NETFLIX’S OZARK SHIFTS DRAMA EASILY INTO SECOND GEAR!

🎥 🎞 Series Review 🎞 🎥  - OZARK - (R) Netflix

Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star in this magnificently written and directed drama series about a Mexican cartel money laundering operation in Missouri. Bateman takes a big part in both producing and directing this fantastically written series which is a surprising and refreshing original series released by the streaming network. There's no real flash, but some powerful acting performances by a team of new young actors that play their parts like seasoned big-star actors.

This is not a comedy at all. There's not even a hint of dark humor in this series, but the series has three outstanding seasons with some great character development and, in Season 3, a believable emotional breakdown between characters!! I am so impressed with the cinematography, that I plan to use their format in future film productions. The cameras and the lenses they shoot each episode in gives the series a dull, darkishly bluish hue that is so captivating that they use the effect in spring, summer, and fall.

I've never been a big fan of Bateman, save is his voice and performance in Zootopia, where he played one of my favorite characters. But is performance in this series is totally dramatic and has great character development from the start of the show. Linney goes from playing a strong wife to an emotional wreck in just a few episodes of the third season, that presents the collapse of her sanity and it's an unfamiliar tool that she uses to help keep her alive; a very interesting avenue for such a prized leading lady!

Shot exclusively in Missouri and a point to make at a local actor from Katy, Texas makes a few appearances in the first two seasons, this series is now heading into Season 4 territory and I can’t wait to see what twist and turns the next season has to offer! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  (5 of 5 stars)

PLEASE CALL MY AGENT FIRST...

Houston, Texas - The Independent Film Scene [IFS], or "film industry" (if it means that much to you), can be a gritty world for an actor who is struggling to learn the ropes about what it takes to work in front of a camera during a production. What might impede progress or success is the fact that most Indie actors refuse to take leading roles when their openly handed out to them; most starting actors that have only filled the roles of an extra or "just a guy in the background" have a lot of doubt in their abilities and this can damage the expected growth of their capabilities and real experience in the field of acting.

Seasoned film directors and casting agents have an eye for what sells and usually a particular script will send off a vibe for a new actor that's required to complete the initial plan for the plot and get the entire film project started on the right foot. So often more than not, the director and his team will start looking through tons and tons headshots. When a good script is approved for production, a search will begin to find a talented lead. They won't be looking for what can just be seen in someones acting credentials, but there's also a search for a certain look in a part; with a certain spirit that can been at first glance, perhaps it's something in the eyes or the smile. 

At the beginning phases of casting, actors aren't graded on the format of their headshot; the team only wants to be sure that the actor presented in the headshot is someone who can walk through the doors of an audition with complete confidence. If the director and his team feel that the looks fit and the actor is malleable, then the right actor has been found to start production even before an audition needs to be arranged.

Many will agree that the way an actor looks can make a director of a project actually go out of the way and reach out for a particular actor to fill the role. With the existence of Facebook and LinkedIn, directors have direct access to actors information and headshots in a matter of seconds. There's a lot of information to sift through, so to make immediate contact with an actor can prove to be the best "bite" than an actor can have in their career of working with new production teams. At this point, the director certainly doesn't care about your resume or the lack of your abilities; he wants to meet up with you, feel your interest through contact and see if you have the same caliber personae as your headshot, to see if you can help with his image of the film to launch in the right direction.

This is not the time for an amateur actor to hesitate or doubt their own abilities or throw down the old, "you need to contact my agent first" pitch. Actors should do their research prior to making a big final decision, but always respect the initial contact as a positive thing with all of the hard work you've put into your Facebook or LinkedIn page.

Think about this for a moment; and we are speaking about amateur Indie film projects, not local commercials or roles as extras in some feature film where no one will ever see you in the film, a high percentage of new actors believe that there is a career in acting, but almost 98% of new actors have to maintain a real job working 40 hours a week to live comfortably, pay the bills, and do acting gigs on the side for lunch money. The other 2% of these new actors who "claim to be making it" in the movie industry, and unless they are a real leading actor in a film or television series, are probably lying about their success and have outside jobs, making a living outside of the acting world. Some of those same actors develop jobs to help "assist" other actors break-in to the acting world, claiming that their ingredients of success are easy to pass on and they can guarantee that their hands-on training or contacts "in the business" can guarantee results if they pay for their services.

This is from a local Houston-based

acting agency whose notorious for 
having favorites in their clientele.

Always keep in mind that some agents can do tricky things to keep your 'planned' career anchored down with very little movement. Make no mistake that some agencies have their favorites, and those with crisp, sharp looks often get the better gigs, even though you may be more experienced for the part or even more talented. It's a funny thing, but if one of their favorites bring in heavy cash flow more often than not, they will be chosen for submission even if you were the original contact for a project. If you find yourself struggling to get work from your agent while others "get the gigs," then perhaps you should consider dropping the agent and managing your own career; you know that it is possible to do that until a better agent comes along.

