"Humboldt County" Producer's Blog

HC Newsletter - December 22, 2008

2008-12-19T10:51:00.001-08:00

Friends,

As the end of a memorable year comes to a close, there is big news around the corner for Humboldt County fans. On Tuesday, January 13th of the new year, the HUMBOLDT COUNTY DVD finally will be available for rental or purchase.

You can already pre-rent or pre-buy the DVD at Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon.com, and many other retailers. For those of you interested in purchasing a copy (or several), please consider ordering it directly from the filmmakers through the Humboldt County Official Site. [Note: Given the release date, we won't be able to ship DVDs until early-mid January.]

To mark the DVD's release, Magnolia Pictures will be hosting the Los Angeles Premiere of the film on Monday, January 12th at the Landmark Theatre in Westwood. For those of you who live in the LA area and want to see the film on the Big Screen and participate in a Q&A with the cast and crew, please email us and we will send you an invitation.

Finally, a small but important favor to ask. For those of you who have seen and enjoyed HUMBOLDT COUNTY, we would appreciate it if you would briefly visit one or more of the following sites and rate the film favorably. It should only take you a few minutes, but the impact will be everlasting. (If you didn't like the film, you can skip this step.)

Thank you all for your generous and enthusiastic support over the last year.

Jason

HC Newsletter - October 24, 2008

2008-10-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

Friends,

As the film continues to roll out to theaters across the country (see our website for details), I'm pleased to announce that the "Humboldt County" soundtrack is finally available for download from iTunes.

For those of you who have seen the film and experienced the extraordinary talents of our composer (iZLER) and music supervisor (Peymon Maskan, who helped us find all of the songs), this soundtrack is a bargain.

To have a listen or buy yourself or your loved ones a lifelong souvenir, open iTunes and search the store for "Humboldt County." Or just click here.

You're welcome,

Jason

HC Newsletter - October 3, 2008

2008-10-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Many thanks for all of your generous support over the past week. HUMBOLDT COUNTY's theatrical launch in its first nine markets was reasonably successful. Though it could have been better, it certainly could have been significantly worse. And the feedback we have been receiving from audience members in person and online has been overwhelmingly positive. The film will continue to play in most of the original cities (Austin, Berkeley, Portland, Santa Rosa, San Francisco and Humboldt) for at least another week, so please keep up the word-of-mouth.

Today, however, we have what could be our most important opening: New York City. (No disrespect to Eugene, OR, where we're also releasing.) We start our run at the Sunshine Cinema today, and the competition will be fierce, as there are 10 other new films also opening this weekend. However, based on our review in The New York Times, it's entirely possible that we could have a stellar weekend. So please remind your friends in The Big Apple to set aside 97 minutes for HUMBOLDT COUNTY in the next few days.

In other news, a few days ago HUMBOLDT COUNTY was awarded Best Narrative Feature at the Idaho International Film Festival. So that's nice.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - September 21, 2008

2008-09-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Danny, Darren, and I have been on the road for the past week, promoting the film in several of the markets where it will open on Friday. We have been conducting television, radio, print and web interviews, participating in Q&As at word-of-mouth preview screenings, and generally pounding the pavement handing out posters, postcards, and customized match boxes to anyone with at least one hand. [See the Directors' Blog for more details.] Independent film fans all over Austin, Seattle, and Portland are now (hopefully) well aware of HUMBOLDT COUNTY’s forthcoming release. Next stop: The Bay Area, where we’ll be promoting for the rest of the week in anticipation of opening night, which is THIS FRIDAY.

We also received some breaking news yesterday: we finally have confirmation about our New York opening. HUMBOLDT COUNTY will have its Big Apple premiere on October 3rd, 2008 at the Sunshine Cinema (143 East Houston). This is arguably the finest indie film house in New York, and we are ecstatic that it’s hosting our first East Coast release.

No word yet on the timing and venue for Los Angeles, Chicago, and other cities, but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear.

This weekend is the Olympic Finals for HUMBOLDT COUNTY -- we only get one shot at a significant opening. Remember: there won’t be any television commercials or massive ad campaigns for this film; our marketing is heavily dependent on word-of-mouth, so please make sure everyone you know in the cities it's opening are aware of its release.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - August 26, 2008

2008-08-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Mark your calendars and spread the news: one month from today, "Humboldt County" finally will open in theaters.To help increase awareness, we have been hard at work creating a wealth of marketing materials:

The magnificent new "Humboldt County" Trailer is now available. In fact, it is so compelling the folks at Apple asked for exclusive rights to it for a week on the Apple Trailers site. Take a couple minutes to check it out. The team that worked on it was phenomenal, and the results are stunning.
We shot a Promotional Video for the film last month that features a number of our cast members. We are told it's entertaining, but you should judge for yourself.
The "Humboldt County" Website has been updated. It is now faster and more scalable. Over the next few weeks the amount of content will grow notably, as articles, reviews, and maybe a Sudoku puzzle or two are posted there.

It cannot be stressed enough how critical your help will be in raising awareness of this motion picture. Many of you have been supporting us for over two years now, and this film's success is -- for better or worse -- almost entirely dependent upon the number of tickets sold during the first weekend in theaters.

So please forward the trailer, promotional video and website to anyone you think might be interested. And for those of you in one of the cities where the film will open in theaters (September 26th in Arcata, Austin, Berkeley, Eugene, Eureka, Garberville, Portland, San Francisco Seattle; early-mid October in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and possibly others), go ahead and treat yourself to a ticket. Or five.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - August 8, 2008

2008-08-08T16:44:00.000-07:00

Friends,

It has been a busy and exciting few weeks for the "Humboldt County" team, as the film's public launch is imminent. The current release schedule is as follows:

Friday, September 26: AUSTIN, BERKELEY, PORTLAND, SAN FRANCISCO, SEATTLE, and of course HUMBOLDT (Eureka, Arcata and Garberville)
Friday, October ??: CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, and ELSEWHERE
[The date(s) and locations will be determined over the next month or two and are dependent on how well the film plays in its first week. And apologies, Chicagoans, for previously misleading you about the timing.]

For those of you who might not live in one of our release markets or who would rather see the film in the comfort of your own screening room (and/or not have to spring for a babysitter), the film will also be available on Video On Demand (on most every cable and dish network) starting Monday, September 1st.

In anticipation of these impending dates, we have been scrambling to finalize a number of associated elements, including:

- Our Release Poster: The Motion Picture Association of America, the governing body that assigns ratings to films (as expected, ours got an "R"), also closely monitors movie websites, trailers, posters, and other marketing areas. They took issue with the image of our protagonist standing on an oversized, lit "marijuana cigarette" -- even ablaze tobacco cigarettes go against their regulations -- so we had to make some delicate adjustments, which include a new tagline.

- Our Official Trailer: The MPAA rejected our trailer for, among other offenses, instances of explicit drug use. We had to create a new trailer, which was harder than we thought, as it is challenging to convey the tone and themes of a film when you are forbidden from showing or discussing the profession/lifestyle of several of the principal characters (i.e., pot farming). In the end, we are pleased with the new trailer and hope you will agree next week when it is released on our website.

