www.thefullpicturemovie.com

Available on Netflix, October 15th, 2011!

2011-09-25T01:32:00.000-07:00

Just as the world gets crazy pissed at Netflix for changing their pay structure, we roll out and give everyone a great reason to keep their streaming service. Check us out. Add THE FULL PICTURE to your queue.

Available on Feb 1st!

2011-01-17T13:03:00.000-08:00

Here's the list of cable companies THE FULL PICTURE will be available on starting February 1st!

Charter

Verizon (Feb 11^th)

AT&T

Rogers

Dish

Mediacom

Insight

Cogeco

Suddenlink

RCN

Eastlink Communications

Bresnan

Armstrong

Frontier

Buckeye

Wave

Blue Ridge

Service Electric (Wilkes-Barre)

Bend

Service Electirc (Beth.)

Consolidated Communications

Access Communication (CCSA)

Massillon

HTC

Click

Cincinnati Bell

Grande Communications

Source Cable (CCSA)

Guadalupe Valley

San Bruno

EPB

WTC

NorthwsTel Cable (CCSA)

OneSource

NuLink

Community

Cameron

Bluewater (CCSA)

Hotwire

Dalton Utilities

Seaside (CCSA)

Volcano

LUS Fiber

Pineland

Duo County

Wilson

NTELOS

CL-Tel (INS) Clear Lake

James Valley

Enhanced Telecom

Morristown

D&E Communications

KPU

Panhandle

Cable Cable (CCSA)

HBC (MN)

DTC Cable

Iowa Network Services (INS)

Find your company and order it! Find out why Variety called us a "proven festival crowd-pleaser!"

Save on Netflix!

2010-09-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

You can now save your copy of The Full Picture on Netflix and find out why we're a "proven festival crowd pleaser." (Variety)

RAFAEL baby!

2010-06-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

What a terrific night at the Rafael! Our audience really showed up big. We had originally been scheduled for the smaller 129 seat theater but after strong pre-sales, they had to move us to the main theater to handle the demand.
That's called a "sell out"...boo-ya! It was a great crowd that really responded well to the comedy- something I've realized is integral to the film's success. And the Q&A was really in-depth and with some well thought out questions. A real pleasure of a night! Thanks to all involved.

MOVIE NIGHT...C'mon, you deserve it!

2010-06-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

6 days to go before our theatrical opening! It's time to call your friends and organize a fun movie night! Here are a few suggestions for a fun filled evening down in the Mission and at the historical, and recently restored, Roxie Cinema.

Trappest Beer at delicious burger at Monk's Kettle

Swanky dinner and coffee rubbed pork loin at Range

World Famous Burrito at El Farolito

Equally famous healthier Burrito at Papalote. (make sure to get extra salsa)

Cocktail at Dalva

A sidewalk Kabab at Truly Mediterranean.

Many post show beers at Kilowatt

...or catch a Saturday/Sunday matinee (3:00pm & 5:00pm) after a day at Dolores Park with an Ice Cream at BiRite Creamery!

Hope these tips are helpful and feel free to make suggestions!

SCREENING DATES

2010-06-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

Roxie Cinema (San Francisco), June 11th-17th. (Filmmaker and cast will be in attendance for Q&A on Friday and Saturday nights -7:00pm & 9:00pm shows). Purchase tickets here.

Rafael Theater (San Rafael) 7:00pm on June 24th. (Filmmaker, Jon Bowden and actor Bettina Devin will be in attendance.) Purchase tickets here.

Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (Berkeley) dates, TBD.

Mo' Sceening Dates in JUNE!!!

2010-04-28T11:18:00.001-07:00

Here's the latest. We've been added to the Elmwood's lineup (a Rialto theater in Berkeley) for a couple nights (TBA) and also a night at The Rafael in San Rafael on June 24th. All great things! This was the original vision for our Bay Area release with the hope that the Chronicle, Examiner, Sf Weekly, etc. will cover us now that we have a greater presence. If we get reviewed well and a good turnout, we can possibly carry this momentum...dare I say it... into other cities. But one step at a time. Next, fix the art on the poster and postcards, fix the music on the trailer, update the website, organize out press screening, meet with the....

