The N3rd Blog

News on the availability of The Nocturnal Third

2012-02-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

This letter just went out to subscribers of the Wonder Mill Films newsletter. E-mail wondermillfilms@yahoo.com to join!

Hello, everyone-

I just wanted to share a quick announcement on the availability of The Nocturnal Third on Amazon.com. We are in the process of re-arranging our books for 2012, and will need to establish a whole new page for the film on our online sales platform. Unfortunately, this will take The Nocturnal Third off of the market for several weeks, beginning this Friday, February 10th.

During this down time, however, we’ll be offering the film for absolutely free on the main page of our website, similar to our approach during the film’s premiere. This will be a fantastic way to share the film with friends, so be sure to take advantage of this limited availability:

http://www.thenocturnalthird.com

As we’ve mentioned before, the film has garnered some very encouraging reviews and has developed some good chatter. We have some plans on the horizon to bring both The Nocturnal Third and A Genesis Found to wider audiences in the coming months, so be sure to stay tuned!

Thanks!

Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third
Producer, A Genesis Found

DOODLES - 2/6/12

2012-02-07T12:01:00.001-08:00

A few quick tidbits:

50/50 - I'd highly recommend this under-seen dramedy from September of last year, starring whom I consider to be our generation's leading man, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It seems so strange to say this, considering the "dramedy" was such a popular genre during my cinematic maturation in the 1990's, but they just don't make movies like this any more.

Beauty & The Beast - My wife and I checked out this Disney classic at our local Rave, in beautiful digital projection. The titular musical number and "Be Our Guest" are both exhilarating when you're immersed in the experience.

Check out my debate with Film Nerds godfather Matt Scalici about whether or not it's okay to spoil "bad" stories: http://bit.ly/yZHRjH

Stay tuned for some interesting updates later this week!

-Ben

Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

2012-01-08T15:02:00.000-08:00

It's going to be a big one... lots of branding will be going on at the theaters this year. The hard pill to swallow is that so many of these franchise entries have a fair chance of being really good:

1. Gravity
2. The Dark Knight Rises
3. Lincoln
4. Inside Llewyn Davis
5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
6. The Avengers
7. Django Unchained
8. Looper
9. Prometheus
10. TIE: Skyfall / The Bourne Legacy

That's my list. The only one I feel the need to qualify is my number one pick. If you haven't heard about Gravity, it's the newest film from Alfonso Cuaron, whom I find to be one of the most dense and brilliant filmmakers alive. I don't know if I've anticipated a Sandra Bullock film since Speed 2: Cruise Control, but I have the feeling her Oscar win might have liberated her a bit. I'm really looking forward to what Cuaron does with another science fiction thriller.

Feel free to chime in!

-Ben

Wonder Mill Roadshow Letter

2012-01-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a notice that I'm sending out to community art folks and fellow filmmakers regarding our upcoming Roadshow:

We are looking to find networking opportunities with other moviemakers throughout the Southeast. Wonder Mill Films is looking to host a series of double feature film screenings in select cities, including Raleigh, Nashville, Birmingham, and Savannah.

Our plan is to screen our two feature films, as well as a handful of short films from local moviemakers, combined with an informative and entertaining Q&A about regional indie filmmaking.

We are in need of a starting point for the Raleigh / Nashville / Birmingham / Savannah communities. We are hoping to host screenings on Saturdays in May or June, and are looking to strike up a conversation with other filmmakers, art organizations, and potential venues. Any contact information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Folks can find more information about our films at www.agenesisfound.com and www.thenocturnalthird.com.

Facebook: /wondermillfilms
Twitter: @WonderMillFilms

Pass it along if you deem it relevant!

-Ben

Ben's Watch List for 2011

2012-01-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

Thought it might be fun to post my log of movies or TV that I watched throughout 2011. Those first few months were lean, as I was finishing the Nocturnal Third sound mix. After April or so, it was all DVD authoring and marketing stuff.

I'm doing this again for 2012, but adding books. My goal for 2012 is to watch much less television and many more movies.

TH = Theatrical

January
Blade Runner Theatrical Cut
The Man With Two Brains
Arrested Development (Cont’d)
Firefly (Cont’d)

February
Trailer Park Boys
Arrested Development (Cont’d)
Firefly (Cont’d)

March
Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam
Arrested Development (Cont’d)
Superman The Animated Series
Firefly (Finished)

April
Limitless (TH)
Fast Five (TH)
Shutter Island
La Soufriere
Arrested Development (Cont’d)
Serenity

May
Thor (TH)
Bridesmaids (TH)
District B13
Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (Entire Series)
Gattaca
Supercop
Old Joy
X-Men: First Class (TH)
The Incredible Hulk: 90's Animated Series
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (TH)
Arrested Development (Cont’d)
Breaking Bad S1 (Cont’d)

June
Midnight in Paris (TH)
Super 8 (TH)
The League S1
Tree of Life (TH)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Duel of the Titans
The Adjustment Bureau (TH)
Arrested Development (Cont’d)
Breaking Bad S1 (Cont’d)

July
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (TH)
George Washington
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (TH)
Shotgun Stories
Captain America: The First Avenger (TH)
The Hunt for Red October
Arrested Development (Finished)
Breaking Bad S1 (Cont’d)
The Thin Red Line

August
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (TH)
Kung Fu Panda
Green Lantern (TH)
Paranoid Park
Parks & Recreation (Cont’d)
Breaking Bad S1 (Cont’d)

September
Drive (TH)
Contagion (TH)
Let Me In
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (TH)
Rango
Parks & Recreation (Cont’d)
Breaking Bad S2

October
Moneyball (TH)
Black Swan
The People Under the Stairs
Night of the Hunter
The Blob (unfinished)
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Good German
Meek’s Cutoff
The Valley of Gwangi
An American Werewolf in London
Attack the Block
Parks & Recreation (Cont’d)
Breaking Bad S2 (Cont’d)

November
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
Breaking Bad S3 (Abandoned)
The Twilight Zone (Original)
Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone
For Your Eyes Only
Return of the King
The Thin Red Line
Sherlock S1E1&2
Raging Bull
Star Trek: The Next Generation S1E1
Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
13 Assassins
Parks & Recreation (Cont’d)
Hugo (TH)
The Muppets (TH)
Horrible Bosses
Martha Marcy May Marlene (TH)

December
Tangled
Parks & Recreation (S3 & S4)
Take Shelter (TH)
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (TH 2x, IMAX)
The Adventures of Tintin (TH 2x, IMAX 3D)
Another Earth
War Horse (TH)

Review Round-Up 2

2012-01-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a list of links to everywhere The Nocturnal Third has been reviewed, rated, or commented upon. Please grab some of these and pass them along to friends that might be interested. Also, if you liked the movie, please remember to rate it at Amazon and on IMDb.
Thanks!

Battleship Pretension
http://battleshippretension.com/?p=4481

Craig Hamilton
http://citizencraig.blogspot.com/index.html#2840862475833874558

Fabisch Factor
http://kurtsmoviereviews.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/the-nocturnal-third-review/

Flick Feast
http://flickfeast.co.uk/reviews/film-reviews/nocturnal-2011/

FlowersFlix
http://flowersflix.com/?p=3686

IMDb (User Rating: 8/10)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1905053/

The Independent Critic
http://www.theindependentcritic.com/nocturnal_third

Life Between Frames
http://lifebetweenframes.blogspot.com/2011/09/every-machine-breaks-down.html

Limited Release
http://limited-release.com/wonder-mill-films%E2%80%99-the-nocturnal-third/

Man, I Love Films
http://manilovefilms.com/reviews/dvd-reviews/2011/11/indie-flick-review-the-nocturnal-third/

Nashville Examiner (Cross-posted from Craig Hamilton)
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-nashville/the-nocturnal-third-review

Past the Popcorn
http://ptpopcorn.com/index.php/2011/the-nocturnal-third/

Spling
http://www.spling.co.za/movie-reviews/card/the-nocturnal-third

Happy 2012!

2012-01-02T09:49:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year from the cast and crew of The Nocturnal Third!

For fun, I wrote a painfully long post about my favorite movies of 2011. You can find a link here, but here's a quick look at my top ten:

10. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part II
9. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
8. Meek's Cutoff
7. The Adventures of Tintin
6. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
5. Take Shelter
4. Attack the Block / Super 8
3. The Tree of Life
2. Martha Marcy May Marlene
1. War Horse

A Message from N3rd Producer Lee Fanning

2011-12-26T06:59:00.000-08:00

Here's a message sent out this past weekend to Wonder Mill e-mail subscribers, from Lee Fanning (producer of The Nocturnal Third and writer/director of A Genesis Found). It features some info on what Wonder Mill will be up to in 2012. Subscribe to the newsletter by e-mailing wondermillfilms@yahoo.com.

