Cow Town Film Productions

Cow Town Film Productions will miss Alex!

2011-10-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

It has come time for Alexandra Gilmore to move on from her internship at Cow Town Film Productions. She will be sorely missed as she has definitely proved herself to be a valuable asset.

You can see Alex's footprint throughout this blog, throughout the Social Media for Cow Town & CIC, and in her work at the Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge held at the Crest this past Summer.

She will continue to serve as Secretary of the Board at The Capitol Indie Collective where she will continue to make a very positive impact on Sacramento's artist community.

We are lucky to have her in Sacramento! I highly recommend her to any business that is lucky enough to have her apply. Film friends- fret not- we will see Alex again at Cow Town Film Productions on set and at special promotions.

If anyone is interested in an Internship at Cow Town Film Productions, please email Christina Marie (me) at cj@cowtownfilmproductions.com

Where the Hell is Loomis?

2011-09-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

By Alexandra Gilmore

What is CCD Expo and where the hell is Loomis? These are the two questions that the creators of the Content Creation and Distribution Expo have had to deal with since they began planning their event. When it’s all over though, chances are no one will have anything left to ask.

Taking over the town of Loomis in Northern California made more sense than you would think. Everyone has heard of Sundance, which takes place in the small town of Park City, Utah. The smaller the area, the more exclusive it becomes, and exclusivity means YOU want to be there. Also, just because it is small, doesn’t mean its reach can’t be big. The expo will stream live over the internet with the ability to access people all around the world. As for the other question, what IS the CCD Expo? I’ll let them explain it in a nutshell –

“Content Creation & Distribution Expo is part trade show, festival, symposium, and entertainment venues bringing together companies, manufacturers, artists, and individuals that are focused on the latest technologies that make creating content easier, faster and less expensive, as well as distributing that content to the end user via hand-held devices, home computers, televisions and new digital theaters.”

Basically if you have an idea or have made of some kind of content and want to be able to make it, sell it, market it, promote it, and all around distribute it, this is the place for you. There will also be panels and classes to attend, not to mention some pretty cool concerts at night with Garratt Wilkin & The Parrotheads on Friday and Pablo Cruise on Saturday.

The Capitol Indie Collective is proud to be among the sponsors for the first year of the event, taking place on the 16^th and 17^th of September 2011, in downtown Loomis. Our mission is to promote local talent and to support artists so that their work is not only seen, but also profitable. Anyone who would like to have a booth at this event can use our promo code CIC20 to get 20% off the price. Come check out our booth located in the Video Village West for the opportunity to become a member and a chance to win some cool prizes. We hope to see you there as Northern California shows off what it can bring to the art table.

For more information please visit ccdexpo.com

Drum Roll Please...

2011-08-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

By Alexandra Gilmore

The first ever Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge presented by The Sacramento Film & Music Festival and created by the Capitol Indie Collective may be over, but it made an impression that still has people talking. The designs were modeled on the runway on opening night of the festival and the winners were announced this past Saturday at the Crest Theatre. The competition was fierce as each participant brought their own style to their finished look and everyone’s design was crafted with care and excellence. Although everyone deserved to be a winner, votes were cast and points tallied up to result in a top five, audience choice winner, and video blog winner. They were…

FIFTH PLACE

Lacey Taylor has been sewing since high school. Currently, she attends California State University Sacramento for Apparel Marketing and Design and will be graduating in the fall. Tim Burton movies are the inspiration for this piece. It is a combination of gothic and historic costumes and plays with a variety of textures. Our model, Madison is a senior at Pleasant Grove high school and is an aspiring college soccer player. Her hair was done by Chelsea Hockenberry whom Lacey met through friend, and competitor, Samantha. Aspiring to be in the fashion industry since a young age, at 17, Darian is already an accomplished MUA, photographer, and model. She is not your average girl, with punky pink hair and a quirky personality to match!

Lacey’s design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at Urban Hive.

FOURTH PLACE

Natass'ja Price is a designer and fashion student at IADT, Jessica Fontes is the MUA/Hairstylist, and Yuri Tajiri is the fabulous model. The inspiration for this design was the Japanese style Harajuku, it instantly made since to me to use a style that is so unconventional for an unconventional challenge. When I thought of which red carpet event would look great for this type of style I immediately thought of the Grammy's, where the weird and bizarre is cool for just one night.

Natass’ja’s design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at Urban Hive.

THIRD PLACE

Edward John Radanovich III created this design; modeled by Khayla Jones; with hair and makeup done by Angela Aragon. The House of Radanovich represents sophistication, elegance, sexiness, and seductiveness. It takes time and attention to get through the Sacramento Bee and the House of Radanovich wanted to represent that in this design which can also be referred to as an artistic collage.

Edward received 25% a one year membership to the Capitol Indie Collective, an eighth page ad placement in the Sacramento Bee, a certification to Lliy Koi Salon, and his design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at Urban Hive.

SECOND PLACE/VIDEO BLOG WINNER

Jesus Medrano is a local freelance designer. He started his fashion career early in 2008 attending American River College where he was awarded for the Most Marketable Evening Wear. With an internship at local Couture boutique and various charity fashion shows, Jesus has polished his craft and is currently working on his Spring 2012 collection which he plans to debut this fall. The Dress is inspired by the 1950’s Glamour, it plays with the era's romance and it sends an invitation back in time.

