House of Hugs Productions

Both Alike in Dignity

2009-11-04T13:25:00.001-05:00

OK, finally I make another post here. I thought I'd share a film that I acted in a year and a half ago (March, 2008). It's a Boston University graduate film (on 16mm) by Russ Anderson. I'm not particularly proud of my acting in it. Some of it I like, some of it I don't. I'm posting it mostly because I want to support other filmmakers. I feel that if a filmmaker was nice enough to offer me a role that I should at least try to help him or her get an audience for it. I guess, also, being a filmmaker myself, I don't like it when actors do a film for you and then act as if it were beneath them. OK, I won't go down that road any further...

The rest of the cast includes Eamon Brooks, with Louis Pascuale, Ross Neuenfeldt, Sarah Purdum and Eric Joslin.

My Website

2009-03-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

For over four years I've been using my Mac Home Page for my website. I've been meaning to build my own website, but it wasn't until recently that I took a couple of online html/creating web pages courses so I could learn to do it myself.

I still have a lot of work to do, but I did finally create a new -- and temporary -- home page. You will see this new very basic page when you go to www.houseofhugsprod.com. (Before this URL would direct you to my Mac home page. ) Now, I will re-do this page as I used the most basic html to create it and would rather use style sheets to build my whole site. I just wanted to put up something for now.

You will also see that since we're getting free hosting, that it has that banner stuff on top of the page. Of course this is not very pretty, but, well, that's what it has to be at this moment.

Note that this page does have a link to bring you to my old/current website at http://homepage.mac.com/joycehepburnsdaugh/Personal5.html

Happy at Home now online

2009-02-22T17:25:00.002-05:00

Today I decided to put Happy at Home up on YouTube. Starring Sean Vincent Biggins as Steve and his dog Neo as, well, Neo.

My husband, Jeremy Ward, did the music (among other things).

I had previously written two posts about Happy at Home. You can find them the first one here and the second one here.

Sandwich's Zele a Hit in Mall Cop & more...

2009-01-29T11:45:00.004-05:00

I'm always happy when anyone who acted in one of my films moves on and up to bigger and better things.

Zele Avradopolous, who played Claudia, the pushy HR woman in I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich is getting quite a name for herself as the feisty Victoria's Secret shopper in Paul Blart: Mall Cop who beats up Kevin James' character.

As we know, there have been a lot more Hollywood films done in the Boston area and that often provides local actors opportunities to get supporting and day player roles. So while, Zele may not be the first local actor to get an opportunity in a major feature film, she seems to be making more of a stir than the other have, after all, I haven't known of any other local actors having a Boston Globe article written only about them! I was quite excited to this article on Zele in last Saturday's paper. Be sure to check it out!

Note that the article also mentions Zele's organizing business, ZOrganize. Ahh, if I ever make more money I may need to hire her. I'm sure she's great at this, after all, she had a very professional and organized approach to working on Sandwich. When I worked with Zele I found her to be very honest and communicative -- and also a lot of fun!

And for the "more" part of this post, I was tickled today to receive a Google alert linking to an article in a Cook County (Illlinois) paper that mentioned Eddie's Winning Date among six football themed films to watch to gear up for the big game on Sunday. Bob Bong mentioned Eddie's in today's Southtown Star alongside major films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Eddie's has played in a two film festivals in Illinois -- Lake County Film Festival and Route 66 Film Festival, so I assume that's how Mr. Bong knows about it.

So, please check it out! The article does say that I also starred in the film as well as write and direct it. I sent an email to correct the part about my starring in it. The only acting I did in Eddie's was a one line voice over. Actually, it was only two words.

Anyway, it was just nice to have this mention in a newspaper article. After all Eddie's Winning Date was making it's major festival run about three years ago, although it did have screenings going up until last April. So when someone else brings it up somewhere, you feel like you breathed enough life into it to give it its own.

So thanks to Bob Bong and congratulations to Zele for her success in Mall Cop!

A Little "Jimmy's" on a Snowy Day

2008-12-19T12:54:00.003-05:00

Here is Jimmy's House of Hugs. This one goes back several years now. I thought I'd finally post it and share it with you.

Click here to see the post I wrote about the film.

