Thursday, August 30, 2018

Producer David Barron Options Film & TV Rights to Behind the Throne, by K. B. Wagers

David Barron, a UK film producer known for his work on the Harry Potter movies, has optioned film & television rights to the acclaimed science-fiction novel Behind the Throne (Orbit, US & UK), by K. B. Wagers.

Behind the Throne begins K. B. Wager's action-packed science fiction adventure, with a heroine as rebellious as Han Solo, as savvy as Leia, and as skilled as Rey.

Hail Bristol has made a name for herself as one of the most fearsome gunrunners in the galaxy. But she can't escape her past forever: twenty years ago, she was a runaway princess of the Indranan Empire. But when Hail is dragged back to Indrana to take her rightful place as the only remaining heir, she finds that trading her ship for a palace is her most dangerous move yet.

"K. B. Wagers has created an extraordinary universe. Drawing upon a culture rich in diversity and combining it with a matriarchal society, her work could not be more relevant. I am very excited to working with this talented author!"

Behind the Throne is the first book in the Indranan War trilogy. It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, which named it "One of the best books of 2017." Hail's adventures will continue in a second trilogy, also to be published by Orbit beginning in Fall 2018.

The deal was done via the author's agent, Andrew Zack, of The Zack Company, Inc. Attorneys on the deal were Robert M. Szymanski of Eclipse Law Firm in Los Angeles and Billy Hinshelwood of Wiggin LLP in London.

About The Zack Company, Inc.
The Zack Company, Inc., is a full-service literary agency representing authors of commercial fiction and nonfiction. For more information, please visit www.zackcompany.com.

About David Barron
David Barron has worked as a producer on multiple blockbuster films, including six in the Harry Potter franchise, The Legend of TarzanCinderella, and the forthcoming Mowgli. He got his start in the industry working on such renowned films as The French Lieutenant's WomanThe Killing FieldsThe Princess Bride, and Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet.

About Orbit
Orbit is the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group in the US and the Little, Brown Group in the UK.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

"Her Side of The Bed" rolls out as Summer Hill releases the sexy romantic drama in North America on DVD and VOD!

Her Side of the Bed tells the story of Rachel, a recently dumped 20-something writer, who is guided by her best friend, Nicole, in overcoming her heartbreak. The free-spirited Nicole takes Rachel under her wing, re-training her in the ways of letting loose the only ways Nicole knows how: drinking, drugs and dudes. After an intense evening, Rachel and Nicole find themselves in bed together, crossing the lines from friendship to something more. The two best friends, once thick as thieves, find themselves drifting apart as this one-night changes them both profoundly and in very different ways. Can their friendship be saved?

The film stars the actress and writer, Chelsea Morganwho is known as Debby Langford in the 2012 show, 'Love On-The-Line' and 2018's 'Personal Space' as Kelly Schreckengost. The film also stars, Tim Russ, known for 'Star Trek Voyager' (2001), and the `NCIS: New Orleans (2018), and Nadya Ginsburg, known for `2 Broke Girls'.

Written and directed by, Bryn Woznicki, who also stars as Nicole. Bryn has been directing films since 2009. She's been at the helm of dozens of projects, taking home awards from the LA Webfest, the Accolade Competition and the SMC Film Festival. "Just Desserts", a short film she wrote, directed and produced, was screened in the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

"`HER SIDE OF THE BED,' is an exceptional addition to our release slate," says Summer Hill Films President, Ted Chalmers, "Chelsea and Bryn give realistic, entertaining and moving performances dealing with love and friendship on a whole new modern level."

"This film stars real women in their beautiful, imperfect glory," says Woznicki, "I am proud to share this story of humor, romance and pain on the road to self-discovery."

'Her Side of the Bed,' is now available now in North America on VOD from Amazon, Google Play, and Xbox coming soon. The DVD will be released on August 28, 2018 by Fox Hollow Features.  It will also be available on Amazon UK and internationally licensed through Summer Hill Entertainment which attends all the major film sales markets including EFM, Marché du Film, AFM and Hong Kong Filmart!

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Rise and shine with Summer Hill Films' "Waking David" available on digital platforms everywhere

The film tells the story of Scarlett, an American psychologist who during a lecture tour of England, decides to look up Amy, her half-sister and find out about her father who died 10 years earlier. She is surprised to encounter a family that won't communicate with her or each other about the past. The film explores the dangers both of keeping secrets and digging them up.

