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Meet The Man Behind The July 2022 Issue Of FilmCentral Magazine: Steve Stanulis

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Steve Stanulis, trailblazing actor, producer, and creative force behind Stanulis Productions Inc. and Chaos Production Inc. has appeared in several major studio movies such as ‘The Interpreter’ and ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,’ acclaimed indie films (Cupidity, Over the GW), and TV shows (The Sopranos, HBO series The Deuce). He also branched into production, starring in and producing the short films Dick & Jane and Because of You, and the award-winning feature The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch.

Originally a decorated NYPD officer, Stanulis changed his career path when he got injured on the job. After studying at Manhattan’s HB Studios, Stanulis pursued his long-standing love for films. His passion eventually led him to getting co-starring credits in Aftermath with Tony Danza and Anthony Michael Hall, Darkroom with Elizabeth Rohm, Sam, executive produced by Mel Brooks, and American Fango, winner of a dozen Best Feature awards. Stanulis also starred in and produced the comedy-drama The Networker, co-starring William Forsythe, Sean Young, and Stephen Baldwin, directed by indie icon and frequent Stanulis collaborator John Gallagher. It was released in September 2017 by Sony’s The Orchard, making three consecutive films (Sam, American Fango, The Networker) acquired by Sony companies in less than a year, a truly unique achievement.

As a producer, Stanulis founded Stanulis Productions, Inc. in 2012, with the feature film Long Shot Louie, starring Jake Robinson (The Carrie Diaries), winning Best Drama at the Williamsburg Film Festival. In 2016, he produced and starred in Say Something, co-starring Marc John Jeffries, a cautionary anti-terror drama filmed in Times Square, receiving massive media exposure and also available on Amazon Prime. He directed the feature-length musical documentary Legends of Freestyle starring Lisa Lisa and C & C Music Factory and created the pilot for the TV series The Fifth Borough, starring Cathy Moriarty, Richard Grieco, Vincent Young, Vincent Pastore, and Joseph D’Onofrio. Stanulis recently created Chaos Production Inc. and announced his first project, the horror movie Clinton Road, which he will direct, starring Ice T, Vincent Pastore, Bo Dietl, Ace Young, and Fredro Starr.

Stanulis’ creativity is inspired by his experiences as a former NYPD policeman, Chippendales dancer, and bodyguard for several A-list celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Kanye West. FilmCentral magazine recently caught up with Steve to discuss his journey in the industry, and here’s what went down:

Can you describe your journey to becoming a producer?

I always believed when I broke into this business that you have to make yourself indispensable. The thought of waiting for my agent to call or putting my destiny into someone else’s hands never sat right with me. So I decided to produce and make myself more valuable to the powers that be in the business.

What methods do you use to communicate effectively with directors, actors, crew members, and writers to discuss production details?

I always like a hands-on approach when discussing a new project I am producing. I want to share my visions with the writer, director, and most importantly, the actor. I love getting feedback on character development and like to give everyone the comfort to provide their creative input, which I believe is essential to making great content.

What do you think is the most important skill to have when producing something for television or for film?

The most important skill to have is no matter how big the production is; you’re always going to run into issues, whether it be with the cast, a location, or a food allergy. No matter the issue, never let anyone see you get flustered, and always be prepared with a plan B. I think that usually comes with experience over time.

What do you think is the most difficult task of a producer when planning a production?

The most difficult task behind the scenes is ensuring all the proper funds are not only in place but allocated accordingly. The second equally important task is scheduling your DOODS with your “Anchor” actors in place within specific time frames that coincide with your main locations.

What is the first step you take when working to secure financing?

Dealing with a studio like Lionsgate, for example. Letting them know the budget and genre and who they deem means the most, both foreign and domestic actors, to properly set your budget to assess potential earnings while mitigating risk.

How do you go about establishing deadlines for a project, and what do you do to keep it on schedule?

I am very old school in the sense that once you set a hard date for something, it makes it real and gets everyone on the team in the mindset that it’s go time!

Given the choice, would you prefer to miss a deadline to make a project perfect or meet a deadline but compromise the quality of the production?

Luckily I have never been in this situation. But if that were to happen, I would definitely miss the deadline and then compromise the integrity of the project.

Can you tell us about a time when you needed to change your style to accommodate the communication style of one of the critical members of the production team?

