Category Archives: beat around the bush

Mar 31 2016
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beat around the bush, Film Screenings, short films

Gonna cruise some hotties in Newport Beach with BEAT AROUND THE BUSH

Newport-Beach-Film-FestivalAnd the good news keeps coming. Beat Around the Bush is headed to California for the Newport Beach Film Festival (April 21-28th, 2016) and I’ll be in attendance.

“The Newport Beach Film Festival seeks to bring to Orange County the best of classic and contemporary filmmaking from around the world. Committed to enlightening the public with a first-class international film program as well as providing a forum for cultural understanding and enriching educational opportunities, the Festival focuses on showcasing a diverse collection of both studio and independent films.”

Beat Around the Bush, is screening as part of the program ‘Down Her Shorts‘ on April 22, 2016 at 8:30 PM in The Triangle 1. BUY TICKETS

The shorts in this hilariously title program are:

‘Cherry Cake’ directed by Colin Gerrard
‘Sleep Incidents (Sömnincidenter)’ directed by Malin Erixon
‘Tetched’ directed by Sanjin Malesevic
‘Moms On Fire’ directed by Joanna Rytel
‘Beat Around the Bush’ directed by Brianne Nord-Stewart
‘Subordinate’ directed by Clara Leac
‘After the End’ directed by Sam Southward

#BATBthemovie
#BeatAroundTheBush
@BATBthemovie
Facebook.com/BATBthemovie
Newportbeach2016

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Mar 17 2016
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beat around the bush, Film Screenings, short films

BEAT AROUND THE BUSH is going to Dawson

If you know me, or stalk my work even just a little bit, you likely know that I have a love affair with the North. Which makes me all the more giddy about Beat Around the Bush being officially selected by the Dawson City International Short Film Festival in the Yukon Territory of Canada’s Great White North (it’s not really white in Dawson this year though).

This year’s festival runs March 24th-27th and thanks to the good ‘ol Yukon, I will be travelling north to be in attendance for the festival!

What’s more is that Brenda Matthews who stars as UNA will be travelling up there with me to assist with a directing/editing/working with actors workshop taking place at 11AM on Sunday March 27th, 2016.

Beat Around the Bush will play in the 8pm program on Sunday March 27th in the closing program followed by the awards.

Directing and Editing for Drama DCISFF

*Don’t worry Yellowknife, you are still my #1 Northern City!

Mar 14 2016
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beat around the bush, Film Screenings, short films

Beat Around the Bush going to Tuscon, Arizona!

arizona25th_bannerWe’re having a good few weeks with official selections from established and respected film festivals for my short comedy, “Beat Around the Bush“.

I’m proud to announce that the 25th Arizona International Film Festival will be screening “Beat Around the Bush” as part of the 2016 program. The Festival runs for TWO WHOLE WEEKS from April 14th-May 1st, 2016.

“Staying true to its mission of showcasing independent film, the Arizona International Film Festival has exhibited over 2,500 films representing 90 countries to over 148,000 patrons in southern Arizona. And now, we are honoured to select more exciting and innovative films from around the world for Arizona audiences.”

#BeatAroundTheBush will screen on
Saturday, April 23, 9:30pm
at The Screening Room
127 East Congress
In downtown Tucson, Arizona.

Follow the film at facebook.com/BATBthemovie and Twitter.com/BATBthemovie
#BATBthemovie

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Mar 07 2016
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beat around the bush, Film Screenings, short films

BEAT AROUND THE BUSH is going to Cleveland!

CIFF-40-LOGO2 It is my great pleasure to announce the official selection of “Beat Around the Bush” by the 40th Cleveland International Film Festival!

CIFF-40

The Cleveland International Film Festival “promotes artistically and culturally significant film arts through education and exhibition to enrich the life of the community. (In other words, we present the newest and best films from around the world, and we do everything in our power to make sure that our audience learns something along the way – about other cultures, about the topic at hand, about the experience from the filmmakers themselves.)”

The festival runs March 30th-April 10th and the screenings of “Beat Around the Bush” are:

Thursday, March 31st @ 4:10pm
Saturday, April 2nd @ 9:25am

Hope you can make it!

