The Blog is Moving!

In trying to streamline things, we're moving all of our blogging to Tumblr!

http://wondermillfilms.tumblr.com/

The N3rd Blog will continue to hang out here.

Oscar Picks!

N/A means I either don't have a strong enough or informed enough opinion to call.

BEST PICTURE
AMOUR
ARGO
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LES MISERABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
ZERO DARK THIRTY

Will Win - SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Should Win - ZERO DARK THIRTY

ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain, ZERO DARK THIRTY
Jennifer Lawrence, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Emmanuelle Riva, AMOUR
Quvenzhane Wallis, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Naomi Watts, THE IMPOSSIBLE

Will Win - Jennifer Lawrence

Should Win - Jessica Chastain

ACTOR
Bradley Cooper, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Daniel Day-Lewis, LINCOLN
Hugh Jackman, LES MISERABLES
Joaquin Phoenix, THE MASTER
Denzel Washington, FLIGHT

Will Win - Daniel Day-Lewis

Should Win - Joaquin Phoenix

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, THE MASTER
Sally Field, LINCOLN
Anne Hathaway, LES MISERABLES
Helen Hunt, THE SESSIONS
Jackie Weaver, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Will Win - Anne Hathaway

Should Win - N/A

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin, ARGO
Robert DeNiro, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Philip Seymour Hoffman, THE MASTER
Tommy Lee Jones, LINCOLN
Christoph Waltz, DJANGO UNCHAINED

Will Win - Robert DeNiro

Should Win - Tommy Lee Jones

DIRECTOR
Michael Haneke, AMOUR
Benh Zeitlin, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Ang Lee, LIFE OF PI
Steven Spielberg, LINCOLN
David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Will Win - David O. Russell

Should Win - Steven Spielberg

ANIMATED FEATURE
BRAVE
FRANKENWEENIE
PARANORMAN
THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS
WRECK-IT RALPH

Will Win - WRECK-IT RALPH

Should Win - BRAVE

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Seamus McGarvey, ANNA KARENINA
Robert Richardson, DJANGO UNCHAINED
Claudio Miranda, LIFE OF PI
Janusz Kaminski, LINCOLN
Roger Deakins, SKYFALL

Will Win - Claudio Miranda

Should Win - Roger Deakins

COSTUME DESIGN
Jacqueline Durran, ANNA KARENINA
Paco Delgado, LES MISERABLES
Joanna Johnston, LINCOLN
Eiko Ishioka, MIRROR MIRROR
Colleen Atwood, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

Will Win - Jacqueline Durran

Should Win - n/a

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
5 BROKEN CAMERAS
THE GATEKEEPERS
HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE
THE INVISIBLE WAR
SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN

Will Win - SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN

Should Win - n/a

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
INOCENTE
KINGS POINT
MONDAYS AT RACINE
OPEN HEART
REDEMPTION

Will Win - INOCENTE

Should Win - n/a

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Chris Terrio, ARGO
Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
David Magee, LIFE OF PI
Tony Kushner, LINCOLN
David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Will Win - David O. Russell

Should Win - Tony Kushner

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Michael Haneke, AMOUR
Quentin Tarantino, DJANGO UNCHAINED
John Gatins, FLIGHT
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola, MOONRISE KINGDOM
Mark Boal, ZERO DARK THIRTY

Will Win - Mark Boal

Should Win - Mark Boal

EDITING
William Goldenberg, ARGO
Tim Squyres, LIFE OF PI
Michael Kahn, LINCOLN
Jay Cassidy & Crispin Struthers, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Dylan Tichenor & William Goldenberg, ZERO DARK THIRTY

Will Win - William Goldenberg

Should Win - Dylan Tichenor & William Goldenberg

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
AMOUR
KON-TIKI
NO
A ROYAL AFFAIR
WAR WITCH

Will Win - AMOUR

Should Win - n/a

HAIR & MAKEUP
HITCHCOCK
LES MISERABLES
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Will Win - THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Should Win - n/a

