Post by BIGFANBOY on Oct 15, 2009 4:39:42 GMT -5
IT CAME FROM DALLAS
Review by Gary Dean Murray
Dallas is not known for much in terms of film-making locations. Though the greater Metroplex has seen a large share of cinematic projects, it is still not considered a major player. In the box office smash Zombieland, both Garland and Dallas were faked in Georgia. Even the TV show Dallas was mostly shot in LA. Trying to correct the perception that films are never shot in Dallas is the film celebration from the Dallas Producers Association (DPA) called It Came From Dallas.
It Came From Dallas was started as a fund raiser for the DPA. This group of filmmakers and production people have a common goal--to bring quality work to the area, supporting both the local economy and the artistic endeavors of the group. Consisting of professionals in all areas of production, the DPA functions more as an information arm for professionals with scheduling, staging and sponsoring events that will educate, inform and promote goodwill and fellowship to all in the industry. The organization is asking for $10 donations to attend this event which will be at the Studio Movie Grill in Dallas on Thursday October 15th.
In it's fifth year, this little fest honors not only the productions that have graced the area, but the film makers who decided that Big D was a perfect backdrop for their creations. This year, the fest is called “Curse of It Came From Dallas!--Taking the Fifth!” It will feature clips from Bonnie & Clyde (1967) the Warren Beatty film that was made in and around Dallas with some interiors shot at Bill Stokes Associates (which is now Post Asylum). On the TV front, the DPA will showcase the classic 1962 series Route 66, which had three episodes shot in Dallas--a first for the area. Also on the docket is the small comedic feature Seniors, an Animal House-style feature shot in and around the SMU campus. Those are just a few examples of the different shows that have been lensed in DFW and will be a part of “Taking the Fifth!”
The show will be hosted by noted film historian Gordon K. Smith and comic Mark Fickert from the improv troop 4 Out of 5 Doctors. They plan on giving a high spirited commentary on different aspects of Dallas productions during the last 40 years, focusing on both the famous and the infamous films that have flickered across the cool fire of modern communication.
Where in years past, the show poked loving fun at the prominent aspects of Dallas film, this year the group wanted to include examples of excellence--noteworthy productions made in and around Dallas. The group wanted to commend excellence in feature films, television series, music videos documentaries and corporate film up to recent productions.
According to Bob Dauber the DPA co-founder and chair of the event, “Over the years, we've gotten a lot of laughs poking fun at some of the 'spectaculars' that have been made here. Now it's time to recognize some of the first-rate productions that have come from this area.”
The DPA will be honoring two different filmmakers as a part of the show. “Brownie” Brownwigg was a director and producer from everything from commercials to features, making the cult classic horror film Don't Look in the Basement. He did every aspect of production from photographer and studio principal to sound person.
The other honoree is Howard Fisher. Starting as a staff announcer at CBS in NYC, Howard worked from everything as a copywriter to director of broadcast production. He was the first independent film and video director in the Dallas area. In the past the DPA has acknowledged such individuals as Joe Camp, the local man who crafted the Benji films.
One of the headlining guests at this years festival is Glenn Moshower. He is a character actor who has appeared in many different roles in Hollywood. Best known as agent Aaron Pierce from the TV show 24, he has been seen in both of the Transformers films and a slew of television roles. His newest film will be the George Clooney feature Men Who Stare at Goats. When he was sixteen, Glenn landed his first role in the shot in Dallas, cult-classic flick Drive In. He has a deep-seeded love for both Dallas and his chosen craft.
In an interview for this piece, I asked him how groups like the DPA could get projects in Texas. Glenn became very animated about the idea of incentives for film making. He felt that if the Texas Film Commission would make the kind of effort that both New Mexico and Louisiana with luring films to the Lone Star State, it would get more quality projects. Glenn even floated the idea of working for the Texas Film Commission just to bring more work to Texas. He knows that cinema craftsmen live and work all around the state, delivering quality crews to major shoots.
Though in the last few years, Texas has seen more and more productions. The newest ABC legal drama The Deep End is being make in Dallas and Austin has the film studios that Robert Rodriguez has built. Glenn noted that because of the success in the Dallas filming of Prison Break, producers in Hollywood could see that first-class crews are available here on both sides of the camera. Without aggressive marketing of facilities like The Studios in Las Colinas, Texas will still be behind in the competition with winning these movies and shows.
As far future projects in Texas, Glenn wants to produce a comedy series about Jewish people in a small East Texas town. When describing the project, I kept laughing at both the premise and the jokes. If some production company takes a chance on the idea, Glenn imagines that this little gem could be crafted in Texas. Glenn conceives that it would be shot live in front of a studio audience, something rarely done outside of NYC and LA. He feels that going to watch the taping of his show would be just as audience intensive experience for Dallas as visitors wanting to see The Late Show when visiting NYC. He is also in the process of finishing his inspirational talk that has been put on film, one man show that will be a part of the 2010 festival competitions.
Glen wants Texas to be in the forefront for productions, not just for Tnexas centric shows but for all manners of filming. With help from organizations like the DPA, it could happen. And the one thing that everyone agrees on is that Texas needs to get behind the effort.
For more information check out www.dallasproducers.org/icfd/default.cfm
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