Joshua Ligairi» 01.20.09 »
With George W. Bush's presidency at an end, David Letterman presents the final edition of "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" on The Late Show.
The Late Show's last "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
BLOG: Pinch me
I don't want to get into a habit of getting political on this blog, but today I have to make an exception. I just got back from an inauguration breakfast at a friends house, but it still hasn't sunken in: Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States!
I wasn't sure it would be possible to match speeches like the infamous Yes We Can speech or the Election Night speech, but Barry did it. He made me truly proud to be an American for the first time in a long time and, damn him, he gave me hope. This is a great day.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
BLOG: Separation of chruch and hate
Joshua Ligairi » 01.01.09 »
As post-production draws to a close on Cleanflix, I'm turning my sights to new projects. There are already many exciting things on the horizon, but as I've ruminated on topics that would be worth the next two years of my life, I keep coming back to the Mormon Church and homosexuality.
As a progressive in a largely conservative religion, I've struggled with the church's decision to take a stance on the recent Proposition 8 in California. That said, I’m not interested in making a film about Prop 8 or an attack piece on the LDS church. I want to make a film about people. The most simple stated goal for this project is to humanize homosexuals for Mormons and to likewise humanize Mormons for the gay community. For me, the most obvious way to do that is to find personal stories that reveal where these two groups overlap.
By way of disclosure, I'm straight and an active member in the LDS church. Just as that may provide some comfort to Latter-day Saints, I’m sure it will also prove to be a point of worry for those in the gay community. I don't see my personal faith as a drawback but as a strength. I have a working knowledge of both the LDS church and Mormon culture. I know where these people are coming from and the good intentions behind their sometimes confusing actions.
Update 2010 >> This film has been put on hold due to the prominence of another upcoming film on Gay Mormon issues entitled 8: The Mormon Proposition . Knowing some of the filmmakers personally, I am confident that what we are hoping to do is much different and far less an attack piece that 8, but we are going to give it some time to cool off anyway. We don't want to be "the other Gay Mormon movie."
Update 2011 >> This film has now officially been cancelled due to the emergence of a new film trying to do exactly the same thing, the main difference being that the director is, himself, a Gay Mormon. The film is called Far Between and looks to be fantastic. I trust those making the documentary to do a fair job and make a film that will go a long way toward healing between these two communities and so, I am humbly bowing out of contention. I am so glad this film is being made. I don't need to be the one to make it. Best of luck to Kendall Wilcox and the crew of Far Between from all of us at Icarus A&E. To learn more about what Kendall Wilcox is planning for the film, listen to him talk to Radio West's Doug Fabrizio. He seems to be a pretty great guy.
As post-production draws to a close on Cleanflix, I'm turning my sights to new projects. There are already many exciting things on the horizon, but as I've ruminated on topics that would be worth the next two years of my life, I keep coming back to the Mormon Church and homosexuality.As a progressive in a largely conservative religion, I've struggled with the church's decision to take a stance on the recent Proposition 8 in California. That said, I’m not interested in making a film about Prop 8 or an attack piece on the LDS church. I want to make a film about people. The most simple stated goal for this project is to humanize homosexuals for Mormons and to likewise humanize Mormons for the gay community. For me, the most obvious way to do that is to find personal stories that reveal where these two groups overlap.
By way of disclosure, I'm straight and an active member in the LDS church. Just as that may provide some comfort to Latter-day Saints, I’m sure it will also prove to be a point of worry for those in the gay community. I don't see my personal faith as a drawback but as a strength. I have a working knowledge of both the LDS church and Mormon culture. I know where these people are coming from and the good intentions behind their sometimes confusing actions.
On the other hand I have seen a great amount of ignorance and bigotry from the church membership. As an ethnic minority, I've often felt like an outsider in the Caucasian-dominated LDS churches I've attended in Utah and California. This is not precisely the same thing, and I recognize that, but I mention it to demonstrate that I have been on the receiving end of discrimination myself.
I am close to several gay Mormons. Some open, others closeted. On my mission for the Mormon church in Amsterdam, I served with a young man struggling to combine his faith and sexuality. Since that time I have been keenly aware of the LDS church’s attitudes and doctrines pertaining to homosexuality. In my estimation, there have been huge leaps of progress in the last few years. Of course, it’s difficult not to see Proposition 8 as a huge step backward. I am a liberal-minded person trying to believe and honestly trying to reconcile these differences.
