Uncle Louie Wins the Audience Award!

We are very proud to announce that Uncle Louie won the Audience Award at the 2011 Columbia Gorge International Film Festival. Director Al Russell and Producers Joe Izzo and Joe Mangelli were there to discuss the film after the showing. There were lots of belly laughs throughout the film, especially in the scenes with bad guy Mikol Garcia and Michael Senter as well as the scene with Carrie Mangelli.

Columbia Gorge International Film Festival

Uncle Louie is scheduled to be shown on August 12, 2011 in Vancouver Washington. This is a very well organized small indie film festival AND it's free! Let us know if you can attend. Uncle Louie would love to see you all there!

The Latest Buzz...

Great News! Uncle Louie was selected to be shown at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival in beautiful Vancouver Washington. We are honored!

AFTERMATH

Our experience with film making has just begun. We plan on having a San Jose premiere benefit for Bill Wilson. At this premiere you will see Uncle louie, our first episode of Wounds, plus live music by Chad Leiker. There will be give aways and an extensive question and answer. I encourage all of you to save a litttle money and when you buy your ticket a percentage will go automatically to the Bill Wilson Group Home to help feed and clothe the kids.

Niagara Falls

Another highlight of our trip to New York was a visit to Niagara Falls. It was spectacular!http://www.unclelouiethemovie.com/bnff2011/






We all met for lunch at The Red Coach Inn by the Falls and enjoyed one of Joe Izzo's better rants.

The Premier

The day of the premier was packed with events starting with an early morning interview at the TV station on AM Buffalo.

The afternoon was spend setting up for the film premier and the premier party at the famous Pearl Street Grill and Brewery. There was lots of good food and beer on tap. Dozens of Joe Izzo's family showed up in mass to celebrate. It was a long overdue reunion for producer Joe Izzo. Both his mother and father had been born and raised in Buffalo. He saw relatives that he hadn't seen since he was a child.

We had to compete with the Saber's play off game, but their interview from that morning on AM Buffalo was shown again on the evening news while we were in the bar complete with Chad on his ukulele.

The film was shown that night at an older theater in downtown Buffalo, complete with 2 life size Buffaloes in the lobby. Downtown Buffalo was very interesting mix of classic old brick architecture and the ultra modern as well as an eclectic mix of friendly folks.

It was truly awesome to finally see Uncle Lou on the big screen!

AFTERMATH

Our journey to Buffalo for the festival proved an experience I will never forget. Seeing Uncle Louie on the big screen thrilled me beyond words. On the big screen it opened up like a rose in bloom. It belongs on the big screen. The story and all of its twists and turns were less mysterious and more apparent. Our next step is to have a premiere here in San Jose. I hope to make it a benefit for the Bill Wilson Group Home.

Uncle Louie Hits Buffalo

The day before the premier, the cast and crew straggled into the downtown Buffalo Hyatt. It was a long day after the flight, but as soon as we were all checked in, we were off to find New York style pizza and Buffalo chicken wings. There's that Uncle Louie food theme again... And it wasn't hard to find lots of great pizza and wings in Buffalo just right around every corner.

Following a feast of thin crust pizza and red hot chicken wings, we hailed a cab to go back to the airport to pick up Monsignor Leiker who arrived fashionably late around midnight. It took a while to find him, but we finally connected and he honored us with a lively round of 'Enjoy Yourself' right in the middle of the baggage claim area.



Our cab driver, as it turned out, used to live in Joe Izzo's father's neighborhood on Swan Street. After we dropped Chad off at his hotel, he turned off his meter and gave us a tour of the Swan Street neighbor including the now defunct bar that Joe's father started back in the 30's. There was a strange charm about sighting in Buffalo at 2am.

Uncle Louie In Buffalo

It was really great to see "Uncle Louie", the movie, on the big screen! Sadly, your Uncle Louie (Nick D'Arpino) became ill on the trip, (must have been those friggen hot dogs at the airport!) , so I been held up in my hotel room most of the time, but I was at the premier, and was able to sign autographs at the premier party. It was a pleasure meeting everyone in Buffalo, and thank you for all your positive comments about the film.
Tomorrow (April 17) is the awards ceremony, so I have to be better for that- let's all keep a good thought that "Uncle Louie" picks up an award or two!

