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7-02-08 Rock Musician, Producer and thrill seeker, Rick Bustamante offers a refreshing alternative to what we are seeing in Rock,Pop and Hip Hop today.
Classically trained on piano and voice as a child, Rick hit the road after graduation, immersing himself in the NJ/NY Hardcore punk scene, with
FOE, sharing the stage with such punk acts as The X-men, Faith No More, Agnostic Front, TSOL and Suicidal Tendencies. His studio located For booking Studio BUSTO or contact information call, 862-377-8251, www.myspace.com/bustamanteproductions |
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06-29-08 Bitter John (real name John Hunt, also known as DJ Magnum) is a down-tempo/electro producer and house music Disc Jockey from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Bitter John was born on 20 February 1979 in Glenridge, New Jersey. He grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, and while in high school he played guitar in a local band called Live@Rangers. It was while attending Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania in the late 1990’s that he began to develop an interest in house music and DJ culture, most notably as a result of the popular impact of such noted luminaries of the latter-day DJing art as Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, Daft Punk, the Chemical Brothers, Darrell Kingston, Miguel Migs, Electron-X, DJ Tiesto, Sasha and DJ Icey. His first album, Stop Asking, was self-produced in 2000 and acquired some notoriety, with the track “Astral Projection” being debuted at the famous club Tunnel in New York City. After graduating with a degree in music in 2001, Bitter John traveled to Northern California, where he settled in for several years. It was during this West Coast exodus that his second album A Deeper Meaning was released. Performances under the nom de musique DJ Magnum ensued throughout the Bay Area (most notably Club Elle in San Francisco), which resulted in four mix albums, House Work and The Summer Mix – the latter featuring a well-received remix of “The Look” by Roxette, 357- which included an original remix of “In My Arms”, and Revolver. The long awaited mix album, Pure, is due out in early-summer of 2008. In 2006 Bitter John moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania where he currently resides. A third album, Fifty Feet Deep, was released in 2004. Recently a fourth album, Situations, was released in late 2007. For information on Bitter John visit, http://www.myspace.com/bitterjohn
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6-26-08 For almost two months now, we have been experimenting with a new piece of equipment that has allowed us to get really creative and inventive with our camera work. We have abandoned our tripod almost exclusively, opting for more frenetic, mobile and sometimes crazy camera movements thanks to the Frezzi Stable Grip. The Stable Grip is “a unique hand stabilizer that can attach to any Mini DV or HD camera and can help provide a more steady, smooth and stable shot.” It has become an invaluable aspect of our ever-evolving style, allowing us to focus more on capturing our actors organically or “in the moment,” without the time-consuming repositioning of the tripod. We are free to move around the action virtually hassle-free in exciting and innovative fashions. This new, liberating way of shooting has definitely elevated the tension and pace of our scenes, bringing forth this very interesting new style and with it a boundless pool of creativity. For more information on the Frezzi Stable Grip, visit www.frezzi.com. An image of the Stable Grip can be seen here: http://www.frezzi.com/images/hi_rez/p7_i4.jpg. |
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06-25-08 Here is the fourth clip that you may view from the film "Fight the Panda Syndicate" in which the character of Diego DeCastilhos is in pursuit of Jim, G, Artie and Rachel in an attempt to help them escape from the Beaver Creek complex. Diego breaks cover directly after this scene when he catches up with our heroes, explaining that he has been in deep cover with the Panda Syndicate for a long time. As you may have seen in CLIP #2, he is then taken captive by Victoria and Mitternacht for his betrayal. To find out what happens to Diego, you will just have to watch the movie and see for yourself! |
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06-22-08 Yet another massive transitional weekend comes to a close with some amazing additions to the list of scenes that we have wrapped for "Fight the Panda Syndicate." This past weekend, we filmed more scenes that enhanced Rachel Gehret's rescue at the Sheraton Crossroads Hotel in Mahwah, scenes that expanded the character of Ian Redgrave with our newest cast member Carson Grant, scenes in which Governor Bedford motivated the troops for an all out assault on the Beaver Creek Complex and in which FBI Agent Emily Aragon stood poised to reveal more about the Panda Syndicate than ever before. This weekend was full of excitement as expert cameraman, editor and dear friend Chris Sendrowski, Director of "Down that Road and Back," was on set to assist us in capturing some steadicam movement as Jim, G, Artie and Rachel raced through the bowels of the fortress and were consequently trapped at a dead end. We continued to follow our heroes as they were confronted by Brazilian Agent Diego DeCasthilos, who offered his help in their time of need. Our camp also grew in number this weekend, as we were blessed with the arrival of a crew of motorcyclists, friends of our own heroic Tommy, who joined the fight against the Panda Syndicate and followed Governor Bedford into battle. We were also joined again by our friends Matt Messano and Bryan Thompson of LOST SOUL ENTERTAINMENT, who provided us with a SWAT truck and two police cars for Governor Bedford's team. Special thanks to everyone involved! This was a very special weekend for all of us. With only a few key scenes remaining, we expect that production for this film will wrap soon. |
