The Whole Truth made YES WEEKLY's DVD release pick of the week list! Others mentioned in the list are Skyfall, The Master, Bully, and The Birders. GREAT company!

Here's what YES WEEKLY says about The Whole Truth:

THE WHOLE TRUTH (Green Apple Entertainment): Writer/executive producer/director Colleen Patrick’s feature debut is a broad, cartoonish courtroom farce with Elisabeth Rohm as a neurotic acting coach who specializes in tutoring accused criminals so that they win acquittals – only to encounter Eric Roberts, very funny as a hilariously coiffed Russian mobster who compels her to reassess her “career.” An unrecognizable Sean Patrick Flanery is charming as a has-been TV star and Rick Overton is a hoot as Roberts’ equally dim-witted sidekick. A little on the shrill side but not without its pleasures, particularly the cast. (For an exclusive interview with Eric Roberts, see Page 41).

I am crazy with glee that so many reviewers/critics are understanding our film! Chuck Jones is one of my inspirations!

Click here for YES WEEKLY Eric Roberts interview! He stars with Elisabeth Rohm, Sean Patrick Flanery, Rick Overton, John Fugelsang, Kristina Lilley and Jim Holmes.

The Whole Truth makes MAX's BEST list!

My comedy feature THE WHOLE TRUTH is listed on MAX's *best DVD and Blu-Ray picks* list for February!!

MAX's list has a circulation of more than 4 million media outlets and readers world wide, and only reviews films that they believe are quality projects!

Here's what the reviewer said:

"A fast-paced satirical comedy about a beautiful acting coach (Elizabeth Rohm) who coaches a handsome but ruthless mobster (Eric Roberts) on how to work the court system to win a jury acquittal. She gets help (sort-of) from an also handsome but washed up television celebrity (Sean Patrick Flannery) who happens to be in love with her. Which fellow does she wind up with and does Roberts get off the court hook? Or maybe she can do better than either, and get a dog instead. Check it out. It’s something different… it’s really funny. On DVD from Green Apple Entertainment."

As if this were not enough (I'm breathing in a brown paper bag), our little screwball comedy is on MAX's BEST list alongside other "bests" released in February: Downton Abbey Season III and The Dark Knight Rises.

It's our first review!

It's available for reservation on Netflix DVD, for purchase at Barnes and Noble; other outlets will be joining shortly (amazon.com and more)... it's officially released February 5.

Wow!

love, cp

Some reflections by folks who worked on my comedy feature The Whole Truth!

Here's what Eric Roberts says about working with me on The Whole Truth!

Here's what leading lady Elisabeth Rohm says about working with me on The Whole Truth!



Here's what Sean Patrick Flanery has to say about working on The Whole Truth!



Here's what "Mr. Character Actor" Jim Holmes has to say about working with me on The Whole Truth!



Here's what comedy masters Rick Overton and John Fugelsang have to say about working with me on The Whole Truth!


Here's what Kristina Lilley has to say about working with me on The Whole Truth! Kristina is a major, multi-Emmy Award winning TV star in Spanish speaking nations and on US Spanish TV. I was her acting coach when she lived in the US for a couple years - she speaks English and Spanish without an accent. I'm proud to call her a friend - but she auditioned just like everyone else and nailed the role! She plays a good cop - a detective. She's famous for playing mean, sinister, evil characters for her regular Spanish TV and film roles.




Here's what producer Larry Estes has to say about working with me on The Whole Truth! When he worked at a studio in Hollywood, he green lighted such classics as Sex, Lies and Video Tape. He has gone on to produce some 80 films.

The Whole Truth is at Cannes!

Thanks to the fantastic Spotlight Pictures team for doing such a splendid job of representing our film The Whole Truth at the Cannes Film Fest! You can see their pitch here!

We love you guys!

TWT Foreign distribution is underway!

Spotlight Pictures represents our film THE WHOLE TRUTH starring Elisabeth Röhm, Sean Patrick Flanery and Eric Roberts for distribution in all nations excluding the US and Canada!

We're proud to be associated with them - they're top professionals.
















You can see their trailer and artwork for TWT here.



Domestic (US and Canada) distribution begins soon!




News as it happens!

Sean, Elisabeth and Eric are booming!

THE WHOLE TRUTH stars Sean Patrick Flanery, Elisabeth Röhm and Eric Roberts are appearing on big and little screens now!