Jesus received 50% off a one year membership to the Capitol Indie Collective, a sixth page ad placement in the Sacramento Bee, a certificate to Lily Koi Salon, and his design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at the Urban Hive. For the video blog award he also received a free one year membership to the Capitol Indie Collective.

Video blog link:

FIRST PLACE/AUDIENCE CHOICE WINNER

Melinda Carrie’s dress was inspired by the dramatic floral trend in bridal and takes this soft feminine look and makes it edgy with harsh pleats and a pop of red. The flowers and vines crawl up the skirt in an organic pattern while the look is completed with a fitted bodice, belted with the Sacramento Bee title header. Modeling the gown is Miss Teen Sacramento, Michelle Parker; Hair and Makeup by Liz Guillot; and Melinda Carrie’s longtime faithful assistant Joanna Durkee. Using her Bachelor’s degree in fashion, Melinda Carrie is currently the assistant designer at Miosa Bride, while pursuing her own line.

Melinda received a mentorship session with Robbie Jeffers, fashion designer/marketer/rep for such brand names as Stussy, Nike, Zoo York, Barracuda, Heel Bruise, Oakley, and more, presented by the Capitol Indie Collective. She also receives a quarter page ad placement in the Sacramento Bee, a $250 dollar Visa gift card from the Capitol Indie Collective, a certificate from Lily Koi Salon, and display of her design in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at the Urban Hive. As the audience choice winner she received a gift package from Hot Italian, including gift card, tee shirt, and bottle of wine.

Although the above may be the winners, all the designs were worth showing off because so much energy went into them. The designers took time away from their lives to participate and their efforts should be seen.

John Thao comes from a family of eleven children and is the third youngest child in the family. He studies fashion design at International Academy of Design and Technology Sacramento. He grew to have a passion for fashion design since the age of sixteen. He loves to create and wonder off with my crazy ideas and make it to life. His goal is to become a couture artist, the first one in my nationality as a Hmong person. His inspiration comes from everywhere and He draws many elements as he travels and researches online. He is aiming for the new look of the future, that would be his dream come true.

Rachel Goldmark-Lewis is a 25 year old budding fashion designer. Challenged everyday with chronic Lyme disease, she decided to follow her passion for fashion and channel her frustration from her illness into something beautiful. Motivated and inspired by her lifelong coping tool of creative expression, she enrolled in the International Academy for design and technology, where she will receive her Bachelors in Fashion Design and Merchandising in a few short years. She plans on making a name for herself after graduation and hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams. Carina Lampkin struts the catwalk in an original Goldmark Design inspired by the movie, The Newsies. The shorts are made from the classified ads to represent the troubles in the 20’s as well as today. The vest is then made of comic strips to remind us to not take life too seriously. Make-up and hair done by Terri Wangler.

Jennifer Nodora

Samantha Rachele’s design is feathers and taxidermy incarnated. A sweet little bird but with a twist…. she’s stuffed and mounted with her last innocent repose immortalized. Designed and constructed by Samantha Rachele, hair designed by Chelsea Hockenberry, and modeled by Kristina Lindeberg.

Diana Santibanez

Overall, everyone did a tremendous job and we hope that the turnout and results are just as good if not better next year. Thank you again to everyone who participated and helped with this event, you all MADE IT WORK!

Extra! Extra! Newspaper Hits the Runway

2011-08-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

By Alexandra Gilmore

Wednesday night marked the first of what is sure to be an annual event at the Sacramento Film & Music Festival. The Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge sponsored by the Capitol Indie Collective had models hitting the runway in couture made primarily out of newspaper. What started out as a competition of 16 designers was whittled down to ten who actually “made it work” in time for the runway show. These ten finished looks wowed the audience as the models strutted their stuff across the stage at the Crest Theatre to kick off opening night of the film festival. Six judges scored the designs in five categories as they saw them appear on stage, while the audience got to pick their favorite look on a special ballot. The overall atmosphere was one that was filled with excitement to see what this first ever contest would produce. There was some fear that the designers might end up dressing their models in paper boat hats, but the result couldn’t have been anything but. The looks were well crafted and all very different as each designer put his or her own personal aesthetic into the finished piece. Now the anticipation sets in as the designers wait to see who the winner will be in both the judges’ vote and the audience choice. The competition was fierce, so it’s anyone’s game. The winners will be announced Saturday, August 20^th at 6:30pm at the Crest. Be there to see who will take home this year’s prize and be sure to check out the looks as they will be on display in the Crest lobby Friday through Sunday.

Visit sacfilm.com for more information.

Sewing Paper

2011-08-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

By Alexandra Gilmore

Last night Sacramento fashion designers packed into the Crest Theatre for the launch of a challenge they knew very little about. Going in, all they knew was that there would be a surprising twist and there was buzz in the lobby about what that would be. Some guessed their designs would be based on film genres, since the challenge is in conjuncture with this year’s Sacramento Film and Music Festival. Others were completely unsure, but had been racking their brains all day, but coming up short of ideas. After everyone had been seated and the rules were explained, a red sheet was removed from a large pile on the stage to reveal…

NEWSPAPERS!

This year The Sacramento Film & Music Festival Presents: The Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge pits designers against each other to create a red carpet look of which a noticeably significantly portion is made from the Sacramento Bee. They will have 13 days to complete their look with the help of a team including a model and hair/makeup artist. On opening night of the film festival, August 17^th, the models will work the catwalk inside the Crest at 7:30pm as a panel of judges looks on. Their scores will determine the winner who will be announced on Saturday, August 20^th at 6pm. As an added bonus, the audience will also be able to vote for their favorite when the designs are on display opening night. This year’s first place prizes include a mentorship with fashion designer Robbie Jeffers, sponsored by the Capitol Indie Collective, as well as an advertising package in the Bee among many others. There will also be prizes for second through fifth place and for the audience favorite.

