The Death of Hollywood Production Blog

Special Edition DVDs now available

2010-11-13T21:05:00.000-08:00

Pretty aren't they?

Get 'em from Madcapp Studios here:

Special Edition DVD

2010-10-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Madcapp Studios will be releasing the special edition DVD of "The Death of Hollywood." Join the Monumental Pictures team for a celebration at the Sci-fi Horror Weekend where The Death of Hollywood will be available for the first time ever on DVD.

The film also won two more awards since the site was last updated! Congratulations to the cast and crew!

"The Death of Hollywood" is an Official Selection of the 2010 AOF Film Festival

2010-07-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

"The Death of Hollywood" will be having its west coast premiere at the 2010 AOF International Independent Film Festival in Pasadena California.

July 29th at 2 p.m.
Regency's Academy Theater
1003 E. Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA

Tickets can be purchased at the official website here: The Death of Hollywood at AOF

The Death of Hollywood Wins Best Picture

2010-04-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

The Death of Hollywood took home the Best Feature award in the Dramedy Category this week at the 11th Annual Barebones International Film Festival. Congratulations to the cast and crew!

Site Updates

2010-03-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

A press section has been created under the media portion of the website next to the stills and video. An official tour schedule has also been posted and is available on the main page at the top right underneath the imdb link.

Writer/Director Blake Fitzpatrick nominated for the Indie Auteur of the Year Award for his work on "The Death of Hollywood"

2010-03-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

The coveted Indie Auteur of the Year Award is presented to a feature filmmaker multiple-hyphenate who wears several hats ... script to screen... without sacrificing quality.

http://www.barebonesfilmfestivals.org

"The Death of Hollywood" Now an official selection.

2010-03-09T19:10:00.000-08:00

"The Death of Hollywood" is now an official selection of the 11th annual Bare Bones International Film Festival.

http://www.barebonesfilmfestivals.org/

Writer/Director Blake Fitzpatrick talks about film-making, his career, and "the Death of Hollywood."

2010-03-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Read the full interview over at roguecinema.com:

http://www.roguecinema.com/article2083.html

"The Death of Hollywood" screening at the Cinema 6

2010-02-22T21:11:00.000-08:00

Full info here.

"The Death of Hollywood" Gains More Attention In The Press

2010-02-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

You can read Robert Butler's newspaper article on the film here:
http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies/story/1728096.html

Or in the California Chronicle here:
http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/140981166

Upcoming Screenings

2010-01-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

Just off Broadway Theatre

Friday, February 19, 2010 at 8 p.m.
Admission is 6 dollars at the door, cash only.

Noland Fashion Cinema 6
Saturday, April 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are 7 dollars.

The Independent Critic gives "The Death of Hollywood" 3 out of 4 stars.

2010-01-21T22:10:00.001-08:00

See the review here.

Interview with Writer/Director Blake Fitzpatrick on "The Death of Hollywood."

2010-01-20T13:49:00.000-08:00

Guestar Interview

World Premiere Date Set

2009-12-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

Join us for the world premiere of "The Death of Hollywood."

Metro North Cinema information and Showtimes

Sunday, December 27, 2009
8:00pm

Metro North Cinema
220 Northwest Metro North Drive
Kansas City, MO

Tickets are six dollars a person at the door; cash only please। The concession stand will be open and offering everything from popcorn to soft drinks.

Facebook Event

Post Production Wraps

2009-11-18T13:33:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce that "The Death of Hollywood" has officially wrapped post-production. The film will now start it's tour on the festival circuit. Check back here for a complete list of the tour schedule so you can catch a screening near you!

Google hates "The Death of Hollywood."

2009-10-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

This was recently brought to my attention by a fan;

GOOGLE HATE

However, yahoo shows "The Death of Hollywood" some serious love:

YAHOO LOVE

And so does Bing:

BING LOVE

The head of Google says they do not filter search results; nor do they prioritize sites based on monetary input.

Nudity for the sake of Nudity.

2009-09-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we tackle an affair sequence between two actors. It's tasteful, and there isn't any nudity, just some passionate kissing. The average response to the half a page of script is as follows:

Anonomous Male: You should shoot her naked.

