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The film Beautiful Noise’s first week of production officially came to a close this past Saturday after guerrilla filming throughout Sarasota proper & Siesta Key.  Most of the action happened at a beautiful home in Myakka City, owned by Gary & Paula Aspinell.  They were most gracious to allow us access to completely invade their lives, rearrange their home & keep them up way past bed times. 

Our creative director, Jerry, after designing the set to the specifications of the film’s genre with the help of Annette Breazeale, art director of Banyan Theatre Group, he stepped in as the film’s Assistant Director working closely with Steve Tatone, director & the camera team of John GoodBrad (DP) & Sean McCarty (DIT) to work out the intricate & creative shots for the film.

“It became a collaborative effort from all of us to create & expand upon the vision that Steve had for the film”, Jerry stated.  “Considering that none of us had worked together in the past & therefore didn’t know of each other’s techniques & styles, we came together with a significant number of magnificent & creative shots that we were all proud of.  I would certainly work with John & Sean again.”

Jerry said that he & the camera team would show up at least half an hour early to the set with shot list in hand & walk through the days scenes; working out each shot, camera angle & movement & lighting (with Ralpf Barnette, lighting & sound tech), & then present their ideas to Steve when he arrived on set.  “Steve had shots in his mind on how he wanted to see them; we simply expanded on his vision & added to them to evoke the emotion we felt the script was asking for from both the actors & the environment.”

The footage will be edited into a trailer that will be used for continued marketing & investment opportunities.  Watch the website www.beautifulnoisethemovie.com for information on the trailer party coming soon.

Jerry joined director Steve Tatone to promote the film Beautiful Noise in an interview with local AM Radio station 1280 WTMY, “Geekin Out” with Skippy & the Dude.  The show ran last Sunday, the 22nd from 5pm to 6 pm.

Along with Jerry & Steve were Danielle White who plays Dez in the film & Roger Hughes of Top Secret Studios.  The group had a great time with the Dude & Toad who was filling in for Skippy due to his birthday celebration.  Happy Birthday Skippy!  The team spoke about the projects humble beginnings, the original music that was written for the film, each person’s participation on the production & how they were brought on with Steve & their various backgrounds.

Production started the next day in Myakka City.  Good luck with the first week’s shoot.

Illum Productions Creative Director has agreed to work with Midnight Pass Productions as their Production Designer on their first main production, a Sarasota based film titled Beautiful Noise.  Midnight Pass Productions is the brainchild of Steve Tatone, a 30 year vetern in music & television production.  Steve’s intent is to produce films in Sarasota as a way to ignite the city’s appeal to main stream Hollywood’ film community & make Sarasota his primary base of operations.  Steve’s first attempt at screenwriting spawned a $25 million Hollywood Production.  Principal photography will start the 23rd of August.

Jerry will be assisting Steve in coordination of locations & creating the look & feel of his vision.  “We are very excited about this production & what it could mean for our community.” Jerry stated.  “Sarasota has the artistic means, the creative vibe & extremely talented people.  “With the marketability of this film, the backing of an amazing Film Commissioner (Jeanne Corcoran) & the determination of a top notch production crew, we could see some exciting infusion to Sarasota from the Film Community.” 

When asked how Jerry got involved with this production, Illum’s Executive Producer stated, “Jerry was a guest speaker for the EDC & the Film Commission a few months ago on the Business of Filmmaking in Sarasota.  Steve was at the breakfast & approached Jerry afterwards to ask him if he would consider becoming a part of his production.”  “We are looking forward to assisting Steve & his production company bring attention to our city.”

To learn more about the production, please visit their website www.beautifulnoisethemovie.com.  Steve constantly updates the Directors Blog to keep everyone updated to the production’s progress.

We know it has been a while since our last posting about the company, what we’ve been up to & what’s to come.  It seems that our company’s information gets waylaid for the benefit of our clients work & life in general.  Well this past year has been quite busy for the Illum staff.  We have been diligently working on our e-motion studio’s children’s project; we are piecing together our animatic for the first video, working out the scenes & timing.

nya

The principals of Illum went & had a baby girl which we are all excited about.  Jerry & Michelle took some time away from the company to focus on Nya’s first several months of life.  Nya is a special addition to the Illum family.

Speaking of expanding families, our Animation Director, Joe & his beautiful wife Jada are expecting their first child.  Jada is due in October & though we have been relentless they decided to wait to see what they are having but our bet is a bouncing boy.  We couldn’t be happier for the couple.

Illum’s design division has been working with several clients, most notably SaraPath Diagnostics, formerly Sarasota Pathology.  The campaign has been a long one; we have completely retooled their marketing direction, renamed them & given them a completely new identity.  From corporate packaging to sales staff tools, from courier vehicles to building signage, from in-house requisitions to a soon to be published revitalized web site, Illum has assisted in the coordination & expansion of nearly every department.

Our creative director, Jerry has been working on assisting the expansion of film to Sarasota’s area.  He has been speaking with several local directors about possible projects here & with the expansion of Florida’s tax incentive, the future looks promising.  He has also spoken on a couple of panels about film in our area.  The latest was with the Economic Development Council & the Sarasota Film Commission on the business of film in Sarasota County.  Jerry shared the panel with Brad Battersby from Ringling College & Mark Famiglio from the Sarasota Film Festival.

 The Dove Foundation, www.dove.org, an organization dedicated to the promotion of family-centric entertainment, has awarded Click Clack Jack 4 out of 5 doves & the dove seal of approval. 

