We've just wrapped production on a new film titled "37", written and directed by Puk Grasten. The story goes back to the fateful day in 1964 in Queens, NY, when Kitty Genovese was attacked and killed while many neighbors heard her cries for help and most did nothing to help. This script looks at what sort of reasons there may have been for some of the neighbors to not "get involved".

It was an honor to work with a director/author with one of the clearest artistic visions I've encountered in my decades of film work. On top of having a poetic, painterly eye, Ms. Grasten was one of the most delightful collaborators to work with. I cannot wait to see this film cut together, but in the meantime, here is a link to an article that ran in the NY Times which has a photo of two of the characters we outfitted, "The Mowbray Sisters" (in vintage fur coats and turbans) as they walked to set. You'll see from the children walking by in the shot what the actual temperatures were like (hot, hot, hot!). Luckily, these actresses were game and able to endure the heat with our crew standing by ready to remove their coats between takes whenever necessary!

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/27/movies/kitty-genovese-killing-is-retold-in-the-film-37.html?_r=0

Filling in some blanks on a year's worth of "Non Disclosure" jobs!

2014 for me was a year earmarked by work in film, television and commercials that had lengthy "Non Disclosure" signatures attached, to which I am bound!

In a world where people "overshare" online, it makes perfect sense, but it it certainly ties ones hands in terms of posting tasty bits about the job, however discreet.  So, today, with a little free time, I'm going to fill in a few blanks with some items that do not give away the plot, nor show anything not already seen in tabloids or on You Tube!  Will pre-date the posts to be accurate as to when they occurred.

In addition to the work, great things have been happening in "Industry City"- the 100 plus year old group of buildings formerly known as "Bush Terminal" on the waterfront in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where I keep a studio.  There are new partial owners and management who have joined up and have taken a group of old industrial buildings and begun turning it into a new NYC hotspot for creative types, manufacturing and events.   The main website for Industry City, for those in search of creative space or updates on their events is here: http://industrycity.com

Looking forward to the holiday season and to future jobs that involve a teeny bit less discretion!

"Annie" movie trailer!

From July of 2013 through the first week of January, 2014, I worked with the wonderful Renee Ehrlich Kalfus on the upcoming new movie version of the musical "Annie".  It was a delight to work with this amazing cast and top notch crew.

The film is due out before Christmas.  Here's a preview of the movie trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6IDBxKbsZU

Li-Lac Chocolates comes to Industry City

The historic NYC Chocolatier, Li-Lac Chocolates, has set up both their factory and a little branch store in Industry City, around the block from my studio.  After a day spent shooting a music video, I got home remarkably early as our leads were the little girls from the new "Annie" movie and they had to be kept to reasonable hours.  Extra lucky for me as it was the day that Li-Lac Chocolates was throwing a grand opening of their store and factory for folks who have studios at Industry City and giving out free samples of their amazing chocolates and confections.

You can order some of their most delicious merchandise online.  The taste difference in getting freshly made chocolate is remarkable.  Here's a link to their website: http://www.li-lacchocolates.com

You enter a loading dock on 35th Street between the Gowanus Expressway and 2nd Avenue and immediately see through the big glass windows a conveyor belt of chocolates being prepared.  Calls to mind the famous "I Love Lucy" episode with Lucy and Ethel working a conveyor belt, but not so fast motion.  Not slimming for a girl who likes her antioxidants delivered in a dark chocolate format!

May I add that their Butter Crunch is divine and that I've recently sampled little green Marzipan squares dipped in dark chocolate which were unbelievably good?!

Seasonal treats displayed behind the conveyer belt area:

Loading up the conveyor belt!

Noah's Ark in chocolate in their little factory store...

Who doesn't like a chocolate Gorilla (or sports car?)...

Free samples!

The Dogs of Chocolate!

In August and September, I worked with the amazingly talented Aude Bronson Howard on a commercial campaign/ promotional film.  All very hush hush, non-disclosure paperwork a go-go.  That said, somehow, the Paparazzi always seem to find you when there are major movie stars involved even for your top secret project.  I'm greatly looking forward to the day when I can see the spots online if not on the telly.

Even though everyone was keeping mum about the job, since the Paparazzi showed up, I thought I'd share what it looks like as the same photographers hop from one side of the street to the other (an out of the way spot in industrial Greenpoint, Brooklyn- not somewhere you'd just find yourself by accident) as they try to get the movie star shots that will earn them a living.  So: Paparazzi in the shade, Paparazzi in the sun...

We held fittings for our background performers at a stage in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan.  Whenever I'd enter, their entryway banks of stage lights were so show biz, I'd mentally hum the opening of the Bugs Bunny cartoons "Overture, cut the lights, this is it, the night of nights..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-t8PngHgWY

More backstage glamour: One day during the shoot while setting up, suddenly everyone with an iPhone had their emergency alerts go off in unison.  Happily, mine was on vibrate, others were not.  

Seems we were in for a torrential rain/thunderstorms with flash flood alerts.  We had packed so many racks of clothes for the multi day shoot, that we had to offload them to be held in tents behind the wardrobe trailer to have room to work.  We rushed back from set to the tents to try to get the most high dollar merch back up into the truck, floor space be damned.  Some of the stalwart crew pictured, trying to save the day and keep the tents from blowing over!

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And once the shoot was over, a photo from the production office (faces blocked to protect identities, but hey, news of this project was all over the internet so it is no secret who directed this)...

Industry City goings on: "Pulp: A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets" Rooftop Films Screening

One of the most fun evenings I've ever had was held on the rooftop and backyard of my Industry City Studio.  Jarvis Cocker- the lead singer for the band "Pulp" (and with whom I'd worked on the HBO "Six by Sondheim" musical number designed by John Dunn) attended an outdoor, rooftop screening and karaoke after party of Florian Habicht's "Pulp: A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets".

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/live-reviews/jarvis-cocker-judges-extremely-weird-pulp-karaoke-contest-20140808

More photos and info in this article:
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2014/08/jarvis_cocker_j_1.html

Industry City

My studio is located in an old industrial building in a complex in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, which has been undergoing serious renovation.  Industry City (http://industrycity.com/#) is the former "Bush Terminal".  Here's a Wikipedia link for a bit of its history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_Terminal_/_Industry_City.

In the old days, railroad cars would on and offload goods to the loading docks sandwiched between the buildings from tracks that ran along 2nd Avenue.

With the new renovations, the area behind my studio has become a delightful setting for outdoor dining, special events and a pass through area to the building around the block which has the "Factory Floor": an enormous space that is leased out for special events.  The new owners filled in the tracks, added furniture, plants, a Bocce Ball court, lights and during the warmer months added food vendors.

A weekly dance party called "Mister Sunday" (aka "Mister Saturday") brought enormous crowds out to dance Sunday evenings away, without bothering any neighbors as it is located on an industrial only zoned block.  Eamon and Justin have flown the coop to Deejay in the UK as of November of 2014, now that the summer/fall season is over, but have a look at their website to see what they are up to: http://mistersaturdaynight.com

Here's a snap from a Mister Sunday party in June of 2014:

Here's the view out my studio window looking down at the party area.  It was being prepped for a Karaoke event.  Bocce Ball court on the lower right, with the Pizza vendor set up just to the right of the court.  Delicious!