Consider this blog as fruit for thought. I always suggest that new actors should always start off their careers in theater arts and hone their skills; especially if you want to know the in's and out's of production, direction, performing under pressure, etc. Yes, it's a whole lot tougher to work in theater and win the big leading roles, but the experience in just watching whats going in the pre-production, operational side of each new show is more experience than anything you'll learn as an extra in a film production. If any acting agent tells you different, then you need to start looking somewhere else to earn good paying gigs; especially if you need the cash without giving away a third to an acting agent and still having to pay taxes on the rest!

Good luck in what you decide to do!

...Ride Easy!
D. R. Quintana

SO, NOW YOU'RE A SAG COMMERCIAL ACTOR?

Houston, TX News - There are some jack-asses who are centered around the idea that they're in so good with the SAG universe, that they are spreading the news on YouTube about how your next commercial video audition has a requirement to use RED cameras during it's production, listing photos of the home used and crew requirements for submitting an audition tape!

Everyone knows that working in the SAG universe can be a little hectic at times, but to ask an actor to submit a video audition using only the best camera equipment at the most expensive cost to buy or rent, seems a little absurd and something that can be considered as a "spoiler" for anyone who just can't go to that distance to appease the demands of the SAG commercial producers. Putting out such information could break the pocket books of a hefty number of actors trying to make their mark in the local acting community, or even worse, destroy a few dreams before they have ever begun.

Being a commercial actor can have it's benefits at $89 a day on the SAG rate; I guess, if you think you can live off of that, but I'm very sure that some actors aspire to gain higher applaud in their field of endeavor by winning bigger and more memorable roles in feature films. The Houston Film Scene [HFS] has definitely shifted it's gears as younger actors and crews have begun to surface in indie film festivals, out producing established veteran production teams by using cell phone cameras to beat out the veterans who once claimed to be the pinnacle of the established "film industry." So what does the HFS' do to up the anty?...well, they jump down to knowing everything about making professional commercials and use their SAG status to state how important it is to appease the SAG universe by using equipment that is well out of the range of the newer, better and younger film makers pocket books.

In the years that I've worked in the real film industry,  I have found that video auditions are to be taken seriously, especially after an actor has received a slate that is required for preview from a commercial sponsor. The audition should have good video HD quality and good sound to give a good impression to the agent[s] and the commercial sponsor as well. No where has there ever been a  requirement for the video to be shot on a RED camera or such other 4K or 6K video camera; not for an audition. As a matter of fact, your agent, not the SAG union, should advise you about what requirements they desire for an audition. Most of the time, your agent will suggest whom you should go to to get your audition taped with the right equipment and in the right format.

So, be smart and make sure you're doing everything according to the standard that is set forth by your agent. Don't listen to any YouTube video that was produced locally by a couple of jack-asses who spend more time in front of the camera trying to tell you how to videotape something when they aren't even following the "practice what you preach" method on the production of their informative video.

Nuff said!

A TRUE CRASH COURSE FOR BECOMING AN INSTANT NEW ACTOR/ACTRESS...

Houston, Texas - One day your out hanging with friends and family, taking pictures out in a backyard or at a lake and someone says to you, "Damn, you look like a model in these shots, have you ever thought about modeling professionally or becoming an actor?"

Surely, you should brush off that little question and take it as a nice gesture of admiration for your good looks and move on with your business. But most people can't shake that kind of admiration off; they lose sleep over it thinking to themselves, "I'm a pretty as she, or handsome as he, why don't I get out there and go for it?"

True, why not go for it? Everyone is 100% sure that Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig started off the same way, right? Now that some Hollywood actresses like Megan Fox and  Jennifer Aniston are starting to age, there could be room for you in Hollywood, right? Man or woman, you've gone out at turned heads at Christmas parties, family reunions or just walking into some mall in your favorite town. You're so good looking or so pretty that you're often asked if your a professional model, actor or something, so this must be the new thing you should try to build up your vanity.

Well, the honest truth is and it's also a damn shame, that to be a professional actor, there are a lot of steps that you have to make to separate yourself from all of those other people that feel that they too can live a comfortable life as an "actor." In the Independent Film Scene [IFS] circles, there are people who have quit their jobs and stepped into the world of acting to try and live off of it. Sure, some have kept a busy acting career taking gig after gig, making a $100 here and $250 there and living with their mom, or a friend, or a lover. But is that really the career you're looking for?

