Post Season Interview with DLT Creators

"Dates Like This" creators Leigh Poulos (l) and  Hannah Vaughn (r).

So for the last couple of months I have had the pleasure of hosting the short lived web mini-series, "Dates Like This" on our parent website, PNT Tv. As you all know I hardly ever conduct interviews with the cast or crew of webseries, however I have to emphasize how gracious the creative team of Leigh Poulos and Hannah Vaughn have been throughout their very fascinating and intriguing series.

The absolutely originality of their storyline was the catalysis of the success of their show and its what has their fans clambering for more (including me). It is a shame that a show of this quality if not quantity, should be gone. Especially with the advent of the lightening growth of this medium it has caused a clutter of unoriginal, uninspiring and poorly run productions that are choking the pipeline blocking shows like this from gaining the audience they deserve.

So when one does get through as DLT did it is no wonder why audiences are tapping their keys and shaking their fist at their screens with the news of a no go on a season 2. The following is my interview with creators Hannah and Leigh.

 1. How did the idea of creating a web series come about?

Hannah: We met at our shared survival job, Two Little Red Hens and both of us being actors we became friends and talked a lot about what projects we were working on and how we both wanted to create our own work and then we started talking about how we could actually DO that and the web series world has been growing so much it just seemed like the right way for us to showcase our work. For the actual story, my sister had sent me a link a couple of summers ago who was actually doing a 30 Dates in 30 Days project and told me to submit and I said no but when we were tossing around ideas for a show that could somehow feature us both and could work for a web series format, that just worked for everything. And then we decided to make it about lesbians.

Leigh: I also think the idea of a web series specifically appealed to us because of how accessible the media is. Anybody with a computer all over the world can just click a link and watch your show, any time they feel like it, and that's an incredibly powerful thing, to be able to directly reach your audience like that. It seemed so much more personal and hands on than, say, a short film, which we had originally discussed doing (and would still love to do). But something about a web series, just like a television series, brings the audience on a journey with the characters in a way that a film can't, by nature of being a sort of one shot deal. And we loved the idea of being able to create this online network of dating warriors; having the twitter and the facebook and the potential for viewer feedback and dialogue between creators/viewers that the internet makes possible.

2. Why did you decide to only have one season of the show?

Hannah: We really saw this project as more of a mini-series - the whole time we were creating it we treated it more like an HBO mini series than a sitcom so from start to finish that's just how we saw it.

Leigh: We fell in love with the concept of Meg taking the plunge to do the 30 Dates in 30 Days project, and what a bizarre and uncharacteristic pit stop it was on the road of Meg's life. So much of the driving force behind the series was this feeling of running an experiment, of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and documenting what happens. That's really what the story is about. So if you take those parameters away, like when she finishes the project, it's a different series all together.

3. Did you ever anticipate the popularity the show has enjoyed and if you had known would you have planned a continuous series?

Leigh: We certainly hoped it would be popular! I think if you're going to dive into a project like this you have to try to have a certain amount of confidence that it will be well received, but that said every ten new youtube views make your heart skip a beat. I don't know if people really understand how much power one individual message of "hey, i love your show, i really connected to this" had to make Hannah and I do a happy dance. It's hard to say if we would have been lured into a continuous series...obviously you want to do more if you know people want to watch!

Hannah: This has been a dream. We are SO thrilled to have such an enthusiastic response - this has been our baby for over a year now and to see it doing so well has been thrilling. I mean - I think it's great that series like Out with Dad and Anyone But Me, etc have had such success with multiple seasons but I think for us maintaining the integrity of the original plot would be hard to carry to another season. But we're definitely planning on working together again.

4. Is 'Dates Like This' your first foray into this medium (online series) and would you do it again?

Hannah: Yes for me it's the first time I've done this. I'd auditioned a lot for other web series and I have boundless respect for anyone jumping into the web series world and I think yeah - maybe down the line I'd do it again. But I think with a different story.

Leigh: I was part of the series regular cast of a really great, but short-lived web series a few years back, called Abandon. It was a wonderful learning experience for me in terms of discovering the boundless potential web series have, and also the pitfalls and difficulties of making one! I think online series have a bright, bright future as we become more and more digital, so I would happily be part of future webisodes.

5. Is this really the end for DLT?

Hannah: For now...

