Writing for Web Series

MONDAY NIGHT, FEB 1ST, 2010 – 9PM EST / 6PM PST.

James invites special guests Gina Andreoli and Christopher Marston, creators of the Webby Award Honoree series, Gemini Rising PLUS Andrew Harrison and Dallas Coyle, creators of Polyester Dreams to discuss writing for web series. Watch Gemini Rising online at www.GeminiRising.tv and Polyester Dreams at www.PolyesterDreams.com.

Gemini Rising Season Finale – Jan 24th

The Sellersville Theater will host “An Evening with Gemini Rising”, the award winning web series hailed as a “stylistic triumph” by Bucks Life Magazine, and cited in The Washington Post as part of the new revolution of web TV. The event is Sunday, January 24th at 7:30 PM. Admission is only $5.

Cast and crew, including James of This Is Some Scene (see photo right), will be on hand for this entertaining evening of the arts which will include several episodes of the Webby Award Honoree series leading up to the dramatic season finale. The evening will conclude with live music from the show.

In addition to Gemini Rising, select short films will screen including the popular Prog Rock comedy series, Polyester Dreams created by NYU graduate, Andrew Harrison.

Gemini Rising is an innovative and fresh comedy/drama series that follows the lives, romantic entanglements and struggles of a 1970s progressive rock band as they attempt to navigate their way through the music industry; the series is produced by filmmakers Gina Andreoli and Christopher Marston, both Bucks County natives. It features an outstanding local cast. Gemini Rising is distributed widely throughout the web.

Series can be viewed at www.geminirising.tv, blip.tv or at www.koldcast.tv

...an Evening with GEMINI RISING
featuring the theatrical premiere screening of the
dramatic season finale PLUS live music from the hit web series.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
7:30 PM
$5 Admission
Sellersville Theater

Watch the teaser HERE!

Gemini Rising Screens at Hotrod Hoedown

Friday and Saturday nights (Sept 11 & 12), Gemini Rising will screen the lastest episode of Gemini Rising at the Hotrod Hoedown – DRIVE-IN MOVIE STYLE! Meet director Gina Andreoli and purchase cool Gemini Rising Swag at the GR Table! Click on the poster below to visit the Hotrod Hoedown website. It’s going to be rocking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fugue Films returns to This Is Some Scene

It has been a year since our first interview with Fugue Films, the creative team behind the hit web series Gemini Rising. This Monday night, June 29th, Fugue Films returns to discuss the series, the accolades and upcoming screenings. Join us at 9PM Eastern, 6PM Hollywood time for another fun-filled episode of This Is Some Scene. 

The interview with Fugue Films will begin at 9:30 PM Eastern / 6:30 PM PST following This Is Some Scene’s Weirdo News.

Where to see Gemini Rising:

Puck, 1 Printers Alley, Doylestown PA
Sunday July 5th, 6PM 

941 Theater
941 N. Front Street
Northern Liberties, Philadelphia PA 19123
215-235-1385

July 26th sponsored by Koldcast TV and DiPinto guitars

Groovie Movie Night – July 5th, 2009

July 5th, 2009
6PM – 9PM
Puck in Doylestown, PA

The feature is 2003’s “Kontroll”, the debut effort by director Nimrod Antal, (“Vacancy”, “Armored”). Shot almost completely in the subways and underground beneath the city of Budapest, “Kontroll” is a minor masterpiece filled with sharp dialogue, memorable characters and enough thrills and mystery to satisfy everyone. Add amazing cinematography and a slick score and this one’s a true winner! Shown with subtitles, it’s one of the coolest and GROOVIEST movies you’ve never seen!

Also, our friends from Fugue films will be back with another installment of their wonderful and witty ”Gemini Rising” web show. Come check out this well-done and clever local film company’s opus to all things 70’s and rock ‘n roll! Come meet the members of the cast and crew as well! Discussion and comment following the screenings.