In Houston alone, Indie actors are a dime a dozen and if you're not chose for a spot in a commercial or an Indie film, another one is called in on a hot minute and masters the role you failed to attain; it happens all the time. Reputations in the IFS are so brittle, that it only takes you mingling with the wrong film team one time to get you written off and it happens all the time in you local city/town. With a simple search you'll learn right away that everyone is a professional and that everyone knows the odds and ends about acting, knowing what you need to get started and who you need to train you for that next level performance. If you find yourself in this position, taking advice from other actors, your on the wrong track for success. 

Look at the picture to the left, and I mean really look at it. What do you see in that actress? What's the first thing that got your attention to look at it the first time. Your answer should have been, I don't know what she's doing" but the next thing you should agree to is, that whatever she is doing, she believes it 100%; that's what an actor is supposed to do in a film or commercial, actually believe that that moment is real to us all, even though it's not. By the way, that photograph is a direct shot from a web series that received fandom all over the web and was produced in South Texas. At the time, the actress was a teen and since then has moved on to bigger and better films. But her first real leap was landing a role that garnered a lot of attention from local talent agents and scouts that were looking for an actress who believed in her talent to being a role to life. Do you want to be like her?

First of all, let's take a look at you. Go step up to a mirror and look at yourself for ten minutes. If you have one quality that you think might separate you from other actors in your local area, what do you think it is? About 99.3% of you didn't get off of your chair or off of your phone to do what I suggested; you are the ones that need to stop reading this blog and go back to working on local "low budget" 24-hour, fast food films that will go no where. No-no, don't get up now. I'm sure you'll find true success out there as an extra in a local film or something.

For that .7% of you who did stop reading, got up and looked into the mirror at yourself, well, you're being honest with yourself and for the first time I'm sure you saw a quality that stood out in the first two minutes. Your next step is to harness that quality and bring it out to life, where you can master the emotion, the fell, and the dire consequences should it ever leave your side. And how pray tell do you do that, well it's called "theater arts." Yeah, that's right - go find a local theater and learn what it takes to act in front of large crowds, learn what it takes to follow direction, and even better, what it takes behind the scenes to help get a production off the ground. Every Oscar winning actor has partook in theater to hone their skills and make them who they are; and I mean everyone!

The prestige received by an actor to be asked to move from one city to another, is one of the rarest and life consuming rewards that a thespian [actor] can receive in their lifetime. For example, Mariah Carey was a waitress way before she became a professional singer. She worked hard, often sang in a cafe in front of her patrons to make the day go by and people admired her looks and her talent. She still went to school and had many ups and downs before she was given a chance to perform on stage, which finally led to a record deal. I'm not suggesting you should work at a cafe, but please don't quit your day job to become an actor; the easy gigs don't pay enough and most of the gigs you get require an acting agency that is willing to sift through it's clientele to get to your file and give you a job; and remember that your not the only good looking guy or gal that the agency has in it's filing system.

Models fall under the same principle too. The main problem in the modeling field is that there's just so many formats and genre's that its really hard to break through unless you have a photographer who has broken through the local muck with the same modeling agent you have and can score you some big gigs. Outside of that, you'll just be another file in a drawer somewhere, so do your best to break your own rules and get creative; playing it safe in the modeling field will kill your attempt at making your mark with agents looking for the next level model to pass the big gigs to on a regular basis.

But back to acting, most new actors turn to Indie film projects after they've considered themselves ready to dive into the next level of acting. Indie films should be considered as amateur as a high school play and not taken with the attitude that "this indie project is different and it's going to go somewhere." Indie films rarely go anywhere and it's been proven that only .038% of all indie films actually break out and become huge hits at film festivals. Don't believe what you've just read? Then go to an Indie film festival and see for yourself. You'll find that every Indie film is a winner of something, that there's a BIG TIME actor that performed and/or produced a few, plus those films are never released to the general public outside of festivals and have been in festival circulation for a few years.

There is a risk of failure that might surface should you also "play it safe" on roles that may be too short, just in the background, just a voice over, or just a standby. You're going to have to learn to be patient on sets for projects you've been assigned. Most new actors want that "action packed" feel of landing a role in a new Indie film project, but most Indie films fail to have such an impact on a new actors career and many may feel the stale taste of the Indie pop scene that resonates actors to bad films like a bad bad plate of finger foods being passed around at a party. That is the point where new actors quickly realize that this IFS is not for them and they give up. So sad, but it's true.

Okay, so what can YOU do to prevent such things from happening to YOU? - Good question and it's about time you asked. Follow these [10] steps required to start your acting career in the right way. Don't skip over anything you don't understand, look them up and watch YouTube videos as required.

1. Get into performing in front of large crowds in Theater Arts/stage plays. You'll learn about mastering your expressions and emotions, pre-production efforts, script reading and delivery, dialog enhancement, voice projection, and makeup. If you haven't gone to a Renaissance Fair and experienced life performances, perhaps you should!