So if you want to see local designers “make it work” at this first ever event be at the Crest for this year’s Film and Music festival. You don’t want to miss out!

Tickets for each event are $10

For more information go to sacfilm.com

Documenting Second Saturday

2011-07-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

By Alexandra Gilmore

The Second Saturday event in Sacramento highlights some of the various works that the area’s residents have to offer. That is why it was the perfect setting to film part of Cow Town Film Productions newest documentary "Undiscovered Gold". The purpose of this movie is to showcase art and artists in the Sacramento area and how living in the community helps, but also hiders their ability to create and distribute their work. The hope is that the film will reveal not only the number and variety of artists who wish to make a living in Sacramento, but what the local government and community can do to aid in this effort.

The documentary shoot began on July 9, just as Second Saturday was in full swing. The bazaar was busy, the restaurants were packed, and the streets were crowded with…zombies? Yes that right, zombies. The annual zombie walk was taking place later that night and horror enthusiasts, both young and old were decked out in their bloodied finest. An interview with three adolescent zombies showed how much they enjoy Second Saturday and being able to participate in the local art scene.

With the bazaar full of customers (even Slamson, the Sacramento Kings mascot seemed to take notice), the crew moved in to see what local artists had to say about making and selling their works in Sacramento. Most were excited about the opportunity of Second Saturday to show off their art, but offered suggestions on how to event could be better tailored to meet their needs. Physical art is not the only kind on display at the monthly gathering, but many musicians also fill the streets hoping to build a larger following of listeners. They expressed the same sentiment of optimism for what they can do with the current support they get in Sacramento, but that there is always more that could be done. Overall, Second Saturday proved to be a valuable backdrop for "Undiscovered Gold" as it offered access to the insight of local artists. As production continues, hopefully more artist interviews will shed a brighter light on what it is like to be an artist in Sacramento and what more all around support can do.

Keep the Arts Alive: Get involved!

2011-01-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

From our friends at AMERICAN FOR THE ARTS:

Today, all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives will be sworn in, and 13 new U.S. Senators will take the oath of office as a result of the November elections. It is critical to contact them now to show that the arts are important to you and your community.

Many of the newly elected congressional leaders are focused on cutting discretionary funding, reducing the federal deficit, and creating incentives to grow the economy. It is imperative that arts advocates work quickly together to help educate the largest congressional freshman class in decades about the profound role the arts play in spurring economic growth and job creation.

We have provided a customizable letter you can send to your Member of Congress congratulating him or her on beginning their service in the 112th Congress and letting them know the arts are important to you!

Take your advocacy work one step further by becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund. Play your part today – it’s free and easy to join.

Another UNBROKEN woman

2010-11-17T20:21:00.000-08:00

This article came to me from my friend Chuck. The story is not my own-I only copied and pasted it. I am unaware of the original author as it was an email fwd. But I had to share this great story. You meet AWESOME people everyday. See below!

Jessica Cox, 25, a girl born without arms, stands inside an aircraft. The girl from Tucson , Arizona got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.

Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance

and Flight Services and has trained many pilots,

some of whom didn't come close to Cox's abilities.

Jessica Cox of Tucson was born without arms,

but that has only stopped her from doing one thing:

using the word "can't."

WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A Way

How awesome is she??!!!!!

Jessica Cox of Tucson was born without arms,

but that has only stopped her from doing one thing:

using the word "can't."

Her latest flight into the seemingly impossible

is becoming the first pilot licensed to fly

using only her feet.

With one foot manning the controls

and the other delicately guiding the steering column.

Cox, 25, soared to achieve a Sport Pilot certificate.

Her certificate qualifies her to fly a light-sport

aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet..

"She's a good pilot. She's rock solid,"

said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel's Ray Blair Airport .

"When she came up here driving a car,"?

Traweek recalled, "I knew she'd have no problem

flying a plane."

Doctors never learned why she was born without arms,

but she figured out early on that she didn't

want to use prosthetic devices.

So, the next time you are ready to tell yourself,

"I can't possibly..." remember this amazing young woman

and change your vocabulary.

Incentive confused?

2010-11-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this company today: http://www.theincentivesoffice.com/ Has anyone worked with them?

I would say upon first glance that this is a great new resource!

Section 181 and MISINFORMATION

2010-11-10T13:11:00.000-08:00

Recently I was told in a seminar for Filmmakers that Section 181 was still in effect.

I was shocked as I consider myself to be pretty educated on incentives (seeing as I do my best to receive the benefits from them). I followed the renewal process pretty darn closely until, like many, I realized that until Health care passed or failed, nothing else would be voted on or passed.

When I heard this tidbit, I jumped on the internet to verify the gossip.

Guess what? Still not verified. The "signs point to no" as I shake my magic 8 ball AKA: IRS Tax code. I have browsed through SEVERAL blogs, legal websites, government sites, and Filmmaker resource sites. The only EVIDENCE I have found states this:

"According to our source at the IRS (the original author of the section), 181 is not only not going to be extended, but it is not likely to be reintroduced for several months or even years. The last hope for 181 was its inclusion on the most recent Tax Extender Act. Unfortunately, due to major political issues like the Stimulus Package and Health Care, 181 was left on the cutting room floor.