Going to BUFFALO NIAGARA FILM FESTIVALHh

It's happening. It's really happening. We're in flight and heading fast to Buffalo New York. I never thought this day would come. I never thought we'd be selected to a film festival. What a crazy gift. Making the film was crazy enough, but having it shown on the big screen in Buffalo is beyond comprehension. Life's a comic book reality. As the mysterious cowboy in The Big Lebowski said, sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you.

A Message from Your Uncle

Hey stunod it's me ! That's right it's Uncle Louie here, so listen up! Put down the cannoli or whatever you're eating, 'cause what I'm about to say is important.

The movie is done and now it's gonna show in Buffalo. That's right Buffalo- my old stompin' grounds. The last time I came back from the beyond my friggen nephew Benny was livin' in California and it's a beautiful place, don't get me wrong, but I'm longing for my old home town. Yeah, I spent some time in Jersey too, but there's nothin' like the place you were born and raised. You know what? I can't wait. I get to eat a lot of great food, especially a real East Coast Pizza; not that West Coast pineapple and ham stuff. What was that? A friggen fruit salad? I can also visit some broads, and see my old pals. They're gonna crap a braciole when they see me back !

You know what though? I want you with me. Yeah you! Pay attention now, 'cause you're startin' to aggravate me! Yep, you gotta get to Buffalo. Take a plane, a train, or hitch a ride with my Cousin Vinny (not the guy in that movie you mortadella head!), but just get there. Tell your friends, your relatives, call anyone and bring 'em all! I'll be alive for at least five days this time, eating, smoking my cigars, and getting upset at who knows what, and who would want to miss it. Don't let me down. Actually don't let yourself down, because I gotta lot to say about what comes after you leave this life. You'll see what I mean when you get there, but a little heads up would be nice, wouldn't it? That's why you gotta see my movie.

This is your Uncle Louie, speaking from the beyond and waiting to come back on April 14th in Buffalo. I love you guys. I even liked that little piss-ant of a dog, Papa Doc or Castro, or whatever his stinkin' name was. It was the best time I ever had makin that little film. The best. See you soon.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 37

We’ve been talking a lot about the weather conditions in Buffalo, New York. We’re leaving on Wednesday and wondering what to pack. The temperature has been fluctuating from a low 38 to a fluke high of 70. All I can say from memory is expect any type of weather in Buffalo. I was there during Easter week many years ago when it snowed heavy one night and laid a blanket of white all over the grounds of the city zoo clearly visible from my grandfather’s front window. I wondered about the animals and where they were being kept. The black iron picket fence surrounding the zoo with all the snow on the ground turned my eyeballs to ice. It was April in Buffalo and freezing outside.

Buffalo Spree - Buffalo Niagara Film Festival Article

Buffalo natives have many ties to BNFF 2011 - Talk about Arts - Annual 2011 - Buffalo, NY

...And interestingly, many of the films have ties to Western New York....Meanwhile, Joseph Izzo, one of the writers and producers of the feature film Uncle Louie, has extended family in Buffalo, and even made the title character from his film from Buffalo. “It could not have been made without Buffalo running through our blood,” Izzo says.

Buffalo News - Buffalo Kicks Off the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival

Buffalo News - Updated: April 8, 2011, 9:19 AM

The fifth annual Buffalo Niagara Film Festival kicks off today with the first of its 30 documentaries, 28 short films, 20 features and nine music videos.....

.... The main event, though, is the opportunity for emerging filmmakers to have their films — which run the gamut from dark comedies and musicals, to thrillers and human interest stories — projected onto a theater screen with a live audience.

The frosting on the cake for some will be having friends and family there to share the moment.

“I’m excited and I’m nervous,” said Joe Izzo, who cowrote and produced “Uncle Louie,” a feature about a gangster summoned back from the dead through a voodoo witch doctor to deal with a loan shark. “This is our first film festival, and it happens to be the birthplace of my mother and father. My family will all be there. I think it is extraordinary synchronicity.”

