"La Serenata" is the Imagen Award WINNER for Best Short Film!!!

A quick update:
WE WON!!!

A HUGE congratulations to a wonderful and deserving cast and crew! Also, a warm THANK YOU to all who voted for us!

"La Serenata" is still in the festival circuit, so if you missed your chance to watch it online, keep an eye out for it at a film festival near you!

"La Serenata" is an Imagen Foundation Short Film Competition Finalist!

Another year, another update.

Just when I thought this summer would pass without much fanfare, I receive news that "La Serenata (The Serenade)," a short film I worked on last summer, is a finalist for the 2019 Imagen Foundation's Short Film Competition! This is the second year in a row AdeRisa Productions has had a film in the running (if you recall, "Amigas with Benefits" won last year's competition).

Still from "La Serenata."

"La Serenata" (written by Ernesto Javier Martínez and directed by Adelina Anthony) is a lovely, heartfelt story about a young boy who asks his father to help him write a song so that he can serenade his schoolyard crush.

To watch "La Serenata" and VOTE, please visit: https://www.imagen.org/vote/short-films/

Voting in the competition is open until July 31, 2019 (next Wednesday). Everyone is allowed one vote per day.

Thank you!!!

Things I Miss When I Take a Break from Social Media...

When you spend more than an hour glued to social media, you need to take a break. That was me for most of last year, so I turned off all notifications and went into hibernation mode where the social network was concerned.

Doing that is very freeing. Unfortunately, it makes you miss things like this:
"Amigas with Benefits" won the award for Best Short Film in the prestigious Imagen Foundation's 2nd Annual Imagen Awards for Short/Student Films and Web Series!

Congrats to the entire cast and crew, but more importantly, many many MANY THANKS to all the people who voted for us!

"Amigas with Benefits" continues to make the rounds in the film festival circuit, so keep an eye out for it at a film festival near you (you can follow on Facebook for more up-to-date information)!

Coming to a Screen Near You: Amigas with Benefits, Entropy, and Bruising for Besos!

Nearly a year has passed since the last update! Yikes!

A couple of projects that I've worked on over the past year or so are making their way to a screen near you.

First up is "Amigas with Benefits," a short film I shot for writer/director Adelina Anthony.


"Amigas with Benefits" is a dramedy about two elderly women who have their wedding ruined by a family member. It premieres this July (next month) at Outfest 2017.

Next is Entropy, a sci-fi feature written and directed by Gabriel Anderson. I had the privilege of being the gaffer (a.k.a. chief lighting technician) on this daring film.


From the website:

A brilliant, but hermetic and hard-living woman discovers an anomalous cosmic force that projects the end of the universe to be a mere two weeks away. The terminal diagnosis for all existence compels her to confront her own fear and isolation, and leads her to pursue another woman who may offer the promise of salvation.

Entropy made its premiere at this year's IFS Film Festival, winning the award for "Best Science-Fiction Film." Visit the movie's website for information about future screenings.

And last, but definitely not least, Bruising for Besos is a feature film (also written and directed by Adelina Anthony) I gaffed a few years ago.


It has already had a successful run in festivals all over the world over the last year. It is still being showcased in community screenings across the country (definitely try to catch one near you!) and will be released online later this year.

"Quiet As Kept" Official Trailer

I believe it has been a full year since my last update. Sorry about that!

Now, for more current news.

"Quiet As Kept," the latest project by writer and director Amber Sharp, is finally finished and stepping into the festival circuit.

First up is the Los Angeles Independent Filmmakers Showcase Film Festival, which takes place this May.

So excited to be a part of this heartfelt project from A.Sharp! The budget was small, but the passion was deep.

Congratulations to "Sick World" and "Ripe"!!!

First and foremost, a huge congrats to director Hyunmi Park and her documentary, Sick World! We just got back from the Canada International Film Festival in Vancouver, B.C., where Sick World won a Royal Reel Award for Best Documentary Feature. Yay!

Next, I would like to congratulate all of the cast, crew, and supporters of Ripe, which will screen this June at the Women's International Film & Arts Festival in Miami, FL. This was the first narrative feature film that I was hired to shoot, and I'm excited that this fun, little movie will finally get its chance on the big screen!