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Now that filming for "Fight the Panda Syndicate" has nearly wrapped, we have started to put together our promotional materials. You may view a copy of our evolving press kit by clicking on its cover page to the left of this entry. The press kit will undoubtedly grow in the coming months to include a completed budget summary and some additional pictures from our upcoming shoots, so check back i fyou are interested in seeing how it changes with time.
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06-13-08 We have a number of extremely talented musicians contributing to the soundtrack of "Fight the Panda Syndicate," ranging from dance to hip hop to neoclassical theme. One of whom is Glen Gabriel, who has composed our opening theme and some of our epic battle themes. "Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Glen began his musical career as a self-taught pianist. Being classically trained and orchestrating his own music, Glen has released 2 albums and scored independent films, major commercials, poetry and company logo music etc., since 2005. His orchestrations has also been used with other genres of music for songs from the American Hard rock singer Tony Harnell and the successful Swedish Industrial Rock band Lizette &. For more information, you may visit Glen's page at www.glengabriel.com or his myspace page at www.myspace.com/glengabriel. We are very fortunate to have Glen with us on this project and look forward to many future projects with him. |
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You may visit Carson's website at www.carsongrant.com. |
06-11-08 Carson Grant (Actor/Director) studied acting during the 1970’s with Lee Strasberg and has created character roles in over 300 films. His recent films include “The House Is Burning” (Cannes Film Festival); “Liars and Lunatics”, “Dead Serious”, "Blood Rails" and “LogJam”. Among his most fortunate moments is his romantic kiss with Christina Ricci in Woody Allen's “Anything Else” as Ron Keller, Acting teacher. In FTPS, Ian Redgrave is a professor of anthropology with Northern State University, an associate of Rachel Gehret and an "Uncle" to Jim Reeder. Having come into possession of Xiongmao's Medallion through Rachel Gehret, Professor Redgrave has sought to ascertain its intrinsic value by contacting a number of his associates in Great Britain about the artifact. Professor Redgrave informs Rachel Gehret that the medallion is Chinese in origin from the Sui Dynasty by way of certain markings on the back. We are very excited to have a seasoned actor like Grant lend his talents to our production and look forward to further updates on his involvement in "Fight the Panda Syndicate." |
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06-07-08 Over the past few weeks, our cast and crew have had a number of transitional moments, which we have not only endured but as a result of which we have excelled. We returned to NINJA, NY, this time accompanied by the members of Friction Broadcast, where we completed some complicated sequences that we set out to film early on in the project, including Rachel Gehret's rescue from Xinogmao, Victoria's entrance into the story, some intense yet comical moments between Renard and his sleazy attorney Davonsport. Jim and G demonstrated their mettle in some hand-to-hand combat scenes conceived and choreographed by Ace Laluces and Antonio San Miguel while Tommy, Artie and Cakes were on hand to provide hijinks and hilarity. We shot scenes with Artie Bannister and the boys on the road in Artie's Car, a 1956 Bel Air, throughout downtown Pompton Lakes and a number of other towns, which was rented to us by our good friends Matt Holmes and Bryan Thompson of: Special thanks to the Mayor, Council, Borough Clerk and Police Department of Pompton Lakes for their thoughtful consideration of our project! We even reshot some scenes dating back to Summer 2007, giving them a new look and some frantic camerawork to heighten the tensions. All in all, things are shaping up nicely. With less than ten additional days of shooting left on "Fight the Panda Syndicate," we just want to thank everyone who made these past few shoots some of our most successful and productive yet. |
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05-05-08
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05-03-08 Our friends of Friction Broadcast have a big Industry Showcase at The Bitter End on May 3. This is a huge opportunity for the band, It has been reccomend that you get to the Bitter End a little earlier, maybe around 1130 or midnight. They will be polling at the door, so everyone who does attend needs to tell the door that you are there to see Friction Broadcast!