2. With time, patience, practice, and refining your skills, work to become a leading actor in a theater stage play. Be the center of attention and show your talents to a live audience. Feel the power of your work and the prestige of being respected for your skills to amaze the crowd.

3. See a real acting coach that teaches theater arts and take courses about transferring your stage skills to film. This may be a little expensive, but well worth the rewards as you plan to

4. Only use an Acting Agent for resourcing outside local Independent film projects. If you want to work in local commercials and even in prime time advertising, use an agent to help you get those projects. You might have to fight your way through the agents long list of favorites who are ahead of you, but believe in your self and continue to plug away. If your lucky, you might become one of your agents favorites and get issued a few gigs each year.

5. Consider working in ultra low Indie film projects for free and in a volunteer basis without a contract. It may surprise you the number of leading actor gigs you can land on a variety of projects in a short time. Be sure to always sign release forms to protect your image; remember that you can always change or add items to any contract tossed at you. Always use the term, “Actor retains control of own image, for purposes of marketing, promoting, and especially commercialized poster sales” to protect you, should the low budget indie project gain strength with a real investor or producer.

We wish you the best of luck in your dream of becoming a professional actor. Remember that having a solid foundation to your craft is the best and fastest way to secure confidence in yourself!

Ride Easy!

D. R. Quintana

STAR TREK PICARD FAILS TO DELIVER A BELIEVABLE EXTENSION OF STNG!

🎥 🎞 Series Review 🎞 🎥 - STAR TREK PICARD [STP] - Amazon Prime/CBS All Access - Okay, most people know that I’m a huge fan of Star Trek, but that I especially  don’t like anything that has to do with the J. J. Abrams rebooted crap or Kelvin timeline. 

In STP, there’s a fantastic opening sequence with CGI lens flares that bothered me, but seeing Patrick Stewart back on the little screen was such a relief to my empty SciFi tank.  It was great to see the old NCC 1701-D roaming through the cosmos again, even if it was in a dream sequence. Brent Spiner returned for a cameo as Data of sorts, but with an all new, unfamiliar look [probably due to him being older] just took the nostalgia out of seeing the old crew again; hence, there was a reason why the cast of Star Trek - The Original Series [STOS] stopped making movies. 

Sir Patrick Stewart is looking frail in his old age and the studio has done very little to hide this fact, even using it as a tool in an action scene where he is barely able to gain the strength to help escape on foot. The pacing is slow and there's no real sense of danger throughout any of the performances where it needs to be. This will be a cause for concern for most fans of the old series, but the addition of new "unknown actors" is sure to bring more apprehension to accepting the new format of the show. I think there was an idea during the initial design of the show, but it just lost its course during the production and the clear message was lost about how important this is to the human race and not just the vanity of one man.

However the show took an extra step to be too mysterious, too cerebral, too BLADERUNNER-ish, and filled too many with old ideas; for its own good. The whole “holographic technology” of on tapping glass or watching projections in thin air are not awe inspiring anymore. In the series following STNG, the perfect and clean setting of the series in the past have been turned into a gritty, don’t comb your hair society that has no class or structure for superior intellect. The is no explanation of how the future society had fallen prey to social media again is totally not believable; especially as it was told in STNG that the need for money, television, fame or social media ran its course and that man had found a better way to spend its time...well, apparently not. 

Bringing the Romulans to earth was a nice idea, but reasoning behind it was a little dry in its explanation, and also used as an excuse in J.J. Abrams crap-universe. It doesn't help that Picard's need to take action to save lives against orders seemed a little retrospective of “ST-Insurrection.” Plus, I’m not sure what it is about today’s young female actors having the bad habit of constantly adjusting their hair behind their ears in a gesture of what “looks normal” to most, all while the camera rolls on; the little lady, who plays Data's "daughter" does the gesture five to seven times in one scene. 

Fans can also expect to see new characters being introduced that cross over "gender revealing" shock-jock scenarios which are planned to bring new and old fans to accepting how gender issues are clearly important in the utopian future that Gene Roddenberry designed well over fifty years ago...it's disgusting actually.

The trailers for future episodes looks interesting, so I think I’ll wait for the entire season to load up before I even consider to pay to see it again...you should too.

 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (3 of 5 Stars)

YOUR DIRECTOR IS CLAIMING A "NETFLIX" DEAL ON THIS NEW PROJECT...???...

Houston, Texas - We've been approached on more than one occasion about what the rules are concerning Independent Film projects who are claiming they have a contract deal with Netflix, Amazon, or a distribution compan far away agreeing to help stream this new project or put it out in store on DVD/BlueRays, so they can receive big checks from investors and the like, bringing the project to the next level of success. A lot of new actors and some talented veteran thespians are often dragged into these projects, that sometimes work on scenes for six months to a year, but eventually die out after some investor backed out or the director and his production crew were unable to make a trip to "LA" [Los Angeles] to meet with the right people.