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to drop a line and give everyone a big Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays shout out from Wonder Mill Films!

While we're taking a little seasonal break like everyone, catching our favorite Christmas films on the tube (you know, like "Die Hard"), we're still hard at work promoting "The Nocturnal Third" and "A Genesis Found", and looking forward to the new year and its new opportunities!

We've currently got two pretty major projects cooking-- first, at the start of next year we'll begin our "Wonder Mill Roadshow City Tour", which will be similar to last years "A Genesis Found Campus Tour", except this time we're targeting select Southern cities, looking for non-campus venues, and presenting both "The Nocturnal Third" and "A Genesis Found" as a mini-Wonder Mill Film Festival on the same night. We're also exploring some exciting peripheral opportunities with the tour, branching out our reach to other regional filmmakers based in the areas we're visiting, calling for short film entries to be screened as "appetizers" along with our features when we're in town.

Other than that, the next big project is the development of our third feature film! Though we're still very early in the process, we're gunning for a summer-fall shoot (similar to "The Nocturnal Third's" a couple of years ago). Ben and I are developing the story, while I'm scripting and Ben's directing. Should be a lot of fun!

Can't tell you much about the story yet, but let's just say it should have something to do with neutrinos....

That's all you get! Again, Happy Holidays, and thanks for staying in touch!

- Lee Fanning
Director, A Genesis Found

DOODLES - 12/19/11

2011-12-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd drop a quick line while I plug the latest blog post. Check that out here. It's called "The Fellowship of the Ring, 10 Years Later – A DIY Filmmaker Looks Back". Some other quick thoughts:

-I'm making good headway in planning out our 2012. I'll be honest when I say that Christmas shopping has taken top priority.

-A bunch of us checked out Mission:Impossible - Ghost Protocol in digital IMAX last week. I think it's safe to say that Brad Bird belongs in the same camp as a Steven Spielberg or a John McTiernan; that being a filmmaker that makes a strong case for "action as art".

-I was also fortunate enough to catch the prologue for The Dark Knight Rises. I'm not sure I can add anything more interesting to the ongoing cultural dialogue about this movie, but it looks like it's going to be a ton of fun.

-We have a pretty cool opportunity that's been presented to us for The Nocturnal Third, and I should have more details in the next week or so.

-Other than that, I've not really been able to consume much media on top of work, movie prep, and social gatherings. Of course, Danielle and I would be remiss to keep any Rankin Bass Christmas specials out of our DVD player. Is there a more elusively magical cinematic art than stop motion?

Merry Christmas, guys.

-Ben

DOODLES - 11/14/11

2011-11-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

Here I am with a quick recap of what's been going on recently in the world of The Nocturnal Third, as well as in my cultural world, in general.

-We've gotten several good, in-depth reviews that I'm really happy with. Having my own film reviewed by writers has completely changed my perspective on film criticism. It's so much less important for a person to like our film than it is for them engage in discussion with it. So much of modern film criticism is entirely preference-based, boiled down to a thumbs up or a thumbs down. I'll take a thumbs down with a smile on my face if the viewer came to the film on its terms, ready to engage with it.

-My wife and I are going back through all the Harry Potter films, from the very beginning, and I'm shocked to see how much Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone is when you're aware of the entire narrative trajectory. I haven't read the Rowling books, and don't plan to, but I'm very much a fan of the films. I'm most excited to re-watch Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix, as I watched that 2007 film in the theater, with diminished interest and enthusiasm for the series.

-I think I'm bowing out of Breaking Bad. N3rd composer Jesse Ewing very acutely brought up that the show is a bit of a soul-sucker, and in my opinion, a character-based medium like television needs to be very responsible with how much self-destruction it portrays. This relates greatly to a piece I'm thinking of writing for Film Nerds about the theology of total depravity, and how it relates to film. In an effort to prove to myself that I'm not a complete wimp, I've returned to the classic Raging Bull, and I think my point stands. Watching a character ravage himself and those around him is an allowance in cinema, which is rooted in artistic distance, time limit, and specific perspective.

-Taking a cue from Lee Fanning, who is currently outlining Wonder Mill Feature Number 3, I've re-visited the 1950's Serling Twilight Zone. Those things are just plain fantastic. They play in the same ballpark as the original Star Trek, as well as Universal horror movies or classical Hollywood studio films in general. Similar to those projects, The Twilight Zone zooms into the very germ of a genre idea, finds the drama in that germ, and then plays out that drama on a specific, small scale, with humble resources and great performances. I can't recommend The Twilight Zone highly enough.

-I think that's about it for now. We're currently planning out which cities we want to take The Nocturnal Third too, as well as thinking about a permanent online home for both it and A Genesis Found. We'll have more updates in the coming weeks!

Thanks for reading!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third
Producer, A Genesis Found

Hamacon 2011

2011-11-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

Lee Fanning, writer/director of A Genesis Found, and Benjamin Stark, writer/director of The Nocturnal Third, will be hosting a filmmaking panel at this weekend's Hamacon Mini Anime Convention! We'll be answering questions, giving tips, tricks, and just having fun in general. We'd love to have a huge turnout!

Here's some more info:

http://hama-con.com/

Obviously, Hamacon is not just for anime fans, but for enthusiasts of cosplay, fan fiction, comic books, and all kind of great stuff. Be there!

Wonder Mill Films: Feature 3 Announcement

2011-10-31T15:09:00.001-07:00

Here's an excerpt from the latest Wonder Mill newsletter, in which I announce our third feature film.

"Lee and I have begun very early work on our next project, which will be Wonder Mill's third feature film. This new effort will be a complete departure for both of us, as the current working arrangement calls for Lee to function as sole scriptwriter and for me to function as director. We're attempting this new approach to increase our respective specializations (although neither of us are leaving behind screenwriting or directing in general), and to try collaborating on an entirely creative level.

Now, this project will not take any concrete form for quite some time, so I can't give any idea of scheduling or timeline, but we are in the outlining stage now. This film should turn out to be quite a fun, eerie, and suspenseful sci-fi thriller if everything comes together, but we are approaching it as a true experiment at this point, with no hard commitments.

We've also discussed producing the movie in a more communal, 'open source' fashion than A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third. We'll have details on that as the project develops, but we hope to have as many of you local filmmakers and performers involved as possible!

Of course, the development of Feature 3 will be taking a back seat to the further distribution of our newest film, The Nocturnal Third. We're putting the finishing touches on a plan that will allow N3rd, along with A Genesis Found, to reach even more audiences in our region."

Exciting!
-Ben

N3rd Review Round-Up - 10/25/11

2011-10-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Battleship Pretension
http://battleshippretension.com/?p=4481

Nashville Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-nashville/the-nocturnal-third-review

Craig Hamilton (Cross-Posted from Examiner)
http://citizencraig.blogspot.com/index.html#2840862475833874558

The Independent Critic
http://www.theindependentcritic.com/nocturnal_third

Fabisch Factor
http://kurtsmoviereviews.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/the-nocturnal-third-review/

Life Between Frames
http://lifebetweenframes.blogspot.com/2011/09/every-machine-breaks-down.html

Flowers Flix
http://flowersflix.com/?p=3686

DOODLES - 10/08/11

2011-10-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

I'm in a hotel room in Louisville, KY right now, killing some time before a wedding. My wife and everyone but me is in the ceremony, so I get to hang back and stay out of the way.

I've got the harrowing Texas/Oklahoma game on in the background, wherein the Sooners (Sooners, right?) are crushing by 38 points. I'm also writing a pitch for the screening strategy of THE NOCTURNAL THIRD.

I'll probably stop in a sec to keep reading Dave Ramsey's new book EntreLeadership. It might seem strange reading for a humble part-time filmmaker that isn't in love with business, and the writing is not entirely proficient, but the values are amazing. Some new lessons, many valuable reminders.

Some movies done got seen:

MONEYBALL - Caught this with an old high school buddy a week or so ago. Quite good, which should mean a lot from the guy that knows nothing about baseball and didn't make it through Michael Lewis' book in college. Pitt is very watchable, and Jonah Hill really impresses. The film is simply effective for the most part, but there is an absolutely transcendent scene late in the film where Pitt's character quietly sees a connection between himself and a player afraid of second base. I'll say no more.

THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS - My wife wanted me to watch this movie, a goofy favorite from her childhood. I'm not one for remakes in general, but an evocative title like this deserves a much better movie. This works as a goody comedy at times, and does feature some impressive chase sequences, but overall, director Wes Craven goes completely nuts with moralizing and kitsch. A straight-forward, lean, gothic thriller borrowing the basic concept might be amazing.

-Ben

Doodles - 09/26/11

2011-09-26T05:00:00.001-07:00

We're going to start increasing our output here on the Nocturnal Third blog. Whether they be stories, updates, comics, or just random thoughts, it will help us to stay visible online as much of our work on the film moves to building connections and growing our audience on the net.

