CAST

INQUIRIES (psychochiatrist@gmail.com)

Brianna (18-22) -- This college girl loves to party and be at the center of attention. Dave is her boyfriend, but only for now -- until she finds someone more appealing. But, for all her sass, spunk, and sex appeal is an insecure creature that suffered with weight issues as a child. Brianna is the kind of girl just waiting for an opportunity to lash out. LIKES: bars & clubs, reality tv, Texas Hold 'Em, and money DISLIKES: pets and children

Emily (18-21) -- As Kayden's emotionally damaged best friend, Emily is a gentle artist plagued with insecurities and an obsessive compulsive personality. Her boyfriend, Sid, means well but sometimes falls short of supporting her. However, underneath all her issues is a courageous woman waiting to shine. LIKES: photography, dancing in the rain, jelly beans, and cartoons DISLIKES: public Speaking and large crowds

Kayden (18-21) -- Growing up rich, Kayden is used to getting everything she's ever wanted. So, when she ends up in therapy with the charming Trevor Whim it's only natural for him to become her boyfriend -- only, she got more than what she bargained for. Caring to the fault of being a busy-body, this protagonist evolves as she realizes her boyfriend isn't all she ever hoped for. LIKES: dining out, travelling, cuddling, and fine wine DISLIKES: cruelty to animals and football

Trevor (31-35) -- This conniving maniac became a psychiatrist because he wanted to learn other peoples' secrets, to explore the darker side of human nature. After rising to the top of his field, this charming doctor decided that controlling his patients through medication just wasn't enough -- he wanted to take a more active approach, over their lives... Kayden and her friends have the unfortunate honor of being Dr. Trevor's second group experiment. LIKES: working out, Dr. Mengele, modern medicine, and eugenics DISLIKES: spiritual healing and massage therapy

Dave (23-26) -- Brianna's social-climbing boyfriend. Dave drinks too much and parties too hard. There is barely a filter between his brain and his mouth. Though he brags about working at a Hedge Fund on Wall Street, he is actually the lead mailroom clerk and suffers from a bad case of 'keeping up with the Jones' LIKES: babes, partying, and 80's metal DISLIKES: exercise and meeting new people

Sid (22-25) -- Emily's tough-guy boyfriend that keeps it real. A high school drop out that claims no regrets, but secretly suffers from deep-rooted insecurites that manifest in the form of anxiety attacks. Sid is distrusting of those who attempt to wear their smarts on their sleeve. LIKES: beer, pick-up football games, getting high and chillin' DISLIKES: college boys and drama

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Interview with Ray Soltani & Adam Weissman: PART II

Interviewer: RED
Ray's Answers: GREEN
Adam's Answers: GOLD

What attracts you to film?

R: The style of storytelling. The picture, the sound, the performances, the script, the editing; they're all so different yet equally integral, trying to control all of them at once can be chaotic at times. Then somehow, if you hang on, everything falls into place. I find that reassuring.

A: Life is too short to go quietly. Film is one of the few art forms where you can reach out and touch thousands of people. Sure, books do that too, perhaps more-so, but film is slightly more sociable than 'novelizing' which is a word I just made up.

Do you prefer writing or directing?

A: Writing.

R: That's a rough one. Writing is fun because you don't need anyone. It's kind of like jerking off in that way. Now, you might think well, if Directing is like sex then that must be much better; but think of all the bullshit that comes along with sex. Think of how happy you were before puberty.

A: Also, keep in mind the competition is too fierce to be a one trick pony, if you're not a writer/director or graphic artist/director, there's only so much you can do, you're more expendable in that way.

R: Plus there are so many hacks and bullshit artists inundating this business with their nonsense that it's hard to get your stuff read or even seen sometimes, but if you're well versed structurally and aesthetically, add to that the ability to generate un-contrived content and then maybe you won't be a joke.


So, do you think film school should be more vocational?

R: I was a Dramatic Writing major at SUNY Purchase, after my first year I decided to apply to the film program which was more 'prestigous' and closely guarded. The guy who rejected me, the interviewer, asked me why I wanted to make films, and I, like an asshole, actually had the audacity to say "to entertain people", well, he just kind of threw up his hands in exasperation. He couldn't believe it. "Then what're we making films for!?" he says. He actually wanted me to say to change the world. These are the types of idiots you have in charge of film programs.

Don't blame the studios for destroying independent film, blame the independent filmmaker. Great art is indestructible, it permeates souls.


So, you guys think Go Quietly will permeate souls?

A: I don't know about all that -- at the very least, I would hope it causes people to think twice about their own psychiatrist -- their own 'Doctor Trevor.'

R: Haha.

Do you think that's dangerous, if people are scared of their psychiatrist?