Uncle Louie | Joe Izzo | Buffalo Niagara Film Festival | Silicon Alleys | Metro Newspapers

Uncle Louie | Joe Izzo | Buffalo Niagara Film Festival | Silicon Alleys | Metro Newspapers

Uncle Louie World Premiere

In the train station in Buffalo, New York I remember a huge sculpture of a buffalo. I was just a little kid and I'd stare up at this magnificent creature. It lit my imagination. I saw herds of buffaloes roaming the plains and Indians chasing them on horseback. I still can't believe I'm returning to the very cradle of my bloodline...Buffalo, New York. Uncle Louie is our gift to you, Buffalo. We love you!

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 36

One of the greatest lessons we learned in making Uncle Louie is that you can’t count on anything. Life is rife with uncertainty and when making a movie expect uncertainty each and every day the sun rises. It’s just the way it is. Things never happen the way you want them to happen. The only way to prepare for this is to expect it. This way, you can always have contingency plans ready to go when something doesn’t work out. When uncertainly strikes, we also learned to let our anger and frustration roll over us rather than poison us. Hanging onto anger sours the production, impedes progress and wastes time. And money.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 35

The way R. Allen Russell structured the beginning and closing of Uncle Louie hints to his vision of universal transformation as undergone by the heroes of fables, myths and legends. Uncle Louie begins with the opening of a table and ends with the closing of the same table, revealing that life is an eternal dance of beginnings and endings and beginnings again. The story of our hapless hero is the story of all hapless heroes. All people undergo initiation in life that changes how we think and behave. To grow we must face our challenges, walk down dangerous pathways obstructed by thorns and shadows and broken glass.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 34

We were fortunate when filming Uncle Louie to have access to many of San Jose’s unique locations. The Municipal Rose Garden for example with it sprawling lawns and variety of roses in various stages of bloom deepened the emotional impact of the scenes we filmed there. The Rosicrucian with its Egyptian structures and hieroglyphic symbols seasoned the story with mystery and intrigue and brought the supernatural elements to life. The intersection of Bascom and San Carlos was a dream come true, full of character and grit. Filming there with the constant traffic and passing buses was difficult, but well worth it. You’ll see.

NEW ART FOR UNCLE LOUIE WEBSITE

I love the new artwork for the Uncle Louie site. Susan Senter put it together with great skill and stunning composition. It's edgy and beautiful and full of vibrant colors. The lens flare ties it all together like a diamond casting sunlight in beams across the cosmos. Senter's photography and her web page designs achieve an exacting symmetry between light and dark, shape and color. We were lucky getting her on our team. Check out the new page and see for yourself: http://www.unclelouiethemovie.com.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 33

When I think back on the days of making Uncle Louie, I flush with pride. Not for me, but for us. I was part of a astonishing little team made of people who devoted their time and their hearts to a zero budget film with little promise for theatrical release. Achieving cooperation and teamwork like this is a high school teacher’s dream come true especially in a classroom of at-risk youth. Listening clearly and working together made it all happen. I mentioned this to Chad Leiker last night that if one single piece was pulled out or missing, the film would have failed, the mosaic rendered incomplete.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 31

Miraculous multi-purpose gizmos aptly describe the ever-popular tight lite, created by the venerable Carrie Mangelli. Not only do Carrie’s tight lites enrich the Uncle Louie storyline, but Carrie herself debuts as a supporting actor in our movie. She plays the character of Carrie, the fast-talking entrepreneur who convinces Benny to invest all of his money on her get-rich scheme. It is Carrie who puts the ball in motion placing Benny’s life on a collision course with the dark side. She handles her dialogue like a cat paws its prey and speeds the action whenever she is on. The camera loves Carrie Mangelli especially with the chopsticks in her hair.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 30

