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Post by jcarr on Dec 17, 2010 22:09:36 GMT -8
Portland, Oregon filmmaker Mark Vetanen is underway to assemble the cast and crew for a full test film of American Anthem. Filming begins in January. This is for Amazon Studios and Warner Brothers to review. Rose of Jericho will contribute to a concept soundtrack. Rose of Jericho's latest CD, Out of the Maze is on Amazon and iTunes. Own it today!
If we're successful and they like the test video, then we can toss it and, with a budget and backers, we could make the real film.
We're trying guys!
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Post by jcarr on Dec 25, 2010 16:03:36 GMT -8
As part of our effort to deliver a good quality and feel to American Anthem's test video, Rose of Jericho agreed to license several of their songs for a concept soundtrack. Their unique sound and inroads into gaming such as ROCK BAND 2 for XBOX 360 earned them nominations within the gaming community. They deliver an emotion and strength to music that took a Grammy nominated producer/engineer to capture. Here is Andrea Russie and Matt Rasmussen from Rose of Jericho in an audio interview for RockBandAide.com: www.rockbandaide.com/8147/audio-interview-with-rbn-artist-rose-of-jericho/Their latest CD, Out of the Maze, is available on iTunes and Amazon: www.amazon.com/Out-of-the-Maze/dp/B0049959UO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1292564156&sr=8-3Visit them at their official website: roseofjericho.comAnd on Facebook: www.facebook.com/roseofjerichoIn two other announcements, Austin-based music producer/engineer Kevin Hamilton's Razor's Edge Sound Recording Studio, and San Francisco-based experimental punk band, The Martichora, have agreed to contribute music to the test film soundtrack of American Anthem. Rose of Jericho's CD, Out of the Box, was recorded by Kevin Hamilton. Also, please visit our partnered bands and recording studio's FB pages: www.facebook.com/roseofjerichowww.facebook.com/pages/The-Martichora/141059772590502www.facebook.com/pages/Razors-Edge-Sound-Recording-Studio/210226773198And American Anthem's official FB Page: facebook.com/AmericanAnthemWe're really trying to give a good experience with the test video, because I don't think any ST story has got this far. We have a team of people slowly growing every day who believe this story will work as a motion picture. Sincerely, John Carr |
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Post by jcarr on Dec 25, 2010 16:20:19 GMT -8
For any soundtrack, legally, you must obtain the rights to use a song in a soundtrack. This is very costly and could account to $500,000, if not more for some of the films you see.
Since this is a test film, there's no sense approaching the management of AC/DC, or Metallica, for example, to negotiate the rights to use their songs.
Rose of Jericho, The Martichora, or anyone else we pick up granted us rights to use their songs, since they're struggling to break into the music industry. Think of it as a partnership, and their music, or any other bands we pick up could be considered "temp tracks".
If we do get a multi-million dollar budget, then we have the ability to obtain rights from mainstream bands.
I hope that explains why we use unknowns at this point. This could be their chance to break into the business, and we're thankful they see this test film as an opportunity because of the audience who'll see it.
Sincerely,
John Carr
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2010 20:09:11 GMT -8
Thanks for the informative updates! We do appreciate it!
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Post by jcarr on Dec 30, 2010 6:00:54 GMT -8
I think the best part about where we are in the Amazon Studios/Warner Brothers route is ST gets more recognition in an off-Olympic year. One of the Amazon Studios staff editors told me, when they take their kids out to the rink this weekend, they'll think about American Anthem and especially ST. I consider this a big win for the sport.
In other news, Mark Vetanen had auditions in the Portland, Oregon area. He said a lot of people jumped onto the project to help with this test video. Again, I think this is a big win for the sport. Everyone will think more about ST in an off-Olympic year as we develop the video.
Sincerely,
John Carr
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Post by aaosmts19 on Dec 30, 2010 9:01:32 GMT -8
Glad you have found your way to Boots n' Blades.
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Post by jcarr on Dec 31, 2010 22:02:57 GMT -8
The Portland, Oregon cast and crew have been selected. Mark Vetanen begins filming the test video January 8th! Hopefully, they'll be complete by the end of February. Also, Happy New Years!
Sincerely,
John Carr
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 23:56:38 GMT -8
Excellent!