The film stars Harriet Madeley known as Scarlett, known for "D is for Detroit" and "The Rizen: Possession" (2019).

Film also stars Kristy Bruce as Amy who is known for TV's "Magic Grandad" (1993-1994) and "Embrace Eternity, If You Like" (2012).

The film is directed by Kevin Nash, founder of UK production company, PaintLick Films, which is dedicated to producing films that provide a 21st century setting for timeless themes and stories from classic works of literature (giving them, in other words, a new "lick of paint").

"Kevin is committed to developing credible and realistic performances," explains Ted Chalmers, President of Summer Hill Films.  "With Waking David he and his cast explore complicated family relationships and compelling and important social issues.  We are very excited to release the film."

"The Summer Hill Films team have provided a perfect home for our film," says Kevin Nash. "We are looking forward to getting the film out to the world."

'Waking David,' is now available in North America on VOD from Amazon, Google Play, and Xbox. The DVD will be released later this year.  It will soon be available on Amazon UK and internationally licensed through Summer Hill Entertainment which attends all the major film sales markets including EFM, Marché du Film, AFM and Hong Kong Filmart!

Read more about Summer Hill Films, LLC here: http://summerhillfilms.com/about-us-2/
CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL (Warning: some content may be NSFW):
Summer Hill Films: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo9KyLzr99ZZTE7vA0nLUZg
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @watchcoolmovies

Friday, August 24, 2018

Summer Blockbuster Movies Hit the Big Screen and Independent Film Festivals

The term "summer blockbuster" entered the movie goers consciousness in the late 1970s. Today anticipation of what the next summer blockbuster is going to be is a staple of American culture.  But it is not just every major motion picture studio releasing what they hope will turn a monstrous summer profit.  Independent film makers are making their own summer blockbusters including Thom Michael Mulligan and Lizet Benrey of Film Dreams Entertainment with their independent film debut "The Witching Hour" about a husband and wife who come to realize "love follows no rules and trust is a choice".

From Black Panther to Skyscraper starring the wickedly captivating Dwayne Johnson, 2018 is sure to be a blockbuster summer filled with on screen thrills.  Yet many of the best film projects of the year are based on reality. "The Witching Hour" is one such film and brings an unreal kind of life of Jimmy and Mariela Callaghan to audiences around the country this summer.

This is a fictional life of Jimmy Callaghan and Mariela DeLarosa Callaghan which gives the audience a glimpse into their devoted relationship as husband and wife.

Thom Michael Mulligan plays the role of Jimmy Callaghan. His acting career started at the age of seven, taking his first role on stage with his mother Marcia. Now a seasoned actor, director, producer and writer Thom has now teamed up with another veteran Lizet Benrey to create The Witching Hour.

Lizet Benrey plays Mariela DeLarosa Callaghan, Jimmy's on-screen wife. Lizet was born into an artist family and has been passionate about the arts as long as she can remember. For decades Lizet has been captivating art lovers around the world with her award winning paintings and photos as well as audiences with her acting, producing and writing.

The premier screening of "The Witching Hour" will be held at the Oceanside International Film Festival on Thursday, August 2nd, 2018 at 7:55 pm in the Sunshine Brooks Theater, in Oceanside, CA.

To learn more about "The Witching Hour", by Film Dreams Entertainment, watch the movie trailer at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6vQqcN-j4k

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Creatives Behind American Horror Story, Mr. Robot, This Is Us, Teen Titans, Riverdale & More Take Us Behind The Music At Comic-Con

On the bustling first day of Comic-Con, excited fans gathered to hear the secrets of musical experts on the "Behind The Music: Crime, Death & Resurrection" panel, celebrating its tenth anniversary. The conversation featured 3 Emmy-winning composers Mac Quayle (Mr. Robot, American Horror Story), Jim Dooley (A Series of Unfortunate Events), and Kris Bowers (Dear White People), as well as composers Siddhartha Khosla (This Is Us, Marvel's Runaways), Sherri Chung (Riverdale, Blindspot), and Jared Faber (Teen Titans Go! To The Movies). The panel was moderated by actors Jon Huertas (This Is Us) and Sara Rue (A Series of Unfortunate Events).

The panel, co-produced by Impact24 PR and CW3PR, kicked off with an exclusive clip reel of the talented creatives' work.