Sean Patrick stars in BOONDOCK SAINTS II - the story of two Irish American brothers whose destiny is to eradicate evil doers from their community that law enforcement seems incapable of stopping.

He Tweets (@seanflanery if you want to sign up)that theaters in Pennsylvania, New York, Hartford, Rhode Island, Boston and L.A. have just opened the blockbuster.

THIS JUST IN: Opening weekend (Oct 30-Nov 1 2009) found BSII:ASD with boffo box office - nearly $7,000 per screen on the 78 venues it's showing! The #1 film, THIS IS IT, got $6,119/screen on 3,481 venues. Even with those few screens opening, Boondock slid into the #16 box office spot!

Congratulations, SPF and BS'ers!

In case you don't know, all the references he makes to "Donut?" Sean Patrick's a very healthy eater, but he named an abused pitbull he rescued several years ago... Donut. Or as I like to call her, "The D to the nut.."

While he's moving toward an international hit with BSII: All Saints Day, Elisabeth debuts on the ... um ... television screen (can't say "small screen" any longer - most are pretty large) in HEROES tomorrow - Monday, Nov. 2, on NBC TV - for several appearances as a recurring character.

More, Elisabeth just released her novel, Nerissa, on amazon.com; it's a Kindle book.

Eric Roberts not only stars in the STARZ series CRASH, he's in the upcoming feature THE EXPENDABLES along with Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and a dozen other big action names.

I can hardly wait to announce that you'll be seeing their work in THE WHOLE TRUTH on all those big and HD screens as well!

It's been a very steep learning curve, this business of distributing an independent commercial film, but it's very exciting now that we've found some distributors who love the film and are working hard to get it out for you to see!

Great, hard working talent always finds new and exciting projects to please their fans.

Counting down to Nov 2 HEROES!

Elisabeth Röhm joins the cast for several episodes Monday, Nov. 2!

Here's her story line: she plays a kicking serious butt CIA agent, Lauren Gilmore, who at one time was very close with HRG (major Hero for the uninitiated).

They worked together and at one point had the opportunity to get even closer - but both chose to be ethical, since he was married at the time.

Deal is, to prevent any further stress for her (read: sexual tension, unrequited love, which as you know can create a distraction from major booty kicking), he erases her memory of their (Platonic but wanting more) relationship.

UPDATE: As it turns out, the story flips to HER erasing her own memory about their unrequited love - she "goes Haitian" on her own.

Flash forward to Nov 2, 2009.

Lauren shows up again - but even with her "memory" erased, she senses that she knows HRG on a very deep level. As Elisabeth put it, "like a soulmate."

So he's tormented. Only recently single, he knows what they've meant to one another, what they've felt - what he has continued to feel, but should he tell her? Should he allow himself to become close again?

She's confused, but knows there must be an unexplainable connection. A connection that feels strong, undeniable and "right."

As she told TV Guide (the picture is from its online interview with her), Elisabeth believes the idea of a soulmate resonates with her. That there are people with whom we are simply "meant to be." They may not be our spouses, or even in a sexual relationship at all - but there is a palpable, very real yet unexplainable heart, or soul, connection.

So we're left to wonder: will she figure it out? Will he tell her? Will she want to get closer? Will he allow their relationship to re-ignite now that they are both single? Will he tell her she erased her memory of their budding romance?

OK, because I happen to have directed her in THE WHOLE TRUTH I got some backstage ... well, I can't exactly call it "dirt," so I'll call it ... insight.

First and foremost, she has been incredibly "Impressed with the quality of work that everyone here strives to achieve." She says every one in every position at Heroes cares deeply about this program. Producers, directors, writers, actors, crew, no one takes their work on Heroes casually.

I pointed out that Heroes program runners don't have any say over changing program nights or times or delays in airing episodes, all of which have really upset fans. That's the network's doing. Folks associated with the show can only lodge their displeasure, but they are at the mercy of the same folks who have put Jay Leno on every week night at 10pm.

As for the work itself, Elisabeth says that the Heroes actors are the *best!* She says that to a person, every cast member has been professional, great to hang out with and are not afraid to do whatever it takes to make a scene work best.

Also that Heroes staff, cast and crew care very deeply about their fans.

Of course they're disappointed in the failing ratings - but they don't blame fans. They know their fans have had to endure some problems with the show and are doing everything they can to turn that around.