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Post by jcarr on Jan 2, 2011 7:18:53 GMT -8
The entertainment industry over the past decade has made it difficult for new filmmakers and writers to come in with new, or different concepts. It's an establishment that sees that knows how to market movies like TRANSFORMERS and the TWILIGHT series. Amazon Studios and Warner Brothers created a new program similar to Project Greenlight, where filmmakers and writers collaborate to develop a test film. This film is to show the characters, emotions, and story to give a sense of what could be achieved for a fully budgeted film. I've always worked to be honest with producers, the speed skating community, and even the bands who supply music during this whole process. Mark and I are indie guys with a lot of drive. I have a story to tell, and Mark wants to film it. This may be the furthest any ST story has ever gone. With the success of THE BLINDSIDE, THE KARATE KID remake, and hopefully THE FIGHTER, this will prove there's room for another sports related story on the market. Oddly enough, Warner Brothers tells Amazon Studios that sports movies don't do well in the theaters, citing INVICTUS. Our, well, really my argument back to both of them was the above mentioned films were successful. ROCKY was successful when United Artists thought they'd just make a few million if that. It struck a cord with moviegoers and you see how well it did with unknowns. That's what we're facing. I also point out the POV tests done prove the cinematography will be like nothing ever seen in other sports films. I know this story will work in theaters and find an audience. Someone has to believe in it. It'll promote the sport, the USOEC, and even show the odds may be against someone, but they can surprise everyone with their drive to win for once. Here's other projects creating test films and are fighting to prove their stories are better: - A western called BLACK HAT about a hard-drinking drifter, with a mysterious and regret-filled past, arrives in a small town ravaged by outlaws. - A thriller called IDENTITY THEFT about a mild-mannered claims adjuster who takes the law into his own hands and cuts a violent path of vengeance through L.A.'s mean streets to track down the ruthless perpetrator who stole his identity. - A drama called INFERNO about a man forced to atone for past mistakes by struggling through Hell in order to save his niece, who replaced the child he sacrificed long ago. - A comedy called BLACK'S LAW about a ragtag group of wannabe lawyers fight ruthless professors to survive law school. Police Academy-style. - An action/drama about a brash speed skater who's challenged by returning to competition if he trains a high-functioning autistic struggling to get into a speed skating program at the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC). Which one would you watch?  Sincerely, John Carr |
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Post by jcarr on Jan 3, 2011 8:15:56 GMT -8
I've done some POV devices tests back in December of 2009, with USS permission, but I have a need for more POV device video.
Does anyone know of a club that has POV video of ST races they'll allow us to use? Your club would be listed in the test video credits.
You can contact me at jcarr@gmail.com
Sincerely,
John Carr
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Post by jcarr on Jan 4, 2011 6:15:28 GMT -8
The spec script in its current form can be downloaded. Under Amazon requirements, it must be an RTF file, but we're trying to get them to change to the industry standard of PDF. All the filmmakers and writers for their projects hate RTF because things are always rendered different from editor to editor, oddly enough. It should be best read in Microsoft word. studios.amazon.com/scripts/3071Contact John Carr at jtc.carr@gmail.com if you want the PDF. This is what will be filmed. An 8th draft is coming soon based on feedback. If you scroll down to the reviews, with the exception of one for the 7th draft, the rest aren't speed skating fans. When they picked up the script and wrote a review, they wrote to me later and said they have a new respect for the sport. This is good for a non-Olympic year to have this interest around ST and the USOEC. We're trying! Sincerely, John Carr |
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Post by jcarr on Jan 11, 2011 12:07:27 GMT -8
We've begun production of this test video on Saturday, January 8th, in Portland.
We should be complete with filming by the end of February, with a month of post-production, it'll be submitted around April. Hopefully, it could be earlier.
Though it's a test film of the basics to show the characters and tell the story, this is a major milestone for the sport and the USOEC. I told someone today the Portland crew is small and made up of around fifteen people. This is fifteen more people who think about the sport in a non-Olympic year. They'll tell their family and friends about the project and sport, and that number will multiply.
I consider this a win for something as simple as a test film at this point.
Sincerely,
John Carr
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Post by jcarr on Jan 14, 2011 7:03:41 GMT -8
The Portland, Oregon Team is hard at work to make a test film of American Anthem. We need your help since this is an indie effort struggling at the moment to prove a movie about ST will find an audience. Everyone works for free on this test, they bring their own lunch, and pay for their own way to and from filming locations. We struggle to get props too since we have a zero budget. Remember, the test film is to show the characters, mood, and tell the story for Amazon Studios and Warner Brothers to review. If they like it, we could get a budget to do the real film in Marquette, and pay to have real skaters play parts. You can help by making a small donation to their test film at the link below, or contact John Carr at jtc.carr@gmail.com about lending props. www.indiegogo.com/American-AnthemYou can go out and review the 8th draft of American Anthem at studios.amazon.com/scripts/3996. Also, our official Facebook page is facebook.com/AmericanAnthem , and the Portland test film team's page is www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Portland-Amazon-Studios-Test-Film-Team/179338102094589 This is to show our dedication and effort put into this project. With all sincerity, John Carr www.indiegogo.com/American-Anthem |
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Jan 14, 2011 8:11:59 GMT -8
I checked out the Portland site - very interesting!  |
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Jan 16, 2011 23:08:23 GMT -8
Just saw this commercial on NBC - it reminded me about the plot of American Anthem, so 'thought I'd post it:
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