Post by suicidalfatality on Sept 23, 2009 8:25:18 GMT -5
I found an article in the Daily Journal the other day that may interest some people here...
there's a film production company based in Caledonia... they are currently making Indie films, and I could almost guarantee that they'd be interested in making music videos for stuff like youtube and things like that...
here's the article...
there's a film production company based in Caledonia... they are currently making Indie films, and I could almost guarantee that they'd be interested in making music videos for stuff like youtube and things like that...
here's the article...
Showing what middle America's got
Local group starts independent film crew
By PAULA BARR
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Danny Warren (left), Missy Parrott and Charles Parrott are the driving force behind Purely Productions LLC, a film company in Caledonia. - Paula Barr / Daily Journal
More PhotosThe weathered barnlike building on Caledonia’s Main Street might look a bit desolate and appears to be abandoned. But inside, a vibrant, hardworking group of creative people are busy making their dreams come true.
They are together to produce movies they hope will catch the attention of the world. During the Oct 2-4 Archon Conference in the Collinsville Gateway Center in Illinois, their company - Purely Productions, LLC - will debut its first big project, a compilation of short films.
In December, they plan to begin filming their first feature length film.
“Film has boiled down to New York and Hollywood, and they don’t tell stories about people anymore,” said Missy Parrott, COO and financier for the production company. “There’s a huge Middle America that has stagnated. Our goal is to show everything in the middle and show New York and Hollywood where they’re screwing up.”
Parrott and her brother, Charles Parrott, have wanted to make movies since they were children, but they allowed the lack of big money to prevent them from following their dream. Charles did data entry and then became a corrections officer at Eastern Reception Diagnostic Correctional Center. Before her current job with Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center, Missy worked with troubled children at the Farmington Children’s Home. It was there she met Danny Warren, a fellow movie aficionado and communications student at Mineral Area College. The three eventually formed Purely Productions.
In December, Missy was editing a script for a friend and showed it to Charles. He thought the script would make a great short film.
“It was a small script and it would be cheap to make,” said Charles, the company’s president and CEO. “Some problems happened down the road and we had to break off with that script. But we don’t want the dream to die, so we decided to do our own scripts.”
The men write in several genres, while Missy’s material is usually dark and disturbing. She said that comes from the struggles of the children she worked with at the Children’s Home.
“I get a lot of ideas in my head,” she related. “Nobody tells stories about people anymore. It’s all special effects.
“I want to watch stories about people.”
The Parrotts and Warren brainstormed on ways to stand out in a highly competitive field.
“All three of us came up with the idea of doing six films in six months,” said Warren, director of operations.
The group believes such a project is unique, and would catch people’s attention. They look forward to showing “Six Films in Six Months” at the Archon Convention. Although the convention focuses on science fiction, it also supports independent films of all genres, Warren said. (A trailer for the film can be seen on the Daily Journal’s Web site, www.dailyjournalonline.com
The film will show during a two-hour block at the convention. Purely Productions also will be featured on at least one panel at the convention and will discuss what it’s like to be independent filmmakers who are starting out in rural America. The company includes Don “Hondo” Sanderson, a member of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, who serves as key grip and film editor. The group calls him “miracle man” for his ability to find needed props and make things happen.
Former musician Leif Mathis handles audio, and intern Nicki Bandy is an actress and Missy’s “right-hand man.”
Many other people have come and gone, Warren said. Some did not realize the magnitude of their commitment, and others found the long hours led to marital discord. Even so, the group is pleased by the number of people who are interested in participating on some level. Local musicians have made music for the films, and several area actors have performed.
There are plenty of creative, talented people in the area, the group agreed.
Filming is done in the studio or on location. The studio includes a living room set, makeup area, costume room, kitchen and work areas. Props and other items often come from the community, such as the deputy uniforms for one of the films.
Writing and production take up most of their free time. But their passion for what they are doing makes it fun.
“Sometimes I’m here several days without ever going home,” said Warren, who does most of the directing.
Charles gets off work at 3 p.m., works at the studio until midnight and spends his days off there as well. Missy said she “never” sleeps.
Their spare cash goes into the effort as well. They cut costs whenever possible, which helped them keep the cost of “Six Films…” under $10,000. The project consists of “Karma,” a French existential type film about a group of individuals; “A Solution,” a romance; “The Clearing,” a thriller; “Superhero,” a comedy; “Fancy,” a dark film; and “Snow Angel,” a family film “tearjerker.”
The company hopes the film will send a positive message to other movie makers who think they don’t have the money to achieve their dreams.
“If we show them you can throw out great stories that don’t cost much to make, more people will get out and create,” Warren said.