A large majority of these new Indie films start off with a bright burn of fast cash that all seems legit. A smaller percentage manage to contact some big name in Hollywood; usually an actor from the 80's or 90's that's still trying to make payments on his/her new home or a new car. With all of the cash flying around, the local Indie actor sees very little and extras on the set are just an after thought to brag about it on their resumes or IMDB page. But was all the effort worth the trouble?...Many male directors look at casting strong local talent as an open door policy to attracting "hot babe" actresses who just want to stand in the limelight and garner local attention, which can be plenty of pay enough to sate their thirst for being the "big name" in town. Besides, just knowing that the Netflix or Amazon deal is on the wings now, is just a bonus - "Everyone in the world will get to see my work in front of the camera!"

Well boys and girls, I really hate to break it to you on this blog, but NONE of the streaming services like Netflix, VUDU, HULU, Amazon.com or distribution companies work this way; and for sure, investors don't sign paychecks to anyone in the payroll for projects they helped fund. Although investors maintain ownership of a project until they're paid back in full with the percentage of interest promised in a contract, the production team has to maintain the projects budget through a project manager who ensures the entire project's budget is maintained and every cent accounted for and that it is NOT being used for personal again. They also ensure that the project has insurance to cover any loss in the production. Most veteran thespians should already know all of this, but sometimes their minds lax a bit and they slip through and they wind up grabbing a hold of hope.

Hope won't save anyone's ass should the project fail to produce a promised project and funds are misused and not reported to the investor(s). Case in point is an Indie project called "LEGENDS" out of Los Angeles, where Adam Joiner was able to acquire a little of $14Million in investments from South Korea and China with a brilliant script, through a studio company he called Dark Planet Pictures. The entire thing was sham and Joiner was living the high life until he was arrested by the feds; buying two homes and a beach house in Manhattan with the big money. There are accusations that he swindled more people in the U.S. with this project that had a long list of talent that was going to take part as the production team and cast. You can read more about this true story here. And you have to remember, this guy had previous film credentials and, at one time, was even a winner of an Oscar.

Here in Texas, the claims that an Indie film project is being "seen" by Netflix have been brought more times that anyone can count. In Houston alone, it's part of the status-quo; some projects brought up on prior blogs that wound up being bad productions that eventually were only released on the Internet, having some "small change" views on YouTube.com and they turned out to be webisodes of bad formatted shows filled with acting performances you'll wish you never spent time viewing. We posted warnings about film directors claiming "Netflix status" on more than one occasion, but it seems that either the word just isn't getting out or people would rather ride the wave of sex, film and fun until the magic dries up. Some those choices made by first time actors/actresses prove to be a huge burden and many are never seen again in the Indie film making world.

How do you protect yourself?...well, the first thing to do is to do research on the film's director and crew that you've chosen to work with. What previous works have they submitted to Netflix, Amazon, etc. If they have no previous experience, do your best to ask the right questions; "How did Netflix find out about you and contact you?" - "Can I see some of your previous works?" - "Who's going to be the production manager?" - "Is there a budget?" - "Are there camera requirements for the submission?" - If you get crummy answers [or non-answers] to any of these legitimate questions from the director, then you should have a good sense to know that you could be wasting your time on this film project.

Every streaming network has a format that is required prior to accepting any film project that is submitted; especially the type of camera and data sizes for streaming purposes. There truly isn't a point of contact with the streaming service and they never call anyone about the progress of the film as they only accept completed film projects that have all of the proof as required on their home pages; anyone can look this up. The information posted under their submission procedures doesn't change just because you're a director or producer.

And take warning, if you're in an Indie project that has an actual budget that has money being spent everywhere, be sure that the director isn't also the editor, leading actor, and project manager in the project. If any these things are currently occurring in the film project your in, it's time for you to take any losses you may have incurred and step away.

2020 BEGINS WITH A STRONG LIST OF PROJECTS FOR THE STUDIO!

Already we've started 2020 with a BANG! as the studio released the first all LATIN based Novella [or soap opera] in Houston, Texas filmed entirely with Latin actors and produced entirely in Spanish and is entitled LA FUERZA; starring Maque Garcia, Omar Scanu, Dulce Garcia, Sonia Reyes, Huberto Villarreal, Selma Flores and many more of Houston's talented Latin actors and actresses. As this series continues to grow with the next passing chapters in a delicate story, we are sure that the Latin fan base will grow to an all new level, something we didn't expect so soon with the first installment of chapters; especially the 3500+ views and over 1750 shares that we've experienced so far since the launch of the series on the midnight of January 1st! 