Further, I am in no way interested in controversy. For me, the main intent of this film is to explore the prospects of healing and understanding between the gay community and the LDS Church. I hope that both groups will feel well-represented and that the film leads to discussion and progress.
I am close to several gay Mormons. Some open, others closeted. On my mission for the Mormon church in Amsterdam, I served with a young man struggling to combine his faith and sexuality. Since that time I have been keenly aware of the LDS church’s attitudes and doctrines pertaining to homosexuality. In my estimation, there have been huge leaps of progress in the last few years. Of course, it’s difficult not to see Proposition 8 as a huge step backward. I am a liberal-minded person trying to believe and honestly trying to reconcile these differences.
Further, I am in no way interested in controversy. For me, the main intent of this film is to explore the prospects of healing and understanding between the gay community and the LDS Church. I hope that both groups will feel well-represented and that the film leads to discussion and progress.
Update 2010 >> This film has been put on hold due to the prominence of another upcoming film on Gay Mormon issues entitled 8: The Mormon Proposition . Knowing some of the filmmakers personally, I am confident that what we are hoping to do is much different and far less an attack piece that 8, but we are going to give it some time to cool off anyway. We don't want to be "the other Gay Mormon movie."
Update 2011 >> This film has now officially been cancelled due to the emergence of a new film trying to do exactly the same thing, the main difference being that the director is, himself, a Gay Mormon. The film is called Far Between and looks to be fantastic. I trust those making the documentary to do a fair job and make a film that will go a long way toward healing between these two communities and so, I am humbly bowing out of contention. I am so glad this film is being made. I don't need to be the one to make it. Best of luck to Kendall Wilcox and the crew of Far Between from all of us at Icarus A&E. To learn more about what Kendall Wilcox is planning for the film, listen to him talk to Radio West's Doug Fabrizio. He seems to be a pretty great guy.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
BLOG: Eating it
Joshua Ligairi » 12.23.08 »
I'm not really sure when this happened, but I'm just finding out about it now, so this is when I'm posting about it. Apparently, the film that I worked on two years ago (or was it three?) that premiered at Slamdance, and played at AFI and US Comedy Arts as well (yet was never released either theatrically or on DVD), has had a title change from American Fork to Humble Pie. Not huge news, but at least it is something. See, this movie has been in limbo for a while now. Something about a conflict between the two production companies that made it. Whatever is holding the film up from getting to you, I have to say that it is a real shame.
I'm a big fan of this movie. It has a great look and a unique vision. So unique, in fact, that it is hard to compare the film to anything else. The first thing that comes to mind is Napoleon Dynamite, but that's too easy. The films have the same producer (Jeremy Coon), a similar setting (although small town Idaho is swapped out for small town Utah), stars an offbeat lead character who is a not-so-endearing social outcast, who wears large thick glasses and whose wardrobe skews slightly poor and period. All that plus the fact that writer/star Hubbel Palmer was good friends with Nappy D director Jared Hess when they attended film school together (and collaborated on at least one short film that I know about). Still, the Napoleon comparison isn't quite right.
An excerpt from the review of the film (after it screened at AFI) by Scott Weinberg at Cinematical sums up a lot of my feelings:
"American Fork is not likely to copy the box office success (or eventual cult status) of Napoleon Dynamite, but in many ways it's actually a better film. Sure, it doesn't have the catch phrases or the funny hair of Napoleon, but American Fork does seem to have more affection for its characters than the other film does. And American Fork could take place in reality; I never once felt the same thing about the amusing but excessively broad Napoleon Dynamite. Best of all, the movie closes with a strangely satisfying ending that never comes across as sappy or unrealistic. As far as the title goes, I noticed two types of 'fork' within the movie: The eating utensil and the 'fork in the road' variety. Let's just say the title fits the flick ... even if both are a little weird."
Even though this guy clearly doesn't know his Utah geography, I think he is dead right about the specificity of tone. I learned that on-set when time and again I went for the funny prop and was shot down, guided to the more realistic prop. Director Chris Bowman was crafting a very specific world that even being there on set every day was hard to pinpoint.
