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The cantakerous Daisy is on her way out and her daughter Anne is more than happy to help.
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Media Contact: Alison Week Ph: (808) 990-‐0053 Em: [email protected]
For more about the film, the fundraiser and the cast & crew please read on!
Introducing,
PUSHING OUT DAISY A short film by Alison Week
Local filmmakers aim to raise $15K on SEED&SPARK
(the new Kickstarter for film) in 31 days Saturday June 28 -‐ July 26
The cantankerous, old Daisy is on her way out and her daughter Anne is more than happy to help.
Watch the Pitch Video & read more about the film at:
www.pushingoutdaisyfilm.com Synopsis Pushing Out Daisy is a short film that explores the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter later in life. When Anne returns home to take care of her terminally ill mother Daisy, she imagines killing her might do them both a favor. It is a lighthearted tale, one that weaves Anne’s reality, elaborate fantasies and past to illustrate this difficult period in their lives. For many people as they age, they don’t realize their parents are aging, too. As the role of caretaker in the relationship reverses, many people are not prepared to handle the shift. This short film, Pushing Out Daisy aims to be a window into that struggle.
Some of the fundraising perks include:
• For $25// The digital gift box: a chance to pre-‐view the completed film online, a copy of the lined script & thanks in the credits
• For $50// Art Prints: Photos by award-‐winning photographer Filipa Rodrigues • For $250// VIP Invite to local screenings of the film in Austin, TX and Kona, HI • For $500// The Business Sponsorship Package: social media shout outs, special credit in
the completed film, your logo on our website and a video thank you (limit 7) SEED&SPARK gives filmmakers a new option: instead of choosing to donate money, people also have the option to lend or donate items to the project. As a non-‐monetary donation SEED&SPARK doesn’t take a cut. You can still donate money, and then they’ll take a percentage (less than Kickstarter!), but when the film is complete you can also distribute your film via their platform. Makes sense right? You can view the film’s wish list here: [LINK] About the Writer/Director Alison Week is an independent filmmaker originally from Kailua-‐Kona, Hawaii who moved to Austin, Texas several years ago by way of France. At university she studied filmmaking, advertising and French. Because she is passionate about all three subjects, she continues to work not just as a film producer, but also as a Community Outreach Coordinator for Exterminating Angel Press and as a pre-‐school teacher in a French immersion Montessori school. As a producer, Alison carefully selects films that seek to inspire change. Currently she works as an associate producer with Issue Television (501c3) on the ‘National Geographic’ sponsored Radio Taboo and Yellow Fever: The Navajo Uranium Legacy, which is slated for a 2014 Fall PBS World TV broadcast. She is also currently directing/producing the documentary Trackers: The Story of a Conservation Dog. Most recently she produced Stunt Fighter directed by Erica R. Pallo – a University of Texas, Austin pre-‐thesis short film crewed entirely by local women filmmakers. Praise for Pushing Out Daisy… Received ‘Honorable Mention’ in the script competition at the Women’s Independent Film Festival (2013) in L.A. “[Alison Week] began in my life as one of the best screenwriting students I've ever had, proceeded to convince me against my will that I wanted an intern for Exterminating Angel Press, was then the best intern I've ever had, and now is a huge part of the press, organizing our community outreach. I saw the beginnings of the script for this film years ago, and it was great then...go, Alison! Suerte!”
-‐-‐ Tod Davies (screenwriter, Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas) | Editorial Director, Exterminating Angel Press
MEET THE AUSTIN BASED FILMMAKERS:
Sunday, June 29, 2014 & Sunday July 20, 2014 409 E. Monroe St. Austin, TX 78704
Morning ‘Treat and Greet’, 9am-‐1pm
Read a copy of the award-‐winning script, enjoy free coffee and baked goods on Madi’s Porch (one of the locations to be used in the film) just two blocks off of S. Congress.
