Tarazod Films Blog

Orlando Shoot #2

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Wed, 30 May 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Robert flew to Florida today to continue the documentary shoot that we began back in March of 2011. It's a whirlwind trip (just until Friday), but in these few days, we hope to accomplish much. We're looking to get more interviews with the family of Ben Miles, an autistic boy who for the past 9 years has had a unique passion for Disney's Snow White theme park ride.

So why is it important for us to be in Orlando at this particular time? On this Thursday, May 31st, the nearly 41-year old attraction, Snow White's Scary Adventures, closes it's doors forever. Our camera will be rolling when it does.

Lowel Rifa-Lite EX55 Softbox

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sat, 26 May 2012 05:01:00 +0000

We came this close (picture your thumb and index finger extended about an inch apart) from purchasing the Lowel Rifa-Lite EX55 Softbox Light Kit this past week. We currently have a Lowell 3-piece kit but on larger or specialized productions, it's not enough.

In particular, Robert is heading down to Orlando to do some filming this coming week. He hopes to capture two or three different talking head interviews and a lighting set up will be needed. Traveling lightweight by hauling one softbox over the 3-piece set would be ideal.

The EX55 Softbox has a 500 watt light, comes with a stand and the soft LB40 case. Retail on B&H currently runs $589.99 and free shipping. Unfortunately, with the holiday on Monday, there was no way it would arrive in time without forking over another $80 on next day air. No thanks.

Images via B&H

We tried to buy local from Full Compass who said they would match the B&H price. Cool! But they didn't have it in stock and would have to order it. Again too little, too late. Bummer.

So we passed on the purchase for now and will just work with what we have. But the EX55 Softbox Kit is definitely on our radar.

Scouting and Creating Shot List for 'Just Cause'

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Robert, along with filmmakers Michael Haven and Nicholas Wootton, spent the large majority of this past Saturday hashing out the details of a shot list for Wootton's upcoming project, Just Cause. Envisioning and creating a shot list for a film is one of the most rewarding, yet arduous tasks of making a movie. It take forever!

To relieve some of the stress, we also headed out in search of a couple last locations that we need to lock down fairly soon.

Working hard...

Photos by Nicholas Wootton

Ben's Snow White Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sun, 20 May 2012 05:20:00 +0000

At the end of this month, we'll be heading back down to Florida to continue the documentary shoot we started in February of 2011. At the time, the project had the working title of Dark Ride. It has since been updated to Ben's Snow White Adventures: Autism and the Dark Ride. We'll be sharing more on the progress as well as the subject matter of this film as it develops.

"Chickens" Returns to Iowa

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sun, 13 May 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Mad City Chickens will be showing in Ames, IA on May 16th as part of the Other Voices/Other Views film series. The public screening is presented by the Alliance for Global Justice-Ames. Film starts at 7:00 pm, Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave.

Moive Collaboration with Spilling Latte Films

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sat, 12 May 2012 02:42:00 +0000

Among the other shoots, edits and various projects that we're currently working on, we've also been having pre-production meetings with Nicholas Wootton of Spilling Latte Films and Michael Haven of Exchange Productions. This coming August and September, Nicholas will be producing and directing a comedy with the working title Just Cause.

Haven, Wootton and Lughai
Photo by Colin Cameron

Synopsis: A young man manages a non-profit inner city youth center that helps teens escape violence and drugs and assists them with getting an education. He is a model of good citizenship. But he faces a moral dilemma when, in tough economic times, he is forced to accept money from mobsters to keep his youth center open. Then the unexpected happens.

In addition to the development phase, Tarazod will also be part of the production team for this film. More on Just Cause as the shooting date nears.

New Sennheiser Wireless Lav

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:16:00 +0000

Not long ago, we acquired a new piece of equipment from our wishlist, the Sennheiser EW112-p G3 wireless microphone system with the ME2 Lavalier Mic. Couldn't be happier. We used it on a recent job with terrific results. Love lav mics!

Transmitter and Receiver

Outdoor Screening of 'Chickens' in Carbondale, IL

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Mad City Chickens will be showing at a special outdoor screening on this Sunday, May 6 in Carbondale, Illinois. Sponsored by Farmer Tom, it will be held at Mulberry Hill Farm, 5370 Springer Ridge Rd.

Guests are encouraged to arrive by 7:30 pm, film starts at sundown. Rain or shine. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.

The Play House Chicken Coop

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Here's a look at the Play House Chicken Coop designed by Dennis Harrison-Noonan who appeared in our Mad City Chickens documentary. First two videos shot by Dennis...

This third vid is from a couple of happy customers...

If you're interested in these coop plans, Dennis can be contacted at im-handy@sbcglobal.net or search for his "chicken coop plans" on ebay.

Beloit Backyard Chickens sponsors MCC Screening

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Beloit Backyard Chickens is a small group of people from the Beloit, Wisconsin area who are seeking to get a pro-chicken ordinance passed within their municipality. They are sponsoring a public screening of Mad City Chickens to help raise awareness and to help their city council members become more open to the idea of urban backyard poultry.

