First TWT EPK interview posted with Elisabeth Rohm!

Translation:

The first series of backstage interviews (EPK=electronic press kit) for our screwball comedy feature, THE WHOLE TRUTH (TWT), are edited and the first one, featuring leading lady Elisabeth Röhm, is now posted on YouTube. Here it is:


Four more are going up tomorrow - with TWT actors Sean Patrick Flanery, Eric Roberts, Kristina Lilley and the dynamic duo of Rick Overton and John Fugelsang (who interview one another!).

Following that will be more interviews with them well as EPK chats with me, executive producer Gary Allen Tucci and producer Larry Estes.

We're talking about - demystifying - the process, the hard work and the fun that will be engaging and informative for audience members as well as those who are budding filmmakers. I hope you check them out!

THE WHOLE TRUTH World Premiere!

First, the private reception was a *blast!* Family, friends, crew and cast gathered at the 7 Salon with great food, conviviality and conversation.

Andy, our host at the magnificent, huge salon, created a perfect atmosphere - complete with a dj and music that he didn't play so loudly we could actually talk at a reasonable decibel, two bartenders, three film posters strategically placed, tables, glassware, the works.

The food was fantastic - it flew off the plates so we quickly ordered more!

Seattle's film industry folks are known for serving weak, meager, tasteless finger foods; we dished out substantial sustenance for our guests to show them the way to feed guests properly.

Don Woods from the Icicle Ridge Winery in Leavenworth brought his magnificent, award-winning wines for all to taste and drink. A beautiful backdrop graced his table as well.

I got many compliments on the make up job Danyale Cook did for me. Gosh, I hardly recognized myself .. ;-). Lots of photos will be coming soon - I ended up not taking pictures because I was running around so much, but our set photographer took lots of piccies, so I'll share them as soon as Frank sends them to me!

It was a genuine pleasure meeting you blog readers at the reception - Amanda, you looked FAB-ulous! As well as seeing so many of the crew members who made a qualitative and personal difference in making the film. Without them, not only would it not have the quality it does - it wouldn't have the heart. My partner Gary Allen Tucci put it well: we felt like a production family.

And we're all ready to do it over again on our next film THE LONELY GOATHERD as soon as we get the distribution situation taken care of with THE WHOLE TRUTH.

Several folks showed up expecting to buy a ticket when they arrived, only to find there were no more tickets on sale. See how it pays to read my blog? I said tickets were selling out, then sold out right here and they didn't read it.

Many people hoping for "rush" tickets did get seated, however. These are tickets that are sold if there are any seats empty left minutes before the screening.

Because of that, previews and other SIFF business - not to mention me introducing most of our guests - the film started late, and it was already a late screening. Which means it started a little TOO late for most working folks.

But, the comments after the film were wonderful - what a fine film it was; how much they enjoyed it from start to finish, how amazing the music was, how well written, how terrific the performances were, how great the casting, etc. It was all I could have hoped for. The cast, my partner executive producer Gary Allen Tucci, producer Larry Estes and composer Ragnar Rosinkranz all joined me at the front of the room to answer questions and whatever the folks left wanted to say.

Mireille and Caitlin - readers of my blog (you read their comments all the time) and HUGE SPF fans, who flew in from Montreal and the Midwest respectively for the film's WP and will see it again later today(!) at the Wednesday screening - loved the film, got *my* autograph for Louise, a friend of theirs in England and of course spent time with SPF who had a great time entertaining them.

Local folks were impressed with how down to earth Sean is - how fantastic and real all our actors are. But I tend to work with folks who are good people as well - I find them better performers for the very most part.

As for me - to be frank, I was so nervous about how the crowd would react, I was a little distracted - listening for every little chuckle, guffaw, belly laugh, giggle, snort. The thing I was most aware of: there was no fidgeting. This is a good thing.

In a crucial scene that required the audience be silent, a complete hush filled the room. I could not even hear anyone breathing.

I sat between Sean Patrick Flanery and Elisabeth Röhm. Since it was the first time he saw the film, Sean was of course a bit contemplative of his (fantastic) performance and has a soft laugh. Elisabeth was totally relaxed and laughed out loud many times, as did other cast members.

At the end, Sean told me he "Loved it;" that he was "Excited as hell" about the film and its future. Whew. He's a tough critic of his own work and (rightfully) others, so that means a lot to all of us working on and with the film and its distribution.

The audience applauded several times at the end of the film, and because of the late hour, many had to leave at its completion - but several troopers stayed for the q&a with the cast, Gary, Larry, Ragnar and me, which was a lot of fun. I shared a sample of the singing that went on during the shoot. Some of the stuff captured by our sound crew during the shoot will be featured on my blogs as time goes by as well as on the dvd's.