MUSIC
Dario Marianelli, ANNA KARENINA
Alexandre Desplate, ARGO
Mychael Danna, LIFE OF PI
John Williams, LINCOLN
Thomas Newman, SKYFALL

Will Win - Mychael Danna

Should Win - n/a

SONG
Before My Time, CHASING ICE
Everybody Needs a Best Friend, TED
Pi’s Lullaby, LIFE OF PI
Skyfall, SKYFALL
Suddenly, LES MISERABLES

Will Win - Skyfall

Should Win - n/a

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Sarah Greenwood, ANNA KARENINA
Dan Hennah, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Eve Stewart, LES MISERABLES
David Gropman, LIFE OF PI
Rick Carter, LINCOLN

Will Win - LES MISERABLES

Should Win - LINCOLN

ANIMATED SHORT
ADAM AND DOG
FRESH GUACAMOLE
HEAD OVER HEELS
THE LONGEST DAYCARE
PAPERMAN

Will Win - PAPERMAN

Should Win - n/a

LIVE ACTION SHORT
ASAD
BUZKASHI BOYS
CURFEW
DEATH OF A SHADOW
YAN ENGLAND

Will Win - DEATH OF A SHADOW

Should Win - n/a

SOUND EDITING
ARGO
DJANGO UNCHAINED
LIFE OF PI
SKYFALL
ZERO DARK THIRTY

Will Win - ARGO

Should Win - SKYFALL

SOUND MIXING
ARGO
LES MISERABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
SKYFALL

Will Win - ARGO

Should Win - LES MISERABLES

VISUAL EFFECTS
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LIFE OF PI
THE AVENGERS
PROMETHEUS
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

Will Win - LIFE OF PI

Should Win - THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

2012 Viewing Habits

Here's everything I watched in 2012...

JANUARY
The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009, BD)
Stardust (2007, DVD)
Sherlock S1E3 (2010, Streaming)
King’s Cross (Book)
Anathema Adrienne (2012, DVD)
The Trial (2x, 1962, Streaming)
Community S1 (2009, DVD)
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982, DVD)
Decalogues One, Two, & Three (1989, DVD)
Morning Glory (2010, Streaming)
Dazed & Confused (1993, Streaming)
Parks & Recreation (2009, Ongoing, Streaming)
Cowboys & Aliens (2011, Blu ray)
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928, Streaming)
The Trip (2011, Streaming)
Marathon Man (1976, Streaming)
Contact (1997, Streaming)
Jane Eyre (2011, DVD)
Warrior (2011, Blu ray)
The Kennel Murder Case (1933, Streaming)
50/50 (2011, DVD)
Hanna (2011, Blu ray)
Beauty & The Beast (1991, Theatrical)
The Grey (2012, Theatrical)

FEBRUARY
Little Children (2006, DVD)
When Harry Met Sally (1989, DVD)
The Artist (2011, Theatrical)
Super (2010, DVD)
Community, S1 (2009, Continued)
Parks & Recreation (2009, Continued)
Ronin (1998, DVD)
The French Connection (1971, DVD)
Take Shelter (2011, DVD)
Sucker Punch (2011, Blu Ray)
Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2007, Blu Ray)
Winnie the Pooh (2011, Blu Ray)

MARCH
Community, S2 (2010)
Hercules Unchained (1959, Streaming)
The Secret World of Arriety (2012, Theatrical)
Source Code (2011, Blu Ray)
John Carter (2012, Theatrical)
Haywire (2012, Theatrical)
Decalogue V (1988, DVD)
Decalogue VI (1988, DVD)
Hercules / Le fatiche di Ercole (1958, Streaming)
Bringing Up Baby (1938, DVD)
Decalogue VII (1988, DVD)
Decalogue VIII (1988, DVD)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990, Streaming)
Gone with the Wind (1939, Blu ray)
8 ½ (1963, Blu ray)
The Hunger Games (2012, digIMAX)
Decalogue IX (1988, DVD)
Decalogue X (1988, DVD)