"It's a culmination of everything I've worked on. I grew up in India, so sonically, the score for Season 2 of This Is Ushas a lot of Indian influence, which is why I picked this clip of Jack escaping the fire in the 'Superbowl' episode," said Khosla.

Bowers added, "This clip from Dear White People features one of my favorite cues from this season and culminates a lot of the stories and mysteries from the first season." The audience burst into laughter as Faber joked, "I thought everyone's cues were so beautiful and I just wanted to pick a clip that was fun."

After the clips, the conversation kicked off with moderator Jon Huertas asking Siddhartha Khosla and Mac Quayle, "your music for Mr. Robot and Runaways rely heavily on synthesizers. What is more fun and challenging? Orchestrated or electronic music?"

Siddhartha started, "I grew up doing covers of Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails so getting to do electronic music on Runaways is really fun. It's fun to navigate between both orchestral and electronic music on different projects."

Mac continued, "No matter what tools you're using, the composer's job is always the same – you want to tell a story. So whether you're like Sidd and banging on a table creating percussion for This Is Us or using synthesizers – you're always telling a story. It's fun to using synthesizers on Mr. Robot where I can sound as electronic as I want."

Next, Jared Faber elaborated on collaborating with Michael Bolton and Lil Yachty on feature songs for his projects. "Writing songs is only one part of the music I create. I've always been involved with songwriting and my career composing developed over time. It's the most fun for me when I get to switch back and forth between songwriting and scoring."

Sherri Chung and Jim Dooley followed that with a discussion of the timelessness of their respective shows, Riverdale and A Series of Unfortunate Events, and how that influences their musical choices.

"Anything goes," said Sherri. "We're scoring these moments that aren't any particular time period and we can use any instrument including synths and pianos. The way we effect these instruments and mask their sounds help create a sonic identity unique to the show."

Jim continued, "the first thing I did for Season 2 of A Series of Unfortunate Events was create my own new instruments for the series. I went to a percussion place and started banging on everything they have and created my own new percussion instruments." He continued, "working with Barry Sonnenfeld, if you get him to laugh at your idea it stays in the show. In Season 3 there's one episode where I told Barry, 'You know what we really need here is yodeling.' It made him laugh, and it stayed in the show."

Kris Bowers discussed his work on the groundbreaking series Dear White People, and how it juggles its serious and comedic tones. "It's a drama and there's a lot of relevant problems happening in our world today. For instance, in the first episode of season one, there's a black face party which is really serious. The music helps us remember the seriousness of the world they're in and the reality of their stories in our lives even though the show is really fun and there's a lot of satirical comedy." Sherri jumped in with some appreciation, "I agree, the music helps bring you back in and I think you do that beautifully," to which Kris smiled and replied, "Thanks."

Speaking to the importance of diversity in music for visual media, Siddhartha shared his origin story. "My parents came to this country from India with only eight dollars. They wanted to raise me to do something professional with my life. When I decided to go into music, it was tough for them to understand. The struggle I had was partly in the industry but also culturally – the stigma being a musician is not accepted among my culture. People of a minority background come up to me and say they want to do what I do now and that empowers me." Kris added, "I didn't have anyone to look up to that looked like me and did what I do," said Bowers. "It's part of what motivates me to do what I do."

The conversation then transitioned to returning to a show after a first season. Mac Quayle shared, "for Mr. Robot the first season was supposed to be completely electronic. For Season 2, we added orchestral strings and a more natural-sounding piano. For Season 3, the core sound is still electronic but we continued adding organic textures. On American Horror Story, every season is new story and characters so no themes or sounds are reused."

To conclude the panel, the composers offered their words of wisdom to aspiring creatives. Mac shared, "There are a few paths a composer career. One is become a rock star first then step right in and become a composer. Another one is to learn music and work in a studio, meet a young director on their first film and make it a smash. Third, find an established composer and work for them, get some credits and eventually step into your own career."

Sherri also advised, "It's important to find your own projects and building your network and team. But also do work for other people who are further along in their career and learn from them. Work above where you really are, challenge yourself and keep writing music." Khosla added, "To get jobs working with established composers, they want to hear what your music sounds like.  You should always keep writing and have stuff you're proud of to show people."