When we left, Elisabeth had to return to relieve her babysitter - she brought her 14-month old. The babysitter noted that Elisabeth's daughter Easton was "amazing." She had never met such a contented toddler - especially after flying! Elisabeth is a phenomenal mom! Easton's dad Ron Wooster was on hand, too for all the festivities - and he's another reason Easton is so well adjusted!

Editor Stephen Myers, Jim Holmes, Rick Overton and I had a sarsaparilla in the bar at their hotel to chat about the film. Everyone considered the film and its premiere a complete success. I think *that* is when I started to breathe again.

Coming home to so many laudatory emails was also rewarding!

OK, well it's going on 3am and I have to get up in just a few hours to rush around running errands with Elisabeth and my assistant Aaron - whose mom came all the way from Yakima to see the film - before the next screening!

To everyone in the audience who shared the world premiere and special evening with us - thank you from the bottom of my heard. You are, after all, the reason we do what we do!

THE WHOLE TRUTH World Premiere.... SOLD OUT!

The Tuesday, June 2, 9:30 pm screening of THE WHOLE TRUTH is completely sold out.

Every seat taken. Every ticket available - purchased.

If you hold one of these tickets?

I'm thrilled you'll be joining me, Elisabeth Röhm, Sean Patrick Flanery, Rick Overton, Jim Holmes and Pisay Pao to welcome the film into the world - along with my business partner Gary Allen Tucci, producers Larry Estes and Jennifer Roth, editor Stephen Myers, composer Ragnar Rosinkranz and some of the cast and crew who made it happen.

We're checking on Wednesday's seating (4:30 pm, screen #11 at Pacific Place in downtown Seattle), which is also expected to sell out.

I'll post those numbers here as soon as I .. um, OK, my assistant Aaron Heinzen .. can get them!

Creative References

Now that the script for our Heart Break Productionz feature comedy The Whole Truth is locked and has scene numbers, we're flying into production action.

We're interviewing some terrific candidates for key crew positions (Director of Photography, Production Designer, local Casting Director, make-up, hair, wardrobe and so on). They've read an earlier incarnation of the script - it's better now - and come with ideas and questions for us as well.

Something that helps the technical/artistic crew members is called a "Creative Reference." I have in the past referred to it as my Film List, but now that I'm working in feature films, I discover the more accurate name is Creative Reference.

This is a list - comprehensive but not exhaustive - of films that have an element that would, IMO, serve our film well. Whether it's blocking (where/how characters move), design (scenery, background, colors, props), camera movement, symbolism or a number of other integral parts of scenes, scenery and style.

The idea is *not* to copy anyone - far from it. It is to recognize effective cinemagraphic techniques that could tell the story best.

So I watched about 40 films that I believed would have something that we (the production team) could use, update, twist or incorporate in a new or unusual way.

This is where knowing about films from the past and film history comes in handy.

From those, I selected nine for my list, writing what I saw in each that could lend effective creative elements - some minor, some major - to our film. Dramas and comedies are considered because, remember, we're looking for technical references as well as story telling techniques.

For example, one of the films I list on my Creative Reference sheet is Rob Reiner's classic, "This Is Spinal Tap."

Now, The Tap is *nothing* like The Whole Truth. Nothing.

The Whole Truth is tightly scripted, The Tap is mostly improv'ed by a cast of brilliant writer/actors. But what I see in The Tap that I believe will work for us? The sincerity of the characters; there's never one false note.

Those characters are simply who they are. None tries to be funny. They only react as their characters would honestly to the bizarre situations in which they find themselves, which are actually fairly realistic for show biz.

So, for our film, I listed: This Is Spinal Tap - the sincerity of the characters. No one tries to be funny, they are simply and honestly themselves. Billy Crystal tells the only joke (you'll have to see the film to find it) in the entire film.

The folks we're interviewing try to watch at least the top few films on my list to understand how I see an aspect of the acting or their technical make-up helping our project.

If the Creative Reference list is properly and well done - the crew folks who read it should immediately see what I see, the way I see it. It's written carefully, conscientiously.

Their job is to help me realize my vision as the director - but directing is a completely collaborative job. It takes a village of crew and cast to help bring that vision to life - what we directors do is, in the end, take credit for the work of The Whole Creative Village. ;-)

Now, by sharing my Creative Reference list, they can come up with notions that only enhance my concept and vision, bringing me ideas and creative choices to make that vision become a living, breathing reality in a way that, hopefully, you will enjoy on a number of levels.