So what can film makers do when making a pitch to potential investors? The best suggestion we have is to rely on the state tax credits. There are still a lot of healthy packages and incentives out there in quite a few states including Michigan, Illinois, and Louisiana. When seeking funds through private placement, language can still be added to the documents highlighting these state tax credits which, when applied for correctly, can lead to real dollars. Those dollars can either be used toward the production budget itself or to immediately pay back your investors."

This comes from a legal website that assists musicians and filmmakers alike.

You can see for yourselves, at this legal website how it went down: http://www.stahlcowen.com/?t=40&an=1381&format=xml

This is a resource to get your filmmaker voice heard next time a bill is before Congress: http://www.popvox.com/

IF ANYONE CAN PROVE OTHERWISE, PLEASE DO!!!! (You must include links to sources.)

Thank you for reading-we need to keep helping each other out. :) CJ

Fall brings new life to Cow Town!

2010-10-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post a quick note to stay tuned and "follow" Cow Town here and on FB and Twitter. We will have a few announcements coming out soon, and we want you to stay in the "know". We will be launching a couple of contests and we are developing new projects as we type.

If you are a film artisan (actor, gaffer, camera operator, etc) Please subscribe for the latest in casting and crew notices.

Thanks!
CJ

Cow Town Film Productions/ Obscure Planet Productions win Music Video Award

2010-08-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

The producers of Cow Town are pleased to announce that the Zaragoza video they created with Obscure Planet Productions has been awarded Runner Up for Best Music Video in the SacMusicSeen portion of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival 2010. To see the video please visit our website and click on Music Videos or use the link above. We would like to thank all of those who contributed to the video. They are listed below.

Executive Producer Carlos Hernandez
Executive Producer Christina Marie
Directed by Christina Marie
Brandon Leyton Assoc Prod
Norm "Swirl" Sadler 1st AD
RJ Dale 2nd AD
Jeff McPhee DP/ A CAMERA
Scott Miller B CAMERA
Jason Clark 1st AC A CAMERA
Annette Humphreys Key Make-up/ Body Paint
Deepti Kalsi Set Design
Sterling Running Stream Phillips Location Manager/Costume Designer
Craig Fouts Gaffer
Matt Baker Editor/Green Screen FX
Josie Garcia Craft Guru
Jocelyn Pindar Hair and MU
Candace DiGiordano Hair and MU
Justine Jemmings Hair
Martin Valladares PA
Fidel Castro PA
Seth Neil 2nd AC
Danielle Maruna 2nd AC
Amy Lawrence PA
Joseph Arthur Special Thanks
Clubhouse 24 Special Thanks
John Tate Special Thanks
Jeff McPhee Special Thanks
Jameson Media Group, Inc Special Thanks
Sarah Evingham Special Thanks
CAST
Patrick Steichen Rocker Dude
Melissa Dillard Rocker Chick
Ana Maria Perales Dominatrix
Steven Barnes Bondage dude
Dylan Nelson Pool Boy
Leslie Goodman Executive Lady
Matt Walker Painted Man
Christina Chadaris Painted Woman
Rae Wright Girlfriend 1
Stephanie Hyden Girlfriend 2
Kenyon Page Glamour Girl
Phillip M. Kampel Paparazzi
Lee Miller Paparazzi
West Ramsey Paparazzi
Derek Schnabel Paparazzi
Sarah Siminski Paparazzi
Monica Toohey-Krause Paparazzi
Josie Garcia Club Girl
Diana Mandujano Club Girl
Stephanie Mackey Club Girl
Sarah Williams Club Girl
Briana Porter Club Girl
Adriana McManus Club Girl
Julianne Gabert Club Girl
Lisanne Zaragoza The Keeper
David Zaragoza Himself
Thomas Dodson The Other Man
Christina Marie Ex-girlfriend

NorCal Screenwriter’s Expo-A new door open to Northern California Screenwriters

2010-03-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

The NCS Expo held its first annual event in Napa Valley last weekend at the beautiful Silverado Golf Resort and Spa. The 3 day event had celebrity speakers, great writing workshops, and a frenetic Pitch Fest on day three. One of the major highlights was Oscar winner, Bobby Moresco’s candid discussion on his experience making Crash and Million Dollar Baby. He shared with the audience his woes of making a film that was turned down by every studio. Obviously his tenacity overcame every obstacle and he took home the Oscar…twice. He was very humble and unassuming in sharing his experience. He stated, “This is not about me. This time is for you. Ask me anything you want.” When I met him in the hallway, he was very kind and encouraging. For more information on the interview conducted by James Dalessandro, please visit NorCal Screenwriter’s website.

Speaking of Mr. Dalessandro, his epic novel, 1906, is now a script in pre-production with Warner Brothers. He has years of pitching experience and has been serving the film and television industry for over 27 years. His seminar on pitching was inspiring and gave several writers a swift kick in the butt. “Writer’s are so long winded. Sum it up with who, what, when, where, and why?” He encourages writers to speak from the heart. His message was: Passion sells. Victoria Wisdom, another heavy hitter in LA, put more of a succinct note on it. “Who can pitch me in four words?” After the crowd moaned and groaned, she came back at them with, “James Bond with Amnesia.” It’s the Borne Identity. Brilliant.

Barbara Bitela was by far the most energetic speaker. Her words rang true with the others. “Speak to me in Haikus.” She was engaging and a true crowd favorite. She also shared some very candid advice that most people wouldn’t think to share. Her overall message to the crowd was: Always say yes to your agent. If they want a re-write, you say, “yes”. If they want to sell your script for $10,000, you say, “yes”. The more yeses you say the farther your career goes.