A: Not at all. I think psychiatrists are what's dangerous. Who do they think they are telling people how to live? Dispensing 'wisdom' like some sort of witch doctor. It's one of the few fields in science where a majority of its practitioners will admit that they don't exactly know how or why the drugs they give people work the way they do.

R: Adam's got some personal issues.

Were you ever in therapy?

A: No. Not me.

((awkward silence))

How did Go Quietly come about?

R: Adam and I had been discussing making a film for awhile, the phrase “new boyfriend, dead friends” stuck in my head. That eventually turned into the logline above, thanks to Adam. I wanted to do something having to do with mind games and relationships, I thought the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with new relationships was something I could exploit. I was pushing for horror because I knew we couldn’t get any names, but at least with horror we would have a shot at an audience. Plus I wanted to do something raw, edgy -- something gritty, something that would grab people by the throat.

It was Adam’s idea to make the villain a psychiatrist – something we both loved because we knew we could turn meds, hypnosis, psychoanalysis, behavioral analysis and therapy into weapons.

Why a psychiatrist?

A: People put a lot of trust in this stranger -- the psychiatrist. A psychiatrist isn't your friend -- he (or she) is someone you 'work with' based upon who your insurer is. That said, if your insurance changes you're forced to switch caregivers... nothing personal, just business. To me, I think that's pretty creepy, especially because unlike someone that's a heart surgeon, general practitioner, allergist etcetera, the problem and solution (in psychiatry) are thoroughly subjective.

In a nutshell, psychiatry seems one part science, two parts faith -- but not in a good way. If psychiatrists had a fantasy equivalent, it wouldn't be a priest, it would be a warlock.

What are your minimum expectations for Go Quietly?

R: My minimum expectations for Go Quietly are that it’ll do for the careers of everyone involved what steroids did for Barry Bonds.

A: Make back my money and make a follow up film with Ray.

What are your maximum hopes for Go Quietly?

R: It’s probably too late to say this, but I don’t wanna sound like an idiot, so I’ll pass on that one.

A: Haha, what Ray said for minimum expectations.

Where do you see pitfalls in this project?

R: It’s impossible for anything to go wrong. Not even God can stop us.

A: No comment, but I'll skip on the blasphemy.

Who are your inspirations if any?

R: Audie Murphy and Alexander The Great -- conquered the known world at 25, can't beat that, right?

A: Ayn Rand and L. Ron Hubbard (just kidding about L. Ron).

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Interview with Ray Soltani & Adam Weissman: PART 1

Ray and Adam both grew up in Westchester County, NY -- Ray in Ossining, Adam in Eastchester. They both also graduated from the Dramatic Writing Program at SUNY Purchase along with Bob Geile who graduated from SUNY Purchase Film... "BUT," as Ray says: "All of that is secondary to life experience, at least when you're starting out in this field... what's shaped me is the situations I've been in -- mostly the awkward, miserable or destructive ones -- those make the smoothest transitions into narrative."

Adam agrees: "it's not what people put on their resume so much as the things they leave out. Fortunately for me, I've had lots of jobs so it was always easy to mix & match for the job in question. My friends used to joke that I was a serial employee. I think of it as 'character building.'"

Growing up, Ray and Adam both agree that they learned a lot from their parents. Ray says "They're probably the reason why I strive for the best and why I'm never satisfied. I must be better than them or I'm a failure. If not, then why not just roll up into a corner and die?" Adam adds: "My parents were great at not being dictators and over-scheduling, so I had plenty of time to let my imagination run wild. Thanks to them I call things as I see them and always look at the possibilities."

And so the two of them grew up and attended high school until they met and became friends in college. Rays says of their initial friendship "
Adam walked into a Dramatic Writing class one day and angered the teacher and the students with some colorful comments, this amused me and we became friends after that."

Their first true collaboration was writing a script for an animated feature which they later converted into a children's book.

Go Quietly
was a long time coming due to the fact that Ray was heavily involved shooting The Capitalist www.thecapitalistmovie.com (check it out for a trailer) and Adam was involved in a 9-5 job.

"Watching people gradually become the neurotic and paralyzed adults they were destined to be as the years went on was fascinating." Ray says of his college years. Adam adds: "after I graduated, it was time to either move out and become a slave to a landlord, creditors, and the IRS, or keep living at home and make a real investment in my future -- an investment in a movie."


APRIL 19th AUDITIONS

The April 19th Auditions were a great success!

Though we are casting on the 26th in order to help find the best candidate possible, those who auditioned on the 19th were all very talented actors and actresses.

Thank you.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Auditions for Go Quietly: why improv?