The entire cast of Fuerza is excited with the reception of views, comments, and reviews the first segment of chapters has received in only the first day of its release. The plot concerns two Latino wives who are fighting for control of the Houston Cartel; which ends up with a deadly altercation between one wife and a hired Mexican hitman who is notorious for using a knife on his prey. The successful marketing to any project belongs to a driven person who believes in the project and aspires to bring in more numbers to view the show; and that honor goes to Sonia Reyes who has brought in a large number of fans from outside of Texas and Mexico to watch the series. You can expect this series to go to DVD/BlueRay in March with a subtitled version being released on Facebook in March.

Quantum Storm Pictures will also be filming ISCANDAR, a Star Trek-ish series set for a release in late October. The cast has been set and are awaiting their filming schedules as there has been a huge re-write in the series. Studio CEO, David Quintana, says that there is also a fourth project that will start filming in September, but he doesn't want to promote that film until the leading cast members are solidified. Iscandar already has a Facebook page that boast a little over 800 followers and there is interest in this SciFi series that stretches outside of the U.S., into Europe and other countries with other interested SciFi groups screaming for a chance to review the series.

Quintana says that the films are being produced for fun and that all of the projects are based on "volunteer/commitment"  contracts by actors who want to work on projects and not worry about the dollar aspect of their work until the projects make money through DVD/BlueRay sales. More information will be posted on the blog as production efforts begin on each project.

 

 J. Jazz
[Contributing Writer]

STUDIO TO START OFF 2020 WITH "LA FUERZA" MINI-SERIES

It may not come to a complete shock that the studio has been working on a new web series-ish mini series called LA FUERZA during the late latter half of 2019, but it may be completely shocking to learn that the new production has been entirely produced in Spanish, for viewing by Latin fans who may have been deprived of a good Indie film in Texas. The studio has completed filming the first episode to the six episode series and plans to have a premiere viewing on January 1st, 2020 for the cast and crew.

Fuerza is the brainchild of D. R. Quintana, who wrote a full feature film under the title of La Fuerte in 2016 during his time crossing the country during several business trips. He says that the original script was written just to pass the time at hotels and to keep him busy during his off time. The initial idea for the series was to include a Vegas-type casino and a large ranch in the middle of West-Texas, but without a solid budget to produce the series the way it was originally intended, the studio pulled talented actors from the Houston area and produced a smaller fraction of the story that will be given a chance to flourish on the smaller screens of the internet.

The series cast is led by veteran actress, Maque Garcia, who takes the part of "Ana" and has worked with the studio on several projects, but most identified for her performances as "Holly McAdams" on The Secret of ANGELIKA5 which ran from 2009 to 2014; produced entirely in Montgomery County. Her other works with the studio have been a plethora of modeling and short films that were received with positive reviews. She has worked on Spanish networks in Houston for over ten years, being featured as a weather lady, traffic consultant and news investigator on Telemundo and Univision stations in Houston, Texas.

Garcia also stepped up her efforts on Fuerza, becoming the Executive Producer, ensuring that the all English written scripts were translated into Spanish properly and to ensure proper performance during screenplay just before filming began. She was beside the director during every take, taking notes, correcting Spanish grammar when required to ensure the best delivery in each scene, and she helped procure a location for the entire series first two episodes. Her tenure as an asset to the studio has proven to be the best element for success as we begin to transition from series projects to full feature films in 2020.

A surprise casting decision was made for Sonia Reyes to play "Teresa" in this new dramatic series. She played her role in a blistering performance as the antagonist for the leading character, even though it was her first time on a set, acting in front of a camera. Reyes came into the scope of Quintana's during the production effort on Wives of Bellaire, which initially went into production in 2018 but abruptly came to a halt. Her small role in a bank robbery as an extra, won Quintana's admiration through a smartly performed [and improvised] interview as a "witness to a crime." 

When the studio decided to put the project into production, Quintana did not hesitate to contact Reyes and bring her to the show. The director felt that the part of "Teresa" required a stern actress to play the character who actually looked the part with forceful facial features and still deliver a sexy look to entice a larger response from male viewers. Episode one is considered one of the best performances by a new comer for the studio and Quintana was very proud of Reyes' delivery at the end of the episode. She is expect to expand her talents to the show for the entire season, playing two roles but delivering dramatic performances to captivate audiences for a possible second extension of the series.

The studio was also desiring a strong male lead for the Latin soap opera-ish series, so Quintana called in another veteran actor for the show, the handsome Omar Scanu. His background has national origins from Puerto Rico, so he has had to adjust his Spanish dialect for Fuerza to match up with the other Latin actors. He has participated in Houston as a professional male model, as a commercial DJ "scratch" performer, and film director. Scanu plays the character of Manuel "Manny" Mancha in the show, a Houston Police Detective who is trying to solve the murder of a local businessman.

