Yesterday got old real quick, but today is brand new and with it comes new opportunity.
Yesterday, we were asked to re-enter a conversation about putting “36 Hours” up for production. It is a very timely piece, considering what is happening with the Papacy and the upheaval in the Catholic Church. The faithful may recall that we were asked to ‘step away’ from the production some months ago. The executive producer/writer, Dr. Rajan Gulati has decided to re-engage Willy-Gilly to move ahead. Stay tuned, we will keep you posted on what’s next!
We have gotten tremendous response from buyers at the NATPE convention in Miami that we attended at the end of last month (Jan.) on “Chasing G!” However, we are now confronted with some issues regarding the subject of the show that is impeding our ability to get it out to our followers on cable and through the internet. No worries! We expect that will be changing very soon and you will get the chance to enjoy a unique look at the “Pawn” industry. (Keep your pants on!)
STAGE ONE ALERT! We are awaiting approval by the board of a local (Goshen, NY) venue to begin serious rehearsals on a play (as yet unannounced), which we continue to rehearse in lieu of finding a home. (If you think placing an puppy is tough, you ought to try producing play!) Once we have the venue secured we will hold a local press conference to reveal the name of the piece, which we will be opening in April. Keep an eye out for the ‘What,’ the ‘Where,’ and the ‘When,’ right here on this blog!
(Hint! Hint! We will be opening this show in Goshen, before moving it to Manhattan later this Spring!)
STAGE TWO ALERT! In the meantime we, are meeting with various restaurants in the region about putting on “St. Valentine’s Dead!”, our new dinner murder mystery that will be coming to the OC, forthwith. We would very much like to do our take on ‘The Passion’ play, “Supper with Ja,” this coming Easter, as well.
However, that may be too much on our plate for this season and we may have to wait another year to clear up this whole, ‘Judas/betrayal’ myth that has been plaguing Christianity for the last couple thousand years. ‘Hey, Jude! Don’t be afraid!’ Help is on the way.
Hooray, Hooray Acting Classes have started again. A whole new series of trainings for professionals and amateurs (young and mature) seeking to master the craft of acting, writing, directing, producing and singing. Everyone from 8 to 80 (or older) is welcome to join us as Acting Anyone transforms local talent into powerful professionals. For more information contact at our office at 845.294.7500 or on the web info@actinganyone.com
Finally, the clock is ticking down for the arrival of our funding to begin production on 6 films which was suspended last year. This is no secret that 2012 was a year of great change and challenge. We are looking forward to having that all pay off in the coming year.
We look forward to providing hundreds (thousands?) of jobs to locals in the film, television and the performing arts industries over the next 4 years. We continue to believe without reservation that Orange County is, ‘The Golden Triangle.’ Moreover, it is the premiere location for creating, developing, producing and distributing Independent Film, TV and stage intellectual properties in the US and the World!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST! Kudos to “Freeze Frame,” the Beacon Theater Film Festival that exhibited our feature film, “Collar” earlier this month. Not even a blizzard could keep hardy Hudson Valley-ites from gathering to see the award winning flick, which will be released in limited markets this Spring as part of our funding package commitment.
PS - We will be handling our own campaign, although we have renewed contact with several interested Hollywood distributors and producers to assist in our efforts. As in all previous screenings, about 80% of those attending gave us rave reviews. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! RIGHT ON!!!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Moving Forward!!!
We are moving forward. Check out recent developments on our brand new Orange County Biz site both for film and TV production and The Acting Anyone Academy.
http://www.middletownbizlist.com/category/business.asp?uid=5064629&function=interview
http://www.orangecountynewyorkbizlist.com/business/5064627.htm?guid=E2BDA2A0-B9E0-45B1-83DC-EB47709B8276
There is a comment link should you choose to leave one.
Acting Anyone Academy Spring Sessions will be commencing next week. We are looking for serious candidates for acting and singing who are willing to work hard to succeed. The opportunities are there now for those who will commit.
We regret that Paraclete Arts Center was unable to secure the number of attendees necessary for their St. Valentine’s Fundraiser. This is a truly worthwhile organization and we will continue to work with them in any way that we can to improve their outreach in the future. We, however, did complete, cast and rehearse a new one act dinner theater murder mystery, “St. Valentine’s Dead” and we are very happy to say that this thing is a ‘friggin’ riot!
We are looking forward to adapting it for use on any occasion at a number of restaurants already in contact with us to perform it throughout the region. We know it rocks and you will enjoy your evening and your dinner wherever we perform. We will keep you posted.