Every new project brings different people to the cast and crew. You are dealing with many personalities from different parts of the country. Some might not have the same mindset or do things differently. I always start off being the most professional I can be with everyone and try my best to read the room. Usually, I assess from there but if you are a professional and you treat everyone, with respect at all times I feel it goes a long way with the whole team.

What do you look for in a script when deciding whether you would like to join a project as the producer?

What I look for in a script is simple: does the genre and certain script have marketability and will it make money! Or is the topic of the script timely with what’s going on in the world today.

How do you deal with unforeseen strains on the budget and/or timetable during a production?

Like I mentioned in a prior question, I have been absolutely blessed that I have yet to go over budget. I hope next time we speak I have the same exact answer (laughs).

What projects are you working on right now?

Right now we are about to release a film called “Monica” with Emily Browning at Patricia Clarkson fall of 2022. We are working on a tv show called “Great Kills” closely with Peacock. As well as a pretty controversial documentary called “15 days with Kanye.” Those are the immediate ones n post production we are off to an amazing 2022!

The Trailer For New Horror Movie Smile Is Out And It’s Freaking People Out!

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The trailer for a new horror movie called “Smile” is out and it’s definitely scaring the heck out of everyone!

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY

Parker Finn

PRODUCED BY

Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, Robert Salerno

EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY

Adam Fishbach

STARRING

Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Caitlin Stasey with Kal Penn and Rob Morgan

Check out the trailer below:

CGA & Showcast Launch Dedicated Database For Deaf And Disabled Performers

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The Casting Guild of Australia (CGA) together with Australia’s #1 casting resource Showcast have launched a free professional tool aimed to increase the representation of Deaf and disabled performers in Australia by showcasing the pool of talent to industry professionals. The dedicated platform will be hosted on Showcast’s website and be made available to national casting directors, agents, and producers.

The new portal will host self-taped video footage of individual performers as well as a headshot and CV for industry professionals to use to cast their projects. Performers wanting to submit their details will simply need to log-in to Showcast’s portal.

An initiative of CGA’s Inclusivity Committee led by casting director, Angela Heesom, the tool was designed to widen the pool from which casting directors and directors draw their talent.

Heesom said: “We really wanted to make a difference. Not only to showcase a vibrant and talented pool of Deaf and disabled artists, but to facilitate greater inclusion and equality of representation on our screens. Stories told authentically is what audiences want to see, and our Inclusion Committee is really excited about this launch and already working on the next.”

CGA President, Thea McLeod said: “This is one of a series of CGA projects to support the equity and inclusion for all performers in the film and television industry and we’re delighted to be working with Showcast on this meaningful initiative. Together, we can highlight a breadth of Deaf and disabled performers to create further opportunities in TV, film, and on the stage. We are very excited about the talented performers this initiative will lead us to.”

Showcast Manager Kendall Phillips said: “Showcast is delighted to be partnering with the Casting Guild of Australia to help showcase Deaf and disabled performers using Showcast’s state-of-the-art technology. Showcast is passionate about inclusivity in casting and always keen to collaborate with the industry to uncover exciting new talent.”

Actor, filmmaker, and dancer Daniel Monks said: “As a disabled actor, I find CGA and Showcast’s new database dedicated to increasing the representation of Deaf and disabled performers in Australia incredibly heartening. Inclusion and accessibility within our industry is a necessity, and I heartily encourage any interested Deaf and disabled performers to utilise this important initiative.”

For more information, please visit www.castingguild.com.au.

In Pictures: Smartphone Filmmaking Class by SF3 and WIFT NSW

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This Smartphone filmmaking class was presented by Angela Blake and Megan Riakos.

Angela Blake is a Sydney girl who grew up dancing, singing, and acting from the age of four. The last few years have seen her working as an actor primarily in television. TV credits include the recurring role of Duty Nurse on Season 6 of Channel 7 and Foxtel’s, A Place To Call Home, Love Child Season 1, Top of the Lake Season 2, and Deadly Women Season’s 9 & 10.

She has worked as a performer on stages all over the world for companies including Princess Cruise Lines, M.E.I., The Entertainment Store, and many others. She lived in LA from 2010-2012, graduating from The New York Film Academy’s Acting for Screen Program. She then went on to shoot countless shorts and web series, many touring the festival circuit. She has also worked extensively in theatre and her credits include: The Silence Came, Love Game, Surprises, The Odyssey, The Crucible, The Silence Came, Popesical-The Musical and the Off-Broadway Production of Sex, Relationships and Sometimes Love in NY.