Jared laughed and concluded, "I used to think it was important to be versatile and do as much as you can do. But lately I've gone in the direction of doing what I love and what I care about because it sounds better and that's what moves people. If you can make people feel something, then you're winning."

www.impact24pr.com
www.cw3pr.com

Monday, August 20, 2018

Colombian Actress Living Her Dream in Hollywood

Born in Medellin, Colombia, Lorena Lizarazo discovered at a young age that she excelled at virtually everything she experienced – art, sports, basketball, swimming, gymnastics, skating, dance, piano, modeling and, of course, acting.

Still unsure which passion would "win out" and direct the rest of her life, as a teenager Lorena enrolled at USB University to pursue a possible future career in psychology.  After all, she had been fascinated by the dozens of psychology and psychoanalysis books she had been reading since childhood.

"I delved deeply into psychoanalysis," Lorena told us.  "It's a fascinating subject.  I learned a lot about other people, and in doing so, I learned a lot about myself.  I discovered that one passion outweighed all the others combined.  That's the one I'm living now – acting."

"So, you psychoanalyzed yourself and decided that you wanted to be an actor?" we asked.

Lorena smiled.  "Actually," she began, "I've been an actor since I was a child. I had simply not allowed it to be my life's focus until I was a young adult.  Partially through self-psychoanalysis, as you say, which is simply examining your innermost feelings, I accepted the truth. That truth is that I am here to make a difference as a successful professional actress."

Lorena shifted her focus from psychology to acting and studied with some of the best acting coaches on both hemispheres.  Open, friendly, and warm, Lorena takes her acting career very seriously.  "I didn't travel 3,330-plus miles to pursue a hobby," she stated.  "This is a serious commitment, a serious business – and I approach it as the incredibly important profession that it is."

In addition to playing lead roles on stage, Lorena has, in a very short period of time, amassed thirteen starring roles and three co-starring roles in various film projects.  She has recently signed to star in two more feature films, both of which are scheduled to shoot this year.

It must have taken great courage, we thought, for Lorena to travel thousands of miles to pursue her dream.  "No," she said softly, thoughtfully, "all it took was commitment."

Lorena is the kind of person who quickly puts people at ease and holds their attention.  She's an exceedingly talented and captivating lady both on and off screen.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Canadian Star Jassen Charron Talks Hollywood Success

Jassen Charron is one incredibly talented actor!  Growing up in Canada, he became one of the better-known child stars.  His reputation spread quickly.  He was considered to be a "natural," possessing talent, enthusiasm, passion, an understanding for the film business and a work ethic "way beyond his years."

Jassen continues to enthrall film and television audiences.  Although he routinely plays "youth market" roles, he is now, in reality, past his teen years.

A very busy and valued "in-demand" actor, we asked Jason to share a portion of his story and his philosophy.

"I admit that I have a gift," Jassen explained.  "I've been described a lot as an 'exceptionally' talented actor."  He paused for a moment, looking around the room.  "There are, however, thousands of exceptionally talented actors out there who have pursued the industry for many years. The public never heard of them.  They failed.  Dozens, hundreds of them continue to give up every day.  Talent is wonderful, but it's not enough."

A theater full of entertainment industry people listened intently to Jassen's words.  He had every person's undivided attention.  "You have to love this business," he continued.  "It must be your passion.  And your attitude is more important than your talent.  Go to give, not to take.  It's not about you, the actor.  It's about the project, the story.  Your job is to make that story come to life in the most real and believable way possible.  Even with overwhelming passion and talent, no one will hire you if they don't know you exist."

"You need to meet producers, directors and other industry notables in person.  Let your genuineness and your personality shine through.  Always have an attitude of gratitude.  That's what producers want – actors who can get the job done AND are great to be around.  Personality sells.  And if your personality is lacking, get a better one.  After all, you're an actor, aren't you?  Act like someone with a great personality."  Jassen smiled slightly.  He made eye contact with every person in the room, dramatically concluding with the words "Never, never, never quit."

Jassen has signed to star in two feature films shooting this year and two more (so far) filming next year.

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Summer Hill /TomCat Films announces the North American DVD and VOD release of the found footage horror film, Frazier Park Recut!

 In the film, we follow two filmmakers, Tyler and Sam, as they document the behind-the-scenes of producing an independent found-footage horror film. The filmmakers hit gold when they cast the perfect actor, Tom Morris, to play the psychopathic antagonist of their film.  With everything falling into place, the trio travels to the small, isolated town of Frazier Park, California to make their dream a reality.  The film has won multiple awards at film festivals, including Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, Sin City Horror Fest and Forth Worth Indie Film Showcase.