They hope bringing Elisabeth Röhm in for their first ever exploration of a romantic relationship in the mix of all those superpowers will strengthen their center, their core. I know I will be tuned in to my NBC channel Monday, Nov. 2, 8pm Eastern/Pacific 7pm Central.

And I can't help but think the greatest super power of all is love.

Image vs Reality

Every time I see the picture of a writer, any writer - book author, screenwriter, playwright, yadda yadda - he or she always looks very cool. Calm. Collected. Smart. Sharp dresser. With a "knowing" sort of look.

Like their life is easy. At least compared to the rest of us.

They all have this "life is a piece of cake" expression. Like Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo's photo here.

You know what I mean.

As much as we're aware those are professional shots, carefully choreographed and styled, we still tend to believe the image.

I think that's half the reason just about everyone I meet tells me they want to be a writer. Because they look like they have the best ever understanding of how to be successful. Or at least look successful. And completely stress-free.

Did you know an author's photograph is directly tied to the marketing success of a book?

I write about this because regardless of whether the photograph is the picture of the actual writer, to a snapshot, they're all lies.

Lies, do you hear me?

Because writers wouldn't be writers in the first place if we had life by the tail. Something happened to us somewhere along the way that makes us want to tell you our story - in a way we trust someone will pay attention to. Someone will listen to us - read us, watch us, whatever.

It struck me that while people can help me look assembled, relaxed and casually on top of the world - like this old picture of me that's on my book Mind Over Media, it is in no way even close to how I look when I'm writing.

When we write we all suffer at some point(s), stressing out about whether we have found just the right word, if our stories (non-fiction or fiction) are strong, impacting and well constructed enough; characters clear and sharp enough; arguing and laughing with our muses and spiritual sources in the universe if we have them.

And we tend to personally and physically dis-assemble while we undergo the process of purging words into the world.

Creating something out of nothing.

You know where I got the idea for the meltdown scene look for Elisabeth Röhm's character in THE WHOLE TRUTH? The photo currently featured on our poster for the film? Looking in the mirror as I wrote the script.

Despite looking fashionably poised in this 1938 photo, I bet Martha Mitchell went just a little crazy when she wrote Gone With the Wind.

Some writers are so sensitive they can't stand the sweet misery that is writing. It gets too painful for them, and my heart goes out to them.

Some resort to chemical and other pain-killers to cope, but I stopped doing any of that decades ago because it takes off my edge and I love my edge.

So why do it?

It's just something we can't NOT do.

We simply have to do it because ... well, because it's something we're evidently created to do.

Created to create, that's why we're here.

Frequently I ask myself, "How did I get myself into this situation?" What am I doing here in this scene with all these characters? Why can't I be happy with a more secure, easier way to make a living?

There are those writers who simply put in their four hours, going to their offices, putting out the verbiage they are capable of producing that day.

I'm too passionate and physical to just sit there calmly; I need to grapple with all that I expect from myself. I talk to my characters; I listen to them, my muses and other voices in my head that hopefully result in something that makes it worth your while to watch, read or hear.

I maintain, however, no matter how cool those post-publication/production pictures look, we - most of us, anyway - go through a hair-pulling, crazy-making, breathe-in-a-paper bag experience procedure sculpting words on the page, and do not in any way resemble the photographs of us published on our books.

Happy Birthday to me!

While I have a full day of celebrating planned on The Big Day - Sunday: a 90-minute massage, attending the play 39 Steps matinee(British-hilarious), topped off with a sumptuous dinner.

Until then I'll just bask in the quotes about THE WHOLE TRUTH written by Paul Ginsberg, who attended the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival screening.

He's a long-time FBI consultant/professional expert witness. After 1,700 trials, this is what he has to say about our film:

"This is hysterical, and the funniest part is ..... a lot of it is true ! ! !"

"The Whole Truth is definitely a scream. Over the years I've seen lots of it in real courtrooms."

"I think 'Send in the Clowns' was written after watching some of my 1,700 trials. The Whole Truth is a tribute to the judges, clerks and court reporters. They will love it.'

"After 35 years of trials, I have seen much of this movie in real life. This is great, and should be required viewing for all lawyers. Funny."

"Order in the court ? No way. This is much more fun."

"The verdict is in - her hands." That is, Angela's hands - portrayed by Elisabeth Röhm in the film.

After reviews like Paul's, we may well be back in the Big Apple for more screenings soon!