As a director, Angela’s first play was Eating Out, which she also co-wrote and produced in LA. Since then she has won the Wildcards and Audience Favourite Award for the short play Weeing on a Stick at the 2012 Short and Sweet Festival. She worked with writer, Adele Shelley to turn this into a film. In 2015 she directed her very first Shakespeare, Romeo, and Juliet, for Sydney Classic Theatre Company and she was also Assistant Director for the immersive theatre company, Mongrel Mouth’s The Age of Entitlement and co-wrote and acted in Like Me. in 2019, she directed the comedy short, Upsold, which is currently on the festival circuit and has won numerous awards.

Angela also has her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Journalism and is in the development phase for her first feature film, Burnu, plus a stack of shorts she plans to shoot on her iPhone! In 2016, her 1 minute iPhone film, The Circle Game, was a finalist in the Mobile Film Festival in Paris, the Miniature Film Festival in Vancouver, and the Flash Film Festival in Berlin, and it just won Best SmartPhone Film at the Buddha International Film Festival in India. Since then her smartphone short films have played in many festivals around the world including MINA, the Dublin International Smartphone Film Festival, and more.

Angela Co-Founded the smartphone film festival, SF3 – the SmartFone Flick Fest, with Ali Crew in 2015 and since then they have received thousands of entries, hosted countless workshops, and inspired a new generation of filmmakers the world over, especially in their home of Australia. SF3’s Ambassadors include Phillip Noyce, Kriv Stenders, Kerry Armstrong, Stan Grant, and more. SF3 has been included in the American Express Festivals to Travel To List (alongside festivals such as Cannes and Sundance), the World’s Best Smartphone Film Festivals List, and the Australian Traveller Magazine’s Most Unique Festivals in Australia list.

As an actor, she has also shot ads for Elgas, Keystart, Queensland Bananas, and Verizon Wireless.

Megan Riakos is a dynamic filmmaker bringing a distinctive female lens to the world of genre filmmaking. Her debut feature as writer/director/producer of the thriller Crushed received strong reviews with The Australian calling it “a tense, bloody mystery thriller”, and The Hollywood Reporter labelling it “A solid debut.” Crushed completed a successful festival run before a strong limited theatrical release in Australia and acquisitions by channel 10 and Qantas. Megan’s next feature-length project was as creator and producer of Australia’s first female horror anthology Dark Whispers – Volume 1 in which she wrote and directed the wraparound segment. Dark Whispers is currently screening on SBS On Demand. Megan was also brought on to write and direct an episode of Deadhouse Dark currently streaming on Shudder, for which she was nominated for an Australian Directors’ Guild Award.

Her screenplays have also garnered acclaim. Her mystery period feature The Last Reprieve was awarded the Grand Prize in the Greater Philadelphia SIP Screenplay competition. Her political drama Victory and Defeat made the semi-finals in the Final Draft Big Break Competition and was shortlisted for the Nate Wilson Award at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

Megan compliments her filmmaking with her advocacy for gender equality. She is the co-founder of the Not-For-Profit organisation Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Australia and merges these two fields of creativity and advocacy via her company Hemlock & Cedar Films, which focuses on amplifying female voices.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Media Arts & Production) at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), has a Graduate Diploma in Directing at the prestigious Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), and has also completed the Professional Screenwriters Program at UCLA.

In their last workshop, Angela Blake and Megan Riakos taught some very useful techniques on how to utilise and shoot professional films and content on your smartphones. SF3 is now the world’s biggest smartphone film festival and co-founder and director, Angela Blake provided some very useful tips and techniques on how to shoot on your phone. Megan Riakos, an award-winning director/writer/producer has been on the SF3 judging panel since its inception and has made a swathe of incredible films. Megan guided everyone not only on how to craft an award-winning film yourself but also on what to do with it once it’s completed and how to achieve film festival success and get on the streaming networks.

SF3 is one of the most respected smartphone film festivals in the world, attracting filmmakers of all ages and levels from across the globe. All entries are shot entirely on smartphones or tablets, forging an accessible and affordable entry platform into the film industry.