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Here is the address:
The Bitter End CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE: www.frictionbroadcast.com
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04-27-08 On April 27, almost a year after our initial shoot at Hansil's Bar & Grill in Oakland, NJ, we had a very special reunion shoot for one of our most entertaining shoots ever. The first time we visited Hansil's, our team left with some invaluable unexpected footage wherein Artie met Tommy, Keith, Bob, Oliver, Jonathan Jim, Mr. Hansil and the rest of the "Secure Location Bar" Gang! This time, we were joined by many of our original actors but also by members of Flip the Bird, to tie in their performance to Artie's brawl in the "Secure Location Bar." There certainly was an element of magic in the air, for all the boys got right back into character with their own rowdy rendition of a timeless and classic drinking song and did not fail to raise the roof with their comic hijinks! Hansil's Tavern & Grill 7 Ramapo Valley Road Oakland, NJ 07436
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03-15-08 Our cast and crew converged on the scene at 8:30am and spent all day shooting action sequences in a machine shop and manufacturing facility. It was decided that Xiongmao's fortress should have some kind of manufacturing plant as a part his Jian Chi Trading Company, being that he is hellbent on world domination and would likely be in the business of arms production. This shoot involved scenes taking place at Xiongmao's fortress, including a scene where Rachel Gehret escapes captivity and then is recaptured by Victoria, scenes from the final battle in which all of our heroes stormed the complex, and a daring rescue attempt carried out by Agent Dixon, Jim, G and Artie after making their way through the forest and intot he complex. The first picture is a screenshot of Rachel Gehret as she is witnessing the resurrection of Commander Mitternacht by Xiongmao and about to be recaptured by Victoria (seen in the background). The second picture is a screenshot of Artie Bannister, followed by the members of FLIP THE BIRD as they approach a rear entrance to the complex - READY FOR BATTLE! The third picture is a picture of our heroes (Jim, G, Dixon and Artie), sneaking across the machine shop floor as they narrowly avoid a group of ninjas on their way to rescue Ms. Gehret. Little do they know, that they are being watched via closed circuit television monitors by Diego deCasthillos, a Brazilian double agent who works for Xiongmao, but who is ultimately working for the Brazilian government to help stop the Panda Syndicate. Special thanks to all our cast and crew, Gerson Feiner of P. Feiner and Sons, Inc. and, especially, our ninja crew for making this shoot so fantastic!
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02-24-08 Decorated to look like a mountainside village in Japan, when you visit NINJA, NY you will be getting one of the most entertaining dining experiences out there. When our associates first visited NINJA, NY, we were astounded by their food and extremely pleased with the superior level of service. The decor is what attracted our eyes to the venue for "Fight the Panda Syndicate." If you are courageous enough to board the elevator at NINJA, NY and brave their NINJA tunnel on your way to the dining area, you will find yourself in what we decided would look perfect as Xiongmao's inner sanctum, a place within the heart of his fortress at Beaver Creek, where he could conduct business and meditate on his plans. So, while we were at NINJA, NY, we shot scenes involving the final battle and the storming of the Beaver Creek complex, a daring rescue and some additional footage of Xiongmao and his crew hard at work. We could not possibly recommend NINJA, NY Higher to a fan of Japanese cuisine. Special thanks to our new friends! You may visit NINJA, NY's website at the following Internet address: www.ninjanewyork.com. |
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01-14-08 Last month we were honored not only by the presence of King Kong Bundy, but to be able to shoot in a very special location, Lola's Tattoo's in Bogota, NJ. The crew at Lola's are among the most pleasant people we have encountered to date in our quest to make "Fight the Panda Syndicate" a reality. We are forever in their debt for their kindness and for hosting our shoot. Lola's is advertized as a place for "enjoyment, fun and art," and it certainly delivered all of those things. With an atmosphere that is more like that of a family at home, the staff at Lola's gave us an unforgettable experience. We recommend them to anyone and everyone! |
You may visit Lola's Tattoo's website at the following Internet address: |
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12-19-07 Here is the third clip that you may view from the film "Fight the Panda Syndicate" in which the character of Artie Bannister is taken down by a special agent with the FBI while at Renard's club looking for more information about the Panda Syndicate. This is only one of many angles that will eventually come together in a sequence, making the arrest of Artie and his friends Jim & G.
