2010.1
newsletter of the dallas producers association celebrating over 30 years of industry leadership
dpA Events It Came From Dallas 6: Skeletons From the Closet! B ob D auber It’s never too soon to mark the calendar and get the word out that It Came From Dallas! is returning for a 6th year! What was once just a gleam in the eye of DPA member Garry Potts, his brilliant idea for the show has spawned five previous incarnations of the annual romp through the low and high strata of the Dallas film and television production industry. Thursday, October 21st is the date for the merriment, silliness, recognition and FUNdraising for the Dallas Producers Association’s banner event. Bob Dauber, DPA co-founder and executive producer for the show reports, “This year, we plan to return to the Studio Movie Grill–Addison for the star-studded gala. With an all-new format, some neat electronic THE REEL surprises and a commitment to pick up the pace of the evening’s proceedings, It Came Deanna Sanchez Volunteers needed Senior Editor and Sales & Marketing From Dallas! threatens to be better than ever.” Business Administration Bob Dauber Contributing Writer Josh Hurst Senior Art Director Eric Jewell Cartoonist
David Fiegenschue, FigDesign Design Wes Riojas, Headlight Creative Cover art
Gordon K. Smith Photography & Research Published by the
DALLAS PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 560183, Dallas, TX 75356 dallasproducers.org OFFICERS
BOARD MEMBERS
Clayton Coblentz President
Bob Dauber Keith Randal Duncan Bill Flynn Josh Hurst Russ Jolly Allen Mondell Will Raymond Don Stokes Laurel Wilson
Martha Duncan Vice President Linda McAlister Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Preston Administrative Director
For article submission requirements, visit the DPA web site at dallasproducers.org/newsletter. All content must approved by the editor. Announcements are not necessarily an endorsement of, or by, the DPA. Unless otherwise indicated, opinions expressed are those of the article author or of the person interviewed, and do not necessarily represent the views of the DPA. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, the DPA cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. The Reel is for informational purposes only and is produced without negligent, malicious or fraudulent intent. Omissions or errors are accidental. Corrections are requested; please send to the editor at editor@dallasproducers.org.
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Watch for details and please plan in advance as to how you can support the DPA. The ICFD Sales Team will be in touch with details about levels of sponsoring for the show. We need to keep the momentum going to continue to provide important support for the Texas Motion Picture Alliance. It’s good business for everyone IN the business. Looking forward to seeing all of you and sharing in the fun of the evening.
TEXAS PRODUCTION ROUNDUP: A TEXAS-SIZED SUCCESS The Grapevine Convention Center was buzzing with activity on May 27th as DPA held the 2010 Texas Production Roundup sponsored by Videotex and supported by TM Television. The event offered a slate of 13 free industry seminars, a soldout convention floor of over 40 vendor booths and a variety of door prizes. The North Texas production community got an up-close look at the latest gadgetry for any size production from cameras to support gear, software to full-blown edit systems, media to peripheral supplies as well as an opportunity to meet face-to-face with leading manufacturers and local service suppliers.
meMber newS CRUISIN’ FOR INTERVIEWS Last December, Eye to Eye Productions was hired to oversee another project for VideoPlus for their client Ardyss. The job was to record interviews and lifestyle footage of five couples on a cruise to the Bahamas. This job offered certain challenges unique to shooting on a ship. We opted to use 2 HVX-200’s, small light kit (Jokers) and a basic audio package. We shot Freeport and Paradise Island lifestyle footage as well as on the ship. First of all, securing a location and lining up the people to record were the biggest problems; communication with them was very limited as well as the options to access a quiet place to record. We opted for some suite balconies, the front of the ship on a balcony, a theatre during down times, and on location in Freeport and Paradise Island. Using walkie-talkies proved to be useful, but I would suggest renting some pro walkies, making sure no interference would occur with the ship’s communications. The crew was: Stephen Cabrero as producer, Bob Chestnut as sound engineer, Joe Saldaña as DP, and Eric Mesiner as secondary DP for B-roll. Luckily no one got seasick, except for one of our interview participants! i2iprod.com
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MembEr neWs ALTAIR IV PRODUCTIONS Gordon K. Smith (Altair IV Productions) produced a 30 minute promo for the Florida Grand Opera production of The Barber of Seville; and also saw his “mockumentary” short SCIENCE GONE WILD! featured at The Thin Line Film Festival in Denton on February 20th.