- Our New Website: Not surprisingly, the MPAA did not approve of our website either. We are updating it, but that may take several weeks. The new one will have much of the same design as our existing one, but it will be faster and much, much sweeter.

- Video Promotions: We shot and edited a promotional short film, which will soon be distributed on the internet as well as the Video On Demand networks, and should serve to increase awareness of the film.

We are also working to produce a soundtrack for the film, as well as any other merchandise that might be in demand (t-shirts, anyone?).

In addition, Danny & Darren will be taking their Dog & Pony show on the road. During the two weeks prior to the theatrical release, we are planning a "Barnstorming Tour" involving publicity events, screenings of the film, and other grass roots marketing efforts* in each of the markets where "Humboldt County" will open. We are also holding our premier in Humboldt County itself on Wednesday, August 27th at the WildRivers 101 Film Festival.

More news to come in the next several weeks, including a detailed itinerary of the Barnstorming Tour.

Best,

Jason

*No matter where you live, if you are interested in volunteering to help us with the film's campaign in your areas, please email us at info@humboldtcountymovie.com and we'll make you an official part of the team.

HC Newsletter - July 15, 2008

2008-07-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

As the release date for HUMBOLDT COUNTY approaches, the excitement and intensity is mounting. Take, for example, last week, when Danny & Darren sat on a panel with Peter Bogdanovich and Mark Cuban for the Television Critics Association annual event. It was a treat for us to reconnect with Mr. Bogdanovich, and hearing Mark Cuban (who owns -- among many other entities -- Magnolia Pictures) repeatedly extol the virtues of our film to dozens of reporters was spectacular. And a bit surreal. Details and pictures can be found on the Directors' Blog.

For the last several weeks, we have been preparing the marketing campaign for the film's public debut. We shot a promotional video (which ended up being a short film) that included cameos from several of our more recognizable cast members. We also began the process of recutting our trailer and redesigning our poster, both of which are necessary if we want an MPAA rating. In addition, we are converting the film to video, compiling our DVD extras, and finalizing innumerable other details, including a roadshow of pre-release screenings around the country to increase awareness of the film.

Now for the news for which many of you have been waiting: it appears that the theatrical release date for HUMBOLDT COUNTY will be Friday, September 26th, 2008. Mark your calendars, tell your friends, and save up your allowance because we expect to see all of you there.More to come as that date inches towards us.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - June 5, 2008

2008-06-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Apologies for the radio silence for the past, wow, nearly eight weeks. Rest assured, however, that we have been cooking up something special for you...

We are pleased -- no, make that ecstatic -- to officially announce that MAGNOLIA PICTURES has picked up HUMBOLDT COUNTY for distribution in the U.S.

What does this mean? It means that any of you who have not yet seen the film (and those of you who want to see it again) will soon have the chance to do so. Possibly on a Big Screen near you. And if not, then on Video On Demand, DVD, your favorite cable station, iTunes, an airplane, cruise ship, etc.

The current plan is to release the film in theaters in five cities late this summer, likely in September. Those cities will be:
- Austin
- Chicago
- Portland
- San Francisco
- Seattle

We will roll out to at least five additional cities in the following weeks. At the same time the film is playing in theaters, it will also be available on Video On Demand for those of you who may not live where the film will be playing theatrically. Several months thereafter, the film will be released on DVD and other mediums for your rental or purchase. Obviously as the details are finalized, they will be made widely public.

Magnolia is a brilliant and highly respected company, and we are thrilled to be in business with them. The marketing campaign we are collective planning with them is going to be heavily grassroots. So, though the film's public debut is still a few months away, we are soon going to need your help (yes, that means YOU) to spread the word about the film's release, especially in those cities where it will be playing in theaters. We need the attendance during the first weekend in those five markets to be monstrous if we want it to play in as many cities across the county as we believe it should.

Keep your eye on our website and the Directors' Blog for updates.

We are grateful for your continued support.

Best,

Jason

Also, For those of you who live in Humboldt County itself, listen up: We are hoping to screen the film at the WildRivers 101 Film Festival in August. We appreciate how eager you all are to see the film, but please be patient just a tad longer, so we can nail down the specifics. Stay tuned.

HC Newsletter - April 11, 2008

2008-04-11T15:13:00.001-07:00

A quick note to let you know that there is a mention (albeit small) of HUMBOLDT COUNTY in this week's Entertainment Weekly. Our first piece of national print exposure. Kind of exciting.

We're mentioned in an article called "Going to Pot," which illuminates the recent uptick of films where marijuana plays a role. It starts on page 38.

More to come,

Jason

HC Newsletter - March 14, 2008

2008-03-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Friends,

The SXSW Film Festival has nearly come to a close, and everyone from the "Humboldt County" team who was involved considers our experience to have been nothing short of spectacular.

As I mentioned in the last update, the premiere was incredible. We figured that night would be the highlight of the festival for us. But there were other moments that turned out to be even more memorable.

The word-of-mouth around Austin about the film was so strong that for our second screening, we had hundreds more people waiting in line than could fit into the theater. So, rather than turn away a multitude of eager film-goers, the festival decided -- at the urging of our resourceful sales rep -- to take-over an adjacent theater and show the film on two screens simultaneously. We proceeded to sell out the second theater as well and had to turn away scores of others still in line.

For our third screening, which was in the middle of the day after most of the festival attendees had left town or had their fill of movies, we tempered our expectations. But again we sold out our assigned theater and had to project in a second one to accommodate the crowd. (And many were still turned away.)

If all of that wasn't enough reward for the last 4-5 years of work, the response from the audiences and the critics who have written about the film thus far has been overwhelming. While we try not to pay too much attention to reviews, it is gratifying to know that your efforts to make a compelling film are appreciated, even by those who are inclined to be a bit jaded. Though we are awaiting more, I will include a sampling of the press we received (thanks in large part to our amazing publicity team) below, in case you are interested.

For our next trick, we will try to secure a distributor for the film, so those of you who couldn't make it to Austin, or were unable to attend a screening, can see it in the comfort of your local theater or home.

Best,

Jason

NB: As always, you can find a more colorful play-by-play of our experiences at the Directors' Blog.

REVIEWS

"...a pitch perfect directing debut"
The Austin Chronicle

"Good things ahead, no doubt, for both the film and its creators."
Twitch
"Humboldt County is just the type of small film that, if given a chance to be seen by audiences, could become somewhat of a hit for grownups ala Sideways or The Squid and the Whale."
FilmThreat
"...a singularly enjoyable coming-of-age story"
IndieWire
"...the film is genial and pleasant"
IFC
"...it's nice to see a film were you can actually see a character grow and change throughout a movie."
Newsvine

ARTICLES/INTERVIEWS

The Hollywood Reporter

IFC TV (video)

MSNBC

Wired

Huffington Post
Twitch

HC Newsletter - March 12, 2008

2008-03-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

A brief update on our momentum at SXSW: last night's screening (the second of the fest) was oversold by hundreds of people, so -- after some finagling by our resourceful sales rep -- we convinced the director of the festival and the manager of the theater to show HUMBOLDT COUNTY on a second screen simultaneously. This allowed another couple hundred people to see the film, and we still had to turn away many eager audience members.