The cast of the ‘Anyone Playing Ensemble’ (APE) features all local talent including David Wilson (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933264/), Nan Gill (http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/833625-2303007 ), Ken Krause (http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/kenkrause ), Angela Rosier (http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/983081-2751936 ), Lisa Brodsy, Sean O’Brien (http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/seanobrien )and BD Anthony (http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/971784-2717242 ). “St. Valentine’s Dead” is outrageously fun and you can join us soon and go APE too!
This Friday in Manhattan we have several meetings scheduled with some of our distributor contacts from the NAPTE event in Miami last month. They are looking for content and that’s one thing that we have of!
Join us at www.willygilly.com
You can sign up for the Willy Gilly Community at http://willygilly.com/contact-us-3
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Never forget a Phase!
We just got off the phone with Christian Andersen of Phase 24 Productions in Los Angeles, an independent film and TV production company that has secured $35 million to make ten episodes of his post-apocalyptic thriller, "Panacea". We are in negotiations to consult on (and possibly co-produce) the series, which is bound for cable TV. This is a really good one...somewhere between "The Hunger Games" and the new Anthony Zuiker/Samsung collaboration, "Cybergeddon". It's sure to be a hit; we look forward to getting it going!
Today, the Freeze Frame Film Festival begins at the Beacon Theatre in Beacon, New York. Tonight our good friend Jarek Zabczynski will be showing three of his award-winning music videos, along with a group of student documentaries and film shorts. On Saturday there is a full day of "Collar" (two showings at 4pm and 8pm) and selected shorts from the Big Apple Film Fest: "Harry Grows Up" (by Mark Nickelsburg) and "Clown Girl" (by Crystal Scott), two brilliant short works. There will be a filmmakers' panel discussion following our feature. Also in the festival is our good friend and student Lloyd LeBaron who will presenting his feature on Sunday. We are honored to be the tent pole of this festival; we look forward to supporting the Beacon Theatre in its restoration efforts. Tickets for the event start at $5 each up to $18 for the entire day; proceeds go to the Beacon Theatre Restoration Fund!
Next Thursday is Valentine's Day! There will be a performance of a new dinner theatre mystery created specifically for this event by David Patrick Wilson: "St. Valentine's Dead"! The cast will include Wilson, Angela Rosier, Ken Krause, Lisa Brodsky, Sean O'Brien, Brett Anthony and Nan Gill-Wilson! This comedy will be part of a full buffet dinner at El Tequilero Restaurant; tickets are $25 each, to benefit the Paraclete Arts Center in Middletown! You don't want to miss this: it's wacky, wild and a little weird! (Paraclete Arts Center serves Middletown's youth by offering a full dance program to those who would otherwise not be able to afford to pursue their dreams of being performers.)
Meanwhile, we welcome America's Polka King, Jimmy Sturr, home from his cruise of the Caribbean! We are looking forward to looking ahead and developing a vehicle that will open up new doors for him with the next generation! We are reviewing material supplied by Jimmy for a proposal around his life and career before he leaves for the Strawberry Festival at the end of this month!
Stay tuned...things are cookin'!
Today at Willy-Gilly!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Willy Gilly vs. The System!
We trust that everyone had a joyous Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year! Santa paid us a visit, while we have been slugging it out with the federal bureaucracy. Once again, our government has proven (to us, at least) how truly inept and unmanageable it really is.
In these days of good tidings and seasonal blessings, we are confronted daily by Fiscal Cliff and his horde of hooligans on the Hill! Somehow, that all seems so ridiculously unreal when you consider that people are starving, freezing and dying as a result of excessive mismanagement. But you haven't heard anything yet!
We have spent the better part of this day fighting it out with the bureaucracy over payments we made to the Department of Education that were nullified by a so-called "computer glitch", allowing the federal government to invalidate our deal agreement. Not only did they steal our payment, but they double-dipped from our tax return! Wait! Don't blame the DoE; Uncle Sam now has a new excuse: something (we guess it's a thing) they call The System! The System is not Republicans or Democrats or federal workers (and God bless them all)...it's The System that's at fault, and the computers that run it! It's not enough that we were deprived of money that was guaranteed to us as taxpayers in good standing, we are now subject to abuses of power inflicted upon us by The System!
However, we are not alone! Apparently this glitch has perpetrated the same criminal activity on millions of American taxpayers, and while the feds can tell you that there was a glitch, they can't tell you when it was, nor has anyone ever mentioned that it was, and they can't tell us when this horrific injustice will be rectified! Oh, well! Just throw that (b)log on the fire with the banking industry, the automotive industry, the mortgage business and real estate in general. Can there be any wonder why America is burning? If it were just the government that was guilty of these egregious practices, it might be rectified in a century or so. But, unfortunately, it has become endemic, not just in The System, but in the population at large. It seems that following our country's lead, we are all headed for Hell in a hand basket! (Who's got the chicken?) What a way to end the year!