Leigh: Anyone have any suggestions?? :)

6. Do you or Leigh have any plans to do another series?

Hannah: We've been talking about scripts that we have for other projects - short films that we've both written and we've been really thinking about working on a feature film soon. So we've got some things simmering.

Leigh: It's true. The wheels are turning.

7. What advise would you share with filmmakers venturing into this medium?

Hannah:Have a good story and work with people that you trust 110%. You have to have a good story otherwise no one will watch and you have to work with people that you trust because most likely its going to be low or no budget and you will have to do a lot of work and you need to make sure you have a good person or people working with you otherwise it won't be fun anymore. And it should be fun!

Leigh: I second all of that. I would also say this: don't try to make a show that you think will appeal to everybody. You aren't trying to convince heads of a major network to pick you up and isn't that the beauty of online media? You're trying to connect to people. It can be overwhelming to try to please as many people as possible, so make a story that matters to you, and then think about the specific groups of people who you think will embrace that story. Target them, and forget everybody else. This will help you sooo much when marketing your series, too!

8. What is next for you and Leigh?

Hannah: We're both auditioning a lot again - hoping to get some good summer projects. I've got a play that I'm acting in that's in the workshop stage. And I'm producing a show in the NY International Fringe Festival called June and Nancy. It's about two women who fall in love in the 1950s - it's a great project and I'm really excited to be a part of it.  And of course working on what scripts we have and trying to figure out which one will be our next project.

Leigh: I'm spending the summer on the west coast, up and down California, where I'm originally from. I'm trying to make some connections with west coast theaters, working with the LA branch of my theater company The Story Pirates (www.storypirates.org) and working on various acting related writing projects. And I plan on heading back to NYC in the fall! I miss it already...

9. Is their anything else you would like to add or promote?

Hannah: June and Nancy. (Shameless plug!) We'll happily take your donations. And you can also come see the show in August if you're in NYC! And just keep checking in with us on Facebook and Twitter - if we decide to work on a film (or series down the line) we'll be sure to spread the word there!

Leigh: This has nothing to do with my career, but it's a little passing on of good karma! One of our first donors to our kickstarter campaign was my dear friend Cait, and I would like to take this opportunity to plug her tumblr, Warriors&Wine, in which Cait and Rebekah, two Boston-dwelling lesbians, watch every episode of Xena while drinking copious amounts of wine and then blog amazing, thoughtful, witty commentary.

10. A question from a member: Are you or any of the castmembers gay?

Hannah: We are not and as far as we know, (we didn't do a poll) only one of our cast is.

11. Based on the answer of question 10 - Did that dynamic have anything to do with the story behind the series?

Hannah: I mean, we think the story is relatable if you're gay or straight - everyone has a fucking hard time dating sometimes. It's tough and we mostly just wanted to get the message out of "You are not a freak" everyone feels this way when they're dating sometimes - everyone's just trying their best to figure out what they want to do. All of our actors  read the script and loved it - and we would get emails or calls from them saying - I loved this line! I totally know what that feels like to be in that situation! So that dynamic was already there. My mom is gay so I grew up surrounded by a lot of lesbians so I've felt like i'm a weird sub-sect of the lesbian community for a while - so that certainly had an influence on that part of the story.

Leigh: As the author, it has given me kind of a thrill that so many of our fans assume we must both be lesbians, because I think it's a testament to the series really striking a chord with its viewers. So many times we all think that if somebody understands something about our own personal experience they must be similar to us in all kinds of ways, and one of the messages I was trying to get across with the series is that that is in fact true, but maybe not in the ways we would expect. It's so easy to focus on the things that make each of us different and to get so caught up in your own subjective experience (like love-life woes, etc.) that it's easy to lose sight of how stupidly similar the big issues we all struggle with in our lives are. Somebody can be different from you are and still get it, still understand the things you struggle with. And that was a major point Hannah and I hoped to make with DLT--we are all more similar than meets the eye.

Footnote: I want to thank both Hannah and Leigh for their wonderful series and know that the bloggers and members of PNT Tv wish them the very best success in their future projects.

Links: DLT website | Facebook Fanpage | Twitter | DLT's PNT Tv Channel

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Exclusive Interview with Rachel Dax

Storyteller Rachel Dax

This week I welcome to the circle Rachel Dax, the company director of DaxiTales Ltd. A storyteller by her own admission, Rachel Dax has several short films, plays and a very success novel under her belt.