* * *

The summer of 2012 was an interesting time in my life. My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the year before, and his health began declining rapidly soon after. Not long after the diagnosis, I decided to take time off from work so that I could assist my family at home.

Around March 2012, my friend Hyunmi called to tell me about a documentary she was developing and invited me to shoot for her that entire summer. I was hesitant to go due to the circumstances at home, but after much consideration and deliberation with my family, I decided to make the trek to South Korea. About a month in, my dad passed, and I had to make the trip back home. My family thought it would be best for me to finish out the shoot, so a couple of weeks after the funeral services, I was on a plane back to South Korea.

With about a month left of production on Sick World, I received an email from Lauren and Karin, two gals I had met a couple of years before on a short film they hired me to shoot. They had just finished writing a feature-length screenplay and were excited to produce it. They wanted to shoot it at the end of August and were wondering if I would be available to shoot it for them. I told them that I was out of the country and didn't think it would work out, since I would be getting back stateside the day they wanted to start production. They pushed the dates back for me, and the day after I got home, I was in a car heading to California's Central Valley to start principal photography on Ripe.

I am extremely proud of these two projects and are excited to see them finally getting their spotlight on the festival circuit.  I will continue posting more updates about these movies, so please check them out if they are ever playing near you!

"Coat Room" Now Playing!

A nice, little short film I worked on around this time last year is now starting to make its rounds in the festival circuit. "Coat Room," directed by Katie White and produced by Jennifer Nangle, is a dramatic comedy about a woman returning home for the holidays to confront and to heal what has kept her away for a few years.

It has already screened at the Sandpoint Film Festival (in Sandpoint, ID) last month. This weekend will mark its Los Angeles debut at the Hollywood & Vine Film Festival. There are two screenings: one on Friday (12/12/14) in Sherman Oaks, and another on Saturday (12/13/14) in Los Angeles. The event is FREE to the public - check out the festival's website for showtimes and more details.

UPDATE: We won the Audience Choice Award!!!

SHOWING UP (Opens Nov. 21, 2014 - Limited Engagement)

An amazing documentary that I had the pleasure of working on. "Showing Up" centers around the struggles actors face in the film/TV industry, but the overall message of perseverance while pursuing one's dreams is universal to all. Stars John Slattery ("Mad Men"), Chris Messina ("The Mindy Project"), and Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24"), among many, many others.

Click here for tickets.

'Midnight Rider' Director Randall Miller, Producers Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter, Criminal Trespass

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Midnight Rider director Randall Miller and producers Jody Savin and Jay Sedrish have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass in Wayne County, Georgia superior court following the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones, it was announced on Thursday.

It's important to make human lives a priority.

"Narcissist" Does It Again!

Congrats to Eric Casaccio and the "Narcissist" team yet again for winning the Best LGBTQ Film Award at the ReelHeART Film Festival in Toronto!!! Much deserved accolades for all!


For more info on upcoming screenings, please visit:
http://www.narcissistthemovie.com/screenings.html

‘Midnight Rider’ Victim’s Family Files Massive Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Everyone wants to get the shot, but no one wants to spend the extra time or money to do it right (or, at the very least, to consider the well-being of the cast and crew). Hopefully, unlike so many before it, this lesson won't go forgotten.

The family of Sarah Jones, the camera assistant killed during filming of the film “Midnight Rider,” has filed a lawsuit against the film’s director, producers, some of its crew, Gregg Allman, distributor Open Road Films and the companies that own the railroad tracks and surrounding land.

The suit, which also includes charges of negligence, asks for unspecified damages for Jones’s death and pain and suffering, plus punitive damages.

The suit alleges that director Randall Miller and the defendants, including location manager Charles Baxter, executive producer Jay Sedrish, first assistant director Hillary Schwartz and cinematographer Mike Ozier,  failed to obtain permission for the production to be on the railroad bridge where the fatal accident occurred, and that they concealed that fact and the danger of their shooting plans from the rest of the crew by leading them to think they would be working on the tracks with the permission of the railroad.

Congrats to "Narcissist"!!!

Congrats to Eric Casaccio and the "Narcissist" team for winning the Audience Award for Best Short at the Boston LGBT Film Festival and an Honorable Mention for the Jury Award for Best LGBT Film at the Sene Film, Music, and Arts Festival in Rhode Island!!! A wonderful premiere, to say the least!