Theatrical Release!

2010-03-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

It’s official! The Full Picture will be playing The Roxie June 11th-18th! I am incredibly excited for the actors and crew who worked on The Full Picture to see it at such a historic theater, and in the city where it was made. However, though the door of opportunity has been unlocked, it is up to us to push it wide open. If you are not a “fan” of The Full Picture’s facebook page yet, please sign-up as I will be documenting our efforts over the next few months. You never know, you might learn something. I guarantee I will.

The Distribution Dilemma

2010-01-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

What to do about distribution? There have been many articles written recently talking about the demise of the distribution system as we have known it. Having brought a film into the world, I understand the doom and gloom. Distribution is hard, plain and simple. From my experience, the distribution companies that have survived the recent downturn are only interested in your film if they have a star- which, as a side note, always makes me laugh because if I had a star, why would I be going to some of these smaller companies? Do you think I’m sitting on an indie film with George Clooney that no one knows about? The few offers we’ve received for The Full Picture are so egregious, they’re insulting. And worst of all, the catalogues they represent are of films I have never heard of and frankly, have no interest in seeing. So where do I turn? The options are clear. Either give away the film to one of these companies for essentially nothing and allow the film to sink into the miasma of unmentionable media, or retain the rights and…dare I day it…self distribute.

Self distribution appears to be the only option for a filmmaker these days if they actually want to get their film get seen. In talking to Peter Broderick and Richard Abramowitz, both leaders in developing the most recent self distribution paradigm, the advice was simple and clear. Take control. So, I must regroup, refocus, and trudge forward as I simply refuse to go gentle into that good night.

Lessons Learned at AM

2009-11-09T20:10:00.000-08:00

I'm here at AFM (American Film Market) and I have to say that this has been an eye opener. This whole market appears to be about international distribution of, more or less, straight to video movies. That's not a bad thing necessarily, and there is a lot to learn from this. It seems that most of these films could care less about the festival circuit. As a matter of fact, during the orientation for first timers to AFM, the organizer of the whole market said so much. His recommendation was to setup distributor screenings in New York and LA and only then, if you fail to get the offer you want, go the festival route. That's very easy to say of course, but for my film that has no name talent, I seriously wonder how many distributors would come without any festival accolades. Anyway, I've had 10 meeting so far and another 5 tomorrow. We'll see where it all leads.

In other news, Cuba Gooding has proven that he will take any role as demonstrated by this poster. The tagline is "Caught in the middle with no bullets." Sounds like the shortest gun fight in the history of cinema.

Life with Child is a Blur

2009-10-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long time between blogs. Since the last one, my wife and I have welcomed our first child and with that, every free second has seemed to disappear. No surprise there. Anyway, the film continues to play well with a great screening at Woods Hole Film Festival in late July to over 200 people. It was the first festival I was unable to make, but in my stead, I sent my mother to read a note from me. Here is what she read: (to be performed in your head with an Australian accent)

________

Thank you for coming tonight to The Full Picture. I would like to thank the Woods Hole Film Festival and all their volunteers for their hard work and for giving us the opportunity to screen for you tonight. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to answer your questions due to the recent birth of my son. Though tempted to fly out for the festival and leave our newborn with my wife, having dedicated three years of my life to a film based on a family divided by a non-existent father, I thought it would be wise for me to stay put. However, I have sent the best representative and unabashed supporter of the film I could find; my mother. And no, she is not the inspiration for Gretchen Foster.

In anticipation of some of the questions you may have, I made a quick list of some of the most popular answers I’ve given at each and every festival.