APRIL
Community, S3 (HD Stream, 2011)
Parks & Recreation, S3 (HD Stream, 2011)
Awake, Pilot (HD Stream, 2011)
Dinosaur (HD Stream, 2000)
Modern Family, S3E1 (Streaming, 2011)
Cabin in the Woods (Theatrical, 2012)
The Robe (Blu ray, 1953)
Goon (HD Stream, 2012)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Blu ray, 2011)
The Incredible Hulk (HD Stream, 2008)
The Spectacular Spider-Man (Streaming, 2008)
The Raid: Redemption (Theatrical, 2012)

MAY
Spider-Man 3 (SD Stream, 2007)
Community, S3 (HD Stream, 2011)
Parks & Recreation, S3 (HD Stream, 2011)
The Spectacular Spider-Man (Streaming, 2008)
War Horse (Blu ray, 2011)
The Avengers (2x, Theatrical, 2012)
Our Idiot Brother (Streaming, 2011)
We Bought a Zoo (Streaming, 2011)
Stagecoach (Streaming, 1939)
Le Deuxieme Souffle (DVD, 1966)
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Theatrical, 2012)
Le Cercle Rouge (Blu ray, 1970)
Chronicle (Streaming, 2012)
Taken (Streaming, 2008)
This Means War (HD Stream, 2012)
Men in Black 3 (Theatrical, 2012)

JUNE
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (HD Stream, 2011)
The Spectacular Spider-Man (Streaming, 2008)
Drunken Master (Streaming, 1978)
Snow White & The Huntsman (Theatrical, 2012)
Prometheus (2x Theatrical, 2012)
Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow (HD Stream, 2004)
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (HD Stream, 2011)
Black Narcissus (Stream, 1947)
30 Rock S1 (Stream, 2006)
Batman Begins (Blu Ray, 2005)
Blade Runner: The Final Cut (Blu Ray, 1982)
Rocky II (1979, HD Stream)
Rocky III (1982, HD Stream)
Rocky IV (1985, HD Stream)
Rocky V (1990, HD Stream)
21 Jump Street (HD Stream, 2012)
Le Duolos (1962, DVD)
Star Trek: TOS S1 (HD Stream, 1966)
Army of Shadows (DVD, 1969)
Robocop (HD Stream, 1987)
Moonrise Kingdom (Theatrical, 2012)

JULY
Thief (HD Stream, 1981)
The Keep (SD Stream, 1983)
The Amazing Spider-Man (Theatrical, 2012)
Total Recall (Blu ray, 1990)
The Dark Knight (Blu ray, 2008)
The Spectacular Spider-Man (Streaming, 2008)
Star Trek: TOS S1 (HD Stream, 1966)
30 Rock S1 (HD Stream, 2006)
Louie S1 (HD Stream, 2010)
The Dark Knight Rises (70mm IMAX, 2012)
The Last Starfighter (Blu ray, 1984)
The Expendables (Blu ray, 2010)

AUGUST
The Fox & The Hound (DVD, 1981)
Lilo & Stitch (DVD, 2002)
The Spectacular Spider-Man (Streaming, 2008)
The New Batman Adventures (Streaming, 1997)
Mega Man (Streaming, 1994)
The Conversation (Blu Ray, 1974)
Batman: Brave & The Bold (Streaming, 2008)
Men in Black: The Series (Streaming, 1998)
Mulan (Streaming, 1998)
Louie S1 (Streaming, 2010)
The Black Cauldron (DVD, 1985)
Bolt (Streaming, 2008)
All Star Superman (Streaming, 2011)
Workaholics S1 (Streaming, 2011)
Compliance (Theatrical, 2012)
Miami Connection (Theatrical, 1987)
Batman Beyond S1 (iPhone, 1999)
Eating Alabama (Theatrical, 2012)
Booster (Theatrical, 2012)
Dead Man’s Burden (Theatrical, 2012)
Beyond the Black Rainbow (Theatrical, 2012)