Buy a cool art poster too and support indie filmmaking. Coffee sponsored by Austin Roasting Company
More events coming soon…
FAQ with the writer/director, Alison Week Q: So, hate to say it but it almost comes off as if you hate your mother … Oh no… In fact, it’s quite the opposite! We have an incredibly loving and supportive relationship. I don’t know if it makes her nervous that I’m making a film that seems so personal, about a daughter who envisions killing her mother... So far, she’s refused to read the script, so the only thing she really knows is the synopsis. I’ve told her not to be worried – there’s a reason the film is labeled “light-‐hearted”. I just think relationships like this that are so personal and complicated – being a daughter is a lifetime of challenges and changes too! This story has more depth to it than just about a woman who wants to kill her aging/dying mother. And sometimes the best way to deal with difficult issues is with a little bit of dark humor. Q: If you don’t hate your mother, then what inspired the story? The story was mostly inspired by my grandmother and what she went through and how she changed after she was diagnosed with brain and liver cancer. She was this feisty woman, who did what she pleased and just lived every moment of her life. She traveled, she was the captain of her own boat, she was an avid reader – I looked up to her in so many ways. But this person that I remember and the person she was right before she died were completely different. Her quirky sense of humor was still there, but she was in a lot of pain. And her struggle, more than just the pain, was that it forced her to slow down. She couldn’t do the things she loved any more and I think she knew that, which if you can imagine was extremely frustrating. Writing is always a cathartic experience for me, and since I wasn’t with her in her final years (I was busy traveling – something she would have much preferred I did than be with her at her worst), so I kind of wrote this as an ode to her.
Q: You seem to have a varied background in advertising, film and French. Do they intersect somehow? Yes! Sometimes it sounds as if I’m completely schizophrenic when I tell people everything that I do (filmmaker, community outreach coordinator and French teacher), but I’m interested in a lot of different things and I refuse to just do one. True, it would be easier, but I fully believe in doing the things that you love (& as many of them as you can!). Carpe Diem! Also, cross-‐disciplinary training is becoming more and more valued in today’s world, especially in the art/design world. You could be a great artist, but if you don’t know a thing or two about marketing or advertising good luck! For independent filmmakers you need a good marketing person on your team from day one to make crowdfunding happen, to create an audience for your film, etc. Now, justifying the French is a little more difficult, but I love the language (and the food!). Someday, if one of my films are selected for the Cannes International Film Festival, then I can say all of my interests definitely intersect… A girl can dream! Q: Let’s talk a little about your fundraiser… Why do you need to go to Alaska? Our film takes us to Alaska in one of Anne’s fantasy sequences. But I won’t go any further. It’s really the moneymaker shot in this and I don’t want to give it away. I will say this, if you are interested in knowing why Alaska and you live in Austin, TX then come to one of our little Treat and Greets this month and read this script in person. I would be more than happy to answer any questions. Q: Why chose SEED&SPARK and not Kickstarter or Indiegogo? I crowdfunded three projects last year. It is exhausting work, let me tell you. We had our best results with Kickstarter. The film TEETH that I worked on was selected as IndieWire Project of the day, and then beat out three other independent films (with budgets at least 3x ours!) as Project of the Week. We were selected as a Kickstarter Staff Pick on their homepage and on the Kickstarter-‐Austin page as well. All that exposure was great and we connected with so many amazing people along the way. But now it’s been a year. The market is saturated with projects just like that and when I discovered SEED&SPARK I was impressed with how directly it fit the market for independent film. You can create this wish list of items you need that people can donate or loan to the cause! People get hit up by so many projects these days asking for money… but as a non-‐monetary donation, you can get what you need without paying any fees. On top of that, I love the transparency. They also take a smaller percentage than does Kickstarter (which takes a whopping 10% -‐ more than you initially anticipate!) and when the project is finished we can screen it on their website too – so it will have a guaranteed distribution platform if we decide to go that route. It is so smart, I’m surprised that more people either aren’t talking about it or using it. But I have a feeling it won’t take long for more people to catch on...
MEET THE CAST
From left to right: Cara Spralding, Elizabeth Lodge and Penny Glawe
Elizabeth Lodge (Anne): Elizabeth Lodge is an Austin-‐based actor and producer who aims to bring important content to audiences. Trained in the Meisner technique, Elizabeth stars in the narrative short T IS FOR TRACKER by Raven Parks and appears in INVADERS by John Calhoun, PARANORMAL by Dr. Matt Mitchell, and various independent film productions. As well as acting, Elizabeth is a co-‐producer for two of Dir. Terrence Malick's upcoming feature films: KNIGHT OF CUPS, and his untitled project set in the Austin music scene. She is also co-‐producing A.J. Edwards' directorial debut entitled THE BETTER ANGELS, starring Diane Kruger, Jason Clarke and Brit Marling, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival. Prior to joining Terrence Malick's team, Elizabeth produced SLACKER 2011, a remake of Richard Linklater's cult classic SLACKER, developed in association with the Austin Film Society. Penny Glawe (Daisy): Penny H. Glawe was born and spent her early years in Germany before moving to the U.S. She has a strong appreciation for diversity, history, and culture, inspired by her Greek father and German mother and her many adventures around the globe. She continues her travels throughout Europe, South America, and Asia, employed by a major
airline. These days, you'll find her either flying her airplane, riding her motorcycle, or working on her newest adventure – acting! Cara Spralding (Young Anne): Cara started acting at the age of 10 when she was cast as "Pearl Prynne" in UT's Mainstage production of "THE SCARLET LETTER". Cara received a nomination from the Austin Critics for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" (2013), and two nominations by Broadway World Austin for "Best Featured Actress in a Play" (2013) and "Best Actress Under 18"(2013). Cara also enjoys ballet and jazz/tap and she plays the piano and a little guitar. She is the lead singer/songwriter for the Austin band "Rocket Frog" and is currently writing the music/soundtracks for two short films.