1) The film shoot was 17 days.
2) No, we don’t tell people our budget, sorry.
3) Yes, we did shoot digitally on HD but with 35mm lenses, which is why it looks like film.
4) No, we do not have distribution yet, but if you know anyone, talk to my mom.

Mom, take it away.

___________

I had some friends from college in the audience who told me the speech was a hit and my mom did a really good job. Is it strange to send your mom in your place to a film festival? Yes. But when someone goes to a film festival, they expect to see a representative from the film and one thing is for sure, none of this would have happened with out her support...or birthing me.

Next up, Red Rocks Film Festival in Utah in November...

Mo' Festival Dates!

2009-06-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

THE FULL PICTURE is proud to be playing the Woods Hole Film Festival on Cape Cod, Tuesday, July 28 at 9pm in the Redfield Auditorium. (festival information here) This is our fifth festival and second trip back east with the film. As a native east coaster, I look forward to this screening as I wrote the Fosters’ -the family represented in the film- to be instilled with east coast sensibilities. Also, it’s a damn good reason to get back to the Cape as it’s been some years since I spent my summer between high school and college as the whipping-boy/front desk manager at Rainbow Motors on Nantucket.

SONOMA WRAP

2009-04-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

First thing, a big thank you to Suzanne Brangham and her partner Jack who invited me and Denise into their beautiful home for the whole festival. They have an amazing home on the hillside overlooking Sonoma Valley and each night, as I blissfully went off to sleep in a wine induced coma, I would peer out though one blurry eye at the twinkling lights below and feel like a kid falling to sleep on an airplane. Thank you.

As for the festival, well...both screenings were scheduled at the "Highway 12 Lounge" which is really the community center. At first, I thought the facility was going to be awful as I have seen some films in rundown gymnasiums with the worst projectors and shitty sound. However, THX was a sponsor and this venue was their responsibility so they dialed it in with THX speakers and a projector so bright, it could burn a hole through the screen. Simply, it rocked.

On Thursday, we were one of the opening night films which was a great honor. We had a very respectable crowd of about 150 people but with THE ANSWER MAN, a film with Jeff Daniels coming straight from Sundance, playing at the same time, we didn't fill the seats. However, the crowd was highly responsive and as they left, we felt that people would start to talk and generate buzz. But with our next screening the following day at 3:30pm, a horrible time slot, I thought for sure that there wouldn't be enough time to spread the word and we would have only 50 people or so in the audience. I had visions of apologizing to the festival for the weak draw and wondering what we could have done differently. Boy, was I wrong. As we rounded the corner half an hour before the film began, you could see a crowd coming out of the front doors, making a left hand turn and going half way down the block. It honestly looked like STAR WARS was playing. Needless to say we sold out and every single seat was filled, in total about 270 people. And as more people came, they were turned away with the unfortunate news that they "should have gotten here earlier." Though I felt badly for those people, it felt good to have a hit.

We spent the rest of the festival meeting other filmmakers and movie-goers who were incredibly complimentary about THE FULL PICTURE. We also saw some other amazing films like PUNCHING THE CLOWN and GOOD DICK, plus a really cool short called TERMINUS. At festival end, THE FULL PICTURE was the highest rated American feature according to the Sonoma website, a honor we are pleased to have for the second festival in a row.

Sonoma Bound with "Mr. Santaland Diaries."

2009-03-31T12:48:00.001-07:00

One day before heading up to Sonoma and I'm getting really excited, but not as much for myself as I am one of my leads, Joshua Hutchinson. Josh was born and raised in Sonoma (he was Josh Farrell then) and still has many ties there. Though he now lives in Los Angeles, he still is involved in Sonoma having volunteered on many occasions and most recently, performing two sold out weeks of David Sedaris' THE SANTALAND DIARIES at the community center with all proceeds benefiting an arts programs for children in Sonoma. Some of his previous films have played Sonoma like last year's THE VILLAGE BARBERSHOP, but he has never been the lead. Now, with THE FULL PICTURE, he gets to return to his roots with a film that he stars in and here's the other thing: Josh nailed his role.

