The TV Set - They are Happy Tears . . . Honest
 Written by: Naomi Wiggins

With a tagline of “A place where dreams are cancelled”, The TV Set seemed destined to be sad, depressing and hopeless.

It is . . . but damn is it good.

Giving a satirical but honest look into the life of a television pilot that is excellent enough to get picked up but not good enough to make it to airtime without being bruised, scraped and battered by the big fist of compromise, The TV Set is so dead on it hurts. Beginning with aspiring television writer Mike Klein (David Duchovny) nervously awaiting his first casting session, the film follows Klein’s subtly humorous but woefully dubbed Wexler Chronicles through the rigors of casting and the uphill battle of production to a practically unrecognizable format on the air of the fictional PND Television network. Welcome to the world of television. Yay!

Driven by flawlessly drawn and impeccably acted characters, The TV Set beautifully exemplifies the Hollywood the world rarely sees. David Duchovny is solid, empathetic and heartbreakingly relatable as Mike Klein, the writer who just wants his vision to be realized exactly as it is. Duchovny is able to make Mike’s endless struggle both heroic and pathetic, inspiring and soul-crushing, triumphant and defeating, and we are left to wonder what makes any writer stick around this town.

Sigourney Weaver is flawless as Lenny, the powerful but hopeless lame network executive at imaginary PND. Having recently secured fantastic ratings with the newly minted reality based Slut Wars, the boisterous, uncompromising Lenny demonstrates a delightfully ill-placed belief in her skills, knowledge and self-importance that Yes Men simply flock to. Weaver pulls off this persona seamlessly, showing just how easy it is for someone who doesn’t have the smarts to work in the industry can end up running it.

Ioan Gruffudd is wonderful as Richard McAllister, a man of principle who, having worked in the British Television scene, has been pulled in to lend some class to US television as the head of primetime programming. He still has his dreams, his beliefs and his convictions but they are put mightily to the test as he attempts to bridge the gap between Lenny and Mike, between England and America, between his sense of duty and his wife Chloe’s (Lucy Davis) desire for a normal life.

Furthering the feast of caricatures, Judy Greer is perfect as Mike’s slippery-smooth, double-talking manager, Alice. Greer finely walks the line between placating Mike and doing everything in her power to secure that almighty dollar but as Set progresses, it becomes clear that, like a good deal of managers, Alice’s allegiance leans more towards money than Mike’s convictions. Sad but once again . . . very true.

Rounding out this delightful cast is Laurel Simon (Lindsey Sloane) the typical Hollywood hottie actress who has worked hard to lose those last four pounds that had kept her from sheer perfection, the outlandish and off-beat geek-turned-actor Zach Harper (Fran Kranz), and Klein’s supporting and “voice of reason” spouting wife Natalie (Justine Bateman).

These beautiful characters swirl around within the confines of a quick and subtly witty script crafted by Writer/Director Jake Kasdan. Beautifully juxtaposing Klein’s story against that of McAllister, Kasdan keeps Set moving forward and away from the slippery slope of a mere morality tale of a television writer who fights against the big bad system.

The TV Set does an excellent job of portraying the struggle of entertainment life, the struggle between keeping your ideals, dreams and convictions alive AND paying your outrageous rent, while simultaneously providing a plethora of laughs. Some laughs spill out from knowledgeable industry professionals who see a reflection of their own bosses or circumstances. Other laughs stem from the sheer honest wit of the script. An education or livelihood in the entertainment business is not required to enjoy this flick . . . but it definitely makes everything a bit richer.

Ultimately, The TV Set is subtly and quietly funny and provides a peak, a taste, a glimpse into the sometimes glorious, often times demoralizing world of television.

The TV Set 

 Film Festival Central - Round Two!
 For Film Festival Fans Everywhere . . .

For festival fans everywhere, here is round two of Film Festivals to watch out for!

THE ACTION/CUT SHORT FILM COMPETITION is the only industry-driven shorts festival designed to discover the next generation of talented moviemakers and open doors for its winners. With over a hundred prizes, including network meetings with Hollywood players and multiple awards for promoting film careers, The Action/Cut Film competition is worth your time! Enter your film now and ignite your dreams with the most career-enhancing prizes of any shorts film contest in the world. The competition is open to all films worldwide of 30 minutes or less. Moviemakers may submit their work into any of five categories: Fiction Live Action, Student Films, Animation, Documentary or Music Videos. Final deadline for submissions is May 15, 2007. For a list of prizes, rules and to download the entry form, visit www.actioncut.com.