Susan Senter is an artist whose medium of expression is photography. She possesses a gifted ability to capture life in vibrant display. Her work can be viewed on the Uncle Louie website. She was our photographer and her series of stills tell a stunning chronology of the making of this fractured fairytale. Her shots of the chickens during the voodoo ceremony reveal the depth and versatility of her art. Colorful and otherworldly. Susan is a professional. She walked delicately on the Uncle Louie set and vanished into places giving her optimum advantage for a take. Her work brings the eyes on a frame-by-frame adventure through the making of this cult classic. http://www.unclelouiethemovie.com Don't miss seeing her work.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 29

Uncle Louie works. I didn’t think so at first, but after the last week of editing, I knew in my heart that our movie worked. In fact, I believe it will one day be a cult classic, one of those improbable little films that captures the hearts and minds of the art house movie-goer. Despite its many flaws, our vision pops. Most people who’ve seen it don’t know what to make of it. Some scratched their heads and walked away smirking. But most love it. They see the vision and laugh like hell at the dialogue and the goofy sidebars and Chad Leiker’s singing, and all the business with Fidel and tight lites. Anybody who attends our world premiere in Buffalo will receive a tight lite, described as…a miraculous multi-purpose gizmo.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 28

Every night I speak with my partner Joe Mangelli. Every night we remind each other how fortunate we are to have pulled off the making of Uncle Louie. We are grateful as hell to have actually completed a 90 minute feature, based on a story that we wrote. It wasn’t easy. It worked us to the bone and wrung us out like dishrags. In the end though, we got what we wanted. Uncle Louie works. All the pieces come together. It’s not for everybody, that’s for sure. But it will make you think and that’s what we want our viewers to do, to think, to ponder the ineffable, to laugh in the face of impending misfortune.

A Gathering of Light

Let me speak not as Uncle Louie, but as a DP (Director of Photography) here. Most certainly what I'm about to say has to do with Uncle Louie, or any film, or for that matter, life itself. I have talked about film lighting before, but now if you'll pardon me I'm going to get a little philosophical on you.

Close your eyes. What do you see? Nothing? Open your eyes, and now you see everything around you- unless your sitting in a room with absolutely no light. It doesn't matter if your eyes are open or closed, if there is no light, there is no image. Try it. Go into a pitch black room or maybe a closet, and keep your eyes open. You see nothing- or as Uncle Louie would say- you see "ugots".
Why? Unless we have the horrible and sad handicap of blindness, you won't see anything without light. Not your lovers face, your child's smile, not a flower or a tree- nothing. No light, no image even if you have 20/20 vision. Even an owl, whose vision is acute in dark situations needs a little light.

Light only comes from two sources- it is created artificially with electricity, or phosphorus chemicals, or from nature- sunlight, moonlight, or an astronomical event such as the Northern Lights. That's it. Without one, or a combination of them, you see nothing- and neither does the camera.

Now being a DP allows me to play with light. Light will allow you to do this, except it won't let you bend it. You amateur physicists are probably saying, "Wait can't you bend light with fiber optics, or a prism? No. You are reflecting it, not bending it. Plain and simple light can't be bent. Check Einstein out on this. But play with it- oh yeah! I can color it, reflect it, intensify it, dim it, aim it, and turn it on and off. Not the natural light of course, or can't turn it on or off, that happens when it wants to. But I can block it, or it let it through. It can't defeat me, for I am the controller, shaper, and stylist of light. Sounds heady, but that's what a DP does; or any one else that wants to try. Here's a little light trick- take a bottle of water and shine a light through the bottom. The water seems to glow. Add some colored plating or gels to it and have some blue water or red water. Did you know that in a larger body of water like a pool or pond, red lights under the water turn it black on the surface? Yep, there are all kinds of tricks light will let you play on it. Look at the scenes in Uncle Louie where the light created a mood, or a visual effect, like the Louie/Lester garage scene, or the light reflecting off the flowers in the Pinto Lake scene.

