Let's help make this happen!! Any amount will help. There are voices and problems in the world that need to be brought to light. It is insane that people have to live in fear of being themselves. Help make this project happen.
My name is Thabang Mnculwane the director of TC productions cc South Africa, Together with my patner Charles we are bringing you a documentary called Homosexuality in Africa. This will be our second film as writer/director. Our first feature, free yourself (2009), played in some great film festivals around the country.
Homosexuality in Africa, will take the nations by storm as it will be shot in six different countries in two months, We will start from south Africa going through to Kenya,Zimbabwe , Nigeria , Egypt and Chad.
We will travel across Africa bringing you stories of young old, open and closeted gay, lesbian and bi-sexuals individuals and couples,
We will interview the people, the community members and the leaders , ie the religious and political leaders of the above mentioned countries.
This will bring out the raw truth of how people feel about homosexuality and what can be done to prevent the killings, the brutality etc. etc. . . .
The production of Homosexuality in Africa is going to be the biggest in the history of African Television - a documentary you will be proud to be a part of. We will be using the state of the art equipment that we own, that includes our cameras lights and the software needed to complete the documentary.
Please help TC productions cc make this documentary a reality! We are both so grateful to have your support in everything and we have a strong feeling that Homosexuality in Africa will be a documentary that will touch and change people’s lives around the world forever.
I wanted to tell you a little about this interview before I go into the questions. This was an amazing experience to talk with Mr. Pedone about his experience with working on a movie set and well just making movies. The people he has met. And he has met some pretty amazing people. Anthony Pedone has worked on a Steve Balderson film, you may remember this film The Casserole Club. If you don't know what i am talking about, then shame on you! Its a great film. I will post links to past posts I have written about Steve Balderson's The Casserole Club along with the amazing documentary Anthony Pedone did, "Camp Casserole", on the behind the scenes look at the film. Both of which are being shown in London today, at the Raindance film festival. Okay I blabbered enough. On with the interview...
Anthony Pedone was born in Dallas, TX, but spent the formational years of his life on a ranch in Clayton, New Mexico. At 16 he moved back to Texas, studying Music at Southwest Texas University.
In 2005, Pedone received his Certificate in Writing Social Commentary from Penn State University and began experimenting with digital media and filmmaking. In 2008 he Co-founded, Robotic Indifference, and directed his first feature film, The Why. The Why, screened in 6 countries and received Best Avant Garde and Experimental Feature awards at The Great Lake Film Festival, Heart of England Film Festival and Manhattan Film Festival in 2010.
Since Robotic Indifference's conception Anthony has collaborated with an innovative and diverse group of artists-- fulfilling his need to always be creating. Anthony co-produced Steve Balderson's , The Casserole Club, and will join Balderson again to shoot, Culture Shock in the fall of 2011. While on the set of the The Casserole Club, Pedone shot a behind the scenes look at Balderson's streamlined approach to Indie Filmmaking. The documentary is called, Camp Casserole.
Pedone co-produced and appeared in, Little Gods. A conceptual film by director Elizabeth Spear, Little Gods is the first feature film shot and edited on the iPhone4. Spear's has asked Pedone to produce her next feature film, Roundball in Victoria, TX. Shooting begins in July 2011.
Robotic Indifference plans on releasing The Pyrex Glitch for Christmas 2011. TPG is a science fiction comedy, written and directed by Jane Wiedlin.
THE TRAILER:
CAMP CASSEROLE
THE INTERVIEW (PART ONE):
Welcome Anthony to Bang Noir!
WB: First of all Congrats on getting "Camp Casserole" into Raindance Film Festival! Tell us about Raindance and what it's significance is? Where is Raindance held?
AP: Thank you, William. Raindance is held in London, UK and is one of the larger independent film festivals in Europe. Personally it represents a mile stone for me. It's a point on the map. I was released from prison almost five years ago to this date. So I had to come home and rebuild. Being apart of Raindance is an achievement for me in that respect. I worked hard to get to this point and I met some pretty awesome people along the way. I'm grateful for meeting Steve [Balderson] and giving me the opportunity to work on his film The Casserole Club. So being at Raindance is very important to me because it is one step toward a common goal I share with so many others. It represents where I am now in my life.