For more info on upcoming screenings, please visit:
http://www.narcissistthemovie.com/screenings.html

"Narcissist" Coming to a Film Festival Near You

2014 is starting out to be a great year for "Narcissist"!  The short was only finished just last November, and it's already slated to be in at least 3 film festivals, including the Boston LGBT Film Festival.

For more information about upcoming screenings, please visit the screenings page on the film's website.

"Narcissist" Trailer

The trailer for Eric Casaccio's short film "Narcissist" is out!  Take a gander at our work!


NARCISSIST (Trailer) from Eric Casaccio on Vimeo.

Soon to be at a film festival near you! Be sure to check it out!

Wrapped and Wrapped!!!

Last week, we wrapped principal photography on Eric Casaccio's new short, "Narcissist." Great crew, great cast, great story - can't wait to see it all cut together.

I also received word not too long ago that Ripe is locked and finished. Yay, team! Look for it soon at a film festival near you!

I can't wait to see where the journey takes me next!

Roger Ebert In Memoriam

Remembering the two gentlemen who introduced me to the wonderful world of independent film, here is Roger Ebert remembering his good friend and partner in crime Gene Siskel in a special episode of “Siskel & Ebert.”







Roger Ebert's final thoughts.

'tis the season for giving!

generous people of the world who like to donate money to fun projects, look no further!

two projects that i worked on this year are in need of finishing funds, and the folks involved (myself included) would be eternally grateful for any assistance you could give to them.

choose your flavor (or, if you're feeling particularly generous, pick both):

nice girls crew, season 2 - web series
(funding deadline: dec 16, 2012)

Sophie (Lynn Chen), Leena (Sheetal Sheth), and Geraldine (Michelle Krusiec) have been true “frenemies” since elementary school. All
grown up and finding themselves in the city of Los Angeles, the ladies seek refuge from their isolation in a book club where they never actually talk about the book. Their subjects of interest? Sex, cannibalism, drugs and just about everything else you’d expect in such good company.

watch all of season 1 on youtube.
ripe - feature film
(funding deadline: dec 28, 2012)

Five girlfriends return to their farm-filled hometown (in California's Central Valley) after their freshman year of college to throw a wedding for 18-year-old Lee. Awkward moments abound as they try to navigate a grownup life that they aren't quite ready for.

find out more about the film on its website.
THANK YOU!!!

ngc1, ngc2

2012 has proven itself to be a productive year for me in regards to work (which i love!). just wrapped production as the gaffer on a wonderful short, soon-to-be feature, "forgiving heart," directed by the marvelous adelina anthony and produced by her and partner marisa becerra's company, aderisa productions.

from their website:

Set in the 1980's, two teenagers, Yoli and Laurie, discover the limits of their friendship when hate and racism are bred at home. These girls pay a high price for mutual understanding and forgiveness.

look for this wonderful piece soon at a film festival near you!

festival darling, the awesome webseries "nice girls crew" is getting a second season!!! we're currently in pre-production, with principal photography set for november (soon!).

unfortunately, i wasn't able to see the wonderful job we did with season 1 when it premiered and played at film festivals over the summer. and since i don't have comcast at home, i wasn't able to watch it while it was on demand last month. but, lucky me, ngc1 is now live on youtube via caamchannel. if you haven't seen it yet, take a gander - you're in for a treat!

ripe

s/s 2012 has been quite the ride for me. in regards to work, i spent a good chunk of it in south korea, shooting a documentary on korean folk medicine (more on that at a later time).

the day after i returned stateside, i got in a car and drove to visalia, california, to start production on ripe, a feature film shot completely on location in the central valley.

from their website:

5 girlfriends return to their farm-filled hometown after their freshman year of college to throw a wedding for 18-year-old Lee. Awkward moments abound as they try to navigate grownup life that they aren't quite ready for.

we've completed most of principal photography, but we've got a few more scenes and some pick-ups, as well as the entirety of post-production to get through.

if you're feeling generous and want to help out a group of indie filmmakers, or have a place in your heart for california's central valley and want to see it featured in a fun way on the big screen, head on over to ripe's indiegogo page and learn how you can help some sisters out! thanks!

one of the ass-kickinest women ever!!!

RIP tura satana.