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12-16-07 This past weekend, we shot scenes taking place at a club owned by the character Renard in Fight the Panda Syndicate. In this sequence, our heroes (Jim, G & Artie) hit up Renard, demanding more information about the organization that has turned their lives upside down. And, to make matters worse, they must first get through the maniacal Otto Belmar, played by none other than King Kong Bundy himself. In an unparalleled weekend of accomplishment, our associates learned that Renard is a force to be reckoned with and that Otto Belmar is the King!
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12-14-07 Here is the second clip that you may view from the film "Fight the Panda Syndicate" in which the character of Diego DeCastilhos has been caught in the act of assisting the heroic Jim, G, Artie and Rachel in their escape from the Beaver Creek complex. As his character profile suggests, Diego is an undercover Brazilian agent, working to rid the world of the likes of Xiongmao and the rest of the Panda Syndicate. Toward the end of this clip, you will see the appearance of Commmander Mitternacht as well. This clip has not yet been given any audio or visual effects treatment. You will need a newer version of Quicktime to view this clip. ENJOY! |
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11-27-07 For those of you who feel that we have been dormant in the past two months, we thought we would share some screenshots of what we have been up to. With time, some of the darker scenes in this film are starting to take life and the villains are becoming much more prevalent in our rough cut. In September and October, we shot scenes with Renard, Mitternacht and Victoria. In particular, we shot an argument, setting up the relationship between Victoria and Renard (a terrible twosome to be sure) and a widening gap of understanding that ultimately leads to the downfall of their relationship and creates dissention in Xiongmao's ranks. Our editors have been hard at work to bring this scene to life and have had great success thus far in their efforts. It is a complex sequence, in that it involves not only the arguement between Victoria and Renard, but action shots of the heroes and their plotline as they make their way into Renard's club to question him about the Panda Syndicate. Further in October, we finished off a large sequence of the film revolving around Rachel Gehret's rescue from the Beaver Creek complex, leaving only one or two shots unaccounted for in a sequence of scenes that spans thirteen of the film's 50 scenes. In November, we picked up again with our FBI Panda Syndicate task force, a group of highly trained specialists working on bringing Xiongmao and his minions to justice. The introduction of this FBI task force is an important one, because it helps to set up counter-terrorist and counter-intelligence themes that will run throughout the film, making it much more evident to the audience that the Panda Syndicate, as Agent Dixon advises, are everywhere and into everything. Again, the completion of these scenes drops a large piece to the puzzle into place and will allow us to edit another large block of the film consisting of five scenes, bigger pieces of which are coming together each and every day. As the character of FBI Agent Aaron Bloom states in the film when discussing Xiongmao's Jian Chi Trading Company (the source of his wealth), the Panda Syndicate is a "phantom corporation the likes of which we have never seen before!" In the film, Agent Bloom has a conversation with the director of the Panda Syndicate counter-terrorist team, Agent Tom Silver, who assures Bloom that although their team is weary and overloaded, they remain uncompromised, suggesting that if they brought in much needed relief and/or reinforcements, they would be looking at a number of potential security problems. As we gear up to finish off production of Fight the Panda Syndicate, we are all looking back with fond memories of the year in our lives that we have spent making this movie and forward to both wrapping the project and moving on. With changes in the weather, it will be impossible to finish exterior shots before next Spring, but we are still looking toward our July, 2008 completion as scheduled.