The best comparison that I can come up with is some kind of combination between a Wes Anderson film and a David Gordon Green film. If you took Bottle Rocket or Rushmore and mixed it with All the Real Girls or George Washington, you'd be close to American For...er, Humble Pie.
The short synopsis from the 2006 Slamdance program:
"In a supermarket in the armpit of the Mountain West, an enormous grocery clerk scribbles poetry. Tracy Orbison (Hubbel Palmer) is a dreamer. His outsized sense of wonder fuels a series of tragicomic adventures. First Tracy enrolls in an acting class, falling under the spell of the arrogant instructor, a Z-list actor named Truman Hope (William Baldwin). Next he befriends a young bagboy, Kendis Cooley (Vincent Caso), and begins a new project: mentoring Kendis and his dead-end friends. He urges the teens to give up their surly ways and get high on life; the gang's mean-eyed ringleader, Shawn (Nick Lashaway), has entirely different plans. At home, Tracy fends off Agnes, his God-fearing, self-loathing mother (Academy Award nominee Kathleen Quinlan), while his sister Peggy (24's Mary Lynn Rajskub), a perennial lonely heart, at long last finds somebody to love. Through it all, Tracy struggles to pass his driver’s exam, lose "about ten pounds," and win fame beyond his working-class job."
For my money this film is worth your while just to discover director Chris Bowman and writer/star Hubbel Palmer--two guys that we can all expect interesting things from in the future. Personally, I had a great time working with Academy Award winner Kathleen Quinlan, who I had a childhood crush on from her role in the Twilight Zone movie. I also enjoyed getting to know Mary Lynn Rajskub a little (who had really caught my eye in Mysterious Skin) and Nick Lashaway (who I hope to be casting soon, myself). This is also the best performance I have ever seen from Billy Baldwin, save maybe only The Squid and the Whale. Basically, what this boils down to is me recommending that you keep an eye out for Humble Pie. But you are going to have to visit the official website yourself, because I'm just too busy to keep up with this stuff, and I've had my heart broken one too many times--much like Tracy Orbison.
Moderator's Update » 12.20.09 » Humble Pie is available on DVD at Amazon and other fine retailers. Also, Icarus A&E no longer endorses any criticism written by Scott Weinberg. He's not very observant.
I'm not really sure when this happened, but I'm just finding out about it now, so this is when I'm posting about it. Apparently, the film that I worked on two years ago (or was it three?) that premiered at Slamdance, and played at AFI and US Comedy Arts as well (yet was never released either theatrically or on DVD), has had a title change from American Fork to Humble Pie. Not huge news, but at least it is something. See, this movie has been in limbo for a while now. Something about a conflict between the two production companies that made it. Whatever is holding the film up from getting to you, I have to say that it is a real shame.
I'm a big fan of this movie. It has a great look and a unique vision. So unique, in fact, that it is hard to compare the film to anything else. The first thing that comes to mind is Napoleon Dynamite, but that's too easy. The films have the same producer (Jeremy Coon), a similar setting (although small town Idaho is swapped out for small town Utah), stars an offbeat lead character who is a not-so-endearing social outcast, who wears large thick glasses and whose wardrobe skews slightly poor and period. All that plus the fact that writer/star Hubbel Palmer was good friends with Nappy D director Jared Hess when they attended film school together (and collaborated on at least one short film that I know about). Still, the Napoleon comparison isn't quite right.
An excerpt from the review of the film (after it screened at AFI) by Scott Weinberg at Cinematical sums up a lot of my feelings:"American Fork is not likely to copy the box office success (or eventual cult status) of Napoleon Dynamite, but in many ways it's actually a better film. Sure, it doesn't have the catch phrases or the funny hair of Napoleon, but American Fork does seem to have more affection for its characters than the other film does. And American Fork could take place in reality; I never once felt the same thing about the amusing but excessively broad Napoleon Dynamite. Best of all, the movie closes with a strangely satisfying ending that never comes across as sappy or unrealistic. As far as the title goes, I noticed two types of 'fork' within the movie: The eating utensil and the 'fork in the road' variety. Let's just say the title fits the flick ... even if both are a little weird."