SEPTEMBER
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Blu ray, 2012)
Chicken Little (Streaming, 2005)
Wanderlust (Streaming, 2012)
The Dark Knight Rises (IMAX, 2012)
Batman Beyond S1 (iPhone, 1999)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (IMAX, 1981)
Louie S1 & S2 (Streaming, 2010)
Haywire (Streaming, 2012)
The Five Year Engagement (Streaming, 2012)
Frank and Ollie (DVD, 1995)
Home on the Range (iPhone, 2004)
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story (DVD, 2009)
Pocahontas (HD Stream, 1995)
Looper (Theatrical, 2012)

OCTOBER
Overboard (TV, 1987)
The Master (Theatrical, 2012)
Walt & El Grupo (DVD, 2008)
Dredd (Theatrical, 2012)
Frankenweenie (IMAX 3D, 2012)
Louie S2 (Streaming, 2010)
Community S3 (Streaming, 2011)
From Russia With Love (Blu ray, 1963)
Parks & Recreation S5 (Streaming, 2012)
Batman Beyond S2 (iPhone, 1999)
Diamonds Are Forever (Streaming, 1971)
30 Rock S2 (Streaming, 2007)
Moonraker (Streaming, 1979)
Cinderella (Blu ray, 1950)
Waking Sleeping Beauty (DVD, 2009)
Bronson, (Streaming, 2009)
Argo (Theatrical, 2012)
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (HD Stream, 2012)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, (Streaming, 1920)

NOVEMBER
30 Rock S3 (Streaming, 2008)
Cloud Atlas (Theatrical, 2012)
Magic Mike (HD Stream, 2012)
The Battle of Algiers (Blu ray, 1966)
Batman Beyond S2 (iPhone, 1999)
Restless Heart (Theatrical, 2012)
Skyfall (2x, IMAX, 2012)
For Your Eyes Only (Blu ray, 1981)
The Blue Eagle (Streaming, 1926)
Parks & Recreation S5 (Streaming, 2012)
The Tree of Life (Blu ray, 2011)
Louie S2 (Streaming, 2010)
Lincoln (Theatrical, 2012)
Take This Waltz (Streaming, 2012)
The Expendables 2 (Streaming, 2012)
Wreck-It Ralph (Theatrical, 2012)

DECEMBER
Life of Pi (Theatrical, 2012)
30 Rock S3 (Streaming, 2008)
Our Hospitality (Streaming, 1923)
Killing Them Softly (Theatrical, 2012)
Chariots of Fire (Streaming, 1981)
The Navigator (Streaming, (1923)
Arthur Christmas (Streaming, 2011)
Bernie (Streaming, 2012)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Theatrical, 2012)
Ted (Streaming, 2012)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (Streaming, 2012)
Rise of the Guardians (Theatrical, 2012)
Alps (Streaming, 2012)
Louie S2 (Streaming, 2010)
Oslo, August 31st (Streaming, 2012)
Jack Reacher (Theatrical, 2012)
Sleepless Night (Streaming, 2012)
The Pirates! Band of Misfits (Blu ray, 2012)
The Dark Knight Rises (Blu ray, 2012)
Jurassic Park (Blu ray, 1993)
Paranorman (Streaming, 2012)

Teaser for New Wonder Mill Short Film

Here's a quick look at our newest project, Frankenstein's Master. We've embedded a teaser trailer on the main page for The Nocturnal Third, so take a gander!

www.thenocturnalthird.com

Movie Ratings Cheat Sheet

Because I am an incredible nerd, I've made this chart to finally nail down my grading scale for movies. I don't give movies scores or grades to pit them against one another, but rather to help me remember what my most recent personal feelings on them are. I grade based on my own, personal, subjective enjoyment, not on formalist or objective qualifiers. After using various different sites to keep up with my movie ratings, I've finally given up and landed on IMDB, because of their indisputably dense library and their relatively friendly iPhone app. If you ever see me rate a movie on any of these three scales, now you have an idea of what that means to me...