Anonomous Male 2: You need nudity in your movie. You should get her naked.

Anonomous Male 3: I think you should get her naked in the movie.

Me: I don't think it works for the film; it's not in the script.

Males: Fuck the script, we want to see boobs!

Shooting nudity in someones house without telling them is pretty scandalous. Shooting nudity in someones house without the actress knowing is even worse. But the worst of the worst of scandalous events is this recent revealing photograph of Sarah Jessica Parker. Pretty scary huh? She didn't even comb her hair.

Time fly's... when you are making a movie.

2009-08-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been quite intense. Scheduling and location discrepancies have run rampant; And for the record, one would find it wise to stray from yahoo small business options when registering a domain name. Basic meta features are a privilege to them, not a right. We've recently made a successful registrar switch and couldn't be happier with the results. I've been so overwhelmed with how well the film is turning out lately that I haven't been sleeping a whole lot. The thought of the successful completion of the project on the horizon to me is like tunnel vision to an alcoholic. I see the goal, and It's impossible for me not to accomplish it.

Negativity be damned, there is no possible way anything is going to stand in my way. But my attitude doesn't change the fact that things will and do go wrong. Was I worried that at one point we were a month behind schedule? No. I think frustrated is a better choice of words. But that frustration ended almost immediately when things started to come together again, as they always do. As of now, we are back on track and should be wrapping production in November. Stay tuned...

Teaser Trailer Released

2009-08-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

Visit the media section to access it. Word.

Communication

2009-07-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

The human psyche has always fascinated me. What's been on my mind lately is the motivation of different people. It's something that is specifically being studied through the characters in this film. What do some people want out of life? Why do they do certain things? Making movies as long as I have, I have met quite a few different characters in my life. What drives them? These questions are often answered the easiest with simple communication.

For instance, when Cameron was just getting to know me, he was helping me move c-stands from the back of the Van. He noticed a human leg and told me that for about three seconds he was ready to call the cops for murder, until he realized it was fake and was being used for the body of Sharon for shooting; A freak reaction caused by, and I hate to quote Cool Hand Luke, but "A Failure to Communicate."

Celluloid is communication. The films job is to communicate a story to the audience. When people fail to communicate with each other on a movie set, the project fails. You can have all of the fancy lights and lenses that you want, but without communication, you do not have a film. It upsets me when people won't simply talk to one another. With the advent of cellular phones and the internet, I now receive more written messages than a do phone calls. Just one more way that communication is slowly being stripped from our society. We think it's ok to be less social.

This week went great, we were able to get about ten minutes of footage in the can; all thanks to simple communication. I'm pondering how next week is going to go. Directing extras is a very tedious and stressful job. But am I scared? Fuck no. I'm excited. As Orson Welles once said; "A film set is the biggest electric train set any boy ever had." I'm ready to play with my cars on the track.

Media Section Updated

2009-07-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

So now you can go check out the new snazzy production stills right here, 24/7, in your pajamas if you want to, and no one will judge you. Go ahead. Take a peak, we won't tell.

Everybody's an Actor

2009-07-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

It's late in the afternoon, getting hot outside. Cut. Print. The scene is wrapped for the day. The front door is opened, the equipment is taken down and we begin the move back to the truck. Some crazed random notices the camera, comes into the store and starts asking to be in the movie, apparently he's a great actor. Since no one knows what to say to him, he starts asking Phil about getting an agent. He says that he found one that was supposed to find extra roles for him but he had to pay them a fee to get the listings. He already paid, and he's now upset that he hasn't found any work.

Me: The rule of thumb is that if you have to pay for it, it's not legitimate.

Man: But I already paid them. So when do I get to be an extra?

(In the tone that I owe him a role, as if everyone who makes a movie is in cahoots with everyone else who makes movies.)

The Strange and Bizarre

2009-07-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

While we were setting up for the novelty store shoot today, we were treated to a private showing of some of the owner's unique antique museum. Seen here is a giant rat, native of New York city. Other pieces include mummified heads, a two headed pig, authentic titanic memorabilia, Wyatt Earp's badge, and even civil war slave tags. Aside from other bizarre sideshow attractions, he owns a giant lobster, about three feet long. I wish they sold those in the grocery store, with extra butter, of course.