Scanu has worked on several projects with the studio from 2010 to 2016; a small role in The Secret of ANGELIKA5 both the web series & the movie which is currently in production, and the leading role in WISHBONES, a one episode sizzle reel that won accolades for dramatic presentation. His addition to Fuerza was no accident as whenever the studio has required the need for a well versed actor for dramatic performance, Omar's name has often surfaced as the best choice for setting his mark in that production as he is always well prepared and provides keen insight to developing likeable solid characters on film each time he takes a role.

Fuerza will also star Dulce Garcia [from Mexico], Salma Flores [of Katy, TX], Huberto Villarreal [of Houston], David Kurfner [of Humble, TX], and Saira Ramos [of Houston, TX]. The series is set to launch on January 1st on a special Facebook page listed here.

 

Bernice Felton R. R.

[Contributing Writer] 

STUDIO PREPARES PRODUCTION ON NEW MOVIE PROJECT...A ZOMBIE FILM!!!

D. R. Quintana has a lot to be exited about lately. Over the course of two months in the past summer and several phone calls, he conjured up a story idea about a zombie apocalypse that was too good to pass up. Quintana began working on a screenplay, and over the course of five days, a completed script was prepared to pass around for another potential movie that is to be produced entirely south of San Antonio, Texas in a small desert town called Somerset; where the studios previous production location of PRAYING MANTIS was filmed. This time, the studio planned on producing its first zombie horror film.

A talented cast was quickly chosen for key roles in the future production and locations for production have been quickly falling into place. For Quintana, the idea of working on a zombie film seemed like child's play, especially after each scene of the script seemed to just come out from the sky and onto the keyboard. He is very excited about starting filming efforts on the new film, spending time trying to find the right locations that will fit the script. The film production is entitled HAVOC 114; a possible acronym for a toxin that has the properties to bring the dead back to life in the form of zombies.

The studio has acquired the talents of Zara Majidpour, David Perales [Zombie Reign: Revelations], Saira Ramos [Angelika5], and Val Jean Eskridge to help breath life into this new script. Most of the actors in the production have already worked with the studio on previous film projects, internet based web series, and professional photo shoots. But the studio has made mention that additional actors will be added to the film as the production beings to take shape. The studio is considering an "open call" for twelve lucky people in San Antonio to play the parts of zombies during one night of production.

Zara Majidpour stepped into the studio with a long list of IMDB credibility and several local Houston films under a strong resume that secures her certification as a professional actress. Her entrance marks a valuable change in the films production angle and schedule, adding more action and some intense close-quarter fight scenes that is sure to keep the future audience on the edge of their seats. Majidpour has also worked on several dramatic network shows that will also help performances within the film when action scenes aren't required.

Saira Ramos is a veteran studio actress who has worked on The Secret of Angelika5 in Montgomery, Texas; taking part in over 36 episodes which all ran for a little over 26 minutes. She has also worked as a model, and on her professional side, she has her own company representing talent in commercialized comic book conventions throughout the United States. She is cute, funny, and is a great person to have on your side when you need someone to lift the atmosphere. Her addition to the cast is proving to be the glue that is needed to keep the humorous side of the script in check. Quintana says that whenever Ramos is on the set, you will never know which side of the actresses personae will arrive; the funny actor or the dramatic performer who is out to make a mark in her part of the film.

HAVOC 114 goes into production in late January and is slated for a mid-March release, a possible premiere at a drive-in theater in southern San Antonio and another drive-in release in Tomball, Texas, just north of Houston, and eventual world-wide release on the Amazon streaming service.

"OFF THE GRID” SHOWS REAL PROMISE!

OFF THE GRID: SEEKING THE TRUTH [Short film]

Directed/Written/Edited by Malcolm Carter
Music by Envato Elements

Produced by MCP Network

Starring Jalal Jamal, Eric Duron, Ahad Thalho, Huberto Villarreal, Malcolm Carter, Brad King, Alexis West, Aaron Phillips, Justin Saxton, and Eric Hunter.

SUMMARY - The opening sequence tells a story of time travel; where a traveler arrives safely into 2018 and then is surprised to meet someone from his time already there. The scene changes to another location where people with masks are trapped in a forest-maze where they cannot escape. One can assume that the people trapped in this 'maze' must align themselves with other teams to survive. 

The first segment is filmed in the dark and the second segment shot during the day; a direct contrast, but something that works with this first installment that could be a nice web series to see put out more information. The wardrobe and costumes are perfect for the story, adding more mystery to the story.