So next time you curse your electric bill, or the brightness of the sun, remember, without them, you see nothing. The camera doesn't see either, so no films or TV. As a man who has studied, works with, and makes a living off light, no light means no life. By the way its that light off your computer screen that's letting you read this.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 27

The Karmobello Production team had a meeting on Friday to discuss the shots for our latest project. It was decided that rain or shine we would be filming on Saturday. We all agreed that the rain could underscore our theme. To pull it off we needed to buy a slicker for the camera and an extra lamp in case the sun was washed out by clouds. We drove to each location, Sunbird Park, Payne Elementary School and Moreland Middle School, once known as Castro Middle School. We looked around and mulled things over. We found a cluster of redwoods with overhanging branches that sheltered the ground and kept it dry. Under these trees would be a perfect place to set up the camera. If we angled it right, we could make the rain look like tears suggesting sadness and hardship

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 26

Going to Buffalo, New York for the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival is an event of extraordinary synchronicity. Both my parents were born and raised there. I have many cousins still living there. Lately, I’ve been talking to my cousin, Henry and his wife Carol. Though we haven’t seen each other for a long time, we do remember all the fun we had growing up. We talked about hanging out with our other cousin Michael and tying knives to sticks and hunting imaginary monsters. We vacationed in Buffalo every summer through all of my youth and early teens. We’d take the train out of the Union Station in LA to Chicago, then the New York Central to Buffalo. My grandfather, Angelo, lived across the street from the zoo. The animals made noises in the early morning.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 25

Chad Leiker and I would surf in the early mornings watching the sun break the horizon in brilliant hues of red and orange. Most of the time, we’d drift out of the line-up and discuss at length movies and art and music. Collaboration was in the cards for us and Uncle Louie provided the perfect vehicle to do so. Not only does Chad possess a keen ear for sound, but he sings and writes poetic lyrics for his band, The Booty Chesterfield Trio. His ukulele rendering of Guy Lombardo’s Enjoy Yourself serenades the opening of Uncle Louie with a left jab to the sensibilities. His version of Amore plays against the grain with his sweetly discordant voice somewhere between TomWaits and Bob Dylan

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 24

I hadn’t seen Michael Senter for awhile. Every now and then after he graduated from my Independent Study Program, we’d meet or talk. When we began the filming of Uncle Louie, we connected once again. Not only did he help on sound and continuity, but he created an unforgettable character as the bad guy’s befuddled bodyguard. Michael nailed the role, playing it exactly the way we he was coached—simple, honest, funny. He knew his lines down to the letter The scene with Lester about eating the dog would impress the likes of Martin Scorcese. Michael has real talent.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 23

Michele Mangelli ignited fireworks on the set of Uncle Louie. Her spirit, her charm, her wild sense of humor imbued the character of Bernice with an electric current of unpredictability. She had never been in front of a camera before, but the camera fell in love with her. She lite up her scenes and made the incredible seem absolutely believable. She approached the supernatural like a grocer checking in slightly exotic fruit. Like Craig Ferreira, Michele did her homework and came to the set prepared to work each and every day.
________________________________________________________________

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 22

Other than Nick D’Arpino, no other person in the cast of Uncle Louie had a lick of experience in front of the camera. Craig Ferreira, who played Benny, surprised us all with his professionalism and cheerful demeanor. He came fully prepared and nailed his lines giving his character the hapless, desperate edge we had intended. Between takes, especially when things were going off course, he kept our spirits from sagging with sweet natured witticisms and words of kindness and encouragement. He never complained and patiently endured the tedium of missteps and retakes.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 21

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE ENTRY 21

On big budget films screenplays get handed around like free ham sandwiches. Scripts are rewritten then handed over to doctors to be rewritten again. Then again. Everybody has something to say. Everybody wants changes. Writers run around like Marx Brothers.. The poor bastards. We had none of this on Uncle Louie. Having no money saved us from the insipid and endless chatter of opinion and criticism.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 20

It doesn’t matter how much money you have in your budget. If your story fails to deliver the punch, to keep the viewer interested from beginning to end, to dazzle the eye, to woe the viewer with powerful dialogue full of real voices and human emotion, your film will fail. Special effects, light shows and million dollar cameras cannot save a weak story.

