upon arriving, Kemp tries to juggle his financial troubles, his job and his band of misfit colleagues, with a somewhat dangerous appetite for rum and sun, as he strolls the beaches and chases the governor's daughter, while covering cockfights and bowling alleys for a doomed magazine. Thompson, himself, stated that the story, although fiction, was based around real events that he witnessed and lived. The film is in pre-production now. It will be filmed on location on the island of San Juan, and is set for theatrical release in December of 2006. The buzz around this project has been increasing by the day as more and more details emerge, making this one of the most anticipated films of the coming year. In February of 2005, Thompson killed himself with a single bullet to the head at his home in Woody Creek, Colorado. He was found by his son, Juan, who in turn began to fire of a shotgun into the air in honor of his father as the police arrived, which sparked some questions over his death. Thompson has been quoted as saying, 'I didn't know Johnny Depp could act until he played me.' His latest written words before his suicide were scribbled with marker. Titled “Football Season is Over”, it read, 'No more games. No more bombs. No more walking. No more fun. No more swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No fun- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax- this won't hurt.' Born and raised in Indianapolis, IN, Jacob started writing short stories, screenplays and small advertisements while in high school. He then took up music along the way and made himself an established keyboardist in the local area. After a 7 year battle in the music world, he decided to pursue what he knew what he was put here to do. And it worked. Currently, he has two short films in production. A New Dawn, (religious/supernatural) that runs approx. 28 mins. Which is being filmed in a small town outside of London. The other, Nobody Should Die Alone: Reflections of Memories Past, (drama/suspense) is being shot in his hometown. It will rum approx. 30 mins. For now, Jacob ventures toward the battleground of journalism. _______________________________
High atop Boston 's State Room overlooking Faneuil Hall, the Ellie Fund hosted their annual Oscar Night America. The event, now in its ninth year, remains the only Academy Awards party in Massachusetts officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Image Icon Entertainment was there to take part in the festivities. The gorgeous view from 33 floors above provided an elegant atmosphere to celebrate the film industry's biggest night, as well as raise money for families affected by breast cancer. Supporters of the Ellie Fund and members of the film industry mingled together in anticipation of the Oscars, which was shown on two giant plasma televisions affixed to the wall. David Brown, the meteorologist for WCVB-TV5, took co-hosting duties with former Miss USA Susie Castillo. With the help of some Binaca, Brown jokingly tried unsuccessfully to plant a kiss on Castillo, who quickly turned the other cheek. Despite being the most striking presence in the room, Castillo was star-struck upon seeing ‘80's poster-boy Corey Feldman at the party. “ The Goonies is my favorite movie of all-time,” said Castillo, referring to the popular 1985 film which starred Feldman. “I've been quoting lines to him all night.” When asked about her inclusion in the event, Castillo mentioned her extensive work with breast cancer charities during her 2003 Miss USA campaign. The Ellie Fund, who put on Oscar Night America, aids the victims of breast cancer, with volunteers providing transportation to medical appointments, daycare, groceries and more. Castillo said that she was “familiar with the organization,” and that Mark Drago had recommended she be involved with the event. Drago, who serves as the Executive Director of Film and Entertainment in Massachusetts , was largely responsible for attracting the various sponsors and celebrities who attended the event. “Overall,” Drago said, “the night was exceptional and everyone seemed to have a great time.” He went on to praise Steve DiFilipio and Davio's, who catered the party with hor'doerves and an oyster bar. According to Drago, the event garnered 725 attendees, a sharp increase from last year. Julie Nations, Executive Director of the Ellie Fund, concurred that the event is a continually growing success. “Everything went fantastic,” said Nations, who has run the foundation for the past year. “We raised twice as much money as last year and helped twice as many families.” In addition to money raised from tickets sold, a silent auction ran throughout the night, featuring an assortment of autographed memorabilia, such as a DaVinci Code poster signed by Tom Hanks and an Oceans 11 poster signed by Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia and George Clooney, who won an Oscar for Syrianna during the Academy Awards ceremony. Jeff Morris was among the many winners of the silent auction. He was excited about Philip Seymour Hoffman winning the Oscar for Best Actor for “Capote,” in which Hoffman portrays “In Cold Blood” author Truman Capote. However, Morris was disappointed to see another snub Paul Giamatti of Cinderella Man , who lost out to Clooney in the Best Supporting Actor category. Morris said that “Giamatti should have gotten the Oscar way back for Pig Vomit ( Private Parts. ) As for Nations, she cited Walk the Line as her favorite film of the year, while especially enjoying Reese Witherspoon's performance, which ended up winning Reese an Academy Award during the course of the night. Despite its exclusion from the Best Picture category, Walk the Line seemed to evoke the biggest response from the crowd, who cheered loudly during Witherspoon's acceptance speech. Another partygoer, Courtney, said the film-which portrays the early life of country singer Johnny Cash- made her go out and buy all of Cash's music. When the Oscar for Best Picture was finally awarded for Crash , the room was filled with obvious surprise. Paul Haggis' film about racial tension in Los Angeles was slated to be beaten out by Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain . Crash's victory coincided with the unfortunate end to a fantastic night, full of great food, lively personalities and good will courtesy of the Ellie Fund. Host David Brown said it best: “What's better than booze and oysters on a Sunday night?”