DALLAS AUDIO POST GROUP Dallas Audio Post Group is honored to have filmmakers and producers from across the country trust us with their projects. We continue to collaborate with out of town facilities by supporting larger projects with ADR and other audio services. Recent collaborations include ADR for Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (Warner Brothers), ADR for Adventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer (Razorsharp Productions), and the weekly Pat Summerall VOs used by NFL Films in their gameday broadcasts. These types of collaborations bring outside money into Texas, and maintain Dallas’ visibility as a production hub. We have also continued expanding our capacity, hiring a 5th engineer and undertaking the entirety of audio post production for several feature film projects. We recently wrapped the feature Mongolian Death Worms (CineTel Films), a SyFy channel film to be released in December 2010. Other films in progress include Blood Shot (Infinite Justice, Productions); Minuteman (Dreamfly Productions); Unearthed (CineTel Films) and Breaking the Press (Andrew Stevens Entertainment). Custom music production continues for the popular “I Am Second” website, as well as for many regional and national political candidates. DAPG also now provides custom 14-channel surround sound design for the Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks in-game presentations at the American Airlines Center. We have recently upgraded our primary control room with a new high definition video projection system that features a 1080p projector and a 103” screen. This addition takes our mixing and theatrical screening environment to a new level.
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Desi gn /VF X Edi t ori a l & HD F i n i sh P u re Evi l Mu si c a n d Sou n d De s ig n
P O S TA S Y L UM . c o m 5 6 4 2 d ye r s t . • d a l l a s t x , 7 5 2 0 6 • p . 214.363.0162
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FUSION PRODUCTIONS
Dallas producer goes prime time
new tv series about
eating weeds
makes national debut
The first of three television series in production at Dallas area Fusion Productions hit the national air waves in January 2010. Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage debuted on the Veria TV network on Verizon FIOS channel 162 and Dish Network channel 218. “We know of no other television program anywhere that is like Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage. We have created a truly unique show in a crowded marketplace of look-a-like programs,” said Nathan Todd Sims, producer of Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage and president/CEO of Fusion Productions. Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage is hosted by wild food expert Sunny Savage. Each episode follows Sunny across the United States as she seeks out wild plants with which she makes adventurous wild food dishes, prepared on location in their natural surroundings. From cactus in Texas to wild mushrooms in the majestic mountain forests of Washington State, from stinging 6
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wood nettles and kudzu in the Carolinas to cattails in Minnesota and dandelions in Maine, delicious dishes are created from plants most people consider to be just weeds! Other featured plants include acorns, wild mustard greens, wild sumac, rose (hip), elderberry, milkweed, and many more. Multiple episodes of Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage air throughout the week including in the coveted 8pm (Eastern) Thursday night time slot! Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage is Fusion Productions’ first national TV series. Fusion is also in production of 26 episodes of Fun to Grow On, a fun filled activity show for parents to help keep young children active, and 26 episodes of Labor of Love, a tender look at the lives of modern midwives and women who choose to give birth outside the contemporary medical establishment. Fun to Grow On is scheduled to begin airing in March. Labor of Love is expected to begin airing this summer.
MembEr neWs
About Nathan Todd Sims
About Sunny Savage
Sims is an established producer and industry leader in Texas. He produced and directed the theatrically released feature film, Echoes of Innocence, serves as producer for all the Fusion television projects and has produced literally hundreds of documentary, industrial, corporate, educational, and commercial video projects. He is president emeritus of the Dallas Producers Association (20052007) and was a founding member and charter board member/legislative chair for the Texas Motion Picture Alliance. Sims successfully led the legislative effort to secure motion picture incentives for the first time in the history of the state of Texas. He is a 1990 graduate of Howard Payne University and a 1999 graduate of Regent University. Fusion Productions is headquartered in the beautiful Studios of Las Colinas in the Dallas Communications Complex.
Sunny is a wild food expert, educator and lecturer who has adventured around the world learning about the earth and its peoples, and made it to every continent before the age of 30. She is the founder of Savage Designs, an eco clothing company using wild and sustainably grown fabrics. Numerous designs are worn in episodes of Hot on the Trail. She is an adventurous mother who plans to depart this year to sail around the world with her family. More information about Hot on the Trail may be found at www.Veria.com. 
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meMber newS DPA Members at Dallas International Film Festival Dallas Producers Association members were well represented at the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival. DPA hosted the screening of Carried Away written & directed by DPA member Tom Huckabee. Other DPA member films in the fest included: Brotherhood, Jason Croft (producer); Dig Deep, Mark Birnbaum, Manny Mendoza (directors); Earthling, Clay Liford, Barak Epstein (producer), Pure Evil (sound design, mix), Element X Creative (visual effects); and Sweet Science, Don Stokes (executive producer), Post Asylum (editorial, color correction, sound design, mix, underscore). 
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meMber nEWS MALONE PICTURES You may remember DPA member Malone Pictures from the great cover art for the 2009.2 newsletter issue. Editor Deanna Sanchez had a chance to interview the group which has produced very creative work, from television commercials to music videos, and has recently premiered their latest feature-length documentary, Hurry Up and Wait.