-Ben

Real life beat me to it!

Danielle and I went to Disney World at the beginning of October, and while we were there, I had an idea for a Film Nerds blog post about steps Disney should take to strengthen their film production. One of those steps just happened.

Below is a quick e-mail I wrote to myself about the blog post I never found time to get around to. Disney, if you want a pitch for #3 on this list, come at me bro.

Band on the Search is online!

Our friend Gilbert Stark's new film, Band on the Search, has begun its journey to online availability! Gilbert and his crew are releasing the film onto YouTube in 5 to 10 minute episodes.

This is a really easy and digestible way to watch a very funny movie featuring some outrageous performances from guys like Elliot Moon, Kevin Maggard, Jay Burton, and Tyler Kirby! You can check out the first segment here!

Wonder Mill Profiles: Kevin Maggard

Kevin Maggard

Actor: The Nocturnal Third, Band on the Search

Animator: The Nocturnal Third

Favorite Films: The Iron Giant, Robinson Caruso on Mars, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, This Is Spinal Tap

If you've confused Kevin with his shy and creatively stunted character in The Nocturnal Third, you've made a mistake. In his newest film, the hilarious mockumentary Band on the Search, Kevin displays a subtle sense of humor and a knack for improvisation... neither of which Eli Maggard has much of. In addition to his feature film work, Kevin has also appeared in music videos for Jewel and Sheryl Crow.

Kevin is also an accomplished artist. He has displayed a number of paintings, was the artist on the Genesis Found spin-off comic Southern Truths, has been the lead singer in a band, and is currently developing a tongue-in-cheek graphic novel about espionage during the Cold War and Space Race. Kevin also animated the cat monster of Eli's nightmares in The Nocturnal Third, after conceptualization from David Vail.

On the topic of regional independent filmmaking, Kevin says, "I mostly enjoy the feeling of having a hands-on investment in the filmmaking process."

The Trial of the Dark Knight

I had the pleasure of sitting down with fellow FilmNerds blog contributors Corey Craft of the Tuscaloosa News and Craig Hamilton of Citizen Craig to talk about all things Batman. Check out our epic, 3+ hour podcast!

http://filmnerds.com/Trial_of_the_Dark_Knight.mp3

Enjoy!

-Ben

Sidewalk Schedule

I'll be heading down to Birmingham for the Sidewalk Film Festival on August 24 - August 26. Nocturnal Third composer Jesse Ewing is going to be joining me for most of the weekend, and I've made out an itinerary. Underlined items are mandatory for me. You can see the full line-up here.

SATURDAY

7:30 AM - Leave Huntsville
10:30 AM - The Nocturnal Third
12:00 Noon - Lunch
12:40 PM - The Fourth Dimension
2:40 PM - Shorts Block
4:00 PM - Compliance
6:15 PM - Eating Alabama 
9:45 PM - V/H/S w/ I Am Your Grandma
 Midnight - Leave Birmingham

SUNDAY
10:00 AM - Leave Huntsville
12:00 Noon - Filmmaking Panel: Designing the Past
2:00 PM - Filmmaking Panel: Faith in Film (Leave Early)
2:45 PM - Dead Man's Burden
5:00 PM - Booster
7:15 PM - Beyond the Black Rainbow
9:00 PM - Sidewalk Awards Celebration
11:00 PM - Leave Birmingham

Hope to see a bunch of friends and fellow film folk there!

Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

News! N3rd is going to the Sidewalk Film Festival!

I just sent this to all of our e-mail subscribers. Take a look at all the latest Wonder Mill news!

Hello, everyone-

I've got a few quick updates about Wonder Mill activities in the coming months.

• If you haven't heard, The Nocturnal Third has been accepted to the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, and will be screening at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 25th at the Hill Arts Center. We haven't had a film at Sidewalk in a number of years, so this is a big deal for us. We hope to see many of you at the screening.

• Thanks so much to those of you who have been able to donate and spread the word in the wake of our Kickstarter campaign. Your donations have paid for all of our marketing and printing costs for Sidewalk, and we really, REALLY appreciate the generosity.