_______________________________ IIE and Others Help Independent Scene Thrive Looking back 10 or 15 years ago, New England had little to do with the film industry. Sure there would be the occasional chance for some scenery to play a role in a major studio film, but it was something of a novelty. But as independent cinema gained more acceptance from the average moviegoer over the past decade, more filmmakers were able to make movies without traveling to Hollywood . While the aspiring filmmakers should certainly be applauded for their dedication and passion, it's unlikely that they completed the journey alone. Small production companies that have popped up all over New England share the honor in helping to bring these local films to life. These companies have a hand in everything, from helping to finance, working with screenwriters or searching for distribution. In Massachusetts , there is no shortage of assistance to the aspiring filmmaker. One main media network, The Alliance for Independent Motion Media, contains six different integrated organizations which work on each aspect of making and selling a film. Other organizations, such as Chlotrudis and our own Image Icon Entertainment, provide support at all levels in addition to sponsoring local made films. The Alliance for Independent Motion Media (AIMM) is a completely novel idea for the New England area. Beginning in May 2003, six different media groups decided to collaborate in order to strengthen the area's independent film community. The participating groups include Central Productions, Color of Film Collaborative, The LEF Foundation, and The Center for Independent Documentary, WGBH Boston Media Productions and the Filmmakers Collaborative. In addition to the main six, AIMM recently formed the Massachusetts Production Coalition (MPC), which also promotes and develops film and multimedia production in Massachusetts . According to Susi Walsh, Executive Director of the Center for Independent Documentary, the MPC has already, in its first year “helped to Shepard in the new tax incentive legislation.” The group will also be releasing, with cooperation from the Boston Redevelopment Authority, an Economic Impact Study on April 7 that will examine trends among the local film industry. The study was made possible with help from the Massachusetts Cultural Council's John and Abigail Art Program, which provided a grant to the AIMM in January, 2005. In addition to research, AIMM partners have developed workshops encompassing the different stages in filmmaking. The Center for Independent Documentary provides a “Filmmakers Workshop” every third Wednesday of every month at the Bernard Toale Gallery in the south end of Boston . For more information about the workshops, visit www.filmmakersworkshop.org . Central Productions, another member of the AIMM, holds its Screenwriter's Salon on the last Wednesday of each month at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline . The session consists of a meeting place where emerging screenwriters can informally read their works in progress and receive constructive criticism from the rest of the group. Being one of the better known lobbyists for independent film in Boston , The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film recently hosted its annual Chlotrudis Awards on Sunday, March 19. The event was special for actor Maury Chaykin, who accepted the “Career-So-Far Award” for his small, yet significant roles in films like Dances with Wolves, Being Julia and My Cousin Vinny . According to Chlotrudis board member Allison DaSilva, Chaykin- who is described as a “hey, it's that guy” actor- spoke to the audience “with humor about his love of indie film” at the ceremony. Chlotrudis president Michael Colford also pointed out that his organization plans to start the season of the Sunday Eye Opener on April 12. The program is an 8-week series of special pre-release screenings held at 11 am each Sunday. Last but certainly not least, New England 's Image Icon Entertainment (IIE) has lots of exciting events planned for the new year. Right now, the young company is busy producing four shorts, which will later be bought outright by a distributor or shopped around the festival circuit, according to IIE CEO Jamie Benti. IIE provides direct funding for its modest-sized projects, while working with other companies for the bigger productions. Collaborators include Global Media Capital and Bezdek Goz & McMichael, LLC. Benti believes that “together, we'll get to the next level.” He also went on to say that “in our second year online, we have assembled some of the most talented and ambitious indie film staff in New England .” At the moment, IIE is busy gearing up for its next film contest, which will be produced in 2007, as well as planning it s first feature length film. Meanwhile, members of IIE are invited to participate in the Lotter-iie, where they can win software, equipment, seminars and, “best of all, cash.” Benti hopes his company can help the state of independent film in the area and thinks that it provides a huge boost for all aspiring filmmakers. “I wish this had all had been available to me 10+ years ago,” Benti said. “Someone that said, ‘here is the direction to go in, and here is the place to grow.”
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