The following is the exclusive first interview ever given by her to any lesbian entertainment webzine. Thank you for that honour.

Tee:  I have a lot to ask you but I want to start with your educational background and in particular your Religious Studies. Doesn't that usually create a direct conflict with the prevailing lesbian genre of you're selected mediums of your stories?

Rachel: Although I have a background in Religious Studies, I left behind my extremist anti-gay version of the Christian faith whilst I was studying Philosophy & Theology over 20 years ago. However my fascination for the subject, particularly the philosophical side, has not diminished. In the UK where I teach, I am teaching students who are over 16 and I do not have to teach any of the religions I cover as though it were 'true'. So thankfully there is no conflict with the lesbian and gay issues I cover in my creative work. However, if I wanted to be more graphic - with a steamy sex scene in a film - it might become more of a difficulty with keeping my teaching job but this would apply if I were straight too.

T: Are you gay and has that ever hampered your progress in your career or the success of your plays, books or films?

R: I am gay, yes, and have been out for 21 years. I don't think me being gay has hampered my success but I think the gay content of my work means that my work doesn't always get the kind of exposure that straight work does. I think that if you write gay material, the audience for your work will be more limited because there are many people across the world who will not watch gay work. BUT that does not mean that you cannot make a living and, of course, in some cases, a good book or film will get picked up by the mainstream and do very well indeed and this seems to be happening more frequently now homosexuality isn't such a stigma as it was in some places of the world.

T: You are a teacher, writer, novelist, playwright and filmmaker. Can you share with us which one of these titles you prefer and why?

R: Out of the titles given, the one I would say I prefer the most is 'writer' because I have written most of the films I have made as well as my novels and some of my theatre work. If I were to give myself a general title that encompasses all my creative work, it would be 'Storyteller' - I tell stories through the medium of theatre, film and novel writing.

T: Of all the shorts you have directed which one is your favourite and would you recommend it to a first time viewer of your work?

Crush (2007)

R: I think that my favourite is 'Crush' even though it was my first and has lots of flaws. Out of all my films I think 'Crush' is closest to what's in my heart whereas the other films are on subjects that I find of intellectual interest. I would recommend it to a first time viewer of my work for that very reason - it comes from the heart!

T: How would you describe your style of directing, whether in film or on stage?

R: I would describe myself as an 'Actor's Director' - because I am much more interested in the characters in my films and theatre and their journies than the mis-en-scene.

T: What is the most difficult stumbling block have you encountered in getting a lesbian-themed film made?

R: The biggest stumbling block I have encountered has been getting money. It was fine for my short films because I paid for those myself as I was working as well as studying film when I made them. BUT as soon as I left uni and wanted to make a feature film and couldn't get access to free equipment and willing volunteers to work for free it became a very different animal. Last year I tried to get money through a private investment forum of business people to make my feature film 'Banned Girls' but the lesbian content scared the investors off - they just didn't want to put their hands in their pockets for lesbian work.

T: Would you say they are more, less or the same in the level of difficulty in sourcing funding as opposed to making straight films?

R: In the UK at the moment the limited film funding there is through funding bodies, is extremely difficult to get for anyone straight or gay, so many of us have tried these private investment forums BUT gay people have more difficulties getting funding from these forums because the majority of the investors are straight, older business men from a generation which was largely homophobic. I think some of the gay boys have better luck finding rich gay men through social networking to fund them, but as of yet, I haven't met any millionaire lesbians with a penchant for film, so it is an uphill struggle getting the money.

From what I understand, this is pretty much the case in other parts of the world too - the public funding is limited and the private investment mainly straight.

Banned Girls (2012, Coming Soon)

T: Can you tell us more about 'Banned Girls' and other upcoming projects?

R: 'Banned Girls' is a feature film about 5 young women who set up a rock band and another who enters a national talent competition. It has 3 lesbian characters, 2 straight characters and 1 bisexual character. It is a gritty British Drama saturated with music from start to finish. When it finally happens it will be amazing.

T: Are you planning it as a webseries, tv series or feature film?

R: I originally envisioned it as a feature film and this would be my preference, but it may well turn into a TV or Web series - again it all depends of how much money I raise and who helps me when it comes to the crunch.

T: What is next for you?