So, let me introduce "Doodles" - a series in which I share short thoughts on movies, updates on N3rd, and minor Wonder Mill news. To be honest, I stole this idea from another local filmmaker's blog - Jay Burleson's Life Between Frames. Check it out for his and Cody Hamman's eclectic movie reviews. Also, check out filmmaker Chance Shirley's Tacos & Beer... surely another inspiration. Now, I do write extensive pieces on movies for the state-wide film site Film Nerds, so be sure to check that out for more organized thoughts.

LET ME IN - I finally caught up with director Matt Reeves' remake of Tomas Alfredson's Swedish vampire movie, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, about a boy that falls in love with a pre-teen vampire girl. Alfredson went "wide" with his visual approach, using distance and impeccably specific sound design to tell a morally questionable story about a boy discovering what he would trade for love. I'm a fan of that movie, almost more for Alfredson's voice than for the subject matter. Here, Bad Robot devotee Reeves moves in close. Using long lenses and well-placed close-ups, he builds a more intimate film. Unfortunately, the script for LET ME IN does not add an awful lot to distinguish it from the Swedish film, although an amazing car crash sequence and an expanded revelation about the nature of the girl's keeper are nicely executed. Watch it for some late-night fun, but only if you've seen LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.
B-

DRIVE - The Sundance darling that was rumored to expertly deconstruct 70's carsploitation film managed to get a wide enough release to hit us here in Huntsville. I checked it out with my brother-in-law last week, and while we had a great time listening to nasty synth music and reacting to Nicholas Winding Refn's unique brand of shock violence, I came out of the film feeling disappointed. A muddy third act, as well as Refn's transparent disinterest in delivering favorite genre elements, keep me from raving about it like the rest of the film nerd world. I can't help but admit that it is fun to watch, however, with amazing performances from Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, and superb cinematography from one of my favorites, Newton Thomas Sigel (SUPERMAN RETURNS, LEATHERHEADS)
B

BLACK SWAN - Aronofsky picks another script which completely beats the stuffing out of an already tortured character. I loved THE FOUNTAIN, and really liked THE WRESTLER. His newest speaks more to my wife (a former ballerina that really liked BLACK SWAN), whereas I was more of a fan of that 2008 film, for its respectful handling of the bizarre past-time of professional wrestling. BLACK SWAN is not as shocking or twisted as I was expecting, despite some Polanski disturbances and Lynch laughs. A hilarious moment featuring a lurid old man on a subway car is not to be missed. In fact, it needs a Cinemagraph GIF.
B+

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

We Need Your Help!

2011-09-14T06:46:00.001-07:00

If you've seen The Nocturnal Third, please take a moment and share with us what you thought about the movie. We'll take any comments, negative or positive, as long as they are honest and concise. Post them here, over at our Facebook page, on our Twitter feed, or e-mail them to wondermillfilms@yahoo.com

Thanks!
-Ben

"You can't dream if you don't sleep!"

2011-09-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty fantastic turnout last night for the local premiere of The Nocturnal Third. About 140 people made it out, and I'm thankful for each of them. It seemed like a positive - if a bit loud - experience for everyone. I was so glad to see so many old faces and I wish there was a chance to have reconnected with more people.

So... now the easy part is over with. Keep your eyes on this page for more updates and news!

-Ben

Ben vs Ben

2011-09-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Friend and al.com writer Ben Flanagan conducted this interview with me about life as a DIY filmmaker, the upcoming premiere of The Nocturnal Third, and the harrowing realization that I don't know what I'm doing.

http://blog.al.com/entertainment_source/2011/09/ua_grad_huntsville_native_set.html

-Ben (Stark.)

...you know, the guy that made that movie.

N3rd Profile: Composer Jesse Ewing

2011-09-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

Jesse Ewing began work with Wonder Mill Films in 2008 when he served as public relations coordinator on the feature film, A Genesis Found. In 2009 he signed on to compose the score to their next feature film, The Nocturnal Third. Ewing has a background in scriptwriting for television commercials and an ear for crafting musical pieces across several different genres. In preparation for the project, he consulted with music directors and local music producers concerning the technical aspects of the score. Then, methodically arranging and recording piece by piece, he composed a score that ranges from soft, atmospheric undertones to bold and dramatic full arrangements. Ewing looks to continue working in the music and film industries following his first feature film.

"Do What You Can With What You Have"

2011-09-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Only four days left until the movie hits Huntsville and the internet! Lots to do between today and Friday, amidst the regular grind of a day job. Somehow, I managed to squeeze in a new blog post over at Film Nerds, which was fun.

Remember, this Friday night, The Nocturnal Third will be available to watch at our new website all weekend for absolutely free.

-Ben

New & Improved N3rd Site

2011-08-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

It's a very strange thing to announce a website that replaces the website you're posting the announcement on, especially when the replaced website will be visible on the front page of the new website you're announcing.

http://www.thenocturnalthird.com is a slick and simple way to learn more about our newest movie. Enjoy, and please share with friends that might be interested!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

Every Machine Breaks Down.

2011-08-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

OFFICIAL Press Release for The Nocturnal Third Global Premiere

2011-08-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a whiz-bang press release written by one of our producers extraordinaire, Lee Fanning. The guy has some experience with media dealings, seeing as he sacrificed his life on the altar of the 2010-2011 A Genesis Found Campus Tour last year.

The press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WONDER MILL FILMS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF INDEPENDENT FEATURE-FILM THE NOCTURNAL THIRD!

Huntsville, AL – Wonder Mill Films announces the release of its second independently produced feature film, The Nocturnal Third.

Dubbed a home-brewed mystery/thriller/“neo-noir”, The Nocturnal Third is the story of Eli Gottfried, a pensive art-hobbyist whose family connections have led him to an ill-fitting job at Stafford Stoneworks, a local stone fabrication facility. Facing increasing debt and late bills, Eli reluctantly takes the third shift on a crucial night—from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The pressure of deteriorating machines, a crushing schedule, and a recurring nightmare begin to be too much for Eli to handle.

When a suspicious co-worker is severely injured, Eli finds his only solace in the ways of a stranded stranger….

Produced from the ground-up entirely in Huntsville, Alabama, with largely Huntsville-based cast and crew, Wonder Mill Films’ second feature film is a tense neo-noir, set against the backdrop of a developing Southern economy.

Utilizing an innovative day-and-date release strategy, The Nocturnal Third will be made available via several simultaneous distribution platforms on September 9, 2011 to facilitate the film’s global premiere.

The Free Local Premiere and Q&A of The Nocturnal Third will be hosted in Huntsville, Alabama at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Davidson Center Theater (1 Tranquility Base/ Huntsville, AL) on September 9, with doors opening at 6:30 PM and the film starting at 7. A Q&A with the cast and crew will immediately follow, and concessions will be available for purchase. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. In the lobby, donations will also be taken up for the Governor’s Tornado Relief Fund to aid victims of the April 27th tornadoes.

The Free Three Day Online Stream of The Nocturnal Third will accompany the local premiere. From 10:00 PM Friday, September 9 to 10:00 PM Monday, September 12, a stream of The Nocturnal Third will be available free of charge at the film’s official site, thenocturnalthird.com. Aimed at stretching the reach of the film’s premiere to a global audience, the stream will serve, for many, as a gateway into the film, and into the works of Wonder Mill Films. Viewers of the stream are also encouraged to connect and share feedback about the film with Wonder Mill Films and other viewers via Facebook (facebook.com/wondermillfilms).

The DVD Release of The Nocturnal Third will also launch on September 9. Available for $10 MSRP both online and at the Free Local Premiere of The Nocturnal Third, the single-disc DVD features extensive bonus material, including:

Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1 Aspect Ratio) – Enhanced for Widescreen TVs
English Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio
Filmmaker Commentary
“Do What You Can With What You Have: The Making of The Nocturnal Third” Featurette
“Welcome to Stafford Stoneworks: New Hire Training Module” Featurette
Trailers for both The Nocturnal Third and A Genesis Found

Manufactured on demand using cutting edge short run disc printing processes, the DVD is available through thenocturnalthird.com, as well as other third party sites, including amazon.com. The film will be available via Amazon Video on Demand in November.

More about Wonder Mill Films

Based out of Huntsville, AL, Wonder Mill Films was founded in 2006 by Benjamin Stark and Lee Fanning, their first legitimate production company after co-founding the student “banner” Off the Set Films while at the University of Alabama.

After producing numerous short films, the company’s first feature, A Genesis
Found, was produced in the summer of 2008, and began a festival run in 2009.
The film was completed and released on DVD in 2010, and toured to numerous Colleges and Universities throughout the Southeast from July 2010 to March 2011. Some of the major universities visited include the University of Tennessee, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, the University of Arkansas, and the University of South Carolina.

