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
June 1, 2006
May 9, 2006
HC Newsletter - May 9, 2006
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
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
May 1, 2006
HC Newsletter - May 1, 2006
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
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
April 2, 2006
HC Newsletter - April 2, 2006
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
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
March 1, 2006
HC Newsletter - March 1, 2006
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
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
February 1, 2006
HC Newsletter - February 1, 2006
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
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
January 2, 2006
HC Newsletter - January 2, 2006
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
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
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