There's magic in the air

What a rewarding experience the screening of THE WHOLE TRUTH was at the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival.

While the crowd could have been larger, the audience genuinely loved this film. Many laughs were had - including mine and I've seen it a bazillion times.

Q and A afterward was fantastic - one person is an "expert witness" in hundreds of trials and says there's more truth than fiction in the film and he thought it was a great, funny film; he wants to show it to all his colleagues.

Charlie Prince, who heads up the fest, was profuse in his praise of our film and how proud they were to screen it; he was surprised that it was my first feature because of its quality and the great performances of the actors.

One woman commented that she was "shocked" by Elisabeth Röhm's outstanding and hilarious performance. That Elisabeth was so "out there," when she had been only used to seeing Elisabeth in heavy dramatic roles.

Charlie said members of the fest's advisory board, including Nathan Lane, viewed the film and gave it highest marks, which is how it was selected.

I said of all the festivals, this is one I was perhaps most proud because it represents more than 100 years of advocating for comedy - meaning our First Amendment rights. To Friars, comedy is no laughing matter!

At the reception for feature filmmakers, we filmmakers noted that the Friars' festival is perhaps the most pure and pristine on the planet; perhaps since its their first. There are no politics involved, all films were judged for their quality, period, and all submitted were screened.

My partner Gary Allen Tucci was told outright that we were not accepted at one festival because of the way our materials were submitted. The festival runner said film festivals are "political," that if you know how to play the game you're in, If not? To quote Heidi Klum: you're out.

He added that in many cases, if the materials do not include something special and separate that makes them stand out, they may not even screen the film because so many are submitted.

Lesson learned! We'll have pop-ups and stars and who knows what else to include with a super film in THE LONELY GOATHERD (Heart Break Productionz next feature!). For other festivals, that is. We won't need 'em for the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival - just a good film, well made, which we know will be screened by pro's.

Edited to add: I've failed to mention the international nature of the festival! Films from any and every country could submit their shorts and features - and all the films I've seen from other nations (English and non-English speaking) are funny in any language, even those heavy on the subtitles.

Knowing how many nations submitted their is so incredibly humbling, since only a few features were selected for the festival.

I told Charlie he might consider calling it the Friars Club International Comedy Film Festival, but he said he thought the title might be a little long. Not for me, but I'm not a film festival marketer, either.

BTW, Charlie said they learned their lesson re: the luncheons. Next time, there will be networking luncheons for filmmakers! They were trying to offset some of the costs of the festival by having luncheons for big spenders, and realize now they will find other ways to do that.

My experience at this festival has been (still another day of it left, but the pressure is off now!) memorable. Our film has been treated with such respect and admiration; their appreciation of the work and us filmmakers has been palpable. I've also made some new BFF's whose work I admire as well.

Thanks to a producer I met recently, I was able to hook up with an influential attorney here who reps films in distribution and other deals, meet folks whose opinion of the film is influential and hand off copies of the film's screeners to distributors interested in getting our film to a theater near you.

Which, hopefully, will happen sooner than later.

For The Goat, we should have a pre-production distribution deal in place so we don't ever have to go through this again. Pre-production distribution deals (a distributor signs up to take your film, still having the right to refuse to distribute it if it doesn't meet its quality and financial obligations) are common, and with budgets less than $10 million distributors don't interfere with the filmmakers' process. They are free to comment at any point, but the final decisions still rest with the filmmakers.

At the high end deals with studios, the studio has a say from the getgo about everything. Which is why I remain "Indie."

And oh, so happy to have had the opportunity to participate in the maiden voyage of the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival!

Congratulations Charlie Prince and Susannah Gora on presenting such a successful event.

N-Y-C!

Briefly:

Landed at LaGuardia airport last night about 10pm and wow - the place was empty.

Shockingly so. The taxi driver said it's been this way for a while and it's a concern since September is usually a bustling time in the Big Apple.

ONLY take cars marked TAXI, btw, from the airport. The other, unmarked cars, who call themselves taxis (the hotel clerk called them notorious "black car taxis") charge exceedingly inflated rates. The polite drivers approach you inside the airport, ask if you need a taxi, when you say yes, they grab your bag and lead you to their cars - taking advantage of newbies who don't know about these things. When they arrive at your destination, they hit you with an enormous charge.

I found you can refuse to pay that amount, btw, because there is no meter. The driver may not be happy, but there's nothing they can do about it.

Or ... so I heard...

My hotel room at the Wellington is just right - perfect location near all the venues, not to little and not too large, full of history - and not cheap but not inflated rates, either.

It's warm and humid - my hair doesn't fare well in high humidity. I've walked everywhere, so Little Orphan Annie and I have something in common, now, and it's not the red dress.

I checked in for all my credentials and badges at the Friars Club and my goodness. Talk about history. More than a century of show business and comedy history; almost all men of course. But the photos and the name-dropping rooms (Billy Crystal Bar) leave me in wonder of all the souls and talent who have wandered the halls and rooms.

The Friars were pleased to discover, after our film was selected, that our own Elisabeth Röhm is a member!

Other filmmakers showed up to register, and we all have that, "Been there, done that" look of anyone who's done a comedy (it's such a subjective thing-we've all taken our hits along with the praise!).

I'm also dropping screeners of THE WHOLE TRUTH off to distributors who have requested them, with the placard we're handing out to New Yorkers and tourists. I find myself talking about the film with individuals more than passing out the placards. The folks who stop are genuinely interested in a screwball comedy that isn't the "vapid" (their words, not mine!) version we get from Hollywood these days, but a modernized throwback to the days of Carole Lombard, Lucille Ball and Rosiland Russell.

Being New Yorkers, they all remember Elisabeth from the five years she was on Law and Order.

Interestingly, everyone I've met is quite familiar with the Friars Club, but no one has heard of its maiden Friars Club Comedy Film Festival that starts tonight, so this should help get the word out - at least a little.

ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE NOW FROM THE WEBSITE.

Speaking of tonight, I'm looking forward to seeing the Coen Brothers' new film and meeting them in person - there's a private reception for them starting at 6pm, followed by the screening of A SERIOUS MAN, then another more open reception for them and the film afterward.

Tomorrow there's a special luncheon for comedy filmmakers; Saturday afternoon a luncheon for screenwriters and Saturday night a party for feature film makers (as opposed to the shorts folks who have their own party tomorrow night). Ah, the perks of being a writer-director-producer. I get to go to all the lunches, dinners and receptions. I love networking!

Sunday night there's a closing party and awards ceremony, which should be interesting since they've not let us know of the type of awards that will be presented. So we don't know if we're up for any of them, or if they're pre-judged, or if we just get a gold star for being selected in this historic maiden festival.

New turns in life

This past week I seemed to have turned a couple corners that are going to influence the next several chapters in my life's book, and they are more exciting than I could have hoped.

An international distributor called; his company enthusiastically loves THE WHOLE TRUTH. He was effusive in his praise of Elisabeth Röhm's performance ("She was hy-sterical!").

He's now checking with his company's owners to put an offer together. We may or may not accept the proposal his company presents us, but I tell you, his unbridled excitement about our film was incredibly touching and inspiring.

He said his company just closed a deal picking up another comedy - one with a who's who of American comedy cast - about which he was very pleased.

He loves the contrast between that totally commercial comedy and ours, which is a whole lotta fun, but admittedly different from anything out there.

L-R Elisabeth Röhm, Pisay Pao, Sean Patrick Flanery

Here's what Uwe Lützen, a former marketer of English language films in Europe, had to say after seeing the film:

"It's an uncommon comedy. I had a lot of fun. I was thrilled to see a U.S comedy so extreme (well you’re the country that invented political correctness, right ;-), really edgy… and I can see why people can love or hate it. it’s just not what you can expect nowadays from a common comedy – or a festival film… it’s bolder and riskier."

I'm off to New York City and the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival next Wednesday, where there will be numerous special activities (dinners, entertainment programs, parties) in the Big Apple throughout the four days for those of us who have films in the fest, all of which I'm looking forward to, and will be making reports about each right here. If it won't be too awkward, I'm taking my camera (it's big) to record these snippets of history.

L-R: Elisabeth Röhm, Danielle Barnum.

Thankfully, I have help making it all happen the way it "should," that is, in a way for which I've done all my homework and am properly prepared. I'm familiarizing myself with the other filmmakers and films as well as getting help (big time!) for my wardrobe and make-up. That's the cool part of being an indie writer/director. We don't have to be haute couture and everyone expects us to be poor.

Meanwhile, I've met someone whose filmmaking insights, work ethic, professionalism, knowledge, thoughtfulness and artistic acumen are a perfect match for mine. Wow. Taking it one step at a time, this could be the beginning of a superb, ground-breaking, exciting, phenomenal and perhaps even more importantly, totally fun creative relationship.

Before I leave, in addition to taking care of my writing and producing tasks, I'm attending the Wynonna (Judd) concert, visiting the Western Washington State Fair, taking care of rescued horses, working with vocal coach Nedra Gaskill (rehearsing for the Christmas recital) and taking care of any other surprises that come my way.

It's all about balance, isn't it?

TWT Friars Club Comedy Film Festival schedule

L-R: Kristina Lilley, Pisay Pao, Sean Patrick Flanery, Elisabeth Röhm.

We just received notice that THE WHOLE TRUTH will play Saturday, September 26, 3 p.m. at the Paley Center for Media (25 W 52nd St.) for the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival.
It's a short festival, only four days (Thursday, Sept. 24-Sunday Sept. 27), with films playing in just three venues, so we appear to be in carefully selected company.

The full schedule of films playing have not yet been posted, but the opening night film is the premiere of A SERIOUS MAN, the Coen Brothers' new comedy.

I'll be there all four days, attending as many screenings as possible, networking and hanging out with John Fugelsang ("Prosecutor Jordan Smith" in TWT; he's also a TV and radio personality, actor, stand up comic and writer), other filmmakers, actors, performers, distributors, celebrities who show up and comedy writers. The Friars Club Comedy Film Festival advisory board is a who's who of comedy and TV personalities - they should be dropping by!

This is a photo of John and one of his New York City fans.

The Friars Club has been America's comedy central for more than 100 years - most people know it from their famous "roast" dinners of celebrities.

They are establishing this film festival because they believe too many great comedies are overlooked when it comes to major awards selection. Very kewl for us.

Most importantly, the Friars prevent mirth control, protecting our right of laughter.

The freedom to laugh at ourselves, the privileged and those in power is the canary in the coal mine of democracy - a freedom Friars Club members take very seriously.

They want us to feel free to sing those canary songs and create works that make us fall over giggling, guffawing, howling, roaring, chuckling, cracking up, chortling, rolling in the aisles, snickering and snorting liquid through our nose!

In LA for distributors' screenings

It's now Monday night and several more distributors rsvp'd "yes" today to the 2pm theater screening of THE WHOLE TRUTH in Burbank tomorrow, which is nearly full now; still more rsvp'd "yes" to the 7:30pm theater screening in Beverly Hills - where studio reps, other distributors, Elisabeth Röhm and special guest stars will be on hand.

Producer Larry Estes put out the invitations, so they're responding to him.

Some distributors who are not coming to either screening have requested "screeners," the dvd-very low resolution format of the film - which won't be ready until at least a few days after the theater screenings. We may not send them because we're hoping to sign a deal within two days after the screenings.

We've also prepared THE WHOLE TRUTH posters for display outside the theaters so the distributors will see them before they see the film, which should give them a taste of the film's tone in case they've not seen the teaser or the trailer.

The most exciting part for me is not just spending time with our special guest stars - superb and well known talents all - and good distributors who know their stuff, but as soon as we have a solid distribution deal, we can get started with our next feature film, THE LONELY GOATHERD!

Thanks to all the folks who have sent their best wishes, high fives and good luck; at this point we are hoping the film sells itself!

In case there is no distribution deal signed among the folks attending? We have other resources and contacts to help us; hopefully we won't have to turn to them!

Shot sheeting - Part Deux

Following up on my initial missive on breaking down every single shot I see in my head and writing each down in a list format that I call "shot sheeting" is also called "shot listing."

I just finished the completed finessed version of my script for my next planned feature, THE LONELY GOATHERD and the shot sheets for it almost simultaneously.

For the first pass, I just want to get the "bread and butter" shots on the list, so now's the time to polish and compress what I've written so the filming process can be streamlined and my ideas clearly conveyed to the cinematographer (also called the "DP" - Director of Photography), editor, production designer and everyone else who will read them in the creative collaboration.

Chances are any or all of these professionals will come up with ideas that enhance my vision so profoundly - that I replace pages over which I languished and labored with the new notes provided by these brilliant collaborators.

The DP and I may decide to re-do the shot sheets together based on the vision and all the other work we've done - watching other films for references, discussing emotions, tones, style and effects.

These same conversations take place with other collaborators, individually and together. We need to speak each others' language, understand one another and the way we like to work.

There's more - after I work with the actors, I take into consideration the notes they've made, worked out the blocking (where actors move in the scene) and if they have notes that will enhance their performance, the portrayal of their character, the scene and the film itself - I will listen and if they work to elevate the visual, verbal performance, I'll incorporate them.

It's important to be open to everyone's thoughts, but remain clear about what does and does not work to maintain the film's vision. I say yes to everything that enhances, improves and elevates; I say no to anything that doesn't build on what's already there.

I stay true to the vision of the film, without ever feeling like I have to say yes to soothe someone's ego; I'm not afraid to say no - but I don't want to lose a chance to punctuate a performance with a smart word, movement, shot, prop, whatever has been thoughtfully proposed.

I explain my decision - why I think the idea works - or not. People usually light up and listen closely when I give specifics of how a new thought is "brilliant" and fits right in; their eyes glaze over after I say, "Good thought. But in this case it won't work-- (because the antagonist needs to see it coming and- yadda yadda)"

After "won't work," they tend to have better things to do; few discussions ensue.

But they always come back and back with ideas because when someone gives me an idea that works? It really is brilliant and they can justly feel their thumb print is in the production.

I love working with people who know more than me - so I can learn new and different whatever it takes to make a better film. I'm pleased to say that others in a position to know more have told me they've learned from me as well because I tend not to work the way they've encountered previously.

I always tell the people with whom I work - I'm more interested in making a good film than being "right." The vision is the only thing to work for -- not ego or doing things the way they've always been done.

I know there are directors who are very dictatorial and rude, but the reason I'm so completely, totally and critically anal about pre-production and preparation is so I can relax, and remain open to seeing and inviting all the creative opportunities to enhance the vision during the actual production of the film - whether they come from me or someone else on the production.

The idea is that while I'm making this film a dozen times in my head before I meet with my collaborators, after I meet with them and share my vision/ideas, I expect them to come in with ideas of their own and begin the process I genuinely love - collaborating.

One thing about collaborating - the buck always stops here. For example, if the set designer comes up with an idea of putting egg shells on the floor so they crunch with every step and I don't carefully consider whether that genuinely enhances the vision/production, and come up with a very reasoned answer - and the egg shell idea BLOWS? I can't come back and "blame" the set designer.

It's still my decision.

Thus, the more transparent and grounded the vision, the better the decisions AND, honestly, the better the ideas that are passed my way from all the collaborators working on the film.

THE WHOLE TRUTH - New Poster!

Just in case you wondered if it's a comedy ... Yes that is the in-real-life drop dead gorgeous, normally glamorous, gifted, serious actress Elisabeth Röhm as Angela Masters in THE WHOLE TRUTH.

THE WHOLE TRUTH - Full Tilt!

Just for fun!

The Key Trailer for THE WHOLE TRUTH!

The screwball story of a gifted acting coach who pays dearly for using her skills to help criminals become so symptathetic to juries they're aquitted!

Starring Elisabeth Röhm, Sean Patrick Flanery, Rick Overton, John Fugelsang, Kristina Lilley, Pisay Pao and Eric Roberts.

It's on its way to a screening for distributors soon - so far everyone invited is coming!

To be perfectly honest - distributorship representatives almost always attend screenings of a new film so they won't miss out or have a competitor pick up a film that might do well.

Elisabeth Röhm, Rick Overton and John Fugelsang

talk about their experience on THE WHOLE TRUTH - our screwball comedy that will enjoy a screening for film distributors in LA soon. I'm really looking forward to showing our movie to folks responsible for theatrical and other releases.

I'm thrilled to report that there has already been interest shown in our film by some; it's been a work in progress with editor Stephen Meyers until Monday, when I locked it. I could not be happier with it now.

Rick and John talk about their experience on set:




Elisabeth shares how she got involved with her first comedy:

More EPK interviews from THE WHOLE TRUTH!

Executive producer Gary Allen Tucci talks about his passion for films - and unlike just about anyone in the industry, he goes to see films in theaters, sitting with audiences at least three times a week!



Jim Holmes talks about playing successful lawyer Brad Sanders:





Producer Larry Estes learned not to gamble on set!



I chat about working with Eric Roberts, Sean Patrick Flanery, Elisabeth Röhm and Kristina Lilley!