Enter the ANGELUS STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL, offering a $10,000 Excellence in Filmmaking Award plus another $15K in prizes. This festival honors student shorts with themes such as redemption, triumph of the human spirit, spirituality and dignity. Screenings will be held at the Directors Guild in Hollywood, CA on October 27, 2007. Past winners have also flown to Sundance! Entry fee is $35 for work submitted by June 1; $45 for work submitted by the July 1 late deadline. Visit www.angelus.org or www.withoutabox.com for more information.

Submit to BENDFILM 2007! During the second weekend of October, Bend, OR is transformed from a recreational haven into a town possessed by the soul of independent filmmaking. BendFilm puts its focus on filmmakers first, with unheard of hospitality and more than $25,000 in cash awards. All competitive entries, regardless of length or category, compete for the $10,000 Best of Show prize, with additional cash awards presented in all categories. Deadlines for submissions are: April 5 (early), May 24 (regular), and June 15 (late). Entries are accepted through Withoutabox. For details, call 541/388-FEST (3378), visit www.BendFilm.com or check out www.myspace.com/bendfilm.

The 10th CINE LAS AMERICAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will take place April 19-26, 2007 in Austin, TX. The festival will feature the best of Latino and indigenous cinema of the Americas including new releases and premieres, documentaries, independent cinema, short films, works in progress, Emergencia Youth Film Day and special guests in attendance. The festival grants Jury Awards in the categories of First Dramatic Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative and Documentary Short Film and Youth Film. Audience Awards are also presented for Best Documentary Feature and Best Dramatic Feature. For more information, visit www.cinelasamericas.org, contact festival@cinelasamericas.org or call 512/535-0765.

Indiefilmpage.com and Coney Island USA present the seventh annual CONEY ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL, September 28-30 2007 at Sideshows by the Seashore and The Coney Island Museum. Deadlines for submission are: May 26 (regular), July 3 (late), and July 10 (extended late). The Coney Island Film Festival is open to filmmakers working in all genres, subjects and formats. For more information, visit www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com or www.withoutabox.com/login/3441.

FILMSTOCK has moved. Nope, not locations. It is still in the rather unlikely town of Luton in the U.K but it will now take place in November, having spent its first seven years basking in the June weather. The eighth FILMSTOCK will take place Nov 1-11, 2007. Directors Neil and Justin are busy plotting, and the call for entries goes out from April to August. Despite the change of date, FILMSTOCK remains the fest it always was, and promises to retain the things past festival- goers have loved. If you don’t know what they are, you will just have to come and find out, wont you? For more information, visit www.filmstock.co.uk.

FIRSTGLANCE FILM FEST PHILADELPHIA celebrates its 10th anniversary with the largest event in its history - 10 days, 10 new categories and prizes valued at $10,000. Join them September 28-October 7, 2007 for the biggest event in the festival's history - hundreds of films screened, free seminars and panels and great special events to celebrate indie filmmakers from Philly and around the globe. FirstGlance is currently calling for film and both feature and short screenplay entries. Late deadline for films is April 10. Regular deadline for screenplays is May 10. Apply online through www.withoutabox.com or, for more info, visit www.firstglancefilms.com.

THE HARDACRE FILM & CINEMA FESTIVAL (HFCF) is back with a vengeance! The first independent film festival in Iowa, HFCF's selected films will screen at the classic art-deco Hardacre Theater in historic downtown Tipton, August 3-4, 2007. Filmmaker alumni praise HFCF's hospitality, atmosphere and personal touch. Most importantly, the festival answers that age-old question that continually plagues Hollywood insiders and indie producers alike: "But will it play in Iowa?" Submission deadline is June 15th, 2007. Visit www.hardacrefilmfestival.com or e- mail HFCF@tiptoniowa.us for more info.

HAYDENFILMS 3.0 FILM FESTIVAL, the world’s number one online film festival, announces the call for entries for its third season. Don’t miss your chance to win $10,000 for your short! Haydenfilms international members judge the top 50 submissions and online festival voting begins August 30, 2007. The grand prize will be presented live at their exclusive awards ceremony in January 2008. The festival is open to all independent, foreign and domestic short films 35 minutes and under including experimental, comedy, drama, animation and documentary formats. Extended deadline is July 16, 2007. Visit www.haydenfilms.com for complete entry details.