DS: When and how did Malone Pictures get started? Justin Malone: One day when I was working at a company filming a corporate video, I decided to do it on my own. I was working out of my garage doing any job I could get. I built up my equipment and started shooting things I was interested in and in 2005 I incorporated and decided to go the whole way. Lior Spirer: I originally started out wanting to do audio, and went to school for audio. I met Justin on Undocumented, and that project really got me into film and filmmaking. What I like about film is there are so many departments in one project. My job on Undocumented was music supervision, which was ideal for someone like me, because it was creative, technical, and also business which I highly enjoyed. DS: You seem to have a propensity for working with musicians; how did that begin? LS: Justin and I have been into music our entire lives. When we met, we shared the same interest and passion in music. On Undocumented, we wrote some of the scores for the film. I remember going over various composers for the film, and it hit us both, like “Hey, we can do this ourselves, we know what we like.” JM: Yeah, music has definitely been in my life from day one. I was lucky to be born to teenage parents who still went to concerts and bought records. My parents took me to see Ted Nugent, Pink Floyd, Bad Company all before the age of ten. Seeing Casino and Goodfellas helped me see the relationship between great music and motion picture. DS: What ARE those yellow things in the “Come On Now” music video, and how long did it take the crew to set that up? LS: It’s funny, people always wonder that. We drove around Austin with the band, Gringo Star, and Justin had this idea for shooting a music video. The ‘set’ is a sculptural piece by Jesus Rafael Soto, which is located on the UT campus. We just jumped out of the van and started shooting. Justin shot everything and my job was to playback the song. Since we didn’t have the proper gear, I just blasted the song over and over from my truck. Pure fun. DS: What is your next major project? LS: We just finished a new documentary called Hurry Up and Wait. We started shooting it in March 2009; it chronicles our travels across Europe with Gringo Star (Atlanta) on their under-funded European Tour. We had a sneak peek during SXSW in Austin. We are also submitting to festivals worldwide and planning private screenings in Dallas, NYC, LA, and Atlanta. Find out more about Malone Pictures at www.malonepictures.com. dallasproducers.org
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Dpa MeEtings J anuary 2010
Opening Mixer The opening meeting of 2010 was sponsored by the newly renovated Belmont Hotel. Many DPA members and guests enjoyed the delicious food and beverages in the Bar Belmont while they received useful updates on the production industry in the metroplex. DPA Mixers and Networking events are great opportunities to meet key industry professionals and discover production opportunities while making valuable contacts with other local area producers and companies. Special thanks goes to the Belmont Hotel www.belmontdallas.com.
F ebruary 2010
The Business of Documentaries CRM Studios and The Thin Line Film Festival hosted our February meeting at the Studios of Las Colinas to showcase the business of documentaries. A prestigious panel of documentary filmmakers was moderated by noted documentarian Allen Mondell of Media Projects. The panel included Cynthia Salzman-Mondell, Media Projects; Michael Cain, Chairman of the Dallas Film Society; Rob Tranchin, KERA; and Brad Osborne, AMS Pictures. The informative meeting provided an enlightening view into documentary production. The Thin Line Film Festival Director Joshua Butler provided free all-access passes to each DPA member attending. Visit our sponsors at www.crmstudios.tv and 2010.thinlinefilmfest.com as well as www. thestudiosatlascolinas.com.
M arc h 2010
Business Outlook for Production in 2010 Our annual DPA State of the Association meeting was hosted by KD Studios. Clayton Coblentz, DPA President, and the DPA Board of Directors presented an update on the numerous accomplishments of the DPA in 2009 and delivered an encouraging message regarding goals for our industry in the coming months. Bob Hudgins, Director of the Texas Film Commission, reported on 2009 and current production activity, as well as the latest successes of the incentive program. Special thanks goes to our host sponsor, KD Studios, for providing theater space to hold the well attended meeting, and giving tours of their Conservatory of Film and Dramatic Arts facility. Savory hors d’oeuvres and wine were enjoyed as attendees were informed about the new KD Studios Motion Picture Production Program. Learn more about our sponsors at www.kdstudio.com. dallasproducers.org
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dPa MEeTIngS A pril 2010
Spring Mixer The Agency Dallas hosted our exciting April mixer at the Janette Kennedy Gallery at Southside on Lamar. Chef Tre´ from Loft 610 (and Bravo’s “Top Chef”) provided delicious hors d’oeuvres, while Small Vineyards showcased excellent wines, and William Lanier of Bar 10 provided a variety of vodka cocktails. Celebrities Brad Sham and Troy Dungan mingled with industry professionals and guests for a great evening of networking, friends, and food.
Photos by Gordon Smith
Visit our sponsors at www.theagencydallas.com and www.loft610.com/plano.
We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting! 14
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P.O. Box 560183 Dallas, TX 75356
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We hope you were informed and enjoyed reading the DPA Newsletter!
are you reading this newsletter and you’re not a dpa member?! Moving Image Producers & Vendors: Join the DPA! Promote film and media production for state incentives with a powerful voice, network with potential clients, enhance your credibility, get money-saving member discounts, and much more. For membership info contact DPA VP Martha Duncan at membership@ dallasproducers.org.
S upport an indust ry cAuse AND get t h e wor d out: A dvertise in t h e re el! For info and rates email Deanna Sanchez at editor@dallasproducers.org
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