Directions to Puck are at the website www.pucklive.com

Gemini Rising Episode 7 Part 1

There is so much to love in episode 7 of the kick ass web series Gemini Rising (www.geminirising.tv). Let me start off by giving mad props to Gregory Nassif St. John for his portrayal of Larry LaMay, a character based off of Al Alberts, a Philadelphia area host of The Al Alberts Showcase, a Saturday afternoon talent show. Gregory’s attention to detail in molding this character is simply genius. I would tune in religiously if Fugue Films ever did a Larry LaMay Spin-off. But let’s not forget Larry’s Piano player, played by Marty Kris, whose comedic timing with Larry just makes it all the more believable. I honestly feel like these guys have worked together on the LaMay show for years. With every viewing of episode 7 I notice little things that Gregory does with the LaMay character that has me in stitches. From his subtle adjustment of his seated posture while watching a very awkward teen dance, which appears to be highly arousing for Larry to the way he holds the microphone. It captures all the creepiness that was The Al Alberts showcase.

Now throw in an early Sunday morning performance of a prog rock band on the Larry LaMay show and you have a recipe for greatness. Righteous Jolly as Robert never disappoints. His passion for the music and frustration with the world around him draws you in. You want so badly for something to work out in Robert’s world.

Being in many bands for many years, it pleases me to see that Fugue Films manages to capture what it is like to be in a rock band and all the shit you end up dealing with. At one point our band got booked at a comedy cabaret. We had comedians open up for us. We were so out of place and it was an awful night. So I feel Gemini Rising’s pain.

Gemini Rising hit its stride in episode 7. The art direction, costuming, sound and writing is top notch. 

Now that would be more than enough for a little-indie-that-could web series to win me over but the Fugue Films crew goes one step further and wrote and recorded the song “Electric Lady of the Lake” featured in the episode. A powerful and epic song, it is a testament to the amazing lengths Fugue Films along with their musical collaborators go to to bring to their audience a well rounded vision. The song’s dark tone also feels like a bit of foreshadowing of darker things to come for Robert and his clan. Episode 7 is a masterpiece and proof that great art is in the hands of the indies.

In a sea of internet video mediocrity, this series rises above them all and should be a lesson to other indie filmmakers to take the time and make your films the best they can be. You don’t have to take my word for it. Gemini Rising recently earned a 2009 Webby Award Honoree and was recently mentioned in a Washington Post article comparing it to an HBO production “Flight of the Conchords.” 

This series ROCKS!

Become a fan of Gemini Rising on Facebook

Watch Gemini Rising

www.geminirising.tv

www.koldcast.tv

Gemini Rising 6: “Sister Jean”

In episode six of the series Gemini Rising, Robert and Richard McKenzie decide to look up their former Catholic school music teacher, Sister Jean, in order to get some inspiration as they continue to struggle through their second album. But when they get to Jean’s home they discover that she has changed as much as the times have.

As with every Gemini Rising episode, the acting is top-notch. Director Gina Andreoli is proving that Bucks County is replete with amazing talent. Cat Miller is introduced as Lizzie, a 16 year old runaway teen. Cat successfully portrays her character with a street-smart seductiveness combined with the innocence and naiveté of a teenager, a feat not easily accomplished by most actors. Her character is well rounded and feels very real. And as is with every Gemini Rising the costume design is genius and they even managed to get a beautiful ‘68 Camaro for this episode.

This was the first episode I watched and found myself wanting to live in the McKenzie brother’s world. I found myself deeply missing my youth and the 70s and the locations used were very beautiful, open and free. 

But there is something still bothering me about this episode. I’m not sure if it felt too preachy, which I’m ok with if all this has a payoff. Six episodes into the series and the audience has seen a lot of characters come and go. Will we see Che again? I thought there was going to be something going on with him and Sandy. It was hinted to in the episode “The Lamb.” It’s always hard with a series because you don’t know how it ends. But each episode should be able to stand on its own. And when I watched “Sister Jean” I was hoping that all this has a payoff.

The episode also felt unbalanced. During the debate between Frank (brilliantly played by Gregory Nassif St. John) and Robert (Righteous Jolly) on whether people “of the cloth” should earn a person’s respect, Lizzie and the band’s drummer are making out in the background in an obviously comedic fashion. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be laughing. I think the reason I’m thrown by the lustful hijinks going on between Lizzie and the drummer is that the acting is so good that I am in the moment with Frank and Robert that the comedy on the side feels out of place. And that seems to be the vibe I got throughout the episode.

Overall, Gemini Rising is wonderfully put together. It looks great and the performances are fantastic. The series creators have managed to make me really care about these characters, even to the point of wondering what it would be like to hang out with them. Now let’s have something happen. Where’s the conflict and I don’t mean a debate on whether a priest deserves respect. I want to see these characters I am invested in put through the ringer. I want to see them overcome obstacles, suffer and succeed. It can be funny or serious but something needs to happen.

Watch Gemini Rising: Episode 6 here.

Go behind the scenes with Gemini Rising

For fans of the internet series Gemini Rising, episode 6 can not come fast enough. Luckily, the Fugue Films crew has given us something to tease us with until then. Ya gotta love Righteous Jolly’s reaction to a hunter’s gunshot in the woods during an interview. So go check out ‘Behind the Scenes of Episode 6′ and enjoy. I would like to add that I am really jealous they got to play with that car for a day. 

You can watch the behind the scenes video on our home page under the Featured Video section or go here.

 

 

Gemini Rising: The Lamb

It is midnight, Friday, July 18th and that cinematic moment that has been highly anticipated has finally arrived. No, not Batman, The Dark Knight. I’m talking about Gemini Rising, Episode 4 “The Lamb.”

It is Thanksgiving 1974. The new 8 1/2 minute episode begins with Rob McKenzie (Righteous Jolly) playing a new love song he wrote called “Sandy” who we know from previous episodes is his beautiful girlfriend played by Pam McGarvey. The doe-eyed Sandy, enamored by having a song written in her name, hangs on every note along with an uneasy Tubbs (Antonio Addeo), clearly agitated as he listens. As the song ends, complete with Rob wiping the tears from his eyes (genius!), tensions rise as Tubbs questions the song’s connection to the “theme” the band is going for.

But before the debate gets heated, the mood is saved when the rest of the group enters brandishing a recently acquired vinyl record of Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Richie (Charles Radcliffe) handles it delicately as the group gazes upon the record with reverence.

They all wish each other a Happy Thanksgiving and we are introduced to Chi, I mean Chet or maybe it’s Che (Ryan Patrick McFarland), leader of the ALA (Amphibian Liberation Army). According to Rob, reptiles/snakes are saved by the AMPHIBIAN Liberation Army. You got to just love Rob’s cluelessness. And at the same time your heart is breaking because you know Sandy has motivation behind asking about Chet and Rob, so in love with her, can’t even see it.

This is followed by an interesting chat about IF (Interpersonal Frequency), a group that promotes open relationships and fulfillment through non-commitment. However, it would seem that the guys are using it to get laid by many broads every night of the week without having to date them. This might be the greatest group ever. Tubbs calls it “Sex-opolis.” Once again, Rob’s naiveté of things of this nature is priceless and makes for great comedy. I’m not sure if IF will play a part in Rob & Sandy’s relationship but that would be interesting to see. 

After a meatless Thanksgiving dinner, Rob and Barry (Michael Jared Kite) head outside for a smoke. I won’t reveal what happens in this scene but it is a killer ending which had me laughing my ass off and anxiously anticipating the next episode. I can’t wait for what is about to happen.

Fugue Films continues to create something worthwhile, still building the story, the characters, staying fresh and funny. Check it out at http://www.geminirising.tv/ - click on Episodes.

As an afterthought from watching this episode, I realized how different the world is when it comes to music and the release of a new album. In the 70s it was an event. You would gather your friends together to listen to an album. It meant something back then. And then the lyrics from Ani DiFranco’s “Fuel” came into my head:

people used to make records
as in a record of an event
the event of people playing music in a room
now everything is cross-marketing
its about sunglasses and shoes
or guns and drugs
you choose

 

Gemini Rising Filmmakers on Some Scene

Monday night, June 23rd, This Is Some Scene welcomes Fugue Films, the creators of Gemini Rising, a hilariously-groovy web series following a fictional band, Gemini Rising, during thier hey-day in 1974. Fugue Films is an independent production company located in historical Bristol, PA and founded by Gina Andreoli and Christopher Marston in 2005. They specialize in film and video production including narrative fiction, documentary, commercial and music video work. Join us as we talk to Gina Andreoli, Christopher Marston, Pam McGarvey and Righteous Jolly. This Is Some Scene starts at 9PM with Movie News, Entertainment History, Attack of the B-Movies and a new Game Show starting this week and you can win free prizes courtesy of SlackerPlanet.net. Our guests will call into the show at 9:30 PM EST. Listen LIVE at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/ThisIssomeScene.

You can watch the first episode of Gemini Rising on our Home Page under the Featured Video section. Also, you can read my review of the series here.

We hope you can join us for another fantastic episode of This Is Some Scene from Guerilladelphia: A Declaration of Independents.

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