The film is written and directed by Tyler Schnabel who also acts in the film. He is known for 'Liberty Crossing,' (2018); MTV'S 'Teen Wolf' and 'Spring Break Zombie Massacre,' (2016). Sam Hanover who also co-wrote, co-directed and co-stars in the film is known for 'Waterproof' (2018) and the TV series 'CONAN.'  The film also stars, David Lee Hess, known for 'Dallas,' (2014), The Primetime Emmy Awards winning television series, 'Revolution;' and Crypt TV's horror series 'Stoneheart.' The film's Monica Marin-Diaz is known for television mini-series 'Sex Parties.'

"Frazier Park Recut a unique twist on the traditional found-footage genre and we are excited to have it in our line-up," says Summer Hill President, Ted Chalmers who during his career personally has distributed some of the most famous indie horror films such as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974), "Hellraiser" (1987), and "Evil Dead 2" (1987).  "I know a good POV horror film when I see one.  This one knocked my socks off!"

"So excited to be working with Ted Chalmers and TomCat Films on releasing the movie," says Schnabel. "It's nice to be in the company of some of the greatest horror films ever made which have been sold by Mr. Chalmers over the years." Adds Hanover

'Frazier Park Recut,' is now available in North America on VOD from Amazon, Google Play, POVHorror.com and coming soon to Xbox. The film will be released on DVD later this year by Tempe Video.  It will also be available soon on Amazon UK and it is internationally licensed through Summer Hill Entertainment which attends all the major film sales markets including EFM, Marché du Film, AFM and Hong Kong Filmart!

Read more about Summer Hill Films, LLC here: http://summerhillfilms.com/about-us-2/
CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS (Warning: some content may be NSFW):
TomCat Films/Summer Hill Films: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo9KyLzr99ZZTE7vA0nLUZg
TomCat Films: https://www.youtube.com/user/tcprod1
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @watchcoolmovies @tomcatfilmslllc

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Mill Film Announces Mark Thorley as Managing Director for Australia

Technicolor's Academy Award winning VFX studio, Mill Film, today announces that Mark Thorley will head Mill Film in Australia. The announcement comes in the wake of the February launch of Mill Film in Adelaide, Australia.

Mark brings more than 15 years of executive leadership experience working at leading companies such as Lucas Film, Singapore, where he oversaw studio operations and production strategies. Prior to that, Thorley spent 9 years at Animal Logic, at both their Los Angeles and Sydney locations, as Head of Production and also held senior positions at Screen Queensland and Omnicom.

Throughout his career, Mark has received credits on numerous high-profile features including Kong: Skull Island, Rogue One, Jurassic World, and Avengers: Age of Ultron. A highly praised industry specialist in VFX, Mark will drive all aspects of VFX production, client relations and business development for Australia, reporting into the Global Head of Mill Film, Lauren McCallum.

"I am delighted to welcome Mark to the Mill Film team," said McCallum. "Mark's appointment is an exciting milestone in the creation of our Adelaide studio and will play a key role in heading the studio and developing relationships with key partners in the South Australian film and TV community."

Sunday, August 12, 2018

PR Guru Angelo Ellerbee Releases Book & Scented Candles, Summer 2018

After the success of his bestselling book, "Ask Angelo: An Inside Look at the Entertainment Industry from a PR Guru," Angelo Ellerbee's sophomore self-help book, "The Sense of Success," will accompany a signature line of relaxing candles under the Ellerbee Elegance label.

Renowned in his field for over 46 years, he is currently setting his cap on winning over new audiences in the home décor arena along with publishing. Offering a unique styling and scent, the candles are set to appeal to those who prize a signature atmosphere to their home/office décor. Designed as an aromatherapy stress reliever, the chic candles will be bundled with the book on Amazon, as well as individually sold.

The candle line is intended to add the perfect ambiance when curling up with Ellerbee's latest collection of witty and wise inspirational steps to achieving goals. "TheSense of Success" helps readers charge past obstacles with the encouragement to "breathe in the aroma of success" as an exercise in willpower. The PR Guru to the stars returns with another honest, motivational collection of mentoring support. Each page offers sage guidance from someone who has been there and lived through enough ups and down to deliver true tricks of the game.

Scheduled to blow in as a fresh 2018 summer breeze, both the book and candles will fill the air with the scents and sensations offered by the Ellerbee Elegance line. An exclusive invite-only media soiree is also set for mid-summer, to present the books and candles in an official launch to members of the press.