• Beyond Sidewalk, we're going to be operating a bit differently than we have in the past few years. Stephen Lucas and myself are loosely developing a short film project to potentially shoot in Los Angeles some time in 2013. Lee is still working on our next feature film screenplay, and has been developing a very cool adventure series project called The Foragers, along with other awesome writing projects. I'm also in conversation with some folks about shooting a local short, which we'd love to work on with as many of you as possible. Although the members of Wonder Mill are spread out regionally and creatively, we're still all looking forward to upcoming collaborations.

That's about it, folks. Thanks again for your support and generosity of time, money, and attention!

Ben Stark

Co-Founder, Wonder Mill Films

Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

Watch A GENESIS FOUND online for free!

Our first feature, A Genesis Found, is now available to watch for absolutely free online. I will be updating this entry periodically as new platforms go live.

YouTube (Ads Enabled, HD & Mobile Options)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhjKkPkLiXk

FilmAnnex (Ads Enabled)
http://www.filmannex.com/movie/a-genesis-found/27451/

Please pass this news along to friends, and if you check out the film, feel free to donate here.

Synopsis:
In 1938, CCC cadet John Patton Jr. (Bennett Parker) found the key to our darkest secret–an anomalous skeleton neither animal nor man. Uncertain of its implications, Patton hid the discovery away from the world—though never forgetting what he found.

Seventy years later, his grandson Gardner (Elliot Moon) is forced to come to terms with his grandfather’s past, a man he never knew but in whose footsteps he inevitably follows. When his cousin, controversial documentarian Bart Thompson (Luke Weaver), arrives for a seemingly routine shoot, Gardner is eager to lend a hand. He soon learns, however, that Bart isn’t back just to shoot a movie–he wants to find the “discovery” their grandfather buried nearly seventy years before, and prove what he claimed was true.

As his skepticism fades, and the lure of mystery grows, Gardner becomes distant from his foundations, including his live-in girlfriend Kelsey (Elise Zieman). Losing himself to the adventure, Gardner is hypnotized by a single possibility—that this “discovery” could be a direct link to God.

The Nocturnal Third is going to Sidewalk!

In an interesting turn of events, the day we announced the next phase of Wonder Mill, we found out that The Nocturnal Third had been selected to screen at the 2012 Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham! Sidewalk is happening from August 24 to 26, and we're excited to experience the Fest once again. Several Wonder Mill collaborators have had a variety of films featured at Sidewalk in years past, all the way back to Lee Fanning's high school shorts being selected in 2004. We appreciate being highlighted by an Alabama institution, and we love that Sidewalk is helping to get exposure for Alabama indie features.

Check out the Sidewalk Film Festival's slick new website: http://sidewalkfest.com/

Of course, having The Nocturnal Third openly available is a conflict with our screening at Sidewalk, so we'll be releasing the film to streaming platforms several months after we launch A Genesis Found. Hopefully, we'll be able to organize a little meet-up at Sidewalk for all you Alabama indie filmmakers that we haven't seen or met in real life before! Also, don't forget to check out the official Nocturnal Third website, now featuring a handy Sidewalk "Official Selection" laurel.

That's about it for big announcements... I think. Thanks, everyone!

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

Big Announcement: Wonder Mill, Phase 2!

Hi, everyone-

It's been a few weeks since we failed to reach our $6,000 Kickstarter goal, despite you awesome people getting us above $4,100! Never fear, however, as we had a contingency plan in the case that we weren't able to raise enough money to submit both of our feature films to Netflix, Hulu, and iTunes via Distribber.

Our goal for both A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third is for them to be as visible as possible. Therefore, the next best thing to being on top paid streaming platforms is being on top free streaming platforms. So, we've decided that over the next few months, we're going to begin releasing both films on various streaming sites, starting with YouTube. We'll also be submitting both films to various paid or curated sites, and we have a shortlist of film festivals that we think The Nocturnal Third will be a good fit for.

