And here we have a series of articles about a (gulp) new documentary (!!) being made about Duran. Or at least it's planned; whether it's actually made or not will remain to be seen. Anyway, the following articles are 1) Duran's profile; 2) production information and filming schedule; 3) director profile; 4) producer profile; and 5) solicitation for financial backers, which I thought was very interesting. How many of us would pull out money from the 401(K) for this one? (And what I'd like to know: did this ever happen?? -Barb)
1. Smash Alley Film Productions have just secured the commitment of Duran Duran to film candid, behind-the-scenes footage of their upcoming concert rehearsal and to join the band on its 15 city American concert tour.
What makes the choice of Duran Duran electrifying, is that their art is connected to the wholeness of their personalities. Whether locked in artistic struggle to create music that is exciting and satisfying, or presenting that music in an arena of flashbulbs, celebrity and illusion -- the men remain the same -- the world changes. Dorothy is still Dorothy whether she's in Kansas or in Oz.
With that always in mind, we apply it to our coverage without losing any of the edge, passion, power, grace and excitement of the subject. With specific cinema verite, the ambition will be to expose the backstage behavior of the band members, and in so doing reveal the truth of Nick, Simon and Warren as people (as opposed to Duran Duran the performers).
Penetrate the fame and philosophy behind Duran Duran's stratospheric success. Go beyond the spotlight and join the band as they interact with today's hottest film stars and supermodels.
We will find out everything about life on the road. How the band performs; what their music means to them; what the audience means to them; the audience response; the dedication, hard work and passion involved in performing as a tremendously successful and ground-breaking musical act.
I have always believed that every good story is a love story. That is not to say the love of a man and a woman necessarily. What I do mean is the mutual trust, reciprocal respect, common concern, and the steady acknowledgment between partners of both overlapping and divergent talents -- an acknowledgment marked by admiration, not envy.
This film deals with the love of playing music. The dedication, the hardships, the pain and passion. Day after day of exhaustion. Days of collapse and uncertainty. Days of frustration. And through it all, a group of men who carry on for the love of it all.
What we will learn from this film is: what the band thinks of themselves, their fans, their future, their detractors, their role and influence on today's musicians, of working for a living, of the long hours and endless miles, of the fleeting fashion of celebrity... and we will also get to hear them play!
Unlike parodies such as Spinal Tap, eulogies like The Last Waltz, or the grandiose gestures of U2's Rattle and Hum, this footage will howl at the electric bones of the band experience. Exciting, funny, raw and fast as passing scenery. It will be as hip and fast as the music -- and as passionate and honest as the band itself.
A must-see documentary for anyone interested in music, fashion, beauty, and life in the spotlight.
2. We have decided to film in the realm of digital video. Duran Duran were the forerunners of music video technology in the '80s and will again push the limits of a new digital technology.
Today, with advances in this area, the camera offers tremendous production and post-production opportunities and are very mobile with the benefit of immediate "play-back". Tape is inexpensive compared to film and the changing of cassettes is not as time consuming as it is with film -- so the risk of missing a "moment" is not so great. The camera itself can assume the look of 16mm or 35mm film with just the addition of some software, though I understand that it is better to leave this "look" to the post-production process.
Digital Video is an exciting medium and offers the most value for the dollar. The post-production value of the medium allows for a presentation of almost 10 times the value.
We are also planning on writing a tour-diary throughout the course of filming and we will market this along with the film.
The production schedule looks like this so far....
10/27 - 10/30 - Film Rehearsals in London (if possible - adds to European interest)
11/3 Travel to NYC
11/4 Prep
11/5 Prep
11/6 Perform at Andy Warhol Gala Opening (many celebs in attendance) at the Whitney Museum.
11/7 Letterman
11/8-11/12 Production Rehearsals (NY)
11/13-12/10 U.S. Tour (15 major American/Canadian markets)
12/11 Tape VH-1 "Office Party" performance
3. The New Orleans Festival describes the work of this LA filmmaker as "a Warhol factory director on loan to Hal Roach Studios or vice versa. Classic style slapstick shorts with a subversive edge."
Her name is MODI...
She's the woman with two different colored eyes who founded Motivation Films in 1992 and has been delighting festival judges and record companies ever since. She's a woman who's been capturing the power, the urgency and the live energy of the Rollins Band for years. Her award-winning directorial talent and style has earned her trust among the many rock groups she's put a camera in front of. Modi has worked her magic on various projects with the likes of Iggy Pop, Smashing Pumpkins, L7, Keith Richards, Jane's Addiction, Babes In Toyland, Butthole Surfers and Stevie Wonder. This woman's experience, vision and resolve make her a sound and effective director/producer. When not around a camera, crew or editing bay, she's a boxer practicing her jab on a tree-slung punching bag in her front yard.
She began her film education under the guidance of director Penelope Spheeris. Some of Modi's directing credits include groundbreaking videos for Jane's Addiction, L7 and The Smashing Pumpkins. She directed the 1992 Chicago film festival silver plaque recipient video "Pretend We're Dead" for the all female group, L7. After, she directed The Rollins Band music video "Tearing". She produced and directed the Henry Rollins long form spoken word performance video Talking From The Box. It was soon thereafter chosen to represent the best of the 1993 AFI Video Festival and was exhibited at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This program was also a finalist at the '93 N.Y. Festival. Since then it has screened at the Dallas Museum of Art, and The Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, C.A., The '94 New Orleans Festival, the N.Y. Underground Film Festival and The Chicago Underground Festival.