MEET THE CREW
From left to right: (Top) Carlos, Alison Week, Elizabeth Lodge, Lee Rothenflue; (Bottom) David Y. Conly, Penny Glawe, Cara Spralding, Filipa Rodrigues and Joanna Cravo. Producer/Assistant Director | Filipa Rodrigues: www.filiparodriguesphotography.com Portuguese born and raised, Filipa Rodrigues traded in her “Olá!” for a “Howdy y’all!” two years ago. Most recently, she was the AD/Post-‐Production Supervisor for Dir. Pedro Resende’s award-‐winning music video FOREVER and as AD on Spanish filmmaker Jennifer Cox’s short film TEETH. In addition to working as a Producer and Assistant
Director on local independent film productions, she is also an award-‐winning photojournalist/reporter for KUT, Austin’s NPR member station and State Impact Texas. Filipa is a passionate storyteller who finds opportunities to tell these important stories across both news media and film platforms. Director of Photography | Jim Flores: www.jilmflores.com Jim Flores is a cinematographer who believes nothing captures emotion like the moving image and how that serves its ultimate purpose -‐ storytelling. He brings ten years of creative and technical expertise to every project; and feeds his visual storytelling passion through commercials, documentaries, broadcast television, and high-‐end corporate content. Recently, a music video he was Director of Photography on, won a Music Video of the Year award and a feature documentary he shot aired on PBS. He has worked for major brands including Verizon, LG, HP, Dell, Samsung, Charles Schwab as well as regional brands and non-‐profits. Production Designer | David Yépez Conley: www.dyepez.co David Yépez Conley is a production designer based in Austin. An Air Force brat born in Sacramento, California, he has lived and travelled in several different countries. He has degrees in Architecture and Structural Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin. He is also a musician, dancer, and amateur historian. He has used all his combined experiences to benefit his production design work in film. He also works as a designer in the fields of architecture and industrial design, and, on occasion, as a script doctor and editor. Editor | Lee Rothenflue: www.cuttoblack.com Lee Rothenflue is an Austin, Texas-‐based Editor with over 13 years of experience in film and video production. He has thousands of hours in post-‐production ranging in scope in both the narrative and documentary storytelling formats. Whether it’s feature films, documentaries, corporate promos or commercials, Lee’s project emphasis is always on the heart of the story. His attention to the specific needs of each project and ability to deliver excellence on time and on budget have made me a go to guy in an extremely competitive industry. After graduating from Texas A&M with a BBA in Marketing, Lee began his career in sales which brought him to work for one of the largest corporate film and video companies in the southwest, AMS Pictures. During this time, he continued to hone his skills in post-‐production by working on the side for smaller clients and volunteering for non-‐profit organizations. In 2005, he left AMS to begin his current company Cut to Black.
Unit Production Manager (Alaska) | Cail Hubert: Cail Hubert has been working professionally in the film industry for almost a decade on everything from feature films to webisodes — in almost every role there is. A native to Alaska, he only just recently returned after working his way through Oregon, California and New Zealand. He is currently a photojournalist for KTUU, an NBC affiliate news station in Anchorage, Alaska. Associate Producer | Avalon Gordon: Avalon Gordon recently wrapped production on Estonian director, MadliLääne’s (winner of the jury´s MAIN PRIZE at Estdocs film festival) newest narrative short entitled Marc (May 2014). Avalon also has experience producing music videos such as 'Stop the Pipeline' for singer and advocate Dagny Zenovia. Marketing | Diogo Neuparth: Diogo Neuparth is based out of Porto, Portugal and remotely lends his marketing expertise to Pushing Out Daisy from 4.83 thousand miles away. Neuparth launched Social Footprint, a Public Relations Agency, with his long time friend, Gustavo Costa after they graduated from the Universidade do Porto not long ago. Already, they have a large number of clients that include some of the best restaurants in the city and two of the most important Portuguese sports figures in Futsal and Handball. This will be their first adventure into the film industry. Working from across the Atlantic will prove to be a challenge, however one that Neuparth is sure it won’t be a problem.
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