Several posters and ads for this short film have surfaced on the internet and on Facebook that are unique and impressive in a futuristic type of way. It definitely looks like the production team thought out the advertisement sense of this project before delivering it to fans  on Youtube.

PRODUCTION BREAKDOWN

← Lighting

← Camera Work

← Screenplay

← Sound

↑  Use of Visuals

← Time Lapse

← Editing

↑  Rule of Thirds
← Locations

↑  Music

← Ending/Follow through
 
LEGEND   ↑ Excellent   ← Needs Work    ↓ Poor

POST MORTEM - I was truly impressed with the first minute and fourteen seconds of this short film; there was a ominous dark tone which the two actors brilliantly performed to give the start a 'secret feel' of what to expect with the rest of the film. I had a problem that the rest of the film had little color corrections and that the sounds in the background weren't consistently flowing in each take even though there was an apparent attempt to fix it. 

Some of the dialog between the actors sounded 'robotic' and the acting was a little cold in the second segment of the film; there are some serious talented actors cast in this short, perhaps the actors were still feeling out their roles and waiting the proper character development that could happen in due time. Proper training with screenplay can correct this problem and eliminated the 'robotic' feel to the delivery of some of the dialog. Practice makes perfect and this production could easily set a new standard in the Houston Film Scene.

This could be a 'long haul' web series that's in development and there are some interesting variables that could launch this idea into the next plateau of success. The visual effects, opening and closing credits were crisp and totally professional; the music was a nice touch and didn't drown out anything that was happening in the forefront of each scene.

Bravo...and I hope to see more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️[3 of 5 Stars]

"BLADE REMIX" JUST NEEDS TO STOP THE HYPE

BLADE REMIX Part 2 [Short film Series]

Directed, Written & Edited by Marcus Mahud

Produced by A Tone Productions

Starring Marcus Mahud, Nanae Volle, Brandee Barbie

SUMMARY - Not really sure what to write up about this film. The story takes place at a building where an apparent guard is taken out, another dude is taken out; an alarm begins to sound off and a chick is running through a hallway searching for drugs?; another dude shows up; then another set of of dudes show up; I guess the leading dude is Blade meets up with another dude and they duke it out on a dark balcony; then the chick on drugs sees another chick standing in a room starring back at her, then a van full of dudes show up armed to the teeth and, I guess, walk into the building where the others are. I'd really like to add more to this paragraph to balance out this new blog input, but there's nothing that comes to mind to make me describe just how bad this episode of Blade Remix was...so, there!

An actual grab from this episode of
Blade Remix.

No character is ever identified, there's really no talking except in the opening scene where, David Kurfner is shown standing guard by himself and checking the perimeter. There's no reason why anyone is alarmed or anyone is stepping into the building. The location for this episode was impressive; would have been more-so if it was identified what the place was; i.e. a hospital, a bank, a storage facility. Even for an investor it could have gave him a few kudos for helping the local Indie film scene produce a local film/thingie. Maybe if Mahud let people see his intentions through a script, people might figure out what the approach to the series was...?...Either way, the episode looked like a complete jumble of scenes that were put together by a five year old.

PRODUCTION BREAKDOWN

↓ Lighting

↓ Camera Work

↓ Sound

← Use of Visuals

↓ Time Lapse

↓ Editing

↓ Rule of Thirds
↑ Locations

↓ Music
↓ Ending/Follow through

LEGEND:  ↑ Excellent   ← Needs Work    ↓ Poor

Another grab...from slow-mo 4K film?

POST MORTEM - I am honestly not trying to nip-pic on this series, but there is no storyline and there is no plot. Mahud and Volle won "best director", "best actress" awards for this film series at the U.S. China International Film Festival in December of 2018 in Houston, Texas - that coincidentally no longer exists and never existed before then. The film/episode that was submitted to the festival has never been seen. Plus, what hurts the project the most is that the best director and best actress claimed that there was a $10 Million price tag running on this production should it get picked up. The write up for this mess is claimed to be shot in 4K...I'd say more like 4MB. 

8 seconds of Volle's "award winning"
performance at 4:48 of this episode?

The lighting is atrocious, the sound needs a TON of work, the editing crummy, and the slow motion scenes not actually needed at all. There is no screenplay identified in this episode, as there was no interacting between actors; possibly completely produced as an action episode without any dialog between the characters of the episode - nothing I've ever herd of, but in Houston you get what you get. On a serious note. if there was a lot work prepared for the intense fight choreography, which it's obvious that there was, it was wasted on bad lighting and bad camera angles; which is why its a better thing for an Indie director to not act in his own movie, unless he's had real experience and training making films. This is the perfect example of how NOT to produce your first set of films. 

I hope Mahud can grow from this. 

Proof of the 4K claim

A miserable production. ⭐️[1 of 5 Stars]