The buzz is significant and the reviews are strong (more on that in the next few days). Now the sales process begins...

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - March 8, 2008

2008-03-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Friends,

It is hard to summarize the past 24 hours. It has been a whirlwind of emotion for all of us in Austin. Our sales and publicity reps did a fantastic job getting many prospective buyers (distributors) and film critics in to the premiere, and they -- with many family, friends, and film loving strangers -- seemed to have an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the film. We feel bad for the people who weren't able to get into the screening,

We likely won't have any definitive news on the sales side for several weeks or possibly longer, but the reviews are starting to trickle in. Here is another one. Also, IFC News did an interview with Darren & Danny that will air tonight (Saturday) and for the next five days at 8:15pm EST, 5:15pm PST on IFC TV.

Lot of other details to share, but those are the important ones for the moment.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - March 7, 2008

2008-03-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, tonight is the long-anticipated public premiere of "Humboldt County." Danny, Darren and I are in Austin for the screening -- along with many others who played key roles -- and the excitement and anxiety are a tad overwhelming.

Those of you who have been with us most of the way can attest that this film require countless man (and woman) years of effort from literally hundreds of people, but we are proud of the result and hope that everyone who helped will be, too.

Yesterday, we received our first printed review of the film. It appeared in the Austin Chronicle, which is the town's culturally-oriented weekly paper. Let's hope it is an indication of many reviews to come.

More to come over the next few days. In the meantime, if you have a burning desire to track Danny & Darren's every move, keep an eye on their blog.

Regards,

Jason

Hollywood Reporter HUMBOLDT Article

2008-03-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our world-class publicity team, the coverage begins...

Today, there was a spectacular (and LONG) article on the film and Darren & Danny in the Hollywood reporter. Check it out here.

Jason

HC Newsletter - February 15, 2008

2008-02-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

Friends,

We are pleased to announce that our screening times for the South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin next month are now official. For those of you considering attending, they are:

- Friday 3/7 @ 6:00pm: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
- Tuesday 3/11 @ 9:30pm: Alamo Drafthouse Lamar
- Thursday 3/13 @ 1:30pm: Alamo Drafthouse Lamar

In other news, the HUMBOLDT COUNTY trailer is now available on our site. Take a look when you have a chance. In fact, go ahead and watch it twice -- there's no charge.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - January 15, 2008

2008-01-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

Friends,

For many of you, it has been a couple months since you last heard news from us about "Humboldt County," so we must apologize. Despite our lack of communication, we have been been extremely busy with the film and have some exciting new developments to share.

First, a few updates on some of our esteemed cast members:

+ Chris Messina was recently cast in the comedy "Julie and Julia," opposite Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci. The film, based on the book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, follows Julie Powell (Adams), a government employee who decides to cook her way through legendary cook Julia Child's (Streep) classic cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year's time out of her small Queens kitchen. Chris is set to play Julie's husband. The film was written and will be directed by Nora Ephron, who also wrote and/or directed "Silkwood," "Heartburn," "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," and "You've Got Mail" among others.

+ Jeremy Strong's off-Broadway play "New Jerusalem" have opened, and and both he and the show are receiving uniformly positive reviews. The New York Times review can be perused here: http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/theater/reviews/14new.html?ref=theater

+ Frances Conroy is currently filming "Chilled in Miami," a romantic comedy starring Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr.

We have also recently completed the official "Humboldt County" website, http://www.humboldtcountymovie.com/. In addition to a wealth of information about the film and those who made it happen, it also includes a link to the Directors Blog that Darren & Danny started last month. (For those of you who might not know what a "blog" is, it is essentially an online journal. They have become a highly valued resource for film fans.) We are currently developing our trailer, which should be complete within the next month and will be available on the site as well.

Finally, we have received word recently that the film will likely have its public premier a top-tier film festival sometime this spring. More details will follow in the next few weeks, when all is public and official. In the meantime, stay warm and dry.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - November 30, 2007

2007-11-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

Friends,

A quick note to let you all know that the film itself is nearly (and finally) complete. In the next few weeks we will be making prints of the film from the negative, which is the last step in this LONG process.

As we start to determine when and where we will premier the film, we are also working on putting together the marketing approach that we feel will optimize our chances at securing distribution. One aspect that we have recently finalized is our festival poster, and we are tremendously excited about it, so we thought we'd share it with you. Many of you were polled on the multitude of options our designer created, and this one was the clear winner.

We're eager to hear your feeback on it.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - October 22, 2007

2007-10-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Some big news to share about our cast today:

- Chris Messina has been named to Variety's "10 Actors To Watch." Each year Variety, the premier daily magazine covering the entertainment industry, identifies and profiles a handful of actors who it deems as on the verge of breakout success, and Chris recent and forthcoming performances have earned him this coveted accolade. Congratulations, Chris.

- Jeremy Strong has been cast in the lead role in a new off-Broadway play. Starting in January, Jeremy will play the role of Baruch de Spinoza in "New Jerusalem," to be directed by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie. The show is about the trial and excommunication of the legendary philosopher Spinoza from Amsterdam in 1656, and apparently it is already creating buzz (though we would assume not because of the comedy). Well done, Mr. Strong.

- Peter Bogdanovich's latest directorial effort, "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down A Dream," has been released to outstanding reviews. Peter has been working on this documentary, which details the rise of the legendary rock band, for several years, and finally last week it premiered across the country in theaters for a one-night-only event. It is now available everywhere on DVD and will begin airing on the Sundance Channel on October 29th. If you are a fan of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, it is a must-see.

In addition, the rest of our ensemble of actors continue to be cast in television and film projects. We will continue to keep you appraised of their successes.

As for "Humboldt County" itself, we are currently finalizing its conversion back to 35mm film, as we await word on our festival premier. In the meantime, we have nearly completed the design of our poster, which we will share with you in the coming weeks, soon to be followed by our film website.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - September 14, 2007

2007-09-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Friends,

After a wildly successful run on the festival circuit -- including Best Feature awards at LA and U.S. Comedy Arts -- the romantic comedy "Ira & Abby" was released theatrically today (Friday) in New York and LA. The film stars two of our lead actors from "Humboldt County," Chris Messina and Frances Conroy, and it is getting a good deal of positive press.

"Ira & Abby" marks Jennifer Westfeldt's return as a screenwriter and star following 2002's "Kissing Jessica Stein". She plays Abby, a free spirit who works in a gym and is better at solving her friends’ problems than selling memberships. Chris plays Ira, a brilliant neurotic who has so many issues that 12 years of analysis have only scratched the surface. The film is about their unusual relationship, and offers a sly and subversive take on marriage. It also boasts an all-star ensemble cast, including our very own Frances Conroy, as well as Judith Light, Robert Klein, Fred Willard, and Jason Alexander. In the coming weeks, "Ira & Abby" will also hit theaters in cities such as San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Chicago. We encourage you all to see it. More information about the film and its release dates across the country can be found here: http://www.iraandabby.com/.