Pitching opportunities were plenty with such companies as Lionsgate, Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, Silver Bitela Agency, Lifetime, CAA, HBO, Lawrence Bender Productions, and more. Overall, the event provided opportunities that Northern California would not otherwise see. Only time will tell if Hollywood will return again for next year’s Expo, but the latest word is several screenwriters gained representation and had scripts taken for review.

Need a 501c3 sponsor?

2010-02-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

We recommend the Documentary Foundation if you are doing a Doc. They're professional, competent, and very friendly! See their website at www.documentaryfoundation.org.

Special Film Advocacy Meeting

2010-02-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

California Film Commission Executive Director to Address Sacramento Filmmaking Community
Amy Lemisch of the state’s film agency to discuss the state of film and video production in California at February 16 advocacy meeting

Sacramento – California Film Commission Executive Director Amy Lemisch will discuss the state of film and video production in California with local professionals on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. The meeting is hosted by the Capital Film Arts Alliance, a local nonprofit dedicated to advancing film and video production, and will take place at the Art Institute of Sacramento starting at 7:00 p.m.
“Film and video production provides thousands of jobs in the state, including in the Sacramento region,” said Laurie Pederson, chair of the Capital Film Arts Alliance board. “We’re looking forward to hearing how local filmmakers can help keep creative jobs in California and promote our local talent and professionals in the industry.”
“If you are involved in or a supporter of the filmmaking community and Sacramento's burgeoning industry, you need to attend this meeting and learn about the future of filmmaking in Sacramento,” added Pederson.
Local film advocates and professionals will be on hand to discuss how to promote film production in Sacramento. The Mayor's film committee chair Don Roth, Executive Director of the Mondavi Center, will present the findings of his committee on recommended steps to developing the regions film industry and profile. Also attending will be the film commissioners from Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado Counties: Lucy Steffens (Sacramento), Beverly Lewis (Placer) and Kathleen Dodge (El Dorado). Mayor Kevin Johnson has also been invited and has tentatively agreed to attend if scheduling allows.
The February 16th meeting is one of a monthly speaker series from the Capital Film Arts Alliance. Experts in the filmmaking field – from camera and sound to contracts and funding – are asked to share their expertise and insights to Sacramento are filmmakers. The upcoming meeting is the second annual advocacy meeting aimed at furthering film production in the region. Last year former Assemblyman Paul Krekorian addressed a standing-room-only crowd on the state of film-production incentive proposals in the state Legislature.
About Amy Lemisch, Executive Director, California Film Commission
Amy Lemisch was appointed Executive Director of the California Film Commission by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in May 2004. As Director of the Film Commission, Ms. Lemisch works to support California’s vital film production industry by offering support services, providing filmmakers with low-cost alternatives when filming in the state, and educating decision makers about the value of filming in California. She coordinates with all levels of state and local governments to create film-friendly guidelines, reduce costs, and to eliminate restrictions with the goal of encouraging more film, television, and commercial productions to choose California as their premiere film production destination. She was instrumental in the successful creation of film and television tax incentives and administers the program for the state.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Lemisch was a Producer for Penny Marshall’s company, Parkway Productions, at Universal Studios and Sony Pictures. She was responsible for overseeing physical production on all Parkway projects as well as selecting new material for the company to produce.

In her fifteen-year long association with Marshall and Parkway, Ms. Lemisch has worked on nine feature films. Her past credits include: producer on the independent feature film With Friends Like These; co-producer on Riding In Cars With Boys (starring Drew Barrymore), The Preacher’s Wife (starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston) and Renaissance Man (starring Danny DeVito); associate producer on Awakenings, A League Of Their Own, and Calendar Girl. She was also the associate producer on the television series A League Of Their Own, which was adapted from the movie.

Ms. Lemisch is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.

The CFAA 2010 annual Film Advocacy meeting featuring California Film Commission Executive Director Amy Lemisch will be held on February 16, 2010, at 7:00 p.m., at The Art Institute of Sacramento, 2850 Gateway Oaks Dr., Sacramento. The meeting is free to CFAA members; normal meeting attendee rates for non-members is $5, but the CFAA board voted to make the film advocacy meeting fee a voluntary contribution. CFAA membership rates are $35 for individual members and $15 for students; business and corporate sponsor members available as well. Contact the CFAA at info@capitalfilmarts.com for more information.

An offer you can't refuse!!

2010-02-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to touch base and let you know what is going on with UNBROKEN.

The trailer is finished and up on the net. We are audience building as we speak, and our distributor would like to see the demand that we can build between our website and YouTube. We have a “demand it” feature on the Cow Town website, and a viral trailer will definitely communicate the interest for distribution.

You can help us by simply watching the trailer and FORWARDING it to all of your address books. YouTube has offered us a partnership based on the popularity of the trailer already. We have pay-per-click ads on the trailer, and each time an ad is hit, we earn money for development costs, etc.

You can also become a fan on Facebook and get the inside track to what is going on. Fanning on Facebook also qualifies you for prizes associated with the making of the film.

If you really want to support Indie, you can grab the embed code from YouTube and insert it in your blog, website, profile, or email the trailer from YouTube as an attachment.

