2012 has been quite an interesting and productive year for us. Not only have we completed full editorial and final mix for festival-bound rock documentary Bad Brains: A Band in D.C., the family-friendly action-adventure film Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy, and fish-out-of-water Armenian comedy Lost and Found in Armenia (starring Jamie Kennedy), but we are currently diving full-force into the next season of American Ninja Warrior, premiering on the G4 Network this Sunday, May 20th, with additional new episodes starting this Monday on NBC.
We are also proud to report that many of the shows we’ve worked on over the last few years have gone on to achieve really great things in recent months. Here’s a brief update:
In February, the Monkey sound editors won a Golden Reel Award for their excellent work on action-packed teen web series, Aim High. For those who have not seen it yet, please visit the show’s official Facebook page and watch every episode!
Aaron Rottinghaus’ psychological drama Apart is enjoying a solid theatrical run in select cities across the U.S., and is also available for viewing on iTunes and On Demand.
Valerie Weiss’ romantic comedy Losing Control is playing throughout many U.S. cities, with new theaters being added regularly! Congratulations to both Aaron and Valerie for getting your films out there!
Sundance favorite Filly Brown has secured distribution through The Indomina Group, and a theatrical release has been set for September 21st. Congratulations to Michael Olmos and Youssef Delara for a job well done!
Western drama Yellow Rock has continued to impress at both the audience and critical levels, receiving the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s prestigious Wrangler Award for Outstanding Theatrical Motion Picture. The film will screen on May 20th at the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival, as well as in September at the Almeria Western Film Festival in Spain. Yellow Rock has recently been acquired by Screen Media Films for U.S. and North American distribution, with a release scheduled for this August. Congratulations, team!
Another one of our recently completed Westerns, Heathens and Thieves, is also making big waves of its own. The film screened in April at the WorldFest – Houston International Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Selection Award for Best Feature Film & Video Production. Heathens was also featured at the Sacramento International Film Festival, and was honored with an award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature. The film will join Yellow Rock in Spain for the Almeria Western Film Festival. Nice going, John and Megan!
The kid-friendly adventure Mickey Matson and The Copperhead Conspiracy will screen this Friday, May 18th, at the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival, with distribution set for later this year. We had a wonderful time working with writer/director Harold Cronk and wish him and his team lots of luck!
Laugh-out-loud comedy Jewtopia (based on the highly acclaimed play) opened the festivities at the Newport Beach Film Festival in April, leaving the audience in stitches. Aqui Entre Nos (Between Us) also tickled the funny bone in Newport, winning the Audience Award for Best Foreign Feature. The Spanish-language comedy will next screen in Los Angeles at the Hola Mexico Film Festival at the end of May, and is currently playing in cities across Mexico. Congratulations, Patricia!
Rock-and-roll drama Sironia screened at both the Dallas International Film Festival and the Fredericksburg-based Hill Country Film Festival, where it won the award for “Best Texas Film.” Brandon rocks!
Another music-driven film, A Buddy Story, premiered this week On Demand and was lots of fun to work on!
After making some noise in March at SXSW, rock documentary Bad Brains: A Band in D.C. is heading for the Seattle International Film Festival (May 17 – June 10). The film follows the ups and downs of revolutionary punk band Bad Brains, and we can’t wait for this film’s official release!
Heading to the Cannes Film Festival is Sushi Girl, the grindhouse noir drama that features incredible performances by Mark Hamill, Tony Todd, James Duvall and many other talented actors. The film will showcase this Saturday, May 19th, at the Cannes marketplace, and we know great things will happen once it hits the general market. Congratulations to Neal, Suren, Destin and Kern!
Three big Monkey projects will slam into theaters this summer. Piranha 3DD and Battlefield America, hit the screen on June 1st, followed by the debut the Todd Bellanca’s gritty boxing drama Knockdown (previously known as The Bad Penny) on June 8th. Knockdown is also currently available On Demand. Way to go, everyone!
This summer will also mark the premiere of Joint Body, a dark drama directed by super talented filmmaker, Brian Jun. Look for it on DVD July 24th!
That’s about it for right now. A big “thank you” to all our clients for keeping us informed about their films, and for letting us share all the great news with our friends! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Monkeylandaudio) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/monkeylandaudio), or visit our website for the latest in Monkey news. Until next time!