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10-01-2007 We have two very special shows coming
up for our friends in "Flip the Bird." They are promoting
the hell out of "Fight the Panda Syndicate" wherever they
go, and I thought I would invite you to join us in supporting them!
They are a FANTASTIC band. If you want to check them out, go to http://www.myspace.com/ftbband. |
Here is the
info: |
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08-28-2007 This past weekend, the cast and crew of Fight the Panda Syndicate roughed it for two days as we shot more action and suspenseful transitional shots for our film, stopping along the way to capture a touching scene between Artie and Amanda Bannister, a significant moment between Jim Reeder and Agent Aragon and Rachel Gehret's rescue from the clutches of Xiongmao. It was a weekend of vans, cars, mountain climbing, hatchet-wielding insanity! Special thanks must go out to all of those who made this very special weekend a reality. The scene in which our heroes approach Beaver Creek has been one of the most highly anticipated shoots in the entire run of production, with some shots that were planned over a year ago. No one can possibly say now that we are not ready and willing to climb mountains to achieve our goals!
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07-30-2007 After the smoke cleared and the final battle had been waged on the third floor of a warehouse somewhere in New Jersey, both cast and crew alike were taxed physically and mentally. Jim fought Xiongmao, Kazimierz Yonac fought the villainous Commander Mitternacht, Tommy and the Boys knocked the shit out of whatever Ninjas Artie Bannister didn't blow away with his AK-47, the members of Flip the Bird went head-to-head with Victoria, G smashed a few heads in with his flute, Agent Aragon ran Tony Montana style through shot after shot, and much much more. Throughout the course of the weekend, our production team filmed portions of ten different scenes, including the majority of the final battle itself, which puts our film at 80% complete. Scheduling was tight, timing was tricky, actors and crew alike converged on the set from six different states, and we accomplished the majority of what we set out to do. Now that we are finishing up the bulk of our shoot and we only have 5 big shooting days left before we wrap the majority of filming for Fight the Panda Syndicate, things are really starting to come together. To the left, you may see pictures of first Jim and then G engaging in combat. On the bottom, you see Victoria, preparing to fight Tim Trojan of Flip the Bird!
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06-24-2007 Things are really heating up here for the ever-growing clan of the Panda Syndicate. On Sunday, June 24, 2007, while cast and crew were filming a scene for Renard's club at Snitch (the best bar in New York City) with our two favorite bands in the world (Flip the Bird and P.T. Grimm), "Fight the Panda Syndicate" was featured on a show called Real Talk on My9 Channel 9 throughout the tri state area! Clips and behind-the-scenes photos were shown, along with an interview with Director Jason J. Dale about the project conducted by Jennifer Jordan of Channel 9. While on location at Snitch, scenes were filmed in which the three main heroes of the film (Jim, G & Artie) were immersed into the dark and decadent world of the Panda Syndicate by way of a club owned and operated by the characters Renard and Victoria L'Orain-Arc. Also to be featured in the scene was King Kong Bundy, who could not attend the shoot this past Sunday, but who will be in attendance at a future shoot at the same location. Our cast and crew highly recommend Snitch to anyone with a soul full of Rock N Roll and a taste for adventure. You may visit Snitch's website at: www.snitchbar.com. Having completed the majority of filming at Snitch, a very significant piece to the puzzle that is "Fight the Panda Syndicate" has fallen into place. On behalf of the cast and crew, we would like to extend our special thanks to Peter James and the rest of the staff at Snitch for their enthusiastic assistance and their brilliant improvisational performances in our film. The world of the Panda Syndicate deepens with the birth of each new colorful supporting character, some of whom provide guidance to our heroes while others work to impede their progress.