As for "Humboldt County," we continue our forward progress. Last month, at the suggestion of our editor, Danny, Darren and I returned to the editing room to revisit what we had been calling our "final" cut. After several consecutive Sundays of tinkering, we now have an new version of the film that has improved pacing and increased tension, while being 4-5 minutes shorter. We should be making a decision on a sales agent in the next month or so, and we are simultaneously developing the film's marketing image with a designer who helped create the iconic posters for dozens of memorable films, including "A Few Good Men", "The Untouchables", "American Beauty," and "Sideways". We will, of course, keep you all appraised of any news.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - July 31, 2007

2007-07-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Friends,

As the filmmakers and I continue our efforts to secure distribution for "Humboldt County", we are pleased to announce several of our principal actors have recently leveraged their involvement in the film to secure exciting upcoming roles.

You may recall that four of our ensemble cast of seven leads are established film actors (Fairuza Balk, Peter Bogdanovich, Frances Conroy, and Brad Dourif). Not surprisingly, since completing production, they have each been cast in several more upcoming films. The other three actors with significant roles in "Humboldt County" -- Madison Davenport, Chris Messina, and Jeremy Strong -- previously had only a handful of film roles between them. However, the industry now appears to be recognizing what we have known to be true for well over a year: that they are outstanding actors.

In last month's newsletter, I reported that Chris had recently played a lead role in a new HBO pilot and is currently acting in Woody Allen's next film. In the past few weeks, we learned that Madison has also been shooting a major motion picture, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery." The movie is based on the immensely popular line of American Girl dolls, and Madison plays the best friend of Abigail Breslin, academy award nominee and star of "Little Miss Sunshine".

Finally, for the trifecta, last week Jeremy, whose acting experience prior to "Humboldt County" was solely theatrical, was cast opposite Mark Wahlberg in the next movie from writer/director M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense," "Signs," "The Village"). Jeremy begins shooting in Philadelphia shortly, and "The Happening" will be released next summer.

More on the future of "Humboldt County" in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, we hope you will join us in congratulating our friends on their recent successes.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - June 8, 2007

2007-06-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Friends,

The last several weeks have included many long and stressful days, but the music and sound for "Humboldt County" are finally complete, and we are elated with the result. We have a number of process-oriented tasks ahead required to convert our work from a digital medium back to 35mm film, but -- for all intents and purposes -- we have at last finished the production process.

Now it is time to shift our energies toward marketing and ensure the film secures distribution. This means scheduling meetings with sales agents and prospective buyers, submitting to the premier film festivals, and designing and executing our marketing plan. It will be a new set of challenges, but we have already received promising signs in several of these areas.

In other news, one of our cast members, Chris Messina, has had an extraordinary month. His last film, Ira & Abby, was purchased by a Magnolia Pictures and will be released later this year. He was also cast as the lead in a new HBO series pilot that will be directed by J.J. Abrams, who created "Felicity," "Alias," "What About Brian," and "Lost." And finally, Chris was selected to play a major role in Woody Allen's next film, which is being shot in Barcelona this summer. He will be starring with Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem. We are all thrilled about Chris' positive momentum.

As we have nearly completed the "product development" aspect of the filmmaking process, these updates will likely become less frequent. When we receive news about screenings and sales, you will of course be informed. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact us with questions or even a few words of support.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - April 30, 2007

2007-04-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Another month, another step closer to the completion of "Humboldt County." Our energy since the last update has been focused on music and sound. Our composer has been toiling for weeks to arrange a score that successfully elevates the emotion of the film to an unexpected level. Also, we recently brought on board a talented music supervisor, who is working to identify the handful of songs that will round out our soundtrack.

Simultaneously, in another part of town, a small army of creative technicians is enhancing and creating the film's sound (dialogue, effects, and ambiance), which is a highly complex and fascinating process.

By month end, we will have begun to mix the music and sound with the picture. This critical improvement will transform the project into what we anticipate will be the marketable and compelling film it has always promised to be.

Stay tuned.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - March 31, 2007

2007-03-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Apologies for the lapse in communication, but there haven't been many notable milestones to share since the last "Humboldt County" newsletter. I don't mean to imply that we are not ecstatic about the film's progress, but we are in a phase of the filmmaking process where creativity is favored over speed.

The majority of our time over the past six weeks has been spent evaluating prospective crew for this critical stage. Though we had narrowed our composer options to just a few by mid-February, it took another month to select our guy. He is now diligently working toward writing and recording the music that will significantly elevate the story. We have also recently selected the individuals who will edit, design, and mix our sound, so the film's audio soon will be as impressive as the visuals. Additionally, we are currently working with other professionals to design our titles and create our optical effects -- which are comprised of scene transitions (like fades and dissolves) and other digital trickery that we hope you will never notice.

Our current schedule puts completion of these elements at early June. At that point, we will have a number of steps to port the digital version of the movie back to 35mm film, but the creative aspects of the process will be behind us.

Many thanks for your continued support,

Jason

HC Newsletter - February 15, 2007

2007-02-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Friends,

It's official: the light at the end of the filmmaking tunnel is finally visible. A few weeks ago, after more than three months of editing, we locked picture on "Humboldt County," meaning we are no longer editing the visuals. Danny, Darren, and I are all very pleased with the results. That said, we still have plenty of work to do.

Now that we know the order and length of every scene, we can undertake the myriad of other processes required to complete the film. As I've mentioned before, our highest priority is music. We have spent the past several weeks interviewing many talented composers and music supervisors who are eager to help us with the score and songs. We are currently negotiating deal terms with our top candidates and plan to have them on board within the next week.

While we finish the film, we are also beginning the next phase of our endeavor: securing distribution. To that end, we are awaiting word from several high profile film festivals about their interest in premiering our film, as well as initiating discussions with a number of sales agents. We will, as always, notify you of any news on these fronts.

Warm regards from sunny Los Angeles,

Jason

HC Newsletter - January 15, 2007

2007-01-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

Friends,

It is a few weeks overdue, but Happy New Year from the "Humboldt County" team.

After a self-imposed two week time-out over the holidays, we jumped back into the editing process with gusto a couple of weeks ago. Our fresh perspective has inspired numerous changes, both subtle and substantial. As a result, the film is tighter and more compelling than it has ever been, as evidenced by the progressively favorable test screenings we have been conducting recently.

In addition, over the past four days we reassembled a scaled down cast & crew and filmed several pick-ups (shots we missed) and new scenes that we feel will further enhance the end product. We will incorporate this new footage tomorrow, and in a little over a week we plan to "lock picture," meaning we will have completed the visual edit of the film. From there we will start to edit the various sound elements, which -- largely due to the musical score, which will need to be composed -- may take another few months.

We are nearing the finish line, and optimism is relatively high. Despite the fact that we are painfully stretched on the financial side, we continue to make forward progress. One indication was the call we received last week from the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, one of the top five such events in North America. They have invited us to premier "Humboldt County" at their festival this March. Though we may decline the invitation (because the film may not be ready in time), being selected for this festival is not only an enormous honor, but also a strong testament to the quality of our project; over 3,000 films were submitted for around 100 spots.