With the Angels

2008-11-09T15:50:00.005-05:00

I wanted to take a moment to help promote a new web series, With the Angels, that my friend and star of Happy at Home, Sean Vincent Biggins, is in.

Here's the description of the show (taken from its youtube page):

Former Lonelygirl15 writer Mary Feuer tells the fish-out-of-water story of Taffy Simpson, a small-town Arkansas girl swimming in the freak-infested waters of Venice, California.

The series stars Jamie Tisdale as Taffy, whom I find absolutely adorable. Usually I find that actors portraying southern characters come off as fake and one dimensional but I find Tisdale's performance very honest and real. Sean plays Trey, a Hollywood writer who is a neighbor of Taffy's. Sean, well, he's always a pro.

If you don't have much of an attention span, well, these episodes are anywhere from under a minute to seven and a half minutes. I hope you'll check them out!

The 80s

2008-11-02T17:45:00.005-05:00

The Pointer Sisters - New Music - More Music Videos

Jeremy and I finally saw "American Psycho" last night. We loved the movie, but after watching some of the DVD special features, we were annoyed by the message that the 80s were run by selfish, shallow people who made money doing nothing. It represented more how East Village artists viewed the 80s than how it really was. I think people who were clubbing in New York in the 80s don't necessarily have (and actually, most likely don't) a more objective point of view than the rest of America.

I'm just tired of people thinking that money is bad and that anyone who has it didn't earn it. Sure, some people are born rich, were handed down money and can be downright spoiled, but most people who have money actually worked for it. And if they didn't earn it themselves, as long as it wasn't obtained legally or unethically, well, then, it's none of my business. Look, I don't have much money, myself, but I can't be bothered being jealous of rich people. Spending energy hating them doesn't make my own bank account any bigger. Instead, my husband and I are just plugging away trying to fulfill our own dreams, doing what we can to earn our own money, and not looking for other people to be forced to give it to us.

I think this mentality is actually what has helped me make all my films. I never thought that anyone owed me anything in getting my films done. Now, I've looked at other people who have been handed money to get their films made and I think, well, if they can get the money from someone else, good for them. (The only thing that bothers me is if someone pretends that they funded it all on their own.) It's not their problem that I've had to fund my films on my own and have yet to afford a high end production. But I've been fortunate to have a husband who has helped me in many ways as well as have many other people who have stepped up to contribute their talents as well. Not to mention that Dad bought lunch for the cast and crew when we filmed I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich. Whatever people want to help me with, I just make sure that I do my best to make them happy in return, so that they feel good in helping me out!

My point is, I took on my films as my complete responsibility, and that whatever other people did to help me out was a gift, which drove me to do the right thing by everyone and make sure that they saw a return in the work they put in for me.

But back to the 80s -- in this decade of "greed", charitable contributions including corporate giving, were way up. So with more money, more donations to charity are made -- hmmmm. Oh, maybe I've giving away some of my political beliefs, but this is just a little food for thought, folks... (Keep in mind, I didn't always think this way.)

Now, at the time, I really didn't have much awareness of anything outside my world, because, for most of it I was a teenager, spending most of my thoughts on boys, theater, school, and dancing to the latest songs by Madonna, Kool and the Gang and the Pointer Sisters.

I was a total dancing fool. And "Dare Me" was one of my favorite songs. So when I came across the video on the MTV website, I just had to post it.

Hey, the 80s were fun. Really. OK, whatever your views are, I just hope that you'll play the video and do a little dance for me -- or for you.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T20:40:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pictures from Halloween in 1977.

Mom and youngest bro, Stephen.

My middle brother, Michael.

Bill and me.

Happy Halloween. All I can think of is this upcoming election. Dare I risk revealing a political belief and say what scares me most this year? Because I tell you, the potential results of this upcoming election frighten me.

Eh, I'm too scared to reveal myself. Maybe someday.

Happy 40th to My Twin

2008-09-13T16:40:00.002-04:00

Above are my brothers Michael, Stephen and Bill (my twin).
This picture was taken on our birthday in 1988 and sent to me
(I was spending my junior year of college in Florence). It's kind
of scary to think that was exactly half our lives ago.

OK, this is just a quickie post. I want to find some more pictures to put up of Bill but many of the pictures I want are at our parents'. Anyway, for now, Happy Birthday, Bill.

