Producer | Glam and Grafitti

{Graffiti} PRETTY LITTLE THINGS

February 1, 2012 in Graffiti: Arts & Culture, News

EVENT SPOTLIGHT:

Pretty Little Things Movie Premier

Stepping out of the taxi into what Pittsburgh weathermen call “a wintery mix” (aka “Ice Age 4”), I subconsciously batted at my camera bag as it competed for space with my evening purse on the right side of my black Nicole Miller dress.

What was the occasion? This past Sunday, January 29, I attended the premiere of the feature film of Pretty Little Things at South Side Works Cinema.

The black tie, sold-out event featured stunning attendees in gorgeous dresses and smart suits, a deep thank-you from the modest and incredibly talented crew, and a swinging after-party.

As I sat in the audience, mouth slightly ajar, mesmerized and moved by the film, I suddenly wanted to be a movie critic as well.

So, bam!

All fashion sense aside, I am now writing as Stephanie, “the avid style advice blogger and newly acclaimed amateur movie critic.”

Well…it was fantastic. Main character, Tommy Fulmer, a fallen comedian who was released after a 10 year prison sentence for possession of narcotics, faces a series of heartaches and challenges as he fights to make things right. The storyline moved consistently throughout the film and according to the small gasps in the audience, had the right amount of twists and turns to keep them at the edge of their seats. The actors were superb and the screenplay was dramatic, real and punchy, clearly illustrating talented cinematography was at play in-front-of and behind-the-camera.

Where did it all it begin?

Hats off to an extremely talented and ambitious group of students at Point Park University. The film was cast, produced, written, and created entirely by students from 18-22! Alex Di Marco, 22, studying Cinema and Digital Arts with a concentration in Directing, is the Executive Producer, Writer, and Director for Pretty Little Things. From screenplay to premier night, he set the bar high with a motto that fueled the team to success, “There is NO such words as YOU CAN’T.” He found that this lesson he was taught at a young age combated many of the challenges his team faced over the year of filming: decreased support, lack of funding, creative licenses, and constant remembrance of their young age.

{ Father Tino Di Marco, Producer & Director Alex Di Marco, Actor Gary Farrar}

“We made it because the people who joined the Pretty Little Things team are true filmmakers, and when it’s your true craft, those words, “YOU CAN’T” are as loud as an empty room.” – Alex Di Marco

When you match talent with passion, you can’t go wrong. I had the privilege to interview the producers of Pretty Little Things and take a behind-the-scenes look on their exciting and challenging path of the launch of their film.

Di Marco first started writing the script when he was 18 years old and in his senior year of high school. Once going to college he began meeting people in his major who he felt shared the same level of ambition to create a film and pitched his idea to a friend.

Fast forward to junior year and the movie got kicked into gear.

“I began assembling some interested parties and crew and eventually I met Mike Reeping and offered him the lead. (Which goes without saying, was a match made in heaven.)” - Alex Di Marco

{Producer Cory Stoken and Actor Mike Reeping}

Support came and went, but it was clear that it was there from the beginning. He explains how at first “ it seemed very surreal… almost hush-hush for a while like we were running some underground speakeasy at school during the prohibition period. It was when we held a meeting of about sixty something odd students who pledged their commitment to the summer film.

That’s when we got a taste of reality and a long story told short, we walked away from those sixty some odd “committed” individuals with merely a daily ten who stuck it out that summer. In the end, it went from myself to about one hundred committed individuals, down to a realistic ten people on set each day. Those ten people varied time to time.”

GG: What has been the most rewarding part of the project?

Cory Stoken: “The absolute most rewarding part was this past Sunday at the premiere. As I was watching the film on the huge screen in front of me, I kept looking over at Alex to see him with the biggest smile on his face the whole time. This film was his baby. He’s been trying to get it made for over 4 years, and it has basically consumed his life over the past year and a half, and to see it finally seeing the light of day in front of 250 people, it was amazing.

{Producers Cory Stoken, Heidi Schlegel, & Jordan DiRisio}

GG: What was the biggest challenge that your team faced?

Heidi Schlegel: “In my eyes, I think [it was] balancing our schedules with one another. Many of us had summer jobs and were trying to make money while working on this feature film. It definitely wasn’t easy coordinating availability and making sure we completed the film in a reasonable amount of time.”

GG: What advice do you have for aspiring movie directors?

Cory Stoken: “I would say my biggest advice for aspiring filmmakers is to don’t give up on your dreams. Your dreams are your futures. If you dream to make a feature film someday, go out and do it. Pull together all the resources you can manage, and do it.”

”Nobody can stop you from chasing your dreams, and without dreams you have no future.” – Cory Stoken

…Even if you don’t succeed this time, you at least know you tried, you made it so far, so for the next project you pick yourself back up and try again.”

Alex DiMarco: “Young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white. Purple or Green. The key word is “aspiring.” Just have something to say as an artist. If you can truly look at yourself in the mirror without any influence around you and tell yourself, this is what I want to do.

Then at that level, the only person than can slow down or derail your dreams, is yourself. If all you do is talk about directing stories, then you are an aspiring procrastinator. Just do it and…

…go make a movie!”

And, that they did.

* * * *

A few paparazzi shots from the night featuring members of the cast, crew, family & fans!