This means that if you enjoyed our films, you can now recommend them to any friends or family across the entire planet and they can watch them for absolutely FREE!

On YouTube, banner ads will be enabled on both films, so the more people that watch, the higher the chance that we get a bit of shared ad revenue. Also, since our content will now be entirely free to access from anywhere, by anyone, we'll be keeping our Paypal button active for any donations, or "digital tips". We accept Paypal donates via the button at the bottom of thenocturnalthird.com, or by clicking here. Of course, both agenesisfound.com and thenocturnalthird.com will still be selling DVDs which, for the time being, will be the only way to get supplemental materials like commentaries, making-of documentaries, and more!

Wonder Mill: Phase 2 isn't just about distribution for our first two features, however. It's also symbolic of our next step in production. While we're developing our third feature film - which A Genesis Found writer/director Lee is currently writing despite a very busy period at work - we also want to branch out to more immediate projects, including a return to short form filmmaking. This leads us to a really cool opportunity to branch out and collaborate with new screenwriters.

We would like to fund, develop, and produce at least one 5- to 10-minute short film within the next six to twelve months, but we need a script!

We are announcing an open call for short film scripts, pitches, or treatments to be produced by Wonder Mill Films and directed by myself (Ben Stark). The finished film will be submitted to film festivals, with a free trailer appearing online, and a limited paid viewing option. We still haven't ironed out the details of how - or if - revenue sharing would work, so for the time being this should be considered an unpaid writing opportunity. However, it will prove to be a great creative experience and will lead to some healthy exposure.

If you are a writer with a concept, if you have an existing script, or if you know anyone that might be interested, let us know! If you would like us to consider producting your 5 to 10 page screenplay, e-mail a short logline, estimated pagecount, and your contact information to wondermillfilms@yahoo.com, with the subject line "Wonder Mill Short Pitch".

Please do not send completed scripts in this initial e-mail. All submissions will be kept confidential, and of course, we will not move forward on any script without the written permission of the author. Our work generally tends towards character-driven genre works that reflect the region and personality of the South, but we'd love to take a look at any genres or styles.

We're excited to be getting more exposure for our work, and we're very anxious to get tinkering on another project as soon as possible. Thanks so much to everyone that's helped us get this far, and if you'd like to be involved in these projects, please don't hesitate to contact us. Again, our main goal is to grow as filmmakers, to share our work with others, and to meet new and interesting collaborators, especially in the South.

I hope this news is as exciting for you all as it is for us, and I thank you for your time and attention!

Wonder Mill: Phase 2...ENGAGE!

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

"From The South To Your Couch" Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WONDER MILL FILMS TO LAUNCH KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN FOR DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION FUNDS

Huntsville, AL – Wonder Mill Films announces the FROM THE SOUTH TO YOUR COUCH Kickstarter campaign to raise $6,000 for further distribution of its two independently produced feature films, A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third, to commence on May 25, 2012 and to end on June 23, 2012 at 7:00 PM. Produced from the ground-up entirely in Huntsville, Decatur, Tuscaloosa, and Moundville, with much of their cast and crew made up of Alabama natives and University of Alabama alumni, Wonder Mill Films’ features are smart and entertaining crowd-pleasers, designed to hold up on multiple viewings. Now, the company is asking their fans and supporters to help fund an effort to gain wider exposure for both films.

 In A Genesis Found’s 1938 set-up, CCC cadet John Patton Jr. (Bennett Parker) found the key to our darkest secret- an anomalous skeleton neither animal nor man. Uncertain of its implications, Patton hid the discovery away from the world- though never forgetting what he found. Seventy years later, his grandson Gardner (Elliot Moon) is forced to come to terms with his grandfather's past, a man he never knew but in whose footsteps he inevitably follows. When his cousin, controversial documentarian Bart Thompson (Luke Weaver), arrives for a seemingly routine shoot, Gardner is eager to lend a hand. He soon learns, however, that Bart isn't back just to shoot a movie- he wants to find the "discovery" their grandfather buried nearly seventy years before, and prove what he claimed was true.