leiker's lament

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 19

Uncle Louie is a very hungry man and spends much of his short time on earth finding and eating whatever he can get his hands on. Having been dead since 1972, he returned to earth with a big hunger. Many scenes depict Louie sitting at tables and filling his empty stomach with Italian delicacies. He seems never to get full. Because of his desperate need to eat, he runs Bernice and Bennie in circles . One of the best food scenes in the movie opens with an overhead shot of the dinner table laden with Italian cold cuts, bread, tomatoes and desserts.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 18

Feeding the cast and the crew was always a challenge. We wanted to serve better food , but lack of money forced us to be frugal in our choices. We went to Chez Safeway most of the time. We took advantage of their donut specials in the morning and bought their pre-made sub sandwiches for the afternoon meal. The food wasn’t bad and everybody seemed to eat it up without complaint. One weekend, I hired Annette Morrison, a professional caterer, to cater a healthy meal consisting of jerk chicken, beans, salad, and garlic bread. The food was delicious and the crew was ecstatic.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 17

I haven’t talked to my cousin Henry in over forty years. When I was a kid we’d take the train to Buffalo every summer. I hung out with Henry then and all my cousins and we’d terrorize the streets of Buffalo. Once we went on a hunt for the monster of the Via Venito. Uncle Louie brings me back to my second home with a gift for all my family. So much of the film is steeped in Buffalo lore, I hope they all enjoy the story which embraces the importance of love and loyalty to family.

Why Uncle Louie Matters

Ok, so I kind of stole the title from a book written by Pete Hamill called, "Why Sinatra Matters", about the great entertainer ( well any East Coast Italian thinks he is), Frank Sinatra, and why he matters to the world. You'll have to read that book to find out, but in this case, and although he is not as much of an icon as Sinatra, I can tell you why Uncle Louie matters. I'm talking about the man here, not the the movie. Of course, the movie matters too, since thats how we find out about the man, but this is about the persona that is Uncle Louie.

Created in the mind of screenplay writers, Joe Izzo and Joe Mangelli, and based upon their real life experiances and plenty of imagination, we find Uncle Louie. He is kind of an everyman, steeped in a life of both good and evil, with an ego that plays big, but is a cover for his shortcomings. He loves big, eats big, talks big, and blankets his personality across the land like the somewhat tattered quilt that covered my late Aunt Edna's large ass. Both can be repulsive, and familar at the same time, and like watching a train wreck, we have to look at it, and acknowledge it. May my Aunt Edna rest in peace, but, haven't we all had an Uncle Louie somewhere in our life?

Opinionated, and at times brash, the Uncle Louies' of the world always have a story to tell. Embellishing at times, we listen, laugh, cry, and miss guys (or maybe girls), like Uncle Louie when they're gone. Why? Because they give the world character. They create a little light where it may be dark, and they make us think about what a bland world it would be without them. If Shakesphere was right right about all the world being a stage, then Uncle Louie is like that one character actor you see in every movie, that makes you say, "I'm not sure of that actors name, but he really lit up the screen for the time he was on".

So that is why he and every Uncle Louie matters. They are the spice in life. I was fortunate enough to have two Uncle Louies, both who have passed, and that big Sunday Italian dinner has never been the same.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 16

Being selected to The Buffalo Niagara Film Festival proved a stroke of meaningful coincidence. At first the rejections poured in. One right after the other. We were on the ropes when finally we got into Buffalo Niagara. I had to laugh. Both my parents were born and raised in Buffalo. I have many cousins still living there, many, and hopefully they will attend the world Premiere of Uncle Louie.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 15

Being selected to the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival came straight from heaven. That's how it felt anyway. I knew when we finished Uncle Louie that there was a greater power working out there. Now I'm convinced.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 14

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE entry 14

Every single day on the set of Uncle Louie we were challenged. Light was always an issue—sometimes too much, other times not enough. Rain clouds drove us crazy. Windy days were catastrophic. One day at the Rose Garden the wind was so strong it blasted through the microphone like locomotives going through a tunnel. And then there was Fidel. Using an untrained Chihuahua involved its own unique set of problems. SEE the outtake video and check it out. We laugh when we see it now, but we didn’t laugh then.