R: I am currently turning a theatre play I wrote into a novel called 'The Legend Of Pope Joan'. My first novel 'After The Night' has done very well which encouraged me to write another one and this story lent itself to being a novel as well as a play. Eventually, I hope it will become a feature film too. I am very excited about getting this story out there because to my knowledge, it is the first Pope Joan novel that has not not presumed she was straight. My version is a pansexual gender-bending theological extravaganza, rather than a heterosexual feminist text.

I am also writing a children's story called 'Gabriel' that tackles prejudice, particularly homophobic prejudice. This will be an illustrated text and there will be an ibook for mac available with audio and music too. It will be of appeal to adults as well as children and hopefully do very well.

Both of these projects should be available by August 2012.

T: Do you have any advise for first-time or newbie queer filmmakers?

R: Tell the stories you want to tell and follow your dream.Only make work that you personally believe in and feel passionate about. Keep honing your talent. Try and write scripts that are easy to film on no money, but don't look cheap! One way of doing this is to find places in nature that are free to film - like beaches, woods, mountains etc. This way you don't have to pay out masses on sets or lights but your film will look great.

Generally I would say to anyone who goes on a creative journey to read the following books 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho, 'Get What You Want Without Even Trying' by Barefoot Doctor, 'Feel The Fear & Do It Anyway' by Susan Jeffers, and 'The Artists Way' by Julia Cameron. All these books will help you focus your vision and give you the tools to keep going even when it feels impossible.

 LINKS:

Rachel Dax (website) | Banned Girls Facebook Fan-page | After The Night (Novel) | DaxiTales Ltd.

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An Interview with Filmmaker Whitney Hamilton

Whitney Hamilton is the writer, director and producer of My Brother's War and several upcoming films. The following is a interview conducted via email.

1. Can you tell us about yourself and your history in film?

Thank you so much for this opportunity!  I grew up in New Orleans and Birmingham.  I studied art at Tulane University, Birmingham Southern College and Pratt Institute in New York City.  While a painting major at Birmingham Southern I created my own Jan term and bought a Super 8mm movie camera to make short experimental films.  Painting and filmmaking are similar in a way.  I gravitated to movies that were like moving paintings.  I found out afterwards that the filmmakers I most enjoyed had studied painting in college:  Jane Campion, David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Kathryn Bigelow.  

After moving to New York City I studied acting at Lee Strasberg. I volunteered to work on student films by NYU and Columbia University students. I then got involved in theatre. That is where I learned to write for stage and screen.  I began with plays and then adapted them for the screen by stripping out the dialogue. I read “Story” by Robert McKee and “The Hero’s Journey”.  I learned directing by working as a script supervisor on a few features and several shorts. I learned the aesthetics of film editing by reading “In the Blink of an Eye” by Walter Murch. “My Brother’s War” was my first feature film.

2. I just saw My Brother's War some time ago and it was such a beautiful film, so congratulations on that.  You based My Brother's War on a book (Firefly), how difficult was it to gain the rights (if you had too) and is it different to write an adapted screenplay as opposed to an original script?

Thank you so much.  Actually, My Brother’s War began as a short film to try and raise the financing to make UNION.  UNION was originally a play I wrote and was produced by Oberon Theatre Company in 2001 here in New York City.  I didn't have the resources to make UNION and “My Brother’s War” was created as a prequel to the original story.  

During the run of the play a literary agent came to the show and was very moved by the story. She suggested I write the story in novel form and she would try and sell it. So I took a year and wrote “Firefly” loosely based on the play.  I kind of did it backwards---adapting a novel from a play---then adapting a screenplay from the novel. As a screenwriter it is a bit more difficult to adapt from a novel particularly if the novel is dialogue heavy.  Since cinema is a visual art form, a lot of times dialogue becomes extraneous.  The story must move along by action and behavior and not so much by what is being said.  The goal is to show the story and not ‘tell’ the story. I regard a screenplay as a kind of map that will most likely change. If the words don’t fall off the actor’s tongues in a real way then the lines are scratched and I work with the actor to find something else to do or say that is authentic to the character and the story. 

3. You have broken the barrier of playing one character transgendered and another as a transgendered character in your films. Is this an important issue to you and is this one of the underlining themes of your stories?