I can't believe we're really 40.

"Sandwich" on You Tube

2008-09-04T20:02:00.003-04:00

The main purpose I had for I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich was to put it up on You Tube. It's what I put in the audition ad I placed. I thought I would put the film in only a few festivals, just to make it IMDB worthy.

But I got hooked on the initial festival acceptances (and awards) and decided to go for more. I decided to submit it to festivals for at least a year. So I thought it would be better to hold off on putting it up on You Tube while it was in its festival run.

Well, I am still waiting to hear back from a few festivals, but at this point I see it's not worth waiting for just a few more before putting the film online. Also, many festivals don't care if it's already on You Tube. Anyway, the film was meant for You Tube and now it's there.

I hope you enjoy it!

Check out Mario in Everybody Wants to Be Italian

2008-08-09T08:44:00.002-04:00

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

I first met my friend , P.J. Marino, 12 years ago when we were both acting in a local feature film, Bender. Well, actually we met sometime before that on an audition, but we didn't really know each other until the film. Soon after we worked together, I moved to New York and P.J. moved to Los Angeles. Of course I was in New York for only a couple of years and soon joined P.J. and other Bender alumna in LA. Actually some of my best times in LA involved hanging out with the Bender crew.

You probably recognize P.J.'s face. He's guest starred on countless TV shows and has been in several independent films and commericals. Remember the Coors ad a few years ago with Kid Rock, where his sound engineer, before partying with him, tells him he has to be home early? Kid Rock takes him out all night getting him home early in the morning where the guy finds his angry wife on the doorstep. That guy was P.J.

Now P.J. has a decent role in an upcoming feature film, Everybody Wants to Be Italian, coming to local theaters on September 5th. The movie is set in Boston and P.J. has a supporting role in it. Check out the movie's website for more information. And check out the clip above, too. These are 5 mock commercials by P.J.'s character in the movie, Mario. Funny stuff -- I particularly love the one where he's a life coach.

I'm happy to see P.J. do so well. He's always been a good friend. When I had surgery on my deviated septum 9 years ago, P.J. was the one who took me to and from surgery, dragging my anesthetized a** home. He picked up my prescription for me, too. Aww, I'm getting some fuzzies just remembering it. :)

And on top of being a good guy, he's pretty darn funny. Please check out his videos, his myspace page, and check out the film!

Little to Say

2008-07-29T12:17:00.002-04:00

This is my husband, Jeremy's, music video for his song "Little to Say". He took all this footage in the fall of 2002 when he was in the Los Angeles City College Cinema program. (After helping me out with my films the first year I was in the program, Jeremy thought he'd take some of the classes himself!)

Jeremy has done a lot of work on all of my films and I helped him with his films, too, but this particular video is ALL him. He shot all the footage, wrote and performed the song, and edited it together himself. I tried to help him workaround a bug in Final Cut Pro (with not the best results) but I have no artistic credit in this one.

Jeremy will write a blog post about the video on his myspace page -- myspace.com/wardjeremy so I'll let him explain it for you.

Jimmy called

2008-07-13T22:10:00.004-04:00

This photo of Gianfranco Russo was taken by Kevin M. King,
a guy I used to work with at LRN when I was living in LA. This
was taken after shooting Jimmy's House of Hugs. (I remember
it was July, 2003.) I wanted to have a good photo of Gianfranco
to possibly use for a poster for the film. I never did anything
with this photo. This is the first time I'm posting it anywhere.

I was reminded this week of how important it is to work with the right people. This past week, I received a message on my LA voice mail from Gianfranco Russo, Jimmy in Jimmy's House of Hugs. Soon after filming, Gianfranco disappeared from the United States and found success in Italy acting in an Italian soap opera. I've written in a past blog how I've always wanted to find him again. After all, I would like to do a feature version of Jimmy's, and to me, only Gianfranco is Jimmy.

Gianfranco called me wanting to touch base again. I was absolutely thrilled hearing from him. I was happy not just because he's a talented actor and the perfect Jimmy, but also because he was such a joy to work with. He was so professional, patient, kind and genuine. While finding people who are both talented and reliable is difficult, it is even more difficult to find the talented, reliable people who you feel you can have a good working relationship with. I do meet other nice, capable people in this field, but it doesn't mean I necessarily want to work with them.