The Trailer for ‘Falling for Figaro’ Starring Danielle Macdonald Has Just Been Released

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Falling for Figaro is a romantic comedy set in the brutal world of opera singing competitions. The story unfolds in the tiny Scottish village of Drumbuchan, the home of Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop, a fearsome singing teacher who believes that only with a broken heart can you really learn how to sing. Preparing her two students, Max and Millie, for the same competition, Meghan manipulates their love lives to get the best performance out of them.

DIRECTED BY: Ben Lewin

WRITTEN BY: Ben Lewin, Allen Palmer

PRODUCED BY: Philip Wade, Judi Levine, Arabella Page Croft

EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Timothy White, John Wade, Sonja Armstrong, Charles Hannah

CAST: Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald, Hugh Skinner, Gary Lewis, Shazad Latif, Rebecca Benson.

Check out the trailer below:

The Trailer And Poster For 20th Century Studios’ Action-Thriller “Prey” Is Here

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Check out the intense new trailer for “Prey,” an all-new action-thriller from 20th Century Studios directed by Dan Trachtenberg (“The Boys,” “10 Cloverfield Lane”). The newest entry in the “Predator” franchise, “Prey” will stream August 5, 2022, on Disney+ under the Star banner. Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, “Prey” is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries. “Prey” is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, written by Patrick Aison (“Jack Ryan,” “Treadstone”), and produced by John Davis (“Jungle Cruise,” “The Predator”), Jhane Myers (“Monsters of God”), and Marty Ewing (“It: Chapter Two”), with Lawrence Gordon (“Watchmen”), Ben Rosenblatt (“Snowpiercer”), James E. Thomas, John C. Thomas and Marc Toberoff (“Fantasy Island”) serving as executive producers.  The filmmakers were committed to creating a film that provides an accurate portrayal of the Comanche and brings a level of authenticity that rings true to its Indigenous peoples. As a result, the film features a Native Comanche producer (Myers), and a cast comprised almost entirely of Native and First Nation’s talent, including Amber Midthunder (“The Ice Road,” “Roswell, New Mexico”), newcomer Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp (“Sooyii”), Michelle Thrush (“The Journey Home”) and Julian Black Antelope (“Tribal”). The movie also stars Dane DiLiegro (“American Horror Stories”) as the Predator.

Red Carpet Rundown: “The Twelve” In Ritz Cinemas

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Foxtel recently held a red carpet launch for the premiere of its new Australian drama series, The Twelve ahead of the show airing on June 21. Members of the cast joined Foxtel executives, media personalities, influencers, and journalists including our very own Yolandi Franken, Andy Trieu, and Genevieve Craig at Ritz Cinemas for the screening.

The 10-part courtroom drama starring Sam Neill (Jurassic World: Dominion, Thor: Love and Thunder, Palm Beach), Marta Dusseldorp (Wentworth, Stateless, A Place to Call Home), and Kate Mulvany (Fighting Season, Lambs of God, Hunters). It revolves around the story of 12 ordinary Aussies who are selected for jury duty in a murder trial, in which a woman stands accused of killing her teenage niece.

The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson Movie Review: A Reimagining Of An Australian Classic

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Rob Collins, Bain Stewart, Leah Purcell, Greer Simpkin, and David Jowsey at THE DROVERS WIFE Red Carpet Gala Screening

For every Australian, the name Henry Lawson is a familiar fella. He was a renowned bush poet who penned the Drover’s wife- a nine paged short story of a fierce and protective mother defending her homestead in the bush from an intruder. The short story was published in 1892 Australia, and it needs an overdue makeover and reimagining for mo `dern audiences. 

In comes Leah Purcell, who to Herny Lawson’s Drover wife and reimagined in a post-colonial, indigenous feminist tale of Molly Johnson. Lawson’s original short story stayed with Leah since she was a little girl. 

“When I was five years old, my mother read the original 9-page Drover’s wife story by Henry Lawson; I could imagine myself in the story as the little boy as the protector of the story,” Purcell recalled when asked where she sourced her inspiration. 

The 9-page classic resonated with her as she was from a droving family, and they lived on the outskirts of a small country town. 

“My mother taught me how to split a log and stack a wood heat so the snakes wouldn’t get under, and it was all stuff that reverberated to the original story of the Drover’s wife. As a five-year-old, my imagination went wild, and I saw myself in the story.” 