I find gender and gender roles fascinating and always have. So far it has been an underlying theme in my work. I have two sisters-in-laws that are part of the LGBT community. They both have partners and kids. Being aware of what they deal with and go through on a daily basis even in a diverse city like New York has made me sensitive to things like marriage equality and adoption.  

I wanted to play the part of Henry on-stage and so I began my research for the role by going to Civil War re-enactments.  I met some really wonderful people and they said they could outfit me to participate.  Women aren't allowed on the field so I really had to pass as a boy. Once in uniform I was embedded in a Boy Scout troupe – the 62nd Volunteers (a real group of boys that fought at the battle of Blakely – the oldest being 17).  Only 2-3 guys knew my true gender.  I went to the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 2003. There were 25,000 re-enactors on the field. Breathtaking and the closest I’ve ever come to time travel. I was about 30 and camped and interacted with the boy scouts.  No one knew except the 2 people who conspired to help me. And that is exactly what happened during the Civil War. It was a great experience. After doing “My Brother’s War”, I was toying with the idea of a one-person show on Jack the Ripper. I would write and direct. My female friends suggested I play the part.  I was reluctant because I knew could pass as a boy (and did), but a man?  

Then my male friends told me it was impossible and there was no way I could pull it off.  The gauntlet was thrown. It became a challenge. So I learned to put the make-up on – beard and moustache - and went back down to the re-enactments. I found that if I didn't speak, everyone believed I was a guy. I also worked on the character in a theatre workshop. That is how Richard Rhys developed for “A Rogue in Londinium”. I have other projects that are not about gender. I think the wider theme(s) I am drawn to are redemption, reincarnation and ‘love conquers all’.  

4. You have cornered the market on making low budget films that look anything but, how do you do it?

Thank you! What a wonderful compliment. Both films were made with mine and my husband’s disposable income. It has gotten a lot harder to do it that way in the current economy. But if one really prepares and plans it is possible. A few years ago I read about a filmmaker that gave up his daily cup of coffee, rode his bike instead of taking the train (or driving) and committed to being frugal (i.e. making a modest dinner instead of going out) in order to make his film. That’s what I did.  I combed eBay and Craig’s list for antiques, costumes, props, etc.. I also went to flea markets, estate sales and garage sales. I told everyone I knew what I was trying to do and so my friends would let me know if they found something I might need or met someone who was interested in helping. I am friends with other filmmakers and so if there was a piece of equipment I needed, I’d barter or help out on their film project. I also rolled over a nice tax refund 

that kept giving.

5. Funding as we all know is the back breaker for all independent films especially lesbian films, what avenues can you advise someone like me to take or use? 

Funding is the back breaker for anyone outside the system.  My advice is to research grants especially for docs.  My other advice is to become a member of IFP. I believe “Pariah” was made by a first time director who went through the narrative lab at IFP. Submit your script to screenplay competitions, especially festivals that have clout and can attract the type of people who invest in true independents. Slamdance, Hamptons (HIFF), Nantucket, Austin, SXSW, Palm Springs and Los Angeles Film Fest to name a few. Submit to Newfest and Outfest both are LGBTQ festivals.  There are also organizations like Women Make Movies (They also distribute), New York Women in Film and Television and Cinewomen.  All three help bring women’s voices to cinema.  I would subscribe to Student Filmmaker magazine.  I have learned so much from every aspect of filmmaking by the articles written in that publication.  I also think that as a filmmaker and artist you should invest in a decent camera and a laptop with either imovie, final cut or adobe premiere.  You can watch tutorials on You Tube to learn the programs and go out and make a short film.  Get your friends together, cast a few local actors and begin. Once you begin, the universe conspires to help you.  I waited for a long time for financing to come through and then I got tired of waiting and did it myself.  And now I have access to some financing because I took a risk and believed in what I was doing.  One other way is to launch a Rocket Hub, Kickstarter or Indie Go-Go Fundraiser for your project.  These require quite a bit of work and also social networking.  It will be your ‘job’ for several months until you reach your goal.  Be aware that both companies take a percentage of funds raised.  Kickstarter requires that you reach your intended goal by the deadline or get nothing. Indie Go-Go will let you keep the money raised even if you don’t reach your goal but they take a larger percentage if you don’t reach it.  These could certainly work for short film projects micro-budget features.  Be thorough in your expectations and research in launching a campaign.