Both Jeremy and I have always wanted to work with Gianfranco again. We'll see if that happens. Even if it doesn't I hope we stay in touch. But whatever happens I just feel he's still on my team (and we're on his).

Bill Millios is another one of the few people on my team. Jeremy and I visited Bill at his new studio in Manchester this past weekend. Bill was interviewing me for a short documentary on Old Man Dogs. He's coming out with a new DVD of the film in the fall. Now we filmed Old Man Dogs twelve years ago -- before my adventures in New York and Los Angeles. I went into the interview feeling like I didn't remember much, but, of course, as we talked, more memories came back. The main thing I easily remembered was how much I loved doing the film and enjoyed working with Bill, Bill McNally (the lead) and the other cast and crew. McNally was as easy-going as actors come, and Millios, well, he knew what he wanted as a director, but he trusted his actors to get it. If we got a little off track, he'd nudge us back on, but never in any overbearing way.

I realize I have to give Bill credit for another thing -- and that is being so supportive of my own filmmaking. After all, he knew me as actor first, and some filmmakers get a little weird when you go from being "their" actress to a filmmaker yourself. I had a friend who had done some indie films with some fairly big actors in them. We had kept in touch for several years as friends (we were on opposite coasts for most of that time) and he had always spoke of casting me in one of his films.

Long story short, a few years ago I gave him, in person, a tape of three of my films that I wrote, directed and edited. I never heard from him since. Yes, I did try to contact him, myself. He never responded .

Well, he was a Mets -- and an Eagles fan. So, maybe he never was on my team...

New Babies

2008-06-14T10:44:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, my second nephew, Samuel Chamberlain Radochia, came into this world, joining his brother, Brian. For any of you who think, eek, Friday the 13th, well, my twin brother, Bill (Sam's father), and I were born on a Friday the 13th so we think it's a mighty fine day.

Welcome, Sam. I'm happy to be your Auntie. :)

Not quite on the same level, I had a new baby of my own this week, that is, a new short film. This film was really more an exercise. It's something I did for the Broad Humor Film Festival. Sally's Dream House is screening there this year (actually tomorrow), but they also have what they call the "Legacy Project". It's for alumnae of Broad Humor, and since I had films in the festival for the first two years, I'm an alumna. The project is kind like a 48 hour film project (except you could have been working on it for months) in that you make a film under 5 minutes with the criteria that they give you. This year the criteria was that you had to have the French language and Pez in the film.

I wasn't going to do this project. I felt I had way too much on my plate. And I was already a part of the festival since Sally's was screening in it.

But about 10 or 11 days ago, I called Susan to work out a little confusion I had over something (which turned out not to be a big deal). Susan said, "Hey, are you going to do a Pez film?" I said that I thought it was too late. She replied, "No, as long as you get it in before the festival. You can shoot something this weekend!"

And I went, "OKAY!"

Then I thought, oh gosh, what did I get myself into. I didn't have the freest schedule the rest of the week. And on Sunday night I was going to be attending the Baker Street Film Maker's Showcase at Quincy Market where I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich was playing.

Friday evening I sat down and wrote the script. It took me a little over an hour. Since there was no time I decided I would be acting in it, along with my brother, Stephen. We, meaning Jeremy and I, didn't have time to borrow a better camera so we were going to shoot it on my 1 chip.

I wrote the script about a brother and sister having a political disagreement over the phone. It ends with them making peace. So Jeremy filmed some of my stuff in Maine on Saturday and then Stephen's (and the rest of mine) in Arlington on Sunday. I then squeezed in editing on nights during the week. My deadline ended up being 11pm on Thursday when I would upload the film on my .mac account and have Susan download it from there.

I got her the film around midnight. I didn't even get to adjust the sound levels nor did I add any music (and there's a place where music would REALLY come in handy). I just had to send her what I had. And since this film was not good enough quality to send to other festivals and was good only for this year's Broad Humor fest, I was determined to at least get it in to her, whatever state it was in.

I normally would think, ugh, why do another film if it's not going to go anywhere? But I started and finished it within a week. I found it great just to get a kick on the butt and create something. There is value that. So I thank Susan for kind of making me do it.