Even though this guy clearly doesn't know his Utah geography, I think he is dead right about the specificity of tone. I learned that on-set when time and again I went for the funny prop and was shot down, guided to the more realistic prop. Director Chris Bowman was crafting a very specific world that even being there on set every day was hard to pinpoint.The best comparison that I can come up with is some kind of combination between a Wes Anderson film and a David Gordon Green film. If you took Bottle Rocket or Rushmore and mixed it with All the Real Girls or George Washington, you'd be close to American For...er, Humble Pie.
The short synopsis from the 2006 Slamdance program:"In a supermarket in the armpit of the Mountain West, an enormous grocery clerk scribbles poetry. Tracy Orbison (Hubbel Palmer) is a dreamer. His outsized sense of wonder fuels a series of tragicomic adventures. First Tracy enrolls in an acting class, falling under the spell of the arrogant instructor, a Z-list actor named Truman Hope (William Baldwin). Next he befriends a young bagboy, Kendis Cooley (Vincent Caso), and begins a new project: mentoring Kendis and his dead-end friends. He urges the teens to give up their surly ways and get high on life; the gang's mean-eyed ringleader, Shawn (Nick Lashaway), has entirely different plans. At home, Tracy fends off Agnes, his God-fearing, self-loathing mother (Academy Award nominee Kathleen Quinlan), while his sister Peggy (24's Mary Lynn Rajskub), a perennial lonely heart, at long last finds somebody to love. Through it all, Tracy struggles to pass his driver’s exam, lose "about ten pounds," and win fame beyond his working-class job."
For my money this film is worth your while just to discover director Chris Bowman and writer/star Hubbel Palmer--two guys that we can all expect interesting things from in the future. Personally, I had a great time working with Academy Award winner Kathleen Quinlan, who I had a childhood crush on from her role in the Twilight Zone movie. I also enjoyed getting to know Mary Lynn Rajskub a little (who had really caught my eye in Mysterious Skin) and Nick Lashaway (who I hope to be casting soon, myself). This is also the best performance I have ever seen from Billy Baldwin, save maybe only The Squid and the Whale. Basically, what this boils down to is me recommending that you keep an eye out for Humble Pie. But you are going to have to visit the official website yourself, because I'm just too busy to keep up with this stuff, and I've had my heart broken one too many times--much like Tracy Orbison.Moderator's Update » 12.20.09 » Humble Pie is available on DVD at Amazon and other fine retailers. Also, Icarus A&E no longer endorses any criticism written by Scott Weinberg. He's not very observant.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
BLOG: Pirate's booty call
Joshua Ligairi » 11.16.08 »The quirky indie comedy Pirates of the Great Salt Lake, a flick I worked on several years ago, will finally make it's way to the public...maybe. See, the film has been scheduled for release several times. In fact, the original tagline on the poster was "Sailing Slowly to a Theater Near You." The producers flirted with several distributors over the past (let's call it four) years. The film played at loads of film festivals, winning best picture and audience awards almost everywhere it played and in doing so has built up a cult following with a lot of anticipation. For instance, every time I talk to anyone who knows I worked on it, they inevitably ask, "When is that Pirate movie coming out?" To which I responded, "Uh, pretty soon." This turned out to be a lie that I told over and over again for (what did we say? four?) years. Then, in early 2008, the film was purchased by The Weinstein Company (the guys that started Miramax) and it seemed as though the wait was over.
When the movie was purchased by ol' Bob and Harvey, I think the producers were hoping for a big summer release, but that didn't happen. Then, they told the director he could do a limited release in Utah, which they later backed out of. Finally, a DVD release was scheduled for September '08 in conjunction with the international "Talk Like a Pirate Day" which is an actual celebration throughout the world when pirate enthusiasts (you guessed it) talk like pirates. Anyway, I was amped for the DVD release. Not just because people kept asking me about it, but because I worked really hard on the grueling production, scouting locations, shooting behind-the-scenes, as the Property Master and Locations Manager, and even directing some of the 2nd unit shots for the film. When you work that hard on something, it is nice to see the fruits of your labor--especially when said fruits would be good Christmas gifts.
Talk Like a Pirate Day was fast approaching when I got this email to the POTGSL mailing list members:Many moons ago Pirates of the Great Salt Lake signed a blood oath with The Weinstein Company. The DVD was scheduled to set sail this week, but as is often the case with projects as piratey as ours, the date was pushed.