There's one question that stands out for us in all of this: Doesn't anyone get to pay the price for what it has cost America, or are the only people the courts sent to jail are people of colour or poverty? It sure ain't white men wearing white shirts and campaign buttons!
Then again, there are no political solutions; if this sounds like revolution, it is: read the Constitution! It is time for us to stop blaming everyone else and take responsibility for allowing this kind of thing to happen. Fresh from the elections, we offer this solution: by the next presidential election, nobody vote. That will eliminate the presidency, one-third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives, savings us hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars and leaving the actual jurisdiction squarely on the shoulders on those who have already usurped most of the power in this nation: the Supreme Court! If that doesn't sound like a solution to you...think about it! Maybe a term under their jurisdiction will wake this country up! What happens after that, only God knows! Oops! They have already taken Him out of the equation! Good luck, America...we're gonna need it!
Peace.
In these days of good tidings and seasonal blessings, we are confronted daily by Fiscal Cliff and his horde of hooligans on the Hill! Somehow, that all seems so ridiculously unreal when you consider that people are starving, freezing and dying as a result of excessive mismanagement. But you haven't heard anything yet!
We have spent the better part of this day fighting it out with the bureaucracy over payments we made to the Department of Education that were nullified by a so-called "computer glitch", allowing the federal government to invalidate our deal agreement. Not only did they steal our payment, but they double-dipped from our tax return! Wait! Don't blame the DoE; Uncle Sam now has a new excuse: something (we guess it's a thing) they call The System! The System is not Republicans or Democrats or federal workers (and God bless them all)...it's The System that's at fault, and the computers that run it! It's not enough that we were deprived of money that was guaranteed to us as taxpayers in good standing, we are now subject to abuses of power inflicted upon us by The System!
However, we are not alone! Apparently this glitch has perpetrated the same criminal activity on millions of American taxpayers, and while the feds can tell you that there was a glitch, they can't tell you when it was, nor has anyone ever mentioned that it was, and they can't tell us when this horrific injustice will be rectified! Oh, well! Just throw that (b)log on the fire with the banking industry, the automotive industry, the mortgage business and real estate in general. Can there be any wonder why America is burning? If it were just the government that was guilty of these egregious practices, it might be rectified in a century or so. But, unfortunately, it has become endemic, not just in The System, but in the population at large. It seems that following our country's lead, we are all headed for Hell in a hand basket! (Who's got the chicken?) What a way to end the year!
There's one question that stands out for us in all of this: Doesn't anyone get to pay the price for what it has cost America, or are the only people the courts sent to jail are people of colour or poverty? It sure ain't white men wearing white shirts and campaign buttons!
Then again, there are no political solutions; if this sounds like revolution, it is: read the Constitution! It is time for us to stop blaming everyone else and take responsibility for allowing this kind of thing to happen. Fresh from the elections, we offer this solution: by the next presidential election, nobody vote. That will eliminate the presidency, one-third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives, savings us hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars and leaving the actual jurisdiction squarely on the shoulders on those who have already usurped most of the power in this nation: the Supreme Court! If that doesn't sound like a solution to you...think about it! Maybe a term under their jurisdiction will wake this country up! What happens after that, only God knows! Oops! They have already taken Him out of the equation! Good luck, America...we're gonna need it!
Peace.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Brady's bunch!
At today's Rotary meeting, Rory Brady, village trustee, spoke of his experiences in South Africa at a 'moot court' competition some years back. He was one of the few Americans in the competition; it was quite interesting to hear about the work that he did with young men of color as they struggled with tribal customs related to their manhood, customs that required procedures in adolescence that were undesired by them, leading to their alienation from their families and community.(OY VEY! THAT HOITS!)
It was fascinating and dismaying to think that such punitive practices still exist on this planet, even though medical evidence says the procedure in question actually results in a lower incidence of cancer in older men. We were very impressed at Mr. Brady's interest in helping these men to raise their self-esteem and improve their social standing by participating in a charity called Kidz Care, a non-profit dedicated to rehabilitating such outcasts. We will be meeting with Rory to discuss the possibility of exploring his experiences as a feature film.
We are talking with Jake Ehrenreich ("A Jew Grows in Brooklyn") about the working with him to secure a facility for our upcoming stage production! We will be meeting with him next week to formalize the deal and hope to open on schedule early in the spring. Stay tuned!