And it was cool to finally work with Stephen on a film.

Alright, enough on this. I want to go see my new nephew.

While Maggie sleeps..

2008-05-22T19:38:00.007-04:00

..I thought I'd write up some news and some plugs. (Pictured above is Maggie, my parents' golden. If you've read my posts before, then you may know that I just always like to have a picture, and as I've said before, when you don't know what picture to post, a photo of a golden retriever will ALWAYS do!)

Now for the news:

First, today I found out that one of my fellow bridesmaids from My Best Friend's Girl, Seba Johnson, was in a ski accident two months ago, breaking her pelvis in 3 places. I first met Seba a little over a year ago when doing extra work on a Foxwoods Casino commercial. We then worked together on other films, most recently on The Box last December. I've always been happy to see Seba, because I know that I'm with a friend.

Seba is a ray of light on any set. I was shocked to discover she was so badly hurt. But she has a strong spirit and is doing well. It will take her months before she can walk on her own again but is making progress and holding up with such determination and grace.

You may be interested to hear that Seba is not only an up and coming actress, but she also is an Olympic skier and an animal rights activist. Here is an excerpt from her bio:

Now and again, to this day, Seba is recognized by celebrities and fans who followed her ski racing career when she made history as the "Youngest Alpine Ski Racer in Olympic History" - a title she holds to this day (along with "The First and Only Black Female Ski Racer in Olympic History.")

But I feel my post can't do her enough justice. Please check out her site, if not for her, for you. I was really touched and inspired by the update she posted just a few days ago. There is also an address to donate money for Seba's medical bills. And I know Seba truly appreciates being in people's thoughts and prayers. She is a woman always counting her blessings. She'd love to have you sign her guestbook.

P.S. She has no idea I'm writing this. I just felt shaken when I found out about her accident today. I emailed her and she quickly emailed me back. I just wanted to do a little something for her.

More news -- Dan Masucci's film, Letting Go, is now up the Mini Movie Channel. It's a four minute film about a boy deciding he's old enough to give up his "blanky". There is so much packed in this short film. My parents and I saw it at the Plymouth Independent Film Festival last year and my mother cried. We saw it again at the Marblehead Winter Film Festival and my mother cried again. (Thanks, Dan -- making my mother cry twice!) Dan and his brother, Joe, make beautifully shot and wonderfully told stories on film. Please check out their site, www.fountainheadpictures.com and check out Letting Go!

Also, it's not just on the web, but Letting Go will be released on DVD through Spiritual Cinema Circle. Spiritual Cinema Circle provides audiences with inspiring films for your heart and soul. If you join, they'll send you a DVD every month with four films, usually some combination of shorts and features, both narrative and documentaries. Congratulations to Dad on his success with Letting Go and look out for his most recent short, Against the Wind!

Lastly, I just got news today that I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich and Happy at Home were accepted to the Washougal International Film Festival in Washougal, WA. I don't usually post all my festival news here -- I do that on my website and myspace. I wanted to mention this because it is Happy at Home's first festival acceptance. I haven't sent it to many festivals -- I've been saving my money and energy for Sandwich, but I have sent to a few and have been eagerly awaiting for a premiere for Happy. It's just really nice that it not only got accepted but it got an EARLY acceptance, as the festival is still taking submissions for a couple of more months. So that means they really like these films. :)

OK, I'm a little tired from all this typing. Maybe I'll join Maggie..

Mamma's Day Meditation

2008-05-11T22:29:00.004-04:00

This is a still from the last film I was in a couple of months ago,
"Both Alike in Dignity" by BU grad student, Ross Anderson.
(Ross, I hope you don't mind my using this!)

This is another one of those posts in which I have no idea what to say. I'm writing for kind of meditative purposes right now.

I did a BU grad film a couple of months ago and this past Thursday evening I went to the screening. I decided that however I looked, however bad I thought my acting was, that I was going to be okay with it. When I act in a film I want to do a great job, but I'm very aware that I'm better playing some roles than others, and my persona has only a certain range even if I can say lines with the appropriate feeling. I suppose casting and directing films has made me extra aware of that. It has allowed me to step outside of myself (somewhat) when I watch myself on film.