Now for the less optimistic news: as I have discussed via email or live with many of you, we continue to be painfully stretched on the financial side. Unless we are able to raise the remainder of the funding we need to complete the film in the next several weeks, our forward progress will stall. If you know anyone who might be interested in participating in the project -- or if you are intrigued by the idea of increasing your involvement -- please contact me as soon as possible. Keep in mind that the investment is tax deductible...

One fact is for sure: the closer this film comes to completion, the more excited we are to show it to you.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - November 15, 2006

2006-11-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

Friends,

It is hard to believe, but it has been close to a month since we completed principal photography on "Humboldt County." After a brief decompression period, we dove head first into post-production, and now find ourselves once again all consumed.

Danny and Darren have been working with our editor, Ed Marx, 10-16 hours a day, scrutinizing the footage and piecing together our first cut. It will be several more weeks before this primary pass is complete, but all parties agree the result will be as promising as we had hoped.

Simultaneously, we are in the initial stages of selecting the vendors and individuals who will help transform this film into a full-blown motion picture. Critical elements such as sound design and mixing, digital effects, titles, and an original music soundtrack will be added to the project over the next several months. If all goes well, we will have a finished product by the end of February, at which point we will focus all our energies on selling it.

We remain extremely tight on the financing side and are reticent to cut corners (due to financial limitations) in this all-important phase of the project. If you know of anyone who you believe may be interested in participating in this opportunity, please don't hesitate to contact me with details. For those of you already involved, if you have not already done so, I ask you to consider increasing your investment.

I will continue to update you with our progress as we reach notable milestones. In the meantime, treat yourself to some turkey with all the fixin's.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - October 22, 2006

2006-10-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Friends,

I am pleased to announce that yesterday we completed principal photography on "Humboldt County." We each have a multitude of tales from the experience; so many, in fact, that it would be too difficult to chose one in particular to detail here. I will, however, share two photos: one of (most of) the primary cast and another of (most of) the crew.

Editing of the film has already begun, and we plan to have "picture lock" by early next year. During and following this process, we also will be editing and enhancing the film's sound -- including adding music -- as well as incorporating a couple computer generated effects. Once the film is complete, we will be exploring a number of paths to securing distribution.

There is a great deal of work to be done, but the results of the production phase have put us in a cautiously optimistic frame of mind.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - October 12, 2006

2006-10-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Late last night we completed the 15th day of our 20-day production, and all aspects continue to go remarkably well. The weather has held up -- only one day of light rain -- and the "dailies" we have been watching of the film we have already shot consistently astound even us.

Below are a few stills from the past week, including one of our directors in costume. (They are playing supporting roles as well.) If all goes according to plan, we'll be finished on Tuesday, and then it's on to the editing process.

Best,

Jason

Chris Messina (MAX) and Jeremy Strong (PETER)

Jeremy Strong (PETER) & Peter Bogdanovich (PROFESSOR HADLEY)

Jeremy Strong (PETER) & Fairuza Balk (BOGART)

Frances Conroy (ROSIE)

Brad Dourif (JACK)

Jeremy Strong (PETER), Danny Jacobs (STEVE), Darren Grodsky (BOB)

HC Newsletter - October 3, 2006

2006-10-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Friends,

A quick note from Danny, Darren and I to announce that we have completed 8 of our 20 shooting days, and the production is going unbelievably well. While there have been plenty of bumps in the road, we've had far more good fortune than we could ever have anticipated. (For instance, when you budget several thousand dollars for a shot of a helicopter, and then the coast guard decides to do a demonstration of their new whirlybird at one of your primary shooting locations two days before you start production, and they allow you to film it, Lady Luck is clearly on your side.)

The performances have been outstanding, the locations stunning, and the crew remarkably efficient. On top of all that, we are currently on schedule and within our budget.

We are moving through the production schedule very quickly but are managing to keep on top of it all. From what we have seen thus far -- and I'm sure those of you who have visited set can attest -- we appear to be well on our way to making an entertaining and thought-provoking film.

More to come...

Jason

HC Newsletter - September 24, 2006

2006-09-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Friends,

It is hard to believe, but after several years of effort on the part of countless individuals, "Humboldt County" will finally start production tomorrow, September 25th.*

It would be impossible for me to express the excitement Danny, Darren, and I are experiencing. In the past month, the project has undergone momentous changes, not the least of which is the assembly of over 40 crew members, each of whom will spend at least the next four weeks bringing this film to life. We have also managed to wrangle quite an impressive cast. Since the last newsletter, we have added the last few actors needed to round out our cast, including two highly-regarded veteran actors:

- Brad Dourif, who is attached to play JACK, first made his mark as Billy Bibbit in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," a role for which he received an Oscar nomination and won a Golden Globe. Since then, he has been in over 100 films, including "The Lord of the Rings" movies. His recent role on HBO's "Deadwood" recently earned him an Emmy nomination.

- Frances Conroy, attached to play ROSIE, was also the star of an HBO series, "Six Feet Under." Her role on that highly acclaimed show garnered her four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe award. She has also been featured in dozens of films, including "Crimes & Misdemeanors," "Scent of a Woman," "Sleepless in Seattle," "The Aviator," and "Shopgirl."

Those of you who have been with us for some time will recall that Jeremy Davies has been slated to play the part of MAX. As our production dates approached, it became clear that he and the directors had mounting creative differences, so we elected to recast that role. We were very lucky to find a brilliant actor named Chris Messina to replace him. Chris, who has become renowned in the New York theater over the past couple of years, also had a recurring role on "Six Feet Under." He has appeared in a number of feature films, and he recently played the lead role in "Ira and Abby," and independent film that in July won The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Los Angeles Film festival.

Since several (or all) of the actors' names in our cast may be unfamiliar to you, I have attached a visual reference since their faces are likely more recognizable. It is notable that we have four actors who have worked on critically acclaimed HBO original series, namely "The Sopranos," "Six Feet Under," and "Deadwood," which underscores the strength of our material, cast, and potential in the marketplace.
Needless to say, there is a lot more to share. At the moment, though, I have to get back to work on our preparation. I plan to send more frequent updates over the next several weeks, so keep your eyes out and your fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Jason

*The fact that our shooting schedule coincides with my wedding, which is next weekend, is definitive proof of Murphy's Law.

HC Newsletter - September 1, 2006

2006-09-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Friends,

It is hard to convey how much has happened in the month since our last update. I probably should have sent out an edition of this newsletter a week or two ago, but we have all been so overwhelmed that time got away from us.

The most important news is this: We are officially in pre-production and plan to start filming "Humboldt County" on September 25th. We reached our minimum capitalization several weeks ago and have spent all of our time since then assembling our crew, scouting locations, negotiating equipment/material deals, casting our remaining actors, raising additional financing, and preparing ourselves for the forthcoming production. We have a little over three weeks until we start shooting, and our rapidly growing team has been a tremendous help in managing the myriad tasks we have in front of us.

We will be filming for four weeks, six days a week, and the vast majority will be shot in Humboldt County itself (Arcata, Eureka, and the surrounding areas). Our crew size will average 40 people, but there will be "heavy" days when the number of cast members and extras will put us close to 70. All of the department heads we have hired -- and plan to hire -- have a wealth of experience with feature films and will be invaluable in ensuring the film is delivered on time and within budget.