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06-16-07 On the run from the Panda Syndicate, the state police and Renard's minions ... and after an excursion to Xiongmao's Beaver Creek fortress, the heroes of Fight the Panda Syndicate find themselves in the custody of the State Police. To the right, you will see them poised for an argument, not knowing what to do next. |
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05-31-2007 Production design is moving full steam ahead with plans for Xiongmao's throne room in "Fight the Panda Syndicate." As envisioned by its director and Danielle Gardner jointly, this set will be constructed in Lakewood, New Jersey at an historic theatre known as The Strand. According to their website: "The famous theater architect Thomas Lamb was commissioned in the early 1900s by the Ferber Amusement Company to design a theater in Lakewood, New Jersey. The vision for the theater was not only to provide an aesthetically appealing venue, but also one that would encourage Broadway producers to utilize it as a tryout theater before moving their shows to Broadway... Today, the Strand is known as one of the best acoustical theaters in the nation." We will be filming all of the scenes that take place at Xiongmao's Fortress in the end of July, 2007. |
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05-30-2007 We are proud to announce that none other than King Kong Bundy has joined the cast of "Fight the Panda Syndicate." Bundy will be playing a character by the name of Otto Belmar in the Panda Syndicate. Otto is the best friend, confidant and bodyguard to Renard, sleazy club owner and general in the army of the Panda Syndicate, Otto has always had a bad streak in him. After a few wild weeks in Bucharest, Otto was apprehended by local authorities for a major disturbance of the peace when he overturned a bus filled with passengers, and he was imprisoned for possession of "illegal narcotics." It was in this prison that he met Renard who took a immediate liking to the extremely wild Otto Belmar. After these two maniacal men to teamed up to break out of prison, they began a life of crime that would make even the most volatile of villains blush. Otto is a man of many connections. As Renard's materials man, Otto has often been called upon to arrange the appropriation of a variety of different items, ranging from jet planes to chemical explosives. A one-man, evil A-Team, Otto is always prepared for the worst-case-scenario and he is delighted it "when a plan comes together."
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04-20-2007 Representatives from Crazy Elk Production Studios, LLC participated in a night of research with the Northern New Jersey Paranormal Research Group (NNJPRG) in Wyckoff, NJ. Crazy Elk Production Studios, LLC will be assisting with a documentary based upon the group's research techniques and findings throughout the area. The NNJPRG is "a group of investigators who specialize in researching hauntings and other paranormal phenomenon in the Tri-State area (New Jersey, New York & Pennsylvania)." You can find out more information about their group at their website, which may be accessed via the following URL: http://www.nnjpr.org/ |
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03-18-2007 Today, Crazy Elk Production Studios, LLC shot an incredibly successful scene at Hansil's Bar & Grill, which is located at 7 Ramapo Valley Road in Oakland, NJ. We would recommend Hansil's to anyone who is looking to take a load off, throw back a few beers (responsibly of course) and have a great bite to eat. The owner, Steven Hansil, is an absolute gentleman and is onhand at all times to ensure the quality of service. Our production team owes Mr. Hansil many thanks for his thoughtful contributions to our film. The scene that was filmed at Hansil's involves the character of Artie Bannister - the anti-hero of the film. After a narrow escape from FBI custody, the heroes of our film (Jim, G & Artie) make their way to a "Secure Location," which turns out to be a bar. Puzzled by this strange misinformation, Agent Stratford Dixon, an ambiguous character whose alignment is unknown but who seems to be helping our heroes in their quest to defeat the Panda Syndicate, tries to think of another place that the characters can stay under the radar for a while (a tall order if you consider that the FBI, the State Police, and the Panda Syndicate are all out to find Jim, G & Artie). When it is discovered that their "Secure Location" is, in fact, a bar that is marked as "A Secure Location Since 1977," Artie decides that the he is going inside for a drink, whether his comrades agree with him or not. Upon entering the "Secure Location Bar," Artie finds that he is among a group of individuals who are as tough as they come and who lack the patience to deal with his rude, anxious and often neurotic attitude. Artie discovers that this bar does indeed live up to its name and that the gentlemen holding down the "Secure Location Bar" are truly a force to be reckoned with. Special thanks to Glenn McClure, Melissa Pflugh, Tommy Breen, Keith Hale, Jim Guinn, Robert (Bob) Lancaster, J. Oliver Plunkett, Dave Baron, Courtney Martin, Jonathan Sarofeen, Virginia Betz, Kurt Betz and Steve Hansil for making this scene one of the most memorable in our endeavors thus far. |
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03-06-2007
Crazy Elk Production Studios, LLC made official headlines this past Sunday. "Fight the Panda Syndicate" hit the front page of the entertainment section of Bergen County's own Bergen Record. Bergen County has seventy municipalities spread out over 246 square miles and is home to a diverse population as situated directly across the Hudson River from New York City, rapidly approaching one million residents, making the distribution of The Record itself outstanding. If you are interested in reading the article entitled "Indie Filmaker's Dream," you may view it HERE. The article places heavy focus on the direction of "Fight the Panda Syndicate," and we would like to take this moment to recognize how important it is to remember that this movie would not be possible without the combined efforts of each and every one of its cast and production team.