Founded in 1990, The Dove Foundation’s mission is to promote the creation, production, distribution & consumption of true family films & entertainment. 

Additionally, Christianbook.com has posted Click Clack Jack on its site for pre-purchasing.  The DVD will officially be released on September 1st, so check out the site & support safe family entertainment by picking up your copy.  

Still running strong in the film festival circuits, Click Clack Jack has received its National debut.  Indelible Media Group came on board to drive the distribution of our film through Word Distributors.  On September 1st of this year, Click Clack Jack will be released into Living Word, Lifeway & Parable Book Stores as well as your local Christian bookstores just in time for the holidays.

Indelible Media Group will sponsor CCJ’s pre-sales beginning on August 1st available only through their website at http://www.indelibleonline.com/.  Any pre-sales through Indelible’s website will count toward the first month of sales.  So check it out & help support a great family friendly film.

To check out a newly cut HD trailer of Click Clack Jack, go to Click Clack Jack HD Trailer :30 available at YouTube.

Click Clack Jack was selected for screening at the Sunscreen Film Festival (SSFF), St. Petersburg in Bayside Muvico Cinemas.  Opening night was a lot of fun; we were interviewed by the Tampa Bay Informer, watched Passenger & spoke with actor Patrick Wilson.  Another actor, whom you won’t find any humbler, was Bill Cobb.  He was amazing to speak with & showed great interest in the young filmmaker’s speaking to him.  Keith, Ryan & I also had very encouraging discussions with Producers Dave Anderson & Phil Cooke about our project.  Many are asking when the next two installments are going to happen now that CCJ has distribution.   Thanks again to everyone who came out & supported the film!

The Sunscreen Film Festival has encouraged the creation & production of independent film in Florida since 2005.  THE SSFF has the specific objective to promote works by filmmakers by conducting educational programs that teach the art & science of film making.  Created by Tony Armer & Derek Minor, SSFF is working to increase the public’s awareness & support of local film making as a local asset.  Going into its 5^th year, the SSFF has qualified to be the first film festival in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area for an Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences grant.  This will allow short film maker winners to become eligible for Oscar consideration. 

Click Clack Jack was shown at the venue, Bayside Muvico Theatres on Saturday, May 2nd at 11:00 a.m.  We had a decent size audience & many showed great support!  The closing ceremony & awards presentation party was immense fun.  The crew was able to re-connect with many of the film makers we had befriended earlier in the festival & discuss future projects & possible collaborations.  Jeffery Donovan was there from USA’s Burn Notice making the rounds & talking with many of the crowd.  We are looking forward to the future of Click Clack Jack.

Joe Merideth, animation director & I toyed with going to New York to see our animation in the Broadway musical, 9 to 5.  Conflicting schedules, costs, ho hum, etc.  Then I received an email from Andrew Bauer, Peter Nigrini’s right hand man, who asked, “Hey I have some tickets, would you like to come see the show?”  “Well yes we would!” I replied & a couple of phone calls later, we were planning a trip to the Big Apple to see our work on a Broadway stage.

Sadly Michelle could not join us but Jada, Joe’s wife accompanied us & we had a great time.  Met up with Peter & Andrew for drinks & discussion about the show & the technical aspects of how our work was interlaced with the live action sets, orchestra & actors.  Then we walked over to the Marquis Theatre & met many of the production staff who gave us great compliments on our work.

The show was real funny, had some great numbers & I tell you if you close your eyes & just listened to Megan Hilty’s version of Dolly Parton, you would think Dolly herself was on stage.  Allison Janney owned her part & Stephanie Block made the naive divorcee cliché stand on its end.  Marc Kudisch was so much like Mr. Hart that the audience could feel women’s lib flying out the window.  The best, in my opinion was Roz’s solo act.  If you get a chance to be in New York, check out the show.

Sarasota Pathology has approached Illum’s Design Division to take on the company’s corporate re-branding project.  Sarasota Pathology is a local independent laboratory and pathology practice that has been catering to the tri-county area for more than 35 years.  Their pathologists are board tri-certified and licensed in anatomical and clinical pathology with diverse knowledge in tissue diagnosis and analysis.  Sarasota Memorial, HCA/Doctor’s Hospital and Desoto Memorial are but a few of the hospitals that utilize Sarasota Pathology’s quality expertise.

Illum will be designing a new identity, corporate stationary package, re-scoping all internal forms and procedure documentation, employee and vendor badges, building and courier vehicle signage, internet identity, digital brochure, exhibit and tradeshow booth displays.  Illum will also work with SaraPath’s internal sales/marketing staff in designing and producing a multi-platform executive folio.  The folio will be utilized for sales expansion, pathology education meetings and tradeshow events.

Once the new collateral is established, Illum’s production division will create and direct internal infomercials and edit exhibit teaching videos from Sara Path’s pathologists that will be utilized for training through the company’s inter/intranet sites.  Illum will also serve as a consultant on the organization’s marketing push expanding their assistance into additional markets.

Click Clack Jack had a wonderful turnout for the screening at the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) in Channelside Cinemas.  The film translated amazingly on the Digital Theatre System Channelside runs.  We could hear all of the kids who were watching cheer for our hero & laugh at the Baron’s thugs.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.  Ryan, Keith & I held a discussion after the film & received many great questions & kudos on our work.  Many wanted to know when the next film for CCJ was to come & we reassured everyone that it’s being worked on as we speak.  Click Clack is having a great run in the festival circuits including the Macon Georgia Film & Video Festival (MAGA) which ran from February 19th to the 22nd in historic downtown Macon.  Thanks again to everyone who came out & supported the film!