So what’s in it for you? The person who forwards the trailer to the most people will get an all expenses paid trip to the premiere and red carpet experience with the celebrities of the movie. This includes airfare, hotel, limo, dinner with celebrities, tickets, and VIP after party passes for you and a guest of your choice. (Hint: to qualify for Sundance, we must “Premiere” there!)

Intrigued? Great! All you have to do is CC or BCC cj@unbrokenthemovie.com every time you forward the email to a friend. It doesn’t matter if you forward it to the same friends more than once, each address will still be counted as one point each time you forward it. We will also count 5 points each time someone “demands it” on the website and references your name as the referral. If you go the extra mile and embed the trailer on your site, blog, or profile, simply send me an email with the link and you will get 100 points toward your score.

I sincerely thank you for your ongoing support! Without you, I only have a dream. Thank you for being an active part of making this a reality!

The amazing Ruby Sketchley

2010-01-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take some time to recognize an unsung hero in Sacramento, CA. Ruby Sketchley is an incredible actress who never stops working. It is only a matter of time until she becomes wickedly famous for her skills. She did some Voice Over work for UNBROKEN recently, and I must say her ability to take direction and deliver was second to none. You can hear her voice in our trailer as she sets the tone with, "There's been an accident" Ruby is also very active in the Filmmaking community. She is a board member of the Capitol Film Arts Alliance and does an incredible job with the script reading circles they provide. To learn more about Ruby, visit the links here, or go to her IMDB listing.

Does AdSense make cents?

2010-01-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

Recently I added Google AdSense to my Youtube Video UNBROKEN in a effort to help monetize the video. Since the beginning of this month I have made $3.11. I guess that's not bad seeing as the ads have only been clicked 7 times. I was hoping use the pay-per-click money to help pay for production costs of the movie. Does anyone have suggestions on how to improve pay-per-click earnings without harassing family & friends to click on the ads after watching the video? Being an Indie I have to squeeze out every penny I can to realize this beautiful movie. Thanks for any suggestions!

Please help Haiti

2010-01-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

You can text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. Or you can go online to organizations like the Red Cross and Mercy Corps to make a contribution to the disaster relief efforts. Cow Town Film Productions has done so as well as the executive board members. Clinton has put out a statement that this is the best way to help immediately. Will you please join the humanitarian effort? These people desperately need our help.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All! 2010 brings new goals & challenges for Cow Town Film Productions. What are your goals or resolutions?

The Joys of YouTube & Indie

2009-12-15T20:16:00.000-08:00

Today I had the pleasure of learning that UNBROKEN is worthy of a YouTube partnership due to its popularity. This is something that I have been striving for & couldn't be more pleased. However, isn't it strange how they don't tell you exactly how much you will make?

I did quite a bit of (hurried) homework to see the benefits of joining Google AdSense initially, but was then was a bit miffed to learn that:

#1 once you join AdSense, you still need to be approved by YouTube to advertise &

#2 once they allow your advertising opportunity, YouTube AND AdSense take a percentage too.

So in conclusion: I have no idea what UNBROKEN will monetize & I really don't know how much YouTube will take off of that & I really have no way of tracking it or keeping them honest.

I'm sure it's in the fine print somewhere, but for now-I'll settle for being lucky we got the YouTube partnership.

I'm keeping an open mind and hoping the video will make a little money so we can hire someone to help with the web stuff & finish paying for some of the outstanding legal work my wonderful lawyer has done for us.

AND then there's the Ads. Tell us what you think. Are the ads appropriate for the content we have posted? Please visit our Channel: www.youtube.com/cowtownfilmpro

This is just a test..

2009-12-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

We have found a formula that we want to test. Currently we have 109 fans on Facebook. (Thank you!) If you refer 10 friends, and they refer 10 friends, and THEY refer 10 friends, that will be 1,211,099 fans. Would you please help us out? We want to see how fast we can make this happen. We are shooting for 2 weeks tops.

We hope this will translate to several new views of the trailer too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgBDei6PfBM

UNBROKEN

2009-12-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgBDei6PfBM

UNBROKEN on YouTube

2009-12-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Please view and repost the above link. We are extremely proud of what the team has created.

This trailer is unrated and posted for promotional purposes only. This material was made possible by the following people: Executive Producer- Torrey Loomis, Executive Producer- Christina Marie, Executive Producer- Cow Town Film Productions,LLC, Producer- Christina Marie, Associate Producers- Steven Jeffers, Laura Chick, Ted Tenedora, Chuck Highbaugh, Director/DP-John Jimenez, First AD-Scott MacLeod, First AC-Ethan Ireland, Second AC- Jason Clark, Third AC-Dina Finato, Jib- Mark Maddox, Art Director- Tobija Annis, Sound recording/Engineering-Jimmy Bell, Costumes- Monica Gartner, Editors- Erik Espera, Sketch Sketchly, Special FX/ Compositing- Erik Maddox, Make-up- Jen Williams, Hair- Penelope Denogeon, Electric- Mike Booth, Grip-Kerry Sweeney, Joshua Bluth, Joshua Garner, Machanical Engineering- John McClure, Art Department- Dave Dulac, Aimee Carr, PA-James Valles, John Brocker, James Thornton III, and Vehicles- David Wiant. CAST: Chase Hodge, Christina Marie, and introducing Kashi Gomez as the Fairy. ORIGINAL SCORE by Richard Altenbach. Additional staff-Carlos Hernandez, Kenny Rapadas. Voice Over work provided by: Ruby Sketchley, Christa Bella, Isabella Powers, Galen Howard, Christina Marie. Special Thanks to: The Grace Foundation of Northern California, The Studio Center/Frank Casanova, Dave Bunge/Bunge Electric, Kathleen Dodge, "Scooter" and Jackie.