Produced in the summer of 2009, The Nocturnal Third is their second feature-length production.

The Nocturnal Third Synopsis

EVERY MACHINE NEEDS FUEL.
 Eli Gottfried is lucky to have a job, but that doesn't mean he loves what he does. Caught in the hustle and bustle at Stafford Stoneworks, a fabrication shop in rural Alabama, Eli is unsure of his future, short on sleep, and creatively dried up. He and his wife, Ellie, struggle to make ends meet, facing medical bills, a swollen mortgage, and student loans. The Stoneworks, in turn, is cutting corners and working overtime to take the next step in establishing its economic foothold in the surrounding community, securing a contract that could change everything .

 EVERY MACHINE NEEDS REPAIR.   Tasked with the dreaded third shift, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, Eli must overcome his own disastrous sleep cycle and a recurring nightmare to man under maintained and increasingly deteriorating machinery. Things take an ominous turn when Harold, a mistrusted co-worker, unexpectedly arrives to work alongside Eli. The question is, how closely is Harold tied to Lee Kirby, ex-employee and bitter competitor of Stafford Stoneworks?

  EVERY MACHINE BREAKS DOWN.  The night comes to a dead halt when Harold is severely injured in a careless accident. As the deadline approaches and the machines deteriorate, Eli is unlikely to hold up under the pressure, let alone tend to Harold's failing health and suspicious behavior. He finds a sort of relief when an outsider appears - Jeffrey, a stranded traveling salesman. Jeffrey's carefree perspective offers a solace from the demanding work, and maybe with his support, Eli can take control of the situation.  Moody and textural, The Nocturnal Third is a slow-burn workplace thriller that begins with a seemingly domestic situation and meticulously transforms into a tense neo-noir. This gripping story of corporate espionage takes a young man through a single harrowing night as he faces the limits of the human body, his own future, and his role in a system that is beginning to break down.

The Nocturnal Third... GLOBAL Premiere!

2011-08-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

In honor of Steve Jobs stepping down as C.E.O. of Apple, we have our own little "one more thing" when it comes to the September 9th premiere of our second feature film, Wonder Mill Films:

On September 9th, not only will The Nocturnal Third be screening publicly for the first time EVER at the slickest theater in Huntsville, Alabama, but the movie will also be available on the main page of our website, http://www.thenocturnalthird.com, to watch in HD for absolutely free.

The stream will be left up for three days after the premiere, for anyone to enjoy at their computer, and possibly even on their mobile device. In addition, the film will be available to purchase on DVD for $10.00, thanks to Amazon.com's CreateSpace on-demand publishing service.

The DVD will be loaded with extra features, including filmmaker commentary, a cryptic Stafford Stoneworks "safety video", and a 30-minute "making-of" documentary: Do What You Can With What You Have: Making The Nocturnal Third.

This scheme, in fact, is why the film has been sitting on my hard drive, perfectly complete, for about two months now. We wanted to make sure the film was as openly available as possible before we released one frame.

Now, the motivation behind this plan is selfish for numerous reasons. Clearly, we're hoping this will buy us a measure of publicity that we can leverage as the film continues to be available on DVD and gets screened at venues and film festivals throughout the fall, winter, and spring.

I will be honest, however. My personal reason for making the film so widely available is to give my extended family a chance to check out our new film. Most of my family actually lives in Germany, which is where my parents immigrated from when I was three. Hopefully some of my awesome cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents will be able to grab a laptop or giant-screened PC to enjoy an evening at der virtuellen Kino.

Alright, guys. Thanks so much for reading, and please comment here, on Facebook, on Twitter, or e-mail us at wondermillfilms@yahoo.com if you have any questions whatsoever!

See you on the 9th!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

The Nocturnal Third - Premiere Announcement!

2011-08-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

Check out the flier for our local premiere! Print them out and post them if you feel so inclined. We've got this guy in color...

...and in black and white!

Website Progress Report

2011-08-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

We've decided to use Vimeo to host all of the trailers for both A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third on the new N3rd website we're building. You can check them out at the nice custom URL Vimeo was nice enough to grant us:

http://vimeo.com/wondermillfilms

The site is just a page or so of copy away from being ready to publish. Expect to see it replace the two year old place-holder soon!

The March Goes On

2011-08-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

MAN! Still a few little things to fix on the N3rd DVD. Luckily, the problems are all limited to menu flubs that I somehow missed in my three proofing sessions. I will try to power through them before I go out of town for dayjob work for four days, but rushing things never helps.

We're close to locking down a premiere venue, which means we're closing to locking down a premiere date. Producer Lee put out a feeler for cast and crew scheduling last week, so we'll hopefully be able to facilitate the most amount of our hard-working collaborators as possible. I can't imagine being on the their end of things, with relative silence on their 2009 sacrifice, save for a update e-mail here and there. It's deceivingly difficult to keep folks in the loops when you're in the editing trenches.

-Ben

Every Machine Needs Fuel.

2011-08-03T18:14:00.001-07:00

Danielle took these pictures before this year's Cotton Row 10K. Our marketing budget could use some help, I'll admit.

-Ben

The Final Scene of Alfred Hitchcock's NOTORIOUS

2011-08-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

The ending sequence of N3rd was designed with the idea of the sovereignty of the "final shot" in mind. I discuss a great example of that concept brilliantly executed by one of the greats in the newest "Great Scenes" entry over at the FilmNerds.com blog. Take a look!

-Ben

Southern Speed

2011-08-01T14:14:00.001-07:00

Here's a fun bit... My parents popped a quick picture of my dad's race car, complete with Wonder Mill logo!

Now in N3rd colors.

-Ben

Spock is not impressed by the N3rd DVD proof.

2011-07-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

This proof pudding tastes delicious.

2011-07-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Danielle and I reviewed the DVD proof for the film last night, and most everything checks out. I'm taking the liberty of making just a few final changes, and there is a pretty major design problem that is the fault of the printer, but I think it can be fixed. All that in mind, we're hoping to ship the final DVD on Monday, which means whenever the publisher receives it, it'll be able to go on the market... which means we can schedule a premiere!

-Ben

The proof is in the pudding... envelope.

2011-07-27T16:26:00.001-07:00

The proof is in! Time to watch it!

The Final Countdown

2011-07-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

We had a great big meeting this past weekend about the N3rd premiere and beyond. Special thanks to co-producer Danielle for powering through, despite a kidney infection. Ouch.
Writer/Director Ben Stark just posted another "Speculatin' a Hypothesis" blog entry over at FilmNerds.com. You can check it out here!

That's about it for now. Stay tuned for big news in the coming weeks!

Catching Up...

2011-07-19T06:26:00.001-07:00

I've done a horrible job keeping the blog updated daily! A quick run-down...

The Nocturnal Third is finished, and is being assessed for on-demand manufacturing with Amazon's CreateSpace service.
We're talking to several movie bloggers about getting involved in sneak previews.
The producers and I should be talking soon about the final premiere strategy!
I personally have some more time on my hands now, and am indulging a bit in my status as a lowly movie nerd. Therefore, I've been obnoxiously blogging here and there. My latest post has a title with more bark than actual bite: "Are Tree of Life and Transformers 3 the same movie?"
I also took a few hours to make a silly trailer mash-up that several people seem to have enjoyed: Mission Impossible Soldier Spy

That's about it, for now! Expect bigger news in the coming weeks!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

Livin' La Soufriere

2011-06-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure why a short Werner Herzog documentary from 1977 has been so ingrained in my brain this week, but I think it has something to do with flexibility. La Soufriere chronicles a community living in wait of an impending volcanic explosion. Herzog and his crew interview the stragglers, those who have refused to evacuate because of foolish bravery or morbid surrender.

The magic of the film is its tone, which is sharply reversed towards the end of the film. I won’t spoil the ending, but the film’s plot developments show off Herzog’s stubborn refusal to give up on a picture. The man wrangles a story and a theme out of everything he comes across.

This kind of flexibility is something that’s been a bit of a theme this year for Wonder Mill. We’ve felt convicted to maintain an amorphous form, to wear the dexterous feet of the high-climbing deer of Psalm 18.

Last month, we officially decided to, at this time, turn down an offer from a DVD distribution company that was interested in giving A Genesis Found wider exposure. After some deliberation, we decided that, despite the company being very friendly and gracious, we couldn’t afford, as an organization, to have one of our films locked into a contract for 5 years. We wanted the elbow room that the ever-changing landscape of modern digital film distribution provides.

Just this past weekend, we had to switch gears on the N3rd side of things, as we learned we would not be able to self-publish the film in a two-disc DVD set. After an hour of late-night discouragement on my part, we were able to quickly make a handful of decisions and cuts and by Monday morning, had a full-steam-ahead plan for a one disc edition of the DVD. By having a clear idea of what is best for 1.) the film, 2.) the audience experience, and 3.) our organization, we changed course without having a semblance of a contingency.