The character, Hal Foster, is a corporate lawyer with a oral fetish and interesting take of fidelity. On paper, the guy appears like a slimy, know-it-all jackass, but that's the challenge of the role. It is imperative to the story that you, the viewer, still like this guy, and with some of Hal's actions it is not a easy thing to do. But Josh worked diligently on his character and tapped into the fun-loving side of Hal Foster so that even against their better judgement, the audience can't help but love this guy. Quite simply, Hal's a crowd pleaser and this film wouldn't be successful with out Josh's talent and ability. So, for this festival, I get to play second fiddle and fade into the background, with the limelight being cast where it should be, on the star, Joshua Hutchinson.

Durango Wrap-up...Next Stop, Sonoma.

2009-03-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

I just came back on Sunday night from Durango Independent Film Festival and after two nights of comatose sleep, I finally feel capable of forming a coherent sentence. So here’s how it went. I was initially concerned about our Friday screening at 3:15pm but what I didn’t realize is that the whole town supports this “little” festival and everyone makes sacrifices to go to the screenings. So for our Friday screening, we had a very respectable crowd and more importantly, the people that came responded as we had hoped, which was really important being that Mike and Tony from Rivercoast Films Distibution were there. I had met them in the filmmaker lounge on Thursday night and after a couple drinks and a few laughs, (very good guys BTW) convinced them to come to our screening. To make a long story short, they loved it, and though that is just a start, it’s the right start to potentially work together.

As for the rest of the festival, well, it was a blur. We partied some on Friday, then woke at 5:45am on Saturday to drive an hour away to ski at Silverton Mountain. Our guide, “Ron-bow” ran us ragged, hiking and skiing till the last chair. Then we raced back, had a quick soak in the hot tub, and got dressed for the 9:15pm showing of THE FULL PICTURE. Once again, we had a good crowd and after a lengthy Q & A, joined the other filmmakers at the closing night party. By this time, Joe, Keith and I were spent and even though we managed to choke down a couple drinks (Tom Collins were the special on the night…too sweet to enjoy but free so we tolerated them), we couldn’t physically make it to the late night parties.

So in short, Durango…very cool and a great festival experience. If you are a skier and film lover, I highly recommend hitting this little gem but bring No Doz and an oxygen mask, because sleeping four hours a night and skiing at 13,000 feet can kick your ass.

Onwards to Sonoma International Film Festival (April 1st-5th) where one of my lead actors, Joshua Hutchinson (he was Joshua Farrell then), grew up. For schedule information, click here.

The Snow Be A Coming

2009-03-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Just a little update for everyone, fast and furious. Keith Stockmann and Joey Oh, two longtime friends, have joined me for the trip to Durango. We touched down, went to the filmmaker lounge, met the festival staff, had some drinks, and promoted the hell out of the film. The Durango community appears to be incredibly supportive of the festival and everyone we've talked to seems to be interested in our film. On Thursday, we headed up to Silverton to get some skiing in. The mountain is in the San Juan mountain range which are simply majestic, reminiscent of the Canadian Rockies. Silverton has some great terrain but the snow quality was lacking. A storm is supposed to be rolling in tonight so we're excited by the prospect of heading back to Silverton tomorrow.

THE FULL PICTURE is screening today at 3:15pm and we're fired up to be playing in front of a crowd where we know absolutely no one. This is first time that all the feedback will be raw and uncensored. I feel very confident in the way the film is playing and look forward to the challenge.

