The video above contains foul language, drug trafficking, and violence (Rated R).
The Promo Video Above:
This short video was created to give a quick glance into the character Lt. Grizwald. In this video Grizwald's chronic drinking mixed with his vivid daydreaming sets him off into an erupting storm of emotion.
The Film: "Grizwald" (35 min), Directed by J. Bernie
Treatment:
Grizwald is an Afghanistan War veteran living in the Big Apple after 7 years of fighting overseas. He's very displaced from society but overcomes his decaying social skills and increased insecurity by saving a young boy (Bernard) from a platoon of bullies. Grizwald has to make a choice between good, evil, or something in-between as he targets Bernard's dope-addicted mother and the local New York City grime in efforts to preserve Bernard's innocence.
About:
This film has an amazing array of characters, splashes of them when needed, and not overdone with a huge cast. I dislike using the classification "Dramedy" but this is absolutely an intense drama with a bit of bright and dark comedy. These genres mix to create a very exciting screenplay. Mike Coppola and I have studied the classic screenwriting teachings of Syd Field (www.sydfield.com). We will be working with a professional, reliable, and creative crew, instead of doing everything by ourselves. The film crew we are hiring can achieve the look of a high-budget film that plays on the big screen. We have a great connection to rent the RED-ONE CAMERA (if you click the RED link below you'll see all film's created on the camera we will be using.) Having this crew will allow me to focus on directing actors. I will drive the actors to their best possible performances! I will build a creative safe haven in which they can focus and block out the crew and any distractions around them. They'll be playing out the scene, in the moment. They will live from moment to moment and BE their characters. Our actors will create the most authentic characters. My crew, the cast, and myself believe we can make this film a Sundance 2012 winner (among other festivals as well). Please be part of this amazing ride we will take to create this film. You'll be with us every step of the way. You will be proud and satisfied with the final product. Let's Fund a future indie classic together!!!
You can check out previous low-budget work Mike Coppola and J. Bernie have worked on here:
Short Comedy: http://vimeo.com/16122392
Short Contest: http://vimeo.com/12565190
*The Grizwald promo is not part of the film. Mike Coppola and I wrote this up in a jiffy to show a little bit of Grizwald's character. We will be shooting on Red One Cameras (I love these cameras!!!). Click the link below to see films shot on the Red One Camera. Films like "social network" and "Pirates of the Caribbean"*
Films and TV shows shot on RED ONE camera
The Money/Capital/Funds
The funds raised will be for hiring professional and experienced crew members, location fees, permit fees, rental equipment, props and wardrobe, rental weapons, transportation, rental vehicles, stuntmen, insurance, paramedics, and food.
We will be hiring the following crew positions:
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gives his vision to the film and operates a RED CAMERA. He comes with a few crew members to help him out.
AUDIO CREW: This crew also doubles as sound post-production, offering custom music tracks to fit the feel of the film. They also have access to thousands of superior sound effects and the best mircrophones around for prestine audio quality as well as surround sound.
PRODUCTION PRODUCER: Monitors everything going on and keeps in contact with everyone working on the film. This gives the director relief and takes a lot of the non-creative work off his back. For example: Scheduling several actors to a location, date and specific time. Coordinating the caterers, the crew, the transportation.
COLORIST: Color grades the film footage to perfection according to the look we are trying to achieve. Color is a very important tool in storytelling. Different colors give different feels and effects. Orange=Warm, Blue=Cold, Green=Dirty etc...
THE EDITOR: One of the most important key elements to creating a watchable and believable film. A great editor makes their cuts seamless and invisible. I plan to hire a very experienced editor in the field of narrative film.
VISUAL EFFECTS ARTIST (VFX) will generate cool titles, remove glare, unwanted camera shake, remove all brand name signs, does motion effects, bullet particle effects, sparks, gun fire, bullet holes, building creation and set dressing. These VFX Artists are the best! They can build a world around nothing. They can make a building decayed, add grass, extra people, and other replacement effects. It's amazing what they can do. Google some Visual FX work and you'll see the power these artists have on a film.
SEVERAL INTERNS (free of charge) to help out on set.
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