WB: Very cool. I can understand where you are coming from and I'm sure my readers can too. You seem to be doing a great thing with being apart of Raindance. Where do you see that going?
AP: Wow, immediately when I found out I was thinking about that. I thought about how it is making a movie and when it's all done, the realization that you're the only one who knows about your movie. No one knows it exists. Just you and your network. So you learn to get the word out about your movie or project. You have to become your own press agent so to speak. So I not only have to work on the edits of my film, but promote it too. Which is rewarding when it's all said and done.
WB: Are there any other film festivals you are working on?
AP: I've been working on a film festival in Austen, TX for a few years now. We get people together, get an alcohol sponsor, set up a bar tab and put up a screening room. This year we are going to partner with a magazine a do a pretty big launch. Also we are starting a film festival in Victoria, TX, where we are planning to shoot movies as well.
WB: Wow, you are a busy man.
AP: I am. I have to say this about the whole experience and being apart of Raindance. Raindance is like Kinetic energy. Where it kicks the next phase in. It's all too surreal to me right now. So it's hard to actually put into words. But it's a good feeling.
WB: I bet. It's a recognition and you deserve it. Congrats again to you on this exciting day! I know you worked with Steve Balderson on his movie "The Casserole Club", which spawned your documentary "Camp Casserole". I have to add that it was a great documentary. I really enjoyed it.
AP: Thank you.
WB: Are you working on anything else with Steve Balderson?
AP: Yes, I am actually. Steve is filming his next movie in London, while we are participating in the Raindance Film Festival. The movie is called "Culture Shock". There is a website called Culture Shock. I can't wait to start filming. It's going to be insane. It's truly going to be run and gun the whole time. Steve has it mapped out down to the minute, so it's going to be incredible.
WB: What's it like working with Steve Balderson?
AP: Wow, Steve is great to work with. He is always thinking about the next picture. He's always thinking about what its going to be. He has impeccable organisation. All in all, Steve's a machine. You have to admire that.
***This concludes the first part of my interview with Anthony Pedone*** Check back for Part Two very soon. and please feel free to leave any comments or questions on this blog. I will see to it that they get answered.
Anthony Pedone gives us an intimate look behind the scenes of a movie set. “Camp Casserole” is an entertaining joy ride into movie making, with Director Steve Balderson at the wheel. What kind of Camp is “Camp Casserole”, you ask? Is there a membership needed or can anyone join? Well before you can get started down the road on this journey, you have to ask yourself: What is family?
Family: is a group of individuals who co-exist with one another over an extended period, which is the basis of what Anthony Pedone’s documentary “Camp Casserole” shows us.A group of actors, cameramen, grips, scriptwriters, etc are all assembled by Director Steve Balderson for his new movie “The Casserole Club”. Steve Balderson assembles only the best to join his family…the best meaning his instincts are sharp in making the family fit. While watching the documentary you will laugh, become excited and emotional as you follow this band of actors through their daily lives as they make a movie.You feel yourself wanting to be a part of the high jinks and closeness each person has with one another. Anthony Pedone reveals to us that they all live together, cook for each other, and take care of one another.
“Camp Casserole” takes you behind “The Casserole Club” telling you where the story came from, as screenwriter Frankie Krainz and actor Susan Traylor talk about the story and how it turned into the movie it is today.You then have Jane Wiedlin, who is the fun loving prankster of the group. You are also taken on a special trip of “Gorilla filmmaking” which takes you out of town so they can record actor Starina Johnson screaming.To round out the group you have Nic Roewert, Mark Booker, Pleasant Gehman, Garrett Swan, Michael Maize, Kevin Richardson and Daniela Sea, each of who share their feelings on what Steve Balderson is doing for the movie industry and their thoughts on the future. As “Camp Casserole” closes, you do not want it to end. You want the fun and the movie making to continue…and actually, you know deep down inside that, the ending was only the beginning.
“Camp Casserole” is an excellent documentary directed by Anthony Pedone.His honest portrayal of the inner workings of making a movie tug and pull at you allowing you to form a bond with everyone in the documentary. I loved the documentary so much that I actually watched it three times.You come away feeling—wishing that you were a part of this theatre family. And honestly, if you’ve seen it…then you are.
