As promised: here's the link to purchase tickets to our public screening at the Orpheum Theater in Foxboro, MA. I can't wait for you to experience "Fairfield Follies"!
Buy your tickets today & share away! https://bpt.me/3543261
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I'm super excited to announce that "Fairfield Follies" will be screening August 19, 2018 at the Orpheum Theater in Foxborough, MA.
This is our 1st non-festival public screening & I look forward to sharing our hard work in this awesome venue! Tickets will soon be available online, & I'll update when they're live. Thank you to everyone involved in this project, as well as our family, friends, supporters & all of you who've asked about this project over the years! Can't wait to introduce you to our cast of crazy characters! This website will benefit from a bit of an overhaul early next year, and, hopefully, I can redeem (and erase) my super sad non-updated status. Please check back & feel free to contact me for info on editing reels, photography, writing, or other projects!
After several years, this March marked the completion of my first feature “Fairfield Follies.” It has been an educational, fun, and sometimes grueling journey. As I assemble my presskit materials to submit it to festivals, the Director’s statement provides the opportunity to share what the movie actually means to me.
Here’s what “Fairfield Follies” is really about: Stereotypes exist for a reason. At some point in time, a group of people embodied similar characteristics and traits. These traits were then reinforced, modeled by others. It became a ‘reality’ that ‘Those people are that way’. In the high school cafeteria, it becomes a survival tool – a “band geek” wouldn’t dare infiltrate “ski club” territory. We seek out ‘our people’ using stereotypes, for a greater chance of love and acceptance. The trouble is: we forget that these are just surface assessments, and that no one person embodies them to the core. We forget that these are individuals who have their own personal thoughts, feelings and motivations. And, let’s not forget that we can’t even figure out which stereotypes to affix to people of color. Are “THEY” Lazy? Industrious? Jesters? Criminals? ‘Mammy’ or ‘Uncle Tom’? For me, “Fairfield Follies” was an opportunity to expose the fact that most of us, to some extent, are guilty of stereotyping. Ms. Evans’ attempts to celebrate diversity turns into a debacle of gross generalizations and ignorant affectations. Why? Because her actors portray their roles by the most generalized of stereotypes. The richness of culture is lost in surface assessments, and no real understanding of the layers of human complexity. None of the characters are malicious, with the obvious exception of Mrs. Whitelove. They have a childlike innocence and ignorance. They absorbed their beliefs, as we all do, taking for granted what they were told, saw in movies, or gleaned from observation. I really enjoy role reversals – and, adults acting like children was a light-hearted way to drive home the realities of this issue. There are a couple of moments in the movie where we definitely cross lines. I toyed with filming a milder, more acceptable version. However, skirting around these subjects do them injustice. Also, it would be hypocritical to conform to political correctness for a film that takes aim at this very philosophy. I hope these moments inspire conversation. Why does this make you uncomfortable? Why is this wrong? Because, honestly, I hope you do feel some things are wrong. We are in a time where the themes in “Fairfield Follies” are, unfortunately, very relevant. Ignorance, hate, and fear are fostered by stereotypes and an ‘US’ vs “THEM” attitude. The reality is that there is only “US”, made up of individuals who possess a spectrum of good and bad traits. Sharing Ms Evans’ lofty goal, I hope that “Fairfield Follies” will be “a perspective-changing masterpiece”. A few years ago, Peppered Productions added Acting Reels to its services. I put together some tips I’ve learned for clients to get the most out of your their reels. My goal was to ensure clients receive the highest quality possible.
Preferences are always changing, and different trends emerge. I’ve had clients ask for 30 second ‘character type’ reels. Others look for <1 minute total time. Still others seek the 1-3 minute traditional clip to demonstrate range. It’s hard to know what Casting Agents & Directors are looking for today, versus where the trends will take us tomorrow. Regardless of what the edit becomes, these tips are still relevant. I’d originally posted them on an actors’ Facebook group three years ago: 1. Go directly to the source for your clips. Ask the filmmaker or editor for the original footage – this also ensures you have permission to use them. The more processes a clip goes through, the more the quality degrades. Editing software, exporting choices, and even video sharing sites’ space constraints will all effect the quality. 2. If possible, give your reel’s editor only the clips containing your work. This step could lead to a faster turnaround of your reel, since they won’t have to pull a handful of moments from a short or feature-length film. This will also help them focus on comparisons to make the best choices for your performances 3. A reel is a highlight of your work. Not all clips may be included, but the ones chosen should really be their best work. Reels are also relatively short – 2-4 minutes is ideal. 4. Find an editor you are comfortable with. Ideally, they will work with you to put together the best reel possible. However, keep in mind, they are professionals and will likely have limits to the number of edits, updates, and/or hard copies included in their initial fee. 5. Don’t forget high resolution photos! They make a great beginning/ending pieces to your reel. 6. Make sure you provide the title of every movie clip you’re sending. 7. To get these higher quality clips and photos to your editor, I recommend either having a disc or portable hard drive to give them, or you can download “dropbox” to send them along to their email. Hopefully these tips gave you insight into steps you can take to ensure a great experience and end product for your reel. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or queries for me – I’d be happy to be of help. ***Actors/Filmmakers – do you have any additional tips? Experience in the industry that supports or negates this list? I’d love to hear from you |
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