This is a very layered film. You'll have the opportunity to enjoy it on a very simple level - from taking that roller coaster ride of "just" a funny film for a sheer escape from your day-to-day life, to an examination of the darker sub-stories, to many other levels of character analysis, story telling and subject matter.

Which is why casting is crucial. The folks cast in our film must be able to *act,* and well. We're working with some top casting folks in LA (who are amazing) and we'll be working side by side with a well-known Seattle casting director, too.

When all our crew is in place, I'll be listing them here.

Executive Producer Gary Allen Tucci and I have been so fortunate to hook up with, IMO, the best producer in the biz with the passing of Sydney Pollack, Larry Estes. His enthusiasm, vast knowledge and support for The Whole Truth are making certain we maintain our very high standards of quality and priority of doing the best job we possibly can to work on behalf of our real boss.

That's you.

Our audience.

Ah, sweet misery of life ...

Rewriting.

It's the most frustrating, fun, stressful, exciting part of writing for me.

And it's where I'm at now on my screenplay, The Whole Truth.

It helps to have spot on feedback from my producer Larry Estes, encouragement from my best mate and British writer John Beresford and support from executive Gary Allen Tucci.

It's difficult for non-writers to understand that we're actually working - writing - when it does not look like we're working at all.

We can experience floating intermittent reveries (dreamy states) when we're on a writing jag. That is, falling into a semi-napping state, coming out of it, going back, actually taking a nap, waking up, and repeat. When we come to, we tap furiously on the keyboard to get every thought down on the screen before we lose or forget it.

I normally have my laptop on my lap so it's always at the ready for every plot twist and turn, character development or note I need to write immediately.

We may stare out the window for some time, or take on a certain look that sends us far, far away or into the world of the characters with whom we've shared our minds, or work on the puzzle of how to show a cerain thought without just saying it but showing it.

Then there's the all important walk or work out to keep the corpuscles flowing to our brains.

I'm not one to overwrite as many are. A comedy should come in at about 90-100 pages. It's just fine to go 140 pages then cut back, but I try never to exceed 100 because I'm editing scenes and dialogue in my head before I write it out.

In this case, the script lands at a solid 101. Longest comedy I've ever written.

I think it makes a difference if I direct the script because I tend to see it being shot in my head as I write it. When I lose that direct viseral connection, of seeing it in my head, of feeling in the company of the characters, things tend to go a bit awry in my writing.

No matter what, I'm having a great time on this rewrite rollercoaster, becoming a literary and photographic detective to solve the problems of the script structure and characters that make it most enjoyable for you to see on the large or little screen.

When we hit paydirt, get just the right answer for the question I've posed, hitting just the right note and tone to perfectly illustrate the scene or situation, then it feels like making a touchdown in the Superbowl! And believe me, the three dogs and kitty wish I didn't do it quite so vociferously!

They unfortunately are not fans of my work at all -- they enjoy sitting on or next to or against me when I write, but when I enthusiastically explain a perfect story turn or read great dialogue to them? Nothing.

Well, back to work. I *think* I've solved a problem I've been pondering awhile. Solid stuff, works much better in the story. It helps when I let the characters tell their own story more and I get out of the way.

I've decided to get rid of all the ending scenes - they just weren't strong or clear enough - and redo them completely.

The solution to their quality existence lies in the rest of the script. I have to put my investigative cap on, get under the skins of the characters and let them reveal what should happen that is real, fun and definitely a twist that has been indicated all along, but isn't apparent.

I'll never forget reading scripts for one of the funniest shows I've ever enjoyed, Absolutely Fabulous. They were not funny, just being read. Shocking.

But because the characters were so absurdly real, based on three genuine generations of people who have strongly addictive personalities and all that attends them (states of denial, constantly trying to fill the emptiness), the actresses portraying Eddy, Patsy, Saffron and Mrs. Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha and June Whitfield) were absolutely hilarious. And, it goes without saying, absolutely fabulous (in their own minds).

It also helped that its star, Saunders is the writer of the series, so she saw in her mind what would make it funny. She's a fearless writer, and I've admired a lot of her work, as well as the work she's created with her performing and writing partner, Dawn French. Their decades-long show, French and Saunders still enjoys the occassional reappearance on British television.

The key is to make sure whatever is produced is funny on screen. There have been some real hoot scripts that somehow didn't translate as hilarious on screen.

I do laugh a lot at my own stuff. That's not necessarily good if someone, like the audience - or a script reader, don't share the same sense of humor. That's the cool part of directing my own stuff because I understand how to make it look funny.

But that's half the fun. Enjoying all this angst and drama. The misery and high times experienced by those characters, that is.

Fortunately, my personal life is free from drama - I keep it strictly confined to my work!