The film will screen on Sunday April 29th at Bushel and Pecks, a local pro-chicken pro-organic establishment. Show starts at 5:00 pm, 328 State Street in Beloit.

Two Saskatchewan Screeings of MCC

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Mad City Chickens will show at two Environmental Film Festivals in Saskatchewan this coming Earth Day. Both Canadian screenings are sponsored by the Saskatchewan Eco-Network.

The first will be in Saskatoon at The Roxy Theatre, 320 20th St. West. Film starts at 12 noon. Then two hundred sixty kilometers to the south, the second screening will occur at 4:00 pm in Regina at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, 2445 Albert Street.

MCC to play at Minneapolis College of Art and Design

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

A public screening of Mad City Chickens will be shown on April 18 at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The film will play in Auditorium 150, located at 2501 Stevens Ave. S.

The film starts at 7:00pm.

Mad City Chickens to Screen in El Cerrito, California

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

A series of environmental-themed films are being hosted by the city of El Cerrito, California - Environmental Quality Committee. Mad City Chickens will be apart of this series and will screen on April 13th at 7pm in the El Cerrito City Hall Council Chambers.

Image via Don Albonico.

Snow White at 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

On this coming weekend, the TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Classic Film Festival along with the D23 Disney Fan Club will present a 75th anniversary big screen showing of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The public screening will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday April 14, 2012 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

In addition, on the day before, legendary actor Kirk Douglas will be on hand at the theatre for the first public screening of the newly restored 1954 film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That will be Friday April 13th at 2:45 pm.

The four-day festival runs April 12-14 and will play a wide variety of motion picture gems as they were originally meant to be seen--on the big screen, in some of the world's most iconic venues, with the people who made them. For the classic film lover, this looks to be quite the prodigious weekend.

Alliance For Animals Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

The Alliance for Animals recently hired us to produce a video for their campaign to ban the inhumane use of elephants in circuses. The clip uses a combination of undercover circus footage and talking head interviews with Alliance members.

And here's the video...

Mad City Chickens Returns to Milwaukee

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:01:00 +0000

April 6th - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Public Screening presented by First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee - Snacks and socializing to begin at 6:30 pm, film at 7:00 pm, discussion to follow. 1342 N Astor Street. Pay what you can (suggested donation $5).

South Carolina Premiere of MCC!

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:01:00 +0000

The South Carolina premiere of Mad City Chickens is coming April 3rd to Spartanburg. The public screening is being presented by Hub City Co-op.

The 7:00 pm showing will be held at The Showroom (Green Screen), 149 South Daniel Morgan Ave.

Green Party Jill Stein Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:01:00 +0000

All day yesterday, we shot video in the studio with Jill Stein, the Green Party's candidate for President of the United States. We'll be doing editing on the footage for a quick turn around to the web.

UPDATE: Here's a look at one of the numerous videos we created for Jill...

32 GB Flash Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:01:00 +0000

We needed something large enough to move individual video files between our Mac and PC...Patriot Xporter XT Boost 32 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive.

Fusion Science Theater Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:55:00 +0000

We recently completed the edit on a video we shot for the Fusion Science Theater group. Back in February, FST, an educational organization that produces science shows for kids, hired us to film and edit two of their newest performances, Will it Light? and Race to the Glow. The video was shot in front of a live audience.

Springtime is upon us....time to book your Public Screening of Mad City Chickens

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:37:00 +0000

Interested in sponsoring a public screening of MAD CITY CHICKENS in your city? To arrange a public screening for your group, organization, school, university, city council, public library, church, coffee shop, local art house, cinema or movie theater, email us at: screenings[at]tarazod[dot]com

The total running time is just over 79 minutes. A performance fee and licensing contract is required to screen the film to groups, organizations and the general public.

"Chickens" to Screen at York College

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Our Mad City Chickens will be screening on March 15th in York, Pennsylvania. The showing will be held at 7:00 pm, Humanities 218, York College.

Mad City Chickens Heading to Cleveland!

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Hens in Lakewood will be sponsoring a public screening of Mad City Chickens in the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area on March 15th. The film starts at 7:00 pm at the Lakewood Public Library, Main Branch, (corner of Arthur and Detroit Avenue) in Lakewood, Ohio.

MCC warm-up to Austin Funky Chicken Tour!

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

March 3rd in Austin, Texas...a public screening of Mad City Chickens is being presented by the Urban Poultry Association of Texas, Inc., the same sponsors of the Funky Chicken Coop Tour. Film starts at 7:00 pm at Callahan's General Store, 501 Bastrop Hwy.

Showing is a warm-up for the Coop Tour the following month...

"Chickens" to Screen at Cinema Verde Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Tarazod Films) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Mad City Chickens is scheduled to play the Cinema Verde Environmental Film and Arts Festival on Tuesday, February 28th at 4:00 pm. It will be kicking off a day of food themed films at Villa East, 301 N. Main Street in Gainesville, Florida.