Motel Capri

2009-07-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

Part 2
-------
Greeted with a hearty nod of the head by a group of upstanding crackheads outside, the way was made to the bullet-proof glass enclosed managers office. The woman behind the glass stares at me, apathetic.

ME: I reserved a room yesterday.
WOMAN:(barely audible English) I need I.D.

I slide her my license underneath the glass. She looks at it cynically, then back at me.

WOMAN: This your I.D.?
ME: It is.

She inspects it more carefully, staring back it me, wanting me to admit to something, as if I am on trial.

WOMAN: You sure?
ME: Pretty sure.

She sets it down and stares at me again.

WOMAN: Room is sixty five dollar.
ME: You told me on the phone yesterday it was fifty.

I slide fifty dollars cash under the glass and stare at her. After a while, she realizes that she's not going to fool me. She gives me a key.

Inside the room, (We were the only guests there at the time, which is surprising, one would think that people would be dying to stay there with the amazing customer service they have to offer.) we are greeted with the wonderful scent of extremely cheap air fresheners. The stench is foul. The air conditioner is busted. There are no lights. The bed is stained, the desk and drawers are termite ridden. Carpet is stained. Not in places, just pretty much entirely. In certain areas you can't tell it was carpet at any point in time. There is a fourth of a roll of toilet paper next to the can. The bathtub/shower is unapproachable. It's obvious that the Ritz Carlton has nothing on this joint.

After filming wrapped and we packed up the van, I made my way to the office to return the key and check out. Upon leaving, I was greeted by one of the crack heads from earlier.

CRACKHEAD:(tongue enunciating between half a mouth of teeth) Want some soda? It's real cheap?
ME: No thank you.
CRACKHEAD: It's coke.
ME: That's a name brand.
CRACKHEAD: That's what I am saying.
ME: Thanks anyway, but I'm not thirsty.
CRACKHEAD:(Under-breath) You know anyone who needs some coke, you send them my way, you dig?

On my way home I stopped off at the Seven Eleven and snagged a can of coke; the black kind.

The Capri Motel

2009-07-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Part One
---------
When Joe goes undercover to avoid attention from the police, he shacks up at a shady motel. When location scouting, many locations crossed our minds, but we finally decided with the Motel Capri. In case you were unaware, aside from the excellent dilapidated Hollywood look to it, there is quite a history there:

http://www.kmbc.com/news/2329830/detail.html

So what you are thinking; there was a dead body in one of the beds, isn't that exactly the type of authentic location you want? And the answer is unquestionably yes; but we wanted to book the actual room that they found the carcass in. To our morbid dismay, the owner was quite reluctant.

ME: If at all possible, we would prefer to stay in the room where the body was found.
CLERK: What body?
ME: You know, the one that was all over the news, the guy that died here.
CLERK: I don't know what you are talking about.

Tomorrow we actually film there.

Chemistry

2009-06-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

You either have it, or you don't. If it isn't there, you have to find some way to fake it. Or you can make it. Making it is one of the hardest cinematic duties to perform. When it is done correctly, it is uncanny. The camera never lies. When you fake it correctly, and people can't notice it, it is the greatest and most rewarding feeling in the world. They might bitch about exposure, or sound, but if they are complaining about these details, and they didn't notice the chemistry, which is the most important part of the frame (excluding delivery) you did your job. Such chemistry didn't need to be made yesterday. Really, it wasn't even explained. Sophia showed up on set, and displayed ten years of acting experience in two hours. Deliveries were discussed, and understood immediately. The point is that none of the actors involved in this project need to be explained chemistry; it is second nature. They are one with the script; and that is a beautiful thing. Until next time...

The Disappearing Road

2009-06-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

After wrapping an alley sequence with Cameron and Phil, the trek was made to the next location for the funeral scenes. The ride is a straight shot from downtown, except the road is not. (With the overwhelming amount of parallel numbered streets, the city decided to make the road start and stop at convenient intervals in between other intersections.) Suffice it to say that it was rather difficult for some to find the location. In this area, every block had a Church on its corner. After filming wrapped, a marquee outside of a church nearby was spotted. It read: Thank God For Killing Michael Jackson. We thought Churches were supposed to be caring places. I guess we were wrong. R.I.P Michael Jackson.