SF Indie Wrap-up and Durango Prelude

2009-03-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was THE FULL PICTURE'S last showing at SF Indie Fest and after 4 screenings in 3 weeks, I'm happy to report that the festival was incredible success. Every show was packed to the gills with enthusiastic, attentive crowds and press coverage could not have been better with seven interviews and four reviews to date. We were the best selling film of the entire festival and finally have the necessary -and complimentary- press coverage to fill our press kit. We were selected as one of only four films for a bonus screening at Sugarbowl ski area in Lake Tahoe and I was fortunate enough to be the only filmmaker in attendance. It was the first year that SF Indie tried such a thing but thanks to Alex West and some of my ol' buddies from my Tahoe days, we were able to drum up a good crowd.

I have two days to recharge the batteries before heading off to Colorado for Durango Independent and begin this cycle again. The past month has been a whirlwind but I honestly couldn't be more pleased with how the film is playing and the comments we've received. It's at moments like this, I begin to believe that we can be one of the lucky small films that finds its audience. Oh yeah, and we got into Somoma International too!

New Interview and Review

2009-02-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

So we continue to get some great press from our screenings which by the way, were packed. Check out this ridiculouly complimentary review from My Cultural Landscape (bottom of the page) and a great interview with the Examiner. Also we're screening on Feb. 28th at 6pm in Lake Tahoe as part of the SF Indie Fest at Sugar Bowl ski resort in the Judah Lounge. Click here for the announcement.

GREAT NIGHT!

2009-02-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

So we had our first screening of SF Indie Fest and WOW, what a great response! I don't have much time to write about the experience as we have another screening today and I have 2 interviews this morning but I can say, last night was a home run. We had a fantastic turn out and the audience was connected and plugged for the opening line. David Lamble, a local critic for the Bay Area Reporter, was in attendance even though he had already given the film a glowing review, he led the Q&A with some favorable comments. We capped the nights with friends across the street at Kilowatt, talking and laughing the night away.

Read All About It!

2009-02-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

With HD camera so widely available, one just doesn't make a movie these days and expect to be on the front page of Variety. Getting noticed is a full-time job and as any publicist would tell you, it's not for those who take rejection poorly. However, as important as writing a good script is, so too is press coverage. We filmmakers must be recognized, or bury your film along side all those home movies starring your friends.

Here's a list of our efforts:

IndieWire, Bay Area Reporter, SF Weekly, SF360, Casting Connection, Movie Close-Up Interview (Part1) (Part2)

I also gave an interview yesterday with Christopher Smith of the Examiner. I'll post it when it gets online.

OPENING NIGHT. Who Dat Being Interviewed?

2009-02-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

The S.F. Indie Fest has officially begun! The night before the opening, I went down to the public access station and was interviewed by Bonnie Steiger of "Movie Close-up." It's a local show that I was originally on about 5 years ago. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. She's a fun one.

I also went to the opening night to pass out postcards and check out the films. Unfortunately, I only caught the tail end of the first film, but I was able to stay for all of FANBOYS which is a movie about four Star Wars fanatics in 1998 who go on a road trip from Ohio to San Francisco to break into Skywalker Ranch and watch the yet to be released Episode 1. Without getting to into it, I think the best part was the pre-show where they had Storm Troopers and a robotic R2-D2 outside the theater.

From the show, I walked the erie back roads from the Mission to Potrero Hill to attend the after party at the Cell Space. When I got there, the line was 20 people deep and it had begun to rain. Having been forced to go solo due to my wife being pregnant and just not "up to it," I couldn't stomach being alone AND drenched so jumped in the first cab available. Truly pathetic...but dry.

MO' FESTIVAL NEWS

2009-01-31T12:18:00.000-08:00

It looks like THE FULL PICTURE is picking up some steam as we've been invited to the Durango Independent Film Festival in the beginning of March! Durango, CO is a terrific town with a dedicated film following. It also happens to be the hub for ski resorts such as Telluride, Crested Butte and Silverton. That means that one, I'm packing my skis and two, I won't be alone as my good buddies Keith Stockman and executive producer Joe Oh are avid skiers as well. So if you know anyone in that area, please spread the word as I know absolutely no one.