On the "Chasing G" front, we are close to cutting the final version of the pilot, and we hope to move forward with the cable and broadcast networks with whom we are negotiating! (And be sure to tune into "Chasing G LIVE" tomorrow at noon on WTBQ, AM 1110 and 93.5 FM!)
In the meantime, we are involved in a Christmas project that has turned into a major development! We have discovered in our midst a young dynamo, sure to be among the great voices in the near future! This fourteen-year-old will soon be recognized as a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. Smart, pretty, talented...you can count on this assessment as being on the money! (And we mean literally!)
Finally, MaxforManagement has signed Beki Brindle-Scala to a management contract! This red hot blues mama is an American treasure: a virtuoso guitarist and vocalist, she could bury Bonnie Raitt standing up! More from her coming soon!
It was fascinating and dismaying to think that such punitive practices still exist on this planet, even though medical evidence says the procedure in question actually results in a lower incidence of cancer in older men. We were very impressed at Mr. Brady's interest in helping these men to raise their self-esteem and improve their social standing by participating in a charity called Kidz Care, a non-profit dedicated to rehabilitating such outcasts. We will be meeting with Rory to discuss the possibility of exploring his experiences as a feature film.
We are talking with Jake Ehrenreich ("A Jew Grows in Brooklyn") about the working with him to secure a facility for our upcoming stage production! We will be meeting with him next week to formalize the deal and hope to open on schedule early in the spring. Stay tuned!
On the "Chasing G" front, we are close to cutting the final version of the pilot, and we hope to move forward with the cable and broadcast networks with whom we are negotiating! (And be sure to tune into "Chasing G LIVE" tomorrow at noon on WTBQ, AM 1110 and 93.5 FM!)
In the meantime, we are involved in a Christmas project that has turned into a major development! We have discovered in our midst a young dynamo, sure to be among the great voices in the near future! This fourteen-year-old will soon be recognized as a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. Smart, pretty, talented...you can count on this assessment as being on the money! (And we mean literally!)
Finally, MaxforManagement has signed Beki Brindle-Scala to a management contract! This red hot blues mama is an American treasure: a virtuoso guitarist and vocalist, she could bury Bonnie Raitt standing up! More from her coming soon!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
On Chorales and Connecticut
On Sunday, we went to see the Classic Chorale Society and their 53rd Annual Winter Concert in Blooming Grove. They played a marvelous selection, with a full choir and a 31-piece orchestra. It was fantastic! They will be performing once more at the Presbyterian Church in Goshen this coming Saturday night at 7:00pm! Our suggestion is that you get there early, as it will be packed! The Chorale operates from dues paid by members and donations from the public, which go to pay for the orchestra and the operation of the organization. It is well worth whatever you dip into your pocket to give!
On a more somber note, we, like many Americans, have been trying to process the horror that came out of Connecticut on Friday. That includes sorting out the sparse information regarding the perpetrator and the actual event. Authorities have been slow to disseminate much of value; however, we have it on the highest authority that a major contributing factor was "first-person shooter" video games. These games, which now totally dominate the marketplace, were created initially as training tools for the military; unfortunately, in the wrong hands, a glitch can occur in the interface between that which is real and that which is imaginary. When other elements go uncontrolled, they can conspire to produce such horrific events; elements such as prescription medications, lack of proper supervision, mental illness, and, of course, what we call "Mom's guns". All of these things create the perfect storm, from which is born the unimaginable disaster. Stay tuned, folks...it's not going to get better before it gets a lot worse!
We must all take responsibility for what has happened and be responsible, to ensure it doesn't happen again. We must take appropriate steps to review these forms of "entertainment" that our young people (far too young) spend their days with as baby-sitters in lieu of proper parental guidance. We are, in fact, computers ourselves, and when the algorithms that control these games connect with our young people's brains, we must make sure that there are no other additives to the equation that can distort the perceptions of the user to the point of what occurred last Friday. Just as individuals should never operate heavy machinery while under the influence of drugs, they should never participate in the video games that puts them in a threatening environment, opposing other humans and humanoids (such as zombies). Such people run the risk of acting out in the real world what they experience in the game. We must be better stewards of our children, brothers and sisters who suffer from extreme mental illness and require such radical drug therapy, and yet we allow them to participate in games that feed into their illness. We'd like to hear your opinion on this issue...please leave a comment!
Meanwhile, we are getting close to a cable network deal on "Chasing G"! We expect to close before the end of the year and be onscreen (in a home near yours) in January!