Now, it sounds trite to compare artistic improvisation of the Herzog variety with administrative shuffling, but I’m encouraged by Wonder Mill’s decisions lately. If you can be flexible in house-keeping, that attitude will trickle into every other activity in the organization, be it writing, producing, or directing.

Carrying on flexibly - unsure if the volcano is about to burst - seems to be the best way to operate in a heavily digital environment. Hopefully we can continue this immediate, dexterous operation in all of our future work.

The Nocturnal Third is scheduled to be sent to proof this Tuesday, July 5th. Once we have our stock ordered, it will be a mere few weeks before we have a premiere scheduled. The movie might see the light of day within the next month. But, of course- part of being flexible is not making promises. After all, when money is missing, time is the only key to quality.

It seems La Soufriere is currently available to steal on YouTube. Take advantage and treat yourself.

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

30 Years of Making It Up As He Goes

2011-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

I keep telling my wife to keep a mental tally of all the things I keep swearing I'll never do again on another production. Mixing all the sound on The Nocturnal Third was hard, time-consuming, and took discipline, but honestly- I think I could do it again if I didn't have to do it after hours. It's one of those things that can be very discouraging if your mental energy has been sapped by a day job and the minutiae of every-day life. It's tough grunt work (as far as air conditioned computer-driven tasks go), but it is still immediately rewarding and a direct storytelling process.

Editing a "making of" featurette for your own film, however, is both mentally taxing ("Who's actually going to watch this anyway?") as well as tedious and time-consuming, especially when you're a nit-picker. Thankfully, producer Lee wrote the script for the "making of" doc, titled Do What You Can With What You Have. The hard part of the process is looking back at a project that I'm still working on, albeit in its closing stages. It doesn't feel worthy of nostalgia just yet, but with this whole day-and-date experiment, I'll just have to push that out of my psyche. The most esteem-damaging part of the process is seeing myself in the throes of production - out of shape, tired, unkempt, and stressed. It reminds me a lot of looking in the mirror this morning... Showering isn't, like, a mandatory thing, right? It's more like flossing, right? Right? Say what? Oh, no.

As I write this, my final cut of Do What You Can... is compressing for producer review.

Looking beyond this tiny world of my keyboard, my mac, and me, I see that today, my favorite movie of all time turns 30. On this day in 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released for the world to consume. I watch Raiders several times a year, and it never loses its luster.

Raiders is a big reason I'm doing what I'm doing this very second, in so much as I get an idea for a new movie every time I watch it. It just gives me the itch. I'll be honest and say that Jurassic Park and Back to the Future were bigger catalysts for my childhood desire to make movies, but Raiders is somehow more perfect, more watchable.

Note that when I say perfect, it is a completely subjective term. There exist many more expertly put-together films than Raiders, with smoother shots, better effects, and cleaner sound. That said, Raiders is more perfect than these movies for reasons I cannot perfectly articulate. Maybe it has something to do with the organic texture of the movie; it feels real and worn down. Perhaps it's the script, which refracts its source material so well that it spawns something new entirely. Whatever the elusive reason, it must be a strong one, as it doesn't overcome the movie's rough edges, but rather redeems them and makes them part of the greater whole.

Some would respect the movie as fine "trash", but I would disagree, and put Raiders of the Lost Ark above any socially conscious melodrama. Raiders defines cinema, an art form that thrives on behavior. To go on a limb while stealing an entry from the Werner Herzog glossary, there is more "ecstatic truth" in Raiders of the Lost Ark than in any weepy, any art-house indie, and any high gloss Oscar bait.

Happy birthday, Raiders of the Lost Ark - a movie greater than its franchise, greater than its inspirations, greater than its makers. That said: thank you Lucas, Spielberg, Marshall, Allen, Ford, Kaufman, Kasdan, and Williams for making something truly special.

Welcome to Stafford Stoneworks

2011-06-05T13:12:00.001-07:00

Of Sound Mind

2011-05-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Spending a lot of time on the N3rd end of things this weekend to revise sound stuff. Tedious, but ultimately, rewarding!

While the computer renders, here are some of my favorite uses of sound design in movies:

Let the Right One In - This Swedish vampire thriller puts a lot of its stock in off-screen terror, keeping many of its set-ups wide and ambiguous, with intricate, well-paced, and terrifying sound.

Star Wars - This is a no-brainer, as the world is introduced to sound maestro Ben Burtt, and we find an all-new universe of sounds no one had ever heard before. Say what you will about this whole series, but the wide array of new and rich sounds living in Lucas' Star Wars universe is mind-blowing.

Raging Bull - Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker are renowned for their unorthodox and dynamic pursuit of matching sound and image. The boxing scenes in Raging Bull are full of hard impact, gut-wrenching noises that are not common to a box ring, but are essential for cinema.

Jurassic Park - Another classic. While they may or not be biologically accurate, the sounds of the dinosaurs in Spielberg's 1993 adventure just feel right, don't they?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers '78 - There is a very specific sounds that the "body snatched" use to single out the unsnatched, and it's really hard to convey without spoiling the joy of experiencing them for the first time.

Into The Future

2011-05-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

Oops, I already slipped.

Progress Report: Danielle and Lee (the producers) have an almost-finished copy of the film to review. We're still tweaking score for two scenes, and I'm going to do one more overall sound polish, but it's very close to being an actual movie. I'd even be so bold as to say it IS an actual movie. No celebrating yet, though.

After the premiere, I'm planning on amping up my movie-watching. Here are a few marathons I've been considering, based on categories I've been wanting to explore further for years:

BERGMANIA
Wild Strawberries
Persona
Through A Glass Darkly
Smiles of a Summer Night

CARPOCALYPSE
The Driver
Vanishing Point
Two Lane Blacktop
Thunder Road

SHOESTRING SCI FI
Pi
Scanners
Alphaville
Phase IV

SCREWBALLIN'
My Man Godfrey
Bringing Up Baby
Hail the Conquering Hero
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

-Ben

More Monster

2011-05-23T19:50:00.001-07:00

Here's another, of the little guy in full action. One of our main influences was John Carpenter's The Thing. Final animation and overall design was by lead actor Kevin Maggard.

The Monster

2011-05-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

So here's a tiny look at a frame of N3rd's dream sequence animation. This has not been comped into its scene.

House of Mirrors

2011-05-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

Considering how much has gone into the production of N3rd, there haven't been too many tasks that I might call torturous. Mixing sound has been a very, very hard process, but I can appreciate that fiery trial. I'm now working on editing the "making of" documentary for the DVD extra features, and it is pretty tedious.

Rifling through hours of footage of good folks talking about the film seems like it might be rewarding, but it's not; I feel dirty and vain. I'm trying my hardest to treat it like any paid editing gig, as I didn't write the script- which is a huge advantage.

If I get a free minute, I might post some excerpts of unused interview footage. Despite my guilt, there are some good, constructive, and exciting insights.

-Ben (writer/director)

Animation Domination 2011

2011-05-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, N3rd lead and animator Kevin Maggard will be staying with my wife and I for a few days to wrap up the remainder of the hand-drawn animation needed for the dream sequences in the film.

While the sequence in question is no Rabbit of Seville, it has been quite a bear on the production, as the craft of animation (and directing an animator) is a completely new art form for us. So far, the most fun has been researching (hundreds of hours of watching moving, full-color "druwrings") and the few, fleeting moments of watching compiled frames.

If you want a tiny taste of what the end result will look like, revisit the film's second full trailer, released back in December. Here it is on Vimeo and on Youtube.

I'm trying to resolve to update the blog more often. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to swat me with a buzz saw if I start to slack.

-Ben (writer/director)

Summer Movie Date Nights

2011-05-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

Despite N3rd charging towards its finish, its director is making sure he gets some quality time this Summer. Check out the latest Speculatin' a Hypothesis!

http://filmnerds.com/blog/2011/05/05/summer-movie-date-nights-year-two/

10 Reasons to Watch Fewer Movies

2011-04-25T15:18:00.001-07:00

What the crap is the writer and director of The Nocturnal Third talking about?!

New blog entry over at http://www.filmnerds.com!

10 Reasons to Watch Fewer Movies

Latest Update Letter from N3rd Writer/Director

2011-04-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

This was sent out a few days ago to The Nocturnal Third cast and crew, as well as to recipients of the Wonder Mill Films newsletter:

"Hi, guys-

I just wanted to give a brief update of where The Nocturnal Third is in its lengthy post-production phase. Things are coming along very well, considering the various "real life" challenges we've been dealing with this past year. Things to be smoothing out for us personally as the film's finish has begun to gain momentum. While we won't be relying on much film festival exposure for the N3rd distribution strategy, we do hope to make this week's deadline for Birmingham's Sidewalk Film Festival. Many of you are familiar with this Fest, so we'll see how that goes. Obviously, we wouldn't submit an ugly movie to a film festival, so that should tell you about how far along we are. Kevin has delivered some fantastic animation and Jesse is awaiting word from me on the final score mix. Danielle, Lee, and myself are continuing to work hard on compiling DVD extras, and Jessica is always working on more awesome promotional materials.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the film's April 15th release date has definitely budged. This is less because of a lack of a finished film, and more because of the "day-and-date" strategy we've established. We could conceivably premiere the film in its Festival Screener status, but I think it will be all the more satisfying to wait for a big, final reveal. Of course, please give us feedback if you disagree.

