GIRLTRASH Blog

Blog number 2: Hey I am a blogger. That really feels weird to say. Been wanting to blog again since my first blog about the wrap party, but don’t know the blog etiquette yet. Would it be weird to blog daily, or do I appear uncaring if I do it once a week? There hasn’t been any movie yet to teach me the protocol of blogging. Waiting for Meg Ryan to do “You’ve Got Blog,” or maybe not.

How “GIRLTRASH: All Night Long” came to be. When I started POWER UP one of the most important programs we had was the Filmmaking Grant Program. There, we would match directors and writers together and we produced their short film. These films were shot once a year and we made three (3) of them at the same time. This program put POWER UP on the map. A complete success. Each year the program produced a film that was an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. POWER UP produced the most award winning short films seen by more people all over the world. This was the beginning.

In 2002 we had a little script written by a young women who won the opportunity to have her script made as well as the opportunity to be a director. Even though it was our mandate to mix up writers and directors, common sense and knowing a good thing when it’s standing right in front of me allowed me to give Angela Robinson her big opportunity. “D.E.B.S.,” the little movie that could, was born. So, I make it sound easy, but it didn’t happen with out a strong phone call from Jamie Babbit calling me “an idiot” if I didn’t read the script and fight for it.  A POWER UP employee was overstepping their bounds and burying the script because she thought it would be to expensive to make. All things got straightened out and a read of the script “D.E.B.S” by me changed the course of history for Angela and POWER UP.

The folklore goes that this was one of those very rare occasions were everything lined up just right. Angela made a fresh, fun, funny film. We premiered the film at our annual fundraiser The Power Premiere, where the president of Showtime was being honored. That night Showtime’s President requested we go pitch them “D.E.B.S.” as a TV series, Ilene Chaiken asked me to introduce her to Angela (she had just filmed the pilot of her TV show “the l-word” and thought Angela would be a great addition to her writing staff), and producer/manager Larry Kennar chased Angela to the parking lot see if he could represent her. As they say, the rest is history.

We went to Sundance with the short, Screengems bought the rights to make the feature “D.E.B.S.” with Angela directing, Angela was hired on “the l word” and Hollywood History was made.

Angela, you could say, is the greatest success story directly linked to POWER UP

and of course we have been wanting to work with her again for a long time.

After the success of “Itty Bitty Titty Committee” and POWER UP’s foray into feature films was solidified, we began developing projects for our second feature. Many good writers and projects came our way and the development process was and is proceeding.
A few times over the past two years Angela has read and given thoughts and notes on some of our projects. Early 2009 when Lisa (my partner on and off the field) and I had raised enough money to produce POWER UP’s second feature we asked Angela if she had a project she wanted to do. Knowing Angela’s talent and the fact that she has two sequels for “D.E.B.S.,” I wasn’t at all surprised that she pitched us “GIRLTRASH” as a movie based on her successful webseies “GIRLTRASH.” Angela is full of ideas and what is so cool about that is she has tons of ideas for projects she’s done, or doing, or will do. She has many different versions and scenarios for how things could go with these character’s she creates and loves. I think her passion as a writer make you fall in love with these characters as well.

So how did a little gritty web-series made with small equipment and running around the city of LA hiding from the law become “GIRLTRASH: All Night Long” the rock musical comedy that we just wrapped? Come back next week.

Meanwhile we have 2 spots left in this weekends POWER UP workshop. The ultimate directing workshop with Angela Robinson in Los Angeles. Please check it out.

So here I go, my first attempt to blog and I must say it feels a little strange to write in a such a conversational fashion, but if you bear with me I think I could get the hang of this.

I am trying to imagine you sitting across from me and us just chatting. So, I sip a little water and, I continue. A little background here. Ten years ago I founded a non-profit organization called POWER UP: Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up. The mission: to promote the visibility and integration of gay women in all forms of media. The reality: POWER UP is the only non-profit studio and educational organization in the world that teaches, develops films, produces and distributes films. We are unique, we are needed, and we are original.

From the get-go POWER UP has financed and produced short films for talented up and coming storytellers and filmmakers. I have been running the company as a full time volunteer since its inception. I raise the money, plan the events to raise money, run the workshops and educational seminars and executive produce all the films to make it happen. The POWER UP Films have been the most successful GLBTQ films (but that will be another blog entry for a different day).

Today, I am jumping forward 10 years because I am excited to share all about GIRLTRASH: All Night Long. Even though it makes me a little uncomfortable to skip ahead (because there is so much more about how all of this came to be), I do so because it’s what this blog is primarily about. So, for now, I start at the end.

The Wrap Party: The Wrap Party is the end of principal photography. We started shooting GIRLTRASH December 1st, 2009 and ended February 15th, 2010. Under normal circumstances that is not an unusual amount of time to shoot a feature film. But for POWER UP, it was a lot. Our 18-day shoot turned into and 28-day shoot because of holidays, family losses, booked actors, a lot of RAIN and sick actors.

But we were talking about the wrap party. A party where the cast and crew celebrate completion of principal photography (shooting the movie). Last night my girlfriend, Lisa Thrasher, (the producer) and I hosted the wrap party at our home in the Hollywood Hills.

The invitation called for: GIRLTRASH: All Night Long THE OFFICIAL WRAP Cast & Crew PARTY Fiesta! Swim, Jacuzzi, Drinks, Appetizers, Laugh, Mariachi Band and more!

So in keeping with filming of GIRLTRASH, it rained. The party was great but I for one was disappointed that my 90-degree pool and 100-degree Jacuzzi sat empty.

The Guests: We had over 100 guests all looking relax and rested for the first time since I have seen the gang late Monday. The Mariachi Band played as guests arrived and then strolled through the house entertaining…at one point Michelle Lombardo danced with the band to roars from the crowd. I think Johnny Dunn from Killola was doing shots as the banded played his request for the Doors.

We served chips and salsas, taquitos with guacamole, shrimp, salami and assorted cheeses, nuts, fruits and desserts. Cast members that were in attendance were Lisa Rieffel & Johnny Dunn and Killola, Kelly Ogden and the Dollyrots, Kate French, Malaya Rivera Drew, Michelle Lombardo, Mike O’Connell, Gaby Christian, and Rose Rollins. Everybody, ate, drank, laughed, ate and drank more. Alex Kondracke and Angela Robinson held court in the kitchen most of the night, a very popular place to be.

Behind-the-Scenes & Spoof: One of the highlights of the night was videographer Thad’s six-minute, behind-the-scenes blooper reel which showcased lots of fun making the film. The surprise of the evening was a film created by the electricians Stephanie Yang and Vanessa Wolf that starred many of the crew in a spoof of GIRLTRASH. I must say I was excited to see the talents of all three filmmakers here and the creative energy it took to create fun stuff.

I watched the electricians’ film/spoof with Rose Rollins in the room, the crew wore wigs and some of the actors costumes. Rose was busting up laughing at the portrayal of her character Monique played by Vanessa. Lisa, Angela and I need to discuss putting both films on the DVD as an extra bonus (they are that good). Gaby brought Lisa and I a little gift, which was so thoughtful and lovely. All in all this party was a smash, not a rowdy, cops called all night long party like the Itty Bitty Titty Committee wrap party, but a super fun and really nice party to celebrate our hard work and a creative endeavor for which I for one am extremely proud.

We are nearing the end of production on GIRLTRASH: All Night Long, the feature film based on the very successful web series.  Even though we’re just now getting the blog up, don’t worry, you’re going to get lots of details, lots of images and lots of video about the making of GIRLTRASH: All Night Long!