The exact date of release fer Pirates of the Great Salt Lake be December 9, 2008. T'will be an exclusive rental at Blockbuster Video, and should be available fer sale at other major retail outlets. We’ve already seen a page dedicated to pre-order on Amazon.com.
It’s been a long road to be sure, and ye’ve been very patient as we’ve struggled to get our movie into yer hands. But we swear it’s finally going to happen and we can’t thank ye enough! We owe this success to every one of ye our fans! Soon, the whole world will know of this movie, but ye will always be the first. We promise to pass more news along to ye as soon as it develops. Pirate’s word!
And so, at long last, these Pirates of a landlocked sea will sail for distant shores and my buddy Eric (that's ER Nelson to you) joins the ranks of the Weinstein's tight knit group of directors that includes Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Rob Zombie, and Kevin Smith and has included Gus Van Sant, Woody Allen, Anthony Minghella, Wes Caven, Michael Moore, and Guillermo del Toro. The films stars two friends, Trenton James (in a breakout performance) and Kirby Heyborne (in his best performance to date) and has some great performances in smaller roles by other friends like the incomperable Matt Mattson and the certifiable Tomek DeBowski. I got a chance to work on the film with a lot of my good friends like clothing designer Gigi Ashley Munns, Production Designer Anne Black and her awesome crew, my homies Brandon Christianson, Ty Arnold, and Brandon Smith on camera and a bunch of other cool people like my home-girl Amber Bollinger and my most frequent collaborator William Rowan Jr to name just a few. It was a great time and this release has been a long time coming. Let's just hope the flick is any good. Eric...Moderator's update » 12.12.08 » Pirates of the Great Salt Lake was indeed released on DVD and is available on Amazon.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
BLOG: A rough cut
Joshua Ligairi » 09.21.08 »
Production wrapped just over a week ago when Daniel Thompson, one of the subjects of the film, went to jail. We had roughly a week to complete the rough cut in time for submissions to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the deadline of which is today. Needless to say it has been a long week, but well worth the effort.
The end of filming was a bit anti-climactic for me. I couldn't really fathom that it was over. We've been in production--actually shooting the film--for almost two years. I've worked on several other films during that time that have come and gone. Cleanflix was always there. Of course, it is still there. First we have to finish cutting the film. Still holding out for a few interviews. Waiting on score and animations. A lot of tightening and finessing still to do. Then will come the film festival circuit. That could last a year. Who knows? God (and indie film marketplace) willing, we will sell the thing. So I may be living with this for a long time. But that wasn't the only thing bothering me.
You see, I'd always imagined that the moment I first submitted a feature film to Sundance would be a sort of life-defining moment for me. I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe some sort of instantaneous gratification where I'd hand the film over to the submissions board personally and they'd say, "We've heard about your film and can't wait to see it. Don't tell anyone we said this, but you're in!" Also I kind of imagined this playing out with me encircled by a sparkling cloud of fairy dust. Well, that didn't really happen. Instead, we rushed through a cut, editing almost 24 hours a day between the two of us, and had to turn in a project that is less than the best work we can do.
Ultimately, I'm not super confident that this cut will get us into Sundance. The film is still missing some crucial elements. They will come in time, but the rough cut is just that, very rough. Still, I’m proud of the strides we have made since wrapping only one week ago. Struggling for this deadline was a shot in the arm that has pushed the project to the next level and I am confident that we will do well at any other major festival we play at. It will just be a shame if we don’t play at Sundance because of Robert Redford’s involvement in the issue, the importance of this issue to the film industry, and the fact that there is so much local interest here in Utah.
All of the Producer's Reps we've spoken with say we're a shoe-in, but I've heard there is no such thing at Sundance. The process is confusing to even those who have had films play at the festival. Here's a small for instance: I live a ten minute drive away from Redford's Sundance Resort and 40 minutes from Park City--contemporary home of the festival. Can I swing by and drop our submission off there? No, it as to go to the LA office. Some say they only watch the first five minutes of the film. Some say they don't watch the submissions at all and only take films that are heavily represented. Then, there's the fact that we submitted a rough cut--and when I say rough, I mean rough. As Andrew (my co-director) says, "rough cuts don't get in to film festivals."