As for San Francisco Independent, we're busy getting the word out (I just gave my first interview yesterday for SF State's university paper), and I have my first TV interview this coming Wednesday the 4th at 7:30pm. The show is called "Movie Close-Up" and you can watch it in SF on channel 29 (A&TT subscribers/ ch.99) and for the out-of-towners, you can stream it at http://www.accessf.org/. The show is 1/2 an hour and it's all me and the interviewer, Bonnie Steiger. It's also a call-in show so please, if you're watching and I'm floundering, call in.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

2009-01-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

It's that time to throw down and buy your tickets. (click here to buy.) We're working hard to fill the seats and if the last festival was any clue, they should go fairly quickly. Also, please tell your friends, work associates and family as the success of this film relies on word of mouth. As we've seen with the "president elect," never underestimate to power of grassroots advertising. And being that is all we can afford at the moment, it's going to have to do.

Hope to see you there!

Prime times at SF IndieFest!

2009-01-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

Good news! We got our screen times for the SF IndieFest and I couldn't be happier! We're playing in February on the 14th at 7:15pm, the 15th at 2:45pm and the 21st at 9:30pm which are two Saturdays and a Sunday. We're not sure which theaters we'll be playing but I'll be sure to update you when I learn the info. The best thing about the dates is two weekends. Playing 2 weekends greatly increases the odds of everyone having an opportunity to see it...and tell their friends....so they can see it...and tell their friends, etc. BOO-YA!

WE"RE FINALLY HOME! THE FULL PICTURE TO PLAY S.F. INDIE FEST

2008-12-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

It is with much relief that I can finally announce our first screening in San Francisco! "The Full Picture" will be part of the upcoming San Francisco Independent Film Festival (Feb 5th-19th). We will find out more information in the coming weeks and I'll be sure to post it when we know more. In the meantime, we're going to be busy getting our materials together so we're organized...so we can send it to the press....so we can get the press there...so the press can review it..so we can use the review...to get more press...and so on and so on...

BIG UPDATE!

2008-08-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

This past week "The Full Picture" premiered at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. We had a fantastic
screening where, due to high demand for tickets, the festival staff had to move our film into their largest venue, a gorgeous 850 seat theater! Finally, I saw the film as it was meant to be seen, on a 50 foot screen and a packed house. The crowd was really receptive with many positive comments during the Q&A. We followed the screening with a raucous after party where over 150 of the the film's friends and supporters ate and drank until the wee hours. If that wasn't enough, at the awards brunch the following Sunday, "The Full Picture" won the Grand Prize for Best Feature! It was a total shock that has of yet to sink in. For proof, please check out the link below.

http://www.indiewire.com/buzz/080810.html

Hopefully, we can use this momentum to springboard us into other festivals and down the right path to distribution. Please stay tuned.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

2008-07-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

So here is the little logo that every filmmaker wants to see on their film page. Two little olive branches. I could have created this in photoshop and made up a few festivals, but alas, we went the hard way and it was worth it. RIIFF has given us a prime screening time in their line-up, Friday, August 8th at 7:15pm. There's a short film for a half an hour right before our so we very well might start at 8/8/08 at 8pm. Now I'm not superstitious, but hell, that's exciting!

Follow the link below (or copy and paste into your browser) to buy your tickets and please get them early. I guarantee we'll sell out. And please, leave a couple hours free at the end. We don't know where yet, but we'll have a little after party to celebrate.

http://riiff2008.withoutabox.com/festivals/event_item.php?id=17525

WE'RE IN!

2008-06-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Alright, here we go. I can proudly announce that THE FULL PICTURE will be premiering at the Rhode Island International Film Festival sometime between Aug. 5th and 10th. I'll update the blog when I know more. In the meantime, you can check out the festival's information at

We're very excited about this opportunity as RIIFF is a top 15 festival and has a great reputation amongst filmmakers. My able Executive Assistant -who just happens to be my wife- and I will be making the trip back east. There's also a chance some of actors will make the trip so look out for us in The Ocean State. Giddy up!