In other news, we're quietly making ground on some very cool possibilities on the future home of our first feature, A Genesis Found. Lee has been putting himself through the wringer (in the most enjoyable possible way, I assure you) during the Campus Tour of the last 9 months or so, and we've introduced many new eyeballs to the world of John Patton, Jr. and his kin. We're currently looking at some exciting ways to expand the film's audience, and hopefully we can provide some details in the coming months.

As the summer movie season approaches, you're sure to be asked the question, "seen anything good lately?" If you enjoyed A Genesis Found, bring it up! If you're looking forward to The Nocturnal Third, bring it up! It's important for regional films to be lumped into the same group as those great big spectacles we all enjoy.

Speaking of which, take a look at the trailer for Missing Pieces, directed by Birmingham native Kenton Bartlett. Its production has run parallel to that of The Nocturnal Third, and it looks like a high-quality ensemble drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udQ0i9AYJ_0

That's about it! Stay tuned for news on the Nocturnal Third premiere as a date becomes easier to determine.

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third"

The Man in the High Castle

2011-03-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

"We Germans aren't all smiles and sunshine."

N3rd writer/director Benjamin Stark gets a chance to vent on a certain New Hollywood legend's vision for the future of film-making in the latest Speculatin' a Hypothesis!

Trailer 2!

2010-12-15T12:37:00.001-08:00

It's the newest trailer for The Nocturnal Third! Check it out at IndieGoGo, where you'll also find info about the new fund-raising campaign!

http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Nocturnal-Third

The Nocturnal Third - Poster 1

2010-11-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to Inkmatter's Jessica Twilbeck. More to come... stay tuned.

-Ben Stark, Writer/Director

"You and Harold in there... you're sitters. Bumps on a log. No movement, no thought."

2010-10-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

The words of The Nocturnal Third's enigmatic Jeffrey, played by Luke Weaver, must be echoing in the skull of N3rd writer/director Ben Stark. He discusses maintaining a healthy pace in life, movie-making, and movie-watching in the latest edition of Speculatin' a Hypothesis!

http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/10/06/life-aint-a-track-meet/

The Summer Date Night Screening Series Wrap-Up

2010-10-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

N3rd Writer/Director Ben Stark takes us through the land of popcorn and explosions as he and his wife institutionalize the Summer Movie Season experience.

Take a look at the latest Speculatin' A Hypothesis over at filmnerds.com!

http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/10/01/the-summer-date-night-screening-series-wrap-up/

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

2010-08-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

From Speculatin' a Hypothesis, the filmnerds.com blog from Benjamin Stark...

It seems like I start every blog entry with "boy, I haven't written one of these in a while."
In March, the company I worked for over the past 3 years as head video editor closed. I have a wife and a dog that demand food, but since one of those is healthily employed, and because I'm a member of the Dave Ramsey cult, we were never in danger of starving.

However, the American spirit and my German breeding wouldn't allow me to bum off of my wife and our savings account, and I had to be honest with myself and admit that the fear spread by the media about our nation's economic situation had officially reached our little City of Tomorrow. So, I was looking a grim situation in the face, and I knew this was going to be an interesting couple of months.

We were going to have to boil things down to essentials for the second time in our young marriage, and I realized there were two ships to keep afloat - my relationship with my wife, and The Nocturnal Third.

When faced with adversity, it seems like two easy coping mechanisms are to punish those closest to you and to drop long-term goals for the sake of short-term solutions. To ensure quality time together, we organized a Summer Date Night Screening Series, the results of which I hope to post soon, and I joined in on her triathlon training (periodically). Add to that, I never entertained any job options that would jeopardize any forward movement on the film (working an oil rig in Alaska, taking out a loan and going to grad school, etc.)

Consequently, we enjoyed a lean summer full of fun and productivity, but the entire time I felt I was performing a high-wire act, as God seemingly provided the right amount of work right when we needed it to meet our budget. It was pretty amazing, and now I feel like I've been taught that ever-elusive virtue that this fiscally conservative dorkus has been missing for so long - flexibility. The killer schedule of A Genesis Found and the directorial experience of The Nocturnal Third went a long way in keeping me guessing, but now I feel like we could survive anything.

In the midst of "struggling" (let it not be said that I'm not aware of the real hardships many families are facing here and abroad), I had a few tools, beyond a great family, ever-evolving faith, and the aforementioned dog. I've finally picked back up the amazing Neal Gabler biography Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination. My mom got it for me for Christmas 3 years ago, and after reading a few pages in 2007, I quickly realized this was going to be less of a breezy read and more of a side project. At 880 pages, it functions as a comprehensive history of early Hollywood, the art of animation, and global pop culture. My renewed journey through the book is complemented by my mission to fill gaps and watch every animated Disney feature I've missed over the years. What strikes me about Disney and the principles he was able to establish is the idea of enacting almost subliminal social change through positivity and shared experiential joy. Intentional or not, a Mickey Mouse cartoon is constructed in such a way that it immediately triggers endorphin release. I've even been listening to tracks from the various Disney musicals in an almost therapeutic way. It's hard to have a bad day if you're jamming "Whistle While You Work", or "Prince Ali", or "When You Wish Upon A Star".

I also spent much of the summer reading up on the Space Race, and revisiting films like The Right Stuff and Apollo 13. Again, NASA in the late 50's exudes optimism and stubborn bravado.

This interest in progressive-thinking genius (or at least the image thereof) is definitely informing a burgeoning concept for my second feature-length screenplay, but it's also reflected in The Nocturnal Third. In addition to learning resourcefulness in my personal life, the themes of utilitarianism in your surroundings that surface in N3rd are also becoming more and more clear and clean to me as I mold each scene in sound editing and in examining the film from a "marketing" perspective. Producer Lee and I were recently talking about how refreshing it is to have a story still speak to you in its various stages of development, despite being conceived of three years ago.

I'm currently enjoying the bizarre process of recording foley, basically acting out the aural consequences of decisions our actors made a year ago. It's a slow-moving process, as it's location-based, which is harder to schedule, and dependent on location operations and weather. In the meantime, I'm working on writing copy for marketing materials, prepping the glitzy web site, and chatting with the other artists working on the film.

Let's not forget that there's plenty to be done for the upcoming Southeastern Campus Tour of A Genesis Found... Follow director Lee Fanning's blog (http://sonofarkie.blogspot.com/) to get the latest info on that, as well as some great insight from him.

So, that's how I spent my summer. I'm now working part time at a job with one of the best companies on the planet, as well as working with some great freelance clients doing interesting work. It really does feel like school is back in session, as balance seems to have been restored. Above all, we have a release date set for The Nocturnal Third... April 2011.

Myself and the other filmmakers working on the project are excited about the ever-approaching day when the world can see our movie.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to getting in Melody Time from Netflix... the last of the post-war anthology features in the Disney line-up. Watch out for my blogging activity to hopefully increase now that I can afford to make a bit more time for such "distractions", including an entry into the "Great Scenes" Film Nerds series, a look at our Summer Date Night movies, and a comprehensive look at the ENTIRE Animated Disney canon (expect that 4th quarter 2014).

Also, if you're not already, come follow @WonderMillFilms on Twitter. It's a little less formal and more abstract than much of our dialogue on Facebook. www.twitter.com/wondermillfilms

Thanks for reading, guys, and for letting me indulge.

God Bless,
Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

THE NOCTURNAL THIRD Release Date Announced!

2010-07-10T07:55:00.001-07:00

N3rd director Benjamin Stark just sent out news of when we'll be able to see The Nocturnal Third!

Hello, everyone!

I hope this message finds all of you healthy and happy. It's been a little less than a year since we started filming The Nocturnal Third, and things have been moving along!

Yes, it's been a bit quiet on the update front for the film, but rest assured that's because we've been too busy to notice time flying by. Currently, things are moving ahead steadily in all departments - animation, sound recording and mixing, scoring, and marketing.

I'm writing today to fill you all in on our current plan for self-distribution and a premiere!

The experience of self-distributing A Genesis Found (available soon on DVD!) has taught us a lot, and we think that for this project, it is also the best route to go. "Do what you can with what you have", right?