The luxe gathering will give media guests a chance to get samples and relax in the ambient vibes the candles and inspirational book will offer. More details will be announced on Dxxnyc.com and via mailed invitation. After the launch, interested buyers will find the candles and the book available online along with summer specials and promotional giveaways.

Angelo Ellerbee is available for press/media interviews, contact direct via DoubleXXposure Media Relations, Inc.

About Angelo Ellerbee:

Angelo Ellerbee is the founder and CEO of DoubleXXposure Media Relations, a full-service public relations, marketing, and artist development firm, representing acclaimed talent for over 46 years. More at Dxxnyc.com and www.twitter.com/dxxnyc.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Is big pharma to blame for the opioid epidemic? Screening in Encinitas of "Do No Harm" investigates

The state of California, like many states, is in the throes of the opioid epidemic.  According to the California Department of Health, there were 4,600 overdose deaths in California in 2015, the highest number in the nation.  While our per capita rate is lower than some states, we have been anything but immune to this epidemic.  Law enforcement is finding increased batches of heroin laced with the prescription drug fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that the DEA reports is 30-50 times more potent than heroin and 50-100 times more potent than morphine.  We can only expect that number to increase here as it has in other states where fentanyl has been in the supply chain of heroin.

Once upon a time, even among drug users and those with severe substance use disorders, heroin was "off limits" to most.  It was a drug that was only used in the most impoverished areas of the country or by celebrities who had somehow had their souls darkened by the limelight and the creative tortures that coursed through their veins.  So how did we come to a place where the predominant group that is dying from heroin overdoses is now middle class America?  How did our star athletes and kids whom had never missed choir practice end up hooked, homeless, and entrenched in the most routinely morbid of all of the drugs that are commonly misused in the United States?

This is exactly what producer and director of "Do No Harm", Harry Wiland set out to capture in his stunning documentary on this very topic.  His film shows us several areas of the country that have been decimated by the per capita death tolls.  Places that do not fit our conception of a "drugged up America."  When did Kentucky become an epicenter for heroin related deaths?  More importantly, how could this have even happened?  Wiland explores the impact of opioid prescribing, advertising, and diversion in this film.  Yes that's correct, the greatest man-made epidemic in history, the one that killed more people last year alone than the entire Vietnam war, was scratched out in bleeding ink onto prescription pads by those who have taken a sacred oath to "Do No Harm."

To bring light and community awareness to this epidemic, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-San Diego Chapter and True North Recovery Services, an Encinitas based program for the treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders, are doing a special screening of the documentary "Do No Harm" followed by a panel of experts and stakeholders in the fight against this epidemic.  The film will be aired at the historic La Paloma Theater in Encinitas, CA on July 11th, 2018.  The doors will open for the event at 5:30 pm and the film will begin at 6:00 pm. Tickets are available online for $10.  Immediately following the film the panel will begin.  The speakers for the panel are listed below:

Harry Wiland, Director and Producer of "Do No Harm"

Summer Stephan, San Diego District Attorney

Roneet Lev, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine for Scripps Mercy Hospital

Lexi K., an Advocate and Youth in Recovery from addiction

Kansas Cafferty, LMFT, Chair Elect of the National Certification Commission of Addiction Professionals at NAADAC and Executive Director at True North Recovery Services

With an ever increasing death toll, incredible legislative inertia to solve the problem, and enormous community misunderstanding, this film and this event are a call to action to members of the community to get involved on every level.  It is our hope that the great citizens of San Diego will embrace the scope of this problem through seeing this film and hearing from the wonderful speakers we have lined up for you, and will come to see that they too can get involved.  That they are not powerless, but instead are influencers, agents of change, and could be lifesavers.

"Do No Harm unflinchingly exposes the role of the pharmaceutical industry in the creation of the current opioid epidemic, while also compassionately probing the suffering of its victims...who include not only those who have died or become addicted to opioids, but their grieving parents and orphaned children left behind." Anna Lembke, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University Medical Center

To see a trailer for the film click here.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

A Documentary on How Blind People Dream

What was the last dream you had? Most likely, the first thing that comes to mind is an image since, for most of us, dreams are very visual. Have you ever asked yourself what dreams are like for any of the 39 million people in the world that have never seen or have lost their vision?