I thought I definitely could have been better in the film but that overall I was okay. And I'm okay with thinking that. It's kind of a relief to be like that now, but I think that my sensitivities by have just simply transferred themselves to the other side of the camera.

So I left the screening with my DVD in hand, anxiety free from watching me-self, enjoying the warm night as I headed back to my car amidst all the students. It felt good to make the trip to Comm Ave. Though, it didn't seem long ago when all these people were my age. Now I'm a whole generation older... and the Taco Bell, which had been there for at least a generation itself, and that I frequented the evening I was acting in this film, had just disappeared. Damn. They had Wild Cherry Pepsi, too.

Eh, I probably outgrew the Taco Bell. It seemed a bit run down when I was in it two months before.

I was at my aunt and uncle's this evening for a Mother's Day celebration. I was talking with my cousin and her fiance about how you can drive yourself crazy comparing yourself to others but it's still a very natural thing for us to do. We're all trying to figure out where we're supposed to be and we look to see what others are doing for some kind of guidance, but it often ends up making us concentrating on what we're lacking.

I can't help but to think on Mother's Day after seeing so many young mothers and their kids that I'm like a 12 year old in a car seat. I had thought that at this age I would be getting my own Mother's Days cards.

There are really good things happening this year. I'm getting married to Jeremy very soon. I'm a 39 year old first time bride. (I was always a late bloomer.)

Yeah, I do compare myself. I remember doing it since kindergarten when I noticed other kids had social skills that I didn't. I remember in the first grade looking at other girls and think, "If only I were her." Then I continued the thought and realized that if I actually could become this other girl then I wouldn't have the family and relatives that I had. And I thought, oh no, that won't do. I'm not trading my parents/brothers/cousins/aunts/uncles." And so I thought, okay, I'll be myself.

I'll continue with that thought.

Belfast & Comic Arts Laugh Festival

2008-04-30T21:06:00.012-04:00

I've been meaning to post some pictures from our weekend in Belfast, ME 2 1/2 weeks ago. Below is the Colonial Theater where the Comic Arts Laugh Festival held most of its screenings. And yes, there was a red carpet, a camera, and a guy in a tux.

I mentioned before that the festival played all of my comedy shorts, many of them quite old now, but it also screened some new films such as He's My Dad by the Mensher Brothers, a touching tale of a young girl discovering her misunderstood serial-killer Dad (you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll call Social Services) and The Perfect Mark, a film by none other than Route 66 Film Festival director, Linda McElroy. In this film Linda plays an elderly woman who has her own way of dealing with two men who scam her. This was the world premiere for Linda's film and I hope she finds more screenings for it.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks and a couple of post ago, Jeremy and I had a great time at this festival and loved visiting Belfast for the first time. So here are some more pictures to give you an idea of what our weekend was like.

This is pretty much the center intersection of town. Take a right
here and walk down the block and you'd soon find the Colonial Theater.
If you follow the intersecting street downhill, you'd be walking towards
the water.

Looking uphill as we were walking back from the dock.

Jeremy, a lamp post and a view downhill.

This man in the tux is Tim from the Mark and Tim Show, a TV
show broadcast on Maine cable TV stations. He interviewed me for
the show. Here he's telling me to wave at the camera. I realize that
missing are an entourage, fans, film attendees (well, it was in the middle
of a screening), but hey, I was still enjoying the moment -- and was
having a decent hair day.

I have more photos posted on my myspace page.

A Post to Pacify Me

2008-04-20T22:23:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure what I'm here to write. I'm supposed to become officially full time at my job tomorrow (even though I'm working full time hours anyway) and while I'm thankful for the opportunity, there's a big part of me that feels choked. Every hour I'm at work I feel away from myself and away from creating and being creative. Now it's not my employer's responsibility to provide me my happiness and my dreams. I just wish I didn't need the benefits of being fully employed.

Thanks to all sorts of regulations, I do need them. Trying to refrain from any political-speak here, I can't help but to think that if there were fewer regulations we would all be freer.

Oh, and I love my freedom.

I've been feeling depressed over not having time to do my thing, so I'm trying to insert a wee bit of creativity here. The above photo is actually from a slide that Jeremy took of me for a cinematography class five years ago at LA City College. We both have many slides from our classes. One day last month I started experimented with scanning them wondering how they would come out. Just a straight scan caused them to appear dark so I played with bringing up the light. What you see above is the result of that. I think it's kind of neat. It looks almost like a painting instead of a photo.