Now we are caught up!

2009-11-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Thank you fans & friends! If you would like to see our archives, they are all reposted here for your convenience!

The promotional trailer for UNBROKEN is finally done thanks to the TREMENDOUS efforts of out cast, crew, and administration. As soon as our web staff has it posted, you will know.

I will post links to all of our contributors soon. Thanks again! (photos privided by Tobija Annis)

Hollywood No More & Blair Witch 2

2009-11-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

From our archives: Hollywood no more & Blair Witch 2:
October 2009 by admin.
Recently, an actor friend of mine stated that as soon as he gets his guild card, he’s going to Hollywood. I asked him, “Why would you want to do that?” He seemed to feel that he would be able to be discovered amongst the sea of other out-of-towners looking for fame. While I’ll say he is an excellent actor, he has no idea about the business side of
Hollywood. Like many non-Los Angleans, my friend simply doesn’t understand how expensive, how difficult, and how heart-breaking it is. But more importantly, he doesn’t understand how the recession has crippled the town of cinematic fame.
He is not alone. Many Californians are delusional when it comes to Hollywood. They still cling to the notion that
Detroit makes cars, and
Hollywood makes movies. I’ve been known to say that very phrase to politicians when trying to stem off run-away production. But have you seen
Detroit looks lately??
Hollywood is headed the same way.
Apparently, the Politicians haven’t heard of the major project deficit in the city of Angels. Not only are studios laying people off, but production has been slashed, pushed, or awarded out of state. The lack of production in
Los Angeles has greatly impacted the local economy there. Clothing manufacturers, and other ancillary businesses are shutting their doors for good because they rely on productions for contract work. The state of CA is broke and they continue to NOT benefit from productions that shoot in other states or countries.
I asked my friend, “Where are you going to get your day job?” He looked back at me blankly, then said, “Well the recession won’t last forever!” And that’s when I went in for the kill. It wasn’t his dream of being a famous actor on the big screen that I was stalking. If anyone knows me, they know how I am a champion for Indie production and actors. No, what I was going to slaughter was his notion of Hollywood surviving the recession as the epicenter of the movie universe.
The recession has taught investors that movies can still be made for far less than the wasteful 80 million dollar budgets. Where do Indies get made?? Mostly outside of Hollywood. So the whole point is this: my friend and other actors thinking about moving to Hollywood should reconsider. Independent films get made everyday in your own back yard. Get a few more quality roles under your belt first. When you have exhausted your own market, then & only then should you consider leaving your small town for any promise of greater fame.
Sacramento, CA continues to grow as an independent town. I predict that in the next ten years, we will be a worldwide recognized city of Indie filmmaking. To learn more about what is going on in Northern CA, please visit CFAA here.

October 2009 by admin.
They said it couldn’t be done, soIndies took that as a challenge and came up with the next “Blair Witch” pnenomenon.

Paranormal is an Indie Ultra-low that is gaining not only momentum, but recognition for Indie again. Here is what I, Christina Marie of Cow Town Film Productions, have to say: “We are going to see another resurgence of Indie in the next couple of years. Not because of new media, not because of greater access to high-end digital equipment, but simply because of the recession.

The studios have cut back their slates drastically in an effort to ride out the storm in Hollywood, but
Indies have traditionally run a lean mean outfit and can produce decent films on micro-budgets in good times or bad. Add the constipation in content delivery to theatres and you have a door open to Indie. The media buyers are going to have to look at Indie very closely to fill the gap.

Independent scripts and films are truer to the concept and therefore more refreshing to watch and history does repeat itself. I am predicting another big surge for Independent film in the marketplace. Blair Witch is the perfect example for Paranormal in that they are bothIndies distributed after major recessions. Now all we have to do is hold the audience’s attention!”

To see how Paranormal is doing click here.

Test Footage & Promotional Trailer

2009-11-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

Archives on Test footage & promotional trailer:

September 2009 by admin.
We would like to announce that we are going to have a promotional trailer soon. It will be competing for prizes on the net and we are looking for your support! Special thanks to all involved in the making of this beautiful piece! We will post a link as soon as it is active.
In other news, we are proud to say that we will have opportunites for internships & exterships for our local colleges. Are you a film student? Are you ready to jump start your career? Stay tuned or email Christina Marie with your interest: CJ@cowtownfilmproductions.com.
In other, other, news: Christina Marie is serving on the “For Art’s Sake” committee, collaborating with other film professionals on the local film initiative. If you have questions or comments, please fire away!

June 2009 by admin.
Today I get to go to the studio at 3rd Bedroom Studios & see how the sound mix is doing. So far I really like what I see. Our composer, Richard Altenbach has put together some great, original music. Jimmy Bell is putting down the creepy sounds and mixing in the dialog & other stuff we got between the location and the studio session last week. I really appreciate the great team we have & couldn’t be happier with our director John Jimenez. Thanks everyone for making this footage possible!

Shooting on location, test footage, and website

2009-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

More archives: Studio Center, Grace Foundation, and More!

15. May 2009 by admin.
The Studio Center, located at 915 fee in Sacramento, was the studio of choice for our green screen shots. Frank Casanova has a great thing going there. There are endless possibilities with the green screen there, and there is also a huge white area to do what ever you need. We had plenty of time & space to capture what we needed in a relaxed & fun atmosphere. I highly recommend The Studio Center to ANY Indie with the need for a studio. Yes you CAN afford a studio!