Modi is the woman who produced and directed the home video Vieuphoria for The Smashing Pumpkins which in video sales figures, has gone gold. She's the woman who recently directed both Talking From The Box II for Henry Rollins... and "Starve", the first music video from The Rollins Band release Come In And Burn on Dreamworks Records.
4. Thomas Vasiloff : over 14 years of experience in the music, film and television industries, with an extensive background in all phases of production including; casting, writing, project development, packaging, budget preparation & supervision, production management, procurement of project financing, post production supervision, product placement, contract negotiations and production troubleshooting. A loyal team player, who possesses excellent leadership and organizational skills with concentrated attention to detail and project cost management.
In addition to his production duties, Thomas Vasiloff currently publishes Canada's premier online entertainment magazine, FANtastic! Magazine. His responsibilities include working with writers, photographers, actors, hiring and supervision of freelance team. Additional responsibilities include accounting and project expense allocation, contract negotiations, day to day supervision, trouble shooting, management, and problem solving solutions. He is directly responsible for the design, creation and implementation of program marketing materials, web site programming and graphical representations.
As a producer and founder of Smash Alley Film Productions Thomas has written, directed and produced a spot for Nautilus Plus for a national advertising campaign. He has directed a short documentary Havana Kids as well as numerous PSA shorts.
Thomas' strength is also noted in the multimedia field where he initiated and conceived the creation and implementation of an in-house multimedia production entity designed to produce CD-ROM and CD-I compact discs with other production organizations. In charge of original productions as well as co-production ventures.
Creator of multimedia Personal Trainer Series: "Personal Trainer Golf"; "Personal Trainer Body Sculpting"; "Personal Trainer Self Defense"; and "Multimedia In The Studio With"
Thomas' career began in the music industry. Songwriting and performing became larger than life passions. Endless touring, recording and demo deals became the norm. While on a songwriting assignment with CBS songs in Japan, he had the opportunity to direct several Japanese music videos. The course was set. Another side of the entertainment business was introduced and he set off with passion and dedication to do his best.
Smash Alley Film Productions is a small independent production company up here in Canada. Small because they are new, not because they lack the projects or the determination and desire to succeed. Canada has been behind the times for quite a while and never really as a country got the hang of the film and television industry. Smash Alley Film Productions hopes to help change that.
5. WHAT AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY! Duran Duran is about to cross America on a small tour promoting their latest CD Medazzaland. We have the opportunity to join them and document "never-before-seen" footage of the band behind closed doors! The tour begins on November 6 so you have to act fast if you want to participate.
As you are obviously aware, the immediate shoot date is very difficult to make with funding, scripting, and talking with the band... Not forgetting the period for contracts and agreements to be dealt with, but...
I have been in contact with the band on several occasions and we are agreed as to the look and scope of the project. There is really no need to pre-interview the band as the film will not encompass a talking head anthology -- rather a fly-on-the-wall perspective. A third-eye if you will.
Because in the realm of documentary the camera must catch the essence of life as it evolves, rather than a scripted path, the only people who require a script would be the people behind the camera. The importance of a team language is therefore primary.
I have been able to secure much interest in the project from distributors and broadcasters but it seems that the time limit is just too tight for corporate investment. That's why we are looking for an individual with the same level of commitment, dedication and excitement that we have in this project.
Usually money-raising cannot commence until a "package" is fully loaded with such items as script, talent, director, and business plan. Then the investor has to be seduced with incentives and inspired. Financing can be like spinning plates in a circus. If the plates stop spinning, you lose your job. In our favor is that this project encompasses all the facets of a "hit":
The Duran Duran tour itself allows us the opportunity to promote the film while we are making it -- the band is on every major talk show in the U.S., they will be visiting VH-1, MTV and MuchMusic and just a mention of the production should do wonders in distribution or broadcast interest.
We believe in the project and the value and importance of filming Duran Duran "behind-the-scenes" and think the addition of Modi as director makes it even more exciting in that we believe that her vision can only add strength to an already valuable film.
Based on the interest I have seen the project generate over the last week, I do not see distribution or broadcast interest as being difficult to secure. I have been contacted by Cineplex Odeon, Alliance, Film Four and others. But with such a tight schedule pre-sales are difficult and most expressed interest in speaking once principal photography has been completed.
A video production should not exceed 200k with post in the area of 200k. The crew would consist of director, producer, a lighting cameraman, sound mixer, and production assistants.
Please call us for more detailed budget information. Serious investors only. Our lawyers are prepared to act fairly and quickly to ensure a satisfactory conclusion. I am prepared to offer a fair and reasonable deal of money back in first position plus a negotiated % of all net revenues. If you require more equity, then we could perhaps lay out a more favorable payoff schedule until repayment.
Duran Duran is still a very exciting musical act throughout the world. The band has so far sold over 30-million records world-wide and in the last 3-years alone (with no record release) has sold over 3-million albums in the US alone. Duran Duran remain very big in Europe, Japan, not to mention North America.
We are also considering individual investments of $10,000 minimum each to reach our budget requirements.
CONTACT:
C. Thomas Vasiloff
SMASH ALLEY FILM PRODUCTIONS
3 The Carriage Way
Thornhill, Ontario
Canada L3T 4V1Tel: 905-886-3196
Fax: 905-886-3431Email: smash@aracnet.net