Dubbed a home-brewed mystery/thriller, The Nocturnal Third is the story of Eli Gottfried (Kevin Maggard), 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 coworker (Wescott Youngson) is severely injured, Eli finds his only solace in the ways of a stranded stranger (Weaver).

The innovative FROM THE SOUTH TO YOUR COUCH crowd-funding campaign, utilizing the Kickstarter.com website, is designed to raise funds for final distribution for both of Wonder Mill’s films. Proceeds from the campaign will be used to submit The Nocturnal Third and A Genesis Found to online movie platforms like Netflix Instant, Hulu Plus, and iTunes.

Benjamin Stark, co-founder of Wonder Mill Films and director of The Nocturnal Third, describes the motivation for the FROM THE SOUTH TO YOUR COUCH campaign: “The big question we get is, ‘What will you all do next?' but we really can't move on to another project until we've done everything we can to get these two films out there. We've screened at a few festivals and have even been offered a DVD deal for one of the films, but nothing has come along that would give wide exposure, along with a measure of autonomy and control. Basically, we're hoping the Kickstarter campaign will empower us to get the films on wide enough platforms that folks can enjoy them in their living rooms."

The campaign will last 27 days, and funders are offered “perks” in the form of free DVDs, score tracks, and tie-in books.

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. Premiering in Huntsville in September 2011, the film has received positive reviews from established web sites such as FilmThreat, Man I Love Films!, and SheMovieGeek.

Wonder Mill Films can be contacted at wondermillfilms[AT]yahoo[DOT]com or found on Twitter @WonderMillFilms.

From the South to Your Couch

It's up to you to get A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third onto Netflix, Hulu, iTunes, and on the road!

The Nocturnal Third in Tuscaloosa!

Band on the Search - World Premiere!

 

Starring A Genesis Found's Elliot Moon and The Nocturnal Third's Kevin Maggard, it's the hilarious mockumentary BAND ON THE SEARCH, directed by N3rd unit photographer, effects man, and tech advisor Gilbert Stark! This is going to be awesome!

Here's the official press release for our upcoming screening in Tuscaloosa! Take a look and share like crazy!

-Ben

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WONDER MILL FILMS TO SCREEN INDEPENDENT FILM “THE NOCTURNAL THIRD” AT GREEN BAR IN TUSCALOOSA
Huntsville, AL – Wonder Mill Films announces a special screening of its second independently produced feature film, The Nocturnal Third, at Green Bar in downtown Tuscaloosa, at 8:00 PM, on Thursday, May 24th, 2012. 

Dubbed a home-brewed mystery/thriller, 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 much of its cast and crew made up of Tuscaloosa natives and University of Alabama alumni, Wonder Mill Films’ second feature film is a tense neo-noir, set against the backdrop of a developing Southern economy. 

Their first feature film, the science fiction adventure A Genesis Found, was filmed on location in Moundville, Alabama, in 2008, and was featured at a special screening at Tuscaloosa’s Bama Theater in 2009. 

The May 24th screening of The Nocturnal Third will come at the mid-point of the innovative “From the South to Your Couch” crowd-funding campaign, designed to raise funds for final distribution for both of Wonder Mill’s films. Proceeds from the campaign will be used to submit The Nocturnal Third and A Genesis Found to online movie platforms like Netflix Instant, Hulu Plus, and iTunes.

The Free Screening of The Nocturnal Third will be hosted in Tuscaloosa, Alabama at Green Bar (2209 4th St / Huntsville, AL) on May 24, with the film starting at 8. Cast and crew will be on hand to talk about the production of both films, the “From the South to Your Couch” campaign, and to answer questions. Admission is free and the event is open to anyone over the age of 21. The bar will open at 7:00 PM. 

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. Premiering in Huntsville in September 2011, the film has received positive reviews from established web sites such as FilmThreat, Man I Love Films!, and SheMovieGeek. 

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.