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02-11-2007 After an arduous shoot at the Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah, NJ today, our production team wrapped up four scenes for "Fight the Panda Syndicate." These four scenes highlight the characters of Governor Charles Bedford (played by Rus Pickhardt) and his political aide Charlotte McFadden (played by Andrea Prendamano). In these scenes, Governor Bedford wrestles with the fact that his reelection campaign is not going as well as he had hoped. Behind in the polls, he wonders how he might reach out to the people of New Jersey to let them know that he really cares about each and every one of them without sounding political. The Governor is presented with a unique opportunity when Charlotte presents him with information about a kidnapping, a murder and a gang war that has erupted outside of Philadelphia, on the Jersey side. Charlotte advises that all of these strange events have one thing in common: the fact that a gang, calling themselves “The Panda Syndicate” is responsible. Upon learning about the international criminal organization known as “The Panda Syndicate," which has shattered our peaceful existence here in New Jersey, Governor Bedford declares a statewide manhunt for those involved, proclaiming that the villains responsible will be "hunted down and brought to justice." Representatives of the Bergen Record were onhand to witness the beginning of our long shoot. We anticipate that they will be printing a feature article on our endeavors within the next week. |
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1-20-2007 A great deal of preparation went into the design and construction of the first scene that our production team took on this year. The scene itself, one of our director's favorites, takes the two heroes of the film, James Reeder (played by Sam Rocco) and Ganaraj "G" Raman (played by Gaurav Gangoli) to the home of a mutual acquaintance by the name of Artie Bannister (played by David Baron). In this scene the characters of Jim and G visit their friend Artie, a media pirate with ties to the Hong Kong black market, hoping that Artie will be able to point them in the right direction in their quest to find out more about a mysterious organization known as the Panda Syndicate. A number of original products and brand names were created for this shoot, including Artie Bannister's business logo for "Taboo-U" and a brand of beer called simply "Madness!" These many different products will show up throughout the course of the film, making the world of the Panda Syndicate more intricate and colorful. |
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10-10-2006 Now, for a limited time only, you can own your very own “Fight the Panda Syndicate” limited edition t-shirt. We are ONLY producing 200 of these special shirts (there will be no reprints), more than half of which have already found a home. If you are interested in a “Fight the Panda Syndicate” t-shirt, please contact Jason Dale via e-mail at the following address as soon as possible before your chance to own one is gone forever: jason.dale@crazyelkproductions.com. Production for this film is underway. We have been experimenting with miniature design, and blue screen. Our film is, for the most part, fully cast; although, there are still a few roles that have not been filled. You can look for more offers like this one in the not-too-distant future. |
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08-18-2006 New Jersey State Governor Charles Bedford announced today that he will be seeking re-election in the fall of 2007. Governor Bedford has been involved in Politics for over forty years, having worked his way up the ladder from clerk to one of the most powerful gubernatorial positions in the country. Governor Bedford is nearing the end of his first four year term, and he is looking to continue his residence in Drumthwacket, the much coveted gubernatorial mansion in Princeton, with his wife Constance and daughter Lisa-Marie. |
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06-29-2006 We are now casting for all major parts in Fight the Panda Syndicate. Please contact Jason Dale with your headshots and relevant contact information at the following e-mail if you are interested in taking part in this production: auditions@crazyelkproductions.com. Fight the Panda Syndicate opens in the winter of 1939, a period known as the “phony war.” Having successfully invaded Poland the previous September and having forced the surrender of the last polish troops on or around October 6, 1939, the Germans are spending the winter of 1939 reorganizing their forces while certain members within the upper echelon of the Third Reich, operating without authorization from Berlin under a secret