"Do Over" and "Test Day" screen at Short Indies

It's been a busy few weeks leading up to +SXSW, so I'll be updating this blog in several posts in a short time span (I hope) to cover everything that's been happening or is about to happen. Why several posts? Why not one post, seeing as this is, in fact, a blog meant for long, descriptive posts?

1) Each topic deserves it's own blog entry!

2) It makes my blog look super active!

3) I get to make a list where each item ends with an exclamation point!

So on with it as there is a lot of ground to cover...

FOURPLAY North American Tour Launches

The beginning of the +FOURPLAY Film North American tour marks a busy spring for movies I've edited or shepherded through post production. The tour began last Thursday, February 7th, when Fourplay screened as part of a fundraiser for the Austin Film Society's Texas Filmmaker Production Fund, an important, competitive grant that supports film projects based in Texas year in and year out. It continued to screen Friday up through today at the Alamo Village to sell-out crowds. People are watching... and they're talking (about sex...ba-by... sorry, couldn't resist; for all my TLC fans out there).

Director +Kyle Henry has led a tireless media blitz across platforms: First and foremost on social media, but he also appeared on the radio as well as in a delicate TV interview. I'm sure more press is to follow in the coming weeks as the film travels the country.

Find Screening Dates Here!

Seeing as the word of mouth has been both positive and extensive, I figured I'd help out by compiling everything I can find all in one place. Links to reviews and more after the jump.

"Do Over" Review: 'Entertaining' and 'romantic'

Thanks to G+ (yes, I am active on G+ and have found it to be both enjoyable and useful in ways Facebook is not) I connected with +AIDY Reviews.... Having seen my G+ posts about "Do Over's" festival run, she inquired about when she could see it and review it. I sent her the film right around the time of our Reel 13 contest. She watched it and had some lovely things to say about the film, especially about the cinematography by our super-talented DP, Ricardo Diaz.

Read her glowing review here!

Two Films at SXSW 2013

I was born and raised in Austin, so the South By Southwest Film Festival is as much a fabric of my life growing up in central Texas as breakfast tacos, bar-b-que or Longhorn football. This festival single handedly shaped my perception of what a film career might could look like. Once I got out in to the real world (and lived & worked in LA for a brief spell), I discovered the many paths you can take in making moving picture stories. Still, SXSW has left its mark.

As a kid surrounded by independent film, I dreamed of having my work play at SXSW, and of being a panelist at the festival (I just thought it was so cool people might sit in a room and willfully listen to me pontificate via microphone; most of the year, I do it against their will... sans microphone.... Basically, I'm yelling my opinions at people when I'm not a panelist at a film festival). I've accomplished both a few times over now, but I still get a thrill when I can share with everyone that I have a project playing at the festival.

The SXSW line-up was announced yesterday and Texas films & filmmakers are well-represented, maybe more so than any other year I can remember. There's a handful of Texas-based or Texas-tied holdovers from Sundance [Yen Tan's Pit Stop (Yen designed the official "Do Over" poster); Andrew Bujalski's Computer Chess; Hannah Fidell's A Teacher; Jeff Nichols' Mud; David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche; and Richard Linklater's much awaited Before Midnight].

On top of that, we have world premieres from other talented Texas artists, including Jacob Vaughn's Milo, Geoff Marslett's Loves Her Gun, Paul Stekler's Getting Back To Abnormal, and cinematographer-by-day/director-by-night PJ Raval's documentary about gay retirees, Before You Know It.

It's a very exciting year to be a part of the festival and to be a part of the Austin, Texas film community.  Click on the jump to find out which projects I was involved in that will be premiering in March...

FOURPLAY Official Theatrical Trailer and Theatrical Release

FOURPLAY - Official Theatrical Trailer from Kyle Henry on Vimeo.

The official theatrical trailer for the +FOURPLAY Film feature is available to view. Fourplay is a feature comprised of four short films that explore sexual intimacy. I had the good fortune of editing three of the four short films (I cut "Skokie," "Austin," and "Tampa" while the ever-talented Rita K. Sanders cut "San Francisco") and we're all very excited for its upcoming release.

UPDATED: Reel 13 Online Contest - Vote For "Do Over"!

UPDATE: "Do Over" won this week's Reel 13 short film contest! Check it out Saturday night on WNET/13 in New York City. Thank you to everyone who voted. I'm so happy to be able to share this win with our hard working and talented cast and crew.

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My short film "Do Over" is currently competing in an online contest against two other short films.

Visit Reel 13 now to watch "Do Over" and give it a vote!

The winner gets to air on WNET/Thirteen this Saturday night (01/19), the flagship public television station of the New York City Tri-State area. If "Do Over" wins, that could mean a lot of extra eyes on the film that otherwise wouldn't have seen it. 

This opportunity came to us by way of Devin Assuncao the programmer of the Brownfish Short Film Festival at NYC. Many thanks to Devin!

If you enjoy "Do Over," please help us spread the word and share the link to the Reel 13 site. Another way to show your appreciation is to tip us a small donation via the Vimeo Tip Jar, a great feature that allows viewers and fans to show their support for the independent filmmakers they love.

"Do Over" is a romantic comedy that has screened at film festivals across the country, including Cinequest, Aspen Shortsfest, LA Shortsfest and Austin Film Festival. It was named Best Comedy at the Iowa Film Festival and received the Chris Caddel Filmmaker Award at the Flatland Film Festival.

Two Bits Of Good News To Start Off 2013

Happy New Year!

It's been a quiet winter (by design - I've been decompressing and re-compressing all at once - more on that in a future post) but now that 2013 is here I already have two fun bits to share.

First - Austin based film critic Don Simpson listed his favorite Austin films of 2012 and +FOURPLAY Film  was one of them. Check out his list here which includes an eclectic sampling of what the Austin film scene has to offer. (I edited three shorts in +FOURPLAY Film for director +Kyle Henry).

Second - "Do Over" will continue its festival run in 2013 as it screens next month at the Love Your Shorts Film Festival. Check out the full line up; you'll find "Do Over" in the comedy section.