Easy guide to production
Quendrith Johnson is a Los Angeles-based screenwriter and celebrity journalist, whose work has appeared in Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, NEWSDAY, Xfinity.TV, Fancast, Screenmancer.tv, DGA Magazine, newsweek.com, Boston Phoenix, FilmFestivals (PARIS, FR) and many other outlets. A graduate of UCLA Film School, she received the Marty Klein Comedy Award from APA, a nod in UCLA's prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Awards, and hopes not to get sued anytime soon for her irreverent attitude, ps.
By Quendrith Johnson (doddleNEWS) Ken Davitian, who describes himself as "the fat naked guy" Azamat Bagatov from "BORAT: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," shocks most people when they realize not only does he speak perfect English but he's from LA. Now … [Read more...]
by Quendrith Johnson (doddleNEWS) Look, we all love Robert Redford, even the majority of people who call him "Robert" instead of the insider "Bob." Bob, 75, has vision, no perceptible surgery, and he is still eco-sexy to many adoring fans. But, swanky retail joints and a mail-order catalog, … [Read more...]
by Quendrith Johnson (doddleNEWS) "Twenty-three years ago, Sonny Bono had a vision. Today I wonder if he would recognize the Awards Gala and Film Festival he created." These words were part of PSIFF Chairman Harold Matzner's un-ironic welcoming statement at this year's Palm Springs International … [Read more...]
By Quendrith Johnson (doddleNEWS) By now the William Shatner Twitter page is buzzing with the latest in the Battle Royale between "Star Trek" fans versus fans of "Star Wars" with George Takei (Sulu) inserting himself into the controversy in defense of Carrie Fisher, who somehow got into the … [Read more...]
By Quendrith Johnson (doddleNEWS) If you make a crayon line from "Juno" to "Jennifer's Body" to "Young Adult," you can definitely track the rocket shot to fame, the free-fall in between, and capricious upswing for the woman-with-issues behind these dynamic scripts: Diablo Cody. Sometimes … [Read more...]
By Quendrith Johnson (doddleNEWS) How can you tell it's Awards Season? The legends begin to show up. Last night it was a truly memorable experience at The International Press Academy's 16th Satellite Awards held at The Beverly Hills Hotel. The show's winners list* has been out since after … [Read more...]
Ever wonder what goes on in the head of a director, and secretly run your own making-of soundtracks to the footage as it unspools? With "The Artist" (France/Belgium), the latest darling of the Weinstein Co., brought to the screen by established French writer/director Michel Hazanavicius, the mental … [Read more...]
In a recent spate of news stories about the re-opening of the 1981 drowning case of three-time Oscar nominee Natalie Wood, "Brainstorm," her final film with Christopher Walken, is often mentioned. Ironically, her last director, Douglas Trumbull, has also had a kind of re-emergence. This week, … [Read more...]
Here's an easy task: your job is to light and shoot one of the most enigmatic actresses on the American scene, Oscar nominee Michelle Williams (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) as one of America's crazy sexy indelible idols Marilyn Monroe. And you have to include the mole, that certain sheen off the platinum … [Read more...]
Character Actors are a staple of American cinema, but they are also a good barometer of the mood of a movie set. Lorna Scott knew she'd made an impression on screen when people started to drive by and yell "Staple Lady" after her star-making turn in WANTED as the red-headed boss who menaces James … [Read more...]
You want to make a film about Tibetan freedom; you even get Richard Gere for a cameo and Philip Glass as well as Damien Rice, and Thom York from Radiohead for part of the soundtrack. Dennis Haysbert, a fine actor, agrees to narrate... What can possibly go wrong? Imagine that "sticking with … [Read more...]
Most paths into the business have an unusual turn here and there, but for Agent/Manager Graham Kaye, his "in" came through sports. He was on the pro tennis circuit when Hollywood legends began to ask him for lessons. Some of tennis friends, like Tatum O'Neal, piqued his interest about … [Read more...]
Here's a story only a veteran of film and TV like Becky Smith, the Emmy-nominated director of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," can tell with a smile and a wink. "We were shooting an episode in a large department store in New York City. Carson and I were walking through the racks of clothing, … [Read more...]
When French Filmmaker/journalist Emmanuel Itier finished a project called “The Invocation,” about world peace, he had no idea that credits would read like a Who’s Who. In no particular order, and narrated by Sharon Stone… His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Rosario Dawson, Brian Cox, Deepak … [Read more...]
Cybrarian? Biotoxic? Nanofrenzy? Creadability? Ideaquarium? If these terms/new words make your mammalian brain stammer, consider how easy it is to say "doddle." While doddle is actually a British term meaning "a snap" or "task easily accomplished," the brave new digital world of production and … [Read more...]
Ever heard of Frantic Lounge Films? Or the innovative fundraising service Kickstarter? These are just two of the unique ways one of the actors from THE SOCIAL NETWORK and his co-executive producer wife decided make their short film a reality. Since nearly every actor wants to make their own … [Read more...]