As many actors/actresses who have been contacted already know, Adam & Ray will be conducting auditions for Go Quietly in the form of improv prompts and cold monologues as per Ray (the Director)'s choice.

While many are enthusiastic about the notion of improv, some seem nervous -- which begs the question, why improv and 'monologue cold' as opposed to have an actor deliver a monologue of his choice and study sides from the script?

Basically, Adam & Ray are interested in seeing how you, the actor/actress, think on your own. As writing is all about choices in regards to plot, character, and style... so too, they believe, is acting about the choices an actor makes in regards to their interpretation of a role.

While preparation is extremely admirable and necessary on set, Ray and Adam prefer that an actor's best prepared performance is reserved for the actual production as opposed to the auditioning room.

If you are auditioning as Kayden, Brianna, Emily, or Trevor and are faced with the question whether it be "What are your thoughts on obesity?" OR "Is it better to be loved or feared, and why?" OR "Why are you dating 'character X'?" Adam and Ray want to see how quick you can think on your feet -- this way, when it comes down to shooting Go Quietly, Ray can focus more on the scene at hand as opposed to coaching an actor/actress to find their inspiration. Improvisation and cold monologues are key to identifying those who can provide their own unrehearsed inspiration on command.

Back in the 1980's, Mel Gibson, when cast as Mad Max, received the part basically on-the-spot because he had been in a bar fight the night before the audition. He came to the audition all sorts of beat-up and the casting director(s) knew they had struck gold because to them, it wasn't the then unknown Mel Gibson who had walked in... it was Mad Max. The rest is history.

While Mel Gibson wasn't 'improvising' -- the one thing to come away with from this example is that he was a living version of the character that was being cast.

Ideally, through improv and cold readings, Ray & Adam hope to recreate a scenario where they meet living versions of their characters. And, on the bright-side, they aren't even asking anyone to come in beat-up, they are only asking to meet Kayden, Emily, Brianna, and Trevor.

Best of luck to all!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Interview with Tyler Faison, Master of Sound – Part II

While commercial/corporate work pays the bills, projects like Go Quietly are a labor of love. Recently, Tyler just finished work on a thriller entitled Bloodwine which was shot in Texas and Oklahoma. As for traveling to New York, Tyler looks forward to it. His wife’s family is from upstate New York, but he hasn’t yet been to New York City. “One of the great things about this industry are the opportunities you have to travel while advancing your craft, and most of all, doing something that you love.”

As far as genre goes, horror/thriller is one of Tyler’s favorites and 2000 Maniacs directed by Lewis Gordon is a real standout. “It was a late 60’s film and had a shoestring budget of maybe one or two-thousand dollars – basically, it was a feature made out of raw passion for the medium.” Most recently, Tyler enjoyed Planet Terror from Robert Rodriguez.

In other news, Tyler’s just completed work on a documentary called Freaky Flesh for Starz. As a result, Tyler interviewed the original cast of Night of the Living Dead – including George Romero which provided him with some great insights.

As far as genres go: horror/thriller is hard to do well. But, it’s also hard to do badly.” That said, “Go Quietly has got a great story and since the script is where it all begins, I look forward to seeing how this whole thing turns out.”

Ray, Adam, Bob, and Robert Ansbro (interview to follow) have all worked together in the past and are excited to work with Tyler – not only for his expertise and dedication, but for his enthusiasm which is sure to contribute to a smooth production.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Interview with Tyler Faison, Master of Sound -- PART I

After graduating from the University of Alabama in 2005 with a concentration in non-linear editing – Tyler was in for a trial by fire when he got involved with a small production company. “I learned more in the first 6-months after college than I did in my four years. Not to say I didn’t learn anything – college definitely served its purpose, but there’s no substitute for real world experience.”

At the production company Tyler had the opportunity to wear many hats and find his niche – on location, and in production, as opposed to behind the scenes editing in post. It wasn’t long before Tyler gravitated towards sound. Growing up in a musical family where his father is a Band Director, his mom a trumpet player, all 3 of his siblings talented musicians, and Tyler himself marched in a Drum & Bugle Corps (http://www.dci.org/) – sound seemed like a natural choice.

The other thing that attracted Tyler to the all encompassing world of sound was the objective angle. “So much of production is inherently subjective due its creative nature, but with sound it’s different. You have to be creative in the capture, blocking out the ambient sounds when appropriate, but the end result should always be the same… quality sound that brings a film to life.

Tyler’s other draw to sound work is the pressure that comes from the standards of which professional sound is judged. “My favorite thing about sound is that you only get one chance to get it right – especially if you’re working on something live.” With such a dedicated ethic, it should come as no surprise that when Tyler and his wife moved to Dallas, Texas, on a Monday, Tyler had found work by Wednesday… on a show called Prison Break.