 The short story was so profound that she adapted her reimagined tale for the third time, from a book to play and now to a cinematic masterpiece that premiered at the Randwick Ritz last month.

The film centres around Molly Johson (Leah Purcell), the eponymous Drover’s wife who is heavily pregnant, encounters an indigenous man, Yadaka (Rob Collins), who is on the run from police as he was a suspected murderer. At first, Molly Johnson was startled by the stranger. Then, however, she slowly unlocks her heritage’s secrets through spending time with Yadaka.

The central relationship between Yadaka and Molly was captivating. Originally, it refers to the “Stray black fellow” in the original and is described to be a “liar” and “cheat.” Purcell restores humanity in her reiteration of the classic. 

Initially, Molly was skeptical upon the arrival of Yadaka, warning the fugitive – “Cross me, and I’ll kill you.” However, she airs on the side of caution before helping him with his shackles once she witnesses that Yadaka teaches her eldest son, Danny (Malachi Dower-Roberts), how to use a spear properly. 

Yadaka also was the person who opened Molly’s eyes to her indigenous heritage and illuminated a part of her that was left dormant for years.

Yadaka later confides to Molly that the only crime he ever committed was “existing while Black.” when questioned why he was on the run from the law – circling back to the ugly racial politics that colonial Australia built on still subtly exists in modern Australia. 

The film continues to build on the legacy of unjust violence – not just against indigenous Australians but domestic violence. Later in the film, it implies that Molly was the prime suspect in her husband’s disappearance. However, the film also implies that the Drover was violent and a cheater and inflicted alot of danger on her and her children. Yet, due to their fierce devotion to her children and her motivation to protect herself, she did the unthinkable. 

Again, this resonates back to the MeToo movement where victims of sexual abuse and assault, who happen to be the majority of women, were never heard and how society sides with the perpetrators who happens to the majority of men.

The film is a cinematic tale of unrelenting feminist strength and highlights the legacy of violence that built colonial Australia. Interweaving elements of her indigenous roots and putting herself in a well-known Australian classic, Purcell has successfully “flipped the scripted” and turned it on its head. 

Disney+ Releases Trailer And Key Art For “Rise”

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Disney+ has released the trailer, key art, and images for “Rise,” based on the triumphant real-life story about the remarkable family that gave the world the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league – Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Laker Kostas Antetokounmpo, and their younger brother Alex. The film will debut on June 24 exclusively on Disney+. Audiences have never seen a story like that of the Antetokounmpos. After emigrating from Nigeria to Greece, Charles and Vera Antetokounmpo (Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki, respectively) struggled to survive and provide for their five children, while living under the daily threat of deportation. With their oldest son still in Nigeria with relatives, the couple were desperate to obtain Greek citizenship but found themselves undermined by a system that blocked them at every turn. When they weren’t selling items to tourists on the streets of Athens with the rest of the family, the brothers – Giannis (Uche Agada) and Thanasis (Ral Agada) – would play basketball with a local youth team. Latecomers to the sport, they discovered their great abilities on the basketball court and worked hard to become world class athletes, along with brother, Kostas (Jaden Osimuwa). With the help of an agent, Giannis entered the NBA Draft in 2013 in a long shot prospect that would change not only his life but the life of his entire family. And last season, Giannis and Thanasis helped bring the Milwaukee Bucks their first championship ring in 50 years, while Kostas played for the previous season champs, the Los Angeles Lakers. “Rise” stars Dayo Okeniyi, Yetide Badaki, Manish Dayal, Taylor Nichols, introducing Ral Agada and introducing Uche Agada. The film was directed by Akin Omotoso (“Vaya”), written by Arash Amel (“A Private War”) and produced by Bernie Goldmann (“300”). Giannis Antetokounmpo and Douglas S. Jones served as the executive producers.

The trailer for Searchlight Pictures’ ‘The Menu’ with Ralph Fiennes has just dropped

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The trailer for the upcoming The Menu is here, which will be released by Searchlight Pictures later this year. Ralph Fiennes leads the cast of the film, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult.

Synopsis: A couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises. 

Directed by: Mark Mylod

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Judith Light, Reed Birney, Paul Adelstein, Aimee Carrero, Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr, Rob Yang, and John Leguizamo

Written by: Seth Reiss and Will Tracy

Produced by: Adam McKay, Betsy Koch

Check out the trailer below: