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Freedom Dance The Movie : Freedom Dance The Movie : Production Weblog: Freedom Dance's Steven Fischer in Miami for Premiere of "Houdini"
Liberty Pictures presents Freedom Dance - An Animated/Live-Action Documentary by Steven Fischer and Craig Herron Based on the Extraordinary Sketchbook of Edward Hilbert
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Freedom Dance's Steven Fischer in Miami for Premiere of "Houdini"

Posted on Tuesday November 1, 2005 by Steven Fischer

In Miami, Florida now to shoot documentary-style video for veteran indie power pop/rock artist Jim Camacho and his new dvd/cd project Beachfront Defeat (to be released next year). (which is to include shooting interviews with Camacho producers Rat Bastard and Pascal Jacquelin). Also here to attend the premiere screening of “Houdini”, the first music video I directed for Jim.

Was asked to introduce the video to the audience, which I did. A recording of the speech (and Jim’s 7-song show which preceeded the screening exists somewhere).

Many thanks to Joe O’Ferrell, Craig Herron, Ryan “Hippie” Foster, Johnny Sullivan, Anastacia Anderson, Pipo Bonamino, Thea Maichle, and Gregg Landry for making “Houdini” what it is—a highly imaginative and effects-heavy work of art.

We had a very, very, VERY low budget, yet everyone pitched in whole heartedly.

Joe O’Ferrell is a busy director/shooter based in Bel Air, Maryland. (Click on his name to visit his web site and read about his feature: Franky’s Heaven which had an impressive premiere at the Senator Theater.) Joe’s camera and grip package (which included a dolly with curve track) gave the video it’s high quality look. He also brought Ryan “Hippie” Foster, a fellow I’d not met before, but who proved easy to work with, knowledgeable, friendly, and dedicated to his projects.

Craig Herron’s highly competitive animation and composite work (we shot green screen) gave the video it’s wonderfully creepy aesthetics that contributed so much to the emotion of the piece.

Anastacia Anderson’s wonderful ability to be wickedly beautiful on screen brought the perfect quality to the story’s antagonist. Check out her page on My Space: http://www.myspace.com/AnastaciaAnderson

Thanks to Johnny Sullivan we were able to give the convincing illusion that Jim was hanging upside down. Johnny came all the way from West Virginia to deliver a can of Ice Spiker Blast … a powerful concoction of hair spray and glue which allowed him to spike Jim’s very long hair about a foot off his head. (We then shot Jim standing upright and when Craig flipped the image, Jim looked as though he was helplessly suspended upside down.) Johnny is also a certified stunt coordinator (studied in Australia) and a martial artist. His fight scene choreography is amazing!

BlueRock Productions LLC, as always, is a fantastic place to shoot. Thanks to Thea for being there for us and helping us out at a moments notice. And many thanks to Gregg Landry for his friednly hospitality and generous deal on their 40×60 foot sound stage!

Pipo! I only met Pipo Bonamino in person this trip (though we’d talk on the phone while he was editing the video). I’d never relinquished like this before, but I sent all the footage to him in Miami and let him have at it with his own gifted storytelling sensibilities (guided by my storyboards and Jim’s creative input). Pipo is a generous host, a friendly fellow to work with, and a strong storyteller. I was happy he could join me on stage for the introduction at Miami Globo Theater.

Thanks also to the very lovely Paula Diaz who coordinated the Nov. 1 screening, and for allowing me to speak at the premiere. Each of my visits to Miami has been a happy adventure thanks to Jim and his beautiful circle of warm friends and loving family—notably his wife, Deen, who not only took care of Jim’s make up for us on the shoot, but served as stills photographer on the shoot and at the premiere.

Soon you can see the “Houdini” video at the film/video page of Right Cut Media or at Jim Camacho dot Com

~Steven

PS: Discovered Cafe Cubano this trip. I’ve been wired for days!

[ Our Evening at the Hungarian Embassy | Fischer, Herron Interviewed for The Gigi Inc Show! ]

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