6. With two features films out and one in development what advice can share with young, eager filmmakers like me, about the process?  

You ‘write’ a film at least three times.  You write a screenplay by yourself or with a partner and that is your roadmap.  You re-write the film when you commence shooting.  Actors and other crew have input.  Problem solving and flexibility become key words.  Let the actors inhabit their environment.  Make the camera accommodate them.  Do not make actors adhere to strict marks, turns and line readings.  Give them an action or intention – that is true direction.  You re-write the movie again in editing.  Some scenes work, some don’t.  Sometimes you chop something up and move it around and it tells the story better than originally written.  Don’t be afraid to get rid of stuff that isn't working or has become precious.  I re-read my screenplays and if I find I get bored in a section, I know it needs work.  If I have the same repeated visceral reaction then it works.  The same applies with editing.  If I have the same intense emotional reaction to a scene after watching it 100 times, it works.  If I get bored and shuttle past it on the 20th view, something isn't working and needs to be re-edited. Plan, prepare and organize. Do storyboards or work with a program that helps you storyboard. Watch movies. Watch the classics.  Pick them apart and discover what it is about them that make them stand the test of time. Spielberg said he learned how to make movies by watching classic films with the sound turned off.  If you can understand and follow what is going on without words AND be moved, then you've got a good film. Utilize those discoveries in your own process and story-telling.

7. You latest film, 'UNION' is the sequel to 'My Brother's War' can you tell us why you went ahead with a sequel as the ending of 'My Brother's War' was so ambiguous yet had such finality to it?

UNION was written first.  My Brother’s War was a prequel.  In UNION the two characters marry out of necessity.  It is to keep Virginia from losing her farm and being married off to an old veteran.  They (Henry a.k.a. Grace and Virginia) fall in love while working the farm.  The story ends with them being together.  I wanted to finish telling the story.  “My Brother’s War” was so sad at the end, I wanted to see them come 

together and reunite.  It is the second half of “Firefly” the book.

8. You produced a short, a sneak peak if you will of 'Union' for the web. How far along in development would say you've reached?

I have a solid script that people are responding to. I have most of my locations locked down and a lot of my extras (soldiers) lined up.  I am in the midst of getting key department heads for crew and in June will begin casting.  I am also taking it to the Cannes Film Market in mid May to try and get the rest of the funding I need to begin shooting. I’d say I am more in pre-production than I am in development.

9. You've written, produced and directed most of your films under the historical genre, do you plan on doing anything outside of that particular genre?

Oh yes. I have a sci-fi feature that is in development called “The Watchers”. I have a contemporary New York story set against the art scene “Chasing DeKooning” that I will be taking to Cannes. I have a contemporary drama that deals with 9/11. I have a project or two that are set in the Deep South and loosely based on my eccentric family.

10. Where can everyone see your latest feature 'A Rogue in Londinium (2010)' or any of your past productions?

“A Rogue in Londinium” has not been released yet.  It will be up on Amazon by mid-June.  It will be in the New Hope, PA Film Festival this summer July 7th-15th.  My Brother’s War – Director’s cut is on Amazon.com, Netflix, Blockbuster and Busk Films.  The short film version of UNION is up on Vimeo as is the alternate ending for “A Rogue in Londinium”.

11. What's next for Whitney Hamilton or Bjornquist Films?

I hope to make “Chasing DeKooning” about a stolen painting, the mob and a mid-life crisis.  It will be a real departure from what I usually do.  I am finishing up my second novel called “The Great White Storm”.  It started as a dramatic blog or serial with the main characters from “A Rogue in Londinium”.  It picks up where the movie leaves off.  Richard and Victoria are married and living in New York during the Gilded Age 1888.  It begins the day the great blizzard hit New York City.  Victoria is out in Brooklyn at their manor house while Richard is still in the city painting in his art studio.  The story flips back and forth between Richard and Victoria and a contemporary Southern painter, Ashley and a writer for an art magazine Chelsea – both women who become attracted to each other and come to realize that Richard and Victoria are their prior incarnations from a past life.  Through the course of love and alchemy Ashley comes face to face with her prior self, Richard, and asks him to help her and Chelsea conceive.  I think it would make a wonderful miniseries or web series.  