Jan 31 2016
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beat around the bush, Film Screenings, short films

“Beat Around the Bush” at Vancouver International Women in Film Festival

My short film, Beat Around the Bush, which follows a 75-year-old-widow with Alzheimer’s who decides it’s time to have her very first orgasm ever, will have its Vancouver premiere this March at the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival. I am thrilled to be a part of the festival once again.

BATB-bench-monitor

Screening Information:
WHEN: 6PM Thursday March 10th, 2016
WHERE: The Vancity Theatre
1181 Seymour St
Vancouver, BC

The short films in the program include: The Light Thief, One Last Ride, Beat Around the Bush, Impulses, Handjob, The First Session, and Aviliaq: Entwined.

Congrats to all the filmmakers, and I look forward to seeing you all there.

VIWIFF 2015 Laurel

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Oct 16 2015
beat around the bush, in development, short films

“Beat Around the Bush” the feature film

Over a year ago I was awarded the Harold Greenberg Fund’s Shorts-to-Features Award for “Beat Around the Bush” which included production financing for a short film (which is complete and being submitted to film festivals) and 1st draft development financing for a feature film.

Talk about awesome.

Yesterday, October 15, 2015, I handed in the completed first draft to Harold Greenberg Fund! I feel great about it! I look forward to next week when I decide it’s all wrong (it’s not, it’s awesome and will only get better) and then apply for 2nd draft financing. And then we wait.

BATB-BEATRICE_and_GOLDIE_wait

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Sep 28 2015
beat around the bush, short films

New short comedy film, “Beat Around the Bush”!

It is with great pleasure (and exhaustion) that I announce that my old lady orgasm movie, “Beat Around the Bush” is done!

The short film follows a 75 year old widow with Alzheimer’s who decides it’s time to have her very first orgasm ever. (It takes a few tries).

The short was awarded production financing from The Harold Greenberg Fund’s Shorts-to-Features Award last year, which included pre-license agreements with The Movie Network, and Movie Central, as well as feature film 1st draft development financing from The Harold Greenberg fund. I was also fortunate to receive further development financing from CreativeBC! Thank you funders for support me!

The long process of submitting to film festivals has begun and in about a year’s time, the short will be broadcast on both The Movie Network and Movie Central in Canada. Until that time, or until there is a film festival near you, I give you, THE TRAILER.

Fora trailer with close captioning: http://youtube.com/YGIKYhCEYmQ 


BATB-POSTER-portraitthumbs-small

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Sep 24 2014
beat around the bush, short films

That is a wrap on “BEAT AROUND THE BUSH”

It is almost 8 pm on a Wednesday night and I am at my office trying to get into a rhythm editing, the now in the can short film, BEAT AROUND THE BUSH. I have a hunch it is going to be a very long night as I have se t a self imposed deadline of October 6th to have, at the very least, a final cut. (Yes, I know it is fast, but I want it done!).

"Beat Around the Bush" (2015), Gina Stockdale as BEATRICE, Brenda Matthews as UNA, and Mary Black as GOLDIE

“Beat Around the Bush” (2015), Gina Stockdale as BEATRICE, Brenda Matthews as UNA, and Mary Black as GOLDIE

Thanks to Harold Greenberg, The Movie Network and Movie Central, this film, which I have been pushing for awhile, not only went into production, but also has development monies behind it for a feature film,, and will be broadcast on two networks in the next 18 months. And I have a feeling this is only the beginning of a series of amazing events that are to unfold for me in the near future with all of my projects.

The team who, to date, have played a significant part in this film finding it’s legs after funding are my producer Katelyn Mann, who as it turns out, went to the same high school as me, a couple years apart, but whom I never met until a few months ago; my Executive Producer Shawn Williamson, the president of Brightlight pictures,  who gave me a mafia speech that terrified me and filled me with the most excitement and promise about where I am headed, and the possibilities for a long term working relationship; Paul Lukaitis, production manager at Brightlight Pictures who has facilitated vendor rentals and contacts of sponsorship for the film without whom we would not have made our budget; Ed Brando and Chris Jacques at William F. Whites who have supported my films and music videos since 2011 (I recently got my first W.F.W. swag hoodie and I actually feel like that was the moment of becoming a successful filmmaker…well, I felt successful before, but now I am officially in the club); Arielle Boisvert of Brightlight Pictures who has helped facilitate accessing the world of Brightlight, and my Director of Photography, Lindsay George, who shot a friggen fantastic short film, brought on a dozen amazing and hard working crew members, and whom multiple people have cornered me to express their enthusiasm about – she is fantastic.