We're also looking to make an announcement soon on our stage production; we are still looking for a stage to present this performance, and we are meeting with several venues in the area. It is our desire to perform here in Orange County, then move the show off-Broadway for a spring opening!
On "A Hustler's Life", we continue casting: Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers) is definitely on board; he will play either 'Clyde' or 'Leonard'. Beki Brindle-Scala (who will play 'Margaret', Mick's mother) delivered a phenomenal blues guitar and vocal performance at the Cornerstone Alliance in Goshen Saturday night, as part of their ongoing music series, hosted by WTBQ's John Stein. Both John and Beki will be appearing in our forthcoming stage production as well!
On a more somber note, we, like many Americans, have been trying to process the horror that came out of Connecticut on Friday. That includes sorting out the sparse information regarding the perpetrator and the actual event. Authorities have been slow to disseminate much of value; however, we have it on the highest authority that a major contributing factor was "first-person shooter" video games. These games, which now totally dominate the marketplace, were created initially as training tools for the military; unfortunately, in the wrong hands, a glitch can occur in the interface between that which is real and that which is imaginary. When other elements go uncontrolled, they can conspire to produce such horrific events; elements such as prescription medications, lack of proper supervision, mental illness, and, of course, what we call "Mom's guns". All of these things create the perfect storm, from which is born the unimaginable disaster. Stay tuned, folks...it's not going to get better before it gets a lot worse!
We must all take responsibility for what has happened and be responsible, to ensure it doesn't happen again. We must take appropriate steps to review these forms of "entertainment" that our young people (far too young) spend their days with as baby-sitters in lieu of proper parental guidance. We are, in fact, computers ourselves, and when the algorithms that control these games connect with our young people's brains, we must make sure that there are no other additives to the equation that can distort the perceptions of the user to the point of what occurred last Friday. Just as individuals should never operate heavy machinery while under the influence of drugs, they should never participate in the video games that puts them in a threatening environment, opposing other humans and humanoids (such as zombies). Such people run the risk of acting out in the real world what they experience in the game. We must be better stewards of our children, brothers and sisters who suffer from extreme mental illness and require such radical drug therapy, and yet we allow them to participate in games that feed into their illness. We'd like to hear your opinion on this issue...please leave a comment!
Meanwhile, we are getting close to a cable network deal on "Chasing G"! We expect to close before the end of the year and be onscreen (in a home near yours) in January!
We're also looking to make an announcement soon on our stage production; we are still looking for a stage to present this performance, and we are meeting with several venues in the area. It is our desire to perform here in Orange County, then move the show off-Broadway for a spring opening!
On "A Hustler's Life", we continue casting: Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers) is definitely on board; he will play either 'Clyde' or 'Leonard'. Beki Brindle-Scala (who will play 'Margaret', Mick's mother) delivered a phenomenal blues guitar and vocal performance at the Cornerstone Alliance in Goshen Saturday night, as part of their ongoing music series, hosted by WTBQ's John Stein. Both John and Beki will be appearing in our forthcoming stage production as well!
Friday, December 14, 2012
From Brooklyn to Goshen!
Yesterday, we met with Jake Eisenreich, creator and star of the play "A Jew Grows In Brooklyn"! The show, which has played all over the country, is now on a holiday break, but will return soon to its home on West 46th Street in Manhattan: the old High School for the Performing Arts theatre! A musician and singer, as well as a playwright/actor, Jake is one of the most genuine people we've had the good fortune to meet. (Thanks go to our stage manager Lisa Brodsky, for bringing him into our office!)
Next week, we will have the full announcement on the play Willy Gilly is presenting, just in time for a blessed Christmas!
Also, Joey "Boxes" Becchinelli did a bang-up job pinch-hitting for Gary Corts on today's edition of "Chasing G LIVE" at WTBQ (AM 1110, 93.5 FM, wtbq.com)!
We are sorting it all out on "36 Hours", and we will know more about where we are headed in very short order. Stay tuned!
"A Hustler's Life" continues to gather steam! New names keep popping up on the horizon, and we are in the process of contacting their agents for their suitability and availability!
Have a great weekend!
Next week, we will have the full announcement on the play Willy Gilly is presenting, just in time for a blessed Christmas!
Also, Joey "Boxes" Becchinelli did a bang-up job pinch-hitting for Gary Corts on today's edition of "Chasing G LIVE" at WTBQ (AM 1110, 93.5 FM, wtbq.com)!
We are sorting it all out on "36 Hours", and we will know more about where we are headed in very short order. Stay tuned!
"A Hustler's Life" continues to gather steam! New names keep popping up on the horizon, and we are in the process of contacting their agents for their suitability and availability!
Have a great weekend!
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