15. May 2009 by admin.
Everyone should check out the Grace Foundation of Northern CA. It is a ranch in El Dorado Hills that rescues livestock-mainly horses-from abusive or desperate situations. They nurse the animals back to health & adopt them out to responsible owners. They are a community involved charity & also double as a film ranch. They are very worthy of your contributions wether it’s volunteering or donating supplies and cash. Please check out their website at http://www.thegracefoundationofnorcal.org/. Beth, Nancy, Lisa, and the entire staff there are extremely nice & are deserving of your support! Check them out today!!! CJ

14. May 2009 by admin.
I just wanted to say how happy I am with the test footage we shot on Monday and Tuesday of this week! Cow Town Film Productions put together a small crew from Northern CA and even smaller cast to make the beginnings of a really awesome series of tests. We manged to insert a fairy onto a boy’s hand with the use of green screen, thanks to the talents of Director John Jimenez, and Editor Erik Espera. We plan to edit the footage into a visual demonstration to post for fans. Stay posted for their comments on how the shoot went & what we plan to do next.
I’d like to publicly thank all those involved SO……Thank you MOM for cooking for 40+ people; Associate producers Chuck, Laura, Ted, & Steve for manning the captain’s chair and watching over the various departments; Director John Jimenez for wearing more than one hat for this particular shoot and being so nimble with the camera (awesome shots!!!!); Editor Erik Espera for showing me it is possible to make a fairy dance on a kid’s hand in just a few minutes (the raw footage looks cinema ready!!!); First AD Scott MacLeod for herding the cats & keeping a cool atmosphere on set; 1st & 2nd ACs Ethan Ireland & Jason Clark for making that RED ONE camera run so smoothly, Art director Tobija Annis for keeping everything so visually beautiful in front of the camera & jumping in to help with a whole lot more, Mark Maddox on Jib-you rock! Jimmy Bell on sound-I can’t wait to HEAR my footage come to life; Aimee Carr from food to paint you are the lady; John McClure-the most versatile engineer ever; Monica Gartner & Jackie the super seamstress for the beautiful dress and costumes; Penelope Denogeon & Jen Williams for hair & make-up that withstood the elements; Mike Booth & Kerry Sweeney-you we can’t do this with out you guys-thank Booth for holding that shade in the wind-ouch-; The Joshes: Bluth & Garner-my pleasure to have you for the first time-please come again! The Jameses: Valles & Thornton the third-can’t have a film without you two! John Brocker- thanks for the dedication; and to all of the assistants/guests Scooter, Kenny, Carlos, Dave, And Dina the support is awesome! To the cast: Chase Hodge & Kashi Gomez wiothout you two we would only have me to film & that would be boring at best! Thanks for adding the salsa to the shoot! Special Thanks to Silverado Systems, Kathleen Dodge, The Grace Foundation of Northern CA, The Studio Center, Frank Casanova, Dave Bunge, Brett Allen, and The Sacramento Ballet.
If I have missed anyone, I am deeply sorry as I am sure I greatly appreciated your contribution too! For awesome pictures of us all in action please follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22054798@N05/sets/72157618092842366/ The photos are courtesy of Tobija Annis. Thanks Toby!Stay tuned for more on this shoot! TO contribute something, please sign up in the colum on the right. We would love to hear what you have to say! Until next time-Christina Marie

24. March 2009 by admin.
We are pleased to announce that the website is up & running! While it is not as functional as we would like it to be, the look & feel of the movie website is now on the World Wide Web! Our webmaster is working around the clock to provide us with the latest technology & pizzaz. Please swing by for a look! http://www.unbrokenthemovie.com

The Joy of Facebook!

2009-11-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

From the Archives:
28. January 2009 by admin.
After much poking & prodding, I have finally joined the Facebook nation. And now I am HOOKED! LOL. It’s always nice to touch base with old high school friends & meet new people, but Facebook is so good at finding contacts for you! I have somewhere 85 friends pending! YIKES! Take THAT MySpace! We hope to incorporate the Facebook application into our marketing plan. It will be just one more avenue that we can get out information on the movie. Comment if you have an opinion…..

Original Comic Art

2009-11-07T11:40:00.000-08:00

From our archives:

4. December 2008 by admin.

Recently I had the pleasure of working with BrewedArt.com. They are an art firm with a wide variety of services. I gave them the challenge of creating some concept art work to better communitcate with potential investors for the film UNBROKEN. I was eager to see what an internet-based company could do. I was a little leary not meeting face-to-face, but we must all face fears & embrace technology as much as we can! So I took a leap of faith over a couple of emails & phone calls & my rough draft showed up as this:

Needless to say I was impressed. All I had given the artist was the script & some loose direction. But I wanted the opposite angle for my illustration, and I had some other thoughts that I put together for the artist. After an email & 48 hours, I was presented this revision:

Another equally impressive image. The artist, Barry Cervantes, was quick & efficient as well as creative. However, I preferred some of the first draft’s elements, so after a very specific email detailing everything I wanted to a “T”, Barry gave me this:

I am continuing to use Barry to further communicate my film, UNBROKEN to the masses. THANK YOU BARRY CERVANTES & BREWED ART!!!!!

We have switched to Blogger

2009-11-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

Please add us & follow us to learn more about Indie filmmaking! We are new to Blogger and would like to know more about you! Please add your links and comment at will. Stay tuned as we add things from our old blog. :)