"Coming Off the DL" updates

A recent NY Times article provided a link to the blog documenting the making of "Coming Off the DL." Here are a few updates for all of you new visitors!

This blog followed the process of filmmaking, but you can still find recent updates on Facebook and on Twitter. For more information about the film, you can also check out IMDb and our website (under construction). Don't forget to watch the trailer!

"Coming Off the DL" was an official selection at these past festivals:
Peace on Earth Film Festival

Los Angeles Reel Film Festival, for which it received Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Short Concept

It is will be screening and in competition at the following festivals:
Heart of Gold International Film Festival March 17-20 in Australia
Garden State Film Festival March 31-April 3 in Asbury Park, NJ
Hearts and Minds Film Festival April 1-2 in Wilmington, DE

West Chester Film Festival April 29-May 1 in West Chester, PA
New Hope Film Festival July 8-17 in New Hope, NY

Additionally, it has received the following awards:
Broader Vision Award from the Garden State Film Festival

National Service Award from the National United Cerebral Palsy Association

If you're interested in learning more, check out "Coming Off the DL" in other news:

ESPN: Villanova's Student Managers featuring clips from the film

ABC6 Philadelphia: "Inspiration on film: Villanova Student Managers"

Villanova University Press Release

Delco Times: "Villanova student documentary provides inside look at the lives of students with disabilities"

The Villanovan: "Coming Off the 'Disabled List'"

About "Coming Off the DL":

A 26-minute documentary produced by Steal This Productions in May 2010.

When athletes are “on the DL,” or disabled list, they cannot play due to injury. In the film “Coming Off the DL,” the meaning of “disabled list” changes, but the feeling of exclusion remains. For Frank Kineavy and Nick Gaynor, two students with cerebral palsy who work as managers of the Villanova men’s and women’s basketball teams, the DL represents the limitations and challenges they face every day because of people’s misguided assumptions about their disability. “Coming Off the D.L.” shows how Frank and Nick are overcoming the physical, academic, and social challenges of cerebral palsy and changing the way people see ability.

Successful Screenings

First of all, thanks to everyone who has been following the progress behind the scenes of "Coming Off the DL!" I hope you were able to come to our screenings at Villanova University this past Friday.

The screenings were incredibly successful! The first screening was at 7:00 for Villanova dignitaries, cast and families of the cast and crew. We got a standing ovation, which was so rewarding after all of our hard work. My favorite part was seeing the reactions of Frank and Nick and their families. It was so moving. It was an amazing experience to be able to share their lives with an audience. Our second screening at 9:00 was open to the public and was full of friends and Villanova students. The cinema seats just over 200 people, but it was completely filled with standing room only in the aisles, the back and even out into the lobby since we left the doors open. I was so happy to have so much support!

So, this is my thank you...to those who worked on the film, to those who shared their lives in the film, to those who supported us throughout production of the film, and to those who came out to see the film!! It was an incredible journey. I hope other people in the crew will share their thoughts and experiences on the blog.

If you have any questions, feel free to email vudoc2010@gmail.com and we would love to get back to you!

Margaux

P.S. Congratulations to the rest of the crew!

Rendering...

The editors just informed me that the process of editing the still photos in the beginning of the film took over an hour and a half. This was for a sequence about a minute and a half in length... This process is called rendering, and this process is why the editors haven't slept in the past few days. Jay slept on his couch in the editing room. And he isn't actually homeless; he was just working that much.

I ran into Frank yesterday and he was very excited for tomorrow. Well, Frank kind of ran into me. His chair has got some power behind it; that thing was hauling. The dude is like Jeff Gordon.

Oh, and the film screening is TOMORROW!!! Yes, that's right!!! Come to the Villanova Cinema tomorrow at 9 p.m. I promise you will like it. If you tell me you don't like it I will have Frank run you down with his chair.

Hope to see you all there!!

Justin

P.S. Desiree is a wonderful editor, she just has horrible taste in hats. It must be an editor thing (sorry Matt, I'm sure if you ever wore a hat it would be very nice).