Alright, I had my fun for this evening.

I also want to give a little shout-out to Nicole Ouellette who attended the Comic Arts Laugh Festival last week and left a comment on my last post. Nicole works for the internet newspaper, Ellsworth American in Ellsworth, ME and has her very own blog on personal finance. This past week she has featured some posts on saving energy and even ties in being green with last week's festival. And, oh, she kindly mentions my films and me in it. I'm grateful for her sending traffic my way and I hope to return the favor here!

OK, I think I feel a little bit better having written something, so I'm turning in now. Here's wishing you all a wonderful week. And tying back to the idea of freedom, have a Happy Patriots Day!

The Londonderry Inn

2008-04-13T21:55:00.003-04:00

Jeremy and I have just gotten back from Belfast, ME where the Comic Arts Laugh Festival was held these past five days. I'm too tired to be able to do any justice in describing the town and our weekend right now, but I do want to mention the Londonderry Inn, which is just two miles down the road from downtown Belfast. We stayed there just one night and boy, do we want to go back! The people running the inn were just so warm and friendly. They made Jeremy and me feel so comfortable from the second we walked in the door. Even the cats got up to say "hello" to us. (OK, that's an exaggeration, but they did get up.) The room was beautiful, homey and even had a little refrigerator in it -- and yes, it's own bathroom, too.

I like B&Bs but I always worry a little before staying at one. Since the setting is much more intimate than a hotel, I want to make sure I feel at ease with the people running it. So if you're like me, then no worries -- you'll be happy with the folks here.

Jeremy & Sandwich Updates

2008-04-05T16:21:00.006-04:00

OK, so that last post has me on this photos-from-the-80s theme. So here's a picture of Jeremy from high school. (I'm not sure of the exact year.)

And here's Jeremy graduating from USMC boot camp in 1985. He's here with his grandmother and younger brother, Jamie.

You guys were never cooler.

I feel like some updates are long overdue and I wanted to start off with what Jeremy has been up to. Jeremy Ward, my fiance, has done a lot of work on my films, helping me produce, do sound, sometimes camera, and, for most of my projects he's also done my music. If you've checked out my trailer, you may have read that he did the music for 4 of the 6 films on there.

Jeremy also has his own music myspace page. This is separate from his work with his Suitcase Poets partner, John McNeeley. I urge you to check out all their pages but I wanted to draw attention to Jeremy's page in particular right now, since in the last few weeks he put up four newly recorded songs, Mr. Not Quite Right, Going Home, Little to Say and Nothing. These are all rough demos but he felt good enough about them to share with the world. I've know Jeremy for nine years now but his voice has never sounded better to me. I find myself listening to these songs not just because I love the man but simply because they're just so compelling. They're all great songs, but Little to Say is my favorite.

Jeremy has written posts on his page about each page, so if you want to know how he came about writing these songs, well, he can tell you better than I can.

Now onto I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich. It has been accepted to a few more festivals -- the Comic Arts Laugh Festival in Belfast, ME (next weekend), the Indie Spirit Film Festival in Boulder, CO (in 3 weeks) and the Ohio Independent Film Festival in Cleveland (screening on May 10th).

I also found out through some Google searching, that I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich was reviewed by The Peaceful Critic, Richard Propes, at the Lake County Film Festival a month ago, and... he liked it! If you'd like to see his review, click here and scroll down and look for the review on the right of the page.

In addition to Sandwich, all my other comedy films will be playing at the Comic Arts Laugh Festival on Sunday, April 13th at noon, as well. I will also be giving a brief intro and Q&A after the screening.

Lastly, one of my Sandwich cast members, Zele Avradopoulos, has just filmed a day role in the new Kevin James movie. Check out this article on it in the Boston Herald. Way to go, Zele!

Thanks for tuning in.

Do you know Jack?

2008-04-02T22:17:00.006-04:00

I got a comment in my previous post from an old Arlington High School class of 1986 classmate of mine, Jack Paradis.

I like when people leave comments. It makes me feel like, well, somebody reads what I write.