There are a number of other individuals who helped piece details of this film together and to you all, thank you. I have not forgotten you contributions.

Keep up to date at facebook.com/BATBthemovie and Twitter.com/BATBthemovie

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Aug 12 2014
Awards, beat around the bush, short films

And the money finally rolls in (fingers crossed)

Not wanting to jinx my current good fortune, I have refrained from posting too much about anything about what has been going on. However, the news is public now (5 days ago actually but I was busy work/playing at the Squamish Music Festival – yes, I did see Eminem!), so I can at least mention a couple of well-timed events.

#1 – In January and March I attended two different segments of the Women in the Director’s Chair (WIDC) program run by Creative Women Workshops. Both workshops really kicked off 2014 in high gear and had me really focussing on WHAT’S NEXT  for me as a director. The new news you ask? The BC Arts Council came through with a Professional Development Grant in the sum of just over $5,000. Which covers tuition, flights, boarding, per diems, honorariums for mentors to well…continue mentoring me.

#2 – While having a lunch with two of my grade 8 teachers* a couple weeks back, I found out that I was going to receive the Harold Greenberg Fund’s Short-to-Features Award which includes a $32,000 production grant for Beat the Bush, (formerly titled, Cougars Cruising), and an additional $7,500 towards the development of a feature film of the same concept. So you can expect a new saucy short from me in 2014, which will tour the festival circuit in 2015 (fingers crossed).

#3 – Harold Greenberg Fund requires and experienced Executive Producer to oversee their funded projects. Thanks to an introduction by a venerable actor who participated at the WIDC workshop in January, Shawn Williamson, President of Brightlight Pictures, has enthusiastically come on board. SNAP!!

There are a few more opportunities that have been thrown my way, but I will post about them once they actually happen as for the three above awesome things, there have been a half dozen or more that didn’t quite line up. But there will be a half dozen more awesome to report in the coming month(s) I’m sure.

I am so stoked. Yes. I. Am.

*This is an important detail because they taught classes in Dance and Video which are two things I actively do everyday.

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Mar 30 2014
beat around the bush, FARGO, Film Screenings, hannah epperson, Jayne Avaunt, Music, short films, television

Music videos, Women in the Director’s Chair, and FARGO

A lot has happened in the last month.

I returned to Vancouver from a week of meetings in Toronto, to shoot a music video within a few days of arriving, to then prep for and take a 10 day workshop as one of 8 directors in the Women in the Director’s Chair (WIDC) Story Incubation module 2.0 (where I workshopped a feature I am slated to direct), only to fly out to Calgary the day the workshop finished to begin my first ever job on a union TV show (FARGO) as none other than the flashiest of jobs…The Camera Trainee.

The music video:

Amy Belling (DOP), Hannah Epperson (Musician), Brianne Nord-Stewart

Amy Belling (DOP), Hannah Epperson (Musician), Brianne Nord-Stewart

Was a success. It is in the editing room right now. Being left to percolate as I make not very good money running batteries and cable while Calgary is determined to stay in Winter. It is a blizzard outside.

WIDC:

I didn’t really take any pictures except for this one.

The view from our farewell brunch at WIDC 2014

The view from our farewell brunch at WIDC 2014

I learned a lot. So much my mind was overflowing with information and ideas and some…feelings. Hence the needed brain break which made winter in Calgary sound very appealing. I am glad I am here though.

I do have a couple of cool bosses.

2nd Unit all the way.

Schane (1st AC) and Mark (2nd AC) - Camera Department

Schane (1st AC) and Mark (2nd AC) – Camera Department

And then on top of that, I just used my day off to whip together a video pitch and application package for my short COUGARS CRUISING, to finally get made. Here’s hoping Optik TV’s Story Hive grants are stoked on the idea of COUGARS CRUISING, an adventure dramedy that follows Una, who when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, will stop at nothing to find her orgasm for the very first time!

Screen Shot 2014-03-30 at 2.50.32 PM

"Living Sculptures" as they were called on the set of the "Drowning in You" music video.

AND THEN…A music video I directed in Fall 2013 was released. Read all about that HERE.

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