THE HEART OF GOLD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is now accepting entries for its second annual event, October 25-28, 2007 in Queensland, Australia. The festival offers $5,000 prizes for the Jury Award Best Film and the Best Australian Film, as well as many more cash and in-kind prizes. Heart of Gold is all about extraordinary, enriching and life-affirming films. Moviemakers stay in a unique filmmaker village, which was a huge hit with attendees last year. Come to the festival and enjoy Queensland's incredible Sunshine Coast. For more information, visit www.heartofgold.com.au.

One film can change the world. Will it be yours? THE HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL (October 18-26, 2007) awards $200,000 in cash prizes to filmmakers who believe movies have the power to make a positive difference. Crystal Heart Awards and cash prizes are given to feature length and short film entries in dramatic, documentary and animation categories. Student filmmakers receive Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Awards and a cash prize. Entry deadline is June 1, 2007. Entry forms are available at www.withoutabox.com or www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org.

THE INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2007. Indie Memphis features films made in the South or by Southern filmmakers, as well as films that deal with the Southern experience or themes/subjects that are particularly relevant to the South and Southerners. The 2007 Indie Memphis Film Festival will be held Friday, October 19, through Thursday, October 25. Indie Memphis features screenings of more than 80 films, a juried competition with cash awards in several categories and a variety of hands-on professional workshops and lectures conducted by panels of respected filmmakers, academics, authors and others involved with the film industry. For more information, visit www.indiememphis.com/film.htm.

THE JACKSON HOLE WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL is an unparalleled competition celebrating the world's finest wildlife, nature and environment films. Entries may be any length, originate in any format (including animation) and be fictional or non-fictional. Programs must be completed between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2007. Network with 700 media professionals from over 30 countries in a backdrop of unparalleled wild beauty during this year's festival, October 1-6. Expand your knowledge, perfect your craft, exchange and challenge ideas, develop projects and explore new technology! Submissions are due by June 1 and may be submitted online at www.jhfestival.org. Questions? E-mail info@jhfestival.org.

The fifth annual MILWAUKEE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will take place September 20-30, 2007. The festival is a showcase and competition of premier fiction and documentary films from around the globe and features the Midwest Filmmaker Competition, an annual competition for films and filmmakers from the 12-state Midwest region. Shorts and features are eligible for Jury and Audience Awards. Cash prizes will be awarded for Best Feature and Best Short. For more information, visit www.milwaukeefilmfest.org.

Take your film to a new audience! THE SIDEWALK MOVING PICTURE FESTIVAL is now accepting entries to its ninth annual film festival, September 28-30 in Birmingham, Alabama's historic theater district. The festival was named one of Time Magazine's Film Festivals for the Rest of Us and offers juried awards, cash prizes and a shindig or two. The final deadline for submissions is June 1. For info call 205/324-0888 or visit www.sidewalkfest.com.

 

 Spotlight On . . . Trinity Salon and Spa
 We Look Forward to Pampering You!















Our tranquil Asian-theme entrance welcomes you into an oasis of pure relaxation. Whether you are looking for an afternoon retreat from work or a complete day of pampering, Trinity is your first step to healing. Our services include facials, massages, manicures and pedicures, designer haircuts, colour treatments, gel/acrylic nails, slimming treatments, eyelash extension and much more. It is our goal to provide quality products and services to enhance your mind, body and beauty. Our internationally trained professionals are ready to work with you to achieve your esthetic goals. Your satisfaction is paramount at Trinity Salon & Spa. Please visit our website to learn more - We look foward to pampering you.

Trinity Salon & Spa 

 Free Stephanie Daley Promotional Screening

Hello Dear Readers,

In our last newsletter, we ran an advertisement for a special promotional screening of the Regent Releasing and Liberation Entertainment release Stephanie Daley. The film will open in Los Angeles on April 27th and in New York City on April 20th but tickets for here! Networks free promotional screening on April 24th are still available! To take advantage of this offer, RSVP to stephaniedaleythemovie@yahoo.com and make sure to check out the film and the full theatrical release schedule at www.stephaniedaley-themovie.com.

Hope you all enjoy the screening,

IFA

Stephanie Daley