directive known the Panda-Syndikat (or Panda Syndicate), obsessively comb the countryside in pursuit of an artifact described by ancient Chinese texts as the source of an unfathomable dark magic that could bring about the end of the world. The Panda-Syndikat, a group that technically should not even exist, is lead by a rogue German Commander by the name of Mitternacht (a mysterious SS officer who, as far as the administration is concerned, does not exist himself), and he is closing in on a large piece to the puzzle. Mitternacht leads a party to capture a piece of this artifact from Lord Tadeusz Kozak, the artifact’s pledged protector, who promptly packs it up and sends it, by way of his son Jurek, to “relatives” in Bucharest who are also pledged to protect it. The artifact comes into the hands of Lord Kozak’s nephew, the young Kazimierz Yonac, who brings it to England with him in 1940, where it is split into four pieces and taken to each of four undisclosed locations. As the film continues, it is suggested that the terrorist cells of the Panda Syndicate are believed to disintegrate with the fall of the Third Reich. Mitternacht is apprehended in 1945, convicted of conspiracy to commit crimes, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, and sentenced to death by hanging. One piece of the artifact, it is revealed, remains in the hands of Kazimierz, who immigrates to America in 1949. Over fifty years later, the focus of the film shifts to James Reeder (Jim to his friends), the hero of our dark comic-adventure. Reeder awakens, showers, and jumps in his truck, taking off for work. It is revealed that the artifact remains in the Yonac family, in the hands of Kazimierz’s niece, Rachel, who is a Professor of Psychology with a University in Northern New Jersey. The film shifts to a classroom, where she is giving a lecture on dissociative fugue for an Abnormal Psychology class (her class is seen to be quite lively and inquisitive). As she is leaving, three of her students pester her to discuss topics for research papers. After she finally escapes her students, Rachel runs into a colleague of hers who is researching some items that were passed down to her as Executrix of her Uncle Kazimierz’s estate. It is further revealed that her Uncle’s passing was sudden and unexplained, occurring while he was on holiday in Buenos Aires. Lastly, through their conversation the audience learns that Rachel has just purchased an historic home, with the intentions of restoring it; however, she is having some difficulties due to the dilapidated structure and wiring of the house itself. James Reeder is on the job, fixing some faulty wiring for the professor they are attacked by a group that they can only identify as the Panda Syndicate. As Reeder struggles to understand the riddles of the Panda Syndicate, he comes to realize that our world is teetering dangerously on the edge of disaster (orchestrated by the mysterious Sorcerer Xiongmao and those who follow him) and that if the Panda Syndicate reunites the four parts of a magical talisman, which has somehow made its way into the hands of the young Professor Hope, hell on earth will be unleashed. With the help of an odd assortment of supporting characters, Reeder will take on the Panda Syndicate in Crazy Elk’s most elaborate production to date. This will be the first feature film in a series about the Panda Syndicate. |
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03-01-2006 A Teaser for our experimental film is now available to see on the website. Take a look at the following pictures from the teaser (Click on any of the pictures to view the teaser):
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03-09-2006 Crazy Elk Productions has begun pre-production on three original films, which would be entirely written, produced, and directed by our team. These two as yet untitled films will be a feature length thriller and a drama (both are currently in the early stages of development). 03-20-2006 Crazy Elk Productions will be working in conjunction with Orientation ’65 on a very special short film project entitled “Bodega Night,” an original work by Gar Litton of Glen Rock, New Jersey. If you wish to be a part of this production or if you have any questions, you may contact Jason Dale at the following e-mail address: jason.dale@crazyelkproductions.com. 05-19-2006 Crazy Elk Productions will produce an action comic adventure film entitled Fight the Panda Syndicate. This film is already in pre-production and will begin filming in June 2006, replacing the untitled June project. If you wish to be a part of this production or if you have any questions, you may contact Jason Dale at the following e-mail address: jason.dale@crazyelkproductions.com. |
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