There have been many additions to the project in the last four weeks, but one of the most notable is Fairuza Balk, who has been cast in the role of "Bogart." Fairuza is an alluring and accomplished actress who is recognized as both an independent film stalwart (American History X, Personal Velocity) and a bankable star of studio films (The Craft, Almost Famous, The Waterboy). She, like the others we have cast, is remarkably passionate about this film and has already spent many hours of her personal time with Danny, Darren, and the other actors rehearsing. In addition to being a stellar actress, she has a phenomenal voice, and next week we will be recording the song she will be singing in the film. Full credits, photos and a biography for Fairuza can be found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000103/

There is much more to share with all of you, but right now I'm afraid my time is better spent focusing on the project. We hope to have a rudimentary website up soon that will provide more frequent updates, but you can count on these newsletters appearing in your mailbox as often as we can manage.

Best,

Jason

HC Newsletter - August 1, 2006

2006-08-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Friends,

I apologize in advance about the relative brevity of this update. Our planned start date (now mid-September) is rapidly approaching, and we're in a frenzied state trying to assemble the last few elements that will enable us to begin production. We continue to focus on casting, financing, and evolving the script, which is where our attention has been concentrated for several months now. We have also been speaking with many established producers over these last weeks and have learned that, for better or for worse, the casting and funding challenges we've been facing are the norm rather than the exception when it comes to independent filmmaking.

On the casting side, Jeremy Strong, who will be playing our lead, Peter, is turning out not only to be a magnificent actor, but also surprisingly well-connected. Since joining the team, he has introduced us and the project to countless well-known actors and prospective financiers. We have spent the vast majority of our time over the past few weeks auditioning dozens of actresses (and singers) for the lead young female role, Bogart, and we should have someone very alluring attached within the next two weeks, if not sooner. In less fortunate news, Teri Garr has had to drop out of the project due to conflicting commitments she has with a pharmaceutical company for whom she is the spokesperson. However, there are an abundance of talented actresses who are appropriate for that role gives, so we are confident we'll be able to find someone equally or more talented to replace her.

Based on feedback we've received from our cast and others, we have made some notable improvements to the script over the past month, and the reaction we've been receiving is outstanding. The changes have focused on deepening the character "arcs" (i.e., their change in behavior over the course of the story) and intensifying the intrapersonal conflict. If any of you are interested in the latest version, let me know and I'll be happy to forward it.

On the financing side, we've made progress both in raising additional funds and in attracting new prospects and partners to the table. That said, we're up against a wall and need to take a big step forward in the next week or two. As always, if any of you could make an introduction to a friend or colleague who might be interested in this opportunity, please do so now. We are asking each of you to give it 30 seconds of thought, as it could determine the success of the entire endeavor.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - July 7, 2006

2006-07-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

Friends,

The "Humboldt County" casting train continues to pick up speed. In the past week we had the incredible fortune of finding and casting the actor we have long been seeking to play Peter, our protagonist.

Though we considered many recognized film actors, it has always been our hope to "discover" someone unknown for this role. We have been auditioning actors for months now, and nobody -- no matter how many or few films they had made -- seemed right. Then a few weeks ago, we spoke to a well-regarded casting director in New York and asked her if she knew of anyone who might be right for the film. We told her we were looking for the equivalent to Dustin Hoffman before he made "The Graduate."

She replied, "I know exactly the guy for you. His name is Jeremy Strong."

Jeremy read the script and loved it. He auditioned for us on tape from his agency in NYC, and we had never seen someone so ideal. Last week we flew him out from New York. He impressed us to no end with his knowledge, talent, and passion.

Jeremy is a theater actor who trained at the Yale Drama School and has been making a growing impact on the New York theater scene since arriving there. His recent performances have been described as "excellent" (New York Magazine), "memorable" (The Hollywood Reporter) and "close to perfect" (The New York Times). His reputation in the film world is rapidly increasing as several casting directors have seen him in action and want to put him in something soon, so we feel as if we found not only a spectacular actor but also someone with a lot of momentum.

We are certain that, once you have a chance to see him perform, you will be as excited about him as we are.

More to come.

Jason

HC Newsletter - July 3, 2006

2006-07-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

Friends,

The holiday weekend and July's seemingly early arrival have led to a slightly delayed "Humboldt County" newsletter. For that, I apologize.

As expected, June has been a momentous month for us. We made some significant progress with casting and are now in late stage negotiations with several of our lead actors. We also generated interest from a few film financiers and distributors who are interested in helping make this project a reality.

With respect to cast, we should have some formal announcements in the next week or so. Though their deals are not yet finalized, we're thrilled about two actors who have recently signaled that they want to join the project:

- Teri Garr (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Tootsie, Mr. Mom) is an Oscar-nominated actress who has worked with Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Sydney Pollack, Martin Scorsese, and Robert Altman, will likely be playing "Rosie" in our her film. To date, the films in which she has appeared have earned over $1B in worldwide box office gross. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000414/

- Peter Bogdanovich is a legendary auteur who has directed such classics as The Last Picture Show, What's Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, and Mask. He has also had a long career as a character actor, most recently in the HBO hit series "The Sopranos." We are hammering out the details of Peter coming on board "Humboldt County" as "Barton Hadley," Peter's father, and as a consultant to the directors. His involvement promises to be invaluable to us. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000953/

We continue to search for the final few actors for our ensemble cast. As I've mentioned before, please keep in mind that our attached elements could change at any point. Until we start filming, there are no certainties in the world of filmmaking.

All that good news aside, we are now at a critical juncture. Because of increasing weather uncertainties come fall, we must initiate production of this film by late August or early September, which are only a handful of weeks away. If we are unable to raise the remainder of our required financing in the very near future, our production may be delayed indefinitely. We are confident we will make a magnificent film, but it looks like it is going to come down to the wire. As always, we appreciate your ongoing support.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - June 1, 2006

2006-06-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

Friends,

With the arrival of summer right around the corner, the "Humboldt County" project team, like the country as a whole, is feeling the heat. Our start date is fast approaching, and we have a veritable mountain of tasks to accomplish over the next few months. Luckily, our momentum is still growing, and the advancements we continue to make give us more confidence than ever in the potential of this film.

A few brief notes about our progress over the last month:

- Casting: As most of you know, Jeremy Davies signed on to play the role of "Max." Not only is Jeremy a tremendously talented actor, but he is also astoundingly passionate about the project and has been a big help to us in attracting other actors to it. He is working remarkably hard to make this film a success, making him an invaluable asset to our team. This month brought some frustrating news for us. Several of the actors we had targeted for major roles in the film -- and who wanted to play them -- had their TV "pilots" picked up for fall broadcast. While this is terrific news for them, it means they are unavailable to us this summer. Nevertheless, we will persevere and anticipate having another announcement or two in the next few weeks about additional cast members.

- Production: We decided to postpone our estimated start date by 5 weeks to August 14th. Much of the motivation behind our eagerness to start production in mid-July was to enable us to attract actors during the summer television hiatus, before TV shows began shooting their new fall seasons. However, many of these shows will begin shooting earlier than anticipated, thus preventing some actors from working with us. (Also, as mentioned above, a number of film actors who were eager to play roles in "Humboldt County" have been cast in television shows this fall as well.)