Charles said their goal is to make movies that will make people think.
“We want to make movies that will make people feel and think and care about something, not just sit and ‘veg’ out,” he explained. “We want to bring back the Golden Era where people go to the movies to experience life instead of to avoid it.”
Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.
Local group starts independent film crew
By PAULA BARR
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Danny Warren (left), Missy Parrott and Charles Parrott are the driving force behind Purely Productions LLC, a film company in Caledonia. - Paula Barr / Daily Journal
More PhotosThe weathered barnlike building on Caledonia’s Main Street might look a bit desolate and appears to be abandoned. But inside, a vibrant, hardworking group of creative people are busy making their dreams come true.
They are together to produce movies they hope will catch the attention of the world. During the Oct 2-4 Archon Conference in the Collinsville Gateway Center in Illinois, their company - Purely Productions, LLC - will debut its first big project, a compilation of short films.
In December, they plan to begin filming their first feature length film.
“Film has boiled down to New York and Hollywood, and they don’t tell stories about people anymore,” said Missy Parrott, COO and financier for the production company. “There’s a huge Middle America that has stagnated. Our goal is to show everything in the middle and show New York and Hollywood where they’re screwing up.”
Parrott and her brother, Charles Parrott, have wanted to make movies since they were children, but they allowed the lack of big money to prevent them from following their dream. Charles did data entry and then became a corrections officer at Eastern Reception Diagnostic Correctional Center. Before her current job with Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center, Missy worked with troubled children at the Farmington Children’s Home. It was there she met Danny Warren, a fellow movie aficionado and communications student at Mineral Area College. The three eventually formed Purely Productions.
In December, Missy was editing a script for a friend and showed it to Charles. He thought the script would make a great short film.
“It was a small script and it would be cheap to make,” said Charles, the company’s president and CEO. “Some problems happened down the road and we had to break off with that script. But we don’t want the dream to die, so we decided to do our own scripts.”
The men write in several genres, while Missy’s material is usually dark and disturbing. She said that comes from the struggles of the children she worked with at the Children’s Home.
“I get a lot of ideas in my head,” she related. “Nobody tells stories about people anymore. It’s all special effects.
“I want to watch stories about people.”
The Parrotts and Warren brainstormed on ways to stand out in a highly competitive field.
“All three of us came up with the idea of doing six films in six months,” said Warren, director of operations.
The group believes such a project is unique, and would catch people’s attention. They look forward to showing “Six Films in Six Months” at the Archon Convention. Although the convention focuses on science fiction, it also supports independent films of all genres, Warren said. (A trailer for the film can be seen on the Daily Journal’s Web site, www.dailyjournalonline.com
The film will show during a two-hour block at the convention. Purely Productions also will be featured on at least one panel at the convention and will discuss what it’s like to be independent filmmakers who are starting out in rural America. The company includes Don “Hondo” Sanderson, a member of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, who serves as key grip and film editor. The group calls him “miracle man” for his ability to find needed props and make things happen.
Former musician Leif Mathis handles audio, and intern Nicki Bandy is an actress and Missy’s “right-hand man.”
Many other people have come and gone, Warren said. Some did not realize the magnitude of their commitment, and others found the long hours led to marital discord. Even so, the group is pleased by the number of people who are interested in participating on some level. Local musicians have made music for the films, and several area actors have performed.
There are plenty of creative, talented people in the area, the group agreed.
Filming is done in the studio or on location. The studio includes a living room set, makeup area, costume room, kitchen and work areas. Props and other items often come from the community, such as the deputy uniforms for one of the films.
Writing and production take up most of their free time. But their passion for what they are doing makes it fun.
“Sometimes I’m here several days without ever going home,” said Warren, who does most of the directing.
Charles gets off work at 3 p.m., works at the studio until midnight and spends his days off there as well. Missy said she “never” sleeps.
Their spare cash goes into the effort as well. They cut costs whenever possible, which helped them keep the cost of “Six Films…” under $10,000. The project consists of “Karma,” a French existential type film about a group of individuals; “A Solution,” a romance; “The Clearing,” a thriller; “Superhero,” a comedy; “Fancy,” a dark film; and “Snow Angel,” a family film “tearjerker.”
The company hopes the film will send a positive message to other movie makers who think they don’t have the money to achieve their dreams.
“If we show them you can throw out great stories that don’t cost much to make, more people will get out and create,” Warren said.
Charles said their goal is to make movies that will make people think.
“We want to make movies that will make people feel and think and care about something, not just sit and ‘veg’ out,” he explained. “We want to bring back the Golden Era where people go to the movies to experience life instead of to avoid it.”
Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.