Production Company Name

We have created a production company for this film. Yesterday we had a series of names for said company including, but not limited to: B-Roller Productions, 15 in 15 Production, 70s Couch Productions, Homeless Hat Man Productions, Segment X Productions, and a few others that all have inside meaning that no one else will consider significant. We settled on "Steal This Productions," despite opposition from Margaux, who thinks that we will have our equipment or material stolen because karma. Just don't steal our stuff please.

Topher is working on sound for the film and I think it is going well. You can never really tell with him because he is usually pretty laid back regardless. Trish is usually a better indication, but I think she has had too much caffeine pumped through her system at this point. I expect her energy level to be normal sometime around mid to late June.

3 more days!!

Goodnight,
Justin

"Mastah B-Rollah"

Matt will from here on out be known as "Mastah B-Rollah" or "Master B-Roller" for those of you who are not Spike Lee fans. He is going through interviews and matching them with footage to make the film flow nicely. Go eat a bowl of rice with chopsticks and you might get an idea of how laborious this process can be. Luckily we have Mads and Lindsey who have catalogued the footage really well. Don't get me wrong, Matt might still need to be committed after this, but it could be worse.

It has recently come to my attention that Margaux has been putting titles to my various blogs... We all know how I feel about people messing with my blog masterpiece. Ask Michelangelo how frustrated he'd have been if people decided to draw on his ceiling. And yes, I am implying that I am the Michelangelo of blogging.

Jay keeps telling me that he is in fact not homeless. I am skeptical. Megan says she can't figure out how to comment on the blog even though I said something nice about her in it, and Erica's head is in a frame where we were shooting Frank. Having just re-read that last paragraph, I realize that sleep deprivation is getting to me so I'm just going to quit now.

Goodnight everyone!!

Justin

Single digit countdown!

Five more days!! Thats how much more time we have until the screening. It is safe to say that the couch in the editing room is getting more use than any couch should ever get. And no I am not saying that Jay is homeless; he and the others are just working that hard.

The editors have come up with a rough compilation for the conclusion of the film. If you have ever seen "Mighty Ducks 2," this sequence is as exciting as the thrid period of the final hockey game in that movie. For the rest of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I can't help you. Go watch the movie. It's kind of like the in "The Notebook" where Rachel McAdams goes back to that town and starts making out with that guy who needs a haircut while she is in a tight dress and it's raining. Just even more awesome. Yeah, our film is going to be that awesome... And yes, I do like "The Notebook."

Remember, the screening is at 9:00pm, April 30th. Be there.

Justin

Editing, editing, editing...

Editing, editing, editing... and oh yes, a little more editing. Right now I cannot emphasize enough just how happy I am that I am not on the editing team. This is my first experience in a film production setting and I must say that these individuals are the slaves of the production crew. I am trying to think of some slave metaphor to describe just how tedious the process is, but I'm drawing a blank. Sorry guys, I guess I'm just not on point today.

In other news, if you have yet to read the latest issue of Villanovan, our film is featured is a very nice article. My picture is in it and they make me look professional. I know! I didn't believe it was possible either! Greg, Frank's aid, is mentioned as Frank's nurse. L.I.N. (Live in Nurse) is apparently our new nickname for him, because we don't give him enough crap as is. For a complete list of topics we give Greg a hard time about please email me at givegregcrapjustbecausewecan@gmail.com (just kidding).

The screening for "Coming off the DL" is only eight days away! We are screening it in the Connelly Cinema, April 30th, at 9:00pm. All are welcome. Seriously though, if I know you and I see that you don't have the date marked in your calendar I will say something mean about you in this blog the next day! Don't test me. Ask Erica if you don't believe me.

Speaking of Erica, she just sneezed violently and felt that me making fun of her for it was not nice. She then proceeded to hit me. If you see her on campus please do me a favor and glare at her.

Here is the link to the Villanovan article: http://www.villanovan.com/coming-off-the-disabled-list-1.1374765.

Happy Earth Day!

Justin

This message was brought to you because of the inspiration of Madeline Reynolds. In other words: she is sitting next to me and is complaining that I never talk about her...