Because there is now less pressure to complete our production before the fall TV programs begin shooting, we have slipped our "go" date by slightly over a month. This has the added benefit of giving us more time to prepare. Part of this preparation includes our continual improvement of the screenplay. As always, if anyone would like to read the latest version, please let us know.

- Financing: We identified a number of new investors this month who seem intent on participating in the project. We are also engaged in early discussions with two film financiers/distributors who have expressed interest in funding the remainder of our budget. All the same, we still haven't reached our minimum capitalization and thus are not fully "greenlit"; this is a milestone that is not only required, but also now urgent. As always, we appreciate any and all introductions to individuals or groups who you believe might be interested in participating.

Keep your fingers crossed and your hopes high. June promises to be a monumental month.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - May 9, 2006

2006-05-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

Friends,

We are pleased to announce that Jeremy Davies (Solaris, Secretary, Saving Private Ryan, Spanking the Monkey) is now officially attached to "Humboldt County" in the supporting role of Max.

For those of you not immediately familiar with Jeremy, you can review his image and credits here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001111/. He is a remarkably talented actor who is highly regarded across the industry, as evidenced by the fact that he has been cast by many of the premier directors working today, including Steven Soderbergh, Lars Von Trier, David O. Russell, Wim Wenders, Werner Hertzog, and Steven Spielberg.

We couldn't be more thrilled to have him involved. And Jeremy is so outwardly enthusiastic about the project that it's entirely possible his excitement exceeds ours.

More to come...

Jason

HC Newsletter - May 1, 2006

2006-05-01T22:40:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Welcome to the "Humboldt County" newsletter, May Day edition.

What has the team been up to for the past month, you wonder? More of the same, and then some. We continue to multitask across several areas, including casting, financing, and writing, and because we're fast approaching our start date, we have recently added a few more endeavors, like location scouting.

As I explained last month, the casting process is time consuming and intense. It also tends to drag on longer than filmmakers wish it did. Throughout April, Danny, Darren, casting director John Jackson, and I continued to spend countless hours in meetings and auditions with actors interested in the film. This process has not only given us outstanding exposure to the pool of available talent, but it has also caused an unexpected frenzy in the acting community about the project. (Apparently, when actors read a script they like a lot, they tell their friends, who tell their agents and managers, who call the filmmakers to ask them to consider their clients.)

About ten days ago we decided it was time to conclude our meeting and audition schedule, so we could make offers to the actors about whom we felt the strongest. While we await their responses, we are focused on making further improvements to the script and completing our financing. We will naturally keep you updated on any official cast commitments. Though we hesitate to predict anything in this industry, we anticipate that we'll be able to secure at least one or two attachments this month.

In other news, while other members of the team were busy auditioning talent a couple of weeks ago, I took another voyage up to Humboldt to shift our production process into the next gear. I spent a good deal of time with the Humboldt County Film Commissioner, who set up interviews for me with the local newspapers, radio station, and television news team to start spreading the word of our forthcoming production. The primary purpose of these interviews was to garner support from the locals, who we need on our side to make the production a success. I also asked the readers/listeners/viewers to help us to identify specific locations we will need for the film. The response from the community was overwhelming. As a result, we now have several viable options for a number of key locations.

This month promises to be our most critical yet, so once again thank you for your support and encouragement.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - April 2, 2006

2006-04-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Friends,

April has arrived, and with it comes another issue of the "Humboldt County" newsletter.

March was an exciting month for the project. Though we continued to evolve the script, flesh out the team, and attract financing, the majority of our time was focused on assembling our cast.

February and March in Los Angeles are traditionally very busy ones for actors. It has been "pilot season," the time of year when all of the major broadcast and cable networks produce "pilot" (trial) episodes of each television show they are considering debuting in the fall. Almost everyone in the industry is focused on these series test shows, and nearly every actor in town is vying for roles on one or more of them. During this madness, it has been a challenge for us to rise above the fray, but we have now made significant inroads into each of the six major talent agencies. They have each reviewed our project internally, and -- based on the almost universally positive response -- they are all actively working with us to place their clients in the film.

Over the past several weeks, we have had numerous meetings with agents and actors in an effort to identify the best cast. We have been auditioning film actors, television stars, and lesser-known yet extremely talented performers alike, and we are optimistic about our prospects. If all goes according to plan, we should be in negotiations with one or more of our lead actors sometime later this month. Soon thereafter, all of the wheels will be in motion, and we will be well on our way toward our production start date of early-mid July.

More to come soon. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support and encouragement.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - March 1, 2006

2006-03-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

Friends,

This being the first day of March, it's time for a fresh edition of the "Humboldt County" newsletter. February was an active month, and we made some marked progress. Here is a bit of insight into our efforts and accomplishments during the last four weeks:

1) Script: Based on recent feedback and notes we've received from a number of respectable sources (many of you included), we have completed another version of the script. Structurally, thematically, and tonally, the screenplay is the same, but we have enriched several of the characters and enhanced Peter's (the protagonist's) internal struggle and conflict with others. The script will continue to evolve until the day we start shooting, but we are confident that these recent improvements make this version the most compelling by far.

2) Casting: We continue to engage in lengthy discussions and/or face-to-face meetings with the most prominent talent agencies in town with the aim of attracting their clients to this film. As I mentioned in last month's newsletter, casting is a slow process. Industry practices only allow us to make one offer at a time for each role, and it can take nearly two weeks for a response. We have had a couple of meetings with interested actors, but at this point, we haven't made any hard commitments. We promise to share names of actors as soon as we make any deals, but for now we're going to keep this information confidential, for obvious reasons.

The most significant development in the casting area this month was Darren & Danny's decision to adopt different roles in the film. Previously, Danny was going to play the lead role of Peter, and Darren was going to play Max. Danny & Darren will now be playing Steve & Bob, two supporting characters who are Humboldt born and bred. This change was made to improve the chances of attracting more widely recognized acting talent to the project as well as to speed up the process of fully financing the film.

3) Financing: This month was filled with meetings with prospective investors. We are increasingly upbeat about achieving our financing targets in the not-too-distant future. This is not to say that we've stopped pounding the pavement for funding, though. So, as I do every month, I'm asking you all to introduce this opportunity to anyone you think might be interested. It's very important, as without sufficient financing, we can't make this movie.

We have also been making progress in assembling our crew and in identifying locations in which to shoot. We have a good deal of work ahead of us in every area, but our growing team will help us to divide and conquer.

Finally, due largely to the change that we made to the cast last month -- namely that we're recasting the lead roles -- we have elected to push back our start date to mid-July. It is possible that we'll begin production earlier than that, but this rescheduling should give us ample time to complete our cast, finalize our financing, and over-prepare for the our next set of challenges.

Until next time, please don't hesitate to contact me, to ask a question, voice a concern, or shout some encouragement.

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - February 1, 2006

2006-02-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Welcome to the February edition of the "Humboldt County" newsletter. The last month has been another busy one for us. We've been making considerable progress on many fronts, including evolving the script, fleshing out our crew, and pursuing the balance of our financing.