In addition to working on Season 3 of Prison Break on Fox, Tyler has also worked on Oprah, MTV’s Making the Band 4, as well as other notables such as Mary Kay Cosmetics, Lexus, Frito-Lay, Allstate, and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

During the Writer’s Strike, Tyler bought all of his own gear and in concordance with a goal he had set early in life he is now living his entrepreneurial dream at the age of 24. “I've always wanted to do something that I love to do, and I really do enjoy doing what I do, the people I meet, and the places I go. As the times change and technology progresses, I am ever more ready to set sail for any challenge put in front of me. I love my job and I wouldn't trade it for the world.”

PART II coming soon…

In the meanwhile check out http://www.tylerfaison.com/ for more information.

Monday, April 7, 2008

UPDATE

April 19th has been booked full of auditions!

Thank you to all actors/actresses who responded promptly and returned Adam's call.

COMING SOON...

Interview with Tyler Faison.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

INTERVIEW WITH BOB GEILE, CINEMATOGRAPHER

"Purchase was for directors and because my passion lay with photography, I had to teach myself by trial and error." says Bob Geile of his days as a Film Student at SUNY Purchase. "Everyone kept telling me, you're in the wrong school for photography -- just learn to be a director and pick up all the cinematgraphy stuff on the side. It's funny, because in a way, had I been trained as a 'photographer' my whole perspective might've been different, so in a way -- yeah, everything worked out."


A lot of DP (Directors of Photography) claim painting as their inspiration or some famous artist/photographer. Bob's inspiration is more intuitive, or raw. "I draw my insipiration from the world around me. I approach photography like physics -- it's amazing how everything fits so perfectly together. Capturing that perfection and making it my own, so people see the world through my eyes -- that's something I strive for in each shot I take."


This attention to detail and passion for life are what help Bob stand out from other young filmmakers -- accounting for his unique style and earning him work as the American Unit DP for a Busta Rhymes/Teriyaki Boyz/Pharell video which is now airing in Japan. Most recently, Bob was working on another NERD/Pharell Video.


Amongst the many projects Bob is involved with, he's particularly excited to shoot Go Quietly. After working with Ray on The Capitalist, he was left with only favorable impressions. "He (Ray) knows his material inside and out, but the best part about that is... as opposed to being over-controlling Ray lays the groundwork -- he knows how to get the right creative people in the room so there's a real synergy amongst ideas, so the energy is right. But, the best part is that Ray never loses his vision -- what occurs is collaborative artwork in its truest sense -- it's like shooting an atom bomb out of a gun."


Bob also met Adam during The Capitalist, yet while their opportunity to work together was limited Bob looks forward to Go Quietly as an opportunity to push the limits. He recalls discussions "about the nature of man and other crazy stuff -- crazy even for a film shoot, which is refreshing. It's important to work with people that not only do you think are intelligent -- but, people you like. Most of all, as an artist, you wanna work with people that are attempting to make waves as opposed to just riding them."

Aside from visually bringing Adam and Ray's story to life -- what's most appealing to Bob about the current project is "it's a lot of fun to work with the horror genre. You get to push a lot of boundaries and for that reason, horror might be the most enjoyable. I'm excited to make some really unique and powerful images that will hopefully move people -- or at least shock them... I also look forward to the challenge of creating something terrifying yet subtle all at once."


In the meanwhile, Bob is shooting a new documentary TV Show called The Town Pump, based on a show from the 1960's where artists like Andy Warhol got together with the movers and shakers of the New York art culture and explored the outer limits of creativity. For the most part, the documentary is complete and Bob and his partners are now soliciting sponsors for distribution.


After Go Quietly is done, Bob looks forward to his trip to Japan where he will edit his feature length documentary -- a post modern journey film in the vein of Sherman's March to the Sea but with a little more madness, yelling, and drinking. Shot all over the midwest, some of the film's highlights include Bob at an ostrich farm, where he provoked an ostrich to bite him. "It's beak felt like two slimy pieces of plastic, and it stank like shit."


Teriyaki Boyz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAOriCzLTNo
The Town Pump
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViHGJfLfmIg
Man Reconstituted: a little more the style of this film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g87MfXi4Ow

AUDITIONING UPDATE

Due to overwhelming response -- we will also be casting:

Saturday April 19th: 10AM-1PM

Other dates will remain the same -- see below...

Thank you.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

AUDITIONS

Audition dates have been set for:

Saturday April 26th: 10AM-1PM
Saturday May 3rd: 10AM-1PM


If you are selected, you will receive an email letting you know the location and additional details within the next 2-weeks, by April 18th, or if you submit on the 17th -- then shortly thereafter.

Thank you.