So, I'm hoping for the best and expecting the worst. I'm not keeping my fingers crossed, but okay, I really am keeping them crossed. There are other wonderful festivals out there and some that are viable independent film markets. I'm confident that the film will find an audience and a home no matter where it play. Still, I gained my love for film here in Utah--where film takes place. I've spent my years here going to the festival, working at the filmmakers lab, and for a time, living a stone's throw away from Bob Redford. As I honed my filmmaking skills, I always imagined being a part of this in some larger way. For all it's faults, Utah is my home. Sundance is a part of it and so is this film.
Production wrapped just over a week ago when Daniel Thompson, one of the subjects of the film, went to jail. We had roughly a week to complete the rough cut in time for submissions to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the deadline of which is today. Needless to say it has been a long week, but well worth the effort.
The end of filming was a bit anti-climactic for me. I couldn't really fathom that it was over. We've been in production--actually shooting the film--for almost two years. I've worked on several other films during that time that have come and gone. Cleanflix was always there. Of course, it is still there. First we have to finish cutting the film. Still holding out for a few interviews. Waiting on score and animations. A lot of tightening and finessing still to do. Then will come the film festival circuit. That could last a year. Who knows? God (and indie film marketplace) willing, we will sell the thing. So I may be living with this for a long time. But that wasn't the only thing bothering me.You see, I'd always imagined that the moment I first submitted a feature film to Sundance would be a sort of life-defining moment for me. I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe some sort of instantaneous gratification where I'd hand the film over to the submissions board personally and they'd say, "We've heard about your film and can't wait to see it. Don't tell anyone we said this, but you're in!" Also I kind of imagined this playing out with me encircled by a sparkling cloud of fairy dust. Well, that didn't really happen. Instead, we rushed through a cut, editing almost 24 hours a day between the two of us, and had to turn in a project that is less than the best work we can do.
Ultimately, I'm not super confident that this cut will get us into Sundance. The film is still missing some crucial elements. They will come in time, but the rough cut is just that, very rough. Still, I’m proud of the strides we have made since wrapping only one week ago. Struggling for this deadline was a shot in the arm that has pushed the project to the next level and I am confident that we will do well at any other major festival we play at. It will just be a shame if we don’t play at Sundance because of Robert Redford’s involvement in the issue, the importance of this issue to the film industry, and the fact that there is so much local interest here in Utah.All of the Producer's Reps we've spoken with say we're a shoe-in, but I've heard there is no such thing at Sundance. The process is confusing to even those who have had films play at the festival. Here's a small for instance: I live a ten minute drive away from Redford's Sundance Resort and 40 minutes from Park City--contemporary home of the festival. Can I swing by and drop our submission off there? No, it as to go to the LA office. Some say they only watch the first five minutes of the film. Some say they don't watch the submissions at all and only take films that are heavily represented. Then, there's the fact that we submitted a rough cut--and when I say rough, I mean rough. As Andrew (my co-director) says, "rough cuts don't get in to film festivals."
So, I'm hoping for the best and expecting the worst. I'm not keeping my fingers crossed, but okay, I really am keeping them crossed. There are other wonderful festivals out there and some that are viable independent film markets. I'm confident that the film will find an audience and a home no matter where it play. Still, I gained my love for film here in Utah--where film takes place. I've spent my years here going to the festival, working at the filmmakers lab, and for a time, living a stone's throw away from Bob Redford. As I honed my filmmaking skills, I always imagined being a part of this in some larger way. For all it's faults, Utah is my home. Sundance is a part of it and so is this film.
Friday, August 1, 2008
BLOG: Some healthy criticism
Joshua Ligairi » 08.01.08 »
It appears that my homey, Christian Vuissa, has a hit movie on his hands--at least within the LDS niche market. He has been getting great reviews, great word of mouth, and the distributor is spending large on advertising during...dum, dum, dum...The 2008 Olympic Games.
Yes, everything is peachy. Christian and I started pre-pro on his next film after forging a seemingly trusting relationship. He liked my work as a Production Designer and Associate Producer. I couldn't argue that he'd made another wonderfully rich film. Then, he dropped a bomb.