Most of the remarkable events from the month occurred during our trip up to Humboldt County. Danny, Darren, and I made the 10-hour drive from Los Angeles to Eureka/Arcata and spent four days laying the groundwork for our production. We spent two full days with the woman who runs the Humboldt County Film Commission. During that time, she not only oriented us to the area, but also gave us an understanding of the benefits (financial, labor, etc.) of filming in the region. We also befriended a professional location manager and several of the professors and film students at Humboldt State University. The bulk of our trip, however, was dedicated to identifying locations for our shoot. We were very fortunate and found several viable options for our most prominent sets. Furthermore, we began to negotiate discounted rates with a number of hotels, caterers, and other service providers to ensure the production will be both inexpensive and comfortable. At the end of our trip, we spent a night with Darren's aunt and cousin -- two of the people who inspired the script -- in their remote cabin in the woods. For me, personally, it was a magnificent introduction to the Humboldt culture and the "off the grid" mindset.

Other news from January is that we have begun the casting process. We are currently focused on casting most of the significant roles. Early signs indicate this process may move more slowly than we wish given there are many gatekeepers (i.e., agents, managers) between us and the actors we would like to attach. Nevertheless, we are confident in our position and will keep you posted as we make headway.

Finally, it should be noted that we continue to meet with newly identified prospective investors. In fact, last month two of our existing investors hosted events where they introduced us to others who they believed might find the opportunity appealing. The lesson: Don't be selfish -- share us with your friends.

Until our next update, please do not hesitate to contact me and keep spreading the word about "Humboldt County."

Regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - January 2, 2006

2006-01-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Now that 2005 is in the past, and 2006 is fully upon us, it's time for another "Humboldt County" Update.

Though the entertainment industry was essentially shut down for the second half of December, we continued to move forward on several fronts. Highlights include:

1) Crew: We continue to meet candidates for our film crew and recently selected an outstanding Production Designer named Jodie Tillen. The Production Designer, for those of you who might not know, is the individual who creates the detailed look and feel of every location in which we will be shooting. Jodie has worked as a Costume and Production Designer in both film and television design for over thirty years (as can be seen in her credits here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0863293/), and her most recent project, "Brick," sold at the Sundance Film Festival last year for ten times its production cost. But just as impressive as her experience in the industry is her passion for this project -- she's almost more excited about this film than any of us are. We're thrilled to have her on board. We are manically interviewing for other key personnel, such as our editor, and will update you as progress is made.

2) Cast: We are planning to begin the casting process in earnest this week. We are considering fairly notable actors for several of the film's prominent roles, but we will also consider unknowns for the more minor characters. We're confident in the appeal of the script and the filmmaking team, but since our budget is relatively small, we may face some challenges in convincing agents to allow their clients to consider the project. Again, we will provide updates to you as we receive commitments.

3) Financing: We continue to make progress with our fund raising efforts and anticipate that January will be a strong month in this area. Because we are aiming to begin production this spring, we plan to (and must) have our financing in place relatively soon. There is still time, however, for others to participate financially in this film, so we encourage you to inform friends and colleagues of the opportunity.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with general or specific questions. We wish you the best in the first several weeks of this promising year.

Warm regards,

Jason

HC Newsletter - December 1, 2005

2005-12-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

Friends,

It's hard to believe, but December is upon us. I suppose it might be easier to accept for those of you living in colder climates, but this year seems to be moving at a swifter pace than any in recent memory.

This is the first in what will be a series of monthly (or more frequent) newsletters to those who are formally or informally involved in the forthcoming independent film "Humboldt County." Over the next few months we plan to build a website where these updates will be posted and where we will be able to engage in a more interactive dialogue about the progress of the project. In the meanwhile, you'll just have to suffer through this old fashioned, "electric mail" correspondence.

Though it is likely that Danny, Darren, or I have been in contact with each of you sometime in the past few weeks, you may not be aware of the extent of the effort that we are putting forth right now in order to advance the film. We and other members of our team are currently spending the majority of our time in the following four areas, listed in no particular order:

1) Script: The script continues to be our best tool in attracting creative elements to the project. We constantly receive overwhelmingly positive responses from readers within the industry, and having a sound script is an oft overlooked element in the recipe for a successful film. Though the "Humboldt County" script has been in a stable state for many months now, we still occasionally receive from readers enlightening notes that we feel will improve the story. Based on such feedback, Danny & Darren have recently completed a new draft of the script which includes a number of relatively small changes that -- as a whole -- further enrich the characters and storyline. If any of you is interested in reading this new version, let me know and I will be happy to forward it to you.

2) Crew: Though they may not seem as important as the people on the screen, there are dozens or sometimes hundreds of people working behind the camera on every film who fundamentally affect its quality. We have been making a concerted effort over the past few months to research, recruit, and interview innumerable candidates for key roles like Cinematographer (also known as Director of Photography), Production Designer, Costume Designer, Editor, etc. You may not understand the purpose of each of these positions, but they are essential to the filmmaking process, and we intend to fill our roster with the highest quality crew we can. One of our more recent recruits, legendary cinematographer James Glennon (whose credits are listed here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322694/) is an example of the sort of person we've been able to attract based on the script and our vision for the film.

3) Cast: This area is inevitably the one that most people care about, for obvious reasons. At the moment, we're still in the nascent stages of our casting process. Because we are at least four months from starting production and because our financing is not yet finalized, we have been holding off on contacting actors (through their agents) until our offering is the best it can be. Over the past few weeks, we have had several meetings with our Casting Director, John Jackson, in order to strategize our approach in the tricky area of attracting recognizable actors to this project. Casting can be a long, slow, and often frustrating process, but we will certainly keep you informed as we make headway in this important area.

4) Financing: We currently have hard commitments and/or funding for approximately half of our minimum budget. Because we would prefer to raise more than this minimum (which will allow us more flexibility when it comes to cast, schedule, and other tradeoffs), we continue to aggressively pursue new investor candidates. It goes without saying that failure to complete our financing in a timely fashion will have an notable impact on our schedule. Our pipeline of prospective investors is considerable, but by no means full, so -- as always -- if any of your friends or colleagues might be intrigued by the opportunity, we'd be grateful for an introduction.

Hopefully I have provided a good sense of our current status and priorities. One important note that I want to convey before I sign off: filmmaking is both a fickle and highly collaborative process. On a film of this (or, really, any) size, there is bound to be considerable flux. I ask you to keep this fact in mind as we move forward, as one month we may announce that certain individuals have come on board, and by the next they may no longer be involved, due to scheduling conflicts, contractual difficulties or any number of issues. The idea that we need to trust is that, because of the collaborative nature of filmmaking, no single individual will make or break a movie. It's going to be a fun ride, with plenty of bumps along the way, but I strongly believe we'll all be smiling in the end.

I encourage any of you to contact me with general or specific questions, and I will try to respond as quickly as possible. (Please try to contain these questions to the matters of this project; I'm really no good with answers to queries about car problems, baking, child rearing, and the like.)

Happy December,

Jason