We are on track to premiere The Nocturnal Third in April of 2011, most likely at a theater or facility here in Huntsville. Now, that is noticeably later than the previous estimate of July-October of 2010, so let me explain a bit:

In order to maximize the impact of the film, we're using a version of the model that in the "business" is called "Day & Date" - basically, we want to provide the film to be viewable for everyone, on the same day, in all the various formats it can be accessed.

The premiere day will also see the launch day of the film's online streaming availability (you'll be able to stream the first 10 minutes for free) and the loaded DVD (with commentaries, making-of, and other special features), available at the premiere!

We'll look to support those purchasing options beyond the premiere with a screening tour, film festival showings, and other exhibition events.

So, that should explain the extra time that will be spent making sure the film, the website, the DVD, and the premiere arrangements are up to snuff.

Hopefully, our proposed "N3rd Day" will provide a fun and memorable milestone for all of you that have been so diligent in providing the hard work, support, and faith necessary to bring our film to life. I hope you'll all be content with us "working in the dark" as we get ready for the big release.

Between now and April, though, be on the lookout for featurettes, extended trailers, music, posters, and much more content from the film!

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments! Thanks for reading!!

God Bless,

Benjamin Stark
Writer / Producer / Director
THE NOCTURNAL THIRD
www.agenesisfound.com
www.thenocturnalthird.com

Jewel Saves Kevin Maggard's Love Life

2010-05-19T04:27:00.000-07:00

Check out our own Eli Gottfried, Alabama actor Kevin Maggard, in Jewel's new music video for her single, Satisfied! Be patient, the wait pays off late in the video...

Jewel More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Be Featured in The Nocturnal Third!

2010-03-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

Do you want your product, service, business, band, or organization to be mentioned in a feature film? Just create a 15 to 30 second mp3, and it could be eligible for inclusion in The Nocturnal Third as radio programming! Make a promo for your podcast, announce a fake concert for your real band, create a spot promoting your business, and e-mail it to wondermillfilms@yahoo.com. I can think of very few things that could possibly be easier.

We need a variety of radio programming for sound design in The Nocturnal Third, and we thought it'd be nice to invite our friends to get some free exposure!

If you don't have access to simple audio recording equipment, feel free to send in a script for us to record and produce.

See below for details!

Terms and Conditions for
The Nocturnal Third Radio Spot Submissions

In submitting your audio production to Wonder Mill Films, you are deemed to have read and agreed upon the following terms and conditions:

The following terminology applies to these Terms and Conditions: "Submitter", "You", and "Your" refers to you, the person submitting content for inclusion in the feature film The Nocturnal Third and accepting these Terms And Conditions. "Wonder Mill Films", "The Production", "Ourselves", "Our", "We", and "Us", refers to Wonder Mill Films and the feature film production of The Nocturnal Third, represented by Silas Adventures, LLC. All terms refer to the offer on the part of the Production for individuals and organizations to submit freely usable content for inclusion in The Nocturnal Third.

CONTENT

The Submitter agrees to create and submit, for no fee, and with no financial consequence, a 15 to 30 second audio production to be eligible for inclusion in the Wonder Mill Films feature film The Nocturnal Third. You may submit any content promoting any product or services that you own or hold rights to.

Suggested content includes commercials for products, promotional spots for radio programming or websites, or commercials for stores. For programming promos, please refer to your website and the fictitious station 1230 AM, WMFP.

Audio productions including references to copyrighted materials or websites not owned by the submitter or non-fictitious radio stations will be automatically disqualified from inclusion.

USAGE

Wonder Mill Films does not guarantee inclusion of submitted audio productions in the completed feature film, but does retain the right to include all submitted audio productions as supplemental features on a DVD or Blu ray release.

The audio productions will not be altered in any way beyond filtering and duration trimming.

SUBMISSION

Audio productions can be submitted as .mp3 files at 48 khz, via e-mail to:

wondermillfilms@yahoo.com

A confirmation e-mail will be sent to you upon your submission. Please inquire if submission confirmation is not received.

OWNERSHIP

Submitters waive all distribution and ownership rights to submitted audio productions where financial consequence is concerned. Wonder Mill Films may use submitted audio productions in any way, while never altering submitted audio productions beyond filtering or duration trimming.

Submitters are free to use submitted audio productions in any way outside of the Production, including use in personal or organizational promotions, on websites, or other forms of distribution.

These terms and conditions form an Agreement between the Submitter and the Production. Your submitting of audio productions via e-mail to wondermillfilms@yahoo.com indicates your understanding, agreement to and acceptance of the full Terms and Conditions included herein.

© Copyright Wonder Mill Films 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Meet our Director

2010-03-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

Check out "The Nocturnal Third" Writer/Director Benjamin Stark's brief but productive write up for the University of Alabama's College of Communication and Information Sciences website here!

"I thought you had trouble sleeping."

2010-03-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well, apparently, the long hours of production and post-production have sent our little production blog into a winter hibernation. I'm sorry it's been so long since an update. Hopefully we can stare this schedule in the face and make a bit more time to keep folks in the loop as far as The Nocturnal Third is concerned.

We're going into our scheduled pick-up and re-shoot days this weekend, hoping to gather what little pieces of the puzzle remain to be found. I can't wait to catch up with everyone again.

There exists, in the bowels of my hard drive, a full up-to-date visual assembly of the film, and we've started to receive feedback from close-knit collaborators and mentors, and signs are positive. I, myself, am pretty proud of everything, but the long process of feature film post-production does have me coddling this little Quasimodo right now. The Nocturnal Third is currently without a score, final animation, color correction, composites, and it's even missing a few essential shots (yes, all of these elements have been addressed... loose ends make us deathly anxious here at Wonder Mill). If I'm proud of N3rd in its current form, I really look forward to watching the polished version to the point of insanity leading up to the premiere!

I met with composer Jesse Ewing last weekend, and what he's come up with so far, score-wise, is unique, striking, and very noisy. If you've seen the trailer, which Jesse did a dynamite job on, you have the tiniest idea of what's in store for you in the final film. I'm hearing things that, literally, are new to my ears.

Well, I suppose I should save some stuff for future posts. Be sure to check back at www.thenocturnalthird.com for updates! You can also keep up with the production at Wonder Mill's Facebook page and you should definitely follow us on Twitter.

Oh, and if you haven't seen the new A Genesis Found site (www.agenesisfound.com), you're missing something special... and to think, that's just the beginning! Stay tuned for some big stuff in the next few months.

Thanks for reading, guys. Talk to you soon.

-Ben

A Genesis Found in the News!

2009-10-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

The Nocturnal Third's Wonder Mill Films predecessor, A Genesis Found, will be a special feature screened this weekend at the Southern Shorts Film Festival!

Check out this great article in the Athens News-Courier!

Claustro-Horror

2009-10-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a quick break from editing to suggest a few good, spooky movies in the Nocturnal Third vein to check out this Halloween season. Throw these claustrophobic, minimal-setting thrillers on your Netflix queue!

The Thing From Another World - This science fiction classic about some terrifying veggies is a fun time, featuring hard-boiled Hawks dialogue and great ratcheting tension.

The Thing - Remakes are evil! Oh, wait. This, the best John Carpenter movie I've seen, is a great expansion on the 1951 original. The scariest thing about the film is its reliance on ambiguity, and just how dooming mistrust can be.

Rear Window - Next to 12 Angry Men, probably one of the most well-known cinematic chamber plays. I'm not sure there's much I can say that hasn't been said about Hitchcock's brilliant thriller. What strikes me is that the subtextual dialogue in the script is just as intriguing as the central murder plot... we're just as riveted listening to Stewart deflect accusations of wanderlust as we are watching Grace Kelly encountering a murderer.

Knife in the Water - As it is with the rest of his resume, the tension is tangible and gut-wrenching in Roman Polanski's first feature. A battle of wills between an older man and a young drifter escalates logically and with a blistering inevitability.

Duel - Spielberg's entry into the 70's carsploitation trend is just plain cinematic nastiness. Adapted from a Richard Matheson short story, it illustrates the kind of terrible scenario that inhabits a common nightmare: the inescapable aggressor, in the form of a crazed truck driver.

Turn off the lights, tuck yourself in, and enjoy!

-Ben

The Nocturnal Third... FULL TRAILER RELEASED!

2009-09-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

With only day of shooting left (on location in November), The Nocturnal Third is performing a balancing act between principal photography and post production. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates, pictures, and general Wonder Mill news!

The Nocturnal Third: Trailer 1 in HD!

Production Stills, Round 2

2009-08-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Check out the second round of Production Stills released for "The Nocturnal Third" on our Facebook Page!

Production Stills, Round 1

2009-08-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

4 days down, 18 to go!

You can check out Production Stills from the first two weeks of production over at our Facebook Page. Enjoy!

Week 1 Photos

2009-07-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

...aaand Principal Photography is underway!