Apparently, he felt that the wardrobe choices I made (along with my famous clothing designer friend Gigi Ashley Munns) were a little over-the-top. Shocked and chagrined, I argued that the wardrobe was stunning, and if anything, underdone as a result of low budget. Christian responded that he felt it was distracting, and so ultimately bad. I'd take that as a valid criticism if the guy didn't like Tom Tykwer.
But, if you are going to survive in the film business then you have to develop some thick skin, so I conceded, "Okay, maybe some totally lame Molly Mormon sticklers will point out the wardrobe as a distraction, but I guarantee the average viewer won't even notice it." I even went so far as to suggest that if they were noticing the wardrobe he wasn't doing his job as a storyteller.
Then, Christian clued me in to a review by a guy named Joe Schmow (or something like that) with the byline, The Independent Critic. This guy loved Christian's movie. Like, LOVED it--and he isn't even LDS! However, he had some issues with one aspect of the film:
"Filmed on location in Vuissa's native Austria, The Errand of Angels is mesmerizingly vibrant largely owing to the stellar cinematography of Brian Wilcox (Touched by an Angel) and Joshua Ligairi's (Me and You and Everyone We Know) complementary production design, though I will confess that, on a couple of occasions, I found myself questioning Ligairi's costuming choices as being a bit 'sexy' for the mission field or minimally thinking 'Would they really be allowed to wear that?'"
So, it isn't that bad, but when you take into consideration that the rest of the review is nothing but a glowing love-fest, you have to wonder what factor would have made Joe Schmow give the flick an A- rather than a solid A. Let's just say Christian had a big "I told you so" for me.
Catch The Errand of Angels in theaters starting August 21st and on DVD around Thanksgiving. See Gigi's clothes (that are much cooler than anything in the movie) at her website.
Moderator's update » 11.24.08 » The Errand of Angels is now available on DVD at Deseret Book. You can hear an interview with filmmaker, Christian Vuissa, in Episode 1 of our podcast, 801 Underground.
It appears that my homey, Christian Vuissa, has a hit movie on his hands--at least within the LDS niche market. He has been getting great reviews, great word of mouth, and the distributor is spending large on advertising during...dum, dum, dum...The 2008 Olympic Games.
Yes, everything is peachy. Christian and I started pre-pro on his next film after forging a seemingly trusting relationship. He liked my work as a Production Designer and Associate Producer. I couldn't argue that he'd made another wonderfully rich film. Then, he dropped a bomb.
Apparently, he felt that the wardrobe choices I made (along with my famous clothing designer friend Gigi Ashley Munns) were a little over-the-top. Shocked and chagrined, I argued that the wardrobe was stunning, and if anything, underdone as a result of low budget. Christian responded that he felt it was distracting, and so ultimately bad. I'd take that as a valid criticism if the guy didn't like Tom Tykwer.
But, if you are going to survive in the film business then you have to develop some thick skin, so I conceded, "Okay, maybe some totally lame Molly Mormon sticklers will point out the wardrobe as a distraction, but I guarantee the average viewer won't even notice it." I even went so far as to suggest that if they were noticing the wardrobe he wasn't doing his job as a storyteller.
Then, Christian clued me in to a review by a guy named Joe Schmow (or something like that) with the byline, The Independent Critic. This guy loved Christian's movie. Like, LOVED it--and he isn't even LDS! However, he had some issues with one aspect of the film:
"Filmed on location in Vuissa's native Austria, The Errand of Angels is mesmerizingly vibrant largely owing to the stellar cinematography of Brian Wilcox (Touched by an Angel) and Joshua Ligairi's (Me and You and Everyone We Know) complementary production design, though I will confess that, on a couple of occasions, I found myself questioning Ligairi's costuming choices as being a bit 'sexy' for the mission field or minimally thinking 'Would they really be allowed to wear that?'"
So, it isn't that bad, but when you take into consideration that the rest of the review is nothing but a glowing love-fest, you have to wonder what factor would have made Joe Schmow give the flick an A- rather than a solid A. Let's just say Christian had a big "I told you so" for me.
Catch The Errand of Angels in theaters starting August 21st and on DVD around Thanksgiving. See Gigi's clothes (that are much cooler than anything in the movie) at her website.Moderator's update » 11.24.08 » The Errand of Angels is now available on DVD at Deseret Book. You can hear an interview with filmmaker, Christian Vuissa, in Episode 1 of our podcast, 801 Underground.
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