DOES THIS WORK?

2008-06-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

I need to pick a photo doing director stuff. Does this fill the bill -unshaven and making weird gestures?

AS WE GET READY, A LITTLE RELIEF

2008-05-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

"The Full Picture" is shot, edited, scored and sound designed. All that we have left is color correction which will be completed before our first screening. Until then, here's a little something I wrote for our press packet. Hope you like it.

________

In the script, I had written a scene at Stow Lake, which is more like a polluted pond in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. In the scene, Mark (Daron Jennings) falls into the lake when his brother, Hal (Josh Hutchinson) throws food scraps on the ground, causing a dog to lunge in Mark’s direction. Unsure of the city's policy for swimming in the goose-shit infested lake, we did not inform the Park Ranger of our intent to dunk our good-natured actor in the water. With a water hose and a fresh pair of clothes at the ready, we ran the scene and luckily nailed it on the first take. Seeing the commotion, the Ranger ran over with a panic stricken look on his face. In his hand, he held a paper that read, "In case of contact with Stow Lake Water." On the page was a laundry list of maladies that could befall anyone that was to ingest even the slightest amount of the murky water. We kept a close watch on Daron for the next 24 hours and to our relief, he was fine. But the scene, well, it was a little over-the-top for the kind of film we were making. So, much to Daron’s chagrin, his little dunk will be only enjoyed on the “deleted scenes” section of the DVD. At least he knows the signs of infection should he ever fall into Stow Lake again.

Welcome.

2006-03-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the FULL PICTURE BLOG…the making of a true Indie film.

Project Greenlight has nothing on me. If you want to experience what it’s really like to make an independent film, here’s your chance. Over the next couple of years, we will film, edit, screen and attempt to sell a feature length movie. Many have attempted such a feat; few have succeeded. Only time will tell what will happen. Let’s get started!

3/25/06
Excitement fills the air. I have begun the hiring process and believe I have found some talented and honest people. But I don’t want to write about that. Not yet. The start date is still flexible so until that is locked down and the crew has signed in blood, I’m not going to assume anything. Instead, I want to give a little back-story of how far this project has already traveled.

THE FULL PICTURE began as a simple writing exercise in December 2001. I had been laid off as a Banquet Server at the Ritz Carlton due to a downturn in business following 9/11. Still carrying a hefty credit card bill from my first film, I needed to find work quickly. The following week, as I was scrounging up change for next month’s rent, the Ritz-Carlton valet department asked me if I would help them through the busy holiday season. They needed someone to sit down at the bottom of the parking garage and shuffle cars around so they could be accessed quickly. However, they added regretfully, there would be a lot of “downtime”. Seizing the opportunity, I took the job and brought a pen and paper to fill the supposed “slow” hours. By the end of December, I had written the first act of my play, later titled, Big Mouth.

Big Mouth was a story inspired by a family in my hometown that went through a messy, public divorce. The sensational details of their separation captured the attention of our sleepy suburban town. But as quickly as the story flared up, it also went away, and life returned to business-as-usual. What intrigued me about this story was not the divorce itself, nor the public attention it received, but the time to follow. I wanted to examine what happens to such a family fifteen years after their embarrassing moment in the spotlight.

About midway through writing Big Mouth, I felt like I had something. I started work-shopping scenes in an acting class I was taking at The Shelton Theatre here in San Francisco. I decided that I was going to direct it and in August of 2003, I rented out the Actor’s Theater for the play’s debut. Big Mouth was a hit, selling out all but one show in its short run. The story worked. And more importantly, I was convinced that it deserved a larger audience. I went to work immediately adapting the play into a story to fit the screen.

One year later, I had written THE FULL PICTURE and donned my producer’s hat once again. I constructed a business plan to raise the funds and started a LLC. And that’s where I am today. It hasn’t been easy getting to this point, but believing in the material has kept me motivated.