Check out the Week 1 Photos over at the Wonder Mill Films Facebook page!

Also, congratulations to Tech Advisor/ Special Effects Artist/ Unit Photographer Gilbert Stark for his script Sunday Drive placing in the Top 75 in the Movie Script Contest! Root him on as the script lobbies for a spot in the Top 30!

Meet Eli Gottfried

2009-07-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Kevin Maggard, who is playing "Eli Gottfried" in "The Nocturnal Third", was recently interviewed by the Montgomery Advertiser for a profile article about him and his upcoming work on the film, published today. Take a look and get to know our lead!

Check it out Here.

The Nocturnal Third - Teaser Trailer

2009-07-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Check out the first look at the next film from Wonder Mill: The Nocturnal Third. Let us know what you think on our Facebook message board!

Vimeo

YouTube

Wonder Mill Films' Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/wondermillfilms

New Production Journal Entry!

2009-06-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Check out Nocturnal Third director Ben Stark's latest thoughts on approaching the end of casting and a makeover for the one of the film's stars over at the Film Nerds Blogs:

Speculatin' A Hypothesis

Meet the Assistant Director

2009-06-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Tuscaloosa actor Elliot Moon has been keeping busy for the past few weeks, managing casting sessions for The Nocturnal Third... but his job as Assistant Director has only begun.

Elliot brings a rich background of experience in theater and film to Wonder Mill Films, and we're very happy to have him on board. Be sure to catch Elliot as lead character Gardner Patton in A Genesis Found.

The Nocturnal Third Production Journal

2009-06-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Interested parties can keep tapped into the latest production journal entries from Nocturnal Third writer/director Ben Stark over at the Film Nerds Blogs.

The first journal entry went up today. Check it out!

Atlanta Auditions Announced!

2009-05-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

Audition Dates and Fliers

2009-05-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

Finalized information regarding 4 out of 5 of the audition dates. Check the below fliers for dates, times, and locations. Also, be on the lookout in the upcoming week for info on the Atlanta auditions.

Audition Press Release

2009-05-16T09:32:00.001-07:00

WONDER MILL FILMS ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR ALABAMA FEATURE FILM IN HUNTSVILLE, BIRMINGHAM, TUSCALOOSA, ATLANTA, & NASHVILLE

May 16, 2009
Wonder Mill Films of Huntsville, Alabama announces auditions for their narrative feature film “The Nocturnal Third”. Shooting in North Alabama, the thriller/horror film focuses on a late shift at a rural stone shop where everything starts going wrong. The auditions call for all ethnicities, men and women, ages 18 to 50.
Auditions begin in Huntsville, AL on Saturday, May 23rd, at the Dwelling Place gymnasium (6550 Redstone Rd). Auditions continue in Birmingham, AL on Saturday, May 30th at the UAB Hill University Center, Room 411 (1400 University Blvd), in Tuscaloosa, AL on Sunday, May 31st at the Ferguson Center, Room 300 (corner of Campus Dr. and 7th Avenue on UA Campus), and in Atlanta, GA on Sunday, June 7th . Auditions will conclude in Nashville, TN on Saturday, June 13th at Christ Church (15354 Old Hickory Blvd in South Nasvhille).

All auditions are from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Call-backs will be at The Dwelling Place gymnasium in Huntsville, AL on Sunday, June 14th. For any questions, please e-mail wondermillfilms@yahoo.com, or visit our blog at http://nocturnalthird.blogspot.com.

Audition Fliers

2009-05-12T11:28:00.001-07:00

Keep on the lookout for a full list of audition locations and dates!

Audition Info To Know

2009-05-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

SYNOPSIS

What is really going on at Stafford Stoneworks?

Sleep-deprived and unmotivated, Eli Gottfried works a day job at a small and locally-owned fabrication shop in rural Alabama. The company is on the cusp of changing the economic future of its surrounding communities with a single job proposition. With no other candidates to finish the job, Eli is picked to work the dreaded third shift… from midnight to dawn.

When Harold, a mysterious and mistrusted co-worker, unexpectedly appears and is brutally injured, Eli finds all responsibility resting on his shoulders. Plagued by nightmares, and with no communication with the outside world, his decisions grow to be more important than ever as things begin to fall apart.

The situation is complicated by the arrival of an apparently stranded young salesmen, Jeffrey. Brash and influential, Jeffrey sees something special in Eli. The men form a bond, as they suspect foul play may be at hand.

Mysterious and moody, The Nocturnal Third is a compact, fast-paced horror thriller. Soaked in dread and claustrophobia, it examines the limits of the human body, industrial espionage, and the conflicts of comfort and achievement.

ROLES

Eli Gottfried (Lead Role, Male, 18-28) is a shy and friendly young man working a day job at Stafford Stoneworks. He is married to his long-time sweetheart, Ellie Gottfried.

Harold Barks (Lead Role, Male, 30-50) is a surly temp employee at Stafford Stoneworks in financial straits.

Ellie Gottfried (Supporting Role, Female, 18-28) is an intelligent and organized Registered Nurse. She is married to Eli Gottfried.

Don Sims (Supporting Role, Male, 40-60) is the long-time shop foreman of Stafford Stoneworks.

Billy Stafford (Supporting Role, Male, 18-28) is the young, friendly son of Stafford Stoneworks owner Tim Stafford. He is an employee, but has peripheral interests.

Steve Falk (Supporting Role, Male, 18-30) is a jovial and optimistic salesman at Stafford Stoneworks.

Anne Stafford (Supporting Role, Female, 45-70) is the sharp bookkeeper of Stafford Stoneworks, wife to owner Tim Stafford, mother to employee Billy Stafford.

Lee Kirby (Supporting Role, Male, 45-70) is the shrewd owner of Kirby Stone, main competition of Stafford Stoneworks.

Tim Stafford (Voice Only, Male, 45-70) is the optimistic and steady owner of Stafford Stoneworks.

Chuck Amend (Voice Only, Male, 30-70) is a boisterous and outspoken AM radio show host.

DETAILS

The film will be shot July through September, over the course of nine weekends and one full week, as well as a final weekend in November. We will be shooting the film almost exclusively in Huntsville, Alabama, though some locations may be used in outlying areas. The initial table read will be in early June in Huntsville, with rehearsals the following weekends. ADR and Reshoots may be necessary, and are scheduled for late November.

Payment is DEFERRED, so this should be considered a volunteer, resume-building opportunity. Our deferred rates are based on SAG Indie requirements for Micro Budget Features and will be worked out in detail with the cast prior to the shoot.

This is a Non-SAG production.

Call Backs are Saturday, June 13 at The Dwelling Place gymnasium in Huntsville (2550 Redstone Rd). You will be contacted by June 9.

Unfortunately due to budget restrictions, most transportation costs CAN NOT be reimbursed. Carpools will be organized for cast/crew in similar locations, however, and extreme cases will.

The film will be shot in High Definition DV on the Panasonic AG-HVX200.

RELEASE

Each audition will be video taped for future reference by the Producers. By auditioning you grant us permission to record your performance and use it in our casting considerations.

STAY UPDATED

For updates, visit our informal production blog at nocturnalthird.blogspot.com. For questions or comments, please contact the Producers through e-mail at wondermillfilms@yahoo.com.

Luke Weaver IS Jeffrey!

2009-05-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

One of the leads of The Nocturnal Third has been cast!

This is Luke's second collaboration with Wonder Mill Films, playing the controversial Bart Thompson in A Genesis Found.

Meet the Production Designer

2009-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Markus Matei, a good friend and our Assistant Director on "A Genesis Found", is on board as the film's Production Designer. Thanks Markus and welcome to the team.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1992577/

Inaugural Post

2009-04-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Informal Production Blog for the Independent Feature Film "The Nocturnal Third", produced by Wonder Mill Films. This is the best way to keep up with the project, which enters Pre-Production in May 2009!

Synopsis:

What is really going on at Stafford Stoneworks?

Sleep-deprived and unmotivated, Eli Gottfried works a day job at a small and locally-owned fabrication shop in rural Alabama. The company is on the cusp of changing the economic future of its surrounding communities with a single job proposition. With no other candidates to finish the job, Eli is picked to work the dreaded third shift… from midnight to dawn.

When Harold, a mysterious and mistrusted co-worker, unexpectedly appears and is brutally injured, Eli finds all responsibility resting on his shoulders. Plagued by nightmares, and with no communication with the outside world, his decisions grow to be more important than ever as things begin to fall apart.

The situation is complicated by the arrival of an apparently stranded young salesmen, Jeffrey. Brash and influential, Jeffrey sees something special in Eli. The men form a bond, as they suspect foul play may be at hand.

Mysterious and moody, The Nocturnal Third is a compact, fast-paced horror thriller. Soaked in dread and claustrophobia, it examines the limits of the human body, industrial espionage, and the conflicts of comfort and achievement.