And I like Jack Paradis. I haven't seen him in a loooooong time. Apparently, we are not able to live on the same coast at the same time. Jack is now in LA. And while I was in LA, Jack was in Arlington.

I've decided I should thank people who leave comments for me. And the best way to thank anyone who writes a comment is to post a picture or two of them taken in the '80s. I'm going to try to do that from now on. And, if you didn't exist in the 80s, well, you're too young too read, aren't you?

Eek, we're turning 40 this year. Jack just has.

Jack, the entertainer, with Marianne DiMascio -- December 1985
This was right after our performance of Story Theatre.

Jack the meat cutter -- May 1986

So that's my thank you to Jack. Anyone else want to see what photos I can drudge up of them?

Bertolli: Battle Romance

2008-03-27T21:54:00.007-04:00

My brother, Stephen Radochia, is in this ad made for a Bertolli contest. Written and directed by Tasha Huo, it also stars Alexandra McDougall.

It seems my posts lately have all been about food...

6 Frame Film

2008-03-23T22:34:00.010-04:00

It was a year ago today that we were filming I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich.

My filmmaker bug is scratching. I'm bothered I haven't done another film since.

Well, I did kind of do another film last summer -- a six frame film of my nephew, Brian, eating his ice cream. I'll play it for you right here. I'll call it I Just Want to Eat My Ice Cream.

To shut up and eat... I mean, write

2008-03-08T10:53:00.013-05:00

Rachael Lillis and Bill McNally "toasting" their sandwiches
on the set of I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich.

It's been a good week. It was off to a rough start when crazy ex-landlord (I'll call him "K") called Jeremy (my hero) and complained that there was still a Google search result linking his name to my former blog post about him. The post no longer appeared but he was upset it even still existed in the search results. So, Jeremy, politely stuffed K's face with a sandwich, well, figuratively, and then figured out how to remove it so he'd leave us alone. (Oooh, like the theme song from Sandwich, "Leave Me Alone".)

Then, on Wednesday I got an early festival acceptance to the Ohio Independent Film Festival (in Cleveland) in May for I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich. It was also accepted as one of ten short films for an early promotional screening at the Twinsburg Library that very evening. I actually got the notice just a couple of hours before the screening began.

After a string of festival rejections lately, that brightened my day. But, even better, I heard from my screenwriting professor from LA City College. I had sent him Sandwich along with a compilation DVD of my other shorts (most of which he had seen). It made me a little nervous because he is nothing but honest (and I learned a ton from him). Here's some of what he said:

"Stempel, Thomas R" @lacitycollege.edu> wrote:

Julia,

You may not believe this, but I finally got around to looking at the films on your DVD. Some I did not watch, because I know them very well, such as Eddie’s Winning Date, but I did look at some of the classics.

I have to say that in spite of your quibbles about I Just Want to Eat my Sandwich, I think it is the best film you have done. It is sharp and funny and while you are right that the pacing could be quicker, it works the way it is.

He then went on and gave high marks to the acting, which made me happy since people doubt you can get great actors outside of New York and Los Angeles. He said that this film should be my calling card and when would I do my feature?

Oh, and my quibbles about Sandwich had all to do with the pacing (all my fault) and our lack of equipment to make it look and sound as we wish we could have. (Just in case you cast and crew are reading this -- my quibbles are all me. You guys were all wonderful.)

So I then responded with a long email talking about how I got my cast and all. I shared some interesting tidbits on that. Then I said that I really needed to get settled and find more time to write, blah, blah, blah.

The reply to my long rambling email was this:

"Stempel, Thomas R" @lacitycollege.edu> wrote:

Julia,

Shut up and write your script.

trs

Trailer for House of Hugs Productions pre 2008 Films

2008-02-23T21:49:00.001-05:00

Finally, I completed a trailer for my first "official" films. This has clips from LIKE HIS FATHER, JIMMY'S HOUSE OF HUGS, SALLY'S DREAM HOUSE, EDDIE'S WINNING DATE, HAPPY AT HOME and I JUST WANT TO EAT MY SANDWICH. There are even a few brief clips from EDDIE'S and SANDWICH that were not in the original films.

Since there's only so much you can show in a trailer for a short film without giving the whole film away, I made this more of a musical trailer.

I hope you enjoy it.