BUFFALO NIAGARA FILM FESTIVAL

CHECK THE UNCLE LOUIE POSTER...http://www.buffaloniagarafilmfestival.com/

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 13

Making a movie is hard work. Don’t let anybody tell you different. The work is long and repetitive and can get tedious when mistakes are made. When there is little money in the coffers, mistakes, miscues are more apt to occur. On Uncle Louie, we had our share of problems. On our second weekend of shooting, we dropped an entire day of work. A tiny glitch with the camera turned into a major beat down. In hindsight it proved better to redo the scenes, but it sure didn’t feel good when it happened.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: URBAN CHICKENS

LA FABBRICAZIONE DI ZIO LOUIE
Louie di zio ritorna dai morti per rivelare i segreti dell'universo. controllare http://www.unclelouiethemovie.com

Craig Ward

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 12

Bringing Uncle Louie back from he grave was no easy task. If we didn’t make the “how he came back” believable, nobody would buy it. We turned to the supernatural for help and were able to raise him from the dead with ease and credibility. When it came to casting the role of the voodoo priest, I turned to my friend Craig Ward, known on FB as Mustapha Craig. He used to teach music to my students at Bill Wilson. Seeing his face made it easy to write his parts and his dialogue. You’ll see.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 11

One of the challenges in writing scripts is developing characters that live and breathe and speak in voices of everyday man. It takes a good ear and a willingness to listen to all sorts of conversations from intelligent to ridiculous. Being teachers as well as writers gave Joe and I the opportunity to hear every manner of dialogue. Colleagues and students all had something to say. And we listened.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 10

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE (Entry 10)
Every script needs a sprinkle of star dust. Mechanisms that stitch the story together with compelling transitions. Most of all, the story must roll swiftly or nobody will pay attention. You've got to keep people asking " what's going to happen next." Our sprinkles of star dust came in the form of Fidel, our chihuahua, and Tight Lites. These two additions accelerated the plot of Uncle Louie.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 9

Dialogue in a screenplay develops character and propels the story forward. It must sound realistic, the way people really talk. We worked hard to achieve these things in our Uncle Louie script. Once we commenced with filming, certain bits of dialogue were re-written for better effect. We stayed flexible and willing to change our words when necessary.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 8

The idea for Uncle Louie came to us out of the clear blue. Really. Joe and I were at lunch one day eating pizza when it popped. What about a hit man who came back from the dead? After that we started asking questions and applying logic. Why did he have to come back from the dead? What was his purpose...

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 7

When you throw your hat in the ring with social networking, be prepared for anything and everything. I learned that one fast. Just the other day, an old friend called and went on a tirade about Uncle Louie. I like what you’re doing in Facebook, he said, but I want to know more about the script. How do you write one? He asked. Where did you get the idea? Why did you write it? What’s the message?

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 6

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE (ENTRY 6)

The sun hid behind a veil of clouds on the first day of shooting. We had to wait for better light. It came shortly thereafter and the clicking of the camera began. It took four takes before the table-opening scene was done. On the final take we caught our first LENS FLARE. Oh my God, R. Allen Russell muttered with eyes wide and sparkling like blue crystals. Joe and I looked at each other grinning with wonder at what we just saw.

Uncle Louie and Santino's

UNCLE LOUIE THE MOVIE: EATING PIZZA IN LA
In LA today promoting our film Uncle Louie. I'm also stuffing my face on excellent pizza from Santino's, rated #1 in Sherman Oaks by the Huffington Post. The Neapolitan Squares are my favorite, specifically the Regina made with marinated roasted red peppers, spinach, ricotta cheese and garlic.

THE MAKING OF UNCLE LOUIE: entry 5

R Allen Russell sees the cosmos in the smallest leaf. Mangelli and I knew this about our dear friend and Majestic Scribe brother. And if was his eye on the ineffable that made our decision to make him the director. He made a small film called Exposure, a long time ago and it blew our minds. He sees beyond the pale, to the bigger picture. His life long quest is to find meaning in everything. In Uncle Louie his soul is clearly revealed