Because of the way blogs are set up, it has to be read backwards from the last date to the current.  www.richardrhys.blogpsot.com I hope to publish it soon as an e-book. I have a blog about how we made “A Rogue in Londinium”. www.arogueinlondiniummovie.blogspot.com

www.arogueinlondiniummovie.com official site and trailer

www.union-movie.com official site, trailer and blog

www.mybrotherswar.com official site and trailers

http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000353215/FIREFLY.aspx The Book, Firefly

www.etsy.com/shop/whitneypaintings art from the films

We are currently revamping and re-branding our company site where all the links will be centrally located:  www.bjornquistfilms.com stay tuned. Thank you so much, Tee. I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with a new audience!

Watch Union (short) on LezReel

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Searching for Jenny Lewis: In Festivals Soon!

Details:

Actors:
Anam Gulraiz as Jacinda
Sana Sepehri as Marissa
Sarra Hansen as Jenny

Crew:
director of photography James Spratley
art director Bianka Rubio
swing Jen McGlone

written/produced/directed/edited by Christie Conochalla

"Hide" written & performed by Gabriela Aparicio

Synopsis:
A young idealistic woman gives perfection a name and face and what happens when she comes face to face with Jenny Lewis.

Are you Jenny enough?

Look out for this really well put together short in festivals soon! Christie is currently working on her first feature, 'What She Sees'. 

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Announcement from CDPictures (Exclusive)

So I have a lot to tell you so you would be caught up with the things I have been up too. Firstly I have revised the name of my production company to ChinaDolly Pictures or CDPictures. Therefore I changed the website, Facebook and YouTube accounts are all current and up to date.

Next is the best of news, Angel's Ashes will be made into a feature film. It's name is "When Ashes Fall" and though we haven't begun pre-production as yet I still have some details I can share with you.

The director is Christie Conochalla, the main character, Max will be again played by Samantha Novak. Producers are Tamara Spicer and Samantha Novak. Screenplay by Tamara Spicer. Music Supervisor is Jess Walker... other positions in the crew and cast will be revealed as it happens.

Our Facebook and YouTube pages will open in October 2011 soon to be followed by the commencement of our fundraising campaign.

Have a look at all the updates that have occurred on PNT Tv and hear in my own words about my new project.

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Exclusive Interview with Sam Novak

This week I present the interview I did last week with a woman I greatly respect and admire, Samantha Novak. If you recognize her it is because she played Max in Angels Ashes and will reprise that role in the feature film, 'When Ashes Fall' that will begin production next year. More on that soon!

For now we discussed her latest venture. A short film by the name of A Butterfly, which she wrote, will direct and act in. At the time of the interview filming was about to start. Today it will finish. so expect a trailer soon and to find out much more about the film, check the video below and like it's page on Facebook.

Also she fills us in on all the future projects she has lined up within coming months, including a webseries. It is tentatively called Awake and Confused, which will be also elaborated on at a later date.

Below we have exclusive photos of behind the scenes of A Butterfly, so do enjoy and I'll see you soon. Scene!

(l) Allison Novak and (r) Sam Novak on the set of A Butterfly

Another shot from a scene.

If you would like to keep up-to-date with Sam, the making of this film or any one of her other projects please go to her page on our celeb directory, Queers Utd!

http://queersutd.blogspot.com/search/label/Samantha%20Novak

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Interview with Christie Conochalla P2 (Exclusive Video)

This interview with Christie Conochalla is the second I did with the writer, director, producer. And as I quote from her, "She's also just a overall art adventurer". My interest with Miss Conochalla began because of my interest in her first feature, 'What She Sees', which will soon begin production.

However, I must say that her talents as well as her projects, are vast and very ambitious. She has a number of productions/projects in place and all are set to begin within months of each other. There is the short, 'Searching for Jenny Lewis' which is based on an original story by Christie and is set to begin shooting in September. (Trailer)

Then she is will be co-producing, filming and editing a documentary about the ups and downs in the comedic world that is Amy Snowden. Titled, 'Do You Know Amy Snowden?' (Trailer)

So enjoy the following and stay tuned because very shortly we will have a very big announcement to make soon so remember to check her status on her profile page on Queers Utd. or ours at Facebook.com/PNTTv

To support the 'What She Sees' fund campaign to go: Indiegogo.com

For more info: Website | And for even more on Christie, check here!

OR here - Queer's Utd. Profile Page: Christie Conochalla

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