Intrigued by this question, Brazilian director and producer Amanda Sayeg is developing a documentary about this topic. She has been studying dreams and blindness for about a year and "it has been a fascinating process. I've been reading about dreams my whole life, trying to make some sense out of the crazy dreams I always had, but it wasn't until about a year ago that I became interested in learning more about the dreams of people that see and feel the world differently, particularly the blind."

For the documentary, Sayeg has been interviewing people that were born blind or have lost sight at different ages in their lives. She says, "The interviews have been the best part of the process of trying to understand how our complex minds work by exploring the similarities and differences between interviewees. For example, a 50 year old man that lost his vision when he was 25 still very much dreams visually, but when he is awake he says he 'sees more now' than he used to when he was sighted because he now takes time to 'smell the roses.'  It IS also very interesting that, in his dreams, this man still sees himself and others as they were when he lost his sight. Anyone new that he has met after becoming blind, including his wife, only appears as a body in his dreams. Another interviewee was diagnosed when he was 3 years old and, surprisingly, he can basically see everything in his dreams. I would have thought that by losing vision at such a young age the dreams would be closer to someone that has never seen - that's how much our brains store when we are young without us even noticing it." In contrast to those who have lost sight after birth, "Other interviewees who were born completely blind do not see images in their dreams. This was somewhat expected but it is still very interesting to me that their dreams consist of many other sensory experiences - hearing musical melodies, feeling the sand on a warm day, hearing screams from a murder, and smelling blood. The interviewees had varying levels of optimism regarding their blindness, but one commonality was that they all took refuge in their dreams."

"Our dreams are very tied to our reality and how we experience life." She goes on to say, "At the end of the day, this is about bringing people together. I think we can all learn a lot by putting ourselves in someone else's shoes and experiencing the world through their point of view," and she believes films are the most powerful way to do this. "Films, a documentary in this case, are meant to take you out of your reality and rethink the world around you, and to me this one is about connecting with the millions of impaired people through a creative and unusual narrative."

The Documentary will be screening at different festivals before its release in January of 2019.

https://www.amandasayeg.com

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Attention Filmmakers, Television Writers & Producers!

American Legacy Network (ALN) is seeking to acquire African-American history oriented content including documentaries, films, television programs/series to air on its network. If you are interested in having your content appear on ALN please submit a sample to americanlegacynetwork19@gmail.com.

American Legacy Magazine was founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Reynolds' RJR Communications, Inc and Forbes Magazine. RJR Communications assumed full ownership of the magazine and all related assets of the joint venture in January 2009. Total readership of American Legacy was over 2 million when the print edition went on hiatus in 2011. American Legacy Network is scheduled to launch during Q4 2018. American Legacy's mobile truck exhibit has continued to travel the country visiting  school districts, African-American festivals and colleges and universities. To watch a sample of ALN's content visit https://americanlegacynetwork.unreel.me. #BlackHistoryMadeEveryDay

Friday, August 3, 2018

Rare Original "Star Wars" Comic Books Collection for Auction

Could this be the ultimate Father's Day Gift for your favorite "Star Wars" lovin' Dad? Days after the big opening of "Solo" in theaters, imagine owning the first 10 Issues of the movie inspired comic books. It is possible. The BBQ RESCUES! Foundation was donated the collection by a board member, who chooses to remain anonymous. However, she can prove provenance with original programs from Star Wars studio screenings and souvenir button.

The collection of Star Wars Comics Issues #1 through #10 (1977-78) are now at auction on ebay, ending Monday June 11th. Starting bid is only $500, though the nonprofit organization hopes it will grow. The books themselves are in original condition barely touched and undamaged. Cover pages/borders are white, though pages have slightly yellowed during the 40+ years of careful storage. They will more likely be enjoyed by someone wanting to own the rare collection, rather than for investment or resell purposes.

The BBQ RESCUES! Foundation, which recently received official IRS 501(c)3 status, does outreach to the Barbecue Community and Restaurants to promote Smarter and Healthier Grilling in the fight against preventable diseases like Childhood (and Adult) Obesity, Diabetes as well as support of other important causes. They recently participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, by debuting the BBQ Black Panther (video on Youtube).

Answers to Inquiries and additional Photos available.

Ebay Auction- https://www.ebay.com/itm/183258718524?roken=cUgayN
BBQ RESCUES! Foundation website- https://bbqrescues.com/category/bbq-rescues-foundation/