Phillip Denver and 102 degrees

2009-06-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Filming started this week. Yesterday temperatures reached a peak of one hundred and two degrees. Phillip Denver, drenched in sweat, ran back and forth on the set, helping to set up and take down Dolley tracks and c-stands; The definition of a true trooper. After Scenes 15 and 5 finished filming and take down began, it started raining. And not a sprinkle here and there. A sheet of water dropped on everything. After fifteen minutes of pouring rain, the temperature dropped twenty degrees! The moral of the story is that even with the most excruciating planning, even the best production managers can't control the weather. But that certainly wont stop them from trying...

Second Unit Begins Filming

2009-06-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Today marks the beginning of Principle Photography. Inserts for both Incompetent Hollywood Screen-writers were filmed as well as a completion of the Glory 2 Sequence. High spirits engulfed all involved, even if the suns 90 degree beams attempted to shatter the collective enthusiasm. First Unit will begin the last week in June.

Cast List Released

2009-06-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

Northeast Film Group in Association with Monumental Pictures proudly presents

"The Death of Hollywood"

Starring

Philip Denver as Joe / Harry Goldsman
Seth Correa as Boris Mishken
Joe Estevez as Graham Samuels
Sharon Wright as Christine
Cameron Haines as Jeff Mannings
Kelli Hahn Morford as Ruthann
Steve Williams as The Novelty Store Clerk
Rich Zvosec as The Boss
Denise Carroll as Mary King
Antoine Steel as The Rapper

Music By John Anthony Stone

Produced by Paul South and Bill Taft

Written and Directed by Blake Fitzpatrick

Casting starts rolling...

2009-05-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

The great Joe Estevez(Apocalypse Now) joins the cast of this ever growing film. The talented actor will be portraying the inquisitive fedora-sporting gumshoe "Graham Samuels."

More roles are filling up; so don't miss your chance to try out to be a part of the film on Sunday.

Casting

2009-04-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

It's official. There will be an open casting call for "The Death of Hollywood" on Sunday, May 24th from 2 - 6 p.m. Participants may also try out for the Northeast Film Group's short film "Mountain Men" at the same time. So what are you waiting for? Mark your calenders and see if you've got what it takes!

Production Team Assembles..

2009-04-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the addition of the Northeast Film Group to the production team. The Northeast Film Group will now be producing the Death of Hollywood in association with Monumental Pictures. Producers Bill Taft and Paul South from the Northeast Film Group will be working diligently with director Blake Fitzpatrick on his new film to help its ambitious story be brought efficiently to the screen.

Casting negotiations are also now in the works, but the search for some particular roles is still at large. Casting for these roles as well as extra parts will be announced shortly around the end of May, so check back with us to find out exact dates and times.

Addicted to Facebook?

Be sure to check out the "The Death of Hollywood" page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Death-of-Hollywood/92827085349?ref=mf

deathofhollywood.com Site Launched!

2009-03-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

Check back as our production journey continues for updates, interviews, set pictures, video clips and more.

After strenuous constant turmoil, it pleases me to announce that the screenplay is finally complete. The detailed search for the perfect talent for the project has begun. If you think that you have what it takes, send your information to: thedeathofhollywood@yahoo.com today! Digital head-shots and resumes are welcomed and encouraged. We are looking for a few fresh character actors who enjoy working with an ensemble cast, have a flexible schedule, and are willing to do what it takes for a good performance.

Secondly, we are actively seeking bars, preferably those that have been around for a while, who would be interested in having their establishment appear in a feature film. We are also searching for an aged Auto Garage, a Strip-mall style photography shack, and corporate office buildings to film inside as well. Think you can help? Send your info to thedeathofhollywood@yahoo.com too. Who knows, your location might be just what we are looking for.

Some new Death of Hollywood duds were created as well. You can grab 'em and some other merchandise to look snazzy and help the cause from our Online Store.